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mara ; dev blog for lamb to the slaughter

[hvllowheart]

"You always do that," they say, gearing for an argument as their shoulders tense.

"Do what?" 

They wet their lips, eyes meeting yours. "Believe whatever the agency feeds you."

LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER is a spy game where you take on the role of an agent under the codename Wraith, who up until two years ago was one of the best agents TERRA has ever made. now the agency returns into your life and pulls you back into the field as agents go missing by the dozens.

this game is rated 18+ for explicit violence, sexual content and substance usage

DEMO

gender & sexuality customisation

romance one of four characters that range from your new partner to a femme fatale with a soft spot for you

uncover a mystery that's more intertwined with your own past than you thought

abbas/amal [ gender cust. / love interest ] — your new partner upon rejoining TERRA. it's still up in the air whether they're a glorified babysitter or a real asset.

ophelia [ female / love interest ] — her definition of good and bad are as loose as her morals. you catching her eye might prove useful or run you into the ground.

silas [ male / love interest ] — the hacker with the first lead. silas has a knack for all things tech and if you're lucky he might even make you a gadget or two.

atlas [ gender cust. / former best friend/love interest ] — your former partner now only haunts your memories, but some days you still feel like they're around, watching over you.

director feng [ female ] — the new director and your boss. you don't know why she pulled you back into the heart of the agency, but her secrets are the least of your worries.

[hvllowheart]

this could be wraith x atlas/ophelia

https://x.com/Korichi_Celeste/status/1851611718146732164

lmaooo

[hvllowheart]

it still amazes me on how A could don a persona that's so far from their actual one

although short, the casino scene with them always gets me 😳😳🤭

they are a great performer! which is why TERRA kept them around so long considering their. issues 😔

[hvllowheart]

half the reason I chose to write a spy IF is bc of the tropes I can write. my fave ofc being pretending to be couple but it feeling a little too real for their liking

[hvllowheart]

Will fight scenes change depending on the gender of the characters? Or the MC?

somewhat! fight scenes with amal, f!atlas and ophelia will be described differently to scenes for abbas or m!atlas for obvious reasons but I'm still debating on the mc.

I'll definitely offer the choice to play more offensive or defensive and the mc will not be the best at hand-to-hand combat based on which stats you choose which then changes the scenes a little.

[hvllowheart]

I don't understand people asking about if there will be killing or not in something spy themed. SMH

it is a strange question to ask considering the genre 😭

[hvllowheart]

Hello! i am very interested in this IF, but I am *very* uncomfortable with the idea of killing somebody or seeing one of the ROs do it, so can that be avoided? If not, that is also okay, I will just look for something else and wish you the best of success regardless! Thank you and have a nice day^^

this is fairly old but I've gotten quite a few asks like this and I'd like to clarify that violence is a big theme within the game and both the mc and side characters will kill/have killed.

I understand if that's not your cup of tea and not being comfortable with it however!

[hvllowheart]

I have this image in my head of Atlas having bigger hands than mc and mc having to wear the ring on their thumb because its too big on any other finger

that's so sweet 😭

[hvllowheart]

The game isn't on the cog forum?

and it probably won't be for a while. I don't really like how people interact with wips over there

[hvllowheart]

I need more 🥲 I really like this IF

thank you!! there will be more (hopefully) soon

[hvllowheart]

Is this abandoned?

it's not! I'm just terrible at writing 2 wips at once

[hvllowheart]

I was intent on playing as a serious agent to contrast Atlas' more lackadaisical attitude but I really couldn't help myself with making Wraith wave the corpse's arm at Wolf just to see them be horrified lol They can be a menace, just this once, as a treat.

I am also in love with how absolutely ill-timed and inappropriate the moments of romance development between Atlas and Wraith are because it makes sense. They are always on the move, always in danger. When will they even have time to kick back and relax and flirt and develop a relationship? lol

By the way, have you played "The Phantom Agent" by Choices? LTTS really feels like a much better written and funnier version of it lol

Although it might be that a lot of the themes and locations are pretty common in espionage fiction, which I wouldn't even know because I'm not familiar with it.

that choice w the arm was so unhinged but honestly 😭 it fits. Wraith too has done some weird/funny shit in their time, even as a more serious agent!

They are always on the move, always in danger. When will they even have time to kick back and relax and flirt and develop a relationship?

exactly! there haven't ever been quiet moments. no dates to sit down and get to know each other. they had to do that on missions, while hiding. recovering from wounds, when they were strapped to beds and tables and had to clench their teeth together as the other stitched them back up and over time those touches turned more tender than perfunctory. they both stayed up to keep watch instead one or the other. trust had to be developed quickly and everything followed somewhere along the lines too.

I actually used to play choices when it first came out, but have lost interest when it got so nsfw focussed and they stopped producing good books lmao but if that's true I hope you'll like ltts as we go on! I think there are central themes that appear in any spy related game/story so I do understand the comparison.

[hvllowheart]

I really really love how you introduced the relationship with atlas and it bouncing back and forth between flashbacks. It makes the relationship seem very real and intense especially mc’s mourning. Also I dont know if you know this but the entire game is giving the same energy as the musical “spies are forever” cuz I imagine the atlas and mc reunion going the same as this scene from the musical

https://youtu.be/1baAxE6rdaE?si=BVOVtWr2L3aPrW8n

yeah! I like how w the flashbacks not being linear everything seems more... erratic? if that makes sense. atlas and mc have a relationship that spans years but it's the little things that made them fall into it for good.

I dont know that musical but I'll be sure check it and the scene you sent out!

[hvllowheart]

flashback route, pls, oh god, please santa.

the way I don't know what that refers to anymore... I'm sorry!!

[hvllowheart]

the initial joy turning into dread. realizing you've been lied to by your best friend/partner. the trust was never there, was it? or else you'd have been in on it. instead you've been left behind. left to mourn and blame yourself

To add more fuel to the fire: Atlas noticing the next time they see MC that they don't wear the ring anymore.

oh the absolute pain the angst the ANGUISH. atlas would see that as a bigger betrayal than the mc seemingly moving on with someone else but to them that cements the mc having closed that chapter of their life. for good. that ring was more than just a way to remember atlas. it was a promise too and to see that broken... well they eont enjoy that very much.

[hvllowheart]

Kind of living for the thought of mc maybe potentionally siding with a maybe alive atlas and backstabbing the ro´s because whatever was brewing between them, it could never hold up to mc´s unwavering love and devotion to their one true first love atlas (despite how much they´ve changed) and their growing suspicion and hate for the agency

Also, IF atlas is alive, i can´t wait for them to see mc wears their ring still. The only thing left of atlas for mc to hold on to (great now I made myself sad ;;)

thinking about all of this... pain and suffering!!!

backstabbing the new ro in favour of atlas is so delicious, though. the sheer angst and lowkey pining you could have in that route. the regret while still believing wholeheartedly you made the right call. and then finally noticing the cracks in what you had with atlas. the way atlas themself has changed and you potenrially not liking that change 🫠

[hvllowheart]

I'm dying for the moment when atlas and mc meet again, the pain!!! mc barely holding themselves back, torn between heartbreak and anger, with a taste of sorrow.

if that ever happens.... yeah that shit will be ROUGH.

the initial joy turning into dread. realizing you've been lied to by your best friend/partner. the trust was never there, was it? or else you'd have been in on it. instead you've been left behind. left to mourn and blame yourself 🧍😐