LAST UPDATED: (PATREON - 4/10/2026) (PUBLIC- 4/18/2026)
PINTEREST PLAYLISTS
NEXT PUBLIC UPDATE: 8/8/2026
NEXT PATREON UPDATE: 7/31/2026
For as far back as your memory can stretch, you’ve been running the streets of Lower Cusmo, the underbelly of Hashind’s jewel of a capital city. In these dark corridors you have grown from a lowly locust, just another street child, into a full fledged thief belonging to a well established guild.
But things are shifting in the city. Guilds are going quiet and reemerging under new leadership, nobles are becoming more flagrant in their corruption under the eyes of a young king, and merchants tell harrowing stories of the unnatural beasts in the service of a ravenous empire.
You, now caught amidst the machinations of the city’s most influential and supernatural, must decide how you will act. The city, your honor, and your very life are all up for grabs.
Honor Amongst Thieves is a text-based fantasy interactive fiction game, full of political intrigue, romance, and of course thievery!
Synopsis
You play as a thief pressed into the employ of a mysterious nobleman. With your life, the fate of your guild, and your honor on the line, you'll have to navigate the perils of the royal court and combat a more mystical threat. The story is set in Cusmo, the naturally fortified, desert capital of Hashind, and will showcase the much praised Upper Cusmo, the crime-ridden Lower Cusmo, and much more.
Features
Protagonist customization allows for appearance, personality, and chosen skill set to all have an impact on the story. (You can even choose an area of thievery to be your specialty)
Relationships, both platonic and romantic, have a large impact on the game. There are currently eight potential love interests to choose from, as well as a host of character to befriend or offend.
Supernatural creatures that like to make deals.
Court schemes and political intrigue.
Feasts and other royal functions. (Be mindful of assassins, unless of course you are the assassin.)
The opportunity to literally rob someone blind.
Heists, pickpocketing, poisoning, assassinations and more!
Love Interests
Merikh
“You will live. You will live to see what you have raised. You will see the seed you have sown in full bloom. And you will fear.”–Merikh Labaton
The illegitimate son of the Noble Labaton family that presides over the Ibis Provence, he was sent off for military service. His meritorious service has granted him a newly created title and position in the royal court, though how much can be achieved with it is yet to be seen. With his new authority, newly acknowledged nobility, and ravenous ambition, he has strong armed multiple guilds and gangs into his employ.
Physical Description: In his early thirties, Merikh is tall, with lightly tanned skin, and pale blue, hooded eyes. His sandy brown hair is kept cut below the nape of his neck and has a slight wave to it. He is tight jawed with a heavy, usually furrowed brow, and a prominent aquiline nose. This along with a muscular and broad build, causes him to be a rather imposing presence. He’s slow to smile, but when he does he has startlingly white teeth and deep dimples. He dresses neatly and impeccably. His attire is practical, but always well made and expensive.
Laverna
“Do you ever worry that if someone truly knew you, that all of the love they thought they had for you would wither away to dust?” –Laverna Thandetes
Her beauty is like that of a droplet of dew desperately clinging onto a rose. Her hobbies are exactly what one would expect the most powerful courtier’s daughter to excel at. She reads, she dances, she is refined and held together, just as her father expects. Fabulously wealthy and of impeccable lineage, she is considered by many in court to be the prospective bride of the new king. Her father has great plans for her, but does she have any of her own?
Physical Description: In her early twenties, Laverna is petite with a soft build and large deep brown eyes that are framed with dark lashes. She has skin as dark as the night with a soft and open face, with high cheekbones, rounded cheeks, and full lips. She constrains her thick and coarsely curled hair in various complex braided styles, rarely leaving her hair unbound. She dresses as someone of her station should, dripping in opulence. Gold complements her better than silver so she wears it often.
Aretas
“I am not a young child that they can lead and sway as they please anymore. I am their king. Those that do not wish to be led by me will find themselves destroyed by me.” –Aretas Kauket
As a young king ruling over a young empire, he is profoundly overwhelmed. Despite having the intelligence and bearing to lead, he is still a novice at governing on this scale. Tasked with navigating hostile foreign relations and newly added territories to the kingdom, he has allowed the court to operate with relative impunity and his reliance on certain courtiers has led to an increase in corruption. He is a man of strategy and ambition, but sometimes his dreams of the future obscure his view of the present.
Physical Description: In his early twenties, Aretas is tall, with warm reddish brown skin, and brown heavy lidded but bright eyes. With a muscular but lean build and perfect posture, he stands always ready to take control of any situation. Shiny coiled hair frames his head like a halo, and he often has to twist it and tie it back to accommodate his crown. A smattering of dark freckles adorn his prominent nose and despite his strong jaw, his rounded cheeks betray his youth. He wears the royal attire and jewels for formal events, but privately prefers to dress very casually.
Sarai
"No I was not the Great King’s first wife, nor was I his last. And yet here I stand, the only one left among them. As the only queen. "–Sarai Kauket
The queen dowager, the last remaining wife of the deceased King, has groomed her son for the throne. She is devoted to helping him succeed, but critiques from nobility and officials have whittled down her public influence and have forced her to retreat from openly advising her son or exhibiting political power. An expert in court etiquette, as well as court machinations, it would be unwise to believe that she no longer wields any influence.
Physical Description: In her late thirties, she is average height but her noble bearing makes people feel as if she towers over them. She has rich brown skin and her, often furrowed, dark brows frame her sharp brown eyes. Her small but full lips are often pressed into a thin lineand her hair hangs heavily down her back, like an inky black curtain. She doesn’t wear the traditional attire expected of her station, instead she wears the royal fabrics in the style of her homeland. Draped in heavy fabrics and adorned in heavy glittering jewelry, she glides through the halls or the palace, like an elegant specter.
Desma
"I know all I need to know. I know that it’s hard to stay fed. And I know I’ll do whatever it takes not to starve."–Desma
A fellow thief in your guild, Desma is someone you could always count on the never rob you of your cut. Sticking to the shadows with an air of both mischief and ill intent, she is a dangerous thief, and an even more dangerous assassin. Bonded by the streets, and your guild, it would take a great deal for her to turn on you.
Physical Description: In her early twenties, Desma is a fellow thief in your guild. She has a strong straight nose with a wide bridge a wide mouth and grey eyes. She has grown surprisingly tall and wiry, with long limbs composed of lean muscle. Her movements are quiet and her clothing is dark, but her voice and personality is loud and bright. Her dark brown hair has a slight wave to it, with a few curls hiding in there as well, but because she often just ties it up haphazardly, she ends up with knots in it. Her dark brows are thick and heavily arched, as if always prepared to make an offbeat analysis of any situation.
Sutek
"I am trying to walk my path, and yet fate has decided to put you in the middle of it. It matters not. I will go through you."–Sutek
A hardened thief and fighter, he has shot up the ranks in a rival guild. Both familiar and a stranger, he has made it clear that he has designs on your life. His tattoos appear to be similar to the desert nomads long forbidden from traveling through Cusmo, but no one is sure what they mean or where he got them. One thing is certain however, they mark him as dangerous and one to watch.
Physical Description: In his late twenties, Sutek is a hardened thief and fighter, and there is a sharpness in the shape of his amber eyes, jaw, and even silhouette. His soft dark hair is cut closely to his scalp and his muscles seem to be constantly tensed under his amber skin, like he is always ready to strike. Scars and tattoos cover his body, the most notable of his scars is one that goes across his throat. His tattoos appear to be similar to the desert nomads long forbidden from traveling through Cusmo, but no one is sure what they mean or where he got them. The words wind down his arms, across his back, and even down the side of his legs, making his whole body a canvas.
Nari
"You would be a fool to face me. Whether it is on the battlefield, whether I am in a dress, or even in another life. Every time I will out match you."–Nari Yun
Her family’s military contributions can be seen almost all the way to the Hashind’s formation, and on her family tree, generals can be found on every branch. After seeing that her brother was more suited to be a scholar, her father chose her amongst her siblings to be the one to uphold the family legacy. Now with a younger and more open minded king on the throne, perhaps she will finally have a chance to prove herself.
Physical Description: In her mid-twenties she is short and stocky, with slightly broad shoulders and strong limbs. Her skin is lightly tanned with a golden undertone and the lids to her large dark brown eyes are without a crease. With a square jaw, high cheek bones and a full upper lip, her face is mostly unmarred except for a thin, pale scar under her eye. She wears her hair pulled back into a braided bun to keep it out of the way and is either in loose, comfortable attire or armor and training clothes. On formal occasions when she has to dress for her station she usually wears muted and natural colors, not wanting to draw too much attention.
Heka
"The temple is full of monks, but very few men of faith. They attempt to quote the tomes, and choke on their jewels."–Heka
The young monk and chosen seer of this generation lived a life of asceticism before taking his position at the High Temple of Hashind. His visions are not of a predestined future but of many branches and ripples that may come to be. He may not be able to see all, or even the danger that is to come, but he cannot turn a blind eye to the corruption of those who claim to represent the faith.
Physical Description: In his early twenties, Heka has copper toned skin, sharp, dark, upturned eyes that seem as though they are both looking at you intently, but also past you, and wavy black hair that stops just above his ankles that he wears in a thick braid. He is very slim and lithe, however the definition in his arms and legs is that of someone who has done a lot of work and a lot of walking. His style of dress is distinct, but there is no trace of vanity. Everything has either spiritual significance or ritual significance, from the gold bands wrapped around his ankles, to the simple draped robes he wears.
Hi Leone! I hope the detective thriller novel is going well!
I’ve been inspired a lot by your IF to try dabbling with writing a short story in IF fashion! I’ve mostly been using itch.io but I’ve been having a difficult time trying to come up with consistent deadlines for each update (I’m not great at estimating my production time since I’m kind of disorganized).
Out of curiosity, how do you usually plan ahead for when your next update comes? Do you usually announce dates that extend your estimate for how long it takes you to complete your update goals (i.e. announce your planned update a few days/weeks after you finished writing it) or do you usually come up with a deadline before writing/coding?
I’ve been doing the former just because I think that the deadline would help motivate me to write more but I’ve been finding that it’s quite stressful. I’m tempted to try announcing a date after writing everything but then I’m anxious that perhaps readers would get annoyed without a set date during the silence…
Anyways, I wish you luck with the contest and thank you for inspiring me!
Hi!
First of all, it means so much to me that my story could encourage you to write your own! I love hearing that and would love to read it someday.
It's funny that you've asked me about deadlines, because that is something I struggle with as well. Literally just changed the HAT demo deadlines right before answering this.
I'm going to be a bit vulnerable with you for a second.
In the beginning and even now, I set deadlines based on my estimate, however these deadlines are very much alive. They are estimates and as much as I wish they were firm, I could not predict some of the things life would throw at me. Failing to meet a deadline for my writing was disappointing to me, but in front of an audience it felt like failure.
I've tried both ways that you mentioned and I can't say I have a good answer. Other authors that are better at communicating with their readers and time management might be better to ask haha!
I will say this though, some people will always be frustrated and impatient. If you set a deadline and don't meet it, you might lose readers, but you might also lose confidence in yourself. Still, you have to keep writing. Update it eventually, as long as you update it. Move the date if that's what it takes to create something that is good in your eyes, or don't set a date until you feel ready too.
If I could go back in time, I would have created a big backlog before starting my update schedule, but that would have been difficult with the amount of coding and testing required. You'll find your rhythm. Just keep going!
(Also fun fact, I intentionally missed the competition deadline, because I realized that I just really wanted to finish a book this summer, and submitting an incomplete book would help me reach the deadline, and y'all's votes could have even helped me win, but it wouldn't address the main thing I wanted to accomplish. So I'm halfway done with the mystery novel and quietly working on other things in the background. I'm trying out the silence until it's done method, so we'll see how it goes!)
Thank you for your ask and kind words!! Hopefully I'll be able to see your story one day!
Do the people in the city KNOW they have a new king? bc the guard captain still swore by the old one and nobody really seemed to make like.. a declaration to the people themselves. Just the nobles at the palace. Are the commoners not even worthy of being informed?
I swear your powers of perception are unmatched!
Close to spoiler territory, but:
They know Avith is dead and that Aretas is king
The nobles knew before the common people
There was an announcement made and it was a significant event, but because Aretas was so young, they he wasn't as big of a focus as his dad was.
That's all I can say because the characters will talk about it more.
*Fun Fact: Because Aretas ascended to the throne so young but wasn't really in the public eye, he's still viewed by some and as 'the boy king' or a literal 'golden child'. And there is market merchandise to back up those nicknames.
Still working on this mystery novel. Technically I only need to reach 20,000 words to be eligible for voting for the contest, but I want to see if I can actually finish it in total. One more week until I drop the link, fingers crossed!
Who doesn’t wanna be the adopted kid of a crime ring and desperately have to try and deal with conspiracy and intrigue at all sides??
Ria is definitely a punch first ask questions later type but despite that she knows how to keep up appearances and be pleasant when doing all the… courtly intrigue stuff. (Tho she definitely shot at one or two nobles during that hunting trip— but u didnt hear that from me—)
She has been racking up romance points with Sutek, Merikh and Queen Sarai but I’ve decided (with this pt at least) She’s gonna be pursuing Sutek specifically (but I’ll be making other pts too don’t u worry. There are many great options here not just those three.)
trying to write really dire torture prison scenes while listening to "chill instrumental lofi beats" is absolutely taking me out 🥹 the modern life of a writer is breathtaking lmfao
Considering I have so much to edit for HAT, as well as working on the update, I decided to take a quick break.
By writing more!
I came across a writing competition to start a mystery/thriller novel. So I took one of the ideas I had for an IF and turned it into a novel. Now I'm trying to get to 20,000 words on it before I send y'all a link.
Goal is to finish it within the month, just to see if writing IF has impacted my ability to write linear fiction. (I will say that planning is harder than the actual writing and the first 5,000 words has flown by!)
I needed a break from trying to fix all of the errors in my game, so I will be back in a few days with a supernatural-mystery-thriller surprise. Stay tuned!
A couple of people said go for it so go for it I shall!
*Below is a rant about how women are treated in literature and the media as a whole, beginning with the Epic of Gilgamesh, but leaks into modern day. It became far longer than I intended, no need to read.
Since beginning to write and especially being on this site, I hear a lot that male characters tend to be more well written, but I also think it's because literature is so focused on what motivates and drives a man to do something, that audiences are trained to do the heavy lifting and fill in the gaps.
Why would a farm boy leave the farm?
To seek his fortune, adventure, better life, etc.
We don't extend the same level of inference to women in literature. While we tell our heroes to go for and be brave my son, we measure our heroines by their sacrifice and contribution to others within the narrative.
Also, because women have been used so often as a plot device or motivation for the man at the center of the story, it is difficult for a woman to command space in the narrative and to also be perceived positively by the audience. Some of this is a writing issue, where a woman makes a choice, after doing very little, that harms others in the story. Now she must shoulder the ire the audience. But other times, the choice that is made simply contributes to the plot of the story, but is scrutinized more harshly because it evokes a trait that we abhor in women. (Selfish, vain, etc.)
I've watched and read far too many think pieces online talking about the issue with how women are portrayed in modern media blah blah. Or I've seen well intentioned pieces written, even here on this site, where people erase female characters from media, or even absorb the female character into one of the male characters, as if her actions could only be palatable if being done by a man.
But this isn't a new thing, in fact we can bring this back to an old interpretation of an even older story:
The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Quick rundown on the Epic of Gilgamesh:
Sumerian poems later referenced and combined in Akkadian. Heavily influenced antiquity, several arcs, features many of the literary elements we know today.
Gilgamesh is the titular character, a king that does whatever he wants, much to the irritation of the Sumerian Pantheon. Enkidu is his bestie that was created by the Sumerian Pantheon to stop Gilgamesh, but that backfired.
I would say they go on 'adventures' together, but it really is just havoc and devastation, just because they can. Divine punishment ensues.
But I don't want to talk about either of these two, at least, not as a focus. I want to talk about Shamhat.
Shamhat is a priestess tasked with making Enkidu, who was created to stop Gilgamesh from terrorizing the earth, a person. When Shamhat meets Enkidu, he is living as an animal and through the power and magic of coochie, with some talk about future plans in between, she makes him a man. After this process, animals flee from him and, unable to return to the wild Shamhat guides him to come with her to the city of Uruk. There, he meets Gilgamesh and boom, epic of Gilgamesh.
Except, remember I mentioned divine punishment and Enkidu's purpose being to stop Gilgamesh's antics, not join in? Well because of Enkidu's disobedience, he is struck down with illness. Who do you think he blames? Gilgamesh? No. Himself? Of course not. Shamhat. He blames her for civilizing him and basically giving him the life he has and curses her. A god intervenes and he apologizes and blesses her instead.
Now, with all of this in mind, it seems hard to understand how this epic, even excluding the overarching lesson Gilgamesh learns about humility, mortality, and what makes life worth living, is not also a great critique on how men and their wants can be prioritized to the detriment of others. A tale that features a woman lifting a man out of the mire, gifting him civilization, being his lover, teacher, and moral guide, then being set aside once he meets another man, and cursed for enriching his life and setting him on the path towards his purpose seems like it would be evident of that.
With a story like this, we would see many women identifying with Shamhat, recognizing some of the men in their life as Enkidu, and maybe even finding comfort that Enkidu was rebuked.
Yeah, we don't really see that because the main focus is shifted to the bond between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Shamhat is a tool. Her body is a training ground. She can make a man, but will not hold the same place as one. Not in the narrative and not in the mind's of the audience.
To understand why that is, we could look at a lot of things. We could look at the plain fact that this is Gilgamesh's story, so of course his bonds are going to take precedent. We could look at how misogyny, including internalized misogyny work their way into our interactions with art. We could even look at the historical context, not of the original text, but its reentry into pop culture after WWII. So emphasized is the bond between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, that a story that wouldn't transpire without sex between a man and a woman, is considered a landmark of queer literature. (I am not condemning this interpretation, but pointing to the erasure of women.)
This is not the only place we have seen this. When people speak of Achilles, they speak of Patroclus, not of Briseis or Deidamia. There is a verse in the Bible in which David states, at the death of his friend "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."
There have been many interpretations about that, but one thing I notice is that often we expect love from women, making a woman's love common and a man's love precious. A man's love comes with protection and meaning and while a woman's love can be used as a measure, it seems like it doesn't count.
Keeping in the vein of biblical quotes, there is the Proverbs 31 woman, who is worth more than rubies, and works, and is kind, and pious, and runs the household and all of these things. She is said to be deserving of adornments and praise.
I hate to say it, but it is no wonder that love between men seems to be idealized in recent years, mainly because it features a love amongst equals in a way, not that of a person and a devoted servant. And that is truly sad, that we sometimes look at sex and love as low or cheap when a woman is involved. (There is another conversation to be had about the language around sex, and terminology, both colloquially and legally has been used to make sex into an act of domination and something that is done to someone and not with them. But I'm stopping myself!)
This is not an attack on queer literature or interpretations. I understand that some of these interpretations stem from trying to create representation where there is very little and not all pleasing. But often in these stories, women serve as a comfortable, yet smothering entity. A love that you can have, but do not want, and that can never mean as much as your relationship with a man. She is the manifestation of all that stands between a man and his true self, his true love. I would argue that this is just as damaging as when a woman is used as a set piece, reward, or tool in a story.
All of this is to say, interpretations are one thing, but as we fixate on the men in these stories, from Gilgamesh to Batman, I think we should be more conscious of why our interpretation erases the women in them. Is it the writing? Or are we subconsciously co-signing on the idea that a woman's love, motivations, actions, existence, is inherently less than a man's.
Also, one more last thing!
The Epic of Gilgamesh is not a woe is me tale about two guys just trying to be besties in ancient Sumerian mythology! Enough of the star crossed portrayals. Gilgamesh was a whole tyrant and Enkidu was dumb, ungrateful, and they both did Humbaba so dirty. I'm glad they face a consequence. I've seen some people do the whole, "Oh Enkidu was his bride, oh doomed from the start," thing with them. No! They were the equivalent of two delinquents demigods. Ugh.
*On a very related note, this rant has been in my head for years, but bubbled to the surface while writing a scene with Eualia, Merikh's sister and Phaedra, Diomedes's wife. I noticed that if there are parallels between Enkidu and Gilgamesh's relationship and that of Diomedes and Avith, then there are also other parallels. Anyway, look forward to seeing more of Eualia in the future, she's a very fun but sad character to write.
Wait im back again for one more comment! I adore all the ROs but this game has my favorite women hands down! In a lot of games the male ros tend to feel more fleshed out and so I tend to gravitate towards them because I wanna get the most content out of the story, but every one of your characters feels so full and alive and like a complete person with aspirations and flaws and just such distinct characterization and I think it especially shines with the ladies (especially Desma but we've established im biased) and Nari who I will protect at all costs omg. But also it's so nice still trying to befriend all the guys because they're also fantastic! Everything with Sutek from the return from the hunt onwards, gold! Merikh showing up to be a bro and help take back the guild, wonderful! Aretas wanting to be our friend, precious!!!
I love this cast of characters and I think I will play again tomorrow and try to romance someone besides Desma~ Have a great one!
Thanks a bunch!
I really try to take my time and flesh out each character. I need to know why they so what they do, how they see the world, if they want things to change, stay the same, etc. And I try to allow my characters to have conflicting parts of themselves, just like people do.
Nari for example is extremely competent, but in a very specific area of her life. She possesses a great deal of authority and has the skill and authority to wield it, yet she does not thrive in certain social environments. I have to allow both of these things to coexist. Similarly, Laverna is genuinely kind. She is not a warrior, at least physically. But she has a clear view of who she loves and trusts and is surrounded by women that utilize cunning. I have to let her be kind AND calculating.
Yeah, I really am glad you like the character interactions, because making things feel natural and like relationships are progressing is a bit hard. (Especially when I want to get to the good stuff!)
I just read an ask about poldi and i have to say i dont remember the dude but i want to romance one of the twins 😔 i went into your if blind and i was waiting for the hearts options that didnt happen so i had to come to see who the ros were and i got sad
When I first started this WIP 80 long years ago:
The twins were almost love interests.
It was going to be set earlier in the HAT timeline, and Aretas, occupied a similar role of Avith except way different.
Avith was still around.
Amatus was romanceable
Anyway, a lot of changes were made during the planning stage. I felt that I couldn't craft good quality love stories for all of the ROs I had planned. So I decided to break it up. I already had in my mind what a romance for Tamu, Sefu, or Amatus would look like, so I just figure they can have their own thing once I finish HAT. I even toyed with the idea of having single love interest games featuring them. The MC would be different however, but still mentioned.
But yeah, another fun fact is Heka was on the chopping block for a while. Nari was too and so was Desma. Yemoja wasn't planned to be romanceable, but I did toy with the idea of making Laverna occupy her role in the story, just to introduce Laverna earlier, but they are great foils for each other and I decided against it.
