Hiraeth is an 18+ supernatural mystery, that explores the complexities of love, loss, and the unshakable pull of home, set against the backdrop of a town shrouded in mystery and darkness.
You’ve built a successful career, started a new life, and finally found your place among new friends, miles away from the small town you once called home. But just when you thought you’d left that life behind, your brother calls in a panic—your mother has died suddenly in her sleep. Now, you’re forced to return and confront the past you tried so hard to escape.
As you settle your mother’s affairs, long-buried memories and forgotten connections begin to resurface. Your home town has always felt off, but it turns out to be steeped in unsettling mysteries that seem to revolve around your family, pulling you into a dark web of supernatural forces and ancient secrets. With each discovery, the line between your family’s past and the town’s fate becomes more blurred, and the closer you get to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes.
Can you unravel the truth behind your mother’s death, navigate the town’s strange supernatural forces, and maybe even find love amidst the chaos? Or will the town’s dark pull consume you before you can save yourself—or anyone else?
Content warnings include: explicit language, sexual themes, substance use, violence, death, grief, trauma, and possible unhealthy relationship dynamics.
Design Your MC: Customize everything from your character’s name, appearance, clothing style, living situation, to their sexuality and gender identity. Tailor your MC to fit your vision.
Career Choices: Choose from 5 distinct jobs—Artist, Writer, Teacher, Private Investigator, or Bartender—each with unique scenes, stats effects, and side characters to interact with, influencing how you approach the town’s mysteries and the bonds you build.
Curate Your Personality: Shape how your MC reacts to the strange events of Hiearth, from calm and collected to impulsive and emotional. Your choices will influence how other characters view and interact with you.
Romance Options: Develop deep, meaningful relationships with 1 of 4 love interests, including your childhood best friend, your ex, a mysterious new comer, or the son of the town's most powerful family. Pursue solo or poly relationships, each with its own layers and dynamics.
Explore and Discover: As you dig into the town’s dark past and your own forgotten memories, you'll encounter supernatural elements, ancient family secrets, and long-buried powers that shape your destiny.
Branching Narratives: The choices you make don’t just affect you—they can mend or break relationships with other characters, help you discover certain clues, or effect the town, altering some of the course of the story.
Niccolo [he/him] – Niccolo, the son of Hiraeth’s most powerful family, is a few years older than you and a figure you’ve only heard about through rumors. Descending from one of the town's founders, his life is defined by privilege, yet wealth and indulgence never seem to satisfy him. He seeks out fleeting thrills—cycling through lovers, dabbling in drugs, or instigating fights—but only art truly captivates him. When he's not out partying, Nicco spends hours in galleries or locked away in his studio, trying to capture the beauty of life that constantly eludes him. His reckless nature is tempered by a charm that’s magnetic, flirty, and dangerous in equal measure, always hiding a deeper restlessness beneath the surface.
Appearance – Nicco has fawn skin, sharp features, and perfectly tousled black curls that add to his hauntingly elegant look. His dark, bottomless eyes exude a mysterious intensity, hinting at a life far older than his years. His style is tailored dark clothing, favoring leather jackets, sleek trousers, and crisp button-ups. Rings and necklaces complete his look, adding to his timeless sophistication, though his polished appearance conceals the chaos that brews just beneath.
Althea [she/her] – New to you and Hiraeth, Althea and her nomadic family recently moved into a once-abandoned apartment building at the town's edge. Their arrived is far from coincidental, and there’s more history between her family and the town than she realizes. Fiercely protective and quick to fight, Althea’s guarded nature hides a deeply loyal, soft side known only to her loved ones. Her sharp reflexes and predatory grace hint at something primal she struggles to control. When not skateboarding, she can be found ice skating at the local rink.
Appearance: Althea has mahogany skin and golden brown eyes that gleam dangerously when angered. Her shoulder-length black hair is styled in a full, natural afro. She favors practical, clothes like baggy tees, crop tops, high-waisted cargo jeans, and flannels, which conceal scars linked to her family's buried secret. Despite her tough style, she carries herself with a quiet elegance, always prepared for whatever comes her way.
Magnus [he/they] – Magnus is your ex, a childhood friend you’ve known since kindergarten and dated in high school. The two of broke up when you left for college, and you haven’t spoken to him since. They now run the Witch’s Brew café, a family business passed down from their mother’s side. When not managing the café, Magnus enjoys thrifting, gardening, and composing music effortlessly. His personality is bubbly and humorous, with a laugh that’s oddly melodic, capable of shifting between playful and reflective moods, always leaving people curious about the depths beneath.
Appearance: Magnus has honey brown eyes, golden skin, and a medium-length wolf cut styled half-up. His gender-neutral style blends earthy tones with pops of color, often wearing crocheted sweaters, embroidered vests, skirts, and loose pants. Their outfits are always paired with vintage jewelry, each with a story to tell. There's an ethereal quality to their appearance, as if they belong to another world, yet they fit perfectly into the one they inhabit.
Elias [he/him] – Elias is your childhood best friend, and like Magnus, you’ve known each other since kindergarten. His family, the MacConnells, have a longstanding rivalry with the mayor’s family, but Elias isn’t concerned with politics. He prefers books, writing, and swimming, which suits his quiet, disciplined nature. When not helping his mother with real estate or attending family events, Elias retreats to his cabin, finding peace in the lake where he feels a deep, ancient connection. Though calm and controlled now, he’s changed from the crybaby you once knew, becoming someone who hides his emotions beneath a serene exterior.
Appearance: Elias has pale cameo skin and long platinum-blond hair, often worn in loose waves. His sharp blue eyes, framed by glasses, add to his studious look. His style is comfortable and put together—Oxford platforms, knit sweaters, oversized sweatshirts, overalls, and well-worn jeans. He always carries a leather canvas bag filled with his many unfinished thoughts and stories.
You make it to the blue house, just in time too as the distant wailing of some creature draws near.
The house is relatively clean, and the owners seemed to be having dinner together prior to their sudden departure.
You and the children feel a sense of relief when walking in, while still being cautious of your unfamiliar environment.
Pictures in the hall reveal a young family, a couple in their early 20-30’s with their newborn baby…
Your hairs suddenly stand on end when you hear someone’s voice.
“Hello?? Is anyone there? Are you the paramedics??”
The voice came closer, along with the loud frantic sound of furniture moving and falling.
You held your breath as you braced for the inevitable encounter, holding your youngest while you watch your eldest and neighbor duck behind a doorway.
The creature was massive, limbs spreading like vines, it lacked sight, which was an advantage to you and your children, yet its size and sporadic movements made it hard to get anywhere without making contact.
It’s pleas make you uneasy.
“Hello? Hello?? Please, say something - I can’t see you! Please, you have to help me- my daughter, I can’t find my daughter, I don’t understand what’s going on, what’s happening??” His voice echoed through the house, there was clear desperation.
Was this real? Or had these monsters just gotten this good at luring pray?
Either way you weren’t safe here, you have to get out of there while it still doesn’t know you’re here!
Your time is limited, it could take mere moment before someone makes a sound and gets hurt.
Where do you go?
Sneak back through the front door
Sneak through the back door
Sneak through the window
Go upstairs
Speak up…
Voting ended onMay 27, 2024
Also here’s the background because I’m so proud of it
Content warning: slavery, imprisonment, dehumanizing language, implied future torture, characters express fantasy racism (slave owners are surprisingly not good people).
The slave auction was a grand building, standing tall and proud of its purpose and the wealth of those coming there. It was a place of privilege – on one side of the grand stage, at least. Or on one side of the iron bars, if you were afforded the honor of seeing the stock before the official bidding began – a rare, sparingly given to the most esteemed of patrons opportunity.
Lord Edarwis Teelo greatly enjoyed being one of them. He passed by the row of cells with the dignity that fit his status he had to fight to present – getting to choose before anyone else laid their hands on the collection was exciting. It'd taken many years of work and effort. He couldn't wait to have it all pay off.
Most were boring offerings. People from all over the kingdoms, a few criminals but mostly those sold to slavery to pay off debts. A servant went on about each of them before Lord Teelo threw him a quick glance. The boy was clever enough to close his mouth, letting the lord enjoy the walk in silence, rarely interrupted by any of the scared prisoners. They watched his every move, of course, at least most of them – eyes wide and scared or shut tight or cast away. All pretty faces (the auction only sold the best), skin ranging from deep browns of the Ashai coast to pale pinks from the northern border.
One of them caught the lord's eyes and he paused, studying the boy closer. Young, barely of age, either shaven cleanly or still unable to grow a beard, with such cute little curls on his head and wide hazel eyes. He was a candy for the eyes, shivering in the corner of the sell, twisting his naked body to preserve some sense of modesty.
"He's from Deruveer," the servant chimed in. "From the province. His family needed money after the draught and he was the youngest son. He's rather timid, a great choice if you want someone to do the chores and not bother you much."
Lord Teelo hummed. The boy was pretty, and convenience didn't always mean boredom. He decided to let him be for now, continuing on his way.
The next thing that got his attention was a dull distant clanging, like metal meeting stone with force. "What's that?" the lord wondered.
The servant answered readily, "Ah, it's from our special collection. They're not trained very well yet – you see, my lord, they are from the Northern Steppes."
"A barbarian?" Lord Teelo drawled out, impressed.
"Not just. They were a chieftain of some tribe there, – one of the bigger ones, I've been told. Our army hunted them for a while, until the chief decided to finally surrender. I don't think they expected this kind of a future, though. They are rather unruly."
"Show me," the lord demanded.
It didn't take long for them to reach the special section, and the clanging became all the louder as they came closer. "They want attention," the servant explained with a vaguely apologetic tone. "Their rations have been cut since they bit the handler, and it hasn't improved their temper, yet. It will eventually though. They are sturdy, but nobody is unbreakable."
The lord hummed, turning the corner and finally being able to take in the person they'd been discussing. He expected – something impressive, matching the tales of unruly northern barbarians, dressed in furs and carrying strange weapons, their skin white as silk or even the snow they saw every year there and covered in nasty scars from constant skirmishes against each other. They were all tall as giants and muscular as lions, – all but the one Lord Teelo saw before him, it seemed.
The barbarian sat in the corner of their cell, naked as all slaves were, even though they didn't seem to even try covering anything. Their skin was pale but in a disappointedly human-like way, adorned with iron cuffs and chains going to the wall and a muzzle fitting tightly around their face and leaving only blue eyes and greasy hair out. They caught Lord Teelo's gaze with determination and moved their arm out as far as they could before jerking it back towards the wall. The chain clung against the stone.
"I expected them to be taller," Lord Teelo expressed their disappointment.
"Yes, yes, I also found their look underwhelming when I first saw them," the servant agreed quickly. "But even though they're rather skinny – they can put up quite a fight! If you decide to buy them, my lord, it is advised you keep them in chains and with guards by your side, at least at first. They're a piece of work for sure."
The lord hummed. "Who else do you keep in this special collection of yours."
"Ah! You're gonna like her," the servant brightened. "A real royalty in our modest house! Follow me, my lord."
The cell he led the lord to was bigger than the rest, and less bare. There was a table, a chair, an honest to gods rug, even, and a whole tea set a woman was enjoying in silence. She wasn't dressed as a queen, Lord Teelo noted, her clothes were rather revealing and obviously made to showcase her beauty more than cover her modesty. But she was dressed – more than most people here could say for themselves.
"Royalty?" Lord Teelo mused. The woman turned her head, deeming him worthy of a long look – and it did feel like she was obliging him. The lord gave his best unimpressed stare back.
"She's the princess of former Terzita."
"Ah. The Night of Storms?" the lord guessed as the princess looked away. He watched her, noting the faint bruises running over the tense shoulders.
"The poor thing watched half of her family murdered before her eyes," the servant agreed. "Such terrible fate. It doesn't make her for a more obedient slave, of course – she's still thinking she should be treated with special dignity. We humor her here – but you are not obliged to do the same, my lord."
He didn't, did he. It would be so fun to put her in her place. Oh, yes, he could enjoy a royal maid. And if she didn't feel like playing the role – he would enjoy teaching her what would come of disobedience.
"You have anything more impressive?" Lord Teelo wondered, not taking his eyes away from the woman.
The servant didn't think for long. "We do," he smiled brightly. "Very special. This might be the most special slave of them all, one you can only see once in a lifetime."
"Oh?"
"It's not a human," the servant declared proudly. Lord Teelo perked up with interest. "Nor is it from the archipelago."
"Ah," Lord Teelo responded and the boy smiled at him, seeing right to his excitement. He showed the way without needing to be prompted.
The thing – the creature, – was huddled in the corner, lying on the ground as the two men approached. Its ears – long, obviously inhuman – perked up at the footsteps, but it didn't move from its place. The lord studied its back, the weird patterns streaming down in swirls of color against the unnatural, obsidian black of its skin – furless, at least, and slightly more human in this. Its spine ended up a tail, curling by its legs. A tail!
"Hey!" the servant called out and rattled a key against the iron bars. The creature moved abruptly to face the sound. Lord Teelo was mesmerized by the yellow of its iris and the black of the rest of its eyes. The pupils retracted into slits when they caught the light.
"Is this a fey?" the lord let out a astounded gasp. Even bringing up the fairytales felt childish, but what else could it be?
"We don't know for sure," the servant replied in a whisper respectful of the marvelous situation. "It doesn't speak Tragesh – or any language, for this matter. It doesn't seem incapable of learning – oi! You, want some food?"
"'uud?" the creature mimicked, flashing fangs in its attempt. Its face made some movement Lord Teelo couldn't read. "Yuu hath no 'uud."
"Astounding," Lord Teelo shook his head. Even if he didn't end up owning the creature, just seeing it was a miracle! "Can it do magic?"
"We keep it in a Shiel's collar," the servant explained. "It hasn't shown any, but – we like to be cautious in this case. It is included with the purchase, of course."
"I see," Lord Teelo tore his gaze away with some difficulty. "Anything else?"
"I'm afraid not, my lord," the servant smiled apologetically. "Was something from our collection to your liking?"
Lord Teelo nodded and then thought about it. Money wasn't a problem, but he was only allowed to buy one slave before the auction – which one would it be?
Which one will it be?
The province boy – normal doesn't necessary mean boring
The barbarian chief – breaking such a person would be pure pleasure
The princess – she clearly doesn't know her place and someone needs to show her
The creature – who would ignore such a unique opportunity?
Voting ended onJul 26, 2024
Updates every 7-10 days (depending on how much time I have and how obvious the poll result is)
There was some fuzzy static, as the tape started up showing Helena with a dark blue blanket wrapped around her.
"Hello, this is Helena it's a muggy day today and a bit colder than the last two days," She spoke grabbing her cup of coffee that had some steam floating up from the inside of it. The Mug was a Tigger mug a Character from winnie the pooh.
"I've quickly collected more wood just in case a storm rolls in. I've also started to conserve the wood I'm burning," Helena explained, taking a sip of her coffee.
"So I also have a Winter Bird Book! One I got from my uncle..another uncle not the one I've mentioned before," She spoke, with a small smile it seemed she didn't want to reveal this uncle's name.
Helena grabbed the book, a real nice one it had as Title 'Winter Birds of Maine' with being so high up she'll be able to see some.
Placing the book down next to her on the bed, taking another sip of the coffee. "I have to say it's.. actually, it's been nice to be by myself for a bit. Being in a big family, I've not really ever had complete alone time .. especially not with my two younger brothers around," Helena spoke with a laugh, a look of loneliness shown on her face just for a second, though.
"They would steal my snacks an- oh wait, something weird did happen today..," She spoke thinking."So when I went and collected more wood, I had four Doughnuts left in the container. I came back. One was gone.. I really don't know what happened. I didn't see anything that could tell me an animal, so I took it," Speaking with a tone of uncertainty, her eyes looked over to a part of the Cabin that was behind the camera.
Deep in thought, trying to find what had happened before looking back at the camera.
"Maybe it was a really smart Raccoon at least I still have some Doughnuts left," Speaking with a shrug.
"Well, that's it for now," The tape went into a loud fuzz as it ended.
In the coming weeks, this blog will host an adventure. Yours! That is to say, an adventure whose outcome is decided by you. If you've read a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book, or participated in a forum game, Poll Adventures work on the same principles.
For our first poll, I am asking which adventure you would like to go on first. I have a few ideas, spanning genre, setting, and themes.
What adventure should we go on first?
1. Perdition (My professor is a vampire? | Modern Day Gothic | Supernatural[?])
2. Through Cardinal's Eyes (I died and went to heaven |Cyberpunk|Transhumanism)
3. Serpentine Belt (Post-apocalyptic coming of age | Sci-Fi-ish | Far Future)
4. Porcelain Drums (Solve a robot's disappearance | Neo-Noir | Near Future)
5. It Takes a Village (Help a village stay afloat | Alt. Cold War | Spy Drama)
Voting ended onFeb 13, 2023
If you'd like more information on each adventure, check out this post, or just message me! I'd love to talk about this.
Finally, to cover some bases:
This is an experiment. I intend for the adventures to have a bit of a more serious tone, as that's what comes more naturally to me as a writer. If that ends up not working, I will shift and adapt for what the players and readers react positively to.
Feel free to share criticism or just your thoughts on the story or latest chapter! I am doing this hoping to become a better writer, and I know my writing choices will not satisfy everyone.
These stories will be 18+. I will not write explicit material, and if it comes up, we will fade to black. There may be violence and triggering material, and each post/chapter will be tagged with such. If I miss anything, please let me know and I will tag. I want to be a responsible and respectful storyteller.
These will all be very gay.
Remember, we're here to have fun! It's good to be invested in a story, but this is for fun. Well, that about wraps it up.
If you like this idea, please vote and reblog! The more people playing, the better time we'll have. Thanks for reading.
Welcome to itch.io! A platform that allows you to publish interactive files! The link above will take you directly into the game and is both mobile and desktop-friendly!
Thank you all for your support in this project, it's the first time I've done anything of this caliber. Please enjoy and leave feedback!
