#pact if

[pact-if]

finally coming back to this project

naming things is really hard.

[pact-if]

PACT - IF

updated 4/13/25

DEMO(TBA) | GENERAL PLAYLIST | PINTEREST | RO INTROS

(im a student suffering through college and summer job, please be patient! this is a passion project!)

You're finally doing it. You're finally setting out on your Quest, as is tradition. Though it's been a few years since you technically came of age, this rite of passage will settle it into tradition. The trip has been postponed long enough, and you won't let anything distract you!

Until, of course, you come across a strange creature unlike anything you've seen before. And, somehow, bind your souls together.

A soul bond, a pact, can't just be undone. They can fade, sure, but they're never broken. A pact blends the magic, emotion, and even physical traits of its members. Along with adjusting to the webs that now grow between your fingers, there's a pull in your chest you know is from the creature. It wants you to follow it.

What else can you do?

PACT is a light fantasy IF Game focusing on found family and love of all kinds. Design your character and explore the bonds that form between life, for the smallest of reasons. The only major warning right now is attempted violence against (fantastical) animals. Future story will discuss ableism (fantastical and real), amatonormativity, classism, and death.

@interact-if

ROs:

THE RESEARCHER: Vyn (they/them)

A scatterbrained researcher and magizooligist, who is fascinated to see a creature even they don't recognize. Excitable and driven by their unending curiosity, Vyn insists on tagging along on your journey. They're incredibly smart, and have been offered multiple positions at various prestigious institutes... that they've turned down in favor of spending their time staring at bugs. Vyn’s tendency to wander makes them difficult to form a real connection with, something they’ve insisted they’re fine with—but they’d be lying if they said it didn’t get a bit lonely sometimes.

(Themes of neurodivergency, loneliness, and finding your place)

(Vyn is aromantic. They can be "romanced," but not in a traditional sense. You can be friends, queerplatonic partners, or romantic partners. In a romantic route, Vyn is still aro! They're not going to engage with this relationship like an allo person would.)

THE ACADEMIC: Lyra (she/her)

The daughter of the prestigious Augusti family was born with very little magical energy, a stark difference from her family. Lyra has been sheltered and kept mostly a secret since birth, both for her protection and the protection of the Augusti legacy. Though a bit late, Lyra is embarking on her Quest to throw off her family name and come into her own identity as a scholar of magical theory. As gentle as she is stubborn, Lyra has spent her life learning the intricacies of magic, and how she can make it work for her.

(Themes of disability, self acceptance, and growth)

THE ARTIFICER: Aster (he/him)

An engineer specializing in integrating technology and magic. The only thing Aster loves more than machines is his Phoenix companion—his pactmate is the most important thing in the world to him, and the two are so closely bonded they may as well share a soul. Aster is an open book, and exudes the kind of genuine warmth that makes you feel like laughing with friends around a campfire, but the burn scars that cover his left arm point to his fierce dedication and willingness to jump into fire for those he cares about.

(Themes of community, companionship, and loyalty)

THE GUARDIAN: Eilivur (she/her)

Born with enough magical energy to make her glow in the dark, but preferring a greatsword, Eilivur found the life of a knight far too restricting for her. Instead, she protects the places that often fall through the cracks. Her very presence is intimidating enough to ward off crime, but the locals know she's the one to turn to when they need food, muscle, or just a shoulder to cry on. Ei isn't the most open of people—basing your identity and sense of self around being a protector doesn’t exactly lend itself to vulnerability—but she's a steady presence for those who need her.

(Themes of classism, community, and vulnerability)

THE GUIDE: Jae (xe/xem)

Parents tell their children stories of an old witch in the woods who will eat them if they get lost. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Jae is a guide of the dead, a ranger who has sworn an oath to silence among the living. Xe’s not bothered by the stories, though—the woods are dangerous, and xe has enough passed children coming to them confused. Xe’s very private, and if people find xem unsettling, that just means xe can do xir work in peace.

(Themes of grief, religion, and death.)

[pact-if]

Jae short story

little story about Jae and xir job. this doesn't take place any time in canon. it was just fun to explore xir faith and feelings about xir role!

cw: child death, existentialism

They say there’s a witch in the woods. That’s why you need to stay in town. The witch knows the way around better than you ever could. You can’t hide from them. They don’t want you there. They’ll eat you, some say. When children get old enough to roll their eyes at that tale, they still whisper about human sacrifices and being slowly drained for blood.

There’s a witch in the woods, so stay in town.

Carolie meant to listen, really. She believed the stories, even the silly ones, and she didn’t even play the games the other kids did, taking a couple steps in and then running back, giggling nervously. She’d never wanted to be anywhere near the woods.

But Fletcher had run in. He was shockingly fast for a cat so old, and he’d just skirted out the door when she’d opened it. Immediately, she’d thrown her bag to the ground, school forgotten, chasing after him, but froze when she reached the forest's edge.

Being a rather anxious child, she’d once asked her father what they would do if Fletcher got into the woods. He’d paused for a very long time, and then carefully told her that as much as they loved Fletcher, the woods…

He hadn’t finished his sentence, but she’d understood. They would not go to retrieve him.

What could she have done? Her parents wouldn’t go for him. She couldn’t just leave, she couldn’t. Fletcher was older than her. She didn’t know how to live without him.

She’d planned, of course. All of her scout training had finally come in handy, and she’d ventured into the trees prepared with water, snacks, and a compass. She’d refused to turn even slightly, forcing her way through brambles to ensure she didn’t get turned around.

The witch did not make the woods dangerous. The woods did that themselves.

Her compass wouldn’t work correctly, needle spinning. A root tripped her, and all the grass seemed to sharpen to scrape her palms as she fell. The wind through the trees sounded almost like laughing, strengthening as the ground began to give way, solid dirt unnaturally melting into peat and swampland.

Carolie had scrambled to her feet, stumbling backwards. She couldn’t do it. Not when the ground itself threatened her. She turned, ready to run to her father and cry, but the edge of the forest was gone. It was all just endless trees, leering at her.

She hadn’t been walking long enough for that. Not nearly long enough. The laughing of the wind grew stronger, and she began to cry.

Three of the stories about the witch in the woods are true. Xe knows the woods better than anyone, you cannot hide from xem, and xe does not want people in xir forest. The others are nonsense, but xe doesn’t mind them, if it keeps people safely within the town’s borders.

Jae stiffens as xe hears soft sobbing. The sound is unfamiliar, too messy to be an illusion. Carefully, xe creeps towards the source, stepping daintily between roots and plants so xe doesn’t upset anything. The sound grows louder, and xe ducks under a fern to see a young girl curled at the edge of a bog, sobbing into her arms.

Jae knows immediately that she is dead, and xir heart sinks.

Xir job never gets easier, especially when it concerns a child.

Jae kneels beside the girl, clearing xir throat. It is sore from months of disuse—or has it been longer? The tattoo on xir wrist binds xem to silence with any but the dead, and xe will not complain about less chances to use it.

“Child,” xe says softly, and winces at how raspy xir voice is. The girl jumps, turning to xem, eyes red from crying. Her face is one of panic, and Jae quickly raises xir hands, attempting to make xemself as non-threatening as xe can be in what must look to the girl like a funeral dress.

“You’re—” the girl stutters, and Jae nods.

“I am who you know as the witch, but I am not here to hurt you. My name is Jae. Can you tell me yours?”

The girl hesitates. “You can call me Carolie,” she says after a moment, and Jae notes her wording: not giving xem the name. Clever girl. Xe won’t take it from her, but plenty of things in the woods would.

“Carolie,” xe says. This part never gets any easier. “I’m sorry to tell you that you are dead.”

Xe’s seen every reaction under the sun. Most don’t believe it, not at first. Some get angry. Some are too young to even fully understand what that means. One young man that sticks out particularly well in xir memories had smiled and told xem he’d meant to be.

Carolie’s reaction is not new. She crumples, like every part of her has finally given up. Her body is wracked with sobs, like the tears are happening to her rather than something she is doing. Jae doesn’t say anything, and simply lets the child cry.

“So,” Carolie sniffs, hiccuping through their tears. “You… What are you? Are you dead too?”

“No,” Jay says. They stand, and offer a hand to Carolie. After some hesitation, she takes it and stumbles to her feet. “I am a Reaper. Have you heard of us?”

“Um, I don’t think so.”

“That’s alright. We’re not as common as we used to be. But places like this… still need us.” Xe shows her the tattoo on xir wrist, a raven with its head tucked in, and begins to walk with the girl back to xir cabin. “We’re monks, I suppose. We speak with the dead. The newly dead. We… help them cross over. People get lost here.”

“What happens when they get lost?”

Jae sighs. “It’s my job to make sure they don’t. Or, they don’t stay lost, at least. I’ve never seen it happen, but my Teachers have. Too long lost, and they start to blend with everything around them. They lose themselves. Scatter until there’s nothing left but shadows sinking into the ground. Some choose that end, but… not here.”

Beside xem, Carolie shivers. She won’t feel the cold of her own body, so Jae knows it’s from the thought of eternity as a part of this forest.

They stop in front of Jae’s cabin. Xe prides xemself on making it comforting, not just for xem, but for the poor souls that spend their last hours there. In the starlight, the glassware they’ve collected over the years glitters, and the lichen on the trees that have learned kindness glows.

“Pretty,” whispers Carolie, and Jae smiles.

Xe leads her inside, lit with magically safe candles, and crouches to greet xir companion. Xir bond with Aria has not waned over the years, and xe feels his shared warmth and grief at the return.

Carolie stiffens when she sees the cat. “Fletcher,” she chokes out, beginning to cry again. Aria bounds away without a word from Jae, who sits on one of xir many pillows and nods for Carolie to do the same.

“Who’s Fletcher?” xe asks gently.

“My kitty,” Carolie cries. “He ran into the woods, I was chasing him. He’s too old to be alone.”

Jae pushes down xir own emotions. There will be time to cry later. Now, xe is a vessel for Carolie, a guide, a Reaper.. This is not the time to scream at the stars that her death is not fair.

“My birds will search for him,” xe says instead, keeping xir voice steady. “Cats are very good at surviving this place.” In the back of xir mind, xe feels Aria purr at the praise. While he's far from a normal cat, xe's right: light pawsteps and a good eye go a long way. Xe chides him to get back to searching. The least they can do for this girl is show her cat to safety.

Sniffing, Carolie sits. Jae reaches for xir usual tea, and then pauses. She can't be older than ten. Maybe not tea, then. "Would you like some cocoa?" xe asks instead, and the girl nods. With a flick of xir hand, the water pot begins to heat.

"What…" Carolie says, rubbing at her eyes. "What happens to me now?"

"Nothing yet," Jae assures her. "We have some time. Rest, child. Aria will return with your cat soon. Fletcher, right?"

"…yeah."

"Alright. Lets leave the rest until then, okay?"

Carolie sniffs again, but nods. "Okay."

By the time Aria returns, a purring tabby (covered in burrs, but unharmed) trotting behind him, Carolie has relaxed. She's gleefully giggling as she beats Jae at her favorite card game for the third time. Jae swears xe's not just humoring her: the game is deceptively simple, something that could only be conjured by bored children.

"Fletcher!" Carolie cries, opening her arms as the cat launches himself at her. She giggles as he roughly licks her face, and Jae feels Aria threatening xem to never hold him like that. Xe swears xe won't, though the idea is amusing.

Carolie frowns suddenly, watching Fletcher curl in her lap. "I'm… I'm dead, right?"

Jae flinches, almost imperceptibly. "Yes," xe says, trying to keep xir voice from shaking.

"Why can he touch me?"

"Cats are special," xe says. "Some, like Aria here, can walk freely among the dead." As if showing off, he fades, and Jae feels his barely-there tail brush xir face. "But most have just enough magic to see what others can't." Xe chuckles softly. "And the stubbornness to make it see them, too."

Carolie laughs, but it dies quickly. "What now?"

Jae glances out the window. The sun is setting. There is never enough time. Xe stands.

"Follow me."

There is a clearing in the forest. A place where the looming trees shrink back, allow the air to breathe. The creeping moss gives way to gentle grass. Directly above is Rashi's constellation, no matter what time of year. Jae swears xe can see it even in broad daylight. One of those quirks of the woods xe's never quite figured out, xe supposes.

Sitting there with Carolie, xir seldom-used voice gives the same answers xe always gives. The only ones xe can.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"I don't think so. The hard part is over, I hope."

"What happens? Where do I go?"

"I don't know. Somewhere kind, I hope."

"Can I stay?"

"…no. Not as yourself."

Carolie tugs at the grass, frustrated tears brewing in her eyes. "You're supposed to help me. You don't know anything? It's not fair."

She's right. None of it is fair: Carolie being in the forest, or Jae's helplessness to ease her journey enough to even half make up for it.

"I'm sorry. I wish I knew more."

A moment passes in silence.

"Would you like to hear what I think happens?"

Slowly, Carolie nods.

Jae looks up at the stars. Xe'd sat here with an old man once, who spoke fondly of his late husband's love for Rashi's story until he faded.

"I think it's like waking up. Slowly, not suddenly. You hear muffled voices in the next room. You can't quite hear what they're saying, but they sound happy. They're laughing." It's a lie. Jae doesn't know what death is, any more than Carolie. Xe doesn't have the faintest guess what awaits her. But xe hopes it's something like this, and maybe that's enough. "Maybe the sun starts to creep up, and the birds start to sing. And the voices become clearer." Beside xem, Carolie takes a deep, shaky breath. "You wake up, like it's a weekend and you're ready to go to the park with your friends. It's not scary, or exciting. It's just natural."

"Can I have a hug?"

"Of course," Jae whispers, and Carolie clings to them, crying softly. It's not fair, but it's happening. It's not fair, but death never is. It's not fair, but neither is life. Xir job isn't fairness, just a home in between.

Silently, Jae recites xir prayers. Carolie deserves better than being stuck here. Death is not fair, but it will show kindness enough to take her from the branches if summoned correctly.

"Wake up, Carolie."

Jae stays in that clearing long after Carolie's soul has faded. It never gets easier. The only movement xe makes is a slight jump at Aria's nudge in xir mind, an image of Fletcher returned home. Jae thanks Aria for sparing xem the sight of grieving parents.

There's no body to return. The forest takes everything for itself. By the end of the week, not even bones will be left.

Xe can't stay here forever. Xir gardens need tending, and rest of the forest needs constant surveillance. Carolie is not the last person to wander through. Xir duties never end, and xe can't skip a day tomorrow just because xe's grieving.

Bones heavy, xe drags xemself to xir feet and begins the walk back to xir cabin. Life goes on.

[pact-if]

RO: JAE

PLAYLIST | PINTEREST

Xe/xem

INTJ, Enneagram 6w5

Love language: acts of service (giving), physical touch (receiving)

“Based? Based on what?”

Jae is a moderately tall person with brown skin and long curly black hair. Xe has downturned eyes and a perpetual frown. There is a faint scar on xir throat. Xe wears a modest black dress, fit to wear to a funeral. Somehow, the edges never get caked in mud.

Jae is a mystery—to everyone outside of xir faith, that is. The Reapers are a group sworn to silence with the living, unless under very particular circumstances. Xe speaks only with the dead, guiding them to peace. Jae has made xir reputation as a terrifying witch in a haunted wood. Xe’s not exactly a witch, but the rumors keep people out, and xe has enough on xir plate with all the old ghosts still trapped there. Jae knows the sanctity of life and death intimately. Xe seems very intimidating, but among friends xe smiles frequently, has a terrifically dry sense of humor, and cares deeply for each and every soul in xir charge. Xir job is not an easy one.

In a relationship, Jae brings xir lover into xir faith. Xe’d never ask them to become a Reaper, but xir life cannot be separated from the dead, and xe wants to show xir lover why xe does it. Apart from all the serious death talk, though, once comfortable, Jae shows xir lighter side. Playful teasing, bickering, and debates over nonsense abound. Still, dating someone whose first priority must always be the dead isn’t a walk in the park, and it’s difficult to get to know someone who has a vested interest in keeping you far away from xem.

Jae’s route will have heavy themes of grief and religion. Overall, the Reapers are intended to be a healthy faith, and being in a relationship is completely allowed, but Jae's faith is a large part of xir life and route.

[pact-if]

RO: EILIVUR

PLAYLIST | PINTEREST

She/her

ISFJ, Enneagram 8w9

Love language: acts of service (giving), words of affirmation (receiving)

“What’s upstairs? They can’t talk.”

Eilivur, or Ei is an average height, stocky woman with light but suntanned skin and short blond hair. She has many scars all across her body and very calloused hands. She has broad shoulders. She wears chainmail armor on top of thick linen clothes and carries a greatsword on her back.

Ei was a knight, once upon a time, but after her hometown was left behind by the people supposed to protect them, the image she had admired was shattered. She put down the kingdom’s emblem and forged her own path, becoming a protector and folk hero to the forgotten places. Eilivur possesses incredible amounts of inherent magical energy, but using it has never come naturally to her. She prefers her handy greatsword to do her duty.

In a relationship, Eilivur begins to feel able to show her softer side. She is a protector, first and foremost—that is her purpose and mission—but the right person might be able to remind her she’s allowed to want things for herself as well. She would do anything for her lover, except maybe take care of herself. Ei can struggle with vulnerability and opening up, and any adverse reaction to this vulnerability can lead to her walls growing stronger.

Eilivur’s route will include themes of classism and wealth distribution.

[pact-if]

RO: ASTER

PLAYLIST | PINTEREST

He/him

ESTP, Enneagram 7w8

Love language: give giving and acts of service (both giving and receiving)

“Wood fired pizza? How’s pizza gonna get a job now?”

Aster is a moderately short man with light brown skin and wavy brown hair in a short ponytail. He has light brown eyes that glow orange when they catch the light, and burn scars cover his left arm. His fingers are calloused. When bonding with his pactmate, Aella, his nails (usually bitten short) grow and sharpen into talons, and red feathers poke out around his ears. He’s capable of growing wings, though he saves that for emergencies.

Aster is the best artificer in Westwood, though that isn’t saying much given the town’s size. His longstanding pact with a phoenix renders him fireproof, though it doesn’t take away the scars from an incident he had as a child. After realizing his new abilities didn’t mean much when his clothes still burnt away, Aster began finding ways to integrate magic into his clothes. What started with enchanting his socks to stay dry now has him babyproofing a house with a stove that only heats food, not hands. Aster is beloved by his town, always friendly and cheerful, and the sight of Aella flying overhead has become a good omen. He’s not going on his quest. How could he? This place needs him.

In a relationship, Aster is very affectionate. He loves wholeheartedly, with his entire being, whether it’s his town, his pactmate, or you. It’s hard to feel down when he’s around—the moment he sees you sad, he’ll be making a silly robot to cheer you up, and Aella will rub her head into yours. They’re a package deal. Aella is Aster’s soulmate, in a very literal sense, but his heart has plenty of room for more. Still, his responsibilities to his pactmate and family make balancing another relationship tricky.

This game doesn’t include poly relationships for the simple reason that it would complicate coding and I’m very new to this, but the themes of Aster’s route can certainly be interpreted as balancing poly relationships. Aster and Aella’s relationship is not at all romantic, but he still needs to learn to manage and maintain all of the love he has.

[pact-if]

RO: LYRA

PLAYLIST | PINTEREST

She/her

INFJ, Enneagram 1w2

Love language: acts of service (giving), physical touch (receiving)

“Chefs kiss? Do… do they really?”

Lyra is a moderately tall woman with dark skin and black, coily hair mostly in an afro. She has deep brown eyes and dimples. Her skin is very smooth and clear. She’s dressed… probably a bit too nice for an adventure through the woods, with high-quality fabric in light colors and boots that clearly haven’t been worn much. But she’s got the spirit!

Lyra is the youngest daughter of the Augusti sect of sorcerers. Since birth, her life has revolved around magic—or rather, the fact that she has very little. When her siblings, parents, grandparents, and ancestors are able to conjure a storm with little more than a sneeze, where does that leave her? Instead of the rigorous practical training of her peers, Lyra spent her sheltered childhood reading all about magical theory. All the books in the sects library are written by powerful natural sorcerers, and it shows. She’s found her own way of doing things, and she dreams of adding a new perspective, revolutionizing the way people are able to use magic. She knows she could help a lot of people like her, if her family would stop speaking over her.

In a relationship, Lyra’s natural desire to help comes out strong. She’s the most supportive partner anyone could ask for, and you’re never going to be fighting alone. If you’re struggling, Lyra’s the one to go to for some top notch comfort followed by a ten step plan on how to fix it. She can be defensive when she feels she’s being looked down on, and there is nothing that she hates more than asking for help.

Lyra’s route (and her story as a whole) will have a lot of focus on low magical energy as a disability, and the ableism she faces for this.