Ohio, 1995: It's been six months since your parent died by suicide and three months since you were contacted about a job you never applied for.
Now you work as a Page at a library nestled in the heart of downtown - except this isn't the one you remember from your childhood. This library occupies a non-descript building on a side street ... and only opens its doors after the sun sets.
Out of your depth in this strange, shadowed world, you must navigate new rules, old tensions, and what - if any - relationships you foster with colleagues struggling against their own inner battles.
One thing you know for certain is that the dusty shelves and worn carpets of this place hold secrets both numerous and inscrutable, and they will do anything to escape.
Play as male, female, or genderqueer.
Customize your name, appearance, identity, and sexuality.
Learn about the parent you've lost, establish the relationship you shared, and discover what drove them to the depths of despair.
Struggle with depression; will you let it define you or spur you to action?
Determine what you desire most: is it the secrets of the past, the promises of the future, or perhaps something darker and more primal?
Form alliances for good or ill, make deals or break pacts, and suffer the consequences of playing a game of power older than the place you call home.
Sofia - the sole archivist of the library since the disappearance of her assistant six months ago, she's constantly in motion. Whether she's cataloguing new deliveries, assisting the demanding patrons vying for permission to access the collection, or studying for her yearly re-certification as a mage Sofia seems to always be on the verge of collapse. (romanceable by women only)
Anselm - the assistant manager of the circulation department and your direct supervisor. In every part of his life he is highly ethical and deeply religious, belying the fact that he is a vampire. Anselm considers himself to be a modern man and works hard to live in the present but his past yet haunts him and wider circumstances will force him to face the very thing he fears most. (romanceable by men only)
Darius - the manager of the maintenance department, he shows up when you least expect it, a smile at the ready. He's been on staff since the founding of the library and has a strange relationship with The Library Board. The other staff members suspect Darius and his dour assistant are indebted to Them, otherwise what reason would two demons have for maintaining gainful employment? (romanceable by all)
Robin - the secretary of the director, she hates her job and is constantly finding excuses to be anywhere but her office. This often leads her to the children's department helping the librarian there with story time, event planning, or simply keeping the kids in line. There seems to be something between Robin and the librarian, but what could a young human and elderly fey possibly have in common? (romanceable by all)
Libraries are sneaky, because once you go in, it's soo easy to get a library card, and once you have one, you can pretty much grab one of everything of all the stuff they have there with no consequence, and take it home. But then once you're home and you've read all the stuff you'll have to go back to the library to return the stuff, and once you're at the library again, you're at the library again, so might as well pop in to see what they got, and then you're hauling half their shit home again, and then you'll need to return to the library to return them, so you're at the library again
And the next thing you know you've read 3000 books, your crops are clear and your skin is watered, an angel descents from the heaven to suck your dick twice a week, and also you've got some books to return so you've got a perfectly valid reason to go pop in to the library. Just a little bit.
The poll technically has a day left but it's pretty obvious that most of you want the revised chapter one released when chapter two is done. Fair enough.
With that settled I can say that the planned release for chapter two is sometime in June 🖤
Update Wordcount: 142,690 words
Chapter Four Wordcount: 230,389 words
Total Wordcount: 565,671 words
I never thought I'd see the day, but here we are!! Chapter Four, part 2. This update took a lot out of me; but I'm extremely pleased with where it's ended up. Chapter Four spirals into two separate branches. If there's any update I recommend trying both routes out for, it's this one!
In this update, you can:
Stick around for a bonfire. OR
Get interviewed for a radio show.
In contrast to last update, this one has a lot of updated content warnings. Please check them out here. Parts of this update are pretty intense. I attempted to update the character builder for part 2; but, as always, a full playthrough of at least the chapter will get you the most genuine results <3
As always, any bugs can be sent as asks here; or to the TLS forum thread. I'm expecting more than usual, because one of the routes is...a lot. Even after my own testing lol. Thank you as always to my delightful betas for testing. Thank you all all so much for playing, and I hope you enjoy c:
Chapter One is currently released for free! You can play it right now on the link above.
Where as Chapter Two will remain on the DIVINE TIER of my Patreon for a month, at which point it will be available for both the Divine and Mortal Tiers.
In these chapters you will...
Lose your temper.
Talk about your dreams.
Become a delivery person.
Do your laundry.
Talk to pretty people.
Find a cat.
Get shot.
If you run into any issues or errors please send me an ask about it.
Content warnings can be found at the start of the demo. God Syndicate is a romance interactive fiction novel meant for mature audiences.
I just want to thank everyone for letting me take my time with this, I think these two chapters really work super well together. Chapter 2 will be released to the public in a couple of months, so if you want to wait then feel free. But I do think the content is worth it.
I'll be taking a short break from writing! But I'll be back in a week or two.
Recently I've been seeing upheaval related to poly romances in IF works. Merlin and I have decided to weigh in on this so no one is confused about where we stand.
We support polyamorous romance 100%.
You can be uncomfortable doing poly routes and even romancing any character that is involved in one, but it's unacceptable to shame others for writing or enjoying it. Not to mention calling real life poly folk greedy or comparing it to bigamy. We may not have any poly romances in this story (though it was considered early on) but we're always going to support it.
We support ROxRO and ROxNPC.
I understand how frustrating these situations can be, especially in fan spaces. I've romanced characters in games and disliked who they ended up with unromanced, but insisting or implying that these dynamics shouldn't be included in stories or that an entire story isn't worth reading because of its inclusion isn't the hill to die on.
---
Additionally, because I've seen this phrase used as well, I have never and will never write a "playersexual" character. I've seen the concept of playersexuality used far too often to not only erase bi/pan identities but also disparage others who don't romance a character "the right way."
So, to prevent anyone who believes that "a character isn't bi/pan if it's not stated" from applying that logic to TNL: Darius, Robin, Jules, and the Secret RO are all explicitly bi/pan. Their identities cannot be separated from who they are or how those identities have shaped them, and any preferences they may have will never erase the expansive nature of their attraction.
Who would the RO's play in a game of Dungeons and Dragons?
It's 1995 so they would be playing AD&D! If you know what THAC0 is you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Sofia: The DM. She'll also create an NPC elf druid (TN) that will quickly become everyone's favorite character.
Anselm: Human Cleric (LG) because he's basic like that LOL. He also keeps notes on the story and the party's inventory.
Darius: Half-elf Ranger (CG). At some point Sofia stops including animal enemies because he's too good at befriending them.
Robin: Gnome Bard (NG). Bards are normally locked to human or half-elf but she really wanted to be a gnome so Sofia let her do it.
Jules: Dwarf Fighter (CN). It's a menace to society and Sofia includes more battles than usual as bribery so it doesn't try to fight every NPC that pisses it off.
It’s game night. What board game do the ROs reach for and how competitive are they?
I love this question!
Sofia: she doesn't enjoy board games, but she's happy to order the pizza or fill in as a fourth if a game needs it. Mostly she's just there to hang out.
Anselm: Scrabble. He's an absolute nerd, and a competitive one too. Him pulling out "aglet" is the least of your worries.
Darius: he likes dice games so his pick is usually Yahtzee. He feels like a chance based game is more fair and thus more fun.
Robin: she's always down for a game of Pictionary! Or anything else that has teams and rewards improv. She'd be a menace at "A Fake Artist Goes To New York" or "Ultimate One Night Werewolf".
Jules: Monopoly, because everyone else will rage quit.
The Abyss beckons you once more.
You're dead. But don't worry, the end has no end. Welcome to the ethereal realms of the afterlife. Sign your contract, manage this lonely bar on the Abyss for a year, and claim your limitless wish from the gods themselves.
Well, if you manage to finish that year.
༻ THE BAR ON THE ABYSS 3.0 IS FINALLY HERE
Play WIP at: Itch.io | CoGDemos
(Current demo: 410k words!!!)
What started as a 2.5 update two and a half years ago grew into something I could no longer call anything but a new version entirely.
✬ Almost 200,000 words of overhauled and brand-new content for the current 5 chapters of the game.
✬ Brand new, restructured main plot arc.
✬ New mechanics that will carry the whole game forward.
✬ Characters who are more alive (well, you know) and more complicated than they've ever been.
I won't pretend this one was easy to ship, but I'm so glad it's finally in your hands.
(And if you're willing to help this little game grow, here's how! 🖤)
✬ Leave a comment on the COG game thread!
✬ Reblog this post before you start!
✬ Talk about it on r/hostedgames!
✬ Add it to your collection on itch.io!
✬ And most importantly, please send me your thoughts via ask here, or on COG, during or after your playthrough. I genuinely want to read every single one!
It would mean the world and beyond. Truly.
And now, here's everything that's new. Grab a drink! We earned it:
༻ A WHOLE NEW MAIN PLOT
The story of your afterlife journey has changed.
From the moment you sign your new contract, presented to you by none other than the Grim Reaper, the main arc of TBOTA changes from the ground up.
Pick your limitless wish, learn about your new employer: the Council of Nine, and discover what truly lies beneath this contract: a binding to something… else.
And this time, you have far greater agency to act on your own behalf and for your staff.
Should you choose to share what you've learned with them, of course.
If you've played before, you'll recognise the bones. But the story has grown around them into something ready to carry the full weight of what TBOTA is building toward.
༻ YOUR SPIRIT GIFT
The Spirit Gift system has been completely reworked. Not as a shortcut or as a glorified stat check, but as a new lens through which you experience the entire story. Each gift opens unique scenes, unique ways to act, gather information, or stumble into something just effing strange. Think of them less as abilities and more as a personality trait that the bar decided you really needed.
Ring of Chronos: stolen from Itot, the glass-spider god of time. Click your fingers, stop the world, and what you do with those stolen seconds is yours to decide: help your staff, or punch a nightlife critic in the face.
Lens of Daezur: contraband from a mage who wanted to know too much. Point it at anything, and get your own secret encyclopedia. Learn how old the Raven is, who made the gates to Limbo, and what the bathroom fog is really made of.
Mask of Shapeless Visage: previously worn by the actors-assassins of Teatru Mischak. Wear the face of everyone around you. But will you remember how to be yourself?
The Necklace of Murmurs: hear the thoughts of inanimate objects around you, and more so, their opinions. Your bedroom table, the jukebox downstairs, a letter from Pyriphlegethon, or even your own cash register.
Voidcutter: a sword forged to kill gods, carrying the memories of the civilization destroyed for making it. Fight like a spirit-warrior when the opportunity presents itself. And who knows… maybe one day, you’ll kill a god too.
Navia's Earring: the mad prophet heard what the gods meant to keep hidden. Now you do too! Just remember: some things, once heard, are very hard to unknow.
༻ RANDOM PATRONS ENCOUNTERS
No two playthroughs of the game will be the same! Each run gives you two out of five possible patron encounters, one in Chapter 1, one in Chapter 4.
In the future, these encounters will be chosen from a pool of 20 patrons. So, who walks through your door tonight?
Meet Zilas, God of Revelry, and he is very good at his job.
Meet Perpetiel, an Ophanim Angel, drinking a mimosa from a straw. Be not afraid.
Meet Laura, an astronaut who died during a research mission into a black hole, with one terrifying tale.
Meet Xochitl, Trade Ambassador of Clan Roh'els of the Undead City of Necropolis. A vampiress in your humble abode, coming with an interesting offer for you.
Tomas, a mortal painter. Quiet, unassuming. That’s all.
༻ LOVE AFTER DEATH
Romance has been overhauled from scratch. Be flirtatious or be a complete disaster about it. Choose monogamy, polyamory, or an ace playthrough. Build something slow and tender, or burn bright and chaotic.
And if you want things a little spicier with a certain devilish friend of yours... well. The content is there. You'll find it, I’m sure.
And random patrons are fair game, too! if you're the type to shoot your shot with someone who walked through your door an hour ago, and might be a vampire or an angel.
No judgment here.
༻ WHO ARE YOU IN THIS AFTERLIFE?
Introducing a 30-trait personality system. Every choice you make, every option you pick, every response you give quietly builds a psychological profile of your MC.
Not to gate content or to judge you! Just to reflect who you are becoming in your ethereal form, one decision at a time.
New grief path content is also woven throughout the game. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance, each path surfaces in new places, in new ways.
You'll also find tons of new career options throughout the game. Some of them can even replace certain skill checks!
The Abyss is watching, and it finds you fascinating.
༻ CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION AND DEATH SCARS
Choose from a vastly expanded range of career backgrounds, add an honorific, and find a few other surprises waiting in the menu.
Your career also has a greater presence throughout the game now: more moments where who you were in life shapes who you're becoming in death.
And by popular demand, choose a death scar. After all, you died, and you probably have the marks to prove it.
During character customization, you can now choose your death scars, currently cosmic in nature. Full in-game integration is coming in future updates, but they're yours to wear now.
༻ EVERYTHING ELSE
Almost every scene in the existing game has been touched (gently, consensually): Prose, character voices, pacing, and choices.
If something felt off before, there's a good chance it doesn't anymore! (HOPING) And also, made an absolute thorough bugs & typos sweep. Some of them were present from day one! But I FINALLY SQUISHED THEM!
That's it, for now. I think! Might be others I forgot about, lol. After all, it’s been two and a half years of work just for this update. More love and labour than I can ever put into a release post, but alas.
Thank you for waiting. Thank you for asking after this game during the long silences.
As the weather warms and Merlin and I begin this year's gardening plans, I wanted to check in with all you lovely people. We're working on chapter two, of course, and also doing updates on chapter one.
These include:
The overhaul of the planned personality system with a wider traits system. This will allow for a few new choices during the story.
Restructuring and expansion of certain paths that feel more meaningful.
Some general rewrites. Nothing massive, just freshening up areas that felt lacking.
We want to release everything all at once so it'll be some time before the update. Thanks for being here with us!
"Some people carry the sword. Some carry the shield.
Some change the course of history with these.
But you...
You might be the first to change everything with only words and a drink in your hand."
That's it, everyone, we can call a date.
Next Thursday, March 19th, the overhauled, updated TBOTA is coming out!
With almost 200,000 words of additional content.
A whole new main plotline.
New spirit gifts, overhauled romance system, random patron encounters, a personality system of 30 traits, and so much more.
I'll go into all of it properly in the release post, but OMFG, we are finally here.
Spending the next week finishing the last file and doing thorough playtests, and then that's it :)
Update Wordcount: 87,699 words
Total Wordcount: 422,981 words
Howdy, everyone! Part one of Chapter 4 is (finally) here!! In a very real way this is the calm before the storm. Part 2 (which will add another. um. roughly 135k words) should be along in the coming weeks, after a short break to rest my brain from today <3 Thank you, as always, for your patience, and I hope you enjoy!
In this update, you can:
Attend a party!
Play beanbags!
Meet loads of new friends!
Talk to your (less-than-a-week-old) friends!
Sneak away for a private moment!
Very few content warning updates for this part of the chapter; but the few that have been added can be found here. There is a character builder that should be up to date, for those who don't want to replay the entire game to get to the new content.
Any bugs can be sent through asks, or to the TLS forum thread. Thank you all for playing, and have fun c:
