2027, A voice transcript found on a recording device:
"...can be killed with fire, testing done in..." A french accent. "September of 2025. If I am counting correct."
. . .
"Now, with more testing I can hopefully learn more about them. Learn advantages. Sending someone out to rile them up. Will check in later."
...End transcript.
You're alive.
One survivor amongst thousands of dead. The actual death toll (if there was ever a record of it) is unavailable now. The world ended in 2026.
Now, four-hundred and twenty-three days later, you're here. In the outskirts of Scarswater, Ohio; you live in what used to be a small farming community. Once full of life and a bustling economy, but even before The End, the area had been steadily gentrified. Dead fields, closed businesses, and now, a beautiful wasteland of parking lots and unused plazas.
Whatever caused it is unknown. Of course, you could ask everyone you know and they would all have their own ideas about what happened.
All that you know for certain is that in January of 2026, everything stopped working. Cellphones, computers, televisions... all electronics went on the fritz before shutting down entirely. After that, people started disappearing. Animals, too. And then went the crops, mass death of acres and acres of valuable foods and materials. All gone within six months. Mass hysteria ensued, people got scared, started hoarding goods. Everyone and their mother had a gun pointed right at the road, just in case anyone got any funny ideas.
And all of that was before the bizarre sightings.
The... things. Gooey, tar-like.
They absorb, and absorb, and absorb.
You wondered, for a bit, how they could eat so much. But that thought has long passed. They have no limits, no voices, no care in the world except consume. How long until they finally consume you, too?
Play as a nonbinary, male, or female character; straight, bisexual, or gay.
Be transgender, cisgender, non-binary, or even questioning your identity.
Custom pronouns, as well as the option to use multiple.
Be able to change your pronouns at any point in the game.
Use a conventional name, or something fun you picked! It's the end of the world, who cares?
A basic system that tracks if you like to be touched, kissed, held, or be physically intimate. You could love certain contact, and still be sex-repulsed! Or totally allo-sexual.
Platonic routes for all romance-able characters.
Multiple love interests: 3 gender selectable ROs, 1 non-binary RO, 1 genderfluid RO, 1 cis female, 1 cis male
At least one traditional poly romance.
Miles/Mindy, Bisexual, (He/him, She/her): Someone you don't know. A surprisingly bashful stranger with a penchant for jokes that don't quite land. Their mysterious arrival can certainly spur some questions, but it's almost impossible to get a straight answer from them. Regardless, you save them or they save you. Circumstances have thrown you two together. Can you manage to get along?
Audria, Pansexual, (They/them): Audria always has their nose stuck in some sort of machinery or device. They've got real skill when it comes to fixing things, but not so much when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Despite that, Audria always seems to make time for you.
Peter/Petra, Demiromantic, Pansexual, (He/him, She/her): The unofficial leader of your group — not that they'd want to claim the title — P is in charge of food collection, distribution, and growing. They're one of the most easygoing people you've ever met in your life, and deadset on making sure everyone is cared for equally.
Lola, Biromantic, Asexual, (She/her): A stubborn and unfriendly hot mess, not to mention an intruder. Nothing about her is open, not even the clothes she wears. She might be very hard to get to know.
Sandy, Pansexual, Poly (She/They/He, goes by any pronouns): Sandy is from the West Coast, unfamiliar with the weathers and terrain (and soybeans) of Ohio. They hate it here. Sandy is a fickle person, easily bored of life and seldom takes things as seriously as they should. Has a tendency to turn everything in this new life into a joke.
Bea, Preston, Courtney
Bea (She/her): Bea is soft and caring. Not just to you, but the other people in your group as well. Being the only person around with any knowledge about healthcare, she is charge of medical.
Preston (He/him): Preston is a proper hill-billy, not the most likeable of people, but you can't deny he's a good shot. Preston keeps watch and hunts for the group.
Chloe (She/her): The younger sister to P, Chloe juggles many tasks, usually helping out with what others are doing. She always wants to go with you when you leave.
The rest will join later!:)
'Bad' language, frequently. Most slang should be recognizable, but let me know!
This is a horror/thriller, but the interpersonal relationships are very important to me. They are the main focus of the story. That, and the way people physically respond to trauma. Healing is a big part of this.
I'm painfully busy. I try to write a couple hundred words a day if I can, but it's going to be slow moving. Sorry!!
The setting is really close to my home town! Nothing that could doxx me, but if you recognize what things I'm referring to in the world, let's hang out🤘lol
This will be split into 2 parts. Both will have the same characters, but different themes.
Important note: This story may be enjoyed by people who have the same tastes as me, but it’s mostly being written for myself! I love my characters dearly and it absolutely tickles me to see them finally coming to life in text. But it’s very sculpted to my preferences. This story is for me, and it is about my experiences and those I know closely. Give or take a few monsters.
General warning for death. Familial death, parental death, animal death, spousal death. There will be many corpses seen, death of characters, and grieving are all very important. There's no way to avoid it, it's an apocalypse story.
Body horror, and depictions of gore, wound care, injuries, blood
TW for body dysphoria. Possible mentions of transphobia appearing later in the story (NOT EXPLICIT, it is implied, referencing a point in time in the past)
Ardeal is an Interactive Fiction WIP, currently under construction. [Chapter 1 release: February 1st, 2026]
Find out what happened to your pack...
... or never remember.
[[Chapter 1: 9.8k words without code, already accessible via Patreon]]
[genres: fantasy, mystery, romance, present time]
This book is for mature audience only (18+). It's currently still in early development and everything released is subject to possible change. The book will contain mature themes.
Transylvania.
Nestled in the heart of Romania, it is home to a vast amount of national parks, forests, mountains and lakes, with a long history that includes being the home of a certain vampire lord—at least if you believe the stories about him.
But with such an enormous amount of woods and nature, the chances are fairly high to find werewolves instead of vampires here.
One of such beasts being... you.
There's just one problem: You lost your memory.
Not your entire memory, but a lot of it. You only really know a handful of things about yourself and your former pack.
The one thing you know for sure is that you need to find the pack that settled in the North of the Retezat National Park—maybe they could help you find some answers, or maybe you could at least live in peace with them and make yourself a new home, worthy to be protected.
Protected from whom? If only you could remember...
Choose your looks!
Choose your gender and sexuality!
Choose your cabin mate!
Choose your job!
Remember things... or don't.
Protect your new home! From whom? I don't know.
Meet the pack—Familja Lupei—and fall in love! Or don't, no pressure.
Serghei, the almost-alpha.
Brândușa, the woodworker.
Lăcrămioara, the photographer and artist.
Viorel, the wildlife biologist.
Călin, the hunter.
None yet!
Note: This is not my main project, so progress might be slow at times.
[🩸 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there something or someone that, if lost, would break them ?
(🩸) Is there something or someone that, if lost, would break them? (yes THIS IS MY FAV TOO. i was hoping someone would ask this one!!)
The ROs
Miles/Mindy
They already lost it. Without their family, they're broken. They're not looking to go back in time. Only one thing motivates M now, and it's killing every last person and creature responsible.
Audria
Audria can carry on as long as their hands work. It may sound harsh, but without the ability to tinker, or fidget, it would completely destroy their mental state. Things are already bad... but at least they are able to distract themself!
Sandy
Can you really lose something if you refuse to become attached to anything? That being said... if something were to happen his significant other (you/Audria/both), they would completely crumble.
Lola
Finally, she has regained her autonomy, and it only took the crash of civilization to get it. Losing the rights to her own life and body would kill her. She's come so far, there's no going back.
Peter/Petra
Everything for P hinges on their teenage sister, Chloe's, survival. They've both lost a lot of people along the way, P cannot lose anyone else.
The non-ROs!
Bea relies on the feeling of contribution. If she is useless, why is she even still surviving? As long as she can be someone to rely on, she will be okay.
Preston's ability to deny, deny, deny is really working for him. Somewhere out there, he believes things are better. That his people are around.
Chloe has already lost it. It just hasn't caught up to her yet.
(🖐️) what do their hands feel like: soft, calloused, trembling?
Miles/Mindy
These are the hands of a hard worker. Calloused, but firm. Hot to the touch. Their hands are always shaky, except when they're holding yours. Their skin is dry and red, a particularly red spot on their knuckles.
Audria
Cold from poor circulation, but has a very steady grip. They could have been a surgeon with the level of precision you see from them. Has thick callouses on only the tips of their fingers, and the ball of their hand.
Peter/Petra
Somewhat chubby fingers attached to a palm that's always clammy. They don't like to hold hands, conscious of how their grip would feel. Fingernails always bitten down to the quick. There's a hesitancy to their movements. Right hand that doesn't move quite right, with a gnarly scar that extends from the wrist to their knuckles. A deep injury that didn't have time to heal.
Sandy
Daft hands that you know must've never done precise work in their lives. Those hands are soft as a baby. They like to hold onto you, firm, squeezing tightly as they can as if you're trying to slip away.
Lola
Bony fingers, attached to gaunt hands. The hands of a pianist. The sides of her fingers are calloused, with clean but long, tidy nails. Red flesh from a spot she pinches over and over.
Secret ROs:
W: Long spindly hands, agile and calloused from intensive manual labor. They have scars on the back of each hand, puckered and rising flesh that never healed quite right. Tattoos on their knuckles, hands that grip handlebars of a motorcycle.
???: Strong dark fingers, the palms of his hands are much lighter than the backs. Always kept tidy and clean. The tips of his fingers are calloused, perhaps from typing. He rubs his wrists often, the bones that jut out are constantly sore.
Mostly these past few days, I've been working on fixing some bugs! there were a couple that just wouldn't quit, driving me absolutely bonkers.
Plowing through some boring parts of dialogue/exposition as well, so I can get back to the gross and exciting things! Word count is up to 30k in chapter one, beginning to finally introduce more characters.
And if you like M, I have great news: they absolutely dominate the first chapter, since they're the only person you see for a while. I love M but I'm so ready to write someone else for a change.
Anyways! see you in another couple days with (hopefully) good news.
This is so cool already!! So excited to get into the library wahoo!
So far i really enjoy the depictions of grief, which isn't always as clean cut as just showing as sadness. That beast manifests in many ways, and i'm looking forward to seeing how the death will tie into whatever lurks in between the shelves.
Ohio, 1995: It's been six months since your parent committed 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, pronouns, 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)
just a small snippet of dialogue with the stranger, after getting out of the pharmacy alive. This is only available on one of the 2 main paths, and relies on some previous choices!
This monday, as I don't have a ton of content to share, I wanted to explain some of the variables I have included in the story!
First: I want to explain the one of the earliest noticeable features in SPLIT:
The Prologue has two distinct endings, depending on a single choice you make. This choice affects the first third of chapter one, and has lingering effects for the entire rest of the story. Whether you or your current companion sustains a life-altering injury, neither of you will make it out unscathed. And this is just where the story begins.
Second: The Rage/Fear/Desperation stats!
All three of these will build or decrease, based on your choices. Besides any inclusion of flavor text, there will also be "checks" to see if any of these stats are at a high enough level to trigger scenes that would be otherwise hidden. My hope is that it will encourage readers to try different types of characters, to experience the scene variations you can achieve.
Third: The weird name feature.
This one allows the player to name their MC something... interesting, and characters will actually notice it.
Last: the interpersonal stats!
Player will be able to decide if the MC is comfortable with various types of affection or touch, even eye contact. Plus, besides the separate friend and romance stats, there is an included crush stat, because the ROs are indeed people who can feel attraction towards specific types of MCs.
participating in #ifnowrimo !!! with a goal to write every day. a goal that i dont quite expect to reach (but hope for) is to finish writing Chapter 1, finish coding and then upload!
it's really starting to feel in reach now? yesterday i managed to crack out over 1.2k words, so ! Idk! Maybe!
It's happening!! Time will tell if this needs its own blog but for now, it'll share this one!
What is IFNoWriMo?
For 25 years, NaNoWriMo was a fun chance for writers to try and do the unhinged and write a novel in one month. Then they allowed AI in, in addition to other issues with their moderators, and now they've shut down.
IFNoWriMo is a small, interactive fiction-focused version of NaNoWriMo! There'll be small check ins, chances for people to share snippets of their work, and the joy of suffering together as we try to write Too Many Words at once. It'll be much less structured than NaNoWriMo but people who make their goals still get a neat certificate at the end!
IFNoWriMo Calendar
Tumblr compression strikes again, sadly.
IFNoWriMo starts at midnight your local time on November 1st!
There'll be a check-in post every three days where people can share progress and vent.
Methods Monday is a chance for people to share cool things they're doing with their code or variables! I feel like interactive fiction is unique in how much coding is required and all the possibilities it unlocks and Methods Monday is a chance to celebrate that!
WIP Wednesday is the same as always, a chance to share snippets of works in progress.
Then IFNoWriMo ends at midnight your local time on November 30th!
What counts? What goal should I have?
That's up to you! You can count code, you can not count code, you can work on side stories or worldbuilding posts, you can focus on the IF itself! Whatever helps you write more counts.
The traditional NaNoWriMo goal is 50k. But you can set your own goal for IFNoWriMo! Think about what is an achievable stretch goal and shoot for that.
Will there be prep events?
Maybe! I'm thinking through what prep events might be useful. The one that I'm sure about is that near the end of October, I'll make a post where people who want to can share their project and word count goals. Then at the end of November they can say if they met them!
Welcome to the street race life.
You're just getting back into the scene after an accident in a recent race left you out of the game for two months. Some hospital time, and a stint behind bars. Now you're back and finding your footing once again. A new circuit is coming up, and it's said this is the biggest prize pool yet. The amount of money something that could set someone up for life. You want it, after everything you've been through.
You're one of many drivers. One of many fighting to meet the finish line first and take home that prize.
And you're determined you will win it.
Customize your gender & appearance. Including personal style.
Partake in the racing circuit. Win or lose 6 different races.
Pick a car!
Find some love, or keep to yourself. Pick from four Romance Options.
Get wrapped up in some unsavoury practices.
Win a grand prize, if you can.
Untitled Street Race is a story about competition in the worst of ways. Content warnings include: Descriptions of Vehicle Accidents, Substance Abuse/Mentions, Crime in General, & Death currently. This part will be updated as the game updates.
THE PARTNER (male, RO): Axel. Your partner for the long run. You've only ever raced with him in the passenger seat. The two of you have gotten to a point where you can practically run a race without many words. He's loud and obnoxious when not in the car with you.
His personal car is a red '95 Mazda MX-5 Miata. It's seen better days, but he loves the thing.
THE MECHANIC (male, RO): Tye. You just met, thanks to both your Sponsor and Axel. He's laid back and easy going, a wild opposite from what Axel is. While you don't know much more about him, he has incredible knowledge of any car that's put into his calloused hands.
His personal car is a cream colored '80 Jeep Honcho. It's been there to drag plenty of wrecks off the road.
THE RIVAL (non-binary, RO): Brady. Your quiet rival. You hardly talk, but the two of you seem to always be in a fight on the road. Every race that you both partake in always seems to end with the two of you neck and neck, no matter the position. They always regard you with shaded eyes.
The car they use to race is a green 2005 Nissan Skyline GT-R. You can't begin to count how many times you've seen it up close.
THE HOST (female, RO): Angel. You don't know if that's her proper name or not, but it's what everyone in the circuits call her. With her fingers in most of the pies involving the cars and the crowds. You haven't had a lot of direct interaction with her, but you know she can be deadly.
She drives a white 90's Porsche 911. It's elegant, like her.
THE SPONSOR (???): You don't know anything about them, besides that they seem to be sitting on a fuck load of cash and are ready to fork out whatever you need. They took you on after your first race. They got you to where you are now.
You can't even begin to think about just what they could drive.
THE DRIVER (mc): You. The driver, the racer. You're working your way up in the scene. Started with nothing, and now? Now you'll prove your worth. You'll make it to the finish, no matter the cost.
Welcome to the start of a new interactive fiction! This post will be updated as the story develops, including progress updates, pieces of information, and character art. There is no demo out yet — I’m in college, no coding experience, and new to this, so please be patient! I made this because I needed to get my creative juices out before I implode, so stay tuned!
An extensive list of dark themes, including violence (murder, kidnapping), psychological trauma (PTSD, panic attacks), substance abuse (drugs, alcohol), and general mature content (death, abuse).
You are a will-o’-the-wisp. Well, fused with one… or two… or maybe more. You might have been awake for it. Before the fusion? Maybe you remember it, maybe you don’t, but everyone can see the consequences anyway. People aren’t fused with will-o’-the-wisps every day, you know.
Your job is to guide criminals to the heroes/authorities, who will then lend them over to either Rybri Island Rehabilitation Center, the RRC, or prison. Just remember not to let your coworkers get to you; you aren’t human, and you won’t be treated like one. Did you think leaving The Labyrinth would make things better? They don’t care where you’re from, as long as you don’t rebel against them.
Until you wake up in a hospital with handcuffs, and the authorities are interrogating you for killing a little girl. But what little girl? The footage they show you is undeniably you, but you’ve never seen that kid before, and you’re not allowed to be violent—the RRC makes sure of that with the collar around your neck.
Play as male, female, or nonbinary
Choose appearance
Build personality
Build relationships inside or outside RRC
Learn how to use your powers
Raise or lower your feather count/hope meter
Give or keep pieces of yourself
Customize your past before you became a wisp
Choose one or two vices
Find out who framed you, or maybe you did do it?
Alistair/Alison Reed - (m/f/n) - 28 - The Perch
Your handler and a demoted hero. Since you’re not allowed to do combat, Ali is the one to protect you. Whether they hate you or not, you can’t tell, but they are cordial with you at least, and they’ve saved you more times than you can count. Maybe if you were human, you two could have been an actual team.
Ali is 5’8 with tan skin and wavy, blue-black hair, and brown eyes. Muscular and appreciative of stealth, often wearing dark clothes. During missions, they have the additional tactical gear, half-mask, and hood.
Neo Mandela - (m/f/n) - 35 - The Key
The freelance doctor you and Ali met once. Constantly chastising you and Ali to be safer because next time they won’t be around to help. They healed you when a selkie clawed your leg while trying to get their skin back. They don’t trust you, but they made a vow to their mentor.
A practical and minimalistic 6’1 person with white hair. Just a simple shirt, trousers, and a doctor’s coat. Their dark skin makes their heterochromia even more pronounced, with beautiful shades of gray (left) and brown (right).
Helios/Helia de Vil - (m/f/n) - 22 - The Mirror
An apprentice to Akira, rising the ranks of the best magic school, Runiric Academy, easily, both in looks and abilities. Too bad they’ve got an ego the size of a whale and are a lady’s person. They always look remorseful when they hear about you from the grapevine.
5’7, black hair, sun-kissed skin, and green eyes. Fashionable uniform from Runiric Academy with a yellow crown brooch. They sparkle with the amount of jewelry they wear—almost like they’re compensating for something.
Yamane, Akira - (m/f/n) - 40 - The Ideal
One of the best professors from Runiric. Taking Helios on as an apprentice. Heard about you from Helios. A quite serious but gentle person, very popular, yet never known to have flings or romantic relationships. Rumors say they have a daughter.
The 5’10 tall person often dressed in a suit. Their pale skin and blonde hair complement their golden beige blazer and brown trousers. On the left side is a red rose brooch. They’re very well put together.
Eleazar/Azriella Lior - (m/f/n) - 26 - The Fallen
Your coworker who works inside RRC. They treat you kindly. Even Ali isn’t as doting as they are. They’re almost like a parent or older sibling, but they do look familiar… you’re sure you’ve never met them before, yet they have a familiar air, perhaps from a poster or rumor—they are gorgeous, so it’s very likely for them to be the talk of the city.
5’11, red hair, yellow-blue eyes, dark skin. Dressed in modest, ocean blue clothes with gold patterns/accents.
Yoko - (m/f/n) - 20s - The Cynic
From The Labyrinth, like you. They work with Lior, and though they’re rude to you, you both have a connection. You’re not sure what they are because they’re always wearing a mask, and you don’t even think they eat. But even through the mask, they have an air of pity when they look at you, like they know something you don’t.
5’0, dark purple ponytail, and dark skin. Often wearing dark schematic crop tops, shorts, and jackets. Their rose-patterned mask covers their whole face, and you can’t see their eyes, though you sometimes feel their gaze in the daylight.