Ichor of the Last Lament v0

Browser lacks capabilities required to play.

Upgrade or switch to another browser.

Loading…

<<fadein 2s>><span class="logo"> <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Twine_vector_logo.svg/896px-Twine_vector_logo.svg.png"> </span><</fadein>> <<timed 4s t8n>><span class="game-start-timed"> Click anywhere to continue... </span><</timed>> <<cont>><<goto 'start-menu'>><</cont>>

<<fadein 1s>> <div id="start-title">Ichor of the Last Lament</div> <div id="start-subtitle">by gilded grimoires</div> <<nobr>><div id="start-menu"> <<nobr>><<if Save.autosave.ok() and Save.autosave.has()>><<button "Resume Game">><<run Save.autosave.load()>><</button>><</if>><</nobr>> <<button "New Game" "p_00">><<set $chapter to "Chapter One">><</button>> <<button "Load Game">><<run UI.saves();>><</button>> <<button "Settings">><<run UI.settings();>><</button>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("credits","credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</button>> </div><</nobr>> <</fadein>>

<h2>Twine + Sugarcube</h2> <li>Twine by Chris Klimas - <a href="https://twinery.org/cookbook/" target="_blank">Twine Cookbook</a></li> <li>Sugarcube by Thomas Michael Edwards - <a href="https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs/" target="_blank">Sugarcube 2 Documentation</a></li> <li>Custom Macros - <a href="https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2" target="_blank">ChapelR Custom Macros Collection</a></li> <h2>Resources</h2> <li>Icons - <a href="https://fontawesome.com/" target="_blank"> Font Awesome Icons</a></li> <li>Fonts - <a href="https://fonts.google.com/" target="_blank">Google Fonts</a>, <a href="https://opendyslexic.org/" target="_blank">Open Dyslexic</a></li> <li>CSS + HTML Tutorials - <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/">W3Schools</a></li> <h2>Disclaimer</h2> PROJECT TITLE is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

<<silently>><<set $chapter to "Prologue">> <</silently>>"//Captain//!" A hurried knock comes to Rhea's door far too late at night. She had expressly informed everyone not to bother her for the rest of the night, what could possibly be so important that it couldn't wait. Another desperate knock comes, even harder than the last after she does not immediately answer but sill she kept silent. She wondered if they'd knock a third time. "Captain please, it's an emergency! I don't know what to do with this, I know you're in there!" The voice comes hastily, cracking along the way. She waits a moment more, then she hears crying. Quickly she lapsed the space of the room, pulling apart the doors to her office she sees Alar. Which would be unsurprising, she recognized the boy's voice anywhere, if he was not meant to be stationed outside with another guard. Yet he was here, inside rocking a babe of all things, whispering an approximation of sweet nothings to calm the child to no avail. "What is that?" She asks as her gaze lifted from child to the young man's, utterly transfixed by the foreign sight. It wasn't that she was unfamiliar with children, she's seen one or two. Usually when members of the barracks had one they'd excitedly show off their new bundle of joy to her, asking her to hold it for reasons only The Seers knew. But this baby was not of one of the Barrack members, unless Alar had decided to become a father at sixteen. It didn't really even look like him. The Barrack's were really no place for a child anyways. The young recruit raised the cushioned basket that held the loosely bundled child up to her. Her hands did not leave the doorway. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[["It's a baby… uh" He pulls back the cloth slightly. "Girl. A woman just left her there." He explains, the baby still screaming in his arms.|It's A Girl!][$child to "girl"]]</div> <div class="choice-item">[["It's a baby… uh" He pulls back the cloth slightly. "Boy. A woman just left him there." He explains, the baby still screaming in his arms.|It's A Boy!][$child to "boy"]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<h1>Heading 1</h1> <h2>Heading 2</h2> <h3>Heading 3</h3> <<button "Button">><</button>> <<textbox "$textbox" $textbox>> <<listbox "$listbox">> <<option "Listbox 1">> <<option "Listbox 2">> <<option "Listbox 3">> <</listbox>> <<cycle "$cycle">> <<option "Cycling 1">> <<option "Cycling 2">> <<option "Cycling 3">> <</cycle>> <li>List Item</li> <li>List Item</li> <li>List Item</li> <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|p_00]]</div> <div class="flirt-choice-item">[[Continue|p_00]]</div> <div class="special-choice-item">[[Continue|p_00]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<if settings.notifs>><<if tags().includes('autosave')>><<notify 3.5s>>Saving...<</notify>><</if>><</if>> /* autosaving -- the autosave notif needs to be 'present' at all times so is stored in the passageheader, only popping up when you add the [autosave] tag onto one of your passages. this is mainly for aesthetics as the autosave function is currently set up to save on EVERY passage. this can be changed in the javascript settings, e.g. you could configure it to only autosave on passages with the [autosave] tag notify is also a ChapelR macro, not a default sugarcube macro, so make sure to familiarise yourself with the documentation!*/ <script> var myDiv = document.getElementById('passages'); myDiv.scrollTop = 0; </script> /* scroll top -- this script makes the page scroll back to the top every time you move on to the next passage -- do not delete it! */

<h1>Profile</h1> <div style="text-align: center;">//$name//</div> /* <div id="stat-title"> <span>Friendly ($friendly%)</span> <span>Stoic (<<print 100 - $friendly>>%)</span> </div> <<showmeter 'Friendly' `$friendly/ $max_friendly`>> <div id="stat-title"> <span>Strength ($strength%)</span> <span>Weakness (<<print 100 - $strength>>%)</span> </div> <<showmeter 'Strength' `$strength/ $max_strength`>>*/

/* comment -- this is where to set up your variables -- you can delete the examples below. note that $chapter is used to change the chapter title in the title bar. you can either delete this, change the variable name, or change the variable(s) used entirely note that $chapter and $name are also used for the autoname save function. you can either delete this, change the variable name, or change the variable(s) used entirely (in the Javascript file) */ <<set $chapter = "">> <<set $name = "Unknown">> <<set $textbox = "textbox">> <<set $listbox = "listbox">> <<set $cycle = "cycle">> /* ChapelR Meter Macro set up */ /* these stat meter set ups are purely examples and do not need to be used */ <<set $friendly = 50>> <<set $max_friendly = 100>> <<newmeter 'Friendly' $friendly>> <<colors '#777' '#777' '#333'>> <<sizing '100%' '1.2em'>> <</newmeter>> <<set $strength = 50>> <<set $max_strength = 100>> <<newmeter 'Strength' $strength>> <<colors '#777' '#777' '#333'>> <<sizing '100%' '1.2em'>> <</newmeter>> /* MC Titles*/ <<set $child to "">> <<set $name to "A $child without a name.">> /* MC Multipronouns */ <<set $prons to 0>> <<set $arr_they to []>> <<set $arr_them to []>> <<set $arr_their to []>> <<set $arr_theirs to []>> <<set $arr_themself to []>> <<set $arr_plural to []>> <<set $mc_they to "">> <<set $mc_them to "">> <<set $mc_their to "">> <<set $mc_theirs to "">> <<set $mc_themself to "">> <<set $mc_plural to false>> <<set $mc_is to "">> <<set $mc_was to "">> <<set $mc_s to "">> <<set $mc_theyre to "">> <<set $mc_has to "">> /* Child Multipronouns */ <<set $child_prons to 0>> <<set $child_arr_they to []>> <<set $child_arr_them to []>> <<set $child_arr_their to []>> <<set $child_arr_theirs to []>> <<set $child_arr_themself to []>> <<set $child_arr_plural to []>> <<set $child_they to "">> <<set $child_them to "">> <<set $child_their to "">> <<set $child_theirs to "">> <<set $child_themself to "">> <<set $child_plural to false>> <<set $child_is to "">> <<set $child_was to "">> <<set $child_s to "">> <<set $child_theyre to "">> <<set $child_has to "">>

<div id="title-container"> <span class="title-item">Ichor of the Last Lament</span> <span class="chapter-item">$chapter</span> </div>

<<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-bookmark" alt="saves"></i>'>><<run UI.saves();>><</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-gear" alt="settings"></i>'>><<run UI.settings();>><</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-user" alt="profile"></i>'>> <<script>> Dialog.setup("profile","profile"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("profile").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-rotate-left" alt="return"></i>'>><<run Engine.backward();>><</link>> <<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-door-open" alt="restart"></i>'>><<run UI.restart();>><</link>>

Set up your widgets here!

<<silently>><<child_gender she her her hers herself false>> <</silently>> Whoever had left the child must have truly been desperate. Did the mother have no family willing enough to help support? Even neighbors would rally together to help one another, it took a village to raise a child as they always said. The Temple of Light would have been a good choice as well, better than good in fact, Rhea knew for a fact that the priests and priestesses took care of their own. To do such a thing as the sun slept, perhaps the shame was just so great the girl had been left in the hands of the first person. She can certainly imagine the woman crawling along the shadows to hide this deed from the moon. Still Rhea stared the boy down waiting for more. He steps from foot to foot awkwardly under her unrelenting gaze. As Black eyes bore into him but he didn't look away, only smiled. "She really did just leave her here captain. She mentioned something about a favor, and ran off. Only really left this, but I didn't want to open it." He juts out his hip, showing off a now half crushed scroll tucked into his belt. A wax seal pressed upon it remained miraculously intact. After a moment she nods, "…Alright then." That still left her with many questions, but she took the basket tentatively. She continued to stare at the wailing infant for a moment, unnerved. She was never one for kids, they were so fragile and needed too much care. Should one look away too long and the things would be dead or dying. And this one was the smallest she'd ever seen, she'd break it surely. But perhaps this one was sturdier than the the others though, desert nights were frigid and the cloth around it was neither thick nor soft. Taking a deep breath she stepped back into her office, Alar trailing after her, peeking around to the still crying newborn as she sets the basket on the table. "Maybe she's hungry, I can see if we have some milk around?" She nods, that was a logical thing to do though she doubted they had anything like that in their stores. But it wouldn't hurt to check. Alar begins to head out before she stops him. "Wait, scroll." "Oh, right. Here you go captain," he laughs as he hands it off. She doesn't take it at first, he switches to his right before offering it once more. Once she takes it and he hurries out. She shakes her head as the tail of his sash trails behind, standing next to the child. Did they always cry so much? Reaching into the basket one if its flailing arms catches her finger, she tries to pull back but finds it is surprisingly strong. The little thing desperately tries to pull her ink stained thumbs into its tiny mouth, but she doesn't let it much to its little annoyance. It'd surely be further displeased if it tasted ink. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Left alone she freed her captured finger and prodded the girl's brightened cheeks. Soft as all the other babes she'd held before.|0.2]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

<<silently>><<child_gender he him his his himself false>> <</silently>> Some couples could not bear the burden of a child, and there weren't many places for an unwanted child to be placed but there were better options. Had she been back home finding a young boy abandoned on the steps of a military base wouldn't be as an odd sight, unfortunate still but nothing unheard of, but even then those children were far along enough to walk and talk. Some of them could even count. But she was not home, such a thing could rarely be done without great shame. As were many things done when the sun's gaze was not upon its domain. Still Rhea stared the boy down waiting for more. He steps from foot to foot awkwardly under her unrelenting gaze. As Black eyes bore into him but he didn't look away, only smiled. "She really did just leave him here captain. She mentioned something about a favor, and ran off. Only really left this, but I didn't want to open it." He juts out his hip, showing off a now half crushed scroll tucked into his belt. A wax seal pressed upon it remained miraculously intact. After a moment she nods, "…Alright then." That still left her with many questions, but she took the basket tentatively. She continued to stare at the wailing infant for a moment, unnerved. She was never one for kids, they were so fragile and needed too much care. Should one look away too long and the things would be dead or dying. And this one was the smallest she'd ever seen, she'd break it surely. But perhaps this one was sturdier than the the others though, desert nights were frigid and the cloth around it was neither thick nor soft. Taking a deep breath she stepped back into her office, Alar trailing after her, peeking around her to the crying newborn as she sets the basket on the table. "Maybe he's hungry, he looks very fresh. I can see if we have some milk around?" She nods, that was a logical thing to do though she doubted they had anything like that in their stores. But it wouldn't hurt to check. Alar begins to head out before she stops him. "Wait, scroll." "Oh, right. Here you go captain," he laughs as he hands it off. She doesn't take it at first, he switches to his right before offering it once more. Once she takes it and he hurries out. She shakes her head as the tail of his sash trails behind, standing next to the child. Did they always cry so much? Reaching into the basket one if its flailing arms catches her finger, she tries to pull back but finds it is surprisingly strong. The little thing desperately tries to pull her ink stained thumbs into its tiny mouth, but she doesn't let it much to its little annoyance. It'd surely get sick if it tasted ink. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Left alone she freed her captured finger and prodded the boy's brightened cheeks. Soft as all the other babes she'd held before.|0.2]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

"Rhea, what is the meaning of this noise?" An exhausted voice comes from the door. In walks an older woman, older than Rhea at least. Her dark brown curls are pulled back into a simple bun that fell further apart with each step, juxtaposed against the finely woven cloth she wore and the jewelry that decorated her arm up to her elbows. Matron Azira was the head of her family, General of the Barracks, and Rhea's superior and close friend. Azira doesn't wait for an answer as she strolls up to the table, looming over Rhea's shoulder to look at the child. "Well… its not yours." She buffs in amusement, though nothing was funny about this in Rhea's opinion. "May I?" The shorter woman nods and Azira gingerly picks up the agitated child from the basket to holds ?childthem to her chest. "Don't you think it is much too late for this noise little one?" She pats a gentle hand on their back, rubbing slow circles intermittently until the child quiets. The $child was still displeased and uncomfortable, but ?childtheir wails were no longer reverberating through the halls at least. Azira looks to her right hand wordlessly and with no other prompting Rhea supplies what little she can. "Alar informed me that a woman dropped the $child off and hurried off, leaving only a letter in her wake." Rhea held the seal up to the light of her oil lamp. The wax was stamped with the insignia of the Barracks, the first iteration anyhow. This was a poor impersonation attempt if it was one. These days the Barracks were represented by a serpent without a head coiled around a blade, partially enclosed within a circle. Most of the details would be lost on such a small slip of wax, had it been up to her they could have at least gotten rid of the scale patterning on the stamps. Regardless the outdated seal was a nostalgic sight, a simple pair of twin daggers crossed at their guards. Used to represent both the wretched fangs of the vae and the might needed to vanquish them. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[She breaks the seal.|0.3]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

//I hope the years have treated you well Rhea, it has been so long since we've last seen one another. I hear you've been promoted to second in command, but we all knew it was merely a matter of when and not if. I wish I could have been there to congratulate you, but you know I am not permitted to do so. I know I am not supposed to contact you, and I doubt you want anything to do with me, but I desperately need your help. I need you to take care of this child for me. I did my best to make sure they would not come to be at all, but the little one was just too stubborn. I suppose they take after me in that regard, I wonder if they'll come to look like me as well. It would be best if they didn't. Regardless, I cannot be there to see them grow up, I cannot give up everything I've worked for. I've done so much for you in our youth, all I ask is this one thing in return.// <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[(- Your dearest sister, Ni'at)|0.4]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

Rhea's already pale complexion somehow seems to lose even more of its color. Her mouth hangs slightly agape as she nearly forgets to breath, her usually steady hands tremble as she stares at that last line. "Rhea" Azira's voice breaks her out of her trance. "You look as if you've seen a ghost dear, what is it?" She swallowed dryly before aking in a deep breath, her face twisting as if she'd missed a bone in her fish. "Ni'at…" She can't bring herself to finish the sentence and thankfully she doesn't have to. Azira's feature's sharpen as she looks down at the child. There was certainly some resemblance. "So the $child is hers." "She wants me to raise it." Raise a child, raise //her// child? After all these years Ni'at couldn't even face them, and she had the audacity to believe Rhea would //raise// her child. Ni'at was correct, Rhea would do exactly that as much she loathed to do so. "She didn't even mention a name, throwing all the responsibility onto me. You'd think after all these years the woman would have learned to think before doing." Azira frowns, putting a heavy hand on her friend's shoulder and pulling Rhea into her side. "You don't have to, you don't owe her anything. We owe nothing to ghosts after all… but if you do I will help you." "You'll help me?" Rhea's voice comes out tight as she spits those words out bitterly. What experience did Azira have in child rearing? Maybe some of the others, but the general had about as much of a hand in a child's life as herself. "I will increase your salary, give you more office work like I do with the others." Before Rhea can protest the older woman shushes her with a playful squeeze, already knowing what was to come. "I can take care of myself, don't forget who was the one who taught you everything you know." Rhea was half way between a glare and a frown as she ran her hands through thick black waves, tightly coiling and uncoiling locks around bony fingers. "I hate to leave your side…" Her gaze flitted from the newborn back to Azira before eventually settling on the child coldly. "Gods, why did she have to pick me of all people. Of everyone we know, //me//." "Well you are-" <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[["I found some milk!"|0.5]]</div> </div><</nobr>>

If you've made it this far I just want to say thank you for reading through, this is pretty short as far as prologues gp but I just wanted to have something out so I stop meandering on progress. Hope you stick around for future updates!

Alar's voice cuts through as he returns with a soft rag and a bowl of milk. His steps falter at the sight of Azira before he fell to his knees and bowing his head. Sloppily, Rhea noted absentmindedly. "Matron, greetings!" "Alar, the Seers must have sent you a vission. ?childthey were getting fussy again." She says brightly as he rises, setting the bowl down. Wetting the cloth with milk he offers it to Azira, his gaze pointed downward as he tries not to fidget in her presence. "We can only hope you live long enough to be accepted into The Sun's light little one, may The Moons keep watch these next few hours, but until then you must eat okay?" The infant needs no prompting as it clamped down onto the rag, suckling as ravenously as a newborn could manage. It had been hours since its birth, and finally it received its first bit of sustenance. To Alar and Azira it was a comforting sight, but Rhea watched with empty eyes. <<nobr>><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[She still felt the papyrus in her hands.|TBC]]</div> </div><</nobr>>