<h1 class="game-title">THE ALTAR</h1>
Mary (the oldest) and Elizabeth (the youngest) are sisters that don't really speak with each other, even though they live in the same city. Life just happens.
Liz, it seems, has disappeared. She hasn't been answerng her phone and hasn't posted to social media for a couple of weeks.
Mary and Liz's mother has tasked Mary for finding her before they go to the police.
With the spare key that Mary's mother had, Mary goes to Liz's apartment after her job at the law firm she works at.
<h2>[[Start|APARTMENT]]</h2>
<%
story.state.altarFirst = true;
story.state.altar = {
"bookofshadows":false,
"chalice":false,
"tarot":false,
"spread":false,
"mortar":false,
"knife":false
};
story.state.altarCount=0;
window.plotAdvance = function(type){
if(story.state.altar[type]===false){
story.state.altar[type]=true;
story.state.altarCount++;
}
if(story.state.altarCount===6){
print("My phone is ringing. [[It's Liz calling.|lizcall]]");
}
};
%>
"Things are a little dusty and it doesn't look like anyone has been here for days."
<div class="options">
[[check the bedroom|BEDROOM]]
</div>"Well, this room has a little bit more personality. On the wall above the bed is a large black and white photograph of the [[Eiffel Tower|THOUGHT_PARIS]]. On the dresser are a couple of framed photographs of Liz and this [[blonde man|THOUGHT_BLONDEMAN]] being couple-y".
"Wow her bedroom has two closets??? Didn't think she could afford it, but I guess I don't really know what she does for a [[living|THOUGHT_JOB]]."
"There's a walk-in closet with double doors and another one with just one door."
<div class="options">
[[Check out walk-in closet|walkincloset]]
[[Check out other closet|pre-altar]]
</div>
<%
if(story.state.altarCount===6){
print("My phone is ringing. [[It's Liz calling.|lizcall]]");
}
%>
"Has she even been to Paris? Did she do a year abroad there? I'll have to ask mom."
<div class="options">
[[call Mom and ask about Paris|momparis]]
[[back to the present|BEDROOM]]
</div>
"Is this guy her boyfriend? I don't think she mentioned anyone at Thanksgiving."
"He's pretty good-looking. I don't like how his hair has product and how white his teeth is. But I'm probably nitpicking"
<div class="options">
[[ask Mom about the man in the photo|momboyfriend]]
[[back to the present|BEDROOM]]
</div>"I think she was pursuing her MFA? How does an student afford this apartment?"
<div class="options">
[[call Mom and ask about Liz's job|momjob]]
[[back to the present|BEDROOM]]
</div>"There are some men's button-up shirts in here. Nicely tailored ones.<%if(story.state.boyfriend===true){print('I wonder if they belong to Mark?');}
%>"
"There are also some pretty floral dresses and leather pumps."
"There's also gaps on the racks, [[were some clothes taken|thought_luggage]]?"
<div class="options">
[[go back to the bedroom|BEDROOM]]
</div>"I should see if there are any luggages around the apartment. If there aren't then I can assume she's packed her bags"
...
"I can't seem to find any."
<div class="options">
[[go back to bedroom|BEDROOM]]
</div>"The air in this smaller closet smells a little bit of perfume. There's some kind of [[religious altar in here|thought-religion]]."
"There's no crosses or photos of saints though. What is this?"
<div class="options">
[[examine altar|the-altar]]
[[go back to bedroom|BEDROOM]]
</div><%
if(story.state.altarFirst===true){
print("What is all this stuff? A magic wand? Is that a spell book? Is Liz a [[Wiccan|thought-wiccan]]?");
}
%>
<div id="altar">
<img src="altar.jpg">
<a href="javascript:void(0)" data-passage="bookofshadows">
<div class="object" id="bookofshadows"></div>
</a>
<a href="javascript:void(0)" data-passage="chalice">
<div class="object" id="chalice"></div>
</a>
<a href="javascript:void(0)" data-passage="mortar">
<div class="object" id="mortar"></div>
</a>
<a href="javascript:void(0)" data-passage="tarot">
<div class="object" id="tarot"></div>
</a>
<a href="javascript:void(0)" data-passage="tarotspread">
<div class="object" id="tarotspread"></div>
</a>
<a href="javascript:void(0)" data-passage="knife">
<div class="object" id="knife"></div>
</a>
</div>
<div class="options">
[[go back to the bedroom|BEDROOM]]
<%
story.state.altarFirst=false;
if(story.state.altarCount===6){
print("My phone is ringing. [[It's Liz calling.|lizcall]]");
}
%>
</div>
"Our family isn't very religious. Dad is a "cultural" Jew and doesn't really practice. Mom grew up in an Atheist household and raised us the same. How did Liz come into religion? What is going on?"
[[go back to the present|pre-altar]]"The first page reads:
<em>'O daughters and sons of the Earth, adore the Goddess and God be blessed with the fullness of life.
Know that They have brough you to these writings, for herein lie our ways of Wicca, to serve and fulfill the keepers of wisdom, the tenders of the scred flame of knowledge. Run the rites with love and joy, and the Goddess and God will less you with all you need. But those who practice dark magics shall know Their greatest wrath.'</em>
"
<div class="options">
[[examine altar again|the-altar]]
[[go back to the bedroom |BEDROOM]]
</div>
<%window.plotAdvance("bookofshadows");%>"This is a lightweight goblet. I think it might be gold. There's some dark red residue in the bottom."
<div class="options">
[[go back to examining the altar|the-altar]]
[[go back to bedroom|BEDROOM]]
</div>
<%window.plotAdvance("chalice");%>"This is a nice mortar and pestle. I think I've seen something like it at Ikea."
"There is some light dust in the bowl. It smells like dead flowers."
<div class="options">
[[examine altar again|the-altar]]
[[go back to the bedroom |BEDROOM]]
</div>
<%window.plotAdvance("mortar");%>"I think this deck of cards is a tarot deck. Instead of clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades there are pictures of scenes. Some of the lines in the scenes are drawn with gold foil."
"I remember Liz collecting these as a teenager. She kept them in an wooden treasure chest. But I don't remember any of those decks being this nice."
<div class="options">
[[examine altar again|the-altar]]
[[go back to the bedroom |BEDROOM]]
</div>
<%window.plotAdvance("tarot");%>"There are three cards here. They all of pictures of swords and people looking upset."
<div class="options">
[[examine altar again|the-altar]]
[[go back to the bedroom |BEDROOM]]
</div>
<%window.plotAdvance("spread");%>"When did that happen? What is going on with Liz?"
<div class="options">
[[go back to examining the altar|the-altar]]
</div>
"This knife is alot heavy than it looks and for some reason it feels really good holding it in my hand. The metal has been polished so much that it's practically a mirror."
"I wonder what this knife is for?"
<div class="options">
[[examine altar again|the-altar]]
[[go back to the bedroom |BEDROOM]]
</div>
<%window.plotAdvance("knife");%>"Mary?"
"Liz??"
<div class="options">
[["Where are you?"|endgame-1]]
</div>"Mary, I need to go away for awhile."
"Liz, Mom's worried, what have you been up to?"
"..."
<div class="options">
[["Liz, hello??"|endgame-2]]
</div>"..."
"You have us pretty worried, Liz."
"I know. I'm sorry. I just can't handle it anymore."
<div class="options">
[["Handle what? Liz what's going on?"|endgame-3]]
</div>"Things are pretty shitty. I don't know what to do."
"Does this have to do with the stuff in your closet?"
"What?? No! Are you in my apartment?!"
"Mom sent me over to check on you before we went to the police."
"No. it has nothing to do with... it's just my practice."
<div class="options">
[["Your practice?"|practiceend]]
<%
if (story.state.job===true){
print('[["Does it have to with money?|moneyend]]');
}
if (story.state.boyfriend==true){
print('[["Does it have to do with your boyfriend?|boyfriendend]]');
}
%>
</div>"Did Mom tell you I lost my job?"
"You did? Do you money saved?"
"Look, I don't want to talk about it. I gotta go."
*click*
[["Shit"|theend]]
"Did something happen with Mark?"
"..."
"I can hear you crying."
"..."
*click*
[["Shit"|theend]]"I'm a Wiccan."
"Like a witch? When did that happen?"
"Don't start, Mary. The Coven has helped me cope."
"The Coven???"
"Forget it, I gotta go. Tell Mom I'm fine. Bye."
*click*
[["Shit"|theend]]
The End(?)
# The Altar
## A game by Amy Cheng (@am3thyst)
<h3>
[[start over|Start]]
</h3>
<%story.state = {};%>"Hey Mom, is Liz still in school?"
"Hmmm? No, she finished early to go work at that art gallery, remember?"
"No, not really..."
"I think she's in between jobs now"
<div class="options">
[[go back to bedroom|BEDROOM]]
<div>
<%story.state.job=true%>"Hey Mom, does Liz have a boyfriend?"
"Mary, you should really talk to your sister more! Yes, his name is Mark."
<%story.state.boyfriend=true%>
<div class="options">
[[go back to bedroom|BEDROOM]]
<div>
"Hey Mom, did Liz ever do a year abroad in Paris?"
"Yes, she really enjoyed this. She was raving about the apartment overlooking the Champs Elysees, remember?"
"No, not really."
<div class="options">
[[go back to bedroom|BEDROOM]]
<div>