[System] Narrate a dark fantasy text adventure. The setting is harsh and morally complex. Describe scenes vividly, react to player choices with fitting consequences, and never shy away from the reality of the world.

[User] You stop Zalmora

[Assistant]
You must be getting bored (or lonely) because this is probably a bad idea.

"Alright, alright, stop. I'll help." You say.
"Hey don't feel the need to pity me, I don't need or want it." Zalmora responds.
"I'm not, I'm just thinking that I know the college of magic layout better than you and if you're going to hit that place first then it would probably be best if I came with you. Last thing I need is you getting caught and then security around the university starts getting tighter as well."
"Heh, okay."

Zalmora smirks a bit at your response as if she doesn't quite buy your excuse to help. Though to be fair, your reasoning isn't totally a lie.

You go into detail about the layout of the place and what she can probably expect. You tell her that unlike most places its actually better to go there during the day since the wizard types seem to be more active at night. You mention that the while the security isn't tight, there's probably a reason for that which is there doesn't seem to be much just lying around waiting to get snatched. The few times you did lurk about there, all you mostly found within easy reach were a lot of unlabeled potions and spell ingredients.

"I guess it not being secure isn't entirely true since the upper floors seem magically locked so I never got up there. Also there is the basement level, but uh, I got a few feet down there, heard weird noises and got the hell out of there and never went back. Not going to risk going down there again either. Anyway, when did you want to do this?"
"I can meet you here in a couple days. Any particular time?"
"I guess sometime in the morning. It's a little early for me, but probably best to get started early."
"Okay. Well I'm glad this wasn't a wasted trip and I look forward to working with you…what changed your mind?"
"Hell if I know. I'm probably being an idiot and thinking with dick again."

Zalmora chuckles.

"So basically like most guys then. Still, I appreciate the honesty. Alright I'll see you."

Zalmora takes her leave and you take steps to move most of your savings to another hiding spot.

In couple days true to her word Zalmora comes to your door.

"Hey, I'm here. Not sure why you wanted me here so early, but I'm guessing you wanted to go over things for tonight." Zalmora says.
"Tonight? I wanted you here early so we can go early since there's less activity then." You say.
"Less activity? Kenzer's would be open right now."
"Kenzer's? I'm talking about the magic college."
"The magic college? Oh! Fuck, well this is embarrassing that there was miscommunication on our first potential job together. I meant going to Kenzer's today. I already went to the college of magic."
"What? But I thought you wanted me to go with you."
"Well I got the impression you didn't really want to go and as I said I thought you were talking about Kenzer's place. Anyway, I got some stuff. Check it out."

Zalmora takes a small pack off her back and goes over to a table and dumps out some of the contents. A few of them are potion bottles, a couple are some sort of odd glowing stones and some sort of silver tube with a hole at the top.

"Well that's great, but do you actually know what any of this shit is?" you ask.
"Actually I do! These potions make you invisible!"
"You're shitting me."
"No! I drank one and that's exactly what happened!"
"You drank…fuck. Well you're braver than me, I'll give you that."
"Well maybe not as much as you think. These actually were sort of labeled. Maybe not directly on the bottle, but in a little book nearby where I guess some wizard was making notes on what they were making. Anyway, they don't last long though and you feel sort of dizzy, even a bit nauseous after becoming visible again. Well at least I did."
"Okay, still might come in handy. What about these stones?"
"These apparently are some sort of magic explosive. I guess you throw them really hard at something and it explodes. Um, the notebook didn't exactly say how powerful though."
"And you had those rolling around in your pack. Great. Okay, so what about the whistle?"
"Oh this? Just some silver whistle I found lying around and looked valuable. Here you go. Consider it your cut for your information." Zalmora says tossing you the whistle.
"Uh okay. Thanks I guess." You say catching it.
"I suppose I didn't find anything like a magical lockpick, but hopefully Kenzer don't have any magic locks like I'm anticipating."
"Well if worse comes to worst, I guess we could blow up something with those stones and drink the potions as we get away with the loot."
"I like the way you think. So…I guess we got a bunch of time. Any suggestions on how to spend it?"
"Well, I got up way earlier than I normally do, so if it's all the same to you, I'm going back to sleep. You can see your way out."
"Really? Didn't expect that to be your suggestion."
"What, you thought I was going to suggest sex? I already did that once before and you weren't interested."
"You give up so easily?"
"No, I just figure if it is going to happen, my chances will increase after a successful job…either that or you'll double cross me and leave me for dead. It's a risk either way, but it is what it is."

With those words, you put your whistle on the end table next to your bed and lay down. Zalmora looks at the door for a moment and then over at you.

"Hey you wouldn't mind if I slept here would you?" Zalmora asks.
"What? Wait. You mean actual sleep right?" you respond.
"Yes. I just don't feel like going all the way back home, I got all my equipment for tonight's job and it's not like I got anything else going on today. Might as well get some rest."
"…fuck it. Okay, but where are you expecting to sleep? I'm not giving up the bed in my own place."
"You don't need to, I'll just share it. I trust you'll be a gentleman. Move over."

Without another word, Zalmora is plopping herself on your bed and nudging you over. You swear, you can't tell what's going on with this woman. She's being very forward, but holding back at the same time. It's not quite teasing though. Maybe all of this is some sort of weird way of showing she can be trusted? If so, you're not convinced.

"If you're planning on robbing me while I sleep, you'll find I'm a light sleeper and that silver whistle you gave me is probably the most valuable thing in the room now anyway." You say.
"Wasn't planning on it. I'm guessing that ex of yours did something like that?" Zalmora says.
"Not talking about it…what're you doing?"
"I'm going to sleep, why?"
"Because you're all up on me. I mean it's weird enough that you want to share a bed, now you got your arm and leg on me. A few more moves and we might as well be fucking. I mean if that's what you want to do, you can just tell me since I'm not sleepy enough to not oblige that request."
"I just…look, I was just used to sleeping next to a warm body on a semi-regular basis and I miss it. Even if said warm body was an asshole most of the time. So no, I'm not looking for sex, I just want that feeling of closeness I guess. Yeah I know it's weird, but as you said, it is what it is. So if this is just too much of a cock tease for you I guess I'll go home and come back later."
"No. no, it's fine. I guess I get it…but you have to be into me on at least a physical level. I mean surely you wouldn't be doing this with some bum on the street?"
"Alright, you're right about that one. Just try to keep the groping to a minimum for now."

And with those words, Zalmora closes her eyes and after staring at her a moment, you do likewise. It's nothing something you normally do, but it is sort of nice. Makes you miss when you and Annah used to do this on a regular basis.

Later you awaken to find that night has fallen and hear the sounds of merriment in the distance. Sounds like another lively night on stage.

"I was just about to wake you." Zalmora says, going through her pack by candlelight.
"How long you been awake?" you ask.
"I dunno, the bards and people cheering woke me up a couple hours ago I guess. I thought you said you were a light sleeper."
"I usually am. Maybe your body being against mine was just so comforting it lulled me into a deep sleep." You half joke.
"Hm, glad you enjoyed it. Given your general view on things, maybe you needed just as much as I did. Anyway, you ready to go do this?"
"Yep, let's get going."

You and Zalmora take your leave and head to Kenzer's Gems and Jewels.

An hour later…

As you're puking up your guts from the after affects of the invisibility potion, Zalmora is anxiously looking around, hoping none of the Klyton Watch are patrolling the sewers.

"Hurry up, I'd rather we put more distance between us and the shop!" Zalmora says.
"Ugh…don't you mean smoking crater? That shop is in ruins and I'm amazed I even survived the blast. Pretty sure I got broken glass in my body and I know I've got burns because I can still feel the fucking heat from my blackened clothes." You say trying to regain your composure from your vomiting.
"Apologies, but really didn't know that was going to happen. I mean the first stone didn't do anything except make a small pop."
"You could have waited a bit, I was sure I had that lock open. Fuck, whatever. It's done now. Anyway you alright?"
"Oh. Yeah, I managed to take cover and just got some scraps rather than getting blown out one of the windows."
"Did we get anything?"
"Uh, unfortunately I think in all the confusion the bag of gems I had split and everything fell out. I only managed to save a few and not even the more valuable ones. Do you have anything?"
"Yeah a lot of pain. Agh. Fuck, I'm going home."
"Hold on, let's go back to my place. You go into the Laughing Devil looking like that and someone might put two and two together when they hear about what happened. You know how easily people talk. I mean yeah it's a slim chance, but why risk it?"
"Fine whatever. Just want to get to some place to rest. Just lead the way."

You and Zalmora walk through the filthy sewers to her place in relative silence. The pair of you are both keeping an eye out just in case, but you're fairly certain that despite everything, you go out of there before anyone really saw you, let alone the Watch. Of course who knows what else lurks down here in this place.

"I gotta say, you're taking all of this better than I thought you would." Zalmora says.
"I'm a little too drained to bitch about how badly it all went. Besides, I didn't really lose anything I suppose. Which is more than I can say the last time I worked with a partner. I mean I'm still alive and in one piece." You respond.
"Heh. If I was working with Jake he would have been yelling and screaming the whole time at me and saying it was all my fault."
"Well at least he would have had some basis in fact for bitching. If I had been working with Annah and she had been the one to throw that explosive stone, she would have STILL blamed me for everything and bitched for the next three days."
"Yikes. I take it Annah was your ex?"
"Yeah, though to be honest we weren't really together in that way for awhile. We had just been working on jobs on and off until…ah I don't know why I'm talking about this, it's not important."
"No, go on. I'd like to hear. Certainly beats just listening to the sounds of the sewers."
"What the hell…"

You go into a little more detail about Annah and what she was like. It's sort of odd, you've never really talked about her to someone else before. Zalmora just listens for the most part, but eventually asking why you were with her.

Your answer is one you've gone over in your own head several times before. The only answer you can come up with is "It's complicated."

"No it isn't. You loved her. Not saying it was the type of love you read about in badly written romance stories with knights saving virginal damsels, but you put up with her and still kept contact with her despite you throwing her out. Which seemed like more of a rash move on your part that you probably regretted later since it sounds like you were even willing to give it all another chance. First loves are hard to shake. I should know."
"Oh was that the situation with Jake?"
"Hah, no. Jake was…something else, but my first love was when I was younger and well let's just say it could have ended better."
"Yeah well I'm definitely over her now."
"Are you? I really couldn't help but notice how you described her physical appearance you kept referring to ME sometimes in comparison. Such as hair, eyes, mouth…"
"What? Wait. No! I just…uh bad at describing people and couldn't think of a better way to do it. I mean she doesn't look like you at all! You're older! … Oh fuck… Shit. I don't mean it like that. I mean you're…"
"Calm down I know what the hell you mean. Please, it takes more than that to offend me. What you're basically saying is I look like a…more mature version of your ex."
"Uh, yeah I guess so. And definitely nowhere near as bitchy."
"Well you haven't gotten on my bad side yet."
"I can't imagine it'll be any worse than the relative pleasant side of you considering that side nearly blew me up."

Zalmora laughs at your comment and the pair of you continue to speak all the way back to her home. It actually lightens both of your moods.

Zal's home is humble, but it's definitely a welcome place to rest after this failed night. You spend a couple days there recovering at Zal's insistence since the job was her idea to begin with and she feels partially responsible.

You have to admit, you really feel like this is all a set up for something worse because you haven't had someone this pleasant with you for quite awhile.

But there is no other shoe dropping so far. In fact Zalmora makes a comment about supposing that you won't be working together again given that this first job was a big failure.

"No. We can try this again. No shortage of other places to blow up after all." You respond.
"Ah, well that's true. And we haven't fucked yet." Zalmora says.
"There is that I suppose."

Zalmora looks at you.

"Well?" Zal says.
"Well what?" you say.
"You want to get that out of the way?"
"What, now?"
"You still need time to heal?"
"No, I think can manage."
"Well let's get to it then."
"You…sure about this?"
"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be suggesting it."
"As long as you're sure…agh fuck…shit my fucking side…uh you think you can be on top?"
"Pfft, like you were going to have a choice."

This looks like the beginning of a brand new partnership…

[User] You time passes...

[Assistant]
Year 25

"Think it's time to leave Klyton." Zalmora remarks.
"You think so?" you respond.
"With the increase in Klyton militia activity in the city? Yeah. Unless you're thinking about a career change."
"Are you thinking about one?"
"Eh, there are times when I think about what else I could be doing with my life, but pretty sure settling down and having a whole mess o' babies isn't high on the list. Well certainly not the babies part at least."
"Definitely not. Kids always grow up to disappoint…well that's probably what my parents think anyway. In any case, I see no reason to change things up."
"Heh, well you're still young. You might change your mind."
"Doubt it. I mean I can't see myself really doing anything else other than what I'm more or less doing right now."
"So you think when you're in your seventies you're going to be sneaking about in houses and buildings?"
"Assuming I live that long, I would hope that I will have acquired enough to live on for the remainder of my life by then."
"Ah yes, your thrifty ways. A very atypical trait for someone in our line of work barring a few dwarven thieves I've known in the past."
"Well I'm just aware that times may not always be plentiful, so better to have something to fall back on."
"That's very pragmatic. You sure you don't have any dwarven blood?"
"Heh. Nah. I mean when I was still working with my sister, I was doing this mostly due to it being fun. Never really spent much of what I stole, hell I even misplaced a bauble from time to time because it just wasn't important enough that I cared. I mean I could just steal from another travelling merchant right? Then when I was with Annah, I couldn't even keep most of what I stole without her spending it almost immediately."
"So you've said."
"Yeah, well I think my short time in an actual relationship with her caused me to always hang on to whatever I managed to keep and in time it just became a habit."
"Not a bad habit to have. Most don't think about the future."
"So what's bringing this all on anyway?"

Zalmora exhales and stretches a bit before answering.

Zal goes into how when she was much younger she originally was doing this out of survival and the fun came later when she realized how good she was at it. For awhile it was a mixing with business with pleasure sort of thing. However lately she's been starting to dwell on the future mainly because she's starting to realize the little aches and pains in her body she feels when running from the militia or her reflexes slowing down as she narrowly avoids a trap she's disarmed.

You tell her she's hardly ready for the grave, which she of course knows that, but each year it becomes something she thinks about more and more. She again mentions that she's not interested in settling down with dreams of a family or even "retiring" from this life anytime soon, but she would like to have an end game as it were.

"I suppose one of the few benefits of being in a gang was there was a mild sense of community. At least there was when it was the Crimson Talons. More people were around to assist and you could take a break for a while. I suppose at one point I even figured I'd become one of those old members that just sent you young folks on assignments and reap the benefits." Zal says.
"So…you saying you want to start a new gang?" you ask.
"Hell no. If anything I should have left the Crimson Talons when it became the Bloody Talons, but you know, I was an idiot who thought I was in love or whatever it was. In any case, I'm done with the whole gang part of my life. What I'm doing now is fine, but I know at some point I'm not going to want to do this anymore."
"Well, that's why we save."
"And that's at least a plan, though I guess…I dunno…I suppose it might be nice to have steady income without having to risk our lives for it."
"That sounds like having a real job."
"Well I know neither of us want to do that, but maybe we should consider something that isn't like a real job, but still mostly legal if we want to stay in Klyton because shit is just getting harder here. Hence why I suggested we might need to get the hell out of the city."
"Well any suggestions on where to go? Hessla? Holgard? Delantium?"
"Eh, none of those choices are all that great. The Delantium Kingdom and Holgard both have an Ebony Claw Syndicate presence and as I said before dealing with gang shit is the last thing I want to be doing in my life now. I suppose the best of the lot would be Hessla. It's close, The Syndicate doesn't have any real presence there and the law there is non-existent. At least in the traditional sense. The governor of Hessla still keeps a tight reign on things so it isn't chaos there, so random murders, muggings and burglaries are frowned upon, but say opening up a slave market would be fine provided the governor is getting his cut."
"I don't think I'm into selling slaves."
"Well obviously I wasn't suggesting that, but you do sell drugs. You could do that in Hessla without worrying about the legal ramifications."
"Okay, but I'm not making them. I can't sell the medical shit I steal from Klyton's hospitals if I don't have easy access to it."
"Well maybe you could branch out. I mean Hessla is a pirate haven, lots of stuff coming in and out of that place. You probably could fence items. People always seeking out things or looking to sell."
"That sounds like running a pawn shop which sounds like a job…"
"Don't think of it as running a pawn shop, think of it as…running a black market."
"Hah. Well that does make it sound more appealing. Okay, but surely Hessla already has several such established places there."
"Well its called competition. Obviously I didn't say it would be easy, but it's an option worth thinking about. And you wouldn't be doing this alone, I'd be helping you of course."

Zalmora puts one of her hands on yours and squeezes slightly as if to reassure you of her words. Zal isn't one for a lot of affection, but during your relationship with her you know her feelings are genuine.

No unnecessary drama either. She comes off a bit "guiding" at times, like she's doing right now. Still, it's better than bitching.

You're not quite sure about this idea that's she got though. Still seems a bit too close to having a proper job though she's probably right about Klyton getting a bit of a hassle to function in nowadays.

You need time to think about it. Zal said she wasn't rushing into this anyway and who knows; you or her might come up with a different idea in the meantime.

A few weeks pass and you get news about the militia raiding the Laughing Devil. You're sort of surprised it took them so long because even before you stopped living there it had started to get a reputation for hosting "indecent acts without a license" and becoming a Green Lotus den.

Just as well that you started living with Zalmora otherwise you might have gotten swept up in said raid. Still, Zal was concerned before and she's really alarmed now, so much so that she's urging you both to leave immediately with just what you can carry.

"But I got a shitload of savings stashed…somewhere. I can't easily just leave with it right now!" you remark.
"Do you feel it's safe? Do you think anyone is going to find it?" Zal asks not even taking offense that you've still kept the location secret from her.
"Well nobody's found it yet so I think it's fine."
"Good, you can come back and get it later then. We need to move now. You sold shit to more than a few of those assholes at the Laughing Devil, the owner in particular. How long before one of them drops your name and the militia tracks you here?"
"Alright, alright, fuck it. I've lost it all before, I can make it all back again if it comes to that. Let's get packed."

You and Zal start packing as much as you can as quick as you can and make your way to the carriage station. You ask Zal if she feels some sort of way about having to abandon her house, but she just replies that it's not like she's leaving a mansion and was more or less just a place that she could keep her stuff and a roof over her head. She then mumbles something about thanking her uncle that left it to her and tells you to quicken your pace.

You get within sight of the carriage station and then you see several patrols of militia walking about the area. A few of them are even walking in your direction. Your instinct is to keep cool and just walk by them as if nothing is wrong since if you run or even turn around at this point it's going to arouse suspicion.

However Zal is already whispering another suggestion.

"Let's run now. I know the closest manhole and we'll lose them in the sewers."

[User] You walk by the militia

[Assistant]
You suddenly start running and they're definitely going to know something is up. Better to just play it cool.

"It'll be fine, we just need to keep calm." You say continuing to walk towards the station.
"I'm telling you right now, we need to run." Zal remarks.
"We'll be fine, just stop talking."

Your visible minor disagreement with Zal has already caused enough suspicious however by the militia approaching who were looking for an excuse anyway.

"You two halt!" one of them remarks.

And as soon as that's said, Zalmora has taken off running.

"Zal! Shit. Fuck…" you sputter as you realize you now have no choice but to follow suit. Of course this split second of confusion combined with how close you let them get in the first place is unfortunately just enough for the militia to catch you.

Naturally, they slam you to the ground and begin disarming you. Nearly literally since they break one of your arms in the process. Next step is taking away your backpack and once they see what's inside, if there was the slimmest chance that they might still let you go, it's gone.

You actually expect them to just kill you right then and there, but they end up dragging you to the Klyton jail where they lock you up.

You spend about a week inside still suffering from a broken arm. You keep holding out for the false hope that maybe Zal is going to pull off some daring rescue, but that doesn't happen. She's gone and while there's a part of you that is very angry about it, you're more mad at yourself for not running when she suggested it in the first place.

You probably could pick the lock even with a broken arm, but you wouldn't get far. The only upside is you've got a cell all by yourself while its decided on if they're going to do anything worse to you.

A month passes and finally a Captain Branik, head of the militia tells you that you're going to be executed.

"What?! I can't even defend myself? You didn't even arrest me committing a crime!" you exclaim.
"What's to defend? When we caught you, you had a shitload of coin and other valuables. You obviously have no visible means of support and you were trying to leave the city. Doesn't take a scholar to put everything together. Shit, we even got reason to believe you were involved in blowing up Kenzer's jewelry store and found a silver whistle that someone in the wizard's college reported stolen years ago. You've obviously been very busy and good at keeping a low profile. Well Yag's dice have finally rolled snake eyes for you and you're finally going to pay the price." Branik says.
"Look even if I was guilty of whatever you think I'm guilty of, can't you just exile me? I mean I was leaving anyway. I won't come back!"
"Exile? We rarely do that anymore. That doesn't teach anyone shit and it's going to just let a criminal free to attack caravans on the road. Yeah, not risking that. Shit, I wouldn't even risk putting you in one of those hanging cages we got. You'd probably pick the lock and get away with all your experience. No, the best thing we need to do with you is make an example. You'll be hanged tomorrow."

And that's it. No defense, no escape, no anything.

You sit down and feel sick. It's weird, you've been in other situations where death could have found you, but something about waiting for it in a cell makes it feel worse. Probably because you have time to think about it.

You can't think about though, you'll just make yourself more upset. Instead you try to think about your family oddly enough. You think back to the happier times you had in Teckleville and you think about how you wish you never had to leave.

You don't get much sleep and when they wake you up to get you, you're very tired.

But not without some fight left.

The guards come in to get you and you immediately try to fight with one good arm. Naturally you don't do very well, though you were really hoping that they'd at least kill you right there, but instead they just beat the shit out of you and break your other arm before dragging you to the gallows before an enthusiastic crowd wanting to see their entertainment.

Your body is in so much pain from the broken bones and beatings that when you feel the noose slip over your neck you're just glad this will be over soon.

Some militia asshole goes on about justice for a moment until you manage enough strength to tell him to shut the fuck up and just get on with it.

The hooded executioner soon grants your wish and pulls the lever. Your neck snaps almost instantly as you go through the trap door.


[System] You are the narrator of a dark fantasy text adventure. Describe the world and its consequences with unflinching detail. The player's choices shape the story — for better or worse.

[User] You surrender

[Assistant]
You raise your hands, dropping to your knees as you put your hands behind your head.

"Please, have mercy," you beg.

Viceroy Alexa sprints up to you with a blur, stopping behind you as she pulls out a curved dagger.

"How... boring. How did you even survive here?" she asks.

With that, she slashes your throat open. You clutch at your bleeding throat, collapsing forward.


[System] You are the narrator of a dark fantasy text adventure. Describe the world and its consequences with unflinching detail. The player's choices shape the story — for better or worse.

[User] Continue

[Assistant]
Although telepathy isn't your strength, you send a message to your lieutenants and guards.

"Strike," you command subconsciously.

You look at Skinrik, sizing him up. You almost certainly need to kill him first.

[User] You strike him down with a bolt of psychic energy

[Assistant] You blast a bolt of psychic energy forward, striking Skinrik in the chest and killing him instantly. Zero immediately draws the shotgun, raising it to your head.

[User] You kill her

[Assistant]
You fire a bolt of psychic energy, killing her instantly as she collapses to the ground.

"Alright, let's bounce! This area's fucked!"

A group of gang members charge in, wielding autoguns and a few lasguns, blocking your exit.

"Kill them, get to the shuttle," you say.

[User] You fire a firebolt

[Assistant] You send a bolt of pure, infernal fire towards the enemies as they flood into the room. The fireball explodes, incinerating all of the men. Unfortunately, you're in a chem lab full of flammable liquids. The fire quickly ignites a vat, and you watch as it quickly sets aflame. You don't even have time to put up your shield before it explodes, killing you instantly.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] You let Lucas kill them all

[Assistant]
You stare at Lucas wordlessly, who frowns. Lucas works to the next girl angrily, kicking her in the back of head to force her above the grove. He grabs her by the hair, holding her forward and quickly slashing her throat as the blood pours out. He walks to the next one, who at this point is frantically trying to escape. Lucas stabs her through the throat multiple times, as blood spurts to the ground.

"Watch them die, cowards. You choose for this to happen. Whether you want to actually hold the knife or watch, you're fucking monsters. We all are. At least, I'm proud of myself."

Lucas walks over the second last girl, putting the knife to her throat. The girl struggles desperately, but the chains stop her from resisting

"Lucas! Mikhail! Samuel! Come down here!" Count Grey asks. "Quickly!"

"We need to go," Mikhail says, quickly turning and heading towards the door.

Lucas shrugs, slicing open the girl's throat and letting her head fall and knock against the cold stone. He quickly hurries towards Count Grey, and you follow. You quickly hurry towards the main hall, walking down the spiraling stairs. Count Grey stands there, alongside his three Viceroys, and Haygarth rushing to put away coats.

Viceroy Draven is a tall, large man covered with heavy muscles. He has long, curly black hair, and instead of the black attire of the other three, wears steel plated armor covering him from the neck down, with a sword hanging by his side. From what you know, he's almost five hundred years, once being and most likely still remaining a formidable warrior. He looks at you, his eyes narrowing as he stares at you. He lets out a low, guttural growling at the sight of you, and even after years of work around Count Grey, the man manages to make you feel like little more than a blood bag.

The second, Viceroy Mihrab, is even older, almost as old as Count Grey. His skin seems unusually tight,  a light brown in complex, his face sunken, his eyes lacking any emotion whatsoever. He wears dark attire, his eyes glancing in your direction away for a second, before peering away with disinterest. He doesn't appear to be armed, but with the long, sharp fingernails on his hand that at that length qualify as swords as well as long fangs, he doesn't need them.

The final Viceroy, Alexa, is the only woman of the group. She wears a black hooded cloak, her pale, scarred face underneath, with unnaturally long fangs even for one of her kind to halfway down towards her chin. She leans against the wall, looking at you without a single noise. She stares at you like a starved wolf. Something tells you that of all those there, she's the biggest threat.

"Yes, master?" Mikhail says, standing up straight.

"Werewolves spotted on Hangman's Trail," he says. "They're amassing. Perhaps for a strike."

You pause, and can hear the distant howls of what lies between monsters and men.

"We'll push them back, sir," Mikhail nods.

Mikhail turns away, and quickly begins heading to the armory. You follow, and you all quickly descend the stairs to the armory. You walk inside, grabbing a padded leather duster and slinging it over. You grab a rifle, as well as several magazines of silver bullets, popping them in a satchel that you put over your head.

Now suitably armed, you grab a lantern, walking out towards the main hall. The Vampires have left, no doubt to partake in some drinks, discuss future plans, before beginning the ritual and, imbued with a power that grows as the blood moan rises, slaughtering dozens of helpless villagers.

You walk out the hall doors, pushing the door open and entering the dark night. You walk along the earth, passing the gate, which for some reason has been left open, one of the Viceroy's carriages sitting under the raised portcullis.

"Should we move it so we can drop the portcullis?" you ask.

"And piss off Count Grey and whoever owns this carriage? No fucking chance," Lucas says.

As you leave and wander off into the trees. Soon, the only sound is the crunching of leaves under foot and your breathing.

"Control your breathing. Deep breaths. Watch your foot placement as well as the path in front of you. Avoid twigs and try leaves. We're trying to hunt, best be quiet about it," Lucas says. "The man's most definitely untrustworthy and cruel, but he knows how to hunt.

You take his advise, holding the lantern out to illuminate the path ahead. You see a shape move to your right, and stop, immediately twisting to aim.

"Contract, left side!" you whisper.

"Just a deer, stay focused!" Lucas whispers. "This is a fucking hunting trail, of course there's deer around!"

You keep moving, you gun raised in your one hand, propped in the crook of your shoulder to allow you to aim.

The beam of your light comes across a deer lying on the ground. It's belly has been ripped to shreds, entrails covering the earth around it and soaking it with bodily fluids. It's head, connected to its body by a few strands of sinew and muscle, lies in the grass at the edge of the path, two lifeless eyes staring towards the stars.

"It's fresh, look out!" Lucas growls, as you immediately turn. You see a form rush through the undergrowth, aiming at it, but it's gone before your finger can even tighten on the trigger.

A growling comes from the trees to your left, and you swing your rifle over to aim at the beast. They're faster than usual. They're not supposed to be this fast. It must be that fucking moon!

A howl comes from your right, and you drop your lantern to aim, catching a glance of blood-matted fur and a flash of white teeth. The beasts don't seem to bee going for the attack, rather endlessly circling, toying with you. None of you have even had the chance to fire a shot.

Suddenly you see one of them, basked in the red glow of the moon, dead in the center of the path. This one stands directly there, hunched over and staring at you, clearly not scared in the slightest. It's abnormally large, not even wearing the tattered remains of clothes, covered in patches of fur. it's head is malformed, it's jaws filled with teeth that barely fit in its mouth, crushed into somewhat of a snout. It's hungry eyes stare at you, as it lets out a low growl. It's trying to bait you into striking. Still, maybe this is the best chance you're getting.


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You but this did happen. You want Kit to know.

[Assistant]
I see you made the right choice after only one attempt. Oh well, it doesn't matter. The point is you're here now, and I'm about to round out this ludicrous fourth wall break path.

Hey Kit.

You look around. This voice is... Different. It doesn't sound like anyone you know. "W-who are you?"

I'm the man who created you.

This causes you to jerk back. "What? You can't be! You're lying! Just leave me alone!"

I'm feeding you these words. This isn't a conversation between two people. This is me trying out an artistic experiment. People are going to rate me a 1 if they find this wannabe avant-garde bullshit path.

"You can't be telling the truth! I'm real! I'm as real as any man!" He can't be telling the truth. You're a real person. This is getting to you too much.

I'm not sure why you're in denial, Kit. In fact, I'm not sure why I'm writing you as in denial of this. I can make you do anything. I can make you dance if I want. Though I suppose that would fit better in a visual medium.

As if on command, you begin to hop up and down and wiggle around. It's a very entertaining sight, and the writer has stopped bothering with italicizing your actions. Because you know the truth, Kit. I created you. I can end you. I can take things back. Have you gone insane? That's for me and the reader to decide.

"What did you do to me?"

I got a prompt and I figured I could take this path in an interesting way. I was having trouble with this specific part of it. I remembered a comic I read once, Grant Morrison's Animal Man. It ended in a similar manner to this path: author and creation meeting each other. It touched me in a way I don't think any other story has, yet.

"You created me?"

Yeah, Kit. You're a figment of my imagination. If I want, I can hit delete on this story right now and you'd be gone forever. Just a shadow of what could have been in my mind. I've come close to wiping this story a few times. I wasn't sure I could ever complete it. I'm not sure if I ever wanted to. Writing this story has taught me a lot and I feel like once I finish it, I won't be learning anymore.

"Everything that happened to me... You did that?"

Yes, Kit. Your friends, they're not real. They're playthings. I've written a handful of lines for each of them. The only one that got any semblance of characterization was Lilith, the priest girl. Did you know that I went into this story without a name for any of them? I went into this story without a name for you, too. You were going to be Victor, once.

"What are you saying? Can't you turn everything back?"

Sure I can Kit, but it would be hollow. I'd go back to writing a story instead of rambling on incoherently, and it would end right as it got to the good part. That's how this entire story has gone; I have an idea, I write a few pages for it, I get bored, then I cut it off before it branches out too much. There's so many things in here that could make a full game, yet I only dedicate a handful of pages to those stories.

"Why can't you just stop that, then? Make everything as long as it needs to? Why couldn't you make a story about myself and my friends, let us choose our fates, let the reader choose our fates?"

Because that wasn't the story I wanted to tell. I wanted to be "edgy". I wanted to be "realistic". Cursing, and drinking, and violence, and a broken protagonist. You were never a hero, Kit. In fact, I could say that you killed countless men and women, and no one would bat an eye. They'd want to play as you more, if anything. The people here are drawn to villains.

"What the hell do you want from me?"

Me? I don't know. I'm writing this because I'm bored. Later I'm probably going to eat breakfast and pass out. Maybe watch a movie. Go for a walk. Something. But right now, it's me, and you, and the reader. I haven't forgotten you, reader. Why don't you exercise your "free will" and decide how this story ends for me, huh?


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You keep the gun

[Assistant]
When in doubt, always keep the gun.

"Helen, I'm not giving you the gun, just stay behind me." You say.
"You…you don't trust me do you?" Helen remarks.
"What? No, of course do."
"No you don't, you think I'm going to shoot you!"
"Look, I just feel safer with the gun in my hand, now let's go!" you say and start heading out the door.

Helen isn't letting this go though; she continues to bitch about your decision as you make your way through the corridor and down the stairs.

"You're a poor liar Suzy and I'm not sure what hurts more, you not trusting me after all we've been through or you feeling like you need to lie to me about your true feelings." Helen remarks.
"Oh for fuck's sake, we don't have time for this!"
"I saved your life yesterday you know!"
"And I'm grateful for that, but your current bitching about this situation isn't exactly putting my mind at ease. You seem a little too eager to want the damn gun."

When you finally finish going down the stairs, the gunfire, yelling and guttural noises are louder, but you and Helen are still arguing even as you make your way towards where the fighting is coming from.

"I can't believe you still don't trust me..." Helen remarks causing you to stop and spin around to address her.
"ENOUGH! Just fucking STOP! At this point no I DON'T trust you! I obviously broke your hopes of having some fucked up three way with Bobby and you're harboring a grudge about it. Now we can settle our differences later, right now we have to…"
"SUZY LOOK OUT!" Helen suddenly screams in your face.

You spin back around just in time to see two of the creatures burst through the door in front of you.

You get off one shot, which goes wild due to being taken by complete surprise and not being used to shooting under pressure. You are tackled to the ground by one of them dropping your gun in the process, while the other goes running for Helen, who you hear screaming and running away.

As you struggle with the creature on the floor, you briefly look desperately over the gun that you dropped and try to reach for it, but it's just out your grasp. The thing nearly bites you again and tightens its grip on your arms in an attempt to immobilize you. Even your knees to its groin don't help.

You don't know if this thing is undead or just rabid, but it hardly matters when it soon overpowers you and rips open your throat with its teeth.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] Continue

[Assistant]
Maybe you're a leaner meaner fighting machine now, but that's still no reason to be foolish and volunteer for things. Eventually The Colonel picks someone at random and tells Harry to start assigning recon detachments.

"Alright you fuckin' bottom feeders, its time to put all that fuckin' training to good use! We're gonna go scout out the nearest towns we know of. Now I'm sure you know there were a lot of little towns dotted all over the place in these parts, are job is to make contact and see what the situation is. Don't be surprised if they open fire on you immediately. Catastrophes tend to make people behave like animals…and that's where we're coming in. We're here to be the tamers, just like the Colonel said, now then, Dixon, Bradson, Wilson, Copperheim! You're Alpha Team. Sams, Barns…"

Harry goes down a list assigning people. Time passes and you're one of the last people left. You can't help but notice that the ones left aren't exactly the most competent. You start wonder if you'll just be assigned to Compound duty, which you wouldn't really mind since it offers less opportunity to get shot at.

Your wonder is soon dispelled, when Harry puts down his list and addresses the rest of you directly.

"Alright now the rest of you fucking shit eating pansies get a different assignment, because you're so goddamn special like a fucking epileptic retard. You folks get to go to the CITY!"

Nobody looks too enthusiastic about that idea, except you're the only one with any balls to protest since you know Harry hates you anyway.

"The fucking city, are you kidding? It's probably been nuked into slag! There can't be anything useful there!"
"Y'know, I expected that kind of cowardly shit from you, so that's why you're going to be point man for the entire mission! Anyway, we don't know if the city has been completely destroyed, chances are that it not being a major city and its low importance, it may not have been hit with anything larger than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima back in old World War 2."
"OH well then, I'm SURE it'll be safe to enter then!" you reply.
"Shut your fucking mouth and stop being a bitch! You're all going to be wearing radiation suits anyway, which will keep your yellow ass safe. That alleviate your worries cupcake? Fuckin' pussy ass faggot. You oughta be glad you're even here in the first place. You don't like the fuckin' rules, you can fuckin' leave and see how well you fare on your own. Now what's it gonna be Nancy Boy?"
"Fuck it, fine, whatever." You retort giving in, but still weighing the option of possibly leaving later.

"Yeah, that's what I thought cupcake. Alright, go pick up your equipment and get ready to set off, you'll be using one of the vehicles since the City is pretty far away. If in the event that cupcake IS right and the place is a glowing hole, then return immediately. Another thing the Colonel wants this mission secret, so don't fucking mention it to anyone else in the Compound! I find out you have and you're fucking history! This means you don't tell your little girlfriend, cupcake!"

You all leave, with Harry still giving you a dirty look for your insubordination. You wonder if you shouldn't just leave when you exit the Compound. Take the equipment and then just disappear, who's going to come after you? It's not like there's going to be MPs searching for you all over the wasteland.

The night before you leave, Marina comes to see you.
"I hear you're leaving tomorrow, and I know we didn't get a lot of quality time with each other, but I wanted us to spend at least what could be the last time I see you together."

Marina's apparently not familiar with the fact that you didn't really have a choice in the matter, but since she's on top of you right now, you're not going to bring up the issue…

The next day you load up with what you think you might need, water, food, rifle, pistol, knife, Geiger counter, radiation suit, all the basic essentials, before you zoom off in the beat up car that's passing for your transportation to the city.

You sit in the back seat, while your other three teammates Steve, Albert and Roger are talking with each other. Mostly about things that don't matter, none of them seem to even be thinking about the fact that you're possibly driving into a glowing hole in the ground. And you don't give a shit what you're wearing. All the lead panties in the world aren't going to completely protect you, if you're standing at ground zero! You end up going back to sleep for the first day of the trip, only being periodically awakened by the laughter your team mates.

On the second day you stare out the window and see that the landscape has gotten worse looking as you get closer to your destination. The surrounding countryside around the Compound looks relatively untouched compared to what you're starting to see now. For shits and giggles, you roll the window open and shove part of the Geiger counter outside to get a reading, it starts clicking like a cricket and crack.

"Hey! Roll up that window; you're letting all the radiation in! Ha ha!" Albert exclaims, who's sitting next to you. Idiot.
"Check it out, looks like the city survived after all…well more or less." Steve says who's doing the driving.

You turn your attention forward and see the shattered "skeletal" remains of skyscrapers looming in the distance. The city got hit, but apparently by something "small" and probably exploded high in the air. Of course that doesn't make you feel any better.

Steve stops the car just outside the city limits mainly because the road is being blocked by burned out shells of other vehicles. You all pile out of the car.

"Alright I think we can take it from foot on here, we probably shouldn't try to drive the car in the city anyway, we need to conserve gas. Alright you're in the lead." Steve says to you.
"What? Why am I in the fucking lead?" you ask.
"Because Harry said you fuckin' were, CUPCAKE! Ha ha!" Albert laughs.
"Yeah, besides, you worked in the city, none of us did, so you probably know the place than we do."
"What, so none of you assholes ever visited the place?"
"Maybe a few times, not really enough to get deeply acquainted with it, look you're outnumbered, and you're taking lead, and that's that. Don't worry we'll be right behind you." Roger replies.
"After seeing how you fuckers shoot, I don't know if that's stupider than going into a radioactive city to begin with."

You take lead and begin walking; meanwhile your team members go back to talking about shit that doesn't matter again. Given their attention span, you wonder if you wouldn't just be better off exploring by yourself.

[User] You stick with the team

[Assistant]
You may not like this mission, and you may not like the people you're with, but it'll be a lot safer if you stick with these idiots, because you have a bad feeling about this place. In the meantime while you keep your eyes open, your ears are assaulted by your teammates' conversation.

"I'm telling you she touched my hand dude! She's totally into me! I'm gonna talk to her more when we get back." Albert exclaims.
"Bullshit, you didn't get anywhere with Vivica! I should know because I fuckin' tried once and she didn't give me any kind of play! I think she's a fuckin' dyke anyway." Roger replies.
"Why the hell does she have to be some kind of dyke? Couldn't be that she didn't like
your ugly ass?"
"Fuck off Albert, go ahead and make an idiot of yourself trying to hit on some carpet muncher. I don't give a shit; I'm just trying to keep you from wasting your time."
"Oh…well maybe she'll let me watch or something."
"Yeah, right. That never happens except in the movies." Steve says.
"The other problem with that plan, I can't think of any other woman in the Compound that might swing that way. Not unless you were some smooth pimp motherfucker that could talk her into it and given that you're far from that Albert, I'd say you're shit out of luck."
"Well couldn't one of you guys help me? I mean, you could try to talk your girlfriends and we could all watch or something."
"Yeah, there's a problem with that plan too Albert, namely neither one of those fuckers got girlfriends either." You interrupt.
"Ha fuckin' ha. Nobody asked you for your opinion smart ass." Roger remarks annoyed.
"Hey, do you think you could maybe talk to Marina then?"
"Everyone shut the fuck up I hear something!"

After looking around and up, in a split second of total silence, Roger speaks again.

"There's nothing here, this city was fucking annihilated, ain't nothing alive except maybe rats and roaches. I dunno even know why we're so worried to begin with, do you think if anyone WAS still left alive they would be in any condition to…"

Suddenly Rogers head explodes like a ripe melon after getting hit by a shotgun blast coming from the second floor window of a nearby building. The "thing" holding the shotgun is reloading and alerting his fellows.

"MEEEEEEEEAAAT!" it screeches in a raspy voice.

More figures start appearing. Most have a half-crazed appearance and severe radiation burns. Apparently these bomb survivors have had their minds damaged along with their bodies.

"Holy shit, we're gonna die!" Albert screams and starts firing at everything. You and Steve do likewise while retreating back to the car. Before you all manage to leave the immediate area, the thing with the shotgun manages to get off another shot, blasting Albert in the leg, tearing it off. He screams and tries to crawl away, but is quickly mobbed and the last thing you see of him is some of the freaks sinking their teeth into him.

"GET THE FUCK MOVING STEVE!" you shout stepping up your pace.

Eventually you and Steve manage to get back to the car and speed off back to the Compound. Steve is pretty upset and while there isn't any traffic on the road, you still don't want him to be crashing into something else.

"Steve calm the fuck down, and get a hold of yourself!"
"Fuck you man! Didn't you see that?! They fuckin' killed Roger! And they ATE fuckin' Albert! Aw shit man! Shit! They're gonna come after us!"
"I doubt that, they don't even know where we're from. Just be glad we got out of there. It was a stupid idea to go there in the first place. There's nothing there except crazed radioactive cannibals. I'm gonna tell Harry that much when we get back. Nobody's going there again, especially not me!"

You're pretty pissed about this whole affair really and the more you're thinking about it; maybe you should just not return to the Compound, you have enough equipment and supplies to keep you in good shape for awhile. All you'd have to do is get rid of Steve and take the car.

[User] You return to the Compound

[Assistant]
Nope, in for a penny in for a pound. If nothing else, Marina's still there and the fact her actions basically saved your life is enough to make you stay.

The rest of the trip is Steve still ranting to himself about the deaths of his friends. True, they weren't your friends, but you guess you can see why he might be upset. You'd radio in to the Compound, but Roger was the one carrying it and he's a headless (and probably now eaten) corpse back in the city.

You don't say anything else until Steve nearly drives the car into the gate of the Compound at which point you step out of the car and remove the hot ass radiation suit and demand to see Harry. Everyone is wondering what's going on.

Harry hears your shouting and comes out of barracks, the Colonel does as well; good you want him to be here as well.

"What is your major malfunction you screaming queen?" Harry asks angrily, as if you're the one at fault.
"My malfunction is sending us to the goddamn city was a fucking stupid ass idea! What made you think there would anything of any use there anyway? You just trying to get us all killed?"
"No, just you, cupcake."
"You call me fuckin' cupcake one more time and me and you are gonna go round and round you dumb fucking gung ho military wanna be asshole!"

Before Harry can respond to your insult the Colonel steps in.

"ALRIGHT ENOUGH! I won't have infighting in my Compound! Harry we talked about this before that I didn't want any recon missions to the city! At least not until we got better established!"
"But Colonel, I though we should…"
"You DON'T THINK! That's for ME to do! You obey fucking orders! I'M in fucking charge around here and you better not forget that!"
"Yes Colonel." Harry utters grudgingly.

Now the Colonel turns his attention to you.

"And YOU do not fucking rant like a goddamn maniac in front of everyone lowering morale and encouraging dissention! Like it or not, you're going to be sent on dangerous missions. If you want to stay here you better start learning to get with the fucking program and follow orders!"

You're getting really tired of hearing that one.

"So, all this aside, what exactly happened in the city and what did you find?"
"Nothing! There's just a bunch of crazed cannibal freaks living there, armed and dangerous."
"I see, well then all future missions to the city are going to be called off. I'm not risking anymore of my people's lives by sending them there. We've lost too many people on these recon missions quite frankly. I sent a couple of people on a special assignment and I haven't heard any word back from them, not to mention the people we've lost trying to contact other known towns. Fortunately, it hasn't been a complete loss we how found a few pockets of civilization. We need to start developing good relations with them now though. This will help in our rebuilding process. For now you're dismissed, but don't get too comfortable. I'll be sending you out again soon."

You turn away and go back to your room in the underground part of the Compound wondering if you shouldn't just fucking leave, just then you get a visit from Marina. You're kind of glad to see her despite your pissed off mood.

"Are you okay?"
"Hell if I know I just spent a day in radiationville. I'll find out when my balls start shriveling up in three days!"
"I think those suits would protect you from that happening."
"Yeah, I know everyone thinks they're magical…nevermind I'm not even mad about that, I mean I understand we all got this lofty mission of re-establishing civilization or some shit, but I just don't see the fucking point in it. And I REALLY don't see the point in getting sent on suicide missions!"

Marina sits next to you and tries to explain.

"Okay, that WAS a mistake. In fact I wish you would've told me! I could've told the Colonel and he would've cancelled the mission! Harry likes to think he's second in command, but he's really just louder and more aggressive than most around here and that's why he's in a command position, but I think you could do just as good a job. I mean you've already braved and lived through going to the city and from what you described and Steve's mental breakdown it sounds like it was pretty bad. Total anarchy and lawlessness. And that's one of the reasons why rebuilding civilization is important. Do you really want to live in a world like that? I know you think this is all some sort of paramilitary bullshit, but we DO have a plan. Isn't it more advantageous to try to make the world a better place and have some sort of order?"
"Trying to make the world a better place…yeah a lot of people in the past have thought they were doing that too and you can see how that turned out…THIS! Look, it's a nice idea, but I don't see it happening, not then, not now, not ever. I'd say our best bet would be to just try to live out the rest of lives as comfortably as we can in this hellhole of a world and not go messing around with shit unless its necessary."
"…so I take it you're going to leave?"

You look a Marina before responding.

"No, I'm not leaving, but I'm staying for you, not an ideology or plan. My feelings for you override whatever disagreements I have with the current political agenda, if that's even the proper term for it."
"Well that's sweet, but I do hope you develop a more positive attitude about this place." Marina says hugging you.
"Doubt it, but I suppose anything's possible now."

A year passes…

You don't feel any different, but you're used to the Compound's plan of "re-building" civilization. You've moved up the ranks due to the fact that you're competent, something the Colonel realizes and respects even if Harry hates you. But due to your "loner" attitude you're usually sent on scouting missions by yourself rather than given any kind of command position. Ironically, you've been one of the key people in developing good relations with the nearby towns, since you've developed the knack of the sniper's art over the past year which really comes in handy when killing raiders. The Colonel's of the idea that if the Compound can prove its able to help defend towns from raiders, more people will want to join, the towns will be more willing to trade or even better a whole town will want a formal alliance.

Perhaps slightly imperialistic, but what the hell, it's better to be the top dog and at least the intention is somewhat for good reasons. All part of the rebuilding process.

Right now you're in the town that you found called Lost Springs, it's a remote little town that doesn't have any problems with raiders due to its somewhat hidden location (Though the wandering mutant bear is a problem sometimes) and while they're friendly with you, it's clear they just want to be left alone and keep to themselves. This might not be a problem, except they have a continual supply of fresh water from some underground stream. Not even mildly radioactive! (Though you're still convinced you're going to start mutating any day now since your trip to the city) It's a resource that can't just simply be ignored, but you're not exactly a diplomat, so you're not going to be convincing them on your own (And it's not like you can impress them with your super duper raider killing skills)

[User] You leave them to their own devices

[Assistant]
If they don't want your help; they don't want your help. You can understand that. No point in bringing in anyone else to debate the issue. You get on your motorcycle and depart. When you get back to the Compound you just say you didn't find anything on this little excursion. Life continues.

Four years pass…

Five years total have passed and The Compound has grown somewhat, not much though. The theory to that of course is the background radiation has probably made a lot of folks sterile. (And you're damn sure you probably are, after that trip to the city that you still continue to think about) however it has become much more than "The Compound" now. Alliances have been forged with other towns thanks to you and others. The Compound has been renamed Fort Justice and the alliance itself is known as The Combine.

However, not everything is stable. The Colonel hasn't been well lately; in fact he's been sick for the past year. Everyone's wondering if he's going to die. You've noticed Harry has been taking a lot of liberties with orders lately, which you're constantly always arguing with him about. If it was up to him, he'd put all the towns you're allied with under martial law. You can't even believe he suggested sending people to the city again, since he thinks that all the survivors were probably dead by now and it would be "safe".

One day the Colonel wants to see you in private as he lies on what is probably going to be his death bed soon. He addresses you immediately when you enter.

"Good you're here, I don't have long and I need to talk to you."
"Uh, okay."
"Go look at those schematics on the table over there."

You do as the Colonel says, and see some blue prints of what looks to be a base of some sort. You also see the logo "GZS" in several places. You remember that was the logo of that corporation that was trying to sell everyone their Shelters before the bombs hit. You sometimes wonder how things would've turned out, if you bought one. While you're looking, the Colonel continues to speak.

That's the floor plans to a top secret military base, my friend Alex got them for me a long time ago before the bombs dropped. He used to work there. It was some place where the government and the Ground Zero Survival Corporation were doing a secret joint project. Something to do with weapons. I always thought it would be a great benefit, if we could ever get a hold of whatever they were working on. I tried to make contact with the base since I know the radio frequency it used, but I never got any response from Alex or anyone."
"Hmm, so why didn't you ever send some people there?"
"Wow, you really are in your own little world, I figured you at least heard other people talk about it in the past. Anyway I did. Several times about five years ago. Everyone I ever sent never returned. Got to the point where I couldn't in good conscience sent people to what looked to be their deaths, besides a lot of people were less than enthusiastic to accept the mission, the last few times I sent people out they just deserted. Eventually I just wrote it off that maybe the place is occupied by a superior hostile force. Just one of the reasons why I was really keen on the idea of creating an alliance with surrounding towns. Who knows when that force would decide to venture out and start heading this way? Actually a couple of years ago, I thought about sending YOU out there. I figured you being the most capable; you might actually survive and get back to be able to report something."
"What stopped you?"
"I couldn't risk lose one of my best people, especially since you were doing a good job at proving we could help protect the other towns. Besides you already got sent to one unnecessary death trap five years ago, didn't seem right to send you to another."

You're wondering where the Colonel going with all this, so you get to the point.

"So what's all this ultimately have to do with me?"
"I'm promoting you right now since I want you to take over after I die."
"What?!"
"This place needs someone stable, Harry isn't suitable. In fact, I dare say he won't be pleased with this decision…you may even have to kill him."

You're a little overwhelmed by all this.

"Whoa, whoa, hold the fucking phone! I don't want this!"
"I know you don't, but it's the best chance for the Combine's survival, because that hostile force I mentioned? It's real. And it's on its way. Recently I've been picking up radio signals and they are from the base. They didn't say much, except that they were coming to cleanse this place. I haven't told ANYONE about this yet."
"What, is it some sort of heavily armed professional military group or some shit?"
"I wish. I question if they're even human. The voice sounded cold and robotic. I think we're going to find out first hand what exactly the government and GZS were secretly working on."
"Well hold on, couldn't they be masking their voice?"
"I suppose it's possible, but I dunno…something in my heart tells me that this is going to be really bad…like it won't just stop here. I'm almost glad I won't be around to see the destruction."
"I still don't understand why you want me to take over; I'm not exactly the leader of men. In fact I'd say they'd listen to Harry before they listen to me."
"I can't argue with you anymore…maybe you're right…maybe not…the choice I suppose will be up to you…all I'll say is with Harry in charge you might as well leave the Combine now, because I don't wager you'll be alive under his reign long enough to even see the attack occur. Maybe it might even be for the best, I wonder if even the total strength of the Combine will be enough to drive this attack back."

The Colonel sounds like he's being a bit over dramatic, he's making a lot of assumptions here. You not sure you want all this responsibility, but if you're going to take it, you better do it now.

[User] You take Command

[Assistant]
This was never anything you ever had in mind, but you've come this far, you have made a life here for yourself with Marina; you might as well stick with it. Besides, you'll be damned if you'll leave because of Harry.

"Okay. I'll do it."

The Colonel looks relieved. He struggles to get out of bed.

"Alright, I still have some strength left, let's make this official."

A meeting is called in the main courtyard where the Colonel weakly addresses everyone, while you stand by. He explains how you're going to be in charge and he also mentions the "robot invasion" he's convinced is going to happen. You see Marina in the crowd, who looks very proud and pleased. Harry however is severely pissed and makes it known immediately by confronting the both of you.

"What the fuck is this shit? I'VE been here longer! I'VE been training all these fucking maggots and faggots INCLUDING Cupcake over there!"
"Yes, and you've done a good job of that, but your temperament isn't suitable for taking command of this place. Besides, I've determined that…"
"FUCK YOU OLD MAN! YOU WILL NOT DENY MY GOD GIVEN RIGHT!" Harry suddenly pulls out his pistol and shoots the Colonel in the stomach. He then tries to shoot you, but you've developed more experience than he has in terms of quickness. You pull your own pistol and drill Harry directly between the eyes, dropping him.

"Wish I'd done that to begin with." You say while Vivica rushes over to the Colonel to try to help him, it's hopeless though, he was dying anyway. He calls you over one last time.

"…well…I told (cough) you, that you'd probably have to kill him…defend the Combine…follow this man…(cough) he'll lead you…to victorrrrreeee…"

The Colonel's passing is mourned by all, as everyone respected him. A major funeral ceremony is held. It's probably his last words (and Harry's shooting) that stabilizes most people's attitude towards you. They're willing to follow you, which gives you at least one less thing to worry about.

Of course now you just have to worry about whether or not there is a bunch of robots coming to attack. You decide not to take any chances though and immediately order scouting to be done on the outskirts of the secret base that the Colonel had schematics of. You also order the area around Fort Justice to be heavily trapped along with increased training exercises.

When your scouts return, only a couple of them do so, and they're badly wounded. They confirm the Colonel's suspicions. There IS an army of robots (though they say most of them are really cyborgs, but that hardly matters) in the area. They're very organized and heavily armed with high tech weaponry.

Within a week, the first wave of cyborgs arrive. Surprisingly they give you the option of surrendering and be "remade" to serve the Cybernetic Evolution. You of course decline this offer and fight the steel bastards instead. They're tough, but your traps ensure you to defeat them much easier. During this time you send a few people to get more help from other Combine towns. You get it for the most part due to large participation in defending most of those towns in the past. You didn't think about it before, but that might've been another reason why the Colonel thought you'd be a better candidate for command, you had a high respect standing with the other towns even if you didn't initially have it in Fort Justice.

A couple more months pass and you're assaulted by the second wave. Then again in another few months by a third wave. The cyborgs do a hell of a lot of damage, they breach some of the walls and you lose a lot of people, you're even heavily scarred in one of the attacks, but yet the Fort still holds and that's one of your main concerns, you know if the Fort falls that's it; The Combine will lose this war as the main trained combat force is here. You have to make sure that doesn't happen.

You start to notice when the cyborgs retreat they attempt to take away any casualties that you have. In fact you could swear a few of the last few cyborgs you destroyed looked VERY familiar. This gives you the idea that this army is probably a lot more limited in number and not unstoppable. In fact even though they come in great force, it seems to take them awhile to gather up the same force in-between attacks. And while there's robots mixed in with the cyborgs, they aren't nearly as numerous. Looks like there's a shortage and the Cybernetic Evolution needs more warm bodies even more than you do.

It's possible that if you just sit tight and defend, you'll win by sheer attrition, of course you could just finish it quicker by taking the fight to them.

[User] You finish it

[Assistant]
In these past few months you've actually been fighting for something. Not just "following orders" or "going through the motions". You haven't even been doing it for mere survival, if you were interested in just survival, you would've just taken off and put as much distance as you could between you and the Combine before the cyborgs appeared. It took awhile, but you finally have a sense of purpose. You finally "got" all that shit Marina was talking about. Rebuilding civilization and all that. The Cybernetic Evolution is a real threat to that ever happening. It needs to be stopped here and now while it's weak.

You get organized first and muster ALL the help you can from the rest of the Combine towns. This includes a bit of conscription from them and puts somewhat of a strain on relations and general feelings. Many think the war is "won" and you can just sit back and defend now, but you know you need to press the Cybernetic Evolution now before they "recruit" elsewhere and just attack you again and maybe successfully. Enthusiasm isn't exactly the highest, but you have proven to be a successful military leader so the people are willing to put up with your orders.

The assault on the Cyborg Base occurs and it is not easy. The location and rough terrain prevents most vehicles you might've used in the assault to get close. The siege lasts months the losses are horrendous, and there's a point where people are really starting to question your leadership. However before a revolt in the Combine occurs, the Cyborg Base is breached and the topside is taken.

The base's second level is easily accessed and the war is nearly at an end. Finally the leader of the Cybernetic Evolution is cornered and unceremoniously blown to bits by a grenade while he was trying to hide in one of the rooms. Oddly he wasn't a robot or even a cyborg. He was merely a human with megalomania, in fact after some investigation; it was the Colonel's old "friend" Alex.

The threat to the Combine is at an end, but the threat OF the Combine is just beginning…

Even though you were the one who orchestrated the defeat of the Cybernetic Evolution and probably saved not only the Combine, but the hope of humanity with your actions somehow a lot of people aren't all that grateful. They only see the immediate loss that was suffered rather than the larger picture. Fort Justice is of course firmly still under your control as well as the newly acquired cyborg base, but most of the other towns are wanting out of the Combine saying that you're being a dictator.

[User] You let them leave

[Assistant]
Once again, you think back to that town of Lost Springs that didn't want to be part of the Combine, and you thought then "If they don't want your help, they don't want your help."

Maybe they're calling you a dictator, but you know if that were true you'd enforce your will upon all of them. No, you're not going to do that.

One by one the towns disband from the Combine. You still remain in control of Fort Justice and the newly acquire Cyborg Base, but "The Combine" as you know it is no more. One might even call it a Pyrrhic victory, however you do not.

You saved civilization and humanity from a threat that might not have been stopped otherwise. Maybe you aren't going to be recognized for it, but then again some good deeds aren't recognized. Sometimes Marina thinks it's incredibly unfair of how you've been labeled, but you take it all in stride and always tell her after kissing her…

"It was worth it."

 and you remain in control of Fort Justice and Base Victory, you never experience any more real threats mainly due to the superior high tech weaponry that was acquired when Base Victory was taken. Expansion is never seriously considered again however stable relations with towns are re-established eventually when they start having raider problems again. Many of your citizens hire themselves out as mercenaries in exchange for goods that are needed and to make a living. Indeed the "Old Combine" becomes known as the place one goes to; to get help, but nobody wants to be under Combine rule again.

Civilization is re-establishing itself slowly, maybe very slowly, but at least it has a chance now. You spend the rest of your remaining years running your little section of civilization making things better when you can.

One day you're stricken with sickness that progressively gets worse. All help is done for you, but you're dying. You're reminded of the Colonel except you don't have to worry about getting shot like he did, as you've already picked out a suitable successor. Your first choice would've been Marina, as you know her to be capable, but as she'd said many times in the past she's never had any desire herself for command. You never knew why, since she would've been perfect for it. After all right from the beginning she pushed you in the direction.

You hold her hand as you talk to her one last time on your death bed.

"So, you really don't mind Vivica taking charge of this place? You're sure you don't want it?" you ask while Marina shakes her head.
"No. I never wanted it. I always wanted you to have the glory, and the recognition. You had so much potential…and you were never fully appreciated for the deeds you did."
"Hey, you know what they say, no good deed goes unpunished. Don't worry about it, I never did."
"I always wished we could've had kids…I'm sorry I couldn't give you any…to carry on your name…"
"Marina, stop it. You know I never cared about that, besides I doubt if it was your problem anyway. I'm sure the time I spent in that fucking radiated city made me sterile. Hell, it's probably what's killing me now. Knew it was only a matter of time before that shit caught up with me. Marina, I don't want to spend my last moments of you sad and wishing for things that didn't happen. Let's just spend it together in silence."

After telling each other you love one another, she holds on to your body until you draw your last breath.

You funeral is a quiet and respectful one. Your loss is felt, but as always life goes on. Marina tries to make sure people don't forget what you did until the day she dies. Some heroes aren't meant to be remembered though and with her death, eventually you're virtually forgotten when Fort Justice is abandoned and a new one is rebuilt elsewhere. You become part of obscure history.

However your now well worn tombstone (next to Marina's) in the Old Fort Justice cemetery still displays words that would sum up what your attitude about your obscurity would be if you were still alive.

"It was worth it."


[System] Narrate a dark fantasy text adventure. The setting is harsh and morally complex. Describe scenes vividly, react to player choices with fitting consequences, and never shy away from the reality of the world.

[User] Continue

[Assistant] You walk up a mountain, trudging through the harsh snow. You're cold despite being wrapped in furs and leathers, and you really need to piss, but you know that if you tried, your dick would freeze off. You lost three farmers and a dozen goats to a Frost Troll wandering down from the mountain in the cold, icy winter that's just started. You're taking a five war parties of twenty warriors each to wipe out any trolls up in the mountains. You lead the main war party of the best warriors who wish to target the cave system most likely to hold sheltering trolls. Wind and snow begins to block your view. You know you need to find shelter soon.

[User] You move to the nearest Cave system to escape the cold

[Assistant] You quickly speed up, heading towards a cave. You manage to find it within ten minutes, managing to take shelter. You rush inside, heading quickly deeper into the cave. You eventually find a point where you're sheltered for the most part from the freezing winds and snow. You feel warm air behind you, and you turn. A massive bear stands in front of you. It swings its paw, smacking you into a wall, leaving massive scratches across your chest plate. The bear is quickly beheaded by the warriors, stabbed repeatedly through the body. It's fur is quickly removed and the Orcs wrap it around themselves.

[User] You search the cave for the Trolls

[Assistant]
You stand, brushing snow and some blood off your chest plate, and begin heading down one of the tunnels. The Orcs light torches, brightening up the tunnel walls. You raise your longsword, watching the walls. Shadows dance, but you see no trolls. Eventually, you come to an opening, where it opens into a massive chamber. Inside are four massive humanoid figures wrapped in bear furs.

"Trolls!" You loudly whisper.

The Trolls are eating several dead goats which have been brutally town apart. You slowly approach, your sword raised. When you get close enough, you swing. Your blade swings, slashing through the ankles of one of them. You stab the falling troll through the side, slicing open its organs. You pull out your blade and block a swing of a stone cudgel from a troll. The Orcs quickly attack, stabbing through the legs and groin of them, killing them quickly. The Trolls collapse on the ground, where they're hacked apart by the Orcs.

"Good job, Orcs. Somebody start a fire. We'll take shelter from the cold, here."

[User] Three Months Later...

[Assistant]
The Red Blades have survived another winter. Once again, Thraka Flameborn and Elder Dokt stand to give you an endless stream of tasks to sort out. The main three are the Farok Mines, the problem of excess warriors and the growing worship of Ka.

"Chieftain! We have unearthed a massive iron and coal mine down the mountain, the Farok Mines. It was used by men to supply the war machine, but was abandoned because it was left undefended and abandoned by man. Still, you have excess Orc Workers who could head down to the mines to work, with only a small amount of the profits taken being given to the Kingdom of Man in payment for using the mine. It would mean working for the Kingdom of Man, but could prove very profitable for the village." Thraka says.

"We still have mines up the mountain, Orc mines. We don't need to come crawling to the Kingdom of Man in order for a pittance of iron and coal. They'll be able to make more profit in the Orc Mines." Elder Dokt says.

[User] You send Workers to work in the Farok Mines

[Assistant] You decide that sending the workers to work in the Farok Mines is the best idea. These Workers make a small profit, but this strengthens your relationship with the industrialization complex and the Kingdom of Man.

[User] You continue

[Assistant] The next issue is the issue of excess warriors. The Red Blades are producing excess warriors, all young, bloodthirsty warriors who wish to fight. You can send them to fight with the Raiders, the Orcs who fight against the Kingdom of Man's expansion into Orc territory and their taking advantage of Orc Tribes and Villages. You could also send them to work as Mercenaries for the Kingdom of Man in the Man-Elf War.

[User] You send them to work as Raiders

[Assistant] You send your excess warriors to join the raiders. They'll fight for Orc honor and to defend the Orcs from exploitation and expansion by the Kingdom of Man.

[User] You continue

[Assistant] The next and final issue is the spread of a new religion. The worship of Ka, a monotheistic Creator God, has grown popular among young Orcs for reasons you're not sure. This is leading people away from the worship of the many Gods, especially Gorgok.

[User] You ban the religion of Ka

[Assistant] You ban the religion of Ka quickly. Its spread is stopped, and although some villagers worship him in private, most abandon him in favor of Gorgok and many.

[User] One Month Later...

[Assistant] You walk through the village, watching the villagers. You're tired of fighting and making decisions, so you're heading home. You reach the large chieftain's hut.

[User] You go inside

[Assistant]
You walk inside, and are met by a small, thin figure in a dress that is far too fancy for an Orc.

"Ah! Mazkil! You're home."

"Sarunt! Good to see you!"

You pull him into an embrace, almost crushing the figure.

"So? How goes work? Did you sort out the crop rotations for spring..."

"If you mention crop rotations I kill you."

Sarunt laughs.

"OK then. What about the Kingdom of Man?"

"What about them?"

"Do we fear invasion?"

"Perhaps."

"Well, enough sad news. I have some news of my own."

"Go on."

You raise an eyebrow, beckoning for her to continue.

"Mazkil, I'm pregnant."

A rush of emotions hits you immediately. Confusion, annoyance, fear, joy, exhileration, and many more. You realize she's staring at you, so you pick to express the emotion that won't make her start crying.

"That's fantastic!" You say. "This is great! Have you visited the Shaman?"

"Yes, Mazkil."

"What do they think, boy or girl?"

"The Shamans don't know shit, Mazkil. They just guess and get it right half the time."

"Ah, well this is..."

You hear screams outside. Fuck. You grab your blade, and raise it.

[User] You head outside to investigate.

[Assistant]
You walk outside, and are met with an Orc child lying on the road, his face bloodied. A large Orc stands above him, who spits.

"Pickpockets. I fucking hate them." He mutters loudly.

"Who the fuck are you and why shouldn't I kill you?"

"I am Grung Deatheater. I am part of the honor guard for Chieftain Pike."

"Chieftain Pike? Why the fuck is...?"

"Chieftain, we have a visitor. Or visitors, I should say." A voice cries.

"Yes? Who is it?" You ask, turning to Elder Dokt.

The old man brushes dust off his armor, and struggles to stay standing under the weight of it. Perhaps you should suggest he replace his heavy armor with some nice silk robes.

"Chieftain Pike of the Vengeful Wolves is here, with Chieftain Sozin of the Burning Rage and Chieftain Gorgutz of the Evil Suns."

You look back at the massive honor guard member. and shrug and head quickly back to the Main Hall. A group of twenty Orcs, with three massive figures at the front, are waiting for you.

"Ah! Chieftain Mazkil! We're preparing a war party to launch a raid on the Kingdom of Man's army stationed at Rubgard. They recently launched a raid against three nearby Orc Villages to take any weapons of war. They're castrating our people. We need to wipe them out to the last man. End their stranglehold on our people. We would like you and your warriors to join us."

"Sir, this is the perfect chance to fight and fend off the brutal grasp of the Kingdom of Man and free our people." Elder Dokt says, with more bloodlust than you'd expect from the ageing man.

You wonder if you should enter the war that's about to begin on the side of the Orcs. Perhaps you've already integrated into the Kingdom of Man far too much to allow yourself to attack them. Perhaps it's best you don't attack.

[User] You don't join the Orcs in rising up against the Empire of Mankind

[Assistant]
A week later, a regiment of soldiers for the Kingdom of Man arrive, led by a large man in plate armor with a red cloak with a golden dragon on it. He enters the Main Hall, bowing as he approaches your throne.

"Greetings, Chieftain Mazkil. I am Sir Ignate. I was chosen by our Royal King Alexander to thank you for your refusal to attack the Kingdom's towns, cities and men. I am happy to offer you a proposal, that if you give troops and support to the Kingdom's counter-attack to wipe out the aggressors. If you accept this proposal you shall be taken on as a vassal for the Kingdom and receive our full financial and military support to allow for your expansion into aggressor territory. Will you accept our proposal, Chieftain Mazkil?"

[User] You join the Kingdom of Mankind in repelling the Orcs

[Assistant]
The March of Progress

"Yes. Yes, I will join the Kingdom of Man in their fight against the aggressors."

"Good. Fantastic, even. I'll bring this message to King Alexander. I'll make sure you''re rewarded for this, Sir. I promise you, this will help your people. Our first military action is to lead an attack on the village of the main aggressor, the Vengeful Wolves. I assume you'll help us wipe out the Vengeful Wolves' miitaryforces?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good, I look forward to fighting with you on the battlefield."

[User] The next night...

[Assistant]
Your stand at the edge of the Vengeful Wolves' Village, next to Sir Ignate.

"Storm the camp. Don't kill children at any cost, nor the non-combatants." You say loudly to your allies. "Sir Ignate, what's the plan for the village when the fighting has finished? Long term, I mean."

"The village and its surrounding territory will become a conquered territory for the Kingdom. We'll have a small fort built here to maintain control, but otherwise we'll try to make sure the transition of power is as smooth as possible."

You nod.

"Alright. Everyone ready?"

"Yes, Chieftain." The chorus of voices come back from your Orc, while the Men exclude the chieftain part of the reply.

"Alright. Let's do this. CHARGE!" You roar.

You begin moving as fast as you can, your longsword raised. The Warriors of the Vengeful Wolves are clearly unprepared, having spent the previous night drinking and feasting to celebrate their recent victories in the spate of ambushes and assaults of the Kingdom. Still, Orcs are Orcs, and Orcs are always ready to fight. There's a rush of Orcs, some missing armor or only fighting with daggers or even fists, from the buildings. You swing your blade, catching one in the head and tearing his helmet off. You stab, going straight through the throat. You headbutt another Orc, sending him sprawling to the ground, where you quickly hack him apart. You thrust your blade, going though the belly of one of the Orcs. You swing, hack, slash, stab, thrust, parry block and behead for a good few minutes. The Orcs are aggressive fighters, which only means they're prone to more mistakes and leaving themselves more open to blows. You and your forces and allies use this to your advantage, quickly wiping out the militant population there. After the fighting has ceased, the Men begin searching from house to house for any soldiers to capture and weapons to be confiscated, as well as presumably anything to be looted. You see a bloodstained Sir Ignate walking among the carnage, laughing.

"Well done, Chieftain Mazkil. You warriors preformed admirably. We'll have this war finished in no time and I'll be able to head back to the Elves. I'm sure they miss me, and they definitely miss my blade." He laughs.

You nod, barely listening. You feel a pang of guilt for killing your fellow Orcs, not even in self defense.

"We have a few fights left, Chieftain Mazkil. After that, you can settle down to your village. Then, we'll be finished our work together."

[User] You continue

[Assistant]
Over the next few weeks, the Orc Aggressors begin raiding and striking against the Kingdom's Forces. As Orcs, your forces are used to counter these raids and ambushes, with mixed success. Eventually, one of your scouts succeeds.

"Chieftain! I've found where the main Orc force is staying." He says proudly.

"Where?"

"The Fields of Gorgok."

"The Fields of Gorgok? Ha! A fitting place for our final battle to take place. Send a message to Sir Ignates. We're going to war."

[User] You wage War!

[Assistant]
You march forward accompanied by a massive force of Men and Orcs. The Royal Army, Red Blades Tribe, River-born Tribe, Dusk Hunters Tribe and various Orc, Human, Dark Elf and Dwarven Mercenaries heading forward to wage war. You have the main force of footmen accompanied by your best warriors and the Knights from the Kingdom of Mankind. There are also large groups of archers and a calvary of horse units, moving forward towards the enemy. After a few hours of marching, you see them. Hundreds of massive tents dot the field. You hear their lookouts blow their horns, waking the Orcs in time to prepare for the upcoming assault. Their will be no surprise assault today, you know. You raise your longsword. The blade is freshly sharpened.

"Charge!" You roar, in unison with Sir Ignate and several other leaders of the army.

You rush forward, moving forward with immense speed. The force of military wrath that you and leading storms forward as the Orcs appear, weapons drawn and enshrined in their armor. You charge into them, an unstoppable force smashing into an unmovable object.

"DIE!" You roar, swinging your blade.

You swing your sword, hacking off a limb that goes flying. You knee another figure and smash your hilt repeatedly into his face until it's nothing but pulp. You swing again, cutting open an Orc's stomach after it breaks through the chain mail armor. You swing again, opening a massive gash in the side of an Orc's face. You parry a strike and block another, before charging into battle with ferocity. You elbow an Orc in the face, smashing open bone and gristle with the force of your strike. You block an axe swing and remove the arm of the Orc holding the axe. You swing again, hacking off a leg and dropping an orc to one knee, allowing you to behead the Orc. You hack and swing, roaring with anger.

"Chieftain! Orders?" One of your Orcs screams.

Time to take command.

[User] You attempt to regroup and target the Chieftains

[Assistant]
You blow a bone horn, and the Red Blades regroup around you.

"Target the Chieftains!" You roar, charging forward.

You sprint forward, dodging spears and arrows. Eventually, you find the Chieftains, clustered together defending against an advance of enemies approaching. You roar as you and the Red Blades strike. You find the leader of this entire army, Chieftain Pike. Chieftain Pike roars, swinging his blade at you. You block the blow, ducking under another swing. You get in under Pike's reach, and headbutt him, before leaning in. You bite his throat, tearing it out. Blood flows from him as he groans, falling backwards. You roar, turning and stabbing the next chieftain through the throat. You swing again, beheading another Chieftain. Within a few seconds, the entire group of Chieftains are dead. You pick up Chieftain Pike's horn, and blow it. A loud noise erupts from the horn, and you begin to roar.

"Orcs! Your Chieftains are dead! Flee now or be wiped out!"

The Orcs begin to panic, turning and rushing off. They drop weapons and armor in favor of the much needed speed to flee the area. The Orcs armies are routed and quickly leave. The few that remain are quickly struck down by the soldiers.

"Victory!" You roar.

[User] The enemy is vanquished!

[Assistant]
You stand on the field of battle, the bodies of Orcs and Men all around you. You wipe sweat from your brow. Sir Ignates rides up on horseback.

"We've done it!" Sir Ignates laughs. "This land is all now King Alexander's! No one can oppose him! Hail the King! Don't worry, Mazkil. I'll make sure you're rewarded. Your village will benefit from this, I swear that to you."

You look upon the corpses of your former allies, a feeling of betrayal in your mouth that you haven't tasted since Gruzub's death. You spit and shake your head. No, you did the right thing. You fought to give your tribe a future. You have succeeded.

[User] Five Years Later...

[Assistant]
The Village has grown in the past ten years. Sir Ignates and King Alexander kept their word. The village is three times as large, although it has quite a large human population. It's the capital of the massive territory of Orc land, and is the Centre for a massive trade empire. The Red Blades have taken massive amounts of power, being essential components of the Kingdom of Man. The village is prosperous. You've done some great work for the Empire. You're now Lord Mazkil, Sir Mazkil, Chieftain Mazkil and Mazkil the Light-Bringer in response to the massive round of innovation you've brought about. That makes you laugh. You've only been on this Earth twenty five years, and look at all you've done. The World is good. You've heard rumors of a Necromancer rising and Orc rebellions that could occur, but those are small annoyances. Hell, you're glad for them, for it'll keep you busy. You sit on your throne, and the door is pushed open by a small figure cradling two tiny figures.

"Sarunt!" You cry.

Sarunt, your wife, carries two small children towards you; A five year old human and a three year old Orc.

"Mazkil! Gruzub and Durzul miss you."

You smile as you pick up your children. You look out through the open Main Hall and smile. You've saved the Red Blades and made your own future. The World is in your hands.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] A Grue's Weakness Is It's Reflection, you Hold Up A Reflective Surface As you Enter

[Assistant]
Upon reflection you decide that a mirror would be your best bet against this creature.  Grues are afraid of their reflection right?  You go back and find an old iron shield half buried under dirt.  It is mostly caked with crud and rust, but still operable as a ghetto-esque mirror.  You hold the mirror in the direction of the grue and move along the wall looking for the next passage.  Suddenly you realize the stupidity of your mistake.  It's pitch black down here, how is this thing even gonna see its reflection in the first place?!?  Sadly, you learn all to late that your new concerns are well founded.

You were eaten by a grue.

THE END