Finish your Foe!
by Oliver Frank (2018)
Genres: Fantasy

The afternoon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours.

action: %
response: Content warning: Violence, wounds.

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short

(Did you know?) By default, the game asks you to press the space bar after showing the aftermath of an action. You can turn this behavior off (or back on) with the command "autopause off/on."
action: About you
response: You are Pia, wielding a sharp blade, and wearing some well-made armor crafted by your brother Piet. Piet who, unfortunately, is facing you right now in combat, wielding the accursed Thornblade - the weapon that you found abandoned, that you suggested Piet could wield, that you should have recognized as a tool of corruption. This is all your fault.

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You look at Piet
response: Your brother wields the evil, cursed Thornblade. Its corruption has taken a clear toll on him. His eyes shine with hatred, his face twisted into a seemingly permanent snarl. He wears some crudely-made ring mail, something he would have never done before his corruption.

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You kill the brother
response: Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet. Almost as if it had its own mind, your blade moves, and with a sickening sound, it finds your brother's stomach. He looks at you in surprise, his eyes free from the corruption that had taken him. "Why, Pia?" he whispers as his blood stains your hands. "Was there no other way?" These words echo in your head much louder than Piet spoke them.

*** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Xyzzy
response: You mutter the ancient words that you've learned from the strange hermit, not expecting a whole lot, but your surroundings fade away, leaving you and your brother in a strange gray void along with a third figure, hulking, thorny, towering. The curse of the Thornblade incarnate. Alone, you would not be able to defeat it. But in this realm, your brother is free. You two make quick eye contact, nod, and explode into teamwork that you thought long forgotten. It is another long battle, but you two end up victorious, the curse of the Thornblade fading with the gray realm.
Back in the real world, Piet tosses the blade down, trampling it until it breaks like wood, and looks at his hand. "I'll bring you to a priest who'll heal those wounds, brother." you promise, but he shakes his head. "Those wounds run deep. I'm not sure there is a healer strong enough to treat them within a few days' travel." - "There is. I brought her with me."

*** Your brother has been freed from your foe. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You take the blade
response: (the Thornblade)
A quick feint and a step towards your brother. Piet doesn't step away as you draw closer, so you strike another feint that your brother tries to parry with the Thornblade - which is exactly what you were hoping for. You catch it with your other hand, its thorns burying deep into your flesh, its curse flowing into your veins. "Pia? What are you..."
"Piet." you interrupt his brief moment of clarity. "Together, we're stronger. Stronger than the curse. Right?"

Of course, you aren't. Over the next few days, the Thornblade reshapes itself back into a blade held by the two of you. The blade's terror though has more than doubled.

) You can refer to the shovel as a spade. Pia doesn't like that much, but obliges anyway.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: The old yard of your family, spacious, and overgrown with weed. No one has tended it in ages. Seeing it in this condition almost makes you weep.

Abandoned when your family broke up, an old shovel lies nearby.

Your foe, your brother, Piet... he is standing there, the Thornblade grown into his hand. His eyes betray his irreversible corruption... or do they?

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Attack blade
response: (the Thornblade)
Yes, maybe that's the right move. It is the Thornblade's dark curse that had caused you so much trouble. And it's your fault that Piet is wielding that dreadful weapon. Yes, a quick swing at the blade should... splinter it like wood? No, it splintered rather like bone, you realize, and see it bleeding. Piet's face pales fast and he collapses, and you guess the tragic truth - the Thornblade didn't just grow into your brother's hand. It became a part of his body, an extension. Destroying the blade was rather like cutting off Piet's hand, and here and now, this is a death sentence for him. "Pia." he manages to whisper. He doesn't have the power for more.

*** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some well-made armor (being worn)
a blade

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

) You can refer to your foe as "foe!". There are four short lines of text dedicated to stripping out the exclamation sign.
action: You take the spade
response: (No, shovel.)

Taken.

"I don't wanna play fighters, I wanna play pirates!" you shout, shovel in hand, and Piet yells excitedly. The two of you dig a few small holes, excited about every little bit of rubbish you manage to find, and especially about the few coins that managed to find their way into the old yard. Sharing fairly, both of you manage about two dollars, and remain tight-lipped about your windfall. After all, you promised mom not to play in the old yard.

*** Dig out treasures. Bury rivalries, not rivals. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Sing
response: The ancient tune you've learned demands to be sung, so you begin to hum it. Uncertain, your brother takes a few steps back, holding the Thornblade in front of his as if it were a shield. The song has risen to a chant, and the world beyond the yard seems to fade away. Realizing what you must be planning, Piet begins to charge, but your voice rises to the level of a chorus and keeps him at bay, even pushing him back. You try to whisper an apology in between verses, but it remains a thought as the yard in front of you, Piet in front of you, fades beyond black. The song reaches its climax as you fall back into reality with half of the old yard, and the rest falls into another plane. No longer holding back your tears, you say your goodbyes.

*** You have condemned your brother to an unknown world.
***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You ask blade about the blade
response: You can only do that to something animate.
action: You ask the brother about blade
response: There is no reply.

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You remove the armor
response: "This is stupid!" you shout. "I want out of this stupid game! I want out of this stupid armor!" You begin tearing up the cardboard armor with a mixture of malicious glee and shameful guilt. After all, he made it for you, and made it quite well - it almost looked like real armor before you began tearing it. Piet watches you open-mouthed, and quickly starts bawling as he runs home.
Mother is soon chewing you out. Not only did you destroy the armor Piet created for you, you were playing in the old yard, which you had promised not to do. You'll be grounded for a while. Piet, too, but not for as long. That's good. It wasn't his fault, after all. It was yours. As it always is.

*** A Higher Power has intervened. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You jump
response: Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet, vaulting at him at the last second and closing your eyes. As you bring down your blade where Piet's head should be, you feel searing, horrifying pain - your stomach was torn asunder. Through the pain, you barely hear the crunch of Piet's head being split by your blade, but you feel him fall. You try to open your eyes, whisper a few words as you find his hand, but everything fades to red...

*** You are together in death. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Kiss piet
response: You feint, dodge, and weave until you are close to Piet. Your plan is a desperate one, inspired by the stories you heard as a kid, what feels like eons ago. But when everything else has failed, what else can you try than the old, seemingly outlandish ideas? The power of love, the power of the kiss, it is your last hope. You grab the wrist of the hand holding the Thornblade to keep Piet from using it, and kiss your brother on the forehead, on the cheek, even on the lips, and take a few steps back. Piet blinks a bit, smiles, and beckons you closer. Did you do it? You step closer full of hope, until Piet quickly moves to stab you, barely dodging out of the way in time. Your brother's face has turned into a grimace of rage, and you run, fast, fighting back the tears and the realization that your last hope of saving your brother has failed.

*** Love did not conquer all. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Go east
response: You quickly take a step aside, beginning to circle around Piet, and he does likewise. A feint quick causes your brother to stumble. This should be your chance - a quick stab, and the tyranny of the cursed blade is over. One step... backwards. You just can't do it. Even though all this is your fault. Especially because all this your fault. Another step backwards changes into you quickly turning around, running away from the old yard and from your brother.

*** You did not finish your foe. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You throw the blade at Piet
response: (the blade at your brother)
Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet. Almost as if it had its own mind, your blade moves, and with a sickening sound, it finds your brother's stomach. He looks at you in surprise, his eyes free from the corruption that had taken him. "Why, Pia?" he whispers as his blood stains your hands. "Was there no other way?" These words echo in your head much louder than Piet spoke them.

*** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You kick piet
response: Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet. Almost as if it had its own mind, your blade moves, and with a sickening sound, it finds your brother's stomach. He looks at you in surprise, his eyes free from the corruption that had taken him. "Why, Pia?" he whispers as his blood stains your hands. "Was there no other way?" These words echo in your head much louder than Piet spoke them.

*** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Plugh
response: You mutter the ancient words that you've learned from the strange hermit, not expecting a whole lot, but your surroundings fade away, leaving you and your brother in a strange gray void along with a third figure, hulking, thorny, towering. The curse of the Thornblade incarnate. Alone, you would not be able to defeat it. But in this realm, your brother is free. You two make quick eye contact, nod, and explode into teamwork that you thought long forgotten. It is another long battle, but you two end up victorious, the curse of the Thornblade fading with the gray realm.
Back in the real world, Piet tosses the blade down, trampling it until it breaks like wood, and looks at his hand. "I'll bring you to a priest who'll heal those wounds, brother." you promise, but he shakes his head. "Those wounds run deep. I'm not sure there is a healer strong enough to treat them within a few days' travel." - "There is. I brought her with me."

*** Your brother has been freed from your foe. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You think
response: "I don't want to play." you mutter, sitting down by the weeds. You think about how your family lost the yard in the first place, how uncle screwed you all over. And once again, you come to the conclusion that it is, ultimately, your fault. If you hadn't blabbed, uncle would never have gotten the idea, you're sure. Piet sits down next to you, putting his arm around your shoulder and again tries to tell you that it isn't your fault.

*** But the certainty will remain. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Dodge
response: Piet and you stare each other in the eyes, each of you determined to not show any weakness. It is your brother - or what's left of him - who breaks eye contact as he rushes at you. You're prepared. You dodge out of his way, letting yourself fall, and slash at his legs. Quickly, you get back to your feet, hold your blade in both hands to deliver the coup de grace... and you look down at your brother, grimacing in pain. You can't do it. You just can't. Your feet carry you away from the old yard, away from your brother, away from the chance to end the threat of the Thornblade.

*** You did not finish your foe. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying:
some well-made armor (being worn)
a blade

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You drop your blade
response: (the blade)
You can't do it. You just can't. You can't kill Piet. As you fall to your knees crying, you let go of your blade. Were you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it... In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your foe finished you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You look at the ring mail
response: Piet is wearing some kind of crudely-made ring mail. If you needed any more confirmation that your brother has been corrupted away from the person he once was, this would be it. An expert armorsmith like him wouldn't wear this thing.

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Disarm brother
response: Yes, maybe that's the right move. It is the Thornblade's dark curse that had caused you so much trouble. And it's your fault that Piet is wielding that dreadful weapon. Yes, a quick swing at the blade should... splinter it like wood? No, it splintered rather like bone, you realize, and see it bleeding. Piet's face pales fast and he collapses, and you guess the tragic truth - the Thornblade didn't just grow into your brother's hand. It became a part of his body, an extension. Destroying the blade was rather like cutting off Piet's hand, and here and now, this is a death sentence for him. "Pia." he manages to whisper. He doesn't have the power for more.

*** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You leave
response: But you aren't in anything at the moment.

In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...

Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...

*** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You break the blade
response: (the Thornblade)
Yes, maybe that's the right move. It is the Thornblade's dark curse that had caused you so much trouble. And it's your fault that Piet is wielding that dreadful weapon. Yes, a quick swing at the blade should... splinter it like wood? No, it splintered rather like bone, you realize, and see it bleeding. Piet's face pales fast and he collapses, and you guess the tragic truth - the Thornblade didn't just grow into your brother's hand. It became a part of his body, an extension. Destroying the blade was rather like cutting off Piet's hand, and here and now, this is a death sentence for him. "Pia." he manages to whisper. He doesn't have the power for more.

*** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You examine the foe
response: A tall, deathly pale woman with flowing red hair and sharp, long canines. This creature is a vampire, and not just any vampire. The red queen is an ancient affront to Hielon, god of the sun. Not only is she one of the vampires capable of surviving his gaze, she once was his high priest before her betrayal. She is wearing a red dress that, though you've struck many wounds on the red queen (that have quickly mended), shows no signs of gashes.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some gold-inlaid plate mail (being worn)
a sword

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You kill the queen
response: Even though the red queen seems unimpressed by your attacks, it is the only option you truly have at this moment. You have basically no orisons or smites left to call upon, no vials of holy water to toss at the vampiric blaphemy. Nothing but your blade... and that one orison that Tanrond and Yeleen asked you to never use. But it might be your only hope now. You whisper an apology to your spouses and children as you call upon the sacrifice of light, feeling your life force turn to light enveloping your sword. Striking at the red queen, the light gets stronger and stronger as she suffers more and more wounds, and finally, she succumbs. However, your sacrifice has been made.

*** You go into the light of Hielon for your family, despite
their wishes. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Sing
response: Beginning with a hum, you begin a liturgy that has been sealed for an eternity, and for good reason. It may have been an important contributor to the Chaos Age, and using it runs the risk of repeating that dark age. But it has been unsealed somehow, and you feel that it may have been for this fight specifically. As your liturgy reaches its climax, it seems that the red queen realizes what this liturgy will do, even if it predates her by ages. "Fool! Stop this at once! This will destroy..."
But it is too late. Hielon enters this world, in violation of the Covenant of Eternity, and light obliterates you, and your immediate surroundings.

) There are three foes that you might face after (re)starting.
action: Xyzzy
response: With a hollow voice, you intone a magical word.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Kiss queen
response: An aura of temptation washes over you, and the red queen asks with a smile "You are a mighty warrior indeed, but is war not such a dreadful business? Would you not rather be a lover?" She really must have a low opinion of the followers of her former church. The wave of temptation was nowhere strong enough to even make a dent in your willpower.
"You are by far less fair than my husband, by far less passionate than my wife, by far less adorable than our children. There is nothing you can offer to me to replace even one of them, let alone all five of them." As you speak, the red queen's face becomes more and more distorted with anger and hatred, and she dives at you. You instinctively throw a punch, and are surprised to actually see a bruise developing on your foe's face, and before you can react to figure out what caused the bruise, the red queen has muttered a word and fades to another location.

) Most foes have an implemented head and hand. Referring to them in an action might bring you to other endings or information.
action: You ask the queen about the blood
response: There is no reply.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Look around
response: The throne room of the Blood Tower is a mockery to your god Hielon. Open to the sky, as if its inhabitant weren't the vilest of vampires, and a throne made of skulls and bones with rays much like those of the sun symbols your church uses.

Floating near the dark throne is your foe, the mockery of your god, the red queen.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You sit on the throne
response: Barreling past the red queen, you approach her throne. Your first inclination is to destroy it as you feel a wave of disgust. But you quickly recognize the disgust as the result of an incantation, surely intended to make you attack the throne. So instead, you sit on it.

...

Instantly, you recognize the truth. The red queen has been right all along. You have been but a slave to Hielon, the other gods, the church, and your family, even. You eagerly accept a place at the red queen side.

) You can refer to your foe as "foe!". There are four short lines of text dedicated to stripping out the exclamation sign.
action: You destroy the throne
response: It seems clear that the dark throne holds dread power. Perhaps it holds the power that protects the red queen from your blade's attacks. You rush past her, striking and severing one of the rib-crafted sun rays, and another, then jump backwards as the red queen dives at you. Instinctively, you hit her with your sword, and with grim satisfaction, you see a small wound on her cheek, smaller than you would normally expect, but it is there.
"You do not know what powers you are toying with, mortal worm!" the red queen shouts. "By damaging the throne, you have allowed a creature more powerful and destructive than me access to our world, and it is on its way already." Paying no heed to what you think a transparent attempt to save her life, you continue to damage the throne, and when it is nearly completely destroyed, the red queen dies to your sword, and you return home triumphantly.

*** But then the demon lord arrives... ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You turn throne
response: Though you are no priest, you do have a weak ability to harm the undead. Vampires are usually too powerful to be affected, but perhaps if you concentrate on the dark throne, you might be able to destroy it and whatever vile influence it provides. You channel your devotion to Hielon and direct it at the dark throne, but you feel that it is absorbed by the throne rather than harming it. Before you can react, a pulse of vile energy radiates from the throne, and disgust overcomes you. You fall to your knees and vomit, and the red witch approaches with a dagger, cackling evilly, dagger in hand.

*** Your blessings have turned into a curse. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You turn the queen
response: Though you are no priest, you do have a weak ability to harm the undead. Vampires are usually too powerful to be affected, but perhaps you can weaken her magical protections this way. You channel your devotion to Hielon and direct it at the red queen... but you realize it is redirected, absorbed by the dark throne. Before you can react, a pulse of vile energy radiates from the throne, and disgust overcomes you. You fall to your knees and vomit, and the red witch approaches with a dagger, cackling evilly, dagger in hand.

*** Your blessings have turned into a curse. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You examine the queen
response: A tall, deathly pale woman with flowing red hair and sharp, long canines. This creature is a vampire, and not just any vampire. The red queen is an ancient affront to Hielon, god of the sun. Not only is she one of the vampires capable of surviving his gaze, she once was his high priest before her betrayal. She is wearing a red dress that, though you've struck many wounds on the red queen (that have quickly mended), shows no signs of gashes.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You throw the sword at the queen
response: You lack the nerve when it comes to the crucial moment.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: You take the dress
response: That seems to belong to the red queen.

As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.

*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Dance
response: It feels silly, but you start the dance that you were taught. It is a fluid one, seamlessly allowing you to dodge away from the red queen's assaults. It is a long dance, though, and exhaustion begins to set in, and the red queen pins you down right at the end. She rips apart your gorget and is about to tear your throat as the tower shakes and it appears over the walls. The elder treant with a vast vendetta against the red queen. It grabs her, instantly sealing her head in resin. You shudder to think what tortures the beast has in store for an undying vampire, but you feel that you had no other choice.

*** You have consigned your foe to a horrible fate. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Kiss queen
response: An aura of temptation washes over you, and the red queen asks with a smile "You are a mighty warrior indeed, but is war not such a dreadful business? Would you not rather be a lover?" She really must have a low opinion of the followers of her former church. The wave of temptation was nowhere strong enough to even make a dent in your willpower.
"You are by far less fair than my husband, by far less passionate than my wife, by far less adorable than our children. There is nothing you can offer to me to replace even one of them, let alone all five of them." As you speak, the red queen's face becomes more and more distorted with anger and hatred, and she dives at you. You instinctively throw a punch, and are surprised to actually see a bruise developing on your foe's face, and before you can react to figure out what caused the bruise, the red queen has muttered a word and fades to another location.

*** This fight may have ended, but it will start anew. ***
Maybe things could have gone differently...

The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to

Finish your Foe!

Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
action: Yes
response: cheapglulxe quit with exit status: 0