branching

game/game.ink

@@ -1,10 +1,26 @@
 // She's a Ghoul of Toreador clan with one point in Celerity and three points in True Faith.
 
+VAR showed_mace = false
+VAR preparedness = 0
+
 He came to you in a night dream. A monster is terrorising the city, he said, and only a pure maiden can become a magical girl and save us. He promised great power and opened a new world to you.
 
 * That was ten years ago.
 -> start2
 
+=== show_the_mace ( -> goback)
+
+{ !showed_mace:
+It is strapped to your hip. It's solid iron, thirty centimeter handle with leather grip, four-ridged head.
+The ridges look like butterfly wings.
+And there's a pair of white bird wings on the pommel.
+Weighs about seven kilos but it's light in <b>your</b> hands.
+}
+
+~ showed_mace = true
+
+-> goback
+
 === start2 ===
 
 // The moon never sets on a British vampire.
@@ -30,19 +46,89 @@ You still don't know His name, only the surname: Toreador. He's foreign.
 
 Just right.
 
-He sends you a message with an address, no details. It leads you to a dark parking lot occupied by a loud car party. Some sad old guys loudly arguing about their cars. You feel a faint scent of something <em>evil</em> nearby.
+He sends you a message with an address, no details. It's the other side of the city, but you quickly find a ride.
+
+It's a long trip in an old blue Prius.
+
+<q>Sis, you can trust me, right? You know I've seen that nasty bruise on you on Monday.</q>
+
+The driver is your older sister Natalie.
+
+* [It's not your secret.]
+<q>I trust you, but I can't tell.</q>
+
+<q>So you don't.</q>
+
+<q>It's not my secret, okay?</q>
+
+She gives you a side-eye. You ride in silence for a while.
+->taxi
+* [Deflect the question.]
+<q>It wasn't that nasty. I was literally fine the next day.</q>
+<q>It was big and yellow!</q>
+  * [Lie.]
+  <q>No it wasn't.</q>
+
+  Tabitha, the master liar. (Not.) Natalie says nothing with a pointy inflection.
+  ->taxi
+  * [Show her your back.]
+  You strip off your skirt and raise the back of the shirt. No bruise.
+  ->taxi
+* [Tell her the truth.]
+<q>I'm here to smite some dangerous punk with my holy mace because my Lord said so,</q> and you show her the mace.
+
+-> show_the_mace (-> truth2)
+
+=== truth2 ===
+<q>So we're driving for you to harass and beat down someone?! Tabi, are you in a cult? Is that QAnon thing or something?</q>
+* [Joke.]
+<q>Haven't you heard? Pink dresses against the system.</q>
+
+Natalie doesn't laugh. You have to explain:
+
+<q>No, it's not political or anything. And they're going to be fine too, the holiness stings more than anything I could actually use in a fight.
+But I gotta do it.</q>
+
+She gives you a side-eye and digests what you said. You ride in silence for a while.
+->taxi
+
+* [No cult. I'm a lone warrior.]
+<q> No cult. I'm all alone here. </q>
+
+<q> That's not <em>better,</em> you know. Especially in this part of town. </q>
+
+<q> Don't worry, I'm not going to get in trouble. </q>
+
+You ride in silence for a while.
+
+->taxi
+
+=== taxi ===
+
+The car enters a dark parking lot near an abandoned mall. There's a loud car party here. Natalie parks and turns to you.
+
+<q> How are you going back then? Should I wait for you to finish whatever you're doing? </q>
+
+<q> No, I'll call a taxi. See? </q>
+
+You show the phone in your secret skirt pocket. Natalie sighs.
+
+<q> Take care, sis. </q>
+
+<q> Thanks, Nat. See you at home. </q>
+
+And you're off to see… some sad old guys loudly arguing about their cars. You feel a faint scent of something <em>evil</em> nearby.
 
 ->choices
 
 = choices
-{You look like a skinny teenager among some tall white dudes.|"Hey! He's coming!" The guys suddenly stop arguing.|The air is quiet and tense.}
+{You look like a skinny teenager among some tall white dudes.|"Hey! We're starting in a three!" The guys suddenly stop arguing.|The air is quiet and tense.}
 
 * <ell> (Follow the scent.) [] You can't track it, you just know it's near.
 -> choices
 * <ell> [Tap one of the guys on a shoulder.]
-"Excuse me, is that a Fiat?"
+"Excuse me-"
 „Get lost, kid.“
-Okay, you know <b>nothing</b> about these cars.
 -> choices
 -> start4
 
@@ -50,22 +136,70 @@ Okay, you know <b>nothing</b> about these cars.
 
 You wander around. Why did He send you here?
 
-A new car comes to the parking lot. The feeling of <em>wrongness</em> rises in you.
+There's a crowd now, and a guy shouts from inside:
 
-=== battle1 ===
+<q>To the end of this street and back here! Go! <q>
 
-He's about to jump at you.
+The feeling of <em>wrongness</em> rises in you. The lot is filled with roar of the cars speeding away.
+The crowd cheers.
+
+You see a figure across the street jumping four stories right on top of an office building. This is your target.
+
+= choices
+* [<ell> Smash your way in and use the stairs]
+You can't just smash the doors and enter.
+There will be an alarm and you don't want to be on camera.
+-> choices
+* [<ell> Jump straight to the roof]
+You're a good acrobat, but not pure <em>magic.</em> You can barely jump two stories, and here's four.
+-> choices
+* Climb the building
+Well, you do have to catch the guy quickly. You look at your mace.
+
+-> show_the_mace (-> climb2)
+
+=== climb2 ===
+
+You hit the wall with the pommel. The sturdy wings leave a nice impression in the render. Just right to use as a handhold. And you make another one near.
+
+It's a quick climb to the roof. And here's your guy.
+
+He's hunched over a body of some old man, you hear the <em>slurping</em> sounds, he's still drinking blood from the body.
+That's good, that means the victim is still alive and you got here on time.
+
+* [Pose and start a full speech]
+
+~ preparedness = 2
+
+You take a step, do a twirl and shout.
+
+// TODO - not a rhyme enough
+<q>My name is Pretty Soldier of the Night and I will smite you in the name of the night!</q>
 
-* Prepare for the attack. []
-You take a step back and do a twirl.
-// I have an unhealthy relationship with this meter. Sorry.
-<q>I call the generous moon: give me strength for this battle.</q>
 Then you pose with the mace. Now you feel truly confident.
-* Skip the ritual and hit. []
-You jump back - quicker than he expects. Then you bash him in the head.
-He shrugs off your mace like it's nothing.
-* Skip the ritual and make him jump straight on your mace. [] Yo
-He just stands there, confused. and never sees your mace when you bash him in the head.
+
+And you get a heavy fist to the stomach. You lower your hands, snagging the mace on his hand – he <em>screetches</em> and jumps back.
+
+He screams, and I have to paraphrase everything except the pronouns here:
+<q>Who the hell are you, crazy woman grabbing my precious flesh with her dirty hot hands?</q>
+
+  * Explain what he's doing is wrong
+  * Explain you don't want him anywhere near the city
+  * Explain your Lord wants him out
+
+* [Attack now, speech later]
+~ preparedness = 1
+You twirl, raise your weapon and hit him while shouting:
+
+// I have an unhealthy relationship with this meter. Sorry.
+<q>I call the generous Night: give me strength for this battle.</q>
+
+The attack throws him off the victim, but then he just shrugs and starts to stand.
+
+  * Try to push him to the end of the roof
+  * Jump straight over him
+  * [<ell> Climb down]
+  You think about climbing back down the wall, just to meet him on a safe ground. Not your best idea.
 
 === battleends ===
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