The Black Hare: An Interactive Fiction

Lavender has spent the better part of her life as a mother trying to make things right between her husband and her sons. When they turned rebellious and left the family home, she prayed it was only a temporary thing, and when her eldest returned to the path of righteousness, she prayed her youngest would do the same. But he never returned, not even as the years stretched by. Now her husband lies on what may well be his deathbed, and she is on a mission to reunite the family scattered like ashes. Perhaps, along the way, she will teach you what it means to really belong, to truly achieve greatness. Or perhaps you will teach her that dreams are a simple illusion, blown away like smoke through the trees.

🗝️ a locket filled with loved ones, their images faded by the years

🗝️ a purse of coins, precious few as they are, sewn into my skirt

🗝️ a half-finished scarf which I plan to complete; a gift for a son whose heart has grown cold

🗝️ an oilskin bag with the proper grooming essentials for a woman

🗝️ a letter from the good doctor, warning me that the hours we possess are few

🗝️ a small sewing kit, to help mend that which has been worn and torn

🗝️ my mother's shawl, to wrap around me in moments where comfort is needed; it still smells like her, though her face is but a memory now

Her face is a map of wrinkles, folded into her skin by a life that you couldn't possibly begin to imagine. Her weathered hands, so evidently those of a woman whose life has been spent caring for others, wrap around her hot cup of tea, and she brings it up delicately to her lips. There is no food before her - only the tea - which she sips at and savours in slow movements.

When you sit across from her, sliding into the booth with a smile and a "Good morning," she smiles back at you politely - though it is not enough to hide the sorrow in her careworn face - and replies with a soft "Good morning."

⚜️"The old lady? No, I don't know all that much about her. But I've seen her open that locket up more times than I can count. It's like she's worried something inside will disappear while she's not looking."

⚜️"I've seen her working on a scarf, knitting the hours away in the evening. I get the sense that she doesn't sleep well... But then, that's the way it is for old folks, isn't it?"

⚜️"Yes, I've seen her. A nice enough lady. She keeps to herself. Reminds me of my own mother, actually."

⚜️"Hmm... Lavender, I think the name was. I lunched with her the other day. Quiet soul. She kept reading this letter again and again, and I could have sworn she was anxious about something... But it's not my place to pry."

Main Route Apprentice

Unlock Condition Sit with the Elderly Woman at breakfast.

Character Attributes Mentorship, Patience, Emotional Intelligence

Best Paired With Integrity (subject to change)

Romance Option Not Available; unique player combinations have the chance of discovering a Soulmate NPC during their playthrough

Themes family reconciliation, righteousness vs ambition, maternal duty, shifting perspectives

Absolutely stunning. Falchetti himself was an Italian landscape artist, if I've got my facts straight, and at the time of this painting he would have been in his 20s.

With a rugged frame and a kind nature, this lawman has come to Talesmoth in search of someone, same as you. He has a brave earnestness about him that is endearing, and a strong presence that keeps you stable in a world shifting beneath your feet. But there's a hesitation when he speaks, a shadow of something else shifting under the surface of his words, that you can't help but suspect. Kane is an open book - right up until he isn't - and his great walls guard a truth within that might turn this gentle giant from a safe harbour to an unknown sea, and hidden currents may threaten to pull you to your doom…

🗝️ a journal, where I keep track of your news and follow your clues

🗝️ a badge, which frowns upon my work from atop its perch on my brow

🗝️ a change of clothes, just enough for a few days

🗝️ a silver timepiece found at the docks, the first real piece of you I’ve managed to hold onto

🗝️ a letter from my employer, excusing me for the week

🗝️ a worn shell from the sun-soaked beaches of home, where I yearn to return to better days

🗝️ enough coin to keep me as I continue my search

🗝️ a guilt which eats at me, and will only be undone with justice - whatever form it takes

The man seems to be a gentleman, and by the looks of it, too preoccupied in his own work to pay you any mind, so you stop at his table and place a hand on the free seat across from him. “Mind if I join you?” you ask.

He doesn’t even glance your way, gesturing for you to sit with his hand, and back to his breakfast and notebook he goes. You take a seat.

The man’s pen scratches furiously against the parchment, his brow furrowed in intense concentration. There's an energy about him - restless and sharp, like a man chased, hounded by some knowledge that he must act upon.

⚜️ "A little too restless for my tastes. People like him probably mean well, but he's got this shiftiness to him - it just doesn't ring true to me. Like he's told some terrible lie and any minute now it's going to be revealed."

⚜️ "Between you and me, I think he's hiding something. Don't know if you've noticed it, but he doesn't like flashing that hat of his around much, does he? It's got that shiny little badge on it - you know the kind. Never met one of them too shy to let everyone know who they're dealing with."

⚜️ "He's kind enough, I suppose, and keeps to himself. Always reading through that journal of his like he's got some kind of exam coming up. But handsome. Do you think he'd have coffee with me if I asked?"

⚜️ "He eats a lot. I'm sorry - I know it's rude to stare - but all throughout lunch all I could look at was him scarfing down that meal like it was his last, and then coming back for thirds."

Main Route Vigilante

Unlock Condition Sit with the Focused Man at breakfast.

Character Attributes Honesty, Leadership, Conviction

Best Paired With Risktaker (subject to change)

Romance Option Available; can be cancelled upon meeting a Soulmate NPC.

Themes family secrets, guilt and redemption, justice, home and hearth

High-born and highly educated, Genevieve has fallen in love only once in her life, to a man whose impossible charm convinced her that background is of little importance and that character is everything. Despite her parents' warnings, she married him - this self-made new aristocrat of dubious origin - and threw herself into her passions with abandon. She expected a happily ever after, and for a while, it was. She painted with a joy she had never felt before, each brush stroke a testament to her marital bliss. And when he disappeared again, for business, as oft he did from time to time, she did not think much of it. But the days bled into weeks, and the weeks into months, and now Genevieve has come to Talesmoth to find the man who abandoned her and the unborn child she carries.

🗝️ a modest change of clothes; I do not plan on staying long

🗝️ a painting of a happy couple; she looks like me, and yet so different

🗝️ a set of watercolor paints, for I shall be glad of the distraction

🗝️ my prized camel-hair paintbrushes; how many visions have they made?

🗝️ a set of charcoals and a quickly-sketched face of a man I once thought I knew quite well

🗝️ a ring which may not return with me to Aelstor

🗝️ a letter from my mother, whose warnings I did not heed

🗝️ a small fabric purse filled with coins; just enough for a week at most

🗝️ a promise to return, no matter what I find in Talesmoth, and no matter how it hurts

The woman doesn't look up as you sit, her eyes remaining fixed on the passing blur of green and grey outside. Up close, you can see the fine lines of grief etched into the corners of her eyes, and it is striking for someone so young. She looks like a woman who has been carrying a heavy burden for longer than she should have.

You settle into the booth, getting comfortable, and your movements catch her attention. She glances over at you, momentarily distracted from the view outside.

"Good morning," you say quietly, smiling disarmingly. She gives you a half-hearted smile in return, and continues staring out the window.

⚜️ "She's a strange one, that one. Strange and sad, I'd say. Barely touches her food - did you notice? Some people are saying she might be - you know - on the run."

⚜️ "She's such a somber figure, you know. And to be on this train, unaccompanied, and with child! A proper lady would never - and she is a proper lady, mind. You can tell by how she holds herself."

⚜️ "Do you think she's lost her husband? That's what I heard. Poor thing - so young, and carrying a child! Tragic, truly."

⚜️ "They say she's a fine lady of high standing, but have you looked at her hands? Dirty and splotched with who knows what. And to be alone on the train, in her state... Something's not right with her. Trouble's what she is! I guarantee it!"

Main Route Vigilante

Unlock Condition Sit with the Forlorn Woman at breakfast.

Character Attributes Kindness, Forgiveness, Social Intelligence

Best Paired With Outlaw (subject to change)

Romance Option Available; can be cancelled upon meeting a Soulmate NPC.

Themes family secrets, abandonment, slow-burn trust, passion versus stability

I've once again switched gears, and I am focusing on the part of the IF where you can interact with the world of Talesmoth and even help out some of its residents. There are a bunch of side quests to complete in The Black Hare, all of which will give you a reward, and some of which will even give you items or help necessary to complete main-plot goals (like, for example, getting a ticket and appropriate wear to the Coeurtour Gala, which is important for Reasons disclosed in Chapter 3).

I was inspired by the quests in Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. They're mostly about helping people, and encompass a range of different issues that could be found within a society - families in conflict, people who want closure, matters of the heart, those seeking a place to belong, people following their passions, and so on. And I'm giving my quests that same wholesome effect, with a dash of adventure, too.

So far, here's what's on the menu so far:

Parchink! - The post office (officially known as Parchink in the kingdom) is flooded with letters due to a certain famous author's announcement, and they sure could use a volunteer's help delivering all of these letters. When you do so, however, you uncover that all is not right for our famous author... (followed by another quest wherein you can investigate and help the author. or don't. i'm sure he's totally fine.)

An Archaeologist's Dream - You meet an archaeologist studying the Ancient Solarians, and listen to him ramble about their lore, only to conclude with a weird conspiracy theory of wild magnitudes. He wishes he had an ancient ceremonial blade to see if his theories are correct, and it just so happens that the only one recovered is going on auction soon... Help a passionate scientist out, will you?

Doppleganger - Having become an abomination through the ill-advised use of the Hourglass, you meet your doppleganger on the street. It beckons for you to follow, but is it wise to do so? Will you uncover truths beyond your reality, or will you be lured to your death?

Slippery Fish - The fisherman at the local fish market are in a tizzy; someone, or something, has been stealing their fish by the droves when they're not looking. Prices are being driven high by the limited supply, and people aren't happy. Help them figure it out before fish becomes a luxury only the rich can afford.

Politics Over High Tea - You make it into the Ladies' Tea House, fully expecting a range of high society ladies huddled over the latest gossip and most expensive cakes, only to find that there is much more than meets the eye to these upper class women. As you listen, you are roped into a plot of daring political manipulations and... poison?

Inspection at the Docks - Smugglers have become too brazen of late, and the Harbourmaster has decided to take action. All ships - every room, crate, and scullery bowl - are to be closely inspected for signs of smuggled cryptids or stolen artifacts. It seems, with the rumored arrival of the Black Hare, one can never be too careful... And since you're on his trail, how's about rolling up those sleeves and helping out?

Love Between the Pages - You discover a lost and unopened love letter and decide to deliver it to the recipient, who begs you to find out who sent it. When you do, it will take a little more work to help the awkward lovebirds finally come together - and a little more for their families to agree.

Against the Grain of Time - An ancient tome speaks of an item which can turn back time for its owner - an hourglass that can be found only if you solve the riddle. You're warned not to attempt to find this item, but perhaps it can help you undo the mistakes of the past...

There are a couple more that I'm planning out as well (ex: A Mother's Call, Raging Youth, Iridescently Charming, etc.), and so far I'm only writing down the broad strokes of what happens in these quests, but I'm aiming for maximum 20 quests that you can complete aside from the main storyline.

(Also, I need names for some characters, like the Lighthouse Keeper or the Caretaker of the Kings' Grave. I may post polls soon.)

More technical notes below, particularly with regards to widgets:

Exploring Vulnerability and Affairs of the Heart, among other things

Re-emerging from the shadows with a small unexpected update! I've been journaling lately, and haven't wanted to work on my IF, but today, after a nice breakfast outing and a little more joie de vivre, I returned to the comfort of my home and began writing new scenes: a little bisou moment with Kane. Now, will this remain in the story? I'm not sure. I still hold that writing romance is the bane of my writerly existence. Nevertheless, I enjoyed writing it, mostly because in doing so I got to explore another layer to the interaction choices.

Consider the following hastily-scribbled example:

Kane’s arms pull you in, his gaze flickering from your eyes to your lips and back again. He’s asking for permission.

Kiss him; you love him, and you’re ready for this moment.

Kiss him; you’re uncertain, but you want to keep him.

Kiss him; you know it's wrong, but you want to keep him.

Turn away; you’re not ready for this yet.

Turn away; you don’t think you love him.

Turn away; you're in love with someone else.

Do nothing.

What kind of person are you when it comes to affairs of the heart?

Are you someone who is sure of what they want, and thus takes the leap? Are you someone who is careful with your heart, reticent, but hopeful? Maybe you're allowing yourself to be taken in by the passion, knowing full well that you shouldn't. Perhaps you are someone who is abstinent, waiting for the commitment of marriage? Mayhaps you leave your affairs to fate and see what the universe brings.

I do enjoy the idea of letting the player/reader guide how their character reacts to different social and romantic situations, particularly those that allow for a more vulnerable exploration of your own internal processes. The specifics of how you approach interactions is a more complex one, and I'm still working on how that could be weighted in the game.

The other big question in my head is whether I should be realistic in the sense that the choices you make could be ill-received by the characters based on their personalities, or whether I should be idealistic in the sense that the characters react in the way that one hopes they ideally might in certain situations.

In other words, a dose of in-game "reality", or a balm to soothe the hopeful soul?

Personally, I lean more towards the latter. But perhaps that, too, is something that the player can choose.

And how the game reacts to the choices the player makes might actually link back to an earlier narrative decision in a really cool way. For example, in the case of romance options, there is a point in the story where we construct the player character's backstory and you get to choose whether you've had a previous relationship, are in a relationship now, or have never had a relationship before. Based on that, the choices you make with any of the ROs, in particular with regards to how you approach the romance interactions, will link back to:

in the case of a past relationship: why it ended

in the case of a current relationship: why it's going well/badly

in the case of never having been in a relationship: why it never happened, if at all relevant

If there IS a past relationship or current relationship, of course half the fun there is having them also show up in Talesmoth. And all of those little nuances that the choices lead to are also going to be fascinating to explore. So, say you choose from the above example "Kiss him; you're uncertain, but you want to keep him." This choice will ultimately lead you to a part of the story where you have to identify what, specifically, is making you feel uncertain - your fear of commitment, maybe your different goals/values, perhaps even your self-image, and from there, the game can tie that back to the previous/current relationship and/or the reaction of the specific RO you're dealing with. (Whatever is relevant based on the choices you've made.)

Obviously this means way more writing, but it is a fun idea to explore, and who knows what might come of it for the game? Moreover, it's not just a romance-exclusive feature. This could be applied to a range of other secret routes, relationships with characters, and so on. I do like the idea of that red string becoming evermore knotted and webbed as you continue to make decisions that impact past, present, and future.

The Other Things

Aside from that, I'm still working to refine the locations and settings in Talesmoth, in particular the locations that contain multiple places you can visit, like the parks or the marketplace.

Already I've started trying to include the secret route characters that can be discovered and interacted with in these different locations. For example, this is Rose, a cryptid smuggler that we can find at Lumen Lake on cloudy nights (yessssss, weather/time combo prerequisites are officially a go):

I tried something fun with her character where she has 3 different greetings and it randomizes/cycles when you go speak to her, so you'll get one of 3 greetings. Neat feature; not sure that it really should be used in the context of Rose's greeting, but now that I know how to do it, I may use it as idle chatter for certain NPCs, and maybe also as exhausted dialogue after you've finished everything you could ever say to an NPC.

(As a total random and completely unimportant aside, however, I can't use normal quotation marks with her in these greetings because of the way that you have to set them up, so the perfectionist in me is annoyed that all I have are the single ' marks instead of the " when she speaks. Oh, well. Nobody will notice, I'm sure.)

On a more personal note, I've been feeling a little too restless to be sitting at a computer all day working on these projects. I'm switching it back to pen and paper for a little while, making a big flowchart poster for the game. It might help me get a little more clarity than the limited computer monitor does. This should also help me sidestep the overwhelm and cut this elephant of a project up into bite-sized pieces so that I can tackle it in a more organized and consistent way.