River J. HopkinsDec 18, 2022

"Noë."

Your eyes snap open. You could've sworn someone just whispered your name in your ear.

It's dark in the room, and you try to remember where you are and how you got there.

Looking around, you see that everything is covered in a thin layer of dust. A faint light glows outside the window to the north, and there are open doors to the south and west. A piece of paper sticks out from under the bed.

What do you do next?

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Look out the window.
0%
Read the piece of paper.
86.7%
Go through the south door.
6.7%
Go through the west door.
6.7%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 19, 2022

You bend down and pick up the piece of paper sticking out from beneath the bed. In the dim light leaking in from the window, you can make out a word in a language you don't recognize; "Coviuch."

Frowning to yourself, you fold it up and put it in your pocket. Maybe you can find someone to translate it. The word feels important, somehow.

A faint light glows outside the window to the north, and there are open doors to the south and west.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Look out the window.
81.3%
Go through the south door.
6.3%
Go through the west door.
12.5%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 20, 2022

You're drawn to the window as you struggle with the fog in your mind. You remember your name, but everything else is a blank.

Outside, a single streetlight illuminates the road. To your horror, you see a large, black furred thing lumber out from the shadows. The light glints off its yellow eyes.

Then, you hear it again; someone is whispering your name. It's coming from behind the cracked west door. The south door remains open, as well.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Go through the west door.
20%
Go through the south door.
30%
Ask who's there without leaving the room.
30%
Call out to the monster from the window.
20%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 21, 2022

Tiebreaker vote:

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Go through the south door.
28.6%
Ask who's there without leaving the room.
71.4%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 22, 2022

You say loudly, “Who’s there?”

Someone hushes you from the other room. “You wanna attract the Shadows? Get the hell in here and help me.”

You frown. It sounds like whoever this girl is, she’s a friend. Why else would she be concerned about you? But what did she mean by Shadows? You shudder, thinking about the creature outside.

As you make your way to the door, you notice there’s a machete just casually hanging from the doorknob.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Take the machete and go through the south door.
42.9%
Go through the west door.
0%
Take the machete and go through the west door.
57.1%
Yell for help.
0%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 24, 2022

Slowly, you take the machete off of the handle. You raise the weapon and push the west door open with your foot.

You realize right away you're standing in a bathroom. And there's a girl tied up in the bathtub. She has a large bandage on her arm with dried blood caked on it in spots.

"Moon's gone down," she says, "You can cut me loose now."

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Threaten the girl with the machete.
0%
Back out the east door into the bedroom.
0%
Show her the piece of paper you found.
0%
Cut her free and ask her what is going on.
100%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 26, 2022

You start cutting the rope around the girl's wrists and ankles and say, "Who are you?"

The girl's face falls. "Shit, that spell worked a little too hard."

"What do you mean 'spell?' Like magic?"

"Yes, like magic. I'm Ava. Let's get to the compound, and someone there can undo it."

"And the rope?"

"I wasn't sure if I was infected or not."

You shudder, and she heads past you toward the east door.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Follow Ava and stay silent.
18.2%
Ask her about her injury.
0%
Ask her why there was a spell placed on you.
45.5%
Tell her about the creature outside.
36.4%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 27, 2022

"Hold on," you say, before Ava can leave the room.

She turns and raises an eyebrow, waiting for you to continue.

"Why was there a spell placed on me?"

Ava sighed. "Let's just say it's a family problem. Your family, to be exact. You not remembering is like...armor. You're protected that way."

The hairs raise on the back of your neck. "From what?"

She shrugs, turns, leaves the room, and says, "Hell if I know. You wouldn't tell me."

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Follow Ava through the east door.
20%
Check your pockets, then follow her.
40%
Ask what she means by "infected," then follow her.
20%
Close the door and lock yourself in.
20%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 29, 2022

Before you leave the room, you feel something jab you from your back pocket. You reach back and pull the object out to look at it. It's a key, and the bow of it is a skull. It must go to something. Kinda creepy, though.

You put it back in your pocket and check your other ones. Just the key and the note, it seems.

You follow Ava out the east door, taking the machete with you. Then you both exit via the south.

Now you're in the kitchen.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ask Ava about the Shadows.
20%
Ask her about her injury.
30%
Ask her about the compound.
0%
Ask her how you met.
50%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 30, 2022

You ask Ava how you met.

She looks around the cabinets in the kitchen, taking things here and there and stuffing them into oversized pockets.

"I was out on a hunt, and you nabbed a Shadow that got the better of me. It was a Berserker, too. A honking big one. We've been besties ever since."

It's nice to know you're good in a fight.

There's a door to your north back into the bedroom, and one to the south that leads outside.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Check the kitchen for anything useful.
42.9%
Go back through the north door.
0%
Let Ava lead a go through the south door.
14.3%
Check for supplies and tell her about the key.
42.9%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsDec 31, 2022

Tiebreaker vote!

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Check the kitchen for anything useful.
40%
Check for supplies and tell Ava about the key.
60%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 2, 2023

You help Ava look around the kitchen. She's pocketing anything that seems edible and can fit in pockets.

"So, I found this weird key. Do you know why I have it?"

She asks to see it, so you show her. Her eyes widen and she says, "I'm pretty sure that key is magic. Xander will know more. He has one."

You assume this is someone at the compound she wants to take you to.

You find some unopened candy in one cabinet.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Follow Ava out the south door.
0%
Take the candy and follow her south.
71.4%
Ask her about her injury as you follow her south.
0%
Ask her about the compound and follow her south.
28.6%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 5, 2023

You take the candy. Might need the sugar rush later.

Ava puts a finger to her lips, and motions for you to follow her outside. You nod in understanding, and unsheathe the machete, just in case you need it.

You make your way to the compound by sneaking through back yards. The only people you see along the way are corpses in varying states of decomposition.

When you get to the edge of the forest, a branch snaps behind you.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

You turn around to see what made the noise.
25%
You run into the forest without turning.
0%
You get Ava's attention, then turn around.
75%
You scream and run into the closest house.
0%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. Hopkins

A shadow falls over you and you snap your fingers to get Ava's attention. She turns, and her eyes go wide. You follow suit, and horror washes over you as you realize what it is you're looking at.

Before you is a disheveled being you thought could only exist in fiction. The smell of death comes off it in waves. Its jaw hangs slack as its sightless eyes fix on you, and it reaches forward with its remaining arm.

Yup, definitely a zombie.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Run with Ava into the forest.
33.3%
Attack the zombie with your machete.
44.4%
Throw candy at the zombie.
22.2%
Bite the zombie before it bites you!
0%
Poll ended at .
Jan 9, 2023 at 12:25amWeb
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 10, 2023

In a panic, you raise the machete over your head and swing down just before the zombie can reach you. Its arm thuds sickeningly in the dead grass, but it still lumbers forward.

"Duck!" Ava says, and you do.

She holds her hands out and says something in a language you've never heard before. It sounds like, "Galacia vah drydthia!"

Before your eyes, the creature freezes like ice and shatters into a million pieces.

You try not to vomit.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ask Ava what just happened.
41.7%
Follow her into the forest without another word.
33.3%
Show her the note you found in the house.
25%
Run from Ava back into town.
0%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 12, 2023

(Part 1/2)

"What the hell just happened?" You ask Ava.

"We attracted the attention of the Shadows, Noë. Come on, let's get moving. We'll be there soon. It's the only place left that's really safe."

"So, the Shadows are zombies?"

"Sort of. It's more complicated than that. I promise I'll explain more once we're at the compound."

You nod in understanding and enter the forest.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 12, 2023

(Part 2/2)

For a while you walk in silence, but then a kid your age comes stumbling into your path, covered in blood.

You stop in your tracks, startled.

The boy looks equally as startled, but Ava keeps walking. He looks from you to her, then back to you.

"Wait," he says, "You can see me? Oh my god, you can see me! You have to help me."

You start to answer, but then Ava turns and whispers, "What are you stopping for? Come on!"

You realize she can neither see or hear the boy.

Tell Ava about the boy.
66.7%
Ignore the boy and keep walking.
16.7%
Ask Ava about her magic.
16.7%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 13, 2023

"Ava, are you seeing this," you gesture at the boy, "Person here?"

She raises an eyebrow. "No?"

"Of course she can't see me," he says, throwing his hands in the air, "I'm DEAD."

"What?" you ask him.

"Who are you talking to?" Ava asks, warily moving closer.

"Apparently, a ghost."

The boy sighs and crosses his arms over his chest.

A look you can't quite place crosses Ava's face. "Fine. Tell him to follow us. We have to keep moving."

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Convince the ghost to follow you.
71.4%
Tell the ghost you can't help him.
28.6%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 15, 2023

You turn to the ghost and say, "We've gotta get somewhere safe. Come with us. Talk along the way, if you want."

Looking at all the blood on his clothing, you can tell he didn't die peacefully. Your heart hurts for him, and you don't even know him.

"Fine. But I think there are some of those...things back that way," the boy says. He points north. The exact direction you and Ava were heading. Maybe there's another way to the compound.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ignore the ghost and go north.
0%
Tell Ava you need to find a new route.
66.7%
Let Ava keep walking without you.
33.3%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 16, 2023

"Ghost boy says there's more Shadows that way," you point north.

Ava sighs, then changes course. She motions for you to follow.

"So," you say to the boy, "Got a name?"

"I'm Cadian," he says, "Don't tell Ava, though. She had a hard enough time when I died. She doesn't need to know I'm stuck in the Bardo."

"The whatnow?"

"Or Purgatory. Limbo. Whatever your pleasure."

Well, that didn't sound pleasant. You tell him your name.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ask Cadian how he died.
14.3%
Ask him why he thinks you can help him.
57.1%
Tell Ava about Cadian.
14.3%
Ask him about the Bardo.
14.3%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 21, 2023

"Nice to meet you," Cadian replies, "I wish it were under better circumstances. But, alas, end of the world, and all that."

You raise an eyebrow. "Oh, is that it? Just the apocalypse, no big deal. How do you think I can help you, anyway? I don't even know who I am."

"You can tell everyone what I saw. I guess that's not exactly helping me in any way, but I don't want them to die, too. The rest...well, hon, that sounds like a you problem."

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Stay silent and let Cadian keep talking.
62.5%
Tell him that he's rude.
12.5%
Tell Ava that he has a message for the survivors.
12.5%
Ask him how the apocalypse began.
12.5%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 22, 2023

"Anyway," he went on, "There's something wrong with the afterlife. Like, even the dead are getting infected with the Shadow sickness. And there are these...THINGS dragging us away. Most go screaming. I heard one ghost call them Psychopomps before it got her."

For some reason, the word strikes a chord with you, but you don't know why. What was that? Greek mythology? And how could a ghost become a zombie? You're so confused.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Relay the information to Ava.
33.3%
Ask Cadian what happens when the dead are infected
22.2%
Show Cadian the piece of paper in your pocket.
22.2%
Show Ava the piece of paper in your pocket.
22.2%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 23, 2023

You relay the information to Ava, leaving out the bit that it's her dead friend you're talking to.

"Well, that's no good at all," she replies with a frown, but doesn't say any more.

Cadian shrugs.

Up ahead, there's a large tree covered in vines, and Ava makes a beeline for it. You follow, and she knocks on the trunk. Sounds like morse code for S.O.S.

Then the vines begin to slither away, and a door creaks open. Ava heads in.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Follow Ava.
66.7%
Ask Cadian if you should follow her.
33.3%
Run deeper into the forest.
0%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 25, 2023

When you enter the tree, you find Ava walking down a spiral staircase into the earth. Somehow, this, too feels familiar.

You notice flowered vines running down the walls, and as you pass, each flower blooms, revealing lightbulbs that flicker on. More magic, apparently.

The stairs themselves look like they grew that way.

"What is this place?" you ask.

"One of the entries to the Compound. Xander once told me gnomes made it."

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ask Ava about Xander.
16.1%
Ask her about gnomes.
29%
Tell her about the note in your pocket.
29%
Say nothing and keep following her.
25.8%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 26, 2023

Tiebreaker vote!

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ask Ava about gnomes.
57.1%
Tell her about the note in your pocket.
42.9%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 27, 2023

(Part 1/2)

"So," you say as you and Cadian follow Ava down and down and down, "Tell me about these gnomes."

Ava shook her head but didn't turn. "I wish I could. Supposedly, they're all dead now. Along with most of the population of the world, Veiled or otherwise."

"I always wished I could've met one," Cadian remarked, "One of my professors at Ambrose—basically magic college—said they could make portals."

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 27, 2023

(Part 2/2)

Soon, the staircase ends, and you find yourself facing a set of tall, pointed double doors. There are intricate carvings on them. When you're close enough to see them in the flower-bulb-light, you see that the theme seems to be wolves.

"Prepare yourself for the weirdest bunch of folks you'll ever meet twice," Ava says, and reaches out to push the doors open.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Stop Ava and ask if she's sure it's safe.
8%
Nod and follow.
20%
Stop her and show both Ava and Cadian the note.
40%
Ask them about the wolves on the door.
32%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 28, 2023

(Part 1/2)

You pull out the note in your pocket, "Before we go in; do you know what this means?"

You hand the note to Ava, and Cadian reads it over her shoulder.

She nods. "It's the word my mum gave you to break the spell on your memory. It's up to you when you wanna use it, and I can teach you how to say it, but you told me to tell you not to unless you need to."

Cadian chimes in, "Ah. 'In case of emergency, break glass.'"

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 28, 2023

(Part 2/2)

"So, I'm some kind of weapon?"

Ava shakes her head. "Like I said, you didn't tell me much. All I know is that you're in hiding. Maybe remembering breaks your cover?"

You frown. Though you desperately want to know who you are, you might be putting your new-ish friend at risk if you use the word. You can always save it for later, like Cadian said.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Follow Ava through the doors.
52.4%
Ask her to teach you the word now.
19%
Run back up the stairs and into the forest.
4.8%
Secretly ask Cadian to teach you the word.
23.8%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 29, 2023

(Part 1/2)

Ava pushes the doors open, and you follow her into the most amazing place.

The floors are made of blue sandstone and it shimmers like a starry night as you walk toward a group sitting around a table that looks to have grown right out of the ground. The ceiling is high, and composed of those lightbulb vines woven through what looked like knit tree roots.

A young man with long, black hair looks up and grins. "You're back!"

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 29, 2023

(Part 2/2)

He jumps to his feet and runs toward her, scooping her up in a big hug and twirling her in the air. Ava laughs and plants a kiss on his lips.

When he puts her down, she takes his hand and says, "Xander, that spell worked a little too hard on Noë. She doesn't even remember who she is."

His smile fades. "Well, shit. You must be so confused."

You nod. "That is a supreme understatement."

A group of curious people crowds around.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

You ask to be reintroduced to everyone.
45.5%
You ask if anyone can tell you who you are.
27.3%
You offer everyone a piece of candy.
9.1%
You tell them all about Cadian.
18.2%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsJan 30, 2023

You ask Ava to reintroduce you to everyone.

"Right. You've met Xander again already," she says, and points to each of the others in turn, "That's Breaker, my mum Viv, Finn, Beth, and Luke."

"The others are probably out on patrol," Viv says. She has an English accent. "I'm the one who placed the spell on you, Noë. I had a feeling with your...heritage that it might not work the same as it does on someone else."

Cadian is oddly quiet.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

Ask Cadian if he's OK.
46.2%
Ask why the compound was built.
15.4%
Ask how the apocalypse began.
38.5%
Ask if anyone knows about Psychopomps.
0%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsFeb 1, 2023

You turn to Cadian and ask if he's OK.

"Not really, but I'm dead, so I dunno if I'll ever be OK again," he replies with a dramatic sigh.

Xander raises an eyebrow.

"She can talk to the dead," Ava says, filling everyone in.

Viv nods. "It makes sense, given who she really is."

You didn't think anyone knew who you were. Why would Ava's mum know, but not Ava herself?

"Who is it? If they died in town, we probably know them," Finn asks.

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

You tell them the ghost wishes to remain anonymous
21.4%
Ask Viv if she can tell you who you really are.
21.4%
Reveal Cadian's identity against his wishes.
7.1%
Ask Cadian if you can reveal his identity now.
50%
Poll ended at .
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsFeb 5, 2023

Turning back to Cadian, you say, "Can I just tell them who you are, please? It'd make things so much easier."

He sighs heavily and waves his hand in the air. "Fine, whatever. Just don't blame me when Ava loses her shit."

"Hey, I'd wanna know if I were her."

"If you were who?" Ava asks.

"If I were you," you reply, "You see, the ghost I've been talking to is your friend Cadian."

Tears well up in her eyes. "He's here? Really?"

#OfGhostsAndGods #TextAdventure #ChooseYourOwnAdventure

You tell her no, you made it up.
0%
You give her a hug and tell her that yes, he is.
59.4%
Awkwardly nod and wait for someone else to talk.
40.6%
Poll ended at .