You are a Pawn. You have been forced to participate in a front-lines battle in the name of protection to the royalty. Born a peasant, you have lived a hard life, but it's about to get a lot harder. People you've known for years - even some of your siblings - stand to the sides of you, holding shields and swords. The air is frigid, your hands are numb. Your breath is shaky and you can hardly stand, but God willing you will get to the end of that battlefield. The recruiting officers promised promotion if you managed to make it behind enemy lines in one piece. You could become a wealthy Bishop, recruited amongst the likes of the Kings advisors. Your life could finally change for the better! Or for so, so much worse. A horn blows in the distance, signaling the beginning of war. You swallow hard and look ahead. [[So it begins]]
You step forward two spaces. The field is vast. In the distance there are enemy pawns. They look absolutely terrified. As terrified as your kingdoms collection of peasants.
Do you [[go forward?]] or do you [[stand still?]]
You attempt to step forward two spaces again. You can't. You feel as though some otherwordly source is controlling your movements and preventing you from advancing strategically. Damnit. adrenaline is surging through your blood. You hear a scream from behind you, an enemy bishop has dashed behind you and beheaded your friend. You feel sick to your stomach. You notice an enemy pawn in front of you, a space is between the two of you.
Do you [[Go forward once more?]] or do you [[stand still where you are?]]
You are too frightened to move. You stand still, hoping to be left alone. The enemy Bishop comes speeding at you, before you have time to question why the man is running diagonally (like a complete lunatic), he reaches you and beheads you.
You have died. (Ending 1/21)
''[[The End.]]''
You move foreward. You are met with a bump. The enemy pawn has stepped into the space infront of you. You steal a glance at their face. They look no older than you are. A sudden wave of sympathy comes over you, you're not sure what to do about it. You look to the left and see a rook speeding towards the enemy pawn in front of you. Your brain shuts down, two thoughts come. You can either [[pull the enemy pawn out of the way]] or [[freeze up and let the rook progress in its path]] You stand still. Your heart is racing, thankfully nothing happens to you. Do you feel compelled to [[Go forward once more?]] or will you [[be a coward?]]You pull the pawn out of the way much to the surprise of both them and the rook. The rook speeds past the pawn and trips, rolling down a hill into a pit, you assume he died. The pawn starts screaming, the shock of near death fried their nerves.
[[you pull him up and lightly slap his face]]
[[you pull her up and lightly slap her face]]The enemy pawn gets obliterated by the speed of the rook. Your face is splashed with blood. The rook turns around and brushes off what you think is chunks of bone and intestine. You are mortified. Life, however, goes on young padapawn (get it, like padawan from Star Wars?)
[[move on with your life]] or [[stand there in shock]], those are your options! Best of luck. Your cowardness gets you killed. The enemy queen hops over you and squishes you like Mario. Who even is Mario? How did the queen manage to squish you like him? You're dead now, stop asking questions. (Ending 2/21)
''[[The End.]]''You shake off the shock, you're sure the therapy bills from what just happened will bring you into crippling debt but that's a worry for future you. Now is [[time for progression]]You take a moment to take in what happened. Blood is dripping down your face like you just shoved your head into the slaughter house killing floor without PPE. Before you have time to completely process what happens, an enemy knight jumps to the left corner of your vision. He seems confident in his movements until he locks eyes with you. You raise your sword, considering whether you should [[kill him]] or [[leave him be]]He looks into your eyes, pupils expanding. You ask him [[if he's okay.]]She shakes her head and her pupils expand, she looks at you. She looks back at the ground where her weapons have dropped. She looks around at the blood soaked grass, listening to the clanking of metal and the screams of both sides. You ask her [[if she's alright]]You move on. Shuffling your feet mindlessly. Blood drying to your skin. You reach the enemy line and cross it. [[Power surges through your veins. ]] You decide "fuck it! Why not?", you bring down the sword onto his horse, it falls with a pained wail. He lands on his back. You can't stop yourself, you hack away at his face until his entire head is mush. Your arms are caked in gore and bits of skull. You stop, short of breath with tears in your eyes. Why you? Why were you selected to participate in this disgusting war? In your contemplation you don't see [[the other enemy knight running at you full speed with his lance readied]]He wonders why you didn't kill him. He runs off in the opposite direction, celebrating his life and murdering several other Pawns. You shiver in disgust. [[go forward young soldier]]You get impaled, in your dying moments you see him waving your body around on his lance like a flag. He laughs villanously. You have died. Don't be so philosophical next time, this is war, not debate club. (Ending 3/21)
''[[The End.]]''You move foreward another space. All around you is noise and violence. People you know and don't know being massacared. You yearn to see the end of this, to live through it. You approach the place where the enemy soldiers were standing. This is it. Enemy territory.
Do you [[cross?]] or [[remain in place?]]"I think I'm alright besides the whole... y'know... almost dying part"
You blow nose out of your air in an effort to laugh. It's the best you can manage. She clings to your arm, neither of you bother to mention it. It's terrifying, there will be time for banter and get-to-know-you chats later. She's warm despite it being freezing out. Suddenly you hear a clash to the left of you and see a rook and a knight cornering your king. Your army is failing.
You hesitate, and almost [[freeze up]] but eventually you get your feet moving.
[["let's get the hell out of here"]] you say, desperate to escape being murdered, or worse, imprisoned and tortured.
You both run away. Away from the screams, away from the bloodshed. Somehow, like it was put here for the sake of a story line by some sort of being controlling everything you do, a boat is departing. It's exporting goods from your home country.
do you [[climb into the boat?]] or [[look for another place to hide?]]You can't move. You're unable to step at all between the horrors of war and the overwhelming feeling of desperate care. Both of you are grabbed by the neck, the enemy knights toss you into a pile of burning bodies. For a second everything hurts worse than any pain you've experienced. Then nothing. Nothing but the sickening smell of searing flesh. Eventually you die. (Ending 6/21)
''[[The End.]]''You climb into the boat, both of you hide under the fruit and bread. The ship travels for several hours before coming to a stop at a strange and foreign land. Both of you find a place to settle, for months it is strange. You both spend time getting to know each other and the world you have walked into. Eventually, after a year of friendship you [[begin a relationship.]]You cross. As soon as your foot steps over the enemy lines your skin tingles. The clouds in the sky part slightly and a beam of light hits you. You can't tell if it's divine intervention or if you've finally lost your mind. Slowly your clothes fade into silken robes, a large hat is on your head. It looks goofy. You've become a bishop. [[Power surges through your veins. ]]You stay in place. Frozen. You are unsure of what to do with your limbs, there's so much weight on this decision. Leave your life behind, become royalty. You take too long to make your decision. The king has been captured, his head is on a stick. You turn around and see several enemies rushing you all at once. In a moment of desperation you drive your blade into your abdomen and fall to the ground. You could have had everything. Now there is no hope of going back. (Ending 5/21)
''[[The End.]]''With your new abilities, you run diagonally towards the enemy King, he is taken off guard. A knight is to your left and a rook is to your right. You've got him cornered. Pawns, once people you cared about, now are no more to you. You've become better. You've become royalty. You capture the king and put his head onto a stick, displaying it for ''your'' king. Congratulations. You've succeeded, you've gotten everything you've ever wanted.
But at what cost? Your family remains under the foot of the upper class. Now you're responsible for the treatment you've so strongly rejected. (Ending 4/21)
''[[The End.]]''You made it to the end! Whether you died, or you got to one of the actual endings. There are 21 possible endings. Maybe less, I haven't counted thoroughly.
If you'd like to play again, return to the [[Welcome screen]]!!
If you don't wanna play again? That's fine. Come again soon!!The relationship flourishes. You both have adopted two children and raise a farm. The locals love you and have offered to help with the children if you ever decide to go on vacation. Life is so much better. [[It's almost a dream.]] That can't be though. You've pinched yourself several times however, [[you know it isn't.]]You wake up. The war never happened, it's staged for tomorrow. Tears fill your eyes. You will never find anything to live for besides fighting tooth and nail to eat, or to stay barely alive.
What more could you possibly do besides comply and suffer, and hope? (Ending 7/21)
''[[The End.]]''You know it isn't a dream, duh. So you carry on and grow old until you die happily. Your life is full of wonder and amazement, sublime perfection. Your kids grow and become wonderful people, your bloodline lasts for generations, stretching into modern-era and further. You have succesfully cemented yourself in history forever. (ending 8/21)
''[[The End.]]''You both look for another place to hide. You find an underground passageway that stretches on for miles. You grab a torch. While on your trek with your new friend you are encountered with a... Mole Person! He seems to beckoning you. You look to your friend, you both contemplate your choices. Do you both [[turn around?]] or [[follow the mole person?]]You both turn around. You both take a wrong turn and end up in a cavern. Your torch falls, hits a pool of water in front of you. You both wander in the dark, ending up knee deep in mud. You both are hopelessly stuck. Calling out for each other, it is hard to find out where either of you are in relation to the other. The echos make it impossible to pinpoint. You struggle for days as the mud slowly dries.
Eventually you both starve to death. Researchers and archaeologists will find your skeletons thousands of years from now. (Ending 9/21)
''[[The End.]]''Despite your better judgement, you decide to follow the mole person. They lead you for hours into a giant cave. All of the sudden torches light up and you see a giant mole king in the center of the room. Mole people surround the king. He raises his hand.
"Travelers, you have come a long way. I sense with my mole-y powers that you are in great distress and are in need of solitude."
You both look at each other. Again, despite your better judgement, you both nod weakly. Fatigued, hungry, and extremely thirsty, you are willing to do what it takes to get some hospitality from mole people.
"Very well. If you wish to be part of our society and prosper you must complete the lyrics of ye old band of bards... Pearl Jam and their hit pub tune Even Flow."
Both of you shrug. You have no clue what he's talking about but he begins singing off key regardless.
Freezin',:
[[rests his head on a pillow made of concrete]]
[[*unintelligable gibberish*]]
[[He's cold so he wears a coat, duh]]"WRONG! SACRELIGOUS SCUM! MURDER THEM!!"
Your lack of knoweldge on lyrics to 90's grunge... I mean... 1000's bard music has gotten you killed. Try being more knowledgable, loser (or using ye old Google) (ending 10/21)
''[[The End.]]''The mole king nods with vigorous approval. He begins the next line:
Oh, Feelin;
[[Maybe he'll see a little betters, any days]]
[[*unintelligable gibberish*]]
[[The poor man must get better at handling his emotions]]The mole king grins. He continues:
Oh-oh hand out;
[[Faces that he see's time again ain't that familiar]]
[[*unintelligable gibberish*]]
[[handshake, hell yeah]]The mole king can't tell the difference between the actual lyrics and the gibberish you spouted. To be fair it sounds the exact same. He starts questioning if HE knows the proper lyrics and gives up.
He congratulates both of you on knowing the lyrics to the song and claps his hand twice. Ye Old disco ball comes out and Pearl Jam floats into the center stage. Even Flow starts playing, the mole people are partying. Both of you shrug and decide to [[join them]]You begin dancing to Pearl Jam with the mole people. Congrats, you've somehow gotten to the fever dream ending. (ending 11/21)
''[[The End.]]''The mole king grimaces at your lack of knowledge of Pearl Jam. He flicks a lever next to him and you both fall into a pit of lava. Tsk tsk tsk, how harsh of him. (ending 12/21)
''[[The End.]]''The mole king gets visibly happy, kicking his little mole legs. He starts again;
Oh-oh dark grin:
[[He can't help, when he's happy, he looks insane]]
[[*unintelligable gibberish*]]
[[He needs to brighten up his grin, he's much too frightening now!]]"WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!"
The Mole King falls over in anger, smushing both of you and several mole people. You both become meat pancakes, the mole people cook you and eat you for dinner the next night as if you weren't alive 24 hours before. (Ending 13/21)
''[[The End.]]''The mole king gets so excited he can't help but finish the rest out loud on his own. He gets up out of his chair, careful not to smush you, your friend, or any of the mole people with his feet. He presses a button on his cave wall and none other than ye old Pearl Jam floats out onto stage. They begin playing Even Flow. Two mole people lead you and your friend [[to a room that has been prepared for the both of you]]"WRONG!! LOSER!!"
He drops a boulder on both of you. It smushes you and several other mole people, killing a large chunk of the population. The mole king is upset, but he got the posers out of his domain. (Ending 14/21)
''[[The End.]]''It is large, comfortable, and entirely made out of stone. The bed is supremely uncomfortable. You offer to take the stone-carved sofa as not to make things awkward. She looks at you in disbelief, not only because the thing is smaller than the average sofa on the surface, but because it's cold. She invites you to sleep on the stone-carved bed. While it was uncomfortable on both of your backs, it was the best you had slept in [[years.]]Speaking of years, those go by like air. You adopt two small mole children. Your relationship is flourishing. You ended up getting married, the mole king has passed. You have become the ruler of mole kingdom. You die happily, surrounded by loved ones. (Ending 15/21)
''[[The End.]]''He says he thinks he's okay. You grab his arm and tell him that you both need to go. It's not safe here.
He decides to [[freeze up]] for a second. You almost follow him in his motionlessness. Instead, you decide it's time to get out. You [[grab his hands and pull him along with you]].You reach a wagon. It is full of hay. There is a tavern to the right.
You hesistate.
Do you [[go to the tavern?]] or [[hop into the wagon full of hay]]You both enter the tavern. Hesitantly, you sit at the table. A stranger approaches both of you. He pulls down his hood and [[begins to speak]]You jump into the wagon full of hay. He looks around and follows you, clearly not knowing what to do. You hold back a sneeze. The wagon begins to move. You both fall asleep, waking up the next night. 14 hours of sleep. The hay begins shifting. The wagon driver ends up seeing both of you.
Do you [[kill them out of instinct?]] or [[let them live?]]Before looking for who it is, you cut their throats. You then realize you made a horrible mistake. It was an innocent elderly woman you instinctively murdered. Out of overwhelming regret and grief, you plunge the sword into your own abdomen. Not only did you accidentally kill a poor old lady, but you can't even live with the consequences. (Ending 16/21)
''[[The End.]]''You look them up and down. It's an elderly lady. She's shocked, but once she sees the condition you're both in she softens, smiles. She offers both of you her hand. He takes it first, then you. You land on your feet, she starts to speak,
[["Now... why are you both hiding in here?']]
He asks both of you about the war. Asks if you knew about the war. He orders drinks as you begin to explain about everything. You tell him that you and your friend were [[in the war]]Your body slouches, she isn't mad you both hid in her hay cart. You begin to explain that the war broke out, and that you both are escapees. Your new friend starts to add his side too, you slouch more, feeling horrible for him. Though after thinking, you brighten. You realize that you've gotten away from everything.
The woman [[leads you both inside]]Her house is warm. Small but cozy. She gives both of you a room. She allows both of you to rest while she prepares a [[nice big dinner]]She wakes both of you up. The house smells delicious. You find that you instinctively clung to the boy in your sleep, and he responded with the same action in return. Unspoken physical contact continues to be made. Both of you grasp hands as you walk to the dining room. It is unfamiliar here, but oddly comforting.
She sits you both down and serves you [[plate after plate of food]]This goes on for months. Both of you become plump, almost like... feed cattle.
You were duped. The woman is a witch, and both of you were being fattened so she could feast. It's hansle and grettle but written by a Creative Writing student in a semi-meta story in Twine. Good heavens!
You both are cooked and eaten. (Ending 17/21)
''[[The End.]]''He doesn't look surprised. If anything, he looks happy.
"Good to see two defects. You're not the first bunch, we've had loads of pawns coming this way for refuge. Follow me."
He places change on the table for the bartender and leads both of you to a [[secret door]]He steps through and looks back. A smirk spreads across his face, a friendly one.
You and your friend look at each other. He looks hesitant. You're determined.
Do you both [[step through?]] or [[walk away?]]You both step through. You follow him for what seems like an hour. Another door opens to a room full of people around the table. You recognize some of them, people living on the streets of your old kingdom. They turn to both of you and silently rejoice at the mans return. There are torches dimly lit in every corner of the small room, a map is on the table in the center. Its a scene directly out of a stereotypical fantasy movie when the [[good guys get revenge on the bad guys. ]]You both walk away. Despite the curiosity nagging at you, you walk away. One day while your friend is asleep you sneak back to the pub, the man is not there. He never comes back. You both end up in the streets, slowly starving to death while being eaten alive by rats day by day. (ending 18/21).
''[[The End.]]''The entire circle reveals a plan step by step. Undercover agents will invade the castle, overtake the bourgeois that sends innocent souls to an untimely death. You look into the eyes of your friend, they reflect the torches. He nods, you nod. Gripping hands you agree to do whatever you need. You both end up becoming [[spies]]. The time for action is now! It's night time, 4 months after rigorous spy training. Do you go [[left]] or [[right]]?You go left! A dark corridor with a small light ahead. The clanking of armor is heard. It's a guard! Quick! [[hide!]]You both decide to go right. Unfortunately, according to kingdom statistics, most people choose to go right. They put all the traps on the right. Both of you die horrible and unfortunate deaths. Maybe if you were a bit more original you wouldn't have died. (ending 20/21)You succesffully evaded the guard. He walks past unknowingly. Whilst getting out of the hiding spot you bump into a [[painting]]
The painting almost falls over but your friend catches it and gently places it on the floor. Phew. You continue on your way. You come up upon a giant door. You both push at it. They give way with a creak. Inside is the king. He is asleep.
Do you [[go up to him?]] or [[explore the castle a bit more]]You both creep up to him. You unsheath a knife. You hesitate, however. You consider the outcome of murdering a monarch if you get caught. Your friend, however, does not hestiate. He takes the knife and slits the kings neck. The king cannot scream, instead he gargles on his own blood. Slowly suffocating.
You both run as fast as you possibly can out of there, adrenaline surging through your veins.
You report [[back to the base]]You go back to where you started and go [[right]] this time!You both find yourselves back at the base. The man from the tavern is there. He is surrounded by the people you saw earlier. The room is once again dimly lit, your friends hands are soaked in blood. They are shaking violently. The man once again removes his hood, who does this dude think he is? Why's he so dramatic?
Regardless, he approaches both of you and congratulates you. He assures you that the kingdom will fall.
"You're wonderful spies. I must say, you get work done efficiently and quickly. If you would like... I could offer you jobs here, permenantly. However if you wish to live independantly, that is also an option. Your identities will be kept safe. It is up to you."
You both look at each other. Mulling options over silently.
"So? What'll it be? are you [[staying]] or [[leaving]]?"You both decide to stay. You lead long lives as spies working against evil in the world. Slowly, working together, you and your friend fall in love. You have just enough time and salary to adopt children and buy a small house. You both retire and live happily, forever and ever, until each of you die of old age. Your children carry on your legacy and your names live on until beyond modern times. (ending 19/21)
''[[The End.]]''You both decide to take complete freedom and leave. He was right. You are never questioned for the murder of the king. You both take up agriculture jobs. Slowly you begin to develop feelings for the man. He reciprocates, and wonderfully. After years of work you buy a house together and adopt children. You spend your life with him raising them, and eventually retire. Your children will pass down your names forever, generations from now people will read about you. You have cemented yourself in history. (ending 21/21)
''[[The End.]]''