Our Last Liaisons

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<h1><span class = "bigfont"><span class='fadeIn'>Our Last Liaisons</span></span></h1> <<timed 6s>><<goto "Warnings">><</timed>>

<<cacheaudio "rain" "https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/scl/fi/1i3opcgc3f93leagf6yam/Royalty_Free_Rain_Sounds_for_Looping_ASMR.mp3?rlkey=44d65rrum2kudv2s3z33dobsd&st=wlghr6ls&dl=0">> <<cacheaudio "snow" "https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/scl/fi/9zbvyppdtzytaqwau42hm/wind__artic__cold-6195.mp3?rlkey=xpc1yctmkmf2bv9lfsjli3qif&st=lormxf9k&dl=0">> <<cacheaudio "walking-in-snow" "https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/scl/fi/uxafqelruod77knr028m9/footsteps-crunching-on-snow-335508.mp3?rlkey=onr3n0k4axkji2vdswi5v4sj9&st=ym9onnhd&dl=0">>

Our Last Liaisons is a side game for <a href="https://v0id-b0nes.itch.io/the-rot-of-the-witchwood">The Rot of the Witchwood</a>. Set a century past, it fills out some lore regarding the Witches as well as the wider world. <h1>Content warnings: </h1> <b>Themes for the Servant MC:</b> <ul><li>Overworking</li> <li>Discrimination</li> <li>Classism</li> <li>Depersonlisation </li> <li>Stalking</li> <li>Infantialism (From The Priest)</li> <li>Experimentation (From the Lesser Noble)</li> <li>Objectification (From the Royal)</li> <li>Emotional Abuse (From the Servant) </li> <li>There is a potential for: Dubious Consent, Non Consent, Drugging, Impregnation regardless of gender, but these will all be given a warning if you are about to go down one of these routes. </li></ul> <b>Themes for the Royal MC:</b> <ul><li>Gold Digging</li> <li>Dismissive attitudes towards their emotions</li> <li>Stalking</li> <li>Constant Surveillance</li> <li> Incest (From the Royal- they are half siblings)</li> <li>Manipulation (From the Noble)</li> <li>Obsessive behaviour (from the Servant)</li> <li>Religious Indoctrination (From the Priest)</li> <li>There is a potential for: Dubious Consent, Forced/Rushed Marriage, Incest, Drugging. Again, there shall be a warning given. </li></ul> [[The Snow Continues to Beat Down|SnowStarts]]

<<audio "snow" loop play>>''17-??: Midday, with the watery sunlight barely warming the world'' The snow falls heavier than ever, blanketing the entire world in a thick white haze. The wind can do nothing but pick up, ripping dead leaves from their place on the trees. You could do nothing but take it all in, your lips feeling blue with the cold, cheeks feeling raw from the frigid air cutting across them. You were sure if you shed a tear, it would crystallize into a perfect diamond. But, you wouldn't ever cry, at least from the weather. No, you had grown up in this tundra, more unused to the fleeting warmth of summer than you were to living in constant snow, sleet, slush and rain. It is said that that's what made your fellow countrymen strong. You belonged to the only people that could ever brave lands that had never been thawed, more used to ice than the feeble fleetingness of flowers and the greeneries of healthy, thriving plants. Sadly, none of that patriotic stuff prevented your behind from feeling like it was about to freeze completely off. You abandoned your sandwich, putting it back on the cloth it had been wrapped in. You stood up, the numbness of resting against the ice cold rock being chased away as soon as you moved just a bit. You took the time to admire the red breasted birds hopping from branch to branch, unwilling to fly in the strong gales, but still wanting to warm themselves. You picked the sandwich back up, managing another two bites before deciding that was enough stalling. There was still some time to go before you finally got back to the Salander House. The name was always humorous to you, even when people stopped agreeing. As a child, it was funny that the palace, archaic and large and beautiful, had been called a "House". Of course, all the biggest noble castles had been called "Houses" but it was always a bit too silly. Also, the full name? House Aureus of Salander House. No matter how silly it was, you still had... Quite a few hours to go. You turned away. <ul><li>[[You looked back at the road, where your carriage sat, waiting for you.|RoyalMC]]</li> <li>[[You looked back to the road and sighed, before tightening your shoe laces. The walk wasn't going to get any shorter.|ServantMC]]</li></ul>

<<set $MC to "Royal">>You made your way down, back to the carriage and the two horses and the coachman, currently chowing down the rest of his dried sausage on rye bread. You took your time, not wanting him to choke, and then you'd have to figure out how to drive the contraption yourself. Instead, you gave him a nod, and tucked your hands back into the muff, warming them beyond what gloves could do. You were pretty sure it was... Mink fur? Your mind wandered as you idly stroked the fur, imagining it getting caught in the trap... Then lifted out to be skinned. No, no. The doctor that had personally attended you in Helvetia had warned you against purposefully thinking about things that would upset you. You could still feel the aftershocks of being so ill for so long, coming of age away from home, not seeing your entire family in years. Apparently, not only did you have to have your body tended to, but also your mental state. No bad thoughts, no sad thoughts, no... Well. Nothing that could turn your mood sour. You could imagine her now. ''"Don't think about the dead, butchered minks. Enjoy your hands being warm thanks to them. Now, another bowl of crushed fruit, nuts in lemon juice and vodka."'' You shuddered a bit. It had taken you five days to get this far from Helvetia and you were already sinking back into what she had called your "mopey place". A stupid phrase, one that any of your siblings would have bitten her for. The thought nearly forced a laugh from you. Were you remembering them wrong? Kissy probably wouldn't still bite. Pasha would never, even though you remember that whenever he ground his teeth, he was thinking about it. Were Albina and Abraim as bad as you thought? If so, then they would definitely still bite. Was the urge to return to a lupine instinct purely hereditary or... Was it something about your home? Growing up in Salander House would surely have done some sort of damage, but you hadn't heard of any of your cousins being in trouble for biting, as much as you and your siblings had been. Speaking of your family... You slipped a folded letter free from the muff (thinking only for a moment how you basically hid a piece of paper up a mink's... rear and were now pulling it right back out. Poor thing) and opened it back up, unable to stop the small smile at the sight of your mother's curling handwriting. It begun... //Darling..// <ul class="a"> Suggestions for feminine names<div id="section15" class="hidden">&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Maria|Character Creation][$name to "Maria"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Ekaterina|Character Creation][$name to "Ekaterina"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Anastasia|Character Creation][$name to "Anastasia"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Natalya|Character Creation][$name to "Natalya"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Valentina|Character Creation][$name to "Valentina"]]</div> Suggestions for masculine names<div id="section14" class="hidden">&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Dmitry|Character Creation][$name to "Dmitry"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Mikhail|Character Creation][$name to "Mikhail"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Alexei |Character Creation][$name to "Alexei"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Nikolai|Character Creation][$name to "Nikolai"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Artyom|Character Creation][$name to "Artyom"]] <ul><li> <<click "Insert a custom name">><<toggleclass "#section16" "hidden">><</click>> </li> <div id="section16" class="hidden"> <<textbox "$name" $name>> <<button "Confirm">> <<set $name to $name.trim()>> <<set _invalidNames to ["Arkady", "Arkadina", "Arkasha", "Daniil", "Daria", "Dasha", "Aleksandr", "Aleksandra", "Sasha", "Janos", "Janka", "Pavel", "Pasha", "Aksana", "Stanislav", "Stas", "Albina", "Abraim", "Evdokiya", "Inga"]>> <<if $name is " ">> <<replace "#textbox-error">>Please enter a name.<</replace>> <<elseif _invalidNames.includes($name)>> <<replace "#textbox-error">>This name is already in use during the story.<</replace>> <<else>> <<replace "#textbox-error">><</replace>> <<goto "ShortName">> <</if>> <</button>> </div></ul> <span id="textbox-error"></span>

<<set $MC to "Servant">>It was probably the hardest walk you had ever undertaken. At least when you first went to Salander House, you were on the coach, bundled up and squished between two farmers, who were biting into raw beets to sustain themselves. No, this was far worse. You hadn't saved up enough for neither the coach, nor one of the boat rides back. No, you had enough for the funeral there and then little else. Just some food and something warm to drink. Then off you went, back the way you came. You were... On your sixth hour of walking? You could definitely feel it in your feet. You were just lucky that your shoes had been long since broken in. And that you could traverse the snow without worry. You had seen some foreigners slip head over heels on ice just from the lack of experience doing so. You just hoped that when you got back, Lebedev would let you go straight to bed, instead of making you jump straight back into work. . You couldn't imagine running the dishes or turning down the beds or lighting the evening fires or... Or anything really, after such a long time on your feet... And given what you were coming from. The funeral had lasted three days but you could only get out there at the end of the second day. Your father apparently, had demanded all of his children to attend, but you got the feeling that he hadn't meant... Well, you. You had gotten the letter from... An uncle? Once it was read out loud to you, you had to go. You had arrived, held out the letter and was immediately stormed by his wife. You got a slap around your face for daring to show up. Then mocked by his children. You should have guessed, perhaps, that a man-of-modest-means' bastard shouldn't have been invited. Your cheek still stung. Or maybe that was the wind. Wrapping your coat tighter around yourself, you set off again, trudging slowly but surely. You still had the letter of course. It was... The third one you had ever gotten in your life. It had begun the same way as the others too. //Dear...// <ul class="a"> Suggestions for feminine names<div id="section15" class="hidden">&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Maria|Character Creation][$name to "Maria"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Ekaterina|Character Creation][$name to "Ekaterina"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Anastasia|Character Creation][$name to "Anastasia"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Natalya|Character Creation][$name to "Natalya"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Valentina|Character Creation][$name to "Valentina"]]</div> Suggestions for masculine names<div id="section14" class="hidden">&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Dmitry|Character Creation][$name to "Dmitry"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Mikhail|Character Creation][$name to "Mikhail"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Alexei |Character Creation][$name to "Alexei"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Nikolai|Character Creation][$name to "Nikolai"]] &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;[[Artyom|Character Creation][$name to "Artyom"]] <ul><li> <<click "Insert a custom name">><<toggleclass "#section16" "hidden">><</click>> </li> <div id="section16" class="hidden"> <<textbox "$name" $name>> <<button "Confirm">> <<set $name to $name.trim()>> <<set _invalidNames to ["Arkady", "Arkadina", "Arkasha", "Daniil", "Daria", "Dasha", "Aleksandr", "Aleksandra", "Sasha", "Janos", "Janka", "Pavel", "Pasha", "Aksana", "Stanislav", "Stas", "Albina", "Abraim", "Evdokiya", "Inga"]>> <<if $name is " ">> <<replace "#textbox-error">>Please enter a name.<</replace>> <<elseif _invalidNames.includes($name)>> <<replace "#textbox-error">>This name is already in use during the story.<</replace>> <<else>> <<replace "#textbox-error">><</replace>> <<goto "ShortName">> <</if>> <</button>> </div></ul> <span id="textbox-error"></span>

<<nobr>><<if $name is "Maria">><<set $nickname to "Masha">><</if>><<if $name is "Ekaterina">><<set $nickname to "Katya">><</if>><<if $name is "Anastasia">><<set $nickname to "Nastia">><</if>><<if $name is "Natalya">><<set $nickname to "Natasha">><</if>><<if $name is "Valentina">><<set $nickname to "Valya">><</if>><<if $name is "Dmitry">><<set $nickname to "Dima">><</if>><<if $name is "Mikhail">><<set $nickname to "Misha">><</if>><<if $name is "Alexei">><<set $nickname to "Lyosha">><</if>><<if $name is "Nikolai">><<set $nickname to "Kolya">><</if>><<if $name is "Artyom">><<set $nickname to "Tyoma">><</if>> <</nobr>><<if $MC is "Royal">>//Darling $nickname.// //For my following words, you will have to think of me as your sovereign, as your Tsarina, and not as your mother.// //''You must come home.''// //There. Now you have been ordered by your Tsarina, and not as your mother, and hence, you must abandon those beautiful mountains and fresh springs and make your way back to House Salander. You have been away for too long. Your father, your siblings and I have missed more birthdays than I can bear to think about, and most importantly, you have come of age in a distant country. This will not do. Inga has grown taller, ==Kissy== Dusia (she has now stated she is old enough to be called something more grown up, as if she is not still a baby!) has now started her horse riding lessons. Your sisters miss you, not to mention your older siblings. Aksana wants to see you before she leaves for her engagment, Stas now has another daughter (she's quite pretty for a bastard). Abraim and Albina have been asking about you in fact! Sasha has been... Well, Sasha. ==And Pasha...==// //Your father and I agree that if your doctor sent word that you are fine to travel, then we're sending a carriage to bring you home. If they deny that your health has improved, instead we shall send guards and claim that they've kidnapped one of the Tsarina's children. With that threat of war, I am excited to see you once again before the year is out.// //All my love,// //Tsarina Tatsiana of House Aureus// You folded the letter back up and tucked it into the muff once more. The snow seemed to be getting worse, thicker. It was starting to get hard to see. You glanced around for privacy, just to make sure there was no one else around, before you pulled the hood of your coat down, and ran a hand through your <<listbox "$haircolor" autoselect>> <<option "ebony black">> <<option "tawny brown">> <<option "chestnut brown">> <<option "mahogany brown">> <<option "honey blond">> <<option "ash blond">> <<option "strawberry blond">> <<option "dark blond">> <<option "deep red">> <<option "bright red">> <<option "ivory white">> <<option "ginger">> <</listbox>> hair. Your normally <<listbox "$hairtexture" autoselect>> <<option "straight">> <<option "wavy">> <<option "curly">> <<option "corkscrew curls">> <<option "coily">> <<option "braided">> <<option "dreadlocked">> <</listbox>> hair felt like dried hay from the frigid air. You couldn't wait to get back and properly warm back up after such a long journey. You let out a puff of breath, watching it form into a crystal cloud before you. [[It was getting darker...|RM.CreationContinue]] <<elseif $MC is "Servant">>//Dear $name,// //You don't know me, but I am your father's brother. It is my deepest sadness to share that he has passed on. His gout had worsened over the years and according to the doctors, his heart could not take it anymore. It gave out.// //We are gathering to pay our respects on the first Sunday of the last month. He wanted all of his children to be there. ''All''. So, I have taken it upon myself to extend word to you as well as the others. I hope this letter reaches you before the funeral, all I had to go off of was the address to the orphanage you grew up in and stars willing, they will pass it onto wherever you have gone. I look forward to seeing you.// //Your uncle, Evgeny.// <<if $name is "Evgeny" or $name is "Yevgenia">>//P.S. Your father named your for me. We had been fighting at the time and he found it funny to name his ==bastard== ==byblow== ==illegitimate== last child after me. He still found it funny on his sick bed.<</if>> You could remember each and every word off by heart, despite not being able to... Well, read it. The snow seemed to be getting worse, thicker. It was starting to get hard to see. You glanced around for privacy, just to make sure there was no one else around, before you pulled the hood of your coat down, and ran a hand through your <<listbox "$haircolor" autoselect>> <<option "ebony black">> <<option "tawny brown">> <<option "chestnut brown">> <<option "mahogany brown">> <<option "honey blond">> <<option "ash blond">> <<option "strawberry blond">> <<option "dark blond">> <<option "deep red">> <<option "bright red">> <<option "ivory white">> <<option "ginger">> <</listbox>> hair. Your normally <<listbox "$hairtexture" autoselect>> <<option "straight">> <<option "wavy">> <<option "curly">> <<option "corkscrew curls">> <<option "coily">> <<option "braided">> <<option "dreadlocked">> <</listbox>> hair felt like dried hay from the frigid air. You couldn't wait to get back and properly warm back up after such a long journey. You let out a puff of breath, watching it form into a crystal cloud before you. [[It was getting darker...|SM.CreationContinue]]<</if>>

//In the culture you come from, it's customary to a dimunutive name, a shorter-almost a nickname, to be used by friends and family and in more casual situations. Please enter one below.// //For example, Ivan becomes Vanya, Evgeny becomes Zhenya, Tatiana becomes Tatcha, Victoria into Vika, Semyon into Syoma and so on. If your name is already short enough, just put in a nickname.// <div id="section16" class="hidden"> <<textbox "$nickname" $nickname>> <<button "Confirm">> <<set $nickname to $nickname.trim()>> <<set _invalidNames to ["Arkady", "Arkadina", "Arkasha", "Daniil", "Daria", "Dasha", "Aleksandr", "Aleksandra", "Sasha", "Janos", "Janka", "Pavel", "Pasha", "Aksana", "Stanislav", "Stas", "Albina", "Abraim", "Evdokiya", "Inga"]>> <<if $nickname is " ">> <<replace "#textbox-error">>Please enter a name.<</replace>> <<elseif _invalidNames.includes($nickname)>> <<replace "#textbox-error">>This name is already in use during the story.<</replace>> <<else>> <<replace "#textbox-error">><</replace>> <<goto "Character Creation">> <</if>> <</button>> </div> <span id="textbox-error"></span>

You let the Aide spread a blanket over your knees before looking around your side of the carriage. You could still kill some time. You had run out of books to read, there was no chance of conversation with your silent shadow, and you were full from your earlier feast. No, instead you were going to <<cycle "$hobby">> <<option "play your instrument. You had grown up loving music and nothing could stop you from picking up an instrument yourself.." "Music">> <<option "practise your singing. You were a natural and you could take the time to do some warm ups." "Singing">> <<option "pick up your sketchpad. A talented artist could always use the practise." "Art">> <<option "mentally run through your excercises. You were a natural born dancer, even if the carriage was too cramped to show that off." "Dancer">> <<option "play with your cards. Gambling was a vice, yes, but you were so damn good at everything to do with cards." "Gambler">> <<option "pick up your pen. You were an expert at the written word, no matter the form." "Writer">> <<option "go through a script you were sent by a friend. You were an excellent actor, and usually the first pick for when people wanted to put on a show." "Actor">> <<option "re-opened your notebook, filled with notes about plants and soil composition. You had a natural green thumb and had a greenhouse all to yourself." "Gardener">> <</cycle>> It would keep you busy for quite a while. At least until you finally arrived back home... [[Night fell. Stars came out. And in the distance. There it was.|RM.1]]

After your time away, it seemed more beautiful than you remembered. The castle itself had stood for over three centuries and all it had done was get bigger. Constant expansions, growing more and more... Grand. Mulitple towers, gargantuan gates, gargoyles leering down. Everything. Your feet ached but you made sure to go around to one of the side entrances, the guards giving you a stiff nod in recognition. You went into a small courtyard, the dogs raising their sleepy heads before resting again. Despite being at the back of it... Nothing could extinguish the palace's opulence. No, it seemed even more prevalent if anything. You drew nearer to the back door, but before it could open, it swung wide, as if yawning. There stood Lebedev. <<if $height is "very tall" or $height is "tall">>Ah. Yes. The familiar crick in your neck made itself known when you looked down on him. He was a small man and every time you two were together, it seemed almost comical. You staring down, him glaring up.<<elseif $height is "average">> You had almost forgotten how small he seemed. You had to look down a bit to maintain eye contact, but your time away seemed to have further shrunk him.<<elseif $height is "short" or $height is "very short">> You were probably the only person that stood face to face with him. Everyone else was too tall, and he seemed to take that as a personal affront. Not that he treated you any better.<</if>> "Ah. There you are, $name. We thought you'd be back earlier." He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, squinting through his spectacles. "Sorry, Sir." You let your bag slip down to the crook of your arm. "A snow storm swept in." "Hm. Very well. Hurry up and get out of sight. I'll allow you to take the evening to unpack and get yourself sorted. We're still waiting for one of the Tsarina's children's arrival this evening. Get some dinner too. Hurry now." Lebedev stood aside, and you eagerly followed the warmth that greeted you in the innards of the palace. Finally. Home. <<audio "walking-in-snow" stop>> [[End of Demo.|Credits]]

You gave up on stretching your legs. The coachman hopped down to open the door for you and you slipped back in, giving your Aide a polite smile when they reached out their gloved hand to help you in. They had been the one person from your home country that had come with you. They had been a silent ghost ever since your sixteenth birthday. You had never seen their face, or knew their gender, or anything. Their blank mask gave nothing away, their body covered up head to toe. The Aide sat back in their seat, slipping a book back into their coat. The moment it disappeared into the black depths of the garment, they resumed their usual hobby; Sitting as still as a statue, as if they had never moved once in their life and didn't plan on doing it now. You yourself sat back, sinking into the soft cushions and letting the warmth retake you. After a moment the coach lurched sharply and you were off again. Glancing to the window, the snow had gotten all the thicker, the world now becoming nothing but a sludgy smog of grey and white, with only a few dashes of the inky night air. The window became almost like a mirror and you could see yourself clearly. First, a set of <<listbox "$eyecolor" autoselect>> <<option "black">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "light green">> <<option "dark green">> <<option "light blue">> <<option "dark blue">> <<option "near red">> <<option "grey">> <<option "yellow">> <<option "lavender">> <</listbox>> eyes, striking against <<listbox "$skincolor" autoselect>> <<option "pale">> <<option "rosy">> <<option "tawny">> <<option "tanned">> <<option "bronze">> <<option "golden">> <<option "russet brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "warm black">> <<option "cool black">> <<option "deep black">> <</listbox>> skin. You had <<cycle "$freckles">> <<option "a few freckles" "a few freckles" >> <<option "many freckles" "many freckles" >> <<option "no freckles" "none">> <</cycle>> and <<cycle "$beautymark">> <<option "a beauty mark by your eye" "a beauty mark by their eye">> <<option "a beauty mark by your lip" "a beauty mark by their lip">> <<option "many beauty marks" "many beauty marks">> <<option "a beauty mark on your cheek" "a beauty mark on their cheek">> <<option "no beauty marks" "none">><</cycle>>. You had <<cycle "$glasses">> <<option "no glasses, unlike your sister Albina" "none">> <<option "glasses, like your sister, Albina." "glasses">> <</cycle>> Your hair, <<if $haircolor is 'ebony black'>>darker than the deepest shade of midnight <</if>><<if $haircolor is 'tawny brown'>>rich like a bear's coat<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'chestnut brown'>>deeper than a shiny chestnut<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'mahogany brown'>>like a stag's soft coat<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'honey brown'>>richer than the most expensive honey<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'ash blond'>>striking like one of the coin's that held your mother's likeness<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'dark blond'>>like molten gold<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'ash gray'>>matching the dark snow storm outside<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'deep red'>>looking just like spilt blood<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'bright red'>>striking like fresh strawberries<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'white'>>brighter than the stark white snow outside<</if>><<if $haircolor is 'strawberry blond'>>soft like candlelight in the evenings<</if>> was <<cycle "$hairstyle">> <<option "shaved" "shaved">> <<option "shorn" "shorn">> <<option "in cornrows" "in cornrows">> <<option "short" "short">> <<option "shoulder-length" "shoulder-length">> <<option "reaches the middle of your back" "middle-back">> <<option "down to your hips" "hip-length">> <<option "usually tied up" "done up">> <<option "kept covered" "kept covered">> <</cycle>>. You had <<cycle "$facialhair">> <<option "no facial hair." "none"<< set $fh to false>> <<option "a clean shaven face." "shaven">> <<option "stubble." "stubble">> <<option "a beard." "beard">> <<option "a moustache." "moustache">> <<option "sideburns." "sideburns">> <</cycle>>. You looked away from the window and stretched your legs out. Which was <<cycle "$height">> <<option "very easy, given how very short you were" "very short">> <<option "no problem, since you were short" "short">> <<option "the coach was roomy enough for, since you were average height" "average">> <<option "a bit of a squeeze, given your tall height" "tall">> <<option "was uncomfortable, given you and your Aide's tall height" "very tall">> <</cycle>>. You had a cushioned bench to yourself, which gave you lots of wiggle room for your <<cycle "$bodytype">> <<option "thin" "thin">> <<option "lean" "lean">> <<option "average" "average">> <<option "chubby" "chubby">> <<option "curvy" "curvy">> <<option "well built" "well-built">> <<option "plush" "plush">> <<option "fat" "fat">> <<option "muscular" "muscular">> <</cycle>> body. It was going to be another hour or so before you reached your home. Just as the inside of the carriage started to darken, the Aide pulled down a lamp from the ceiling, the velvet cord making no noise, and stuck their finger inside of it, a pretty flame bursting to life inside of it. They let go of it again, and the soft candlelight filled the space. <ul><li>[[You smiled at them. "Thank you". You had always enjoyed their presence, as ghost-like as it was.|RM.0][$AideRelationship = "friendly"]]</li> <li>[[You gave them a nod. It was disconcerting to have a mute phantom trail you everywhere but you didn't mind. It just meant you two weren't the best of friends.|RM.0][$AideRelationship = "neutral"]]</li> <li>[[You ignored them. They should have done it earlier instead of letting the carriage get dark.|RM.0][$AideRelationship = "unfriendly"]]</li> <li>[[You didn't even look up. You had always been somewhat... Afraid of them. Silent, staring... Imposing. They most definitely knew that they gave you the shivers.|RM.0][$AideRelationship = "afraid"]]</li></ul>

<<audio "walking-in-snow" play loop>> Well, enough waiting around wasn't going to make the journey back any shorter. You tucked your food back into your travelling bag, leaned down to tighten the laces of your chunky boots. You swung the bag back over your shoulder and started slowly walking. The wind whipped around your face, chapping your lips further and all you could do was pull your hood down further, trying to cover as much of your skin as possible. No wonder people went mad in the snow, you thought to yourself. The only sound being the snow on the wind, the crunch of your footsteps, the creak of your own coat. You heard stories of hikers who went blind from staring at the white of the landscape too long, who just ''had'' to strip their clothes off and disappear into the wilderness. You tightened your grip on your bag. Not you. You had spent years traipsing around, on ice, on snow, on frozen ground. You had yet to even get frostbite. The thought of blue, mottled feet just let you to think about your father and his own bloated pair of legs. It was very noticeable at the funeral too. The trip, between getting slapped and scorned by your half siblings was hardly worth it. It was only due to your uncle that- Oh! Your stomach dropped for a moment and you stopped walking. What if you had dropped it? You patted around your pockets, getting antsier until your fingers felt the lump in your trousers. There it is. Your only inheritance. You pulled it out, the metal freezing your already chafed skin. A little pocket mirror. Your uncle had pressed it into your hands. The only thing that had gone unclaimed by your father's wife or his children. So, you could have it. Uncle did whisper for you to high tail it out soon, in case they noticed it missing and suddenly wanted it back. The cover was inlaid with a pearl, with a hypnotising pattern in the silver. It was pretty in a quiet way. You, standing still in the snow, slowly popped it open, revealing an unblemished mirror. The reflection made you flinch. You didn't get to look into many mirrors, so it was always a bit odd... Seeing yourself. You always seemed to forget your eyes were <<listbox "$eyecolor" autoselect>> <<option "black">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "light green">> <<option "dark green">> <<option "light blue">> <<option "dark blue">> <<option "near red">> <<option "grey">> <<option "yellow">> <<option "lavender">> <</listbox>> eyes. Less hard to forget about was your <<listbox "$skincolor" autoselect>> <<option "pale">> <<option "rosy">> <<option "tawny">> <<option "tanned">> <<option "bronze">> <<option "golden">> <<option "russet brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "warm black">> <<option "cool black">> <<option "deep black">> <</listbox>> skin. Despite barely being of age, it was already hardened and coarse, especially in your hands. You had <<cycle "$freckles">> <<option "a few freckles" "a few freckles" >> <<option "many freckles" "many freckles" >> <<option "no freckles" "none">> <</cycle>> and <<cycle "$beautymark">> <<option "a beauty mark by your eye" "a beauty mark by their eye">> <<option "a beauty mark by your lip" "a beauty mark by their lip">> <<option "many beauty marks" "many beauty marks">> <<option "a beauty mark on your cheek" "a beauty mark on their cheek">> <<option "no beauty marks" "none">><</cycle>>. Your eyes had been feeling sore lately, <<cycle "$glasses">> <<option " but you didn't need glasses, at least not yet." "none">> <<option "probably from needing to get new glasses, your current pair covered in scratched and chipped." "glasses">> <</cycle>> The wind felt like razors against your hair, which was <<cycle "$hairstyle">> <<option "shaved" "shaved">> <<option "shorn" "shorn">> <<option "in cornrows" "in cornrows">> <<option "short" "short">> <<option "shoulder-length" "shoulder-length">> <<option "reaches the middle of your back" "middle-back">> <<option "down to your hips" "hip-length">> <<option "usually tied up" "done up">> <<option "kept covered" "kept covered">> <</cycle>>. You had <<cycle "$facialhair">> <<option "no facial hair." "none"<< set $fh to false>> <<option "a clean shaven face." "shaven">> <<option "stubble." "stubble">> <<option "a beard." "beard">> <<option "a moustache." "moustache">> <<option "sideburns." "sideburns">> <</cycle>>. You snapped the pocket mirror back shut and crouched down to slip it into your bag. It could fall out of your pocket, and you weren't going to chance that, not at all. After tucking it away, you rose to your full height, <<cycle "$height">> <<option "which... Wasn't much. You were quite short" "very short">> <<option "which wasn't that impressive. You were somewhat short." "short">> <<option "stretching a bit before relaxing. You were of roughly average height." "average">> <<option "which was quite tall, you were one of the tallest of the servants." "tall">> <<option "which was quite impressive. You were probably the tallest of your peers, bar one or two." "very tall">> <</cycle>>. You swung the bag back up onto your shoulder and took a deep breath. Your <<cycle "$bodytype">> <<option "thin" "thin">> <<option "lean" "lean">> <<option "average" "average">> <<option "chubby" "chubby">> <<option "curvy" "curvy">> <<option "well built" "well-built">> <<option "plush" "plush">> <<option "fat" "fat">> <<option "muscular" "muscular">> <</cycle>> body already felt sore, tired. But you had to keep going or else you... Probably wouldn't even be found. Just a corpse, frozen against a tree, clutching your inheritance. You continued on, sighing as you went. [[Night fell. Stars came out. And in the distance. There it was.|SM.1]]

After your time away, it seemed more beautiful than you remembered. The castle itself had stood for over three centuries and all it had done was get bigger. Constant expansions, growing more and more... Grand. Multiple towers, gargantuan gates that yawned open when the coach approached. The inner courtyard, with a fountain twice your size. Old brick meeting new, warm light spilling out from the windows, distant music and chatter of one of the parties inside getting louder. Not even under the cover of night was its opulence extinguished. No, it seemed even more prevalent. And then, as your Aide took your hand to help you down from the carriage, your thighs smarting from how long you had been sitting, a jubilant cry rang out from the gates. "$nickname! My little one!" Your father's voice rang out. You turned to him, lit up by the firelight spilling out from the grand entrance, his $skincolor face showing nothing but the utmost joy. He ran to you and in quite the unseemly sight for the Tsar-Consort, swept you up in his arms.<<if $height is "very tall" or $height is "tall">> It was a bit awkward, given he was shorter than you, but it meant nothing to his strong arms, his own chest rumbling with laughter.<<elseif $height is "average">> It was easy for him to pick you up, despite being the same height. He couldn't help how strong he was, your father's laughter ringing in your ears.<<elseif $height is "short" or $height is "very short">> It was like you were a child again, being swept up. Your father hadn't done it in so long, easily picking you up, but you could tell... Tell from his smile and laughter, that he had missed you.<</if>> Here, in your father's arms, his strong accented voice babbling happily, you felt it. You were home. [[End of Demo.|Credits]]

<b>Thank you so much for playing!</b> I cannot say enough how happy I am you took the time to play this game, no matter what stage it's in. If you want Behind the Scenes and NSFW snippets, you can check <a href="https://www.patreon.com/Rotting_Ink">my Patreon</a>! I also publish mini nsfw games with the RO's and maybe some of the NPCs in the future. Want frequent updates and the ability to shoot me any questions at anytime? Then check out and follow me on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/rotting-ink">my Tumblr</a>! <<nobr>><div style="text-align: center;"><h1>SPECIAL THANKS TO:</h1> </div> <ul><div style="text-align: center;"><h1>''Contributors''</h1></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://poisonouslili.tumblr.com/">Lili</a></div> </ul> <ul><div style="text-align: center;"><h1>''Duckies''</h1></div> <div style="text-align: center;">Dandelion</div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://poisonouslili.tumblr.com/">Lili</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href=" https://angrelysimpping.tumblr.com/?source=share">Quiet</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href=" https://www.tumblr.com/quoththe-ravenn">Raven</a></div></ul> <ul><div style="text-align: center;"><h1>''Beta Testers''</h1></div> <div style="text-align: center;">Brit</div> <div style="text-align: center;">Dandelion</div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/mothrbs?source=share">El</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://poisonouslili.tumblr.com/">Lili</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;">Oceanodestrellas</div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href=" https://angrelysimpping.tumblr.com/?source=share">Quiet</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href=" https://www.tumblr.com/quoththe-ravenn">Raven</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kathellll">Kat</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/crushoncaleb">Emma</a></div> </ul> <ul><div style="text-align: center;"><h1>''Decay Tier Patrons!''</h1></div> <div style="text-align: center;">Dani</div> </ul> <</nobr>> Without any of these people, this game would be... Well, bug riddled, filled with mistakes and not half as fun. A thousand thanks and kisses to my favourite people here. Also a big thanks to my patrons, each and everyone! They help alleviate other stresses to I can spend just a bit more time on working on my games! <<link "Replay the game">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>