Banri Is The Dark Horse, Told Ya.

Im coping

As a kalalav (death flower) harvester, you live and work in the holy land of Duutrepia. You've known nothing else since birth. The merciless disease's agonizing grip, your burning rage, and the crimson flowers—all share a grim connection. You don't know what freedom means. Will you ever get the chance to become your own person? But what will happen when the Abyss Forged descend? Cruel, demon-like creatures who have intelligence. This speaks of trouble for you and the other elves. They talk about the rightful gods, who will soon return and rule over the realm of Sar'saris.

The IF will discuss the following topics and a few others that some players may find uncomfortable. Please read at your own risk. ➤ Slavery ➤ Pregnancy ➤ Hunger ➤ Mental, physical, and emotional abuse ➤ Familial issues ➤ Blood ➤ Gore ➤ Anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts ➤ Deaths ➤ Animal deaths ➤ Child deaths ➤ Religious themes ➤ An oppressive atmosphere (especially in the starting chapters) ➤ Lack of freedom and detailed mentions of dominance assertion

You can choose your MC's: ➤ Gender (Female/Male) ➤ Eye colour ➤ Skin colour ➤ Hair colour, hair length, and hair type. ➤ Height ➤ Outfit ➤ Main Path (Rage/Compassion) ➤ Religious Belief (Believer/Disbeliever) ➤ Relationship Path (Shy/Flirty) Note: There are a few hidden stats that don't show in the stats menu, but they will affect the game's plot mildly and majorly.

YLVERAS/YLVERA CAISYS: The famed dragon rider hailing from Duutrepia. Composed and genuine. Though quiet, their eyes speak volumes. They burn with an intensity of untamed fire. What a curious individual. IMRAI/IMRA RORA: The descendant of a long line of oracles. Though when one first sees them, it's quite difficult to believe that fact. Charming and flirtatious. However, their actions don't match their words sometimes. What is their actual goal in life? KATRYK/KATIR GRERA: The leader of the association. They desire nothing more than power, fame, and money. Confident and goal-oriented. However, their expression sometimes tells a different story. They require something else, something different. SYV/SYVI WYNDI: The exiled noble from Hishuy. They observe from the shadows and don't seem too fond of forming relations with others. Haughty and introverted. The scar on their porcelain face tells a painful story.

A few notable side characters are: ELANIL ARAVBI: Your mother and a gifted healer. She's kind, caring, and adores you more than anything and anyone in this world. But your beloved guardian is hiding a secret, one she isn't ready to tell you yet. NALAEA EKRAS: The esteemed alchemist from Neptule. She's playful and incredibly smart. Nalaea dreams big and has many hopes for herself. You wonder just how many of those will come true for her. THEDOMAR ALTRIS: The fearless gunslinger and Nalaea's partner. He's always seen walking around with a self-assured grin and looks like nothing in this world will ever shake him. NUUVIAN NORVAN: The sarcastic yet talented healer. His witty nature and sharp tongue make up for his short height. Nuuvian takes pride in his ability. You can drop the fear of dying when he's there.

➤ PATREON • MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORTS

So...remember how I said in that update post how I might MAYBE do a TSS rewrite and post it for free?

"Maybe" quickly turned into "definitely happening". Instead of making it outside of COG, however, the finished product that's already published will be updated with the rewritten files. This means that if you've already purchased TSS through COG, you'll have the rewritten version available. That's how I originally intended to go about things with the old rewrite and is the better option here to avoid potential complications.

I've been in contact with COG and they've let me know that I'd be able to do what I have in mind even if this results in a different wordcount and very different scenes/plot points and a different kind of main story.

I realize that this announcement is probably pretty jarring since my last post stated that I wasn't sure about doing a rewrite but that I wanted to if I had enough time. After making that post, I started creating an outline for the rewrite mostly for fun...and one thing kind of led to another. I want you all to know that I wouldn't be making this post at all if I wasn't sure about this. It's because I've already begun the process and feel incredibly motivated and inspired that I can do this that I'm making this announcement.

This rewrite is not going to be like my old attempt at a rewrite, though. It's an entirely new one that I feel much more confident about.

So far I've written the outline for the rewrite and started reworking already existing scenes from chapter 1 as well some new ones. I'm happy to say that the difference between how the rewrite process felt years ago compared to now is like light and day. It seems like those years I've taken away from TSS were very healthy and helpful in giving me some distance and letting me figure out what kind of story I really want to tell.

My plan is to rewrite book 1 and then make 1 full continuation after that. Instead of a trilogy, it looks like this version of TSS will be 2 volumes, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be shorter than originally intended. I think it's more doable for me to rewrite the first book (starting from scratch while also using some already written scenes, since I've been assured I'm allowed to do so) and then make 1 complete continuation of it rather than trying to fill stuff out over 3 different entries, and I think it'll serve the plot and story as a whole to do it that way.

That being said, I fully understand that some - or most of you - might have trouble trusting my word after me failing to do the rewrite I wanted to years ago and not delivering a second book. That's completely fair. This time I'm not rushing things and I don't feel any pressure to do this. It's not something I do out of dislike for the original, but rather out of love for what it could be and what I could make it into, if that makes sense. I'm taking as much time as I need to and am not putting any pressure on myself to do this.

My other project takes priority right now so I can't dedicate all of my time to the rewrite, but I'm working on it when I have time over or get stuck. It's actually pretty nice to alternate between two different stories that have different settings and has helped a bit in avoiding writer's block.

Here are some differences between TSS and the TSS rewrite (most of the changes I made to the old rewrite no longer apply):

The rewrite will be told in second-person point of view ("you" instead of "I"). The reason for this is that when I first started TSS I was really unused to the second-person POV, but after having spent years in the IF space it's now the other way around. It'll make writing much easier for for me, and I hope it won't feel too jarring for people who are used to the first person POV.

The Shadowman and Jealene (now "J") will both be genderselectable just like the main cast. The Shadowman will be genderselectable later on, though - it might sound strange but I think it makes sense when you have more context. J plays a bigger role than they did in the original and their personality is a bit different in this version.

Some side characters (such as most of the hideout) will be cut. This is because they felt really underdeveloped to me in the full game and didn't serve much of a purpose. Instead I'm focusing more on the main cast + a few key characters to ensure the story plot stays focused and you get more time to develop bonds of various kinds with the main cast instead.

The relationship system will look a bit different. Instead of bars showing a percentage of approval, I'll write a description of each character and what they think of you. The descriptions will shift when the character starts viewing you differently, whether that's due to rivalry, romance or friendship. My hope is that this will allow for a more nuanced relationship system/descriptions. I'll also adjust the options a bit to try and make choices more nuanced and am thinking of including the option of having ex. a heart next to a romantic choice for those who want to know for sure what they're getting into. The different responses (such as shy, flirty etc.) will stay but some of it will probably be reworked. Essentially what I want to do is allow for a wider range of MCs and how the characters respond to the MC.

The MC is going to have more agency in certain ways. I've included something plot-relevant to the main character that can potentially change the dynamic between them and the group a bit, but it all depends on how you play it.

The tone might be somewhat different. Not entirely, of course, but there are some parts of the old TSS where the characters sound a bit younger than they are supposed to be, where tension and seriousness has been sacrificed in favor of humor and where some of the interactions aren't the way I would prefer for them to be. I've gotten older since writing TSS (gasp) and my tastes have changed, as has my writing to some degree. In order to do a rewrite I'd have to write in a way that's most enjoyable for me and that I feel best fits the story I want to tell. That's not to say that there isn't going to be silliness etc., but I'm adjusting the tone somewhat and putting more time and effort into descriptions and the writing overall.

The narrative will be different, even though the overall story itself will mostly stay the same. I'm keeping a lot of elements and also aim to introduce new ones that I believe will strengthen the story and make it a more enjoyable game overall.

I think those are the main differences I can give away right now without spoiling anything. I'll make sure to post updates when I've got more to share! Once the demo for the rewrite is finished, I'll post it on the forums and link it in an intro post on here.

Thank you all for sticking by me throughout the years. I hope you'll find some comfort in returning to this world, as well as new things to ponder and excite you in this new upcoming version of the story <3

The Azuridia and Quaiel chibis are done by the amazing madebysalfi

PLAY THE DEMO (TBA) 

Nothing could break the thick tension of a young, emotionally detached adult being with their equally emotionless and distant family members—well, maybe everything but a mysterious illness outbreak. As the virus begins to spread like wildfire, you struggle to progress through sudden grief and loss, kissing all normalcy goodbye. 

With life, as you know it, crumbling in shambles and danger continuing to lurk around each turning corner, you're forced to reconcile with your estranged family and survive with an unlikely group of survivors. Learn how to navigate through the end of the world as you know it.

content warning: Graphic depictions of violence, injuries and blood, death, trauma, body horror, explicit language, references to assault, mental and physical abuse, drug and alcohol usage, and sexual content. Suggested for mature +16 audiences.

what will remain?

Agreeing to be dragged along to some boring town in the middle of midwest butt-fuck nowhere, forced to leave the exciting college life behind—your friends, your freedom, your childhood home—all because your mother fell head over heels with some new guy. You loathed even the thought of it all: no bustling malls, the constant silence, the small-minded people.

Yet here you were, stuffed in a car with your life in boxes, with your little brother in the front acting like nothing in the world could bother him, and your mother clinging to the steering wheel as if it might help with holding her broken life together.

You were supposed to start working at your new job, your brother was supposed to start school, and your mom was supposed to be happy again.

None of that happened before you could even really settle in.

A bloody cough. A sudden scream. A neighbor is missing his arm, turning feral and bloody before your eyes. One moment, you were rolling your eyes at your mom’s hopeful smile, the next you're bashing head's in with a wooden fence picket.

Suddenly, you’re no longer just the angry kid dragged to a new life you never asked for. You’re the only one who can keep your brother safe, scavenging for the bare necessities, navigating panic-stricken streets, passing through overcrowded quarantine zones. 

Now, you have to take lead. You have to make impossible decisions. You have to survive—for your family, for new allies, for yourself. With every horror you face, every life you take, and every moment earned through blood and grit, you start to feel something shifting inside you.

In the end, the question isn’t just whether you'll survive…but what will remain left of you.

STORY FEATURES.

Choose your character's name, pronouns, sexual identity, appearance, and even survival style. 

Form stronger or ruin the current and new relationships that you have.

have the choices you make throughout the story effect your survival experiences and significant plot changes. 

Figure out just how far you're willing to go when it comes to the safety of your family and allies. 

Customize your favorite melee or ranged weapon of choice.

Engage or escape—looter or shooter. Learn which fighting style truly fits your character. 

Decide who you should indulge your trust in: family, friends, or the government.

ROMANCE OPTIONS.

Along the way, experience unique character routes depending on your section of RO's and your relations with them:

.ᐣ  Cal/Cass ( F/M ) — A brooding, hard headed, easily annoyed firefighter with useful survival knowledge due to their career, an expected natural born leader forced to carrying too much on their plate, the type of person that you learn to tolerate or want to strangle. 

5’11” Short/shaved ginger hair, light eyelashes and light blue eyes, muscularly toned figure, tan white skin adored in brown speckled freckles, with a light scarlet blushed cheeks.

.ᐣ  Ezra/Ellie ( F/M ) — A inventive, easily overwhelmed, chatter mouth journalist intern with an encyclopedia of seemingly random knowledge especially about conspiracy theories, weird legal loopholes, and old physical media, frantic note taker, a nail biter who has the knack for problem solving and being resourceful.

5’9” curly long black hair, dark brown eyes like boba, mostly torso, lengthy awkward looking figure, golden brown skin, thick rimmed black glasses.

.ᐣ  Saint ( F/M ) — A scarily observant, quirky, sly trouble maker with a smiling klepto addiction due to being in and out of cuffs, has a odd hobby of exploring abandoned places and trespassing restricted areas, knows a lot of “urban knowledge”. 

5’7” unkempt shaggy short black hair, brown eyes, slight lean muscular figure, tan olive skin, has tattoos on both forearms and hands, silver eyebrow piercing on right side.

.ᐣ  Ray ( M ) —  A rational, strong hearted, nurturing mechanic with a protective nature over his daughter, an ex-police officer with a troubling pass that he can’t seem to shake, can talk to anyone as has if he’s known them for years, a sharpshooter even with partial vision he falls back on  instincts and muscle memory.

6’2” buzzed coily hair, blind in one but the other open eye is light brown, in shape dad-bod, deep brown skin, has a scar that travels from the right side of his forehead to the top of his cheek. 

OTHER LINKS.

RO INTROS

ALLY INTROS

KOFI

....dedicated to all the apocalyptic loving losers like me and most importantly @anya-dev and her inspirational interactive novel scout :)

Kida and Milo 💙

Undercurrent

Undercurrent is a sci-fi, mystery, surfing interactive fiction story that dives into the deepest parts of our minds. The game is rated 17+ for mature content.

Synopsis:

You return to the Cove after six years, older, quieter, and carrying a special kind of grief. Once a competitive surf prodigy, you vanished after the death of someone close to you, someone who died in these waters.

But the ocean hasn’t forgotten you. Neither has the Cove.

Now, in this small town, teetering between real and tech, strange phenomena ripple through the waters. Surfboards pulse with forgotten data. Tides shift too suddenly. Whispers drift through the mist. And your old board—silent for years—begins humming with signals that shouldn’t exist.

As you retrace old steps, you’ll uncover hidden secrets, rekindle, or avoid fractured relationships, and confront the truth of what happened the night everything changed. Someone—or something—knows you’re back. And the waves are calling for you.

Choose how you navigate the past:

Will you pursue the mystery beneath the sea, even if it means unraveling yourself?

Will you ride the tide toward truth, or let it pull you under?

Will you reconnect with the person you once loved—before they became someone else?

Because in the Cove, nothing stays buried forever. Not love. Not guilt. Not the dead.

Features:

Customize your Surfer's gender, sexuality, and more!

Romance one of four characters! Or romance the one that never made it out of the Cove.

Hone your surfing skills! Do you prefer the natural way, or will you let tech help you?

Uncover the mystery that is under the Cove.

Dynamic environment and choices!

Multiple endings!

Characters

Wren - Past friend or something more? F (22)

Wren always seemed a little too aware of things no one else noticed.

You remember Wren barefoot on the cliff’s edge, the salt spray catching in her hair, her eyes blazing with something fierce, something breakable all at once. She turned toward you, grinning like she knew a secret you hadn't earned yet, and said in a jovial voice: "One day, we’ll go so far out the waves can’t find us. Promise me you’ll come too." You never answered. You thought you had forever. "You used to be my anchor. Now you're the mystery pulling me under."

Ash Vega - M/F (29)

Runs a small surf repair and outfitting shop that's struggling to survive under the corporate tech expansions. Ash’s hands were steady even when the world wasn’t. You remember them pressing a hand over yours, guiding you to fix a cracked fin on your first board. "It’s not broken. Just needs someone who won’t give up on it." You didn’t realize until later that they weren't talking about the board at all. "You left. I stayed. Don’t expect it to be easy between us."

Kye Onari - M/F (26)

Kye came to the Cove, riding the strange waves without fear — and might know more about the ocean's changing patterns than they admit. You remember Kye laughing, reckless and wild, as they dove straight into a rip current like they could outrun death itself. "If you’re not scared, it’s not worth it." You stood frozen on the sand that day — and Kye never looked back. "You think you can keep secrets from the ocean? You're adorable."

Imani Reyes - F (30)

A researcher specializing in tech-oceanic anomalies. The first time you saw Imani, she was kneeling on the rocks, studying a tide pool like it was a portal to another world. She didn’t notice you watching until she said, softly: "Everything leaves traces if you know where to look." When your eyes met, you felt like you were the one being studied. "You make me want to believe in things I shouldn't."

Cassian "Cass" Rook - M (31)

Act like nothing matters, but every scar says otherwise. Cass stood alone by the firepit, one foot grinding lazy circles into the sand, a cigarette burning low between two fingers. He stared up at the stars — half the constellations smothered by the haze of the city beyond the cliffs — and let out a hollow laugh. "Doesn’t matter how good it feels out here. Everything good still finds a way to leave." He said it like a joke, but he didn’t smile. Neither did you. "I’m not here to be your hero. I’m barely here to save myself."

DEMO JUNE 1ST

@interact-if

Hello everyone, I just wanted to come on here and give a little update, alongside a little teaser of the Yandere Heir. I’m pretty much done with the prologue I just have to add a couple more things and edit a few parts I think could be better. I really wanna make this first impression really POP!😅. I’m planning to release it when I get up to two chapters, that way people have plenty of content to mess around with. I don’t want to release a demo with just the prologue and have everyone questioning their sanity.

But thank you for being patient with me I’m really excited to share it with you guys!

I hope you guys like it!😁

MY BABIESSS

HaruGou So sorry, my photoshop is down I was forced to edit in sai. >_<

It really should be acknowledged, in one way or another, that Amy saved Shadow's life.

Not Sonic. Not Rouge. Their contributions later cannot be understated, but in a pivotal moment where it can be argued it counted most, Amy was the one to save Shadow's life by asking them to give everyone a chance.

By extension, she was asking Shadow to give themselves a chance.

And Shadow took it.