The following is a supplement of story material for Guilty Skies: The Three Tropics of Wilmington, being developed in Inform 7. Since this is to be my first, official "serious" game project, I sincerely hope that this gives you all something to chew on while I write up more locations and interactions.
Please, enjoy.
THE ARRIVALPlease, enjoy.
Black rubber sandals with red lining in their soles clacked loudly and raucously onto the asphalt trail laid out by I-17's highway commute. Two exasperated legs, heavy with the burden of a long and arduous journey on foot, struggled to stay upright and not buckle under the mercy of loose gravel and broken chunks of road. Cars, trucks and vans, some with boats in tow and kayaks tied down on the roofs threatened to sideswipe Tyler at a blind spot while he wrangled the handles of a canvas shopping bag; inside it, the only two blankets he could afford back in town, and a pillow to lay his head on. All else -- his wallet, a lighter for spare cigarettes, and a Delta preroll, to be saved for his arrival on the sands of Wrightsville beach -- stayed in his pockets, which he anxiously patted to ensure nothing had tumbled out during the walk.
"Jesus... I'm certainly a trouper" He thought out loud. The journey was made willingly, yet everyone knows that the smallest price to pay for a journey is your own breath, to be caught once again later. As this thought crossed his mind, the visage of silver-blue sparkling waters crept slowly over the horizon of the land, giving way to the bridge. The only thing separating the tourists from the natives, and all one has to do is drive or walk across it. Pedantic thinking, Tyler mused, as such an act does not require such complex thinking, but thinking is what creates motion in people.
The young, lowly savant pressed on ever further, and the gentle glow of the twilight sky began to dim, ever so slowly that one could not watch the gradient change in such a manner simply by watching the sky. And as the lighting came down, so too did he follow its timing, bravely crossing the bridge.
Soon, the walking finally came to an end, and although he was not being forced by any master to come this far, he felt as though the world itself had told him "Alright, you did well. That's enough, take a break."
Of course, this came as a familiar voice in his mind. Aloe.
But his breath was few. And his own mind was a wash with exhaustion. A chat would have to wait until a second wind came.
The sand was only ever-so-lightly cold. Not nearly enough to evoke shivering, but just barely enough that a towel or something underneath him, and a blanket over the legs, would fend off the biting breeze, as steady as it came, it was not a gust, and with the coming night time hours the wind itself would fall to slumber with the rest of the beach.
Tyler fumbled in his pocket for the little plastic tube given to him at Super Smoke back on Market Street, finding it and bringing it close. His favorite plant matter in one hand, and a dolphin-gray dollar lighter in the other, he followed his own silent orders, issued to him by himself. He knew why he was already lighting the joint. He knew why he sat there, taking in a torrent of "B.S.-Destroying Air" as he often jokingly referred to it to his parents, and friends on occasion.
The sand knew it. The world around him knew why. The eternally dancing, sparkling waters of the ocean, lit by a Waxing Gibbous moon high above, knew this as well.
Always one with the celestial forces of this world, always attuned to the benevolent strength of White Magick, Tyler felt this, and silently agreed with the universe...
...A nod, a quiet smile, and only a few choice words to acknowledge his mindfulness...
"What a fantastic night to be where everything has its dreams."
With this, meditative silence fell gently, and the only sound anywhere came from the waves. Under closed eyes and a glowing red cherry on his preroll, he took another, longer, deliberate drag.
Nostalgic memories of watching Aladdin came with the silvery-gray view of a near-translucent cloud of smoke emerging from deep within his throat; the smoke appearing so abruptly and seeming to follow a path in the air as it dissipated brought back the vision of the Genie frantically freeing himself from the lamp, and Tyler chuckled at remembering the preceding moments in which the Genie had to shake off the atrophy in his "muscles" after being stuck in the lamp for so long ("Ten thousand ye-e-e-a-r-s will give ya SUCH a crick in the NECK!!") Such dainty amusement is what reminded him that happiness is indeed possible.
Then... a sound.
High pitched. From the sea. A whistle? A child's toy made to sound off when squished? No, it couldn't have-- there are indeed toys made for kids that produce cutesy sounds when palpated somehow, but not all of them are loud enough to be heard over a distance, and it's very unlikely a lifeguard was out at this ungodly hour blowing a whistle to alert someone.
Another one. The same kind. Now it was more of a whine, but it didn't sound sad or distressed...
Instead, it sounded more like... Singing.
Tyler gasped sharply and loudly. His eyes beamed.
A visit from your spirit animal is certainly a rare thing indeed, which must be cherished.
GUILTY SKIES: THE THREE TROPICS OF WILMINGTON
AN INTERACTIVE FICTION ADVENTURE
PRODUCED IN INFORM 7
BASED ON TRUE ACCOUNTS*
AN INTERACTIVE FICTION ADVENTURE
PRODUCED IN INFORM 7
BASED ON TRUE ACCOUNTS*
- Traverse through multiple rooms and locations spanning the distances of three of Wilmington NC area's beachfronts; Wrightsville, Carolina Beach, and Kure (pronounced "cure-EE") Beach, eventually reaching a fourth penultimate challenge at the Fort Fisher Aquarium, where seven animals found at the aquarium's exhibits are each guarding a "Secret"
- Not Yet Implemented:: Advanced interactions uncommon in most traditional text adventures; run a search on a computer terminal for a specific stored file, save contacts to a smartphone item, skills to learn that can be used to make progress and a handful of Magick spells
- Make friends with an otter that likes to chew on rocks for some reason
- Make people laugh without even knowing you're doing it somehow
- Throw seaweed at a trash can, ask questions later
- MUCH MORE COMING SOON
- Not Yet Implemented:: Advanced interactions uncommon in most traditional text adventures; run a search on a computer terminal for a specific stored file, save contacts to a smartphone item, skills to learn that can be used to make progress and a handful of Magick spells
- Make friends with an otter that likes to chew on rocks for some reason
- Make people laugh without even knowing you're doing it somehow
- Throw seaweed at a trash can, ask questions later
- MUCH MORE COMING SOON
DISCLAIMER: Guilty Skies will always be %100 FREE to play, once I finish it -- this is NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT OR A REQUEST FOR MONETARY EXCHANGE OF ANY KIND. More like, a trailer of sorts.
