Crypt Shyfter: Dreadnaughts

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<<audio "track6" loop play>>\ <div style="text-align: center;">\ CRYPT SHYFTER: DREADNAUGHTS by kung fu space barbarian cover artist: Butzbo composers: AlxEllis | MeteorManMike | HelpThePoor TheDoubleOne | Troisnyx | ScrabbitTheRabbit [[START GAME|setup]] | [[Music Settings & Credits|musicset]] </div>\ <> <<set $student = "false">> <<set $inventory= []>> <<set $quests= []>> <<set $gold= 50>> <<set $magicitems = 0>> <<set $weapon = "fists">> <<set $bet = "None">> <<set $betee = "None">> <<set $bsquest = 0>> <<set $wl = "friend">> <<set $lordhawk = "false">> <<set $tat = "none">> <<set $body = "none">> <<set $zombies = "no">> <<set $know = "false">> <<set $thequest = "redemption">> <<set $greyblade = "false">> <>

<div style="text-align: center;">\ ------ Inventory ------ </div>\ Gold: <<print $gold>> <<print $inventory.join("\n")>> <<return "Back">>

You stagger to your feet, sending empty mugs rolling across the wooden floor. After a moment your head clears. No hangover. No dizziness. You feel fit as a fiddle. Strange. [[Continue|entertavernn]]

“Fresh meat for the grinder, that’s good. Everyone loves seeing a new face in The Pit- makes for some good gambling,” says Sylla. She flattens her paper on the table and begins to write. “Normally there’s an entry fee of 10 gold pieces to fight, but we waive that for newcomers. What’s your name, stranger?”” <<textbox "$name" "" "Goname">>

Sylla squints at you. "I ain't never seen you here before. What's your name?" <<textbox "$name" "" "Goname">>

<<if visited("whitelotusbet")>>\ Subtle Drum: I've already got your bet, my friend- no need to worry! Come see me after the fight if your fighter wins! [[Leave|tavernmain]] <<elseif visited("rawhidebet")>>\ Subtle Drum: I've already got your bet, my friend- no need to worry! Come see me after the fight if your fighter wins! [[Leave|tavernmain]] <<else>>\ Subtle Drum: AHA! You there! You look like a gambler! I’m Subtle Drum, the bookie at this fine establishment. Care to place a bet on who will win? [[Bet on White Lotus|whitelotusbet]] | [[Bet on Rawhide|rawhidebet]] | [[Leave|tavernmain]]<</if>>

<<if visited("gotomaintavern")>>\ The soldiers are deep in conversation. Better leave them alone for now. [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<else>>\ Copper Tiger: ...another attack. All this talk about dark magic and undead... it gives me the chills. That could have been any of us, you know. [[Dark magic? Undead? What's going on?|takedrink]] | [[Leave them alone|gotomaintavern]]<</if>>

<<if visited("gotomaintavern2")>>\ Leaping Viper is busy with work. Better not disturb him. [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<elseif visited("laughandwalk")>>\ Leaping Viper: Get lost, you good-for-nothing cad! [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<else>>\ A burly fighter with a broken leg squeals in pain as Leaping Viper tries to heal him. [[Continue|vipey]]<</if>>

<<if visited("backtotavern")>>\ The bar wench is busy with other guests right now. [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<elseif visited("broomcloset")>>\ The bar wench gives you the finger. [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<else>>\ Bar Wench: Hello there, cutie pie. Would you like a drink? [[Yes, please.|yep]] | [[No, thanks.|nope]]<</if>>

Dozens of posters have been plastered around the tavern. They all say the same thing: FIGHT THE OX, UNDEFEATED CHAMPION OF THE PIT! PRIZE: 1,000 gp [[Continue|tavern22]]

<<if $gold gte 5>>\ Subtle Drum: You got it! Come see me after the fight if your fighter wins! [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<set $bet = 5>>\ <<set $gold -= 5>>\ <<else>>\ Subtle Drum: You can't afford that bet! Come back when you have some real money! [[Continue|tavernmain]]<</if>>

<<if $gold gte 10>>\ Subtle Drum: You got it! Come see me after the fight if your fighter wins! [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<set $bet = 10>>\ <<set $gold -= 10>>\ <<else>>\ Subtle Drum: You can't afford that bet! Come back when you have some real money! [[Continue|tavernmain]]<</if>>

<<if $gold gte 25>>\ Subtle Drum: You got it! Come see me after the fight if your fighter wins! [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<set $bet = 25>>\ <<set $gold -= 25>>\ <<else>>\ Subtle Drum: You can't afford that bet! Come back when you have some real money! [[Continue|tavernmain]]<</if>>

<<if $gold gte 50>>\ Subtle Drum: You got it! Come see me after the fight if your fighter wins! [[Continue|tavernmain]] <<set $bet = 50>>\ <<set $gold -= 50>>\ <<else>>\ Subtle Drum: You can't afford that bet! Come back when you have some real money! [[Continue|tavernmain]]<</if>>

Thunder Knee: There's been another attack to the north. Dreadnaughts. Two squads were sent in to deal with them, but the beasts sucked out their souls. We were patrolling that area this morning and didn't see anything. Just think... if this attack had happened a few hours earlier, we'd all be dead men. [[What can you tell me about Dreadnaughts?|udatks]] | [[Where did the Dreadnaught come from?|udcomefrom]]

Thunder Knee: My name is Thunder Knee, and these are my brothers-in-arms, Copper Tiger and Cursing Scorpion. We’re Iron Knights- members of the city guard at Irongate. [[Continue|cityguard]]

Cursing Scorpion: General Rawhide is one of the toughest generals in all the realms! Well, he was- until he retired, that is. He likes to keep in shape by fighting in the Pit, but it’s clear his old age is catching up to him. It seems like he loses more fights than he wins. Still, I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of one of his punches, that’s for sure! [[Who are you guys?|whoareyou]] | [[White Lotus|whitelotusask]] | [[The Ox|whataboutox]] | [[Who are you rooting for?|rootingfor]] | [[Are you here to fight?|youheretofight]] | [[Goodbye.|gotomaintavern]]

Thunder Knee: The Ox is one big dude! I’ve seen him fight a few times, and it’s never pretty. He’s a real dirty fighter, but he does have an obvious flaw in his fighting style. [[Continue|obviousflaw]]

Cursing Scorpion: No. Current members of the city guard aren’t allowed to fight in the Pit. That’s why Rawhide was so eager to jump in when he retired- it was the first time in over 40 years he’d been allowed to hop into a fighting ring. Though, knowing him, I’m sure he managed to sneak his way into a few fights over the years. [[Who are you guys?|whoareyou]] | [[Rawhide|tellmerawhide]] | [[White Lotus|whitelotusask]] | [[The Ox|whataboutox]] | [[Who are you rooting for?|rootingfor]] | [[Goodbye.|gotomaintavern]]

Thunder Knee: Safe travels, friend. [[Continue|tavernmain]]

You pin down the thrashing fighter while Leaping Viper braces the man’s leg. The fighter’s cries slowly die down to soft whimpering. Leaping Viper wipes the sweat from his forehead. [[Continue|lehealer]]

Leaping Viper: Damn you! You’d better hope you don’t need a healer in this tavern, because I won’t help you! [[Continue|tavernmain]]

Leaping Viper: Me and Sylla go way back. She used to fight in the Cornwood Arena ‘til it got shut down. I was working as an apprentice healer back then. One day my master was out and Sylla took a nasty beating- three broken ribs, a fractured eye socket, and a hell of a lot less dignity. [[Continue|reminisece]]

Leaping Viper: General Rawhide’s a tough old goat. He’s got a great reputation around town- he’s a very well-respected member of the community. Never had to worry about bandits or raiders with Rawhide around. He’s a good fighter, too, but his age is starting to show. [[Continue|rawgos]]

Leaping Viper: White Lotus is very popular with the gentlemen around here- and quite a few ladies, too, unless I’m much mistaken! She’s a quiet girl, but she fights like an army of tigers. General Rawhide’s got his work cut out for him tonight. I just hope she doesn’t hurt him too bad. I’d like to get home at a reasonable hour tonight. [[How did you end up working here?|workinghere]] | [[Rawhide|tellmerawhide2]] | [[The Ox|whataboutox2]] | [[Who are you rooting for?|rootingfor2]] | [[Do you ever fight?|youheretofight2]] | [[Goodbye.|gotomaintavern2]]

Leaping Viper: Vile old brute. I haven’t seen him tonight, but he’ll be here. He likes to make an entrance. If there’s anyone I’d like to see get their ass handed to ‘em, it’d be Ox. [[Continue|oxhate]]

Leaping Viper: Farewell, stranger. [[Continue|tavernmain]]

Bar Wench: Sylla runs the tavern here. She’s a tough boss, but she pays well. Not a lot of honest employers like her in this city. As long as you do your job, she’s happy. She’s been looking for new fighters to duke it out in the Pit. You look like you can handle yourself in a fight. You should sign up if you haven’t yet! [[The fights|tellboutfights]] | [[Let’s go do it in the broom closet.|broomcloset]] | [[Goodbye.|backtotavern]]

Bar Wench: The fights are the big draw of this tavern. The food here isn’t bad, but people come from all over to watch the fights. We haven’t seen many new faces enter the Pit lately, but Sylla’s doing her best to drive a little interest. [[Continue|fights2]]

The bar wench bites her lip and looks around to make sure Sylla isn’t watching before taking your hand and leading you to the broom closet. You do some kinky stuff in there. I mean... really kinky. [[Continue|closet2]]

Bar Wench: Glad to be of service. [[Continue|tavernmain]]

Bar Wench: You have to pay an entry fee if you want to fight, but winners get a cash prize, so if you’re good you can make a lot of money here. You can also make money gambling on the fights- just talk to Subtle Drum, he’ll get you set up. [[Continue|fights3]]

Bar Wench: All fights are non-lethal. As soon as one fighter falls unconscious or taps out, the fight is over. Anyone who takes things too far has to deal with Sylla. At that point, they usually wish they were already dead. [[Sylla|whtboutsylla]] | [[Let’s go do it in the broom closet.|broomcloset]] | [[Goodbye.|backtotavern]]

Your lovemaking is a blur of ropes, whips, knives, scented candles, biting, slapping, grunting, panting, moaning, laughing, and even something about a... panda suit? [[Continue|closet3]]

You snap out of your daydream when the bar wench dumps a whole pitcher of beer over your head. Everyone in the bar laughs at you. The bar wench walks away and begins serving more polite customers. [[Continue|tavernmain]]

Sylla looks you up and down before laughing in your face. [[Continue|fightings]]

Sylla: The fights are what bring people to this tavern. We’ve got one of the only establishments in the city that allows fighting- some would even say we encourage it. [[Continue|figidh]]

Sylla: I won this tavern from an old man in a game of strip poker a few years ago and turned it into what it is today- the best damn fighting ring in the city. The food could use some work, but let’s be honest- folks who come here aren’t interested in fine cuisine, they’re here to get drunk and watch people fight. [[I’m here to fight The Ox.|signupforfight]] | [[Tell me about the fights.|telboutfigts]] | [[Goodbye.|tavernmain]]

<<set $winnerwinner = either("White Lotus","Rawhide")>>\ <<if $winnerwinner == "Rawhide">>\ <<set $loserloser = "White Lotus">>\ At that moment the crowd breaks into cheers. You turn to watch but the fight is already over. $winnerwinner is the winner. [[Continue|fightsoverrawhide]] <<else>>\ <<set $loserloser = "Rawhide">>\ At that moment the crowd breaks into cheers. You turn to watch but the fight is already over. $winnerwinner is the winner. [[Continue|fightsoverwhitelotus]]<</if>> <<if $bet == 5>>\ <<set $winnings = 50>><</if>>\ <<if $bet == 10>>\ <<set $winnings = 100>><</if>>\ <<if $bet == 25>>\ <<set $winnings = 250>><</if>>\ <<if $bet == 50>>\ <<set $winnings = 500>><</if>>\

<<set $gold += $winnings>>\ Sylla: Right this way. [[Continue|pit1]]

Sylla: Right this way. [[Continue|pit1]]

<<if $betee == "Rawhide">>\ Subtle Drum approaches you with a grin on his face. [[Continue|yaybet]] <<else>>\ You see Subtle Drum handing out sacks of gold to winning gamblers. You mentally kick yourself for not betting on $winnerwinner. [[Continue|youlosebet]]<</if>>

<<if $betee == "White Lotus">>\ Subtle Drum approaches you with a grin on his face. [[Continue|yaybet]] <<else>>\ You see Subtle Drum handing out sacks of gold to winning gamblers. You mentally kick yourself for not betting on $winnerwinner. [[Continue|youlosebet]]<</if>>

Sylla approaches you. She’s holding a scroll with a list of names on it. “You here to fight, or are you planning on drinking that whole jug of deer piss that passes for tea?” asks Sylla. [[I’m here to fight.|fight]] [[I’m here to meet someone.|watch]]

You step into The Pit and are greeted with a chorus of boos. At first you think the crowd is booing you, but just then you notice The Ox enter the tavern. [[Continue|oxox]]

The Ox lunges forward but you easily parry his attacks. He overextends himself and you throw a hard kick at his knee. His leg snaps with a hideous crack. You use his moment of weakness to bust out a fancy tornado kick that connects squarely with his jaw. The Ox crashes to the ground with a thud. [[Continue|ag3]]

You dodge The Ox's first few attacks but he's a lot faster than you were expecting. Just when it seems like you've avoided the brunt of his attack another punch comes flying at you. [[Continue|oysa]]

The fight is over. You reach a hand down to help him up but notice the odd angle of his head. A small trickle of blood runs from his nose and lips. You've accidently broken his neck. The Ox is dead. [[Continue|endfight1]]

The bar is silent. You walk up to Sylla. She shoves a sack of gold into your arms. [[Continue|uhoh]]

The laughter makes you angry. You smash his misshapen nose with your elbow. He's stunned, but just for a moment. Before you have time to react, he punches you in the gut with one of his meaty fists. It's like being hit with a freight train. [[Continue|haldjf]]

The Ox lunges forward with an elbow strike of his own. You duck to the side, grab his arm, and snap his wrist. The sound of cracking bone echoes throughout the tavern leaving the audience screaming in a frenzy. [[Continue|hyyy]]

The tavern explodes with a roar of cheering. Dozens of hands reach out to pat you on the head, shoulders, and arms. Nobody can believe a stranger walked into Sylla's place and took down The Ox. [[Continue|prizemoney]]

You walk up to Sylla, who is waiting for you with a large bag of gold. Her eyes are filled with a newfound respect for you. But there's also something else in her eyes... a reflection. You see The Ox get to his feet. He's charging right at you! What do you do? [[Humiliate him|humiliatehim]] | [[Kill him with your fists|killhim]] | [[Kill him with chi|killchi]]

The Ox picks up a chair and rushes at you. You drop into Stone Blade stance and tense your muscles. The chair smashes against you and shatters into a thousand tiny pieces. It doesn't even leave a mark. Before The Ox enemy can find a new weapon, you smash your fist into his already-broken nose. [[Continue|moreoxy]]

The Ox picks up a chair and rushes at you. You drop into Stone Blade stance and tense your muscles. The chair smashes against you and shatters into a thousand tiny pieces. It doesn't even leave a mark. Before The Ox enemy can find a new weapon, you smash your fist into his already-broken nose. [[Continue|yayayox]]

You clench your fist and the shards of broken bottle fly into the air, spinning around you. Your eyes burn with the fiery energy of your chi. Three dozen shards of glass rocket towards The Ox, slicing his arms, throat, and face to shreds. [[Continue|kilinox]]

A deep silence falls over the tavern. Sylla heaves a deep sigh of regret. [[Continue|grabe]]

You stand back and smile as The Ox begs for his life. You pick him up and slam him down on his neck, putting him out of his misery. The Ox lays on the ground in a pool of his own blood, still twitching. [[Continue|killedox]]

A deep silence falls over the tavern. Sylla heaves a deep sigh of regret. [[Continue|moredialobue]]

The Ox slaps the bar wench's ass, rips off his shirt, and leaps into The Pit. Without waiting for a call to start, The Ox attacks! What do you do? [[Fuck him up|aggressive]] | [[Toy with him|toywithhim]]

You step out into the city and look around. You're about to head down the street when you hear a voice behind you. [[Continue|whitelys]]

The Ox rushes at you with a jagged beer bottle. You bring up your forearm to block the attack. The bottle shatters, leaving a bloody gash across your arm. Suddenly you begin to channel your chi. [[Continue|chichi]]

Sylla: I think it would be best if you leave. [[Continue|besly]]

<div style="text-align: center;">\ ------ Quests ------ </div>\ <<print $quests.join("\n")>> <<return "Back">>

Thunder Knee: We aren't sure. The first reported attack came from the East. A band of merchants had their souls devoured by the monsters. Perhaps the merchants ventured too close to the Grey Keep- rumor has it Lord Hawk has returned, and he's raising an army. I don't buy it, but I suppose anything is possible. [[Lord Hawk?|Lordhawk]] | [[The Grey Keep?|greykeep]]

You walk up a set of creaky wooden steps and enter the main tavern area. The cheering grows louder. A peasant girl is beating the stuffing out of an old man in a fighting pit. “Get your bets in now, before it’s too late!” shouts the bookie. “This fight is a real doozy! General Rawhide vs White Lotus! This will be one you tell your grandkids about!" [[Continue|tavernmain2]]

White Lotus: I suppose that's true. Can I ask you something? [[Of course.|askme]] | [[I'm a little busy right now. Maybe another time.|anothertime]]

<<if visited("fightsoverwhitelotus")>>\ White Lotus: I did kick General Rawhide's ass pretty good, didn't I? [[Don't get too cocky. Beating up an old man isn't anything to brag about.|bragabout]] | [[Is there something you need?|needsomething]] <<else>>\ White Lotus: Not good enough. General Rawhide mopped the floor with my face... [[Don't beat yourself up over it. It was just one fight.|onefight]] | [[Is there something you need?|needsomething]]<</if>>

White Lotus: Right... Can I ask you something? [[Sure.|askme]] | [[I'm a little busy right now. Maybe another time.|anothertime]]

White Lotus: Your kung fu... I've never seen anyone fight like you before. My master was killed in one of the Dreadnaught attacks last week. I've been on my own ever since. I was wondering... would you take me on as your student? [[Dreadnaughts|undeadask]] | [[Your master|prevmaster]] | [[I don't have time for students.|notimestudents]] | [[I would be honored to teach you what I know.|teachya]]

White Lotus: You're right! Hey, can I ask you something? [[Of course.|askme]] | [[I'm a little busy right now. Maybe another time.|anothertime]]

White Lotus: Your kung fu... I've never seen anyone fight like you before. My master was killed in one of the Dreadnaught attacks last week and since then, I've been on my own. I was wondering... would you take me on as your student? [[Dreadnaughts|undeadask]] | [[Your master|prevmaster]] | [[I don't have time for students.|notimestudents]] | [[I would be honored to teach you what I know.|teachya]]

White Lotus: Oh. Right, of course. Sorry to have bothered you. [[Continue|whilteous]]

<<if visited("backtotown")>>\ The chancellor is surrounded by angry people all vying for his attention. Better come back later. [[Leave|edgewater]] <<elseif visited("flwchanc")>>\ The chancellor is surrounded by angry people all vying for his attention. Better come back later. [[Leave|edgewater]] <<else>>\ You enter the chancellor's office. The tiny building is filled with people shouting and clamoring over one another. You catch a few words amidst the endless babble: "Wolf spirits," "abandoned," "do something," "Dreadnaughts," "protect us," "duty," etc. [[Continue|chenyc]]<</if>>

The docks are crawling with merchants, traders, and sailors carrying supplies back and forth between ships and shops. Dozens of boats bob up and down on the water. The air smells like fish. What do you want to do? [[Talk to a group of sailors|sailors]] | [[Investigate a nearby pirate ship|pirateship]] | [[Head to the fish market|fishmarket]] | [[Return to town|edgewater]] <<if $bsquest == 1>> | [[Meet Trader Sky and collect the steel shipment|steelshipment]]<</if>>

<<if visited("markets2")>>\ You wander through the marketplace but nothing of interest catches your eye. [[Continue|edgewater]] <<else>>\ The marketplace is a busy street lined with vendors selling all sorts of random knickknacks and tchotchkeys. A man in a turban calls out to you. [[Continue|turban]]<</if>>

<<if visited("bs2")>>\ The blacksmith is hard at work. He can't be bothered now. [[Leave|edgewater]] <<else>>\ You enter the blacksmith's shop. It seems like the shop is nearly empty. There is one rack of weapons and only a few shields to be seen. A handsome young man with a mop of shaggy brown hair is putting the finishing touches on a suit of armor. He looks up when you approach. [[Continue|bs2]]<</if>>

You head for the town gates. <<if $student == "true">>\ Just then White Lotus grabs your hand. [[Continue|whithand]] <<else>>\ A group of wandering pilgrims approach you. [[Continue|pilgs]]<</if>>

White Lotus: Master Axe Smasher took me in as a student when I was a little girl. He trained me in Stone Blade, a very aggressive style of kung fu. We spent several hours each day punching trees and bricks to toughen our bones. [[Continue|axsmasher]]

White Lotus: Oh. Right, of course. Sorry to have bothered you. [[Continue|whilteous]]

White Lotus: You will? Thank you so much! You won't regret this, I promise! [[If you are ready we can begin your training now.|trainnow]] | [[There are a few things I need to do first, then we can begin training.|trainlater]] <<set $student = "true">>\

White Lotus: When he heard about the attacks, he immediately volunteered to defend our city's walls. He was a brave man. The Dreadnaughts came in the night. My master tried to call for help, but there were too many of them. They surrounded him and ripped out his soul. I fled the city and came here, where I've been staying ever since. [[I'm sorry about your master. He sounds like a great man.|sorymaster]] | [[It sounds like your master sucked at kung fu!|scukedfu]]

White Lotus: He was. So what do you say? Will you teach me? [[I don't have time for students.|notimestudents]] | [[I would be honored to teach you what I know.|teachya]]

White Lotus: Master Axe Smasher was a good man! Perhaps I made a mistake in asking you to teach me. [[I don't have time for students.|notimestudents]]

White Lotus: A few weeks ago a lone Dreadnaught attacked a village called Moonbright. Everyone in Moonbright was killed... when their bodies were found, they were just husks. Their souls had been sucked out. Since then, dozens of towns and villages have suffered the same fate. Nobody knows where the Dreadnaughts came from, but there are plenty of rumors. [[Rumors|rumors2]] | [[Your master|prevmaster]] | [[I don't have time for students.|notimestudents]] | [[I would be honored to teach you what I know.|teachya]]

White Lotus: It's all nonsense, I'm sure. But we shouldn't talk about such things here. Perhaps we can discuss this further another time. [[Your master|prevmaster]] | [[I don't have time for students.|notimestudents]] | [[I would be honored to teach you what I know.|teachya]]

<<if visited("training")>>\ That's enough training for now. [[Back|edgewater]] <<else>>\ White Lotus: I am ready to learn, Master. [[Continue|training]]<</if>>

White Lotus: Very well. I will be here if you need anything. [[Continue|edgewater]]

Blacksmith: Oh, you're not- I'm sorry. I've been working myself to the bone trying to get out orders for the Hunters. They're a group of warriors who've sworn to destroy the Dreadnaughts, and they need a lot of supplies. I haven't slept much in the last few days, and there's still so much work to be done. I'm sorry, I really can't talk right now. [[Is there anything I can help with?|helpbs]] | [[Leave|edgewater]]

Blacksmith: Sorry, I don't have anything for sale at the moment. All my inventory has already been purchased by the Hunters. Besides, I'm pretty busy at the moment. I need to get this order done by tomorrow. [[Is there anything I can help with?|helpbs]] | [[Leave|edgewater]]

Blacksmith: Yes, the Hunters have cleaned me out. It's a good problem to have- for me, anyway. Unfortunately I still have a lot of work to do, so I won't be able to help you today. Why not stop back later in the week? This order should be done by then. [[Is there anything I can help with?|helpbs]] | [[Leave|edgewater]]

Blacksmith: Why... yes, as a matter of fact, there is. I'm expecting a new shipment of steel today. I'm supposed to meet a merchant named Trader Sky down at the docks, but I just don't have the time. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you bring me the steel from the docks? I'd pay you, of course! I can pay you 250 gold pieces for the job. [[I'll be back with your steel soon.|steeljob]] | [[Sorry, I don't have time to run errands for you.|notimeerrands]]

Blacksmith: You will? That's great! Remember, the merchant's name is Trader Sky. He will meet you at the docks. Bring the steel back here and I'll pay you 250 gold pieces. Thank you for your help! [[Leave|edgewater]] <<set $bsquest = 1>>\

Blacksmith: Then I'll have to ask you to leave. I have a lot of work to do and you're wasting my time. [[Leave|edgewater]]

<div style="text-align: center;">\ ------ [[Inventory|Inventory]] ------ </div>\

<<if visited("sailors2")>>\ The sailors don't want to talk to you. [[Leave|docks2]] <<else>>\ The sailors are huddled around a map. [[Continue|sailerts]]<</if>>

<<if visited("piratess")>>\ The pirates are busy. They're going to set sail soon. [[Leave|docks2]] <<elseif visited("weirder")>>\ The pirates are busy. They're going to set sail soon. [[Leave|docks2]] <<else>>\ You walk over to a pirate ship, where you're met by a scruffy looking dude. He’s wearing an eye patch and has a hook hand and a peg leg. He smells like scurvy. [[Continue|piratess]]<</if>>

<<if visited("movon")>>\ You make your way through the fish market, browsing the shops and displays. Nothing catches your interest, so you return to the docks after a few minutes of pointless browsing. [[Continue|docks2]] <<else>>\ You make your way through the fish market, browsing the shops and displays. At the last second you notice a boy running straight at you, but you can't get out of the way- he slams right into you! Without stopping to apologize the kid continues to run. [[Rotten kids...|movon]] | [[Watch where you're going you little shit!|movon]] | [[Brush yourself off and move on|movon]] <<set $gold = 0>>\ <</if>>\

You see two teenagers carrying a large crate across the boardwalk. One of the merchants is directing them. [[Continue|trdsyk]]

Trader Sky: You are? Oh, excellent. This shipment has already been paid for, so it's all yours. A pleasure doing business with you. [[Continue|quescomgfu]]

Trader Sky: I most certainly am! But I'm afraid I don't recognize you. Have we met before? [[I'm here to collect the steel for the blacksmith.|heretocollect]]

The blacksmith hurries over when you enter. [[Continue|bsshop]]

Blacksmith: Those are Gauntlets of Strength. If you're ever in a pinch and you need to lift something heavy, these will do the trick! Now, I've still got a lot of work left to do, but please come back later this week! I'll have more supplies for sale then. [[Leave|edgewater]] <<set $inventory.push("Gauntlets of Strength")>>\ <<set $gold += 250>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ <<set $talker = "White Lotus">>\ <<else>>\ <<set $talker = "Sun Ray">>\ <</if>>\ You arrive at the Shrine of the Wolf Spirits. The shrine consists of four wolf statues sitting atop a grassy hill. Three of the statues are in fairly good shape. Flowers and coins have been scattered around their bases. The fourth statue has been smashed to pieces. The grass around it is brown and stinks of urine. [[Why do you pray to the wolf spirits?|whypray]] | [[What happened to the fourth statue?|fourthstatue]] | [[This place is so... peaceful.|peaceful]]

White Lotus: The wolf spirits watch over all of us- they protect us! It is only proper to pay our due respects. [[Continue|cunfd]]

White Lotus: It will only take a moment, I promise. You don't have to pray- I will ask the spirits to protect you. [[Continue|eyeroll]]

Sun Ray: Nonsense, my friend! The wolf spirits watch over all of us- they protect us! It is only proper to pay our due respects. [[Continue|pillylams]]

$talker: The four wolf spirits have watched over us for as long as we can remember. We offer them our thanks, and in return they protect us. Many have come to the Shrine in recent weeks to ask for protection, but some believe the wolf spirits have abandoned us. [[How do the wolf spirits protect us?|protectus]] | [[Why do people think the wolf spirits abandoned us?|abandonedus]] | [[What happened to the fourth statue?|fourthstatue]]

$talker: These statues represent the four wolf spirits: Iron Wolf, Jade Wolf, Ember Wolf, and Silver Wolf. [[Continue|corrdigy]]

$talker: Yes. This place has always been filled with peace. It calms the mind. I can't understand how anyone was able to destroy one of these statues- though their anger is certainly justified. [[What happened to the fourth statue?|fourthstatue]]

$talker: In times past the wolf spirits would manifest themselves physically in times of need. If ever there was danger, the wolf spirits would come to the aid of those that prayed to them. Nobody has seen the wolf spirits in nearly a thousand years, but travelers who pray to the wolf spirits still claim to see wolves prowling along in the distance, watching over them and keeping them safe from harm. [[Why do people think the wolf spirits abandoned us?|abandonedus]] | [[What happened to the fourth statue?|fourthstatue]] | [[This place is so... peaceful.|peaceful]]

$talker: The wolf spirits have always kept us safe from evil. In days long past, they would visit the shrines to accept our offerings, but no one has seen the wolf spirits since Lord Hawk and Silver Wolf were defeated. Some believe the wolf spirits lost their power after that fight. Others believe they are ashamed to show themselves after one of their own betrayed us all. Perhaps the wolf spirits think we no longer trust them. [[What happened to the fourth statue?|fourthstatue]] | [[I've heard rumors about Lord Hawk. Do you think he's behind these Dreadnaught attacks?|hawk?]]

$talker: Silver Wolf was one of the worst mass murderers of all time- not a spirit that should be revered. [[Continue|spits]]

$talker: It is said that Lord Hawk crafted a magic sword of pure evil. The sword was called the Grey Blade. Lord Hawk gave the sword to Silver Wolf as a gift of surrender. The magic of the blade took hold of Silver Wolf's mind and before long Silver Wolf had betrayed the other wolf spirits and freed Lord Hawk from imprisonment. Of course, others just think Silver Wolf was always evil, and saw Lord Hawk as a stepping stone to greater power. [[What do you know about the Grey Blade?|greyblade]] | [[I've heard rumors about Lord Hawk. Do you think he's behind these Dreadnaught attacks?|hawk?]]

$talker: It is possible, though if that is the case it is very bad for us mortals. Lord Hawk was killed a thousand years ago, but no Shyfter can ever truly be killed- only dispersed. A Shyfter will reform after a thousand years, and a vengeful Shyfter like Lord Hawk would be a grave threat to our existence. [[Continue|lh2]]

You spit on the statue, but something feels wrong about this. You notice $talker deep in prayer, so you remain silent for a moment. [[Continue|emberwolf]]

$talker: Not much. Lord Hawk created the Grey Blade, but it was Silver Wolf who used it to butcher mortals. When Silver Wolf and Lord Hawk were defeated, the wolf spirits split the blade into three pieces and hid them. No one has seen the wolf spirits since then. Perhaps they were all corrupted by the magic of the blade? No one can be sure. [[I've heard rumors about Lord Hawk. Do you think he's behind these Dreadnaught attacks?|hawk?]]

Someone screams in the distance. You spin around and see several fires break out in the town below. Peasants run back and forth trying to put out the flames, but they're cut down by the curved blades of zombie samurai. [[Continue|shitgetsreal]]

$talker: If Lord Hawk truly is behind these attacks, then it is likely that he is seeking the shards of the Grey Blade. With the shards united, he could free Silver Wolf from imprisonment and together they could finish the job they started a thousand years ago. If the other wolf spirits have truly abandoned us, then we are in for a world of trouble. [[Continue|beginpray]]

A roar of cheers brings you to your senses. You are sitting in the basement of a tavern surrounded by empty beer mugs. You can't remember how you got here, but judging by the number of mugs scattered around you've been here for a while. What do you want to do? [[Go upstairs into the main tavern|start3]] [[Leave the basement through the back door|backdor]]

Ember Wolf: I had to find you... Take this sword hilt. There isn't much time. You must flee Edgewater before Lord Hawk finds you! [[Continue|swordf]]

$talker: (gasps) A wolf spirit! It can't be! But... you're Ember Wolf! [[Continue|wolfidn]]

Ember Wolf: No! You must leave this place! Lord Hawk must not get his hands on the sword hilt! [[Sword hilt? What?|wth]] | [[What the hell is a wolf spirit doing here?|wth]]

Ember Wolf: Lord Hawk... he's come for the sword. You must leave quickly. Find Iron Wolf... Find Jade Wolf... they have the other two sword fragments. Lord Hawk must not get his hands on the Grey Blade. You must unite the shards and use the sword to slay him! Only its magic can disperse him for good! [[Why me?|whyme]] | [[I'm not afraid of Lord Hawk!|notafrad]]

Ember Wolf: We are running out of time! You must leave at once! Find the other wolf spirits... They can tell you more. Jade Wolf... she's in Wolfgarde. To the north. And Iron Wolf... in the Red Desert. Find them. Unite the shards... kill Lord Hawk before it's too late... [[Continue|blodys]]

Ember Wolf: Don't be stupid! You must find the other wolf spirits... They can tell you more. Jade Wolf... she's in Wolfgarde. To the north. And Iron Wolf... in the Red Desert. Find them. Unite the shards... kill Lord Hawk before it's too late... [[Continue|blodys]]

You turn your back on Edgewater and run towards the mountains in the distance. <<if $talker == "Sun Ray">>\ Sun Ray and the pilgrims flee in another direction, intent on getting as far away from this madness as possible. <</if>>\ [[Continue|runfromcity]]

$talker: But the wolf spirit- [[Forget the wolf spirit! I'm going to kill this Lord Hawk myself!|kilem]] | [[Damn it! Fine! Let's get the hell out of here before those zombies show up.|hellout]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus bites her lip nervously but nods her head and follows you back to Edgewater. [[Continue|b2e]] <<else>>\ $talker: There's no way in hell we're going back to Edgewater to get our souls sucked out by Dreadnaughts. Let's get the hell out of here! [[Continue|pilgrle]]<</if>>

Edgewater is in ruins. Buildings are on fire. Undead roam the streets. Slaughtered villagers lie in pools of their own blood. What will you do? [[Check Inventory|Inventory]] | [[Sneak through the ruined city and search for Lord Hawk|sneaky]] | [[Walk down the main road and issue a challenge to Lord Hawk|challenge]]

You creep through the back alleys of the ruined city, evading patrols of undead samurai as you hunt for your target. You spot Lord Hawk standing in the center of town, flanked by two huge Dreadnaughts. His jet black armor is accentuated by a crimson robe and a hideous black mask. [[Challenge him to a duel|duelchal]] | [[Shoot him with chi|shotwithchi]] | [[This was a bad idea. Leave now before you're spotted.|levepfospto]]

You boldly stride down the main road and call out a challenge to Lord Hawk. The undead point their spears at you but don't attack. Suddenly the air is filled with echoing laughter. [[Continue|hawklikes]]

The flames of burning buildings coalesce into a cyclone ahead of you. With a dramatic flash the flames fizzle away and Lord Hawk stands before you. His jet black armor is accentuated by a crimson robe and a hideous black mask. [[Continue|morehakewin]]

Lord Hawk: Kill me? What-? Wait... you don't remember anything, do you? [[What are you talking about?|talkingbut]] | [[Enough talk, demon! This ends now!|endsnew]]

Lord Hawk: My, my. You have changed, haven't you? Protecting mortals now? Bah! Well, I must admit I'm a little disappointed. Tell me, did your sisters finally get to you? Or have you forgotten what we once had? [[What are you talking about?|talkingbut]] | [[Enough talk, demon! This ends now!|endsnew]]

Lord Hawk: Well, well, well. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here, Big Deal. I thought it would take much longer to find you! I'm pleased to see you haven't changed a bit. [[Looking for this? You can have the sword hilt over my dead body!|endsnew]] | [[What are you talking about?|talkingbut]] | [[Enough talk, demon! This ends now!|endsnew]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus gasps. [[Continue|wlgasp]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: Silver Wolf. My $lovebrother. What have they done to you? [[Your mind tricks won't work on me, you monster!|mindtricks]] | [[I'm not... I can't... How is this possible?|posbile]] <</if>>

Lord Hawk draws a black sword from beneath his cape and points it at your heart. [[Continue|lorhid]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and White Lotus charge Lord Hawk and attack him in unison. It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. [[Continue|fwlu]] <<else>>\ You throw yourself at Lord Hawk and the fight begins. It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. Skilled though you are, Lord Hawk has an army of undead samurai at his back. They swarm you and hold you down. [[Continue|trappedhawk]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk: It's no trick, Silver Wolf! Let me show you. [[Continue|shoyw]]

Lord Hawk: Come here, $lovebrother. Let me show you. [[Continue|shoyw]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus: No! [[Continue|wlno]] <<else>>\ You take a hesitant step forward. Lord Hawk casts his mask to the side and takes your face gently in both of his hands. You look deep into his eyes as magic begins to swirl from his fingertips. [[Continue|memories]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ Lord Hawk approaches you and reaches out a hand to touch your face. Just then you grab his wrist and flip him over your head. He hits the ground hard, but he's back on his feet in an instant. White Lotus leaps forward to defend you and the fight begins! [[Continue|bigestfight]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk approaches you and reaches out a hand to touch your face. Just then you grab his wrist and flip him over your head. He hits the ground hard, but he's back on his feet in an instant. The fight begins! [[Continue|bigrtef]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ You lean in to kiss Lord Hawk but White Lotus lets out a furious roar. [[Continue|furiousroatr]] <<else>>\ You embrace Lord Hawk and kiss him with gusto. Thunder rumbles overhead and it begins to rain. Lord Hawk holds you at arms length and takes a good look at your face. [[Continue|liyes]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ You take a deep breath. An instant later you spring into action. After a moment of hesitation White Lotus joins you. It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. [[Continue|wlbatletys]] <<else>>\ You throw yourself at Lord Hawk and the fight begins. It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. Skilled though you are, Lord Hawk has an army of undead samurai at his back. They swarm you and hold you down. [[Continue|trappedhawk]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus roars in fury. [[Continue|furiousroatr]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: You've been lied to. I don't know how you got here, or what the wolf spirits did to you, but you must believe me. I've been searching for you ever since I came back. [[Continue|yesh]]<</if>>

You and Lord Hawk move together, just like you did a thousand years ago. Your movements complement each other and you circle White Lotus like two wolves stalking a helpless deer. [[Continue|wldies]]

You immediately spring into action. After a moment of hesitation White Lotus joins you. It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. [[Continue|wlbatletys]]

Lord Hawk nods his head. White Lotus throws herself at you, but Lord Hawk blasts her aside with his magic. White Lotus goes flying into a puddle of mud and falls unconscious. [[Continue|rnr]] <<set $wl = "enemy">>

<<set $lordhawk = "true">>\ <<set $know = "true">>\ <<set $thequest = "revenge">>\ Lord Hawk: (smiling) It's good to be back. [[Continue|revenge1]]

<<set $know = "true">>\ Lord Hawk fails to notice your subtle chi-summoning technique until it's too late. You unleash an explosion of magical energy in all directions, completely incinerating the undead nearby. [[Continue|lhstfy]]

Lord Hawk: You've been lied to. I don't know how you got here, or what the wolf spirits did to you, but you must believe me. I've been searching for you ever since I came back. [[Continue|monomo]]

You stagger to your feet, sending empty mugs rolling across the wooden floor. After a moment your head clears. No hangover. No dizziness. You feel fit as a fiddle. Strange. [[Continue|bck2]]

You push open the heavy wooden door and find yourself standing in a muddy alleyway. You see three drunk hooligans laughing in the shadows. "And that's how I got that rash!" one of them says. "Dude... that's just gross," says another. Suddenly they look up from their bantering and spot you. [[Hello, gentlemen. Don't mind me, I'm just passing through.|passingthru]] [[You little shits look like you could use an ass kicking!|askick]]

One of the hooligans throws up all over the ground. The other two back away in disgust. You roll your eyes and step out of the alleyway. [[Continue|edgewater]]

The hooligans laugh and pull out knives. "Only one ass will be kicked today- YOURS!" [[Teach them a lesson|lesin]] [[Beat them to death|bet2dth]] [[Kill them with chi|chikills]]

The hooligans all rush you together. You evade their attacks and flip one of them over your head, slamming him down into a pile of garbage. You catch the second hooligan's arm and snap it like beef jerky. He screams like a little bitch. You kick him square in the chest, sending him flying back into the third hooligan. They both crash to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. [[Brush yourself off and walk away|walkwyr]] [[Spit on them|spithol]]

The hooligans rush you with their knives. You easily deflect their attacks before unleashing a flurry of punches into the first thug's chest. He coughs out blood as his heart explodes. The other two charge you in unison, so you leap in the air and scissor kick both of them in the head simultaneously. One crashes face-first into a pile of garbage. The trash is filled with broken beer bottles so he's impaled with glass shards and killed instantly. The second one bounces off a nearby wall and stumbles back toward you. You thrust your palm into his nose, driving the bone straight up into his brain. He flops to the ground, dead. [[Continue|walkwyr]]

The hooligans rush you with their knives, but you've already begun to summon your chi. You evade their attacks and use your magical abilities to fuse the knives to their palms. When they begin to panic, you heat the metal of the knives with your chi. The hooligans begin screaming in agony as the heated metal burns the flesh off their hands. Just when it seems like they're going to pass out from the pain, you shoot your hands forward, forcing the thugs to stab their own throats. The fall to the ground and bleed out as you release them from your chi grip. [[Continue|walkwyr]]

You brush yourself off and strut out of the alleyway like a big ol' badass. [[Continue|edgewater]]

One of the hooligans tries to stand but you spit right in his face. He sits back down in the mud and begins to cry. You strut out of the alleyway like a boss. [[Continue|edgewater]]

<<if visited("exittavern3")>>\ It's probably best to stay away from the tavern for a while. [[Continue|edgewater]] <<else>>\ You enter the tavern. People cheer as a peasant girl beats the stuffing out of an old man in the fighting pit. [[Continue|rawhidelitus]]<</if>>

You and White Lotus head into the woods outside of town to begin training. You find a secluded spot where you will not be interrupted. [[Teach White Lotus how to fight with chi|chitrain]] | [[Teach White Lotus a secret killing technique|scretkill]]

You order White Lotus to sit with you in meditation. You instruct her on the proper breathing techniques needed to cultivate chi before moving on to the more advanced methods. [[Continue|wlthry]]

You instruct White Lotus to get into a fighting stance. You begin demonstrating a series of strikes, which she attempts to imitate. Her form is a bit sloppy, but she will improve with time. [[Continue|shgfj]]

The sun is beginning to set and you are both exhausted after a hard day of training. [[We should return to town and rest for the night.|towntorest]] | [[Please tell me more about yourself.|tellmemore]]

You return to town for a good night's rest. You wake up the next morning feeling refreshed. [[Continue|edgewater]]

White Lotus pulls off her sweaty shirt and hangs it on a branch to dry. You admire the solid muscles of her back and upper arms before she turns back around. [[Continue|sliuk]]

White Lotus: Master Axe Smasher was a gentle soul. He was kind and caring. And patient. I know it sounds silly, but he was one of the wisest men I knew. [[Continue|axpusm]]

White Lotus: Before the attacks, I would spend my time painting. The stroke of a sword and the stroke of a brush have quite a lot in common. [[Tell me more about your old master.|oldmaster]] | [[Do you have a lover?|lover]] | [[We should head back to town and get some rest.|towntorest]]

White Lotus: We spent hours punching trees to toughen our hands. Many of the students had splintered the wood of their trees by noon, but Bear would stop his punches just before his fists hit the tree. [[Continue|bearsyf]]

White Lotus: Master laughed at that. 'You fear you will be hurt, so you cry before you even feel the pain?' Bear lowered his head in shame. [[Continue|mastersroy]]

White Lotus: 'Good,' said Master. 'Then let me see what you can do.' Before the next cycle of the seasons, Bear had the strongest hands in the school. [[Your master sounds like he was a great teacher.|greaterh]] | [[What do you like to do for fun?|fun]] | [[Do you have a lover?|lover]] | [[We should head back to town and get some rest.|towntorest]]

White Lotus smiles and leans back on the grass. [[Lean in to kiss her|kissher]] | [[Lay back on the grass|layongrass]]

White Lotus: You're quite easy on the eyes yourself. [[Continue|lyaui]]

White Lotus's eyes widen as you lean in. Her lips part as you slide your tongue in her mouth. You hear her gasp and feel her nails dig into your back. [[Make sweet, passionate love to her|sweetlove]] | [[Ravage her|fuckerbrains]]

You lay back on the grass and look up at the darkening sky. The stars will be out soon. Just then you catch as whiff of White Lotus's perfume. It is tinged with sweat from your training earlier. Suddenly your heart begins to beat a little faster. You turn your head and see that she is watching you. [[Lean in to kiss her|kissher]] | [[Smile and close your eyes|closeeyes]]

You close your eyes and enjoy the feel of the cool breeze against your face. Just then you feel a soft hand against your cheek. You open your eyes. White Lotus is looking down at you, her face inches from yours. [[Continue|anything]]

White Lotus: I'll call you whatever you want me to call you. [[Continue|kisyin]]

White Lotus smiles and licks her lips. She leans down and kisses your neck. You feel a warm tingle in your belly. [[Let her continue|hercont]] | [[Roll her onto her back and have your way with her|waywither]]

The things White Lotus can do with her fingers and lips blows your mind. The two of you make hot, sexy love under the light of the moon. Once you've finished banging you lay together in a tangle of naked limbs looking up at the stars until you drift off to sleep. You head back to town the next morning. [[Continue|edgewater]]

You throw White Lotus on her back and have your way with her. Turns out she's a freak. The two of you go wild, making crazy hot love until the sun comes up. Your memories of this night will stick with you forever. You head back to town together the next morning. [[Continue|edgewater]]

You and White Lotus make sweet, sweet love together. You can do some pretty amazing things with your fingers and lips, but what White Lotus is capable of blows your mind. Once you've finished banging you lay together in a tangle of naked limbs looking up at the stars until you drift off to sleep. You head back to town the next morning. [[Continue|edgewater]]

White Lotus is a freak. The two of you go wild, making crazy hot love until the sun comes up. Your memories of this night will stick with you forever. You head back to town together the next morning. [[Continue|edgewater]]

Sailor 1: So what is it you're offering? [[Continue|moresial]]

Sailor 1: Have you been eavesdropping on us? Expecting to steal our secrets and get to the treasure first? We'll teach you, won't we, boys? [[What!? No! I was just offering to help!|offertohelp]] | [[I'll break your faces!|brekgafe]]

You brush yourself off and continue browsing. Just then you notice your coin purse is missing- that little brat stole it! [[Chase him down|chasehim]] | [[Forget about it and move on|mveon]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You take off after the thief. White Lotus follows closely behind. The boy zig-zags through a labyrinth of alleyways, but you’re gaining on him. Finally the boy comes to a dead end. Just when you think you’ve caught him, a group of hooded bandits leap out of the shadows, surrounding you. They're all carrying knives. [[Continue|amburhs]] <<else>>\ You take off after the thief. The boy zig-zags through a labyrinth of alleyways, but you’re gaining on him. Finally the boy comes to a dead end. Just when you think you’ve caught him, a group of hooded bandits leap out of the shadows, surrounding you. They're all carrying knives. [[Continue|amburhs]]<</if>>

You heave a sigh of regret. That kid is probably long gone by now anyway. Your stomach rumbles as you pass by the vendors filled with tasty fish. You return to the docks empty-handed. [[Continue|docks2]]

Bandit Leader: (laughing) Are you blind, or just stupid? You can’t fight all of us! [[You’re right, I was only kidding. I’ll be going now.|goinow]] | [[You asked for it, you little shit.|didnwrnu]]

Bandit Leader: Smart. [[Continue|tailbetwen]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and White Lotus drop into fighting stances. [[Continue|thugfightwlotus]] <<else>>\ You drop into a fighting stance as the thugs charge you. You reach out to the cosmos and draw a massive amount of chi from the dirt under your feet. The thugs seem to move in slow motion as the mystical chi energy swirls around you. Then... [[Continue|thruf]]<</if>>

<<if visited("chitrain")>>\ You and White Lotus simultaneously reach out to the cosmos and draw a massive amount of chi from the dirt under your feet. The thugs seem to move in slow motion as the mystical chi energy swirls around you. Then... [[Continue|thruf]] <<elseif visited("scretkill")>>\ Before you or the thugs can react, White Lotus springs into action. Quick as lightning, she fires off a series of strikes against the lead thug. Her form is perfect- a moment later the thug’s eyes explode out of his head and he flops to the ground in a spray of white goo. [[Continue|lotuskill]] <<else>>\ You and White Lotus simultaneously spring into action. The thugs aren’t trained fighters, and you only need to knock a few of them unconscious before the rest surrender or flee. [[Now, give me back my money.|gibackmoney]] | [[Empty your pockets. ALL of you!|emtpyypckst]]<</if>>

The thugs empty their pockets in terror. They shove 3000 gold pieces into your hands before they run for their lives. Bunch of punks... You return to the docks. [[Continue|docks2]] <<set $gold += 3000>>\

Merchant: I thought as much. Well, my friend, I am delighted to inform you that I have just what you’re looking for! [[Continue|mjucie]]

Merchant: Please forgive my mistake! I am not usually wrong about people, but I suppose nobody is perfect. Enjoy the rest of your day. [[Continue|markets2]]

Merchant: This is no scam, I promise! If you are not interested in my wares then I will bother you no further. [[Continue|merchlae]]

<<if $gold >= 35>>\ Merchant: I see you have brains as well as brawn! It was a pleasure doing business with you. [[Continue|gotsif]] <<set $inventory.push("Mystical Moon Juice")>>\ <<set $gold -= 35>> <<else>>\ Merchant: I'm sorry friend, but you cannot afford this. My products are in very high demand. I'm afraid this will be sold out before you come back again. [[Continue|markets2]]<</if>>

You browse the other shops in the marketplace but nothing else catches your eye. After another few minutes of browsing you exit the marketplace. [[Continue|edgewater]]

You follow the chancellor before anyone notices you. He's standing on a balcony outside, gripping the railing and taking deep, calming breaths to steady himself. [[Excuse me, chancellor? Is everything all right?|chnrigt]] | [[Can I talk to you for a minute?|chnrigt]] | [[Do you always run away from your problems like a coward?|cownrdchnc]]

You turn around and walk out the door before getting dragged into any conflicts. [[Continue|edgewater]]

The chancellor jumps at the sound of your voice. [[Continue|tochance]]

The chancellor jumps at the sound of your voice. [[Continue|chchch]]

Chancellor: Not unless you can convince the wolf spirits to return and keep us safe again. [[What can you tell me about the wolf spirits?|telmesprits]] | [[Where can I find the wolf spirits?|wherefindspinr]] | [[You're right, I can't help you. Good luck.|canthlpluck]]

Chancellor: That's easy for you to say! But you try telling people the town just doesn't have the funds to build a wall and hire an army to keep the Dreadnaughts out. The savages in that building are worse than the undead! [[Is there anything I can do to help?|dotohlpf]] | [[I always hated politicians. Glad to see you're finally getting what you deserve.|youdeserveit]]

The chancellor begins to hyperventilate. You turn your back on him and leave. [[Continue|edgewater]]

The chancellor begins to hyperventilate as you leave the building. [[Continue|edgewater]]

You leave the chancellor's office. He composes himself and heads back inside to deal with the rowdy crowd. [[Continue|edgewater]]

Chancellor: No more than most, I'm afraid. The wolf spirits vanished a thousand years ago, around the time they killed Lord Hawk and imprisoned Silver Wolf. It was their duty to protect us, but apparently they've got other concerns now. The community demands that I protect them, but how can a simple chancellor protect the people when not even the spirits can? [[Lord Hawk|lordhwksuq]] | [[Silver Wolf|silverwoflsf]] | [[Where can I find the wolf spirits?|wherefindspinr]] | [[I'm sorry, I can't help you. Good luck.|soons]]

Chancellor: Lord Hawk is a being of pure evil, that's for sure. None know from whence he came, but Lord Hawk's evil spread quickly when he arrived. The demon crafted a magic sword called The Grey Blade and gave it to Silver Wolf as a gesture of surrender- but it was a trick! They Grey Blade was cursed, and Silver Wolf joined Lord Hawk on one of the bloodiest crusades this world has ever seen. [[Continue|lh222]]

Chancellor: Four wolf spirits protected our lands once upon a time. Jade Wolf, Iron Wolf, Ember Wolf, and Silver Wolf. According to legend, Silver Wolf betrayed the other wolf spirits and joined Lord Hawk on a quest to overthrow the Heavens. They butchered thousands of innocents in their bloody crusade, and only the combined might of the other three wolf spirits could stop them. [[Continue|silverwolfs2]]

Chancellor: Lord Hawk was killed and Silver Wolf was imprisoned. That was the day the wolf spirits vanished from our world. There was peace for a while, but now evil is stirring once more. Some fear Silver Wolf has escaped prison and resurrected Lord Hawk- that these Dreadnaughts are the beginnings of an army meant to destroy the Heavens themselves! They believe the wolf spirits have failed us, and they demand that I protect them from this evil in their place! [[Lord Hawk|lordhwksuq]] | [[Where can I find the wolf spirits?|wherefindspinr]] | [[I'm sorry, I can't help you. Good luck.|canthlpluck]]

Chancellor: Jade Wolf, Iron Wolf, and Ember Wolf launched an attack against the Grey Keep- that was Lord Hawk's fortress, of course- and in the process they slew the Shyfter and imprisoned Silver Wolf. [[Continue|mofus]]

You boldly stride down the main road and call out a challenge to Lord Hawk. The undead point their spears at you but don't attack. [[Continue|folmort]]

You begin to channel your chi. You take a deep breath and aim a massive fireball directly at Lord Hawk's heart. FWOOSH! With a dramatic flash the flames fizzle away. Lord Hawk stands before you, unscathed. [[Continue|stuffsh]]

You creep away into the shadows and slip out of the city unnoticed. [[Continue|runfromcity]]

As Edgewater falls farther and farther behind, you begin to consider your options. Ember Wolf said Jade Wolf can be found in Wolfgarde to the North, while Iron Wolf is somewhere in the Red Desert. Where will you go first? [[Wolfgarde|refugees]] | [[The Red Desert|woods1]]

Lord Hawk backhands White Lotus with a powerful fist. She goes flying into a puddle of mud and falls unconscious. [[Continue|trapedhowk2]]

You watch as one of the huge Dreadnaughts lifts White Lotus off the ground and sucks out her soul right before your eyes. [[Continue|trapedhowk2]] <<set $student = "false">>\

Lord Hawk casts his mask aside. His face is strikingly handsome. [[Continue|maskasid]]

You begin your journey north, to Wolfgarde. [[Continue|towlfk]]

You begin your journey south, to the Red Desert. [[Continue|towlfk2]]

You tell Lord Hawk what Ember Wolf told you: that Iron Wolf is hiding in the Red Desert, while Jade Wolf has gone to Wolfgarde. They both have fragments of the Grey Blade in their possession. Lord Hawk takes a moment to consider this information, then turns to you. [[Continue|decision]]

Lord Hawk: I agree. Taking down Jade Wolf first is the best option. I will send my Dreadnaughts South to ravage the desert lands. Once we've dealt with Jade Wolf we should have a much easier time finding Iron Wolf. [[Continue|tele1]] <<set $zombies = "Red Desert">>\

Lord Hawk: I agree. Taking down Iron Wolf first is the best option. I will send my Dreadnaughts North to ravage the city of Wolfgarde. Once we've dealt with Iron Wolf we should have a much easier time finding Jade Wolf. [[Continue|tele2]] <<set $zombies = "Wolfgarde">>\

Lord Hawk calls the flames from the burning buildings to surround him. You shield your eyes from the light and heat, but when you are able to see again, Lord Hawk has vanished. <<if $student == "true">>\ [[Continue|whitlsmabe]] <<else>>\ [[Continue|hellout2]]<</if>>

You approach White Lotus. She is lying in a puddle of mud, but she's still alive. [[Wake her up|wakelotus]] | [[Leave her|leavelotus]]

You grab White Lotus by the shoulders and gently shake her. Her eyes flutter open. She's dazed, but after a moment she recognizes you. She immediately tries to scramble away. [[Continue|uhonh]]

You hang your head in shame. White Lotus trusted you, but after this? You'll never be able to look her in the eyes again. It's better if she thinks you're dead. You turn your back on Edgewater and run towards the mountains in the distance. [[Continue|runfromcity]] <<set $wl = "left4dead">>\

You turn your back on Edgewater and run towards the mountains in the distance. [[Continue|runfromcity]]

White Lotus: You... you're a monster. You and Lord Hawk work together. You're going to kill us all. [[You don't understand. The Grey Blade- it was cursed! Lord Hawk tricked me!|lhtrickedme]] | [[I've done terrible things in my past, but it's time to make things right.|timrotmakrif]]

White Lotus heaves a deep sigh and bites her lip. [[Continue|wannabelieve]]

White Lotus: How can I possibly trust you? [[You can't.|trydontwe]] | [[Let me prove it to you. We must find the other wolf spirits, re-forge the Grey Blade, and kill Lord Hawk once and for all!|youcant]]

White Lotus: But the Grey Blade is cursed! If Lord Hawk was able to control you through it the last time, what makes you think you can safely wield it now? [[I don't know, but we have to try, don't we?|trydontwe]] | [[Ember Wolf wouldn't have asked me to re-forge the sword if she thought I could be controlled by Lord Hawk again.|trydontwe]]

White Lotus: So it's settled then! We find Jade Wolf and Iron Wolf and re-forge the Grey Blade. Then we kill Lord Hawk. [[Woah, woah, woah! What's all this WE stuff??|westuff]] | [[That just about sums it up.|sumsitup]]

White Lotus: I want to believe you. I know we only met, but... I feel a connection between us. I don't think it was chance that brought us together. Ember Wolf gave you that sword hilt... perhaps this is the universe's way of saying it's time to start over. It's time to put things right. It's time for you to redeem yourself for the wicked deeds of your past. [[I think you're right.|ithinkyourright]] | [[That's super dramatic. But I agree.|ithinkyourright]]

White Lotus: I'm coming with you, of course! If the universe wants you to redeem yourself, then it wants ME to keep an eye on you- just in case you start to veer off course again. [[Thanks, White Lotus.|sumsitup]] | [[I may be your master, but it seems you also have a lot to teach me.|sumsitup]]

White Lotus nods her head. The two of you turn your back on Edgewater and run towards the mountains in the distance. [[Continue|runfromcity]]

<<if visited("tattedup")>>\ Torment: Back again? [[What kind of tattoos can I get here?|whatkindatats]] | [[I want to get another tattoo.|wannagetatattoo]] | [[Leave|edgewater]] <<else>>\ You enter the tattoo parlor. A thin dude covered in colorful tattoos is smoking behind the counter. A sign above his head reads: “Torment’s Tattoos- You ain’t cool unless you got an authentic Torment Tattoo! 500gp each.” [[Continue|ttt]]<</if>>

Torment: Pick a spirit animal design based on your personality... or whatever. I gotta warn you, these tats ain’t cheap. 500 gold pieces per tattoo, and once you’re inked, it’s permanent, so choose wisely. [[I want to get a tattoo.|wannagetatattoo]] | [[Leave|edgewater]]

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "shoulder">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "forearm">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "back">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "leg">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "chest">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "ribs">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "face">>\

Torment: You got it. [[Continue|tattedup]] <<set $body = "butt">>\

You hand over 500 gold pieces and Torment leads you to a nearby chair. He begins to channel his chi. You feel a slight prickle on your skin, and then it’s gone. Torment holds up a mirror. You admire the new $tat tattoo on your $body. Sexy! You thank Torment and leave. [[Continue|edgewater]] <<set $gold -= 500>>\

You wake up in a barn. [[Continue|farmer1]] <script>$('body').removeClass()</script>\

You don't know how you got here, but there is a man standing in the doorway. He looks scared. [[Continue|farmer2]]

Farmer: Begging your pardon, but not out that way you aren't. There's a Dreadnaught out there! [[Dreadnaught?|undead1]] | [[Who are you?|whoarya]]

Farmer: I can respect that, but this is my property and I like to know who is on it! [[Continue|famer2]]

Farmer: What the hell are you doing in my hayloft? [[Don't worry, I'm leaving.|imleaving]] | [[I do what I want.|dowhatiwant]]

Farmer: A creature of myth- or so I believed! The Dreadnaughts are huge undead minotaur warriors who feast on the souls of the living. They were the bodyguards of Lord Hawk once upon a time. [[Where did it come from?|whredthey]] | [[Who are you?|whoarya]] | [[Lord Hawk?|lordhwkf]]

Farmer: I'm just a simple man trying to make his way in the world. And right now I'd prefer not to have my soul eaten by a mythical monster! [[Dreadnaught?|undead1]] | [[Let's kick this thing's ass!|zombieass]]

Farmer: Right. I've got a few pitchforks if you need one. [[I don't need a weapon to kick ass.|dontned]] | [[Thanks, I'll take one.]]

Farmer: Listen, I can look past the fact that you're trespassing, but I need your help with something. [[What is it?|watist]] | [[I don't have time for this.|donthvetime]]

Farmer: Well, ya see... There's a Dreadnaught out there! [[Dreadnaught?|undead1]] | [[Who are you?|whoarya]]

Farmer: Begging your pardon, but I'd advise you not to leave the barn. There's a Dreadnaught out there! [[Dreadnaught?|undead1]] | [[Who are you?|whoarya]]

Farmer: I don't have a clue. The beast just showed up and started attacking people- chopped them to pieces or sucked out their souls! I heard some folks say it was created with dark magic. But that's hogwash. I believe Lord Hawk has returned. [[Lord Hawk?|lordhwkf]] | [[Who are you?|whoarya]] | [[Let's kick this thing's ass!|zombieass]]

Farmer: You never heard of Lord Hawk? He was a legend. The most powerful and evil Shyfter that ever lived! [[Continue|lrdhwk2]]

Farmer: Lord Hawk and Silver Wolf murdered thousands of innocents in their quest to overthrow the Heavens. Of course, that all happened a thousand years ago... and Lord Hawk was killed in battle... but I believe Lord Hawk's essence has returned! [[Silver Wolf?|silwof]] | [[Who are you?|whoarya]] | [[Let's kick this thing's ass!|zombieass]]

Farmer: Silver Wolf was one of the Four Guardian Wolf Spirits. Some say Silver Wolf was always evil, but others say Lord Hawk was controlling Silver Wolf's mind with the power of a magic sword. [[Continue|silverwofs]]

Farmer: Either way, Lord Hawk and Silver Wolf did terrible things together. If not for the other wolf spirits, the Heavens would have fallen! [[Who are you?|whoarya]] | [[Let's kick this thing's ass!|zombieass]]

Farmer: Suit yourself. Follow me! [[Continue|outsidefight]] <<set $pitchfork = 0>>\

Farmer: Take this and follow me! [[Continue|outsidefight]] <<set $pitchfork = 1>>\

You step outside and see an enormous minotaur lumbering towards the barn. The creature's huge muscles ripple with each step, and tufts of fur drift off its dead skin. It is carrying a bloody axe three times the size of any weapon you've ever seen. The beast's eyes glow with hellish fire. What do you do? [[Attack|attk]] | [[Chi blast|chiblastss]]

<<if $pitchfork == 1>>\ The undead monster shambles forward, hungry for your soul! You twirl the pitchfork over your head and launch yourself at the beast. The Dreadnaught's movements are slow, and you're easily able to dodge its attacks. The farmer stands back and watches in amazement as you destroy the monstrosity. You toss the pitchfork to the side with a shrug. [[Continue|beatzombies]] <<else>>\ The undead monster shambles forward, hungry for your soul! The Dreadnaught's movements are slow, and you're easily able to dodge its attacks. You beat the shit out of the Dreadnaught with your awesome kung fu skills! The farmer stands back and watches in amazement as you destroy the monstrosity. [[Continue|beatzombies]]<</if>>

Your eyes begin to glow as you harness the power of your inner chi. [[Continue|chitak2]]

You unleash a powerful chi attack, ripping the decaying Dreadnaught limb from limb! The farmer stands back and watches in amazement as you destroy the mythical beast. [[Continue|beatzombies]]

Farmer: That was incredible! I've never seen anyone fight like that before! You were all "POW POW YAHH!!" and that thing was all "OH NO BLEGHH!!" and you were all "HOOOO-WAAAHH!! PEW PEW PEW!" [[Continue|beatzombies2]]

Farmer: Listen, it isn't safe here. I'm taking my family away from this place until things settle down. We'll go stay with my aunt in Irongate. [[Continue|farmer3]]

Farmer: If you need somewhere to stay, you should go to Edgewater. It isn't far, and they probably have better defenses in place to protect against the undead. [[Thanks. I'll go to Edgewater.|gotoedge]] | [[I expect a reward for saving your ass.|zombieseatyou]]

Farmer: Thank you again for your help. Please, I don't have much, but take this gold. Buy yourself a hot dinner and a room at the tavern. [[Continue|gotoedge2]]

Farmer: Fine, take this gold. It's all I have left. I'll be going now. [[Continue|gotoedge2]]

The farmer leaves and you head to Edgewater. It isn't long before you reach the small port town. [[Continue|edgewater]]

Crashing Gravel: Yar! If it's a pirate adventure ye be lookin' fer, go play Crypt Shyfter: Vortex. Har har har! [[Dammit Kung Fu Space Barbarian!|kfsb]] | [[Really, dude!? Product placement in your own game? Not cool... just kidding I think that's totally rad. You're the best!|kfsb]]

Subtle Drum: Get your bets in now, before it’s too late! This fight is a real doozy! General Rawhide vs White Lotus! This will be one you tell your grandkids about! [[Continue|tavernmain2]]

Thunder Knee: If I was fighting him, I’d just wait for him to do one of those big stomp kicks and then strike his ribs. It’s almost comical how predictable he is- one, two, STOMP! Just make sure you’re out of the way when he begins setting up for the stomp kick, then strike hard and fast. He leaves his left flank completely exposed! [[Who are you guys?|whoareyou]] | [[Rawhide|tellmerawhide]] | [[White Lotus|whitelotusask]] | [[Who are you rooting for?|rootingfor]] | [[Are you here to fight?|youheretofight]] | [[Goodbye.|gotomaintavern]]

Leaping Viper: Hold still, ya big baby! Shit. Uh... You there, can you give me a hand? Hold him down so I can put this brace on, would ya? [[Help Leaping Viper|helplv]] | [[Laugh and walk away|laughandwalk]]

Sylla: All fighters must submit an entry fee of 10 gold pieces, though we are willing to waive that fee for newcomers. Cash prizes are awarded to winners. Fights go until knockout or submission. The Pit is an arena where you test your skill against someone else’s. It is a place where legends are made. [[I’m here to fight The Ox.|signupforfight]] | [[Tell me about this tavern.|telbouttavern]] | [[Goodbye.|tavernmain]]

Sylla: All right, pip-squeak, it's your funeral. I just need to let you know we aren't liable for any injuries you're likely to sustain in The Pit. Normally there would be an entry fee to fight, but I'd feel bad taking your money only to have you get your ass kicked. You'll fight next. The current fight should be over soon. [[Continue|endfight]]

Subtle Drum: Excellent pick, my friend, excellent pick indeed! Here are your winnings! [[Continue|moula]]

Subtle Drum hands you a pouch filled with $winnings gold pieces. [[Continue|youwonbet]]

He's a big bull of a man, with a bald head, a bushy black beard, and a face so disfigured it looks like his nose has been broken at least ten times. [[Continue|fightstart]]

Sylla: Take your gold and leave. You're no longer welcome in this tavern. [[Continue|timayt]]

You take your gold and exit the tavern without another word. [[Continue|exittavern3]] <<set $gold += 1000>>\

Sylla: You three, take The Ox to Leaping Viper. He's going to have his work cut out for him tonight. [[Continue|youthree]]

Three nearby patrons grab The Ox. You hear Leaping Viper cursing in the distance. [[Continue|timetogo]]

Sylla: Someone call the gravedigger. Get this corpse out of my bar. [[Continue|timetogo]]

You nod your head and walk out the door. [[Continue|exittavern3]] <<set $gold += 1000>>\

You grab his forearm and attempt to swing him into the wall. He doesn't budge. You can smell alcohol and rotting meat on his breath as he begins to laugh. [[Continue|toy2]]

You gasp for air, but somehow manage to keep your feet. You take a second to compose yourself and drop into a stance. No more playing around. [[Fuck him up|aggressive]] | [[Make him look like a fool|fool1]]

The Ox tries to pull away but you have a death grip on his arm. You push forward and punch down, splintering his elbow. He shrieks and falls to the ground clutching his shattered arm. The fight is over. You win. [[Continue|youwinfight]]

His nose explodes in a spray of blood and he collapses to the ground once more. [[Continue|stoneblade2]]

The Ox falls to the ground in a spray of blood. You stomp on his wrist, shattering the bones beneath your feet. The Ox won't be bothering anyone else any time soon. [[Continue|sillyox]]

The Ox steps back in terror as he watches your arm stitch itself back together again, leaving no proof of any wound but the stained blood above your elbow. [[Continue|phantom2]]

The Ox drops to his knees, and then crashes onto his stomach as he slowly bleeds out from your gift of a thousand lacerations. [[Continue|killedox]]

White Lotus: That was some impressive fighting in there. [[The Ox had it coming.|haditcoming]] | [[You're not such a bad fighter yourself.|notbaduyrslf]]

White Lotus walks down one of the back alleys and disappears. [[Continue|edgewater]]

Several of the people up front begin physically fighting each other. During the commotion you watch the chancellor slip out the back door. [[Follow the chancellor|flwchanc]] | [[Leave|backtotown]]

Chancellor: Oh, by the Allfather! Please, you must understand- it's not like that! I am more than happy to hear their complaints but... I just can't handle it anymore! I've been chancellor for less than a month now but it's just too much! Those Dreadnaught attacks started happening the day after I was elected chancellor. I haven't had a moment to myself since then! [[Is there anything I can do to help?|dotohlpf]] | [[Grow a spine. Your job is to serve the people.|growspine]]

Chancellor: Oh, by the Allfather! I can't handle it anymore! I've been chancellor for less than a month now but it's just too much! Those Dreadnaught attacks started happening the day after I was elected chancellor. I haven't had a moment to myself since then! [[Is there anything I can do to help?|dotohlpf]] | [[Grow a spine. Your job is to serve the people.|growspine]]

Chancellor: Alas, a Shyfter can never truly be killed- only dispersed. It is said that a murdered Shyfter will re-form after a thousand years, and most folks here believe Lord Hawk's essence has now re-formed. If Silver Wolf has escaped imprisonment and found a way to foster Lord Hawk's re-formed essence... we are all doomed. [[Silver Wolf|silverwoflsf]] | [[Where can I find the wolf spirits?|wherefindspinr]] | [[You're right, I can't help you. Good luck.|canthlpluck]]

Sailor 1: Uncharted island, you say? [[Continue|siali]]

Sailor 2: Aye. I found this map on a wrecked ship! Some old navigator must have stumbled across the island and marked down the location. I can assure you this island don't show up on any maps I ever seen! [[Continue|sailors2]]

Sailor 2: A cut of any treasure we find, in addition to your name being tied to the discovery of the island- along with ours, of course. All we ask in exchange is passage to the island on your boat. [[Continue|dkfhla]]

Sailor 2: All right, but we're going to need a bigger crew. Where do you expect to find sailors for this wild goose chase of yours? [[I'll sail with you for a cut of the treasure!|cutoftres]] | [[Leave|docks2]]

The sailors surround you with clubs and daggers, clearly not in a forgiving mood. What do you do? [[Throw them off the docks|thrownfogcd]] | [[Use your chi to teleport away|teleportchi]]

The sailors surround you with clubs and daggers. What do you do? [[Throw them off the docks|thrownfogcd]] | [[Use your chi to teleport away|teleportchi]]

Trader Sky: You boys be careful not to hurt yourselves, that steel is heavy! Just set it there, in that cart. There you go, nice and easy. The blacksmith will be along soon to pick it up. [[Are you Trader Sky?|tradersky]] | [[I'm here to collect the steel for the blacksmith.|heretocollect]]

You take the cart and wheel it back to the blacksmith's shop. [[Continue|bs3]]

Blacksmith: A thousand thanks upon your spirit! You've saved me so much time, I really don't know what I would have done without you. Here, take this gold. 250gp, as promised. And here's a little something extra for your trouble. [[Continue|gunsf]]

The blacksmith hands you a pair of gauntlets. [[Continue|gauntlets]] <<set $bsquest = 0>>\

Bandit Leader: That’s far enough. [[Give me my money or I'll rip out your spines!|givemoneyback]] | [[I’m not looking for trouble. I’ll be going now.|goinow]]

You back away and return to the docks. [[Continue|docks2]]

BOOM! The magical energy explodes outward, sending the thugs flying in all directions. They smash to the ground and stare at you in wide eyed terror. [[Now, give me back my money.|gibackmoney]] | [[Empty your pockets. ALL of you!|emtpyypckst]]

The other thugs step back in wide-eyed terror. Your heart swells with pride. Your student is a total badass! [[Now, give me back my money.|gibackmoney]] | [[Empty your pockets. ALL of you!|emtpyypckst]]

Merchant: Greetings, friend! You look like the adventuring type. Would I be correct in assuming you see quite a bit of danger in your life? [[I see my fair share of danger.|fairshare]] | [[My life is filled with danger and intrigue!|fairshare]] | [[Sorry pal, you’ve got it all wrong.|alrong]]

The man pulls a vial of sparkling blue liquid out from beneath his sleeve with a flourish. [[Continue|fourish]]

Merchant: This vial contains liquid harvested from the moon! It has magical healing properties- it will heal any wound you sustain, no matter how severe! This magic potion can be all yours for the LOW LOW price of 35 gold pieces! [[Continue|rofis]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus: Ripoff. <<else>>\ Random Passerby: Ripoff. <</if>>\ [[What kind of scam are you trying to pull on me?|scammer]] | [[35 gold pieces you say? I’ll take it!|illtakerit]]

The merchant closes up his kiosk and leaves the marketplace in a hurry. [[Continue|markets2]]

You slide the potion in your pocket and continue on your way. [[Continue|markets2]]

White Lotus is a very quick learner, and it isn't long before she's shooting fireballs out of her fingertips. You spend the rest of the day teaching her advanced chi fighting maneuvers. [[Continue|endtraining]]

You spend the rest of the day teaching her a technique to make her opponent's eyes pop out of his head. By the end of the day White Lotus has mastered the fundamentals of the technique. [[Continue|endtraining]]

White Lotus: There was a student at our school named Bear. He was just a little boy, and he was scared of everything. Even his own shadow. Then one day we were practicing our punches. [[Continue|master2]]

White Lotus: When Master confronted him about it, Bear began to cry. 'Why do you cry?' asked Master. 'I can't do it,' said Bear, wiping the tears from his eyes. 'The other students can punch through the wood, but I'm afraid it will hurt my hand.' [[Continue|master3]]

White Lotus: 'It is okay to cry,' Master assured him. 'I cry too. Crying will help you work through the fear. That way when fear arises again, you can push it aside and do what must be done. Surely you will face greater fear in the future than punching trees?' Bear nodded his head. [[Continue|master4]]

White Lotus smiles and lays back on the grass. [[Lean in to kiss her|kissher]] | [[Lay back on the grass|layongrass]]

White Lotus: (whispering) Is there anything else you want to show me today, master? [[You don't need to call me master.|dontneed]] | [[I like it when you call me master.|calmemaster]]

White Lotus presses her lips against yours so you're unable to speak. [[Continue|xxx]]

The things White Lotus can do with her fingers and lips blows your mind. The two of you make hot, sexy love under the light of the moon. Once you've finished your lovemaking you lay together in a tangle of naked limbs looking up at the stars until you drift off to sleep. You head back to town the next morning. [[Continue|edgewater]]

White Lotus: Master? Before we leave, there's something I must do. We need to stop at the Shrine of the Wolf Spirits and ask for their blessing. For safe travels. [[Of course.|wolfshrine]] | [[I didn't know you prayed to the spirits.|didntknow]] | [[This is a waste of time.|wasteime]]

Sun Ray: Heading out of town, stranger? My name is Sun Ray and these are my brothers and sisters of the bard's college! You should join us on our hike up to the Shrine of the Wolf Spirits! It isn't far from here. All travellers should ask the wolf spirits for their blessing before they go- especially in dangerous times like these! [[Of course.|wolfshrine]] | [[I don't pray to anyone.|dontpray]]

She grips your hand tightly and drags you along to the Shrine of the Wolf Spirits. [[Continue|wolfshrine]]

You roll your eyes and follow White Lotus to the Shrine of the Wolf Spirits. [[Continue|wolfshrine]]

The other pilgrims eagerly nod their heads. You grudgingly follow them to the Shrine of the Wolf Spirits. [[Continue|wolfshrine]]

You fall silent as $talker begins to pray. [[Continue|emberwolf]]

You hear $talker gasp as a bloody wolf collapses at your feet. It looks like the wolf has been skewered by a sword. Suddenly the wolf begins to dissolve. You blink and are surprised to see that the wolf has transformed into the most beautiful woman you've ever seen. [[Who are you?|whou]] | [[What the hell?|whou]]

The girl nods her head and spits out blood. [[A wolf spirit? What are you doing here?|wth]] | [[We need to get back to Edgewater!|edgenow]]

Ember Wolf shoves a glittering sword hilt into your hands. [[What's going on?|whrsgoing]] | [[Lord Hawk is here?|whrsgoing]] <<set $inventory.push("Sword Hilt")>>\ <<set $magicitems += 1>>\

Ember Wolf coughs out blood and dies. Her body dissolves into dust, which blows away on the wind. [[Let's get the hell out of here!|hellout]] | [[Screw this! We need to go back to Edgewater. We can't let those people die!|back2edge]]

$talker and the other pilgrims flee down the path. You grit your teeth and charge towards Edgewater. [[Continue|b2e]]

Lord Hawk: What's this!? A mortal dares to challenge me? Surely no one could be so foolish! [[Continue|hakwappear]]

Lord Hawk: What's this!? A mortal dares to challenge me? Surely no one could be so- what the hell? [[Continue|lhsurpi]]

Lord Hawk seems to freeze in place as he takes a good look at you. [[Continue|lahhf]]

Lord Hawk: You fool! I cannot be killed! I am Lord Hawk! I am- what the hell? [[Continue|lhsurpi]]

Lord Hawk: I cannot be killed! I am Lord Hawk! I am- what the hell? [[Continue|lhsurpi]]

Lord Hawk: Not the reunion I was hoping for, but if it is unavoidable then I will do what I must. That sword fragment will be mine. Have at thee, Silver Wolf! [[Attack him|atklh]] | [[Silver Wolf?|talkingbut]]

White Lotus: It... no. You can't be... you CAN'T be! [[Continue|lhreveal]]

Lord Hawk: Silver Wolf. My $lovebrother. What have they done to you? [[Your mind tricks won't work on me, you monster!|mindtricks]] | [[I'm not... I can't... How is this possible?|posbile]]

Lord Hawk steps closer and holds his hand out to you. [[Allow Lord Hawk to touch you|touchu]] | [[Attack Lord Hawk when he gets close|atkhwclose]]

Lord Hawk casts his mask to the side and takes your face gently in both of his hands. You look deep into his eyes as magic begins to swirl from his fingertips. [[Continue|memories]]

Your memories come racing back in a flash. You are Silver Wolf, Master of the Grey Blade. You are the fourth wolf spirit, the Great Betrayer, one of the most powerful kung fu masters this world has ever known. [[Continue|reveal]]

It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. Skilled though you are, Lord Hawk has an army of undead samurai at his back. They swarm you and hold you down. [[Continue|kilgirl]]

Lord Hawk: Kill the girl. Bring Silver Wolf to me. [[Don't kill her!|dontkiller]] | [[I will destroy you, Lord Hawk!|detrouy]]

It is an explosive battle, filled with magical bursts of chi, lightning fast fists, and the singing whirr of Lord Hawk's black sword. Skilled though you are, Lord Hawk has an army of undead samurai at his back. They swarm you and hold you down. [[Continue|trappedhawk]]

Skilled though you are, Lord Hawk has an army of undead samurai at his back. They swarm you and hold you down. [[Continue|kilgirl]]

Lord Hawk: Silver Wolf, listen to me! You've been lied to. I don't know how you got here, or what the wolf spirits did to you, but you must believe me. I've been searching for you ever since I came back. [[Continue|somanypaths]]

White Lotus: I trusted you! I can't believe... you lied to me! Death to both of you! [[Wait! I've changed! I'm not the same person anymore, White Lotus! Let's kill him together!|desryou]] | [[Stupid girl. We will destroy you!|kiltogethre]] | [[Don't hurt her! She's not a threat to us!|notathret]]

Lord Hawk: You've been lied to. I don't know how you got here, or what the wolf spirits did to you, but you must believe me. I've been searching for you ever since I came back. [[Continue|moremore]]

Skilled though you are, Lord Hawk has an army of undead samurai at his back. They swarm you and hold you down. [[Continue|kilgirl]]

White Lotus puts up a ferocious fight, but she is powerless against you. Lord Hawk grasps her shoulder and forces her to her knees before jamming his sword through her back. White Lotus looks at you with tears in her eyes. The pain of betrayal hurts worse than the blade drinking her blood. [[Continue|dileu]]

Lord Hawk staggers backwards. When he looks up, he sees you flying straight at him. Your fist connects solidly with his face, sending him sprawling on the ground. He springs to his feet, but your attack is vicious and unexpected. [[Continue|brtyhawk]]

Lord Hawk: Who do you think we should go after first? [[Let's go to Wolfgarde and deal with Jade Wolf.|towg]] | [[Let's go to the Red Desert and find Iron Wolf.|tord]]

White Lotus: Y-you! You're... Silver Wolf! The Great Betrayer! You lied to me! [[That's not who I am anymore! You have to believe me!|notwhoiam]] | [[Yes, I am Silver Wolf. I've done terrible things in my past, but it's time to make things right.|timrotmakrif]]

White Lotus: I want to believe you. I know we only met, but... I feel a connection between us. I don't think it was chance that brought us together. Ember Wolf gave you that sword hilt... perhaps this is the universe's way of saying it's time to start over. It's time to put things right. It's time for you to redeem yourself for the wicked deeds of your past. [[I think you're right.|ithinkyourright]] | [[That's super dramatic. But I agree.|ithinkyourright]]

Chancellor: I don't know. They vanished a thousand years ago. Some people claim to see them from time to time, but most of that is nonsense. I suppose if you wanted to follow a lead, you could start your search in The Red Desert. A man claimed he saw one of the wolf spirits while he was wandering alone and lost in the desert. Said the wolf spirit saved him. [[I will search for these wolf spirits.|soons]] | [[You're right, I can't help you. Good luck.|canthlpluck]]

The sailors attack one at a time like bad guys in a movie. Each time one of them gets close you punch, kick, or throw him into the water. Before long all of the sailors are bobbing up and down in the water near the ships. They grumble but stay away from you. Looks like you won’t be working with these sailors today. You continue on your way. [[Continue|docks2]]

The sailors all dive at you simultaneously. You disappear immediately and they all smash their faces together, knocking themselves out. You appear a few feet away in a poof of mist. Looks like you won’t be working with these sailors today. You brush yourself off and continue on your way. [[Continue|docks2]]

You pass dozens of boarded up towns along the way. It seems like most people have fled to the major cities to escape the onslaught of undead. [[Continue|atlast]]

Before long you find yourself lost in a mysterious fog. You can barely see anything past the tip of your own nose. The air grows colder. You wander through the heavy fog for what feels like hours before finally reaching a clearing. A lonely tea shop sits alone before you. [[Continue|wolfgarde]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and White Lotus enter the tea shop. The building (more like a tiny hut) consists of a single room with a few tables and chairs. The fireplace has been lit in the corner. There is only one man in the building. He is dressed like a samurai, and he is sipping hot tea by the fireplace. [[Excuse me, I'm looking for Wolfgarde.|lokinferwolf]] | [[You the owner of this shithole? Make me some tea.|makemahtea]] <<else>>\ You enter the tea shop. The building (more like a tiny hut) consists of a single room with a few tables and chairs. The fireplace has been lit in the corner. There is only one man in the building. He is dressed like a samurai, and he is sipping hot tea by the fireplace. [[Excuse me, I'm looking for Wolfgarde.|lokinferwolf]] | [[You the owner of this shithole? Make me some tea.|makemahtea]]<</if>>

You pass dozens of boarded up towns along the way. It seems like most people have fled to the major cities to escape the onslaught of undead. [[Continue|linebreaks]]

Before long you see the smooth stone walls of Mirage, the Elven Stronghold of the South. [[Continue|tomirage]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You pass through the city gates unmolested. There are no sentries on the walls, and nobody is walking around the streets. The place seems deserted. [[Continue|badnewsbaers]] <<else>>\ You pass through the city gates unmolested. There are no sentries on the walls, and nobody is walking around the streets. The place seems deserted. [[Continue|badnewsbaers2]]<</if>>

White Lotus: How odd. This city is the greatest stronghold of the elves... but there's no one here. I don't see any sign of undead attacks, do you? [[Let's keep looking.|keplock]] | [[Maybe they evacuated the city.|keplock]]

Lord Hawk orders his undead troops to head South, to the Red Desert. Then he takes your hand. You feel a rush of magic and suddenly you're standing outside a small tea shop surrounded by a thick fog. [[Continue|wolfgardebad]]

Lord Hawk orders his undead troops to head North, to Wolfgarde. Then he takes your hand. You feel a rush of magic and suddenly you're standing outside the gates of Mirage, the Elven Stronghold of the South. [[Continue|tomiragebad]]

Are you a dude or a chick? [[Dude|dude]] | [[Chick|chick]]

<<set $race = "human">>\ All right, we're good to go! [[Continue|ch12]]

<<set $race = "elf">>\ All right, we're good to go! [[Continue|ch12]]

<<set $race = "dwarf">>\ All right, we're good to go! [[Continue|ch12]]

<<set $race = "leprechaun">>\ All right, we're good to go! [[Continue|ch12]]

You and Lord Hawk enter the tea shop. The building (more like a tiny hut) consists of a single room with a few tables and chairs. The fireplace has been lit in the corner. There is only one man in the building. He is dressed like a samurai, and he is sipping hot tea by the fireplace. [[Excuse me, I'm looking for Wolfgarde.|lokinferwolf]] | [[You the owner of this shithole? Make me some tea.|makemahtea]]

<<if visited("tord")>>\ You pass through the city gates unmolested. There are no sentries on the walls, and nobody is walking around the streets. The place seems deserted. [[Continue|badnewsbaers66]] <<else>>\ The city is in ruins. Two Dreadnaughts stand guard at the gates. The streets are filled with undead. Lord Hawk's minions have captured the city. [[Continue|capturedmirage]]<</if>>

Kung Fu Space Barbarian: Heh heh... sorry. Couldn't resist. Now stop talking to me and get back to the action, ya little badass! Don't you have Dreadnaughts to kill or something?? [[Continue|docks2]]

$talker: According to legend, Silver Wolf betrayed the other wolf spirits and joined Lord Hawk, an evil Shyfter. Together they butchered thousands of innocents and fought to take control of the Heavens. [[Continue|fynus]]

$talker: For that reason, the statue of Silver Wolf has been desecrated. Nobody wants to pray to an evil spirit. [[Silver Wolf sounds like a badass.|badass]] | [[What makes a spirit turn evil?|turnevil]] | [[I've heard rumors about Lord Hawk. Do you think he's behind these Dreadnaught attacks?|hawk?]]

Lord Hawk: Together we can hunt down the other wolf spirits and re-forge the Grey Blade. You can take your place at my side once again and together we can finish the job we started all those years ago! The Heavens will finally be ours! [[Join Lord Hawk and take revenge on the wolf spirits who imprisoned you|revenge]] | [[Find the wolf spirits and redeem yourself for your past evil deeds by killing Lord Hawk with the Grey Blade once and for all|redemption]] <<set $student = "false">>\

You watch the life leave her eyes as she slumps to the ground. [[Continue|revenge]] <<set $student = "false">>\

Lord Hawk: Together we can hunt down the other wolf spirits and re-forge the Grey Blade. You can take your place at my side once again and together we can finish the job we started all those years ago! The Heavens will finally be ours! [[Join Lord Hawk and take revenge on the wolf spirits who imprisoned you|revenge]] | [[Find the wolf spirits and redeem yourself for your past evil deeds by killing Lord Hawk with the Grey Blade once and for all|redemption]]

Lord Hawk: We can hunt down the other wolf spirits and re-forge the Grey Blade. You can take your place at my side once again and together we can finish the job we started all those years ago! The Heavens will finally be ours! [[Join Lord Hawk and take revenge on the wolf spirits who imprisoned you|revenge]] | [[Find the wolf spirits and redeem yourself for your past evil deeds by killing Lord Hawk with the Grey Blade once and for all|redemption]]

You continue walking through the deserted streets until you notice a light on in the local trading post. You head inside to see if you can find some information. [[Continue|tradingpost]]

White Lotus nods. You continue walking through the deserted streets until you notice a light on in the local trading post. You head inside to see if you can find some information. [[Continue|tradingpost]]

<<if visited("insideoaiss")>>\ Don't you have better things to do than drink all day? [[Continue|miragetown]] <<else>>\ The Oasis is a huge tavern built from the skull of a massive primordial dragon. The kitchen is situated near the snout, so smoke is always pouring out of the nose holes. Some practical jokesters must have thought that up. [[Continue|insideoaiss]]<</if>>

<<if visited("elfgirl")>>\ Nothing more to be learned from the Elf Sages for now. Better get to the Spider Flats before the storm! [[Continue|miragetown]] <<else>>\ The tallest building in the city is a twisting spire etched with elf runes and ancient glyphs. It bears the markings of the Elf Sages. You approach the building and knock on the ornate doors. As if by magic, the doors swing open. An elf girl is standing just inside. [[Continue|elfgirl]]<</if>>

<<if visited("oldman")>>\ The shop is closed for the day. [[Continue|miragetown]] <<else>>\ An old elf is organizing a display rack inside. He jumps when he sees you. [[Continue|oldman]]<</if>>

<<if visited("hauntedhouse")>>\ Nothing more to be learned from the ghost. [[Continue|miragetown]] <<else>>\ You search for the haunted house. [[Continue|searh4houant]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ Zymer: I already told you, I've paid my dues for the week, now get- wait. You're not Venomfists. My apologies! Come in, come in! I don't see many new patrons these days! My name's Zymer, I'm the shopkeep here. What can I do for you? [[Venomfists?|venomfists]] | [[Where is everyone?|whereeveryone]] | [[Seen any wolf spirits lately?|senanywolvesprig]] | [[What do you have for sale?|sale]] <<else>>\ Zymer: I already told you, I've paid my dues for the week, now get- wait. You're not a Venomfist. My apologies! Come in, come in! I don't see many new patrons these days! My name's Zymer, I'm the shopkeep here. What can I do for you? [[Venomfist?|venomfists]] | [[Where is everyone?|whereeveryone]] | [[What do you have for sale?|sale]]<</if>>

Zymer: The Venomfists are a band of thugs! Dwarven fighters who use a secret kung fu technique that poisons their opponents. They've taken over the city and driven most of the honest folks off. [[They took over the biggest Elf stronghold in the world?|bigestelf]] | [[What are they doing here?|bigestelf]]

Zymer: We've had an outbreak recently. A Dragon-borne illness called the Rot swept through the city like wildfire, killing most of the residents and leaving the rest sick as can be. The magistrate put out a call for help, enlisted the aid of a mercenary band to defend the city. [[Continue|rots]]

<<if visited("takecomb")>>\ Zymer: I'm getting ready to close up shop for tonight, but come back tomorrow if you're interested in browsing. [[Goodbye.|leaveshop]] <<else>>\ Zymer: Basic supplies. Food, grains, simple provisions. The Venomfists banned weapons from the city and took my supply, so you won't find anything sharp or deadly here, I'm afraid. I do have this beautiful silver comb, though. I can sell it to ya for 100 gold pieces. [[Why the hell would I want a comb?|wantcomb]] | [[I'll take it.|takecomb]] | [[Goodbye.|leaveshop]]<</if>>

Zymer: We've had an outbreak recently. A Dragon-borne illness called the Rot swept through the city like wildfire, killing most of the residents and leaving the rest sick as can be. The magistrate put out a call for help, enlisted the aid of a mercenary band to defend the city. [[Continue|rots]]

Zymer: But these... Venomfists are nothing but thieving brutes! Honest shopkeepers are heavily taxed now- "protection money," they call it. And they sure don't do much protecting! Drinking seems to be the only thing they do. Most folks are too afraid to leave their houses anymore, lest they be accosted by one of our "protectors." [[What if you don't pay?|dontpay]] | [[Where can I find these Venomfists?|findvenoms]]

Zymer: Those who don't pay find that their stores and homes have been robbed or mysteriously destroyed by fires overnight. We know who's behind it all, but what can we do? The magistrate is afraid of them, and we've no warriors left to defend us! [[Where can I find these Venomfists?|findvenoms]] | [[What do you have for sale?|sale]]

Zymer: They spend most of their time drinking at the Oasis, the local tavern. Damn near taken over the place. But don't you go stirring up trouble! No good will come of it, you mark my words. [[Seen any wolf spirits lately?|senanywolvesprig]] | [[What do you have for sale?|sale]] | [[Goodbye|leaveshop]]

Zymer: It's about time for me to close up shop anyway. Safe travels! And steer clear of those Venomfists, ya hear? [[Continue|leavingshot]]

Zymer: Oh, I don't know. It's just been sitting in my shop for a while. Can't seem to get rid of it. So what do you say? Want it? [[Sure.|takecomb]] | [[No, thanks.|nopecomb]]

<<if $know == "true">>\ Lyra: Welcome to Shimmerfall Tower. My name is Lyra. I am an apprentice here. Please, come in. My masters have been expecting you. [[How'd they know I was coming?|knowiwas]] | [[Take me to them.|upthesatia]] <<else>>\ Lyra: Welcome to Shimmerfall Tower. My name is Lyra. I am an apprentice here. Please, come in. My masters have been expecting you. [[How'd they know I was coming?|knowiwas]] | [[Who are your masters?|whoyourmaster]]<</if>>

Lyra: My masters know all that is worth knowing both in this world and beyond. They can answer any questions you may have. Please follow me. [[Continue|upthesatia]]

Lyra: You will meet them soon enough. Please follow me. [[Continue|upthesatia]]

Lyra leads you up a long twisting staircase. You emerge into a circular room at the top filled with scientific instruments, astrological charts, and bubbling cauldrons. Three elves are throwing explosive rocks at each other and giggling as strange devices whirr and belch out smoke behind them. [[Continue|theelvfs]]

Lyra: Allow me to introduce my masters: Lady Rose, Starchaser, and Lantheon. [[Continue|elves]]

The Elf Sages stop their game and bow to you. They are all wearing long green robes covered in soot, as well as goggles and dirty gloves. They look young- no older than young adults by human standards- but surely they must be thousands of years old. [[Continue|lantheon]]

<<if $know == "false">>\ Lantheon: Welcome back to our tower, Silver Wolf. Over a century has passed since you last graced us with your presence. It is good to see you of sound mind once more. [[Silver Wolf?|silverysf]] | [[You are all insane.|silverysf]] <<else>>\ Lantheon: Welcome back to our tower, Silver Wolf. Over a century has passed since you last graced us with your presence. It is good to see you of sound mind once more. [[I'm looking for Iron Wolf.|lookin4iron]] | [[My memories are fuzzy. What is this place again?|fuzzymem]]<</if>>

<<if $thequest == "revenge">>\ Lantheon: This is Shimmerfall Tower, and we are the Elf Sages. For thousands of years we have studied the mysteries of the cosmos and the ways of this world. We are not protectors, but we do our best to nudge the world in the right direction. [[I remember you. You sent the wolf spirits to destroy me!|sentwolves]] | [[You fools have secluded yourselves in this tower. You know nothing of the world outside.|sentwolves]] <<else>>\ Lantheon: This is Shimmerfall Tower, and we are the Elf Sages. For thousands of years we have studied the mysteries of the cosmos and the ways of this world. We are not protectors, but we do our best to nudge the world in the right direction. [[I remember you! Can you tell me where Iron Wolf is?|wherestheiorn]] | [[I am searching for my brother Iron Wolf. I must set things right and atone for my past evils.|wherestheiorn]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus: Um... what? [[Continue|explain]] <<else>>\ Lantheon: You... don't remember? [[Remember what?|rememberwhat]] | [[Is this some kind of joke?|rememberwhat]]<</if>>

Lantheon: You... don't remember? [[Remember what?|rememberwhat]] | [[Is this some kind of joke?|rememberwhat]]

Lady Rose: This is certainly unexpected. I may be able to shed light on things. Please, come here. [[Okay...|aprochrose]] | [[I'm not coming anywhere near you until you explain yourselves!|youmustexplain]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You look to White Lotus. Her eyes are wide with fear. [[Continue|finealfpiece]] <<else>>\ You take a hesitant step toward Lady Rose. She reaches out her hands and places her fingertips gently against the side of your head. [[Continue|memflash]]<</if>>

Lady Rose: I can show you everything. Please, step forward. [[Continue|aprochrose]]

Magic swirls from her fingertips. Your memories come racing back in a flash. You are Silver Wolf, Master of the Grey Blade. You are the fourth wolf spirit, the Great Betrayer, one of the most powerful kung fu masters this world has ever known. [[Continue|reveal55]]

You stagger backward, fighting to comprehend everything you've just seen. [[This... can't be. What lies have you filled my head with!?|whatlies]] | [[I remember... everything.|rememberall]] <<set $know = "true">>\

Starchaser: The memories are real, Silver Wolf. This is no trickery. I don't know how you came to be here, but it seems fate still has a plan for you. [[Continue|ghghgh]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus: You're... Silver Wolf? But how...? [[The Grey Blade. It was cursed. Lord Hawk did this to me. I must find him and kill him!|cursedblade]] | [[My siblings betrayed me. I will hunt them down and re-forge the Grey Blade!|huntemdown]] <<else>>\ Lady Rose: Are you all right, Silver Wolf? [[The Grey Blade. It was cursed. Lord Hawk did this to me. I must find him and kill him!|cursedblade]] | [[My siblings betrayed me. I will hunt them down and take my revenge!|huntemdown]]<</if>>

Lantheon: Yes. Lord Hawk's magic twisted your mind. But the Grey Blade has been broken- and so has its evil spell. We can re-forge the blade here and imbue it with our own ancient magic. With it, you will be able to slay a Shyfter for good. But you must first collect the missing pieces. [[I am searching for Iron Wolf. Do you know where I can find him?|findingironwolf]] | [[Why would you help me after the terrible things I did?|whyhelpterrible]] <<set $thequest = "redemption">>\

<<set $thequest = "revenge">>\ <<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus: What!? [[Continue|wlknowsknow]] <<else>>\ Lantheon: The world will know terrible pain if you choose to follow this path. [[I didn't choose this path- they did.|didntchoseit]] | [[I know my destiny. I will have my revenge.|didntchoseit]]<</if>>

Lantheon: Iron Wolf has taken refuge in a magic cave beyond the Spider Flats. You will find him there- but do not expect a warm welcome. He has not forgiven you for the destruction you caused- or for the grievous wound you inflicted upon him so long ago. [[Spider Flats|spiderflats]] | [[I should go.|ishouldgonow]]

Starchaser: It is not our duty to judge the deeds of the past. We look to the future and work to achieve a better tomorrow. The destruction of Lord Hawk will be a blessing to all. [[I am searching for Iron Wolf. Do you know where I can find him?|findingironwolf]]

Lantheon: The Spider Flats are a barren waste- but dangerous in a storm. The flats are home to giant flesh-eating arachnids. They live deep beneath the cracked earth. But when it rains, their tunnels flood and the spiders emerge to the surface. [[Continue|spidersemerge]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ The Elf Sages bow to you once more and you leave. [[Continue|wltest]] <<else>>\ The Elf Sages bow to you once more and you leave. Where do you want to go? [[The Spider Flats|elspiderflatso]] | [[Check Inventory|Inventory]]<</if>>

Lantheon: Anyone caught in the flats when the spiders reach the surface will be ripped to shreds in an instant. [[Continue|whirringdevince]]

One of the scientific devices in the room begins to spin and whistle. Lantheon inspects it, then turns to you and smiles. [[You gotta be shitting me.|shittinme]] | [[That thing predicts rain, doesn't it?|shittinme]]

Lantheon: It would seem we're in for quite the storm! If you hope to find Iron Wolf, you had best leave quickly. After a heavy rain, the flats can remain flooded for weeks at a time. [[Thanks for the information.|thanksforinfos]] | [[Peace out!|thanksforinfos]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ The Elf Sages bow to you once more and you leave. [[Continue|wltest]] <<else>>\ The Elf Sages bow to you once more and you leave. Where do you want to go? [[The Spider Flats|elspiderflatso]] | [[Check Inventory|Inventory]]<</if>>

Thunder rumbles overhead. There is a flash of lightning and then it starts to rain. You leave Mirage and head west, to the Spider Flats. [[Continue|toilspidero]]

White Lotus: Y-you! You're... Silver Wolf! The Great Betrayer! You lied to me! [[That's not who I am anymore! You have to believe me!|notwhoiam2]] | [[Yes, I am Silver Wolf. I've done terrible things in my past, but it's time to make things right.|timrotmakrif2]]

White Lotus: You... you're a monster. You and Lord Hawk work together. You're going to kill us all. [[You don't understand. The Grey Blade- it was cursed! Lord Hawk tricked me!|lhtrickedme2]] | [[I've done terrible things in my past, but it's time to make things right.|timrotmakrif2]]

White Lotus heaves a deep sigh and bites her lip. [[Continue|wannabelieve2]]

White Lotus: How can I possibly trust you? [[You can't.|trydontwe2]] | [[Let me prove it to you. We must find the other wolf spirits, re-forge the Grey Blade, and kill Lord Hawk once and for all!|youcant2]]

White Lotus: I want to believe you. I know we only met, but... I feel a connection between us. I don't think it was chance that brought us together. Ember Wolf gave you that sword hilt... perhaps this is the universe's way of saying it's time to start over. It's time to put things right. It's time for you to redeem yourself for the wicked deeds of your past. [[I think you're right.|ithinkyourright2]] | [[That's super dramatic. But I agree.|ithinkyourright2]]

White Lotus: But the Grey Blade is cursed! If Lord Hawk was able to control you through it the last time, what makes you think you can safely wield it now? [[I don't know, but we have to try, don't we?|trydontwe2]] | [[The Sages said that spell was broken.|trydontwe2]]

White Lotus: So it's settled then! We find Jade Wolf and Iron Wolf and re-forge the Grey Blade. Then we kill Lord Hawk. [[Woah, woah, woah! What's all this WE stuff??|westuff2]] | [[That just about sums it up.|sumsitup2]]

White Lotus: I'm coming with you, of course! If the universe wants you to redeem yourself, then it wants ME to keep an eye on you- just in case you start to veer off course again. [[Thanks, White Lotus.|sumsitup2]] | [[I may be your master, but it seems you also have a lot to teach me.|sumsitup2]]

<<if visited("jadetored")>>\ White Lotus nods her head and leads you down to the gateway. The two of you step through it together. You find yourselves standing in front of the smooth stone walls of Mirage, the Elven Stronghold of the South. [[Continue|tomirage]] <<else>>\ White Lotus nods her head. You reach down and pull her back up to her feet. Where do you want to go? [[The Spider Flats|elspiderflatso]] | [[Check Inventory|Inventory]]<</if>>

Lantheon: The world will know terrible pain if you choose to follow this path. [[I didn't choose this path- they did.|didntchoseit]] | [[I know my destiny. I will have my revenge.|didntchoseit]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus draws her sword. The Elf Sages reach into the cosmos and draw Void Blades from the Abyss. [[Continue|wlfights]] <<else>>\ The Elf Sages reach into the cosmos and draw Void Blades from the Abyss. [[Continue|elfright]]<</if>>

White Lotus: You lied to me! You monster! I... I trusted you. But I can't let you do this! I will stop you! [[You can try.|cantry]] | [[Let's see how much you learned.|cantry]]

Starchaser: If that is your decision, then our path is set. We stand against you, Silver Wolf. [[You're all fools. You always have been.|alwaysfools]] | [[I will slaughter you all!|alwaysfools]]

Starchaser: If that is your decision, then our path is set. We stand against you, Silver Wolf. [[You're all fools. You always have been.|alwaysfools2]] | [[I will slaughter you all!|alwaysfools2]]

You launch forward and attack the Elf Sages with a flurry of quick attacks. They begin to teleport around the room, slicing you with their swords before teleporting away again. [[Continue|elfsfight]]

Starchaser appears nearby just as you unleash a powerful kick. It connects solidly with his jaw and he goes flying across the room, smashing into a table covered in metal instruments and bubbling potions. That section of the room explodes, blasting a huge chunk out of the wall and giving you a view of the city below. [[Attack Lantheon|lantheonnext]] | [[Attack Lady Rose|ladyrosenext]]

<<set $sage = "Lantheon">>\ <<set $prey = "Lady Rose">>\ <<set $shem = "his">>\ <<set $prem = "her">>\ You focus your attacks on $sage. You land several savage blows before breaking $shem neck with a giant protractor dangling from the wall. Then you turn your attention to $prey. [[Continue|prept]]

<<set $sage = "Lady Rose">>\ <<set $prey = "Lantheon">>\ <<set $shem = "her">>\ <<set $prem = "his">>\ You focus your attacks on $sage. You land several savage blows before breaking $shem neck with a giant protractor dangling from the wall. Then you turn your attention to $prey. [[Continue|prept]]

$prey: You truly are beyond redemption, aren't you, Silver Wolf? [[Tell me where I can find Iron Wolf.|findironnow]] | [[Time to die.|ttd]]

$prey: You'll never find him, demon! [[Continue|neverfind]]

$prey: You would kill me before learning the location of Iron Wolf? You are a fool! Die, wolf spirit! [[Continue|neverfind]]

$prey attacks you with renewed ferocity, but you blast $prem sword across the room with a burst of chi. $prey staggers on the edge of the building where the explosion ripped open the wall. [[Where. Is. Iron. Wolf.|wherethruf]] | [[You can still save yourself.|wherethruf]]

<<if visited("morefighting66")>>\ $prey: Iron Wolf... is in a cave. Beyond the Spider Flats. But you'll never find him! The arachnids will rip you to shreds! [[Spider Flats?|spiderflatsher]] | [[I hope you can fly.|hoecanfly66]] <<else>>\ $prey: Iron Wolf... is in a cave. Beyond the Spider Flats. But you'll never find him! The arachnids will rip you to shreds! [[Spider Flats?|spiderflatsher]] | [[I hope you can fly.|hoecanfly]]<</if>>

$prey: The Spider Flats are a barren waste- but dangerous in a storm. The flats are home to giant flesh-eating arachnids. They live deep beneath the cracked earth. But when it rains, their tunnels flood and the spiders emerge to the surface. [[Continue|spidersemerge2]]

<<if visited("elfsfight2")>>\ You step forward and stomp-kick $prey in the chest. $prey tumbles out the window and falls for a very long time. The explosion of gore on the pavement below is extremely satisfying. You turn to White Lotus. [[Continue|dedlutus]] <<else>>\ You step forward and stomp-kick $prey in the chest. $prey tumbles out the window and falls for a very long time. The explosion of gore on the pavement below is extremely satisfying. You exit the building. [[Continue|wheretoboss]]<</if>>

$prey: Anyone caught in the flats when the spiders reach the surface will be ripped to shreds in an instant. [[Continue|whirringdevince2]]

One of the scientific devices in the room begins to spin and whistle. $prey inspects it, then turns to you and smiles. [[You gotta be shitting me.|shittinme2]] | [[That thing predicts rain, doesn't it?|shittinme2]]

<<if visited("morefighting66")>>\ $prey: It would seem we're in for quite the storm! If you hope to find Iron Wolf, you had best leave quickly. After a heavy rain, the flats can remain flooded for weeks at a time. [[Thanks for the information.|hoecanfly66]] | [[I hope you can fly.|hoecanfly66]] <<else>>\ $prey: It would seem we're in for quite the storm! If you hope to find Iron Wolf, you had best leave quickly. After a heavy rain, the flats can remain flooded for weeks at a time. [[Thanks for the information.|hoecanfly]] | [[I hope you can fly.|hoecanfly]]<</if>>

Where will you go next? [[The Spider Flats|elspiderflatso]] | [[Check Inventory|Inventory]]

You launch forward and attack the Elf Sages with a flurry of quick attacks. They begin to teleport around the room, slicing you with their swords before teleporting away again. [[Continue|elfsfight2]]

White Lotus fights with great intensity, but she is no match for you. You blast her across the room with chi and she smashes into a wall before flopping to the ground, limp. [[Continue|morefighting]]

Starchaser appears nearby just as you unleash a powerful kick. It connects solidly with his jaw and he goes flying across the room, smashing into a table covered in metal instruments and bubbling potions. That section of the room explodes, blasting a huge chunk out of the wall and giving you a view of the city below. [[Attack Lantheon|lantheonnext]] | [[Attack Lady Rose|ladyrosenext]]

You stand over her body and inspect the damage. The impact with the wall was fatal- her neck is broken. White Lotus is dead. [[Throw her body out the window|thrower]] | [[Leave|leavetowers]] <<set $student = "false">>\

You drag White Lotus's body to the opening in the wall and toss her out, aiming for the splatter mark on the ground below. A wind picks up and her body drifts a little away before splattering on the pavement, so you miss your mark. You're a sick fuck, you know that? [[Continue|leavetowers]]

You exit the tower. Where will you go next? [[The Spider Flats|elspiderflatso]] | [[Check Inventory|Inventory]]

The Spider Flats are housed within a canyon trench. A series of wooden bridges and staircases lead up over the canyon. What will you do? [[Walk through the trench|trench]] | [[Climb the stairs and cross the bridges|stairbridge]]

You boldly stride into the trench as the rain lashes against your face. Just then the ground beneath your feet begins to rumble. [[Continue|arackattack]]

You ascend the wooden stairs and cross the canyon using the bridges connecting different pathways. As the rain begins to fall more heavily, dozens of monstrous spiders emerge from the trench below. They begin scaling the canyon walls, trying to get as far away from the flooding tunnels as possible. [[Continue|bridges2]]

You begin to run, staying ahead of the spiders all the while. Up ahead you see flickering firelight coming from a cave. The cave is beyond the limits of the canyon, so you follow the bridges leading there. [[Continue|enterthecave]]

<<if $lordhawk == "true">>\ You pass through a shimmering magic barrier and enter the cave. The spiders smash into the barrier and disintegrate on impact, leaving splatters of green goo on the rocks outside. Seems like you made it just in time. [[Continue|ironcaves66]] <<else>>\ You pass through a shimmering magic barrier and enter the cave. The spiders smash into the barrier and disintegrate on impact, leaving splatters of green goo on the rocks outside. Seems like you made it just in time. [[Continue|ironcaves]]<</if>>

Iron Wolf stands and turns to you. His eyes are covered with cloth, but you can still see the scars left over from your final fight with him. You remember his fangs at your throat. You clawed his eyes out. Iron Wolf is blind. [[Continue|ironwolftalk44]]

Iron Wolf stands and turns to you. His eyes are covered with cloth, but you can still see the scars left over from your final fight with him. You remember his fangs at your throat. You clawed his eyes out. Iron Wolf is blind. [[Continue|ironwolftalk]]

Iron Wolf stands and turns to you. His eyes are covered with cloth, but you can still see the scars left over from your final fight with him. You remember his fangs at your throat. You clawed his eyes out. Iron Wolf is blind. [[Continue|ironwolftalk4]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ Iron Wolf: Have you come to kill me, Silver Wolf? And who is this with you? Lord Hawk re-formed? [[Apologize|ironwolftalk4]] | [[Introduce White Lotus|introwl]] <<else>>\ Iron Wolf: Have you come to kill me, Silver Wolf? [[Apologize|ironwolftalk4]] | [[Tell Iron Wolf everything that's happened|ironwolftalk4]]<</if>>

Iron Wolf: So our sister is dead and our mortal enemy has risen once more. And you expect me to believe that you've found your way back to the path of righteousness? How can I know you haven't joined Lord Hawk already? That you didn't murder Ember Wolf yourself? It was a mistake for Jade Wolf to free you. [[Why did Jade Wolf free me?|whyjade]] | [[Lord Hawk's curse is broken. I'm no longer under his spell.|underspel]]

Iron Wolf: We knew of Lord Hawk's return long before the mortals did. We debated for a long time what to do with you. Even after being imprisoned for a thousand years, you seemed... fiery. Unrepentant. And eager to rejoin the Shyfter. [[Continue|freee]]

Iron Wolf: That remains to be seen. [[Ember Wolf gave me the sword hilt...|swordilt]] | [[Why did Jade Wolf free me?|whyjade]]

Iron Wolf: But Jade Wolf and Ember Wolf believed you could be redeemed. They just needed to keep you away from Lord Hawk- we knew he would come for you sooner or later. So they erased your memories and left you among the mortals, hoping that you would be able to start anew. [[What if I found out and chose revenge?|choserev]] | [[Ember Wolf gave me the sword hilt...|swordilt]]

Iron Wolf: Our fates would have been no different than if we waited for Lord Hawk to free you from your prison. At least this way we had a chance. [[Continue|ironslplai]]

Iron Wolf: Yes. We knew at some point you would wield the Grey Blade once again. We just hoped we had more time... time for you to find your path once more. But Lord Hawk regained power faster than any of us expected. [[I want to kill Lord Hawk.|kilshawks]] | [[I have found the path, brother. We must re-forge the Grey Blade and kill Lord Hawk!|kilshawks]]

Iron Wolf: Hm. So it would seem. Very well! If there is to be a battle with Lord Hawk, I must prepare. Take this sword fragment. The Elf Sages can re-forge the blade with their magic. [[Continue|giveshard]] <<set $magicitems += 1>>\

Iron Wolf: You must leave now and continue your quest. We are running out of time. I will meet you at the gates of the Grey Keep when you are ready. [[Thank you, Iron Wolf.|thankiron]] | [[I will not let you down again, brother.|thankiron]] <<set $inventory.push("Broken Blade")>>\

<<if $magicitems == 3>>\ Iron Wolf: Right. I can teleport you to your next destination- it is not safe to traverse the Spider Flats in the rain. Where should I send you? [[To the Elf Sages|teleelfs]] <<else>>\ Iron Wolf: Right. I can teleport you to your next destination- it is not safe to traverse the Spider Flats in the rain. Where should I send you? [[To Wolfgarde|telewolfgarde]]<</if>>

Iron Wolf waves his hand and rips open a portal in the cave wall. [[Continue|togardeelfs]]

Iron Wolf waves his hand and rips open a portal in the cave wall. [[Continue|togarde]]

Iron Wolf: Send my warmest regards to our sister. I'll see you on the battlefield. [[Continue|vopvop]]

You step through the portal and find yourself standing near a lonely tea shop surrounded by a mysterious fog. [[Continue|wolfgarde]]

You apologize to Iron Wolf. You beg his forgiveness and tell him about your encounter with Ember Wolf. You talk about the Dreadnaughts, the undead, and Lord Hawk. Iron Wolf is silent for a long time before responding. [[Continue|emberdember]]

The dirt and rocks explode all around you as dozens of giant chitinous spiders claw their way out of the ground. Their hairy legs are coated in blood and slime, and their enormous backs seem to be protected by armor-hard shells. One whiff and they descend on you. What do you do? [[Run like hell|rulikehel]] | [[Teleport to the bridges above|telebridge]]

You begin to run, using chi to increase your speed tenfold. The spiders swarm behind you, eager to taste your blood. Up ahead you see flickering firelight coming from a cave. The cave is beyond the limits of the canyon, so you follow the pathway leading there. [[Continue|enterthecave]]

With a rush of chi you warp from the base of the canyon up onto one of the bridges above. The spiders have your scent though, and they begin to scale the walls. [[Continue|bridges2]]

<<if $thequest == "revenge">>\ The walls are adorned with strange etchings and simple paintings. A young man is seated in meditation near a small fire. [[Stand and face me. I want to watch the life leave your eyes when I kill you.|facemeiron]] | [[Hand over the sword shard.|swordshards]] <<else>>\ The walls are adorned with strange etchings and simple paintings. A young man is seated in meditation near a small fire. [[Iron Wolf?|metiron]] | [[Brother, please accept my apology.|apologizeiron]]<</if>>

Iron Wolf: We knew at some point you would wield the Grey Blade once again. We just hoped we had more time... time for you to find your path once more. But Lord Hawk regained power faster than any of us expected. [[I want to kill Lord Hawk.|kilshawks]] | [[I have found the path, brother. We must re-forge the Grey Blade and kill Lord Hawk!|kilshawks]]

White Lotus blushes as a slow smile creeps across Iron Wolf's face. The scars you gave him become even more pronounced. [[Apologize|ironwolftalk4]] | [[Tell Iron Wolf everything that's happened|ironwolftalk4]]

Iron Wolf: I knew it was a mistake for Jade Wolf to set you free. We should have killed you instead. [[The sword fragment. Hand it over!|handovershard]] | [[You were all fools for imprisoning me in the first place.|firstplace]]

Iron Wolf: We knew of Lord Hawk's return long before the mortals did. We debated for a long time what to do with you. Even after being imprisoned for a thousand years, you seemed... fiery. Unrepentant. And eager to rejoin the Shyfter. [[Continue|freees]]

Iron Wolf: But Jade Wolf and Ember Wolf believed you could be redeemed. They just needed to keep you away from Lord Hawk- we knew he would come for you sooner or later. So they erased your memories and left you among the mortals, hoping that you would be able to start anew. [[Their compassion will be your downfall.|handovershard]] | [[Ember Wolf put a sword fragment in my hands as she died. You will do the same.|handovershard]]

You drop into a fighting stance and begin to channel your chi as Iron Wolf charges at you. He leaps in the air and with a flash of light he morphs into a huge wolf! Before you can get off an attack, the wolf tackles you to the ground and begins to claw and bite at your face. [[Continue|chiblastbro]]

You drop into a fighting stance as Iron Wolf charges at you. He leaps in the air and with a flash of light he morphs into a huge wolf! The wolf tackles you to the ground and begins to claw and bite at your face. Your fists are useless in this fight! [[Blast him away with chi|chiblastbro]] | [[Morph into a wolf and fight him|wolfmorphintime]]

You and Iron Wolf leap at each other, morphing into wolves mid-air. It is a furious battle! You fight each other tooth and nail. Iron Wolf is strong, but you are a dirty fighter. You lunge at him and claw at his blind eyes. He roars in pain and fury. [[Continue|morphback]]

You draw all your chi energy into your fist and punch Iron Wolf in the belly. The explosive attack sends him flying across the cave. You leap to your feet and charge your brother, unleashing a flurry of chi blasts as you go. [[Continue|morphback]]

Just as your brother is about to tear out your throat, you morph into a huge spectral wolf and throw him off. You leap at him and claw at his blind eyes. He roars in pain and fury. [[Continue|morphback]]

Iron Wolf is unable to maintain his wolf form and suddenly shifts back into his normal body. You don't let up the attack, though- you force Iron Wolf back into a corner. Suddenly he reaches back and pulls a longsword off a little table. The table falls over and your sword fragment clatters to the ground! [[Continue|frgs]] <<set $inventory.push("Sword Shard")>>\ <<set $magicitems += 1>>\ <<if $magicitems == 3>><<set $greyblade = "true">><</if>>\

<<if visited("chiblastbro")>>\ You roll under Iron Wolf's attack, grab the blade, spin back, and jam it into Iron Wolf's throat. Iron Wolf drops his sword and staggers backwards, unable to speak. He drops to his knees, gurgles out blood, and finally flops to the ground, dead. [[Continue|gotblade]] <<else>>\ You morph back into your normal form as you roll under Iron Wolf's attack, grab the blade, spin back, and jam it into Iron Wolf's throat. Iron Wolf drops his sword and staggers backwards, unable to speak. He drops to his knees, gurgles out blood, and finally flops to the ground, dead. [[Continue|gotblade]]<</if>>

<<if $lordhawk == "true">>\ Your hand is bleeding from a nasty cut from gripping the blade. You re-focus your chi and watch as the magical energy wipes away all signs of damage. [[Continue|movingon66]] <<else>>\ Your hand is bleeding from a nasty cut from gripping the blade. You re-focus your chi and watch as the magical energy wipes away all signs of damage. [[Continue|movingon]]<</if>>

<<if $greyblade == "true">>\ You hear movement near the entrance of the cave. You spin around and see a man standing before you. His jet black armor is accentuated by a crimson robe and a hideous black mask. [[Continue|hawkunion]] <<else>>\ With the blade in hand, you leave the caves and begin your journey north, to Wolfgarde. The world seems to be a nightmare version of what it once was. Villages are in flames. Undead soldiers and Dreadnaughts roam the streets. Traversing the country is like walking through Hell. [[Continue|atlast]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk casts his mask aside. His face is strikingly handsome. He smiles at you. [[Continue|maskasidgg]]

<<if $gender == "chick">>\ Lord Hawk: Silver Wolf... my love. I have been searching for you. [[Kiss him|kisshawkd]] | [[Show him the sword fragments|showhawksword]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: Silver Wolf... my brother. I have been searching for you. [[Give him a big bro hug|kisshawkdg]] | [[Show him the sword fragments|showhawksword]]<</if>>

You embrace Lord Hawk and kiss him with gusto. After watching him die a thousand years ago... it's a little emotional. Thunder rumbles in the distance. Lord Hawk holds you at arm’s length and takes a good look at your face. [[Continue|liyes2]]

You present the sword fragments to Lord Hawk. His eyes grow wide with surprise. [[Continue|surpirsejf]]

You give Lord Hawk a solid bro hug of epic proportions. After watching your best friend die a thousand years ago... it's a little emotional. Thunder rumbles in the distance. Lord Hawk holds you at arm's length and takes a good look at your face. [[Continue|liyes2]]

You enter the tavern. The main dining area is full of dwarves wearing ninja garb. Green skulls have been stitched onto the backs of their tunics- they’re like some weird kung fu biker gang. The music stops and they all turn to look at you when you enter. [[Continue|enteringtvne]]

<<if $race == "elf">>\ Shazam: An elf who hasn't been wiped out by the Rot? Your immune system must be spectacular. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. My name is Shazam, and I’m the Captain of the Guard here in Mirage. [[Captain of the Guard? You mean leader of these thugs?|leaderofthugs]] | [[Those are cute outfits. Did you knit them yourselves?|cuteoutfits]] <<elseif $race == "dwarf">>\ Shazam: A non-Venomfist dwarf in Mirage? I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. My name is Shazam, and I’m the Captain of the Guard here in Mirage. [[Captain of the Guard? You mean leader of these thugs?|leaderofthugs]] | [[Those are cute outfits. Did you knit them yourselves?|cuteoutfits]] <<else>>\ Shazam: I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. My name is Shazam, and I’m the Captain of the Guard here in Mirage. [[Captain of the Guard? You mean leader of these thugs?|leaderofthugs]] | [[Those are cute outfits. Did you knit them yourselves?|cuteoutfits]]<</if>>

Shazam: Now, now! There's no need for name calling. If not for us, this city would be left completely defenseless. We provide our services and keep the people of Mirage safe. [[You’re abusing your power. We must fight!|abusingpower]] | [[I don't think extorting honest business owners falls under your job description. We must fight!|abusingpower]]

Shazam: Tsk tsk. Starting a fight with the Venomfists? You're clearly not from around here. But you will learn. [[If it's a fight you're looking for, it's a fight you'll get!|abusingpower]]

The band begins to play as the ninja dwarves form a ring around you. They start snapping their fingers and circling you clockwise, staying in perfect step with one another. [[Continue|danceoff]]

Shazam: We don't fight... we battle! KICK IT!! [[Continue|challengedwarves]]

Your hip thrusting is too much for the dwarf ninjas to handle! They begin to collapse and flop on the ground like fish. [[Continue|bossfight]]

Your shoulder shimmies are too much for the dwarf ninjas to handle! They begin to collapse and flop on the ground like fish. [[Continue|bossfight]]

Your jazz hands are too much for the dwarf ninjas to handle! They begin to collapse and flop on the ground like fish. [[Continue|bossfight]]

<<if $thequest == "revenge">>\ Lantheon: What do you plan to do when you find him? [[Kill him.|killiniron]] <<else>>\ Lantheon: What do you plan to do when you find him? [[I must beg his forgiveness and atone for my past evil deeds.|wherestheiorn]]<</if>>

Lady Rose: It seems you have not changed after all... a pity. [[Tell me where Iron Wolf is if you value your lives.|killiniron]]

Lantheon: Iron Wolf has taken refuge in a magic cave beyond the Spider Flats. You will find him there- but do not expect a warm welcome. He has not forgiven you for the destruction you caused- or for the grievous wound you inflicted upon him so long ago. [[Spider Flats|spiderflats]] | [[I should go.|ishouldgonow]]

The Elf Sages reach into the cosmos and draw Void Blades from the Abyss. [[Continue|elfright]]

Music: <<link 'Track 1'>><<stopallaudio>><<audio "track1" loop play>><</link>> <<link 'Track 2'>><<stopallaudio>><<audio "track2" loop play>><</link>> <<link 'Track 3'>><<stopallaudio>><<audio "track3" loop play>><</link>> <<link 'Track 4'>><<stopallaudio>><<audio "track4" loop play>><</link>> <<link 'Track 5'>><<stopallaudio>><<audio "track5" loop play>><</link>> <<link 'Track 6'>><<stopallaudio>><<audio "track6" loop play>><</link>> <<link 'Mute Audio'>><<stopallaudio>><</link>>

Shazam: Aha! You may have bested my ninjas, but they were just white belts! Now you face a MASTER! [[Continue|danceoffwithshazam]]

Shazam leaps onto the dance floor and busts a move. His feet are lightning fast and the way he moves his hips is mesmerizing. How do you counter this impressive display of dancing!? [[Breakdance|breakdance]] | [[Do the worm|womdance]] | [[Do some rodeo shit|rodeodanne]]

This dance floor is on FI-YAAH! Your kung fu breakdancing blows Shazam's mind. He collapses to the ground and begs you to have mercy. [[Fine, I'll stop. But you have to promise you won't extort these people anymore!|stopextorting]] | [[Nah, I'd rather keep dancing until your heads explode.|headsexplosend]]

This dance floor is on FI-YAAH! Your kung fu worm technique blows Shazam's mind. He collapses to the ground and begs you to have mercy. [[Fine, I'll stop. But you have to promise you won't extort these people anymore!|stopextorting]] | [[Nah, I'd rather keep dancing until your heads explode.|headsexplosend]]

This dance floor is on FI-YAAH! Your kung fu rodeo moves blow Shazam's mind. He collapses to the ground and begs you to have mercy. [[Fine, I'll stop. But you have to promise you won't extort these people anymore!|stopextorting]] | [[Nah, I'd rather keep dancing until your heads explode.|headsexplosend]]

Shazam: You have my word! We will give back to the community from now on, not take away from it. Just, please- stop dancing! [[Continue|shamazondi]]

You continue to dance like a big ol' badass. One by one the Venomfist goons's heads explode due to the sheer awesomeness of your dance moves. Finally Shazam's head bursts like a watermelon hitting the pavement. These thugs won't bother Mirage anymore. [[Continue|goingoutsideoftavern]]

You nod your head, satisfied that the Venomfists won't be harming this town anymore. [[Continue|goingoutsideoftavern]]

Zymer: Nobody's seen a wolf spirit in a thousand years, as far as I know! But it couldn’t hurt to talk to the Sages. They've lived in Shimmerfall Tower for centuries. They may have some way to communicate with the spirits, though I honestly don't know what goes on in that tower. [[Continue|talktaelfsages]]

Zymer: Another option might be to visit the haunted house on the far side of the city. There's a ghost that's been living there for some time now. She ain't too friendly, but she may be able to tell you something about the wolf spirits. [[Venomfist?|venomfists]] | [[Where is everyone?|whereeveryone]] | [[What do you have for sale?|sale]] | [[Goodbye.|leaveshop]]

The air becomes dry and hot as you travel further south, and soon you find yourself trekking through a desert sandstorm. [[Continue|atlasts]]

Miyamoto: Congratulations, my friend. You have found it. [[This tea hut is Wolfgarde?|teahuts]] | [[Is this the Frozen Fortress of the North?|teahuts]]

Miyamoto: You are the one I have been waiting for. [[You've been waiting for me?|waitingforme]] | [[Do I know you?|waitingforme]]

Miyamoto: No. This tea hut is all that is left of Wolfgarde. Only the magic of my ancestors has kept this place from being discovered by the Wolf Queen. Please sit. The fire is warm and the tea is hot- and I have much to tell you. [[Accept tea and sit|acceptteasit]] | [[Refuse and remain standing|remainstanding]]

Miyamoto: Wolfgarde was once a powerful city, but a terrible curse has fallen over this land. An enchanted fog has shrouded this place for hundreds of years- it is inescapable. Many have tried to leave, but they have all died, lost in the mist... or worse. [[What could be worse than death?|worsethandeath]] | [[So I'm trapped here?|trapped here]]

The samurai shrugs and pours himself another cup of steaming hot tea. [[Continue|acceptteasit]]

Miyamoto: Lycanthropy. [[Continue|windhowls]]

Miyamoto: Not for much longer. Those who are not killed by the monsters in the mist make their way to Castle Wolfgarde, where the Wolf Queen sits on her bloody throne. There, they meet their fates... they become her minions for all eternity. [[Who is the Wolf Queen?|wolfqueen]] | [[Is the Wolf Queen responsible for this fog?|wolfstorm]]

The wind howls dramatically outside. [[Are you talking about werewolves?|werewolves]] | [[So everyone in Wolfgarde is either dead or turned into a werewolf?|werewolves]]

Miyamoto: Yes. Those who were not lost in the fog made their way to Castle Wolfgarde, where the Wolf Queen sits on her bloody throne. There, they met their fates. [[Who is the Wolf Queen?|wolfqueen]] | [[Is the Wolf Queen responsible for this fog?|wolfstorm]]

Miyamoto: The Wolf Queen is an evil spirit who has brought nothing but destruction to this land. She was once a great protector, but she now fears to lose her power above all else. Thus, she has cursed this land with an inescapable mist. None who enter may leave. My father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, my great-great grandfather, my great-great-great grandfather, my great-great- [[Okay, I get it!|igetit]]

Miyamoto: Yes. Her magic protects Castle Wolfgarde. Anyone caught in the fog is trapped here forever or becomes one of her minions. My father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, my great-great grandfather, my great-great-great grandfather, my great-great- [[Okay, I get it!|igetit]]

Miyamoto: Right. All of my ancestors have braved the fog and fought their way to Castle Wolfgarde. All have tried to defeat the Wolf Queen and break her spell, but all have failed. I will not fail. Tonight is the night I will break this curse and finally be free. [[I will join you on this quest.|joinquest]] | [[What makes you think you can defeat the Wolf Queen when all others have failed?|allfailed]]

Miyamoto: I knew you would. You have a great destiny ahead of you, that much is clear. It is not your fate to die in the mist. Tonight we will face the Wolf Queen and defeat her once and for all! [[Let's do it!|letsdoint]] | [[I always wanted to kill a werewolf.|letsdoint]]

Miyamoto: I will have you at my side. [[You think I can defeat the Wolf Queen?|wulfqueen]] | [[What makes me so special?|wulfqueen]]

Miyamoto: You have a great destiny ahead of you, that much is clear. It is not your fate to die in the fog. Tonight we will face the Wolf Queen and defeat her once and for all! [[Let's do it!|letsdoint]] | [[I always wanted to kill a werewolf.|letsdoint]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ Miyamoto finishes his tea, stacks the cup and plate neatly on the table, adjusts the sword at his hip, then leads you and White Lotus out into the fog. [[Continue|intothefog]] <<elseif $lordhawk == "true">>\ Miyamoto finishes his tea, stacks the cup and plate neatly on the table, adjusts the sword at his hip, then leads you and Lord Hawk out into the fog. [[Continue|intothefog]] <<else>>\ Miyamoto finishes his tea, stacks the cup and plate neatly on the table, adjusts the sword at his hip, then leads you out into the fog. [[Continue|intothefog]]<</if>>

Miyamoto: My name is Miyamoto. This tea hut is all that is left of Wolfgarde. Only the magic of my ancestors has kept this place from being discovered by the Wolf Queen. Please sit. The fire is warm and the tea is hot- and I have much to tell you. [[Accept tea and sit|acceptteasit]] | [[Refuse and remain standing|remainstanding]]

A shimmering ghost lady with long flowing hair appears before you. [[Continue|ghostlasy]]

You race after the dwarves. They flee into the Oasis. You charge in after them and come screeching to a halt. The main dining area is full of dwarves wearing ninja garb. Green skulls have been stitched onto the backs of their tunics- they’re like some weird kung fu biker gang. The music stops and they all turn to look at you when you enter. [[Continue|enteringtvne]]

<<if visited("gauntlets")>>\ You charge toward the flames and see a woman trapped beneath a pile of rubble. The house around her is burning- you don't have much time! [[Lift the rubble with the Gauntlets of Strength|gauntsave]] | [[Let her burn|letherburn]] <<else>>\ You charge toward the flames and see a woman trapped beneath a pile of rubble. The house around her is burning- you don't have much time! [[Try to lift the rubble|gauntsavefail]] | [[Let her burn|letherburn]]<</if>>

You ignore the noise and continue to wander through the deserted streets until you arrive at a rundown old house. The wooden shutters creak in the wind. [[Continue|hauntedhouse]]

You heave the rubble aside as the flames creep closer. You lift a heavy piece of wood off the woman's back and she scrambles free! You let go of the wood and step back as the rest of the building in consumed in flames. [[Continue|savedwoman]]

You stand back and watch as the woman is crushed by the rubble and burned alive. How deliciously evil of you. [[Continue|walkingtohouse]]

You try to lift the rubble off the woman but it's just too heavy! The flames creep closer but you're powerless to stop it. If only you had the Gauntlets of Strength! The woman screams as the flames begin to lick at her skin. You kick dirt on the flames but it's useless. The woman is consumed by the inferno. [[Sit and cry|sitandcry]] | [[Move on|moveon]]

You turn your back on the burning building and continue to wander through the deserted streets until you arrive at a rundown old house. The wooden shutters creak in the wind. [[Continue|hauntedhouse]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You fall to the ground and begin to weep. White Lotus kneels at your side. [[Continue|wlcomfort]] <<else>>\ You fall to the ground and begin to weep. The burning building is no more than a pile of ashes when you stand up once more. This was the work of the Venomfists, you're sure of it. Where will you go? [[The Oasis, the local tavern|oasis]] | [[The Elven Mage Tower|magetower]] | [[The haunted house|hauntedhouses]] | [[Check Inventory|Inventory]]<</if>>

You try to shake the images from your head. There was nothing you could do to save her... it's time to move on. [[Continue|hauntedhouses]]

White Lotus: It wasn't your fault! You did everything you could- you would have died if you stayed. This is the work of those Venomfists the shopkeeper told us about! They will pay for this! [[Yes, they will. We're going to the Oasis now.|goingtooasis]] | [[No. We have work to do. The Venomfists are not our concern.|goingbacktohouse]]

You wander through the deserted streets until you arrive at a rundown old house. The wooden shutters creak in the wind. [[Continue|hauntedhouse]]

White Lotus helps you to your feet. It's payback time. [[Continue|oasis]]

White Lotus helps you to your feet. It's time to get some answers about Iron Wolf. [[Continue|hauntedhouses]]

Elf Woman: Thank you for saving me! I surely would have died if you hadn't shown up! [[What started the fire?|startthefire]] | [[I saw two dwarf ninjas running away from the flames...|startthefire]]

Elf Woman: It was those damned Venomfists! They burned down my shop because I refused to pay their protection money- it's extortion! Someone needs to drive them out of town! [[Where can I find the Venomfists?|wurefind]] | [[I have other tasks to attend to, but if I have time I'll deal with the Venomfists.|deallatersd]]

Elf Woman: They've taken over the Oasis. That's the main tavern in this city. They're a bunch of drunk thugs! Please help our city! Get rid of those dwarf brutes! [[I will deal with the Venomfists.|illdeal]] | [[The Venomfists aren't my problem. I have other work to do.|otherworkersg]]

The elf woman grumbles and tries to figure out what to do with her life now that her shop has been burned down. You leave her alone. [[Continue|hauntedhouses]]

The elf woman gives you a weak smile. You head towards the tavern. [[Continue|oasis]]

The elf woman grumbles and tries to figure out what to do with her life now that her shop has been burned down. You leave her alone. [[Continue|hauntedhouses]]

Lord Hawk: How odd. This city is the greatest stronghold of the elves... but there's no one here. I haven't sent any Dreadnaughts to this city yet... [[Let's keep looking.|keplock66]] | [[Maybe they evacuated the city.|keplock66]]

Lord Hawk: My Dreadnaughts did more damage than I had anticipated. Bahahaha! It is of little importance. Our business is with the Elf Sages. If anyone knows where Iron Wolf can be found, it's them. [[Elf Sages?|elfsage66]] | [[We don't need old elves to help us.|elfsage66]]

Lord Hawk: It is of little importance. Our business is with the Elf Sages. If anyone knows where Iron Wolf can be found, it's them. [[Elf Sages?|elfsage66]] | [[We don't need old elves to help us.|elfsage66]]

Lord Hawk: The Elf Sages have lived in their magical tower for centuries. They know all the comings and goings of elves, men, dwarves, and even spirits. Besides, it's been over a thousand years since our last meeting... I think we owe them some payback. [[Continue|sagetowers66]]

The tallest building in the city is a twisting spire etched with elf runes and ancient glyphs. It bears the markings of the Elf Sages. You approach the building and knock on the ornate doors. As if by magic, the doors swing open. An elf girl is standing just inside. [[Continue|elfgirl66]]

Lyra: Welcome to Shimmerfall Tower. My name is Lyra. I am an apprentice here. Please, come in. My masters have been expecting you. [[Very brave of them.|knowiwas66]] | [[How did they know we were coming?|whoyourmaster66]]

Lyra simply smiles before leading you up a long twisting staircase. You emerge into a circular room at the top filled with scientific instruments, astrological charts, and bubbling cauldrons. Three elves are throwing explosive rocks at each other and giggling as strange devices whirr and belch out smoke behind them. [[Continue|theelvfs66]]

Lyra: My masters know all that is worth knowing. Please, follow me. [[Continue|bubu66]]

Lyra: Allow me to introduce my masters: Lady Rose, Starchaser, and Lantheon. [[Continue|elves66]]

Lyra leads you up a long twisting staircase. You emerge into a circular room at the top filled with scientific instruments, astrological charts, and bubbling cauldrons. Three elves are throwing explosive rocks at each other and giggling as strange devices whirr and belch out smoke behind them. [[Continue|theelvfs66]]

The Elf Sages stop their game and glare at you. They are all wearing long green robes covered in soot, as well as goggles and dirty gloves. They look young- no older than young adults by human standards- but surely they must be thousands of years old. [[Continue|lantheon66]]

Lantheon: Silver Wolf. Lord Hawk. It is... good... to see you again. [[We're looking for Iron Wolf.|lookin4iron66]] | [[My memories are fuzzy. What is this place again?|fuzzymem66]]

Lantheon: What do you plan to do when you find him? [[Kill him.|killiniron665]] | [[Give him a big hug and mess up his hair a little bit.|bighug66]]

Lantheon: This is Shimmerfall Tower, and we are the Elf Sages. For thousands of years we have studied the mysteries of the cosmos and the ways of this world. We are not protectors, but we do our best to nudge the world in the right direction. You two haven't made our lives easy, that's for certain. [[I remember you. You sent the wolf spirits to destroy me!|sentwolves66]] | [[You fools have secluded yourselves in this tower. You know nothing of the world outside.|sentwolves66]]

Lady Rose: It seems you have not changed after all... a pity. [[Tell me where my brother is if you value your lives.|killiniron66]]

Lady Rose: It seems your sense of humor has remained intact, even if your memories haven't... a pity. [[Tell me where Iron Wolf is if you value your lives.|killiniron66]]

The Elf Sages reach into the cosmos and draw Void Blades from the Abyss. [[Continue|elfright66]]

Starchaser: If that is your decision, then our path is set. We stand against you, Silver Wolf. [[You're all fools. You always have been.|alwaysfools66]] | [[I will slaughter you all!|alwaysfools66]]

You and Lord Hawk launch forward and attack the Elf Sages with a flurry of quick attacks. They begin to teleport around the room, slicing you with their swords before teleporting away again. [[Continue|elfsfight266]]

Lord Hawk fights with great intensity, but the Elf Sages focus their attacks on him and send him flying across the room. He smashes into a wall before flopping to the ground, limp. [[Continue|morefighting66]]

Starchaser appears nearby just as you unleash a powerful kick. It connects solidly with his jaw and he goes flying across the room, smashing into a table covered in metal instruments and bubbling potions. That section of the room explodes, blasting a huge chunk out of the wall and giving you a view of the city below. [[Attack Lantheon|lantheonnext]] | [[Attack Lady Rose|ladyrosenext]]

You step forward and stomp-kick $prey in the chest. $prey tumbles out the window and falls for a very long time. The explosion of gore on the pavement below is extremely satisfying. You turn to Lord Hawk. [[Continue|dedlutus66]]

Lord Hawk rubs his head as you help him to his feet. He surveys the damaged room. [[Continue|lhhh66]]

Lord Hawk: Did you learn the location of Iron Wolf? [[He's in a cave beyond the Spider Flats.|elspiderflatso66]] | [[I made them suffer first. Now let's go kill Iron Wolf.|elspiderflatso66]]

<<if $gender == "chick">>\ Lord Hawk grins and gives you a big kiss on the lips before leading you out of the tower. [[Continue|elspiderflatso]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk grins and slaps you on the back before leading you out of the tower. [[Continue|elspiderflatso]]<</if>>

The walls are adorned with strange etchings and simple paintings. A young man is seated in meditation near a small fire. [[Stand and face me. I want to watch the life leave your eyes when I kill you.|facemeiron66]] | [[Hand over the sword shard.|swordshards66]]

Iron Wolf stands and turns to you. His eyes are covered with cloth, but you can still see the scars left over from your final fight with him. You remember his fangs at your throat. You clawed his eyes out. Iron Wolf is blind. [[Continue|ironwolftalk4466]]

Iron Wolf: I knew it was a mistake for Jade Wolf to set you free. We should have killed you instead. Damn you both! [[The sword fragment. Hand it over!|handovershard66]] | [[You were all fools for imprisoning me in the first place.|firstplace66]]

Lord Hawk: I think I'll let you handle this, Silver Wolf. You deserve your revenge. Savor this moment. [[Continue|handovershard]]

Iron Wolf: We knew of Lord Hawk's return long before the mortals did. We debated for a long time what to do with you, Silver Wolf. Even after being imprisoned for a thousand years, you seemed... fiery. Unrepentant. And eager to rejoin the Shyfter. [[Continue|freees66]]

Iron Wolf: But Jade Wolf and Ember Wolf believed you could be redeemed. They just needed to keep you away from Lord Hawk- we knew he would come for you sooner or later. So they erased your memories and left you among the mortals, hoping that you would be able to start anew. [[Their compassion will be your downfall.|handovershard66]] | [[Ember Wolf put a sword fragment in my hands as she died. You will do the same.|handovershard66]]

<<if $greyblade == "true">>\ Lord Hawk: That's it, then. We now have all three fragments of the Grey Blade. But our work is far from finished. Come with me! We will re-forge the blade and finish the job we started a thousand years ago. The Heavens shall fall before us! [[Continue|teletporgeykeep]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: Excellent work, Silver Wolf. We now have two shards of the Grey Blade- just one more to go! I think it's time we paid your sister Jade Wolf a visit. [[Continue|jadetele66]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk takes your hand. Magic swirls around you and suddenly you're standing at the pinnacle of the Grey Keep. Black clouds gather overhead. An army of undead samurai and Dreadnaughts cover the barren fields and swamps far below. [[Continue|barrenswamps]]

Lord Hawk takes your hand once again. You feel a rush of magic and suddenly you're standing outside a small tea shop surrounded by a thick fog. [[Continue|wolfgardebad]]

<div style="text-align: center;">\ music: Here Come the Zombies! by AlxEllis Battle Start! by MeteorManMike Lair of Doom by HelpThePoor Old Song by TheDoubleOne Battle Drums by Troisnyx Dusty Samurai by ScrabbitTheRabbit Open the sidebar at any time to select music. [[START GAME|setup]]</div>

Iron Wolf: Send my warmest regards to Lady Rose. I'll see you on the battlefield. [[Continue|vopvop22]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and White Lotus step through the portal and find yourselves standing at the base of Shimmerfall Tower once more. [[Continue|back2elves]] <<else>>\ You step through the portal and find yourself standing at the base of Shimmerfall Tower once more. [[Continue|back2elves]]<</if>>

The door swings open before you even knock. Starchaser bows to you. [[Continue|starchaserslines]]

Wind howls somewhere in the distance, but the magical fog seems to be unaffected. There is an unsettling stillness all around you. Miyamoto leads you through the fog carrying a lantern to light the way, but it does little to help. Suddenly you hear movement to your left. What do you do? [[Stop to investigate|investigatefog]] | [[Keep moving|kepmovingfog]] <<set $ww = "no">>\

You call for Miyamoto to halt and creep towards the noise. Miyamoto begins to protest, but at that moment a slavering werewolf emerges from the fog! [[Continue|kyuzo]]

You ignore the noise and continue forward. Just then a huge slavering werewolf leaps out of the fog! [[Continue|kyuzo]]

<<if visited("everything")>>\ Lord Hawk: It is good to see you again, Silver Wolf. I must say, you look like a total badass in all that gear! I haven't upgraded mine in over a thousand years... and what's with this weird alien skull? [[Continue|hawkimpressed]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: It is good to see you again, Silver Wolf. I've been searching for you ever since I came back. I dueled Ember Wolf but she escaped. I only just learned that another wolf spirit was here, but I never expected it to be you! [[I killed the other wolf spirits.|ikilledwolves]] | [[I have all three shards of the Grey Blade.|greybladeshards]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk: That is good. You deserved your revenge. I hope you savored every moment of it. But I'm afraid the shards of the Grey Blade have been lost... I've been unable to locate them. [[I have all three shards.|greybladeshards]]

Lord Hawk: You do? That is wonderful news. I feared the shards had been destroyed. With these sword fragments we can re-forge the Grey Blade and finish the job we started a thousand years ago! The Heavens will finally be ours. [[What are we waiting for?|whatarewewaitingfor]] | [[I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time.|whatarewewaitingfor]]

Lord Hawk: I'm glad to see you haven't changed one bit, Silver Wolf. [[Continue|hawkportkep]]

Lord Hawk takes your hand. Magic swirls around you and suddenly you're standing at the pinnacle of the Grey Keep. Black clouds gather overhead. An army of undead samurai and Dreadnaughts cover the barren fields and swamps far below. [[Continue|barrenswamps]]

Lord Hawk: As you can see, my armies stand ready. Tonight we will re-forge the Grey Blade. Tomorrow... the Heavens will fall. [[Continue|badguysreforging]]

Lord Hawk: You- but- I feared the shards had been destroyed. With these sword fragments we can re-forge the Grey Blade and finish the job we started a thousand years ago! The Heavens will finally be ours. [[What are we waiting for?|whatarewewaitingfor]] | [[I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time.|whatarewewaitingfor]]

The werewolf stumbles forward and collapses to the ground, letting out a series of agonized howls. The beast looks weak, and it is in the process of morphing back into a human. The fur melts away and suddenly you see a feeble old man lying before you. Miyamoto gasps. [[Continue|father]]

Miyamoto: Father!? [[Continue|kyzuos]]

Kyuzo: Miyamoto... my son. You should not be here... the curse... [[What are you doing here?|whatukyzo]] | [[We are going to kill the Wolf Queen.|killthewolfqueens]]

Kyuzo: The Wolf Queen's power is weakening. Her spell over us... the strength of it fades. She has grown paranoid... frantic. A few others escaped her fortress, but most were killed by her magic... [[How do we get to Castle Wolfgarde?|gettocastelwolf]] | [[What is she afraid of?|whatshefear]]

Kyuzo: The Wolf Queen's magic is very powerful... but she is losing control. She fears for her life. She believes a spirit is coming to kill her... [[How do we get to Castle Wolfgarde?|gettocastelwolf]]

Kyuzo: There is a path... follow the trail of destruction... dead trees, claw marks, tufts of fur... follow the trail and you will find the Castle... [[Continue|kyuzodies]]

Kyuzo: She believes a spirit is coming to destroy her... she has gone mad with paranoia... [[How do we get to Castle Wolfgarde?|gettocastelwolf]]

Kyuzo's body convulses and he cries out in pain. Miyamoto drops to his father's side, but it is too late- Kyuzo is dead. [[Continue|miyadedfath]]

Miyamoto: Father... I will avenge you. I swear it. I will not allow this injustice to go unanswered! [[We should bury the body. He should not be left in the fog.|burythebody]] | [[Come, Miyamoto. We must reach the Wolf Queen quickly and break this curse.|reachtheqofquick]]

Miyamoto: Thank you. I did not expect such kindness from a stranger. [[Continue|buryingtheguy]]

Miyamoto refuses to leave his father's side. He urges you to continue on and destroy the Wolf Queen to avenge his father's death. You leave him. When you look back, he has already disappeared into the fog. [[Continue|followkyuzo]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You, White Lotus, and Miyamoto dig a grave and bury Kyuzo's body. Miyamoto says a few words in honor of his father but refuses to leave the grave. He urges you to continue on and destroy the Wolf Queen to avenge his father's death. You leave him. When you look back, he has already disappeared into the fog. [[Continue|followkyuzo]] <<elseif $lordhawk == "true">>\ You, Lord Hawk, and Miyamoto dig a grave and bury Kyuzo's body. Miyamoto says a few words in honor of his father but refuses to leave the grave. He urges you to continue on and destroy the Wolf Queen to avenge his father's death. You leave him. When you look back, he has already disappeared into the fog. [[Continue|followkyuzo]] <<else>>\ You and Miyamoto dig a grave and bury Kyuzo's body. Miyamoto says a few words in honor of his father but refuses to leave the grave. He urges you to continue on and destroy the Wolf Queen to avenge his father's death. You leave him. When you look back, he has already disappeared into the fog. [[Continue|followkyuzo]]<</if>>

You follow the trail Kyuzo described. The path leads to a clearing in the fog. A huge black tower carved from obsidian rises high above you. Two columns of green flame mark the entrance. What will you do? [[Enter through the main gate|maingate]] | [[Search for another way|searchfornthyrf]]

You walk through the main gates of the castle. As soon as you pass through the columns of green flame, an unholy shriek fills the air! Dozens of werewolves charge out of the fog, drawn by the sound. What do you do? [[Fight them with chi|chifightwerewolves]] | [[Use your kung fu skills|kungufuskills]] | [[Hide|hidefromwerewolves]]

You begin to explore the area around the castle. The soil is hard-packed and large boulders cover the ground. The nearby trees are thin and dying, but you do find one tree with a more distinct look. After poking around you discover a hidden door buried beneath the roots of the tree. [[Enter the secret door|entersectretdoor]] | [[Return and enter through the main gate|maingate]]

You crawl through the small opening and descend into a dusty wine cellar. Rows and rows of old wine bottles have been stacked down here- this place is a gold mine of wine! [[Continue|winecellar]]

At the far end of the room you can see a set of stairs leading up to a wooden door. What do you want to do? [[Climb the stairs|climbstairswine]] | [[Explore the wine cellar|explorewinecellar]]

You ascend the stairs and push the wooden door. It is unlocked, and it swings open with a loud creak. You peek your head into the next room and find that you have arrived in the main hall of the castle. [[Continue|castlemainhall]]

Red wine of every type has been collected here, apparently left to age for hundreds of years in total darkness. The air tingles with soft magic- perhaps a spell to keep the wine from going bad? As you're browsing the racks, a glint of silver catches your eye. You stoop down and pick up a silver key. [[Continue|silverkeynow]]

You put the key in your pocket and continue to look around, but there is nothing else of interest in this dusty cellar. You head to the stairs. [[Continue|climbstairswine]]

The air is damp and musty. You don't see any sign of werewolves- in fact, this castle looks like it has been abandoned. You can see a set of spiral stairs leading up to the towers above, as well as a solid iron door to your left. What do you do? [[Go up the stairs|stairsofcastle]] | [[Go to the iron door|irondoorcheck]]

You climb the stairs to the top of the castle and emerge onto the battlements. A wild-haired woman is standing with her back to you, looking out over the fog below. Half a dozen werewolves stand guard. [[Continue|nowerewolfpris]]

<<if visited("silverkeynow")>>\ The iron door is locked. It looks like it can be opened with a silver key. [[Unlock the door with the silver key|unlockdoor]] | [[Return and go up the stairs|stairsofcastle]] <<else>>\ The iron door is locked. It looks like it can be opened with a silver key. [[Return and go up the stairs|stairsofcastle]]<</if>>

You unlock the door with the silver key and step through. You are standing in an armory. Racks of weapons line the walls. You can see suits of armor, chainmail shirts, swords, shields, and dozens of glittering daggers. [[Continue|weaponstufh]]

Fuck yeah! Please post all fanart of your totally badass character to Newgrounds and tag @KungFuSpaceBarbarian. [[Continue|badassselt]]

You look around the armory and appreciate the gear for what it is- a pile of useless fashion accessories. A true badass can get by without any fancy swords or suits of armor. All you need are your fists and your wits! You turn your back on the fashion closet and head up the spiral staircase... like a boss! [[Continue|stairsofcastle]]

What will you take? [[Everything I can get my hands on- I'm a freaking badass! I want a full suit of anime-style demon armor with huge shoulder pads covered in spikes, a glowing sword twice the size of my body, daggers strapped to my arms and legs, nunchaku hanging from my belt, a longbow slung over my back, a katana/wakizashi combo at my hips, and that weird alien skull hanging in the corner because... why not?|everything]] | [[Nothing|notstufh]]

You stroll out of the armory decked out in the most impressive gear any hero has ever worn. Satisfied that you look totally awesome, you clank up the spiral staircase. [[Continue|stairsofcastle]]

Lord Hawk: Sorry, I'm getting distracted. I'm just so happy to see you! I've been searching for you ever since I came back. I dueled Ember Wolf but she escaped. I only just managed to track down Iron Wolf, and here you are... [[I killed the other wolf spirits.|ikilledwolves]] | [[I have all three shards of the Grey Blade.|greybladeshards]]

You stand your ground and begin to summon chi, but the werewolves don't even reach you- most die as soon as they step out of the fog. It is clear there is something wrong with these creatures- they look weak, and they're all in the process of morphing back into humans. They are not a threat to you. [[Continue|dyingwerewolfs]]

You stand your ground and fight off the few werewolves that manage to reach you. It is clear there is something wrong with these creatures- they look weak, and they're all in the process of morphing back into humans. You unleash a powerful kick into one's ribs and the creature practically splatters all over everything. [[Continue|dyingwerewolfs]]

You duck behind a stone pillar and watch as the werewolves approach. There is something strange about them... The werewolves seem sickly and weak. They're in the process of morphing back into humans. A few of them die in front of your eyes. The rest sniff around for a while before decaying away. [[Continue|dyingwerewolfs]]

You approach one of the dying werewolves. The dying man looks up into your eyes. [[Continue|werewolftalks]]

Werewolf: The Wolf Queen's spell is weakening... she is waiting at the top of the tower. Please... kill her... [[Continue|thededwolf]]

You step over the corpses of the dead werewolves and enter the castle. The air is damp and musty. You don't see any sign of more werewolves- in fact, this castle looks like it has been abandoned. You can see a set of spiral stairs leading up to the towers above, as well as a solid iron door to your left. What do you do? [[Go up the stairs|stairsofcastle]] | [[Go to the iron door|irondoorcheck]]

Jade Wolf: Tell me where Silver Wolf is! I know you've been travelling together! [[Continue|wldoesntknow]]

<<if $gender == "dude">>\ Jade Wolf: Where is my brother, you bastard!? I know you've been travelling together! I know you've come here to kill me and take the sword fragment! [[Continue|hawklaughsjade]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: Where is my sister, you bastard!? I know you've been travelling together! I know you've come here to kill me and take the sword fragment! [[Continue|hawklaughsjade]]<</if>>

<<if $know == "true">>\ Jade Wolf turns to face you. [[Continue|letherjadeyafuck3]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf turns to face you. [[Continue|letherjadeyafuck]]<</if>>

<<if $know == "true">>\ White Lotus: Silver Wolf has changed! Please, you have to believe me... [[Let her go, Jade Wolf!|letergojade]] | [[She's telling the truth. I'm not here to kill you.|imnothertokill]] <<else>>\ White Lotus: I don't know what you're talking about! [[Let her go!|letherjadeyafuck]] | [[One would think the self-proclaimed Wolf Queen could show a little restraint.|letherjadeyafuck]]<</if>>

Jade Wolf: So here you are at last, Silver Wolf. Did you truly believe this little harlot could assassinate me? [[White Lotus is my friend, and we are NOT here to kill you>|notheretokillyajadey]] | [[Jade Wolf, please accept my apology. I have come here to beg your forgiveness.|begforbiefjade]]

Jade Wolf: Is that so? And why should I believe that? [[Jade Wolf, please accept my apology. I have come here to beg your forgiveness.|begforbiefjade]] | [[I've changed! The curse of the Grey Blade is broken.|begforbiefjade]]

<<if $gender == "dude">>\ Jade Wolf: Silver Wolf! I knew you would come to kill me- I knew it! Guards! Kill him! [[Wait, what!?|wtfjade]] | [[It's werewolf-killing time!|werewolfkillintime]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: Silver Wolf! I knew you would come to kill me- I knew it! Guards! Kill her! [[Wait, what!?|wtfjade]] | [[It's werewolf-killing time!|werewolfkillintime]]<</if>>

Jade Wolf: Don't play the fool, Silver Wolf. It doesn't suit you. I should never have set you free- now die! [[Continue|werewolvesdying]]

You drop into a fighting stance, ready to kill. The werewolves prowl towards you, but the magic binding them to Jade Wolf is failing. They collapse to the ground and morph back into humans. Jade Wolf roars in fury before collapsing to her knees. She begins to cry. [[What's going on here?|whatsgoingjade]] | [[You're insane!|whatsgoingjade]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ White Lotus: W-what?? [[Continue|ughfuckme]] <<else>>\ The werewolves prowl towards you, but the magic binding them to Jade Wolf is failing. They collapse to the ground and morph back into humans. Jade Wolf roars in fury before collapsing to her knees. She begins to cry. [[What's going on here?|whatsgoingjade]] | [[You're insane!|whatsgoingjade]]<</if>>

<<if $gender == "dude">>\ Jade Wolf: You don't remember, do you? No, of course not. Ember Wolf's spell was powerful. Come here, little brother. Let me show you. [[Approach Jade Wolf|approachjade]] | [[Stay where you are|stayjade]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: You don't remember, do you? No, of course not. Ember Wolf's spell was powerful. Come here, little sister. Let me show you. [[Approach Jade Wolf|approachjade]] | [[Stay where you are|stayjade]]<</if>>

You step forward and Jade Wolf places her hands on either side of your head. Magic swirls from her fingertips. Your memories come racing back in a flash. You are Silver Wolf, Master of the Grey Blade. You are the fourth wolf spirit, the Great Betrayer, one of the most powerful kung fu masters this world has ever known. [[Continue|reveal55x]]

Jade Wolf: I won't hurt you, I promise. If you want answers... yes. You deserve to know. [[Continue|jadesteps]]

You stagger backward, fighting to comprehend everything you've just seen. [[This... can't be. What lies have you filled my head with!?|whatliesx]] | [[I remember... everything.|rememberallx]] <<set $know = "true">>\

Jade Wolf: The memories are real, Silver Wolf. [[You... you killed Lord Hawk. You imprisoned me! I remember now! I will kill you! I will have my revenge!|revengejade]] | [[Jade Wolf... I'm sorry. It was the Grey Blade. It's magic took hold of my mind. We must find Lord Hawk and destroy him for good!|redeemlordh]]

Jade Wolf: Please, Silver Wolf... I know there is still good in you... [[You... you killed Lord Hawk. You imprisoned me! I remember now! I will kill you! I will have my revenge!|revengejade]] | [[Jade Wolf... I'm sorry. It was the Grey Blade. It's magic took hold of my mind. We must find Lord Hawk and destroy him for good!|redeemlordh]]

Jade Wolf steps forward. You recoil, but she reaches out to show she means no harm. You allow her to place her hands on either side of your head. Magic swirls from her fingertips. Your memories come racing back in a flash. You are Silver Wolf, Master of the Grey Blade. You are the fourth wolf spirit, the Great Betrayer, one of the most powerful kung fu masters this world has ever known. [[Continue|reveal55x]]

<<if $thequest == "revenge">>\ Jade Wolf: Silver Wolf! I knew you would come to kill me- I knew it! Guards! Kill the traitor! [[Once I deal with them I'm going to slaughter you, Jade Wolf!|slaughterjadewolf]] | [[This should be fun.|slaughterjadewolf]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: Silver Wolf! I knew you would come to kill me- I knew it! Guards! Kill the traitor! [[I'm not here to kill you, Jade Wolf. I come seeking redemption.|dredempjade]] | [[I'm here to apologize.|dredempjade]]<</if>>

You drop into a fighting stance, ready to kill. The werewolves prowl towards you, but the magic binding them to Jade Wolf is failing. They collapse to the ground and morph back into humans. Jade Wolf roars in fury, morphs into a huge wolf, and lunges at you! What do you do? [[Turn into a wolf and fight her|tuntowolffightjade]] | [[Fight her with chi|chifightjadewolf]] | [[Fight with your kung fu|kungufsufjade]]

Jade Wolf: Is that so? And why should I believe that? [[Jade Wolf, please accept my apology. I have come here to beg your forgiveness.|begforbiefjade]] | [[I've changed. The curse of the Grey Blade is broken.|begforbiefjade]]

Jade Wolf: It was a mistake to release you. I can see that now. But this changes nothing! You will die! [[Continue|fighthajdewolf]] <<set $thequest = "revenge">>\ <<set $know = "true">>\

<<if $ww == "whitelotus">>\ Jade Wolf smiles and wraps you in a big hug. The chains around White Lotus's wrists magically unlatch and clank to the ground. [[Continue|happyjade]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf smiles and wraps you in a big hug. [[Continue|happyjade]]<</if>>

Jade Wolf: Ember Wolf... she went to find you- [[Ember Wolf is dead. She gave me this sword hilt before she died.|jadeswordhilt]]

Jade Wolf: She... oh. At least the sword fragment is safe. The Grey Blade may be our only hope against Lord Hawk. Only its magic can slay him for good. Here, take this. [[Continue|jadefrg]]

Jade Wolf presses a glowing crystal into your palm. [[Continue|jadetalking]] <<set $magicitems += 1>>\ <<set $inventory.push("Sword Crystal")>>\

<<if $magicitems == 3>>\ Jade Wolf: This crystal holds the enchantments of the Grey Blade. You will need this if you hope to re-forge it. I must remain here and dissolve the spells I've cast over this land, but you must continue on your journey. There is a magical gateway downstairs. It can teleport you wherever you need to go. [[Send me to Shimmerfall Tower.|back2elvesbb]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: This crystal holds the enchantments of the Grey Blade. You will need this if you hope to re-forge it. I must remain here and dissolve the spells I've cast over this land, but you must continue on your journey. There is a magical gateway downstairs. It can teleport you wherever you need to go. [[Send me to the Red Desert. I must find Iron Wolf.|jadetored]]<</if>>

Jade Wolf: It will be done. You may head through it whenever you are ready. [[Continue|jadegateway]]

<<if visited("ughfuckme")>>\ White Lotus approaches you. She slaps you in the face. [[Continue|alrightlotus]] <<else>>\ White Lotus leads you down to the gateway. The two of you step through it together. You find yourselves standing in front of the smooth stone walls of Mirage, the Elven Stronghold of the South. [[Continue|tomirage]] <</if>>\

Jade Wolf: Is that so? And why should I believe that? [[Jade Wolf, please accept my apology. I have come here to beg your forgiveness.|begforbiefjade]] | [[I've changed! The curse of the Grey Blade is broken.|begforbiefjade]]

Jade Wolf: It would take a thousand lifetimes for you to atone for the evil deeds of your past, Silver Wolf... but I suppose you have to start somewhere, don't you? [[Continue|redeemlordh]]

You head downstairs and step through the magical gateway. You find yourself standing at the base of Shimmerfall Tower once more. [[Continue|back2elves]]

You morph into a giant wolf and fight your sister on the battlements of Wolfgarde Castle. Blood and fur fly in all directions as you tear into each other with claws and fangs. [[Continue|maulwofljs]]

You roll to the side as chi swirls around you. Jade Wolf spins and charges at you but you're too quick- you send a chi blast right into her chest, sending her spiraling over the edge of the battlements. She morphs back into her normal form just before she splatters on the ground. [[Continue|jadewolfisdead]]

You leap forward with a kung fu kick, but the wolf is too big! She tackles you to the ground and begins to claw at your face. What do you do? [[Turn into a wolf and fight her|tuntowolffightjade]] | [[Fight her with chi|chifightjadewolf]]

You sink you teeth into Jade Wolf's throat and rip it out. Blood and gore splatter everywhere. Your sister's body convulses as she morphs back into her normal form, but the life has left her eyes. She is dead. [[Continue|jadewolfisdead]]

You savagely tear at Jade Wolf's eyes. Blood and gore splatter everywhere as she tries to fight you off, but it is no use. You completely tear her face to shreds. Your sister's body convulses as she morphs back into her normal form. She is dead. [[Continue|jadewolfisdead]]

You grab your sister with your huge werewolf muscles and hurl her weak body over the edge of the battlements. She morphs back into her normal form just before she splatters on the ground. [[Continue|jadewolfisdead]]

<<if visited("maulwofljs")>>\ You morph back into your normal form and scan the battlements. The fog in the air disperses and you notice a glint of light nearby. You stoop down and pick up a glowing crystal. You immediately recognize it- this crystal powers the enchantments of the Grey Blade! [[Continue|havecrystal]] <<else>>\ The fog in the air disperses and you notice a glint of light nearby. You stoop down and pick up a glowing crystal. You immediately recognize it- this crystal powers the enchantments of the Grey Blade! [[Continue|havecrystal]]<</if>> <<set $magicitems += 1>>\ <<set $inventory.push("Sword Crystal")>>\

<<if $lordhawk == "true">>\ Lord Hawk: Excellent work, Silver Wolf. I enjoyed watching you fight. That was quite spectacular. [[Continue|releasehawkfromchains]] <<else>>\ You look out over the battlements and consider your options. [[Continue|lookoverbattlmnent]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk laughs as Jade Wolf punches him in the face. [[Let him go!|letherjadeyafuck66]] | [[One would think the self-proclaimed Wolf Queen could show a little restraint.|letherjadeyafuck66]]

Jade Wolf: Silver Wolf! I knew you would come to kill me- I knew it! Guards! Kill the traitor! [[Once I deal with them I'm going to slaughter you, Jade Wolf!|slaughterjadewolf]] | [[I've been looking forward to this!|slaughterjadewolf]]

With Lord Hawk's hand chained, you're able to do anything you want to him. Let's just say the two of you get VERY creative with the chains. At some point he puts them on you, then for a while you make due without them. It's like the boinkfest Olympics. [[Continue|boinfestolympics]]

<<if $magicitems == 3>>\ Lord Hawk: That's it, then. We now have all three fragments of the Grey Blade. But our work is far from finished. Come with me! We will re-forge the blade and finish the job we started a thousand years ago. The Heavens shall fall before us! [[Continue|teletporgeykeep]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: We now have two shards of the Grey Blade- just one more to go! I think it's time we paid your brother Iron Wolf a visit. [[Continue|jadetele665]]<</if>>

<<if $magicitems == 3>>\ You hear movement behind you. You spin around and see a man standing before you. His jet black armor is accentuated by a crimson robe and a hideous black mask. [[Continue|hawkunion]] <<else>>\ With the crystal in hand, you leave the castle and begin your journey south, to the Red Desert. The world seems to be a nightmare version of what it once was. Villages are in flames. Undead soldiers and Dreadnaughts roam the streets. Traversing the country is like walking through Hell. [[Continue|linebreaks]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk takes your hand. You feel a rush of magic and suddenly you're standing outside the gates of Mirage, the Elven Stronghold of the South. [[Continue|tomiragebad]]

And who can blame you? I mean, it's been over a thousand years since the two of you were together. You totally deserve it. Once you've satisfied one another you get dressed and prepare to leave. [[Continue|releasehawkfromchains]]

Starchaser: I am glad to see you’ve returned safely. Lantheon and Lady Rose have departed to seek out new allies for the upcoming fight. Please, come with me. I will re-forge the blade for you. [[Continue|reforgings]]

You follow Starchaser to the top room of Shimmerfall Tower. He takes the shards and begins to work. He notices that you are still in the room and quickly apologizes. [[Continue|beginstoworkshimmer]]

Starchaser: Please forgive my rudeness. Re-forging the blade will take some time. Our tower is open to you. There is a guest bedroom on the third floor if you wish to rest. There is also a training room in the basement. Please feel free to spend some time preparing for the battle ahead. [[Go rest in the bedroom|restinbedroom]] | [[Train in the basement|tarininbasement]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and head down to the guest bedroom to get some rest before the battle. You flop on the bed and then hear the door click shut behind you. White Lotus smiles and locks the door. [[White Lotus... I didn't see you there.|didntseeya]] | [[I was hoping you’d join me.|hopingyoudjoin]] <<else>>\ You and head down to the guest bedroom to get some rest before the battle. You flop on the bed and pass out for the rest of the night. A knock on the door wakes you up the next morning. [[Continue|knockondoor]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and White Lotus head down to the basement to begin training. You practice late into the night, hoping that this last bit of training will pay off. After a rigorous session you both collapse to the floor, exhausted. [[Continue|traininsesh]] <<else>>\ You head down to the basement to begin training. You practice late into the night, hoping that this last bit of training will pay off. After a rigorous session you collapse to the floor, exhausted. Starchaser finds you sleeping in this exact spot when he comes to wake you the next morning. [[Continue|traininseshends]]<</if>>

White Lotus: I was hoping to spend some time with you before the battle. [[Please, uh... come in?|cominlutu]] | [[I'd rather be alone tonight. I need to keep my head clear.|keepmyheadclear]]

White Lotus sits next to you on the bed. [[We've been through a lot together, huh?|beenthrualot]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang]]

You open the door. Starchaser is standing there with a glittering sword in his hands. [[Continue|thegreybladeforged]]

White Lotus sits next to you on the bed. [[We've been through a lot together, huh?|beenthrualot]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang]]

White Lotus looks disappointed but she doesn't press the issue. She leaves the room and closes the door behind her. You lay your head against the pillow and pass out for the rest of the night. A knock on the door wakes you up the next morning. [[Continue|knockondoor]]

White Lotus: I was wrong about you. I always thought you were a cold-hearted killer. The Big Bad Wolf. But you're nothing like that, are you? What was it like, being under Lord Hawk's curse? [[It was terrifying. I have so much power but I couldn't control myself. I could only watch and scream inside my head as my hands cut down thousands of innocent people.|insidemyhead]] | [[I don't remember much of it. It felt like a dream, like I was watching someone else in my body do these terrible things.|insidemyhead]]

White Lotus doesn't hesitate. Clothes go flying everywhere and the two of you do the kinds of things they write about in bad fan fiction. You end up in a pile of tangled sheets, giggling deep into the night before falling asleep in each others' arms. A knock on the door wakes you up the next morning. [[Continue|knockondoor]]

White Lotus puts her hand over yours. [[Continue|handoveryours]]

<<if visited("traininsesh")>>\ White Lotus: Well, I'm glad you're here with me now. On our side, I mean... [[What will you do after we defeat Lord Hawk?|afterwewin]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang2]] <<else>>\ White Lotus: Well, I'm glad you're here with me now. On our side, I mean... [[What will you do after we defeat Lord Hawk?|afterwewin]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang]]<</if>>

White Lotus: I haven't really thought about it... I'd probably go somewhere far away. Somewhere quiet and peaceful, where I can be happy. A life of danger and adventure sounds romantic and fun, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for it. [[Coulda fooled me.|fooldme]] | [[I hope you find happiness, White Lotus.|fooldme]]

White Lotus: What about you? What will you do? [[I'm a wolf spirit. It is my job to protect people... and I haven't been doing that job very well lately. I still have a lot of work ahead of me.|lotofwork]] | [[A quiet place far away sounds nice.|lotofwork]]

<<if visited("traininsesh")>>\ White Lotus smiles. [[We should get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us.|letsrestnow2]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang2]] <<else>>\ White Lotus smiles. [[We should get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us.|letsrestnow]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang]]<</if>>

White Lotus nods and goes to sleep in one of the beds across the room. As soon as your head hits the pillow you pass out for the rest of the night. A knock on the door wakes you up the next morning. [[Continue|knockondoor]]

White Lotus begins to stretch. [[We've been through a lot together, huh?|beenthrualot]] | [[Let's bang.|bangbangbang2]]

You open your eyes and see him standing before you holding a glittering sword in his hands. [[Continue|thegreybladeforged]]

You're both a sweaty mess, but who cares? You get it on like bad fan fiction and end up falling asleep together on the floor. Starchaser finds you in this exact spot when he comes to wake you up the next morning. [[Continue|starchaserembarrassedd]]

You say goodnight and head up to your rooms. As soon as your head hits the pillow you pass out for the rest of the night. A knock on the door wakes you up the next morning. [[Continue|knockondoor]]

His cheeks turn red when he sees you and he tries to avert his gaze while stammering out an apology. You laugh it off and get dressed before meeting him up in the tower. When you arrive, you find him waiting with a glittering sword. [[Continue|thegreybladeforged]]

Starchaser: It is done. The Grey Blade has been re-forged anew, with our own special magic. Not even a Shyfter can stand against it's power. If you slay Lord Hawk with this, his essence will disperse forever. [[Thank you, Starchaser.|thannkstarchaser]] | [[This sword is awesome!|thannkstarchaser]]

You pick up the sword and give it a few swings. It feels familiar in your hand, but different- for one thing, your mind seems sharper and more focused when you hold it, instead of warped, twisted, and under the control of a Shyfter. [[Continue|starchaserslinesher]]

Starchaser: An airship is waiting for us in the skyport at the edge of town. They will take us to the Grey Keep when you are ready. [[Let's go.|letsgokickass]] | [[Let's kick some Shyfter ass!|letsgokickass]]

The airship ride doesn't feel long enough. It seems like you only just hopped in when suddenly the twisting spire of the Grey Keep appears on the horizon. The fortress is a hideous abomination built from a pile of skulls, bones, and petrified corpses- a grim reminder of your past deeds. [[Continue|ontothebattlefield]]

You step off the airship to find a large army looking to you for orders. You also see General Rawhide, apparently out of retirement, standing with a detachment of Iron Knights. Miyamoto drops into a deep bow when he sees you. [[Continue|syllandgang]]

<<if visited("laughandwalk")>>\ Sylla and a few other bar patrons from Edgewater are there, too. You notice that Leaping Viper is nowhere to be seen. Shoulda been nicer to that guy... [[Continue|moreallies]] <<else>>\ Sylla and Leaping Viper are nearby, standing alongside a few of the other bar patrons from Edgewater. They wave when you pass. [[Continue|moreallies]]<</if>>

You smile when you see the farmer from the very beginning of the game. He's carrying a pitchfork. <<if visited("bs3")>>\ The blacksmith from Edgewater stands ready alongside the Hunters, who are decked out in kickass armor, all thanks to you. <</if>>\ <<if visited("stopextorting")>>\ You are surprised to see that even Shazam and the other Venomfists have shown up to fight. <</if>>\ [[Continue|tobattle]]

And last but not least, Jade Wolf and Iron Wolf waiting for you with smiles and open arms. [[Continue|thebattlebegins]]

<<if $gender == "dude">>\ Iron Wolf: It's good to see you again, little brother. Well... not, er... see... ugh, you know what I mean. [[I have the Grey Blade. Let's kick Lord Hawk's ass!|kicklordhawksass]] | [[What's our battle plan?|battleplan]] <<else>>\ Iron Wolf: It's good to see you again, little sister. Well... not, er... see... ugh, you know what I mean. [[I have the Grey Blade. Let's kick Lord Hawk's ass!|kicklordhawksass]] | [[What's our battle plan?|battleplan]]<</if>>

Jade Wolf: We were just getting ready to discuss that. Lord Hawk has positioned himself at the top of the Grey Keep with a battalion of elite Dreadnaughts. The fortress is heavily guarded by undead, but this isn't his full force. We think he may have reinforcements coming at any time. [[Continue|rawhidespeaks]]

General Rawhide and the farmer approach. [[Continue|rawhideslines]]

General Rawhide: Excuse my interruption, but I think I can be of some assistance. I've fought in my share of battles over the years. Hell, I've even tangled with a Shyfter or two back in my glory days. My troops are more than capable of launching a direct assault against the castle. We'll punch a hole in their defenses and clear the way to Lord Hawk. [[Continue|ironwolfno]]

Farmer: As an alternative, I could lead the local militias in through the main gates. If the general's troops stay back and repel any reinforcements that might show up, we may be able to catch them by surprise and take fewer casualties. [[Continue|whatdoyouthink]]

General Rawhide: I won't let you down. [[Continue|whatsnext]]

Iron Wolf: Very well. The next order of business is creating a secondary strike force. We will hit the castle from two fronts. Jade Wolf and I can lead a squad of wolves in through the rear entrance. We'll tear apart any resistance foolish enough to stand in our way. [[Continue|secondstriketeam]]

Iron Wolf: Silver Wolf? What do you think? [[General Rawhide should lead the assault on the castle. The local militia can deal with reinforcements.|rawhideleads]] | [[General Rawhide, I know your troops can handle whatever the enemy throws at us. I think it's best if your troops remain back to defend the main strike force against Lord Hawk's reinforcements.|holdoffreincfore]]

Lantheon: I beg your pardon, but we Elf Sages may be of some use here. Lady Rose, Starchaser, and I can summon water, earth, and fire elementals to strike at the tower. We can perform our magic from a distance to ensure no lives are lost in the assault. [[Iron Wolf and Jade Wolf should lead a strike force of wolves through the tower.|ironandjadestrike]] | [[The Elf Sages should summon elemental warriors to attack the castle.|elementalsattack]]

Jade Wolf: The last order of business is the stealth team. Silver Wolf, you will lead a small group through a hidden entrance- it's the entrance we used to infiltrate the castle a thousand years ago when we killed Lord Hawk and defeated you last time. [[Continue|lastime]]

Jade Wolf: The last order of business is the stealth team. Silver Wolf, you will lead a small group through a hidden entrance- it's the entrance we used to infiltrate the castle a thousand years ago when we killed Lord Hawk and defeated you last time. [[Continue|lastime2]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ Jade Wolf: The entrance is likely to be heavily guarded. Lord Hawk won't fall for the same trick twice. Since you're leading the strike team, who do you want at your side? [[The Elf Sages.|wlandelves]] | [[Sylla and Miyamoto.|edgewatersurvivorswl]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: The entrance is likely to be heavily guarded. Lord Hawk won't fall for the same trick twice. Since you're leading the strike team, who do you want at your side? [[The Elf Sages.|wlwithmainsf]] | [[Sylla and Miyamoto.|wlwithmainsf2]]<</if>>

White Lotus: Where should I be, master? [[You're coming with me and the stealth team.|meandstealthteam]] | [[I want you with the main strike force. Your training is now complete.|wlwithmainsf]]

White Lotus: Where should I be, master? [[You're coming with me and the stealth team.|meandstealthteam2]] | [[I want you with the main strike force. Your training is now complete.|wlwithmainsf2]]

Iron Wolf: That's settled then. We can't plan out the whole battle ahead of time, but I trust we've made the right decisions. We will do our duties and see this through to the end. Let's go kill Lord Hawk! [[Continue|startthisthing]]

Just then a black arrow whizzes through the air and embeds itself in the ground at your feet. You look up and see a huge force of undead pouring from the tower. The battle begins! [[Continue|optionshere]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ Jade Wolf: The entrance is likely to be heavily guarded. Lord Hawk won't fall for the same trick twice. Since you're leading the strike team, who do you want at your side? [[Jade Wolf and Iron Wolf.|jadironwithme]] | [[Sylla and Miyamoto.|edgewatersurvivorswldd]] <<else>>\ Jade Wolf: The entrance is likely to be heavily guarded. Lord Hawk won't fall for the same trick twice. Since you're leading the strike team, who do you want at your side? [[Jade Wolf and Iron Wolf.|wlwithmainsf3]] | [[Sylla and Miyamoto.|wlwithmainsf2]]<</if>>

White Lotus: Where should I be, master? [[You're coming with me and the stealth team.|meandstealthteam3]] | [[I want you with the main strike force. Your training is now complete.|wlwithmainsf3]]

White Lotus: Where should I be, master? [[You're coming with me and the stealth team.|meandstealthteam2]] | [[I want you with the main strike force. Your training is now complete.|wlwithmainsf2]]

<<if visited("rawhideleads")>>\ General Rawhide leads his Iron Knights into battle. They smash against the undead forces and carve a path through their shambling ranks. Meanwhile, the local militia fans out and forms a defensive perimeter around the castle to defend against any reinforcements. [[Continue|options2]] <<else>>\ The local militia charges forward to meet the zombies in battle while General Rawhide's troops form a defensive perimeter around the castle to defend against any reinforcements. [[Continue|options2]]<</if>>

<<if visited("ironandjadestrike")>>\ You stand back and observe as your siblings morph into giant wolves and lead a squad of dire wolves in through the rear entrance of the castle. [[Continue|yourturn]] <<else>>\ You stand back and observe as the Elf Sages begin summoning elemental warriors to assault the castle. [[Continue|yourturn]]<</if>>

Finally it comes to your turn. You lead your stealth team through the hidden entrance and enter a series of tunnels. The secret door is just up ahead. Surprisingly, it is open and unguarded. You wonder whether or not this might be a trap when suddenly you hear movement behind you- Dreadnaughts have cut off your exit and are blocking you in! [[Order everyone to run through the door and climb to the top of the castle- maybe you can outrun these things|runthrudoor]] | [[Order someone to remain behind and bar the door- you can't risk getting caught by them|barthedoor]]

<<if visited("meandstealthteam")>>\ You charge through the door but the Dreadnaughts are too quick! You fight them off with the Grey Blade, cleaving them limb from limb, but it is a bloody battle. Starchaser is cut down before your eyes. More Dreadnaughts pour in through the door and you're forced to flee. [[Continue|climbintower]] <<elseif visited("wlwithmainsf")>>\ You charge through the door but the Dreadnaughts are too quick! You fight them off with the Grey Blade, cleaving them limb from limb, but it is a bloody battle. Starchaser is cut down before your eyes. More Dreadnaughts pour in through the door and you're forced to flee. [[Continue|climbintower]] <<elseif visited("meandstealthteam2")>>\ You charge through the door but the Dreadnaughts are too quick! You fight them off with the Grey Blade, cleaving them limb from limb, but it is a bloody battle. Miyamoto is cut down before your eyes. More Dreadnaughts pour in through the door and you're forced to flee. [[Continue|climbintower]] <<elseif visited("wlwithmainsf2")>>\ You charge through the door but the Dreadnaughts are too quick! You fight them off with the Grey Blade, cleaving them limb from limb, but it is a bloody battle. Miyamoto is cut down before your eyes. More Dreadnaughts pour in through the door and you're forced to flee. [[Continue|climbintower]] <<elseif visited("wlwithmainsf3")>>\ You charge through the door but the Dreadnaughts are too quick! You fight them off with the Grey Blade, cleaving them limb from limb, but it is a bloody battle. Jade Wolf is cut down before your eyes. More Dreadnaughts pour in through the door and you're forced to flee. [[Continue|climbintower]] <<elseif visited("meandstealthteam3")>>\ You charge through the door but the Dreadnaughts are too quick! You fight them off with the Grey Blade, cleaving them limb from limb, but it is a bloody battle. Jade Wolf is cut down before your eyes. More Dreadnaughts pour in through the door and you're forced to flee. [[Continue|climbintower]]<</if>>

Iron Wolf: That's settled then. We can't plan out the whole battle ahead of time, but I trust we've made the right decisions. We will do our duties and see this through to the end. Let's go kill Lord Hawk! [[Continue|startthisthing]]

White Lotus remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly your student fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear her scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out her soul. [[Continue|climbintower]] <<set $student = "false">>\

Lantheon remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Lantheon fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear him scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out his soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

Lady Rose remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Lady Rose fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear her scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out her soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

Starchaser remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Starchaser fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear him scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out his soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

Sylla remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Sylla fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear her scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out her soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

Miyamoto remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Miyamoto fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear him scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out his soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

Iron Wolf remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Iron Wolf fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear him scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out his soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

Jade Wolf remains behind to bar the door and buy you some time. You rush forward and ascend a twisting staircase to the top of the tower. You never hear the fight that takes place when the Dreadnaughts break through the door. You never see how valiantly Jade Wolf fights to defend you right until the end. You never hear her scream as the Dreadnaughts suck out her soul. [[Continue|climbintower]]

<<if visited("ironandjadestrike")>>\ You ascend higher and higher into the castle. You see your siblings and their wolf allies tearing apart Dreadnaughts and zombies as you pass. One of the Dreadnaughts grabs Jade Wolf and sucks out her soul before casting her limp body aside. You want to stay and help but you know your destiny lies at the top of the tower. You must press onward. [[Continue|topofthetower]] <<else>>\ You ascend higher and higher into the castle. You see elemental warriors battling Dreadnaughts and zombies as you pass. You catch a glimpse out the window, where you can see the Elf Sages performing their rituals and summoning more elementals. You want to stay and help but you know your destiny lies at the top of the tower. You must press onward. [[Continue|topofthetower]]<</if>>

You finally step into the top room of the tower. Lord Hawk stands on the balcony, looking out over the battle below. His jet black armor glitters in the moonlight. He turns to face you, throwing his twisted black mask to the side. [[Continue|lordhawkfinale]]

Lord Hawk: We meet again, Silver Wolf. This is the part where I monologue about my grand plans and how you'll be crushed beneath my heel like an ant, but honestly... I didn't expect things to go this way. I always thought when I came back I'd have you at my side, just like old times. [[Times change, Lord Hawk.|timeschange]] | [[Your old spells are broken. I see through the lies.|oldspells]]

Lord Hawk: I can see that. So what now, Silver Wolf? Do we duel to the death? Do you strike me down and become a hero in the eyes of the people once again? I think we both know that can't happen. You've tarnished your name. A good deed done today cannot erase a lifetime of evil. [[No, but it's a start.|itsastart]] | [[What's my alternative? Join you?|joinyou]]

Lord Hawk: And you showed so much promise... a pity. So what now, Silver Wolf? Do we duel to the death? Do you strike me down and become a hero in the eyes of the people once again? I think we both know that can't happen. You've tarnished your name. A good deed done today cannot erase a lifetime of evil. [[No, but it's a start.|itsastart]] | [[What's my alternative? Join you?|joinyou]]

Lord Hawk: If you insist... but this seems rather pointless, doesn't it? If you kill me, I'll just come back again in a thousand years. Sooner or later you'll grow weary of this cat and mouse game. How long can you really keep it up? [[There will be no coming back this time.|nocomingback]] | [[The Grey Blade has been re-forged. It's magic can slay you!|grygofu]]

Lord Hawk: I wouldn't refuse such an offer. In fact, I'd welcome you back with open arms. [[That's not gunna happen.|itsastart]] | [[Thanks, but no thanks.|itsastart]]

Lord Hawk: Oh? And why is that? [[Reveal the Grey Blade|revealblade]] | [[Attack him|atklordhawkinel]]

Lord Hawk: The blade- but it was broken! I searched for the shards and found nothing! But if you have it... the curse! [[Continue|greycurse]]

You lunge forward and attack but Lord Hawk blasts you aside with a burst of dark magic. He eyes the glittering blade in your hand with surprise. [[Continue|revealblade]]

A few of your companions arrive at that moment. You're distracted by their arrival for just a second, but in that brief second Lord Hawk reaches out and the Grey Blade begins to glow with dark magic. The glowing crystal in the hilt begins to darken, its light fading. You can hear Lord Hawk's calm, soothing voice in your head. Give up... join me... join me... [[Fight it!|fighting]]

His magic is too strong! It's taking over! FIGHT IT! [[I am fighting it!|fightingmore]]

Dammit he's going to corrupt your mind and turn you evil again! FIGHT IT YOU LITTLE BADASS! [[HE WILL NEVER CONTROL MY MIND AGAIN!!! RAHHHH!!!!!!|nevercontrolmind]]

There's a huge explosion of magical energy and Lord Hawk goes flying backward. The black magic twisting around the blade dissolves and the light of the crystal shines like the sun. Lord Hawk screams as his rage boils over. He draws his sword and charges forward! [[Order your allies to leave- you will deal with Lord Hawk yourself|alliesleave]] | [[Command everyone to attack together|atacktogether]]

Your allies step back as you parry Lord Hawk's attack. He drops into a fighting stance you're very familiar with. He attacks right on cue. The two of you clash back and forth atop the tower balcony as lightning rips across the sky overhead. The Heavens tear open and unleash a torrent of rain. [[Continue|finalebattle]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ You and your companions attack Lord Hawk together. You clash back and forth atop the tower balcony as lightning rips across the sky overhead. The Heavens tear open and unleash a torrent of rain. [[Continue|finalebattle33]] <<else>> You and your companions attack Lord Hawk together. You clash back and forth atop the tower balcony as lightning rips across the sky overhead. The Heavens tear open and unleash a torrent of rain. [[Continue|finalebattle]]<</if>>

Your battle rages on- the Shyfter morphs into birds, tigers, bulls, and dragons. When he knocks away your sword you fight him as a massive wolf. Finally you manage to pin him down. You pick up the Grey Blade and point it at his throat. [[Continue|lordhawkslastlines]]

Lord Hawk: You've grown much stronger, Silver Wolf. I am at your mercy. Will you kill me? [[No. Death is too good for you. You will rot in the prison I sat in for all eternity.|rotinprison]] | [[Chop his head off|chophisheadooff]]

<<if $student == "true">>\ The Elf Sages create a magical barrier around Lord Hawk and lead him away with a heavily armed escort. You immediately turn to White Lotus and rush to her side. [[Continue|whiteluysdying]] <<else>>\ The Elf Sages create a magical barrier around Lord Hawk and lead him away with a heavily armed escort. It is finished. Lord Hawk will never threaten this world again. [[Continue|wicktory]]<</if>>

<<if $student == "true">>\ You swing the Grey Blade and cleave Lord Hawk's head from his body. A fountain of black goo erupts from his neck before his body dissolves away into ash. Lord Hawk is dead. You immediately turn to White Lotus and rush to her side. [[Continue|whiteluysdying]] <<else>>\ You swing the Grey Blade and cleave Lord Hawk's head from his body. A fountain of black goo erupts from his neck before his body dissolves away into ash. Lord Hawk is dead. [[Continue|wicktory]]<</if>>

Lord Hawk springs past you and stabs his blade through White Lotus's chest. Her eyes go wide. She looks to you before crumbling to the ground, motionless. You leap forward and attack Lord Hawk with renewed vigor. [[Continue|finalebattle]]

<<if visited("gotsif")>>\ White Lotus: M-master... [[Pour the Mystical Blue Moon Juice over her wounds|mysticalbluemoonjuice]] <<else>>\ White Lotus: M-master... [[Stay with me, White Lotus! Someone help her!|helphersomeone]]<</if>>

Victory is yours, but the cost was high. Many of your friends were killed in the fight. You vow to ensure their sacrifices will not be forgotten. The world is safe now, but it can never be the same. Perhaps that is a good thing? Now you can go forward and start anew, building a legacy of peace and unity to replace the fear and evil you once wrought. Or maybe, now that Lord Hawk is out of the picture, you can assume the role of ultimate villain once more? The choice is yours... [[Congratulations! YOU WIN!!!|theend]]

You uncork the bottle of mystical moon juice and pour it over White Lotus's wounds. To your amazement, her injuries heal themselves right before your eyes! White Lotus takes a deep breath and sits up, good as new. She looks to you with a smile. [[Help her to her feet|helperhorherff]] | [[Kiss her|kissthegirl]]

<<if visited("laughandwalk")>>\ Your allies look on helplessly. You kick yourself for being such a dick to Leaping Viper- he could have saved her! Or maybe, just maybe, a vial of sparkling blue moon juice! [[Continue|lotusdiesfinale]] <<else>>\ Leaping Viper pushes you aside and begins to heal White Lotus with his chi magic. He is an excellent healer, but White Lotus's wounds are too deep. There is nothing more that can be done. [[Continue|lotusdiesfinale]]<</if>>

White Lotus takes your hand. Tears trickle down her cheeks, but she smiles at you. [[Continue|wllastlines]]

White Lotus: You... did it, master. You defeated Lord Hawk. I knew you could do it... I knew there was still... good... in you... [[Continue|deadloty]]

The strength leaves White Lotus's hand and the life fades from her eyes. A hush falls around you. White Lotus is dead. [[Continue|wicktory]]

Kung Fu Space Barbarian: If you enjoyed this text adventure game, make sure to visit [[Newgrounds|http://kungfuspacebarbarian.newgrounds.com/games/]] for more Crypt Shyfter adventures! And if you're a really hardcore badass, you can sign up to get brand new adventures delivered right to your e-mail as soon as they're posted by clicking [[here|http://newgrounds.us16.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=01eae0daa47b660252cece3d3&id=f244cd6339]]. Thanks for playing!

The music crescendos as you pull White Lotus to her feet. She wraps you up in a hug and plants a big smooch on your lips. Your cheeks turn red as the survivors cheer- a brief moment of happiness amidst the gloom is just what they needed. [[Continue|wicktory]]

The music crescendos as you sweep the girl into your arms and plant a big smooch on her lips. The survivors cheer- a brief moment of happiness amidst the gloom is just what they needed. [[Continue|wicktory]]

Ghost: Who dares to disturb my slumber? [[I come seeking information.|seekinginformation]] | [[I'm searching for a wolf spirit.|seekinginformation]]

<<if visited("goingoutsideoftavern")>>\ You wander through the deserted streets until you arrive at a rundown old house. The wooden shutters creak in the wind. [[Continue|hauntedhouse]] <<else>>\ Suddenly you hear a scream. Flames spring up in the distance and you see two dwarves in ninja gear fleeing the scene. What do you do? [[Chase the dwarves|chasedwarves]] | [[Head to the flames|headtoflames]] | [[Ignore the commotion and keep searching for the haunted house|searchhouantedhouse]]<</if>>

<<if $inventory.indexOf("Silver Comb")>>\ Ghost: I can help you, for a price... [[What about this Silver Comb?|silvercomboffer]] | [[I'm sorry, I have nothing to offer you.|nothingotoffer]] <<else>>\ Ghost: I can help you, for a price... [[I'm sorry, I have nothing to offer you.|nothingotoffer]]<</if>>

<<set $inventory.delete("Silver Comb")>>\ Ghost: Yes... this is a pretty bauble. What did you say you were searching for again? [[A spirit called Iron Wolf.|spiritihg]]

Ghost: Then you are of no use to me! Begone! [[Continue|ghorstlesv]]

The ghost fades away. This looks like a "dead end" (teehee). You return to consider your options. [[Continue|miragetown]]

Ghost: Iron Wolf... yes. Quite the handsome one, he is. I have seen him around, but he does not live in this city. He lives beyond. Somewhere in the desert, I think. The Elf Sages would know. Yes, he visits with the Elf Sages. He spends a lot of time with Lady Rose. If anyone knows where your spirit friend dwells, it is her. [[Lady Rose?|ladyrosequestin]] | [[Elf Sages?|elsfshyf]] | [[Thank you for the information.|thanksghost]] | [[I will seek out these Elf Sages.|thanksghost]]

Ghost: Lady Rose is one of the three Elf Sages. The only female of the bunch, if I remember correctly. She is very old and very wise, but not too subtle. She meets with Iron Wolf on occasion. They do nasty things together. [[Elf Sages?|elsfshyf]] | [[Thank you for the information.|thanksghost]] | [[I will seek out these Elf Sages.|thanksghost]]

Ghost: The Elf Sages are old... very old. They know all that happens in this universe... and others. They live in their enchanted tower across town. Seek them out for more information. [[Lady Rose?|ladyrosequestin]] | [[Thank you for the information.|thanksghost]] | [[I will seek out these Elf Sages.|thanksghost]]

The ghost lady chuckles and vanishes. You return and consider your options. [[Continue|miragetown]]

You and Lord Hawk spend a sleepless night pouring your magic into the broken sword. You merge the shards and replace the crystal, which begins to glow with a hellish magical radiance. At long last you finish your work. The Grey Blade has been re-forged. [[We should get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us.|badguyrest]] | [[We should totally bang right now!|badguystraining]]

Lord Hawk: You rest. I have a few more preparations to make. [[Wake me up when you're finished.|wakewhenfin]] | [[Won't you join me?|joinwithmehawky]]

Lord Hawk: I- well, I mean... [[Come on, dude! It's been like a thousand years since we've been together. I missed you...|missyahrkw]] | [[Come on, tough guy. Let's see if that robot dick is as awesome as I remember it being.|robotdick]]

Lord Hawk: Sleep tight, Silver Wolf. [[Continue|goodnightssleep]]

Lord Hawk: I- well, I mean... [[Come on, dude! It's been like a thousand years since we've been together. I missed you...|missyahrkw]] | [[Come on, tough guy. Let's see if that robot dick is as awesome as I remember it being.|robotdick]]

Lord Hawk: I missed you too, Silver Wolf. [[Continue|lordhawkleds]]

Lord Hawk stammers and blushes. Some things never change. You are delighted to find that his robot dick does indeed work as well as you remember it working. So do his robot fingers. And the way it feels when he shapeshifts in the middle of- ya know what, I'm just going to leave the rest to your imagination. [[Continue|badguypreps]]

You are beyond satisfied when you emerge from the Grey Keep the next morning. Lord Hawk has summoned a council of his top generals to discuss the plans for the coming assault. [[Continue|comingassault]]

Lord Hawk takes your hand and leads you to his dungeon chambers- he's got beds of nails and chains on the walls, all sorts of whips and knives and leather suits. You two go wild, taking turns with the chains, shapeshifting into wolves, playing with Lord Hawk's robot dick... you know, regular Shyfter sex stuff. [[Continue|badguypreps]]

Lord Hawk: You all know why we're here, so I'll cut straight to the point. Overthrowing the Heavens will be no easy task. If we're to have any chance of killing the Allfather, we'll first need to infiltrate the Jade Palace, which will be heavily defended by three primary forces. [[Continue|threprimary]]

You are very well rested when you emerge from the Grey Keep the next morning. Lord Hawk has summoned a council of his top generals to discuss the plans for the coming assault. [[Continue|comingassault]]

Lord Hawk: The first layer of defense will be led by the Great Tiger Spirit. His soldiers are expert archers- every last one of them could bullseye a mouse in the dark from nearly a mile away. We can expect heavy casualties before we get anywhere near the palace walls if we launch a direct assault. [[Continue|optionsforbaddies]]

Lord Hawk: We have the advantage of numbers on our side, so a direct assault is a viable option. An alternative method would be to scatter our forces and launch three simultaneous attacks at different points of the palace. [[Continue|morebattletactics]]

Lord Hawk: I agree, a direct assault makes the most sense given our numbers. The next order of business is dealing with the Great Dragon Spirit and her legion of dragoon warriors. They're an elite squad of Heavenly knights encased in Celestial Duranium armor. [[Continue|elestialdurina]]

Lord Hawk: Yes, I believe splitting our forces is the wiser option as well. The next order of business is dealing with the Great Dragon Spirit and her legion of dragoon warriors. They're an elite squad of Heavenly knights encased in Celestial Duranium armor. [[Continue|elestialdurina]]

Lord Hawk: The Great Tiger Spirit's forces would be spread too thin to effectively repel any of the attacks, but the downside is that our forces would be split up with no way of making contact until we've infiltrated the palace. [[Let's launch a full direct assault|directassault]] | [[Let's split our forces. I will lead one platoon, Lord Hawk will lead the second, and Krogar the Dreadnaught will command the third.|splittheforces]]

Krogar: Leave the Great Dragon Spirit to me! My Dreadnaughts will rip their shiny shells from their bodies and feast on their souls! [[Continue|lordhawksrpos]]

Lord Hawk: That is a valid option. We could also hit them from a distance with magic. The dragoons are lethal fighters at close range, but our magic could nullify their effectiveness without the risk of getting too close. [[Krogar's forces can handle the dragoons.|krogarsforces]] | [[Lord Hawk and his warrior wizards should take out the dragoons with magic.|dragonswithmagic]]

Lord Hawk: Very well. The final layer of defense is the Great Phoenix Spirit himself. He is the Allfather's personal bodyguard. Together they form quite the team, but Silver Wolf and I should have no problem dealing with them, especially now that we've got the Grey Blade. The sword's magic is potent enough to slay an immortal. [[Let's kick some ass!|letskickashawk]] | [[Those chumps don't stand a chance!|letskickashawk]]

Krogar and Durak, Lord Hawk's two leading Dreadnaught generals, grab a pair of massive scythes that sizzle with magical energy. They lift the heavy scythes over their heads and slice the fabric of reality apart before your eyes. You can see the billowing clouds and high stone walls of the Jade Palace through the shimmering tear in the sky. [[Continue|tearintime]]

The gathered undead grab the edges of the warped space and rip it open wide. Your army charges through the shimmering rift and suddenly you are in the realm of the Celestials. The Heavens will soon be under your control. [[Continue|badguysfinalebatle]]

<<if visited("directassault")>>\ You and Lord Hawk lead the charge against the palace. Suddenly you're caught in a blizzard of golden arrows- you've just come in range of the Great Tiger Spirit's archers! Undead burst into ashes all around you as the arrows shred through them. What's your plan? [[Press onward and smash in the front gates, but risk more casualties|keepthecharge]] | [[Order your forces to split up so the archers can't concentrate their fire in one spot|cantconcentratfire]] <<else>>\ You grasp Lord Hawk's arm in that dramatic medieval bro-handshake heroes always do in movies. Then you split up and lead your platoons of undead warriors in a march against the Jade Palace from opposite directions. [[Continue|thesplitbannana]]<</if>>

You keep charging forward when suddenly- OH NO! You take an arrow to the knee! Thankfully you can heal yourself with chi, so your adventuring career isn't over. You rip out the arrow and heal yourself before morphing into a wolf and charging the gates. [[Continue|smashthegates]]

You break ranks and lead a small squad of Dreadnaughts to the Southern Gate. Thousands of your warriors have been cut down by the storm of arrows, but you've arrived at your destination. Several Dreadnaughts carry a huge battering ram covered in skulls and spikes. A few good heaves smash the gates down. [[Lead the charge through the gates|leadtheway]] | [[Order your troops to charge in while you wait for Lord Hawk to arrive|waitformrhawk]]

The Great Tiger Spirit's archers unleash a volley of arrows, but they just don't have enough soldiers to handle your divided forces. You lead your platoon to the Southern Gate with minimal casualties. Several Dreadnaughts carry a huge battering ram covered in skulls and spikes. A few good heaves smash the gates down. [[Lead the charge through the gates|leadtheway]] | [[Order your troops to charge in while you wait for Lord Hawk to arrive|waitformrhawk]]

Thousands of your warriors have been cut down by the storm of arrows, but you've arrived at the gates. Several Dreadnaughts carry a huge battering ram covered in skulls and spikes. A few good heaves smash the gates down. [[Lead the charge through the gates|leadtheway]] | [[Order your troops to charge in while you wait for Lord Hawk to arrive|waitformrhawk]]

You charge in through the smashed gates but skid to a sudden halt as the Great Tiger Spirit drops down from above. The impact from the monstrous tiger hitting the ground causes the polished marble floor to crack in a pattern of spider webs. This will not be an easy fight. [[Attack him with the Grey Blade|atkstigerspri]] | [[Contain him with chi so your allies can rip him apart|holdtigerdown]]

Your troops rush in through the gates while you wait for Lord Hawk. Suddenly you hear a massive crash. The ground shakes beneath your feet. An instant later half a dozen Dreadnaughts come flying back through the gate they just entered. You peek your head inside and see the Great Tiger Spirit himself slaughtering your army! [[Continue|tigerspritibooss]]

A squad of dragoons advances from behind the Great Tiger Spirit, led by the Great Dragon Spirit herself. The enemy defenses are much tougher than you had anticipated! [[Continue|lordhawkjoinstheyfray]]

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You charge forward and slash at the Great Tiger Spirit, but he's too quick! He springs away as a squad of dragoons surround you. [[Continue|lordhawkjoinstheyfray]]

You blast the Great Tiger Spirit with chi, catching him completely off guard. He scrambles backwards and leaps over a line of advancing dragoons. You see the Great Tiger Spirit bound down a long hallway and disappear around the corner. [[Continue|lordhawkjoinstheyfray]]

<<if visited("krogarsforces")>>\ Just then Krogar and his Dreadnaughts smash through the wall and attack the dragoons. You battle alongside them as the undead minotaur warriors rip the dragoons limb from limb and suck out their souls. [[Continue|intothejadepalace]] <<else>>\ Just then Lord Hawk and his platoon of warrior wizards arrive. You leap back as they begin blasting the dragoons with magic, ripping the celestial warriors to pieces. [[Continue|intothejadepalace]]<</if>>

<<if visited("tigerspritibooss")>>\ The Great Tiger Spirit and the Great Dragon Spirit begin to circle you. [[Continue|spirittalk]] <<else>>\ Your forces gather around you. You have successfully taken control of the entrance to the Jade Palace. [[Continue|fullforcepursue]]<</if>>

Great Dragon Spirit: Silver Wolf! You are a disgrace to spirits everywhere. Stop this madness at once, and the Allfather may have mercy on your soul. [[I will enjoy killing the Allfather almost as much as I'm going to enjoy killing you.|illenjoykilling]] | [[I always hated you two jerks. Time to die!|illenjoykilling]]

You lead your army in a charge down the hallway. You round the corner and skid to a halt. The Great Tiger Spirit and the Great Dragon Spirit are waiting for you in a grand ballroom. [[Continue|spirittalk]]

You, Lord Hawk, and Krogar battle the spirits in the elegant hallway. It is a dazzling spectacle- magic and steel flying back and forth, spirits and Shyfter morphing from one form to the next. Your army of Dreadnaughts smashes through the walls and surrounds the Great Spirits, cutting off their escape. [[Kill them with the Grey Blade|greybladspirtikill]] | [[Order the Dreadnaughts to suck out their souls|drednugsoulsuck]]

Before the spirits can speak, you jam the Grey Blade into their shimmering bodies. They burst into flames and dissolve into ash. You have now taken control of the main entrance to the Jade Palace. [[Stick together. We're heading straight for the Allfather with our full force.|fullforcefather]] | [[Split up and cover the entire palace. Slaughter any celestials that get in your way.|celestialsluaghter]]

You and Lord Hawk laugh evilly as the Dreadnaughts suck the souls out of the Great Spirits. Durak's fangs grow razor sharp and his fur seems to change to a striped pattern, while Krogar's skin becomes scaly and two huge dragon wings sprout from his powerful shoulders. Badass. [[Stick together. We're heading straight for the Allfather with our full force.|fullforcefather]] | [[Split up and cover the entire palace. Slaughter any celestials that get in your way.|celestialsluaghter]]

You lead your army through the Jade Palace, slaughtering all who stand in your way. You weave your way up to the highest tower, where the Allfather sits on his golden throne. The Great Phoenix Spirit stands beside him. [[Continue|allfatherslines]]

Your forces split up and scour the Jade Palace for any survivors. You lead your army through corridor after corridor, slaughtering all who stand in your way. You weave your way up to the highest tower, where the Allfather sits on his golden throne. The Great Phoenix Spirit stands beside him. [[Continue|allfatherslines]]

Allfather: So, after a thousand years, it has come to this at last. You have betrayed your people, Silver Wolf. You've killed your siblings and slaughtered hundreds of my best warriors. There can be no recourse after this. The penalty for your crimes is death. [[Don't make me laugh, old man. The Heavens belong to us now. Step aside and I'll let you keep your dignity.|keepdig]] | [[Your words are wind, High One. Destiny is at hand. Embrace it.|keepdig]]

Great Phoenix Spirit: Insolent cur! [[Continue|pheonixspiritatk]]

The Great Phoenix spirit launches himself at you, but you easily parry his attack and stab the Grey Blade through his face. He busrts into a pile of dust. This is one phoenix who will never again be reborn. [[Continue|alfatherending]]

The Allfather stands and walks towards you. [[Continue|herewegoherwgo]]

Allfather: It seems your treachery knows no bounds, Silver Wolf. Teaming up with a Shyfter? You have doomed us all. [[Say good night, Allfather.|saygoodnight]] | [[Enjoy the afterlife, you miserable old goat.|saygoodnight]]

The Allfather raises his hand and a magical barrier forms in the throne room, blocking out the Dreadnaughts and the rest of your army. You, Lord Hawk, and the Allfather are trapped within. The Allfather draws his mighty hammer and attacks! [[Continue|theheavenstrumble]]

The Heavens tremble with the ferocity of your battle. Sparks fly and weapons clash. The Allfather is far more powerful than you had anticipated. He ducks under your attack and drives his hammer into Lord Hawk's chest. The Shyfter collapses to the ground and coughs out black blood. His form seems to shimmer between a dozen different shapes. [[Attack the Allfather|atktheallfther]] | [[Help Lord Hawk|helphakdying]]

You launch yourself at the Allfather, hoping to strike him while his back is turned, but he anticipates the blow! He dodges aside and slams his hammer into your back, sending you flying into the barrier. You bounce off and land at his feet. Your back feels like it's broken. [[Continue|youfuckedup]]

You turn to help Lord Hawk but your moment of weakness is all the Allfather needs. He slams his hammer into your back and sends you flying into the barrier. You bounce off and land at his feet. Your back feels like it's broken. [[Continue|youfuckedup]]

Allfather: Fool! Your siblings should have killed you when they had the chance. I should have demanded it! Now I will atone for my grievous mistake. [[Continue|shyfterkilsallfather]]

The Allfather raises his massive hammer and prepares to smash it down on your head. Just then a black blur shoots across your vision. Lord Hawk smashes into the Allfather, sending the hammer clattering across the floor. Lord Hawk picks up the Grey Blade and stabs it into the Allfather's chest. [[Continue|dedfather]]

The Allfather's scream echoes throughout the Heavens. His magical barrier dissolves. You roll over and watch as the Allfather's body warps into nothingness. Lord Hawk drops the Grey Blade and collapses to the ground. [[Continue|thefinalchoice]]

<<if visited("gotsif")>>\ Lord Hawk: We... we did it, Silver Wolf. We defeated the Allfather. But I suspect... the cost was too high. We won't survive to reap the rewards of our victory... [[You're wrong. One of us will survive. One of us will rule the Heavens.|oneofuswillsurvive]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: We... we did it, Silver Wolf. We defeated the Allfather. But I suspect... the cost was too high. We won't survive to reap the rewards of our victory... [[You're right... if only I had a bottle of Mystical Blue Moon Juice... perhaps one of us could have survived...|ifonlyifonly]]<</if>>

You reach into your pocket and pull out the vial of Mystical Blue Moon Juice. There is only enough to save one of you. It is time to make your final choice: who will live, and who will die? [[Drink the Moon Juice|youdrinkit]] | [[Give it to Lord Hawk|givehawkthemoonjuice]]

Lord Hawk reaches across the floor and takes your hand. [[Continue|illbeback]]

<<if $gender == "dude">>\ Lord Hawk: I am a Shyfter. I will reform in a thousand years. Perhaps I can try again. But you... this is it, old friend. This is goodbye... [[Continue|goodbyehakwey]] <<else>>\ Lord Hawk: I am a Shyfter. I will reform in a thousand years. Perhaps I can try again. But you... this is it, my love. This is goodbye... [[Continue|goodbyehakwey]]<</if>>

It is too hard to focus. The world shimmers around you. You feel Lord Hawk's grip loosen in your palm and a moment later you're holding nothing but ash. You lay back and take in the destruction around you. The evil, the hurt, the pain you have caused... [[Continue|thenedbady]]

...and as the world fades away and you drift off into the darkness, you can't help but wonder... "Did I make the right choice?" [[THE END.|gameoverbitches]]

Kung Fu Space Barbarian: If you enjoyed this text adventure game, make sure to visit [[Newgrounds|http://kungfuspacebarbarian.newgrounds.com/games/]] for more Crypt Shyfter adventures! And if you're a really hardcore badass, you can sign up to get brand new adventures delivered right to your e-mail as soon as they're posted by clicking [[here|http://newgrounds.us16.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=01eae0daa47b660252cece3d3&id=f244cd6339]]. Thanks for playing!

You uncork the vial and chug the liquid inside. It burns on the way down, but suddenly your body feels rejuvenated. The darkness fades and suddenly you're able to see the world again with clarity. You get to your feet and walk over to Lord Hawk. [[Continue|lordhawksdyingwords]]

You drag yourself over to Lord Hawk and uncork the vial. You dump the Mystical Blue Moon Juice down his throat. He coughs and sputters, and a moment later you see him stand. [[Continue|lordhawklives]]

It is too hard to focus. You see Lord Hawk stoop down and pick up the Grey Blade. He says something to you, but you can't hear the words. You lay back and take in the destruction around you. The evil, the hurt, the pain you have caused... [[Continue|thenedbady]]

Lord Hawk: You... you hid this from me? You lied to me... this was your plan all along, wasn't it? Let me do the dirty work while you get all the glory! You... curse you. Curse you! I will re-form again in a thousand years, Silver Wolf, and when I do, I will have my revenge!! [[Shove it up your ass, Lord Hawk.|shovethatshitupyourass]] | [[I'm already looking forward to it.|shovethatshitupyourass]]

Lord Hawk's screams of rage echo into oblivion as he melts away. As his power disperses, the undead dissolve around you, unable to maintain their form without a master. You stoop down and pick up the Grey Blade. The Heavens now belong to you. [[Continue|youwinasabadguy]]

You take your seat on the golden throne, no longer a nameless spirit, but a god! And as you sit on your mighty throne, looking out across the destruction you've wrought, friendless and alone, you can't help but wonder... "Did I make the right choice?" [[THE END.|gameoverbitches]]

You take a hesitant step toward Lady Rose. She reaches out her hands and places her fingertips gently against the side of your head. [[Continue|memflash]]

The werewolves prowl towards you, but the magic binding them to Jade Wolf is failing. They collapse to the ground and morph back into humans. Jade Wolf roars in fury before collapsing to her knees. She begins to cry. [[What's going on here?|whatsgoingjade]] | [[You're insane!|whatsgoingjade]]