Hunter, O’ Hunter,
your undying body has experienced the seasons wither and flourish in endless perpetuity,
the forest scattering its corpses at your feet.
Rot to sapling to bloom to death.
Through heartbreak and loss, bloodied knives and slaughtered hope,
you have persevered.
TUMBLR (my personal one for now) || PLAY DEMO || PINTEREST (an old inspiration-board) || PLAYLIST
Ouroboros is a science-fantasy interactive fiction that will take you on a journey filled with adventure, romance, and mystery. Set in a world where magic and technology collide, you will explore a solarpunk setting brimming with fantastical creatures and hidden secrets.
What I hope to achieve with this story, with your help and my persistence:
This is a story that will explore core themes of hope, redemption, and love, as well as the power of choice and consequence. You can confront your past and overcome your inner demons, but you are also faced with a crucial decision that will shape your future: to become a hero or a villain in the world of Ouro.
As you navigate this unfamiliar world through the eyes of the hunter, you must decide whether to embrace your darker impulses or to fight against them and forge a new path. The story highlights the potential for growth and change, even in the face of difficult circumstances, and emphasizes the importance of self-discovery and personal agency.
Through the hunters journey, the story examines universal experiences of trust, love, and connection, and shows that even in the most unexpected places, one can find the strength to start anew. Whether your hunter chooses to be a hero or a villain, the power of second chances offers a message of hope and possibility to both.
Content Warnings
(As of 2023/02/17)
- Swearing
- Depiction of alcohol use if the player chooses it
- Depiction of a controlled panic attack if the player chooses it
- Mentions of death
- For folks with thalassophobia [fear of deep water], there is a main scene with depictions of drowning and a bottomless deep.
- Graphic and gratuitous sex (optional)
- Loss of bodily autonomy (player gets drugged)
If you think anything is missing here, please let me know!
Synopsis
You play as a retired hedgehunter who was forced to retire due to traumatic events. Living in isolation in a safe part of the forest, you are still haunted by the past. But when a letter arrives, summoning you back to your hometown of Riven, you are thrust back into a world of danger, excitement, and new discoveries.
Riven, a bustling city filled with techy gadgets and a robust community, was once protected by the defensive, organic wall that you helped build. But now, the city is facing new challenges, and you are asked to join a new expedition deep into the mythical forest, where reality warps the further you go.
As you embark on this journey, you will be forced to confront your past and overcome new obstacles that will test your trust in the people around you. The secrets of the Stila’s water will be revealed, and the future of Riven will be impacted. Will you be able to emerge as a hero once again and overcome the traumas of the past? Or will the mystery of the forest prove too much to handle? The choice is yours in Ouroboros.
Features
- Regarding stats: I have decided against using stat checks for failure/success and rather use stats as an elaborate personality quiz-type beat that the world around you reacts to. This also means that as I write, I will probably add more choices and flavor text to earlier parts, and I would love input on what choices you would like to have!
(As of 2023/02/17. Playable wordcount 80k excl code~)
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Play as male, female or non-binary.
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Play as Gay, Straight or Bisexual and romance accordingly.
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1 Customizable (player-sexual) RO/friend(can still be romanced as friend), 4 player-sexual RO’s.
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Extensive character creator; choose to be a rare human or between two fantasy-races, choose your origin and customize your body and looks.
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Choose to fight for your retirement or go willingly
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Choose how your past affects you: are you healing from trauma or still in it’s clutches?
RO's
IDREN // IDA (RO)
Your sworn enemy due to unfortunate events, but will they forever remain so?
Idren/Ida is a mysterious figure made of mist and mischief, their vague humanoid shape taking shelter in armor as black as night, a plain mask covering the void of their face.
They blame their misfortune solely on you and are not afraid to show it. But as you join forces to embark on a dangerous journey together, the walls between you begin to crumble.
Will your tumultuous past prevent you from moving forward, or will you be able to overcome your differences and find love in each other’s arms? Will you be able to unlock the secrets of Idren/Ida’s past and build a future together, or will the void between you prove too vast to bridge? If you pick their route, there is a chance for an epic romance, where enemies can become lovers, even though the line between love and hate is razor-thin.
The main tropes that can be explored with this route: Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers or Enemies to Even Worse Enemies And Not Lovers At All.
Auryn (RO)
This four-armed druna is a master of martial arts and a unapologetic flirt.
Auryn is a master of martial arts, with a confident and muscular build that exudes a strong sense of determination. They’re known for their unapologetic flirting and their love for pleasure, but beneath their playful exterior lies a person with hidden depths. As you get to know Auryn, maybe you too can’t help but be drawn to their kind and generous spirit.
Despite their hedonistic ways, Auryn is always there when you need them, willing to lend a helping hand or a sympathetic ear. As your friendship with Auryn deepens, you might start to sense that there could be something more between you. But there’s something holding them back, some unseen force that keeps them from fully committing to a relationship. Can you help Auryn overcome their past and learn to trust again?
The main tropes that can be explored with this route: Friends to Lovers, Friends with Benefits to Lovers.
Yor // Yana (RO)
The built-as-a-brick-house Commander of the Hedge is a force to be reckoned with.
Yor/Yana, also known as the Commander of the Hedge, is a seasoned and experienced leader. Despite their gruff exterior, this towering figure possesses a heart of gold that guides their actions and decisions. Their physical prowess and imposing presence command respect from all who cross their path.
As a highly respected leader, Yor/Yana is known for their unwavering dedication to their responsibilities and their team. Their stoic demeanor belies a deep commitment to their cause and a steadfast determination to see their mission through to its successful conclusion.
Sometimes emotionally distant and reserved, Yor/Yana can be hard to reach beyond surface level pleasantries. But nothing softens them up as much as honesty and genuine care, especially if you hold the same values regarding honor and duty. As you work together on missions and fight side by side, you will start to see a different side of the Commander. Perhaps there’s more to this gruff exterior than meets the eye.
The main tropes that can be explored with this route: Defrosting the Ice Queen, Fake Relationship/Arranged Marriage/Forced Proximity.
Sene // Selene (RO)
This frazzled and frankly mad scientist is passionate about the development of Riven and it’s many technological advances.
Sene/Selene is a brilliant scientist with a razor-sharp intellect and an obsessive drive for technological advancement. They have a commanding presence and a dismissive air that keeps most people at a distance. But for some reason, you alone are able to crack their tough exterior and connect with the romantic at their core.
As you work alongside Sene/Selene, you begin to uncover a hidden side to their character - a vulnerability that they have kept hidden from the rest of the world. Apart from their quick wit and sharp tongue, you will begin to realize that there’s more to them than just their passion for science, and their deep admiration of you as the person you once were. Will you be able to reciprocate their feelings, or will you be content to let them love you from afar?
The main tropes that can be explored with this route: They Loved You First, Master/Apprentice.
Leith // Customizable (RO)
Your long lost friend/lover. How was the relationship between you, once before?
Leith/Custom is a ghost from your past that still haunts you. Once your closest confidant, they were lost to you on that fateful day when everything changed. In your heart, you know that they died, and that their death was your fault. But what if they were still alive? Could you find it in yourself to believe in their survival and forgive yourself for what happened?
As you embark on your journey, clues begin to emerge that not everything is as you thought it were; as you dig deeper, you start to realize that there are forces at play that are far beyond your control. Can you unravel the mystery and find out the truth about what really happened to your friend/lover? And if they are still alive, can you find a way to bring them back into your life and reconcile with them? The answers to these questions may hold the key to your own personal redemption and the chance to finally move on from the past.
Many romance tropes have been omitted due to spoilers.
Coming Soon
These are some things I’m excited about:
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Bestiary and Lore Compendium for the statpage
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Timeline for your hunter with choices you make for the statpage
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Art and character portraits
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Both smutty and asexual routes that aren’t just the ‘friend-route’ / where sexuality is discussed
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A savesystem
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Yes, a tumblr that is solely for Ouroboros. I’m working on it!
I’m steadily making progress but I have to account for real life so I am not setting a deadline. However I am active on both the forum and on Tumblr so I will make sure to update anyone who is interested.
I will release a progress update at least quarterly, if not monthly, on both tumblr and the forum.
Update Log
Update 0.1 [April '22]
- Added new path and choices
- Expanded on gender options and added neo-pronouns + a way to input your own pronouns
- Added Character Creator to stat pages to allow for changing your appearance/gender/pronouns at any time
- Added Unicode tone indicators for choices
- Added more options for customizable RO (gender, appearance)
- Added the ability to choose RO’s gender as you meet them
Update 1.0 [January '23]
- Added two new chapters (1 full chapter, all paths + 1 incomplete chapter if you choose to deny alliance)
- Added third and final path for the prologue
- Fixed some errors in previous chapters
- Fixed disclaimer and added some cover-art on dashingdon
Everything in the story is plotted out but subject to change, and the process of writing it goes steadily forward.
What kind of feedback I am looking for:
I think the most important thing to note is that what you read in the demo is still the story in its earliest form; everything is subject to change! Sometimes I add choices or passages of text that I know will change, just to keep the story moving. If there are some minor issues with variables not displaying correctly, or harmless spelling issues that aren’t too invasive, I will take care of them when I have a lot of time over, or when it is time for the editing process.
However! I would love if you could point out to me:
- consistency issues or continuation errors
- choices you would like to see or feel are missing
- spelling errors, variable errors, text missing/duplicating
- text passages that you find hard to read/don’t understand/find boring or rambling
Finally, if you made it all the way down here, thank you so much for reading and I hope you try and like what I have so far! This story and these characters mean the world to me, so I’m hoping you’ll like them too. :>
Good health, hunter. See you in the woods.
[For all NSFW conversations and questions, please visit the adult thread, or write me on tumblr.]
. Hmm… which to choose first for my play through. cough arranged marriage cough
The MC just kind of goes with it with no complaints. A little too amicable if their main personality trait is stubbornness. It’s forced service I know. Still, it would be funny if they tried more escape attempts haha.
)
you better make an option to run and jump into their arms when we finally get to meet them. im going to cry so hard if you make them forget us or something. like i would smother them with affection.
I read your demo this morning and couldn’t put it down, despite being late for work.
or the “frog-like cat” (a quite disturbing picture but one that sticked)…
Also! I’ve gotten some really good feedback over on tumblr, and I’m definitely adding more brooding options into the story for after/during the briefing. I think you’ll like that 
