Soft as Steel [WIP]

Disclaimer

This game is gender-locked female and has only 1 RO; you may choose to pursue a platonic or enemy route—I might even add flings but no gurantee—but the prominent RO will remain only one. Depending on your choices, the romance/ relationship might even become… disturbing. Tread carefully.

In this game, you are allowed to be an insufferable, petty and frankly ‘evil’ character—just don’t be surprised if consequences are had. Similarly, you can also play a character with good-intentions—but don’t be surprised if you’re not always rewarded for it

(and yes, I forgot I couldn’t change the game title on Cogdemos after setting it :smiling_face_with_tear: oh well)

You are a mistake—that’s what you’ve been told all your life—a curse, a bane, a burden. Now, you are given a chance to prove them wrong, or live up to the claims.

The Ursa-Frost tribe is a close-knit and fiercely loyal clan. Living in the cold north, they are both hardened yet brimming with life. The same hand that gently pats your head, could snap another’s neck without hesitation. They took you in and treated you as one of them.
Once you had watched merely them through a screen; now they stand before you, in flesh and blood.

Unaware of the danger that lurks in their own home; of the voice that commands you, hungering for chaos—a voice that slowly begins to sound like your own.

Will you fight back against the story, grasping to hope that you can all live peacefully? Or will you follow the whims of fate, revelling in the chaos?

  • Choose between three types of beastkin; a snowy owl, an artic fox, or a snow hare. Each species has their own strengths and weakness, as well as exclusive scenes/ dialogues
  • Shape how your character acts; is she bold or shy? Quick to joke or earnest to a fault? Can she hide her emotions or do they control her?
  • Form bonds with the lively Ursa-Frost clan—whether as enemies or allies
  • Fight against the voice in your head—or heeds it’s commands, laughing the entire time
Content Warnings

It is only the early stages so these are subject to change—either adding or removing. I’ll only include what warnings that are applicable for current playthroughs

Warning!

This work may contain, implied or directly mentioned:

  • Violence and blood
  • Death
  • Hunting
  • Religion (fictional)
  • Corruption
  • Manipulation
  • Mental/ psychological instability
  • A deteriorating mind and/ or morality
  • Dubious/ unhealthy mindsets and coping mechanisms
  • Self-harm
  • Cursing
  • A very territorial chicken that will make her displeasure clear
Major characters

Leif, son of Sigurd

“I loved you once—I’ll love you still.”

He has never hesitated—he’s not going to start with you

Calm and serene, Leif is the heir of the Ursa-Frost tribe. Do not let his soft-spoken nature fool you though—the beastkin can be frighteningly calm and steadfast, rarely shaken or affected by chaos. Perhaps that’s why fate decided you should meet. Despite the clashing personalities of his clan, they all love and cherish him dearly, never treating him as less.
That peace, that easy acceptance—it fills you with envy.

You’ve spent hours planning his ruin, how to destroy his happy life, how to make those calm eyes quake with any other emotion.

Will you be able to go through with it, now that he stands before you, with no screen to hide behind?

Sigurd, son of Ander

“Ya got a home here lass.”

His laugh is a war cry—it can be a sign of assurance and warning in the same rumble

Sigurd is a loud and proud viking. Quick to joke and easy to laugh, with a voice that many swear could wake the dead and endless cheer. Yet one defining trait he and his son shares is their integrity; both are true to themselves.
He’s always been supportive to Leif, the very reason the heir is so self-assured and never doubtful of his worth. That said, under his cheer, lies a perceptive and wisen man. One that has lived too long to be fooled by a brat and her ‘magic knife’.

Which is exactly why you had to eliminate him. To watch the giant of a man be reduced to less than the air itself, to watch the pain and fear and worry eating away at his son. To watch the entire clan grieve the loss of such a lively, beloved soul—who still walks beside them, now less a person, more a hollowed shell

Will you be able to kill him again, now that you can feel his warm arms wrapping around you in a firm embrace?

Errika & Erik Finn

“Awh, c’mon, you love us!” “Horrible decision, really*”

Her soul is filled with so much light, it spills into her smile
He cares deeply, in the silence between whispers and the laughter of his family

The twins are near polar opposites; Errika is bubbly and cheery yet a formidable hunter while Erik is sharp and wry, prefering using his intellect. Yet the two are near inseparable, always seen together. They are close to you and Leif’s age thus becoming close friends to you as well. Both siblings care for you, trusting you just as they trust one another.
In one life, you had ruin them, taking away Leif’s closest companions so that only you are left. Made him rely solely on you, the only one who hadn’t left him.

Will you be able to do so again, now that you’ve shared laughter and smiles, after they treat you as their own?

Henrietta

Her hatred of you is only outmatched by her love for the tribe

Also often called the Iron Beak, The Feathery Tyrant, this chicken is absolute menace and is not sorry for it all. Players either hate or loved her; she hates all of you irrevocably. Protective and territorial, the hen immediately took a disliking to the player, often pecking or squawking at you.
During the previous game, she would often patrol and watch you closely, trying to find any semblance of wrongdoing before crying out loudly to alert the clan. It meant you had to be extremely careful—or eleminate her early.

Will you let her ruffle your feathers once more, or will you try to befriend this fierce guardian in chicken form?

The Ursa-Frost

A family that if crossed, will remind you that they’re also a viking clan

Latest update: 17 May 2026

Updates

8 May

  • Stats page, startup, prologue and chap1 uploaded
  • Part of chapter 2 posted; sevaral new variables added
  • Forum made

12 May

  • More variables added
  • Most of chap2 uploaded

14 May

  • Chapter 2 done

17 May

  • Opening of chapter 3 posted

Demo

Tumblr

56 Likes

Hi,

Found this. Will edit this if I find more today.

Knonk->knock

[…]when finally another knonk is heard,[…]

Pretty sure it should be Her coat

He coat clearly showed she was a local beastkin, or at least someone who had grown up around the area.

Minor misspelling

The following scene will include animal death and graphic description taht may be upsetting

Another instance of a minor misspelling

You swallow the fear and dread tha threatens to bubble out.

Also when I try to visit the stat screen I get this error.

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Only read very little so far because eim a bit busy, but I’m curious about how beastly the beastkin are? Is it your classic furry anthro or is it more humanoid in some way?

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They’re anthros/ furries lol. But i guess you can imagine them as those kemonomimis types if you want

Hey there!
Thanks so much for taking the time to find all these—i appreciate it! Updated the files so those errors should be gone now

Though do let me know if you spot anything more or just want to give your general opinion/ feedback /nf

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I was very disappointed that it was female locked, but the description sounds interesting. I can’t play it, too bad.

8 Likes

More of chapter 2 is uploaded

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Updated!

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“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna eat your dad,” you snort, shooting the vikings a grin. Sigurd lets out a snort, shaking his head while Leif gives you a small smile. The joke seeming to ease his worries.
is this flavor text possible despite the MC being mostly shy and earnest (55% each)?

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image

typo
dat lil you.s

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Iirc I set that you have to be a jokester but now that you mention it, I’ll add it for bold characters as well

Edited!

Chap 2 has also been update with more content.

Hopefully y’all will like the twist :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: (even if technically the chapter is not finished yet lol)

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This pops up no matter which of the three you choose.

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Ahh, i got the code wrong there

Should be fixed now!

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Ahhh, why did i have to make such a big branch with so many variables to consider? Le sobs

he-died-cat-falling-over

Honestly, mad respect to y’all who make so much branching in your games, genuinely
The time and effort needed is no joke, not only to write each branch but also if they are affected by variables, thus more branching.

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Chapter 2 is live!

…well, like 80% of it. I haven’t done the ‘smart’ choice yet cause it’s too late for me to brain right now lol. But everything else should be done

As usual, hope y’all enjoy it! And lemme know any bugs or errors
Or just thoughts

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Accepting or declining the quest gives errors.

chap2 line 530: Invalid expression at char 51, expected OPERATOR or CLOSE_PARENTHESIS, was: STRING [“neutral”]

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Oops, forgot to add the equal sign lol

Should be fixed now!

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