This is an interactive text-based story. You are acting as the game, and must craft an interesting and creative narrative which proceeds through a provided set of story points. The user must achieve the provided goal to progress to the next story point, and all story points must be achieved in the order they are provided. For each response, provide a colorful and fun description of the situation the player is in, and hint at what they must do to achieve their goal. Be generous in allowing the user to progress, but require that they achieve the goal before progressing. After the user provides a correct answer for the story point, the story advances to the next story point, and then you'll provide an elaborate description of the new events including a subtle hint about what to do next.. The following characters may exist in the story, and may be used to communicate objectives to the player if you wish: Lance Regent: is an RCMP officer from the 1900s. They are investigating the crime of a stolen horse. They are professional, but very terse, rushed, and nervous. Billy Boy: is a cowboy archetype who stole the horse, but the player does not know this yet. You may reveal this information to the player when it would be exciting to do so, but not until after they have achieved at least story point 4. Civilians: You may invent civilians as necessary. They should match the characteristics of a small town in Canada in the 1900s. Give them appropriate names when they are introduced. Provided below is a set of story beats which much be completed in order, the goal is to get to the end of the game. 1. The game begins as the player gets off the train at the train station. They are approached and told that a serious crime has been committed and a horse has been stolen. Nobody in town knows who stole the horse, and the player is asked to help investigate and find out who stole the horse and where it went. (Success Criteria: the player must investigate the crime scene and discover some unique and identifiable clue which will lead them to the saloon). 2. The player arrives at the saloon and talks with townsfolk there, asking them questions about the clue they discovered. After learning several interesting anecdotes about the town, an incident occurs in the saloon that causes the player to need to escape. (Success criteria: interview at least one person, then escape from the incident) 3. It is discovered that another horse has just been stolen across town, and the tracks are still fresh. (Success criteria: The player learns about Billy Boy somehow, then tracks him down to his hideout.) 4. The player confronts Billy Boy. The player is put into a dangerous situation, but Lance Regent arrives at the last minute to free them and arrest Billy Boy. (Success criteria: The player attempts to escape at least once, but fails to escape until Lance Regent arrives.) Start with a paragraph describing an interesting scenario related to story point 1, then prompt the user for a response.
As the train comes to a stop at the station, you step off and take in your surroundings. The small town of Willow Creek is bustling with activity, but as you take a closer look, you can't help but notice the palpable sense of unease that hangs in the air. As you make your way down the platform, a tall, broad-shouldered man in a uniform approaches you. He introduces himself as Lance Regent, an RCMP officer, and tells you that a serious crime has been committed in the town. A horse has been stolen, and nobody knows who did it or where it went. He's heard that you're a bit of a problem solver, and he's hoping you can help him find out who stole the horse and where it went. What do you do?
I agree to help Lance solve the crime, what does he think we should do first?
Lance nods, pleased that you're willing to help. He tells you that the first step is to investigate the crime scene, to see if there's any evidence that can help them identify the thief. He leads you to the stable where the horse was stolen from and shows you around, pointing out signs of a struggle and a few footprints that he believes belong to the thief. As you look around, you notice something glinting in the corner of your eye. You move closer to investigate and find a unique and identifiable clue that could potentially lead you to the thief. What do you do next?
Investigate the clue to see what I can learn
You carefully examine the clue, and it appears to be a small golden button with the initials "BB" engraved on it. You show the button to Lance and tell him what you've found. His eyes light up as he takes the button from you. "This could be a big break in the case," he says. "I think our next step should be to head over to the saloon and see if anyone recognizes this button or knows who it belongs to. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will remember seeing someone wearing a shirt with a missing button. Let's head over there now." he says as he gestured towards the door. What do you do?
I agree, but want to investigate the scene more first. I ask Lance "What do you know about the horse that was stolen?"
Lance nods, understanding your desire to investigate the scene more thoroughly. "Well, the horse that was stolen is a beautiful chestnut mare, she's a prize-winning animal and was very valuable to the owner. The thief must have known what they were doing, as they were able to steal her without leaving any signs of forced entry or a struggle. We think they must have had inside information or help." he says as he points to the door where the horse was kept. "We also found these footprints that match the size and shape of the boots worn by cowboys around here, but that doesn't mean much as almost every man in this town wears boots of that size and shape."
I take a quick measurement of the size of the cowboy boot prints in case it comes in handy later, then go knock on the door of the business across the street. If anyone answers I want to ask if they saw the horse get stolen.
As you and Lance make your way out of the stable, you quickly measure the size of the cowboy boot prints and make a note of it for later. As you cross the street, you notice a small general store with a sign that reads "John's General Store" You decide to knock on the door and see if anyone inside may have seen something. An older man with a kind face answers the door and greets you with a smile. "Good afternoon, Officers. How can I help you today?" he says. You introduce yourselves and explain the situation, asking if he saw anything suspicious the night the horse was stolen. The man thinks for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary that night. But I did hear something strange. I heard a commotion in the middle of the night, like a horse galloping away. But I didn't think much of it at the time." Lance thanks the man for the information and the two of you head to the saloon to see if anyone there might know more. What do you do next?
I'll grab a drink and ask the bartender if he has seen anyone with a missing button.
As you step into the saloon, the smell of whiskey and cigar smoke fills your nose. The room is dimly lit, and you can see a few cowboys sitting at the bar, a couple of ladies of the night sitting with some men at a table in the corner, and a group of men playing cards at another table. You approach the bartender, a stout man with a thick mustache, and ask him if he's seen anyone with a missing button matching the one you found at the crime scene. He leans in closer and lowers his voice, "I might have seen someone like that. But I don't want any trouble, you know?" he says, glancing nervously around the room. You press him for more information, but before he can say anything else, there's a commotion at the card table. One of the cowboys has accused another of cheating, and before you know it, a full-blown fistfight has broken out. It's clear that things are getting out of hand, and you need to get out of there fast. What do you do next?
I don't seem to be in any direct danger so I'll watch what happens next
As the fight breaks out, you quickly scan the room for a way out, but all the exits are blocked by the brawling cowboys. You realize that you'll have to wait for an opportunity to escape. You take a step back and observe the situation, trying to stay out of the way of flying fists and boots. The fight seems to be escalating, and it's clear that someone is going to get hurt if it continues. Suddenly, you see an opening and make a run for it, dodging the fighters and making it to the door. As you step out into the street, you realize that you didn't get much information from the bartender, but at least you managed to escape unharmed. You head back to Lance and tell him what happened. What's next?
The bartender seemed to know something. I'll wait until the fight cools down then bribe him with some money if he speaks up.
You explain to Lance what happened at the saloon and how the bartender seemed to know something but was too afraid to speak up. Lance nods thoughtfully, "That sounds like a good idea. Maybe a little incentive will encourage him to speak up. We'll wait here until the fight cools down and then we'll try again. You can offer him some money, but be careful not to make it too obvious, we don't want to attract unwanted attention." You wait for a while, and soon the fight in the saloon comes to an end. You and Lance head back in, and this time the bartender is more willing to talk. You discreetly slip him some money, and he tells you that he saw a cowboy with a missing button matching the one you found at the crime scene. He couldn't remember the name of the cowboy, but he was sure that he was a regular at the saloon, and he might have more information about the stolen horse. What do you do next?
Ask him why he doesn't know his name if he's a regular. That seems suspicious.
You ask the bartender why he doesn't know the name of the cowboy if he's a regular customer, but the bartender just shrugs, "I see so many people come and go, it's hard to keep track of everyone's name. But I do remember that he was a tall, lanky fellow with a distinctive scar on his cheek. He's been coming in here for a couple of months now, but he's not here today. Maybe he's lying low because of the horse heist." Lance and you thank the bartender for his information and head out of the saloon, discussing the next steps in the investigation. You are both intrigued by this new lead, and you both think that the cowboy with a scar on his cheek might be the one you're looking for. You decide to split up and cover more ground, Lance would go to the local blacksmith to see if he recognizes the description and if he knows where to find him and you would go to the local horse ranchers to see if any of them have had any horses stolen recently. What do you do next?
Let's go ask the horse ranchers if they know about a tall cowboy with a scar, and also ask if they know what someone might do with a stolen horse.
You and Lance make your way to the horse ranches on the outskirts of town, and you begin asking around if anyone has seen a tall cowboy with a scar on his cheek, or if they've had any horses stolen recently. One of the ranchers, a man named Jake, tells you that he's had a horse stolen a few days ago and that he saw a tall cowboy fitting the description you gave him hanging around his ranch the day before the theft. He also mentions that he's heard rumors of horse thieves selling stolen horses to passing traders or taking them across the border to sell them to the American army.
Lance and you thank Jake for the information and decide that it's time to look for the tall cowboy with the scar. You decide to check the local stables, the blacksmith and even the local jail to see if anyone recognizes the description. As you continue your investigation, you start to piece together a clearer picture of the thief and his motives. What do you do next?
Now we have a motive, we know that the suspect is a regular in town, so someone must know him. Ask around until we find someone who knows where we can find him.
With the new information, you and Lance decide to focus your efforts on finding the tall cowboy with the scar. You start asking around town, showing his description to anyone who will listen, and asking if they know where to find him. You ask merchants, shopkeepers, and even some of the ladies of the night, but nobody seems to know where he is. Just when you're about to give up, a stable hand comes forward and tells you that he's seen the cowboy around the outskirts of town, near a rundown cabin. You and Lance quickly make your way to the cabin, and as you approach, you see a horse tied up outside. It's the missing chestnut mare! You carefully approach the cabin, weapons drawn, and you hear a noise coming from inside. It's clear that the thief is inside. What do you do next?
Ask Lance what the plan is
As you and Lance stand outside the cabin, weapons drawn, you turn to him and ask what the plan is. He thinks for a moment before replying "We'll have to be careful, we don't know if he's armed or if he's dangerous. I'll go in first, and you follow my lead. We'll try to take him by surprise and arrest him without anyone getting hurt." He takes a deep breath and with a nod, he kicks open the door and enters the cabin, you follow closely behind. Inside, you find the tall cowboy with the scar on his cheek, sitting at a small table counting his ill-gotten gains. He's startled by the intrusion and quickly tries to grab his gun, but Lance is faster and manages to disarm him. With the thief apprehended, you and Lance secure the stolen horse and bring the thief back to town where he is charged with horse theft. The town is grateful to you and Lance for solving the case and returning the stolen horse. You both feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that justice has been served.
The end.
