The struggle in the kingdom is no more, for the King of Scrambleda and the Queen of Omlettera have come together in marriage to form the Kingdom of Yolkshire. Once a cracked land divided into fragments, it is now made whole.
On the third day of the month of Cluckvember, a momentous event unfolded in the royal family. The destined heir, none other than YOU, was born! Humpty Von Dumpty, the one to inherit the throne, was brought into this world, blessing the kingdom of Yolkshire with his presence.
Nearly seventeen years have come and gone since that day, and today is the first of Cluckvember. A mere two days linger between you and your 18th birthday, a special day indeed for any of the royal family. For that is the day you are given true rulership over a section of land. This is to determine your skills as a ruler before you ascend to the throne and rule over Yolkshire itself. Most of your years have been spent in the confines of your royal family's estate mega mansion, colloquially known as "The Shell."
With a mere two days to learn the land before you are tasked with ruling a section of it, how do you choose to spend the first morning?
(set: $hasTalked to false)
[[Walk the streets->The Streets]]
[[Go to the local tavern->Tavern]]The streets are bright and cheery, full of all the eggcellent citizens of Yolkshire. People wonder to and fro, going to work at the Omelette Outlet mall or enjoying entertaining fights at the Batter Brawl house. You feel cautious at first, but eventually get into the flow of the people and the area's energy. That same area you will be able to rule in just two more days.
You pass by Benedict's Bistro & Bar, which has a set of stables just outside for traveling merchants to rest their equine companions.
[[Inspect the horses further->The first horse]]
[[Continue on->The Evening]]
You step excitedly into the Scrambleton Tavern, a local joint known for great food and drink. Due to it being rather early, there are not many people here. Your desguise fools the general staff, who show you to your table. "What better way to judge how well off the common folk are than sampling their food?" you think to yourself.
What do you order?
[[Over-Easygoing Pasta->After Food]]
[[Hatch-Free Hash ->After Food]]
[[No Yolk Nachos->After Food]]
[[Ask for a recommendation from another customer...->Hey man... you okay?]]One of them sticks out to you, though, a white stallion with a flowing yellow mane and standing a good foot or two taller than the other horses. Something seems to be troubling it, an annoying garlic mince fly is buzing around it.
After a bit of trouble, you finally kill the garlic mince fly. Seemed like it was from a jar of minced garlic, and thus sought nothing but bland tasteless trouble. The eggsquisite horse calms, and regards you with respect for helping with the fly.
[[After some time spent bonding with the horse, you continue on...->The Evening]]
(set: $hasTalked to true)
As the cool evening air sweeps by, you take a moment to reflect on the day’s events.
(if:(history: where its name contains "The first horse")'s length >= 1)[The morning was well spent— you had the chance to tend to a majestic horse, its glossy coat shining in the sunlight]
(if:(history: where its name contains "Okay, you good now")'s length >= 1)[The morning was well spent— you offered comfort to a man whose spirit seemed to be a bit cracked, before enjoying a nice meal.]
You have gotten to know the area a bit better, and now feel much more inclined to put 110% of your effort into ruling it in the next few days. The satisfaction lingers, but before long, your peaceful stroll is interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps.
The guards come rushing toward you, breathless. "You’re needed back at The Shell," one of them calls out, clearly eggsasperated. It seems one of your beloved pets has taken ill, and without wasting another second, you hurry off, hoping it’s nothing too [[fowl->The sick chicken]].You finish the meal, feeling satisfied, though you can’t help but think it could have been a bit more eggceptional. The flavors were pleasant, but something was missing—maybe a little extra seasoning to really crack things up. Pushing back your chair, you step out into the cool evening air, the gentle breeze ruffling your hair like a soft feather. The streetlights cast a warm, golden glow, and you take a deep breath, feeling the night settle around you, crisp and peaceful, without any of the earlier scrambles.
[[Take in the Evening->The Evening]]
You turn to another person sitting at a table just behind you... only to see that they are in a rather sorry state. Sumbering as rough as a patch of thorny Green Dill Shrubs, and smelling of more booze than a hen at a cocktail party. He was clearly drinking heavily last night, and the staff must have just left him here to rest.
[[Try to help the man->Okay, you good now]]
[[Ignore him and order something random->After Food]]You sit beside the man, nudging him gently until, after a few tries, he stirs from his boozy stupor. At first, the conversation is a bit scrambled, his words slurred and guarded, but with patience, he begins to open up. He shares how his duties as a royal guard have taken over his life, leaving little time for his home and loved ones. The weight of it shows in his eyes.
The two of you order food, and as the evening goes on, the atmosphere lightens. With a few laughs and hearty bites, his mood eggsponentially improves. When you finally part ways, you feel hopeful and thoughtful, considering how you might help improve the lives of the king's men in the future.
[[The evening air is crisp->The Evening]]
(set: $hasTalked to true)
It turns out your pet chicken, Sir Eggington, only had a minor cold. Still, it had been so long since he’d been under the weather that the guard had panicked. Relieved but cautious, you decide to spend the evening watching over your feathered eggstraordinaire, just in case it’s more than a simple sniffle. As you gently stroke his soft feathers, listening to the quiet clucks of contentment, you keep a close eye on him.
(if:(history: where its name contains "The first horse")'s length >= 1)[During this quiet vigil, you stuble upon an expected discovery— the horse you helped earlier is none other than one of the king’s prized steeds! His name, fittingly, is Sir Eggspress, a noble creature with a reputation for speed and grace. You’re surprised to find he has been relocated to your wing in The Shell. Spotting you, he trots over with a friendly whinny, leaving his rider utterly bewildered.
After explaining how you’d come to know the horse, the rider praises you, noting that Sir Eggspress is usually slow to warm up to others. Clearly, you’ve made a lasting impression. In the course of conversation, the rider also mentions the growing problem of garlic flies pestering the horses. Determined to help, you vow to take action the next day.
And as promised, the following day flies by as you oversee the ordering of new pesticides and supplies to protect the king’s horses, ensuring they remain healthy and eggceptionally cared for.]
(if:(history: where its name contains "Okay, you good now")'s length >= 1)[During this quiet vigil, you stumble upon an unexpected discovery— the man you helped at the bar has now been stationed in your wing! When your eyes meet, you exchange smiles, a silent acknowledgment of the small but meaningful shift that has begun. It seems your efforts may have already started to hatch a positive change among the King’s men.
The next day, feeling encouraged, you decide to approach him again. Over a casual chat, you discuss the overall state of the King’s guards, brainstorming ways to make things better in your area. It feels like the beginning of something eggstraordinary.]
(if: $hasTalked is false)[You ultimately spent the day well, but you cannot help but feel like you missed something... ]
[[Before you know it... the second day goes by. ->The third day]]
Before you knew it, the day had arrived... your 18th birthday, and with it, the legal rights to govern the portion of town that you spent the previous two days exploring. For some reason, the weight of the coming ceremony weighs heavy on you, something that has not happened to you before. Maybe it is the fact that the time has finally come to prove yourself as a ruler, to prove you are worthy of ruling all of Yolkshire. Maybe it is because you took the time to wonder about the area that you will soon rule and saw the faces of everyone there. Regardless of the reason, you feel more stressed than you ever have...
You seek out someplace quiet to ease the stress, and after ducking from shadow to shadow to lose your guards, you come across a corner of the estate far from the ceremony. You lean over what looks like a railing, only to discover you are now at the top of a very tall wall separating the estate from the section of town you explored. The drop must be 30 to 40 feet at least...
(if: $hasTalked)[(text-colour:navy)[[Sit on the wall->Sat on a wall]]]
(else:)[(text-colour:red)[[Sit on the wall->Sat on a wall]]]
Despite the dangerous drop, the serene quiet of this place is far too alluring. You sit upon the edge and feel the weight of everything roll right off of you.
Unfortunately... the sensation also causes you to roll right off the edge, plumiting to the ground beneath the wall. You spin and twirl, trying to grab anything to save yourself but you can't. You come crashing to the ground with a sudden crack! Your body is broken... but you open your eyes to see...
(if:(history: where its name contains "The first horse")'s length >= 1)[[[The king's horses->The king's horses]]]
(else:)[~~the king's horses~~ You did not help the horse at the stables]
(if:(history: where its name contains "Okay, you good now")'s length >= 1)[[[The king's men->The king's men]]]
(else:)[~~the king's men ~~You did not help the man at the tavern]
(unless: $hasTalked)[[[You see no one. None of the king's horses or the king's men are here, and you don't think any will get there in time to help you.->None can put you back together]]]
Through the haze, the sound of galloping hooves pierced the stillness. Sir Eggspress, leading the king's horses, charged toward you, their urgency palpable. Sir Eggspress skidded to a halt beside you, his warm breath fanning over your face as if urging you to hold on. His large, expressive eyes met yours, and somehow, you knew they wouldn’t leave you behind.
Without hesitation, the horses worked together, nudging and positioning themselves around you. Sir Eggspress knelt, allowing you to be lifted gently onto his back, while the others formed a protective ring. They moved with the grace and speed of a well-practiced unit, racing across the fields toward the royal healer’s quarters. Every stride was a testament to their strength, their loyalty, their desire to save you.
When you finally arrived, help was already waiting. The healer rushed to your side as Sir Eggspress whinnied softly, his job done. You were tended to with care, your wounds mended, and as you lay there, you couldn’t help but reflect on the horses’ heroic effort. It was their swift action, their unwavering trust, that had saved your life.
As the pain ebbed and you felt yourself piecing back together, you smiled, knowing that sometimes, survival is not just about strength or resilience, but about the bonds you share.
"Seems all it took to be put back together was just a bit of help from another."But then, through the blur of pain, you heard the familiar sound of hurried footsteps. The king’s men—led by the man you’d helped at the tavern—rushed toward you, their faces set with determination. He knelt beside you first, eyes full of concern, and without a word, the others followed his lead. Their movements were swift but careful, practiced from years of training.
“Hold on,” the man said, his voice steady. “We’ve got you.”
With precision and care, they worked together to lift you, positioning your broken body as gently as possible. Their hands moved with purpose—resetting a bone here, bandaging a wound there—working like a finely-tuned unit to put you back together. The man you’d once shared a drink with took charge, his leadership as natural as the bond you’d formed. He barked orders, his focus unwavering, and the men responded without hesitation.
As they patched you up, the pain began to dull, the sharpness ebbing away, replaced by a deep sense of gratitude. These were the king’s men—valiant, loyal, and now, your saviors. Slowly, you felt your strength returning, your breaths coming easier. The man, once troubled and lost, gave you a firm nod as if to say, “We’re not done yet.”
When they finally stepped back, your body wasn’t whole, but it was healing. You looked up at the faces surrounding you, men who had risked their lives to save yours, and smiled.
“Seems all it took to be put back together was just a bit of help from another.”Perhaps there was something you could have done... maybe something you could have done to reach out to others in your small window of time. Maybe that would change where you are now.
(text-colour:red)[You close your eyes... and pass away. Eventually when everyone finds you, none of the kings horses or the kings men can put Humpty Von Dumpty together again.]