Foundations is a work-in-progress interactive fiction game coded in Twine about the founding of the small, fictional town of Crosshollow. The third full entry into my Crosshollow series and the first to be a long-form narrative, Foundations is a story that has been in the works for years, and I’m excited to tell this story in a way that will do it justice as a standalone work and form a solid backstory for my future projects.
Taking place around the turn of the century, you take on the role of an ancient, incorporeal being. Many centuries ago, following a series of bad decisions, you found yourself here on Earth. To maintain your link to the physical world you must maintain a “tether” to a human- a psychic bond that can only be broken by death. And death is always close at hand, as you are being pursued by another of your kind- somebody with a grudge and infinite patience to take out his revenge.
Alongside your most recent tether, Tobias, you have been traveling around North America and staying far away from your pursuer. Short on cash, the two of you find yourselves hiding out in the remote mining towns of the Colorado mountains. The people here are not quite as they seem, however- and as tensions rise in the community and your pursuer draws near, you find yourself at the center of a conflict of both rural and cosmic proportions.
- Tobias Elmore (he/him) - a traveling artist, either a musician, painter, or writer depending on your choices. An idealistic man with a free spirit and a wandering soul, he was happy to welcome you as his companion, and the two of you have become close after a months on the road together.
- Edwin Harris (he/him) - a young priest who is struggling to build a sizable congregation among the religiously apathetic local miners. An outwardly respectable man, you sense that there’s something off about him- something he doesn’t want people to know.
- Ada Lovett (she/her) - a young mother afflicted with consumption, she came here alongside her husband and daughter in hopes of finding relief for her illness. Instead, she’s found life in the mountains unbearably dull. Her husband’s absence and daughter acting out definitely aren’t helping things.
- James Lovett (he/him) - a mining engineer and husband of Ada, he started working with the local mining company to earn a good life for his family and relieve his wife’s illness. With the mine underperforming, however, he’s found himself overworked and unable to balance work and life.
- Loretta Lovett (she/her) - the pre-teen daughter of James and Ada, she’s having some trouble adjusting to her new town. Between the lack of many kids her age and the stress of growing up, she’s been acting a bit off- but you can’t help but be fascinated by her affinity for the non-physical world.
- Eugene Wilson (he/him) - a mountain man with a superstitious streak, he shows an interest in Tobias his ties to the supernatural.
- You are an observer. Play from the perspective of your tether and overlook other characters to change how events unfold.
- You influence the people around you. Your choices determine the outcomes of the story and the relationships between the major characters.
- You have power over perception. Use your powers as an extra-dimensional being to change how those around you perceive reality, but choose carefully. Power draws you closer to the Abyss.
- Your manifestation matters. The appearance you choose to project when you appear before humans determines whether you are seen as an otherworldly horror or a guiding light.
- Your history is what led you here. Unlock memories to understand your distant past.
The demo will be releasing on June 12th at 1:30PM EST. For updates and to follow my progress, you can follow me here or over on my itch.io page. If you have any questions about my games, please don’t hesitate to send me an ask. I track the tag "Crosshollow Foundations."
If this story interests you, you might like my previous short game. 13 Laurel Road is a game about our relationships with places, following Noah Lovett as he explores an abandoned house and reconciles with his grief and trauma.
Also, if you’ve enjoyed my games or are looking forward to this project, I humbly ask you to share this post and help me get the word out! Your support means the world to me <3
