NPC Dialogue – Tree Puzzle in ‘Ink’

If you wish to play out the conversation in your own way, the full Ink script is available here, and a playable browser version here.

After designing a miniature campaign story for a tabletop roleplaying game set within the lore and following the rules of Root: The Roleplaying Game, I wanted to experiment with treating what I had written as if it were part of a complex RPG like Pillars of Eternity or Divinity: Original Sin, games which both inspired me as a writer.

In the rule system for the game I am following, there are dozens of traits each character could have, but when grouping together similar types and/or picking out very specific ones, a lot of flavour can be added. For example, if your character is an exemplar of morality, they may not appreciate the blase attitude of a retired military officer. The narration will then add an extra comment, almost written as if to suggest it’s a thought from the player’s own mind.

The context for the actual conversation is that the player has been tasked to investigate a potential contraband fencing ring in the town of Rooston as part of their main quest to track down a missing weapon. Their first port of call is to interview its Regent, Guy Chabot de Jarnac. Over the course of the discussion, if they are thorough, the player can uncover that Guy himself is responsible for the moving of contraband.

However, if they’re not careful, the player will be tricked into a time-wasting side mission dealing with a group of bandits first that is completely unrelated to their primary goal, accidentally tying up a loose end for the scheming Regent.

Time length for project: ~7 days
Role(s) with project: Writer, Programmer
Programs used: Inky