Spindlewheel Stories

How is your loyalty earned? It is of course demanded often, a coveted and valuable thing to many. And it can be lent, or faked, or retracted, a temporary boost or slight in a long line of alliances. But when you offer it for keeps, when its strength outweighs the memory and obligation of any other, what price has been paid for it? Stability, perhaps? Perhaps it is something you expect in return, tit for tat, giving as good as you get. Perhaps you draw it to you like a light in the darkness, like a blade, perhaps you coax it with blood and bone. Maybe the reward for your loyalty is just the impulse to reach out when you hear your wavering name cried out in the dark; maybe, when you are faced with the terrible and inevitable, your loyalty is paid for by the name that leaps from your throat. Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Follow Kavita on twitter @yrgirlkv, find Songs for the Dusk at https://yrgirlkv.itch.io/songsforthedusk, and on twitter @song

What makes a legend? The iconic Jolly Roger long outlasts its captain. The history books cherry pick the notorious and the bombastic to remember from a vast trade of mercenary sailors. But the kraken and her sisters still haunt the waters below, still weave their bodies around the edges of the map. The pirates of the golden age inspire story and song, and are kept alive as long as their names are uttered and flags flown. Long after, there will still be creatures feasting among their shipwrecks whose slow heartbeats are unbothered by siren's silence. Which, then, has the true heft of legend: the heroes of tangled shanties, or the wordless reign of primordial tooth and coil? Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Follow Frizz on twitter @Frizzoid, find fen art at https://raycarterillustration.co.uk, and listen to Duneiversity here. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https:

Where do you place your faith? When hard numbers err and machine gods falter, when their prophecies speak to the untenable, you might put your trust in the knowable fallacies of the human heart. When legacy and traditions are tried and found oppressive, hegemonic, poisonous down to the roots, you might hesitate to bear any coat of arms but your own hide. But a thin skin can barely protect its owner, much less their friends; and a mortal moral compass won't guide you through the long dark. When a body becomes more than a metaphor; when theory becomes material; When someone tells you who they are, will you listen, or will you place your faith in them, nonetheless? Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Follow Riley on twitter @RevRyeBread; find Interstitial on https://linksmithgames.com; find RPG Design Friends here or on your podcatcher of choice. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the op

How is power measured? If you bring down the moon, can you call yourself stronger than someone who quells a generational fear? If the magic in your heart commands the sea with a gesture, are you worthy of more respect than someone with nothing but luck and guile on their side to pull the tides ashore? Who is the source of influence: the face all eyes watch and the voice all ears hear, or the hands wrangling pullies and favors in the shadow cast by the spotlight? If all the world is a stage, then whose word will you trust: the actor, with their hand raised, or the voice in the crowd, screaming "Fire"? Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Follow Paul on twitter @pauly3_d. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://teacabbage.com/spindlewheel.

What has more value: companionship, or clout? All things being equal, or ceteris paribus as they'd say, far above the worries of hunger and war, when your biggest concern is impressing your contemporaries and grading undergrads, and you find yourself with either the esteem of your institution at your back or the steady presence of a friend at your side, but not both: is it worth throwing away what you have, just for the chance to grasp at what you need? Perhaps instead, you could merely dismantle that good faith, carving piece by piece until you've fleeced your reputation so thoroughly there's nothing to return to and nowhere to go but forward--onward and upward--to your prize. So, what'll it be: a title, or a friend? Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Follow Takuma on twitter @Takuma_Okada_. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://teacabbage.com/spindlewheel.

When you die, what hand will guide you from your body? Let's make the assumption that there is something beyond this flimsy world. Let's assume whatever life or afterlife awaits you, you will meet it fully deserved. Now, the psychopomp who leads you there: what are they owed? A gold coin for the trip across the river of course, prayers and well-wishes granted to you by whoever saw fit to have you buried with honor and rites. But let's say you weren't buried; that you didn't die with honor; that there is no one to pray for you or to speak your name. What road remains if nothing follows you but your terror, and when your guide stretches out their bony hand it's all you have to give? Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Follow Ruby on twitter @IronSparkSyris. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta. Sound production by Evan Swamy.

What does a town need? Why raise a mansion no one lives in? Why fit a jail door with a lock that shines? What landed gentry goes to seed that does not rot the roots? Speak as soft as you want, but if you carry a gun, people expect you to use it. The same goes for wealth, and reputation, and fear. Why push for a future that no one wants? Why fight for a nostalgia that has left you dry? There's enough of both to warrant a stampede and a gut wound. What does a town need? Not roads, or street lights, or train stations. Just a pair of fools scared enough to build walls while it burns. (Content warning: gun violence, body horror) Find MEET ME IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR AT DAWN and the other Spindlewheel Microgames on itch.io here. Yadelah exists, but not where you can find him. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.

Did I know THIS was going to happen? Not in so many words, no. But did I see this coming? I’ll put it this way: unlike some people, I know where the right place, and when the right time, will be. So, yes, when the two of them found me, I was right where I needed to be. They threw around earnest promises of a brighter day, and there wasn't a single tell, not a note out of place that said Bartholomew Lacks was lying to me. Well, except that their mouth was open. Something about her, though. She didn't say a word the entire time. Didn't need to. Some people fill a room just by standing in it. So, I gave her what she wanted. And I got the hell out of the way. The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Find the track "Kimaera" here. Follow Kavi on twitter @yrgirlkv. Find Songs for the Dusk on itch.io here. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spin

Previously... Osedax Roseus, pirate-without-a-ship, enlists the help of old friend Somniosidae and sea-witch And the Queen Bore Upon Her Shoulders Thousands of Chittering Insects, Vindictive Servants of Light and Life (or [Vindication]) to free their friend Village Crumbled Under Leviathan's Weight, Serpentine and [Victorious] from the hivemind trance of the prison guards at the edge of the oceanic trench. Part 2 of 2. The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Beam Saber: https://beamsaber.libsyn.com/ and https://www.twitch.tv/you_dont_meet_in_an_inn Follow Ray on twitter @rayraythegaygay. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.

On a clear day you can see it from the city limits: a silhouette through the sea snow, perched on the very edge of an oceanic trench. But... that’s all you can see, really. The maelstrom between here and there keeps curious minds from confirming their theories, and there are lots of those to go around. From mer-kind gone feral and acidic to a secret technology kept at safe distance in case it malfunctions and erupts, to the idea that the worst criminals in the ocean thrive in that shadow, far from the sensibilities of society. That last one might have some merit; the only thing we know for sure about that place is that no one goes there with a willing heart and a cogent mind. But on a clear day... you really can’t help but wonder. What sort of things happen in the shadow of the Diver? Part 1 of 2. The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Pyura Chilensis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyura_chilensis Solo Spindlewheel game: https://twitter.com/tea

It's my birthday! Happy birthday, me. It's also the two-year anniversary of the production of Spindlewheel. This time in 2017, I was crunching through the first two weeks of february to make a twine game for my birthday. I've linked a thread in the description talking more about that if you're interested. This episode isn't about that, though. See, it's my birthday today. I'm not doing a lot to celebrate, but I am putting this episode out, because this was a treat for me, from start to finish. I hope you enjoy it, and that you can grab yourself some discount valentine's day candy if that's something you're into. Next week we'll be back with regular Spindlewheel episodes, but, y'know, sometimes... ...sometimes it's good to celebrate. I hope this intro isn't too self-indulgent. I'm very tired and old now. Find the Fallen on Caleb's itch.io. Follow Caleb on twitter @spadeandspear. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.co

Previously... The Reader has spent their entire life studying among the first fully sapient AI, Deep Sleep, who has opened their arms to Ion, a perfect machine in contention with an errant branch of themself. Jinx, a mischievous diagnostics program turned agent of chaos, is trailed by a former grift named Airlock, in service of the corporate giant known as First Mornings. Part 2 of 2. (Content Warning: sexual language) Follow James on twitter @babydeathclaw. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.

The singularity occurred within living memory, and my entire career since has been spent talking to an inch of its existence. Digital sentience was a miracle the way penicillin was a miracle; with the divine guiding hand of evolution throwing every possible combination at the wall and hoping something will stick, a hundred million monkey paws slapping keyboards for a hundred years to finally type: I AM. My sponsors believe there is a turnkey somewhere here, a clean explanation that will fit in a satisfying soundbyte for the board of directors. It’s among the few reasons I’m able to continue my work, and afforded access to this churning sea of information. I’m a reader, you see, and very few can parse this code. I can hardly do it myself, and I worry that the work of my long life will still only be a blip in a body that has already eclipsed me. Part 1 of 2. The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. [Content Warning: sexual language] Follow James on

Previously... Tamarind, scientist and unwitting leader, creates a new mold from which to make things. Vinnie the Vigor, ghost of a broken and forgotten time; Demerit Delour, pillar of the strange force known only as the Witch; and the many sharp blades of Aledoth at guerrilla fighter Veth's hip, follow Tamarind's developments with bright and frightening interest. Part 2 of 2. The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Follow Amp on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Yadelah exists, but not where you can find him. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.

They are always watching us, there, behind the veil. I’ve only met their gaze a few times, only by necessity--a gift of the Witch demands to be used once it’s given--and it’s always me who flinches first. But, I don’t need to see them to feel their gaze upon me. They vibrate in the dark occlusions, thrum in the cold-edged blade, hiss in the burning dross. What they want, doesn’t matter. Who they serve seems to shift from moment to moment. Who they were… they are always begging me, pleading me, to remember. You can use their power, if you want. Many do. Just know that it is not your ambitions they pursue. Part 1 of 2. The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Follow Amp on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Yadelah exists, but not where you can find him. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.

Previously... Trapped below the Marlen House with antiquities enthusiast Virgil France and actor out of work Terrace Mavelle in a bizarre labyrinth of gothic hallways lined with occultist runes, Reggie Marlen, assistant and understudy of business tychoon Leonid Mavelle, and Solomon Ash, spouse of Leonid's daughter Dr. Q Mavelle, try to make sense of the late Leonid's strange video messages before the Vultures repossess the property. Will they understand Leonid's desires in the shape of a will in time to preserve his estate? Or, indeed, is there anything to his legacy that is worth preserving? Apologies for audio quality, this was taken from the Nonbinary Tabletop RPG Month stream. Find out more at https://twitter.com/nonbinaryttrpgm! Follow Jen on twitter @streetoverjen. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.

A woman with a broad hat and a dark thin coat stood on my doorstep and told me, with condolences, that a man I'd never met had died. She told me this, having seen my name written as one of his next-of-kin on a less-important document they had found while looking for a more-important document in the shape of a last will and testament. I'd already known where his house was, and which aisle to find his company's products at my local grocery store, but I'd never visited, or bought, his property, before today. I'd never had occasion to. He was not a holiday, or weekend, or birthday kind of man, and given the rumors about his shady business practices I doubt he'd have been any joy at a party. To be perfectly honest, whatever guilt-ridden pittance he might have left for me in his will isn't worth the price of staying in this horrible mansion with a bunch of strangers I suppose I must be related to. But we can't leave until we reach a consensus, which means: until that will is found, I've got to make the best of

There are people at this very bar who remember when the Heights Casino was a half-rate pit stop on the way to the real gambling dens on the coast, but that was back when we had a coast. Ask any of ‘em and they’ll ramble on about how prepared and sustainable everyone was, until the tide came in and swept away their best-laid plans. Now, the Heights Casino’s saving grace is the hill it was built on. That’s it. The only thing to do here is for the old fogies: sit on a barstools and make bets on the young bastards who dredge for treasure while the tide is out. Does that sound sustainable to you? [Content Warning: mention of nuclear weapons] The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael Boykin. Find him on twitter @MeAndAmpersand. Apologies for audio quality, this was taken from the Nonbinary Tabletop RPG Month stream. Find out more at https://twitter.com/nonbinaryttrpgm! Follow Ell on twitter @occasionalell. Follow Jen on twitter @streetoverjen. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spind

The ship hurtled away from the molten light, leaving me terrified and alone as my chassis cooled and contracted down into a single state for the first time in decades. my optics took their time adjusting to the relative dark of space, scraping together meager reflections of color instead of the torrential starlight I’d become accustomed to. For the first time in decades, I shivered. Coordinates locked, engine humming, I allowed myself one last look at the star. There it was. Under the solar flares and pressing up beneath the roiling surface, the machine. its coiling body candled, silhouetted by starlight, too big to be real, a bad joke, but twitching like an embryo, stretching the membrane. Testing the shell for weak points. I-- we-- should have left years ago. We are long past the point of no return. It’s not a question of if: it’s when. I pray for the gilded lily that I return in time. [Content Warning: robot cannibalism, death threats, zealotry] The track "Golden Threads in Mist" is by Michael B

Previously.... Venn, a retired monster hunter and newly adopted parent of several hundred freshly awoken automata, attempts to reckon with the Vampire up in its castle for its heinous crimes against the thieves-town below. Fragile Flesh Dressed In Stone, once the only waking automaton in the town, is delighted by the resurgence of automata, the tonal spaces between words filled once again by their old language; a wide-smiling Fool automaton buys out the town's private libraries; a Scholar automaton stares up at the sky and promises omens to Venn and Fragile Flesh Dressed In Stone. The Vampire, impatient, issues an invitation. Part 2 of 2. Follow Kales on twitter @citadelofswords. Follow Sasha on twitter @sasha_reneau. Follow Spindlewheel's development @teacabbage. Check out the open beta at https://tinyurl.com/spindlewheel-openbeta.