The Crystal Heist Interactive Fiction

You're a homeless person living in Lower Kryston in the Squal. Life is hard and you haven't eaten for three days. To get food, you could always go to the marketplace to try to steal some bread, but the guards are always patrolling there. Or you could try stealing whatever food the gangs here might have, but they're dangerous. What do you do? [[go to the marketplace]] [[try your luck with the gangs]]

The marketplace is busy, bustling with people selling their wares at their stalls. Over in the right hand corner, you see a stall selling fresh bread and the smell makes your stomach growl. Cautiously, you head over there, but there are two guards passing your way. There is some bread at the end of the stall you could try to steal while the baker's back is turned, or you could try to steal a piece out of a woman's basket as she walks passed you. What do you do? [[steal from the stall]] [[steal from the woman]]

Nervously, you make your way to the abandoned homes on the other side of the Squal, where one of the gangs stay. Several gang members are outside the door and one of them holds a knife up to you as you approach them. "What do you want?" he asks [[food]] [[a job]]

You approach the stall, waiting for two patrolling guards to pass and then reach out to grab the bread. Just as you turn to run off, the baker sees you and calls after you. Should you try to run, or give the bread back, apologize, and hope for the best? [[run]] [[apologize]]

Your hand smoothly snatches the bread from the woman's basket just as she passes you. At first, it doesn't seem like she appears to notice, so you slowly make your way through the crowd toward the edge of the marketplace. "Thief!" the woman screams. You don't want to panic, but you need to hurry and escape. The guards start looking at every person in the area wearing rags, which includes you. Should you try to run, just keep walking out of the market, or drop the bread now? [[run]] [[keep walking]] [[drop the bread]]

"Food?" he laughs and the other members join in. He flicks the knife closer to your throat and sneers at you. "Get out of here," he says, "Before we make a meal out of you." Should you do what he says or try again? [[do what he says]] [[try again]]

"Well, to work for us, you've gotta prove your skill. Steal something of value, and then come talk to me." Should you just go home, try the marketplace to steal food or try to steal something to get this job? [[just go hungry]] [[go to the marketplace]] [[try to steal something of value for him]]

You take off runnning as fast as you can and weave down an alleyway to your right. The guards have heard the commotion by now and take off after you. You make a sharp left and then another right, but the guards are right behind you. One of them tackles you to the ground and takes the bread from you. "Stupid thief! It's to prison with you, then you'll be branded!"

You hand the bread back to the baker with blushed cheeks. "Sorry," you mutter. "It won't happen again. The baker shoots you a glare. "Go on, get out of here. But if I see you again, I'm calling for the guards!" Well, you still don't have dinner, but at least you didn't get caught. Should you try your luck with the gangs, or just go hungry tonight? [[try your luck with the gangs]] [[just go hungry]]

As the guards start searching people behind you, you keep on walking out of the marketplace. You try to stay at a steady pace so they won't notice you. You slip through an alleyway on your right, before they're done with the others. Now, you're on your way home with bread, and soon, you'll have a full stomach tonight.

You drop the bread to the ground and step back. As the guards approach you, they ask you to show them your hands and you do. The thick crowd scattered the bread, so to the guards, it doesn't look like you have anything. The guards tell you to keep moving and let you go. You didn't get caught, but your bread is gone. Looks like you're going hungry tonight.

You make your way back to the abandoned shack you live in and try to ignore the hunger pangs in your stomach. Maybe you'll have better luck tomorrow.

You place your hands up in the air and back away from him slowly. Taking a deep breath, when you're out of sight, you breathe deeply. That didn't go well. Should you try the marketplace or just go home? [[go to the marketplace]] [[just go hungry]]

"I know you have extra food," you say. "Just give me a little and I'll give you whatever you want." He laughs. "You got nothin' I want. I thought I told you to scram!" He swings the knife at you and you duck out of the way, but now, the other gang members are coming at you with knives of their own. Do you run or fight them? [[run from them]] [[fight them]]

Cautiously trying to avoid guards, you make your way toward the marketplace, but then head down another side street toward the merchant's section of Lower Kryston. Here, the houses are nicer than in the Squal, so there might be something of value for you to steal. There's a house up ahead that looks promising or there's a jeweler's stall right at the edge of the market. The house could have people inside, but guards are patrolling out here. What do you do? [[try the house]] [[try the jeweler's stall]]

You whirl around and take off running down the alley as fast as your legs can carry you. They chase you for a while, but you're faster, so you finally relax once you've lost them. Looks like you're going hungry tonight. Unless you want to try your luck at the marketplace? [[go to the marketplace]] [[just go hungry]]

You duck beneath the first man swinging a knife at you and kick the second one in the stomach. He falls back but the first and third men are charging at you. You avoid the first by twisting out of the way, but the third man catches you in the stomach. You fall to the ground as pain surges through you. The last thing you hear is their laughs as you slowly bleed to death with no one to mourn for you.

You make your way to the back of the house and slip through one of the open windows. From the kitchen, you hear humming, so you look around the bedroom that you ended up in. There's a nice ring on a table, so you go up and snatch it. The humming in the kitchen is still loud, so you slip the ring into your pocket and make your way out of the house. Should you bring the ring back to the gang members and hope he'll let you join or should you try to sell it for food for yourself? [[sell it yourself]] [[give it to the gang]]

You approach the jeweler's stall and wait for the guards to pass, only they don't. While the jeweler's back is turned, you could wait until the guards look away. Or should you try the house again, or just go home and give up? [[steal it while the guards look away]] [[try the house]] [[just go hungry]]

Leaving the house, you head to the marketplace, which is bustling and loud with a crowd full of people. The bread from the baker's stall smells delicious. "Fresh bread!" he called. You show him the ring and ask if it will pay for a loaf or two. "I suppose." He hands you two loaves of bread and you take them and head back to your shack, happy to have the food. That night, after you eat one loaf of bread and save the other for tomorrow, the gang members show up, angry that you didn't return like you promised. They beat you up and take the other loaf of bread from you.

You go back to the gang's abandoned house and hand over the ring. "Well? Is that enough to join your gang?" The gang member shrugs. "I suppose so. Let me take you to see the boss. He'll tell you what jobs he wants you to do in exchange for a room here and food." At last, you'll have your basic needs tended to.

You reach out and snatch one of the necklaces on the stall, but one of the guards see you. You drop the necklace and take off running, but the guards quickly catch you. "You're under arrest! To prison with you and you'll be branded as a thief!"