The Cipher Path

The Cipher Path is a short branching narrative built in Twine, designed as a prototype to showcase interactive storytelling and choice-driven design.

You awaken in a ruined village with only fragments of memory. Guided by whispers of Fire, Shadow, and Moon, your choices shape not only your path but the power that stirs within you.

• 43 passages of interactive fiction

• Three alignment paths: Fire (courage), Shadow (cunning), Moon (healing)

• Fail states and loops that reinforce consequences

• Gated progression: discover the cipher, or your journey ends

• Four possible outcomes: Fire, Shadow, Moon, or a secret Balanced anomaly

This prototype emphasizes branching choice design, variable tracking, and narrative convergence, striking a balance between agency and a clear story arc.