Traps and Temptations

[This is a project I've been really excited about for a long time! It's an interactive Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story written in the second person, which is a significant departure from my usual work. It's almost six months in the making, and hopefully that effort shows in the final result. Note that this story is written from a male POV, so keep that in mind if you decide to read on. I hope you enjoy!]

(Shoutout to The Catwoman for lending emotional support - you know who you are!)

~==========~

A cool breeze washes over you as you walk through the forest. The trees around you are painted in autumn hues of gold and crimson, and the first fallen leaves swirl around your feet. As beautiful as the vista is, you do not have time to waste - the day is drawing to a close, and you are a man on a mission.

The locals have sighted a succubus lurking in the nearby forest and causing trouble: capturing travelers, spreading infidelity, spoiling crops - typical for this kind of creature. A hefty reward of 2 million gold awaits anyone who can bring an end to her menace.

A reward that large typically requires a team of specialists to tackle, but the temptation of claiming all of the gold or the glory is too much to resist! Besides, you're an artificer - your business is sorting out precisely this kind of trouble. Dispelling hexes and banishing evil presences is second nature to you - although, you have never challenged a being as strong or rare as a succubus. You aren't even sure what one looks like!

Fortunately, you are in possession of a powerful artifact that should help even the odds. On your right hand you bear the Strokmier - a cross between a gauntlet and a glove with shimmering runes etched into its warm leather surface. Once the runes are activated, prolonged contact will disrupt the flow of astral energy and banish any interlopers from other planes. With any luck, this should be just what you need to fend off the succubus and her pets. It is a delicate instrument, so you must be careful not to damage or lose it before the critical moment.

You know your skills and willpower will be put to the test... the succubus' lair is sure to be filled with sensual traps and temptations, not to mention exotic creatures from beyond this realm. If you let your base urges get the better of you, your adventure will come to a premature end. In hindsight, you probably should have jerked off before starting this mission... but it is too late to have regrets.

You exit the forest, and your destination comes into view. An old tower, ancient and crumbling, juts out of the forest like a spearhead through flesh. The forest's warm hues give way to sickly browns and purples. The succubus has been here long enough for her corruptive aura to saturate the entire area. You must be on guard to make it through without being captured - or worse!

~[There is no time to waste! Go to S-01 to begin your quest.]~

[=====Area S ~ Forest Path=====]

[S-01] - You slowly approach the tower, using the cover provided by the wilting trees to conceal yourself. There is no telling who - or what - might be nearby, so it would be prudent to stay out of sight as much as possible.

The tower looms above you as you draw nearer to it; it was difficult to really appreciate the scale of this place until you could get up close. The tower sits within a large circular courtyard, surrounded by a wall of dark stone bricks. You can make out a rusty bell through an opening at the top of the tower, as well as a balcony just beneath it. From your thorough research of succubi - efficiently crammed into two days' time - they love stowing away in towers like these. She's almost certainly holed up at the top, but how you'll get there is the real question.

At a glance it seems entry will not be as easy as you expected. A thick, bubbling bog has formed in front of the outer wall where a moat used to sit. A drawbridge lies open before you, but it's partially rotted away into the murky waters beneath. You definitely don't want to find out what's in that water.

You also recall seeing a garden along the side of the tower. Although the plants could prove just as treacherous as the water, the garden has filled in the moat on that side. An odd design choice... maybe this tower used to be a dryad's haven? Either way, it is a viable option you should consider. As you reach the edge of the trees, you make your decision...

>> Deciding the garden is too treacherous, you instead approach the drawbridge.[Advance to Area A ~ Moat, starting at A-01.]

>> The bridge doesn't seem stable, so you head towards the solid ground of the garden.[Advance to Area B ~ Garden, starting at B-01.]

[=====Area A ~ MOAT=====]

[A-01] - You cautiously approach the edge of the moat. You can barely keep yourself from reeling back from its disgustingly sweet smell; up close you can really tell just how grimy the water is. To think a succubus' corruptive influence could be this strong! The further in you go, things are likely to only get worse.

As you peer into the water below, you can barely make out something roaming beneath the inky surface. It's probably best not to think about what horrifying pet the succubus has summoned here, and focus on your options.

The drawbridge has not fully rotted away - a few moldy planks to your right reach all the way across the moat, and seem... mostly solid. It's miraculous that any portion of the bridge remains intact. To your left, several smooth rocks poke out of a shallower portion of the moat. They are distributed closely enough that you could try crossing that way... at least the rocks can't crumble underfoot. After pondering your options for a moment, you finally come to a decision-

>> Even a rotting drawbridge is better than getting close to the water. What else are bridges for?[Go to A-02]

>> The shallower water and sturdier footing make the rocks the better choice.[Go to A-03]

[A-02] - Deciding to take the high road, you cautiously step out onto the drawbridge. It wobbles slightly and bends under your weight, but doesn't collapse - not yet anyway. The diseased wood creaks miserably underfoot as you inch further and further along. After what feels like an eternity you're halfway across, and it is still holding together. You've come too far to turn back now, and at this rate it won't be long before you reach the other side.

*CREEEAAKK...!!*

The bridge starts slowly cracking under your weight as you take your next step! The other side is so close... there's no time to strategize! You decide it's time to listen to your gut-

>> You bolt for it! The sooner you're off this bridge the better![Go to A-04.]

>> You freeze in place! You need to make your next step really count![Go to A-05.]

[A-03] - After walking down the moat a short ways, you come up to the assortment of rocks resting in the moat. Each one is soaked in the brackish moat water and appears treacherously slick. It's unclear whether you made the right choice - but the only alternative is to risk the crumbling drawbridge. The lesser of two evils it is then.

You take a cautious step onto the first rock, feeling its cool firmness underfoot. Even as slick as it is, your footing is thankfully quite solid. You manage to keep your balance as you shift your weight to the next step, and the next. A degree of confidence begins to build up, and it isn't long before you are halfway across, with only six stepping-stones to go.

But rather than step firmly onto the next stone, your foot sinks right through it without resistance! As you process what's happening, the "stone" pops - was it actually a bubble of moat-water?! You stumble into the water, and are stopped abruptly as your foot strikes the moat floor. Fortunately it's only waist-deep, but you can't shake the feeling that you aren't safe here. As though to confirm your suspicions, you see tendrils begin squirming under the water nearby, headed straight for you!

In the few seconds you have, you begin wading ahead to the next rock so you can at least get out of the water. As you do, you notice an opening in the moat wall closer to the bridge - a drainage pipe of some kind? One of the bars blocking it off has broken, so you could probably scramble up there to get out of the tendrils' reach. But would it be better to resume crossing the rocks to the other side of the moat? You make a split second decision-

>> You can't risk slipping off the stones again - and the drain would get you deeper inside the tower![Go to A-06.]

>> You don't have time to wade to the drainage pipe - you need to get out of the water immediately![Go to A-07.]

[A-04] - You brace yourself and coil up like a spring, then rocketing forward across the bridge! The crumbling wood bobs underfoot, slowly weakening as you near the opposite side. You are so close - but in your haste to avoid one danger, you fall prey to another. You lose your footing on a particularly slick stretch of the moldy planks. Just a few steps away from safety, you topple forwards and, with a sickening crunch, the wood gives out under your weight.

The next thing you know, you've plunged into the murky water below! You quickly surface, wiping the ooze from your eyes and desperately looking for a means of escape - but you barely have a moment to react before you feel something coil around your ankle...

>> You don't want to wait and find out what that is![Go to A-08.]

[A-05] - You barely resist the urge to panic, and instead stand your ground. The planks beneath you continue to bend; for a moment it seems like they are certain to collapse, but after a few sickening moments the creaking stops. You catch your breath as your heart races - that was far too close!

Only one of the planks beneath you has begun to splinter, so you carefully shift more of your weight to another plank and continue shimmying across the bridge. Each slow shuffle makes the bridge groan painfully, but with extra care you can lean more of your weight onto the strongest boards. The planks continue to hold fast, and at last you set foot on solid ground!

After taking a well deserved moment to catch your breath, you leave this first trial behind you and slowly creep into the fortress gate.

>> If this was just the first area, surely even greater dangers lie ahead...[Advance to Area C ~ Atrium. Start at C-01.]

[A-06] Thinking fast, you scramble away from the rock and make a distressingly slow bee-line for the drain opening. Just behind you, you can hear the squelching of dozens of tendrils breaching the water, trying to weave around the stones to reach you!

With only moments to spare, you slosh up to the opening and try to squeeze through the bars. Thanks to the slimy water coating you and the metal, you manage to pop through just as the tendrils close in! They slam against the bars, rattling them and slithering through. You scurry deeper into the tunnel with the feelers at your heels - but suddenly they stop, apparently unable to follow any further. You're probably safe for now, but you shouldn't test your luck. You need to get away from that thing!

>> You wade deeper into the drains as the sound of tendrils thrashing gets quieter. Hopefully you can find a place to dry off...[Advance to Area D ~ Drains. Start at D-01.]

[A-07] - You grip the largest rock in front of you and haul yourself on top of it. Inky black water runs off your clothes in thick rivulets, splashing back into the moat around you. You have no time to waste! You stagger to your feet, and begin crossing the rocks with renewed haste. You move just as the tendrils swipe at the place you were standing, barely missing you!

But as you spring across the next couple of stones, it's clear that your victory was short-lived. The rocks are much harder to navigate at this speed; your foot glances off the next rock, sending your legs out from under you and throwing you backwards. You flail out at nothing, unable to stop your fall as you splash back into the inky depths.

You can see the sun faintly through the water, just beyond the surface. But as you begin sitting up to breach the surface, a slick tendril slides around your neck...

>> You need your neck free immediately![Go to A-09.]

[A-08] - You try to kick your leg free of the slimy grasp, but while you're distracted even more tendrils lash around your wrists and drag you deeper into the moat. Panic begins to set in; you flail and shout desperately, gradually exhausting yourself as the tendrils wrap around you tighter. By the time you think to use Strokmier, your arms are already bound and stretched outwards, rendering it useless. With fight and flight both impossible, the realization sets in that you're doomed.

The slimy tendrils work their way under your clothes, kneading your writhing body and bathing you in sickly-sweet ooze. As you gasp for air, a thicker one forces its way into your mouth and gags you! You can't even scream as you feel a slimy feeler slide between your legs and coil around your shaft. Despite the fear gripping you, it only takes a few strokes to bring you to full erection. The inky goo being massaged into every inch of your skin makes you throb with rolling pleasure and makes your body feel useless and heavy.

With each stroke, what little resistance you had left crumbles, giving way to a desperate need to cum. The tendrils squirm and throb around you, grinding between your legs and over your chest and stomach constantly - but never stimulating you enough to bring you to orgasm. The tentacle lodged in your mouth swells and pushes deeper, overwhelming your tongue and nostrils with its sweetness. As you twitch and groan in pleasure, you are slowly dragged under the surface of the moat. Whether you'll drown in water or pleasure first... no one can say.

[Was this the ending you desired? Return to A-02 to change your fate, or restart this area by going to A-01.]

[A-09] - You reach up to grab the tendril at your throat, desperately reciting the incantation in your mind to activate the Strokmier and banish this creature. As your mind races, you feel one of the tendrils slip under your clothes, rubbing up against your taint! The burst of sickening pleasure that rolls over you breaks your concentration - before you can try again, your hands are torn away from your neck by even more of the thick tentacles. Soon your wrists are tightly bound and spread apart, while more feelers grab your ankles and spread your legs wide.

As you wrench about in their grasp trying to break free, more tendrils lash around you and latch onto your clothes, tearing them away roughly. More and more of your body is exposed to their touch, allowing their suckers to peck and kiss at your sensitive skin. As a fat sucker latches onto your cockhead and begins squeezing it, you can't help but gasp - getting a mouthful of slimy water in the process.

For a few dreadful minutes the tendrils torment you, working your body into sensual putty as you gurgle in wanton pleasure. Even as you start to black out, your body betrays you and gives in to the tentacles. An intense orgasm swells within you as you struggle and squirm, trapped under the waves. Your cum sprays into the murky depths and your consciousness fades...

[Was this the ending you desired? Return to A-03 to change your fate, or restart this area by going to A-01.]

[=====Area B ~ GARDEN=====]

[B-01] - You circle around the moat, drawing closer to the garden - or what you assume to be a garden anyways. Calling the mass of hedges and vines before you a 'garden' would be very generous at best. While the plants don't look as withered as the forest surrounding the fortress, it is still apparent at first glance that this plant life isn't healthy... or normal. The leaves are rich colors, but you can't ignore the aura of sickly corruption hidden just under the surface.

The overgrown tangle of plant life seems impenetrable at first, but as you examine the dense wall of creepers you discover a small archway formed from warped branches. You step inside, and are soon engulfed in faint, flowery fragrances. Unlike the outside of the garden, the inside is covered in heavy blossoms, with rich hues of pink and white. There's an opening in the hedge off to the side, which seems to lead deeper into the garden. It looks like it would take a while to wander these twists and turns until you reach the fortress walls...

Looking up above the hedges, you can see the fortress directly ahead of you. It might be faster just to push right on through the hedges. You don't have any time to waste after all, but there's no telling what might be hidden in the vegetation...

>> It is definitely safer to just follow the path. You sigh and head towards the opening.[Go to B-02.]

>> Even so, there's no time to waste - you need to head directly for the fortress![Go to B-03.]

[B-02] - You step through the opening in the hedges, which leads into a small clearing. Several other paths lead out from this place and deeper into the shrubbery; the plants around you seem to form a maze of sorts, winding every which way and disappearing into the foliage. There are three paths available - one straight ahead, and one each on your left and right. The paths seem identical, save for the color blossoms growing around them - the left has pink flowers growing around it, the right purple, and the front blue. There doesn't seem to be much else to differentiate the paths... but in the end, you decide which one to travel down.

>> You figure you might as well try the pink path.[Go to B-06.]

>> Purple seems to be the best choice - perhaps it's your lucky color![Go to B-08.]

>> After thinking for a moment, you decide on the blue path.[Go to B-10.]

[B-03] - You walk up to the hedge and examine it closely. Nothing about the branches appears out of the ordinary, aside from how poorly maintained they are of course. You can see that the branches are somewhat sparse further in. Confident you can make your way through, you slowly part the branches and begin blazing a trail through the hedge.

It isn't too difficult to begin pushing through the plants - the branches are stiffer than you expected, but otherwise you are making good progress. The further in you get, the more varied the plants become - the plain tangled hedge is replaced by odd-colored vines and heavy blossoms, and the grass beneath your feet gets softer and fuzzier. So odd that these plants are buried so deep where no one could find them... but you aren't here for sight-seeing. You continue pressing onwards, barely managing to avoid getting your feet tangled in the roots at your feet.

You glance around briefly to see if you are still making progress... only to notice that the hedge behind you has completely closed off. The branches haven't just sprung back to their original places either - they are fully tangled together, like you never forced them apart. It's actually very difficult to tell which way was forward to begin with... as you try and wade through the underbrush, you accidentally jostle one of the blossoms hanging nearby.

The flower reacts violently - it contracts, spewing a cloud of pollen all over you! You get a deep breath of the stuff before you can stop yourself, and stagger back while coughing heavily. You can faintly hear the other blossoms around you pulsing, pumping even more pollen into the air - you need to get moving, now!

>> Desperate to get out of this smokescreen, you just pick a direction and start hobbling along.[Go to B-05.]