Viatica
VIATICA is fully released!
An Interactive Fiction set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future, with a focus on personal growth, as well as platonic, familial, and romantic bonds.
Your world is a desert, both figuratively and literally. Speech is prohibited, books are outlawed, and any meaningful human interaction is nonexistent. Humans are reduced to the job they do for The City. There are no names; instead, everyone is identified by a number.
You are H-313, a healer.
Create and customize your character: male, female, or non-binary; gay, straight, or bisexual. Become an individual in a world of drones. Learn to speak, express your emotions, define your personality. Dream big, resist tyranny, inspire the masses, and forge a new world. Or not. This is your journey, after all.
There are no point-based choices or outcomes. No choice is wrong—it simply changes the type of person you grow to become.
Cultivate relationships with others, both romantic and platonic. More flirty/confidant romance options are marked with a ❤️, while more oblivious/subconscious options are marked with a 💛. It’s difficult to understand emotions, after all, when you barely understand words. Once you're locked into a route, ❤️ denotes scenes with physical intimacy. You can still further the romance without that.
Romance Options:
B-485, Lion (he/him)
He is a builder, stoic and strong. He is tall and muscular with brown skin and black, coiled hair and beard. At 26 he is the eldest of the group. Later in the story, he chooses the name Lion for himself. He is fierce and protective of those he cares for. But what truly sets him apart from other workers is his ability to speak clearly and articulately. How? More to the point, can he teach you?
F-525, Heron (he/him)
He is a feeder, aloof and placid. He is medium height, with long blonde hair usually tied back in a ponytail and pale blue eyes. He is 22 years old, same as you. Later in the story, he chooses the name Heron for himself. He does not question his role, nor act in any way contrary to what is expected. What passions and tempers will you find when that veneer cracks? More importantly, why does he seem so familiar?
S-622, Ferret (she/her)
She is a sweeper, slender and scrappy. She is medium height, with olive skin, dark brown hair and narrow grey eyes. She is 21 years old. Later in the story, she chooses the name Ferret for herself. She is impulsive, stubborn, and quick to anger. When you first meet her she is very combative, but you eventually see the fearless and inquisitive soul underneath. Could she be a kindred spirit, or perhaps even more?
R-793, Robin (they/them)
They are a burner, lithe and wary. They have ivory skin, curly red hair, and heterochromia: one eye is green, the other brown. They are 20 years old. Later in the story, they choose the name Robin for themself. In a world where roles are based on gender and strict definitions of what a worker is, they have always felt out of place. Their discomfort was made worse by a recent traumatic experience. Can you help them to accept and appreciate the worthy person that they are?
Content Warning: This story is intended for mature audiences. Possibly triggering topics present in the story include blood, violence, death, suicide, rape (mentioned), child abuse, mature language, and sexual content (optional).
About the Author: I am a mom of teens and have a challenging career, both of which demand my time so please bear with me! This IF is a labor of love and will never be monetized. It is adapted from a novella I wrote 25 years ago in college. It is mostly a solo effort except for the invaluable and insightful help of my sister, who is my brainstorming partner, co-writer, and fellow wine guzzler.
If you enjoyed Viatica and would be interested in extra content, or would just like to support me, visit my ko-fi at https://ko-fi.com/firandfireweed
Find me on Tumblr to chat, ask questions, or simply teach me how to use the darn thing. https://www.tumblr.com/fir-fireweed
About the Artist: The character illustrations are all commissioned works done by the extremely talented Isabela Zaneti. I am so grateful to her for bringing my characters to life and I encourage you to check out her website!
This story was created using Twine, Chapbook.
Music by Sergii Pavkin and Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay
Photo used in background and banner by Madhu Shesharam on Unsplash
Development log
- Happy Viatica Anniversary!96 days ago
- Psst, Guess What Published Early?!Dec 21, 2024
- Update NewsDec 15, 2024
- Chapter 11 is Live!Nov 11, 2024
- Update NewsNov 07, 2024
- Bug FixOct 14, 2024
- Chapter 10 is live! Please don't hate me.Oct 10, 2024
- Update NewsOct 07, 2024
Comments
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"She totally is. Girl's got the ears of an Iredicci" CANTATA REFERENCE?
🤭
Ohhhh my god this was beautiful!!
Thank you!
I have crawled out of my coffin, it is time for me to replay viatica
OH MY GOD WAIT WAS THERE A LAYOUT CHANGE?? UNDO BUTTON MY BELOVED <3333
Lol, welcome back! Yes, Viatica got a glow up! ✨I rebuilt it on the anniversary.
Extremely good, it makes me want to start writing again and properly at that.
Thank you, that is quite the compliment!
I've officially read every route and holy shit dude I have never played something where EVERY li had a perfect story before this one
Lol, thanks!
i lied. im back already bc this story has been haunting me
HERONNNNN
My boy Heron ❤️
ive only played robins route but im so smitten with them, i dont think ill read the others for a while lol. this story is genuinely so beautiful (yes, i cried like a baby in ch10, sue me) and the writing is so pleasing that i finished it in one run. as in, im typing this at 5 AM on no sleep because i was invested, one run
also, side note, cricket is a childhood nickname of mine, as well as my screen name on most platforms and what most of my friends call me, so having the choice of my mc being Crickett was really nice as wel
Lol, I appreciate the dedication and I’m glad you enjoyed Robin’s route! Now get some sleep! 🫵
i came from cantata and just finished! your works are amazing and you've inspired and motivated me to write again. thank you!
You are most welcome! I’m glad I could inspire you! 🥹❤️
wdym tyrant rigis??? wdym a war that destroyed everything???? im scared on whats gonna happen in the full release of catata
Lol, I appreciate the reach, but the 2 stories aren’t connected. Cantata is a fantasy world and Viatica is a futuristic real world.
peak.. Just finished, and I love the tone shift from CH.10 onward. absolute masterpiece of a story. the overall message? perfect.
Moment of silence for our friends.
b
f
loved reading this in one sitting, all the relationships with the main four blend so well into each other, regardless of which RO you choose. Time to go back to waiting on Cantata :]
Thank you! ❤️
aGHHH
i can't decide between Ferret or Robin.. both are so precious :[
also, I did the 'pointing Rick Dalton' meme when I saw the first few Cantata easter eggs! pog
also like the others below me said, this was beautiful from start to finish! heron my love <3 also throughout this entire story i was reminded of Anthem by Ayn Rand again and again(don't know how no one has mentioned it already lol), alongside the Giver, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and others. beautifully well done!
Thank you so much! ❤️
Anthem was certainly the largest inspiration, alongside 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. You’re right, no one mentioned it. I wasn’t sure anyone else had read it, lol.
Same as the person below, I'm in love with the concept already :D
Thank you!
I just finished playing your demo for Cantata and LOVED it, and then I found this one, so I have high hopes!! I'm sure it l'll be amazing :3
Thank you for reading my works! I hope you enjoy it!
So far, I am definitely enjoying it!! ><
OH MY GOD I DIDNT EVEN REALIZE YOU DID VIATICA - peak
Lol, thanks!
This is soo good. I love the Cirle so much, especially Ferret, my love. They have a special place in my heart. I found your other IF and I loved your writing so much that I needed to read more of your works so here I am. Thanks for sharing your masterpiece. I really enjoyed it 💖.
You are most welcome! Thank you for reading! ❤️
Really liked the setting, it feels different than most interactive fiction, good job on that. I was honestly afraid it would be hard to justify the way The City is, but you wrote it very well and it really makes a lot of sense. Also, I think you managed well the characters being more than illiterate at the beginning.
The only real flaw I can find is that the growth of the relationships with your father and you ro feel a bit rushed to me. The scenes are good the way they are, there just needed more scenes in between to make the growth slower and steadier. But, I understand you might not have wanted to make the game too long or might have wanted to focus on the other themes.
I do particularly appreciate the theme of knowledge being a sort of power in itself, it's easy to not understand the true value of knowledge when one has never known the opposite - thankfully.
Last thing, I really enjoyed it, and played it a couple times after playing Cantata. I must say that the improvement in terms of writing really shows in Cantata, so, good job on the improvement! This was already good, but you stepped up.
Oh my gods how is your writing so good? I binged the story all in a single go and I love it so much, it's so wonderful and sweet and emotional, damn you for tugging on my heartstrings like that!
I love all the characters but Robin is so wonderful I absolutely adore them, I need more with these characters please say you'll do a sequel sometime because the setting and characters are just way too good, and I wanna know what becomes of The City and its people after the epilogue!
Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed it, especially Robin.
I can't say never, but it's unlikely I'll write a sequel to Viatica. For YEARS, I had a fierce need to tell this story. Now that I have, I'm ready to move on and tell other stories. I appreciate the sentiment, though!
Sad but understandable! Thank you so much for sharing this story with us, it's wonderful and I'm so glad I had a chance to read it! Now to eagerly wait for more of Cantata.
What the hell?! How dare you make me feel this way for fictional characters?! I'm so mad. This was beautiful and author, you are amazing with words. 10000/10 I love every part of this from the characters, the story to the soundtrack.
Thank you? 😅 I’m glad you enjoyed it!
the giver but make it hopeposting
one thing i do wish for is a ‘chapter select’, as well as the option to change the custom attributes possibly from the character stats page. i didnt know how much appearance would matter so i chose ‘female’ and got locked into she/her (im nonbinary). though tbh, such a rigid society would likely not even entertain the idea of queerness at all. perhaps they could discover queerness through the books (and then let players ‘transition’ accordingly). i appreciate the hints of intent for romantic/subtle options!
i absolutely loved this game omg. 10/10. my only complaint is that i wish there were options to be a trans man/trans woman. there is a nonbinary option which is absolutely wonderful so thats not to say there is no trans representation, but it is a little disheartening to have to choose between either a body that doesnt represent me or a gender that doesnt lol. mainly for the explicit scenes and the mention of what the citizens are forced to go through. really a lovely story though!! the music adds so much to it!! and oh my goodness to see youre the creator of cantata too!! recently finished a playthrough of it and absolutely adored it so this was super exciting :))
Thank you! I completely understand the desire for a trans option. This was my first attempt at writing fiction in decades, and with the world of Viatica as restrictive and prohibitive as it is, I didn’t think I could faithfully write a trans MC in such a setting. I am much more confident in my storytelling skills now and I’ve included those options in Cantata, which I’m happy to hear you’ve also read!
Genuinely a masterpiece. 10/10 experience and something I would re-read again. I loved everything about the story - especially how it makes the reader feel!!!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I recently finished reading for the second time and I am going to just say wow. After I saw that it had been updated to include extra content I was more than willing to read through a second time having already enjoyed it so much the first. This time I decided to choose the Robin route, as opposed to Lion as I did the first, and can I just say that I was not disappointed in the slightest. Everything about this is just chefs kiss. From the amazingly written story, to the beautiful art in the background and of the characters before even getting to the story, and even the music just perfectly sets the scene with great ambiance for reading. And can I just say as well Chapter 10, OMG, as a person who often doesn't get attached to characters or emotional about fictional characters I was on the verge of tears for the second time whilst reading it, and that I think shows just how well these characters were written that I was able to get attached enough to them in such a short amount of time that they made me emotional. At some point I definitely plan on reading through the Ferret and Heron routes as well because I just can't get enough of this.
Thank you so much! I am delighted that you returned to Viatica, and even tried a new route! I’m glad you enjoyed the story and that you connected with the characters. ❤️
Masterpiece.
🫶🏻
I stumbled across the recommendation for this game on reddit earlier today. I decided to give it a shot since it’s the exact genre I usually gravitate towards. I finished this IF in a few hours quite literally, I was hooked and I probably should’ve paced myself but it was just so good. I definitely plan on replaying for other romance routes, since I did the Ferret route. This is the only IF that I’ve ever finished. I even shed a tear during Fawn and Bison’s end. It reminded me deeply of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaidens Tale, The Giver, hell even The Hunger Games and so much more. I truly loved this experience. The music was prefect and helped set the mood. Thank you for writing and releasing this. I hope to read more of your work if you ever decide to release another story. 10/10, I have to go recommend this to my friends now!
Thank you for your kind words, and for taking a chance on my story! This is adapted from a novella I wrote nearly 30 years ago, and I was a BIG fan of dystopian fiction at the time; 1984, Fahrenheit 451 and Anthem were all my inspiration. 😁
I have a new IF in the works, Cantata, you can find on my creator page. Thank you again, and thanks for recommending my work! ❤️
Thank you for writing this! It has become the best IF I have ever read, hell even the best thing I’ve read all year. Thank you for all the hard work! The dystopian themes popped out a lot, which I adore it’s my favorite genre. I am reading Cantata and I’m enjoying it a lot!
i just finished it, and i haven't stopped crying since the deaths until the end. this, people, is a perfect example of why knowledge is powerful! keep reading! keep asking questions! for ignorance is the start of doom! thank you for bringing this story to life, this has been an amazing experience <3
You are so welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
The first IF i ever finished fully- I AM IN LOVEEEEEE! Amazingly written with scenes that break and make my heart. Absolutely beautiful.
Also Lion is coming home with me.
Lion and I thank you! 😉
Ahhhhh! Ferret, it's so good to be reading about you again as well as Keiko! 💜💜Your spirit continues to live on in my Cantata pet, they certainly have the same attitude. 🦦
Thank you for the extended dialogue, Fir! It was so nice to see not only the updated format of the story, but all the characters again after re-reading. Chapter 10 will forever be heartbreaking though 😭.
Congratulations, Fir! I can't believe it's already been a year, I'm glad to have been able to read this since the day of it's release. Will always be a supporter here and there when you need me 💜💜.
Thank you so much, Power, for being here nearly from day 1! ❤️ It’s wild to think it’s already been a year, and I’m excited for the next!
Really loved the journal entries at the beginning of the chapters. Idk if this literary device has a name, but it always works really well.
This IF made me cry but also filled me with hope (your choice of BGM was helpful in setting the tone), thank you.
Looking forward to exploring Cantata as it's being developed 🤎
Thank you for giving both of my stories a read! I’m glad you liked the journal entries in particular. I’m excited to share more of Cantata with you!
This game is so beautiful imma die ;0; peak story telling
( when i saw it updated i almost exploded )
Lol, thank you!
Slight spoilers but was that a Cantata reference at the end of Ferret’s epilogue??? Because if so that’s hilarious 💀
Hee hee. 🤭 If you did the rebellion ending, then yes! I sprinkled other Cantata references throughout!
Played the update... Safe to say, even more tears shed than last time. Absolutely beautiful story and ethereal music to go with it, viatica has become a comfort game of mine especially with all the stuff happening in the US. You're game gives me hope that one day, I as well will have the freedom to be who I am. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart🥲
You are so very welcome! I, too, live in the US and it’s very disheartening to see. Take care of yourself, and thank you for sharing that with me! ❤️
same, I too feel so much comfort from this game, I wish I had such a sweet community family just like theirs wish I wasnt as afraid and could be brave enough to escape that fear (silence is death) but for me silence is my only way of living in real life. (signed disabled Trans in US)
OH EM GEE... AN UPDATE!!! I literally love this game sm, ty for all your hard work!!!!
You are most welcome!
how did you even think to write this story? this is amazing and i'm not even done yet! i love this!
Thank you!
What a wonderful surprise to see an update, i'm eating it up right now mueheh
Lol, enjoy!
Beautiful game!
Thank you!
My english is not very good, but i must gush about this IF.
This IF is such a wonderful story. Parts of it made me stay glued my chair to keep reading while some parts made me take a walk outside to process.
Such a perfect mix of tragedy, hope and romance. I cant wait to recommend this to my friends.
Thank you for your kind words!
This story was so, so beautiful. It has deeply moved me in a way not many other stories have, and I'm so grateful you have written it. This is easily one of my favorite IF's on this site so far. Please never stop writing.
Thank you so much! I’ve only recently returned to fiction writing but I am definitely here to stay now, thank you! ❤️
This is quite possibly the only IF that has ever made me cry over a slinky but it did. And I mean that in the best way possible. This whole story is presented so beautifully, with such a haunting presence throughout. I feel so much with each page. By the ending I was crying many happy tears. What a wonderful experience. Thank you, so much, for sharing this.
Lol, that’s the best compliment about the slinky. 😆
Thank you for this lovely comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the story, it’s my pleasure to share. ❤️
Reading this novel was one of the best experiences of my life. The relationships you build with your partners feel so genuine, and the story is captivating.
Thank you very much!