Master the ancient art of arcane alchemy and step into a world where magic fuels machinery, and revolution simmers beneath the brass gears of a Persian steampunk empire. In Heavens’ Revolution: A Lion Among the Cypress, a text-based interactive novel by Peter Adrian Behravesh, your choices shape every twist of fate. Inspired by the rich history and culture of eighteenth-century Iran, this retrofuturistic fantasy immerses you in a sprawling 270,000-word narrative, driven entirely by your decisions—no graphics, no sound effects, just the limitless power of your imagination.
You are a practitioner of astralchemy—the sacred science that binds the material world to the heavens. With your knowledge, you can brew healing elixirs, distill intoxicating perfumes, forge advanced machinery, and even create gunpowder that shifts the balance of power. But greater secrets await. Ancient astral technologies lie forgotten: khalicraft spaceships capable of interstellar escape, and towering mechs designed for war. Will you repair a spaceship and seek freedom among the stars? Or pilot a mech into the heart of battle, becoming a living weapon of change?
A City on the Brink
The city of Seyj teeters on the edge of chaos. Fifty years ago, the She’ri Empire invaded, toppling the rightful ruler and imposing their satrap governor. Now, rebellion brews in the shadows. As someone born of both She’ri colonists and noble Seyj bloodlines, your loyalties are torn. You serve in the Royalist army, sworn to protect the occupying regime—but the cries of the Revolutionists grow louder each day.
When the rebels come to recruit you, what will you do? Will you join their cause, believing justice demands the fall of the usurper? Will you remain loyal to your oath, rising through the military ranks to command armies in the satrap’s name? Or will you walk a more treacherous path—becoming a spy who plays both sides, feeding secrets to fuel your own ambitions?
Forge Your Destiny
Your mastery of astralchemy opens countless paths:
- Become a visionary alchemist: Open your own workshop, innovate forbidden technologies, or earn a professorship at the prestigious University.
- Rise in the military: Prove your loyalty, command elite forces, and become a cornerstone of the imperial regime.
- Ignite the revolution: Help the rebels overthrow the satrap and restore the exiled ruler to her throne.
- Love without limits: Romance a courageous soldier, a fiery blacksmith-turned-rebel, or even a lost princess—your identity and orientation are yours to define. Play as male, female, or nonbinary; gay, straight, bi, or asexual.
Every choice carries weight. Will you use your power to heal, to destroy, or to transcend? Is the price of power worth the cost to your soul? In a world where alchemy shapes destiny, one spark can start a revolution.
Choose wisely. The fate of Seyj—and perhaps the stars—rests in your hands.
[ttpp] [yyxx]
