I finished up with the header for chapter 6, today! It look me a few hours just to trace those damn lions, but I think it's appropriately thematic with the royal purple border (the lion is the seal beast of House Gen, which Sovereign Mayhew XXII belongs to). The "reckoning" that the title refers to is the climactic battle that I've been alluding to for a few chapters. It will decide the fate of the Colonies and every other character, so I am anticipating that this chapter will also be a long ...
2025-08-25 17:20:44 +0000 UTC
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Just a small update, this week. I finished the route where both MC1 and MC2 have both joined the Radicals, so I will grant access to patrons some time this week. I will also give the public access to three-fourths of chapter 5 in a few days. During all of that, I will be working on chapter 6, which I plan on being the last chapter before an epilogue.
2025-08-24 18:44:12 +0000 UTC
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Patrons get exclusive access to story updates one week before the general public.
Link.
In this update, I have:
Completed the route where both MC1 and MC2 joined the Sovereignty for chapter 5.
Fixed various spelling, grammar, and continuity errors.
- <...
2025-08-20 14:46:36 +0000 UTC
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Only a little bit to share, this time. I gave the public access to the full half of chapter 5, last week, and I've been continuing to work on the route where both MC1 and MC2 have joined the Sovereignty. I'm getting through it at a pretty decent pace, and I would estimate that I will be finished within the next week and a half. Some of it is pretty challenging to code, especially the parts where both main characters are talking to each other and the player can choose each one's response. Othe...
2025-08-17 18:35:44 +0000 UTC
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This is a public update announcement. As a reminder, patrons get access to updates one week before the general public.
In this update, I have:
Completed one half of the routes for chapter 5.
Added to the "quick start" feature so that MC1 can have a positive romance threshold with Blythe and so that neither main character needs to be a saboteur.
Added 74,591 words.
This week, I will be granting the public access to the second route of chapter 5, where MC1 joined the Sovereignty and MC2 joined the Radicals. Other than that, I will say that I'm about 20,000 words into the third route of chapter 5 (both main characters have joined the Sovereignty) and progress is going steady! I am currently writing a scene where Blythe has discovered that MC1 and MC2 are in a relationship while he (the Sovereign) has a high relationship value or romance threshold with MC1...
2025-08-11 14:18:42 +0000 UTC
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Patrons get exclusive access to story updates one week before the general public.
Link.
In this update, I have:
I'm almost done with the second route of chapter 5, and I anticipate finishing some time this week! Then, it will be time to write the routes where both main characters are on the same side of the war. Those paths usually take me a little less time to complete, and I can say with confidence that I will at least have chapter 5 completely done by the end of the summer. I want to have all of Years into beta by the end of the year, but that's a bit too far into the future for me to make ...
2025-08-03 14:27:12 +0000 UTC
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The total word count for the second route of chapter 5 is now 33,777. I got a good bit of writing done, last week: I finished the forced "dates" with either Myra or Myron Dun if your MC1 is a "deviant." My next chunk of writing is admittedly a little daunting. It will be the interrogation and/or murder of Lucía Goldendoor mentioned in the first route. And then, after that, I plan on having Abner III pay MC1 a visit in the Sovereign's headquarters. Maybe he'll bring along the other Abners...?...
2025-07-27 15:59:24 +0000 UTC
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I am up to about 19,000 words now in the "route B" that I mentioned last week. The "lunch date" with the Sovereign, as well as the romance encounter with him, are written. Now, I'm working on something that was introduced last chapter for certain routes (I don't know why I didn't write it for all applicable paths -- I must have forgotten, haha!): namely the "forced date" with either Myra or Myron Dun. Chapter 5 has a lot of relationship development for every route -- the Sovereign, seeing vic...
2025-07-21 13:23:40 +0000 UTC
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I would like to extend a welcome the one and only patron here! Just for you, here's a progress update! I am currently working on writing what I call path "B" in the code, where MC2 went to the Radicals without MC1. And because the perspective of chapter 5 switches to MC1, this means that it will be a Sovereignty-focused route. I currently have about 6,700 words written (including code) and I'm in the middle of writing a little lunch date between MC1 and Blythe/Mayhew XXII/whatever he wants to...
2025-07-13 15:27:51 +0000 UTC
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This is a public update announcement. As a reminder, patrons get access to updates one week before the general public.
In this update, I have:
2025-07-05 13:54:49 +0000 UTC
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Patrons get exclusive access to story updates one week before the general public.
Link.
In this update, I have:
Month Four
They'll find this eventually -- don't care anymore.
The Faceless got suspicious of me and I was terribly frightened. I know I should have stayed and accepted whatever punishment the Hierophant decided was just, but I fled. I tried to go to the Colonies, but didn't even make it to the coast. The innkeeper of the room I just purchased for the evening is working with the Guard -- they're not wearing the mask, but I'd recognize the Faceless' way of speaking...
2022-06-06 19:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Month Two, Day 9
I don't understand.
Were we wrong??? Was I wrong???
These diaries t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶I̶ ̶m̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ that I'm reviewing were penned by a clever young thing named C—, and Whitaker save me, but I think I'm falling in love... Her wit and rhetorical skill are exemplary, and there have been several times where I nearly fainted trying to suppress a giggle in the office! She is an extraordinary intell...
2022-05-30 19:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Month Twelve, Day 19, Year ██ of the Reign of Sovereign Mayhew XXI
I've been given a series of diaries to catalogue before censoring and filing.
They've never given me diaries, before...
2022-05-23 19:01:18 +0000 UTC
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Month Eleven, Day 15, Year ██ of the Reign of Sovereign Mayhew XXI
It's been quite some time since I wrote, last... Work is keeping me terribly busy. Just this week end I ran into an old Academy schoolmate on my way to the office. Sovereign forgive me, but I couldn't even remember his name! I knew I knew it, but I'll be damned if all my spare thoughts aren't taken by my work! And they have to be! Whitaker's sword, no decent person in the world would believe...
2022-05-16 19:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Month Nine, Day 20, Year ██ of the Reign of Sovereign Mayhew XXI
Haven't had time to journal until just now -- too busy learning the ropes of the clerical corps! The personal clerical corps to the Hierophant himself. No matter how many times I write that, it still doesn't seem real. It doesn't even seem real when I'm at my desk, actually working, even! There are about twenty of us (some women, even!), all in a row in a room outside of the Hierophant's personal offic...
2022-05-09 19:00:04 +0000 UTC
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____________________
Month Nine, Day 11, Year ██ of the Reign of Sovereign Mayhew XXI
I can hardly believe it, myself, but I've been accepted(!!!) into the personal clerical corps of the Hierophant himself!!! This is truly a blessed day (and may that recruiter, His Holiness the Hierophant, and all the Hierarchy rest in Blessed Unconsciousness evermore when their times come!) and a cause for celebration! I wired Mom and Auntie the good news (they'...
2022-05-02 19:01:01 +0000 UTC
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THE FOLLOWING WORK HAS BEEN DECLARED APOCRYPHAL BY THE HIERARCH OF THE HOLY FELLOWSHIP OF THE FIRST SOVEREIGN. IN HIS INFALLIBLE WISDOM, THE HIERARCH MANDATES THAT ANYONE IN POSSESSION OF THIS DOCUMENT SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO THE NEAREST FACELESS GUARD AS A TRAITOR AND A HERETIC. FAILURE TO DO SO AND/OR THE REPRODUCTION, CURATION, DISSEMINATION, REPETITION (VERBAL OR OTHERWISE), AND THOUGHT OFF THIS TEXT IS PUNISHABLE BY EXECUTION.
____...
2022-04-25 19:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Hello! I wanted to welcome some new patrons, and also announce that I'll be periodically posting parts of a new supplementary story called "Journal of a Nameless Clerk"! It's about a young man on the Mainland who gets a job at the censorship office of the Hierophant. The first part will be accessible later today, and I hope you all enjoy it! (:
2022-04-25 18:05:45 +0000 UTC
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I'm sorry it's been so long without an update -- my boss has requested that I increase my hours at work, and that leaves me with little time to myself! That is, of course, no excuse for nearly a month of silence, however! I do have a few updates... First, regarding the tarot card commission(s), I'm afraid the original artist I had in mind will be unable to do them for the foreseeable future. We tried every possible avenue of payment, but our governments have even blocked mail to each other, s...
2022-04-13 18:10:59 +0000 UTC
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First, I'd like to apologize for the radio silence regarding the tarot card commission. I've been e-mailing back and forth with the artist for a few weeks, trying to come up with a viable payment method, but so far nothing has worked out because of the card transaction ban between our two countries. For what it's worth, I'm not in favor of punishing the citizens of a nation for the actions of their government, but it looks like there is no way to proceed with this particular artist. This is o...
2022-03-17 12:21:32 +0000 UTC
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Not much to say this week, other than that I've e-mailed the tarot card artist and am waiting for a sketch. I believe they're Russian, though, so with recent events being what they are, it's understandable if they take longer than their estimated time to complete the commission. I'm excited about the finished product, though! I tried to get a lot of emotion through while I was blocking it, and hope you all like it!
2022-03-04 17:12:17 +0000 UTC
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Just a little update for you, this week. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm talking to the artist that I'll be commissioning for the tarot cards, and that their estimation for how long a completed piece takes is about two to four weeks. So look out for the finished card coming soon, and I'll ask the artist if they're all right with me sharing any sketches, just so I have some more to share with you all!
2022-02-14 18:33:15 +0000 UTC
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The long-awaited reveal of the cover art for These Reluctant Years!
This art was made by the wonderful and talented Robyn H.! Go give them some love!
2022-02-11 17:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Just a quick update, this time! It looks like MC1 and MC2 won the poll, so they'll be getting a commission first, followed by Lázaro and Blythe! This week, the final cover art in full color will also be revealed! I am so excited to share it with you all and, like I've stated (many) times, I'm thrilled with how it turned out!
2022-02-07 17:59:14 +0000 UTC
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And this is as far as we've gotten! I'm looking forward to sharing any and all updates with you whenever they become available!
This art was made by the wonderful and talented Robyn H.! Go give them some love!
2022-02-04 17:01:03 +0000 UTC
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First of all, I'd like to apologize for the lack of developer updates -- work has been very busy the last few months! There are a few noteworthy developments, though! Most exciting is the completion of the full cover art, which will be posted here in about a week. It looks incredible, and it's wonderful to see everything come together! There's also about a week left to vote for who you'd like to see first as a tarot card, so if you haven't already voted, please choose someone!
2022-01-31 12:50:22 +0000 UTC
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Everyone is together at last!
This art was made by the wonderful and talented Robyn H.! Go give them some love!
2022-01-28 17:01:03 +0000 UTC
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