I haven’t looked at this one for a while. It’s really coming along nicely. The 3 siblings I’ve met are all distinct and interesting, there’s an air of mystery, and the pacing feels perfect to me. Really good stuff. How is the defiant/compliant stat likely to alter the romantic experience - or is it tied to other mechanics?
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Hi! Glad to see you again. First off, thank you for the nice feedback 
The defiant/compliant dynamic is one of the ways that the ROs perceive the MC. Compliant means they see MC as someone that will follow orders and not question them, while Defiant means the RO sees the MC as someone that is likely to talk back or not do what they’re told.
All these stats will become progressively more relevant as the story goes on and the MC’s image and personality is more solidified in the ROs’ pov. If a Compliant!MC suddenly acts out and talks back, the ROs will be quite shocked, for example 
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Just played through this a few minutes ago and really enjoyed it for the most part. Was sad to see the end of it looking forward to more. The characters are well realized even after brief encounters, and the hints of mystery are prominent enough to be intriguing without being laid on too thick. I liked that I could plausibly play a character who’s just there to do a job and still feel like the story’s progressing naturally around me. Couple minor writing quibbles:
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In the early going with the courier he and the PC keep referring to one another as “mister” in a way that sounded really awkward to my ear. Possibly this was more normal in the era and I’m just unfamiliar, but in my experience adult men only call one another mister like that if they’re trying to be informal with a stranger whose name they don’t know. A better formal address might be “Mr. Lastname” or just “Sir”. A better informal address would be to just to use eachother’s name. Obviously I was playing a male character and this will be slightly differently with different genders but I think the same basic critique would apply.
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While the writing was generally pretty smooth and I didn’t notice too many errors, there were a couple instances of awkward grammar in the job offer letter that jumped out at me.
2a. I write to you because I have read on the newspaper should be in the newspaper
2b. I am offering you to stay at my mansion, as our Housekeeper. This construction is awkward. Maybe “offering you the opportunity to stay at our mansion as our Housekeeper” or just “offering you a position at our mansion as Housekeeper”
2c. You’ll be given a room of your own, and a compensation sum of £150 per year… I don’t believe “a compensation sum” is how someone would normally put that. Consider “a salary of” or maybe “a sum of £150 a year as compensation”
Apologies if any of these have been addressed before as I realize I’m finding this thread 100+ messages in. Either way, those minor quibbles aside great work all around and, as I said, looking forward to seeing where this goes.
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Hello! Thank you for taking the time to write all of this, it will be very helpful and I will take it all in account when I go and fix the first chapter, before I post the next one. English isn’t my first language, so for me it’s a bit harder to spot “weird” sentences.
I’m glad you mostly enjoyed the read, though!
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I am looking respectfully at this IF.
Very interesting start for sure. All 4 ROs have a good introduction and I can already see myself doing multiple runs with different MCs for it.
Shy MC with R has been fun, stoic and intimidating A flustering MC by existing was A+, terrifying walk at night… you have piqued my interest, squirrel adventures you will be fun to fluster I can feel it in my bones.
Anyway not much to write just wanted you to know I enjoyed the demo and I am excited to see more.
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I liked Sabina the most, the quirky lady that could very well accused of being a witch due to her crafty persues quite the character she is.
Overall we really need more romance WIPS around here and the Blackwood Manor is a phenomenal addition to the list. Be ambitious writer and bring us a great romantic drama.
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Ooooh now you have my curiosity almost disappointed when the story ended after the meeting with S— but I’ll be watching this 
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Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m glad you like S, as I truly loved writing their scene. ^^
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Quick typo here,
"Just a few steps away stands a tall, ethereal vision. A woman with paper white skin and pale blonde hair, messy and long enough to reach his mid-back. She is wearing simple white clothes that seem to almost fluctuate in the wind.
The very first thought that strikes your mind is a bone-chilling one: ghost."
Should be her, not his. Great work btw, reminds me of Heart of the House!
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thank you!
Checked out Heart of the House, and I can see the similar setting for sure… Although there is no actual ghosts in my story 
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Just want to let everyone know that I’m alive and kicking, and still plan to update this project (hopefully soon!). Life has just been incredibly busy lately and these things take a lot of time to write. Hope you’re all doing well!
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I love your demo!
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Enjoyed the demo and looking forward to meeting the last sibling!!!
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You can meet all the siblings already, just not in the same playthrough - one branch leads you to the garden where you meet S, the other keeps you indoors and you meet H.
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Annd the Third Update is here!
What is new:
- improved chapter 1: fixed typos, pronouns bugs, fixed grammar and phrasing.
- added the possibility to choose if your MC is religious or not.
- minor changes to choices.
- Added 20k+ words, aka Ch. 2 part 1
- Meet old and new characters, and keep on getting involved in the mystery of the Blackwood family!
edit: in order to save your game, I shall add a link to cogdemos.ink.
Enjoy and let me know your thoughts! Hopefully everything works smoothly.
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Oi oi oi oi updateeeeee!!
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I love the update I read so far.
Got an error around when Arlen comes down the stairs while Hector was taking the note from the detective from us.
Chapter 3 line 2143: Invalid Expression at Char 6, expected OPERATOR, was: INEQUALITY [!]
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I couldn’t see the options to save the game?
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under the dashingdon game link, the author posted another link to the cogdemos version where you can make saves as long as you have an account! i’m pretty sure you have to register first in order to have access to the saves feature though
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So glad you liked it! And that error should now be fixed
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