I am incredibly excited about this series, I pulled an all-nighter to replay the demo.
All of the RO’s are MWAH, magnificent.
S is my absolute favourite, such a cutie. 
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@M_K1 Thank you for the congrats and for being eager to read! 
^This is what motivated me to write the series in the first place because it is an interesting combination. The romance has always been fully integrated into the plot, but that plot will also have suspense, thrills, and slow-build horror to keep things intriguing and exciting while those ~feelings~ develop. I think some of the intense situations associated with horror can create interesting developments in the romance. Combining the two has been fun for me. I’m psyched for you to experience B’s route in Book One.
I think the sense of familiarity they provide might make some people try their route first…? At least that’s what I’ve seen from asks on Tumblr about how it’s cool to have B right there with the MC from the start.
Same! So, what helps me is this: mad libs. You know those story or sentences where a section is missing and the reader can fill them in to make meaning out of the words? For instance, my black cat is lovely; he devoured ____ for breakfast. You can put ‘the souls of the innocent’ or ‘some tuna’, etc.
Libel is written like the mad lib game, while slander is verbal. 
But in either case, you were being insightful and not slanderous or libel-ous (?). I love how thriller fits the series! <3
I’m glad you enjoy the differences! I’ve gotten a few asks on Tumblr from readers who plan on experiencing the majority of the routes, which is always fun to hear after spending so much time crafting them. 
Also, I can see where Charlotte is coming from. I remember us talking about how she can be kind of closed-off at first and more aloof, iirc. She is romancing S, I believe, which is interesting with how empathetic S can be.
Marjorie’s introduction can be a lot on MCs who are already having a hard week returning to their hometown.
@Lambkin No worries. I hope everything is going well! Thank you so much for finding that ask; it can feel a bit like delving and unearthing when I try to search for old posts. JR-mancers have a storm coming… >.>
B definitely would say that or try to caution you about being careful, haha. Please have a fun and cool trip; the heat wave has been brutal. 
@Zeal Oh, playing the demo at night would definitely set the spooky mood. 
I can’t express how happy it makes me feel when you all try the different ROs and feel and notice the differences between them. S being your favorite is cool; I know Tiffy also favors them. 
It’s interesting because I tend to hear about R and J more on Tumblr and then on the forum it’s a mix, though I feel all of them have a lot of quiet supporters.
Variety and you all wanting to replay are positives.
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No problem. I’m glad I was able to actually find it. It’s no joke how bad Tumblr’s search has gotten; I’ve been trying to find a, uh, spicy post on your blog about the ???, but I can’t find it by searching for the relevant words. I suppose it’s time for another complete and thorough read-through of your Tumblr, which will be time well spent. 
Yes Tiffy does. I guess you can say that @Zeal and I have S-tier taste in ROs. 
(Though really, all the ROs are irresistible in their own ways. 
)
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@Lambkin Mmm, spicy you say. 
I wonder what ever could have possessed me to write such a thing.
*cough* Here *cough* Ahem... Anyway.
Question from Tumblr: “No Aelsa wait, ignore my previous ask!!! I have a better one: ROs reaction to a MC who bites as a love language???
”
Answer for The ???:
The hinge of your jaw doesn’t get the chance to fully close down as if something has sharply wedged into it, even though you gasp on nothing but too cold air that prickles your lungs on each inhale.
It hurts.
You try to placate and appease by pulling away to show that no bites will be given, but that doesn’t stop the feeling. If anything the prying sensation increases, exaggerating your natural bite into a monstrous maw as if you are a crocodile, an anaconda, or something else that wholly devours prey. Another choked gasp makes it feel like you are breathing in pulverized icicles; your chest dully aches.
What makes it all worse is that you can’t see anything, but everything feels amplified.
‘No.’
The word is traced in the space between your shoulder blades, once, twice, and finally a third time with increasing pressure that causes you to wince.
‘No. No. No.’
“Behave.”
The word rumbles from every corner and crevice of the space.
You mouth finally snaps shut causing you to jolt, but you now find it easier to breath as the pressure on your back becomes less fleeting and more substantial. A hand… A not-hand… Something rests there and you hate that it feels steadying to you, but it does…
(This one also had S and R with it; I can dm you the link or add it to this post later.)
Imagining S’s to reaction your wordplay made me grin at first before I realized they would likely make an exception to their view of puns for you. Really, they would get a little subtly flustered, possibly change the subject.
(Also, what does S-tier stand for? I know it’s above A,B,C, etc. because I’ve seen it with ranking video game dog companions. Is it special, superior, spectacular, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? I mean, any of those work with S. 
)
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Wait! Does S not like puns? How can you not like puns?
I have always wondered this as well, so if anyone knows the answer…
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@lacunafiction Yep, that’s the one, thank you! When I first read it, I remember thinking, ‘The MC certainly bit off more than they can chew.’
Let’s see, according to Wikipedia:
This does seem to track with how I’ve seen it used over the years. 
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Please do 
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@Cat-Toes S is more lukewarm about puns compared to dry sarcasm or witty remarks, but they aren’t anti-puns or anything too extreme. I mean, they are friends with R, so… Their tolerance for wordplay has had to increase. The ranking for who enjoys puns the most would likely be: R, B, J and then S.
@Lambkin I would certainty agree. 
Oh, this is actually a blast from the past for me. I used to play Naruto games on Nintendo and always wondered why there were ‘S rank’ missions above A, B, C, etc. Now I know why. Thank you!
(@lo6otia I hope you had a refreshing trip to the mountains. It was probably much cooler there!)
It’s my pleasure! 
Please find some spice with R and S beneath the drop down buttons below; these reactions were in response to an ask about biting. I’ll include the original ask I got on Tumblr too.
Question from Tumblr: “No Aelsa wait, ignore my previous ask!!! I have a better one: ROs reaction to a MC who bites as a love language???
S's Reaction
“Dracula…Carmilla…Nosferatu…William…Carli-”
“When has there ever been a vampire named ‘William’?” You gently interrupt, pulling back to meet S’s eyes. They have been listing off infamous creatures of the night as you have doled out attention–both kisses and nips–along their neck, which has made you nearly pause what you are doing to smile or laugh more than a few times. “William?”
“Statistically, it makes sense,” S counters, trailing a hand down your back to trace the tract of your spine; they didn’t mean to deter you from giving them attention, but enjoyed making you smile against their skin. They could feel the curve to your lips and how you faltered, which they relished more than the trail of languid kisses. “It’s an old and common name; however, vampire myths are found all over from the Balkans to Italy, so maybe I should have picked something else…”
“Like what?” You intend to listen to S’s mini ramble, not minding the distraction from what you were doing; the two of you have time.
R's Reaction
Your lips have barely left the ball of R’s shoulder when you feel an answering sharp yet fleeting pressure along the side of your neck that is instantly soothed by a quick kiss that threatens to linger when you pull them closer.
They always have to bite back.
You nearly roll your eyes at their quick response time, knowing that R also likes to bite as a sign of affection. “You’re like a viper,” you murmur the words, barely needing to raise your voice with how close the two of you are on the couch. The attention being given to your neck dips lower to the hollow of your throat before R moves to hover inches in front of you face. A smile that is more fond than amused helps to blunt the intensity of the moment.
“Did you really just call me a snake…?”
“No, a viper,” you correct. “Lucky for me you aren’t venomous.”
R’s smile wavers for a fraction of a second, but they lean back in to properly kiss you before it can be questioned.
If anyone wants to read the B, J, or JR reactions to this prompt, please let me know. I lowkey feel like including a picture of the Infinity Gauntlet as we collect all of them together on the thread. XD The stones would be different colors though to fit with the romance route in question. I would need to think more on their hues… 
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Once again proving R is best partner.
raises hand Oooh, ooooh, ooooh, oooh! 
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Yes, my goodness, I absolutely adore it when S shares random facts or starts explaining things. It’s one of my (and Marcie’s) favorite things about them. Would 100% stop everything to listen to them talk about whatever they wanted for as long as they wanted to. (Sometimes, I think about how in Ch. 01, if you choose to take an interest in what they’re reading, their immediate response is to ask why, and I can’t help but wonder if they aren’t used to people being genuinely curious about their interests, or if it’s something else entirely. (Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it. ))
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B-but the attitude…
It’s like their radar is broken and can’t see when we put on our best Bambi look 
Unlocked Achievement: Use your best empathic reply with your Bambi look and watch the disinterest crush you 
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Hello, fellow returning visitors,
I’m back from the woods, it was relaxing and very nice, we hiked pretty high every day and the temperature was perfect. But… I didn’t meet any handsome ex-best friend, neighbour or rival. Neither something tried to kill me. So, boring woods they were 
I’ve read almost everything by King and after all those years I think the creepiest and scariest one for me is still Pet Sematary. Of course it is also my favourite 
You took my words! Give’em back! Of course R is the best, and his reaction to biting is just what I expected. I think I’ll have great, hmmm, fun in later books.
I have to admit S reaction was hilarious, maybe I’ll make a MC for him too.
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Welcome back! I’m sorry you didn’t get to run into any handsome childhood rivals while you were away, but I’m glad you had a good time and made it home safely. (Assuming, of course, that you’re really @lo6otia and not some changeling impostor who escaped from the woods in her place.)
Yes, do it! She can join your awesome lineup of Fernweh MCs alongside Joy and Kassi. (If you need more convincing, I thought S was particularly adorable in this ask.)
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Ugh, what’s the point of even HAVING woods, then?
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I think that’s an insightful observation! Posing a question to another question isn’t too common, I think, especially to do it reflexively or immediately. I’m glad that you like this aspect of S. One of their ways to express affection is definitely sharing their knowledge or taking the time to learn about something the MC might find interesting to then talk about it with them. Plus, some of S’s random tidbits or facts are cute. 
At least you were on the lookout for them. 
They would appreciate it!
You might be able to get up to some ~fun~ moments in Book Two with R, though I’m only hinting now…
Oh, I remember that puppy dog eyes RO react ask as being one of my favorites; it’s so soft. One other thing that might be interesting for you @lo6otia, if you do make another MC for S, is to make them very compliant since I know your other two MCs aren’t high in that stat from the beta. It might be neat. S’s care and consideration is more so through actions than words; you have to be patient with them or look deeper.
That is why I love designing the different romantic routes; everyone is different, so it’s your choice.
@JBento Love how you used two hand emojis when you replied to me; there’s one for R and one for J as there should be.
JR Reaction to that Ask About Biting. (Prompt is in post 368)
“Do you own a turtle neck? Preferably black to match my suit.”
“No,” J shortly replies. “I don’t.”
“What a shame…”
The laxness that infiltrated J’s muscles ebbs away at R’s teasing words. The arm looped around your waist stiffens slightly, but you continue to gather raven strands of hair to one side, tucking them away to inspect the juncture of J’s neck. Their tanned skin is only faintly discolored, and it is barely noticeable. “It’s not that bad,” you assure, looking away from the hickey to R, who may have exaggerated it in the first place based on the mischievous wink you get in return. “You’re screwing with them.”
“No, sadly, I’m not.” R flops back down to occupy the foot of the bed, no longer finding the inspection as interesting, though they reach their hands up to settle one on J’s knee and the other on your ankle. Spending the day in bed wouldn’t be so bad, especially with how hard J works. “I think you should take today off and then I can…”
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Again, R’s the best.
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I’m not an imposter! But that’s exactly the thing that an imposter would say, right? So who knows… 
Well, I don’t know, we just have a lot of mountains and woods in the Balkans 
I’ve always found it funny how the name means literally “mountains”
This ask is good and I love R’s reaction When we got our hands on Book 1 I will make a new MC for S. I’ll try to make her more compliant and gentle in general, so I can have a very different experience. I hope I can do that because it’s hard for me to change my playing style.
Also I’m planning to make an MC for ???. Not sure how she’ll turn out, maybe she will hate that grandpa sent her away, but I’m pretty curious about this path, it seems like a train wreck or something.
No, you’re not only hinting. You’re teasing me, you evil author! 
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Progress Update: 10 August 2022
I hope you’re doing well! Hello to new and old readers. 
I somewhat recently shared the news about Book One being finished and submitted to Hosted Games. 
You can find the submission news on post 291.
Seeing your enthusiasm and excitement about returning to Fernweh means so much to me! I’m going to address some questions I’ve been getting so that you all might see the answers.
>Any news about a release date? When can I get my hands on TFS: Book One?
One anon on Tumblr just sent in: ‘grabby hands’, which is relatable. I’m like that too! Hosted Games has a queue for their publications with tentative release dates. I will be sure to let you all know when I hear where TFS: Book One might fall on this list after HG staff approve it and slate it for a date.
>What platforms will your book be on? I’m hoping for a Steam release!
Same! I’d like to reach PC players. Steam release is at the discretion of COG, so it’s not something I can politely request, though I do hope for it. Based on what I have seen in the past, I strongly feel that TFS: Book One will be out on Steam given its length (600,000 words in total) and the overall plot of the story, but we will have to keep our fingers crossed about it.
It should be available on the: COG website, iTunes App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore for Android, and possibly Steam.
> Book Two demo when?
Lol, I’m 95% sure you’re kidding with me. XD There will be a Book Two demo, but I can tease and say it will be very spoilery as soon as you start the first page… I’ll need to wait for Book One to release so both new and old readers have some time to find and read it. It may depend on how far I am with my outline to try and stagger content for you to enjoy during Book Two’s wait.
- - -
Here is what I have been working on
- I have been working on finalizing some assets for Book One! I’m not sure how curious some of you might be about the process, but there are things beyond the chapters required by COG.
- I tend to think of it in three parts: the game files, the textual assets, and then the art assets. I might get more into these in future updates, since I don’t want to ramble too much in this one.
- The short and sweet news is that the parts are done; the tag lines, synopsis, tags, logo, etc.
Here is what I will be working on:
- Book Two, my beloved!
- I have already started the base coding for the second book. I’m working on wrapping up the different levels of recaps since some players might want something condensed, while others may want a more detailed experience. (Eventually, you all should be able to import your Returning Visitor from Book One.) I will move forward with filling my outline; I’m thrilled to continue writing.
Thank you all for your support and patience with me!
(Also, I plan to reply to some of you later on, but I wanted to post this before cutting back my screen time.)
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@lacunafiction Great update. I too am anxious both for news from CoG about the release date and about the Steam release. I prefer to play on PC so this would be awesome news. I noticed several of the recent longer games have been released on Steam so this should be a no-brainer for CoG. I keep checking the CoG Upcoming Hosted Games Release thread for news!! Hurry up CoG staff (pretty please with waffles and extra syrup on top).
I think my MC Daisy would be a gentle, expert lover, but I am curious about how B would react to biting. Please post if you have/can find it. Oooh… spicy for Friday and I am done with the work week. Double bonus.
@lo6otia Pet Sematary was just downright creepy. I liked it too. The old movie was also good. I guess the King vibe is what I like about Fernweh. It isn’t an in your face zombie apocalypse, but subtle plot that weaves through the story. I like that with TFS the reader actually has to think about what is going on. It is interesting how one seemingly innocent event can turn up later and have significant plot implications.
By the way, I did watch the whole Walking Dead series so everyone has to have a little zombie sometimes!
Oo, that went over the top of my head until you pointed it out.
R will probably cause a lot of flustering in some MCs. Curious about how they will interact with J… carefully covers Bee’s ears I may need to try the JR route eventually. 
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Definitely looking firward to the full release. The demo was brilliant anc left me wanting more… which is a plus in my book.
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