Dear readers,

It’s been a busy couple of months and it feels like my brain is settling into a new pace with the change of seasons. The cicada song is gone and the golden tinge of summer light has been replaced with pumpkins and woodsmoke. 

I’ve spent a lot of time worldbuilding and filling in plot holes alongside crafting a small October update. I consider it the second half of Sheltering Tree’s prologue, a sort of initial arc in the story. 

Along with this update I fixed a pronoun issue in the Birthright prologue. The passage used specific pronouns but in this draft of the game, outside of the initial query, the MC will not be referred to with pronouns. 

On drafts:

What you are reading right now is separate from the version I will release as the “Final Edit.” Any pronoun updates will be included in both versions but the Final Edit will have some rewrites and extra scenes. 

This particular iteration on itchio will remain free but the Final Edit will be commercial. 

I would like to eventually release a Final Edit + Art but that is highly dependent on raising the funds to do so. What do ya’all think about illustrations?

Thanks so much for joining me in exploring this unfolding world and its mysteries. Your comments, follows, and ratings all encourage me to write more and write better. Thanks for your patience!

Until next time,

Xiulan

(Birthright, including this update, is now at 22,000+ words and approximately 1.2 hours of reading in total.)