Short Story Topic Poll

We have 10 story prompts here. Please read through them all before choosing which of the options to vote for. Patreon polls don’t allow over a certain number of characters, so they’re only represented by their titles.

You guys have come up with a lot of really spectacular ideas, and I’d love to write more than one. However, I am a slow writer, and with so many other obligations on my time (including writing the main story) realistically I can only promise one. If I end up having extra time at some point, I’d love to give you guys a surprise of the runner-up story. Or runner-ups now might end up being the winner the next time we hit a goal number of supporters!

The poll allows you to vote for more than one option, but you only have one “Vote Point.” If you vote for 2 options, each vote will be weighted at .5 instead of 1, and so on for further multiples. At the end of the polling period, I’ll add up the weighted votes for each idea.

Option A may seem like it’s winning because it has more votes, but could actually be behind Option B that has less votes, if most of the people who voted for Option A voted for multiple options, while those that voted for Option B took it as their sole choice. So guys, just vote honestly for what you most want to see, even if you feel like a lonely dissenter. 

If you particularly like a story idea and want to provide me further inspiration about things that could happen during it or ways it could play out, feel free to leave that in the comments. I can’t promise I’ll stick to any suggested details, but if it “clicks” for me I might.

The story ideas:

Obliviously heroic Sebastien: Sebastien repeatedly, accidentally saves/rescues a cannon-fodder level character who becomes her fan and thinks Sebastien is being modest/low-key heroic. In reality, Sebastien is totally oblivious and doesn’t even remember who this person is. POV of the fan character, told in small snippets.

Sebastien’s Anti-Fan: A cannon-fodder University character keeps trying to sabotage/harm Sebastien, but Sebastien obliviously avoids all consequences, sometimes “cleverly” reflecting that harm onto the cannon-fodder character. POV cannon-fodder enemy, told in small snippets.

Percival Irving, Catastrophe Collector: Percy has attracted bad luck his whole life. He averages three minor unlucky incidents a day, and his friends and family consider it a minor disability. While struggling with a part-time delivery job, he encounters a hag selling luck talismans. When the coppers come chasing after a mysterious woman who seems to have stolen a book or something, the hag runs off with Percy’s money, leaving him with the good luck talisman. Things only get stranger from there, as Percy stumbles into “interesting” scenarios with alarming frequency. Somehow, he makes it through by the skin of his teeth with some strange luck, and no one will believe him when he insists he’s really, really just trying to keep a low profile!

(This is a secret side project I’ve been very slowly working on while sitting on the couch in the evenings, when I’ve done all I can for the day with PGTS and have some extra dregs of mental energy remaining. Please note, this a multi-chapter story (estimated 10 chapters) and wouldn’t reach a conclusion immediately. If you don’t vote for it, the first chapter will still be released in 3-6 months, tentatively.)

Thaddeus in the Haze Wars: A “back-in-time” short story about a period of Thaddeus’s experiences during the Haze War, exploring some of the darker aspects of magic and wartime uses. At this point in time, Thaddeus was still a young man, hadn’t yet served with the Red Guard, and while he was impressive to those who knew him, he’d yet to become a household name.

Liza’s Special Ops: After her child-soldier service in the Haze War, Liza was part of a special ops squad that carried out missions for the High Crown. This short story would show one of those missions, and likely touch on the incident that has pushed Liza to her current situation in the time of the PGTS main storyline. (And possibly show her first meeting with a child-sized Oliver.)

Theo’s (Mis)Adventures: Theo escapes from his horrible tutor, Mr. Mawson, and spends a day going through the Stag Territory and having small adventures. This would explore the effect of all the social improvement projects Oliver has been introducing through the Verdant Stag.

(I’ve got another idea for a Theo Bonus Story coming from the events of Book 4, but it would just be one big spoiler to do it now.)

The Honeymoon Suite: Titus (Damien’s older brother) finds out about the “honeymoon suite” misunderstanding involving Damien, Sebastien, and the hotel clerk. He remembers that Sebastien was found with a dress in his bag during Newton’s Aberrant incident, and comes to the wrong conclusions about Sebastien’s relationship with his little brother. Later, drinking whiskey with his too-nice friend Oliver Dryden, who is once again trying to get him involved in some philanthropic endeavor or another, Titus changes the subject to Damien’s school successes, trying to pry out some information about this suspicious Sebastien. Oliver is a little tipsy, doesn’t think it through, and tries to hide their connection. Titus sees right through this and comes to his own conclusions. Obviously, Damien’s fragile heart is in danger of being broken by some untrustworthy scoundrel. POV Titus. (If I write this, it might end up becoming canonical.)

Linonophobia, an Abnormal Fear of Strings: One of the children who survived Newton’s Aberrant incident has developed PTSD and succumbs to panic attacks involving thread, twine, etc, and is fraying at the edges from the screaming nightmares of that night that they wake from. Unfortunately, their mother’s sister took them in after the original furniture business went under, and the woman is a seamstress. Their aunt’s family is becoming fed up with the child, and so the mother prays to the Raven Queen for relief, setting out offerings for her every day, as it is known that the Raven Queen does nothing for free. Word of this catches the ear of someone at the Verdant Stag, and then to the Nightmare Pack. A group of Nightmare Pack members decide to pay the child a visit in the Raven Queen’s name and help, as a way to “collect goodwill” from the Raven Queen. Perhaps if they do enough good in her name, she will answer their own prayers. (also could easily become canonical.)

A Day in the Life of Liza: Liza is a very busy woman, fulfilling orders from various clients, managing her personal research, and (minor spoiler.) She wakes with a plan to plow through her work so she can get out of the house and make a visit to someone she cares about, but is interrupted constantly by various customers, that cheeky girl Siobhan, and sweet-talking Oliver who always tries to get her to do too much work for too little pay. Even if his butt does look good in his tailored trousers, that’s certainly not as good as gold in her pocket. There is no time for these interruptions when she’s constantly on the edge of going broke!

That Sweet Young Man: Sharon the cook overhears some of the other servants speculating about the “relationship” between Sebastien and Oliver, and she is absolutely outraged at the suggestion that Mr. Oliver would take advantage of such a nice young man, or that Sebastien would try and use his body for favors from a wealthy older man. She beats the other servants with a burnt bread stick and punishes them for weeks with improperly seasoned, over or under-cooked meals, and pointed disapproving sniffs. Only…now that the idea’s been put in her mind, she can’t help but notice how Sebastien and Oliver act so friendly to each other. “No, no, Sharon, you mustn’t think that way!” she mutters to herself, slapping her cheeks until they glow red.

This poll is open until Friday, 1/9 to give time for everyone to vote, but I encourage you to vote as early as possible so you don't forget.