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Poll

May 2025 -- Side Stories Poll!

  • The Week After in Ailendamus 364
  • Seborn's Ship 314
  • Turnscales of Pallass 372
  • Selys in the North 195
  • Ilvriss Digs 558
  • Drassi, Channel 2 News 209
  • The Archipelago of Drath 965
  • Vetn and The Thieves' War 172
  • Toren At Last 1111
  • 2025-05-03
  • —2025-05-06
  • 4260 votes
{'title': 'May 2025 -- Side Stories Poll!', 'choices': [{'text': 'The Week After in Ailendamus', 'votes': 364}, {'text': "Seborn's Ship", 'votes': 314}, {'text': 'Turnscales of Pallass', 'votes': 372}, {'text': 'Selys in the North', 'votes': 195}, {'text': 'Ilvriss Digs', 'votes': 558}, {'text': 'Drassi, Channel 2 News', 'votes': 209}, {'text': 'The Archipelago of Drath', 'votes': 965}, {'text': "Vetn and The Thieves' War", 'votes': 172}, {'text': 'Toren At Last', 'votes': 1111}], 'closes_at': datetime.datetime(2025, 5, 6, 20, 0, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'created_at': datetime.datetime(2025, 5, 3, 23, 44, 58, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'description': None, 'allow_multiple': False, 'total_votes': 4260}

Content

My break has almost ended. Where did it go?

Seriously, where did it go? I know I did some things over my break, but it wasn't enough! I wanted to relax more, read more stories, watch more stuff...

But the days are moving forwards and to be posting a chapter by May 10th, I must begin once more...to actually engage my brain. The planning for a next chapter must begin, and with it...

The side stories poll! Well, I know there are chapters that must be written like Erin, Horns, Ylawes, etc. so this is truly a secondary-level poll. Important stories, ones that matter--and I'm not sure which should win!

I'll do a bit of explaining for some of them this time so there's context. I'd usually make those spoilers, but I'll try it this time this way. Anyways...vote! Vote, and get ready for chapters!

The Week After in Ailendamus -- This one's about Rhisveri, learning more about Eclizza, and the slaves who were rescued from Erin's ship. Including some Djinni, which may be a problem. Expect King Nuvityn making an appearance.

Seborn's Ship -- Seborn may interact with at least one Mrsha who's checking in on a very upset [Rogue]. He's on a coast, but he has no ship, no team, and no crew. If he wants to claim what he's owed from his father, he's going to need to go back to his roots. A [Pirate] returns to the sea. Expect water, ships, a discussion of the sea, and perhaps a certain survivor from the war at sea.

Turnscales of Pallass -- Not just Pallass' Turnscale bars, but an exploration of well, what it's like to be a Turnscale. It's not a good time with Chaldion out of the picture, but there's a lot of opportunity with that door in Liscor...it might be time to create a new bar. But Saliss is leaving for the New Lands, which means Mirn has to find more allies instead of relying on Onieva. Fortunately, there are a few, including a high-level [Doorgnoll]...Rose may intersect and we might find out if she made any deals.

Selys in the North -- Expect Selys being upset. Expect shenanigans. Expect...[Assassins]? Selys might not be making many friends, or maybe friends and enemies. Reinharts on the move.

Ilvriss Digs -- The man has a plan. It probably didn't involve the Goblin King, but he's going to strike some kind of dirt. Lyonette may need to offer him a hand or two. There's all kinds of opposition in the north, and not just the nobles you'd expect. A different kind of nobility is up there. Herder Barons.

Drassi, Channel 2 News -- It's time to report. From that assassination that she survived to new types of news--everyone's got a story, which means Drassi has a target on her back.

The Archipelago of Drath -- It's time to explore the final continent--if you want to. This would be the inciting chapter into Drath's content so I'm more interested if it'll win. Expect to see, well, just how it operates. Lots of different concepts like [Cultivators] in this one.

Vetn and The Thieves' War -- He's going to enter the race to find the Lightning Thief's legacy. [Thief] shenanigans, and, at least one Great Company are in the mix for this one. Expect some higher-level shenanigans.

Toren At Last -- He's free at last, but where is he? Also he has to take care of at least one person which is new for him. This is going to be about finding oneself. Literally, because he's lost.

Comments

k0sm0

Tough call. Drath, Toren, and Ilvriss are a three-way deadlock for me.

Seam

Enjoy the last bit of your break!!!

Jeff D

Vote Toren!

DenverDD

I think I want them all - I hope that you had a great break!

Ryan McCaffrey

I want to see what Toren is up to as much as anyone else. but we have yet to see Drath. I'd be really interested to learn more about it.

Zinged

PLEASE TOREN

Shin Dig

Yes! DRATH! FINALLY

Billy

Haha I am locking in Toren, Pallas, and Seborn. Looks like we are finally getting Mr bones.

Erik Prates Costa

Damn, I know that only one of the side stories can win, but I wanted to read all of them

Zach

The hardest part of these polls is that they all sound interesting. I think the Drath might be the most important if we're finally going to get some Drathian content in the future, but I also want an update on the slaves and info on what Ilvriss is up to. I'm pretty curious how a certain Duke responds to everything that happened too. We got a small glimpse but with Mrsha back... Well, it'd be interesting.

Maxyme Trudel

Nah we need News of the prodigal bone son

Jotham

My vote is for Darth. I wanna explore the [Cultivator] class more.

Ashenka

I like the idea of a Drassi side chapter. Especially with so much going on, us ducks consuming all the emotional bread, but what about how the rest of innworld, who weren’t all directly involved, how do they see it? A news report on how things were reported would be really interesting.

EmptyPockets

Ngl I'll be kinda pissed if Toren wins over Drath just because of the meme

Grant Sampson

I wish I could vote for several of these, lol

JB

Toren pls! I think he would be a nice change of pace from the last arc. Little bit of a palette cleanser. It's been forever since we have seen him, and he's always been a bit on the silly side. So it would be nice to see how he handles the New Lands, and how caring for the healing slime has changed him! Drath is cool, but I think I would rather get there organically in the story. We have a lot of new threads opened from the last arc already, and many more that have been out there. I do want to see it eventually though!

Erve-Azeda

I want them all, how dare you make me choose

Travis Beecher

Drath needs to happen, however comma, I forsee that being a full-time commitment. How many years have we gone without Drath world building? What chapter was it where the boats passed each other and there were some drath sailors and some japanese I think was spoken? My point is, I think we should finish, or at least make good progress on SOMETHING, before really digging in to something new. The turnscales side story has really already been set up. From what Erin tasked Ilvriss to do, to the strides that Saliss and Oneiva have made. I can see that making high impact in a low chapter count with some(hopefully) tied up ends. I don't see the same with Drath(and this is coming from someone living in Japan, lol!) Take my vote. Great poll and post!

Oliver93

The prodigal son returns give me Toren

Adam

This is impossible. I want all of them.

Kef

Cultivating, boo!!!

RedGoblin

Toren has been Tempered down thanks to Az’s children’s bullying. :) I am curious would he revert back into another (mask) persona like he did in the dungeon? And who he might find inn the journey. though i do hate it when all the choices are all great picks :p

Kef

Get up you skeleton!!!

WyrdWizard

Oof none if them ate what I want. I want Embria and 4th company drama from her charge at the Solstice!!!!

WyrdWizard

I do think Mirn needs to be the Inn bartender though.

Richard Davis ll

Dammit every time with these polls I WANT THEM ALL but I’ll vote for Toren for now

Nik

No. No. God.. NOOO. You can't do this to me Paba. I want them all and you can't make me choose. Not this time. I want them all. And I want the newest junior guardsman of Liscor's watch. I want to see the prodigal son's return and for him to see everyone at the adventurer's haven. And I want the horns and Erin. I want it all. ... I swear...I don't know what you have done to me Paba. If I was in the innworld, I would definitely have a red class like [Insatiable reader] or some type of red status like . I was never like this. Back in the day, I never used to read or if I did it would be me rereading the same series every year but now, even my family is worried about my reading. On a side note, does the queen of nerry's fallen(can't remember spelling of her name) have a red status like the one I mentioned above?...see what happened right there? Seriously Paba what have you done to me?

John Koor

I want all of them but Selys, but Toren is way way way past getting some love, so im only voting for him. I'm amazed others seem to feel the same way. We love you, Toren!

Adamas

Dam, there are so many side stories that are all so good. Let's see, Toren is inconsequential, I don't care about Vetn or the thieves, don't need to know about Drassi, Turnscale may be fun, Selys will definitely be fun but will obviously be referenced later. Honestly the ones I want the most are Ilvriss, Seborn, and Aliendamus. Maybe Ilvriss because we've been waiting for him for a long time now and I'm interested in the walled cities. But it seems like the most likely to win is Drath. I know we've been waiting on it forever but at this point I rather we have an entire new story set in that place. There's too much happening outside of Drath that I want to finish before we put more on our plate.

John Koor

Vote for death! TOREN!

RedGoblin

I agree with you on Aliendamus since its a from of conclusion of Erin’s actions, but most importantly King Nuvityn’s Thoughts on the sudden appearance of the Goblin King :D

Aaron

Drath my beloved, its finally time!

Valmorian

sadly what i want doesn't seem likely. . so i say toren wint to drath became a cultivator, and now follows the way of the flaming skeleton of relics. seriously though i've wanted to see what pirateaba would do with cultivators sense they came up.

Sirloki

The mask came from his "special bones" I don't think he got those back yet

Objective_Campaign82 (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-05 14:00 I need a palace of Fates for myself so that I can see all of these. Why must I only live on one timeline!
2025-05-04 01:46

Adrian Almy

This is such a hard choice

Patrick Woodburn

You can - the poll allows for multiple options

Shimelton

This is the appropriate use of the Palace. Futures where all the chapters have been written for all the stories you love.

Nothingman

PIRATEABA DROP A FULL DRATH INTERLUDE AND MY LIKE IS YOUR'S

Zack J

I'm so happy to see the Toren love in the poll. A tragic but wonderful character that I think needs developing into a true anti-hero, or maybe just hero eventually.

The-Magic-Sword

This is my first poll since catching up you guys ^_^

Dalin Nichols

Ill always vote Toren. My favorite stabby skeleton

RedGoblin

He still has them but to a greatly diminished amount, as they were given to Az’s kids. Those very bones is what animates him. Though Pieces does mention he still has more of them, and only used a small part as an experiment on Torren. *shrugs* But what is scary is that he is stuck in an Iron man like relic suit forever locked up until he can form a bond to give him mana, in a place with -mana. :D Only Goblins would be that crazy! To bond with him. xD

Jimi Kane

Um, I vote for no side stories for a few months. At least. It feels as if we just spent 7 months wading through a side story that grew like Seymour. There were awesome moments but I would be thrilled to spend 15 straight chapters with Erin, Rabbit & co., Nerin et al., the Horns, and the Swords.

DocAnthea

Aw I want that as well lol. I wish Baleros had a palace of fates like arc where it was just one chapter after another but I don't think that's going to happen :(. I wouldn't mind seeing some of these side stories like Seborn or Aliendamus but I hope they're just one chapter.

Freddy

So many great choices. I want them all. Drath can wait because it will open another plot points/characters. Let’s deal with what we have first. Highest priority is Toren. I also want to read about Vetn, Ilvriss, Aliendamus, Seaborn and Selys. So many great choices.

Delana Warlord

Drath will almost certainly lead into a multi chapter story at some point. Toren is a prodigal son who needs some loving, he's my one and only choice this time. The other side stories will return in other polls if they don't appear in their own time, organically, I'm sure.

Elliott Zajac

I love and hate when every option is something I want to see. I'm leaning towards the ones further from the inn, like Vetn, if only to give us a break after the Palace arc. However, depending on how much other stuff we get first it might end up being about time to check in with Rose or Mrsha or Rhisveri or Lyonette... so hard to choose!

Martin

Why side stories? Palace of fates was enough for the next several years

matth B

Toren! Our wayward family member! Whatcha doing bud? You taking taking care of healslime? He needs water *a lot.* like 5 times an hour or somethin buddy. Stop talking to Necromancers and witches. Er, evil necromancers. Just go be you for a while. Then come home

StarBat

Seborn is going to get to a druid mrsha. This provides largest impact.

Chargcake

Vote toren people

Marc V

DRATH! DRATH! DRATH!

CromCruach

Toren if you want the story to get back on track.

Jon

It has to be the baby undead learning his way in the world.. that innocent psychopath Toren

C.K. William

Please vote for Toren. We never got to see multiple alternate Toren.

Jon

What I need most is a spreadsheet for who is dead and who is now alive again.. after the last arch I’m a bit confused as to how many of each character and which versions are alive and well in the world..

Scott's Folly

Toren and Ilvriss are both loose ends that have been hanging for a while, especially given how integral they were to the main plot and that they went 'offstage' with specific missions in mind. Of course, there may already be plans for them (and their consequences) to rejoin the main plot, but having them on the Side Stories poll doesn't give that impression. Drath would be a whole new expansion to the world - it feels like it would want more than just a side story to show itself, or it should remain as enigmatic to the reader as it is to most Innworlders. I'm sure we'll be getting a lot of 'the week after' in various places through the main plot, so the Ailendamus aspects would have to be particularly impactful and self-contained to merit taking up a side story slot. Most of the others sound as if they'd be creating new plot threads for the sake of it, which might get tied off within their side story or might not but wouldn't really mean much either way.

LurkNautili

I like Aliendamus, turnscales, Ilvriss and Toren. I'd rather not have cultivation in TWI but if it's inevitable we may as well get it over with sooner rather than later. Still, I think Toren edges it out regardless. [EDIT: And what I want the most, still, is more Erin. I hope she doesn't turn into a side character now and proceed to only show up at the conclusion for the final boss battle. Unlikely, I know, but that's what it feels like sometimes.]

Tobias Wahl

Come on guys, lets be real what point is there to talk about Toren? His character arc is basically over and his story relevance has dried up. Lets go with Darth, that will be way more interesting

sambee

I think that it might be part of a larger new lands story

Jonas Sarsevičius

Well time to vote for Toren(New lands, possibility of silver swords)

Ground Control

Eh aba tends to write in parts from the other side stories eventually anyway. More like the illusion of choice, or maybe just the main theme where there's still a good chance you'll hear about the other stuff, if not as much if it were the main pick

Vorkosigan5

Ilvriss first then Toren

Ann Supreme

Torn!!! The Misunderstood

James Getgood

Oh come on you fools, don't give up Drath for a dumb skeleton

Zach Cooper

Seborn chapter, please please tell me seve survived🙏🙏🙏

Joshua Flowers

Well Toren chaps have become more plot relevant

Joshua Flowers

That part @sambee Drath is more insular and less plot relevant due to the lack of narrative threads with known characters. Thought it would be fun to explore the unknown the New Lands offer more opportunities for our current cast to take to the stage while also scratching that same itch

Joshua Flowers

I agree. Drath would have been fun to explore if Erin washed up there or some other of the current cast had to he there

DocAnthea

I think all Baleros PoVs are going to be written anyways without a poll now. Especially since Tom already lost one poll against the horns.

Sean Coker

I started a reread during your break. I miss Toren!

T

He's lost like two now at this point. Toren, Drath, and Tom are very neglected storylines at this point.

ProSailor22

Meh, not sure I want to go down the Wuxia angle with this story. Which is what Drath is.

Jeff

been too long since we've heard from the Horns of Hammerad after their training and flying off on the carpet. i miss them