Authorial thoughts at the end of PW Book 5 (Patreon)

Spoilers ahead and all that jazz.

It’s interesting to think of how Astrid got here when I had such different plans back in book 1 and the beginning of book 2. Felix and Benedict were meant to split from the party a LOOONG time ago in my mind. I pictured them only lasting to the end of Kznietch, maybe just a little beyond that. Now, here they are, 9x the level of where I thought they’d go somewhere else. Funny story—a lot of people find Benedict grating and have not made it a secret that they think it’s time for him to go already. If I were to name a character that’s most like me irl, it’s absolutely him. Sorry I’m so annoying to some of you xD

I also anticipated Skandr being more endgame, but as I continued writing him, his edges got sanded off and he became something much different from the gambling drunkard he started off as. I’m not sure how much of that was him just spending all his time in the Dungeon with Dungeonhead Astrid and how much of that was just the slow erosion of his character, but I’m looking forward to seeing what he learns when he can finally treat his Class the way he wants to. Got a good night with Astrid at the end of it all too, so he can’t complain too much about that. She gave him a charge of Regeneration and everything.

Muti. My golden-haired problem child. She’s so much fun. Just catlike and a bit mean, but not really on purpose. Just… different. I’m glad to have seen that she was, after a rough introduction, a well-loved character by many people. Her semi will-they-won’t-they with Astrid certainly wasn’t intended, but Muti can’t help herself around a strong person haha. Maybe some other time.

This isn’t going to be the last we see of these four, but it probably isn’t hard to imagine that Astrid’s going to outstrip their growth pretty quickly. Skandr has a prayer of hanging on if she slows down and he loses himself in study, but I don’t think he’s got that same singleminded dedication that she does. 

Now, the first half or maybe two thirds of the series is done. There’s going to be a shift in the way that we follow the story now, and I can’t lie and say that I’m not nervous. Now, Astrid is partyless for the first time since level six, and now… well, there’s a whole lot ahead of her. I’m looking forward to seeing more of this world, because I actually came up with the world before anything else in the story this time. That’s pretty uncommon for me, so I have things to show and for her to see on the surface and in the Dungeon proper. 

Anyways. Just kinda a ramble of my thoughts as the Wanderers officially break up. See you!