Mortish
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Tendency Poll #2
🕑 Added 2025-04-12 21:03:43 +0000 UTCErudite was a clear winner in the first poll. This time, we're going to have three new tendencies to choose from. The ones that aren't picked will be shuffled into the next poll with the two from last time. Erudite won't be making an appearance in Night VI, it's already filled with a bazillion different choices, but it will probably be my favorite to retroactively write when I do the Week One update. Readers have been likening an erudite MC to Hermione Granger and I think that's accurate.
New Tendency Options:
Humble // A humble MC is one who doesn't forget her roots. She won't let fancy baths or lavish dwellings go to her head, and she's likely to feel uncomfortable wearing expensive clothes and adornments. No task is beneath her and no gesture goes unappreciated. (Serax ++, Valdricht -)
Lustful // A lustful MC will find chastity to be a constant struggle. Once she finally indulges in the carnal act, she'll only want more. Not necessarily irreverent, she can still be Pious and Proper during the moonday hours, but once night falls she'll be desperate to slake her pent-up desire. (Serax +++, Valdricht ++)
Perceptive // Few things slip past the notice of a perceptive MC. She picks up on body language, hears what's not being said, and spots trouble brewing before it boils over. Quick to read a room and quicker to read a man, she rarely needs to be told twice—though she'll pretend she didn't notice, if it serves her. (Serax +/-, Valdricht +/-)
My thoughts:
I know this one will be tough. They all have a lot of potential. I specifically chose more Serax-focused traits that way we have a more balanced pool.
A humble MC could be good for readers who want to want a character who isn't keen on letting her new position as a darksinger elevate her above others. I think the humble interactions will really shine with Serax, who won't enjoy a haughty or holier-than-thou partner. It'll be particularly interesting to see a humble Zealot MC.
Lustful will be a lot of fun. If chosen, I intend to go all the way to the prologue to tailor it in. It's irked me that only the Heretic has had steamy fantasies. Again, I think of the Zealot and how intriguing it would be to have her secretly wrestling with lust.
Perceptive is a trait more for players than for the guys. Neither of them will be too happy if you're reading their moods and guessing their real motives, however it could give your MC a big advantage in interactions. I think the Heretic MC will be best paired with this trait, as she tends to be more watchful and content to absorb information.
Weekly Progress:
That's all for today! I'm still working on Night VI. I think once you play it, and replay it, and replay it, you'll understand why. As of right now I'm finished with the main story branches of the first half of the Zealot storyline and the Heretic storyline. Each branch is around the same length as Night III, so I feel pretty comfortable releasing it as a 1/2 Night update. Currently I'm going through and adding additional choices, and then I'll begin editing. I'm also almost finished with the next alternate POV scene, so I might release that before the update to tide you over while I'm editing and playtesting.
I think the first half of the night will be a good place for everyone to stop and reevaluate their tendencies and game modes before moving forward. Up ahead will be some pretty difficult stat checks with major impacts on your story. I'll talk about those more when I release the update.
-Mortish
Comments
ayesleigh
Hi Ro, thank you for your comment the other day; it was late when I saw it and I was going to respond to it today. I really appreciated it, especially since I enjoyed reading your thoughts in your back and forth with sunday and Melody! It was such a lovely and civil discussion. And I liked your assertion that there aren't a lot of stories like this out there for religious/ex-religious characters because that's absolutely true. Your interpretation of Zealot's feelings was great, it really gels with Unaligned Zealot wrestling with doubt the entire week before admitting that she was lying to herself about her continued belief in Night V. I'll be rooting for both of our Zealots and I'm glad there's someone else out there who adores the character like I do! 💖
Ro
*Drives in a whole ten hours late* Okay, definitely rooting for humble because I think it would pair perfectly with my Zealot, who can be haughty, but is a real sweetheart deep, deeeeeeep down (and was vestal-trained to not accept luxuries, lol). It works for Heretic, too, if you want to play up her insecurities and make her more demure.
Lindsay Taylor
I see my heretic MC as quite lustful, having really enjoyed reading that forbidden story at the beginning, wanting to experience those things so much. I also want to choose perceptive, though. Tough choice! Went with lustful in the end, though :)
Mortish
I think the Zealot could really use a humility trait to better conform to how a lot of people are playing her! I love how split this poll is. I’ll definitely have to do the Runner Up poll asap.
Mortish
She totally will be more lustful over time, but it can be a fun trait to amp up that natural carnality. I was thinking of adding examples, but my brain is broken after writing today. I have this quirk where I hit a mental wall round 4pm and I cease to be creative. I’ll totally add examples to the next one :)
origamihoshi
this hard becasue humble would fit my Zealot really well, but lustful is very much my Heretic coming into herself and allowing herself to finally accept this part of herself. I did voted lustful but also I want to say that perceptive sounds like a lot of fun
sunday
Hmmm… I would’ve figured that mc becomes more lustful over time anyway but in a zealot or heretic flavor depending on your choices so I’m leaning more towards perceptive to give our girl an edge, but it depends! And humble kind of seems like it could be the opposite of ladylike like proper vs irreverent. I think it’d be useful to see a tiny example of what it would look like for each? It’s kind of hard to decide from the descriptions, although they’re pretty appealing. But that might be too much work <3
