Mini-Chapters + July Story Poll!
Okay, there's a lot more context this time to the poll so listen up! I'm sick and I'm on break till the 19th! I need my monthly break now, sadly. A cold has made this last week hellish, but I had my plan for the chapter which was good because I was in not sane condition to write.
Today, I have posted ten mini-chapters which are really not so mini, and some are lead-ins to larger chapters. The idea is you can read them, get an idea for the way the story would progress, and vote for it!
It also helps because I was unable to actually write a full chapter. So apologies, but I felt like I was swallowing razors that first day of my cold. I have medicine and it's getting better--but slowly and rest is the only cure.
What you need to do is vote for the chapter you want. Not every option is one represented by a mini-chapter, but most are. Then I will finish whatever chapter/arc you voted for.
It's not like we'll do this every time, but I thought it was an interesting idea and the sickness forced my hand. That's what happens when you have a backlog. You lose it.
Wish me well in recovery and vote like your reading enjoyment depends on it!
Mini-Chapters is 70,000 words long. Don't say I never gave you anything.
https://wanderinginn.com/2025/07/05/mini-chapters-patreon-poll/
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Comments (76)
I kind of want to see the Slayers Adventure and Zevara Detective Tales
I'm still finishing up but I have a few thoughts. First, I loved almost all of the mini chapters. Those Zevara chapters were amazing. Secondly, Caroline, I don't think I have ever hated a character in TWI more than her. I'm just a few hundred words at that. Third, the spirited children is probably the weakest and my least favorite plot thread, I cringe every time it gets brought up. But I can manage to get through it but that new earther coming in and almost immediately getting classes and skills and reaching lvl 12 and 16 was just bad. I hope you don't keep that in the final release. Actually I hope that when the books catch up to volume 8, the spirited generation stuff just gets dropped. Other than that, I genuinely loved the mini chapters
After reading 7 mini-chapters so far I want all of them... to be honest it was nice checking in with so many points of view, however briefly. I'd love more like this.
I think the Fetohep chapter is the most important one, we are hearing about it since last volume. That being said, I think I would have voted for both Feto and Zevara if I wasn’t too late to vote ^^
Who the hell picks the inn right now? We just spent almost the entire volume up til now in and around it (not that it wasn't awesome). 🫤 I was most curious about what Aba had in mind for Haight, but Zevara would also have been really interesting. I bet you guys also like fanservice episodes in anime :p I know, broken record, but... here's to hoping this is building up to a return to Baleros and Chandrar for the rest of the volume. I miss being behind. I could read the main story stuff and go back to the sidestories for a palate cleanser.
I voted for Haight and the Slayer, but I’m interpreting the Inn chapter as the Tessa arc based on what we saw in the mini-chapter, which I’m looking forward to.
So I went for the final joke option in the poll, but luckily I’m quite happy with the winning option. Although overall, I think I’d have liked to see more of the Zevara chapter the most.
Personally, I preferred the shorter synopsis than reading the bigger sidestory intros, I feel with the paragraphs that was done the previous vote there was less commitment to an arc or idea that might not become reality.
I’m conflicted about zevara. She is tough, smart, brave and I don’t mind her general annoyance with Erin but she is also mildly speciest so it’s hard to love her character.
Waiting for a huge Zevara character development arc. She is one of my favourite.
Wow, Pirateaba! These were lovely. Thank you for all the notes too. I hope you're feeling better! I found it hard to choose, but I'm definitely most interested in some movement with Erin. I like the new characters too and the slices of life of old friends. Thank you for sharing these. I cannot wait for more words, regardless. What fun!
Before reading the mini chapters I thought I knew what I wanted. Now, all I want is more of the Ailendamus story.
Spoilers!? can someone please tell me, how ksmvr, headscratcher amd vofea came to baleros? It seems I forgot.
I think you mean either rabbiteater or badarrow, but they were split up during the battle at sea.
Lots of people in here finding it hard to choose, for me it's pretty easy. There are only 3 that seem like they might actually advance the plot a bit. Seborn, Rabbiteater, and Fetohep. It feels like we have been sitting the same spot spinning our wheels in the mud for SO LONG now that I really dont want any new characters, or new plots, or another perspective. I just want to figure out what's going on in Beleros with Erin and Rabbiteater and the Titan. Or go back to Chandrar and advance the whole Roshal thing. So for me, it's easy.
"It feels like we have been sitting the same spot spinning our wheels in the mud for SO LONG now that I really dont want any new characters, or new plots, or another perspective." I think you might wanna take a break from this series then lol, because I do not see PABA advancing the Baleros plot, especially Erin's, anytime soon. Maybe end of the volume, but until then we will find new characters and have random new arcs with older characters because that's what TWI is in volume 10. And it's kinda fun too!
Unfair. Why are you pitting a Lyonette chapter against characters who never get the spotlight?!?
Let’s hope that they’ll all receive their moment in the sun when, years from now, we enter the “Andor” stage of TWI rights exploitation . . . . (In the here and now, I would feel more generous toward minor characters if the story could gain a bit more momentum in the direction of something resembling a central plot. We currently seem to be tacking through choppy seas in the face of a strong headwind, where a league of progress requires twenty leagues of back-and-forth to either side.)
I want to say that doing these mini update chapter combinations is nice. As in a chapter of mini chapters to catch up or do small updates on side stories that haven’t been touched in a while.
Gamer class girl is awesome. Imani doing her thing is awesome. Mrsha is always awesome. Cool classes and other worldly powers are cool beans bro.
Still working my way through the mini stories... oof, I want to hear about the wife at the wandering inn. "[Sheath]" feels super _super_ offensive when you consider it as a double endtendre. Poor girl has some issues. Maybe she should see a [thought healer] or [counselor] of some sort? That's some hardcore internalized self hatred right there.
Not going to lie didn’t think I’d like this as not really into small stories but this I could read 10 more of these think you missed a couple we could do like the gentleman or one like this but with couples
This was hard, there are several stories I would love to see play out. I think a Zevara chapter would be nice as it's been a while since we've really seen her and her chapter would be a good way to explore the changes in Liscore. The Ailendamus chapter was well written, and sounds like a great chapter to explore bothe old and new characters as well as showing how the solstice event has affected the agelum, plus i kind of want Erin to gain a new companion in the form of a djinni. Finally something peaceful sounds fun, and I kind of want Tessa back, call me a softy but I want her away from the Healer of Tenbault and back in a place where she can be useful, and also get some real healing for her issues.
This is the hardest mini chapter I've had. Most should come out. Zevara 2 should appear before part of 1 where she invites lyon fishing. I'd wish for your health, but even sick you're better than most stories that I read.
Zevara: her chapter starts fine, but the latter should be her feeling the filth of other cities and choosing to clean it up.
Lilliam's mini was great. I do hope you recover swiftly too.
Decision paralysis! why piratabba!?! Why? XD
Mini chapter 1 zavera the board. This is from what we've seen more of Demsleth/Teriarch outside perspective chapter expanding on what hes been doing actively and sharing old stories. While exploring some of the ins and outs of Liscor. I love a good teriarch chapter Zavera less so but exploring the inherited dragon breath is really intriguing idea that is something I wish was explored in the earlier books a bit.
Zebras has been at it for years in the pole and never wins. Always second damn. Should give her some love just for that. Clearly there is consistent attention for her
I dearly want either Lilliam's Vacation or Healing in Ailendaimus, but it looks like those are unlikely to win the poll. Lilliam's Vacation I feel would add more depth to Manus, which is something I've been looking for because they often seem like outright villains in the story. Their whole paranoid military-industrial thing feels very real, but obviously has got to have some interesting depth to it beyond that. Also, I want to know what [Sheathe Tender] does. Healing sounds interesting because I want the sublot of slavery and djinn to advance, and also we haven't spent a lot of time with Dame Eclizza and I want to see more of her. Plus every interaction with that poor lizardgirl was so cute that I deeply want more of it. To a lesser extent I also want to see Calidus the Guildmaster, mainly because I think that would be a hilarious chapter. That guy always makes me laugh.
Hope you feel better.
Voting for just one of these is the hardest thing I have ever done.
Wait, it lets me vote for more than one. This feels like cheating.
Would it be too much to ask for all of these chapters?
Can't see the option for the Baleros/Seraphel chapter on here, but would love that one too. Happy with any of the options though; so long as these options all show up eventually.
I belive Baleros was going to happen either way. With Erin meeting other Goblin Lords the meeting back up with Rabbiteater and Badarrow
Just that brief exchange with the Slime Chef in Lyonette's tale intrigued me enough to vote for Imani's tale to learn more about them! Katalepsis is *excellent*, and I'm enjoying the recently started second book (which has a fresh protagonist and an interesting attitude towards the 4th wall) even more than the first.
Lilliams vacation seems like such an interesting choice. Plus it’d be fun to see how someone like her reacts to crazy Liscor
The Lilliam mini chapter was such a strong insight into the flipside of named ranks/soldiers, its my unexpected top choice after reading.
oh no! thanks for the chapter and i hope you get better soon, sadly i have two friends with the same sickness, one got better in five days, one is still fighting the cough three weeks later hopefully yours will be the first! or better.
Honestly I'm sick of all the new side stories I Honestly can't even bring myself to vote on these anymore if it's not part of any of the ongoing stalled parts of the storyline I'm not interested
Harsh, but fair. Personally its the side stories and world building that makes this different then any other piece of literature. Any other story, we would not have gotten Zeter sixswords having a life, a family, mental heath problems, its this world building and now his wife going to Liscor to tie it back in with the main story. It can feel like a slogan to get through it sometimes, but I usually want more of the side stories once they are coming to an end
I want to read about Klb and healing as first priorities. I want also a Khelt chapter, Calidus chapter and Seaborn chapter. Too many great choices.
Best wishes, P'aba! Hope you feel better soon. :)
I honestly feel like the first version of Zevara's chapter was much more true to her character than the second. I love noir stuff but this felt kinda forced. The only thing I like in the second version is exploring new Liscor, seeing how the different species are starting to get along. --Froyobaggins' wife
I liked getting a lot of Liscor's old history in the second version of the chapter. Learning exactly how they lost the Shield Spider alchemy, how the city has always been built on the back of the last disaster, why there are so few older faces around, how Soot used to operate. Fascinating stuff, honestly.
Sounds like the new Covid variant. The razors don’t go away for like a week. Cough syrup, honey and ginger are your only friends. The salt and pepper water gargling helped a bit. Hope you get well soon💗
Agree with this. The new variant is being described as razor blade throat. Please take your time and make sure you recover properly, it always takes longer than you believe.
My top three options are Klbkch, Zevara, and Caroline. Sadly, my least favored option seems in the lead. Something Peaceful is focused on characters we already see all the time, the main characters. It's better in my opinion to use these opportunities for characters that have been out of the spotlight for a while.
Get well Pirate
Man I was gonna be happy if Mrsha and the inn didn't show up the rest of the volume except in outsider PoVs lol. Do we really need ANOTHER inn chapter after what's like half a year of just exclusive inn stuff? I'd absolutely love to see more of Zeters wife but that's not gonna happen, so hopefully Zevara or our beloved Slayer 🙏
I NEED haeight chapter ao badly
Laughed out loud in Duck when I saw the word count. Thank you! But remember, sick days are not real days off - as long as you keep feeling better, but if not make sure to get healthy days off of work too before returning hard! The Ducks are fed.
Feel better. I’d like the Ailendamus but looks like no shot
Okay, so I really want many of these Zevara, of course bc she's always been here and finally getting a whole chapter about her perspective is interesting, also the deeper explanation of why liscor is just, so, like, that. Wars happen and they are like hm another one huh? I love Haeight but some people commented that it sounds like the beginning of gravesong 3 and i agree, but also the vernoue chapters revealing some of what must happen after the third book sent me reeling, love it Lilliam, okay, hear me out. Sure on the surface it seems completely out there but how many characters have we seen bumble into the inn and became favs. I want more of ppl's lives changing for the better bc of this one crazy inn. I just have the feeling this one would have crazy payoff Healing is another one, it would be so cool to get to know the slaves that were THERE when shit hit the fan Imani is interesting but mostly just for the part of meeting the boy, i think it's something that could be woven into other chaps Leon, uh, maybe. What if he did something? Maybe? But there is a princess and a new earther? Heartslayi, i have no idea why i want this one so bad. Just let me see seborn's dad reacting to fanfic, it's all i ask. Cant i have pirate write bad or at least uh interesting twi au fanfic, please Slayer is okay, what is the gdi doing? Who knows. Will the prostitute finally get to where she's going and how much is she regretting this? A much more interesting question Peaceful would be cool for an actual inn chapter but as an interlude it's alright, maybe something else even though i do want it someday Calidus, MY DUDE, disaster man who is so unfortunately competent to everyone's and even his own exasperation. Also ive been wondering what has come from his class change after the world chess match for so long. Also in the vernoue chapters someone commented that he should meet Menisi and PLEASE. They would be toxic best friends or put each other out of their misery Fetohep can chill for a bit longer, can't see the hook rn where we are at SEBORN AND JELAQUA, we need to see them guys, we need to know what happens to an inn guest after they lose everything bc of it. God i feel so bad rereading that time they tried to leave but erin threw a hella party, opened palass, and moved the pieces back onto the board. Like made me want to scream run, run and dont look back. But, now, moore. Ya know? Cure pirateaba? *insert then perish meme*
I'm honestly glad someone is speaking in favor of Lilliam, bc I found that chapter really intriguing. At first I was like, Another new character really?? But of course now I really want to read the rest of it--Froyobaggins' wife
I don't see the Seraphel option here even though I just read the Seraphel minichap, am I going crazy? --Froyobaggins' wife
A vote for me is a vote for anything zevara related! Let's get that info! Cuz seriously we have like, none. Watch captain? Level 30's? When it's obvious she had a much more advanced primary class from all this? Full speed ahead!
If we do get it, i think it would be fun if Pirate added a day by day updates Zevara. (Kinda like the Silver swords updates.) Of on the job/investigation. (Only for one of the day updates reseting Erin’s Counter xD)
Oh, I see a food chapter choice!
Fetohep is my top pick but I want Zevara so bad only because of the Lord Moore story line and Calruz's redemption and I want Klb's story so bad
HAEIGHT??? omg
I miss Zevara POV chapters
Please voters, I come to you humbly to ask your support for a haeight chapter. I need more of haeight more than I need to breath (get well soon!)
Good luck on being less sick and contacting extraterrestrial intelligences, I'm sure we'll all love whatever you end up writing!
This is a painful one! Actually being able to read the intros and knowing we'll never get the full chapters for some of these... Looks like we've got a new Earther too! I wonder if she'll feature beyond the Slayer chapter. I wouldn't mind if we got some fresh perspectives. We're a few months past a Solstice so surely there's more newbies.
Yes its very spoilery thus I have mustered myself to not read them, and get my hopes up.
Seborn news would be so fire, miss that guy
Tessa time!!! I miss her so much, hopefully she can feel better
I’m with weston here y’all voting for more wandering inn when we could hear from seborn is crazy
Cute pirateaba of their sickness but put a rain check on the undetermined aliens
Feel better! Thank you for the chapter. I recommend trying ricola lozenges for your throat, they always help me. https://www.amazon.com/Ricola-Original-Natural-Cough-Drops/dp/B00A1CSDUQ
Please recover soon!!
Please we have had enough of the inn chapters for a while. Give Mrsha a break.
Magical alien cure for sure but theyd probably give you some alien version of the comic con flu so good luck with that. Height is a cool back up if aliens flake on you.
Feel better! Best wishes. Cheers