#These Reluctant Years MC1

[anxietytwist]

𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥

ʀᴀᴄᴇ: Half-Wildfolk ᴀɢᴇ: 𝟷𝟾 ʜᴇɪɢʜᴛ: 𝟼'𝟷" ɢᴇɴᴅᴇʀ: Trans Woman (She/Her) ᴏʀɪᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Demiromantic Heterosexual ❤︎𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞

MC1 notes:

Her bestfriend is 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞

𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰 is generally pretty quiet but will speak up if she deems it necessary (often in defence of others...but rarely herself)

...

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𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐚-𝐀𝐬𝐡

ʀᴀᴄᴇ: Deerfolk ᴀɢᴇ: 𝟷𝟾 ʜᴇɪɢʜᴛ: 𝟻'𝟾" ɢᴇɴᴅᴇʀ: Trans Man (He/Him) ᴏʀɪᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Biromantic Ace ❤︎𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰

MC2 notes:

His bestfriend is 𝐏𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 truly wishes he had a better relationship with Oleander, but at this point in his life has mostly given up on it ever improving

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Relationship Notes:

𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 fell for 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝟷ˢᵗ but waited until they had joined the rebellion to say anything (since it was safer that way)

𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰, being demiromantic, only recently developed romantic feelings for 𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 (though she did think he was attractive upon their very 𝟷ˢᵗ meeting)

𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰 wishes that she could have “properly” courted 𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞, but given their circumstances, she's accepted it is most likely impossible...

After the 𝟷ˢᵗ time they slept together “for warmth”, both find it hard to sleep comfortably without the other resting beside them

𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 is the extrovert to 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰'𝐬 introvert (very much a “she asked for no pickles”-esque dynamic)

Once dating, 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰 can often be seen standing behind 𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 with her arms around his shoulders & her chin resting on his head (she's very touchy once they're together)

When he's happy, 𝐌𝐲𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞'𝐬 tail wiggles (this always occurs upon seeing 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐰, which she finds adorable)

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𝐼𝐹: @specterwrites

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Picrew used:

[specterwrites]

If the ROs from These reluctant years were able to play one of your other games (which i love, give me more 😘) who would they choose to romance?

(which i love, give me more 😘)

You're one of very few, if my ratings on the Google Play Store are to be believed! All joking aside, though, thank you for your support! (:

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Lázaro: In The Paths to Greatness, I feel like he would romance either Fabricia or Wiley. They're both pragmatic people with a unique way of looking at the world, and that's something I think Laz could appreciate. He wouldn't like that they seemingly have no problem with serving the interests of a tyrant, though, and would try to get the ending where the MC persuades their significant other to rebel with them.

In Too Different, I think he'd go for Larua or Yelena. Lázaro would find Larua's revolutionary zeal and inability to express herself properly both relatable and frustrating, and Yelena's steadfast presence might be grounding to him.

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Belvidere: In The Paths to Greatness, they would romance Non'Caesura just to see where his story goes, and then on every subsequent play-through romance Sulo and no one else.

Too Different, I'd say they would romance either Yelena or Abireth. Belvidere would enjoy conceptualizing Abireth's novel and also just talking with Yelena.

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Prudence: In her first play-through of Paths, she would romance Archidamia just to see what her deal is (she is a skilled warrior with ideals very similar to the Sovereignty), find Commander Aurum's attitude distasteful, and then perhaps romance Sulo on her second run? It's tricky because, though Prudence would respect that Sulo is upfront about being a spy and lying all the time, she wouldn't like his profession and willingness to serve Emperor Maganat.

In Too Different, she would find Orisons most attractive. He's a poet, and tends to be dramatic, but I think Prudence would find his antics and religiosity intriguing (though a little annoying), if only because she hears about all walks of life on the Frontier and has gotten used to unfamiliar experiences.

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Blythe: When playing Paths, he would go for Emperor Maganat, no contest. You can only romance him as a cis woman, though, and Blythe wouldn't do that because he wants to! It would just be to explore the story of a righteous king that, though he is a dirty cripple, understands that the weak must be subjugated. He's n-not some sort of filthy deviant! After romancing the emperor, he would be ashamed and then romance Archidamia in every following play-through, as if to affirm to himself that he is not a deviant.

While playing Too Different, he would be intrigued by Emil's conviction and Dread-Sight's statements about life/death/undeath/reincarnation, but ultimately try to unsuccessfully romance Avdotya. He would get very upset that she is not an option and write an angry one-star review about the author not including any romanceable straight women after missing all the subtext in the ending.

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MC1/MC2: It depends!

[deskofadiscodancer]

Very quick sketch of Lázaro and my MC1 from @specterwrites interactive novel These Reluctant Years! I’d love to do a colored drawing of him sometime but I have to go work (￣^￣)

[specterwrites]

Yes -- both MC1 and MC2 can be trans in These Reluctant Years! You can also play as gender neutral and have custom pronouns. (:

Hi, do you know any IFs where you can play an MC that is trans? I'm a trans dude and tbh I just want to find love as my authentic self haha

We do, here’s what we found! Some of these IFs recommended here will be implementing the option to choose whether your MC is trans in a later update!

If you have suggestions for any IF where you can play as a trans MC (or if this option will be present in a future chapter/update) , please feel free to let us know and we’ll add it to the list!

A Comedy of Manors by @sviyaginthegreat

Blood Moon by @barbwritesstuff

Body Count (18+, will be implemented in a later update) by @bodycountgame

Event Horizon by @if-eventhorizon

Fields of Asphodel by @asphodelgame

Greenwarden by @fiddles-ifs

lost birds (will be implemented in a later update) by @if-lostbirds

Lure of the Gallows by @lureofthegallowsgame

Ninelives by @springsaladgaming

Our Life (VN) by @gb-patch

Perseids, or, All This Will Go On Forever (trans woman) by Communist Sister

Project Hadea by @nyehilismwriting

Remember, You Will Die by @vapolis

Seasons of the Moon by @cereuscross

Snakeroot by @cerberus-writes

Speaker (will be implemented in a later update) by @speakergame

The Bastard of Camelot by @llamagirl28

The Eight Years Revolution (will be implemented in a later update) by @eight-years-revolution

The Northern Passage by @northern-passage

The Passenger by @the-passenger-if

These Reluctant Years by @specterwrites

Venatici House by @prettyboyhowl

Virtue’s End by @crimsiswrites

When It Hungers by @roast-ifs

Up & Coming (no demo yet!)

Abyss by @abyss-if

All Paths Lead to the Underground by @pol-writes

Legend of a Savior by @legend-of-a-savior-if

Partially Stars by @partiallystarsif

Underbelly by @underbelly-if

The Chosen One by @the-upperworld-if

The Everheart Thief by @everheart-if

The Hunt: Demon Eyes by @thehunt-if

The Mystic Pawn by @exn0bisstudios

The Starless Throne by @illonius-if

The Twilight Order by @exn0bisstudios

This Too Shall Pass by @ttspinteractive

Unmourned by @unmourned

Vardir by @vardir

[specterwrites]

Update: June 29th, 2021

I’ve updated These Reluctant Years, today!

In this update, I’ve:

Completed chapter 3.

Including romance interactions between certain characters and MC1.

Fixed various grammar, spelling, and continuity errors.

Finally given you the option to pick a side in the brewing conflict!

Added some 96,000 words.

The link is the same as in the pinned post.

Follow this blog or join my Patreon page to see additional lore, what-if scenarios, and early updates! You can also always feel free to message me on Patreon, Tumblr, or the Choice of Games forums!

[specterwrites]

Art showcase #2!

These are Konoi’s MC1 and MC2: “Morgan Set and Aa’rp Southshoal”! They were shared with me on the forum thread for These Reluctant Years and posted here with their permission. They also gave me permission to link to their Twitter: @Kurozora_Konoi

[specterwrites]

Patreon Update: April 20th, 2021

If you join my Patreon page, you will get access to story updates one week before the general public. The fourth of these exclusive updates has been posted! I will edit the forum thread for These Reluctant Years to include this update one week from today.

This update includes chapter 1 (where MC1 and MC2 finally meet), some grammar/spelling and continuity error fixes, all of the chapter headers, and some 37,000 words. I’ve also started writing weekly developer updates, so if that and supplementary lore sounds like something you’d be interested in, please consider becoming a patron!

[specterwrites]

Patreon Update: June 22nd, 2021

If you join my Patreon page, you will get access to story updates one week before the general public. The sixth of these exclusive updates has been posted! I will edit the forum thread for These Reluctant Years to include this update one week from today.

This update includes chapter 3 (including romance interactions between MC1 and other characters), some grammar/spelling and continuity error fixes, and some 96,500 words.

[specterwrites]

Hello there author! This Story is indeed one of the most intriguing I've found on "the forum" yet. Just having a character like Blythe be an RO. Thats the most...exotic one out there I've seen (read :p) in 2.5 years of WIPs. So does he actually, like,,, love MC1 (at a point) ? Or just find them useful/attractive/flattering somehow?

Hello there author! This Story is indeed one of the most intriguing I've found on "the forum" yet.

Thank you! I really always do try to write something different (with varying degrees of success, judging by my numerous one-star reviews, lol).

Just having a character like Blythe be an RO. Thats the most...exotic one out there I've seen (read :p) in 2.5 years of WIPs.

Blythe is definitely the most... unambiguous “requisite evil romance option” I’ve written for an interactive text game. Unlike The Swollen King or Emil (I’ll forgive you if you have no idea who I’m talking about -- a combined, like, twelve people including me have read both The Paths to Greatness and Too Different), Blythe doesn’t get an immediately plausible explanation for his character. He will develop more in the later chapters of These Reluctant Years, but not necessarily in a “good” way.

He represents sort of the counter to a major theme (people are just people), in that him “just being a person” does not excuse in any way what he thinks he has the right to do.

So does he actually, like,,, love MC1 (at a point) ? Or just find them useful/attractive/flattering somehow?

That will depend entirely on how deferential and quote-unquote proper MC is. If MC2 chooses to side with the traditionalists/Sovereignty (as I’ve said in the forum thread, I don’t know why anyone would do this, but the option will be there), though, Blythe will regard them at best as a useful idiot or “one of the good ones”.

[specterwrites]

Wait, is Blythe genderlocked to female MC's?

Blythe is... a special case. He’s sort of a spoiler character at the moment and will become much more prominent both within the story and as a person after Laz gets his rebellion going. Blythe is restricted as a romance option to a cis, traditionalist, non-wild-blooded, Sovereignty-siding MC1. He is, in no uncertain terms, the “evil” option, and just as bigoted/racist/sexist/classist as near everyone else in his social strata.

In These Reluctant Years, I want to make it very clear that, though you totally can be a racist, homo/transphobic, sexist, colonizing, etc. ass... nobody is going to like you except the ruling elite of the same qualities. And, even then, the Sovereignty’s culture of success-at-any-cost basically guarantees they will also be completely fine with stabbing MC1 in the back or otherwise ignoring their achievements simply because they are a woman, or once talked to a radical, or simply because they are not Mainland nobility.

You cannot just keep doing terrible things for your entire life and expect no one to care and/or take notice, is what I’m saying. Sooner or later, comeuppance will come for you.

[specterwrites]

Update: February 24th, 2021

I’ve updated These Reluctant Years, today!

In this update, I’ve:

Lowered entry requirements to get into Gensburg College.

Completed MC1’s introduction.

Began MC2’s introduction (exile only).

Added more neutral options to early decisions.

The link is the same as in the pinned post.

Follow this blog or join my Patreon page to see additional lore, what-if scenarios, and early updates! You can also always feel free to ask/tell me anything on my game’s forum thread! (:

[specterwrites]

Wait who is MC1/MC2? (Sorry I’m confused)

(Sorry I’m confused)

It’s fine!

In These Reluctant Years, there are two main characters, which I abbreviate as “MC1″ and “MC2″.