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Is Juno going to get a revamp? I remember on my first playthrough, her character design was really compelling. The tattoos, the outfit, the "rescued a damsel" way we get her. I expected her to have more of a story arc. 

But aside from putting her on gardening duty until I get Mai-Lynn, there's really nothing else interesting about her. Also, she looks like an amazonian warrior-huntress with her tattoos and her in-game model (and her "wild-born" trait), but then her only interest seems to be in property ownership and business ventures. I could never reconcile that with her image. I mean, yes, her father was into a variety of business ventures, including selling contraband and animal pelts, but...maybe I just don't get what the town of New Eden is supposed to be like.

Thank you! It works! Cannot wait to dive in!

Runey! The mac file on google drive says too many people have accessed it. Please have pity on this humble fan!

I don't mean to sound whiny, heh. I'm just beside myself that I stepped out for ten minutes and missed the drop.

Every time I reach the part in getting Michelle where I meet Old Cooney, I ask about the slave being punished downstairs. Because I always want to intervene, and that's the closest I can get. Then I always beat up Old Cooney and kill his bodyguard. Why can't we storm inside and help her, the same way we helped Juno?

Michelle's background info tells us that she (Michelle) only avoided being molested by Cooney during the week she was with him because he was too busy fucking his other slave.  And that Michelle only got away one night because Cooney and his guard were having their way with her "co-worker." That all sounded awful, and I really felt for that unnamed, faceless girl.

I know, it takes time to program and flesh out a story. It's just that, early on, when there isn't that much to occupy my attention in the game, that encounter always jumps out at me. And I wonder "what if I went through that door? What would I find?"

Oh THANK you! That's fantastic. And please don't forget Ellie, if it's not too much to ask. 

So, the Velvet Room beneath Dockgrave Tavern. Ellie and Freya aren't happy there, and one of them was among Aria's followers during her rebellion. If you're working with her rebellion, could there be a route to rescue either (or both) of those girls?

Honestly, their predicament makes them a whole lot more compelling and sympathetic to me as characters than almost anyone else I can think of, aside from Aria, Juno, and Piper. The writing of Ellie and Freya's dialogue and reactions was really superb, and drove home the nightmare they're living in. I wanted to reach into the world and get them out of there. I get that this is a bdsm game, but I'd really love to see both of their stories told, and for there to be a chance to explore and heal their trauma.

That deeply upsets me. Your story has sexual themes and content, but damn it, it's so much more than that! I hope there's some way to salvage all those great articles and find a new platform for them.

Even if there isn't, please don't let this discourage you! I eagerly await the continuation of this story. I find myself checking every few days to see if 0.18 is out.

(Sigh.) This really is ridiculous. "Being a DIK" is still up on that website. There's no way that's less explicit than Harem Hotel.

Oh thank god! I have been starved for more Jin events!!

I have to say, that image of Lin and Jin jumped up my excitement for this update to a whole new level. I've been waiting for Jin's story to continue for so long, and I hope this indicates we'll finally see it happen! With all the events that go on around Lin and every other character in the house, it feels like she's been "recovering" from her hospital visit for months, not the prescribed week. 

Her story makes her feel like one of the most vulnerable characters in the game, right up there with Ash and Nia. I want to see her fall in love again and experience the "gentle" sex you allude to when Lin gives her that necklace she made.

Just started a new game, and wow, Lika was one of the MC's grandfather's maids! Ellen would remember her! I can't wait for that to come up in the future! Is Sophie that same one-eyed elf that's also in the lineup in Autumn's event?

A minor critique: One thing felt missing from Lin's bit, though only after I thought about it. Everyone's freaking-out reactions were great, including Nia's. But where was Jin through all of this? Did she have nothing to say or feel?

To add to my earlier feedback, just because I feel like it's a disservice not to mention this, Lin's events stole the show. Wow. The stakes were so high that everything else, even Autumn's and Ashley's events, felt like sidelines. I don't say that to detract from them at all, just to praise. I sensed that Lin's events were where you put a lot of focus, and deservedly so. Those were tectonic shifts in the world. Those moments with the iconic photos that suddenly looked "aged"? I'm assuming that was to denote that "sometime in the future," those images are preserved as part of history.

You've gotten really good with expressions. Lin's in that first photo taken by that asshole was perfect. (Lika's expression of rage at one point was also perfect.) The images themselves were also really iconic, definitely of the caliber that I could see being immortalized for posterity. Reminded me of some iconic photos of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.

The Android's contribution was fantastic. As was the reversal immediately following it. To be honest, the way things were going, I was starting to wonder when the Android would hijack an army of robots and send them to help overthrow the humans. Having Cornwall and "the government" have the power and vision to create something like Archon felt like it rebalanced my sense of the world.

And Archon. Well done. Massive 1984 vibes from that. Suddenly an AI can censor anything and anyone, completely cut a person off from the internet if they say things the government doesn't like or wants to suppress. And I have a feeling (a certainty, really) that the way they rolled it out before it was ready is going to bite humanity. Hard. The fact it could control all the droids (I think that's what I saw)? Giant red flag.

In general, I really got a sense that events are escalating to a state where something's gotta give. Not just in Lin's story. Kali's story, the mentions about a breeding program to create more half-elves, was disturbing in the extreme. Kali's step-mom's bit about "half-elf, pure elf, what's really the difference? Elves will still be here." was painfully believable. But the idea of replacing the entire workforce with elf-bots to "control the resources" (I think that's what it was) was frightening. It's exactly the kind of utopian vision that sounds great in theory (no one has to work anymore, yay!) but turns into a society-ending disaster when it hits reality.

I definitely sensed some inner turmoil in Kali. ("deaths in the low double digits." Really, Kali?) Felt like she's going to approach a turning point like Autumn's in the near future. Probably when she sees what's going on behind the curtain at her father's company.

You've taken us in some very intriguing directions! I can't wait to see where the story goes next!

I was honestly a bit surprised Lika didn't take the knife that had been put in front of her and use it. I could feel the rage and desperation in the air all throughout that scene. I also remember that girl who couldn't speak Common from Lin's story. It was hard seeing her like that. Hard watching Autumn's sister do what she did, too. Actually, hard isn't the right word. It shocked me. Even with her thorniness, her willingness to do something like that was horrifying...yet all too believable given her past attitudes toward elves.

The way you handled Autumn's participation was masterfully done. Right at the point of no-return, the point at which I was in danger of turning against her as a character, she had that moment of epiphany and shame. That final frame when she walks away from Lin, I could just sense how she felt lower than dirt for what she'd done...and failed to do. Just being a part of that spectacle made her feel awful. I'd be haunted by the knowledge that even if I wasn't there, those "lessons" were still being taught.

Anyway, excellent storytelling. Your hard work paid off!

Well done. All through Sister Delilah's part, I wanted nothing more than to see someone beat her bloody while screaming in her face "Feel fear!"

You planned a great event. Really resonates with what missionaries did to the Native Americans at "religious schools" aimed at "helping" them integrate with our society. Made me ill. And angry.

Right after you rescue Cira, and you're in the dormitory with Maria and Nia, it looks like Nia's ears are round. I think that's an error. :)

Not stupid or pathetic at all, my friend. Everybody gets lonely, and most everybody needs to feel a sense of connection to someone else. :)

I think the objectives are a good idea. There were times when I wasn't sure what character to focus on next, and it kind of left me feeling disconnected from the linear story.

Ahhh. I had thought people were protesting it solely because it was an innocent elf getting executed for a crime he didn't commit, who kept maintaining his innocence right up until the last moment (great image, by the way). But yeah, its barbarism as a form of execution would also definitely upset people (myself included). Nice job! The overlapping elements of "highly advanced society" and "cruel, brutal punishment" create a very distinctive world-sense. 

I wonder why the Banshee wasn't hanged. And I really look forward to an eventual meeting/reunion with her daughter. I get goosebumps when I imagine that first: "Hi, Mom."

This might be something that needs editing: During the abduction scene, "Voice 3" says: "Hanging fell out of practice decades ago."

But isn't the protest you go to with Vanessa over an elf having recently been hanged for a crime he didn't commit?

I'm super excited for the update/continuation of Jin's story that you seem to hint at in the picture above!

Something occurs to me. There are times when we can have sex with Lin in her room while Jin also appears in the room. By "times," I mean all the time after we get Jin. So it looks like we're having sex with Lin in front of Jin both before and after Jin begins her road to recovery. 

Question 1: Are you planning to make modifications/additions to Lin's sex scenes that take Jin's presence into account? I'm not saying they should be radical, but having Jin be present while you're having sex with Lin and just having no reaction at all feels like something is missing. 

1. At the beginning, when Jin is still on the hormones, I'd expect her to be envious. And given the way she swapped cum with Lin in a kiss (extremely hot), not to mention how willing she was to train Lin for the dungeon event (also extremely, face-meltingly hot), I'd expect her to be more than willing to get physical. (I'm 150% open to more Lin/Jin intimacy, by the way. I'd really like to see that discussed in the future story, too. Like, how did Lin feel about having her sister be so intimate with her?)

2. When Jin is going off the hormones and has to abstain from sex for a week, having sex with Lin while Jin is present in the room would pretty much demand some sort of reaction from her, I'd think. There's great potential for drama there.

Question 2: I have the same question about sex with Maria or Hana after they start sharing a room. Are you planning to modify their scenes at all to better reflect each other's presence in the room?

As a side note, there's an event where the MC forces Lin to eat out Kali as a punishment. The way it was presented rubbed me slightly wrong, because it felt like we were forcing Lin to do something sexual she wasn't really into (at the time). Plus, you make it clear that Kali isn't bisexual. Given how hard Lin tries to be a good maid, it just felt slightly out of character for the "good" MC you've been trying to build. I'm not saying to cut the scene entirely, lol, just offering some feedback to consider, in light of how you revamped so many of the Android's early scenes.

Question 3: As the Sanctuary keeps getting more tenants, and the sources of income increase (like from Jin gardening), are we going to see upkeep costs be introduced for the Sanctuary? Seems logical that feeding and supporting all those elves should cost something.

(EDIT: I did it again, didn't I? Up above, the "Remakes, Remakes, Remakes" bit probably covers all of these questions. Sorry, lol. Don't mean to take up your valuable time.)

Thanks for the replies! Lol, I guess if I'd taken a moment to think past my excitement, I'd have realized the answers for myself. Q: When will we get X? A: When it's ready.

Hope I didn't take up too much of your valuable time reading that huge block. Pity about Ann, but I totally understand what you're saying. Also hope I didn't sound demanding, heh. Just meant to express my enjoyment of her character. I felt like we'd gotten more exposure to her than the other blue room elves, what with how she entered the story. But I guess part of her role was to introduce the blue room and be the first. Thanks again for the awesome update!

Question 1: This question might've already been asked, but I'm noticing the girls have special outfits when you visit them at night (really love Lin's, btw), and I'm wondering when we'll get that as an option during sex.

Question 2: When will we get the option for repeated sex with Sylvia? I notice that the option is there for Nia, even though I'm "not close enough to her yet." (Already completed all her stuff up to 0.16, so I assume that's just an incomplete part of a future build.) Loved Sylvia's scene. Deliciously hot.

I loved all the new content. I can't help but notice how this update had more than a few male elves (finally!), lol. Nice development. Really retuned my sense of them being kept completely apart from female elves and just worked to death out of sight and mind. Ken came across as very dangerous and utterly ruthless. Definitely a threat. I imagine we're going to be seeing him again. Maybe he'll try blackmailing us. ...Or maybe he's just a terrific actor and is actually running a secret network that helps elves. With your great storytelling, who knows!

I love the way that Ash has turned into a steely-eyed badass. Nia's scene was glorious. Nice musical choice.

I feel like you might be setting things up for a major outside force (the elven gods and their otherworld civilization) to show up at some point and intervene. Can't wait to find out.

Question 3: are we going to be able to have sex with Jin again? It almost feels wrong to ask, since I have so much sympathy for her. But we were able to have enthusiastic sex with her in the dungeon right after getting her, and now it's not even an option, even when she wears vines like Lin. Feels a little bit odd since we were able to sleep with the new addition to the sanctuary right away. (That part would be my only criticism, btw. I was kind of surprised she was so willing to have sex right after being acquired, especially after having been told her life would be better. Would've been nice if there'd been some kind of minor story there to build up to it.)

There are so many places in the story where I feel an urge to make a kind, comforting gesture to these girls. Or intervene and stand up for them, and just make them feel like somebody cares about them as more than objects. A lot of the new parts in the slums provoked that feeling.

Question 4: how much more development is ahead for Ann? Because I really, really want more with her. I feel like she's never felt truly loved, and I find myself wanting to give her that.

Nia is the ninja girl. Go visit the sanctuary. :) If she's not there, make sure you're visiting in the first 2 portions of the day. Or check out the kitchen, or the garden, or the bar.

Thanks for the response! I appreciate it. That's a good quote. (It's a testament to Runey's crafting of the story that people can actually bring up Nietzsche when discussing it.)

When I first started playing the game, it was just a game. The characters were pixels and code. I wasn't invested emotionally. There's a reason people indulge in fantasy: no one is harmed. For all I knew, Lin wouldn't be written as a sentient being, but as a shallow archetype. There are plenty of adult stories in circulation where females are written to gleefully adore their circumstances. Those stories aren't my cup of tea, but to each their own.

All I was doing with my previous post was trying to give expression to the depth of emotion the story evoked in me at certain points, to congratulate Runey on a job well done.

As you said: "Seek to right wrongs and injustices, not create far more of them."

To that I would add: "Do not hesitate to intervene when a wrong is being committed before your eyes, simply for fear that in rescuing the innocent, you do harm to the guilty."

I realize that is a very, very slippery slope to stand on. I could see that being extended to a philosophy of: "bomb the guilty, even if some innocents get killed as collateral damage." Which I do not agree with.

The actions I spoke of ('counter-crusade the fuck out of humanity' for one) were written in a state of extreme emotion. I'm a very reflective person by nature. Killing is terrible. It is always terrible, even if there are times when it is justified. For example, if I had the chance to rescue those elven rebel leaders who were hanged, even if it meant killing their executioners, I'd have done it without hesitation.

During World War 2, there was a debate over bombing Auschwitz. Some advocated doing it, even if it meant that some of the prisoners would die, in an attempt to deter the Nazis in their mass-killing. A way of saying, "We know what you're doing." It's an incredibly difficult quandary. One of many things Runey has done well is portraying that there is no simple, easy solution to what's happened to the elves. Yet the actions of the revolutionaries remain understandable, because they could no longer stand by and do nothing while their people were being raped, enslaved, and murdered.

And for the record, heh, my very first reaction to Lin was wanting to give her a hug and reassure her that everything was okay, that I'd never hurt her or get rid of her. It wasn't to berate her bad cooking.

Thank you for the response! And for the reassurance that there will be a cathartic payoff at the end! Not gonna lie, I was starting to question whether it was healthy to keep following such an emotional story when I didn't know whether it would reach a conclusion I could live with. I don't put my heart through a wringer just for the experience, but rather because the pain allows for an even greater joy when we get that longed-for reversal. Now that I know you understand that, I feel safe to keep going. You're a great storyteller. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

I downloaded this game because I heard it was popular. I wasn't expecting the story to be so gripping. What started as a kinky, guilty pleasure has evolved into a riveting saga where the stakes couldn't be higher and my emotional investment is all-in. I really, really hate the humanity of this world, with the exception of the few good ones. You're doing an incredible job of stoking my sympathy for the elves. If I had the power, I'd reach into that game and counter-crusade the fuck out of humanity. I want revenge for the elves. I want to see human cities burn and the human race endure a dark age for every year they enslaved the elves. I'm on the bit right now with Jia's wedding, and that peppy newscaster line of "we've all been on the edge of our seats waiting to see who will become the next king of all elves!" left me feeling utterly appalled. You're portraying the rape and destruction of a society, and I cannot look away until I see the elves freed and the unfathomable tragedy that's befalling them come to an end. A certain part of Maria's story (and I think you know which) nailed my overall emotional reaction perfectly.

In short, this is a remarkable story you've created. Not only because of the elves, but because of the characters. Each of their stories pulls at me emotionally in a different way. Ash's nearly made me cry. Even the "side" characters are people I want to get closer to. My favorite might be Jin. I want to romance her just to see her shattered spirit mend. 

As a sidenote, it's somehow incredibly powerful that I've never seen a single male elf up until this point. Just letting my imagination describe them being entirely separated from their females and worked to death is horrifying. The rage and despair I imagine in them ought to be able to tear apart worlds.

(Edit: And now I finished Lin's story, and Nia's story, and my emotional turmoil has reached new heights. Fuck... By the way, I want some serious catharsis by the end of this. I mean it. I want to see that newscaster and everyone connected to this plot to make half-elves the 'replacement' and genocide a whole species get sentenced to death by torture. Extreme? Hell. Yes. But given the crimes implied, if anything deserved it, this does.)