Hello everyone,
It's been fantastic watching this story find its first readers over the past couple of days. Thank you so much for every read, every collection, every Power Stone, and for the thoughtful comments I've received so far. It means a lot to me as an author.
I hope you're anticipating what happens next after the intense ending of the last chapter. Before we continue, I want to be transparent about my posting schedule and the general structure of the story so you know what to expect.
My Posting Schedule
To ensure a consistent flow of content, my update schedule will be based on chapter length. This will help keep the pacing steady.
Long Chapters (>1,500 words): These are the big, emotionally heavy chapters. To give them room to breathe (and to give me time to write them!), they will be posted on alternate days. This means there will be "break days" with no new chapter.
Short Chapters (<1,000 words): These are often faster-paced or complementary chapters. When these occur, I may post two chapters on the same day, about 12 hours apart.
This system will be my guide for all future updates. However, you have the power to change it.
Bonus Chapters & Our First Goal!
If you'd like to see chapters uploaded faster, you can help unlock Bonus Chapters.
These bonus chapters will be uploaded on my scheduled break days, turning them into extra upload days!
Our first community goal is simple:
If we reach 200 Power Stones and 10 Reviews, we will unlock a bank of 3 Bonus Chapters.
These chapters will then be posted on the next three available break days in the schedule. More support means a faster story for everyone!
The Story So Far & The Arcs to Come
I've structured this story into large, distinct arcs. It's helpful to think of them as different "volumes" in a series.
Arc 1: The Shadow Prince of Winterfell (Current Arc)
This is the arc we are in right now. It's the dark, foundational story of Jon's childhood and the building tensions within House Stark, fueled by Catelyn's paranoia. The last chapter brought this conflict to a breaking point. The next several chapters will show the immediate consequences of her actions.
Arc 2: The Years of Growth
After the current crisis in Winterfell is resolved, the story will move into its second major arc. This arc will span several years of the characters' youth.
It will have a very different feel from the current storyline, focusing more on training, adventure, and character growth as the children of Winterfell begin to grow into their power and their roles in the world. This will be a long, detailed arc focused on development and world-building before any future wars begin.
Thank you for your patience and for coming on this journey. The tension of Arc 1 is about to be paid off, and then the real adventure of Arc 2 will begin!
— Rambo_Tara