The following blog post carries the personal thoughts of Elder Prince, founder of Blossomsoft Games.
Let’s take a sneak peek behind the scenes of Dechentreiter Thing. This story is divided into three letters, each written by a different persona. Here’s a glimpse into the intro paragraphs of the second letter, and don’t worry, no spoilers ahead.
Old 2014 Edition excerpt:
Dear Aunt,
What a week from hell… My back is killing me. I think I need an MRI. Jesus Christ, I’ve spent eight days on the trot under the killing sun planting sods and sprinklers in different yards across the town. I was near dehydration despite drinking two bottles of water an hour, ‘cause they were lost in sweat after a couple minutes. How am I supposed to gain weight under such working conditions? I haven’t changed much since the last time you saw me, I remain your sweet twiggy scarecrow. It must be in my genes, there’s nothing I can do about it. I was, I am and I will always be skin and bones.
I beg you again: do not lecture me about how money can’t buy happiness in your next email like you did in all the other ones, ‘cause I don’t buy this all-sunshine-and-rainbows shit anymore. Some days ago I tried to get a pay raise from my boss. Shh! Other than fifty more cents per hour, zilch. Cheapskate bastard… It felt like the professional equivalent of a good, hard kick in the teeth. What did I do in another life to deserve this crap? I guess I’m fated to suffer bad luck my whole life. Do you really need proof?
After spending decades searching for my biological family, filling endless stacks of papers, I was finally pointed in the right direction by nothing other than mere chance. Can you believe this? My real family lives in the neighboring township of Littleton. I also have a younger brother, but don’t celebrate so fast, ‘cause I must assassinate him. The sooner the better.
I don’t have the slightest idea where I should start. I suppose every story has a beginning, but sometimes there are details which are better left unknown. There is very little to say, except that my newly found brother has a time machine and he’s going to use it to erase me from reality. His reality.
Cursed be the Beast!
Cursed be its infamous Creator!
New 2024 edition excerpt:
Dear Aunt,
This week’s been a real son of a gun… My back’s screamin’ like a banshee. Think I need an MRI or somethin’. Been busting my hump for eight days straight, planting sod and setting up sprinklers all over town. Sun’s been frying my brains out. Couldn’t keep hydrated for squat, chuggin’ down water like a camel, but it just evaporates into thin air. How the hell am I supposed to bulk up in this heat? Same old scrawny me, like a scarecrow that just won’t quit. Guess it’s in my blood, ain’t no changin’ that, y’know.
Skin and bones today, tomorrow, and forever.
Spare me the lecture in your next email, will ya? ‘Cause I ain’t buying into that sunshine-and-rainbows shit anymore. Yeah, I’m sick and tired of hearing the same old spiel about money not buying happiness. Tried to squeeze a raise out of my boss the other day. And you know what? Got a big fuck nothin’. Fifty cents more an hour, like that’s gonna make a damn difference. Cheapskate bastard… It’s like gettin’ sucker-punched in the gut. What the hell did I do in another life to deserve this garbage? Feels like I’m cursed to swim in bad luck for the rest of my days. Need proof? Just look at my sorry excuse for a life.
But wait, it gets even gnarlier.
So, I’ve been on this wild goose chase for, like, forever, tryin’ to track down my blood fam. Paperwork stacked to the ceiling, man. But guess what? Fate drops this bomb on me outta nowhere. You know how I finally stumbled upon them? Pure dumb luck. Turns out they’re right here in Littleton. Got a younger brother too, but hold off on the celebration. ‘Cause I gotta take him out. Yeah, you heard me. It’s like a twisted family reunion or somethin’. Sooner I handle that biz, the better.
Got no clue where to even begin. Every story’s got a start, sure, but sometimes it’s better off not knowin’ all the dirty details. Ain’t much to spill anyway, ‘cept for the fact that my long-lost brother’s got himself a time machine. And he’s fixing to use it to wipe me off the map. His map, that is.
Curse that damn Beast!
Curse its sorry excuse for a Creator!
Back in the 2014 version, I always felt like the character in this letter came across as too diplomatic or formal, when in reality, he was supposed to be a streetwise junkie, speaking in slang. Think of Jesse Pinkman from the TV series Breaking Bad. My English skills back then weren’t quite up to the task of adding that dimension to the character. But thanks to the help of OpenAI, I’ve been able to make that transformation and give the character a more authentic touch of realism.
There’s actually quite a bit of overlap with Eternal Eden. You might even find some Eternal Eden Easter eggs hidden within the pages of Dechentreiter Thing. Both works hold a special place for me—they’re my first creations, both built around biblical themes and the concept of parallel worlds.
Availability
The new edition of Dechentreiter Thing is set to hit shelves in May. It’s all written and done, but I still need to give it one or two more reads to ensure everything’s just right. Plus, there’s the task of converting it into multiple formats.
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