Discussion thread for Chapter 250

With the much-awaited release of A Cauldron of Bitterness comes the release of discussions that were previously restricted to Patreon members. To prevent unwanted exposure to spoilers, make sure to read A Cauldron of Bitterness in full - available now on AzaleaEllis.com.

I’m opening this thread up a day early, because we’re at a serious milestone… Two hundred and fifty chapters of PGTS. :scream: How freaking cool is that?

How long have you been following PGTS?

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Stef… you made me feel so excited with this title. I thought we were getting the chapter early!!

PGTS was my first Patreon subscription back in 2023. I started reading much earlier on RoyalRoad. Before meeting the nightmare pack though I don’t know which chapter.

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So, I went and looked up my Amazon order history.

Apparently my mother (we share an Amazon account) bought A Conjuring of Ravens on the 9th of May 2021. She bought A Foreboding of Woe on the 3rd of March 2024.

I know that she told me about it after the fourth book was out because I more or less devoured them in one go. So I’m gonna guess that it was around March last year that she introduced me to the series.

I just went and checked my Patreon and, yup, I have been a patron since March last year. I think I just instantly ran to Patreon to grab new chapters :joy:

I’m fairly grateful my mother waited 3 years to tell me about this series (or, more likely, read it herself - she downloads lots of books she thinks look interesting and they just lurk on her TBR pile for ages). I think the waiting would have killed me, otherwise. The cliffhangers are not good for my feeble heart.

That said, I read Azalea’s warning about the cliffhangers ahead but since I have no concept of delayed gratification I’m currently here chalking up my hands and getting my harness and safety line on as we return to the never ending cliffs of Gilbratha.

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15 Jan 2024 for me. Rapidly read books 1-3 and pre-ordered book four. After I read 4 that April it wasn’t long until I jumped on Patreon too - more story was just too alluring!

Anyone else hoping this chapter is a Lacer PoV? I’d love to see how wild his train of logical leaps has become in 3-4 days!

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Only if he knows Sebastien has been attacked.

I’m not sure who’s POV I want, I just want more story :joy:

Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! Mere hours separate me from my precious…..

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I love this method. :joy::rofl: I went back and checked mine, and it looks like I started reading September 22 2022. Somewhere around chapter 28/30, maybe?

Oh no, I’m so sorry. That didn’t even occur to me! If it helps for the future, all chapters and chapter announcements will be made by Azalea, and it’s highly likely that it will be on Patreon first.

Looks like we started around the same time on Patreon! I read everything I could and promptly made a Patreon account.

That’s awesome! It must have been even more difficult to read all four and come to a jarring halt.

The weekly chapters have turned into an addiction.

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:joy::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::joy::joy::joy::face_with_crossed_out_eyes::skull:

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Don’t laugh at me, book addiction is a serious issue!! :joy:

I’ve noticed I get jitters before chapters release and then nervous energy after I read them.

When Azalea threw our precious baby off a cliff I did 9k steps without leaving the house - or even my room, for that matter.

Pray for my floorboards…

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I prefer to think of it as a weekly ritual with accompanying community and outlandish theories about how the world may work. You could say we are a community understanding lost thaumaturgy, or a cult for short.

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Oooh early chapter again!

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Oliver going straight to business I see :stuck_out_tongue:

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I did not expect this Oliver chapter

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Hm, do you think Kiernan was bluffing about Zard ?

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Oh boy. Oliver chapter I was half expecting, since he was back.

That chapter I was not!

And he doesn’t even know what happened to Siobhan yet!

Oooooft. I see fun times ahead. Archmage Zard, huh? I wasn’t expecting that at all…if it’s true.

He must have lived for some time. I wonder if he might have been one of grandfather’s peers…

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Also didn’t see the Zard twist coming and I’m not sure why Keirnan would have lied in that moment, given he only revealed it at the last possible moment. Feels like he was playing what he thought might be an ace up the sleeve to get himself out of the situation but it didn’t work.

Logically speaking it makes sense to have an Oliver PoV here when he was very briefly glimpsed at the end of last chapter. Here’s hoping there is at least one more Lacer one before the end of the book!

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I don’t think so. Kiernan has a tendency to offer information frantically when he realizes he’s no longer in a position of power.

ā€œSit with me,ā€ she said, motioning to the other porch chair. ā€œI had nothing to do with what happened,ā€ Kiernan immediately said. He regained control over his faculties with surprising speed and gave her a ninety-degree bow. ā€œI am not so foolish as to keep doubling and tripling down on my mistakes, my lady. I promise you, I had nothing to do with the kidnappings, or the divination attempts, or—or any of it. I will vow to it, if necessary.ā€

Siobhan hadn’t suspected him; the true culprit of everything that had happened the Friday before seemed quite clear. ā€œI know,ā€ she agreed easily, exaggerating her sense of ease as well as her certainty. She gestured to the seat next to her once more. Grandmaster Kiernan shuffled closer, then sat on the edge of the seat gingerly, as if prepared to spring to his feet again at a moment’s notice. She allowed herself a small, vindictive smile at the distinct difference between his behavior now and how he had treated her when she was Sebastien.

ā€œI had no choice but to betray the Verdant Stag,ā€ he announced.

ā€˜Why is he bringing this up? Is he, perhaps, searching his memory for what sin he might have committed to require a visit from me? Like a child accidentally confessing their crimes when given a stern look from a parent?’

ā€œContinue,ā€ she said, curious. ā€œI’m not here to harm you. I simply hope to have a more…open communication.ā€

ā€œI felt I had no choice,ā€ Kiernan repeated. ā€œI do not know if Lord Stag told you, but I was blackmailed to ensure the escape of several important Morrows by an ally of theirs that had remained free. But it was not only that. The Verdant Stags have been very clearly setting themselves up to take power fromā€ā€”he lowered his voice secretivelyā€”ā€œthe Architects of Khronos. They’re edging in on beast core procurement and other smuggling monopolies, gaining influence, and with the bookā€¦ā€

I’m so fucking happy to have an Oliver chapter. I love him so much. He’s absolutely vicious.

He had better not leave Kiernan alive, though. That would be absurdly stupid, and he’s already made some stupid mistakes.

Note: I’m on mobile and nothing will behave for me today, so the quotes are a mess

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I physically sat next to my mother and watched her read this chapter.

As soon as she got to the kidnapping, her eyebrows just went wayyyy up and stayed that way until the end of the chapter.

I was deeply impressed that he just came home, had a little shower, had his little nap nap and then woke up and chose violence.

He’s thought about how soft he’s grown in every single chapter he’s had in this book (so, er, twice) and I feel that’s indicative of his trip back to Osham. He’s definitely acting ruthlessly right now but…I’m here for it.

I just really want his POV when he finds out Siobhan ended up nearly dead.

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I like the Oliver POV chapter, but am really surprised it didn’t include him hearing about S and visiting while she recovered,like was hinted at. As soon as I saw it was Oliver, that is what I expected Ch to be. Nothing about Kiernan!

Seemed short, but glad to get a chapter!

I am seriously thinking of starting at beginning and rereading all, as I’m not getting my PGTS fix enough :wink: I previously started but stopped reading Seeds, for some reason… I don’t see folks talking that one up much? But I do love Azalea’s writing style, so I expect if I just plow through the book start, I’ll get hooked. Maybe enough time has passed for me to be surprised by PGTS again though! :wink:

Given Oliver was thinking about not needing to use legal methods of interrogation I assume he is going to use either torture or mind magic to get information out.

I am disappointed but not surprised that he chooses to do so and am curious how Sihoban will react if she finds out.

The Archmage being a member of the architects drastically raises their threat level. Does anyone remember if he has been said to be a free caster?

Ugggh I had predicted Archmage Zard might be involved, but I dont think I posted it anywhere. I found it suspicious when there was that whole chapter on his skills and abilities.

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