Thank you, Grinding Gear Games

While my time spent on the forums has been short and other games have been sucking up my free-time as of late, the recent updates and reveal of my divination card brought me out of hiding. Now is a better time than any to give thanks to the people at Grinding Gear Games, considering it's Thanksgiving, after all. I'll use this opportunity to share the backstory of the divination card too, since it's received some criticism and it's a key factor for me posting this 'thank you' post in the first place.

I've been playing for a couple years now, starting on my birthday in 2013, and have loved every second. It's easily become my all-time favorite game and that's saying a lot! I've recently started buying supporter packs to express my devotion via my wallet, but word is bond, right? The Talisman and Ascendancy hype is through the roof. Everything looks incredible and I caught myself squealing with joy a few times while going through the Ascendancy reveal. Labyrinths full of puzzles and traps, Ascendancy classes, dynamic boss battles. I couldn't have been happier.

And then today, I got home from a small gathering with my family in light of Thanksgiving and went onto the website to check any recent announcements. Along with the three supporter unique items and Blade Vortex, we got a look at some of the new Divination Cards. Not only did they choose mine alongside those other incredible cards, but this was also the first time I saw the art and the finished product.

"A Mother's Parting Gift" is something I decided to conjure up in light of my mother's passing earlier in the year. I wasn't originally going to purchase the Highgate pack, but that swiftly changed when I came up with the idea of making it a tribute for my mother. The idea focuses entirely on the fact that she loved nature and taught me a lot about it, among other things, while she was alive. When she wasn't engrossed in her book or reality television shows, she spent her time tending to flowers in her garden or bird watching. I can't even tell you how many bird magazines I pulled out of our mailbox or how many plants she bought over the years. Even while she was sick, she started planting and maintaining strawberry plants in our backyard and even helped create a community garden. She loved nature and everything associated with it. Coupled with the fact that I learned more from her than I could from any school, I felt that the Fertile Mind jewel was a perfect fit. It takes dexterity (usually associated with nature, natural ability, everything green, etc.) and turns it into intelligence, knowledge. The fact that the jewel's own flavor text seems like something from a parent to a child only made it feel more significant. I've seen a lot of flak for a divination card that gives the aforementioned jewel, but I cared more about the concept behind it than the game-play aspects.

Like I said, this was the first time I had laid my eyes upon it. I wasn't sure what to expect, considering I was incredibly embarrassed from the description I gave while designing the card. I was incredibly tired when I wrote it and gave a very vague, poorly constructed description. However, I included all the key concepts. Her love for nature, flowers, lavender, the color purple, hummingbirds and blue jays (they were her favorites), and fondness of summer dresses. I got a response telling me I could attach an image of her, which I was ecstatic to hear. Lo and behold, I got something that brought tears to my eyes. I'm still bursting with emotions and I can't put into words how I feel after seeing it.

It boggles my mind knowing that a tribute to my mother is being added into my favorite game, which is still flourishing and going stronger than I ever could have imagined. I can't fully express how grateful I am to everyone at Grinding Gear Games and the wonderful community that backs them up, but don't blame me for trying!

It's a good tribute for your mother, may she rest in peace...

I love some of the stories behind these cards. Very sad your Mum passed away but nice tribute and I think you and GGG did a great job on the art+flavour text.

Thank you for sharing. I will give up a small blessing each time I see the card drop for me.

May she rest in peace.

Very lovely act, mate. Happy thanksgiving to you and yours

Thanks for sharing Joke, I was a bit perplexed as to the card choice when I first saw it.

So I'm really glad you could share the back story with us, I like that a small part of her can be immortalized within PoE forever. I think it's a beautiful gesture and a very thoughtful one.

Loved the cards flavor irrelevant of what it gave.

Loving it even more now.

Well done sir and bless your mom, she sounds like a women that had a great impact on your life.

Peace,

-Boem-

Thanks for all the kind words. Have a great week, everyone!

Beautiful tribute. Take care.