Ok. So. Here's what happened. I started reading   Transformation_Guy_3 's Haywood series, in his GPIM setting. And the setting is just...amazing, full stop, one of the most fascinating versions of Pleasure Island I've ever encountered. And, as one does, we got into a discussion on the discord about the bits and bobs around the edges of the setting that are probably never going to be story-centric. And because I'm the sort of person I am, I ended up having a lot of religion and spirituality based questions. "How do religions in the world deal with the fact of Pleasure Island's existence?" was paramount, but there's so much more there - as I touch on here, there's no way any major religion has a single, unified answer to that question.

And then, the plot bunnies descended. Or plot donkeys, as the case may be. Next thing I know I'm writing a story about donkey monks in an interfaith spiritual retreat/community on GPIM, and my theology degree starts getting into my TF kink and my TF kink starts getting into my theology degree and now we're off to the races. This is the result.

Palmer's Progress - a Palmer is an old nickname for Pilgrim, so hat tip to Bunyan and at least a friendly nod to Lewis - will have exactly eight parts. No more, no less. (Hence the subtitle of "Octave of the Holy Ass," where an octave is the traditional name for an eight-day-festival in Western Christian tradition.) If all goes well, they'll be done no later than Epiphany. (*knocks on wood*) Most of it is already finished, and I'm posting it now as a way of getting community feedback - TFG3's already given me lots, and no doubt will continue to do so, for which I am eternally grateful. As is the rule for fanworks in TFG3's settings, this is canonish. That is to say, canon until canon says otherwise. Also, while I can't make any promises, there may be other stories set in and around New Padua; by nature, this one became a very Christian-centered, and even more, very Anglican/Catholic centered, but the community of New Padua is far more diverse.

In that vein, as a final note, my greatest thanks goes to TFG3 once again for letting me and everyone else play around in your sandboxes.