C.W. Longbottom

**C.W. Longbottom** is *Mythic Quest*'s seasoned storyteller and Nebula-award-winning author, who desires a game with as much backstory as possible. Amongst his many works prior to the game is the book *Inside the Caves of Beneroth*, something which, in small measure inspires the marketing team's live streaming efforts.

Fallen from his former glory, C.W. finds himself in a world he doesn’t fully understand, nor that he ever imagined he would be a part of.

Accordingly, he tends to drink a lot *while* at work, favoring Wild Turkey and his own concoction, the "Rutger Hauer".

In 1972, when he was younger, C.W. took a job as a copy editor for *Amazing Tales Publishing* in hopes that his short story Tears of the Anaren would be published. There, he meets A.E. Goldsmith, and Peter Cromwell, two other writers like him who are also on their first day as copy editors. The two quickly bond and agree to review each other's work. While A.E. and Peter have little to critique of each other's stories, both feel that C.W.'s needs significant work. C.W. takes their initial critiques and attempts to apply them, but upon further review they both feel that he only made minor superficial changes. As time passed, A.E.'s story was eventually published, giving her the ability to put in a good word with the publisher when the other two felt their stories were ready. Later, C.W. applied another critique and ended up transforming his short story into a novella, while working on it he called A.E. and discovered she and Peter were romantically involved when Peter answered her phone. In a last-ditch effort to be published, C.W. approached Isaac Asimov directly, whose work was published by Amazing Tales, and asked him to take a look at his story. The next day a courier delivered a package containing C.W.'s story with a note from Asimov telling him it was good and he made some revisions in red—which turned out to be the entire story. C.W. submits Asimov's version and ultimately wins his Nebula Award. ("Backstory!")

Forty years later in 2022, A.E. has passed away and Peter, who was married to her for a long time, wishes to see C.W. Believing he's going to receive an apology for stealing A.E., they learn that Peter's daughter orchestrated the meet with both men thinking the other would apologize to them. After falling out further, they eventually reconcile after C.W. exposes Peter's failures as an author: that his wife carried his entire career through her success, calling in favors with her publishers to publish Peter's work as well. Peter published 19 books in his series, but once she passed nobody would publish the final installment of his series. Peter reveals he's now dying as well, and they both reconcile. C.W. then asks Peter to read the manuscript for the 20th and final installment of the series, of which C.W. had become an immense fan. ("Peter")

In the season two finale "TBD" Jo has organized what she thinks is a welcome home party for C.W. who has allegedly been on a book tour abroad. However, once everyone has gathered she follows up with subsequent instructions that C.W. left her to give a letter to David at a specific time. Within the letter C.W. reveals to the team that he received a terminal diagnoses some time before, and if they're reading the letter then he's already passed away. He has had his ashes placed on a satellite in orbit and instructed them to look into the night sky at a specific time to see him pass over. They then all share Rutger Hauer's together in C.W.'s office, reminiscing about him, and again go their separate ways while suggesting that they reunite annually in a similar fashion.

## Appearances

* Season 1
	+ "Pilot"
	+ "The Casino"
	+ "Dinner Party"
	+ "The Convention"
	+ "Non-Player Character"
	+ "Permadeath"
	+ "Brendan"
	+ "Blood Ocean"
	+ "Quarantine"
	+ "Everlight"
* Season 2
	+ "Titans' Rift"
	+ "Grouchy Goat"
	+ "#YumYum"
	+ "Breaking Brad"
	+ "Please Sign Here"
	+ "Backstory!"
	+ "Peter"
	+ "Juice Box"
	+ "TBD"