Chapter 16

BENT P16 Update #1 - 5/10/22
Because the votes are currently a tie between Cat and Bee, Battle for the Enchanted Netherite Trophy P16 - Sweet Sensation will be delayed to May 13th. I am uncertain of the outcome of the votes, but if the votes stay as they are (which I doubt will happen, but it's not outside the realm of possibilities) the eliminated or the contestants still in will vote on which one will be eliminated.

BENT P16 Update #2 - 5/10/22
Cat is now ahead at 8 votes at the time I am posting this update. I should have a better idea as to how I should write chapter 16, but the big question is how are we going to find Moobloom?

BENT 16 Update #3 - 5/10/22
I have barely made a dent in this chapter. Looking to delay it a day as I did with P15.

BENT 16 Update #4 - 5/11/22
With a little under a day left on the poll, I still haven't made progress on chapter 16. With this in mind, I will definitely be looking at a release date on May 13th or later depending on the circumstances and if I will be able to get around to working on it.

BENT 16 Update #5 - 5/12/22
Started working on the pre-elimination part of chapter 16. Still looking for a release date tomorrow or Saturday.

BENT 16 Update #6 - 5/12/22
  - Removed Bee from the list of eliminated contestants.
  - Added Cat to the list of eliminated contestants.

BENT 16 Update #7 - 5/13/22
I have started to write this chapter and have finished the elimination scene. Hopefully, I don't need to mess with the badges anymore and a release date by Sunday can be expected. Also, we still haven't found Moobloom.

BENT 16 Update #8 - 5/13/22
The elimination section is officially finished, save some formatting. I am now getting to work on the game itself, so P16 - Sweet Sensation will not be out today. Once again, I'm aiming to have it out by Sunday.

BENT 16 Update #9 - 5/13/22
I have made more progress on chapter 16. Currently working on the game and intro. Looking at a ~2500 word count right now, looking to expand.

BENT 16 Update 10 - 5/15/22
BENT 16 - Sweet Sensation is now out and updates regarding it have been put under a dropdown menu.

Chapter 17

BENT 17 Update #1 - 5/15/22
BENT 17 is delayed until the end of this school week due to SOL testing.

BENT 17 Update #2 - 5/16/22
I have created the blog draft for Battle for the Enchanted Netherite Trophy P17 and I am currently working on the formatting. Nothing storywise so far, other than the characters eligible for rejoining. Those character are:
  - Vex
  - Piglin Brute
  - Illusioner (ugh, he stands no chance)
  - Wandering Trader
  - Phantom
  - Villager
  - Iceologer
  - Moobloom
  - Cat
  - Wolf
These potential rejoiners will have auditions to see who gets back in the game!

BENT 17 Update #3 - 5/17/22
I have started making progress on the chapter.  
  - Fixed a typo in the intro paragraph where 'Netherite' was misspelled as 'Netherrite'.
  - Updated the intro paragraph.
  - The title of Chapter 17 has been finalized. The chapter will be called Battle for the Enchanted Netherite Trophy P17 - Redemptions.

BENT 17 Update #4 - 5/17/22
Changing the name of this chapter.
  - Battle for the Enchanted Netherite Trophy P17 - Redemptions has been renamed to Battle for the Enchanted Netherite Trophy P17 - Trials of Liberation. No reason for this change will be given.

BENT 17 Update #5 - 5/17/22
With the formatting finished, I am left with a word count of ~1375. I will subtract this from the final word count.

Misc. Chapter Update #1 - 5/17/22
  - Fixed some verbs that were in the incorrect tense in chapter 8.

BENT 17 Update #6 - 5/18/22
Still working on formatting and badges. The current word count of the formatting and dropdown boxes is 1470.

BENT 17 Update #7 - 5/18/22
Not on the story yet...

BENT 17 Update #8 - 5/19/22
As I said before, I was called out to a testing session, and I was allowed to test remotely from the Kiruna Campus. Seems like the first test took a bit longer than I expected it to. Well, that's one test done. I believe that there are two tests remaining. No progress on this chapter yet.

BENT 17 Update #9 - 5/20/22
After ~3 1/2 hours of testing, I am done with my first test. No progress on BENT 17 due to outside projects. i.e painting a cardboard diamond sword and roleplay.
Wow. From a test fourm...
I can't belive this (in a good way.)
My family wanted me to join a club or something.. find a community. I never knew that one paragraph would grow into such a big thing. One paragraph really expanded into such a big thing... my sense of community... I'll work on chapter 17 soon. Also, Roleplays are canon.

BENT 17 Update #10 - 5/23/22
Test #2 is done! Two down, one to go.
I finally am starting chapter 17, not clear on a release date yet. I'm on the elimination and pre elimination right now.
More progress has been made~

BENT 17 Update #11 - 5/23/22
The pre elimination and the elimination sections are basclly done. Just working on audtiotns for rejoinings, and it should be done soon!

BENT 17 Update #12 - 5/23/22
So, I have finished the pre-elimination section of this chapter. The elimination part is done as well. I'm trying to not focus as much on the roleplay, as it is distracting me from the chapters themselves. I have finished a few auditions, and I am working on the remaining ones and I hope to have this chapter out by the end of the week. I might also start a new roleplay forum too. (the day after BENT 17 release?)

BENT 17 Update #13 - 5/25/22
BENT 17 - Trials of Liberation is still far from finished. I really want to try to get work done on it, but the backrooms lore is confusing me a bit. I also have made a fandom wiki for BENT and am looking for voters to make pages for themselves on the wiki. if you are a voter, please DM me or leave a note on my message wall for the link to the wiki. Greief has already made a page for themself and their Hollow, and so has Sus Sus. I do intend on getting chapter 17 out. Once again, I am sincerely sorry for the delay on this chapter. As the season goes on, the time between chapters seems to get longer and longer. When I made BENT, I wasn't thinking ahead. I thought it would end in late June, but at the rate things are going now, BENT might go on until well into the start of the next school year. Crazy to think I was planning on running a second season during summer break.

BENT 17 Update #14 - 5/25/22
Well, I am making progress on the chapter! I really hope to have it out by the end of this week, but no promises. Please don't make the roleplay lore too confusing because that is canon and I have enough on my mind right now. I know that taking in more sculk and backrooms lore definitely won't be the straw in the stack that breaks the camel's back here, but the school year is coming to an end and so has my testing session. It's safe to say that I know that I have passed two out of three of them, and I haven't gotten back the score for the third one.
...
...
I am procrastinating by writing this update. By doing this, I am not working on the chapter. I need to get back to work lol.

BENT 17 Update #15 - 5/25/22
I added a conclusion to the sculk incident to the end of the chapter. I am sorry... sorry about the sculk.... sorry about the hollows... sorry about not acting on this sooner... But it won't happen again...

BENT 17 Update #16 - 5/25/22
Hopefully this is the last update. BENT 17 is almost done at a total of 4833 words.

BENT 17 Update #17 - 5/25/22
Well, it looks like I'm pretty much done with the chapter! The last few auditions are not the best... I'm also running out of ideas for contests. How does bowling sound? Or mini golf?

Chapter 18

BENT 18 Update #1 - 5/31/22
I haven't even started on this. It looks like the longer wait between chapters is here to stay, but I might be looking at around a week between chapters? I have a contest in mind, which will be bowling or mini golf. The itinerary for this chapter will be something like this:
  1. Pre-rejoin segment - This section will focus on the eliminated contestants talking once again. Perhaps they will get their food this time. ._.
  2. Rejoining - I use this part to address special events as well. Like how I'd bring up vacations, hiatuses, and dedications here, I will address Emerald_Number09's retirement from BENT.

BENT 18 Update #2 - 6/1/22
Happy pride month =D. That's a bit off topic to this update though.
What is on topic is that I have started to work on this chapter. I have made a blog for the draft and I have started work on the formatting and I'm trying to come up with a title. I think the game is going to be bowling. I've been wanting to do this one for a while now, and now seems like a good time!

BENT 18 Update #3 - 6/7/22
I've been quite stressed lately. The 'emerald incident', but we don't talk about it.
I got around to starting this chapter, but still no title for it yet...

BENT 18 Update #4 - 6/10/22
Worked more on the formatting, not sure if I will add the badges in today's badge update....
I'm really struggling with an idea for the contest. Looks like the longer wait is here to stay. Expecialy with next school year, as BENT will be running into the start of the school year, it will become a secondary project, but it will not fade away....
Even though the mods might've sided with you-know-who, we are still strong!
We can defeat the hollows, but not her.

BENT 18 Update #5 - 6/13/22
Never mind. I added the sculk badges. I am so sorry about the hiatus and I'm really convinced that even without the school stuff, Emeraldgate still would've happened, and it still would've played a part in this hiatus. On top of that, my family wants me to cancel BENT for some esoteric reason, which is something that I am not going to do under any circumstances. BENT has played a huge role in my life, and it gives me a sense of community that I secretly long for. It gives me a world to escape to and gives me two characters to reflect myself onto - Golden and her Hollow. Lol, not related to chapter 18 at all, but I actually kinda like the Hollows. They've been responsible for like half of the BENT lore.
Emeraldgate, in my eyes, kinda broke my community. Then again, so did WW2, and we got NATO out of that, and they are a powerful military alliance. The BENT community has been shattered a bit, and some of those cracks can't be fixed. The damage to this community has been done, but some of it is nothing that we can't mend together. After all, the trophy is enchanted with mending. (oops, did I just reveal what enchantments were on the trophy? ._. hehe)
I'd just like to say that a lot of the members are amazing! Doing a shoutout to Greief for these recent events - and the lore. Within the 3 1/2 hours of my math SOL, this user almost single-handedly formed the lore for the backrooms, the Natural Hollows, and ultimately led to the creation of the BENT wiki! So, TYSM.

Now, I really want to get on to the chapter 18 update, so here goes!
I'm still on the badges and formatting. I removed SMC and EN09 from the user list because of the Emeraldgate Scandal. I'm working on the intro and the elmi- I mean rejoining, but still don't know about the contest. I might go for bowling, as I was thinking about doing this contest for a while. I might even incorporate the Hollows back into this, but I don't know how they'd fit in. Also, I might be removing a line of Allay's dialogue because it seems a tiny bit out of character (although her 'attack style' is passive agressive..) and uh... yeah. I'm putting it here for context.
Allay rubs her bandaged arm and looks around.
"Um, before we start, may I ask if I can.... uh you know... perhaps deliver a scone and coffee to her?" she asks.
Copper Golem looks over to his friend. "You want to bring her food?"
"Yes," Allay replies. "I've put laxatives in the food...."
Highlight if you want to see it, and you'll know why I want to cut this out.

BENT 18 Update #6 - 6/20/22
Removing the paragraph in the intro talking about you-know-who and the line where Allay wants to give you-know-who pain au chocolate with laxative in it.
I will likely be rewriting most of this chapter and I'm hoping to have it done by the end of the month. I am aiming for one or two chapters per month now, as this will be going on through the next school year and I have really bad writer's block. I am running out of ideas, but I won't quit so easily!

BENT 18 Update #7 - 6/27/22
It's been a week since I've made an update for this chapter. Damn, I'm procrastinating on this. I can safely say that I am done with the elim- I mean rejoining (hint hint- I definitely won't say that in the chapter *winky face*) Working on pre-rejoining, but not yet on the game yet. This is the longest time it's taken me to write a chapter. SO SORRY.
Perhaps they won't do bowling, but I don't know what else to do...

BENT 18 Update #8 - 7/4/22
I'm a bit late, but chapter 18 is live!

BENT User Badge Update #1 - 5/10/22
  - Added new badge 200th Voter. This badge is awarded to the user who cast the 200th overall vote on BENT.
  - Added new badge NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
  - Awarded Conversationer, Conversationer +, Badge Collector I, and Follower to users.
  - Removed the NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! badge due to formatting issues.
  - Added dropdown box 'How to earn badges'.

BENT User Badge Update #2 - 5/12/22
  - Awarded Follower to a user.
  - Refined the data table for Conversationer rank leveling on the BENT votes Google Sheet. This info will not be made public.

BENT User Badge Update #3 - 5/12/22
  - Awarded Enchanted Netherite Trophy badge to two users.
  - Added new badge Amogus, Don't Be Sus.
  - Awarded Amogus, Don't Be Sus to a user.
  - Awarded Badge Collector I to a user.

BENT User Badge Update #4 - 5/13/22
  - Added new badge No more
  - Awarded No more to four users
  - Awarded Badge Collector I to a user.
  - Awarded Enchanted Netherite Trophy badge to a user.

BENT User Badge Update #5 - 5/13/22
  - Awarded Conversationer + to a user.

BENT User Badge Update #6 - 5/15/22
  - Awarded badge No More to a user in P16.
  - One user needs badge Conversationer +
  - One user needs badge First Speaker.
  - Above badges will be applied in P17.

BENT User Badge Update #7 - 5/16/22
  - Please add badge Conversationer ++ or Conversationer III.
  - One user needs badge Conversationer III
  - Above changes will be applied in P17.

BENT User Badge Update #8 - 5/16/22
  - Awarded badge Conversationer + to a user.
  - Awarded badge Conversationer ++ to a user.
  - Changed the names of badges Conversationer, Conversationer +, and Conversationer ++ to Conversationer I, Conversationer II, and Conversationer III respectively. The badge icons are unchanged.
  - Awarded badge First Speaker to a user.
  - Changed the names of Conversationer I and all its child achievements in the 'How To Earn Badges' tab to be consistent with the main badge list.

BENT User Badge Update #9 - 5/16/22
  - One user needs badge Conversationer III.

BENT User Badge Update #10 - 5/17/22
  - Awarded badge Conversationer III to a user.

BENT User Badge Update #11 - 5/18/22
  - Awarded badge First Speaker to one user.
  - Added badge Follower to two users.
  - Updated badge descriptions in the main badge list.
  - Modified the earning cricetira for Conversationer I, Conversationer II, and Conversationer III to be consistent with the modified names of the badges.
  - Changed the name of badges First Speaker and First Speaker + to be consistent with Conversationer and it's child badges.
  - Updated the description for badge Enchanted Netherite Trophy.
  - Updated the description for badge First Speaker I.
  - Updated the description for badge The Ultimate First Speaker!.
  - The color of the names of badges The Ultimate First Speaker, 200th Voter, and Amogus, Don't Be Sus have been changed to yellow to match the predetermined color of the badges.
  - Added new new badge A Full Stack.
  - The formatting of badge A Full Stack now has parity with other special badges.
  - Awarded badge A Full Stack to one user.
  - The following badges are now categorized as 'Special Badges':
    - Enchanted Netherite Trophy
    - The Ultimate First Speaker!
    - A Seat For You
    - Got Questions?
    - 200th Voter
    - Amogus, Don't Be Sus
    - No More
    - A Full Stack
  - Due to undisclosed reasons, A Seat For You and No More will be displayed with the recipient's default color.
  - Fixed the coloring of badge Got Questions to be consistent with the other special badges. Info in the 'how to earn badges' tab has also been updated.
  - All special badges except for Enchanted Netherite Trophy, A Seat For You, Got Questions, and No More are yellow. Enchanted Netherite Trophy and Got Questions are both formatted in navy blue. This lack of parity is intentional and will not be changed.
  - A 'new badge' was announced on the forum 'BENT 17 TEST - Trials of Liberation'. No further information has been or will be given.
  - Awarded badge Got Questions? to one user.
  - Fixed the coloring of one user's badge that was inconsistent with other users' badge.
  - Added new badge What is this place?
  - The What is this place? badge is now catogorized as a special badge.
  - Awarded badge What is this place? to users.

BENT User Badge Update #12 - 5/19/22
  - One user needs badge Conversationer II.
  - Awarded badge Badge Collector I to three users.
  - Awarded badge Conversationer II to one user.

BENT User Badge Update #13 - 5/23/22
  - Added new badge Campus Resident.

BENT User Badge Update #14 - 5/31/22
None of these changes have been made yet, as I have not started on chapter 18 yet. The following changes will be made in 18:
  - Added new Special badge Firsts amongst Firsts.
  - Awarded badge Firsts amongst Firsts to Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge Firsts amongst Firsts from Emerald_Number09
  - Removed badge Enchanted Netherite Trophy from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge Badge Collector I from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge First Speaker II from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge Conversationer I from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge A seat for you from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge Follower from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge Got questions? from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge The Ultimate First Speaker! from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge What is this place? from Emerald_Number09.
  - Removed badge Firsts amongst Firsts.
  - Removed badge The Ultimate First Speaker!
  - Awarded badge A seat for you to Greief.
  - Added new badge The Ultimate Second Speaker!.
  - Awarded badge The Ultimate Second Speaker! to AfaPacks.
  - Added new badge Wiki Helper.
  - Awarded badge Wiki Helper to Greief.
  - Awarded Badge Wiki Helper to Sus Sus.
  - Awarded Badge Badge Collector II to Greief.
  - Add J4cks0n247 to the user list
  - Removed Emerald_Number09 from the user list.
  
- This is the updated list of Special Badges:
    - Enchanted Netherite Trophy
    - The Ultimate Second Speaker
    - A seat for you
    - Got Questions?
    - 200th Voter
    - Amogus Don't Be Sus
    - No More
    - What is this place?
    - A Full Stack
    - Campus Resident
    - Wiki Helper

  Retired Badges
    - The Ultimate First Speaker! - Removed due to the recipient's retirement from BENT.
    - Firsts amongst Firsts - This badge wasn't ever added, and is on here as a joke.
    - NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! - This badge was planned, but was removed due to formatting issues.

Formatting Update #1 - 5/12/22
  - Added a link to the Update Log on the BENT intro section. This formatting will be in effect starting at chapter 16.
 
Formatting Update #2 - 5/12/22
  - Changed the colors of badges to be consistent with the primary color in the user's profile picture or a color of their choice.

Formatting Update #3 - 5/12/22
  - Added a user to the user list on chapter 16

Formatting Update #4 - 5/13/22
  - Modified some of the colors in the user list for badge colors.
  - Spacing between badges is now more consistent.

Formatting Update #5 - 5/15/22
  - One user has requested color for their badges.
  - Above changes will be applied in P17.

Formatting Update #6 - 5/16/22
  - Fixed the colors of three users' badges who had similar colors.
  - Edited more username/badge colors.

Formatting Update #7 - 5/17/22
  - Added one new user who commented to the user list.
  - Added users who gave emeralds to the user list.
  - The user list is now under a dropdown box to save space and to be more consistent with the user badge lists.

Formatting Update #8 - 5/18/22
  - Updated user badge colors for one user.

General Update #1 - 5/10/22
  - Votes by Contestant pie chart is available for public viewing here.
  - Reuploaded The Raiders (and the raided) final vote chart PDF.
    Download The Raiders (and the Raided) vote chart
  - Reuploaded Everyone Else final vote chart PDF.
    Download Everyone Else vote chart PDF

General Update #2 - 5/11/22
Don't expect any new chapters to be put out between May 18th and May 23rd. My school is doing SOL testing during that week, so chances are really high that I'm not going to be working on BENT during testing week.

Likewise, the week of June 15th is looking quite busy for me and I don't know when I'll actually have free time during that week. I'm looking to delay the later chapters due to the busy and uncertain scheduling during that week and the following week.

General Update #3 - 5/12/22
  - Refined and reformatted the data for the Conversationer rank leveling on the BENT votes Google Sheets and added additional information.

General Update #4 - 5/13/22
  - BENT will be on a planned hiatus during May 18th - May 23rd due to SOL testing.

General Update #5 - 5/16/22
  - Updated data on the Votes, Comments, and Views graph at 11:38
  - Updated Conversationer ranking data.
  - The HEX codes of users with custom username/badge colors have been collected.

General Update #6 - 5/16/22
  - Due to lack of activity, BENT Mini chapters are now cancelled.

General Update #7 - 5/17/22
  - Added archives categories for Badge and Formatting Updates.
  - Readded the archive title for the badges section after it was removed.

General Update #8 - 5/18/22
  - Updated Conversationer ranking data.

|!}](/\\IX|=+|||:: Update #1 - 5/18/22
A few of the members of our community have been reported as missing. With that in mind, so has Moobloom. Nobody's seen her since she was eliminated, so this very well may be connected to the strange disappearance of the voters. I've ordered some of the guards to search for the voters and Moobloom, sending many down to Deepslate Primary School. Upon investigating this strange place further, I am quite unsettled by every aspect of it. I went down there myself and had some pretty eerie experiences. I heard the sculk sensors coming from a seemingly inaccessible location. I really should've inspected this place further before sending Alleviation down for the contest.

|!}](/\\IX|=+|||:: Update #2 - 5/18/22
I have resurfaced and made a shocking discovery. Sending more guards down to investigate this further. It seems that there is a passageway inside this school that leads to the location that I believe the voters are trapped in. From the observations I was able to make, it seems that there is in fact life there. These life forms seem to have been put there by some mysterious force that I cannot identify clearly, although it does seem to posses the same technology that was used in the construction of the restricted staff-only buildings on the campus and the elimination dorm. It seems that these life forms which I believe are the voters and/or Moobloom either clipped in here themselves or something else put them there. Reasons for this are something that I do not have, but I will try my best to figure it out. Also, I said I'm out on a training session this week, but it seems that I was able to take the tests remotely. Back on the topic of this strange 'backroom' phenomena, I do have an idea as to how to find out more about this, but I'll have to do something I don't want to do.
I might have to program one of the Hollows, either my own or Shadow Allay. As much as I don't want to reactivate my own Hollow, it might be the right option here. The only other one who can phase through things other than the aforementioned Hollows is Vex, and he's eliminated.
I could also send Warden down... He's not affected by sculk...

|!}](/\\IX|=+|||:: Update #3 - 5/18/22
Coming up with a name for this strange location, may or may not be the official name - Deepslate School Backrooms Complex. I am aware that there are at least four voters trapped here and I am trying to figure this situation out. We have sent Warden down and he's reported that there are in fact vibrations in this location from the missing voters. I called up my friend FoxridgeE9, and while he seems to have more of an expertise in combat and redstone than whatever we are looking at here with the Deepslate School Backrooms Complex, perhaps he can help. We will rescue the missing voters ASAP.

General Update #9 - 5/19/22
I have finished the first test of my testing session. ~3 1/2 hours of grueling math testing that I am not allowed to elaborate further due to the confidentiality of the test. I'll continue preparing for the next game, as well as investigating the situation with the trapped voters further.

|!}](/\\IX|=+|||:: Update #4 - 5/19/22
Welp, I asked FoxridgeE9, and he was unwilling to help. He wouldn't even agree to help me unlock the secrets of the 'Deepslate School Backroooms Complex' for a high payment. I was left on my own, and I found out more information about this. By surveying the area around the school, I was able to get a better understanding of what is going on here without having to go in and risk getting trapped as well. As of now, I believe that there are at least seven voters trapped there. During my investigations, I no-clipped into a part of this strange complex myself. I am pretty sure that this is some sort of subsection to these backrooms, as I could hear distorted mumbles that sounded like the trapped voters from some parts of this complex. The voices sounded almost like the Hollows, and I never made hollows of the voters. These may very well be phantoms that were created naturally.

I wish I had disclosed how the Hollows were made earlier... I'll do that now... When I bought this property, I went underground to survey before the campus was built, and I stumbled upon the Deepslate Primary School. The stone sign in front of the building was barley legible, as time had definitely taken its toll on it. The letters were eroded away, and some had been corrupted by sculk veins. Yet, for some reason, I deemed it a safe place. When I went inside, I felt uncanny. The sounds of sculk sensors surrounded me, and I could almost hear some sort of pulsing. Later, I witnessed something out of place - an axolotl. There was no water nearby and this was strange. The sculk had corrupted it. The Hollows originated from here, and I know of two ways that they can be made. One is that they were made in a lab like the contestant Hollows, and the other is if someone stays in this area for too long. That is how my Hollow was created. When I first discovered this area, I cut my hand and I bled out a bit. My DNA might've fused with some of the sculk and other organic materials and created the phantom.

We must rush to rescue the voters. If they stay there for much longer.... well let's just say it won't be good...

|!}](/\\IX|=+|||:: Update #5 - 5/19/22
We are working to rescue the trapped voters and I'm sure they will be rescued soon. As it turns out, some parts of this complex can be clipped out of via ender pearls. We will get the trapped voters out asap and they will be staying in the Kiruna Campus Hospital for the next week. We will need to keep them there under observation to make sure the prolonged exposure to the sculk didn't harm their health.
I apologize for this circumstance that I had no control over, and as such, I will award those trapped with $100.

General Update #10 - 5/20/22
No progress has been made on the chapter, but the roleplay fourms are canon.

General Update #11 - 5/25/22
I have made a BENT fandom wiki.

**General update #12 - 5/28/22**
Per user request, ImQuiting404 will be removed from the BENT user list starting in chapter 18. Along with her removal from the list, I will also be removing all of her badges, including 'The Ultimate First Speaker!'. This badge will be deleted in chapter 18 going onwards. I am leaving this important message here and mentioning Emerald to let her know that her removal from the list will be done. While the information given on the several wall posts and comments made saying that she was quitting were vague to me, the removal can and will be done.
As a replacement for 'The Ultimate First Speaker!' badge, I will be adding a new badge "The Ultimate Second Speaker!" which will be awarded to Afap, (despite the fact that they are the third commenter, but TheEvokerQueen is fine with this)
I will also get rid of Emerald_Number09's dedicated bench in the plaza by the main building. One of the older plazas needs a new bench, so we'll move her bench there. Instead, I will erect the new bench for another voter who marked an important milestone IN BENT! This voter not only helped us discover the secrets of the backrooms in a sense, but they also were the first voter to own a home on the campus! The new bench will be erected for Greief.
To comply with legal requirements, I will have Emerald_Number09's voting records archived in the main building and she will be unregistered as a BENT voter. She may still feel free to use the campuses other services, including purchasing an apartment and free healthcare.

I'd like to express my infinite gratitude for what BENT has become. This tiny community of mine really grew from that first paragraph and of course, Emerald_Number09's first comment asking for Goat to leave. This marked an important moment in my series and its growth and likely wouldn't be where it is today without my voters. Of course, people's interests change, and while it is disappointing to see my very first voter leave the game, I wish Emerald well. This community, like a real world ecosystem is changing. I truly am appreciative of each and every vote cast, so I just want to say one final time - thank you.

With that out of the way, Emerald_Number09's retirement from BENT will be addressed at next time's rejoining, as that is when I'd explain important events that are going on, and this is quite a big thing. Emerald won't be pinged in this notice.
Thanks for your time.

General Update #13 - 6/1/22
I removed Emerald_Number09's Conversationer ranking, reply, and username color information from the private data table.
This data table won't be made public. The rejoin votes table will be made public after chapter 18 comes out, as I might add contestant votes too.