The Nettle Tea Chronicles

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Is there a better way to spend an evening than gaming with your best friends? With their new gaming obsession finally adding some actual end game content, Marissa and Kieran find themselves in a position where they need to gather a group of friends together if they want to truly give it a go. Together with some friends they already have and some new additions to their little group, they put together a new Clan with one simple mission; clear the new content and have fun doing it. While the newly minted "Clan Nettle Tea" might not be full of professional gamers or cutting-edge raiders, they're determined to fight their way through any new content that comes their way while having a blast together. They may wipe a bunch or accidentally kill each other with a poorly placed AoE, but they're determined to have a good time while they fight to overcome that next wall. Afterall, can you really lose as long as you have a good time? You can expect to see: + Silly Gaming and LitRPG Shenanigans + Fun Slice-of-Life Stuff + Gaming Progression + An Occasional Dose of Relaxed Romance + Lots of Friendly Shit-Talking

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2026
Author: Veri Merri

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 851
Views: 224,205

Chapters(192 total)

What readers say about The Nettle Tea Chronicles

“Grammar 5/5: I didn't notice any grammatical errors. Author paid great attention to make this a pleasurable read. It was very well-polished. Story 5/5 This was a comfy, cozy read through very familiar ground for me, as a long time player of MMORPGs, the aut…”
AdrumRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“I really like how this story does not stray from the artifice of gaming. Every other Litrpg I've read where the litrpg is an actual diegetic RPG sort of just treat the game like it is a complete fantasy world where the fact its a game no longer matters. Her…”
HeartwontbeatRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(8)

AdrumRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Grammar 5/5: I didn't notice any grammatical errors. Author paid great attention to make this a pleasurable read. It was very well-polished.
Story 5/5 This was a comfy, cozy read through very familiar ground for me, as a long time player of MMORPGs, the author's time with the subject matter rang true for me. They say write what you love and Veri Merri's love for these games defninitely came through in the text. They're also willing to walk those less well-versed through the finer aspects of what could otherwise be a very complicated subject.
Characters 5/5 Marissa, the main character, is charming, and her cast of friends fills the work with chill, comfy vibes; if you're looking for a relaxing read with a warm cast of friends, look right here!
Style 5/5 This work executes on its goals, from what I've read so far, it's not an "edge of your seat" experience, but it's also not trying to be one. Stakes are only life or death for the character on the screen, but sometimes that's what you need in an evening read: something to intrigue the mind and help you unwind. That's what you'll find here. I plan to return with a cup of warm honeyed tea and some cookies.
Thanks for putting this into the world!
HeartwontbeatRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I really like how this story does not stray from the artifice of gaming. Every other Litrpg I've read where the litrpg is an actual diegetic RPG sort of just treat the game like it is a complete fantasy world where the fact its a game no longer matters. Here we have hotkeys, and walk-cycles, game design limitations, cross-hairs. There are constant reminders that there is a monitor between our protagonist and the 'fantasy'. I consider that a good thing because it really helps create the atmosphere for my favourite part of the story.
Reading this story makes me feel like I'm on discord playing with my friends. It just captures that kind of peaceful, cool down after work, safety of settling into an MMO with your buddies.
It helps that I like the characters I am being immersed with. They are very companionable, and once again the real life constantly tugging attention from the fantasy narrative helps with creating that oh so relatable world.
I feel like I'm repeating myself but I feel like it really is the central draw of the entire story, is that it doesn't really feel like a book. It really feels like a break from life gaming with friends.
Style score depends on whether that gaming with friends feeling is what your seeking. But if it is, you will not find a better implementation on this site.
I did not find any grammar errors aside from game specific lingo, which obviously doesn't count.
So far I've been reading with a coffee in hand but maybe I should brew some nettle tea to push that already fantastic immersion to the next level :)
KaelasRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I was a little wary of a story about people playing a mundane (albeit very well made) MMORPG to be honest. I doubted reading about people playing a mundane computer game-- no VR or real magic involved) could be all that interesting. I was, thankfully, wrong.
To be fair, the game aspects alone wouldn't be enough. The game itself does actually sound pretty awesome, but just reading about it being played would get old. What makes this a great read is how well the characters are written. Each member of Nettle Tea has depth and detail to them. They feel very real, not just in and of themselves, but also in how they interact with each other.
If you want a cozy tale and like gaming at all, this is a great story to spend some time with.
MocchiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I read it, so should you. It's a slice of life, alright? It's an enjoyable read with a cast of supporting characters that are interesting in their own ways. I'm a gamer at heart who has been playing MMORPG for more than two decades, so a story like that has a special place in my heart.
The only thing that bothers me in this story is the tags, bc the story is more in female POV than male, and it's jarring for me, maybe it will be jarring for others like me, so be warned that there are more chapters with female POV than male, why I know it? I counted! To be fair, I only read stories with male leads, but this one had both, so I gave it a chance, but like I said, it's more female POV than male, so be warned!
PerinneRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
I’m not one for writing reviews but I think this one deserves it. First of all, it’s not the best piece of fiction here on the site but it has something about it that I just can’t help but continue reading. It’s about a group of people playing a MMORPG. They aren’t the best players, they don’t aim for the top ranks, they’re not making playing the game the focus of their lives. The characters are real people with real responsibilities outside of the game and it’s relatable for me. After all those OP players that min-max the game etc, which don’t get me wrong, I love it still, this one is like a breath of fresh air. It’s also not just the POV of one person but multiple people so you can actually read the POVs of a gamer that has a family, a college student, newly in the workforce, business owner, a gaming couple, new parent. It’s such a surreal experience to read this because it feels like reading a part of my life. It makes me miss all those friends I made gaming and all the conversations that are completely random. This is something I’ll read and continue reading simply for the nostalgia aspect. I recommend.
SerkadionRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
The story up to the point where I stopped was basically about a group of friends who finally got the time to get together and play a MMORPG. I mostly got tired of the non-stop descriptions of what they're doing in the game, with little outside information or interaction with the characters. For me, if I wanted that kind of blow by blow description, I'd be meeting back up with my friends to play GURPS.
That said, it's written reasonably well, no glaring grammar faults, the characters are all about as rounded out as they can be considering they aren't really talked about a whole lot.
I would say that while it's not my cup of tea, it's probably worth giving it a glance if you like low stakes entertainment with no big numbers, no real murder hobos, just a bunch of people talking over microphones while they game.
dzweigRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
"Slice of life" usually means some emphasis on daily life in a fantasy setting. One doesn't expect it to be a slice of mundane life. And one doesn't expect it to work as well as it does in Nettle Tea Chronicles.
The premise is unpromising: A group of friends meets electronically, several times a week, to play online. The game has to fit within Real Life - scheduled around work, around kids' bedtimes, etc. The game is just a game - no full-immersion VR, no players finding themselves embedded in a fantasy world or setting - just words and pictures on a screen. The action consists of fighting monsters and NPCs as a group - and if the group loses the fight, it can usually try again.
But it works. The portrayal of a group of good-but-not-incredible gamers getting on with their lives and gaming some evenings is consistently fun to read. Light touch, good pacing, good characterization where wanted.
rs92Royal Road
★★★★ 3.5
It’s what you expect. A slice of life story about a mid level gaming group playing through an MMO. They’re not the best gamers ever but they’re also people who make a proper effort to play well, coordinate etc.
A lot of the group are adults with responsibilities, like work and childcare etc so they’re not constantly playing the game. I’m not really into MMOs but I play other things online so I know the feeling of being mid-game and someone has to stop partway to get a snack for their son or deal with the dogs.
The group is a mix of long time friends and a few pick up players, and the struggle of finding people who are decent fit for a gaming group is relatable. The friend group seems distinct but the extra characters are a bit flat and not characterised that much, despite being 40+ chapters in. Eight characters seems a reasonable size for a raid group but in terms of narrative it means everyone is spread a little thin and a lot of the group don’t have distinct voices and feel a but samey.
The game is interesting enough, with the few boss fights I’ve seen having interesting mechanics that seem like they’d be in a real MMO raid, so it not all chat and banter. The fights are thiugh out and dynamic, and when the group fails, they learn quicky and adapt.
Style, prose is fine. Character voice is a bit weak. Multi-POV and each one is fine. A bit too much padding. Sure, it’s a slice of life but that’s not a ‘I can write as much with no consequences’ card.
It’s a decent story, good for a low-stakes cosy read. It’s hard to binge, more of a read when you’re in the mood, stop when you feel like it and return to it later experience.