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autumngracy · 2 months ago

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October Movies Watchlist

Cozy Autumn Vibes

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

You've Got Mail (1998)

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Clue (1985)

The Good Witch (1999)

Autumn in New York (2000)

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Dead Poets Society (1989)

October Sky (1999)

Big Fish (2003)

The Lake House (2006)

Rip in Time (2022)

Little Women (2019)

Knives Out (2019)

Anne of Green Gables (1985)

Cider House Rules (1999)

Remember the Titans (2000)

Nostalgic & Kid-Friendly:

The Halloween Tree (1993)

Matilda (1996)

The Iron Giant (1999)

Halloweentown (1998)

Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001)

Halloweentown High (2004)

Return to Halloweentown (2006)

James and the Giant Peach (1996)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Monsters University (2013)

Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005)

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Pagemaster (1994)

Into the Woods (2014)

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Don't Look Under the Bed (1999)

Spirited Away (2001)

Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017)

The Corpse Bride (2005)

A Monster in Paris (2011)

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Coraline (2009)

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Last Unicorn (1982)

Jumanji (1995)

Earnest Scared Stupid (1991)

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022)

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Twitches (2005)

Twitches Two (2007)

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Little Monsters (1989)

The Witches (1990 or 2020 remake)

Labyrinth (1986)

The Gate (1987)

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

Mom's got a Date with a Vampire (2000)

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

The Little Vampire (2000)

Haunted Mansion (2003)

Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)

The Dark Crystal (1982)

Beetlejuice (1988)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Hocus Pocus (1993)

The Addams Family (1991)

The Addams Family Values (1993)

The Addams Family (2019)

The Addams Family 2 (2021)

ET (1982)

Return to Oz (1985)

Paranorman (2012)

Monster House (2006)

Toy Story of Terror! (2013)

The Scream Team (2002)

Double, Double Toil and Trouble (1993)

The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters II (1989)

Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Wolfwalkers (2020)

The Secret of Kells (2009)

Song of the Sea (2014)

Goosebumps (2023)

Goosebumps 2 (2018)

The Goonies (1985)

Casper (1995)

Disney's Tower of Terror (1997)

Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (2000)

Mad Monster Party (1967)

Wendell & Wild (2022)

Under Wraps (1997)

Under Wraps (2021)

Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)

Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School (1988)

Scooby Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988)

Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost (1999)

Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders (2000)

Zombies

Zombieland (2009)

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Autumn (2014)

The Wailing (2016)

The Night Eats the World (2018)

The Dead Don’t Die (2019)

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015)

City of the Living Dead (1980)

The Beyond (1981)

The House by the Cemetery (1981)

Rec (2007)

Rec 2 (2009)

Quarantine (2008)

Quarantine 2: The Terminal (2011)

28 Days Later (2002)

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Train to Busan (2016)

Seoul Station (2016)

Cemetery Man (1994)

World War Z (2013)

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Shawn of the Dead (2004)

Zombi (1978)

Zombi 2 (1979)

Zombi 3 (1988)

The Plague of the Zombies (1966)

Resident Evil (2002)

Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)

Vampires & Werewolves

Dracula (1931)

Dracula's Daughter (1936)

Horror of Dracula (1958)

The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

The Empire of Dracula (1967)

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

Count Dracula (1970)

Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)

The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

Scars of Dracula (1970)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Van Helsing (2004)

Last Voyage of The Demeter (2023)

Renfield (2023)

Vampyr (1932)

Mark of the Vampire (1935)

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

The Vourdalak (2023)

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Interview With the Vampire (1994)

Queen of the Damned (2002)

Dark Shadows (2012)

Abigail (2024)

Blade (1998)

Blade II (2002)

Blade: Trinity (2004)

Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

Fright Night (1985 or the 2011 remake)

The Last Man on Earth (1964)

I am Legend (2007)

Daybreakers (2009)

The Lost Boys (1987)

Salem's Lot (1979)

30 Days of Night (2007)

Underworld (2003)

Underworld: Evolution (2006)

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

Underworld: Awakening (2012)

Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)

The Howling (1981)

Ginger Snaps (2000)

Werewolf of London (1935)

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Silver Bullet (1985)

The Company of Wolves (1984)

Howl (2015)

Moon of the Wolf (1972)

Dog Soldiers (2002)

The Wolfman (1941)

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

The Wolfman (2010)

Slashers

Psycho (1960)

Candyman (1992 or 2021 remake)

Pearl (2022)

X (2022)

Child's Play (1988)

Child's Play 2 (1990)

Child's Play 3 (1991)

Bride of Chucky (1998)

Seed of Chucky (2004)

Curse of Chucky (2013)

Cult of Chucky (2017)

Scream (1996)

Scream (2022)

Happy Death Day (2017)

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

Friday the 13th (1980)

Friday the 13th Part II (1981)

Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

Jason X (2002)

Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

Friday the 13th (2009)

Children of the Corn (1987)

Halloween (1978)

Halloween II (1981)

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1986)

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Halloween Resurrection (2002)

Halloween (2007)

Halloween II (2009)

Halloween (2018)

Halloween Kills (2021)

Halloween Ends (2022)

Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Black Pumpkin (2020)

Hauntedween (1991)

Dark Harvest (2023)

Monsters

The Invisible Man (1933)

The Mummy (1932)

The Mummy (1959)

The Mummy (1999)

Frankenstein (1931)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Son of Frankenstein (1939)

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)

The Monster Club (1981)

The Monster Squad (1987)

Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Hellboy (2019)

The Gorgon (1964)

Gremlins (1984)

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

Pumpkinhead (1988)

Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1994)

Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes (2006)

Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud (2007)

Cloverfield (2008)

Jurassic Park (1993)

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017)

Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022)

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973 or 2010 remake)

Tremors (1990)

Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996)

Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001)

The Mist (2007)

The Descent (2005)

The Descent Part 2 (2009)

Bird Box (2018)

Aliens

The War of the Worlds (1953)

War of the Worlds (2005)

Annihilation (2018)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Slither (2006)

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Signs (2002)

Mars Attacks (1996)

Evolution (2001)

Color Out of Space (2019)

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

Paul (2011)

A Quiet Place (2018)

A Quiet Place: Part 2 (2020)

The Faculty (1998)

Prey (2022)

Predator (1987)

Predator 2 (1990)

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

The Predator (2018)

Predators (2010)

Alien (1979)

Aliens (1986)

Alien 3 (1992)

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Prometheus (2012)

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Nope (2022)

Apollo 18 (2011)

Dreamcatcher (2003)

The Thing From Another World (1951)

The Thing (1982 or 2011 remake)

Evil & Hauntings

Annabelle (2014)

Annabelle: Creation (2017)

Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

Ghost (1990)

Ghostwatch (1992)

The Uninvited (1944)

Hellraiser (1987)

Spawn (1997)

WNUF Halloween Special (2013)

The Lady in White (1988)

The Deep House (2021)

Ready or Not (2019)

The Woman in Black (2012)

The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2014)

The Haunting (1963)

Ouija (2014)

Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

The Others (2001)

La Llarona (1960)

Gothika (2003)

Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

Poltergeist (2015)

The Shining (1980)

Doctor Sleep (2019)

The Brothers Grimm (2005)

The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

The Exorcist (1973)

Constantine (2005)

The Frighteners (1996)

1408 (2007)

Mama (2013)

Crimson Peak (2015)

The Grudge (2004 or the 2020 remake—OR, Ju-on, the og Japanese 2002 version)

The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

The Evil Dead (1981)

The Evil Dead 2 (1997)

Army of Darkness (1992)

The Evil Dead (2013)

The Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Skinamarink (2022)

Kill Baby Kill (1966)

Burnt Offerings (1973)

The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)

As Above, So Below (2014)

A Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Shutter (2008)

The Mist (2008)

Pulse (2001)

The Eye (2008)

Ringu (1998)

The Ring (2002)

The Ring Two (2005)

Sinister (2012)

Insidious (2010)

Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

Grave Encounters (2011)

Grave Encounters 2 (2012)

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)

Aterrados (In English: Terrified) (2018)

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

High Spirits (1988)

Veronica (2017)

The Omen (1976)

The Omen 2 (1978)

The Omen (2006)

The First Omen (2024)

Thirteen Ghosts (2001)

The Babadook (2014)

Phantasm (1979)

Phantasm II (1988)

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)

Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)

Phantasm V: RaVager (2016)

Devil Dog (1978)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Lights Out (2016)

Kwaidon (1964)

Ghost Ship (2002)

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

The Devil Rides Out (1968)

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995)

Witches & Magic

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

Practical Magic (1998)

The Witch (2015)

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

Blair Witch (2016)

The Wicker Man (1973)

The Wicker Man (2006)

The City of the Dead (1960)

Bell Book and Candle (1958)

The Witches (1990 or 2020 remake)

Black Sunday (1960)

El Espejo de la Bruja (In English: The Witch's Mirror) (1960)

I Married a Witch (1942)

The Craft (1996)

Apostle (2018)

The Love Witch (2016)

Burn Witch Burn (1962)

Horror

Creepshow (1982)

Creepshow 2 (1987)

November (2017)

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Trick r Treat (2007)

Bad Candy (2020)

The Barn (2016)

The Barn: Part II (2022)

Tales of Halloween (2015)

Willy's Wonderland (2021)

Eyes Without a Face (1960)

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)

The Midnight Hour (1985)

The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022)

The Birds (1963)

Cape Fear (1960)

Horns (2013)

M3GAN (2022)

The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

The Phantom of the Opera (1943)

The Phantom of the Opera (1962)

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Viy (1967)

Haunt (2019)

Diabolique (1955)

The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

The Lodge (2019)

The Mask of the Red Death (1964)

The Premature Burial (1962)

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

Dark Night of the Scarecrow 2 (2022)

Buried Alive (1990)

Midsommar (2018)

Island of Lost Souls (1932)

Honeymoon (2014)

Session 9 (2001)

The Blood of Satan's Claw (1971)

Black Death (2010)

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

Pet Sematary (1989 or the 2019 remake)

It (1990)

It: Chapter One (2017)

It: Chapter Two (2019)

Hereditary (2018)

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)

Re-Animator (1985)

Bride of Re-Animator (1990)

Beyond Re-Animator (2003)

Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

V/H/S (2012)

V/H/S/2 (2013)

V/H/S: Viral (2014)

V/H/S/94 (2021)

V/H/S/99 (2022)

V/H/S/85 (2023)

V/H/S/Beyond (2024)

Eyes of Fire (1983)

The Red House (1947)

Deadly Blessing (1981)

Dark Water (2002 or 2005 remake)

The Substance (2024)

Thinner (1996)

Cobweb (2023)

The Happening (2008)

Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)

House of Wax (1953)

House of Wax (2005)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

The Devil-Doll (1936)

The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)

Black Sabbath (1963)

Cabin in the Woods (2011)

The Ruins (2008)

Summer of Fear (1978)

Fear Street: Part One, Two & Three (2021)

The Ritual (2017)

Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)

The Black Cat (1934)

Teeth (2007)

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Freaks (1932)

The Old Dark House (1932)

Mr. Sardonicus (1961)

I Bury the Living (1958)

Plague Dogs (1982)

Watership Down (1978)

Ringing Bell (In Japanese: Chirin No Suzu) (1978)

Felidae (1994)

Psychological

Lake Mungo (2008)

Shutter Island (2010)

The Dead Zone (1983)

Donnie Darko (2001)

Us (2019)The Village (2004)

Carnival of Souls (1962)

Carnival of Souls (1998)

Deus Ex Machina (2014)

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

It Follows (2014)

Get Out (2017)

Comedy/Satire

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Hubie Halloween (2020)

Scary Movie (2000)

Scary Movie 2 (2001)

Scary Movie 3 (2003)

Scary Movie 4 (2006)

Scary Movie 5 (2013)

#movies #Halloween #Horror #scary movies #movie recommendations #October #autumn #fall

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sassenashsworld · 20 days ago

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Hancock at Diamond City

(this one is not .... that canonical... I couldn't help...)

The List

John just can’t believe it. He cannot believe that his brother, whose blood and flesh he shares, is capable of such an abomination. But now this bastard is smiling at him with a carnal expression.

It’s too much for him. John can no longer bear the thought of being in the same room as him. Let this bastard have his damned town hall. John prefers to go back down to the ground of the city with the common people.

But as the elevator platform descends to the floor of the cows, all the horror of what is happening spreads out at his sight.

“Motherfuckers! They don’t even give people time!”

The guards of Diamond City, and probably several mercenaries hired for the occasion, are already seizing ghouls’ citizens of Diamond City. The Great Exile demanded by the electors is already beginning.

John wants to vomit.

The young man can’t believe what he’s seeing.

The people he has known for his entire life are being dragged out of their homes like trash, treated like criminals. They’re mostly old, and scared, and lost. Some of them have been here even before John's parents. He played with some of them as a child.

Two guards, holding Mister Carter by the arms, drag him away. He manages to turn around and look at John for a moment, his eyes wide and full of despair.

“Help us, Young McDonough, please!” the poor man exclaims, his voice quivering.

John’s heart clenches, and his eyes suddenly fill with tears at the sight. He struggles to keep his voice steady.

“Hang in there, Mr. Carter,” he says, trying to sound reassuring. “Just hang in there...”

Mister Carter tries to protest and resist, but the security guards drag him away without mercy. Some of the other ghouls in line watch this scene, desperation and terror etched on their faces.

In the chaos of the crowd, John sees a figure among the others. He has always relied on this figure as a beacon in the gloomy night, where his twisted mind can occasionally guide him. He leaps off and charges towards Nick Valentine, who is leaning his back against a wall and watching the guards drag the crowd with disapproving gazes.

Nick sees John running toward him from a distance; the expression on his face is enough to tell what’s going on in his mind. He knows the young McDonough too well; he knows that if he’s here, it’s to seek trouble.

“John,” he says as the man joins him.

“What the hell are you waiting for? Why don’t you do anything?”

The detective simply grabs the cigarette packet from the inside pocket of his coat and nods sadly. He’s giving the young boy a look in the corner.

“What the heck ya mean, exactly?”

John falls silent for a moment, staring at Nick with an almost outraged expression. He knows the detective can’t really change what is happening, but he wants to deny it desperately.

“Come on, Nick,” he stutters, his voice filled with frustration and anger. “There's got to be somethin’ we can do. This is madness!”

“This is nuts,” says the detective, lighting a cigarette. “The worst I’ve ever seen... for ages.” The poor synth shakes his head once more, then hands over his cigarette pack to John. “But there ain't nothin' we can do.”

John feels his anger coalesce into a ball of fury. He violently strikes the package that his friend has offered, causing it to drop on the ground.

“HOW DARE YOU? Those people need someone to stand and protect them!”

Nick remains passive, facing the outburst.

“What do ya want me to do? You think I can just shut down this whole town, huh? These folks don’t want them ghouls hangin’ around. I know it real good... They ain't lookin' for no synth neither. There ain't nothin' I can—

“No! I can’t buy it...” John interrupts, feeling a rage growing in his gut, ready to explode like a bomb. “We gotta do something!”

“We just can’t...” Nick sighed again sadly. “Unless we wanna end up in the same boat. We can't go against what the folks want, ya know? When ya gonna get it?”

“Never!” screams John, completely revolted.

He sees another well-liked and respected citizen.

“Mister Rodriguez!”

“No, John,” the old man stopped him before John said more. “I know what you think. We all think that. However, I have a wife and a son, so please understand.

The words of the old man hit John like a slap in the face. He stares at him, trying to find a hint of hope, a way out of the situation.

“But... but they can’t do this,” the boy stammers, still incredulous, as if he didn’t believe what was happening. “They can’t throw them out of their house like a sack of potatoes. They lived here all their life...”

Nick steps forward and puts his hand on John’s shoulder.

“We can't do nothin'—just nothin' at all. Otherwise, we woulda done it already, trust me.”

Mr. Rodriguez bows his head in shame, turning his back to the long line of ghouls that are escorted outside the city walls.

John stares in disbelief. Every fiber of his being screams at him to fight—to fight with nails and teeth. But there is that look in Nick’s eyes—that resigned look—that kills the last spark of hope in him. Because if even a rightful man as his mentor doesn’t bulge for the ghouls...

No! No, John can’t just look. He suddenly rushes to the nearest guard.

“John! NO!” Nick tries to dissuade him, but the stubborn young man doesn't stop for a moment in his crazy run. He hits the guard with full force, causing him to lose his balance and verbally protest.

“Hey!”

Another guard grabs John by the collar and puts him back on his feet.

“Easy, young McDonough. Don’t embarrass your brother.”

The other guard stands up in turn, glaring at him.

“You should go home. It’ll be over soon, don’t worry.”

John struggles against the guard's grip, trying to get free to lunge at them again.

“Let go of me! I hate you, you scumbag!" he screams, consumed by madness.

Nick runs into the fray and tries to get John to come back to his senses.

“Knock it off, for God's sake! Stop it!”

But John’s eyes are filled with anger. He doesn't hear the detective's words. All he can see are those guards forcing the poor old ghouls out of their homes.

“I hate you, you sons of bitches, damn you!” he continues to yell, trying to break free again.

Nick frees him from the guard's grasp and grabs him by the shoulders.

“You gotta listen to me. Listen up! Look at me, will ya?”

John stops fighting for a moment. He looks at Nick, his mind overwhelmed by anger.

“What?!” He replies, panting and clenching his teeth.

“Take it easy!” the detective begs. “Ya get what I'm sayin'? Take it easy, now. I get about it all, but if ya keep goin' like this...”

John's heart continues to beat fast, but his mind is starting to clear. He sees the guards watching him cautiously. But he doesn’t care. He knows Nick is right, but his anger continues to make his head boil.

“I…” John tries to control his breathing, still caught in a wave of rage. “I can’t...”

Nick nods, understanding.

“I get it... but ya gotta chill out, alright?”

He squeezes his shoulders, trying to ease his friend's anger.

“No, I can’t!” suddenly exclaims John. “I can’t stand still! I can’t accept!”

One of the guards approaches them, his hands clasped around his pistol. Nick notices and pulls John back. Not that he thinks they would dare to hurt the young brother of the mayor, but in this chaos, who knows?

“Easy, John…”

John looks at the guards, his heart pounding and his breath quickening again.

"Easy, my ass!" he exclaims, still fuming. “These guys are forcing people out of their homes! And you tell me to not do anything? They are people; they are!”

Nick tries to put himself in front of John and block his path, but the young man starts to push past him.

“Don’t be a knucklehead. Ya want 'em to shoot ya?”

“I don’t care!” the boy replies, already thinking about hitting the guard nearby again.

Nick knows he can’t stop him. If John wants to act like a madman, it’s just a matter of time before a tragedy occurs.

But all of a sudden, an authoritative voice intervenes.

A voice that John knows well.

“What’s going on here?”

John freezes and looks in the direction of the voice.

Standing a few steps away is his older brother, the Mayor McDonough.

“Brother,” John manages to say, still panting from the anger.

The mayor, however, isn't here to talk with his little brother. He doesn't even look at him. He just looks at the guards and then turns his icy gaze to Nick.

“Good evening, Mister Valentine,” he says in his formal, detached tone, looking at the synth as if he were a particularly unpleasant smell. But Nick doesn’t flinch. He knows the man too well.

“Mayor,” the detective answers in a calm tone. John, on the other hand, looks back and forth between his brother and the synthetic man, sensing that the situation is tensing.

The mayor smiles, revealing his teeth like a wolf about to pounce.

"I imagine you're concerned about the events of the day, given that you're not a full material of Diamond City yourself, right?" he asks, almost mockingly.

Nick raises an eyebrow. He clearly didn’t expect this kind of jab from the mayor. He looks at him for a few moments before responding.

“You got a point,” he replies, his voice still calm.

The young McDonough watches silently, still seething.

The mayor continues to glare at Nick for a few more moments, as if expecting him to flinch. Seeing that the synth remains stoic and unperturbed, he decides to turn his attention to John.

“And what about you,” he says, looking at his brother with a hint of annoyance in his eyes. "Why are you making such a fuss?"

The younger McDonough grits his teeth but remains silent. He looks at Nick for a moment, and the detective gives him a look that says, "Let me take care of it."

The older man stares at his brother.

“Don’t you have something better to do? Go somewhere else and hang out with the drifters like the loser you are or find some whore to blow off some steam.”

John’s anger begins to rise again, but Nick steps in before he does anything stupid.

“He’s just concerned about the... events, that’s all.”

The mayor looks at the synth, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“Of course he is. He has always been so... emotional.” He stares at his young brother for another moment before speaking again. “And what exactly is he so concerned about, pray tell?”

John can’t hold back for long.

“You know damn well what I’m concerned ab—

Nick grabs his arm, stopping him from getting closer to his brother. John looks at him with furious eyes, but the detective shakes his head discreetly.

The mayor looks at John with a sardonic smile, clearly enjoying the situation.

“Yes? Tell me then, little brother. What’s bothering you so much?”

John is shaking with anger, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles are turning white. He wants to punch this bastard so bad that it hurts. But Nick keeps his hand on his shoulder, holding him firmly in place.

The mayor continues to wait for an answer. He's clearly enjoying the sight of his brother struggling to control his anger. Nick, however, notices the guards on the side starting to get restless. They’re starting to worry about the situation.

But John sees red. The mere mockery in his brother’s voice drives him to the edge.

“Damn you,” he growls, trying to rip his arm free from Nick’s grasp. “Damn you, you hypocrite!”

The mayor’s smile widens.

“I'm a hypocrite, am I?” he replies, taking on a falsely hurt tone. “Don’t you think you’re taking it a bit too seriously, little brother? I'm just performing a little civic duty for the good of the city.”

John can no longer contain himself and tries more than ever to shake off Nick's hand, his eyes fixed on the face he now despises.

“You’re not fooling anyone,” he growls. “You don’t care about the city; you only care about yourself! You’re nothing more than a selfish, opportunistic bastard!”

The other man lets out a mocking laugh.

“Opportunistic? I prefer the term prudent.” He steps closer to John, their faces almost touching. “And it seems to me that I'm doing something much more useful and productive than you, brother.”

John feels like he could explode at any moment.

“Doing something useful?” he retorts, his voice filled with rage. “You're kicking innocent people out of their homes, throwing them into the Wastes, and you call it useful? You call it productive?”

John's chest heaves with fury, wanting to bite his brother's face. The mayor continues to smile, seemingly unperturbed by the youth reaction.

"Oh, come on," he says in a theatrical tone. “Ghouls. Innocent. Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron? They're ghouls, brother. They don't deserve any better than living out there, in the wasteland, among their own kind. That's just the way things are.”

John suddenly stops struggling in Nick’s hands, and the synth feels it very, very badly. The boy then raises his voice, his expression so white that it appears to be almost devoid of emotion.

“You’re right about one thing, brother. I’m better with drifters and those who are not like you. Anywhere, away from you and your kind.” He suddenly leaps out of the grip of Nick, who fails to catch him this time. “Never, do you hear me? I will NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS CITY AGAIN!”

The mayor smiles at John, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

“Suit yourself,” he replies, feigning indifference. “And don’t bother coming back, either. This city doesn't need people like you, and we certainly don’t need your... dubious associates.”

Nick throws the man a glance, feeling very well the treat, but stays silent, a grim look on his face.

John doesn’t cast a shadow of a glance over his shoulder as he moves forward with a determined step toward the line of ghouls that continues to be taken out of the city.

The mayor watches him go with a sardonic smile, like a snake ready to strike again.

“Good riddance,” he comments with satisfaction.

Nick, filled with worry, follows John, wishing he could stop him and talk some sense into him.

“John, hold up a sec...”

But John ignores him. His eyes are fixated on the line of ghouls, many of whom are too weakened to walk and are being dragged by the security guards.

There is nothing beyond that point that could change John’s mind.

His time in Diamond City is over.

His life as John McDonough, the younger brother of Guy McDonough, has come to an end.

Never again.

The Great Green Jewel will never again see his face.

#noskipnovember #no skip november #john mcdonough #hancock before hancock #john hancock #hancock fo4 #john hancock fallout 4 #hancock #nick valentine #fallout 4 #fallout #fo4 #fo4 companions #fallout4 #fallout 4 companions

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belle--ofthebrawl · 1 year ago

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I am so invested in your posts about Mountain and his pack of moms.

Does Mountain turn into a big kit whenever he visits them? Like a college kid who goes back home to his family during holidays.

- @ghouletteanon

(I did exactly two Google searches and these are the names for the previous drummers I found. I went with Terra over Gamma for obvious elemental reasons. I think there's three total? My inbox and DMs are open to any and all earth ghoul stans who know more than I do.)

Nothing terrible under the cut except the horror of knowing your parental figures have sex.

He knows Pebble's aware as soon as he sets foot into the deeper woods. The trees and mycelium networks are her eyes and ears, leaves rustling with wind-carried words to wherever she is. Not a single twig in this forest snaps without her knowing about it, which would give anyone else an incredible headache but Pebble seems to like it just fine.

And sure enough, he doesn't get but a yard or so before she appears. Sitting on an ancient log like she's been there the whole time waiting for him to pass by, even though he knew he'd been alone just moments ago.

She's all criss-crossed up from her arms to her legs, still as a statue as she watches him approach with his picnic basket. He doesn't say anything; he knows this routine well enough by now. Pebble can get odd, when left to her own devices for too long. The others are usually good at bringing her back to herself though.

Food helps too. Not the food she can scavenge from the forest like berries and mushrooms and prey animals eaten raw. Food that's been altered, baked, cooked. He lifts the cloth of the picnic basket and lets the warm smell of fresh bread waft out. Her nostrils flair and she stands up, quick as a wink. With one quick nod, she's off; darting through the undergrowth like a fox. It's on him to keep up, but he knows she'll come back for him if he lays behind too far. She'll get impatient but she'll always come back.

The path is different every time he visits. Some trick of Terra's to keep strangers out if they aren't guided in but he doesn't mind. He knows how much they value privacy and the time it takes to get to the destination is never too long. The undergrowth thins out, the trees grow further and further apart until they're in Ivy's garden with Ivy herself bending over to tug up a bundle of root vegetables. Pebble licks her fingertips as she walks over, delivering a loud and resounding smack to Ivy's rear end that Mountain glances away to avoid seeing barely in the nick of time.

"Pebble!" Ivy shouts, shooting up straight and cuffing the small menace in return. "Just once, a hello would be nice to hear instead of-"

"Hello." Mountain calls, walking between the rows to her with a wave. She turns around again and her happiness is so infectious that nearby plants immediately start flowering in response. Pebble takes the opportunity to dart into the little home that's been carved into the earth, set into the base of gentle slope covered in soft green grass.

"Mountain!" She cries, dropping her harvest into the dirt and leaping over the plants to catch him up in a bear hug. "Oh, I was just thinking about you! Terra was saying you were all back from tour, so of course we've been expecting you but honestly not so soon and-"

"Let that boy breathe." Comes a deeper voice from the doorway of the little home. Mountain straightens up automatically, brushing a few fly aways out of her face as Terra easily lopes over with her cane. She stops a few feet away, looks over him with a critical eye and he's acutely aware of every wrinkle and stain in his clothes, the way his right boot's come untied and how the flannel he has on now was definitely hers once upon a time.

"Suppose we'll have to take you as you are then." Terra says, a telling twinkle in her eye though her face remains firm. "What'd you bring us this time?"

"Harvest bread." He says, finally handing over the picnic basket. "Gooseberry and raspberry jam. Two kinds of cheese. Wine and whiskey and weed."

"Good stuff." Ivy says in approval.

"We'll see." Terra says. Then, "Pebble, don't you dare."

Pebble slinks out from behind Terra, hands raised in innocence even as her tail whips back. It's caught just in time by Terra's own tail, wrangled into submission as Mountain pretends to be thoroughly engrossed by his feet. He's not a prude, far from it but it just feels awkward to watch the ones who helped him with his first moments Topside be...like that.

"Welcome back." Terra says fondly after Pebble yanks her tail away and stomps off to set the table. Ivy picks up her vegetables again and goes to put her gardening tools away. "Tell us where you've been this whole time."

"All over." Mountain begins. And, like he always does, hits his head on the doorframe on the way in.

Some things never change.

#mountain ghoul #ficlet #i shoukd dig out that fic where mountain asks pebble for advice about his magic. she talks a little more in that one but not by much.#mostly lets mountain solve his own problems

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hygieiahub · 1 month ago

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A Spook-tacular Guide to Mental Health and Phobias

Welcome to the spookiest time of the year—Halloween! 🎃

While haunted houses and creepy costumes can send a chill down your spine, it’s important to recognize that some fears aren’t just for fun. For many of us, fear lurks in everyday life, not just on October 31st. From the fear of failure to a creepy-crawly encounter with a spider, we all have our own monsters to face.

But fear not, because understanding these ghouls and learning how to conquer them can do wonders for our mental health!

The Ghosts of Failure and Rejection 👻

Let’s start with two of the most common spirits that haunt students—fear of failure and fear of rejection. These aren't the kind of fears you can simply ward off with a garlic necklace. They linger in your head, telling you that you’re not good enough, that you’ll embarrass yourself in front of your peers, or that you’ll disappoint others.

Fear of failure can be like a vampire, draining the life out of your motivation. Whether it's a big exam or a major presentation, this fear often makes us feel paralyzed, like we’re doomed to fail before we even try. And then there’s the fear of rejection, which can make social interactions feel like walking through a house of horrors. It’s that terrifying feeling that you won’t fit in, or worse, that people will laugh at you or push you away.

But here’s the trick (or treat 😉): facing these fears head-on is the best way to banish them! Recognizing that failure is a part of growth and that rejection doesn’t define your worth can help you walk through the graveyard of these fears with more confidence.

Spiders, Darkness, and Creepy Crawlers, Oh My! 🕷️🌑

Of course, some fears are less abstract and more... eight-legged. Arachnophobia (fear of spiders), nyctophobia (fear of the dark), and other specific phobias are common, especially during this spooky season. Imagine opening a door in a haunted house, only to find a web of spiders waiting for you—terrifying, right? For those who genuinely suffer from these phobias, it’s not just a Halloween prank; it’s a real, overwhelming experience.

But don’t worry! There’s no need to run away screaming like someone in a horror movie. One effective way to conquer phobias is through gradual exposure. If the thought of spiders sends chills down your spine, start by learning more about them, maybe even looking at pictures (without jumping!). Over time, you can work your way up to facing a real spider. The more you face your fears, the less power they have over you.

Similarly, if you’re afraid of the dark, try spending short periods of time in low light or using comforting objects (like a flashlight) to slowly ease your way into embracing the night.

Future Fears: The Zombie Apocalypse of Uncertainty 🧟‍♀️

Then there’s the looming fear of the future—kind of like a zombie apocalypse that no one can predict. Will you get into your dream college? What career path will you choose? These questions can feel just as scary as a zombie chasing you down a deserted street. But here’s the truth: no one has it all figured out, and that’s okay!

Instead of letting the fear of the unknown turn you into a nervous wreck, take it step by step, like a brave survivor in a horror movie. Talk to trusted adults, explore your passions, and know that it's normal to feel unsure about the future. It’s a mystery, but not one that you can’t solve over time.

Tricks for Treating Your Fears 🎃

Face them, don’t flee them: The more you avoid your fears, the bigger and scarier they seem. Try gradually exposing yourself to what scares you, just like how you’d get used to a haunted house by taking one cautious step at a time.

Talk to your Ghostbusters: Whether it’s a counselor, a trusted friend, or a family member, talking about your fears is one of the best ways to understand and overcome them.

Remember, you're the hero of your story: Just like every horror movie has a hero who eventually overcomes the monster, you can conquer your fears with courage, patience, and support.

This Halloween, instead of running from the things that scare you, why not take a stand? Whether it's the fear of spiders, failure, or the dark, remember that you have the power to face your fears and turn them into strengths. So grab your flashlight, put on your bravest costume, and get ready to tackle those monsters head-on. Because when it comes to mental health and phobias, you’re not just surviving—you’re thriving! 🧙‍♀️🎃

-hygieia's saint

#positive mental attitude #mental health #high school #self help #motivation #self improvement #arachnophobia #nyctophobia #fear of failure #fear of rejection #gradual exposure #fear of the dark #fear of the future #halloween #positivity #phobia #getting over fears

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intertexts · 5 months ago

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OKAY. HI HI HI HI HI. THOUGHTS ON NHW MAL POWERS

i am going 2 leave the actual classification up to you because i dont have the innate sense of them yet like i do for classpects and such and i know im banned from the wiki rn so ill just talk about. base level What I Think He Can Do.

FIRST OF ALL. THE BIG THING. GHOUL. so. technically if i remember correctly. mal isnt a planeswalker like william is so ghoul is technically a separate being? ghoul is his guide, which is what allows him to go between the real world and the spirit world. HOWEVER. ghoul is nothing to me so in nhw world i think he should just be like. a separate form. mal turns into ghoul and its the same consciousness u know? hes the same guy hes just a freak now. worm comparison i am thinking is like. what rachel does to her dogs except hes doing it to himself. with the gross muscles and bones and big mouth and shit.

OTHER THAN THAT i thinkkkkkk. ok. hear me out. i am going 2 base this on a tweet bizly made forever ago (that im SO MAD i cant find a picture of rn) but the basics was like. u remember that nightmare dakota had back in season 1 where he saw william and vyncent kill summer . that was a nightmare that mal gave him in order to split the three of them up. SO WHAT IF. nhw mal has some sort of dream/mind manipulation abilities or something. hes had so many moments where he just like. appears out of the shadows in order to get them to do what he wants im just imagining the horror of that from an outside perspective just seeing one of the heroes mid battle just Fall Asleep for a while. but to them its like nothing happens and they dont realize it until he leaves and theyre waking up. do you see my vision here.

either that or i think his powers should be like. kind of countered to wibby? i know in pd his powers are similar to williams bc hes a ghost and everything but. im thinking we dont do that in nhw. INSTEAD. maybe in ghoul form or whatever he has heightened senses/abilities that allow him to see through things like invisibility and touch things that are intangible. (thinking abt this strategy-wise, it would be their goal to take him down as mal BEFORE he transforms bc then he becomes almost impossible for william to fight) . maybe this seems too targeted against william specifically but im jsut thinking like. ghoul in general just makes him more powerful and those are just a couple specific advantages he gets? uh oh im running out of words in my brain help

MAYBE THIS IS. TOO MUCH IN TOO MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. so he doesnt have to have all of these at once. i am really just throwing spaghetti noodles at your inbox and seeing what sticks to the wall or whatever the phrase is. hi it took me like an hour to type all of this bc i kept getting distracted and forgetting words!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAHHHH YAYUAYAY THIS IS ALL GOOD SPAGHETTI!!!!!!! too much in too many directions is so fun dude i fucking love being the rubber ducky for shit like this!!

i REALLY ENJOY fucked up body horror changer shit... ough. (thats what him physically changing like rachels dogs would b, as opposed 2 breakers who-- oh god it's too late for this. umm. physical change different than energy form etc.)... he should get 2 be a weird terrifying freak thing. with bone & blood n stuff. & there's precedent for changing in a way that alters ur senses & powers etc..... maybe he choose what and how he transforms to respond in a certain way or target a certain scenario. i dont wanna go fishing rn but remind me tmrw n i'll rb this with some screenshots from ward of the guy im thinking of who this reminds me of!!

that being said the idea of him having big mind manipulation stuff is also SO compelling. god. being able to like... create illusions & scenarios that are completely fake. delude people or put them to sleep or mess with their cognition in ways they dont even notice... alter perception of reality.... especially if he has a wide range of effect?? that goes hard!!! how long would it last... how would u snap out of it... could he make u feel stuff that's not real??? ok ok ok getting off track. anyway. i love the idea of a fight with him being timed because he's transforming.... maybe a form that's just. very good at Seeing Things? mal/ghouls original job was like, as a cleaner for clarence, right? making sure everything in the afterlife's in order? so many choices...

#anyway it's 1230 i gotta get up at 4 good night!!!!! sorry this is fucking incoherent im. also sleepy. and out of words. but. thinking abt #him........ how can we make him a nightmare for william specifically (<- magnifying glass on the wibby ant). he also has 2 be cool n creepy #n hold his own with the 9. hhbgh.#ok ok. letting it simmer for now!!!#mac tag!#new haven wards

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luvnotpercival · 3 months ago

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Hi, I’m Perci or Ink (she/he/they) Sometimes the hyperfixation takes over causing a severe reblogging spree. I do a fuck ton of fanart here, so beware!

FREE ART COMMISSIONS!! (Just keep ‘em coming baby, I have no life!) || NO NSFW

CHRONIC PODCAST ENJOYER AND FANDOM HOPPER

ASKS ABOUT STUFF ARE AMAZING! I have a sideblog for ocs -> @percival-ink-experience

Tags:

#inks art (-> my art)

#inks cassettes (-> my podcast cassette collection)

#ink answers (-> I answer stuff)

#percival ink experience (-> my art side blog)

#inks embroidery ( -> my school embroidery project)

#inks commission's (-> my commission's)

PODCASTS -> The Bright Sessions, Welcome to Night Vale, The Lost Cat Podcast, Archive 81, The Magnus Archives, The Magnus Protocol, Rusty Quill Gaming, Malevolent, Wolf 359, The Penumbra Podcast, Within The Wires, Stellar Firma, The Elysium Project, I Am In Eskew, The White Vault, Old Gods Of Appalachia, The Adventure Zone, Within The Wires, The Silt Verses, Liars & Leeches, Dreamboy, The Black Tapes, The Deca Tapes, Dungeons And Daddies, SAYER, The Night Post, TANIS, The Dead Letter Office of Somewhere Ohio, The Department of Variance Somewhere Ohio, Sherlock & Co,

SHOWS, BOOKS and ANIME -> The Mandela Catalogue, Supernatural, Good Omens, Metal Family, Discworld, Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, Twin Peaks, The Bad Batch, Hadestown, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Sander Sides, Daniel Thrasher, House M.D., Sherlock, Six Of Crows, Saiki K, Chainsaw Man, Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, LUCIDS (Web Series), Skulduggery Pleasant, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Punch Man, Tokyo Ghoul, Rivers Of London, Mob Psycho 100, Prodigal Son,

#blog intro #blog anniversary #1 year tumblrversary #luvnotpercival #blog tag #or whatever

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onedaughterofman · 2 years ago

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You, forever (Chapter IX: Waiting for the night)

Pairing: Papa Emeritus IV x g/n reader

Summary: The Clergy takes something from Copia, but he refuses to let go.

Warnings/tags: descriptions of corpses, death, blood and violence. Biblical references and Satanism. Emotional hurt. Psychological horror. Copia straight up not having a good time. Around 5.5K words.

A/N: Shit got real.

PREV CHAPTER HERE

ENTER APOCALYPSE.

“The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up”

A perpetual smile is plastered on Mary Goore’s face.

It’s rare. In old pictures, faded away by the passage of time and corroded by the sun and water, Goore consistently had a frown on their face. From Academy portraits to concert photos on an underground metal magazine, there was only a scowl, furrowed brows and thin lips in a line.

Now, Goore smiles. The corners of their mouth are lifted, stretched out almost to the maximum as their head moves to follow the lively rhythm of a song. Papa Emeritus stands in the middle of the rundown studio, not daring to take a seat anywhere. From the walls to the floor, everything appears to be covered in a dense layer of dust and gravel, dirty and corroded by time.

This studio, as much as Goore seems to appreciate it, is in ruins. A long, long time ago it was a mausoleum, part of the ancient chapel’s private cemetery. No one in the Ministry cared about it, which made it easier for Mary to naturally take it.

Muscles stiff and fingertips cold, Copia desires nothing more than to exit this place. It’s freezing between these stone walls and the humidity clings to the surfaces, rendering them sticky. Even the ghouls would prefer to be anywhere else but here, judging by their rigid shoulders and flickering tails. This space stinks of death, wet soil and decay.

“I thought you said three weeks,” Goore speaks up for the first time since Papa Emeritus set foot inside the mausoleum.“I still have time.”

“I know,” it’s the reply. “I’m just here to oversee the process.”

A short, bitter chuckle is all the answer he receives. Mary’s fingers toy with a small bone, cleaning the carcass of something that might have been a crow during better times. Now, the remains are almost unrecognizable. “It’s okay,” they state, after a beat. “As long as you don’t wish to see them.”

“Why not?”

Goore’s eyes are too dark to be read. Face obscured by shadows, they look more like a corpse than a living person, all pale skin and gaunt cheeks. “It’s ugly,” they explain. “Messy.”

The sound of a Ghoul’s tail flickering swiftly cuts the air. Papa inhales, gathers a shallow breath before speaking. “Am I supposed to trust in your words only, then?”

“Yes.”

A loud crack reverberates on the walls when the bone on Goore’s hand snaps in a half, bending between their fingers. Mary stares at the pieces, clicks his tongue before tossing them at the table.

“It’s better not to distract me,” they continue, turning around to face Papa Emeritus. “I’m not very good at multitasking. Had a hard time playing guitar while singing on stage, that’s why I planned to get another guitarist.”

“Couldn’t you find another one of your corpse puppets to play around?”

A laugh, short and hollow fills the air. Papa Emeritus still hears that sound often, when he’s alone trying to sleep, fingers reaching out to the side of the bed you used to rest in. “Not necessarily. I didn’t have the time to search for a good one, that’s all.”

Silence falls deeply into the room. Papa Emeritus takes one step, then another. His mismatched eyes inspect the bird carcass, note the way Goore is cleaning the bones and peeling away the flesh from them with an almost clinical care. “Tell me,” he commands. “What’s the process?”

For a moment, Goore stays silent. Then, his fingers pick up another bone. “Once you find the soul and guide it back to this earthly realm, you must make the body a suitable vessel for it again. Much like summoning a Nameless Ghoul and giving them a human carrier, the soul must accept the old receptacle. To put a soul infused with life essence into a dead container is complicated. They don’t want to remain there. It feels wrong.”

No, wrong is not the right word.

It’s pure horror. A painful, traumatizing, unforgettable process. It’s torture, visceral and profound. Regardless of how much time has passed since their demise and return to life or how well their body was preserved thanks to black magic, Goore still remembers the agonizing pain, desperation and gut wrenching fear.

“A soul brimming with life energy will stop the decomposing process. In this case, since they have been embalmed, I need to perform a few other modifications here and there.”

Over the distant low whistle of the wind, Papa’s voice sounds harsher, stronger. “Explain.”

“Blood.” Goore says, fluttering a hand in an empty gesture. Their fingers are coated with a dark, thick substance. “They need fresh blood, organs, entrails… I need to reverse the embalming little by little, step by step. It’s a bit more complicated than reversing natural decomposition.”

“I assume you have found a way.”

“One or two,” Goore smiles, cracking their knuckles before continuing.“It’s not my first time working with something like this. I had some practice before getting kicked out from the Academy.”

Moving even closer, Papa Emeritus peeks from behind Goore’s shoulders. As messy as it might seem, their work is careful and curated. Those long fingers move deftly, minding every individual detail. Goore may have said they are not fond of multitasking, but Copia notes the way they clean the skeleton with natural ease, almost on autopilot.

“I read your file,” he comments, tongue poking out to moisten his lips. It’s hard to speak when it’s so bleak. “You stole a Papa’s corpse from the mausoleum.”

The file was very explicit. Whoever wrote it didn’t spare details and curses on Goore’s figure, cataloging the incident as something “never seen before” and “overly blasphemous". To tinker around with a sacred body, with a relic no less, must have been heavily disapproved of.

“Well, yes. Where else would I have found an embalmed corpse? You have an idea of how much money it requires to embalm a body?” They ask, before another smile stretches their lips.“Sorry. You do, after all.”

Even if Papa Emeritus feels the anger rise from deep within his guts, he remains calm. There’s no use getting upset at this moment, not when your return hangs from Goore’s fingers. “What I don’t understand is what you were trying to achieve. You knew you were risking it all with your stunt. Were you studying so you could bring a loved one back?”

This time, Mary’s slow laugh echoes around the corners. They stand up, so fast the chair drags on the floor and almost falls to the ground. The bones are thrown on the table, landing in a series of horizontal lines.

“Is that all the motivation you can think of?” they snort, a hand darting up to move away a few strands of hair from their eyes. Then, something in their expression softens, temporarily filled with melancholy. “If you want to know, I loved a guy once. He was hot but stupid, and I liked him because he reminded me of Jim Morrison. Later, he left me for some woman whom I’m pretty sure had something to do with my death.”

Surprised by the sudden display of emotions, Papa struggles to continue. Goore is a mystery, an eccentric figure never understood by anyone in the Ministry. “Then, why?”

For a long moment, Goore remains silent, reflective. Images of blood and bones, of funerals and burials pass in front of their eyes, misty like forgotten memories. Decades ago, the Ministry was an extremely sinister place.

Well, it is possible it has always been that way.

“Lots of kids died in the Ministry years ago, did you know?” They start, fingers blindly reaching to collect the bones back up. Even though they are clean, their nails still scratch the surface trying to wipe off a spot of dry blood. “I was young, but I’ve been told The Clergy was growing desperate. They wanted to force the coming of the Antichrist by any method.”

Dozens of babies and toddlers died as a result of those rituals. Parents were assured it was an honor to surrender little children to their hands, that from their suffering the Evil One would cast incommensurable rewards their way. Turns out, blood infected the ground and the rewards never came.

After lots of failure, those old men and women were forced to stop.

“The grass over those graves never grew right. It looked all burnt up, dead. I used to play a lot in the graveyard, until one day somehow I woke someone up. Kid rose from the grave, walked out of it all the way back to her parents. That was my first accidental necromancy.”

It was a mess. The screams from the parents could be heard all around the Ministry. The thing with the dead is, they are angry and confused. Without their brain controlling and limiting their bodies, they are capable of amazing things they couldn’t perform during life. That little girl tore the scalp off her mother without blinking.

What a fucking mess. Naturally, that’s not something Goore can tell Papa Emeritus IV.

Fortunately, Copia doesn’t press on that issue. “How did you do it?”

“Natural talent, they said. Everybody praises you the first time, but soon the same trick grows old. I got tired of simple rituals, so I searched for ways to use my power. Obviously, there were some setbacks.”

At the beginning, the empty corpses roamed the Ministry seeking a soul. Once they found one, they tore the flesh from the living trying to get it out. Then, once Mary managed to fuse both soul and body, the corpses started moving by their longing for a future.

Brought back to life, they regained some memories from their final moments and recalled their wishes for the future, the one they were to have had. The holes between their memories and their life plans became an incomplete, confusing puzzle. It got them crazy.

“The Clergy began to worry,” Mary continues. “They saw me as a threat. I had the power to set foot in the cemetery and raise an army of undead detractors they put underground. That’s what happens when you build an empire over the blood and flesh of your enemies, it’s easy to make it crumble.”

Beyond a few threats Mary sputtered here and there during lengthy discussions with the higher-ups, they never planned to actually take the Ministry by storm. Goore never wanted the responsibilities that came from it, never desired to be the one in command. They merely wanted to perform, to live their life to the fullest.

Achieving the perfect reanimation ritual was the only interesting enough goal they had. Just to see if they could do it, to prove… To whom? To whom did they want to prove themselves? Mary can’t remember it anymore. Death always takes something from you, even if it’s only a few memories.

”I thought a dark, powerful being with deep connections to the occult like an old Papa would be a good subject to try something new. Who knows, maybe that one would have been a perfect resurrection. I was wrong. My only perfect resurrection has been myself.”

Another sharp flick of a tail slashes the air. Goore’s black pupils focus on the ghoul, observe the way his shoulders are tense and teeth poke out from behind his lips. To the ghoul’s right, Papa Emeritus nods his head solemnly, eyelids pressed together. “You will succeed again,” he says, but there’s no encouragement in his tone.

No, that’s not meant to be comforting or kind. It’s an order, a command.

“You will succeed, or else,” Papa doesn’t say. He doesn’t have to.

Behind Goore’s back, the mix of black blood and putrid flesh begins to ooze from the bird’s corpse and drip from the corner or the table, tarnishing the ground. No grass will ever grow there.

“The second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood, and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”

“Did you finish?”

The Nameless Ghoul nods. Standing right in front of Papa Emeritus IV, the creature is tall, taller than most humans on earth. To its right, another Ghoul stands still, gaze obscured behind the opaque glass of the mask. There are red splotches on the surface, coating it with an acidic smell.

Outside, the water runs in a crimson color. Papa said not to make a mess, but creatures like the ghouls are hungry and wild. They don’t know how to control their most primal instinct, how to resist the deep yearn for hot violence and tender flesh.

There’s no use reprimanding them. “Take the blood to Goore,” he commands, instead. “Make sure it’s still fresh.”

“As you wish,” the smaller ghoul replies. “Anything else?”

Shaking his head, Papa turns around. “Tomorrow,” he states, extending one finger in their direction. The creatures follow it with their heads. “Go for another hunt tomorrow. It’s better if we take precautions, just in case Goore requires more materials.”

“Yes, your Dark Eminence.”

Without any more words, they leave. Outdoors, a crimson sea of dead bodies covers the earth, soon to become nothing but embers that will feed the funeral pyre for long days and nights.

“The third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.“

It never rains anymore.

Still as death, the sky remains gray for most of these days. The dark clouds float gracefully in the horizon, immobile, waiting.

Just like the sky has stopped and the clouds have decided to halt too, Copia’s heart lays still most of the time. The pain has subsided, leaving behind nothing but a never-ending emptiness. Hollow as he is, he craves. The hunger is constant, a dull ache that eats and eats and eats whatever it can find in its way.

Unforgiving, the emptiness is maybe indeed worse than the pain. Copia misses it, sometimes. He misses the sweet relief of being able to feel, of experiencing dread and sadness, endless anger or, long ago, happiness, bliss.

Oh, how much he misses the sound of laughter and talking echoing through the Ministry’s halls. The songs, the music, the sweet whine of the guitar or the deep rumbling of the drums he misses too. A core part of him has been clawed out of his chest, forcing him to become a vacant puppet.

No, not a puppet anymore.

Not a copy, either.

Copia doesn’t know what or who he is anymore. Someone who wants blood and glory, maybe? Blood, he has it. Now, glory…

He can’t fool anyone. This is not a matter of glory anymore. At first, he thought by avenging you he’d find peace and bring justice to your feet. Hell, he wanted to put the whole word right below you if you only hinted of desiring so. Now, it doesn’t matter anymore. Copia no longer recognizes himself in the mirror most days, and a part of him doubts if you’d recognize him.

For all one knows, you wouldn’t. Maybe you would see right through him, or look into his eyes as if those were the eyes of a stranger. A part of him wishes for that to be the case. He knows someone as divine as you, as full of joy and beauty would only be tainted by him, stained with pestilence and decay.

A heavy book is set on the coffee table in front of him. There is a dense layer of dust coating the velvety binding, obscuring the golden letters. “Should I bring anything else, Sir?”

It smells like rain when the ghoul leans in closer, perhaps to listen to the faint words that Papa mumbles under his breath. “No,” he whispers, before repenting. “I mean, stop. Take a seat with me.”

Full of reluctance, the Nameless Ghoul obeys. The chair lets out a harsh screech when it’s dragged on the wooden floor, before the creature sits at the edge of the seat. He seems wary, confused even. There are no signs of aggression in him, but Copia can see the dark red splotches dirtying his mask.

Over the cracking of the fireplace, Copia struggles to recover his voice. He has no idea why he ordered the creature to stay, if it’s because he seeks company or because he has an undying curiosity. And so, he asks. “Tell me, how is Satan?”

“How?”

The uncertainty coats that word. The ghoul’s head leans to one side, motionless mask conveying the feeling. Copia himself feels disorientated, hazy. His mind is everywhere, haunted by lack of proper sleep and ghostly nightmares. Some days, he dreams and hears voices; he sees the sky breaking in a thousand pieces and the ground shattering under his feet.

Absent-mindedly, his gloved hands reach for the book. His fingers open it on a random page, tracing the edge of an image painted in black ink. There are some annotations made on the corners of the page, on neat cursive handwriting. Time has made most of it fade, melt into the yellow paper.

“Yes, how is he?” Papa repeats. “Have you ever spoken to him?”

In front of him, the Ghoul doesn’t laugh. Still, a weird rumble escapes his mouth. His shoulders relax only a bit, but the air of perplexity remains. “You must have a strange conception of Hell if you think I have. We ghouls belong to the upper circles, and someone as important as a King of Demons belongs to the lower parts.”

“So you don’t know him.”

“I’ve seen him a few times. Heard stories here and there, but I must not speak of them.”

As always, no matter how hard Copia reaches for the truth, he never finds it. It reminds him of his time as a student, of spending long afternoons in the tunnels underground with his nose buried in a book, being interrupted only by Imperator placing a cup of tea or hot chocolate next to him.

Copia doesn’t want to think about Imperator anymore. He’d rather not recall her at all, but it’s hard when her handwriting covers most of the margins of the book, filling them with comments and highlights.

“Satan, Adversary, fire illuminated spirit of darkness and light, whose touch illuminates clay, who is the ancient serpent, rise up in me father!” She underlined. Copia’s pupils focus on it for long seconds. “I will ascend to Heaven. Above the stars, I will raise my throne. There is no God beside me.”

“Sister Imperator used to say I had Satan’s eyes, whatever that meant for her,” he utters, at last. “She said He would listen to me if I spoke to Him, for we were connected.”

“You are Papa for a reason, after all.”

“I have doubted it, lately.”

He has grown sour, resentful of these worn books that lay on his lap and of humanity in general. He has become a poison that sweeps on the ground and infects the water, condemning many souls to the lake of fire. If he was ever the chosen one, Satan’s favorite or whatever lie Imperator fed him for years, that is long gone. He has fallen from grace, a burning star turned meteorite, ready to destroy himself and implode the earth in the process.

Copia will burn, sooner or later, but the whole world will accompany him.

A smidge of bitterness coats the air. Sensing the conversation has died, the ghoul stands up slowly before speaking up. “As blasphemous as it is, I must admit you remind me of Him.”

“Is it the eyes?”

“No. Satan was also bitter and covered in blood.”

“And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.”

Things go bump in the dark.

In the adjacent room, behind a heavily locked door, things bump against the walls before falling to the ground.

“Tell it to stop staring at me,” Goore orders, as soon as Papa sets foot in the mausoleum. He’s not accompanied by any ghoul, and the lack of guardians makes him look smaller, mortal. A mere man, old and drained, bearing a tortured soul.

“I commanded him to keep an eye on you.”

“Well, that it does.”

Another knock comes from the room. Then, scratches on the wooden door. The ghoul doesn’t react. His massive figure remains sat on the chair, barely fitting in it. He’s tall, almost a giant in human standards. Even if his presence is mostly calm, Goore can feel the intensity of that stare never leaving their back.

Under their breath, Mary curses. To have Papa Emeritus here can’t be good, not when the process had to be sped up this much. The ritual is complicated, messy, and painful for the recipient. If Papa loses it, if he witnesses something he mustn’t, then all their effort would have been in vain.

For the time being, Papa does his best to ignore the sound. If he’s intrigued, at least he doesn’t mention it. Those dark eyes dart to the doorway at the end of the corridor, focus on the wood before returning to the necromancer. “I assume you received my gifts, si?”

Mary’s smile is wide, almost sheepish. Their fingers smooth out a feather on the recently finished taxidermy crow. Half of it is skin and black feathers, while the other half is a skeleton. A reminder, perhaps, of the duality of life and death.

“You didn’t have to,” they reply, waving a hand. “It was put to good use. We are making progress.”

“If only I could…”

A click of their tongue kills any other words Papa might have wanted to state. “I already said no.”

Another impact. Goore inhales a deep breath, letting the air come out through their nose slowly. A constant screech fills their ears and mind, voices uttering one over the other in a never-ending buzzing. The damned souls ride Papa Emeritus’ shadow, stand behind him like a funeral procession, shrieking and crying.

Even worse, your own soul screams in the other room. Goore recognizes the pain and despair, the feeling of crawling around the dark while suffering from hunger and thirst, searching for any hand to squeeze. They understand, but wish you would simple shut the fuck up for a few minutes while they are trying to maintain a conversation.

A second loud bump echoes down the hall.

Well, you are a curse. You grant them no peace.

“What’s that?” Papa Emeritus inquires, hair moving to follow the shift of his head. His pupils finally shot in the direction of the door, squinting hard as if he could penetrate the walls.

Fuck. Here goes nothing.

“Your partner.”

Mary can recognize the shift in the air, the sudden cold atmosphere that dominates the mausoleum now. The ghoul seems to also notice the change in energy because his tail suddenly stills, flickering once before resuming a measured, careful pace. He’s alert, prepared to execute any order.

To Goore’s relief, Papa doesn’t command any violence. Quite the contrary. He looks overwhelmed, almost frail. His lids are wide open, pupils trembling inside the mismatched irises. There’s a severe semblance on his face, nearly mortuary, and his hands remain clutched in front of his chest.

“Are they… Is it…” Copia stutters, taking one step forward and two backwards.“Are they back?”

“Yes and no,” Mary replies, raising their voice when Papa gathers the courage to start walking towards the door.“I’m not done yet!”

“Are they hurt? Can I see them?”

There’s no sense in arguing with a man who’s spiraling into despair. Yet, Mary can’t risk the whole ritual just to accommodate his needs. Whole body pressed against the massive door, they raise one hand in order to stop the other in their approach. From the other side, Mary feels your nails scratching the surface and it makes their ears hurt so much they might bleed.

“You can’t,” Goore reminds, through pressed teeth and clenched jaw. It all hurts so fucking much. “You have to trust me.”

“I don’t!”

The ghoul abruptly stands up upon hearing Papa’s voice. The chair produces a thunderous noise when it falls to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. Goore knows their worth. They had years of stupid fights both inside and outside the Ministry, but they equally know there’s no way they could win against that ghoul.

It’s massive. Then, calling some corpses up to defend them would take too much time. Staring right into Papa Emeritus’ eyes, they lift both hands in a clear demonstration of peace. “I get it,” they affirm, softly. “But you have to. I’m not your enemy here.”

“You’re not a friend, either.”

No. Copia doesn’t have friends. He never had. He used to spend long afternoons sitting beside a large tree, feeding the stray rats and other vermin that roamed through the Ministry. Some people were kind to him, of course, but that kindness felt more like a formality than anything else.

Copia doesn’t need friends. Especially not friends like Mary Goore.

A smile is all they offer. Their body is still shoved on the door, raw wood biting at their back. “I said I’d do this and am planning on it. You know rituals like this are forbidden for a reason. There’s a price to pay.”

“I don’t want them to be in pain.”

“Too late for that. Both death and birth are excruciating, lonely processes.”

Papa yields. His hands remain clutched over his chest, but his head falls and the long strands of hair obscure his face. “Alright,” he nods.“Si, alright.”

One step, then another. Papa is half way into the hall when another crash vibrates against the door. His feet halt, before gradually resuming their slow pace.

Until the whispering comes. “Copia.”

It’s a screeching, guttural voice. It doesn’t sound anything like you, but Copia recognizes it anyway. He would recognize it anywhere, here and in the end of the world, dead or alive. His soul would heed your call anywhere, both heaven and hell, all the way through the purgatory.

Goore swallows once before the air is knocked out of their lungs. From behind Papa’s body, they distinguish the ghoul waiting at the end of the hall, debating whether or not to interfere. For the moment being, the creature just stands there, sharp nails and white fangs gleaming under the faint golden light. Behind the glass, those pupils are two reflective dots, emitting a glow on the otherwise completely obscured face.

Even if Goore doesn’t want to feel fear, they must admit the bile is gradually rising. They swallow once, then twice, but nothing loosens the knot in their throat. Papa’s body is a substantial weight on them, and his hands squeeze hard on their neck.

Fuck. Things are incredibly messy.

“Copia”

A clattering sound.

“Copia”

A hissing, gurgling snarl.

“Copia!”

Shit. They can be messier.

“Open the door, Goore.” Papa growls, quietly. Somehow, the serenity in his voice is worse than him yelling. There’s no emotion there, nothing but the promise of pain and violence. Even if Mary can find a way to come back, it would be wiser to avoid getting on his bad side.

“I’m not going to fight you,” they mutter. Quick eyes dart from one corner of the corridor to the other, analyzing the options. None of them is worthy. For now, the best is to comply. If hell falls over them, then Goore will welcome it with open arms and a beaming smile. “If that’s what you want, so be it.”

A key dangles in front of Papa Emeritus’ face. With unsteady hands, he takes it before Goore rushes out of the way. The trembling of his fingers makes it almost impossible to insert the key in the small lock.

One turn. Papa gathers in a deep breath. Mary’s pupils dwell on his back, staring with a piercing gaze. A step back after the other, they retrocede until their body hits something hard, big. The Nameless Ghoul stands before them, obstructing any exit.

Fuck.

Before Papa can complete another turn, a high-pitched, painful scream pierces the air. From sheer shock, the key falls from Copia’s hands as he jumps backward, almost tripping on his feet. The sounds are gurgles and growls, almost inhuman.

To his gut-wrenching horror, Papa fathoms he can no longer recognize any hint of your voice. No, it doesn't sound like a person. It's like a wounded animal or an ancient demon, something wicked and malevolent, an archaic curse.

The frigid breeze hits Copia’s face when he turns around, pupils desperately searching for anything to land on. His gaze hardens when it falls on Goore and, without any need to await for an order, the ghoul’s large hands are placed on their shoulder. Those long, sharp claws dig on the flesh, not strong enough to pierce the thin skin but still a bruising grip.

“Do something! You are hurting them,” Papa Emeritus accuses. A faint glow emits from his pale eye, casting shadows on his face. In the poorly lit room, he looks far much older than he is. The wrinkles are deep, full of worry, and his cheeks are gaunt.

“Me? You are the one who wanted this, remember? If there’s someone here who has condemned them to this, it’s not me. It's all you.”

For long moments, silence falls on the mausoleum. The muffled rumble coming from behind the door is faint, buzzing like a beehive. Goore lets out a hiss when the sharp nails squeeze his shoulders with barely more pressure.

Resistance is pointless. The ghoul doesn’t let him go. Those eyes, hidden behind opaque glass, remain on Papa Emeritus’ figure, waiting.

“But…I didn't want them to be in pain.”

It's pathetic. So pathetic, Goore practically feels like laughing in his face. Copia’s voice is a whisper, words mumbled together under his breath. There’s a helpless look on his eyes, a distant gaze.

“No, not pain. It's pure agony. Believe me, I suffered it. But this is what you wanted. We come to this world screaming and covered in blood, why would this be different?”

A sharp wail echoes in the hall, pulsating against the exposed stone walls. Copia’s hands immediately dart up to cup his ears, in a futile attempt to shelter himself from the sound. His lips quiver and his pupils are a dot inside the extremely big irises. The muscles on his neck tense when he swallows, falling back a few steps.

Copia’s legs tremble so hard it looks like he’s about to break down into pieces. He seems to be about to faint, and the ghoul debates whether to continue holding Goore in place or try to assist his master.

“What have I done?” Copia whimpers, at last. “Oh, Satan. What have I done?”

Collapsing on the ground, Papa’s body presses on the door. From this close he can clearly hear your screams and detect the way your nails relentlessly scratch the ground and wood. His whole body shakes when something, your head, bangs against the door.

“Stop it,” he whispers, through sobs. “Please, amore, stop it. I’m begging you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

It doesn’t work. If the sound of his voice installs a new rage in you, he can’t understand it. The sole thing Copia is aware of is the way the banging becomes louder, faster, making the door violently rattle with each impact.

Yet, he tries to reach out to you. “Amore, it's me. I’m here now,” a long pause. He breathes in, but there’s no oxygen in his lungs. “Please, I’m begging you. Stop. I’m sorry.”

Feeling Papa Emeritus’ rage slowly die down, the ghoul unhands Goore. They move away quickly, rubbing over a particularly sore spot as they mumble curses under their breath. A sharp pain runs up their arms when their nails dig too deep into the palms, leaving behind red marks. On the desk, the taxidermy crow caws one time before the neck breaks and it collapses on the worn surface, nothing but a mess of bones and feathers.

Outside, the sun falls behind the horizon, plunging the world into darkness. The night has arrived, in the form of a vast starless sky. Copia looks out of the window for a few seconds, before his palms press on his face. Eyes narrowed, he allows his head to fall back and descends into a fake sense of tranquility. Not even the bugs disturb the quietness of the night.

By the time the banging stops, he’s completely numb. Goore is nowhere to be seen. Sat on the chair, the ghoul only stares.

“And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!’”

Ps: I might share some fun facts/references later if you wanna. Guess who Mary Goore used to date or something ♥

#ghost band #ghost band fanfic #papa emeritus iv x reader #antichrist copia #evil copia #cardinal copia x reader #papa emeritus iv #my writing #my fics #you forever fic

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cyberpunkonline · 1 month ago

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The Best Halloween-Themed Games on the Spectrum 48k: 8-bit Frights That’ll Have You Scream “LOAD”

Alright, Spectrum warriors, it’s time to slip on that vintage ZX hoodie and celebrate Halloween the only way we know how—by loading up some good ol’ 48k games for this year’s #CyberSamhain event! Now, if you thought the Commodore 64 had some strange horror gems, wait until you see what Sinclair’s little wonder has in store. The Spectrum 48k was the king of quirky games with more bugs than a haunted house, but that’s what we loved about it, right?

So buckle up and grab that cassette tape because we’re about to dive into the best spooky, Halloween-themed games on the Spectrum 48k. Hold on to your joysticks, folks—it’s going to be a creepy, pixelated ride.

1. Cauldron (1985) Witches and pumpkins, what more could you want for Halloween? Cauldron is a proper retro classic, and this witch ain't your typical broomstick-riding pushover. You’re on a mission to collect ingredients to take down the Pumpkin King (yes, you read that right). The game’s got it all: flying, platforming, tricky jumps, and enough frustration to make you cast a spell on your Spectrum. Those pixel-perfect jumps? They'll have you pulling out your hair faster than you can say, “Accio controller!” But trust me, it’s worth every frustration-induced rage quit.

Resource: For a full witchy breakdown of Cauldron, check out Spectrum Computing’s archive—they’ve got all the juicy retro details to keep you spellbound.

2. Dark Star (1984) Not strictly Halloween-themed, but when the word dark is right there in the title, you know it belongs on this list. Dark Star is part space shooter, part survival horror—well, at least in that classic 8-bit "I'm all alone in this terrifying void of space" way. You’re tasked with stopping an alien invasion, but the tension? That comes from the eerie, oppressive silence of space, plus some incredibly tricky enemies. The sparse graphics make it feel even creepier, like you’re fighting aliens in a haunted arcade cabinet. Yeah, it’s a stretch, but if space horror is your thing, give this one a whirl.

Resource: The World of Spectrum database has a deep dive into Dark Star, so hit that up if you want to explore more of the game’s spooky sci-fi vibes.

3. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1986) When it comes to classic horror, you can’t forget about vampires. Nosferatu the Vampyre on the Spectrum 48k might look like a jumble of pixels and questionably animated sprites, but hey, that’s part of the charm! You play as Jonathan Harker, trying to survive your encounter with the infamous Count Dracula himself. The castle is dark, full of traps, and you’re constantly on the lookout for bloodsuckers. It’s got the kind of campy, eerie atmosphere perfect for Halloween, with the added bonus of feeling like you’re starring in your own 80s horror flick. Just remember to keep that wooden stake handy!

Resource: Spectrum Computing has the lowdown on Nosferatu, so grab your garlic and head there if you want to learn more about this vampire-slaying adventure.

4. Atic Atac (1983) If you’re in the mood for some top-down spooky fun, Atic Atac is the way to go. Set in a haunted castle, you’ve got to find the pieces of the Golden Key to escape, while avoiding all manner of ghouls, ghosts, and creepy-crawly creatures. The game’s classic ZX Spectrum charm comes through with its minimal color palette and basic graphics, but that’s what makes it so iconic. Plus, the haunted house vibe, coupled with the eerie sense of isolation, makes it perfect for a Halloween gaming session. You’ll be running in circles, screaming “where’s the key?!” in no time.

Resource: Check out Lemon64's counterpart, Spectrum Computing, for a proper throwback guide to Atic Atac—they’ve got all the tips you need to survive the haunted castle.

5. Jack the Nipper (1986) Okay, so Jack the Nipper isn’t exactly a Halloween game, but what’s creepier than playing as a naughty toddler causing chaos in a town full of unsuspecting adults? There’s something unsettling about this game, from Jack’s weird, smiling face to the mayhem you cause. Whether it’s releasing animals from a zoo or chucking food at people, this game is all about trickery and a bit of mischief—like the ultimate Halloween prank. Plus, the cartoony graphics have a weirdly spooky vibe if you play it at midnight…alone…with the lights off. You’ll see what I mean.

Resource: If you’re feeling nostalgic for more toddler terror, Spectrum Computing has a deep dive on Jack the Nipper.

6. Alien 8 (1985) If sci-fi horror is your jam, then Alien 8 will scratch that itch. This isometric survival game sees you exploring an alien-infested spaceship while trying to reactivate the ship’s cryogenically frozen crew. Sounds easy? Think again. The game’s got atmosphere, tension, and puzzles that will make you want to throw your Spectrum across the room. And those aliens? Creepy little things. It’s the kind of slow-burn suspense that’s perfect for Halloween, when the line between space and haunted house blurs into one massive pixelated nightmare.

Resource: Hit up Lemon64’s Spectrum archive for all things Alien 8—they’ll guide you through the maze of alien-infested corridors.

7. Splat! (1983) Alright, let’s get a bit weird, shall we? Splat! is one of those bizarre Spectrum games that kind of feels like it was made for Halloween but without really trying. You’re in a maze, trying to avoid being crushed by giant bricks while creepy, abstract monsters chase you around. It’s fast-paced, weirdly stressful, and the abstract graphics make it feel a little unsettling in the way only early 80s games can. Perfect for a Halloween night where you just want to feel off.

Resource: If you’re up for some weird arcade action, check out World of Spectrum’s breakdown of Splat! and get lost in the bizarre fun.

Final Thoughts So, there you have it, retro gamers—the spookiest, most bizarre Halloween-themed games you can play on the Spectrum 48k for #CyberSamhain. Whether you’re chasing vampires, flying on a broomstick, or causing trouble as a tiny toddler (seriously, that game’s still weird), these titles will give you that creepy, nostalgic feel with the added bonus of feeling like you’re back in the 80s. Dust off that Spectrum, load up your tapes (or hit the emulator, we won’t tell), and enjoy the ghoulish, pixelated glory. Because nothing says Halloween like battling vampires with nothing more than your joystick and a load of patience.

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cirerally · 1 year ago

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Indie Browser Games Masterpost

⚠️ Make sure to check the descriptions of the games for information beforehand as some of them can be triggering! ⚠️ Also, feel free to suggest games to add! The platform doesn’t matter as long as it’s safe and you can play without necessarily logging in!

Stylization 👾: pixel art 🎮: low poly (ps1 style) 🧊: 3D

Difficulty 🍃: easy 🍊: medium 🌶️: hard No emoji: doesn’t apply

Visual novels

Off day: "A point & click visual novel about appreciating the little things in life." (via itch.io)

👾 Is it that deep, bro?: "A text-based game where you navigate the tricky headspace of a teenager who is going to see a movie with his friend." (via itch.io)

Dating sims

👾 Nothing to say: "You're on a date with a cute girl, but you're feeling tongue-tied... Can you puzzle out how to confess your feelings?" (via itch.io)

Horror

👾 Five Nights at Freddy’s NES: do I have to explain. (via itch.io)

🎮 Burger & Frights: "It's a late night and you were craving burgers. It's time to ride home." (via itch.io)

👾 Egg friend: "Play games. Earn money. Feed it. Love it. Watch it grow. It is sure to love you back. "

Adventure

👾🍃 Princess Poffin and the Spider Invasion: "The moth kingdom has been covered in spiderwebs! it's up to poffin to find the spider responsible, and restore her kingdom to its former web-free glory!" (via itch.io)

Platformers

👾🌶️ HELP! NO BRAKE: "Hey umm, your car won't brake anymore. So better clear all the levels to get it fixed I guess." (via itch.io)

👾🍊 Bio Evil 4: "Leave to me, Leon!"

Under 5 minutes

How to make a cup of tea: "Hello! You know, I could do with a good cup of tea. Could you please make me one? Don't worry, I'll guide you through it!" (via itch.io)

We become what we behold: the legend itself. (via itch.io)

Gacha

👾🍃 Catfishing cuties!: "Catfish to fish for some local cuties! Collect them all!" (via itch.io)

Text based (like, only text)

You Are Jeff Bezos: ‘’When you wake up this morning from unsettling dreams, you find yourself changed in your bed into a monstrous vermin.’’

Puzzle games

👾 Economical: "2D puzzle action game where saving coin is important!"

👾 Poca - A Thief’s Escape: "Steal all carrots in a level to exit."

👾 Knightin’: "Knightin' is a little zelda-like adventure. Explore dungeon, fight monsters and solve puzzles." (via gamejolt)

👾🍊 Witch’s familiar: "Your master has tasked you with an urgent delivery." (via itch.io)

🍃 Good Morning!: "A morning routine simulator." (via itch.io)

👾 Last seen online: ‘‘You find an old computer at a garage sale. So you decide to turn it on.’‘ (via itch.io)

Roguelike

👾🍃 Labor power: "A small Pikmin-inspired game dedicated to class solidarity and the betterment of working conditions."

Multiplayer

Local

👾 Toe II Toe: "Who said fighting games need to be difficult and time consuming? (Seriously, punch those gatekeepers!)" (via itch.io)

Thwack: "Funky-legged tennis." (via itch.io) (also a demo)

Online

Count together: "Count all the passing creatures." (via itch.io)

Shooters

🧊🍊 Wolfgun: "You are WOLFGUN - an ornery, rage-filled werewolf on the set of a bad horror movie. Hordes of undead ghouls wielding knives have broken into the studio and want you dead, and it doesn't look like they're part of the crew." (via itch.io)

Demos

👾 Small town emo: a game set before Halloween in 2007 about a seventeen year old emo with a crush on his best friend. (via itch.io)

👾🍊 10 Minutes Till Dawn: "Survive the onslaught of an endless horde of monsters for 10 minutes!" (via itch.io)

🎮 Fear the Spotlight: follow your mysteriously-vanished friend to the abandoned area of Sunnyside High, but beware, something seems to be lurking there with you. (via itch.io)

Mr. Stretch and the Stolen Fortune: "Join the late Mr. Stretch on his quest to reclaim his fortune, stolen from him by an old enemy that Mr. Stretch can't quite remember."

No ending

👾🍊 BASES LOADED: a baseball survival game... basically? (via itch.io)

👾🍃 Bunnyland: "A bunny is shipwrecked on an island and your task is to survive and get off the island." (via itch.io)

👾🌶️ GB-Wordyl: A Wordle clone for the Game Boy that will ruin your life. (via itch.io)

🎮 Hungry ducks: "If there is no food... you become the food!!!" (via itch.io)

👾🍃 Ketris: "Avenge your adorable dog by clearing rows and decatpitating the evil Kets! (via itch.io)

Plant daddy: "Your plants grow in real time–water them, buy some furniture, and then close the tab and come back when you have a spare moment!" (via itch.io)

👾🍃 Shoukan Connect: "Use your tripwire to prevent the ghosts from reaching the circle and connecting the 5 points of the star that has no affiliation to any existing religion!" (via itch.io)

Terraforma: "Grow your land by placing blocks & buildings while carefully planning your placements, and make your own little world in this small idle game." (via itch.io)

#masterpost #games #free games #retro gaming #retro games #itch.io #gamejolt #newgrounds #indie games #indie gaming #ericblogging

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non-binary-laurie-strode · 1 year ago

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Reflections on my Universal Horror marathon

It is November 1st, 2023. As anyone can tell after being around me for, I don't know, five minutes, I am a huge horror queen. For my birthday this year, I got a big book on Universal horror, filled with production photos, background, trivia, actor bios, etc. I decided to use this book as a sort of guided reading list, where I would marathon all of the movies discussed in the book and read along. When I was first seriously doing a deep dive into horror in 2018, the classic 30s horror franchises were some of the first that I chose to get into, and so it had been five years or so since I had seen some of my old monster friends. (And many of the movies on this list I had not seen before!) I was excited for this project and decided to start it at 99 days until Halloween; I had found a Sam (1) "Countdown to Halloween" clock that counted from 99 days to 0 days last year, at the Spirit Halloween clearence sale. (2) So, 99 days to do a book's worth of movies—how hard could it be?

(1) from Trick r Treat, 2007

(2) He's currently sitting on my bedside table, at 0 days left!

Turns out, it was rather difficult! I hadn't expected the book to have so many entries in it.

The entire list of films that I did is as follows, broken down by chapter:

Silent Era (5 films): The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923, The Phantom of the Opera 1925, The Phantom of the Opera 1943, The Cat and the Canary 1927, The Man Who Laughs 1928

Dracula (5 films): Dracula 1931, Drácula 1931, Dracula's Daughter 1936, Son of Dracula 1943, House of Dracula 1945

Frankenstein (4): Frankenstein 1931, Bride of Frankenstein 1935, Son of Frankenstein 1939, Ghost of Frankenstein 1942

The Wolf Man (5): Werewolf of London 1935, The Wolf Man 1941, Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man 1943, House of Frankenstein 1944, She-Wolf of London 1946

The Mummy (5): The Mummy, The Mummy's Hand, The Mummy's Tomb, The Mummy's Ghost, The Mummy's Curse

The Invisible Man (5): The Invisible Man 1933, The Invisible Man Returns 1940, The Invisible Woman 1941, Invisible Agent 1942, The Invisible Man's Revenge 1944

The Gill Man (3): Creature From the Black Lagoon 1954, Revenge of the Creature 1955, The Creature Walks Among Us 1955

"Universal's Lesser Known Monsters" (3+3+6): Paula the Ape Woman—Captive Wild Woman 1943, Jungle Woman 1944, The Jungle Captive 1945; The Creeper—Pearl of Death 1944, House of Horrors 1946, The Brute Man 1946; The Inner Sanctum Mystery Series—Calling Dr Death 1943, Weird Woman 1944, Dead Man's Eyes 1944, The Frozen Ghost 1944, Strange Confession 1945, Pillow of Death 1945

Non-serial horror (14): The Old Dark House 1932, Murders in the Rue Morgue 1932, The Black Cat 1934, The Raven 1935, Black Friday 1940, Man-Made Monster 1941, Horror Island 1941, Night Monster 1942, The Mad Ghoul 1943, The Strange Door 1951, The Black Castle 1952, Tarantula 1955, The Mole People 1956, Monster on the Campus 1958

That's 68 movies in 99 days by my reckoning. I also only did these on the nights that Mack worked or was dancing, which further tightened the number of days that I had. Good thing they were each about 60 minutes. I could never do this in the modern era where everyone bloats their movies to an absurd degree.

See, I thought it would be something small, with like... 30 movies in 99 days. I didn't expect all of this! Maybe I should have checked how many movies that would be before solidly deciding to do this challenge, eh? And it's not even allll of the Universal horror movies—Lugosi and Karloff did like six "duet" movies like The Raven and The Black Cat, but the book only focused on two and briefly name-dropped the others. By the mid-October, when I was in the final chapter, I was doing two or three movies per night, and it was quite a stressful thing, not knowing how I'd get it all to line up before Mack took his Halloweek vacation!

But I did it. I'm extremely proud that I stuck to it. And also, I will absolutely not do it again! Perhaps in another five years I'll have a craving for the Universal horror movies again, and I'll do my favourite 30 or so, but this insanity will not be repeated, or at least not with this time scale.

Anyway. Here are some things I wish to talk about:

Appreciating Silent Film

The silent era has always been one that I've wanted to get into, but I've never known how exactly to break into it. I've done a few silent movies before—if you're looking for a rec, Häxan from 1923 is a very disturbing and deeply effective look at medieval witchcraft—but I never felt like I had a sure footing in it.

And, well, the book starts at 1923 with Hunchback, no easing into it. And, turns out, it was mostly fine!

The 1925 Phantom was stunning. I love the tinted vibes of the silent era, and this film had a rare Technicolor sequence during the Masquerade bit where all the costumes were in colour, and it was amazing to see. There's a 19...29, I think?, scored version, which is what I watched, and the score pops off.

The 1927 Cat and the Canary ended up as one of my favourites of the whole marathon—there's no scoring option for this, but it's so fun I didn't care. The story revolves around a will reading on a dark and stormy night, a will reading, and a sudden heiress who has to prove her sanity as a condition of the will, all while an antagonistic family and a killer are loose in the mansion. It's a horror-comedy, and it is such a good time. I had rated it 5/5 on letterboxd years ago, but I had forgotten why, and I quickly rediscovered the reason!

So yeah, I got a couple silents to add to my résumé, next to stuff like Häxan and the typical Dr Caligari.

2. The Evolution of What Horror Is

One of my favourite things to think about and consider is what society's horror fixation is in a given era and how it all ties together in a sort of greater historiography.

This marathon covers the 20s through the late 50s, with most of it happening in the 30s and 40s. There's a pretty clear chain of where the focus goes in these—in the 20s, it's a lot of classic adaptations that have a gruesome element but which may not be yknow categorical Genre Horror as we recognise it and label it on a dvd box. The 30s explore the more typical folk myths and superstitions, such as vampires and werewolves; if there is science, it is either rather crude or primitive (Frankenstein using lightning bolts and sewing pieces of body together) or even has a mystical connection (Werewolf of London's Tibetan miracle flower—often this mysticism can unfortunately veer into Orientalist tropes :/). The 40s, and particularly around 1945 with the atomic bomb, the old superstitions lose steam and modern science begins to catch up, to the point that the 50s horror movies are, essentially, all a world away in terms of science—I mean, they try behavioural therapy on the Creature from the Black Lagoon in Revenge of the Creature! The later "Monster Mash" movies where all of the classic monsters join up have them turning to modern science to solve their problems—I believe it's in House of Dracula where the Wolf Man is legitimately ""cured"" by a cranial surgery based on some science, and Dracula gets cured by looking at the particulates in his blood and stuff. Anyway, continuing in the 50s, There's all this talk of atoms and radiation and such, and it's such a strong blend of science fiction and horror, such that the two genres are practically constant bedmates for this era. (Contrary to a popular tumblr post comparing Godzilla to 50s superhero comics, radiation actually did inspire a lot of monsters in America too; you just needed to know where to look, and it's here, in the giant Creature Features, where Godzilla would fit right in.)

I remember shortly after House of Dracula, I was talking to Mack, and I essentially launched into a ten minute lecture about this stuff, how it all ties into what was happening in society and whatnot. I have so much to say, but I won't word vomit it here.

3. These Movies Said, Continuity WHO?

One of the recurrent jokes I had while watching these movies is that the writers were clearly not interested in keeping continuity between films. There are two instances that I internally screamed at because of how insane they were—(1) In House of Frankenstein, Dracula is destroyed in the sunlight, The Wolf Man is shot by a silver bullet and dies, and the Frankenstein creature sinks into quicksand and disappears. Most of the plot of House of Frankenstein is quickly retold by the mad scientist character of House of Dracula; he leaves out the Wolf Man's death, probably because it would upset the Wolf Man, to whom he is speaking. Dracula is also back without explanation. (2) The Mummy's Ghost is set in Connecticut; they are very emphatic that they are in Connecticut. It is said over and over. At the end, the Mummy is chased into the swamp of Connecticut (yknow, the famous swamps of Connecticut) —at the very beginning of The Mummy's Curse, they point to a stretch of swampland, say that THIS is where Kharis sank all those years ago (it was 6 months in real time btw), and that he should still be there. This movie is set in the bayou of Louisiana, with a cheerful barkeep woman singing in French to evoke the whole "Cajun French" world. How Kharis went from Connecticut to "this is the exact spot where he fell" in Louisiana? Never mentioned.

Additionally, in one of the later Frankensteins, Ygor has his brain transplanted into the Frankenstein Monster in a scheme; Ygor-Frankenstein Monster triumphantly turns to the assembled characters and speaks to them, telling them how he tricked them and won. In the next movie, which I believe is Meets The Wolf Man, the Frankenstein Monster is a mute brute once more, and Ygor does not exist anymore. Now, the wildest thing is that this is not the writers cherrypicking what is canon and what is not—no, in the script the Frankenstein Monster-Ygor was to have deep conversations with the Wolf Man, and this was recorded. It was only in post-production that all of this was struck; all those scenes were either tossed or edited down. Apparently there are visuals of those scenes in the movie where you can watch the FM's mouth move, but the audio has been replaced with music or sound effects. Wild stuff.

There's more, plenty more, but you get the picture. I suppose in a world without home video, where your audience may not have seen the previous films or may not remember them well, you can convince them of anything and continuity matters less.

4. Some of these movies destroyed my will to go on (with the marathon)

Overall, I greatly enjoyed my time with this marathon. I found most of these movies to be very interesting and illuminating.

But there are two series in this that just crushed my spirit—The Mummy and Paula the Ape Woman. They were so awful that it made me not want to keep going.

The Mummy is just such a confused mess; the worst time I had was with The Mummy's Tomb. Tomb is the third movie in the series, so of course there's some catch-up that has to be done to get the audience up to speed. (They all do it, it's normal.) Now, this is a 60 minute movie. Tomb begins with a TWELVE MINUTE "recap" of the first two movies, using a flashback to show scenes from the old movies—all the while narrating them to construct a new story of what supposedly happened and wildly making up new stuff that directly contradicts what is visible on screen. TWELVE MINUTES out of SIXTY, one fifth of the movie, is just incredibly out of context scenes to do whatever the writers want.

And that's not even getting into the cultural sensitivity discussions around these movies, because girl........... girl. It's rough on that front, to say the least. (They reuse an Incan temple, if I remember right, as an Egyptian tomb in the last one, I think it was, and you can clearly see Mesoamerican imagery all over the walls, but they're yelling about pharoahs and stuff. And that's the tip of the iceberg.)

Paula the Ape Woman is about an ape who gets a brain and blood transplant and becomes a real woman, or at least temporarily. Now, audience, given that this an early 40s movie... do you think this uncontrollable, animalistic beast of a woman is going to be white or no? :////

The Paula movies just need to be forgotten. Not every Universal horror movie is a lost gem in the sands of time. Let's just say that.

5. James Whale, Lon Chaney Jr, and thoughts on recurring names and faces

With the studio system firmly in place for most of this marathon's concerned eras, there are many repeating names throughout the movies. It became something of a scavenger hunt to find "Gowns by Vera West" in the title credits of most movies—according to letterboxd, I think I hit 37 movies with her credited on wardrobe.

Some of these repeating names I grew to really like. James Whale really is among the greats, isn't he? Bride of Frankenstein is nothing short of a masterpiece, and his other work (especially The Old Dark House) is great. I would love to do a deeper dive just into his other works. He seems so fascinating! And he was gay, and apparently very very open about it.

A name I came to dislike, unexpectedly really, was Lon Chaney Jr, most known for The Wolf Man. I went in with a higher opinion of him, only knowing him from The Wolf Man; he eventually became a bit of a golden boy on the Universal horror sets, and so he got into a ton of different projects. And boy, did he ever only play one character across everything! He's extremely good at it, but he only ever played a sad, pathetic little man who is overwhelmed by the weight of the world! We get it, dude. Play a different character!

6. Conclusions

This is getting away from me, so I'll wrap this up. Thank you if you even skimmed this far!

I really did enjoy this marathon. It was stressful, a little, but a fun stress, all things considered.

Rapidshot overall favs: The Bride of Frankenstein, the Cat and the Canary, Revenge of the Creature, Dracula, The Old Dark House, Tarantula, 1925's Phantom of the Opera, the Raven.

Rapid boots: The Mummy franchise, Paula the Ape Woman series, She-Wolf of London, the Black Cat, Ghost of Frankenstein.

I love this era of horror: It's almost a cosy horror to me, with giant fog machines, goofy big analog science contraptions, and painted backdrops (you can see the painted backdrops and their flatness during the early 30s ones especially). I like that there are fewer cuts compared to the modern day: They hold the camera on the actors, and often the camera is not on a close-up, giving plenty of time for interesting physicality. It almost feels staged or traditionally theatrical in a way that modern movies do not. (Which makes sense, as the earlier writers and directors and actors all came from and routinely did theatre. Lugosi got Dracula after he did the stage version of it.) Many of them are very comfortable feeling, and they're short too!

I don't think I could do another grand tour like this again for years, at mininum,—and I won't revisit Paula and probably not The Mummy—but I do want to revisit it more than I have in the last few years. These monsters are my FRIENDS!

Anyway. Stan Boris Karloff, James Whale, and especially Elsa Lanchester

#my universal horror marathon #thank you to anyone who reads #i mostly just wanted to write this up for me

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giveamadeuschohisownmovie · 1 year ago

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Idea for a “Dark Pictures Anthology” future installment:

1) NAME OF THE GAME

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Emperor’s Wrath

2) PROLOGUE

1165, Japan. It is one year after the death of former Emperor Sutoku, who had abdicated and was exiled. Sutoku, who devoted himself to a monastic life after his exiling, offered scriptures to the Imperial court. The court rejected his scriptures since they feared the documents were cursed, incurring Sutoku’s wrath. Sutoku carried this grudge to his deathbed.

During one particular night, a samurai warrior named Iori Kitagawa and a saburuko/serving girl named Marin Yamamoto notice a strange fog engulfing the entire court. Suddenly, they hear screams as people begin to fall victim to something hidden in the mist. Iori and Marin manage to escape the court, but even they too can’t escape the inevitable.

Before Iori and Marin are killed, they see who it is that’s wreaking havoc on the court; Emperor Sutoku, whose appearance has been greatly distorted, looking more like a ghastly ghoul. Sutoku has become an onryo (vengeful spirit).

3) MAIN STORY

Present day, Tokyo, Japan. Randall West, the CEO of a major American media conglomerate, finishes up a meeting with the heads of a Japanese company seeking a partnership. Along with Randall is his wife, Amanda West, and his lawyer/best friend, Wade Jefferson. His mistress Kelly Mason, Randall’s personal assistant who is at least 20 years younger than him, is also with Randall in Japan. Although Randall believes he’s doing a good job in keeping his affair a secret, Amanda already knows but doesn’t care since she’s having an affair as well.

(Affair is not with Wade, Amanda’s side guy isn’t actually seen in the story)

With the official meeting done, Randall, Amanda, Wade, Kelly, and a few of their mutual friends all go on a late night visit to the Tokyo National Museum. They’re paired up with a tour guide named Naoya Fukawa, a history nerd who is fully aware of the story of Emperor Sutoku, now known as one of the “Three Great Onryō of Japan”. Although it’s way past the museum’s hours, the owners of the museum set up a special visit just for Randall and his group.

The reason; to see the never-before-seen exhibit containing the long-lost scriptures written by Emperor Sutoku. Apparently, they were found a few weeks earlier and haven’t been available for the public to view so far, making Randall and his group among the first to see the scriptures.

What should’ve been a fun visit to the museum turns into a nightmare when the survivors realize too late that Sutoku’s scriptures are cursed. Since the writings have been moved from their original spot, Sutoku’s vengeful spirit rises once again and traps everyone inside the museum in order to wreak havoc on them.

Depending on the players’ choices, Randall, Wade, Amanda, Kelly, and Naoya can survive the night and put Emperor Sutoku’s spirit to rest…or fall victim to the wrath of the onryo.

4) INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES

This was mainly inspired by the legend of Emperor Sutoku, one of the “Three Great Onryō of Japan”. That’s essentially how Sutoku’s story goes, in that his spirit haunted the royal court, leading to disasters and unrest. This is keeping in line with all the other titles since each one was inspired by something in the past (the Ourang Medan, Salem Witch Trials, the Curse of Akkad, H.H. Holmes).

In terms of movies, mainly J-horror. Movies like “Ringu” and “Ju-On”. Obviously, this is different from typical onryo movies since the main villain is a male ghost, but the overall concept remains the same.

In terms of other influences, there’s the video game “Corpse Party” in which a bunch of people are trapped inside this cursed school, haunted by a malevolent ghost.

5) MAIN PLAYABLE CAST

1) Kelly Mason (SENSITIVE, ANXIOUS, DEFENSIVE): Randall’s personal assistant and his secret mistress, despite being 20 years younger than him. Kelly is the character played by the celebrity guest, which is Hailee Steinfeld (where you may have seen her in: Dickinson, Hawkeye, Spider-Verse, Edge of Seventeen).

2) Randall West (VINDICTIVE, CHARMING, EGO-DRIVEN): The CEO of a major American company, Amanda’s husband, and Kelly’s lover. His face model is Luis Augusto, whose face was also used for Salim Othman.

3) Amanda West (CYNICAL, UNDERSTANDING, HEADSTRONG): Randall’s wife who is well-aware of her husband’s cheating and is engaged in her own affair. Based on the past games, I don’t have an actress in mind for the face model, so I’ll say that a new actress can play Amanda.

4) Wade Jefferson (RELAXED, COMPASSIONATE, AMIABLE): Randall’s lawyer and best friend. His face model is Leonardo Patane, whose face was also used for Jeff Whitman and Simon Carver.

5) Naoya Fukawa (WITTY, INNOCENT, INQUISITIVE): A tour guide at the Tokyo National Museum who is assigned to Randall’s party. He is the only one of the group who knows about the legend of Emperor Sutoku. His face model is Jozef Aoki, whose face was also used for Danny from Man of Medan and Corporal Merwin.

6) PROLOGUE PROTAGONISTS

1) Iori Kitagawa: A samurai serving the Imperial court. Based on the past games, I don’t have an actor in mind for the face model, so I’ll say that a new actor can play Iori.

2) Marin Yamamoto: A saburuko/serving girl working for the Imperial court. Her face model is Ashley Voom, whose face was also used for Felicity Graves (Hidden Agenda) and Suzanne Daniels (The Inpatient).

7) THE SURVIVABILITY OF EACH PROTAGONIST

1) Iori and Marin die no matter what. It’s up to the player to decide the order and manner in which they die.

2) Randall West is the first character to possibly die (at the end of Act 1).

3) Wade Jefferson is the second character to possibly die (during the middle of Act 2).

4) Either Amanda West or Kelly Mason can be the third character to possibly die (at the end of Act 2). There’s a sequence in which both characters are in danger, resulting in at least one of them possibly getting killed off. If one of them dies, the survivor gets plot armor going into Act 3.

5) The only characters guaranteed to make it to Act 3 are Naoya and either Kelly or Amanda. Kelly and Amanda can both make it, but if one ends up dying, the other is guaranteed to continue on. So the least amount of survivors going into Act 3 (if the players have been making a lot of bad choices) can be either Naoya/Kelly or Naoya/Amanda.

6) Naoya can only die in Act 3. Naoya has the strongest plot armor since he’s the only one with previous knowledge of Emperor Sutoku.

7) All this being said, like the previous games, any of the characters can survive. You can have a Randall sole survivor ending, everyone survives ending, no one survives ending, Kelly and Wade survive ending, Naoya and Amanda survive ending, and so on.

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worldofthechateau · 2 years ago

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Ghosts, Ghouls, and Alebrijes

Ghosts occur when a soul can't or won't depart for the afterlife for whatever reason. Sometimes it's unfinished business or revenge. Sometimes they don't realize they're dead. Sometimes the trauma of dying traps a soul in an endless loop in a strange form of ghost PTSD. There are many reasons, few of which are nice.

Anyway, ghosts are not pretty sights. They range from "subtly but definitely uncanny" to "total body horror." Every ghost has different powers, which are usually related to how they died– for instance, a ghost who died in a car crash might have the power to make your car suddenly decide it wants to kill you, or the ability to phase through objects to avoid getting hit again. Occasionally, these powers will also be based on what the ghost did in life, such as the ghost of a zookeeper being able to control animals.

(All of this was inspired by the visual novel Spirit Hunter: Death Mark and its sequel, Spirit Hunter: NG. Highly recommend them both if you like horror visual novels.)

A ghoul is a ghost that has been consumed by negative emotions, which will happen to any ghost if left alone for too long a la a certain dark magical girl anime. They are more powerful than a ghost and much more disturbing to look at. For a ghoul to pass on, it must be cleansed of those negative emotions and returned to a ghost via a special ritual. It involves playing music, so good thing Spike can play the violin!

Alebrijes are guides that help souls move on to the afterlife, which occasionally means aggressively pointing a human in the direction of helping a ghost. They are very colorful and can have just about any combination of animal parts. Alebrijes seem to have designated areas in which they work, given how the Society always meets the same one (a pegasus-dog-tiger hybrid dubbed Maxi) unless they venture far outside of Maple Creek.

One final thing I would like to address before we end things today: animals do have souls and can theoretically become ghosts, it's just very rare because we humans are far more likely to have hangups about going to the afterlife. Animals are just like "well that sucks" and move on.

Feel free to ask me any questions about this world.

#the chateau #worldbuilding #modern fantasy #suburban fantasy #urban fantasy #ghosts #ghouls #alebrijes #tw death #tw death mention #tw car crash #tw body horror #Spike's characterization honestly isn't as fleshed out as I would like but I really love the idea of him just being the skill monkey

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spyridonya · 2 years ago

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Death House Fanon Plot

So, I’m doing Curse of Strahd and working on Death House and checked out the guides. The crunch and atmospheric details are good and using skill checks to get out of the house sounds great.

I am so very, very disappointed with the plot.

It’s horrifically triggery in several, several ways. Still birth, child abuse, child death, body horror, infidelity, misogyny, and romanticizing power imbalances.

And it doesn’t solve the problem it’s trying to fix.

Read below for the rant, cut due to the zillion triggers.

Death House doesn’t have much of connection to Barovia/Ravenloft in general so the plot is the owners of Death House, Mr. and Mrs. Durst who are minor nobility, think Strahd is a dark messiah that will help them and their death cult become immortal. Mr. Durst even writes for help pleading how to deal with his wife after his problematic affair with the maid results with a stillborn child.

Strahd goes ‘nah’.

For reasons, the parents tap into Dark Power Energy and turn into ghouls, forgetting had two kids they genuinely love and locked in their room for safety, and said kids die of hunger. Oh, and you can find a old deed to the Windmill where more horrific things happen. Because it’s the Curse of Stahd.

Anyway, the plot is nonsense. So, two popular creators rewrote Death House plot.

Instead of having the Dursts being batshit insane, Mrs. Durst feels sad and ugly and old and Mr. Durst feels so sad and depressed and that his wife doesn’t meet his needs. So, Mr. Durst has an affair with his young maid that he Totally Does Not Have a Power Imbalance with No Really This is Romantic - see, look there’s a romance novel that’s Exactly Like Them. Mr. Durst knocked up the maid. Mrs. Durst gets jealous and makes a death cult, Mrs. Durst nags her husband to join, Mrs. Durst gets so jealous after the baby is born that she kills the maid, sacrifices the baby, everyone becomes a ghoul and Mr. Durst goes to hang himself -- even though he’s supposed to be a ghoul. The baby then becomes a flesh monster that can never die.

Oh, and they still forget their other kids in the house. And you get a note about Mr. Durst worrying about his kids while his wife now hates them all.

Not only do we have the Unfortunate Implications Affair, Non-Ironic Gothic Horror Misogyny, we now have three dead kids, and one of them turns into an Eldritch Abomination that you probably can’t kill.

And it still doesn’t connect to Barovia any differently than in RAW. The only tangible change is ‘stillborn’ is switched to ‘bastard’.

I managed to fix it a little bit. But that’s for another time.

#tw child abuse #tw child death #curse of strahd #(look i'm sure the fanes are great)#(but this new plot is more complex and problematic than RAW)#(and it doesn't solve the original problem of Death House not connecting to Barovia)#(in an organic manner)

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jimbleswrites · 9 months ago

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Nora, the Sole Survivor

Chapter 6: Sanctuary, Rebuilt

The walk back to Sanctuary was more lively than my initial walk. Between Preston and Sturges talking to each other about the long trip and Marcy and Jun tending to Mama Murphy, there was a source of chatter the whole trip. The dog even followed us back, although no one knew if he was a stray or not. Even Moe and I had a talk about some of the things I hadn’t been sure of. It turns out ghouls weren’t the only new species of human, there was another race of ‘super mutants’ that evolved somehow. They were very aggressive, not very smart, and constantly attacked settlements, looking for ‘green stuff’, whatever that meant.

Diamond City, on the other hand, was a large city in the heart of old downtown. Apparently the biggest in the Commonwealth and one of the oldest still surviving. Moe talked about it with scorn, but I thought back to what Mama Murphy had said about ‘a neon heart in a big city’. Maybe Diamond City was the big city she meant? I decided to help the group settle, and maybe Mama Murphy would be able to clarify once she woke up.

We walked past the red rocket station as we walked, with night falling just as we hit the bridge before Sanctuary proper. Preston finally broke off from Sturges, coming up to join Moe and I in the front. “So this is it. Hopefully no one has set up camp here.” Preston looked forward, the wood creaking as we started to cross.

“Yeah, the neighbors are terrible. An ornery old robot and a human ice cube.” Moe laughed as he punched my arm.

I laughed with him. “Yeah, I’ve lived here for a while. But you’re free to set up home wherever works best for you.” I explained to Preston, who seemed confused.

“I thought no one had set up here past Concord. Guess our intel was wrong.” Preston mused. Codsworth was hovering around, trimming hedges until he noticed us.

He waved as we got closer. “Good evening, Nora! You’ve found some friends out there!” His voice was as chipper as ever.

“These people are looking for a new place to settle. Codsworth, I don’t suppose you can help them get set up for tonight?” I asked.

“Of course, ma’am. Please let me help!” He rushed off, coming back with some sleeping bags and guiding the group towards the house across from mine.

We set up sleeping bags and mattresses where we could, and everyone got a little food from Codsworth’s stash. All of them were tired from the day and decided to sleep for the night. Soon it was just Moe, Codsworth, and I sitting on a curb outside in the chilly night air.

“It will be lovely to have people here again after so many years!” Codsworth cheered. “But I do hope your quest was successful in finding more information about Shaun, Nora.”

“It was… something.” I sighed. “The world is so different now.” I looked over to Moe. “About Mama Murphy, are psychics a common thing now?” Mama Murphy’s words kept rattling around in my mind.

Moe shrugged. “The radiation has done a lot since you got frozen. Plenty of unexplainable things happen all over. I mean, I shouldn’t even be alive. I wouldn’t worry too much about some old lady muttering random words though.” He yawned through the sentence. “Get some sleep, and you can figure out the rest tomorrow.” He patted my shoulder as he got up, walking back into the guest home.

Codsworth’s eyes whirred as he watched Moe walk away. “That ghoul seems oddly familiar.”

I chuckled to myself. I looked up at Codsworth. Him and Moe were the last ties to the pre-war world I knew. “Codsworth… are you going to be ok if I take a longer trip?”

Codsworth nodded, his center eye moving while the others kept watch. “You’ll find that I can deal with these guests with the best of them, ma’am.”

“No, I mean… I have to go find Shaun. And I may not be back for a long time…” I spoke slowly, processing the full extent of the trip I was planning to take.

“You've no idea the horror these past two centuries have wrought.” Codsworth suddenly interrupted. I looked up at him, all his eyes staring back into mine. “The initial destruction, not knowing if you and your family were all right. It was a relief just to find the entrance intact!”

I teared up a little. “I'm so sorry, Codsworth. It was so sudden. Not even time for goodbyes.”

“I understood completely. Family safety first above all else.” Codsworth continued. “And yes, while it was hard at first, I was able to eventually move on. At first it was work, busying myself day and night, and believe me, there was plenty of it.” He gestured to the trimmed dead hedges of the suburb. “But eventually, the work became light chores. What truly saved me was my memories. Memories of you and the hubby, and young Shaun. Of your love and kindness.” His voice changed from his neutral tone to a softer joyful one. “I soldiered on, fueled by hope that one day, if not you and the husband, that Shaun, or perhaps Shaun's children would one day emerge.”

“You don't regret it? All the waiting?” My tears flowed as I spoke. I couldn’t imagine the wait of 200 years, and the idea that Codsworth stayed here the whole time, with only a vague premise that maybe someday someone would come out of the vault made me feel terrible.

“Never! If you ask me, it was worth it. All 200 years!” Codsworth sounded happy, and gently put his claw on my shoulder. “I just wanted you to know how much I consider you family. I may be a mere robot to some, but I do hope you've come to see me as more.”

“I consider you to be family, too, Codsworth.” I cried. “That’s why I… I…”

“You don't have to say anything, mum. I just... felt you should know what you've come to mean to me. So you can imagine the distress I felt when the bombs fell, after you fled to the Vault. And when you returned, I was overjoyed! I admit I ran a full diagnostics scan just to make sure I wasn't malfunctioning.” His tone was serious and concerned. “But the news. The news of Nate and Shaun. Believe me when I say, it takes a true hero to live through that.”

“I'm no hero, Codsworth. Believe me.” I thought back to the raiders I killed. The absolute violence that this world needed of me.

“In such a bleak world as this, think of all you've witnessed, and all you've done. But you, Nora, you have remained the very model of what humanity should aspire to be.”

I looked at the guest house. There were a group of people there that I helped today. They may have died if I wasn’t there. I wouldn’t call myself a hero, but maybe I did some real good today.

“You don’t want to leave, but Shaun won’t find himself out there.” Codsworth spoke. “I have the utmost faith you will find him out there. I will do my best to take care of our guests, and you are welcome to come back whenever you need.”

I hugged Codsworth, awkwardly wrapping my arms around his waist. There was a pause, then Codsworth put his claw on my back. “I’ll stay here for a few days to help them settle in, but thank you. For everything.”

“Of course, ma’am.” Codsworth replied. We stayed out for a while, watching the stars from the ruined curb, enjoying each other’s company.

***

The next few days were busy ones. I offered to help the group set up, and they had some big plans to make this place a home. Today was all gardening, expanding from the two mutfruit trees Codsworth had to several different types of flora. Corn, razorgrain, tatos, carrots, and melons from the group's pack were planted into the ground, and slowly we built a full garden in the backyard of the guest house. Most of the flora I saw was a little off but alright, but the tatos really weirded me out. The outside was like a tomato, but the inside was brown and starchy like a potato. No one really seemed to like them, but they grew very quickly so nearly all farms in the commonwealth had them growing.

After that, it was all about building a water purifier. Sanctuary already had a river nearby, so Sturges came up with the idea of building a purifier on the river itself to save space. We managed to gather enough raw materials to build it, and I found myself and Moe connecting pipes while the others worked on the water tank and supports.

“Any thoughts on what’s next, Nora?” Moe asked while threading on some nuts on the bracket.

“Well, I was hoping to get Mama Murphy to clarify what she meant.” I looked over to Mama Murphy, sitting on a chair overlooking the river. The dog laid at her feet, watching the people working. “But she hasn’t really said anything.”

“I mean, Diamond City is the biggest place around. I think that’s probably the only place that fits ‘a big city’ around here.” Moe explained.

“I think so too. Probably set up everyone tonight and head out tomorrow morning.” I agreed.

“We should stop by Concord again too. See what’s left over that we can take with us.” Moe added.

I couldn’t say that I was comfortable looting bodies yet, but Moe was right. We’d need more ammo and more armor wouldn’t hurt either. “Yeah, and I’m sure that any larger stuff could get lugged back here.”

“Glad to see we think alike.” Preston interjected. He sat down next to me. “Just came by to thank you two for helping us again.”

“You’re welcome.” I remembered something. “I wanted to ask a favor, as long as you’re all settling in here.” I pointed over to Codsworth, who was cutting metal with his buzzsaw for the water tank. “Codsworth means a lot to me, and if you could just watch over him while I’m away.”

“Of course. He’s been a great help since we got here.” Preston smiled. “How long has he been here?”

I remembered getting Codsworth from the store with Nate a couple months after Shaun was born. “He’s been here since the bombs dropped.”

“Really?” Preston narrowed his eyes. “I don’t mean to pry, but he was talking about you earlier and mentioned you before the war. Did you mess with his memory at all?” He laughed as he continued. “I mean, obviously you weren’t around before the war.”

Moe flashed me a smirk. I sighed. “No, he’s right. I bought Codsworth before the war. I lived over there, a long time ago.”

Preston laughed again, then paused on seeing my face. “Come on, I mean, you’re not a ghoul or anything. There’s no way you’re pre-war.”

“I was frozen in a vault until a few days ago.” I stated.

“Nearly 200 years on ice.” Moe added.

Preston looked in awe. “I… That explains why you looked so confused when we talked. And why you were so comfortable around a pre-war ghoul.”

“Hey, be nice.” Moe snarked.

“It’s been a transition for sure.” I shrugged. “But I feel like I’m finally getting a grip on how things work.”

“You said you were going away. What’s out there you need to find?” Preston asked.

“My son. He was taken away and I need to find out what happened.”

“Wow, that’s a lot.” There was a pause. “Listen, not to add on to your journey, but could you do me a favor?”

“Depends.” Moe responded. I looked at Preston for more information.

“Just past Concord, there’s a little shop in a Drumlin Diner. I got a call for help for the minutemen. No specific details, just needing help. Thing is, no one has responded yet. I think I might actually be the last minuteman, and I can’t abandon these guys while they still need help. Would you be willing to stop by and help?”

“The diner next to the drive-in?” Moe asked. Preston nodded. Moe put a finger to his chin in thought. “It’s on the way, but the boss will have to decide.”

“Of course we can.” I nodded.

Preston sighed in relief. “Thank you. Trust me, I’ll be back on the grind after they’re all settled here.” He clapped my back as he walked back to the others.

“Boss, huh? That’s a fun title.” I teased Moe.

“Hey, you technically pay me to watch your back.” Moe countered. “Now, hurry up with those, looks like they’re ready to set up.”

I looked over to see them moving things towards the river. Moe and I grabbed our supports and walked down to join them. Despite the non-stop labor today, It was the best I had felt since I was unfrozen. We managed to get the purifier set and running, so food and water were set. I told the group that afternoon that we were heading out, and they gave Moe and I the spare rations they had in thanks for all our help.

I was packing my bag for the trip when the dog came up and barked. I tried to pet him only for him to knock my hand away and look towards the river. I looked to see Mama Murphy still watching the running water. The dog wanted me to check on her, I guess? I walked down, eventually standing to her. She was still watching the water, wrapped in a blanket.

“Hey, Mama Murphy.” I crouched down next to her chair. “The dog wanted me to check on you.”

“Dogmeat.” Mama Murphy whispered. It was the first time she had spoken since she talked to me at the museum.

I looked at the dog, curled in Mama Murphy’s legs. I guess Dogmeat is what she named him.

“Right, Dogmeat. Are you feeling better now?” I asked.

Her voice was soft, like she still felt weak. “The Sight really knocks me out. But I need to tell you more about the journey.” She whispered.

“Please, tell me what you know.” I wanted all the info she could offer me.

“Diamond City holds answers, but they're locked tight.” Her eyes opened wide, suddenly talking at a louder voice. “You ask them what they know, but people's hearts are chained up with fear and suspicion. But you find it. You find that heart that's gonna lead you to your boy. Oh, it's... it's bright. So bright against the dark alleys it walks.” Her eyes shut, her voice lowered as she continued. “That's... that's what you need to do, kid. Follow the signs to the bright heart.”

She began snoring softly, apparently tired from her Sight. I sat on the ground next to her. Dogmeat moved from Mama Murphy to my side, lying next to me. I pet Dogmeat as we watched the water moving, feeling better than ever about my journey ahead.

#fallout 4 #writing #fanfic

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