#A Heartland Murder Mystery

[the-real-tc]

Bad Business: A Heartland Murder Mystery EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

One Month Later

A Certain Private Fishing Cabin

The fire over which they had cooked the fish Jack caught was mellowing. A cool breeze drifted through the valley from the mountains and the river waters babbled softly in the hush of the advancing evening.

Jack and Lisa sat together on the porch, enjoying the surrounding scenery while they sipped some French wine sent by Aunt Evelyn.

This getaway had been a long time coming, and both were simply happy to be in each other's presence without any distractions or worries.

"What a beautiful evening," Lisa said, leaning her head against Jack's shoulder. "I'm so glad we came out here together."

"Me, too," Jack said. Neither wanted to rehash what happened the last time he ventured out to the cabin alone.

"When you brought me out here that first time, I thought I'd found a piece of heaven," Lisa remarked.

"I remember," Jack said with a smile. "And here we are again, all these years later."

"And it's still a piece of heaven," she said. "I don't think we could get any closer if we tried. My happiness is complete."

"Well, now that you mention complete happiness..." Jack said enigmatically. "There's something I want to show you."

Lisa raised her head from his shoulder. Jack reached into his jeans pocket to pull something from it. A memory stirred in Lisa's mind from the winter evening when a similar motion took place. Back then, Jack had withdrawn a padded pink velvet-covered box to reveal an antique ring that once belonged to his grandmother. Lisa looked now to see a small, square leather pouch resting in his palm.

"What is it?" she asked when he did not utter anything further.

Instead of answering verbally, Jack fished inside the pouch to reveal a shiny, solid gold band—too big for her to wear, she knew right away from its size.

"Take it," Jack said simply.

Gingerly, Lisa reached for it, however puzzled she was, and asked: "What's this for?" He certainly could not be making another marriage proposal; that would be redundant at this point.

Jack stretched out his left hand towards her, splaying his calloused fingers. "Lis, I know you were disappointed when we got married that I didn't want to wear a wedding ring..."

Instant tears sprang to her eyes in understanding of what this meant. "Jack..." A tiny sniffle escaped and a large smile broke out onto her face as she slipped the band onto his ring finger.

"I love you, and I love being married to you," Jack said. "I'm sorry I was too stuck in my ways to add this little piece to our life together."

"And I have something for you, too," Lisa said, brushing aside a tear that had escaped.

"Oh, do you?" Jack asked. "Would this have anything to do with your visit with your legal counsel a little while ago?"

Lisa's lips twitched into a smile. "Why yes, it would, Mr. Bartlett," she answered. "I spoke with my lawyer about some very important things during that visit, which included updating my will and business affairs, but that's another topic for another time."

"Hmm..." Jack hummed, knowing Dan's involvement in her business life was now a thing of the past, thank goodness.

"Jack, I've proudly carried the Stillman name my whole life. I love my name and my family heritage. But you are my family, Jack. You, Lou, Amy, Tim, Ty, Peter, Georgie, Katie and Lyndy—all of you have welcomed me into your home and into your hearts. I don't want to be 'Lisa Stillman' anymore, so I've made a little change."

"You have?" Jack said, elation bubbling up within, sensing, but not quite believing what Lisa was hinting at.

"I wanted to save this surprise for a little later in our vacation, but now is as good a time as any. I want to announce I am now officially 'Lisa Bartlett'," she said, reaching into her shoulder bag to pull out a manila business envelope. She withdrew a document declaring that legal change. "How does that sound to you?"

"I think... I think it sounds like the best thing I have heard in a very, very long time," a beaming Jack replied, looking at the document. "Mrs. Bartlett."

He gathered her into his arms and their lips met in a deep, perfect kiss.

"I love you, Mrs. Bartlett," he whispered when they at last parted.

"I love you more, Mr. Bartlett," she whispered back with her customary response, leaning in for another kiss.

Jack did not argue the point, as he was fairly certain their love for each other burned with equal intensities, and would for the rest of their lives together as husband and wife.

Addendum:

It would come out during Chief Parker's team's investigation that the tiny Raven MP-25 Jesse fired at Lisa, recovered in the barn after Jesse tried to shoot Ty, had been registered to Val Stanton. It was a weapon she had purchased following the death of her husband for the purpose of personal protection while at Briar Ridge.

Thanks to the eyewitness account of "the man in Cabin Two" burning something in the firepit the night of the second attempt on Lisa's life, the forensics team found traces of fabric among the ashes and debris which matched the cotton-polyester blend commonly used in some hospital scrubs.

Prior to re-opening the Dude Ranch for business, Lou permitted the Chief's team to conduct a final sweep of the area, as one piece of the puzzle remained elusive. It took nearly four hours of searching, but the investigators finally found what they were seeking: the motorcycle Earl McCann fled on when eluding capture at the hospital. After his failed attempt at killing Lisa, the cops surmised McCann rode back to the vicinity of the Dude Ranch, secreted the bike in some bushes, and walked on foot to the firepit by the pier. There, he immediately disrobed and burned the disguise he had used to blend in among the medical staff. While he had indeed been hired to bring about Lisa's death by any means necessary, McCann's own death was mere hours away, as his foolhardy pursuit of the wandering bear would seal his fate.

Heartland neighbour and dairy farmer Gerrit Van der Heyden would eventually sight the roving bear on his property a few weeks later. It was confirmed to be the one that attacked Herring and killed Earl McCann. Fish and Wildlife authorities euthanized it, though some would be sad about its fate, given what was known of the beast's role in discovering the culprits responsible for a few unsolved murders and the attempts on Lisa's life.

All Herring's wounds physical, psychological, and emotional, fully healed thanks to the teamwork of Ty, Amy and a recovered Remi.

Adam Parker continued to write his blog and would report on the court proceedings involving Jesse Stanton, Theresa Haywood, Stanley Belmont, and Tanner Gunn. The cases are still being tried at this time, though with the overwhelming evidence against the accused, guilty verdicts are expected.

[heartlandians]

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A post shared by Explore Foothills (@explorefoothills)

Explore Foothills presents our first murder mystery set in beautiful downtown Okotoks. Join the growing number of detectives, including Amber Marshall, who have tried to crack this cold case. Just head to our website and find the mysteries app link in the top bar.

For just $20 for up to a team of four people can explore Okotoks, learn a bit about our history and have fun finding the next clue.

Good luck.

[autumngracy]

October TV Show Watchlist

Kid-Friendly

Hilda (2018-2023)

The Good Witch (2015-2021)

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

The Owl House (2020-2023)

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Bewitched (1964-1972)

The Halloween Baking Championship (2015-present)

Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003)

I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970)

Halloween Wars (2011-present)

Goosebumps (1995-1998)

Goosebumps (2023-present)

Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990-2000)

Warehouse 13 (2009-2014)

Courage the Cowardly Dog (1999-2002)

That's So Raven (2003-2007)

The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994)

Tales From the Cryptkeeper (1993-1999)

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970)

The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972-1973)

The Scooby-Doo Show (1976-1978)

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979-1980)

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1980-1982)

The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show (1983-1984)

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985)

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (1988-1991)

What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002-2006)

Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! (2006-2008)

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010-2013)

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? (2019-2021)

Younger Teens & Up

Anne with an E (2017-2019)

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

Spice and Wolf (2008-2009)

Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017)

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

The Twilight Zone (2019-2020)

The X Files (1993-2002)

The X-Files (2018)

Charmed (1998-2006)

Charmed (2018-2022)

Stranger Things (2016-present)

Supernatural (2005-2020)

Wednesday (2022)

Pushing Daisies (2007-2009)

All of Us are Dead (2022-present)

Murder She Wrote (1984-1996)

Older Teens & Adult

The Strain (2014-2017)

Columbo (1968-2003)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020)

Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997-1999)

Only Murders in the Building (2021-present)

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (2015)

Dead Like Me (2003-2004)

Midnight Mass (2021)

True Detective (2014-present)

Lovecraft Country (2020)

Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)

The Walking Dead (2010-2022)

Fear the Walking Dead (2015-2023)

Love, Death & Robots (2019-present)

Tales From the Crypt (1989-1996)

Reginald the Vampire (2022-2024)

The Last of Us (2023-present)

Ghosts (2019-2023)

Ghosts (2021-present)

Castlevania (2017-present)

The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)

Being Human (2011-2014)

Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

A Discovery of Witches (2018-2022)

What We Do in the Shadows (2019-2024)

True Blood (2008-2014)

Interview With the Vampire (2022-present)

Dexter (2006-2013)

Dexter: New Blood (2021-2022)

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

Scare Tactics (2003-2013)

Chucky (2021-2024)

American Horror Story (2011-present)

American Horror Stories (2021-present)

Ghost Hunting Reality Shows

Fear (2000-2002)

Scariest Places on Earth (2000-2006)

Portals to Hell (2019-2022)

Paranormal State (2007-2011)

Ghost Adventures (2008-present)

Ghost Hunters (2004-2016)

Ghost Hunters (2019-2023)

Ghost Hunters International (2008-2012)

Destination Fear (2019-2023)

Ghost Brothers: Haunted Houseguests (2019)

Ghost Brothers: Lights Out (2021)

Paranormal Witness (2011-2016)

The Dead Files (2011-present)

Kindred Spirits (2016-present)

The Holzer Files (2019-present)

Deep South Paranormal (2010-2013)

Ghost Nation (2019-present)

Haunting in the Heartland (2020)

Bonus Round: Web Series and Podcasts

Marble Hornets (2009-2014)

Welcome to Nightvale (2012-present)

The Magnus Archives (2016-2021)

The Magnus Protocol (2021-present)

[dominimoonbeam]

A sneak peek into my writer brain/project lists! And a sneak peek at some of the upcoming stories in some of the series. <3 <3

List!

Everton Series - Contemporary Romances

Doors. Noelle/Levi - published

With a Halo. Kelly/Bennet - published

Don't Touch My Stuff. August/Aurelio - published

Irene/Connie - plotting

Pearl/Noah - plotting

Honest Liars - Mobster Romances

Don't Run. Adi/Ezra/Freya - in progress, available on patreon

Don't Fall.

Don't Confess.

Don't Leave.

Defying Gravity Series - Sci Fi Romances

Found Between Stars. Josephine/Atlas - published

Cosmic Dust. Ghazi/Amaya/Tetsu - published

Stargazing Underground. Verona/Iris - published

To The Edge. Stardust/Cosmic - writing / posting on patreon

Galaxies Lost. June/Khan/Mehdi - outlined

Starlight and Oranges. - written

House of Teeth Series - Modern Fantasy Romances

Ruby and the Wolf. Ruby/Liang - short story. published

Bite to Bruise. Wren/Ever - editing, available on patreon

Hyacinth in the Garden. Aravi/Hyacinth - short story. Coming soon!

Bite to Break. Sunny/Micah

Blood in the Heartlands. Wicker/Ebelt

Those are the official, active series... And then there's the plethora of other stories I have stacked up around me...

I have three loosely outlined fantasy world books. One is somehow a murder mystery comedy, the other is just drama drama drama, and the third is intensely fantasy world building.

There's a series of greek god books (because what writer doesn't? i just really want to kill Zeus...) the first of which is partially written and about a primordial ocean goddess shacking up with a demigod on adventure. It's violent and brutal and sooooo romantic and I can't wait.

As you may know, I recently starting outlining a western romance because I was reading one and got frustrated.

Then there are the audio scripts... I've got about four of them in the works right now including the finale to the Adventures of Stardust and Cosmic.

And I have... counting... four? fanfic AUs going? Band AU, Coffee shop AU, College AU, Amnesia AU, Tattoo shop AU, and the Camelopardilliam fic!! Okay, that's six fics.

So... should I be adding the western romance to this roster? No, definitely not. Is it still going to be quietly outlined and stuffed into the files? Yes. Of course it is.

[cyberdragoninfinity]

I have to ask. I have to. Give me your opinion of Michael "III" "Trey" Arclight for the YGO character meme please.

TREY THREE MICHAEL ARCLIGHT MY BELOVED

Why I like them/why I don’t: vector may have hit me with hammers but trey is really close behind him as my second fav zexal character, i love this kid so much. i cant believe when i got into zexal i was so worried about quattro fucking me up i got completely blind-sighted by his baby brother. he makes my chest hurt. i love characters whose sense of devotion and loyalty is so great they put their own life at risk!!! I LOVE FAMILY DRAMA!!! HE JUST WANTED TO DO HIS FAMILY PROUD. HE ALMOST DID A MURDER-SUICIDE WORLD ENDER OUT OF HOW MUCH HE LOVES HIS FAMILY

What I like about their appearance: his color palette is sooo so nice...those lovely shades of pink with the pop of green in his eyes and his crest. Also his hair is just so cute i love the little curly twirls by his ears.

Do I prefer their dub names or original names? 'michael arclight' in general is such a funny perfect whiteboy name, but i think i do like Trey more.. it just sounds nice :^) college AU trey definitely picked that name out for himself #nonbiney

OTP: i do like yuma/trey, it's very sweet ;__; also >>when one character has endless loyalty to another.. wahh...waaughhh....WAHHH....

NOTP: trying to even think what other trey ships ive seen. hrm. if you ship him with his brothers explode and die !

OT3: everyone. come to "the unlikely friendship of vector trey and yuma" with me. i want them to go on a hike and vector and trey to have a really heated conversation about Mesopotamian pottery while yuma frantically tries to keep up with them. i want them to have smores together. listen to me.

Favourite card they use: god. i wish i liked his deck more i really do. I JUST WISH IT WASNT. LIKE THAT do we have to...do we have to make indigenous art from real life into the Strange Mysterious Deck Archetype and then give it to a white boy...yugioh...... ok but anyway i DO love Chronomaly Atlandis. big weird fucked up lava giant. the dante's inferno reference??!?! kickass

Favourite moment they were in: his duel with yuma was and is my all time favorite zexal duel, between the colors and the stakes and the EVERYTHING. IT'S JUST SO GOOD. i think my especially favorite moment of that duel is the agony of Trey using aztec mask golem as trebuchet fodder, the card he literally like an episode before described as his favorite, just in that bone-deep desperation to win and do his dad proud. GUHHHHHH. (runner up moment: when he threw a sword at mr. heartland. also when he stole mizar's dragon looooool)

Least favourite moment: right before he's about to die and he's thanking yuma for being his friend and YUMA CANT EVEN BE THERE FOR HIM. IT'S NOT A BAD MOMENT OR ANYTHING IT JUST MAKES ME SAD!!!!!!!

Something I associate with them: this emoji --> 🙃

[justiceleague]

HBO has given an 8-episode, straight-to-series order for Lanterns. Chris Mundy (Ozark, True Detective: Night Country) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, Lost) and Tom King (Mister Miracle, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) will co-write the series with Mundy.

The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

[romancomicsblog]

Who should play Hal Jordan in the DCU's Lanterns?

With the upcoming DCU's Superman introducing Guy Gardner, it was only a matter of time until we got more Green Lantern.

Variety has reported that "Lanterns" is officially moving forward at HBO, with the characters of Hal Jordan and John Stewart taking center stage in the eight episode miniseries.

The synopsis reads, "new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan are two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”

This synopsis doesn't tell us much, but does hint at a few things. It is assumed Hal will be the older, secondary character to Stewart's, playing a more mentor role as an established hero. This leads me to believe Jordan won't be the main Green Lantern in the Justice League, and instead will play more of a background character, such as Michael Douglas in Ant-Man, although maybe not that old.

Although I'm a fan of Jordan, I think this is a smart move. John being our main Lantern is something fans of JL and JLU cartoons have been itching for. Plus it can give this show some good distance from the awful film where Hal Jordan is the protagonist.

Even if he isn't the main character, the casting of Hal Jordan is an important one. This will not only be the secondary protagonist of the show, but one of the DCU's legendary staple heroes. Whether he turn to evil, stay around as a hero or die, this character needs to be casted appropriately. So let's look into it and ask the question, who should play Hal Jordan?

Before we do that, we need to answer some questions:

Characteristics: What makes a good Hal jordan?

To me, Hal Jordan has a very specific mix of asshole, confidence and charm that makes us want to route for him. He sucks, but we love him anyway. Very few actors have this charisma, which makes him a very hard character to cast right.

Even an actor with these attributes if leaning into any of these too hard can feel wrong. Case and point: Ryan Reynolds.

I often think of Chris Pine's Captain Kirk from the Star Trek films as a perfect young Hal Jordan.

However this is a Hal Jordan who has been through it, knows what the job is and has wisdom to show for it. So we're adding that new layer in, not just cocky and confident, but wise and maybe even kinder.

Fancasts worth noting:

There are a few people I wanted to bring up who have frequently been fancast as Green Lantern who I think may be good but probably shouldn't. The first big one is the biggest short guy in Hollywood, Tom Cruise.

Now do I think he has the stuff? Absolutely. I also think he's a bit too big of a name that he may overshadow the performance. Plus he's a tad older than I would like and I don't see him consistently coming back to this franchise.

Next we got the Rookie Nathan Fillion. He has been a long time first choice for Hal Jordan, even voicing him in some animated films. He's in the age range, and I love him, but he's Guy Gardner, so he can't unfortunately.

Finally, a few names that have also come up are Patrick Schwarzenegger, Glenn Powell and Jake Gyllenhaal. While I think these three are incredible actors, the first two are a bit too young now for the role, and Gyllenhaal has played a green mentor to a hero already recently, so I don't think it's very interesting.

But seriously watch out for Patrick, after the Boys spin-off Gen-V, I can definitely see him playing a great hero or villain role. He would've made a great young Hal Jordan.

Other Stipulations

We want an actor who can make the fantastical feel real and grounded. It needs to be someone fun to play off of Stewart's serious military sternness.

I'm looking for actor around 50. He needs to feel old enough to be wise and experienced but young and spry enough to be a serious threat.

This is HBO, so we need a name. Not someone who is gonna outshine our lead but someone with some star power.

Green Lantern's must be fearless, so there needs to be the energy of someone who can hold their own.

As usual I'm looking for someone not already known for being in a superhero role. So actors like Jake Gyllenhaal or Chris Evans are off the table.

3. Edward Norton

This may be the biggest name in my top 3.

Although he has had a brief stint as the Hulk, Norton I think is much better suited to play this green hero.

Norton has a great voice for an older Hal, calm and steady, with enough charm and weariness to feel like he's seen somethings. Norton is also very funny. He knows how to play heroes, villains, and anything in between. I can see his Jordan turning, or sacrificing himself heroically.

My main concerns are his name being too big, and more importantly, his tendency to take over projects creatively. If this was already an established universe, I'd let it slide. But, we need to think of team players.

2. Jason Sudeikis

If I had to go with a safe pick all around, Sudeikis is kind of made for the role.

Few people have that asshole energy like Sudeikis in his past comedy work that feels so inherently Jordan. He's funny, he can shoot the shit, but at the end of the day, he's still the protagonist that you love.

What really gives him the edge over the others is his stint as Ted Lasso. The wisdom and kindness I'm looking for in a mentor Green Lantern. Not to mention he can lead a show so popular, he'd be a big get for DC.

My main concern is, does he feel like he can hold his own? Does he feel as fearless as a Green Lantern should be?

I don't think so. I'm not saying he can't get there or he wouldn't be great, but he just misses out on this one.

1. Timothy Olyphant

I nearly made him my second pick, but when writing this, I convinced myself he was number one.

Timothy Olyphant was, fun fact, actually another choice to be 2008's Iron Man. He's got charisma to boot, charm, I mean, look at him!

Tell me that's not him in the photo!

Known for roles in Justified, Fargo, and The Mandalorian, Olyphant has the perfect presence as a Green Lantern. He looks older and wise but full of life and fight in him. He looks like the best of the Norton and Sudeikis, both fearless, wise and kind.

Olyphant also has an energy that feels right at home in a mystery and in space. He's been in crime stories like Fargo and space stories like the Mandalorian, and has been everything Hal needs: a leading man, a U.S. Marshall, a Space Cop, and a ladies man.

If we wanna start the DCU right, Olyphant is my Hal Jordan. Plain and simple.

Thank you so much for reading! Please consider following, and check out my socials and other sites here! And let me know: Who do you want to play Hal Jordan in the DCU?

[walkawaytall]

Audiobooks for which I think the narration vastly improves the book consumption experience:

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, narrated by John Green - this is John’s first non-fiction book and his narration of the book imbues the text with the right balance of emotion. I cry every time I listen to it, especially the chapter “Googling Strangers” (a version of which you can hear on the podcast that the book kind of spun off from for free if you want). I think John was the perfect narrator for this book and I can’t imagine anyone else reading it. In case you’re wondering, my favorite chapter is “Bonneville Salt Flats”.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, narrated by Tatiana Maslany — Tatiana is an actress (I mainly know her from an arc on Heartland and a couple of episodes of Parks and Rec, but she was apparently the main character in Orphan Black and has done a bunch of other stuff) and this really comes through in her narration — in a good way. She’s a fantastic voice for Katniss’ inner monologue and I don’t find her read of other character’s voices distracting or confusing in any way. Granted, I knew the stories before listening to the audiobooks, but I enjoyed these so much that, not only did I buy them so I would stop using up Hoopla borrows on them, I also have suggested them to like ten people this year and looked to see if Tatiana had narrated anything else that I might find interesting (she hasn’t done any other audiobooks from what I can tell, which is a real shame).

The Truly Devious Series by Maureen Johnson, narrated by Kate Rudd - I also went looking for anything else narrated by Kate Rudd and was not disappointed — she’s narrated over 500 books, including some of John Green’s novels. But the Truly Devious series is just really fun. It’s a YA murder mystery series. The first three center around the same mystery while the next two (and I assume any subsequent additions) are standalones with the same central cast of characters. Kate does an excellent job of reading the engaging source material and I think I have enjoyed every book I’ve heard her read; I just also happen to really like this series.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, narrated by Jennette McCurdy — I think for a memoir as heavy as this one, it only makes sense for Jennette to read her own words. The book is great, her narration is great, but it’s probably not for everyone. Jennette’s story of becoming a well-known child actress at the behest of her mother only to realize once her mom died of cancer that their relationship was abusive is somewhat harrowing, but there is hope woven in as well.

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott, narrated by January LaVoy — this book is really good but it also gutted me (I won’t spoil anything, but do maybe look up content warnings prior to consuming) and January LaVoy did a really good job. If her name sounds familiar to my Star Wars peeps, it probably is: she read the audiobook for Bloodline, some of the stories in the From A Certain Point of View series, and the new recording of The Courtship of Princess Leia (lol) among others, but she has also narrated loads of non-Star Wars material. Loved this book, loved her narration of it.

Special mention:

The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, narrated by Jennifer Ikeda — this is a special mention because I do not actually suggest these books at all. The first one starts out fairly promising with a seemingly interesting and strong main character who suddenly loses all of her personality and agency the moment she meets a hot vampire, and it’s not because she’s being compelled or anything interesting like that. By the end, the only “character” I really liked was the house that Diana’s aunts owned? (Well, I also spent a chunk of the first book hoping that the weird number of times Matthew warned Diana that his stallion bites would turn out to be foreshadowing that the horses were all vampires, but that unfortunately never panned out.) Anyway, these books are not good but I am convinced I kept listening to them even after swearing off the series after the first book because of Jennifer’s narration. And then they switched narrators for the weird little follow-up fourth book about Phoebe becoming a vampire (Time’s Convert) and I wasn’t able to finish it. (And that is not me saying that the narrator of Time’s Convert isn’t good. She narrated Leia, Princess of Alderaan and also did the Leia chapters in The Princess and the Scoundrel, which means I have told multiple people that I wish she would have read the whole book rather than switching off with whoever did Han’s chapters. She’s a fine narrator. What I’m saying is that Jennifer Ikeda was good enough to keep me listening even when I hated what was being read to me while another perfectly fine narrator couldn’t do that, and that’s saying something.)

[nostalgiachan]

Wa-hey, two 100 OC Challenge posts tonight (because I totally forgot I was missing entries 61-64 lol). And rather than wait until I caught up on all the old uncolored images, I decided I'd just do all pics going forward in color.

Anyway, we've reached the sixteen (!!!) characters of the RPG I wanted to make in college, Silmerein. I never made the game, but the story stayed near and dear to my heart, so I decided I'd give the characters a little mock-up dialogue box. Since the game heavily (albeit accidentally) cribbed from Grandia II, I decided to lean into that with these redesigns. As always, new images up top, old below, and detailed character info (and essentially the story of the game) below the cut.

#65: Talin Stockman Idea: The Hero Story: Silmerein

#66: Lima Rayel Idea: The Healer Waifu Story: Silmerein

#67: Abarashil Faed Idea: The Slutty Elf Thief Intended to Make Gamer Bros Uncomfortable Story: Silmerein

#68: Amestris the Phoenix Idea: The Desert Queen Story: Silmerein

I wrote up a summary of the intended story of this RPG a few years ago for a friend, so I'll reprint that here and cover just up to the end of Amestris's story: I birthed a whole concept for an RPG based around a single idea: what if your kawaii waifu healer was actually the villain?

Story starts a few centuries after the invasion of the avatar of a SUPREME EVIL GOD from a foreign land. Most of the continent the majority of the game takes place on is ravaged, but a lone woman blessed with divine power manages to beat back the demon hordes, fight the avatar for a week straight, and then strike him down with a MIGHTY BLOW, forever encasing the two of them in stone.

A religion forms around the woman, Silmerein, a holy city is built around the monument, civilization rebuilds. Not everybody's down with the religion, of course, but it becomes one of the major institutions of the continent.

Shortly before our story starts, the continent gets hit with a variety of plagues.

To most, they don't seem related - people in the heartland slowly losing function in their arms, the desert people going blind, various other maladies. On top of this, there's been an uptick in mysterious monsters being spotted in the wilderness.

Our starter hero, one Talin Stockman is one such plague victim. But his is a little different from the other victims in his hometown. As it turns out, his entire left arm has become monstrously deformed, and occasionally has a nasty habit of trying to strangle him in his sleep.

But he keeps it under wraps and works diligently at his family's general store, until it's visited by a young cleric of Silmerein, Lima Rayel.

Sometime that night, the village - and more specifically, Talin - is attacked by one of the mysterious monsters, and Lima comes to his rescue. She has a theory as to what's going on: she believes that the plagues are actually being caused by the essence of the avatar of Rodimir (aforementioned evil foreign god) escaping its prison and leaking out into the world. She thinks that it may be searching for hosts to concentrate and gestate within in order to return to power. And Talin happens to be one of those hosts, what with his monster-attracting arm. So, she tells him her plan: travel to the plague-affected lands, find the hosts, and bring them to Silmerein so they can be purified at the monument.

So she and Talin set off to ADVENTURE. Their first target actually winds up coming to them: the elf thief Abarashil Faed. The wood elves mostly avoided contracting any plague, and that was because Faed hadn't been anywhere near their city in a few years, having already been exiled for murder (we'll get to that later).

So like the pieces of Valmar [from Grandia II], each host tended to have a specific part that was affected, and in Faed's case, it was his tongue. So he'd be prone to fits of uncontrollable chattering in languages he couldn't understand, which is very not helpful when you're trying to ambush people and steal their shit. Also, in actual combat, each host would get a super mode where they turned into a massive monster related to what part of their body was infected. I think Talin turned into a giant wolf, but Faed definitely turned into a snake. It functioned kind of like Milennia's rage mode.

Anyway, I think most of Faed's plot was he steals our party's wagon (because Talin's a merchant so he planned on selling shit between towns) and accidentally kidnaps Lima, they find out he's infected, you get your first boss fight against his corrupted snake mode, and then he joins the party because he'd really like to not do the uncontrollable talking thing anymore.

Next, your team headed to the desert city of Esteed, which is currently super locked down against foreigners, doubly so against people from Silmerein.

Shortly before the plague hit the city, their queen, Melpomene the Raven, went on a mission to Silmerein and never returned. Esteed never had a good relationship with Silmerein to begin with because they already had their own chief religion before the end times happened, and they really didn't appreciate missionaries constantly trying to convert them. But now they thought the Silmereinians were the cause of the plague.

Somehow, you get inside, though, just in time to see the inaugural parade for the new queen, Amestris the Phoenix. Lima's got a sense for hosts, and she's convinced Amestris is the next one, so they try to figure out a way to talk to her and tell her what's up, but no dice. They were lucky enough just to get into the city to begin with.

So instead, Faed breaks into her palace at night, tries to talk to her in her room, has a one-on-one fight, and just manages to convince her to listen. She says, "fine, I'll listen, but you have to do something for me first. Our city's been under constant siege by these horrible monsters. You ensure my people are safe, I'll go with you."

So your trio heads into the desert and fights some critters. You go back to the palace with proof, Amestris is like "Alright, cool, we'll head out tomorrow," and then fate decides that's the perfect time for Amestris's definitely infected eye to summon another horde.

So now everyone's convinced that this was an orchestrated attack, your squad gets tossed in the dungeon, and Amestris prepares drastic measures once the fighting stops. The next day, she's going to enact an ancient ritual to summon the gods and end this bullshit once and for all, and said ritual involves her burning to death on a massive funeral pyre while the city prays in unison.

So Lima's like "Okay, no, we gotta stop that, we don't know what'll happen if she dies with the host part still in her." You get out of the dungeon, fight your way to the city's coliseum and Lima manages to stop Amestris before she burns, but Amestris's eye goes out of control, like Talin's arm and Faed's tongue did, and she turns into a giant fucked-up phoenix and you fight her atop the pyre. You kick her ass, take her back to the palace, and tell her what's up.

So she's like, "Alright, well, that didn't work and I guess you guys really do know what's going on, so I kinda have no choice but to go. Maybe I can figure out what happened to my sister."

And the story continues in the next batch of character art!

[the-real-tc]

Fic Update! Bad Business: Ch. 12 A Place Called Heartland

Chapter 12:

A Place Called Heartland

***

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

***

[draft]

Hudson Hawk: Your Eye on Hudson

A BLOG

Bad Business in Hudson

If you've been following the local news lately — and it's hard not to — you'll be very aware of all the sinister events that have unfolded in our fair town over the past few weeks. Thanks to the dogged efforts of the Hudson Police and that of the neighbouring Calgary Metro Police, however, it looks like justice will prevail in the sordid murder and murder-for-hire cases that have come to light.

To recap: Mrs. Valerie Stanton of Briar Ridge Stables was shot to death while horseback riding up at Lookout Point. Also targeted for death was one Lisa Stillman of Fairfield Stables. One detail that came to light was that the horse Stanton was riding at the time of her death belonged to Stillman. This raised a troubling question: was Stillman the intended target with Stanton being the unfortunate victim of mistaken identity, or was it all a terrible hunting accident?

Nothing could have been further from the truth, as the culprits turned out to be much closer to home; their reasons much more disturbing. Facing various and sundry criminal charges are: Tanner Gunn, Theresa Haywood, Stanley Belmont, Jesse Stanton, and William Ulrich.

I know what you're probably wondering: Is Jesse Stanton related to Valerie Stanton? The answer is a resounding "Yes". He's the son of the same late Valerie Stanton, and Briar Ridge heir. He's been charged with soliciting a killer-for-hire to murder his mother. His reasons for so doing will probably come to light in the upcoming trial, or not. Whatever his reasons, what makes things all the more troubling is he decided to try to kill Lisa Stillman when the insurance payout for his mother's policy was held up due to the police investigation into her death.

Adam paused as he tried to summarize the facts of the case as he knew them. He stared at his laptop screen, wondering now if he had the right to be typing this story in his blog at all. After all, he knew the people involved. By now Georgie must have told the family at Heartland Ranch the Hudson Hawk was his chosen sobriquet.

An unconscious frown tugged at Adam's mouth. His conscience was nagging him. It had been easier when he could hide behind the anonymity of a screen name; he could pretend there was some distance between himself and the subject of his blog posts. Now...

So while he had the blessing of his parents to continue this blogging endeavour, Adam closed the file without saving it. Instead, he decided to check with Alberta Fish and Wildlife to see if they had anything new to report about the elusive bear that had been implicated in the attack on Herring and the man whose body he and Georgie discovered at the Dude Ranch. Doubtless when it was eventually found, it would be destroyed. Such would be the fate of any wild animal that targeted humans instead of other wild animals.

***

Monday, May 13, 2019

Somewhere on Highway 2, Due North.

"I'm glad she's finally feeling up to having visitors," Rachel said as Lou navigated the SUV to the hospital.

Lou glanced at her, then chanced a peek back at Ben, who was staring out the window at the passing scenery, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

"It was driving me crazy having to wait," Rachel continued. "I still can't wrap my mind around everything that's happened. It's like some bizarre dream I'm waking up from. Well, nightmare is more like it. Thank God it's over."

"I can't believe everything that's happened, either," Lou quipped, thinking back to the night Amy shot Jesse, and how Chief Parker had been able to tell the rest of the family Lisa was alive.

Rachel's joy at learning her only sister had indeed survived the attempts on her life was tempered by the fact she had been led to believe the opposite.

"I thought I was coming out here to say 'goodbye' to her," Rachel commented, her voice just above a whisper. "I thought I was never going to see her again. And I know I shouldn't be upset the police couldn't tell us the truth right away—to protect her and all that—but I wish..."

"But it's gonna be okay now," Lou said reassuringly, filling in the silence when Rachel did not verbalize the rest of her train of thought. "She'll be so happy to see you two."

The rest of the family had elected to stay back at Heartland for the time being so as not to overwhelm the recovering patient. It was expected Lisa would be discharged within the week, anyway, and Georgie and Katie were already excitedly making plans for a 'Welcome Home' party of sorts, and the imminent arrival of Aunt Evelyn.

From his position in the backseat, Ben quietly spoke up: "I keep going over in my mind the time I spent at Briar Ridge. I remember being jealous of Jesse Stanton at the time because of all the 'toys' he had. He seemed to have anything and everything he wanted. I remember thinking how much I'd love to have a Ducati like his, and how my parents' splitting up meant I might be able to guilt one or both of them into getting me one. Then I thought, hey, maybe my rich aunt could. What she did buy was jumps for Red so I could practice at Heartland. It took me days to finally thank her. Days. What a shallow, ungrateful idiot I was.

"To think... to think Jesse was riding that same damned bike when he shot my aunt..."

"For what it's worth, Ben," Rachel eventually uttered with a smirk, "There's no way I would have been giving you a Ducati back then, no matter how guilty I felt about the divorce, and neither would your Aunt Lisa."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

Lou tapped her knuckles lightly on the door to Lisa's room.

"Yeah, come on in," Jack called from within.

Upon hearing this response, Lou let Ben and Rachel go ahead of her. Despite expecting this visit from her family, Lisa felt a lump forming in her throat at the sight of her sister and nephew, and instant tears flooded her eyes. Rachel crossed the floor quickly to her sister. Lisa readily received the gentle but fervent hug that lasted several seconds.

"Hey, Rachel," Lisa uttered. "Thanks for coming. I'm so glad to see you."

"I thought I'd lost you," Rachel murmured, voice choked with emotion as her eyes brimmed.

"I know," Lisa responded as Rachel released her. "I'm sorry. You know I never wanted to put you—any of you—through that. But the decision to keep you in the dark wasn't mine. I never wanted to cause you any grief—"

"We're just glad you're going to be okay, Aunt Lisa," Ben put in hurriedly, also approaching Lisa for a hug of his own.

"Ben," Lisa said warmly while accepting his embrace, "it's so good to see you."

"Ben's right," Rachel said. "All that matters is you're going to be okay. The people who did this to you are in custody and you're still with us. That's what's important. Oh, my goodness, let me look at you..."

Rachel spent a few moments taking in the bandage that still graced the left side of Lisa's forehead, and then noticed the sling on her arm. What she could not see beneath the hospital gown were the sutures sealing the incision where the chest tube had been inserted, and the additional bandage covering the patched-up bullet wound.

Shaking her head, Rachel said, "I'm so glad you're alive, sis. You look like you've been through hell and back."

"I feel like it, too," Lisa uttered wryly.

Jack rubbed her forearm in a comforting manner at this comment. He could not abide thinking she was in any discomfort.

"Rachel, I'd like you to meet Jack," Lisa said, motioning towards her husband.

"Jack," Rachel said with a wide smile, moving to hug the man her sister married. "At long last, we meet in person. I'm sorry it took something like this to bring us out here."

"Good to finally see you in person, too, Rachel," Jack said heartily, holding her tightly for a few moments before releasing her.

"Hi, Jack," Ben said, reaching over to shake the older man's hand. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has!" Jack rejoined, grasping his step-nephew's hand. "It's good to see you again, man."

"Jack... I want to thank you for being there for my sister when that monster tried to... you know..." Rachel trailed off. "You saved her life."

"Yes, Jack," Lisa said, sending a broad smile in his direction. "My hero..."

Jack did not wish to think about or speak any more of the night he found hitman Earl McCann trying to suffocate Lisa, so he quickly shifted the conversation to a more mundane topic.

"Well, I guess Aunt Evelyn should be getting in soon?" he asked, doing his best to sound upbeat about it.

"Yes, Grandpa," answered Lou, also sensing his discomfort about the former subject. "Her flight gets in tomorrow night."

"Oh, Aunt Evelyn," Lisa groaned, closing her eyes. "She'll never forgive me for putting her through all this!"

"Of course she will," Rachel rebutted. "I talked to her yesterday. Lisa, all she cares about is that you're alive and safe. You said it yourself: the decision to keep what was going on confidential wasn't in your hands. You were at death's door at the time, for heaven's sake! Nobody's blaming you."

At this, Lisa nodded. "Thanks, Rach. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime," Rachel said. "Someone's got to knock some sense into you."

"Right," Lisa said. "And thank you for not making cracks about my 'hard head'."

"Oh, rats! That was going to be my next joke," said Rachel, feigning disappointment.

"Well, I, for one, am glad for your 'hard head', Lis," Jack said with a small smile. He traced a thumb near the bandage below her hairline, once again so grateful the weapon Jesse had used was not as deadly as he intended it to be.

***

A Couple Days Later

Heartland Ranch

"They're here!" Katie cried excitedly, rushing from the porch into the house upon seeing Jack and Lisa pulling up into the yard.

"We're home, Lis," Jack said, putting the truck in park.

"Hmm," Lisa murmured, slowly peeling open her eyes. She had not intended to fall asleep during the drive home, but too many nights of poor sleep in the hospital meant her body craved rest. Jack's steady driving and the purr of the truck's engine proved to be a fairly good natural sedative.

"Wow, how long was I out?" she asked.

"About half an hour," Jack chuckled. "I didn't realise my company was that boring."

"Oh, you," Lisa said, realising he was jesting. Now that she was coming to full awareness after her brief nap, she finally noticed the yard was not quite as empty as it normally was. "Um, Jack... What's with all the cars and trucks..?"

"You have a lot of people who wanted to welcome you home, Lis," Jack explained. "Come on. Let's get you inside."

Jack opened the door on Lisa's side and carefully eased her down. "Slow and steady, now," he advised, gingerly supporting her on the way to the house.

Though she was feeling miles better than when she first woke in the hospital, Lisa allowed Jack this expression of care for her well-being. After all, she knew first-hand how challenging it could be when the person you loved most was resistant to help of any sort.

Almost as soon as she entered the house, Lisa was met by Evelyn.

"Darling," the older woman uttered, taking her niece's face in her hands before hugging her tenderly. "I'm so relieved you weren't taken from us like that... When Jack called me... oh, I thought my heart wouldn't be able to endure it. But you're here. It's a miracle."

"I'm so sorry I had to put you through that, Auntie," Lisa said sincerely.

"Nonsense," Evelyn stated flatly. "Lou and Rachel explained everything. The police did what they had to do to keep you safe and to flush out the guilty parties."

"Then I'm so glad you understand," said Lisa with relief.

"Jack, don't be a stranger," Evelyn chided, at last noticing him. "Come here. I want to kiss the man who saved my niece's life."

"Hello, Evelyn," Jack said, allowing her to give him a peck on the cheek.

Evelyn leaned in to Lisa. "Doesn't he ever shave, darling?" she asked in a low voice, though Jack managed to hear, anyway.

"Only when the mood strikes him," Lisa answered with a chortle, patting Jack's face playfully. "But I love him, anyway."

"Yes," Evelyn said seriously. "And he loves you. And that's really all that matters, isn't it?"

Tim approached just then. "Everybody's waiting in the living room," he announced, somewhat impatiently, then amended his tone. "Is Lisa okay?"

"I'm fine, Tim," Lisa replied. "I just didn't expect something like this when I got home."

"Let's go," Evelyn said perkily. "Can't keep your well-wishers waiting."

Lisa sank into the middle of the couch, deeply touched by the gathering of dear family and friends that afternoon. She was further impressed by the efforts Katie and Georgie put in to decorating the space to enhance the celebratory mood of her return home.

"Do you like what we did, Lisa?" asked Katie with expectant enthusiasm, grinning widely. Georgie stood by, also waiting to hear what Lisa would say.

"It's beautiful, both of you," Lisa responded, taking in the large 'WELCOME HOME, LISA' banner, streamers, balloons, and cheery tea lights. "This was so very thoughtful of you. So special."

Heartened by this praise, Katie zipped over to where Peter stood with Lou and happily told them that Lisa loved her handiwork.

Everyone took time to express to Lisa their happiness that she was going to be okay after her brushes with death. But there were two people in particular Lisa knew she was more than obliged to see and to publicly commend.

"Ty; Scott," Lisa spoke up, grabbing the attention of everyone. The two veterinarians looked uncomfortable under the sudden scrutiny of the others.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your quick actions that day out on the road," said Lisa. "I don't remember any of it, but I'm eternally grateful you stopped and helped."

"Of course, Lisa," Ty said.

"We would have stopped for anyone in distress, Lisa," Scott added. "It just so happened we knew you."

Neither man was able to say anything further, as memories of that incident were still difficult and disturbing.

"We're just glad you made it, Lisa," Ty said.

"Right," Scott said in agreement.

"Thank you, both of you," Lisa said, once again fighting back tears.

An hour or so slipped by. Lisa could feel her energy starting to wane; friends such as Caleb, Jen, Mitch, and Scott made their departure. At length, only the family remained in the living room.

Before it got to be too late, and before Lou lost her nerve, there was something she had to get off her chest. "I know we don't always see eye-to-eye, Lisa," Lou said tentatively, "but the truth is you're very special to me, and to all of us here. It felt like losing my Grandma Lyndy and my mother all over again when we thought the worst had happened to you..."

Lou suddenly could not continue.

"I felt the same way, Lisa," Amy put in. "After my miscarriage, and after everything you shared with me, I was devastated at the prospect I was facing another personal loss... but you're here, and I'm so glad."

"And I..." Georgie started, but was unsure if she could continue. She looked to her mother, who nodded some encouragement. "I didn't know what to think of you when I first met you, Lisa. I thought you were some rich snob who was going to take Jack's time and attention away from me—"

"Oh, Georgie, honey..." Lisa murmured.

"I never got to say I was sorry for that," Georgie went on in a rush. "And Lisa, I'm sorry for all the mean things I said about you. I'm so sorry. I-I never knew my grandparents or my great-grandparents, for that matter, but you've been everything I could have ever wanted in a great-grandmother, and more."

"Thank you for that," Lisa said, eyes misting, looking at the family that had been grafted onto her heart. "Thank you all. And I want you to know I feel the same way. You know, I had a full life before I met Jack. A life I thought I loved. I thought I was living my dream life. But I look back now and see I didn't realise how sad and empty my heart was. I love you all very much. My life and my heart are full now."

***

Later that Evening

Dinnertime was over. Jack helped settle an exhausted Lisa into bed where she dropped off to sleep in minutes. It was early still, and after all the social activity of the day, Jack decided he needed to clear his head for a bit, so he brewed a cup of tea and escaped to the porch.

He had been there only a few minutes when he heard the sure creak of the door. Someone was coming outside and he turned expectantly to see who it was.

"There you are," Rachel said to Jack, softly closing the screen door while exiting the house.

"Hi, there," Jack said amiably from his position on the porch bench. "Have a seat."

"Thank you," Rachel said, and joined him. A few seconds later, she added: "It's every bit as lovely here as Lisa and Ben described, Jack."

Jack merely nodded.

"We haven't had a chance to really talk yet," said Rachel.

"No, we haven't," Jack said in agreement, though he wondered what Rachel might want to talk about.

"It's years too late, but I want to thank you for offering to put Ben up when I was going through my divorce," Rachel said. "At first, I wasn't thrilled with the idea when Lisa told me that 'plans had changed'; that he wasn't going to be at Fairfield; that he was going to be boarding at some place called 'Heartland'. But after Ben got over his own issues, he admitted he actually didn't mind this place so much, and he was sorry he didn't appreciate it enough at the time."

Jack nodded again, thinking back to how sullen Ben had been in those days. "Divorce is never easy on anyone, especially when there's kids in the mix," he said, remembering some of the ways Lou and Amy struggled to cope in the wake of Tim and Marion's divorce.

"I love my sister to bits, Jack," Rachel said. "She's my big sister, you know? I idolized her growing up. I was relieved she would be the one to take over the family business because I sure didn't want to be responsible for it. She seemed to be happy when she married Dan and moved to the U.S., but we both know how that all turned out. That time in her life changed her, Jack, and not for the better. I wish only happiness and love for her, and I'm so glad you're in her life, because it's clear you're the one who can provide those things for her."

"Well, I'm glad she's in my life, too," Jack admitted, though that hardly covered the length and the breadth and the height of things when it came to expressing how he felt about his wife.

"I don't know what fair wind blew you two together," Rachel said, "but I pray you two stick together."

"That's the plan," Jack said, thinking back to that evening at the Open House when he first laid eyes on Lisa Stillman. Never in a million years would he have guessed what the future would bring him after that chance encounter.

"You wouldn't happen to have a brother who's just like you out there somewhere, eh, Jack?" Rachel said with a laugh.

"No, no. Just me," Jack responded with a smile and a quick laugh of his own. "I think they broke the mold when they made me."

Rachel looked over at him, seeing his features in the light streaming from the kitchen window. "I think you're right about that, Jack. My sister is a very lucky woman."

"I think I am the lucky one," Jack said with sincerity. How many people get a second chance at love in their lives?

"Yeah..." Rachel said. "Well, goodnight, Jack. Thanks for loving my sister the way you do. You've saved her life in more ways than you'll ever know."

The younger Stillman sister leaned over and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Rachel," Jack replied.

***

Epilogue

[wearepaladin]

After Action Report #1 for Baldur’s Gate: City of Blood, a fusion campaign of Descent into Avernus and Curse of Strahd. It went very well and I have high hopes for next week’s game.

Welcome to Baldur's Gate. Our destined crew, drawn by their own goals, or other focused hands, find themselves coming together on the outskirts of the City of Blood. 4 came together by the way of the Chionthar, the mighty river that provides the lifeblood for many cities in the Heartlands of Faerun. An acrobatic but perhaps overly ambitious elf named Aquila, a daring druid disciple of the stars named Tyche, a wily gunslinger with a debonair façade called Nero and their desperate for approval assistant, Huxley the Owlin, and one half drowned noble named Catherine from Waterdeep, rising to breath fresh air after being in yet deeper water.

Elsewhere, the gnome Sergeant Andreth Mykonia kept watch on the outskirts of the city, A joyful dancer named Penelope endeavors to keep their heart light in a grim metropolis, and Hulst, a young crimson knight of the god of mercy finds themselves being drawn forces beyond their control, be it kind strangers, desperate warriors or the desperate in need.

(In other words, the Dungeon Master had several vignettes for everyone to flex their newly made characters into being, and illustrate how they all arrived in Baldur’s Gate. It was very fun, and thanks to Nero’s player, I made a new character on the spot who might become my favorite example of “yes, and ?” Storytelling I’ve done in a long time. I imagine we will all grow to love Huxley the Owlin)

They arrive from various points to the great bridge of Wyrm's Crossing, the main thoroughfare to Baldur’s Gate from the land, and find themselves to be!the right people in the wrong place when a prisoner kept bound in an encapsulated metal box, a person known only to a few among you as Viekang, a dangerous murderer empowered by Bhaal himself, Lord of Murder, on his way to the city. Their skills pooled together when fellow disciples of the murderous god attempted to orchestrate Viekang's liberation. With only a few injuries among the assembled individuals, they managed to foil the attempted liberation of Viekang.

In the aftermath, the newly assembled group is brought back to Wyrm's Rock Fortress, which found itself under assault in what appears to have been a coordinated effort, the Bhaalites defeated but at cost of a 1/3 of the garrison from the surprise attack. Set to be questioned, the crew waits only to hear a tumble of metal and the cracking of a shell as a red wyrmling broke free of a long stasis from a mysterious box that had been found earlier in the adventure, its young bright eyes meeting the party for the first time. We'll have to wait until next time to see what happens next.

NPC's introduced this session: Ireena and Ismark, a pair of apparent siblings who find themselves the sole surviving wardens of the murderer Viekang, and despite doing well for themselves in the fight, likely would have been killed if not the presence of this group of 7 strangers...

Huxley the Owlin: A former accountant turned devoted manservant of Nero, Huxley is devoted to their master and wants to impress them and learn to thrive in this new life they find themselves in. It's a work in progress.

Greer the Iron Merchant: A trader coming into Baldur's Gate with his family for the yearly caravan.

Chieftain Tugush: An old orc chief who remembers the value of mercy, who hopes the best for the young paladin he encountered.

Corporal Smiley: A friend of Sergeant Mykonia, his fate unknown.

Private Green: A now shellshocked private for the Flaming Fist, his first day on assignment having devolved into a nightmare.

Galvan: The leader of a group of deep gnome refugees hoping to start a new life in Baldur's Gate

Viekang: A mysterious prisoner wanted by one of the Grand Duke's of Baldur's Gate, Dead or Alive. Denied rescue by cultists of Bhaal.

An infant red dragon wyrmling: Newborn and nameless, a child of the most feared breed of dragon in the realms. Who knows who they'll grow to be?

(And with that, our first session came to an end, everyone excited for yet more to come)

[firewireblog-blog]

Kyle Chandler Cast As Hal Jordan And Aaron Pierre Cast As John Stewart In HBO Original Drama Series Lanterns

Kyle Chandler has been cast as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre has been cast as John Stewart In HBO original drama series Lanterns. The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. James Gunn and Peter Safran, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of DC Studios, shared:…

[laresearchette]

Thursday, November 09, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS (City TV +) MYSTERY ON MISTLETOE LANE (W Network) 8:00pm RAP SH!T (Crave) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT: THE CROODS: FAMILY TREE (Premiering on November 11 on YTV at 10:30am) MOUNTAIN MEN (TBD - History Channel Canada) MURDER RUNS IN THE FAMILY (TBD - Lifetime Canada)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA BTS: YET TO COME TO CINEMAS COMEDY ISLAND (Season 1)

CBC GEM BLACKBERRY (all three episodes streaming)

CRAVE TV RAP SH!T (Season 2, Episodes 1-2)

NETFLIX CANADA AKUMA KUN (JP) TEMPLE OF FILM: 100 YEARS OF THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE

BILLIE JEAN KING CUP (SN1) 10:00am: Canada vs. Poland

GRAND SLAM OF CURLING (SN) 11:00am: National - Draw 10 (SN) 3:00pm: National - Draw 11 (SN1) 7:00pm: National - Draw 12

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 7:00pm: Islanders vs. Bruins (SNPacific/TSN5) 7:00pm: Canucks vs. Sens (TSN2) 7:00pm: Habs vs. Red Wings (TSN3) 8:00pm: Predators vs. Jets (SN/SN1) 10:30pm: Penguins vs. Kings (SNWest) 10:30pm: Oilers vs. Sharks

DRAGONS' DEN (CBC) 8:00pm

NFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN4) 8:15pm: Panthers vs. Bears

BLACKBERRY: THE LIMITED SERIES (CBC) 9:00pm (PREMIERE): Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin pitch their idea of combining a computer with a cellphone to Jim Balsillie; Jim comes on board, and they try to sell their idea.

AUSSIE GOLD HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 9:00pm: In flooded Victoria, the Poseidon Crew are forced back onto an old lease; Shane and Kate call in some vintage help in Western Australia; Jacqui and Andrew get separated at night in far north Queensland.

KILLING IT (Showcase) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Craig and Jillian prepare for the farm's first shipment of saw palmetto berries, but a series of unexpected visitors puts everything they've worked for in jeopardy; a new employee is a thorn in their side. In Episode Two, the Boones make their demands; Craig tries to reconnect with Isaiah; Jillian must decide whether to sacrifice her prized possession to save the farm.

HEARTLAND DOCS, DVM (Nat Geo Canada) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): The Schroeders reel in an unexpected catch during a family boating trip.

OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 10:00pm: The Bushmen find a hidden shaft by falling into it and the Blacklighters brand-new investment is dead in the water; a busted jackhammer forces JC and the Young Guns to make emergency repairs halfway down the mine shaft.

CANADIAN REFLECTIONS (CBC) 11:30pm: Play It Again; Hall of Mirrors

[motelfullmassage]

Movies for Halloween

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

After watching Nefarious, you are definitely going to want something more lighthearted to help peel yourself off the wall...that's where TGMC comes in. Set in the quaint but fictitious heartland town of Rachel, Kansas, this is the story of one Luther Heggs, a timid typesetter for the local newspaper, who yearns for something more in life and finds himself drawn into the murder-suicide mystery surrounding the spooky old Simmons Mansion, the local haunted house, in which he has to spend a fright-filled night. This has been a long time favorite of mine since childhood and I love putting it on on Saturday afternoons when doing my cooking. It's an easy, enjoyable watch that's also family friendly....Enjoy! Oh....Don't bother watching this on a certain Saturday night Creature Feature that shall remain nameless...in order to add time for commercials and frivolity, it edits out pieces of the movie that are not necessarily key to the story but which add flavor to it.

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

ALISON SWEENEY BAKES UP A NEW MYSTERY DELIGHT IN ‘CARROT CAKE MURDER: A HANNAH SWENSEN MYSTERY’ WITH FAN FAVORITES CAMERON MATHISON AND BARBARA NIVEN PREMIERING MAY 19, ON HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES

STUDIO CITY, CA –– April 25, 2023 – Alison Sweeney (“Days of Our Lives”), Cameron Mathison (“General Hospital”) and Barbara Niven (“Chesapeake Shores”) reprise their roles in “Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,” premiering Friday, May 19 (9 p.m. ET/PT), on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Gabriel Hogan (“Heartland”) from the original cast also returns in this latest installment. Sweeney serves as executive producer.

The discovery of a skeleton amid the rubble of a building undergoing renovation reveals that one of Lake Eden’s beloved citizens is not who he claimed to be. Much to the dismay of her fiancé, Detective Mike Kingston (Mathison), Hannah (Sweeney) begins to investigate the case on her own. As she tries to piece together the events that led to the murder and tries to learn the victim’s true identity, Hannah even calls on her mother Delores (Niven) as she works to bring the killer to justice and uncover the truth.

“Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery” is from Lighthouse Pictures in association with Looking Glass Productions. Alison Sweeney, Craig Baumgarten, Melissa Salmons, Jamie Goehring, Shawn Williamson and Pat Williams are executive producers. Jonathan Shore is supervising producer. The movie is produced by Kevin Leslie. B.F. Painter and John J. Fluke are associate producers. Williams directed from a script by Salmons, based on Joanne Fluke’s novel Carrot Cake Murder.