#Campaign - Adventures in Melody

[sarcasticmudkip]

Casts DND music draft upon you

[juhneenteagues]

Okay now that The Little Mermaid has surpassed $500M world wide, I’m ready for Disney to release a limited 2D animated tv sequel, titled ‘Uncharted Waters’.

And yes, i think it should be 2D. 12-15 episodes, 45-60mins each.

Each episode will detail the adventures Ariel and Eric go on traveling from place to place, learning about new people and their cultures. Along the way, the pair become even more of not only lovers, but best friends. They tell one another about their lives leading up to when they met on land. They discover just how MUCH of soulmates (platonic and romantic) they are, and how much they’re meant to be together - how they’re similar in so many ways, and their differences balance each other out.

(And ofc, they butt heads and disagree from time to time bc no one nor couple is perfect but that’s what makes their relationship and friendship so much stronger).

Then the finale of the animated show will have some sort of complicated situation down in Atlantica (I know they don’t really refer to Triton’s Kingdom as Atlantica in the movie) that only Ariel can solve, which will lead into a live action movie sequel called, you guessed it, “Return to the Sea”…. In the live action movie sequel Ariel gets to be a mermaid for like 85% of the movie, and Eric also gets turned into a merman and he can see what life is like under the sea. They each get to experience the best of both worlds (word to Hannah Montana)

And when the tv and movie sequels do amazing numbers there will be a third movie which will have Melody 🥹🥹🥹 the movie plot would somewhat similar to the animated movie sequel but no Morgana (love her down but no thanks)

Disney, pay these writers, animators, and actors what they’re owed so we can get these projects going! Animated TV series in 2025, live action movie sequel in 2028, live action trilogy in 2031!

And don’t forget to run me my check for these ideas!

- Halle Bailey’s EGOT campaign manager

[talesofalethrion]

Spotlight: Mik!

Will Mik choose to accept the dark gifts from the demon Greed or be strong enough to keep it at bay?

If we reach the next stretch goal of our Kickstarter campaign for Tales of Alethrion - Season 3 you'll be able to find out:

We only have 3 days left of this campaign, so it is the last chance to support our campaign 🪕

But back to Mik - a happy-go-lucky bard who travels from town to town, enjoying a good tale that he can put into lyrics and melodies and inspire heroes and crowds all over the realm. His muse, Ken, was a trusted friend who did the damage, while Mik did the singing.

Mik's adventure started in Tohan when he and Ken received a treasure map from the OG iconic duo, Wilhelm and Vito. They then traveled the realm thin before finally finding the X on the map. They found a huge treasure and a mysterious chest. This chest was unfortunately opened and a great evil called Greed was released. This became the end of Ken and the beginning of what could be a dark pact between Mik and Greed...

Art by: Anna Fischer-Larsen, Natasha Sallustio, Nadine Van Baarsen, Mikkel Mainz

[easternmind]

A compendium of references to Portugal in Japanese video games

The beginning of the historical relations between Portugal and Japan dates to the year 1541, when a Portuguese ship washed ashore at Jingujiura. Nearly sixty Japanese words are of Portuguese origin. A variety of Japanese traditions and culinary delights were introduced by Portuguese traders, sailors and missionaries. But in what way has this cultural exchange extended to the more recent phenomenon of Japanese digital games? As a portuguese devotee of Japanese culture, the topic seemed relevant enough to merit some additional exploration.

To my knowledge, the first significant reference to Portugal in Japanese video game is found in Koei's The Age of Discovery from 1990, a game published in the west under the title Uncharted Waters. The main character is a disgraced Portuguese nobleman named Leon Ferrero who resorts to maritime exploration, trade and naval warfare to restore his family's good name and prestige.

Its 1993 sequel, known in the west as New Horizons, diversifies the base game structure of the original by including multiple characters to select from, each with their own story and mission. Among them is the tale of João Franco, the son of the original episode's protagonist Leon, who sets out to discover the mysterious location of the fabled Atlantis, no less.

Another meaningful reference can be found a year later in ArtDink's 1991 strategy game The Atlas, in which the player takes on the role of a 15th century explorer with a five year contract with the King of Portugal to discover and chart lands around the Iberian Peninsula.

In 1998, ArtDink recreated the game for contemporary systems and published as Neo Atlas. The protagonist is a Portuguese trading company owner seeking business expansion opportunities in remote territories, as well as discover and chart hitherto unknown parts of the globe. A similar premise is found in a later sequel, Neo Atlas III.

Apart from nautical strategy games, a few other titles exist where mentions to the Portuguese territory, language and culture can be traced.

Galvanized by the success of Cyan's world-renowned point and click adventure CD-ROMs, Sony Computer Entertainment helped to publish The Book of Watermarks, a game designed by a miniscule Tokyo-based studio named Watermarks that is brimming with interesting first and second-hand references to Shakespeare's The Tempest. The objective of this visually impressive pre-rendered journey is to aid in the recovery of a series of ancient tomes, each including the nuclear bases of knowledge for mankind.

The very first lost volume is named the Book of Navigators, said to be owned by the historical Infante Dom Henrique from the 15th century, condensing information on shipbuilding, oceanography, geography and astronomy. While a purely fictitious book, the reference to Prince Henry is historically accurate, him being a pivotal figure in the early age of Portuguese maritime discoveries, the governor of the Order of Christ who at once built and ruined his reputation through his various campaigns in the African continent.

Atlus' futuristic vision of Earth in Maken X includes a most unexpected tour of Europe, with a mandatory stop in Lisbon. Inexplicably, the developers got its geographic location wrong and moved to all the way to the northern Spanish region of Léon. The level, itself, boasts a reasonably accurate depiction of one of the city's oldest quarters, Alfama, and the architectural styles found therein.

Although I could not discern any actual references in the game itself, the Grandia II soundtrack by the veteran composer Noriyuki Iwadare contains two themes whose lyrics are written in Portuguese: A Deus, a double-entendre that can be translated to both farewell and to God; and Canção do Povo, meaning People's Song. Also, the name of the official soundtrack is named Melodia, which translates to Melody as you'd expect. Both themes were performed by guest singer Kaori Kawasumi, who took on the composer's challenge to sing them despite her not knowing the language.

She was coached and assisted by José Álvarez and Motoi Sato from the Portuguese Arts and Culture Center in Japan, whom she thanks in the acknowledgement section. The Grandia II Special Package edition booklet contains a page with two photos of Portugal, one for the Jéronimos Monastery in Lisbon and the other, seemingly, for the Moorish Castle in the nearby town of Sintra.

The last Pomping World (a.ka. Buster Bros/Pang) that Mitchell Corporation ever produced before shutting down was the 2010 DS European exclusive Magical Michael. It includes two levels set in Portugal, one in Lisbon by the Belém tower, a nautical landmark, and the other in the Sintra National Palace. Their representation is at once pleasingly stylized and true to life.

This final reference is found in Spike Chunsoft's third installment of their successful visual novel series, Nyūdanganronpa V3 Minna No Koroshiai Shin Gakki. Among the dozens of MonoMono machine items that can be acquired, one is a weathercock styled after a traditional Portuguese folktale hero, the Galo de Barcelos, meaning the rooster of Barcelos, a town in Northern Portugal.

As per the description, this animal became famous through an age-old tale involving a man wrongly sentenced to death who seconds before his execution remarked he was as certain to be innocent as it was certain that a nearby rooster would sing. Because the bird did crow, much to everyone's amazement, he was exonerated. Thus, the black rooster became a symbol for truth.

I would like to thank @diogojira and @DanielOlimac for their assistance in making this article possible.

[sarahlizziewrites]

Where my WIPs are at:

Chrissie's of London - ~70% of the way through a second draft of Book 1 (Chrissie's, Strand), hopefully to be completed by start of September. I had promised I'd either start querying or get a Patreon set up by the time I finished this, but... I haven't done any querying at all. Motivate me?

Book 2 (The Electric Pavilion) is my go-to project at the moment when I'm sick of editing - currently 17k words.

The Adventures of Sitora Lux - Book 1 (Honesty's Cost) is still out for beta feedback after draft 2. I haven't really worked on Book 2 (A Different Kind of Courage) since last year (currently sitting at 13k words). This series is functionally on hiatus until I work out what to do with it. I think I need to pitch it solidly as YA even though it wasn't written that way.

Grey Sky Lark - this has always been a back-burner project and I haven't worked on it much lately. It's at about 12k words.

Brazen Sparrow - I got some good work done on this in the last few weeks, but I have to be in the right mood for my pirate girlies. Currently sitting at 12k words.

Crime-Fighting Husbands - I finished 'Til Death Do Us Part during NaNo 2023 and haven't really touched it since then. I have had two alpha readers provide feedback, but nobody has really been brutal enough about it. I know it needs more meat to the mystery but I can't figure out what. If there are any seasoned mystery readers/writers out there who are willing to give me brutal feedback, lmk!

Book 2 (The Ruby of Ranpur) is in the planning stage and I intend to start this for a chilled NaNo-esque challenge over October and November. Tbh this is a better mystery as a whole, and I learned a lot from my first one. I'm excited! Check on me by Thanksgiving lmao.

The Melody of Your Gravity is on hiatus. Sorry. I haven't updated since like, April, and I've also slipped out of the fandom a little. I'm not caught up on Campaign 3 and I'm lacking the motivation. I do want to finish this story, though. Maybe more news about the Mighty Nein Animated will get me excited. Fingers crossed!

Dawn Meeting - my interactive fiction thing over at @tell-me-a-poll-story. I know some people were really jazzed about this, but the pressure got to me. Idk. I don't hate the story so I might carry it on. But I remember crying over the outcome of the polls at times so it wasn't really healthy tbh. I didn't have a healthy relationship to writing in 2023 at all so it was good that I took a step back. On hiatus - not dead.

Anyway this was long lol. I want to make Chrissie's public so you all can finally read it, maybe with a goal of getting it self-published, but I know that something like a Patreon will stress me the fuck out and make me avoid it (as evidenced by the manufactured pressure of NaNo and the false accountability of publishing a fanfic and my own interactive story being really unhealthy for me). I'd love any and all advice about doing this shit professionally and not losing your mind lol.

Thanks for lending me your dividers, @saradika, they are so cute.

[ttrpg-folklore-project]

I'm running a Pathfinder adventure path called Hell's Rebels. There is a particular song that is a big deal for them to aquire the sheet music for and there's a big moment when they get to perform it. I didn't expect the book to give huge details, but there were no provided lyrics (not even fragments even though an npc mutters them cause they've gone insane) or even a handout with a few notes of sheet music. This seemed to me like too big a void for such an important narrative moment. I took to forums to try to find something I could use to help this feel more weighty. I found a set of lyrics that I didn't love but that seemed like a good start as they contained some good references to the campaign setting and related deities. I found a piece of epic instrumental music on YouTube and heavily modified the lyrics to work with it. I then recorded and edited a full song version to play for my players when they reached the epic conclusion of this story arc and enlisted my Dad to make a basic set of sheet music for the melody to use as a handout. It made what would have been a quickly described narrative moment and a casual dice roll feel like the huge victory checkpoint it was meant to be. Here is my set of lyrics:

Never say you have reached the end,

Though grey skies a dark future portends.

Soon the silver hour arrives.

Our marching steps thunder "We Survive."

From forest and peaks white with snow

We will march, whip in hand, for Kintargo!

Everywhere they spill our blood,

Watch it soak into the earth,

They will draw our courage out and see our spirit blooming forth.

Soon the morning sun will rise

Setting our new day aglow.

Quickly evil yesterdays will vanish soundly with our foe.

But if time is long till dawn,

Long before the sun appears,

Then let this song carry forth, like a signal through the years.

This song was written with our blood,

Chronicled in lines of red,

Its not just a cause or a raven overhead.

It is the people on the silver riverbanks

Singing this song of ours in files and in ranks.

Never day you've reached the end,

Though grey skies a dark future portends.

Soon the silver hour arrives.

Our marching steps thunder "We Survive!"

Soon the silver hour arrives.

Our marching steps thunder "We survive."

It was set to John Dreamer True Strength.

This ended up being a pivotal moment when it could have just been glossed over and it was such a fun session.

Submitted: 11/26/2023

Submission Type: Segment

Campaign Name: Hell's Rebels

System: Pathfinder

Files: Poetry/Music/PC Interactions/Victories/Milestones

----

Thank you!

[stupidrant]

I want to recommend you a song callee Stjernestøv (Stardust) by AuRORA

https://youtu.be/3lFkDc6dFoY?si=9IIuH5DyOw6PL21O

Not only is it a beautiful song by itself, but I want to add this in my Atreboda playlist 🤭 if Atreus is on his adventure outside of the nine realms, he finds himself if a difficult situation and wants to give up. But he hears a voice calling out and encouraging him... I feel like Stjernestøv is for Angrboda, as Memories of Mother is for Faye. Jötnar are just very good singers :')

And this makes me want to start a campaign for Santa Monica to include AuRORA in the next soundtracks! They've had Eivor, they've had Hozier, it only makes sense that an artist like AuRORA (who is a SUPER TALENTED and sweet girl, by the way, a fantastic artist and overall human being) should be featured! The perfect person to sing and introduce a wider audience to Norwegian artistry or folk tunes/melodies, if SMS ever decide to do so 🥹

that song sounds so good 🥺 ive mentioned before angrboda has a melodic sort of voice and this pretty much sums it up perfectly 😍 i think aurora would be a great candidate for the next game ❤️

[fandomshatepeopleofcolor]

what if the little mermaid movie will show in the end a scene of few years later of Ariel holding baby Melody? Melody is the canon Ariel and Eric daughter. Like imagine halle bailey singing to a baby🥰

Honestly I'm hoping for a franchise lol. Like I know that most disney live action remakes are trash but I love Halle so much as Ariel and I'd love to see her being a princess on land and like her and Eric being expectant parents and decorating a nursery. Also, I'd love to see some of Ariel's sisters beg her to campaign for the rights of mermaids or something? idk idk like if they can give angelina jolie 2 movies for maleficent they can make us some decent little mermaid adventures.

mod ali

[welcome-to-hyrulepark]

[SKETCHING STORIES №4: GHOSTS FROM THE PAST]

I have long thought that our Link will at some point meet the ghosts of his previous reincarnations. How exactly this will happen, I can not yet say, because it will be huge spoilers. But I can show you sketches of their designs and give you a brief background. Since Hyrule Park takes place in child timeline, there are only Links from Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time Twilight Princess, Minish Cap, and Four Swords.

Sky Link used to be an incredibly happy man who lived with Zelda and had two kids: a son and a daughter. His whole happy life ended when he was invited to a long-term military campaign. Two years later, he was found dead in the middle of the Gerudo desert. As it turned out, he died of dehydration at the age of 38. Before dying, Link remembered Demise’s curse, and he had hope that he could meet his beloved Zelda in another life...

Hero of the Time died three times and linked to himself two more timelines (sorry for the pun). For the first time (child timeline), he died at the age of 35, when he went to war, leaving his wife Malon, three children, and brother Ben. Before he died, he managed to play the melody on ocarina, after which he was able to travel back in time (in fact, in another timeline). There, already in the adult timeline, he stayed with Zelda, have a daughter with her, and became a commander. But this time Link could not avoid dying, and it happened when he was 28. Hero of the time again applied the ocarina and moved to downfall timeline, where he was killed by Ganon in a pitiful 17 years. At the moment of his third death, the guy realized that his artifact was nothing but trouble, and he decided to destroy the ocarina by smashing it on the floor. So his soul was able to return to its native timeline, but due to the constant leaps in time, his spirit looks like a 60-year-old man.

I can’t say much about the death of Twilight Link. When he was 24, his village was raided, and in an attempt to protect his family, Link was killed by an axe to the head.

The Four Swords Link died at the age of 19 for unknown reasons. One day, he just disappeared, and his body was never found. His spirit never tells anyone how he died... (In fact, I just did not, so I will be interested to know your theories).

Of course, these are not the final designs, and I still have a lot of work to do. I wonder if I should add Link’s spirit from Four Swors Adventures, which is also in the child timeline? On one hand, there are the games with the same name, but on the other hand, somehow at different ends of the timeline...

[obscureaestheticist]

Dark Con & Succession War Characters as Players & GMs

Ging: Derailing god. Knows a pirating / rom site for everything. Adores Pathfinder and 3.5e but runs games as if Tomb of Horrors was just easy mode. Pariston: "It's what my character would do :)" Lamentations enthusiast. Leorio [current arc]: Channels the power of thesis block to destroy hordes of bandits. Cheadle: Strategic player who looks on in despair at their chaotic and extremely violent comrades. T-T Mizaistom: T-posing human fighter that somehow keeps pulling off the most significant moments in the campaign. Beyond: That one tiktok friend who cosplays as their character for each session and runs campaigns like theatrical wrestling performances. That vocal training has gotta be used for something! Muherr: Army vet, seen a lotta stuff, but runs the most heartfelt and hopeful campaigns you'll ever play. 7th Sea Gm. Steiner: Sweetest guy you know, writes the most terrifying mysteries ever. Pure unfiltered neurosis expressed through Call of Cthulhu and World of Darkness. Kurapika [current arc]: 3rd life-changing trauma this week "Sure! I can make it for Friday!" Melody: In it for the deep pan crispy lore. Makes the maps out of love. Can't play an evil character the save their life. Has mountains of Solo-RPG journals of wonderous adventures. Hanzo: Falls into the habit of down-to-Earth friendly characters that sling death threats and "comedic violence" at everyone to the point of awkwardness. Shall avenge every minor NPC the gm forgot to name. Basho: Doesn't own a single rpg book that doesn't also double as an art book. Bill: "That game from Stranger Things?" Theta: Evokes awe from fellow players for her RP skills. Greater knowledge of in-game politics than the actual DM. One Ring and Game of Thrones RPG enjoyer. Tserriednich: Tonight's Session - The GMs Barely-Disguised Fetish ... Kult & Drakar och Demoner for life. Benjamin: WILL apply real military strategies to your game regardless of setting and character. YES! He will bring diagrams! YES! You should be concerned! Twilight: 2000 nut. Zhang Lei: Chill. Enjoying the vibes. Simply awaiting the fruition of his diabolical schemes to spring into action... Once every other player is done with their wacky flumph hijinks. Camilla: Dungeon Bitches & Mork Borg. Throwing hands. Fuck everything else. Fireball isn't enough. Stay away from the loot. Halkenburg: Heart of gold, but tries waaaaay too hard to help the fantasy world he's meant to just be smacking trolls around in. Kacho & Fugetsu: Supports queer indie ttrpgs and are currently trying to figure out where to store all the gigabytes of pdfs. Hinrigh: "Yes, this is a rip off of all my favorite anime characters and I love them :D" Zakuro: Too shy to speak up, didn't realize they missed 5 turns. Lynch: Screw politeness, fists are all you need to ask questions. Morena: The "Nice Girl" Oito: "I just hope the game contains no foul language. Do we need a console?" Woble: The group mascot

[styrmwb]

Favorite Final Fantasy Music (FFXIV - A Realm Reborn)

something something critically acclaimed mmo something something IT'S THE SECOND FF MMO BABYYYYYYYYY!!!! This game is what really started my personal FF renaissance, as I really only played a couple games growing up and watched a lot of them being played, but this is what activated my brain. It was all downhill from the moment I logged into Limsa. If you're reading this, you're on the internet. You know people love this game, you know people won't shut up about this game, and it's for good reason! This game fucks! And you know what helps this game fuck? Its soundtrack fucks!!! XIV has the big dog himself Masayoshi Soken take over as the music director, and my man is god's gift to earth (as well as the rest of the XIV music team who's names are harder to find and credit but I know they're there and they're putting their whole fantussy into it). Like XI, I cannot do this game justice putting it into one list since it's basically multiple games in one, so I will be making lists per expansion again (and that still feels like it's doing it dirty this list was so hard). Let's get started with the definitely first part of this game (no there's no other part what huh) and have me share my favorite ARR songs :)

5. On Westerly Winds Ohhhhh my god. This was probably the first song that really caught my attention when I first started playing the game, which a first area should do! I love La Noscea and this song is half of the reason why. Something about that first melody and the sound of the strings; it's amazing. This song goes through multiple different phases. The intro feels grand, starting off your adventure, then it feels like you're running around the hills of Middle La Noscea; then it feels like a party in a tavern, people loudly cheering and having fun and toasting their barrel mugs of mead, finally calming down in a windy, spiraling, chaotic way to move to something befitting the night, with this amazing mystical finale turning into the sun rising and starting the song over. This song DEFINES La Noscea and the people's lives in it. Musically, I love the percussion, I love the strings, I love the bagpipes, I love the choir towards the end; this song was the first hook that this game put in my head.

4. Dawn of a New Era The only reason that this song is not higher, is that it's Too Goddamn Short. One minute long. But this one minute? Pure emotion. Pure joy. This is the song that plays at the end of the ARR cinematic trailer, but also at the end of the campaign. This song is both a finale, but also as it says, a dawn, a new beginning. The short, plucky start building you up, letting the dialogue occur or to put you back into place after some massive, world ending event. Then the horns come in blasting cheer at you, and one of the most fun bass tracks I've ever heard. The choir shouts at you with the main theme of the entire series, the orchestra plays the prelude, and the entire song plays off with the fucking victory theme. Every single sound in this entire song is amazing, and the way it's composed, the emotion behind the melodies in game, but also for the series as a whole, this is triumph and victory incarnate. When I heard them use this melody later on in Myths of the Realm? Dude I swear I teared up at every song. I still tear up at this song when I hear it. WHY CAN'T IT BE LONGER GODDAMMIT I PUT IT ON LOOP LIKE 7 TIMES BEFORE I'M SATISFIED

3. Through the Maelstrom LEVIATHAN, LEVIATHAN! LEVIATHAN, LEVIATHAN! My favorite summon. My favorite primal. This song is absolutely perfect for what it is, while keeping that rock that XIV is now known for. I can't really explain it, but the guitar riffs SOUND like a storm at sea. They sound like violent, crashing waves. The lyrics are coming straight from the Sahagin chanting and praying for their lord; "Endless! Send us! Breathless! Deathless! Restless! Test us! Tend us! Mend us!", this song sounds like everything is going against you, both the weather and the people all around you. As a song? IT FUCKING ROCKS. The rhythm of the whole thing is a headbanger, and my absolute favorite part is right after the second loop of the chorus, the SWELL, YE SEAS OF OLD section (this is so much easier to place specific parts with the lyrics), it sounds like a modernized surf rock jam, the lyrics are really fun to sing along to (once you understand them), and it's just an absolute joy. I wish this song played the entire time so it made farming all the Leviathan weapons less painful. (WHITE FUUUUURYYYYYYY, BLINDING INDIGOOOOOOOOO)

2. Under the Weight Can you tell I'm a Limsa Lominsa bitch? All of my favorite songs come from this area lmao. I feel like this spot really goes to every song in Titan's fight; On Westerly Winds was where the soundtrack hooked me, but Under the Weight is where I realized this soundtrack was Built Different. Heavy rock in my fantasy RPG? What the fuck??? The heavy drums throughout the entire song, the guitar rocking out, and the vocals screaming and chanting at you, this song is a headbanger through and through, but shows you the intensity of this fight. Kobolds all around you jumping and beating their fists, chanting for their god while Titan slams and knocks you around. This song sounds like an earthquake, and I mean, come on, rock for the rock monster? Absolutely yes. I feel like I'm bouncing for the whole song, with the way the drums beat, but also when the lyrics go solo, saying more than just the "BOWDOWNOVERDWELLER TITAN!", and those are definitely my favorite parts. I also love midway through, with the echoey fading out yelling to the really cool like, pipey sounding guitar. I feel like I'm just gonna keep repeating myself, but it's not hard to see why this song is so amazing. (INTO THE DARK OF AN ENDLESS NIGHT WHERE THE PULSE OF THE LAND OFFERS NO RESPITE)

1. Tempest I feel like everyone knows Under the Weight, it's mandatory content. We all know how good that song is. But you know what not as many people have done? The Binding Coils of Bahamut. This is the song of the final boss in the Second Coils, aka the fight against the main villain of the game leading up to Bahamut exploding everything. This song is also one of the few XIV songs that Uematsu did, and it feels like he took the soul of IX and brought it into the modern era. It has the rock, it has the synth, it even has the souls of the damned again! The intro is incredible, with the heavy hits and the guitar riffs alongside the SHHHHHEEEEEWWWWWWWW synth sounds. The piano/organ playing off right before the song hard stops, bringing in these haunting wails and the classic "Hear. Feel. Think" Hydaelyn chant; then it goes hard again. The drums slam. The guitars shred. The terror truly begins. The song builds up further and further with one of my favorite synth sounds EVER. This sounds like you're facing off against an absolutely demonic evil (which you are!), and the wailing coming back playing along side everything???? DUDE. HOLY FUCK. The build up in this whole song goes absolutely insane, but when it actually starts going is incredible too. I've pretty much already said my praises for every instrument used in this song, and the rest is just going to be me repeating it. I love all the melodies, I love the heavy off beats, and I just love the jamming from both the rock and techno ends. This is The Black Mages all over again.

Honorable mentions go to (there's gonna be so many in all these lists): Torn from the Heavens, Hard to Miss, Fallen Angel, Reflections, Ultima, Spiral, Fury, Rise of the White Raven, Thunder Rolls, Oblivion, and Primogenitor.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

The Walt Disney Home Video logo that wouldn't leave...

While the image of Sorcerer Mickey in this pose, with his hand out, next to the words "Walt Disney Home Video" had existed in print form since at least 1980, the motion graphic logo the lot of us '90s-borns all know wouldn't debut until September 1986. It first appeared on a random assortment of live-action Disney movies that hit shelves at the time, such as TEN WHO DARED and NO DEPOSIT, NO RETURN. Many more tapes released for a then-massive "Bring Disney Home For Good" campaign followed in mid-October, many of these releases containing this iconic logo... Some of these releases included the first ever volume of "Disney's Sing Along Songs", a couple of classic cartoon short compilations, and a clipshow called JIMINY CRICKET'S CHRISTMAS.

And Disney's home video department would keep it in circulation for a looooooong time in North America...

By early 1995, it was but gone internationally. All of the international arms of Disney's home media division replaced the Sorcerer Mickey intro with this rather cutesy, childlike "Disney Videos" logo that - to my knowledge - made maybe a fleeting appearance here in the states.

Here in the states (and Canada, too), the Sorcerer Mickey logo stuck around for a bit...

By the middle of 1992, the much simpler gold WDHV logo was more commonplace on VHS openings:

And yet, the older, longer logo was still in use... Sometimes it would be on the same tape as the gold logo!

The logo's appearances began dwindling by the mid-1990s.

In 1994, the logo would appear on all the first Masterpiece Collection releases, before the proper Masterpiece Collection logo was created and immediately showed up afterwards. (For example, I have two VHSes of the SNOW WHITE release. My September 1994 printing has the Masterpiece logo, and that was a month before release date.) Was the logo an eleventh-hour decision or something? THE RETURN OF JAFAR has the '86 logo, too, I think this is the only direct-to-video animated film to have it.

By 1995, it seemed like the destination for the Sorcerer Mickey intro was Sing Along Songs volumes, compilations of episodes from various Disney TV Animation series, that series about the puppy SPOT, and random WINNIE THE POOH VHS tapes. Almost as if it became synonymous with those titles and lines. You also had some sorta-kinda Cartoon Classics VHSes, like "Mickey Loves Minnie" and "Sweetheart Stories"... That stuff came out from '95 to '97... Masterpiece Collection tapes sometimes used the gold WDHV logo, sometimes they didn't. Ditto live-action movies and other releases. A few Sing Along Songs releases, titled "Collection of All-Time Favorites", debuted in 1997 featuring the logo but with the Sing Along Songs intro music playing over it.

Surprisingly, in 1998, the Sorcerer Mickey intro showed up on the Masterpiece VHS of MELODY TIME. And even more surprisingly, on the VHS of RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA, the TV movie starring Brandy. (In fact, there's an upload of a TV airing of this movie well after it had initially aired on ABC. The channel broadcasting it ripped the film from the VHS, so it opens with the WDHV logo.) It also appeared on a Sing Along Songs volume called "Happy Haunting Party at Disneyland!" Disney also had the home video license to SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK at this time, a couple volumes released around this time have it too.

In 1999, a re-release of A WALT DISNEY CHRISTMAS had it, in addition to the Sing Along Songs volume "Flik's Musical Adventure".

In 2000, A WALT DISNEY CHRISTMAS would see a re-issue of sorts that had it as well, plus the re-issues of a series of WINNIE THE POOH VHS tapes called "Storybook Classics".

Lo and behold, the logo made one last appearance in 2001, but this seemed to be by accident?

Two Sing Along Songs titles were re-issued that year, the 'Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah' volume (which was the very first title in the line, all the way back in 1986) and 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. The former seemed to cut-and-paste the Sorcerer Mickey intro from the 1986 VHS release, as it still uses the "presents" byline that sparkles in below the logo. Weirder still, an ooooold bumper for the series with Ludwig von Drake as the announcer is on this tape, too. A real cut-and-paste job for a 2001 release. Whereas the Christmas one seems to have cut-and-paste the WDHV logo from the 1993/94 release, which arrives after a series of early 2000s previews and bumpers. It's surreal seeing that logo share a tape with the surround sound-like "Feature Presentation" bumper of the era.

Someone at Walt Disney Home Entertainment must've really wanted to keep this logo around!

It even made appearances on DVDs (!) in 2006 (!!)... But, in the case of one DVD release, this seems to be by mistake. MY DOG, THE THIEF, after you click play movie on the menu, begins with this logo. It must've been left on, suggesting that this was a rip from the then-latest VHS of the title. Some of the Sing Along Songs tapes saw DVD re-issues in 2006 as well, and some of their programs begin with this logo. Almost as if it's treated as part of the overall program, even though it's merely a general home video intro that appeared before several other movies, shows, and titles...

But perhaps the weirdest appearance of this logo in the 2000s...

Was at Disney Parks resorts...

Back in the mid-to-late 2000s, TVs in the parks' resort hotel rooms had something of a hidden channel. It was like, 99 or something, if you kept flipping. You'd be brought to a nonstop loop of classic Disney short cartoons, and this was a trip to see! I saw some shorts for the first time via this channel, such as ALPINE CLIMBERS and THE AUTOGRAPH HOUND. But, watch it a little more... And you saw this logo show up!

Before what, you may ask? The Disney Sing Along Songs volume 'Heigh Ho!'

It took me by surprise when I saw it on that channel, while staying in Walt Disney World in April 2007... That was just all kinds of wild to me!

Elsewhere, a channel called Fearnet would sometimes air the live-action television film MR. BOOGEDY, complete with the Sorcerer Mickey WDHV logo attached. MR. BOOGEDY was never given a VHS release here in America, so I assume Fearnet sourced the movie from a UK VHS release.

It just lingered and lingered... For a good reason, though, it is the probably *the* logo that is synonymous with Disney VHS tapes for Americans around my age.

[morgulscribe]

THE CIRCLES - TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY

It was the month of November, the year 2004.

For several months, a small group of roleplayers had been involved in a campaign with a unique premise: Sauron, having regained the One Ring, decides to punish Frodo Baggins by rewarding him for the safe return of the Precious. Proclaiming Frodo as a great hero of the realm, Sauron gives him everything that a hobbit could ever want – fame, fortune, a scenic villa, food and drink aplenty, servants to tend to his every need. These unwanted rewards torment Frodo with guilt and shame because they are constant reminders of his failure.

At that particular time, the scenario the roleplayers were playing involved Frodo and his entourage traveling from a seaside city in Nurn to a Mordor-occupied Minas Tirith. On the way, the travelers stop at Minas Morgul. The stay is a brief one, but the Lord of the Nazgul demands that two members of Frodo's party remain in Minas Morgul. Forced to become the reluctant servants of the fearsome Morgul Lord, Elfhild and Elffled are ushered into an enchanted realm of spirits and magic and the unquiet dead.

Intrigued by the concept of the Witch-king taking on two reluctant apprentices, Angmar decided to turn what was initially meant to be a side-plot into a full story. He had originally intended for the story to become a public campaign in his Second Darkness RPG, but later decided that it would be a private project that would eventually intersect with the public RPG. From November 2004 to May 2005, Angmar and I wrote about the adventures of Elfhild and Elffled in Minas Morgul and their often turbulent relationship with the Witch-king. This private campaign was given the working title of "The Circles," referring to certain elements of Angmar's Tolkien-inspired magic system.

The initial chapters that we wrote for the Circles campaign felt truly magical - and not just because the setting was an enchanted city preserved from the effects of Time. The story was set in late October and early November, so the weather in the story matched the weather outside our windows. There is nothing so cozy as writing on a November day, when the world is cold and dreary outside, but warm and toasty inside. To watch the muted light of the overcast afternoon turn into the deep blue shadows of evening as you pass the hours with a beloved friend, embarking upon wild flights of fancy as you listen to the heavy melodies of atmospheric black metal - a truly enchanting experience.

When Second Darkness disbanded in the spring of 2005, Angmar and I decided to turn the Circles campaign into a fanfiction series. Excited by the prospect of greater creative freedom and wanting a fresh start, we decided to take a different approach to this project. The basic premise would be the same as Second Darkness - the Witch-king survives Pelennor and Sauron regains the One Ring - but there would be few similarities beyond that. Angmar did want to integrate parts of the original Circles campaign into the fanfiction series, but this would prove to be a major dilemma, due to the great differences between the fanfiction series and the RPG campaign. It's a dilemma I'm still struggling to solve all these years later, but I do have some fresh ideas concerning the matter.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Circles, I have added THREE new chapters to BOOK 9 - BENEATH THE NURNIAN SKY! These chapters can only be found on the Circles website, not AO3. (Book 8 is the book which is currently being posted to AO3, so if you are following The Circles there, these chapters might not make a lot of sense as they happen further along in the story.)

[thelorehold]

The Weeping Willow

Introduction

Title: The Weeping Willow

Setting: The adventure takes place in the serene but eerie region of Wynfield Hollow, a secluded valley surrounded by dense, ancient forests. The hollow is dotted with small, picturesque villages where old superstitions run deep. At the heart of the hollow lies The Weeping Willow, a massive, ancient tree said to hold the spirits of the past. The adventure unfolds as the party investigates a growing darkness in the hollow that threatens to consume its peaceful villages.

Purpose: This adventure is a self-contained story within the campaign, providing the party with the opportunity to explore themes of ancient curses, forgotten spirits, and the balance between nature and humanity. It also offers a deeper connection to the world’s lore, revealing secrets that may tie into the larger campaign.

Game Master Notes

Adventure Type: Investigative Quest with elements of mystery, exploration, and a final confrontation with a supernatural entity.

Creatures: Whispering Will-o’-Wisps, Forest Spirits, Animated Root-Beasts, The Witch of Wynfield Hollow (final villain).

Quest Hooks

The Disappearing Children: The party hears of several children vanishing from the village of Mosswick. The villagers believe the ancient curse of the Weeping Willow is to blame, and they plead with the party to investigate before more are lost.

The Cursed Hunter: Bram the Hunter, once a protector of the hollow, has returned after a hunting trip with tales of strange lights in the forest and the whispers of a long-dead witch. He begs the party to help him uncover the truth behind the eerie occurrences.

The Merchant’s Wares: A traveling merchant named Greta offers the party a curious artifact—a piece of bark said to be from the Weeping Willow itself. She warns that a great darkness is tied to it and asks the party to take it to the tree to cleanse it.

Rumors:

"They say the Weeping Willow cries for the souls it has taken—listen close, and you might hear the whispers of those who’ve gone before you."

"The forest spirits were once protectors, but now they’re angry, twisted by something old and malevolent."

"An old witch, burned at the stake centuries ago, cursed the valley with her dying breath. Some say she still walks in the shadows."

"The villagers speak of a hidden glade where the light never fades, but beware—many who sought it were never seen again."

"The Weeping Willow’s roots run deep—some say they stretch all the way to the underworld itself."

Key Locations and Encounters

Location 1: Mosswick Village

Description: Mosswick is a quaint, fog-laden village on the edge of the Wynfield Forest. The thatched-roof cottages and cobblestone paths give it a peaceful appearance, but the villagers’ faces are etched with fear and weariness. The village square is dominated by a small, ancient chapel dedicated to the spirits of the forest.

Explorations: The party can speak with the villagers to gather information. They will hear tales of the missing children and the ominous presence that has begun to spread. An investigation at the chapel reveals strange markings on the altar that point to the Weeping Willow.

Encounter: As the party investigates, they are confronted by Whispering Will-o’-Wisps, malevolent forest spirits that lure them into the woods with haunting melodies and illusions. The party must resist their lures and defeat the spirits to uncover a map leading to the Sacred Glade.

Loot: The villagers offer the party a Charm of Protection (grants resistance to necrotic damage) and the Map of the Hollow, which leads to the Sacred Glade.

Location 2: The Sacred Glade

Description: The Sacred Glade is a hidden clearing deep within Wynfield Forest, bathed in an ethereal light that seems to repel the darkness. In the center stands a small stone shrine surrounded by wildflowers and ancient oaks. The air is thick with the scent of earth and moss, and the sound of rustling leaves fills the glade.

Explorations: The party can search the shrine for clues about the Weeping Willow and the curse. They discover that the shrine was once used to commune with the forest spirits, but it has been desecrated. Restoring the shrine requires gathering sacred herbs and performing a ritual to appease the spirits.

Encounter: As the party performs the ritual, they are attacked by Animated Root-Beasts, creatures of twisted wood and vine, sent by the Witch of Wynfield Hollow to stop them. The party must fend off the beasts while completing the ritual, which, when successful, provides them with a vision of the Witch’s lair beneath the Weeping Willow.

Loot: Completing the ritual grants the party a Spirit’s Blessing (advantage on Wisdom saving throws) and reveals the path to the Witch’s lair.

Location 3: The Weeping Willow

Description: The Weeping Willow is an immense, ancient tree, its gnarled roots and branches stretching far and wide. The tree exudes an aura of sorrow, and its leaves weep a slow, steady stream of dark sap. Beneath the roots lies a hidden entrance, leading down into the earth where the Witch of Wynfield Hollow resides.

Explorations: As the party descends into the cavern beneath the tree, they find themselves in a labyrinth of roots and shadowy tunnels. The air is thick with the scent of decay, and the walls pulse with a faint, malevolent energy. At the heart of the labyrinth lies the Witch’s lair, a chamber filled with ancient tomes, bubbling cauldrons, and dark artifacts.

Encounter: The party confronts The Witch of Wynfield Hollow, a malevolent spirit who was once a powerful druidess, now twisted by centuries of hate and dark magic. The Witch can summon Forest Spirits and cast powerful curses. The final battle is a test of both strength and wits, as the party must also contend with the lair’s shifting walls and creeping roots.

Loot: Upon defeating the Witch, the party retrieves the Heart of the Hollow (a magical gem that can cleanse the land of the Witch’s curse) and the Witch’s Grimoire (a tome containing spells and lore). They also find 300 gold pieces and a Pendant of the Green Lady (grants the wearer the ability to communicate with plants).

Rewards:

Material Rewards: Heart of the Hollow, Witch’s Grimoire, Pendant of the Green Lady, Charm of Protection, 300 gold pieces.

Non-Material Rewards: The gratitude of Mosswick Village and the surrounding areas, the lifting of the ancient curse, and potential future alliances with the forest spirits and druids of the realm.

Conclusion

Outcome: If the party successfully cleanses the Weeping Willow and defeats the Witch, they save the valley from the ancient curse and restore peace to the region. The forest spirits return to their protective nature, and the children of Mosswick are saved. If they fail, the curse spreads, consuming the hollow and turning it into a place of perpetual darkness and sorrow.

Success Conditions: The party successfully defeats the Witch of Wynfield Hollow, cleanses the Weeping Willow, and restores peace to the valley.

Failure Conditions: The party is defeated, or the curse of the Weeping Willow spreads, dooming the valley and its inhabitants.

Graphical Elements

Maps: Provide a map of Wynfield Hollow with key locations marked, including Mosswick Village, the Sacred Glade, and the Weeping Willow.

NPC or Villain Images: Include illustrations of Bram the Hunter, Whispering Will-o’-Wisps, and the Witch of Wynfield Hollow.

This adventure is designed to evoke the atmosphere of a folklore tale, with its focus on ancient curses, mystical forests, and the battle between light and darkness. The party's journey through the hollow is one of discovery, danger, and the chance to become the heroes of legend.

[linuxgamenews]

Get Ready for Plus Ultra: Legado - A Kickstarter Success

Plus Ultra: Legado 2D metroidvania adventure game is funded in 10 days on Kickstarter for Linux and Windows PC. Thanks to the creativity of developer Póntica. Still going strong in the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Exciting news for all Metroidvania fans. Plus Ultra: Legado a new title by Póntica, has smashed its Kickstarter goal. Due to release in 2025 on Linux via Steam. The campaign is still live until June 15th, so there’s time to hit those stretch goals for more languages and 4K Ultra HD. In just ten days, Plus Ultra: Legado hit its funding goal. With fourteen days left, there's still a chance for you to back the project and get some nice rewards. These include digital items like the soundtrack and a game key. Physical items, such as a comic book, collector’s editions, and figurines. There are also replicas of Don Juan’s halberd, shield, and helmet.

Plus Ultra: Legado | REVEAL TRAILER

Dive into 16th century Mexico as Don Juan, a Spanish explorer on a mission to capture the traitor Hernán Cortés. You'll meet a broad cast of historical figures, both allies and enemies. Due to explore real historical sites. Take on the rich cultural heritage of Mesoamerica and the impact of war, conquest, and rebellion. Plus Ultra: Legado takes the 2D metroidvania adventure genre to a new level. Doing so by including comic book elements. The title’s vivid ligne claire style lets you move from panel to panel through complex maps. Interact with speech bubbles to advance the story. All while you smash through sound effect text for an engaging title. With unique platforming, exciting boss battles, and settings full of secrets. This “comicvania” is something special.

Features:

Comicvania Style: Step into a comic book world with mechanics that interact in the Metroidvania fans will like.

Historical Adventure: Explore 16th century Mesoamerica. Due to take on key ancient events that shaped Mexico.

Meet Historical Figures: Face real characters from history as you play Plus Ultra: Legado.

Explore Unique Areas: Find diverse and superbly designed locations based on real places.

Vibrant Scenery: Enjoy the bright and detailed ligne claire art style. A new change from the usual dark and moody vibe.

Original Soundtrack: Listen to a mix of Spanish Baroque melodies and native sounds. Perfectly crafted for each area.

Multilingual Support: Planned languages include Nahuatl, Spanish, English, and French at launch.

The Plus Ultra: Legado 2D metroidvania adventure Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign runs until June 15th. So don’t miss out on the chance to support it. Grab some great rewards. Stay updated through the title’s Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to Wishlist the game on Steam to get notified when it launches in 2025 on Linux and Windows PC.

[pixxelcity]

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