#Sir Arthur Bliss

[talefoundryshow]

NOW ON NEBULA!

Ever wondered which videos are the TF Team’s favorites? We put our heads together and created this compilation to share! From Doyle to DDLC and the liminal to the sublime, there’s something here for everyone.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Old Turner lived for seven months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is every prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happily together, in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their past.

"The Illustrated Sherlock Holmes Treasury" - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

[guinevere-if]

Demo: TBA

Guinevere is a text-based interactive fiction that draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of Arthurian Legends.

You will play as Guinevere and witness the journey toward gaining power and the struggles to keep your reign secure in a kingdom filled with political intrigue and external threats.

In the future, I plan to make Guinevere gender-selectable, and also make Arthur the opposite gender of the MC. However, for the time being, I would like to keep the story as it is until I can better determine the direction in which the narrative is heading.

For many years, people believed that dragons were untamable creatures until one man proved them all wrong. Armed with a mighty sword and a formidable dragon by his side, Arthur set out with his army to conquer all of Britain and bring it under his rule. Unfortunately, your kingdom has found itself standing in the way of Arthur's quest for a united Britain.

Choose Guinevere's gender (Soon!)

Customize your MC’s physical appearance.

Make tough and important decisions that affect you and everyone around you.

Four romances that the story heavily focuses on.

Have a dragon by your side and fight Arthur in the skies!

Form a family.

The fate of the realm rests on a knife's edge - it can either flourish under your leadership or crumble to its ultimate demise.

"To achieve the greater good, one must first attain the power to make it a reality."

Arthur Pendragon: King of Camelot and the founder of the Round Table Order.

He is a man of few words, with a cold and aloof demeanor that can make him seem unapproachable. He prefers to keep to himself and often retreats into his own world. Despite his reserved nature, he is a strong leader who inspires loyalty and devotion in those around him.

His golden blonde hair and piercing grey eyes add to his air of regal authority and make him a striking figure. Though he may seem distant at times, he has a deep sense of honor and duty, and will stop at nothing to protect his people and his kingdom.

Will you be able to crack his armor and discover what hides beneath?

"Your ignorance is truly awe-inspiring. I can only hope to one day reach your level of blissful unawareness."

Morgana Le Fay: She is a mysterious and intriguing woman, known for her use of sarcasm to keep others at bay. Her sharp wit and biting comments often serve as a shield, protecting her from anyone getting too close.

Despite her sarcastic demeanor, Morgana is an intelligent and perceptive individual. She has a keen sense of observation and is quick to pick up on the nuances of the people around her. Her green eyes are piercing and seem to see right through anyone who tries to deceive her.

Morgana's inky black hair is often styled in loose waves that frame her pale skin. She has an ethereal beauty that can be both captivating and intimidating. Her presence commands attention, and it's clear that she is not someone to be trifled with.

She's been hurt in the past and is hesitant to let anyone get too close to her. But for those who are willing to take the time to get to know her, Morgana can be a true and loyal friend or even something more.

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going. I don't know what that means, but I, Sir Lancelot du Lac, never back down from a challenge."

Sir Lancelot du Lac: A knight is known for his charm, boldness, and impulsive nature. He has a reputation for being a ladies' man, with many admirers who swoon at his feet. Standing tall with a strong build and chiseled jaw, he is a man who commands attention wherever he goes. His dark brown hair and deep blue eyes add to his allure, making him a true heartthrob among the ladies.

Sir Lancelot is a skilled and dedicated knight who takes his duties seriously. He is fiercely loyal to his king and the Round Table and will stop at nothing to protect the people he cares about. His impulsive nature can sometimes get him into trouble, but his quick thinking and bravery always manage to save the day. His bravery and courage have earned him respect among many.

Before meeting you, he never found duty to be burdensome. Now he feels it weight more pressing every day.

"I hate you with every fiber of my being, but I can't seem to shake the strange pull you have on me."

Hey, just so you know, you could totally have a poly thing with both her and Arthur. Just throwing it out there. 🙈

Argante: Merlin's daughter and Arthur's childhood friend.

Argante is a complex and intriguing woman, born of the union between a fae and a half-human, she possesses unique abilities that she often uses to aid Arthur on his various journeys and battles. Her loyalty to Arthur is unwavering, and she is always ready to lend her formidable powers to his cause.

Despite her fierce loyalty, Argante can be possessive and quick to anger. Her emotions often run high, and she is not one to back down from a challenge. The complete opposite of her father, Merlin.

Argante's appearance is just as striking as her personality. Her snowy white hair and purple eyes create an otherworldly picture, the very air shimmering around her presence adding to the mirage. It's no wonder that many are drawn to her, be it out of fear or admiration.

Argante despises you with a fiery passion that burns deep through her every time she catches a glimpse of your face. In her eyes, you are the thief who stole the man of her dreams - the one she had loved for years.

And yet… there is another side to her that sometimes emerges whenever she catches glimpses of you. This side of her seems to yearn for your attention and affection, creating a peculiar dichotomy that is difficult to comprehend.

If you could somehow break through the wall of anger and resentment that Argante has built, and show her that you are not the enemy, there might be a chance to win her over. You might even be able to establish a relationship with both her and Arthur.

[innumerable-stars]

Last call for promo post volunteers!

Folks, promo post time is nearly upon us. We're still hoping to find folks willing to spread the word about the following fandoms:

The Father Christmas Letters

Mr. Bliss

The Fall of Arthur

Hunt for Gollum

The Pearl

The Story of Kullervo

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Book of Lost Tales

If you adore any of these, now is your chance to share your enthusiasm and convince people to check it out! We're trying to have the promo posts up early enough this year that people have a chance to investigate new-to-them fandoms before nominations close - we think that will up the odds of fanworks for these fandoms.

We're not asking for a lot - just answers to the following in your own words:

Summary

Why Should I Check Out This Canon?

Where Can I Get This?

What Fanworks Already Exist?

You do not need to participate in the exchange to do a promo post. If you know you can't sign up for whatever reason, but still want to spread the word about your fandom, we are happy to have you.

[take-the-hidden-paths]

HIDDEN PATHS: A Celebration of the Smaller Tolkien Canons

Hello, and welcome to Hidden Paths, a fortnight-long event dedicated to the celebration of smaller Tolkien canons!

We all know and love the tales of Tolkien's Middle-earth, but the Professor's creative and academic endeavours didn't stop there.  However, fanworks for smaller Tolkien canons (such as Farmer Giles of Ham, Mr. Bliss, Leaf by Niggle and more) are much rarer than works inspired by their Middle-earth counterparts.  This event was created to be a low-pressure, low-commitment opportunity to explore those lesser known works, and create and share fanworks based on them.

Define “smaller Tolkien fandoms”. 

Basically, any Tolkien canon or text (including academic works and translations) that is not explicitly set in Middle-earth and is not based on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or The Silmarillion and closely related histories.  This includes, but is not limited to:

Beowulf/Sellic Spell

Farmer Giles of Ham

The Fall of Arthur

The Father Christmas Letters

Finn and Hengest

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son

The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun

Leaf by Niggle

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

Mr. Bliss

Mythopoeia

The Notion Club Papers

Pearl

Roverandom

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Orfeo

Songs for the Philologists

Smith of Wootton Major

The Story of Kullervo

Tolkien (2019 film)

Tolkien's essays, poems, letters and non-ME artwork

We also accept fanworks based on The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (because it collects a number of poems that were not originally intended as part of the Middle-earth canon) and The Book of Lost Tales (because it differs so significantly from later versions of the legendarium), and/or centring characters or concepts that only appear in extremely early drafts of The Lord of the Rings (e.g. Trotter).  

We know that this leaves a bit of a grey area, but ultimately, we will trust and accept the judgement of fanwork creators.  Act in good faith, and assume that others have done the same. 

How does it work? 

At the start of the event (14th February) the mod will post seven optional prompts to inspire you.  There will be a thematic prompt, a character-based prompt, a setting-based prompt, a text prompt, a visual prompt, an audio prompt, and a wildcard prompt.  A second batch of prompts will be posted on the 21st. 

If you like the prompts, then use any or all of them to create and share a fanwork based on one or more small Tolkien canons.  If they don't speak to you, then please feel free to do your own thing – the prompts are there to spark creativity, not impede it! 

What types of fanworks do you accept? 

Anything you like.  Fic, poetry, meta, art, edits, vids, podfic, craft, cosplay, rec lists, playlists, compositions, interviews with fellow fans...it's all good. 

Are there any minimum requirements? 

No, none.  Want to write a six-word story?  Be our guest. 

Are crossovers permitted? 

Yes!  We accept crossovers with the Middle-earth canons, and with non-Tolkien fandoms.  We only ask that one of the smaller Tolkien canons plays a significant role in your fanwork. 

What do you consider a significant role? 

We don't.  The event is intended to be low commitment and low stress for both participants and the moderator, and we trust that people will act in good faith.  We are not going to police fanworks or apply an arbitrary definition of “significant” - we leave that up to the creator to decide. 

Does actor RPF count? 

For the purposes of this event, no it doesn't, unless you are also drawing on elements from a smaller canon (e.g. Liv Tyler encountering the Shadow-Bride).

Where do I post my fanworks? 

We have an AO3 collection, but you may post your fanworks anywhere you like.  We'd appreciate a link back to our Dreamwidth or Tumblr page, though, to spread the word about the event! 

Are there any restrictions on rating or content? 

Nope.  Tag and warn appropriately, as you normally would, but make whatever your heart desires. 

Can I post fanworks that were inspired by or created for another event, or created prior to the event's inception? 

Yes!  The goal is to celebrate and increase content for the smaller Tolkien fandoms.  Please feel free to share your creations and add them to the collection, regardless of whether they were created specifically for this event. 

I want to take part but I don't know anything about the smaller canons.  Help!?

Tolkien Gateway has helpfully collated a list of Tolkien's writings, and some of the articles reproduce or link to the actual text.  This is a great place to start browsing, and to find out more about a text before you invest in your own copy.

Have a look at fanworks for some of the smaller canons and see what appeals.  Innumerable Stars and TRSB both have several works for the smaller canons in their collections, and many of them can be understood with no prior knowledge of the source material.

Lists of characters appearing in the various texts and canons can also be a useful jumping off point - like this one for The Book of Lost Tales.

Many of the smaller canons are just that - small!  If you can get hold of a copy from your local library, book store or from a fellow fan, they are generally quick to read and digest.

If anyone has any other ideas and resources for folks wanting to dip a toe into the smaller canons, please get in touch so they can be added to this list. 

When does the event run? 

Officially, February 14th-28th.  Unofficially, as long as you like; the prompts will stay up and the AO3 collection won't close.

[gellavonhamster]

monthly media recap: october 2024

read:

Captain Fracasse by Théophile Gautier - an old novel mimicking an even older one, about an impoverished nobleman who joins a travelling acting troupe. A lot of fun if you enjoy pages-long descriptions (I do). Chiquita and Soubrette my beloveds <3

In the Flesh (Books of Blood Vol. 5) by Clive Barker - picked it up primarily for The Forbidden, the story Candyman is based on (which turned out very different from the movie), ended up enjoying all four stories if "enjoying" is the right word. Gotta check out the other volumes.

Gawain by Gwen Rowley - a cute and absorbing retelling of The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, with good character development and sweet romance. I'm not big on Morgause as an evil sorceress but I get that sometimes the plot demands it. Loved that Dinadan was there, too.

Bliss & Blunder by Victoria Gosling - an Arthuriana modern AU where magic is tech, empire is business, but love is still love and war is still war. Kinda clumsy at times, but with much more soul than I expected. I couldn't put it down. More here.

Count Averin. The Sorcerer of the Russian Empire (Граф Аверин. Колдун Российской Империи) by Viktor Dashkevich - I was kind of misinformed about the setting before I picked it up, so it ended up being cringe not up my alley for a number of reasons. The plot is okay and both main characters are cute, but I don't think I'll continue with this series.

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck - as you can guess by the number of quotes I posted, I really liked it, or, more precisely, didn't care much about the first three stories, but adored the last two. The author's letters at the end were also immensely interesting.

watched:

A Cure for Wellness (2016) - creepy, Gothic, long but gripping. The plot was confusing at times, but that's on me. Also, it had me worried I might have nightmares of those eels in the toilet (thankfully I didn't).

Duke Bluebeard’s Castle (1988) - Béla Bartók's eponymous opera as a beautiful TV movie. The costuming choices and not only... much to think about

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) - it's not bad, but I wasn't too engrossed. Might be due to me not vibing with Poe's works in general for some reason, though.

One Piece Fan Letter (2024) - so cute! Also, really nails the importance of Nami being the kind of character she is, and highlights how devastating the Paramount War was for everyone. I adored the cameos of Perona and Usopp.

The Substance (2024) - the reviews didn't lie, it IS good. Quite simple but powerful, lots of stunning shots, both lead actresses killed it. Once again, I was worried I might have nightmares after this one, but it seems like I'm made of a tougher stuff than I thought after all.

[tiodolma]

wherefore Sir Mordred made write writs to all the barony of this land, and much people drew to him. For then was the common voice among them that with Arthur was none other life but war and strife, and with Sir Mordred was great joy and bliss... ...And so fared the people at that time, they were better pleased with Sir Mordred than they were with King Arthur; and much people drew unto Sir Mordred, and said they would abide with him for better and for worse. And so Sir Mordred drew with a great host to Dover, for there he heard say that Sir Arthur would arrive, and so he thought to beat his own father from his lands; and the most part of all England held with Sir Mordred, the people were so new-fangle.

waahahhahhahahahahhaha serves all of them right!

[pout-dracula]

Coombe Street. Pen Selwood, Somerset. Designed by Peter Harland in 1935 as a home for British composer Sir Arthur Bliss.

[liminalpsych]

13. We could pretend

“You fool,” growled a voice out of the shadows.

Lancelot’s hand groped for a sword that wasn’t there before he recognized Merlin’s gravelly tones. His whole body stayed tense and battle-ready nonetheless.

“We are all fools next to your wisdom, good sage,” he managed, smooth somehow despite the battle-fire howling through his blood.

The sage himself emerged, raven-eyed and furrow-browed, from the alcove. “Not what I meant and you know it,” he said, grasping Lancelot’s sleeve and pulling him into the darkness.

The knight allowed it, mind spinning with the beginnings of panic. “What do you mean, then?”

“This business with Arthur and Gwenhwyfar.”

The floor seemed to drop from under Lancelot’s feet, a sickening lurch of dread. He set his stance wide and anchoring and swallowed past the sudden dryness in his throat. “I know not…”

“Do not take me for the fool you are!” Merlin glared, and Lancelot could just make out the glint of fury in his eyes. “Your love will ruin the realm if it is discovered.”

He flinched from the strike of the wizard’s words, the truth they’d all been ignoring in their bliss. “We… we shan’t be discovered.”

“I found you out, did I not?” Merlin didn’t wait for a reply. “If you are discovered—and you will be, Gwenhwyfar is the only one of you with any skill at subtlety—you must not let them know the whole of it.”

Lancelot swallowed hard around the beginnings of comprehension. “Why not speak to Arthur of this? Why me?”

“Because Arthur, for all his strength, is not always practical. You are a romantic, it is true, yet I think you will fall upon your blade for him. He would do the same for you and his queen, and you must not let him.”

There followed a long silence, as the knight digested that bitter morsel. His tone was low and resigned when he finally spoke. “What would you have us do?”

“End this now—but you will not, I know that already. Faugh! It will be bad enough if you are believed to lay with the queen, but Arthur will be seen as the wounded party in that. If it is known that he allowed it, or that you lay with him…” Merlin leveled a long look at Lancelot. “The realm would tear itself apart, the hungry wolves among his noblemen would rip him from the throne, and his name would be forever broken. Arthur’s happiness is not my goal. The health of the realm is.”

A shudder coursed through Lancelot. He drew in a long breath, and let it out in a forced laugh. “I hear you, magician, but it will not come to that. We will not be discovered.”

He walked away with haste in his step and denial in the set of his shoulders. Merlin’s voice followed him out of the shadows like an omen.

“Make certain of it, sir knight. Do not forget what I have told you.”

They think the only road is where they're heading

But you and I were meant to sail upon the sea

We could pretend, we could pretend

That never suited us somehow

[aliceyv]

In this retelling, Mordred got to grow up with his adoptive family in blissful ignorance. As a young man, he works as a humble shepherd.

A deadly plague soon spreads across his village. So, Mordred travels to Camelot for aid. An encounter with King Arthur and his knights leads him to accompanying Sir Galahad and others on to Castle Corbenic. It is there, he discovers more than he bargained for.

Available as an ebook on Amazon.

[fairydust-stuff]

Service

Ash walks away from the hot spring Dam it! He liked Yut Lung the prissy little princess! His hands are soft, i love how his dark eyes sparkle with mischief! Dam it focus! 

Ash is still worrying about this development when he walks into a lion man with a rediculous mohawk hanging by the front doors. 

“ Watch we’re your going bastard!” 

“ You must be Ash, touchy little guy huh?” the sprite exclaims 

“ You are?” Ash scowls 

“ Shorter Wong, no one will let me in” 

“ Are you poor?” Ash asked bluntly

Then it started raining heavily. 

“ Dam it its a long walk back!” Shorter complained 

“ Fine, come in!” Ash opened the doors wide and Shorter rushed in and shook his fur dry. “ Thanks could I have a bath…” 

Five minutes later and Shorter leans back in the tub with a sigh of bliss. Ash picks up his scrub brush. 

“ No! I don’t need you to wash me or anything I can do it myself” 

“ Do you not know what we do here?” Ash asked rubbing soap on his hands for a sensual wash he’s become numb to the process. 

“ I suspected, old pervert!” Shorter muttered  

“ Here you go scub brush, soap, that’s everything right? ” Ash asked 

“ Can I have a  rubber duck?” Shorter said  “ I always get a customary duckie” 

“ Sorry, i’ll check with…..your fucking with me!” Ash realized as he noticed Shorter laughing. 

“ Yeah you think Dino would give me a free toy?” Shorter chortled. “ He doesn’t even give toiletries without charging extra!” 

“ Would you like a room for the night?” Ash said sourly 

Shorter threw an arm around his shoulders “ Hey don’t be like that!” 

Ash pried him off “ Get off me you bastard!” 

“ Unfriendly employee’s no wonder, Dino, barely makes his payments” Shorter laughed. “ Is it true your all working off debt?” 

“ Non of your business, sir” Ash said cooly. 

“ True enough yeah i’ll take a room, gold is in my bags”...

Five minutes later Ash leads Shorter into the entrance hall 

“ Hey we have a customer” 

The other bathhouse workers look at Shorter with disdain. 

“ Can he even afford this place?” Arthur asked loudly eyeing his shabby clothes. 

Shorter pulls out a huge piles of gold “ Give me your best room and finest foods” he said. 

Suddenly the other bathhouse workers swarm all over him practically trampling each other to be of service

[johnny-hoxton]

Without knowing your Spirit you cannot know God.

Nirmala Srivastava

Performance of sexual union leads to spiritual happiness. Sexual intercourse is healing fire. Sexual union is consecration.

Sexual union must be done secretly. Verses are read in a detached manner and two are read together to imitate the manner of sexual union; they do not worship a female Devata, unless she is coupled with a male Deva; they use a couple of Chandas distinguishing the one as male from the other as female and the two are taken together and believed to be the symbol of Maithuna, and by such Maithuna the desired result of ritual is achieved; they believe that the reading of the Ahanasya mantra will confer bliss; they say that the highest and best form of Maithuna is that of Shraddha and Satya, Piety and Truth and this kind of Maithuna in the abstract is directed for performers of the ritual who have purified themselves by actual performances and observances in a religious spirit.

They direct the observance and performance of Maithuna as a religious rite or part of a religious rite and they direct that Mantras are to be uttered during the observance of this rite. One of the articles of faith of the Vaidik people therefore was, that sexual union led the way to bliss hereafter and must be performed in a true religious spirit to ensure spiritual welfare; wanton indulgence being severely deprecated. Ida (a woman) said: "If thou wilt make use of me at the sacrifice, then whatever blessing thou shalt invoke through me, shall be granted to thee."

Excerpted from Shakti and Shâkta by Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) [1918].

[sinceileftyoublog]

Six Organs of Admittance Interview: More Than a Couple Chairs

Photo by Kami Chasny

BY JORDAN MAINZER

When Ben Chasny dives into something, he usually dives deep. Upon answering the phone in February, when I called him to talk about his new Six Organs of Admittance album Time Is Glass (out today on Drag City), he seemed a bit scattered. Despite mentally preparing himself all day for the interview, he got distracted by a "What are you digging lately?" Bandcamper compilation Drag City asked him to put together to advertise his record release. (A music fan with a voracious appetite, Chasny was rediscovering music he had purchased a couple years prior and forgot about.) Six Organs records often occupy the same dedicated headspace, Chasny setting aside blocks of time to think about nothing else. That is, until Time Is Glass. On his latest, Chasny blurs the lines between his outside-of-music life and the music itself, the album a batch of songs that reflects on the magical minutiae that sprout during a period of needed stasis.

The last time I spoke to Chasny, he and his partner [Elisa Ambrogio of Magik Markers] were still settling in from their move to Humboldt County in Northern California. "When Elisa and I first moved here, we didn't have any friends," Chasny said. "But there's a group of us that live in Humboldt now. A bunch of my friends moved up since the last time I talked to you." That includes fellow Comets on Fire bandmate Ethan Miller and his partner, fellow New Bums musical partner Donovan Quinn, and folk singer Meg Baird and her partner. "Every New Year's Day, if it's not pouring rain, we take a walk on the beach," said Chasny. One such photoshoot on January 1, 2023 yielded the album cover for Time Is Glass: That's Miller and his poodle, along with Baird's Heron Oblivion bandmate Charlie Saufley. This unintentional artistic collective meets up often, whether for coffee or as Winter Band, a rotating cast of area musicians who form to open up for musician friends when they come through town, like Sir Richard Bishop of Sun City Girls. As such, according to Chasny, Time Is Glass is a celebration of community.

Perhaps the supportive strength of his artistic family gave Chasny the willpower to incorporate elements of his daily life into Time Is Glass, something he couldn't avoid. He didn't share with me exactly what in his personal life made it impossible to separate the two, though he mentioned his dog, a difficult-to-train puppy that was a mix of three traditionally stubborn breeds. Said dog inspired "My Familiar", a song that uses occult language to inhabit the mind of his obstinate canine companion. "And we'll burn this whole town / No one says there's good," Chasny sings, alternating between his quintessential hushed delivery and falsetto, his layered vocals atop circular picking exuding a sense of sparseness. Indeed, you wouldn't expect a Six Organs record about home life to sound totally blissful; Time Is Glass is at once gentle and menacing. The devotional "Spinning In A River" portrays the titular carefree act as lightly as the prickle of Chasny's guitar or as doomily as the song's distortion. "Hephaestus" and "Theophany Song" imagine their respective mythological characters as gruff and voyeuristic. "Summer's Last Rays" indeed captures a sense of finality, Chasny's processed guitar and warbling harmonium providing the instantly hazy nostalgia before the fade-out. The album is bookended by songs more straightforwardly hopeful, the opener "The Mission" a dedication to friends falling in love with their new place of residence, the closer "New Year's Song" a twangy ode to dreaming. But it's the moments in between that Chasny was forced to capture on Time Is Glass. And thankfully, what was born out of necessity yielded, for him, new ways to interpret the same old, same old.

Read my conversation with Chasny below, edited for length and clarity. He speaks on domesticity, mythology, playing live, and Arthur Russell.

SILY: You've lived in Humboldt County for a bit. Is Time Is Glass the first Six Organs record in a while you made while situated in one place?

Ben Chasny: I did do a couple records here before. The first one, I was in the process of moving here, so I wasn't really settled. The second was at the beginning of lockdown. This is the first one I felt like was recorded at a home. Everything was settled, I have a schedule. When I was doing the first one, I didn't even have furniture in the house. I had a couple chairs. [laughs]

SILY: Do you think the feeling of being recorded at a home manifests in any specific way on the album?

BC: I started to incorporate daily domestic routines into the record, more often. A lot of the melodies were written while taking the dog for a walk, which I've never done before. There was always stuff to do as I moved in. The times weren't as separate. Before, it was, "Now I'm recording, now I'm doing life stuff." There was a merging of everything here. I would listen to it on my earbuds while taking walks and constantly work on it for six months.

SILY: It definitely has that homeward bound feel in terms of the lyrics and the sound, like you've been somewhere forever. There are a lot of lyrics about the absence of time, and there's a circular nature to the rhythms and the guitars. Does the title of the album refer to this phenomenon?

BC: A little bit. Time does seem, in general, post-lockdowns and COVID, different. The lyrics on the record have a bit more domesticity. It always seems like there was something that had to be done, that would normally keep me from doing music, that I tried to incorporate here. Maybe I'm just getting older, too. I'm getting more sensitive towards time. I'm running out. [laughs]

SILY: Was there anything specific about your domestic life that made you want to include it in your music?

BC: Just that I had to include it in order to do anything. It was no longer separate. The way life ended up working out, I could no longer separate my artistic life from other life. I had to put the artistic aspect into it in order to work. Instead of getting frustrated, I brought [music] more into the house.

SILY: Did working on the record give you a new perspective on domesticity?

BC: I don't know. A little bit. I was just trying to come to terms with basic life things. Let me look at the record, I forgot what songs are on it. [laughs] The song "My Familiar" is about my dog. I got this book called Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits, which was sort of taken from transcriptions of witch trials from Scotland in the 1500's. A lot of dealing with things like witches' familiars and demon familiars. I found a very strong similarity between that and my dog, which seemed like it was maybe a demon. She's a Husky-German Shepherd-Australian Shepherd mix, so as a puppy, she needed a lot of work. So that became a song. That's a more humorous way everyday life made its way into the music.

[With regard to] the last song, "New Years Song", Elisa and I have a contest on New Year's Eve when we're hanging out where we go in separate rooms and have one hour to write a song. We come out at 11 or 11:30 and play the song for each other. We've done it for a few years now. This was the song I wrote for New Year's Eve going into 2022.

SILY: You talk about God on Time Is Glass and delve a little bit into mythology. Was that something you were thinking about on a day to day basis when writing?

BC: The “Hephaestus” song was just a character. That was a rare song for me in that I was trying to make sounds that particularly evoked a mythological figure. I've made nods to mythology in the past, but the titles were almost an afterthought. This particular song, I was trying to make the sounds of that character in their workshop with the fire and anvils. I was trying to evoke that feeling. That was kind of a new one for me.

SILY: Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but you also seem to talk a bit about your state of mind on "Slip Away".

BC: It's funny you caught onto that, because I wasn't really expecting to bring it up during interviews. I wouldn't say that I came close at times in the past couple years to schizophrenia, but I could see way off in the distance and horizon what that would be like. I...was trying to write about that. At the same time, the lyrics that have to do with two minds and the splitting of the mind are also somewhat of a reference to the idea of a celestial twin or Valentinian gnosis, how you have a celestial counterpart. That idea [is behind the concept of] someone's guardian angel.

SILY: On a couple songs, you sing to someone or something else. "The Mission" you've mentioned is for a friend and their new partner. What about on "Spinning in a River"?

BC: Maybe it was more of a general idea. It wasn't so much to a person as to a general concept of Amory.

SILY: What were all the instruments used on the record?

BC: I had some guitar, I was singing, and there's some harmonium on it, which I did a lot of processing on, lowering it octaves. I've got some really basic Korg synths. Electronic-wise, there's a program called Reactor I like to use a lot. I do it a little bit more subtly than electronic artists. I use it more for background.

SILY: I picked up the harmonium on "Summer's Last Rays"! I feel like you never truly know when you're hearing a harmonium unless it's in the album credits. Sometimes, that sound is just effects.

BC: There are two different harmoniums. When the bass comes in, that's also a harmonium, but I knocked it down a couple octaves and put it through some phaser. It has a grinding bass tone to it. This is actually one of the few Six Organs records with bass guitar on it. Unless it's an electric record with a band, there's never really been bass guitar. I was really inspired by Naomi Yang's bass playing in Galaxie 500 and how it's more melodic. I told her that, too.

SILY: On "Theophany Song", are you playing piano?

BC: Yeah, that's at my friend's house. I just wanted to play a little melody.

SILY: Was this your first time using JJ Golden for mastering?

BC: I've worked with JJ before. He did Ascent and a few others. I particularly wanted to work with him this time because I had just gotten that Masayuki Takayanagi box set on Black Editions and saw he had done that. I have the original CDs, and I thought he did such an amazing job that I wanted to work with him again.

SILY: Is that common for you, that you think of people to work with and you dig a record they just worked on and it clicks for you?

BC: That's the first time I had just heard something and thought, "Oh, I gotta work with this person." I usually have a few mastering engineers I work with and think, "What would be good for them?" or, "What does this sound like?" I usually like to send the more rock-oriented stuff to JJ, but I was just feeling it this time.

SILY: Have you played these songs live?

BC: The instrumental "Pilar" I have been playing since 2019. That's the oldest song on the record. I did do one show last September where I played a couple of these songs live. I have some ideas on how to work it out. It will be a solo acoustic show, but I [hope] to make some new sounds so it's not so straightforward. One thing about this record is I tried to write songs in the same tuning. On previous records, I used a lot of tunings, and it was a real pain to try to play the songs live. I did write this record with the idea that most of these songs would be able to be done live.

SILY: What have you been listening to, watching, or reading lately?

BC: I just got the Emily Robb-Bill Nace split LP. I just saw her live a couple nights ago. The latest one on Freedom To Spend from Danielle Boutet, which is awesome. Freedom To Spend is a go-to label for me. Also, this split with Karen Constance and Dylan Nyoukis.

I've been reading Buddhist Bubblegum by Matt Marble, about Arthur Russell and the systems he developed, which I knew nothing about. His compositional systems have almost a Fluxus influence. The subtitle is Esotericism in the Creative Process of Arthur Russell, so it's also about his Buddhism as well. When I first heard about the book, I didn't know if I needed to get it, but I heard an interview with Matt about the detailed systems Arthur Russell came up with. It gives me a whole new level of appreciation for him. It's so good.

SILY: Did you listen to Picture of Bunny Rabbit?

BC: It's so good, especially the title track. It seems like when he has us plugged into some kind of effects or delay, he's switching the different sounds on it, but it makes the instrument go in so many different areas. To me, the title track is worth the price of the entire record, even though the whole thing is good.

SILY: What else is next for you? Are you constantly writing?

BC: This is gonna be a very busy year release-wise. I have a couple more things coming out. It's hard to write stuff because I always think it'll take so long for it to come out. I'm halfway working on something, but I have no idea when it will come out.

[the-king-and-the-druidess]

The sword of lightnings

The sky is anthracite and heavy flat. It's torn on the distant horizon, and the gap is coloured gore. The wind has broken. Twelve monoliths of ancient symbols tower in the middle of the dark heath.

A woman in a black hooded mantle stands in the centre of the stone circle. A dark knight kneels before her, his long cloak brushes the ground behind him. The lady's green eyes gaze at him from the dark cavern of her hood with sincere love; he looks at her as if he had never seen beauty and power before.

The knight unsheaths his sword and reverently holds it out to her. "I swear my alliance to you, My Priestess. Henceforth I promise to be loyal to you forever and ever."

Morgana nodded softly and solemnly.  "Arise, Sir Mordred, Knight of the Old Religion. I declare you ready."

He stands up.

"Do you trust me?" She suddenly wihispers.

He nods slowly.

Morgana raises her head to the moonless sky and the dark melody of incantation flies from her lips. It grows louder and louder. Mordred waits tensely, fearing and marvelling at the picture before him. The wind returns, its gusts lift up their cloaks, tear their hair; it's howling in their ears with anguish. Stubborn matter does not want to be transformed, but the ritual words of the sorceress leave the elements no room for resistance.

When the summoning was sealed, a glowing white lightning splits the black sky, and, like a snake, strikes right at the centre of the sword's fuller. A grand elliptical flash of light explodes and illuminates the stone circle, swallowing the sorceress and the knight in its glow.

But when the astral clock counts down to three, everything falls dark. Morgana and Mordred again emerge to the all-seeing zodiac's stare. The two are not affected by the bolt in the slightest, for this fate is not meant for them.

"We did it...we did it!" Morgana exclaims joyfully, letting herself to breathe again. Her heart soars free.

Mordred finds himself smiling. The blade in his hands shines like the pale moon; it's heavy, strong, hardened three times, in three magick quests: in the Avalon waters, in dragon flame, in heavenly light. It's hard not to admire. He puts the sword of lightnings away in its scabbard, bows and presses his Lady's gentle hand to his lips in a burst of emotion.

"I am honoured to to fight with this sword."

She closes her eyes in bliss. "It is done now. King Arthur is gone thanks to you, Mordred, and now we have everything we need to deal with Merlin as well. By his own weapon."

So once Merlin had assassinated the Isle of the Blessed's immortal patroness with a bolt of lightning, and now by the sentence of the last High Priestess the same cup will not pass from him, for even Emrys' power could not resist the magic of the three elements of power.

"We shall have him." Mordred seals grimly but gently.

Morgana takes a step closer to him to envelope his strong figure in a soft embrace. Mordred draws in a breath, a keen love feeling pierces him, and he leans in to find her unkissed lips.

The sky incandescent by Morgana's magic erupts in a violent thunderstorm, rain pounds the thin roof of Merlin's lonely tower, and the wizard awakes in terror. Something dark is coming.

[innumerable-stars]

At time of posting, we're still hoping for volunteers for the following fandoms:

The Father Christmas Letters

Adventures of Tom Bombadil

Mr. Bliss

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son

Leaf By Niggle

The Fall of Arthur

Farmer Giles of Ham

Sellic Spell

Hunt for Gollum

Notion Club Papers

The Pearl

The Story of Kullervo

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Book of Lost Tales

Innumerable Stars is looking for promo post volunteers

Calling all fans of our 'small' fandoms! We're passionate about increasing the fanworks available in all Tolkien fandoms. Many people are aware of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and Rings of Power. But there are many more fandoms in Innumerable Stars, and we have a special place in our hearts for the small fandoms.

Last round we tried promoting some of those small fandoms. The promo posts helped spark interest - two of the three ended up with fanworks in the collection, and our only regret when we looked back at the close of the event was that we hadn't done the promo posts sooner.

This year we're hoping to have promo posts for all the fandoms in our small fandoms list - some of them don't have a fanwork on AO3. Yet! Others are in single digits, or don't have a tag of their own. (Yet!) We would love to increase those numbers.

We would like to start the promo posts July 14 and do one a day so all will be available before the close of nominations. By getting the word out earlier this round, people (whether they end up signing up or not) will have time to check out fandoms new to them and nominate for them. Since nominations are how we build the tagset, getting people to nominate is half the battle!

We're looking for folks enthusiastic about their chosen fandom(s) willing to write a brief intro to the fandom that will be posted here and on Tumblr. The promo posts should answer the following in your own words:

Summary: what is this fandom about?

Why should I check out this canon?

Where can I get this? (The mods are able to assist somewhat with this.)

What fanworks exist already? (We have links below to the tags on AO3, but people who are into the fandom can probably add a bit more.)

We are maintaining the fandoms list on DW so anyone potentially interested can easily see which ones still need volunteers - we will be crossing off fandoms as folks step up for them.

[pout-dracula]

Coombe Street. Pen Selwood, Somerset. Designed by Peter Harland in 1935 as a home for British composer Sir Arthur Bliss.