#Tales of Lost Ages

[renegadesector]

Tales of Lost Ages Vol. 1

Coming October 28th...

An anthology of short fantasy action-adventure games!

Wishlist on Steam!

[bearlytolerant]

Solas: How can you be happy surrendering, knowing it will all end with you? How can you not fight?

Varric: I suppose it depends on the quality of the fermented fruit juice.

Solas: So it seems.

Solas: You truly are content to sit in the sun, never wondering what you could've been, never fighting back.

Varric: Ha, you've got it all wrong, Chuckles. This is fighting back.

Solas: How does passively accepting your fate constitute a fight?

Varric: In that story of yours—-the fisherman watching the stars, dying alone. You thought he gave up, right?

Solas: Yes.

Varric: But he went on living. He lost everyone, but he still got up every morning. He made a life, even if it was alone.

Varric: That's the world. Everything you build, it tears down. Everything you've got, it takes. And it's gone forever.

Varric: The only choices you get are to lie down and die or keep going. He kept going. That's as close to beating the world as anyone gets.

Solas: Well said. Perhaps I was mistaken.

[konfizry]

[edennill]

The Bidding of the Minstrel

'Sing us yet more of Eärendel the wandering, chant us a lay of his white-oared ship, more marvellous-cunning than mortal man's pondering, foamily musical out of the deep. Sing us a tale of immortal sea-yearning the Eldar one made ere the change of the light, weaving a winelike spell, and a burning wonder of spray and the odours of night; of murmurous gloamings out on far oceans; of his tossing at anchor off islets forlorn to the unsleeping waves' never-ending sea-motions; of bellying sails when a wind was born, and the gurgling bubble of tropical water tinkled from under the ringéd stem, and thousands of miles was his ship from those wrought her a petrel, a sea-bird, a white-wingéd gem, gallantry bent on measureless faring ere she came homing in sea-laden flight, circuitous, lingering, restlessly daring, coming to haven unlooked for, at night.' 'But the music is broken, the words half-forgotten, the sunlight was faded, the moon is grown old, the Elven ships foundered or weed-swathed and rotten, the fire and the wonder of hearts is acold. Who now can tell, and what harp can accompany with melodies strange enough, rich enough tunes, pale with the magic of cavernous harmony, loud with shore-music of beaches and dunes, how slender his boat; of what glimmering timber; how ther sails were all silvern and taper her mast, and silver her throat with foam and her limber flanks as she swanlike floated past! The song I can sing is but shreds one remembers Of golden imaginings fashioned in sleep, A whispered tale told by the withering embers Of old things far off that but few hearts keep.'

---

Came upon this poem of Tolkien's again and I must say it still has the same mind-blowing effect on me as when I first discovered it at thirteen.

[camelspit]

visibly clenching my jaw and shaking with rage. why are all the newer barbie movies trash.

[lizziestudieshistory]

Books of 2023 - July

Somehow I've read a lot this month but haven't actually finished that many books considering I've been on holiday? I don't really know what happened.

Books read:

Silas Marner by George Eliot - this is by far the biggest surprise of the year. I was convinced I wasn't going to like George Eliot, but after reading Silas Marner I've been enchanted by her. On the surface I should have found this book a bit tedious, I typically don't like novels set in the countryside, however, I was hooked! Eliot's writing style was the big attraction here, she has such a lively style that I swear could make anything interesting after this, alongside her astoundingly convincing portrait of a village community in the 19th century. I came away believing people like those that inhabited Raveloe existed and I was fascinated by them. (It probably helped that I am VERY familiar with villiage communities in Warwickshire thanks to my research, which is where Raveloe is supposed to be.) Honestly this was the best place for me to start with George Eliot and I will be continuing.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Whaton - this was an impromptu read when I wanted an audiobook to listen to while sewing. However, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book! I was swept away into 1870s New York society and was captivated by how casually awful everyone turned out to be. I didn't enjoy it as much as The House of Mirth (mainly because I didn't like Archer, May, or Countess Olenska as much as Lily or Seldon) but I had a fabulous time revisiting Wharton.

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare - I love this play, it brings me so much joy when I read it and this time was no different. I still believe Beatrice is Shakespeare's best heroine and I will accept no arguments to the contrary.

Approximately 25 articles, reviews, essays, and introductions about Jane Austen's Emma by various authors - I don't know what's happened to me, I've become an obsessive... However, I have had a great time and learnt A LOT about regency literature in the process? It's given me a greater appreciation of Emma and I don't regret a moment I spent on this. My only problem is I don't really know what to do with all my notes!

DNF:

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen - I tried okay? However, I finished volume one and couldn't find a single reason to keep reading except completionism. I hated Fanny and the Bertrams, I was bored by the Crawfords, and I missed the style of Emma. Overall, I was left wondering why I was bothering with Mansfield Park as I wasn't enjoying myself. So, I dropped it to read something else that I'd actually enjoy.

Currently reading:

Evelina by Frances Burney - I'm in love with this book, but for some reason I'm not devouring it? I'm taking my time with it and revelling in the experience - I've made my peace with this and will continue to enjoy my leisurely read.

Richard II by William Shakespeare - I'm rereading this and taking it an act a day because I'm making notes. I'll actually finish it tomorrow, but I'm not counting it as read.

The Book of Lost Tales Part Two by J.R.R. Tolkien - another leisurely read because it's so dense and, like Shakespeare, I'm making notes when I feel inclined. I also really struggled to get through the section on The Tale of Tinuviel... (I don't like ANY of the prose versions of Beren and Luthien? It needs to be in verse for me to get into it 🤷‍♀️) But now I've got through that opening section I'm enjoying this a lot more.

Charles I and the People of England by David Cressy - my current non-fiction tome. I'm having a great time with this, but it was going to be a winner considering my unreasonable love for Charles I!

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke - I have no idea how I ended up in the middle of this but I'm enjoying it well enough that I'm going to continue (although I think I prefer Piranesi?)

[crowleychild]

Stories.

That's all that is left of us.

It's been a long time. Many feet have hollowed out the land that we once inhabited. Blood has been spilled, lost between generations.

You see, now Men are the ones who rule the Earth.

Innocent and curious Men.

I still remember, a night when the Moon and the trees where still young. A night when the first ones of their kind woke up. They where like babies, that knew nothing and that would die for for them the world was only beauty and kindness.

I remember how we sang to them, for Music is the common language for all species. And how they learnt everything, curious as they were. They learnt to love and suffer.

Innocent and curious.

You see, they are not like that anymore. Their kind always had a gift for inventing things. They modifies what was given to them and they knew how to see new things inside them. Stone, metal and fire. Machines that moved the gears of industry, to end the Age of the Elves.

Yes, now Men rule the Earth.

But they have forgotten.

They have forgotten what we still remember. How we crossed the Sea for the love of these places. How we disembark, filled with hope and nostalgia for what we had left behind. How we fought for these lands against the Evil. How we found them, when they woke up from their long sleep and we taught them the arts and the habilities that they now possess.

They have forgotten, and now we are mere tales.

Stories.

Times change, and people with them. Our Age ended long ago, and the few of us that still belong here are now small. Our agile legs, slender bodies, pointing ears have long disappeared. We lost our strength and now we are nothing more than fantasy beings for them. Fairies, they call us.

We are as little as the memories they keep of our people.

But they have changed, too. Decrepit bodies, wrinkled faces, eyes obscured by a poisoned veil. Their honor and bravery, long gone.

Soon they will fade too and there would be no one left on Earth to admire it.

​

[llatimeria]

It's always so funny when they dub an animated kid's show from UK English to US English/visa versa. God forbid the children are exposed to ... *shuffles papers* ... different accents.

[cannotescape]

no but Beatrice and Hugo both telling Amicia they're proud of her right before they die, I'm...

[renegadesector]

Tales of Lost Ages Vol. 1 is Out Now!

An anthology of four short-fantasy action-adventure games!

Steam Page

Descriptions after the jump:

Tomb of the Devourer

The Treasure Hunter had traveled a long way. In the Valley of Kings, the tombs lay defiled, despoiled of all treasure. All but one. One tomb had remained impervious to looting. A tomb of a nameless king of an age lost to history. Not one would-be thief who had ever challenged its depths had returned. The Treasure Hunter was determined to be the first. When he stood before the entrance to the tomb, half buried in sand, he had expected difficulty getting inside. To his surprise, the ancient stone gate rose open under its own power like a gaping maw. An open invitation. Perhaps this would be easier than he thought…

Ruby in the Mire

Ruby is an adventurer-for-hire who does the dirty jobs no one else will take! A malignant force has corrupted the ruins of an ancient temple, half-sunken under a muddy swamp. The corruption has spread to a nearby town and poisoned their water supply. The town has pooled their money together to hire someone to venture into the temple’s depths and battle the demon which has taken root there. Ruby is the one woman for the job!

The Waystone’s Toll

The Mercenary had hoped to find rest in the town of Knights Passing. However, when he arrived, he felt the telltale tension in the air that told him all was not well in this small town. A week prior, the town’s relic known as the Waystone had been stolen, and some of the townsfolk went missing. Each night since, demons have emerged from the manor of Erstel Krestalor, a wealthy merchant who was among the missing villagers. The guards have barely managed to fight off the nightly onslaught. It looks like The Mercenary will have to earn his rest!

Hunter in the Court of Beasts

The hunter sniffed the air and knew her quarry was near. It was no surprise to her when she felt a tension in the air upon entering the village, and even less of a surprise when she heard its cause. The beasts of the woods had grown dangerous and organized. At foragers went missing. Then an entire hunting party was killed. Now the villagers fear to go out at night for beasts roam the outskirts of the village waiting for prey. The hunter listened to the villages story and knew she was in the right place. This is how it had been each time. She was certain: one of the Beast Lords had arisen here. She prepared to head north into the heart of the woods, ready to begin the hunt.

[derangedangel]

I’m rewatching Truth and akumatized Luka just asked his mom who is dad was in front of all his friends, but later on when they find out Jagged Stone was Juleka’s dad they were all surprised. Writers, what’s going on?

[titles-for-tangents]

I had to fish this out to make sure it was the right one, and son of a gun:

My copy matches the one in the notes of this post.

Once upon a time, this tumblerite was gifted this printout by her art teacher, and she kept it always. It’s a short story called The Dragon Tamers by Edith Nesbit from The Book of Dragons, a 1995 collection selected and illustrated by Michael Hague (not to be confused with Nesbit’s own collection of the same name, as I found out).

Once I read a story as a child about if one feeds a cat too much blood & bones they gradually turn into a dragon, and if one feeds a dragon too much bread & milk they gradually turn into a cat, retaining only their dragon eyes and claws. So here's a Bosun Dragon.

[lizziestudieshistory]

I've been reading "The Fall of Gondolin" in the Book of Lost Tales for 4 days now and I'm somehow STILL only 26 pages into the actual tale - plus there's another 20-30 pages of notes and commentary... It feels interminable 😩 Will this be the first Tolkien book I'll dnf?! It's just giving me flashbacks to The Fall of Gondolin (book) which I hated and SHOULD have dnfed it.