#Wayfarer Archetype

[falloutbradreviews]

Best Of 2023

Well, it’s that time, guys, gals, and non-binary pals — it’s the end of the year (well, it’s already the beginning of the new year now). My buddy Jake and I collaborated on a piece that talks about our favorites of the year, but I wanted to write a bit of a companion piece, in case you didn’t want to look at that, and just wanted to know what my favorites in order were, or if you wanted more detail on what I think of these albums. I won’t waste time, let’s dig into the honorable mentions first, and I’m only going to write maybe a sentence or two on these albums, since I don’t want this to be super long. The honorable mentions are in no particular order, either, I don’t rank those, but the top ten will obviously be just that — a top ten.

Spencer Sutherland - In His Mania

This is the newest album on the list, or at least newest that I found, and Spencer Sutherland is what I call a traditional and old fashioned pop artist with modern production, and that’s what his debut album sounds like. It’s incredibly catchy, fun, and grandiose, but also sounds timeless, and he has a killer voice.

Nita Strauss - The Call Of The Void

Guitarist Nita Strauss came out with her second album, and instead of it being purely instrumental, she included a lot of guests in terms of some of the biggest names in hard rock and metal, and this album kicks a lot of ass.

Thy Art Is Murder - Godlike

Controversy aside, the new album from Thy Art Is Murder is an album that sounds like the way I remember deathcore sounding. Not to sound like an old man, but these days, a lot of the genre is about how heavy and brutal you can get, whereas a lot of what I listened to back about 15 years ago is more about just having sick riffs, solos, and killer vocals. This record reminds me of that, and their new vocalist is pretty damn good.

Honey Revenge - Retrovision

This past year was a theme for catchy and fun albums that got my attention, and one of the first ones I found was Honey Revenge’s debut, Retrovision. These guys take 00s pop-rock and add their own flair to it. I really enjoy this album and I’m excited to see where they go from here.

Broadside - Hotel Bleu

Speaking of which, Broadside had a good year with their new album, and second album with Sharptone, but they took their sound into a mixture of pop-rock, 80s pop, and pop-punk. The album is pretty damn good, and has some of my favorite cuts of the year, but it does lose me a bit with how off the wall it can get. It doesn’t flow as well as it should, but the styles they utilize here are pretty good.

Blackbraid - Blackbraid II

I’ll be honest, folks — I haven’t gotten that metal for the majority of 2023. It’s not that it was bad, and like I said in my piece with Jake, I just didn’t find enough that I really connected with. There were a few exceptions, including Thy Art Is Murder’s latest, but Blackbraid’s second album, aptly titled Blackbraid II is a great mix of black metal, indigenous music, and even some hints of thrash and traditional heavy metal.

Wayfarer - American Gothic

My other favorite black metal album of this year is the new Wayfarer album, American Gothic, and if you wanted an album that takes country, Americana, and black metal, as well as lyricism about the Wild West and the realistic history of the time and region, you’ll love this.

Boys Like Girls - Sunday At Foxwoods

Boys Like Girls are back with their first album in 11 years, give or take, and it’s a good 80s-inspired album that has some slick hooks and reflects a lot more of lead vocalist and songwriter Martin Johnson’s project The Night Game. If you enjoyed that project, you’re sure to enjoy this one.

The Electric Mayhem - S/T

The Muppets had a pretty good year in 2023, especially with The Muppets Mayhem on Disney+, but the band released their debut “album” injunction with the show, and it’s a good little covers album (with a few originals in the mix) performed by the Electric Mayhem, and what’s great about this album is that it feels as though it’s performed by the actual band and not the performers of the characters along with session musicians. This album is just a bunch of fun all around.

Aesop Rock - Integrated Tech Solutions

I hadn’t listened to hip-hop much of 2023, but if there’s one album that I wanted to hear, it’s Aesop Rock’s Integrated Tech Solutions. This is a record that shows that Aes has nothing left to prove, as he’s got a relaxed and melodic flow, lyrics that are both insightful and observational, and a concept that doesn’t make much sense on the surface, but if you dig into it, the concept works a lot better.

Spiritbox - The Fear Of Fear

Spiritbox are back after two years, at least if you don’t count their Rotoscope EP from last year, but they put out a new EP entitled The Fear Of Fear. It’s a great EP that takes elements of their previous projects and combines it all together to make for a relatively short but engaging experience that is sure to leave fans wanting more.

Archetypes Collide - S/T

Archetypes Collide is a metalcore band that has a lot in common with bands like Linkin Park, Bring Me The Horizon, and other metalcore / alt-metal bands, especially ones with a pop sensibility like, because they have elements from a lot of different styles and put it all into a blender. This record is a ton of fun, despite not having much of a unique identity. If anything, hopefully their next album throws some more unique ideas into the mix.

Wind Walkers - What If I Break?

Wind Walkers is a band that Jake showed me, actually, and these guys follow in the same footsteps, although their new album (and first in five years) What If I Break is a generic record that does what it does well, and that’s kind of about it, although it does sound really nice and fans of this style should enjoy this quite a bit.

Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific

Cannibal Corpse released a new album this year, and it was a hell of a good time. Chaos Horrific is the name of it, and this record is more or less what we’ve gotten before, but this record has a lot of passion, fury, and fire in it that I can’t help but enjoy quite a lot. Cannibal Corpse is one of the first metal bands I ever got into, and it feels fitting to put it onto my list, even if it’s the honorable mentions.

Caskets - Reflections

The last honorable mention I’ve got is from another band in the post-hardcore vein that has a pop sensibility, and their second album, Reflections, sort of dials down on the R&B elements of their sound, but the pop elements are still there in full force and they rule.

That’s all the honorable mentions I got, so let’s get into the meat of the list. I don’t want to go into too much detail, because I already did in Jake and I’s piece, but I still wanted to talk about these albums in one way or another.

10: Tyler Childers - Rustin’ In The Rain

Country has a bit of theme on my list this year, and the first album on my list is Tyler Childers’ Rustin’ In The Rain. This record is a nice nostalgic-sounding album that reminds me of a lot of the 1950s and the 1960s. Childers himself even said that this album was his idea of him auditioning for Elvis Presley, and it works quite well. I came back to this record quite a lot, because of how catchy and nostalgic it was.

9: Paramore - This Is Why

Paramore came back after a six-year hiatus, and they changed their style yet again by turning into a post-punk band and it sounds great. A few songs don’t do as much for me compared to the rest, hence why it’s lower, but the stuff that’s great is truly fantastic. If there’s one band that can pull off reinvention, it’s Paramore.

8: The Maine - S/T

The Maine dropping a really solid album wasn’t on my bingo card in 2023, but here we are. Their self-titled album from last year was a slick and catchy slice of 80s pop-rock that worked wonders for me. This record is my favorite of the bunch with this similar sound, including the new Honey Revenge, Broadside, and Boys Like Girls albums.

7: Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies - We Wish You The Merriest

A Christmas album in my top ten of the year? Say it isn’t so, but indeed, it is. I really enjoyed this record when it dropped in November, but I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit the last couple months. I’ve been playing a bit of Christmas music, and this is the album on the rotation. I wrote a full length review of this, so if you want to see what I thought of that album in more detail, check that out, but I do really enjoy this album, nonetheless.

6: Colter Wall - Little Songs

One of my other favorite country albums this year was the new Colter Wall record, Little Songs. Another nostalgic sounding album, this one worked more so for me, because of its lyrical content and Wall’s deep baritone. I absolutely love the sound of his voice, and how unique it is, but this record feels like it came right out of 1955 in all the best ways.

5: Beartooth - The Surface

Alright, top five time, and in that spot is Beartooth’s The Surfqce. An album that is both heavy and optimistic, I love this album and how it came out. I’ve been a fan of Beartooth for the last few years, and their last couple of albums where they’ve gone into more hard rock and pop sensibilities have worked wonders for me. This record is no exception, as it’s heavy and catchy. Hardy makes an appearance, too, and for as much flack as his last album got from a lot of online critics (the album, The Mockingbird & The Crow, isn’t thaaaaaat bad, but it’s fine), he does great here. This record is a whole lot of fun, though, and I’ve been playing it quite a lot throughout the year.

4: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes

Jason Isbell’s latest record is a behemoth of a record, as its lyricism is some of the best I’ve heard all year. Isbell’s vocals are the some of the best I’ve heard all year, too, but this record is some of the best Americana, country, and heartland-rock I’ve heard all year, too. This record gives every band member a chance to breathe, but every song is potentially the best song on the record. This album isn’t as higher, only because the top three on my list are more so personal for me, whereas this isn’t a personal one for me, although a lot of stuff on this record is very poignant and insightful. A lot of very relevant topics are brought up here, including addiction, abortion, school shootings, and racism, but it’s done so in an interesting way.

3: Zach Bryan - S/T

My top three this year were no contest. Zach Bryan’s self-titled is an album that caught me by surprise; this record is such a personal yet insightful look at someone’s mental and emotional state, but this record is wonderful. It’s a bit long, clocking in at around an hour, and a few songs feel like filler, but for the most part, this record is gorgeous. Bryan’s voice is utterly fantastic, and his lyricism is unmatched. These songs are some of the best of his career, too, and I’m so glad that a few of these songs were hits, even if they ended up being minor hits.

2: Metallica - 72 Seasons

For my top two albums of the year, these are albums that mean a lot to me, because of the bands that put them out and what they represent. The first one is Metallica’s new album, and their first in seven years, 72 Seasons, but this record is important to me because Metallica is the first metal band I ever got into a decade ago this year. I’ve been able to experience two Metallica albums live since they came out, this being one of them, and I’m also a lot older now. This is a great example of album where the band can do whatever they want, and they really do that by taking on multiple styles in this record. Metallica is the biggest metal band, if not the biggest band period, in the world, so they can truly do whatever they want.

1: Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust

This was a no-brainer — my album of the year is Fall Out Boy’s latest. They’re not only my favorite band, but they really hold a special place in my heart. This record is a long time coming, too; this is their first album in five years, and they went back to basics with So Much (For) Stardust, ultimately looking back to the past but also thinking forward. I don’t want to talk about this record too much, as I wrote extensively about it when it came out, and since then, but this record is a monumental one. It’s good to have Fall Out Boy back, especially with this new album.

Cheers to 2023, folks, let’s see what 2024 brings.

[endpaperfaire]

Harold James. Metamorphosis - Aminata, 2021

Harold James Makeup

[psychhound]

spiritkeep is an upcoming multiplayer campaign-length ttrpg that helps players heal from trauma through play

spiritkeep is a community restoration game where the player characters comprise a special taskforce who undertake missions such as diplomacy, intelligence gathering, rescuing potential allies, seeking boons from powerful spirits, stopping ecological damage, and more in order to heal their dying town ... whether they're trying to be helpful, running from legal consequences, seeking stability, or grasping at belonging, this group of lost souls are on this journey together. there is no giving up until this place can be a home

players collaboratively craft a region and a town together in a world full of nature, diverse peoples, and spirits. then, the game master guides them on journeys into the world designed to help players heal from complex trauma during long-term play

a sunfolk knight and naturefolk/wisp shepherd by @paladinbaby

player characters in spiritkeep are based on storybook tropes. their archetype and paragon define the role they fit into in the story. are you a knight or a shepherd? a revolutionary or a ghost? a damsel or a trickster? your choice out of 18 total options gives you abilities called keywords that shape how you interact with the mechanics and the world around you

more about playbooks

sneak peek at the lonesome and the minder

though almost everyone in spiritkeep is human, humans in this world are diverse and often magical. you probably come from one of several lineages that has been bound to the magic of the world by the many kinds of spirits that live around you. sunfolk burn bright, but have to be careful not to hurt others. animalfolk have been blessed - or cursed - with the traits of predators and prey. you may even come from a mixed lineage, meaning there are many hundreds of possible combinations to start your character with

more about lineages

sneak peek at dreamfolk, wisps, and mixed lineages

in spiritkeep, players work collaboratively to flesh out the world and its local cultures and societies as well as the town they're trying to restore. but in this game, the world is always animist, full of nature, and full of many kinds of spirits. you may seek help from the great spirit of the mountain ... or the meek house spirit who lives in your fireplace. a human-like spirit may accompany you to aid you on a journey ... or you may struggle past the nightmare of a violent spirit beyond your comprehension

through it all, you must take care of your own personal spirit, through which you can unlock memories, heal from harm, gain advancements and boons, and even change your role in the story

more about worldbuilding

a dreamfolk wayfarer by @astrophysician

players interact with the mechanics through a full set of dice, rolled in pairs. choosing which dice to roll indicates the level of effort your PC is putting into their action. larger dice are a limited resource gained through rolling the smaller ones, meaning you have to pace yourself and learn from failure in order to have a better chance to succeed later. however, consistently putting all your effort into actions can lead to burnout, which leads to conditions, which leads to breakdowns ... potentially harming yourself or the mission

your stats indicate various strategies you can take to overcome a challenge rather than concrete skills, and are also added in pairs. they represent how you think, how you embody yourself in the world, and what you value. there are no good or bad stats to have, only different strategies helpful in different contexts. will you roll Gentle + Tactful to sway the nervous princess to your side? will you need to roll Grounded + Hardy to safely weather the sudden storm?

more about mechanics

game masters are supported in spiritkeep with varying levels of NPC creation, lists of prompts, roll tables for missions and complications, and a great amount of advice. GMs will have a lot of agency over the story without pre-defining the narrative or character arcs, guided by the players' collaborative worldbuilding as well as prompts and questions built into the PC's playbooks

the game is designed based on scholarship from therapeutically applied ttrpg, trauma, play therapy, and disability experts. the creator, Luka Brave (that's me!), has a masters degree in writing studies and psychology with a focus in game studies, and a work history in neurodivergent-focused social work, disability advocacy, and community service. spiritkeep is the subject of my thesis

an animalfolk alchemist by @bbonbonss

if you want to support the project, you can help fundraise by buying my games (currently very on sale!):

fundraiser for art and promo materials

fundraiser for therapeutic gm training

and if you like my work, you can follow along with me:

here on tumblr

on my itch

on my website

on my bluesky

questions, feedback, or offers of collaboration or sponsorship can be sent to psychhoundgames (at) gmail (dot) com

[theredoesnotexist]

⩝

This isn't just an essay about my archetrope identity; it's also the explanation for what it even is.

I've tried to narrow it down, I've tried to separate it, and I've tried to find convenient ways to define it. I explained it as having multiple distinct archetrope identities that were closely related—"wanderer," "mimic," "opportunist" "shapechanger"—but they aren't distinct. Most archetropes will say their archetypes are things like knight, or unreliable narrator—I don't think mine is inherently different or more internally complicated in any way, but the problem is that most archetypes and concepts have words that mean them. Everyone knows what a knight is. No matter where and how long I pored over the dictionary and Etymonline, I couldn’t find one single word that explains what I am. I had to realize that it's the very fact of what it is that makes an existing word or phrase impossible. So I made my own.

I call it Wayvariance. It's a portmanteau of sorts, between the words "wayfar" and "variant." A wayfarer is obviously a traveller or explorer, but the etymology of way (to mean the course by which something occurs) and fare (to mean to wander, to be/exist, or even simply just to go) implies a connotation of someone who doesn't just travel, but who's defined by it. Variance originally meant only the act of undergoing change. Its meaning of diversity, difference, came later; a result of inevitable change. The way evolution is a constant course of change, meaning inherently that it's also existence in infinities.

Wayvariance is being a wanderer. Not because I travel a lot, but ontologically. I always leave. I leave both physically and existentially. The wanderer grows bored with home, with comfort and familiarity. Not just bored. Sick. Sick to its stomach. Being in one place for too long creates a miasma. I could find something to hate about anywhere I end up. I've lived in enough places in a short enough amount of time to feel that anywhere I go next is implicitly not a place I'll stay for very long, and to feel like even just three years is a crazy long amount of time for me to spend living somewhere. A new city to become part of is my version of someone else’s return to a cozy childhood bedroom. But I never really am a part of them, I know by now. The homebody is a river carving canyons over eons. The traveller is always the fish.

"I would tell you about the ocean if I had a moment to stay and chat. But those other places call again and we will never see each other after this. I seem to be the only one who recognizes this. You say ‘keep in touch’ like I have hands and not fins."

I go where I go. It’s a matter of perspective whether it's freedom or being towed by an invisible rope to unknowable destinations, I guess. I choose to appreciate it, but only because I couldn't ever choose to stop it. To drift through existence. The word “plankton” etymologically traces back to the Greek for “wandering.” Plankton are defined as any creature which does not swim purposefully, but rather is carried by ocean currents. Am I purposeless? Rootless? Is this why so many people think their roots are their purpose? I never knew what it was like to have either. No wonder I'm anti-zionist as a Jew. Doikayt doesn’t just mean hereness to me, it means anywhereness. There is no soil or stone with my names already carved. There are no waters that whisper for me, only to. You get it.

Which is all to say: the difference between a wanderer and someone who is lost is only a matter of deciding that what you are is a conscious choice rather than being haplessly dragged along by the universe. Either way, there is no end and no source. I don’t even know what to say when people ask where I'm from. Whatever works, who’s asking?

Wayvariance is being a shapeshifter. One who changes. Not just their shape, too, but their whole self. Recreates the self. In fact, it’s my only constant. The one thing that will never change about me is that I will always change. I know that I'm trans because I seek radical physiological transformation more than any other reason. I cannot live a whole life without knowing what it feels like to be so drastically modified; not even out of a frenzied sense of curiosity, but out of an unavoidable instinct. I crave change, and I need it. The wanderer grows bored with home, with self, body, mind. It needs to leave. Stagnation kills me, like mosquitoes breed eggs in the still waters of my life. My name isn’t the same as it was 3 years ago and it won’t be the same three years from now. Even the way I write or draw is inconsistent. Even the way I type. An example: it wasn't a mistake to switch from digit to word when writing the same number just now. I felt like it—but I can't explain why.

Shapeshifter transforms the body and the mind remains intact. Wayvariant, on the other hand, becomes. Embodies. Change does not even have to be from the inside out. When I put something on myself—a name, an answer, an image, a character, a preference—it seeps into my epidermis like the ink of a tattoo until the only way to remove it is with the regular moulting of my feathers. I can't relate to stories of fictional shapeshifters because I can’t imagine turning into something physically but not becoming it in my entirety. What do the words mind, heart, body and soul mean? They are all equally mutable and impermanent. I have identified as otherkin for nearly eight years and I don’t have the same kintypes I did when I first realized, not because I was wrong about being a fox, but because I became a badger instead. Not even the same kintypes I did half that time ago, not because I was wrong about being a badger, but because I became a cladotherian instead. Queer, but never wanting to call myself “against labels” or “still questioning” just because I was aroace femme-presenting nonbinary and now I'm a butch bi man. You get it.

I used to relate to the phoenix. But there's no dramatic blaze of fire or victorious rising up from the embers for me. I don't need to burn to exist in the ashes of everything I used to be. Maybe someday a sapling will grow from them instead of a bird. If there was such thing as consistency, I would consistently be changing. But there isn’t. So when I grow into a tree, I certainly won’t be a bird anymore.

Wayvariance is adaptation, and by extension, survival. Sometimes Wayvariating is like being the last survivor of an apocalypse because you refused to die more like a cockroach than a hero, but that’s OK, you’re used to the loneliness. Sometimes it’s change that’s evolution at such a rapid pace it doesn’t need generations, only you and a certain willpower. Was there a reason the bird needed to suddenly be a tree in the first place? Sometimes Wayvariating is like chewing your leg off to get out of the trap. Backed into a corner snapping and hissing, it’s not very heroic either but I’ve always been more like a wild animal than that particular archetype allows for.

That also means Wayvariance is mimicry, inherently. Mimicry is survival. An adaptation. Some creatures will mimic a coloration of a poisonous species to deter predators. Some creatures will mimic the beats of a human interaction, perfectly memorized and choreographed to avoid being noticed. Some won’t even realize they are the only one in the room who’s having to pretend to be human. For a lifetime. They just know that snapping and hissing don’t protect them as well as dancing and laughing do. So I learned how to dance and laugh, but not because it's funny.

A terrifying concept for humans to think someone in the room might not be the same as them, but somehow smiles and speaks like them all the same. Like it has learned their behaviors, their patterns. A horror movie monster. One you don't notice right away, even speaking to it. What is it scheming? A great evil? To hunt, kill, devour? To make innocent humanity its victim?

Why would an animal have to pretend to be poisonous if it was the one who was bloodthirsty?

Wayvariance is opportunism. That’s also an adaptation. A Wayvariant is an animal that can survive on any diet, in any biome, because it takes what it can get while it can get it. That’s being a generalist. For a wild animal, at least. A sapient person's version I guess would be called eclecticism. My preferences are wide enough that I may as well not have any. Being a generalist means I say I “don’t play favorites” and I say I “have no taste” in things because I never know what to say when someone asks me my favorite type of movie, or game, favorite genre of music, what’s your dream job… where would you like to live? No answer, for me. Every answer. I could find something to love about anywhere I end up.

I also endeavor to diversify the self, too. Not just my options. It’s not just about differences. It’s about encompassments. It is difficult for me to make my self small because it naturally desires so many things. Therian, but struggling to whittle myself down to as socially acceptable a polytherianthropy as I can muster even if some people can only imagine I'm struggling to “maintain so many conflicting identities.” Autistic, and having special interests in topics some people find so impossibly broad like “art” that I have genuinely, not joking, had my disability fakeclaimed over it. Archetrope and having a 'type so conceptual and expansive as this that I need to make my own word for it. You get it.

Which means Wayvariance is to contain multitudes. It is not a contradiction for me to contradict myself. It comes easily because I'm not just OK with being confused or confusing, I embrace it. I don’t understand how others would find being "your own opposite" hard to wrap the mind around. Asymmetry? A walking paradox? Maybe in the eyes of others. Multitude eyes see those variating evolutionary infinities behind themselves. You can be both the desert and ocean. You can be snow and fire. You can be the desert and the ocean but not both at once. You can be snow and fire, but neither snow nor fire. This is so normal to me that it’s tricky to explain. When I write or do art, a million projects open at once that I chip away at over time across the board works better for me than putting all focus into one; if I'm playing three games, or watching three shows or reading three books at once, I finish all three before I would have finished just one if it was the only one. Something about the variety keeps my attention better than hyperfocus ever could, even with the autism/adhd combo. I liked having a million thousand nested links on my blog because there’s something about labyrinthinely navigated lists that makes more sense to me, and something about having different sideblogs for different topics that doesn’t. And I'm plural. No need to expound upon that one. Plural in more than one way, even. Plural in different ways that don't stay consistent. If I expound anyway, it's because I can't help it. You get it.

Wayvariance is ambiguity. I revel in it. I love those stupid link labyrinths, but I also like having nothing in terms of information that's accessible at all, even difficultly, because obscurity is my nest, where I feel safe. Vague isn’t uncomfortable for me, if anything, it’s familiar. Uncertainty is like a lullaby and a confident answer to a question is like waking with a start from the sensation of falling; you know the feeling—jarring, sudden. I'm not insecure when things don't make sense, though I know others sometimes see it that way if I'm nonsensical too often. I never feel more secure than when things don’t make sense. If there was such thing as home, mine would be the strange and ephemeral, and the antichronology of dreams, and enigmas. But there isn’t. So I am always waking up somewhere time exists, and you know the feeling, jarring and sudden. Making myself understood sometimes is like a fool’s errand, especially because way too many people think being esoteric is always a choice. I make an entire new word to describe my archetrope identity and then write an entire essay trying to explain it, because (as the modern adage explains) “human language is like trying to nail down the ocean” and unlike some, I am not human, I am the fish called to seas and from river to river, never with the privilege of walking back onto dry land where words lie.

G-d, why the hell was I an English major.

Wayvariants are outsiders, foreigners wherever they go, from across oceans to their home towns to the inside of their own heads. I am, after all, a wanderer, and I always leave. I leave both physically and existentially. Because I always leave, I also always arrive. I am a stranger wherever I arrive. Both physically and existentially. And a journey inevitably always changes the traveller. If I ever were to come back home, I'd be a stranger there too.

But like I said. There is no such thing as home.

[connorsnothereeither]

Welcome to Connor assigns all his characters a version of the song “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” because I realised it was a funny thing I could do:

Ulysses = Poor Man’s Poison

Like most of PMP’s music it’s got that slightly sinister, really heavy quality to it. But the song itself if still inherently somewhat hopeful and ethereal, and I think it really fits the weight of Ulysses life, and the way he things moving on, and moving home feels.

Daniel Thorns = Johnny Cash

There’s something about Dan that just strikes me as a Johnny Cash vibe. The lone wandering man archetype. The low, almost spoken lyrics accompanied by the guitar, with the very earthy feel, it’s just very Dan.

Leopold = Ashley Johnson & Troy Baker (The Last of Us Part II)

…I don’t know how much I can say or how much I even need to say. The version feels so much more personal and somber, and feels like a contemplation of death far more than the others, and it just… really fits.

Virgil = Andreas Scholl

The strings? The vocalization? The almost operatic and contemplative nature of the piece? Absolutely. It’s such a different departure from the other characters but so is Virgil, in a lot of ways. When I picture these songs I picture them to like, cinematic scenes or AMVs and I can just so clearly picture Virgil playing his violin to this, intercut with shots of him doing things.

[avisafterall]

Valerie Coronado 🌊

first attempt at a character collage! which im doing instead of writing! yippee! anyway, it’s garish because im not an artist and certainly not a collage-er (?), but it’s so fun so who cares

Valerie is one of my favorite archetypes in fiction - a trickster, mask bearer, just a straight up liar sometimes. In the years that I've had these characters, Valerie, like all the others, has kind of shifted across different personality types/roles, but what's always remained constant is that she's wickedly smart and likes to keep the scope of her observations to herself, tucked away until she can use them to her advantage. She's a strategist above all else, and the most fun thing about her character, for me, is that those strategies aren't always used to win. Sometimes the aim of the game is just to prove a point.

A part of writing I really enjoy is researching the cultures or backgrounds that my characters originate from (twofold - their ethnicity/nationality and which part of the story's main setting they grew up in/are coming from, since they're all there at the start of the book). For Wayfarers, this is a teeny bit complicated to implement because the world is fictionalized, but still very doable and very fun! Valerie is Brazilian but mostly grew up on the equivalent of the US East Coast, which has been an interesting contrast to reconcile - the tropical, industrial São Paulo vs. quiet, sometimes frigid northeast Maine. One of my favorite things I've found while researching Brazilian culture(s) is the tradition of giving the first slice of cake to a guest of honor/loved one on your birthday! So sweet, and connects to a detail I love about Valerie - she's very reserved and a bit rusty with displays of affection, so her fondness for her friends (whether she calls them that or not) tends to peek out through little actions and gifts. Nothing loud, nothing showy, but always personal and meaningful.

Valerie is quite enigmatic and first glance would suggest she much prefers solitude and familiarity, but underneath her carefully withdrawn exterior, she's wildly ambitious and curious. She's been in one place for a while now, but she's mulled over the idea of traveling somewhere new (and preferably sunny) for a long while. (Lolha's recruitment offer, then, is very convenient.)

Some songs that I think suit her:

Metaphor - The Crane Wives

Ouroboros - Charming Disaster

Show You a Body - Haley Heynderickx

November - Sparkbird

Too Sweet - Hozier

[akashasananda]

TwinRay on Mystical Activations and the Evolution of Consciousness - A Transformational Journey

Set sail on a remarkable journey of self-realization under the guidance of TwinRay. Traverse the intricate pathways of mystical activations, revealing the sacred connections that intricately intertwine in the tapestry of your life. Amidst the spectrum of spiritual exploration, you find yourself at the heart of a transformative voyage—one that calls upon you to rise above the ordinary and ascend towards the luminescent realms of awakened humanity.

In the realm of mysticism, the concept of mystical activations serves as the catalyst for your metamorphosis, a cosmic dance with the energies that swirl around you. These activations are the whispers of the divine essence, urging you to unravel the layers of your being and step into the fullness of your spiritual embodiment and mastery. As you delve into the recesses of your soul, the vibrational frequencies of the universe harmonize with your essence, aligning you with the eternal truths that have echoed through the ages.

Picture the process as alchemy—the ancient art of transmutation, where the base elements of your consciousness are refined into the gold of spiritual wisdom. Each moment of introspection and contemplation acts as a crucible, catalyzing the fusion of disparate elements into a harmonious whole. This alchemical dance is the key to unlocking the gates of divine union, a sacred marriage of your earthly self with the higher realms.

Guided by spiritual teachers who embody the archetype of master healers, you traverse the landscapes of your inner world. These luminous beings, like celestial wayfarers, illuminate the path to ascension with their profound wisdom and unwavering love. Their presence becomes a beacon, guiding you through the labyrinth of challenges and initiations that mark your journey towards higher consciousness.

In the course of this transformative journey, initiation serves as a milestone—a metaphysical turning point where old layers are shed and new facets of your being are unveiled. With the help of TwinRay the process becomes a rebirth, propelling you into an elevated plane of existence. Free from the constraints of the past, your spirit soars, embodying the universal drive that fuels the constant progression of the cosmos.

The evolution of consciousness is not a linear trajectory but a spiral dance, where each step forward is a return to the essence that lies at the core of your being. Universal love, the cosmic glue that binds all of creation, becomes the guiding force in this dance of awakening. Love, not in the limited human sense, but as a radiant force that transcends time and space—a force that unites all beings in the tapestry of existence.

As you traverse the landscapes of your soul, you come to understand that the divine paths are myriad, each unique and yet interconnected. The labyrinth of existence is a tapestry woven with the golden threads of synchronicity, where every encounter, every experience, is a note in the symphony of your awakening. The universe speaks to you in symbols and signs, inviting you to decode the language of the cosmos and align with the flow of divine energy.

Your journey becomes a sacred pilgrimage, a quest for the elusive grail of self-realization. The terrain is not without its challenges, for the path of the mystic is often a solitary one. Yet, in the solitude, you discover the richness of your inner landscape, and in the silence, you hear the whispers of the divine.

Under the spiritual auspices of TwinRay, you begin to perceive eternal truths that unfold like ancient manuscripts, speaking the language of the heart. These truths are lived - not learned - and can be known in the tranquil moments of divine union. The illusions fade, and your soul's vision becomes clear, acknowledging the interconnected synergy of all existence.

In this sacred dance of evolution, you become a vessel of light, a channel for the energies of higher consciousness to flow through. The boundaries between self and other blur as you realize that the enlightened humanity you seek to manifest is not a distant utopia but a living potential within you.

As your journey unfolds with the assistance of TwinRay, you'll learn that spiritual transformation involves daring to step into your own shadows. This process mirrors the moon's phases, alternating between periods of illumination and darkness. Embracing these shadows becomes an essential aspect of your mystical activations, serving as fertile grounds for profound personal growth. Guided by experienced spiritual teachers, you traverse the challenging terrains of your inner world, learning to confront dormant aspects of yourself with kindness and acceptance. This dance with your shadows paints a picture of continuous evolution rather than a completed masterpiece, signifying the endless unfolding of your spiritual journey.

In the tapestry of spiritual exploration, the concept of divine union takes on a multidimensional aspect. It transcends the union of self with the higher realms; it extends to the interconnected web of all life. The realization dawns that every sentient being is a unique thread in the cosmic fabric, contributing to the symphony of existence. This expanded awareness brings with it a profound sense of responsibility—a recognition that your journey is intertwined with the collective evolution of humanity. The enlightened humanity you seek is not a solitary endeavor but a collaborative dance where each soul contributes its unique notes to the cosmic melody.

Under the tutelage of TwinRay, your spiritual journey unfolds like a blooming lotus, each petal symbolizing a stage of mystical activation and consciousness evolution. As a beacon of light, your transformation radiates high-frequency vibrations, influencing not just your own existence but the collective consciousness of our planet. This symbiotic dance of awakening, where personal transformation impacts the cosmic tapestry, signifies your generous contribution to the world around you.

[inferentialdistance]

Thanks!

[...] Imprisoned in the Moon [...] I wouldn't bother with this removal aura.

Cut.

[...] Nahiri's Resolve. It's just kind of clunky [...]

Cut. I feel like it could be so good, since the delayed blink both avoids sorcery speed removal and procs ETBs at upkeep, so a bunch of stuff is active for combat. But it does cost a lot, it loses a lot of benefit if my opponents aren't playing enough board wipes for it to dodge, and it doesn't do much the turn it comes into play unless I can afford to cast another significant creature for it to hasten.

[...] Jeskai Monument [...]

I'm a bit leery of spending two mana for non-ramp color-fixing when I could just run an extra land if I really need to hit land drops, or Wayfarer's Bauble to ramp with color fixing for one more mana. Are the birds really worth the tempo loss?

[...] snarls [...]

Cut for basics.

Given that you have Archetype of courage, you could really use kwende, pride of femeref as a closer combo.

He seems kinda weak when I don't have Archetype of Courage or Greymond, Avacyn's Stalwart out, only affecting Eowyn, Shieldmaiden, Lossarnach Captain, and Thalia, Heretic Cathar. I don't think enough of my deck has first strike to justify a card that's just a 2/2 double striker otherwise.

Roaming throne is a very boring pick that doesn't do much at all when Èowyn is off the field. Edhrec brainrotted card.

Really? Doubling Boromir, Gondor's Hope, Esper Sentinel, and Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain for card advantage, Erkenbrand, Lord of Westfold, and Beregond of the Guard for mass pump, Adeline, Resplendent Cathar, Flamecrush Rider, Lossarnach Captain, and Riders of Rohan for tokens, Lossonarch Captain (again) for taps, and Loran of the Third Path's ETB removal. Seems like it's active a lot more than Kwende, Prime of Femeref, with the things it doubles (tokens generated, pump from humans entering) it can itself function as a closer when combined with other parts of the deck.

If you REALLY want to go in on knights [...]

This is a human tribal deck I'm already having trouble cutting it down to 100 cards WHY WOULD YOU ASK ME THIS YOU MONSTER!? However funny Knight Exemplar making the eorlings indestructible would be, I don't think I can justify making room for cards that don't synergize with a bunch of the deck.

I don't believe in war of the last alliance [...]

Cut.

Your creatures are no cheap enough, nor evasive enough to make Horn of the Mark do it's thing.

Cut.

For all the creature token production you have going, I was surprised to see no specific support for them.

The tokens are for regularly activating the Humans-entering triggers, and getting enough bodies for Eowyn's card draw, while soaking anthem effects. I try to plan for board wipes, or for being aggressive and losing tokens to blockers (preferable to sitting on them until a board wipe resolves, especially if I can get card draw on attack or player combat damage triggers), so I can't trust they'll stick around long enough to justify token-only anthems. Especially when I'm already badly out of room with the anthems I have. What would I run, Neyali, Suns' Vanguard or Starry-Eyed Skyrider? What would I cut to make room? I could almost see Neyali, because she doubles as pseudo-impulse draw.

As for token doublers like Anointed Procession, Roaming Throne is eating that slot. While it doesn't hit all token effects, since some of them aren't triggers (such as Horn of Gondor or Forth Eorlingas) or don't come from Human Creatures (e.g. Outlaw's Merriment) it does hit a bunch of non-token triggers like Beregond of the Guard or Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain. Notably, it doubles the draws Eowyn gives on top of the tokens, so long as I hit the creature count with the first two tokens made. In addition, Roaming Throne comes into play as a creature type of my choice, and thus will trigger things that look for that, like Eowyn and Beregond. The only major advantage Anointed Procession has is that it dodges creature-killing board wipes. What would I cut for it? Would doing so actually make the deck better?

@gcu-sovereign

Suggestions on what to cut, or add?

[psychhound]

spiritkeep: a therapeutic ttrpg - playbooks

howdy howdy :)

so, talking about archetypes and paragons - the playbooks of spiritkeep - won the poll!!

(for new folks: spiritkeep is an upcoming multiplayer campaign ttrpg designed around inducing healing from trauma in its players!!)

part of the design challenge of spiritkeep is doing something new while still remaining familiar enough to current ttrpg players (including the large number of players who will only be familiar with d&d 5e) for it to not be intimidating

for that reason, pcs in spiritkeep work kind of like a mix of d&d classes and pbta playbooks

how they work:

each pc has an archetype and a paragon. you can think of these as similar to classes and subclasses (though each pc starts with a subclass)

overall, spiritkeep has a storybook theming in its meta elements (such as mechanics titles and such). the archetype of your pc is, kind of as it says, the overall character archetype your pc falls into. these archetypes are united by emotional themes - the lonesome, for instance, are united by a theme of emotional isolation; the ardent is centered around drive for a cause

then, your paragon is a specific character trope that works under that emotional theme. for lonesome, you may be a wayfarer, never letting yourself settle down or stop moving, or a damsel, taught learned helplessness and kept dependent

both your pc's archetype and paragon grants them a keyword - the special abilities your pc has that lets them interact with the world in specific ways. some of these keywords may affect the in-game world, like the minder archetype's ability to do healing magic, or the mechanics, such as the othered's exploding dice

character creation:

at character creation, you choose your pc's archetype and paragon, and then their specific stats based on the options of that paragon. this gives them 5 keywords total (archetype, paragon, & 3 from stats)

however, each paragon also comes with a series of questions that work under that trope. your "goal" for the game is to find or modify the answers to these questions, therefore completing your character's arc. once these questions have been answered, you might retire your pc, take on new locked abilities, or even change your archetype or paragon

some (early draft) examples are, from the knight paragon, "what happens when you fail to prove yourself?" or, from the beast paragon, "who is hurt the worst when you're not in control?"

these questions dont come with prewritten answers. theyre character development prompts, storytelling guidelines, and goals for your character all in one. a beast pc may start by answering that question with "my children, because they can't trust me" but end up with the answer of "actually, i am, because other people's unfair perception of me is stopping me from getting support"

the playbooks:

the archetypes and paragons are based off of role-selves (the disingenuous persona we learn to put on to combat or embody effects of abuse and trauma) and healing fantasies (the stories we tell ourselves of how we might become happier and more stable in the future). the same paragon might be a role-self for one person but a healing fantasy for another - they're designed to be flexible and interpretable

spiritkeep is a game designed to be "high bleed". that means the barrier between your pc's emotions and your own is thinner than an average game. youre encouraged to choose a paragon that speaks to you, but why it speaks to you is up to you. it may be a character trope you always come back to, how you felt in your childhood, how you feel in your adult life, something you want from your future, or more. you can even play "against type" if you want - making a pc who is opposite from you in some big way. the thought is, if you know youre playing a game designed around therapeutic healing, and something Stands Out to you whether you can explain the reason or not - go for it! you dont have to overthink it, what jumps off the page?

at present, there are 18 different paragons to choose from when you make your pc. these include:

the ardent: alchemist, faithful, revolutionary

the champion: brute, knight, protector

the lonesome: damsel, urchin, wayfarer

the minder: caretaker, guardian, shepherd

the othered: beast, changeling, ghost

the wordsmith: beloved, poet, trickster

(if you like spiritkeep and want to see more like this, you can help me itchfund early game development as well as fund training to become a certified therapeutic game master!!)

next, i can go into a little more detail with the playbooks!!

vote below and i'll discuss the two archetypes with the top votes:

thanks for following along with this journey everyone :) feel free to put initial thoughts on the pc options in the replies & tags!!

[psychhound]

an in depth look at spiritkeep archetypes

okay brief delay but howdy everyone!! today we're gonna talk about two archetypes (the playbooks of Spiritkeep): the lonesome, and the minder! those were the archetypes that won this poll here (since second place had a three way tie, i had someone roll a d3 for me to determine the other archetype to talk about)

as a brief overview, archetypes are kind of like the classes of Spiritkeep while paragons are the subclasses, but overall they work closer to pbta playbooks than something like a d&d class

archetypes and paragons are based off of role-selves and healing fantasies. theyre meant to be storybook tropes that dig at the personas we became to endure trauma and the stories we tell ourselves for the better person we'll be one day

so … lets get to our examples

the lonesome

the lonesome works through themes of isolation and lack of power. for various reasons, these characters feel as though there is no one else they can or should rely on to support or know them. these characters have the power to sense insecurities in others - probably because they feel overwhelmed by their own

the lonesome comes with three paragons: the damsel, the urchin, and the wayfarer

the damsel is a character who has learned to be helpless. they've been told that they are not safe in the world or not capable of navigating it on their own. they've been made to rely on others but without true emotional support and connection. they're particularly capable of spotting loopholes and flaws in logic - but do they have the confidence and experience to use that to their advantage?

the urchin is a young character who does not have a typical support system. orphaned, abandoned, or a runaway, the urchin has learned through experience that safety is conditional and the world is not as stable as most people think. used to relying only on themself, the urchin starts with extra resources at the beginning of each arc

the wayfarer has never let themself settle down. they travel from place to place, not staying in anyone's lives for long - more of a collection of stories than a person. they may be a quiet observer or the life of the party, but, either way, they don't let anyone truly get to know them. the wayfarer has an uncanny knack for always finding their way - even out of dangerous situations

the minder

the minder is an archetype about serving others. to the minder, they will never be the most important person in the room. whether through choice or circumstance, there are others to look after, and the minder is the one to do that. the minder has tapped into the magic of the world in order to heal the people around them

the minder is split into three paragons: the caretaker, the guardian, and the shepherd

the caretaker thinks other people are more important than they are. they have to be prepared and available to take care of anyone who might need it at any time. whether this drains them, or whether they resent it, is not a factor worth consideration. why would they ever need care back? the caretaker has the ability to connect their emotions with another, though they grow more exhausted with each attempt

the guardian has been tasked with looking after someone. whether their own child, a sibling, a friend, or someone else, they have dedicated themself to another person who they see as more vulnerable and in need than they could ever be. the guardian can tap into their own strength to bolster that of another - lending other characters their big dice for better rolls

the shepherd looks after their flock - whether that be animals, children, or spirits. the most important thing about the shepherd is that they're a guide for others and people know they can be relied on. whether anyone really understands them in return is not nearly so important. the shepherd has tapped into magic that allows them to teleport themself and others short distances. anything to keep the flock safe and together

next time i'll be talking about the worldbuilding in Spiritkeep!!

also, i'm still itchfunding for early costs of development!! you can find the sale for art and consultants here and the sale for certified therapeutic gm training here :D with yalls help i've been able to lock in my first two commissions for promo art!! thanks!!