#and he has the same name as a dead side character in rosemary. so he's either the same caleb or a new caleb or i'll rename one of the caleb

[avocado-frog]

Since you guys are awful (/lighthearted) I've picked the "do whatever I want" option (copy paste the chapters from ao3 onto the tumblr ones) (to keep it accurate)

for the 31.6% of you who picked "what are you planning isaac": the commentary stuff I did for dahlia instead of chapters, but reblogs of forget me not, because rosemary is. gonna be a while

[archive-of-note]

Florida man hasn't completed any fic in a hot minute... returns with a different fandom and POV style...

Astarion x Dark Urge OC (Markus) a bit that sprouted off from a different fic attempt but felt too different to stay in the other doc... so here it is now, on its own.

no real... anything really, just an interaction as i try and hammer out their whole deal, so two traumatized men who's whole lives have been defined and shaped by violence, trying to figure out how to interact with each other and the rest of the world.

some tweaks to the Durge backstory, and whole deal really. the way the game treats the Urges is... odd, almost like they're a separate thing from your character's thought process at times

oh, implied past Gortash x Durge, but even he isn't completely sure what the exact nature of their relationship used to be.

I'm terrible at naming fics btw, that hasn't changed, suggestions welcome

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We need to talk.”

Markus breathes in, the fact Astarion is initiating heavy conversation is enough of a warning that he shouldn’t try and put this off.

“Okay.”

Markus just keeps scrubbing his clothes, waiting.

“Are you going to even look at me?”

Markus doesn’t want to, because he doesn’t know what to expect, but the waiver in Astarion’s voice, that sliver of fear, it supersedes his own.

Astarion’s shoulders relax just a bit when Markus turns, and the elf takes a few steps forward until he’s standing next to the tiefling.

Markus wrings out his clothes and waits.

“What are we? To you.”

Markus almost giggles, the same words he’s asked the elf a few too many times, to the point Astarion has had to preemptively reassure Markus that yes, what they are is something important and special to him.

“I—“ Markus sighs, dunking his robes in the wash basin, more so a fidget than actual cleaning.

“You, you make me happy, and I don’t know if I’ve ever been happy like this, and that scares the shit out of me.” The admission makes Markus feel raw, like an exposed nerve.

Astarion huffs, and if Markus didn’t know better he’d be hurt by how dismissive it sounds.

“Aroused certainly, annoyed definitely, but happy?” Astarion sounds almost disgusted with the word, “Not usually the feeling people associate with me darling.”

The thing is Markus isn’t even completely certain if what he’s feeling is happiness. Before his memories decided to rush back into place, before Gortash went ahead and talked about their history with vague fondness and some deep tonal implications, he was quite certain what Astarion had him feeling was happy.

But now? Now he has bits and pieces, choppy and half formed but coherent enough to paint a picture.

What he feels with Astarion is good, but it’s nothing like what he knows to be happy.

Happy for Markus is being elbow deep in viscera, the terrified whimpers of someone desperately trying to keep silent, wide eyes collapsing as all hope is lost and they beg for some sort of mercy.

That’s happy.

Markus presses his face into Astarion’s hip to think.

Astarion jumps at the sudden press of the tiefling’s face into his side, but after a few seconds he places a hand between Markus’s horns.

Markus inhales, brandy, bergamot, rosemary, and beneath that, the subtle saltiness of sweat and leather.

How many times has he blindly followed that smell? How many times has he pressed his face into the dips and creases of Astarion’s skin, using his scent as an anchor?

Safe.

It’s some small part of him that had been crushed and muffled since his father claimed him. The scared child he was when he opened his eyes to bloody hands and flesh filled teeth, the people he called parents dead and decorating the walls of their small home for his nameday.

Gods, when was the last time he thought about his parents? When was the last time he could think about his parents?

Astarion presses his thumb to the base of one of Markus’s horns, it’s that spot that sends a tickle down the scar Orin left down the side of his nose.

“Let me in?”

Markus presses his face a bit deeper into Astarion’s side, some delight wiggling it’s way into his crowded mind when he realizes the elf actually has some give, a touch of softness where his waist turns into hip.

“It’s a mess.”

Astarion scoffs, “The only one of us messier than you is Karlach, at least you have the excuse of drama worthy amnesia.”

Markus snorts.

“You’ve seen my messes, helped me clean them even, let me return the favor?”

Markus stiffens, but before he can say anything Astarion continues.

“Because I want to, darling. Not because I think I owe you.”

Markus sighs, shoulders dropping when he feels the bit of insistence from Astarion trying to probe his mind.

He opens the connection a crack, and he can feel Astarion brush past the confusion, the worry, the few memories of Gortash he was able to cobble together.

“The way he spoke, I assumed you’d been sharing more than world domination plans.”

“I still don’t know if we did.”

Most of the memories are factual, no real emotions come with them, deaths he’s caused, tortures committed, he isn’t numb to them, but the only emotions he feels are the ones he has to them now.

The few that flood him with emotion, all have to do with his father.

The truth of his lineage, the first day Sceleritas appeared before him, the first mass he lead in his father’s name.

Those come with fondness, warmth, pride. He has a feeling those emotions are not entirely, if at all, his own.

“Red is a lovely color on you dear, but I must say, even this is a bit much.”

Markus snorts, letting that starburst of fondness in his chest bleed over into Astarion’s awareness.

“I’m quite certain most of the memories I had returned were ones my father felt were necessary, if I recall anything else, it is by sheer happenstance.”

Astarion hums in distaste, “Quite telling, don’t you think, that Bhaal would have to censor your memory.”

Markus… Markus hadn’t considered that.

Astarion taps Markus with his foot, a silent instruction for the tiefling to make space for the vampire to sit.

Markus does just that.

“Try and remember something, anything, that has nothing to do with him.”

Markus opens his mouth to argue, his entire being, his very person hood, was a facet of his father, that was the intention.

“Cazador tried to break me, he intended to break me.”

Markus’s mouth clicks shut.

“I did not break, I bent and I bowed, but I did not break.”

Flashes, moments, bits and pieces of hunger pangs and broken fingernails. Rotten rats and the burn of an ill handled blade. Condescending coos and obviously false promises, disrespect and degradation.

They all come with emotions, disgust, fear, exhaustion, but there is a constant.

Rage.

The true depths of which were kept under wraps, the flairs and bursts Cazador saw only fractions of what the younger elf truly contained.

“You were not helpless without Bhaal’s guidance, and I doubt that was something that just suddenly came to you.”

Markus can feel Astarion shuffling through memories, tossing aside bloody images and and terrified screams, looking for something that has nothing to do with Markus’s divine inheritance.

“Well hello.”

It takes Markus a moment to orient his mind to what Astarion has found.

It’s her.

Heat rises to Markus’s cheeks before he really knows why.

“Now I do believe daddy dearest had nothing to do with this.”

The memories are haphazard, choppy.

The swish of a tail, the supple curve of a thigh, the drag of claws beneath his chin.

Vanilla and pine covering the electrified ozone that comes with high magic use.

Astarion’s eyes widen, his hands cupping Markus’s cheeks as he digs around for memories of the woman that once drove the tiefling mad.

“Oh darling, I knew you had taste, but my oh my, I’m surprised they’re so refined.”

Markus doesn’t know how to take that, but before he can say anything a new memory emerges, a dagger at his throat.

Not when he first met Astarion, no, the dagger in his memory is sharpened to a delicate but lethal edge, a smooth curve and jeweled pommel.

“It seems you have a type.”

Markus feels a chuckle forming, but it stalls in his throat.

The memory of her flirtatious smile turns horrified, a thick line of blood dripping down her brow, the smell of burning fabric and the sting of electricity beneath his skin.

Anger, fear, disgust, regret.

The message is clear, “You have no time for such needless distractions.”

Markus grabs Astarion’s wrist as he pushes the elf from his mind, desperate for some comfort but also scared for his safety.

No wonder he believed Sceleritas so quickly, he’d tried to kill someone he cared about before. Had succeeded in the case of his parents in name.

“I…” Markus feels a trembling in his chest. Fear, promising placations, promises that his lapses in judgment were long term plans, that his lack of bloodshed wasn’t stalling, it was all part of a plan.

The Plan.

His head pounds as his mind scrambles, fragments of answers to even more fragmented questions.

Desperate calls for silence, the singing of blood, a moment's respite from the violent flesh craving, desperation and fractions of perfect quiet moments.

His nose is bleeding.

“No need to let that go to waste.”

A cool callused finger wipes his lip.

Markus… Markus wants to sleep.

“Are you hungry?”

Astarion understands.

Astarion understands and Markus knows whatever he had with Gortash didn’t have this. A silent knowing, intrinsic understanding. They had been made rotten by circumstance but Gortash just made Markus’s rot worse.

Gortash saw him a feral lap dog, something kept on a leash and appeased with random bursts of praise and the occasional treat.

Astarion may have started by playing a similar hand, but even his calculated approvals were more heartfelt than the admitted drivel Gortash would randomly lob his way.

Astarion smiles, sultry and playful, the vulnerability being hidden away for another time, another night.

“Oh darling, I thought you’d never ask.”

Markus smiles, his own playful deflections returning as he stands, barely remembering the wet robe that’s been soaking in the wash basin.

He presses his forehead to Astarion’s, a moment of unfettered affection and relief, warmth and understanding, those soft mushy feelings neither of them know how to articulate.

“Don’t keep me waiting.”

Markus nudges forward, just enough for the bridges of their noses to press against each other before standing entirely, tail swaying behind him in an exaggerated tease.

[hollywoodhangar]

5 things!

Tagged by: @silvcrreaper! thank you, dear! :’D this is a really cute meme! I’ll probably use it again in the future bc of that tbh. I’d like to do a lotta characters. Tagging: @mettatoniic / @corviudex, @wcrldlyadventures​, @tcthinecwnself, @scwewywcbbit, @wabbitseezun, @couragelinked​, @contractualsarcasm​, @heedingcalls, @bloominghands, @fairestfall, @blackstardiopside​ / @hellhogged​, & you!

doing this for red’s hardcore over-a-year fixation seriously this woman owns my ass at this point hhggh this thing got way too long!!

CLAUDIA P.

5 THINGS YOU’LL FIND ON HER PERSON.

Her mother's broken pearl necklace. It's very near and dear to her, she's held onto it like a security blanket as well as a trinket for luck & protection ever since Lord Phantomhive whisked her away to the estate. She keeps them safely tucked away in one of her hidden skirt pockets! Those of supernatural origin that are able to detect magical objects can sense there is a Divine blessing on it; it’ll never be lost to Claudia, and those who mean her ill-intent will have their hands burn when they grab at it - almost like they stuck their hand in flames. It’s a precious thing that Máire [ her mother ] has long since used in her prayers specifically to Brigid ever since she was twelve, so it’s instilled with her blessing! 

Her axe. Even when she’s retired, the Countess keeps her silver axe on her person just the same; tucked away in its renewed sheathe that’s hidden under a flap on the back of her dress [ fun headcanon: while undertaker takes his sotoba up from the top of his collar, she pulls her axe down from below ]. Divine magic also touches this weapon; a blessing from the Morrígan in which the blade is kept heinously sharp so long as she gets some sip her blood tribute, absorbing the splatter and gore through the axe’s silver surface and leaving it pristine. Should too long go by without it having a taste of blood it will begin to dull rapidly for the amount of years its gone untouched, but fortunately the Phantomhives never seem to run short of assassins, hitmen and abductors. Her Divine continues to be pleased.

An emerald poison ring. Silver, classy and adorned with the head of a wolf opening its maw to hold a shiny emerald. No one'd expect such a beautiful big gem hides such a heinous poison beneath! It looks pretty neat when she pops it open and the poison pours out of the wolf’s mouth.

[ Enchanted ] Skeleton key. A simple-looking golden key with hidden runes that activate when inserted into magical locks its made for, but it functions like a normal key as well. This key will open absolutely any door in the Phantomhive manor [ unless Sebastian’s room has the same thing going on! ] as well as the invisible locks she has guarding her forest altar. This is also the only thing that will open all doors leading into her bedroom [ the hallway and the balcony ] as those locks are spellbound to react to only the key itself. Vincent’s always tried to pick his way in but could never quite achieve it! I like to think he inherited his mother’s mischievously nosy curiosity. 

Her black choker with a deep green brooch embedded in its middle. It hides the scar paved along her throat from the attempted assassination. Don’t want anyone seeing that, especially not family. v_v

5 THINGS YOU’LL FIND IN HER ROOM.

Her bed, of course! Mahogany framed. It’s enormous, as to be expected for a Countess. It’s extremely soft, easy to sink into and piled with many lace-ended pillows. Heavy, wool-knitted beige blankets lay over the very top, plush to the touch and covering the white and green sheets beneath it. Deep green curtains with leaf embroidery are tied to the bed posts with dark brown rope, and close all around the bed when Claudia turns in for the night -- except for the curtains at the foot. Those stay partially open to absorb the heat from the fireplace. As for the back of the bed, she built it herself! It has an enormous, full-length mirror installed into its wooden frame and a long, smooth surface below for convenience. It has two lamps at both ends that are within reach. 

Lovely mannequins. Rested next to the balcony are two simple manniquens. One is the bearer of her Brigid cloak, the hood pulled up and draped over to obsfuscate the face. Its arms are stretched forwards, hands splayed up with the ceremonial cloth and ropes used for Claudia’s handfasting ceremony; the pearls that were wrapped around all that hanging from its neck. Opposite of that is the other manniquen. Covered with a deep, dark duster, a peasant blouse, tight black pants and thigh-high boots give off a familiar visage of the Countess during her Watchdog days. Around its waist hangs a very intricate rich brown leather belt with lots of slots in it, weaponized chatelaines and satchels with golden clasps - and a golden wolf head as the buckle in front center.

Secret compartments. Many secret locked compartments in the walls she installed herself [ ^ that can only be opened by aforementioned skeleton key, or a very determined and powerful supernatural force ], hidden behind landscape portraits and animal print wall tapestries. She keeps various things in them: Tonics & Poisons. These are very rare breeds of both, being highly efficient in what they’re made for specifically. There’s vials of strange-looking gnarled roots and various colored liquids stored in here as well, along with herbs (??) hanging from the top. Inheritance. The late Lord Phantomhive left Claudia a fortune, most of which she sent to charity, but kept her own sum for emergencies sake. But that is not all he left her; there’s a small pile of letters, some opened, some remaining closed with different seals. There’s also an envelope in here for Claudia specifically, opened and re-sealed. What’s inside is information concerning safe passage to a number of locations and a list of names. Near the very end, the Lord gave Claudia a way out if she ever felt the need to flee from the Phantomhive title; she’s the only blood left. He would not hold it against her to forfeit the Watchdog title, he’d be dead - he has no reason to care for anything at that point. It’s a very bittersweet gift Claudia’s gone back and forth more than once and plans to hand down to the Undertaker “if I go before he does”. She trusts him to hold onto it and give to any Phantomhive who starts feeling pushed to the brink. Altars. A small altar for each of her Goddesses exists in the walls, in twin compartments side-by-side, their doors marked with the carvings of an anvil and a raven. Brigid’s altar is warm, decorated with handmade trinkets and rolled up drawings. The Morrígan’s is dark, positively dark and dimly lit with this very small icy blue lantern that hangs from the top, and the rest of it is decorated with fans fastened from raven feathers and odd white-crimson candles -- that contain her own blood.  Memonto Mori. Death has been embraced around Claudia for so much of her life, so she’s dedicated her own reminder of that in a “.. yet I survived” way.  Mementos from the Famine in the form of mothbitten fabric from the nightgown she wore that entire time and a lock of hair that had fallen out, from the first attempt on her life by a kidnapper in the form of the rusting gun he had and the bottled flesh & muscle she tore from his throat that earned her the title “Wolf of Winchester” among the Aristocrats of Evil, from the nigh successful assassination in the form of the bloodied gown fabric and pressed white roses that wear dried crimson on their petals. There is nothing for the Phantomhive Fire. This rebuilt manor is a jarring memento mori of its own now. 

Cherry wood bookcases. It is stacked with books of worldwide mythology, folklore, natural remedies, strange leatherbacks, and lots of journals Claudia’s written personally over the years. There’s pictures of loved ones wrapped in oval-shaped, polished wooden frames, a lot of old wooden toys she made for her progeny that they’ve grown out of, a black onyx hand with all fingers lined with rings she made herself and holding an ornate athame. Currently, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” sits with a long brown & white feather serving as a bookmarker. 

Urns. Three very precious porcelain urns that are specifically customized to fit the lives they belonged to: Vincent, Rachel, and Claudia’s seven hounds. While she drew the designs for Vincent and her hounds, she let Rachel’s parents decide how they wanted their daughter’s urn handled. She passed the drawings to the Undertaker and he made them to perfection. They rest on the previously mentioned bookshelf, side-by-side in a very gorgeous center display, with fresh white roses, rosemary, gladiolus & lilies from the garden surrounding them and small lanterns constantly providing a low, gentle golden light. There’s candles that have been melted to their hilts and others that are brand new.

5 THINGS THAT MAKE HER HAPPY.

DOGS. 

Mythology. Mythology and folklore have always been incredibly fascinating to her! They can easily eat hours away as she delves herself into learning more and more about them and re-reading the ones she already knows.

Family. I've said it once, I've said it twice, Claudia's a woman who adores to be surrounded by family. Her attempts to convince the Midfords to join with the Phantomhive household have gone shot down by both her grandson and her daughter. One day she’ll prevail. One day. She won’t but she can dream of having a full house again, let her dream.

The countryside. Honestly, the fact they live here instead of in the city was something of an immense comfort to Claudia because it’s a little reminscent of Donegal. She regularly takes Gelert for a walk and finds a nice green pasture to just sit in for a while and enjoy the wind. It brings such a huge wash of calm and relief and what she turns to when feeling absolutely stressed, anxious or angry. Her natural dopamine hit!

Sweets. The Countess has a bad sweet tooth like her grandson and loves to eat sweet things, including things of her own baking and creating! Wave any delectable sugary sweet before her face and you have her attention - not her compliance, but her attention. [ 1v1 phantomhive discourse is continuously stealing the other’s treats. she doesn’t even recall who started it but it is an on-going War. ] 

5 THINGS SHE'S CURRENTLY INTO.

Infinite woodworking! She has several projects going on at the moment, one being a boat and another being a marionette bitter rabbit she’s eventually going to get around to painting. Both gifts!

Foraging. Sure she can easily send the servants to buy this stuff from the market, but she likes to retrieve them herself. There’s a lot of berries and edible/medicinal plants in season right now and she’s pretty happy about that. :) Mulberries galore.

Reading. Very good exercise for her brain as she’s getting a little more forgetful in her old age, so keeping it busy with things like this strengthens her mentally. At the moment she’s not only reading Frankenstein, but she’s also reading about Japan mythology! That, and about strange monsters & creatures encountered at sea, actual accounts taken down by the author of the book who interviewed many-a sailor. 

Hunting. Not only does it give her a grand excuse to get out of the manor, but she needs to keep her archery sharp and Gelert in shape. 

Summer Games. Speaking of which, she has a title to defend! Sporting events are beginning to ramp up and the Phantomhive name continues to hold first place in the Archery branch, much to the chagrin of many who try their aim & speed against the Countess And Lose. Also, the events are always a bunch of fun to take part in - she’s dragging along anyone available.

5 THINGS THINGS ON HER TO-DO LIST.

Finish the on-going "Misfortune's Way" Funtom board game with Ciel. [ Ciel: 9. Claudia: 9. Neck-to-neck. Who Will Win? ]

Continue work on the boat she's created for the Midfords. She needs to finish carving their family crest into the right side of it and hollow out the rest of the bow. So much work to be done! But four months of blood, sweat and tears are going to pay off. :)

Fix that TERRIBLY painful floorboard her foot keeps hitting. It's been on this list for about a week now. She keeps forgetting or gets sidetracked! She’s getting a bruise. :( [ have tanaka do it? no no, she lets that poor man rest now. have sebastian do it? not a chance. "Are ya daft!? I ain't about to have that damned vulture creepin' about my own private quarters." ]

Pack up Tanaka, cook some food [ avoid bard. he always offers, she always declines after he set a strawberry cobbler she requested on fire right before her own eyes, and then proceeded to catch a portion of the kitchen on fire. she was so stunned she didn’t even notice Sebastian come in and bat out the flames LMAO. ], make some tea and head out with Gelert to her favorite spot to chill in the countryside and soak up the rays of Summer. She’s been so much colder than normal lately and needs to a b s o r b s u n. It’s Summer! She shouldn’t be freezing this much! [ although it is funny to put her hand on the back of people’s necks when they complain about the heat and watch them flip ]

Commune with the Goddesses at her forest altar. Bring the landscape painting she’s done for Brigid, bring the bloodied clothes of a fallen enemy for The Morrígan.

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: The Omen Collection

In the pantheon of religious horror, the holy trinity consists of The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, and The Omen. Although The Omen arrived last, opening on June 6, 1976, it arguably offers more excitement than its satanic brethren (which is not to say that it is a superior film). Likely to be considered a slow-burner by today's standards, the picture builds tension and unravels a mystery at a meticulous pace, but it's punctuated by elaborate, Rube Goldberg-ian death scenes.

The Omen spawned a trilogy of films, a made-for-television sequel, and a modern remake. Scream Factory has collected all five movies in The Omen Collection, which is limited to 10,000 units. Besting Fox's earlier Blu-ray set - which omitted Part IV and featured some of the worst box set packaging known to man - each film is packaged in an individual Blu-ray case with original artwork within a rigid slipcover case. It boasts a deluge of extras, new and old.

In the original film, American diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck, To Kill a Mockingbird) and his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick, Anatomy of a Murder), adopt a baby named Damien (Harvey Stephens) after their own child is stillborn. Beginning with his fifth birthday, a string of mysterious deaths surround Damien. Upon being presented with convincing evidence by a photographer (David Warner, Tron), Robert becomes convinced that his son is none other than the antichrist, and he is faced with the task of stopping him to prevent Armageddon.

Firing on all cylinders, The Omen is an exemplary horror film. Working from a well-constructed script by David Seltzer (Shining Through, Prophecy), director Richard Donner grounds the story firmly in reality. The fantastical elements are easy to swallow, as each and every incident in the plot could be mere coincidence. Peck brings a gravitas to the production, leading a strong cast in which Remick also holds her own. Even the six-year-old Stephens, who never acted before and did very little after, is convincingly malevolent.

John Richardson's (Aliens, Harry Potter) special effects for the proto-Final Destination deaths - including one of the greatest beheadings ever committed on celluloid - remain shocking after more than 40 years. Cinematographer Gilbert Taylor (Star Wars: A New Hope, Dr. Strangelove) captures it all with clean camerawork, while Jerry Goldsmith (Alien, Gremlins) provides a chilling orchestral score elevated to pure evil with choral chanting.

The Omen has been newly mastered in 4K from the original negative, approved by Donner, for the new release. The result is a pristine presentation with improved detail and color saturation over Fox’s previous high-definition transfer. The Omen carries a whopping four audio commentaries. One, featuring special project consultant Scott Michael Bosco, is new. His audio sounds compressed - as if it were recorded on a cell phone - but it's dense with details focusing on the theological aspects. Bosco often digresses, but I appreciate the fresh perspective rather than a historian reciting IMDb trivia.

The other audio commentaries include: a track with Donner and editor Stuart Baird (Lethal Weapon, Skyfall), in which the two old friends reminisce about the highs and lows of the production; a track with Donner and filmmaker Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, L.A. Confidential), which features as much good-natured joking as it does insight; and a track with film historians Lem Dobbs, Nick Redman, and Jeff Bond, largely focusing on Goldsmith's score. A lot of information is repeated across the commentaries, but the varying viewpoints make them all worth listening to.

Seltzer and actress Holly Palance (who plays the nanny whose suicide by hanging is among the film’s most memorable moment) sit down for new interviews. Seltzer's chat is particularly enjoyable, as he's candid and humble. He openly states that his script is not as good as the movie it birthed. He also shares what he would have done if he had the opportunity to write the sequel. Palance, the daughter of the great Jack Palance, recounts her naivety about working on her first film and shooting her iconic death scene. The final new extra is an appreciation of The Omen's score by composer Chris Young, who says he looked to Goldsmith's progression across The Omen trilogy as he was scoring the Hellraiser films. It's fascinating to hear one accomplished professional praise another in their field.

All of the archival extras are ported over: a thorough, 15-minute interview with Donner from 2008; 666: The Omen Revealed, a 46-minute retrospective from 2000 featuring crew members along with religious experts to provide context; The Omen Revelations, which is essentially a streamlined version of 666, recycling much of its footage in 24 minutes; Curse or Coincidence, in which the crew recounts a variety of curious incidents that nearly derailed the production; an introduction by Donner; a deleted scene with commentary by Donner; an older interview with Seltzer, which features a lot of the same information as the new one; and an interview with Goldsmith about his score. There's also an appreciation of The Omen by filmmaker Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street), in which the master of horror waxes poetic about the influential picture for 20 minutes; Trailers from Hell trailer commentary by filmmaker Larry Cohen (The Stuff), who cites The Omen as one of his favorite movies; the trailer; TV spots; radio spots; and four image galleries: stills, behind-the-scenes, posters and lobby cards, and publicity.

Following the massive success of the first film, Fox fast-tracked a sequel, Damien: Omen II, to open in 1978. Having narrowly survived the events of The Omen, a 12-year-old Damien (Jonathan Scott-Taylor) now lives with his affluent uncle, Richard Thorn (William Holden, Sunset Blvd.), aunt, Ann (Lee Grant, In the Heat of the Night), and cousin, Mark (Lucas Donat), in Chicago. Damien is ostensibly a well-adjusted kid, unaware of who - or what - he is, but those who cross him wind up dead in freak accidents.

Omen II's plotting mirrors that of the first film, but the mystery aspect that made the original so effective is gone. The viewer knows from the start that Damien is, in fact, the antichrist, so they're left waiting for the characters to catch up. The plot dedicates an inordinate amount of time to Thorn's business enterprises, which is only vaguely paid of in the next installment when Damien rises to power. On the bright side, there are several admirably inventive deaths in the tradition of the first, from a bird attack that would make Alfred Hitchcock jealous to a visceral elevator bisection to a harrowing scene of a man trapped in a pond under ice.

Since Donner had moved on to Superman and Seltzer was either uninterested or not asked (depending on the source) to pen the sequel, a new creative team was employed. Stanley Mann (Firestarter, Conan the Destroyer) and Mike Hodges (Get Carter, Flash Gordon) wrote the script, with the latter set to direct. Hodges only shot for a few days, during which he quickly fell behind schedule, before being swiftly replaced by Don Taylor (Escape from the Planet of the Apes). Goldsmith returns to score with a worthy successor, retaining the signature sound while expanding it to incorporate electronics.

Leo McKern is the only returning cast member, reprising his role as archaeologist Carl Bugenhagen in the prologue. Peck's formidable presence is sorely missed, but Holden - who, incidentally, turned down the lead role in The Omen - and Grant bring some prestige to the production. Scott-Taylor is a convincing surrogate for Stephens, but the child acting leaves a bit to be desired. It's offset by a supporting cast that includes Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Lew Ayres (All Quiet on the Western Front), Sylvia Sidney (Beetlejuice), Allan Arbus (M*A*S*H), and Meshach Taylor (Mannequin).

Damien: Omen II's Blu-ray disc features new interviews with Grant, who is proud of the sequel and shares a funny anecdote about discovering her first wrinkle while filming; Foxworth, who was able to get to know Holden, one of his heroes, on their daily commute; and actress Elizabeth Sheppard, who proudly discusses working with Holden as well as Vincent Price (on The Tomb of Ligeia). In a separate featurette, Sheppard narrates a gallery of her personal photos from the shoot, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the bird attack sequence.

Since Omen II's mythology has little biblical foundation, Bosco's new commentary features even more tenuous tangents, but it affords him the opportunity to discuss the franchise more subjectively. An archival commentary with producer Harvey Bernhard proves to be a bit more informative. The disc also includes a vintage making-of featurette consisting of clips, interviews, and footage from the set, along with the trailer, a TV spot, a radio spot, and a still gallery.

The Omen trilogy came to a conclusion in 1981 with Omen III: The Final Conflict - although it proved not to be final after all. As prophesied, Damien (Sam Neill, Jurassic Park), now 33 - the same age as Jesus when he was crucified - has risen to political power. Following the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain’s ghastly suicide, Damien is appointed the position, which was once held by his adoptive father. The only true foe for the antichrist is, naturally, Christ himself. Rather than bringing about the apocalypse, as the franchise had been driving toward since the beginning, Damien attempts to prevent the second coming in a sanctimonious conclusion to the story arc.

While no successor could top the original Omen, its first sequel smartly embraced the gratuitous death scenes. For the third installment, however, director Graham Baker (Alien Nation) made a conscious effort to avoid them. Instead, he delivers inept monks trying to assassinate Damien with the Seven Daggers of Megiddo, while the antichrist’s legion of apostles murder newborn males who are the potential Christ child. Andrew Birkin's (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) script leans further into religiosity at the expensive of the horror elements while interjecting silly mythology akin to Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Omen III: The Final Conflict's Blu-ray disc features new interviews with Baker, who takes a truly retrospective look back on the film, comparing the society of today to that of when it was produced; Birkin, who hadn't seen The Omen when he first met for the gig and wasn't particularly impressed when he finally watched it; and production assistant Jeanne Ferber, who explains how she was among those polled by Bernhard to help choose the lead, with Neill selected unanimously.

For his final commentary in the set, Bosco is back to pointing out the film's connections to scripture, leading to a lengthy tirade comparing Christianity and Judaism. An archival track with Baker has a few nuggets of information among extended gaps of silence, but most of his points are addressed more concisely in the new interview. Special features are rounded out by the trailer, TV spots, and a still gallery.

Although The Omen’s main storyline continued with two more book sequels, Fox opted to use the familiar title for a made-for-television movie on their budding network in 1991. Although dubbed Omen IV: The Awakening, the film largely serves as a remake of the original film but with a female antichrist. After numerous failed attempts to get pregnant, politician Gene York (Michael Woods) and his wife, Karen (Faye Grant, V), adopt an orphan girl. Seven years later, Delia (Asia Vieira, A Home at the End of the World) becomes increasingly violent and manipulative, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake.

Similar to Omen II's production troubles, Omen IV started with Jorge Montesi (Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal) in the director's chair, but he was fire mid-shoot and replaced by Dominique Othenin-Girard (Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers). Writer Brian Taggert (Poltergeist III) keeps the basic structure of Seltzer's original script intact, but the details of each beat are altered and the death scenes are subdued for TV. In addition to gender-swapping the creepy kid, it's the mother who is proactive this time around.

Despite maintaining the general outline of The Omen, the plot is harder to believe this time around, stretching the required suspension of disbelief to include psychics that can read auras. The most ludicrous plot point comes in the form of a shoehorned connection to The Omen mythology. This "twist" canonically positions Omen IV as a sequel rather than a thinly-veiled remake, but it feels more like a low-budget knockoff than an official installment in the franchise.

Omen IV: The Awakening doesn't have any audio commentaries, but its Blu-ray debut includes a new interview with Taggert, who breaks down several of the major choices made in the script. It also contains The Omen Legacy, a feature-length documentary on the franchise that aired on TV in 2001. Narrated by Jack Palance (City Slickers), it finds cast and crew members (including a couple of folks who don't appear in any other special features) and religious figures (the Church of Satan’s high priestess among them) discussing all four films while playing up the alleged curse. The trailer and a still gallery are also included.

Amidst the onslaught of horror remakes that dominated the early 2000s, Fox shrewdly capitalized with The Omen in 2006 - on 6/6/06, to be exact. Director John Moore (Max Payne) offers slick production value and an inspired cast, but it feels wholly unnecessary considering how closely it follows the original script. Seltzer is the only credited writer, but it's unclear if his 40-year-old script was simply polished off or if he was involved in re-writes, as there are some subtle changes to contemporize it. While it fails to bring anything new to the table, it’s a stronger effort than Omen IV.

Liev Schreiber (Scream) and Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You) star as the Thorns. Talented as they are, they lack the chemistry of Peck and Remick. Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick is successfully creepy as the new Damien, while the role's originator, Harvey Stephens, makes a quick cameo. In a particularly motivated bit of stunt casting, Mia Farrow (Rosemary's Baby) plays the antichrist's new nanny. David Thewlis (Harry Potter) and Pete Postlethwaite (The Lost World: Jurassic Park) also have supporting roles.

The remake is the only Blu-ray in the set that doesn't offer any new special features. The existing extras cover a lot of ground, but it would’ve been interesting to hear the crew reflect back on it. Omenisms is a 37-minute documentary exploring the pressures of making a movie with a release date set in advance, even showing Moore losing his temper and yelling at a producer. It feels very of its time, with director Stephen French  treating the piece like a hip art film, but it contains a lot of great material.

Moore, producer Glenn Williamson, and editor Dan Zimmermann participate in an audio commentary that's fairly informative but doesn't touch on many of the trials and tribulations showcased in Omenisms. There's also a featurette about Marco Beltrami (Scream) recording his score at the legendary Abbey Road Studio; Revelation 666, a cheesy TV special tracing the history, interpretation, and theories of 666; unrated, extended scenes, including a longer version of the ending; and theatrical trailers.

While The Exorcist remains the be-all and end-all of occult horror, The Omen franchise as a whole is more consistent. The first three Omen films comprise a cohesive trilogy, while Part IV and the remake each offer a fresh, if flawed, perspective on the material. Between the movies, commentaries, interviews, and featurettes, The Omen Collection contains over 30 hours of content, making it an unbelievable value and a must-have for any horror collector.

The Omen Collection is available now on Blu-ray via Scream Factory.

[petalpetal]

a list of OC’s sorta I like playing dress up games and sometimes with a certain character design I come up with a personality and backstory idk if I would ever use them anything maybe like DND or something but other then that idk anyway here there are so I can have a refrence post of them to go back to.

here is part 1

 Also i want to get this clear there are two schools that several characters go to. One is for Wizards (anyone regardless of race can to here to study to be a Witch or a Wizard) and a school for Magical beings, this school has mostly magical and mythical beings but some humans who have mixed blood in them attend as well. Both are boarding schools but the Wizard one has a uniform while the magical being one does not. the reason why most of them are in high school is because I love the highschool setting dymanic. its mainly because I kept setting them as high schoolers and then in my head i was like “DUDE WHAT IF THEY ALL WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL”

Name: Lethe

Gender: Female

Race: Teifling

Extra: her hair is wrapped around her horns

her mother couldnt bare children but despretly wanted a child so she saught help in the form of magic idk how but some how a Demon tricked her and gave her some magic something and she ended up getting pregnate but since the contract she made with the man turned out to be a dark contract (which she didnt know at the time) her child was born a teifling and because of the child's demonic origin she and her child where ostracized from their community This is was part of the demons plan for he needed a vessel for some big scheme he had so the Demon took the mother and girl in and the girl was raised on dark magic gifted to her by her father. But once she learned that her father has been planning on using her a vessel for some dark god or something thus giving up her free will she ran away

Name: Abigail

Gender: Female 

Race: Human

Extra: she some where between the age of 11-15

A pirate captain who is somewhat respected by her crew despite her young age

Name: Amanita

Gender: Female 

Race: Human with a little something else in her

Extra: doesn’t know her parents and lives with her grandparents.

a bratty high schooler who is somewhat a bully she is has an affinity for fungus. After too to many calls from the teachers she was transfered to the school for magical beings due to her affinity to fungus

Name: Angelica 

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Extra: she goes to a school for rich kids 

A girl who cant seem to calm down around her crush

Name: Anna

Gender: Female

Race: ?????

Extra: was a adopted and raised by ghosts 

A girl who lives in a graveyard and talk to the dead goes to a school for magical beings

Name: Bliss

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Extra: only cares about one thing and that’s Money 

a Maid who so totally hates her job and wants to find a boyfriend

Name: Celeste

Gender: Nonbinary

Race: Elemental idk 

Extra: they control wind

a super chill dude goes to a school for other magical beings 

Name: Cordelia 

Gender: Female

Race: Elf

Extra: She’s afraid of bugs 

a prodigy at the wizard school she goes too and if things look like they are going south she will not hesitate to bail and save her own skin 

Name: Edge

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Extra: extremely naive 

a boy destined for great things

Name: Eva

Gender: Nonbinary

Race: Human

extra: wants to be florist

I wanted a snarky emo/goth character and thus Eva was created  

Name: Isaac

Gender: Nonbinary

Race: Human

Extra: he might go to the same school as Cordelia 

Likes to tease people

Name: Isabella 

Gender: Female 

Race: Human

Extra: she is the third child out of five

a well mannered young lady who comes from a well to do family

Name: Ivy

Gender: Female

Race:?????

Extra: when asked where shes from her response is space 

a girl who unknown origin and kind of wants to keep it that way 

Name: Lavendar

Gender: Female

Race: Bug

Extra: calls everyone a bother but in realty she holds her friends close and dear to her heart

goes to school for magical beings maybe the same one as Celeste and Anna

Name: Kotone

Gender: Trans Girl

Race: sheep person??

extra: does she have hands or hooves who knows???

despite got accepted into the school for magical beings due to her being a music prodigy. Also she plays the koto which is where her name comes from

Name: Mystery 

Gender: ?????

Race: ????

Extra: wants to be a detective 

goes to the school for magical beings what for?? no one knows not even the faculty. 

Name: Nadine 

Gender: Female

Race: Half Flower Spirit Half Demon

Extra: Her mother was cherry blossom spirit because of this she can only access her powers during cherry blossom season other then that she relies on potions and magical science  

a very studious girl who has a hard time making friends. Goes to the school for magical beings.

Name: Octavia

Gender: Female

Race: Half Human

Extra: doesn't have any friends her age 

comes from a family of demon hunters 

Name: Opal 

Gender: Female

Race: Water Spirit

Extra: her personality is similar to Mami Honda from Gals!

Goes to the school for magical beings and is kind of a shopaholic 

Name: Prudence 

Gender: Female

Race: Half demon Half angel 

Extra: some days shes on the side of good and others on the side of evil 

goes to the school for magical beings. Don’t let her goody two shoes act fool you

Name: Rosemary

Gender: Female

Race: Human

extra: works at a boutique

A friend of Bliss who is tired of her complaining 

Name: Sybella

Gender: Female

Race: Angel

Extra: A cousin of Prudence

A quite a girl and Kotones best friend goes to the school of magical beings

Name: Trip

Gender: Nonbinary 

Race: shapshifter

Extra: they can never make a complete identical copy of someone 

a trouble maker shapeshifter who goes to the school for magical beings 

Name: Whisper

Gender: Nonbinary

Race: Angel

Extra: is not related to Prudence or Sybella

An Angel who rather skip their angellic training to go goof off. goes to the school for magical beings

Name:  Twilight

Gender: Female

Race: Elf

Extra: is the youngest teacher at the Wizard academy

despite her young appearance she is over 60 

Name: Velvet 

Gender: Female

Race: Half-Elf

Extra: it takes her two hours to do her hair every morning 

goes to the wizard academy. Specializes in sowing magic  

[kat-feinated]

My favorite Denver restaurants

How was your week?

My week included being invited to have a threesome with two of my work clients, who are both meth addicts and lost custody of their child due to said meth addiction.

My boss asked me to send the text to her and just replied “FOR GOD SAKE” and I feel like that’s the perfect summary of my year.

Speaking of meth, we finally finished watching “Tiger King” this week. I know I know, that show is so one month ago. But I have a lot of thoughts that I need to share with the world.

1. Did anyone else find Joe really sympathetic and felt bad for him? Yes, I know he’s unstable and probably killed animals and stuff but I found him...endearing!? 

2. Doc Antle is the creepiest ever ever ever. 

3. Jeff Lowe sucks. And his wife is way too young for him. And THE WHOLE THING WITH THE NANNY I JUST CAN’T.

4. The guy with no legs whose name I can’t remember was my favorite character. And just seems so normal. How did he end up there!?

5. I’m proud of Saff for standing up for Joe in the aftershow...everyone else just sold him down the river!

6. Howard Baskin. Howard Baskin singing. Howard Baskin’s wedding photos with Carole Baskin. The show is worth watching just for Howard Baskin.

7. Do I think Carole murdered her husband and fed him to a tiger? Yes. Would I still hang out with her in a heartbeat? ABSOLUTELY.

8. I’m extremely mad that I didn’t come up with “hey all you cool cats and kittens”. And now it’s already over-used.

Do you miss eating at restaurants as much as I do? (Probably not because you’re probably a normal person who has friends and other hobbies). I miss restaurants so much it HURTS. I miss looking up menus and deciding what I’m going to order days before I go. I miss people-watching and commenting on everyone else’s food. I miss kind servers bringing me baskets of bread and drinks that I didn’t make. I MISS RESTAURANTS YOU GUYS.

So, while I’m eagerly waiting for restaurants to start re-opening, I thought it would be fun to share my very favorite places to eat in Denver. Share this list with your favorite Denver local! Or better yet, come visit Denver and try these spots out (and invite me!!). 

Cuba Cuba: This was the first restaurant I tried in Denver, because it’s across the street from our old apartment. It’s located in an adorable blue bungalow but is surprisingly spacious on the inside. For drinks, order their house made mojitos or a pina colada. For appetizers, order the plantain chips with guacamole and garlic sauce (YUM) or the empanadas. Everything I’ve eaten there for dinner has been delicious, but I especially love the coconut shrimp and the chimichurri steak.

Perfect for: a date night or girls’ night where you feel like getting a little dressed up (but you’d be fine going there dressed more casually).

Rioja: This is my mom’s favorite Denver restaurant, and she insists we go every single time she’s in town. It’s located in Larimer Square, the cutest and most charming street in downtown Denver. It’s a bunch of old Victorian buildings that have been converted into restaurants and shops, and the street is decorated with twinkly lights and Colorado state flags so it’s a great spot to get a touristy picture when you visit.

The menu changes constantly, so it’s hard to recommend exactly what to order, but you can’t go wrong with the pasta dishes. They are known for their artichoke tortelloni and it’s honestly the best pasta I’ve ever eaten in my life. Last time we also ordered the tagliatelle and clams which was fantastic. For starters, order the smoked pear and raclette if it’s available-so yummy.

Also, Rioja makes all their bread in house, and it’s probably our favorite part of the restaurant. Waiters literally come around with a giant tray of bread and I always try every single type. The lavender sourdough and rosemary biscuit are life-changing.

Perfect for: when your parents come visit (and pay!) or a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday dinner. It is on the pricey side.

Work & Class: This is probably the Denver restaurant I’ve eaten at the most. Located in the very hip Five Points neighborhood, Work & Class is always busy and does not take reservations, so I would recommend going on a random weeknight vs. a Friday or Saturday. If you do go on the weekend, plan on an hour plus wait-the good news is you’re surrounded by bars and breweries to help pass the time.

Work & Class is a South American/American fusion restaurant, and everything is served tapas (small plates) style, so go with someone you are cool sharing with. They have fabulous in-house cocktails which change seasonally, so definitely order one while you peruse the menu. It’s hard to make food recommendations since I’ve probably tried everything on the menu and have never been disappointed, but some of my favorites include: the lamb, the empanadas, the mac & cheese, and any of their vegetable side dishes.

Perfect for: your group of friends who you’re comfortable sharing with (eating off of each other’s plates!).

Mercantile Dining & Provisions: This is another spot that my mom insists on visiting every time she comes to Denver. It’s located in Union Station in downtown Denver, which is itself a great spot to visit. It’s an old train station (that is still a working train station) but also home to a hotel, an ice cream parlor, a bookshop, a florist, and every other small adorable business you can imagine.

Mercantile serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (I’ve had all 3 there), but my mom and I have created what we believe is the perfect system for dining there. We always go on the day she is leaving town, since she can take the train from Union Station to the Denver Airport after our meal. We try to go around 11am, and we order a raspberry muffin. My mom doesn’t even like muffins, but these are no ordinary muffins-not too sweet, perfectly fluffy, moist (I’M SORRY) -just sheer perfection. After sitting and people watching for about an hour, we then order a short rib sandwich around noon, as soon as they start serving their lunch menu (it gets quite busy at this time). SO GOOD. SO TASTY. Plus, the restaurant itself is so cute-it looks like Joanna Gaines designed the perfect black-and-white chic modern farmhouse.

Perfect for: brunch/lunch after a morning exploring downtown Denver, or a quick bite before catching the train to the airport.

Lowdown Brewery: Is it cheating that this is actually a brewery and not a restaurant? I say it counts because they make all their food in house. I don’t always love going to the popular breweries around Denver because they’re usually packed. I’ve never seen Lowdown packed and in my opinion it’s the best brewery in Denver in terms of food and ambience-and the beer is good too!

Not only do they make and sell their own beers, but their menu always features a seasonally rotating list of Colorado beers as well. They have a lot of IPA’s (which I despise but everyone else seems to love). I’ve tried their blood orange wheat, selfish (pale ale), and their blackberry sour and have enjoyed all three. In terms of food, you can’t go wrong with any of their pizzas, salads, or sandwiches, but I personally can’t get enough of their beer cheese dip (served with broccoli, apple slices, and soft pretzel bites-I’M DROOLING).

Perfect for: sitting out on their patio with friends in the warm weather. Bring your dog!

El Five: El Five has one of the coolest views of downtown Denver, not to mention delicious food and drinks and great service. Their sangria is the best I’ve ever tasted, but they have tons of great cocktail, beer and wine choices if that’s not your thing (but also what is wrong with you). For appetizers, try the spreads of the med-a platter of house made pita, hummus, and veggies. For their traditional tapas, I’ve tried and enjoyed the patatas bravas, the shrimp & calamari, and the goat cheese croquettes. Then, of course, you must try their paella. I’ve tried both the Valencian (made with rabbit confit!) and the seafood and would recommend either. Be prepared to log roll out of the restaurant when you’re finished because you will have gained 100 pounds.

Perfect for: a festive date night, dinner with your parents, drinks with your girlfriends-just be prepared for an expensive bill.

Stowaway: I’ve only been to Stowaway once, right before the shelter in place order started, but I’ve been dreaming about it ever since. First of all, it is tucked into the cutest former warehouse-turned-hipster-coffee shop/brunch spot, complete with exposed pipes and red brick walls. I AM HERE FOR IT.

We went on a Sunday morning with some friends who warned us to expect a bit of a wait. Fortunately, the Denver Central Market is just a few blocks away so we were able to enjoy some cocktails and/or coffee while we waited.

When we finally got in, I ordered the Colorful Colorado (an egg dish) because of the 8 million reviews I’d read ahead of time that told me I must order this dish or live a life of unending misery and regret (ok, that might be a slight exaggeration but it was something along those lines). I also split the fruit toast with Joshua because I have to order something sweet and something savory when I go to brunch (I know I have a problem, just leave me alone). Both were so freaking good. I can’t wait to go back soon and try everything on their menu (or more likely, order the same two dishes over and over again).

Perfect for: brunch with your favorite hipster friend.

Linger: This is the one restaurant on my list that I love more for the location/ambience than for the food, though the food is certainly tasty. Linger is located in my favorite neighborhood in Denver (LoHi or Lower Highlands) and the building it’s in USED TO BE A MORTUARY. Like, WHERE DEAD PEOPLE WOULD BE SENT AFTER THEY DIED. I personally find this so cool, and if this freaks you out, you would never know except that I just told you (sorry). It’s very airy inside with cozy mood lighting and exposed brick walls. This is another place that does small plates and they’re all globally-inspired street food dishes-the menu is literally divided by continent (i.e. Asia, Africa). For drinks, order the turmeric mule. For eating, you really can’t go wrong, but some dishes I’ve enjoyed include: the bao buns, the impossible burger persian sliders, the tuna tostadas, and the potato masala dosa. Skip dessert because right around the corner you’ll find Little Man Ice Cream-one of my favorite ice cream spots in the city.

Perfect for: a first date/date night, a girls’ night, or a summer brunch on their rooftop bar.

Snooze: Full disclosure-Snooze is a chain and is not just located in Denver; they have locations across Colorado and in a few other states including Texas and California. That being said, I just have to include it on my list because I believe it is completely worth the hype.

Because there is always a long wait (I’m talking 2 hours sometimes), we always go on a Monday morning when there’s a federal holiday that other people don’t get off, such as Columbus Day. Don’t kid yourself-there will still be a wait, but it will hopefully be closer to one hour. Plus, they give out free coffee while you wait!

I don’t even like pancakes, but I always order the pancakes here. ORDER THE DAMN PANCAKES PEOPLE. You can even get a pancake flight where you can sample three different types of pancakes (I highly recommend the blueberry danish pancakes and the sweet potato pancakes). If I’m in a savory mood, I’ll order the breakfast tacos with a side of one pancake.

Perfect for: brunch with your friend, brunch with family or anyone with kids, brunch with your arch nemesis, brunch with anyone.

Hopefully this list made you excited to go back to restaurants again in the future, instead of depressed! And please send me your best restaurant recommendations! These conversations are what I live for.

[raywritesthings]

In the Dead of Night 6/9

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Laurel Lance, Oliver Queen, Nyssa al Ghul, Ra’s al Ghul Pairing: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen (Eventual) Summary: Oliver Queen returns to Starling City after five years away, three years after Sara Lance was found and rescued by her mother. More troubling to him is Laurel’s abrupt and unexplained absence from the city for the same length of time that her sister’s been home. Three years into the past, Dinah Lance makes a terrible choice. Warning: Canon-Typical Violence/Death in This Chapter *Can be read on my AO3 or FFN (links to both accounts are in bio)*

Three years ago

Their stay at Nanda Parbat was brief. It was less than a week before they were sent out again, this time to the territory surrounding Kabul. Instead of a hotel, it seemed the League had their own place members operated out of when in the area. Laurel wondered whose home this used to be.

“Your target is a warlord. He has contributed to the terrible instability in this region, and there is the blood of countless on his hands. The Westerners will never bring him to their International Court because of the aid he sometimes gives the American troops. But he also supplies weapons to the insurgents — he profits off the fighting. He is better dead than allowed to continue.”

Laurel nodded. She had a feeling Nyssa was trying to assuage her guilt in telling her all of this more than anything. Her friend took off the quiver slung over her back and held it out to her.

“A distance weapon would be best in this case.”

Easier, was what she didn’t say. But they both knew it. Laurel took the quiver and bow and silently left the safe house.

The warlord lived in a compound intensely guarded. She was in comparatively lighter attire than usual to blend in, but the sweat ran down her forehead as she made slow, incremental progress further past each defense, knowing that one false move would end everything. For her, and for her city.

Her target’s voice could be heard from an open window. He was sitting in a chair and speaking, whether to someone in the room or over the phone she could not tell. Laurel readied her stance and her shot.

It was easy. Easy in the sense that she had practiced the motions a thousand times. Draw back, hold, and release.

The arrow sailed true, straight through the window and into the warlord’s chest. Laurel stood frozen for a moment, eyes locked on his form as it seized and slumped forward, the life leaving him as suddenly as if she had just cut a string.

It was a crucial moment.

A spray of bullets shattered the wall that she had been hiding behind while a second grazed just over her head. Laurel ducked and sprinted, turning mid-run to fire back at her pursuers to ward them off.

She vaulted the gate of the compound with her staff and kept running long after the surrounding land became more of a desert. She didn’t stop, because stopping would mean thinking. Thinking about what had happened, about the dead man back in the compound that she had killed—

As soon as she cleared the door of the safe house, the adrenaline seemed to leave her in an instant, and the reality of what she’d done at last caught up to her. She fell to a knee but staggered back up again as bile rose up in her throat.

Laurel shut herself in the bathroom and emptied the entire contents of her stomach into the toilet, then continued to retch. Her throat burned, but her insides continued to roil.

Cool hands combed through her hair, pulling it back from her face, and Laurel was finally able to take a few gasping breaths. Her head dropped to rest on the seat as her limbs trembled, too exhausted to rise on her own.

Nyssa wiped the cold sweat away with a cloth, then lifted Laurel from the bathroom floor. She got her into the bed, then climbed right in after her.

“Wha—”

Nyssa shushed her and continued to comb her fingers through Laurel’s hair. It was a comfort she hadn’t felt in so long, and she found herself relaxing into it. If she shut her eyes, she could imagine she was safe at home with a stomach bug that had her feeling this sick and disgusted with herself. That the man wasn’t dead on the floor where she’d left him.

“Laurel.”

She turned around to face Nyssa. It was the first time in months she had heard her own name.

“I have been cold to you. Truthfully, I found my father’s deal with your mother to be repulsive and wished to have no part in it.”

“That makes two of us,” she croaked.

Nyssa’s lips twitched just the slightest bit. “I always knew this first assassination would be difficult for you. Many members experience this despite choosing the ways of the League. You will recover just as they have.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Laurel convinced. “That it’ll just get easier. That I’ll just stop caring about the lives I’m taking.”

Her friend was quiet for some time. “When I take my father’s place as the Head of the League of Assassins, my first act as Ra’s will be to release you of your obligation to us. I promise you that.”

“Is that even possible?”

“There is one such case. Taer Saher.”

Laurel thought back over her lessons. “The Magician?”

“Yes. He was a Westerner like yourself who trained with us for two years. He was favored by Ra’s, and my father chose to release him from the League upon the completion of his training. With this precedent, none would question my decision to release you as well.”

“Nyssa…” Laurel felt overcome. Her eyes trailed over the woman’s face, drifting down to her lips. The moment seemed suspended in the air for an age as they watched each other, neither making a move.

Then Nyssa turned away. “I’m sorry, Laurel.”

Her eyes squeezed shut, though they remained dry. It was the second time she heard her own name since being forced into the League. It would also be the last time.

The situation was almost as cruel as the rejection of her family. Nyssa was good and kind despite everything she had been raised on. In another life, she might have fallen in love with her. But it was poisoned by her entrapment in the League. She had not chosen this life, not even out of some kind of desperation the way others seemed to have. She had been sold, hardly better than chattel, and Nyssa either would not or could not see past that.

The next morning, they made a silent trek back to the fortress. When they returned, she was summoned to see Ra’s. She arrived in the chamber just as he had finished robing after climbing out of the sunken pit in the room. She didn’t know much about it except that it was off limits to anyone but Ra’s and the Priestess who sometimes aided in conducting various League ceremonies and rites.

“Nyssa tells me you have performed your duties well, Taer al Aswad. I trust now that you have accepted our mission to eliminate evil in this world.”

“Thank you, Ra’s,” she replied, gritting her teeth as she kneeled on the floor. It was galling to think this man had forced her to give up her home and life to kill for him and still he thought of himself as righteous.

“You will remain in Nanda Parbat for a time to continue your training and to guard the fortress from our enemies.”

She had a feeling she knew why Ra’s kept them on a rotation. If they spent too much time abroad, they might forget to come back to the League. And in her case, he probably wanted to make it as hard as possible to slip away.

When she at last reached her room, she found a black leather jacket laid out on her bed. Picking it up, she thought she caught a faint whiff of the rosemary infusion Nyssa washed her hair with. She shed the outer layers of her uniform and slipped it on, hugging herself and taking a moment to revel in the feel of civilian clothes that were her own to keep.

It had been late winter when they had left for Nanda Parbat. A late Christmas, then.

She scoffed at herself. As if a killer like her deserved one.

---

Present day

Oliver was led into the fortress and through various passages to a large room. A man stood on the raised dais at the far end of the room, with a woman to his right and two steps behind. They were the only two whose heads were uncovered; the others all wore identical uniforms to the Dark Archer’s.

Oliver’s guide stepped forward and knelt before the two on the dais. He spoke in rapid Arabic of which Oliver only understood his own name, and then, at an order, rose to his feet and moved to the side with a number of his fellows.

The man on the dais came down. “Oliver Queen. Welcome to Nanda Parbat. You know who I am?”

This man practically exuded power, but Oliver’s voice remained steady as he answered, “You are Ra’s al Ghul. The Demon.”

“I am the Demon Head. As were those before me. Why have you requested an audience?”

Oliver squared his shoulders. “I’m here to ask you to release a woman from your League. A woman who was brought here against her will three years ago.” It was only through sheer will that he kept the accusation out of his tone. “Her name is Dinah Laurel Lance, and she is someone I care for a great deal. Is she still alive?”

“There is no one by that name who resides in this fortress.”

He’d expected something like that, so Oliver withdrew his wallet and took the old photo from it. He held it out carefully. “Then maybe you know her face.”

Ra’s al Ghul stared the image down, impassive. But the woman by his side stepped forward.

“You are speaking of Taer al Aswad. The Blackbird.”

Even before Ra’s turned to her with a glower, Oliver could guess who this was. “Nyssa. You are not to interfere in this.”

“You granted him an audience. It is not part of tradition to lie.”

“And it is not part of tradition for you to question me.” Ra’s snarled something at her in Arabic, and Nyssa ducked her head, turned and exited the main chamber. Oliver tried not to let his disappointment at that action show; perhaps his only ally was gone.

The Demon Head turned back to face him. “Taer al Aswad is here not by her will, but her mother’s. She was promised to me in exchange for another.”

“I’m aware.”

“Then you must also be aware of the agreement her mother made. Should any of the family of Taer al Aswad attempt to reclaim her, I will consider it an attack on the League itself and strike accordingly.”

“Yes, but I am not Laurel’s family,” Oliver said. He refused to use the name Ra’s had designated to her. She was still Laurel. He had to believe that. “I am acting independently of your bargain with her mother.

“And what action will you take? Residing here in her place?”

It would be the simplest solution in some ways, he supposed. Yet Oliver had a mission to complete back home, and he’d already been away five years instead of fulfilling his father’s wishes. He had his own family to return to. Judging by the man’s tone, he also doubted Ra’s would accept another trade.

“How are challenges to the Demon Head handled in tradition?” Oliver asked instead.

Ra’s smirked. “In tradition? Combat to decide a victor, and who shall be the next Ra’s al Ghul. But you are an outsider. I am not obligated to allow you to try.”

Oliver shook his head. “I’m not leaving without Laurel. So you may as well accept the challenge.”

Ra’s motioned with one hand, and that was all the warning Oliver had before one of the League drew their sword and swung it at him. He dodged and grabbed the man’s shoulders, flipping him over.

Another came to attack and Oliver rolled, coming up to his feet with his knife in hand, which he stabbed his second attacker with.

He took the man’s sword as well for good measure to fight off his first opponent who had gotten back up. In a series of quick blows, he was disarmed, but Oliver reached and twisted the other man’s sword arm until it snapped.

To his credit, the assassin didn’t even cry out, but he dropped to a knee. Oliver wasted no time in snapping his neck to finish the process.

“Is that enough for you?” He demanded to Ra’s. “I will go through your entire League to get to Laurel if I have to, or we can settle this now.”

Before Ra’s could answer, movement near the back of the room caught both their attentions. Nyssa had returned with another League member, and Oliver went still. 

All that could be seen of her were the eyes that peered out of the covering, but he would know their green shade anywhere. They widened at the very sight of him, and it was hard to remember there was anyone else in the room.

Laurel. After so long, at last, there she stood. Nothing like what he remembered, nothing like what he’d have expected first coming home. But it was her.

Oliver took a half-step towards her, her name on his lips, but remembered himself. There could be no real reunion until the matter of her freedom had been settled.

“Taer al Aswad,” Ra’s said. A hint of amusement colored his tone. “This man says he comes to fight for you. He has even challenged me, the Demon Head, to a duel. Do you wish for Mr. Queen to proceed with his plan?”

“No.”

Oliver took a step back, the rejection hitting him like a physical blow. He watched as Laurel moved forward to stand before the dais, kneeling in front of Ra’s. He hated the sight of her submitting to the tyrant who had held her prisoner for so long.

“Ra’s, this man is barely educated and hasn’t the strength to clean his own room, much less fight a duel. If he came here, it was on a dare or as a joke. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

Oliver closed his eyes under the weight of her accusations. He’d known there was little to no chance Laurel would be happy to see him after what he’d done, or think anything but the worst of him. It was only fair that she hated him.

Ra’s next words had him reconsidering what she’d meant, however. “Save your breath defending him from me, Blackbird. He has already killed two of my assassins.”

Laurel looked back at him sharply, her eyes taking in the fallen men and then him. He couldn’t read much beyond shock. If only he could see the rest of her face.

“This is the one and final challenge I will accept for Taer al Aswad,” Ra’s decided. “This matter has grown tedious. Should you fail, Oliver Queen, you forfeit not merely your own life, but hers as well.”

Laurel stood and in the same moment Nyssa stepped forward. “Father—”

“Speak out of turn again, Nyssa, and there will be consequences of a severe sort. I await only Oliver Queen’s answer.”

All eyes were turned on him, and Oliver hesitated. He did not want to put Laurel’s life on the line — but would he ever get this sort of chance again? Would Ra’s even let him leave alive since he had killed two of the League’s own already?

He looked to Laurel, and with just the slightest movement of her eyes and brows, he could tell she was conveying that he run. One of her hands rested over the scabbard hanging to her side.

But that wasn’t the plan. He was done running away from Laurel. It was time he ran to her, wholeheartedly, the way she had once done to a him who had never deserved it.

“The challenge still stands,” he said.

“Very well. We will commence with it here.” In a few short orders, Ra’s had the floor cleared of the two dead assassins and weapons brought over to Oliver for selection. He picked a sword and tested it, raising an eyebrow as Ra’s merely stood there and watched.

“I will take it from you once you have finished with it,” the Demon Head said to his unspoken question. He then disrobed from the waist up, leaving his chest bare. Oliver did likewise when it was indicated that he should.

There was a small gasp from the side of the room where Laurel had been pulled by Nyssa. He couldn’t dwell on it, though. Both of their lives were on the line. It was time to focus.

Oliver was allowed the first move. He went on the offensive, jabbing and striking with the sword, but Ra’s moved quickly and dodged often.

He struck once through the man’s defenses, managing a light cut to his side. Ra’s drew back, blood beading and starting to trickle down from the cut.

“Impressive,” Ra’s said. “There are few who could manage even that.”

And then he moved, this time even faster. Somehow Oliver was now the one on the defensive, using his sword to block more than to attack. He tried circling around his opponent, but an opening he hadn’t realized he’d left allowed Ra’s to kick one leg high into the air and connect with his throat.

He staggered back, struggling for breath, and felt the sword snagged from his slack grasp. In the next moment, pain like fire ripped through his side as he was run through.

Oliver dropped to his knees, blood bubbling up and dripping from his mouth, before landing on his back.

“No!”

Upside-down from his blurred perspective on the ground, he saw Laurel struggle against the hold of Nyssa and another masked League member. If she interfered, it would mean her death. But his defeat meant death for the both of them.

He had to get up. No voice, no person in his mind needed to tell him that. He knew it in his bones. As long as he drew breath, Laurel was not going to die here.

Ra’s was already walking away. Oliver rolled onto his stomach, then pushed up. The man had only a moment to turn before Oliver had thrown his weight at him blindly, the sword being knocked to the floor and out of reach as they fell. They grappled, Ra’s jabbing a fist at the wound in his side and causing a howl of pain.

Rage and the desperate need to survive carried him over as it always had. Oliver slammed his enemy’s head against the stone, then reached bloodied hands and arms around his neck. Ra’s placed his own hands around Oliver’s throat, fingers scratching the skin and drawing blood. But with one last twist—

A sharp crack signified the end. The Demon Head’s lifeless body dropped beneath him, and Oliver staggered up, listing to the side almost immediately.

Two hands caught him before he could fall.

“Oliver!”

Laurel’s eyes. The same beautiful green. He’d never known anything prettier, not in the whole damn world.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I thought- I thought we’d have more time.”

It was his father’s words that had come to him, then, along with the knowledge that he was failing him now. The mission had not been completed.

But maybe it still could be. Laurel was free now, and had always been the better person in his life. If he could trust anyone to see this through, it was her. “Find Diggle…” He coughed and could no longer use his voice.

Laurel’s eyes were the last thing he saw.

[cerulean8looded]

mmmm that post made the app crash like three times but i’m real intrigued by number ten 👀

10.   Eridan isnt dead and is dating kk and sol, fuck you au 

Names and ships bolded 1. to make em look important and 2. to break up the text so i can read it myself without getting super distracted

Alrighty so I did this one before, and here’s the link to that, but to summarise:

SolKat and Eri pre-3-year-trip. No one dies before the trip except AAbot. Sollux still goes with Aradia and leaves Eridan with two instructions and an unexpected hug: Take care of KK, and watch Gam because something’s not right with him. ED focuses on KK over GZ, they end up flushed. Meanwhile, DaveRezi is happening, then Gam and the DaveRezi breakup. ED finds out about GamRezi, realises he has fucked up, and gets TZ away from him with the help of Kanaya, Rose and Vriska. Dave, KK, ED, and TZ decide that they all need to rest because this happens in the middle of the night (technically day by troll standards but time doesn’t really exist at this point does it) before they actually discuss what happened. KK wakes up only a couple hours later to find ED not there, then finds Dave standing in a doorway, looking at ED and TZ who are cuddled up having pale times on the couch. 

Now onto new stuff!!

The rest of the meteor trip is fluff and filler about the other characters, because they all deserve to be acknowledged. Gamzee also gets help for his issues so the Terezi incident cannot be repeated in any capacity. 

Then there’s the whole battle thing and blah blah blah, which I don’t have much planned for other than “having more people on their side is helpful”. I don’t write battle-y stuff much, I’ll plan that bit when I start actually writing this fic.

So now you’ve got SolKat, Eri, Eri, EriRezi and background ships. Obviously that’s gonna take some explaining to Sollux when they get to Earth C, at which point he does show up, fuck you Hussie. In his absence, Sollux has ended up having some less than pitch feelings for Eridan, and some less than pale feelings for Karkat, so finding out they’re flush together is a shock for him, but because this is a self-indulgent sweetness au and the angst is already over, it’s fine, because his quadmates are feeling the same and they pretty much end up saying fuck it to quadrants after a while and just going with the flow. After that, it’s pretty much just chill, domestic fluff with a happy ending.

There would also be sections of fic that are just about the other folks, like chapters for RoseMary getting together, DaveRezi having serious chats after the whole Gamzee thing, Karkat having a serious talk with Gamzee about the whole Gamzee thing, at least one meowrails chapter just cause I love them, everyone properly getting acquainted with the Alpha kids (who would’ve had different sprites and shit, which would probably pop up) and getting to properly meet John and Jade and Davesprite, some general passing through dream bubble shenanigans, all that fun stuff.

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

Review: BLACK MIRROR Season 4 (Part I - Episodes 1 & 2)

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/review-black-mirror-season-4-part-episodes-1-2/

Review: BLACK MIRROR Season 4 (Part I - Episodes 1 & 2)

Black Mirror Season 4 dropped on December 29th, on Netflix.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:

Watch it. Oh my God, watch it. Now, then; Spoilers ahead.

EPISODE 1: USS CALLISTER

The aspect ratio of the opening sequence matches the aspect ratio of the old Star Trek television show. It’s little things like that keep my coffee hot and get me up in the morning.

“USS Callister” really tells two stories: the first is the tale of a loser computer programmer named Robert Daly, who’s created a groundbreaking Virtual-Reality-based game that lets people fly around the universe in spaceships, explore planets, battle each other trade, etcetera. The guy he started the company with is a dick who doesn’t appreciate his contributions to the company. His coworkers think he’s weird and awkward and kinda creepy sometimes.

The second story is that of a sadistic and cruel God named Robert Daly. Daly has created a parallel Virtual Reality that allows him to play out his fantasies of being a Hero in Charge, based on a retro science-fiction television show he loves. (Think Star Trek.)

The twist of the knife is that he has peopled this game with digital copies of coworkers he dislikes, generated by stolen samples of their DNA. They have all their memories and personalities from the real world. They are sentient, thinking and feeling as their real-world selves.

What “USS Callister” asks us is (among many other things), are they alive?

Not that episode one is all scowling and torment. Brooker mentioned that Black Mirror would ‘explore a little more comedy in this season’, and there is certainly a strong heartbeat of humor here. It’s the best kind of laughter, too, for the series: black humor. Hangman’s jokes. The dry British chuckle in the face of the abyss.

Watching the tortured, terrified digital clones of the USS Callister unwind while Daly is logged out of the game reminds one of London in the Blitz. Sure, there are bombs and blood and rubble everywhere, and things are pretty awful, but at least the bottles behind the bar survived.

When the newest digital clone, Cristin (played by Nanette Cole) finds out that nobody has genitals in Daly’s digital world, her battle cry is priceless:

Okay. Stealing my pussy is a red. Fucking. Line.

“USS Callister” is like a great Doctor Who episode that just happens to be Rated R.

When the trailers for Season 4 dropped, the teaser for “USS Callister” left out the real world entirely. It was a move of twofold genius. First, it saves the surprise of our first, bleak glimpse of the real world. Our introduction to neurotic weirdo Daly (an absolutely stunning performance by Jesse Plemons) feels like a nihilistic sigh of relief. It doesn’t have to be full dark 24/7, but there’s something in the uncompromising, unblinking hardness of Black Mirror that has always set it apart. A certain bleak jouissance that no other show delivers.

Second, it works as a commentary on the episode itself. In our little taste of “USS Callister,” the real world isn’t there at all. The trailer promises pure sci-fi. Pure escapism. Fun. Adventure. There’s no trace of the sinister sadism of Daly, or the suffering of his comrades. There’s no sense of true tragedy or actual stakes.

Just like the immersive, next-gen VR in the episode.

“Callister” examines the more disturbing elements of the AI and VR booms we’re seeing right now. Ten years from now, if we have a bad day, put on our VR headsets, and kill a hundred digital people in Call of Duty online, what will that mean? In a world where code is ever-improving, at what point is a program as nuanced and multifaceted as us? We don’t feel anything drowning Sims or making them wet themselves…but should we? If not today, when? At what point does simulated suffering cease to be Catharsis and become Sadism?

With the advent of technology like CRISPR, perhaps we aren’t so far from Daly’s nightmare after all.

  EPISODE 2: ARKANGEL

The obvious big-gun episode of the season is “Arkangel.” There’re no scrubs in the directorial talent of Black Mirror, but Jodie Foster (four Oscar nominations, two wins, Silence of the Lambs, ‘nuff said) is clearly the Heavy Hitter.

She swung for the fences.

She knocked it out of the park.

I don’t even like baseball.

“Arkangel” tells the story of a mother and daughter. When her daughter Sara (Aniya Hodge, Sara Abbot, and Brenna Harding) goes missing, Marie (Rosemarie DeWitt, Cinderella Man, Mad Men) has a monitoring system implanted in Sara’s head. It’s called “Arkangel,” and gives Marie access to Sara’s location, biological vitals, and even a direct feed from her optic nerve. Marie can see what Sara sees.

But “Arkangel” isn’t really about the creepy sci-fi stuff. None of the best episodes of Black Mirror are, and this is one of the best in the series. No. “Arkangel” is about what happens as Sara grows up. It’s about the Helicopter Parents of the future. About how far Marie will go to keep her safe, and how much of herself she’ll compromise to do it.

And the inevitable price to be paid.

The brilliance of Foster’s episode is (to borrow from Blake), its fearful symmetry. Its balance. Each element dances with another, each character reflected darkly in the actions of others. Sara and the all-seeing eye in her head are like a weight in the center of the episode. On one side is Marie and her Orwellian baby monitor. On the other is Trick (a superb performance by Own Teague), the Cute Drug Dealer from the Wrong Side of the Tracks, and all the rebellion and danger he represents.

Every line, every interaction in the episode shifts that weight, tilts the precarious position of the scale. Structurally, it’s breathtakingly beautiful. There is no wasted moment.

I don’t know whether to give the nod to Brooker (who has sole writing credit on the episode) or Foster for the delicate dance of these threads. The interplay between the writing and directing style is an elegant pas de deux, each word and element circling the others, and pulling the weave ever tighter.

Brooker understands Irony in a way that few shows do, and utilizes it like the keen, heartrending edge that it can be. And he knows Tragedy. The Capital-T kind that the Greeks told us so much about, all those years ago. He knows it intimately. Knows that the key to Tragedy is Hamaratia: the Fatal Flaw.

There are several Fatal Flaws in “Arkangel.” They run (appropriately) in arcs through the episode. Tracing those threads back reveals the subtlety and nuance Foster and Brooker actually manage.

Almost everything Marie does throughout the episode is countered or echoed elsewhere: when she reactivates the Arkangel unit in Sara’s teens, she sees her having sex with Trick, the “Dangerous Bad Boy.” Yet, that same night, she met up with one of her patients from physical therapy: a devil-may-care biker who injured himself driving his motorcycle recklessly, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Marie sees Sara experimenting with cocaine in Trick’s van. The effect of the drug is that it raises Sara’s heart rate. A few days later, Marie grinds some drugs into Sara’s morning smoothie. The effect of drugging her daughter is the spontaneous abortion of a pregnancy Sara didn’t even know about.

It’s ironic that Marie should confront Trick, condemning him as “a junkie.” Throughout the episode, Marie treats the Arkangel parent unit as a junkie treats drugs. She hides the unit upstairs, laments over whether to use it or not. Okay, just this one more time. Uses it just a little. Just a few functions. Starts carrying it with her. It’s clear that she’s addicted to it.

There’s even a brilliant reversal of the classic “Parent finds drugs in the kid’s room” scene, where Sara rifles her mother’s room and discovers that she’s still using the Arkangel parent unit. Sara is horrified and tosses it down, the perfect picture of a parent discovering their child’s dangerous addiction.

Marie is the first victim of Arkangel, and in her victimhood, she stands for all of us. I don’t mean the program itself. I’m talking about the sentiment behind it. Beneath the eerie veneer of the invasive surveillance of tomorrow, “Arkangel” is quietly commenting on something we’re experiencing today.

Safety. In excess. In extremis.

The opening scene of the episode doesn’t just establish the characters and set the stage. It holds up a mirror. Marie is giving birth: after complications during natural birth, the doctor is performing a C-section. “Arkangel” opens with Marie looking away from the things that frighten her: the doctors, the nurse, the procedure she’s undergoing. When Sara is finally born, the doctors whisk her away to a table nearby. There is no sound. No cry. Other doctors gather, and Marie becomes afraid: afraid her baby is dead, that she’s lost her little girl, and is powerless to help.

“Tell me she’s alright,” she says.

The nurse holds her hand, tells her to calm down. Comforts her. Then Sara cries and is brought over, and she’s fine, and everything is fine. We get the sort of close-up maternal scene we’re accustomed to seeing when babies are born on television. Lots of nuzzling and happy tears and lifelong bonds being wound between mother and child.

And then, brilliantly, brutally, honestly, Foster shows us what we seldom see these days, too busy cooing over the microcosm and the close-up.

She shows us the big picture.

On one side of the curtain, Marie is bonding with her little girl. Her daughter is alive and well. Everything is fine. Nurses smile and nod and congratulate her. And on the other side of the curtain, her body is open and bloody. Doctors work quietly to stop the bleeding and make her whole again. Though a routine procedure, Marie has experienced massive trauma, could conceivably die if things go wrong…but she’ll never know. The sheet protects her. She doesn’t feel a thing: the doctors have numbed her to the trauma she’s experiencing. All that’s left is bliss.

(By the by, I’m not suggesting we force new mothers to watch surgeries performed on them without anesthetic. I’m not a monster. I am an observer of metaphors.)

The “parental control” of the Arkangel unit is obviously the darkest, most troubling of the sci-fi elements of the episode, but it raises some interesting questions about what safety might mean, in the long-term.

When Sara’s grandfather has a heart attack, she can’t see what’s happening to him, and can’t hear his pleas for her to get help. She’s shielded from the trauma by the unit. But there’s a parallel in our world, here: if we crumble in the face of fear and trauma, shutting down and closing it out, refusing to look, what are the consequences of that willful blind eye?

Later, as Marie grieves over her father’s grave, Sara can’t see her mother’s face. Grief is uncomfortable. It has been censored out.

Again, there are real considerations for us in the real world. If we turn our backs on grief and powerful, negative human emotions because they make us uncomfortable, what does that mean? The end of empathy? A society that must grieve alone and uncomforted, with no community to feel and grieve with us, no strength to be lent to us because we are, in our sadness, upsetting?

Just something to think about.

Sara’s grandfather speaks for some us, after Marie has the Arkangel implanted in Sara’s head:

“I remember when we used to open up the door and let the kids be.”

It provokes an interesting thought. The difference between opening a door and a locked one can be the difference between a home and a prison. Between a conversation and a censure is the difference between a parent and a warden.

And once you’ve escaped a prison, why would you ever go back?

  Overall

There’s a common thread between “USS Callister” and “Arkangel.”

Hope.

When Cristin and company break out of Daly’s digital world, they have a whole new universe to explore. They’re in charge of their own destinies again. They have free will, and the will to live.

Once Sara escapes her mother’s smothering safety, she has a whole world to explore. She’s free, finally, with her whole life ahead of her.

Watching these two episodes, I noticed something for the first time. In the opening credits of Black Mirror, just before the screen goes dark, and we stare into the black possibilities of the onrushing technological age…

The Black Mirror always cracks. The mirror Brooker holds up is not impervious. We can escape.

There’s always hope.

[glittwrblood-archive]

!! Micheal is owned by my dear Boyfriend @clawzen !!

BASIC INFORMATION

Full name: Maribelle Ann (Diaboli) Clare

Nickname(s) or Alias: Mary

Gender: Female

Species: Kitsune and Demon Goat mix

Age: 29

Birthday: April 15 1988

Sexuality: Bisexual

Nationality: Asian (Japanese) American

Religion: Athiest

City or town of birth: LA, California

Currently lives: ???, Wisconsin

Languages spoken: Knew every language at age 13

Native language: English

Relationship Status: Married

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Height: 6'1

Weight: 73 pounds

Figure/build: Lanky and Skinny

Hair colour: Darkish brown

Hairstyle: Straight but curls at the bottom

Eye colour: Purple

Skin/fur/etc colour: Darkish brown, Cream, and Purple

Scars/distinguishing marks: Bite marks, scratches, bruises, ripped tongue, scratch across right eye, and she has a gold tooth.

Preferred style of clothing: Loose clothing. Sweaters and jeans

HEALTH

Smoker? Occasionally

Drinker? Rarely

Recreational Drug User? Which? Cocaine

Addictions: Cocaine (Getting over it)

Allergies: Deadly allergic to Lead

PERSONALITY

Personality: Cold and Mean, but Soft and Caring when known for awhile

Likes: Micheal, Her children, knives, anything sharp, her dad

Dislikes: HER MOM (Rosemary) , Lizzy, Kate, Rose, legit anyone that insults her or Micheal

Fears/phobias: Being alone or abandoned, very bad jealousy issues

Favourite colour: Purple

Hobbies: Cuddling with Micheal, being a good mom, killing mean people.

SKILLS

Talents/skills: Ambidextrous

Ability to drive a car? Operate any other vehicles? No

EATING HABITS

Omnivore/Carnivore/Herbivore (Vegetarian): Omnivore

Favourite food(s): Salad and Beef

Favourite drink(s): Soda

Disliked food(s): Tin cans

Disliked drink(s): Dirty water

HOUSE AND HOME

Describe the character’s house/home: Calm and Loving

Do they share their home with anyone? Who? Micheal

Significant/special belongings: Sweater/ Anything given to her by Micheal

CAREER

Level of education: Basically Pre-K

Qualifications: Nothing

Current job title and description: Former Prostitute

Name of employer: Rosemary (Former) Geremy (Former)

COMBAT

Peaceful or aggressive attitude? Aggressive

Fighting skills/techniques: Just stab them and be done

Special skills/magical powers/etc: Demon and Kitsune magic (Kitsune: Tentacles, Fire Elemental, Shadow Form.) (Demon: Shapeshifting, Omega Mode, Fire Powers, Wings)

Weapon of choice (if any): Teeth, Scythe, Knives, Claws, Tentacles. Basically all her magic

Weaknesses in combat: Her emotions get in the way of everything and easily distracted

Strengths in combat: Her magic causes a lot of damage

FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FOES

Parents names: Rosemary (Chandler) Diaboli, Satan Diaboli

Are parents alive or dead? Alive

Is the character still in contact with their parents? Yes

Siblings? Relationship with siblings? Rose(bad), Seba and Aza(never met them)

Other Important Relatives: Ruthette and Death (Aunt and Uncle)

Partner/Spouse: Micheal Evan Clare

Children: Macho(dead), Scout, Kai, Gala, Mini Lizzy (Doesn’t know name)

Best Friend: Micheal

Other Important Friends: Her kids(???)

Acquaintances: No

Pets: No

Enemies? Why are they enemies? Rosemary (Abused, raped, sold her off, and left her at a grocery store), Lizzy (Abused and raped her), Kate (Hurt Micheal), Rose (Tries to fuck/take Micheal), Ocho (Abused her), Xavier (Raped and abused Micheal), Vincent (Same as Xavier), Gwen (Ignored and insults Micheal).

BACKSTORY

(  -  ) = Time span it happened

(1-8) Mary is born and RM uses her for sex trafficking. They move to Wisconsin, Mary continuing to be abused and used for pleasure at a young age. She goes to school (missing weeks and days of it) and meets Micheal, becoming his friend and developing a small crush. Micheal gives Mary a sweater, meaning  he’ll always be there for her.

P1 (9-29) RM abandons Mary at a grocery store (because the police threatened to investigate RM cause Mary missed so much of school. She took her out of school, saying she “moved in with her dad” RM is found innocent.)

P2 (9-15) Mary is raped by Xavier while trying to find RM, she is found on the alley ground by a guy named Geremy. Geremy offers her to earn money by working for him, she agrees and Geremy and Mary was being used as a whore, continuing to be used.

P1 (16) Mary is used for sex and money, getting scars and mental trama nearly every hour. A lady named Kate sees her and talks with her, inviting her to her wedding, because shes one short of a brides maid. Mary agrees and goes to the wedding, staying quiet and near Kate. She meets the groom (who is Micheal), she sees something familiar but doesn’t remember. They talk and Kate pulls her to the side, asking Mary if she can have a baby for them, because “Kate has trouble conceiving”. Mary agrees and waits for the wedding to end, Micheal and Kate say their vows and the wedding is basically done. Mary snoops around trying to find Kate but sees Micheal, trying to heal his back. Mary walks over to Mikey and talks to him, she notices his tail feathers and has a panic attack. Mikey comforts her and she grows the crush back again.

P2 (16) Mary keeps to her promise and has sex with Geremy, getting pregnant and waiting for the baby to be born. Shes born and gives her to Kate.

(17) Mary attempts to turn her life around and is accepted into a highschool (In Texas) She sees a guy named Ocho (A mexican fennec fox). They start developing feelings and get married, it’s happy in the begging.

(18-20) Mary and Ocho have sex and Macho is born, Ocho and Mary start becoming abusive twords one another, yelling and the occasional slap. Ocho once throws fire at Mary and it leaves a nasty burn scar on her side. Mary and Macho become closer. Rosemary finds where she is and taunts her, possessing her and killing Macho, Mary being oblivious to what RM did. When Ocho finds out he’s taken over by anger and punches Mary’s jaw, making a tooth fall out and Mary getting a gold tooth. Mary goes to Macho’s funeral and she is attacked and ridiculed by Ocho’s family.

(20-29) Mary moved back to Wisconsin, renting a house. Kate hears the news and invites Mary over. Mary notices how Micheal is looking mangled and hurt.  She notices Kate making abusive advances at Micheal.  Kate invites Kate over to her house, letting her move in too. Kate and Mary start dating and having sex, Mary keeping her sweater on during most of it. Kate files a false abuse claim on Mary, a police officer (named Lizzy) came and investigated. Lizzy asks Mary if she wants to date her, Mary not wanting to hurt Lizzy’s feelings accepts, Kate accepting Lizzy’s request too. They start having a poly relationship, Lizzy becomes abusive twords them both, being worse to Mary. Kate left the relationship and Lizzy had Mary all to herself. Mary was abused and raped by Mary most of their relationship. Mary remebers Micheal and goes to visit him, they talk for a few days, turning into weeks, even months. Mary’s crush gets stronger and deeper, Mary cracks when Micheal tells her he has a boyfiend and they’re engaged. Mary congratulates him and continues visiting him, her crush getting deeper and harder to avoid. When R. Blue and her learn that Micheal is trans, Mary supports him, but R. Blue doesn’t feel the same. R. Blue starts abusing Micheal, Mary ignoring her abusive relationship and visiting Micheal more, protecting him. One day R. Blue goes too far and Mary snaps, she banishes R. Blue down to hell (Her father being Satan). Mary stays with Micheal, comforting him and protecting him, during the time she got rid of Xavier and Vincent, sending them down to hell. She also raised enough money for Micheal to transition. Lizzy didn’t stop her abuse and cheated on Mary with Mary’s sister Rose. Mary started getting a disease that makes her puke flowers, it only happens around Lizzy and not Micheal. When Mary finds out Lizzy is cheating on her, she breaks down and runs away into an alley, the flowers not stopping. Micheal searches the town, following the flower trail and taking Mary home, she was nursed back to health and proposed to Micheal, they both said yes and Mary got up to get her stuff. Lizzy attempted to rape Mary, but Micheal saved his fiance. Mary got her stuff and moved in with Micheal. Them getting married and having a child (Gala). RM and Lizzy still haunt Mary, but shes happy with Micheal. One day Kate comes back to torture Micheal, Mary snaps and pulls Kate down into the basement, Mary turns Kate into a doll. She almost throws the doll away until she hears Kate’s voice in her head, she decides to keep the doll so Kate wouldn’t be lonely. Kate talks to her telling her homicidal thoughts and just breaking her down. She keeps the doll down in the basement where it belongs, cold and lonely. Mary and Micheal are living together and happily married, I love them alot.

[arisefairsun]

The line "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo?" has always fascinated me because of the way it messes with the iamb, particularly Romeo's name. It's so symbolic because if he wasn't named Romeo Montague, there wouldn't be a problem - in the line, or in the story, for that matter.

What an interesting thought! Thank you for sharing it with me. Unfortunately I must confess I find scansion rather difficult, given that I still do not entirely understand the stress patterns of the English language (I’m not a native speaker). But let me see if I understand this: Romeo’s name should be pronounced in two syllables here, but even so, it’s still not a perfect line of standard iambic pentameter, yes? Correct me if I’m wrong, I would hate to spread misinformation.

I have always thought that the ‘wherefore art thou’ speech truly deserves to be the most well-known passage from Romeo and Juliet. It’s absolutely fascinating. The play does not cover as many philosophical issues as, say, Hamlet or King Lear, but here we have some linguistic and metaphysical concerns that are worth considering… and what makes it even better for me is that it belongs to Juliet. It makes me happy that Shakespeare gave this inexperienced young girl the ability to explore such matters so eloquently, to defend her theory of the arbitrary connection between the signified and the signifier so brilliantly.

Interestingly, she is not the only character in the play to struggle with the lack of harmony in Romeo’s name. The Nurse finds it odd that it should begin with an ‘R’, which she attributes to the snarl of a dog.

NURSEDoth not rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter?ROMEOAy, nurse; what of that? Both with an R.NURSEAh, mocker, that’s the dog’s name; R is for the—no; I know it begins with some other letter.

Being illiterate, she does not associate the first sound of Romeo and rosemary with the letter ‘R’. On the contrary, she relates it to the snarl of a dog (which sounds like ‘arr’). So a probable interpretation is that she finds such a sound too aggressive for Romeo and rosemary.

Mercutio, too, mentions the coarseness of his friend’s name—though in his case, he objects that Romeo’s love for a woman has deprived him of ‘his roe’:

BENVOLIOHere comes Romeo, here comes Romeo.MERCUTIOWithout his roe, like a dried herring: flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified! Now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in.

If Romeo has lost the first syllable of his name, then all that is left is ‘me’ and ‘O’, words that can be easily associated with the language of love (i.e. O me!). He thinks Romeo has lost his vigor as a consequence of lovemaking, and that he only truly recovers his real self when he goes back to his male company, abandoning his Petrarchan verses: 'Now art thou Romeo,’ Mercutio says.

The Arden edition also suggests that if he has lost 'his roe’, then his name is merely 'meo’, or 'miaow’. That is, Romeo is a defenseless pussycat in comparison with Tybalt the Prince of Cats ('Is he a man to encounter Tybalt?’, Mercutio wonders). This is very interesting: while the Nurse disapproves of Romeo’s 'R’ for being reminiscent of 'the dog’s name’, Mercutio complains that his strength has been minimized and he is now an inoffensive cat.

Juliet, on the contrary, tends to soften his name by associating him with tender images. She first links him with a rose, which begins with the same syllable as Romeo’s name. The Nurse then mentions that Juliet 'hath the prettiest sententious of it, of [Romeo] and rosemary, that it would do [him] good to hear it.’ I read an essay about the symbolism of rosemary in the play recently, and I discovered that this flower is a symbol of remembrance. (Ophelia herself mentions it in 4.5: 'There’s rosemary. That’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember.’) Most interestingly, it was used at weddings and funerals! I can’t get over how suitable it is for Romeo and Juliet, given that the Liebestod trope is a prominent one and love and death are always combined in the play. So metaphorically, Juliet’s bridal rosemary (i.e. Romeo) becomes her companion in death as well, as he goes back to Verona to die by her side, promising to 'still stay with thee’. It’s very symbolic.

Etymology may also reveal some intriguing symbolism concerning Romeo’s name. Without claiming any authorial intent, I do find the pilgrimage motif on the lovers’ first meeting very riveting, considering that Romeo’s name means ‘pilgrim to Rome’. I do wonder if Shakespeare was aware of this, since he was the one to invent the saint/pilgrim conceits here—they do not exist in Arthur Brooke’s poem. It is then fascinating that he introduces himself as a pilgrim, and after Juliet exposes her Aristotelian understanding of language and her firm belief that Romeo’s true identity is not dependent upon a mere name, he echoes the religious motifs from their first conversation and says,

I take thee at thy word:Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized;Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Metaphorically, she baptizes him. He finds a new identity, and would happily 'tear the word’ if he had it written. From that moment on it is as if there were two Romeos: Romeo Montague and her Romeo. (He is referred to as Juliet’s Romeo seven times in the play—if I counted them all up, that is.) But given the power the feud holds in their society, Romeo cannot easily free himself from the burden of his own name. He even wishes to take his own life in 3.3 in an attempt to destroy his Montague self.

NURSEO, [Juliet] says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps;And now falls on her bed; and then starts up,And Tybalt calls; and then on Romeo cries,And then down falls again.ROMEOAs if that name,Shot from the deadly level of a gun,Did murder her; as that name’s cursed handMurdered her kinsman. O, tell me, friar, tell me,In what vile part of this anatomyDoth my name lodge? Tell me, that I may sackThe hateful mansion.

Here is the unbearable weight of names, thwarting Romeo and forcing him into the violence of the feud. Juliet, with her wonderful linguistic skepticism, is the only valuable opposition to it. In choosing his wife over his name when he commits suicide in the Capulets’ crypt, he proves tragically, sorrowfully, that Juliet was right when she claimed that his real self isn’t conditioned by names and words, which are after all designed simply by human convention. Symbolically, the last words of the play, 'Juliet and her Romeo’, transcend the strict conventions of the feud and recognize the value of Juliet’s philosophy, as well as Romeo’s triumph in his last and perpetual pilgrimage to Juliet’s being.

I also noticed the reiteration of the words ‘O, Romeo, Romeo!’ throughout the play: they are repeated first by Benvolio after Mercutio’s death (‘O, Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead’) and then by the Nurse after Tybalt’s decease (‘O, Romeo, Romeo! Who would have thought it?’). Interestingly, instead of following Arthur Brooke’s poem, who called the character 'Romeus’, Shakespeare showed predilection for the Italian version. 'Romeo’ is indeed more lyrical for the English language, as shown in the repetition of the o vowel in 'O Romeo, Romeo’, and it easily rhymes with other words, a good example of that being the last lines of the play: 'For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.’

[doomedandstoned]

HELA Plot a Course for Vengeance in ‘Death May Die’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

I've long been an advocate of HELA, going back to the days of their hard-charging first record, 'Broken Cross' (2013). The Spanish band has always had a way of striking the perfect mood, one of deep anguish set against a backdrop of turbulence. After their harrowing debut, Hela went quiet for a while -- aside from their contribution of the lone Pentagram cover, "Sign Of The Wolf" in 2014 -- and I would check in with them periodically to see if they had any new mischief-making up their sleeves for us. Two years ago, the quartet from Elche spoke again: two new songs split with the band Lodo. Rumors were that changes were taking place behind the scenes, but it was all a mystery. Finally, after much harranging on my part, the band got back in touch with word of a fiendish new full-length. There was a new singer at the helm, too.

Well, color me curious. I had so many questions! What had the band been brewing all these years? And who was the mysterious mistress dark? Graciously, Hela agreed to an interview and even gave Doomed & Stoned first dibs on streaming their new LP, 'Death May Die' (2017). What follows is my exchange with drummer Miguel Fernández. He is joined by Julián Velasco on guitar, Tano Giménez on bass, and Mireia Porto on vocals and rhythm guitar.

Their story -- and the story of Death May Die -- is well worth reading and I recommend that you stream this album whilst doing so. Fair warning, though: Death May Die will haunt you for days with its strange melodies, it's disonnant, crashing chords, and Mireia's enchanted singing. Hela has pulled out all the stops for this record, summoning a wealth of creative devices, dabbling in progressive metal stylings and textures of blackened doom. All of it serves an end, which is to relay a story of triumph of the human spirit over men with ill-intensions. You'll encounter strokes of brilliance, from the otherworldly vocal harmonies in "Mother of Monsters" to the violence that rages throughout the stormy middle section, winding up in the sudden, but fitting, conclusion that marks "Bodies in Hell."

Death May Die releases October 21st on multiple formats via Lay Bare Recordings, Discos Macarras, Cosmic Tentacles, and Musica Hibrida.

Death May Die by Hela

Tell us about your history as a band -- how you came together and began making music?

Hela was born from death, just like that. So the name is really accurate. The band that Julián, Tano and I were sharing died as bands do. However, we decided to continue playing together, but with a new name and a new style -- something darker, heavier, doom. Vocalist Isabel Sierras joined the band shortly thereafter. We were not looking to be trendy by with a female-fronted doom band. Quite simply, Isa was the best choice at that time. She left after our first two recordings (the Broken Cross LP and split with Lodo), so once again, we were dead. Or nearly dead. None of us wanted to say goodbye, so we asked Mireia to join, and she did. Again we experienced a resurrection and this time stronger, with a better line-up. We started in 2012, we re-started in 2015, and now here we are in 2017, with our new album Death May Die, our first LP with the new line up (second full-length in our history). Really happy, because the process was long and painful, sometimes, but we're really proud of the result. We all share common influences, but everyone has their own unique sources of inspiration, as well, and the result is very eclectic. So the future is now brighter than a couple of years ago, and with more and interesting music to write in the days ahead!

How does your new record compare with the material you've recorded previously -- do you sense an evolution in your sound in any way?

I guess there is a big evolution. We have a new member in the band, not new for us, we've been working for almost three years now together, but it is the first time people will hear her voice and manner of writing music in the band. It´s a different voice and she has different influences, so obviously there is an evolution. At the same time, with the new line-up we could explore new sounds, reaching extremes -- both soft and aggressive. We tried to leave back the stoner sound we have in Broken Cross, although there are a few riffs reminiscent of the stoner sound, we wanted to go more metal this time, and Mireia brought some alternative rock from the '90s to the table, especially in her vocals, so the mix is quite interesting and shows a clear evolution, I suppose. The same is true with the production. Death May Die sounds more polished, a little bit clearer than the previous works that had a dirtier, lower sound. We looked for a better mix and I think this album sounds better and opens a new way to follow when we come into the studio again.

What was recording this album like? Did you have an easy go of it or were there challenges along the way?

There were challenges from the very beginning! We booked a studio, or at least we tried, but one week before the recording session we had to look for another one, because the guy we talked with couldn´t record us due to logistical problems. That destabilized us for a little bit, as it was hard to find a solution having only one week to work with in the middle on the summer. Luckily, we talked with a studio in Barcelona to record drums (Siete Barbas Estudio) and then we returned to Alicante to record the rest of the band. Studio problems resolved, we tried to do our best in every recording session. Even when we were sometimes tired or stressed, the results were good. For the final mix, we went to Roberto Ropero´s studio. He did almost all of it single-handedly, with the help of our input, and the results were beyond amazing! We are really happy with the final sound.

Awesome! Well, how about walking us through the tracks on this new record. What can we anticipate from Death May Die and what should we be listening for?

The album consists of a deep and dark trip through the entire life of a cursed girl since the moment of her birth until the end of the world. Each song represents a vital phase for the girl, following her efforts to get revenge against death.

Death May Die by Hela

“The Gateway” is an introduction -- our gateway into Hell. We wanted something dark and dirty to start the album. The lyrics were inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and we mixed a lot of vocals from Mireia and Miguel. Like a kind of chant, black mass, or witchery.

Death May Die by Hela

“Mother of Monsters” is the birth of the main character of the story. Initially we wanted to talk about abortion, but the lyrics were to another story about demonical mythology. As the story goes, the newborn was saved by a demon, because her mother wanted to kill her. The song has a powerful beginning and a progressive structure with different dynamics between riffs and rhythms.

Death May Die by Hela

“Touched by Evil” is a very graphic description of the pederast practices in the Catholic Church, even if we do use metaphors. The girl in our story suffers it, but has her revenge. We were inspired by Nordic death-doom metal bands to write some riffs and arrangements, but there are also influences of some '90s metal bands. The vocals in the middle of the song have blues and soul influences and we really love them.

Death May Die by Hela

“Dark Passenger” talks about being raped. We get some ideas from movies like Rosemary´s Baby. In this song, the girl becomes an adult and discovers within herself an uncontrolled killer with desires coming from the "dark passenger" -- that is, the dark side of humankind. It's the longest song of the album. The initial riff was a little bit dissonant, but fits perfectly with the next one, which is very heavy. Maybe the only stoner riff, executed again with a grand, progressive structure.

Death May Die by Hela

“Repulsion” is about the consequences of the suffering of being raped and abused. Our main character suffers mental issues owing to the consequences of what was described in the previous songs. The lyrics were totally inspired by the movie Repulsion, another film by Roman Polanski. It's the doomiest song of the album, divided into three parts musically. It is here where our girl (now a woman) rebels against the world and begins to take revenge, becoming indestructible.

Death May Die by Hela

“Bodies in Hell” is the last and shortest song. Very metal, as well. We were looking for something aggressive, double bass and Celtic Frost/Triptykon-influenced, and that´s the result. Finally, our woman has her revenge on the world. Influenced also by a movie, The VVitch. She wins, because even death may die.

That's an incredible overview of the record. I imagine this would be very powerful performed live. Does Hela have plans to tour in support of 'Death May Die'? Where would you most like to play?

Yes, we are looking for shows, here in Spain and also Europe, in general. We booked a festival for next year right now and we are working to book more shows. We like to play venues with good sound, that´s the most important thing to us. Usually we play small clubs, obviously, because we like to feel the reaction of the people around us. We are anxious to play the new album live!

Follow The Band.

Get Their Music.

[brokehorrorfan]

Event Report: Rhode Island Comic Con 2019

The eighth annual Rhode Island Comic Con took place November 1-3 at the Rhode Island Convention Center and the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI. With the new layout implemented the previous year proving to be successful, the show ran like a well-oiled machine. When not enamored by the countless vendors, I spent a good deal of the weekend in the panel rooms listening to anecdotes from a host of beloved actors.

The first panel of the weekend was with The Office's Brian Baumgartner (who played Kevin) and Leslie David Baker (who played Stanley). After being forced to turn away dozens of fans from last year's The Office Q&A with other cast members, the convention smartly booked the bigger panel room this time around. They discussed the show's longevity and the possibility of a revival. "It will never be the same," Baker stated, but they remain open to the idea; he encouraged fans to write to NBC if they want to see it. Many laughs were had, with Baumgartner occasionally slipping into his character’s voice, in addition to dropping not one but two "That's what she said!" jokes.

Richard Dreyfuss' panel immediately followed. The Academy Award-winning actor opened by saying that he has answered every Jaws question over the years, so if you ask one he hasn't heard he'll give you $10 - but if you ask one he has heard you owe him $10. He promised more than just funny stories from film sets - although that's what most people wanted to hear. More than half of the 45-minute discussion was dedicated to the absence of civics in today's educational system, a subject on which Dreyfuss wrote a soon-to-be-published book. He did answer a few film-related questions, but the moderator - a local podcast host - did not help the situation.

A Q&A with Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, was a fun way to cap off the first day. A born storyteller with an encyclopedic knowledge of film, his panels are always fascinating. He discussed his work in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise at length, citing Part 4 has his favorite performance, New Nightmare as his favorite to make, and Tina from Part 1 as his favorite death scene. With questions culled from Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Galaxy of Terror, and Never Too Young to Die, Englund called it his most esoteric panel. He concluded by telling the audience about True Terror, a new Travel Channel series he's hosting that's set to premiere in February.

I've never watched a single episode of Star Trek, but I had a hunch that William Shatner's panel would be wildly entertaining - and he proved me right. With no need for a moderator, he began by telling the captive audience about The Ride, an upcoming documentary following his eight-day motorcycle journey from Chicago to Los Angeles, and his new blues album that's due out next year. Surprisingly, there were no Star Trek questions; topics of conversation ranged from Judgment at Nuremberg and Better Late Than Never to working with whales and his likeness being used for Michael Myers' mask in Halloween.

The godfather of the modern action figure, Marty Abrams, shared the fascinating story of his Mego Corporation. While Abrams remained diplomatic, Mego consultant Paul Clarke asserted their side of the infamous Star Wars story. Abrams did not pass on the Star Wars license; he was in Japan working on Micronauts and never had a meeting. In a "perfect storm," Kenner happened to be located in the same building and signed the deal before Abrams returned. He estimates it cost him billions of dollars. It was a riveting companion to the Kenner-centric Star Wars episode of Netflix's The Toys That Made Us. Abrams also revealed that a Micronauts TV series and movie are in development. The recently relaunched Mego is looking into more contemporary packaging and more play value to appeal to the younger demographic. They're also continuing to expand their licenses, with Star Trek: The Next Generation coming soon.

I attempted to attend the Stranger Things panel on Saturday evening, but my lack of a mysterious wristband - about which no advanced information was issued - prevented me from doing so. It was a blessing in disguise, however, as I used the spare time to score a front-row seat for Elijah Wood's Q&A. Despite being one of the headlining guests, Wood was in the smaller panel room, which quickly reached capacity.

Wood shared several anecdotes about The Lord of the Rings, confirming that the fellowship actors have matching tattoos and disclosing that he has never read J.R.R. Tolkien's source material. ("I lived the books," he quipped.) He revealed that although Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is likely done for good, there have been talks of an animated continuation. He also expressed his desire to direct, stating that he would gravitate toward genre films. He cited The Thing, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, Don't Look Now, Carrie, and The Innocents as his favorite horror films, with Goodnight Mommy, Hereditary, and The Witch being recent favorites. He even rushed off stage to hug a Canadian fan who drove over four hours to see Mandy - produced by Wood's SpectreVision - on the big screen.

Sunday morning kicked off with Christina Ricci's panel. A self-described "very different child," she hypothesized that being raised in a chaotic atmosphere led her to darker roles as a child actress, but playing those parts also impacted her. She cites Buffalo 66 and The Ice Storm among the roles she's most proud of. She loved the technical aspects of working on The Addams Family and considers herself particularly lucky to have worked with Raul Julia. When asked about playing Morticia in an Addams Family reboot, she said she'd be happy to, but it would make more sense for her to play an adult Wednesday. She also discussed making her debut at the age of 7 in a Saturday Night Live skit, an embarrassing experience filming Casper’s kissing scene in the early days of CGI, smoking her first cigarette with Winona Ryder on the set of Mermaids, and understanding the importance of Lizzie Borden upon appearing in New England that weekend.

Like his Star Trek co-star, George Takei was not accompanied by a moderator. He began by speaking about They Called Us Enemy, his new graphic novel about being imprisoned in a Japanese-American interment camp at the age of 5 following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, despite the fact that he and his family were born in America. The subject matter sadly remains relevant, but it was heartening to hear his resolve as well as the audience's reaction. The actor/activist also publicly revealed his support of Pete Buttigieg for the Democratic presidential nomination. He discussed how Star Trek has "lived long and prospered" for over 50 years before proudly speaking about his recent work on AMC's The Terror: Infamy, on which he served as a consultant in addition to acting. While answering fan questions, he shared a humorous anecdote about doing the Howard Stern show for the first time without knowing what he was getting into.

Rhode Island Comic Con marked comedy legend Chevy Chase's first convention, leading a Vacation family reunion, and saw the final public appearance of Sesame Street's former Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, Caroll Spinney. In addition to those mentioned, the guest list included Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Evanna Lynch (Harry Potter), Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones), Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club), Patrick Warburton (The Tick), Alex Kingston (Doctor Who), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead), Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk), Jaleel White (Family Matters), Richard Brake (Three from Hell), professional wrestling legend Mick Foley, and dozens more.

Beyond the impressive line-up of celebrity guests and a wide variety of vendors, Rhode Island Comic Con also featured comic book creators ranging from big names to indie up-and-comers, exclusive merchandise, after parties, kids activities, geek speed dating, and more. Cosplayers are always a highlight, so I was eager to catch the costume contest on Sunday afternoon. A great Buzz Lightyear - who nailed not only the costume but also the mannerisms - took home the grand prize, bringing the weekend’s fun to infinity and beyond.

Click here to see all of my Rhode Island Comic Con 2019 photos.

[sabrinas-spellsman]

Hold On (I Still Need You) Ch 2

takes place very early on in season 3a. its basically missing moments and different drinks (read on Ao3)

Lavender Tea

She finds dead bodies. That’s her new hobby, Lydia Martin: genius, queen bee of BHHS, and supernatural magnet for dead bodies. She finds herself losing sleep and feels that there’s not enough concealer in the world to cover the dark circles that she finds in the morning. Tonight’s no different. Her mom’s not home and the dark seems different ever since sophomore year. She remembers reading about how lavender tea can make someone drowsy and vaguely recalls seeing a box of it in her cupboards somewhere. Her search of the cupboards leaves her empty handed but she has a test tomorrow morning on the Heart Of Darkness and Ms Blake’s tests actually make her think a little. So she needs sleep.

Plus the circles under her eyes are almost as dark as Peter Hale’s soul at this point.

She grabs her coat, purse and keys, not bothering to change her clothes. A tank and tights wouldn’t be the worst thing to be seen in, considering her list of bad outfits included a hospital gown and her birthday suit. Anyways, she thinks, it's 4 in the morning. No one’s awake anymore.

She pulls up to the supermarket and walks briskly, pulling her coat tight across her chest, the cold sending a shiver down her back. She grabs a basket at the front, deciding to grab a few more things besides the tea. Lydia mentally runs over the things absent from her fridge. She grabs some salad supplies and some strawberry yogurt, ignoring her mom’s allergy. Besides everyone who knew Natalie Martin knew that her favorite flavor of anything was red wine. She runs her eyes over the shelves, looking for something she could be forgetting, turning the corner absently. She finds herself turning straight into someone’s chest, the force and shock sending her back.

“What the he- Lydia?” she looks up to see Stiles, headphones dangling around his neck, music forgotten as he stares at her like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“Stiles, why exactly are you trying to run me over? She rubs her forehead, vowing that if he leaves a mark, she will end him. When the hell did his chest get so hard anyways? Her pajamas flash in her mind and suddenly her tank top and tights seem trivial and dear god how come the one time she leaves the house without makeup is the day she runs into Stiles. She roams her eyes down his body, her gaze lingering on his arms, the ghosts of muscles hidden under his t shirt. His hair looks pretty good for 4 am and god help her even the plaid bottoms he has on look nice on him. She brings her eyes up to find him doing the same thing she had just been.

He catches her gaze and blushes, acting as if he hadn’t just been checking her out, which was funny cause he’s been checking her out since junior high. He suddenly seems very interested in the Fiber One box on his left.

“So… uh what are you doing here?”

She raises an incredulous eyebrow in response.

“What do you think I’m doing here Stiles?”

“Right, I mean like what are you doing awake at 4 in the morning?” The answer to his question seems a little hard to get out so she counters with her own question.

“What are you doing awake at 4 in the morning?” It’s a childish response but she’s tired and wants to sleep and now she’s irritated because there’s no way she’s gonna get any sleep now that she knows what Stiles Stilinski’s bed head looks like. (It looks really good but Lydia is not going to think about that cause this is Stiles, for the love of god.)

(She’s gonna be thinking about this for days to come)

He shrugs in response. “My dad’s working late and I can’t sleep.”

“Me neither.” The words leave her mouth before she can think about it. Stiles frowns, his eyebrows doing that crease they do when he’s worried.

“Why? Are you sick?”  

“No, I just can’t sleep that well now days.”

He nods in understanding. “Nightmares?”

“Something like that.”

She’s not about to tell him that her dreams are haunted by Peter Hale and his hand wrapped around her throat because then he’ll tell Scott and he’ll be worried enough to tell Allison, who’d then worry about her and try to talk to her. And Allison has better things to worry about. She looks at Stiles who’s dark circles are even worse than hers. And the sight of them compels her to say it, “You know, if you can’t sleep, lavender tea has a relaxing and sedative property that helps. I find that it really works.” she offers.

He smiles at her, not his spastic “there’s a body in the woods” kind of smile. The kind of smile makes her chest feel tight and her pulse race. This smile is all warmth and kindness and admiration and she realizes that she hasn’t seen him smile like that in a while. Which may be a good thing cause that smile makes her feel irrational. Like when he smiles at her in a grocery store at 4 in the morning and she hears herself ask him if he wants to go home with her and prepare for the english test while drinking lavender tea.

He stares at her, not answering and panic rises in her chest.

“You don’t have to. I just thought that well, I peer reviewed you paper the other day on symbolism and you could use my help.” She snipes. His answer is in his smile, his eyes lighting up. He grabs her basket emptying the contents into his own.

“Come on. If we’re doing this, I’m gonna need potato chips.” He turns to go down the aisle to grab his oil and fat infested snack and he misses her smile behind him.

They end up at her kitchen table, books open and highlighters in their hands, potato chips by his side. She’s put her hair up in a bun and ran up to put on some lip gloss while he prepared their tea. He makes snide comments about the characters and she blames her laughter on the late time.

“So the Congo river is also a symbol. It symbolizes movement towards a common goal and that's what the- Stiles are you even writing any of this down?”

“I can’t focus on English Lydia.” He stretches his neck back and gives her a delicious view of his throat and her mouth goes dry. He rotates his neck, moaning a little at sore muscles and she gets up to get a drink of water before she does something stupid. (like jump Stiles Stilinski in the middle of her kitchen which is ridiculous cause this is Stiles Stilinski.) When she turns back he has his book closed and his head on the table.

“ I can’t study anymore. I’m too sleepy.”

“That's because lavender’s an aphrodisiac. It decreases your heart rate and blood pressure helping you relax.”

He lifts his head up and quirks his eyebrows at her. “What? No scientific name to go along with that explanation?”

She doesn’t miss a beat. “Lavandula angustifolia.”

She crosses her arms across her chest and smirks. She raises her eyebrow in a silent challenge, wondering if he’ll take it. He sits up straighter and raises his chin and squints his eyes. “Rosemary.”

She scoffs. “Rosmarinus officinalis.”

He gets up out of his chair. “Peppermint”

“Mentha × piperita”

He steps closer to her. “Bay Laurel”

“Laurus nobilis”

He takes another step closer, his long legs carrying him closer to her, closing the distance between them. He’s close enough for her to reach out and touch his face if she wanted to.He looks down at her, a smirk on his face. She looks up at him and oh. She loses her breath. His eyes are tired but alive, the light above her making it look like sparks exploding in them. His unbelievably long eyelashes create a light shadow across his cheekbones and her hand itches to reach out and touch them. She wants to be close enough to count every eyelash. She wants to kiss every mole on his face. She wants to trace the shape of his lips with her own. She wants… she wants.

The air around them grows heavy and Lydia feels her breaths getting heavier. His eyes are hooded and he doesn’t seem to notice that how close he is or how his proximity is affecting her. She bits her lip, eyes not leaving his face, the situation seeming strangely erotic. He licks his lips as he opens his mouth to speak and she feels a tug in her stomach at the sight of his wet lips.

“Oregano” The word knocks her back to reality and away from daydreams She shakes her head and raises her eyebrow at his question.

“Origanum vulgare” He stares at her and she mentally wills him to look away because if he keeps looking at her like that she gonna do something that is gonna be really hard to explain to Allison. The spell is broken though when he laughs, stepping back a few paces to look at her.

“God, is there anything you don’t know?” He smiles and looks at her with wonder that makes her heart skip beats.

She smiles in return. “Probably not.” (I don't know why I want to kiss you so bad)

He looks down at his feet and raises his eyes at her, making her chest tighten. His voice is raspy when he answers. “ Yeah probably not. You know… you’re really smart. Like scary smart.”  This time its her who steps forward.

“You think I’m scary?” her voice is teasing but a part of her genuinely wants to know. Her uncanny ability to find dead people is probably not a good thing. It's like he reads her mind.

“Not like supernatural scary. But you’re scary in other ways…  when you want to be.” he adds as an afterthought, his eyes on his feet again. She takes another step forward, feet moving without permission.

“Do I scare you?” the words come out as a whisper. His head snaps back up, his cheeks filled with color.

“No.” His words are strong, filled with an emotion she doesn’t wanna face.

Her shoulders drop in relief. “Good.” She gives him a soft smile and their eyes meet. The upcoming dawn seems quiet, the world dead as they stand on the precipice of something immense in the middle of her kitchen. She could jump, all it would take is a few steps and she could grab his face and satisfy her curiosity once and for all. She could get him out of her system, wipe it clean and go back to life like normal. Just another boy, just another face. But it's not that easy. She can’t do anything because this is Stiles. This is Scott’s best friend and she knows the disappointed look he would give her if she just used and discarded his best friend like she had countless boys before him. Not when she knows how he feels. Its obvious and months ago his feelings wouldn’t have mattered. No one's would’ve. But now… Allison would be disappointed and she would let down Scott and Stiles would be… She isn’t sure when she let all these people in but now they all have a piece of her and she can’t risk it. And she’s not so sure that she could put him aside. He’s under her skin and she knows that she’ll be an addict after one taste.

So she doesn’t kiss him. Instead she cleans their cups as he watches. And she doesn’t kiss him as he leaves. Instead she sits at her table and tries to figure out when Stiles Stilinski became this important to her. And she doesn’t kiss him when he shows her his grade a few days later, a bright red A in the corner of his paper. She doesn’t kiss him when he sits down next to her at the library and passes her his math homework, asking her to check his work. She doesn’t kiss him (but God, she really wants to.)

[unlikely-allies]

4.5/5

**SPOILERS**

Ghosts of the Shadow Market is a collection of short stories that provide a glimpse at new and old characters within the Shadowhunters universe. The ten stories included serve to follow Jem’s journey (as Brother Zachariah and then again as James Carstairs) to find the last of the Lost Herondales. The story goes that in the 1820’s, Tobias Herondale was sent with a group of Shadowhunters to deal with some rogue warlocks, but fled when the warlocks summoned a greater demon. Tobias was sentenced to death for treason, but when he could not be located his pregnant wife was killed instead. In reality, Tobias ran from the battle because one of the warlocks enchanted him to believe that his wife and unborn child were in danger and he wished to save them. Unfortunately, Tobias Herondale went mad and was unable to be saved, but the warlock Catarina Loss was able to save Tobias’ child. Before Tobias’ wife was put to death, Catarina helped her deliver the child and escaped with him, keeping him hidden from the Clave. Catarina named the child Ephraim, and he went on to have a family of his own, thus beginning the lineage of the Lost Herondales.

Cast Long Shadows Matthew Fairchild knows that he is different from his brother Charles. Matthew is flamboyant, while Charles is reserved. Matthew values fashion and the writings of Oscar Wilde, while Charles has political aspirations and shadows their mother the Consul. Bully Alastair tries to play on these differences and convinces Matthew that Gideon Lightwood is actually his father, not Henry Branwell. On an outing to the London Shadow Market, Matthew purchases a truth potion from a faerie booth. Brother Zachariah has taken to visiting Shadow Markets in hopes of helping Tessa discover the identity of her demon father. At the London Shadow Market, Brother Zachariah runs into Matthew and the two discuss their mutual affection for the Herondales. Brother Zachariah and Matthew meet again all too soon when Matthew doses his mother’s scones with the truth potion, causing her to collapse and fall ill. Brother Zachariah is able to save Charlotte from the brink of death, but he is not able to save her unborn child. Matthew does not tell Brother Zachariah about the truth potion, though the Silent Brother knows that Matthew is keeping something from him. Matthew mourns for the little sibling he has robbed of a chance at life, and his grief weighs on him heavily long after.

Every Exquisite Thing Anna Lightwood dreams of going out on the town in divine suits with beautiful girls on her arms, but for now she must settle for stolen late night outings in her brother Christopher’s too-large clothes. At a dinner with Inquisitor Bridgestock’s family, Anna meets the Bridgestock’s adopted daughter Ariadne and becomes quite taken with her. The two agree to train together and even end up sneaking out and fighting demons side by side with the help of Brother Zachariah. After the fight, Anna and Ariadne enjoy each other’s company and find comfort in each other’s kisses. When Anna goes to bring Ariadne flowers the next day, she finds Charles Fairchild saying his good byes and promising to see Ariadne again in no more than a year. Ariadne admits to Anna that she and Charles are to be married, but that she and Anna can be together in the mean time. Anna is devastated and retreats home. Anna’s mother understands her heartbreak and uses the moment to ensure that Anna knows that Cecily and Gabriel love and accept her the way that she is. Cecily gifts Anna with her very own suit and with the ruby necklace that will one day find its way to Isabelle Lightwood.

Learn About Loss The Shadow Market has been disguised as a Carnival, luring in mundanes and Downworlders alike. Dangers are passed off as fun and games, and somehow adamas has fallen into the wrong hands. Brother Zachariah and Iron Sister Emilia are tasked with retrieving the adamas, and fill the time with friendly banter and jokes. Emilia helps Brother Zachariah to feel some of the humanity he has been missing. When the two finally discover the being in possession of the adamas, they are less than thrilled to discover that the culprit is Belial, a prince of Hell. Belial is indepted to Brother Zachariah so he returns the adamas and offers the Silent Brother a hint about Tessa’s father, who is also a prince of Hell. Belial hints at the line of Lost Herondales, and this is what sparks Brother Zachariah’s search. Through their friendly banter, Emilia discovers that Brother Zachariah’s old parabatai Will is dying. Emilia gets Belial to create an illusion in which both Jem and Will and young Shadowhunters again, and allows them to have one last adventure together.

A Deeper Love Brother Zachariah visits the London Shadow Market in his quest to find the Lost Herondale, but is attacked by a faerie for his inquiries. The blade that the faerie stabs Brother Zachariah with is poisoned, and he holds out just long enough to get help. London is being bombed by the Germans and Tessa and Catarina are working as nurses at the hospital. Brother Zachariah manages to get himself to the hospital and Tessa and Catarina rush to his aide. The Silent Brother’s condition is very touch-and-go, but Catarina is able to save him. This close call brings Jem and Tessa closer than they have been in a long time, and both admit their hope that one day they will be together. This is also when Catarina tells Jem about her role in the story of the Lost Herondales. Roland, a descendant of Ephraim Herondale, married a faerie woman who was the daughter of the Seelie Queen and Unseelie King. Her life was in danger so she fled faerie and now she and Roland are on the run. This explains when the faerie attacked brother Zachariah.

The Wicked Ones Celine Montclaire, Stephen Herondale, and Robert Lightwood are at the Paris Shadow Market on a mission for the Circle. Celine has fallen hard for Stephen, but he is married to Amatis. Celine’s job is to play lookout, and this is when she encounters Brother Zachariah who is at the Shadow Market searching for a connection to the Lost Herondales. Seeking solace in an unbiased third party, Celine admits her feelings for Stephen to Brother Zachariah, and almost admits other horrors from her past that have led her into Valentine’s Circle. Before Brother Zachariah can soothe Celine, she is called back to Stephen and Robert. During the mission, Stephen is enchanted to be in love with Celine, and when finds humor in it when Robert tells him later. Celine overhears the two boys laughing about it and making jokes about Celine. Heartbroken, Celine flees to Valentine only to find him discussing their mission, and how it is actually a ruse to setup two Shadowhunters. Valentine offers Stephen’s heart to Celine in exchange for her silence and loyalty. Celine accepts.

Son of the Dawn Brother Zachariah is approached by Raphael Santiago and Lily Chen for help in preventing a shipment of yin fen from reaching New York City. The vampires have approached him and not the Lightwoods who run the Institute because of bad blood from when the Lightwoods were aligned with Valentine. Brother Zachariah helps to get Robert Lightwood to agree to the mission, and the five of them join the voyage of the boat containing the drug. The boat also happens to be transporting Jace Herondale, who is coming to live with the Lightwoods. The vampires and the Shadowhunters secure the yin fen, and Brother Zachariah gets the chance to help another Herondale.

The Land I Lost Jem, now mortal again, and Tessa are on the trail of the Lost Herondales and need Alec’s help to gain entrance to the Buenos Aires Shadow Market. Alec and Lily Chen arrive in Buenos Aires to find an Institute very bias against Downworlders, and a Shadow Market closed off to Shadowhunters. The only Shadowhunter permitted inside is Alec because of his history with the werewolf who runs the Market. The werewolf, Juliette, tells Alec about the mistreatment of Downworlders at the hands of the Institute, and about how dozens of werewolf women have gone missing. At the Market, Alec finds an orphaned Shadowhunter child named Rafael who begrudgingly allows Alec to care for him. Rafael knows where the werewolf women are and he leads Alec and Lily to the warlock who is keeping them captive. They discover that the women are being captured and delivered by the Buenos Aires Shadowhunters who are selling themselves as mercenaries. Jem, Alec, Lily, Tessa, and the Downworlders of the Shadow Market team up to rescue the women and punish the rogue Shadowhunters. Alec decides to bring Rafael back to New York with him, and he and Magnus decide to officially adopt Rafael.

Through Blood Through Fire Rosemary Herondale reaches out to Jem and Tessa for help, but they arrive too late. Rosemary was killed by one of the Rider that serve the Unseelie King, and Jem and Tessa must ensure that Rosemary’s child does not meet the same fate. Tessa uses her shape shifting abilities to locate the child, and they arrive to find a familiar face. The house is a wreck, Rosemary’s husband is dead, their son Christopher is safe, but Emma Carstairs is fighting off a horde of demons. This story overlaps with part of Lady Midnight and the events that lead to Jem and Tessa finally finding the Lost Herondale.

The Lost World Ty Blackthorn and the ghost of his sister Livy are attending the Scholomance. It has been 6 months since Livy has returned as a ghost, and she and Ty still don’t understand he details of her current state. In testing her ghost abilities, Livy is able to gather information about the Cohort and its supporters, who are locked within Idris. Traveling away from Ty is not something Livy has done often, and the more she does it the stranger she feels. When Livy travels to tell Magnus about the information she has collected, she begins to lose herself to her more ghostly-inclinations and has a full-on poltergeist episode. Livy returns to Ty to find that her distance form him has caused him to collapse. The thread binding them together is stretched when they are apart, causing him physical distress. For better or worse Livy and Ty are bound to one another in a way that exceeds their twin bond, and they must try to do all they can to understand it.

Forever Fallen The Jace Herondale from Thule and Ash have come back to Ash’s time. Jace is consumed with taking the place of the real Jace so that he can once again be with Clary. To prepare to take his place, Thule Jace spends his time following Jace’s friends so that he can gain the necessary information that will allow him to take Jace’s place. In following them, Thule Jace runs into Clary and he realizes that passing himself off as her Jace would be impossible. Instead, Thule Jace plans to help Ash take over this world so that he can then take Clary for his own. Thule Jace vows to protect Ash from the one danger to his rule, the descendent of the First Heir. Jem and Tessa have embraced Kit and he seems to be thriving in their home. Kit helps to soothe Jem and Tessa’s baby girl Mina when she cries, takes part in story time, and is trying to make a place for himself in their family. Jem and Tessa tell Kit about his mother Rosemary and how important the Herondales are to them. Kit not only wants to belong in their family, but he also wants to belong in the world of the Shadowhunters, so Jem offers to help with his training. This story sets the stage for The Wicked Powers series.

Ghosts of the Shadow Market provides details that serve to tie together the series that take place within the Shadowhunters universe. The novel also fills in Jem’s time as a Silent Brother and shows his return to his humanity and his love. I highly recommend Ghosts of the Shadow Market to avid readers of Cassandra Clare’s books and lovers of the Shadowhunters universe. My personal favorite of the stories is The Land I Lost, but Ghosts of the Shadow Market really has a story for everyone.

[mags-duranb]

My Universe One: Jellal this and that.

@ajerzaaddict : You have really come up with some of the most creative and thoughtful and believable ideas Mags, in an AU where Jellal is our main character. My favorite is Jellal departing on a self discovery journey alone. But him being able to talk OS into joining his cause is too ideal imo. I think when coming to the relationship between Jellal and Ultear, and Jellal and OS, my perceptions are not quite the same as yours and your friend’s.

I have never once thought that Jellal would be better off staying dead becaue he got shitty treatment from Mashima. I 100% agree that there are many potentials in his character for development that are not addressed. And there are times when I feel disappointed and annoyed with the way he’s written. But I’m probably not “if it’s not good enough I would rather not having any” kind of person. I also think he is already having the most complicated development in the series as a side character. But this post shouldn’t be about how I see Jellal in canon. So I’ll stop here.

I would be so proud of Jellal if he was like how you picture him, being strong enough on his own to be able to shape his own path. But the Jellal in canon, the one who struggled and was confused and uncertain and did stupid things sometimes do have his charm on me.

(...)

Ohohoho! discussion time! 8D

First, thank you! I am happy you are enjoying this.

I think my friend @sassyhazelowl pin pointed my exact reasons why Jellal would fare better when confronting OS and why the outcome would be very different unlike what happened in canon.

That’s because I decided not to dissmiss child!Jellal leadership’ skills and spirit. Is through flashbacks we learned that despite his young age, he was already a natural born leader, if someone got a plan to scape, he would jump right then and there and make things happend.

He also was someone who craved for freedom. For him, freedom was a great reason to keep going despite the gruesome life they were living.

That’s why I think that in the hands of a more skilled writer, those traits wouldn’t be dismissed as easily, particularly his great need to be free. And after years and years being held a prisoner in the tower and then inside his mind, I think being free would be something that would become ultimately a driving force to him.

Which would tie as a great reason to connect with the current Oracion Seis, whom after seven years of imprisoment have come to crave freedom more than anything and that would be worth to listen to Jellal and what he offers to them.

Plus unlike Mashima’s timelime I though that liberating the six before the Tartarus arc would be a better time so they could merge into Crime Sorciere in a more natural way, since I think that if they got recruited at least one year before Fairy Tail come back, by the time Tartarus happened they  would be a full fledge and working team.

And about the divergences and liking on canon Jellal and my working-to-fix-his-character Jellal; I like both, i even like the brken man who struggles, my big problem is how Mashima never addressed this in a proper way and let his character go to waste in this last arc (my eternal complain).

@sassyhazelowl : My only qualm is he shouldn’t know about Kagura because “we” didn’t know Simon had a sister let alone that she somehow survived and was seeking revenge. Simon probably assumed she was gone forever just like Sorano/Yukino. I know Mashima is very poor at observing character spheres of knowledge/POV. However, after the GMG this is entirely feasible, if you wanted to drag out that plotline.

Indeed, I wanted to drag out this plotline, and Erza is the one who got me a threat to hang on when during the end of her battle with Kagura  she not only revealed she was from Rosemary so out of the blue but also that Simon was always talking about her, so I just connected dots and supposed he did that even when they were slaves, so Jellal had to heard about her, which was her name and that she was somewhere in the world.

Mashima has this thing to give you enough room to fill in the blanks, Honestly, with suddens revelations with no previous building, you can add whatever you want and bullshit your way through it, LOL XD

But yeah, Oracion Seis joining with Crime Sorciere and Jellal aware of Kagura existence has valid reasons for me to happend in my rewriting of this :D