#champions of the earth podcast

[sarosenna]

My next Audio Fiction I Love article has arrived!

Champions of the Earth is a lushly sound designed actual play podcast and recorded beta test of a game that lets you play out your fantasies of becoming a sentai hero. Here’s the show description:

Part audio drama, part tabletop gaming livestream, Champions of the Earth is a Parsec-nominated biweekly podcast that blends the epic unpredictable storytelling of tabletop RPG shows like The Adventure Zone and Critical Role with the thematics of the golden age of teenage magical warrior shows like Voltron, Sailor Moon, and Power Rangers into a fully produced, original cinematic audio experience. Set in the fictional town of Beach Bay, CA, the show follows five disaster teenagers accidentally chosen to inherit power suits, animal mechas, and the responsibility to defend the earth from sinister forces – and all while trying to sort out their messy teen drama. Giant robotic kaiju, re-animated animal corpses, black government vans, and the looming threat of homecoming share the stage with personal crises like coming out of the closet and disappointing parents.

Read the article here.

You can read my previous articles on my Medium.

[celepom]

For Transgender Day of Visibility, here’s several books about Gender that I haven’t recommended before (I Think)!

Fine: A Comic About Gender

By Rhea Ewing

As graphic artist Rhea Ewing neared college graduation in 2012, they became consumed by the question: What is gender? This obsession sparked a quest in which they eagerly approached both friends and strangers in their quiet Midwest town for interviews to turn into comics. A decade later, this project exploded into a sweeping portrait of the intricacies of gender expression with interviewees from all over the country. Questions such as “How do you Identify” produced fiercely honest stories of dealing with adolescence, taking hormones, changing pronouns—and how these experiences can differ, often drastically, depending on culture, race, and religion. Amidst beautifully rendered scenes emerges Ewing’s own story of growing up in rural Kentucky, grappling with their identity as a teenager, and ultimately finding themself through art—and by creating something this very fine. Tender and wise, inclusive and inviting, Fine is an indispensable account for anyone eager to define gender in their own terms. 

Galaxy: The Prettiest Star 

By Jadzia Axelrod & Jess Taylor (Illustrator)

It takes strength to live as your true self, and one alien princess disguised as a human boy is about to test her power. A vibrant story about gender identity, romance, and shining as bright as the stars. Taylor Barzelay has the perfect life. Good looks, good grades, a starting position on the basketball team, a loving family, even an adorable corgi. Every day in Taylor’s life is perfect. And every day is torture. Taylor is actually the Galaxy Crowned, an alien princess from the planet Cyandii, and one of the few survivors of an intergalactic war. For six long, painful years, Taylor has accepted her duty to remain in hiding as a boy on Earth. That all changes when Taylor meets Metropolis girl Katherine “call me Kat” Silverberg, whose confidence is electrifying. Suddenly, Taylor no longer wants to hide, even if exposing her true identity could attract her greatest enemies. From the charming and brilliant mind behind the popular podcast The Voice of Free Planet X, Jadzia Axelrod, and with stunningly colorful artwork by Jess Taylor comes the story of a girl in hiding who must face her fears to see herself as others see her: the prettiest star.

To Strip the Flesh

By Oto Toda

A moving collection of six short stories that explores what must be stripped away to find the truth and celebrates the beauty of embracing who you are. Chiaki Ogawa has never doubted that he is a boy, although the rest of the world has not been as kind. Bound by his mother’s dying wish, Chiaki tries to be a good daughter to his ailing father. When the burden becomes too great, Chiaki sets out to remake himself in his own image and discovers more than just personal freedom with his transition—he finds understanding from the people who matter most.

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston 

By Esme Symes-Smith

In a magical medieval world filled with dragons, shape-shifters, and witches, a twelve-year-old hero will search for their place as an impending war threatens. A thrilling middle-grade series opener that stars a nonbinary tween and explores identity and gender amid sword fights. My name is Callie, and I'm not a girl. I am here as Papa's squire, and I want to train as a knight. In a world where girls learn magic and boys train as knights, twelve-year-old nonbinary Callie doesn't fit in anywhere. And you know what? That's just fine. Callie has always known exactly what they want to be, and they're not about to let a silly thing like gender rules stand in their way. When their ex-hero dad is summoned back to the royal capital of Helston to train a hopeless crown prince as war looms, Callie lunges at the opportunity to finally prove themself worthy to Helston's great and powerful. Except the intolerant great and powerful look at Callie and only see girl. Trapped in Helston's rigid hierarchy, Callie discovers they aren't alone--there's Elowen, the chancellor's brilliant daughter, whose unparalleled power is being stifled; Edwyn, Elowen's twin brother, locked in a desperate fight to win his father's approval; and Willow, the crown prince who was never meant to be king. In this start to an epic series packed with action, humor, and heart, Callie and their new friends quickly find themselves embedded in an ancient war--the only hope to defeat the dragons and witches outside the kingdom lies in first defeating the bigotry within.

I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl 

By Azusa Banjo

It's a familiar story: a popular high school student gives their plain friend a makeover and transforms their life. But this time, the path to a new life isn't quite so straight and narrow. Kenshirou Midou has loved cosmetics all his life, keeping his obsession secret from almost everyone except for his childhood friend Hiura Mihate. One day, Kenshirou gets permission to practice applying makeup on Hiura, and the results are earth-shattering: Hiura's appearance transforms from a plain, undersized boy to a pretty, petite girl, and Kenshirou discovers just how freeing it is to apply his passion! Yet he's not the only one who finds the process liberating. Hiura likes the makeup, and the subsequent dress-up in feminine clothes, and decides to start wearing the girls' uniform to school. Kenshirou doesn't understand if he's unlocked something in Hiura, or if he's simply seeing a new side to his childhood buddy that he never noticed before. What are these feelings bubbling between them now--is this attraction truly new?

My Androgynous Boyfriend 

By Tamekou Wako and her androgynous boyfriend don't exactly have the most traditional of relationships. She spends her days working hard in the world of publishing, while he spends his time obsessing over fashion and makeup--all with the goal of making himself beautiful just for her. This romantic slice-of-life story is about love, relationships, and breaking with tradition!

[meret118]

In 1976, when prolific writer, activist and self-described Black lesbian mother warrior poet Audre Lorde published her seminal poetry collection, Coal, the world wide web was still 17 years away from becoming a public-facing invention, and the platform of podcasting hadn’t even been dreamt up yet. The volume established her as a champion for women, Blackness, queerness and equity in the explosive 1970s Black Arts Movement—other works to come, like Sister Outsider, positioned Lorde as a justice-demanding mouthpiece for people who’d been shoved into the crosshairs of marginalization.

She was highly quotable and, in recent years as discussions about mental health and the prioritization of personal peace have become more frequent and fervent, one of her most notable lines of writing has become its own celebrity: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” From that sentence, knit into the reflective context of A Burst of Light, Lorde’s award-winning contemplation on the healthcare system and the cancer that had invaded her body, the concept of “self-care” was popularized and made real.

“We noticed that in the public discourse, particularly in media and social media, there are several Black feminist terms, ideas and practices floating around,” says Klingenberg, a curator of Black music and entertainment in the museum’s division of cultural and community life, in an interview after the series debuted earlier this year. “But they’re always disconnected from the Black feminist thinkers who created them, the context in which they were created, and in some instances, from the very meaning that the original creators were thinking of when they created them.”

Like many terms that originate in the canon of Black art and thought, self-care has been swallowed into a vortex of mainstream overuse and lack of attribution.

. . .

In 1977, the women of the Combahee River Collective released a groundbreaking statement “defining and clarifying” the politics of Black feminism. It was also arguably the first time that the phrase “identity politics” would appear, and Smith is credited with coining the term.“We were not saying that we were superior to any other groups of oppressed people,” says Smith in the podcast. “We were not being a vanguard. We did not think that we were the only people on Earth who were oppressed. We just wanted to assert that unlike the women’s movement and unlike the Black liberation movement at that time, that there was a particular set of situations, circumstances and experiences and oppressions that Black women experienced, and that we needed to deal with those. And that’s what we meant by identity politics.”

More at the link, including the podcasts.

[open-hearth-rpg]

Scale: Great RPG Mechanics #RPGMechanics: Week One

I’ve fought lots of dumb big things in rpgs over the years. Vastly over-pointed villains in Champions, pantheons from Gods, Demigods & Heroes, just about everything from the early Rolemaster & Middle Earth modules– things with absurd amounts of hit points, tremendous armor class, high damage reduction, silly resistances, etc. 

Yes, there’s a joy to slowly chipping away at a big baddie, maybe getting in a few hits which deal additional effects. I mean I’ve put 1000+ hours into Monster Hunter World & Rise, so clearly I’m used to that. It can be fun at the table, but it can also be a slog. Maybe not a slog, but a process of repetition, of doing the same thing over and over again in the same way. 

Two games got me thinking about Scale as a different approach to big vs. little in the first place. One was Fate Core and how it addressed the idea as the difference in scale between foes being used as a modifier to effect, rather than having blow-out numbers for foes. But the other one, the idea that stuck with me, was from Mouse Guard. The concept that there were absolute bands of scale: you were small and some things were bigger than you. You can’t chip damage your way to deal with a wolf when you’re a mouse. 

Instead you have to be clever. You have to take actions to lower the difference in scale: traps, stratagems, teamwork, etc. It might take just one for something slightly larger, but for bigger differences you’d have to do more- and in smarter ways. 

I remember using this idea for a dumb 24 Hour RPG I wrote, Witless Minion!, with the concept that henchpersons could only actually take down a superhero by bringing them down to their own, lower level. It was a throwaway idea– something I forgot about until I was working on Hearts of Wulin and listening to the Jianghu Hustle podcast. They used the idea of scale to describe conflicts and fights, examining how the characters could come back and deal with nastier opponents. 

That ended up being the core engine for conflicts in Hearts of Wulin, and I adore it. I love watching the clever and creative ideas players come up with to weaken a deadly, ageless master. I love the costs they end up paying to reset that balance– and the desperate rolls they make once they have that foe at a disadvantage. They have one shot to do it before the stage resets and the scales return to normal. Can they do it? At what cost?

[bad-aew-discourse]

AEW Double-or-Nothing Preview

AEW, a company that has been circling the drain for five years, has another premium live event tonight, so I'm going to spend my short time on earth dunking on a show I don't watch.

When Chris Jericho was in WWE, he was a legend and the first ever Undisputed Champion, but in AEW, he's the guy who had a mediocre WrestleMania 18 main event. A title with the prestigious lineage of the For the World Championship shouldn't be defended in a triple-threat match, against a guy with a generic "The Wrestler" gimmick and Hook, who will definitely be in WWE next month. This Shibata guy probably wins because he seems like Meltzer fave and that's the only person Tony Khan books for.

Ugh, Dean Ambrose has fallen so far that AEW had to make up yet another title just to give him something to do. He isn't even defending this made up belt against this guy I've never heard of! 🤣😂🤣 Anyway, this Takeshita guy definitely wins because champions always lose nontitle matches to build to rematches. Obvious. 🥱

Jeeze, will AEW please fire whoever is in their graphics department? They can't even be bothered to color in their Women's Champion! 🤣😂🤣 Anyway, Toni Storm isn't getting a reaction from the crowd, and Deeb, despite being a poor worker, is a natural babyface, so Tony should switch the title here because it is time to shake things up.

An absolute waste of natural superstar Roderick Strong who could be main eventing an important show like Main Event if he had stayed in WWE, yet here he is in the minor leagues babysitting a rookie who tattooed an attendance figure on his arm. I don't know, man. Will Ospreay just isn't developing as a star and really should have gone to NXT. Tony Khan probably puts the title on Ospreay here, even though he is completely not ready to be in that big of a spotlight. Expect a lot of blown spots. At least it will give AEW Botches plenty of content! 😂🤣😂

Why is this a premium-live event match?? These guys go out there and kill the ratings every week (according to the old guy podcast I follow), and and there is a absolutely no story. This is just a match happening to have a match with guys who get no reaction from the crowd. I know, I know, AEW is just indie wrestling workrate garbage, but a little sports entertainment wouldn't kill them. This is a good time to take a bathroom break without missing anything. Orange Cassidy probably wins, continuing Tony Khan shoving his pet projects down our throat

Trios match going to be so boring fr fr 🥱🥱

Another match with zero story?? Classic AEW!! 🤣😂🤣 Edge is an absolute legend who wrestled The Greatest Wrestling Match of All Time with Randy Orton, but he has done nothing since going to AEW. No feuds with his best friend. No being corrupted by Malakai's influence, possibly reverting him to being the evil Master Manipulator he used to be. Zero stakes, but AEW will probably paint over all of their botches with blood. I guess Edge wins, but it's really hard to care with nothing on the line.

Although I'm not watching this show, I'm still boycotting this match. The Young Bucks are the worst thing in wrestling. They can't work. They get zero reaction. And I think it's disgusting how they personally fired Cody Rhodes. Even worse, they are now featuring Jack Perry, a man who went up to famously good dude CM Punk and bullied Punk until the Bucks could personally fire him. Absolutely disgusting behavior, and their partner Kazuchika Okada is some indie loser no one has ever heard of. I feel so sorry for Daniel Bryan. He has to team with some goth kid trying to be Cora Jade and two guys who look like a diet version of The Revival. Let's just get through this mess so Bryan can get back to WWE and get his career back on track.

This match.

What a mess.

Mercedes Mone is a megastar, but her handling in AEW has been so, so bad.

Like, Mone is getting boos. She is your obvious babyface because she is the bigger star, and she is getting booed. Do you know how hard it is to get fans to turn like that?? Either Willow Nightingale has done a fantastic job getting people behind her (which, lol, I can't allow that possibility to fit into my worldview) or AEW is total garbage and will be dead by August. Expect an absolute heatless mess as the crowd hijacks this. Mercedes should win and be booked to be invincible, going over all of these AEW losers, but who knows what cocaine-addled Tony Khan will actually do?

How depressing is this?

Since winning the title last month, Swerve has barely been on the shows. If AEW were really behind him, he would be on practically every show, every week. He would be the focus in the opening segments. They would do countdown timers to his matches. He would be involved, even loosely, with the most important storylines like what is going on with The Elite. He would be facing adversity like having the stablemates he neglected turn on him.

But, no, I have seen none of that happen as I spend my Wednesday nights hate posting.

And, so, Swerve is defending his title against an absolutely heatless tag team wrestler, Christian Cage, who hasn't done anything of note since the TLC matches of the early 2000s. Why would anyone care? Swerve has no history with any members of Cage's Patriarchy, especially not Nick Wayne who got attacked in his own home and bloodied in his dead father's ring last year. Swerve and Cage never lost a high-profile tag team match at AEW's biggest show, which also happened to be the time Swerve turned on his friend AR Fox to side with Christian Cage which might matter if Swerve were doing a redemption arc. Just . . . I don't know. This is a perfect example of why no one in the r/AEWSucks subreddit cares about AEW.

So, there you have it, one more AEW premium live event that no one will care about or even watch. If you want to see some actually good wrestling with stories, you should check out yesterday's King and Queen of the Ring from Saudi Arabia and certainly not AEW Double or Nothing LIVE on PPV and Bleacher Report from Las Vegas, Nevada.

[xplainthexmen]

In which the overlap between Rocky Horror and ‘90s X-Force fans is probably pretty significant; Pandemonia has priorities; the warehouse gets an evil, sexy glowup; swears are great; Johnny Blaze’s motorcycle probably shouldn’t still be on fire; and there is no single definitive X-Men experience.

X-PLAINED:

Master Pandemonium

X-Force #85

X-Force/Champions Annual 1998

What X-Force has been up to lately

The regrettable absence of Doctor Doom

Possession

Community

Cougars (euphemistic)

The thrift cycle

Rusty Collins on Krakoa

Fashion

An eons-old accord between the Houses of Chaos and the Lord of Valhalla

Jennifer Kale

The list

Swears

A statue of Hades

Various appendages sticking out of the earth

Hercules

The mystic power of sarcasm

The greatest fear of a Titan

Monet St. Croix vs. the Count of Monte Cristo

Good X-books for your fifteen-year-old niece

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine vs. Vampires (again)!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

[ssunsxt]

Okay SO

My friends and I have been working on this game for the last 3 years and we’re FINALLY getting around to playing it — BUT ! Here’s the fun part

We’re making a public server for people who are interested so that they can follow along with the story and the characters!

We have recordings of the sessions for anyone who might wanna listen in like a podcast, but we're also going to have sessions transcribed for anyone who might wanna just read each session like a chapter of a book - really its up to you!

So if you’re interested in joining The Champions of the Earth 206X server, keep an eye on this space! We can’t wait to make more content and share it with you guys!

All art was done by our wonderful game master @petalprismsart !! AND she animated the trailer !! She’s so cool 💕💕

[heroesofprovidenceeternal]

How far would you go to save the ones you love? 🌍

Brave commander Juram was born in Icebrook Kingdom, growing his stalwart constitution south of the desolate Frozen Wastes of Odi'am. He and his sister Nadia were raised by their father Samson to protect the downtrodden and seek justice through wisdom. When their mother Charis fell ill, Juram and Nadia were compelled to travel the world for a cure. Nadia journeyed to the floating city of Sa'nubis to seek an arcane solution, while Juram sought the holy Pact'um Monastery for wisdom. Strengthening in faith, he returned to miraculously heal his mother's malady, and vowed to continue his training as a holy Oathsworn templar knight. Now a mighty force for righteousness, how much longer until the darkest forces of Terrath see this new young champion as a threat to their schemes?

HeroesOfProvidenceEternal.com – Get free ttRPG maps, begin your own LEGEND, and become the hero you were born to be!

WATCH our complete comedy adventure short series Tourist in Terrath! "Pulled through a portal to a fantasy land, Bob from earth is an every man, trying to get home before he gets killed, join our hero Bob for a weekly thrill!" CLICK HERE

JOIN Captain Tumult on his journey to rescue his one true love from the monsters of his past! Action! Romance! Mystery! Revenge! Your free tabletop RPG adventure on the high seas awaits! HeroesOfProvidenceEternal.com/saber

EXPERIENCE our epic swashbuckling pirate fantasy audio drama on: YOUTUBE or PODCAST

GET your copy of CARDtographer - our epic storytelling card game for legendary heroes at: CARDtographer.com

FOLLOW us on all our social media: Linktr.ee/HeroesOfProvidenceEternal

SUPPORT us on Patreon for more adventures! Patreon.com/HeroesOfProvidenceEternal

[beautysenshi]

𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐄 "𝐀𝐒𝐊 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃" 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

GENERAL

full name:  mona aguilar .

nicknames:  n/a .

age:  twenty - six .

gender:  cis  female .

species:  superhero princess goddess girly from space ?

orientation:  bisexual , biromantic ! love love !

date of birth:  october 22nd .

place of birth:  manila ,  the philippines .

residence:  evermore .

occupation:  host of the v podcast / crime fighter

RELATIONSHIPS

parents:  andre aguilar  ( human , father ) ,  sofia  aguilar ( human , mother ) .

sibilings:  n/a .

significant other(s):  n/a  ( ace/adonis , deceased . i'm not including kunzite i don't think she remembers him atm . )

PHYSIQUE

faceclaim:  s.ue r.amirez .

eye color:  big brown eyed baby <3

hair color: dirty blonde - ish ?

height: 5′4″

ABILITIES

i'm too tired , i'll add these later rip !

character inspo:  minako aino  ( sailor moon ) ,  aphrodite (greek pantheon), venus (roman pantheon), britney spears' debut album;  aphrodite (selections of greek mythology, read by julie harris);  a golden chain of hearts;  “if you don’t fight for your love, what kind of love do you have?”;  a book full of dad jokes;  the maiden archetype;  sappho’s poetry;  not knowing how to go back to your old self;  a red ribbon;  being alone but not lonely;  the golden hour;  fighting until your very last breath;  venus by lady gaga

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄 !

first and foremost, mona is a girls girl. she is your best friend, your sister and she will be first in line to sacrifice herself for you, and she'll do it out of love. everything she does is in the name of love, whether the concept itself or for the people she loves. she's very much the embodiment of finding strength in tenderness, of love as not only romantic but also platonic and as an act of selflessness. a lot of my inspiration for her comes from julie harris' aphrodite (which is fitting, considering venus is her roman counterpart), particularly the line "unlike other olympians, (she) is never distracted from her duties. her work is her pleasure, her hobby. she thinks of nothing but love, and nobody expects more of her." mona knows who she is supposed to be and has fully embraced it. at least for the time being.

was living in london before waking up in evermore and that is where she consolidated her 'sailor v' persona and built her reputation. half of the authorities loved her, the other half hated her and the bad guys hated her even more, though it's mainly because she was actually doing a better job than the people in charge. it was truly her vigilante sh*t era.

SHE IS ROOTING FOR YOU !!  SHE'S YOUR BIGGEST FAN !!!!  mona is very much that one person who just met you but already hopes you'll achieve all of your goals and that all your dreams will come true !  she'll do whatever she can to help you get there ♡

talks a lot most of the time. like, seriously, but i think it's because she's been alone for most of her life (at least until artemis showed up) and now that she knows her purpose, she wants to get out there and find the other senshi.

when mona was thirteen, the boy she had a crush on told her she should wear a big red ribbon on her hair, because it'd look perfect on her. she's been wearing her hair like that ever since.

like the other senshi and their planets, she is basically the personification of venus / the goddess associated with it. and because venus' composition is said to be similar to the earth's, she feels even more responsible both for protecting not just the moon and their princess but also the earth.

on a similar note, she will absolutely take advantage of her title to give relationship advice and play matchmaker. girly is a big romantic despite having been cursed to never find love.

kinda didn't want to be a champion of justice at first because it's not like she's getting paid for it. rip

feels the biggest amount of guilt for what happened in their previous incarnation, which is also one of the reasons why she is so devoted to her duty as a sailor guardian. she *needs* to make things right this time around.

keeping with tradition, she hasn’t really revealed herself as the host of the v podcast either. i think girly is too comfortable keeping it private for now, especially since she hasn't found the other senshi yet.

has a big, big rose quartz collection. very much lives by the notion that one can never have too much rose quartz! if you’re feeling sad, she’ll do her best to cheer you up with your favorite meal, movie/show and a pretty rose quartz, probably carved ♡  she also loves pearls and pearl jewelry!

as the guardian of beauty, more specifically things that are universally pleasing to the eye, mona is Huge on beautifully decorated spaces and just aesthetics in general. she also has a knack for collecting those dainty teacups with delicate drawings on them! that being said, she’s also a major advocate of finding beauty in Everything, even in difficult situations. beauty is about the essence, not the vessel!

she's been doing the whole sailor guardian thing for a while now, a little over a year, and she's been doing it on her own (with the exception of artemis, her guardian/cat). these past few years have also been her loneliest.

i think. mona has never taken the time to grieve the loss of the girl she was before becoming sailor v, and it got even worse after she remembered her past as venus. she simply doesn’t have the time to think about the life she could have had, she has a duty and that is more important than anything she could’ve become … or so she tells herself.

as i mentioned before, mona is doomed to never find love, having been sort of cursed by one of her planet's own soldiers. she’ll always put something/someone else before it, mainly the moon princess, the other senshi and her duty.

HOWEVER, that doesn’t stop her from crushing on people regularly and having the occasional hook up. she really is a romantic little baby and will take what she can get, even if it’s not real real love. what a bittersweet girlie. oh, and she doesn’t believe in heterosexuality sorry ♡

terrible with sayings , she always messes them up or uses them in the wrong context . girlie is trying her best !

an extremely athletic girlie and an incredible gymnast! would rather climb up walls and jump through windows than use the actual door.

her bday is on october 22nd, making her a libra! i very much think she has taurus placements though, either moon or rising.

[southernvangard]

(Southern Vangard) Episode 381 - Southern Vangard Radio

BANG! @southernvangard #radio Ep381! Vangardians! It is we! Doe and Meeks have unleashed yet another episode of greatness upon the earth! Partake, enjoy and say THAAAAANK YA cause YOU WAAAAALCOME!!!!! Remember that “SMITHSONIAN GRADE: The Story of Southern Vangard Radio” is available now for ya little holiday gift giving - a cool $20 gets you a book, print, sticker!  SOUTHERNVANGARD.BANDCAMP.COM and beat the holiday rush! #SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard #YouWaaaaalcome // southernvangard.com // @southernvangard on all platforms #undergroundhiphop #boombap #DJ #mixshow #interview #podcast #ATL #WORLDWIDE #RIPCOMBATJACK

Recorded live November 12, 2023 @ Dirty Blanket Studios, Marietta, GA

southernvangard.com

@southernvangard on all platforms

#SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard

twitter/IG: @southernvangard @jondoeatl @cappuccinomeeks

Pre-Game Beats - The Alchemist, Elaquent

Talk Break Inst. - "Spalaneys Versus Everyone" - Soulful Playground

"Dialed In" - 1773 & Strange Soul Music

"In Stereo" - DJ Robert Smith & BambuDeAsiatic

"Get Ur Weight Up" - Tha God Fahim x Cookin Soul

"Orwell" - J Scienide                    

"Roll Up" - Cashus King & DJ Applejac

"Chris Tucker" - Doza The Drum Dealer & El Maestro

Talk Break Inst. - "Talk Of The Town" - Soulful Playground

"Gunz Up" - Flee Lord, Planet Asia & Mummz (prod. Crisis)

"Magico" - Death At The Derby

"Convoy" - Lloyd Banks

"Kyrie" - Kaimbr & Sean Born

"Soundcheck" - 1773 & Strange Soul Music ft. Theory Hazit & Elzhi

"Champions" - J. Arrr (prod. Bernard B. Woodside)

"Stankwater" - Domo Genesis & Graymatter

Talk Break Inst. - "Riding The CTA With The CIA" - Soulful Playground

"Mickey Mantle" - Spit Gemz (prod. ITRAK)

"Camera Flash" - Team Demo ft. Illa Ghee, Method Man, Wais P

"On The Level" - Kaimbr & Sean Born

"24 Hr. Payment Plan" - J Scienide                    

"Undercut" - Bub Styles ft. Eddie Kaine

"The Great Escape" - Larry June & Cardo ft. The Alchemist

"Top Of The Top" - Doza The Drum Dealer & El Maestro

"Aunts and Uncles" - Doza The Drum Dealer & El Maestro

Talk Break Inst. - "My First Cypher (A Lower Links Story)" - Soulful Playground

"Ocean Cuisine" - Larry June & Cardo ft. 2 Chainz

SOUNDCLOUD

https://soundcloud.com/southernvangard/episode-381-southern-vangard-radio/

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YOUTUBE

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TWITCH

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MIXCLOUD

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#SouthernVangard #DJJonDoe #EddieMeeks #TheAlchemist #Elaquent #SoulfulPlayground #1773 #StrangeSoulMusic #DJRobertSmith #BambuDeAsiatic #ThaGodFahim #CookinSoul #JScienide #CashusKing #DJApplejac #DozaTheDrumDealer #ElMaestro #FleeLord #PlanetAsia #Mummz #Crisis #DeathAtTheDerby #LloydBanks #Kaimbr #SeanBorn #TheoryHazit #Elzhi #JArrr #BernardBWoodside #DomoGenesis #Graymatter #SpitGemz #ITRAK #TeamDemo #IllaGhee #MethodMan #WaisP #BubStyles #EddieKaine #LarryJune #Cardo #2Chainz

[flushthethrone]

(Southern Vangard) Episode 381 - Southern Vangard Radio

BANG! @southernvangard #radio Ep381! Vangardians! It is we! Doe and Meeks have unleashed yet another episode of greatness upon the earth! Partake, enjoy and say THAAAAANK YA cause YOU WAAAAALCOME!!!!! Remember that “SMITHSONIAN GRADE: The Story of Southern Vangard Radio” is available now for ya little holiday gift giving - a cool $20 gets you a book, print, sticker!  SOUTHERNVANGARD.BANDCAMP.COM and beat the holiday rush! #SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard #YouWaaaaalcome // southernvangard.com // @southernvangard on all platforms #undergroundhiphop #boombap #DJ #mixshow #interview #podcast #ATL #WORLDWIDE #RIPCOMBATJACK

Recorded live November 12, 2023 @ Dirty Blanket Studios, Marietta, GA

southernvangard.com

@southernvangard on all platforms

#SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard

twitter/IG: @southernvangard @jondoeatl @cappuccinomeeks

Pre-Game Beats - The Alchemist, Elaquent

Talk Break Inst. - "Spalaneys Versus Everyone" - Soulful Playground

"Dialed In" - 1773 & Strange Soul Music

"In Stereo" - DJ Robert Smith & BambuDeAsiatic

"Get Ur Weight Up" - Tha God Fahim x Cookin Soul

"Orwell" - J Scienide                    

"Roll Up" - Cashus King & DJ Applejac

"Chris Tucker" - Doza The Drum Dealer & El Maestro

Talk Break Inst. - "Talk Of The Town" - Soulful Playground

"Gunz Up" - Flee Lord, Planet Asia & Mummz (prod. Crisis)

"Magico" - Death At The Derby

"Convoy" - Lloyd Banks

"Kyrie" - Kaimbr & Sean Born

"Soundcheck" - 1773 & Strange Soul Music ft. Theory Hazit & Elzhi

"Champions" - J. Arrr (prod. Bernard B. Woodside)

"Stankwater" - Domo Genesis & Graymatter

Talk Break Inst. - "Riding The CTA With The CIA" - Soulful Playground

"Mickey Mantle" - Spit Gemz (prod. ITRAK)

"Camera Flash" - Team Demo ft. Illa Ghee, Method Man, Wais P

"On The Level" - Kaimbr & Sean Born

"24 Hr. Payment Plan" - J Scienide                    

"Undercut" - Bub Styles ft. Eddie Kaine

"The Great Escape" - Larry June & Cardo ft. The Alchemist

"Top Of The Top" - Doza The Drum Dealer & El Maestro

"Aunts and Uncles" - Doza The Drum Dealer & El Maestro

Talk Break Inst. - "My First Cypher (A Lower Links Story)" - Soulful Playground

"Ocean Cuisine" - Larry June & Cardo ft. 2 Chainz

SOUNDCLOUD

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https://on.soundcloud.com/rskMn (SHORT LINK)

APPLE PODCASTS

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YOUTUBE

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TWITCH

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MIXCLOUD

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#SouthernVangard #DJJonDoe #EddieMeeks #TheAlchemist #Elaquent #SoulfulPlayground #1773 #StrangeSoulMusic #DJRobertSmith #BambuDeAsiatic #ThaGodFahim #CookinSoul #JScienide #CashusKing #DJApplejac #DozaTheDrumDealer #ElMaestro #FleeLord #PlanetAsia #Mummz #Crisis #DeathAtTheDerby #LloydBanks #Kaimbr #SeanBorn #TheoryHazit #Elzhi #JArrr #BernardBWoodside #DomoGenesis #Graymatter #SpitGemz #ITRAK #TeamDemo #IllaGhee #MethodMan #WaisP #BubStyles #EddieKaine #LarryJune #Cardo #2Chainz

[heartsoulrocknroll]

AEW Dynamite 11/9/22

MJF is once again not here tonight. But we hear from him in a podcast appearance from earlier in the week, cutting a promo that is so good, I have to quote the whole thing here. He is asked about his thoughts on the match against Moxley at Full Gear.

"This is the most important match of my entire career. But what I don't think wrestling fans understand is this is also possibly the most important match in the history of our sport. Allow me to explain why. This could be the potential crowning of the next face of the next generation of professional wrestling. You see, every once while, every once in a blue moon really, we see people that lead the charge of a generation, bring professional wrestling to new heights. Guys like Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair. Guys like Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, The Rock, John Cena. All of these men were generational talents. And that is exactly who MJF is. So here's what's gonna happen. All I have to do to etch my name into history is to have a long, fruitful world title reign, and the only person that's getting in my way is Jon Moxley. I'm not gonna sit here, and I'm not gonna pretend that Jon Moxley is an easy competitor to beat. I don't like you, Jon. I think you're a low life, scum bag, piece of shit, I think you're from the slums of Cincinnati, and I think you have absolutely no class. But I do respect you. Because Jon, you weren't born to be a world champion. Matter of fact, you were born with two left feet and not one single athletic bone in your body. However, I respect you, because you had to work your ass off to become the man that you are today. Blood, sweat, tears, sacrifices. You had to defy all the odds, doing 15 hour drives to wrestle in front of 15 people for 15 dollars. And you did it over and over and over again, honing your craft until eventually, you did the damn near impossible, Jon Moxley. You became the best professional wrestler on God's green earth. But know this. Come November 19th, you're about to lose that handle. Because I WAS born, to not just be a professional wrestler, but to be THE professional wrestler. I'm the guy who can come on the number one sports podcast in the world, I'm the guy who can do movies, TV shows, commercials, talk shows. And I can wave the flag of the AEW brand, and hell, I can wave the flag of professional wrestling and bring pro wrestling back to where it belongs as something that everyone is talking about. Every single wrestling fan, promoter, analyst, and pundit is fully aware that that throne is for the taking, and I am the one who is going to take it. And I am so sick of waiting my turn. Ever since I entered AEW, I've had to get the spotlight stolen from me in my big moments. My first ever singles pay-per-view match, the spotlight was on a neck tattoo. My first ever world title shot, which was against you, Jon Moxley, when you cheated, the spotlight was on Matt Hardy taking a fall like Humpty Dumpty. The first ever Blood and Guts match, I am standing atop of the cage with a crimson mask. I prevailed. That should have been my crowning moment. Instead, the spotlight was on Chris Jericho. Speaking of Chris Jericho, he stole the spotlight from me for a full calendar year. And then, on my big return, the spotlight was on a press conference. Well, know this, Jon. On November 19th at Full Gear in the Tristate area of Newark, New Jersey, in the Prudential Center, I am not waiting for the spotlight anymore, I am grabbing it. And you are going to have to take it out of my cold, dead hands, Jon. Your boy William Regal bet on the wrong horse. I don't need a Dynamite Diamong Ring to knock your lights out, because come Full Gear, the devil gets his due."

This was a special promo that I think people will eventually look back on as one of the defining promos of MJF's career. Everything about it was masterfully done. Emphatically stating that this match could be the most important one in wrestling history, referencing all the others who previously changed the course of professional wrestling, explaining exactly why he is that next generational talent and what he can do for AEW and wresting as a whole, building up Moxley as a formidable opponent, demonstrating how important this match is for him personally by highlighting all the times he was denied the spotlight before, and bringing it home with a promise to grab the spotlight this time and "the devil gets his due." The words were all perfectly chosen, and his delivery was as powerful as ever. I think everything he said here about the importance of this match for the future of wrestling is absolutely true. I fully believe that, if given the opportunity to show what he's made of, MJF is the next face of pro wrestling. Incredible moment here.

Ethan Page vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW Championship tournament eliminator match) -- I barely watched this, as I figure neither of these guys has any chance at the title shot, so I didn't really care. Nice finish with Page winning with Ego's Edge from the top rope.

Wardlow calls out Powerhouse Hobbs after Hobbs attacked him on a previous show. While Wardlow is talking to Hobbs, Samoa Joe attacks Wardlow from behind with the ROH TV Championship belt. Wardlow and Joe's alliance was short-lived, and none of this feels very important or meaningful.

Saraya and Britt face off in the ring with Schiavone. Saraya says she is medically cleared to wrestle and AEW is her house. Britt says she built AEW, and she is everything Saraya wishes she could have been. Saraya says she has been wrestling for 17 years. She wrestled for free, because she loves this business. She was turned away from jobs just for being female. She has been at MSG and the Tokyo Dome. She was starting revolutions before pro wrestling was a twinkle in Britt's eye. She calls Britt an ungrateful bitch. She announces her match with Britt at Full Gear. Britt tries to go at Saraya, and Saraya takes Britt out with Rampaige (what is it called now?). This was a pretty good promo from Saraya. I've never been her biggest fan, but she was a better wrestler than a lot of these people in the AEW women's division, so I'm hoping she can breathe new life here.

Next up, an excellent promo from Moxley in the ring with Regal at his side. He talks about how impetuous and ambitious he was at 25 years old. He talks about how he challenged Regal and got his ass kicked. He then mentions how he worked and challenged Regal again and won, knocking Regal out and tearing off part of his ear. Moxley says after this, Regal took Moxley under under his wing and said, "now the real work begins." Moxley says MJF reminds them of Moxley's younger self. Moxley talks about how he beat MJF the first time MJF challenged him for the AEW World Championship in the summer of 2020 and asks what is going to be different this time. Moxley and Regal laugh about MJF calling himself the devil. Moxley says he has looked the devil in the eye. He has seen terrible people do terrible things, and MJF is not that. He says everything MJF has done up to this point has been easy. Great stuff here.

Bryan Danielson vs. Sammy Guevara 2 Out of 3 Falls -- On commentary, Regal says it's always a big night for the Blackpool Combat Club. "Twenty-four hour party people, that's what we are." Loool, I love that man on commentary. Nasty chops and elbows by Danielson to start!! Missile dropkick from the top by Danielson!!! Outside the ring, Sammy hurls a chair at Danielson's head, causing Danielson to win the first fall by DQ. Sammy then grabs a mic, jabs it into Danielson's, eye, and smashes it into Danielson's head. Suplex by Sammy on the floor, and we see that Danielson is split open!! Sammy wipes the blood from Danielson's head and licks it off his hand. Back in the ring, Danielson is still down, and Sammy pummels him with elbows on the mat. A jumping knee and a GTH give Sammy the three count for the second fall!!!! Danielson is finally back on his feet. Chops in the corner by Sammy. Sammy goes to the top, but Danielson knocks him off. Flying headbutt attempt by Danielson, but Sammy catches him in a cross face!! Danielson gets to the ropes! Danielson finally gets in some offense -- elbows and a series of vicious headbutts!!!!!!!!! Sammy is thrown into the corner and bounces off the ropes for some offense, but Danielson counters with a big knee strike!! Sammy rolls outside. Danielson follows with a running knee strike off the apron!! They trade chops on the outside. Big dropkick from Sammy!! Sammy throws Danielson into the ring post. Both men get back in the ring. They both go for a move at the same time and collide. Both are down!! Danielson covers Sammy, but Tay pulls the ref out of the ring!! Both guys are up to their knees, trading elbows in the middle of the ring. Suplex into the corner by Danielson!!! Sammy gets tied up in the ropes, hanging upside down. Danielson with some nasty kicks and a running dropkick to the head!!! Both guys go up to the top! Sammy escapes and runs across the apron for leaping knee to knock Danielson off the ropes to the outside!! Shooting Star from the top rope to the outside by Sammy!!!Danielson makes it back in the ring. Sammy follows with an attempt at a springboard cutter from the ropes, but Danielson catches him in the LeBell lock! Sammy gets to the ropes. Leaping knee by Sammy!! Danielson reverses a GTH attempt! Reverse rana by Danielson!! Psycho knee by Danielson, but Sammy grabs and hangs onto the legs and transitions into the Walls of Jericho!! Rope break!! Danielson reverses another GTH attempt! Another psycho knee by Danielson lands!! Danielson goes for the head stomps, but Sammy gets his legs up to stop it. Sammy hangs onto Danielson's arm and bounces off the ropes for a springboard, flipping DDT! Senton from the top by Sammy!!! Danielson gets his knees up!! Danielson catches Sammy's arm in a crucifix!! Elbows to Sammy's head!! LeBell lock!!!!!! Sammy reaches for the ropes, but Danielson traps the other arm!!! Sammy submits!!! This match was fantastic. These two make magic together with their different styles. Danielson rocks so hard. He just blows my mind all the time. I'm not even a big Sammy Guevara fan, but he can go in the ring if he really wants to.

[docrotten]

GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973) – Episode 199 – Decades Of Horror 1970s

“Megalon! Megalon! Wake up, Megalon! Come on, rise up now, to the Earth’s surface! Destroy the Earth! Destroy our enemies! Rise up! Go on! MEGALON!” That’s quite the cheering section you have there, Megalon. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Bill Mulligan, Jeff Mohr, and guest hosts Dirk Rogers and Bryan Clark – as they go quadruple kaiju in Toho’s Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).

Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 199 – Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

Decades of Horror 1970s is partnering with the WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL (https://wickedhorrortv.com/) which now includes video episodes of the podcast and is available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and its online website across all OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.

An inventor creates a humanoid robot (Jet Jaguar) that is seized by the undersea nation of Seatopia & used as a guide for Megalon and Gigan to destroy the above-ground dwellers as vengeance for the nuclear tests that have devastated their society. In an attempt to stop them, a now independently thinking Jet Jaguar brings Godzilla into the fight.

  Director: Jun Fukuda

Writing Credits: Jun Fukuda (screenplay; Shin’ichi Sekizawa (treatment)

Music by: Riichirô Manabe 

Cinematography by: Yuzuru Aizawa 

Editing by: Michiko Ikeda 

Production Design by: Yoshifumi Honda

Special Effects by: Teruyoshi Nakano (director of special effects)

Selected Cast:

Katsuhiko Sasaki as Inventor Goro Ibuki

Hiroyuki Kawase as Rokuro ‘Roku-chan’ Ibuki

Yutaka Hayashi as Hiroshi Jinkawa

Robert Dunham as Emperor Antonio of Seatopia / Motorcycle assailant

Kôtarô Tomita as Lead Seatopian Agent

Ulf Ôtsuki as Seatopian Agent

Gentaro Nakajima as Truck Driver (credited as Gen Nakajima)

Sakyo Mikami as Truck Driver’s Assistant

Fumiyo Ikeda as Man from Unit 1

Kanta Mori as Japan Special Defense Forces Chief

Shinji Takagi as Gojira

Hideto Odachi as Megaro

Tsugutoshi Komada  as Jetto Jagâ

Kenpachirô Satsuma as Gaigan (credited as Kengo Nakayama)

With Doc and Chad occupied elsewhere, Jeff and Bill welcome guest hosts Bryan Clark and Dirk Rogers to examine a last-minute replacement feature for episode 199. Trust us, you will not be disappointed as the Grue-Crew champions another Toho, 1970s, Kaiju entry, Godzilla vs. Megalon, for some silly yet still awesome man-in-suit action. Joining Godzilla and Megalon on screen are fellow giant monsters, Gigan and Jet Jaguar. Jeff finds himself surrounded by kaiju super-fans Bill, Bryan, and Dirk. This episode should not be missed! Enjoy!

At the time of this writing, Godzilla vs. Meagalon is available to stream from Tubi, Freevee, Pluto TV, MAX, the Criterion Channel, and multiple PPV sources. The film is also available on physical media as a Blu-ray in Godzilla, the Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 (The Criterion Collection).

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode will be the podcast’s landmark bicentennial (that’s 200th, folks)! In honor of that occasion, the 70s Grue-Crew will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of what many call the greatest horror movie of all time: The Exorcist (1973). Join us to discuss the film in which one character says, “There seems to be an alien pubic hair in my gin.”

We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.

Check out this episode!

[theblotsays]

Major Wrestling Figure Podcast Matt Cardona Prehistoric Edition Ultimates! Action Figure by Super7

Yesterday, as Matt Cardona was making his long awaited return to the ring after a terrible torn pectoral muscle at GCW Homecoming last night in some insane Jurassic Park inspired gear, Super7 was also releasing this matching Major Wrestling Figure Podcast Matt Cardona Prehistoric Edition Ultimates! Action Figure! It was the first time in the history of wrestling that a toy company released a new articulated action figure in gear that the performer was debuting at a show that very same night. Fans can pre-order The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast Matt Cardona Prehistoric Ultimates! figure now at Entertainment Earth for $55 here. Matt Cardona is the Death Match King, and neither man nor beast can strike fear in the heart of this champion. This Jurassic Park inspired variant looks fantastic, and if you haven’t seen Cardona’s entrance at GCW Homecoming 2024 you need to check it out.  Broski, SDL and Jimmy Lloyd came to the ring in a Jurassic Park Jeep with matching JP inspired gear! Featuring intricate sculpt and premium paint detailing, this figure also comes with 3 interchangeable heads (Smirk, Smile and Tongue) and 9 interchangeable hands, along with a pair of sunglasses. Fans can celebrate Matt Cardona’s 20th anniversary in wresting with the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast Matt Cardona Prehistoric Edition Ultimates! Action Figure by Super7. This super detailed 7” Ultimate figure of Matt Cardona (formally WWE Superstar Zack Ryder) features the Internet Champion looking Alwayz Ready in his new ultra-vibrant entrance gear. Matt Cardona is back to win all the belts in your collection, so scratch that figure itch and pre-order your Prehistoric Matt Cardona Ultimates! figure today! If you click the affiliate links in this post – or use coupon code “TheBlot” at checkout – you can get 10% off all in-stock purchases at Entertainment Earth AND free US domestic shipping on orders of $79+! http://dlvr.it/TCy9b8

[alt-ctrl]

The Quiet Revolution: How Minimalism is Reshaping Fashion and Society

In a world dominated by fast fashion and fleeting trends, a quiet revolution is taking place. Minimalism, often referred to as "quiet luxury" in the fashion world, is making a comeback with a vengeance. But this isn't your grandmother's minimalism – oh no. This is minimalism 2.0, a sartorial rebellion against the chaos of our modern lives, dressed up in neutral tones and clean lines.

The Art of Dressing Down (While Looking Up)

Picture this: You're standing in front of your wardrobe, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors, patterns, and styles. It's like a fashion burglar broke in and vomited the entire contents of a department store into your closet. Sound familiar? Well, my friend, it might be time to join the minimalist fashion movement – where less isn't just more, it's everything.

Sustainability: The New Black

One of the driving forces behind this minimalist renaissance is the growing awareness of fast fashion's dirty little secrets. It turns out that those $5 t-shirts aren't just bad for your wallet in the long run – they're also terrible for the planet and the people making them. Who knew looking good could be so ugly?

Enter brands like Everlane and Patagonia, the superhero duo of ethical fashion. These companies are like the Batman and Robin of sustainability, swooping in to save us from our own terrible fashion choices. They offer minimalist designs that are not only stylish but also kind to Mother Earth and the humans who inhabit it. It's like wearing a hug for the planet – how's that for feel-good fashion?

The Design Dilemma: To Bedazzle or Not to Bedazzle?

Minimalist fashion is easily recognizable by its distinct design elements. Think of it as the Marie Kondo of your wardrobe – if it doesn't spark joy (or go with everything else you own), it's out. The color palette is reminiscent of a sophisticated zebra – lots of blacks, whites, beiges, and grays. It's like your clothes are plotting a revolution against the tyranny of neon and animal prints.

Designers like Jil Sander and Phoebe Philo (during her tenure at Celine) have championed this aesthetic with the fervor of minimalist missionaries. Their collections focus on understated elegance and impeccable tailoring, attracting followers who appreciate refined understatement over fleeting trends. It's fashion for people who want to look like they're not trying too hard – while secretly trying very, very hard.

Society's Shift: From Excess to Zen

But this minimalist movement isn't just about fashion – it's a reflection of broader societal shifts. In an age where our brains are constantly bombarded with information, cat videos, and pictures of what our ex-roommate's cousin had for lunch, many people are finding solace in minimalism's calm and clutter-free approach.

It's as if society collectively looked at its overstuffed closet of complications and said, "Nah, I'm good." This extends beyond fashion into areas such as home decor, personal finance, and lifestyle choices. It's like we're all trying to Marie Kondo our entire lives, one beige sweater at a time.

The Minimalist Paradox: When Less Becomes More

Here's where things get interesting – and a bit paradoxical. In our quest for simplicity, we've created an entire industry around minimalism. There are books, podcasts, TV shows, and Instagram influencers all dedicated to teaching us how to live with less. It's like we've maximized minimalism. Oxymoronic? Perhaps. Ironic? Definitely.

Take the popularity of Marie Kondo's 'KonMari' method, for instance. It's a decluttering technique that's cluttered our bookshelves and Netflix queues. Or consider Stella McCartney, a designer who's made a maximum impact by advocating for minimal consumption. It's enough to make your head spin – but in a very calm, neutral-toned way, of course.

The Million-Dollar Question: Is Minimalism Here to Stay?

As we stand at the crossroads of fast fashion and sustainable style, one can't help but wonder: Is minimalism just another trend, or is it the future of fashion? Will we look back in 20 years and laugh at our beige-toned obsession, or will we still be embracing the art of simplicity?

The answer, like a well-designed minimalist garment, is probably somewhere in the middle. While the extreme version of minimalism might fade, its core principles – sustainability, quality over quantity, and timeless style – are likely here to stay.

So, the next time you're tempted by that sparkly, on-trend item that'll be out of style faster than you can say "fast fashion," remember: sometimes, the most revolutionary thing you can do is keep it simple. After all, in a world of noise, there's nothing quite as powerful as a whisper – or in this case, a quietly luxurious outfit that speaks volumes without saying a word.

[merelyroleplayers]

Mick, the Mundane Chosen (Vigil Backstage)

Meet Mick: bricklayer, neighbour, Mundane … and now Chosen. Mick started life as an everybloke; can he stay down-to-earth as the champion of giant-kind?

Coming next on 4 June – Vigil: Dream Big, Act 3

Programme notes

This production includes a natural disaster, fantasy violence, blood, and dismemberment (the dismemberment is not bloody).

Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to Snyder’s Return, a UK based tabletop roleplaying game podcast featuring actual play, content creator interviews and game master/player guides.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Mick Mason: Sherrydown’s favourite builder and bricklayer. His life has been getting weirder since he dug too deep and hit a leyline.

Melody Bantham: The owner of Melodies, the cosy cafe and vinyl shop on Market Street. Melody is an ageless patchwork person animated by music, who fled her creator ages ago and has owned a music shop on this spot ever since.

Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Dave as Mick Mason, the Mundane

Helen Stratton as Melody Bantham, the Constructed

Strat as Brier, the Monstrous

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com