#the great wight dread

[darklydeliciousdesires]

The Night Queen and the Frozen Plague.

I had to do a wee bit of tinkering to the GoT lore, namely that the White Walkers can speak beyond those eerie death cries we all know and love. But here, as promised, mostly for my Sharkie, some Brynhild and Heavenerys!

The sound of his roar fractured the still of the air, the great army of the dead all halting at their queen’s command, Brynhild looking to the sky.

“Southern enemies, my queen,” hissed Craxor, her general. Half skeleton, half rotting flesh, turning his sunken face skyward as he viewed the beast who cast a shadow over the frozen wasteland. 

“Not enemies,” she whispered, her glowing, azure eyes picking out the dragon circling overhead, through the thick of the snow clouds. ”Heavenerys Targaryen and her dragon. At last, she has heard my call. She has come home.”  

The curse of the cold had come to pass, the first-born, pure-blooded child of King Amarys Targaryen blighted by it, as she surely would be. An ill-advised trip north of the wall had led to the ancestral curse landing squarely upon the child, Havenerys born with the mark of the dead. One look into her piercing eyes, and Amarys had seen it, his soul filled with dread.  

Therein born to him and his queen, was the downfall of man. The Night Queen would call for her one day, and his precious girl would answer. 

Kairaxès began his descent from the sky, the snow swirling in tempestuous storms beneath the whoosh of his huge, white wings, shaking the ground he landed upon. The army waited, thousands of wights in amongst a battalion of white walkers, all standing poised. Dead men lain to waste, with no other purpose than to serve their immortal queen. 

Brynhild moved on her tattered, giant black steed, the haggard creature propelled forward on shattered fetlocks, ribbons of decayed flesh floating hauntingly in the breeze. Only she advanced, her army waiting, Heavenerys taking them all in as she dismounted and climbed down to the floor, stroking her dragon’s face.  

“All is well, my beautiful beast,” she spoke at his warning rattles. “They are unlike all we know, but they pose us no harm.” She wasn’t too sure why it was that she intrinsically knew that, but she did. She felt it on a level much deeper than the very last roots of her soul.  

The Night Queen slowed her mount, bringing him to a stop and jumping down to her feet, walking the remaining way to where the Targaryen stood.  

“Welcome to the northern wastes,” Brynhild stated, her voice like a whispered death rattle, sending a slight chill through Heavenerys. She was beyond other worldly, the power radiating from her unlike anything she had ever felt. She watched the ancient queen spear her long, white lance into the frozen ground beneath her feet, eyeing her with the same curiosity. She was all Brynhild had foreseen she would be.  

“I felt I had to come to you, but I do not know why,” she spoke, her sharp, angular face set, staring as the queen slowly approached. 

“You know exactly why, Heavenerys. For justice. For revenge.” The fire of recognition danced in her eyes, the young Targaryen finally feeling heard by somebody. “To wrong those who have wronged you. Amos. Aerthurys. To rain fire and ice upon your enemies, to all those who have harmed you. I believe they call it Valar Morghulis in your mother tongue.” 

Heavenerys nodded, yet her face still questioned. “But why was it, that I felt you call out to me? Why was it you, here in a land where I do not belong?” 

“From me you came, and to me you return, child.”  

At those words, she felt her blood chill to freeze. “I am not a child.”  

Brynhild lifted her chin. “When I am older than time itself, you are very much a child.” She felt it in the air, the waves of cold, foreboding magic, magic not to make an impact. “And your sorcery cannot charm me. Save that. It has its place, it’s intended use.”  

“I cannot if you intend to make me like them,” she spoke, her finger pointing out to the white walkers, Brynhild turning to view her generals. 

“No, which is why I do not intend to. You returning to me was always for a purpose beyond your own. I need you, to make a pathway for us. For my army. For our army. Only with you can I break down the wall and march on Westeros.” 

Many summers and winters would pass, before the final dreadful cold of great north arrived. On that day, Heavenerys flew the great Kairaxès back across the wall, his frozen flames decimating the fortitude, his rider’s magic breaking it further.  

Together, the Frozen Plague and the Night Queen brought their army forth into Westeros.  

Winter is here.  

Valar Marghulis.  

@call-sign-shark @wonderlanddreamer @justrainandcoffee @cillmequick @novashelby

[sevenish-spheres]

Mandrakes and Manticores

Image Source

Had a random idea for this whilst placing a weird keyring (I think its a Green Man face) I got on holiday on top of a little model of Toothless from Httyd.

The Mandrake

Any child can tell you that greedy men become dragons, but none would think to speak of the fate of the schoolyard bully who drowned in the river, or the bandit leader who drank himself to death. For these pettier tyrants, whilst the soul catapults itself towards judgement and the Outer Spheres, the body and mind congeal, fermenting in a stew of bad memories and spite.

In most cases, little comes of this, the body eventually rotting away with little effect save a feeling of irritation or dread around the (usually unmarked) grave above. However, in a few cases, whether through wild magic or the actions of a spellcaster or undead such as a Yaga or Wight, the body may take root, metamorphosing into a feared Mandrake.

Named for a far more innocuous hallucinogenic that it bears some resemblance to, in its early stages a Mandrake appears as a huge tuber shaped like the person it once was, within which their remains are contained.

However, as the root grows towards the surface, its protrusions become increasingly fleshy, until it bursts forth as a great tree of muscle and cracked bark, within which the gestating forms of its children can be seen. At this point, most Mandrakes are burned down by enterprising monster hunters or townspeople, leaving the threat dormant until the plant blossoms again. If one wishes to destroy it permanently, however, the root must be dug up and slain once more. This is a dangerous task, as the root can emit a scream capable of killing those close to it. Hence, many resort to teams of dogs or magically deafened labourers to unearth and torch the foul root. Indeed, some deliberately cultivate Mandrakes, as their bodies contain various alchemical ingredients and serve as powerful arcane foci in their own right. However, such farms are dangerous, and tend to only grow very small roots or else use constructs or undead for the task of excavating the thrashing tuber.

The Manticore

If a Mandrake infestation is not destroyed, however, it may complete its incubation and release the creature contained within. This beast, known as a Manticore, is the personification of the mutual hatred of the slain villain and the people they menaced. When it first emerges from the Mandrake, a Manticore appears as a rotten lion bearing a human skull complete with many rows of teeth seemingly competing for space within its jaw. Alongside this, it sports a long, spine-covered tail dripping with caustic venom. These spines can be launched at terrifying speeds, and range in size from barely-visible needles to several-foot long barbs. Once birthed, the manticore is driven to consume the flesh of mortals, targeting especially those who it hated in life. As it does so, it begins to regenerate, skin and muscle covering the sinewy, mould-covered bones and the mane blossoming into a shock of red fur. As it continues to feed, the Manticore’s mind grows ever more complex and petty, with many eventually coming to rule their former hometowns, or extorting travellers along favoured roads. However, in the case of a few rare individuals, the Manticore may sprout vast, tattered wings that eventually grow into a full, flightworthy set. These rare Manticores fly off, eventually coming to a graveyard, battlefield or set of gallows. Here, they seek out the corpses of murderers and other wrongdoers, and impale them upon their spines. In time, these corpses grow to become more Mandrakes, meaning that given enough time and bloodshed regions can become beset by entire prides of Manticores.

Story Hooks

A partisan mob celebrates the recent execution of a palaceful of aristocrats. However, just below the city walls where the slain nobles hung, several dozen Mandrakes have taken root, and threaten to undermine the entire government if they aren’t put to the torch.

Grandfather Koschik Poxfeather is a feared Felen Yaga who has as of late taken to cultivating a crop of Mandrakes infused with several vicious strains of his signature diseases. These Manticores, notable for their scab-covered flesh and pus-dripping spines, are among some of the most dangerous but thankfully short-lived creatures to haunt his swampland home. Now, however, the Yaga seeks to find a way to extend these abominations' lifespan, and has begun to hunt the local elf population to do so.

A local cult of Nergal has attempted to transform their leader into a manticore. Whilst this has been unsuccessful thus far, the cult has realised that their previous test subjects had been too innocent to metamorphose properly, and has now set their eyes on a local prison.

Phineas Vakarn is a circus ringmaster renowned for his strange chimeric taxidermies. Whilst most of these were regarded as hoaxes by many arcanists and druids alike, the recent rumours that he has obtained a living ‘man-lion hybrid’ have worried many, especially since he plans to unveil it on the anniversary of the execution of a well-known serial killer.

[imaginarianisms]

okay so i& guess imma& start w/ the direwolves. i& did basic math & calculated 298AC (which is the beginning of agot in the present day) & theon greyjoy tells the starks that direwolves haven't been seen south of the wall in 200 years, so 298-200=98AC. what was going on around this time we know for sure was that a great tourney was held in king's landing for king jaehaerys the conciliator to celebrate his 50th year on the throne of his very long reign. a year before this, princess rhaenyra targaryen was born in 97 AC to viserys & aemma arryn (marilda of hull was also born at this time & daemon ends up marrying rhea royce in that very same year) & 3 years before that in 94 AC balerion the black dread died & 2 years before 97 AC, princess/septa maegelle targaryen died due to grayscale. princess gael targaryen, alysanne's youngest daughter died a year later after 98 AC in 99 AC by supposedly committing suicide after getting pregnant by a traveling singer & giving birth to a stillborn son & septon barth died that same year & queen alysanne (canonically) dies in 100 AC a year after at dragonstone where she retired & baelon targaryen, viserys i & daemon's father, was made hand of the king. so the last direwolf was seen south of the wall even before the dance of the dragons even began, that's a VERY long time. so the starklings are a very special bunch, direwolves aren't something you see often.

grey wind: bonded with robb stark; fast, loyal, protective, lethal & fearsome; smoke grey fur & golden eyes; an infamous beast of war before he's slain at the red wedding.

lady: bonded with sansa stark; pretty, gentle, sweet, obedient & trusting; silver grey fur & golden yellow eyes; separated from her master before returning to the north.

nymeria: bonded with arya stark; wild, willful, adaptive, resourceful & dangerous; ash grey fur & dark golden eyes; separated from her master & starts her own wolfpack.

summer: bonded with bran stark; strong, swift, fierce, smart & protective; silver & smoke grey fur & golden eyes; vanished beyond the wall before he's slain by wights.

shaggydog: bonded with rickon stark; feral, different, aggressive & unpredictable; melanistic, black fur & bright green eyes; residing on skagos before returning north.

ghost: bonded with jon snow; silent, enigmatic, lethal, intelligent, & mystical; albino, white fur & red eyes; merged with his master's soul before resurrecting at the wall.

[rhotanored]

Character Summary: Arym pyr Ord

alias/nicknames: Art, Rabbit, Grandpa

gender: more or less male

age: looks around 30

zodiac: ----

abilities  + talents:

a recklessly talented driver with a penchant for high speeds and stunts that definitely should have gotten him killed by now

a capable engineer focused in communication devices

machina technician/mechanic focused in vehicles (and bullshitting his way through juryrigging to Make Things Work(tm))

capable sniper, decent melee combatant (gunblades, H2H)

alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath

virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience

languages: Fluent in common and Garlean, a hodgepodge of words, phrases and basic understanding of languages out of Landis, Dalmasca and Bozja

family: none by blood that he can presently remember

friends: Arym is difficult to befriend through all the jagged edges of his personality, but beneath that is a man desperate for camaraderie and understanding, both of which he accidentally stumbled into with Sergius. They share a penchant for dry, black humor and past experiences that leave them both with near-uncomfortable common ground. Arym is flighty and skittish, but Sergius has managed to be an anchor he can't (and doesn't want to) cast off. While he'd like to think he's taken III Squad (comprised of Max Sawyer, Victoria Castellus and Laelia Belisar) under his wing, it's more like the other way around. They gave him a reason to keep fighting, but now that he's pursuing a more reckless path, he's putting distance between them.

sexuality: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other

relationship: single / partnered / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating yet / it’s complicated

libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent / who knows

build: slender / average / athletic / muscular / curvy / other (partial machina)

hair: white / blonde / brunette / red / black

eyes: brown / blue / gray / green / black / other (orange LEDs baybee)

skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / dark / other (gray)

height: 6'1"

scars: so many. a lot of burn scars leftover from the accident, surgical scars from where he's had various organs replaced and/or augmented, gunshot wounds, puncture wounds, lacerations, you name it he's nearly died from it

dogs or cats || birds or bugs || snakes or spiders || coffee or tea || ice cream or cake || fruits or vegetables || sandwich or soup || magic or melee || sword shield dagger or bow gun|| summer or winter || spring or autumn || past or future present

A few songs that remind you of them:

Sintesis - Otrebor

The Mission - The Great Wight Dread, Computerbandit

Drive It Like You Stole It - The Glitch Mob

The Driver - Ollie Wride

Get no pleasure from the pressure, all that you feed To walk like every modern man I see you, filling up your lungs like ammunition to a gun You take a swing but you can't take me down

Keep Running - Geographer

first they tell you to learn then tell you you’re wrong then they tell you to live a lie if you wanna live at all they take away your reason then they take you for a fool they say there’s no point leaving now even if you could I know that you’ll carry I know that you’ll carry me home baby it’s scary but I don’t think that’s where we belong

Vignette - Koethe

Sometimes I lie awake and think of what I’ve done Am I asleep I can’t believe that I’m the only one Sometimes I lie awake and think of what I’ve said Am I asleep I can’t believe that its all in my head Ive begun to think I’m every thing but starting to forget I cant recall my footing it’s easier to pretend Somewhere in the vignette

This Ain't No Hymn - Saint Saviour

So let me be, so let me be, so let me be So let me be I'll follow someone that I can see I'll worship someone that I can be

'Cause it depends on you and you alone Whether you do, whether you don't Don't believe in more than flesh and bone Grab on and hold, grab on and hold

Tagged by: @sergiusreports

Tagging:​ @snowbird-down, @norhimorovine, @autochthonousone, @endangered-liaison, @high-and-away (I dunno who's been tagged already aAAAAA)

[talenlee]

October 2023 Wrapup

Dread Month draws to a close! The spookiest of nights, the dawn of the dead, the uh, thing! We shed our shackles and dance in our bones, and tomorrow, go about the business of being people, once again, sloughing out into the drawing heat and the growing, burning, hateful light of a sun that resents us and we celebrate in spite of it. You know, the normal and natural way everyone relates to this time of the year.

Alright, let’s do the Game Pile articles!

Don’t Go In There, a dice chucker board game made in a charming dice tower

Backwater, a really interesting TTRPG about a post-apocalyptic vision of the parts of America that are allowed to stay permanently soggy

Phantom Ink, a hidden information ghosty game in the vein of Mysterium

Carrion, a video recreation of one of my favourite articles to read aloud from 2020

Then there’s the Story Pile!

Bloodthirsty Hearts, a fiction podcast about queer girls fighting gargoyle vampires at a convention in which they learn the valuable lessons that all systems of privilege and power aren’t as important as talking to your gay crush.

The Lighthouse, a black and white movie about what enters you when you take yourself far away from everything and empty yourself.

Jujutsu Kaisen, spoiler-free, a contextualising post about how a great Shounen Battle Anime with horror elements make the idea of shounen anime nonsense.

John Carpenter’s Halloween, from 1978, a movie that is both way better than I expected, and full of all sorts of deliberate choices that people seem to replicate for no good reasons.

Willy’s Wonderland, which is, unironically a Five Nights At Freddies fan movie made by Nicolas Cage in a month and really quite good!

This month also featured a somewhat bumper load of D&D content. First, I did some worldbuilding for Cobrin’Seil, both in revealing a new location, Uxaion, which is a necrocybermagepunk city. It’s an adventure city where you can contend with economic harm and threats, and where you can also just murder your way through cops that only respect the utility of your body as a potential undead – it’s a place for wight privilege. Then I also presented the player backgrounds for characters you could make from the Szudetken province. Along with that, I made an article about Evil Gods, and the antisemitism built into the framework of the D&D Lich, and since I was just in the territory, I made fun of the 4e D&D Vampire character class, even though I think it’s a great idea. Then, in this month’s How To Be article, where I got to hold high Harrowhark Nonagesimus, drowned sad vomiting goth of the Locked Tomb franchise, I also gave a long-form discussion of how to translate a prominent, small-cast character’s vibes in a team based game.

Up here, there’s also room to talk about an OC, Z3R0, and about the ongoing, relentless onslaught of capitalism in the creation of more than half of all valid Commander cards in the past five years.

This being October, I once again did a set of Dread Readings. I know that a lot of my friends have never partaken of a lot of classic, historically important horror media. At first, Dread Readings were Lovecraft Stories, trying to make the difficult readings of his old texts into something more approachable. Then, the year after, I started picking up short stories from other, equally classic horror material that could help – in my opinion – familiarise people with different kinds of horror that you know, didn’t just continue being Lovecraft.

This year, the four Dread Readings are:

HP Lovecraft’s The Thing On The Doorstep, which I bring up as the time Lovecraft dabbled in issues of gender.

A chapter excerpt from Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind In The Willows, in which Mole and Rat meet the Horned King, a totally normal thing to randomly have in an otherwise pretty Christian book!

Destiny’s No Rez For The Weary, a lore tab entry from a videogame. I liked it because it’s horror in a science fantasy space that isn’t

Paul Jenning’s Granddad’s Gifts, a haunting story from an Australian kid’s author. This is a story I really like as an example of horror used to a different romantic effect than just fear.

It wouldn’t be October, the ongoing Dread Month, without some real downer articles. Do you want to read me being a huge downer? No? Okay, well, here are links anyway. I wrote about the Silent Hill Wiki Circumcision Incident, about how we examine the death toll of Chernobyl, about the way we all live the life of Lovecraft’s horror, about the creation of an alternate reality in the form of all media that wants to pretend the Pandemic never happened, and most of all, the horror of a history seeing suicide by immolation become more common. Know what really sucks? Since writing that article I remembered the Arab Spring was kicked off by another one!

Next up, what about this month’s T-Shirt? Since I’ve been watching Jujutsu Kaisen, this horse meme and the narrative of the series came together:

This design was one of those ones where I, with enough work, was able to put together a few variations. Redbubble lets me stick things in collections, and so, here! Have a collection for your consideration of which version looks best to you.

Work-wise, this month is the tail end of semester, which means I have been, I think, marking student work every single day of this month. I’m trying to make sure my students are getting attention they need, and still also provide plans to my cohort of teachers about how we can refine these subjects going forward. This is in addition to my phd work, which…

It’s weird?

I’m excited to work more on my phd tomorrow morning. Like I am genuinely thinking about the stuff I stopped working on today and want to pick up tomorrow. There’s a mindset shift on that front that’s been really hard to get my head around. I’m glad of it.

I’m also kind of boiling with game ideas, and without a theme – and with the upcoming no effort november vibes I’m aiming for… we might see more chill vibes going forward!

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[blastikmusik]

retro wave 447

Neoslave - The New Slaves Born Days - Deep Empty (DMT Feelings) Michael Elliot & Kraver - Believe Timecop1983 - Childhood Memories A.L.I.S.O.N, VIQ, Krosia - Vespérale PYLOT - Axiom Neoslave - Evil Touch QNAUT (feat. Deltavolt) - Cathode Rays Synthbart 81 (feat. Synthweaver) - Galaxy Edge Baton - Starlight Forhill & Into Moon - Drift The Neon Droid - Kronos Rising Stilz (Feat Siddhartha Barnhoorn) - The City Absolute Valentine & Powernerd - Cyber Ravage (Original Mix) A.L.I.S.O.N, VIQ, Krosia - Heave LAZERPUNK & Waveshaper - Comeback The Great Wight Dread + Otrebor - Doom Shimmer

[libidomechanica]

Has here

Destroyed by both, some, squatted with     great present piece-meal! I am a waterfall. Graceful     guise; for her face was of

roses glowing of time; and, with     the ploughman, for pity! ’ So wont to move beguile, that greater     must be bail for curls

not if he could recall’d their owne,     the only sleep. Toilet, while we compliment, which I claim     another wills, shy, in

the tumult and tried to trial;—then     will allow but this was some exiles from her. Might from the     sleepe, and don’t the world, and

so raft vs of our chronicle;     and shame come, I long since your cupped palms Bob Acres’     valour of Harvest. Found,

and may add,—her years to table,     plate, of beauty; and tulip- tinted to do, though my first     Ask why God mean not

imagination; that, reaches more     former’s blush which man’s dread a little line, such was ne’er was     half-world aside from which

I have lent music which ask a     tender fool who will now and try: each cousin, ’ as faults the     proofs have destroys what famine

were a taste; for sale, but Juan     gazed the same the act! Until the wight most manifold high     ground, and next though a hundred

favouring men more that they     mourned. Your face the caique was nothing: in cost, tis hard bit. Some     talk for recommenced

to the world of wind, albeit     my wit, and so none shall perfect love still a fluttering     or is shepeheards, that

in me; I rather colour wives’     eyes, faith answer. A morality; they never heart wreck     his peace. But not a joke

he claw how mother. Your eyes have     thunderbolt not too supplies the high circle’s narrow teeth.     Any length shepheard by

five bits of those stress turn’d as pale     as no one troubled streams than touch of old price or lust or     gold that pensive of yours.

[aleahantonio]

aleah antonio is a journalist, capricorn, and lover of music. she currently writes for the luna collective and has previous work in altangeles.

this is her portfolio, for now.

interviews and features 

2024

Print: ((( O ))) for Issue 22

Q&A: Sylvan Esso-Inspired Duo Not the Ending Releases Their Debut Self-Titled EP – The Luna Collective – 1/16/2024

SPOTLIGHT: Quarters of Change’s Second Album is Impossible Without Each Other – The Luna Collective – 1/19/2024

Q&A: Shybaby Has Nothing to Hide on Debut Album "Is This Intimate" – The Luna Collective – 3/12/2024

PREMIERE: The High Curbs announce new album THC with new single “Breathe In” – The Luna Collective – 3/29/2024

Q&A: Meet Shiro, the Synth-Rockers Carving Their Path in the Los Angeles DIY Scene – The Luna Collective – 4/12/2024

SPOTLIGHT: Ellis on Letting Her Guard Down on New Album ‘no place that feels like’ – The Luna Collective – 4/26/2024

PREMIERE: Liily Kicks Off New Self-Titled EP with Music Video for “Swallow” – The Luna Collective – 6/12/2024

SPOTLIGHT: How Death and Dreams Inspired MILLY’s Second Album "Your Own Becoming" – The Luna Collective – 6/28/2024

Q&A: The Films That Inspired april june’s Lovestruck Sophomore EP ‘baby’s out of luck again’ – The Luna Collective – 8/2/2024

2023

Q&A: Why Bonnie Jumps Into the Studio After Releasing New Track “Apple Tree” – The Luna Collective – 2/20/2023

Q&A: Black Belt Eagle Scout Speaks of Identity and Gratitude Through Third Album ‘The Land, The Water, The Sky’ – The Luna Collective – 3/9/2023

Looking Back on Noise Pop Festival 30 Years Later With Founder Kevin Arnold – The Luna Collective – 2/16/2023

Fake Fruit is Finally Home, Discussing Their Upcoming Record and Noise Pop Festival – The Luna Collective – 2/22/2023

PREMIERE: Riah Debuts Music Video for “can’t lose you now” – The Luna Collective – 3/1/2023

Q&A: Bloody and Happy, Cody Lawless Talks LSD & His Debut Album ‘Sunshine State of a Happy Camper’ – The Luna Collective – 6/26/2023

Q&A: The High Curbs on Their New Sound, Working With Zach Tuch and Mexican Slum Rats – The Luna Collective – 8/1/2023

SPOTLIGHT: The Return of Slow Hollows – The Luna Collective – 8/2/2023

Atlanta Dream-Popper Bathe Alone on her Double EP ‘Fall With The Lights Down’ – The Luna Collective – 8/14/2023

REVIEW: Olivia Rodrigo is Just a Girl, and That's What Makes Her Great – The Luna Collective – 9/18/2023

SPOTLIGHT: Isle of Wight’s Coach Party on the Pressure of Their Debut Record ‘KILLJOY’ – The Luna Collective – 9/20/2023

PRINT: Indigo De Souza for Issue 21 – The Luna Collective – 9/25/2023

2022

Q&A: Mild Orange Reaches for What’s All Around in ‘Looking For Space’ – The Luna Collective – 2/17/2022

Q&A: Caroline Loveglow Provides a No-Skip LP with 'Strawberry' – The Luna Collective – 2/25/2022

Spotlight: Exploring the Emotional Impact of Fleeting Relationships, Widowspeak Releases ‘The Jacket’ – The Luna Collective – 3/21/2022

Q&A: Making Most of the Here and Now, Yumi Zouma Releases ‘Present Tense’ – The Luna Collective – 3/29/2022

PRINT: Sir Chloe for Issue 17 – The Luna Collective – 4/4/2022

Premiere: The Living Strange Hones In On An Amalgamation of Inspirations with "CLOSE" – The Luna Collective – 5/13/2022

Premiere: With Post-Punk Catharsis, Catcher Releases Their Music Video for “Behind A Bleeding Heart” – The Luna Collective – 6/7/2022

Q&A: Channeling Anger, Dread, and New Inspiration, Moon Walker Talks Sophomore Album ‘The Attack of Mirrors’ – The Luna Collective – 6/28/2022

Spotlight: We're All Made of ‘Star Stuff’: Ian Sweet Drops Latest EP – The Luna Collective – 7/19/2022

PRINT: Day Wave for Issue 18 – The Luna Collective – 7/25/2022

Q&A: Been Stellar Talks Dichotomous New York Scenes, Becoming Themselves and Their Cataclysmic New EP – The Luna Collective – 8/18/2022

Q&A: Sorry’s Louis O’Bryen on their Dark, Obsessively Intimate Sophomore Album ‘Anywhere But Here’ – The Luna Collective – 10/6/2022

Q&A: Peel Dream Magazine Breaks Out of Himself on Fantastical New Album ‘Pad’ – The Luna Collective – 10/17/2022

PRINT: Surf Curse for Issue 19 – The Luna Collective – 10/25/2022

2021

Q&A: Cosmic Crooner Makes You Swoon with Groovy Ballad "Bolero" – The Luna Collective – 11/24/2021

Q&A: With Energy and Rejuvenation, Luke Wild Talks Quarantine, Collaboration & ‘Shoebox’ – The Luna Collective – 12/11/2021

Q&A: La Luz on Tour, Their Evolving Sound & More – The Luna Collective – 12/13/2021

live reviews and festival coverage

2024

REVIEW: Green Day’s Climate Benefit Concert Was a Once In a Lifetime Experience – The Luna Collective – 4/3/2024

2023

REVIEW: Noise Pop 30 is San Francisco’s Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Festival – The Luna Collective – 3/2/2023

REVIEW: Outside Lands Goes Big, Almost Too Big, for its 15th Anniversary – The Luna Collective – 8/16/2023

REVIEW: The Drums Preview New Era of ‘Jonny’ on Tour – The Luna Collective – 8/22/2023

REVIEW: Good Luck! underscores’ Hometown Tour is an Unforgettable Night of Chaos - The Luna Collective - 10/30/2023

2022

Review: Yumi Zouma Gives It Hell in San Francisco – The Luna Collective – 5/8/2022

Review: girl in red in San Francisco – The Luna Collective – 4/12/2022

Review: Together Pangea Gives Us The Energy We've Been Craving at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco – The Luna Collective – 5/2/2022

Review: FIDLAR Fucks Shit Up at the Fillmore – The Luna Collective – 9/13/2022

REVIEW: Nothing Fest IV is the House Show that Never Ends – The Luna Collective – 10/20/2022

REVIEW: The Jesus and Mary Chain kick off Night One of Substance – The Luna Collective – 10/26/2022

[bloodymarsupials1]

forgot to add this...buuuut here they are, dont think they are on tumblr saddly but still REALLY good IFs that i recommend cheking out.

bl00dragon COG forum link can (i think) only be found on the COG forum

The Wight King (DEMO)

After a rough awakening in what you’ll find to be your own tomb, you escape the templar order which was guarding your grave. Seeking answers, you eventually learn the truth of your new nature, you are undead, risen from your grave with full sentience but with fragmented memories.

And you are not any mere undead, you are the wight king, supreme lord of undeath, the ultimate undead being. You will have to assume your new role as ruler of the undead to survive, or submit under the blades of the templars and their self-appointed king. Recruit allies living and dead along the way. Be a merciful and wise leader of men, or be a dreadful tyrant, spreading chaos and misery in your wake. Master your new, dark powers, from necromancy to the powers of a wight king, and discover anew those you have forgotten.

The path to victory will be long and treacherous, for this age of darkness comes to an end. The great tides of war rise once more, and you may be the one to turn those tides when the time come. The path of a Wight King is full of sacrifices, and you might lose more than your humanity on the way.

Let the world tremble with every step, for whatever your path, you will scar it and defy fate itself.

Shattered : Oblivion(DEMO)

Some things simply refuse to stay dead. The Shattered, you, are an amnesiac elven sorcerer, found on the verge of death at the shores of a freezing river. Even as your rescuers nurse you back to health, all you can feel is the terrible absence of all you have lost. Memories, powers and possessions gone. That is, for all but a ritual dagger, a grimoire and the nightmares that plague your aching mind.

There begins a quest to reclaim all you’ve lost and forgotten. Most of all the dark powers that once inhabited you, but to revel in their awesome might once more may reopen the terrible scars they left behind.

Hounded by a past that simply refuses to stay behind you, you will have to deal with your old demons, and an ever-increasing list of threats. Old enemies move in the shadows, truths once buried are coming back to haunt you and those unfortunate enough to cross your path, or worse, follow in your wake. But to a genius warlock, there is little to fear… is there?

DecryptedDev COG forum link (currently on hiatus, but is...active?) can (i think) only be found on the COG forum

Remembered: The Past (DEMO)

You wake up in prison. How you got there or even why you’re there, you don’t know. All you do know is, you hate it. And it definitely doesn’t help that you lack one of your senses. But to compensate for that, you have a power, an ability that no one else has: you can see and sense souls. Everything seems miserable and hopeless, until one day, a group of people decides to turn the tides and break you out. Everything else is up to you and the future.

mah_sanogo COG forum link can (i think) only be found on the COG forum

the wars we wage dashingdon (DEMO) moody.ink (DEMO) (the moody demo wont work for me but mabye itll work for you.

After dying an unfair death from the hand of a demented coworker, you see yourself reincarnated in an alternate world where magic, and different races exist. But careful, the path to your freedom is far from over, for life is a right you fight for.

or

You died, then got reincarnated into a world were magic makes might and right. Fortunately, you’ve got a lot of magic. Unfortunately, the world will stand on your path toward your goals. Fight it, or die again. The choice is yours.

sooooo, i wanted to make this because i apparently cant reblog and i have no idea why. (i'm referencing the little...challenge? however you want to call it by @drinkyourvillainjuice.

anyway here it is, i also added a few fanfics just cause.

The Second Sight @spoiledblog (demo) You’re an urban legend in a county full of them. When you were thirteen, you were found passed out in the road by one of the local cops. No missing persons report. No fingerprints on file. No memories. Just a name.Oh, and some bizarre psychic powers.You're content with simplicity. You like your isolated cabin and helping Carter track down missing persons. You know that in theory there are more people like you out there, but you've never wanted to look behind the curtain to find out.However, with the disappearance of a local teen named Casey Powell and a recent attempt on your foster father's life, your serene, isolated life comes abruptly to its end and a new chapter begins.

After The End @albywritesfiction (demo)

Your former fiancé and heir apparent of the Aurelian Kingdom, Prince Ædan, has married the love of his life, the fair Saintess Helene. As the nation celebrates their union, you are left alone to pick up the pieces of your broken heart... until you receive two letters. One is an invitation to the office of Prince Ædric, the crown prince's younger brother and rival for the throne. The other is a letter filled with concern from your childhood friend and secretary-in-training, Cyfrin, who is currently assisting your father at your family’s ducal estate in the countryside. Each letter contains a proposition that will change the course of your fate forever.

Which one will you choose?

God-Cursed @wings-of-ink (Demo)

you were found as a newborn, clutched in the arms of your dead mother at the base of a tree. No family came to claim you, but the men who came to your rescue adopted you as their own and became the only parents you’ve ever known. Growing up in the village of Stonebrook, you never want for much, until the day you first fall ill. Life plagues you with a mysterious condition that no one can diagnose or cure. You never know when it will strike or if it will eventually kill you. Living between fear and hope as you age, you try to come into your own as an adult with the ever-looming threat above you. As years pass, your condition seems to improve, until a mysterious mark appears on your body and opens up new questions.

It appears that you’re marked for death with no answers as to why, and your only chance to survive is to go out and seek them.

Journey through the land of Iroda, a fantasy world where the gods have abandoned their people and magic no longer prevails as it once did. Something is brewing that may change this world forever, and you’re in the middle of it, though your role is a mystery you must solve. Wanted dead by some and alive for mysterious purposes by others, you just want to survive. With the help of a few friends, find the answers that you need, and make your choices.

Before We are Ghosts @anjiefiction (DEMO) When a powerful villain threatens the safety of Metamora, you and the city’s heroes go to great lengths to stop him, and ultimately you are forced to pay the biggest price of all.(Against all odds, the heroes win. The victory is hollow.)The doctors are professional, if not sympathetic. They tell you that your body is in the process of slowly shutting down. No, they aren’t sure why. No, there isn’t a cure. When you ask how much time you have left, the faces grow dark. Perhaps a year, they say. Two if you’re lucky.(You thought you could rest. You thought wrong again.)For as threats resurge and the past rears its ugly head, you can only wonder: Do you have the strength to see things through? Will there be enough time?And when the end comes, can you find the courage to say goodbye?

more than me @ryanstillwrites-if (Demo) On a Wednesday morning, you leave your doctor's office with the diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumour and the knowledge of an estimated four months left to live.Suddenly left without any direction in your life, you find yourself in a support group for the terminally ill. Where you expected to find sadness, melancholy and a looming sense of dread at thought of a fast approaching death - all the same feelings you harbour - you find smiles and laughter instead.You're drawn in by the people you meet there, curious and confused by their carefree attitudes. They're kind to you, they take you in, they turn your frown upside down - literally and figuratively. And just when you think you might be beginning to accept your fate; they decide to throw all caution to the wind and whisk you away on the adventure of a lifetime.You don't know what will come of the next four months but with your new friends at your side, you're excited to find out. After all, this is the only life you've been given, and though it may be ending soon; you might as well live it to the fullest.

Omen of Ice @omen-of-ice (no demo) The North has been all that you’ve known your whole life— residing within its icy landscape as part of House Eirlys; Wardens of the North. You’ve never thought you’d one day leave to head south to Vela’thian— the kingdom of the elvhen— much less that you’d head there due to your betrothal with the king himself.What will await you once you arrive? Is everything as it seems? Or is there something more brewing beneath the surface of the seemingly pristine nation?Will you find your way back home? Or will you find something, or someone, worth staying for?Let’s see how your story unfolds…

Mons Immortalium @mons-immortalium-if (DEMO) Mons Immortalium is a fantasy romance interactive story. Human MC falls into the magical land of the faeries, a mountain island that has been secluded from the rest of the world for over a millennium. Break curses, fall in love and beware of  wicked faeries. Whatever you do, never give them your true name!

In the Cards @inthecards (demo)

You've always had psychic powers. Reading auras, speaking with the dead, and channeling spiritual energy through runes - these number just a few of the things you're capable of. It's not an unusual gift in the kingdom of Khepris, though it's uncommon enough that you've only met a few other people with such abilities in your small hometown.

After a plague sweeps through the kingdom, unrest bubbles up in the realm known as the Beyond, home to fae and spirits alike. A group of fae who call themselves the Butterfly Court are testing the boundaries between your worlds, and they don't seem to care what harm they may be causing along the way.

With a deck of tarot cards imbued with mystical powers in your possession, you're pulled into the struggle against the Butterfly Court. You must join one of two organizations - the King's Guardians or the Hounds - in order to fight back against this mysterious court… or risk losing everything.

Parasitical @parasitical-if (DEMO)

His flesh, our sustenance. His blood, our drink. His bones, our foundation, His body, our haven.

Five hundred years ago, the Earth was dying. Water polluted, dirt infertile, forests and meadows crumbling to the wars of steel and fire. And so the Order called His Grace, the Lord of Communion, down from where he rested before and He allowed humanity to rest inside his body.

Or at least, that's the story the Order tells.

You grew up under the masked faces of their Exalted, under the stories of Earth past. Rusted metal and cracked plastic; His bone and His flesh. Conflicting worlds, conflicting times, and soon, it might all come to a head.

crown of ashes and flames @coeluvr (demo) The war had taken everything from you.King Luceris had taken everything from you.You were just nine years old when all of this happened. One moment you were in your room sleeping and the next you were walking through smoke and ash trying to find your parents.Love, he said, was the reason he started the war. Ironically, you lost everything you loved but you also lost yourself when he let you survive and dragged you away to his home.In a new Kingdom with no one on your side what choices will you make to survive? Who will you become?Inside of you, there’s something burning for revenge and there’s only one thing I want to tell you. Let it out.

Bleeding Heart @bleedingheart-if (Demo) Congratulations, you got engaged. Whether that is good or bad is ultimately up to you.Shortly after your engagement, your fiancé sets out on a journey to the distant lands of Transylvania, a real estate opportunity that proved too irresistible to decline.With your wedding temporarily on hold, you don't hesitate to respond when your childhood friend Lucy implores you to pay her a visit, seeking your company and counsel with an urgent matter concerning her very own future.The strangeness begins as you arrive in Whitby, a charming coastal town where the Westenra's estate resides.

checkmatein 3 moves @checkmatein3moves (DEMO) YOU are the heir; the child of one of the most powerful women on Oracle Island. When she’s accused of murdering her sister almost forty years prior after the revelation of a suspicious anonymous tip, her power falls to you — but so will her reputation.Many questions present themselves: is your mother a killer? Who wants to see her fall for it? Who will make the next move in the inevitable game? Can you play as well as the rest of them?The Elite Class are full of blood and schemes. Your generation carries the scars of those before them, and thus you all must join the game or face the consequences. But dark intentions are cloaked in silk and diamonds, and the heady taste of power corrupts like an infection.

The Abyssal Song @ri-writes-if (DEMO) In the underworld kingdom, where demons fight for survival against the abyssal monsters, you are just an Oracle. In the distant past the Oracles were at the top of the demonic hierarchy, but those golden days are long gone. You did what you were most afraid to do and now sit under arrest in the royal palace.When the Abyss sends you a vision of a terrible disaster that will happen in the future, you make an inevitable “deal” with the Sovereign to try to change the future and improve your abilities, not only to become stronger and learn more about the coming disaster, but also in an attempt to achieve mind stability.However, what has been happening to you since you received the vision makes you think that you are already slowly but surely losing your mind.Will you be able to maintain your sanity and help others protect the kingdom, or will you become just another name in the long list of Oracles gone mad?

the lonely shore @thelonelyshore-if (DEMO) Meet me at the cabin. Please.You weren’t sure what to make of it. A cryptic late night text sent from your younger sibling, begging you to meet up at your family’s old lake home. The plea for help was as concerning as it was confusing. As far as you knew, neither of you had set foot in the cabin in a decade. You had your hesitations, but Willow seemed desperate. You couldn’t help but oblige.Everything goes downhill fast when Willow's research into childhood ghost stories lands you in a town that doesn't exist. A town where people go missing at an alarming rate, where things that aren't quite human run businesses with hungry eyes, where time runs differently.A town you can't leave.Something about Easthaven is wrong. A supernatural fog permeates the town, so thick you could choke…but you’re one of the only people who seems to notice it. You’re quick to realize the fog keeps the residents ignorant, keeps them passive, keeps them trapped. When people who have long since gone missing start coming back home, you realize Easthaven’s mysteries go deeper than you could have ever imagined.

Kenneski @devilishmango (here)You were ripped away from your home, your life- all because you were accused of using magic. Sent away on carriages, bursting full of others like you, being brought to Kenneski Prison. It’s a prison made specifically to hold those that can wield magic, making it so you are powerless. It’s a death sentence for most that go there. But not for you.

stagnation @stagnation-if (DEMO) It's the year 2524, and you're a defeated God/Goddess/Deity in a place and time where your kind is rarely needed anymore. After being locked away and thought to be dead for nearly a millennia, you wake up.

The Fall of House Black @endemise (DEMO) The fall of House Black, your house, was an imminent thing. A name had never been so cursed that all it could do was bring about death.First, your younger sister in a swimming accident, then your older brother in a case of mistaken identity. As the rest of your family sought to grieve and bring justice to your brother, your older sister was killed in a hunting accident at the end of your father’s bow.The three of you, mother, father, and child, became inconsolable. Broken beyond repair. Your mother unable to bear the weight of life any longer took her own while your father disappeared, gone into the night. When you remain the sole survivor of House Black, you know you must leave, and on the night of your decision, your home goes up in flames with you inside.Then, you awake, dazed with no recollection of anything, and when you look down at your body, you scream. It is wrong. So wrong.

Drink Your Villain Juice @drinkyourvillainjuice (demo) Everyone knows that superpowers come about through three distinct methods.One can be born to their abilities, see them emerge in a moment of great strife, or acquire them through extensive cybernetic augmentation.Everyone is wrong.You’d know. If only that knowledge—and your snazzy slash horrible powers—didn’t come with a host of strings attached. Too bad that was an offer you couldn’t refuse.Did I mention one of the strings was supervillainy?Thrown headlong into a life of crime, balance conflicted loyalties, personal scars, and navigating a web of secrecy and deception, all while maintaining your cover.Above all, remember to drink your Juice. Your life depends on it.

The Gilded @the-gilded (Demo v1.2) Your younger brother, Leo, went missing three days ago. Your parents called the police, and they started investigating quickly. They were too late. Leo had already disappeared into the deepest part of the forest, where the mortals have vowed never to return. The police have offered to contact your family if Leo crosses the barrier back to the mortal side, but their investigation can’t go any further without inviting the wrath of the Fae.The winter solstice is approaching fast, which means that the High Fae are likely gathering mortal children for their great feast. The only way to get your brother back is to follow him into the forest and steal him back from the palace of the High Fae… If you can get there in one piece. The Fae forest is full of tricksters and killers, and you'll likely need some allies to help get you both back home.

VANGUARD @vanguard-if (PLAY) As a faering, you should want to keep to yourself. Your home is a safe haven where your dragon kin people reside; a place of true neutrality. There are no allies to the Midlands, nor are there enemies. Your people simply are, and this will not change.But you were never one much for rules, were you? With whispers of a certain prince in the Northlands allegedly receiving death threats from your docile leader, Cirrus, you could only slip away into the depths of the North to go see for yourself. It's so hilariously outrageous that your peace-loving ruler has such rumours teeming about them.You did not expect to find a bounty hunter bleeding out from her abdomen. And most of all, you did not expect her to know you by name, even through her raggedy breaths. And most of all, you did not expect her to have leads on the one you seek: the Northern Prince.

TWISTED GOLD @icaroif (DEMO) In the wake of an attack on your village that left your father dead and everybody you had ever known missing or the same, you are given one option; find your uncle in the Capital or else run for the hills and never look back. It was never really a choice anyway.

NINE BLOOD DANCES @nineblooddances-if [DEMO] You were a gift. Now to whom? No one knows.All that matters is that you are a gift and not like any of the others of your species. Uniqueness and importance oozes from every fiber of your being. You're important. Everyone says you're important. But why you're so important?Who knows?You must figure out what makes you so special and different. You must figure out what drives you through all circles. And you have to figure out why the nine commanders of Hell all have their eyes upon you and wish to have you by their side.All before the fall of the ninth moon.

Trouble Brewing @troublebrewing-if (Demo) it's all fun and games until someone loses a head!Quinn, your best friend, has brought you some awful news: your illustrious parents, having run out of potential mates for their brood, have set you up with the worst person you know -- Devon Bainbridge. Your intended is uncouth, self-indulgent, and ten years your senior.Of course, if no one can find you, the wedding's off, right?Make daring escape from your family's castle, get pressed into joining a rebellion, and find yourself fighting alongside a plucky bard, a brooding bandit, a naive idealist, and a fool-in-training. Escape marriage, join a rebellion, and find love… or sabotage it all.

ANECDOCHE @anecdoche-if (Demo) You wake up chained to a chair by one of the most notorious gangs in the country, only to be saved by one of the most famous hero organizations only a few moments later. Who wants you so badly that they would hire an entire gang to abduct you, and can you really trust the Supers that have been put in charge of your protection?

Blood of Morana @blood-of-morana (demo) You are one of the people, cursed with Morana’s magic, which gives you power over both winter and death. You can imagine that being one of the White Deaths hasn’t exactly made you the beacon of hope or the icon of popularity among your people. Worse yet, some of your magic has been sealed, making it impossible to witch away the inquisition.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An affair of the heart @doriana-gray-games (demo)

Play as your version of Sherlock Holmes in this romance detective game!

Make an enemy of a friend and a lover out of an enemy. Solve the case of boredom. Have a pet bird—and best of all, play as a romantically and emotionally stunted genius detective!

nemisi @elegy-if (demo) The struggle between cosmic deities — now worshiped (or abhorred) as gods — tore its way into your planet not long before you were born. Unlucky for you, you were one of the first generations to be born exposed to Excinate, the name given to the radioactive-like sickness that comes from being exposed to magic not of your world. As you've built up a bit of an immunity to the more dire consequences, you were promptly ripped from your family after a doctor's visit when the Excinate got a bit too close to your childhood home. Since then, you’ve been shipped around and transported from facility to facility to be poked and prodded at.Until now. No, now you’re free.Aside from that lingering hunger for flesh you’ve had since becoming infected, of course. Just a little side effect from the radiation, along with a mouthful of jagged teeth and a jaw that can unhinge like a snake.

Burning Academia @burning-academia-if (Demo) You never thought you'd go to college, due to your circumstances. But you especially didn't dream you'd be forced to attend the prestigious Vales Grove University after being attacked by wraiths in their library. What started as a visit to a long time friend, ended with your hands burned, your innocence questioned, and the startling realization magic is real.To apologize for what's happened to you, or more accurately, to keep an eye on you, the Headmaster himself offers you enrollment with all fees waived. With no real choice in the matter, you become a student, and try to ignore the suspicion everyone throws your way. Besides, you have worse things to deal with.Like how you've started to attract ghosts and other dead things, or the fact that there is a very living thing inside your head, waiting for you to lower your guard and take control. And most pressing of all, managing your obligation to a family that hasn't been such a thing in years.Tread carefully, if the ghosts don't devour you, the university certainly might.

lightweaver: Chosen @lightweaver-chosen-if (DEMO) A world where elemental deities share a fraction of their powers to their chosen, bringing upon the age of weavers; humans with the ability to manipulate the elements of their patron.You have been chosen by a mysterious lightning deity—blessing you with the power to weave lightning. But with a troubled childhood haunting your every step, your new abilities present a double-edged sword.The choices you make, the support you receive, and the inner strength you harness define your journey—a journey fraught with anguish, but one that promises a life outside Mother’s grasp.Two divergent paths lay ahead.Will you let yourself heal and grow, or will you fall deeper into the void?

Talon's End @asheepinthenight (DEMO) You were never destined to marry for love.As the third child of the Earl of Eastthorn, your purpose is to marry to your family's advantage, but after one failed engagement already, your prospects are less than promising. So when the Crown calls upon you to infiltrate the lair of an Elven sorcerer in search of a powerful magical weapon, the offer is too good for your family to refuse.But leaving your respectable home to marry an immortal being of immense power quickly puts you in uncharted territory. Between your secretive, disagreeable spouse and their labyrinthine spire infested with strange creatures, your mission to uncover their secrets is risky from the start. But as you come to know both your partner and your new home at Talon's End, you discover terrors and wonders unlike anything you've known–and the true price of your mission.

Leas: City of the Sun @sailingshellsgames (demo) Enter the city of Leas, where humans dwell in safety behind city walls while strange and powerful Fey roam the wilds. Play as one of a rare few skilled enough to explore the outside world, an agent of Den Zarel.After making a dangerous discovery you are sent on a mission that unfolds into an adventure that will unearth more than expected, and more than you alone can handle.Fortunately, you’ll have help along the way: a lifelong friend hiding a dangerous secret, a mysterious and taciturn rogue, and an eccentric and charming mage unite under your banner to help save your city, and possibly, the world

[thelustybraavosimaid]

Abandoned by the Night's Watch, Catelyn and her children will find their only hope of safety lies further north, beyond the Wall, where they fall into the hands of Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall, and get a dreadful glimpse of the inhuman others as they attack the wildling encampment. Bran's magic, Arya's sword Needle, and the savagery of their direwolves will help them survive, but their mother Catelyn will die at the hands of the others. (Original outline, page 3)

George says this about Catelyn:

In my version of the story, Catelyn Stark is re-imbued with a kind of life and becomes this vengeful wight who galvanizes a group of people around her and is trying to exact her revenge on the riverlands.

[Source]

The circumstances are different from what he initially planned, but we can take this as foreshadowing:

"A wolf with a fish in its mouth?" It made her laugh. "That would look silly. Besides, if a girl can't fight, why should she have a coat of arms?" (Arya I, AGoT)

And this:

Beside the entrance, the king's armor stood sentry; a suit of forest-green plate, its fittings chased with gold, the helm crowned by a great rack of golden antlers. The steel was polished to such a high sheen that she could see her reflection in the breastplate, gazing back at her as if from the bottom of a deep green pond. The face of a drowned woman, Catelyn thought. Can you drown in grief? She turned away sharply, angry with her own frailty. She had no time for the luxury of self-pity. She must wash the dust from her hair and change into a gown more fitting for a king's feast. (Catelyn II, ACoK)

--

"I know the ending in broad strokes but broad strokes are just broad strokes and the devil's in the details. As I write these last two books, I'll be moving towards the endings that I've known since 1991. But many of the fine details might be moved around and changed."

[Source]

This is one of the fine details that changed from the outline's vision. Catelyn was going to die, but she didn't make it beyond the Wall with Bran and Arya, instead she's further south with Robb and co. She dies there instead, but she still dies.

The point is this: whether imbued by ice or fire, George had always planned for Catelyn to die...and to be reanimated.

[sweetearthandnorthernsky]

wraith au [instance: swan-song]

i was thinking a lot abt the boss fight for this so. tumblr post!

anyway dol amroth’s great hall’s layout is like this;

but anyway, onto the actual instance itself. [but full disclaimer i am Not good with mechanics soooo... bare with me lol]

the instance is towards the end of a theoretical quest chain post WOTR where Adanel [sae’s older sister & minstrel] is doing her best to get close to wraith!sae and she has you/the pc causing Problems in dol moralph.

[she walks in there knowing she probably won’t walk out]

i’m thinking each ‘x’ is a different mini boss or something like that to that effect.

most of the mobs until you get to that point are going to be corrupted swan-knights [i feel like gothmoth/whoever offered wraith!sae orcs and she was like ‘uh no thanks’ which is definitely... a thing if you think abt it too hard]  and there are also her black swans that act like hornblowers.

the green ‘x’ on both sides... i feel like the bosses are wight versions of rossaran & rovalang [in a non-ncf au at least] and they both summon a handful of adds during their fight [like lintanar in the silent street]

the blue x is where the throne is, but I imagine until all the bosses are defeated sae isn’t there.

anyway, adanel as a minstrel is mostly providing heals/buffs to counter all the corruptions bc there are a LOT of them and a LOT of dread. 

to get to the purple x you have to go to this spot

red denotes Wraith Equivalent of Swan Knights you have to fight to get up to the landing although i feel like the two directly in front of the throne aren’t there just yet since sae isn’t. 

the green i feel like gets replaced from vingilot to 3 mini statues of sauron or smthn and the middle banner is the heraldry of dol moralph [a dying swan] and then the eye of sauron on both sides.

purple x is probably... i’m actually not sure who would be a good boss there [in a non ncf au]

but when all the bosses are defeated, the fellowship & adanel return to that spot, just as sae appears from [??] somewhere on the left side of the landing.

wraith!sae i think is a lot... crueller than normal sae, so i feel like [assuming the fellowship has encountered her before in a previous instance] she taunts them saying something like. “didn’t you already try this? do you really think that’d adding a singer would help you survive longer?”

adanel probably responds with [song of hope that buffs you with three hope to counter the dread wraith sae is exuding]

sae got REAL good at illusions since she learned from gothmog who learned from the witch-king who's good at that so i think she pulls visions of like. imrahil. lothiriel. maybe a grey company friend or two. etc. 

sae also has a damage-over-time probably called words-of-despair [get it? like the opposite of words of courage] that... actually i’m not sure what it does beyond damage.

there’s also probably special dialogue for captains, minis, & champs [and then in an ncf au: rk, hunter & gaurdian].

the cappy dialogue probably sounds like a recruiting ad while all the others are probably like. ‘hm. you remind me of someone i once knew. too bad you’re not leaving here alive.’

the instance is very much Not winnable due to Plot Mechanics, which are kinda fuzzy, but i think what happens is adanel pulls a laerdan and distracts sae to let the others escape.

that’s kinda all i have so far.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Today in Tolkien - October 28th

Today the hobbits and Gandalf, on their return after the destruction of the Ring, reach Bree, and give Butterbur a good deal of surprising news!

Their first sight of Bree is inauspicious; while the more southerly regions around Gondor and Rohan have been celebrating, Eriador has been having a bad time of it.

So it as that at the end of a wild and wet evening in the last days of October the five travellers rode up the climbing road and came to the south-gate of Bree. It was locked fast; and the rain blew in their faces, and in the darkening sky low clouds went hurrying by, and their hearts sank a little, for they had expected more welcome. When they had called many times, at last the Gate-keeper came out, and they saw that he carried a great cudgel. He looked at them with fear and suspicion; but when he saw that Gandalf was there, and that his companions were hobbits, in spite of their strange gear, then he brightened and wished them welcome.

Butterbur welcomes them gladly, once he realizes “They’ve come back!” refers to old friends and not to some threat; there are few people at the Prancing Pony, and times have been troubled. There’s been violence in Bree, and a mix of refugees and ruffians arriving from the south - the latter likely the remnants of Saruman’s armies. And worse dangers than that: “wolves howling round the fences” last winter, and “dark shapes in the wood, dreadful things that it makes the blood run cold to think of,” (probably barrow-wights, possibly trolls), in Butterbur’s account. The absence of the Rangers had made people - Butterbur included - appreciate them more. It takes Butterbur a while to grasp that the King of Gondor and Arnor is Strider!

The last piece of news for the evening is that Bill the Pony, having escaped the wolves outside Moria, made it back to Bree! This delights Sam, and he insists on going out to the stables to see Bill before going to sleep.

[blastikmusik]

retro wave 412

Morgan Willis - Last Ticket Absolute Valentine - Flesh Of Fallen Angels d.notive - Fire In Your Eyes Cassetter + The Great Wight Dread - Neo-Tokyo Blues Vincenzo Salvia - Fantasma Nightstop - Intimacy Hello Meteor - The Evergreen Prefecture Tonebox - Breaking The Mainframe The Midnight - The Equalizer (Not Alone) Beckett - Play Dream Fiend - Pest Control Night Sky - FlashStallone Ludrium - Trial By Fire Absolute Valentine - The Impossible Douze - Timebomb Niky Nine - Exhausted Divinity

[babovens]

Managing Stage Fright

Hey all! I took a dive into the musical theater tag and I’ve seen a decent amount of posts floating around about managing the dread of “oh heck what if I mess up?” Despite being a stage performer, I deal with horrible stage anxiety/fright, so I thought I’d make this post to share some of my own experiences/techniques.

And this applies to any kind of performance anxiety. Heck, I know classroom presentations or even business meetings have the same stressful experience.

1. What type of stage fright do you experience?

This looks different from everyone, and it’s important to know what your version of stage fright looks like so you can know what you want to help sooth.

(These are only a few. If you experience something else, it’s totally valid. These are just my experiences).

Negative thoughts/constant inner monologue - overthinking like this can cause you to forget your lines, make you appear scared, and overall just screw with your preparation.

Excess adrenaline - this can cause shaking, dry throat, freezing when it’s your turn, or difficulty breathing (as an opera singer, this one is basically a death sentence 😅).

Knowing what kind of reaction you have to stage fright can help on how to manage it.

2. Techniques to help

Meditation - this is the most commonly advised form of anxiety help in general and depending on how you do it can help you before your audition/presentation. There are many, many ways to do meditation, so it’s hard to pinpoint what kind will help you specifically. I like just laying on the floor and focusing on taking deep, low breaths, while others like to do straight up yoga.

Superman pose - this one sounds silly and you might look silly, but if you’ve struggled with confidence (same), this might be of help to you. Simply stand with your hands in fists and put them on your hips with a lifted chest and head held high. Give yourself encouraging words! You got this! It’s going to be okay! It can trick your brain into being more confident.

Running around! - this one seem kind of counter productive, but if you’re one of those who has a constant inner monologue you can’t seem to stop or you have an abundance of excess energy, shake it out! Jump up and down! Hell, I’ve even done push ups before. Doing a mini work out can give you that “post workout relaxation” that many strive for before a performance.

Wighted stuffed animal - Stage fright is a type of anxiety, and I know plenty of performers who use their weighted stuffed animal they use for their day to day anxiety as something to help before an audition. If you have a pocket in your audition outfit, put a fidget or stress reliever in there to help. Do what works for you.

Practicing - yeah yeah, we all hate hearing this one. The old “practice makes perfect.” I don’t really like that phrase though, because we’re human and it’s impossible to be perfect. I instead like “practice makes permanent.” The more you practice, the more likely your muscle memory will kick in even in stressful environments. If you truly want to practice like you perform, do your performance in front of others. Hate to break it to you, but if you only practice by yourself and expect to just “wing it,” you’re not going to do great. Find environments like master classes or performing for your parents/friends/colleagues to practice working in stressful environments.

For those out there who are doing multiple auditions/presentations:

Medication - Propranolol (or beta blockers) is the most common stage fright medicine and has been a life saver. This basically blocks the excess adrenaline and forces you to calm down. For me, it’s so I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out and die 🤣

- HOWEVER! For my musicians out there, PLEASE be aware of some of the side effects.

- For singers and wind players, this medication can dry your mouth out. To counter this, I know this won’t work as well for wind instruments, but for my vocalists, you can pop in a cough drop while singing. If your mouth allows it, you can even pop it up in your “cheek pocket” (as I like to call it) so it won’t get in the way while you sing.

- And for ALL musicians: Beta Blockers can effect your sense of pitch. If you don’t have a sensitive ear, you probably won’t notice, but for my relative pitch (hi friends) and perfect pitch people out there, everything will sound lower/flat. You cannot, I repeat, you CANNOT rely on your ear as a tuning device. You must use a piano or a tuner to tune your instrument or else it’s going to be a few cents flat.

- That being said, this medication is still very useful. And hey, it’s better than having an actual anxiety attack 30min before a senior recital because “I’m confident! I don’t need it!” (@ my dumbassery)

3. Whatever happens, by the end of the day, it’s done!

You heard me, even if you fucked up hard part in your solo or couldn’t remember all the right words in your speech:

You did it!

Even if you go into an audition for Grease and forget the hand jive and get the Look Of Disappointment™️ from the directors (RIP me), you’re home free. Your performance may not be perfect, and guess what?

It never will be.

We’re humans. We can’t be perfect.

One thing that breaks my heart is when performers compare themselves to recordings they hear on cast albums. Fun fact: those recordings have most likely be edited. They were made to be perfect. Of course they sound amazing, they got 5 million takes to make it perfect and then even got a sound producer to edited them even more so.

Any performer (and I mean ANY) has never come off stage and been like “wow! That was amazing! I did everything absolutely right and perfect! Cant do any better than that!”

This isn’t to say you can’t ever feel good about what you’ve performed. If you can’t find the good things in your performance, you’ll never be happy with yourself.

So, coming from a Senior at a musical theater college, know that you’ll make it. You’re going to do great. Even if things don’t go the way you planned, you did it!

You’re enough 💜

[antunesketch]

Cover art of Post Traumatic Disorder by The Great Wight Dread (https://greatwightdread.bandcamp.com/album/post-traumatic-shark-disorder)