#and June’s design and lore is a reference to that culture

[blackbackedjackal]

As a Gévaudan Lycan, June’s design is supposed to give off an unknowable and melancholy energy.

Gévaudan Lycans are mimics, and their emotions alter their form, especially if they have little to no control of themselves when they shift.

The way June was changed into a lycan and her experience during first shift were extremely traumatic, and over time, her lycan form reflected her feelings of loss and self-loathing. She fronts as this charming and confident woman, while holding back her deeper emotions that eventually leached into the form that reflects her true self.

Fear, sadness, loss, and rage all mixed into this one entity she cannot control. Once a month, she's forced into facing all of those emotions, reliving that trauma again and again for nearly 30 years.

[talonabraxas]

"From a philosophical perspective, Gemini is a classroom of souls in which divine knowledge is imparted. In this sign there is a sacred renunciation and a spiritual transcendence occurs towards the heavenly world. The living, collective spirit of the planet Mercury is a protector of our mankind. This celestial body – the closest to the Sun – is esoterically associated with the Buddha and eternal wisdom."

“Isis Unveiled”, by H. P. Blavatsky, volume II, p. 132.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)

In a time so long ago that it barely lingers in the memory of aged medicine men, two sons were born to Sun-Carrier and his consort Changing Woman. They were Nayanezgani and Thohadzistshini, who overthrew the monstrous ones and brought an end to the Age of Giants. They heralded a new race and ushered in the Fourth World, where every colour existed and a snow-covered mountain stood at each of the four cardinal points. The Navajo say that four gods created the first man and woman from ears of corn. To this pair came five births of twins, the first of which were hermaphrodites. The four that followed intermarried with the Mirage People who dwell in this world. Their children slowly forgot their ancestry and even failed to see the significance of the birth of twins.

The heavenly twins of every mythology have some striking affinities. The sons of Sun-Carrier and Changing Woman are reminiscent of those of Adam and Eve or Zeus and Leda. Sometimes they are male and female offspring, standing like two pillars side by side. They, like the Navajo brothers, are symbols of the brilliant white and red stars which for thousands of years have been identified as 'the Twins.' The pillars of Hermes and Hercules, as well as Jachin and Boaz at the entrance to Solomon's temple, are derived from the great myth of Gemini. The glyph that describes them all is a graphic indication of their nature: two columns supporting a crossbeam over a threshold. Used in this form by the ancient Spartans, the glyph was later translated into the image of two amphorae with snakes twined around them. The glyph stands for the Portal of the Temple of Humanity. The ancient Euphrateans called the twins Mun-Ga, which designates 'the making of bricks' and refers to the building of the City of Man. Similarly, Romulus and Remus, who despite their differences, built 'the Holy City' of Rome stone by stone, reflect a conception of the temple of humanity common in Mediterranean cultures. Gemini is also associated with fertility, and Finno-Ugric people still carry twins into the fields to ensure an abundance of crops. The celestial twins suggest a link between the evolving human vehicle and the increase of life in general through the divided, overbrooding Spirit, which quickens the processes of division and fructification.

Like Romulus and Remus, the twins of legend and sacred lore are often in opposition to one another. They may, like the brothers depicted in the Cahuilla creation myth, separate to their respective positions in the nether and upper worlds. Or, like Odin and Ollerus of Eddie mythology, they may alternate with one another, representing summer and winter and other cyclic patterns. They maybe like the twin warriors who embody the ever-contending forces of creation and destruction, life and death, their struggle being the cause of all change. They precipitate externally the nature inherent in Changing Woman and bring face-to-face with itself the duality intrinsic to manifestation.

Gemini may describe two hostile brothers, but in Hindu and Egyptian tradition the twins are brother and sister. In The Book of Knowing the Evolutions of Ra, which describes the nature and exploits of the children of the Creator Temu, Shu and Tefnut are described as the right and left eye of Ra. Their father Temu declared the twin birth: "Thus from being one god I became three out of myself." Shu and Tefnut, side by side, represent the union of past and present, space and light, life and order. The Gate of the Pillars of Shu was recognized by Hierophants as the entrance to the Path. The divine nature of androgynous twins points to a state of wholeness which existed prior to the subsequent divisions of evolving existence. An occult analogy can be found in the process of fertilization of a single mother cell which produces, in human generation, identical twins. In such cases the ability to provide the entire complex genetic structure for multiple individuals lies within one fertilized egg. The psychic closeness that twins experience seems to mirror their monogenesis, as well as an even higher and more abstract form of sharing than any they experience on the physical plane. Coming from that which can reproduce itself, and seeming to move, think and feel as one person, twins have inspired philosophers from many cultures to see in them the first emanation of the Creative Logos.

The dual nature of Gemini, as the central theme of the symbol, is shown in various ways. If the twins represent the forces of creation and destruction or the upper and lower worlds, they are both loved and feared. Where the Finno-Ugric peoples rejoice at the birth of twins, some African peoples fear them. It is often said that Heaven kills as well as creates and is associated with the unexpected, like lightning and other awesome phenomena. With the birth of twins the unexpected occurs and they attract both good and evil. Knowing not which is which, some people abandon both in the forest. It is not always a simple task to tell Cain from Abel, and sometimes the dual nature of Gemini, which is usually present in single individuals, becomes separated out in two twins as though one were the dark shadow of the other. In modern times the extraordinary example of two French brothers seems to echo the ancient biblical crime. The innocent and virtuous brother was so repeatedly plagued by the perverse misdeeds of his twin that he finally lost control and in a fit of exasperation strangled him. The mystery as to why the good brother kills the evil one is compounded by the fact that in the biblical allegory the brother rejected by God kills the one accepted.

Whether good and evil, or both purely divine, the dual forces symbolized by the twins are inextricably bound together. As Manilius wrote, "Tender Gemini in strict embrace stand clos'd and smiling in each other's face." The Aswin twins of Hindu tradition are always together, guiding their horses through the heavens. In the Tarot cards the twins symbolized 'the Lovers' and their masculine and feminine activities are like two reflections of one will. The heavenly twins express opposites fused together, like twin beams from one light. The image of Castor and Pollux, seen by the Romans as the Double Light, was placed on the bow of ships in the belief that their dual presence could ify or blend the powerful negative and positive forces working during electrical storms at sea. Their salvific power was suggested in Shelley's translation of Homer's Hymn to Castor and Pollux:

Ye wild-eyed muses! sing the Twins of Jove,

. . . . . . . . mild Pollux, void of blame,

And steed-subduing Castor, heirs of fame.

These are the Powers who earth-born mortals save.

The Greeks and Romans often called the two brilliant stars of Gemini the Sons of Leda. Castor and Pollux were separately termed 'the Starry One' and 'the Lightful One,' names indicative of their respective natures. Castor symbolizes the Earth while Pollux is the emblem of Spirit, reminding us of the ancient edict which states that it takes Earth and Heavenly Waters to create a human soul. The Greek myth achieves its most sublime expression in Pindar's version. Leda is united in the same night with Tyndareus, King of Sparta, and with Zeus, King of the Olympian gods. From this dual union emerge two sons, the mortal Castor and his immortal brother, Pollux. Bound together by a common mother and intense fraternal devotion, they journey on adventures throughout the world. In a ferocious battle with the sons of Aphaereus, Idas, 'he who sees and knows,' mortally wounds Castor. Pollux finds his brother dying and appeals to his divine father to allow him to perish also. "Thou art of a divine race," Zeus replies, "Thou canst not die altogether." Nevertheless, just as the brothers have shared all things in life, they may both share death and immortality. Pollux gives a portion of his immortality to Castor, and thus the twins live alternately, one during the day, and the other at night, in the heavenly abodes. As an allusion to the evolutionary history of humanity, Castor represents the purely mortal man, unconscious in its personality and a mere animal until united with the immortal individuality, signified by Pollux. He is Manas, the informing fire of consciousness which transforms animal man by linking him to the immortal individuality, Atma-Buddhi. Lower man becomes conscious, and Higher Man can behold the world through his less favoured brother. Thus Castor symbolizes the egg-born Third Race humanity, unconscious until awakened to Manasic awareness by the informing god - Pollux.

Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury, and the twins are often depicted as children using their budding intelligence to play life's game with a cleverness which mimics innocence. Gemini represents the forces of both the Higher and Lower Mind which when ideally combined result in an airy and mercurial balance of self-consciousness. Like the union of past and present symbolized in the Pillars of Shu, Gemini brings into emergence the delicately balanced confluence of the rivers of mind and matter. In China it is represented as an ape with dual qualities related to Yin and Yang, whereas in Tibetan Buddhism it is symbolized by a monkey climbing a flowered tree. The agile primate with his humanoid characteristics climbs upward to grasp the opening bloom of self-conscious intelligence. From this point the light of awareness will disperse through writing and education as well as the arts of commerce. Its benefactors will be many, and some great poets and thinkers attribute the source of their genius to Gemini. Hesiod wrote, "To them I owe, to them alone I owe, what of the seas, or of the stars I know," and Dante intoned:

O glorious stars,

O light impregnated - with mighty virtue,

From which I acknowledge - all my genius,

What-soe'er it be.

In occult tradition we are told that the source of this genius is the First Androgyne whose essence is eternal and who emanates a pure ethereal light. It is a dual light which is not perceptible to the physical sense but which carries the seed of the Dual Man. It is the Androgyne who completes man, "whose ethereal form is emanated by other divine, but far lower beings, who solidify the body with clay, or the 'dust of the ground.' ' The progressive manifestation of twins suggested here is reminiscent of a Babylonian account of creation which states that "In Heaven and Earth 'faithful twins' had been brought into being" who were all to be the gods of the three worlds.

Gemini as a symbol of the Higher and Lower Mind points to the process whereby the whole of evolving existence leads to the pivotal point inherent in the dual nature of man. The duality symbolized by and inherent in Gemini suggests the dynamic unity of the mind, the crucible of the Aquarian Age. Like the two amphorae encircled by serpents, Higher and Lower Mind have complementary functions. When separated, Kama Manas is the calculating mind which apes its superior twin, fantasizing images of the world which deny significant occult import to events, and ruled by projected desires rather than spiritual aspirations. As the shadow of Buddhi-Manas, it can concretize any conception and exploit spiritual language for its own inverted ends. Buddhi-Manas is ever indifferent to all but universal truths; it abstracts the formless core from the world of form, synthesizes the mathematical harmonics of the world of change into the one fundamental vibration which precedes and pervades every manifestation, and transcends every level of insight, each of which becomes a step on the stairway to pure Spirit. When Kama Manas is wedded to Buddhi-Manas, its relational side is weaned from the snares of tanha, the thirst for embodied experience, and it becomes the vehicle through which Buddhi-Manas can manifest in the world. Gemini represents the realignment of the inverted mind.

Emerson likened friends to diamonds and opals, the one pure and impenetrable, the other variegated. The adamantine Higher Mind is multi-faceted, reflecting every colour from within itself while remaining colourless. The opalescent Lower Mind reflects all the colours of the world because they are lodged within it. When brought together in fraternal friendship, Lower Mind is purified so that it picks up and refracts only the colours emitted by Higher Mind, pouring its light forth into the world. Lower Manas must achieve a philosophical negation - refusing to identify with name and form - so that Higher Mind may manifest. If the lower aspect of dual Mind is positive, the higher aspect must be negative. The Aquarian Path is the process of reversing these polarities. Then the potentiality of the Akashic light, contained in the crystalline amphora of Higher Mind, can reflect in the potency of the pristine astral light poured forth from the translucent amphora of the purified Lower Mind. Thus the two aspects of Mind stand in the same relationship as did the first awakened Third Race humanity to its spiritual Instructors.

Twins in the world are like witnesses to the archetypal transition from the wholeness of the androgynous race to the duality of the separation that marked the lighting-up of Manas, They are a testimony to this, though few of them actually divide the opposing forces of higher and lower consciousness. Usually they blend the two individually as well as collectively, although there are few cases where the divine and animal natures pit themselves against each other as two separate persons inexorably linked in a desperate struggle which can only end in the death of one or the other. But this too is a reflection of the inherent potential unleashed with the awakening of self-consciousness. Adam separated into Cain and Abel (male and female), who are his own 'allegorical permutations,' and from the seed of this First Androgyne issued that series of twins which would, like the Navajo hermaphrodites who married 'the Mirage People,' produce the mortals of the earth. The 'killing' at the archetypal level has to take place, for without this sacrifice there can be no descending issue. The killing on the worldly level is a shadow of this mythical 'crime.' In its own sad and convoluted way, this illustrates further the painful involvement of purity and wisdom with that which is steeped in the mire of ignorance.

In Isis Unveiled H. P. Blavatsky suggests that Adam, Cain and Abel can be likened to the sephirothal triad of Crown, Wisdom and Intelligence. Correlating the Sephiroth with the classical zodiac, it follows that Abel symbolizes Gemini, marking it as the point where pure creative force is divided in two, such that one half is elevated and the other half descends into the multiplicity of phenomena. Adam is the collective name for man and woman or Cain and Abel, indicating that the separation of the sexes is only being alluded to analogously at the stage of evolution depicted in the myth. All stories concerning a seemingly objectivized Eve separated from Adam or separated siblings are merely indicators of the potential which lies latent at the dawn of the Third Root Race. These allegories do not refer to beings of flesh but rather to states of consciousness embodied in the most ethereal garments. Abel, the female aspect of Adam, is 'killed' because it enters into generation, and this is done as sacrifice by Cain or Jehovah, the masculine and creative aspect. Adam itself is the androgynous issue of Adam Kadmon, the sexless and pure Unmanifesting Logos. The allegory in occultism describes the development of the First purely sexless Race, the inactive androgynous condition of the Second Race, and the emergence of the 'Separating Hermaphrodite' which marks the Third and last semi-spiritual Race. It is in subsequent races that woman and man separate further and come, increasingly, to fight the battle of the dual self each within herself or himself apart. There is a karmic reflection of the androgynous commingling of forces in the relationship existing between man and woman today. While the shedding of the blood of Abel symbolizes the sacrifice of virgin consciousness, thrice-blessed is he who realizes the synthesis of the long separated forces within himself and through his relations with others.

The Heavenly Twins of Gemini are beautifully typified by the Aswins, the divine charioteers of Hindu mythology. They are depicted riding in a golden car and possess many forms. They are "the bright harbingers of Ushas the dawn" and represent the transition from darkness to light, both cosmically and metaphysically. It is said that at one time the gods refused them access to a great sacrifice on the grounds that "they had been on too familiar terms with men." Identified with both heaven and earth, these divine twins can show a negative character, due to the alliance of light with darkness which they characterize. But when they sacrifice themselves as a bridge, like the reins they attach to their wild steeds, they are known as the Aswini-Kumaras, the reincarnating 'principles' in the Manvantara. Their natures are endlessly reflected in the manifestations of Gemini in the world, but also represent a great and sustained sacrifice which, in its earliest stages, the stars of Gemini channel into the cosmos.

In man, the dramatic manifestation of this is in objectivized, reflected intellect. The Nidana traditionally related to Gemini is Vijnana or 'I-consciousness.' Of the twelve Nidanas, the first and second have to do with the last life or the past, while the third or Vijnana has to do with this life and the present. Therefore its nature is very dependent upon the 'karma-formations' and the skandhas of consciousness predominating in the previous birth, which can be seen as a 'causal mind-base' for the present. As a phenomenon like any other, it arises through dependence upon conditions. Vijnana is the collective term for all evanescent mental states, and to understand it requires the raising of fundamental questions, such as "Why do we think that matter exists?" and "What is the cause of the illusion of objective consciousness?" In Buddhist philosophy this has been put in terms of a contrast between Absolute Mind which is changeless and unreal image-making which obscures the light of the Absolute Mind. This Mind is called alayamjnana and refers to stored consciousness, whereas the unreal image-making is a product of evolving consciousness or pravritti-vijnana.

According to the Yogacharya School, cosmic will produces effects stored in alayavijnana which result in potential touch, mental activity, feeling, perception and further extensions of will. This first transformation of consciousness from the Changeless is followed by a second involving the evolution of ego-consciousness out of Alaya. The third transformation completes the process and ushers in that condition where sense perceptions are wrongly interpreted as descriptive of objective and subjective worlds, each independent of the other. Here, built into the dynamic duality is a system of perpetual inversions which is the realm of phenomena, the endless house of mirrors. The focal point of the inversion is like the central aperture of an hourglass through which sand flows back and forth. Creative Nature (Natura naturans) and Created Nature (Natura naturata) endlessly intermingle, the one being like the wearer, the other like the mask. As in the Babylonian god Nergal, who has two heads and two sets of wings and eyes that can rest and act simultaneously, cause and effect merge in Gemini. They twist and turn and reflect, sending the soul through the Pillars of Shu. From Absolute Reality, the Self partakes of the relative reality belonging to the realm of the pure hermaphrodite, the divine Twins. But evolution demands full descent and the separated ego enters into a long passage through the realm of imputed reality where the unreal imagination has full sway and the memory of the divine Twins is barely discerned. The struggle between Reality and its shadow begins.

Like the original moment of a vow taken with the first light of self-awareness, Gemini recalls the beginning of the quest. It reminds us of the awesome struggle of humanity for eighteen million years, and it points to the purpose of our existence, which is to uplift nature and bring her back to self-conscious unity with the One. This process is intimated in The Secret Doctrine: "The universe hath a Ruler (Rulers collectively) set over it, which is called the WORD (Logos); the fabricating Spirit is its Queen: which two are the First Power after the ONE." These Two Inseparables remain in the Universe of Ideas so long as it lasts and then merge back into Parabrahm, the One Changeless Source which rests unmoved at the centre of the great zodiacal wheel.

Hermes, July 1977

Art: GEMINI by Johfra Bosschart,The Zodiac Series

[crepes-suzette-373]

Germa and Pop Culture Villain comparisons

I think their main inspiration is the Shocker group, the villains of Kamen Rider, but someone has pointed out some Star Wars similarities too. I don't remember if this was in the manga SBS/author notes or some other side interview, but I recently saw a quote from Oda-sensei where he mentioned that one of his inspirations when creating One Piece was Star Wars, so it makes a lot of sense.

Shocker (Kamen Rider)

The eagle is the Shocker logo.

I would venture to guess it's specifically based on the "Space Shocker" iteration. The eagle looks blocky, and that even has the lightning bolt element too.

The circular table under the throne itself is based on the Shocker Alliance scene

The chunky belts and scarves of the Raid Suits looks like Shocker Riders, although sensei did seem to include Sentai elements for the multicolour look in Germa. Shocker Riders' outfits are just all the same.

Plus, in the lore the first and second Kamen Riders were actually humans that were modified to become part of the Shocker Riders. It's just that they escaped and then used their powers for good (like Sanji).

*) Incidentally, aside from my other theory about the emotion modification, all the Kamen Rider parallels is another reason why I'm mostly convinced that Sanji will be fine, even if all his mods awaken somehow.

Galactic Empire (Star Wars)

The Germa soldiers visually are somewhat similar to Clone Troopers. Especially that little "tail" on their hats. Even more so because they're both clones made with the same principle: cloning the strongest soldiers to make an army of the best fighters.

Germa didn't used to have the "66" name until whatever it was that happened 300 years ago. It's interestingly referenced as a subversion here. Order 66 was the rise of the Galactic Empire, while 66 marks the fall of the Germa Empire.

Also, Germa's "66" is actually "double six" and not "sixty six". This is kind of curious when you take into account other things. The June Rebellion that was depicted in Les Miserables was defeated in June 6 (6/6, double six), and Germa clearly has Les Mis references so... (Cosette and Eponi = Cosette and Eponine)

The circle symbol on the floor looked like the Empire symbol

Although, considering the "Galactic Republic" symbol is mostly similar to that too, I don't know if sensei got them confused, or if he is knowingly using it for Lore. I don't know much of Star Wars, but from what I had read, this is a good-leaning/neutral symbol connected to the Force.

I've had theories that Germa wasn't originally evil, so I do wonder.

I know many theorists have been really focusing on the WW2/Third Reich elements, and admittedly even in the Kamen Rider universe the Shocker members did seems to have ties to that. The same with the Star Wars Galactic Empire, which is also purposely based on the same regime.

It's just that we don't know for sure if sensei even considered that. Maybe he's just thinking of cool superheroes and scifi and wasn't particularly thinking too deeply about the real world connections. Since we don't know, I don't want to assume just because it looks like it.

It's like how originally Whitebeard's pirate mark was designed with a manji symbol ("reverse swastika") because it's a Buddhist symbol and commonly used in Japan. It's only due to consideration for international viewers it had to be changed into a "cross/plus" shape later.

[actual-mammal]

Solas and the Original Elvhen Gods

For about five years I've been sitting on my theory regarding Solas's origins and the true Elvhen gods, and the new BTS trailer has me just revved up enough to post this. (Buckle up, this is gonna get long...)

Since Solas's first concept art was released back in 2014 I couldn't shake the impression that his design strongly resembled a monk/priest of some kind.

Let's attribute this assumption to 50% my loving ALTA and another 50% because I spent a ridiculous amount of time watching The Mummy movies in my youth. And not for Brendan Fraiser, oh no.

Ahem... anyway.

Aside from his very bald, bald head, Solas tends to wear robes and other more ceremonial looking garments. You could attribute that to him being a "god", but I think Solas himself would probably dislike the comparison. Before the DAI came out, we also got some shots of the companions on the armor inventory screens - including some of Solas in his all white base armor.

The Ancient Dreamers

At the time, this was a super exciting detail. I could count on one hand the amount of information we had on the ancient elves, but it was made pretty clear back in DAO that dreamers who achieved perfect Uthenera were clothed in all white. Once my theory of Solas being an ancient elvhen dreamer turned out to be true, I nearly forgot their cultural importance until long after Tresspasser came out. Mostly because I didnt realize so many people believed the rest of the Evanuris were dreamer mages as well.

So quick question, but do we have any evidence to assume that the Evanuris besides Solas were dreamers? Pre-inquisition codex entries made the dreamers seem a separate group of individuals - tasked with the protection of Arlathan specifically - and slain by the elvhen citizens once their magic failed to protect the city from Tevinter. If this lore hasn't been retconned or "misremembered" by the Dalish, Solas was part of an ancient order separate from his involvement with the Evanuris, which he would have felt deeply connected to because of the rarity of their shared magical ability (Marethari tells us dreamers have always been rare in DA2 when you assist with Feynriel).

Prior to Tresspasser, I assumed Fen'Harel was a lone wolf because he turned his back on his "pack", the other elvhen gods. But Solas paints a very different picture in his way of talking about the Evanuris throughout the game. In fact, he seems intent on not associating with them at all, even before their murder of Mythal or his open rebellion. I never get the impression that Solas was fond of the other Evanuris, or considered them enough of a family to warrant the "pack" analogy.

So who were the members of Solas's first "pack" that the Evanuris never lived up to? Probably the original bearers of the other foci. Wolves, up until the fall of the Dale's were seen as guardians and protectors in Elvhen myth (see the Emerald Knights). Perhaps they were also the sigil of the ancient dreamers of Arlathan, who were the city's protectors? That would certainly make more sense as to why wolf statues are everywhere in Thedas, despite Solas full tilt rejecting godhood. This is backed up by the murals in Vir Dirthara, full of wolves, individuals with bald heads, and foci. And they're fighting the titan.

But more on the Titan later.

I find it hard to believe that Solas personally had more surviving sculptures than all the rest of the Evanuris, particularly after he rebelled against them. It would make more sense to me if the wolves represented something greater than Solas individually. Particularly since he's titled, very specifically, The DREAD Wolf, as if there are other wolves that are not.

The Dreamers and Foci

In his first moment of really opening up, Solas tells the Inquisitor that the foci were used to channel power from "our" gods, which is the first time we hear him sounding so connected to Elvhen religion in 20 hours of gameplay. Solas never refers to the Evanuris as gods in a serious tone, so on replay this dialogue caught my attention. Why would a god need to channel power from himself? Do we ever get any hint of a foci belonging to another member of the Evanuris? Checking back on this topic throughout my playthrough, I can't find any instance of the foci being tied to the Evanuris. However Dorian is happy to tell us about the association between the orbs of Tevinter and the Ancient Dreamers. And Solas having one certainly lends credibility to his statement. My next thought became "so what if there were gods that predated the Evanuris, who were powerful spirits worshipped by the Ancient Dreamers using foci?." This assumption certainly makes sense given everything we know after JoH, since it uses the same structure of the Avvar religion (which Solas feels is highly enlightened for their time). It also provides a stronger story link for why we got that DLC in the first place, and hints what may have happened to these god spirits to facilitate the rise of the Evanuris.

The Original Gods

Surely we would have some hints as to who these dieties were this far into the games though, right? Oh wait, we do. My brain hurts to realize the writers even call them THE OLD GODS to make it easy for us. ::headesk:: Combining the lore of the old gods with the myths from the Astrariums and the archetypes of the Evanuris who supplanted them, we could try to guess their original forms. So let's line up the potential original pantheon:

Dumat/Silentir: The God of Justice, the Dragon of Silence. Supplanted by Mythal.

Zazikel/Kios: The God of Freedom, the Dragon of Chaos. Supplanted by Elgar'nan.

Toth/Ignifir: The God of Love, the Dragon of Fire. Supplanted by Sylaise.

Andoral/Servani: The God of Unity, The Dragon of Chains/Slaves. Supplanted by Andruil.

Urthemiel/Bellitanus: The God of the Artistry/Craft, the Dragon of Beauty. Supplanted by June.

Razikale/Eluvia: The God of Wisdom, the Dragon of Mystery. Supplanted by Dirthamen.

Lusacan/Tenebrium: (Owl) The God of Purpose, the Dragon of Night. Supplanted by Falon'Din (Lethanavir)

This makes so much sense when you consider Solas's hatred for the Grey Wardens, who have been systematically destroying the souls of the old gods once they're corrupted into archdemons. But how on earth did ancient elvhen god spirits get bound to dragons and trapped underground anyway?

The Fate of Gods and Dreamers

Back to Vir Dirthara and the Titan murals. We know the foci were used to seal away the blight in some way, because Solas told us (the angry red eyes are always the blight in his murals):

The rest of this will be pretty tin foil, but I think this mural helps illustrate my assumptions of the dreamers' involvement with the Evanuris.

The (bald) dreamers of Solas's order assisted Mythal in defeating the titan.

Sometime afterward, the "dead" titan returned in the form of red lyrium and threatened all of Elvhenan. This assumption is supported by the last codex entry in Tresspasser" where the Elves attempt to "seal away" a danger in the deep roads.

However they accomplished this, part of it required the dreamers to use the old gods power by binding their spirits to the forms of high dragons (just like JoH). These old god dragons are keeping the Blighted Titan "sleeping" which is why darkspawn seek to corrupt them (to free the source).

I believe the sinners judgement from the temple of Mythal also indicates that the dreamers themselves were the high dragons (taking the form of the divine), and why their foci were passed on to the Evanuris after the binding. The Evanuris were then able to use the power of the foci, as well as the vacuum left by the dreamers' absence, to establish themselves as the "new" gods.

So... thoughts?

[pikapeppa]

Felassan/f!Lavellan: Ancient History, Part I

Chapter 24 of The Love That Grows From Violence (post-Trespasser Felassan x Tamaris Lavellan) is up on AO3! 

In which there is a dump of lore and I pray that the 10 hours straight that I spent researching this shit was worth it. [hysterical laughter]

~6300 words; read on AO3 instead, and please check out the endnote on AO3 for sources (codex entries and metas) if you’re interested.

******************

“I understand that Solas spoke to you of a war,” Felassan said to Tamaris. “One where the Evanuris emerged as heroes and eventually came to be revered as gods?”

“He told me that much, yes,” she said.

He nodded. “What do the Dalish know of the Forgotten Ones?”

The Forgotten Ones? she thought. Was that the enemy that the Evanuris had fought in their big war? 

She raised an eyebrow. “There’s a reason we call them the Forgotten Ones, you know.”

He smirked. “Indulge me, avise.”

She sighed. “We thought they were the antithesis to the Creators. They were gods of pestilence and malice, and they resided in the Void.”

“Ah yes, the Void,” Felassan said cheerfully. “And what is that, exactly?”

“Honestly? I’ve no fucking clue,” she said bluntly. “A bad place, I guess, if the Forgotten Ones lived there.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, I almost forgot: our stories told that the Dread Wolf tricked the Forgotten Ones and the Evanuris into getting locked in their respective realms so he could have the entire world to himself. That’s one of the stories that all the Dalish share. ” 

Felassan laughed. “I wish I’d been there to see his reaction when he heard that particular Dalish tale.” 

“Honestly, he didn’t bat an eye,” Tamaris said. “I think he’d probably heard it before he met me. He was pretty good at keeping his calm about those kinds of things, at least at first.”

Varric huffed at this. “Anyone else ever think about how much he must’ve been screaming on the inside during his time with the Inquisition?”

“Often,” Dorian said. “And I thought I was repressed and stifled.”

Felassan smirked. “Well, from what our histories tell, the war that brought the Evanuris their fame was against these so-called Forgotten Ones: a group of elves and spirits of which little was remembered, aside from the fact that they disagreed with the Evanuris and brought strife upon our people. This war had been raging for a thousand years before the Evanuris vanquished them. When the final eight rebels were rounded up, the Evanuris had to find some fitting punishment for these enemies who had plagued them for so long.” He lowered his arms and trailed his fingers lazily along the carpet. “After much deliberation – a few hundred years’ worth, give or take – the Evanuris finally decided on a punishment befitting the Forgotten Ones’ crimes: the rebels were forced into the shape of enormous dragons, all but one of them bound in submission to one of the Evanuris.”

“All but one?” Tamaris said curiously.

“Wait a minute,” Dorian cut in. “Eight rebels, you said?”

“That is what I said,” Felassan replied.

“But there are only — well, there were only seven Old Gods before the Wardens started killing them,” Dorian protested.

“That is what your human histories say, yes,” Felassan said.

Tamaris could practically see Dorian’s frown through the crystal. Then Dorian sighed. “All right, build the suspense. I see how it is. He’s just as bad as you, Varric.”

“Thanks, I think,” Varric said dryly. 

Tamaris held up a hand. “But wait. You said one of the eight rebels wasn’t bound to an Evanuris. Who didn’t get a dragon?”

Felassan shook his head. “It’s not a matter of who didn’t get a dragon. It’s a matter of a dragon not having an Evanuris to bind to it just yet.”

Tamaris frowned in confusion, then realized what he meant. “Ghilan’nain wasn’t counted among the gods yet,” she said.

He nodded in satisfaction. “She hadn’t even been born yet. Truly, she was a child compared to the other Evanuris.” He quirked a playful eyebrow. “Just makes her all the more frightening, doesn’t it?”

Varric grunted. “All right. So your Forgotten Ones are turned into dragons and forced into submission to the Elvhen… heroes, who aren’t gods yet. But there’s one spare dragon. What happened to that dragon?”

“You know, I can’t really say,” Felassan said. “Maybe it was paraded around like a symbol of the Evanuris’s power. Maybe Andruil just kept it as a pet; she was Mythal’s favoured protégée for a very long time.”

“Her protégée?” Tamaris said. “I thought Andruil was her daughter.”

Felassan tilted his head in an ambivalent gesture. “This is one of those cases where changes in the Elvhen language have caused confusion from my time to yours. I honestly can’t confirm whether Andruil was Mythal’s daughter; by the time I was born, the Evanuris all denied any direct blood relations to each other. But Mythal called Andruil ‘da’len’.” He cocked his head at Tamaris. “Which means what in modern Dalish Elvhen?”

“It means ‘child’,” Tamaris replied. “But it implies a student sort of relationship with someone who is older and more knowledgeable.”

Felassan nodded. “This may be where the confusion arose. In my time, ‘da’len’ was also used to refer to someone younger, but it implied a strong kinship like adopted family — one that you would protect and treat as dearly as though they were family. If the Dalish construed the word to mean ‘child’, they could easily have thought this meant that Andruil was Mythal’s child by blood.” He shrugged. “Maybe that was true. But by the time I was born, Andruil and Mythal were… not on the best of terms, shall we say. I certainly never heard Andruil refer to Mythal with any particular respect.”

Tamaris frowned thoughtfully at this, and Felassan raised his eyebrows at Tamaris and Varric. “Are we ready to move on to the next part of the tale?”

“Please do,” Dorian said.

“All right,” Felassan said. “Now, in the wake of the Evanuris’s victory, the Elvhen empire began to truly flourish. No longer were the Evanuris and their resources bound to the constant demands of war.” He waved one hand in an elegant gesture. “With infinite time at their disposal, they began creating beautiful works of art and architecture and magic. They explored our world in depth to determine its secrets so they could make even more fantastical creations. They wrote songs and created literature that would make you weep to hear and read them. The eluvians were created during this time, as well. Their initial design was by June, but their construction truly was a joint project between all of the Evanuris.” He gave Varric and Tamaris a rueful smile. “A cooperative project between seven confident and powerful mages: can you imagine? It really is something to marvel at.”

Tamaris rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh.”

“He’s not wrong,” Dorian interjected. “It’s hard enough getting even three brilliant mages on the same page. Tamaris, do you recall that argument I had with Solas and Vivienne that almost resulted in a custard pudding being thrown at–”

Varric cleared his throat. “Maybe not right now, Sparkler.”

Felassan snickered. “Save that story for later, though. I would like to hear it.”

Tamaris harrumphed. “We’ll probably need the comic relief later.”

Felassan shot her a quick sympathetic look before going on. “This time of great intellectual and artistic growth is the time that Solas was so proud of, and that he is so wistful for. He told me that this was when he began to grow strong, feeding from and feeding back into the pride that his people had in themselves. He and Mythal became very close during this time, as she was the Evanuris’s de facto leader and the most clever and creative of them all.” Felassan’s expression grew serious, and he looked at Varric. “This was also the time that the Evanuris’s explorations took them underground, to the places that you now call the deep roads.”

Varric sighed and tugged an earring. “Oh shit. Here we go.”

Felassan gave him a wry little smile. “This was some two thousand years or so after the Great War was over. Andruil had made contact with a strange people who lived underground, toiling like ants to tend to something that they called ‘isana’.”

Tamaris frowned. “Isana. That’s the old dwarven word for lyrium, according to Valta.”

Felassan nodded, and Varric frowned. “‘Toiling like ants’? That’s not very flattering.”

“It does seem rather insulting, doesn’t it?” Felassan said lightly. “In any case, Mythal decided to accompany Andruil to the deep roads to get more information about these strange durgen’lin — these children of the stone. Upon her arrival to the deep roads, Mythal found the lyrium that Andruil had spoken of. And she found a race of people who, to her horror and pity, had no connection whatsoever to the Fade.”

Tamaris’s eyebrows jumped up at this, and Varric sat forward slightly. “Hang on. So the ancient dwarves never had a connection to the Fade?”

“Not to my knowledge, no,” Felassan said. 

Varric frowned and rubbed his chin. “Then why…?”

Felassan picked up where he trailed off. “Why do mages and the Dalish and everyone else think that the dwarves were cut off from the Fade somehow? An excellent question.” He laced his fingers behind his head. “A better question might be this: since when in the history of any culture has something different ever been accepted simply as a difference and not a deficiency?”

Tamaris grimaced at his bluntness, and Varric let out a low whistle. “Wow. That’s grim, Jester. Even for you.”

Dorian spoke up in a serious tone. “Grim but true, unfortunately.”

Tamaris looked up at Felassan. “Mythal conquered the dwarves, didn’t she?” she said quietly.

He nodded again, and his expression was utterly somber. “Her intentions were… benevolent, if you can call them that. She pitied the dwarves for their inability to draw from the Fade. She pitied the fact that they could not hear the hum of the Fade. She and Andruil, with Elgar’nan’s support, went into the deep roads and took control of the dwarves’ domain, in the name of trying to help them access the Fade.”

Tamaris inhaled slowly; Felassan’s words were making her feel faintly nauseous. “What do you mean, trying to help them access the Fade?”

Dorian answered. “Experiments,” he said grimly. “That’s what you mean, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Felassan said quietly. “She experimented on the dwarves. The experiments were largely unsuccessful. And yet, despite their inability to access the Fade, the dwarves had access to lyrium: to this incredible source of power that was so potent that it poisoned anyone who approached it. Anyone who wasn’t a dwarf, that is,” he added, “since the ancient dwarves were completely immune to lyrium’s poisoning effects.”

“Immune?” Varric said in surprise. “Actually immune? Not just resistant?”

Felassan pulled a little face. “Perhaps immune isn’t the right word. What is the word I’m looking for…?” He pinched his lip thoughtfully and muttered to himself in Elvhen for a moment, then looked up at Tamaris and Varric. “When you entered the Titan with Valta. You said that something happened to her. She became connected to the Titan in some way?”

“Yes,” Tamaris said. “She did something that looked like a spell, and she was all… calm and wise.” She looked askance at Varric, hoping for help to describe how strange Valta had been.

“She said she was pure,” Varric said. “It was pretty weird.”

Felassan’s eyebrows rose. “Pure. She used that word? ‘Pure’?”

“Yeah,” Varric said warily. “Is that significant?”

“More than you know,” Felassan said. “In any case, the way she was connected to the Titan, as per your descriptions: from what I’ve been able to discern and from what Fen’Harel told me, this is the way that all of the dwarves were once connected to lyrium — which, as you know, is Titan blood.”

Dorian spoke up. “So you’re saying that there was once a time that all dwarves had perfect control over the power of lyrium?”

“That’s my understanding,” Felassan said.

“Then Mythal appeared,” Dorian said, “and she began experimenting. And she… broke that connection?”

Felassan sighed. “In part. But the experiments were not the only problem. It was…” He sighed again and scratched the back of his head, then shot Tamaris a wary look.

She blinked. “What?”

He eyed her for a second longer, then let out a little laugh. “I can just imagine his face if he knew I was telling you this.”

She frowned. “You’re not his agent anymore, Felassan. It’s up to you to tell us whatever you want.”

“I know, avise,” he said. “It’s just… I can understand why he kept certain things to himself. Not everything,” he added when she opened her mouth to protest, “but some things.” He sighed. “The greatest mistake — the greatest act of Elvhen hubris — was not the experimentation on the dwarves per se, though that was a mistake to say the least.”

“The very least,” Varric muttered.

Felassan nodded an acknowledgement. “Mythal’s greatest mistake was in going deeper into the deep roads — deep enough that she found the Titan’s heart.”

Tamaris’s heart seized. “Mythal killed the Titan, didn’t she?” she asked.

“No,” he said, to Tamaris’s surprise. “She didn’t kill the Titan. She carved out a piece of its heart in order to use its power, and in so doing, she damaged the Titan and forever disrupted its song — an act that had damaging consequences that have lasted to this day.”

Varric sighed heavily. “The song,” he said. “It’s always about how lyrium sings. Regular lyrium has a song, red lyrium has a creepy song, Valta talked about the stone singing to her…”

“The Wardens spoke of the calling as being a song,” Dorian said. 

Tamaris frowned. “But that’s different, isn’t it? That’s because they’re tied to darkspawn.”

Dorian hummed an acknowledgement. “I suppose that’s true.”

“No, Dorian,” Felassan said. “You make a fair point. Darkspawn are tainted with the Blight, so it is tied to lyrium.”

Varric lifted an eyebrow. “How? Just because lyrium can be blighted too?”

Felassan waved a careless hand. “You’ll see. All in good time.”

Varric sighed and glanced at the sending crystal. “He’s worse than I am with the suspense-building.”

Dorian and Felassan chuckled, but Tamaris didn’t laugh. She looked up at Felassan with wide eyes. “Wait a minute, though. You told me that Templar powers are just a different form of magic powered by lyrium.”

“That is true, yes,” Felassan said.

“Wait, seriously?” Varric exclaimed.

Dorian snorted. “Oh, that makes a great deal of sense. And is terribly ironic to boot.”

Felassan smiled, then looked at Tamaris once more. “What are you thinking, avise?”

“If Templar powers are just magic,” she said, “then… then the ancient dwarves’ powers — and Valta’s powers — are a kind of magic too. They had to be.”

Felassan’s smile widened. “Exactly.”

Varric stared at him, then slumped back in his chair with a stunned look. “Andraste’s sacred ass.”

Dorian’s reply was indignant. “If the ancient dwarves were magical, why did Mythal think they weren’t?”

Felassan shrugged. “It was magic the likes of which the Evanuris had never before seen or felt. They didn’t understand it, so they dismissed it.”

Frustrated, Tamaris lowered her face to her hands, then dragged her hands over her braided hair. “For fuck’s sake,” she spat, and she glared at Felassan. “Why couldn’t they just leave the dwarves alone?”

He shrugged again. “It’s funny how often people think they must destroy something in order to truly understand it.”

“This isn’t funny!” she snapped.

“And I’m not really joking,” Felassan said calmly. “I’m just stating a fact.”

She blew out a sharp breath, then looked at Varric, and her heart twisted; Varric looked unusually angry.

“Chuckles knew about this, didn’t he?” Varric said quietly, and Tamaris’s stomach dropped; she hadn’t thought of that. 

She whipped around to look at Felassan. When she saw the look on Felassan’s face, her stomach twisted even further. “He knew?” she said faintly.

Felasan nodded slowly. “He accompanied Mythal for much of her travels in the deep roads.”

Fuck, Tamaris thought. Solas had watched Mythal experimenting on the dwarves and treating them like lesser creatures, and he hadn’t stopped her?

She took a deep breath to try and ease the pain in her chest. Dorian broke the tense silence. “That explains why there were so many wolf statues in that one place in the deep roads. You know the one, where the qunari were mining lyrium.”

Tamaris took another breath. “Yeah,” she said. She looked at Varric once more, and her pulse jolted with worry. The last time she’d seen him look this angry was when they’d discovered that Bianca had gotten mixed up with Corypheus’s Wardens. 

She stood up and went to sit on the armrest of his chair. “Are you okay?”

He shook his head slowly and looked up at her. “Do you remember him talking to me about the ancient dwarves? He made it sound like I was doing something wrong by not trying to bring back my so-called heritage like some Orzammar lord. And he was there the whole time, watching this Mythal person chip it away.”

His voice was hard with anger. Tamaris squeezed his arm in sympathy, then looked at Felassan, who was now wearing that dreaded look of millenia-old sadness. “Solas really agreed with Mythal’s actions against the dwarves?” she asked.

Felassan twisted his lips. “Keep in mind that Solas was still a spirit at the time of all of this. Mythal was proud of her… achievements, shall we say, and thus Solas was proud as well. He reflected and embodied her pride, and he was strengthened by it. But he was not… necessarily capable of understanding what was wrong with what had been done.”

Varric sighed loudly and shook his head. “This spirit shit is beyond me.”

Felassan sat up on the couch and folded his legs. “If it is of comfort to you, he realized Mythal’s errors once he became an elf.” He gave them a small twisted smile. “Yet another thing he bore considerable guilt about.”

“Yeah, well, he had a funny way of showing it,” Varric retorted.

Tamaris patted his shoulder soothingly. “He had a funny way of showing a lot of things.” She smiled wryly. “I mean, think about it. His way of telling me he loved me was by breaking up with me, right?”

Varric looked up at her in surprise, and Dorian’s words carried equal surprise. “Did you just make a joke about Solas breaking up with you?”

“Um, yes,” she said slowly. “Why shouldn’t I?”

“No reason,” Dorian said. “I mean, you absolutely can. I just… am surprised you would.”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s kind of funny in retrospect.” She looked at Varric, who was looking at her in an appraising way.

“What?” she said defensively.

“Nothing, nothing,” he said quickly. “It’s – really, it’s nothing.”

Tamaris tsked and folded her arms. “That’s the last time I try to make a fucking joke.”

“I liked your joke,” Felassan said. 

He was smiling at her in a way that made her heart flip. He waved for her to approach. “Come here.” 

She huffed. “Bossy,” she muttered, but she rose from Varric’s chair and went to sit on the couch beside Felassan. 

He draped his arm around her with a smile, then addressed Dorian. “By the way, I answered your question. The orb of power that Solas had was essentially a refined chunk of Titan heart.”

“Oh,” Dorian said. “Well, that’s almost disappointingly simple.”

“Not if you get into the mechanics of it,” Felassan said. “But we can discuss that another time on our own. If Tamaris won’t be jealous about it.”

She tutted and tried to push him away, but he pulled her closer and kissed her temple.

Varric rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay, let’s move on. So Mythal carved out a piece of Titan heart—”

“She and Andruil carved out several, actually,” Felassan corrected. “One for each of the Evanuris. They were still getting along at that time, you see.”

“Right,” Varric said. “So she carves out seven pieces of Titan heart, ruins the ancient dwarves’ connection to the Titans and weakens their resistance to lyrium, and the ancient elves are all, ‘hurray! Three cheers for the conquering heroes!’ Literally.”

Felassan let out a lovely rolling laugh. “An incredibly sarcastic and accurate summary. I like it.”

“As do I,” Dorian said. “Please keep summarizing events this way for us, Varric.”

“I live to entertain,” Varric said dryly.

Felassan smiled at him, then continued his telling. “Now, back on the surface in Arlathan, the Evanuris were rising beyond the status of mere heroes. They had enormous powerful dragons under their thrall, and each of them had become more unfathomably powerful than before thanks to their secret orbs, carved straight from a Titan’s heart. The mining and import of lyrium began, which brought even more raw power into the empire, and the artistic and intellectual endeavours of the Elvhen people continued to flourish. But this new power that Mythal had introduced was poorly understood, and the consequences of this poor understanding would take centuries to manifest.” He looked at Tamaris and Varric in turn. “This is when the Evanuris really came to be seen as gods. And this is when the corruption of my people truly began.”

She smiled faintly despite her disquiet. “You’re so fucking dramatic.”

He smiled in return and squeezed her shoulder. “I know how much you enjoy it. In any case, many things were happening in the heart of Elvhenan. At first blush, this will all seem like gossip, but I assure you that it is relevant.” He released her and leaned back casually. “Andruil was growing jealous of Solas, who was starting to supplant her as Mythal’s so-called favourite. Solas, in the meantime, had made a new acquaintance: a young woman of great power and creativity who bore a special interest in animals and creatures.”

“Special interest…” Tamaris mused. Then she looked up with wide eyes. “You mean Ghilan’nain. Solas was friends with Ghilan’nain?”

“Yes,” Felassan said. “A very long time ago. In fact, it was Solas who first brought Ghilan’nain to Mythal’s attention. Ghilan’nain was brilliant and bold, or so I’m told, and her pride drew Solas’s interest. He mentioned her to Mythal, and Mythal sent Andruil to learn more about this brilliant young woman.”

“Uh-oh,” Varric deadpanned.

Felassan let out a little chuckle that fell a little flat. “Quite,” he said. “Andruil quickly became enamoured with Ghilan’nain, and we spoke already of how Ghilan’nain and Andruil… egged each other on, so to speak. But Ghilan’nain and Solas were good friends, and Andruil was already jealous of Solas for having Mythal’s affection and trust… A messy situation all in all.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “I wonder if I could sell the rights to some Orlesian playwright and reap the royalties.”

“Please don’t,” Tamaris said flatly. “The humans will just use it as more of a reason to look down on us.”

“I’m kidding, of course,” Felassan said. “This looks worse on me than it does even on you, after all.” He thoughtfully tapped his chin. “Now where was I? Oh yes, the height of the Elvhen empire.” He gave Tamaris and Varric a wry look. “Nothing lasts forever, not even the glory of an empire of immortal beings. Eventually, the cooperation among the Evanuris began to crumble. Competitions and rivalries arose: petty feuds and bitter jealousies. The Evanuris began to form factions — Sylaise with Andruil, Falon’Din with Elgar’nan — but even those factions didn’t last for long. It was during this time, when the strife among the gods began to rise, that Mythal asked Solas to adopt a body and truly join her at her side.”

Dorian piped up from the crystal. “So he became an elf at Mythal’s request?”

Felassan nodded. “Mythal was his closest companion, and the person he felt the greatest affinity to. When she requested his assistance and companionship, he agreed. He left his spirit life behind and adopted a corporeal form.” A slow but broad smile lit his face. “And in so doing, he took Arlathan society by storm.”

Varric quirked an eyebrow. “Uh, what does that mean exactly?”

“It means that he liked to party, and he did it well,” Felassan said with a grin. “He was…” He looked at Tamaris. “How was it that you said he described himself? ‘Young, cocky, and ready to fight’?”

She huffed. “That’s it, yes.”

Dorian and Varric scoffed, and Felassan chuckled. “Hard to believe, perhaps, but that was Solas in his youth. He was charismatic and charming, and beloved by most of Arlathan. Not by Andruil, though; her jealousy only grew worse once she and Solas truly began treading the same paths in society.”

“Does her jealousy, er, matter in the long term?” Dorian asked.

Felassan shot the crystal a mock-affronted look. “You wound me by suggesting otherwise. Of course it matters.”

“My apologies,” Dorian said. “Go on.”

Felassan rubbed his chin. “Maybe I’ve been remiss. I should describe what Andruil was like, and perhaps my focus on her will make more sense. She was forceful and commanding, which is not a bad thing in itself, but she had…” He twisted his lips. “Let’s call it a mean streak. She was a brilliant hunter, but one who shamelessly enjoyed the kill. She was compelling, but more out of intimidation than persuasion. As time went on, her mean streak only became more tangible. Her devotion to Ghilan’nain was probably her greatest virtue, but even that was…” He trailed off and smiled at them, but the smile was hardly humorous. “I joked about Andruil and Ghilan’nain’s liaison before, but from what I observed and what Solas told me of the young Ghilan’nain — before she met Andruil, I mean — their mutual devotion was a poison to them both.”

Tamaris pulled a little face. “That’s… that’s really shitty.”

“It is unfortunate, yes,” Felassan said quietly. “How different things could have been if…” He trailed off again, then looked up with a smile. “Forgive me. I’m getting ahead of myself.” He chuckled and rubbed his forehead, but Tamaris could clearly hear the fatigue beneath his mirth.

She shifted closer to him on the couch and rubbed his knee. “Do you want a break? This is a lot to get into.”

He smiled at her. “I can’t stop now. Not when things are getting good.”

She frowned worriedly; his smile wasn’t quite meeting his eyes. He stroked her hair, then looked at Varric. “This is the time I was born into,” he said. “My people’s greatest achievements were largely behind them, and our revered leaders were beginning to fight amongst themselves. The pillars of our greatness were being slowly eaten away by a sea of small-minded selfishness.”

His tone was bitter, and Tamaris squeezed his arm. He gave her a tight smile, then took a deep breath before continuing in a more measured tone. “Class divisions were clear, from noble to peasant, but those divisions were… worsening, so to speak.” For Varric and Dorian’s benefit, he explained, “I was born as a servant of into Andruil’s household.”

Varric’s eyebrows rose, and Felassan gave him a crooked and humourless smile. “Oh yes, that cruel and talented huntress herself. I say I was a servant, but by the time I was old enough to understand the difference between a servant and a slave, the distinction no longer existed.”

Dorian sighed. “Fasta vass. I am… so sorry, my friend.”

Felassan inclined his head politely. “Thank you. Truth be told, I was more fortunate than some. I was among the first slaves that Solas ever freed.”

Tamaris took his hand and laced her fingers with his. “I’m glad you didn’t have to suffer for long.”

“As am I,” he said. “Two hundred years or so is nothing compared to the suffering that some endured.”

Tamaris and Varric gaped at him, and Dorian exclaimed through the crystal. “Two hundred years as a slave?” 

Felassan waved them off. “As I said, it was a drop in the ocean compared to some. Do not feel sorry for me. You can feel sorry for my parents, but not for me.”

Her gut suddenly twisted. He’d never mentioned his parents before. “What happened to your parents?” she asked weakly.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, a slow smile lifted his lips. He chuckled and shook his head, and when he met her gaze, his eyes were faintly bright. “Remember how we spoke of Ghilan’nain and her experiments?”

Her heart stopped for a split second. “Oh gods,” she breathed. “Oh fuck. Felassan…” She took his hands in hers.

He chuckled inappropriately, and Tamaris gently squeezed his hands. He took a deep calming breath, then met her eyes once more. “Don’t feel sorry for me, avise,” he said. “It is a pain worn down to dullness like the glass that you find in the sea.”

Varric cleared his throat. “Sorry, Jester,” he said quietly. “That’s rough.”

“You have my condolences as well,” Dorian said.

Felassan let out a little laugh that sounded more normal. “Cheer up, all of you. This story was meant to be entertaining.” He gently disentangled his hands from Tamaris’s, then draped his arm around her.

She tucked herself snugly against his side, and he smiled at her before tapping his chin. “Where was I? Oh yes: Solas setting me free. He’d taken a special interest in the wellbeing of slaves.”

Varric huffed. “That’s weirdly altruistic for a guy who watched Mythal crushing the dwarves.”

Felassan nodded in acknowledgement. “I am not making an excuse for him when I say that adopting a body humbled him. I have known several people who transitioned from spirit to elf, and I can guarantee that the transformation changed the way that Solas thought, if not his general… spirit, for lack of a better word. In any case, he channeled his boldness and his pride to justice for the empire’s slaves. He charmed and tricked and snuck his way into the Evanuris’s households and set free their slaves one by one — a few at a time, so the Evanuris wouldn’t notice — and Mythal welcomed us into her household instead. At least she did at first, when there weren’t so many of us and they could hide what Solas was doing.”

Tamaris frowned. “What happened when there were too many of you to hide?”

He squeezed her shoulder. “Give me time, avise. I’ll get there.”

She tsked. He smiled cheekily at her, then began to tick off his fingers as he spoke. “At that point in time, the Evanuris were starting to fight among themselves, and Mythal was trying to keep the peace. Solas’s attention was divided between helping Mythal, freeing the slaves in secret, and his growing concerns about Ghilan’nain, whose experiments were becoming more disturbing. Solas eventually explained his concerns about Ghilan’nain to Mythal, and the Evanuris decided to offer Ghilan’nain a deal: she was to stop her experimentation and destroy her more disturbing monsters, and in exchange, the Evanuris would raise her to their status and would bestow upon her the greatest symbol that signified their status: that final Forgotten One in draconic form.”

Dorian spoke up. “But that still doesn’t explain how there were eight Forgotten One dragons and only seven Old Gods.”

Felassan grinned at Varric and Tamaris. “Is he always this impatient?”

Varric smiled ruefully. “Take it as a compliment,” he said. “That’s how you know you’re telling a story he likes.”

Dorian grumbled through the crystal, and Felassan chuckled. “Oh, good. Anyway, the Evanuris’s attempts to curb Ghilan’nain came too late. Around this same time, Andruil had been taking longer absences from her lands, and by all accounts, she was stranger and more cruel with every return. Much later, later than any of us could have prevented, we found out that…” He sighed. “By the time Ghilan’nain was ascended to the status of an Evanuris, Andruil had already brought back a gift for her from her hunts — a gift that…” He paused and licked his lips. “A gift that unnerved Solas when he eventually discovered it, and his apprehension was enough to terrify those of us who knew him well.”

Tamaris’s gut twisted with dread. “What was it? What did she bring back?”

Felassan smiled at her, but his smile was all wrong. “You know what he brought back, avise.”

She gazed at him in horror, but it was Varric who said the words. “Red lyrium,” he said hoarsely. 

“Yes,” Felassan confirmed. “It was Andruil who brought red lyrium to our people from the depths of the dwarven lands — or, as these lands would eventually come to be known, the Void.”

“Why?” Tamaris said tensely. “Why would she do that?”

Once again, Varric answered. “It whispered to her, right? That has to be it.” He sounded tired and sad, and Tamaris shot him a sympathetic look. 

“I suspect that you’re right,” Felassan said. “She was seeking power, so she must have gone to its source: the lyrium mine, which was still mainly guarded by dwarves but was under elven control. Red lyrium and its corrupted song would have lured Andruil’s interest and called to her natural cruelty, and upon finding it, she brought it out of the Void and back to our people — specifically to Ghilan’nain.”

“Why the fuck did she need more power?” Tamaris burst out. “She already had a piece of Titan heart!”

Felassan gave her a fond look. “Aren’t you sweet for asking such a question?”

Dorian chuckled. “She is quite precious, isn’t she? Even after everything that she’s had to do.”

Tamaris curled her lip and folded her arms. “Don’t condescend to me, you assholes.”

“We’re not,” Felassan said. “I’m genuinely charmed by the humility that your question implies. To answer your question, Andruil didn’t need more power. She simply wanted it. Or in this case, she wanted it for Ghilan’nain, but she certainly made use of the red lyrium power herself. By the time Solas realized what was going on with Andruil and Ghilan’nain and the red lyrium, it was…” Felassan shook his head ruefully. “His position in society was growing precarious. His work freeing the slaves was too extensive to hide, and he had begun construction of a fortress to house us.”

Tamaris’s eyes went wide. “He started building Skyhold?”

“We started building it, yes,” Felassan said. “He also began working on a type of magical… shield for us that would repel others’ perception and magical interference, and that would allow us to continue freeing slaves in secret.”

“A shield to repel perception?” Dorian said sharply. “You mean that it made you invisible?”

“It made us difficult to detect and to enact magic on,” Felassan said.

“Interesting,” Dorian said keenly.

Felassan smiled faintly. “It will be, soon. Anyway, as popular and well-liked as Solas had once been at parties, his activities with the slaves were making him equally unpopular. Mythal was having great difficulty justifying her favour of Solas when he was actively antagonizing all of her compatriots. When he took his suspicions about red lyrium to Mythal, she almost didn’t act on them for fear of disrupting the delicate balance she was holding between the Evanuris and the counsel of her beloved wolf.”

“What did he tell Mythal, exactly?” Tamaris asked. “What did he know about red lyrium?”

Varric sat forward in his chair. “That’s what I want to know. If this was the first time that red lyrium was ever seen, that means it’s the first time the Blight was ever seen, right?”

Felassan hesitated, then sighed. “What Solas told Mythal is that Andruil brought back a form of corrupted lyrium from the deep roads — lyrium that had a detrimental, corrupting effect on the minds of those who used it. He asked Mythal to go back to the deep roads and seal off the lyrium mines to stop any further red lyrium from being removed.”

“Let me guess,” Tamaris said flatly. “She refused.”

“Not exactly, no,” Felassan said. “She went and investigated in the deep roads. Shortly after, she returned — and by shortly, I mean fifty years later or so, an incredibly short time in ancient Elvhen time. Another few years later, the Evanuris’s mighty dragons were no longer seen at the Evanuris’s palatial compounds.”

Tamaris raised her eyebrows quizzically, but Dorian spoke up. “The Evanuris moved them to the deep roads?” he said.

Felassan gestured playfully to the sending crystal. “And so you see, the pieces start to come together.”

Dorian sighed in satisfaction. “That’s a satisfying mystery to have solved. I always wondered how in the Maker’s name a handful of enormous dragons found themselves underground.”

Tamaris frowned. “The Evanuris moved their dragons to the deep roads… but those were their big symbols of power. They wouldn’t have moved their symbols of power out of sight unless something really unnerved them.” She looked up at Felassan. “The archdemons are guarding something, aren’t they?”

Felassan smiled at her, but the expression held only sadness. “In a manner of speaking, yes. Solas said that the dragons were being placed around the Titan to prevent anyone else from taking more power where they didn’t need it.”

“But that isn’t the real reason, is it?” Tamaris pushed. “That’s not really why the dragons were put there.”

Felassan sighed. “I can’t confirm this with certainty, because Solas would not confirm it for me. He was too… frankly, I believe that he was terrified of anyone knowing for sure what the dragons were guarding. But this is what I think.” He looked her in the eye, and his violet eyes held a fathomless depth of sorrow. 

“I think that the Titan heart is the original source of the Blight,” he said. “I think the Evanuris placed their dragons there not only to keep anyone from getting in, but also to prevent the Blight from getting out.” 

[dailybestiary]

Books of Magic: The Voyage of the “Princess Ark”

(Images by Jim Holloway and Thomas Baxa come from PDF scans of Dragon Magazine, are © Wizards of the Coast or their respective copyright holders, and are used for review purposes.)

Previous installments in my “Books of Magic” series were, weirdly enough, about books.

This time, I want to tell you about a series: Bruce A. Heard’s “The Voyage of the Princess Ark,” which turns 30 years old this very month.

TVotPA ran in the pages of TSR’s Dragon Magazine nearly every month from January 1990 (Dragon #153) through December 1992 (Dragon #188). A serialized travelogue and adventure story told in 35 installments over three years, TVotPA was part Master and Commander, part Star Trek, and part The Adventures of Asterix (the last two of which Heard explicitly cited as inspiration in his letters columns). It follows the saga of Prince Haldemar of Haaken, an Alphatian wizard who recommissions an old skyskip and sets out to explore the lesser known regions of the Dungeons & Dragons game’s Known World, which would soon come to be known as Mystara.

Some background might be necessary for those of you who aren’t familiar with the chaos that was D&D at the time. In the 1980s and 1990s, Dungeons & Dragons and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons were two different games. I’m simplifying the chronology here, but basically in the late ’70s D&D was meant to serve as a simplified gateway to introduce fans to fantasy role-playing before guiding them on to AD&D. But in the 1980s, thanks to the release of the Moldvay/Cook Basic and Expert Sets, and then the five Mentzer box sets (the ones with Larry Elmore dragons on the cover, now referred to as BECMI D&D—for the Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, and Immortals Rules box sets), D&D had become a viable game in its own right, with its own world, referred to only as the Known World.

The Known World—particularly as it was showcased in the Expert Rules—was a mess: more than a dozen nations slammed together in the corner of a continent to illustrate for young DMs the various forms of government you might find in D&D beyond kings and queens. Along the way, these nations also served as analogues for real-world societies ranging from Western European countries to Native American nations to the Mongolian khanate. But it was a glorious mess, thanks to a series of excellent Gazetteer supplements that had rounded out and mapped these nations in great detail, capped off by a box set, Dawn of the Emperors, that described the Known World’s pseudo-Rome, Thyatis, and its rival empire Alphatia, a nation of wizards across the sea.

By the end of 1989, then, D&D was at a crossroads. It was clearly the unloved child, seen as “basic,” best for beginners. Its setting did not have the novel support of Dragonlance or the energy of the surging and more thoughtfully conceived Forgotten Realms, then only two years old. The Gazetteer series had covered nearly all the known nations (two more would come later thanks to popular demand). And even Dragon Magazine rarely carried D&D material—a fact that was excruciating to me when I started picking up issues in late 1988 as a 5th grader.

Into this void stepped Bruce Heard. He’d been the architect of the Gazetteer series, had written some of its best installments, and was the overmind behind the D&D line at the time. If I’m remembering my history correctly, he approached the editor of Dragon, the amazing Roger Moore, about supplying a column that would provide regular D&D content for that starved segment of Dragon’s audience. In his editorials and answers to reader letters, Moore had made several mentions of needing more D&D content for the magazine, so he was a receptive audience. Heard got the green light, and “The Voyage of the Princess Ark” was born.

I still remember where I was when I realized this was happening. I missed the series launch—with my tiny allowance, I could only justify buying Dragon issues that really interested me, and Dragon #153 hadn’t leapt of the shelf at me. (Not having the Masters Rules box at the time, I didn’t realize the illustration of a continental map plastered with “WRONG WRONG WRONG” was referring to the D&D world.) I did have Dragon #155 (still one of my favorite issues of all time), but somehow I skipped past TVotPA Part 3—I wasn’t reading issues cover to cover yet and somehow didn’t grasp what was going on.

Then came issue #158. I was away for a week at Boy Scout summer camp, and I’d brought the June issue of Dragon with me. Having torn through the articles about dragons (June’s theme was always dragons), I turned to an article illustrated with a wizard and an ogre/elf cross riding pelicans. Better yet, they article had stats for playing these ogre-elves as PCs.

D&D stats.

THIS WAS A D&D ARTICLE!

And it was part of a SERIES!!!

With some effort, I tracked down the issues I’d missed—no easy task for a just-finished-6th-grader—and soon was buying Dragon every month. Moore and Heard’s plan had worked. I was hooked on both TVotPA and Dragon from then on. (The next time I missed an issue, I’d be a college freshman and the industry was on the verge of collapse.)

Most installments of TVotPA followed a simple template: The Princess Ark would fly to some new spot on the map, the crew would get into some trouble (usually brought down on them by the actions of Captain Haldemar himself), and then more or less get out again, either due to a last-minute save by Haldemar or some surprising turn of events. All this played out in the form of log entries—originally by Haldemar, then supplemented by other crewmembers as the cast expanded—that allowed Heard to deliver both in-world descriptions and rollicking action at the same time. The article would then offer back matter containing rules content or setting write-ups, and sometimes conclude with a letters column of readers reacting to the setting or seeking clarification on some arcane point of D&D rules and lore.

While this template was simple, it was never boring. The episodic nature of the series let Heard play in a variety of tones and genres: lost-world pulp, courtly drama, horror, farce, even a Western—heck, he slipped in an homage to the Dark Crystal (which at the time I didn’t get, not having seen it) as early as Part 5 (Dragon #157). As well (without getting into too spoilery territory), various overarching antagonists and plot threads—including a threatening order of knights, a devious dragon, two major status quo changes, and divine machinations—kept things simmering in the background from episode to episode. The characters likewise became more developed as Heard’s writing grew in confidence and ambition, and reader affection grew for side characters like Talasar, Xerdon, Myojo, and the rest. Once the series was up and running at full speed, it was a sure bet that if you didn’t like that month’s story, you’d dig the rules write-up, or vice versa. And when the story, setting, characters, and rules all came together, such as in Dragon #177, an episode would just sing.

Once again, I can’t tell you how thrilling this series was to 6th–9th-grade me. First of all, it came along at the perfect time. Heard’s writing literally matured just as my reading did, so the series and I literally grew up together. 6th grade was also the year I discovered comics, so this was also the era of my life when I was falling in love with serialized storytelling. Similarly, it was my first time really embracing the epistolary form.

Perhaps most significantly for this blog and my freelance career, the column was also an early primer for me on game design. Watching Heard tweak D&D’s simple rules to evoke a more complex world, especially when looked at in concert with D&D’s Gazetteer and Hollow Word supplements, gave me the courage to think about tweaking/inventing lore and systems myself. Heard also made a habit of pilfering monsters from the Creature Catalogue, seeing potential in them no one else had, and then suggesting entire cultures for them. (If that doesn’t sound like someone you know…what blog have you been reading?) He made creating a world seem easy, because he did it month after month after month.

Finally, TVotPA was thrilling because it was clear proof that someone took “basic” BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia-era D&D seriously. And that meant someone took us, the fanbase, seriously too. Back then, I couldn’t afford AD&D. Even if I could, I didn’t want to mess with all the complexity. Plus, I loved the Known World. I loved the Gazetteer books and the Aaron Allston box sets. By writing and publishing TVotPA, Bruce Heard and Roger Moore made me feel like they cared about and for fans like me. I didn’t have Raistlin, I didn’t have Elminster…but I didn’t need them, because I had Prince Haldemar of Haaken and his magical Princess Ark.

In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that falling under the spell of Dragon and TVotPA were some of the most magical and mind expanding moments of my middle school years.

But what does this mean for you, the current Pathfinder or D&D fan? Should you read “The Voyage of the Princess Ark”?

Obviously I’m going to say yes, for all the reasons I’ve listed above. If you like maritime adventures, steampunk, or pulp adventures, this is obviously the series for you. If you like Pathfinder/D&D where a wizard is as likely to throw a punch as he is to go for his wand, this is the series for you. If you like on-the-fly worldbuilding, this is the series for you. If you like setting, story, and rules expansion all mixed together every month, this is the series for you.

TVotPA has never been collected in its entirely (more on that later), but there are PDF scans of all that era’s Dragon issues online. Start at Dragon #153 and keep reading. I’ll warn you that the first installments are a little slow, but I’d be surprised if you aren’t pulled in by the end of Part 8 (Dragon #161). If you’re the sort of reader who wants to sample a series running on all four cylinders before committing, I recommend Part 18 (Dragon #171), set in the pseudo-Balkan nation of Slagovich, or Part 24 (Dragon #177), when the crew encounters the Celtic-influenced druidic knights of Robrenn, as great places to get a strong first impression.

To my eye, “The Voyage of the Princess Ark” consists of four major arcs, plus a smattering of follow-up material that owes a debt to the series. If you do decide to dive in, here’s a quick reading guide:

Arc 1 / Parts 1–10 / Dragon #153–163 / This arc launches the series and introduces us to several major antagonists. The first few installments are slow going, but by Part 6 (Dragon #158) or 7 (Dragon #160) we see signs of the series as it will be in its prime.

(Dragon #158 also looks at D&D’s immortal dragon rulers; some of this info will later get superseded by a more canonical article in Dragon #170 a year later. Don’t sleep on Dragon #159—though it doesn’t have an installment of TVotPA, there is some fun Spelljammer content in that issue. Speaking of Spelljammer, Dragon #160 also has a companion article entitled “Up, Away & Beyond,” that serves up rudimentary rules for space travel in D&D in tandem with the action in that month’s TVotPA.)

As you have probably just gleaned, this arc also takes the Princess Ark briefly into space and introduces D&D’s second, secret setting, the Hollow World, which was being launched at that time .

Arc 2 / Parts 11–15 / Dragon #164–168 / This short arc deals with the ramifications of a major status quo-altering event at the end of the previous arc. As the crew comes to terms with their new circumstances, Haldemar learns more about the ship itself and the magics behind her. The arc ends with yet another status quo shakeup and detailed maps of the Princess Ark.

Arc 3 / Parts 16–28 / Dragon #169–181 / Hex maps! One of the calling cards of the D&D Gazetteer series was its gloriously detailed full-color hex maps, so it was kind of a disappointment when TVotPA served up only rough sketches of coastlines and mountain ranges. Part 16 gave us what we’d wanted all along: glorious hex maps (detailing the India-inspired nation of Sind no less!). They weren’t always perfect—several issues in the #170s had the wrong colors for mountain ranges, or even seemed crudely painted with watercolors—but by Part 24 (Dragon #177) we got the crisp, expertly designed nations we expected in our Known World.

Early in this arc, we also get a passing of the torch between artists. Parts 1–17 were illustrated by Jim Holloway, who I like for his action scenes, his expressive faces, and the classic stern captain’s look (complete with mustache) he gives Haldemar. (Holloway also does the best dwarves, gnomes, and halflings in the fantasy business.) Starting with Part 18 (Dragon #171), we are treated to the more angular, stylized look of Thomas Baxa, with Haldemar losing his mustache and gaining a silver-streaked ponytail. Terry Dykstra takes over in Part 25 (Dragon #178); his style is more cartoony (his Myojo really suffers from this), but he keeps Baxa’s character designs till the end of the series.

Now that I’ve totally buried the lede, let’s unearth it: This arc is, for my money, the series at its absolute prime. Action-packed stories. More characters in the spotlight. Meaty setting descriptions and rules content. New PC races and classes. Even heraldry for each nation! Heard also continued his habit of dredging up D&D creatures from the Creature Catalogue and loosely tying them to real-world cultures for great effect. I suspect many of you will love the French dogfolk of Renardy or the English catfolk of Bellayne, not to mention the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reference he sneaks in there.

(By the way, it should be noted that today in 2020 we’re more hesitant to do such A+B design. But remember, 1) 1990–1992 was a different time—by ’90s standards, Heard is engaged in pretty solid, multiculturalist worldbuilding, and 2) Heard grew up in Europe (France originally, I believe), so while some of the characterizations and comedy is broad, the settings are grounded in both on-the-ground familiarity and good research, and the humor is affectionate and of a piece with works like Asterix that any European reader would be familiar with. In other words, don’t stress it and just enjoy that the dog-dudes are shouting “Sacrebleu!” The one exception might be the depiction of Hule, an evil D&D nation that has always been hung with vaguely Persian or Arabian trappings…but again 1) Heard was working within the established canon, and 2) the Known World setting more than balances that out with the Emirates of Ylaruam, an Arabian/Persian-inspired nation that was depicted with lots of sensitivity and care by Ken Rolston and others, to be followed by the amazing Al-Qadim setting for AD&D. So I don’t think there’s much in here that should raise alarms from a cultural sensitivity perspective, but if something does strike you discordantly, remember we’re talking about works that are 30 years old and make allowances as you feel you can.)

Along the way, you’ll also get a sneak peek at what would become AD&D’s Red Steel setting and the Savage Baronies box set—including some of the first Spanish and Moorish-inspired nations you’ll find in fantasy RPGs of this era—learn a bit about the Known World’s afterlife and undead, and even get an honest-to-Ixion cowboy shootout, as well as lots of PC options and deck plans for the evil knights’ flying warbirds, which put the Klingons’ warbirds to shame. (Oh, and while you’re reading, don’t skip the two articles about the Known World’s dragons in #170 and #171!)

Arc 4 / Parts 29–35 / Dragon #182–188 / Dragon #158–181 is among the best two-year-runs Dragon Magazine ever had, and TVotPA is a large part of the reason. But a lackluster issue #182 was a first quiet sign of a long slow downturn to come. The fact that that issue’s TVotPA entry was only a letter column portended even more dire things. In fact, three of the seven installments in this arc were purely letters columns, which was a huge disappointment at the time: We’d waited a whole month and got…just letters?!?

By this point, I think we knew the Wrath of the Immortals box set was coming—one of those world-shattering setting updates that was being pitched as a relaunch of the setting, but which could also serve as its climax. My hope at the time was that Wrath of the Immortals would kick things into a new, higher gear for both the Known World (which by then we knew as Mystara) and TVotPA, especially since the D&D Rules Cyclopedia had only come out the year before. But alas, it wasn’t to be.

Thanks to the three letters-only entries, the writing was on the wall. In Part 35 (Dragon #188), TVotPA wound its way to a close that felt appropriate but not properly climactic. God, what I wouldn’t have given to have traded those three letters columns for one last showdown with a certain dragon, those dastardly knights, or any other more suspenseful end! The end we got was nice and tidy enough (and took us to fantasy Louisiana, Australia, and Endor), but it wasn’t the end we wanted…in part because we didn’t want it to end, ever.

Arc 5 / Coda & Part 36 / Select issues of Dragon #189–200, Champions of Mystara, Dragon #237, #247 & #344 / In 1993, TVotPA was replaced with “The Known World Grimoire.” This was a grab bag of announcements, letters columns, nitty-gritty details on running dominions (Companion and Master-level D&D players got to have their own lands, castles, and even kingdoms if they so wished), and other sundries. Most of these are skippable. Four exceptions are four “Grimoire” entries which could practically be TVotPA installments: Dragon #192, which covers the manscorpions of Nimmur, Dragon #196, featuring the orcs of the Dark Jungle, an article on D&D heraldry in Dragon #199 (which is an edge case, but I’m including it here because the rules could be applied to the coats of arms of the various Savage Coast nations), and Dragon #200, which looked at the winged elves and winged minotaurs of the Arm of the Immortals. Coming out as it did in the giant-sized issue #200, this last article felt like what it was—a last goodbye to D&D’s Known World/Mystara as we knew it before Mystara’s relaunch as an AD&D line.

(Dragon #200 also had a nice article on making magic-users in D&D more distinctive. There was also “The Ecology of the Actaeon” in Dragon #190, one of the only D&D ecologies to be published in Dragon’s 2e AD&D era. Somewhere in this time we also got the news that the Known World would be relaunched as AD&D’s Mystara setting, whose products were famous for coming with audio CDs and not much else.)

Around this time TSR also published its TVotPA-inspired—and utterly maddening—Champions of Mystara box set. I say “maddening” because, at least to me, it clearly felt like a “Sure, here fine, have your dang box set” product, a too-pricey production made because fans demanded it, but not out of real love from anyone at TSR but Bruce Heard himself and co-designer Ann Dupuis.

(Let me be clear: This is all speculation; I can’t confirm any of that; I’m just saying what it felt like.)

Among the reasons for my disappointment: There was no new content featuring Haldemar and his crew. One of the booklets reprinted most of TVotPA…but not the first 10 or so entries (so it wasn’t even the complete epic! *headdesk*) and none of the ancillary material, just the story logs. Another booklet was deep in the weeds of skyship construction—hell yeah, you could build your own skyship!—but gave little content to, say, inspire lots of fun skyship-to-skyship adventures in the vein of Spelljammer, such as tons of skyships from other nations. The box did contain eight standalone cards with other ship designs, but most of these were one-off constructions by solitary wizards and rajahs, not enough to really launch a campaign. My favorite booklet was the “Explorer’s Manual,” which gave us some new setting details we hadn’t seen before, including an amazing subterranean nation of elves and gnolls that I still think about to this day…but again, it was all too little, too late—for this fan, at least.

In other words, don’t try to buy the Champions of Mystara box set—at time of writing it’s crazy expensive and not worth it for anyone not actively playing BECMI D&D right this minute. If, after reading the entire series, you’ve fallen in love with TVotPA (which admittedly was my goal in writing this) and absolutely must have Champions for that nation of elves and gnolls, get the PDF on DriveThruRPG.com.

Years later, as Dragon was limping through the late ’90s before its rejuvenation in 2000, Heard provided 2e AD&D rules for Mystara’s lupins and rakastas in Dragon #237 and #247, including writing up tons of subraces inspired by actual pet breeds. If you’ve ever wanted to play an anthropomorphic St. Bernard or Siamese, these are the articles for you.

Finally in 2006, when Paizo had taken over publishing Dragon, they invited Heard to deliver one last TVotPA entry in Dragon #344…giving us, if not a climax, definitely one last burst of palace intrigue and action to bridge the gap between the series proper and the events of Wrath of the Immortals. Over and above all the other coda material I’ve mentioned, this actually fits in the saga—it’s even labeled Part 36. If you want to ship out one last time with Haldemar and his crew, track it down.

Finally x2, there is the world of Calidar. After being thwarted for several years trying to get permission to write new TVotPA content, Bruce Heard has created his own game world filled with skyships and adventures. I own the books (which are rules-light so fans of any system can use them), but haven’t had time to read them yet; hopefully you will be a more determined fan. Keep an eye out for his various Kickstarters and definitely show your support.

Finally x3, if you think I am the only diehard Known World/Mystara fan out there…wow, no, not by a long shot. The Mystara fan community is one of the most dedicated in gaming. In addition to holding a torch for BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia-era D&D, they’ve taken it upon themselves to continue mapping and describing the remainder of Mystara as part of the fan community based out of the Vaults of Pandius website and the stunning fanzine Threshold. I’ve only skimmed Threshold a little, but it is stunning work on par with the Pathfinder fanzine Wayfinder for the amount of effort the fans put in and the quality that comes out. Kudos to everyone involved!

“The Voyage of the Princess Ark” is a testament to the creative heights one writer could achieve in a fantasy world.

“The Voyage of the Princess Ark” deserves to be spoken of in the terms we use for Pathfinder’s Golarion; AD&D’s Dark Sun, Planescape, and Al-Qadim; and Vampire the Masquerade’s World of Darkness. And Bruce Heard deserves pride of place in the company of Greenwood, Grubb, Weis, Hickman, and others of his era.

Heard showed us that simple rules didn’t mean a less complex world. Heard showed us that a few lines of monster description could be blown out to fill entire nations. Heard showed us that the cultural diversity of our own world could inspire our fictional ones. Most importantly, he showed that if you put in the work month after month, you could achieve amazing things. And he did it for a neglected fanbase of underdogs and windmill-tilters. He championed an audience and a world when no one else would.

“The Voyage of the Princess Ark” is also why I spent nearly seven years serving up monster ideas for another underdog fanbase. And the inspiration and work ethic I took from it is a big part of why I’m lucky enough to occasionally be freelancing on a professional basis today.

Three years isn’t a long time in fantasy fandom. If Elminster and Drizzt are Star Trek, perennially chugging along, and Harry Potter is Star Wars, a brilliant core surrounded by progressively less compelling follow-ups, then “The Voyage of the Princess Ark” is Firefly, a ragged crew whose sojourn was cut short, but whose legacy far outstrips its impact at the time.

Or at least, that’s the way its legacy ought to be.

Give “The Voyage of the Princess Ark” a try. Maybe I’m overselling it. Maybe years of nostalgia have painted a picture rosier than the original could ever live up to. Maybe, in an era where outstanding fantasy worlds and strong writing are almost commonplace, current readers can’t perceive the lightning-in-a-bottle magic that was this series.

Maybe. But I think there’s something more there, something perennial, something of value even when placed side by side with the embarrassment of riches that is Pathfinder 1e/2e and D&D 5e.

The only way you’ll know is if you book a berth on the Princess Ark and see for yourself.

Happy flying.

[loretranscripts]

Lore Episode 131: Sea of Change (Transcript) - 9th December, 2019

tw: none

Disclaimer: This transcript is entirely non-profit and fan-made. All credit for this content goes to Aaron Mahnke, creator of Lore podcast. It is by a fan, for fans, and meant to make the content of the podcast more accessible to all. Also, there may be mistakes, despite rigorous re-reading on my part. Feel free to point them out, but please be nice!

They call it the Wild Coast. It’s a stretch of land on the eastern side of Africa, starting around the coastal city of Durban and ending 900 miles later at Cape Town, and as for as long as ships have been sailing there, there has been tragedy. They call it the Wild Coast because of the frequency of shipwrecks that have taken place over the years – the Santo Alberto in 1593, the Good Hope in 1685, and the Bonaventura a year after that. Even today, ships occasionally fall victim to the rocky coast and stormy waves, like the Greek cruise liner, the Oceanos, which went down in August of 1991. Thankfully, there were no casualties, but one ship wasn’t so lucky. The S. S. Waratah was also a passenger liner, built and launched in 1908, and measured over 500ft long with a weight of 10,000 tonnes. It was a big ship, and as a passenger liner, it was designed to hold a lot of people in relative luxury. On its fateful journey, there were over 200 passengers on board, as well as dozens of crew members who served them and operated the ship. In July of 1909, the Waratah approached the southern tip of Africa after a long journey from Australia, and it came within sight of the Wild Coast. It made a routine stop at Durban and then continued south with the new destination of Cape Town, but a storm caused ocean swells as high as 60ft, and in conditions like that few ships stand a chance. Somewhere on the way to Cape Town, the Waratah disappeared. There were no survivors.

Ships vanish. It’s one of the risks that humans accepted when they began to venture out into the dark, mysterious waters that separated them from the undiscovered. Because, if we’re honest, there are simply too many opportunities for tragedy on the open water, and sadly some ships don’t make it home. But if you read enough of the stories about lost ocean liners and missing schooners, you’ll start to notice an exception to the rule. Yes, sometimes ships vanish from sight, but every now and then, the unthinkable happens – they return. I’m Aaron Mahnke, and this is Lore.

[2:52]

 Our love affair with the sea is thousands of years old. All you have to do is read the histories and mythology of ancient cultures and you’ll notice right away just how central the open water was to their world view. Homer’s Odyssey, written around the 8th century B.C., tells the tale of Odysseus and his decade of travels around the ancient world, and he does much of that travel by sea. Countless other ancient stories are connected to the ocean as well. 400 years after Homer, the Greek historian Herodotus recorded the Egyptian tale of a pharaoh named Necho II, who had lived and ruled two centuries earlier. Necho was said to have assembled an expedition that left Egypt through the Red Sea on the north-eastern corner and then slowly circumnavigated Africa. They arrived at the mouth of the Nile three years later. But sailing wasn’t a new thing, even back then. Most historians think that humans first jumped into small sailing ships, similar to catamarans, all the way back in 3000BC. They began their migration from the island of Taiwan and slowly spread out south and east. 1000 years later, they were firmly established in what is now Indonesia, and soon after that they spread as far as Vanuatu and Fiji. By the 10th century, they had reached more remote places of the Pacific like Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island, and some even made it all the way to the west coast of South America, now settling in what is now Chile. 4000 years of expansion, giving birth to dozens of culture, and all of it thanks to sailing.

Of course, it wasn’t always about migration. For many cultures, the ocean represented the unknown, and each of them had a deep desire to go out, to explore and discover and learn – oh, and to get rich, of course, because nothing kickstarts a new industry like the promise of massive wealth, does it? But as more and more ships set sail for uncharted lands or even simply became part of growing naval fleets and merchant routes, the odds that tragedy could strike began to rise. Most of what we know today about ancient sea-faring cultures was born from that tragedy, too, in the form of shipwrecks, and every year, it seems, older and older wrecks are being discovered. Just last year, in October of 2018, researchers announced the oldest yet, a 2,400-year-old Greek merchant vessel that was discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea. It’s so well preserved that researchers were able to recognise its design from images painted on ancient wine jars, which is crazy to think about. But of course, the shipwreck is real, and that means we can learn so much more about it than a wine jar could ever have taught us.

Shipwrecks were a tragic necessity in an age when humanity was spreading out and taking risks, so much so that shipping companies just sort of assumed they would lose some of their ships in the course of doing business. And that, of course, helped give rise to commercial insurance, where companies could hedge their bets and avoid going bankrupt when random chance got in the way of the bottom line. In London, many local sailors and ship owners would gather in a coffee house owned by a man named Edward Lloyd. By the late 1680s, he had so many customers who were connected to the shipping industry that he posted daily shipping news to keep them informed. But his café also became the place to buy insurance for ships, and even when all those insurance underwriters left the café and set up shop on their own, they remembered his influence by naming their group after him. Today, it’s still around, and known as Lloyds of London.

So many ships have sunk to the bottom of the ocean over the past few thousand years that we’ve even created stories about them, stories that hint at our regret and longing, at the loss we’ve suffered through, and the deepest desire of our hearts – namely, that those long-lost vessels might one day return. They even have a name – ghost ships – and folklore is filled with them. One example is a schooner known as the Young Teazer. It was active during the war of 1812 and worked as a privateer, a government approved pirate ship, in an effort to torment and hamper the British ships off the coast of Nova Scotia, and things went according to plan for a while – until June of 1813, that is. After an encounter with a British naval vessel, the crew of the Young Teazer found themselves trapped in Mahone Bay on the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. Fearing that his capture might lead to execution, one of the crewmen was said to have ignited the powder magazine below deck. The resulting explosion left 30 men dead and the ship nearly destroyed, while the survivors were all captured and thrown in prison by the British, but it also began a new chapter in the ship’s story. Over the past two centuries, stories have been whispered about a flaming ship that has appeared in Mahone Bay. Locals refer to it as “Teazer Light”, and even though many sceptics have pointed out that the sightings could be nothing more than the reflection of the full moon on the water, it hasn’t stopped folks from hoping for the alternative.

Another ghost ship found in folklore is also the most famous: The Flying Dutchman. As far as early modern ghost ships go, the Dutchman is one of the oldest, most likely dating back to the late 1600s. All of the sightings seem to repeat the same, frightening details, too – a mysterious ship, spotted off in the distance, glowing with an eerie luminescence and devoid of all human life. But these stories are all just legends, yarn that’s been spun on the wheel of fantasy, sometimes stitching together real events and people, but never fully true, and folklore is full of stories about ghosts for a very good reason. We like to think that, however dangerous the seas might be, that against all odds those lost ships might somehow come back. Amazingly, though, life has managed to imitate art. Over the last few centuries, some lost ships have pulled off the impossible, and in doing so they’ve put themselves into a whole new category – real ships that were once thought to be lost, only to return to the land of the living.

 They’d been expecting its arrival in Newport, Rhode Island, but it never sailed into the harbour. The SV Seabird was a merchant ship that had departed weeks earlier from Honduras, where it made regular trips. The ship’s captain, John Huxham, knew the route well and shouldn’t have had any trouble. But it’s never safe to assume, is it? When the ship was later found on nearby Easton’s Beach, it was clear it had experienced trouble, and when those that discovered it stepped on board, they entered into a mysterious scene. Coffee was boiling on the stove in the galley, a pair of pets were walking on the deck, but other than that the ship was completely and utterly empty. No crew were onboard. Most people think that Captain Huxham and the others must have exited the vessel while it was still a way off from shore. The missing lifeboat seemed to confirm that idea, and with a bit more time to investigate, there’s a good chance the authorities might have solved the riddle, but a week later they travelled back to the beach, only to discover that the ship was gone, and it was never seen again.

A century later, in 1884, another merchant ship was found drifting through the Atlantic. The SV Resolven was sighted just outside of Catalina Harbour on the east coast of Newfoundland. Like the Seabird, the Resolven was also missing its lifeboat and had been completely abandoned. The only sign of damage was a broken yard, that horizontal beam at the top of the mast that the sails hang from. The ship that found the Resolven was the HMS Mallard, and they did their best to put the pieces together. They’d sighted a tall iceberg in the region and assumed the Resolven had come a bit too close to it, which would explain the damage, but it wasn’t enough to justify abandoning ship, which struck them as odd. Even more mysterious were the signs of normal life inside the ship. All of the lanterns were still lit and below deck, the stove in the galley was hot with a fire still burning inside it, and most mysterious of all was the ship’s log, which contained records of all the activities onboard. The most recent item on the page had been written down just six hours prior to the Mallard’s arrival.

But if we’re going to talk about actual ships that have turned up empty, we simply can’t ignore one particular story, because it’s quite possibly the one that introduced the idea of ghost ships to American culture, giving us our own version of those old-world legends. The Amazon was built in 1860, first sliding into the water at the shipyard owned and operated by Joshua Dewis up in Nova Scotia. It was a wooden brigantine, a two-masted sailing ship, and it was of average size, measuring just shy of 100ft long. But life didn’t start out smooth for the Amazon. On the ship’s maiden voyage, which began in June of 1861, the captain became ill. Before they could even begin to transport their cargo across the Atlantic, the Amazon was forced to return to its home port, where the captain died a few days later. The next captain didn’t fair any better. Under the supervision of John Parker, the Amazon had a number of accidents, including crashing into a brig in the English Channel. Somehow, though, the ship survived. When Captain William Thompson took over command in 1863, he ushered in a period of peace for the ship and it travelled all over, performing the duties it had been designed to do. But four years later, in October of 1867, an ill wind blew the Amazon off course, where it ran aground at Cape Breton Island at the northern tip of Nova Scotia. The extensive damage led the crew to abandon ship, and four days later the wreckage was hauled off by a salvager.

But the Amazon wasn’t finished just yet. After being sold to a local businessman and restored to sailing condition, it was moved to New York City, where it became part of a merchant fleet owned by a man named James Winchester. Oh, and they changed the ship’s name, too. No longer would it be called the Amazon. Instead, it would be the Mary Celeste. The first job for the newly-restored ship was to carry a cargo of over 17,000 barrels of denatured alcohol, a type of ethanol that’s been coloured and made toxic to discourage consumption. The ship’s owners brought on a man named Benjamin Briggs as captain and allowed him to hire a crew of seven experienced sailors, and then they began to plan the route to Genoa on the north-western coast of Italy. Captain Briggs was so confident in his ship and crew that he brought his wife, Sarah, along, as well as his son Arthur and daughter Sophia. Together with the crew, they all settled in to the Mary Celeste, and left port on November 7th of 1872. It was the last time any of them were seen alive.

A week later, on November 15th, another ship left the same harbour in New York. The Dei Gratia was captained by a man named David Morehouse, and depending on the sources you accept as reliable, he was a casual acquaintance of Benjamin Briggs. Their destination was Gibraltar, located at the southern tip of Spain, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic, and it was route that placed them on roughly the same line as the Mary Celeste. A month later, on December 4th, the Dei Gratia was off the coast of Portugal, when someone spotted a ship about six miles away. As they drew closer to it, everyone could make out the name on its stern. It was the Mary Celeste. From a distance, they noticed a few key details – the sails were in poor condition, some of the deck hatches were wide open, and the lifeboat was missing. Morehouse ordered two of his crew to row over and investigate. They found the interior cabins to be wet and disorderly, as if a storm had blown through, and Captain Briggs’ sword was discovered beneath a bed. The ship’s compass was damaged, and the cargo hold was filled with about 3ft of water. It was chaos and disorder – but not entirely.

While the hold had taken on water, all of the valuable cargo was still onboard, ruling out pirates, and the ship’s kitchen was neat and orderly, too, with no signs that anyone rushed out unprepared. After searching the whole ship, nothing else alarming could be found. The crew and passengers had simply vanished. In the end, Morehouse decided to bring the ship with him to Gibraltar, where he might be able to earn a potion of its salvage price. It took another week, but eventually the Mary Celeste arrived in port, bringing its mysterious journey to an end. But at least one abandoned ship in the past managed to evade capture entirely. It slipped from their grasp and drifted away, leaving its owners wondering if they would ever see it again, and in doing so, they taught everyone involved a valuable lesson: the only thing more mysterious than a ghost ship is one that keeps coming back.

 When it comes to abandoned ships, few have drifted into the minds of sailors like the story of the SS Baychimo. It was a 1300-ton steamer built in 1914, and for many years it served in the merchant fleet of the Hudson Bay Company, but that’s not where it started out. It seems the Baychimo had actually been a German vessel for its first few months in the water, running the trade route between Germany and Sweden, where the company that operated it was located. But when World War I ended, part of Germany’s reparation agreement included making amends for the loss of ships suffered by other countries, and the Baychimo was given to the United Kingdom. It was there in western Scotland that the Hudson Bay Company took ownership, and because the Baychimo was equipped with a powerful steam engine and a thick, steel hull, it was assigned a route between Scotland and northern Canada, where it picked up animal pelts in exchange for goods that were unavailable to the Inuit communities who lived there.

It wasn’t always an easy trip, though. In 1928, the ship ran aground in Camden Bay in northern Alaska. Thankfully, it was undamaged and moved back into the water, keeping the Hudson Bay Company from losing the cargo. But when it comes to the constant barrage of dangers from the sea, it’s impossible to dodge all the bullets. Three years later, in October of 1931, the Baychimo got caught in heavy ice in the waters north of Alaska, bringing the massive steamer to a halt. The crew initially abandoned ship, but when the ice began to break up, they happily returned. A week later, though, it happened again, this time further out from land. To save the crew, the Hudson Bay Company sent an aeroplane out to rescue them. When the plane arrived, all 37 crew members exited the ship for the last time. Only 22 were able to fit on the aircraft, so the other 15 stayed between to wait for a second flight. A few days later, a powerful snow storm brought whiteout conditions, and when it was over, the ship was gone, sunk by the heavy ice, no doubt. But it hadn’t. A few days later, the ship was spotted in a new location, and the remaining crew were able to board it and remove the valuable cargo in case tragedy finally did catch up with it. And then they left, abandoning the Baychimo to the ice and harsh conditions and kicking off a string of sightings that earnt it a powerful reputation as an Alaskan ghost ship.

In March of 1932, a man named Leslie Melvin was guiding his dog sled team along the coast on his way back to the city of Nome in western Alaska. As he looked up from the sled at the scenery around him, his eye was drawn to the ocean, and he spotted something. It was the Baychimo, floating peacefully without power up the coast. Later that summer, a trading party spotted the ghost ship further north, off the coast of Wainwright, and they actually managed to board the vessel. When they discovered it was empty, though, they exited and went on their way. In March of 1933, a group of Athabaskans, part of the indigenous community in Alaska, also boarded the ghost ship, only to be trapped inside it for ten days while the winter storm cut them off from land. I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like to be inside in the dark with all the unidentifiable sounds that come with being aboard a ship trapped in the ice and wind. As the months went on, more and more rumours spread out, trickling through each of the nearby Hudson Bay Company outposts like water through a network of pipes.

There was a July, 1934 sighting by a team of scientific explorers, as well as multiple reports in September of 1935 from further up north. It was clear that the Baychimo had not gone away for good, and it was out there, haunting the shores and waiting for someone to capture it. The last time the ship was boarded was in November of 1939, eight years after it had first disappeared. A captain by the name of Hugh Polson brought his whole crew onboard, hoping to either be able to get the ship running again, or at least tow it to port, where it could be salvaged for its valuable materials. But the longer they stayed on the ship, the more ominous and oppressive it felt. When the ice began to build up around them, they panicked and headed back to their own vessel, leaving the ghost ship to fend for itself. No one boarded the Baychimo ever again.

 The idea of ghost ships is one that we’ve held onto for a very long time, whether it’s the ancient tales of ships like the Caleuche of Chiloé Island or the Flying Dutchman of Europe, or newer ones such as the Valencia of Vancouver Island and the Governor Parr, near Nova Scotia. It seems no matter what we do, we can’t escape the stories. Ghost ships, it seems, are here to stay, and they’ve become one of the most popular bits of folklore too, drifting their way into film, television and books over the past couple of centuries. We see glimpses of those legends in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an epic poem from 1798 by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and The Pirates of the Caribbean films have their own interpretation. It’s impossible to say how long we’ve been telling their stories, but it’s clear that we’ll never really stop. The Mary Celeste has had quite an impact all on its own, too. Since the events surrounding its abandonment in 1872, whispered versions of the story have spread all throughout pop culture. It’s been subject of multiple films, novels and television episodes. It’s even appeared in the British sci-fi series Doctor Who.

Ghost ships have proven themselves to be a thing that simply won’t go away. They may drift off into the fog for a little while, but eventually, when we least expect it, they will make their return, appearing in some new context or location. And no legend backs up that dependability like the SS Baychimo. The ship was spotted off and on over the years that followed its abandonment, making the first eight years of its story something of a mystery, and that’s how it went, decade after decade, until one final sighting was reported in 1969, almost 40 years after the original crew had been rescued. After that, the authorities lost track of the ship once more, and to this day no one is quite sure where it might be. Perhaps the ice finally won, and its resting on the ocean floor, or maybe it’s just drifting a bit too far outside normal shipping routes to be spotted. In our modern world of satellite imagery and commercial air travel, one would think it would be easy to find, but so far, we’ve had no luck. Like many of the ghost ships found in folklore, the Baychimo had come to represent equal parts hope and despair. It shows us just how much is possible when it comes to abandoned ships and their longevity, making it clear that not all that is lost is gone forever. But it also reminds us that real life can sometimes be a bit more frustrating than we’d like. Just because we want the answers, doesn’t mean we’ll always get them.

Tales of ghostly ships that never seem to go away are one of the most attractive and popular stories for lovers of the strange and the unusual, and I hope you enjoyed your voyage onboard many of the better-known ones today. But there’s one more story that doesn’t get told enough, and it adds a new twist to a classic legend. I’ll tell you all about it right after this short sponsor break.

[Sponsor break from The Great Courses Plus, Audible and Squarespace]

The Ellen Austin was a three-mast schooner. It slid off the shipyard and into the cold Atlantic waters, way back in 1854 under the ownership of one Captain Tucker. Back then, Maine was the place to be if you wanted timber for building, and it had been for centuries. Prior to the Revolutionary War, there was a constant flow of resources headed back to England, but now, local ship builders up on the coast of Maine were getting rich making new vessels for wealthy owners, and the Tuckers were one such group. I could tell you about how large the ship was, how it was over 200ft long and weighed in at 1800 tons, and I could tell you how it was sold a few years later, in 1857, but the most important thing to know about the Ellen Austin is that it was very good at making the trip between London and America. Actually, 1857 really wasn’t a good year for the crew of that ship. In February of that year, a report was published in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle that claimed the current captain, William Garrick, had been using violence to abuse and control his men. It seemed he had a temper and tended to take his anger out on anyone near him.

A few months later, in July of 1857, the ship left Liverpool full of passengers and began headed towards New York City. But along the way, a wave of smallpox broke out on the ship, and it had to be quarantined so that the sick could be taken care of. Five months later, it happened again. The Ellen Austin didn’t just travel to New York City, though. In the late 1860s, it was making trips to San Francisco, although after a number of accidents that involved running into other ships, it was eventually repaired and brought back to the east coast. Through most of the 1870s, it was back to that standard London-New York route. And then something changed in December of 1880. The ship had been sold to new owners some time that year, and had been sent on a journey further south, toward Florida and the Caribbean, which is where something rather strange happened to them. Off in the distance, they spotted another ship, but it wasn’t moving. The captain at the time was a bright fellow who was very aware that pirates often used tactics like this to their advantage – pretend the ship was empty, wait for another ship to come closer, and then pounce. So, instead of approaching the mysterious vessel, they lowered their sails and set a watch on it.

After two days of vigilant observation, the captain of the Ellen Austin decided that it was safe to approach. Once on board, they discovered that the vessel had, in fact, been abandoned. The cargo was still intact and safe, and there seemed to be a full supply of food rations, but if the former crew had left because of some emergency, there didn’t seem to be any sign of it onboard. They were just… gone. So, the captain assigned a small party of his crew to get the ship ready to sail, and then the pair of vessels left the area together, headed for London to cash in on their newly salvaged prize. Only, the weather had other ideas. A storm blew in three days later and the two ships became separated. Looking back, we now know that it was a large hurricane that was headed towards the southern portion of the United States, but to the crew of the Ellen Austin, it was just frustration. They had lost sight of the other ship.

The captain ordered the ship to turn around and search the area. It took them days, but finally they spotted the missing ship off in the distance. Relieved that they would be reunited with their prize and the fellow crew members who were operating it, they sailed toward it. But even from a distance, things didn’t look right. The captain of the Ellen Austin hailed the other ship, hoping his men had safely weathered the storm, but surprisingly, no one replied. So, they approached the lifeless vessel and boarded it, guns drawn in case of pirates. What they found, though, defied explanation. Everything seemed just as they had found it days earlier. The valuable cargo was still in the hold, safe and sound, the store of food was still untouched, and the beds all seemed to have been unused. And yet nowhere on the ship could they find any sign of the small crew they had transferred over. The men were gone.

Over the years, new details have been added to this story. Some claim that the captain ordered a second team to pilot the ship home, only to have fog separate them again, resulting in yet another lost crew, but that story comes to use from a naval officer who wrote about it in the 1930s, and there doesn’t seem to be much proof of it outside of that. Still, it’s a fantastic tale that takes the notion of a ghost ship and turns it around in a way that defies explanation, and it also reminds us of just how unpredictable and mysterious life on the open sea really can be. We humans love the predictable, we love consistency and dependability and being able to count on life going a certain way. We build our sense of security and safety around the notion that everything will be okay. But once we set our oars in the ocean or raise our sails and travel to distant lands over treacherous waves, it becomes clear that we’ve stepped into a whole new world that is outside of our control. We might fight it or try and plan against it, but in the end, we are completely at its mercy, because we can never be fully prepared for a sea of change.

[Closing statements]

[eleonorpiteira]

I *adore* your art (I think you know this by now), and your character designs for your personal project are so *striking*. I'm always absolutely transfixed by them whenever they come up on my dash. When do we get to know more about the world they're placed in/the project they're from?

Galley, as usual you are way too nice to me! ❤️But you’re right, I don’t think I’ve ever spoken about my personal project here or even to many people at all, it’s still mostly inside my head. I’m not keeping it a secret, I guess it just never came up, but yeah, communicating = good!Thank you for being interested! <3

In my online portfolio, I wrote: “Trevus (formerly ‘Project Clover’) is a work-in-progress personal project. The genre is mostly sci-fi, with some fantasy mixed in, and it revolves around very different people, the four worlds they live in, and the ancient mysteries that tie them together.”

The rest goes under a Read More because it’s a wee bit long!

The story itself is still in-progress mode, and I’ve been adding to it and changing things as I go, which makes it very organic, but also a downright mess (not my usual style, but oh well). What I have fleshed out a little are the characters and the worlds, but I have a long way to go still.

A stated above, there are four world/planets involved (though I’ve only drawn characters for two of them as of yet), and they’re all part of the same solar system, called Trevus:

- Aferah: desert planet, inspired in Islamic Architecture and Ancient Egypt. Warm vivid colours, lots of gold, jewellery.(Aferah The Woman, Syrah, Sini, Zhaleh, Farlah Nur.)

- Galátea: (new working name) rich world, technologically advanced mixed with a more classic European architecture (think cathedrals or pantheons, in the sense of temples), filled with astronomy motifs, rich intricate fabric, jewellery, planetariums. Dark blue, dark green, browns and greys, gold, light pink.Plot-twist: it’s disintegrating - thus I call it The Dying World.(Lady Aurora, Callisto The Strategist, Rhea Nix, No Name Dude oops.)

- Ice planet: very futuristic design, sophisticated, clear lines, desaturated colours (black, white, greys and silvers), crystals. (still haven’t nailed the aesthetic tbh)

- Water planet: very colourful, lots of sparkles - blues and greens. Luminescence. Art Nouveau, underwater cities, sparkles in the sun and glows in the dark. (also still very undeveloped)

All four worlds are supposed to be very distinctive from each other, and to have their own histories, lore, culture, etc, but the main thing is that there’s SOMETHING tying them all together.One of the things that exists in all worlds is ‘four-leaf clover’ imagery, but what could that possibly mean?

*suspense*

In the meantime, planet Galátea is ‘dying’ at a fast rate, so they must look for answers on how to fix that, and maybe that’s a start.

Fun fact: Aferah The Woman gave Aferah The Planet its name (and is now basically considered a God), and she’s also from a completely different timeline than any of the other characters and the main story - Zhaleh is her direct descendant.

Still, this is my idea NOW, it could very well change in the future, and I don’t want to stop myself from making it better just because I painted it or talked about it before \o/

Needless to say, it needs a lot of fleshing out!! My drawings so far aren’t as rich as my references, something that I have to work on ;)

(also, I swear Trevus isn’t only women lmao I just really like to draw women XD)

Thank you so much for asking!! ❤️❤️

[June 2020 edit: some of this info is outdated, as I’ve changed things in the meantime!]

[gear-project]

GG Pop Quiz No.8!

Since it's been a while since the last one, and because I've gotten some new followers recently, let's do yet another GG Quiz!

30 Questions, only 30 answers.

Q1. Where was Daisuke Ishiwatari born? A. East End, London England B. Johannesburg, South Africa C. Yokohama, Japan D. New York, United States of America

Q2. Who is the woman who looks suspiciously like I-No? A. Jack-O'Valentine B. Marlene Dietrich C. Aria Hale D. Viidia

Q3. What does GGMiscQandA stand for? A. Redundant questions people have asked on this blog before? B. Random trivia that doesn't apply to the main story? C. Questions no one bothers to ask about Guilty Gear Lore? D. Miscellany GG Quiz questions?

Q4. What was the original inspiration for the OutRage Mk 2? A. Sol's OutRage against the Gears rebelling against humans. B. The Saint Oratorio Project. C. The Gunsmith Dogs of Bullet Heaven. D. Sol was bitten by a Hunting Dog Gear in the shoulder.

Q5. What significance does Ky Kiske's rosary have to him? A. He's a devout Christian. B. It represents Hope in a better future. C. It's a reference to Misato Katsuragi of Evangelion. D. It's a designer brand label he likes.

Q6. Sol's Bandit Revolver Prototype became the basis for what attack? A. His jumping Dust attack. B. His Sidewinder. C. Bandit Bringer. D. His sideways Bandit Revolver.

Q7. What is the "in-game" term for Elphelt Valentine's post-Sign story transformation? A. Dark Justice Mode. B. Valentine Mode. C. Awakening Kakusei Mode. D. Darkside Mode.

Q8. People make fun of Testament's audio flubs by saying "I found the Burrito!" What move are they actually making fun of? A. Master of Puppets B. E.x.e. Beast C. Nightmare Circular D. Badlands Grave Digger

Q9. How many Colony stages exist in currently existing GG games thus far? A. 5 B. 1. Miyabi. C. 2 Colonies. D. 13 Stages, including Kum Haehyun's 2 Korean Colonies.

Q10. What items don't appear in Answer's Data Logging Substitution technique? A. Mini-Answer Figurines B. Good Luck Statues C. Chipp's Unsigned Paperwork D. Mini-Chipp Figurines

Q11. What extraordinary circumstance led to Chipp meeting President Gabriel for the first time? A. Chipp wanted to become the President of Zepp really badly. B. Potemkin needed someone to fill in when Gabriel took a vacation. C. Answer wanted Chipp to train more on his diplomacy methods. D. Erica Bartholomew was trying to prevent a war between America and Zepp.

Q12. When Izuna was born in the Backyard, what exactly triggered it? A. A woman's strong feelings for her husband before she died were passed on to a hair ornament that came to life. B. A Killing Stone Fox Curse that only Izuna had the power to seal. C. The Death Goddess Izanami wished for a servant to serve her. D. Someone overcooked Tofu in a certain district and it displeased the Gods.

Q13. The Golden Disc was an old world relic database, but what did Kuradoberi Jam mistake it for? A. A music CD. B. A frisbee. C. A hot plate for setting pots. D. A frying pan.

Q14. What triggered Geena's mutation in to a quasi Gear-like Cyborg? A. She drank a whole vial of Gear Vitae. B. The Universal Will changed her D.N.A. the same as the Japanese. C. A computer program built within the Gear Mothership Asteroid interacted with her cyber prosthetic. D. Tyr turned her in to one with his powers.

Q15. What fighting style is Fanny's Needle weapon based on? A. Spear thrusts that Sacred Order knights used to use. B. Dr. Faust's giant scalpel style, Margarita. C. Dr. Baldhead's insane random attacks. D. It's a style she learned from her dear Mother.

Q16. What especially unique reason did Bridget have to attack Robo-Ky at one point? A. It was a mistaken attempt at putting on a show. B. Robo-Ky was the one who placed the fake bounties on people. C. Roger wanted Bridget to steal Robo-Ky for spare parts. D. Robo-Ky mistook Bridget for a cute girl he wanted to date.

Q17. What is Johnny's "private" collection consist of? A. Pictures of his cute Jellyfish Crewmembers. B. His magazine subscriptions to "Everyday Housewives". C. His alcohol collection. D. His Guitar collection.

Q18. What comparison does Axl Low make between other girls and his girlfriend Megumi? A. Their long hair. B. Their figures. C. Their violent personalities. D. Their sense of fashion.

Q19. Zappa's move "Last Elegy" is actually a mistranslation of what reference? A. Last Will and Testament. B. Last Eulogy. C. Last Edguy. D. Lasting Memory.

Q20. What was Asuka trying to do in the Backyard when Axl met him there? A. Rebuild the Cube. B. Trying to make Drinks and Snacks from Backyard data. C. Making more Gears. D. Trying to contact the Original Sage.

Q21. Why does Anji Mito especially get on Sol's nerves? A. He knows the secret history behind the Gears. B. His personality is quite nosy and intrusive. C. He was working for "That Man". D. He never wears a shirt.

Q22. What was the REAL cause of the Pudding incident? A. It was all King Daryl's rushed idea. B. People were trying to sneak a bite of the pudding before it was finished. C. A Demonic Magic contract to keep the pudding set in place expired prematurely. D. A Demonic contract that cursed anyone who ate the pudding.

Q23. What national holiday did Chipp establish in his home country? A. Sushi eating contest. B. Japanese culture day. C. A Haiku writing contest. D. Answer vetoed all of Chipp's ideas.

Q24. What is A.B.A.'s actual issue with other people? A. They're always trying to hit on her 'husband'. B. They don't like key-shaped things. C. She has trouble speaking in public. D. She thinks humans are low-class and uncultured.

Q25. Who is most well-known for giving Ky Kiske advice when he needs it? A. Kliff Undersn. B. Bernard. C. Dizzy. D. Sol.

Q26. What time of year is Guilty Gear 2020 most likely to be released? A. Spring: Japanese fighting games usually come out in April to June, but especially in May, on the 14th when the first game was released. B. Summer: ARC releases games when players can find time to play them. C. Fall: GG games get released especially around Halloween. D. Winter: Just in time for Christmas!

Q27. What is Chimaki's "least favorite" thing? A. Thinking. B. Eating sour Onigiri. C. Talking to anyone. D. Using his sword.

Q28. What is Elphelt's favorite food? A. Racoon Dogs. B. Spicy Pizza. C. Pasta. D. Steak.

Q29. How many years has it been since the first Guilty Gear? A. 20. B. 21. C. 22. D. 30.

Q30. What is the name of Leopaldon's most powerful attack? A. Shake. B. Perfect Rainbow. C. Back Current. D. 808.

Answers are below: 1>B, 2>D, 3>C, 4>D, 5>B, 6>A, 7>D, 8>A, 9>D, 10>C 11>D, 12>A, 13>C, 14>C, 15>C, 16>C, 17>D, 18>C, 19>C, 20>B 21>A, 22>D, 23>C, 24>D, 25>B, 26>A, 27>B, 28>C, 29>B, 30>D

If you scored: 5/30: It's okay if you're new here, take your time! 10/30: Not bad, as Sol would say, "Yaru ja nee ka!" 15/30: You've got some training in, well done. 20/30: You've been here for a while, haven't you? 25/30: You're pretty smart!  Good going! 30/30: ROMANTIC!! YOU WIN! PERFECT!!

And if you want to test yourself further, please go read the older GG Quizzes!

[thequillsink]

Vampire State Building review Published by grimoireofhorror.com and The Banshee June 26, 2021 

Vampires have been the subject of media as far back as the publication of John William Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897). Their is lore subject to variation and change over the years to create the vampiric entities that have cemented themselves as part of our popular culture.

This history has not deterred creators to attempt to reinvent the mythology to effectively devise a new distinct type of fear from these classic staples of horror history. For example, Guillermo del Toro’s and Chuck Hogan’s The Strain achieved commercial success and popularity – proving audiences’ readiness to embrace reinterpretations of the iconic creatures. Consequently, Vampire State Building embraces its own unique take on the genre and looks bloody wonderous while doing it.

What is it?

Vampire State Building is a 2019 horror graphic novel from the pens of French writers Ange (Anne and Gerard Guéro) and Patrick Renault, which contains illustration provided by Charlie Adlard, co-creator and artist of the legendary The Walking Dead comics. The graphic novel was published by Ablaze Publishing and Diamond Books. It was released as a full volume including all four issues alongside cover artwork and character designs.

The comic follows Terry Fisher, a young soldier soon to be deployed to Afghanistan on active military duty. Before leaving, his friends decide to throw a going away party at the Empire State Building. However, without warning, the building is swarmed by a legion of vampires who massacre the numerous occupants ruthlessly. It is now up to Terry to take charge and escape with his friends before succumbing to these rampaging creatures.

What Worked

Vampire State Building’s story is quick to introduce the carnage, launching into the action after a dozen or so pages – continuing at a breakneck pace until its climatic finale.  Thankfully, the short mini-series does not affect the narrative quality – the work never feels rushed with a naturally kinetic action bolstering story progression.

Visually, Charlie Adlard’s artwork conjures up a tense and desperate atmosphere. Highlighting gritty, earthy colours contrasted by the bright crimson from the aftermath of violence, the artwork is especially pronounced. Unsurprisingly, given Adlard’s previous work, the aesthetic is reminiscent of The Walking Dead with minute attention to detail and amazing use of lighting to incisively contour scenes.

This newly released volume is the definitive way to enjoy this graphic novel, in my opinion, versus tracking down single issues – it is the complete version for any collector.

Caution! Spoilers Ahead

Finally, the vampires having links to Native American culture is an intriguing angle from the lore. They act less like parasitic entities and more like an organized cult, working as individuals but loyal to a single cause. Additionally, how people become and transition into vampire undergoes significant changes – death at the hands of these creatures is enough to ensure transformation.

What Didn’t work

I couldn’t help but notice a very meta reference to The Walking Dead that was very cheesy and should have been omitted, in my opinion. It is an obnoxious distraction as needless indulgence.

Being a mini-series, Vampire State Building has a heavy emphasis on its action-packed story, leaving characters feeling somewhat lacking in depth. They have their basic character outlines to differentiate between themselves, but it hardly goes any further in depth. Consequently, it was difficult to care about their fate and feel any attachment.  Conversely, the non-stop action easily compensates for this minor flaw as action entertainment over character development.

Where Can I Get It?

Vampire State Building is available to order on Amazon, as well as anywhere specialist comics are sold.

Overall Thoughts

Vampire State Building is a fun, if not short, graphic novel, full of brutal depictions of violence flooding the pages to build into a glorious climax. Certainly, lovers of action horror graphic novels will get a kick out of this page turner. Unfortunately, fans of traditional vampire lore may not revel in the changes made to the identity of vampires – their stubborn loss absolutely.

The high velocity story completely engrossed me up until the last page – a highly enjoyable experience paced well from start to finish. Fans of The Walking Dead, The Strain and other similar titles will certainly appreciate this unique gem.

[februarytwentyninth-blog]

Control, curation and musical experience in streaming music services

        In this paper from 2015, the authors examine how prominent music streaming services position themselves in the marketplace, based on their interfaces, the quality of their curatorial devices, the identity projected for users and the control users have over their music (or, lack thereof). They argue that streaming services are in the business of creating branded musical experiences, which appear to offer fluid and abundant musical content but, in reality, create restricted tiers of content access for a variety of scenarios, users and listening environments (Morris & Powers, 2015).

        The recorded music industries have shifted away from the sale of recordings like physical albums or downloaded MP3s and toward subscription models that sell access to vast collections of musical content. This presents listeners with a vast number of possibilities regarding both the music they can readily hear and the platforms through which they might hear it (Morris & Powers, 2015).

        Streaming services seem to be the realisations to Goldstein’s (1994) ‘celestial jukebox’, the dream of any music imaginable available at any moment through the press of a button. These services foster new cultures, practices and economies of musical circulation and consumption but they also create a crowded marketplace and challenge the norms of media consumption in an era of digital streaming.

        As streaming is growing and downloads and CD sales decline (Bond, 2017), streaming services are still on the process of convincing hesitant consumers to adopt this technology as their primary method of musical consumption, while distinguishing themselves from their competitors, a tricky task in an era of limitless content (Morris & Powers, 2015).

        Streaming’s aquatic connotations play on the notion of music and media as a kind of utility. Music should be like water or electricity, where consumers pay a monthly fee in return for an always on, always utilisable entertainment (Kusek and Leonhard, 2005).

        Streaming services have also promoted a vision of the future where streaming provides a totalising musical atmosphere to satisfy any musical need at any moment. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, for instance, has said he envisions a future in which a ‘musical soundtrack’, tailored for each of us, fitting for the moment will encircle us at all times (Morris & Powers, 2015).“We’re not in the music space – we’re in the moment space”, he said. The idea is to use song analytics and user data to help both human and A.I. curators select the right songs for certain activities or moods and build playlists for those moments. The playlists can be customized according to an individual user’s ‘taste profile’ (Seabrook, 2014).

        A branded experience encompasses a wide range of activities that take place both in the physical and digital worlds, including experiential stunts, corporate events, employee/consumer interactions in-store or via phone, or even the use of a brand’s app or website. That is because each of these things offers a meaningful experience that can either increase or reduce a person’s brand affinity. Effective brand experiences are designed to create specific, valuable interactions between brans and/or products and services and the people that matter most to them. If done well, these interactions can result in deeper emotional connections and greater brand affinity. If done poorly, they can have the opposite effect (Henderson, 2017).

        Streaming services define themselves according to the styles of musical access they offer, deriving from their interface, quality, taste and the control over music they allow. The combination of these variables, unique to each service, amounts to what the authors of the paper call a branded musical experience. More than a simple brand identity, the branded musical experience corresponds to real differences in what a consumer is able to listen to and do within each service (Morris & Powers, 2015). The authors argue that “the branded musical experience identifies a larger shift in musical consumption in which consumers do not own nor fully control discrete musical collections but instead buy into cloud-based libraries, accessible via constant connection to the Internet” (Morris & Powers, 2015).

The shift toward a branded musical experience encloses notable changes in music’s circulation. Quantifying and deploying a listener’s affective relationship to music in the presentation and curation of that music, whether through the facilitation of ‘liking’ or ‘favouriting’ tracks or more aggressively through mood-based or time-of-the-day-based playlists and highly personalized recommendation algorithms, streaming services aim to articulate, understand, and, in some cases, even shape listeners sentiments. Users might resist the idea of the subjective nature of playlists entitled ‘Unrequited Love’, ‘Life Sucks’ or ‘Forever Alone’ playlists (Spotify) and might be especially sceptical when they discover that these mood-based playlists frequently repackage the same individual songs/artists that are popular elsewhere on the service (one person’s ‘Life Sucks’ song is another person’s ‘Caffeine Rush’), but these are evidence that judging these services based on the quality, accuracy or fit of their recommendations is misleading. Instead, “their emphasis on the affective dimensions of music consumption and discovery are part of establishing the quality and identity of their service. In an ecosystem where many of the services offer the same catalogues of musical content, the affective cues and features for discovering and encountering music become the main point of differentiation” (Morris & Powers, 2015).

        The analysis of consumer tastes and their behavioural and social data permits the construction of personalized understandings of individual users, and therefore, tailored experiences, but also, in aggregate, it shapes recommendations algorithms, social features and advertising (Andrejevic, 2007). In other words, digital streaming services depend on a form of communicative capitalism (Dean 2010) where discourse about music is more valuable to these services than the music itself.

        “The likes, plays, stars and comments provide the trackable, actionable data on music habits which can then be used to generate other kinds of sellable data.  The fluid and copiously flowing stream of plays and discourse enables digital music services new means of extracting profit and value from the musical consumption process, especially in an era when much of this consumption occurs through free or ad-supported accounts. While selling music has always involved measuring and understanding audiences, these services embed features that measure users’ affective investments in music, and then deploy the resulting data in service of future recommendation and curation. Thus, not only does this information recursively filter back into an individual user’s experience (so, for better or worse, a service becomes more individualized), but it is also used to inform artist royalty rates (which are based on individual play counts) and promotion (as in the case of Spotify’s featured artists program)” (Morris & Powers, 2015).

References:

Andrejevic, M. 2007. Ispy: Surveillance and Power in the Interactive Era. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas.

Bond, S. (2017). ‘Streaming revenue to surpass physical music sales this year’, Financial Times, June 17. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/94c5cdb0-4a26-11e7-a3f4-c742b9791d43(Accessed: 1 May 2018).

Dean, J. 2010. Blog Theory: Feedback and Capture in the Circuits of Drive. Cambridge: Polity.

Goldstein, P. (1994). Copyright’s Highway: The Law and Lore of Copyright from Gutenberg to the Celestial Jukebox. New York: Hill and Wang.

Henderson, B. (2017) ‘The differences between brand experience, experiental and events’, Chief Marketer, May 22. Available at: http://www.chiefmarketer.com/the-differences-between-brand-experience-experiential-and-events/(Accessed: 5 May 2018).

Kusek, D., Leonhard, G. & Getudis Lindsay, S. (2005) The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution. 18th ed. Boston: Berklee Press.

Morris, J. W. & Powers, D. (2015). Control, curation and musical experience in streaming music services. Creative Industries Journal, 8(2), 106-122.

Seabrook, J. (2014) ‘Revenue Streams. Is Spotify the music industry’s friend or its foe?’, New Yorker, November 24. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/24/revenue-streams (Accessed: 1 May 2018).

[leam1983]

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Review

Note as of June 1st, 2020 - This review predates Monolith’s removal of the game’s microtransactions and the restructuring of the Endgame content. Enemy level scaling has been marginally affected, but not enough to affect this review.

Back in 2014, I wrote of Middle-Earth : Shadow of Mordor that it perpetuates and perpetrates acts of loving perversion, that it twists Tolkien’s lore around its little finger for the sake of shoring up its tale of revenge. I didn’t exactly put that off as being bad or somehow reprehensible, and even actively enjoyed it. Notes have been left by Tolkien himself, in which he more than clearly stipulates that he’s fine with others traveling along Middle-Earth’s side-paths in his stead, but that a certain consistency must be maintained. His main cast has very specific roles and shares specific relationships – they enter and leave the scene in a specific order that must be maintained. Mordor had us traipse around with Gollum and Lady Marwen for a spell, and attached one of the Silmarilion’s key characters to our protagonist. Talion was our Discount Aragorn of the day, and he had the esteemed honor – or misfortune – of being paired with the wraith of Celebrimbor, the former Lord of Eregion and the doomed craftsman behind the Nine Rings.

Purists howled, gamers cheered. Udün and Nürn were on the smallish side, if open-world sandboxes are concerned, and largely contained the usual open-world trappings, such as towers to climb and various knickknacks to collect. At the end of the day, however, what allowed the game to please so many had to be its Nemesis System, a clever piece of tech that tracks players and generates bespoke Uruk-Hai; vat-born palookas that breathe, drink and sweat sheer violence and hatred and that incidentally come with a surprisingly developed palette of personalities. Whichever greenskin killed you the most became your Nemesis, a mixture of coding and player behavior resulting in violent, if intimate relationships between yourself and an ascended Peter Jackson extra packing disparate armor pads and a smattering of scars.

Shadow of War, for better or worse, is exactly the same – if better in every way. Loving perversion returns, exemplified here by one of Ungoliant’s daughters looking particularly… un-spider-like, and by the ways in which Celebrimbor and Talion’s conjoined tales now both stretch one another, grow thin around the edges, and finally break away, to clear the path for the Fellowship we’re all familiar with. A few places are referred to here that shouldn’t have existed so early in Sauron’s rebirth, but unless you’re the type who launches into angry screeds whenever someone expresses their ignorance of who Morgoth is, you’re likely to be able to forgive much of it. As with Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War exists as a modern, gritty and unapologetic side-tale in Middle-Earth’s history books, the kind of project you’re almost surprised to see Middle-Earth Entreprises cautioning – but still one that treads its little corner of the lore confidently.

As before, it’s essentially AAA fanfiction. Excellently-written fanfiction, of course, with a star-studded cast and unlikely friends and allies; but still a piece of fiction that purists can afford to safely ignore. That is, if they’re part of the Fun Police – as Shadow of War remains entertaining throughout its thirty-hour run. This is largely thanks to its cast of procedurally-generated Orcs, who all somehow manage to remain memorable. The pendulum swings wildly between sympathy, disgust and raucous amusement – even if they all remain fittingly murderous – which takes the legendarium’s treatment of Melkor, Morgoth and Sauron’s respective lackeys and tears it apart. If you’re a little like me, you’ll finish your run through Talion’s story thinking that with enough pipeweed and Lembas bread, you might be able to pluck a little Orcling out of the breeding pits and turn it into an overgrown Hobbit with a serious dental problem.

Of course, I’ll also briefly touch on the one and single Orc in the entire game you’ll desperately want to kill, but can’t. That would be the cash shop’s vendor, with his pre-release visage packing unfortunate cultural and stereotypical connotations. Good on Monolith for fixing that in time; I doubt many of us were interested in funnelling micropayments towards the kind of face 4Chan’s trolls bracket in three pairs of parentheses. The pre-release stream’s showcase definitely did pack a few related Oy vey moments…

So. Spoilers abound beyond this point. Abandon all hope and whatnot, alright? Cool.

We ended Shadow of Mordor with Talion and Celebrimbor, from here on referred to as Brim for the sake of ruffling that undead sourpuss’ Elven hair, taking to Mount Doom to forge a new Ring of Power. Being distinct from those offered to Middle-Earth’s rulers and of a different provenance than the One Ring, it was designed by Celebrimbor in order to allow him to wrest control of Mordor’s Uruk forces away from Sauron. Unforeseen events unfold which separate Talion from Brim, which sets the pace for the game’s tutorial and its first act. We’re exposed to the same Assassin’s Arkham Creed-esque mechanics the first one presented, with a few small aesthetic and functional improvements. Desperation then forces the reunited duo to follow Shelob’s advice and take to Minas Ithil, a scant few days before its fall at the hands of the Nazgül – and its rebirth as Minas Morghul.

It’s there that War blatantly references its elders in the genre, as Ithil is one of the few fully-realized settlements you’ll find in Mordor. It’s obviously packed and serves as the smaller of the game’s five regions, while still adequately evocating the scale of its more familiar brethren, such as the Gondorian city of Minas Tirith. You reach it just as it’s pushing through the Orcs’ first open siege in months, the stately beauty of its colonnades looking adequately pitted with age and duress. Ithil, after all, remains a city of Mordor and not Gondor, and as such looks to have thrived in an atmosphere of near-constant tension. You just so happen to reach it as the proverbial levee breaks, which conveniently provides you with both a familiar set of rooftops to serve as a series of transitional environments for anyone coming in from Assassin’s Creed titles or the Arkham games and more general stuff to do. Pick some basic Ubisoft open-world mechanics and you’ll find something similar here.

The same can be said of the combat mechanics, while it’d be more fair of War to say it’s cribbing from his bigger brother than from what other studios have put together. Talion is a bit sprier than before, Brim is a lot more agile once a few story-focused unlocks kick in, and most of Mordor’s mid-to-late-tier upgrades here serve as entry-level abilities. Unlike the first game, you don’t spend the first hour or so getting your ass handed to you by Püshkrimp the Armchair Philosopher – you’re potent from the word go. The same can be said of your enemies, as most Captains are now sufficiently detailed so as to consistently pose some challenge. Doormats with a title are less common, and so are unbreakable towers lording over you from a dozen or so levels. Hence the use of the word some, as you’re never in a position of overpowering strength, either from your point of view or the enemy’s. That’s a good thing, as the Nemesis system is a lot more detailed and records several additional variables. Cut an arm off of a persistent Captain, and he might come back with a new title, one or two extra levels – and a gnarly-looking DIY-plus-Black Speech prosthetic limb. Particularly eloquent types can be relegated to the rank of drooling wretches if Brim Shames them to the point where they Break. The use of capitals here is intentional, as the game clearly differentiates between Dominating an Orc and Breaking it. Dominated Orcs join your ranks, while Broken Orcs take a massive dip in levels and power. You’ll sometimes encounter Captains that stand several levels above Talion, too high for them to be recruited. Shaming them puts them within your reach, provided you find them again.

That said, as the Nemesis system characterizes everything about the Uruk-Hai, you might start out with a sympathetic and rambunctious sort who treats your repeated clashes like joyful reunions – even while he’s trying to skewer you. Break him, and chances are he’ll be reduced to monosyllabics. He’ll still be potent enough to serve as a Captain by the game’s standards, but he’ll be pretty much due for the paddywagon… The main campaign includes one fairly striking example of the scripted Breaking of a former follower – and is where the sandbox’s goofy greenskins tend to step aside for the franchise’s gritty wartime themes to reassert themselves. This is perhaps one of the few thematic issues with the title, as while Troy Baker and Alastair Duncan are both as gravelly-faced and somber as Gandalf and Elrond at the worst of times, levity rests almost entirely on the shoulders of the procedurally-generated Orcs. Mordor looks verdant at times, chilly at others – but it is most assuredly a grim and dire place to be, unless you’re above seven feet tall and happen to be one of the Dark Lord’s vat-born servants. Then, judging by those green palookas I’ve run into, you’re in for copious amounts of wanton violence, thousands of variants on head trauma and dismemberment, and lots and lots of grog. That seems to be the Orcish concept of fun, at least… That can make for jarring tonal shifts in the same scene, but at least it occurs more consistently than the first game’s half-hearted inclusion of Ratbag the Coward.

So the core mechanics are the same, but what’s changed? The premise having moved to a war in need of orchestration, your Dominating Orcs isn’t just a means of affording yourself some handy meat shields anymore. The betrayals and covert operations you staged across war camps now cover entire regions, the core Nemesis operations allowing for the development of a strong covert force as well as of a direct assault battalion. You’ll need it, as War now packs one fort for each of its five regions, from Nürnen’s verdant coastlines to Gorgoroth’s perpetual lava floes. That’s five sets of regional Captains to either slice and dice apart, Dominate, replace, or appoint to favorable positions. The cash shop includes Training Orders, which enable you to relocate Captains from one region to another – or from your Barracks to the open world. As you could expect, sworn fealty isn’t a guarantee of unwavering service. Orcs with a particularly strong will are likely to turn coat at inopportune moments. This seems like a harmless mechanic, until you consider that the hotshot Uruk War Boss you paid five bucks for could very well leave your service.

Each fort packs three capture points you’ll more or less take à la Overwatch, by piling your followers into the indicated circles. Each point can serve as the theatre for several high-level bouts, as this is obviously where the enemy sends its best attackers. It’s largely where you can expect last-minute saves from your Dominated retinue, and where the oft-mentioned battlefield relationships can develop. It’s all very Platonic, of course, but an Orc you’ve appointed and who takes well to his post might very well decide to take out the guy who’s about to choke the life out of you with a well-placed crossbow bolt. A few canned animations sell that basic sense of respect, Talion waving his thanks to his savior of the moment before going back to carving his way to the Warlord’s chambers.

 Of course, War does pack its Ratbag analog, the star of 2017’s E3 presentation. Brüz the Chopper serves as an amusing bundle of Australian lingo wrapped in an eternal optimist’s attitude – right up until he doesn’t. The game tries to dovetail its way to the point where Brüz leaves the luxury of scripted scenes and rejoins the rest of the Nemesis Captains, giving him an appropriate sendoff that many might not appreciate as being in keeping with the series’ themes. Of course, if you’d rather keep the Chopper in his Chatty Cathy phase, you can always take to Online Vendettas in Nürnen and snatch someone else’s Brüz for your own use. In theory, you could repopulate your army with the same plot-mandated Uruk in a dozen copies if you compulsively play Online Vendettas. They’re also the only way to earn Loot Boxes beyond paying for them with the in-game currency, Mirian, or ponying up hard cash for Gold, the premium currency.

So let’s say you’ve staffed your front lines, you’ve got men poised to backstab Osgiliath’s Overlord at your command and you’ve upgraded your support positions with Sauron’s elite – which you’ve unceremoniously stolen from him. What now? You can travel to another region to carry out the same process, you can put your staff through the meat grinder of Nemesis Missions or Fight Pit events to have them gain power levels, or you can wait for one of the unaffiliated Captains to find you, or for one of your own to turn coat. Outside of story missions and collectibles, your conquered regions are more or less likely to sit nice and pretty until you reach the final chapter of the game – and its most controversial one – Shadow Wars.

See, the game rather ingloriously ends with your being forced to bide time for Middle-Earth, between the events of Two Towers and Return of the King. The same point-based mechanics play out in reverse, expecting you to work from the stronghold and outwards – but not after having seriously committed to a long grind. Sauron’s efforts to reclaim your territories are going to be two or three times stronger than yours at the onset, so you’re expected to buff up your forces before triggering each attack. At this point, you can either pay up for a quick-and-dirty boost, or work your way up a rather steep slope. All of it for what, exactly?

Well – let’s just say Shadow Wars isn’t integral to the story in any shape or form. All it does is pad out the game’s length and transition the story from its shocker of a “proper” ending to one that neatly resolves all remaining conflicts in a nice bit of CGI. As with the previous game, all of the events that unfolded are shown as having had no real impact on the official lore and timeline. It more or less left me smirking and shaking my head, wondering why I even bothered with all of this if, as before, Talion’s contribution to the core events end up being conveniently scrubbed aside.

Thanks, Gamer-Person, you really did us a solid, right there! See, Frodo and Sam had a lot of cramps along the road and spent way too much time in that Bombadil fellow’s forest, so you stalled Sauron’s boys for a couple weeks! Cheers, off to the Halls of Mandos with you; we’ll mail you a cast photo of the Fellowship as thanks! No, Gandalf doesn’t take phone calls, so KTHNKXBAI!

Said story doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but it does flesh out both Talion and Brim a fair bit more. You bearing witness to Minas Ithil’s destruction scatters a few Gondorians of note across Mordor, and you’re made to assist them while simultaneously working with another newcomer to the lore; Eltariel, the Blade of Galadriel. In another canon-shattering move, she packs the Light of Eärendil in weaponized form. Talion consistently attempts to wrest the events back to the ensured survival of the exiled Gondorians, only for Brim and Eltariel to constantly hammer in the need to stop Sauron. It’s there that a rather Nietzschean observation concerning Celebrimbor rears its head, as our Brim doesn’t quite pack the objectivity and self-restraint of his Silmarilion counterpart. If anything, compassionate politics seems to be Talion’s consistently-ignored proposition, while Brim steadily makes his moniker of Bright Lord look like a bad joke.

Brüz has the right of it, honestly, as per his comment in the E3 gameplay snippet. “Bright Lord, Dark Lord?” he rhetorically asks, a snarky smirk on his massive face, “Same thing, really.” Talion doesn’t miss a beat for most of the game, which makes your bipartite entity come across as something close to a squabbling couple with different viewpoints. Then, and if only to motivate another loving skewer of the legendarium and the transition to Shadow Wars proper, he skips on the last gigantic red flag pointing to his ethereal friend’s seriously problematic approach to justice. It undermines what is meant to be some sort of massive twist – and potentially a setup for any potentially Eltariel-themed DLC to follow – and makes it come across as more of an inevitability. Safe to say, Monolith would have to bend over backwards in order to produce a third game in the same continuity, based on the position in which they’ve left things.

Not that the story isn’t fun as it’s presented, though. It’s a bit rote and it does leave me feeling as though Talion was shortchanged in a fairly ridiculous way: I do have the nagging idea that Monolith figured they’d just finish checking off boxes from their Big List of LOTR Figures to Introduce, and that they plugged in Gollum as a sort of admission of the character’s position as a series staple. It feels as though some exec somewhere said “It’s a LOTR game, right? Plug Gollum in there even if it’s not entirely conducive to the plot, or else!”

If the previous game struck me as being a fairly Postmodern approach to Tolkien’s source material, this one is also starkly progressive, in contrast. The proper lore does include its fair share of femmes de tête such as Eöwyn, but it always did treat them as outsiders to the norm; it serving as a sort of reflection of Tolkien’s own musty sensibilities. I’ve even heard some armchair scholars refer to the man as a Luddite, which isn’t too surprising.

Still, Shadow of War is entirely a creature born of the same climate that allowed for the Peter Jackson films, the creation of Middle-Earth Entreprises and the adaptation rights to the LOTR name being sold off to Amazon Video. It stems from the same zeitgeist as Christopher Tolkien’s stepping-down from ME’s ruling council and the general sense that the publishing of Beren and Luthien marks the end of an era. In a sense, it’s from the same spirit that’s now seeing the production of Game of Thrones spin-offs. Insofar, the new climate we’ve only just entered is one in which celebrated Fantasy universes are ripe for the picking, setting the stage for something we might one day come to call the LOTR Expanded Universe.

If you’re a purist, as before, you’ll probably quiver in your boots at the thought of humanized and fleshed-out Easterlings and Haradrim (yeah, about that one, dear White Eurocentrist Tolkien Fans…) or, Eru forbid it, even more nuanced portrayals of Middle-Earth’s canonically “dark” races and species! If you’re the type to cling to the books the way Star Trek diehards cling to their Klingon dictionaries, fly! Fly, you fools!

Honestly, I think that’s a good thing.

Yes. Yes, dear purists, I’ve said it. I’ve said the thing that motivates no end of detailed screeds on YouTube and across literary circles. You’re probably frothing at the mouth, right now, waiting to tell me that Orcs are vat-born, that the Haradrim and Easterlings all serve Sauron, that Middle-Earth is a land of refreshing absolutes where Good is saccharine and Evil eats babies for lunch – but even the source material packs a few Uruk who resort to mercy as a tactically-sound approach of dealing with captured Hobbits, or greenskins who don’t object to talking in their master’s back at the favor of being eavesdropped on by Sam Gamgee. These same Orcs reminisce on the good old days that didn’t involve their being on the warpath, suggesting that they actually do have some concept of peacetime!

Be the Fun Police if you have to – I’ll be over there cackling madly at the sight of sappy fanfics involving Azog and an unusually determined Numenorean maiden. If Shadow of War is what happens when game devs don’t just stick to established tenets but are allowed to run with a franchise’s overall vibes, I could take dozens more titles like this. The only real problems the game rises are thematic or character-based, the rest is as fluid and visceral as its predecessor.

That said, I do wish Püshkrimp the Armchair Philosopher were a Nemesis variant. You’d walk into the gutted and torn remains of an old Elven fortress in Seregost, sword drawn and muscles taut, only to be met with a cozy fire, a profusion of bear pelts, Gondorian mead and a comfy chair – and a seersucker-clad Uruk with elbow pads and pince-nez glasses, wanting to challenge your ability to address the Nature versus Nurture question, as presented by his own people... Fail to follow the right dialog options, and he would put you down to a sliver of health by the sheer sting of his contemptuous rebuttal. Manage to beat him, and the game would strip him of his title, rebranding him as Püshkrimp the Sophist…

Or – ooh! The Obsessed types from the first game could actually trigger a mini-dating sim, in which a seven feet-tall humanoid with olive-green skin and scruffy facial hair tries his hardest to initiate a consensual gay relationship between himself and an undead Ranger of Gondor!

[dalishious]

EDIT Jan 4, 2018: I have made a number of revisions! Mostly I just wanted to clean up the actual images, but a few designs were changed, and a few added. (Because I wanted to have at least two versions for each.)

Vallaslin designs for my created Clan Aradin, appearing in my fic.

I very much wanted to return to the thicker lines from DA:O and DA:2 (not that DA:I’s thinner, more delicate designs aren’t pretty), and wanted to stay in continuity with what we’ve seen so far, but also trying out a dose of originality.

Details on my thought processes below the cut. 

MYTHAL I was very tempted to go all dragon-y, but decided to actually stay within canon pattern here. As Velanna says, Dalish keepers cut their staves from a dahl’amythal; “tree of Mythal,” making trees an important but not often referred to symbol of Mythal. (And it explains the vallaslin designs for her we’ve seen.) 

ELGAR’NAN There are four variants for Elgar’nan, as he is their most cherished god, and directly linked to their clan’s lore/history. I’ve always felt there was a real missed opportunity in terms of vallaslin design when it comes to Elgar’nan’s biggest symbol; the sun. Excuse my native ass for jumping on that. I figured maybe it was because they also used it as a symbol for the Chantry, but you know what? The elves came first and so I don’t give a shit. And so, I wanted to play with some sunny designs while also keeping away from looking too Chantry-like. And I threw in some thorns, like the canon designs. In the forth variation they are spreading from the corners of the eyes in reference to the clan’s story of the river, Elgar’nan’s Tears. (Side note: Ethena in the fic has the first design.)

JUNE June is a troubling one. The bent branches we’ve seen so far make sense; he is the craftsmen of the gods, the one who taught them how to bend wood for their bows. I very much stayed in continuity with the designs we’ve seen so far for June. I straight-up took the design of an unused heraldry for him. Then for the second variation, just added to it.

SYLAISE The vallaslin we’ve seen for Sylaise up to now has been all about the hearth... but there’s another really important piece to Sylaise; herbalism. An unused heraldry for Sylaise featured a berry branch. I liked it and thought I’d roll with that. The second variant does include flames as well, though.

ANDRUIL Very simplistic and much like what we’ve seen for Andruil’s vallaslin, except I wanted the arrow pointing down, towards the earth. The lines in the first one are that of a bow string, and curves in the second one are that of a fancy composite bow.

DIRTHAMEN I liked DA:I’s direction with the raven design... except Dirthamen is represented by two ravens; Fear and Deceit. In the second variation I added a similar book design from DA:O. I also wanted a bit of matching to Falon’Din’s. 

FALON’DIN As I said, I wanted a bit of... flow? between Dirthamen and Falon’din’s designs. And the owl is a symbol of Falon’din, which I’ve felt is a real missed opportunity as far as canon vallaslin designs go? He’s the fucking death god and so of course he has an owl, (EDIT: A number of First Nation cultures see the owl as a symbol of death FYI) and instead they go with roots. (Which I get, as the Dalish bury their dead beneath a tree.) But like, I just thought it’d be cool to have the twin souls or whatever both have bird-y vallaslin designs.  The second variant has those old roots, though. The dark patches under the eyes, and the way the roots line them as well, is symbolic of uthenera (literally ”long sleep” and all).

GHILAN’NAIN In my first go at this I couldn’t think of anything for Ghilan’nain besides the obvious; the halla. It somehow completely slipped my mind that she is also the goddess of navigation! And so the second variation has a directional arrow. There are also seven dots for the seven directions.

[aurelliocheek]

Book of Heroes: Looking into The Dark Eye

How Wild River Games and Ulisses bring the TDE brand back to PC and consoles.

We also had the chance to talk with Michael Hengst, Producer of Book of ­Heroes at German publisher Wild River Games, and Nikolai Hoch, responsible for The Dark Eye at Ulisses Spiele, the owner of the 36 years old franchise.

Making Games: First of all, let’s talk about The Dark Eye in general. The franchise is more than 30 years old. Where do you see the significance of the brand in international comparison? Nikolai Hoch: The Dark Eye tabletop roleplaying game was first published in 1984. Since then, there have been five editions, more than a dozen PC games, and translations into eleven languages, making it one of the biggest and best-known fantasy universes in Europe. Its setting, the diverse and colourful continent of Aventuria, delivers medieval and renaissance realism mixed with high fantasy and exceptionally detailed mythology. The Dark Eye is not just another high fantasy setting, it has an enormous depth that has grown for almost 40 years. Aventuria is a living world! The world of The Dark Eye is ever-changing. Events are presented for fans in adventures, PC Games, and a bi-monthly newspaper: the Aventurian Herald. No other fantasy world in existence has been chronicled and updated so often and ­thoroughly, always opening up new opportunities for adventure and drama. Fans love the dynamic, changing world, and since 1984 The Dark Eye has seen several kings and emperors rise to power, a dark demi-god has risen and torn the continent apart, and celestial struggles shattered the very stars! Aventuria is a continent full of magical and supernatural creatures, but with deep and strong roots in the history of our own world. The Dark Eye’s authors studied medieval times, culture, weaponry and life to imbue the world with gritty realism. From tactics on the battlefields to courtly intrigue, The Dark Eye taps into a wealth of real-world history and delivers even new fans the feeling that they are coming home as everything simply feels right.

A comic was done, especially for the computer game. The story comes from the Game Designer Arto Koistinnen, and it was handdrawn by famous TDE-artist Elif Siebenpfeiifer!

Which were your last releases? Nikolai Hoch: For the international edition of The Dark Eye we recently released the first rules supplement for heroes with magical abilities: Magic of Aventuria. It was accompanied by The conspiracy of mages, a play your own adventure-style module, and Legacy of the Theater Knights, a campaign supplement for the epic 6-part ­Theater Knights campaign that is set in the northeast of the continent. Parts 1-3 of this campaign have been published earlier, the remaining parts are in different stages of the translation and editing process. For the German version the releases in 2020 so far included supplemental sourcebooks like the Herbarium, covering the aventurian flora in great detail, or the Pandämonium, a sourcebook on demons from all domains of the netherhells. In April we‘ve also released the last volume of a 6-part novel series called Das Blut der Castesier (Blood of the Castesians). As you can see, the world of The Dark Eye is ever-growing, and there is a lot to discover.

Why did you decide to bring a new computer game five years after Blackguards 2? Michael Hengst: The idea came up prior to the gamescom 2018. One of the shareholders of Wild River Games’ mother company Telepool introduced us to Ulisses, and at the end, it was a house call. Since Wild ­River is already concentrating on games based on well-known IPs, the concept was a natural choice. And of course, we are very excited about working with such a famous IP.

Can Book of Heroes be seen as a continuation of Blackguards (2)?  Michael Hengst: No, Book of Heroes is a completely new game and it is not a continuation. We always wanted to some unique and new.

Why did you choose Random Potion as a developer and Wild River Games as a publishing partner? Nikolai Hoch: That was a complete coincidence. Random Potion was already developing an RPG that we liked a lot, and they were talking to us a while back. So, at the end, we just talked about the possibility of changing the setting and making some adjustments to their existing prototype. They were very open to the idea.

How strongly are you involved in the ­development? Nikolai Hoch: Aventuria is a world with tons of lore. It has a rich history dating back thousands of years, numerous iconic characters long dead or still breathing with life and the world is ever-evolving through new products, mostly in print or pdf format, released on a regular basis. Aventuria is a living world, and we always go to great lengths and into very much detail to make every piece of the puzzle fit into what is already there – and Book of Heroes is no exception in this regard. The developers at Random Potion consulted with us on every aspect of Aventuria, being it rules of the pen and paper RPG, which iconic events in history to refer to, or which regions would fit which kind of story and so forth. The rich world of Aventuria that has already been published in various formats ranging from books to card-, board- and computer games also means a lot of visuals are set. Members of a specific church wearing certain colours and symbols. Many important characters got portrayed at least once. Coat of arms in realms and cities of Aventuria already exist. Whenever a question regarding that popped up within the studio, they consulted with us so the visuals within the game won’t differ from the actual setting.

Can I play the game even if I am not familiar with TDE? Nikolai Hoch: Absolutely! It’s even a great start to get familiar with the overall setting. So even if you’re a TDE newbie: don’t worry. You’ll need no knowledge in advance to get into the game mechanics or the game world. In case you want to learn more about the world of TDE we also got you covered. Within the tavern „The Black Boar Inn“ you’ll find a bookshelf containing a lot of information on several topics.

Which aspects of Aventuria are particularly important to you? Nikolai Hoch: Everyone working at Ulisses Spiele for The Dark Eye is not only a developer working on Aventuria, but also a player, usually for many years but also up to several decades. The deeply fleshed out lore and the ongoing history is what keeps all of us captivated and what drives us to dive into new adventures after work or on the weekend. For most of us it is the consistency of Aventuria, the ever-developing plot or rather multiple plotlines at the same time, spanning the whole continent, like the politics between different realms and the fictional characters that we became attached to. For some it is also the look & feel that is incredibly important, since through artwork you can get pulled directly into the world of Aventuria. It sparks your imagination and sets the tone for gaming sessions.

Were there aspects that the developer could not implement? Michael Hengst: Oh, yes. That is one of the fantastic things about Aventuria, but also a challenge for a developer! The world is huge, complex and rich of lore and content that makes it impossible to implement everything we wanted. There is always something you would love to implement but can’t due to budget or time restrictions. Simple example: The setting of the game is the Middenrealm. But of course, that is only a small portion of the world. We’d love to show more different and diverse settings or use more professions, but Random Potion is a small team and we had a very tight schedule. We have plans for additional content like adventures and dungeons in the city-state of Tulamydes and using Witches as a playable profession. The plans are there, but that highly depends on how well the game is doing at the end. Book of Heroes is already planned as an open system that can be easily expanded.

To bring a table top game, as rich in lore, history and details as The Dark Eye to the computer screen is always a challenge, sometimes similar as a fight with an Orc.

How difficult is the financing? Michael Hengst: Well, financing a game is always a challenge, especially if you are a smaller publisher. In this particular case, we were lucky, since part of the original game that Random Potion developed was already paid for, and it was partially funded by Finland. At the end, the production budget was very manageable.

RPGs have been very popular for many years. Do you see this as a chance because there are so many RPG fans or is it more of a risk because there is such a strong competition in this genre? Michael Hengst: With every game development, you have a certain risk. With the well-known universe of The Dark Eye we already lower this risk. It is always better to do something that players already know and love.

Nikolai Hoch: Moreover, we see Book of Heroes as a chance to make the world of Aventuria known to a broader audience. And if the game inspires the players and makes them want to learn more about this fascinating fantasy world from Germany that has been developing over the past 35 years, all the better. There is a lot of already out there, and there is more to come!

Book of Heroes will be released on June 9 for PC. Do you have plans for console versions and/or a release on Google Stadia? Michael Hengst: Simple answer: Yes! We are currently talking about porting the game to various consoles and also to ­Stadia. However, we are in the early stages of planning, and there are some challenges to overcome. From the technological standpoint it might be somewhat easy, since we use Unity as an engine. However, we need considerable changes to the user interface and the network portion of the game, for example. In a nutshell: We’d love to, and we are checking the possibilities at the moment!

Are you planning further digital games in the TDE universe in the near future? Nikolai Hoch: Absolutely! We certainly have a ton of cool ideas on how TDE could be turned into numerous great digital games that will enable the fans to ­visit Aventuria and experience the fantastic but still ­realistic world of The Dark Eye. It is very important for us though, that every game breathes the spirit of The Dark Eye and is not just another fantasy game with a ­different skin. This is something that we owe our fans that have made TDE the most successful German fantasy setting for ­almost 40 years now! Therefore, we take our time and choose our partners very carefully.

Nikolai Hoch Lead Line Developer of The Dark Eye at Ulisses Spiele

Born in 1977 Nikolai discovered tabletop roleplaying games in the late 80s. More than 20 years later he took the step from being a fan and customer to become an author for his favorite fantasy roleplaying game: The Dark Eye. In 2015 Nikolai joined Ulisses Spiele for a full-time position as head of the development team.

  Michael Hengst Producer at Wild River Games

Michael is the Producer at the publisher Wild River Games for Book of Heroes. He has worked in the games industry since 1988. Michael used to work for the famous Power Play and Video Games, did a ton of strategy guides, founded (unsuccessfully) the first German developer magazine and is now a well-known Producer and Project Manager and teaches some game-related courses at the SRH in Heidelberg.

The post Book of Heroes: Looking into The Dark Eye appeared first on Making Games.

Book of Heroes: Looking into The Dark Eye published first on https://leolarsonblog.tumblr.com/

[mredwinsmith]

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Turns 20 on March 10th, 2017

The genre-busting cult classic from Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer turns 20 years old on March 10, 2017! To celebrate Buffy Summers, the Scoobies and all the monsters that go bump in the night, 20th Century Fox Consumer Products announces exciting product launches – from board games to new books to fashion accessories to apparel — and multiple fan-focused activities including a “Sunnydale High Yearbook Contest” offering a trip to 2017 San Diego Comic Con.

Plus, on the anniversary, fans can tune-in to relive the two-part premiere episode on Pop (to find your channel go to Poptv.com) on March 10th at 9 AM ET/PT.

New Buffy Merchandise Fox Consumer Products announces a wide-range of key licensing partners including Dark Horse, Simon & Schuster, Insight Editions, Hot Topic, Harper Design, AC/DC Apparel, Jasco, Upper Deck, Ripple Junction, and more to showcase everything from unique Buffy apparel and accessories to board games to brand new books and comics (Selection of downloadable product images here and highlights below).

In addition, BoxLunch, a pop culture gift and novelty gift store with a cause, has partnered with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products to mark next week’s 20th Anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with an exclusive promotion across all their U.S. retail locations and online website. While simultaneously helping to provide meals to those in need, BoxLunch celebrates the beloved series with an assortment of products that include never-before-seen themed apparel, accessories, jewelry, and books. The merchandise will hit shelves and BoxLunch.com on March 10, 2017 and to fulfill their charitable mission, for every $10 spent in-store or online, BoxLunch helps to provide a meal to a person in need via their philanthropic partner Feeding America.

Online Initiatives to Celebrate Anniversary On March 10th the Sunnydale High Yearbook Contest launches across the United States. With a prize of a trip to San Diego Comic Con fans will be rewarded for uploading their high school class photos — and providing their best Buffy caption in the form of a “senior quote”. Participants will be able to share their submissions across their Facebook and Twitter feeds. Contest details and rules will be found on BoxLunch.com

Additionally, the best-selling recent release, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book, is the inspiration for “drawing in” fans eager to wish ‘Team Buffy’ a Happy Anniversary. On Friday, a selection of complimentary designs from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book will be unveiled on the BoxLunch & official Buffy Facebook pages, allowing Buffy enthusiasts to color and submit personal anniversary messages. Using the hashtag #BuffySlays20 fans are encouraged to share their designs and messages across social media, sending it to those responsible for the beloved series:

· Sarah Michelle Gellar @SarahMGellar · Joss Whedon @joss · Alyson Hannigan @alydenisof · Anthony Stewart @AnthonySHead · David Boreanaz @David_Boreanaz · James Marsters @JamesMarstersOf · Charisma Carpenter @AllCharisma · Amber Benson @amber_benson · Emma Caulfield @emmacaulfield · Eliza Dushku @elizadushku · Danny Strong @DannyStrong · Michelle Trachtenberg @RealMichelleT · Seth Green @SethGreen · Nicholas Brendon @NicholasBrendon · Kristine Sutherland @thekutherland · Tom Lenk @tomlenk · Armin Shimerman @ShimermanArmin · Juliet Landau @julietlandau · DB Woodside @TheReal_Db

“Decades after its television debut, Buffy the Vampire Slayer continues to stake its ground in pop culture,” said Jim Fielding, President of Consumer Products and Innovation at 20th Century Fox Consumer Products. “As one of the studio’s most memorable programs, we are thrilled to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary alongside the devoted Buffy fan community.”

Releasing throughout the anniversary year, Fox Consumer Products reveals a wide-range of licensing partners. Highlights below:  · From Jasco, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Board Game where players must help Buffy The Vampire Slayer protect Sunnydale from the forces of evil in this fully cooperative board game. (Available Now)

· Hot Topic, the retail destination for music and pop culture-inspired clothes and accessories, plus fashion apparel for girls and guys, is celebrating 20 years of slaying with AC/DC Apparel. Together they are unveiling a unique fashion collection available exclusively on Hottopic.com this summer. The collection will celebrate the style of beloved Buffy characters, including Willow’s iconic 90s sweater, and a long trench coat inspired by Buffy Summers herself, as well as tops featuring iconic lines from the series.

· The team of imaginative pop culture fanatics at Ripple Junction have locked themselves in the library and studied up on the last 20 years of fandom celebrating Buffy. Ripple Junction has developed a full line of tees for young men and women available at major retail outlets, as well as ripplejunction.com and Amazon.com (Available Now).

· Longtime publishing partners, Dark Horse and Simon & Schuster plan new books and comics that will release during the anniversary year, with highlights that include: o Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book (Dark Horse/Available Now) – your favorite characters and moments from the Buffy television series are all represented in this engrossing adult coloring book. o Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 11 & Angel Season 11 Comic Series (Dark Horse /Available Now) o Buffy: The High School Years – Parental Parasites (Dark Horse/June 2017) o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Omnibus Season 8 Vol 1 (Dark Horse/September 2017) o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Big Bads & Monsters Adult Coloring Book (Available for Pre-Order/Releasing Fall 2017) o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Watcher’s Guide 20th Anniversary Edition (S&S/October 2017) Just in time for the show’s twentieth anniversary, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher’s Guides have been compiled into one hardcover collector’s edition for the first time! Inside, you’ll find all the best content from Volumes 1–3 of the original Watcher’s Guides, as well as exclusive new content, including never-before-seen interviews with the cast and crew.

· Insight Editions and Harper Design will release several books and novelty items in celebration of the anniversary, including: o Buffy the Vampire Slayer Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to the Buffyverse (Harper Design/September 2017) is a lavishly produced and written book by Buffy experts and is the authoritative source for fans, allowing them to indulge in the intricacies and nuances of the series as never before. This authorized companion is a must-have for all Buffy enthusiasts as this full-color A-to-Z encyclopedia catalogs, explains, and cross-reference every detail of the Buffyverse, from characters, locations, and weapons to episodes, demons, and recurring gags. o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Official Grimoire (Insight Editions/October 2017) is the first and only truly comprehensive collection of every magical moment from all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, humorously narrated by beloved resident witch Willow Rosenberg. Completely illustrated and annotated by the rest of the gang, this book of spells is a unique keepsake for fans of the Buffy-verse and an incredible celebration of the show’s 20-year legacy. o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Definitive Visual Handbook (Insight Editions/October 2017) is a one-of-a-kind infographic guide to all things Buffy, blending striking illustrations with a bounty of facts and stats that shed light on just about every aspect of the show. Full of fun insights and surprising details about the lore, characters, quips, and most legendary episodes, battles, and villains, this refreshing take on the Buffy-verse will delight fans old and new. o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Vampyr Stationery Set (Insight Editions/August 2017) includes a 192-page blank pocket journal, 20 blank notecards featuring iconic Buffy quotes, envelopes, and 20 Hellmouth sticker seals. Enclosed in a keepsake box designed to look like it came from Giles’ library, this special stationery set allows fans to share the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with their fellow Scoobies. o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Vampyr Hardcover Ruled Journal (Insight Editions/August 2017) includes a section of text adapted from the original Slayer Handbook before giving way to blank ruled pages. Atmospheric, engrossing, and designed with a dynamic in-universe aesthetic, this blank ruled journal invites readers to add their own story to the legacy of the Slayer. o Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sunnydale High Hardcover Ruled Journal (Insight Editions/August 2017) is a finely crafted writing journal that includes a ribbon bookmark, elastic closure, inside back pocket for storage, and beautiful leatherette cover featuring the iconic emblem of Sunnydale High.

· From Upper Deck, Legendary: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Deck Building Game for 1-5 players. Slayers must work together to recruit powerful heroes, build their decks and take down the Big Bad once and for all. (Available August 2017)

· At the core of SG@NYC there’s isn’t a Hellmouth. There is a dedicated team of people who truly believe fashion is about design; but not just design you have to add the team, the suppliers, the designers and of course the fans! SG@NYC is creating a jewelry and accessory line for the celebration of the 20 years Buffy Summers has been slaying! (Available Soon)

· Surreal Entertainment has answered the Calling to provide only the most iconic and unique Buffy must haves, essential for any true Slayer. With a full line of drinkware, desktop accessories, fleece blankets, and much more, any nearby force of darkness would be a fool to cross your path…except to compliment you on your cool gear! Check out your local retailers and get prepared…for battle or complete Buffy fandom! (May 2017)

from AwesomeToyBlog http://ift.tt/2mnNUnu

[actionfigureinsider]

On March 10th Celebrate 20 Years of Slaying #BuffySlays20

  Fox Consumer Products Announces Exciting Activities to Celebrate March 10th Anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

  Pop Network to Air Premiere Episode on 20th Anniversary

  BoxLunch named Exclusive Retail Destination for Kick Off

Los Angeles, CA (March 1, 2017) – The genre-busting cult classic from Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer turns 20 years old on March 10, 2017!  To celebrate Buffy Summers, the Scoobies and all the monsters that go bump in the night, 20th Century Fox Consumer Products announces exciting product launches – from board games to new books to fashion accessories to apparel — and multiple fan-focused activities including a “Sunnydale High Yearbook Contest” offering a trip to 2017 San Diego Comic Con.

  Plus, on the anniversary, fans can tune-in to relive the two-part premiere episode on Pop (to find your channel go to Poptv.com) on March 10th at 9 AM ET/PT.

  New Buffy Merchandise

Fox Consumer Products announces a wide-range of key licensing partners including Dark Horse, Simon & Schuster, Insight Editions, Hot Topic, Harper Design, AC/DC Apparel, Jasco, Upper Deck, Ripple Junction, and more to showcase everything from unique Buffy apparel and accessories to board games to brand new books and comics.

  In addition, BoxLunch, a pop culture gift and novelty gift store with a cause, has partnered with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products to mark next week’s 20th Anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with an exclusive promotion across all their U.S. retail locations and online website. While simultaneously helping to provide meals to those in need, BoxLunch celebrates the beloved series with an assortment of products that include never-before-seen themed apparel, accessories, jewelry, and books. The merchandise will hit shelves and BoxLunch.com on March 10, 2017 and to fulfill their charitable mission, for every $10 spent in-store or online, BoxLunch helps to provide a meal to a person in need via their philanthropic partner Feeding America.

  Online Initiatives to Celebrate Anniversary

On March 10th the Sunnydale High Yearbook Contest launches across the United States. With a prize of a trip to San Diego Comic Con fans will be rewarded for uploading their high school class photos — and providing their best Buffy caption in the form of a “senior quote”. Participants will be able to share their submissions across their Facebook and Twitter feeds. Contest details and rules will be found on BoxLunch.com

  Additionally, the best-selling recent release, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book, is the inspiration for “drawing in” fans eager to wish ‘Team Buffy’ a Happy Anniversary. On Friday, a selection of complimentary designs from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book will be unveiled on the BoxLunch & official Buffy Facebook pages, allowing Buffy enthusiasts to color and submit personal anniversary messages. Using the hashtag #BuffySlays20 fans are encouraged to share their designs and messages across social media, sending it to those responsible for the beloved series:

  Sarah Michelle Gellar @SarahMGellar

Joss Whedon @joss

Alyson Hannigan @alydenisof

Anthony Stewart @AnthonySHead

David Boreanaz @David_Boreanaz

James Marsters @JamesMarstersOf

Charisma Carpenter @AllCharisma

Amber Benson @amber_benson

Emma Caulfield @emmacaulfield

Eliza Dushku @elizadushku

Danny Strong @DannyStrong

Michelle Trachtenberg @RealMichelleT

Seth Green @SethGreen

Nicholas Brendon @NicholasBrendon

Kristine Sutherland @thekutherland

Tom Lenk @tomlenk

Armin Shimerman @ShimermanArmin

Juliet Landau @julietlandau

DB Woodside @TheReal_Db

    “Decades after its television debut, Buffy the Vampire Slayer continues to stake its ground in pop culture,” said Jim Fielding, President of Consumer Products and Innovation at 20th Century Fox Consumer Products. “As one of the studio’s most memorable programs, we are thrilled to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary alongside the devoted Buffy fan community.”

  Releasing throughout the anniversary year, Fox Consumer Products reveals a wide-range of licensing partners.

From Jasco, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Board Game where players must help Buffy The Vampire Slayer protect Sunnydale from the forces of evil in this fully cooperative board game. (Available Now)

Hot Topic, the retail destination for music and pop culture-inspired clothes and accessories, plus fashion apparel for girls and guys, is celebrating 20 years of slaying with AC/DC Apparel.  Together they are unveiling a unique fashion collection available exclusively on Hottopic.com this summer.  The collection will celebrate the style of beloved Buffy characters, including Willow’s iconic 90s sweater, and a long trench coat inspired by Buffy Summers herself, as well as tops featuring iconic lines from the series.

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The team of imaginative pop culture fanatics at Ripple Junction have locked themselves in the library and studied up on the last 20 years of fandom celebrating Buffy.  Ripple Junction has developed a full line of tees for young men and women available at major retail outlets, as well as ripplejunction.com and Amazon.com (Available Now).

  Longtime publishing partners, Dark Horse and Simon & Schuster plan new books and comics that will release during the anniversary year, with highlights that include:

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book (Dark Horse/Available Now) – your favorite characters and moments from the Buffy television series are all represented in this engrossing adult coloring book.

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 11  & Angel Season 11 Comic Series (Dark Horse /Available Now)

o   Buffy: The High School Years – Parental Parasites (Dark Horse/June 2017)

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Omnibus Season 8 Vol 1 (Dark Horse/September 2017)

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Big Bads & Monsters Adult Coloring Book (Available for Pre-Order/Releasing Fall 2017)

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Watcher’s Guide 20th Anniversary Edition (S&S/October 2017) Just in time for the show’s twentieth anniversary, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher’s Guides have been compiled into one hardcover collector’s edition for the first time! Inside, you’ll find all the best content from Volumes 1–3 of the original Watcher’s Guides, as well as exclusive new content, including never-before-seen interviews with the cast and crew.

  Insight Editionsand Harper Design will release several books and novelty items in celebration of the anniversary, including:

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to the Buffyverse (Harper Design/September 2017) is a lavishly produced and written book by Buffy experts and is the authoritative source for fans, allowing them to indulge in the intricacies and nuances of the series as never before.  This authorized companion is a must-have for all Buffy enthusiasts as this full-color A-to-Z encyclopedia catalogs, explains, and cross-reference every detail of the Buffyverse, from characters, locations, and weapons to episodes, demons, and recurring gags.

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Official Grimoire (Insight Editions/October 2017) is the first and only truly comprehensive collection of every magical moment from all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, humorously narrated by beloved resident witch Willow Rosenberg. Completely illustrated and annotated by the rest of the gang, this book of spells is a unique keepsake for fans of the Buffy-verse and an incredible celebration of the show’s 20-year legacy.

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Definitive Visual Handbook (Insight Editions/October 2017) is a one-of-a-kind infographic guide to all things Buffy, blending striking illustrations with a bounty of facts and stats that shed light on just about every aspect of the show. Full of fun insights and surprising details about the lore, characters, quips, and most legendary episodes, battles, and villains, this refreshing take on the Buffy-verse will delight fans old and new.

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Vampyr Stationery Set (Insight Editions/August 2017) includes a 192-page blank pocket journal, 20 blank notecards featuring iconic Buffy quotes, envelopes, and 20 Hellmouth sticker seals. Enclosed in a keepsake box designed to look like it came from Giles’ library, this special stationery set allows fans to share the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with their fellow Scoobies.

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Vampyr Hardcover Ruled Journal (Insight Editions/August 2017) includes a section of text adapted from the original Slayer Handbook before giving way to blank ruled pages. Atmospheric, engrossing, and designed with a dynamic in-universe aesthetic, this blank ruled journal invites readers to add their own story to the legacy of the Slayer.

o   Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sunnydale High Hardcover Ruled Journal (Insight Editions/August 2017) is a finely crafted writing journal that includes a ribbon bookmark, elastic closure, inside back pocket for storage, and beautiful leatherette cover featuring the iconic emblem of Sunnydale High.

  From Upper Deck, Legendary: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Deck Building Game for 1-5 players.  Slayers must work together to recruit powerful heroes, build their decks and take down the Big Bad once and for all.  (Available August 2017)

  At the core of SG@NYC there’s isn’t a Hellmouth. There is a dedicated team of people who truly believe fashion is about design; but not just design you have to add the team, the suppliers, the designers and of course the fans!  SG@NYC is creating a jewelry and accessory line for the celebration of the 20 years Buffy Summers has been slaying! (Available Soon)

  Surreal Entertainment has answered the Calling to provide only the most iconic and unique Buffy must haves, essential for any true Slayer. With a full line of drinkware, desktop accessories, fleece blankets, and much more, any nearby force of darkness would be a fool to cross your path…except to compliment you on your cool gear! Check out your local retailers and get prepared…for battle or complete Buffy fandom! (May 2017)

  About Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The series, created by Joss Whedon, premiered on the WB Network on March 10th, 1997. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series, which ran for seven seasons from 1997-2003, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers. Chosen to battle vampires, demons and other forces of darkness, Buffy is aided by a Watcher who guides and teaches her as she surrounds herself with a circle of friends called the “Scooby Gang.”

  About BoxLunch, LLC

BoxLunch is a specialty retailer offering a curated collection of licensed pop culture merchandise. With every $10 spent across the retailers’ themed product offering of apparel, accessories, home goods, gift and novelty, and collectibles BoxLunch will provide a meal to a person in need through its philanthropic partnerships. To join the movement and help in the fight against hunger visit BoxLunch in-store or online at www.boxlunch.com to learn more on how you can get involved in your local community. BoxLunch is headquartered in CA and currently operates 50 stores throughout the US. For more information please visit our e-commerce website and Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

  About 20th Century Fox Consumer Products

20th Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of 20th Century Fox Film, 20th Century Fox Television and FX Networks, as well as third party lines.  The division is aligned with 20th Century Fox Television, the flagship studio leading the industry in supplying award-winning and blockbuster primetime television programming and entertainment content and 20th Century Fox Film, one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures throughout the world.

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