mahercbeaucoup

[mahercbeaucoup]

working on my theory that all that stuff about the devil demanding your soul only applies if you want the usual boring stuff. I bet he bankrolls you for free if you just want to be a weird little guy. that dude's gotta be craving some novelty at this point.

[mahercbeaucoup]

Under a Heavy Moon

The moon glows heavy over Tenebrae. Full past the brim, as always, its dense assemblage of lights buzz with an anxious energy so intense you can almost hear it. Long gone are the days when the moon's light brought joy to the night, when it still had room to spare, when you could note the passing of years by the gradual accumulation of soft lights, ever swirling about their circle among the stars.

In the Silver Period, when reverence for the moon was at its highest, its ensorcelling display of entropy was perhaps best captured by Lux Noctis, Carminoff's famed series of dances. A favored performance of the literati for the entirety of its run, each showing was unique, featuring choreography that was more of a fluid process than a fixed pattern. The dancers, bedight in their flowing white gowns, were in constant motion, elegantly twirling individuals undulating about as a synchronized mass, coalescing and dispersing as the movement saw fit. They were at all times circumscribed by an invisible rim, and it was said that a single foot never crossed that line as it arced across the stage, such was their cohesion.

Carminoff regarded Lux Noctis as a living performance and continuously adapted it to reflect the changing nature of the moon, steadily adding dancers throughout the years to account for the increase in lights. But keeping up with the growth soon proved impossible, as the unhurried trickle of lights inflected into a rushing torrent, quickly turning it into the moon we know today. Its muse forever changed, the Silver Period came to a close, taking Lux Noctis with it.

Now, of course, not even the most macabre artist would dare to draw inspiration from the moon, lest they invite association with the Lunatics, the fabled cult that many blame for its sudden transformation and continued growth. No, any sane citizen of Tenebrae rightly views the moon as an object of dread, a portent of violence hanging over us every night. Tonight, its luminous swell bulges beyond its limits, distending to a nascent teardrop. All eyes watch that droplet grow. All hands prepare for the moment when, like so many of its forebears, it will break loose and fall to the city below, carrying death in its wake.

[mahercbeaucoup]

Introduction to "Shaping Life: Foundations of Mimesis"

First, locate a mimic. Observe its patterns, colors, and textures. What shapes does it naturally take? What echoes can you see of its true form, waiting to be coaxed out by a guiding hand? Take stock of the chamber's dressing. What kind of space has the mimic chosen for its trapping grounds? What aspects might be strategic? What might be aesthetic? When it comes to a mimic's location, nothing is incidental. Take it all in. Capture as much of the ambience as you can. Only then should you carefully(!) relocate it to your studio. To shape a mimic with a poor understanding of its wild soul is to paint without knowing the colors on your palette.

Whatever you do, stay away from farm-raised mimics. To a one, they are devoid of personality, suitable only for the mass-production of crude tchotchkes, mere souvenirs for a tourist to place on their shelf as evidence of their travels through Tenebrae. If that is what you aspire to create, you can stop reading now; this book has nothing to offer you. True mimics are forged in dark and dangerous places. If you haven't the heart to delve, you haven't the heart for Mimesis.

But if you aspire to study the heart of your mimic, to create a singular work of living art, then read on. This book draws on decades of experience to ground you in the foundations of the noble art of Mimesis. The first part covers selection, acquisition, and care of your mimic. Special attention is paid to the proper safety precautions to take— there is no excuse for losing a hand or head to a mimic in this day and age! The second part delves into exercises and training techniques. Take note that not all techniques will work with all mimics, as each one has its own unique temperament. Finally, we conclude with a summary of stylistic approaches to Mimesis, from traditional object work to the more modern abstract sculptures of "Anamnesis", wherein the artist guides the mimic back to its primordial form, the shapes it explored before it ever learned to copy another.

As you read this volume, remember that your great work already lives inside your mimic, and it is up to you to draw it out of the inner shadow and into the light of day. And, like your mimic, you have your own unique mark to bear on this art form, waiting to be drawn out of you by your dedicated effort and the tutelage of this book. Now, go forth, and show yourself and the world the forms of your creation!

[mahercbeaucoup]

Spoon Pool Resolution

Prismatic Wasteland has issued a challenge:

In January 2024, come up with a new resolution mechanic for a TTRPG and give it a name.

My love of mechanics pulled me deep into this hobby, so I couldn't resist the call. I present the Spoon Pool, a mechanization of Spoon Theory (a way of explaining the draining effects of chronic illness and pain). Every RPG resolution system I know of lets you roll the dice "for free", though the consequences can obviously have costs. Spoon theory represents how just the nature of doing things drains your available energy for the day, so I wanted to capture that.

I couldn't find a way to use actual spoons, so I used the next best thing, dice.

Super Spoon Theory RPG

When creating your character, roll 2d6 to determine your max SPOON, the number of Spoons you have. After a restful night's sleep (good luck getting that), roll SPOON d6. This is your pool of Spoons for the day.

When you do something that requires physical or mental exertion, roll 2d6, with success on a 10+. After the dice are rolled, you may spend any Spoons you have to increase the result by the value shown on the die, and removing that Spoon from your pool.

When you are out of Spoons, every additional roll of the dice does one damage to SPOON. Recover one point of SPOON, up to max, for each week where you don't spend any Spoons.

Adaptation to OSR Abilities

Because I can't help myself, here's a more classic application of this mechanic.

This works best for low ability scores, such as lowest of 3d6, like in Knave 1e. Rather than a single pool, you have a pool of dice per ability.

Resolution: Roll 2d6, with success on a 10+. You may spend dice from the relevant ability pool to increase the result by the number shown.