#she can be dog reactive/not a fan of most dogs

[fayeandknight]

Short clip of my coworker's girl, a dutch x acd, and Forte playing. He lets her set the pace of and isn't offended or put off that she's a vocal player. I often refer to their play as bumper Belgians.

It's super cute to watch them play because Forte frequently slows himself down to match her speed and waits for her to rejoin the game when she stops to hunt for stray kibble. She in turn is very tolerant of him being a gross/super sniffy boy.

[sensering]

DOSSIER && BACKSTORY.

last updated 2/17/24. contains sensitive topics such as transphobia. do be warned.

—

NAME: Kiyoharu Suirenji

NICKNAME(S): Kiyorin (herself), Kiyo-chan (Kosame Amagai)

AGE: Sixteen

GENDER: Transgender Female

PRONOUNS: She/They

SEXUALITY: Asexual lesbian

OCCUPATION: Student / Magical Girl

—

HAIR: Long && blonde, pulled into a high ponytail, dip-dyed pink-purple when using her Stick

EYES: Pale blue, adorned with her Emblem when using her Stick

SKIN: Fair && littered with bruises && scars from various sources

HEIGHT: 155 cm / 5'0"

SCENT: Blood && roses

ATTIRE: Her school uniform, which consists of a short-sleeved shirt with a bow, a chocolate-colored plaid skirt, long white stockings, && black shoes.

ACCESSORIES: Typically ties a pink or red ribbon around her head every day for maximum cuteness.

OTHER: When using her Stick, she bleeds from her scalp && down her forehead.

Beneath Kiyoharu's sweet && sociable nature, she has demonstrated to be a silently determined girl who holds vindictive malice for her bullies && she has expressed utter disdain for. She speaks to Kosame Amagai in private that she plans to enact vengeance to her bullies only after they had found happiness, just so she could feel the satisfaction of "throwing them from paradise into hell." She has repeatedly shown a strong sense of justice && love for her friends. She has a loving && trusting relationship with her mother, collapsing in despair when she sensed her death. Her mother was the first person she confessed to about her desire to be a girl.

PERSONALITY:

On the surface, Kiyoharu has a very sweet && sociable nature. She's oftentimes very upbeat, cheerful && quite bubbly, && genuinely cares for her companions && those around her, Especially Kosame Amagai, a close companion of hers which she cares for deeply to the point where Kiyoharu will defend her from Rina Shioi's pessimistic nicknames. Kiyoharu is also shown to be a huge fan of Dog's Play && gets very ecstatic when meeting Nijimi Anazawa for the first time.

Kiyoharu is also one of the most cunning && devious of the Magical Girls, casually using her Stick's power to listen to the thoughts of others without their knowledge for her benefit. When she shook hands with Aya Asagiri, Nijimi Anazawa and Tsuyuno Yatsumura, she took the opportunity to have a closer look into their minds && see how many lifespans they had left to confirm their possible uses in their battle. Later, she schemed to mind-control Asahi in order to get rid of Kaname Asagiri without telling the rest of her friends first.

—

LIKES: Being cute, her friends, her mother, being a girl, cute things, && taking baths

DISLIKES: Transphobia (duh), seeing her loved ones get hurt, not being cute enough, insects, && ghosts

ZODIAC: Scorpio

BIRTHDAY: 11/12

STRENGTHS: Sense of justice, love for her friends, determination

FLAWS: Anger issues, impulsive, reactive

PET PEEVES: Being mistaken for a guy

FEARS: TBA

STICK(S):

Ring — Kiyoharu's ring has the power to link her directly to the target's sensory system to control their body && experience their senses remotely. She can also read the minds of others, though this is most commonly used to instantaneously communicate with any number of other magical girls regardless of their location or to confirm whether or not someone is still alive.

Teddy Bear — Later, when Kaname Asagiri failed to stop the King due to his Negative Energy no longer being a "Man's", Kiyoharu took up the Teddy Bear Stick && attacked the King with its Laser Beams using her own Negative Energy to power the Teddy Bear's lasers to attack the King.

Sports Cap — The Breathing Bubble was given to her by Kosame Amagai when she began to lose consciousness due to the lack of oxygen in the upper atmosphere of the planet, The Sports Cap Stick gives her the ability to create an oxygen bubble around her head, allowing her to breath in such locations devoid of air.

—

BACKSTORY:

To be added later.

—

TRIVIUM:

Kiyoharu's emblem appears to be the letter "S".

Kiyoharu's favorite celebrity is Hideaki Ito.

Kiyoharu's hobbies include beauty, fashion, shopping, reading, watching TV Dramas && taking selfies.

From Chapter 86 to Chapter 117, she acts as the "voice" of Aya Asagiri, because for some time Aya was unable to talk following Tsuyuno Yatsumura's death.

Her father was never seen or mentioned, suggesting that Kiyoharu's parents are divorced or that the man died.

In every other chapter, despite using her Stick more often than most of the other magical girls, she has never shown to harm King the same way the murderers of Airi Komura did. However, in Chapter 133 Kiyoharu was able to harm the King by attacking directly.

[beforethepoison]

2023 go to hell

I think 2023 was one of the most difficult years of my life. Like really. It's been very hard to deal with my mother, she is growing old, she is becoming a stubborn, she is becoming very reactive...Sometimes I feel stuck at home and I can't do things for me. I feel very dependent of her and she is now sometimes delegating some work for me instead of her doing by herself. (Like, answer her messages for her while she is driving), (like not making dinner but expecting me to clean the kitchen).. and this is not the worst thing....

In January of this year, I lost a friend of mine, a the donnaholic fan. She was the coolest girl ever. She passed away very young and I never could imagine she could die so early. Then, my idol Rita Lee has passed away, my idol Kaija Saariaho passed away.

In January a physio therapist very young asked what I was doing and I said I was a writter and she was like "do you carry your books in the bag?" and I said "no" and she was like..."I wanna see it. How you'll sell it if you dont carry with you?" and she spend days saying this. One day I brought to her the book. She took the book and said: Later on you tell me your pix (bank account). And I was like....??????? After a month, she didnt pay me and the service of my physio therapy was becoming poorly done. She changed her schedule and was no longer my therapist...And didnt pay me until I made a complaining in the company.

March: My dog died.

I started a job in a small restaurant with some jerky people. At the time, I didn't know they were jerks. I was supposed to be the attendent. The son of my boss "taught" me to use ONE phone to deliver people menu of the day. And I did my best but in the end of the day, his brother yelled at me indirectly because his brother didn't mention there was a SECOND phone I should look at. (a smartphone with app requests). When I told the boss that he didnt mention, she said..."If there is a phone there, you should look!" But I dont look at other people's phones without permission!

I got fired 2 days later. Received 80 $

Then, I met this influencer and he was very nice and in his social medias he asked for one of my books. I GAVE to him one of my books through mail and with a fast shipping. And after I sent to him, he asked again "where is my book?" and I was like "I Sent it to you" and after that he didnt say anything. I was very disappointed because I was expecting for him to read my book and he didnt even received or said anything. The book is lost.

I started to have weekly constipation intestine pains. Feeling I was gonna die... Until a couple weeks I was still having. I can't eat poorly.

Matthew Perry passed away. One of my biggest crushes and idols. I never cried so hard for a celebrity. For days.

Since november I don't have a cellphone. First, was my Samsung S8....Died after 5 years. And then my small phone of music only. My Samsung Galaxy whatever from 2013. Was my first modern cellphone. It only worked because I put alot of memory on it and alot of mp3 music. (There was no spotify back then). And now I dont have cellphone.... Because I dont have any money to buy a new one. Not even my mother. She has a crazy Xiaomi and doesnt work very well. (when you listen to music, it works one ear only). Today a friend of her gave her a 2013 phone for her to use but its old that I dont know if its going to work.

So, christmas there probably have no presents...And just meeting with family like okay.

PS: Its been a year since my crush moved out to another state. Not only a crush. a Great friend of mine. He has been so sweet to me. And he gave me THE BEST gift I could ever receive from someone. And thats why I feel a good thing about liking him. Because he is nice and he is gentle, generous. I am very lucky to have meet him. Very lucky. Very blessed. I am always afraid he will get tired of me. But I know that I won't be never tired of him. Thats what I am focus right now. Also, he taught me how love can be light and sweet. It just clean all my awful parents references. I am thankful for that too. Honestly, I HATE the fact he is away. And sometimes I'm afraid that I am feeling all these loving by myself. But its ok I guess.

So, no wonder I tried to k'1ll myself a couple times this year. I was always fetching a knive, putting against my belly or throat when I was alone. But some how I always gave up. I always stayed.

[whentherewerebicycles]

ugh we had a rough start to the morning… one of our new neighbors has a huge dog that really freaks ruthie out. it seems to be a really nice, placid dog but ruthie is super leash reactive, especially at close distances, and the woman who owns the big dog seems to be really interested in pushing all of my dog’s buttons at every possible opportunity lol. I know I’m projecting onto her but it is driving me nuts. she knows my (very small toy breed) dog is reactive yet whenever she sees us, instead of giving me a minute to get ruthie out of the way she’ll walk her dog very briskly directly at us in a way that unfailingly triggers all of ruthie’s panic meltdown instincts, and when I’ve finally managed to wrestle ruthie out of sight, she’ll IMMEDIATELY follow us at a close distance as if to make a point that she’s not going to alter HER walk plans at all to accommodate my feral demon child. and I’m meanwhile saying things like “oh my god I’m so sorry, she’s leash reactive, just give me a minute” as I try to haul ruthie to a safe enough distance that she can calm down, and the neighbor doesn’t say anything just gives me this judgy as hell look like she thinks I’m the worst dog parent she’s ever seen (and then of course she doesn’t give us a minute she just follows directly on our heels, further confirming ruthie’s panicked sense that THIS DOG IS HUNTING ME IT COULD EAT ME IN ONE BITE HELP HELP). anyway I usually try to actively take a diff route or scan the horizon for this woman so I can ~manage the environment~ and keep ruthie far enough from the stimulus to avoid triggering the meltdown reaction, but today the woman (who MUST have seen us passing based on the way our units are laid out, like there’s NO WAY this encounter was a surprise to her) came abruptly around a corner so ruthie was literally face to face with her big dog with zero warning. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa okay it’s fine it’s stressful for me but I know most people just don’t get it… like before I got ruthie I thought pip’s easygoing nature with other dogs was like, the Default Dog Setting, and now I understand that no it’s just because I took him a ton of public places when he was a puppy and he met lots of dogs of all sizes. whereas ruthie was clearly a pandemic puppy who spent most of her time at home and had few Public Experiences.

anyway sigh we continue to work on it. but man okay the last 15 or so hours have been kinda rough lol… my favorite player (who has a history of Very Very Bad Life-Altering Concussions) got deliberately elbowed in the head to take him out of the game last night & prob has a concussion… many sports fans are garbage humans who are outright gleeful about seeing a person already at high risk of CTE receive another brain injury… the league almost certainly won’t do anything about it to the player who elbowed him in the head which fucking sucks… and THEN unrelatedly I keep having this series of extraordinarily realistic nightmares about aliens who take over or invade the bodies of human women and then destroy the woman by shucking her consciousness from her body and consuming it, leaving her an empty husk body (clearly my subconscious is hard at work processing The World)… also I read this poem about war crimes against women in the atlantic yesterday and it has fucking haunted me since I can’t stop thinking about it/about war crimes in general/about the vulnerability of women’s bodies… also I think that getting upset about sports last night unlocked the inner compartment where I have been aggressively repressing all of my roe v wade + Ukraine mass rape grief and rage and now I’m just swimming in that toxic sludge… also I’m just tired from bad sleep and not in a great headspace today friends.

sigh. okay. I’m going to drink coffee and lounge in bed till 9:30, then I’ll get up and shower and get ready for these student meetings. here’s the day:

9:30-10:30 shower, breakfast, emails

10:30-11 SO mtg

11-1:30 write scenes (my goal is three today but also I’m going to be gentle with myself today I’m feeling destabilized by the world)

1:30-2 AZ mtg

2-2:30 see if ML will switch to this time

2:30-3 ML mtg

3-5 write some more

evening: walk the dogs for an hour, do a bit more writing, or just do whatever. try not to doomscroll it won’t make you feel better

[hellyeahheroes]

Robin(2021) #1 Review

Opening this comic with an assessment of a character that I have no choice but to agree with is a cheap way to score points with me.

Anyways, we caught heat for being unfair to this story since it was announced because all of us wanted it to be a Cass story since forever. And it became yet another thing Damian absorbs. I mostly ignored it because I’ve always been open about my disdain for the character and his fandom for nearly a decade. I never liked Damian because put these characteristics on a non-white passing character, they’d be dead inside of year. Then again I hate almost all of Grant Morrison monstrosities.

Regardless, new story who dis is in full effect here. We open this bad boy up with Damian gone missing and the Batfamily searching for him. Nightwing tried asking Damian’s old Teen Titans team and they obviously don’t know and probably hope Damian is dead. Tim checked Arkham Ruins(???) and Damian wasn’t there. I honestly don’t think Tim was trying to find Damian. Steph and Cass checked Damian’s farm and Steph concluded Damian has been there at least because while Damian may be a little shit, he loves his dog and pet bat dragon. Barbara checked facial recognition pings and his transactions and dude is an IRS nightmare.

Damian is missing. Bruce is worried that maybe making a violent murderous preteen Robin raised in a cabal of killers to be chief murderer was a bad idea and is worried. Barbara ensures him that they will find his son and we cut to Damian fighting Snake guy in some musty ass fight put somewhere. Because of course it’s a musty ass fight pit because while the story is well drawn, it never claimed to be not cliche.

Damian hands the scrub his ass and it turns out Damian is trying to earn a marker to participate in some tournament. I liked this panel.

Not because of the artist flex of changing the art style, but it establishes Damian with a relatable hobby, reading manga. And not just a Shounen as you expect him to read but a slice of life manga which kind of puts his life in perspective. Also the lesson in the manga is reflective of what happens in the comic. Damian’s mastery is reflective of how he sees Hana. Hana decides to go beyond what her masters taught her. She decides to innovate and make her art her own. And that’s indicative of another flaw of Damian: Damian leans of the prestige of his teachers. He is the student that replicates the style 1:1. He wants to inherit Batman’s mantle, but doesn’t want to shed his teachings that he is proud of. And it comes down to this idea that Damian refuses to innovate and adapt because he is hiding behind his masters.

This panel saved the story so good job.

And after a talk with dead Alfred, it’s revealed that Damian is on this journey as a way to mirror Bruce’s journey into becoming Batman. It’s his way to iron his resolve without a catalyst to find a need to. It highlights his naïveté. He thinks that he can just simply copy the steps and get the same results.

Regardless what happens next simultaneously undermines the story or the impact of it.

Okay, when you think of Martial artists in DC, you immediately think Batman, Shiva, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Bronze Tiger, Richard Dragon, and Shiva. Why I said Shiva twice? Because Shiva is the pinnacle.

So to reveal that three premier martial artists in the universe are not only not participating but they were paid off to not participate, cheated out, or were subbed in as an entry replacement, it undermines the promotion. It’s like going to a Beyonce Concert only to find out that between the words in small print Beyonce and Concert was ‘s Sister’s and now you are watching Grammy award winning Solange. Sure, it’s an unique experience but it ain’t Beyonce.

And also, there is no amount in the world that would keep Shiva away from this tournament if it’s as prestigious as it’s led to be. Let’s be real. If anything, it’s far more likely that she saw the roster of scrubs and decided to make some scratch.

There are two characters that I recognize: Connor Hawke and Rose Wilson. I am not familiar with Connor so I am not sure if he is out of place. Rose is fine but y’know, scrub. I’m sorry Rose Wilson got her ass handed to her by Cass in the previous universe. There is no universe where I take her seriously in a fighting tournament to crown greatest fighter because the ass stomp was so thorough that Cass was beating Slade’s ego by proxy.

Back to the comic, Damian interrupts the host and basically is the fighting tournament trope of overly confident disrespectful guy with too many accolades which he will proudly tell you about them. What I like about this is the nice nod to the previous manga panel. Damian is not a great fighter. There I said it. Damian’s ability hinges on the idea that he was trained by the greatest killers and Batman but the issue is that name prestige doesn’t make great fighters. Too many times, comic books overly rely on this idea of fighting being a what you know and not being a game of not getting hit and getting hits in. It does not matter if Damian is trained by the League and Batman and it’s questionable as to how much Batman taught him in the first place. Hence why we see Damian with a sword or staff to compliment his lack of range. Damian can’t read muscle twitches like a Cass or Shiva so he has a normal reactive response and comics never highlighted his ability. The most impressive thing I’ve seen Damian do is catch a Batarang which is something I’ve seen Tim do. Damian overly relies on the idea that his teachers taught him to be the best when they simply taught him to survive in a fight.

“But why does Cass get away with it?,” you ask. Cass has this broken hax that is reading muscle twitch and immediately knowing the instant of what you are going to do before you do it or decide to do. Cass doesn’t need range because to her, you are screaming your intentions. She doesn’t need to block an attack when she can just parry. She doesn’t need to step back when she can just step forward while slipping all attacks. She is an autistic savant at fighting with an absolute defense. Damian is just another badass teen in a world of badass adults.

And the humbling of Damian begins...again.

Pros:

-Damian’s new costume. I like that he is branching out and starting to own his own colors. It’s nice.

-Using a character flaw to make it a theme. I like Chekhov’s gun via teachable moment. In tournament arcs, what separates the good ones and the bad ones is the idea that the hero simply must overcome their opponents and not their own self. This is why Yuyu Hakusho is awesome.

- Great art and nice continuity. It’s nice that Damian’s past wasn’t ignored for once and they didn’t just throw his Teen Titans characterization down the tubes. Say what you want, but it was arguably Damian’s longest run in spite of his fans hating it. And contrary to what they believe, it was very much in character for him. My fear going into this that Damian would not face any fallout and lo and behold he ran away.

- it’s a good start for a Damian story. Say what you want, but it’s unique in that the little shit gets his comeuppance immediately. And not that just by losing, but by dying. Damian has killed before and readily justifies it because he never realizes the weight of taking someone’s life. He’s been killed before but those were painted in a way that he is valiant. Here, this is death caused by his own arrogance. He mocks a fighter for talking shit and gets murked while talking shit. He spouts names of his own teachers and expects people to care or be weary as if Rose Wilson and Connor aren’t there. It’s a tournament sponsored by the League of Assassins, Damian. They have been taught by the league too.

Cons:

-Look I get promotion. No promoter is going to undermine their product but the fact that this tournament reeks like ABA is killing my interest to give a shit. It’s a convenient caveat to say that, “Well, a character won this so they can have the title but the title doesn’t mean anything.” I know of regardless of whom wins this, they aren’t the best. Go ham or don’t at all.

-not enough emphasis of the importance of this arc. Why even have this tournament? What’s the prize? What’s even the point?

-While the art is nice, the action is framed poorly. I like physical action like this to be nearly choreographed in a way I can see and piece movement in my head. The two fight scenes we get are somewhat disjointed in that it’s just poses. For example, Flatline’s first kick makes no sense at all and I don’t get her follow up. Trying to picture the movement hurts my head and in an action concept like this, it’s best to frame action scenes as more than doing poses. Here is a good example:

This only emphasizes the action and gets the reader to acknowledge that this a tournament of great fighters or at least a great fighting story.

All in all, do I think this story is off to a good start? Yes. Is it going to change my opinion on Damian? Hell no. My reaction to Damian getting his ass handed to him was this.

The issue is that it never sticks. Damian can learn and be a better person but the development never sticks. It becomes a cyclical series of events because whoever writes him next will just keep writing him as this shitty entitled murder rich kid who never learns anything and gets validated somehow. It’s been over a decade and I’m tired of the same excuses of his shitty behavior. I am tired of writers validating it or excusing it.

Damian losing isn’t an outcome I care for because it’s wasted on him. Honestly I am more interested in Connor and Rose being there. I have no faith that it will stick nor does it undo the shitty idea of the character. I have never wanted to see Damian fight. It’s never been fun to read about nor has the impetus of his character emphasized the ability or style. Placing Damian in an Enter the Dragon style tournament lacks the pizzazz of Cass doing the same thing. For example, let’s try Marvel.

Let’s say someone pitches an idea of a tournament arc styled after Game of Death. Immediately you think Martial Artists non-powered. Danny Rand, Daredevil, Elektra, Shang-Chi, Pei and Colleen Wing. Okay, instead of giving those characters the honor, you give the story to Black Cat. Honestly, I’d read it because Felicia could sell me a documentary on grass and I’d buy it but the point stands, why does Damian have this Bruce Lee inspired Martial Arts story versus the actual Chinese or East Asian Martial Arts focused member of the Batfamily, Cassandra Cain?

But this has nothing to do with what could have been. It’s a fun beginning of a possibly fun arc. In that regard, it delivers but what’s the point?

Like I said, fun story.

@ubernegro

[something-very-special]

they ran over the seals

More Replicant playthrough observations and general nonsense under the cut. For reference, up to the keystone quest; completed the Forest of Myth and Junk Heap.

This fucking game I swear to god.

A vaguely coherent ramble about sidequests An observation about sidequests in general in this game -- and I don't recall if I ever voiced this somewhere public or it was just a personal observation from my time with the original -- is that the quests in the first half of the game are all relatively easy to complete. There's that one asshat who wants 10 goat hides, but other than him, most of the sidequests are either very much based on finding characters, or gathering a sensible number of items that are either relatively common, purchasable, or given a guaranteed spawn for the duration of that quest.

The sidequests everybody remembers having to do are in the second half, where everybody is demanding and awful and I'm sorry ten MACHINE OILS do you know how goddamn rare those are? They're goddamn rare.

(We'll not discuss Life in the Sands.)

This is generally agreed to, in the technical vernacular, 'suck'. And it's always funny that the most interesting sidequests are the ones with very minimal requirements (Yonah's cooking, getting Popola drunk, the Lighthouse Ladoh my god everything's gone blurry I'm not crying you're crying who am I kidding we're both crying). That particular aspect of the design also feels intentional, not really gating your ability to progress the really meaningful or funny sidequests behind an unreasonable number of rare items. The other aspect of the design is that these quests are not meant to be completed in a single playthrough; most of them are single-stage and just absolutely unreasonable, but if you're going through the game four times you have a... reasonable chance of getting everything you need more or less naturally.

Nobody does that but I think that was the intended design. I think it's a good idea, although the execution of expectation is flawed so I don't really blame people for saying those sidequests suck. (Although I will in turn blame people for saying the sidequests suck as a blanket statement. Yeah getting that guy who burned his kitchen down a billion Broken Motors is aggravating but did you not find that old man's dog? Speak to Ursula on her death bed? Solve a murder? Then again I think tracking down that rotten son who's trying to get away from The Family Business only to learn his father is a con-artist and get literally no reward is the height of comedy so maybe I'm not the greatest point of reference.)

But that asshole in Facade can get bent. I can't exploit my garden properly, jackass! I am no longer a god of time. (I kid, of course.) (This guys sucks even when you can fix your clock.)

Forest of Myth It didn't even occur to me to wonder how they would incorporate the comprehensive voice acting into the Forest of Myth. I like how it plays out, although I wish the voices maybe had a fade as you went deeper into the dream instead of just cutting out at some point, especially for the lines where the characters are being ascribed actions by the narrator that they themselves aren't doing near the start of the Deathdream. But it's just delightful to go back to it. The second half of the game really sticks in your mind both for emotional reasons and because you play it at least three times per full playthrough of the game, but the first half is just so much fun.

Protip: Talk to everybody after you've finished the dream sidequest. Weiss tries to dissuade you. Don't let him dissuade you. I'm still delighted by the Mayor; "We're building a statue of you, made of solid gold. I know you don't own a horse, but we're going to put you on a horse."

I forgot about Yonah being a disaster chef Papa Nier's reaction to the stew is better. Brother is still funny but Papa Nier just expecting to die is comedy gold.

For anybody curious, the joke about the cakes is that Yonah made 'fruit cake' using some of the worst possible fruits for cake-making. If only she'd thrown a tomato into the mix, too.

Lighthouse Lady Every time. what the fuck is a canal I'm aware of the addition of the new-old content but it didn't occur to me until Popola suddenly starts nattering on about fixing the canal when I'm expecting Yonah to talk about a penpal that oh, yeah, I guess Seafront would have had something going on the first half that would play into the second half? (I assume it does. Be weird to introduce these characters just to have groundwork for an added sidequest. ...but it was a cute sidequest.) But look Popola my boy is supposed to be in the next area I visit could we-- I mean he's on the way could we just-- no-- fiiiiiiiiiine. (It was short and sweet, though, and I appreciate that the couple's love is exemplified by them both calling Weiss a floating magazine in tandem.) On a related note but was I the only person suddenly concerned when the sidequest completion maxed out at 50% and not 51%? I had to double-check with a guide just to make sure, since I've spent the last decade telling people to make sure you hit 51% before going on to Part II.

MY BOY I love that nowadays, Emil is everybody's son. But I really wish I could go find somebody only familiar with Automata and just watch their reaction. (I'm guessing there are streams out there that fulfill this but man I'd love to get it in-person.) If you're only familiar with him from Automata this has to be a mindfuck.

Personal anecdote, but I've had the privilege of playing NIER with somebody else almost every time I've gone through it. I had a wonderful experience of doing a replay some years back with somebody who had experienced it with me before but didn't have the most solid memory of the beginning (and had actually missed the entire weapon's lab the first time through). I get to the boy at the piano introducing himself and the 'Wait, what?' was a thing of beauty.

MY ANDROID This was a welcome mindfuck for me; finding Sebastian and having him 'reactivate' in such an unnatural, mechanical way. I don't recall if it was ever officially confirmed that Sebastian is an android (I know that it's just understood that this is the case but I'm not I can't recall a specific one) but the little flair they added to his animation caught me completely off guard. I liked it!

Destroying the food source A lot of people will cite a major inciting incident for the game as being when the protagonist heading back into the village and killing the child Shades just outside the entrance. This moment is such a great bit of subtle foreshadowing that's so easy to miss... but kind of joining that, just before the Knave of Hearts attacks, I realized that the Shades out on the Northern Plains are clearly ramping up for an assault of their own by murdering the sheep. The sheep population at this point is decimated (which is great when you realize you haven't gotten the Sheepslayer trophy and you're about to enter Part II and you don't know if the boar drifting minigame got carried forward with the inclusion of 15 Nightmares). You go out onto the Plains and you will find not only small clusters of sheep left behind instead of the vast, terrifying herds from the start of the game, but until you get their attention the Shades are prioritizing killing the sheep. (Also annoying because that doesn't count toward my sheep murder number.) The Shades will be out there also killing sheep earlier on, but since the whole map is in Overcast mode after talking to Yonah it's especially prevalent to go out to the Northern Plains and seeing the slaughter. And I realized-- they're cutting the Village off from a primary food source. Shades don't eat and they don't have any beef with the local ungulates (at least, no more so than anybody else does), so why are they hunting down the sheep? To deprive their enemies of resources. Sheep are extinct by the timeskip. It's actually really clever of them, and a really clever indication of their sentience and intelligence before it's fully verified.

"Let's get these shit-hogs!" Everything about the way Kaine and Emil interact across the entire game is perfect I will brook no argument this is objective fact.

Emotive Rectangles I wrote an essay about this before but it really bears repeating that the job the original animators did with this scene is just phenomenal. The way Weiss drifts, flits, flips, fans his pages, drunkenly swerves, shoots around the room in defiance... He's a goddamn rectangle, but there is so much emotion and personality in this scene just based on the movements conveyed through a what is effectively just a box. Ten years later and triple-A titles with full facial capture don't have this much seething personality. I really have to give props to the cavia animators, wherever they wound up. That studio could really put some subtle love and care into their titles, utterly unnecessary and easy to miss but you can tell that whoever was working on it was giving it their all. The books are probably the exemplification of this, but every time I go into Seafront and visit the seals I can tell that the guy on seal duty was having just the best day. They made Emil so pretty There's an FMV cutscene right smack in the middle of the original game after the battle against Noir. I understand why it was a necessity on a technical level, but it always looked pretty out of place and a little uncanny valley compared to the rest of the graphical fidelity. That's no longer a necessity so this cutscene is rendered in-engine. I admit I was actually curious to see it redone this way and it looks fantastic. I single out Emil since he is the focal point of cutscene and because his particular high-poly model had some pretty weird difference from his in-engine model, but he and Kaine both look great. But, like, it's almost mean how pretty he is.

They made Brother Nier so pretty Yeah okay you got me he's kind of hot. Kaine's expression when she wakes up and looks him over is... significantly easier to read now. Good voice, too. (Ancient rumors tell that one of the issues with international releases of RepliCant was that they couldn't find an English VA with a voice that 'fit' Brother Nier. He sounded good out the gate but hearing him growl "Let's go TAKE CARE of those KIDS" during the thief sidequest-- I got chills. It sounds so silly but there's a kind of percolating fury to that delivery. Papa Nier was like frustrated but mostly disappointed dad; I felt like Brother was going to take care of those kids, and nobody was going to find the bodies. Younger Brother Nier just never stops looking goofy to me but Older Brother just looks great in motion, between the alterations they made to the movement and just the entire weaponry system. The distinction between the two halves of the game was always a little odd in the Gestalt version-- not odd enough to really raise eyebrows if you didn't know about RepliCant, but of course you can tell that this age gape between the optimistic doe-eyed dogooder and a man largely ruled by his fury and calloused by tragedy is what the timeskip was going for. Swab me down and call me Ishmael, it works. Younger Brother wasn't quite clicking with me-- not because of any writing or voicework issues, but I've got Papa Nier on the back of my mind and it's impossible not to compare and contrast the delivery and dialogue between the two. I know that this is intentional, too; Younger Brother is supposed to be that happy-go-lucky video game protagonist, always doing the right thing and helping people, in order to contrast against the man he becomes. Even just edging into Part II the effect is dramatic and it recontextualizes Younger Brother into a much more effective overall character. And let me reiterate, I enjoyed my time with Younger Brother just fine, I have no issues with him. But he's up against Well Meaning Big Dummy Part I Papa Nier. No contest. And I'm excited to see where Older Brother goes from here.

Speaking of voices I mentioned this before but the delivery on the character's lines is different. The entire game was re-recorded and quite a few lines are still pretty similar to the original, but there are some that are... definitely different. Part of this is a difference in the relationship between characters based on their life experience and ages-- Weiss is much more of an ass to Younger Brother but has a much more even respect for Older Brother (neither of which are like the rapport he established with Father). Some of Kaine's lines feel more aloof, dismissive, and almost tired in the front half of the game. I haven't really gotten to a point to dig into Emil's rapport with the other characters, but the delivery feels more hesitant and uncertain (which I think is more in line with his Japanese VO, but I'm prefacing that on an untrained ear and a presumption rather than recent memory). It's been interesting to see not just where hey adjusted dialogue (and how-- there are some lines that didn't need to be rewritten), but also how they adjust tone and delivery. Dealing with Younger Brother is one thing, but as I said, I'm very excited to see what's different in the second half, especially being much more familiar with that part of the game. Speaking of Voices! Halua got dialogue! I... preferred when it was inferred (and the implications of "I'll always be watching over you" are borderline malicious given the results of their fusion dance, yeah THANK YOU HALUA this is GREAT). Halua's delivery also felt a little too innocent and upbeat both for the situation and when compared to her narrative voice in The Stone Flower, where she comes across as much more cynical and cold. But given what she's been through and the nightmare she's finally escaping I guess she's allowed express happiness. She's certainly earned the right to having a spoken line. No matter what. Every fuckin' time.

"Here we go." This was always a great line to kind of ease in to the officially-official start of Part II-- every time you start up a New Game+ you're greeted with Emil musing about his conflation of Halua to Kaine, and then the phrase "Here we go". There's a lot in that one line. On a personal level he's grounding his thoughts in the moment and steeling himself for what comes next and pushing through his pain and sadness and fear. Whatever Nier told him in the facility he's still terrified, desperately terrified, that Kaine -- who was the one who told him his life had meaning -- is going to reject him. And why wouldn't she? Ultimately they don't know each other, not really. He understands at that moment that his relationship with Kaine is based on confused memories of his sister, that maybe the bond he thought they established isn't actually real. As soon as he frees Kaine he's going to have to confront her, like this, and how could she ever-- she won't-- but he can't just leave her. Whatever happens next. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. (God it matters.) "Here we go." On a meta level, that's our introduction into the second half of the game. The first half is all prologue. This is where we'll be spending the rest of our time, even to the point that 'New Game+' skips straight ahead to this moment. Now that we've finished the establishment, this is where it all builds and where it all matters. Here we go, audience. The ride starts now. You get up to this point now in Replicant. You get the same lead-in. My dumb ass even whispered "Here we go", because I can't help myself. And he says, of course he says--! "Anyway." ... ...a-anyway? What the hell kind of line is that? "Here's some deeply personal musings that are also an indication of my own discomfort as I babble to myself just to fill the void so I can stave off thinking for just a few more seconds. ANYWAY." What a... bizarre decision. Just bizarre.

Upgraded melee combat The introduction to the armored Shades always feel kind of rough-- the defenses on those Shades are significantly higher than anything you've faced and the new weapons you're given to combat them just aren't that good. (If you got lucky you could have a fully-upgraded Faith by now, which is nearly three times as powerful as the 'heavy' two-handed sword you're given; if you downloaded the 4 YoRHa pack for Replicant you've probably been able to upgrade one of those weapons once, which are also a really nice strength boost that leaves the freebie heavy swords and spears in the dust). As an introduction to the new weapon types it always feels like rough going. But then you get a chance to get decent weapons and the combat system truly opens up, and compared to the first game you really feel it. At this juncture I would always just bustle off to Facade and grab the Phoenix Spear and never look back-- the raw power compared to the rest of your arsenal coupled with the triangle dash is basically the bread and butter of the rest of the game. It's not exciting, but it's effective. No more triangle dashing, which was deeply disappointing... but both weapons definitely feel good. I am also somewhat ashamed to admit that it wasn't until now that I realized attacks weren't just about rhythmic input-- you can hold the attacks down to do different charged hits and combos depending on when you execute them in your combo, similar to Automata. I, uh... I felt a bit dumb. But hey, wow, it's a welcome adjustment and it makes all of the weapon types feel equally valuable for different purposes. I never liked using the heavy blades in the original release because they just felt too slow for the damage output they did, even if their 'point' was mostly to sheer off armor (and they definitely felt too slow for use in crowd control). Now they're still heavy and slower, but not to the point that you're basically leaving yourself open just trying to attack. Spears now do crazy sweeping combos and multi-hits. Both of these properties were borrowed from Automata and I find myself prioritizing melee combat and almost forgetting I have magic because honestly it just feels intuitive and fun. I feel like Kaine and Emil might have gotten a power boost as well? Not that I can really confirm this but going into some of the Junk Heap rooms I'd focus on killing a few robots in the corner and then turn around and just see a field of item drops and no more robots. Don't take my word on that, of course, but they felt a little more effective, and a placebo effect is still an effect. "You're staging a protest? That's fun!" Emil. Rebel without a cause. Will not hesitate to kill you if you trespass on his property. (Might explain the statues in the courtyard, actually.) I'll have to double-check this dialogue because I definitely remember more of a melancholia before we get to roasting marshmallows. I think Papa Nier actually offers to talk to/implicitly threaten the villagers to let them in the Village whereas Brother offers to sleep outside with them... which is actually kind of funny. In the former it comes off as Emil and Kaine maybe kinda-sorta not wanting to be allowed in the Village for their own reasons (they're not happy reasons but they're reasons nonetheless) and reassuring Father that no, it's okay, it's fun! The latter is almost telling Brother to stay inside because he'll ruin their sleepover.

(They're absolutely having giggly girl talk about him outside the gates, 100%.) they ran over the seals All I want in Seafront is to enjoy the music and run out to the big beach and hang out with the last living seals and they put a fucking pirate ship on top of them. Oh, wow. Gideon. Wow. OG Nier featured a Gideon that tried to keep himself together and then had fits of mania. You'd be concerned about him during some of the dialogue but generally speaking he came across as... functional. The delivery on all of his lines is now so insanely murder bonkers, like every line he's addressing you like you're already chained to the wall of his serial killer dungeon and it's glorious. I don't know if the distinction between the games is deliberate (in that Gideon in Gestalt was just more even-keeled between his 'rip 'em apart' snarlings and was always just totally nutso in RepliCant) but I do appreciate it. It's a good mirror to Brother Nier's own anger, which only ever seems to be mollified when he's talking to his friends (even kindly accepting sidequests there's a pretty consistent -- not universal, but consistent -- air of barely-bridled frustration). The other characters that Brother encounters are various reflections of himself if things had just been a little different-- Gideon was a representation of the kind of obsessive madness that would have eaten Brother alive if he hadn't had his network of support. Gideon's constant fury and bloodlust even bleeds into him just saying "What can I do for you?" He has no anchor to keep himself sane, nobody to stay human for; he's all mania, all anger, and he only takes any real interest in Brother on his return because he sees an opportunity to act out his vengeance. After defeating Beepy and Kalil he even goes so far as to not only blame Beepy for killing Jakob, but for also killing their mother, which is patently insane but really speaks to how far his justifications and fury have taken him. Papa Nier responds to his anger toward Beepy by basically backing away slowly and saying "Oookay then". Brother, however, actually commiserates; "That's enough. [...] We get it. We really do." This is definitely one of those moments where Brother's context works better than Father's; he absolutely sees himself in Gideon. He completely understands him and sympathizes. He recognizes the madness of his own quest, he sees where it could take him, and there's a resignation when he speaks to Weiss: "Revenge is a fool's errand." "...yeah." Papa Nier has a similar delivery and similarly implies that he understands how terrible his quest is, but there's something decidedly haunting in Brother's sympathy. Also just verifying something on the wiki and this bit of 'Trivia' really jumped at me:

Gideon is the only character to only cause the deaths of other characters. In his case, he caused a platform to crush Jakob and ordered the deaths of P-33 and Kalil, with P-33 surviving.

Metal AF.

[prairiesongserial]

16.1

The lights on the burlesque stage went out just as Friday’s brassiere fell open - the timing of which she and Abernathy had been practicing for days. The crowd was so reactive that Friday felt the whistles and applause reverberating in the floorboards as she hustled off the stage. It was a louder reception than she was used to. She’d had fans at the Ace, but unlike the burlesque tent of the Madsen and Graves Circus, the Ace was just as much about drinking and catching up with friends over cards as it was about the girls.

Behind the curtain, in the tiny staging area, Beatrix was getting ready for her fan dance - she always did the finale, and it was always the same act. Friday had picked up the importance of crowd control since she first started hanging around the burlesque tent. With just cloth tent-flaps between yourself and a crowd that had been waiting a year for the circus to come through town, it was important they understood when the show was over.

A little girl popped through the curtain behind Friday while Friday was still trying to fix her brassiere back in place.

“Hey, baby,” Friday said, shooting her a smile. Jaelle, All-Fair’s kid, had been working the crowd. It was odd - usually Johannes did the burlesque tent himself, or at least got one of the men to do it. They blended in better. On the other hand, looking at the dozens of rings jammed on Jaelle’s fingers and the watches crawling up her arms, maybe the kid was the right choice.

“Hello, Miss Friday,” Jaelle said. She deposited her goods in the tin lock-box that Abernathy would come collect at the end of the night, turning the key with an air of great importance. “Can’t stay and chat - Johannes has me working every tent in the circus.” She heaved a sigh. “Bury me standing - I’ve been on my knees all my life.”

Friday had no idea what Jaelle was talking about, but the kid took off before she could ask. The circus would be winding down, now that the burlesque tent was putting on its last show. Friday threw slacks and a shirt on over her sequined underwear, still soaked in sweat from performing. She needed an ice cream cone before the stall packed up for the night.

When Friday left the tent, she was abruptly reminded that this was no ordinary show.

Her boots tread on grass, but there was no sky here. Despite the fact that it should have been past ten at night, dozens of lights high up on a domed ceiling gave the impression of daylight. Johannes’s amplified voice reached her from the main tent as he announced the last attraction. All at once, the lights on the ceiling shifted from yellow to orange to red, performing dusk in a matter of seconds. If not for that, the effect would have been eerily realistic.

Friday got a strawberry cone from Di and decided to wander over to the main tent. Might as well.

The last act in the main tent was fire-hooping, which was worth watching. The twin clowns had shed the baggy overalls from their tumbling routine and now wore form-fitting red and blue harlequin outfits as the flaming hula hoops arced through the air in perfect sync. Not only were the fire-hoopers impressive, but when the flames were extinguished at the end of the show, it made for a powerful symbol. Lights out, go home.

Friday felt the lightest touch against her back pocket. Most people would have written it off as the movement of displaced air as someone nearby walked past. Friday jerked her hand back and caught a slim wrist.

“Damn, I’ve been made,” Jaelle whispered.

“It’s just me,” Friday said, letting go. She beckoned Jaelle forward. “See that cluster of people three rows ahead of us, a little to the left? Heavy purses.”

Jaelle squinted in the direction Friday had indicated.

“Thanks, Miss Friday,” she said, then disappeared into the crowd again.

On stage, one of the clowns tossed her hoop up in the air, tumbled through the center of her twin’s hoop, and caught the one she’d thrown on the other side. The crowd clapped. That was the perfect moment to pick pockets. People’s hands were occupied, it was noisy, and the whole tent was filled with vibration, making little touches harder to notice. Friday felt the urge to check her own pockets again.

She did wonder at Johannes’s directive to go hard on pickpocketing this show. They were underground - had actually had to pay a toll to get into this giant bunker - and only after the steel door had been sealed behind the circus caravan had Friday learned that this was Washington, DC; home of Hemisphere Central. If Jaelle was caught picking the wrong pocket, that pocket had a pretty good chance of belonging to a powerful mobster. And the circus was trapped in here.

It was interesting how the Madsen and Graves circuit just happened to hit so many Hemisphere towns - from Everglades City to the accidental run in with the Good Guys - and now Central itself. No, interesting wasn’t the right word. At this point, it was almost boring, how obvious it was that Johannes was planning on handing her, Val, John, and Cody over to Hemisphere. Friday had finally tested her L-shaped pin against those used in the trailer hitches, and it was a perfect match. Johannes was trying to kill them, and Friday didn’t have a next move.

The fire-hooping ended with the lights shutting off just as the fires were extinguished. When they came back on, Johannes stood center stage to announce that the night of spectacle had come to a close. He’d changed backstage, and now wore a sequined suit - the left gold and the right black - and a cream cravat with a gold pin. Also cream colored was the porcelain mask that covered the top half of his face. Strange.

“Thank you all for coming to our show - that’s all the entertainment we have for you tonight. We hope you enjoyed the feats of athletics and wonder of the Madsen and Graves Circus.”

Friday spied Enis climbing down the ladder of the crow’s nest from which he controlled the lights. The crowd began to move toward the exit.

Friday wondered what Val thought about all this. She hadn’t tried to talk to him since he came back from Monocacy, but she’d pieced together from the gossip that Johannes had kissed him, it hadn’t been appreciated, and Val was pissed about it. Di, who was approaching sixty and had likely been with the circus since before Johannes was born, had called Johannes a dog and spat on the ground.

The crowd cleared the main tent surprisingly quickly - there were whispers of stopping at home to get changed. Interesting. Apparently the Madsen and Graves was the unwitting first half of a double feature.

As the last of the crowd left, circus members began to file into the main tent. Not unusual - after a show, there were sometimes special instructions for striking the sets. Friday saw Val hanging around the edges, and John and Cody front and center. She made her way over to Val.

“Catch my show?” she asked him.

Val looked at her, made an embarrassed face, then looked back to the stage.

“Would you rather I said yes?” he asked.

Friday smiled to herself, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

“A girl can dream,” she said, and winked at him. Val rolled his eyes. For a second, the summer had rolled back to the start, before John, Cody, and the fire. The reminder of how things used to be made Friday forget what she wanted to say next.

“Alright people, gather round,” Johannes called out, tipping the mask up to show his face. “You all know your strike teams, but there’s a little change. Enis and Abernathy are standing in for me and Ezra. We’re gonna shmooze at the gala and see if we can’t get us some extra gigs next year.”

Ezra had joined Johannes onstage by this point. He too was dressed up, wearing a bright navy suit and polished red leather shoes. He held a red mask in one hand. 

Friday was surprised when Ezra projected his voice exactly as competently as his brother had.

“Once you’re done, feel free to go into town, buy things that aren’t good for you, and give Enis a hard time.”

The crowd of circus members laughed, and a few ribbed Enis.

“Alright, get outta here,” Johannes added.

Friday stole another glance at Val. His brow was furrowed, his eyes intense on the brothers as they descended the stage.

“Gala, huh,” Friday said. “Sounds like a high class affair.”

Val gave her the look that meant I know what you’re getting at.

“I’m just saying, beer and campfires are nice, but I’ve never been to a champagne-on-little-trays kinda party.”

Friday wanted to keep an eye on Johannes - to judge if this was going to be a planned handoff, or if he’d spend the gala advertising the bounties to interested parties. Either way, Friday needed as much advance warning as she could get. And if Val came to the gala with her, maybe he’d finally see Johannes for who he was.

“It’s a Hemisphere party,” Val said.

So don’t you think it’s interesting that Johannes is looking for work there? Friday thought. Come on, Val.

“No one’s gonna be looking for us there,” she said. “It’s a fancy ball. We’ll wear big sparkly dresses and masks and introduce ourselves as the stars of a not yet released Bellamy picture that no one’s even heard of yet. No further questions.”

“I’ll come, but I’m not doing that,” Val said. “Someone has to keep you out of trouble.”

“Me? Trouble? Never,” Friday said, a wide grin growing on her face. “Come on, let’s find costumes.”

epilogue 15 || 16.2

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

Yes I'd love to know your take on all the characters too!

Haha sure thing! Forgive me if this is a bit long, I just wrote whatever first came to mind about each of them! Feel free to let me know what you guys think too, I’m certainly not the end-all-be-all!

Under the cut for length, a continuation of this post:

Number four is our illustrious cad, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I must admit I haven’t read all that much of his content personally, since I have trouble on a personal level. But given the tangential things I’ve seen and his appearances in other routes, I like the complexity of his character composition. He’s incredibly hedonistic and lives in the moment; he doesn’t seem to care one bit in regards to the potential consequences of his actions, and every second is something to think about as a writer—if he’s not teasing Isaac within a hairsbreadth of a stroke.

In truth, I don’t think that surface level interpretation actually encompasses every facet of who he is. Because he also has remarkable moments of insight and deduction (though wrongly attributed to him because of the Sherlock books), and he does have odd moments of compassion for people/the MC. They ring a little hollow for me, but I can appreciate that he cares in a way that makes sense to him. I think a lot of his behavior speaks to his negligence of self; I have to wonder if his devil-may-care attitude is a means to communicate to others that he doesn’t deserve to be cared for (if he won’t ‘take them seriously’, then neither will they in regards to him, no?).

Granted, I’m sure his route will prove to have equal depth to the ones we’ve seen before, but my own preferences preclude a pretty resolute lack of interest.

Tl;dr: Probably has some level of narrative depth, but given the content I’ve seen he’s a little too aggressive and selfish for me to appreciate or enjoy it. Rated T for possible big trauma/turning point buried underneath all that, as well as big feels when he chooses you by the end.

Also if it’s no trouble, I would like to offer a trigger warning to any who wish to do his route when it does come out. I don’t know if his MS has any traces of assault/molestation, but I have read a few ES’s in which he does things to the MC that she does not seem to want/does not consent to. It was a very unpleasant surprise for me, so I understand if anyone would rather avoid it.

Number five is our sunshine painter, Vincent van Gogh. Needless to say, given that he appears to be a fan favorite, he’s another suitor that’s just so easy to love. He’s sweet and gentle no matter the situation, and has a remarkable ability to lighten a room simply by being there. But don’t let that quiet and shy disposition fool you; he’s actually a lot sharper than he looks.

He’s among my bias favorites, and the reason why is more simple than you’d think. I’m sure I don’t need to explain that he’s incredibly compassionate. He’s always thinking about what he can do to ease people’s hearts, always meets others with warmth and a beaming smile. But he’s not an airhead. He’s not kind because he doesn’t know any other way to be; near every second of it is a choice that he voluntarily makes. There are moments where this strength shines all too true, and he proves he’s much more than a pretty, sweet face. When the stakes rise, he rises with them.

Though—and do forgive me, Vincent—I’m inclined to agree a bit with his brother, Theodorus. He can be a little too yielding to the more negative forces in his life, a little too compassionate towards people that are frankly threatening. But he insists that he’s willing to work hard for his happiness, that he has no intention of waiting for someone to hand it to him—he’s ready to make sacrifices and work. And I think that sentiment, that fortitude after such a difficult life, is what makes him so admirable. He’s not just generous, he’s strong enough to give all that he can and thrive at the same time. He has such a remarkable capacity for hope given everything he’s been through, and it’s something that I love about him—I can’t help but respect it, even if I’m a bit more cynical lmao

Tl;dr: Absolutely the softest and goodest boy I have ever seen in my life, 11/10 would marry and cherish forever—die mad about it Theo. Much more intriguing than what a first glance offers, I invite you to do his route even if you have doubts; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I live for his surprising moments of sass and seriousness, and if I’m honest he and his MC seem to have some of the best chemistry in the game because of how directly he addresses any miscommunication/confusion between them. (He also loves hanky panky, as our esteemed Sebastian puts it, so jot that down).

Speaking of, “if anyone so much as looks at Vincent the wrong way I’m killing everyone in this room, including myself”, number seven is Theodorus van Gogh (number six is Isaac in the game’s main story order, but transitioning—you know how it is). I…truly don’t know how to encompass him in a few words, but I’ll do my best!

Everyone’s probably more than aware at this point, but he lives with the single-minded goal of protecting his brother and promoting new talent. A workaholic and fiercely protective of the only family he has left, he tends to be pretty terse and harsh with other people—abrasive. But he has such distinct moments of warmth (even if they’re still coarse as hell), and he gets down to the truth of a situation in milliseconds; wit as sharp as any knife. Unlike his brother, he is totally fine with violence if he deems it warranted, and he has a much harder time granting forgiveness. It goes without saying that he has a much, much harder time sharing what’s in his heart and healing as compared to Vincent.

I think my favorite thing about Theodorus is just how multi-faceted he is. At any given moment his range of emotion or reactivity varies, and I actually think it’s very natural? I think he’s just someone that responds to a situation after carefully measuring just how comfortable he is showing his own cards—and sometimes he reacts without thinking at all because he’s too overwhelmed with emotion to care (unsurprisingly, the opposite of his brother, who’s generally more placid/visibly unresponsive). One wonders—though I think it’s likely the case—whether or not he’s much more expressive by comparison precisely because Vincent was unable to express himself with such unfettered honesty.

Overall, he tends to keep his distance from people. And yet, even if his admiration for someone is a rare thing, when he does admire them he well and truly means it to the core. Equally put, if he loves somebody he loves them with every fiber of his being—to the point where he will give up near everything important to him to preserve their happiness. If I were to describe it in a word, I suppose I would say that he’s incredibly volatile. He lives, to an extent, in extremes; even if he’s still able to see traces of the gray in-betweens. I fully expected to find him and his route forgettable/unpleasant, but he grew on me before I even realized it! 

Also just gonna put it out there, his interactions with Vincent are friggen ADORABLE. This big, looming, scowling swagger on legs seconds from tears whenever Vincent looks after him. Or how he hesitates and droops when Vincent scolds him. I just can’t they’re too much! For a guy that calls us dog in the Japanese version of the game he sure follows Vincent like an adorable puppy 😂

Tl;dr: Despite his frigid countenance, he’s a lot more bark than he is bite (yes I did that on purpose, do your worst fangface). Once you dig deeeeep deep under all that acerbic tongue-lashing (not the fun sort, unfortunately) you will find somebody that’s surprisingly soulful, and much kinder than he’ll ever let on. I very rarely know just what to expect from him, and while he can be a bit domineering, his heart is almost always in the right place.

Boomeranging back to number six is our adorable apple and baby of the house, Sir Isaac Newton. I’ve honestly been really happy to see how much love he’s been getting in this first route release for the big three, given that he’s such a sweetheart. Consumed with anxiety and very, very socially awkward; our boy is doing his best despite being big confused a lot. He likes to stick to math and physics where things make sense, and I can’t really blame him. He presumably asked to be given new life to do more studying—and if that doesn’t say anything about how isolated and lonely this man has been, I’m not really sure what does.

He’s also a bit of a mixed bag, like Theo. He seems to have a self-esteem located at the bottom of the Marianna’s Trench; and yet, has oddly courageous moments when he’s trying to help others (most especially Jeanne). While he can appear to be contrarian and bitterly defensive, he’s more brittle and nervous than anything else upon closer inspection. He’s too quiet and painfully shy to involve himself in conversation, to the point where he literally enjoys being teased about apples in the house—because at least he feels like he’s involved/belongs, that way. He’s distant and reserved, but isn’t lacking in warmth or compassion—he just expresses it in roundabout ways (I mean good lord, the boy felt bad waking up his own coachman). It can be hard to describe, but it seems like he’s always battling against his social anxiety—and sometimes it wins, sometimes he does.

I think what I love best about Isaac is how hard he tries, despite it all. Despite everything he’s lost, despite the droves of people that assumed the worst of him in life—he keeps trying, against all hope, to understand and be understood. Even when he’s afraid of being hated, even when he fully expects to fail, he picks himself back up and reaches out—no matter how difficult it is for him. All he ever asks of the MC is to bear with him while he tries to find those answers and meet her halfway, and honestly I think that’s the sweetest thing ever.

Tl;dr: Lost on the path of life but doing his best, all he’s ever really wanted is someone to call friend (girlfriend, if you’re so inclined). A little fragile and a little timid, all he needs is a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Next up, number eight, is the renowned veteran Jeanne D’Arc. Another bias boy (my list is endless for this game, lord) his route is my second favorite right behind Leonardo’s. Superbly written and paced, every moment of romancing him was raw and heartfelt.

Without giving too much away, he is taciturn and reclusive to the extreme—I’m talking hermit levels. But I loved that personally; it makes total sense that a man born literally four hundred years ago is going to be confused and overwhelmed by the level of stimuli present in the turn of the 20th century. And given how, much like Isaac, he has enormous levels of social anxiety—it makes for a very difficult way of life. The other men do their best to accommodate him, but there are other reasons why he avoids getting too close to people, no matter their good intentions (that part is a route spoiler so I’ll leave it to your imagination c:).

I think what I loved best about his route was how much it was about helping each other heal. And while some otomes can fall into trap of MC becoming his therapist (I’m not naming names—Mysme) it doesn’t feel that way at all, at least not to me. Granted, she does a lot to get him out of his shell, but it’s more because she wants to get along with him than some odd belief that he needs her help (also bc of wingmen Mozart and Sebastian—yes it was as amazing as it sounds). Not unlike Leonardo’s route, they both recognize the beauty that dwells deep within each other, and they fall in love without even having to think about it. They become just what the other wants and needs, without even trying—truly as natural as falling.

Which brings me to the other thing I love so, so much about Jeanne: his kindness. Despite everything he’s been through, despite decades filled with loneliness and pain and trauma—he’s no less gentle for it. He’s always putting MC before himself, always telling her to look after herself first and insisting he’s nothing but a nuisance. He treats her with all the tenderness in the world, and even jokes around with her in his moe, silly way. He’s charming and delightful and sweet, even if he can’t see it.

Tl;dr: One of my favorite otome routes to date. Falling in love with him felt as natural and as easy as breathing, and every single time I see him those feelings come rushing back. What he lacks in worldliness, he makes up for in pure passion and fierce consideration for the people he holds close to his heart.

At number nine lies our Monsieur Guillaume, better known as William Shakespeare. Where on earth do I begin with this one, I have no idea. He’s…a wild card to say the least, though a strangely methodical one? Jeanne’s Japanese route only served to confuse me all the more, to say nothing of Vincent’s route. Part of me wonders if he suffers from the narrative confusion that often results from making a suitor a primary antagonist at the same time. (Though I will admit, the fact that he barely even tries in Leonardo’s route bc: 1. Everyone’s terrified of Le Comte’s/Leonardo’s legitimate wrath 2. He deadass says LEONARDO CLOWNS HIMSELF HARD ENOUGH AND MAKES HIMSELF SO MISERABLE HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE TO TRY. WHAT KIND OF GOD TIER, ACCURATE ROAST. I’m sorry I just needed to come clean about that one, I’ve been laughing about it for years).

From what I understand he only really operates in two modes: extremely obsessive (and violent) or a complete lack of interest. Le Comte explains it much better than I do, but Shakespeare is a bit of a perfectionist; he wants an impeccable performance from a perfect, naturally acting cast. But MC tempers this with the correct analysis that he also has a very, very dark lack of compassion for other people. He truly does seem to have fae blood in that way; created for the sole purpose of dangerous mischief and dissembling. His poetic speech feels a little over the top, but it makes sense that he would speak in a flowery, distracting, and elaborate way if his goal is to keep his distance.

I find it…borderline terrifying that he gets along with Vincent because of the aftermath of Vincent’s trauma. As a result of the eldest van Gogh’s backstory, he tends to be “doll-like.” That is to say, as I mentioned, he very rarely expresses any depth of emotion. Shakespeare states that it lessens his temptation to want to make his life a tragedy like everyone else’s, and I suspect there is a level of envy hidden there. Shakespeare hates seeing other people express themselves openly; especially in terms of hope or love, because it is something he doesn’t feel he can have or because he believes it is fated to end in tragedy (or both?). His reasons seem to get pretty convoluted and can vary given the narrative goal, so I may only be partially correct here.

Tl;dr: If I’m honest, I don’t really feel anything for Shakespeare that’s positive—though I admit I do wonder about his intentions and what his route will amount to (sheer, morbid curiosity lol). I think he may have the potential to be redeemed—given that there are clear mentions of people going wrong from the turning process. But in general I find much of his behavior to be kind of appalling. At least it’s fun to watch le Comte punt kick him around when he’s done horrible things, lol (forgive me Shakespeare-lovers, it’s a bit cathartic for me)

Diez for our favorite (H)osamu Dazai, accomplice and enabler of Arthur’s thottery. He’s much simpler and somehow just as confusing as Shakespeare to get a handle on, and his content is pretty limited, but I’ll do my best to encompass what I understand!

Honestly, I find him a little fascinating in that he truly seems to believe that he’s good at keeping his distance; evading contact with MC, constantly calling her by the wrong name, and teasing her with his dramatic digressions—on the surface level, the implication is there. The game is very subtle about his moments of genuine unrequited feeling and adoration; if you blink it’s easy to miss. When a crisis hits, he uses her given name. When he’s frustrated that she’s not being treated as she deserves, he speaks out. He even tries the whole big brother schtick, though she brushes it aside (he was shooketh). Perhaps the abundance of third person narration makes it easier to tell (than it might be for MC) but I find he’s less convincing than he is stalling/avoiding the truth. Which begs the question. Why is he trying so hard if it seems half-hearted/forced?

The possibilities are, admittedly, myriad. My best guess is that he yearns for company even if he avoids/fears the commitment. I imagine a big part of his route will be getting him to accept the concept of companionship—no matter how much the idea scares him. I find it a little ironic, though, that for a man so desperate to die he says it wasn’t as fun as he thought it might be. Are the limitations his mental illness placed on him among his considerable regrets, enough that he felt compelled to try again in a new life? Only time will tell, I suppose.

Tl;dr: A little scatter-brained and a lot flighty, he’s lacking in conviction but not in compassion—and he may be a lot sharper than he first lets on. Rife with some sort of emotional/mental hardships, be prepared for a long, difficult ride if he’s among your favorites! It makes me wonder if MC will be reason enough for him to find meaning and peace in life for once, not unlike Jeanne’s rt. A girl can hope~

Ah yes, we arrive at another deeply beloved bias, Le Comte de Saint-Germain. I very much doubt there are words to encompass how much I love this man, but I will do my very best for your sake—and for his (it’s what he deserves).

Le Comte is a mystery to all but Leonardo, it would appear; right down to his alias. And in intriguing accordance with that fact, he is at times the epitome of a genteel nobleman—until he’s ready to unleash a flagrant can of whoopass to protect people. I think what I love best about him is that he’s quite literally a walking contradiction, in many senses of the word. He’s a gentleman with the heart of a punk/delinquent, only civil until a dispute carries too far. Saint Germain is the definition of a brittle character (something I have always been incredibly fond of in stories); I can never quite get a read on him. My best guess would be to say that while he’s patient, he’s also unpredictable. It’s not always clear how affected he’ll be by something or what he’s feeling. But when it becomes too much for him to bury within, you better believe everyone in a five mile radius can feel the aftermath. You’ll all come to understand what I mean, hopefully, but it’s the precise reason Leonardo becomes friends with le Comte—and why he continues to fascinate me.

And as odd as it sounds, I love how simple he is too, to some extent? No matter how convoluted the specifics of a situation get or blame is thrown around, he always cuts to the core of the issue—and doesn’t let anyone sidetrack that. He’s cautious, but not entirely incapable of being forthright; just choosy about when, where, and how. Which begs the question. Why does he always hold back so distinctly with MC? Side stories in the Japanese version suggest some very deeply rooted, agonizing fear that makes him avoid getting close to her no matter how much he likes her. I have theories, but nothing solid quite yet. All I know for now is that he is slightly shady, very benevolent, and a whole lot lonely.

Tl;dr: He’s literally the definition of the meme “aren’t you tired of being nice? don’t you just wanna go apeshit.“ Works to be gentle and understanding, but the second he deems somebody has gone too far he will act with surprising, swift, and deadly vehemence. He’s very sweet and surprisingly possessive/direct about his affections—though he often plays it off like a joke. I always find it funny though, when some of the residents—especially Arthur/Shakespeare—know they’ve gone too far and they just look up to his dark, saccharine smile like FUCK. 11/10 I’ve been waiting centuries for this man Cybird, pls set me free And last, but certainly not least, we have our distinguished butler, Sebastian. I love this big ol' nerd but can't deny that he does me a bit of a frighten. He can do...literally anything on the domestic front, and frankly its a bit alarming 😂😂

Just as the little question mark next to his description as stoic indicates, he goes for the whole unruffled English butler vibe and nails it for the most part. He's even got the witty banter down! But he's also pretty direct and unapologetic about his love for historical figures--and the stalkerish lengths he'll go to to observe them all. (I mean come on, this fool literally overshares about himself in milliseconds if you let him). Granted I can't fault the man for doing what makes him happy. Like Isaac, I just have to resist the urge to gently shove him into a locker sometimes lmaoAs for his romantic potential, I think the possibilities really range. From what little I've seen, I think he might be a bit like Mozart? He seems very unaccustomed to social interaction--and given his backstory he was more interested in books and people long dead than the ones beside him. He also has a bit of that fastidiousness to him, a bit stern and awkward despite moments of warmth. I think he can be more preoccupied with cutting straight to the truth sometimes than he is about figuring out how a person needs to be spoken to (re: what is tact?). And that's charming in it's own way, though the result can be hilarious inadvertent moments of callousness--quite literally photo taken seconds before disaster lmfao. (I think my favorite instance of this was when he was trying to reassure MC once and totally fucks it up, only to see her start panicking and go "Oh shit, I stepped on a verbal landmine, didn't I" and then Comte comes to the rescue) Tl;dr: Honestly, I think he'll be a really cute love interest even if I am all about the vampires in the game. He's his own kind of genius, even if he doesn't see it, and deserves just as many hugs! And I think he severely underestimates how sexy it is for a man to willingly share in the responsibilities required of a household. Get you a man as capable and sharp as Sebas LOL

[ficsinhistory]

So... about Liv(s)? — BH6 Theory.

So we're on hiatus! Disney as you Dare! Lie detector gave me so many sensations and I'm going to speak my theories now.

First, let's talk about what we know. The elephant in the living room.

I screamed out loud. I was not expecting this.

Our Liv we've seen in every episode is not the real Liv. This was shocking even though some have correctly speculated about it. Well, we do not know much about this situation but we can deduce some things:

This is not Liv Amara and the person in the capsule is not a clone of her. If so, Baymax had identified the phrase "Liv Amara is not creating the monsters" as a lie. That is, the person who is going through Liv is not the real one, that's a fact. But this leaves us the question of who is the person who is going through the Amara, which brings us to interesting possibilities:

The fake Liv may be the twin of the true. Something happened to the real Amara, which was probably caused by the fake Liv (let's call it Evie) or Liv real sacrificed herself to save her at the expense of her own life, causing her to blame herself and set out on a constant quest to save the sister, costing what it costs. This explains her amoral attitude and how Evie does not give a damn about anyone but her relative.

About Liv from the capsule: I do not think she's dead, but so is Abigail, in a state of hibernation. We can see the vital signs and this proves that she is alive, but in coma or in another unconscious state.

This possibility is one of my favorites because it resonates in history in an incredible dramatic way. A sister who seeks to save the other independent of the consequences, the potential of this is gigantic. Imagine how knowing the truth would affect everyone, would it affect Hiro ?! He knows what it's like to lose his brother and has almost killed someone because of this pain, imagine how shocked he would be to see someone who took the path he almost followed?

Not to mention Evie's humanization. It does not do this by power or revenge, but by something much deeper and more painful.

Other possibilities and that fake Liv is a clone that is trying to save Liv real, but, that does not make much sense to me. But it is a possibility.

Returning to Evie, she too, in this case, is a genius and it was she who built Chris. Maybe to keep company after her sister's loss. The interesting thing is that it has characteristics of a dog, maybe it is a hybrid of human and animal. Anyway, the way he looks after "Liv" is cute and faithful!

However, her existence raises some questions:

 Did anyone know that the great Liv Amara had a sister? Because no one, including Karmi who is a big fan, never mentioned it.

 Assuming the others knew of her existence, did not anyone bother just one of the twins walking around? And they were never seen together again?

 What about the accident that generated it? It was just the two of them, did anyone else know? How did it only affect the real Liv?

 Could Baymax differentiate the two? Univiteline twins have an extremely similar DNA, but different digital ones for example. How much is his sensor accurate?

Well, let's just say this is true and they are twins. Let's move on to part two of the theory: What would have caused the real Liv coma?

We know that Evie wants gold to help her sister, why gold? Well, if you do not know, gold is a little reactive material in a chemical equation, and one of the elements that is less prone to this throughout the periodic table. And if you also did not know, it's been recently being used to block replication of the virus in infected cells, and you know what's most interesting about it?

We can see the structure of a virus on the Liv panel in the capsule!

That is, what must have left her in that state was a viral disease! And that combines since Evie told Bluff that she was seeking a cure for a rare disease! That's because phages only affect bacteria, which leads me to think that this is a mutated virus that has gotten out of control!

Maybe she tried to find the cure over and over again, and at the very least managed to slow down the disease, which is already getting very advanced as she said she was running out of time!

Which brings me to another would have attached to that with another character. If you already have some time in my theories, you know what I'm talking about.

Yes, I'm talking about Karmi.

This season she is getting more prominence and being more developed. In another post, I talked about her emotional and selfless nature and how "Liv" could use that, which leads me to a great conclusion!

As we all know, Karmi is an amateur in viruses and bacteria, as well as saying this to “Liv” herself:

Amara: Let's say you only get to study one subject forever. What do you pick?

Karmi: Uh, organic chemistry! Wait, no! Pathogenic bacteria!

Liv: Ah! Same!

Here seems to be a simple conversation, but, now we know why the fake Liv seeks pathogenic bacteria.

Karmi, as an amazing biotech, is a specialist in viruses and especially bacteria. Exactly what is threatening the life of the real Liv! What can make the fake take a desperate measure as the sister is closer to death: She may try to capture Karmi.

But that alone would not be fun. No, Disney is a drama queen that takes me to the apex of Karmi's dramatic arc. At some point, perhaps in the middle or end of the season, Karmi finds out about the real Liv and Evie manages to capture Hiro and set up something really big and dangerous against San Fransokyo. At this point, it does not need to be captured; because Karmi will surrender in exchange for the salvation of the city and of Hiro.

This is entirely possible, given the countless times that it has been proven that Karmi really has a selfless soul, not to mention that she would not only do for Hiro and the city, but also for Liv in the capsule. Karmi is human and emotional, one of its main virtues and how it values life and is determined to preserve it. She would not hesitate to put her life in danger if it meant that everyone would be safe.

I would pay to see this!

So I sum up: The Liv we saw is the twin of the real one who seeks the cure of the virus that threatens the life of the sister and this will lead to a dramatic plot climax where Karmi will surrender in exchange for everyone she loves safe.

Be free to say something more about the theory, bye!

[madscientistjournal]

An Interview with Madison Estes

Today, we’re chatting with Madison Estes, who will have a story in the final quarterly for MSJ!

DV: Tell us a bit about yourself! Madison Estes: I’m a horror addict who comes from a family of horror fans. My dad and I went to Las Vegas this year so we could do the Saw Escape Room, which was one of the coolest and most intense experiences of my life. Several of the rooms are duplicates of traps from the movies, and they got Tobin Bell to do narration in each room. My mother and I went to Texas Frightmare several years ago and we got to meet some of the Saw stars, plus Robert England, Sid Haag, and Sean Patrick Flannery. With two parents who are horror fans, I had a lot of horror influences growing up. I remember the crypt keeper from Tales from the Crypt used to scare me, but when I got a little older I’d watch reruns of it whenever I could, in addition to The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Like most contemporary horror writers, I read a lot of Stephen King when I was growing up, starting with The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, which is still one of my favorites. I also read On Writing sometime in the fifth grade. It helped me connect with literature in a way that I hadn’t before, and I believe it shaped me into the writer that I am today.

I live in southeast Texas and I have three dogs, two black and white Chihuahuas, a boy and a girl (Leo and Mayhem), and a Shih Tzu named Mika. When I’m not writing, I’m usually snuggling with them and reading or watching movies. In addition to my obsession with horror, I’m a huge nerd for Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel, DC and some of the old school anime shows like Yu Yu Hakusho.

DV: You’ve got a story coming out in February in Strange Girls: Women in Horror Anthology that sounds like it will be of interest to our readers. What can you share about your story without giving too much away?

ME: My story “Revival” is about a medical student who believes the cadaver he was assigned to dissect is coming back to life. He’s grieving the loss of his sister and suffering from nightmares and sleep deprivation, so he’s not mentally stable. He doesn’t trust his own judgement, but since he couldn’t save his sister, he’ll stop at nothing to save this girl if she really can be saved.

DV: You’re also working on a horror writing guidebook with other authors. Tell us more about this project.

ME: I’m working with five other writers on The Complete Guide to Writing Horror Vol. 1, commissioned by Dragon Moon Press. I’m in charge of five chapters, which cover topics such as horror subgenres, horror basics, the history of horror, business etiquette, and market resources. At the moment, I’m still working on subgenres. I’m designing this chapter to help writers learn how to categorize their own writing, and to give them an idea of what is out there so they can find their niche or niches within the horror genre.

In the basics chapter, I’m covering character struggles, decisions, consequences, and other related topics. One subject of special interest to me is character agency. I feel that in horror stories, character agency is often lacking. It’s tempting to write a passive, reactive character in a genre where the villain is often the star, but characters should have some control over their lives, or at least the appearance of control, even if by the end of the story you’re going to pull the rug from under the reader and reveal the characters had little to no chance at all. Think about the movies In the Mouth of Madness, Knowing, or Cabin in the Woods. The main characters in these stories are active. They fight back, but more than that, they ask questions and investigate. Even if they fail, they make efforts to take control of their lives. It makes stronger characters and a more entertaining story than a character that only runs from the maniac with the knife.

In the business etiquette chapter, I cover topics such as communication and conflict management with editors, and how to write cover letters, query letters, author bios, and more. Market resources covers topics such as networking opportunities, horror writing conventions, critique groups, where to find submission calls, and a list of active horror publishers. I haven’t started writing the history chapter yet (please don’t tell my editor!), but I plan to cover the origin of horror and the movements that have shaped the genre, such as the invention of film, video games, and the internet, as well as how certain authors like Stephen King forever changed horror.

I’ve very excited about this project. I can’t wait to share my knowledge and help aspiring horror writers. It takes me back to being in fifth grade with On Writing and the way that book filled me with excitement for writing. I hope to not only help writers elevate their craft, but to inspire that feeling within them as well.

DV: What’s the coolest thing about being an author?

ME: When I go on Amazon and read a review from someone who enjoyed my story, or when a book blogger reviews an anthology I’m in and singles out my story as one of their favorites, it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. It makes all the hours of writing and revising worth it.

DV: What’s on the horizon for you?

I just had a short story called “Crossroads” featured in Horror USA: California (Soteira Press) about an actor who goes through a midlife crisis when his girlfriend gets pregnant. His mental stability and fears of fatherhood are worsened by his Porsche, a haunted car that carries a terrible secret. I recently published my first paranormal romance/erotica story in The Devil’s Doorbell (HellBound Books) called “Visions of Blood”. A psychic has visions whenever he touches people or certain objects, but it comes with a side-effect of searing pain. A beautiful vampire convinces him to use his ability to help her track down the vampire who murdered her friend. Sexual tension leads to some very creative sex scenes between them despite the character’s disability.

My short story “Servant of Death” is going to appear in the last issue of Mad Scientist Journal. It’s about a child dying from cancer who is stalked by a shadow creature that he perceives to be Death. After he escapes the grim reaper’s clutches, his cancer goes away, but when he grows up, he finds out that remission came with a price.

I have a short story coming out next year in a time-themed anthology by Transmundane Press. My story is called, “The Time Loop Loophole”. It’s a horror comedy about a guy trapped in a time loop who thinks the only way to escape may be to kill his best friend. The premise sounds really dark, but the story is mostly humorous. The main character is kind of a self-described loser. At the beginning of the story, his biggest regret about being in the time loop is not being able to finish his video games or see the ending of Game of Thrones (a blessing in disguise according to most fans, not that he could know that). He’s not even that bothered by the time loop until the girl he has a crush on starts showing interest in him. Secrets come out, and everything gets complicated as he starts to wonder just what he’s willing to do to be with the girl of his dreams.

Thanks, Madison!

An Interview with Madison Estes was originally published on Mad Scientist Journal

[bloojayoolie]

Beautiful, Butt, and Click: ****2ND CHANCE!!! NOT RESERVED CUDDLY VINCENZA IS ONLY ON THE LIST BEC SHE HAS A TREATABLE COLD - PLEASE HURRY, SHE WILL BE KILLED SHORTLY AT NYCACC IN MANHATTAN, NY!**** THIS ADORABLE COMPACT BABY HIPPO IS ABOUT TO BE KILLED SIMPLY BEC SHE IS HOMELESS AND CAUGHT A TREATABLE SHELTER COLD!!! She's a beautiful three year old girl with a winning smile and an endearing head tilt. Upon arrival, Vincenza was terrified, and who or what wouldn't be in a strange and scary place? Dogs are resilient though. We all know that. And Vincenza IMMEDIATELY warmed up and made tons of friends - both human and canine, has given out hundreds of snuggles, and ACED HER BEHAVIOR EVAL! She will blossom even further in a safe, loving home, please hurry - this is is it, she is out of time in a kill shelter!! ****NOT RESERVED SNUGGLY VINCENZA WILL BE KILLED SHORTLY AT NYCACC IN MANHATTAN, NY!**** A volunteer writes: Vincenza (63573), or Vinny as I like to call her, is as cute as a button and super duper snuggly. Her favorite kind of petting is butt rubs enjoyed while leaning into her person’s legs and she seems to be a big fan of other dogs too. At risk of euthanasia on 06.11.19, Vinny’s ready to be part of a family again and can’t wait to go home sweet home! Another volunteer writes: A big personality in an adorable little package, Vincenza is the kind of fun-loving pet who makes every day feel like a celebration and her sunny smile is the ultimate pick-me-up. You can never have too much Vinny! She's a snuggler extraordinaire and given the chance will stick to your side like a magnet, leaning in for butt rubs or hopping her stubby paws onto your lap for tasty treats and sweet talk. Vinny walks well on leash and seems to be house trained too, she enjoys exploring and running around with her human friends and greets fellow dogs with happy tail wags and a soft body. This tiny tomboy may have million dollar looks and a heart of gold but she's still searching for the most precious treasure of all--a loving family and a happy home. Do yourself a favor and welcome a little ray of sunshine into your life today, Vincenza can't wait to snuggle with you! SHE ACED HER BEHAVIOR EVAL AND SHE IS NOT RATED RESCUE ONLY BEC THEY KNOW SHE WAS JUST FRIGHTENED WHEN SHE FIRST ARRIVED BUT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT SWEET PERFECTION WHILE IN THE SHELTER! Date of assessment:: 5/29/2019 Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: None Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: Body soft Handling Soft handling: Seeks contact Exuberant handling: Seeks contact Handling comments: body soft, wagging tail, leans into assessor Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: No response Knock Comments: None Toy: No response Toy comments: None FOSTERING IS FREE AND TEMPORARY AND WILL SAVE HER LIFE! TO SAVE loving Vincenza, #63573, please CLICK ON VIDEO AND POST THERE OR MESSAGE THE Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs FB pg -http://bit.ly/2CjaeVn OR EMAIL US AT MUSTLOVEDOGSNYC@GMAIL.COM Death row dogs are out of time!. Killing starts anytime after 12:00pm ON 6/11- TUESDAY!! More info and photos of this sweet girl - http://bit.ly/2MEy2eU

[viciousheart]

after  viviana  gets  her  memories  back,  she  decides  to  start  up  a  new  venture. 

because  the  horses  gabriel  got  for  her  helped  her  so  much  during  that  time,  she,  first  of  all,  made  sure  everyone  in  house  deluca  was  matched  with  their  perfect  horse.  

and  then  she  started  buying  more:  the  absolute  best  of  the  best  of  race  horses,  jumping  horses,  and  breeding  horses,  deciding  to  dip  her  toes  into  all  three  ventures.  before  long,  her  stables  were  full,  and  the  over  seven  hundred  acres  of  her  estate  were  made  into  an  indoor  jumping  ring,  an  outdoor  jumping  ring,  an  actual  race  track,  grazing  fields  and  training  fields.  

her  pet  project  is  called  VANITY  ROYAL  STABLES. 

so,  let’s  meet  some  of  the  horses! 

we’ll  start  with  the  family’s  own  horses: 

viviana,  herself,  has  three  horses  she  calls  her  own. 

JUPITER  the  first  horse  gabriel  bought  for  viviana.  gabriel  saw  him,  and  knew  right  away  that  this  was  a  horse  viviana  had  to  have.  i  mean,  come  on,  he’s  literally  golden!  JUPITER  is  stubborn  and  has  a  mind  of  his  own,  and  he  really  only  recognizes  viviana  as  someone  worthy  to  ride  him.  she  has  no  problem  handling  him,  but  no  one  else  can  seem  to.  he  takes  after  his  mistress  in  so  many  ways,  it’s  almost  like  he’s  the  equine  version  of  viviana  deluca.

SKY   (  named  for  the  colour  of  his  eyes  )   may  be  viviana’s  favourite  horse  right  now   (  but  don’t  tell  the  others!  )   he  caught  her  attention  with  his  striking  blue  eye,  and  he  kept  it  with  his  wonderful  personality.  he’s  not  as  stubborn  as  jupiter,  or  as  strong  willed  as  fioire.  he’s  calm,  and  he’s  sweet,  which  was  exactly  what  viviana  needed  while  she  had  none  of  her  memories.  she  just  needed  someone  to  be  there,  and  she  found  that  in  SKY.  he  never  pressured  her  or  judged  her.  he  didn’t  care  that  she  couldn’t  remember  a  thousand  years  of  her  life.  he  was  never  pushy  like  jupiter  could  be.  and  when  she  talked,  it  felt  like  he  actually  listened.  and  he  reminds  her  so  of  her  gallant.

and  as  a  present  for  her  nine  hundred  and  thirtieth  birthday,  gabriel  gave  viviana  a  white  horse.   (  with  a  spot  of  black  on  her  nose  )   a  horse,  she  would  late  come  to  find  out,  that  is  the  same  breed  as  her  first  ever  horse,  gallant.  and  viviana  said  that  the  horse,  who  she  named  FIOIRE,  which  means  blossom  in  italian,  immediately  reminded  her  of  gallant  because  of  her  curly  mane  and  tail. 

alyssandra’s  horse,  who  viviana  ironically  named  ROSA  while  her  memories  were  gone  also  turned  out  to  be  jupiter’s  mate.  together,  they’ve  already  had  two  foals,  one  of  which  went  on  to  earn  VANITY  ROYAL  STABLES  quite  a  bit  of  money  thanks  to  its  father’s  success  as  a  jumper.  the  other  foal,  the  first  one,  they’ve  kept  as  one  of  their  own,  and  he  shows  a  knack  for  jumping,  as  well.  every  chance  that  they  get  to  grab  jupiter  and  ROSA  and  head  out  for  a  ride,  they  take  it.  the  two  of  them  love  it,  and  the  horses  love  it,  as  well.  it’s  kind  of  like  a  double  -  date.

when  rowan  returned  home  after  viviana’s  recovery,  none  of  the  horses  gabriel  bought  seemed  to  connect  with  her.  all  of  them  seemed  to  like  her,  and  she  rode  rosa  most,  but  none  of  them  felt  like  hers,  and  so  viviana  made  it  her  mission  to  find  her  eldest  daughter  the  perfect  companion.  for  the  longest  time,  they  had  no  luck,  and  rowan  was  beginning  to  lose  hope.  but  then  she  and  viviana  met  the  charming   (  and  inseparable  )   team  of  DAKOTA  the  dalmatian,  and  LOLA  the  appaloosa.  and  while  viviana  is  not  a  big  fan  of  dogs,  she  could  see  the  instant  connection  rowan  had  with  both  animals,  and  so  they  both  came  home  with  them.  and  the  three  of  them  do  everything  together.

there's  two  reasons  stella  has  two  horses.  the  first  is  that  she’s  kind  of  a  horse  fanatic  like  her  momma,  and  the  second  is,  because  of  that,  she’s  very  in  to  equestrian  sports.

her  first  horse  is  one  that  gabriel  brought  home,  and  stella  just  thinks  she’s  the  best  horse  in  the  world.  her  name  is  VIOLA  and  she  is  gentle  and  sweet,  but  she’s  also  quite  old.  she’s  still  playful  and  strong  for  her  age,  but  she  can’t  do  the  jumps  or  trickriding,  so  stella  uses  her  for  trail  rides.  lots  of  trail  rides.  she’s  always  worried  she’s  ignoring  VIOLA  so  she  actually  gives  her  more  attention.

her  second,  athletic  horse  is  a  unique  beauty   (  and  personality  )   stella  named  TWISTER.  he  is  quite  the  character.  if  he  doesn’t  get  enough  time  doing  what  he  loves,  which  is  jumping,  he  starts  to  act  out.  first  of  all,  he’s  learned  how  to  open  his  stall  door.  so,  when  he  antsy,  he’ll  just  let  himself  out  of  his  stall. . .  and  then  he’ll  let  the  rest  of  the  horses  out  of  theirs,  too.  luckily,  he  hasn’t  figured  out  how  to  open  the  stable  doors,  but  he  does  know  how  to  get  into  the  food.  stella  has  to  keep  him  constantly  busy,  jump  him  every  single  day,  or  else  he  acts  out  and  her  moms  warn  her  that,  if  she  can’t  handle  such  a  high  -  maintenance  horse,  then  they  might  have  to  find  her  another  horse.  but  stella  loves  TWISTER  in  all  his  crazy,  whacky,  trouble  -  making  ways.  so  she  keeps  him  busy! 

the  next  horse  was  bought  by  VANITY  ROYAL  STABLES  because  of  his  striking  looks,  to  be  used  for  breeding  purposes.  but,  as  soon  as  he  got  there,  he  proved  to  be  a  little  too  much  for  anyone  to  handle.  he  would  attack  the  other  horses,  and  snap  at  any  person  that  tried  to  go  near  him.  he  was  stubborn  and  hot  -  headed,  temperamental  and  unpredictable  and  viviana  deemed  him  too  dangerous  to  keep.  but,  during  his  week  at  the  deluca  estate,  briar  had  been  keeping  a  close  eye  on  him.  something  about  him  called  out  to  her,  like  a  soul  that  needed  healing.  and  so,  when  viviana  announced  that  she  was  selling  him,  briar  went  out  to  the  stables  that  night  and  pulled  a  chair  up  in  front  of  his  stall.  and  she  just  sat  that  with  him.  all  night.  and  he  wasn’t  reactive  or  temperamental.  when  the  sun  came  up,  she  even  dared  feed  him  an  apple.  and  he  ate  it  out  of  her  hand  as  gently  as  any  other  horse.  so,  briar  marched  right  up  to  viviana’s  office  and  demanded   (  or,  rather,  she  asked  nicely  )   to  be  given  a  trial  -  period  with  the  horse  because  she  knew  there  was  a  wonderful  animal  beneath  the  surface,  and  she  was  going  to  prove  it.  it  took  a  bit  of  convincing,  but  viviana  agreed,  and  she  asked  her  what  she  was  going  to  name  him,  and  briar  said,  FAITH. 

gabriel  fought  tooth  and  nail,  paid  an  arm  and  a  leg  to  bring  home  a  horse  he  thought  viviana  would  love,  with  it’s  white  mane  and  black  coat.  he  thought  she’d  be  as  entranced  by  his  beauty  as  he  was,  and  while  she  agreed  that  the  horse  was,  indeed,  quite  beautiful,  she  felt  no  connection  with  him.  and  she  said  that  she  felt  no  connection  with  him,  but  she  thought  gabriel  might.  and  she  was  right.  so,  even  though  he’d  never  had  a  horse  before,  and  though  he  knew  little  of  them,  he  decided  to  keep  this  one  for  himself,  and  he  still  says  it’s  one  of  the  best  decisions  he’s  made.  he  named  the  horse  ATLAS,  and,  before  they  got  their  own  companions,  his  children  were  quite  taken  with  ATLAS,  and  as  for  ATLAS?  he  still  loves  the  entire  sharp  clan.  gabriel,  jenna,  and  the  kids. 

then  there’s  zachariah’s  horse  that  he  names  ROMAN  to  honour  his  roman  heritage.  zach  decided  to  join  gabriel  on  some  of  his  outings  to  buy  horses,  and  that’s  when  he  saw  the  unique  beauty  that  is ROMAN.  and,  it  turns  out  he’s  a  lot  like  his  mom  in  the  way  that  he  felt  a  special  connection  with this  horse  the  moment  he  met  him.  so,  even  though  he  had  to  pay  a  hand  and  foot  for  him,  he brought  roman  home  the  very  same  day.  and  ROMAN  immediately  became  best  friends  with  viviana’s favourite  horse,  sky.  they’re  practically  attached  at  the  hip,  which  makes  viviana  very  happy.  zach  and  viviana  now  have  a  bi  -   weekly  date:  every  other  sunday  they  take  ROMAN  and  sky  and  ride  out  to  watch  the  sun  rise  over  the  hills.  viviana  teases  that  he’s  getting  a  little  too  old  to  hang  out  with  his  mom,  but  he  never  disagrees  with  her.  she  looks  forward  to  their  ride  every  day  leading  up  to  it. 

aurelia  met  the  horse  she’d  come  to  name  WISTERIA,  and  that  was  it.  she  was  in  love. 

you  only  need  take  one  glance  at  CALLIOPE  to  know  she’s  a  stunning  horse.  and  she  has  a  rather  tender  personality,  too.  when  cass  first  met  her,  she  ate  an  apple  out  of  her  hand  and  then  nuzzled  her  nose  against  her  face  and  cassie  knew  she  had  to  have  this  horse.  she  was  perfect!  and,  besides,  her  name  was  cassie,  while  the  horse’s  name  was  CALLIE.  as  far  as  the  little  angel  was  concerned,  it  was  a  match  made  in  heaven.  but  then  they  got  her  home  and  there  was  some  turbulence.  while  she  was  great  with  her  on  the  ground,  when  cassie  tried  to  ride  her,  CALLIOPE  just  wouldn’t  cooperate.  viviana  said  that  the  horse  was  too  high  -  strung  for  a  beginner  like  cassie,  and  they  should  start  looking  for  another  horse,  but  cassie  already  adored  the  horse.  so,  stella,  who  knew  a  thing  or  two  about  dealing  with  high  -  strung  horses  from  dealing  with  twister,  volunteered  to  help  cassie  out  until  she  an  CALLIOPE  got  into  a  rhythm  and  learned  to  become  a  team. 

jase  loved  his  dad’s  horse,  atlas,  so  much  that,  for  his  birthday,  viviana  gets  him  a  pony  with  the  same  colouring  at  atlas.  and  the  little  boy  is  overjoyed.  he  wants  to  ride  the  pony,  that  he  calls  ROCKSTAR,  or  ROCKY  for  short,  all  of  the  time.  he  gets  his  parents  out  of  bed  so  he  can  go  ride  ROCKY.  and,  not  that  he’d  ever  say  it  to  anyone  but  jenna,  but  sometimes  gabriel  curses  viviana  for  this   “present.”   viviana  knows,  though.  she  thinks  it’s  all  hilarious.

OTHER  HORSES   /   @univurs  has  gotta  pick  out  horses  for  jenna  and  vienna  hfdjsk

the  next  two  horses  are  sisters,  and  twins,  in  fact,  they  were  born  to  some  horses  from  the  stables,  and  their  purchase  fell  through  so  viviana  decided  to  keep  them.   and  everyone  refers  to  them  as  the  twins.

[theonyxpath]

Figured that now would be a good time to take a look at how things are going with your favorite gaming company.

No, not them, I mean Onyx Path. Sheesh.

After all, we’re near the end of the year – at least the part before everything gets holiday crazy – and next week we start our They Came From Beneath the Sea! Kickstarter.

So let’s take advantage of the time period and have a little snapshot of where we are. We’ll do more of a “Year That Was” thing in a later blog, I think. (This one is long enough as it is – yeesh!)

2018 was a challenging year, but one where we were able to catch up – finally! – on a lot of projects and start delivering some delayed ones…as well as delivering a bunch of Kickstarter projects earlier than estimated!

If you recall from MMN blogs in the past, I started Onyx Path with a three-part plan for the sorts of projects we would take on, so let me divide my comments based on that.

1- Our Wholly Owned Games:

This category is perhaps our timeliest right now, with both books for Scion 2nd Edition and the Trinity Continuum Core and Aeon all having delivered their KS backer PDFs and in various stages of prepping for their traditional print-runs.

This is very satisfying to be able to say, because as our KS backers know, a large part of the delay in getting these two lines to this point was needing to create a system for them that wouldn’t fall apart at higher power play, and which, frankly, was designed with an eye towards the last couple of decades worth of how games are played.

And while still being a recognizable dice pool system for our fantastic fans of the first editions who kept these games alive all these years!

Just today, our old friend and long-time writer and developer Bruce Baugh posted a long and informative “review” of Storypath on his Facebook page and RPG.net, and I’m taking the liberty of posting some of his thoughts here:

I mean to say, if, on the other hand, you tell players that all active approaches are good – that every one solves some problems well and makes for entertaining drama in trying to solve ones it’s not so great for – the choice moves from “should I risk it?” to “_how_ should I risk it?”, because of course they’re taking the kind of risk and get to decide how. Presuming here that players want to have an adventurous good time, the game’s stepping up to point out the scenic attractions and give them a hand where the footing’s tricky. I love it.

Or take a situation where the character’s pursuing someone, using the Athletics skill. The Forceful character uses Might, running fast, bursting through barriers, maybe throwing things to bring down the pursued, and so on. The Finesse character uses Dexterity, perhaps engaging in impromptu (or prepared!) parkour and acrobatics. The Resilience character uses Stamina, and might look for shortcuts that involve kind of long falls, knowing they’ll be able to take the blow, shake it off, and keep going. Every option is good, every option invites the player and Storyguide to look for opportunities to engage with the setting.

Meanwhile, as those two lines move to printing, we have Scarred Lands, which seems to be living up to its name. After a decent start, we had to go back to square one and reconsider how to publish this classic White Wolf-created D20 game after the death of Stewart Wieck, who was originally my partner in publishing it.

I’m glad to say that we indeed have a plan for how to “reactivate” Scarred Lands and you can look for a Kickstarter for the 5e version of the famous Creature Collection early next year. We’re teaming up with a brand new design studio to bring you a gorgeous and exciting new version of SL‘s classic monster manual as the start of more Scarred Lands greatness.

If you’re looking for a Scarred Lands actual play, Travis Legge runs one on Twitch: They play Mondays from 2-4 PM CST at twitch.tv/plasticageplays and archive episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzVwM7FjhlU&list=PLmiXCaSrrCIjmCJQQ7oLwLNahmDbdn_2J and release it in podcast form via anchor at https://anchor.fm/mythsandmatchmakers

They Came From Beneath the Sea! art by Larry Blamire

And for the fourth of our Onyx-owned projects, the aforementioned They Came From Beneath the Sea! Kickstarter emerges from the waves next week on December 18th. Here’s a link to the teaser trailer, created by film legend Larry Blamire (Thanks, Larry!) and we’ll  be revealing an Actual Play vid later this week across our social media:

Matthew and I will go into some more detail on what led up to this most unusual tabletop RPG next week!

We have some possible new game ideas percolating away right now, but I’m not in too much of a hurry to launch a new one right away, there are still great expansions and ideas to explore for the ones we already have!

#2- Creator-owned partner games:

Headed up by Cavaliers of Mars and Realms of Pugmire (which includes Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, FetchQuest, and the upcoming Pirates of Pugmire).

These are different than a straight-up license, in that the creators are generally deeply involved with the project. Often they do a large percentage of the writing, or bring in teams they run for it. Depending on how we conceptualize the deal, they may have a lot of input on the art or just work on the concepts and let our art and layout folks do the voodoo that they do so well.

Scarred Lands was originally structured far more like this.

So, basically, I look for creative partners that have a very strong vision for the game world, and who I like and want to work with. From there, if the game line exists in the main book and some Stretch Goals, that’s cool. We made the thing and with the magic of the eternal shelf on DTRPG, that’s all it needs to be a success in my thinking.

If the line keeps gathering interest, we’ll try out more projects if the creator is cool with that. That’s the key, we don’t do anything if they aren’t OK with it.

For Cavaliers of Mars, we have just got the books selling into stores, and we’re going to see how things go. If you haven’t heard Rose talk about Cavs on the Onyx Pathcast interview that went live last Friday, it’s a great listen, and she gives advice on how to get started with Cavs as a bonus!

Here is the link to that: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/e/episode-29-rose-on-mars/

Roll of Good Dogs and Cats art by Shen Fei

Realms of Pugmire is the umbrella brand for Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau projects, and we still have a wide range of projects that came out of both Kickstarters. Here’s Eddy interviewed at PAX Unplugged by Gamerati: https://twitter.com/gamerati/status/1070095836233646081

I currently have two creators talking to me about teaming up for their projects, and again, I’m pretty good with our current slate here, but if the opportunity suggests itself I am open to adding more.

#3- Licensed games:

Which of course start with our WW-owned World of Darkness, Chronicles of Darkness, and Exalted gamelines, but which also include Dystopia Rising: Evolution, and Legendlore.

No doubt about it, this has been a challenging year with our White Wolf licenses. To give you an idea of the complexity, Matthew’s oversight is primarily “just” the WoD projects, and Dixie covers CofD and Exalted. Eddy covers all the rest, with Matt overseeing a bunch of our fiction projects.

The transition to Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition, and getting Mage, Wraith, and Changeling 20th projects to final stages at the same time was a huge effort, but seeing the success of the V5 Chicago By Night Kickstarter has justified it. We felt it to be important for Onyx Path to be able to show what we could do with V5 books, as we had a few pundits insist we could only do “old” Vampire.

Chicago By Night put the stake in that!

We’re moving along really well on Exalted 3rd projects as well, with Dragon-Blooded looking to release its Backer PDF several months before estimate, and Lunars looking good for having its complete text ready for an early 2019 Kickstarter. Meanwhile, there have been monthly PDF releases all year, and smaller EX3 books working their way through the production progress list.

I can’t say enough good things about the entire EX3 creative team, and I’ve just been impressed as hell with co-developers Robert Vance and Eric Minton. They work with their writing teams and with Dixie to maintain their vision for the line while incorporating the creativity of the team.

The Chronicles of Darkness game lines continue to come on line in terms getting their projects finished up in reasonable time frames, and Dixie is still working with the creative teams to emphasize their strengths, and bolster the areas that give them trouble. We’ve had some real movement VtR2, and the Night Horrors books, and then Mage2 is getting back on track as well.

As you can see in the project progress list below, we have some fantastic WW game line projects already rolling into next year, and a bunch of pitches at WW we are waiting to hear back on.

We ran the Dystopia Rising: Evolution Kickstarter this last year, and it was enough to seed several added projects as Stretch Goals to the line. I don’t think we actually reached as many of DR‘s fans as we could have, judging by the comments we’ve received after the KS was done, so it will be interesting to see how sales go once it is in stores.

We picked up this license for a few reasons. First, DR‘s top folk, Michael and Ashley, are extremely smart and creative folks who have innovated a lot in the LARP area, and we like people who can teach us stuff. Second, a new kind of zombie mythos that we, the horror “experts” hadn’t had a chance to play with.

Third: zombies meet Mad Max. Love that woohoo concept. Finally, and really most importantly, it gave us a chance to try the Storypath System in a world that was both grittier and more horrific than baseline Scion or Trinity Continuum. This was really important, and from I’ve heard it works really well for this sort of genre.

For Legendlore, well, apply what I’ve been saying about finding licenses that we can apply our aesthetics to, not visual aesthetics as we’re flexible about those, but design and thematic ones. For now, I’ll leave it at that, as the book has just appeared in the project process queue, and we’ll say a lot more about it next year.

Will we be adding more licenses this year? Well, discussions continue on several properties, so we’ll see. Basically, a license has to be either one that we feel we can create compelling worlds from, even if it is an already existing game, and that works well with our publishing model, or that pays us oodles of cash for very little work (riiiight, and if you find one of those, let me know!).

Trinity Continuum Core art by Pat McEvoy

We’re thrilled to be able to publish so many immersive worlds where players can find deep meaning in their game play. That’s a testament to the amazing writing and visuals that take us to all these places, and to an in-house team that has filled-in, rejuvenated, cajoled, encouraged, and relentlessly supported our out-of-house creative teams.

Mighty Matt and Mirthful Mike, and our trio of Dixie, Matthew, and Eddy, have pushed, prodded, pleaded, and practically puked to get our vast array of projects finished with love and care this whole year, and their efforts are paying off big time as noted above!

In fact, you can listen to the Terrific Trio every Friday on the Onyx Pathcast and often get some clues as to where the projects they are responsible for are headed, and the sorts of challenges they surmount every week.

This Friday, they flash back to the conventions we attended a couple of weeks ago and tell each other about their favorite characters!

Truly, this post has been all about our:

Many Worlds, One Path!

BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER:

Next up, we’re working on the Kickstarter for They Came From Beneath the Sea! (TCFBtS!), which has some very different additions to the Storypath mechanics we’ll be explaining during the KS.  They take an excellent 50’s action and investigation genre game and turn it to 11!

Check out the teaser above!

Looking to start on Dec 18th at 1pm EST but run it extra long into January!

ELECTRONIC GAMING:

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is both rolling and rocking!

ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue you bought it from. Reviews really, really help us with getting folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

https://ift.tt/2w0aaEW

And we’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

And you can now order Pugmire: the book, the screen, and the dice! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=296

DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

This week, in celebration of both Monarchies of Mau and Cavaliers of Mars being live for retailers in Studio2, we have new themed merchandise on our RedBubble store: postcards and mugs and all sorts of stuff!

CONVENTIONS

Start getting ready for our appearance at MidWinter this January in Milwaukee! So many demos, playtests, secret playtests, and Onyx Path Q&As you could plotz!

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM FAST EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Scion Jumpstart (Scion 2nd Edition)

Geist2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Pirates of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

Distant Worlds (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)

Legendlore core book (Legendlore)

Creatures of the World Bestiary (Scion 2nd Edition)

Redlines

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

Memento Mori: the GtSE 2e Companion (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Second Draft

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Scion Ready Made Characters (Scion 2nd Edition)

Development

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

CofD Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)

Manuscript Approval:

Wr20 Book of Oblivion (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Editing:

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Aeon Aexpansion (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Dystopia Rising: Evolution (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Adventures for Curious Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

In Media Res (Trinity Continuum: Core)

Tales of Excellent Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)

Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

Night Horrors: Shunned by the Moon (Werewolf: The Forsaken 2nd Edition)

Post-Editing Development:

C20 Players’ Guide (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Indexing:

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

Dystopia Rising: Evolution – Finals coming in.

Geist 2e

The Realm 

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Chicago By Night – Contracting next bits.

C20 Player’s Guide – Still sketches and more sketches.

Aeon Aexpansion

They Came From Beneath the Sea! – KS prep.

EX3 Lunars – Sketches coming in, some finals already.

Signs of Sorcery

In Media Res

Marketing Stuff

In Layout

Ex3 Dragon Blooded – 2nd proof.

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) 

Proofing

Scion Hero – Page XXs and then Indexing.

Scion Origin – Page XXs and then Indexing.

CtL2 Jumpstart – At WW for approval.

M20: Gods and Monsters – With Phil.

Pugmire Roll of Good Dogs and Cats

Trinity Core – Waiting for errata from Backer PDF.

Trinity Aeon – Waiting for errata from Backer PDF.

At Press

Wraith 20th – Waiting for new cover proof. Everything else good to go though.

Wraith 20 Screen – Printing.

Scion Dice – At Studio2.

Lost 2e Screen – Printing.

Scion Screen – Printing.

Changeling: The Lost 2e – Soon shipping from printer to shipper. PoD proof ordered.

Fetch Quest – Proof sent back to manufacturer, printing starting.

Exalted 3rd Novel – Prepping for release.

PtC Tormented – PoD proof ordered.

TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: 

It’s 7th Sea creator John Wick’s birthday today. I’m sure he doesn’t feel a day older than YARRR!