#full disclosure i did these ahead of time
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It's hourlies time!
Starring @evegwood, @sticksandsharks, friend Holly and husbando James
#full disclosure i did these ahead of time#well most of them lmao#these are late haha#hourlycomics#hourlies#hourlycomicday#hourlycomicsday#hourlycomicday 2024#hourlycomicsday2024#hourlies 2024#comics#ell art
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(ID provided in Alt)
Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana -- available for pre-order now!
A Library with a deadly enchantment.
A fae lord who wants in.
A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.
In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu's village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile–her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a fae lord.
She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she’s after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.
As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she’s forced to rely on two fae males to survive. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she’s not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.
Release day September 5th, 2023
More pre-order links are incoming as they generate.
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Hey booklr! I'm posting this on behalf of my friend Analeigh Sbrana (@literaryxqueen on insta), who doesn't have a Tumblr. Her debut novel, Lore of the Wilds, went live for pre-order this morning, and I'd love it if we could show it some love.
Analeigh tried for two years to sell her story to trad-pub, but the vibe was that trad-pub didn't want to take the risk on a Black Fae fantasy adventure set in a breathtakingly descriptive magic kingdom in a market currently flooded with white fairy romances. So, she took matters into her own hands and joined the ranks of self-pub.
Full disclosure: I worked on this book as a proofreader, and I loved every minute of it. I kept forgetting I was supposed to be working and reading ahead. I scheduled a week to finish reading it in did it in 3 days, and the only reason it took so long was that I had to actually pause and work on it 😅.
So, if you like:
-🍄cottage core
-✨fairy core
-📚light/dark academia vibes
-🌈a diverse cast of lgbtqia+ Black characters
-💘romance
-🧝🏾♀️ being kidnapped by a fairy prince to tidy up his cursed/enchanted library and coming into your own magical powers as a result, then Lore of the Wilds might just be for you!
Here, have a sneak peek of what the physical books will look like:
(ID in alt)
The book will eventually be available in eBook, paperback, and hardback--Ana's just having a time getting the links to generate. I'll post them as soon as they're live.
Please do consider giving LoTW some love. It's such a fantastic book, and I'd love to see it thrive where trad-pub left it to fail. Thank you 💖
#booklr#writerblr#lore of the wilds#analeigh sbrana#adventure fantasy romance#black fairy fantasy#cottage core#dark acamedia#light academia#signal boost
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Out Of The Shadows
Since his shock exit from Slipknot, Joey Jordison has remained silent. For the first time, he opens up about the split, the debilitating condition that left him unable to walk, and how he's been reborn anew
Words: Dom Lawson • Pics: Travis Shinn
Metal Hammer 285 - August 2016
(google drive link)
Full disclosure I pasted the main article from Metal Hammer's awful awful website because my hands are sad (from doing things like this, yes. Don't keep doing things if they hurt, yes even if you're super super excited about a guy.)
There is life after death. First, there’s Hell.
When the news first broke that Joey Jordison was no longer in Slipknot, it sent shockwaves around the world. Here was this icon of our world and one of the founding members of one of the greatest bands to emerge in all of 30 years suddenly, inexplicably gone. In the heavy wake of Paul Gray’s passing it seemed almost too great a blow for any band, even one with nine members. Anyone who knows their travails understands that they’re less a band and more like a dysfunctional family – had their problems caught up with them? But reappear they did, to the sound of a rapturously received album, and the three-ring circus of Knotfest, and yet still questions remained about the circumstances of Joey’s departure. Slipknot were tightlipped, and Joey? It was anyone’s guess.
I’m humbled to say that we now have Joey’s side of the story, and this month’s world-exclusive journey to Des Moines is one of the most powerful, saddening and inspirational stories you’ll read in these pages. Sure, there are the new records – Vimic and Sinsaeneum (sic) herald one of our world’s greatest musicians returning to the fold and from the sound of things we’ve some tremendous records ahead of us.
More importantly though, we have one of metal’s greatest figures back, and we couldn’t be more delighted to see him back on his feet – literally. To read Dom Lawson’s tale of a man who’s truly been there and back again, see p.38. Make sure you’re sitting down, because Travis Shinn’s remarkable photography is as stark as it it worth not one, but over 3,000 words.
Thank you for reading, and…
Stay metal!
Alex, Editör-In-Chief
Out Of The Shadows
Since his shock exit from Slipknot, Joey Jordison has remained silent. For the first time, he opens up about the split, the debilitating condition that left him unable to walk, and how he's been reborn anew
Words: Dom Lawson • Pics: Travis Shinn
Joey Jordison unmasked: the ultimate interview
Part One - Revelation
“This is very important to me. You’re getting something that I have not told anyone. It’s very emotional. It’s fucking hardcore, man.”
Joey Jordison has got a few things to get off his chest. More importantly, the world has got a few questions for the erstwhile Slipknot alumnus and the 21st century’s most celebrated percussive polymath, not least because he has been resolutely off the radar for the last few years.
The last time Metal Hammer spoke directly to Joey, he was promoting his then-newly-formed band Scar The Martyr, who released their self-titled debut album in September 2013. Three months later, he was seemingly dismissed from Slipknot, the band he had enjoyed huge global success with ever since they exploded into our world back in 1999.
Since that startling news broke in December 2013, Joey has been conspicuous by his absence from our ears, eyes and screens. This being the age of endless social media speculation, his disappearance and departure from Slipknot have been widely discussed online, one commonly espoused theory being that the diminutive drummer had gone spectacularly off the rails and was simply unable to fulfill his usual duties, thus prompting his bandmates’ decision to effect an unexpected lineup change.
In truth, only Joey’s closest friends and business associates know what he’s been up to for the last couple of years, but as he warmly greets Hammer at the door of the house he shares with girlfriend Amanda in Des Moines, it’s immediately apparent that today’s interview is much more than just an opportunity to herald the arrival of not one, but two new bands and Joey’s wholesale return to action. Instead, this is what he describes as “an opportunity to tell everyone what the fuck has been going on”. And it’s almost certainly not what anyone is expecting.
“It was at the end of the memorial shows we did for Paul,” Joey begins, referencing the death of bandmate Paul Gray and the subsequent world tour that began in the summer of 2011 and continued until August 2012. “We were in Canada, at the end of my last run of shows with Slipknot, and something happened to me but I didn’t know what it was. I was super ill. You can be sick and still play, but this was something I’d never felt in my life before.
“We found out that what I have is acute transverse myelitis. It’s a neurological condition that hits your spinal cord and it wiped my legs out completely. It’s like having your legs cut off, basically. I played those last couple of shows and it scared the living shit out of me. I didn’t know what it was. Everyone thought I was fucked up, but it wasn’t the case. I wasn’t even drinking. Everything was straight-laced and fucking perfect. Everything was on point. But I had to be carried to the stage…”
Joey pauses, wincing at the memory. “The pain was something I’d never experienced in my life before, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
When he arrived home from the Slipknot tour, Joey could barely walk. On August 21, 2012, he was admitted to Mercy West hospital in Des Moines, diagnosed with some form of leg paralysis but unaware of exactly how or why this was happening to him. Ten days later, he was transferred to the neurological unit at University Of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, understandably terrified and extremely confused about his physical deterioration.
“It was fucking bad, dude,” he recalls. “My lady has everything documented. I got struck with this fucking thing that I couldn’t control. The doctors said I might not be able to walk again. Today, I can almost run, but back then I couldn’t even stand up. I was bed-ridden. If I wanted to turn over in bed, I had to move my legs with my hands. I was in and out of the hospital for months.
“Some beautiful people have helped me out and got me back stronger and taught me how to walk again, but at that moment my whole life was screwed, man. Acute transverse myelitis is a fucked-up disease and a lot of people don’t recover from it and they’re paralysed forever.”
After having braces fitted to prevent his weakened legs from buckling, Joey was finally discharged from hospital in October 2012. Thus began an extremely lengthy, challenging and physically exhausting regime of physical and occupational therapy, as Joey tried to summon the energy and determination to beat the bizarre neurological condition that had wrenched the carpet from under his feet and left him both horribly vulnerable and understandably bewildered.
Early in 2013, work began on Scar The Martyr’s debut album, as a further batch of Slipknot shows in Japan and Europe – including a headline slot at Download – loomed over the horizon. Still recovering from the worst of his illness, Joey somehow managed to recover to the point where he was able to perform at those gigs, after which he threw himself wholeheartedly into launching Scar The Martyr by hitting the road as main support to Danzig in the US.
All the while, of course, his global army of admirers remained entirely in the dark about the turmoil and trials going on behind the scenes. It was widely noted that Joey was looking overweight and far from healthy during Scar The Martyr’s debut UK tour, but the conclusions that most people were jumping to – in essence, that he had a problem with drugs and/or drink – were completely off target. Unfortunately, when Slipknot announced on December 12, 2013, that they were to forge ahead without their talismanic drummer, those rumours seemed to gain a little extra momentum.
“Yeah, and that’s why I love being able to do this interview, because finally I get to tell the fucking truth!” Joey declares. “It’s been really frustrating, but I can only bless the people that have been around me and helped me to get back to this point. And this is what I want to clarify for my fans…” – he punches his hand to emphasise the importance of this statement – “…it had nothing to do with fucking drugs or fucking alcohol!”
Several times during our interview, Joey’s eyes fill with tears. It’s abundantly clear that the extraordinary effort required to confront acute transverse myelitis and doggedly chase a light at the end of a seriously dark and bleak tunnel has taken a lot out of him, particularly on an emotional level. But now that he is about to click into top gear once again, via new bands Vimic and Sinsaenum, Joey is channeling his energies towards a cathartic clearing of the decks, and setting people straight about his life over the last five years is top of the agenda.
“Life takes you on weird trips and you just have to hold on, ride the wave and be as strong as you fucking can,” he shrugs. “I’ve been through so much fucking shit over the last few years and people just don’t know.”
Part Two - Struggle
The news that Joey had seemingly been sacked from Slipknot came as a huge shock to everyone, even without the additional knowledge of his devastating health problems. From the band’s enormous fanbase, through to many of us in the metal world that have always known him to be, at the very least, a wholly dedicated and passionate member of that 18-legged, arena-smashing entity, it was a wildly unexpected turn of events.
The band’s own public statements at the time took a predictably passive course, the relatively benign implication being that Joey and his former comrades were simply heading in different creative directions and could no longer work together effectively.
On January 2, 2014, he made his own statement on Facebook, making it plain that as far as he was concerned, there was no mutual agreement and he had been fired from Slipknot for reasons unknown.
“I was laying in bed with my lady, I’d been in rehabilitation for my health issues but everything was good, and the next thing I know…” he pauses, visibly upset. “No band meeting? None. Anything from management? No, nothing. All I got was a stupid fucking email saying that I was out of the band that I busted my ass my whole life to fucking create, you know?
“It was the weirdest fucking thing. I can’t imagine just sending Corey or Shawn or Mick a fucking letter, without a band meeting. We’re friends and we’ve been through so much shit together, but that was all it was, a fucking letter. That’s exactly what happened and it was hurtful, man. I didn’t deserve that shit after what I’d done and everything I’d been through.”
In light of revelations about his state of health at the time, it does seem an unusually abrupt way to bring such a longstanding partnership to an end. Joey even claims to have written and demoed a batch of new material, aided by Slipknot’s then-touring bassist Donnie Steele, and circulated it among his bandmates in an attempt to get the compositional ball rolling. But, according to the drummer, no one got back to him to discuss the new songs: subtle evidence, perhaps, that wires were distinctly crossed.
“They got confused about my health issues, and obviously even I didn’t know what it was at first,” Joey sighs. “They thought I was fucked-up on drugs, which I wasn’t at all. I don’t blame them for being concerned, but when you’re friends and you’ve been through so much stuff, you fucking talk to each other. But I harbour no bad feelings toward them at all, because I’ve moved on with my life. I’m happier than I’ve been in years. You need to move on, close the fucking chapter and, in the end, it is what it is.”
It is a testament to the positive way Joey has endeavoured to overcome his severe health problems that today, even after having been unceremoniously ejected from one of the biggest metal bands on the planet, he is hearteningly sanguine about the way things have turned out.
During our conversation, he repeatedly declares how grateful he is for the friends, family and life that he has, and even when discussing the end of his tenure as Slipknot’s drummer, he is eager to state how much he still loves and admires his former bandmates. What is perhaps more surprising is that Joey not only made a point of checking out .5: The Gray Chapter, the album Slipknot made without him and released in 2014, but is also effusive in his praise for it.
“Honestly, I have a long history with those guys, so I give them the respect they deserve and I listened to the whole record multiple times,” he smiles. “And I think it’s great! It’s fucking cool and I’m glad they moved on. I’m not like, ‘I’m not gonna give them respect!’ – I’m not a coward like that. I’m glad they’re carrying on the name, because what’s important is the fans. There’s no stupid battle going on. There’s no point in saying, ‘Fuck them!’
“No, I’ve been through so many things with those guys and I love them very much. What’s hurtful is that the way it [being fired] went down was not fucking right. That’s all I want to say. The way they did it was fucking cowardly. It was fucked up. But the love in my heart for those guys, that stays the same.”
It is at this point that Metal Hammer asks the inevitable and unavoidable question: despite everything that has happened, would Joey be willing to rejoin Slipknot further down the line? As much as his successor, Jay Weinberg, has acquitted himself brilliantly while filling the shoes of a contemporary drumming legend, it’s hard to deny that most Slipknot fans would be beside themselves with joy if Joey were to return to the fold. He takes a deep, measured inward breath and fixes us with a stern stare…
“Let me think about how to answer that, because it’s a big one,” he nods. “Honestly, I’m not trying to be dramatic, but if that was brought up, what I’d want to do would be to get together. Not just have a phone call or some stupid email. I’d want to see them, just hug it out and feel that energy that we had when we were fucking young and hungry and all that shit. They’re my brothers. We’d hug and talk and do shit like we used to do. We used to sit up all night long planning this shit and what we wanted to do. So that’s how I’d wanna do it. It’d have to be in person. If it happened, that would be fucking awesome, but only time will tell.”
Part Three - Rebirth
Back in the here and now, Joey Jordison is well on his way to being fighting fit once again. His recovery is still ongoing, of course, and daily trips to see his trainer at the local gym have now become an essential part of his day-to-day schedule, but as he speaks, he radiates sincere positivity. That said, the effort it has taken Joey to get from suddenly and horrifyingly being robbed of the use of his legs to a point where he is able to unveil two brand new albums with different bands is etched into his subtly expressive face.
He and better half Amanda have kept a detailed scrapbook of photos and other memorabilia from the long, hard road back from the onset of transverse myelitis. They allow us to leaf through it, and it brings the jarring reality of Joey’s last few years vividly to life. It’s a litany of woes, pain and frustration that many of us would regard as insurmountable, but even when faced with yet another grim obstacle, when he fell and broke his leg while in the studio recording Vimic’s debut album in the autumn of 2014, leading to his leg being cut in half and the insertion of steel rods and bolts, Joey’s determination to prevail and come back stronger than ever has been unwavering.
“I did question everything, like, ‘What am I going to do?’, not knowing if I was going to recover,” he admits. “It hurt a lot. It was a big question. But there was a definite point where I thought about all the blessings I’ve been given in life, being part of Slipknot and playing with Korn and Ministry and Rob Zombie and doing Roadrunner United and all those things, and you look at that and you’re grateful, and so you bust your ass to get back. I didn’t feel sorry for myself. I do not quit. I’ve got fans I’ve got to take care of, you know? So there’s no hiding right now.”
If you want to know what the opposite of hiding sounds like, you need only lend an ear to either or both of the new records that Joey is releasing this summer. The first is Echoes Of The Tortured, the debut album from Sinsaenum, Joey’s collaboration with Dragonforce’s Frédéric Leclercq and a host of underground luminaries. A monstrous but eminently accessible death metal record, its jaw-shattering eruptions of blastbeats and epic fury showcase the full extent of Joey’s physical recovery in no uncertain terms.
The second is Open Your Omen, the first album from Vimic, which is essentially Scar The Martyr with a new vocalist, former Korn percussionist and back-up singer Kalen Chase. It’s a sharper, more focused record than its (sort of) predecessor, planting Joey firmly back in belligerent mainstream metal territory, with plenty of the huge hooks and irresistible riffs that his loyal fans will be feverishly anticipating. But beyond the new music itself, Joey’s true focus is on the unparalleled joy he is currently experiencing as he escapes the nightmare of the last few years and returns to what he does best.
“This is a rebirth, and reaching this point is the ultimate reward,” he states. “It’s like having the ultimate trophies, having these two bands. These opportunities are coming back to me and it feels like a complete renewal. These are real bands, not side-projects. Everything I do goes at 100%… maybe even 666%, ha ha!
“At a certain age, a lot of people] become vegetarians or they find religion, but I’m never gonna stop being a fucking weirdo and a fucking metalhead! You wake up one day and you realise that nothing’s ever gonna change and you’re fucking committed. I’ve been like that since I was five years old, man.
“Right now, I just want to keep creating. These bands are two huge fucking journeys for me. It’s like when you see a rollercoaster that you’ve never ridden before, and you’re fucking scared, but you’re in line and waiting, like I am now, and then once you step on? You’re in!”
There are a few lessons to be learned from the story of Joey Jordison’s last few traumatic years. Firstly, maybe we should all be slightly less eager to jump to hasty conclusions when faced with only one side of a story (or, indeed, no verified information whatsoever). Secondly, never underestimate the strength, persistence, passion and potential of the human spirit.
“The most pertinent lesson of all, however, is one we all should have learned a long time ago: Joey Jordison is an unstoppable force of nature and, after fighting the toughest battle of his entire life, he’s primed and ready to make up for lost time and to remind the world that loud, angry, fucked up and furious music remains the best medicine of all.
“I have this weird-ass condition, but it doesn’t limit me and I’m getting better all the time,” he concludes with a confident grin. “I can play just as fast, or faster, than I ever have. Everything is fucking cool and I’m at the gym every day and it’s all going well. That helps me out so much.
“I went through some serious fucking shit. People didn’t know and I can’t blame them for that. But the thing is, you get up in the morning and you look in the mirror, and then you go off and fucking do it. You live your life the way you want to, and get the work done! What else can I say, dude? It’s good to tell my story. I’m fucking back and I’m ready to go full force. This is the best fucking job in the world. I’m never gonna stop.”
What Is Transverse Myelitis?
We spoke to Lew Gray, secretary of UK charity the Transverse Myelitis Society, to understand what Joey’s batling…
Can you explain what the condition means?
Lew: “Transverse myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord. You have a lot of nerves doing different things in your spinal cord, so the facts of each case depend on which part of the spinal cord is affected. It can be high in the spinal cord affecting the arms, or you may struggle to breathe because the muscles in your lungs don’t work. It could be lower, affecting different sensory nerves. Some people with transverse myelitis can walk but can’t feel the floor beneath their feet, or they can’t feel hot and cold or pain. We think there are about 250 cases a year in the UK.”
Does it typically come on quickly or is it more of a gradual process?
“It can be either. A lot of people are paralysed within an hour or two. But then for other people it can be very gradual and come and go over a period of months. It takes some people years to get a diagnosis.”
What treatment is available?
“Really, the only treatment is to dose you with steroids. They will reduce the inflammation, and therefore you’re not curing it, you’re minimising the damage until it goes away by itself. Physiotherapy is very important. Almost everyone gets some spontaneous recovery over time after transverse myelitis, but the body and mind ‘forget’ how to use muscles and nerves that are not working, so the purpose of neurophysiotherapy is to ‘guide’ the recovery.”
What is the long-term prognosis for someone with transverse myelitis?
“The nerves are capable of regenerating themselves. Nobody can predict though how well they will regenerate, how long it will take, or if they will at all. The majority of people get improvement, but there is no cast-iron guarantee.”
How common are relapses?
“We do know people who have had recurrences, however that is rare. Sometimes a reoccurrence of transverse myelitis leads to a diagnosis of MS [multiple sclerosis].”
For more on the Transverse Myelitis Society, visit www.myelitis.org.uk
Beating The Odds
How Joey Jordison fought his way back from paralysis to prosperity
The full extent of Joey’s arduous battle with acute transverse myelitis is brought into sharp focus when we visit Absolute Performance Therapy in Waukee, Des Moines. Joey spent months here, working on his recovery, and the mere fact that today he is able to walk through the front door without assistance speaks volumes about what he has achieved. His therapist, Alyssa Subbert, has nothing but praise for his determined approach.
“Being stubborn helped the most!” she laughs. “To go from being someone who could do anything to not being able to get out of a chair, then to get back to being able to do everything again, it was a huge process. He wanted to drum again so bad, and as long as we made every exercise about drumming, he’d do it. He was very stubborn and very ornery, but he’d work and work until his body was too sore.”
Gruelling physical work aside, it is obvious that Joey’s time at APT was also hugely emotional. He hasn’t been back since finishing his treatment, and there are tears as he and Alyssa recall the intense therapy sessions and ferocious perseverance and teamwork that were needed to make each successive triumph a reality along the way.
“This was a huge wake-up call to Joey’s health and lifestyle, and how physical his job is,” Alyssa states. “When you’ve done something like that forever, you have no concept of it. He has to play in a drum set that rotates and goes upside down?! It’s not a regular job, sitting at a computer. We even practised mobbing him! Does he have balance when a whole bunch of people mob him, you know? It’s a whole different life, and very physical. So this was a completely unique process we went through.”
Joey’s physical therapy may be over, but his daily trips to local gym Life Time Athletic are an essential part of his recovery, not to mention his ability to play drums with the power and skill that fans have come to expect. His personal trainer, Caleb Herman, is a Slipknot fan who’s full of admiration for his client’s dedication.
“When Joey came in, he could hardly walk,” Caleb recalls. “Now he’s pressing 700lbs and he can do a step above what most people can do. He’s got one of the strongest back muscle groups I’ve ever seen. He couldn’t stand without help, but now he can stand up by himself, so his progress has been awesome. When he sees progress, he becomes motivated, and he tells me he gets the chills, and that gives me the chills. It’s really exciting to see him get to this point.”
Battle Of The Bands
After a long absence from our world, Joey’s returning with two new projects.
But how do Vimic and Sinsaenum stack up against each other?
Vimic
Members: Joey Jordison (drums), Kalen Chase (vocals), Matt Tarach (keyboards), Jed Simon (guitar), Kyle Konkiel (bass).
Sound: Crunchy, state-of-the-art modern metal with big, anthemic melodies and plenty of snotty aggression.
Image: Lots of black leather, long hair, beards and menacing scowls.
Sample lyric: ‘Simple skeletons, playing God again/We’re getting higher, we’re getting higher, and the truth will set us free’ (Simple Skeletons).
Drumming: Lashings of classic Joey, from that Slipknot stomp and big, muscular grooves to bursts of high-velocity blasting.
Joey says: “Scar The Martyr was the blueprint, but we wiped the slate clean. This is heavy shit. Kalen killed it on this record.”
For fans of: Slipknot, Disturbed, Fear Factory.
Check out: Earth Stood Still.
Lurching, syncopated grooves and soaring, post-grunge melodies collide in a brutish, multi-tempo anthem that deftly showcases singer Kalen’s versatility.
Sinsaenum
Members: Joey Jordison (drums), Frédéric Leclercq (guitar), Heimoth (bass), Attila Csihar (vocals), Sean Zatorsky (vocals), Stéphane Buriez (guitar).
Sound: Epic, imperious, blackened death metal with tons of eerie atmosphere.
Image: Classic, dark, extreme metal attitude with a dash of theatrical corpse paint and a blood-splattered logo.
Sample lyric: ‘We are the pain inside your head/We are the sorrow in your soul/We are the fire/We are the rusty nails’ (Army Of Chaos).
Drumming: A masterclass in death metal precision and power. Proof that Joey is back and blazing.
Joey says: “Sinsaenum is probably one of the most extreme and proficient bands I have ever been in. These guys are fucking on point at all times. We’re a fucking army!”
For fans of: Morbid Angel, Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth.
Check out: Inverted Cross.
It’s blistering, heads-down death metal grandeur with anti-Christian lyrics, fret-melting solos and countless warped twists and turns.
Sin City
As well as making his comeback with Vimic, Joey Jordison’s taken up the drum stool for death metal project Sinsaenum. Mastermind and Dragonforce bassist Frédéric Leclercq explains how it came thundering to life
Words: Dayal Patterson
While Vimic represents a beefed-up reboot of Scar The Martyr, Joey’s also been behind the kit for a second, brand new band - Sinsaenum. The brainchild of Dragonforce bassist Frédéric Leclercq, it’s a more murky blend of death and black metal, featuring the twosome alongside some of the leading lights of the extreme scene, including dual vocals from Mayhem’s Attila Csihar and Dååth’s Sean Zatorsky. We asked Frédéric what the supergroup have planned for their dark future.
How did Sinsaenum first come about?
Frédéric: “Oh Christ, even I have trouble remembering when it started! I always wrote death metal songs. I started to write in 1998, then I was doing something else [he played in the French bands Memoria and Heavenly], and I’m still doing something else, with Dragonforce. The first person I spoke to was Stéphane [Buriez, guitar] from Loudblast. It must’ve been in 2010 that we said, ‘Let’s really do something about it.’”
How did Joey get involved?
“I kept writing more songs, and one day in 2013 I got a text from Joey. We call each other ‘Morbid Angel” – don’t ask why – so the text said, ‘Morbid Angel, what you up to?’ I was like, ‘Well, I just got back from tour… talking about Morbid Angel, I have these death metal songs.’ He was like, ‘You should send them to me!’ Two days later, he came back like, ‘Fuck yeah, that’s really cool. Who’s playing drums? I want to do it.’ So I started to ask more people that I had in mind.”
How did you guys meet?
“We did the Mayhem tour together in the US, in 2008. One day drinking we were talking about death metal, and then we got to talking about it more and more. That’s how you get to know people – you find what you have in common. We had drinking and Morbid Angel.”
What about the other guys?
“Stéphane I’ve known for 20 years. I played in a band in my hometown, Charleville-Mézières, and we supported his band, Loudblast. They were a big influence, and the first death metal band I heard. We kept in touch because France is a small country when it comes to metal. With [bassist] Heimoth from [French black metal band] Seth, it’s the same – there’s a small metal community. Dragonforce and Mayhem did a festival together, and Attila came onto the bus and said: ‘My son is a fan and would love an autograph – by the way, I’m the vocalist of Mayhem.’ He’s such a nice person – maybe you shouldn’t write that, keep the mystery! Sean and I met when Dååth was opening for Dragonforce in 2009. I really liked his voice and his attitude.”
How much music was written before you started working with them?
“When Joey sent that text, all the songs were half-written, because I’ve a tendency to write a song with just a verse and a chorus, maybe a mid-section, because I know the rest is in my head. So when he said, ‘I’m interested,’ I was like, ‘Oh shit, I have to finish the songs!’ I sent out files, because it was clear that people trusted my ‘vision’. They didn’t want to change too much. I had to finalise lyrics with Sean and Attila, and Stéphane contributed to the structure. Joey added some fills. I decided to make it a concept album using interludes like Tiamat, or Pestilence, or even Type O Negative did to create atmosphere, so I had to write those.”
What was it like working with your heroes?
“I felt like a kid in a toy store! Being in a studio with Attila singing songs that I wrote, and saying, ‘Oh, you should do this song like [Mayhem’s] De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, and him being like, [adopts a Hungarian accent] ‘OK bro’, it’s like ‘Fuck, this is happening!’ I shouldn’t sound so excited, ‘cause this is black and death metal, but I had a big smile during the whole process – we all did. On Army Of Chaos we have Schmier from Destruction and Mika and Mirai from Sigh. Mika and Mirai are good friends of mine and are doing the big choirs, the choruses… like Sepultura’s Stronger Than Hate [from 1989’s Beneath The Remains]. I remember reading the booklet as a kid… they had the guys from Obituary and Atheist on it, and I was like, ‘Fuck, that’s cool.’ And it’s Schmier who’s singing on the last pre-chorus.
Did Joey’s health battles affect Sinsaenum?
“Not at all. He speaks about it way better than I, so I won’t comment on that. I’ve kept away from all the troubles. I was like, ‘I’m a friend. If you want to talk, I’ll listen, but I just want to make sure you’re happy.’ As far as health problems, he was fine – he killed the drums. I don’t know how he did it, but he said, ‘Dude, I’m on fire.’ He was angry, I guess.”
Will Sinsaenum tour?
“It’s definitely something we want to do, but there’s no rush. I want to do everything the same way I lived it as a kid. These bands I loved, I loved their albums, but I didn’t see them live for a long time and it didn’t bother me. I want people to digest the album – there’s a lot of information on there. Plus, we’re all busy; it’s difficult to get us all in a room. We rehearsed before doing the videos, and being in the same room, it was like, ‘Fucking hell.’”
What’s happening with Dragonforce right now?
“We’re doing summer festivals and writing the new album that will come out next year, so I have to juggle between doing Sinsaenum stuff and writing and recording with Dragonforce. So my head is about to explode, but that’s fine!”
What do you get from Sinsaenum that you don’t get with Dragonforce?
“This is really the music I love. I like Dragonforce stuff, and I write more of it now, but sometimes I don’t agree with all the decisions. With Sinsaenum, from A to Z it is exactly what I want. I guess it’s my baby. It gives me a way to express the dark side of myself and show it to people – if they care or not, that’s another issue!”
Sinsaenum release Echoes Of The Tortured on July 29 via Earmusic
#after ten thousand years here it is#if you want anything else from this issue scanned just lemme know (there's already a couple other pages in the google drive folder)#joey jordison#sinsaenum#vimic#slipknot#metal hammer 285 aug 16#those photos with the black stuff dripping down his face are truly egregious i am incredibly gay why would metal hammer do this to me#why not give us pictures of all the cats huh??#like yaknow instead of his leg with all the stitches. the other four cats. just sayin#fred is so ae;gihas;kdf;h#interview
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Be Better
Photos are not mine. They are courtesy of Pinterest/Google.
Pairing: Billy Russo x F! Reader
Warnings: Angst, tears, quick mention of Billy’s abandonment issues, maybe a swear or two? And of course…fluff.
Word Count: 2.1K-ish
Summary: Aimlessly wandering the New York City streets, your heart is broken. You had seen Billy out with someone else and it hurt more than breaking up with him did. But what could you do about it now?
A/N: I don’t know what the deal is with trying to answer the asks in my inbox. Some will let me, some won’t. Anyway, this is the ask I received from my sweet friend @ittybxttykxttytxtty
Thank you for sending this one in. Full disclosure, I wrote 2 fics for this prompt but I liked this one better. Thank you again and I hope you like it! 💚
As always, thank you for reading! I appreciate it so much and comments, reblogs are welcome and encouraged. Don’t be shy to tell me your favorite part. 💕💕 💕
After the rain had passed, the evening sky became a kaleidoscope of bright stars. It was a blanket of indigo heavily stitched in constellations above as you walked along the faded white lines of the crosswalk.
The city feels different at night. It’s mysterious and intimate. It swallows up the emotions of pedestrians as they hurry past you from all directions. You wished the city would absorb the emotions you were having at the moment. Anger…frustration…sadness…love.
You wished they would all go away.
Neon signs flicker from storefront windows. You could feel the vibration in your bones as the traffic hummed along the bustling city streets. The smell of food from restaurants nearby wafts past your nose, then mixes with the scent of exhaust from cars stuck in traffic.
Jumping out of an alley, a lone black cat scared you as it scampered past you, darted across the street and disappeared into nothingness. It was difficult to see where it went but hopefully it wasn’t a bad sign. You’ve had enough bad luck lately.
The city was just a whirlwind of stimulation.
If you could only make it quiet, even if it was just for a little while. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt as much. The invisible shard of glass in your stomach never dissolved or went away. The pain was constant but the grief came in waves. You tried to keep it from leaking out of you but it couldn’t be helped some days. The quiet sobbing in the ladies’ room at work was embarrassing but no one noticed even if you thought they did. Could the sharp edges of that glass dull over time? You really hoped so.
You walked along the cracked sidewalk, sidestepping puddles leftover from the rain but you had no idea where you were walking to. Aimlessly wandering, block after block, you thought of him. He was your only thought.
Billy Russo
He was stealing your appetite and your sleep and he didn’t even know it. Your stomach begged for food but you couldn’t bring yourself to eat. You covered the purple circles under your eyes every morning so people wouldn’t see how tired you were. The breakup wasn’t even the reason you were so upset. It was seeing him out with that other woman AFTER your breakup.
Billy invited you in closer than he allowed anyone to be but he also did his best to push you away. You weren’t strong enough to hold on and tell him that you loved him anyway. You were almost let go from your job because of him. His jealousy and possessiveness were too much and that’s when you had to say goodbye. You didn’t want to but he didn’t try to stop you.
All he had said was, “Go ahead and leave, they all do, they always do.”
With tears swimming in your eyes, you had replied, “You don’t give me any other choice, Billy.”
The dull ache in your chest as you said goodbye had escalated and your insides twisted with nausea when you walked out and didn’t even look back. Did you give up on him too soon? Possibly.
Billy had always thanked you for being patient with him, for comforting him when no one else had even bothered to try, but in the end you had failed each other.
And you didn’t regret it until the night you walked into that bar and saw him sitting with her. She had dark curly hair, warm tan skin, and was professionally dressed. She looked like his type but he loved you because you weren’t necessarily his type, and weren’t like the rest that only wanted him for his looks and money. Immediately, your heart was caught in your throat and you felt like you were going to be sick so you walked out just as fast as you had walked in.
Holding it together until you got home, you burst into tears as soon as the door was closed. Every inch of your body was numb and you had to remind yourself to breathe. Your heartbreak simply could not be put into words, it’s unspeakable, and you didn’t know what to do.
The memory of Billy Russo was firmly implanted inside every cell of your body and he wouldn’t be erased. It would be easier to forget him and move on but you’d never be able to now. It was clear to you now that you DID give up on him too soon. Was he perfect? Far from it but no one had ever loved him like you did and no one ever will.
And even now, as you wandered through the busy city streets, what could you do about it? He had moved on, which he had every right to do. But you still missed him.
You had no idea what time it was when you finally decided to go home. Wandering around the city at night past a certain hour just wasn’t safe, especially if you were alone.
The nighttime breeze smelled like fresh rain, salt and concrete as it brushed the hair away from your face, preventing the fresh tears from streaking down your cheeks. Why didn’t you try harder? Billy really didn’t know any better, he had been trying but you both needed to be better.
But you weren’t sure you would ever get that chance again.
Before walking into your building, from a distance you could see a familiar silhouette talking to your night manager. He was tall, had ebony colored hair that had tumbled into his eyes, a well-groomed beard, and wearing a black leather jacket with a maroon sweater underneath.
They were arguing with each other and neither of them had noticed you walked in.
“Mr. Russo, I told you she’s not here right now. I can’t let you up there if she’s not here, you already know this!” Eddie said.
“I’ll just wait outside her door for her to come home. What do you think I’m gonna do?!” Said Billy sternly.
As you walked closer, you waved slightly.
“Ummmm, hellooooooo.” You said, raising your voice to try and get their attention.
Eddie spoke first.
“Miss y/l/n, I kept trying to tell him I can’t let him up but he keeps arguing with me. He’s been here for an hour.” He said.
You looked at Billy while addressing Eddie.
“He knows that, Eddie. He is persistent though, you have to give him that.” You said softly with a slight smile.
Billy hurried over to you and went in to cup your cheeks but stopped himself.
“Sweet girl, uh, y/n…can we talk? Please?” He asked, with his eyebrows raised, licking his bottom lip.
“See, she’s home now.” Said Eddie, sarcastically.
Returning the sarcasm, Billy replied, “Yeah, I can see that, Eddie…thanks!”
Nervously, you said, “S-sure Billy, we can go talk. Come on.”
The elevator ride up to your apartment was quiet. The silence was deafening but out of the corner of your eye, it looked like Billy was trying to work up the courage to start the conversation.
Right before the doors opened, you spoke first.
“You’ve really been here for an hour?” You asked.
He was nervously brushing his beard with his lithe fingers.
Billy nodded. “Yeah…probably should have called but I, uh, wanted to surprise you.”
There was a slight flutter in your stomach. All you managed to respond with though was “Oh?”
After unlocking the door, you hung your coat up and walked toward the kitchen. Billy looked uneasy, he had purple circles under his eyes to match yours, but still the most handsome man you’d ever seen.
“Take your jacket off, stay awhile.” You said. “You want some tea?”
“Earl Grey, please.” Replied Billy.
He loved Earl Grey tea because it tasted like candy and you knew how much Billy loved candy. It was one of those little things that you loved about him, your badass marine and his love for all things sweet. Well…he wasn’t “yours” anymore, was he.
“Ok, well…what did you wanna talk about, Billy?” You asked, placing the kettle on the stove.
He picked up a framed picture of the two of you.
“You didn’t get rid of this?” He looked around at your other pictures of the two of you. “You didn’t get rid of any of them, did you.” He said.
You glanced down at the floor, trying to hide the tears in your eyes and biting down on your lower lip.
Shaking your head and you nonchalantly, replied, “No, I guess I didn’t.”
Of course you didn’t get rid of them. It hadn’t been THAT long since you broke up; as far as he knew you just hadn’t gotten around to doing it yet.
Before you could say anything else, he blurted out, “I saw you, ya know…that night at the bar.”
Playing dumb but knowing full well what he was talking about, you replied, “When? What bar?”
Billy took a seat at the breakfast bar with you standing on the other side in the kitchen, next to the stove.
“I saw you walk in.” He gave you a slight smile, the little lines near his eyes crinkled when he did. “You were wearing dark jeans, knee high boots, a black shirt, and that leather jacket I bought you. I’m guessing you ran outta there because you saw me?”
He waited for your response, all you could do was nod.
“I got up and chased after you but you were gone by the time I got outside.” He said, softly. “Was it because I was on a date?” Asked Billy.
With your heart racing, you tried to speak but nothing came out.
“It was, wasn’t it.” He said.
Your voice cracked and you finally let go.
“I was fine, Billy. I was meeting my friends there for drinks and then I saw you with her…and I—“ You paused, trying to control your tears but you couldn’t contain your feelings anymore. “It broke me! All I could think about is you kissing her or touching her and thinking that I’m the reason you’re out with her! This is my fault!”
Billy interrupted you. “It’s my fault too, y/n!”
“I gave up and I shouldn’t have! I told you I wouldn’t, Billy! I broke my promise to you!” You sobbed.
The water in the kettle started to boil. Your hands were shaking so you folded your arms protectively across your chest to try and get them to stop. Billy got up from his stool and walked around to the kitchen.
“Hey, hey…I’ll do that.” He removed the kettle from the burner and set it down onto a cold one.
Pulling you into a firm embrace, he squeezed you so tightly that you had a hard time breathing. Kissing the top of your head, he tried to calm you by slowly stroking your hair and letting his fingers dance up and down your spine.
“I fucked up too, sweet girl. I didn’t make it easy for you, I know I have a bad temper and I can be possessive but that’s because I didn’t wanna lose you. But I lost ya anyway, didn’t I.” He said.
You tilted your chin up to look into his endless brown eyes, your cheeks were soaked with tears as you said. “You didn’t miss me the way I missed you.”
Billy gently brushed your tears away and replied, “Well…you’re right about that.”
“I deserve that, but Billy…” You started to say.
He shook his head and inched closed to your face.
“No, my love. You don’t understand…I missed you more. I went home after I had that drink with her. I don’t want anyone but you.” Said Billy.
Confused, you asked, “You didn’t sleep with her? You didn’t go out with her again? Ya know what, that’s none of my business. I’m sor—“
He cut you off.
Billy’s lips collided with yours, his fingers wrapped around your throat like a necklace as his tongue pressed against your teeth and your lips parted so your tongue could tangle with his.
You felt butterflies in your stomach like it was the first time he’s ever kissed you and you never wanted to feel anyone else’s lips against yours. It’s always been him. His hands moved to cradle your face, chasing your lips with his own, and his gaze raking over you like he never wanted to let you go.
“We can be better, right sweet girl? Because I…” He paused, trying to get the courage to say what he wanted, “I really, really love you.” He said before kissing you again.
You lightly scraped your nails against his scalp and pulled him forward so your forehead was touching his. You knew it wasn’t easy for Billy to say how he felt and somehow it made you feel more loved than ever.
“Yes we can, handsome. Because I really, really love you too.”
Tag List: @wheresthesunshinesblog @rafaelakelley @idaoftheburningmind @snowkestrel @fakehappy27 @music-indie-tv @fictional-hooman @kayhi808 @munsonownsmyass @gijos @celestialams @k-marzolf @nutmeg17 @rosaleenablack @vaguekayla @qu1etwolf @danzer8705 @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @mysteriouslydeafeningwerewolf
Others that might enjoy: @itwasthereaminuteago @fluffyprettykitty @jvanilly @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @russosafehaven @mrsbillyrusso @ittybxttykxttytxtty
If you’d like to be added (or removed from) my tag list(s) for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕💕💕 If I tagged you but you didn’t want to be, just let me know and I’ll never do it again.
#billy russo#billy russo x reader#billy russo fanfic#billy russo imagine#billy russo x female reader#billy russo x you#billy russo x y/n#ericca answers#winter sleepover 2024
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Formula One Was Good Actually?
Yes.
I can't believe it either, but I did actually enjoy the F1 race this weekend.
Okay, so, just going to get the elephant out of the room now - the fact that Lando Norris won instead of Max Verstappen is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, but it's not just because of that - and now that I've said that, I'm going to talk about why I enjoyed F1 yesterday at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.
Full disclosure, I didn't watch the sprint and it doesn't sound like I missed much.
In the race, however, something interesting happened...Max didn't break the field right away. He pulled a bit of a gap on Leclerc, yes, but Piastri in third was quick, and he managed to overtake Leclerc for second pretty early on, even started gaining.
Once Max pit, it was Piastri in the lead by a pretty comfortable margin, then Sainz, then Norris. I tuned into the race around this point since NASCAR at Kansas - also a banger of a race, I might get into that later actually - was in a rain delay. Piastri and Sainz made their pitstops, Lando was actually going quick - IIRC he had the fastest lap at this point - but still, it looked to me like Max had a clear path to the lead for the umpteenth time.
Kevin Magnussen, attempting to overtake hometown driver Logan Sargeant, hit the Williams and sent him into the barrier gearbox first. Logan was out on the spot, Kevin continued, and the safety car came out.
Now, maybe Bernd Maylander was just used to slotting in ahead of Max Verstappen - and can you blame him after these last three years? - but the safety car picked up Max in second, while Lando was free to run to the delta. Everyone knew he was going to make a free pitstop at this point, but with the rest of the field stuck behind the safety car, the question became...is Lando going to put a hole lap on the field?
Well, fortunately or unfortunately, race control waved the field by the safety car before any shenanigans could occur, so when Lando made his stop and came out on fresh hards, he caught the safety car with the rest of the field directly behind.
This is where things got fun.
On the restart, full disclosure, I thought Lando blew it and let Max Verstappen get too close...only for the Red Bull to fail to get the pass done on the start-finish straight. Lando kept the lead...and pulled away for the rest of the race.
Meanwhile, Verstappen spent the first part of the post-SC portion of the race breaking out of Leclerc's DRS range, while behind, Piastri and Sainz where showing that DRS wasn't a free pass this time out. And that's really what I liked about this race - the fact that, lap after lap, Sainz would get DRS on Piastri and would try and pass going into turn eleven...and it wouldn't be enough.
Unfortunately, Sainz eventually just decided to barge his way through and sent Piastri into the pits for a new front wing and fresh tyres, but the idea was there. DRS was an overtaking assist, but it wasn't a free overtake - and that's how I believe it should be.
That being said, as Piastri showed once he was on fresh tyres, a faster car could get by, so he charged through the likes of Albon and Ricciardo, taking fastest lap and eventually finishing thirteenth after having come out of the pits nineteenth. Sainz would get a five second penalty post race.
We had a new winner in Lando Norris, the winner started from fifth on the grid, it was a Grand Prix in the United States at a pleasant afternoon timeslot for me, and for the first time, it felt like it lived up to the hype of Miami.
Now there was also another thing, and it's so divisive that I'm not even sure if I should talk about it in this blog, but it's that Donald Trump was in attendance. He was a guest of Muhammad Ben Sulayem and Liberty Media, they took him through the McLaren garage, he posed with Zak Brown outside the garages, and he took a photo with Ben Sulayem and Lando Norris post-race. Not only that, but David Croft, in his race winning call went "On a weekend where McLaren has welcomed an ex-President into their garage, it's Norris who trumps Verstappen!"
So...in the eyes of some people, Norris' first win is forever going to be associated with a divisive ex-President who is one: subject to various legal proceedings in a number of states, and two: is running for office yet again. I hate that for Norris.
I'm not getting into the politics, I'm not making a judgment either way, please don't use this as a place to rant about your particular political views, I'm just saying it sucks that, a day after this guy's first win, I'm still seeing people talk about a guy who was a guest in the paddock rather than the guy who actually won the race.
It must suck for your first win to be at the center of people's political and moral arguments one way or another. I wish it wasn't a topic of conversation coming out of this race.
So yeah, I got to watch an F1 race I enjoyed for the first time in awhile, I even watched some of the post-race content, and by the time that was wrapping up, it was time for NASCAR.
I really like 1.5 mile triovals and Kansas is one of the best ones. We had moments of three, four, and even five wide in that race, and at the end of it all, we got the closest winning margin in NASCAR history. 0.001 seconds for Kyle Larson in the #5 HendrickCars Chevrolet over Chris Buescher in the #17 Castrol Edge Ford Mustang. I was rooting for Buescher, I desperately wanted Ford to get their first win of the season, but seeing that, I just had to throw my hands up and say it was a good race.
So, while there wasn't any MotoGP or Indycar this weekend, F1 and NASCAR managed to give me a pretty good Sunday of racing. I'm pleasantly surprised and I'm glad I can say that.
I hope McLaren can keep the forward momentum going and actually challenge Red Bull somewhat consistently, and I hope Ford can snap their winless streak in NASCAR sometime soon.
#motorsports#racing#f1#formula 1#formula one#miami gp 2024#miami grand prix#nascar#nascar cup#kansas speedway
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Thoughts on Daggerheart!!
I'll admit I haven't really been following it until today, but after watching the videos released today I got very excited and ended up building a character and reading a lot of the book, as I am wont to do (might post about them later lol).
Now, full disclosure, I wouldn't say I'm all that familiar with the TTRPG space outside of D&D, so take my opinions with a grain of salt. That said, I've played D&D, Wanderhome, Alice is Missing, and the fan-made Hollow Knight TTRPG, and I've watched some AP of Kids on Bikes, Call of Cthulhu, Monsterhearts, and Candela Obscura, which is a longer list than I was expecting. Huh. Anyways, my thoughts!
I really like the duality dice! It's such an interesting way to do mixed success that incorporates story/character into mechanics, which is great.
Related to that, I also like Hope as a fluid resource, and I think that Fear is a nice way to both prompt GM action and to just create a fun sense of dread as the GM takes more tokens
The lack of turn order/action economy is... cool, and a really interesting idea, but my thoughts on this are complicated. As we're seeing in the oneshot right now, it really helps to keep combat as part of the story and give the players and GM room for creativity. (For example, Bunnie describing a counterstrike as part of her dodge, and being able to take it as soon as the GM's turn is over, as well as the tag team feature, which is very cool.) That said, I think this mechanic might not work so well with less experienced or less confident players, who might have trouble taking the initiative (heh) to act in combat (I know I certainly would if I wasn't playing with close friends). That's not really a criticism though -- this is a collaborative storytelling game, and part of playing it is making big moves and taking turns guiding the story. If that's not for you, then you might prefer a different system, which is fine! I think this mechanic has the potential to be really, really dope, but I also think it's the bit that has the most potential to go poorly in my eyes.
The art, design, and general aesthetic feel of this game are so unbelievably up my alley. I love it. That's all.
I'm excited to see that they're working on mechanics for playing disabled characters, but since they aren't out yet I can't really comment. (I did notice that the character in the bard art is in a wheelchair, which is dope.) Also, as others have noted, Daggerheart uses "heritage" and "ancestry" rather than "race", which is a small but good choice.
Personally, I also really like the choice to move away from precise measurements of distance and gold. This one is very much a personal preference, and I know some people will rightfully disagree, but I like it! As a DM, trying to determine the appropriate costs and rewards for things has always been a headache, and this seems much easier to manage; measuring distances with convenient and tangible measurements like the short side of a playing card or the length of a piece of paper also feels much easier to use.
The downtime mechanics are great! Each of the activities you can take prompts you to describe how you heal yourself or another, destress, repair armor, or prepare yourself for what's ahead, which really encourages quieter character moments both introspectively and with others. I'm a big fan of this. This combining of role play and mechanics is also present in other features, such as one of the major level 1 healing abilities, which is more effective if you spend the time it takes to cast learning something new about the person you're healing or sharing something about yourself.
I didn't look at this too closely because I was just making a character for fun and don't have a party to play with, but as part of character creation you're given questions about your relationships to your party members to answer. Wanderhome also has these, and they were MASSIVELY successful in creating depth and meaningful connections between players -- after our table's session zero I was already so invested in all our characters, and when we actually played them they really came to life. I haven't looked to closely at Daggerhearts version of this, but I'm very excited to see them.
The experience mechanic seems really fun and creative, and I especially like the idea of using a phrase rather than something specific. That said, when I played the Hollow Knight TTRPG, which also lets players create their own skills, the open endedness of it was more confusing than inspiring, and there was a lot of potential for a usefulness disparity between players. I do think Daggerheart explains it better, though, and limiting the use of experience with a Hope cost helps to counteract any choices that might be too broad, so hopefully it will work better
I probably have more thoughts, but it getting late and I have a headache, so that's all I'm saying for now :D
Overall, Daggerheart has combined a lot of things I've liked in other games with promising mechanics I haven't seen before, and I'm very excited to try it out. I'm now realizing that I just made a list of things I like without any negative feedback, which isn't what I wanted to do, but I'm not really sure what to criticize without having played it myself.
I'm most curious to see how the non-initiative mechanic works; it has the potential to be a really excellent solve for a major problem in D&D (plenty of people have talked about how initiative limits teamwork, can be boring when its not your turn, etc, so I won't get into it here), but I don't think it's a solution that will work for everyone. Of course, games can't work for everyone, and shouldn't try to. It's working really well on CR's oneshot as I write this, but making choices and sharing spotlight in TTRPGs is literally their job, so I'm not surprised this works for them. I could see this going really well with some tables I've played with, and really poorly with others. I'm still really optimistic, though; it seems like the kind of thing that with the right table could be really excellent.
#you know its not the point of this post but im gonna say it anyways: highly recommend wanderhome#good game; thank you saltzman for recommending it#daggerheart#critical role#table top role playing game#ttrpg
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Worthy
And Spock wins the plot bunny sprint. 🖖
Cross-posted to AO3 here.
~*~
Spock & Reader (platonic)
[A/N: This can be any Spock you want, but in the interest of full disclosure, I did write it with TOS Spock in mind.]
Warnings: Mentions of a break-up (not between reader and Spock), tears, emotional hurt/comfort, friend relationship, Spock is a good friend, supportive Vulcans are supportive.
~*~
"Lieutenant? You have seemed distracted today. Are you well?" The calm, neutral voice of the Enterprise's first officer startled me out of my stupor. I'd thought I was alone in the turbolift - finally free to trudge back to my quarters at the end of my shift and cry myself to sleep. Had Spock been there the whole time? If not, when did he get into the lift with me? Had I been that out of it?
"I'm fine, sir," I murmured, but the conspicuously raised eyebrow told me that he didn't believe a word.
"Forgive me, but unless I am mistaken, the puffiness around your eyes indicates the recent presence of tears. And you never call me sir when we are off-duty," he stated, and although I knew he was just expressing his concern, the formality of his observation in a situation like this drew a rueful huff of laughter from my throat. I was certain that I'd either confused him or made him even more concerned about my well-being.
Taking a slow, deep breath, I nodded my head and halted the turbolift.
"Perceptive as always, Spock." He'd been my friend since the year before I'd been assigned to Enterprise, and since I had nobody else aboard who I felt like telling, I figured I should go ahead and tell the one person to whom I told everything. "He broke up with me...said he couldn't handle this 'long distance stuff,' to use his own words."
At this Spock's brow furrowed.
"I was under the impression that he was merely opposed to the labeling of your relationship as romantic. The two of you were, to quote you, 'keeping things casual.'" He sounded as confused as I felt.
"We were, but...I guess a casual relationship just...wasn't what he wanted anymore. Not when it was long distance, anyway," I muttered crossing my arms protectively over my middle and leaning against the turbolift wall. "He wants to stay friends, though. I agreed. It hurt, but I agreed. I can't make him care for me more than he does."
Lowering my head to hide the reemergence of my tears, I took another deep, steadying breath and tried to blink them away before they could fall.
A large, warm hand grasped my upper arm, a gentle sensation that made me look up.
"If he was not satisfied with the devotion you harbored for him - that was evident whenever you spoke of him or to him - then he was not worthy of you," Spock murmured, soft brown eyes conveying more compassion than I'd expected from one so controlled as he.
This time I couldn't stop the tears that dripped down my cheeks.
"Thank you, Spock." My voice sounded watery and small, but I knew he wouldn't mind. His mother was Human. He'd probably seen her cry before, not to mention the rest of the Humans he'd served with.
Standing straight and clasping his hands behind his back, Spock lifted his chin slightly and spoke with more gravitas than I'd heard before outside of the Bridge.
"As you are my friend, I believe it is my honor and privilege to host you in my quarters for what is colloquially termed a 'girl's night.' I may not be the same gender as the name implies, but I have been told that what matters on such an occasion is the quality of the friendship. I believe I am correct in saying that ours qualifies."
I was so stunned that I didn't reply immediately, but Spock continued.
"Disregarding the lack of nutritional content, I believe ice cream would be an appropriate substitute for a meal, as well as wine. As per the terms of a 'girl's night,' I am also quite open to listening to the ways in which the ending of the relationship has caused you pain and providing comfort at appropriate moments–"
I couldn't help myself. I knew that Vulcans weren't big on physical touch, but Spock had allowed me to hug him before. Throwing my arms around his waist, I let out a wet giggle against his shoulder, making him break off mid-sentence.
"You're too good to me, Spock."
He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I sniffled quietly.
"It is my duty as your friend to support you. I believe it would be customary after a terminated relationship to offer to hide the body, but he is not worthy of the effort of such a venture," he said against the top of my head. "I take it you would not be opposed to a girl's night?"
I shook my head wordlessly, and he redirected the turbolift toward the floor housing his quarters.
~*~*~
Taglist:
@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee
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NXX as otome isekai male leads
It's been a while since I read OIs, so please feel free to correct any inaccuracies to the plot. This is just for fun and has been stewing in my silly little brain for a while so please do send me asks/replies if you want to add on! (and do note: it's definitely incomplete :')) more in the last few dot points)
Spoilers ahead!
Luke as Joseph (I Am the Real One)
A knight who's known the Keira (the FL) for a long time (need I say more?)
Has a friendly rivalry with her as the vice-captain of the knights (lukerosa totally went head-to-head against each other in every exam as the top students in their grade)
One of the only people who stood by Keira even as she was executed for treason. He believed in her in every timeline, even after everyone else turned against her
Bonus: had to go shopping for fancy clothes because he only ever wore his knight uniform (i'm looking at you and your questionable wardrobe there, luke pearce)
Artem as Ruediger Winterwald (The Villainess Flips the Script)
(full disclosure, i have not caught up with this one for a while..!)
A stone-cold appearance with a heart of gold
Emotionally repressed because his childhood, and is bound to family duty (oh i want both him and artem to live for themselves a little more!!)
Bought a bunch of jewelry for Judith (the FL) but she just dismissed it as him being nice (early artemrosa much... oh hang in there pre-relationship artem, you'll get there one day)
Now the biggest difference between Artem and Ruediger is that Ruediger will bulldoze his way through any issues he encounters because he's a Winterwald. He's just being blunt. Artem, on the other hand, will overthink everything -- he's not the type to speak his feelings so directly.
The truth is, I think Artem is the ML that i would say has the most similarities to a lot of OI MLs, but off the top of my head, I really can't pinpoint one that's exactly like him.
Marius as Heinrey (The Remarried Empress)
(Starts off as) the second prince of a neighbouring kingdom
Pretends to be a womaniser and purposefully destroys his reputation but he's actually a schemer and also did it to make his older brother look better (this is precisely why i didn't put any other playful prince-type ml here for marius. it's HIM. it's both of them!!)
It's the younger ML thing I swear, but he's calculative, but also so innocent. Look at his pleading eyes!
Bonus: has purple eyes (yes that counts. just look at how they're shaped!! their eyes look similar i SWEAR)
Vyn as... ???
I WILL EDIT this as soon as I find one but oh my god I've scoured the depths of my OI library and I CANNOT for the life of me find one with an ML who's similar to Vyn.
They are either (1) too obsessive or (2) too playful WHERE IS THE BALANCE
Please!! Vyn simps.. if you know of one PLEASE let me know !!
#otome isekai is my guilty pleasure (take 2)#words#anyway vyn stans who read oi pls#i need your braincells!! i require them!!!
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hello! i hate to seem impatient, but did you receive my ask about your time travel au tomtom headcanons? i'm worried that tumblr might've eaten it. thanks! ^^
BESTIE I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY tumblr didn't eat it i just forgor
ok, tomtom time travel headcanons! this is long and rambling sorry
full disclosure i started tinkering with a time travel au for them right after i read The Mirror and the Light, so back in 2020(!). Since I got back into Wolf Hall recently, I decided to pick it up again. I don't want to give away all the plot points so some spoilers are under the cut!
they come through to modern London just before More's trial (opening scene of the fic posted here!). The Tower is a crossing point in my mind, so much has taken place there and so many lives have been lost that the temporal walls are thin. Other people from their time have crossed through too. Perhaps they meet up with them in the future... (they 100% do)
Cromwell is convinced modern London is not real, he's just hallucinating or having a fever relapse and it takes him a few days to come to terms with the fact that yes, they're really 500 years in the future. The things that have stayed the same (more or less) convince him. The Thames. The trees on Putney Heath. More being insufferable now as he was then.
More actually accepts the time travel pretty quickly but he pretends not to because he knows that will annoy Cromwell.
they are told by their host (spoilers!) not to google themselves, because they can't know their historical fates in case they ever get transported back to 1500s (nobody knows how the time travel works, or if it will happen again)
(the internet, generally, is astounding and More immediately wants to know what became of Erasmus and who the Pope is now)
Later they both confess to googling themselves anyway. Not to know what their own fates were, but what became of Gregory and Meg. Bonding moment!
After they have acclimatised for a couple of days they are let out to explore London on their own. They get lost on the tube. They go to a coffee shop and don't know how to order so end up just ordering what the people in line ahead of them got (iced mocha with whipped cream nearly kills More)
Cromwell wonders what he could have achieved in Henry's court, with internet access.
Cromwell also wonders what he could have achieved in Henry's court, caffeinated.
They contemplate starting a podcast (thankfully they are talked out of this)
Eventually Cromwell realises the insufferableness of More is not actually insufferable. Sudden overwhelming realisation that perhaps the reason he tried so hard to make him take the oath was that back then he was in love with him. More: didn't you know?
They hook up.
The fic ends with them having been in the future for four years and counting. They're both perfectly happy. More is a university lecturer (his knowledge of european reformation literature is astounding, his colleagues think!). Cromwell has been dabbling in law again. They've got a nice place with a little garden, plenty of room for More's animals (Cromwell makes fun but he does have a black cat of his own)...
ANNE is the only other person from their time period who also came through the doorway in the Tower. It happened just before her own execution so she is slightly ahead of them, in Tudor-timeline. She also has been in the future for 20 years, she's thoroughly established, she fits neatly in to modern London, she has a great job, she's divorced with a grown up daughter.
(her grown up daughter is the person who finds the Toms in the Tower, believes who they say they are and takes them back to Anne's flat the first night).
Anne slaps Cromwell when she first meets them in modern times. She ignores More.
Anne is annoyed they are there, but knows how they're feeling and what they need to do to survive in the 2020s. It's also nice to see familiar faces, even if it is them
They end up all going to a karaoke bar and get drunk, and, well, 500 years is a long time to hold a grudge.
The Toms' girldad instincts kick in around Anne's daughter. She's in the first year of her undergrad and More can't resist helping with essays. Cromwell bonds with her over the weirdness of them both being separated from family by half a millenium (she's desperate to know about her 'big' sister, Elizabeth I!)
I have rambled on a lot here sorry but that's a general overview! if you want to know anything else please do ask!!
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So, full disclosure
chapter 16 of the path from you has been hanging over my head for months and i think most of you have guessed why... for those who haven't or who are curious to know more about why it's taking so long, i've decided to be pretty open and candid below the cut. there aren't any outright spoilers but more just an explanation about the process i've been going back and forth on since.... february ?? (ffs)
this isn't directly in response to that anon from last night but they did make a valid point that i have been promising an update and failing to deliver so, if you're wondering why, keep reading
i very much realize that this is my hobby, and i do it for fun, and i don't owe anyone an explanation but i still feel like i can give one anyway. most of you have probably guessed that the next 3-4 chapters of the path from you are harry and ginny reaching their boiling points and finally having it out (in more ways than one)
my problem has been that i have a very specific order of events in my head about how it should all unfold but everytime i sit down to write, harry and ginny jump ahead three chapters and start ruining all my plans. i think they, and i, are ready for some conversations to start happening, however, if they break one wall, then they all come crashing down and to be honest, i'm a little bit attached to what i've already written in 17-18-19 to truly be able to blow it all up again.
now, with that being said, i also think i've gotten to the point where i know it's time for some reconciliation. unfortunately, my ego/pride/self-confidence is getting in the way a little bit because, in my opinion, a well-executed emotional payoff separates a good writer from a great one, and in the spirit of full honesty, i want to be great.
this version of harry and ginny, and all of you who have stuck with me for this long, have earned a damn good moment and i really *really* want it to be the best possible unfolding of events it can be. full of heart and vulnerability and passion.
the people that i talk to almost everyday about this fic (@narukoibito, @fairsquare16, @corneliaavenue-ao3, @herblazinglook, @ginwhisky, @brightlybound, & @valfromcall) can tell you that i have been laboring and struggling and agonizing over this chapter for months. this is not something i take lightly and this fic means a whole lot to me in a lot of really personal ways, so i have been taking a massive amount of time getting us to where we are because i want to get it right. i want harry and ginny's reasons for ending up where they are to feel honest and i want their resolution to feel cathartic. and maybe this is where i'm crippling myself, by trying to make it perfect, but dammit HARRY AND GINNY DESERVE PERFECT
thank you to everyone who reached out last night and over the past few weeks with love and encouragement and support. you guys mean more to me than you will ever know. any good vibes you can throw my way while i write tonight would be much appreciated. chapter 16 is close. i had a revelation a couple nights ago about why i kept getting stuck so hopefully this newfound direction will finally get us to the finish line.
i guess i'll end by saying this, if ever you are curious about what i'm working on or what's coming up next or why an update is taking so long, just ask. i am an open book. i swear i'm not intentionally holding out on you. and if i promise an update and come back a few days later saying its not ready yet, please remember that i am trying to put out the best possible version of my stories and i am just as disappointed as you are that i'm not updating.
as always, thanks for reading and for allowing me the space to create this version of h/g's love story.
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SARAH JACKALOPE I DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP WITH LEARNING HOW TO DRAW A TERZO EMERITUS PLEASE GET BACK TO ME
Hi! I’m so sorry this took a bit to answer!
FULL DISCLOSURE I am literally the worst person to ask because the way I do it always changes but I appreciate your trust in my inconstancy! I also have a hard time drawing him or the other papas for that matter without a reference. I can try to help the best way I can. here we go, I really hope this helps!
So the number don represent the order but just what I'll explain. First always consider the shape of the face I know this is just the sketch but we always start somewhere.
(1) Take a look at the basic jaw structure my style always make it longer than it should be but in this case I'm taking in the fact that while I made this tutorial I was looking at a photo reference. (2) Then the ears. (3) The basic middle line mark. (4) Two lines are of course for the eyes and you must realize that our eye level matches the tip of the ears show in the picture for remember that. (5) What I personally do when I draw noses it just help with a realistic measurement of the brows and the nose size. if we’re looking at this through a stylized realism way, remember that the distance between the eyes is matched by the size of the nose. this is not the case for some people but look at refs of people’s noses and see that the size of the eyes is the same size of the nose.(6) The first initial circle is the base, but remember that that won’t be the size of a head. so expand it a little bit so there is extra room to get that hairline and detail when we get to that part (I ended up not paying attention and ngl Terzo ended up with a big ass head but shhhhh I warned you)....
I went ahead and did some detail work but this is what we’ll be seeing when I draw them. from pictures you can see the age lines and it’s really just a matter if you want the detail or not, done people can do that with little detail and make it look good but my style is in constant crises all the time so this is how I do it. you can also why I have the base sketch on top of my “lineart”.
So Terzo’s hair specifically is weird in my opinion. I normally have a part I go off from when I draw hair but his just has to be weird. Either way, when I draw his I go down from the middle and just make it both have that volume and fluff he normally has. (Agin in the end result I polished it up so his part is that square like formation seen in pictures).
Okay now the fun part, the papal makeup! The deep pink lines are the base sketch I usually draw up so when I color and shade it can be adjusted if needed. It also helps me know that proportions are somewhat realistic but with a small hint of my style as well. Idk I'm still in a style crisis as we speak and it’s gotten a lot worse since I've joined this fandom.
When I think everything looks good I work with the black and color it. I normally like using our black when I work with lineart to give it that ink look. I called this blunt lineart (and shading cuz like I said my style is very inconsistent). Now if you’re working digitally I do this type of coloring on a layer on top of this sketch so when I low the opacity I can see if my placement is correct (again just of needed). if I think I got most of it correct that’s where I go I with my next step.
Wow, it’s looking like Terzo now, look at our sweet boy with the rbf, Blessimo!
So in these next few steps I just add the white and added purple wrinkle likes that were cover by the blunt lineart. You can make those line grey or white depending on your style but I like adding his colors when I draw him digitally so that’s an option. Once I have everything done I just against as needed then move on.
Lastly I finish up the lineart, work on some shadow work and add color, for sketched I don’t really do that but in this case I placed a color pallet I usually work with (it’s still gonna be inconsistent as I go) but this is usually what I do when I draw him. honestly to god my methods and process changes but I at least hope this was a helpful guide.
#ghost band#ghost#ghost ghouls#papa terzo#papa iii#papa emeritus iii#answered asks#sara jackalope’s art#sara drewitt’s art
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Alright, I decided to go ahead and try to make the feathered Dino Cookie I talked about before, aptly named Feather Dino Cookie
I mostly named them that (I keep alternating between he and they for them) to keep in theme with Pond Dino’s naming scheme, though I’m not sure it worked
He’s based mainly off the bird of paradise flower and the Archaeopteryx, the dinosaurs that are considered like the big ancestors to birds. I was originally going to base them off of velociraptors, since I knew they had feathers, but then I was reminded archaeopteryx exists and thought that’d fit better
Not entirely sure about the design, but it was just a concept. Also I’m making this really late at night, so I wasn’t thinking too much on being critical
So as for things about Feather Dino, he’s from Dragon’s Valley, as another egg that appeared after Longan’s change in the world. And also like Pond Dino, he’s a baby. He can walk, but it can be a bit shaky at times and he’s prone to falling down. However take your eyes off him for one second and he will run like there’s no tomorrow. He’s a very energetic child. He likes to bite things, like a lot (I didn’t really show it, but he has a crooked mouth to indicate teeth). However as he is a baby, his bites aren’t exactly that powerful or painful. He probably needs some sort of chew/teething toy. Also, given the whole bird aspect, I’m thinking that he also likes to flap his wings around all the time, trying to fly off the ground, though it’s unsuccessful. If he were in the game, his jump animation would have him flailing his wings around whenever he does. Also he tends to communicate in chirps and other trills, though probably with enough time he can eventually grasp Cookie language
So full disclosure, I did come up with a bit of a story for him, and surprise surprise, it involves Dark Choco and Chess Choco. Because I have a problem. So basically, after the end of the world happens and the three end up surviving, being in Dragon’s Valley to fight Pitaya, they come across a big, bright, yellow and blue egg. The twins think it’s pretty and also that the egg looks special, and that they could raise whatever’s inside to be their pet, so they want to take it with them. Dark Choco objected for a bit, claiming that they don’t know what’s in it and it’s probably some sort of dragon egg, but with enough begging he relented. The twins tried to carry it around, but given its size and weight, Dark Choco ended up carrying it most of the time. Anyways, so one day it starts to hatch, and they all gather around, curious what it is, only to be very perplexed when some sort of Cookie pops out of it. None of them are sure what’s going on or what to really do with it, but they’ve been carrying the egg around, and so far it’s the only other Cookie they’ve encountered (that isn’t a statue), so they decide they should probably keep it, at least until they know what to do with it. Which basically means Dark Choco has to now parent three children
Anyways I’m realizing I should probably head to bed, I think that’s about everything, I hope you enjoy
#cookie run#cookie run ovenbreak#cookie run oc#feather dino cookie#my ocs#my art#I don’t really know what else to tag
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Free! Final Stroke Pt. 2 English Subs Update: The DVD is here!
It’s finally time to get this party started!
Now, I can go full steam ahead with working on subtitles for a movie version that isn’t randomly missing any scenes 😂 Using that version, I did script out the movie in advance at least. For full disclosure, here’s what I’ll be working on:
-Create timings that match DVD version
-Input 20 page script into the timings
-Double check certain lines against the DVD captions
-Discuss certain lines with Japanese friend
-Add karaoke for both songs
And then presto, subtitles! 😂 Please bear with me, because of course now that the thing has arrived I have like a million things going on after work this month, orz, but I appreciate your patience as I too want to get this out to you as efficiently and quickly as possible 😄
Also sorry I haven’t posted any subtitle previews, it just seems silly at this point lol
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Follow-up
This is in answer to some anons I got and some of the comments.
I do not blame Jared. I don’t think he did anything wrong.
I do not “absolve” Jensen. I don’t think he did anything wrong either.
I believe Jared was upset. He wanted to be a part of the prequel. He was upset that Robbie changed the premise to not include Sam. He was probably upset that Jensen decided to go ahead with it after the leak, instead of waiting until Jared could be a part of it. He may have understood why the timing had to shift, but that doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t be upset.
As far as apologizing, if Jared said they talked it out, and everything is ok, then yes, I am “assuming” Jensen apologized, because I believe Jared.
The following paragraph from my last post mentions how they all had to make up a story, (meaning lying) about the hows and whys. The bold parts are the “make up a story.”
“Once this narrative that Jared was not ever involved and would not appear in it was latched on to, all of them had to run with it. Jensen apologized for not telling Jared. He said he was superstitious. He wanted to tell Jared, but he didn’t have his phone. That he was on set. That Jared couldn’t participate because he was busy. Etc. etc.”
For those of you saying “Well Kripke was there on set with a phone!” Does anyone really know if Kripke was on set or if he was LA? I don’t know, it doesn’t really matter.
Full disclosure, I don’t know how Hollywood, or network TV, or anything works. I’m not in that field. If you are, great. But, I do know that everything depends on the pertinent contract. Jared’s contract with CBS may (or may not) allow cameos on any other show, on any network. His contract may (or may not) allow him to be involved in the development of another show on any network. I don’t know.
About the re-watch show with Daneel, wasn't that just something to pass the time during lock down? It was also before they officially formed Chaos Machine? Also, which Zoom call, and when?
As for “implying” an “assuming,” aren’t all of us doing that? Unless someone has spoken with Jared and/or Jensen, and they have actually said something, no one knows anything. My theory is full of just as many holes as anyone else’s.
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2023 newt/hermann exchange (interest check + brief poll)
hi Newt/Hermann nation!! it's November at last, so as per the annual tradition i'm gearing up to run the newmann secret santa/winter gift exchange once again! I got an ask about it earlier this fall and it seems like there's enough interest that I can go ahead and start sign-ups soon. (as a reminder on what the gift exchanges are, here's the info post from last year--stay tuned for another one this year, lol)
i DID want to run a brief poll to get opinions on the length of the exchange. more on this below the cut!
in the previous years i've run the secret santa exchange I typically have the matches ready and out by late november/early december, with the 'due date' being around new year's in january (barring extensions, last minute pinch hitters, and belated gifts of course!). in a newmann discord chat recently I had a few people suggest expanding the loose deadline to be around valentine's day in feburary instead so it can be a nice long winter holidays exchange. this would give people at least two months to work on gifts rather than just December! and this way the deadline won't be in the middle of in a very busy season (ie, holidays, parties, family obligations, final exams if you're in school, and so on). of course you would still be welcome to gift by new year's if you would like :)
i'll keep the poll up for a week but will most likely open exchange sign-ups earlier than that if one option is winning by a landslide. full disclosure, I'm leaning towards the extended deadline, but I wanted to make sure other people don't have large newmann/pacrim fandom events planned for jan/feb that I would be overlapping with!
whether you vote or not, I would also greatly appreciate if you could drop a reply or a like on this post if you are planning on signing up so I can get a rough idea of how many people might be participating this year! it helps me budget time for doing the matches/contacting everyone
thank you for being a very fun fandom and making it a pleasure to run these kind of things!!!
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Some thoughts on Macbeth:
(Spoilers for the 2023 Donmar Warehouse production I guess)
So first of all if you haven't been to the Donmar before, it's a cute little theatre - emphasis on little. Conveniently, it is right next to the Seven Dials Market which does street food (and has toilets you don't have to be a customer to use). Not horrendously priced given its location, but I think drinks-wise it might be slightly cheaper in the theatre itself?
So the theatre staff were friendly and admittance to both the venue and the seating was easy and hassle-free. The headsets have test audio playing prior to the performance so you can check they're fully working ahead of time. Bear in mind there's no interval and they do not let you back in if you need a toilet break. Run time is just under 2 hours.
I enjoyed that the theatre bar had a cocktail special on called 'Out Damn Spot' (It's just a Bloody Mary, but I'm a sucker for stupid things like this.)
Also shout out to the girl with the Macbeth tote bag like the retro penguin books. (Is this like the nerdy equivalent of wearing a band's shirt to their gig?)
So onto the play itself:
The audio was interesting; for the most part I liked it. Every time the directional sound came on for a bird flying past or whatever I turned my head like an idiot so it did work. And it did allow for more intimate delivery. There was occasionally a bit of microphone crackle when the actors were moving but not enough to take you out of the play completely. Also I suppose you get essentially two hours of David Tennant murmuring/breathing into your ear if you're into that sort of thing. You can hear (at least) the louder performances without them but you lose the ambient background noise, and I didn't try in the quieter parts to see how well I could hear.
I really enjoyed the music - I'm not quite sure what I was expecting but it was Scottish trad vibes which was a nice contrast with the rest of the play being more modern.
When I first went in I was a bit worried about the distance because it's hard to gauge the scale of the stage but actually even in the cheap (not-) seats you are not very far away. As a fairly short person in standing I had pretty good visibility throughout.
The whole stage set up is simple but they do a lot with minimal scenery and props. Also the lighting! The lighting is really impactful. The visuals are so striking in spite (or probably because of) the minimal staging and clever use of a two way mirror. They use warm vs cool light to indicate the switch to the supernatural/delusion and the white stage floor makes the silhouettes of the props that are used really pop. I think the final view at the end of the play is basically seared on my brain.
(Full disclosure: I do not have enough knowledge about acting to give nuanced performance reviews) But I thought they were all so good! I liked that they went a more psychological route with the absence of physical witches. The porter segment in the middle gave some comic relief and I'm not sure how much was ad libbed, so quite effective in that respect. Cush Jumbo was great as Lady Macbeth; more sympathetic than some other productions I've seen. Tennant was compelling; basically I was drawn to him whenever he was on stage. It was lucky everyone had headphones on cause embarrassingly I did literally gasp at the child-murder.
My attention didn't wane at all, which given that there was no interval and I was standing, gives an indication of how gripping it was. Would definitely go again if given the opportunity.
#macbeth#donmar warehouse#david tennant#cush jumbo#theatre#do i need to spoiler tag for a 400 year old play?#shakespeare
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