A Light in the Dark Times Ahead

Good evening, vampire hunters.

Just in time for Women's History Month, Episode 2 of Heliotrope Journey: Son of a Hustler is out now! As Michaela ventures deeper in Lionhead Mansion's paranormal-infested corridors, she encounters not a single boss enemy but two more in an attempt to locate Einsam, a child estranged from his father but for reasons she cannot put her finger on. Zahhak says he is a troublemaker skipping school, but Michaela's instincts argue different. Showing these bosses that she is no combatant to mess with will be the best step toward finding out which she should trust. Will you have the courage to see this ride? Photo by Caleb Maxwell on Unsplash. https://darkinfern0crystal1.itch.io/heliotrope-journey-son-of-a-hustler-book-1-acceptance-of-agony

The hub world in The Heliotrope Chronicles Book 1 Volume I will be given an update in the spring along with a new set of gems by Siegfried Croes to collect to encourage exploration. The game's hub will reflect the outcome of Episode 4 by featuring Frederick's teammates as NPCs as well as a garden in the castle ruins to immerse yourself with, celebrate the memory of the most powerful thing in the universe, and play ballads of emotional grievances that block the healing process. If you haven't played Chapter 4 already, be sure to catch up before this update goes live because these changes will spoil the ending of that episode. These sneaky-peekies of the hub world probably shouldn't. ;)

Thank you for supporting the Heliotrope Journey series as always and have a great week.

Sincerely,

WN

Fable 3! 🗡

Reaver’s Mansion! ✨

~Jellybaby xox

So I noticed that I have had a bunch of new followers over the last month or so and I haven't taken the time to send you guys love and a proper intro! So here we go:

Hi! My name is Jade, but you can also call me Jad. I'm 27, Canadian (I live in Niagara Falls), and super queer. I use both she and they pronouns. I have two conflicting aesthetics of super cutesy pastel stuff and emo renaissance. I love fashion, makeup, and body modification as outlets of expression. I go to school VERY soon to be an esthetician, and I'm currently looking into the possibilities of getting a piercing apprenticeship.

Under the cut will be 25 random facts about me. Click to see them:

1. I grew up in a smallish town called Bowmanville, which is about an hour east of Toronto. It's rapidly expanding but in the heart of it is a bevy of picture esque historic neighborhoods lined with centuries old mansions. If you ever go, the one place I highly recommend food wise is Norm’s Deli downtown. The handmade pierogis and cabbage rolls are unmatched. Also, if you’re a tattoo fiend like me, some of my all time favourite artists are in Bowmanville/Oshawa.

2. I currently have 4 tattoos and 12 piercings, with the strong desire to get more.

3. My favourite colours are pastels mainly, baby blue, mint, lavender, and millennial pink.

4. I have a caffeine addiction which is usually fueled by coffee (mainly iced) and sugar free energy drinks.

5. I don't really care for alcohol too much, I like the occasional beer at Taps or a cocktail on a hot day, but I hate getting drunk and I'm also not fairly comfortable around drunk people unless I'm also drunk. (I don't really do parties anymore for that very reason)

6. I've been pescatarian since Feb 2020 and I've been trying my hardest to use cruelty free personal care products since the beginning of 2020.

7. My favourite CF makeup brands are Colourpop, Milk Makeup, Sugarpill, and Anastasia Beverly Hills.

8. Even though I'm trying really hard right now, I am USELESS when it comes to hair. I don't really know how to curl hair, I don't know how to braid, and I cannot be trusted with bleach (I won't fry your hair, it'll just be very uneven). I'm trying to learn hair curling now, though!

9. I smoke weed almost everyday. Depending on what I smoke with, it actually levels me out anxiety wise and allows me to focus and think like a normal person. I also smoke before bed to help treat my insomnia. On occasion though, I DO like to get mind numbingly stoned.

10. I actually have a hard time getting close to people, predominantly because of my past relationships with toxic people. My broken brain automatically considers most relationships temporary until proven otherwise, in an attempt to protect myself from further heartache. I always want to make new friends, I swear! Just keep interacting with me and I'll open up at some point.

11. I don't shut the fuck up. Ever. I'm either talking my friends' ears off or I'm complimenting a stranger because I can. Let’s just say that I’m a hit with my friends’ parents or family.

12. I LOVE TTRPG, it’s likely my biggest creative outlet right now. I play both DnD 5E and Pathfinder 1E. I partake in 5 games right now.

13. I’m a first time DM! I started a campaign for a bunch of people who are relatively new to DnD a few months ago and it’s been a hit so far! I absolutely love flexing my creative muscles and writing for my friends!

14. I also write as a hobby as well. Mainly fantasy drabble based on my TTRPG characters, but it’s still something.

15. I’m almost always either listening to music or finding new musicians to listen to. I curate playlists all the time and daydream to songs constantly.

16. My favourite artists/bands right now are: Lights, Marianas Trench, Mothica, BMTH, Halsey, Ashnikko, Billy Talent, Stand Atlantic, and a plethora more.

17. I’m technically the oldest in my family. I have a younger brother (also queer and trans, he recently started HRT!!), and a little half sister who is the literal light of my life.

18. I LOVE animals! I have a senior cat, Willow, who does not look or behave like a senior cat. I also have a lionhead/dwarf rabbit named Theodore, or Theo. I’d get more pets if it weren’t for the fact, we don’t really have the room for other animals in our apartment, and also the fact that Willow hates other cats.

19. I’m TERRFIED of bees/wasps. I understand their importance to the world and they can vibe and save the planet as far away from me as possible.

20. My favourite food is sushi. I’m also a massive sushi snob and I have strong opinions on many of the places I’ve been to in my lifetime. The best I’ve had is still this place in Freehold, NJ that I don’t remember the name of. In Ontario, thus far, is tied between Oishi Maki in Whitby, ON, and the St Catharines location for Wind.

21. I’m also a sucker for good bubble tea. It’s one of the easiest ways to win me over.

22. I just love tea in general. Hot or iced. You should see my tea/coffee cupboard, it is PACKED. I’m a huge David’s tea fan but I also like trying other loose-leaf teas as well, and I prefer herbal/fruit infusions over most other teas. Except for chai, you can win me over with a good chai.

23. I marched in a pride parade once! It was the Durham Pride Parade in Oshawa in 2014! I was still very much in the closet at the time, but I did get photographed by the news and everything! I would LOVE to go to Toronto Pride once in my life with a bunch of my other Alphabet Mafia fiends when things die down.

24. I am a shameless collector of Pokemon and Alpacasso plush.

25. Back when we could, I used to go to conventions a lot! I’ve been to Anime North, Fan Expo, and Con Bravo thus far. My favourite out of all of them is easily Con Bravo, but I would LOVE to check out other Ontario conventions when things open up!

🙃 yes, this is the inside of Reaver’s mansion. Front area.

( @sadlykawaii​ )

Nina was shifting outside of Phillip’s door, usually not one to show up at people’s houses at three AM. She was pacing outside the gigantic mansion, knowing that this man was going to be trouble for her hard-exterior she was always trying to give off. The cockiness tended to dwindle when she was in front of him. Words that were always shooting from her mouth fell over each other in fumbles . The girl took in a deep sigh, before ringing the doorbell. They had met in some crappy bar in Manhattan and ever since then he had been running through her mind. She didn’t believe him when he said he had a nice house, and now she felt like an idiot for teasing him about it as her fingers brushed against the lionhead knocker on his front door. 

Coach gate Oldway Mansion.. #aesthetic #aesthetics #aestheticphotography #Photography #photographyislife #oldway #mansion #mansions #paignton #devon #coachgate #structure #history #lionhead (at Oldway Mansion)

Three for One Special in Son of a Hustler's Book 1 Episode 2

Good evening, vampire hunters.

Chapter 2 in Heliotrope Journey: Son of a Hustler Book 1 will feature not one, but three bosses. Two are miniature bosses Michaela encounters to acquire her first weapon enchanted by dark magic and save a magically gifted child’s life. This episode is more ambitious than I planned for it to be so we’ll need more time to produce it. Photo by Belper Unitarians on Unsplash.

These bosses have been added to set the mood for the game’s macabre theme, but more importantly, they’re to showcase Michaela as a driven heroine that chooses to stay alive to defend the weak. She has built a tolerance to death lurking around her and she was fine with the community she left behind thinking she’s dead, but it pains her more to see a child on the brink of it.

Thank you for supporting the Heliotrope Journey series as usual and have a great rest of your week!

Sincerely,

WN

Don't be Scared! Son of a Hustler Debuts Today!

Good evening, vampire hunters.

Heliotrope Journey: Son of a Hustler is out now on the series’s itch.io page! Book 1: Agony of Acceptance will be our first leg of chronicling Michaela’s journey from disgraced absconder to one of magical history’s unyielding slayer of kings. But before she confronts the invading demonic king, first she has to confront the demons inside herself. Could it be that an encounter with another runaway encourage her to put one foot in front of the other? Play the arc’s first episode tonight and don’t let Michaela’s trauma-inducing anxiety tie her up; https://darkinfern0crystal1.itch.io/heliotrope-journey-son-of-a-hustler-book-1-acceptance-of-agony

Due to time constraints and that something personal came up on my end, the release date for the clean version is delayed to next weekend. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this has caused! In the meantime, Episode 3 of Waltz of Sepulchral Silence has also been released if you want to wind down and take a trip to Baudelaire’s City library. You’ll need it to rest your fingers from helping Michaela make her way through Lionhead Mansion’s nightmare-inducing hallway. BlueSwan and Darren Liddle admittedly lightened the mood with their portraits and paintings, didn’t they? Thanks, you two. ;)

To play the latest installment on this page, look for the executable file or zip folder labeled Version 3. Make sure your PC is running on Windows.

Thanks for playing the Heliotrope Journey series as always and have a great Monday.

Sweet dreams,

WN

Falling in Love with Danger

Good evening, vampire hunters.

Chubbo has baked some sweet-tasting doughnuts to scatter across a rose-covered section of the cherry blossom garden for adventurers craving a delectable pastry to find. A young preteen couple, Pierre and Gregor, that has sought time alone from prying eyes have taken notice of one stuck in a rose bush. They share just about any dish they find with each other, but one wasn't enough to savor so they decided that it wouldn't hurt to stay a little longer to find a plateful. KawaiiPixelArts has caught a glimpse of a few of the doughnuts hidden in the garden herself and joins in on the hunt both to teach the inexperienced couple how to detect the aggressive knights patrolling the section and replenish her own healing supplies. Photo by Ryan Stone on Unsplash.

Micheala's detour through Lionhead Mansion's ballroom to look for Einsam is anything but sweet and besides coping with a gut instinct that Zahak has ill intentions for him, being in a hall commonly used for parties brings her back to a time she got stood up at a theater. The ballroom is crawling with phantoms and bats and since her will to protect herself is greater than her frustration, extinguishing them might help her get it out of her system.

Likewise, designing this section of Chapter 2 brings me back to when I included her in my "A Series of Unfortunate Events" fanfic illustration that recreates The Marvelous Marriage. She was stood up at the theater where the play was performed, but ended up staying in the hope that Count Olaf's cringe acting would take her mind off her heartbreak. The illustration is obviously not canon, but before the events of Son of a Hustler, she was forsaken by her love interests twice. One never showed up to a theater where they'd promise to meet and the second drove her to fake her death and leave her life far behind. Her path would lead her to the mansion and eventually to Einsam. She hopes that protecting him will help her to find her purpose again. And you can guide her on that path as Son of a Hustler progresses.

Thank you for supporting the series as always and we hope March treats you well. :)

Sincerely,

WN

The Day Necromancers Rejoice Their Gift

Good evening, vampire hunters.

Heliotrope Journey: Son of a Hustler has resumed development and tonight, I’ve started sketching a goblet-shaped urn that will first be seen in LionHead Mansion. It could use a couple of skulls.

The mansion was not always the grim edifice that a small number of guests decide to lodge in. Before Frederick and co. departed for Baudelaire City in The Heliotrope Chronicles, our hero attended a party hosted by a wealthy student to celebrate her graduation from a college in Amherst. LionHead Mansion once had a separate wing that contained a Renaissance-styled ballroom and an underground fountain beneath its floors. This section was reserved for special events at prices only the upper class would be privileged to set their feet in. Business flourished at the venue until the night Frederick attended the party. A fallen angel he had been seeing accompanied him, was unwittingly tasked by Dracula’s adoptive son, Azrael, to slay the graduate the party is honoring. The last the girl, Abigail, was seen was when she headed to the bathroom to brush her hair. The next thing a classmate saw where she stood was ash in front of a sink.

Save for her, Frederick, Jill, Franz, and Abigail’s mother, every guest had gotten intoxicated from the beverages served. They were not initially alcoholic, but while the fallen angel followed Abigail, some of the spectres serving Azrael had laced an herb into the drinks that changed them into rum to prevent detection. Police were summoned and intoxicated guests were taken into custody. It was later discovered that Abigail’s father died under the same circumstances. The fallen angel discovered Azrael’s ruse shortly after Frederick returned to his room. Dracula was still considerably weak from the events of 1962 and his short encounters with Frederick, Eforie, Taner, Idyia, and co. have done little to ease his ailing strength.

The souls that belonged to father and daughter will give the Dark Lord the nourishment he desires to begin his plans to conquer the wizarding school on Mt. Greylock. Try as this fallen angel may to impede Azrael, he disappears into the night. To make up for his involvement, he sought vengeance on the Veiled Nocturne and vowed Frederick should join his efforts. He contemplates transforming the boy into a demon to give him a better advantage against human foes and while he slept, he fused his soul with a slain creature from the Inferno. Before the transformation could be completed, though, Sidiyq Qadim attacked the fallen angel and a brief battle between them woke Frederick up. He sided with his long-time friend and the angel, heartbroken and betrayed, had vanished. He has not been seen that night.

The next day, the headmaster of the school on Mt. Greylock, having learned about the tragedy of two innocent non-magic lives, launched an attack on the necromancers living in the mansion with four members of the faculty and select members of the Order of the Dragon by his side. The wing was destroyed in the battle, weapons and grimoires were plundered, and spirits were shriveled up by holy relics. The mansion’s purpose as a necropolis still lingers, but until that incident, it was cleverly concealed from the mortal world by its compliant staff. Michaela does not dwell on its history nor the events that led to the ballroom’s demise during her eventual stay, but her involvement will mark the death of an abductor and another soul that will never sleep again. Einsam was, however, spared when Michaela saved him.

Treyton will certainly need lots of it after surviving another encounter with a solomonari-in-training on All Saints Day aka the Scholomance’s Admission Day. Now inside the cemetery's chapel, he and his new friends are dangerously close to the entrance of the Scholomance and it is here where the boys must stick together even if the odds of winning this fight is looking slim. Confused about what’s going on? Please refer to the stories written last year and the year before that to help get you up to speed. Spoilers below. Photo by Nazrin Babashova on Unsplash.

“Dude, that was close.” Mitica said after he and Treyton shut the colossal doors. “That bastard’s minions nearly laid a hair on you.” “We’ve walked right into a corner.” Treyton was not excited to celebrate. Homer had them and Miron surrounded in the graveyard moments ago. The vampire boy’s dark magic was only effective enough to hold them back. Treyton had no magic on him and Mitica is incapable of performing area attacks with his wind magic. The philosopher’s stone was as good as gone. “Regardless of your complaining,” Miron said. “We’ll have to stay in here until sunrise. The boy wizard’s sorcery is at its peak when the autumn air is this crisp and the night is so dark.” Treyton looks at the doors and his surroundings. The bleak orange color on the statues and the polished bricks did not improve his mood. He felt anxious about coming inside the chapel. “Then what are we going to do for supper?” he asked. He saw no point about arguing what could’ve been done. “Anyone want to share a cup of blood?” Miron offered. “If we can find an altar room, there may be a goblet I can drip it in. Then I wouldn’t be by myself when the rest of the populace succumbs to old age.” Mitica didn’t say a word. It is as if he had no objection and will gladly join his friend in eternal life. Treyton, using his better judgment to refrain from poison, took a step back. “I’m just going to tear apart the bricks to find a practical substance.” He walked down the hall to his right. None of the boys have been inside the chapel in their lives so Mitica and Miron followed him.

Treyton’s sword was strong enough to cut through stone so looking for food in the walls did not seem to trouble him. Miron found a goblet of blood spilled on the floor and licked it up like a dog drinking from a bowl. Mitica was in no mood to do the same so he ate a piece of fresh bread that was tucked behind a cracked brick in the wall next to a hooded statue. Treyton didn’t find much, but a bronze amethyst-crested chalice containing a vanilla milkshake, a green apple, and a sponge cake simmered his appetite for a while. He continued to walk. “Are you still hungry?” Miron worriedly asked the boy. “No, I’m good.” Treyton answered with a stubborn look on his face. “That was just what I needed.” “But you didn’t eat enough.” Miron walked a little faster until he was next to him. “You sure you don’t want my blood?” “Are you gross? No!” Treyton answered. “And quit offering me blood. I can’t stand the smell nor can I think to taste it.” “Okay, then.” Miron broke one of the tall candelabras with his axe. “But don’t get mad at me if we can’t find any more treats.” “It’s always been the least of my problems so I won’t.” Treyton said. “That’s enough from both of you.” Mitica touched Miron’s shoulder. “We haven’t been in here in our lives and we have yet to find a place to rest with three dark wizards chasing us. We’ll become easier targets if we are at each other’s necks.” Treyton stops in his tracks. A skull, tucked into a corner, was glaring right at him. “Our predicament could be worse anyway.” He sighed. “We have yet to die in here. Someone already has.” “I don’t see why a few bones laying around is a concern.” Miron shrugged. “Perhaps the caretakers believe it is appropriate to use them as decorations. I feel like a party crasher.” Treyton picks up a rib once the boys enter a chamber that contains the statues of beggars that have presumably stayed in the chapel during Humanity’s Abrogation. “The bones aren’t made of clay, stupid.” He said. “Not once have I seen one laying around in Teodosie.” “It’s abandoned….” Mitica rightfully concluded.

“No, it’s been visited.” Treyton theorized after picking up another skull. “These bones wouldn’t be here otherwise.” “Or there were refugees from the anarchy that could have barricaded themselves in here and perished from starvation.” Miron stroked his cheek while breaking another candelabra. “You’ll be joining them shortly, gentlemen.” The voice of a young female echoed abruptly. The sly solomonari-in-training, Hedi, emerged from a stone coffin and unsheathed her dagger. “Hand over the stone and I’ll treat you to a proper supper. Promise.” “Okay.” Treyton picks up a lemon-colored limestone from the floor and hands it to Hedi. “What do your kind eat when you’re hiding from Hemera?” Hedi looks over the stone and crushes it with her fist. “Not that stone, you idiot!!!” she growled. “The Philosopher’s Stone. Don’t make it any harder than it has to be.” “You came alone, did you not?” Treyton stared at her. “How can you possibly make this harder?” “Watch me.” Hedi jumped onto the coffin and stabbed her dagger into a statue of a sad-looking saint. It quickly dissolved into rubble and from that pile emerged a flock of flying statue heads with bat wings to give them flight and a single hand where a neck should be. “A little bit about me before they make you fork over the stone; the ability to command cherubim was taught in my favorite course in the Scholomance. It is an elective for some of us with promise to devote our services to Mother Earth.” Though Treyton was listening, his friends were too occupied with finding a place to hide from the flock to listen. He looked at one rogue cherub charging at him from above. “I’d surrender if I were you. Their grips will shatter your bones into dust.” Treyton jumps toward the cherub, points his sword at it, and smashes it into pieces. “I’ll pass, thank you, miss. Obliteration of the dark arts is my specialty.” Hedi did not look convinced. The cherub statues were approaching the boys in increased numbers. Treyton stared coldly at them and gripped his sword while Mitica and Miron were cornered in a lower level where a cherub is about to headbutt one of them. “Now say it again.” She goaded. “Obliteration of the dark arts is my specialty. That doesn’t need repeating, you witch.” He swung his sword at the approaching cherubs, splitting them in half and causing their remains to fall to the floor. Treyton, confidently, ran after the cherub that grabbed Mitica in the back and attempted to drag him away. Hedi watched as the flock slowly swarmed her foes. She was neither contented nor disappointed. She kept her dagger out, waiting for a slip up in her plan. It won’t be long before Treyton realizes where the increase numbers are coming from, but as soon as his friends tire out, she will make her move and steal the Philosopher’s Stone. One of the two is bound to have it and for the first time since Dracula’s fall, the Veiled Nocturne will have a more permanent leader.

Sincerely,

WN

Come, Little Children! The Skinwalkers will Take Thee Away.

Dear vampire hunters,

A ripped page from a journal owned by an alleged family friend has been found at a rock with a pentagram carved on it;

“The Lachrymose Blood Forest is a bleak ecosystem in western Massachusetts enriched in magic and secrecy. The Puritans that lived in the colonies cautioned their people not to explore the woods for it is said that they are home of the Devil’s children from the howls that can be heard on a winter’s night to laughter from cloaked crones congregating in the woods. Some years before the Mayflower landed in Plymouth, the Lachrymose Blood Forest was a beautiful habitat for red deer. Freshly grown grass was plentiful and they were safe from predators. Earth magic practitioners that lived amongst the Pocomtuc tribe would gather around an old prayer circle to mediate at sunset every Friday. By the sixteenth century, the forest has become faithful to the Puritans’ beliefs; a cruel environment for hikers, changelings, and magic practitioners. Bones litter the ground, phantoms sneak about, spiders dwell in the treetops, and wanted criminals have settled into an isolated cabin to plot their misdeeds without fear of prying eyes. Young necromancers studying at Lionhead Mansion use the forest as a body farm to practice their ability to reanimate the dead. Witches and innocents that fled the witch trials have joined the rogue skinwalkers in the hope that their newfound magic could help them take dispose of their persecutors. It is an ideal place for an outcast to hide if they can learn the circle of life firsthand.

It is the Lachrymose Blood Forest where Michaela made the difficult decision to leave her past behind. The sight of bodies decomposing in the open repulsed her, but it was there where she paid a visit to a witch that, like herself, disappeared from the forest to escape from public scorn. She brewed an elixir for Michaela that would free her of a heavy burden, giving her the freedom to start a new, lonely life. One sip would cause Michaela irreversible pain and grief from its effects, but in a moment of vulnerability, she was convinced that it had to be done. Now she returns to the forest with Einsam and discovers that the bones and decaying bodies was the easy part of her hike. She witnesses students from a wizarding school being captured by a colossal eight-legged monster living in the trees. The limited power she acquired from Lionhead Mansion would do her no good if she were to cross paths with that creature and the dangers this forest shrouds. Novice necromancers and a snake whisperer were two things, but schoolchildren going missing has Einsam fearing that he too would be caught. Michaela could not have left her life behind only to lose one that now looks to her for guidance and love. As she hikes through the forest to find new resources that she might need, she and Einsam hear the terrified kids hiding in the tree trunks whisper, ‘Watch out for Arachne.’”

This time, help may not come to those who need it in Chapter 3 of Son of a Hustler's Book 1. Michaela will be expected to look out for herself if she and Einsam are to survive this hike.

Thank you for supporting the Heliotrope Journey series as always and have a good rest of the week.

Sincerely,

WN

Finding a Dimming Guiding Light

Good evening, vampire hunters.

This section of the sky garden is now looking lively with a loadbearing column from KawaiiPixelArts, but remember not to occupy too much of your time sightseeing. Better have a sharp object with you just in case.

This September in Heliotrope Journey lore marks Michaela’s decision to give up the life she had and go on the run. If you haven’t played the first episode of Son of a Hustler yet, there’s still time to catch up before we touch on the next chapter.

Formerly employed as a Grade 7-12 English teacher that taught for a year, Michaela thought she had her life figured out; the job pays well, her imaginative approaches in her lessons captivate both student and staff alike, and she's dating a single father of her star pupil. So where did it all go wrong? How is she at rock bottom? Three weeks into the 2023-2024 school year, a scandalous brawl occurred in the library where Michaela tutored her lover’s son and the next day, she was called to the principal’s office moments before she entered her classroom. It didn’t take long for her to figure out why when she caught a glimpse of a Massachusetts state police car in the parking lot. Her lover and an officer were speaking to each other in front of the vehicle and Michaela gasped. She dropped her folders on the floor and quietly left the school through the back door. Eyewitnesses in Amelie last saw her walking past an apple orchard and into the forest, never to be seen again.

Michaela hiked for what felt everlasting. She was hungry and her fingers were growing cold as she saw less of the sun. She couldn’t just rest nor could she keep wearing her clothes. She got out an arrowhead knife she took with her and trimmed her hair in the shape of a bob cut. Michaela dressed a rotting body in her clothes and pushed it down a smaller river leading to the Housatonic in case anyone is still looking for her. She discovered a cluster of corpses left out in the open the second she turned around. Repulsed by the sight, she nearly gagged, but she held her breath and disrobed the bodies. She washed their clothes in the river before putting them on. Though still famished, Michaela felt warmer. Maybe it’s the thought of being forgotten that eased her troubles for now. She felt brand new and she could certainly find a home in another town, but it needed to be far. Where could she go? How should she know? What matters to her is that she must go as far away from her old life as possible. She stumbled across Lionhead Mansion after finding a field bathed in a twilight glow. She could see there were a few cars in the dirt road behind the old building, but none that she recognized.

Michaela made her way past the destroyed dining hall that once hosted a graduation party and opened the front door. She paid what little money she had left to stay the night and went upstairs to locate her room. It seemed odd that the front desk lacked a means for customers to pay with their cards, but she did not give it much thought. To use her credit card would draw unwanted attention and from now on, she would have to scavenge for money. She reached her room and jumped on her bed fully clothed. Subconsciously, Michaela thought of her brother, her parents, the man that used his son to string her along, and how the school administration is reacting to her disappearance. Her heart ached, but she could not cry. She could not feel sorry for the people that believe her dead. They hurt her after all. It’s better to save them the trouble of seeing her suffer for their amusement. The sound of a great horned owl hooting and the blustery wind sent her into a deep sleep. Michaela felt alone in her dreams at last. She wanted to keep it that way, but a vampire that entered her room and slammed the door behind him denied her that peace. She killed that beast in human form before he satisfied his bloodlust. Michaela realized that she cannot make it to morning. If she continued to lay in bed, another probably will kill her. She grabbed her arrowhead knife and left the room, marking a beginning of a nightmare she will never wake up from. Son of a Hustler’s Book 1: Agony of Acceptance is about coming to terms with the realization that when you really, really mess up, nothing can be done to take it back, yet you still have to go on because you won’t learn your lesson if you let that mistake define you. Sometimes that means saying goodbye to lifelong friends and giving up a career path entirely in favor of another. Crossing paths with Einsam for the first time teaches Michaela that it’s never too late to start over. She’s too stoic and malefic to care if she takes a life, but she’s not above self-awareness when she’s looking out for him.

Updates to merchandise featuring her and Frederick will be released over the weekend on my Society6 store. Thank you for supporting the series as always and have a great week. :)

Sincerely,

WN

Ending the Year with Normalizing Choice

Good evening, vampire hunters.

On behalf of the Heliotrope Journey team, and at Kyra’s behest (don’t ask how I can understand her. 👀), we hope you had a merry Koobsmas and we wish you joy for the duration of 2022. The girls had an amazing time befriending the gingerbread men in their village. Rachel Oates taught Kyra well not to eat them, though Ioana’s otter friend is a little harder to restrain. He’s got a sweet tooth. :) Photo by Isabela Martin on Unsplash.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to illustrate Rachel’s significant other for the ad, but it’s looking like he’ll catch up with her at a later date.

Until then, don’t forget to pick up a copy of her latest poetry book, “Reflections on Healing,” if you haven’t already. It contains the inspirational poem, “Romb,” about the choice to be childfree and the importance of choice for AFAB*. It’s a tear-jerker because few people respect a woman’s decision to not want kids, but we are certain the poem will help normalize it. :) (Disclaimer: the team is not affiliated with Rachel Oates nor has she sponsored the ongoing development of our games.)

The topic at hand is appropriate to share one of the remaining rooms in Lionhead Mansion we’ve completed for Heliotrope Journey: Son of a Hustler. It’s not a place for Michaela to call home, but if she were to come across “Romb”, she would feel less demonized. Less alone. Granted, she was alone when she chose to flee. She chose to save her own life and be on the run over something that grew inside her and face the music. It destroyed her faith in others, but first and foremost, that was her decision. Michaela may never know that there are women like Rachel that would welcome her, but someone she’ll run into in Lionhead Mansion will teach her to accept what’s done is done and there’s no use dwelling on it.

Thank you for playing Heliotrope Journey as always and Merry Koobmas.

Sincerely,

WN

*Assigned Female At Birth.

Tis the Season to be Artistic

Good evening, vampire hunters.

Chapter 1 of Heliotrope Journey: Son of a Hustler is still on its way. Chubbo has completed one of Michaela's first major enemies and the art gallery in Lionhead Mansion is looking bleak, but interesting. Sightseeing is not what Michaela was planning to do, but the paintings of fair folk placed on display in such a decrepit place worries her.

Unlike The Heliotrope Chronicles and Waltz of Sepulchral Silence, SotN will immediately start off with a boss battle. Roquelaure, a handsome vampire staying at the mansion is thirsty for a maiden's company and with Michaela asleep in her room, he may have found the girl of his desires. Too cliché for a plotline, right? If you want to tour the mansion in the first chapter, you're going to have to prove to Roquelaure that preying on Michaela is a big mistake so better keep your eyes on your keyboard. Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash.

Meanwhile, Christmas Day is next Sunday and we are delighted to announce that beloved writer Rachel Oates and her staffie familiar, Kyra, will be joining Idyia and Ioana on a holiday visit to a gingerbread village situated north of the Conifers Kingdom. Founded by an elderly baker imprisoned in Dracula's castle for decades, he fled to an abandoned cathedral to hide from the Dark Lord's wrath. The poor man longed for companionship and forgiveness for sins he was forced to commit so he used what little ingredients he had with him to create a sanctuary for the vulnerable and impoverished. He wanted to use his extraordinary talents to serve smiles.

During a strolled through a park covered in pristine snow, Rachel learned of the baker's philanthropy when she overheard Idyia and Ioana read out a letter written to them asking for their help. Knowledge of how he used his treats to sedate kidnapped younglings had spread to the magical world and city leaders refused to offer aid. Try as he may to reason that he had no choice, they curtly refused to listen and did not trust their children to accept gifts from him. The young women were respected for their involvement in thwarting the Karnsteins' plans to gain control of the magical world. The baker hoped that their help will allow the sector to gradually come around.

Rachel Oates is a kind-hearted person that wanted to see the best in others and believed in second chances (within reason) so she shyly approached Idyia and Ioana and introduced herself before offering to accompany them. She had published a book two weeks prior that contains a collection of inspirational poetry about healing from heartache and making your own choices. She wished to provide copies to children that may visit the gingerbread village. Ioana, enthusiastic about the idea, readily accepted Rachel's offer. Kyra, hearing that she and her human mother are going on a new adventure, excitedly pounced on Idyia, knocking her into the snow and licking her face like no tomorrow. Rachel and Ioana chuckled at the sight. The latter looked at Rachel and reassured her that if the letter turned out to lead them to a trap, they'll be ready for anything. The young women leave the park and travel to the ruins.

If there's time before the weekend, Rachel's significant other will meet up with our heroines in our ad. Thank you for supporting Heliotrope Journey as always and we'll see you then. ^_^

Sincerely,

WN

Good evening, vampire hunters.

The Neshehteam Mitchemes, two wands that contain rivaling elemental properties yet coexist harmoniously with one another, are now available on Society6 for purchase. I decided to take the time to add some new merchandise and provide a little more background to Michaela's and Florentin's respective adventures while Sidiyq Qadim and Midori are working hard on their assignments. Our only obstacle is that already has a bunch of commissions on her plate, but the good news is that she fortunately agreed to help illustrate one of the backgrounds. It's going to be a long while before she gets to mine so bear with us. Worse comes to worse, we'll assign Cronix to create a placeholder until then. I can't thank him enough for his assistance and generosity lately so here's a toast to this bloke. :D

https://society6.com/product/clashing-neshehteam-mitcheme-wands_tapestry?sku=s6-19457152p42a55v412

And now, I present to you with a more thorough description of the pair of Neshehteam Mitchemes;

The Nesheteam Mitchemes are a pair of wands of necromantic origin. Contrary to traditional wands, one of this nature is treated as a sword; ideal for one that yearns to practice magic, but has no interest in learning complex spells and holds no reluctance to being a danger to those around them. Light and shadow have truly become one when it comes to these wands for their purpose is to bring out the worst in both elements. The sun inflicts a slow and painful death if it is too bright while darkness is capable of shrouding predators to better help them catch their victims off-guard. In other words, the dark magic embodied into these wands were created to inflict the worst pain imaginable to man. That is why some New England necromancers prefer them. On the other hand, many scholars swear they were first used by vengeful Indians living in present-day Massachusetts in an attempt to quell the spread of English colonists that settled onto their soil. These rogue natives kept their tribes safe from colonial invasion for decades, but unfortunately, not even the wands’ lethal magic could stop the high fatalities from smallpox nor the growth of colonial America in the northeast. Their downfall was inevitable and the necromancers enjoyed every minute of it. Karma, however, had another receipt up her sleeve. Many decades have passed and for the same reason, the necromancers were forced to flee from Lionhead Mansion, their necropolis. Some foolishly left pairs of Nesheteam Mitchemes behind and by the time they discovered their miscalculation, they could not risk revealing themselves to a large group of mortals without instigating a witch hunt. The mansion the American necromancers once called home is now an inn. Though much of their secrets remain undiscovered, a notable pair of Nesheteam Mitchemes is currently locked in an antique silver chest that is found in a guest room on the seventh floor. While the proper key to unlock the chest is said to be lost, only time will tell when an unsuspecting traveler will nevertheless be unlucky enough to open it and changes their lives forevermore.

Thank you so much in advance for your understanding and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Sincerely,

WN