Café de Nuit

The jump was mainly because so little happened in those months, both in my story and according to J. W. Mangrum's timeline here on the frat (other than the kender vampires and Claude Renier's murder). Sorry if it's jarring, but that's hardly the first time I've jumped like that. There will be times when the dates jump ahead simply because there's nothing to tell in the interim.

I'm alive? Whoa, I am! Sorry for no new posts for so long; I'm finally on my vacation, and since I can't afford to go anywhere this year, I guess I get to spend my time catching up on the Journals. Ah well, I get to sit at home for two weeks and rot my brain on horror movies and Jeff Dunham comedy specials. I'd call that a fair trade.

A month. A *&!!@#*$!#@^% month before I could find the time and desire to write again. Damn you, Virtumonde.c virus! ...And CthulhuTech...and Fallout 3...and Wrath of the Lich King. Sorry. I've spent the past four weeks scouring hundreds of terminals and databases on my company's network trying to isolate and destroy a virus, one that I had to eradicate all traces of or it would just come right back. So after spending hours on the mind numbing task of going through people's personal terminals (and finding some "interesting things" at times) I tended to be a bit worn out after work.

Plus I've been getting into CthulhuTech in a big way (anime', Lovecraftian horror, and mecha all in one? And I thought Kingdom Hearts was something to get excited over), then FO3 came out and so did WotLK; yes, I've created a DK and no, I won't give names or details. But in the end I can't resist the siren's call of Ravenloft. Everything's finally back to normal and just in time. I'll try and update the story again within the next two days.

In the end I decided to describe just how pathetic I feel the Three Hags are. They're evil, yes. But they're also poorly written and don't come across as terribly evil beyond their cannibalism and vague references to dark magic. They're just too two-dimensional to work with (for me, at least).

I'm still alive, folks! I had LASIK done five weeks ago and my eyesight is still in flux. To make matters worse my corneas were developing ingrown cells under the cut they made and I had to have those scraped clean and start over on post-op treatment. So far it's looking excellent and hopefully this is the end of it.

The bad news is my eyes still get painful in front of a computer screen, but the good news is I've been using this time to play Silent Hill: Home Coming and adapt that world to Gothic Earth (in later posts and in much greater detail). Plus I haven't forgotten about the Lost Journals or an actual Van Richten's Guide to Psionics I'm drafting. That last one could use help; I'll post what my first draft in another thread and I'm counting on constructive criticism to help me expand and clarify much of what's written or will be written. Additions (with full credit) are welcomed.

A (rather crude) depiction of Alexander Dreamfire in his natural form, including chalk-white skin and blue hair and eyes. The armor was supposed to be armor of the celestial batallione but this is the best I can do. The armor has been matter manipulated into adamantine but remains as supple as before. The blade is his mind blade, though not in the exact color: it should be silver-white, but this is as close as it gets.

The shield is a representation of the mind shield, part of a new build for the base soulknife class (the doc can be found here).

Due to a confluence of environmental and medical factors, I have not had more than four hours sleep in two days and am violently ill to boot. Since it's Friday I hope to get some rest over the weekend and begin work on the Dread Possibilities for VRGtPsi for the first two chapters, in addition to all of chapter three (which will be almost entirely DP). I'm still alphabetizing every 3.5 psionic power I can find printed and double checking old-but-still-relevant canon changes to psionics from 2e for flavor and feel. No wonder I have a headache.

Also be sure to vote here before April 30.

Cubitus Otium - Latin for "Rest Peacefully" or "Rest in Peace"

I'm sorry to announce that the Lost (and Gothic) Journals will hereby be put on indefinite hold due to a death in the family. My grandfather lost his battle against lung disease and passed away peacefully in his sleep last night. May the angels sing him to Heaven.

My condolences on your loss.

I'm sad to hear about his departure

But you're part of his story too, and everything you do will add to it. So his work lives on, in you.

Thank you, Isabella and HuManBing, for your regards. Now that his body is committed to the earth comes the really hard part: adjustment. But life is not going to wait and I tend to follow the old French proverb, "Mourn for men at their birth, rejoice for them at their death." It's too bad I don't live in New Orleans. A celebration of a life well lived is more my style.

The Journals' will be continued henceforth as usual. Not that I'm terribly regular with updates as it is.

In the post I deleted I mentioned my having IBS. Well, it turns out the good "ducktor" (quack) got it all wrong. It was a gall stone, one that had caused my gall bladder to become infected and necessitate emergency surgical removal of the entire thing. That was over a year ago and I'm still furious at the first doctor. He literally nearly killed me by not doing something! He should have done an ultrasound before jumping to a scope according to every other doctor I've talked to. Suffice to say I got nothing out of it other than some scars and an object lesson in always getting a second opinion. No, I didn't sue because I'd be lucky to ever see a payout. But I did out what he did to every medical blog I could and now his license has been revoked for "gross negligence nearly leading to a patient's death." That's all I really would have wanted if I did sue.

I've finally hit the point in the Lost Journals that a new secret society, the Shining Force, will begin to appear. Yes, this group is based on the strategy-RPG series of the same name, including a new egress spell. This will use the rules for Associations and Player Groups in both the PHB II and DMG II (3.5 versions). I plan on posting details, including how players can join and what the benefits are, once I'm done fleshing out the exact details and fluff. It's pretty slow going since I'm also working on material for the World of Darkness and CthulhuTech at the same time.

Who knew the Frat were such LOSERS in that reality. They got PWNED.

Manofevil wrote:Who knew the Frat were such LOSERS in that reality. They got PWNED.

Remember that this was basically four people, with de Casteele being the most powerful (and who had no idea just how much more powerful Alexander is). Plus they don't have a clue about psionics yet beyond a few basic and/or erroneous stories. That they got nailed so hard, even with Alexander using almost no magic items, is just going to motivate them to do their homework and prepare better next time. In fact, in the next plotted encounter they actually do kill Alexander--though as an outsider he has a phylactery and the death of his current body is not a true death. It's the beginning of a cycle of retaliation that won't end until Alexander finally does escape Ravenloft and ends up on Gothic Earth.

First Posted On Oct. 20, 2014
Cubitus Otium, Grandma

On Sunday Oct. 19, at 20:40 MDT, her 79th birthday, my grandmother finally succumbed to an infection she chose not to fight with antibiotics and passed away in her sleep. She was the wife of my grandfather who passed away five years ago, mentioned above. I mourn her passing, but take heart in the fact she is now at rest after years of fighting a losing battle against the long-term effects of shotgun radiation therapy for cancer in '71; yes, 43 years of fighting. This has been slightly easier for all of us because we knew she was dying and had time to come to terms with it. But one can never be truly ready.

Both the Lost and Gothic Journals are indefinite hold, as is the story detailing Gamma Squad during the events of RE6.

Current Post
The grief is still with me, but it's time to start getting on with my life. For now I've been working on the story of Gamma Squad, which necessitates I refresh myself with the events in RE6 by playing through (no Resident Evil Archives this time). Plus RE Revelations 2 has been announced (set in 2011, so I have to wait and play it so I can refer to events there as well). More on the story in Sri Raji will have to wait as well while I do some research; even in fiction the culture is extremely complex and I want to get things right.