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theresattrpgforthat · 10 months

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TTRPGs that are played specifically through the framework of the Discord app? I'm reviewing a work in progress game that's being set up to work like that and I wanted to know if there are others!

THEME: Discord RPGS

Hello there friend, I know you mentioned This Discord Has Ghosts In It in another ask, but I’m going to mention it anyways - along with some other awesome options that exist out there!

This Discord Has Ghosts In It, by Will Jobst.

You’ve been invited to a haunted house. That haunted house is a Discord server.

Find your greatest fear, spill your worst secrets, and get to the thrilling seance in This Discord Has Ghosts in It.

I played this game for Halloween one year and it was great! In this game there are two roles: investigators and ghosts. All of the players will hang out in a voice chat, but only investigators can speak. Meanwhile, ghosts are the only ones who can type inside the game channels - and they are allowed to add new rooms to the house, upload pictures, and alter the text.

I definitely encourage players to use Lines, Veils, and the X card for this game, as it’s a horror game and you’re often met with images, not just descriptions.

MUDSLURP, by Will Uhl.

MUDSLURP (Multi-User Discord Server Lore-Universe Role Play) is a roleplaying game about asynchronous communication, intersecting storylines, and carrying a piece of your characters with you in everyday life. Everyone involved controls at least one character and participates in a shared text chatroom integrated into a fictional setting.

MUDSLURP is also compatible with other tabletop RPGs - bring a new dimension to your story with a chatroom for all your characters! Host server events, build out the world, and learn more about each other. MUDSLURP even supports multiple tabletop campaigns sharing the same chatroom, including guidelines for avoiding & resolving canon disputes.

This is something that really intrigues me, as I run a Discord server myself and I’m always looking for options that incorporate more people and give people multiple ways to interact. Since this is compatible with other tabletop games, I’m assuming you can have real-time sessions alongside something more like a play-by-post format - although I haven’t bought the game yet so I can’t say for sure.

Tournament Arc, by SystemxEmotion.

Tournament Arc is a text-based, real-time, head-to-head, fighting roleplaying game. Most importantly, Tournament Arc is a game where you create any character you can think of (or steal from your favourite media), and fight your friends.

When you play Tournament Arc, you will create a powerful fighter and you’ll try and beat other fighters in arena combat. Fighters can be anything you can fathom, from talented martial artists to alien creatures from other dimensions, and from off-duty superheroes to ordinary people granted arcane powers by elder beings. The one thing that they all have in common is that their powers come from spirits. Spirits are strange entities that recently appeared in the world, and are as diverse as the fighters themselves.

As a text-based game, Tournament Arc depends on a third, neutral party for each battle. This third player is called the Conduit, who will judge both attacks and determine an outcome. I can see this being a great game for large groups, especially because each person gets to pick up the GM role at some point. You create move sets using different abilities that might be active or passive, and the book comes with advice on how to make the combat dynamic and interesting. If you are playing with a group that likes feeling powerful and enjoys big action scenes, this might be the game for you!

Eccentric Millionaire, by nickwedig.

Somewhere in the wilderness, an eccentric millionaire has buried $50 million worth of bearer bonds, gold, historic artifacts and art treasures.

You’re going to hunt for it, from the comfort of your own homes.

There are a lot of other people also searching for the treasure, too. Work with them for more clues, but don’t trust them. If they get the treasure first, they get millions of dollars. Second place gets nothing.

Eccentric Millionaire is an online game of logical deduction and social deception. One player acts as the host and organizer of the game. They will also play the role of the Eccentric Millionaire. The other players take on the role of treasure hunters. The game is played online, through chat systems like Discord or Slack, and via online map tools like Google Maps. Gameplay takes place over days or weeks, as the treasure hunters uncover more clues and zero in on the location of the treasure. Eventually, one player will find the treasure and win the game.

I love games that use innovative online tools, and this game's use of Google Maps is a great example. This is also great for large groups, of up to 25 people! I caution you though, the organization for a game like this definitely requires a lot of set up - you might have to customize a Discord Server before you are ready to play.

Games I've Recommended in the Past

Subway Runners, by Gem Room Games

#tabletop games #indie ttrpgs #dnd #game recommendations #asks #online games #discord

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edwinspaynes · 6 months

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I miss the London Institute in 1903.

I miss Matthew and Alastair and Thomas and Cordelia and James and Grace and Christopher and Ari and Anna and Lucie and Eugenia. I miss DILF Will and his Tessa-shaped pearl without price, too.

I miss light academia and picnics in parks and sledding parties and balls and the Hell Ruelle and Paris seances and Kensington Gardens and the Louvre and 102 Cornwall Gardens and 48 Curzon Street.

I miss Cordelia's bravery and Thomas's resilient kindness and fortitude. I miss Alastair's deep untethered love and Matthew's wit and wonder and ability to see the beauty in everything.

I miss Cordelia's globe necklace and Matthew's signet ring and Alastair's daggers and I miss their perfect waistcoats and deep-hued dresses. And I miss their jokes and their laughter and their little family dynamics that really stab at your heart when they want to.

I miss Thomas and Alastair talking all night long and kissing in carriages and insisting that they each deserve love and care. I miss James and Cordelia playing chess and talking about going to Constantinople. I miss Matthew's bright smile and mercurial moods, and his passion and learning that he should not seek to destroy himself because he is wonderful.

I miss lovely character arcs and beautifully-developed relationships. I miss Nothing but Shadows and Cast Long Shadows and Every Exquisite thing and the Midnight Heir. I miss the Penultimate Hours and the Letter Game. I miss Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron and Chain of Thorns.

I miss long nights of theorizing.

But more than anything, I miss The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare. Because that series is beauty, it is art, it is color.

#the last hours #tlh #it's one of Those Days #my god #alastair carstairs #thomas lightwood #thomastair #cordelia carstairs #james herondale #matthew fairchild

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the-forest-library · 5 months

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December 2023 Reads

The Witchwood Knot - Olivia Atwater

A Holiday by Gaslight - Mimi Matthews

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

The Good Part - Sophie Cousins

Faking Christmas - Kerry Winfrey

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love - Lex Croucher

Every Time You Go Away - Abigail Johnson

Second Chances in New Port Stephen - T.J. Alexander

The Spectacular - Fiona Davis

Below Zero - Ali Hazelwood

Happiness Falls - Angie Kim

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank - Elle Cosimano

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson

How to Find a Missing Girl - Victoria Wlosok

What Lies in the Woods - Kate Alice Marshall

Thinking of You - Beth Evans

Seance Tea Party - Reimena Yee

I am Superman - Brad Meltzer

Making It So - Patrick Stewart

Happy People Are Annoying - Josh Peck

Gentle Chaos - Tyler Gaca

The Comfort of Crows - Margaret Renkl

Laid and Confused - Maria Yagoda

Butts - Heather Radke

Imposter No More - Jill A. Stoddard

A Life in Light - Mary Pipher

What the F - Benjamin K. Bergen

Seek - Scott Shigeoka

Nobody's Fool - Daniel Simons

Call You When I Land - Nikki Vargas

When the Game Was War - Rich Cohen

Mostly Veggies - Brittany Mullins

One-Pot Magic - Good Housekeeping

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts:

If you liked Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales, definitely give The Witchwood Knot a try. It had a lot of the same magic.

When the Game Was War filled the void left by Winning Time. These tales of the magic of 80s basketball align with the one time in my life I had interest in the sport. It has been fun revisiting that time, and WTGWW provided a nice deep dive into elements and players that Winning Time was unable to explore in its short run.

Goodreads Goal: 432/400

2022 Reads | 2023 Reads

#2023 reads #book reviews #book recommendations #books #booklr #bookish #reading #bibliophile

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fettesans · 1 month

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Top, page from Raymond Buckland, Solitary Seance: How You Can Talk with Spirits on Your Own, 2011. Via. Bottom, photograph via NASA, Toroid inflatable station concept during testing, 1961. Via. More.

Using the pendulum is known as radiesthesia—also rhabdomancy, or cleidomancy. One of the best-known uses of the pendulum is in dowsing, in finding where to drill for water. But it is also used for many other things, not least of all for communicating with spirit.

Unlike many other early space station concepts, this design actually made it out of the concept phase and into production, though no models were ever flown. This particular station was 30-feet and expandable. It was designed to be taken to outer space in a small package and then inflate in orbit. The station could, in theory, have been big enough for 1 to 2 people to use for a long period of time. A similar 24 foot station was built by the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation for NASA test use. The concept of space inflatables was revived in the 1990s. Via Wikipedia.

‘If an artist who conceived a work says that it is unfinished and should not be exhibited, it isn’t – and shouldn’t be.’ The court felt differently: ‘When an artist makes a decision to begin work on a piece of art and handles the process of creation long-distance via e-mail, using someone else’s property, someone else’s materials, someone else’s money, someone else’s staff, and, to a significant extent, someone else’s suggestions regarding the details of fabrication – with no enforceable written or oral contract defining the parties’ relationship – and that artist becomes unhappy part-way through the project and abandons it,’ wrote the presiding judge, Michael Ponsor, ‘then nothing in the Visual Artists Rights Act or elsewhere in the Copyright Act gives that artist the right to dictate what that “someone else” does with what he has left behind, so long as the remnant is not explicitly labeled as the artist’s work.’ (...)

Essentially a horrific readymade, Barca Nostra sunk in April 2015 between Libya and Lampedusa with an estimated 1,000 migrants onboard, of whom 28 survived. The Italian government recovered the wreck in 2016 and moved it to a base in Sicily before it was placed under the care of the Augusta municipality, a landing site for Operation Mare Nostrum, Italy’s response to the Mediterranean migrant crisis. Mare Nostrum, or ‘Our Sea’, cost the Italian government a reported £7 million per month, and ensured safe passage for over 100,000 people within a year of its launch in October 2013. But after Italy appealed for assistance, EU states criticised the operation for encouraging people to risk the sea crossing, so EU agency Frontex replaced Mare Nostrum with Operation Triton in 2014, with a slashed budget and focus on border security.

Effectively a policy of nonassistance, as Forensic Oceanography concluded in their 2016 report Death by Rescue: The Lethal Effects of Non-Assistance at Sea, Triton created a situation where commercial ships were increasingly called into rescue missions they weren’t suited to conduct – such was the case with the sinking of Barca Nostra in 2015, they found. That year, European Parliament president Martin Schulz called for ‘burden sharing’ based on the fact that five out of 28 EU member states were taking in 50 percent of refugees to Europe at the time. Yet no effective cooperation manifested. Neither in creating humanitarian responses to a global crisis, nor in mediating the ultraright sentiments and movements that rose as a result – as demonstrated in 2018, when Italy’s far-right interior minister, Matteo Salvini, launched a campaign to block search-and-rescue vessels from docking in Italian ports, and drafted a hardline anti-migrant bill adopted by the Italian government.

It was within this desperate context that Barca Nostra was brought to the Venice Biennale – in cooperation with Augusta’s municipal council and Comitato 18 Aprile, which lobbied against government plans to scrap the ship – with Büchel covering transportation costs. Presented with little information – not for the lulz, it seems, but out of contempt for a wilful ignorance – the vessel’s arrival was lambasted as ‘tasteless’ by those at the vernissage, seemingly more concerned with the insult of its presence – and those taking selfies with it, like a Martha Rosler collage come to life – than discussing the exclusionary policies that brought it into being. (Granted, as curator Alexandra Stock wrote in a scathing takedown, ‘The optics [were] bad because Büchel set it up that way’.) While the stunt drew international attention – including responses from Salvini himself, countering the idea that the Venice Biennale is an ineffective stage for protest – it also revealed the limits of internationalism, whether in the artworld or the world at large.

Stephanie Bailey, from Christoph Büchel: Fear and Loathing in Venice, for Art Review, April 14, 2024.

#diptych #safe new world #linked excerpts

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spooky-bang-good-omens · 2 months

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🎃 Spooky Bang FAQ

Please click here for the NSFW FAQ.

What is Spooky bang?

A bang is an event in which writers write a fic and artists claim it, creating art based on that fic. Spooky Bang operates on the theme of autumn and autumn events, such as Halloween. Ideally, the creators who are paired would keep in contact and work together, at least minimally, throughout this process. All the content will be posted around the same time, so it’ll be like a big content party. It entails joining a discord server and posting your final work (i.e. AO3, Tumblr, Instagram, etc).

How does it all work?

Your lovely mods will handle almost everything. Your job is to create!

Writers: You are the beginning of the bang. You will come up with your idea and start writing. You will need to include an example AO3 rating, major warnings (if applicable), content warnings (if applicable), up to 5 example AO3 tags, a maximum of 100-word outline, and a maximum of 200-word “visual elements section” (this is to include things not anywhere else, but that you think an artist might be interested in!) Please note that this does not have to be the final idea, but this is what will attract an artist to working with you, so we ask that you both discuss any changes and agree on them, as we don’t want anyone to be in an awkward situation.

Artists: Once the claims open for viewing, you will have one week to view the fics & decide on your personal top 5 choices. The day that the form to submit your claims opens, you will have three days to submit those choices. This will work on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once claims are over and teams are announced, you will work with the writer (as little or much as you want to) to complete your art.

Everyone: We will likely have a second round of claims, until everyone has a team. After everyone is teamed up, you will work together (at both of your desired collab level) and complete regular check-ins with the Mod team. You will be expected to keep discussion about your WIP contained to only your collab partner, or your respective Discord Zones – i.e. writers can discuss their WIP in the Writer Zone. Joining the Discord server means you will have support available throughout Spooky Bang.

What does ‘spooky’ entail?

Autumn-themed activities or events. For example:

Events - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Harvest, Mabon, Bonfire Night, Day of the Dead, Oktoberfest, Diwali

Activities - pumpkin-picking, hay rides, autumn coffee shop au, apple-picking, back-to-school

Spooky - Monster hunting, Witchcraft, Avaunt Foul Demon (demon hunting), Zombies, Witch-hunting, Seances, Summonings, Paranormal (general), Ouija board

If you’re unsure if the topic you want to write about fits into this category, we’re here to answer your questions via Tumblr Asks or Discord ask-a-mod chat.

Can I be an artist and a writer?

Yes, you can be an artist and a writer. Please note that you will not be involved in the first round of claims for the sake of fairness. You will also not be able to claim your own fic as it is a collaborative event. It’s expected that you will keep both works private except to your respective teams and Discord Zones.

When am I __?

Please check the timeline in Discord timeline chat. If the answer to your question is not there, send us an Ask or message in the Discord ask-a-mod chat.

Will you give us a prompt?

No. Writers will come up with their own prompt which artists will create based on the fic.

How will claims work?

Claims will be on a first come, first serve basis. Further information will follow before claims open on July 3. Claims will be handled by your Mod team. Claims may go through two or three rounds until all participants are teamed up.

How much information can I reveal about my WIP & who can I tell about it?

We ask that you keep your WIPs secret. You can discuss your WIP in your respective Discord Zone, and with your team (after claims).

Can I sign up late?

If you have not completed Signup between May 9 - June 10, please contact the Mod team. Please note that we will not accept new signups after July 3.

What if I get paired with someone who I don’t get along with?

We expect you to be a good team-player and work with them in a friendly manner. If someone is making you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, please contact the Mod team.

How much control do I have over the artist’s creation?

The artist may want to collab closely, however they can create art based on any scene or theme within your fic. It’s a collaboration, not a commission.

What’s a beta reader?

Beta readers proofread your work and can support with 'problem areas'. It’s completely optional, but if this is your first fic or you’re not confident in some of your writing, it might help you feel happier with the finished product. In Discord, our @/Beta Reader role can be pinged if you need help! All they can do is suggest things to you, you do not have to take their word as an edit. It’s optional, so don’t feel pressured to use one if you don’t want to!

What’s a britpicker?

A britpicker is like a beta reader, but to make sure specifically that your fic (if it's set in the U.K. or with British characters) contains terminology that the characters would use. This can be helpful for anyone not from the U.K.

What’s a pinch-hitter?

If you’re willing to create more than one work, you may be recruited to make a second fic or art for: 1) any writing that goes unclaimed, or; 2) replacing anyone who has to drop-out due to unforeseen circumstances. You can sign up to be a pitch-hitter as an artist or writer! This is an optional role.

What if I have to drop out?

This is obviously not ideal. We’d really appreciate it if you did not sign up if there’s a good chance you will need to drop out. Obviously, unexpected things happen and we understand that you may need to drop out. Please contact your Mod team urgently.

#gomens spooky bang #gomens #faq #staff milo #mod evie

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pylonium · 3 months

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am part of what's basically an artist’s secret and exclusive NSF/W art club and I visualize all of us appreciating the pieces like we're at some covert 1920s masquerade seance dinner party (aw shit I have another idea for an AU).

#I will not elaborate #we’re watching [redacted] get rawdogged on the charcuterie table

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rouge-wolf · 11 months

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A Forgotten Friend Sherlock x Fem Reader

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Dearmad Manor: Grand Saray, Cordona

7:56 pm

"I'm glad I didn't run into anyone. I truly needed a peaceful walk home to clear my head. I should check for mail, perhaps.... No. It's been ages. He wouldn't have sent a letter now, of all things." I mutter under my breath, walking to the mailbox; an idiotic sense of hope made itself known against my will. Slowly I open the lid, but nothing.

"Of course, I have taken care of any bills for the month, and I'm not exactly fully part of the 'in' crowd of Cordona except for the few art shows of Vogle's I attend. I shook my head at the memory of Vogle's last attempt to make me attend one of the parties he regularly attends, flicked in front of my eyes like a film. Unlocking the front door, I sigh and close my eyes as I lean against it, effectively shutting it and adding to my dramatics. 'I wonder what I should eat. What do I even have in the kitchen?'

_____________________________________________________________

Il Palazzo del Lusso: Grand Saray, Cordona

7:40 pm

Sherry finally made it down to the bar as I claimed our table. I wonder what she is up to. I don't think Sherry remembers her. Hell! he doesn't remember much from his time on Cordona, almost like that's the whole point of us being here, Jon. I roll my eyes at myself, something usually reserved for Mycroft and whenever Sherry is stupid. How long does it take to grab food? I had an entire introspection session.

I walked up to the bar with two platters of marlin ceviche for the taking, not that we needed two. One will suffice.

"If seafood is not to your taste, everyone loves 'Benedict's Batch' - our poached eggs with a hollandaise sauce!" The bartender informs me.

I got bored waiting at the table, so I looked around the foyer and found something quite intriguing.

"Hey Sherry, just our luck!" I called, gaining his attention.

"A medium? Jon, haven't we been through this already?"

"Come on! It's not like we got anything better to do!"

After what I would call a masterpiece of convincing by yours truly, a rather intriguing character walks down the staircase. Hopefully, the table I found is still empty.

"Excuse me, sir, but I believe Mr. Ghalichi is conducting a seance at the moment," I could care less about Mr. Ghalichi's scam. "Perhaps you would care to have your portrait drawn while you wait?"

"Why?" Perhaps I could find some entertainment in a short conversation.

"Pardon me?"

"Why should I sit for a portrait?"

"I- Sir... It's art. It doesn't need a 'why.' It is its own justification." How dull.

"All things require justification, be they objects, systems, or beliefs."

"How about, 'art is the lens through which we see the truth of the world' ?"

"That's backwards. Truth is not subjective and not complicated. It's just the truth - either it is or it isn't. You do not need a lens to see it, just an open mind." This artist is quite annoying but the most entertaining thing in the room.

"Ha. That seems rather close-minded. Truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. So tell me, what do you see?" He holds out the sketch he has been working on.

"Mediocrity," I respond, and the artist finally walks off.

"Come now, Sherry, what did he do to deserve that? The servant mentioned Ceviche at the bar, Sherry. You should grab us some, and I'll find us a table. I'm starving." I say, heading toward the table I claimed earlier as Sherry went to the bar.

I could feel my eyes roll at Jon. I had tried to grab a platter earlier, only to have him call me to that sign advertising a seance. I grabbed a platter, "Okay, time to check if Jon found us a nice table for the evening." I found Jon at a table with a cane lying on it.

"Sherry! I'm over here with my new ursine companion." I look at Jon.

"What are you waiting for? Put the dish down so we can tuck in!" Setting the dish down, I sit down in the plush chair.

"Cordona is even quieter than I remembered. It's going to be a long evening."

"Come now, Sherry. What say we amuse ourselves with a little game?"

"What were you thinking? Promise me it isn't nonsense- after being cooped up on that boat, I am itching for activity."

"No! As you can see, someone left a cane on our table. I simply thought you could identify its owner."

"Ugh, so it is nonsense. It will take me a minute, Jon, at most!"

"Well then, you can deliver it to him as well."

"Deliver it to him? Then what are the staff here for? Aesthetics?!"

"Stubborn, Sherry! Too stubborn! You wanted something to do." 'It makes me wonder how she put up with him; me a perfect angel.'

"Slapping oneself in the face is also 'something to do' That doesn't make it worthwhile! But all right, let me take a look."

I spare a glance at Jon before starting this arduous task.

"No matter how long you stare at the stick, it's not going to walk itself to its owner."

"The handgrip is a head of a golden Javanese statue, probably stolen from a temple. The dents suggest it has been used as a bludgeon. A crest depicting a bulb of garlic in a meadow. Perhaps the Fielding family or Meadows? Or Craven from the old English name meaning 'garlic place'? The cane is made of Ebony. It is worn, uncared for, and bears the scars of numerous hits. This cane is an expensive and ostentatious weapon. Its owner must be vain, volatile, and of noble English blood."

"Take it with you, Sherry! Let's return it to its owner."

I pick up the cane time to find its owner.

"All right, I hope you noted down your observations in your casebook. But how are you going to find this nobleman?"

"The cane itself is not enough. I may have to ask other guests if they saw who was here." I inform and begin to look for someone to ask.

_____________________________________________________________

Kitchen: Dearmad Manor

8:00 pm

The market is definitely on the docket for tomorrow. All I could find was a bit of sausage and two eggs. Dinner now decided, I quickly prepare it. "Hmm, I wonder what they're up to right now. Probably on a case." Putting my now-cooked food on a plate, I sat at the empty kitchen table and ate. I must have gotten lost in thought as I looked at the clock to see it was now 8:33. Picking up my plate and fork, I added them to the dishes I needed to clean.

"To clean or not to clean, that is the question." I stared at the dishes; maybe they would clean themselves…. "To clean is sadly the answer." I made quick work of the dishes. Now to get washed up and ready for bed.

With the bath filled with hot water and some rose oil, I slip out of my dress and undergarments and sink into the steaming water feeling my muscles instantly relax. Leaning my head back, I let my thoughts take over my mind once again. What would life be like with them here? More specifically, if he were here. I am certain of that, but would it have been possible for something more to have occurred? Lord knows his elder brother would protest it, saying such things are trivial for people like them. It is funny since they are only here due to their parent's love.

I slid down the tub till my head was submerged getting up after a moment. I grabbed my soap, lathering it in my hands before lathering it on my scalp rinsing it out a minute or two later. Grabbing my soap and a cloth, I quickly cleaned my body as the bath slowly lost its warmth. I got out of the tub, and pulled out the stopper, allowing the water to drain. Grabbing a fluffy towel, I dried myself off and slipped into one of my favorite nightgowns. As I lie in bed, I wonder what my dreams will show me. Maybe I will see my friends and go on an exciting adventure! I don't' even know when my eyelids finally shut.

_____________________________________________________________

Il Palazzo del Lusso: Grand Saray, Cordona

7:55 pm

I approached an older lady by the bar.

"Could you help me?"

"Of course. Stop me when you've heard enough."

After conversing with her, I found out that there were three people at the table- a couple and a retired Navy officer. Observers weren't sure what happened to the couple, but the Navy officer was seen going out to the front garden for some air. I have to find him.

"Well, even with your keen senses, Sherry, I doubt you'll find the cane's owner on your first try." Jon quipped as I made my way through to the front garden.

"Ha! And would you be confident enough to bet on it, my friend?"

"Why not! Let's see how good you really are!" Now I must get this right can't let Jon have something to hold over me.

Once I entered the front garden, I gave a brief deduction of the people; to the right, by the gate, an affable Swedish artist who owns a pug; By the main walkway of the garden next to a lamp post, an affable Irish singer with seasonal allergies accompanied by an affable Irish diplomat with an allergy to seafood. So far not even close to who I'm looking for. Next was a Cordonian adventure, who was dehydrated and sympathetic. Then among a group of three men was a friendly Swedish secretary with back pains, a friendly French pharmacist suffering from cirrhosis, and an affable Swedish engineer that is a retired military officer. This is the man I was looking for. I asked him about the can and the couple he accompanied earlier that evening.

The Navy officer, Mr. Rhodes, was sitting at our table with the noble couple. The men talked about yachting, and the lady was fidgeting with the cane. Perhaps she put it aside, and her husband forgot to take it when they went to meet the medium.

"Hey, Sherry, don't we now have the perfect excuse to visit the seance?"

"I'm just going to give the cane to its owner. You will not persuade me to take part in this show."

I head over to the seance room.

"Come on, if you hurry, perhaps we'll see the ghost!"

Jon started to play the piano to intensify the mood. I open the door to see a fight between the nobleman I was looking for, the medium, and a hotel staff member.

"This hotel, this island… it's full of thieves! First my cane, now my diamond! Take your hands off me! Do you even know who I am?"

I smacked the cane down onto my hand, and Jon finished his song. That seemed to get their attention.

"Hey, boy, that's my cane!"

"I get that a lot. It's a very common design."

"What…!? No, that's a custom-made-" "A joke, a joke," I cut him off, "It was left at my table in the restaurant. I thought it deserved to be returned." I handed him the cane.

"Well, I'll be- it is rare to encounter a straight-fingered truepenny these days! What a fine gentleman! But I must ask… how did you know I was the rightful owner?"

I deduce Lord Craven swiftly to the conclusion that he is a bored British nobleman.

"Simple deduction. Your cane told me everything I needed to know. I was after a strong middle-aged man, with a keen interest in adventure, noble blood, and affection for strong drinks. And if one were to go further, one may even be able to extrapolate your name from your heraldic symbol… Lord Craven."

"Marvelous! Simply Marvellous! That's me, Lord Andrew Craven! You are the real medium! You hear that, Emma?" He looks at the woman lying on the couch and then back at me.

"Well, you found my cane… perhaps you can locate my diamond too! Yes, you should do it. It will be child's play for you, mister…"

"Holmes. And if a child can do it, then I'm sure the local police can suffice."

"The police!? Why bother? I know this harlequin stole it! The only question is where is it hidden." He turned and walked across the room from me. "Fine, give me my stick, and I'll resolve the matter myself! This thief almost confessed after a single punch."

"Hm. I suspect a beating may result in answers of… questionable veracity. Fine. I shall spare you and he the trouble, if you first answer me this. You insist the medium robbed you during the seance - but what occurred exactly?" Jon seems to be enjoying this as he watches from the corner.

"Bah, it was a dirty trick! We were sitting here in the dark, chanting and holding hands, as expected. Then something began to appear from the medium, like a cloud or a bubble. The swindler called it 'ectoplasm.'"

"Ah, yes. Common in the spiritualist trade. And quite the spectacle."

"Indeed - perhaps too much. My beloved Emma screamed in horror, and I stood to defend her, attacking that cursed ghost!"

"How brave." No sarcasm was noticeable in my voice.

"But my hand hit nothing! The medium jumped away from me, and Emma fainted. I lit the candle - and the diamond was gone!"

"How does a priceless diamond become the subject of a seance? It is an unusual accoutrement."

"Emma wished to speak with its former owners. My grandfather told us it belonged to a rajah- an Indian king."

"So you were summoning long-dead Indian royalty? And, pray tell, you were expecting him to converse in English?"

"To be frank, Mr. Holmes, I don't believe in ghosts. But Emma was fascinated by the idea of meeting a real king… even a dead one."

"Well, a crown is a crown. Can you describe the stone itself?"

"A yellow diamond, not less than a hundred carats, and perfectly egg-shaped. There is not another like it!"

"Stay here, and don't touch anything. I'm going to investigate further."

"Don't fret. I'll be keeping a close eye on this thief."

I started my investigation at the table where the diamond was seen last. In the center of the table, there was a holder for the diamond. A moth brooch was in the medium's coat and a splotch of green ectoplasm was on the table. The broken wine glace had traces of rouge in its edge and a half glass of Balblair scotch along with the remains of a Por Larranaga cigar.

I walked over to the hotel staff member, who thanked me for my help to resolve the situation. Just past him and the doors to another area, a nearly broken hefty chair.

"Is it even possible for one man to lift it?"

Lord Craven suddenly spoke, "At Cambridge, I was captain of the rugby team. It was no place for weaklings."

Time to talk to the medium.

"What happened here?"

"I don't know! The ghost… I summoned it as usual, but then it all went wrong. The lady screamed and pointed at Lord Craven… And there was a shadow! Such a mystical force! It terrified the lady. And it must have taken the diamond - who else could have?"

"Do you feel the presence of any supernatural entities at the moment?"

"Are you joking, sir? My nose is broken, this maniac wants to kill me, and you're asking about the spirits?"

"I suppose this can wait. I will investigate, and the culprit will be identified."

"But this stubborn brute, Lord Craven, blames me right now! As if I could do something like that! Perhaps you can reason with him? Please!"

"Seems like you are ready to delve into your mind palace, Sherry. I'm sure you'll make some good deductions!"

I'll enter my mind palace after I've looked around some more.

"Was this covered on purpose?"

"Of course!" The medium answered, "It is very dangerous to leave a mirror exposed during a seance! The spirits may become enraged.

"Or someone may notice the trick they should not see…" I muttered.

Next to the mirror were skulls littered on a shelf, three human and one animal with a candle.

"How can you not love this stuff, Sherry!? It adds so much atmosphere to the room!"

I looked at Emma on the couch. Her skin was pale, quickened pulse and unsteady breathing.

"She's barely conscious. Bah, the feebleness of women."

"Really, Sherry? Poor thing." Although it was Jon that scolded him, he could almost hear another voice, a more feminine one say it to him. 'How odd.'

_____________________________________________________________

AN: So much dialogue in this game, but I rather keep the majority of the dialogue the same when I can and when I feel up to typing it all out... Probably a few more chapters still till Sherry and y/n meet again. Lowkey forgot how much happened before the case I want to use to reintroduce our childhood friends. If you spot nay mistakes or have any ideas on how I can improve please let me know!

Chapter 3

#frogwares sherlock #frogwaressherlockholmes #frogwares sherlock x y/n #frogwares sherlock x reader #x reader #sherry #sherlock

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reimenaashelyee · 1 year

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I'm not boothing at Comic Fiesta this year, but I'll be wandering around! And I got comics to clear. DM to reserve a signed copy. Happy to meet up to sign your personal copy too. And to chat about comics, the comics/art/publishing industry, UNNAMED and more.

If I run out, these books (including Seance Tea Party) will always be available at Kinokuniya. Then you can meet up with me to get your copy signed.

And we don't have to meet up inside the venue - I will be outside too, generally around the KLCC area. (I will figure out a meeting place later)

#comic fiesta

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survivors-of-barovia · 1 year

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DM session recaps: year 2022

Oh boy, this year has been wild!

We haven't been playing as regularly as we'd like to, but the gang still managed to make significant progress. Currently they are level 11 and preparing for their expedition to the Amber Temple. Here's a brief summary of all the things that happened to them since the last time:

Dragon skull heist was A HUGE SUCCESS! The party had a really good plan and have been super careful to only discuss it inside the tiny hut so Strahd never suspected a thing. They scaled the cliff through Barov and Ravenovia's tomb, used their spells and familiars to stay hidden and scout ahead, avoided Rahadin by using divination spells and managed to dimension door to the hall of bones from the catacombs because they mapped out the familiar areas of the castle beforehand and triangulated the distance to it; they cast reduce on the skull and quickly dimension doored back, but not before Vincent left an insulting poem for Strahd in its place.

Needless to say, Strahd was SUPER PISSED - especially after they lit the beacon of Argynvostholt. Well, he can be mad all he wants, because now Argynvostholt is a hallowed ground warded against undead, and also revenants regained their memories and some of them stayed to help fight against Strahd. Lady Arisa became a head of the order and screamed at Vlad until he stopped being suicidal and agreed that he must atone for his wrongdoings by staying with the order and helping rebuild it, and maybe getting back with Godfrey as well.

Right after that, Strahd sent Sasha with a small army of wights to assault Argynvostholt and she got ABSOLUTELY DECIMATED. Rip to Sasha, my homebrew melee vampire knight who had no chance against a paladin with a sunsword. At least she died in battle against her crush instead of getting locked in the dungeons, I guess? Here's another art depicting this glorious scene. Afterwards, there was a really heartbreaking moment where Ferret tried to revivify Sasha while her bones crumbled into ashes, but to no avail. She always tries to save everyone, poor girl.

So now Argynvostholt is the party's home base, a place where they keep all their (numerous) friendly npcs and sort of a "rebuilding the keep" sidequest - because we all love those! They can send revenants on missions to gather resources and give them various tasks, and of course it will all pay off in the endgame.

Strahd, being Strahd and still pissed about the stolen dragon skull, started sending packages with other characters' body parts to Argynvostholt. He started small with disassembled Pidlwick II, and next day it was raven feathers from Blue Water Inn Martikovs he took as hostages. Party is super scared of Pidlwick and started burying his parts across Barovia so that he doesn't come to life again, and ended up selling his head to Jeny Greentheeth. This can only end well!

Claudia Belasco (the orphanage headmistress who got killed by Rahadin) was resurrected, since Lady Arisa kind of has a soft spot for her; they also got her to Argynvostholt, where she now helps with cooking and children, including reincarnated baby Abbot.

They finally had an epic battle with the aboleth of Lake Zarovich, reuniting Mordenkainen with his spellbook and staff and moving him to Argynvostholt. Now there is a mansion inside a mansion, and Victor has someone who can teach him more magic. Good for him!

The party had a spiritual seance with Patrina using a spirit board from VR's guide and it was super fun.

FINALLY after all this time and preparation they moved on to exploring Berez; they made arrangement for peace talks with Baba Lysaga but THEN just had to sneak around to the ruins of Berez and steal all her goats. WELL THEN. The "peace talks" happened? Kind of? They managed to talk to Lysaga at least, and also found out she revived Volenta, who is now a living witch (and has a crush on Vincent) - but then Lady Arisa just had to mention that they know about Lysaga being Strahd's former teacher, and it immediately got them thrown out. And as it turned out, while they were away, Stella Wachter got kidnapped - as a part of a devious plan to prepare a new young body for Lysaga during the following new moon.

Before fighting Lysaga, the party decided to hunt some werespiders - and it went pretty well, until Lysaga found them. Not that it went too badly, but she cast Feeblemind on Ferret, so it was time for tactical retreat. Since technically the Seeker occupied the same body as Ferret, she decided it was also time to resurface and talk to the party (specifically, Edena and Paelias) about how all that is not the best environment for a 10 year old child - and while maybe it’s too late to remove her from this situation physically, maybe she can make it so that Ferret’s mind remains dormant and unaware of all the horrors of Barovia, and she, the Seeker, will be the one to deal with them from now on. Edena and Paelias consider this for a bit, but ultimately decide that they don’t want to rob Ferret of her agency and that potentially losing her mother will break her heart; Seeker says that she understands, and that she wants to talk to others - but once she gets everyone in the room, she starts turning it into an ethereal forest, saying that if they don’t want to help her, she will trap Ferret’s friends in a dream with her and do everything herself. Well, now the party have to fight a dream version of the Seeker. They won, of course, and after Ferret got over her Feeblemind they had a very nice talk about what Ferret actually wants and how much she has grown; also, the Seeker told her the truth about her real parents, and eventually gave her back her memories about her childhood and her real name (Holly). It was a bittersweet moment, but for Ferret, it only solidified her belief that the Seeker is her real mother, and that she is no longer this halfling girl that was called by another name.

Eventually, the party caught up with Lysaga and her hut, fought her, and won - with another dramatic scene where Ferret was hugging her dying body and burning her to death. Only Stella was nowhere to be found. They went on to explore Lysaga's hut, which turned out to be a lot bigger on the inside. They found (and freed) captured wereravens - unfortunately, Muriel Vinshaw, despite being mentioned in Ferret's tarroka reading at the beginning of the campaign, was already killed, as well as many others, since the party took way too long to get to Berez. There was lots of other cool witchy stuff there, but ultimately they discovered that Stella got stolen by hags (yes, THOSE hags. they were still alive) and taken into their lair in the ethereal plane; after doing a quest to weave a fabric from the moonlight (thanks to Edena and her weaving skills!) they caught up to them, managed to save Stella, kill Bella and intimidate Offalia into surrendering but BIG SURPRISE Morgantha managed to get away AGAIN. She was THIS close to running away to Strahd and continuing with her evil schemes, but this party is absolutely relentless. They followed her without resting, rolled super high on all the tracking checks and finally caught and killed her - also in a super creative way, since she could always escape to the ethereal plane and they didn't have etherealness spell, they poisoned her with aboleth slime and she just. Suffocated to death. Fucking brutal. What a fitting end for such a horrible woman. For the record, this was their FIFTH encounter.

Also, Victor was with them for this mission. Their relationship with Stella is... complicated. She got kidnapped in the first place because they had a fight with Victor and she stormed off from the mansion; so Vincent decided to talk to Victor about what happened, figuring it was just a regular teenage fight, but he was like "well yeah she read my thoughts and I got upset and tried to use magic on her so that she wouldn't do that anymore". They kind of made up after Victor took part in saving her, but who knows for how long? Are they even good for each other? The party might have conflicting feelings about that.

After their triumphant return to Argynvostholt, Lady Arisa declared a grand party to celebrate the victory against Baba Lysaga. Also, Kasimir finally made it there! Among all the fun, drinking and dancing, there was plenty of drama as well. Ezmerelda attempted to gain Vincent's approval to hook up with his brother, but before it got to that she got way too drunk and started a fight with van Richten; he promptly left the party, lady Arisa followed him with a bottle of wine, and with a very nice heartfelt conversation and some high persuasion rolls she finally unlocked his tragic backstory! Meanwhile, Paelias, being insightful as always, discovered that Kasimir hasn't been quiet honest with him, and all this time he told him he's been hiding in the forest to avoid detection? He was actually captured by Strahd and only just managed to escape. Oops. Also, Vincent went to Mordenkainen and drank his Experimental Aboleth Brain Potion and Edena got mad at him because once again he's drinking risky liquids without warning his girlfriend. After midnight, everyone went to watch the party plant the bag of beans they got from Lysaga's hut. Two of them turned into statues of Paelias and Vincent that promptly started insulting them. A fitting end to this fun evening.

Also, remember how Strahd was occasionally sending dead body parts to Argynvostholt? Well, his last package ended up in one big mess. The party discovered it way too late - because the first one to discover it was Illyria. And the package was the coffin with the body of her brother, Dmitry Krezkov. And Illyria is... not known for her restraint, to put it mildly. She viciously mauled the vistana who delivered the coffin, and, unsurprisingly, got cursed. This might have been Strahd's plan. Or not, and he’s just stirring shit up. Regardless, this is super inconvenient, because she has to deal with being the avatar of the Huntress - and before heading to Mount Ghakis, the party was going to explore the source of strange howling from the mountains that Illyria was hearing recently. Well, they headed there and discovered a mountain folk shrine to the Huntress occupied by hostile winter wolves and some kind of an ice wolf-shaped spirit. In reality, the spirit was possessing the protectors of the shrine - but of course, Illyria, being Illyria, immediately attacked them, and only Paelias and Ferret prevented her from slaughtering them all and desecrating the shrine for good. After defeating the hostile spirit, she made peace with the wolves, and the party might come back to visit the mountain folk tribe when they head to mount Ghakis.

But first, there is one thing left for them - to consecrate the Swamp Fane. And one little problem - they don’t really know who is going to become an avatar of the Weaver. Maybe Paelias, because he is already has a strong connection to the goddesses? But he is not a woman (although maybe it won’t be a problem?), and also becoming his wife’s sister is going to be awkward. Maybe Edena, because she is good at weaving, promised Kavan to protect the Fanes and seemed like she was really connecting with the Berez witches? But she hates the gods, how you can ask her to become an avatar of the goddess? Choices, choices.

#curse of strahd #by: arrenkae #recaps #after reading some of this you may ask #wait #was it even in the module?#no #no it wasn't #what is even the module at this point #i might have forgotten some small stuff #a lot has happened

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