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anarcho-occultism · 5 months

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Miskatonic University

Miskatonic University is a private university based in Arkham, Massachusetts. Miskatonic University was established in 1690 by Ward Phillips. The University originally was heavily modeled on neighboring schools like Harvard, but would begin to move in a different direction early on when, in 1693, Philips gained custody of a number of rare occult books from the collection of the Sanderson sisters in the aftermath of the Salem witch trials. Thus, from an early era, Miskatonic University was heavily colored by an interest in paranormal and occult phenomena. This would in early history largely remain underground–especially in the late 1600’s still dominated by a Puritan ethos. However, the university would gain a reputation for addressing unusual incidents. It was Miskatonic University scholars who were tasked with figuring out what caused the events around Rip Van Winkle’s anomalously long sleep, investigating rumors of a so-called ‘headless horseman’ in the backwoods of New York and carrying out research into reversing the effects of ‘the Alteration’ rendering the ocean treacherous to navigate. Much of this research was carried out in secret by professors ostensibly dedicated to other subjects. In the mid-19th century, the growth of Spiritualism and interest in the occult led to the founding of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose at the school, which quickly became a much larger esoteric order. A large archive of occult tomes and supernatural artifacts were accumulated at the school and in 1871, the American Secure Containment Initiative was founded by Artemus Gordon, Brisco County, Sr., and Jonah Hex, who set up the ASCI’s headquarters underneath the campus library.

These elements largely remained underground into the early 20th century, though plenty of cracks were present. Miskatonic University professors helped analyze the origins of the so-called ‘boomfood’ that triggered a wave of gigantism in the 1900’s, recognizing that radioactive particles played a key role. Research into weapons development sponsored by the U.S. government made it a major target during the War in the Air, with German air raids heavily damaging the campus. It has been suggested that Dr. Herbert West’s later experiments occurred because of trauma experienced when West survived a bombing raid that killed an entire class of students in the room with him. A number of Miskatonic University faculty became involved in incidents involving the supernatural or paranormal-Henry Armitage, Randolph Carter, and Seneca Lapham among others-but overall most students were more focused on traditional prestige in this era. While the occasional figure in the vein of William Fitzgerald or Trevor Bruttenholm was attracted to attend by the university’s occult underground, this was the exception rather than the rule well into the 20th century.

However, the mid-20th century saw the paranormal and occult elements of Miskatonic University creep into the open. As part of the Cold War, the US government had developed a keen interest in supernatural phenomenon and developed many agencies–Delta Green, the Unusual Incidents Unit, the Federal Bureau of Control and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense–aimed at researching the supernatural, combating threats it posed and even perhaps weaponizing it. Miskatonic University’s familiarity with these anomalies was seen as a positive by the government. Furthermore, the prestige associated with paranormal and anomalous research was expanding. Columbia University Professor John Montague had helped make parapsychology a much more respectable field. These factors combined to allow for Miskatonic University to become the first university in the world to open up a Department of Paranormal Studies, containing such majors as Parapsychology, Occult Studies and Esoteric Archaeology. The existence of these departments would require unconventional hiring choices and so the likes of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, MACUSA member Gomez Addams, self-proclaimed ‘psychic doctor’ Miles Pennoyer and former news anchor Carl Kolchak would end up among the faculty of the school by 1980. Members of the Department would play a key role in providing information to the White Committee, which sought to determine the implications of the Black Prom incident in Chamberlain, Maine (though much of the opinions of Miskatonic faculty were discarded by the committee).

The establishment of the Department helped the school draw an unorthodox array of students in the years that followed. Alongside the old-money crowd of future lawyers and businessmen came the likes of Lydia Deetz, Jack and Maddie Fenton, Tommy Jarvis, Nathan Dawkins and Nancy Thompson-all figures drawn to the school by its expertise regarding supernatural and paranormal phenomenon. However, this also drew less savory individuals to the school. The likes of Nikolai Wolf (who would resort to human sacrifice to gain fame for his band Low Shoulder), Cole Turner (a half-demon lawyer who briefly became the Source of All Evil) Edgar Zambus (the creator of a strain of zombism that combines supernatural and viral methods of reanimation that he deliberately infected himself with), Roman Armitage (inventor of the infamous Coagula procedure which hijacked the bodies of numerous African-Americans) and Amy Hughe (a serial killer and worshiper of the demon Malphas) all attended or were planning to attend the school only to make use of its occult secrets for not-so-noble ends. The near-miss awakening of Cthulhu in 1983 during World War III only further caused the school to develop a sinister reputation. Senator Bob Roberts launched a quixotic bid to bar students attending the school from receiving federal financial aid in the 1990’s over these ties to black magic, though his proposal never made it in front of the President before Roberts resigned due to being implicated in the Mattiece scandal of 1993.

The more sinister reputation enjoyed by the school was particularly ironic knowing the role of faculty, alumni and current students in preventing a number of prophesied calamities surrounding Y2K. Miskatonic University Professor Iain Gladstone was the first to take notice of multiple prophecies related to the Apocalypse being fulfilled in the lead-up to the turn of the millennium. Working with his colleagues Rayna Kazuki, Leroy Brown and Dirk Pitt, Gladstone worked to recruit a team that could identify potential Antichrists and, if possible, eliminate them. Most of the team were current students at the school-Sarah Bailey, Steve Urkel, Charlie McGee, Casey Connor and Kate Libby were selected based on a combination of desired research capabilities and known or implied paranormal prowess. Beyond the current students, the quartet of professors brought in a few university alumni-the previously mentioned Lydia Deetz, ex-football star Scott Howard and on-and-off X-Men team member Katherine ‘Kitty’ Pryde. Aside from Deetz, the alumni were brought in as additional muscle. Through diligent investigation, this team was able to identify Angel Caine-the son of businessman Robert Caine-as a potential Antichrist working through his father’s business empire to bring about the End Times. Caine had additionally formed an alliance with Adrian Woodhouse, another potential Antichrist who sought to co-opt remnants of older Great Old One cults for his ends. The team brought these two to the attention of the BPRD and, alongside a military forced headed by one Colonel John McNamara, were able to prevent Armageddon.

The modern Miskatonic University has enjoyed an enormous boost to prestige following the Awakening of Magic and the widespread embrace of occult and supernatural research. The school was able to greatly expand operations as a result, pursuing ideas that were fringe even amidst the ‘new normal’ of anomalies. After the Amphibian invasion of 2020, the school became a locus of research into extradimensional phenomenon, discovering the realms of Mewni, World A, Oz, and Throne among many others. Researchers from the school helped create the EVA units used to fight the so-called ‘angel’ incursions of the 2010’s and chronicling the spread of ‘quirks’ across 90% of the human population post-Awakening of Magic. Miskatonic University has also begun tracking temporal anomalies after the Warren & Warren incident of 2021, partnering with Britain’s Anomaly Research Center in the process (the ARC has indicated interest in a ‘temporal storm’ appearing to connect 2023, 1890, 1941 and 2053 in some way). Beyond this renown, however, the highs and lows of a normal prestigious school remain. Students briefly seized control of Armitage Hall in protest of the school accepting a $30 million grant from Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, right-wing pundit Lindsey Bluth-Funke has condemned the school for pushing ‘wokeness’ and allegations that rich alumni bribe there way into the school continue to dog its reputation alongside its more fantastical dimension.

References

Cthulhu Mythos, The Lurker at the Threshold, Hocus Pocus, Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Order, SCP Foundation, The Wild Wild West, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Jonah Hex, The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth, The War in the Air, Herbert West: Re-Animator, The Lurker at the Threshold, The Diviners (Bray novel), Delta Green, Control, Hellboy, The Haunting of Hill House, The Conjuring, The Addams Family, Miles Pennoyer, Kolchak the Night Stalker, Carrie, Beetlejuice, Danny Phantom, Friday the 13th, Beyond: Two Souls, Nightmare on Elm Street, Jennifer’s Body, Charmed, Plants vs. Zombies, Get Out, Dead of Summer, A Colder War, Bob Roberts, The Pelican Brief, The Secret World, Explorer Woman Ray, Encyclopedia Brown, Dirk Pitt, The Craft, Family Matters, Firestarter, The Faculty, Hackers, Teen Wolf, X-Men, Holocaust 2000, Rosemary’s Baby, Hatchetfield Universe, Shadowrun, Amphibia, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Final Fantasy, The Land of Oz, Kill Six Billion Demons, Neon Genesis Evangelion, My Hero Academia, Old (film), Primeval, Bodies (Netflix series), The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), Arrested Development, Scooby Doo, Ghostbusters

#league of extraordinary gentlemen #mega crossover #cthulhu mythos #miskatonic university #lovecraft

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carefulfears · 1 year

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@amplifyme thank you lovely! answering these one by one <3

top 5 secondary characters

(cheating a bit and answering this to mean anyone not M&S)

1/ alex krycek

i'm a little bit obsessed with him...union-sponsored krycek girl above all else.

he's a hired assassin that constantly accidentally kills the wrong person. he's a key figure in a decades long conspiracy, and plays for both teams. depending on seemingly nothing more than his little moods. he can fuck his way to the top of any russian gulag or united nations committee. he holds mulder at gunpoint then kisses his cheek. no one knows why. he destroys the only thing that could save mulder's life with a smile, then a month later, tells him that he has always prayed he would win.

after his death, it surprises no one to see his ghost linger behind mulder's shoulder.

is it rivalry or devotion? is it sabotage or incompetence? is it truth or lies? no one knows! least of all him!

2/ walter skinner

this one part of audries' fluorescence and night on all sides:

Skinner has the uncanny ability to materialize at the cusp of disaster. He's a footnote to their tragedy. No, that's not right. He's the one writing the footnotes, filling in the blanks in the best way he can. It strikes her that he will outlive them all, in the end.

he is the setting for the conclusion of all of their adventures, whether it's being chewed out in his office or held in the west virginia snow. he bears witness to all of their testimonies, reads all of their reports. he sells his soul to the devil to keep theirs intact.

when scully won't let mulder go by himself, skinner is the person she trusts with her person. he cries with her when he comes back alone.

he's the first to know about their baby, and eighteen years later, still the first to protect him.

he's a hardass sometimes, it is exhausting to write the footnotes to this particular story, but he loves those crazy agents from the basement of his. and he's forever waiting for them to come back and keep up the fight, bother his assistant, put another statement on his desk.

3/ john doggett

whenever i think about doggett, i think about his first case on the x-files. and how it was scully's first case without mulder, ever, and how hard she was trying to appear sure, how hard she was trying "to be mulder."

until that one moment in the car when she said "maybe i'm wrong." and confessed to him that she doubts herself, that making these leaps doesn't come naturally to her. that maybe she's just trying too hard.

and doggett told her that he didn't go to oxford. that he doesn't know anything about the paranormal. but he doesn't think she's wrong.

"i'm no fox mulder, but i can tell when a man's hiding something."

it says so much about his character to me that he would show up on day 1 of the job that no one wants, that was a punishment, that everyone makes fun of him for, having stayed up all weekend reading every file.

it says so much to me that on day 1 he's able to tell her, look, i know that i'm not who you want to do this with. and i might not even be as good at it as he would be. but i think you're doing a good job, and i am following your lead.

doggett is defined in being a by-the-book investigator, but just like skeptic/believer didn't ever really come close to describing the dynamic between mulder and scully, the flipped roles of this new partnership exceed it as well.

where scully's skepticism for many years was to question and fear, doggett's disbelief is grounded in loyalty, and there is no trail that he isn't willing to follow if he thinks it will lead to a solution.

monica was right, he's a dog person, "you're faithful, you're dependable, you're without guile, you're very comfortable to be around."

he brings a "get well soon" card to another agent in the hospital, even before being partnered with her. he runs into open fire to save a man who was nothing but harsh to him. he breaks his emotional support redhead's baby daddy out of military prison, and is willing to face the consequences.

he is ride-or-die, he is steady as a rock, and he is the perfect energy to have around amidst so much change in the later seasons.

4/ the lone gunmen

our boys!! how can you see them and not crack a smile, not instantly feel that the episode is better when the gang is all here?

they participate in last minute heists of government facilities, they babysit, they call to invite you over for cheese steaks and digitized kennedy assassination footage. what can't they do!

of course mulder's only friends are these three conspiracy-obsessed nerds. he is the cool one of this group.

but my favorite thing to see is how much scully grew to love them, and vice versa, over the years. the way they huddle at the loft to dig up dirt on diana, and around scully's kitchen table to discuss next steps post-resurrection.

the way the four of them are mulder's team, and they yell at each other over headsets and jump in the backseat en route to the bermuda triangle.

the way she says they are "the only ones left we can trust" with her baby. and later, in the end, "they meant so much to me."

"the three stooges," "cowardly lion, scarecrow, toto!," there's a reason why their intended one episode arc spanned 11 seasons and 25 years.

5/ monica reyes

scully's tall dark-haired believer who would do anything for her...it must be a law of nature that when one fades away, another has to fill the role.

this show suffers so much without mulder's optimism and belief, and that's really what makes s8 feel so heavy. there's no one there who will trust that time is moving backwards and help or who will jump unquestioning into the fight against alien-baby-snatching doctors.

monica joining the team in s9 is what gives the show that new life, and what makes s9's MOTWs so much better. and just like how doggett's skepticism is not scully's, monica's belief is her own.

she doesn't just want to believe, and she doesn't believe out of trauma or grief, she believes because she feels.

she doesn't come in with any preconceived notions, she just "tries to stay open" and be sensitive to her surroundings.

the x-files are, as leyla harrison says, "in good hands."

(pre-revival CSM is one of the most interesting characters ever to me, i always love watching whatever he's up to. but he doesn't make the list on account of being nasty.)

#thank you for the ask!#it's fun to chat about characters that i normally don't think about much #asks #kae meta

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erikiara80 · 1 year

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A surprising parallel with Ghostbusters

I wanted to find out if the mention of the only person who went missing before Will could be relevant. And I think it is.

First of all, Hopper sleeping with the librarian always felt random to me. But maybe the writers wanted to connect this information to the library.

We know that it’s important. It’s where Will was found, where in S2 he sent the soldiers to die (the tunnels were under the library, and so were the animals used as incubators for the demodogs). And now it’s the convergence point of the gates. I think it’s possible that this person will be mentioned again in S5. Maybe it’s the old skeleton in the library. Or maybe in the library there were some important information on them.

But that’s not the cool part.

1923 in other stories ST has parallels with

In Rose Red (parallels here) John Rimbauer, the owner of the haunted mansion that keeps growing (like the UD/tunnels), is killed by his wife

In the 1923 classic horror movie, Warning Shadows, during a dinner in the house of a wealthy count, a Shadowplayer gives the guests visions (here). This reminds me of the dinner at the Creel House.

The director, Robison, was born in Chicago: in the Creel House’s attic there’s a musical score and the only word I can see is Chicago.

And Robison’s first movie, Night Horror, is about a woman who receives a message from a notary that her grandfather died. Virginia moved to Hawkins after her grand uncle died.

And what about Ghostbusters and Ivo Shandor?

He was the architect behind 550 Central Park West, the building that became a portal the god Gozer used to try to invade our world.

I knew ST has A LOT of parallels with Ghostbusters, but then I found out that Shandor completed the apartment building in 1923.

Who is Ivo Shandor?

In 1920 he became a cult leader (parallel with the cult of Vecna?) and constructed the building using “magnesium-tungsten alloy and cold riveted girders with cores of pure selenium”. The special metal was a conductor that encouraged paranormal activity.

Ray Stanz: “The whole building is a huge super-conductive antenna that was designed and built expressly for the purpose of pulling in and concentrating spiritual turbolence.”

Egon: “They conducted rituals up on the roof, bizarre rituals intended to bring about the end of the world.”

Shandor thought that the world was too sick to survive, so he began to worship the sumerian god Gozer and wanted it to destroy the world.

So.

A haunted house. A house with a Shadowplayer, and a cult leader who built a building as a gate for an evil god.

I really doubt it’s just a coincidence.

Steve and Dustin put a demodog in the Byers' fridge. The Terror Dog Zuul in Ghostbusters appeared in Dana Barett’s fridge.

In Ghostbusters, the creatures that opened the gate are the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster

(thinking about all the keys and keyholes in S4)

Not to mention that Finn plays one of the characters in Ghostbusters Afterlife where (SPOILER) Ivo Shandor appears.

The two Peters

Also. Venkman’s love interest Dana got possessed. We thought this was a parallel between Lumax and Byler, since both Will and Max got possessed/ cursed.

But what if it's also foreshadowing of Edward and Henry, whose fake name is Peter?

Two people, Mike and Lucas, playing the same character: Peter Venkman...

And in S4 we see the name Peter (plural) associated with keys

Much to think about. @lilitblaukatz (I tag you because this is the most interesting and unexpected connection I found)

#henry creel #edward creel #henry/vecna/one #st theory #st parallels #st analysis #stranger things and ghostbusters

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herbsandhistory · 2 years

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INSTAGRAM: catlandbooks Throughout Africa and beyond in the diaspora caused by the slave trade, the divine feminine was revered in the forms of goddesses like the ancient Nana Buluku, water spirits like Yemaya, Oshun, and Mami Wata, and the warrior Oya. The power of these goddesses and spirit beings has taken root in the West. New Orleans, for example, is the home of Marie Laveau, who used her magical powers to become the “Voodoo Queen” of New Orleans. Author Lilith Dorsey shows us in Orishas, Goddesses, and Voodoo Queens how to celebrate and cultivate the traits of these goddesses, drawing upon their strengths to empower your own life. In addition to offering a guided tour of the key goddesses of the African religious traditions, the book offers magical spells, rituals, potions, astrological correspondences, sacred offerings, and much more to help guide you on your own transformational journey. —— New Orleans has long been America’s most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem, Massachusetts, is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is acclaimed for its witches, ghosts, and vampires. Because of its unique history, New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions and spirituality in the US. No other city worldwide is as associated with Vodou as New Orleans. There is a mysterious spiritual underbelly hiding in plain sight in New Orleans, and in this book Alvarado shows us where it is and who the characters are. She tells where they come from and how they persist and manifest today. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints shines a light on notable spirits and folk saints such as Papa Legba, Annie Christmas, Black Hawk, African-American culture hero Jean St. Malo, St. Expedite, plague saint Roch, and, of course, the mother and father of New Orleans Voudou, Marie Laveau and Doctor John Montenée.

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sknmannn · 7 months

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BLOG INTRO~

(Figured that I should make this for the visitors dropping by my blog)

Hihi!!

>My name is Seb, I also go by other aliases like Sekkun or SKN. I am a self-taught Singaporean artist born in 06’ and draw during my free time whenever I feel like it. Will also write fics if I feel like it too.

>In my second year of College and the assignments are rather heavy so expect inconsistent posts, my serious art pieces are posted about once a month.

LIKES:

>Drawing (obviously)

>Visual Kei, ESPECIALLY the band The GazettE.

>Astronomy. I love stars!

>People enjoying my OCs. I will MELT when people do that.

>Orcas. They’re cool :D

DISLIKES:

>My Crippling Anxiety.

>Art block

>My sleeping schedule

>Procrastinations (bad habit of mine)

>Schoolwork stacking up

>Ghosts/Paranormal activities

>Being an airhead

TOP 3~

CURRENT FANDOM(s):

>Tokyo Revengers: I got sucked into the fandom after relapsing by accident. I have a few OCs, however there is not much lore and is still a work in progress. Might call my OC world “Tokyo Revengers: Vanta”.

>HIGH & LOW: There was a lack of TR content and discovered this masterpiece from my “for you” page. I have no OCs in this fandom, but I think Oya high is neat as hell. Idk how I managed to sit through 7 movies in a week.

OTHER FANDOMS I KNOW OF:

>Splatoon & Coroika

>Kuroko No Basuke

>Obey Me

>Homestuck

>Osomatsu-San

>FKMT Universe (Akagi & Kaiji)

>Jojo’s Bizzarre adventure

>Mob Psycho 100

>Ikebukuro West Gate Park

>DnD and a little bit of Baldur’s Gate 3

BEFORE YOU FOLLOW:

>My account in intended for teen and older audiences. There would be occasional fan-service OC art if I’m feeling goofy.

>I am a serial OC x CANON artist. Oops!

>I will make satirical sus jokes from time to time so don’t go around crying because I warned you.

>DMs are open, but I will not always reply to DMs or even comments because I am shy as well as busy with school so please be patient with me.

>Reposting my art/ Using my art for other purposes like as a PFP or for profit without my consent is HIGHLY PROHIBITED. (Reblogs are perfectly fine tho)

DNI IF:

>You are uncomfy with fanservice

>You are a pr*shipper

>You want free art

>TBH, you know the basics.

BLOG RULES:

>Don’t be an Asshole.

>In this house, this is a Trans and gay friendly zone

>Fanart? Fanfic? Tag me!! :D

>Don’t spam, I don’t like that

>I am okay with people using me as an art inspo~

>Stay hydrated or die

That’s all for now, might update/alter this in the future. Bye bye~

#blog intro #blog rules #splatoon #oc x canon #tokyo revengers #high and low #Spotify

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thecolorblockcurator · 8 months

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ooh, remedios varo and anicka yi for the artist ask game!

Remedios Varo: Have you ever had a paranormal experience? Yes several. The house I lived in when I was 12-18 was very haunted. Also one time I was at a museum in Key West with my friend when I was 16 & I felt something off the moment we got there. I actually made her walk into the rooms before me, and look around corners lol. And my friend was making fun of me. But it felt very eerie in there. So we got to this one room & I was looking at a beaded indigenous dress, and I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder (really hard) and whisper/scream in my right ear. and I thought it was my friend being an asshole and I immediately turned around to yell at her and she was in a completely different room facing the other direction & I was all alone.

Anicka Yi: What is your favorite smell, what memories does it evoke? Probably Lilacs. It evokes childhood memories, both of my grandmas had tons of lilacs around their house & I was often sent outside to play when I was little. (Which usually meant I was pretending I was a witch & gathering items to make potions) I mean what else can you do as an only child

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thedolldoctor · 15 days

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Robert in socks and shoes

#ooak dolls #robertthe haunted doll #key west paranormal #hauntedtoy

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thecryptidcottage · 1 year

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have you ever heard of devil like me by rainbow kitten surprise ? well, it describes AGUSTIN BAEZA to a tee ! the forty-three year old novelist + paranormal investigator was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know him ? would you say he is more closed off or more empathetic instead? anyway, he reminds me of a half-empty jar of instant coffee with a stained spoon balanced on the lid , a tangled rosary in a small, glass catch-all bowl by the door that’s buried under keys and spare change and pocket lint , a typewriter and an ashtray on a cluttered dinette table covered in junk mail , a rusted tin box full of old photos and polaroids dating back decades. maybe you’ll bump into him soon !

STATS.

name: agustin santiago baeza ( birth name ) / santiago flores ( pen name ) gender & pronouns: cisgender male / he + him orientation: panromantic pansexual age: forty-three date of birth: 13 october, 1979 zodiac: ☼ libra ☽ pisces ↑ sagittarius occupation: horror novelist + paranormal investigator positive traits: pragmatic + articulate + empathetic + adaptable negative traits: secretive + melancholy + sardonic + critical

HISTORY.

agustin packed up all of his notebooks and journals in a duffel bag with a toothbrush and a few pairs of clothes and left his home and his life behind the day he turned eighteen with no destination in mind other than somewhere else. he doesn’t talk much about the life he left back in los angeles, but you’ll hear him mention in interviews that he wouldn’t have made it where he was today if he hadn’t run away, left his parents, his family behind. he backpacked around from city to city on the west coast for a few months before he ran out of money; then he opted to try to join the peace corps, and when his application was denied, he sought out other volunteer opportunities that might allow him to travel and to try and do good, to make the world better. at the encouragement of a friend he’d made by chance when he left los angeles, agustin found himself at a wildlife rehabilitation center and reserve in guatemala. he spent several years there, engaging with the community and working with a team to protect guatemalan rainforests and the animals in them.

during his stay in guatemala, agustin wrote his first full novel, a creature horror and psychological thriller inspired by stories he used to read when he was younger. he was twenty-four when he returned to the united states and met with a publisher who told him that he had potential but needed refinement. a fair point, he had to admit; he didn’t have a formal education beyond high school, only what he’d picked up from the many books he’d read over the years, but he wanted to write. he loved his volunteer work, but that wasn’t his passion, it wasn’t what fueled him. so he went back to school on a scholarship for his philanthropic work, to study the art of writing and literature.

agustin wrote while he was enrolled in university; his education was paid for, but to make ends meet as far as living expenses, he published a series of rather adult fantasy romance novels — an easier market to get into, he quickly learned, and a lucrative enough one if you knew what you were doing ( and he did, apparently ) — that still have a following to this day. if you happen to follow him on social media or attend a book signing, you’ll notice he doesn’t often bring up his spicier literary phase, but there are still fans who will show up with a copy of crushed crimson looking for an autograph.

it wasn’t until after he graduated that agustin had the time to devote to working on horror again, but he fell back into the genre as swiftly as if he’d never left. this time around ( and with his slightly off-center from mainstream success ) it wasn’t difficult to land a publisher, and after reworking and releasing his first novel, he found success with a horror trilogy that landed him on the new york times’ best-seller list and won him several awards and accolades. he’s since published countless others and developed an almost cult-like following of fans who look forward to his releases and who he frequently tries to engage with online ( even if he does use social media like a dad )

agustin has also tried to use his success and online presence to further a cause close to his heart, wildlife preservation in south america. he formed his own non-profit charity organization to raise awareness and funds for the rain forests, specifically in guatemala, but as of now they’ve helped raise money for several south american countries. he’s done fundraisers and raffles with gifts for fans including one-on-one time with him and collaborated with other authors on the project as well.

in recent years, agustin has taken a step back from writing ; he still plans to continue, but he’s decided to take a break from the several projects he’s been working on to pursue hobbies of interest instead, and as of late, has spent a vast majority of his time researching and investigating the paranormal with his best friend, local herbalist circe delfino.

MISCELLANEA.

he absolutely adores horror conventions, and is always humbled and delighted to see the number of people who will come out to talk horror and literature and monsters with him. well, with santiago flores, but that’s close enough. even now that he’s taken a break from writing, he’ll still show up when there’s one happening locally.

he’s left-handed and as a result, curses the existence of spiral-bound notebooks and will often write with pencil over pen so he doesn’t smear the ink.

has had many interviews and discussions about his life over the years because of the popularity of his books and later his foundation, but he doesn’t talk at all about what his life was like before he left home at eighteen and of the countless publications he’s been involved in, there’s not a single mention of his family.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

friends. agustin tries to be sociable enough ! he enjoys good conversations and dinner parties and understands that in order to do that, he needs to have friends. these are folks he’s comfortable enough with that they’ve got an open invitation into his home, and he’s always looking for new and engaging things to do.

writing pals. maybe they hold each other accountable for actually putting in effort and upping their word count, or maybe they’re each others’ go-to excuses when they know they’re not going to be getting anything done ? maybe it’s someone else with success in the industry, or maybe they’re friends introduced by a writer’s workshop or something ? either way, they’re here for the ebb and flow of the creative process, and also plenty of distractions, of course.

editor / publisher. someone who’s been on agustin’s ass to get writing again because people are expecting things from him, he can’t just spend the rest of his life on this little ghost-hunting side-quest. ( their words likely, not agustin’s ― he rather enjoys poking around all of london’s most famous haunts, thank you. ) i picture this very much a friendly companionship, but with quite a bit of bickering and arguing.

fans. we’re not talking like, die-hards here. he gets enough of those on twitter. but i think it would be fun for him to get to have a conversation with someone who’s read and enjoyed his books, maybe who’s curious about when the next one’s going to be released? maybe they’ve even got an idea or two of their own!

critics. see above, but make it less wholesome. maybe your muse doesn’t think horror is a worthwhile genre, or maybe it’s their favorite genre and they just so happen to think that santiago flores should’ve stuck to romance novels where he belonged. either way, they’ve got an opinion about agustin’s books, and now they’ve got an opportunity to share it.

literally anything! agustin is the loml and i just want all of the things for him, so if you’ve got thoughts, i’ll hear them.

#↳ intro ( agustin )

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bailesu · 2 years

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An Alterrnate Shadowrun - Riddlerun

In the year 2012, with the end of the Long Count, a new age began. There had long been reports of strange things ever since World War II; many believe that the first use of atomic weapons opened the way for the world to change. UFO sightings, Bigfoot, reports of Atlantis, planes and ships vanishing in the Bermuda Triangle. People were increasingly primed for something undeniably supernatural to happen.

On December 21, 2012, when the year died (the real year, not the clumsy system invented by someone who couldn't even set his start date correctly), the old age died with it. The first riddles appeared, carved into monuments, and as the sun moved across the earth from just east of Greenwich to just west of it, ancient monuments appeared, mysterious artifacts of a now forgotten age. What would turn out to have been the last age of magic. Ancient ruins full of danger, magic, strange creatures, and riddles.

Those who unlocked riddles learned magical secrets and became known as Riddlemasters. The secrets could not be taught, but the riddles could be; some had the knack and others did not and formal intelligence was not always the key. Riddlemasters were envied by some, loved by others, and heavily sought out by corporations who wanted to employ them.

But this was not the only change. It was a time of the fall of empires, for the magic of the ancient states, states forgotten by even the wisest historian, from a time before the last ice age had scourged away all evidence, that magic broke the great loyalties of the modern age. Anything much bigger than Belgium fell apart into pieces, able to hold only in loose alliances, and in some places, people found and answered the riddles and became Lord of the Land, with a mystic tie to the land; some Lords made themselves kings and others hid and acted as secret guardians.

With nation-states shattered, the great corporations, who were not tied to the land, flourished and became the real great powers, crossing the shrunken national boundaries. Freed from restraint, these corporations drove a great increase of technology, the Cyber-Age. Those who could not unlock Riddles turned to machines for power. Many of those ended up indebted to the corporations, who made wars on each other that no country could restrain in their shriveled state, save in countries with a Lord of the Land, where Lords and corporate power clashed.

But all of this is matched by a problem for everyone - the angry dead. Those who die by violence, starvation, and other ways that leave them angry or despairing at death rise again as ghosts whenever the sun sets. In areas with a Lord, the dead can be controlled, but in lands without one, the dead stalk the night, trying to get even or bringing fear and despair. Some Riddlemasters also possess necromantic secrets to master them.

There are whispers of another menace - shapeshifters, perhaps dwelling in the ocean, who walk among us, serving some secret, unknown master. They may or may not exist, for it is well known that some Riddlemasters and every Lord of the Land can achieve limited shapeshifting, able to become an animal of each of the three kingdoms (air, water, and land) and a plant. Others can achieve variation of human form. But these shifters can pass as anyone. If they even exist. They may well be the masters of the UFOs.

The UFOs definitely exist - there is too much evidence. But their technology is far beyond ours. They seem only to observe and at times, carry people off and experiment on them, then return them. They have a definite interest in the riddles. What they really want remains unknown and perhaps unknowable.

In the year 2042, young people remember no time before the change; their elders still remember the old world but know they must live in the world they have now. Who will rule in this age is yet unclear. The age of Riddles has begun.

(This is a fusion of the Riddlemaster of Hed, Cyberpunk tropes and late 20th century paranormal silliiness, written for an RPG.net thread.)

#Riddlerun #RPGs

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sweetemilybowl · 1 year

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youtube

#robert the doll #key west #Florida #paranormal state #haunted doll #repost #newbedford #newbedfordguide #newbedfordma #newbedfordharbor #newbedfordmass #youtube #capecod #halloween #newengland #autumn #love #truth

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ghostflowerdreams · 2 years

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Ghosts Films

It’s October! The month in which I watch even more horror movies than usual. Each year I tend to have a theme to help narrow down what to watch. So far I’ve done Zombie Films, Werewolf Films, Vampire Films and Slasher Films. This year’s theme will be the paranormal, specifically Ghosts.

The thing about me is that I’m not really phase by a lot of horror movies. They don’t scare me unless it’s a stupid jump scare which is more of a knee-jerk reaction of something unexpected. But the very few movies that have manage to get to me are those centered around hauntings. Even worst if they’re base on a true story.

I’m pretty excited to dive into this since I’m usually reluctant to watch them in the first place. I’m focusing only on films that I haven’t ever seen before, even if they’ll been out for years. This isn’t in any particular order either.

1408 (2007) -- is an American psychological horror film based on Stephen King's 1999 short story of the same name. It is directed by Mikael Håfström and stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. The film follows Mike Enslin, an author who investigates allegedly haunted houses and rents the titular room 1408 at a New York City hotel. Although skeptical of the paranormal, he is soon trapped in the room where he experiences bizarre events.

It's a simple, but an effective thriller and this horror is definitely more psychological than scary. I enjoyed it and thought it was a neat concept because it does something different than the usual ‘oh, look it’s a scary ghost’ that most horror movies do.

The Innkeepers (2011) -- is an American supernatural horror film written, directed and edited by Ti West. It stars Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, and Kelly McGillis. Its plot follows two employees at the Yankee Pedlar Inn who, during its last weekend of operations, attempt to document the alleged supernatural activity in the building.

It’s fine. I like the atmosphere, but it’s very slow paced and the horror is too low key for me to find it all that scary. It is nice to see a film that isn’t all about gore, special effects, and trying to scare you constantly, but it’s just not for me. Some people may like this. Just beware that there is a few loud-noise jump scares if you’re using headphones or earphones. I really hated it when the audio unexpectedly gets loud enough to cause physical discomfort.

The Canal (2014) -- is an Irish horror film that was directed and written by Ivan Kavanagh. The film stars Rupert Evans as a father investigating a horrific murder that took place in his home in the early 1900s.

It’s okay, nothing groundbreaking though. I liked the pacing and the atmosphere, but I found it very predictable. That’s because there's only so many directions that a horror film like this can go in. Is it an evil entity possession? Mental illness? Is it an actual monster or person behind it?

Even if It’s predictable, if the story is done well enough it should leave you with a sense of dread and goosebumps at not knowing for sure which is it. Unfortunely, this film didn’t invoke any dread, goosebumps or fear in me. It’s just an okay film.

Don’t Listen (2020) -- is also known as Voces is a Spanish supernatural horror film directed by Ángel Gómez Hernández. The movie follows a man who after the inexplicable death of his young son in their new home begins to experience ghostly phenomena, prompting him to seek the help of a paranormal expert.

Well, there’s two reasons I picked this movie. I want to expand my horror palette by watching more foreign movies. And I’m also trying to learn Spanish. I’m happy to report that I was able to understand half of it without relying too much on the English subtitles.

It’s good, but it didn’t scare me. I went into this expecting one thing and it turned out to be something else. That’s not a bad thing. I just don’t know whether to still include this in the list or not. I suppose me saying that is a hint in itself that’s not entire what you think it is..

Also, as a heads up because it caught me off guard. There’s several cats seen dead. You don’t see how it happens, just that they’re all hanging gruesomely from a tree around the 53 minute mark.

We Are Still Here (2015) -- is an American horror film written and directed by Ted Geoghegan and starring Andrew Sensenig and Barbara Crampton as grieving parents who find themselves the focus of an attack by vengeful spirits.

It’s great! The film didn’t waste any time and dive right into the spooks. It’s not scary for me, but it was still fun and entertaining to watch.

Housebound (2014) -- is a New Zealand horror comedy film written, edited, and directed by Gerard Johnstone. It is his feature film directorial debut. The film stars Morgana O'Reilly as a woman sentenced to house arrest in a potentially haunted house.

It’s great! It’s a perfect mixed of horror and comedy. I had fun watching it and would definitely recommend, especially when you want something that’s not so heavy on the horror.

The Devil's Backbone (2001) -- is also known as El Espinazo del Diablo is a Spanish gothic horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro, and written by del Toro, David Muñoz, and Antonio Trashorras. The film is set in Spain, 1939, during the final year of the Spanish Civil War.

After losing his father, 10-year-old Carlos arrives at the Santa Lucia School, which shelters orphans of the Republican militia and politicians, and is taken in by the steely headmistress, Carmen, and the kindly professor, Casares. Soon after his arrival, Carlos has a run-in with the violent caretaker, Jacinto. Gradually, Carlos uncovers the secrets of the school, including the youthful ghost that wanders the grounds.

It’s more sad than frightening. Sure, it’s advertise as a horror movie, but it’s actually a melodrama. There’s still ghost(s), but they’re not the main focus point. I’ve heard that this film is a spiritual companion piece to his Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth (2006) and I can see why.

It shares similar themes and is also set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, a brutal conflict that turned ordinary men into monsters. The Devil’s Backbone is great, but I prefer Pan’s Labyrinth a whole lot more because I feel like it goes to a another level.

The Cellar (2022) -- is an Irish-Belgian supernatural horror film written and directed by Brendan Muldowney and starring Elisha Cuthbert and Eoin Macken. It follows a family whose daughter disappears in the cellar of the large estate they have just moved into.

I enjoyed it! At first I thought it was going be a typical haunted house story with maybe a demonic possession thrown in. But no, it pleasantly surprised me by going in another direction and I wasn’t expecting it at all: cosmic horror.

When it hit that point, it got me so excited and I was like yiss. I wanna know more. Some of my excitement fizzed out when the other layer was revealed, but not enough to ruin the whole thing.

I’m surprised there aren’t more people talking about this movie. So I looked it up and I don’t know why the critics are being so harsh on it with their ratings and reviews. It’s not 2-stars or trash. I’ve seen terrible films and this isn’t it. It’s not perfect. There are some parts that could’ve have been trimmed down, removed or improved upon, but for being filmed during COVID, in which wearing mask, social distancing and quarantine was in full effect, it turned out pretty decent.

Give the film some slack. They made do with the situation, their low-budget and time constraints. Oh, I didn’t find it scary, but I still enjoyed it. It’s not everyday I get surprised with elements of cosmic horror in a film.

His House (2020) -- is an British horror thriller film written and directed by Remi Weekes from a story by Felicity Evans and Toby Venables. It stars Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu and Matt Smith. The film tells the story of a refugee couple from South Sudan, struggling to adjust to their new life in an English town that has an evil lurking beneath the surface.

It’s definitely not a 'scary' movie by any means, but it effectively uses elements of horror. I still very much enjoyed it! It’s a multi-layered horror film that’s not just about a haunted house. It takes you on an interesting journey about grief, guilt, immigrant experience and the on-going refugee crisis. It’s a really well-done film and with great performances from Mosaku and Dirisu. I would recommend!

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) -- is an American supernatural horror film produced by Gold Circle Films and directed by Peter Cornwell. The film is alleged to be about Carmen Snedeker and her family, though Ray Garton, author of In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting (1992), has publicly distanced himself from the accuracy of the events he depicted in the book.

The film's story follows the fictional Campbells as they move into a house (a former mortuary) to mitigate the strains of travel on their cancer-stricken son, Matt. The family soon becomes haunted by violent and traumatic events from supernatural forces occupying the house.

Eh, it’s okay. Throughout the entire movie I kept getting the sense that it was familiar. I was drawing a blank, but it wasn’t until halfway into movie that I remembered it.

This is the problem with including older movies onto my watch list and not keeping track of what I’ve seen already. If it's terrible, boring, or doesn’t bring something new to the genre. I will forget it.

Also, this is one of those movies where you have to constantly adjust the volume. I really hate it when the dialogue is super low, so you increase it only for the loud jump scare noise to nearly blast your ears out.

Note: What’s interesting is I went into this thinking I’m going to be scared, only to realize that none of these movies have managed to do so. I don’t know if it’s because I got a higher tolerance to spooky things now or if it’s because I’ve seen everything and it’s hard to be scared of something when you know what’s going to happen next (or can correctly predict it).

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