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[WM] Wishing You Well. (Quest Write Ups for Midmouth's Myco-Mess, Of Dice and Deceit, Moving Moorings, The Sending, The Burning Sands, Blasphemous Rumours, Monster Mash, Trouble in Wedding Town, and The Ruined City)
Wishing You Well. (Quest Write Ups for Midmouth's Myco-Mess, Of Dice and Deceit, Moving Moorings, The Sending, The Burning Sands, Blasphemous Rumours, Monster Mash, Trouble in Wedding Town, and The Ruined City) It has been awhile since I have wrote, I know. At first, I wrote to the Curator, as she is the one that we report to. Yet, her disdain for my writing has caused me to put off this task. Why bother if I would only face her derision? I thought this way until wise guildmates urged me to change my views. The Curator may not appreciate my words, but I do not mind writing them. And… there are others besides the Curator who would like to hear my thoughts, and adventures. So, to the Ashcoat family, I wish you well, and enclosed below are my adventures so far. Midmouth's Myco-Mess DM: Jacob S. Players: Thomas S. (Nikola), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat), Ethan J. (Naeron), Peyton L. (Genevieve), Derek M. (Ice Sculpture), Nessa T. (Dill Picks) Dear Zemai, I am aware of the fact that you enjoy festivals, and I believe you would enjoy the tale of the first quest I went on for the Mavros Guild. It was a rather simple task, go to a town and handle a small problem during a festival. The town was called Midmouth, and they were celebrating a ritual for some goddess, although to be clear, I could not tell you which one. The lack of religious studies from being sent off at a young age may have caused an issue in this regard, I admit. After meeting with the organizers of the festival, they instructed us to take time and enjoy ourselves before delving into the sewers at night. We followed their instructions to the best of our abilities, meeting a fortune teller. We stood around, learning about our fates and destiny, although I suppose some of my guildmates suspected it was. Well, the word is not appropriate to write in a formal letter to an Ashcoat. I, however, liked my fortune. The Lovers, it has a ring to it. Even if it may be silly, it gave me a flash of hope. With another guildmate, I then went to a game of target practice. I suppose you would be interested in this series of events, Zemai. You said that I would make an excellent brother, had I ever been at the estate. And not to brag, but I do make a good big brother, in a way. I won a doll for a guildmate. Then, I used magic to change it into a better form. And then I snuck it into his bag. As a gift. After a long day, we went into sewers to meet these disgusting diseased rats, handling them quickly. We found the source of the issues. They were Myconids, yet somehow were sapient, speaking to us in Common. I believed that instead of resorting to bloodshed, we could come to an arrangement, a deal of sorts. We snuck these Myconids to the Guild Hall’s basement, and that was the end of this quest, to be continued another day. Of Dice and Deceit DM: Kennon C. Players: Ethan M. (Noizu), Alea H. (Hazel), Hunter M. (Oliver), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat) I suppose of all people, you, Darwin, deserve an explanation of what went on in Kostroma. After all, I feared I may have caused your predicament. After careful reflection, I know this is not the case. Regardless, I owe you my apologies and my story. Knowing you as well as I do, I know you will find this story humorous. My time in the Alchemist’s Guild has graciously given me the experience of being in Kostroma. However, not in this city. Krogstadt, as I recall correctly. An icy town just on a bay, gondolas all around. Of course, I changed my form, before the quest begun, into a plain man to avoid suspicion when possible. Our task required us to meet a rather… suspicious character owning a run-down casino. He explained that he intercepted a request for security at another casino, and that we were to do two jobs. Of course, we agreed to this. Double the payment sounded like an amazing idea, although… We would find out that things were not that simple. He requested that we gather dirt while working to take down his competition. And as I recall correctly, he did not seem to care whether said dirt were true, but only that we give him something to work with. We then went to our second job, enforcing the rules of the casino and the owner. Over our time working, however, we decided that the owner was someone we did not want to screw over. He seemed to genuinely care about his employees, his business, his livelihood. Like a more notable version of the Curator. A close family. And yet, because we decided to play both sides, we ended up hurting him. During our time in the city, we were followed by an interesting pair distantly related to him, although we never found their intentions. And in the end, we fed false information back to our hirer, still getting payment from both. With some, it did not sit right. For me? Well. I took it. A deal is a deal, and a businessman would understand. There were questions left unanswered, as we delved into matters not our own. But for once, I was satisfied with the knowledge I received, against the Ashcoat ideals. Moving Moorings DM: Jacob S. Players: Thomas S. (Nikola), Austin G. (Orville), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat), Declen P. (Oz), Brandon Q. (Ziggy), CJ J. (Naoise) I suppose that eventually, someone complained enough to make this job necessary, forcing us to move the Myconids from their home in the Guild basement to a mountain a good distance away into a mountain’s cave. With the creatures acutely allergic to the sun, we travelled at night, maintaining a cover of darkness until nearly early morning, where we had to use a variety of methods to prevent harm to our clients. After an uneventful walk, we found a cave, with quite the elaborate ruins, an intricate door blocking off the inner workings of the cave. One of the guildmates on this quest used an impressive amount of strength given his small body to break down the door. I suppose the ghouls in the cave did not like that, and they sprang forward to attack. In a strange circumstance, the shadows that are ever-present about me summoned a purple flame of great destruction, immolating their undead corpses to ash. Exploring further, we quite foolishly walked into a grand room, the doors behind us shutting, preventing any retreat. These hideous creatures, Bodaks attacking as my guildmates panicked. These monsters almost killed us all, with an aura of decay and pain. At one point, I fell unconscious, perhaps nearly dying completely, yet somehow, my guildmates were able to pull through, healing the downed party members after this battle. Stuck in the shoulder of one of the Bodaks was this cruel, malicious dagger, perhaps a source of great evil in the world. As you would expect, we took it back, trying to sell it without much success. The Sending DM: Jacob S. Players: Ethan M. (Noizu), Nessa T. (Dill Picks), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat), Kennon C. (Zed), CJ J. (Naoise), Brandon Q. (Ziggy) Apparently, I seem to get on an above average amount of quests relating to festivals or ceremonies. This time, we visited a small town near the ocean that was preparing for a ceremony called “The Sending”. However, this ceremony was delayed due to the attacks of some strange monster, only appearing at night. The Clerics in our party feared it may be divine retribution of some sort, although we quickly dismissed that notion. The beast at night was a type of basilisk, proving incredibly dangerous as it turned its victims to stone with a bite. Unfortunately, we would forget this information until in the midst of battle, of course at night. One of the Guildmates found a small child who survived the attack, bringing him back to his parent. Quite heartwarming in a way, I will admit. After that day of search, rescue, and reconnaissance, we slept in a conjured tower, awaiting another attack. And the one on watch at the mid of the night awoke us to the sight of this serpent, rampaging yet again as it claimed more lives. Quickly, we sprung into action. Yet this foe proved challenging, turning Dill into stone. You’d like Dill, Zemai. And I believe Zed almost drowned… I… almost died again. Yes, that is true. No matter though, someone soon slayed the snake, and another Cleric brought Dill back from petrification. The Burning Sands DM: Jacob S. Players: Ethan J. (Naeron), Will B. (Flake), Nathan G. (Teepimeek), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat), Josh D. (Beryl), Thomas S. (Nikola) Our prowess of our guild soon stretched to Ashkiri, and our services were once again requested, this time to find a missing caravan deep in the desert. This quest brough back up unpleasant memories of what the Curator would say to me before she shipped me off to the Alchemist’s Guild. “The Desert is Deadly, anyone lost has perished.” That matter-of-fact tone rang true on this quest, as we would later discover in Qad Takun. After some rather frivolous shopping, we made our way into the dunes, getting lost on the second day in a great sandstorm, something I did not miss from Arkheion. With us stumbling randomly in the dark dust, we soon encountered an ominous orb, vaguely conjuring a feeling of recognition in my mind as an evil creature rose to protect it. Perhaps most frighteningly, it could stop magic, the ever-present shadows about me put into a stasis as the monster stared deep into my very soul. Yet, luckily for us, there were archers who would pierce its hide with arrows until it finally fell. The horror did not end there, however, Nikola, another guildmate, had his arm wither away upon contact of this orb. We managed to destroy this insidious device with another strange weapon, yet that thought lingered in our minds… What was that orb doing here? Blasphemous Rumours DM: Thomas S. Players: Lauren S. (Gani), Casimir B. (Dr. Faust), Nic R. (Gleich), Sarah M. (Ender), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat). With the fall winds soon approaching, I found myself on another quest, travelling to Deerreach along with guildmates I was not too familiar with. Our missions always had a way to fix that, however, as even the quickest travel times gave us the opportunity to learn about each other. Deerreach was a rather interesting city, and I am shocked I never visited it in my travels as a part of the Alchemist’s Guild. The most notable aspect was the mage’s college, yet it was not like any ordinary school I have seen. Corruption lay in every corner, and we were to be complicit to not cause a panic. What was the problem? Students coming back with strange alterations to themselves or disappearing outright. We were to be silent about this aspect, and despite my innermost objections, we were. Instead, we thought ourselves as detectives, seeking out the source of the eldritch influence on this city. Some split to ask professors, others went to one of the temples nearby, while I and another guildmate went to the medical center to meet a victim. Upon meeting her, I realized I was out of my league. Yet, the knowledge proved tantalizing, as the Curator trained me in her limited time with me. “Knowledge above all else.” A creature of absolute insanity approached me, gifting me temporary knowledge of the entire city’s layout. It was projected by the victim, and apparently, she learned to do this from a tutor. What sort of tutor dealt with aberrations such as these? I had to find out, not only for the job, but for my own sake, to learn about these shadows… Our party reconvened, sharing crucial information, and with that, I knew where to go. We split once more, finding the source of these tutoring sessions after a rather… odd encounter with the clergy. I will not go into detail… The tutors were a pair of Chuuls, working for a long slumbering goddess I prepared to meet. Luckily, my guildmate stopped me, despite my annoyance at the time. He and I convinced these Chuuls to stop working for a possible uncaring goddess, and to make their teachings official somehow. Somehow, this worked, giving a peaceful solution to what may have required bloodshed. No. We did not inform the Headmaster of everything. He did not deserve to know. Monster Mash DM: Thomas S. Players: Jacob S. (6B), Nessa T. (Dill), Nathan G. (Teepimeek), Declen P. (Oz), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat), Derek M. (Ice Sculpture) Apparently, nothing normal can occur in the town of Deerreach, now monsters roamed about that required slaying. So, we sharpened our knives, prepared our spells, and prayed to the gods above this would be a normal fieldtrip. It was not. Once again, we meet with perhaps the shadiest person to exist (yes even beating out the shadow sorcerer me), vaguely hinting at the fact these prowling creatures could have been created by a former professor. As usual, people were either dead or missing. As usual, we were to not cause a panic. As usual, we could not warn anyone. Of course! Things cannot be this simple! Just kill some beasts, find the ‘Mad’ professor who did this. We instead met a strange herpetologist who kept these things as pets. Of course, he created them! He wanted us to instead weaken these creatures and promised loot. Like the mercenaries we were, we agreed to help him. I agreed because having someone like that against you is a fool’s play. Yet the first monster liquified a girl in front of our very eyes, dragging her into the well to consume later. No amount of rage we took out on this thing would ease our fury. The herpetologist soon captured the weakened beast with a spell, instructing us that there would be more later to beat. The next beast just ate sheep, thankfully. The fight was not difficult, and the former professor added a second, then third creature to his collection. The horrors were not over though, this hellish nightmare continued as we discovered the madman’s ultimate project, a snake… made of snakes. There is a reason I am drinking while writing this letter. Let me just take a moment to thank the Shadows for allowing me to shift the forms of foes and friends alike, as I changed one into a giant bipedal feathered reptile, and another to a giant crocodile. With that, they quickly nearly dispatched this failed experiment. The professor captured this one as well while I fought swarms of more snakes. Thank the Shadows for fireball… Do not show this letter to the Curator, lest she tries to recruit someone as insane as her. I still trust the insane ex-professor more than the Headmaster. Trouble in Wedding Town DM: Jacob S. Players: CJ J. (Naoise), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat), Ethan J. (Kass), Hunter M. (Oliver), Alea H. (Hazel), Dylan H. (Dustorin) At least this quest was to be happy, a marriage in Ashkiri. We were to be bodyguards as this was a politically controversial arrangement, and that is all that we were told. Yet the secretary seemed to know more than she let on, and the general atmosphere pointed to unease and unrest. In other news, water is wet. No one hires the guild for a simple quest. The journey was long, as to be expected to a trip to Ashkiri. More specifically, Saar. I knew of this place, in fact, I believe it was not too far from Arkheion. Relatively speaking, of course. Once we arrived, we had time before the wedding begun. Some of our guildmates took initiative, scouting out reasons for our employment. I, however, relaxed, naïvely believing that this would be a normal day, with a normal wedding. When the moment of paranoia reached my mind, I took to the skies, learning of the city’s layout. At the wedding, we all stood in different positions, the archer perched above, the druid and I in the seats, and others scattered about. Unfortunately, we would only know something is wrong until darkness moved across the area, a rather unfortunate look for me. The Cleric somehow already with the bride and groom… as we all rushed the scene. The bride was poisoned, and we thought her dead. The darkness cleared and it was quite possibly the worst position all of us could be in: framed. No amount of convincing seemed to work, and the guards approached us with harmful intent. The Shadows reached out, gripping two of my guildmates with its talons and turning them into giant eagles. And as this happened, I instructed them to fly. We managed to escape with everyone, including the bride’s presumable corpse. However, one cannot kill love this easily. She lived. We then explained the situation as she confessed her family was inflicted with a curse. One long, awkward walk later, we found our carriage driver. So. If Saar falls into disarray or crumbles into dust soon, we may have had a hand in it. The Ruined City DM: Jacob S. Players: Kat R. (Cynic), Ethan J. (Kass), CJ J. (Naoise), Thomas S. (Nikola), Declen P. (Oz), M.E. H. (Galileo Ashcoat) Archelogy: a surprisingly dangerous field. At least this time we somewhat knew what we were getting into. Travelling to Kostroma, some of my guildmates were caught off guard by the cold, requiring new dress. Others took advantage of the long trip, Nikola, er, Doctor Ivanovich, crafting a surplus of magic items. I, instead, took the time to relax, study, and learn more about the Shadows that plague me so. I was not very successful… yet. Soon, we were led to ruins by a pair of archaeologists. We told them to stay behind us as we encountered undead warforged. How is that possible, you might ask? We are not quite sure either, but they were unfortunately… sisters to a guildmate. We scoured for items that might belong to this guildmate now, coming back with several magic items. Moving forward, we were attacked by dragon-like creatures, the archer making short work of both. The creatures seemed to gather around a cathedral, and yet again, we encountered one of those forsaken red orbs, with another, more frightening monster guarding it. This battle would test our abilities to their fullest. I stood back and boosted my guildmates. To two of them, I blessed with speed, the Shadows enhancing their movements. Yet that was not even enough, our resources slowly flickering away like the flame on a short wick of the candle. As a last resort, once again, the Shadows came through. They siphoned energy from some parts of my magic reserves, gifting energy to others before it clicked what they wanted. And suddenly, the speed stopped, the guildmates falling into lethargy. I thought we were dead, my concentration breaking in a moment like this would prove fatal. Until somehow, two kings rise from the darkness. Lizard kings, but kings, nevertheless. And they finally defeated this monster. Thank you, Shadows.
Martin Gale: Home for Christmas (If Only in Your Heart)
OOC: It’s worth noting that Martin does not know any of this information yet; for ease of posterity though, this reintroduction will be written impartially and to reflect that at the end of the day, he is still Saul Kaufmann. Name:Saul Elazar Kaufmann Theme Song:Tracers Birthday: (December 14th, 18 years old). Hometown: New York City, New York Family:
Athena, Lady of a dozen epithets. Goddess of Wisdom and War, fighter of Pallas, patron of Athens, bright-eyed healer, shipwright, victor. In Saul's life, Goddess of Snakes. He's come to a bit more of an understanding regarding his Mother over the past year. She is not his favorite Olympian, but his image of her has recovered in the past month.
Martin knows that he has a father, step-mother, sister, and an uncle with twins as well. Saul’s sister Katriel was kidnapped before his claiming, and recovered following The Forgotten Tourney. Amanda Kaufmann is married to Yissakhar Kaufmann, a warrant officer. His father is aware of his heritage, but Amanda and Katriel are blissfully unaware.
David Kaufmann, Saul’s uncle, passed away a few years ago in Germany. He doesn’t recall seeing him much when he was younger, but knows that his father all but despised his brother. “A drunken lush who disgraced the family name, no wonder Father disowned him.” He knows of David’s discharge, but not the true explanation behind it, as that’s a secret Ezra and Priscilla will take to the grave.
Speaking of the twins, Ezra and Priscilla are the children of Martin’s supposed uncle. Children of Nemesis, the two spent several years at Camp and are now freshmen at New York University.
[Appearance and Personality:] Height and Build: A simple 5'8", Saul’s time at the Academy and at Camp has added muscle to his average height frame, resulting in a somewhat stocky appearance. His left arm still carries the scars from his fights on Tetepare Island, though the functionality has largely returned. Style wise, he dresses in drab colors, favoring dark blues and greys. The Camp shirt gets frequent mileage though, usually beneath a hoodie or a similar sweatshirt. Hair: Saul tries to keep his hair well-maintained, wanting to look as uniform and presentable as possible in case any eyes happen to be lingering over him. He stays clean-shaven as well, Yissakhar and Amanda finding a beard to be “distasteful” for a young man such as their son. Eyes: He had rich brown eyes, the defining Kaufmann trait. Unlike Ezra’s exhausted eyes or Priscilla’s warm ones, Saul’s are sharp and analytical, always scanning a room to keep up to date on whatever situation seems to be brewing. With his claiming though, they have become the storm gray of his step-siblings, the identifier of the Athenian brood. Personality: Clockwork. Methodical. Industrious. A puzzle piece knowing where it should be, only for the puzzle to be lit on fire and the ashes tossed into the air to create a new picture. That last one is perhaps the most recent aspect of his personality; Saul will find the demigod life akin to the life of a fish who discovers that he can actually breathe fresh air as well. His previous life was one of regimented order and authority, and while he can doubtless find that in camp as well, the level of independence he’ll have would have been unheard of even a month ago. After cashing out of the Lotus, he’s grown far more suspicious. Without a base to build solid knowledge on, the Lethe has done more than take away memories, it’s also taken away the idea of security and truth. He has no context for knowledge, and everything is subjective. There’s no point in dealing in absolutes, not when Martin isn’t Martin, and Saul is no longer Saul. With that said though, he’s driven, almost mechanically so, towards finding a cure to his doseage of the Lethe. Stamatios the Tragic said time would undo the damage, but he doesn’t have that luxury. With the successful reclamation of his mind from the Spring of Mnemosyne, Saul is more... content with his life. He knows he still has work to do to make sure no one else has to deal with this, but he has also been given a sense of introspection that very few have ever experienced in their lives. He won't take that for granted. [Powers]
Enhanced Intelligence/Wisdom: Saul is coming to terms with this; information comes to him at inopportune moments. It's as if his mind is trying to reconcile the fact that it's missing information. For Martin, he can’t tell the difference between what is an old memory, or what is a whisper from the Akashic.
Combat Expertise: Simply put, Saul's good at fighting, and thinking on his toes. He's logical in his fighting, and while he doesn't view himself as war demigod strictly, he's certainly more than willing to use deceit and trickery to come out ahead, along with other methods. The winner of a fight is the last person standing after all, the ends will justify the means with monsters. Martin doesn’t have much experience, but through dreams he knows the potential is there.
Amokinesis Immunity: False affection and trickery falls on deaf ears with Saul [M E N T A L F O R T I T U D E]
Snake Communication: As simple as it is in the label; Saul can talk to snakes. This ability dates to the Minoan roots of Athena as the Snake Goddess of the ancestral tradition.
Pet- Ophion: Ophion is a child of the Guardian of the Acropolis, Protector of Athens. While not the primordial being that his ancestor is, Ophion is no slouch himself. He boasts a truly painful venom that is lethal, and boasts constrictor traits as well. In times of peril, Ophion can grow in size, from his Ottoman Viper form of roughly ten feet to thirty, with an increase of diameter to ten inches thick. While not immortal, his scales boast similar resistance to a manticore, where multiple hits with bronze weapons are needed to dispel the snake. Also, he likes Hostess snacks.
[Items]
Celestial bronze poleaxe: Crafted by Brandon the Forgemaster, the reach weapon takes the form of a plain bronze ring when not in use.
Celestial bronze meteor hammer: Unknown to Martin or Saul, the bracelet given by the Lotus Casino is a rather unique ranged weapon. Two weighted spheres connected via a length of chain between them. One orb is blackened, while the other is snow-white
Lotus Cash Card: Martin walked out of The Lotus with this; he’s used it to purchase necessities on the trip out of Vegas, and hasn’t used it since.
Lethe Water: One mouthful, to be exact, and kept within a small earthenware bottle stoppered with pine wood. The offer given by Stamatios the Tragic, he keeps it safe… just in case. The dose of Lethe water has been returned to the Fountain of Lethe within the Bluespring Caverns.
Now
Martin’s head bounces against the taxi’s window with every bump of the gravel road. Two and a half days on a bus, with the only brief reprieves being for food and sleeping in bus station terminals. Only to get out in New York, and to find a taxi. Long Island Sound? Well, sure, but where? Martin just handed him his card to swipe, and said, “I’ll know it when I see it.” What he didn’t add was the, I hope, that suffused his being. How does he know what he’s looking for? He doesn’t. All he knows is that it’s somewhere in New York, on the Long Island Sound. The cabbie runs the card, and his eyes light up, practically turning into comically large dollar signs as he hands it back to his most lucrative patron. “Uh, sure thing, Mister-?” “Mister Gale, works.” Martin notes. “But can we get underway? I… I want to be where I’m supposed to be.” “Uh, sure thing Mister Gale. Right away!” “Fucking… middle of nowhere… camp…” Martin pants. Five hours had passed, and the slow, criss-crossing path that he and his cabbie had taken bore no fruit. Still, Martin wasn’t keen on going back to New York, the city seemed… hungry, hungry in a way that he wasn’t comfortable with. Instead, the cabbie had dropped him off on a stretch of road in the middle of nowhere, though it had taken a hundred dollars extra to get him to do so. “Glad to know I have a silver lining, at least…” He mutters as he stumbles through the trees and onto a gravel path. Well, that’s promising, he thinks. Following the path, Martin slowly rises with the elevation. Soon enough, a tall pine tree rises skyward as the moon begins to set, a mere wisp of a crescent. Shrugging up his second-hand jacket tighter to him, Martin finishes his ascent. A reptilian eye opens beside him, a serpent-like creature coiled around a tree boasting a golden sheet of fabric glimmering even in the ruby pre-dawn glow. The scaly head sniffs once, then twice, before seeming satisfied and coiling higher up the tree. Martin hardly notices the creature though. His eyes are focused instead on the gigantic statue that dominates the hilltop. Standing tall and imperious, the woman holds a spear and winged figure in outstretched hand. She’s impressive, that’s for sure. Martin lingers, watching the dying whispers of moon and starlight play across her form. He could even swear that she glows; literally, she seems to be luminous in the nighttime. Martin stands, awestruck like this, for what feels like an hour. For his time in the Lotus, it could’ve been a year and he wouldn’t know. Eventually though, his appetite gets the better of him. Reaching into his bag, he pulls out a granola bar. Munching away, he turns his attention to the other side of the Hill, where dozens of cabins and other buildings await. “Guess it’s time…” Martin murmurs to the statue. As expected, there is no answer. Still, after three days of sleeping in a bus or on a bench, he’s ready for even the floor of somewhere he knows his bag won’t be stolen. With boots crunching against the gravel path, Martin turns his back on the Athena Parthenos and descends into Camp. A brief wince of discomfort flits across his face as pain makes a brief appearance in his temple. I’ve done this before, he realizes. But I don’t remember… Where do I go? So Martin makes his way into the belly of the beast, drifting between the festive camps buildings and merry campers beginning their Christmas revels. A familiar face in a strange old world with no idea of where he is going or what is going to happen next.
With Hallowe’en basically over, the only thing you need to make October complete is MAME 0.203. Newly supported titles include not just one, but two Nintendo Game & Watch classics: Donkey Kong and Green House, and the HP 9825B desktop computer. We’ve added dozens of new versions of supported systems, including European bootlegs of Puck Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Phoenix, Pengo and Zero Time, more revisions of Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II, and a version of Soldier Girl Amazon made under license by Tecfri. There are major improvements to plug-in TV games in this release, specifically systems based on the XaviX and SunPlus µ'nSP processors. The Vii is now playable with sound, and the V.Smile can boot games. Tiger Game.com emulation has come to the point where all but one of the games are playable. Some long-standing issues with Tandy CoCo cartridges have been fixed. It isn’t just home systems that have received attention this month: Namco System 22 emulation has leapt forward. Yes, the hit box errors making it impossible to pass the helicopter (Time Crisis) and the tanks (Tokyo Wars) have finally been fixed. On top of that, video emulation improvements make just about everything on the system look better. In particular, rear view mirrors in the driving games now work properly. If that isn’t enough for you, the code has been optimised, so there’s a good chance you’ll get full speed emulation on a modern PC. There have been less dramatic improvements to video emulation in other Namco and Tecmo systems, and CPS-3 row scroll effects have been implemented. MAME 0.203 should build out-of-the-box on macOS “Mojave” with the latest Xcode tools (provided your SDL2 framework is up-to-date), a number of lingering debugger issues have been fixed, and it’s now possible to run SDL MAME on a system with no display. MAME’s internal file selection menus should behave better when you type the name of a file to select it. MAME 0.203 is a huge update, touching all kinds of areas. You can get the source and Windows binary packages from the download page.
MAMETesters Bugs Fixed
00430: [Graphics] (flkatck.cpp) mx5000: Game has priority problems. (Angelo Salese)
00777: [Gameplay] (namcos22.cpp) timecris, timecrisa: Incorrect hitbox for the helicopter in level 3. (hap)
06157: [Graphics] (cps3.cpp) jojo, jojoba and clones: Combo meter graphics missing for second player. (David Haywood)
06164: [Graphics] (namcos22.cpp) ridgerac: Title screen graphics are missing from second attract loop onwards. (hap)
06171: [Core] System-specific INI file settings are retained when starting a new emulation session. (Ryan Holtz)
06616: [Crash/Freeze] (coco3.cpp) coco3: Cartridges using 32k external ROM mode don’t work. (Tim Lindner)
07115: [Sound] (cps2.cpp) spf2t (qsound): Sound effects are distorted, mainly on left channel. (superctr)
07123: [Documentation] (megadriv.cpp) megadriv [dstrike]: Title is inaccurate. (Tafoid)
07124: [Documentation] (megadriv.cpp) megadriv [rrash3]: Title is inaccurate. (Tafoid)
07126: [ColoPalette] (8080bw.cpp) yosakdon: Yosaku to donbei used an overlay for colour. (MASH)
New working machines
Game & Watch: Donkey Kong [algestam]
Game & Watch: Green House [algestam]
HP 9825B [F.Ulivi]
Nerae! Super Goal (J 981218 V1.000) [PascalP, Bill D., The Dumping Union]
Sky Challenger (J 000406 V1.000) [ShouTime, Bill D., Charles MacDonald, Dane Biegert, Candy Wolff, Henrique Areias Pontes, Sean Sutton, Surgeville, Smitdogg, The Dumping Union]
New working clones
Ace Driver: Victory Lap (Rev. ADV1, Japan) [ShouTime, Henrique Areias Pontes, Evan Korzon, Dane Biegert, mrgoodwraith, Michael O’Malley, Alexander Monin, Sean Sutton, Sung Eugene, Russell Howard, Smitdogg, The Dumping Union]
Emergency Call Ambulance (Japan) [ShouTime, Henrique Areias Pontes, Evan Korzon, Dane Biegert, mrgoodwraith, Michael O’Malley, Alexander Monin, Sean Sutton, Sung Eugene, Russell Howard, Smitdogg, The Dumping Union]
Excalibur (Mdm) (MPU4, V1.4) [James Wallace]
Heavy Metal Meltdown (German) [PinMAME]
HP9000/360 [Sven Schnelle]
Jack*Bot (0.4A prototype) [PinMAME]
Mushiking The King Of Beetle (MUSHIUSA '04 1ST, Prototype) [Jorge Valero, rtw]
Showdown (version 4.0) [Mark Jenison]
Super Pang (World 900914, bootleg, set 2) [ClawGrip, Roberto Fresca, Recreativas.org, The Dumping Union]
ibm5170: ADSP-21xx EZ-KIT Lite, Auto Convert, Central Point Anti-Virus for Windows, Compaq ProLinea 486-based PC's - Microsoft Windows 3.0 Support Diskette, Compaq ProLinea 486-based PC's - Microsoft Windows 3.1 Support Diskette, DIVA T/A ISDN Modem Setup Wizard for Windows 3.x, Diagnostics - Test, Setup, and MDMI Utilities for Products with 640K of RAM Installed, Direct Access Windows, Drafix Windows CAD (Demo), Enhanced 5250 Emulation Program, HiJaak, HiJaak Pro, Integration i Microsoft Office 97: Step by Step (Swe), Internet in a Box - Single-User Version, Jack Nicklaus Screen Savers, MS-DOS FASTART/SYSTEM - The Compaq Personal Computer FASTART/SYSTEM Diskette, MS-DOS Operating - The Compaq Personal Computer Operating Diskette, MS-DOS Support - User Programs, Mastering Borland C++ 3.1, Micro-Cap III, Microsoft Windows Support - User Programs, Mitsumi Mouse Driver (v6.0), Mouse/Trackball, NexNIC ND010 PCI Adapter (Ethernet/Fast Ethernet), Norton CrashGuard for Windows 95, Nova 9 (International Version, 5.25"), NuSound PnP Install Disk, Postnummerkatalogen 1996 (Swe), Scroll 3D Mouse Setup Disk for PS/2 and Serial, SoundWave 32 Series, TMS320C5x DSK - Applications Guide/Application Software, Tango Printed Circuit Design Evaluation, Tango Schematic Capture Evaluation, The Greatest Little PIC Book, Thunderhawk AH-73M, WordFinder Lexikon på PC (Swe), Write On! for Windows [FakeShemp]
pc98: Ballade3, Bible Master - Crash of the Blleot Rutz, Bible Master - Crash of the Blleot Rutz (Alt), Bind - Kinbaku Jinmon Densetsu, Black Bird - Tori-tachi no Tooboe, Blackthorne - Jigoku no Fukushuu (16-color version), Blackthorne - Jigoku no Fukushuu (256-color version), Blandia 98, Blind Games, Blue Ruins - Harukanaru Bibanon no Hihou, Bounty Hunter Ludy, Branmarker 2, Bretonne Lays Scenario Shuu 1, Briganty - The Roots of Darkness, Bunny Hunter Zero [Neo Kobe Collection]
uzebox: 2048, 65536-in-1, Block Boy, Buddha, Solitaire, Space Age, Uzekickers, Vector Game, Video Poker, XOR [ArcadeShadow]
vgmplay: Air Duel (Irem M72), Burning Fight (SNK Neo Geo), Chimera Beast (Jaleco Mega System 1), Chip's Challenge (IBM PC AT), Cycle Mahbou (Arcade), D.A.S.S. (MSX2), Dark Seal (Arcade), Denjin Makai (Arcade), Direct-X Release.2 (Sharp X68000), LHX Attack Chopper (IBM PC AT), Major Stryker (IBM PC AT), Mega Man IV (Nintendo Game Boy), Metal Gear 2 - Solid Snake (MSX2), Second Earth Gratia (Jaleco Mega System 32), Sky Destroyer (Arcade), Slimyer (Sharp X68000), Tintin in Tibet (Game Boy), Uncharted Waters (Sharp X68000), Vinyl Goddess from Mars (IBM PC AT), Wizard Fire (Arcade) [Tafoid]
x68k_flop: Abunai Bunkasai Zenya [Wayder]
Software list items promoted to working
gamecom: Batman & Robin, Centipede, Duke Nukem 3D, Fighters Megamix, Frogger, Henry - Match the Sounds Memory Game, Indy 500, Jeopardy!, Monopoly, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Quiz Wiz - Cyber Trivia, Resident Evil 2, Scrabble, Sonic Jam, Tiger Casino, Wheel of Fortune, Wheel of Fortune 2, Williams Arcade Classics [Robbbert]
pc98: Batsu, Battle Queen - Saikyou Fighters Retsuden, Be Girl (Alt Format), Bio 100% Free Games Collection (Alt Format), Bishoujo Shashinkan Bangaihen - Outside Story, Bokosuka Wars, Brandish VT, The Bard's Tale - Tales of the Unknown, The Best Play Baseball (Demo) [Carl, r09]
New NOT_WORKING software list additions
32x: Clay Fighter 2 (Jpn, USA, Euro Prototype) [VampierMSX, Porchy]
bbc_rom: ConQuest, Instant Mini Office II, Inter-Word 1.02, Quest Paint 1.04, Quest Paint 1.10, SpellMaster 1.66, SpellMaster 1.69, The Wapping Editor [Nigel Barnes]
mac_hdflop: ClarisWorks (Swedish) [FakeShemp]
pc98: Brandish Renewal [r09]
princ: Bad Badtz-Maru, Hello Kitty, Kazoku de Nengajou, Pochacco [TeamEurope]
Source Changes
Emulated National DP8350 CRT controller family. [AJR]
mcs48: Set lower 4 bits of P2 to input during (and after) MOVD A,Pp. [AJR]
i8243: Release P2 output after completion of read operation. [AJR]
sbrain.cpp: Driver overhaul: [AJR]
Added cursor and scrolling through CRT controller registers.
Corrected number of interrupts per frame.
Actually show the “insert diskette” message.
Added options for RAM size and two or more floppy drives.
Added RS232 ports and DIP switches for Baud clock selection.
tms9900: Internalized TMS9980A clock divider, and corrected endianness for TMS9980 and TMS9995 in unidasm. [AJR]
xavix: Allow debugger to step over CALLF instruction. [AJR]
crt9007: Added frame timer. [AJR]
flipjack.cpp: Driver overhaul: [AJR]
Reimplemented video using CRT controller row update method.
Fixed cocktail mode and changed rotation from 90 degrees to 270 degrees.
Modernized interrupts and cleaned up code.
Invalidate memory access caches when removing watchpoints (prevents crashes on subsequent accesses to the same areas). [AJR]
mcs96 updates: [AJR]
Replaced I/O space with callbacks, and added internal address space for non-executable register file and SFR area.
Made SFRs more accessible to the debugger, and made disassembler show names for directly-addressed SFRs.
Corrected disassembler output for some forms of ADDCB, SUBCB, MULB, ANDB, JBC and JBS.
unidasm: Added st62xx support. [AJR]
flkatck.cpp: Fixed sprite-sprite priorities, and removed driver hack from k007121.cpp. [Angelo Salese, dink]
combatsc.cpp: Added video and scroll memory to save states. [Angelo Salese]
With Hallowe’en basically over, the only thing you need to make October complete is MAME 0.203. Newly supported titles include not just one, but two Nintendo Game & Watch classics: Donkey Kong and Green House, and the HP 9825B desktop computer. We’ve added dozens of new versions of supported systems, including European bootlegs of Puck Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Phoenix, Pengo and Zero Time, more revisions of Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II, and a version of Soldier Girl Amazon made under license by Tecfri. There are major improvements to plug-in TV games in this release, specifically systems based on the XaviX and SunPlus µ'nSP processors. The Vii is now playable with sound, and the V.Smile can boot games. Tiger Game.com emulation has come to the point where all but one of the games are playable. Some long-standing issues with Tandy CoCo cartridges have been fixed. It isn’t just home systems that have received attention this month: Namco System 22 emulation has leapt forward. Yes, the hit box errors making it impossible to pass the helicopter (Time Crisis) and the tanks (Tokyo Wars) have finally been fixed. On top of that, video emulation improvements make just about everything on the system look better. In particular, rear view mirrors in the driving games now work properly. If that isn’t enough for you, the code has been optimised, so there’s a good chance you’ll get full speed emulation on a modern PC. There have been less dramatic improvements to video emulation in other Namco and Tecmo systems, and CPS-3 row scroll effects have been implemented. MAME 0.203 should build out-of-the-box on macOS “Mojave” with the latest Xcode tools (provided your SDL2 framework is up-to-date), a number of lingering debugger issues have been fixed, and it’s now possible to run SDL MAME on a system with no display. MAME’s internal file selection menus should behave better when you type the name of a file to select it. MAME 0.203 is a huge update, touching all kinds of areas. You can get the source and Windows binary packages from the download page.
MAMETesters Bugs Fixed
00430: [Graphics] (flkatck.cpp) mx5000: Game has priority problems. (Angelo Salese)
00777: [Gameplay] (namcos22.cpp) timecris, timecrisa: Incorrect hitbox for the helicopter in level 3. (hap)
06157: [Graphics] (cps3.cpp) jojo, jojoba and clones: Combo meter graphics missing for second player. (David Haywood)
06164: [Graphics] (namcos22.cpp) ridgerac: Title screen graphics are missing from second attract loop onwards. (hap)
06171: [Core] System-specific INI file settings are retained when starting a new emulation session. (Ryan Holtz)
06616: [Crash/Freeze] (coco3.cpp) coco3: Cartridges using 32k external ROM mode don’t work. (Tim Lindner)
07115: [Sound] (cps2.cpp) spf2t (qsound): Sound effects are distorted, mainly on left channel. (superctr)
07123: [Documentation] (megadriv.cpp) megadriv [dstrike]: Title is inaccurate. (Tafoid)
07124: [Documentation] (megadriv.cpp) megadriv [rrash3]: Title is inaccurate. (Tafoid)
07126: [ColoPalette] (8080bw.cpp) yosakdon: Yosaku to donbei used an overlay for colour. (MASH)
New working machines
Game & Watch: Donkey Kong [algestam]
Game & Watch: Green House [algestam]
HP 9825B [F.Ulivi]
Nerae! Super Goal (J 981218 V1.000) [PascalP, Bill D., The Dumping Union]
Sky Challenger (J 000406 V1.000) [ShouTime, Bill D., Charles MacDonald, Dane Biegert, Candy Wolff, Henrique Areias Pontes, Sean Sutton, Surgeville, Smitdogg, The Dumping Union]
New working clones
Ace Driver: Victory Lap (Rev. ADV1, Japan) [ShouTime, Henrique Areias Pontes, Evan Korzon, Dane Biegert, mrgoodwraith, Michael O’Malley, Alexander Monin, Sean Sutton, Sung Eugene, Russell Howard, Smitdogg, The Dumping Union]
Emergency Call Ambulance (Japan) [ShouTime, Henrique Areias Pontes, Evan Korzon, Dane Biegert, mrgoodwraith, Michael O’Malley, Alexander Monin, Sean Sutton, Sung Eugene, Russell Howard, Smitdogg, The Dumping Union]
Excalibur (Mdm) (MPU4, V1.4) [James Wallace]
Heavy Metal Meltdown (German) [PinMAME]
HP9000/360 [Sven Schnelle]
Jack*Bot (0.4A prototype) [PinMAME]
Mushiking The King Of Beetle (MUSHIUSA '04 1ST, Prototype) [Jorge Valero, rtw]
Showdown (version 4.0) [Mark Jenison]
Super Pang (World 900914, bootleg, set 2) [ClawGrip, Roberto Fresca, Recreativas.org, The Dumping Union]
ibm5170: ADSP-21xx EZ-KIT Lite, Auto Convert, Central Point Anti-Virus for Windows, Compaq ProLinea 486-based PC's - Microsoft Windows 3.0 Support Diskette, Compaq ProLinea 486-based PC's - Microsoft Windows 3.1 Support Diskette, DIVA T/A ISDN Modem Setup Wizard for Windows 3.x, Diagnostics - Test, Setup, and MDMI Utilities for Products with 640K of RAM Installed, Direct Access Windows, Drafix Windows CAD (Demo), Enhanced 5250 Emulation Program, HiJaak, HiJaak Pro, Integration i Microsoft Office 97: Step by Step (Swe), Internet in a Box - Single-User Version, Jack Nicklaus Screen Savers, MS-DOS FASTART/SYSTEM - The Compaq Personal Computer FASTART/SYSTEM Diskette, MS-DOS Operating - The Compaq Personal Computer Operating Diskette, MS-DOS Support - User Programs, Mastering Borland C++ 3.1, Micro-Cap III, Microsoft Windows Support - User Programs, Mitsumi Mouse Driver (v6.0), Mouse/Trackball, NexNIC ND010 PCI Adapter (Ethernet/Fast Ethernet), Norton CrashGuard for Windows 95, Nova 9 (International Version, 5.25"), NuSound PnP Install Disk, Postnummerkatalogen 1996 (Swe), Scroll 3D Mouse Setup Disk for PS/2 and Serial, SoundWave 32 Series, TMS320C5x DSK - Applications Guide/Application Software, Tango Printed Circuit Design Evaluation, Tango Schematic Capture Evaluation, The Greatest Little PIC Book, Thunderhawk AH-73M, WordFinder Lexikon på PC (Swe), Write On! for Windows [FakeShemp]
pc98: Ballade3, Bible Master - Crash of the Blleot Rutz, Bible Master - Crash of the Blleot Rutz (Alt), Bind - Kinbaku Jinmon Densetsu, Black Bird - Tori-tachi no Tooboe, Blackthorne - Jigoku no Fukushuu (16-color version), Blackthorne - Jigoku no Fukushuu (256-color version), Blandia 98, Blind Games, Blue Ruins - Harukanaru Bibanon no Hihou, Bounty Hunter Ludy, Branmarker 2, Bretonne Lays Scenario Shuu 1, Briganty - The Roots of Darkness, Bunny Hunter Zero [Neo Kobe Collection]
uzebox: 2048, 65536-in-1, Block Boy, Buddha, Solitaire, Space Age, Uzekickers, Vector Game, Video Poker, XOR [ArcadeShadow]
vgmplay: Air Duel (Irem M72), Burning Fight (SNK Neo Geo), Chimera Beast (Jaleco Mega System 1), Chip's Challenge (IBM PC AT), Cycle Mahbou (Arcade), D.A.S.S. (MSX2), Dark Seal (Arcade), Denjin Makai (Arcade), Direct-X Release.2 (Sharp X68000), LHX Attack Chopper (IBM PC AT), Major Stryker (IBM PC AT), Mega Man IV (Nintendo Game Boy), Metal Gear 2 - Solid Snake (MSX2), Second Earth Gratia (Jaleco Mega System 32), Sky Destroyer (Arcade), Slimyer (Sharp X68000), Tintin in Tibet (Game Boy), Uncharted Waters (Sharp X68000), Vinyl Goddess from Mars (IBM PC AT), Wizard Fire (Arcade) [Tafoid]
x68k_flop: Abunai Bunkasai Zenya [Wayder]
Software list items promoted to working
gamecom: Batman & Robin, Centipede, Duke Nukem 3D, Fighters Megamix, Frogger, Henry - Match the Sounds Memory Game, Indy 500, Jeopardy!, Monopoly, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Quiz Wiz - Cyber Trivia, Resident Evil 2, Scrabble, Sonic Jam, Tiger Casino, Wheel of Fortune, Wheel of Fortune 2, Williams Arcade Classics [Robbbert]
pc98: Batsu, Battle Queen - Saikyou Fighters Retsuden, Be Girl (Alt Format), Bio 100% Free Games Collection (Alt Format), Bishoujo Shashinkan Bangaihen - Outside Story, Bokosuka Wars, Brandish VT, The Bard's Tale - Tales of the Unknown, The Best Play Baseball (Demo) [Carl, r09]
New NOT_WORKING software list additions
32x: Clay Fighter 2 (Jpn, USA, Euro Prototype) [VampierMSX, Porchy]
bbc_rom: ConQuest, Instant Mini Office II, Inter-Word 1.02, Quest Paint 1.04, Quest Paint 1.10, SpellMaster 1.66, SpellMaster 1.69, The Wapping Editor [Nigel Barnes]
mac_hdflop: ClarisWorks (Swedish) [FakeShemp]
pc98: Brandish Renewal [r09]
princ: Bad Badtz-Maru, Hello Kitty, Kazoku de Nengajou, Pochacco [TeamEurope]
Source Changes
Emulated National DP8350 CRT controller family. [AJR]
mcs48: Set lower 4 bits of P2 to input during (and after) MOVD A,Pp. [AJR]
i8243: Release P2 output after completion of read operation. [AJR]
sbrain.cpp: Driver overhaul: [AJR]
Added cursor and scrolling through CRT controller registers.
Corrected number of interrupts per frame.
Actually show the “insert diskette” message.
Added options for RAM size and two or more floppy drives.
Added RS232 ports and DIP switches for Baud clock selection.
tms9900: Internalized TMS9980A clock divider, and corrected endianness for TMS9980 and TMS9995 in unidasm. [AJR]
xavix: Allow debugger to step over CALLF instruction. [AJR]
crt9007: Added frame timer. [AJR]
flipjack.cpp: Driver overhaul: [AJR]
Reimplemented video using CRT controller row update method.
Fixed cocktail mode and changed rotation from 90 degrees to 270 degrees.
Modernized interrupts and cleaned up code.
Invalidate memory access caches when removing watchpoints (prevents crashes on subsequent accesses to the same areas). [AJR]
mcs96 updates: [AJR]
Replaced I/O space with callbacks, and added internal address space for non-executable register file and SFR area.
Made SFRs more accessible to the debugger, and made disassembler show names for directly-addressed SFRs.
Corrected disassembler output for some forms of ADDCB, SUBCB, MULB, ANDB, JBC and JBS.
unidasm: Added st62xx support. [AJR]
flkatck.cpp: Fixed sprite-sprite priorities, and removed driver hack from k007121.cpp. [Angelo Salese, dink]
combatsc.cpp: Added video and scroll memory to save states. [Angelo Salese]
Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a guy that loves stories, whether I'm doing the listening or the telling, and regardless of the medium. I love animals and intentionally bad jokes among many other things. :) When did you first become interested in horror? Pretty much since I could read. I grew up reading horror stories, watching horror movies, etc. My mother would read me Stephen King books and skip the rough parts. I love a lot of different genres, but most days I'll take mediocre horror over good something else. Was there a specific moment you knew you wanted to write in that genre? To some extent, I think we tend to write what we read. Because I always read a lot of horror, it was natural that I would gravitate toward it as a writing genre. I started writing stories when I was probably 8 or 9, and I know I was writing more fleshed out horror stories starting at about 13. I've written horror ever since (with some other genres here and there as well). That's a long time! Do you recall what any of those early stories were about? Some of them were pretty rough, but one early one I liked was about the spirit of an old alien who died on Earth and wound up trapped in the house built on the spot where it crashed. It was told from the ghost's perspective and was weird but kind of neat. What is the most terrifying thing you have personally experienced? I think for me the scariest things have always been related to someone I care about being in danger. I don't want to personally be hurt or die of course, but I deal with being in danger personally much better than it being someone else, especially if I'm not in a position to help. As far as more horror-themed stuff, I lived in a house that was haunted once. Saw several things there, but it was more mildly creepy and cool than it was terrifying. I've had the chance to see a lot of interesting things over the years, but most of the time I think any scariness gets outweighed by positives, and there's a lot of times that the scariness is a positive. Whoa, living in a haunted house is definitely spooky. Have any of your real life experiences ever made their way into your work? I think a lot of my life experiences have impacted my work, though I think frequently ideas and emotions are the things that bleed through more than specific events. You always hear write what you know, but I think that if you can write from a place of empathy, it becomes easier to apply real feelings to very alien situations, and that can make bizarre stories and characters feel much more alive and genuine. What are some of your biggest influences from media? There are a ton, and there's so much that influences you that seeps down into the crevices of your brain. It's still there, but you can't see or recall it anymore. That being said, I'll try to give some highlights by category. Authors: Lovecraft, King, Gaiman and Barker are all big. Though not a horror writer, I think that Frank Herbert is one of the best writers I've ever read, particularly when it comes to discussing complex ideas and philosophies in a clear and engaging way. Three of my favorite books are IT, American Gods, and Dune, and my favorite short story is "The Professor's Teddy Bear" by Theodore Sturgeon. Horror Movies: Hellraiser generally, In the Mouth of Madness, Event Horizon, It Follows, and so many more. The new IT movie and Hereditary are very good. I really didn't like A Quiet Place for a variety of reasons. As for horror directors, some of my favorites are Takashi Miike, David Lynch, John Carpenter, and Rob Zombie. Music: I also love music of various genres, and sometimes listen to it when I write, though I tend to use stuff without lyrics for writing so I'm not distracted. But listening to music while driving or doing whatever can be a good source of inspiration too. How did you discover NoSleep? What prompted you to begin writing for it? I had heard of NoSleep for awhile, and had glanced at it once or twice in the past, but I had never really taken the time to look at it closely and start reading stories until this past Spring. Right away I was struck by several things. First, there are a lot of talented writers on there. Second, there are a lot of smart and passionate readers on there. And third, everyone on there loves horror like I do. After that it was an easy decision to start reading and writing there regularly. What NoSleep stories and/or authors have had the strongest impact on you? This is a hard one because there are a lot of great stories and authors I've found on here. Definitely some of them include u/Dopabeane, u/ByfelsDisciple, u/BlairDaniels, and u/Mr_Outlaw_ among many others. Storywise, the Left/Right Game, A 911 call where nothing made sense, and I clean crime scenes are all some of my favorites. Other than writing, what are some of your hobbies? What other creative mediums do you enjoy? I enjoy movies and video games quite a bit, playing with our animals and generally hanging out with loved ones. I tend to be pretty laid back though I always have a rough plan or schedule for what I'm doing in the back of my mind. As far as other creative mediums, while I enjoy drawing/painting and music, I'm terrible at both. I'm much better at appreciating other forms of art than I am creating them. Do you ever explore writing other genres besides horror? If so, what other styles of writing? Which do you prefer? I do sometimes write things that are closer to fantasy, science fiction, or drama, but even then they typically have some horror or otherworldly element to them. I feel like there are so many subjects that can benefit from at least a little something weird or terrible that it is hard not to incorporate it into most of my writing. We've noticed that! Many of your stories have almost a futuristic thriller feel to them, with a focus on sci-fi elements, or alternate worlds. What do you find most compelling about intertwining those concepts with horror? Do you ever struggle to stay within the realm of horror? It's kind of like the old Arthur C. Clarke quote that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. So much of horror is also fantasy or science fiction and vice versa. If I ask you what genre Terminator 2 is, you might say scifi or even "action". If I asked young John Connor or Sarah Connor that, I bet they'd say horror. I think that one of the things that makes horror so wonderful is that most horror stories are deeply personal. They play on our fears, but also our senses of wonder and morality. They are ways of talking about spiritual and philosophical ideas in more concrete terms than some genres easily allow. I think scifi and fantasy do the same thing, but they are all heading for the same part of town from different streets. Part of it being personal is that it's also fairly subjective. I try not to worry too much about if I'm telling horror stories or scary stories, but just if I'm telling the stories I feel passionate about sharing with others. To me they are almost always horror, but a given reader might disagree, and I think their opinion is just as valid as mine. Have any of your stories ever involved research? If so, what was involved? Yes, I do research for quite a few of my stories. For instance, the "I think my grandfather might be a serial killer" series and the "Outsider" stories tend to involve things that require some level of medical knowledge due to one of the main characters being a skilled surgeon. I've been asked before by readers if I'm actually a doctor, and I'm not, but I do want to make sure I get details like that right, so I read up on things I want to include that I don't already know about. Another example is in "Come live in the ashes of my heart", a book written in 1909 describes a specific type of Waterman pen. I researched pens and found that that particular pen was first sold via catalog to the public in October of 1908, so it made sense that he could get one as a gift the following year and not have seen one ever before given his...predicament. Let's talk about those Outsider stories. You've crafted a fully fleshed out universe that's home to several intricately connected series. Did you always intend to create such an expansive world? Has your initial vision changed over time? I always knew it was going to be a large world, and I wouldn't say my overall vision has changed over time, but it has certainly expanded as I write. The best way to explain is by explaining how I typically write by way of a terrible analogy. Imagine you are walking up to a large, strange house in the middle of a moonless night with only a flashlight to help you. As you shine your light and walk closer, you see new parts and take in new details. That's writing for me. The house is always there, but it just takes time to see it all, and I write what I see. See? I suck at analogies. And poetry. How far in advance have you mapped out the world involved in those stories? Without giving away spoilers, can you give us any info on what's in the future for the characters? It's all in my head, and the world is very large. Or going back to the bad house analogy, it's a very large house. I am still exploring it, but I can say there are a lot more stories I plan on telling in that world and I already see the major plot points as well as the broader cosmology of the universe, much of which hasn't been revealed yet. As for what's coming, here's a bit of info without giving away too much. The Nightlands are very important, particularly to two people we've already met, and they will be explored in some detail over time. Like, physically explored, not just talked around like some neverending tease mystery box. Several people are going to seek revenge for different reasons. Several important people are going to die. At least one person may not be who you think they are. Things are even more connected than it may appear. The inner chambers of Mystery Cave are in the Nightlands, and we haven't seen the last of her. You've previously published two novellas and short story anthologies, and recently announced two forthcoming compilations. Can you tell us a little about your prior published works, and what we can look forward to in the upcoming releases? Sure. "Mystery" and the two short story compilations, "On the Hill" (which includes Mystery) and "Whimsical Leprosy" are stories I wrote over a period of time, so they vary some in mood and style, especially the older stories in "On the Hill". The novel, "Darkness", tells a single story, but with many parts, so it's almost like a short story collection itself. As for the new books, I currently have two in the works that should be out within the next two months. The first is "The Outsiders: Book One". It takes the core Outsider stories I've posted on NoSleep so far and puts them into a consolidated book formatted in such a way they can be read as discrete stories or together as a novel. So the "grandfather" series and "House of the Claw" stories among others, as well as two stories exclusive to the book called "The Hollow City" and "The Nightlands: The Ballad of Joshua the Beggar". That book just came out on August 1st and is available in ebook and print format at Amazon. The second is "You saw something you shouldn't have". It is a collection of my other NoSleep stories that are either less directly connected to the Outsider universe or completely unrelated. Again, I'll have a couple of exclusive stories in the book so there's some additional value beyond having an easier to read, permanent copy of the stories you may have read before. It should be out in September. I say this all the time, but I always want to be clear because I do tend to tell long stories. I won't ever make the end of a story or some critical plot point of a larger storyline limited to just exclusive paid book material. I appreciate you reading my stories whether you buy a book or not, and if you start a story of mine for free on NoSleep, you'll be able to finish it there. The extra stories are intended to be deeper dives into certain things for those that want that, not a pay wall to finish a story you've already invested your time in. The House Spider centers around yokai, figures from Japanese folklore reputed to manifest in multiple forms. What made you choose that specific mythos, and the form of a spider? The idea sprang from images that came to me of a spider spirit lurking around a house. I knew some about yokai, and researching more, it seemed a good fit. The form of the spider at the end was influenced by a mixture of cute close-ups I've seen of some spiders and my ferret, who is the best yokai I could ever ask for. You've also invented your own creatures in stories like A thing called Candleheart killed my brother. Do you have a preference for fabricating your own myths and monsters over using commonly known ones, like in I convinced my friend I'm a vampire? I don't really have a strong preference, it just depends on the story. A lot of my creatures have a basis in some established myth or folklore, though usually only as a jumping off point. If the initial idea for the story is the creature, I usually don't draw from established myths and legends. If the initial idea is a character, situation, or idea, I often do. How much time do you spend writing in an average day or week? Do you have any rituals that help you focus? It varies from week to week, but on average I probably spend 10 to 12 hours a week. The only things I really need is a keyboard and limited distractions. When crafting a piece of fiction, do you generally start with an outline or simply begin writing? I rarely do outlines or rough drafts outside of my head. A number of my stories come from dreams I have or from a simple phrase or idea that pops into my head randomly. From there I ponder and study it until I have a better grasp on it as a story, and then I start writing. I usually write at a fast pace when I get going, as I'm basically just transcribing what I see in my mind. When I'm done, I reread what I wrote for typos and stylistic tweaking, though I generally don't do any major changes. Are there any topics you feel are too controversial for you to address or that you prefer not to explore in your writing? Too controversial? Probably not. But there are some topics that I do find distasteful or that I think would be so polarizing that it would take focus away from the story itself. I'm ultimately trying to tell the best stories I can, and I want the subject matter to enhance that, not detract from it. What are your feelings toward NoSleep's immersion/believability rule? What impact, if any, do you think the suspension of disbelief format may have when transitioning your work toward a mass audience unfamiliar with NoSleep? I think that the NoSleep rule is great overall. Over the years, I've only written a handful of stories that would qualify under NoSleep's ruleset. Conforming to it for many of my more recent stories has been a great asset in finding creative ways to tell certain tales. I also think that the limits NoSleep imposes gives it a level of uniqueness and brand-permanence that has helped make it so successful. People know what kind of horror stories they're getting to some extent, and that comfort and familiarity can be a big positive. In a perfect world, I wish NoSleep had a twin sister without the limitations but with the same audience, writers, and moderators. Having the flexibility of both subreddits while insuring the same level of quality would be great. But until that happens, I can't complain. NoSleep is pretty awesome. As for transitioning my work toward a mass audience, I don't think that's necessarily a big problem. Some things I write won't be suitable for NoSleep, but anything I write for NoSleep will be suitable for a mass audience. Are some of the rules and stylistic choices different? Sure. Are the trends and popular naming conventions different on NoSleep than in some other forms of horror stories? Absolutely. But I don't see that as a bad thing. For horror to thrive, it has to continue to evolve, and I think there's plenty of room on reddit and bookshelves for more traditional "literary" horror and more contemporary takes that use a more conversational or experimental style. Do you have any favorite reader reactions to your writing? I love almost every comment or message I get, but some of my favorites are when you have different readers discussing some aspect of a story. Much of what I write is interconnected in one way or another, so when I see people getting excited over figuring out some clue or reference or debating what X could mean for Y, it makes me very happy and excited too. Also, I'd like to give special thanks to u/hayclonic, who volunteered and constructed a massive, beautiful map of connections they found between my different stories. It is really wonderful and far better than anything I could have done. If you're fairly caught up on my stuff, you can find it here. If you're not, you may want to wait so you aren't spoiled and things make more sense. What story or project are you most proud of? Like so much of this, I have multiple answers. I'm proud of my novel "Darkness" because I think it tells a fairly unique and interesting story. I'm proud of "I think my grandfather might be serial killer" and the Outsider universe overall because I think it has interesting characters that have complexities and deep emotions that drive them. But I'm also like the proud father that loves all his children, regardless of their flaws. What's the most valuable lesson you've learned since you began posting to NoSleep? How to format my stories in Word for NoSleep. As you can see, I'm long-winded, and my earlier attempts at formatting my super-long stories were not awesome. But thanks to a NoSleep OOC comment, I have seen the light. Double-entering between paragraphs is my jam, yo. As a successful author on NoSleep, do you have any advice for new contributors? Don't psyche yourself out. If you enjoy telling stories, trust yourself to tell them well. Don't stress out about upvotes, but be happy when you have a popular story. You're posting on NoSleep because you want others to read and hopefully enjoy your work. So you're naturally going to want to have popular stories. Pay attention to what kinds of stories people want to read, what kinds of titles get people to click on a story. Read other writers here and elsewhere and figure out what works and what doesn't. Then decide what that means for you. You can write everything trying to appeal to what you think the largest audience wants and frame it with the clickbaitiest of clickbait titles. Or you can do the polar opposite, adhering purely to what you want to write about without any influence from your readers/potential readers. My suggestion is to stay somewhere in the middle between those extremes. Write what you want to write and are passionate about, but be open to what others want to read as well. If you can find the right balance, you will likely produce things you are proud of. And keep in mind that your best stories and your most popular stories are not necessarily going to be the same thing. Write frequently and learn/maintain good grammar. Push yourself and what you're comfortable with writing. Always respect your readers and yourself. Remember that telling a story is a gift for the writer and the reader, and as long as you are able to touch and affect one reader with your words, you're both richer for the story having been told. What are your short-term and long-term writing goals? To keep telling stories for as long as I live. I plan on writing on NoSleep and other similar places for many years to come, and periodically I will keep turning those stories and other works into books for people that want to read things in that format as well. Community Questions: Submitted anonymously: How long have you been writing? I've been writing stories since I was around 13. Submitted anonymously: If you were able to spend the day with any figure in the horror community (author, director, actor, etc.), who would you choose and why? Dead: H.P. Lovecraft, because his stories and ideas on writing have always meant so much to me. Living: Either Clive Barker or Neil Gaiman because they both seem like very nice British people that are wonderful writers and love the worlds they create. Honorable mention: Shirley Jackson, because she was awesome. From FoolishWhim: Everyone has a process they go through when writing a story, what is yours? I typically start by discovering a small part of an overall story and looking at it for awhile. As I see more of it, I start writing what I see, and when I'm done, I go back and review for typos and stylistic tweaks. What is your favorite fairy tale? The King of the Cats or The Monkey's Paw. "Cats" because it does such a good job of marrying the mundane world with the secret world beneath (above?) it. "Paw" because it uses both supernatural rules and consequences, as well as the power of emotion and loss, to such wonderful effect. And before you say I cheated and these aren't fairy tales, Wikipedia says they are, and as we all know, Wikipedia is the great loom upon which all truth is woven. How do I get my hands on one of those memoriam dolls? Uncle Teddy still makes them, but you better have something valuable to offer. I'd think twice before dealing with such a dangerous character though, especially now that he's a free agent! From Colourblindness: As a newer author do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the pressure or the hype that readers expect you to meet? While I've written stories and books for years, I'm still pretty new to nosleep, and it is a very different experience in some ways. The immediate feedback is wonderful, and getting a sense of a reader's enjoyment or excitement just after they finished a story or in the middle of a longer series is something I really treasure. That definitely drives me to always do my best and hope that people enjoy how a story is told and ends, but I don't feel like it's pressure at all. My stories are what they are for the most part, and my job is to see them and tell them as clearly as I can manage. And I care about my stories deeply, so when my readers care about them too, sharing that with them is the biggest reward and source of encouragement I could ask for. Submitted anonymously: If you had to live in the established universe of any of your stories, which would you choose and why? The Outsiders universe. In part because it is a complex place that is filled with heroes and monsters and everything in between, and while it is full of a lot of pain and evil, there's a lot of hope and wonder there too. And out of all of my favorite characters, so many of them live in that world. Submitted anonymously: What is the greatest album of all time and why is it Metropolis Part II: Scenes from a Memory? I think you spelled Lateralus by TOOL wrong. And if you really need a wonderful discussion of Metropolis, Dopabeane's response is already perfect. But seriously. TOOL is the best. From poppy_moonray: If you had one time round trip access to a time machine, where would you visit and what would you do? I would go to late 1944 Germany, kidnap Hitler and brainwash him. I would bring him back with me to the future and turn over the time machine to him with his new brainwashed purpose. He is to go back to a year before I arrived, kidnap his past self, brainwash him, and then have the past Hitler kill him, the first Hitler I kidnapped. The past Hitler will then take the time machine to go back another year to his past Hitler and do the same thing, on and on, until they get to 22 year old Hitler, who, after killing 23 year old Hitler, will journey to Southhampton, England for a nice ship ride on the RMS Titanic. Or I'd go see some dinosaurs. What fruit do you empathize with most strongly? What fruit fills you with an unbridled fury? Blackberries. They are interesting looking and delicious, and I bet they would help you out in a jam. Get it? A jam?!?....oookay. Mangos, on the other hand, are not meant to be seen by God nor Man. They are the unfruit, and their inclusion in salsa or chutney signals the tolling of the bells of doom. If you were to torture a person (just assume this is, like, a very bad dude who totally has it comin'), how would you do it? I would make them love things other than themselves very much. Depend upon them. And then I would slowly tear those things apart in front of them. And when they got through the anger and the despair and the numbness of defeat, I would show them that it was all their fault, but that they could do better next time if they just tried harder. And then I'd start again. Who's your favorite character you've ever created? Least favorite? I love a lot of my characters, but Dr. Patrick Barron is one of my favorites to be sure. The main villain in my first book, which isn't even in circulation any more, is probably one of my least favorites. He wasn't a bad villain, but was just a giant asshole without a ton of depth. I like my protagonists and antagonists to be more complex and hard to fully like or dislike. I had a comment on the YouTube narration of the "grandfather" series that was like "Gramps is an asshole!" and I loved that! Just don't let Dr. Barron hear you say it. Please write a haiku about NoSleep and/or horror, thank you very much. you find no slumber when itching eggs are hatching just under the skin From iwantabear: If you had to write entirely in one genre that isn't horror what would you pick and what would be the title of your first book? also who is your favorite James Bond? Fantasy. It would be called "Dragon and Star: Book One", though that's cheating a bit, both because it's a mixture of fantasy, scifi and horror, and it's a trilogy I may actually write some day.:) And Pierce Brosnan is James Bond. And if he cannot fulfill his Bond duties, Idris Elba is James Bond. The rest are just keeping the seat warm. Submitted anonymously: Are you a Brennan or a Dale? Based on the internet test I just took, I'm a Brennan. I also now know a secret method casinos hate but they can't do anything about. Submitted anonymously: What book made you cry hardest? The Dark Tower series at several points towards the end. If you've read it, you know the parts. From ByfelsDisciple: What do you think is your most underrated story? Your most overrated? Underrated? Maybe "FM Rider"? Just because I like it a lot personally and it connects to certain other things in interesting ways. Overrated? I think that's harder to say, not because I don't have my favorites, but because I don't think I'm in a position to judge what other people like about my stories, and saying one of my stories is overrated feels too close to criticizing my readers just because they got different things out of them than I did. It's a cop-out answer, but it's a detailed cop-out answer. And that's how you pass an essay exam. Submitted anonymously: Which of your stories has been the most difficult to write, and why? I think the ones where I really like or at least sympathize with a character and they have really bad things happen to them. An old story of mine involved a messed-up little boy who killed his mother because he thought she was going to kill him. Everett getting drug into Mystery Cave. Poor Mike in Coventry as a more recent example. I love my characters and they have terrible things happen to them sometimes, but it's more tragic when the character is driven by love or loneliness or betrayal into the jaws of something terrible with their eyes open. They know what's coming and all they can do is lower their head and wait. Submitted anonymously: What question did you want to be asked that didn’t get asked? Why is Babylon 5 the best science fiction show ever made? The answer is because if you watch the entire series, and you're asked afterward who's the best character on the show, no matter who you say, you'd be right. On a voyage for more Verastahl? Don't become vexed! Check out his
You can also purchase his fantastic brand new book, The Outsiders: Book One! NoSleepInterviews would like to extend an entire galaxy worth of sparkly thank you stars to the glittering Verastahl for granting us this fascinating and insightful interview! Your incredible writing talent impresses us almost as much as your plans to set forth a sea of increasingly younger Hitlers to murder each other, and we can't wait to see what new marvels you create in the future! We'll see you back here in two weeks on Monday, August 20th when we crack into the chaos behind the mind of the cool cat known as Colourblindness! Until then, why not repeatedly point at different objects and ask him what color they are? Colorblind people love that, right?
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