Tag: story

Dreams Askew in Mythago World

Dreams Askew in Mythago World


 

Collapse of civilization didn’t happen everywhere at the same time, it’s happening in waves. Every day, more people fall out of the society.
…
For some reason we thought the collapse was going to hit everybody at the same time.
But nothing happens like that: neatly, evenly.
…
Gangs roam the apocalyptic wasteland, and scarcity is becoming the norm. T
he world is getting scarier, and just beyond our everyday perception, howling and hungry, there exists a psychic maelstrom.
…
Apocalypse is only a distant nightmare for the privileged, a cautionary tale about
what might happen to them if they should fall from the master’s arms.
You’d be surprised what one of  those people would do to keep their society intact.
Avery Alder
What happens outside the bastion of Gotham, where the privileged kids play at being wannabe guardian angels?

Several outcast banded together to create a safe space 
 More than ever before, each  is responsible for the survival and fate of community.

Let us look at one of the communities in  the broken lands:
 Some tents clustered around a market nearby the sea in the east, in the  south the great gathering tent, in the  west the permaculture garden.
 
Free spirits trying to adapt to barren world, how would this work out?
Some people try to gather surplus for the future, others prefer to celebrate life every time there is more than needed at the moment…

Spook, the Stitcher worked on creating a channel between the market and the sea, making a desalinisation system to transform seawater into grey water for the garden.
Because the channel crossed the path between the gathering tent and the market, the organizers of the market and the gatherings protested strongly.
 
While a riot was brewing, Azure the Iris tried to connect with the Akashic Records in the otherworld.
The Psychic Maelstrom reacted strongly, giving Azure information overload:
A storm is coming! 
…
The community was in disarray, when a  Mohawk chief came with two horse warriors to demand tribute. 
Angler the Hawker tried to negotiate, but the chief was not satisfied.
While the negotiation was going on, Spook sneaked up on the chief and backstabbed him!
The horse warriors retreated immediately, not knowing that Spook also sabotaged their saddles to breakdown after a few hours riding.

Azure kept on shouting his prophecy, convincing Noni the Torch to spread the message.
…
An apocalyptic cult formed with Azure as prophet and Noni as leader, influencing a few tribes in the neighbourhood, even some Mohawk clans!
…
A delegation from mainstream society decided to investigate the cult, armed men in black arrived in the community.
They convinced the cult-leaders to come to Area 51 for further negotiation.
The compound was heavily guarded and fortified, and outside the perimeter were many hovels built by refugiees.
The cult-leaders were given a tough choice: working under jurisdiction of the men in black, allowing the influx of refugees in the community, otherwise the cult would be hunt down as being heretic.
In the end the cult-leaders complied, hoping to be able to keep their ideals within the new administration.

 
 
 
 
Ping:
https://hgoei.com/2022/06/08/blurb-adventures-in-mythago-world/
24XX – Gotham Tales of future past

24XX – Gotham Tales of future past


Teenage wannabe Ghostbusters adventures in steampunk New York.

Almost midsummer, still a clouded sky at noon…
Patrolling the city, four teenage scouts discovered a body in an alley in the bad part of town.
It was April, the up and coming new show star! Did she have a falling out with her (ex?)lover Lou the mobster?
Her body was already cold and very pale, and she had two small punctures in her neck, maybe bite marks?
Now what?
Considering the fact that one of the scout was a second generation immigrant from Cuba, it was not a good idea to go to the corrupt police who would immediately blame a person of colour.
The teens decide to carry the covered body in a wheelbarrow to their headquarters.
After reporting to their mentor, they decided to investigate further.
Arriving at the theater, where April was supposed to perform, the billboard announcement showed the banner ‘canceled’!
Apparently April did not show up for rehearsals since a few days, dismissal letter was already issued by the director Michael.
Sneaking into the theater, the teens discovered a grisly item in a hidden corner of Aprils dressing room!

A voodoo doll!
Investigating the doll with psychometry,  the psychic teen discovered a link with a witch, but at the same time there was the feeling that the sighting went both ways! Hurriedly the teens left the room, leaving the doll alone.

After reporting at headquarter, they heard the news that another aspiring star, Beverly, was found dead!
The tabloids were already blaming the minorities.

The teens consulted their Cuban connection, the santero ‘uncle Juan”….
‘April was killed with blood magic!’
Juan was willing to help them further with a price: 
‘My grandmother clock was jinxed during my spiritual battle with a witch, can you fix it?’
The nerdy teen tried his best, but destroyed the clock during the process, the jinx transferred itself to him!
Juans price went up: ‘get me the most powerful weapon from the witch Rita’

…
Discovering the fact that Rita was an ageing star who was supplanted by younger starlets, the teens decided to raid her house.

Bingo! On the altar they saw a magic statue!
‘Grab and run!’

Uncle Juan was very happy with this trophy:
‘Yes, this confirms the witch had a strong connection with Lady Death, enabling her to use blood magic in rituals! She needed to sacrifice three young women, two were already taken, still one to go…you are running out of time, what are you waiting for?’
April and Beverly were already victim of the witch, who’s next?

Apparently Janice, a friend of April, was also part of the theater crew!

The teen quickly approached Janice, offering her sanctuary in the headquarter.
Recently Janice was dating Lou the mobster, but she was not sure if he would be willing to protect her ‘it is complicated’
…
Uncle Juan said: ‘to catch a tiger you need a goat!’

…
They set up an ambush:
Janice announced a press conference ‘to uncover some findings on the recent killings of young women’

…

The night before the press conference, the witch invaded the headquarter!

A chaotic battle ensued….

Uncle Juan chanted his protection spells, while the teens took the witch down…
The coupe de grace was finally delivered using Juans holy weapon!

Tricube Tales – Weird Sisters toil and trouble

Tricube Tales – Weird Sisters toil and trouble


Three Sisters of our Lady welcomed four teenage  guests at the Lighthouse…

Granny commanded Aunty and Junior to the waiting sailing boat with a hurry, they had to go to the mainland immediately!
Junior was already huffing and puffing, almost ready to deliver the next generation…

After the boat left, Granny showed the guests their rooms…

That night the teenagers saw Granny wandering around the Lighthouse, three times she circled the island, yelling at the four Winds!

Next morning was very clouded, Granny directed the teenagers to light the fires of the Lighthouse, but when the light refused to stay burning, Granny suspected a gremlin invasion.

The teenagers investigated the whole Lighthouse up and down while Granny was taking a nap….

Ari, the household spirit appeared shortly in the topmost part of the tower, but disappeared suddenly!

What happened with Granny?
Her body laid lifeless in bed, some claw marks were found…

Following the trail, there was the gremlin!

The fierce monster was defeated, thanks to a very effective cold iron skillet!

Now the gremlin was gone, it was quite easy to fix the lights and to summon the household spirit again…
Ari warned them of the approaching danger:  the White Ship returns!

The bright beam of the lighthouse showed in the distance a hulk approaching from the dark North…

The White Ship crashed on the beach!

Investigating the ship, entering the hold, a large chest was found….

A well preserved body was in the chest!

Suddenly the body arose and started attacking!

Fire and cold iron put down the monster…

Returning to the tower, the teenagers used the lights to signal the mainland for help…

To their surprise, the help arrived with a sailing boat with  Aunty and Junior, who was carrying a newborn girl!

‘Granny’s time in this world has passed away, but the new generation is here’

 

Ping: Tricube Tales – Weird Sisters – Dreamquest

Tricube Tales – Weird Sisters

Tricube Tales – Weird Sisters


Some time ago, some teenage wannabee monster hunters was sent on a mission of investigation into the haunted Lighthouse…

After confronting some suspicious persons, they decided to act as judge, jury and executioner and escaped with their lives!

When the Sisters of Our Lady did some further investigation,  they performed a thourough excorcism and cleansing of the site.

Months later, some teenagers were invited to visit the Lighthouse…

What could go wrong?

 

Ping: Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters at the Lighthouse – Dreamquest

ChatGPT: How to Create an Art Journal

ChatGPT: How to Create an Art Journal


Creating an art journal is a wonderful way to express yourself and keep a record of your creative journey.
Here are some steps to help you get started:

Supplies Needed
Blank journal or notebook
Pencil
EraserPens (colored and black)
Paintbrushes
Watercolor paints
Gouache paints
Acrylic paints
Collage materials (scissors, glue, stickers, washi tape, etc.)
Optional: markers, ink, charcoal

Steps
Choose a journal or notebook to use.
There are many types of journals available, such as blank sketchbooks or watercolor paper journals.
Use a pencil to lightly sketch out ideas for your pages.
This is a great opportunity to brainstorm and plan out your theme or page layout.
Begin to add color to your pages with watercolor paints or gouache.
These paints can be layered and manipulated to create unique textures and effects.
Acrylic paints can also be used for added vibrancy and durability.
Experiment with different mediums and techniques, such as collage or ink drawings, to add depth and interest to your pages.
Allow each page to dry completely before moving onto the next.
This will prevent smudging and ensure each page is a separate work of art.
Use pens and markers to add details and text to your pages.
This is also a great way to add a personal touch to your art journal.
Continue to create pages and add to your art journal over time.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new techniques!
Creating an art journal is a fun and rewarding way to explore your creativity and document your progress as an artist.
Enjoy the process and don’t worry about making mistakes – they may end up being some of your favorite pages!

Ping:  
ArtJournal/Kunstdagboek

ChatgGpt

Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters at the Lighthouse

Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters at the Lighthouse


A week ago, a strong reality storm passed Gotham , and afterwards the sky stayed both gloomy and stormy…
The beacon of the lighthouse went out!

After af few days, four scouts rowed to the lighthouse to investigate, but they never returned….

Now another team was sent on a mission of investigation and rescue!

Jeffrey and Rudolph were reunited recently thanks to the intervention of Gatekeeper Maggie ,  this time they joined the rescue team together…

Rowing to the lighthouse during the strange weather was very challenging, just in sight of the lighthouse the boat hit a rock!

The scouts barely succeeded to swim to the lighthouse…

At the beach they were met by the crew who quickly took them inside:
Old William the senior keeper of the lighthouse and two junior keepers, Mandy and Thomas…

The keepers seemed very gloomy, unwilling to say very much:
‘a week ago, when we expected the supply boat to come, the weather was very strange, both gloomy and stormy; we heard a loud crashing and screaming but did not dare to go outside till now’

Amanda arranged some dry clothing, warm food and lodging for the scouts.
She was in a foul mood, grumbling all the time: ‘those useless men never do any housekeeping….I should have stayed at the mainland in stead of following the pipe-dream of that bastard’
Jeffrey noticed that Mandy’s right eye was bruised…
Apparently she recently had a violent row with Thomas!

When Rudolph approached Thomas, another drama was discovered:
‘She cheated on me! That dirty old man  will pay for this!’

Speaking with William uncovered some more details:
‘After mourning for Elaine for such a long time it became very lonely here till the juniors came here. Mandy is not happy with her friend, so we comforted each others for a while’

While the scouts were investigating the lighthouse, they discovered that the lighting did not work properly.
Every time when they tried to fire up the lights in the engine room, it went down again while the room  became freezing cold!
Thomas, the person who was responsible for the upkeep of the machinery, confirmed this phenomenon: ‘we have some gremlins active here’

One of the scouts heard a female voice screaming as a banshee:
‘Go away! He is mine! I will get my revenge’
It was not clear where this voice came from!

….

Investigating the beach, they found a body, apparently drowned a week ago after the crash…badly battered by the tides after laying a week at the stony beach…but wait…some bite marks at the neck, as if this person was bitten by something with very long and sharp teeth!

Returning to the lighthouse, the scouts heard Mandy screaming…the moment they arrived at her room the body was already laying on the floor with bite-marks in the neck!

Checking on Willam’s room resulted in the same gruesome sight…he was also killed in the same way….

The scouts decided to confront shifty-eyed Thomas….his alibi had many holes in it….: ‘I was alone at work in the engine-room and heard some screaming’

In the end the scouts decided to act as judge, jury and executioner…
If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well It were done quickly’

After doing the deed, they found an old rowing boat in the cellar…
They escaped with their lives this time!

Ping: Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters in New York: The dangerous outside – Dreamquest

Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters in Gotham: The dangerous outside

Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters in Gotham: The dangerous outside


Rumors at school mentioning a group of other kids from another class going to Rogue Island:

A year ago, five students investigated the Islands, never to return!
Another newbie group investigated recently, coming back with wild stories:

The Island was really haunted….
We met the ghosts of the disappeared kids in the village, they were mostly incoherent moaning apparitions, but we also saw a shadow of a Lady in Blue.

Most houses had Rune markings on their doors, but were abandoned for a long time!

There were many strange trails of a long tailed two-legged thing with claws…

Following the trails, we arrived at a large house on the hill nearby the village.
In the cellar we found a great workplace for butchery: all kinds of large silver choppers, knives, hatchets.
During our investigation we were surprised by the return of the landlord.


Murderous mayhem ensued!
Cold Iron did not hurt the landlord, but silver worked quite well…
After receiving several wounds he disappeared in a cloud!

At last , the bound spirits of the dead were released, they followed the shadow of the Lady to the Otherworld…

 

Ping: Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters in New York – Dreamquest

Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters in Gotham

Tricube Tales – Teenage Ghostbusters in Gotham


The steampunk city-state GOTHAM is surrounded by the Mythago Mists since the nineteenth century, when the veils between the three worlds were lifted.


At that time the Wayne Estate founded the Scout Movement to protect the innocent.

Many adventurous youngsters have joined the movement since then.

Rudolph was one of them…
He run away from his constricting Mennonite village Hicksville to New York where he became a vagrant lost boy until Sister Bright took him from the streets to Candleville’s Our Lady Homestead for lost children.
The village baker Hilda taught him some bread-baking magic, but he was still unhappy with the rural life.
Meeting the weird girl Maggy really changed his life, she showed him several Portals.


His travel through the Machine Portal ended in him being captured till he was freed by his brother and some other friends from the Resistance.
Maggy showed back again to lead them to the portal back home, but she granted his wish ‘to go to New York’.

‘Be careful what you are wishing for’ were here last words before he entered  the portal ‘Ye Olde New York’….

Rudolph ended up in a different New York!
Becoming a vagrant lost boy again, he was taking in by a patrol of Scouts…
Now this might be the perfect life for him!

Rudolph did not say much about the initiation rite of the Scouts; ‘it was weird!’

Ping: Tales from the Loop: Bugs in the Loop!Something loopy this way comes, feel it in the pricking of thy thumbs… – Dreamquest

Tales from the Loop: Bugs in the Loop!Something loopy this way comes, feel it in the pricking of thy thumbs…

Tales from the Loop: Bugs in the Loop!Something loopy this way comes, feel it in the pricking of thy thumbs…


Rudolf was acting suspicious again, sneaking away after lunch….
Jeffrey gathered some friends to follow the tracks of his weird brother!

Arriving at a clearing in the woods they followed the tracks into a cave, finding some strange signs leading deeper inwards….

Rudolfs trail ended at a portal!

The curious kids followed the trail to emerge from the portal to find
themselves standing upon dark, viscous, slag-like material
which constantly shifts beneath their feet, the
smog around them is vert thick, they were just able to see a clearing with small huts…

Few people are on the streets, the inhabitants of the place looked very gaunt and listless, clad in gray worn clothing, obviously forced labor workers!

The kids approached some persons who told them to get the mandatory registration:

A tattoo on the arm

A badge

 

Of course, the kids did not feel like to get a tattoo, but a badge could be arranged!
They ambushed a few workers to get a badge, now the kids were able to leave the hovels unnoticed.

Apparently the smog caused some hallucinations, on the road they saw some weird visions:
A pyramid beneath a supermoon?
Giant jellyfish drifting away from a space shuttle?
A patrolling robot?
The latter was real and had to be neutralized quickly!

The kids arrived a the mines where laborers were listening to a passionate speaker…“A ruler who oppresses the people, does not deserve to govern”

A revolt was brewing!

The kids joined the vanguard to storm the Palace…

Passing by the Foundry, they defeated some guardians and an officer!
They were even able to loot a few powerful weapons…

A lightning throwing staff!

A huge arm, fit for a titanic robot!

Hacking into the cyberware by mindlink, the cyberarm was ‘persuaded’ to crawl behind the kids.

 

The palace gate was guarded by a titanic robot who was still missing an arm…

With some lucky shots, the controller of the robot was neutralized!

Now the kids were able to take over the controlling device, turning the robot into an ally to smash open the gate..

Entering the throne room, they saw the ruler holding Rudolf hostage at knifepoint!

 

A climatic battle ensued…VICTORY!

The kids discovered behind the throne room another portal

Now at last they were able to return to their own space/time!

Ping: Tales from the Loop: Runaway kids having trouble at the orphanage in the countryside – Dreamquest

Tales from the Loop: Runaway kids escaping and encountering trouble in Gotham

Tales from the Loop: Runaway kids escaping and encountering trouble in Gotham


Being homeless teenagers in the eighties was very tough in New York:
government mismanagement caused near bankruptcy of the city, and the introduction of crack-cocaine unleashed an unprecedented wave of drug addiction and violence.

Somewhere in the worst part of the no-go area the Sisters of Our Lady kept a shelter for the homeless where they provided soup & bread for the hungry.

One by one the kids met Sister Bridget who picked them up from their hiding-holes (under the bridge, in the abandoned house, in the park).
She delivered them at the safe haven of Homestead, in the middle of nowhere at the border between America and Canada.

Ely, Jeffrey and Zeke had met before, and now they met some other newcomers like Chase and Randy….

The food and lodging at Homestead was very basic and healthy, surprisingly there was much opportunity to learn and practice new skills at the school, the kids became very interested in the following:

Performance: Storytelling, music, drama, dance, sleight of hand.
Physical education; baseball, climbing, dodgeball, jumping, runnning.
Tinkering: working with all kind of small machinery like computers, they even saw a presentation of the  1984!

During lunchbreak Jeffrey saw his long lost brother Rudolf talking with Hilde, the village baker who delivered bread weekly at Homestead.
After observing his brother, Jeffrey approached Rudolf as soon as Hilde left.
It seemed Rudolf had decided to stay at Homestead, learning baking magic instead of returning to their dysfunctional parental home!

Jeffrey became worried, maybe his brother was involved with a witchcult?

When Rudolf went to the village, the kids followed him to investigate his trail.

Rudolf went to bakery at the central square….

After Rudolf entered the bakery, two people went outside:
Hilde having a loud discussion with a man: ‘begone!’
She made a strange sign, pointing at him…


The man left immediately!


Ely, Jeffrey and Zeke experienced a deja vue…this man looked like their nemesis, Herr Claus!

While the kids were discussing whether to follow-up their investigation, they saw another lost kid they knew, Maggie!

When the kids saw her sneaking away, they followed her trail to the beach…
At the beach she took two small flags out of her backpack, and started signalling towards the lighthouse island on the other side, while somebody on the opposite side was answering with light signals with a mirror!

As soon as Maggie was leaving the beach, the kids tried to catch up with her.

One of the kids, a good sprinter, was able to overtake the running girl
At the moment he jumped in front of her, she crashed with great force into him!
The other kids also came running to hold her, a scuffle ensued.
While they wrestled her to the ground, her body felt armoured, it was a robot!
Trying to dismantle the  robot, a self-destruct sequence started counting…

Just in time the kids threw the body in the water before it exploded!

While they were recovering, they discovered somebody was watching them at a distance.
The person disappeared into the woods nearby.
Following the trail, the kids heard the sound of a hunting horn and hunting dogs in the distance…
Somebody screamed!
Arriving at a clearing in the woods, they saw a black clad person hanging on the limb of a sturdy tree…
Immediately they took the person down from the tree!

Investigating the body, they discovered this was another robot.
This time they succeeded in dismantling the thing, taking away the head for further research later on…

Returning to the beach, the kids saw somebody rowing to the lighthouse.
Immediately they decided to follow the trail to investigate.
To avoid detection they rowed to the far end of the island where they entered the wooded part.
Apparently they were seen from afar, a small patrol left the lighthouse into the woods.

Luckily the kids had developed enough scouting skills to divert the patrol by using a false trail.
They entered the lighthouse and invaded the upper floor. The two clumsy guardians were dispatched after a short fight!

Investigating the upper floor, the kids discovered a enormous screen in the wall, and a large control panel nearby.

A communication hologram appeared….to avoid detection the kids hacked the control panel to disable the transfer of data.

In the meantime the returning patrol was just entering the front door, but with some lucky punches they were put down in no time!

Continuing their investigation, the kids went down the basement, where they found a portal in the process of transferring a large robot!

Another hacking attempt disrupted the transfer, but unlocked the self-destruct countdown!

Running for their life, the kids escaped the lighthouse just before it detonated!

Exhausted, the kids decided to call it a day and to return to the orphanage.

Ping: Tales from the Loop: interesting times in the countryside – Dreamquest