You can see the most recently posted comments here, 8 at a time; or, if you prefer, we've got a news feed...
-
Arthur B on Kickstopper: Retconned Schemes
at 23:46 on 24-06-2017 - link
This is one of those things where having an entire supplement dedicated to the subject muddies the waters more than it actually clarifies everything.
In standard Werewolf the War of Rage is ancient history and the actual casus belli can believably be forgotten or summed up as "They decided that the other Changing Breeds were actively stopping them doing their job/were sabotaging them" and have done with it. By putting the War at centre stage and providing a range of different flashpoints the supplement manages to make it more confusing and not less, because a) there's now multiple "whys" depending on the flashpoint you choose and b) the flashpoints are describe in enough detail that weak points in the history seem more evident. -
Robinson L on Kickstopper: Retconned Schemes
at 22:30 on 24-06-2017 - link
Another entertaining article, Arthur, and it makes me excited for your write up of the World of Darkness NetFlix series whenever it comes out.
I’m still puzzled on one point of lore from your summary of the background, though, which I'm hoping is more fully explained in the source material itself. Specifically, I'd like to know if the source material gives an explanation for why the War of Rage even happened in the first place? Not being familiar with World of Darkness, and going strictly by the information in this article, I can't make any sense of what would motivate the Garou to go all Exterminatus on their fellow defenders of Gaia. It must be something pretty damn huge, rather than a unique intersection of circumstances, since the War of Rage apparently has the potential to flare up at multiple points throughout history. What's up with all that? -
Robinson L on The Fouling of the Howling
at 20:30 on 24-06-2017 - link
Shim: I find it very pleasing how these articles can take something I just wouldn't watch, and still turn it into engaging and entertaining reads. Even when it's clearly very bad!
You’ve perfectly encapsulated my feelings about upwards of 60% of the articles on the site (when you take away the “clearly very bad” disclaimer, it rises to upwards of 80%). -
Robinson L on Machen Fairies Grim Again
at 20:01 on 24-06-2017 - link
By Victorian standards in general, and particularly by Machen’s standards, any sex act not emphatically authorised by God constitutes only ye liveliest awfulness and even an enjoyable evening of light-hearted pegging constitutes a sanity-blasting ordeal on a par with having your skull hollowed out by Azathoth.
I’m sure I’ve said this before recently, but seriously, Arthur, this sentence is *priceless*. -
Robinson L on Lovecraft's Last Apprentices
at 19:59 on 24-06-2017 - link
it’s cheap and easy to kill someone gruesomely in a horror story, but isolating them, torturing them, and driving them out of their mind is where the true art is.
I wish more authors would take this lesson to heart, and not just horror writers. It’s beyond ridiculous the extent to which writers use character death as a crutch to inject drama, or tragedy, or to motivate another character—and sometimes it’s warranted, but often it feels like just going for the low hanging fruit. Come on people, get a little more creative. -
Ichneumon on Rethinking Prometheus
at 07:29 on 29-05-2017 - link
Having finally seen this film for myself, I must say that I largely agree with the interpretation put forth here, as well as Arthur's comments on scientific inquiry. Aside from being a really entertaining viewing experience and recapturing some of the slow-moving eeriness of the original film, it's just a really strong study of hubris and gnosis.
Incidentally, one of the friends I saw it with who has also seen Covenent says that your interpretation of David's character is borne out even more strongly in the most recent film, so kudos. I really need to see it myself... - Arthur B on Kickstopper: That Is Not Dead Which Can Eternally Restructure (Part 2) at 14:11 on 28-05-2017 - link A bit of sad news: Chaosium just announced the death of Alan Bligh, who designed Dead Light as well as sample scenarios for the new Call of Cthulhu core rulebook and Pulp Cthulhu.
-
Robinson L on The Wonderful Shitbag of Oz
at 20:02 on 12-05-2017 - link
I’ve been working through an audiobook recording of The Once and Future King by T. H. White, and was struck by this quote by Merlyn in The Sword in the Stone, which makes for an excellent commentary on this movie’s protagonist and his character arc:
“Only fools want to be great.” Well said, Merlyn, well said.