Whenever I post a blog entry on here, I will start off with a recap of all the content we put out on my three YouTube channels - ANCHORPETE, THE LASSER CAST and COMIC BOOKS: TRANSFORMED
On two of my channels, Sophie Thatcher was the MVP this week.
Shari T and I have been talking about her for weeks now, because of her performance as young Natalie on YELLOWJACKETS. Speaking of which, here is the link to our most recent review video:
YELLOWJACKETS (SHOWTIME TV SERIES) EPISODE 9 "DOOMCOMING" LIVE REVIEW
( If YouTube isn’t you thing, you can check out the podcast version of the episode right here: Yellowjackets 9 Review )
Young Natalie is my favorite character on YELLOWJACKETS. She is a teenage rocker, with a deep voice, a dark past and a reputation. The rest of the plane crash survivors expect the worst from her, but she routinely proves that she is one of the most compassionate and level headed members of the group. It is ironic that the modern day version of Natalie, portrayed by Juliet Lewis, is such an unlikable character. Shari T and I have mentioned how even Juliet Lewis doesn’t like the character.
Shari T and I are both sad that the first season of YELLOWJACKETS is coming to an end this Sunday, but the good news is that we are still going to be able to check in with Sophie Thatcher once a week, in a galaxy far, far away…….
Over on the COMIC BOOKS TRANSFORMED channel, Brian and I have been reviewing THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT.
In this week’s episode, “The Streets of Mos Espa”, guess who showed up as a member of the cybernetic implant rocking, floating vespa riding biker gang that pledged their allegiance to Boba Fett….
SOPHIE THATCHER!
Check out the review I recorded with Brian, and you will see just how hard it was for me to contain my excitement that she was now a part of the STAR WARS UNIVERSE:
THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT EP 2 REVIEW AND #XMENVOTE DISCUSSION
( If you would rather listen to the podcast version of that episode, it is available right here:BOOK OF BOBA FETT EPISODE 3 REVIEW )
I made a TikTok from our recent episode, if you want to check it out:
I just started using TikTok, this week, and I have to admit, that even though I am only thirty nine, I am really starting to feel like a grandfather. So many of the TikToks I have seen have been super impressive. It is amazing what an average user can create, perfectly timing their footage with music or a sound bite. I have a lot of practicing to do, if I want to create something half as entertaining!
Damn, do I sound old? If you are on there, why don’t you follow me and show me how it is done.
The algorithm pretty much recommends 50% Tiktoks featuring Cosplayers and 50% people showing off their rooms filled with action figures and statues. I wonder what that says about me?
Are you supposed to call them TikToks?
Alright, enough plugging, let’s get to the fiction!
!!!!!! DISCLAIMER !!!!!!!!!!!!
I am about to show you a series of amazing illustrations. I do not own the rights to any of these images. I am not claiming to have created ANY of them. I have pictures for each of the characters that I am about to describe, and unfortunately I cannot cite the artist that drew any of them.
Over the years of playing RPGs, I have googled specific images like Rogue elf wearing glowing glasses or evil looking dwarf D and D art . I have compiled a massive collection of inspiring Dungeons and Dragons style artwork, but it is from random sources on the internet. I can’t give credit to any of the artists that rightfully deserve it, BUT if you recognize any of this artwork, let me know who it belongs to, so we can rectify the situation.
With that out of the way, let’s get to the characters!
For today, it is raining men!
I am going to share some of the male characters from our adventures, since the majority of the players in our RPG are men. Next time around, I will showcase some of our cool female heroes and villains.
KAHAL BLACKBLOOD
He was originally named Thrall Blackblood, but when I saw the WARCRAFT movie I realized that one of the franchise’s major characters was named Thrall.
Kahal is from the world of Sheritan. He was a simple man, living with his young wife, in a village on the edge of civilization. At one point the village leaders were swept up in religious fervor, hoping to extinguish a corruption that had spread across the land. Villagers were arrested, interrogated and executed if they were believed to have been touched by the corruption. To protect his village, Kahal volunteered to be one of the hooded executioners.
Often, he claimed the heads of innocent civilians, in the name of purity, until the day came where he faced the repercussions for his actions. An elf had been arrested and was slated to face Kahal’s axe. As the elf knelt, with his head on the chopping block, he summoned his magical ability and cursed Kahal. The elf was able to turn Kahal’s blood black, making him the living embodiment of the corruption that had infected the land.
Kahal took the elf’s head, but the curse remained. Kahal infected those around him. His exposed blood had the ability to mutate those near him into ravenous monsters. Kahal’s wife, with his son in her belly, was one of the first to be infected.
Kahal is essentially a walking plague. His blood infects and corrupts the beings that it touches and then their blood turns black.
Unlike those he infects, Kahal is able to heal rapidly. His curse keeps him alive. He has been mortally wounded, and has yet to truly die.
The image above is from the movie UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED. In that movie, Michael Shannon plays a rage filled werewolf, from medieval times. When I created Kahal, that was who I pictured right away.
Chris was created by my friend Buddy. I have known Buddy for over a decade at this point. He was one of my very first friends I made, when I moved to Texas and he is one of the most supportive. Buddy has always been there, when I have ideas to share. He has been a part of many of my campaigns. For my first RPG that I created from scratch, Buddy created the character of Chris Caltrop. Chris is a young man from Austin, Texas who happens to be able to open portals with his magical ability. In the Balancing Act Universe, he is considered a “Talented”, which is like the universe’s equivalent of a metahuman or mutant.
This is sad, but I do not remember the name of the guy who created Garn. I do remember, that after this guy responded to the Craigslist ad to join our Roleplaying group, he played for two sessions. He was a big hit on that first session, because of the way he acted out the character of Garn, and the fact that he brought strips of salmon with him for a snack.
According to this unnamed dude, who had brought the salmon, Garn was a halfling that loved books. He travelled around, riding atop his dog, Klarn, looking for new adventures to chronicle.
When the unnamed dude, who brought the salmon, dropped out of our group, I continued to play as Garn. I made sure to imitate salmon man, making long “mmmmm” noises and talking with a breathy voice every time Garn had to say something. I enjoyed playing Garn so much, and it seemed like my friends around the table were fans as well. I ended up working Garn into a huge part of the Balancing Act Universe mythology.
Garn’s homeworld is Sheritan. He is one of the few surviving members of the Order of Sera, travelling around the universe, trying to save it from a great corrupting force.
I haven’t known my friend Mike for as long as I have known Buddy, but Mike is just as supportive. Mike helped me set up my website and put on the link to this very newsletter. Mike has only been playing RPGs for about two years. Miraculously, one of his main characters has yet to die - Apollo Tulzidesh. Apollo is an elf with a beard, which is pretty rare on his homeworld of Greyjem. When you read my work, you will see that I divert significantly from the standard Elf lore you will see in most fantasy settings. In my stories, it is very uncommon for elves to use their magic to heal other elves, and it is even more rare for them to heal non-elf creatures. As a direct result of healing others, Apollo has become less elven in appearance and more human.
WILLIAM WOOLFE
Last but not least is William Woolfe. Sure, he might look like Ben Whishaw in his early twenties, but William is closer to fifty years old. Like Chris Caltrop, William also lives in Austin, Texas and like Chris there is more to William than meets the eye. When William actually was the age that he currently looks, he discovered one of the Five Books of Forming. In the decades that has followed, William has learned many spells from the book, including a spell that has allowed him to preserve his youth.
William is the creation of my friend Nate, who is Buddy’s husband. Nate is an excellent Game Master. Years ago, I asked him if he would have any interest in running a campaign set in my universe. I was surprised when he eagerly said yes. It is a true pleasure playing in a campaign that Nate runs, based on the worlds I have created. He is a WAAAAAY better GM than me.
That is it for today’s newsletter. Damn, was it a long one! If you made it all the way down here, I am incredibly grateful to have you. Next up, I will showcase some of the leading ladies from my worlds!
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME
PR MARSH
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