The dragons of House of the Dragon are equivalent to B-52 bombers and almost as large, with unprecedented, literal firepower. They are what the Valyrians used to dominate the continent of Essos in ages past, building up an empire that was Roman-like in its scope. But unlike the jets, Valyrian dragons are sentient, and bonded …
Now that Game of Thrones has wrapped, House of the Dragon has become HBO’s next blockbuster fantasy series. It’s about the history of the Targaryon family who ruled over Westeros two centuries previous to the events of the former series. They are Valyrians, George R. R. Martin’s equivalent of Imperial Romans, with the addition of …
Most people think of the U.S. states of Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona as cowboy country, the Wild West. Originally, I wanted to do these three states as a post puncturing the cowboy myth, and how these rough-and-tumble men were nothing at all like those on TV and in the movies. But then I realized …
Tokusatsu is a form of media native to Japan. At its most basic, it means any kind of Japanese SFF, horror or war drama that relies heavily upon special effects. But since the 1960s popular usage has defined it as any action-packed TV show or movie with colorfully costumed superhero characters who have their own …
New York City is famous for its Jewish delicatessens, with Katz’s still being the oldest and the best known. This particular kind of eatery sprang up in the late 1800s when German immigrants began to settle in lower Manhattan. The food was decidedly Teutonic: sauerkraut, pickles, cold cuts, sausages. Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe later …
My favorite Twittersnip magic items of 2022. 2022 Magic Items Anzha’s Bubble: This glass bubble measures 2” and constantly shifts colors. When held in the palm, it induces memories of the most tranquil place the holder ever visited, inducing in them calm and peace. Bag of the Banshee: This cursed sack screams loudly whenever …
My favorite Twittersnip spells of the year! 2022 Spells Alter Skeletal Alignment: Gives the effect of a visit to the chiropractor on any creature that has bones. Arrow of the Mage: Not a physical arrow, but the dynamics of ‘shooting’ it are the same. Enables one mage to send a spell they know to …
The Yuletide season brings with it some traditional alcoholic drinks. Grog, mulled wine, hot toddys, wassail, and eggnog are but a few. There’s also lesser known ones, like rumpopo, which is a Mexican liquor equivalent to eggnog. Of course there’s already drinks called The Naughty List and The Nice list, given the barkeeping world’s penchant …
Christmas can be a pretty bizarre holiday, being as it’s conglomeration of pagan, Catholic, and secular traditions. In the Catalan region of Spain, for example, there’s the traditional of the Caga Tio, or shitting log, that is stuffed with presents and hit like a pinata on Christmas Eve until it gives them up. Related …
Ancient Egypt, I’ve found, is so fascinating on its own that for fantasy writers and worldbuilders there isn’t a lot that needs to be created from scratch. The amulets above, for example, were created in about an hour using text prompts and various AI art generators. And ancient Egyptians did love their amulets. Any significant …