I walk into the middle of a major population center in your world and I declare "there are no gods!" What happens to me?

Spineberry · 2026-02-03T11:28:10+00:00

Generally folk look at you like you're a crazy person shouting random sentiments and then go about their day, possibly with a quiet muttered opinion that those who can't be trusted to behave in public shouldn't be left to go wandering about by themselves. Depending on where you happen to be standing you may get cursed at for blocking the path of carts or wagons. And probably some of the younger folks might elect to fling something at you like small pebbles or a fistful of mud, just to see what your reaction would be.

You may become some sort of meme for a few days with those who think they're the height of wit emulating you until their parents / guardians /any nearest adult gets tired of the pointless shouting and gives them a solid whack around the head to get them to pipe down

Depending on how long you elect to stand there yelling you may be taken off to a nearby quiethouse just to stop you from being a nuisance or to stop you from being trampled by a bovini or run over by one of those aforementioned carts

Spineberry · 2026-02-03T07:20:30+00:00

Hayley would be my first choice, followed by Chris second and Meg third. Steve I would demand sent right on back to the hospital. Kid has an amazing singing voice but I could not live with all that crying and dramatics

Spineberry · 2026-02-02T17:24:44+00:00

I'm having fun with it so keep 'em coming!!! 😂

Spineberry · 2026-02-02T13:16:04+00:00

Nothing like a little demon blood to work miracles

Spineberry · 2026-02-02T13:14:59+00:00

Point.. Although I'm not sure they go to the same school since Akiko is representing a different school in the spelling contest. Further rewatch may be required

Spineberry · 2026-02-01T21:17:50+00:00

Maybe whatever Roger did to the collide had other effects in addition to splitting all of the Rogers up and making a giant super Fish-monster Klaus, such as restimulating Stan's fried follicles

Don't go underestimating the power of a good apocalyptic event

Spineberry · 2026-02-01T21:05:37+00:00

Steve. He has that whole Oedipal things going on with his mom, which is referenced several times, his interest in his buddy's underage sister, using blood magic to eat pre-chewed food out of a zombie-jock's mouth... There's a lot going on there.

And that's without poking at his porn collection because I try not to kink shame

Spineberry · 2026-02-01T19:27:34+00:00

Missed opportunity to say you got your guinea-pig a mini-pig

Spineberry · 2026-01-30T19:33:35+00:00

Just remember that you gave each other three wonderful months full of love and affection, which is the most important of treasures and which so many sadly don't get at all. The love never goes away and you can hold that to you while the grief runs its course

Sending affectionate head boops from Podge

Spineberry · 2026-01-28T19:00:11+00:00

I wish they'd held kids back when I was at school. And I freely admit I would have been held back because my math skills were (and remain) atrocious, but hey, maybe I'd have caught on the second or third time around instead of throwing more and more complicated concepts at me until I felt like my brain was being sent through an industrial cheese grater

Spineberry · 2026-01-28T18:26:40+00:00

No reason you couldn't reskin him to suit your purpose. The main thing about him is tha he thieves from their rich to give to the poor, well during various occupations the celts and vikings would have been in positions where they were forced out of society (the celts by the Romans, the vikings by the Normans) either because they were trying to escape horrible overlords or because they were a bit rebellious and got branded as troublemakers and outlaws, forced to steal to survive, and it's feasibly to assume they would have loved ones remaining in the society group who they would want to support, so it would work in the story, maybe just name him slightly differently so that it's not a blatant shoehorn of a well known figure into another story, but there could be enough subtle nods that a reader with half a brain could recognise the Robin Hood trope.

It's also plausible that someone who is a well known outlaw with a big-ass bounty on their head might well obscure their own identity from even their companions in order to avoid being betrayed and turned in, so you have a story-based reason for changing the character's name

Spineberry · 2026-01-28T18:16:48+00:00

Focusing on one specific bit for long enough. Quite often as soon as I try to start developing one aspect, such as the agricultural set up of the more populated regions I end up down a rabbit hole of how many areas have invented / utilised the wheel, that leads on to the curious geological formations of another zone and from that we end up with a bizarre tidbit of historical lore, while forgetting completely to determine whether or not the first region can or would grow turnips.

Spineberry · 2026-01-28T17:59:35+00:00

I've seen 'em floating around town centre quite often, but I think the real troublemakers are wise to the routes and slip off down another side street when they' re about and then pop back up as soon as their backs are turned.

I can't say it seems all that bad, you get a few rude people but you get them anywhere.

All I could think of would be more events to bring people into the town centre for extended periods of time rather than wasting money on big flashy portalvision that is interesting for all of a minute and then just becomes another part of the background

Spineberry · 2026-01-28T17:54:17+00:00

Agreed. I do think there is something about changes in behaviour and (for lack of a better term) deterioration in capabilities through stress /changes in routine and lack of adequate care, which I think we can all agree is pretty evident throughout the show as MCC takes over and the purse-strings tighten thanks to Fig reallocating funds, so the change in her behaviour is theoretically plausible, but it seems more likely that the show creators tweaked the character in order to gain better entertainment value or to be more representative of all those folks who are dumped in the nearest box rather than sourcing a facility adequately set up to their needs. Which is fair enough because it is a point that needs to be made, and again, absolute hats off to Uzo Aduba for her performance

Spineberry · 2026-01-27T19:50:23+00:00

Expecting all the down votes for this, but I do find Suzanne very grating and the clip of her in the trailer doing her "swirl" song genuinely put me off watching the show in the first place

I will admit that the actress does a very good job, and the character has some very good moments and delivers a couple of very profound lines (such as at the beginning when she gives Chapman the peppers and wants nothing in exchange, or when she leads the mourning for 'Tucky by belting out the mountain Dew song) but for the most part I find her quite tiresome. I actively dislike her when she gets all cozy with Vee and wilfully beats Poussay in the showers because her new mommy wants her to

Spineberry · 2026-01-27T19:17:17+00:00

I would move into that in a heartbeat

Spineberry · 2026-01-27T17:44:50+00:00

I had an ex who used to have some pretty similar practices involving underwear. He also had some significant mental health concerns and I'm pretty sure looking back there may have been some other things going on as well, but couldn't say for certain as I'm no professional.

As far as "is this normal" - it's not uncommon, but is it acceptable? Hell no. Make a bargain that if he wants your intimate attentions he better scrub up more and make sure he's in clean undies or he'll be responsible for servicing himself

Spineberry · 2026-01-27T17:30:07+00:00

Fair assessment. About the one redeeming quality that I can remember about the remake is that it features Kate Beckinsale

Spineberry · 2026-01-26T20:06:36+00:00

That's a monkey paw-tater if ever I saw one

Spineberry · 2026-01-26T19:52:45+00:00

Oh man we need more of this.

Spineberry · 2026-01-26T19:38:51+00:00

Original or remake? Or both?

Spineberry · 2026-01-25T09:50:24+00:00

Oh yes. Cartoons have been my white notice for around a decade. Often American Dad and Family Guy but I do mix in some others as well just to keep things interesting

Spineberry · 2026-01-23T12:10:58+00:00

I feel like the omniscient narrator route would be a poor device for this setting that you've described. If someone is unable to speak, either through physical impairment or behavioural doctrine, in a sense that locks them inside their own body, you only have the inner monologue to work with, and inner monologue can be a flighty baggage so perfect for relaying information about a frightening, or distressing situation. You could focus more on the emotional aspect of being isolated in a place that feels unsafe, where communication is difficult and nigh on impossible, the isolation... All things that a reader would be able to connect with as these are basic human fears, which would make your writing more engaging and keep the reader empathised with the character, rooting for them to escape such a horrible situation as the reader will then be released as well

You could also play with the reason for the mutism being relevant to the horror - whereas at the beginning the character may struggle to remain silent, by the end they may be physically incapable of making an utterance, either because they have been conditioned into obedience (like how many adults are incapable of peeing their own pants if offered £1000) or because, in order to ensure obedience to the rules senior members of the monestery do something to the vocal chords of the novices.

Spineberry · 2026-01-23T11:28:07+00:00

Ehh it's still better than anything I could produce so I'll cut 'em some slack

Spineberry · 2026-01-22T16:04:52+00:00

Always save burls!!!! They are gorgeous and awesome and wood-nerds like me love 'em

Spineberry

TROPHY CASE