I Worship A God With an Elephant Head
Somewhere outside 3D space lies the Akashic Library, its endless shelves groaning under the weight of the accumulated knowledge of a billion lost civilizations. What treasures shall we unearth from this trove today? Speak, friend, and enter . . . .
When I was in college I was a big fan of a comic book series called The Invisibles, written by Grant Morrison and published by DC/Vertigo. One time the character King Mob called out after an acid trip, “I worship a god with an elephant head!” (See above.) I remember working this line into an essay I wrote my senior year, which probably confused my professor.
The elephant-headed deity in question is the Hindu god Ganesha. Ganesha is the god of new beginnings, the remover of obstacles, and the bringer of good luck.
Part of the premise of The Invisibles was that the world was going to end in 2012; sometimes we’d jump ahead and see that technologically advanced future world. Somehow 2012 has already come and gone. My son was born that year, and now he’s a teenager. Where did all that time go? Did you take it?
Wait, what was I talking about? Oh, right, role-playing games! Remember how my good buddies Steve and Josh and I unleashed our pulp sword & sorcery RPG Million-Colored Sun on the world last year? In November of this year I’m going to launch a Kickstarter for a new Million-Colored Sun adventure called The Prison Pits of Larubia. My last Kickstarter struggled to find backers; I can only pray that Ganesha blesses this new endeavor.
Om Ganapataye Namaha.
THE PRISON PITS OF LARUBIA
This game had its genesis last November, when Josh and I went to UCon in Michigan. I ran the adventure, it was fun, and afterwards I thought to myself, “Instead of having a vague plan to eventually write this up and procrastinate for years, why don’t I just type up my notes now, and then expand it into a full publishable adventure while it’s still fresh in my mind?” And so I did! Josh and I both ran it at Gen Con this year, I revised it based on playtesting, and now I have a solid second draft.
Situated near the southeastern edge of the continent, Larubia is a city of canals and cupolas, of elegant pastries and winsome glances between lovers. The city is illuminated by a soft blue light. The PCs came to Larubia, either separately or together, and have since gotten themselves arrested. Now they have been sentenced to labor in the prison pits outside of town, where they will mine phyrene, the magical mineral that provides Larubia with its blue light.
In the prison pits the PCs will come into conflict with other miners, natural dangers, mutated beasts, and more; ultimately they may find themselves in the ancient subterranean kingdom of Eskragor, a once technologically-advanced civilization that has dangerously declined.
Prison Pits of Larubia also includes random phyrene effects, rules for creating a character with the Eskragorian bloodline, rayguns and robots, and more!
It’s written by me, with moody Old School artwork by Perplexing Ruins and a dynamite cover by Joshua LH Burnett. Click here for the prelaunch page, so you can sign up to be notified when the Kickstarter goes live!
COEN BROTHERS UPDATE
I’m watching all the Coen Brothers movies in order! Okay, not exactly in order, I deviated from the plan a few times, but pretty close.
Here’s a list of what I’ve watched so far. When I talk about movies I normally forget to mention the plot, so for each of these I’ll give a one-sentence plot summary, and then some quick thoughts. In order of release . . .
A woman leaves her husband for another man, the husband wants revenge, things get out of hand, and multiple murders ensue.
This is shockingly well-made for a debut movie. Some really memorable scenes and quality performances all around.
A married couple who can’t have kids of their own kidnap a baby, and hilarity ensues.
Fun for the whole family! My family, anyway.
This one gangster wants the boss gangster to kill a guy, but the boss won’t do it because he’s sleeping with the guy’s sister, and when the gangsters go to war the boss’s best friend Tommy, who’s also sleeping with the sister, has to pick a side.
That’s a hard one to summarize.
I’d never seen this one before and was surprised how much I liked it. An old-timey gangster picture with a twisty-turny plot that I just barely followed. I want to see it again.
In the 1940s a self-absorbed, self-important writer from New York moves to Hollywood to write for the movies but gets writer’s block.
This one was nuts, it takes some surprising turns, and when it ended I didn’t really know what to make of it. But it has lingered in my thoughts the way that good movies do.
When the head of a giant company dies the board needs to install an idiot as the new CEO, to tank the stock, but they accidentally choose an idiot with a winning idea.
Is this the greatest Tim Burton movie ever made, and Tim Burton didn’t make it? Whatever the case it’s got a tough, fast-talking lady reporter looking for a scoop and that’s always a selling point for me.
[This is where Fargo (1996) should go. It’s one of my favorites but I haven’t rewatched it yet.]
A guy called The Dude, who loves bowling and drinking White Russians, gets involved in a complex series of crimes and scams centering around a kidnapping.
I know, I know, it’s a cliche for men my age to love this movie, but I love this movie. This one is inspired by Raymond Chandler, as opposed to Miller’s Crossing being inspired by Dashiell Hammett. It’s a lot funnier than Miller’s Crossing.
In the 1930s, three dim-witted escaped convicts elude capture and search for treasure in a series of adventures that is sort of based on The Odyssey.
One of my All-Time Top Five Favorite Movies. It’s not the best Coen Brothers movie, but it’s brought me the most joy over the years. “Damn! We’re in a tight spot!”
In the 1950s a quiet barber wants to get money to invest in a business opportunity so he blackmails the guy his wife is having an affair with, leading to horrible repercussions for him and everyone around him.
Back around the year 2001 my friend Casey and I, who had loved The Big Lebowski and O Brother?, rented this one and, hoo buddy, it was not like those two movies at all. More of a “depressing noir.” When I watched it this time I knew just what I was getting into and could sit back and enjoy it.
(Digression: A lot of people in today’s world only want likeable characters and happy endings, and they need to delve into the wonderful world of noir. Sometimes flawed people making bad choices and ruining their lives and the lives of others can be great fun!)
The world’s greatest divorce lawyer falls for the world’s greatest gold digger, and it becomes unclear just who is conning whom.
I saw this years ago and remembered it as not being very good. This time I really liked it. Again, I think people bounce off it because the lead characters are not good people. Make your peace with that and you’ll do fine.
A group of moronic criminals plan to rob a casino, and stage their crime from a feisty old woman’s basement.
I’d heard this was the Coen Brothers’ worst movie and, having now seen it, I can say that it is indeed their worst movie. Some good moments though!
LIGHTNING MAN: HE LIVES! HE FIGHTS! HE CONQUERS!
I’ve finished the first 9 pages of Lightning Man volume 2! You can read them right here, absolutely free. Wondering how the saga began? Not to worry, The Adventures of Lightning Man volume 1 is still available for purchase in a handsome hardcover edition.
ART ON SALE, FOR A GOOD CAUSE
I’m still selling art in my Etsy shop. I haven’t added anything recently because I’ve spent weeks laboring over a giant tree drawing. I’ll be adding that to the shop soon. In the meantime this stark, evocative tree is still available.
As always, I’m donating every dime I make from art sales to help people in Gaza. I’m currently donating through Gaza Funds. Even if you don’t want one of my drawings, consider clicking that link and donating to someone in need.
BOOKS I'VE READ SINCE LAST TIME
If This Book Exists, You’re in the Wrong Universe, Jason Pargin
JSA: The Return of Hawkman, David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns, Stephen Sadowski, and various
Aliens Vs. Avengers, Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic
Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, Marcus Borg
Dracula Book Two: The Brides, Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones
Legion of Super-Heroes: Before the Darkness volume 2, Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas, Paul Levitz, Jim Janes, Steve Ditko, and various
That Legion of Super-Heroes book I wrote about last time, Zap Goes the Legion, inspired me to try and fill in the gaps in my Legion collection. There are two I needed to fill a big gap between the first Levitz run and the second Levitz run—I got Legion of Super-Heroes: Before the Darkness volume 2 but unfortunately volume 1 is entirely out of print and used copies sell for obscene amounts of money. If you have an extra copy laying around, let me know!
I also met Jesus again for the first time, again. I first read Marcus Borg’s Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time in the early 2000s, around the same time I was first watching O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Big Lebowski. I wanted to see if it held up and, what do you know, it did. Fun fact, I once had lunch with Marcus Borg, may he rest in peace.
Over time, Christianity has become coated with a lot of filth and slime, to the point where the ooze has solidified and formed a hard shell. It’s also covered in broken glass. When one thinks of Christianity, it’s easy to think only of this toxic exterior shell of Christian Nationalism. But Marcus Borg reminds us that if you cut through that shell and dig down deep, there’s something golden and glowing and beautiful at the center.
TV SHOWS I’VE WATCHED
Leverage season 4
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3
Peacemaker season 2
MOVIES I’VE WATCHED
Barton Fink
The Hudsucker Proxy
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Big Lebowski
The Roses
Intolerable Cruelty
The Ladykillers
The Man Who Wasn’t There
Loving Wife Alice and I went to the cinema and watched The Roses a couple of weeks ago, and while the movie’s tone and pacing had their problems, it was a fun date. Everything else, obviously, is part of the Coen Brothers Project.
AND REMEMBER
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Soon it will be October, and soon I’ll be watching that feel-good classic No Country for Old Men. I’ll tell you about it next time. Oh, and don’t forget to click to be notified when the new Kickstarter launches. Thanks!
Your Friend,
Leighton