Vow of Escapism

~ inputs for creative outputs ~

                            January 28, 2024

                Vow of Escapism

                        No major updates this week - I got a chance to play Inis for the first time. The art is amazing, and I love the commitment to resonance with some of the mechanics. But I'm guessing the rulebook was originally in French? The wording was ambiguous in some place, felt repetitious in others.
My clans (in blue) trying to keep peace at the capital.

The Brain Box
~ inputs for creative outputs ~
▶️ The Murder Game Revolution That Has Gripped China - I'm guessing that you also just learned about jubensha this week from People Make Games. If not, allow me to introduce you to this game genre. Personally, my first thought was that this is a small vindication of all the VtM LARPers from the 2000's.
📖 Some wikipedia tidbits this week:

Five Techniques - An ominous name for torturous interrogation methods developed by the UK in the 20th century.

Throne Verse - On a much lighter note, this iconic verse from the Quran establishes the incomparable sovereignty of God.

Jantar Mantar - literally "instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens." A beautiful series of building/structures that each served specific astronomical purposes.

Ten Religious Orders
~ ornaments and portents ~
I have a soft spot for mystery traditions, cults, and esoterica. I like the idea of mixing mundane needs with confounding presentation. Sure, the monk appears to be aging in reverse and the echoes of their voice seems to stain every nearby surface, but they're really just worried about being late to the monthly meeting of elders and hope you know which street they should take.
d10 You can identify them by  They devote themselves to But they are infamous for
1 The silver cord loosely connecting their neck to their left wrist. The mystery rites they perform during each new moon. Their questionable commitment to their vows of celibacy.
2 Their glowing feet and the scent of cinnamon that follows them. Identifying and securing instances of what they call “The Serpent’s Kiss.” Summoning the dead and binding them to ceremonial instruments (supposedly).
3 Their insistence on walking in groups of three at all times. Taking care of the homeless. Their aggressive recruitment methods.
4 The magically enlarged conch shells they wear on their heads. Gold filigree is inlaid to the ridges of the shell. Their core practices of ecstatic dance and bracelet making. Their noisy political demonstrations.
5 Their symbolic manacles they wear, resembling two tree stumps. Their tradition of linen-making. Their penchant for taking over buildings and declaring them holy sites.
6 Their shadows, which are always cast in front of them, slightly too large, regardless of any light sources. Their tenets of Reciprocity and Free Love. Their public burial rites, which outsiders find grisly.
7 Their collars of animate doves’ wings. They flutter in the presence of lies. Contemplation of what they call “the map-body-divine.” Only speaking in confessions of guilt.
8 The faint echo their voices have, even when whispering. Strict dietary law, including consuming only uncooked food. Their tradition of grafting elder monks onto younger monks.
9 Their symbolic manacles they wear, resembling two tree stumps. Mastering a secret technique that allows them to not breathe. Magically inscribing their secret texts on the inside of living animals.
10 Their orange robes and the many charms on the necklaces they wear. Perfecting a magical song structure that cleanses a space. Rejecting anyone from the order who was born right-handed.
---
Thanks
Have fun. Be weird.
-Strange Years

                            Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to From Strange Years:

d10	You can identify them by	They devote themselves to	But they are infamous for
1	The silver cord loosely connecting their neck to their left wrist.	The mystery rites they perform during each new moon.	Their questionable commitment to their vows of celibacy.
2	Their glowing feet and the scent of cinnamon that follows them.	Identifying and securing instances of what they call “The Serpent’s Kiss.”	Summoning the dead and binding them to ceremonial instruments (supposedly).
3	Their insistence on walking in groups of three at all times.	Taking care of the homeless.	Their aggressive recruitment methods.
4	The magically enlarged conch shells they wear on their heads. Gold filigree is inlaid to the ridges of the shell.	Their core practices of ecstatic dance and bracelet making.	Their noisy political demonstrations.
5	Their symbolic manacles they wear, resembling two tree stumps.	Their tradition of linen-making.	Their penchant for taking over buildings and declaring them holy sites.
6	Their shadows, which are always cast in front of them, slightly too large, regardless of any light sources.	Their tenets of Reciprocity and Free Love.	Their public burial rites, which outsiders find grisly.
7	Their collars of animate doves’ wings. They flutter in the presence of lies.	Contemplation of what they call “the map-body-divine.”	Only speaking in confessions of guilt.
8	The faint echo their voices have, even when whispering.	Strict dietary law, including consuming only uncooked food.	Their tradition of grafting elder monks onto younger monks.
9	Their symbolic manacles they wear, resembling two tree stumps.	Mastering a secret technique that allows them to not breathe.	Magically inscribing their secret texts on the inside of living animals.
10	Their orange robes and the many charms on the necklaces they wear.	Perfecting a magical song structure that cleanses a space.	Rejecting anyone from the order who was born right-handed.