11 May 1993
It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything. A couple of weeks I think. I’m not even sure what day it really is. I think it’s been about three weeks since I… died or whatever happened to me. Since I woke up in this horrible place.
I came across another person today. A living person, I mean. A little girl. She was sitting in the passenger seat of an old burnt out car. She doesn’t talk. I don’t know how old she is or anything. It took me like 45 minutes just to get her out of there, first, because it was hard to get the damn thing open. The doors were all rusted shut from sitting outside for… I dunno, forever I guess. I don’t even know how she got into the damn thing without getting tetanus. But then, once I got the driver side door open, by prying it with a rusty piece of rebar, she wouldn’t come out for another 20 minutes. She just stared at me dumbly while I asked her over and over to come out. Kinda creepy really.
She has little brown pig-tails and wears a little dress like a school uniform from the ‘50s. She followed me for the rest of the day until we came across this house. All the walls are still standing. That's a plus, I guess. There are two sofas in the living room that haven’t completely rotted away. She’s sleeping on the shorter one now as I write this.
I wonder how she got here. Was it like me? Did she die and come to this… Hell? Is she even real or just a figment of my imagination? I don’t understand any of this. I wish this were all just a dream. I wish I could just wake up tomorrow back in my bed in…
Editor’s Note: This fragment was found written on two brown pages, the second of which was torn in half, the bottom missing. The text is written in blue pen ink. The pages were found folded in the back cover of a Gideon’s Bible in a motel in Vancouver, Canada in 1983. By various scientific methods, the paper has been dated to the early twentieth century.
Here you'll find some of the lost fables, poems, and myths believed to come from an ancient tome known only to the rarest wizened traveler. It has no name in any language that has stood the test of time. Only a vague description remains. Gold leaf paper between two smoothly hewn sandlewood boards. It is said the cover is blank and has never accepted inscription. It is known simply as the Book.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
The Thirteen Malaises
The Thirteen Malaise
Compiled and edited by Dr. Frederick Van Hinkelswich
1933
Introduction
Since the discovery of self-awareness men have sought to understand and explain the conditions and phenomena of the worlds they inhabit. Not having the tools or know-how to probe deep under the hood of the natural world, they could only imagine what it must have taken to create it and the things that live there. Who could have designed the intricate workings of the human body? Different cultures created different- yet similar- stories of powerful beings that can create light simply by thinking it. Or they can hurl lightning, or can live forever, invisibly watching over their beloved or hated creations. The stories of these great beings get written down or remembered in songs and oral traditions and forever after they get passed from generation to generation and, once learned, are accepted as simple fact from birth to death.
There have been thousands (probably more) of these religions and metaphysical ideologies throughout the worlds. Many are similar with minor tweaks, but believe me, all are wrong. All are based on conjecture and none can stand up to historical scrutiny.
Nevertheless, Let me assure you, there are powerful beings out there. Although they have power to manipulate the natural world- and they often fancy doing so- they did not create it. Some of them want men to believe they are gods or angels, but, just like you or I, they were born on a green earth, and they can die there.
To believe in these “gods” you don’t have to consult any ancient holy text. For proof of what I’ve said, all you must do is meet one in person. Throughout my planar travels, through much strife, I managed to interact with no less than eight of these powerful and colorful beings. Each encounter was more bizarre or wonderful than the last.
The travelers among you will have heard of the thirteen malaise. Also known as the thirteen divines on other planes. They have other names as well. In most belief systems, each one represents a condition of the human soul. In this humble tome, I shall describe in detail what I know of each one.
Contents:
1. Skepticism
Personifications: Lack of Faith. Disbelief. Explanation. Fear.
2. Acquiescence
Personifications: Lack of Curiosity. Faith. Giving up. Satisfaction.
3. Nostalgia
Personifications: The Good ol’ days. Homesickness. Conservatism.
4. Mortality
Personifications: Old Age. Death. Running out of time.
5. Boredom
Personifications: Curiosity. Liberalism. Spontaneity.
6. Disorder
Personifications: Chaos. Messiness. Lack of Planning
7. Necessity
Personifications: Hunger or Thirst. Poverty. Illness or Disease.
8. Squander
Personifications: Extravagance. Missed Opportunities. Tardiness and Time wasting.
9. Vengeance
Personifications: Anger or Rage. Envy and Jealousy. Justice.
10. Passion
Personifications: Addiction. Unrequited love. Determination and Learning.
11. Distraction
Personifications: Amusement. Procrastination. Art.
13. Oblivion
Personifications: Forgetfulness. Ungratefulness and dismissal. Stupidity.
Editor's Note: The above text comes from the first two and only remaining pages of a leather bound book found on a library book shelf in a delapidated and burnt out castle of north eastern Scotland. The rest of the pages were torn out and no where to be found. It should be noted that the book showed no signs of burn damage even though the rest of the books surrounding it were damaged beyond legibility by fire sometime in the late nineteenth century. The library itself was located on the basement level, the entrance of which was blocked by large stones that had once formed the castle foundation. The reader may also notice that there are only twelve names or chapters listed on the contents page. These facts lead to only some of the many unanswered questions surrounding this mysterious tome.
Compiled and edited by Dr. Frederick Van Hinkelswich
1933
Introduction
Since the discovery of self-awareness men have sought to understand and explain the conditions and phenomena of the worlds they inhabit. Not having the tools or know-how to probe deep under the hood of the natural world, they could only imagine what it must have taken to create it and the things that live there. Who could have designed the intricate workings of the human body? Different cultures created different- yet similar- stories of powerful beings that can create light simply by thinking it. Or they can hurl lightning, or can live forever, invisibly watching over their beloved or hated creations. The stories of these great beings get written down or remembered in songs and oral traditions and forever after they get passed from generation to generation and, once learned, are accepted as simple fact from birth to death.
There have been thousands (probably more) of these religions and metaphysical ideologies throughout the worlds. Many are similar with minor tweaks, but believe me, all are wrong. All are based on conjecture and none can stand up to historical scrutiny.
Nevertheless, Let me assure you, there are powerful beings out there. Although they have power to manipulate the natural world- and they often fancy doing so- they did not create it. Some of them want men to believe they are gods or angels, but, just like you or I, they were born on a green earth, and they can die there.
To believe in these “gods” you don’t have to consult any ancient holy text. For proof of what I’ve said, all you must do is meet one in person. Throughout my planar travels, through much strife, I managed to interact with no less than eight of these powerful and colorful beings. Each encounter was more bizarre or wonderful than the last.
The travelers among you will have heard of the thirteen malaise. Also known as the thirteen divines on other planes. They have other names as well. In most belief systems, each one represents a condition of the human soul. In this humble tome, I shall describe in detail what I know of each one.
Contents:
1. Skepticism
Personifications: Lack of Faith. Disbelief. Explanation. Fear.
2. Acquiescence
Personifications: Lack of Curiosity. Faith. Giving up. Satisfaction.
3. Nostalgia
Personifications: The Good ol’ days. Homesickness. Conservatism.
4. Mortality
Personifications: Old Age. Death. Running out of time.
5. Boredom
Personifications: Curiosity. Liberalism. Spontaneity.
6. Disorder
Personifications: Chaos. Messiness. Lack of Planning
7. Necessity
Personifications: Hunger or Thirst. Poverty. Illness or Disease.
8. Squander
Personifications: Extravagance. Missed Opportunities. Tardiness and Time wasting.
9. Vengeance
Personifications: Anger or Rage. Envy and Jealousy. Justice.
10. Passion
Personifications: Addiction. Unrequited love. Determination and Learning.
11. Distraction
Personifications: Amusement. Procrastination. Art.
13. Oblivion
Personifications: Forgetfulness. Ungratefulness and dismissal. Stupidity.
Editor's Note: The above text comes from the first two and only remaining pages of a leather bound book found on a library book shelf in a delapidated and burnt out castle of north eastern Scotland. The rest of the pages were torn out and no where to be found. It should be noted that the book showed no signs of burn damage even though the rest of the books surrounding it were damaged beyond legibility by fire sometime in the late nineteenth century. The library itself was located on the basement level, the entrance of which was blocked by large stones that had once formed the castle foundation. The reader may also notice that there are only twelve names or chapters listed on the contents page. These facts lead to only some of the many unanswered questions surrounding this mysterious tome.
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