Fantasist's Scroll

Yeah, okay, so I’m a little late this week.
Still, I managed to find a fairly decent Friday Fun Link for you all. This comes from Boing Boing and is actually a list of links with a fun, but odd, theme: Animal Games. Basically, just a collection of games that you can play on the web which have animal themes to them. My favorite is worm battleship. Too funny.

Anyway, it’s Friday and you’ve got your link now, so go have fun.

Or, Why Everyone Else Fears Friday the Thirteenth!
I always thought it was because Judas was the Thirteenth Apostle or something like that. No, according to this article on GlobalPsychics.com, it has to do with the plot to suppress the Knights Templar. Hey, stop laughing! That’s what it says!! And, I quote:

The modern basis for the Friday the 13th superstition stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant against “the Knights Templar”. The Templars were terminated as heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified. A Black Friday indeed!

So, there you have it, Friday the Thirteenth is a global conspiracy! Personally, I usually have better luck on Friday the Thirteenth, but, then, I always have been a little out of step with the world. Oh, and here’s a link to some alternate ideas why everyone else is afraid of Friday the Thirteenth.
Enjoy it.

I do not know what this is.
No, really, I’m not quite sure what this is supposed to be. A game? The start of a site? Do they expect us to submit books and reviews to it? If so, they don’t seem to provide an interface to submit “found” books. Perhaps it’s just a thought experiment?
Tell you what, it’s Friday, and if you’re wasting time reading this blog instead of working, you might as well go check out the Interstitial Library yourself. If you figure it out, come back and leave a comment to help the rest of us!

Just more of that crazy floating lake.
This time, instead of World War Two bombers, I’ve filled the skies with fantastical fantasy airships. There’s just something about the surreality of islands and lakes hanging, unsupported in the sky that cry out for fantasy zeppelins scooting amongst the clouds.

It also seemed like a good way to start the new year. Frankly, last year was a long, brutal year and starting this new one with a bit of whimsy seemed appropriate.
Happy New Year!

Well, I just keep on doing art, eh?

This was inspired by Views by Roger Dean. He’s one of the artists behind the amazing sets that Yes used to use on tour. Bizarre, alien landscapes are his stock and trade. The images he has of floating islands, especially with lakes and oceans in the island, just really captured my imagination as a kid. Totally engrossing and mind expanding. Incredible.

Anyway, that’s what inspired me to try to make my own, photo-realistic floating lake. I hope you like it.

I always love collections of fantasy names.
Of course, I have my own set of fantasy name generators right here, but, sometimes, you need inspiration from other sources. And, frankly, getting fantasy names down so that they sound “right”, but still different and alien, is a big challenge. At least, it is for me. So, that’s why I fell in love with this site: Fantasy Names.
The names are all at other sites, and I don’t think they list mine, but this is about the best collection of links to every kind of name generator, fantasy, science-fiction and otherwise, that I’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for fantasy names, for whatever the reason, it’s worth a look.
Besides, it’s a Friday and if you’re reading my blog, you don’t have anythng better to do anyway, so click the link!

Well, I told you it was part of a series!
So, yes, this is the same thing with the fish, but this time, I’ve added a sunken temple and a boat. But, the temple is way off in the background and the boat is basically invisible, except for the hull in the water. Still, it’s a pretty good composition, I think. (You don’t have to agree.)
And, whatever else it is, at least it’s art!

That’s “Godzilla” to all us non-Japanese.
Scientists have found the remains of what seems to be a Godzilla-like creature. Basically, this sucker is a cross between T. Rex and an ancient crocodile that lived in the sea. Not content to eat fish, like most crocodillians of his age, this bad-boy ate other dinos. He didn’t just fish, but he hunted. No radioactive fire-breath, but, otherwise, pretty much like Godzilla.
Now, freeze that and mix in a little radioactive waste and…. Suddenly, that movie doesn’t seem quite so bad!