Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part II – The Cons

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’ve wanted to work in video games for years. Actually, it’s because of DAO. I just loved it. But I have no idea how games are made, besides the behind the scenes footage I’ve seen. It takes dozens upon dozens of people working in teams to not only write all the amazing characters and dialogue and story, but there are a variety of artists, and voices actors, and engineers, among so many others. I’m in awe of what they do, and in spite of all the negativity The Veilguard received, it’s still an impressive feat of creativity.

But it has its problems. So let’s start with those.

The removal of The Keep.

With game 3, BioWare included an out-of-game device called The Keep. Decisions made in the past two games could be chosen and altered, which in turn would have an effect on world of the new game. I don’t know what it takes to create and implement such a tactic, so when it was revealed that all our previous decisions throughout the three games would no longer be relevant going forward, fans were understandably upset.

We had choice. We picked certain milestone moments, and now those were being retconned and BioWare was instead making the choice of what would be canon and what was important, which apparently, wasn’t much. So many of the previous decisions had little impact on the story and weren’t even referenced.

The introduction of The Protagonist.

In Origins, you’re the Warden, in DA2, you’re Hawke, and DA:I you become the Inquisitor. In all three games, you could befriend or antagonize your companions, and in Inquisition, you could play evil. Offering the player these different choices and outcomes to the world and its inhabitants deepened the experience, and let you choose how you felt like playing. This offered replayability.

With The Veilguard, our new protagonist is “Rook”. BioWare returned to the idea of origin stories and varying races where your character will come from one of the larger factions in this world – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Shadow Dragons, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, or a Veiljumper. Their past actions, which are all honorable, btw, lead them to be temporarily dismissed from their order, where Varric, the all ’round fan favorite non-romanceable dwarf, recruits you to help track down the Dread Wolf.

They are only likable. You will only befriend your companions. You can choose different dialogue options between nice, sarcastic-ish, or brave, but none are evil. None are truly confrontational. And that limits the replayability. I chose to play as an elf mage from the Grey Wardens. That’s her, Peri, above. She was sarcastic most of the time.

Then there’s The Story.

At the end of Inquisition, we learn our companion Solas, is an ancient elf, a virtual god, aka The Dread Wolf, who wants to pull down the Veil that separates the mortal world from the magical one beyond. He erected it, to stop his fellow gods during a civil war, but it sapped the elves of their immortality and left them vulnerable to being overthrown, the loss of their culture, and eventual enslavement. They are among the lowliest of citizens in this world.

Solas wants to save his people, but at the expense of the rest of the world. Before the end of game three, he disappears, and it is up to the Inquisitor and their allies to save or destroy Solas and his plans. So in game 4, we open ten years later on his trail. He is making his move (finally), and we interrupt it, unleashing chaos as the gods he was keeping contained are now released. Wah wah.

The problem is, all the threads that were developed prior to game 4 no longer seem relevant. Elves were leaving in droves at the end of game 3 to join the Dread Wolf’s cause. There is no mention of them in the new game unless they are among the elves now living in their old home of Arlathan Forest, but that’s not clear. Also, the plan seemed more grandiose than just a relocation program.

Finally, there were comics and short stories that introduced new and familiar characters and story ideas, and for the most part, they are all absent from the game. Where are the talking darkspawn? My problem with the story is that they flipped the script and changed the focus on everything we had been building toward.

Where are our old Friends?

Where is Merrill the elven mage who was trying to unlock the secrets of the mirrors known as eluvians from game 2. The mirrors have played a role across all the games, but more predominantly in 3 and 4. Given her race and experience, where is she?

Our first encounter with the Qunari race is a character named Sten in game 1. Within one of the first comic series, he becomes the Arishok, a leader of the Qunari people. Given that the Qunari have now invaded a number of countries beyond their own, I was hoping he’d make an appearance again.

Game 3, Inquisition is a big game with a number of world shaping decisions, including the ability to influence who will be the next head of the church, The Divine. Three of your companions are being considered for this important role. This was a character that absolutely should have made an appearance since the world is pretty much going to sh*t. There has been cause in the past, and it’s been threatened, to call something referred to as Exalted March to quell uprisings and the like, and there’s no time like the present for their intervention.

Your protagonist from game 3, the Inquisitor does make a few appearances, which was absolutely necessary given their relationship with Solas. For my first game 4 PT, my Inky had romanced Solas so I could see what would happen if and when they were reunited. It’s through them we learn that southern Thedas, where we spent the last three games, is falling to all the chaos. There’s too much to get into with the Warden-turned-Hero of Ferelden and the sitting monarch of Ferelden from game 1 because of the choices and the post game title cards that hint at the future to some degree. Whoever you helped make the King or Queen will make a brief appearance in game 3, but with so much happening, and the regions we helped now under threat once again, where are they?

Then there are those like Fenris, an escaped elven slave from Tevinter imbued with lyrium tattoos due to a magister’s experimentation. He got his own comic series, and because he’s an elf, from a country we’re exploring, I expected to see him again. Where are any of the characters from game 3 that offer to help you track Solas down, like Cassandra? The Iron Bull – your own personal Qunari spy? Sera and her network of Red Jennies? Where is Briala, the once-lover and confidante of the Empress of Orlais, who was part of an underground movement to help the elves? So many missed opportunities.

And side note, I would have paid double if I knew I was getting my cinnamon roll, Alistair and my lion, Cullen back for any length of time.

The Dialogue is Weak.

As an inspiring professional writer, this is where I took the most offense. I wish I had some examples, but I remember often thinking, “Really?” They would over explain things, or reiterate a concept too many times, as if we didn’t remember, and this is why I believe it was written for a younger audience.

Where is the Love?

I endured a disappointing, poorly developed romance with the adorable Antivan Crow, Lucanis. He really got short changed. I met the voice actor at SD Comic Con, so cute, and Lucanis’s appearance in one of the short stories included in the book, Tevinter Nights is a highlight, which is why I was initially drawn to him. If you appreciate a slow burn, then this is for you, but compared to the previous games – the conversations that could be had, the butterflies when your love interest looked at your character a certain way…swoon – that didn’t really happen, except like once.

I’ve only pursued the one romance option so far, so I can only speak to how this one was written. I just wish they would have given him a little more attention.

And a side tangent to this, you could always speak to your companions in the previous games whether you were in camp or walking about. In this game, you could only have a conversation, and sometimes, I wouldn’t even call it that, when the companion has an exclamation point over their head to instigate the convo. Why are we taking steps backward?

That’s it? No DLCs?

Given the culmination of four games, I felt this installment ended rather abruptly. So much had happened, so many countries were affected by the events, and once the main threat was neutralized, the game just sort of ended. There was a little indication of how the world was moving on, but it felt shallow. Then it was announced that there wouldn’t be any more. No DLCs, nothing to wrap up loose ends. A BioWare writer “reassured” fans that Dragon Age isn’t dead, because it stays alive through their own work, and continued by saying that Dragon Age belongs to the fans now.

I’m sure that was meant to sound positive, but it left fans with sort of mixed feelings. Years ago, for the third game in the Mass Effect series, BioWare created a DLC specifically as fan service, and now we can’t get some sort of tie-in/wrap up/love letter? It just leaves me feeling slighted by a franchise that I have devoted a lot of time to, in addition to the emotional and financial investment.

Not topic related, but I had to share this.

Okay, and finally, just a few random annoyances: What happened to building our own gear and weapons? What happened to being able to color change not only our, but our companions’ gear? Why don’t our companions take damage? Why don’t we have to use lyrium vials or injury kits? Why do the dragons nose dive at you?

Oh my. That’s a little more “con” than I wanted to share. I usually like to end my posts on a positive note, but this is just to long at this point, so I hope you’ll stay tuned for the final part of this now series, The Pros.

21Feb2025

Rambling (Not Quite A) Review (Yet) – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part I

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

When the release of the new Dragon Age game was announced, after a long ten year wait, I was both relieved, that it was going to happen in my lifetime, and excited that I might get resolution on some of the story threads that had been woven through the previous three games.

Then, last summer, at San Diego Comic Con, a Dragon Age panel with voice actors from the games was scheduled. The Sis and I made it, met the actors, and got their autographs on an oversized print (see above). They were charming, and kind, and oh so positive about their experience and excited for us to play, that we left feeling hopeful for what was to come.

Fast forward a few months, and nearly everyone with an advance copy unleashed their negativity. I ignored all of it because I really didn’t care what anyone thought, I was always going to play it, and I would have my own opinion without being influenced by people who’s thoughts on it didn’t truly matter to me.

I didn’t buy it right away, which I sort of felt bad about, but I was deep into Baldur’s Gate 3, and I knew, regardless of how BG3 had me smitten, which was completely, I would turn away and play Dragon Age without a second thought. The Sis surprised me with it for Christmas, and after staring at it for a week, I succumbed. I finished my first play through, and I have some thoughts.

Strike that, I have a lot of thoughts. So many in fact, that I think I’m going to have to write this in (at least) two parts.

Sorry.

For those of you who have been with me for a while, you’re well aware of my relationship with the Dragon Age universe. I love it. I love the characters, the story, the lore, and the fandom because they create the most wonderful things. Not only do I have a bit of merch and write fan fiction, I also have a tattoo, and I don’t feel like I’ve even scratched the surface in any of those areas. I always want more.

When the first game, Dragon Age: Origins was released back in 2009, I hadn’t played a video game in years. I had had a lot on my plate for a while, but I saw a commercial for it and I knew.

I had to play it. And I loved it.

It was everything I liked – medieval setting with fantasy elements, dragons, magic, overwhelming odds, an eclectic band of heroes, while also being an RPG (role playing game), where your actions have actual in-world consequences – all the hours spent in this universe…it’s a decision I have never come to regret.

So let’s do a little overview of this world prior to the new game.

In DAO you choose one of six “origin” (human, elf, or dwarf) stories to play as, but no matter which route you chose, you end up being recruited to be part of an old world order known as the Grey Wardens. They are a fabled group, known for their sacrifice in the face of great evil, and in game one, the greatest threat, a Blight, is on the horizon. Hordes of darkspawn, LOTR-like orcs, are lead by an old god-turned dragon known as an archdemon. Only a Warden can kill an archdemon, and by game’s end, there are only a few of you left.

This was the introduction to this world and its people. It was dark and gritty. There were interesting characters, many of whom could be either recruited to your cause, or surprisingly, left for dead at the hands of fate, or your own. There were difficult decisions, and the story left a lasting impression.

Shockingly, on the heels of the success of Origins, Dragon Age 2 was released only two years later to mixed reviews. You play as Hawke, a refugee fleeing the Blight with their family, who becomes a champion to the city of Kirkwall and its people. For most fans, the two big negatives for this game were the lack of choice of race for Hawke, you could only be human, and the reuse of floorplans. Every dungeon was the same design, but honestly, with only two years to create a whole game from scratch, I don’t have much of a problem with it.

We are, again, introduced to some of the best characters, many who continue into game three, and beyond, including Hawke who ended up as the fan favorite protagonist of the DAU. In Act 2, an object is discovered that creates one of the biggest plot points for this world, and a war between the mages and their overseers, the Templars, ensues which, in turn, sparks the events of game three. In one of the DLCs, we are introduced to a creature who is thought of as one of the first ever darkspawn. He plays a major role in game three.

Dragon Age Inquisition was then released just three years later and was an instant hit. It won Game of the Year. It was pretty to look at, it was a fairly large open-ish world, and there was a huge story. The characters continued to be amazing, and the romance aspect was so well done, you actually felt butterflies when you interacted with your love interest. There were political and religious implications, the Grey Wardens were being manipulated and thus had become a threat, and Hawke made an appearance to help.

One of your companions is an elf named Solas. He’s wise and a bit sad, and if you play as a female elf, he’s a romance option. No matter how you play, you learn that Solas is, in fact, an ancient elf, more like a god, known to all from history as The Dread Wolf, who’s responsible for creating a magical barrier that separates the mortal world from a magical one. It’s referred to as the Veil and it plays a part in each game in some manner. Solas is the puppet master of game three, playing out his grand plan from the shadows with the creature from DA2 taking the lead. By the end of Inquisition, a choice is laid out before you, save or destroy your friend, Solas.

So, with ten years in development, expectations for game four, previously known as Dragon Age: The Dread Wolf renamed Dragon Age: The Veilguard were high. Behind the scenes, for years, there was a lot of concern as people who had been with the developer, BioWare for a long time left the company. There seemed to be quite a bit of upheaval, and anyone associated with any of the previous games were no longer present. Updates were few and far between, there were large gaps of silence, and delays continued, bringing expectations down.

And then there was Baldur’s Gate 3.

I feel like it changed the landscape on the whole. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever played, and its release the year before probably had an effect on gamers. We saw what was possible, and now we wanted it, from every game we were going to play going forward, to some degree.

I haven’t read all the details of the behind the scenes drama, but as a long time fan of the series, I can say, without any bias from outside sources, that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a disappointment.

I know. I’m sad about it.

There are a number of things to like, but they are slightly overshadowed by the negatives. The one that immediately stood out to me is that the game feels like it was designed for a younger audience. There was also a feeling of hand holding, if that a makes sense.

Since there were 15 years between the first and last game, you would think that the developers would have considered their fanbase and their advancing age. Yes, you want to make a game accessible to new fans, and old alike, but by game 4, with a continuing story line, maybe they should have kept that at the forefront of the process.

Okay, so that’s a lot of background, and I barely hinted at an actual review….oh my. I’m changing the name of this post, since it’s not that, not yet.

I hope you’ll stick around for Part Two.

19Feb2025

It’s Official. I Am Older Than I Have Ever Been.

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

I turned 50 this week. Yes, you read that correctly.

Five. Zero.

I don’t even think it was a year after I started my blog that I wrote a post about turning 40. And now here we are.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the people I knew growing up who were in their 50s and I can’t believe I am now where they were. They were “old”. They were not just adults, but my elders. They had lived full lives, during decades of great change.

I’m still trying to figure some things out…including, “How am I 50?!”

I’m going to repost my 40 Random and True Things from my previous birthday post with a few updates, and add 10 more to celebrate this momentous occasion. ((insert laugh-cry))

According to my mother, I was the first girl born to my father’s family in 90 years. He was English (so I suppose it’s in my DNA) and gave me two middle names.
I was born in Canada outside of Toronto.
Evidently I was a born swimmer, jumping into the pool when I was about 2 with no floaties and no lessons. I’ve been swimming ever since. I love the water.
I once missed the bus because I forgot my pink elephant, Pinky, for Show-and-Tell. I still have it.
I’m still friends with a girl I met in kindergarten.
I used to sleepwalk occasionally as a child.
I had (still kind of do have) a fascination with fire, and was caught on a few occasions playing with it – like burning the back of the seat of my stepfather’s car. Oh yeah.
I did not like ketchup, until recently, but would eat tomatoes.
I used to have the horrible habit of rolling my eyes…at everything and once fought with my third grade teacher about the date. I argued that the calendar must be wrong. Wow.
I had hair that hung nearly mid-thigh and often pretended to be Madison from Splash – my hair was always green during the summer months.
The first boy I ever had a crush on was named Tommy, but I also thought Kenny Rogers was a “fox”. So there’s that.
Tom Jones brought me on stage once and sang to me. I still have the album he signed for me.
I was in fifth grade when we watched the unfortunate events of the Challenger Space Shuttle take off, and I can still remember it clearly.
I had my bike stolen in fifth grade from outside my house and I got in trouble for it. I wrote my first “novel” about running away from home because my stepfather was a jerk about it.
The book about running away was a school project; we were given a blank hardback book and that was what inspired me to be a writer – the book, not the story. 🙂
I was a ballerina for 16 years.
I once tried out for cheerleading, but quickly realized it was not for me. I joined the volleyball team instead, and regularly hated the cheerleaders’ perpetual perkiness.
I was the third tallest kid in jr. high behind two boys, Conrad and Dean. I was one of the three tallest girls in high school.
I topped out at 6 feet tall by the time I was 18.
I had to wear guy’s jeans until I was almost 20 because they were the only pants that had inseam length. I still have a problem finding clothes that are the right length; my sleeves are always too short, and pants a little high water.
When I was 14, I met my friend Jill at a church youth group camp. We thought we’d be pastors’ wives…oh how the times have changed.
My mother entered me in a beauty pageant at 15. I didn’t crack the top 10.
I did modeling in my teens and was told by a photographer to lose 10 lbs. I was 5’10” and 125 lbs at the time. I quit modeling shortly thereafter.
I sang in my junior high and high school choirs.
I’ve always had very long hair and when I was 15, I rode a go-cart without a cover on the engine. My unbound hair whipped in, and I lost nearly half the hair on the left side of my head. I ended up cutting off about 3 feet of hair to get rid of the burnt, mangled bits.
I had my first kiss at 16 with my best friend at the time, Eric. He thought we should lose our virginities together.
I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 29 and planned on writing a screenplay about it; the 40-Year Old Virgin beat me to it. I had a friend who suggested I sell “it” to the highest bidder, like a geisha and at least make a profit.
I played volleyball for years, despite not getting my varsity letter my junior year because I went on a French Club trip to see The Phantom of the Opera that coincided with state finals. I didn’t play my senior year out of spite – still so stubborn.
I did not go to my Senior Prom. The boy I liked thought I was going with someone else and didn’t ask. At our 10 year reunion he apologized. 🙂
I considered being a showgirl, but was told I was too nice for the business.
I was 19 when I discovered England was “home”, and the love affair began. I’ve only been back once since. Maybe that’s why no place feels like home?!
My brother and I thought about opening up a tea shop, and while in research mode, snuck into a tea convention. Such a rebel.
Titanic was the first movie I ever saw alone.
I went back to college after a 5 year hiatus and graduated 2 months shy of my 30th birthday.
I’ve been a vegetarian for 8 years. It was then that I discovered I’m lactose intolerant, but I’m never giving up cheese or ice cream! Now it’s been 18 years with many borderline vegan.
I haven’t been on a date in 5 years, as I swore off men until I got my career off the ground. I’m willing to lift the ban for the one who “gets me”. Oh, this is a whole other conversation.
I hate horror movies and country music. Don’t come for me.
I have almost every ticket from every movie I’ve ever seen at the theater.
I don’t like drugs because of the loss of control. I’m a bit of a control freak. I’ve “smoked” like 3 times and did shrooms once. It caused me to react with this weird hysterical laugh/cry thing that I did not care for.
Inevitably, no matter where I work, I get the nickname Princess. The Sis says it’s because it’s obvious. I’ve always felt a kinship to Cinderella.

And now the 10 new random facts. I’m going to try to be positive.

Pink is my favorite color, all shades.
Truffle and lavender are among my favorite flavors.
I have a like/dislike relationship with olives, melons, and BBQ flavored things.
The Sis and I got geek tattoos together for her 30th birthday, and now we have new ones planned for my 50th.
I used to decorate cakes.
I used to be the youngest among my friends and coworkers, for a long time. Now the kids under 30 I work with call me “Mom”. Yeah.
For as bad as my memory is, I can still recall two of the best meals I’ve ever had – Nobu in Malibu and Gary Danko’s in San Francisco.
One of the best things I ever did for myself – backpacking in Europe in my 20s.
Deserted island playlist: Enya, Muse, Hans Zimmer, Depeche Mode, and Lady Gaga. This was hard to narrow down.
Favorite “things” in the whole world – my two furkids.

I’m not sure what life lessons are to be found here, but if you need big sister-auntie-mom energy, I’m here for you.

I haven’t officially celebrated yet, that’ll be later this week, but it feels good to spend some time here with all of you. So, thank you! And Happy Birthday to me! ((insert laugh-cry))

xx, Rach

11Feb2025

Writing Prompt Challenge Accepted #30

Posted in Writing Prompt by Rachael C Marek

The planner is still working for me ((thumbs up)). I set some time aside to write three new flash fiction pieces, making 5 of 16. And it’s only February. I’m already so far ahead of last year.

Why did no one tell me of this before?! Sheesh. I feel like I should have figured this out sooner, and I’d be so much further along in all aspects of my life. This is one of those things that comes with age. Right?

Anyway, here are February’s offerings.

Humans

Humans were obsessed with space. They hadn’t even discovered the entirety of their own planet, and yet they were willing to traverse the vastness of dark space. They were silly creatures; prone to all manner of emotional outburts and frivolity. We had been among them for years, and they were none the wiser. We had done what we could to aid them in their advancement of basic “humanity” and science, but they were a stubborn bunch, only willing to coexist and rally around one another for the most inane of causes. They so rarely saw eye to eye.

We had finally had our fill, unwilling to continue to bear witness to their ever declining state and left them to their own devices one autumn evening in spectacular fashion. Or so we thought. We timed it with one of their own explorative device launches, but they never saw it. They never knew what we had tried to do for them, what we had done for them. It’s not even worth mentioning now. Perhaps we’ll see them again one day. Perhaps not. Only time will tell what they’ll make of themselves.

Fibonacci

Casi stood in the center of the church, a kalidescope of color raining down upon her from above. She looked up, overwhelmed by the beauty of the hundreds of stained glass panels spiraling in a Fibonacci pattern from the tallest dome of the structure. The colors told a story, one she wasn’t adept at interpreting, but she felt the impact nonetheless.

The colors were only truly present at high noon when the sun, at it’s zenith, reflected their purpose, so there was only a short time each day to spend in reflection. Casi was given an hour. Her special ability was being tested, albeit unfairly. She had only just come into her power, and discovering the intention of the ancient marvel was something she wasn’t prepared for. She wasn’t sure she ever would be. Whoever had designed the unique feature had been touched in their own way.

Dad

It’s hard to think of Death as anything other than what he is.

He’s the inescapable end.

The intangible.

The anti-thesis.

The great neutralizer.

The last measure for which almost all beings are desperate to avoid, and willing to barter and sacrifice any and all in an attempt at thwarting his purpose. It rarely works.

He’s also a father. My father. I call him Daddy when I’m feeling especially light-hearted, and although I’m mortal, he treats me like the rarest, most spectacular being to have ever existed. With so many afraid of him, unwilling to greet him, even those he considers his peers, I was an unexpected delight to his lonely existence.

You may wonder how it is a mortal child found herself in Death’s grasp without crossing over. It’s not that exciting a story, just luck, I suppose, that a sad deity took pity on an abandoned tot.

There was a time he was afraid to touch me, because each time he did, it stilled my heart, but eventually, it no longer had an effect, I became something else. And how could I not share my affection with him? Mortals crave contact, and he discovered it was something he needed as well. So while I may have been raised in a strange realm, with an unconvential parent, I thrive. I live. Something that might not have occurred should I have been left alone that winter’s night long ago.

~ * ~

I’d be delighted to read your creations, if you’d like to join me in the writing prompt challenge. Be sure to tag me or put a link in the comments, and I’ll share your work here, with your permission, of course.

Happy Writing!

26Jan2025

Writing Prompt Challenge Accepted #29

Posted in Writing Prompt by Rachael C Marek

One of my writing goals is to write 16 new flash fiction pieces. I think I may have made the same declaration last year as well, but I bought a planner this year to keep better track and make more manageable the goals I have for 2025. I usually make a big list, but breaking it down, month-to-month, seeing it in smaller, more digestible increments, has been vastly more beneficial…so far. Yay!

So I offer up the two flash fictions I wrote for January. I try to just free write, keep it short, around 200 words, and do little editing. This is just a way to get out of my stringent screenwriting mindset.

Spotlight

She stood in the wings, bathed in bright light from across the stage. She always felt a little nervous, right up until the moment her toes hit the floor. She hadn’t had time to finish prepping her shoes, they still felt a bit stiff, but they’d be broken in before the end of the first dance, and rendered practically useless by the end of the show. She continued to point her toes while bouncing lightly to keep warm and limber.

The music ebbed and flowed and she listened intently for her cue, while doing her best to ignore the jealous whispers of those who would never stand where she was. Not everyone could be a prima.

She was a rare breed. Years spent in lessons, ignoring nearly everything else, had earned her the opportunity of a lifetime, one that would end sooner than was reasonable, but while she was here, she would enjoy every moment.

Stained

The Emerald Graves was the kind of place where you could easily imagine magical things happened on a regular basis. The trees were a shade of green not seen anywhere else, the water was clearer than she’d ever seen, and as if to add to its mysterious nature, a light mist draped everything in a soft white blanket. When they arrived to the remote forest, the fabled land of the elves, a certain amount of reverence felt owed. It wasn’t called the Graves because someone was trying to be clever. If the histories were true, the land was one large graveyard.

Was that supposed to bring anyone any meaure of comfort? There was a strange silence present, and they felt like they were being watched. So, they limited their conversations, kept to the main road, and did their best to not disturb the flora and fauna. They made a small camp in a clearing of what remained of an ancient ruin and slept uneasily in the eerie quiet the forest offered in the waning hours of the night.

She was an elf. She found solace in being in a place her ancestors once called home. So little of their great empire remained, but every so often, there was a glimpse, a wisp, and the Emerald Graves was one such place. She gave her friends a sympathetic smile as they tried to ignore the shivers up their spines. They were unnerved, for a number of reasons, but this place, while romantic and beautiful, was also drenched in blood, and that was a stain that no matter how well hidden, left a mark.

~ * ~

I’d love if you’d join in the writing prompt challenge! I’ve posted 158 images and phrases for inspiration so far, so feel free to poke around and see if anything catches your eye.

Happy Writing!

28Dec2024

Bye Bye, 2024!

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

Hi friends!

Yes, I’m still around.

For those of you who have been with me for a while now, you’ve probably noticed how I sometimes go radio silent from time to time – I lose track of time, or I don’t have anything to say, or I move out of state, or find myself overwhelmed by adulting – this recent bout of silence was not actually due to any of those things, surprisingly.

While celebrating my blog’s Tenth Anniversary, I became quite depressed by the state of my writing life. Reflecting on each year and discovering how little progress I was actually making towards my goal of becoming a professional writer, I decided to take a step back (way, way back).

During these last many months, I didn’t have anything to say that didn’t sound trite or like I was just trying to placate my own perceived failures. “Keep reaching for your goal!” or “It’s never too late to dream big!” blah blah blah…every time I sat down to say something to not just inspire all of you, but myself as well, I would just think, “It’s all bullish*t. Where have any of those positivity quotes and bits of inspiration actually gotten me?”

I felt like quite the fraud.

So I avoided this space, a place I had dedicated 10 years to, to get my head back on straight, and it didn’t take long to discover a few things about myself:

I want to be a writer. Like really. I’ve been saying it for a while (and I actually do it most of the time), but it still holds true. It’s not just something I want to say I also do because my day job is crap and it’s a way for me to feel better about myself, like, “Hey! I have other aspirations beyond this, random stranger.” It’s how I want to spend my time. I want to be surrounded by creatives with similar goals and passion. I want some camaraderie and vested interest. That’s the circle I want to be a part of, not what I currently have via the day job because I’ve realized…
I hate my day job. Like really. It’s easy, mind numbing work, fairly stress-free and I only bring it home to b*tch with The Sis because she works there too. But I loathe going in (so does she, might I add), and am currently off on worker’s comp due to an injury, so there’s that. It’s a mostly friendly environment, I like quite a few of the people I work with, but it’s not a career, nor is it creative or inspiring. Recently, a coworker asked why I worked there. “You’re too smart for this place.” Well thanks! And maybe that’s why I’m unhappy.
I dream big (some might say too big. Me. I’m the one saying that.), but need to scale back the annual goal setting because I set myself up for failure each year because I want to do too many things all the time. I have too many interests. Too many goals. As I was writing down my list for the new year, I wrote that I wanted to write a novel, in addition to rewriting almost all of my scripts, creating a show bible, my reading/movie watching goals, building a website, researching my ancestry, playing the library of video games each waiting for their turn, relearning the piano, and continuing to learn French, while eating better, getting well so I can get back to yoga, doing more with The Sis and the puppers…I mean, c’mon. I’m out of control. Oh, and I have a Big Birthday coming up in less than 2 months, so there’s some planning required for that milestone.

((deep sigh))

I need a time manager.

I know I will never watch all the movies I want. I know I will never play all the games. Or read all the books. Or see all the sights in person. I may never even rewrite some of my own work. I have to learn to live with this, and for the most part I have, I just sometimes wish that the days were longer, or I was faster at doing some things to maybe make a bigger dent, but whatever, this is who I am.

So, you may be wondering, “What did she do this year instead of coming here?”

Well, I made, and exceeded, my reading goal. Favorite books this year were All Systems Red by Martha Wells (I’m obsessed with the Murderbot series) and Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett. So so good.

I made, and exceeded, my movie watching goal. Some of my favorites this year were the French sci-fi Vesper which needs its own series to expand upon, TMNT: Mutant Mayhem was adorable, Godzilla Minus One surprised me, and of course, Deadpool and Wolverine. It’s just a good time.

There was some great tv this year. Fallout was tops for me. Just good from start to finish, even if you haven’t played any of the games, it’s accessible. Arcane S2 was great, but I think season one was better. I discovered a different kind of superhero story in the British series, Extraordinary, and a hilarious Australian comedy from 20 years ago called Kath & Kim.

I’ve nearly finished writing a new screenplay, tentatively titled, Man of Sin. (Yes, I’ve been playing with a poster creator.) I’ll talk more about this later. This is the story that I think needs to become a novel. It’s taken on a life of its own, the characters are so cute together, and it’s currently sitting at 137 pages with no end in the direct vicinity. I’m hoping to have the first draft finished by new year. I also started a new chapter of my Dragon Age fanfic.

I’m almost finished with my first playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 which may have turned my head to become the best game I’ve ever played. Yes, it is that good. I’ll write about it next year, when I’m officially done. It’s going into the new tattoo. So yeah, you know I like it.

The Sis and I attended San Diego Comic-Con again this year.

And we had to come to terms with the death of our estranged father. That was…a strange time.

So that’s a peek into what I’ve been up to this year, and now it’s coming to a close. I can’t believe 2024 is at its end. It gets a little faster every year.

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels.com

So, if you’ve made it this far, I just wanted to say, Thank You! for sticking with me these past 10 years and for being a wonderful community of the kind of people I want to surround myself with. I’m still not 100% sure of how I want to proceed here, I have a few changes in mind, but I hope you’ll stay for the journey.

I wish you all well, my friends! Stay weird and creative and inspiring, and hopefully 2025 will prove a fruitful year.

Happy New Year!!

xx, Rach

14Feb2024

Quote of the Week

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

So some of you may have noticed that I have not finished my 10 Year Retrospective. I wanted the final entry to be something a little different, and it’s still in the works, and will still be posted within the time frame for which it is relevant. ((wink))

I wanted to get back to The Routine. The “Plan”. I enjoy sharing quotes and reflecting on how they mirror what’s currently happening in my life, as this blog is sort of a diary as well.

“I’m not in the mood.” How often have we uttered this phrase? And not just in relation to our writing, but maybe our lives, in general. I’ve let a number of things slide or fall to the wayside for a little while because I just don’t want to deal with it. Even things that are relatively important.

Hi. My name is Rachael and I’m a procrastinator.

But many writers I know are too. It’s a common trait. Something that binds us.

We like the pressure, and yet, I think most of do better when we have some sort of schedule – some semblance of order.

I have, for some time now, had a plan in place, steps in which I would write or rewrite projects, create other content, in addition to the other checklist items that would help me build my creative network, etc.

Goodness. It sounds like a full time job.

If only.

This is why it’s important to work towards our goals, even when we don’t “feel” like it. We have a plan in place to keep us on track. Even if we only eke out a little each day, that small measure of progress is better than none at all.

I still need to share my 2024 goals (I’ll do that shortly as well) and I hope you’re doing better than I am currently. I can’t believe it’s the middle of February. I already feel behind.

So here’s to sticking with a plan versus waiting for inspiration to strike!

Wishing you all a goal achieving new year!

Happy Writing!

2Feb2024

Writing Prompt Challenge Accepted #28

Posted in Posts, Writing Prompt by Rachael C Marek

I was left in a bit of an awed state when I discovered I hadn’t written any flash fictions, aka risen to the writing prompt challenge, since October of 2022. You read that correctly – 2022.

What?! How?!

Eesh.

That’s embarrassing.

Up until now, I’ve been sitting on an abysmal 68 flash fiction pieces based on the writing prompts I’ve shared…of which I’ve posted 158. That’s not a great ratio. One of my goals for January, because I was counting it as part of 2023 ;P was to complete 80. Twelve more quick stories in a month. Sure, I could do that.

I did not.

The month got a little weird. I’ve written 6.

Here’s what I’ve got so far: 69-74.

Fate

There was something to be said about this place. I could understand why so many of my compatriots had achieved such success. It was a playground. The mortals were more than ripe for the picking – their pains, their desires, their strange compulsions – they were an intersting, odd bunch. And they were so willing to offer up any price to obtain what they believed would bring them the ultimate happiness.

They were so often mistaken.

When I arrived on their plane, it was because I had felt something. A pull at the center of my being. I hadn’t felt it in at least half a dozen millenia. I could barely recall what it was, but I knew I had to seek it out. Follow the draw.

I stood on a rooftop in time to watch the setting sun put off its warm glow. High above the throng, I could reflect in the quiet, could sense the sway. My wings twitched with understanding. Vengeance was on the horizon. Lust and vengeance.

Adamant

*This is a snippet of the fan fiction I wrote when we first moved. It was the story that had made itself known at the inopportune moment, and this image spoke to the loneliness, the isolation, and the weight that a certain decision put upon them.

In the words of her infamous friend, “Well, sh*t.”

Hawke had never been one to just take it. Whatever “it” was. She wasn’t one to wallow, although Maker knew she had enough reasons to, so as she sat down hard upon the ground slick with the remains of the demon she had just spent what felt like hours defeating, knowing she had been left alone in the Fade, she took a moment and allowed herself to grieve for the predicament she now found herself in.

She had turned a side-eye towards the Inquisitor to ensure her path to freedom, for it was she, alone, who had the power to change things. Having only met her a couple of times before traipsing through the Fade with her, Hawke had formed a kinship with the woman the world both revered and feared. Hawke understood better than most how a reputation could proceed a person. Like her friend and distant family, the Warden and Hero, the Inquisitor, too, was the kind of woman people wanted to believe in and follow, and it was one of the reasons Hawke had offered to stay behind – to be of service to the Herald.

It was strange. Hawke had never considered herself the religious type. She blamed Sebastian’s influence.

The fight had been one of the hardest Hawke could recall enduring, in part because she had been alone. Once the spirit, or whatever it was, that resembled The Most Holy departed along with her new friends, Hawke had been on her own to face down a monstrosity the size of The Hanged Man. That may be a slight exaggeration, but only just.

The moment she sat down the physical strain of the fight, the waning adrenaline, and the thoughts of Fenris made themselves known. Doing her best to keep her tears in check, she choked back both a health and lyrium vial, felt their warmth spread through her body, and watched the light show in the distance. The Inquisitor had made it out and sealed the breach behind her.

It was official. Hawke was f*cked.

Sitting Duck

She hated feeling so useless. She was tired of being afaid. Since the day she and her sister had been abducted, she had been rendered powerless. Ineffectual. Helpless. She had to rely on others with whom she shared no common, well, anything. She could call them aliens, but she was, in fact, the alien, and she was on a steep learning curve. Not only was she a foreigner in a foreign galaxy, she was being hunted at every turn.

In order to give themselves more options of where to turn or hide, they had been able to piece together a makeshift enviro-suit. It offered her some protection from the strange elements, but it was cumbersome, and she often times felt claustrophobic.

As they tucked her into the confined space, she knew that they had stayed too long. They had gotten comfortable, and she hadn’t taken advantage the time and peace had offered her. She could have at least learned some fighting or defensive skills so she wouldn’t have to solely rely on the others for her protection, as she was doing now.

She could hear the fighting just beyond her barricade. It made her stomach tie in knots. If she couldn’t help those who were willing to defend her, what use was she going to be in saving her sister? She was tired of being afraid. She hated feeling so useless.

The Stage

Artemis had been in the facility for nearly a year when the simulations began. It started out like school. She had geography lessons, language arts, world politics, and P.E. Then introductions into bomb diffusal, martial arts, computer hacking, and weapons training. Finally, they tested her resiliance. Her powers. She had to be prepared for any eventuality that she might encounter in the field, and with her natural skill set, the challenges were designed specifically with them in mind. They weren’t traditional training tactics. Not what you might endur in the military or even black ops, because those were created for normal people. And she was not normal.

Neither were any of the others she’d crossed paths with on rare occasions. She had to prove she was loyal before they’d allow her to interact with the others. So as she hung suspended mid-air in restraints crafted to hold both sides of her in place, she had to wonder what they would consider a show of loyalty. She had allowed them to poke and prod her for months. Torture wasn’t a word they liked to use, because they considered themselves the good guys, doing work for the greater good. Preparation. That was their end goal for her training. So, she let them mold her into the weapon they desired, test her limits, and extend her reach because, as they so often liked to remind her, she was destined for great things…and what was a life without purpose?

Photo by Tobias Bju00f8rkli on Pexels.com

Tombstone

After nearly a year of strange dreams, Hannah decided something must be done about it. Bits and pieces of people and places flashed in both her sleeping and waking lives, and while it was driving her mad, she also felt it might be the universe trying to tell her something. She did some research, using the few details she had been able to make out, and pieced together some semblance of an idea of a location. She already knew it was somewhere in England, given the moments she had experienced in her dreams. What she didn’t know was exactly where on the isle.

Or when.

From the look of the people she “interacted” with, they were dressed in the Victorian era – cravats and top hats, high collars and bustles – the streets were cobblestone and the manors weren’t age weathered. Because of the time period, there weren’t any markers to designate a town or any places of interest, so trying to determine where to find the place plaguing Hannah’s life was difficult.

With effort, and friendly and helpful people, she found the remnants of a manor she believed to be the place she had seen a hundred times in her dreams. Not far from London, in a manor that had not survived the bombings during WWII, she was finally able to walk the familiar stone path that led through the jagged remains. A stillness settled over her upon reaching the center of the manor. Familiar wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the feeling of finding home.

That wasn’t what she found unsettling, it was finding her own name on one of the tombstones in the family cemetery.

Conqueror

They called her the Red Queen. They said her robes were dyed in the blood of her fallen enemies. She was to be feared and revered, and most kept a healthy distance from her in order to avoid her wrath should they fall in disfavor with her. She was said to be quick of temper. She could drive one to the very edge of madness with the wave of her hand, and a look, well, it was rumored that should she will it, you would not survive one of her glances.

There was so much heresay. So many stories told in order to keep the peace, the balance.

She was nothing like what they believed.

At least not anymore.

There had been a time when she had used her powers to squash uprisings and quell unrest, but that had been hundreds of years ago. She was quite different now, and she supposed maybe it was a good thing so many still feared her and felt her capable of such violence. It had allowed her realm to experience years of peace while remaining vigilant.

But like all things, this, too, was to come to an end.

She had felt the disturbance long before her advisors had warned her of the impending threat. There were those who wished to challenge her, to test her mettle and see for themselves whether she was still the rightful leader. As she stood at the center of her most faithful and fearsome warriors, she was reminded of the dozens of similar times she had stood before them in other lives. She was unlike any of them, and would prove to those who thought she was wrong, yet again.

~ * ~

I haven’t had anyone join me in the writing prompt challenge in some time. If you made any writing goals that may benefit from trying something new, it would be delightful to read your inspirations based on any of the prompts I’ve shared.

Happy Writing!

4Jan2024

First Quote of 2024

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

Happy New Year, everyone!

So those of you have been with me for some time will probably remember that I’m not a fan of the term “resolution”. I don’t want to resolve myself towards anything that doesn’t truly require that sort of sentiment. I prefer the more apt term “goal”.

I like that a goal can be set at any time, not just the beginning of a new year, although the start of a year brings with it a pretty decent measuring stick. I set my reading and watching goals at the start. My writing goals fluctuate throughout the year, although I try to give myself a handful to begin with as part of a plan to not be aimless.

They’ve been kind of the same for a while now…

It may be time to make some different choices…

Like the quote above states – just begin.

I mentioned in my New Year’s Eve post that I had extended some of my writing goals into January due to our move, and so it is my unofficial new year’s resolution, nope, still don’t like it, goal to reevaluate those particular writing goals in February. To put it out in the universe, I’ll share them with you then.

What do you want to achieve in 2024? Say it aloud. Write it down. Post it in view. Let’s make it happen!

Sending you positive vibes and best wishes for a productive and prosperous new year!

31Dec2023

Bye bye, 2023!

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

I’m sure you’ve heard it a few times by now, maybe even said it a number of times yourself, but this year flew by.

But really, it did.

With yet another multi-state move, it feels as if most of the year was dedicated to either leaving one place or getting settled in a new one. I still don’t quite feel myself, and I still don’t know where some of our belongings are. ((sigh))

Now that we’ve found a place to live that we like, are both working steadily so that at least we have a sense of financial stability, and have some sort of routine, and now that the holidays are nearly over, I feel like, what I consider, normalcy is within reach.

Optimism.

Knowing that the move was imminent, I set low reaching goals for myself this year. And I made most of them. I initially set out to read 17 books, because that was what I had done the year before (not trying to be an overachiever) but by May I knew that was going to be unattainable, so I adjusted it to 10. I read 11 and actually, to focus on a writing goal, stopped reading all together this last month, so, in theory, I could’ve gotten a bit closer.

I made my movie watching goal of 24 movies and actually exceeded it by 10. I’ll post my annual review in January.

I got my first screenplay professionally read in order to obtain feedback. I started fleshing out a new script, Man of Sin. I’m excited to share the idea with all of you. I started building my network, and have made some progress already.

I didn’t make my writing goals yet, but I also knew with the move it would take too much out of me mentally to focus, so I adjusted my timeline into January. We’ll see where we are in a month. Eek.

I have bigger goals set for 2024 and I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll be better at achieving them. As I’ve said a time or two before, probably because I shared a quote or five in a similar vein, start small, because even those small steps will eventually lead to grand results.

How did you fair this year? Did you achieve most or all of your goals? What are you hoping to tackle next year? If you’d like to share them below, we can try to help each other be accountable.

Hello, 2024! Let’s make you a good one!

I wish you all the very best! Happy New Year! Be safe and be well!

xx, Rach