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【黒執事Ⅱ】アロイス&シエルin迎賓館レポ!

夢の迎賓館に夢の黒執事で行ってきました\(^o^)/本来の目的はローゼンメイデン7体併せ(夢か)だったんですがデータがまだ来ないので先に2着目の黒執事を…(´^ω^`)写真大量なんで畳みますー




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Outfits for Denver Pop Culture Convention 2019 Maxi Dresses & Purple!


Here are all the outfits I wore in Denver recently. I was mostly pleased that I managed to wear the right clothes for the weather... always a risk when packing. And never easy with an event of a Comic Con size.


Day One: Black with Pink Print Maxi Dress from eShakti 


Hat was made for me by a fan.
Dress is from eShakti. Yes it has pockets! (Remember you can make many of their dresses into a maxi dress if you like.)
Leather gloves are vintage. Similar on Amazon.

Day Two: Blue Pattern Maxi Dress


Maxi dress on sale from Nordstrom Rack.
Mesh gloves from Amazon.
Teapot Bag from Amazon.
Turban hat from Amazon.
Sunglasses from Amazon.

Day Three: Purple Pattern Pleated Day Dress


Day dress is vintage 1970s.
Mesh gloves from Amazon.
Teapot Bag from Amazon.
Turban hat from Amazon.
Sunglasses from Amazon


Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle


Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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In Red & Black Pencil Dress in Alameda for the Launch of Reticence


Recently I had an event in Alameda, CA for the launch of Reticence. Because the cover is quite red, I dug into my closet for an old favorite...


This is a red Jessica Wiggle dress from way back in the day. No longer available. 
I paired it with a little back cardy, black vintage leather gloves, cut jet tassel jewelry, a facinator from Amazon. You can find many items similar to these on this list. 
The shoes are from Shoes of Prey, make your own, a service I adore the idea of but hasn't really worked for me. 


Anyway this was a fun out fit to throw together. And I do mean thrown, I had planned on a different dress but I find I have out grown it and don't like the way it looks with this foundation corset so I went into the chopping pile and I had to scramble for an alternative on the fly. 


The previous night I wore a new eShakti for a launch at Borderlands, with leopard accessories: 


Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle


Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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New Teapot Purse ~ Larger & RED from Gail Carriger


I simply haven't been into shopping much recently, Fashionable Reader. Which is  GOOD thing. All in all I shop too much.

However I have a new book out, Reticence. And instead of my usual reward of new shoes, I decided I deserved something special. This is the final book in (for now) my final series in the Parasolverse, so I bought this ridiculous thing of Etsy.


Obviously when I ordered it I thought it was a great deal smaller! 

The vendor is out of Russia so I guess everything is bigger in Russia! 

You see I wanted to round out my teapot purse collection with a red one, since I already have a black kettle and a cream colored bessie. 




However this red one is so big I'm not sure how often it'll be traveling with me. But I will certainly use it for local events.



 Reticence!



Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle


Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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Gail Carriger's Tour of the New Office + Writing Q&A







TEXT
Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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Relaxing Victorians: Casual Wear From Unseen to Seen to Seen by Only a Few ~ Wrappers & Peignoirs & Dressing Gowns to Morning Dresses & Tea Gowns to Lingerie from Gail Carriger


One of the things the Victorian era saw, Fashionable Reader, was an exploration of that liminal space through casual around the house wear.

Wrapper 1855  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Here we have the wrapper that was only meant to be seen by family.

Dressing Gown  early 1870s The Metropolitan Museum of Art


Dressing Gown  1875  The Kyoto Costume Institute

 Dressing gowns, banyans and wrappers are often quilted all or in part.

Wrapper early 1860s  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the signs of a wrapper is that the waist is designed to be loose or tied tight. Often they split up the front, like a carriage dress or a robe so they can be pulled over a nightgown or underpinnings, like a dressing down but slightly more tailored. Still NOT designed to be worn over a corset.


Peignoir 1860-1865  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Peignoir  1880s  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 Peignoir seems to be a catch all term.

Morning Dress  1860  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Morning dresses were initially gowns for the breakfast table that did not require a corset.They're characterize by a looser top lots of details in the neck and sleeves.

Morning Dress  1872-1873  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the things we see evolving (and limits being tested) after the 1950s through the 1900s is the idea of what was not meant to be seen (undergarments and nightgowns) to what was initially only meant to be seen by family or lovers (wrappers & peignoirs) to receiving casual around house guests at breakfast (morning dresses) to I'm comfortable at home and I want to show my wealth with yet another space & occasion specific outfit (the tea gown).

Tea Gown  late 1870s  The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Tea gowns were an evolution of the morning gown.

Tea Gown  1875  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tea Gown  1875-1880  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1Harpers Bazar New York Sat June 13 1891 Dressing Gowns Nightshirts

This evolution is coupled with the rise of the middle class, the sexual revolution (including contraception and woman's suffrage) and various other factors.

Bed Jacket  1885  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dressing Jacket  1885-1890  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 We see a culmination in this towards the turn of the century in the popularity of (and wide-scale use of the word) negligées and lingerie sets, which specifically implies an article of clothing that is sexual in its nature for it is meant to be seen by a lover.

Negligée  1880  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This kind of clothing, prior to the first sexual revolution, would not have been acceptable for a fashion house to make, let alone a fashionable lady to purchase.

Negligée Callot Soeurs, 1898-1900s The Metropolitan Museum of Art


Lingerie Set  1880s  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

There was also head wear that was designed to be worn exclusively around the house, but that's a whole other story...

House Cap 1900  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

For Primrose!

Boudoir Cap 1895 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

nightgown 1894  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dressing Gown  1897-1899  The Metropolitan Museum of Art


Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle


Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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Sample Gail Carriger's Meat Cute Audiobook!







Listen to a sample of Gail Carriger's audiobook, Meat Cute: The Hedgehog Incident.



Available many platforms here or from Gail directly here.



Alexia Tarabotti attends what appears to be a very dull London party,
until the new werewolf Alpha turns up, is unconscionably rude to her,
and sits on a hedgehog.

Don't miss this charming novelette featuring the very first encounter
between the Parasolverse's most popular power couple, preternatural
Alexia and supernatural Lord Conall Maccon.

Look out for cheeky appearances from other much beloved characters, not
to mention the strategic application of a certain wicker chicken.

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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Sample Gail Carriger's Romancing the Inventor Audiobook!







Listen to a sample of Gail Carriger's Audiobook Romancing the Inventor: A Supernatural Society Novella
 
You can find this audiobook here: https://gailcarriger.com/youtube_RTI
 
Parlormaid seeks scientist! 
 
From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes a delightful lesbian Victorian romance featuring a maid bent on seducing an imprisoned cross-dressing inventor. 
 
FEATHER DUSTER 
 
Imogene Hale is a lowly parlormaid with a soul-crushing secret. Desperate to understand her own desires, she takes work at a local vampire hive, only to fall in love with the amazing lady inventor the vampires are keeping in their potting shed. 
 
LEATHER GOGGLES 
 
Genevieve Lefoux is heartsick, lonely, brilliant, and French. With culture, class, and the lady herself set against the match, can Imogene and her duster win Genevieve’s heart, or will the vampires suck both of them dry? 
 
Set in Carriger’s popular steampunk Parasolverse, it’s full of class prejudice, elusive equations, and paranormal creatures taking tea.
 
 
Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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All About MEAT CUTE, Producing Audio, Word Counts Fueled by CAKE, AMA Q&A







LINKS OF INTEREST

Meat Cute in digital format is out Feb 16, 2020!

Meat Cute Audio is out NOW can be purchased directly from me.

Meat Cute in print is in Fan Service, why only there in print? Too short.

Reticence in trade paperback to the USA!

Writing right now? The Enforcer Enigma

The Heroine's Journey non-fiction (??) merph.

Defy or Defend (Dimity's Book) cover art coming to the next Chirrup. Also TEA THEMED goodiebox!

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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Gail Carriger: Just Silly Gossipy Gail: Book Sneaky Hints & Other Excite...






Retro Rack is now on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to produce this blog without sponsors.




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Sample GL Carriger's The 5th Gender Audiobook!







Retro Rack is now mainly on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts, and you can do the same. Or you can follow me on my regular blog for historical fashion posts, or join my newsletter, The Chirrup, for insider trading information.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to blog without sponsors.




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Sample of Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger read by Moira Quirk






Etiquette & Espionage is available most places: https://gailcarriger.com/youtube_FS 
 
It’s one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It’s quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School. 
 
 Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners–and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. 
 
But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine’s, young ladies learn to finish…everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but the also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage–in the politest possible ways, of course. 
 
Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year’s education.


Retro Rack is now mainly on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts, and you can do the same. Or you can follow me on my regular blog for historical fashion posts, or join my newsletter, The Chirrup, for insider trading information.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to blog without sponsors.




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Gail Carriger's Poison or Protect Audiobook!








Sample Gail Carriger's Audiobook Poison or Protect! 

 
You can find POISON OR PROTECT: A Delightfully Deadly Novella here: https://gailcarriger.com/youtube_PoP 
 
A sexy assassin, a Scotsman, and two lobsters attend a Victorian house party.

New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger brings you a charming story of love and espionage set in her popular Parasolverse. 
 
ASSASSIN 
 
Lady Preshea Villentia, the Mourning Star, has four dead husbands and a nasty reputation. Fortunately, she looks fabulous in black. What society doesn’t know is that all her husbands were marked for death by Preshea’s employer. And Preshea has one final assignment. 
 
VERSUS SCOTSMAN 
 
t was supposed to be easy, a house party with minimal bloodshed. Preshea hadn’t anticipated Captain Gavin Ruthven – massive, Scottish, quietly irresistible, and… working for the enemy.

In a battle of wits, Preshea may risk her own heart – a terrifying prospect, as she never knew she had one. 
 
May contain plaid, dainty sandwiches, and the strategic application of leather gloves. 
 
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Outlander in this charming story from the author of the Parasol Protectorate books. Perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews, Lindsay Buroker, or Diana Gabaldon.

From the author of the Finishing School series, featuring deadly ladies of quality, this story stands alone but you can find out what happened to the next generation in Reticence. 
 
 Delicate Sensibilities? 
 
Contains men pleasing women, and ladies who know what they want and ask for it, sometimes in detail.



Retro Rack is now mainly on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts, and you can do the same. Or you can follow me on my regular blog for historical fashion posts, or join my newsletter, The Chirrup, for insider trading information.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to blog without sponsors.




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Gail Carriger's Defy or Defend Launch Outfits







Retro Rack is now mainly on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts, and you can do the same. Or you can follow me on my regular blog for historical fashion posts, or join my newsletter, The Chirrup, for insider trading information.

You can shop my recommendations via the following lists:
Steampunk, Retro Jewelry, Makeup, Retro Clothes, Lifestyle



Product links on this blog are usually to Amazon using my associate code. At no additional cost to you this means I get a slight kick back if you make a purchase. Thank you! This allows me to continue to blog without sponsors.




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明けましておめでとうございます(´∀`)

2018年になりましたね!2017年もいろいろありましたが、心残りだったのがマラソンの中止ですかね(>人<;)あと舞台一本しかやれてないので、厳密には2本かな、今年はもう少しステージに立とうと思います!田舎から出てきたし、やっぱメインは映像でやっていきたいってのがあってどうしても舞台が少なくはなってしまいますが、年三本、四本は出来たらいいなと思ってます(´∀`)マラソンは縁があれば今年出来たらいいな^_^正直シンプルにめちゃくちゃ疲れるし、短距離とか瞬発系のスポーツが得意だったので苦手分野なんですが、苦手分野だから続きをみる

『著作権保護のため、記事の一部のみ表示されております。』




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トラベルモード前半戦&ピーストレイル 。

はい。こんにちわ。「トラベルモード」前半戦を終えましまー。皆さまいかがですか?WBB版トラベルモードは??楽しんで頂けてるかな??BGMとか懐かしいでしょ笑個人的には久しぶりの立ち回りでドキドキしております。やはり苦手だなぁ苦笑焦ってしまうのよね…。視界が狭くなるのよね…。力が入っているんだろうなぁ。心は熱く頭は冷静にってやつだね。さぁここから後半戦!慣れないように。一つ一つ。一歩一歩。大事に。当日券ございますよ。是非是非。それともう一つ「ピーストレイル」も無事に終了致しました。初日と千秋楽を観




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You don't have to attend every fight you're invited to

My week has been stressful. They called Thursday and offered me the half-time job. They needed to know that day -- we haven't heard back on the lucrative job James has applied for, so I declined, citing the fact that I'm the only breadwinner and James hasn't heard back about the job he was waiting to hear from (I didn't mention to the HR person that it's a job at my same employer, because it's probably not her fault they're lagging on his job, and I'm not an asshole). She wanted to know when I'd know, and I said, "Well, I was supposed to know two weeks ago, so I mean, soon, I hope, but no guarantees."

She called me back an hour later and offered to give me a week to decide (because they actually don't want the other two people who interviewed, is my surmise), so yeah, rollercoaster day on Thursday.

And then a student's mom called and cussed me out for like half an hour. I don't take that stuff personally, but it does wear on me. My co-workers marvelled over and over about how calm I stayed, and I said (and I meant it), "She was frustrated. That's understandable. And I don't have to attend every fight I'm invited to," which became a theme for the week.

My mom got in a fracas with another member of her senior center, and I shared my week's theme with her. I think she felt a little chastised, but she also seemed to latch onto the theme as a potential sanity saver.

And then today at the donut shop, I accidentally passed up another person who was waiting to pay (because I followed the person who gave me our donuts to the register and didn't notice the other person who was standing away from the registers at the window. She berated me for many minutes about how rude I was, and how I should give a bitch some space, and how in America, we call this White Privilege, and and and... I just apologized, didn't engage beyond that, (felt frankly detached and mildly amused -- not sure what that says about me) and then once she'd left, the cashier apologized to me for the customer.

Me: "Nah, she's not wrong. I didn't see her, but I did cut in front of her."

I mean, I don't like being yelled at, or having people behave in ways that I perceive as rude towards me, but I'm not gonna fault someone for standing up for their space when I've violated it, so long as they're not hitting me or something. Not a fight I need to get into; not a hill I'm gonna die on.

So yeah, stressful week for many reasons, but not something that's gonna ruin my Saturday, which will now be completed by spending many many many hours writing and catching up on webcomics.

And how are YOU, dear ones?

comments




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In which you skip this because other people's drama is exhausting

I want to write this, but I don't want anyone to feel compelled to read it, so here, have some cut tags!

Work stress )



MtY stress )

MtE stress )

Mom stress )

I'm thinking of getting therapy just to have someone to talk to about all the stress. The good thing (honest, I see it as a good thing) is that most of the stress is basically external to me -- my days are generally easy and pleasant, and everyone who's not me may be melting down, but all my stress is in the way of a contact low, as it were. Other than being in a sandwich-generation holding pattern (when will the next phase of my life begin? no one knows), things are pretty good. I'm making more money than I ever have, I love my work, I get lots of downtime to read and hang out with James and mom, and my health is better than it's been in years. So yeah, if the universe could just leave my loved ones in peace, that'd be great.

comments




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Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi to Direct and Co-Write new Star Wars Feature Film for Theatrical Release; Oscar Nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns to Co-Write Screenplay with Waititi 

Emmy Nominee Leslye Headland to write, produce, and serve as showrunner for new untitled Star Wars series for Disney+.




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Board Game Review > Middara: Unintentional Malum Act 1

I don't keep my finger on the pulse of all the independent Kickstarter campaigns running at any given time. There's just too much unique content being produced month after month for me to sift through everything. I leave that to those who write previews and reviews for a living (I am an IT Consultant for a living; I write reviews as a hobby because I'm passionate about board gaming). The only way an independent Kickstarter campaign is going to be on my radar is if the designer/publisher reaches out to me to let me know the campaign is running or if it's created a bit of buzz already in the key circles that I frequent. I definitely wasn't closely monitoring Kickstarter campaigns four years ago when the original edition of Middara  was initially funded. It was an adventurous dungeon crawl that promised to be so much more than an ordinary dungeon crawl. With options to run in campaign mode for an ongoing narrative or crawl mode for one off gameplay, it could work as a long term project for committed game groups as well as a fun game for casual players. It was a long road from its 2015 campaign to its 2019 fulfillment with a lot of unhappy backers along the way who voiced frustration at the late fulfillment of the game. In early summer 2019, a few months after delivery of the original Middara  game was completed, Succubus Publishing launched their Middara: Unintentional Malum Triology  Kickstarter campaign. This offered a reprint of the original game (retitled Middara: Unintentional Malum Act 1), expanding it to over 80 hours of content, as well as two new adventure expansions (Acts 2 and 3) and a host of other Kickstarter exclusive add-on and stretch goal content. It also promised a faster turnaround on delivery to backers. Suddenly Middara  and its designers (Clayton Helme, Brooklynn Lundberg, Brenna Moncur, and Ian Tate) were the talk of the town and my husband Chris and I had an intense discussion about backing the second campaign. We were torn - yes the game sounded really cool, but we already own one behemoth campaign dungeon crawl (I’m looking at you Gloomhaven). Did we really need another? We hemmed and hawed and let the decision hang in the air. And then then publisher decided for us, by sending us a review copy of Middara: Unintentional Malum Act 1 (M:UMA1).

As soon as the box arrived at the end of June, I poured over all the components. So much stuff! Such a huge box! The artwork (conceived and illustrated by Stephanie Gustafsson, Alex Hansen, Hector Sevilla Lujan, Rhett Mason, and Jon Troy Nickel) is absolutely beautiful. The illustrations are well drawn, well detailed, and bursting with color.
The game could have an audience in the tween set if the drawings were a little less risqué, but as marketed to older teens and adults, everything is within decency standards.

The minis are of good quality; well sculpted. I do wish that at least the starting adventurer minis came pre-painted (I always wish that because I have no painting skills or supplies) especially when M:UMA1 is priced at $150. The components are sturdy and should hold up to regular usage. We haven’t sleeved our cards yet and because of the sheer quantity of them (hundreds) they’ll likely remain unsleeved. I especially enjoy the custom dice, separated by color to indicate which dice should be used during dice rolls.

After examining all the game contents, my interest was definitely on the upswing and Chris and I  set about assembling a crew to play the game in adventure mode. It’s daunting to find others willing to commit to 80+ hours of gameplay, but soon enough we had a happy foursome. One of the players, Craig, actually owned the original edition of Middara but hadn’t found the time to assemble a group and get it on the table. Our other player was his coworker and friend Matt.
Craig showed up for our first night of gameplay with a sweet surprise – he had ordered the fancy game mats and was happy to share them with us for our adventure.

In M:UMA1  adventure mode, players begin the first game by taking on the roles of young students preparing for their Magical Aptitude and Skill Test (MAST). We spent that first evening getting to know the four starting characters (called adventurers) and deciding who would role play each one. Every adventurer has their own unique backstory, motivations, starting equipment (armor, weapons, relics, consumables, etc.), and vivid personality.  I chose Nightingale because I saw myself in her and thought I would really enjoy playing her. Chris chose Rook, Craig took Remi, and Matt selected Zeke.
M:UMA1  adventure mode breaks down the overall campaign (called the adventure) into many sessions called encounters. We typically play one or two encounters each evening we get together, with each encounter lasting anywhere from one to two hours. To start an encounter, all players gather round the table and lay out their adventurer cards and equipment. The narrative is read from the Adventure book, or alternatively listened to on the Middara app. We all really love the app. It’s available on the Apple App store or Google Play store and allows players to hear the narrative bits of the story without requiring one of them to do the reading aloud. The voice actor Succubus Publishing hired is fantastic; she is an expressive reader who brings the characters alive. While the entire adventure in M:UMA1  is narrative driven and so every encounter advances the plot at least a little bit, there are some encounters that have several pages of story so using the app is really nice. After the narration is finished, the location boards are set up for the encounter, forming the terrain, similar to any other dungeon crawl. Directions for setup are given in the Adventure book with modifications in the Diagram book. Some elements of the terrain may have their details partially hidden, such as loot tokens (which hide the exact reward until a character performs an encounter adjacent to the token) and totem tokens (which hide what they represent until an adventurer comes within line of sight of the token). The starting spaces on the board for each adventurer and the monsters (called combatants) are specified in the Adventure book. Once everything is setup, the game begins; turn order for adventurers and monsters is driven by initiative cards that were shuffled and randomly laid out in a row during setup.
During the encounter, players spend their turns moving their adventurers around the terrain, following movement rules, as they work to complete the encounter goals. Usually this involves reaching the exit token, but other goals are possible. Since players typically get rewards (gold, equipment, experience points, etc.) each time their adventurer slays a monster, most will want to prioritize battling the monsters over making a quick run for the exit token. There isn’t a lot of analysis paralysis during game play as the best options for next steps on a player’s turn are usually fairly obvious. Combatants spend their turns completing actions as specified on their description cards. Those that are designated as adventurer opponents are called intelligent combatants and have intelligent combatant cards, while the ones that players control and that fight on behalf of adventurers are called command combatants. 

Exploring the terrain and battling intelligent combatants are governed by an extensive set of rules (60+ pages!) provided in the rulebook. It took us at least three encounters before we really understood most of the basic rules and even now, we find ourselves frequently checking the summary poster we printed out as a giant player aid. There’s just too much information to memorize it all, especially when the information is subject to change due to errata. Which brings me to one of the few complaints I have about this game -the large volume of errata. You either have to remember to frequently check the long list of corrections and changes (to the 1.0 rulebook and to the text printed on various components such as equipment cards, combatant cards, etc) and update gameplay as you go along,  or dedicate a session to reviewing all the changes and corrections and marking up the components with the correct text in one sitting. We started off trying to do the former but it was so frustrating that we switched to the latter and it took me at least an hour.  For the rulebook errata, you can take a shortcut to getting the updates in place (if you don’t mind the ink and paper expense) by printing out the updated 1.08 rulebook from the Succubus website. Another note on the rules- deciding which rule set to play under has become a complicated issue that players will need to come to agreement on as Succubus has compiled and released an entirely new version of the rules (v1.1) that changes several of the fundamental aspects of the game. This was done in response to the feedback from players who have extensively played through the game using the original 1.0 rulebook with errata corrections. The major overhaul is meant to strengthen aspects of the game that felt too weak and weaken aspects that seemed overpowered, but not all players agree on the changes. Also, the 1.1 changes are still in Beta release and so they are subject to change as they continue to be finalized. Our little group likes to keep things simple, so we opted to stick to the 1.08 rule set, at least for now.
Theme is really important to me, so I was very happy to discover that Middara’s theme is well implemented across all components and the gameplay thus far in M:UMA1 . This is where the game really shines over its competitors. Its narrative is extremely detailed and offers so much depth in the characters. More so than Gloomhaven. More so than any other board game I’ve played. An experienced  screenwriter could easily adapt the storyline into a fantastic adventure film for the big screen and I’d go see it. My two year stint playing through the Pathfinder Skull and Shackles Adventure Card Game is a distant second in plot development, and even then, that game only had such a rich narrative track because we employed a user written storyline that we found on BGG (the publisher offered little in the way of quality narrative for the game). I come back to the table each week to play M:UMA1 , not just for the fun of fighting monsters and gaining rewards, but also to find out what happens next in the story. Bonus: as the plot unfolds, adventurers grow in skill and discipline and new content becomes available.
At the time of this writing, we've played through all of Chapter 1 and are partway through Chapter 2 (about 10 distinct sessions). Once we are finished with M:UMA1  in adventure mode (we estimate it will take us over a year, meeting weekly) there are plenty of scenarios and special content for us to replay M:UMA1  in crawl mode.  In fact, a large portion of the Kickstarter promo box is content exclusively for use with crawl mode and I’m excited about eventually digging into that.
Based on my experience with M:UMA1  so far, I highly recommend the game. Not only is the game worthwhile on its own merits, but the friendship building that comes from playing a year+ long adventure with others is wonderful. You can make a full afternoon or evening out of each session, sharing a meal together before sitting down to play the game. Although I was given a review copy of Act 1, I like Middara so much that I’ll be purchasing Acts 2 and 3 myself (or putting them on my Christmas list). You can pre-order the entire trilogy or any part of it on the Succubus Publishing website once the publisher reopens wave 2 pre-orders.
-------------------------------------------------
Publisher: Succubus Publishing
Players: 2-4 (We played with 4)
Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): About 1 - 3 hours per encounter
Game type: narrative driven, dungeon crawl, campaign, action points, role playing, cooperative, dice rolling, grid movement
Rating:

Jenni’s rating scale:
OUI: I would play this game again; this game is ok. I probably would not buy this game myself but I would play it with those who own it and if someone gave it to me I would keep it.
OUI OUI: I would play this game again; this game is good. I would buy this game.
OUI OUI OUI: I LOVE THIS GAME. I MUST HAVE THIS GAME.
NON: I would not play this game again. I would return this game or give it away if it was given to me.







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NEWS: We'll be at Otakon 2012!

I will be in the Otakon AA at tables S01 and S02 with my buddies, Lochi and Cucoo! The Teahouse ladies will also be right next to us, so it will be a big NSFW party!

Here's our table spot!

I'll be selling everything in the Starfighter shop, INCLUDING CHAPTER 02! The t-shirts are restocked and there's some new prints, plus a beautiful new Starfighter icon neckalce - so look out for those!

(I'll also try to attend the Homestuck draw party!) Please come say hello if you're visiting the AA- I really love meeting readers and I hope to see you!♥ -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Otakuthon 2012!

I'll be at OTAKUTHON in Montreal, Canada, this weekend!

Here's the con site!

I'll be at table #244 in the Exhibition Hall! I'll be selling everything in the Starfighter shop, INCLUDING CHAPTER 02, plus a beautiful new Starfighter icon neckalce!

ALSO! I'll be doing a late night 18+ panel scheduled for Saturday at 11PM, in the room “Panel 7” which is room #524AB!

I hope to see you there! -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Yaoi-Con 2012!

I'll be at YAOI-CON this weekend!

My table will be in the Dealer's Room this year! I'll be selling all the usuals to be found in the site shop - plus necklaces and sticker sheets!

I'll also be doing a SPECIAL PANEL at 6pm on Saturday! Filled with prizes, some smutty sketches, and shameless flirting.

Meeting readers is seriously the best thing ever and I hope I get to see you, if you're attending! -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Otakon 2013!

I WILL BE AT OTAKON! IN THE AA! We'll have some copies of Coven, as well as my new witch zine Devil's Dance!

I hope to see you there, MY LIEGE! -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Ahn!Con 2014!

I will be a guest next year at Ahn!Con in Kansas City! This will be our first midwest con! There will be a special panel, plus we'll have Chapter 1 and 2 of Starfighter, as well as my new witch zine Devil's Dance!

We'll see you there! -Hamlet




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NEWS: I'll Be at Otakon 2014!

I'll be in the Artist Alley, table M01:

I might be able to wrangle a very SMALL amount of Chp 2 and 3 early from the printer (the rest of the books will be coming in about two months, I'm told! Kickstarter merch can go out when those arrive! Ah, I'm sorry it takes a while to be made!), this way I will.. actually have some books to sell at my table! But it will be a very limited amount, so it might sell out quick!

I don't have a panel or anything at Otakon, I'll just be at the table- please stop by if you are around, I'd love to say hello!

See you there! -Hamlet




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NEWS: I'll Be at Yaoi Con 2014!

I'll be in the Dealer's Room at Yaoicon this year! (Sept 12th-14th) This is my only CA con this year, so if you're attending, please stop by!

SEE YOU THERE! -Hamlet




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NEWS: I'll Be at Nijicon 2014!

I'll be a guest at Nijicon, an east coast con all about m/m romance, Oct 18th and 19th in Valley Forge, PA!

I'll also be on a panel but I'm not quite sure when that will be just yet!

I hope to see you there! This will be my last con of 2014--! -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Fanime 2015!

I’ll be at Fanime! San Jose, CA, May 22nd - 25th!

I’ll be in the artist alley! I hope to see you if you’re attending! Come say hello~ -Hamlet





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NEWS: We'll be at Oops Summer Fest 2016!

I'll be a guest at the OOPS SUMMER FEST in Monterrey, Mexico!

This is my first time there- if you are attending the convention, I hope we can meet! (My Spanish isn't great, but I will try my best!)

VIP members get an exclusive print I made <3

See you there! <3 -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at FanimeCon 2017!

I'll be at Fanime in San Jose in May!

This will be our only convention in California this year!

See you there! <3 -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Flame Con 2017!

Finally-- a con in our hometown, NYC!

This is our first time at Flame Con, so we're looking forward to it! If you're there, feel free to stop by and see us in the Artist Alley.

See you there! <3 -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Small Press Expo 2017!

We'll be at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda Maryland!

This is our first time at SPX! If you're there, feel free to stop by and see us in the Artist Alley – we'll be at table W49!

See you there! <3 -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll be at Yaoi Generation 2017!

Bonjour! Je serai l'invité d'honneur à Yaoi Generation.

October 21st, Lausanne, Switzerland

This is the event's first year and I think it will be very special! I am not able to visit abroad often, so if you are able to come, I hope we can meet!

I look forward to seeing everyone soon! <3 -Hamlet




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NEWS: LEt's cYbeR

Our first sale ever is happening right now at the online shop ~ please enjoy, my friends!

Click on this link to apply it instantlyor use LETSCYBER code at checkout! 15% off the entire Starfighter shop with any $25 and up purchase until 12/25! -Hamlet




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NEWS: LEt's cYbeR 2018

Our second annual holiday sale is happening right now at the online shop ~ please enjoy, my friends!

Click on this link to apply it instantlyor use LETSCYBER code at checkout! 15% off the entire Starfighter shop with any $25 and up purchase until 12/31! -Hamlet




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NEWS: We'll Be at Anime NYC 2019!

This is our second time at AnimeNYC! If you're there, feel free to stop by table H21 and see us in the Artist Alley!

See you there! -Hamlet




&

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Podle odhadu Evropské komise se česká ekonomika letos propadne o rekordní 6,2 procenta. To je více než za finanční krize v roce 2009. Se špatnými výsledky počítá odhad, který Brusel zveřejnil ve středu. Oproti evropskému průměru bude dopad koronaviru na HDP v Česku menší.



  • Ekonomika - Domácí

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KOMENTÁŘ: Pomoc ano, odškodnění ne. Podnikání bez rizik není možné

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  • Ekonomika - Domácí

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  • Ekonomika - Domácí

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Trumpův oblíbený uhelný průmysl čerpá půjčky pro malé podniky

Prostřednictvím amerického Programu ochrany mezd pro malé podniky získal uhelný průmysl v USA více než 31 milionů dolarů. Ozývají se rozhořčené hlasy z řad environmentalistů. Administrativa Donalda Trumpa podle nich využívá finanční pomoc na záchranu odvětví, které mělo potíže již před krizí.



  • Ekonomika - Zahraniční

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Poslanci odložili EET do konce roku, kývli na kompenzační bonus pro eseróčka

Kvůli epidemii koronaviru se vláda na čas vzdá EET, projektu, který vnímá jako klíčový pro snížení daňových úniků. Sněmovna kývla na odklad celé EET do konce letošního roku. Potvrdit to ještě musí Senát. Neprošly návrhy opozice odložit EET ještě déle, když přitom Pirát Mikuláš Ferjenčík navrhoval odklad až do stých narozenin premiéra Andreje Babiše v roce 2054.



  • Zprávy - Domácí

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Ve Škodě Auto pracovali nakažení koronavirem, obnovený provoz se nezastaví

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Pravidla pro chytré sítě 5G by v USA mohla psát i Huawei

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  • Ekonomika - Zahraniční

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A co když začne pršet? Restaurace se připravují na otevření zahrádek

Méně stolů a větší rozestupy. Jihomoravské restaurace v pondělí otevřou své zahrádky. Musí dodržet přísná opatření proti šíření koronaviru, přesto nemají alternativu pro špatné počasí.



  • Brno - Brno - Zprávy

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Nejmenší firmy budou moci o podporu žádat do týdne, míní Schillerová

Na jednorázový příspěvek 500 korun denně budou mít nově nárok i malé společnosti s ručením omezeným postižené šířením koronaviru. „Čekáme na schválení Senátem a prezidentem, žádosti budou moci podávat zřejmě do týdne,“ uvedla ve čtvrtek ministryně financí Alena Schillerová.



  • Ekonomika - Domácí