This is a blog that concentrates on the influences and writing of two aspiring author friends called Thadeus Morticaine and Dan Coghlan. They have been friends for many years and found that they have a common interest in what they write, even though they write different things.

Thadeus Morticaine is working on a series of Folk horror stories, fantasy stories, some ghost stories and some sci-fi. He likes HP Lovecraft, Gareth L Powell, Robert Rankin and Kim Newman. He is also very much into his folktales and Celtic and Norse myths and legends.

Dan Coghlan is currently working on a Sword and Sorcery series about a Wood Elf Barbarian, and also a pulp fiction style series of Post-Apocalyptic stories. He likes Robert E Howard and Steve Dilks, as well as Lin Carter and Clarke Ashton Smith.

The Dark Garret twitter account can be found here at @GarretDark.
Showing posts with label Dungeon Crawl Classics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dungeon Crawl Classics. Show all posts

Monday, May 9, 2022

 Hello everyone!

Well, I've started planning a couple of first drafts to follow on from fantasy novella I finished. One is a short story based on what will happen were wizards to start a barroom brawl in the same fantasy series. I like the idea of an elaborate chaos spilling out into the street because of some petty semantic argument of some minor magickal technique.

The other story is a fantasy novella and will have the same sidekick as the first novella in it. A Fimir village guards a pocket dimension holding the shard of a god. A pirate fleet and an army of cultists want to gain the shard and try to conquer the village and the heroes are on the side of the Fimir.

I've got a fair way into planning both of these tales and I would have liked to have started one, preferably the short story, but I've come down with some sort of stomach bug which sees me having to go and sit on the toilet an embarrassing amount of times. Its getting a bit tedious now. I've had it most of a week now and I'm getting to feel a bit downtrodden by it now and it'd be nice to get back to normal. Hopefully that'll happen soon. It should do, It seems to be changing fairly quickly in regards to some of the symptoms.

Anyway, not much else has happened. There was a Pagan Moot in Derby that I had to miss, two in fact because of this, but I was able to catch up with some folks while at home. The newer group seems to be developing well and the older one is chugging on like normal. I think there was a glut of new faces at both, which is nice.

But other than that, nothing much has happened.

I did managed to stat reading a new games book recently, based on Lankhmar setting by Fritz Leiber for the Dungeon Crawl Classics game set for their TTRPG, very curious stuff. I look forward to playing some of it.

short stories, short story, story, fimir, wizard, elf, barbarian, barroom brawl, bar fight, brawl, god, pirates, cultists, pirate, cultist, Lankhmar, rules, Fritz Leiber, DCC, Dungeon Crawl Classics, rpg, ttrpg, fantasy, story, stories, sword and sorcery, novella,
Lankhmar ruleset for DCC,
(Dungeon Crawl Classics)


Tuesday, April 26, 2022

 Hello everyone!

Well, this last week has been a busy writing week for me, which is nice.

I was wondering whether to postpone this post a few more days until I'd finished the first draft of my current novella, but that may still a little while off nonetheless. I should still finish it during the week, over the next couple of days or so in fact, but still.

I had wondered if I may have been able to have finished it by now, but that wasn't the case, where I had wondered originally - a few months ago - if it would total 25,000 words, I did start wondering if it would be nearer 12,000 words when I made my last post. But its currently totalling a little over 19,000 words and I've still the main climax and conclusory passage to do, so it probably will be nearer 25,000 words like I originally thought.

What that means is that I'll have the first draft of a novella that will be 60 to 70 pages long.

But enough numerical stuff. I should have this done by Friday, which is good because my main character, Gwaeloch Irisgarth is to be accompanied by a version of a friend of mine who will appear as a wizard's apprentice. I really am hoping to have it completed by Friday as it will be her birthday then and it'll make a nice little present for her, even if it is in rough form.

Yes, I've just to somehow work out how to do a four way showdown - with a liche and a being from the stars, and the apprentice's old master, and someone who'd previously captured the heroic duo. Easy (suppresses a mild sense of panic deep down inside).

But otherwise, in my writing world, nothing much has taken place. I am still enjoying Jungle Tomb of the Mummy Bride for DCC with all its added content.

Jungle, tomb, mummy, bride, jungle tomb of the mummy bride, elf, human, wizard, beastman, goatman, satyr, apprentice, wizard apprentice, barbarian, ruins, goddess, writing, write, author, word count, writing community, fantasy, sword and sorcery, novella,ttrpg, rpg, DCC, DnD, dcc, dnd, roleplay game, roleplay, table top roleplay game, table top roleplay, dungeons and dragons, dungeon crawl classics, Gwaeloch, Gwaeloch Irisgarth, am writing fantasy, writer, author, short story,
Jungle Tomb of the Mummy Bride,
for Dungeon Crawl Classics - DCC


It really is a good book with plenty of options to expand the original quest and to probably triple or quadruple its run time. It really fleshes out the jungle around the Mummy Bride's tomb with snake men, cannibals, fungal men of universal knowledge and other things.

Other  than that, there isn't really much else to say about things. Next week, I should definitely have the current novella first draft finished and should have either started or be planning the next first draft - there is a small selection of stories I'd like to write, in various states of preparation. Its just a choice of which to work on first.

Sunday, March 6, 2022

 Hello everyone,

Just a quick update. I've wanted to keep this up as a regular thing and this week, I'm finding it hard to think of much to say, I'm afraid.

Something happened during the week that shook me up a little and I feel almost embarrassed that it shocked me and threw me so badly as it isn't necessarily life changing, but it had made be have flashbacks to a time when something similar happened and I was almost made homeless. But I relly do doubt that it'll get that bad. But much of my writing this last week has taken a back seat and I'm having a little difficulty starting up the routine again.

Anyway, I am still trucking through my copy of the WFRP 4th Edition source book: Altdorf, The Crown of the Empire.

Rackham Vale, Arthur Rackham, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Altdorf, roleplay, wfrp, rpg, ttrpg, author, puckoon, spike milligan, Old School essentials, Dungeon Crawl Classics, writing, fantasy, sword and sorcery,  Bryant and May, Christopher Fowler,
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th edition,
Altdorf: Crown of the Empire


I have also decided to revisit a book I finished about 20 years ago when I was in my teens called Puckoon by Spike Milligan. Its hilarious! Its one of the few books that I think everyone should read.

Rackham Vale, Arthur Rackham, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Altdorf, roleplay, wfrp, rpg, ttrpg, author, puckoon, spike milligan, Old School essentials, Dungeon Crawl Classics, writing, fantasy, sword and sorcery,  Bryant and May, Christopher Fowler,
Puckoon, Spike Milligan


Beyond that, I'm also still reading one of Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May novels called The Lonely Hour. Its going slowly but I'm progressing alright.


Rackham Vale, Arthur Rackham, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Altdorf, roleplay, wfrp, rpg, ttrpg, author, puckoon, spike milligan, Old School essentials, Dungeon Crawl Classics, writing, fantasy, sword and sorcery,  Bryant and May, Christopher Fowler,
The Lonely Hour, Bryant and May,
Christopher Fowler,

I have also backed a few Kickstarters, all of which are supplements for RPGs. I have a couple on order for Dungeon Crawl Classics and a couple for Old School Essentials. Both are fun games and I love the Dolmenwood setting for Old School Essentials.

One of the books is for an Old School Essentials setting book based around the artwork of Arthur Rackham which is wonderful. The Kickstarter for which you can visit here.

Rackham Vale, Arthur Rackham, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Altdorf, roleplay, wfrp, rpg, ttrpg, author, puckoon, spike milligan, Old School essentials, Dungeon Crawl Classics, writing, fantasy, sword and sorcery,  Bryant and May, Christopher Fowler,
Rackham Vale for
Old School Essentials