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The topic for today’s post may seem a bit odd for a gaming blog, but bear with me. I was getting ready to write my next post for this week’s theme of vampires—all in celebration of the 35th anniversary of Vampire: The Masquerade (VtM)—and then I heard the news this morning.

I heard it on AM radio of all places (yes, at 53, I am officially that old) that Bonnie Tyler passed away at 75.

Just by looking at my friends’ reactions on social media, I can tell that her music resonated deeply with those of us who have been rolling dice for four decades. But what does this have to do with vampires and gaming, you ask? To that, I say: have you actually listened to the lyrics and watched the music video for “Total Eclipse of the Heart”?

Let me show it to you:

With lyrics like these, you can immediately see the vampiric undertones:

“I don’t know what to do and I’m always in the dark.” “Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time.” “Once upon a time there was light in my life / But now there’s only love in the dark.” “Forever’s gonna start tonight.” “Turn around, bright eyes / Every now and then I fall apart.”

I am NOT making this up. Writer Jim Steinman originally conceived the song as a piece for a musical adaptation of the movie Nosferatu (you can read about it in this People article), and the song’s Wikipedia page notes that its original title was “Vampires in Love.”

The connection is not subtle! Even the TV series The Vampire Diaries has an episode named after the song.

This track is a core part of the music I automatically relate to vampires, forever playing on the gaming soundtrack in my head. I KNOW that fans of VtM and the World of Darkness probably have very different, likely more goth-punk, musical references for their games. But between Dracula the Musical, Bonnie Tyler, and other sweeping 80s rock epics, these are my ultimate GM musical references.

Bonnie Tyler had many other hits, of course. The one I immediately think of in a broader gaming context is “Holding Out For A Hero.” It’s been used in superhero movies and countless action sequences, and it is a truly perfect anthem for TTRPG heroics. Here’s the video:

And, keeping with the World of Darkness theme, I must mention that Whitesnake’s “Still of the Night” is obviously an anthem for Werewolf: The Apocalypse:

So, appropriately enough, we started the workweek with a post about musical inspiration for VtM, and ended on the same topic we began with.

See you tomorrow for the final post in our Vampire series. Rest in peace, Bonnie.

Events have conspired to put in a wuxia mood what with the Wandering Blades draft, the impending release of the new Last Airbender movie, and the recent Criterion sale on Amazon where I picked up a couple of wuxia titles among other things. Then there's Wesley Chu's wuxia-inspired fantasy novel, The Art of Prophecy. I've been listening to the audiobook.

Chu's book is interesting because it mixes the epic fantasy elements with the wuxia ones. The people of Zhuun have been training a prophesized champion to defeat the Eternal Khan and free them from the menace of the Katuia tribes and their steam-powered roving cities of the grasslands. The first problem is the champion, a fifteen year-old boy named Jian, hasn't really received the proper training. Instead, he's just grown up spoiled by luxury and self-importance. The elder "master war artist" Ling Taishi shows up to set things right, but she's just starting to make headway with the boy when the second problem drops: the Eternal Khan is killed while drunk by a random Zhuun soldier. 

With the prophecy busted, Jian is a political liability for the five Dukes of Zhuun and the delicate balance of power between them. Tiashi rescues the boy, and they both go on the run.

When while, the Katuia are thrown into chaos and the warrior Sali, decides to break tradition and delay her duty in order to try to find the only surviving member of her family. There's also the mad assassin Qisami thrown into the mix.

I like how Chu uses familiar wuxia elements but remakes them for a fantasy world. Instead of the wulin we have the lunar court as the society of martial artists, presumably related to the world's three moons and their seasonal cycles. Instead of "lightness kung fu" Tiashi's abilities are described as manipulating air with her spiritual energy. There are also the completely un-wuxia elements of the Steampunkish Katuia cities and their home grassland which is formed by gigantic blades of crash and a brittle crust of earth over a sea.

There are 2 more books in the series after this one, and I am interested in seeing where it goes. 

 Rodan, known as the "Fire Demon" in the Monsterverse, is a Titan-class aerial predator. In The Cepheus Engine, he is not just a monster; he is a force of nature. Because his scale dwarfs standard characters, he is best treated as a "Vehicle/Titan" archetype.This blog entry picks up from Godzilla from the Monsterverse Movies for Cepheus Engine Rpg Including Radiation Sickness Rules, andNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

The post Video of the Day – Doctor Who: Amy and Rory Highlights, 2026 appeared first on Blogtor Who.

 To capture the essence of a trader who bargains with multi-dimensional horrors, extra-planar syndicates, and corporate technocrats across the Skull Tower World Gates, we use the ACKS II Class Construction Rules. This blog entry picks right up from Integrating Adventurer Conqueror King System II (ACKS II) with the legendary, chaotic, and maximum-gonzo DNA of Dave Hargrave's Arduin Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

MooglyCAL2026 Block 14 is a lovely, floral, center square by Golden Lucy Crafts! Olena Jones has designed the pretty Cotton Candy Square, and it's perfect for every skill level. Get all the details for this free crochet along, and the free pattern link below! Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links; materials provided by Local Crafts. […]

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Omaha’s Homegrown Comic Con Expands with Legendary Comic Creators, Animation Talent, and Fan-Favorite Voice Actors Omaha, NE – (July 8, 2026) – Following a successful inaugural event, Comic Con Nebraska…

NEW COMICS 4 THIS WEEK (07/08/26) *All comics will be rated on a scale from 1 to 10* Absolute Batman # 22 (9.5/10) Absolute Catwoman # 2 (8/10) Amazing Spider-Man…

The independent comics community is mourning the loss of artist, writer, and publisher Jim Ritchey III, whose passion for storytelling and love of Golden Age heroes made him a respected…

 Here is a stat block and breakdown for Godzilla, adapted for the Cepheus Engine (and classic 2D6 sci-fi roleplaying systems).Because the Monsterverse Godzilla is an apocalyptic, 100,000-ton titan, his physical stats go far beyond the standard human scale. He is treated as a unique, planet-shaping threat.Godzilla, Titanus GojiraNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

The post Video of the Day – The Whoniverse Show, 2026 appeared first on Blogtor Who.

In a distant galaxy, OMNI, a robotic super weapon, faces a malevolent Necromancer. It’s Transformers meets Battlestar Galactica. Ringo and Tripwire Award-nominated writer and artist Niall O’Rourke, creator of the…

Title: Samson # 1 Publisher: Biting Comics Words/Story: Ben Lacy Pencil/Inks: Jhonesbas Craneo Colors: Anton Polknovskyi Lettering: Nikki Powers Cover: Toby Gotesman Schneider Variant Covers: David Baf Gallart, Nico Toran…

 Clement Sector (published by Independence Games) is a hard science-fiction, sandbox campaign setting built on the 2d6 Cepheus Engine (and heavily rooted in Classic Traveller / 2300 AD traditions).The core premise of the setting makes it an absolute goldmine for Space Western themes: isolation, decentralization, a lack of overarching Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

DC BOOTH HOSTS 1950s-INSPIRED DAILY PLANET NEWSSTAND WITH MAD MAGAZINE #1 FACSIMILE, SUPERMAN EXPERIENCE #1, AND MORE JIM LEE TO HOST FAN-FAVORITE “JIM LEE AND FRIENDS” PANEL WITH SURPRISE GUESTS ON THURSDAY…

​The Hugely Sought-After Graphic Novel by Cult of the Lamb’s Head of Narrative JoJo Zhou and Concept Artist Carles Dalmau Gets a New Mass Edition ​ Coming to Bookstores and…

This Historic Crossover Event Is Just Getting Started! G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero/Tomb Raider #1 Arrives in October LOS ANGELES 07/08/2026 — Today, Skybound and Image Comics, in collaboration…

It's July, friends! Summer is heating up, and it's time for another Crochet and Catch Up with Moogly. Grab your favorite project, pour yourself something cool, and join me as we chat about all the crochet goodness happening - simulcasting on Facebook and YouTube! I'll be sharing updates, answering your questions, and showing off a […]

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  Veteran Dark Horse Comics staff take new three-pillar leadership structure, promote talent within the company, and welcome new Vice President of Marketing MILWAUKIE, Ore., (July 8, 2026)— Dark Horse Comics…