A sentiment unfolding inside his stomach like hundreds of little insects ready to fly, makes Aziraphale walk around the bookshop like a nervous wreck. And oh, it’s not a very pleasant feeling. The situation is itchier than the last time. And the last time Armageddon was around the corner. But the true cause of his loudly pounding heart and his straying thoughts is … just Crowley.
Just Crowley. Somehow, that sounds completely and utterly wrong.
The demon never had the decency to be just Crowley. He came into Aziraphale’s life, bold, noisy, demanding and with an ominous facial expression, looking unspeakably glad to meet him in devastated eras for some reason (though Aziraphale never ascertained why) in a very terribly tempting manner. Over thousands of years that behaviour never changed. Because this is Crowley, not just , but endlessly persistent, hopelessly dramatic, cheeky, sweet and kind Crowley.
Oh. Oh Lord!
Since their delightful dinner at the Ritz, Aziraphale finds himself smiling without valid reason but with increased regularity these days. Every time he studiously shoved the thoughts out of his mind, they came back, more intrusive than before. More disturbingly, he is humming Queen songs all of a sudden, any time his mind slips away. He has that unpleasant feeling that he’s going slightly mad. It’s finally happened. Oh, dear!
It’s been nearly seven weeks since Aziraphale is pretending that it’s a quite innocuous feeling, evolving from their victory and vanishing pretty soon. But it’s not. Actually, there’s something bubbling in his chest, causing ripples like churning waters. There’s no escape, and he knows if he’s resisting he will be swept away by the flood of his feelings and finally drown. But if he lets the riptide just run over without any guardedness, it will wash away everything, leaving a mess behind which is formerly known as his life. A life that will be changed completely.
Summary: After the Almost-Apocalypse Hastur is not pleased with the outcome of the trial and wants to punish Crowley for his crimes. His threats towards the ginger haired demon also include the angel, which makes Crowley more than nervous. It seems the short breathing gap is almost over, and with Heaven and Hell conspiring against them, will it ever be possible for Aziraphale and Crowley to live their happily ever after? Or will they forever be captured inbetween black and white? Crowley has to make some life-changing decisions.
Thanks to:
- the wonderful Dashicra (@ineffableomenshusbands ) who came up with the perfect title for this story and kindly proofread this chapter.
- my friend Allanei who is always encouraging me! Her cheerleading and feedback keep me motivated!
-@teslatherat who generously offered me her help and showed me Google Docs ;)
There is a systemless supplement called The Metamorphica (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/115703/The-Metamorphica-Classic-Edition). It is great. I love it. Full of random tables for mutations such mental, physical, psionic, supernatural, etc. mutations as well as descriptions of them. There are sections on using mutations for different genres and there are even a collection of different mutated NPCs and monsters.
In the Planescape 5e campaign I DM we have a character who recently got trapped in Limbo and now he has a very short temper (Behavioral Mutation) and the ability to duplicate (like Multiple Man but limited to one copy). It gives him a boost in power but it is thematic and a lot of fun. There is also risk involved. Does he sacrifice his duplicate so his party can escape, or does he save it for later and risk his party’s safety and survival.
I have an idea to run an X-Men Campaign where everyone randomly generates their Mutant using the random tables to create their characters. The idea being the Mutants in X-Men didn’t get to choose their Mutations, unless you count Mister Sinister ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, so neither will the players. I think it could be fun.
But you could use The Metamorphica to create (and even play) Post Apocalyptic Irradiated Wastelanders, Chaos Warped Demonic Abominations, Body Horror Experimentation Victims, Super Soldiers, Superheroes, Bizarre Alien Lifeforms, Formless Dream Entities, Eldritch Monstrosities, or beings trapped in Limbo.
Mutations range from Anthropomorphic Animal to Hunchback, from Double Jointed to Diabetic, from Genetic Memory to Dyslexia, from Magnetic Control to Cause Insanity, from Animated Tattoos to Cannot Cross Running Water, and so many more.
There is so much you can do with this product. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. This review is not sponsored, I did not receive money from them or anyone else to review this. I simply gotta spread the love of an awesome product. 5 out of 5 stars.
“We didn’t know why we started climbing onto rooftops, but it worked. Most of the concerns of modern life got stuck inside the buildings, and couldn’t reach us up above. We created a new life up there, one of sunsets, lawn chairs, and coolers, while the fickle world rotted below.”
-QuietPineTrees
Are you tired of the modern world? You can pledge to support the Quiet Pine Trees book, and get a treat from a bygone era: postcards, sent to you every month, with exclusive typewritten microfictions by yours truly. And for once, this old-fashioned option gets you faster results. The book will take time to print, but I’ll start sending out postcards before he end of the year. Check it out!
Today is Star Wars Day (”May the 4th be with you”) so not surprisingly I’ve wed my two great loves - Gamma World and Star Wars - into a series of posts today. Enjoy!
Old time religion – Druaga, ruler of the devil world, lesser god of the AD&D Babylonian mythos, is a shape changer whose terrifying true form has 8 arms with talons and 4 legs ending in snaky masses, a ruby red scaly hide and the face of a beautiful boy. “His mace does 35 points of damage every time it hits and turns all beings it hits into devils (random type) under his command if they do not make their magic saving throw.” He occasionally sends devils to aid worshippers who make a virgin sacrifice, making him a good lesser-known alternative archvillain for a campaign. (Diesel / David S LaForce illustration, AD&D Deities & Demigods, TSR, 1980)
Druaga seems to have been invented for AD&D with no clear historical Babylonian source, and the name likely comes from “Drauga” (“Falsehood”), equated with Ahriman in Zoroastrianism. An altered version of AD&D’s Druaga appears in the 1984 Namco video game and 2008-09 anime The Tower of Druaga, and all later pop culture references to a Babylonian Druaga apparently derive from these origins.
