Updates
Prayer Against Forced Childbirth
If you are considering an abortion, and if you’re feeling torn apart inside because people are telling you “God” wills this and “God” wills that…
- MY God doesn’t hate you for wanting or needing to terminate a pregnancy.
- MY God doesn’t blame you for making the best decisions you can for your own physical and emotional health.
- MY God doesn’t hold rape survivors responsible for their own pregnancies.
- MY God does not want to see anyone being forced to carry any babies to term.
- MY God sees right through the hypocrisy of being “pro-life” while making it consistently harder for people to take care of their children.
- MY God will not judge you or send you to “hell” for having an abortion.
- And MY God doesn’t give a SHIT what anyone else’s so-called “god” might tell you.
The Scarlet Nemesis (2022)
The Scarlet Nemesis is the third chapter in my “Apocalypse” trilogy (following His Nocturnal Majesty and Our Lady of Thrones). It follows the younger Shieldmaiden of Set as she hunts down the Warlock across multiple alternate realities. It is currently available for free on Bandcamp.com, and it will soon be available for purchase on Amazon, Spotify, iTunes, and other digital music platforms as well. The album can also be enjoyed for free on YouTube.
Where’s the Warlock?
After the final battle in Our Lady of Thrones (“Defy the Ungod“), the younger Shieldmaiden of Set leads an attack squad back into the ruins of Atlanta, Georgia. Their target is the Warlock, the final and most powerful member of the triumvirate that ruled the now fallen Kingdom Guard. The evil magician is still holed up in his empire’s ruined capital, and he is currently working a bizarre ceremonial ritual at his headquarters.
The Scarlet Nemesis (Main Theme)
The Shieldmaiden and her team break into the Warlock’s headquarters and fight off his last remaining followers; but not before his evil spell is completed. He successfully opens a gateway to another world, and the Shieldmaiden jumps in after him at the very last second.
Across the Multiverse in 80 Seconds
The Shieldmaiden and the Warlock wrestle each other through a wormhole stretching across multiple universes. The Warlock kicks the Shieldmaiden away, and she is cast into some unknown world, where she blacks out.
The Imperishable Ones
The Shieldmaiden awakens, finding herself in the Desert of Set. Beside her is are several Knights in Sutekh’s Service who fell during the exorcism of the Ungod in His Nocturnal Majesty (“Giver of Winds“). The Knights explain to the Shieldmaiden that Set brought her to safety here in His heaven; but since she isn’t dead yet, she must return to one of the many worlds of the living. Whether she chooses to return home or continue her quest against the Warlock is her decision.
Ancient Enemy (Disciple of the Worm)
The Imperishable Ones tell the Shieldmaiden of Set about the Warlock’s history. They tell her he is not a human being at all, but an uncreated monster from before the dawn of time. He has many names and faces, and he orchestrates a unique apocalypse for every universe he visits. He is the alpha of all evil masterminds, and he will settle for nothing less than the total annihilation of everything that exists—including himself in the end.
The Sword and the Scarab
Set appears and gives the Shieldmaiden two gifts: a khepesh sword and a scarab amulet. The sword has been forged directly from Set’s iron bones, and it is both indestructible and extremely deadly to all creatures of isfet. It also glows bright red whenever such creatures are near, to help identify the Warlock. The amulet, meanwhile, can instantly return the Shieldmaiden to her home universe whenever she wishes. Set then asks the Shieldmaiden how she would like to proceed, and she chooses to continue her quest. He sends her to the universe where the Warlock is currently located, and the Shieldmaiden goes to work.
Holiday Fear
The Warlock unleashes a horrific surprise on holiday consumers.
The Shieldmaiden sends a message before stopping the Warlock’s broadcast signal.
The Warlock has launched a multimillion dollar toy company, and all of his products have been hexed to kill sleeping families across the world on Christmas Eve. The global paranoia produced by this single act of terror will make the Ungod visible to everyone in this world, resulting in the same apocalypse suffered in the Shieldmaiden’s home universe. Can the Shieldmaiden save the holidays and stop the Ungod’s return?
Mesozoic
The Warlock impersonates a reptilian priest of Sobek on an alternate earth.
The Shieldmaiden wins the hearts of the reptile people.
The Shieldmaiden pursues the Warlock to an alternate earth where humans never came into existence. This version of earth is ruled by a civilization of reptile people instead. These peaceful creatures are terrified by the Shieldmaiden’s appearance, having never seen a human before. The Warlock impersonates a reptilian priest of the crocodile god Sobek, using this position to stir up fear among the populace. But when the Shieldmaiden rescues a nursery full of reptilian toddlers from burning in a fire, their parents help her escape.
Bacillus Pestis
The Warlock engineers an unstoppable variant of bubonic plague.
The Shieldmaiden dons a plague mask and goes to work.
The Warlock has assumed control of the Illuminati, and he is using its top scientists to develop a mutant strain of bubonic plague. This strain infects and kills its hosts within minutes, reducing them to awful bloody heaps. The Illuminati’s members think the Warlock is giving them a vaccine so they can use the disease to extort every world government. In reality, they are being infected with the bacteria and will be the first to die. The Warlock intends to let this plague drive the entire human race into extinction. Can the Shieldmaiden avert this horrific act of terror before it’s too late?
Graveyard Minds
The Warlock has weaponized Quantamaker’s secret to physical immortality.
The Shieldmaiden fights to prevent the Neverdead from invading earth.
The Shieldmaiden enters a timeline where the Warlock is funding a mad scientist named Quantamaker, who has discovered the secret to physical immortality. The only problem is, Quantamaker’s procedure results in complete annihilation of the soul. His patients do become physically indestructible and cease to age; yet they also become cold, motionless voids that just stand there, staring blankly into eternity, with no will or motivation to do anything. Worse still, the Warlock has weaponized Quantamaker’s procedure and plans to zombify every living creature in this way, so as to throw all of nature out of balance.
Hell is Where the Heart is
The Shieldmaiden is now the Warlock’s prisoner…
The Shieldmaiden busts loose!
The Shieldmaiden wakes up as a patient at a maximum security psychiatric ward. The head psychiatrist is none other than the Warlock, who is hypnotizing his patients to believe they must destroy entire neighborhoods for “Satan,” then arranging for them to escape. This is intended to spark a global witch hysteria that will kick off the Ungod’s return—a “rerun” of one of the Warlock’s schemes in Our Lady of Thrones (“Satanic Panic“). Can the Shieldmaiden resist her captor’s evil spell and break free to bring him down? Or will the Warlock succeed in appealing to her dark side and convert her to the ways of isfet?
The War Across the Worlds
The Shieldmaiden coordinates a full scale synchronized attack against the Warlock’s operations across each of the preceding universes she has visited (“Holiday Fear,” “Mesozoic,” “Bacillus Pestis,” “Graveyard Minds,” and “Hell is Where the Heart is“). She brawls with the evil wizard and chases him through yet another wormhole that stretches across the multiverse.
Dispel the Ungod
The Shieldmaiden pursues an injured Warlock to a desolate world entirely devoid of life. They have their final showdown, in which she finally separates his torso from his legs with her magic sword. She recites an execration spell as she watches him die, staring him coldly in the eye as she does so. But despite her victory, the Warlock never stops grinning, not even when he gives his final breath.
She Before Whom the Sky Shakes
Having vanquished her foe, the Shieldmaiden of Set finally uses the magic amulet she received from the Imperishable Ones. She returns home to her own universe, finding the task force she led still waiting for her. She shows them the decapitated head of the Warlock, and everyone cheers.
The Eternal Conflict (Finale)
In each world she has visited, the Shieldmaiden has made friends and allies, uniting them to defend Ma’at against the powers of isfet. Thanks to her example, each of these brave souls now understands that Ma’at is a delicate balance and is always in danger. We can’t just sit here, hoping for a happy ending; even Gods must fight for what They wish to save.
Ophidyssey (2022)
A musical offering to the Egyptian solar cobra goddess, Wadjet.
Ophidyssey is a musical offering to Wadjet, the Egyptian solar cobra goddess, and it is also the “soundtrack” for a 1980s 8-bit Nintendo game that doesn’t exist. This album is available for streaming and download on Bandcamp, Amazon, Apple iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and other digital music platforms.
The Mauling Man (2022)
A different kind of werewolf story for Pagan, Kemetic, and Setian audiences.
The Mauling Man (2022) is a “soundtrack” for an imaginary werewolf movie that doesn’t exist. It is currently available for purchase, streaming, and download at Bandcamp, Amazon, Apple iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and other digital music platforms. This is the story of Hal, a wolf who has the ability to change into a man and back, and who is inspired by the Egyptian gods Anubis and Wepwawet to fight crime and protect the innocent.
Hal is a werewolf, but not like in the movies. He’s a wolf who changes into a man, not a man who becomes a wolf. He changes whenever he wants, not just during the full moon. He also has three faces—wolf, man, and wolfman—not just two.
Most importantly, Hal is a VERY GOOD BOY, not an evil monster.
The werewolf was found abandoned and injured as a pup by a woman named Jane, who nursed him back to health. When she learned he can transform, she adopted him as her son and taught him everything she could. After learning to read, Hal discovered the canid gods Anubis and Wepwawet in an old Egyptology book on Jane’s shelf. Recognizing himself in Them, he decided he wanted to be just like Them when he grew up, helping and protecting the innocent.
When Hal came of age, Jane released him back into the wild. In his lupine form, he fell in love with a she-wolf named Grace and adopted her pups as his own. He’s also been saving human lives and making enemies with the forces of evil ever since—including a mad pseudoscientist called Phibes, a Bible-thumping trophy hunter named Jedidiah Clark, and the entire Lugosi Mob. But perhaps the so-called “Mauling Man” has yet to face his greatest challenge…
“Madonna and Pup”
Injured and abandoned as a pup, Hal is discovered by a woman named Jane, who nurses him back to health. When Jane discovers Hal can change into a human and back, she teaches him to read and write, and she raises him as her own son.
“Holy Canidae”
After Jane teaches him to read and write, Hal finds an Egyptology book on her shelf and discovers the gods Anubis and Wepwawet…and he decides he wants to be just like Them when he grows up.
“Finding Grace”
When he came of age, Jane released Hal back into the wild. He traveled the woods as a wolf for a while; and then he heard her. A she-wolf named Grace cried out into the night for her missing mate, drawing the attention of enemy wolves. She was terrified the other wolves would kill her pups…but then Hal appeared and drove them away. He and Grace fell in love, and Hal adopted her pups as his own.
Grace was a little weirded out when she first learned Hal could change into a man; but it helped that he still smelled the same, and that he was so loving with her pups. In his human form, Hal built his family a safe haven, a den that even other wolves couldn’t enter. Grace is everything to him; she and her pups are his highest priority.
“Human Predator”
A jogger named Alice is menaced by a would-be attacker in the woods early one morning, before the sun has risen. But she is saved in the nick of time by the werewolf Hal, and she witnesses his ability to transform.
“House Fire”
Hal rescues two children named Will and Dana, as well as their dog Bosie, from a house fire out in the woods. Later, the children will tell the authorities they were saved by a “superhero werewolf.”
“Survivors in the Snow”
While searching for an escaped convict and his hostage, state troopers are trapped in an avalanche. Hal arrives to save the survivors and lead them back to civilization; but will anyone believe what they have seen?
“Mauling the Mob”
Members of the Lugosi Mob have kidnapped a boy named Eddie and taken him to a cabin deep in the woods. They threaten Eddie’s father, who is a federal judge, that they will kill the boy unless all charges against their boss, Old Man Lugosi, are dropped. But when Hal finds out what’s going on, he busts into the cabin, rescues Eddie, and gives his kidnappers the fright of their life.
“The Cryptozoologist”
Betsy Phibes is an eccentric conspiracy theorist who is obsessed with cryptids, including Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. When she learns about the Mauling Man in her local area, she becomes equally obsessed with capturing the werewolf. Will Hal escape?
“Prey to God”
The Lugosi Mob has hired an assassin named Jedidiah Clark to wreak their vengeance upon Hal. Clark is a trophy hunter who has killed and stuffed countless dangerous animals. He is also a born-again Christian who believes Hal is a manifestation of Satan. But as Clark closes in for the kill, he learns too late that Hal’s mate Grace and her pups are just as devoted to Hal as he is to them.
“The Ghoul”
Who is the Mysterious Ghoul?
The Ghoul (as a Baby Hyena)
The Ghoul (in Human Form)
The Ghoul (in Hyena-Man Form)
A new criminal mastermind is on the scene, and even the Lugosi Mob won’t cross him.
As he tries to stop this deadly nemesis, Hal discovers the Ghoul is actually a werehyena, and that he suffered horribly when he was a cub in the wild.
The Ghoul was born to a normal hyena family, and his loved ones were mercilessly wiped out by superstitious humans. He was able to escape thanks to his ability to transform. After years of hating humanity, he decided to become exactly what the people who murdered his family were afraid of.
Now the Ghoul will stop at nothing to see the earth and all its creatures liberated from the evils of humankind. Can Hal reason with this deadly enemy?
“I Hate It When You Go”
Grace hates it whenever Hal leaves her and the pups. She knows he has been chosen by Anubis and Wepwawet for a special destiny, but she fears Hal might not come home one day…especially with the Ghoul on the loose.
“Showdown”
Hal Transforms
The Ghoul Transforms
Were-Beast Battle
Hal Knocks Out the Ghoul
Hal Rescues the Ghoul
Redemption (Panel 1)
Redemption (Panel 2)
Redemption (Panel 3)
Redemption (Panel 4)
Redemption (Panel 5)
“A New Generation”
Hal returns home to Grace with his new friend, the Ghoul, at his side. They arrive in time to be with Grace as she gives birth to a new litter of pups—some of whom are little werewolves!!
Bonding with the pups as their “Uncle Ghoul” helps the werehyena process his childhood traumas, and Hal’s kindness helps his mind and soul to heal. The two of them become an inseparable team, and criminals in the area soon find themselves hunted by not one, but TWO vigilante shapeshifters.
In time, local residents will start telling campfire tales of an entire clan of werewolves (plus one werehyena) in their area, mauling human predators and protecting the innocent…
“Our Lady of Thrones” Retro VHS Art
Retro VHS art for Our Lady of Thrones!
“His Nocturnal Majesty” Retro VHS Art
Retro VHS art for His Nocturnal Majesty!
“Summer’s End II” Retro VHS Art
Here’s some retro VHS art for Summer’s End II!
“Summer’s End” Retro VHS Art
Here’s some retro-VHS box art for Summer’s End!
The Gods Can Handle Our Anger
It’s okay to be angry or upset with the gods, and it’s okay for us to tell Them so as well.
A very good friend of mine occasionally becomes profoundly angry with Set and/or the other Netjeru for not saving them from the horrific things they endured as a child. When this happens, they put away every religious icon they own. When they are especially upset, they might even smash these holy images in a fit of blind rage. Then they feel guilty and anxious afterwards, fearing the Netjeru will punish them for being so disrespectful.
(I will not go into details, but I do wish to be extra super double sure I’m making myself absolutely clear on this point: these behaviors are coming from a place of pain and fear, not from a place of pride or insolence. Any comments that assume otherwise will be removed. Thank you.)
When my friend confides in me about these occasions, I do what I always do. I gently remind them that no, they are not bad for feeling anger, and no, they are not bad for expressing their anger to the gods.
The ancient Egyptians got angry with the Netjeru all the time, even threatening to withhold offerings from Them if They failed to answer certain prayers in times of great need. Here, the god-and-worshiper relationship is symbiotic and reciprocal. We must give to the gods, but the gods must also give to us. If the gods give and we do not, They can condemn or abandon us; and if we give and the gods do not, we can condemn or abandon Them.
Mind you, the Netjeru are not mere genies who exist just to grant our wishes. It is unreasonable to condemn or abandon Them for not solving all of our problems for us. But it is at least reasonable for devotees to expect some kind of benefit from worshiping Them. We deserve to at least feel guided or supported by our gods somehow; and if a deity can’t even seem to deliver that much for whatever reason, it is only natural for a person to stop worshiping Them.
The idea that we are obligated to continue worshiping a particular god no matter what They do or don’t do for (or to) us is profoundly un-Setian. I would argue it is even un-Kemetic, since each of the Netjeru can potentially receive angry tirades or threats of abandonment from Their followers. Besides, even if you scream obscenities at a Netjer, you are still communicating with Them in a heartfelt manner. You are still engaging Them in a kind of prayer. You are just praying a prayer of grievance rather than gratitude, if you will.
So I tell my friend it’s absolutely okay for them to put away their religious icons whenever they feel upset with the gods. It’s even okay for them to smash said images when they are especially distressed (provided, of course, that they actually own the icons they smash, and no person or animal gets hurt in the process, including themselves).
Learning about the Netjeru turned out to be very helpful for my friend; yet they are still trying to reconcile their past with the idea that there are actually gods out there who care about them. If this is true, they ask me, why then did the gods allow them to be harmed as children?
There is very little anyone can say to answer such a question that is actually helpful (or even truthful, in my opinion at least). All I know is, if the gods are truly gods, They are big and tough enough to take our anger, especially if it’s coming from someone who is confused and hurting very deeply.
I also don’t believe for one second that the gods hold it against anyone for being traumatized and needing help. I think Set would actually prefer that my friend curse and smash His icons to having them traumatize any of the other people in their life. No matter what they might do to His icons, my friend can at least be sure they won’t hurt Set Himself; the same cannot be said for their loved ones.
There aren’t any easy answers for when bad things happen to good people. But if you happen to find yourself in a situation similar to that of my friend, I just want someone to have told you it’s okay. Set is not going to smite anyone just for being traumatized and crying out to Him for help—not even if the only way they are currently able to seek help is combative or confrontational. (He can always smite us for other reasons, of course; but Big Red is big enough to handle our feelings, even the really bad ones.)
It’s Okay To Have Demons
Expecting people to be John Rambo—including Setians—is unrealistic.
It’s fucked up how the behaviors we develop to survive as kids can bite us in the ass when we are grownups.
As a kid, I was conditioned to believe that asserting myself is bad, wrong, mean, and selfish. I was taught that if I love someone, I should just keep my mouth shut whenever they do anything that disappoints me or hurts me. If I speak up about it, I am being an asshole and I don’t deserve to be loved.
How insidious it is that such conditioning can affect us even as adults. I recently lost a good friend who occasionally did things that disappointed me. I kept silent about my feelings for so long that when I finally tried to express myself, it destroyed the friendship. Then I started hating myself for even trying to talk with this person about my misgivings at all. “If I just hadn’t said anything, we would still be friends,” my brain keeps telling me. “I ruined this friendship, and it’s all my fault.”
This kind of childhood conditioning can even affect your professional life. If I land a better job and my current employer gets upset that I am leaving, I feel like a horrible person. I feel like I’m an ungrateful prick. I feel like I’m being mean and something bad is going to happen to me, as a “punishment.” Even when my logical mind knows I am doing something good for myself, even when I remember that other people hire into better jobs all the time; I still feel like I am bad.
Well the reality is that NONE of these things is true. The voice that whispers these awful things to me inside my brain is not my own voice, but the voice of my childhood trauma. When I blame myself for ruining that friendship, or when I hate on myself for doing something that’s good for my own professional development, it is not really me that’s speaking; it’s my male parental unit. It’s the man who bullied me and manipulated me when I was little; the man who was never impressed by anything I tried to do; the man who delighted in making me feel powerless, trapped, and afraid.
I resonate with Set because He refuses to control or be controlled. Like Him, I chafe at the thought of anyone telling me who or what I can or cannot be. And like Him, I absolutely detest the idea of trying to control anyone else’s life. When I came to Set at age 14, it drove my male progenitor nuts. Here was something he couldn’t take away from me, no matter how much he hit me or tried to shame me. He could burn all my books and break all my sacred objects, but he could never remove Set from my heart. And this gave me the resilience I needed to truly start defining myself apart from the toxicity in which I was raised.
But even though I started on this quest all those years ago, the journey is still in progress. I am still learning how things in my childhood are affecting my adult life. I am still learning how to not hate myself when I do things that are good for me. I am still learning how to love myself and not listen to that ugly voice in my mind that expects me to fail. I am still learning how to determine myself and to not let anyone else define me.
So take it from a Setian who has been walking with Big Red for over 24 years… Ain’t NONE of us here are “Nietzschean supermen.” It’s totally OK if you are still fighting demons from your childhood. Nobody, least of all Set, expects you to be John Rambo. (And even if Rambo were real, he’d be suffering from PTSD too, just like all the rest of us.) If you struggle with hating yourself because of traumatic things that happened to you, you are not alone by any stretch of the imagination. And it’s absolutely OK. Just try to remember that when you get to feeling that way, it’s your trauma talking; it is NOT reality. And try to remember too that talking about your feelings is a STRENGTH, not a weakness. Listening to others talk about their feelings, and helping them feel comfortable enough to share them, is a strength as well.
It’s Setian, Not “Satanic”
Christians and Satanists might hate each other’s deities, but Setians can honor Set and Osiris at the same time.
One of the more annoying misconceptions against Setianism is this idea that Set is the “Egyptian devil” or “god of evil,” and that we His followers are all a bunch of raving psychopaths who thrive on chaos and violence. Another annoying assumption is the idea that if you ever attract Set’s attention to yourself, your house will burn down and your entire family will drop dead. (Or something like that.)
People who describe Set as “evil” have no business pontificating on Him (or any other Netjer or Egyptian deity, for that matter). He is really not comparable to the Christian devil at all. He is not a “fallen angel” who tries to drag people down into hell with him. He is a full-blown GOD in His own right. He is a SAVIOR who wards off the monsters of chaos.
Yes, Set has some drama with certain other members of the Egyptian pantheon; but this is not at all relatable to the “God versus Satan” dynamic of Christianity. The antagonism between Set and Osiris, for example, is not about some moral dichotomy of “good versus evil”; it is instead a theological metaphor for how ecosystems and agricultural cycles work. Christians and Satanists might hate each other’s deities, but it is not unusual for Kemetic polytheists to honor Set and Osiris together at the same shrine. This is because we know BOTH gods are really necessary and good, and that BOTH deserve to be loved and appreciated. That’s just how polytheism works.
And I have never met a single Setian who resembled a real-life Mad Max character, gleefully running from one explosion to the next. Every Setian I know is a regular everyday person who values consistency, security, and safety. We get PTSD when bad things happen to us, just like everyone else. Many of us also seem to work in fields relating to public health, helping other people achieve a better quality of life. I am actually super fucking impressed with the number of Setians I personally know who work as counselors, caregivers, educators, and other similar roles. I think this alone demonstrates that our God is neither as “chaotic” nor as “destructive” as certain people like to think.
As for the idea that reaching out to Set will cause a bunch of chaotic shit to happen in your life… Well I’ve been worshiping Him for more than 24 years now, and it has never caused my life to fall apart. In fact, my life has only become more *organized* and *secure* since I first met Him at age 14. Besides, chaotic things will happen to us no matter WHAT we do. They will happen whether we pray to Set or not. They will even happen if we pray to someone else, or if we pray to no one at all. Worshiping Set does not increase anyone’s chances of having chaotic things happen to them; it also doesn’t PREVENT such things from happening, either. But let me tell you, it sure does help to have the Red Lord in your corner during a crisis. Setians do not thrive on chaos; we thrive on SET, who helps us PERSEVERE against chaos.
One other idea I find super annoying is this notion that Setians are supposed to be having intense paranormal experiences all the time, like on a near-daily basis or something. Ghosts, visions, and prophetic dreams are actually just as rare for me as they are for most other people. I suspect this is true of most other Setians, as well.
You don’t have to be a psychic or a ghosthunter to be Setian. Hell, some people don’t even need rituals. Maybe you just don’t “feel right” going through the motions for whatever reason. Maybe you feel more comfortable just meditating, or trying something different. As long as you have Set in your heart, you’re Setian enough by my standards. If people can still be Christian without going to church every Sunday, you can still be Setian without keeping any shrines or casting any spells. We each get to walk with Big Red in our own way.
Our Lady of Thrones (Coming 11/1/2021)
Coming November 1, 2021 to gbmarian.bandcamp.com
Our Lady of Thrones is the follow-up to last year’s His Nocturnal Majesty (2020). Both stories revolve around the appearance of a monster called “the Ungod” in the sky. But while His Nocturnal Majesty concerns one group of characters and their efforts to repel this monster back to the Other Side, Our Lady of Thrones concerns a very different group of characters and their efforts to rebuild human civilization. It is also a double album, with Disc One taking place prior to His Nocturnal Majesty, and Disc Two taking place afterwards.
(For more detailed character biographies, check out His Nocturnal Majesty & Our Lady of Thrones – Cast of Characters.)
Album Art
The Whole Story:
Sorceress (The Prophecy)
When the Sorceress was a girl, Lady Isis spoke to her in dreams, showing her the end of the world. “You must gather as many of your sisters in humanity as you can,” the Goddess advised. “Together, go forth and build the city of New Sennebytos. Those who follow My guidance will survive to heal this world from the horror that is soon to come.”
Witchfinder
No one knew the Witchfinder’s true name or origin, but he could hear thoughts. He knew when other people had similiar abilities to his own. He killed as many such “witches” as he could, one by one, by any means necessary. No matter what was done to stop him, the “God” that commanded him to kill would not let him die. And the Sorceress, still a young girl, was next on his list…
The Church of Many Mothers
The Sorceress traveled far and wide, bringing women together in spirit from across the continent. Caregivers, educators, public servants…all became sisters in Lady Isis, and all pooled their resources to buy land in the West. Together, they built the community of New Sennebytos and made preparations to survive the coming disaster.
Initiation
When Rae first learned of the Church of Many Mothers, she thought they were just another doomsday cult. But it soon became clear the Sorceress was no false prophet. And when Rae saw for herself how safe, happy, and powerful these women were together…she began to realize she was one of them at heart.
The Reverend President
He was a televangelist. He hypnotized the masses into swallowing his toxic brand of Christianity. He advised several American presidents on both foreign and domestic policy. Then the people voted him into the White House, and the Church of Many Mothers became Public Enemy Number One.
Satanic Panic (Disciple of the Worm)
The Reverend President enlisted the aid of the Warlock, who engineered a spell to possess thousands of viewers through their television sets. Like flicking a switch, the evil magicians drove entire communities to commit acts of mass violence and terror. This horror was then blamed on “cults” like the Church of Many Mothers, and the world descended into madness.
Go With The Goddess
It was time for New Sennebytos to retreat underground, but the Sorceress refused to abandon those members of her church who had not yet escaped to the city. She sent her best warriors to rescue as many of their sisters from across the country as they could. One sister chosen for this quest was Rae, who had since taken a wife named Autumn. The lovers feared they might never see each other again.
Escape to New Sennebytos
Along with a warrior named Adrienne, Rae was assigned to rescue those Isians who were trapped in Atlanta. While there, the women were pursued by the Witchfinder. Rae sacrificed herself so that Adrienne and the other women could escape. It broke poor Autumn’s heart when her wife did not return home; but there was nothing to be done. For the end was about to begin…
The Screaming Sky
As civilization decayed, Ma’at began to unravel. Then the Ungod appeared in the sky, just as the Warlock had secretly planned. The monster’s countless tongues slithered down from its gigantic mouth to slowly encircle and devour the entire world. Most everyone who witnessed this immediately went insane. Our planet would never be the same again…
The Shieldmaiden’s Daughter (Part I)
While the Church of Many Mothers remained hidden beneath New Sennebytos, the Shieldmaiden of Set fought to survive above. One day, the Shieldmaiden found an orphaned baby girl, whom she adopted as her own. Whenever mother and daughter both felt hopeless at night, Lord Sutekh appeared and gave them comfort. “You are My Shieldmaidens,” He explained, “and the Ungod will tremble when you are near.”
After the End
After the elder Shieldmaiden of Set repelled the Ungod back to the Other Side, the earth slowly returned to life. The Church of Many Mothers returned to the surface and began to rebuild civilization. They welcomed refugees into their society, and they helped neighboring communities rebuild themselves too. The women of New Sennebytos then became legendary defenders of civility and peace.
Sentinels of Sekhmet
Meanwhile, the Reverend President and the Witchfinder had both survived as well. Together, they transformed Atlanta into a theocratic totalitarian empire: the Kingdom Guard. In time, the Church of Many Mothers sent a special taskforce—the Sentinels of Sekhmet—to infiltrate the Kingdom Guard and help those of its citizens who were trying to escape. Autumn was chosen to lead this quest. She believed her wife Rae might still be alive in Atlanta, and she was desperate to find out.
The Kingdom Guard
The Sentinels of Sekhmet infiltrated Atlanta, searching for citizens who sought refuge. While there, they witnessed just how horrible things within the Kingdom Guard really were. They were soon captured and imprisoned, whereupon they found a tortured and beaten Rae, near death. Sobbing, Autumn embraced her wife and gave thanks to Lady Isis.
The Shieldmaiden’s Daughter (Part II)
Just when the Sentinels of Sekhmet thought they were done for, the second Shieldmaiden of Set appeared, now fully grown. She helped the women break free, and she battled the Witchfinder as they made their escape. All of the women, including the Shieldmaiden, safely returned to New Sennebytos…But not in time for Rae’s life to be saved.
Resurrection Ceremony
Back in New Sennebytos, Autumn begged the Sorceress to use her magic and restore life to Rae. The Sorceress agreed, but explained that her magic could only resurrect Rae for a limited time. Once that time was up, Rae would have to return to the Other Side with all the rest of the dead. The Sorceress performed the ceremony, and Autumn and Rae were able to spend one last night together after all.
Last Embrace
Autumn and Rae spent their last night together in each other’s arms. Rae promised to do whatever she could as a ghost on the Other Side to help Autumn in her battles. Autumn swore she would never take another wife so long as she lived.
Warlocked (Disciple of the Worm)
Before she left this world, Rae told Autumn what she had seen as a prisoner of the Kingdom Guard. Even the Sorceress was surprised to learn the Reverend President was actually long dead, and that his corpse was but a rotting puppet. The Warlock had been the true mastermind all along, manipulating the entire Kingdom Guard for his own purposes. Now he sought to facilitate the Ungod’s return…by destroying New Sennebytos.
Witchfinder General
The Sorceress and the Witchfinder faced each other on the battlefield. The Sorceress was mighty, but even she could not phase her opponent. Then she shouted a word only the Witchfinder could hear. It was a name no one else understood. When the Witchfinder heard this, he froze like a statue…and he never moved again. Exhausted from her injuries, the Sorceress smiled…and then she died.
Defy the Ungod
The women of New Sennebytos launched their final assault against the Warlock’s hordes. They were joined in battle by the Shieldmaiden of Set, who had just returned from reuniting the Knights in Sutekh’s Service. When these mighty Setian warriors joined their Isian sisters on the battlefield, the Kingdom Guard soon dissolved into chaos.
Long Live the Queen
After defeating the Kingdom Guard, the Church of Many Mothers and the Knights in Sutekh’s Service returned to New Sennebytos. All who fell during the battle, including the Sorceress, were given the most beautiful funerals anyone had ever seen. Autumn was then coronated Pharaoh, and with their new Queen, the women of New Sennebytos went forth to continue rebuilding our world.
Episode #68: Summer’s End II (Album)
The soundtrack for an imaginary Halloween-themed anthology horror film, with vignettes featuring banshees, changelings, and Stonehenge.
Summer’s End II is the sequel to my Halloween-themed instrumental album from last year. This batch of gruesome tales includes Stonehenge, a Headless Horseman, and even an apocalyptic supercomputer gone mad. Merry Samhain, and Happy Halloween! 🎃 🎃 🎃
Available for streaming and download on Apple Music and
Bandcamp ; coming soon to other digital music platforms!
Album Art
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Twilight of the Fae
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The Dullahan Rides Out
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Hamadruid
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The Stonehenge Tape
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Changeling
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Jack And His Lantern
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Banshee
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CROM 9000
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The Young and the Headless
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Parliament of Trees