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ewen_cluney.txt

@nekoewen.bsky.social
780 followers 699 following 4.2K posts

TTRPGs, writing, Japanese language, anime, mechanical keyboards, steno, 3D printing, movies, pasta, cats. Ewen is pronounced like Aaron. he/him

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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Sticking a little bit of comedy into Hero League: The Hunger (Xeroverse Book 4) when it has bits of fictional comics involving the Maw. I decided this was the place to do a sendup of when Squirrel Girl met Galactus.
THE AMAZING KITTY KAT #4 (2014)
Kathy Abernathy, known to the world by her superhero moniker Kitty Kat, swishes her tail  and looks up at the giant space god seated next to her. It’s still amazing that she and Fraulein Fuzzyface (her cat best friend) are here on the friggin’ moon, visited only by the Apollo astronauts. And that one werewolf guy. And okay, several superheroes and supervillains. And several aliens. It was still a relatively small club, okay?
“And I heard you were originally named Maren of Maa? Is ‘the Maw’ just something people started calling you? Like if people called me ‘the Mirth’ or something?”
The Maw’s massive rhombus eyes look down at her. “It was billions of years ago, but yes.”
“And the big M you had on your chest when you first met the Quintessential Quartet? What was that about?”
The Maw looks away. Was he embarrassed? “A coincidence. The sigil for the planet Maa happens to look like your letter M. Any other frivolous questions?”
She tries to think, then snaps her fingers. “You don’t have like an evil brother called the Waa, do you?”
“…”
“Okay, that was silly even for me.” Kathy decides not to ask about the time he showed up in red and green armor. She clasps her hands. “Serious stuff. So, like, I get that you’re important to the cosmic balance and stuff, but I bet we can find something else for you to eat besides the Earth.”
“The Hunger is eternal,” says the Maw.
“I know, but dude, have you tried fish? Like a good tuna or salmon?”
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
A new Xero to Hero chapter is up on Royal Road! Xero and the West Coast Hero League go to stop a runaway train and fall into Equalizer's trap. #fiction #superheroes www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854...
royalroad.com
10. Take the Train - Xeroverse
The WCHL aircar, a peaceful application of Carr Industries’ repulsor technology, zipped along the train tracks, bypassing all the Angel City traffic. The car was glossy white and shaped like a bar of ...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I've been reaching a bunch of comics with Galactus and I didn't know that he had a weird little guy he called Punisher who he pretty much just sends down to beat up Ben Grim for a while.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Guy boards a bus but it's the Omnibus that takes him everywhere in the universe simultaneously.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I think I may have managed to condense my feelings on apocalypticism down about as far as they'll go with this bit in the final Xeroverse novel.
“It never ceases to amaze me how mortals want things to endure so much more than immortals,” she mused. “Are you sure this world should really continue?”
“You’re really asking me that, now?”
She looked right at him. “Yes.”
The world had problems. It had suffering and war and death. It also had good things. Love and friendship and so on, but those weren’t why it should continue. “I’m sure. Fixing things is hard, but it’s worth doing. Being a superhero means not giving up. Apocalypse is… a copout.”
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Reading the original Fantastic Four comics that introduced Galactus, and the 1960s Marvel dialogue is quite a thing.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I would much rather be on a plane where the pilot is a furry than e.g. an Andrew Tate fan or a premillennial dispensationalist.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Getting deeper into Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor’s new book End Times Fascism, which is depressing and also made me realize my Galactus stand-in has to be partly a metaphor for tech oligarchs who are destroying the world while steamrolling the objections of normal people.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
New Memes of the Prophets on Royal Road! Now we get to see the immediate consequences of Erica introducing the Guild of Artists to some modern art! (The long-term consequences will play out over the rest of the series and beyond). #isekai #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1841...
royalroad.com
5.2. Oblique Approaches - Memes of the Prophets
Langella rushed up to them with brushes, paints, and a big canvas in tow. She paused, panting, and shouted, “Wait!” The artists paused and turned to her. “What now?” asked one. “I need to show you som...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Following symbolism and intuitions somehow led to my surreal superhero novel having a scene where an eyeless Joe Rogan parody interviews a wolf.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A new chapter of Xero to Hero is up on Royal Road! To help track down Dan's doppelganger, he teams up with the West Coast Hero League, the local super-team for Angel City! Who's been living in his place the past three years? #fiction #superheroes www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854...
royalroad.com
9. Team-Up - Xeroverse
The West Coast Hero League wasn’t as big of a deal as its east coast counterpart, but it was still an impressive building, a mix of gray metal and gleaming glass in sweeping shapes. They weren’t top-t...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I read up on Mimic (the X-Men character) and the contrast between him and Xero is interesting. Mimic was desperate to make some copied powers permanent so he didn't feel like a pale imitation of others, whereas Xero's attitude is mostly, "I get to try out EVERY power and that's amazing."
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I'm a bit more than halfway through American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism (currently on a chapter about how they freaked out about FDR), and basically, evangelicals have been on the wrong side of almost everything for the entirety of their existence.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Working a short The Boys parody into the Xeroverse, and coming up with deliberately dumb names: Sammy Slaughter Henry The Kraut Kanako And my favorite, Daddy's Drink (And also a Xero parody called "Ditto.")
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I've been reading American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism, which led to Xeroverse Book 4 including some bits with a televangelist telling the faithful that the Maw (Galactus) coming to eat the world is a joyous sign of the end times. IRL they do that with most tragedies.
Billy looked out over the congregation of the True Cavalry Church International, a stadium’s worth of the faithful, and more watching the broadcast from around the world. God had made him a very rich man, and one who didn’t have to pay taxes no less.
His wife Tiffany addressed them first, as always. “May God bless us all. Welcome, to the Billy Brand Gospel Hour!”
The crowd applauded and the music played, and Billy strode out onto the stage, and stood in his pulpit.
He adjusted the microphone just a little and addressed the crowd as the cheers died down. “Welcome, and thank you all for joining us this blessed Sunday, here at the Rue Cavalry Church International and all around the world. Before I begin, I’ll remind you all to give generously, at our website or at the number you’ll see on the screen now. Your donations help us in our mission and give you blessings from the Lord!”
More cheers.
“By now you’ve all heard the news, about the coming of the Maw, the creature from outer space that wants to devour our world! Many cower in fear, but God has told me, this is a time to rejoice! The Maw is salvation! It is the first blow of the trumpets! Rejoice, because the End Times are here at last!”
The crowd cheered louder than before. Some stood up in their seats.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
You ever had a weird, annoying day that you end up spending 20 minutes telling all your friends about? That's every episode of Atlanta, except there's surreal touches like some guy has an invisible car.
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The Onion @theonion.com · 18/09/2026
Olivia Rodrigo Releases Fantasy Tabletop Game ‘The High Winter Elves Of Girlville’ theonion.com/olivia-rodrigo-release…
Olivia Rodrigo Releases Fantasy Tabletop Game ‘The High Winter Elves Of Girlville’
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I’m not entirely clear on who he is and I’m extremely unclear on why we should care all that much about what he says.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A new chapter of Memes of the Prophets is up on Royal Road! The party takes a break from adventuring for Erica to see if anyone's interested in her Earth ideas. Introducing the Guild of Artists to modern art may have been a mistake though... #isekai #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1841...
royalroad.com
5.1. Oblique Approaches - Memes of the Prophets
The next morning Erica woke up before anyone else, so she went downstairs and, with nothing else to do, started reading. There were a lot of books on magic, but most were too technical (or maybe “arca...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Apparently I messed up and scheduled two Xero to Hero chapters for today, so enjoy a bigger dose than normal as the movie's villain is revealed. #superhero #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854... www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854...
royalroad.com
7. First Strike - Xeroverse
Gregory stifled a yawn as he put the finishing touches on his report. Heroes were the more important part of this whole operation, but paperwork played a much bigger role in G.U.A.R.D.I.A.N.’s operati...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Working on Xeroverse Book 4 led to thinking about apocalypticism, which led to realizing that, particularly among Evangelicals, End Times Jesus is sort of an inversion of Gospels Jesus, turning the humble savior into a merciless cosmic judge and conqueror.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Another chapter of How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land! If you saw this twist coming then congratulations, because I sure as hell didn't! #isekai #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1871...
royalroad.com
Chapter 7: Flashback - How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land: A Randomized Isekai Tale
The Temple of Elmat lay beyond the Ghostlight Citadel, in the Sleeping Marches. The Marches formed a maze of sorts, with treacherous, narrow paths above the much slowly winding their way towards what ...
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ARBco @j-k.games · 13/09/2026
You know, I'll just bring up that close peer @nekoewen.bsky.social did a cozy, cooperative dungeon fantasy game (using the translated TTRPG Golden Sky Stories) well before it was ready to trend. It's due for another look! #ttrpg #dnd #cozy www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/1...
The cover to "Fantasy Friends", an expansion for Golden Sky Stories featuring a cover with rimming hills next to a shoreline,  with several adventurers chatting as they walk with fishing poles. A fluttering banner and trees can be seen in the distance.A sample page from the interior where a kindly beholder describes herself and tries to dispel some myths regarding the monstrosity of her kind.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
I've been inspired to work on Book 4 of the Xeroverse Tetralogy (Hero League: The Hunger), a mixture of generic superhero movie action, surreal weirdness, and whatever this is.
⇉. Garth Ennis Going Booth-to-Booth at Comic-Con Trying to Shock People
Published: Friday, July 23, 2025
SAN DIEGO, CA—Angered at how many times he’s heard people say that the Amazon series The Boys is so much better than the comics it was based on, comic writer Garth Ennis resorted to wandering the San Diego Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall, trying to shock people at each booth he visited.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
And here's a new chapter of How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land, because why not? Osamu gets fed up and makes everyone sit down and talk for a change. #isekai www.royalroad.com/fiction/1871...
royalroad.com
Chapter 6: Many Colors - How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land: A Randomized Isekai Tale
Malnard’s spell had created a blinding flash of light and caused the tornado to dissipate. That was all well and good, but now the tavern was in freefall. Everyone screamed as they fell. Except for Ry...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Browsing Apple Music somehow led me to this amazing, atmospheric track "A Quick One Before the Eternal Worm Devours Appalachia" by Lizard in the Spring (which is a cover of the Connecticut version by Deathconsciousness). www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P_8...
youtube.com
Lizard in the Spring - A Quick One Before the Eternal Worm Devours Appalachia
YouTube video by MarsMusic
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A new chapter of Memes of the Prophets is up on Royal Road! While high on catnip, Erica shares the game of tic-tac-toe at the tavern, and find out the hard way just how crazy the locals go for Earth stuff! #isekai #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1841...
royalroad.com
4.2. Hello from the Average Tavern - Memes of the Prophets
They played a few more games, and before long Alyssa and Langella had a series of draws. Langella looked at the page and frowned. “Whatcha got there?” A man holding a mug of ale asked over their shoul...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Babylon 5 is so good, and it's coming out free on YouTube. The aesthetics and budget are very 1990s syndicated TV, but the writing is usually top-notch. www.youtube.com/@Babylon5
youtube.com
Babylon 5
You’ve arrived at Babylon 5, the last, best hope for peace. A neutral station standing at the crossroads of galactic powers, where ambassadors, soldiers, traders, and dreamers all have a stake in the ...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Almost 9pm and it’s 84°F and that’s fucked up.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
A new chapter of Xero to Hero is up on Royal Road! After the mess in the previous chapter, Dan is disillusioned, but when he tries to go home, things get weird. #superhero #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854...
royalroad.com
6. Homecoming - Xeroverse
In the G.U.A.R.D.I.A.N. cafeteria Dan stared into space. He was feeling the bruises from that last battle. If Killfile had been around he could’ve been fully healed by now, but he wasn’t sure it would...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I finally got around to finishing and posting a new chapter of How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land! Rolling "American Games" for the chapter title led to some weird places. #isekai #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1871...
royalroad.com
Chapter 5: American Games - How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land: A Randomized Isekai Tale
The next morning, the trio were just about ready to head out from Cambergate when a guardsman jogged up. He fidgeted with his halberd. “Ah, there you are.” Beatrice eyed him coolly. “Is something wron...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Getting caught up on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and apparently they decided this would be the season with nothing but gimmick episodes. I'm okay with that. Also I saw a subtitle say "[Singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in Klingon]"
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
From Jon Peterson's books I learned about Coventry, a collaborative storytelling/RP thing from the LA SF scene. It ended badly, but it predates D&D by about a decade. I'm realizing one of the innovations of D&D was just realizing it could be turned into books. fancyclopedia.org/Coventry
fancyclopedia.org
Coventry - fancyclopedia.org
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
My haul from SF Zine Fest! There were two different booths offering little TTRPGs/story games too!
An assortment of zines. Cryptid California, Context Window, Cream of the Crap: The "Best" of the Worst in Porn Titles, Three Short Solo RPGs, Schismatics, A Crew Called Theseus, Squeeze, and did you say street magic
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
I've been poking at the book I started that's an in-depth review of AD&D1e, and I'm going to write a 1e warlord class. Writing the description is hard because 1e class descriptions are so... non-descriptive.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
It's hard to tell where specifically it started, but the term "Game Master" actually predates D&D, and notably was used to refer to facilitators of play by mail games of Diplomacy. "Dungeon Master" likely came from the D&D community first (specifically the APA-L zine), and was soon adopted by TSR.
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InfoWars @realinfowars.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Now in Gunmetal Grey!
A person in the background carrying a bag over their shoulder. In the foreground, a large gray cat sits beside a cardboard box labeled "CATS FOR MEN." The text above reads "Introducing CATS FOR MEN™," and below the box, it says "The first feline designed for real, masculine men."
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Oh hey, the full pilot of Pretty Pretty Please I Don’t Want to be a Magical Girl is out! www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_7L...
youtube.com
Pretty Pretty Please I Don’t Want to be a Magical Girl (EP.01 ANIMATED)
YouTube video by Kiana Khansmith
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Jurr Tolkien
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
the 5 stages of 'gief
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
A new chapter of Memes of the Prophets is up on Royal Road! The party goes to a tavern for dinner after their ordeal with the slimes, and Erica learns the hard way that as a catgirl she's susceptible to catnip. #isekai #fiction www.royalroad.com/fiction/1841...
royalroad.com
4.1. Hello from the Average Tavern - Memes of the Prophets
Back at the house they took turns taking baths. The house had a nice copper bathtub and even running water, but the water was cold, so it required heating via a magical flame crystal. While waiting fo...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
One of the artists I commissioned to do art for Maid RPG: Hand Maid Edition goes by "Raditz," and when I asked he said to just credit him as that, so now I'm picturing Goku's brother hunched over a drawing tablet.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
A new chapter of Xero to Hero is up on Royal Road! Our hero visits a supervillain's widow and confronts institutional problems with superhero organizations. www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854...
royalroad.com
5. Follow-Up - Xeroverse
Corn Master’s real name was, of all things, Corrin Masters. According to the file he was a 45-year-old insurance adjuster, and before today he’d managed to keep his criminal endeavors separate from hi...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I keep seeing posts from Mamdani on Bluesky, and he just keeps doing stuff to help New Yorkers. It's not the radical stuff that people were getting hysterical about, and it even includes removing some bad regulations on businesses.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I came across the Estonian group 6hunesseq, and their sound is pretty much exactly what I'm imagining the music of the Eitalethi (forest elves) from Memes of the Prophets is like. www.youtube.com/channel/UCwq...
youtube.com
6hunesseq - Topic
6hunesseq on Eesti pärimusmuusikaansambel, mis esitab rahvakoraale. Ansamblisse kuuluvad Greta Liisa Grünberg, Marion Selgall, Kaisa Kuslapuu ja Maria Mänd. 2022. aastal võitis ansambel rahvamuusikatö...
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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
If I'm remembered for just one contribution to ludology, let it be this
A meme that says 'The Myth of Player Agency in TTRPGS'
Player: I consent
DM: I consent
d20: I don't!
Beneath, the slogan reads: Isn't there somebody you forgot to ask?
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
A new chapter of How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land: A Randomized Isekai Tale is up! Hitoshi puts his "Create Dragon" cheat skill to the test with silly results! #isekai www.royalroad.com/fiction/1871...
royalroad.com
Chapter 4: Tokyo Dragon - How the Overpowered Hero Destroyed the Land: A Randomized Isekai Tale
Traveling with Malnard the Mad was quite an experience. Hitoshi had met some oddballs in his life, but the wizard was on another level. Maryomi, the God of Darkness, had sent him directly to the Demon...
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
A dumb but pointed joke that I bought some fruit in order to make: www.tiktok.com/@nekoewen/vi...
tiktok.com
Nerds love to get an apple and an orange and make ‘em fight. And yes I did buy fruit for this dumb joke. #starwars #startrek
TikTok video by nekoewen
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Coyote vs. Acme is great. They managed to weave Looney Tunes and a legal thriller into a hilarious comedy movie. Also there was a kid in the theater who kept loudly saying "He's dead!" and that was also hilarious.
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ewen_cluney.txt @nekoewen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
For Maid RPG: Hand Maid Edition I wanted an illustration of the front of a mansion, so I commissioned @naqiubex.bsky.social, with amazing results. vgen.co/naqiubex
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