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Utah Geek Magazine Issue 12
Utah Geek Magazine Issue 12
Masters of
Creativity
Tracy and Laura
Hickman
Walking
Through
Walls
Chapter 12:
FREE
Feast of the
Deceased
Original Fiction by
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David
Page 1J West
SALT LAKE
COMIC
CON
Booth
Beige 76
Page 2
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Contributing Editors
Karla Alice Rene
Contributing Writers
Website: www.UtahGeekMagazine.com
Email: [email protected]
Motivated Mom
Article and Photo By Deborah Moore
y children motivate
me to be a better
person. Recently,
my oldest daughter River also
inspired me to revisit an old
project.
Every summer the library is
our second home. We go there
to take advantage of their
summer reading programs,
activities, and air conditioning.
We were visiting the Sprague
library, and my daughter River
wanted to know where the graphic novels were. I knew the location of
these books in our local libraries, but not here. It was a job for a librarian.
While the librarian helped River out, my daughter mentioned that I was
working on a graphic novel. I found this out because this same librarian
mentioned it to me earlier. She told me how proud my daughter was of
me.
It was wonderful to hear. There was just one problem. I hadnt worked
on that graphic novel for over a year. There were scraps of art in my desk
at home and typed pages of dialogue on my computer. None of which
had been touched or looked over in a very long time.
I felt bad for letting this project go by the wayside. After all it was something I had enjoyed putting together. I felt a bit guilty for leaving it alone.
What sort of message was I sending to my children about perseverance?
There are some people who think guilt is a bad thing. Im not one of
them. While I believe that shame is damaging and useless, guilt can sometimes be the motivating force for change.
This was the situation in my case. Before we left I checked out a few
books to get myself back into gear. Then when I got home I went to work
fleshing out the plot and a few characters with better detail.
My progress has been slow, but methodical. The best part has been
taking the time to show the pages off to River. It feels like Im collaborating with her in a way. Writing can be lonely. However, it doesnt feel
that way with my cheer squad of daughters.
After a year of neglect, I have already put together the first four
pages of my graphic novel and worked out the plot issues that
stopped me the first time. Little by little it is coming together. All
along the way River asks to see the completed pages and read over
them.
I am so thankful to have children who still think that I do cool
things. Even if Ive put them on the back burner for a while.
Raising Geeks
Have you noticed your own children rooting you on? Maybe
they are asking to play a video game with you or love the cosplay
that you are putting together. Whatever it is, take time to enjoy the
compliments.
Theres nothing wrong with embracing those moments when your children make you want to be a better geek. We should wear that knowledge
with pride.
Page 3
Gweedos
Comics
42 N. Main Street #2
Layton, Utah
Mon - Sat 11AM to 7PM
CLOSED SUNDAYS
(801)719-6631
[email protected]
www.gweedoscomics.com
Krayt Clan
A community
family
By Seth Duncan aka Morut Naast
Photo courtesy Seth Duncan
Club Connection
Page 4
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Savage
Worlds RPG
By Daniel Yocom
www.UGeek.us/DanielYocom
Photo credit Kenzer and Company
The
Forgotten
Planet
By Daniel Yocom
www.UGeek.us/DanielYocom
Photo credit giochix.it
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Tabletop Games
Characters advance in levels using a twostep approach. All characters start out in the
rank of novice and advance up through four
other ranks. Each rank effectively has four
levels (except the last level, legendary, which
is open ended). With each level advancement, you choose between several ways of
improving your character.
Page 5
Into
By Alex Sousa
Part virtual
reality, part
physical
reality, this
Utah company
is the next
big thing in
entertainment
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Feature
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Photographer: JW Photography
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By Mercedes Roberts
www.StitchAndSeam.blogspot.com
Using Props
as Storage
Cosplay Tip:
Fiction
The old mans labored breathing grew heavier as crimson spouted out around the arrow
shafts, staining his ivory toga. He reached for
the leering young man standing over him in
one last desperate attempt for revenge, but
his flabby arms grew weak with blood loss and
his great bulk fell back against the velvet chair
never to rise.
The Salamander was finally dead.
Kenaz, Lysandras only real friend, had
been proclaimed his heir, master of all
the evil old scut had accumulated. So
why did she feel something was wrong?
This should have been a joyous occasion. Kenaz would lift the bounty on her
head and reward their friendship.
Lysandra carefully watched the dark
alleys below. Dark furtive shapes were
still running about with the occasional
gleam of moonlight on their brazen
spear points. The Salamanders Valchiki
guardsmen were still hunting her
like hounds who had lost the scent.
Shouldnt Kenaz have called them off
by now? She went back to watching the
window. Kenaz was speaking to The Salamanders sorcerous assistant, Pike. Odd, they
had never been close. Kenaz despised the man,
calling him a wastrel conjurer or worse.
She wanted to call out to Kenaz, to let him
know she was near and that he needed to
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david-j-west.blogspot.com
remember to call off the Valchiki. Why wasnt
he doing that yet?
A thought crossed her mind.
Gathering an iron and flint starter, she signaled at him from behind the spyglass. A weak
orange light went out, piercing through the
ebony darkness toward his window.
As intended, it caught his attention. Kenaz
and the little bald sorcerer stuck their heads
out the window.
Lysandra silently waved to them and
mouthed, Call off your dogs!.
Kenaz did not smile at her joke nor wave
back. Instead, he glared at her and barked to
his Valchiki guardsmen below, pointing at her
hiding place. The assassin is on the rooftop!
Kill her!
Lysandras smile dropped. Ill gut you for
this, Kenaz! She screamed, at him. His bold
face, looking so unlike his usual good natured
smirk, stung her like salt in a wound. She ran
from her rooftop hiding place, his booming,
sinister laughter ringing out behind her. How
could he betray her? Trust no one! Thats what
her mother used to say. Lysandra never wanted
to believe that bit of advice, but the truth hurts.
Everyone lies. Everyone will turn their back on
you when the time comes.
She thought she heard Kenazs voice in her
mind begging her to reconsider and return to
the scene of the crime. Thats crazy! she told
herself. He betrayed you just like everyone else
in her life had.
Her running, jumping and panting was the
only thing keeping the constant barrage of
voices in her head silent. Was she going crazy?
Sticking to the rooftops was the only sure
way of staying ahead of the long limbed Valchiki. The tenacious men of the south were strong
and deadly and it wouldnt do to be caught by
them at any point in the city.
What options were left to her? She thought
about which of her safe houses were compromised. All but two, she thought and even then
there was a chance. After all, if you cant count
on the one person who has saved your life time
and again who could you count on?
She ducked into a darkened alcove overlooking the city. Why now? Kenaz could have slain
her several times over if that was what he really
wanted. He could have left her to the devil-fish
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weapon drawn.
The Lightning Worm burst around the
corner, its neon green mouth wide open and
closing over the top of Lysandra.
Bright white light erupted all about her
and a shockwave slapped her hands like a
dozen wasp stings, but it sent the three Valchiki guardsmen careening away like straw
in a storm.
Trust me now?
That was luck, she said, continuing her
race across the terraced upper city.
No such thing as luck. I orchestrated your
deliverance. Again.
Perhaps, she reluctantly admitted. The
steam and smells from someones supper
nearby teased her empty stomach. Why
hadnt she gotten something to eat at the
party? Oh yes, she was too busy saving the
ungrateful traitorous wretchs life. From now
on, she would trust no one and eat when she
felt like it. Farewell, Kenaz. Whatever we had
is over.
I need you and you need me.
Getting involved with you is where my
life went to the seven hells.
Help me and you help yourself. We can
work together, get our revenge and our lives
back.
Lysandra shook her head. He has too
many men and your body now. I should just
flee Tolburn and go far away. Avaris maybe.
We have options. Lets ask Ytainlyn for
help.
All she gave me for your supposed rescue
was a ticket to the celebration, this cloak,
and a pair of fancy boots. She said if I got in
and slew The Salamander, all would be right
in the world; look how wrong that went.
Youre discouraged, thats fine. Trust me
I am teetering upon the precipice but we
cant stay like this. We have to fight. We have
to overcome our obstacles.
She thought long and hard about options.
She didnt know anyone in Avaris. There
was no one to turn to anymore, except a
spirit making her look like she was talking
to herself on a balcony overlooking the city.
Stranger things have happened before she
supposed, miracles even. Im exhausted
and will regret this. But what is your plan?
How can we get your body back from that
monster and turn all of this around?
Well have to trick him into stepping outside himself, and when he does, Ill be there
to take back my body.
I dont suppose you have any ideas on
how to make him do that. He must have
wanted your body all along and this was
all a ruse to get you into this position. Hell
be more protective than ever. Youll have to
steal your body back.
You make it sound so unseemly.
It is unseemly. He stole your body and
presumably was planning to do so for
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months!
Do you have any ideas on how we might
best accomplish this?
Lysandra chewed her lip before responding. Youre the answer man. But my best
idea is to make him think he has to step
out because your body is about to die or
something.
It irritated Lysandra that she was talking to
someone she couldnt see; she couldnt read
facial expressions or body language. It was
funny to think about how much she relied
on that to understand people. They give
away so much with expression and position,
but Kenaz was just a voice in her head now.
Ill owe her an exorbitant amount, but
Ytainlyn may be our only chance. She has a
grudge against The Salamander and ought
to help us trick him.
Maybe I dont have any friends I can trust,
but it seems you do, she said. We should get
help for this!
Youre right. I should get the gang together.
Gang? Who?
Callus Durro, Hershel Burnside, and
anyone else with a grudge against Sal. With
enough people we can throw so much havoc at him, Ill be able to get my body back.
A sinister voice boomed from the darkness. Now that sounds like a great plan. But
Im afraid its just too late.
Lysandra wheeled to look at Kenaz in the
flesh, except she knew it wasnt really Kenaz
but the body snatching Salamander. You
Save your insults precious, theyll buy
you nothing. Take her! he commanded his
guards. Stout arms soon grasped Lysandra
about the waist before she could draw her
sword. I may have some use for you yet. And
Kenaz, I know youre here, listening nearby.
Thank you for your gift, however unwillingly
given it was. You may as well see yourself to
the other side of the seven veils. What youve
missed is that Im a Mind-Walker myself and
have been since before you were born. I
know the pitfalls. Why do you think I took
your body? You werent the first Ive taken
and you wont be the last.
Youre the shadow demon! Youve tried to
steal my body before! Lysandra winced at
the anguish in Kenazs mental cry.
Of course, you young fool! By dawns
light, youll be forced out of this plane of existence. The myriad spirits and demons and
gods that surround us every day wont abide
a human spirit to wander the city with them.
Theyll destroy you. I wish you a speedy
oblivion. He bid his bodyguard follow him
with Lysandra in chains and they marched
back to the villa.
Kenaz watched in anguish. He guessed he
had but a few hours until sunrise.
Next time: This Is The End
Page 11
Feature
The Masters
of Creativity:
Tracy and
Laura
Hickman
Page 12
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Page 13
By Zac Johnson
A) Sonny Straight
B) Terry Klassen
C) Christopher Sabat D) Sean Schemmel
A) Zabimaru
C) Zangetsu
A) Bill B) Dave
C) John D) Frank
A) Superman
C) Aquaman
B) Batman
D) Green Lantern
B) Nozarashi
D) Tenken
A) 1987 B) 1992
C) 1997 D) 2002
A) Flying
C) Vigilance
A) Tai
B) Matt
C) Sora D) Izzy
What is the name of
Ichigos Zanpakut
in the series Bleach?
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B) Haste
D) Poison
A) Duel Battles
B) Fantasy Duel
C) Magic and Wizards
D) Card Battle!
10
A) Pokmon TCG
B) Pokmon anime
C) The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga
D) Pokemon Red and Blue
A) Deadshot
B) Anarky
C) Human Cannonball
D) DeathStroke
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What will
you print?
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