Encapsulation 2026

I said there'd be more writing on the premodern mindsets thing, and surely enough, here's some more of that writing. (The post mainly concerns the medieval horror collection Howls from the Dark Ages; the cover image references an unrelated in-joke.)

when this hell in himself yawned beneath him, a wild cry would be heard through the ship

Unconsciously my chirography expands into placard capitals.

Pear wood sculpture is titled "Tödlein" (Little Death), created by Hans Leinberger around 1519. www.khm.at/kunstwerke/t...

With books the same. The truest of all men was the Man of Sorrows, and the truest of all books is Solomon’s

German executioner's sword from 1700–1735 part of the Higgins Armory Collection. The blade features an inscription translating to "When I raise this sword, so I wish that this poor sinner will receive eternal life". worcester.emuseum.com/objects/4787...

Another shot of the door at St Edward’s, Stow-on-the-wold.

Humanity, take a good look at yourself. Inside, you’ve got heaven and earth, and all of creation. You’re a world – everything is hidden in you. St. Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098

When you spend all day writing and know every bit of it is crap.

Hildegard to Richardis, 1151–2 Alas for me, a mother and alas for me, a daughter. Why have you forsaken me like an orphan? I loved you for your noble bearing, your wisdom, your purity, your soul and all your life! May all who have a grief like mine mourn with me. St. Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098

Duncan never misses!

The more I edit, the more I trust myself to do less editing. Good editing is never about rewriting a story, it's about helping a story be the best version of what the writer intended.

St. George with head of the dragon https://www.wikiart.org/en/lucas-cranach-the-elder/st-george-with-head-of-the-dragon

As trad publishing increasingly shares the shortcomings of some of the sloppier indie publications out there, it's obvious that The Way Forward is passionate small publishers who are doing it for the love of the game. Or I'm just propagandizing for my favorite subset of publishing.

This has got to be one of my favorite depictions of an undead/zombie dragon. This piece is in the top of my favorite fantasy art to exist, R.I.P. John Blanche

Chaos Lord A tribute to John Blanche

My Walks-like-a-Rockslide mammoth stories — the onrushing novella too — grew from years of watching champions of (often imported) affective polarization maul my homeland. They're some of my bleakest, most brutal work but under the hood they're all about what it takes to live in a pluralist society.

My novelette, Fletcher's Flights, on the prairies between the Churchlands and the Five Deserts. Some of my angriest work. '"Don't laugh," Haylanne said, sagged against the saddlehorn, one hand clutching the mule's mane, maybe for comfort. "They only hate me since they're dying and I won't."'

RIP to John Blanche; one of the masters.

Shrinky Dink experiments from a few years ago. Turned the sword into a magnet but I can't find it now.

I’m selling this 2 disc Cleopatra Goth/Industrial box set $40 +shipping -DM me if interested.

Listen, and thou wilt often hear my ivory foot upon the deck, and still know that I am there.

Hey, just a reminder of my art shop! I have prints, pins, stickers, and patches available. Support is truly appreciated! ⚔️ markjarrellart.shop

Ask yourself, would you say it to their face IRL? If you’re like “hm, maybe not,” congratulations! That is an INSIDE THOUGHT and it should stay INSIDE THE GROUPCHAT

Some sketching~ I've been wanting to pick more traditional media again lately

I've seen people try to minmax credibility by focusing on competence and treating the rest as as dump stats. It goes as well as you'd imagine. Another failing strategy: 'I prioritize integrity and professional relationships toward my pure in-crowd and nobody else. Why can't I get more respect?'

Nor is the history of fanatics half so striking in respect to the measureless self-deception of the fanatic himself

Reposting for those who may have missed it. (With a couple of corrections as well.)

This kicks ass

Latest read (audio), A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) by Walter M Miller Jr; an apocalyptic novel in which, in the aftermath of nuclear conflict, there is a great backlash against science, even literacy. But a monk, Leibowitz, begins an order that seeks to preserve knowledge. Exceptional. #BookSky

Gothic Night 🪦🦇🕯

666 people want to read our gothic fantasy novella, Contra Amatores Mundi. Perhaps you, Dark Souls-loving reader, would also like to join the legion?

Art by • Stephen Fabian

Beneath Moon's Light 2026

We were very lucky to have Rune working with us on these issues! You can see this art, and the story attached to it, in our upcoming issue, Old Moon Quarterly IX!

Pledge Manager for Old Moon issues 9 and 10 is now open! Check your emails :) The pledge manager will be open until June 14th. www.backerkit.com/c/projects/o...

1) Nifft the Lean. Some of the best baroque prose of the 20th century. 2) The Wake. Written in a faux-middle English, it's madness and blood and hate distilled. 3) Our own Contra Amatores Mundi. Two Dark Souls NPCs pursuing the Questing Beast. Knightly pining for a lady love as well.

We have received the final story for Old Moon 9 and 10! That means the pledge manager shall open soon and our backers shall, at long last, be within spitting (swording? sorcery...ing?) distance of receiving their rewards!

There’s a most doleful and most mocking funeral! The sea-vultures all in pious mourning, the air-sharks all punctiliously in black or speckled.

The devil fetch that harpooneer, thought I

Oh, thou clear spirit, of thy fire thou madest me, and like a true child of fire, I breathe it back to thee.

Doing our part (with @teradiamart.bsky.social 's help, among others) to bring back the fun covers!

Rune delivering up excellence upon excellence!

AI slop is a logical conclusion of: "Practice? Pfft!" "Talent schmalent!"

Damn, Mark's art been kicking ass for a while now!

I've been saying this occasionally, am saying it more detail in a future essay, and probably will keep saying it until my bones are no longer rigged to the other meat and stuff that's necessary for writing.

Know who could really start a book, lead with a great first sentence or paragraph? Old Charlie Dickens. Bleak House Tale of Two Cities Nicholas Nickleby David Copperfield And that's not counting the engaging beginnings to A Christmas Carol or Great Expectations. #BookSky

I know not

Art by • Don Maitz