Mike Martens | Clear Keep
@clearkeep.bsky.social
he/him. UX & TTRPG. Visiting weird vistas. ENNIES & IGDN award winner.
Creator: Planet Raygun, Sunken, The Wassailing, Tourist Hole
Contributor: Butter Princess, Dark Designs in Verdigris, Trophy, Public Access, Silt Verses RPG
clearkeep.us
Creator: Planet Raygun, Sunken, The Wassailing, Tourist Hole
Contributor: Butter Princess, Dark Designs in Verdigris, Trophy, Public Access, Silt Verses RPG
clearkeep.us
2025's Wassailing holiday annual includes a whole new stable of contributors (and @signalstation.bsky.social sidling his way in again).
@sassylich.bsky.social! @xanderbimski.bsky.social! @iknowadamseats.bsky.social! @iamatrex.com! @loremistress93.bsky.social!
… and still more to be revealed.
@sassylich.bsky.social! @xanderbimski.bsky.social! @iknowadamseats.bsky.social! @iamatrex.com! @loremistress93.bsky.social!
… and still more to be revealed.
November 12, 2025 at 5:21 PM
2025's Wassailing holiday annual includes a whole new stable of contributors (and @signalstation.bsky.social sidling his way in again).
@sassylich.bsky.social! @xanderbimski.bsky.social! @iknowadamseats.bsky.social! @iamatrex.com! @loremistress93.bsky.social!
… and still more to be revealed.
@sassylich.bsky.social! @xanderbimski.bsky.social! @iknowadamseats.bsky.social! @iamatrex.com! @loremistress93.bsky.social!
… and still more to be revealed.
Completed another test of Folk last week, and it continues to generate truly gnarly folk horror histories.
It's a game of worldbuilding, community survival, and religious desperation.
In some ways, an essay on the folk horror genre in game form.
It's a game of worldbuilding, community survival, and religious desperation.
In some ways, an essay on the folk horror genre in game form.
November 11, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Completed another test of Folk last week, and it continues to generate truly gnarly folk horror histories.
It's a game of worldbuilding, community survival, and religious desperation.
In some ways, an essay on the folk horror genre in game form.
It's a game of worldbuilding, community survival, and religious desperation.
In some ways, an essay on the folk horror genre in game form.
I am sorry. I know this is your whole feed right now.
And I'm weak.
And I'm weak.
November 9, 2025 at 4:40 PM
I am sorry. I know this is your whole feed right now.
And I'm weak.
And I'm weak.
They don’t live in NYC.
Saved you a click.
Saved you a click.
November 4, 2025 at 4:39 PM
They don’t live in NYC.
Saved you a click.
Saved you a click.
November 1, 2025 at 9:03 PM
In my game design, I’ve always been interested in resolution mechanics as oracle of meaning.
- Sunken ascribes spiritual struggle into Trophy’s dice rolls.
- Planet Raygun’s bond dice evoke relationships across actions.
- Tourist Hole’s cards and dice conjure existential discovery.
- Sunken ascribes spiritual struggle into Trophy’s dice rolls.
- Planet Raygun’s bond dice evoke relationships across actions.
- Tourist Hole’s cards and dice conjure existential discovery.
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
In my game design, I’ve always been interested in resolution mechanics as oracle of meaning.
- Sunken ascribes spiritual struggle into Trophy’s dice rolls.
- Planet Raygun’s bond dice evoke relationships across actions.
- Tourist Hole’s cards and dice conjure existential discovery.
- Sunken ascribes spiritual struggle into Trophy’s dice rolls.
- Planet Raygun’s bond dice evoke relationships across actions.
- Tourist Hole’s cards and dice conjure existential discovery.
And of course, occult rites are their own form of this as well.
Even in A Dark Song, Sophia undergoes the torment of the ritual experience because she CAN believe that gold flakes of redemption will fall from heaven over her grief.
Even in A Dark Song, Sophia undergoes the torment of the ritual experience because she CAN believe that gold flakes of redemption will fall from heaven over her grief.
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
And of course, occult rites are their own form of this as well.
Even in A Dark Song, Sophia undergoes the torment of the ritual experience because she CAN believe that gold flakes of redemption will fall from heaven over her grief.
Even in A Dark Song, Sophia undergoes the torment of the ritual experience because she CAN believe that gold flakes of redemption will fall from heaven over her grief.
Countless attempts have to have been made and fail in order for the rules to be understood in the ways that Solomon purports to understand them in A Dark Song.
Failure is truly terrible in a ritual like this. Demonic, soul-eating, existence-voiding.
How many people must have ended in a slip?
Failure is truly terrible in a ritual like this. Demonic, soul-eating, existence-voiding.
How many people must have ended in a slip?
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Countless attempts have to have been made and fail in order for the rules to be understood in the ways that Solomon purports to understand them in A Dark Song.
Failure is truly terrible in a ritual like this. Demonic, soul-eating, existence-voiding.
How many people must have ended in a slip?
Failure is truly terrible in a ritual like this. Demonic, soul-eating, existence-voiding.
How many people must have ended in a slip?
The ritual is, all of the time, convoluted, strange, and intensely precise.
There’s a bug here that crawled into my brain:
Allowing occult ritual to be real, how is it discovered to work?
There’s a bug here that crawled into my brain:
Allowing occult ritual to be real, how is it discovered to work?
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
The ritual is, all of the time, convoluted, strange, and intensely precise.
There’s a bug here that crawled into my brain:
Allowing occult ritual to be real, how is it discovered to work?
There’s a bug here that crawled into my brain:
Allowing occult ritual to be real, how is it discovered to work?
The tone is dark, discomfiting. The ritual, much of the time, takes the form of abuse.
We have to wonder if Solomon is truly afraid of error or taking advantage of Sophia to live a fantasy of holding arcane wisdom and authority. Is that flake of light a sign or a tormented hallucination?
We have to wonder if Solomon is truly afraid of error or taking advantage of Sophia to live a fantasy of holding arcane wisdom and authority. Is that flake of light a sign or a tormented hallucination?
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
The tone is dark, discomfiting. The ritual, much of the time, takes the form of abuse.
We have to wonder if Solomon is truly afraid of error or taking advantage of Sophia to live a fantasy of holding arcane wisdom and authority. Is that flake of light a sign or a tormented hallucination?
We have to wonder if Solomon is truly afraid of error or taking advantage of Sophia to live a fantasy of holding arcane wisdom and authority. Is that flake of light a sign or a tormented hallucination?
The film’s events are isolated, its scenes protracted. We are inside the process.
It’s not a one-room story, but it is a one-house story, and I can’t help but imagine how engrossing this would be staged as a live play.
It’s not a one-room story, but it is a one-house story, and I can’t help but imagine how engrossing this would be staged as a live play.
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
The film’s events are isolated, its scenes protracted. We are inside the process.
It’s not a one-room story, but it is a one-house story, and I can’t help but imagine how engrossing this would be staged as a live play.
It’s not a one-room story, but it is a one-house story, and I can’t help but imagine how engrossing this would be staged as a live play.
Once Sophia and Solomon enter the home they’ve rented to undertake this months-long ritual, we watch it unfold, step by step, doubt by doubt, omen by omen.
This is the duration of the film.
This is the duration of the film.
November 1, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Once Sophia and Solomon enter the home they’ve rented to undertake this months-long ritual, we watch it unfold, step by step, doubt by doubt, omen by omen.
This is the duration of the film.
This is the duration of the film.
(No, it doesn't beat Jaws. But you'll still enjoy this novel direction for shark cinema.)
October 17, 2025 at 12:34 AM
(No, it doesn't beat Jaws. But you'll still enjoy this novel direction for shark cinema.)
In Jaws, it’s the inkling of doubt amid self certainty that shapes the hero’s journey. In Dangerous Animals, it shapes the villain’s fall.
The sharks in both films are ultimately the stakes and not the conflict. Even if they’re very good at chomping. And breathtaking to watch.
Enjoy the dive!
The sharks in both films are ultimately the stakes and not the conflict. Even if they’re very good at chomping. And breathtaking to watch.
Enjoy the dive!
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
In Jaws, it’s the inkling of doubt amid self certainty that shapes the hero’s journey. In Dangerous Animals, it shapes the villain’s fall.
The sharks in both films are ultimately the stakes and not the conflict. Even if they’re very good at chomping. And breathtaking to watch.
Enjoy the dive!
The sharks in both films are ultimately the stakes and not the conflict. Even if they’re very good at chomping. And breathtaking to watch.
Enjoy the dive!
However, Tucker has caught a more dangerous creature than he expects in his net. Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is an off-grid surfer and a survivor.
Despite holding control, Tucker’s performances toward Zephyr seem intent to prove his superiority. Something we can also tell he doesn’t truly believe.
Despite holding control, Tucker’s performances toward Zephyr seem intent to prove his superiority. Something we can also tell he doesn’t truly believe.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
However, Tucker has caught a more dangerous creature than he expects in his net. Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is an off-grid surfer and a survivor.
Despite holding control, Tucker’s performances toward Zephyr seem intent to prove his superiority. Something we can also tell he doesn’t truly believe.
Despite holding control, Tucker’s performances toward Zephyr seem intent to prove his superiority. Something we can also tell he doesn’t truly believe.
Tucker sings Baby Shark. He dances his frustrations out.
And at every turn, he waxes on dangerous animals. Sharks, of course. But also coral snakes. And blue marlins. And we come to realize he’s the kind of ideologically incoherent, nihilistic narcissist that has become the villainy of 2025.
And at every turn, he waxes on dangerous animals. Sharks, of course. But also coral snakes. And blue marlins. And we come to realize he’s the kind of ideologically incoherent, nihilistic narcissist that has become the villainy of 2025.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Tucker sings Baby Shark. He dances his frustrations out.
And at every turn, he waxes on dangerous animals. Sharks, of course. But also coral snakes. And blue marlins. And we come to realize he’s the kind of ideologically incoherent, nihilistic narcissist that has become the villainy of 2025.
And at every turn, he waxes on dangerous animals. Sharks, of course. But also coral snakes. And blue marlins. And we come to realize he’s the kind of ideologically incoherent, nihilistic narcissist that has become the villainy of 2025.
Actor Jai Courtney docks a beastly performance as Tucker – a swim-with-the-sharks tour guide, a tank of a man and a traumatized manchild, the kind of empathic psychopath we’re all lucky are a rare breed.
(There's no audio in this clip. The face acting says it all.)
(There's no audio in this clip. The face acting says it all.)
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Actor Jai Courtney docks a beastly performance as Tucker – a swim-with-the-sharks tour guide, a tank of a man and a traumatized manchild, the kind of empathic psychopath we’re all lucky are a rare breed.
(There's no audio in this clip. The face acting says it all.)
(There's no audio in this clip. The face acting says it all.)
Dangerous Animals swims down another channel.
Here, the villain is simply Man. A man, really. Tucker.
Tucker exploits the nature of sharks to murder his victims on videotape. Perhaps, he’s even a stand-in for sharksploitation directors.
Here, the villain is simply Man. A man, really. Tucker.
Tucker exploits the nature of sharks to murder his victims on videotape. Perhaps, he’s even a stand-in for sharksploitation directors.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Dangerous Animals swims down another channel.
Here, the villain is simply Man. A man, really. Tucker.
Tucker exploits the nature of sharks to murder his victims on videotape. Perhaps, he’s even a stand-in for sharksploitation directors.
Here, the villain is simply Man. A man, really. Tucker.
Tucker exploits the nature of sharks to murder his victims on videotape. Perhaps, he’s even a stand-in for sharksploitation directors.
Jaws author and screenwriter Peter Benchley would try to both return to the scene of the crime and absolve his own guilt with 1994’s White Shark. The book goes lengths emphasizing sharks are not categorical terrors of the sea.
The monstrosity in this book? A Nazi-made ubershark/dolphin.
The monstrosity in this book? A Nazi-made ubershark/dolphin.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Jaws author and screenwriter Peter Benchley would try to both return to the scene of the crime and absolve his own guilt with 1994’s White Shark. The book goes lengths emphasizing sharks are not categorical terrors of the sea.
The monstrosity in this book? A Nazi-made ubershark/dolphin.
The monstrosity in this book? A Nazi-made ubershark/dolphin.
A side anecdote: I worked with a Jaws finatic who had an elaborate sculpture of the shark attacking Orca on his desk. There was always a weird tension from the company’s president toward him. Years later, we discovered the president’s brother – I am not making this up – was killed by a shark.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
A side anecdote: I worked with a Jaws finatic who had an elaborate sculpture of the shark attacking Orca on his desk. There was always a weird tension from the company’s president toward him. Years later, we discovered the president’s brother – I am not making this up – was killed by a shark.
One of the best horror movies ever made, Jaws is also one of the best movies ever made.
Spielberg puts in next-level direction to get it there. But he’s aided by the film’s cinematic, otherworldly monster.
Sharks don’t seem like they should exist in our reality.
But sorry man, sharks are real.
Spielberg puts in next-level direction to get it there. But he’s aided by the film’s cinematic, otherworldly monster.
Sharks don’t seem like they should exist in our reality.
But sorry man, sharks are real.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 AM
One of the best horror movies ever made, Jaws is also one of the best movies ever made.
Spielberg puts in next-level direction to get it there. But he’s aided by the film’s cinematic, otherworldly monster.
Sharks don’t seem like they should exist in our reality.
But sorry man, sharks are real.
Spielberg puts in next-level direction to get it there. But he’s aided by the film’s cinematic, otherworldly monster.
Sharks don’t seem like they should exist in our reality.
But sorry man, sharks are real.
Do you like fun simple games that are deceptively deep art, luring you to the brink of losing yourself in the listless void before summoning you home with the sticky smells of dried Coke and fry oil?
Me too!
Me too!
October 3, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Do you like fun simple games that are deceptively deep art, luring you to the brink of losing yourself in the listless void before summoning you home with the sticky smells of dried Coke and fry oil?
Me too!
Me too!
Weeeeeee're baaaack.
#hauntalong has a group of ttrpg wrting/arting/playing friends chatting about their favorite horror movies.
This year, we've got a full month of recos, and we'll truly push Bluesky's threading feature well beyond the black rainbow.
Come haunt along with us.
#hauntalong has a group of ttrpg wrting/arting/playing friends chatting about their favorite horror movies.
This year, we've got a full month of recos, and we'll truly push Bluesky's threading feature well beyond the black rainbow.
Come haunt along with us.
October 2, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Weeeeeee're baaaack.
#hauntalong has a group of ttrpg wrting/arting/playing friends chatting about their favorite horror movies.
This year, we've got a full month of recos, and we'll truly push Bluesky's threading feature well beyond the black rainbow.
Come haunt along with us.
#hauntalong has a group of ttrpg wrting/arting/playing friends chatting about their favorite horror movies.
This year, we've got a full month of recos, and we'll truly push Bluesky's threading feature well beyond the black rainbow.
Come haunt along with us.
Once we're guided from this set to the actual viewing?
This thing, these people, their tastes, their memories, their vices. They melt together into a psychedelic who-is-collecting-whom crescendo of lust and flesh and synth and color and anton chekhov.
Golden.
This thing, these people, their tastes, their memories, their vices. They melt together into a psychedelic who-is-collecting-whom crescendo of lust and flesh and synth and color and anton chekhov.
Golden.
October 2, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Once we're guided from this set to the actual viewing?
This thing, these people, their tastes, their memories, their vices. They melt together into a psychedelic who-is-collecting-whom crescendo of lust and flesh and synth and color and anton chekhov.
Golden.
This thing, these people, their tastes, their memories, their vices. They melt together into a psychedelic who-is-collecting-whom crescendo of lust and flesh and synth and color and anton chekhov.
Golden.
The second act suspends us in the estate's concentric dream of a conversation pit, the entire room like a lens with locked in focus and a wide-open aperture. Finely detailed, luxuriously softened.
I could stay here forever.
No hint at what awaits beyond. But a promise of stranger things.
I could stay here forever.
No hint at what awaits beyond. But a promise of stranger things.
October 2, 2025 at 4:22 AM
The second act suspends us in the estate's concentric dream of a conversation pit, the entire room like a lens with locked in focus and a wide-open aperture. Finely detailed, luxuriously softened.
I could stay here forever.
No hint at what awaits beyond. But a promise of stranger things.
I could stay here forever.
No hint at what awaits beyond. But a promise of stranger things.