Journal 27: An Introduction to the Bizarre Bazaar

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Dear Patrons,

Apologies for the delay as I had to shore up the story for BIZARRE BAZAAR and add a few new concepts for the story to the Index section. I’ve:

• added Bizarre Bazaar, The Spiderfly Society & The Winding Stare to the “Others” subsection in the INDEX page
• added the Therapist to “People” at the INDEX page
• added Guêtres Cut with the Jambière Cut section to “Nomenclatures at the INDEX page
• made edits to the INDEX page regarding “Cult of Asterion“, “Club Minotaur” & “The Circle“

As I build on these stories, I’ve also tried to include foreign languages to make it a more immersive and authentic experience. But even through translation tools, there will still be mistakes. So for foreign language speakers who are also fellow patrons, feel free to send me an email if you see any grammatical errors, or even phrasing that could be improved with the expertise of a native speaker. For example, to a native French speaker, would the phrase, “Devoré-moi” be more elegant than “Mange-moi?” I have already made some grammatical changes thanks to one of my Chinese-speaking supporters.

I’m also introducing an old story, FARMER’S DAUGHTER which I’d started as a commission many years ago but have never publicized. Some of that artwork was absorbed into other projects, but I’ve always liked the premise I’d built for that story. So why not add it here? It will still be in the back-burner as the priorities lie with other active projects, but I’d thought I’d put the concept here in writing just in case anyone would like to sponsor it.

I’ve also added a poll to ask your opinion if you like this JOURNAL style update as long as there’s more frequent updates. I hope to do this weekly, instead of once or twice a month (or even longer!)

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And finally, this will be the last update before the moratorium for cancellations is expired and I will begin managing member subscriptions again. So make sure you’re back up so that you won’t miss the coming updates, including the next CARTE DU JOUR newsletter which should come sooner than later!

Also, if you haven’t already, members who are at least at the ACOLYTE tier and are logged in will see a private Discord link only for paying subscribers posted below.

The following are projects along with synopsis. It will mostly be repeated from previous journals but I will make some updates as the story evolves. If you see the project name without images, it means there are bonus images available through the exclusive download link found below below. 

Bon appétit!

DOOMED RAIDER (slight edits to the synopsis)

A trio of female adventurers head into the jungles of Mexico days before the Great American Eclipse of 2024 in search for a lost temple and the legendary city of Aztlan only to find their mission thwarted by a rival faction of expeditioners, local cartel gang and a mysterious Aztec death cult. Will our intrepid heroines survive?

BIZARRE BAZAAR (major edits to the synopsis)

Women and girls from around the world go missing. Were some of them kidnapped? Or did they fall victim to a mysterious and cryptic internet rabbit hole concept referring to a trend found in the dark web, the one they call the Winding Stare? Not much is known as all its participants who completed the challenge would vanish without a trace. Selfie photos would eventually turn up through dark web chat rooms, the victim holding a note in various languages, saying “Eat Me”, along with a strange symbol and a tattoo and sometimes a presence of a plush toy pig, deer and various other domesticated animals. Are they AI generated fakes? Are they part of a sexualized stunt of this macabre game? What could this mean? And the meaning of the note can’t be that literal, can it? Internet rumors abound about this tried being connected to a mysterious group called the Spiderfly Society and an event called the Bizarre Bazaar. Nobody but those involved knows.

In France, the story follows a man obsessively searching for his school friend whom he has a crush on, a young troubled girl looking for a deeper meaning in life as he fantasizes that he would be the one to save her from her melancholy.

In China, a shy Chinese kidnap victim, once kidnapped while on a trip in France and liberated from the Paris Catacombs by a police raid, but not before befriend a French girl who had planted the seeds of dark thoughts of the Winding Stare within herself and sparking an obsession years later to play the game herself.

A pair of social media influencers from South Korea and Vietnam, keeping up with the pressures of mid-level success which requires a heavy price to be paid in the end, a byproduct of a Faustian bargain they had made during more foolish and aspirational times.

A successful and attractive businesswoman from Australia who’s had it all, but ultimately is drawn to the Winding Stare herself is willing to give it all up for the fantasy that had dogged her all her life when she was a young wild teenager.

While waiting for the light to turn green at the sidewalk, a successful businessman takes out a photograph from his wallet to peruse. A young woman in her bikini at the beach, smiling, happy, holding her Stanley. He couldn’t get that event out of his mind. It was his first time. Was that all a dream? No, it was not. This photo was proof. An older kind-faced type lady next to him remarks, “Oh, who’s that? Your daughter? Pretty little thing.” And the man just returns a subtle wistful smile to the lady. “Oh, yeah… yes. She’s off to college out of state and I already miss her.” Her mind thinks sorority parties, spring break and football cheerleading practice. But his mind thinks of the dinner that he had a few days ago. He puts the photo back in his pocket and says goodbye.

These stories and more.

It is the world of dark internet lore, hacker culture, augmented reality games (ARG), internet rumours, mysteries, missing women and analog horror leading to a world of illicit auctions, surreal bazaars, a secret festival that had existed throughout the ages staged at unusual and exotic venues, moving from country to country like a whisper. Past venues include a cenote in Mexico among temple ruins. An abandoned Military Bunker Complex in Ukraine. The maze-like tunnel system of the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. The aforementioned catacombs below Greater Paris. Even on that Caribbean Island that shall not be named. A Bizarre Bazaar even more fringe than Fringe Festival. A World’s Fair of the surreal catering to the fantasies of decadent men in masks who love to play. This time, the host: Japan.

LOBSTER’S BALL: AQUARIUM (slight edits to the synopsis)

LOBSTER’S BALL, a large cargo vessel sails through global trade routes containing shipping containers that aren’t just like any other for they have been repurposed for indescribable horrors. With each port of call, it brings death and banquets. Dinners where its patrons could view their exquisite meals trapped in glass boxes, like picking live seafood out of a restaurant aquarium.

LOBSTER’S BALL: AGONY OF DEFEAT (slight edits to the synopsis)

The dreaded cargo vessel LOBSTER’S BALL makes its port of call in New Orleans. Masquerades. Mardi Gras. Processions. Voodoo. A celebrated collegiate gymnast who has drawn the ire of the sports commission executives with dark appetites. But first, they would like to watch her use those fine muscles to run, jump and escape. You could call it, staying with the seafood theme, a kind of a “Squid Game“.

FARMER’S DAUGHTER (new)

A young animal lover who’s having a crisis of conscience after a visit to one of her father’s meat farms, decides to teach him a lesson he would never forget by sacrificing herself to the same fate as the millions of animals that he had helped mass slaughter. Daddy, daddy, come and see. Come and see what you did to me.

MOVEABLE FEAST: XANADU

A real estate agent hoping to land the sale of her lifetime, a once beloved mall in her neighborhood. Many memories were formed in the old abandoned megaplex, a sad tale of times past, the golden age of the 90’s and the 00’s of happier times where the young go out to eat, buy and play. Like old VHS tapes and Atari game consoles, it too has gone out of style. This time, the mall will embed within its place a terrible and indelible memory of its own, a fleeting and temporary reverie, before burying all its secrets, destroying all evidence of horrific ritual acts that had consecrated the ground of this condemned building for its new dark purpose for the Kronos Consortium.

SKETCHES FROM YORE

Here’s where I revisit and dig up some of my old physically drawn artworks that I’ve scanned. I’ll try to do this once every so often. I’ve not really set up anything officially yet, but I’m slowly opening the door to the thought of selling these original hand-drawn artworks for those who are interested. Full artworks are found in the download link.

ODDS AND ENDS

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