Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

White Plume Mountain Deep Dive 02 - Weapon of Choice | Critical Lit

January 9, 2026 at 3:18 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Personally, I'm a fan of...Cox?

January 7, 2026 at 2:24 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

'Sup, Schickheads! The White Plume Mountain deep dive wraps up with a raging case of instant super-tetanus, bellies full of crab boil & a haul of legendary weapons. Plus one 6-foot hookah for good measure. Cue the @dandillon.bsky.social cold open...
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/whi...

Consider us Schick-pilled. We wrap up both our holiday hiatus and the 1979 TSR adventure White Plume Mountain in surprisingly high spirits: arms adorned with shiny new weapons, blood infected with ins...

White Plume Mountain Deep Dive 01 - Deranged and Fanatical Evil Gnomes | Critical Lit

December 31, 2025 at 1:34 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Who says you can't leave Barovia? Our holiday hiatus is the 1979 TSR module White Plume Mountain, written exactly one time and no more by Lawrence Schick. It's surely chock full of renegade, deranged, fanatical gnomes!
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/whi...

It's an old school holiday hiatus! We're tackling the first half of S2, the 1979 TSR adventure White Plume Mountain, written exactly one time (to his eternal chagrin) by Lawrence Schick. In this episo...

The Princess Bride (Part 2) - December 2025 Bonus Episode | Critical Lit

December 17, 2025 at 4:16 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

The Pit of Equal Justice Under the Law doesn't have the same ring to it.

December 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

December bonus content on Patreon! Tired of mawwiages that skip to the end? When man & wife isn't enough, try To Blave, the only reason for living. If that fails, the Dread Pirate Roberts is here for your soul!
www.patreon.com/posts/prince...

Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 11 - Til Decay Do Us Part | Critical Lit

December 9, 2025 at 12:37 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Curse of Strahd Deep Dive #11: Til Decay Do us Part. As we wrap up Chapter 5, all is not well in Vallaki! Never mind the devil cult hobbyists or the rampaging tiger. The coffin maker has six secrets buried in the attic & they're waiting for a feast.
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cur...

As we wrap up Chapter 5, all is not well in Vallaki! Never mind the devil cult hobbyists or the rampaging tiger. The coffin maker has six secrets buried in the attic, and they're waiting for a chance ...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 10 - That's So Wereraven | Critical Lit

December 3, 2025 at 12:10 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Curse of Strahd Deep Dive 10: That's So Wereraven. All will be well! Just avoid the man with the barbed devil arm & his collection of identical dolls. The incel wizard. The bone thief & his shovel. The priest with a secret. Keep smiling, because you must. critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

All will be well! Provided you avoid the murderous man with the barbed devil arm and his eerie collection of identical dolls. Or the incel wizard. The bone thief and his shovel. The priest with a secr...

The Princess Bride (Part 1) - November 2025 Bonus Episode | Critical Lit

November 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

The werewolves finally make an appearance in the Curse of Strahd deep dive. And what an appearance.

November 14, 2025 at 12:01 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

November bonus content on Patreon! Close your eyes and picture a castle in a low-fantasy setting. A forest of thieves. Giant rats. A sword duel. Chances are you're actually picturing this movie, even if you don't remember you are.
www.patreon.com/posts/prince...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 09 - Crypt Walk | Critical Lit

November 10, 2025 at 12:57 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Curse of Strahd Deep Dive Episode 9: Crypt Walk. Castle Ravenloft Final Level: Exit here for Entombed Enemies, Plot Devices, Bat Guano, and Bridal Returns. Trust me, you don't want to talk to customer service.
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 08 - Innocents and Insensibility | Critical Lit

November 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Curse of Strahd Deep Dive Episode 8: Innocents and Insensibility. A cape a day keeps the Dark Powers at bay! Never mind the young woman of unspecified age in the King's Bedchamber. Just don't use the bathroom if you value your privacy—or sanity.
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

A cape a day keeps the Dark Powers at bay! Never mind the young woman of indeterminate age in the King's Bedchamber. Just don't use the bathroom if you value your privacy—or sanity. In this episode: C...

Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula (Part 2) - October 2025 Bonus Episode | Critical Lit

October 22, 2025 at 11:14 AM

Reposted by ihsien

ihsien

@ihsien.bsky.social

tl;dr: THAC0 is the tradwife of RPGs. Do not romanticize this inelegant and clumsy mechanic.

October 14, 2025 at 10:20 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

October bonus content on Patreon! Break out the golden bathrobes and horny green mist. Lucy's little quadrouple and their stern, professorial dom turn into pretty effective vampire hunters, despite some initial setbacks. RIP Lucy, you would have loved the Saja Boys.
www.patreon.com/posts/franci...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 07 - Working Stiffs | Critical Lit

October 10, 2025 at 2:33 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Curse of Strahd Episode 7: Now hiring at Castle Ravenloft! Feeling chained to your desk? Make it more than just a feeling, with a career that will last the rest of your life. Maybe even longer!
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

Now hiring at Castle Ravenloft! Feeling chained to your desk? Make it more than just a feeling, with a career that will last the rest of your life. Maybe even longer! In this episode: Chapter 4 (Main ...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 06 - Velcome to ze Dollhouse | Critical Lit

October 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM

ihsien

@ihsien.bsky.social

Libertarianism is always a trauma response. You need more empathy, not less.

October 7, 2025 at 10:19 AM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Curse of Strahd Episode 6: What horrors await within Castle Ravenloft? Marionettes, puppets & faceless dolls galore! Surely there's no metaphor here. As long as you never stop running to catch your breath, you'll be fine.
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

It turns out life (and unlife) at Castle Ravenloft is as zany as the town of Barovia is dour. Trade the gloomy mists for the crack of lightning, chanting witches, the clacking fingernails of crawling ...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 05 - Kids These Days | Critical Lit

September 24, 2025 at 11:09 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Chapter 3 of Curse of Strahd reads like a Barovian Career Fair. Choose from: Trapped in Cellar, Doll-like Bride, Buried Father, Ground Into Pie. Or get your degree. You can major in Expectations Management or Accounting.
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

It's 10pm in Barovia. Do you know where you children are? Strahd does, and he has plans for them. Or maybe the hags will get to them first. If only you could tear yourself away from these delicious me...

Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula (Part 1) - September 2025 Bonus Episode | Critical Lit

September 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

September Bonus Content is here for Patreon subscribers! Strahd has us in a chokehold, so we're vamping through 1992's Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula, a Keanu Reeves vehicle (not that one). Gary Oldman chews scenery & Winona Ryder in killer drip.
www.patreon.com/posts/franci...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 04 - Gnostic Nosferatu | Critical Lit

September 3, 2025 at 12:02 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

Chapter 2 of our Barovian tour closes with an illuminating look at Vistani leader Madam Eva that should have come much earlier! The Mad Mage is, and Strahd might just be the Demiurge of Gnostic myth. Hylics of the world unite!
critical-lit.simplecast.com/episodes/cri...

Only some listeners will be able to comprehend the mysteries laid bare in this episode. And only some of those will be compelled to pursue the eternal truth. The rest are condemned to a base existence...

Critical Lit: Curse of Strahd 03 - Lacrimo Ergo Sum | Critical Lit

August 27, 2025 at 8:44 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

There once was a peasant named Vlad
Who felt neither happy nor sad
With no soul inside
T'wasn't grim when they died
Though the dirt nap did drive them quite mad

^^^ This is our way of saying that in this new episode LIVE NOW we talk all about soulless Barovians without souls (and much more)!

There once was a peasant named Vlad / Who felt neither happy nor sad / With no soul inside / T'wasn't grim when they died / Though the dirt nap did drive them quite mad. In this episode: Lay of the La...

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Part 2) - August 2025 Bonus Episode | Critical Lit

August 13, 2025 at 2:01 PM

Reposted by ihsien

Critical Lit

@criticallit.bsky.social

August bonus content is here for Patreon subscribers! We wrap up our breakdown of The #DnD Movie: Honor Among Thieves. Don't let AI tell you it's spelled Honour—despite great work by the very British Regé-Jean Page. In fact, don't let AI tell you anything. #ttrpg
www.patreon.com/posts/dungeo...