Heterodoxy and Insincerity: The Distinction

Insincerity is when you say you like the 1967 Casino Royale the most. Heterodoxy is when you say the 1954 one is the best.

The Culture of the New Age

Do people still know Pig Latin? You know, the kids on their Discords and their Pinterests? Or is it deader than actual Latin, which fancy dancies learn, at least a little bit?

Addendum

For instance, coarse-grain sand could be Oarsecay-aingray andsay. Alternatively, use bars sinister and lions rampant to distinguish them. You don't have to bother learning how to read that way, which is a skill otherwise useless for sand mages.

The Ease of Use of Sand Magic

Just carry around grains in little bags. None of that Ultima nonsense with your mandrake and your ginseng jumbled together in your backpack under a bunch of maps and candelabras. Remember to label your bags, but use a code so your enemies don't know.

The Trends of the New Era

Out: A pirate captain with a very sophisticated parrot.
In: Sand magic.

A Dangerous Precedent

The trial of the decade! Begrenecht was at last in the hands of the law. Lord Divrin opted to bring the case personally, certain of the outcome if proper preparation was made, but discovered certainty is a symptom of inexperience.
"Did you or did you not cut down thirty-six people on the day in question? Answer the question."
". . ."
"It's a simple question. Yes or no. That's all that's required."
". . ."
"Your Honor!" Lord Divrin gave up in disgust. "Why are we going through this farce? Let's just snap Cursed Sword Begrenecht in half and get on with your day."
"I'm surprised at you, My Lord. You know our laws insist all intelligent magical items must have a chance to defend themselves." "It doesn't talk! We aren't even sure it's intelligent!"
"My grandson doesn't talk either. I hope you do not propose to claim he is unintelligent. I saw him drop the triangle block in the triangle space myself just yesterday."
"In that case, Your Honor. Let's see if the defendant can drop the triangle block in the triangle space." Legal observers long remembered Lord Divrin's successful prosecution as a model of subverting the spirit and purpose of the law to augment one's own reputation at the expense of the public good.
Finis

The Newest Subgenre

Slice of death. I don't know what that means, and if I did I would charge you for the knowledge. Related to mummycore? No. It can't be that simple. It just can't be.

Addendum

Don't make it about that guy you steal the charisma cloak from in Baldur's Gate, though. That guy's a little too much like me.

A New Dungeons and Dragons Movie, You Say

I hope it's about Raistlin. He's just like me! Failing that, I hope it's about Sammaster. He's just like me! Failing even that, I hope it's so good everybody like me who's ready to start making fun of it is forced to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the world.

The Sadness of Things

Fantasy is an existing word, but science fiction isn't anything. Just as most people say mystery instead of detective fiction and history instead of narrative of past events, science fiction will always lose the terminology wars to fantasy. Therefore, we should accept science fiction's place as a subsidiary of fantasy and henceforth refer to it as gun fantasy, or guntasy. There's more to the difference between science fiction and fantasy than guns, you say? Not really. When you think about it.