Kevin McGillivray
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schmevin.bsky.social
Kevin McGillivray
@schmevin.bsky.social
The Timeless Way / mythic mode / conviviality
I post about: Paintings, drawings, websites, creative practice
Read more about Red Mage and see more pieces from the collection: open.substack.com/pub/patternw...
Red Mage
Be a healer, carry a sword
open.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The Red Mage knows when to be still and heal, and when to take action with a sharp sword, which is a hard earned wisdom. I also think the Red Mage represents clearly what I believe is the underlying practice of any creativity, becoming fluent in opposite modes and blending them into a new whole.
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Similar to the Green Man living in the boundary between the human realm and the dark woods, the Red Mage is a liminal figure who lives in the threshold between the internal and external worlds, between action and stillness, spell and blade.
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The red mage feels impossible. How can one character blend such extreme opposites on their own and in combination? They synthesize seemingly incompatible opposites into a unified flow, and seem to have no problem shifting between modes.
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Spellsword classes in role playing games are also examples of the archetype, equally comfortable with both the mundane sword and the arcane book. In the Legend of Zelda series, Link carries some of these qualities, and might exchange his green tunic for a red one.
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
As a class they are defined by their adaptability and their fluency in opposites, the ability to wield magic at the front line or distribute essential boons to support their companions, and to switch between the two modes in the blink of an eye.
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The “red mage” is a gaming reference, but I think it’s a deeper archetype that happens to have found its expressive footing in the medium of video games. In the Final Fantasy series, a red mage is a spellcaster that blends offensive black magic and healing white magic.
October 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Long live the web

bsky.app/profile/fray...
Fuck apps - build websites.
New from 404 Media: Google removed an ICE-spotting app too. Called Red Dot, an immigration support group on the ground in Chicago told me it was using it. Google now removed, just like Apple did with ICEBlock after DOJ pressure. Google calls ICE vulnerable group
www.404media.co/google-calls...
October 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Eventually this likely means offline support too. I’ve always been interested in progressive enhancement and assumed that would mean I would lean into server side rendering and minimal client side logic. But these days the connection to the server itself feels like an enhancement that is optional.
October 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM
That might be personal casual daily journaling, a regular tarot spread, or a creativity randomizer for a specific project. Cartomancy for everything!

I’m getting close to having a rough draft version ready to share! Would anyone be interested in testing and sharing feedback?
July 16, 2025 at 4:24 AM
So the main motivation is to have a digital oracle deck table that mirrors the physical table, and also extends the possibilities of what random connections can be conjured. The main goal is for Enchanted Table to be open ended so it can support any type of personal reflection or creative practice.
July 16, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Often I wish I could draw random connections from other “decks”, like all the painting inspiration I have saved on my phone, or random quotes from a book I read years ago, or my favorite pictures. I want to mix these with the enchantment of the oracle decks and my art practice.
July 16, 2025 at 4:18 AM