#Asian Knives & Daggers

[theaussieblue]

Something that frustrates me is how on occasion I get someone who insists that only true martial arts come from Asia and Japan, that swordsmanship isn't martial arts and I'm like... WHAT.

Okay, so, here's the thing. In Europe, everyone had weapons. Everyone. even the women carried knives and merchants carried things called falchions that were totally not swords because a lot of towns forbade swords so falchions were not-swords that people wore to get around that.

So European martial arts revolve entirely around having a weapon. You can find people willing to train you in how to use a sword, axe, or mace to royally mess someone up. There are historic manuals just as old as the Asian marital arts manuals explaining how to use your sword to straight up murk a dude.

I learned Asian marital arts because here in Australia, they frown heavily on walking around with weapons. But there are still people who will train you in how to use European martial arts if you have a BLUNT sword to use. I never did them, because that shit is expensive, but I can still go to old reenactments and see two dudes in plate armor just absolutely beat the shit out of each other for the entertainment of the crowd.

Fun little factoid, the unarmed European martial arts still assume you have a dagger or something, because only an absolute dumb ass would go without a weapon. They involve pinning your opponent to the ground and stabbing them until your opponent stops breathing.

Europe never had to invent unarmed styles outside of a sport here or there, because EVERYONE had weapons. The very idea that you'd be fighting with your fists was considered so laughable that it was relegated to a sport or past time instead of a proper art.

Europeans had martial arts, dudes, it just involved weapons, not fists.

[sanamet]

My fav headcanons i have about Santino, like it or leave it. Man really likes 2000s pop music because that was the time he was in his late teens- 20s and would go to the clubs and that’s what he’d hear all the time(britney, timberlake, eminem, aguillera, ricky martin and many more) it’s why he has such an attitude problem, he’s above everyone else; He has a bachelors in art history and a masters in art construction and criticism, it’s why he was the most valuable asset to his father, he would know and distinguish art pieces so well, he also paints with oils and has headaches; Santino has migraines from time to time, hospital ending up time- it’s because his mother died in a car crash while he was there and his head was injured, he woke up to hear his mummy is gone; Is allergic to strawberries, death type allergy, his throat could close up and he could suffocate; Really loves children, his favorite child is Matteo- Gianna’s baby boy son she has with Cassio in secret; Has a black belt in Taekwondo, is very respectful to the art and he could knock someone out with his legs, that’s why they’re so toned and muscly from the rest of his physique, he can do a split midair, he’s very cool about Taekwondo, but he uses it solely for his own defense.; Motherfucker has a ENTIRE ROOM for his weaponry both ancient and modern, think about how John has a room for his guns, Santino has replicas of : east asian knives and swords, arabic daggers and swords, south american weaponry, etc. He very much wants to know about different cultures and what not, he looks at them and feels so in tune with himself, because he just loves a close kill, not a gun from a distance, if it’s someone he kills, it has to be significant, symbolic and intimate.

[roxyfoxgamer150]

*backing away* AY AY AY HOLLOW I'M FUCKING ASIAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY DAMN SHOES ON FOR FUCKS SAKE. *catches a dagger* CALM DOWN YOU EMOTIONLESS SADIST AH-

Hollow Julieta purposely misses, a fake-but-why-is-it-terrifying look of fury was on her face.

"I do not care that you are asian IF YOU DO NOT EVEN HAVE SHOES ARE YOUR FEET CLEAN!?" She yelled, her voice echoing around the casita as she throws a dagger, close to the persons head.

Observer Mirabel and Scrappy Mirabel were in one corner, sitting in fear and horror that some has finally made Hollow fake an emotion that shows her real emotions if she had one.

"Observer, should we chuck her back into her AU?" "Fuck no, that'll make her show her fury by throwing arrows at us instead of daggers or knives. YOU KNOW DAMN WELL HOW SHE IS WITH RANGED WEAPONS FOR FUCKS SAKE SCRAP."

"THEN WHAT SHOULD WE DO IF SHE RAISES A WEAPON AT US WHEN WE MAKE A HUGE MESS!?" "FUCKING RUN IF SHE HAS A BLANK EMOTIONLESS FACE THAT'S FOR SURE, HIDING IS IMPOSSIBLE HERE-"

[multi--kpop--fanfics]

There’s Blood On The Crown

prince!Xiaojun x queen!reader

genre: angst, horror, royalty!AU

warnings: heavy dark themes (blood, major character death, betrayal)

Part of THE CROWN - a collab call by @earth-to-that-asian​

Word count: ~1.7k 

Author’s note: The fic was beta read by @jaemotel and @intokook , who also made the header (thanxx bby💕). Inspired by the song Intro: Crown by Purple Kiss

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What do you say,

What if I ruled the world?

“Now, you may rise, Your Majesty, Queen Y/N”, the priest announces and you rise from your knees, the diamond crown resting proud but heavy on your head. You walk towards the balcony of the castle and look down, where the rest of the civilians awaited for you. You were their Queen now, the one who would guide them through thick and thin, especially after your beloved husband’s death, the late King Kun. 

“All hail the Queen!”, the crowd chants as you raise your hand and wave, the beaming smile on your face acting as a facade, masking your true feelings - uncertainty, sorrow and most importantly, fear.

Fear, because you trusted no one in the council. They never liked you in the first place, not only because you were the late King’s wife, but because you were also a very skilled fighter, one of your most valuable assets, hence why you were the Grand General of your kingdom before getting married to Kun. 

These weasels hated seeing a woman in power, simply because they wanted that power for themselves. But none of them had the guts to step up and claim the crown. They only knew how to scheme, bribe and conduct murders without ever getting blood on their hands.

There was only one person you could trust, the only one who truly recognized your strength and dedication to the crown - Prince Xiaojun, Kun’s brother and your brother-in-law. He was the only one who welcomed you with a warm smile and would always be respectful towards you. Everyone in the kingdom knew of his gentle nature and the civilians were always delighted to see the two of you take walks through the town. He treated you like family. And family is always there for you, just like Xiaojun today. You turn your head back and smile at him, an equal smile spreading across his handsome face. However, by the time you have turned your head back, his smile is instantly replaced by a clenched jaw and a stern gaze, burning with hatred and jealousy.

Nobody knows

It means nothing to me

Xiaojun enters the throne room, fully-armored, his sword sheathed on his back and his hunting knives strapped on his sides. You were seated in the throne, your white cape falling gracefully around you, the diamond crown and your silver chest armor shining from the sunlight that is creeping through the colored glass windows. Your image is a sheer contrast to Xiaojun’s, his armor being pitch-black, almost resembling an angel of Death.

“Ah, Xiaojun, what a delight to see you!” you state, smiling to him. “I haven’t seen you wear this armor in a long time. May I ask what’s the occasion?” you ask with curiosity. “I have decided to go hunting” he replies nonchalantly and you smile even wider, unaware of the true meaning behind his words. “That’s wonderful! Perhaps I could join you? I’ve been dying to leave the castle gates and get my blood boiling through some action” you slightly pout, albeitly tired from sitting around and letting your armor and sword get rusty. 

He chuckles at your reaction and he unsheathes one of the daggers from his arm and traces his finger along the edge of the blade. “I will not have to leave the castle to go hunting… In fact, my prey is right in this very castle” he states and takes slow yet steady steps towards your direction. “I-I don’t think I follow..” you stutter, fear starting to take over your senses. “What I am trying to say, dear Y/N, is that my true prey is not just within this castle - It’s right in front of me”. The realization then hits you.

It’s invisible but you know it’s mine

So where do you see yourself?

“You want the throne?”, you ask in shock, not wanting to believe that the one person you trusted ever since you stepped your foot in the castle was the one who wanted your fall. “I don’t want just the throne. I want the power that comes along with it”, Xiaojun admits, his ominous gaze fixated on you. The imminent danger awakes you and you yell with all your power towards the throne door.

“GUARDS!” and within seconds, your two strongest guards barge through the throne room, clad in heavy armor. “Prince Xiaojun has attempted murder against the Queen and is hereby guilty of commiting betrayal to the Crown. Seize him at once!” you yell and the guards point their weapons towards Xiaojun, who has seemingly raised his arms in surrender. “The accusations Her Majesty has made against me are completely false!”, he bites back, “Besides, I haven’t attempted murder..”, he adds and silently pulls out another dagger from his sleeve, “..Yet”. 

In a split second, he throws the daggers towards the guards and he hits them both in the blind spot of their armor, their cloth-covered necks, the sharp blades of the dagger cutting through the flesh. The guards are now flat on the marble floor, their lives slowly slipping away from their bodies that lay in blood. After recovering his daggers from the dead bodies, Xiaojun hears the familiar sound of a blade being unsheathed. He turns to you and he sees you holding your sword, your cape discarded on the floor, standing a few meters away from him.

“Finally, the queen has stepped down from her throne!” he spits, his voice dripping venom. "The Queen has a crown and she will do everything to protect it. Even if it means killing the prince", you prepare yourself and get into a fighting stance. "How ironic, to share the same goal at a moment like this", Xiaojun points out and unsheathes the sword from his back, "It's a shame you won't be alive to witness my success".

I am running for the crown

I keep breathing when you drown

You charge at Xiaojun with full speed, your sword in a secure hold. He throws a dagger at you to cut off your advance, but you duck down in the last second and you avoid it, closing the distance between you in the meantime. You fling your sword upwards, in an attempt to cut through his waist armor, but he is fast enough to parry your attack with his own sword. "You're fast, I'll give you that. But not fast enough", he mocks and pulls another dagger from his thigh, landing a deep cut on your forearm, making you cry out in pain.

The blood is staining your pristine blouse, but you don't care - you only want to stay alive in order to defeat Xiaojun. You kick his knee with full force and he groans, falling on his knees. "You know better than underestimating my skills, Xiaojun", you hatefully spit back and get up. You switch your blade to your intact arm and swing it towards his face, but he raises his arm and catches the blade mid-air. "I don't - I'm just reminding you how inferior your skills are compared to mine" he replies and holds the blade still, his fist now bleeding from the sharp edge. "You haven't even landed a proper cut on me, yet your arm is still bleeding from a mere dagger", he continues and stands on his feet, twisting his arm and the blade as well. 

You grit your teeth as you fight back the pain from your own arm being twisted and you lift your leg to kick him in the face, but alas, he's fast enough to swing his sword again and land another cut on you, this time on your leg. You feel the muscle joints being ripped apart and you scream once again, the blood gushing from the fresh wound. Xiaojun takes advantage of your vulnerable state and pulls the sword out of your grasp and throws it at the other side of the throne room. He then kicks you on the chest and you fall flat on your back, the diamond crown falling from your head. You try to stand your ground, but Xiaojun immobilizes you with his own body.

"It's truly a pity, Y/N. We could have been the most powerful and loved royals in the world… But you just had to fall in love with the fool of my late brother, didn't you?", he asks and caresses your cheek, the pretentious affection making you scrunch your face with disgust. "You will never be like Kun, you monster" you grit your teeth with anger, "Do you know why? Because he was always faithful to the people. Because the people are the true crown-" 

You never get to finish your sentence, as a dagger is piercing your throat, ridding you incapable of breathing. The stream of blood starts pooling around your spasming body, staining the marble floor, your clothes and the diamond crown that lays next to your head.

I believe myself no doubt

Xiaojun watches your last moments with a blank expression on his face, still on top of you. "Ironic, isn't it? The King and his Queen, dying by the same hand, clad in the same armor. Truly, the most perfect of tragic endings". You are unable to answer, the last of his words dealing the finishing blow to your form. You have stopped moving and a single tear falls from his face. "Even in death, you are still the most beautiful woman I've seen in my whole life, Y/N" he whispers and leans in to kiss your now lifeless lips. "Worry not, my love, you may meet your beloved husband now. The crown is in good hands".

He stands up and takes the blood-stained crown in his hands. He places it on top of his head, the blood dripping on his soft blonde locks. He slowly walks towards the throne, the edge of his sword scraping the marble floor and creating a line from the blood on it - your blood. He looks at the painting that rests above the throne, a painting of you and King Kun smiling fondly, wearing the same crown that now rests on Xiaojun's head. 

"You know, both of you were wrong. I never betrayed the crown. In fact, I was the only one who did everything to protect it", he speaks as he sits down on the throne, "And I succeeded, my beloved family. All thanks to you. You may now rest in peace", Xiaojun says with a soft smile on his face, making him look like an angel. 

An angel of Death.

My Lord

How come I never lost my faith?

[oneiriad]

Julekalender - 2nd December - MDZS/Lucifer crossover outline

I have yet to watch the last 1½ season, so - this gets to be set in a nebulous earlier period of the show.

1. Mazikeen is a bounty hunter. She is a very, very good bounty hunter.

2. Her latest case is a body snatcher. A serial body snatcher. As in, this person has a type - his victims are always male, ethnically Chinese or at least unspecified Asian, and always unidentified. There’s actually a concern that this body snatcher is actually a serial killer collecting his entire victims as trophies.

3. Nobody ever sees them steal the corpses. Hell, it’s almost as if the body just got up and walked away, except surveillance equipment is left suspiciously blank and any guard on the premises has to shamefully admit to having slept on their shift.

4. The mysterious corpse thief has been suspected in many, many cases, but three specifically in LA during the last year or so, which is where Mazikeen comes in - and when Dan hands over a stack of folders with this week’s John Doe’s at the city morgue, and one of them - entirely fresh, brought in this very day - matches the Body Thief’s profile to a t. Male Han Chinese, perfect in every way. Cause of death: probably impaled, possibly by a spear? Weird, but hey - it’s LA.

5. Mazikeen decides that clearly the best plan is the simplest: she’ll be spending the night at the morgue.

6. The night starts very, very boringly. Her victim-to-be is dead and in the freezer, the book she borrowed from Linda has turned out to be boring, everything is boring. And then, sometime past midnight, an eerie tune starts playing, encouraging her to sleep.

7. Mazikeen being a demon and somewhat grumpy right around now does not sleep. She does have the presence of mind to hide behind the nearest large object.

8. The man who walks in is also Chinese. In fact, he’d fit the victim profile just as perfectly as the body in freezer 7.

9. “Wen Ning?” he calls and Mazikeen startles - not at the voice, but at the responding knocking from inside the freezer. Wei Wuxian just heads straight over, passing so close she could reach out and touch him if she wanted to, and opens the freezer, helping his poor naked friend out.

10. Well, what do you know. The corpse - naked and with a great, big wound in his chest, but apart from that very attractive and quite well-endowed - is in fact about to walk right out of the morgue on his own.

11. I mean, first he’s about to put on some clothes that the living guy pulled out of a way too tiny purse. Now, that just won’t do.

12. “Care to explain what’s happening here?” leads to the corpse annoyingly squeaking and covering the interesting bits with the jeans he hasn’t had time to put on, while the living guy puts a flute to his lips and his eyes turn red as he starts playing a tune to bend the world to his will.

13. Except the Lilim are not so easily bent. They take after their mother that way.

14. The man stops playing, frowning, because that particular bit of magic should have put any human to sleep in 2 seconds flat. Hell, it should have put an elephant to sleep.

15. “Oh,” he says, face clearing and lips parting in a smile. “You’re a yao!”

16. “Explain,” she repeats, unsheathing one of her knives. She does not appreciate anybody thinking they’ve got her figured out and finding her non-threatening.

17. “Wei-gongzi’s just helping me out,” the corpse answers. “I’ve been having these narcoleptic episodes the last couple of decades - usually it’s fine, it’s not like falling asleep in awkward places will kill me. But sometimes people stumble across me, and I can’t exactly get up and leave in the middle of the poor paramedics trying to save me from dying, you know?”

18. Mazikeen involuntarily lowers her dagger again. It’s very hard to want to be threatening in the face of a slightly stuttering corpse.

19. She ends up inviting the two of them out for drinks - fortunately WWX fixed WN’s digestive system ages ago - and after winning a drinking contest with WWX and watching a very scary man in white clothes collect him, frowning at her in a manner she translates as a warning, she drags the very pretty not-technically-dead-guy home with her.

20. The next day Mazikeen sadly tells anybody who asks that, nope, she’s got no clue where the corpse went, didn’t see anything, the fucking morgue was so dull that she fell asleep. (She did fall asleep. After the third round. Even she has her limits. Wen Ning brought her breakfast in bed before round four.)

Thank you, anon, for suggesting Lucifer.

Would anybody like to suggest a fandom for December 3nd? Same rules: first fandom that I’m familiar with and which hasn’t already been done wins.

[keenmarvellover]

POSTS FOR YOU - 2

Some links to posts with valuable content you want in one place.(BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS THERE)

Suggestions and Recommendations are appreciated and accepted.

Last Updated : 31/12/2020

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[pascalpanic]

hi!! congratulations on your milestone and i’m sending my love :D i fell in love with your writing over your frankie story tiny dancer and the rest has been history lol. if it’s alright may i ask for a pedro ship please? i’m a 5’3 average built southeast asian woman with long brown hair. i love to bake, play guitar, sing, read, garden, all that fun stuff lmao. i always wear my dagger necklace and i really love to wear long flowy shirts and milkmaid tops and stuff. i love fleetwoof mac and abba and listening to them while i cook. i’m an enfp 8w7 and my hogwarts house is slytherin (if that means anything at all lol, if not, no worries disregard) i’ve always been very nurturing and optimistic (i think i’m never sure about talking about myself) i really love knives and daggers and swords (as a hobby? i don’t know their history and techniques to wield them are fascinating) i try my best to be kind and i’m very outspoken. i’ve sort of just rambled, hopefully there’s some sense in here aha! thank you so much in advance, and i hope you have a very wonderful day/night <3

first of all thank you so much, and you sound like we’d be really good friends!

I would ship you with Agent Jack “Whiskey” Daniels!

First of all, he thinks you’re the cutest thing ever and absolutely dotes on you. He has a soft spot for oldies music, and he loves dancing with you in the kitchen of his beautiful ranch! He loves your cottagecore vibe which fits his love of the country, and he thinks your fashion sense is to die for. You wearing a pretty floaty dress while singing ABBA and playing the song on the guitar in the front porch swing? He might just get down on one knee and propose there! He also finds your love of daggers absolutely amazing, as the man loves his weapons. He gets you some fancy Statesman crafted dagger with special skills, and makes sure it’s just as beautiful as you are, I could see it having some pretty carvings and maybe the name ‘Whiskey’ somewhere on it. Jack is the king of singalongs, and actually has a pretty good voice, so many evenings can find the two of you jamming out to Rhiannon while you cook dinner (thank god you can cook, because Whiskey can’t). He has a soft spot for your gorgeous hair, and he loves braiding it for you. Don’t ask how he knows, because he won’t tell you, but he is fantastic at it, and maybe he’ll even tuck a couple of flowers from your garden in it! Jack loves your kind and caring nature and you’ll often soothe him after a hard mission with just your presence- “calms me down quicker than a bourbon and a bubble bath, sugar”. Speaking of, he definitely calls you sugar all the time, because a. you’re so sweet, b. you love baking, c. it reminds him of the old song by the Archies. Jack melts when he receives the first of your love letters once you’re married, and he will most definitely cry into your chest over how much he adores you. You and Jack Daniels would live out your best cottagecore lives together!

Feel free to keep sending in ship requests!! I’m having a blast!!

[ask--eri]

Eri Reference Sheet! I will update it as I create more of her character :)

(More info below the cut)

Last updated: Feb 2, 2022 (Added random trivia section, as well as additional general/pre-ts/post-ts info)

General Info:

Human

Black hair, brown eyes (Eri is of Asian descent!)

Straw Hat Pirate

Short Blade Specialist (mainly knives/daggers, but is comfortable using other short/small bladed objects)

Associated color is red/pink

Typically wears comfy clothes (t-shirt/tank top + shorts/pants + sandals/flip flops) but is not opposed to dressing up (dresses, skirts, pantsuits, heels)

Personality:

Outgoing, cheerful for the most part

Does get more serious when the situation requires (ex: during fights, arguments, etc.)

Occasionally acts oblivious/airheaded (see: polearm comic)

A little bit of a class clown, looking for ways to make people laugh

Major teaser! Loves to tease her friends, although she knows when to draw the line

A little more mature/subtle with her pranks/teases post-ts

Thinks she’s a bit more distinguished/grown up post-ts than she actually is

Pre-TS:

19 y/o

165 cm / 5’ 5"

Longer hair (reaching shoulder blades/mid back)

Side sections of hair tucked behind ears, leaving single chunk of hair in front (occasionally pinned back w/ rest of hair)

Mostly wears tanks/midriff shirts/t-shirts + shorts, very casual in nature. good for easy movement and such

Post-TS:

21 y/o

167 cm / 5’ 6"

Medium length hair (reaching just below shoulders)

Three pieces of baby hairs sticking out on her right side, rest of hair tucked behind ear (sometimes pinned back). Two strips of hair are in front of her ears.

Mostly wears halter tops/tanks/sleeveless turtleneck + jeans, a little more mature/refined than before. she’ll still wear her old clothes, sometimes as pj’s or when she doesn’t want her “good” clothes getting dirty (ex: painting, baking)

Random Trivia:

A bit of a tailor, so she’ll do quick fixes on clothes for the crew (ex: buttons falling off, mending a tear) if it’s anything more than that they have to go to nami or robin

Prefers warm weather

Baking fiend! Loves to try out new recipes in her spare time

[psychedelic-ink]

For Quarantine Asks: 1, 6, 11, 17, 22, 38, 41? :)

1.Animated character that was your gay awakening?

Definitely Nami. I’m pretty sure she was the first one that I actually fantasized about xD

6.Top three cuisines?

Asian

Italian

Turkish 

11.Preferred way to spend a rainy day?

Either curled up under a blanket with a loved one, drinking hot coco and watching a disney movie or in a cafe drinking coffee while reading a book. 

17.Fruity or herbal teas?

I’m a sweet tooth so definitely fruity teas xD 

22.What was your “phase” when you were younger? (i.e., Mythology Nerd, Horse Girl, Space Geek, etc)

I think it was somewhere between mythology and pokemon nerd but honestly I’m still going through those phases xD

38.Favorite mid-2000s song

Behind these hazel eyes by kelly clarkson and girlfriend by Avril Lavigne 

41.Knives or swords?

I had to go and check if daggers counted as swords or not xD apparently it’s not so Imma gonna go with knives !

Thank you for asking love ! (now I’m gonna go listen to those songs because I haven’t in a while xD)

[bitchesofostwick]

oc profile: ellinor trevelyan

tagged by @aeducanka (thank you karolina!!) i’m going to do ellinor of course. some of this will be canon and some will pull from modern au. tagging (it’s a long one so don’t feel pressured!) @caffeinated-mabari @dickeybbqpit @daydreamingdragonage @gingerbreton @laurelsofhighever @free-the-mages

physical

name: ellinor aria trevelyan

nickname: “ell” to her twin brother avery, “ellie” to the rest of her family and to sera (since sera knew ellinor’s sister, lyssa, before she met ellinor), “swift” to varric, and “lin” to cullen

age: twenty-six when she becomes herald of andraste

species: human

morality: neutral good. she didn’t ask for things in her life to go the way they have, but she wants to do the right thing and bring justice to those who deserve it.

personal

religion: she’s more or less agnostic at the start of the inquisition. she grew up in a strict andrastian family who’s very invested in the chantry, which is disillusioning for her. being with cullen and understanding that he keeps his faith while growing apart from the chantry actually helps to restore her faith a little.

sins: greed / gluttony / sloth / lust / PRIDE / envy / wrath

ellinor’s pride would be the death of her, i swear. it’s by far her worst trait. but she’s known to be quite wrathful if she’s angry enough, and if the receiving party deserves it.

virtues: chastity / charity / diligence / humility / kindness / patience / justice

i actually think some of the others here (kindness, charity) are also fitting, but it really does depend on the other person. for example, ellinor did everything she possibly could to help the refugees in the hinterlands. but she’s not as giving (or forgiving) to those on her bad side

known languages: common tongue, as well as orlesian, tevene, conversational antivan, and some very rusty nevarran

build: scrawny / bony / slender / fit / athletic / curvy / herculean / pudgy / plus size / average

height: 5′3″ smol bean!!!

scars/birthmarks: old burn scars on her forearms from fire magic when she was 12 (from her brother, a complete accident that landed him in the circle and led him to pursue healing studies) and a scar across her ribs/stomach area from corypheus’ dragon in haven

abilities/powers

knives!! ellinor is a true knife rogue. at first, it was kind of because daggers were easier to carry hide. but her short, slim stature makes her very quick with them (and earned her the nickname “Swift” from varric)

the game. ellinor was born a noble, and old habits die hard. words were her first weapons, and she hasn’t forgotten how to use them

horseback riding! idk if i’d go as far as to say ellinor was a horse girl, but uh, jaime trevelyan really did keep a ton of horses on his estate. and he did give her one for her tenth birthday. so it’s not much of a surprise that she’s among the best riders in skyhold.

music. in her teenage/young adult years, she practiced and played harp for ostwick’s chantry services. once she joins the inquisition, she asks maryden to teach her lute.

non-magical alchemy. ellinor may be hopeless with cooking, but she’s excellent with herbs and plants, drying and keeping much of what she picks on her adventures in her bedroom and using them for potions, poisons, and teas.

restrictions

hypocrisy. she’s very proud, and she’s not always willing to own up to her flaws. she has a tendency to condemn things in others that she fails to see in herself.

she’s extremely unforgiving and holds awful grudges. this is obvious in her initial distain towards cullen but especially prevalent in her feelings toward her sister, lyssa.

she can definitely be too serious. her friendship with sera helps loosen her up a bit, which is good.

she’s easily and quickly angered, most notably by cullen or sometimes leliana in the war room.

less serious than the above: ellinor is a massive lightweight. a few drinks in and it’s all over. she gets the thedas equivalent of asian glow, too.

favorites (college!ellinor time)

food: pad thai, gyros, ice cream, and the most important food group: coffee

pizza topping: mushooms and banana peppers. this is already written into the au lol (and tbh i have had this in real life and it was delicious)

color: maroon!

music genre: indie/alt

movie genre: dramas. but we all know that above all, college!ellinor is a huge star wars nerd.

curse words: fuck

scents: pumpkin and apple candles, post-thunderstorm air, pine, basil, cullen

fun stuff

bottom or top: i’m just saying she’s gonna be over cullen more than she’s under him if you know what i mean

sings in the shower: ONLY if she’s ABSOLUTELY sure that NO ONE is home and could possibly hear her

likes puns: only if cullen says them

[theinfinitedivides]

am i really brainstorming an Asian fantasy compete with a bride-by-day turned into an assassin-by-night that kills not only with knives (lots of knives, and swords, and spears, and daggers, and technically just pointy things) but with perfume, cosmetics, pillows, bamboo (bamboo?! how on God's green earth do you kill someone with bamboo), facepainters (hence the whole "murder by cosmetics thing), a human phoenix incarnate (technically a freaking FIRE GODDESS), a general suspiciously resembling Shang from Mulan, a thief/card player/stuntsman/trickster who knows this human combustion PERSONALLY, an emperor who is as wise as WHAT all while i am supposed to be working on another WIP?

the heck yes, y'all

[afewmarvelousthoughts]

Stay Ch. 10

Master List: @afewmarvelousthoughtsadmin

Pairing: Natasha X Reader (Female)

Summary: You have a gift, the ability to see other people’s innermost secrets. For years you used it to gather intel for the highest bidder when you take on The Widow. After she becomes more than a mark the two of you spend years stealing moments. Post snap you wait in your designated meeting place, look back on the sordid past you share with the woman you love and hope against everything that she’s still alive.

Warnings: Physical violence, light smut, feels

A/N:  I love that Only For A Moment and Stay both reached big milestones (for me anyway) this weekend. I really thought I wouldn’t have chapter 10 ready but then it just kind of spilled out of me in one painful rush (thanks, music).  

Thank you so much for loving my girls like you do! Things are about to get... interesting for them. Don’t hate me.  

This is another longer chapter (at least in comparison to how I’ve been structuring this and OFAM) but I hope y’all like it! 

Tags are open!

@mywinterwolf @disagreetoagree @breezy1415 @peachthatdrinkslemonade @5aftermidnight @jeromethepsycho​ @marvel-randomness @daniellajocelyn @katecolleen @yanginginthere @wonderlandmind4 @piensa-bonito

- Post Snap -

You must look like a fool. Sitting alone in a hotel bar, at the end of the fucking world, smiling from ear to ear. That or you look like you’re about to snap.

Laughing a little at yourself you slam back what’s left of your drink and decide to head up to your room. As much as you don’t want to leave the bar, want to hover here until you see her walk through those doors, your body demands sleep.

It had taken you almost two whole days to get to Vienna after the… whatever the fuck that was. Planes were grounded, roadways littered with cars filled with nothing but ghosts. Chaos growing with every passing hour.

Most civilians didn’t ever truly realize just how razor thin the line between order and anarchy was at any given moment. They put faith in their institutions to hold society together without knowing that their institutions were made of nothing but poorly kept secrets and dust. Now they’d know since it felt like half the fucking planet had dissolved into just that… dust.

Regardless, that long journey left little room for sleep. Add to that the ridiculous amount of liquor you’d consumed in the last 20ish hours… you were spent.

Once in your room, you practically face plant on the lush bed. Darkness consuming you immediately. Hoping that you dream of her.

You do…

A few hours later you wake up drenched in sweat. Immediately you bolt for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before your stomach contracts, filled with nothing but fucking bourbon… it’s about as unpleasant as throwing up can be.

“Fuck,” you groan, leaning against the wall clutching your abdomen.

Why that memory? Of all the things for your brain to pull out of the archives, it had to be her… covered in blood.

You think back to what it was like at the beginning. After Prague.

For two people who made their living in the world's underbelly, you couldn’t help but feel you didn’t deserve just how good the past year had been. Together you had seen the world, worked some jobs and lived as much like two normal people in love as you could.

Like any couple, you formed your routines. Wherever you were the first person up would make the coffee so the other would awake to sleepy kisses and the sweet smell of caffeine. Usually followed by a long shower together. She would always order you a Makers if she made it to the restaurant or bar before you and you’d order a Stoli or Grey Goose martini if you did. Natasha actually liked doing laundry so she would do the both of yours and you would handle folding and hanging (not that either of you carried much). Between jobs you’d train to keep one another sharp, you were even good enough to beat her more than once.

Movie nights were frequent. Just the two of you curled up in whatever hotel you found yourselves at with a few rentals and take out. Sometimes you’d kill days doing that. Other times you’d land in a city and never check in anywhere, just squat in one place or another exploring until you got bored.

It wasn’t all pure domestic bliss though.

Her dreams could be soul crushing. You’d awake to her cries a few times a month. Sometimes she’d want to fuck the memory away and you’d happily oblige. Others she would just want to curl into your arms, you’d hold her, stroking her hair, and kissing her tenderly until the tremors stopped. She never had to talk about the dream unless she wanted… most times you saw or at the very least felt them. They’d haunt you for the rest of your life. Not just the images themselves but because you couldn’t go back in time to save her from them…

More than once, mainly at the beginning, you had disagreements about jobs. You took one for a prominent South Asian crime syndicate she deemed too risky. The two of you argued for days about it. Finally, she conceded and while it was close, it all worked out. A few hits she took you thought were more than a little tasteless but ultimately you both decided to let the other do what she did best and generally stay out of it. Leave work at work.

That worked until she was given an order to take on a job with a fellow Red Room alum.

- December 2005 -

“Natasha… I don’t fucking like this,” you could have held your tongue about anything else but this.

“It’s not a discussion, baby. Remember? We have a rule-”

“Yeah. We do. But… kids.”

“There won’t be any children there. They’ve been moved to a new facility-“

“That’s not it,” you hand her one of her knives, “Children are involved. If the KGB wants the research they’ve been doing-”

“Y/N, I-”

“You know it can’t be good, Nat,” your voice is rising. “We were both kids once, used and-“

Her eyes shoot daggers at you, “Do you really think that didn’t cross my mind? I’m not happy about this. But if I refuse I’m putting a target on both our backs. I won’t.”

You sneer, “I don’t want any part of your justification for this one, Natasha.”

It didn’t matter that the hospital would be empty. You read the briefing. The two women were to slip into a donor event celebrating the new hospital’s opening. Snag the two lead doctors, bring them back to the old facility, get all the research that was still being stored there, destroy the evidence. No witnesses. No survivors.

Her arms wrap around you from behind, a soft kiss just under your ear. “Please tell me you don’t think I would do anything to harm a kid… I can’t-“

You turn in her arms to face her, “I know you wouldn’t honey. I know. But… if they’re performing research on… children. Fuck. I just, I don’t know.” Your foreheads rest together.

“I look at it like taking from the wolves. The men in charge of whatever they’re doing are going to die tonight and-”

“It can’t be taking from the wolves if you’re handing the knowledge to a different pack.”

The look on her face is pained. “I’m sorry,” she releases you going to the closet to pull out her gown for the evening and you plop onto the edge of the bed. She sighs heavily, “Look if there’s anything too bad I will make sure the KGB doesn’t get their hands on it. I’ll bring the other agent to you and…”

Your eyebrows cock-up, “Don’t you think her winding up dead will be more than a little suspicious?”

“I didn’t say dead. Head injuries are tricky things,” she smirks and winks.

“You’re diabolical,” your smirk matching her own.

She saunters over to you in nothing but her underwear and holsters and straddles you. Taking your face in her hands she kisses you hard, “You love it.”

Honestly, you did. Your hands slide slowly up her muscular thighs before hooking onto her underwear and you nibble her bottom lip.

She groans, “I don’t have time.” You don’t respond, just slide your fingers into the front of the lacy garment. Her head falls back as she grinds against them.

“You sure,” you whisper into the hollow of her collarbones. She shivers, “Can’t stay a few more minutes?”

“I can’t be late,” she says laughing at the look of disappointment on your face. “Tonight.”

“That’s so far away,” you whine playfully as she pulls your hand away and licks her own moisture off your fingers with a wink. A hum of pleasure rumbles in your chest.

“You started this,” she nips at your fingertips. “Deal with it,” she places a quick kiss on your lips before getting up.

“Bitch,” you say with a wink as you fall back on the bed your own hand sliding the zipper of your jeans down.

“Oh hell no!” Natasha pounces on you, pinning your hands by your head. “Don’t you dare.” Her kiss is hungry as her tongue fills your mouth, hot, wet, everything you want. “You had better wait for me,” she whispers into your ear before nibbling at your earlobe.

“Fine,” you sigh out.

As Natasha slips into the sleek black gown your mouth waters. The silhouette perfectly hugs her curves and the plunging neckline is just enough to tease while still remaining tasteful for the event. She catches you taking her in as she slips diamond studs into her ears.

“What do you think?” She asks as you stride over to her, spinning her to place her back against the wall before placing a passionate kiss on her lips.

“I think,” you kiss her once more, “you need to make sure this shit goes fast because if not I may have to crash the party to bring you home.”

“I’ll be sure to inform my colleague of the dire situation.”

“Good,” you kiss her once more. “Be safe.”

“I will.” She pulls away from you and steps into her pumps, grabs her clutch and coat. Tenderly she cups your face in her right hand, “I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you too, honey.”

4am, she should be back by now. You sit on the open window, fully dressed and armed, booted foot anxiously bouncing as you smoke your fifth cigarette in a row. You’ve been arguing with yourself for the better part of the last hour.

She had, of course, told you just where the hospital was. You could make it there on foot in less than a half hour. However, if you showed up and blew the mission she would have your ass and not in the way either of you wanted. Part of you didn’t care and wanted to rush in guns blazing. The other was saying you were being a paranoid idiot. Natasha could handle herself.

Sighing you duck back into the room, deciding the latter is right. Let the woman do her job, Y/N. Don’t be the hovering girlfriend. The thought barely finishes crossing your mind when something in the city blows, just powerful enough for the aftershock to rattle the hotel windows.

You bolt to the window, a few car alarms scream and the sky is red in the direction of the hospital.

“No,” you say into the cold night. Without hesitation you swing out onto the fire ladder and climb down, jumping the last few feet too eager to begin sprinting in that direction.

Even though you’re running as fast as you ever have in your entire life it feels like you’re in quicksand. You stick to the back routes, avoiding any emergency vehicles or dispersing crowds. Heart thundering. You’re practically blind with determination.

When you’re close enough to the scene to not only know it was unquestionably the hospital but to smell the fire someone grabs you. Panic surges you. You spin, unthinking. You sweep the assailant's feet from under her and pin her to the ground. It’s only then that you realize that the person covered in ash and blood is Natasha. Tears clearing a path down her cheeks.

“Honey!?” You gasp jumping off her. She sits up trembling, wheezing. “Oh god,” kneeling next to her you begin to check her over, there was so much blood. “Nat…” your hands come way red and black.

“Not,” she tries to suck in a breath and coughs, “mine,” she barely gets out.

“Ok. Ok, that’s good.” You can see the lights from the sirens and hear people far too close for comfort. “Come on,” you help her to her feet noticing that they’re bare, “let’s get to the hotel.”

“No,” she gasps panic filling her face head shaking frantically.

“What? That may not be your blood but bab-“

“They know,” she coughs, loud and violent, “not… not safe.”

You stare at her for a long minute trying to understand what she means by ‘they.’ “Ok. We can’t stay here though.” Her head shakes in agreement. “Different hotel?” She nods yes.

A handful of blocks in the opposite direction of your hotel there’s a questionable inn. You pay the half drunk attendant in cash and sneak Natasha in a few minutes later. She’s gone quiet, distant, her head lolling to one side as you sit her on the bed.

You turn the shower on, brown water spurts from the head concerningly before finally clearing. Steam quickly fills the stall.

“Honey,” you gently turn her face to yours. She looks at you but her eyes are cloudy. It hits you then that you’re not feeling anything from her. Not one single emotion is rising to your senses. Panic fills your stomach.

You will your voice to be steady, you have to be strong for her. “We need to get you cleaned up. Come on, baby.” Gripping her shoulders you guide her up onto her feet. She doesn’t fight you, moving like a living doll.

By the shower, you unzip the back of the now ruined dress and slide it off. Without prompting she steps free and pulls her underwear off as you unbuckle her holsters. Quickly you strip down too and bring her into the stall.

Placing her in the stream you grab a washcloth and begin to tenderly clean the grime from her. As the soot slips down the drain you see the blooming bruises on her face, her body. A few cuts would need stitching you note as rivulets of red seep from them. That was the least of your concerns right now. Still, she had absolutely no emotion, nothing, just a void where there should be… anything. You had seen and felt shock before, this wasn’t that. At least not how you’d ever known it to manifest.

With her as clean as you could get her here you guide her out. Drying her off and wrapping her in a towel before drying yourself off. Still nude you guide her to the bed again and sit her on the edge. You’re about to go dress when her fingers rise to the thick pink scar on your abdomen, lightly tracing it.

“Honey?” You ask softly, unsure how to read this.

“Why?” Her voice is a rasp.

“You know why,” you tilt her face up. “I knew you were worth it.” There’s a quick searing lash of emotion from her, so intense you almost stagger back. It’s too fast for you to even grasp what it is.

“What if you’re wrong?” There’s still no emotion in her words. Hollow.

“I’m not,” you lean down so your face is level with hers, “I am not wrong, Natasha. You’re worth everything to me.” She doesn’t react just stares blankly at you. Sighing you go and get back into your clothes.

She needed clothes, you needed a way to stitch her up, you needed some of the things in your hotel room. In the dirty bathroom mirror, you see her looking at her hands, static-like emotions coming from her. That was at least somewhat better.

Grasping her hands in yours you keep your voice level, “I’m going to go to the hotel,” you expect a fight but her eyes only search yours, “I’ll be careful. But there’s shit there we can’t leave and I need the med kit to stitch you up.” She nods. “I’ll leave you my gun and a knife,” her weapons were likely buried in the rubble of the hospital.

Pushing a few damp strands of hair from her face, “Will you be ok here? Be honest, Natasha.”

“Go,” her voice low. “Sooner the better. Before they have time to get there.” You want to know who this they are but you figure it’s best saved for later.

“Ok,” you kiss her forehead and slip your boots on. “I’ll be back.”

“Y/N,” you turn to her. “I love you.” There’s a whisper of that familiar intoxicating emotion with that word.

You smile, “I love you too, honey.”

At your hotel you climb back up the fire ladder, sending your sixth sense ahead of you to try to sense anyone in the room. It seems clear so you climb back into the window.

Hastily you stuff your duffel bags with the essentials, some clothing, basic toiletries, weapons, and the med kit. You take one last look around the room, the memory of your earlier flirtation filling you with a strange dread, and head out the door.

The whole trip took maybe an hour. As you walk back through the lobby of the inn you notice the front desk guy isn’t there but think nothing of it. At your door, you softly knock.

“It’s me, honey,” you wait, thinking she’ll open it but there’s nothing. Swallowing the bile rising in your throat you quietly set the bags down and pull your Ka-Bar out before slowly unlocking the door.

Your senses don’t pick up on anyone. There are no lingering ghosts of emotion from a struggle and everything is just as you left it. Methodically you open the closet, look under the bed, but there’s nowhere else for someone to be in this tiny room. She’s just gone.

On the little notepad by the phone, you notice writing that was not there before. One word.

Sorry.

[silmarillionwritersguild]

March 2018 Challenge: Middle-earth Museum

In the Germanic tradition he admired, Tolkien gave us many named objects in his stories: knives, helmets, lamps, jewelry, and--of course--swords. However, much more ordinary, nameless objects also existed, and imagining what these looked like, how they were used, and how they differed among cultures is something many fanworks creators delight in doing. This month's challenge asks you to stroll the halls of an imaginary Middle-earth Museum and choose one (or more!) objects to inspire the creation of a fanwork. Lists of the objects can be found below the jump. You can select the object you want to use. More than one participant can select the same object, and you can select multiple objects if you want. You can use the name, the linked image, or both, and you can use the object in any way you want to inspire your fanwork. Fanworks for this challenge will be due on April 10, 2018 in order to receive a stamp. As always, we recognize the March and April are busy months for Tolkien-themed challenges, and we encourage you to combine our challenge with Back to Middle-earth Month, Feanorian Week, and Legendarium Ladies April.

If you’re new to our challenges, find the SWG challenge guidelines here.

And last but definitely not least, I want to show my huge appreciation for Lyra (@nimium-amatrix-ingenii-sui), who not only does 95% of the beautiful stamps each month but found all of the objects for this month's challenge. Thank you, Lyra, for all that you do to make these challenges a success!

Clothing

Fortuny silk caftan (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Gucci dress (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Cape (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Tunic with Dionysian Ornament (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Pocket (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Haute couture white gown (Givenchy)

Abaya style suit (Utsav Fashion)

Enamel & gilt wedding belt (Michael Backman Ltd.)

Wedding outfit (Tarun Tahiliani)

Wealthy Viking (National Museums Scotland)

Viking trader ensemble (VendelRus)

Salmon skin boots (CNN Travel/ Shiraoi Ainu Museum)

Arms and armour

Leaf decor dagger (Czerny’s)

Sickle sword (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Suit of Armour (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Shield (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Short sword (Yataghan) (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Bow (British Museum)

Sawfish sword (Martel Maides Auctions)

Ngulu sword (Cleveland Museum of Art)

Tibetan short sword (Hermann Historica)

Corinthian helmet (Phoenix Ancient Art)

Armour of a heavy cavalryman (Royal Armouries, Leeds)

Forearm guard

chainmail shirt and trousers (Czerny’s International Auction House)

spear of Oromë (Cedarlore Forge)

axe (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Jewellery

Ear ornament (winged runner) (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Headdress

Sapphire ring (University of York)

Circlets (Abigail Adam)

polar bear claw necklace (SkullStore.ca)

Pectoral ornament (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Musical instruments

Pipa (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Sgra-Snyan (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Guqin (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Guitar (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Transverse flute (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Shô (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Walking stick flute/oboe (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Furniture

Chest (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Screen (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Side Chair (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Wardrobe (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Low table (Asian Art Museum)

Armchair (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Round end table (Paulus Fine Furniture)

Sideboard with mirror (Terry Bostwick Studio)

Mahogany bed (The Harp Gallery)

Cobbler chair (The Harp Gallery)

Household Objects

Ibex Amphora (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Glass garland bowl (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

bowl with wheel-cut facets (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Oil lamp (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Ukidama lamps (Cheeky Tiki and Blue Blue)

Mirror (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Water basin (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Warming pan (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Tiffany Inkwell (Tiffany Studios/ MFA Boston)

Tiles (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Basket (Asian Art Museum)

Sculpture

Gold Horus (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Yuny and his wife Renenutet (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Seated Female (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Veiled and masked Dancer (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Marble seated harp player (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Horse with bridle (Asian Art Museum)

Toys

Paddle doll (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Wood doll with silk dress (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Cart and driver (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Model sporting boat (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Tools

Small harpoon (British Museum)

Long harpoon (British Museum)

Loom (Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum)

Sickle (DeWit)

Transportation

Bronze chariot (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Royal Whip and Goad (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Saddle (Asian Art Museum)

Boat (Obihiro Centennial Museum)

[xtruss]

Archaeology

“Discovery of a Lifetime” Golden Sun Bowl Discovered in Prehistoric Settlement

— October 2, 2021 | Heritage Daily

Image Credit : Andreas Rausch

Archaeologists conducting excavations in a prehistoric settlement in Ebreichsdorf, Austria, have discovered a golden sun bowl dating from 3,000 years ago.

Excavations in Ebreichsdorf have been carried out since September 2019, where archaeologists found an ancient settlement dating from between 1300-1000 BC, which researchers associate with the urn field culture (related to the cremation type of funeral rites).

The bowl was found close to the wall of a prehistoric house and is decorated with a sun motif depicting the rays of the sun. It is made of very thin sheet metal, consisting of approximately 90 percent gold, 5 percent silver, and 5 percent copper.

Inside the bowl was coiled golden wire wrapped with organic material clumps that was originally fabric sewn with gold thread. The research team suggests that the fabric could have been decorative scarves, used during religious ceremonies for the worship of the sun.

Image Credit : Andreas Rausch

Archaeologist Dr. Michał Sip from Novetus said: “This is the discovery of a lifetime”, who believes that the bowl is one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Austria in recent decades.

The bowl is the first of its kind found in Austria, and the second to the east of the Alpine line, with only thirty or so such golden bowls ever being discovered throughout all of Europe.

Since excavations began in 2019, up to five hundred bronze objects consisting of pins, daggers, and knives, and various ceramic clay vessels, shells, and animal bones have been discovered near to the settlement.

It is suggested that these finds were deposited in an ancient swamp or dried up riverbed, and were thrown into the water during religious rituals by the inhabitants of the settlement.

The bowl will be placed on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, with excavations of the settlement site to continue for the next six months.

Bull Geoglyph Discovered in Southern Siberia

— September 28, 2021

Image Credit : Institute for the History of Material Culture

Archaeologists from the Institute of History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IIMK RAS), and LLC Krasnoyarsk Geoarchaeology have discovered a geoglyph depicting a bull during excavations in Southern Siberia.

The geoglyph was unearthed near the village of Khondergey in the south-west of the Republic of Tuva, close to Russia’s border with Mongolia, and represents the first such discovery in the region and Central Asia.

Archaeologists stated that the discovery was found as part of a wider burial from the Early Bronze Age, dating from more than 4,000 years ago, evidenced by ceramics in situ from that period. Measuring 3 by 4 metres, the bull is depicted by carefully placed pebbles and stone made from locally sourced sandstone.

The geoglyph has only partially survived due to road construction in the 1940’s destroying the head and torso, leaving only the backside of the bull with the hind legs and a tail.

Image Credit : Institute for the History of Material Culture

Marina Kilunovskaya, Head of the Tuvan archaeological expedition, senior researcher of the Department of Archaeology of Central Asia and the Caucasus of IIMK RAS said: ′′The bull geoglyph has characteristics of Central Asian cultures in the era of the Early Bronze Age. We find bulls in petroglyph groups in Tuva and the surrounding areas, but a geoglyph in the form of an animal figure is a unique phenomenon, perhaps even for the Central Asia region in general.”

Kilunovskaya added: Although we can recognise the bull depiction, allowing us to reconstruct the lost parts with a high degree of probability, we have never seen stone layouts such as these before. In our opinion, the uniqueness of the find and the threat to the site due to the adjacent road requires further preservation.”

Archaeologists Excavate Roman Temple Complex in Tyre

— September 30, 2021

Image Credit : Dr. Francisco J. Núñez

An international research team conducting excavations in the city of Tyre has discovered a large Roman temple complex.

Tyre is a complicated archaeological site with uninterrupted settlement as far back as 2750-1700 BC. The city came under the supremacy of the Ancient Egyptians, the Phoenicians, was a tributary kingdom to the Neo-Assyrians and the Neo-Babylonians, was conquered by the Persians and Alexander the Great, before being absorbed into the province of Roman Syria in 64 BC.

Dr. Francisco J. Núñez from the Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw (CAŚ UW) said: “Overlapping architectural remains, traces of natural disasters, rising sea levels, and dynamic urban development in recent decades has made it very confusing to understand the character of ancient architecture at Tyre”

Although Lebanese excavations in Tyre began in the 1960s, most of their documentation was lost in the turmoil of the 1975 civil war. Moreover, much of this work focused on the classical and medieval levels. In the latest series of excavations, archaeologists from Lebanon, Spain, Poland, and Portugal are conducting a study to shed light on the nature, history, and evolution of urbanism on the ancient island of Tyre.

Image Credit : Dr. Francisco J. Núñez

The researchers discovered a temple complex that dates from two periods of construction during the early and late Roman periods. Excavations revealed that the temple has a central rectangular structure that stood on a platform made of massive blocks of limestone and sandstone, and had a vestibule flanked by two columns, and a podium.

The temple and related city area experienced extensive damage and reconstruction in the early Byzantine period. The temple was demolished and covered with a platform, on which a monumental basilica was erected, but later destroyed along with a large part of the city by a tsunami in the 6th century AD.

The researchers have also identified remains from later periods: the Fatimid dynasty, the Crusaders, and the Ottoman.

Work on the site is to be continued next year, where archaeologists will focus on both the temple itself, and the related part of the city. However, their attention is drawn to something more. “There is a second monumental building in the north, perhaps another temple, which we would also like to explore,” says Dr. Núñez.

[the-medievalist]

Sword Types (Part II)

In this post, I’ll be delving into some more specific types of swords, their uses, and the history of some of them. Again, I must stress that I am not an expert, just an enthusiast. My hope is to educate people, especially writers, on the proper terms for ancient/medieval/renaissance weaponry.

Seax

Seax is an Old English word for “knife”. This dagger was massively popular among the Germanic tribes of Northern Europe (such as the Saxons) during the Migration Period. There were various types of seaxes with varying lengths, from small utility knives to sword length. The average war knife seax would be 17-24 inches long.

Gladius

Gladius is the Latin word for “sword” but is now used to refer to the specific type of sword used by Roman soldiers. While there were many different types of gladii, they were mostly shorter swords designed for thrusting. The hilts were usually made of bone, horn, or wood and did not have a crossguard. They were originally used by gladiators but were eventually adopted by the military.

Spatha

During the time of the Roman Empire (1st-6th CAD), the Spatha was the sword used by many Germanic auxiliaries and Roman cavalry. Later, this sword replaced the gladius as the standard heavy infantry weapon. Many Viking swords are based on the Spatha’s design, which eventually evolved into the arming sword of the High Middle Ages. They ranged from 30-39 inches in length.

Falx/Romphaia

Falx is the Latin word for “sickle” and is now used to refer to a type of weapon used extensively by the Dacians against the Romans. The falx was a long-bladed weapon that could be used with either one or two hands (however it was suited more for two-handed use). The falx featured a forward curving blade that was sharpened on the inside of the curve, making it ideal for reaching over shields. The romphaia was essentially the Thracian version of the falx, but the curve was noticeably less steep. The falx inspired Roman soldiers to adopt greaves, manica, reinforced helmets and begin using the lorica squamata and lorica hamata over the newer lorica segmentata for the remainder of the Dacian campaign.

Falcata/Kopis

The falcata and kopis were essentially the same weapons, the only difference being their place of origin: the falcata was Iberian while the kopis was Greek. Both were shorter swords (about 25 inches) with single-edged, recurved blades designed to be able to reach around shields. These were used during the Iron Age.

Xiphos

The xiphos was a straight, double-edged short sword with a leaf-shaped blade that was used by the Ancient Greeks. It became the weapon of choice among the infantry, replacing the Kopis, which became a favoured weapon of the cavalry. The blade of the xiphos was usually about 20-24 inches, but the Spartans began using blades as short as 12 inches during the Greco-Persian Wars.

Yataghan

The yataghan was an Ottoman sabre that became popular in the mid 16th Century. These swords were single-edged with a slight forward curve. and a hilt usually made out of horn, bone, or ivory. They were around 25 inches in length. 

Kilij

The kilij was a common sabre in Central Asia and later in the Middle East and Egypt. This sword curves slightly from the handle and more strongly towards the end. After the 15th century, it was adopted by several more western nations such as the Cumans, Balkan nations, and Hungarians. 

Shamshir

The shamshir was a Central Asian blade with a radical curve. It appeared in Persia in the 9th Century and replaced previous Persian swords. It was a slash-oriented sword that was mostly used to cut down unarmoured or lightly armoured opponents on foot or mounted. The blade length is about 30 inches. 

Messer

The messer (German for “knife”) appeared in Germany when swords were illegalised for civilian use and was used from the 14th-16th centuries. Messers were basically swords with a knife-like hilt construction. The Lange Messer or Großes Messer (Grosse Messer) became the personal defense weapon of the common folk and were about 30 inches long. Kriegsmesser (”war knife”) were two-handed variants that were about 60 inches long. Both variants featured single-edged blades that could be curved or straight. What differentiates a messer from a falchion is the construction of the hilt. Falchion hilts were constructed like swords whereas messer hilts were constructed like knives.

Estoc

The estoc was a French and English (in which it was called tuck) weapon used from the 14th-17th centuries. This sword was a variation of longsword designed for use against maille and plate armour. The blade had no edge but was thin, rigid, and tapered to a sharp point. It was designed to slip into the gaps in plate armour or force apart the rings of maille. It was a popular cavalry weapon, sometimes being used as a replacement for a lance after the lance broke. Estocs, on average, ranged from 36-52 inches.

Claymore 

The claymore, or Highland claymore, was a variant of the late medieval longsword, usually around 55 inches long. It was in use from the 15th-17th centuries. Native to Scotland, these swords developed a specific and unique crossguard, the quillions of which angled forward and ended in spatulate swellings. The thick blade on these weapons is reported to have been capable of cutting through multiple opponents in a single stroke.

Obviously, there are many other types of swords but I felt that these were the most important ones within the ancient, classical, and medieval eras. If you would like me to add any others, I will gladly do so.