#Fortress of the Isthmus

[burgasbg]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[lovelybulgaria]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[airaglub]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[bulgariabalkan]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[lovesbulgaria]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[bulgariaist]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[bulgariamelnik]

The Citadel of Power

The Citadel’s Significance

Tsarevets stood as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, perched upon cliffs overlooking the winding Yantra River. Its imposing stone walls guarded the heart of Bulgarian power, with access primarily from the west via a fortified rocky isthmus boasting three successive gates. Notably, the southeast portion of the fortress housed the Frenkhisarska Gate, linking Tsarevets to the district of the Frenky, home to foreign traders.

Situated along the south side of the west wall lies the Small Gate, or Asenova Gate, connecting Tsarevets to the “new town” and the neighboring hill Trapezitca. A central street, following a horizontal plane, interconnected all main gates and encircled the entire fortress, with smaller secondary streets branching off. District parish churches dotted the landscape, offering convenient access to the Tsar’s Palace and the Patriarchate. In front of the Palace, a Square served as a venue for receiving foreign delegates and hosting ceremonial events Private Tours Istanbul.

The Majesty of the Tzar’s Palace

Perched atop Tsarevets Hill, the Tzar’s Palace occupies a flat terrace encircled by its own fortress wall, with the primary entrance facing west towards the Square. Spanning an area of 4872 square meters, the Palace comprises throne halls in the western section and living quarters along the eastern side, including the Palace church. The southern section housed agricultural areas and food court buildings, delineated by a stone wall, all interconnected by spacious courtyards.

Three Construction Phases

Research reveals three distinct periods in the construction of the Palace. The initial phase likely saw the residence of a Byzantine superintendent. The second phase, under Tzar Ivan Asen The Second, witnessed significant reconstruction, elevating the structure to a royal palace. Finally, in the mid-14th century, during the reign of Tzar Ivan Alexander, further renovations reshaped the Palace to reflect the evolving needs of Bulgarian royalty.

Reconstruction Insights

Architectural reconstructions, spearheaded by B. Kuzupov, offer invaluable glimpses into the grandeur and layout of the Tzar’s Palace, shedding light on its historical significance and architectural evolution. From the central courtyard to the majestic throne halls, each aspect of the Palace speaks volumes about Bulgaria’s rich past and royal heritage.

[xavierbautistagarcia]

Pag Fortica, the ruins of a fortress

The first inhabitants of the island of Pag in modern-day Croatia are identified with the Illyrians, who settled in the region during the Bronze Age between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC. The Romans occupied the then-known region of Illyria, which stretched across the Western Balkans to the Adriatic Sea, around the first century BC.

The fall of the Roman Empire left a power vacuum in the region, although politically it remained linked to the Byzantine Empire until the 7th century, when the Slavic peoples gradually seized territory from the emperors of Constantinople. Pag was long linked to the Croatian kingdom until it was disputed by the free cities of Rab and Zadar in the 11th and 12th centuries.

The importance of Pag, the second largest island in Dalmatia, was evident in the struggles to control it between the 12th and 14th centuries by the great maritime power of the time, Venice, which had the Adriatic as the main arena for its expansion, and the Hungarian kingdom, which had taken the fledgling Croatian state under its crown.

The Venetians built a fortress on a now virtually barren isthmus of the island around the 17th century to protect the coast from pirate attacks. Pag Fortica stood guard over Dalmatia's inland waters and underwent a change of rule when the Austro-Hungarian Empire took control of Venice and its possessions.

Now its ruins still seem to stand guard over the Dalmatian coast, now lined with beaches crowded by northern European tourists and small pleasure boats that bear no resemblance to the warships with which the Romans and Venetians dominated the Mediterranean Sea beyond the confines of the Adriatic.

[maranull]

Vampire and elf for the fantasy ask game?

Hello, hello, anon!

𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 - Something that you’re proud of:

Answered this with Bimbom's ask, so I'm gonna go for something more lighthearted and say my writing. Or rather, the fact that I write at all. I often don't like the words I've put down, but I am proud of them.

𝐄𝐥𝐟 - Two truths and a lie:

I used to draw stick comics, filling around 10 (length varied between 25-100 pages each) notebooks worth of very bad stories.

I've ridden across the Peloponnese (route was from the Isthmus of Corinth to New Navarino fortress) on my bike while camping outdoors.

I've climbed the peak of mt. Olympus 4 times, earliest one being when I was 8yo.

Thank you for the ask!

[ladyshoga]

Descriptions

It is most disconcerting, after a good page and a half of description, to realize that you have written from the wrong perspective entirely. Talking to the audience is all well and good, but this is supposed to be Mar's perspective and so much of the information I spent two hours on last night will have to be revealed as Mar discovers it. My convoluted bench maze needs to be described by someone who is wasting half an hour trying to reach a clerk so as to meet the one person on the continent who can give her access to the necessary records, and that's a very different thought process than my initial draft which focused on the architecture and cultural details, not the very personal difficulties which obscure the literal symbolism of justice behind a maze created to reduce the strain on the system. I also forgot to describe the front of the strangely small building, low to the ground like many others on the barren rock of the Isthmus, weather beaten but scrupulously clean and the line of people, some 50 deep, spilling out of the propped open door to the side. Well, at least all the details are present.

[greatworldwar2]

• Schwerer Gustav Gun

The Schwerer Gustav (English: Heavy Gustaf) was a German 80-centimetre (31.5 in) railway gun. It was developed in the late 1930s by Krupp in Rügenwalde as siege artillery for the explicit purpose of destroying the main forts of the French Maginot Line.

In 1934, the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH)) commissioned Krupp of Essen to design a gun to destroy the forts of the French Maginot Line that were nearing completion. The gun's shells had to punch through seven metres of reinforced concrete or one full metre of steel armour plate, from beyond the range of French artillery. Krupp engineer Erich Müller calculated that the task would require a weapon with a calibre of around 80 cm, firing a projectile weighing 7 tonnes from a barrel 30 metres long. The weapon would have a weight of over 1000 tons. The size and weight meant that to be at all movable it would need to be supported on twin sets of railway tracks. In common with smaller railway guns, the only barrel movement on the mount itself would be elevation, traverse being managed by moving the weapon along a curved section of railway line. Krupp prepared plans for calibres of 70 cm, 80 cm, 85 cm, and 1 m. Nothing further happened until March 1936 when, during a visit to Essen, Adolf Hitler inquired as to the giant guns' feasibility. No definite commitment was given by Hitler, but design work began on an 80 cm model.

The resulting plans were completed in early 1937 and approved. Fabrication of the first gun started in mid-1937. Technical complications in the forging of such massive pieces of steel made it apparent that the original completion date of early 1940 could not be met. Krupp built a test model in late 1939 and sent it to the Hillersleben proving ground for testing. Penetration was tested on this occasion. Firing at high elevation, the 7.1 tonne shell was able to penetrate the specified seven metres of concrete and the one metre armour plate. When the tests were completed in mid-1940 the complex carriage was further developed. Alfried Krupp, after whose father the gun was named, personally hosted Hitler at the Rügenwalde Proving Ground during the formal acceptance trials of the Gustav Gun in early 1941. Two guns were ordered. The first round was test-fired from the commissioned gun barrel on September 10th, 1941 from a makeshift gun carriage at Hillersleben. In November 1941, the barrel was taken to Rügenwalde, now Darłowo, Poland, where eight further firing tests were carried out using the 7,100 kilogram armour-piercing (AP) shell out to a range of 37,210 metres.

In combat, the gun was mounted on a specially designed chassis, supported by eight bogies on two parallel railway tracks. Each of the bogies had 5 axles, giving a total of 40 axles (80 wheels). Krupp christened the gun Schwerer Gustav (Heavy Gustav) after the senior director of the firm, Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach. The gun could fire a heavy concrete-piercing shell and a lighter high-explosive shell. An extremely-long-range rocket projectile was also planned with a range of 150 km, that would require the barrel being extended to 84 metres. In keeping with the tradition of the Krupp company, no payment was asked for the first gun. They charged seven million Reichsmark (approximately 24 million USD in 2015) for the second gun, Dora, named after the senior engineer's wife.

In February 1942, Heavy Artillery Unit (E) 672 reorganised and went on the march, and Schwerer Gustav began its long ride to Crimea. The train carrying the gun was of 25 cars, a total length of 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi). The gun reached the Perekop Isthmus in early March 1942, where it was held until early April. The Germans built a special railway spur line to the Simferopol Sevastopol railway 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of the target. At the end of the spur, they built four semi-circular tracks especially for the Gustav to traverse. Outer tracks were required for the cranes that assembled Gustav. The siege of Sevastopol was the gun's first combat test. 4,000 men and five weeks were needed to get the gun in firing position; 500 men were needed to fire it. Installation began in early May, and by the 5th of June the gun was ready to fire. It targeted Coastal guns at a range of 25,000 m, Fort Stalin, Fort Molotov, White Cliff" also known as "Ammunition Mountain": an undersea ammunition magazine in Severnaya ("Northern") Bay, Firing in support of an infantry attack on Südwestspitze, an outlying fortification, and Maxim Gorky Fortresses was bombarded. By the end of the siege on July 4th, the city of Sevastopol lay in ruins, and 30,000 tons of artillery ammunition had been fired. Gustav had fired 48 rounds and worn out its original barrel, which had already fired around 250 rounds during testing and development. The gun was fitted with the spare barrel and the original was sent back to Krupp's factory in Essen for relining.

The gun was then dismantled and moved to the northern part of the eastern front, where an attack was planned on Leningrad. The gun was placed 30 km (18.6 mi) from the city near the railway station of Taytsy. The gun was fully operational when the attack was cancelled. The gun then spent the winter of 1942/43 near Leningrad. Dora was the second gun produced. It was deployed briefly against Stalingrad, where the gun arrived at its emplacement 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the west of the city sometime in mid-August 1942. It was ready to fire on September 13th. It was withdrawn when Soviet forces threatened to encircle the German forces. When the Germans began their long retreat they took Dora with them. The Langer Gustav was a long cannon with 52 centimetre (20.5 in) calibre and a 43-metre barrel. It was intended to fire super-long-range rocket projectiles weighing 680 kilograms to a range of 190 kilometres (118 mi). This gave it the range to hit London from Calais, France. It was never completed after being damaged during construction by one of the many RAF bombing raids on Essen.

On April 14th, 1945, one day before the arrival of US troops, Schwerer Gustav was destroyed to prevent its capture. On April 22nd, 1945, its ruins were discovered in a forest 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Auerbach and about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Chemnitz. In summer 1945 Schwerer Gustav was studied by Soviet specialists and in autumn of the same year was transferred to Merseburg, where the Soviets were gathering German military material. Thereafter, the trail of the gun was lost. In March 1945, Dora was transferred to Grafenwöhr and was blown up there in April 1945. The debris was discovered by American troops sometime after the discovery of Schwerer Gustav's ruins. The debris was scrapped in the 1950s. The world's largest "Dora ensemble" is located in the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr in Dresden.

[firlinsgrav]

(03/24/2021)

in prose, it’s always referred to simply as ‘the continent.’ this is admittedly a bit of a misnomer; it’s a supercontinent yet to split. what appears to be a river down its center is actually the site of two divergent continental shelves, resulting in a river that in some places is simply too deep to be fathomed. long after the subjects of the project have died or left, the continent will split itself in two (or three, if the southern Arganthenion Isthmus is ever severed from the mainland.) the above map includes major mountain ranges and rivers, but not smaller ones.

Firlinsgrav is not the name of the continent; it’s the northwest-most county. largely known for its tiny population and self-imposed isolation, the region has one of the most hands-off centralized governments both before and after the continental revolution, making it immune to the Year of Ten Thousand Kings (though it is unknown if it would have been applicable; the ruling Kyrbälenin family has not been seen in generations since the revolution. should they live, the line would be the only legitimate monarchs in the present day.) there are two major natural features of Firlinsgrav: the densest and most uninhabitable part of the Westspine mountain range snakes along its shore and; Greenwall Weald, a thick and unclearable coniferous forest which takes up the majority of the region and holds its ruling seat, the fortress at Greenwall, at the end of the only navigable path into it. as Greenwall — the fortress; locals use the word to refer to it and the forest interchangeably — is in the center of the weald, it is unknown if the northern coastline of Firlinsgrav has ever been surveyed past its shores. 

(map made using inkarnate. writing updates to follow later this week)

[isidoros1983]

ACROCORINTH : THE ACROPOLIS OF CORINTH AND THE GREATEST CASTLE OF PELOPONNESE - Acrocorinth "Upper Corinth", the acropolis of ancient Corinth, is a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth, Greece. In the estimation of George Forrest, “It is the most impressive of the acropoleis of mainland Greece.” With its secure water supply, Acrocorinth's fortress was repeatedly used as a last line of defense in southern Greece because it commanded the Isthmus of Corinth, repelling foes from entry by land into the Peloponnese peninsula.

[mellifera38]

Mel’s Big Fantasy Place-Name Reference

So I’ve been doing lots of D&D world-building lately and I’ve kind of been putting together lists of words to help inspire new fantasy place names. I figured I’d share. These are helpful for naming towns, regions, landforms, roads, shops, and they’re also probably useful for coming up with surnames. This is LONG. There’s plenty more under the cut including a huge list of “fantasy sounding” word-parts. Enjoy!

Towns & Kingdoms

town, borough, city, hamlet, parish, township, village, villa, domain

kingdom, empire, nation, country, county, city-state, state, province, dominion

Town Name End Words (English flavored)

-ton, -ston, -caster, -dale, -den, -field, -gate, -glen, -ham, -holm, -hurst, -bar, -boro, -by, -cross, -kirk, -meade, -moore, -ville, -wich, -bee, -burg, -cester, -don, -lea, -mer, -rose, -wall, -worth, -berg, -burgh, -chase, -ly, -lin, -mor, -mere, -pool. -port, -stead, -stow, -strath, -side, -way, -berry, -bury, -chester, -haven, -mar, -mont, -ton, -wick, -meet, -heim, -hold, -hall, -point

Buildings & Places

castle, fort, palace, fortress, garrison, lodge, estate, hold, stronghold, tower, watchtower, palace, spire, citadel, bastion, court, manor, house

altar, chapel, abbey, shrine, temple, monastery, cathedral, sanctum, crypt, catacomb, tomb

orchard, arbor, vineyard, farm, farmstead, shire, garden, ranch

plaza, district, quarter, market, courtyard, inn, stables, tavern, blacksmith, forge, mine, mill, quarry, gallows, apothecary, college, bakery, clothier, library, guild house, bath house, pleasure house, brothel, jail, prison, dungeon, cellar, basement, attic, sewer, cistern

lookout, post, tradepost, camp, outpost, hovel, hideaway, lair, nook, watch, roost, respite, retreat, hostel, holdout, redoubt, perch, refuge, haven, alcove, haunt, knell, enclave, station, caravan, exchange, conclave

port, bridge, ferry, harbor, landing, jetty, wharf, berth, footbridge, dam, beacon, lighthouse, marina, dockyard, shipyard

road, street, way, row, lane, trail, corner, crossing, gate, junction, waygate, end, wall, crossroads,  barrier, bulwark, blockade, pavilion, avenue, promenade, alley, fork, route

Time & Direction

North, South, East, West, up, down, side, rise, fall, over, under

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, solstice, equanox, vernal, ever, never

dusk, dawn, dawnrise, morning, night, nightfall, evening, sundown, sunbreak, sunset

lunar, solar, sun, moon, star, eclipse

Geographical Terms

Cave, cavern, cenote, precipice, crevasse, crater, maar, chasm, ravine, trench, rift, pit

Cliff, bluff, crag, scarp, outcrop, stack, tor, falls, run, eyrie, aerie

Hill, mountain, volcano, knoll, hillock, downs, barrow, plateau, mesa, butte, pike, peak, mount, summit, horn, knob, pass, ridge, terrace, gap, point, rise, rim, range, view, vista, canyon, hogback, ledge, stair, descent

Valley, gulch, gully, vale, dale, dell, glen, hollow, grotto, gorge, bottoms, basin, knoll, combe

Meadow, grassland, field, pasture, steppe, veld, sward, lea, mead, fell, moor, moorland, heath, croft, paddock, boondock, prairie, acre, strath, heights, mount, belt

Woodlands, woods, forest, bush, bower, arbor, grove, weald, timberland, thicket, bosk, copse, coppice, underbrush, hinterland, park, jungle, rainforest, wilds, frontier, outskirts

Desert, dunes, playa, arroyo, chaparral, karst, salt flats, salt pan, oasis, spring, seep, tar pit, hot springs, fissure, steam vent, geyser, waste, wasteland, badland, brushland, dustbowl, scrubland

Ocean, sea, lake, pond, spring, tarn, mere, sluice, pool, coast, gulf, bay

Lagoon, cay, key, reef, atoll, shoal, tideland, tide flat, swale, cove, sandspit, strand, beach

Snowdrift, snowbank, permafrost, floe, hoar, rime, tundra, fjord, glacier, iceberg

River, stream, creek, brook, tributary, watersmeet, headwater, ford, levee, delta, estuary, firth, strait, narrows, channel, eddy, inlet, rapids, mouth, falls

Wetland, marsh, bog, fen, moor, bayou, glade, swamp, banks, span, wash, march, shallows, mire, morass, quag, quagmire, everglade, slough, lowland, sump, reach

Island, isle, peninsula, isthmus, bight, headland, promontory, cape, pointe, cape

More under the cut including: Color words, Animal/Monster related words, Rocks/Metals/Gems list, Foliage, People groups/types, Weather/Environment/ Elemental words, Man-made Items, Body Parts, Mechanical sounding words, a huge list of both pleasant and unpleasant Atmospheric Descriptors, and a huge list of Fantasy Word-parts.

Color Descriptions

Warm: red, scarlet, crimson, rusty, cerise, carmine, cinnabar, orange, vermillion, ochre, peach, salmon, saffron, yellow, gold, lemon, amber, pink, magenta, maroon, brown, sepia, burgundy, beige, tan, fuchsia, taupe

Cool: green, beryl, jade, evergreen, chartreuse, olive, viridian, celadon, blue, azure, navy, cerulean, turquoise, teal, cyan, cobalt, periwinkle, beryl, purple, violet, indigo, mauve, plum

Neutral: gray, silver, ashy, charcoal, slate, white, pearly, alabaster, ivory, black, ebony, jet

dark, dusky, pale, bleached, blotchy, bold, dappled, lustrous, faded, drab, milky, mottled, opaque, pastel, stained, subtle, ruddy, waxen, tinted, tinged, painted

Animal / Monster-Related Words

Bear, eagle, wolf, serpent, hawk, horse, goat, sheep, bull, raven, crow, dog, stag, rat, boar, lion, hare, owl, crane, goose, swan, otter, frog, toad, moth, bee, wasp, beetle, spider, slug, snail, leech, dragonfly, fish, trout, salmon, bass, crab, shell, dolphin, whale, eel, cod, haddock

Dragon, goblin, giant, wyvern, ghast, siren, lich, hag, ogre, wyrm, kraken

Talon, scale, tusk, hoof, mane, horn, fur, feather, fang, wing, whisker, bristle, paw, tail, beak, claw, web, quill, paw, maw, pelt, haunch, gill, fin,

Hive, honey, nest, burrow, den, hole, wallow

Rocks / Metals / Minerals

Gold, silver, brass, bronze, copper, platinum, iron, steel, tin, mithril, electrum, adamantite, quicksilver, fool’s gold, titanium

Diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire, topaz, opal, pearl, jade, jasper, onyx, citrine, aquamarine, turquoise, lapiz lazuli, amethyst, quartz, crystal, amber, jewel

Granite, shale, marble, limestone, sandstone, slate, diorite, basalt, rhyolite, obsidian, glass

Earth, stone, clay, sand, silt, salt, mote, lode, vein, ore, ingot, coal, boulder, bedrock, crust, rubble, pebble, gravel, cobble, dust, clod, peat, muck mud, slip, loam, dirt, grit, scree, shard, flint, stalactite/mite

Trees / Plants / Flowers

Tree, ash, aspen, pine, birch, alder, willow, dogwood, oak, maple, walnut,  chestnut, cedar, mahogany, palm, beech, hickory, hemlock, cottonwood, hawthorn, sycamore, poplar, cypress, mangrove, elm, fir, spruce, yew

Branch, bough, bramble, gnarl, burr, tangle, thistle, briar, thorn, moss, bark, shrub, undergrowth, overgrowth, root, vine, bracken, reed, driftwood, coral, fern, berry, bamboo, nectar, petal, leaf, seed, clover, grass, grain, trunk, twig, canopy, cactus, weed, mushroom, fungus

Apple, olive, apricot, elderberry, coconut, sugar, rice, wheat, cotton, flax, barley, hops, onion, carrot, turnip, cabbage, squash, pumpkin, pepper

Flower, rose, lavender, lilac, jasmine, jonquil, marigold, carnelian, carnation, goldenrod, sage, wisteria, dahlia, nightshade, lily, daisy, daffodil, columbine, amaranth, crocus, buttercup, foxglove, iris, holly, hydrangea, orchid, snowdrop, hyacinth, tulip, yarrow, magnolia, honeysuckle, belladonna, lily pad, magnolia

People

Settler, Pilgrim, Pioneer, Merchant, Prospector, Maker, Surveyor, Mason, Overseer, Apprentice, Widow, Sailor, Miner, Blacksmith, Butcher, Baker, Brewer, Barkeep, Ferryman, Hangman, Gambler, Fisherman, Adventurer, Hero, Seeker, Hiker, Traveler, Crone

Mage, Magician, Summoner, Sorcerer, Wizard, Conjurer, Necromancer, 

King, Queen, Lord, Count, Baron, Guard, Soldier, Knight, Vindicator, Merchant, Crusader, Imperator, Syndicate, Vanguard, Champion, Warden, Victor, Legionnaire, Master, Archer, Footman, Gladiator, Barbarian, Captain, Commodore, 

Beggar, Hunter, Ranger, Deadman, Smuggler, Robber, Swindler, Rebel, Bootlegger, Outlaw, Pirate, Brigand, Ruffian, Highwayman, Cutpurse, Thief, Assassin

God, Goddess, Exarch, Angel, Devil, Demon, Cultist, Prophet, Hermit, Seer

council, clergy, guild, militia, choir 

Climate, Environment, & The Elements

Cold, cool, brisk, frosty, chilly, icy, freezing, frozen, frigid, glacial, bitter, biting, bleak, arctic, polar, boreal, wintry, snowy, snow, blizzarding, blizzard, sleeting, sleet, chill, frost, ice, icebound, ice cap, floe, snowblind, frostbite, coldsnap, avalanche, snowflake

Hot, sunny, humid, sweltering, steaming, boiling, sizzling, blistering, scalding, smoking, caldescent, dry, parched, arid, fallow, thirsty, melting, molten, fiery, blazing, burning, charring, glowing, searing, scorching, blasted, sun, fire, heat, flame, wildfire, bonfire, inferno, coal, ash, cinder, ember, flare, pyre, tinder, kindling, aflame, alight, ablaze, lava, magma, slag,

Wet, damp, dank, soggy, sodden, soaked, drenched, dripping, sopping, briny, murky, rain, storm, hail, drizzle, sprinkle, downpour, deluge, squall, water, cloud, fog, mist, dew, puddle, pool, current, whirlpool, deep, depths, tide, waves, whitewater, waterfall, tidal wave, flow, flood, leak, drain

Wind, breeze, gust, billow, gail, draft, waft, zephyr, still, airy, clear, smokey, tempest, tempestuous, windswept, aerial, lofty, torrid, turbulent, nebulous, tradewind, thunder, lightning, spark, cyclone, tornado, whirlwind, hurricane, typhoon

Man-made Item Words

Furnace, forge, anvil, vault, strap, strip, whetstone, brick, sword, blade, axe, dagger, shield, buckler, morningstar, bow, quiver, arrow, polearm, flail, staff, stave, sheath, hilt, hammer, knife, helm, mantle, banner, pauldron, chainmail, mace, dart, cutlass, canon, needle, cowl, belt,  buckle, bandana, goggles, hood, boot, heel, spindle, spool, thread, sweater, skirt, bonnet, apron, leather, hide, plate, tunic, vest, satin, silk, wool, velvet, lace, corset, stocking, binding

Plow, scythe, (wheel) barrow, saddle, harrow, brand, collar, whip, leash, lead, bridle, stirrup, wheel, straw, stall, barn, hay, bale, pitchfork, well, log, saw, lumber, sod, thatch, mortar, brick, cement, concrete, pitch, pillar, window, fountain, door, cage, spoke, pole, table, bench, plank, board

Candle, torch, cradle, broom, lamp, lantern, clock, bell, lock, hook, trunk, looking glass, spyglass, bottle, vase, locket, locker, key, handle, rope, knot, sack, pocket, pouch, manacle, chain, stake, coffin, fan. cauldron, kettle, pot, bowl, pestle, oven, ladle, spoon, font, wand, potion, elixir, draught, portal, book, tome, scroll, word, manuscript, letter, message, grimoire, map, ink, quill, pen, cards, dice

Coin, coronet, crown, circlet, scepter, treasure, riches, scales, pie, tart, loaf, biscuit, custard, caramel, pudding, porridge, stew, bread, tea, gravy, gristle, spice, lute, lyre, harp, drum, rouge, powder, perfume, brush

bilge, stern, pier, sail, anchor, mast, dock, deck, flag, ship, boat, canoe, barge, wagon, sled, carriage, buggy, cart

Wine, brandy, whiskey, ale, moonshine, gin, cider, rum, grog, beer, brew, goblet, flagon, flask, cask, tankard, stein, mug, barrel, stock, wort, malt

Body Parts

Head, throat, finger, foot, hand, neck, shoulder, rib, jaw, eye, lips, bosom

Skull, spine, bone, tooth, heart, blood, tears, gut, beard

Mechanical-Sounding Words

cog, fuse, sprocket, wrench, screw, nail, bolt, lever, pulley, spanner, gear, spring, shaft, switch, button, cast, pipe, plug, dial, meter, nozzle, cord, brake, gauge, coil, oil, signal, wire, fluke, staple, clamp, bolt, nut, bulb, patch, pump, cable, socket

torque, force, sonic, spark, fizzle, thermal, beam, laser, steam, buzz, mega, mecha, electro, telsa, power, flicker, charge, current, flow, tinker

Atmospheric Words

Unpleasant, Dangerous, Threatening

(nouns) death, fury, battle, scar, shadow, razor, nightmare, wrath, bone, splinter, peril, war, riptide, strife, reckoning, sorrow, terror, deadwood, nether, venom, grime, rage, void, conquest, pain, folly, revenge, horrid, mirk, shear, fathom, frenzy, corpselight/marshlight, reaper, gloom, doom, torment, torture, spite, grizzled, sludge, refuse, spore, carrion, fear, pyre, funeral, shade, beast, witch, grip, legion, downfall, ruin, plague, woe, bane, horde, acid, fell, grief, corpse, mildew, mold, miter, dirge

(adjectives) dead, jagged, decrepit, fallen, darkened, blackened, dire, grim, feral, wild, broken, desolate, mad, lost, under, stagnant, blistered, derelict, forlorn, unbound, sunken, fallow, shriveled, wayward, bleak, low, weathered, fungal, last, brittle, sleepy, -strewn, dusky, deserted, empty, barren, vacant, forsaken, bare, bereft, stranded, solitary, abandoned, discarded, forgotten, deep, abysmal, bottomless, buried, fathomless,unfathomable, diseased, plagued, virulent, noxious, venomous, toxic, fetid, revolting, putrid, rancid, foul, squalid, sullied, vile, blighted, vicious, ferocious, dangerous, savage, cavernous, vast, yawning, chasmal, echoing, dim, dingy, gloomy, inky, lurid, shaded, shadowy, somber, sunless, tenebrous, unlit, veiled, hellish, accursed, sulfurous, damned, infernal, condemned, doomed, wicked, sinister, dread, unending, spectral, ghostly, haunted, eldritch, unknown, weary, silent, hungry, cloven, acidic

(verb/adverbs): wither (withering / withered), skulk (skulking), whisper, skitter, chitter, sting, slither, writhe, gape, screech, scream, howl, lurk, roil, twist, shift, swarm, spawn, fester, bleed, howl, shudder, shrivel, devour, swirl, maul, trip, smother, weep, shatter, ruin, curse, ravage, hush, rot, drown, sunder, blister, warp, fracture, die, shroud, fall, surge, shiver, roar, thunder, smolder, break, silt, slide, lash, mourn, crush, wail, decay, crumble, erode, decline, reek, lament, taint, corrupt, defile, poison, infect, shun, sigh, sever, crawl, starve, grind, cut, wound, bruise, maim, stab, bludgeon, rust, mutilate, tremble, stumble, fumble, clank, clang

Pleasant, Safe, Neutral

(nouns) spirit, luck, soul, oracle, song, sky, smile, rune, obelisk, cloud, timber, valor, triumph, rest, dream, thrall, might, valiance, glory, mirror, life, hope, oath, serenity, sojourn, god, hearth, crown, throne, crest, guard, rise, ascent, circle, ring, twin, vigil, breath, new, whistle, grasp, snap, fringe, threshold, arch, cleft, bend, home, fruit, wilds, echo, moonlight, sunlight, starlight, splendor, vigilance, honor, memory, fortune, aurora, paradise, caress

(adjectives) gentle, pleasant, prosperous, peaceful, sweet, good, great, mild, grand, topic, lush, wild, abundant, verdant, sylvan, vital, florid, bosky, callow, verdurous, lucious, fertile, spellbound, captivating, mystical, hidden, arcane, clandestine, esoteric, covert, cryptic, runic, otherworldly, touched, still, fair, deep, quiet, bright, sheer, tranquil, ancient, light, far, -wrought, tidal, royal, shaded, swift, true, free, high, vibrant, pure, argent, hibernal, ascendant, halcyon, silken, bountiful, gilded, colossal, massive, stout, elder, -bourne, furrowed, happy, merry, -bound, loud, lit, silk, quiet, bright, luminous, shining, burnished, glossy, brilliant, lambent, lucent, lustrous, radiant, resplendent, vivid, vibrant, illuminated, silvery, limpid, sunlit, divine, sacred, holy, eternal, celestial, spiritual, almighty, anointed, consecrated, exalted, hallowed, sanctified, ambrosial, beatific, blissful, demure, naked, bare, ample, coy,  deific, godly, omnipotent, omnipresent, rapturous, sacramental, sacrosanct, blessed, majestic, iridescent, glowing, overgrown, dense, hard, timeless, sly, scatter, everlasting, full, half, first, last

(verb/adverbs) arch (arching / arched), wink (winking), sing, nestle, graze, stroll, roll, flourish, bloom, bud, burgeon, live, dawn, hide, dawn, run, pray, wake, laugh, wake, glimmer, glitter, drift, sleep, tumble, bind, arch, blush, grin, glister, beam, meander, wind, widen, charm, bewitch, enthrall, entrance, enchant, allure, beguile, glitter, shimmer, sparkle twinkle, crest, quiver, slumber, herald, shelter, leap, click, climb, scuttle, dig, barter, chant, hum, chime, kiss, flirt, tempt, tease, play, seduce

Generic “Fantasy-Sounding” Word Parts

A - D

aaz, ada, adaer, adal, adar, adbar, adir, ae, ael, aer, aern, aeron, aeryeon, agar, agis, aglar, agron, ahar, akan, akyl, al, alam, alan, alaor, ald, alea, ali, alir, allyn, alm, alon, alor, altar, altum, aluar, alys, amar, amaz, ame, ammen, amir, amol, amn, amus, anar, andor, ang, ankh, ar, ara, aram, arc, arg, arian, arkh, arla, arlith, arn, arond, arthus, arum, arvien, ary, asha, ashyr, ask, assur, aster, astra, ath, athor, athra, athryn, atol, au, auga, aum, auroch, aven, az, azar, baal, bae, bael, bak, bal, balor, ban, bar, bara, barr, batol, batar, basir, basha, batyr, bel, belph, belu, ben, beo, bere, berren, berun, besil, bezan, bhaer, bhal, blask, blis, blod, bor, boraz, bos, bran, brath, braun, breon, bri, bry, bul, bur, byl, caer, cal, calan, cara, cassa, cath, cela, cen, cenar, cerul, chalar, cham, chion, cimar, clo, coram, corel, corman, crim, crom, daar, dach, dae, dago, dagol, dahar, dala, dalar, dalin, dam, danas, daneth, dannar, dar, darian,  darath, darm, darma, darro, das, dasa, dasha, dath, del, delia, delimm, dellyn, delmar, delo, den, dess, dever, dhaer, dhas, dhaz, dhed, dhin, din, dine, diar, dien, div, djer, dlyn, dol, dolan, doon, dora, doril, doun, dral, dranor, drasil, dren, drian, drien, drin, drov, druar, drud, duald, duatha, duir, dul, dulth, dun, durth, dyra, dyver,

E - H

ea, eber, eden, edluk, egan, eiel, eilean, ejen, elath, eld, eldor, eldra, elith emar, ellesar, eltar, eltaran, elth, eltur, elyth, emen, empra, emril, emvor, ena, endra, enthor, erad, erai, ere, eriel, erith, erl, eron, erre, eryn, esk, esmel, espar, estria, eta, ethel, eval, ezro, ezan, ezune, ezil, fael, faelar, faern, falk, falak, farak, faril, farla, fel, fen, fenris, fer, fet, fin, finar, forel, folgun, ful, fulk, fur, fyra, fallon, gael, gach, gabir, gadath, gal, galar, gana, gar, garth, garon, garok, garne, gath, geir, gelden, geren,  geron, ghal, ghallar, ghast, ghel, ghom, ghon, gith, glae, glander, glar, glym, gol, goll, gollo, goloth, gorot, gost, goth, graeve, gran, grimm, grist, grom, grosh, grun, grym, gual, guil, guir, gulth, gulur, gur, gurnth, gwaer, haa, hael, haer, hadar, hadel, hakla, hala, hald, halana, halid, hallar, halon, halrua, halus, halvan, hamar, hanar, hanyl, haor, hara, haren, haresk, harmun, harrokh, harrow, haspur, haza, hazuth, heber,  hela, helve, hem, hen, herath, hesper, heth, hethar, hind, hisari, hjaa, hlath, hlond, hluth, hoarth, holtar, horo, hotun, hrag, hrakh, hroth, hull, hyak, hyrza

I - M

iibra, ilth, ilus, ilira, iman, imar, imas, imb, imir, immer, immil, imne, impil, ingdal, innar, ir, iriae, iril, irith, irk, irul, isha, istis, isil, itala, ith, ithal, itka, jada, jae, jaeda, jahaka, jala, jarra, jaro, jath, jenda, jhaamm, jhothm, jinn, jinth, jyn, kado, kah, kal, kalif, kam, kana, kara, karg, kars, karth, kasp, katla, kaul, kazar, kazr, kela, kelem, kerym, keth, keva, kez, kezan, khaer, khal, khama, khaz, khara, khed, khel, khol, khur, kil, kor, korvan, koll, kos, kir, kra, kul, kulda, kund, kyne, lae, laen, lag, lan, lann, lanar, lantar, lapal, lar, laran, lareth, lark, lath, lauth, lav, lavur, lazar, leih, leshyr, leth, lhaza, lhuven, liad, liam, liard, lim, lin, lirn, lisk, listra, lith, liya, llair, llor, lok, lolth, loran, lorkh, lorn, loth, lothen, luen, luir, luk, lund, lur, luth, lyndus, lyra, lyth, maal, madrasm maera, maer, maerim, maes, mag, magra, mahand, mal, malar, mald, maldo, mar, mara, mark, marl, maru, maruk, meir, melish, memnon, mer, metar, methi, mhil, mina, mir, miram, mirk, mista, mith, moander, mok, modir, modan, mon, monn, mor, more, morel, moril, morn, moro, morrow, morth, mort, morum, morven, muar, mul, mydra, myr, myra, myst

N - S

naar, nadyra, naedyr, naga, najar, nal, naal, nalir, nar, naruk, narbond, narlith, narzul, nasaq, nashkel, natar, nath, natha, neir, neth, nether, nhall, nikh, nil, nilith, noan, nolvurm nonthal, norda, noro, novul, nul, nur, nus, nyan, nyth, ober, odra, oghr, okoth, olleth, olodel, omgar, ondath, onthril, ordul, orish, oroch, orgra, orlim, ormath, ornar, orntath, oroch, orth, orva, oryn, orzo, ostel, ostor, ostrav, othea, ovar, ozod, ozul, palan, palad, pae, peldan, pern, perris, perim, pele, pen, phail, phanda, phara, phen, phendra, pila, pinn, pora, puril, pur, pyra, qadim, quar, quel, ques, quil, raah, rael, ran, ranna, rassil, rak, rald, rassa, reddan, reith, relur, ren, rendril, resil, reska, reth, reven, revar, rhy, rhynn, ria, rian, rin, ris, rissian, rona, roch, rorn, rora, rotha, rual, ruar, ruhal, ruil, ruk, runn, rusk, ryn, saa, saar, saal, sabal, samar, samrin, sankh, sar, sarg, sarguth, sarin, sarlan, sel, seld, sember, semkh, sen, sendrin, septa, senta, seros, shaar, shad, shadra, shae, shaen, shaera, shak, shalan, sham, shamath, shan, shana, sharan, shayl, shemar, shere, shor, shul, shyll, shyr, sidur, sil, silvan, sim, sintar, sirem, skar, skell, skur, skyr, sokol, solan, sola, somra, sor, ssin, stel, strill, suldan, sulk, sunda, sur, surkh, suth, syl, sylph, sylune, syndra, syth

T - Z

taak, taar, taer, tah, tak, tala, talag, talar, talas, talath, tammar, tanar, tanil, tar, tara, taran, tarl, tarn, tasha, tath, tavil, telar, teld, telf, telos, tempe, tethy, tezir, thaar, thaer, thal, thalag, thalas, thalan, thalar, thamor, thander, thangol, thar, thay, thazal, theer, theim, thelon, thera, thendi, theril, thiir, thil, thild, thimir, thommar, thon, thoon, thor, thran, thrann, threl, thril, thrul, thryn, thuk, thultan, thume, thun, thy, thyn, thyr, tir, tiras, tirum, tohre, tol, tolar, tolir,  tolzrin, tor, tormel, tormir, traal, triel, trith, tsath, tsur, tul, tur, turiver, turth, tymor, tyr, uder, udar, ugoth, uhr, ukh, ukir, uker, usten, ulgarth, ulgoth, ultir, ulur, umar, umath, umber, unara, undro, undu, untha, upir, ur, ursa, ursol, uron, uth, uthen, uz, van, vaar, vaelan, vaer, vaern, val valan, valash, vali, valt, vandan, vanede, vanrak, var, varyth, vassa, vastar, vaunt, vay, vel, velar, velen, velius, vell, velta, ven, veren, vern, vesper, vilar, vilhon, vintor, vir, vira, virdin, volo, volun, von, voon, vor, voro, vos, vosir, vosal, vund, war, wara, whel, wol, wynn, wyr, wyrm, xer, xul, xen, xian, yad, yag, yal, yar, yath, yeon, yhal, yir, yirar, yuir, yul, yur, zail, zala, zalhar, zan, zanda, zar, zalar, zarach, zaru, zash, zashu, zemur, zhent, zim, ziram, zindala, zindar, zoun, zul, zurr, zuth, zuu, zym

A lot of places are named after historical events, battles, and people, so keep that in mind. God/Goddess names tied to your world also work well. Places are also often named after things that the area is known for, like Georgia being known for its peaches.

My brain was fried by the end of this so feel free to add more!

I hope you find this reference helpful and good luck world-building!

-Mel

[sirro85-blog]

Humans are Space Orcs: Improvising

So as I have described humans are ingenious and curious and they have the ability to look at a piece of fruit that tingles while you eat it and see a weapon. It goes further than that though. Humans can even look at a mistake and see success in another guise.

Major Kovac looked at his fellow officers and gave a gesture I had never seen him make before he spread his hands slowly and then brought his shoulders up.

"I think, that when we sent the last order the message got scrambled," ventured Captain Gillespie.

"Well I fucking hope so because I don't see how a request for 'artillery ammunition, medical supplies, rifle munitions and fuel' became 'water bottles, uniforms, pens, pencils, notepads, paperweights!? 150 Nyrex, assorted foodstuffs; and fuel'..." Kovac trailed off, "add to that the only supplies we have to begin with are food and for some reason paint and plaster."

"Munitions supplies code: 83-C; recruits basics supplies: 8-DE...medical supplies code: 14-P office supplies: 40-B" Gillespie said in a monotone voice.

"Whoever was on the other end didn't think to question or ask for a repeat order, it's the new civillian company running logistics they don't speak phonetics so they relay it normally so our order "Eight-Three-Charlie" becomes "8DE" in a busy office and we end up with new water bottles, nyrex and uniforms." Captain Becca said, "the wonders of privatisation." she laughed.

"Alright Bex, no time for your socialist rants now, we're going to have to make do. Wolf, What do you think?" Kovac enquired

"Surrender," Wolf replied immediately, "No seriously sir, I say we surrender." He raised his voice as the other officers shouted him down, "these aren't a horde of barely trained fanatics we're facing down these are the cream of the crop, the zealots who have served these crackpots long enough to become battle hardened and true veterans." He gestured around himself a little wildly, "what do we have? a squad of combat engineers, one squadron of wet behind the ears infantry, Gilly's auxiliary troop, and the second half of our forces are fucking weekend warriors, the strategic planetary defence reserves, other than the 88th and Gilly we can't count on two thirds of our forces. The OC is so far past it even he has realised it and I don't trust Major Picklefarts as far as I can throw her."

Kovac clicked his fingers a few times and hummed the bars to "Catfish Blues" Captain Becca gave a soulful hum.

"Woke up this mornin'," growled Dorman in his best blues singer voice, "my dog was dead; no food in my fridge y'all; ate my dog instead."

"Got idiots above me; got morons below; if it gets much colder; it'll start to snow" finished Becca.

"Feel better?" Asked Kovac.

"How can it possibly snow here? It's 35°C in the shade! We're in a god damn furnace!" Wolf drew a calming breath.

"Now that we've made Wolf feel better let's clear up a few things," first...it's Major Portbury and I don't much like her either, second the other two squadrons will hold their line until they don't not much more we can ask of them. Third, Gilly hasn't just got a troop he's got Staff Sergeant Frank King and his units could bring Muddy Waters back from the dead to slap us all for ruining blues, and he's got Griffin Battery out there and we know what those boys can do with a connonade. So it's us, it's us the 88th, 3 Squadron Combat Engineers, Fighting Fit and Fucking Ugly, the real first in last out, the infantry may hold the front line but we fucking build it." Kovac pointed a finger at his map, "everything we know says the Xhost are going to try to capture the peninsula, they do that they gain the remote base within a week and they neuter the Fortress Moon, then they have a foothold in another system and who knows how long before the Galactic Council decide to take them seriously, they'll have another million "converts" by then. So we stop them here, we hold the Isthmus, we send them back to their ships or we send them to hell."

"With glass paperweights?" Wolf asked in a scathing tone, "Kovac I love you brother but without the supplies we're going to lose."

"Want me to show you what I can do with a paperweight?" Becca said with a growl.

"That gives me an idea," said Kovac, "Wolf, Becca, who's the nastiest soldier you've got?"

"Barbie," said Wolf.

"Knickers," said Becca.

"Dorman? What about you?"

"In a fist fight? Bickers is a nasty piece of work but for one of your ideas? Well Bickers again but you'll have to let him know just how nasty you want him to get."

"Alright have those three, Buckets, Footsteps and Corporal Chloe meet me in my office, Wolf you can join us too, just keep your eyes off the Panther's arse, Becca go see what you think of Portbury. Dorman go with Gilly and see what you would do to our defences if you had a wish list."

The meeting in the Major's office went on late into the night, unusually for human military Major Kovac was not just respected by his soldiers he was well liked. In the early hours of the morning as the soldiers left the office Kovac "high-fived" Knickers as the two achieved success in their experiments.

The following morning Kovac was found striding across the top of the fortifications gesticulating enthusiastically. "Here, and down there, it'll provide good cover for your men," he explained to the dazed looking infantry officer.

Around him infantry soldiers were carefully ripping paper from notepads and sliding them into each pocket in the nyrex they held.

"You see," Gillespie was explaining enthusiastically, "we use the left over plaster and water, and soak the new uniforms in them to create a sort of plaster cast...glacis, something to absorb damage and line the enemy up to expose them to your attacks, then we fortify it with these nyrex, filled with paper they have pretty impressive stopping power and the whole thing is made of leftovers and things wrongly delivered instead of medicine and other useful supplies. It's genius really." Major Portbury looked unimpressed but that didn't stop Gillespie, "Griffin Battery have taken the paint pots that was clever too, I think Footsteps deserves a raise Kovac ha ha, then Kovac has come up with some really nasty tricks with the water bottles and paperweights."

"Unfortunately we're out of fuel," cut in Kovac, so we'll be walking a lot," in his head he played back Becca's statement from earlier this morning, 'she resents being promoted to Major late and resents having to join a new regiment of raw recruits to do it, she resents the idea that she can't cut it and resents her men, also the girl can drink but... she may be a good officer one day, if she can ditch the chip on her shoulder.'

"Major I think it's probably best if you and your men hold the centre, we need infantry not engineers playing at infantry in our middle to steady our line, we'll put the SPDR on the far right flank where the attack should be weakest, my 88th will take the left flank, they'll hit that flank harder as they're coming from the South. Better us than the militia, sorry the SPDR, but with you a rock on one side and the water on the other we should be ok."

Portbury appeared to consider this and then nodded, without the Lietenant-Colonel there Kovac had seniority anyway.

"OK then, I'm going to send my engineers out to rig up some welcome wagons for the Xhost when they arrive" Kovac gave the Major a nod and walked away.

Kovac kept his men busy that day, he pushed them to work hard and they responded, the Major himself was tireless, he moved up and down the line talking with the men of the reserves on the right flank and then spending time with the infantrymen always talking positively about the situation, at midday he organised a competition, platoon against platoon and as the men ran up and down their line, stopping and firing at specific targets they realised how the improvised glacis exposed those before it to fire from a range of fields. Their confidence grew.

Late evening saw the first lines of Xhost troops pull into view, they had started to set up camp when Griffin Battery, buried further back behind enemy lines opened fire, explosions on their base caused chaos and when the dust had settled through omni-goggles Kovac could see the smoking ruins of three air support ships, the surprise of Griffin Battery had been lost but there was no air support for the Xhost tomorrow.

When the Xhost advanced in the pre-dawn gloom they did so in near silence, Griffin Battery stayed silent, they crept forward until the silent guns filled them with confidence and the advance sped up, they crept closer until in the middle of their lines explosions tore through the ranks.

Crouched and looking through the omni-goggles, Captain Becca called out ranges as more detonations shredded the advance. The Xhost fell back.

"Improvised nailbombs, water bottles with fuel and gunpowder salvaged from rifle rounds, strapped to two glass paperweights each." Kovac nodded to Becca, "That knickers is a nasty piece of work."

"They're advancing!" Yelled Becca from her vantage point, "two divisions on the left flank, one division in the centre, half a division moving to the right."

Again the Xhost advanced cautiously, and again the guns of Griffin Battery stayed silent, the few remaining paperweight bombs detonated but this time the Xhost were ready for them, and did not recoil in shock.

The advancing army looked vast in comparison to the thin like of troops dug in to oppose them, they drew nearer still nearly in rifle range when the guns of Griffin Battery sounded, amongst the shells shattering the Xhost lines were improvised shells which erupted on impact and appeared to contain liquid fire, Lance Corporal Bickers knowing that fuel and polystyrene - a packing product for the "useless" paperweights - could combine to create a highly flammable viscous liquid was the sort of information that earned him considerable "side eye" most of the time, but on occasion proved extremely useful. The fact he had known at least four other methods to make "napalm" was considered concerning.

The advance lines caught in the firestorm disappeared into the flames, the rest of the Xhost retreated.

"They're done for the day," said Kovac harshly, he looked out at the killing zone as if forcing himself to watch what he had done.

Kovac was correct in his assessment night fell and the Xhost made no movements to advance, the human forces bedded down and the sentries fought heavy lids as they watched the enemy lines.

Morning broke with a stiff breeze sweeping in from the northern shore bringing moisture and freshness to the air. The Xhost drew up and then stood watching the human defences, they stood and sang their hymns, Major Kovac ordered his men stood down but the infantry and SPDR stayed in their positions on guard while the engineers slept. The Xhost stood and sang all day, and late into the night and while Major Kovac had his men keep sentry and the others slept the less experienced troops stayed in position.

It appeared as though the Xhost might try to sing their way to victory, depriving the troops of the Galactic Council Defence Force of sleep until they were defeated but Kovac appeared to have a plan, as dawn broke the second day on the singing Xhost, the wind tugging at the ceremonial robes if their battle clerics rifle fire sounded and commanders of the Xhost began to fall, over a dozen shots sounded before the shocked Xhost rushed forwards. Half way between the two armies Hemmings and Richards the two finest shots in the engineers ranks broke cover and sprinted for the safety of their own lines.

While the two humans had a significant lead they were stiff and cold and amongst the massed ranks of the Xhost were species significantly faster than humans. As the massed ranks of the Xhost surged forward some shapes raced ahead, fastest of all were the unmistakable forms of Rhul converts, surging across the ground in their four legged posture.

Griffin Battery opened fire and still the two snipers ran with the Rhul closing the gap every stride. Hemmings was 30 yards ahead of his fellow sniper when he stopped, turned and fired three shots, the two Rhul yards from Richards dropped and Hemmings turned and sprinted for home.

The Xhost kept coming and for the first time reached rifle range, the Xhost drove on over their falling comrades as the defensive lines cracked with rifle fire. Flashes of colour appeared in the Xhost lines as Kovac's next trick was revealed. Artillery shells, robbed of half their munitions weight attached to left over paint tins rained down on the Xhost causing damage and spreading paint across vast swathes of Xhost numbers, coating rifle sights and eye stalks in blinding paint.

Still the Xhost pushed forwards until they were close enough that the faces of the myriad species of the Xhost converts could be seen. Kovac's last trick was played, empty paint tins and empty food tins, packed with the wrongly delivered pens and pencils and the munitions taken from the paint-shells were fired from the infantry's portable howitzers.

As the thin metal reached muzzle velocity of 180m/s it shredded spraying thin slivers of metal and wood out into the Xhost lines.

A shudder went through the fanatic troops as their advance slowed and they paused, no shot fired in return and over 3/4 of their own number laying in carnage.

Kovac stood up and walked to the lip of the human defences, "now, bullet bomb, bayonets!" He bellowed and the left flank suddenly hailed grenades followed by a volley of bullets and then the 88th 3 Squadron Combat Engineers launched forward in their own advance.

By days end the Xhost were defeated and driven from the planet.

I have multiple examples of humans turning errors into victories, vulcanised rubber, antibiotics and even the low resistance substance they coat their ships in but these are often seen as unique events, they aren't. Human achievements all across history have been accompanied by two phrases. "I have an idea" and "What if?"

I'm assured "hold my beer" is a crucial part of their success too.

[skitours]

The tombstone of Anaxander

The tombstone of Anaxander is also well known; in this relief the dead man is shown wrapped in a cloak and playing with his dog. The sculptor has modelled the figure of both man and dog with wonderful skill. The forms of the body are softly modelled and one feels the warm flesh beneath the fine cloak. This tcmbstone belongs to the end of the 6th or beginning of the 5th century and is one of the masterpieces of Ionic sculpture at that time. A head, probably of Apollo of Odessos, is most characteristic of the style of sculpture in the period of the severe style. It conforms to the style of ancient Greek sculptures of the temple of Zeus in Olympia and may be dated to the second quarter of the 5th century B. C.

Recently undertaken in the necropolis of Apolloni

Excavations were recently undertaken in the necropolis of Apollonia, which covered a large area beginning at the isthmus to the south on the mainland and extending for several kilometres along the coast. About 900 tombs were found here. Many of them were found to be rich in funeral articles. Most of them are pottery objects, mainly Attic pottery. Ionian pottery is less well represented, chiefly in the earlier tombs.

A small typeof vessels is mainly found: lecythi, cylixes, can- thari, jugs, small dishes and so on. Occasionally larger vessels are also found, for instance holidays bulgaria, a large black-figure 6th century crater, ornamented with a rich figure composition. Among the funeral gifts there is an abundance of jewelry as well, mostly made of bronze, more rarely of silver and gold. The small vases, round in shapeor made in the form of small amphorae of blue and green glass with yellow or black ornaments, are most interesting. They were imported. Their original models are known in the Egyptian glass manufacture.

Recently, digging was also begun at Mesambria. Parts of the city- walls of the early period of its history and of the Hellenistic period were brought to light. The fortress belt which now surrounds the town with its strongly fortified gate and pentagonal towers is of later date. However, the work here is only just beginning. Most of the data we possess come from diggings in the necropolis, which lay beyond the isthmus and reached as far as the village of Ravda. An unfinished marble relief from a tombstone belongs to the type of Attic tombstones of the end of the 5th century. The scene depicted on it recalls in general lines the well known Hegez relief in Athens. This relief and the other finds show that in the Greek colonies along the Black Sea coast art developed in the closest relation with the art of the greatest centres of the Metropolis.