#hilltop castle

[kyotodreamtrips]

Echizen Ono Castle, a "Hirayamajiro" (hilltop castle), was built on Kameyama at an elevation of about 249m (817ft) in the Ono basin, northwest of Ono City. Nobunaga Oda granted two-thirds of Ono-gun to Nagachika Kanamori, who built the castle around 1575, a year before Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle was completed. It took five years to finish. The castle's stone base was constructed using the "Nozurazumi" method, stacking natural stones. The current castle tower, built in 1968, was based on historical references. It displays artefacts from successive lords.

[esotheria-sims]

Gabriel all but crash-landed in the Wagamese front yard. Tom and Roland, who were drawn out by the unusual noise, were shocked to find him at their door at that hour, and even more shocked at the awful news he brought. Without a moment's hesitation, the men of the Smithy mobilized and moved out to look for Annika.

Meanwhile, Marcus had flown over to the Gladwyns' to get Phillip. The red-haired boy was mortified when he heard what had happened, instantly jumping on Marcus' broom to join him in the search. Riding shotgun on the shaky ride had nearly cost him his head last time, but his fear of flying paled in comparison to the fear he felt for Annika's safety.

Soon, half of Wyvern's Bay was out on the streets, searching every corner of the city and surrounding area for the lost girl, calling out her name.

Hidden away in a cave deep in the wild woods, Annika couldn't hear them.

[dlyarchitecture]

[wanderlustexplorerblog]

[catherinadodson1976blog]

[tarastaubs1979blog]

[womanbellyblog]

[curtismckeighan1957blog]

[assumptionprime]

The Burned One

It's the Dark Souls of hair removal.

I am seeing results from the electrolysis, so it is actually a cycle that will end, but in the meantime, ouch ow goddamn FUCK OW.

Twitter / Bluesky / Patreon / Instagram

[Image Description: Comic, 8 images, one panel per image. Panel 1: Narration text on a black background, glowing cinders flying across the frame Narration: "It is a cycle without end…" Panel 2: A knight with brown hair wearing a green cloak looks out over a bleak landscape shrouded in fog, toward a distant castle. Narration: "You will make this journey" Panel 3: The darkened figure of the knight entering the castle, lit from behind as the light from inside comes in through the open doorway. Large pillars line the walls, darkened deeply by the shadows within. Narration: "Again and again…" Panel 4: The knight reaches toward a bright flame in an offering bowl, looking unsure and afraid. Narration: "Seeking to be cleansed of your curse" Panel 5: The knight's face is engulfed in flame as she grips her head, screaming in agony. Narration: "Again and again… you will BURN" Panel 6: The knight is on her knees, gently placing a hand on her face, which is burned and has smoke drifting off of it. She is surrounded by darkness, but appears to be kneeling in grass. Narration: "Then, once pain fades, and memory dims…" Panel 7: The knight is on the hilltop from the beginning, looking once more toward the castle. Narration: "…You will begin the cycle anew" Panel 8: Robin on the couch holding a bag of ice on her lower face, looking haggard. Her spouse Jordan is coming down the stairs and speaks, "Oh, you're back, how was electrolysis?" Robin answers, very articulately, "MRRRPHGH."]

[blue--ingenue]

Ominis Gaunt headcannons {Pt. 1}

Author's Note: hi loves! this is the first time i've written for Ominis Gaunt hehe. he's such a little guy™️ and i really enjoyed exploring his character a bit more. i'm going to start a taglist for this series as well, so let me know if you'd like to be added :)

you two aren’t particularly close at first, but that all changes after the events of the scriptorium. he has a difficult time trusting people (having survived his family’s atrocities), so when he meets you, a stranger leaving his most treasured safe space, he immediately shuts you out. after the scriptorium he decides to get to know you, and realizes he’s found a kindred spirit

he wants to give Noctua a proper burial, but he can’t move her remains to the family mausoleum without his parents finding out that he unlocked Salazar Slytherin’s scriptorium. (he won’t allow them to access the dark magic lying within. the last thing they need is more power.). you help him transport his aunt’s remains to a hilltop near the castle, the closest thing to home he has. you lay her to rest, conjure a simple headstone, and he just- breaks

all the terror, nerves, and stress of the last few days kept him wrought with tension, and this small mercy is what finally severs the strings holding him upright. he has no blood relatives left to lose, he can feel Anne slipping away, and he can feel Sebastian drifting farther and farther away in his desperation to save his twin. maybe it feels easier, then, crying into the shoulder of a near-stranger as he grieves the family he’s lost and those he’s currently losing

you walk to classes together, occasionally sit next to him at meals, and soon his presence becomes a constant in your life

he slowly lets his guard down as you grow closer. despite his posh exterior he’s perfectly capable of being a little shit (affectionate)

he doesn’t directly cuss, but his silver-tongued insults could rip anyone to shreds

he absolutely pretends to misplace his wand as an excuse to hold onto you. Sebastian sees through the ruse from a mile away, but bites his tongue

his hearing isn’t the only sense that can become painfully overstimulating. he learned early on that certain textures can be overwhelming (particularly scratchy wool, or too-tight dress shirts). you’ve gathered every type of clothing under the sun from the chests you’ve come across on your adventures, so you experiment with the different fabrics, finding ways to get Ominis to touch the fabric and cataloging each reaction. eventually you have a running list of his favorite and least-favorite textures. for christmas you buy him the softest, baggiest sweater from Gladrags. needless to say, he absolutely adores it

speaking of the sweater, he practically lives in it for the duration of Christmas break. it’s an incredibly endearing sight. the sleeves are loose and extend past his arms. the tip of his wand just barely pokes out from the end of his sleeve. when he sits to play piano, they pool gently around his wrists so that he can glide his hands across the keys unperturbed. you catch him asleep on the couch by the fire in the common room. he’s comfortably curled up, nestled into the neck of the sweater and tucking his hands into the sleeves to chase away the chill

likes downplay his fashion sense, but this boy knows exactly how good he looks in every curated outfit. it’s the one thing he’s grateful for learning from the Gaunt household

[mclalan]

A small estate map of Northeast Wolderness, a wapentake within the County of Humbershire.

Pentascarth Peaks

River Wyn

Bridburn Orchard

Bridburn Abbey

Firley Village

Grinholm Mill

Skunlington Town

Skunlington Castle

Pentascarth Peaks

Pentascarth Peaks is an ancient evergreen woodland that once dominated Wolderness, but centuries of agricultural expansion have driven it back to the five hilltop peaks. Some say that Wyrms slumber within each of the five peaks, while others more accurately claim that the peaks mark the boundary of the Wolderness wapentake.

Both Bridburn Abbey and Skunlington Minster claim rights to the forest, leading to obvious land disputes. But while mortals argue over who owns what, the woods remain home to forgotten, ancient goddesses— though the monastics seem to agree on this being just superstition.

River Wyn

Leading down from Pentascarth Peaks is the River Wyn, cutting through Humbershire on its journey east to the Lyre Estuary. The Wyn boasts giant crabs with some allegedly growing to a formidable fifteen feet. But if you're tempted to go crabbing, beware of the water spirit Catharine Wart, who drags unsuspecting victims beneath the Wyn's currents.

Bidburn Orchard

Nestled within an oxbow is Bridburn Abbey's apple orchard. The monks began with the principle of ora et labora, or 'pray and labour,' but if it also produces apples so delicious and plentiful that kings from across the seas are willing to pay a pretty sum for them, then who are the Valynites to say no? Whether it's Wyn's blessed waters or the lay brothers' tireless work, the orchard certainly hasn't hindered the abbey's rise to fame and fortune. Just don’t get caught scrumping from it, or the monks will have your hand off.

Bridburn Abbey

Bridburn Abbey houses the Valynite Order, which seems more preoccupied with power and business than strictly worship. With extensive landholdings and significant influence in the region, the abbey functions as the principal rural manor of Wolderness. As a result, it has become the largest and wealthiest abbey in all of Humbershire. But beyond just collecting tithes from the surrounding peasants, the monks are skilled in land management, particularly in assarting the land of trees and marshes.

Firley Village

Firley Village, named after the fir trees that once grew in the area, is an agricultural settlement situated on the glebe of Bridburn Abbey.

A large plot of common land lies to the west of the village, while smaller plots are located south on the opposite bank of the River Wyn. While the villagers grow a rotation of barley and vegetables, they're best known for they're prized oxblood-coloured sheep, whose wool appears black but shines red when catching the light. You'd think the village would grow fat from the wealth of this highly sought-after wool, but as the village falls under the manorial holding of the abbey, it is the abbey that reaps the wealth.

Grinholm Mill

Grinholm Mill, a growing hamlet owned by the Rolleston family, offers a much more reasonable miller's toll compared to the one up by Bridburn Abbey. They've become quite popular amongst the peasants of Wolderness, (well at least by miller standards), as well as wealthy. Although they pay their tithe to the abbey like everyone else on this side of the river, they are perceived to have undermined the abbey’s milling soke monopoly—much to the abbey displeasure.

Skunlington Town

Skunlington is a prominent market town, both wealthy and influential, with a history that stretches back to the First Age. It's located behind a small range of hills that shield it from harsh weather and provides a natural defence, with an added Royal Castle on the highest peak for good measure.

The castle is about the only Royal influence in the town however, as Skunlington holds charters that grant it a degree of autonomy from the Crown. The town is governed by a council of Merchant Guild Aldermen in coalition with the Provost of Skunlington Minster. But despite this apparent independence, the town is practically in the pocket of the Archbishop of Humberthorpe, the capital city of Humbershire.

South of Bridburn Abbey, across the River Wyn, lies the land controlled by Skunlington Minster’s estate (marked in purple on the map). The large tract of empty land between Skunlington and Bridburn Abbey is an ongoing contention, as both estates claim it for their own. The bickering has gone on so long that the land has turned fallow. But the biggest source of contention is how Skunlington controls the river toll for use of its docks, with particularly extortionate prices for Bridburn Abbey. Rumour has it that Bridburn Abbey might just build a whole new town of its own, south of Skunlington, just to avoid paying this toll!

Skunlington Castle was strategically built in the First Age atop the highest hill on Pen-y-Skun for its vantage point overlooking the whole of North Wolderness Dale—crucial in the Woodsy War against the pagans. However, these days it’s the Crown's administrative center for Wolderness, run by the Under-Sheriff. Here, secular law is enforced, tasks such as collecting taxes for the Crown, raising levies, chopping off heads, that sort of thing. There’s a lot of overlap with the ecclesiastical courts however, sometimes resulting in collaboration and other times in clashes.

Skunlington Castle

But it’s not all work. The castle also serves as the hub for the gentry afterall, and they're not exactly know for their hard work. So the castle hosts games, jousts, fairs, that sort of thing, and a bed for when the King comes to visit.

[vintagerpg]

Is it still a knock-off if you hire one of the most iconic artists of the place you’re knocking off to do a cover for you? Larry Elmore actually did two Role Aids covers — the next featured on the first Demons box set (and I love it). Little ambivalent about this one, though it does seem to intentionally channel a lot of design work that references both Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms. Like it or not, I enjoy how the Ray Winninger era of Role Aids seems to be intentionally thumbing its nose at TSR in a way the earlier iteration was not.

Anyway, this is A Portal to Adventure (1992). It is more a toolbox for adventures rather than a formal adventure. Think the Task Force Citybooks, or TSR’s site books that would come out a little later on in the ‘90s (Castle Sites, etc). It’s a collection of NPCs, city sites, wilderness sites and an array of new magic items. I love love love books like this.

The NPCs are OK. They’re well realized, but NPCs are not what I would reach for when improvising an adventure. Maybe I have a natural affinity for whipping up NPCs on the fly? I dunno. YMMV. Likewise, the magic items are sturdy but mostly filling in logical gaps in the official D&D lists, for example: a ring of talking to animals, a staff that turns into a snake, a sword that is really good against trolls, and so on.

The sites are great, though, perfect to drop in anywhere in an ongoing game to provide material for a session or two (or more!). There’s a great derelict tower with a hidden treasure room, a pet shop with a sideline in bloodsports, a wizard’s abode in a hollowed out stalactite that hangs over an abyss. The ruined town is pretty great, too, as is the temple of bat worshipers. My favorite, though is the oracle in a broken hilltop that comes complete with a table of cryptic portents. I am going to steal a bunch of these for my game, no doubt about it.

[apod]

2024 July 19

Anticrepuscular Rays at the Planet Festival Image Credit & Copyright: Pavel Gabzdyl

Explanation: For some, these subtle bands of light and shadow stretched across the sky as the Sun set on July 11. Known as anticrepuscular rays, the bands are formed as a large cloud bank near the western horizon cast long shadows through the atmosphere at sunset. Due to the camera's perspective, the bands of light and shadow seem to converge toward the eastern (opposite) horizon at a point seen just above a 14th century hilltop castle near Brno, Czech Republic. In the foreground, denizens of planet Earth are enjoying the region's annual Planet Festival in the park below the Brno Observatory and Planetarium. And while crepuscular and anticrepuscular rays are a relatively common atmospheric phenomenon, this festival's 10 meter diameter inflatable spheres representing bodies of the Solar System are less often seen on planet Earth.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240719.html

[uncontrolledfission]

Comet Olbers over Kunetice Castle, 2024-08-01

A visitor to the inner solar system every 70 years or so Comet 13P/Olbers reached its most recent perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, on June 30 2024. Now on a return voyage to the distant Oort cloud the Halley-type comet is recorded here sweeping through northern summer night skies over historic Kunetice Castle, Czech Republic. Along with a broad dust tail, and brighter coma, this comet's long ion tail buffeted by storms and winds from the Sun, is revealed in the composite of tracked exposures for comet and sky, and fixed exposures for foreground landscape recorded on July 28. The comet is about 16 light-minutes beyond the castle and seen against faint background stars below the northern constellation Ursa Major. The hilltop castle dates to the 15th century, while Heinrich Olbers discovered the comet in 1815. Captured here low in northwestern skies just after sunset Comet Olbers, for now, offers skywatchers on planet Earth rewarding telescopic and binocular views. Comet 13P/Olbers next perihelion passage will be in 2094.

Credits: NASA's 'Astronomy Picture Of The Day.'

[whencyclopedia]

A Roman Trail in the Moselle Valley

The Moselle Valley is Germany's oldest winegrowing region. The Romans brought viticulture to this area and planted vines along the Moselle River 2000 years ago. After settling the region c. 50 BCE and establishing the city of Trier (Augusta Treverorum) in 17 BCE, a Gallo-Roman culture developed in the territory of the Belgic Treveri tribe that inhabited the valley in what is now Luxembourg, southeastern Belgium, and southwestern Germany.

Between Trier and the junction with the Rhine at Koblenz, archaeologists have found remains of Roman estates, temples, mausolea, and wine presses. They constitute the largest concentration of Roman ruins north of the Alps.

The Moselle River owes its name to the Romans, who called it Mosella or 'little Meuse'. It is one of the longest of the Rhine's tributaries at 545 kilometres (339 mi). The extensive cultivation of vines on its slopes is well-attested in the poem Mosella written by the 4th-century CE Gallo-Roman poet Ausonius (310-395 CE). Ausonius praises the Moselle for its clear waters, fish, quality vineyards, and people. He dwells on its beauty, which is impressive in the glow of the setting sun.

Here one sees the sky without branches twined together, green and dark, buried in fog, here the brightness of daylight never hides. I saw this land of well-tended fields and estates set on hills and cliffs green with vines and hedges running across the slopes like schoolboys at play and murmuring below in the valley, the Moselle, my new-found river hurried along. The pleasant scene recalled to me my distant home, Bordeaux. May I pay my respects to the river praised by every man working in his field? You bring the honour of empire to Trier.

Ausonius, Mosella (Translation by Harold Isbell, 1965 CE)

The Moselle Valley in the Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland regions of Germany has majestic landscape, hilltop castles, picturesque villages, vineyards, and savoury wines to draw visitors. The region is also a testament to the Gallo-Roman era north of the Alps, with 100 Roman sights showing aspects of Roman life.

The cross-border cultural route "Straßen der Römer" (Roads of the Romans) connects these sights thanks to well-developed archaeological hiking trails and paths. Impressive reconstructions and excavated sites are waiting to be discovered. Descriptions of archaeological monuments provide walkers with access to a thousand-year-old cultural landscape.

Find the best places to visit in this region with our list of the top Roman attractions in the Moselle Valley. For lesser-known Roman sights and museums, including those in Luxembourg, check our map below.

Roman Villa Borg

The Villa Borg is a reconstructed Roman villa rustica located in the village of Borg in Saarland. The complex illustrates how pleasant life was for the Roman elite 2,000 years ago. Visitors can wander the 7.5-hectare (18-acre) estate and learn about Roman daily life while visiting the fully functional baths, recreated gardens and kitchen, and archaeological museum.

Only the pars dominica, the residential area exclusive to the master (dominus) and his family, has been excavated. Excavation work is being carried out in the area of the pars rustica - the space reserved for servants and workers of the farm - and can be visited during the opening hours of the Villa Borg.

The Villa Borg has a year-round programme of events and festivals, including 'Exclusive bathing evening,' 'Roman wine tasting with the slave Jatros', and 'Cooking like the Romans'.

Opening times: Every day except Monday. February-March: 11:00-16:00, April to October: 10:00-18:00, November 11:00-16:00. December, January closed.

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[turkeyblogblr]

Old town, Izmir, Turkey: Izmir is a city on Turkey’s Aegean coast. Known as Smyrna in antiquity, it was founded by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans, and rebuilt by Alexander the Great before becoming part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Today, its expansive archaeological sites include the Roman Agora of Smyrna, now an open-air museum. The hilltop Kadifekale, or Velvet Castle, built during Alexander’s reign, overlooks the city.