#historical relevance

[jackoliverr]

The Unforgettable Markha Valley Experience

Markha Valley, nestled in the heart of Ladakh, is a destination that offers a perfect blend of adventure, culture, and natural beauty. Known for its breathtaking landscapes and challenging trails, the Markha Valley trek is a journey that every trekking enthusiast should undertake. This remote valley is a haven for those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in the tranquility of the Himalayas.

The Natural Beauty of Markha Valley

Markha Valley is a paradise for nature lovers, with its diverse landscapes and stunning vistas. The valley is surrounded by towering peaks, including the iconic Kang Yatse and Stok Kangri, which provide a dramatic backdrop for the trek. The Zanskar River flows through the valley, creating a lifeline for the local communities and adding to the valley's charm.

The Markha valley trek takes you through a variety of terrains, from barren deserts to lush green fields. Along the way, you will encounter vibrant wildflowers, grazing yaks, and occasional glimpses of rare wildlife. The ever-changing scenery keeps the trek exciting and ensures that every step brings a new surprise.

The Cultural Essence of Markha Valley

One of the most captivating aspects of the Markha Valley trek is the opportunity to experience the local culture. The valley is home to several small villages, such as Skiu and Markha, where the inhabitants live a simple yet fulfilling life. These villages are steeped in tradition and offer a glimpse into the ancient way of life in the Himalayas.

As you walk through the villages, you will come across ancient monasteries, chortens, and prayer flags that reflect the deep spiritual roots of the region. The locals are warm and welcoming, often inviting trekkers to share a meal or a cup of traditional butter tea. This cultural exchange adds a special dimension to the trek, making it more than just a physical journey.

The Thrill of the Markha Valley Trek

The Markha Valley trek is a moderate-level adventure that typically spans 7 to 9 days. The journey begins in the village of Chilling, where you cross the Zanskar River on a traditional pulley bridge. From there, the trail takes you through picturesque villages, high-altitude passes, and remote camping sites.

One of the highlights of the trek is the ascent to Kongmaru La Pass, which stands at an elevation of 5,200 meters. The climb is challenging but rewarding, offering panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. The sense of accomplishment upon reaching the pass is unparalleled, and the breathtaking scenery makes every step worth it.

Why Markha Valley is a Must-Visit

Markha Valley stands out as a trekking destination due to its unique combination of natural beauty, cultural richness, and adventure. Unlike other popular treks, the Markha Valley trek offers a more intimate and immersive experience. The trail is less crowded, allowing you to enjoy the tranquility of the Himalayas in solitude.

Additionally, the trek promotes sustainable tourism, with many operators emphasizing eco-friendly practices. By choosing to explore Markha Valley, you are not only embarking on an adventure but also supporting the local communities and contributing to the preservation of this pristine environment.

Conclusion

Markha valley is a destination that truly captures the essence of the Himalayas. Its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and thrilling trekking routes make it a perfect choice for adventurers and nature enthusiasts. Whether you are drawn to the challenge of the trek or the serenity of the valley, Markha Valley promises an experience that will stay with you forever. So, gear up, embrace the spirit of adventure, and set out to discover the wonders of Markha Valley.

[fictionadventurer]

Maybe the problem with Christian fiction is that it's non-denominational. People are just "Christian", with no effort put into showing what practicing that religion looks like for them specifically. No indication that there are other Christians who could have different beliefs. No wrestling with differing ideas and the struggle of how one should live out their Christian faith. And that makes it unrealistic and unrelatable.

[asteriass]

Seeing people say Jinshi is not all that and how his relevance doesn’t make sense HURTS ME… 😓

Guys, he’s a complex character, trust me 💔💔  People often seem to forget that he’s not just a silly ‘airhead’ in love. Even Maomao MULTIPLE times acknowledges & mentions how scary and intelligent Jinshi is. Like, he realized Maomao was literate in the matter of a few mins and then he used that against her cuz he realized she must’ve been the one who warned Lady Gyoukyo

And then there’s just some people who hate him cuz he’s twisted & say that makes him a sh*tty leading character

Which i don’t get?? Of course the leads of a thriller mystery will be manipulative or sly. Or at the very least flawed to some capacity. Even Maomao herself is almost equally twisted and tends to be self serving Them both being flawed is what makes them intriguing characters. They both have their vices that they acknowledge - vices that add another layer of complexity upon their characters. Do you imagine how uninteresting this series would become if Jinshi was seriously JUST a silly lover boy and Maomao was a simple girl ready to help ANYTIME AND ANY DAY instead of being the way she is? This story’s charm comes not only just from the intriguing setting/mysteries but also how these flawed, yet interesting, characters act and think in said settings.

[valhalla-awaitsfor-us]

I hope that no one takes the posts that I reblogged as meaning that I don't care about what happened on 9/11 in the USA. I remember being 3 years old and watching television and not understanding what was happening but crying when I saw so much suffering.

However, I do believe that it is important to give MUCH more visibility to the military coup in Chile than what the media gives it on this date (Both happened on the same day, different years). It is worrying how the entire world only talks about what happened in the USA while many, including the gringos themselves, do not even know what their own government did not only in Chile but throughout Latin America. The millions of dead and missing people that affect us to this day. Look for Operation Condor if want to know what happened here not that long ago.

"Never forget" seems like a phrase only applicable to the United States and the rest of the "first world", while the crimes committed here by their imperialist governments seem irrelevant in their school history books.

[ask-risorgimento-italy]

how has gilberts "research" been going?

"Quite well, actually!" - Gilbert

[southernsolarpunk]

“Yet, even amidst the hatred and carnage, life is still worth living. It is possible for wonderful encounters and beautiful things to exist.”

Hayao Miyazaki

[chiropteracupola]

an assortment of my temeraireverse fic-dragons!

[cygnet and honoré are from fifteenth-century britain and france, aquilillus, flavia magna, and bán are from second-century britain, and cipachcoatzin is from sixteenth-century mesoamerica]

[skitskatdacat63]

"Arrogant, ruthless, and by all reports (including his own) utterly charming."

(I don't know why I drew this but please take Revolutionary War British officer George, I think it suits him, okay!!!)

+ George Russell the type of guy to t-pose in front of rebels

+ the usual

Okay first of all, process, as always:

I drew this in one day hahaha....Actually really fun! I haven't finished anything in almost a month, and haven't painted for even longer, so I'm kinda dying at the fact that 18th century George Russell got me motivated 😭 Sometimes when painting, I realize I have free will and can actually just start painting over the lineart, and that's the best moment of every drawing process ���

Also I'm very proud of his face!!! I've said before, but art progression is such a weird thing. You'll keep repeating to your self "I'm no good at [insert art thing.]" And then randomly realized you can in fact do it. That's me with drawing real people's faces 😭 I'm just so shocked I got his face pretty good in one try!!!

Okay about the pose and quote. God its so fun to misappropriate quotes for my own evil deeds. Both of these are from this one officer from the Revolution: Banastre Tarleton. Idk, I randomly saw his painting in a history video, and it's stuck in my mind ever since. And then yesterday, bcs I spent a lot of time looking at George, I'm like "hey you know what he kinda reminds me of-" and thus we have this.

I just found that quote about him from some historian to be funny, so I put it as a caption, as I would with Napoleon. This won't be an AU by any means but. I think if George was in the Revolution, he'd be the most stereotypical, evil British villain in American media type guy ever. And Tarleton is kinda that guy tbh, to the point where him and others like Arnold Benedict are the poster boys of evil Revolution guys. He even has a mocking nickname! "Bloody Tarleton/Ban", very "Osama bin Russell," no? 😭

Some notable moments from Tarleton's campaign that I think fit George: Apparently killed a bunch of American soldiers after they surrendered, making sure everyone was dead(😭😭), threatened to burn an American general's house down to make him surrender and then took him hostage, went toe to toe with George Washington himself and Washington even taunted him and Tarleton got a shot in, has a helmet named after him(very slayful.)

[mearchy]

I actually think I put my finger on the thing that most bothers me about the perpetual pro vs anti Jedi discourse, which is that everybody argues for their interpretation of the Jedi as though the Jedi were a monolith. As though there were not 10,000+ of them spread across multiple temples, from many different homeworlds, with unique paths and individual connections to the Force. It doesn’t seem right to me to assert absolutes about what the Jedi code Actually Meant and whether it was too dogmatic or applied correctly by the Order or whatever when I think we can see in canon that you would get different answers about its meaning and application from the Jedi themselves, even the ones that inhabited and learned in the same temple. I feel like that’s the point of a lot of what we get shown in the prequels and TCW.

[serpentface]

Two questions regarding the Wardi religion:

In addition to the bull and the lioness, what are the seven faces of god/sacrificial animals?

Given that white animals seem to be sacred, does that influence how albino humans/other sophents are treated by society?

The seven faces of God are as follows:

-the lunar, horned, or 'wild ox' face of God, which presides over the moons, and the fertility of the land, animals, and people. In pre-imperial times, this was functionally the most central face of God (replaced by the lion face/odomache). The most ideal sacrifice is a wild ox (especially white or albino) that has never been bred. -the ‘ox’ face of God, presides over agriculture and labor, as well as the domestic sphere. The most ideal sacrifice is a healthy plow oxen or khait who has never been yoked or bred (if the sacrifice is towards Ox-Face as the domestic sphere, this should be a heifer). -the lion face of God, presides over sovereignty, statehood, military might, and is most associated with the health and continuing existence of the imperial entity. The most ideal sacrifice is a maned lioness (functionally white, though this is a trait of the captive population). -the ocean or skimmer face of God, presides over the seas, winds, as well as fortune and mercantilism. The ideal sacrifice is the skimmer gull or an albatross, especially one taken from one of the sacred rocks in the 'mouth' of the Viper sea. -the serpent face of God, presides over the cosmos and divine Mysteries, associated with funerary rites and death. Also has a wildly disparate association with royalty (which is derived from entirely separate traditions and has not yet fully been reconciled into the faith). The ideal sacrifice is a two headed or melanistic snake, especially a venomous one (both would be MOST ideal, but this is rare beyond any practicality) -The solar face of God, presides over the sun, stars, and fire, also heavily associated with khait and mounted warriors. (this is a VERY direct import from the chief solar god in the Burri pantheon (who rides and/or is a khait with the sun between its horns), hence the seemingly random khait association). The ideal sacrifice is a healthy riding khait (especially with a white spotted coat), or alternatively a golden eagle. -The river face of God, presides over fresh water, seasonal flooding, and the rains. The ideal sacrifice is the migratory reed duck (which arrives at the onset of the wet season) or a freshwater hesperornis (ideally taken from one of the sacred waters). An-Nechoi are also occasionally given.

Though the core religion is monotheistic, each face of God is functionally a syncretic fusion of older ethnic Wardi beliefs, the Burri pantheon, and other regionally native traditions, which have not all been fully reconciled (the process of fusion is more or less still ongoing). Each face in of itself has dozens or more epithets with distinct features. For example, the river face has a specific epithet for each major riverway, each venerated as a distinct aspect of the Godhead. Functionally, common practice of the Wardi faith is pretty indistinguishable from polytheism, and most of the religious authority does not care as long as required orthopraxy is maintained (the central dogma of the religion does not care How you believe, but that the correct practices are enacted).

Also for reference, these are the specific animals taken on the pilgrimage in the story (transporting seven rare animals cross country can be fraught, so each had at least a few backups):

A pure white aurochs calf, found naturally born in a wild herd.

A massive, unbred and unyoked bull draft khait (dies en route, replaced by a less physically impressive backup with the same qualities)

A lioness with a full mane, from the white captive stock

A skimmer gull taken from a nest on the sacred rock in the waters of Od-Koto.

A baby two headed cobra (which dies en-route and is replaced with its backup, a melanistic viper)

A beautiful speckled riding khait mare whose horns form a near perfect circle (which is stolen en-route and replaced with its sister)

A rare wild hesperornis (haven't come up with an in-universe name yet) taken from the reeds of the Brilla river delta.

Anyway the sacrifices listed above are considered the absolute IDEALS when working with a specific face, but a great variety of animals will be sacrificed to various ends. There’s some very specific cultural/religious components to which animals are most valued, but in practice the value of a sacrifice is pretty close to 1:1 with the animal’s monetary value, at an intersection of utility and rarity.

So a young, healthy bull plow oxen who has never been bred or yoked is a more valued sacrifice than an old, experienced plow ox who has already sired offspring. You are giving up an extremely valuable animal and all its unused potential in a very practical sense, which makes the sacrifice more potent and valued. The 'virginal' status of the animal is key when the rite is SPECIFICALLY related to fertility, in the sense that the animal itself is sacrificing its unused fertility, allowing for the sacrifice-rebirth cycle to perpetuate. (Animals which Have been bred may be preferred in certain cases and rituals).

An animal with a rare coloration is usually going to be more valuable than one with more common genetics. This is the core root of why albino animals are of high value. It's less that white animals themselves are valued, just that rare genetics such as albinism = valuable sacrifice.

There are some specific exceptions where the color itself is significant (rather than just an extension of its rarity). God is specifically supposed to have taken the form of a white aurochs (itself emerged from the foam of the sea) during creation, so white oxen and wild oxen SPECIFICALLY have especially high value. Melanism or black scales are valued to the serpent face of God, which is associated with the cosmos and void behind the stars. (this stems from much, MUCH older beliefs in a cosmic serpent god in the region).

Animal sacrifice is a very significant part of the religious framework and involved in most rituals and prayers intended to affect significant change and transformation. (This is due in part to a deeply ingrained belief in the world being perpetually sustained in a cycle of sacrifice and rebirth, and in God Itself being the physical mechanism of rebirth and requiring sacrifice to be sustained). While blood itself is seen as potent, the nature of sacrifice isn't just 'spill blood and make thing happen', it's got a self contained value system and is very calculated and intentional in nature. You aren’t going to just grab a random rat and bleed it and pray, there needs to be a perceived ‘loss’. Sacrifice via killing is also not the only form, the most common day to day sacrifice is in (very minor) bloodletting and offerings of food and drink- the key is allowing a personal loss to sustain a greater cycle.

That being said, there is a HUGE trade system built up around the breeding and selling of animals solely for sacrifice. The industry revolves mostly around birds (doves are the cheapest, but also poultry, waterfowl, some birds of prey, a few select songbirds and ornamental birds), goats, sheep, and horses (the small, premodern kind). Cattle and camelids are a higher tier, and khait are among the highest of common sacrifices due to their great value.

Other animals that have no direct utility but are sacred are also bred or captured for sacrifice (hesperornis, lacetor, gulls and albatrosses, several kinds of snake, a bunch of wild ungulates, nechoi, etc). Some '''‘exotic’''' animals are imported specifically for this purpose, mostly as a means of displaying the wealth and reach of the state, with their sacrificial value rooted in the difficulty of acquisition. Animals taken from sacred sites are also prime candidates (ie cattle bred and grazed on the foothills of the Sons of Creation are VERY valuable).

---

So all that being said the importance of albino animals has come off a little overstated on my part, and doesn't have any particular impact on how albinism in people is regarded. It’s valued mainly for its rarity in the context of animal sacrifice, which would not have direct translations to how it’s perceived in people.

Albinism in people doesn’t have a super well defined significance in broader Imperial Wardi culture, but perspectives mostly skew negative and towards seeing it as a sign of ill fortune (physical differences in people tend to be seen as a result of being cursed in the womb). Imperial Wardin is culturally diverse (united mostly by a identity based in shared religion), so exact nuances would vary and this statement should not be taken as a universal.

Imperial Wardi population is mostly human (with its citizen population being MAYBE 5% elowey, 2% qilik, and a decimal point of caelin). Overall sentiment towards other sophonts by the human majority is not outright hostile, but is human-centric and tinged with xenophobia (as most qilik and elowey in the region are immigrants, with the only elowey ethnic group historically inhabiting the region (the Jazait) being regarded as 'heathens'). Albino elowey or qilik might be similarly seen as products of a curse, or may be given a 'wow how beautiful' treatment (in a heavily patronizing capacity) and seen as a curiosity, or otherwise just subject to varying perspectives on albinism in the region.

The one other thing I have established in this vein is that the semi-mythological hero Janise (sworn brother of other semi-mythological founder hero Erub) is said to have been albino. While he is positively regarded, he is supposed to have died young of a snakebite (assumed to be the product of a curse from his enemies) and this would not improve perceptions of albinism being related to ill fortune.

[bonefall]

yo, puffballs can be used to dress wounds? how does that work?

It's the simplest use in the world. I wouldn't even be able to make a whole guide on puffballs as a wound-dressing it's so simple. You literally just cut and apply to a bleeding wound.

It's a hemostatic; its spores stop the bleeding. So when it comes to puffballs, you either harvest them young and eat them, or let them mature and harvest as a medicine.

This is a puffball when it's young enough to be edible. The flesh is pure white. When the spores have started to form, this will turn yellowish and become a poison if ingested.

You can just use a slice as a gauze, or powder it. It's that simple. No processing required. It makes the blood coagulate and stops bleeding.

[tj-crochets]

My birthday is coming up, and every year for my birthday* I try to make a thing just because I want to but this year I am not sure what I want to make. Like, zero ideas. Well, I mean I always have ideas, but none that appeal more than others? I'm not sure if I should ask for suggestions or just make a series of polls leading up to my birthday to narrow it down, what do you think? *within a few weeks of my birthday, I am bad at time

[riacte]

in hindsight how did treebark lose their trafficship polls lmfao

[gxlden-angels]

You know the Bible does go kinda hard when you start to read it like a very rough draft of a Percy Jackson-like novel with too much world-building cause there was absolutely no reason for gayboy Jesus to do all that shit

[peonycats]

just took a look at the aph greenland tag on ao3

[ask-risorgimento-italy]

"What's wrong...?!" - Romano