#iram of the pillars

[pedroam-bang]

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (2011)

[dailydemonspotlight]

Alilat - Day 44

Race: Entity

Arcana: Empress

Alignment: Light-Chaos

June 13th, 2024

A personal favorite kind of demon throughout the series has to be the ones that are completely alien- demons that look like they originated from a psychological study, or living beings that, by all means, look like they shouldn't be real. Demons of this kind are surprisingly few and far between, with most appearing as rather standard depictions of monsters or humanoid beings, but when the artists dip their toes into the strange, almost beyond this world, I fall in love with the designs the instant I lay my eyes on them. One of these, of course, is today's Demon of the Day, and a strange outcast even among the strangest demons throughout the series- the ill-known Mother Goddess of the Arabian Peninsula, Alilat.

Mostly known by one of her many names, al-Lat, Alilat is a relatively obscure goddess in the grand scheme of history. As a pre-islamic goddess worshipped in Arabia, a lot of history surrounding her is hard to parse, even down to the exact areas that her reign was present within, but the general consensus appears to be that she was mainly worshipped in several widespread cults throughout Arabia during its pre-islamic days. Another name of hers, Allat, has actually been the name of several goddesses throughout several different areas in history as well, making her story even more confusing to dig through. The tangled webs of tales and future conflations between her and other deities make her an incredibly confusing deity to sift through the facts about.

Our first recorded mention of Alilat actually comes in the form of a retelling from Greek scholar Herodotus, who, in his book 'Histories' wrote,

"They believe in no other gods except Dionysus and the Heavenly Aphrodite; and they say that they wear their hair as Dionysus does his, cutting it round the head and shaving the temples. They call Dionysus, Orotalt; and Aphrodite, Alilat."

I will admit to copying that passage from Wikipedia, but I'm not about to sift through a copy of such a massive transcript to search for a single line. Interestingly, this transcription by Herodotus actually has a conflict with how most other people drew comparisons- it was commonly believed, and still is today, that Alilat was actually the ancient Arabian's version of Athena. As a goddess of motherhood and fertility, as well as peace, she shares some similar traits to Athena in greek myth, as they also both share a trait as a goddess of war. Where this came from is described in several Safaitic inscriptions, as she used to be invoked by travelers through the region in order to guarantee peace, prosperity, and protection, while warriors at the time would invoke her name to ensure good loot and those attacked would invoke her for vengeance. As one of two principal deities, she seemed to be stuck working overtime a lot.

This is also proven by how scattered her inscriptions are throughout Africa- there are only few given, and most of them are in vastly different areas, giving light to the idea that her cult was widespread but decentralized. And yes, it was a cult, not a formalized religion, as her worship was incredibly sparse. She was revered by many names and even more traditions, including a northern Arabian tribe known as the Qedarites, the widespread peoples of the Nabataeans, and even those residing within the largest Parthian city of its time, Hatra. A lost city known as Iram of the Pillars was also a home of Alilat worship, with them having erected a temple that has now been buried beneath the sands- tragically, all that has been left was a few pillars and a crumbled statue of a lion, but accounts and some small inscriptions on the inside of the temple revealed that it originally had a gorgeous statue of Alilat inside, resembling none other than Athena.

Unfortunately, as time went on, the temple fell into disrepair, having been the target of an attack from Greek forces, then utterly demolished in the fourth century by Christian mobs. You can read more about it on the blog I linked above. However, in terms of Mythology, there's still a bit more to go. Al-Lat wasn't just the deity of a cult, but also appears in Islamic tradition as well, fulfilling a similar purpose to Ba'al in some respects as a false god, though one depicted far more sympathetically. In some retellings, she's not even that, and is instead a daughter of Allah, or even a consort of his in others. Alilat was also the subject of the infamous Satanic Verses incident, something that is beyond the scope of this post, but is an incredibly interesting (and kinda hilarious) rabbit hole to dig through.

In the Book of Idols, an encyclopedia on pre-islamic religion in Africa written by scholar Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, it's written that a group of the Quraysh would chant a set of verses celebrating al-Lat, al-'Uzza, and Manat, of which al-Lat is our subject of interest. A common translation purports the word used to refer to them as a collective, gharaniq, to mean "Most exalted females," but this is hotly debated. Again, see the Satanic Verses incident. Lastly, she is mentioned in the Quran, albeit rarely, and, again, as the subject of the Satanic Verses incident. This is starting to feel like the noodle incident of this post.

I wish I could've shown her uncensored design, but alas, I have no idea if it'd pass the 'Female presenting nipple' guideline, but take it from me when I say that Alilat has an amazing design. Combining her esoteric and hard to sort through lore with her role as a mother goddess was a great call, as it makes her both unique and almost unsettling, even in this series rife with body horror. Even the titties, which I normally see no real point in having on a lot of designs and just feel like gratuitous fanservice (cough cough LAMIA) serve a purpose, as what does a mother do but breastfeed? The idea to portray her almost like a piece of art on a bizarre, floating obelisk was such a cool concept, and it was done perfectly.

I also love how the imagery associated with Alilat on the stone itself resembles stone-age portraits of how a body would look, more specifically the Venus of Willendorf, a famous sculpture that is typically used to represent fertility, tying it all together. Given that this inscription was also carved into stone in Alilat's design, and it ties everything together. Not only does her design look unique even for the series, not only does it tie so many ideas together in neat little bows, not only is it glowing, but it's all also brought together in representing one of the most mysterious and interesting gods in history, and demons in the series.

[triste-guillotine]

REMMIRATH "Shambhala Vril Saucers" Full-length album 2014

1. Tiger of the City 2. Shambhala Vril Saucers 3. The Gunfighter's Quest for Enlightenment 4. Fox Cooper 5. Iram of the Pillars 6. The Coming of Kalki

"Revolt is possible Even if standing among ruins I choose to ride the tiger During Kali-Yuga, Le roi du monde is hidden I ride the tiger of the city and try to keep my pride Vigilant, insomniac rationality engendering descartean Godzillas In temples of postmodern debris The proof of the proof is not to be found In the narcissistic swamp of Generation Y I wait for the morning of the magicians Escape the rhizome dreamworld The world holds nothing we could pity Toss it down and rebuild The golden land of the giants Tiger of the city Growl in the neon light Tiger of the city Break the chains of the night"

Recorded during 2013-2014 in various places of Bratislava. All lyrics by As. All music by As & Remmirath.

As - vocals, guitar, keyboards, melodica, glockenspiel, thunderbox HV - guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, jaw harp Peter - bass guitar, claves, maracas, percussion AE - effects, tingsha, throat chanting Zrzo - drums

▶︎ Shambhala Vril Saucers | Remmirath (bandcamp.com)

[kroashent]

Kroashent: Scheherazade of the Djinn

Earlier this month, I ran a little poll to select the next five bestiary entries for Kroashent. One of the winners was the djinn, the enigmatic magical denizens of the Southern deserts. You can check that full entry in the link below, or read a few highlights here!

It also provided a chance to introduce you to a new character from Kroashent, Scheherazade of the Tales, a djinn concubine of the Sultana of Iram of the Pillars. Scheherazade is bound to a book (specifically a jewel on the cover) of the collected stories of her people, serving as both its guardian and advocate. She is always happy to tell a story, but there are some that are especially dear to her. I hope you like her!

The Djinn

The Djinn are not native to Bedouar or Faerie, but resided in a different world altogether. Part of their reality, the floating island of Mount Qaf, was drawn into Alvez in a great catastrophe. Out of phase from the world, the Djinn had no physical bodies that could survive outside of Mount Qaf. Thousands, now known as the Boundless, were scattered into pure magical energy. The remainder found that to survive, they must take on vessels to anchor themselves to the world. Some chose inanimate objects, such as gems, rings, lamps and bottles, while others took possession of animals, like snakes, scorpions and lizards.

The Djinn are powerful magic users, capable of drawing vast amounts of powers for truly wonderous displays, but are physically confined to the fragile vessels that serve as their anchors. Some live among the other peoples of Alvez, while others keep to themselves deep in desolate caves in the desert.

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You can read more about the Djinn here, at the official Kroashent Wiki on WorldAnvil! : https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent/a/djinn-species

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Check out the full Wiki here: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent Support the Kroashent project, and Valentine's art, here on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/Kroashent Drop by the official Kroashent Discord, invitations available!

[princejackal]

History can be a boring subject. But before you dose off, it will serve you well to know the brief rundown of the history of the jinn.

Take out your quills and unfold your papyrus. There's going to be test on Friday.

The Beginning of Time

The creation myth of the jinn is varied. But most agree on the basics.

In the beginning, the gods created the jinn from a smokeless flame. From there, they created a land for the jinn to live in bliss and happiness.

The Age of Plenty:

This was the first age. And times were good.

It's remembered as a time when the jinn lived in peace. There was a lot of game to hunt. Fruits grew on every tree. It is said the water tasted pretty sweet.

However, the good times didn't last forever. No one knows why the forests gave way to the desert but it's believed that the gods were upset at the jinn.

The Age of Agony:

This was the second age. And it was a really tough time to live in.

Of all the ages one must learn, it is the Age of Agony that is most important. It's the longest of all the ages.

It was a violent time. Only the strong survived. And the jinn followed strong leaders to protect themselves. Family was most important. During this time, your neighbours could easily turn against you. So having the support of your tribe who would retaliate if someone else harmed you, was vital.

The constant shifting of alliances and backstabbings created an environment filled with blood feuds. Generational cycles of vengeance and revenge between tribes was a big issue at the time.

However, an outsider would come and unify the jinn. He would pardon all the blood feuds and bring peace in the peninsula.

The Age of Unification:

This was the third age. And once again, stability and order reigned supreme.

It was a time of peace. The arts, sciences and culture prospered. It all centred around the city of Iram; which was known for its great pillars. And of course, it's giants.

The First King reigned for 1000 years.

The Warring Period:

After the First King died, his five sons plunged the peninsula into civil war.

All five tried to unify the kingdom under their own name but failed. The unified kingdom of the jinn had collapsed.

The Age of the Seven Greedy Kings:

The five sons of the First King eventually died without realising the dream of a unified kingdom.

Their descendants would eventually carve up the peninsula into seven kingdoms. And thus the fourth age would commence.

This age was relatively peaceful. Of course there would be skirmishes at the borders of each of the kingdom but no full scale war occured to try and unify the kingdoms.

The arts and sciences also increased during this age.

The Current Age:

The story takes place during the current age.

Six of the seven kingdoms were unified under one kingdom called Jinnestan.

What started as a small rebellion quickly built up momentum and managed to capture six of the seven kingdoms in the peninsula.

Only the future knows what the Current Age will be known for. And the player has the power to decide through their choices.

[randomstoryprompts]

It starts with a librarian in Iram of the Pillars with a formal robe. https://t.co/2PEbP39Gpl

[tunaafishyy]

“Look Into Later” Genshin Lore Note — H.P. Lovecraft References:

The Nameless City

1. Partially inspired by passage he saw on Irem, City of Pillars/Atlantis of the Sands:

[…] after the annihilation of its tenants […] remains invisible to the ordinary eye, but occasionally, and at rare intervals, revealed to some heaven-favoured traveller

Irem is also called "Irum", "Irem", "Erum", "Ubar"

Appears on Book of One Thousand and One Nights ("The City of Many-Columned Iram and Abdullah Son of Abi Kilabah")

City of Pillars is also used for alternate name of Tulaytullah in Genshin

Wiki entry mentions “Thamud”. Thamud (Thamudians) one of the 3 peoples under Deshret

2. Achievement for completing the Hidden Exploration objective that gives the Mysterious Parchment mentioning Shiruyeh is called “Call of The Nameless City”

3. The text on the mysterious parchment icon is a quote from The Nameless City:

That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die.

Dreams in the Witch House

1. Witch (Keziah) has a “rat-bodied human faced familiar” (Brown Jenkin). Rat-bodied human faces creatures are mentioned in Genshin’s Tales of Shirin and Shiruyeh

2. Triangle Abyss

[ukdamo]

The Fall of Seville

Abu al-Baqa’ al-Rundi - translation, James T. Monroe

Everything declines after reaching perfection, therefore let no man be beguiled by the sweetness of a pleasant life.

As you have observed, these are the decrees that are inconstant: he whom a single moment has made happy, has been harmed by many other moments;

And this is the abode that will show pity for no man, nor will any condition remain in is state for it.

Fate irrevocably destroys every ample coat of mail when Mashrifi swords and spears glance off without effect;

It unsheathes each sword only to destroy it even if it be an Ibn Dhi Yazan and the scabbard Ghumdan.

Where are the crowned kings of Yemen and where are their jewel-studded diadems and crowns?

Where are [the buildings] Shaddad raised in Iram and where [the empire] the Sassanians ruled in Persia?

Where is the gold Qarun once possessed; where are ‘Ad and Shaddad and Qahtan?

An irrevocable decree overcame them all so that they passed away and the people came to be as though they had never existed.

The kingdoms and kings that had been come to be like what a sleeper has told about [his] dream vision.

Fate turned against Darius as well as his slayer, and as for Chosroes, no vaulted palace offered him protection.

It is as if no cause had ever made the hard easy to bear, and as if Solomon had never ruled the world.

The misfortunes brought on by Fate are of many different kinds, while Time has causes of joy and of sorrow.

For the accidents [of fortune] there is a consolation that makes them easy to bear, yet there is no consolation for what has befallen Islam.

An event which cannot be endured has overtaken the peninsula; one such that Uhud has collapsed because of it and Thahlan has crumbled!

The evil eye struck [the peninsula] in its Islam so that [the land] decreased until whole regions and districts were despoiled of [the faith].

Therefore ask Valencia what is the state of Murcia; and where is Jativa, and where is Jaen?

Where is Cordoba, the home of the sciences, and many a scholar whose rank was once lofty in it?

Where is Seville and the pleasures it contains, as well as its sweet river overflowing and brimming full?

[They are] capitals which were the pillars of the land, yet when the pillars are gone, it may no longer endure!

The tap of the white ablution fount weeps in despair, like a passionate lover weeping at the departure of the beloved,

Over dwellings emptied of Islam that were first vacated and are now inhabited by unbelief;

In which the mosques have become churches wherein only bells and crosses may be found.

Even the mihrabs weep though they are solid; even the pulpits mourn through they are wooden!

O you who remain heedless though you have a warning in Fate: if you are asleep, Fate is always awake!

And you who walk forth cheerfully while your homeland diverts you [from cares], can a homeland beguile any man after [the loss of] Seville?

This misfortune has caused those that preceded it to be forgotten, nor can it ever be forgotten for the length of all time!

O you who ride lean, thoroughbred steeds which seem like eagles in the racecourse;

And you who carry slender, Indian blades which seem like fires in the darkness caused by the dust cloud [of war],

And you who are living in luxury beyond the sea enjoying life, you who have the strength and power in your homelands,

Have no you no news of the people of Andalus, for riders have carried forth what men have said [about them]?

How often have the weak, who were being killed and captured while no man stirred, asked our help?

What means this severing of the bonds of Islam on your behalf, when you, O worshipers of God, are [our] brethren?

Are there no heroic souls with lofty ambitions; are there no helpers and defenders of righteousness?

O, who will redress the humiliation of a people who were once powerful, a people whose condition injustice and tyrants have changed?

Yesterday they were kings in their own homes, but today they are slaves in the land of the infidel!

Thus, were you to see them perplexed, with no one to guide them, wearing the cloth of shame in its different shades,

And were you to behold their weeping when they are sold, the matter would strike fear into your heart, and sorrow would seize you.

Alas, many a mother and child have been parted as souls and bodies are separated!

And many a maiden fair as the sun when it rises, as though she were rubies and pearls,

Is led off to abomination by a barbarian against her will, while her eye is in tears and her heart is stunned.

The heart melts with sorrow at such [sights], if there is any Islam or belief in that heart!

The Andalusian city of Seville fell to Christian Castile in 1248, after over 500 years of being a Muslim city. Abu al-Baqa’ al-Rundi was a contemporary Andalusian poet from the city of Ronda, in southern Iberia, who wrote a lament about the fall of the once great city in 1267. He alluded to ancient Arabian and Persian history in his poem, hoping to inspire Muslims to rise up and recapture the city.

[dailytafsirofquran]

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surah Al-A’raf Ayah 65-69

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

7:65 And to `Ad (the people, We sent) their brother Hud.

He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. Will you then not have Taqwa!''

7:66 The leaders of those who disbelieved among his people said: "Verily, we see you in foolishness, and verily, we think you are one of the liars.''

7:67 (Hud) said: "O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but (I am) a Messenger from the Lord of all that exists!

7:68 "I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord, and I am a trustworthy adviser (or well-wisher) for you.

7:69 "Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder (and an advice) from your Lord through a man from among you to warn you!

And remember that He made you successors (generations after generations) after the people of Nuh and increased you amply in stature.

So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah so that you may be successful.''

The Story of Hud, Peace be upon Him, and the Lineage of the People of `Ad

Allah says,

And to `Ad (the people, We sent) their brother Hud. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. Will you then not haveTaqwa!''

Allah says, just as We sent Nuh to his people, similarly, to the `Ad people, We sent Hud one of their own brethren.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said that the tribe of `Ad were the descendants of `Ad, son of Iram, son of `Aws, son of Sam, son of Nuh.

I say, these are indeed the ancient people of `Ad whom Allah mentioned, the children of `Ad, son of Iram who were living in the deserts with lofty pillars or statues.

Allah said,

Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with `Ad (people). Of Iram like (lofty) pillars. The like of which were not created in the land. (89:6-8),

because of their might and strength. Allah said in another instance,  

As for `Ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said: "Who is mightier than us in strength!''

See they not that Allah Who created them was mightier in strength than them. And they used to deny Our Ayat! (41:15)

The Land of `Ad

The people of `Ad lived in Yemen, in the area of Ahqaf, which means sand mounds.

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Abu At-Tufayl Amir bin Wathilah said that;

he heard Ali (bin Abi Talib) saying to a man from Hadramawt (in Yemen), "Have you seen a red sand mound, where there are a lot of Arak and Lote trees in the area of so-and-so in Hadramawt?

Have you seen it?''

He said, "Yes, O Commander of the faithful! By Allah, you described it as if you have seen it before.''

Ali said, `I have not seen it, but it was described to me.''

The man asked, "What about it, O Commander of the faithful?''

Ali said, "There is the grave of Hud, peace be upon him, in its vicinity.''

Ibn Jarir recorded this statement, which gives the benefit of indicating that `Ad used to live in Yemen, since Prophet Hud was buried there. Prophet Hud was among the noble men and chiefs of `Ad, for Allah chose the Messengers from among the best, most honorable families and tribes.

Hud's people were mighty and strong, but their hearts were mighty and hard, for they were among the most denying of Truth among the nations.

Prophet Hud called `Ad to worship Allah alone without partners, and to obey and fear Him.

Debate between Hud and his People

Allah tells;

The leaders of those who disbelieved among his people said...

meaning, the general public, chiefs, masters and commanders of his people said,

"Verily, we see you in foolishness, and verily, we think you are one of the liars.''

meaning, you are misguided because you call us to abandon worshipping the idols in order to worship Allah Alone.

Similarly, the chiefs of Quraysh wondered at the call to worship One God, saying,

"Has he (Muhammad) made the gods (all) into One God!'' (38:5)

(Hud) said: "O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but (I am) a Messenger from the Lord of all that exists!''

Hud said, I am not as you claim. Rather, I brought you the Truth from Allah, Who created everything, and He is the Lord and King of all things,

"I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord, and I am a trustworthy adviser for you.''

These, indeed, are the qualities of the Prophets: conveying, sincerity and honesty,

"Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder from your Lord through a man from among you to warn you!''

Prophet Hud said, do not wonder because Allah sent a Messenger to you from among yourselves to warn you about Allah's Days (His torment) and meeting with Him. Rather than wondering, you should thank Allah for this bounty.

"And remember that He made you successors (generations after generations) after the people of Nuh...''

meaning, remember Allah's favor on you in that He made you among the offspring of Nuh, because of whose supplication Allah destroyed the people of the earth after they defied and opposed him.

"and increased you amply in stature.'' making you taller than other people.

Similarly, Allah said in the description of Talut (Saul),

And has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. (2:247)

Hud continued,

"So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah.''

in reference to Allah's favors and blessings

"so that you may be successful.''

[trustdeals]

Ubar atlanta

Once we told him our issues with food and service he agreed to void a couple items off of our check, so we paid in cash and started heading to the exit-our waitress who wasnt present while we spoke to management then comes running over, blocks the exit, and tells us we haven't finished paying. Though Sir Francis Drake abandoned his search for Iram, his ring would be taken there, and lost.First & last time at The U Bar yesterday.-waited over an hour for a table, not because of the lack of seating, but because there weren't any bussers to clear empty tables-once seated had to wait 30 minutes to receive service & we ordered drinks just to wait 20 minutes and be told they dont have it.-half of the food on the menu they were out of, but didnt know until after we ordered (happened 3 times)-food was brought out for everyone in our party (3 of us) at drastically different times and our sides and appetizers were cold-waitress was initially nice, but seemed overwhelmed and definitely annoyed when we mentioned the quality and timelessness of food (there is no reason a plain waffle should come out an hour after the rest of the food)-when we got our check, we asked to speak to the manager.However, Nathan Drake, with a flare gun, destroyed the winch and the pillars supporting the underground infrastructure of the city, resulting in the entire city collapsing and being engulfed by the Rub' al Khali in a large sink hole. Once she and her secret organization reached Atlantis of the Sands, they used a winch to pull the brass vessel containing the Djinn from out of the waters. Katherine Marlowe wished to reach the city with the same goal in mind as the queen. Lawrence also attempted to look for the city when he was an archaeologist. Some time in 1580 or 1581, Queen Elizabeth sent Sir Francis Drake to find the city, but Drake would eventually figure out the purpose of his mission and abandon it, not wanting the queen to have the hallucinogenic power of fear the brass vessel contained Drake hid all clues of his journey to find the lost city so no one could gain this power. The people of Ubar drank the contaminated water and went mad, causing the demise of the city. When ingesting this water, the drinker would see illusions due to a hallucinogen in the water that came from the brass vessel. Because of this brass vessel, the water in the city became tainted. The Djinn rebelled and Solomon imprisoned them within a brass vessel and cast it into the depths of the city's water system. Three thousand years ago, King Solomon commanded the power of the Djinn-demons born of smokeless fire. The city was obscured by a massive sandstorm, helping its elusiveness as countless people looked for it. It was fueled by an underground spring & rested on a vast underground cavern. It had a unique underground water system, supported by pillars which kept the city's water supply clean. It was located in the Arabian Peninsula, somewhere in the desert.Ītlantis of the Sands, located in the middle of the Rub' al Khali desert, was a legendary city made of brass architecture, claimed to have been destroyed by a natural disaster or as a punishment by God. Lawrence as "a city of immeasurable wealth, destroyed by God for its arrogance, swallowed forever in the sands of the Rub' al Khali desert". Atlantis of the Sands, also known as Iram, Ubar, Wabar, the City of Brass, or Iram of the Pillars (Arabic: إرَم ذات العماد‎), is a reference to a lost city, a country or an area mentioned in the Quran.

[melbournenewsvine]

All in all the prime minister gets a brick over the dam wall

In 1983, Bob Hawke won government on the back of the “No Dams” campaign. Can Chris Maines in the next NSW election repeat history? John Bailey, Canterbury The phrase ‘People Before Plants’ clearly defines the very common view of our unique, complex, beautiful but ever-decreasing environment. Peter Lane, Margaret River (Washington) Fixing overcrowded hospitals requires a good dose of will I first experienced overcrowding in a hospital emergency department in the 1980s, with long lines for ambulances popping up in the 1990s (“Texts tell of ‘Third World’ conditions in Sydney EDs”, Oct. 6). As an emergency physician, I’ve been to more workshops, policy reviews, and meetings on this issue than I can trust. Every year the problem gets worse and spreads more widely. It’s time we realize that the system is designed to overload EDs. While they remain a pillar of the gaps in every other social and medical service, the needs will never be met. If we do not redirect patients who can wait for other services and do not release patients who need ward beds, skilled staff will always be full and skilled staff will continue to dispense with frustration and fatigue. We can solve this tomorrow with the right will. Unload all ambulances upon arrival. Redirect patients who are not in critical condition and remove backlog of patients who need hospital beds from ED. COVID repurpose ideas: Mid-range hotels can accommodate those almost ready to go home, or who just need day care. Sue Erasy, Balmain Loretta Lynnattributed to him:AP Loretta Lynn (“Country legend Lynn dies at 90,” October 6) was once asked how she wanted to be remembered. She said: As a good person. Someone who has never hurt anyone.” I wonder how many people in power will be remembered in this way? Rajind Naidoo, Glenfield over the rainbow Regarding rainbows (Letters, October 6), the fridge magnet says: “Some people walk in the rain, others get wet.” Base I try to live by. Ledella Wilde, Eastwood Jo Rainbow of Orange says her connection to the rainbow enhances her husband’s life. Wondering if his name is Roy J. Bev? They would definitely be a pretty colorful pair from a colorful town. Dennis Goodwin, That’s Why lost heritage Any update on when the NSW government plans to reassemble the heritage-listed Willow Grove at Parramatta? Martin Frolich, Adamstown Heights quite the opposite It is disappointing that such a major catastrophe as the loss of titles by some of the Danish princes and princesses has been relegated to page 22 of the Herald (“There is something about Mary in the title struggle”). Mostafa Iram, Terigal digital parallax Online comment from one of the stories that got the most reader comments yesterday smh.com.au One in 10 teachers queuing for higher salaries under major adjustment From dannypockets: ″ What a joke. The problem is keeping fatigued fresh graduates under the massive burden of non-educational administrative duties plus all the preparation for the unpaid out-of-hours dismissal. This won’t fix any amount of mess around the edges. The only solution is to spend a lot of money, either to compensate teachers fairly for the real amount of work they do, or to hire additional administrative support staff to ease their burden. Anything less than that is not a non-serious solution. ″ to deliver a letter to Sydney Morning Herald, or letter@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to send messages. The Opinion Newsletter is a weekly viewpoints feed that challenges, endorses, and informs you of your views. Register here. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

[zal-cryptid]

SCP-4840 and SCP-001

[whitewingedcrow]

More maps, this time for the shard based on the ‘lost city’ legend of Iram of the Pillars! In our world’s mythology Iram is mentioned in the Quran as a desert city destroyed by God; in mine, it was yet another ancient place that chose to join Genesis and vanished from the world accordingly.

Located somewhere in the Empty Quarter, Iram is a largely empty desert shard that has the distinction of being intensely magical. Its primary feature is the city of Iram itself; hidden beneath the desert sands, built along the rock shelves surrounding a subterranean river, it’s protected from the heat and glare with only a narrow rift in the surface letting in the light and air. Its residents draw on the plentiful power of the land to help make their living in this strange environment, growing crops on the thin strip that the sunlight touches; between that and the river’s bounty of fish, it’s enough to help them subsist quite comfortably in the heart of the desert. City map done by hand, larger place maps done in Wonderdraft with some touchups in SAI/PS.

[pedroam-bang]

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (2011)

[themonsterblogofmonsters]

Iram of the Pillars

One of the oldest fully magical settlements in the world, Iram of the Pillars - sometimes called the Atlantis of the Sands - is located in an Unplottable location in Syria. Oddly enough for so long-inhabited a settlement, Iram has no buildings, being entirely made up of tents - and the proverbial “pillars” of the name are the tent poles that are ever-present. Full of awnings, tents, marquees and the like, it has what is, for the magical world, a surprisingly large population and is a popular place to visit.

Being made of tents, Iram has moved location several times, with each location rendered Unplottable as long as it is inhabited. In the past it has been in Syria, Turkey, southern Arabia, and even, once, in the Sahara. At present, however, it is in the Aram region of Syria and has been for two decades, and contains a large primarily Muslim population, as well as a perhaps surprising proportion of Muslim Jinn. In recent years it has gained some interest, especially with regards to it’s periodic movement and maintained secrecy, something which is of interest to the ICW with the increased risk of surveillance from muggles.

blending in by michalpaks

(Read about Iram of the Pillars over Here, and “Atlantis of the Sands” over Here. I hate that I have to include this but PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THE IMAGE SOURCE OR MY CAPTION.)