#ironsand

[tanuki-kimono]

How Tamahagane (Japanese steel) was made, video by Life were I'm from.

As Japan did not have many iron ore deposits, it had for a long time to rely on more available satetsu 砂鉄 (ironsand, carried for ex. by rivers). Ironsand was then processed in special furnaces called tatara to make prized tamahagane 玉鋼 (traditional Japanese steel, used among other things to forge swords).

If you've seen Princess Mononoke, you know exactly how tatara forge could look like thank to Lady Eboshi's Iron Town:

... and now I have the Tatara women work song stuck into my head <3

[nomisupernova]

warmup redraw of some promotional art for boruto i liked 🥺

[7th-chariot]

Epifebuary Day 24 - Ironsand

[shinypokemonshowdown]

Palossand propaganda (not that it needs it):

Its ironsands! A lot of beaches in New Zealand have black sand like palossand's shiny because of the iron content. It's even used for our steel industry (nz being the only country to use ironsands for industrial steel production)

I don't know if that was intentional on GameFreak's part but Alola is based on Hawaii which probably has ironsands.

Lots of beaches in Hawaii have ironsand as well! So it seems pretty intentional

View the poll here!

[ashmcgivern]

Aiben: The Great Hunt (Context)

HELLO and welcome to the segment where I summarize the D&D campaign I play in on Saturdays to the best of my ability. Actually, after this post, I plan on posting my PC Zeal's journal instead, since it's already written out and it'll be less work for me.

It's worth noting that the DM aims to create a sourcebook for the setting! Our campaign is heavily modified to suit our PCs needs and so the final sourcebook will be pretty different, but I've got his blessing to share a certain amount of info. Some information will be left vague our out entirely to keep the ~mystery~ of the campaign's "answers"

The wall of text is below the cut - this first one is gonna be mostly PC descriptions so we can get that context out of the way. Enjoy!

Also, if you'd like to see all content relating to this campaign/world, including art, be sure to look at my Aiben tag.

The adventure starts in the continent of Aiben in the capitol of Averias, where a hunt for an ancient and powerful metal known as Morphirium is being sponsored by the current king, Swesdon Wolfram. The Morphirium, once on display as an "art piece" 499 years ago, is the largest singular piece of the element currently known to humanoid kind, and is absolutely filled to the brim with arcane power and magical potential. The event is huge, requiring prior registration and paperwork, for a total of 100 teams participating in this hunt. The winners of this event take home 1 million gold pieces.

The last team to slip into registration, Team 100, consists of Eddisar of the Long Sight, his two grandchildren Makera Flintbreaker and Zeal Eddison, their friend Peanut, and two employees of some of Edd's old friends - Ursa Ironsand and Traverse. Later in the adventure, Atache, Slythe, and one other secret (for now) PC joins the party.

Player Characters

Eddisar of the Long Sight - Tiefling, M, ?? (Lore Bard)

A kind old man, an archeologist and historian. Long winded, gets lost in himself and his thoughts fairly often. Has seen most of the world and has an infinite number of stories to tell. He dresses plainly with no armor or weapons. His most peculiar feature is his right arm, which is clearly replaced by a branch he can control like a normal hand.

Edd is the de facto leader of the group, having signed everyone up for the contest, but takes a very relaxed approach to directing the group. He's keen on being more a resource to the party than being a hard and fast leader.

Makera Flintbreaker - Tiefling, F, 22 (Champion Fighter)

A tough young woman who's hard to impress. She is blunt and doesn't like to get caught up in details, opting for simpler solutions to complex problems. She is a boxer in a local league, and is hoping to go nationally pro someday like her mother, Bulana, was. She has an insane sweet tooth, an addiction to puzzles, and is inseparable from her cousin, Zeal.

Zeal Eddison - Tiefling, M, 23 (Celestial Warlock)

A bright-eyed enthusiastic young man with a headlong, heart-first sort of personality. He's a school teacher, but wants to go to university to study Planar Physics. In the absence of money to go to school, he consumes just about every book he can get his hands on. He endured an intense tragedy as a child where he met Xanthanel, a Solar that looks after him like a son. He's inseparable from his cousin, Makera.

Peanut - Tabaxi, M, 50s (Open Sea Paladin)

A HUGE, gruff, well built Tabaxi sailor. He is a gentle soul trapped in a war tank of a body. Spent a lot of his life in the Collesian Islands working as a boatswain, where some of the best sailors in the world exist. He's a tank and a force to be reckoned with, but also gives the best big kitty hugs. He has a taste for cheese, and collects/consumes wheels at an alarming rate. He is looking for his uncle, Sherbert, who went missing recently and left behind a puzzle box Peanut believes will lead them to him.

Ursa Ironsand - Desert Stormfolk, F, 16 (Sanity Cleric)

A short, kind and mellow elemental. Always stressed, but wears it well, keeps a level head and exudes "mom energy." She comes from a long family line of smiths, but isn't a very skilled one herself. She used to work at the "Forbidden Pit" in the middle of the desert, where nothing really happened, until one day she started having crazy dreams. Her boss suggested going on this this trip as a 'working vacation.' She is, well and truly, a disaster lesbian.

*Stormfolk are a custom race and Sanity Clerics are a custom class, making Ursa 100% homebrew material. Stormfolk commonly only live to be about 35, maxing out at about 45, making Ursa well and firmly an adult.

Traverse - Half Elf, M, 30s (Battle Master Fighter)

A slightly unkempt half elf, with chains around his wrist dressed in ratted armor. Once a guard for Agaras, became disenchanted with the world and realized he really only liked being a guard for the thrill of the fight. He's since gotten himself in a myriad of trouble and was sentenced to prison, but on his mentor's good word he's been given one last chance to redeem himself - help Eddisar on this quest, and he can go free on good behavior.

Atache - Warforged, NB/M, ??? (Eloquence Bard)

A flamboyant as FUCK warforged, a bit thin and gangly, absolutely not built for battle. Always ready to meet with the upper crust even though they've been long removed from their previous station. Enjoys fashion, but cant afford the newest things, so he makes do and calls it ~vintage~. They enjoy the finer things in life, and is a phenomenal cook. The party met up with them when they first visit the Wintering Isles.

Slythe - Yuan-Ti, M, 20s?? (Armorer Artificer)

Sassy as hell and not one for niceties, Slythe is a no-nonsense fashion designer. He aims to create articles of clothing that are both highly fashionable and highly functional for adventurers. He takes incredible pride in his work and is always looking for new sources of inspiration, and new people to model his designs. An NPC named Elana stole a dress he was working on with her, and in a fit of rage joined our party to get it back, take revenge, and also field test some fashionable armor he made for the party.

Mystery Character - COMING SOON

[pappito]

Taharoa ironsand mining and ship loading | Engineering NZ

[loosesodamarble]

First off, Connie wearing vertical stripes is funny to me. It's not on the profile here but I'm pretty sure you've mentioned that Connie is a shorty. And don't vertical stripes give the illusion of height? Is she trying to look taller? Is that what's going on with her fashion choices?

Also, some more Green Mantis representation. Nice like En but with more pep in her step. The last time I saw a Green Mantis oc... There's Amiris and one of Steph's ocs? Not many...

Wait. Did Connie choose her squad solely because it matched her eye color? Asajrieaj!/j

I'm thinking of Connie as a rubber ball and flashing back to my middle school days where kids would throw this little balls at the walls with such ferocity. You could hear the impact from across the schoolyard sometimes. 🤣 That's Connie right there!

Okay okay. She's got a legit reason for joining the Mantises. Admiration of the captain. And the vice captain. She's the squad's little sister who always needs someone watching her back. Not because she's weak and helpless! Oh no, if they keep up with Luck then she can't be weak. But because the squad doesn't want to lose her. (Guys, she's an adult, she'll find her way back on her own./lh)

Comparing Connie to your other ocs, Camy, Connie has one of the "softer" attributes. Odette, Bianca, and Eirwen have ironsand and ice magic and iron and ice have a sort of tough quality to them. Jessamy's Candle Magic, centered on aromas rather than the actual flame component, is probably the softest of the attributes. Rubber can be flexible but firm rubber hammers also exist so it's not a weak substance.

I know you've talked about her some in discord chats and I hope you continue having fun with this new oc.

BC OC: Constantina "Connie" Elastica

And just like that, here comes another oc!

Name: Constantina Elastica (Goes by "Stretch" in her squad but mostly goes by Connie with friends)

Age: 17-18

Birthday: May 18th

Sign: Taurus

Blood Type: B

Squad: Green Mantises

Grimoire: 3 Leaf ☘️

Magic Attribute: Rubber Magic

Eyes: Green

Hair: Magenta

Connie is a commoner born with a lot of energy. She loves to laugh and play physical games. It made sense that she manifested rubber magic because her parents would describe her as a child that bounced off the walls. Her parents were too burnt out to entertain Connie's constant need to play.

One day it reached a breaking point and her parents blew up at her, saying hurtful things. They called her annoying and wished she was born a normal girl. Connie ran away from home and broke down crying in the woods. Her cries drew the attention of a massive wild beast. She used her rubber magic to defend herself but was running low on mana. Before it could harm her, it was sliced up by Captain Jack. Jack was out hunting and thanked her for crying so loud so it was easier to track down his game. His Vice Captain Amiris wasn't too far behind him trying to get him to come back to work. Amiris was attentive to Connie and gave her the reassurance she needed to go back home. Connie apologized to her parents for running away and decided to focus her playful energy on training her magic. The same year she was awarded a grimoire was the same year she went for the Magic Knights Exam. She passed and chose the Green Mantises because she was starstruck by Captain Jack. Connie deeply admires Vice Captain Amiris who she refers to as "senpai" when not in a formal setting. Amiris and her older squadmate En treat her as if she were their younger sister and soothe her whenever she gets too overzealous. She spent a lot of time tormenting Sekke before he became the king's assistant. During the Royal Knight exam, she set her eyes on Luck Voltia as a new playmate. They hit it off and eventually realized they were more than friends.

Connie also goes by she/they pronouns.

For Amiris's bio:

[akatdollie]

“��”

Send “✉” for a text that WASN’T SENT > > Open

“I wish I had not made him into a servant.”

Ink drips onto the paper after the period, ever impatient. Sasori knows better than to leave a letter unanswered, but when the conversation turns to regrets, what is he supposed to say?

He huffs on his workbench, fiery hair standing on end as he fiddles with his ink brush,. Drafting and redrafting. He spots his uncertainty in the choppy letters, and the realization is irking. He swiftly scraps the effort, and tosses the ruined scroll onto the table, fuming.

For once, Sasori will leave Kakuzu waiting.

It takes several minutes before he settles down, staring at the collection of carved geodes on top of a shelf on his wall. Bloodstone scorpions, lapis spiders, jade dragons– an assortment of deadly carved into everlasting beauty. In the corner of the studio, their creator, humming placidly as he sculpts a tiger out of onyx. Blue-black hair droops over his work, a jointed hand brushing it out of his face. Golden eyes flash as he lifts the tiger to inspect its form. 

Gentle heart, gentle hands. The sight of the former Kazekage drains both his temper and his soul.

Now composed, Sasori picks up the brush and restarts his letter,

“Regrets are for the weak-minded…”

[thegrandimago]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Casey Pittman (@caseyunt2)

Bonus clip, and final submission from my study abroad trip in Auckland. I mentioned on the previous post that the sands of Piha Beach are rich with iron. In fact it's what's known as ironsand, though it's more like magnetite. I thought I lost this video, but luckily I rediscovered this clip I took of the tour guide for @bushandbeachnz showing us the iron content with a magnet. Notice the iron ore sticking up as it's magnetized. It's a good thing I it was wasn't there during direct sunlight, otherwise I'd risk minor burns. It originates from prehistoric volcanic eruptions and erosion of volcanic rock. #iron #ironore #sand #metal #metals #Fe #beach #beaches #beachsand #nzbeaches #newzealandbeaches #minerals #naturalwonders #pihabeach #ironsand #irondeposits #metaldeposits #magnetite (at Piha Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTVBdocCkSt/?utm_medium=tumblr

[jcollinshealing]

#ourHouse #ecohome #christchurch #brighton #nz #canterbury #surefoot #ironSand #landHomes #bilbim #harakeke #sips #formance https://www.instagram.com/p/B4806WtHBbbO8r0Et-oEyVy4ndEtfewfyBwXkM0/?igshid=rnic1ipgiw21

[mckeenphotos]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chris McKeen (@mckeenphotos)

Like the kite hovering over beach goers, the volunteer surf life savers are constantly training and maintain a presence at Bethells Beach on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. Fighting their IRBs through the pounding surf, the life savers train in a variety of skills to be ready in almost any circumstance. #lifesavers #volunteers #drone #kite #westcoast #auckland #auckland365 #ironsand #beach #surf #irb #inflatablerescueboat #dji @nzstuff

[nomisupernova]

my new favorite hobby is taking pictures of raccoons and drawing gaara over them

[sockori]

do you still make things for the third kazekage ? itd be cool to see more drawings

Ah- sadly, anon, I do not. At least, not anything right now. My step back from the Third is when I finally took a step back from the roleplay community last year, after years of dedication to it (both on and off this platform). Don’t get me wrong, I still have all my Third notes and saved rp replies, and the blue king is still a very interesting character to me. I’ve simply lost a lot of passion for him, and thus that results in not drawing him frequently anymore. Rip. However, if you really want me to doodle the Third a few times, I don’t mind anon! :0 I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt.

[temari-i-i]

I cant draw anything serious rn 

[trendmax]

#bilememakinası #grindingmachine #grinding #knifesharpening #woodsander #ironsander #scheifmaschine #rectifieuse #rettificatrice #zımparamakinası #zımpara #bileme #imalat #ihracat #export #import #importexport #europe #germany #france #italia #england #usa #Türkiye #yerliüretim #Türkmalı #cengizarslan #izmir #+905360107017 #trendmax17@hotmail.com (Turkey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcqoQTzjMn_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[hybridanafrost]

BC OC Odette Dumont - Fury Form

I have been working on a list of spells for Odette's Ironsand grimoire and I decided to give her a beserker form.

- Ironsand Fury Form -

The ironsand influences the iron in her bloodstream to boost her strength, speed, and healing but it has many downsides. When she first unlocked the spell she was unable to think rationally and had an impulsive tunnel vision. She would get caught in a fog of her own repressed anger and would not respond when spoken to. When describing what it was like being in this form, she'd say that the only noise she can hear is the pounding of her own heart and a buzzing sound similar to a swarm of wasps. Once she takes this form, Odette is often incapable of turning it off without outside help. Someone she knows and trusts has to grab her to get her to snap out of it.

After extensive training (and some much needed therapy) she can control her behavior better when in fury mode, communicate with others, and keep it on for longer.

However, the physical kickback can be devastating if she pushes herself too far. Normally, Odette's nerves start to shake uncontrollably when she comes down from the adrenaline rush. If she goes over the time she allows for herself in this form, the strain on her body can leave her immobilized. In extreme cases, it can cause her body to develop a fever or even cause major strain on her heart.

The key physical features of this form are that her amber brown eyes darken to black, matching the color of her magical attribute. There are also dark colored veins that appear on her skin. She can also self heal any surface level damage she takes in almost an instant.

For Odette's backstory you can click the link below.