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tinypumpkin27 · 4 years ago

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How it started:

Vs how it’s going:

Pictures of my “first” tank back in 2010. I had a 3 gallon betta tank when I was a young kid for a year. This was a simple 29 gallon with 2 goldfish, Dale and Allie. I bought three and named them after characters from Tucker and Dale VS Evil. Tucker only lived for a couple days and had issues before I even brought them home. I used river rock, had no live plants, kept the water at 74 degrees (at least there’s that), and rinsed the filter cartridge in hot water every 2 weeks 🤦🏻‍♀️ I had these two for 3 years before I released them in a local man made pond that had some other goldfish in it.

I’ve had quite a few tanks and different life in between then and now, various Bettas, ADFs, and Amano shrimp have been my favorites. I’ve done gravel, sand, river rocks, and bare bottoms. I’ve done planted and unplanted. I’ve learned a lot as I’ve gone along, and it’s been fun to test out different things. But, I really want to try the modified version of the Walstad Method that Father Fish on YouTube uses. I’ll probably try it with a 75 when I get one in the next year or two when/if I take the plunge on getting a little turtle. Someday when I get my two 120 acrylics one will be using that method modified with a mix of dark water techniques and I’d love to have some Discus if possible. The other 120 is going to be my first saltwater and that’ll be a whole other adventure.

Anywayy

Currently, I have 4 tanks running since I took down my little guppy quarantine tank.

First, a 6 gallon with 3 inches of Seachem’s fluorite gravel. Plants are Amazon Frogbit, Hornwort, an Undulata, and a Green Wendtii. I keep the water at 78-80 degrees. The filter is a 10 gallon internal filter with extra floss behind the carbon. The tank is stocked with 2 Nerite snails, a 1 1/2 inch Bristlenose Pleco, and a male betta.

Second, a 10 gallon with repti carpet for my axolotl’s temporary housing. It has a 10 gallon HOB filter with extra floss behind the carbon. Kept at 64 degrees. Nitrate eaters are 4 Pothos cuttings (silver satin, marble queen, a darker golden, and a variegated golden), a strand of Hornwort, and some green hair algae glued onto the ledge. I’ve been gathering hair algae as I go along cleaning tanks at work and might cut up my Marimo to fully carpet the ledge if I want it done faster.

Third, a 20H with 1 inch Seachem’s fluorite gravel capped with about 3 inches of aquarium sand. The filter is a 20 gallon with you guessed it, extra floss, only a tiny carbon in this one though because I’m moving away from using carbon. It has a large piece of drift wood, and many plants, Valliseneria, Hornwort, Subwassertang, Anubias, Water Sprite, what I’m assuming is a broad leaf Java Fern I’m working on propagating, and my favorite the Ozelot Sword. This tank is overstocked and my groups aren’t complete, just waiting on the 29 to finish cycling so I can move Nyko out of the 10 and put some fish and the Mystery Snail in there. Stocked with 6 female Bettas, one Reticulated Hillstream Loach, 1 3 inch Bristlenose Pleco, 2 Pygmy Cory Catfish, 3 Julii Cory Catfish, 4 Celestial Pearl Danios, 1 Ivory Mystery Snail, and 1 Nerite Snail.

Fourth and lastly, Nyko’s future home, a cycling 29 gallon with 2 inches of pool filter sand, and a planter with 3-ish inches of Seachem’s fluorite sand. A good piece of Mopani wood with Java Moss anchored with cotton thread onto it as well as four varieties of Anubias (Anubias, A. Hastifolia, A. Nana, A. Nana Petite). Floaters are Guppy Grass and Hornwort. Planter so far: Madagascar Lace, Moneywort (probably will end up floating honestly), and a Rose Sword. Stocked with some pre-quarantined guppies that will be my breeders/snacks for Nyko. Filtration: 40 gallon Aquatop sponge filter on a 20-50 gallon Aquatop air pump, and a 30 gallon Hagan AquaClear with sponge, ceramic, carbon, and yep that’s right, extra floss from a cycled tank. See why I put extra floss in the filters? I can move some bacteria around whenever I need to without making much of a dent in the biological filter on any of these tanks now. Plus, more space for bacteria to colonize undisturbed is always a bonus when you have a heavy bio load like I’ve got going on in most of these tanks right now.

Phew, that went on longer than I intended. I wish I had someone to talk to about this stuff lmao. You’d think working at a garden and pet shop I’d get to talk fish with people a lot more than I do. When I’m in the petroom mostly I talk rabbits, rats, and ferrets with some herps, a little invertebrates, and fish thrown in. Not much time for fish talk, and especially not MY tanks fish talk, usually it’s a customer’s tank that’s the topic because of course they’re picking out plants or fish for their tanks. This fall I’m hoping to switch shops for another exotic pet store that doesn’t sell pet mammals and has some epic saltwater aquariums. That’ll be fun because I won’t just be working with only one other person who’s into exotic pets and aquariums.

#pets #personal #axolotl #fish #aquariums #aquarium plans #aquascape #herpblr

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therocktimusprime · 6 years ago

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A Hijacked Disney Adventure

Animal Kingdom - CH 3

Jack woke up with a start in the middle of the night.

“No...not here...I can’t …” He whispered softly to himself as he sat up and took his head in his still shaking hands. He could feel his forehead clammy and cold with sweat. He tried to calm himself down.

‘You were dreaming again Jack. Easy, just breathe. Remember where you are.’ He staggered to the sink and got a cold drink of water. He looked at his exhausted eyes and sighed. “Every time it’s the same. I can hear the screams, the sounds of the horns, the flash of the lightning. Everything so real. So vivid, as if I was still there.” he hung his head and sighed. ‘There’s nothing for it. I have to at least try to get some sleep. Hic’s counting on me. And I definitely don’t want to disappoint him.’ He crawled back in bed and waited to fall back asleep. He didn’t realize how long he had been laying there until he heard North moving around in the room.

“Jack is time to get up. We need to get going.” Jack sighed and reluctantly got in the shower. After he was satisfied he was clean he dried himself and got dressed. He chose a pair of athletic shorts and a blue tank top with a snowflake on the front and a ‘11’ on the back. He laced up his converse and then he remembered his phone. He snatched it from the bedside table and saw it flashing. He entered his screen lock code and the phone lit up. There were a few messages, and all from Hiccup.

‘Had a great time tonight. Hope to see you tomorrow.’

‘Hey it’s me. My dad’s cool with Animal Kingdom. Just let us know where to meet you.’ Jack’s heart raced when he read that last one. He quickly replied ‘Sorry I’m just now getting back to you. I was exhausted. Yeah I had a blast last night too, but today is going to be even better! Why don’t we meet at the front gates…’ he quickly checked the time 8:30. ‘say 10 ish?’ He pressed send and awaited the reply. “Breakfast?” North asked as he walked toward the door. Jack just shrugged and followed him. After a short breakfast, Jack only had a waffle, some fruit and a glass of orange juice.

“You sure you don’t want anymore?” North asked him softly. Jack checked his phone and shrugged.

“I’m good.” North only sighed softly and cleared his things. Jack saw there was a reply from Hiccup,

‘Sall good ;-P Anyway 10 at the gates sounds good. See you then.’ Jack smiled and when North returned they walked out together and met the Animal Kingdom bus and were soon on their way. Jack soon found Hiccup as per their arrangements. The other boy was dressed in a black t-shirt and some wind pants. He had a professional looking camera over his left shoulder. Hiccup blushed again when he saw what Jack was wearing.

“Hey!” Jack ran over and joined him.

“Morning…” Hiccup said shyly.

“You a photographer?” Jack asked interested. Hiccup nodded,

“At least I try to be one.”

“I bet you’re amazing” Hiccup smiled and blushed madly.

“If you don’t tone it down bro he’s going to find out.” Toothless whispered to Hiccup who seemed in an instant to regain his composure.

“Come on you dork.” Jack chuckled and lead him into the park, Toothless following them, leaving North and Stoick in the rear.

“Look at the weird birds.” Jack said excitedly as they approached a small oasis display near the gate.

“Those are...Spoonbills.” Hiccup said after checking the map.

“Those are ducks” Toothless pointed to another group of birds on the water.”

“No duh.” Hiccup rolled his eyes and laughed. They made their way past the anteaters and toward the “Tree of life”.

“Picture time!” Jack exclaimed as he saw the worker in khaki shorts with a giant camera over his shoulder. The three gathered together on the spot where the man said. Jack threw his one arm around Hiccup’s shoulders and the other around Toothless’s. The smiles on the three couldn’t be more genuine if they had tried. After the man scanned Jack’s wristband the three walked onto the indoor show “It’s Tough To be a Bug”. North and Stoick meet up with them there and they all watch the show together.

“How do they do it?” Hiccup asked as they walked out. “It’s so lifelike.”

“Disney Magic?” Toothless suggested.

“It’s about as good an excuse as any.” The three laughed and watched the Lemurs for a while. Hiccup took out his camera and took a few pictures. Jack took this opportunity to study his new friend. When Hiccup had the camera in his hands it almost acted like it was an extension of his own body. He was so skilfull and swift with it. Once he had satisfied himself with the quality and quantity of the photos he took, Hiccup slipped the cap back on and carefully slung the camera over his shoulder.

“Dude, you’re amazing.” Jack said stunned. Hiccup blushed lightly,

“It’s not really that good. Half of those won’t even come out that well.” He said modestly.

“You have to let me see them when we get home.” Hiccup nodded slightly. Suddenly Jack spotted a little cafe named “Island of Java”.

“Gosh I need a coffee.” He looked over at Hiccup. “Want one?”

“Jack, it’s like 90. How can you drink coffee?” The other asked with a chuckle.

“Hey I need what I need.” Jack said walking over the the small shack like building. Hiccup, almost as if he’s bound by an invisible rope follows him.

“See anything you like?” The man behind the counter asked friendly as the boys looked over the menu.

“Yeah, I think I’ll have an Island Cappuccino, and…” He turned again to Hiccup, “Whatever he wants, is on me.”

Hiccup was a bit surprised by this but recovered quickly.

“Um...I guess I’ll just have the same.”

“Two Island specials commin up!” The man said with a smile and started making the drinks while a lady rang them up and Jack paid with his wrist band.

“This is good.” Hiccup said as they both sipped their drinks and walked back to join the group.

“You two ready?” Toothless asked an amused smile on his face.

“Let’s go!” Jack said energetically and led them on to “Flights of Wonder”. He made sure to save a seat next to him on one side for Hiccup, who sat down with no hesitation. North sat on Jack’s other side with Toothless and Stoick on Hiccup’s other. As they watched the birds perform in the show Jack and Hiccup sipped their drinks till they were gone. The show was just long enough for Jack to get cooled off. If he was honest with himself, he would realize he wasn’t feeling all that great. Maybe it was his lack of sleep, maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the energy he exerted yesterday, or maybe it was all three. Whatever the reason he soon realized he was pushing himself too hard on too little nourishment. He tried to ignore it as much as he could. After the show they made their way West to the section called Africa. Once there they rode “Kilimanjaro Safaris”. They saw all kinds of african animals on their safari. Hiccup, being in a large vehicle, was able to take some amazing pictures and even showed a few to Jack and Toothless. Every time Jack was amazed. He wasn’t quite sure how but Hiccup was able to capture the true beauty of the animals. After the ride it was nearing lunch time.

“We should be finding some lunch I think” North said as they got out of the long cue for the Safari.

“Sounds good to me, but we should pay this time.” Stoick insisted. After a short walk back to the few diners they had in the area they all decided on the “Tusker House Restaurant” It turned out to be a buffet style restaurant. Decorated like an African marketplace. The tables were all dark stained wooden structures. There are four seats to a table so the boys got one table and the adults got the other.

“So this place is kinda cool huh?” Hiccup said as he sat down with his food.

“Totally awesome!” Toothless said. Jack just sat with his hand on his brow supporting his head.

“You ok, Jack?” Hiccup asked worriedly. Jack sat up and smiled weakly.

“I’ll be ok…” He said unconvincingly as he sipped on his water and breathed slowly. Hiccup had observed that he was a bit paler than he was the day before, and he was already extremely pale so that was saying something. Jack walked up and got himself some fruit and meat. He nibbled on the fruit just to make him happy. After lunch they walked back up to the “Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.” After Jack had eaten he had regained a bit of his color and energy. He lead Hiccup by the hand around to the different animals on the walk and watched proudly as he would take pictures of them. By the end of the long trail he was pushing himself again. He couldn’t let Hiccup down, and besides he had no time to be sick now. He was at Disney, he had to see and do everything he could. But time, it would seem was against him. They had spent more time than they thought in the trial and it was getting close to dinner time by the time they made their way over to “Kali River Rapids”. Jack walked on ahead while Hiccup dropped back to speak with Toothless.

“Does he seem ok to you?” He asked.

“He seems a little wiped. Kinda like he’s running low on battery power.”

“I got that vibe too.” Hiccup looked his new friend over worried. “I hope he’s okay.” All five of them soon boarded the large water raft and were floating up and down in the water of the rapids. Water splashed all over both Jack and Hiccup, who was thankful he had left his camera back on dry ground with the worker. As they approached the last dip in the ride it looked like Hiccup and Jack were going to get drenched, but just before the drop the raft bumped the wall and spun around so they were the closest to the water when the raft hit sending the water up over their heads and drenching Stoick and North.

“HEY!”

“Not fair!” The fathers yelled laughing heartily with the group. Once suitably dry Hiccup and Toothless headed for “Expedition Everest”. With Jack close behind. The second of the “Make-you-want-to-puke” attractions they had done that week. They board the train, Toothless opting to sit somewhere near the middle but Jack and Hiccup got the first two seats in the train.

“You sure you’re up for this dude?” Hiccup asked his companion.

“I’ll be fine. Trust me.” Jack smiled nervously back. “Besides after that wait in line...there’s no going back.” Hiccup nodded unsure. True, they had spent over an hour in line but if he wasn’t feeling well why push himself like this? The ride soon started and they roared up the mountain. Suddenly they came to a section of track that was ripped up.

“Oh no. Now what?” Hiccup asked nobody in particular. Just then the ground under them shook and with a mighty roar the train started going backwards.

“OH Backwards!” Hiccup shouted in excitement. Jack was struggling to keep what little lunch he had eaten down. When the cart slowed to a stop he thought it was all over but then it happened all over again. The ground shook and they shot forward. Jack shut his eyes and prayed just to stop moving. His prayers were answered just in time. Hiccup had to help him off the ride. Hiccup was unsure of his own footing thus making it harder than it seemed for the viking boy. Toothless helped lead them over to the nearest bench.

“No...more for me mommy…” Jack said holding his head in his hands. All color washed from his face and he was shaking slightly. Hiccup, who was not as affected by the ride had sat down next to him and started rubbing his back soothingly.

“You gunna be ok?”

“Give me a sec.” Jack lied back on the bench and closed his eyes. "Bad...idea" Jack moaned.

"Here drink this." Toothless handed Jack a water bottle. "It's not cold but it'll be better than nothing"

"Thanks." Jack drank the bottle dry. "I feel better already." He forced a smile and tried to get to his feet, but his knees buckled and he was forced to sit down again. About that time Stoic and North joined the trio.

"Everybody ok?" Stoic asked

"Jack just got a little nauseous after that." Toothless gestured to the ride. Hiccup hadn't taken his eyes off Jack.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“You do look a little green” Toothless commented.

“Just give me a sec…” Jack said laying back on the bench and closing his eyes. Immediately he could feel his eyes growing heavy and the sweet embrace of sleep drawing him close. He shook his head trying to keep himself awake.

‘No...not now. I can’t...but I’m so tired…’ Suddenly he could hear the sound of a car horn blaring, people screaming and glass shattering. He woke with a start to find himself in his room with North watching over him silently.

“You are awake.”

“How long was I out?” Jack asked, his eyes struggling to focus and his voice stiff with sleep.

“Only a few hours”

“Where is…”

“Hiccup and his family are at their room. I promised I would call them as soon as you woke up.” Jack only sighed.

“How bad was he?”

“He panicked a little when you wouldn’t wake up, but I told him you were just sleeping and it seemed to help.” North didn’t take his eyes from Jack but his gaze seemed to soften slightly. “Does he know you like him?”

“I’m not sure if he knows I like him like that.” Jack admitted softly. He knew deep in his heart that Hiccup liked him as a friend...and only as a friend. He also knew that this was only the third day they had known each other so it was a little to early to be thinking about him like that. He knew he was gay like him so why not? Jack shook his head. ‘No, Jack for once in your life let him make the first move.

“It happened again…” He said softly

“Yes, so I gathered.” North said put a hand on his adopted sons shoulder. “The same nightmare again.” Jack rubbed his eyes. “Why?”

“Maybe we should take it easy tomorrow yes?” North asked in that parental tone of voice, which told Jack that he really didn’t have a choice in the matter.

“I don’t really think I have much of a choice…”

“Good, Tomorrow we rest and cool off” North said and stood up to get Jack a drink. “Oh, before I forget you had better call Hiccup. Let him know you’re okay.”

Jack reached over for his phone and entered his security code in to unlock it. He was greeted with an onslaught of texts, all from Hiccup.

‘Jack are you okay?’

‘Please be okay’

‘I’m so worried about you, please text me back when you can.’

‘Jack?’

‘Three hours and nothing...I’m legit terrified now Jack. PLEASE text me’

Jack smiled gently and hit the call button.

“Jack!” Hiccup’s terrified voice called out to him

“Hey Handsome.” Jack said trying to lighten his spirit.

“Oh thank the gods!” Hiccup sighed relieved

“I’m fine. Just got a little overwhelmed.”

“What happened? You just passed out.”

“Well, you see I have this nightmare. Every night I have it, I can’t fall back asleep and I’m exhausted the next day. I guess I was just trying to do to much.”

“Oh, Jack, that’s awful. I’m sorry.”

“It’s no big. I’m sorry for ruining your day.” There was the sound of a door closing and the sounds of a quiet night fill the background

“You didn’t ruin it. Without you it wouldn’t be as fun or exciting.” Now it was Jack’s turn to blush.

“You’re just saying that”

“No I’m serious. Disney is amazing, but it would be boring without you.”

“Prepared to be bored tomorrow then.” Jack mumbled

“Huh? Why?”

“North is forcing me to stay at the resort tomorrow.”

“Oh” Jack could practically hear the other boys heart sink

“Wait a minute…” He pulled the phone away from his head and looked to North. “Can I invite Hic and his family over tomorrow? We can explore the resort, maybe go swimming?”

“I suppose…” North agreed hesitantly.

“Hey Hic. Why don’t you guys come over here tomorrow. We can hang out here and explore.”

“Sounds fun. Let me just ask my dad.” There is the sound of the same door opening and muffled conversation. Jack waited nervously

“So...He says he would like to talk to North for a minute.” Jack looked nervously at North before handing the phone over.

“Hello? Yes, hello Stoic. Is doing much better. Yeah he needs to rest tomorrow...mmhmm...oh I don’t see a problem with that. We were planning on going there later this week anyway. Yes, I think that is a good idea. We just have to be careful. Alright see you then.” He looks at Jack and chuckles. “I do not believe our sons are done talking. Yes, certainly they are that. Good bye, see you tomorrow.” He hands the phone back to Jack

“What was that all about?” Jack asked when Hiccup had the phone again.

“It’s...nothing.” The same fear and sadness threatening to take hold of his spirit again

“Hiccup what is it?” The next two words surprised Jack.

“Typhoon Lagoon”

AN: Wow guys I’m really glad everyone is liking this story so far! IF you have any questions or comments don’t hesitate to send me an ask or message! I’d love to hear from you! Anyway Thanks again for reading!

#hijack #disney #jack frost #hiccup haddock #fanfic

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zedecksiew · 7 years ago

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The God Mine (Part 1)

THE GOD MINE

The bones of god-beasts, even aeons dead, still remember their own potency. A useful material for mage-craft and industry.

The smell of effluvia marks this place. The music of picks. A great open pit. Damaged, silent men clamber over each other, worms in a wound in the earth.

A DEAD GOD

Titanic ribs jut like the shell of a bombed-out temple. Brushed by the ghost of divine terror – you shiver.

What was this thing?

Portfolio – this was a god-beast of:

1: Artifice. 2: Ambition. 3: Fate. 4: Fire. 5: Hunger. 6: Healing. 7: Plagues. 8: Pleasure. 9: Madness. 10: Murder. 11: Beasts. 12: Battle. 13: Visions. 14: Virility. 15: Lies. 16: Law. 17: Thunder. 18: Tyranny. 19: Disorder. 20: Darkness.

In the presence of its corpse, all actions according to this god’s idiom are done with advantage.

Form – it was:

1: Humanoid. Hair, fingers, hooves. 2: Saurian. Scales, sauropod gait. 3: Piscine. Fish mail, fins, fish tail. 4: Mantid. Exoskeleton and ungues. 5: Birdlike. Feathers, sickle talons. 6: Serpentine. Coiling, coiling, coiling.

With the limbs and qualities roughly appropriate to that morphology.

Additional features – godliness made it extraordinary. Roll twice in each category. Parentheses indicate special properties in the remains:

Heads (d12): 1: Head of an ant. (Antennae cells sense life.) 2: Head of a mastodon. (Tusk ivory explodes doors.) 3: Head of an owl. (Brain matter chatters random secrets.) 4: Head of a crocodile. (Wounds inflicted by teeth enamel do not staunch.) 5: Head an icosahedron. (All rolls equal to the result of the die face you stand on.) 6: Eye a window to the starry void. (Portal to the vacuum of space.) 7: Eyes of molten iron. (Still molten.) 8: Unicorn horn. (Keratin a universal panacea.) 9: Adamantine tusks. (Unbreakable.) 10: d4 faces, all on a single head. (Roll d4 for each face, above.) 11: Mane of wise serpents. (Ghosts. Bored. Want to see the world. Will grant you powers, to this end.) 12: Fig forest on the crown. (Fruit reverses aging, seeds still viable.)

Torsos (d12): 1: Tortoise shell. (Individual scutes indestructible.) 2: Godzilla ridged plates. (Electrified.) 3: Actual-gold fur. 4: Glass scales. (Easily shattered.) 5: Nacreous sweat. (Seams of pearl.) 6: Psychedelic musk. (Pockets of hallucinogenic air.) 7: d4 vaginas to pocket dimensions. (Still open.) 8: Pregnant with a god of opposing idiom. (All actions according to the stillborn god’s idiom are done with advantage.) 9: Pregnant with a miniature sun. (Burning.) 10: d100 eggs of demi-divine spawn. (Will hatch undead horrors if cracked.) 11: d4 outsized priapic penises. (Endless gushing ichor, if punctured.) 12: Testes bursting with flying sperm. (Black, undead, aims for fertile wombs.)

Arms (d12): 1: Pair of arms, simian-handed. 2: Pair of arms, scythe-ended. 3: Pair of arms, crab-pincered. 4: Pair of arms, ghoul-clawed. 5: d12 arms, barbed, tentacular. 6: Two forearms on every elbow. 7: Hands performing flaming mudras. (Radioactive.) 8: 2d4 disembodied, flying palms. (Counts as slumbering, independent monsters.) 9: Wrist a stump, leaking disease. (Primordial ancestor to bone-break fever.) 10: Hands solid, articulated silver. 11: Touch that drains blood. (Negative-energy galleries.) 12: Touch that freezes tissue. (Frozen galleries.)

Wings (d12): 1: Pair of eagle wings. 2: Pair of bat wings. 3: Fan of peacock tail-feathers. 4: Two pairs of lace wings, fore and hind. 5: Two pairs of moth wings, staring-eye motifs. (Stuns on sight.) 6: Pair of lionfish spike-fins. (Excruciating pain on touch.) 7: 2d4 wings, detached, independent. 8: Wings in multicolour flame. (Galleries of flammable gas, as yet unignited.) 9: Wings that hum hypnotically. (Listeners will obey all spoken commands.) 10: Wings burnt, shrivelled away, useless. 11: Wings of solid jade, a burden. 12: Wings that eat light. (Blocks all sight.)

Legs (d12): 1: Pair of legs, simian-footed. 2: Pair of legs, eagle-taloned. 3: Pair of legs, goat-hoofed. 4: Pair of legs, frog-webbed. 5: 2d4 pairs of locust legs. 6: Slug foot, corrosive slime. (Acid lakes.) 7: Two calves on every knee. 8: d4 knees too many. 9: Footprints of diamond. 10: Footprints of fungal growths. 11: Footprints of screaming faces. (Seams of skulls.) 12: One leg a stump, bleeding leukocytes. (Lake of predatory leukocytes.)

Accoutrements (d12): 1: Trishula of frozen lightning. (Actual lightning.) 2: Belt of amber beads, a demon imprisoned in each. (Smashable.) 3: Garland of angel skulls. (Vengeful ghost angels. Will grant powers to those who would topple gods.) 4: Lotus-flower-shaped seat, made of lotus flowers. (Vein of still-fragrant petals.) 5: Turbined interstellar chariot. (Mangled star-metal technologies.) 6: Crown of thorns. (Made from sharpened dragon antlers.) 7: Mystic astrolabe. (Shattered. Repaired, able to manipulate the firmament.) 8: Smooth, featureless mask. (Shrinks to human size. When worn, assume form of any living entity you previously met. Magic cannot detect this deception.) 9: Winged slippers. (Capable of flight.) 10: Giant bow. (Broken. Repaired, drawn by somebody of divine lineage, its arrows will slay any entity.) 11: Abacus. (Missing beads. Repaired, able to fundamentally reconfigure a mortal soul.) 12: Arched harp. (Unstrung. Repaired, its vibrations freeze time.)

Attendants (d12): 1: Sentient giant ticks. (Genteel, philosophical, vampiric, starving.) 2: Ancient outang-men. (Insane albino outang-trogs.) 3: Great cockerel. (Kaiju-sized chicken skeleton. Will animate if unearthed.) 4: Great python. (Enormous intelligent tapeworms.) 5: Eight-legged horse. (Incorporeal hooves thundering through the tunnels. Tramples.) 6: Thirteen bronze dwarves. (Invented bone-marrow beer. When they mined out the marrow their camaraderie collapsed. None left.) 7: Shoulder angel, shoulder demon. (Spirits. One benign, one malign. Both compete to further their god’s idiom.) 8: School of angelfish. (Submerged warrens. Fleshing-eating swarms.) 9: Fairy slaves. (Now a nightmare cannibal autocracy.) 10: Marble automatons. (A mega-automaton assemblage, always looking for more parts.) 11: Life-giving rainbow wisps. (Fungus-spreading negative-rainbow wisps.) 12: Octahedrim. (Eight-sided floating polyhedra that shoot lasers and eat luck.)

SO YOU WANT TO QUARRY A GOD’S CORPSE

Imagine your god-beast. Imagine it fall.

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( Image sources:

http://www.barakasamsara.com/location/kawah-ijen-sulfur-mine-java https://www.pinterest.com/pin/328833210262526871/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_(book) https://factsprovidence.wordpress.com/moore-lovecraft-comics-annotation-index/pantheon-variant-covers/ https://medieval.tumblr.com/post/71758580115/eyes-on-wings-on-wheels-with-eyes-ophanim )

#fantasies #writing #islands #mines #random generators

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theexploringegg · 7 years ago

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Day 49: Explore, Cook, Play.

I was up and ready to explore downtown Jogyakarta! The easiest way to get anywhere here is my bike, and so Hiza ordered me a Go Jek and I was on the back of my motor, holding on behind me. I’ve really got used to this kind of travel, the weaving between the cars and heat of the engine at my legs.

I planned to meet Sassi for breakfast and coffee, but when the driver stopped I was at some unknown location. Thankfully I had 4G so was able to get rescued and soon we were at the breakfast spot of her choosing- a little stall selling nasi balap. This lady was so busy- she told us she works for 4 hours and sells about 250 bowls. Even while we were eating, some local youths ask if she would cater for their private party. I asked Sasi about the legislation and law for street vendors- it appears there is none at all. No fee for setting up there or no hygiene cert. Wow. What we ate was simple and tasty: a bed of rice, pulled chicken in chilli oil, crunchy fried pots, some fresh green veggies and a boiled egg in chilli.

The coffee shop was only 30m away, but we still travelled by bike: no one walks here if possible. No. 27 Coffee was really hipster, and most importantly they served great speciality coffee. I had a cold brew using Geisha beans from Sumatra which was served over ice and with a couple of lychees to emphasise the lychee notes. Sasi enjoyed a frozen green tea latte which was also amazing. We planned to do some personal stuff but ended up spending the couple of hours chatting together, talking of future ventures and giving advice.

An iced green tea to go and we faced the blazing sun (no clouds today). There was so much traffic as students were graduating from university. Sasi brought us to the Water Palace where the king would bath with his many wives and children back in the day. Story goes, he would stand from a high up window and throw flowers down into the pool- the lucky lady to catch would get to spend some personal time with him. I can just imagine the cat fights!

After a wander round, avoiding the Instagramming-tourists with tripods in tow, we went for lunch at the main market, having a bowl of beef soto. It was my third time having this dish, but every bowl had been different. This one had a rich clear broth laced with spicy red chillis and grains of rice rather than noodles. We slurped away, munching on crunchy kupuk between spoonfuls.

Sassi had work then, so I explored the market, buying some batik pants with a print originating from North Java. I intended on making it home for early afternoon to help with cooking dinner, but realised a massive Merdeka parade was going on with float after float of bands, dancers and performers. It so colourful and full of energy.

I tried my best to walk away from the chaos and ordered a Grab motor to take me home. Traffic was crazy and I was melting in the sun- the sweat was dripping down my legs as the engine motor emitted a fierce heat from sitting idle in jams for so long.

At 5.30pm I made it home. Ade had kindly waited for me and had lots of ingredients prepared already for our cooking session. We made a fish soup, stir fried veggies, fried tempeh and sambal. I loved learning from him- he was a passionate cook yet had a day job in business and as a Grab driver. On questioning, he told me he would rather work in a restaurant.

After our delicious meal, Ade picked up the guitar and soon I was singing, Hiza was singing, Chonie was singing. We spent the whole night from dinner to bed jamming! Everything from One Direction to Elvis was played. Not staying up too late because of our camping plans the following day, we bid goodnight and packed our bags for the adventure that lay ahead.

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cannabisprnewera · 7 years ago

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AN EDIBLE WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION n a highly competitive retail cannabis edible industry, saying “the consumer can have it all” is only cliché until you meet Stillwater. With the Denver-based company’s new water-soluble THC and CBD powder, consumers are invited to sprinkle a dash cannabis onto pretty much any and every food item under the sun. Your favorite pho? Make it an edible. Your best Whole 30 recipe? Edible. Even a spot of tea or a cup of Joe. Is nothing sacred in the cannabis space? Nope, not really. If your favorite pho can get you high, then the limit for dissolvable cannabinoids is literally one’s own imagination. I sampled three Stillwater offerings featuring the company’s innovative water-soluble cannabinoids — Ripple, Stillwater Tea and Clockwork Coffee — to gauge how the highs hit and see what, exactly, the product does for a few of my fave things: pho, tea and coffee. Ripple Ripple, a dissolvable THC edible by Stillwater. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett, The Cannabist) Ripple is a nearly flavorless and odorless white powder that comes in single-serving, easy-to-rip-open containers akin to sugar packets. It is also proudly touted as “zero calorie” which allows for healthier food and drink options, something that is not as easily found in the sugary marijuana-laced edibles popular at dispensaries. Sounds interesting in theory, but how does it taste? And how does it dissolve into pho? Does it film the noodles? I had questions. Ripple comes in three varieties: Balanced, which contains 5 mg of THC and 5 MG of CBD, Pure with 10 MG of THC, and finally Relief, with 10 MG of CBD and .5 MG of THC, the latter of which claims to be cold-water-soluble. It has a subtle bitter taste if dissolved in water alone. It dissolves at around the same speed in both hot and cold water and, once mixed, the water will appear a cloudy white instead of clear. You need something flavorful to fully mask the subtle bitterness of Ripple. In a sweet drink, its taste is virtually undetectable. In pho, the same. It doesn’t film the noodles and disappears within the whisk of a few stirs. That white powder looks sus. Ripple, a dissolvable THC edible by Stillwater. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett, The Cannabist) The high is as equally subtle as the taste. In the case of Balanced and Pure, the buzz is consistent and mild, hitting relatively quickly on the edibles time-table: I felt it within 20 minutes. Consistency is a plus for Stillwater. It’s keenly measured and always provides a reliable outcome. Relief is comprised primarily of CBD and was a successful alleviation of mild pain. For novices, this is the most accessible variety of Ripple. Stillwater Tea These teas shine as a tasty application of Stillwater’s water-soluble cannabinoids. The packets are meant to be put directly into hot water as it’s the bag itself, seeping through tiny holes in the bottom. The Gentle Green Tea is delicious — it has classic rice notes, and it gives a subtle, tingly cannabis buzz to your caffeine high that feels like the edible-equivalent of wrapping up in a warm blanket on a Sunday afternoon. The Blissful Black Tea is very good, too, and it’s strong, leafy notes successfully mask any cannabis flavor you might anticipate. They also offer a Mellow Mint Tea, which was exactly that; mellow and well-balanced. Each will contain 2.5mg of THC and CBD and the mint offering is caffeine free. Stillwater’s Blissful Black Tea brews. (Lindsey Bartlett, The Cannabist) These products do not taste like anything other than an herbal tea, similarly robust and flavorful as some organic types you can buy in the grocery store. This tea is brilliant. Clockwork Coffee Thus far in my journey through Stillwater’s lineup, my thinking was, “you can’t go wrong.” Then I met their instant java, Clockwork Coffee. The issue is, it’s is just that: instant coffee, a concoction that most coffee lovers can’t choke down. As far as instant coffees go, this is average — I’ll call it smooth, and it’s not too bitter. Edibles fans may find Clockwork Coffee enjoyable for its other reason for being. You’ll find a mixture of brown dust as well as white chunks of dehydrated cream and water-soluble cannabinoids in each packet. It dissolves quickly in hot water with the stir of your spoon. The less water you mix it with, the better it tastes. Doubling up on packets per mug also helps the taste, too. Clockwork Coffee from Stillwater. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett, The Cannabist) The company invites consumers on its social media accounts to get creative with the powdery coffee, making THC or CBD-laced chocolate espresso desserts with it. I am a fan of cooking with it more than drinking it. Are we ready for water-soluble THC? I have to say it: Ripple could get creepy pretty quickly–in a Cary Elwes versus Wallace Shawn in that one scene in “The Princess Bride” kinda way. Even as I say aloud or type “tasteless odorless powdery substance,” it seems suspect. Clockwork Coffee from Stillwater. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett, The Cannabist) As with every type of edible, cannabis consumers must use this power for good, not evil. But to calm your fears, it’s such a subtle high, the hypothetical risk is small. It’s still there. The subtlety of these packets is not lost on consumers. I have a flew floating around in my purse in case of emergencies right now–they are just my tiny THC backup, sleek, nuanced little packets of endless possibility. Stillwater is most innovative is in its approachability: This is the CBD or THC item your mom would be most likely to try. This accessible ideology has roots in the company’s origin. Co-founders Jeremy Goldstein, Missy Bradley, and Justin Singer wanted to find a solution for Singer’s grandmother: “We wanted to make products that any grandmother would feel safe consuming. Because, in the end, it’s about feeling better,” Stillwater says.

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