#location: marrow valley

[ludinusdaleth]

Aasimar and paladin (hope everything that is making you anxious passes soon)

(thank you. just checking out a mysterious spot on me. as a new farmer/naturalist i guess risk of skin cancer would happen eventually, but if it is that i think ill be okay, just needing to remove it)

aasimar: what is your favorite location in exandria (or out of it) - wildemount feels like Home. to such a degree i dont know if i could choose a solid favorite part of it; definitely aeor/eiselcross, molaesmyr, uthodurn, the marrow valley, blightshore, & northern xhorhas/the emerald gulch. i also deeply enjoy the feywild & the astral sea. and bassuras!

paladin: what is your favorite friendship -ARTI & JESTER. NO ONE IS DOING IT LIKE THEM 💙💚💙💚

thank you for the ask!

[ashwings-woah]

on diets:

because of different locations and physiologies, each quiver will have different food sources and ways of eating

coast strikers: living by the coast, their main source of sustenance is obviously sea food. fish, crustaceans, mollusks, sea weed, anything they can get their claws on. on some occasions bigger creatures are hunted like sea serpents, though this is usually done only for festivals, rituals or on lean times and always in groups, since these huge snakes pose a considerable threat to dragons. the only thing never hunted is sharks, as to them these are sacred animals, believed to carry the spirits of the dead to The Depths (the streaker version of heaven basically) and killing them is strictly forbidden, and some say it brings a curse upon one's deceased ancestors. as i said in a previous post, they have a highly developed sense of taste, so making complex foods is a very important cultural aspect in the coast. many dragons from other quivers flock to the markets or even to the Roaring Coast territory itself just to try these fabled dishes. they are usually served raw, but cooking, drying, smoking and pickling is a common way of preparing foods, and salting is useful for winter, since storms and broken ice can make the seas dangerous for even the most experienced swimmers. trade with other quivers for ingredients is their main commercial activity

moor runners: at first glance the grassy plains may not seem to offer much, but runners have learned to make the most out of them. herds of large animals and smaller fauna are hunted or even kept for a steadier source of food. grains, grasses and tubers grown by farmers make up a pretty large part of nutriment here, and bread baking techniques have been rapidly evolving. hunting with wyverns is not only a big tradition, but can make this activity easier and less energy consuming. some wyvern species have also been domesticated and selectively to obtain eggs and meat (though the latter isn't usually reaped). insects are also frequently consumed

swamp lurkers: the bayou-like environment is dangerous, so anything useful is to be appreciated. lurkers are opportunistic, and have developed incredibly strong stomachs, able to eat rotting carcasses and poisonous fauna and flora. many say it's almost impossible to poison a lurker. their main source of food is hunting whatever they can find, but aquatic plant life is more readily available, therefore a frequently consumed foodstuff. fermented drinks are very popular here though, and small quantities of different lurker venoms are added to give them varied –usually recreational– effects, some even medicinal. the bog areas are also used to preserve food for harder times, and sometimes for growing hardy crops too. because of them being more closed off than the other quivers, trade isn't really common here, though not unheard of

lowlanders: vegetation is a huge part of their diet, so they're pretty well known for developing new varieties of vegetables and making savory dishes with them. meat is also consumed but on smaller quantities compared to other quivers, usually coming from livestock such as goats and cows, as well as a few fish from the river flowing in the middle of the valley

highlanders: their diets are almost a complete opposite to their lowland counterparts. high meat consumption, but birds are completely banned from the menu –many would find eating something with such a high resemblance to themselves as uncomfortable, besides birds, especially raptors, being of importance to them as symbols of certain deities or attributes like strength or good luck–. bones are usually discarded by other dragons, but mountain gliders eat them pretty frequently, as both have the bite force (or sharp beaks in the case of highlanders) to get to the marrow inside. because of their mountainous landscape, most of their food is farmed from the lowlands in the valley or sometimes traded from outside. there are running jokes about highland glider food being very flavorless and lame

wood walkers: resources are abundant in the forest, so their diet is varied. meat, roots, mushrooms, bark, seeds, plants and fruits are big staples here. sugary sweets and berry pastries are popular here, but spicy and salty foods are not at all, preferring more earthy and mild flavors. their candies and honey are valuable goods sold to other quivers

[twoearproductions]

Marrow Anradene was born to Rose and Dorn Anradene on a Misty, Unndilar day. He grew up surrounded by friends and family in the village of Idlewild, a tiefling settlement that sat in the valley below the Thunderhead peaks. In the winter of Marrow’s 12th year, a small army of slavers known as the Tolvajok crossed over the mountain range from the neighboring kingdom and attacked the village. Many of Marrow’s friends were either killed or captured, and his village was burned to the ground. The survivors were forced to trek over the mountains through freezing temperatures and with barely any food. Many more died along the way, including Marrow’s best friend Trayza. The remaining townsfolk were eventually sold to an elicit mining company in the kingdom and forced to mine for crystalized magic; a highly conductive material that is dangerous to mine, yet highly profitable. As the months went by, they endured injuries, starvation and extreme cruelty at the hands of their captors. Further tragedy struck when Marrow’s father, Dorn was killed in a cave-in. Distraught at the loss of her soulmate, Marrow’s mother retreated into herself; leaving the younger tiefling to deal with his grief on his own. During an expedition to search for further deposits, Marrow discovered a subterranean river. He told his mother and she urged him to seize the opportunity to escape. On his next expedition, Marrow evaded the guards and flung himself into the freezing water. The current swept him deep beneath the mountain and eventually deposited him on the banks of a lake in the wilds. For the first time in 8 years, Marrow was free. He was found by Merryweather and Carina Vandersol, a firbolg minstrel couple who took him in and nursed him back to health. As he recovered, the tiefling expressed interest in learning how to be a bard. Over the next 4 years, the Merry taught him all he knew about music and showmanship. Carina taught him how to channel magic and cast spells, something that Marrow took to like a fish to water. When Marrow turned 22, he thanked the Vandersols for everything and set out on his own. He traveled the land, performing and gathering information on the Tolvajok and their many illicit dealings. He also gathered a party of adventurers to aid him in his quest. Eventually, they discovered the mine’s location and mounted a rescue mission. Many Tolvajok fell to their might until they stood face to face with Slagar, the head of the Tolvajok. During the ensuing battle, Marrow suffered a fatal blow. Through a combination of healing magic and a timely intervention from the Raven Queen, Marrow was revived and went on to be reunited with his people. Of the original 80 Idlewildians, only 25 remained including Marrow and his mother. Determined to provide his people with as quiet a life as he could, Marrow helped them settle in a plot of land near Bayor’s Burrow; the firbolg settlement where the Vandersols lived. They still live there to this day. Mourning what they lost, and working to move on to an even brighter tomorrow. Marrow went on to marry one of his party members; Seleyna Arkos of the amethyst isle. They would have 3 children together; Sparrow, Ambrosia, and Dorn. 

[exandrianxnightsxdm]

The Adventure Begins || Thread 001 || Quest 001

welcome to Wildemount.

The year is 836 P.D., or post Divergence, this continent is divided both by jagged terrain and political powers. The Menagerie Coast, a collection of city states united under the Clovis Concord, monopolizes the southwestern shores and ports of Wildemount, thriving on open trade and cultural freedom. Beyond the Cyrios Mountains lies the massive region known as Wynandir, bisected by the Ashkeeper Peaks. Eastern Wynandir houses the expansive wastes and turbulent badlands of Xhorhas, overrun with all manner of beasts and terrors; relics from the final battles of the Calamity; a ruinous, scarred landscape. Western Wynandir calls itself home to the powerful, religiously conservative and militant state of the Dwendalian Empire.

This story, however, begins in the north eastern reaches of Wildemount, in the lawless lands known as the Greying Wildlands. Separated from the Dwendalian Empire by the jagged Dunrock Mountains and the Quannah Breach, this landscape of dense, desiccated forests, rolling mountains, and icy tundra finds itself relatively unclaimed by human hands. A curse is said to taint the land, making survival a constant challenge for those that find themselves outside of the established blips of society.

The southern section of the Greying Wildlands is known as the Savaliarwood, renamed but three centuries ago from it’s prior designation of the “Veluthil Forest”. The once beautiful thicket has, in the time since the fall of Molaesmyr, became corrupted; the trees resemble less of a thicket and more of gnarled, cursed wood and the creatures that dwell within have begun to evolve into unrecognizable monstrosities.

The northwestern area of the Greying Wildlands is known as the Crystalsands Tundra. Once a beautiful expanse that connected into the Veluthil Forest to the south, this land is rumored to have been ravaged during The Calamity. A battle so intense that the region was dashed into rock and sand in which winter quickly reclaimed it as a new, icy desert. Tall dunes glitter like piles of diamonds in the daylight, shifting with high winds and the movements of creatures that burrow and hunt beneath the sands. Between the giant hawks and owls that fly over from the Flotket Alps, the nomadic goblinoids that stalk the frost dunes in search of food, and the creatures that lurk beneath the surface of the shifting sands in their ice-marked tunnels, most adventurers prefer to find magically means of moving from place to place or choose their travel paths with extreme caution. 

To the east of the Savaliarwood lays the Rime Plains - fields of rolling tundra with bursts of boreal forest that seems to stretch on and on, covering the entirety of the southeastern section of the Greying Wildlands. The Rime Plains are mostly open, untamed wilderness where survival depends on one’s ability to endure the elements and navigate the wilds skillfully. More than the natural wilds lurks around each turn, though, as nomadic bands of Orcs known as the Jez-Araz react violently to anyone and anything they come across as they navigate the Plains.

Our story, however, begins much smaller. Nestled among the northwestern part of the low cliff boundary of the Crystalsands Tundra, along the cold shore of the Frigid Depths is the village of Palebank. The denizens of Palebank often take to ice fishing, trapping, or hunting, returning in small caravanas to Uthodurn within the Flotket Alps to sell their wares and restock their supplies. Territorial monsters wander close to the village, so rotating squads of Glassblades - the protective force that keeps an eye on Palebank Village for the capital city of Uthodurn - are assigned to protect the people.

Within the wooden palisades that protect the outer edge of the village there are over a hundred shacks and cabins - some living quarters, some shops - with no true layout to the town. On the outer edge, toward the northern cliff that overlooks the docks rests the town graveyard, and beside that -- The Shattered Rose Inn. It is here, along the snowy coat of the Frigid Depths, that a handful of wandering destinies begin to intersect.  The Inn has a quaint appearance, it’s ramshackle building houses a two-story inn and pub that is known for its ostentatious storytelling barmaid and cheap housing for drunkards and adventurers alike.

The sun hangs low in the sky on the evening of Conthsen in the month of Misuthar as a group gathers -- not at the Inn that you had been instructed to arrive at, but at the graveyard beside it. Snow gently falls from the sky and wind bites your cheeks as you stand on the outer edge of the graveyard, listening to folks giving their last goodbyes as the body of a local dwarf named Urgon Wenth is lowered into a freshly dug grave. 

[occidentalavian]

I don’t know how many people have been reading The Tales of Exandria: The Bright Queen, but there is some fascinating lore implications within the first 3 of the 4 issues. Top level plot summary (spoilers obviously):

It’s around the early 840s PD (around the time of Campaign 3!) and the Dynasty has 5 beacons (one up from the end of Campaign 2), and they’ve just located another. Leylas has seen a prophecy in which this 6th beacon will allow herself and Quana to concieve a child of the Luxon, which will herald a new age for the Dynasty. Quana goes to retrieve it but it was an ambush by Lolth, and she’s captured by draegloths and taken to the Abyss.

Leylas gets a bunch of Umavi to cast a powerful dunamantic spell to create a near perfect echo of herself. That echo goes to Bazzoxan and enters Lolth’s realm, the Dreadnest, using a secret backdoor that was created by Kord. There the echo of Leylas finds Quana and the 6th beacon, and gets them out, an the echo is killed, seemingly by Lolth herself.

With Leylas and Quana back, they conceive a child, and the prophecy unfolds as people see signs in the stars and their dreams. People across Xhorhas, Blightshore, and even the Marrow Valley request to be consecuted. Before the child is born, Leylas leaves to go on diplomatic missions to grow the Luxon’s and the Dynasty’s influence. The Koshtak clan, which previously resisted joining the Dynasty as part of Igrathad, accepts consectution. As the Bright Child is born, Leylas continues her quest and consecutes thousands.

This culminates in a visit to the dragonborn city Xarzith Kitril, where the Scars of Scale and Tooth refuse, one member accusing Leylas of using the child as propaganda to expand her empire. Leylas is overcome with a vision of Lolth that had been haunting her since the Dreadnest and beheads the councilor. She and her party leave an go back to Rosohna, where she opens up to the city about her dreams of Lolth.

The child, a girl named Caelestis Kryn, has since grown into a toddler, and Leylas has refused to see her, straining her relationship with Quana. The child plays and stumbles into a portal leading to the room where the beacons are kept. As guards approach, Caelestis transforms into a spider monster, killing them. Leylas enters the room and find the dead guards, and sees Caelestis transforming back, seemingly unaware of what just happened.

All the while there’s been a separate narrative in which Abrianna Mirrim explains all of this to an adolescent drow. Issue 3 implies that this drow may be Caelestis, and this narrative is the part that takes place in 855 PD.

[the-kaedageist]

“I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.” [what else could this be but widomauk?] xoxo

God, what a beast you spawned with this prompt. I haven’t even written Widomauk before!

Widomauk, #31: “I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.” (1,928 words because WHAT)

The tavern was in a secluded part of Rosohna two blocks away from the Xhorhaus, sheltered in between a blacksmith’s shop and a large building that looked like it fulfilled some sort of need for municipal bureaucracy. Mollymauk located it at the end of his first two weeks of returning to the loving arms of the Nein, noting its presence on some sort of errand he was running with Beau, and within three days he found himself sitting at the counter, halfway to the bottom of a bottle of wine and trying not to think about red hair and blue eyes.

The first thing Molly had noticed was that Caleb was different. The whole group was, of course; they fit together like a puzzle, the sharp edges sanded down. The Nein felt like a family, and Molly wasn’t sure that there was still a place for him among their ranks, not anymore. Caleb’s changes weren’t even the most profound – that award obviously went to Veth, with her mischievous halfling smile and her avoidance of alcohol – but it was the change that went straight to Molly’s gut. Caleb smiled more. He was clean and had grown his hair long. He was as handsome as Molly had suspected, so long ago. However, past Caleb had been too much of a mess to be worth pining after.

This time, Molly was drinking his weight in wine, glancing around the bar looking for someone to take him home and distract him.

It wasn’t just Caleb, of course. It was resurrection – the last thing he’d wanted – and the avalanche of memories that had returned with the reawakening of his body. It was being whisked halfway across the continent by Caleb’s magic to a city shrouded in darkness, the Nein’s new home, brought to a house filled with memories of him and a hot tub named with his initials.

It was realizing the person they remembered wasn’t quite the person he was, and worrying what they would do about that once they figured it out.

Thankfully, before Mollymauk could get too maudlin, a handsome drow entered the tavern. He was a tall man with the muscles of a soldier, distracting Molly away from his existential angst with a coy look. He took his wine and his low spirits and joined the man at his table, and banished all thought of existential despair – and attractive redheads – from his mind for the rest of the evening.

A week later, he was back. He didn’t drink as much, that time – Jester had teased him a bit about having to cure his hangover, and Molly didn’t want to risk the group thinking he hadn’t grown along with them. Another drow caught his eye this time, with an androgynous haircut and elegantly bejeweled ears, and Molly distracted himself quite heartily with them, not stumbling back home to the Xhorhaus until the early hours of the morning.

Caleb was waiting up, sitting out in the front of the house, his profile lit gently by the string of lights from Caduceus’s tree.

“Beau was worried,” Caleb said, his face unreadable.

“I’m fine.” Molly brushed past him and into the house, which was quiet and dark. Soft footfalls signaled that Caleb was following, and a moment later, three globes of light swirled in the air around him, lighting the downstairs interior.

“You keep leaving,” Caleb said stubbornly. “You didn’t even tell us where you were going.”

“I can take care of myself,” Molly told him, not appreciating the reminder that the rest of the team was now double his strength. He quickly climbed the stairs to the “guest room” which had become his own before Caleb could continue his scolding and was unconscious only a few seconds before his head hit the pillow.

The third time, he didn’t have the opportunity to pick up anyone.

“So this is where you go,” said a familiar accented voice as Molly glanced forlornly into his stein of ale. A moment later, Caleb seated himself heavily beside him, his hair gleaming almost too-bright in the candlelight. Molly looked away, catching the eye of the bugbear who was bartending. The bugbear, who had heard a bit too much about Caleb to make Molly completely comfortable, raised his eyebrows and brought Caleb some of the same ale without being asked.

“This is where I go,” Molly said awkwardly as Caleb took a sip of ale.

They drank comfortably in silence for a few moments, giving Molly time to study Caleb out of the corner of his eye. Caleb was comfortable, now, clever and confident and far more alive. He still wore trauma like a second skin, but it was also clear that being with the Nein had started him along the path of slowly healing. Molly wanted to watch him constantly, cataloguing all the ways he was different – and he wished he’d been present to watch the transformation in real time. Instead, he was still the same shitty charlatan, low-level and up to his ears in lies and bullshit memories.

It wasn’t until he’d finished his first ale and started on a second that Caleb turned to speak. “What is wrong, Mollymauk?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t send Caduceus out to fetch me,” Molly said, staring into his stein. “Isn’t that his role in the group? He sorts the rest of you out?”

“We are all capable of sorting the others out,” Caleb said, a hint of a grin at the corner of his mouth. “We just, most of the time, choose not to.”

Molly didn’t want to think about the fact that he’d died and been replaced by a competent cleric who was clutch in battle. He drained his ale to the bottom of his stein and held it up. The bugbear bartender, by now a dear friend, gladly filled it back up and took the proffered coin.

“Are you going to tell me?” Caleb asked. The strangeness of it – Caleb trying to help, Caleb here next to him, dressed in Xhorhasian fine clothing with his hair drawn back into a soft ponytail, Caleb’s body thrumming with power even beneath the surface – struck Molly all at once, and he took in a deep breath for courage.

It would be so easy, to turn around and look Caleb deep in the eyes and be honest. To tell him he was feeling out of place, broken into tiny pieces, empty once more. To flat-out admit that he didn’t know if he was really the person the Nein had remembered for all this time.

Instead, he chose the easy way out, because it was what Mollymauk Tealeaf did. Oh, he put on a good show, putting on a saucy pout and trying to slur his words more than necessary, but he still made a choice not to confront the real elephant in the room.

Instead, he steeled himself and said, “I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.”

He watched the gears turn behind Caleb’s gaze. This was it. Caleb would give him a look of disgust or sadness and leave him to his own pity party. Caleb, whose boundaries were practically an armored bastion, would never let this sort of comment pass.

Caleb was staring at him, mouth agape. He shook himself slightly. “You’ve been…kissing strangers, pretending that they’re me?”

It wasn’t a lie, but the dumbfoundedness seemed a bit over the top. Caleb was stupidly hot. Was it that hard to believe? “It’s been difficult. You don’t really look like a drow.”

Caleb wheezed a bit beside him, and it took Molly a minute to realize he was laughing.

He didn’t even think he’d seen Caleb laugh, before.

“I’m sorry,” Caleb said, waving a hand in his direction. “I’m not laughing at you. I just…yes, I can imagine I do not look like a drow.” He met Molly’s gaze with some intensity, surprising him. “I’m also sorry you have felt the need to…play make-believe.”

Something bitter twisted inside Molly, his expression growing sour. “You don’t have to patronize me,” he muttered, dragging his gaze away. He took one last gulp from his ale and set it down. “I’m sorry you drew the short straw and came to fetch me. I’ll let you finish your drink in peace.” He started towards the door, fully intending to stumble out into the night and go find another tavern to drink in. Maybe he’d go dancing.

A hand caught his around the wrist, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to find Caleb watching him. “I did not draw the short straw,” Caleb said, his voice quiet but intense. “You mean a lot to all of us, Mollymauk. I have been worried about you. I have been through much, but I have never been dead and brought back to a world changed.”

Molly didn’t meet his eyes. “It sucks,” he said.

“I dreamed of you,” Caleb said conversationally. “For months, afterwards. You haunted all of us, but me, especially.” He gently tugged Molly back in to sit on the barstool on his other side, facing him. “I never—I was not in a place, where I could have—but I think I knew.” Despite the incoherence of his words, there was a confidence in his shoulders as he leaned over and pressed his hand to Mollymauk’s heart. It was beating so intensely that Molly was sure that Caleb could feel it through all the layers of clothing. “There was a connection, between us.”

“There was,” Molly said faintly. Gods, how the tables had turned.

Caleb gave him a wry smile. “I spent months thinking how to give back the gift you gave me,” he said. “Now, we have gifted it back ten times over. We have all grown and changed, surpassed the people we were originally and become something more. And you are one of us, as you always have been. You will have your chance to grow into us too.”

Caleb grasped Molly’s face between his own and Molly’s mouth went dry. For a moment, he thought Caleb was going to kiss him, and those blue eyes did stray momentarily to Molly’s mouth as though he was thinking about it. Instead, Caleb leaned over and pressed his lips to the center of Molly’s forehead, a parody of a moment long ago, in a mineshaft in the Marrow Valley with flames all around them.

“You’re one of us,” Caleb said, “And I don’t know the person you’ll become, but I am interested to find out.”

Molly felt his eyes fill with tears, unbidden and unwanted. He quickly blinked them away.

Caleb released his face, leaning back on his stool and studying him. “If you are still looking for people to kiss,” he continued slowly, as though he couldn’t quite believe the words were leaving his mouth, “I do not think you will need to pretend, any longer.”

Mollymauk stared at him, barely able to hear the sounds of the other patrons of the tavern over the hammering of his heartbeat.

He swallowed hard. “Well then, Mr. Caleb,” he said, the old playful nickname tasting almost foreign on his tongue. He leaned forward on the barstool, knocking their knees together and slowly leaning his forehead against Caleb’s to give him time to move away if he chose. Caleb watched him with wide eyes, but didn’t flinch. Instead, he glanced back down at Molly’s mouth, licking his lips.

“Yes, Mr. Mollymauk?” he asked, a bit of a waver in his voice.

“You talk too much,” Mollymauk said right before he kissed him firmly.

Give me a dialogue prompt!

[iwrestlenow]

Many More To Die (Chapter 3)

TITLE: Many More To Die (Chapter 3)

FANDOM: Sanders Sides (Necromancer AU)

SUMMARY: Roman is now king--and not in full control of his actions. Being kept alive by Logan's magic alone, he heads into the dungeons to see the necromancer for the first time in ten years.

Logan, a little out of control himself, uses his magic to bring the Green Man to his cell, not realizing he's compelling the new king of the Kingdoms. He discovers a strange, unknow power is still actively trying to kill him, uses his powers to try and regain some control over the situation...

And discovers something impossible.

SHIPS: Logince (Logan/Roman), future Moceit (Patton/Janus) and Dukexiety (Remus/Virgil)

WARNINGS: lots of death because necromancy, slash, and more to come as I figure it out ‘cause it’s late and I’m tired. CW in this chapter for some disturbing, vaguely graphic imagery involving blood, fluids (nothing sexual, YET), and a stylized version of a panic attack as well as touch starvation. I experience some mild symptoms myself, but I will admit I haven't done much in the way of research for more extreme samples, but this chapter does feature someone that has literally never experienced human contact doing so for the first time. Ergo, their reaction is a little extreme. Just be safe, mindful, and know that I am eager to learn anything that can help me treat issues like this with the respect and accuracy they deserve.

Also, no betas, we die like men.

NOTES: This is based on the gorgeous piece of art by @gretacticdraws that can be found here. I ended up writing a ficlet for it, and then my brain got swallowed up. Breathe at me wrong, and I’ll write more…hell, who am I kidding? I’ll write more anyway because this? Is self indulgent drivel. XD

Also located at AO3 over here.

“Your Majesty! You have to stop!”

Roman remained silent as the guards trailing him called out, relentless as he stalked through the palace halls. Even as the words made him visibly flinch, cutting into him like a knife, he pressed onwards.

Your Majesty.

Because he was the king now. King Thomas Roman II—with his father (his body, he's just a body now) laying in his rooms to prepare for internment.

He could still see Remus's face...

“Remus—I can't--”

“Roman? Roman, look at me.”

“Father is...he's...”

“Dead. Our father is dead, big brother—and this is why the gods invented necromancers. Go.”

He hadn't trusted it, when his first impulse sent him bolting from the guards that dragged him away from his father's body and into the palace, everything in him screaming to find the dungeon, straining towards the necromancer. It probably wasn't his own thought, he still wasn't in control of his own body, lungs full of cool fog, mind thick and clear and so soft, so light. It seemed wrong to feel that way, heavy morning mist and the air above the clouds, atop the mountain, where not a single speck of dust or vapor could impede his vision.

He needed that, Remus to tell him, to hear someone else that wasn't in the Necromata's thrall having the same idea.

Remus pushed him further into the palace. Roman hardly needed the prompting.

“Stand aside.” he instructed as he reached the gate leading down into the dungeons. Two fully armed guards flanked the relatively small door, and neither of them moved at his command.

“With all due respect, Highness--”

“It's--” Roman's throat clogged around the words, unable to let them out despite the fact that his hands still shook from the chill of his father's skin.

“Let him pass.”

Roman glanced over his shoulder, startled by the sight of the man approaching them. He was dressed in a gentleman's bowler hat, and the black and gold cloak of an assassin, its gleaming clasp a perfect compliment to the scales that graced his otherwise handsome features.

“Lord Janus, you know--”

“How dearly I adore being flouted? Yes, of course, nothing makes me happier than having my subordinates disobey a direct order in front of the king.” Janus managed to purr through the sibilance of every word. Distractedly, Roman swore he could hear the crack of ice forming in the wake of the assassin's frigid demeanor.

The word 'king,' however, seemed to do the job. The moment it was spoken, both guards flinched, shared a look, and the one on the left moved to open the gate.

Roman descended the stairs, slowing down for the first time since he'd left the balcony. As a boy, he'd been in the cell nearest to the stairs, and in the dreams it was the same...

He was nearly to the bottom when he saw him.

He was standing in front of the bars, hands wrapped around them...and totally absent. Behind his glasses, the eyes that Roman remembered being glittering chips of ice had been swallowed up by a soft blue light that reminded him of every terrifying story he'd ever heard about the Animator with his sightless eyes, white as bone and crackling with the fury of lightning.

There was no crackle to this glow—more like the sinuous curl of flame at the edges, sweeping back against his temples, barely tinted blue and pale as moonlight.

Stopping dead, he was so consumed by the otherworldly beauty of the image he cut that he almost didn't notice the much younger man beside him—only just reaching the necromancer's shoulder with a mop of brown curls and an expression fraught with worry as he focused entirely on the...

...on Logan.

Roman forced himself to take those last few steps down, drawing the attention of the younger man. When he turned to Roman, he saw that his eyes were blue as well—but dark, vivid as the first crop of wild blueberries at the edges of the village that sat in the valley just beneath the palace.

He squinted into the shadows that blanketed the area around the stairs, the same one Roman had hidden in so long ago—and gasped, choking audibly on his own breath.

“Oh...oh, it's—it's you.”

Taken aback, Roman stilled again. “You...know me?”

“The Green Man—well, sure! Logan's told me all about you! But...what are you doing here, kiddo?”

Taking a deep breath—deep as he could manage with magic still forcing his chest to expand and contract, Roman stepped forward into the light. Almost immediately, the boy's eyes widened.

“...oh, ohhhhh, sweet baby, he didn't tell me you were the...the...”

The boy looked half ready to cry as he realized who he was speaking to, catching Roman just a little off guard with the display of empathy. A sudden, irrational urge to reach through the bars and hug the poor kid gripped him so powerfully it hurt—to hide his face in Roman's chest and protect him, to hide his face in those curls so no one could see Roman's tears in turn.

The boy's overly shining eyes hardened just as abruptly as they filled. Turning away from Roman, he laid a solid hand on Logan's shoulder.

“Logan.”

Roman opened his mouth to ask what was happening, what he was doing to Roman...

Then Logan's hand lifted, fingers unwrapping from around the bars, arm extending, and only then did Roman realize he'd closed the distance and walked straight up to the bars with no memory or awareness of even moving.

Everything in him was well past straining, was now screaming for him to take that offered hand, to plow straight through the bars and into something--

“Go on, kiddo.”

“Patton.”

“It's okay, Janny...it's okay, Your Majesty. He won't hurt you.”

The voices—Lord Janus, the boy, Patton—they sounded like they were coming from the end of a long hall, underwater.

The world was growing so quiet. Early morning dawn, cold mist, thick as soup and light as cotton.

Hold on.

He watched, from the heart of the fog bank, as his hand drifted up to mesh with Logan's—just like the dreams. That hand, those fingers, long and lean and surprisingly powerful...as familiar to him as his own name.

Do not let go.

I never have. I never will.

Roman looked from their joined hands to stare into Logan's face—no longer that of a frightened boy in pain, but lean and angular and marked by his imprisonment. Skin just too pale, cheekbones just too prominent, eyes just too shadowed.

Roman decided, with the last of his free will, that it was the most beautiful face he'd ever seen.

He breathed in, clear and deep, a breath of his own volition.

This time, the world only went dark when he closed his eyes and let go his final breath.

**********

Logan was in agony, and he didn't understand why.

It happened suddenly as the Green Man approached, followed the compulsion he'd been pushing since the moment his power had taken over. Logan had only been able to regain his senses once he'd found it and grabbed on, caught the thread of power buried deep in the Green Man's blood and marrow and replaced it with his own magic.

He'd never done this before, not really—but his magic seemed to know the way, seemed to know that this one, this death, belonged to Logan alone.

There wasn't time to wonder before everything began to burn and scream within him, demanding that he turn and run for safety.

Logan didn't listen. He pushed through it, pushed towards the sound of Patton's voice, towards the Green Man, and leaned forward just in time to draw his last gasp deep into his own lungs.

Immediately, it burned. The power in there was foreign, alien and other, too hot and too bright. It was straining towards its target, terrified of its new prison within Logan's body. He could taste lightning on the back of his tongue, lightning and knives and thick, sweet-savory blood.

...and underneath, honey mead. Fresh grass and sweet roses, sunlight and the clash of swords. Loamy earth and the clean grit of damp stone. The Green Man.

He was in so much pain, he barely felt it as he bit the inside of his own cheek and sucked, replacing the savory-sweet of the alien magic with old pennies and sour larvae. Rolling the flavor of those three across his tongue, Logan breathed through his nose...and opened his mouth.

The blue-white light spilled from his lips and slithered past the Green Man's, returning his final breath to him with a fresh thread of power to combat the one that was trying to leech away his very essence. With an icy knot in his chest to clash against the fire ravaging his nerves, he blinked his vision clear, banishing the last of the spirit-blindness from his eyes and begged the gods for aid.

The Green Man stood, eyes shut, still as the grave—then tensed and came alive, greedily sucking air into his lungs.

Something inside Logan's chest relaxed...but everything, everything still hurt like hell.

Only then, dimly, did it register that the Green Man stood before him in the red, white, and gold of the royal family's military dress.

The Green Man...oh, Shadow's Balls, the Green Man was the king's son.

“Logan? Say something, please Logan...” Patton's voice, thin and vaguely panicked.

“Easy.”

The prince—the new king—gasping and coughing, those green eyes riveted to Logan's face.

“Berry.”

Janus—that was definitely Janus, somewhere beyond Logan's vision, which was starting to narrow. It hurt, it hurt, why did it hurt? He was in pain, he was dying...he was on fire. He was being consumed and crushed--

“Logan, stop pulling.”

Blinking, Logan's vision blurred and cleared. Tears? He was...

Was he weeping? He had to be, he was struggling to breathe.

Looking around, Logan realized Patton was crying (his fault, his fault he knew somehow it was his fault) and, standing beside the new king, Janus had a hand on each of their wrists.

The prince still held Logan's hand. Janus's fingers around Logan's wrist were a barely there buzzing awareness, not even that ghost of pressure because Logan couldn't feel anything beyond the fire consuming him, concentrated...

The prince tried to take his hand back. Logan's fingers convulsed around it.

“Don't let go.”

It took Logan a full minute to realize the broken sounding whine had come from his own throat.

“Logan!”

“Patton, easy. It's fine...Your Majesty, are you all right?”

“I...yes. I am unharmed, I'm...I'm back in control.”

“Back in control?”

“Whatever killed my f—whatever killed the king, it nearly killed me, too. I have reason to believe this man saved my life.”

“This man is Necromata, and he's clearly found a way to use magic on you.”

“Which, I repeat, he used to save my life, and if we're very lucky, may yet be able to use to save F...the rightful king. Logan.”

“Don't let go...please.” Logan's breath was coming in short, shallow gasps now. He was trying to take back his hand and begging to be restrained...

Logan was dying. Logan was electrified.

“Young man—Patton--what's wrong with him?”

“I don't know, Your Majesty...Logan? Can you take a breath for me, kiddo?”

Breath. Breathing. Logan could breathe. He shut his eyes...

...two...three...four...

...hold...

...three...five...six...

Logan drew in a breath.

Held it.

Let it out.

Again.

Logan drew in a breath. At some point, he stopped fighting the grip on his hand, drifted somewhere between the present and elsewhere, the core of his power...

Breath. Berry. Breath, br...other. Berry.

He opened his eyes when it started to hurt again. The Green Man was right there, both of his hands wrapped around Logan's one. He felt boneless, but when he looked to the side, he saw Patton pressed against him, one arm around his waist, the other holding Logan's arm across his shoulders so he could support his weight.

“Hey, kiddo. You back?”

Logan could only nod, turning back to stare at the hands engulfing his. Hesitantly, he tried to plant his feet, take his arm back from Patton, and reached out to touch one of the prince's hands.

His fingertips barely grazed his knuckle, and the pain intensified.

“Lo?”

Logan drew a shaky breath.

“Your Majesty...your hands are callused.”

The Green Man blinked, visibly confused. “I...thank...you?...”

“Your hands...are callused.”

“I don't understand...” The Green Man trailed off, then after a moment his eyes widened.

“Wait. You...”

Logan felt his hands tighten around his. It hurt worse, and somehow it was all that was stopping him from shattering into a million glittering pieces.

“Your hands are callused.” Logan repeated. “I can feel them...I can feel it. Your touch...I can feel it.”

[wlwinry]

6, 7, 16 and 18 love u mwah

love u too marrow

6. Favorite homunculus? Why?

i already did this one on greed but my second favorite is probably father because he’s just such a good villain. he’s so self-serving and yet so much like the elrics and hohenheim with their constant pursuit of knowledge, except his warps into a pursuit of power and he puts himself over millions of lives, going to the point where he tries to use those lives to become god and it’s just such an interesting antagonist? the xerxes arc had me quaking

7. Favorite location in their universe? Why?

going off of the ones we’ve seen i really vibe with rush valley (city girl--i love looking outside and seeing crowded streets and the world rushing by) but also i hate hot weather so im going to be a basic bitch and say id probably chill in eastern. im too lazy to live in a farm town like risembool no matter how pretty it is

16. What’s your favorite episode and why?

i do not remember episode numbers i am sorry but oh man the one where everyone is trying to hold the line against bradley and fu and buccaneer die makes me fuckin sob okay its just so sad but so good

18. What was the biggest thing you took from the series (most important moral)?

already did this one so here’s a joking one: dont turn ur kid into a dog or u’ll be the only one in ur entire series to go to hell. yes even the war criminals

[gorofellatravelblog]

Region 2 : Cagayan Valley

The Captivating “Callao Cave”

Callao Cave is located in the Barangays of Magdalo and Quibal in the municipality of Peñablanca, about 24 km (15 mi) northeast of Tuguegarao City, the capital of Cagayan province.  

The Callao Cave is the leading attraction in the Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape. The Callao Cave is composed of seven chambers which are The Column, Chapel, Skeleton, Elephant’s Head, Praying Angel, Rocket, Lion’s Head and Dog’s Head Formations. The place draws a dramatic picture and each natural narrow above that the streams of light coming from the sun gets into the cave, serving as illumination of the wall through its opening. 

How to get there?

From Manila ride a bus bound to Tuguegarao, from terminals located in Cubao or along Buendia Avenue. The travel time is about 10 to 12 hours and the fare are around Php 600.00 per head. From Tuguegarao City rent a trike for at least Php 400.00 round trip. Or otherwise if you were alone you can take a shared ride at Peñatoda (tricycle station in Tuguegarao Riverside to Callao Caves Resort) approximately the fare would be Php 40.00 per head then, a 2 minutes boat ride to Callao Caves for Php 20.00 per head.

What to do in Callao Cave and nearby places?

Callao Cave is relatively easy to explore or what we called spelunking, it is about 184 steps staircase that lead to the cave entrance, showcasing different kinds of its seven chambers and the conditions inside the cave have caused the formation of stalactites and stalagmites, and many other formations.

You may want to maximize your exploration by experiencing riding a boat for only Php 300.00 a boat to explore the one of the largest tributaries of the Cagayan River, the “Pinacanauan River” the longest, widest and most powerful river in the Philippines. Activities that can do river rafting or boating, kayaking, fishing, and swimming while the mountains are perfect for trekking and mountaineering

Cuisines

Batil Patung is a Tuguegarao original. Batil means mix and patung means top or topping. The noodles in Batil Patung are the flat kind. The topping consists of sautéed beef or, I guess, carabeef, bean sprouts, sliced leeks, julienned carrots, crushed chicharon, meat loaf slices and fried egg. It comes with a cup of egg drop soup meant to be sipped or mixed with the pancit. Chopped red onions, calamansi and chili peppers are also served.

Every place has their own distinctive type of cuisines, and the way they prepare and cook it and the way it represents their own unique place and culture.

Economy

The Cagayan Valley’s major industries are agriculture with rice and corn as main crops, livestock production of cattle, hog, carabaos and poultry, furniture making of rattan and other indigenous materials, fishing especially along the coast of Cagayan, Isabela and Batanes and Magat Dam in Isabela and also exportation of fruits, fruit preserves and vegetables.

Culture

The friendly Ivatans of Batanes, they are considered as “True Insulares,” they can be found greeting their visitors and tourists walking along the streets of the island province. The Ivatan's culture have been largely influenced by the climate of Batanes. Due to the severe climatic disruptions to their agriculture, they have developed some successful strategies to protect their food supply and their way of life.

One of the endemic clothing of the Ivatans is the vakul. A vakul is a headgear designed to protect the wearer from sun and rain. It is made from vuyavuy palm fiber. The ivatan people are given opportunity to showcase their uniqueness in culture, structure of their houses and other traditions.

Author: Ella Mae Ubana

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Region 3: Central Luzon

Where is the best tourist attraction in Central Luzon?

Let’s go to Minalungao National Park!

Minalungao National Park is a protected area of the Philippines located in the municipality of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon. The park covers an area of 2,018 hectares centered along the scenic Peñaranda River bordered on both sides by up to 16-meter high limestone walls in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The park is considered as one of the few remaining natural environments in this region north of Manila. It is promoted by the local government as an ecotourism destination offering breath-taking scenery of green pristine river and unique rock formations. A system of unexplored caverns has also been identified as potential attractions. Facilities for picnics, swimming, fishing, raft riding and cliff diving have likewise been put up to draw more visitors.

How to get there?

             Ride a bus bound to Gapan / Cabanatuan thru ES Terminal at Cubao. Travel time is 2 hours (depending on traffic) for P200 pesos per way. Alight at Gapan Puregold . From Gapan, ride a tricycle going straight to Minalungao National Park. Travel time is 1 hour and 15 minutes. There are so many tricycles in Gapan that could lead you straight to Gapan (there is no standard rate, but the cheapest we got was P600 for 4 pax for 2 way already). The booked tricycle will take you straight to Minalungao and fetch you at a certain time you prefer.

What to do?

             There are plenty activities to do in Minalungao National Park. First, Bamboo Rafting and Swimming, you can rent a bamboo raft and go through the blue-green Peñaranda River surrounded white limestone. Second, Hanging Bridge, thrill-seekers will love to cross in the steel hanging bridge overlooking the narrow natural passage of Minalungao National Park. Third, Hiking or Trekking, from the hanging bridge, you can also hike a thousand steps to a grotto and glass cross. Fourth, Zipline, adventurers can zip line across the river. Fifth, Cliff Diving, and Sixth, Spelunking or Caving, further on a park trail is a cool cave waiting to be explored.

Cuisine

Every province seems to have its own version of longganisa and Nueva Ecija is no exception. For breakfast, be sure to try Cabanatuan garlic longganisa, a very savory variant of the well-loved sausage typically made of ground pork and spices. If you prefer your longganisa on the sweet side, try batotay, a beef-based longganisa coated with a distinctive sweet sauce. You can also pass by the wet market to buy strings of longganisa to take home.

Economy

Central Luzon is a major contributor to the Philippine economy. It accounted for 8.98 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2013. GDP grew by 4.30 percent. Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing sector comprised 16.97 percent of the regional economy and it was 5.37 percent in 2013. Central Luzon contains the largest plain in the country with its agricultural plains accounting for about 40% of the region’s area. It produces most of the country's rice supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Bowl of the Philippines or Rice Granary of the Philippines". Excess rice is delivered and imported to other provinces of the Philippines.  Although rice is the major crop, its vast and fertile plains are highly suitable for growing almost all agricultural crops. It has long coast lines rich with marine fishing grounds in Bataan, Zambales and Aurora. About 45 percent of the region’s area is devoted to forestlands. Gold, silver, chromite, limestone, marble, clay, sand and gravel abound in either Zambales or Bulacan.

Culture

Sinukwan Festival is a weeklong festival that captures the soul of San Fernando City. It is best described as the essence of the Kapampangan Spirit. Sinukwan is a cultural festival, so you would expect that most of the events are steeped in the traditional culture of the natives. A festival of this magnitude in the Philippines is incomplete without the spectacular street dances that bring locals together in a remarkably fluid manner.

Author: Rofe Mae Lugatiman

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Region 4A: CALABARZON

Tagaytay Picnic Grove

Tagaytay Picnic Grove is located in Tagaytay City province of Cavite.  Known as having a panoramic or scenic view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano which claims the title for being the world’s smallest volcano.  A recreational place where tourist can relax in the pavilion picnic huts and feel the cool Tagaytay weather, sight-seeing, picture taking at the view deck, stroll through the eco trail, enjoy horseback riding and ziplining activities.  Tagaytay Picnic Grove is managed by the city government.

 How to get there?

Picnic Grove is located along the Tagaytay-Calamba Road, approximately 10 minutes away from Olivarez Plaza, Emilio Aguinaldo Highway.

1.      Bus: Take a bus ride from Uniwide Coastal Mall in Paranaque. Make your way to the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), also called South West Integrated Provincial Terminal. Board a bus bound for Tagaytay, Mendez (neighboring town), or Nasugbu.

DLTB Terminal at LRT Buendia area (near LRT Gil Puyat Station), Pasay City. Board the bus bound for either Nasugbu or Calatagan. This will be taking South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and Carmona Exit and will pass through Tagaytay.

Fare would be around be Php 87.00. and the travel time is 2-3 hours, (depending on traffic conditions.) Might be much longer during rush hour.

2.      Private Car or Van: From Olivarez Plaza, head south towards the Tagaytay Rotonda and merge into the Tagaytay-Calamba Road. Follow along the stretch of the road. Along the way, Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay, Tagaytay South Ridge Estates and the Development Academy of the Philippines. Picnic Grove is on the right side of the road.

Entrance fee is php 50.00

Parking Fee: P35, cars; P50, vans or jeepneys.

Zipline & Cable Car Rates:

Weekdays: 1-way ride, P200; 2-way ride, P300.

Weekend/Holidays: 1-way ride, P300; 2-way ride, P400.

Hut/Cottage Rental: P100, P150, P300, P500

 Cuisine

Bulalo is a traditional Filipino soup that is prepared by cooking beef shanks and marrow bones until the fat and collagen dissolve into the broth, resulting in a robust flavor of the dish. The soup is a specialty of the Luzon region, where it is traditionally consumed during cold weather, when it is usually served for dinner. It’s main ingredients are Beef, cabbage, chinese cabbage, corn, fish sauce, garlic, onion, potatoes, lemon.

 Economy

The region’s natural resources and its history plays a major role in regional economy. Cavite and Laguna are homes to various historical sites, such as the Rizal Shrine in Calamba City, the tallest Jose Rizal Statue in the World, that is located in Calamba City and the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.

 Culture

The region 4A CALABARZON is rich in history, is also rich in cultural traditions. There historical landmarks, monuments, old churches, and shrines got the region’s landscape.  Laguna is known for embroidery, wood carving, and papier-mâché (locally known as taka). Quezon has harvest festivals and flamboyantly decorated houses. Rizal has artisan villages and art galleries.

Author: Ella Mae Ubana

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Region 4B: MIMAROPA

Where is the best tourist attraction in MIMAROPA?

Let’s go to Palawan Island!

Palawan is the largest island of the province of Palawan in the Philippines and the fifth largest island of the country. Much of the island remains traditional and is considered by some as under-developed. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and some white sandy beaches attract many tourists, as well as international companies looking for development opportunities. As of 2016, the main island of Palawan was rated the "Most Beautiful Island in the World" as voted by respective readers of rival travel publications Conde Nast Traveller and Travel & Leisure. It is the second year running that Palawan has won the Conde Nast Traveller award, as well as the second time in four years that it has occupied Travel & Leisure's top spot (2013). El Nido, located at the northern tip of the island, is also currently rated the "Most Beautiful Beach in the World" by Conde Nast Traveller readers.

How to get there?

1. Flying from Manila to Puerto Princesa

             Most tourists coming to El Nido land on Palawan Island in Puerto Princesa International Airport, through a direct flight from Manila. The two main companies operating daily flights between the two cities are Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.

2. Taking a van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido

             The journey usually continues with a van direct from Puerto Princesa airport up to El Nido bus terminal. Your van transfer will take between 4:30 and 6 hours, depending on the time of the day, and the price for a seat is around P600 to P700.

3. Riding a tricycle to get to El Nido town

             Finally, your van will stop in Corong-Corong bus terminal. This is located just 5 minutes away from El Nido Poblacion (the proper town) with a tricycle. You’ll just have to ask you to one of the drivers to take your hotel or guesthouse. During the day, the normal price is P15 per person, but at night, the rates goes up and the tricycle drivers will ask you P50 minimum.

 Cuisine

Mindoro's rich marine life strongly influences the local industry and cuisine. It is popular for Adobong Pugita, Octopus Adobo. Adobong Pugita is made with mature octopus that is cooked in soy and vinegar sauce.  If cooked perfectly, the dish yields a very flavorful and succulent octopus that is well-matched with steamed rice. It is usually served as a main entree for lunch or dinner or as an accompaniment to beer in the Philippines.  

Economy

The region’s economy relies mostly on agriculture, fishing and ecotourism, making it one of the strongest in the country. MIMAROPA is one of the Philippine’s top producers of rice, banana, coconut, mango, cashew, papaya and cassava, which are included among the country’s top export products. The region is the second top fish producer in the country, and its output makes up almost 14% of the Philippine’s total produce annually from 2002-2004. MIMAROPA also ranks as the second top producer of seaweeds, representing 21% of the country’s total output.

Culture

Palawan is not just an island of beauty and abundant resources but a place with colorful and creative culture. In these festivals, the people of Palawan would usually conduct colorful street parades and wear creative costumes. These street dances are one of the most awaited competitions during festivals. The people of Palawan are given the opportunity to exhibit their unique culture, each municipality’s delicacy, and products and many other things related to the festivity.

Author: Rofe Mae Lugatiman

[withabackpackandcamera]

November 26th, 2019

Day 5: The Big Day on the Trotternish Peninsula 

When our alarms rang this morning, it was pitch black outside. It was probably around 5:30AM or 6:00AM that we got up to get ready for the planned sunrise hike at the Old Man of Storr, a big hill that is part of the Trotternish Ridge with a rock pinnacle called the “Old Man” on it and a location with a beautiful, scenic hike located just a 20 minute drive from our AirBnB. We quickly ate some breakfast in the room and then made our way out onto the dark road. By the time we reached the parking lot for the hike, we were the third car there, with one car having just parked right before us. Bundled up and relatively cozy, we started the dark ascent up the very large hill on our way to the Old Man of Storr. 

The beginning of the ascent was rather steep, a little more so than I thought but nothing too crazy. After walking up the clear-cut dirt-gravel path for a bit and making our way past a couple of gates, we arrived at the tricky part of the hike, where the path became more ambiguous, rocky, and muddy as well. In the slowly lifting darkness, we navigated our way up the rocky, muddy hillside, trying to figure out which path would lead us to the best viewpoint of the area. Eventually, after meandering through the landscape one foot at a time, following close behind a couple who had overtaken us on the hike up, we finally made it to a high-up, open area near the Old Man of Storr pinnacle. And as we arrived to this open area, the heavy fog rolled in.

Cynthia was not excited by my idea of continuing the hike up to give time for the fog to clear out and to give us some time to find a nice vantage point for some views and photos. But after a little bit of pushing, I finally got her to continue the hike up. And hike up we did. We ended up making our way up to a nice little ridge with great views of the Old Man of Storr and the surrounding area. At this point, the fog was still heavy but slowly lifting and moving away with the wind blowing hard and the sun starting to peek out over the horizon. 

I stood around with my camera and tripod and took some shots from several vantage points, trying my best to get the shot I wanted without wasting too much time. Finally, I set up my shot for the big moment. There was a reason why we ended up doing a sunrise hike here at the Old Man of Storr. There was a reason why I kept pushing Cynthia to keep going up the mountain: to get to the best possible views of the area. And the reason: a long-awaited proposal, one that I had spent time planning out and hoping the weather would cooperate with for a couple of months. 

As I set the tripod to capture the views of the beautiful landscape slowly revealing itself from behind the lifting fog, I called Cynthia over for some impromptu timed photos of us and we proceeded to take some photos on an automatic interval timer. After a couple of shots, it happened! After a subpar (in my mind) impromptu speech, with me fumbling my words all over the place, the ring was revealed and she said yes! :DDD We’re engaged! And all the while, the landscape behind us lit up with the sun peeking from behind the fog and clouds, painting a beautifully vibrant and dynamic scene, fit for the beautiful occasion. 

With the epicness of the actual proposal finally over, I breathed out a sigh of relief as we took time to just enjoy the moment, the landscape, and each other (all the while with my camera set to take some photos and timelapses for me). After spending some extra time for photos and chatting, Cynthia finally got unbearably cold, so we slowly made our descent down to the parking lot, stopping every now and then for some camera shots and for some random scrambles up hillsides for more photos of the beautiful area.

The descent down the mountain was quick and relatively painless and before long, we were down by our car once again with skies clearing and the sun climbing high. The plan for the rest of the day was to do a relatively quick drive through the Trotternish Peninsula with whatever daylight was left to begin our engagementmoon. The next stop before actually exploring the peninsula was grabbing some food and fuel for the car. I dropped Cynthia off in downtown Portree to grab some food as I drove off to refuel the car. Once I was back and we talked things over, we ended up grabbing a flatbread, a chicken pesto panini, and a cup of hot chocolate from MacKenzie’s Bakery and The Granary. And with our car refueled and our bellies in the process, we drove off once more, this time for a quick, clockwise tour of the peninsula (a tip given to me by the clerk at the gas station, saying that the clockwise drive of Trotternish is much better than the counterclockwise drive). 

Our first stop on the drive was the little town of Uig. Rather, it was the point in the drive where we had to take a turn off the main road to visit the Fairy Glen, a strange scenic area of many random conical mounds with a landscape that looked like it could house little fairies. There, we got out of the car to take a little hike through the glen and checked out some of the views of the area from the mounds. It was just a quick stop before we moved on to our next stop: The Quiraing, the beautifully surreal area that provided some of the most spectacular landscapes in Scotland. 

To get to the Quiraing, we had to drive across the middle of the peninsula (since we skipped driving out to the very edge of the Trotternish) on a one-lane road. Meaning that with traffic going both ways, you’d have to use the Passing Places, areas of the road that were wider than the normal road where you could turn off to allow other cars to drive by in the opposite direction or to allow cars behind you to pass. All in all, the drive was simple enough and we eventually made it through to the Quiraing. 

And the landscape was… wow. What a crazy scene! I parked the car and Cynthia and I made our way over to the viewpoint right on the edge of a cliff that looked out into the valley and winding road below. It was a view I hadn’t ever experienced before and it was worth the drive for sure! With the crazy landscape came the crazily fierce winds that were blowing in the area and the wind tunnels that resulted in some spots. Unfortunately, because of how windy it was and because of our time constraints, we didn’t stay at the Quiraing for very long before driving off to see our last destination prior to leaving the peninsula. So sad Cynthia and I didn’t have enough time to hike through The Quiraing! I’m sure it would’ve been a spectacular hike! 

The last stop on the Trotternish was Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls Viewpoint. It was a short drive away from the Quiraing. We dropped by briefly to enjoy the views of the sea, the rock formation called Kilt Rock, and the waterfall emptying into the sea before hitting the road back to Portree once more. Of course, on the drive back, we could appreciate the views of Old Man of Storr from the road, which was neat to see given that it was where we had hiked just this morning! You could appreciate just how crazy the area was and how crazy the hike was from the drive by. 

Once we were back in Portree, we quickly drove through town for a quick glimpse of Portree and off we went. At this point, night was falling and we needed to drive about 3.5 hours to our accommodations for the night at the Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa, and Island, the first main part of our engagementmoon. So we skipped whatever other things I had planned for the Isle of Skye and booked it toward our hotel. And it was really far, especially given how tired we were from the day’s explorations and the early morning. On the drive, we were lucky to somewhat appreciate Sligachan Old Bridge and Eilean Donan Castle as we drove by them. But before we knew it, it was once again dark and the drive was full of dark, pitch black views with the occasional headlights shining in the distance. 

We ended up getting to the Isle of Eriska Hotel in a reasonable amount of time, shaving off about 15 to 20 minutes of the drive with careful, slightly higher-than-speed-limit driving. Once we were out of the car, we checked in to our beautiful castle-like hotel and super spacious, cozy suite that was big enough to fit a couple of families! The castle was beautiful. The interiors were so elegant yet so warm and cozy that it was the perfect place to end our proposal day. 

Because I had made reservations for dinner at the hotel restaurant, we quickly moved to get cleaned up and get dressed for our fancy evening dinner. And we made it down to the dining room just in time (after moving dinner back half an hour or so). And it was a beautiful place to have dinner. Other than the two other couples present there, the dining room was relatively empty, which was quite nice, since we felt like we had almost the entire place to ourselves. 

For dinner, we had a three-course meal from a set menu with some options, plus pre-meal canapes and a glass of white wine for each of us. The amuse bouche (aka appetizer) we chose were the Roasted Isle of Mull Scallop (with Parsley Speit Grain and Cured Pork Fat) and Loch Fyne Crab and Brown Shrimps (with Kipper Jelly, Preserved Lemon and Sea Herbs). OH SO DELICIOUS! But that was just the first part. The main dishes were Rump Cap of Black Angus Beef and Veal Sweetbread (with Broccoli, Black Garlic and Bone Marrow) and Poached Monkfish Tail (with Seaweed Potatoes, Leeks and Loch Creran Oyster Sauce). Again, SO DELICIOUS! YUM! And for dessert, we got the Blackcurrant and Creme Fraiche Mousse (with Meringue and Tarragon Ice Cream) and Salted Caramel Delice (with William Pears and Hazelnut Ice Cream). WOW! What an amazing, amazing meal! Definitely the fanciest meal I’ve ever eaten but also totally worth it on this occasion! By the time all was said and done, we were exhausted and so full. We finished everything off with some pieces of sweets/chocolates that they gave us as we were leaving. What a fantastic meal to end the special evening. 

After that amazing two to three hour dinner adventure, we were dead and ready for bed. What an absolutely jam-packed, amazing day. Filled with love, adventure, great views, good food, and now a really, really comfy bed in a large, cozy room. Couldn’t have planned it out any better. Goodnight from the happy, newly engaged couple: Huy and Cynthia :) 

5 Things I Learned Today:

1. Passing Places are areas of the one-laned roads that are made a bit wider to allow cars on one side to move over and allow other cars to pass in one direction or the other. There are signs that say “Passing Place” on the roads. Whenever you or someone has passed, it’s usually proper etiquette to wave a thank you gesture to the people that helped you or that you helped. Sometimes, instead of a hand gesture, you can flash your headlights in the dark or turn on your emergency lights after you’ve passed them to indicate thanks. 

2. The Quiraing’s landscape is reminiscent of the central Icelandic highlands that I’ve never had a chance to actually visit but that I’ve only seen in photos. Crazy highlands with greenery and cliffs in a jagged landscape. 

3. The northern area of the Isle of Skye, specifically in the Staffin area, is a place with a Jurassic history. In the past, dinosaur fossils have been discovered in the coastal rocks of this area. Also, this region was formed from volcanic activity dating back 61 to 55 million years ago, eventually resulting in the landscapes seen in northern Skye today. 

4. 1 pound sterling is equal to 100 pence. I never knew what British money units (besides the pound) actually were until today, hahaha. 

5. Castle-like resorts that you pay a lot for are really, really nice. I could get used to this.

[mohammedahmadwahid]

Why is this NOT classified as terrorism?

The mortality was greater in Hiroshima because the city was located in a flat delta, in contrast to Nagaski’s Urakami Valley. The Nagasaki-Urakami is enclosed by mountain ridges that shielded the city. Nevertheless, the instant lethal effect revealed consideration of the use of these annhilative weapons in warfare can be tolerated by man now that nukes of far greater destructive power are now available.

The real mortality of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan will never be known. The destruction and overwhelming chaos made orderly counting impossible. It is not unlikely that the estimates of killed and wounded in Hiroshima (150,000) and Nagasaki (75,000) are over conservative.

At no time during the period between 1943 and 1946 were facilities allotted, or time provided, for the Medical Section of the Manhattan Engineer District to prepare a comprehensive history of its activities. Regulations forbade note taking. Official records were scanty. There were few charts and photographs.

From their own observations and from testimony of Japanese, members of the survey team divided the morbidity and mortality of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan into the following phases:

1. Very large numbers of person were crushed in their homes and in the buildings in which they were working. Their skeletons could be seen in the debris and ashes for almost 1,500 meters from the center of the blast, particularly in the downwind directions.

2. Large numbers of the population walked for considerable distances after the detonation before they collapsed and died.

3. Large numbers developed vomiting and bloody and watery diarrhea (vomitus and bloody fecees were found on the floor in many of the aid stations), associated with extreme weakness. They died in the first and second weeks after the bombs were dropped.

4. During this same period deaths from internal injuries and from burns were common. Either the heat from the fires or infrared radiation from the detonations caused many burns, particularly on bare skin or under dark clothing.

5. After a lull without peak mortality from any special causes, deaths began to occur from purpura, which was often associated with epilation, anemia, and a yellowish coloration of the skin. The so-called bone marrow syndrome, manifested by a low white blood cell count and almost complete absence of the platelets necessary to prevent bleeding,w as probably at its maximum between the fourth and sixth weeks after the bombs were dropped.

http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/cab/200708230009.html

[madscientistjournal]

Fiction: Terminus Post Quem

An essay by Daniel Benlainey, as provided by Steve Toase Art by Leigh Legler

Daniel Benlainey BA MSc Project Manager Multivallate Archaeology Unit 4 Sunray Farm YK94 1SX D.Benlainey@multivallate.org.uk

Simon Campbell BSc Senior Archaeologist Historic Environment Team Callshire County Council County Hall Ostbarnton YK56 4RF

Dear Simon,

Please find attached the interim site report for the Carrion Knoll Excavation. Hope everything is OK. We’re still waiting on some results from a subcontractor, but I’ll forward them as soon as they arrive.

Yours sincerely

Daniel Benlainey BA MSc

~

Interim site report of Carrion Knoll Archaeological Excavations 2017 September 8th

Due to the position of the Carrion Knoll housing development in an area of known prehistoric and Roman activity, a planning condition for archaeological evaluation was required ahead of any groundworks.

Between August 1st and August 25th, a five-person team carried out the necessary work. Due to the low-lying nature of the site and anaerobic conditions found in certain areas, the quality of organic preservation was good, with several surprising results.

Three trenches, each 20m by 10m were excavated. These were distributed across the development area to give as wide a spread of results as possible.

Historic Background

Carrion Knoll lies in an area of known Neolithic, Iron Age, Roman, and Anglo-Scandinavian activity, though no known archaeological material has previously been recovered from the exact site location. Since approximately 900AD, there is no evidence of activity in the vicinity.

Trench 3

Context Record

[01] Topsoil. A layer (average 0.4m thick) of black hummic sandy clay silt. Very little evidence of recent agricultural activity. This layer covers the whole site, including all of Trench 3. The topsoil was removed by machine, and the spoil scanned by metal detector. Nothing of significance was found. The only finds recovered were eight clay pipe stems of various lengths and one incomplete clay pipe bowl, the incised decoration indicating a date somewhere in the early 19th century.

[02] Subsoil. A brown silty clay with regular inclusions of small rounded pebbles. This layer contained several residual pottery sherds of all periods, including a non-diagnostic fragment of Roman Nene Valley Colour Coated Ware, and five sherds of Iron Age Black Burnished Ware. All were heavily abraded.

[03] was assigned for the underlying natural geology, though this was not reached during the excavation due to the depth of archaeological deposits.

[04] A thick peaty organic layer only identified in Trench 3. This consisted of a firm dark green organic silt with a very high proportion of plant material, vegetation, and charcoal flecks. Occasional small angular limestone inclusions. This deposit covered all excavated archaeological features.

[05] Cut of large pit identified in Trench 3. This large feature had a steep edge with a base sloping to the centre and measured 1.2m deep and 2m in diameter. When excavated, this pit was found to have cut through an earlier deposit [11] and truncated a Samian bowl. Pit [05] contained several fills. [06], [07], [08], and [09] seem to represent rapid backfilling of the pit. [10] is the primary fill.

[10] was the primary fill of pit [05] and was a friable dark grey organic silt with regular inclusions of vegetation. [10] also included several sherds of the Samian bowl identified in section and located in layer [11]. Whereas the ceramic remains in [11] are in very good condition (see below), the fragments recovered from pit fill [10] are not. The ceramic material has several bones accreted to it, which our osteological specialist (see Appendix Four) has identified as the phalanges from the hand of an adult human. In all cases, the bones press through the sherds and are visible on the other side. In places, the distinctive red slip covers the skeletal material. There is no evidence of burning on the bone, and as our ceramic specialist has pointed out (see Appendix Five), a vessel in such condition would not survive firing.

The ceramic sherds are clearly derived from the same vessel as that recovered from context [11] (see below), and date to sometime in the 2nd century AD. However, carbon 14 dating of the skeletal material has given a date of 850AD±25, which is contemporary with other finds from pit [05], including a broken antler comb (see Appendix Seven) and several well-preserved pieces of fabric (Appendix Eight).

[11] was a thick layer of dark grey organic silty clay extending across most of Trench 3, into which the majority of the other features were cut, including pit [12] and graves [15] and [17]. The presence of a considerable number of Romano-British finds, including the Samian bowl truncated by pit [05] and several incomplete Nene Valley Colour Slip Ware vessels gives this a very secure terminus post quem of the 2nd century AD. The Samian vessel is discussed in more detail in Appendix Five, and the contents in Appendix Six.

The high level of organic preservation has led to the recovery of vegetable material, which has survived to such a degree that examination in the field allowed initial species identification, including hyssop, fennel, and wormwood. All were found in bunches tied together with some form of nettle string, and all had been placed in a circular arrangement around the Samian bowl. It must be assumed that when the vessel was truncated, any herbs placed on the western side were lost.

Cut [12] was a pit located in Trench 3, and to the west of pit [05]. In contrast to pit [05], pit [12] was very shallow in depth (150mm), just deep enough to take the contents. The edges were uneven, with several irregular shovel scoops at the base. Pit [12] contained a single fill [13].

[13] was a loose light grey silty sand with few inclusions. The majority of the pit fill was taken up by a single adult human skull (see Appendix Four).

[15] was recognised as a single isolated grave in Trench 3, cut into layer [11], with vertical sides and rounded corners.  This was clearly recognisable as a grave cut in plan, allowing careful excavation to enable the recovery of all human skeletal material.

[16] was the fill of grave [15]. The skeletal remains inside appeared to be of an adult human. The skull and phalanges of the left hand were absent.

Cut [17] was an additional grave identified further in Trench 3. The trench was widened by 2m to allow the full recovery of all skeletal material. The pit was 1m20 deep and contained fill [18].

[18] Very little soil matrix was recovered from fill [18], with most of the volume made up of butchered fragments of bone, including femurs, vertebrae, and ribs. A full discussion can be found in Appendix Four.

~

Appendix Four

Human Skeletal Material

Report by Adrian Anchancy

Several deposits of human skeletal material were recovered from Trench 3 of the Carrion Knoll excavation. Here I will go through them in context order and outline the physical evidence, followed by a discussion of the implication of the results.

[10] In an excavation where a large volume of skeletal material was recovered, the bones found in fill [10] are unique. A group of five phalanges were identified, all of them cemented to sherds of Romano-British Samian pottery. This in itself is not unusual. Post deposition processes, such as iron panning, can lead to the accretion of finds in the ground. However, there are several aspects to the recovered bone that this researcher has not seen before.

The phalanges are not just concreted to the surface of the Samian ware, but actually pass through the pottery. There is no evidence of cracking to the clay or burning to the skeletal material. In at least one example, the characteristic red slip glaze coats the bone.

Having spoken to the ceramic specialist, Diane Bansetten, whose report can be seen in Appendix Five, the presence of such a large intrusion in the body of the vessel during firing would have led to destruction. In addition, exposing human bone to the high temperatures found in a Romano-British kiln would lead to severe discolouration and diagnostic cracking on the bone surface. Therefore, it is the opinion of both myself and my ceramics colleague that the bone must have been introduced post firing. Carbon 14 dating of the skeletal material has given a date of 850AD±25, which is not consistent with the age of the Samian pottery, suggesting it was introduced six to seven centuries later.

There are other issues with the condition of the phalanges. All show evidence of small holes in the outer surface of the bones. At first it was the opinion of this researcher that these were the pathology of some form of disease. On further examination, it was found that each lesion displayed evidence of microscopic tooth marks, consistent with certain types of immature coral larvae. When submitted to x-ray analysis, the tunnels can clearly be seen passing through the bone into the marrow. The sinuous form of the pathways also suggests that this damage was created by the actions of a living organism.

Tree root action was soon discounted, as there is no evidence for that type of activity within the contexts excavated or surrounding area.

[13] The skeletal remains from fill [13] (pit [12]) consisted of a single adult skull. It is not clear if the head was removed from the body pre- or post-mortem. There are several unusual features about the condition of the skull. The eye sockets show damage from a bladed weapon, particularly running from the infraorbital foramen into the supraorbital margin. On the right-hand side socket, there is clear damage to the lacrimal bone, and on the left-hand socket, repeated shallow strikes to inferior orbital fissure, reaching as far back as the sphenoid bone.

The position and nature of the damage allows us to discount any consideration of surgery. The physical evidence suggests that a blade has been repeatedly, and without control, forced into the eye socket. The result of this would be for the soft tissue of the eye to be completely destroyed.

None of the marks have been made to the edges of the eye-sockets, only to the upper and lower bones. The position and angle of the damage allows us to make some more inferences. It is the belief of this researcher that the damage was self inflicted. The size of the cuts suggests the injuries were made with a small eating knife common during the 9th century.

A second unusual feature of the skull is a series of lesions in the styloid process region. This displays similar characteristics as those seen in the phalanges recovered from fill [10], but the lesions are much larger in scale. Here, the shape and form of the damage from gnawing is clearly visible to the naked eye and suggests the damage was created by a living organism.

[16] As noted above, the skeletal remains recovered from the fill of grave [15] were incomplete, lacking a skull, and phalanges from the left hand. When compared to the skull and phalanges recovered elsewhere during the excavation, and discussed above, it is clear they are from the same individual.

The lesions observed in both previous skeletal finds are also evident here. One of the jobs that became essential post excavation was the mapping of the route these lesions took through the body. This was mainly achieved using x-ray analysis, which allowed the tunnels to be recorded. The preliminary results are published below. It became clear that whatever created the voids within the skeletal material also travelled through the soft tissue, and as it progressed through the body, it increased in diameter.

At several points, the creatures entered the spine of the individual, with several of them following a final channel through the C1 and C2 vertebrae into the skull. It is not possible to confidently identify the maximum number of creatures which this individual may have hosted, but a conservative minimum count is 12.

All the ribs, femurs, radius, humerus, and ulna showed considerable damage. Having examined the wear pattern caused by the invading species’ teeth, it is my personal opinion the pain would have been excruciating for the individual concerned. No remains of the creatures were found within the skeletal material, or within the high organic content soils in the surrounding area.

[18] Fill [18] produced a large amount of human bone (205kg by weight). All types of human skeletal remains were represented, including femurs, ribs, vertebrae, skulls, and illium. All bones showed some form of damage from a bladed weapon. The evidence varied from precise butchery marks, particularly around the tendons of the long bones, to frenzied strikes. The cuts are consistent with the injuries seen on the skull in context [13], and it is my belief that the same blade was used.

In total, around 15 individuals were identified using the presence of diagnostic skull elements. Due to the fragmentary nature of the bones, this is a bare minimum, and the count could be much higher.

None of the skeletal remains from [18] show the same pattern of internal damage as the skull, phalanges and skeleton recovered elsewhere in Trench 3.

~

In nearly thirty years as a professional Romano-British ceramic specialist, I have never encountered bone and pottery fused together in such a way.

Appendix Five

Specialist Ceramic Report by Diane Bansetten

The “Carrion Knoll Bowl”

In many ways, the vessel is typical Samian ware displaying the characteristic high-quality burnished red slip. The bowl has a slightly deeper profile than usual (300m diameter x 200mm deep).

The main difference is in the decoration. While the scenes displayed on Samian vessels are hugely varied, depicting everything from hunting to pornography, I can think of no comparative to the designs on the Carrion Knoll Bowl.

The same panel repeats three times. Each shows a group of humanoid figures. I use the term humanoid advisedly. While they display the proportions typical of 2nd century AD figurative art, the humanoids are fringed with what I first took to be some kind of fur. On closer inspection and following consultation with a colleague (J. Sanders pers. comm.), they have more in common with certain types of coral. It appears to represent a series of cylindrical polyps emerging from every inch of the skin. The segmented form is clearly defined and, using a hand lens, the fan of teeth can be seen at the terminus of each strand.

Only the humanoid faces are clear, which are rendered in such extreme and precise agony that this author assumes the potter drew on something he witnessed first-hand.

I must also comment on the residual fragments of the bowl recovered from fill [10]. In nearly thirty years as a professional Romano-British ceramic specialist, I have never encountered bone and pottery fused together in such a way. During the firing process, the presence of an entire finger bone in the vessel wall would cause the bowl to explode. This would suggest that the finger bone has been introduced later. Yet once the bowl has been fired, any attempt to force the finger tip through the wall would cause considerable damage. The presence of the slip on the bone suggests that the pottery has melted somehow and then reset, trapping the fingers in the clay.

Conclusion

Due to the unique and extremely disturbing nature of the decoration, the Carrion Knoll Bowl is unparalleled, certainly in British archaeology. The presence of the herbs surrounding the vessel, as well as the as yet unidentified contents, suggest that it had a very specific ritual purpose.

A smear of the gel-like substance still adhered to the inside of the vessel when it arrived. During the unpacking this slid out and fell onto a pottery sherd from my reference collection. The glaze and decoration of this other fragment dissolved in front of my eyes. There may still be traces within the Carrion Knoll Bowl, and I would highly recommend that any further work is carried out following Hazmat guidelines.

Further work

In addition to regular consolidation and conservation work, I would recommend approaching a marine biologist to establish the identity of the coral deforming the humanoid figures in the decoration.

~

Appendix Six

Organic material recovered from the Carrion Knoll Samian Bowl

The material in the Samian bowl recovered from layer [11] was recognised in the cut of pit [05].

When the overlying archaeological material was excavated, the substance was visually inspected before removal by staff from Danburn Archaeological Conservation Laboratories.

The substance had the appearance and texture of aspic. Transparent and gelatinous, several inclusions were visible:

A fragment of skin and intact fingernail. The whole fingerprint was recognisable. Hopefully when the material is back in the lab, this can be recovered and examined further.

Several flower petals and mushrooms. Neither could be identified from a visual inspection and will require specialist study.

Clustered around the base appeared to be 20+ sinuous, segmented polyps, none more than 10mm long. Without cutting into the substance, it is difficult to determine whether they are organic or mineralised.

[Handwritten note]

(These observations of the Carrion Knoll Bowl’s contents are from visual examination on site. The material was immediately shipped to the Danburn Archaeological Conservation Laboratory for analysis. In the last two weeks, there has been no further communication. At the time of publication, phone calls and emails have gone unanswered. If we have not received a response after the weekend, we will be in touch with emergency services to gain access.)

Daniel Benlainey was born in Fife, Scotland, and got his BA in Archaeology from the University of Sheffield, before completing an MSc in Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bradford. After working the commercial archaeology ‘circuit’ for several years, Daniel has been with Multivallate Archaeology for a decade, starting as a site assistant and working his way up to a project management position. He is especially interested in vitrified forts. When not working he spends his time seeing bands such as Blyth Power, New Model Army, and Flogging Molly, or playing for his local cricket team.

Steve Toase lives in Munich, Germany. His work has appeared in Shimmer, Lackington’s, Aurealis, Not One Of Us, Hinnom Magazine, Cabinet des Feés, and Pantheon Magazine, amongst others. In 2014, “Call Out” (first published in Innsmouth Magazine) was reprinted in The Best Horror Of The Year 6. He first worked on an archaeological site in 1994, and has an MA in Landscape Archaeology. He spent too many years digging big holes looking for old stuff, and once found 1,000 year old human hair. He also likes old motorbikes and vintage cocktails. You can keep up to date with his work via http://www.tinyletter.com/stevetoase, facebook.com/stevetoase1, www.stevetoase.wordpress.com, and @stevetoase.

Leigh’s professional title is “illustrator,” but that’s just a nice word for “monster-maker,” in this case. More information about them can be found at http://leighlegler.carbonmade.com/.

“Terminus Post Quem” is © 2019 Steve Toase Art accompanying story is © 2019 Leigh Legler

Fiction: Terminus Post Quem was originally published on Mad Scientist Journal

[uttu123]

Restaurants and Dishes....

1.Washington Street Eats from Providence, Rhode Island, uses their blog to share their history, new and old flavors at their restaurant, and to even feature their partners. They make it clear they would be nowhere without their customers, and invite them to join the journey and share their own stories in the comments.

Their specific dish

Amato’s, an Italian eatery in New England , announced the opening of latest stores on their blog, with addresses, phone numbers, and links to every restaurants’ take-out menus 2.Megalo’s in Kingston, Ontario, has been quite successful at this type of content. Their most up-to-date post is about why lighting matters in a restaurant, and the way it can add to or detract from its ambience. After telling some stories about how lighting impacted her experience at restaurants and dinner parties, author Carlyn transitions neatly into an outline of the favorable atmosphere at Megalo’s.

Dish Upper Crust Pizzeria, with several locations in Massachusetts, Virginia, and California, uses their blog to feature pizzas of the month, including appetizing pictures and attractive descriptions. of overloading the reader with too much writing, these blog posts urge customers to undertake it for themselves “by the pie or by the slice all month long!”

3.Indian Accent, The Lodhi Hotel, New Delhi Indian Accent features Indian cuisine with extreme thought of gastronomic traditions. Chef Manish Mehrotra is understood for perfection, and his emphasis on every dish renewed and excellence in ingredients. Each word stimulates the natural flavor of each common element. The restaurant; has become a worldwide brand with an outpost in ny City, and perhaps a regular on the World’s; 50 Best and Asia’s; 50 Best lists and is rated as one of the top best Traditional food restaurants in India.

Must try: Tofu Medu Vadai; Baked Paneer, Coriander Pesto, Baby Cucumber Achar, Chutneys; Braised Lamb, Bone Marrow Nihari, Ginger Bud, Baby Turnip. text to speech Total Words: 109

Total Characters:Speak Time 1 min

1.Indian Accent, The Lodhi Hotel, New Delhi Indian Accent features Indian cuisine with extreme thought of gastronomic traditions. Chef Manish Mehrotra is understood for perfection, and his emphasis on every dish renewed and excellence in ingredients. Each word stimulates the natural flavor of each common element. The restaurant; has become a worldwide brand with an outpost in ny City, and perhaps a regular on the World’s; 50 Best and Asia’s; 50 Best lists and is rated as one of the top best Traditional food restaurants in India.

The greatest wagyu beef in the whole globe can be found at the TakaHisa Japanese restaurant, creating an amazing meal. An opulent Japanese fine dining experience is offered by best japanese restaurant dubai . Make your way to the sushi and Kobe beef counter, where the top Master Chefs in the Middle East are offering a unique Omakase menu that will give you the best Japanese culinary masterpiece available.

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Must try: Tofu Medu Vadai; Baked Paneer, Coriander Pesto, Baby Cucumber Achar, Chutneys; Braised Lamb, Bone Marrow Nihari, Ginger Bud, Baby Turnip. 4.Speak Time 1 min

3.Ahdoos Hotel & Restaurant, Srinagar, Kashmir Starting in 1918 as a Bakery, Ahdoos soon became the primary standalone restaurant; in Srinagar, overlooking the river Jhelum. The interiors are beautifully through with wood and stonework to give you a sense of oneness with the valley. One who needs the flavour of Kashmiri food should land on this place. Ahdoos will redefine the meaning of Wazwan in Kashmir as you begin placing your order from their lavish Kashmiri cuisine menu. Don’t; miss out on buying some freshly baked puffs packed from their bakery to savor afterward if you visit.

Must try: Tabak Maaz, Goshtaba, Rista, Yakhni,Kesari Shahi Tukda.

[architectnews]

SBID International Design Awards 2021 News

SBID Design Award 2021, Building Interiors Prize News, Images, Architects

SBID International Design Awards 2021

Society of British and International Design Annual Interior Architecture Prize

13 August 2021

Showcasing the world’s best interior design talent

The SBID Awards 2021 Finalists Revealed

Interior Design

CGI & Visualisation – Charles Luxury Interiors Design LLC – Childs Clothing showroom:

Club & Bar – Kris Lin International Design – Leaves:

Hotel Public Space – HBA – Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4, London:

Office – Beyond Design Architects and Consultants – priceline.com

Public Space – Zaha Hadid Architects – Beijing Daxing International Airport:

Resi Apartment Under – Design Alliance – Wine in the sky:

Resi House Under – Bells + Whistles – Marrow Mirage:

Restaurant – Concept i – Happy Valley Clubhouse Extension:

Show Flats – Serendipper Design – China Jinmao Ji Nan:

SBID International Design Awards 2021 Finalists

London, August 2021 – The SBID International Design Awards finalists for 2021 have been revealed, boasting an impressive shortlist of award-worthy entries across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit-Out. From the design scheme, materials used and products specified through to the final fit-out installation, the SBID Awards champion design standards across the supply chain in the design, procurement and execution of outstanding interiors.

Each entry has been evaluated for its functionality, technical merit, creative delivery and ability to inspire; highlighting the value that expert interior design and specialist craftmanship can bring to businesses, homes and society as a whole – the finest examples of good design considers its ultimate impact on the health, wellbeing and lifestyle of its users and the environment.

The SBID Awards invited the creative A&D community to enter this year’s global awards programme to celebrate the incredible dexterity, creativity and mastery of the interior design profession. Providing a global stage for designers of interiors, the Awards reward the design excellence of interior designers, studios and architects, alongside the fit-out specialists, product designers, manufacturers, artisans and independent makers that bring their visions to life through superior quality, skill and innovation.

Amongst the inspiring contenders for this year, finalists for interior design categories include the likes of esteemed practices; Zaha Hadid Architects, Hirsch Bedner Associates and Hill House Interiors. With notable projects for international brands including; Harrods, the Hilton, Marriott Hotels, Coty, Bumble, and more. Across product design, the shortlisted entries exhibit some of the latest interior solutions from Fisher & Paykel, Cosentino, BORA, and Graham & Brown. The SBID Awards 2021 is set to feature remarkable creative talent, ground-breaking interior designs and pioneering products on its inclusive and globally respected stage.

The GOLD-standard Awards programme (as accredited by the Independent Awards Standards Council) has amassed over 3,000 entries from 85 countries worldwide, with this year receiving entries from the UK, UAE, Germany and Australia, to Taiwan, Switzerland, Vietnam and South Africa. As a result, the SBID Awards has become a truly international platform for showcasing the world’s best professional design talent, with finalists in each category encompassing the scope and diversity of the design industry, spanning the commercial and residential sectors.

In addition to enhanced credibility and invaluable recognition, the Awards’ represent a unique opportunity to put designs in front of some of the biggest names and industry-leading experts across the profession. Featuring on this year’s impressive international jury, Stella Gittins, co-founder & group director of Accouter Group of Companies said: “The SBID Awards is an opportunity for the industry’s creative community to stage their courageous minds…exploring beautiful, useful and respectful ideas which are so seemingly simple, yet intricate as a process. I am proud to represent the iconic SBID as a judge and play a part in honouring great designers with these prestigious accolades.”

To complete the final stage of the judging process, the public are invited to vote for their favourite projects at www.sbidawards.com. Accounting for 30% of the results, the ultimate end-users of design have the final say in which projects or products receive a prestigious SBID Award. The public voting will close on Friday 10th September at 5pm (BST).

Offering inventive event experiences equipped with premium networking opportunities, the annual Awards culminates with a captivating ceremony in London’s latest luxury lifestyle destination, Nobu Hotel Portman Square on Friday 22nd October 2021; where the winning entries will be awarded with a bespoke crystal trophy designed exclusively by Sans Souci Glass Deco. Explore the category finalists and cast your votes!

Fit Out – SBID International Design Awards

Fit Out Project – Claremont Group Interiors – Eastlight Community Homes:

Fit Out Resi – Link Life – Santacove Art Yard (Type A):

Fit Out Workplace – Modus Workspace – Modus 30 years of excellence:

SBID International Design Awards

The SBID International Design Awards attracts entries from over 85 countries worldwide, serving to recognise, reward and celebrate design excellence across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit-Out. Showcasing the world’s best design talent on its globally respected stage each year, the SBID Awards champions and challenges design standards – a parallel it shares its exceptional entrants. Winning a SBID International Design Award signifies outstanding industry achievement, with recognition that is second to none for the deserving winners. www.sbidawards.com

SBID (Society of British and International Interior Design)

A leading British accrediting body for the professional interior design industry across the UK and internationally. From the commercial to the residential sectors, SBID champions competence and best practice at all levels, continuing to guide and measure the profession through its quality-assessed framework for Interior Design Accreditation and ongoing industry training. SBID Accreditation demonstrates professionalism and helps the public identify qualified interior designers; distinguishing trained interior design professionals against interior decorators, stylists and untrained hobbyists. For over a decade SBID has represented, promoted and protected the interests of practicing interior designers in industry, government and trade, creating a widely recognised benchmark for professional standards to develop future growth. www.sbid.org

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[civilwar-soldiers-history]

- Albert Seymour Brownson; Co G, 12th Indiana Infantry & Co D, 5th Indiana Cavalry 📯⚔️ 🇺🇸 - Albert Brownson was born in 1841 to Eliza Ann Case & Amos Brownson in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was the 3rd born of 5 boys. Albert’s family history had several pioneers and patriots. His GGf Amos Bronson was a veteran of the French & Indian War and The Revolutionary War. He and Joshua Chamberlain (no, not the Col) were also the first to settle farms at Richmond Flats (Richmond), VT in 1775 and was a member of the VT State Constitutional Convention 1791 & 1793. Albert worked on his father’s vast extent of land (several hundred acres) where he became an avid hunter. Kalamazoo was originally known as Bronson, named after its founder Titus Bronson (a relative of Albert’s). - Albert did not enlist in his native state. He actually enlisted in Ft Wayne, Allen Co, IN. The reason for this is unknown; possibly due to his schooling. Whatever the location reason, Albert joined Co G, 12th Indiana Infantry as a Sgt on May 15, 1861 at age 20. He fought in the Advance on Winchester (Skirmish at Stephenson's Station), Ops in the Shenandoah Valley, Recon to Rappahannock River, and skirmish at Rappahannock Crossing. Albert was mustered out on May 19, 1862 due to expiration of service. He wasn’t out of the war for long though. He reenlisted 3 months later with Co D, 5th Indiana Cavalry. He again was made Sgt. He fought in the Exp to the Cumberland River, Celina, Marrow Bone Creek, Edmonton, Kettle Creek, Pursuit of Morgan (Buffington Island), Burnside's Campaign in East TN, Rheatown, Kingsport, Bristol, Zollicoffer, Jonesborough, Hall's Ford, Watauga River, Carter's Depot, Blountsville, Blue Springs, Henderson's Mill, Rheatown, Bristol, Warm Springs, Knoxville Campaign (Siege of Knoxville (Log Mtn, Walker's Ford, Clinch River), Bean's Station, Blain's Cross Roads, Clinch River), Morristown Rd, Kimbrough's Mills, Ops about Dandridge, & Fair Garden. Albert Brownson died on Aug 19, 1864 in hospital at Chattanooga but exactly how he died or when/why he sent to the hospitals there is unknown. What is known is that he is buried at Chattanooga Nat’l Cemetery in plot #1946. He never married. (at Kalamazoo, Michigan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCHXNzQBbeH/?igshid=1h0y9hl43vwbw

[juniperpublisher-ph]

Safe Sojourns to High Altitudes: The Risks of Annual Religious Pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir, India- Clinical Diagnostics and Treatment -Juniper Publishers

Juniper Publishers- Juniper Online Journal of Public Health

Introduction

The increased prevalence of high altitude sickness such as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) are related to the increasing popularity of mountain climbing as an adventure sport; and the increasing ease, and decreasing cost of travel to popular climbing tourist destinations. This precludes the usual preparations and adaptations of experienced climbers embarking on extreme ascents. Today, with the exception of these extreme climbing projects, climbers can climb mountains as a weekend activity. However, even moderate ascents can lead to the illness syndromes that are discussed here. Thus, there is an expected increase in high altitude sicknesses presented to mountain guides, first responders, and emergency department physicians located in mountainous areas.

The experienced climbers anticipating a long ascent plans the climb, gets into shape, and climbs on an acclimatization schedule lasting weeks to months. These are not weekend climbers who anticipate climbing to extreme altitudes. The experienced adventurers rarely suffer high altitude sickness; and, always at the extremes of the planned; but, even weekend climbers can climb to altitudes sufficient to cause illness when unprepared. So, those afflicted with high altitude sickness are much more likely to be inexperienced recreational climbers who have allocated less time to acclimate to the environment such as the dramatic change in altitude (Figure 1).

From a public health standpoint, prevention is an essentialactivity through an aggressive public information programincluding pre-climb briefings, and almost certainly inexperiencedclimbers should be required to climb with an experienced guidewho knows how to identify the signs of sickness, knowledge oftreatment, equipped to treat the illness; and, the authority toorder an immediate descent of the climbing group. Like manyenvironmental conditions; prevention, treatment, and survivaldepend largely on intelligent decisions by people affected bothindividually and as a group. Preparation planning is critical asis planning an exit strategy from the hazardous environment. Insome extremes of altitude and terrain, available rescue is almostimpossible especially at extreme high altitudes beyond the safereach of rescue helicopters. And, the time it would take for aclimbing rescue team to reach the scene could arrive too late fora successful outcome (Figure 2).

As adaptation and clinical symptoms and treatment of HighAltitude Diseases are discussed, it is important to note that noone need die if appropriate precautions are taken. Extremeclimbers in the “Death Zone” of Mt. Everest may die because noone can help them down and their often irrational commitmentto summit creates a psychological conflict between the climb ordescend decisions quickly while the afflicted climber can stillwalk. Also at work is the neurological dysfunction that can  impairjudgment and decision making at a critical time. Sometimes, thechoice is to force the climber down or write them off as on theirown; and, likely a lost soul on the mountain. There are dozensof frozen bodies on Mt. Everest and other extreme mountains asevidence to this effect.

The Pathophysiology of High Altitude Sickness

According to the barometric formula, air pressureexponentially decreases at increasing altitudes; a phenomenon,which causes high altitude sickness [1]. It occurs as an acute orchronic condition depending on the time and speed of exposureto high altitude. If an acute condition prevails, symptoms canworsen to both a high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) [2] anda high altitude cerebral edema (HACE) [3]. Both complicationsare rare; but, life-threatening. Though these disease conditionsare well described, clinically, their partially overlappingpathomechanisms need to be differentiated [4] (Figure 3).

When ascending to high altitudes, the oxygen partialpressure in the lungs is reduced, whereas the carbon dioxidepartial pressure remains constant. Therefore, hemoglobinis less saturated with oxygen, thus leading to generalizedhypoxia. In this situation, pulmonary arteries constrictresulting in hypertension and fluid imbalances. These effectson hemodynamic caused by a hypoxic environment turn outto be pathognomonic in susceptive individuals. Consequently,all compensatory measures of metabolism aim at increasingthe oxygen concentration in the blood. On the one hand, theendocrine system triggers erythropoietin (EPO) excretion fromthe kidney as response to lower oxygenation. EPO stimulates theproduction of erythrocytes in the bone marrow. This hormonesignal seems to be potentiated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1(HIF-1), which takes part in intrinsic formation of nitric oxide, asecond messenger that promotes vasodilation [5].

As hemoglobin biosynthesis is also accelerated, morepotential oxygen binding sites are made available, as indicatedby elevated hematocrite levels and other standard red bloodcell count (RBC) parameters. However, this compensatoryerythrocytosis is known to be reversible. It corresponds withhigher intestinal iron absorption and reticulocytosis [6] but;the expansion of red blood cell volume requires the heart topump at higher rates and making potentially dangerous clotformation more likely. Besides increasing the binding capacity,hyperventilation occurs to increase oxygen absorption in thelungs. However; by this reflex, only carbon dioxide is breathedout more rapidly progressing to respiratory alkalosis [7]. Sinceas a result less carbon dioxide can be converted into carbonicacid, the volatile bicarbonate buffering system in the blood is outof its equilibrium. Due to a reduced concentration of bicarbonateand hydrogen ions buffering capacity is lost, and the arterialblood pH turns alkaline (>7∙38).

Temporarily, this pH shift can be metabolicallycounterbalanced to retain bicarbonates both by renal excretionand decelerating the urea cycle in the liver. Usually, acidbaseimbalances compensated by the kidneys take effect laterthan hepatic mechanisms. The alkaline blood pH lowers thehemoglobin affinity to oxygen, as indicated by a right shift ofthe equilibrium curve with an increased P50. Simultaneously, glycolysis in red blood cells is activated producing more ofthe intermediate 2, 3-disphosphoglycerate (2, 3-DPG), anallosteric regulator of hemoglobin [8]. 2, 3-DPG binds to itspartially deoxygenated state (T conformation), which facilitatesthe release of already bound oxygen molecules. By keepinghemoglobin in a conformation, which is more likely to unloadoxygen, 2, 3-DPG mediates sufficient supply of hypoxic tissuesas long as this is required. Therefore, this allosteric mechanismcontributes to the gradual acclimatization to high altitudes,which proves to be an evolutionary benefit in animals adaptedto such an extreme habitat [9].

It is critical that emergency medical workers located in theshadows of high ascent areas of the world be constantly trainedin the recognition and response to high altitude sickness.An intensive Orientation Course in High Altitude MedicalEmergencies was started for Medical Officers at RIHFW (Figure1). Active Amarnath Ji Yatra Management by Directorate ofHealth Services Kashmir, India led to drastic reductions inpilgrim deaths this year (Figure 4).

In year 2014 Total piligrims visited the holy shrine are:4,53,000 Number of deaths: 48

In year 2015 Total piligrims visited the holy shrine are:3,67,000 Number of deaths : 43

In year 2016 Total piligrims visited the holy shrine are:2,16,000 Number of deaths : 16

Programs of this kind can continue to reduce deaths amonginexperienced tourists and pilgrims seeking a high altitudeascent regardless of purpose [10]. Of course, it is also criticalthat climber’s guides and climbing club managers also exerciseauthority over those who insist on climbing often withoutadequate preparation, skills, or supervision. Of course, thisauthority may be codified and enforced by local governmentregulation and licensing of guides and formal legal approval ofall climbing group expeditions ensuring that all standards andsafeguards have been met (Figure 5).

Travel Safe to High Altitudes

Introduction to Safe Travel

Every year millions of people travel to high altitude forrecreation, religious purposes and for work. Those travellingto altitudes 5500m/18,000 feet, twenty percent of them sufferfrom acute mountain sickness (AMS). This number goes to fiftypercent above 18,000 ft. Most cases of AMS are mild and selflimitingbut some cases become life threatening. Once travellingor planning to travel to high altitude (above 5500M/18,000 feet)knowledge plays an important role in the prevention of AMS. Highaltitude area (HAA) is divided into High altitude, Intermediatealtitude, very high altitude and extreme high altitude dependingon height as explained below (Table 1).

Many religious high altitude travels are being taken bypilgrims all over the globe and one such travel taken every yearin the northern state of India is Jammu and Kashmir is AmarnathJi Yatra where millions of people climb to the holy cave. Everyyear hundreds of deaths of pilgrims occur because of the lack ofknowledge about the risks of travel to high altitudes. In order toreduce the mortality and morbidity new initiatives were takenby the Government of India by the Ministry of Health and FamilyWelfare under the guidance of the Supreme Court (Highest Courtin India) framed guidelines to make the trip of pilgrims safer. Ateam of health professionals which included Chest Specialists,Orthopaedicians, and Public Health Experts visited the valley of Kashmir to train doctors who are to be on duty on the trackof Amarnath Ji Yatra leading to holy cave. A total of 57 MedicalDoctors in batches of three were trained at the training andresearch center for doctors at Regional Institute of Health andFamily Welfare, Dhobiwan, District Baramulla, the Institutewhich is en route to the health resort of the world known asGulmarg. The main objective of the training was managementof high altitude illnesses which include AMS (Acute mountainsickness), HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), and HACE(High Altitude Cerebral Edema) (Figure 6).

Conclusion

The world’s breath taking sites exist at high altitudes andwhether one plans an expedition or a religious trip, altitude illnessmust be a factor while planning the trip. This commentary is anintroduction to recognize and respond to high altitude illness.Most of HAI (High Altitude Illness) is mild and self-limiting sobe prepared for discomfort, and be prepared to recognize signsof serious illness. In the year (2012), the total number of deathsrecorded were 120 related to high altitude sickness while as thisyear 2013, the total number of death were 12 [10], and there hasbeen definitely the impact of good training, good infrastructureprovided, and proper planning done by K- RICH (KashmirInnovation Committee for Health Care).

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