#Gama land

[onlineviolence]

this is the best image in the entire world. i love everything about it. I love it so much I drew a precursor to it because I feel like it’s only something gamaliel would say if Drunk

thank you person who made it my mood instantly 4xploded (in good way)

angel big horns just landed in violence layer baby

#THE MONEY BEING POINTS #THE gama 💜 #Gabriel and his silly phone returns #angel big horns just landed in violence layer baby #this confirms p-3 is Gamaliel prime thanks for listening #fav #gamaliel #yuriel #drawing box #not my art #woofs art #(bottom doodle #jailbirds #GABV1EL DIVORCE FOR JAILBIRDS WIN

[jpopstreaming]

🆕 「 In The Land Of Gama」 by Gama Available for streaming worldwide!🌐 Added to our weekly playlist 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3lgjH73

#Gama #In The Land Of Gama #Japanese music #J-music #Jmusic #J-pop #Jpop #Spotify

[darkskippychan]

Temp Work and the Dangers of GMO

By DarkSkippychan

Hello fans of my darkness.  I wrote this story for a fan of mine who decided to share herself with me when I was feeling down as a token of appreciation.  I hope you are able to afford to go back to university soon and things work out better for you.  This story contains Non Con, Sommnophilia/drugging, F/Monster, Tentacles, Forced Orgasms, and Impregnation.  Please do not read this story if any of these things may be triggering for you.  You have been warned.

Marin Biotech (the 3rd largest biotech firm in the world) had just opened its newest research campus two months ago in her local suburban town.  The new work campus provided the nearby community with an influx of much needed capital as well as fueling a new boom in housing, local shops, and (of course) jobs.  Their sprawling 43-acre campus was home to many lab facilities, greenhouses, and office buildings all catering to the global companies’ many research projects.

She had been lucky enough to land an afterhours temp job entering data from several of the many research groups and labs.  Her normal shift ran from 6pm to 2am, so she seldom saw other employees of the company. 

Some people would have found the work conditions lonely, but she actually enjoyed the solitude and freedom to work at her own pace.  Not to mention she got full access to the company’s well stocked employee lounge and was pretty much left alone to do her job with little to no supervision as long as she was completing her assigned tasks.

After parking her car in the near empty concrete employee parking garage, she hurried quickly to the main facilities building, her breath fogging out in front of her from the winter cold.  Fortunately, snow hadn’t started falling yet, but it always felt right around the corner.

The building was quiet, and she didn’t see another soul as she used her employee pass to enter the building.  She crossed the lobby and took the elevator down to basement floor 1 where the buildings main labs and her computer terminal awaited her.

Upon reaching her workstation, she quickly removed her coat, scarf, and gloves before the heat of the heavily climate-controlled basement overwhelmed her.  The company always kept it a bit warm down in the lab levels, and she wasn’t sure why.  She had learned to drink generous amounts of coffee to offset the urge to doze or sleep while she worked in the comfortable warmth.

The hard copy file ‘In box’ on her desk had several inch thick manila files of printed paper data for her to enter, but she noticed that her workload was about half of its usual size.  Thinking it over, she figured some of the researchers had decided to get a head start on the three-day weekend with Monday being a company holiday.

She settled down and woke her computer from sleep mode, as she fell into a rhythm and began to get down to work entering all the collected data.

Lab 3 (of 8) of Marin Biotech main research building was currently devoted to the development of new Genetically Modified Organisms (or GMO for short) mixing plant and animal DNA to create new fast growing and disease resistant strains of plants and animals.

The work was slow and tedious and led to hundreds if not thousands of non-viable products.  More recently work had begun to create mutations of promising strains by bombarding them with different forms of hard Alpha, Beta, and Gama radiation, hoping to create organisms with a more favorable outcome.

Among the newest batch in the lab was genetic specimen Beta-317.  The Beta series were all different Amazonian Jungle species (picked for their high growth rates and competitive nature) mixed with different ocean animals to try to cultivate their unique properties.  Beta-317 or B317 was specifically Cissus Amazonica also known as the Amazon Jungle Vine propagated and enhanced with spliced genes of the Enteroctopus dofleini or Giant Pacific Octopus for its RNA editing abilities and regeneration properties.

Work in Lab 3 had ended early in the day as the staff left early for their vaunted three-day weekend.  Multi spectrum bulbs illuminated the far quarter of the lab where the Beta specimens were constantly exposed to full spectrum light as to encourage their rapid growth.  Each GMO hybrid had also been placed in a nutrient rich water bath to provide each with the proper nutrients to sustain rapid growth.

Unseen by human eyes, experiment B317 quivered under the constant UV assault, before unfurling several of its thin appendages in its nutrient bath.  Roots quested out and dipped into its neighbors fluid baths, draining the fluids and growing in size and length from the additional nutrition. 

One appendage discovered the edge of the pool of light and B317 quivered as it began to pull itself out of the damaging brightness still growing from all the rich nutrients it had just absorbed from its neighbors.

A couple of hours had passed in the blink of an eye while she worked when she suddenly let out a big yawn.  Stretching, she decided it was time to take a break and get some coffee to help her finish her work shift.

The employee lounge was just down the hall from her workstation, the ecofriendly lights automatically turning on as she entered.  She picked up a cup and placed it in the coffee machine, then frowned as nothing happened after she hit the dispense button.  Looking at the illuminated control panel she saw the machine was displaying an error code.

She sighed loudly and instead selected some Lavender tea from the tea display beside the coffee machine.  A little hot water, milk, and honey later and her second drink of choice was ready.

As she headed back to her workstation, sipping her tea, she didn’t notice the quivering greenish form of B317 clinging to the ceiling down the hall behind her.

B317 had moved through the empty building hallways virtually silently despite its growing size, but not finding anything of interest until it had spotted the woman’s movement as she left the employee lounge.

Attracted to her heat and scent, it slowly began to follow her down the hall moving silently along the ceiling, vine-like tentacles spreading it’s weight evenly as it moved.

She sat down and began working again, taking a sip from her tea now and then.  After a while she suppressed another yawn just as she finished up her current folder.  She stretched again and leaned back in her chair deciding to close her eyes to rest for just a moment.  After all, she thought, her workload was light, and a little nap couldn’t hurt.

B317 found its prey not moving as it slipped past the door frame and into the room.  The only sound in the room was the gentle rhythmic breathing from the woman reclined in the chair, and the quiet hum of the lights and office equipment around the room.

Slowly it moved along the wall and down onto the office floor.  Moving carefully, it cautiously reached out several tentacle vines towards the sleeping woman.  Delicately they brushed across her warm skin, savoring the heat from her body, before stopping as she murmured in her sleep.  As she settled back down, they continued to move along her body exploring.

B317 was confused by the cooler non-living clothing around the body of the young woman, but it began to become more excited by the closeness of her warmth and scent.  More of its appendages began to move to the body of the woman, wrapping around her very gently as not to wake her.

As B317’s vine tentacles began to move up her body to explore the woman’s face she suddenly shifted and began to blink awake, unconsciously knowing something was wrong.

‘Whaaaa..’ she began, her brain still foggy and dazed from her short nap.

B317 struck out of instinct, jabbing a needle like barb into her neck and injecting her with a potent venom.  The woman cried out and her body tensed at the sudden prick of pain.  Her eyes shot open, then almost just as suddenly her eyes rolled back into her head, and her body went limp as the creature’s venom coursed through her system.

The newly born mutant vibrated in pleasure as its prey surrendered to its toxin.  Hungrily it began to tear through the young woman’s clothing, vine tentacles desperate to expose more of her soft warm flesh.

The woman moaned weakly as the mutant creature stripped her body roughly and she involuntarily shivered at her body’s sudden exposure.  Questing tentacles began to explore every inch of her body, causing her body to react of its own accord.

Her nipples began to harden as her body was roughly explored and goose flesh rose as it attempted to fend off the sudden change in temperature.  The creature lifted her whole body up off the chair, easily holding her weight aloft.  Her head fell back, causing her mouth to open, which B117 took as an invitation to explore.  One thick tentacle vine pushed into her mouth, and began to slide down her throat, enjoying her mouth’s warm wetness. 

Her heart began to beat faster, her body aware of the danger, even if she herself was not.  Warmth flowed over her as her body flushed and reacted to the creature’s touch.  Moistness gathered as her juices begain to drip from between her legs.

The creature’s body quivered, and a bulge began to form along its body before bursting forth into a new appendage from its central mass.  More of the mutant’s vine tentacles wrapped around the woman’s legs, spreading them wide while it held her in the air before it.

The new appendage moved towards her exposed womanhood drawn there by her musky scent and dripping juices.  It slowly began to rub along her slit, collecting her juices along its length and head before nuzzling against the opening of her sex.

A soft moan escaped her lips around the vine tentacle in her mouth that quickly grew to a cry as the creature suddenly forced itself inside her.  Her cries just as suddenly turning into soft whimpers as the large appendage slid deeper and deeper inside her, stopping only once reaching the opening to her womb.

Suddenly the creature began to roughly pound its length in and out of her, causing the woman to involuntarily orgasm after just a few thrust of its large phallus like vine tentacle. 

B117 greedily absorbed her juicy discharge and the rich nutrients it carried, not stopping for one moment to let the woman rest as it continued to forcefully fuck her.  The head of the appendage struck the entrance of her womb like an ancient battering ram trying to forcibly enter a besieged castle.

The woman’s whole-body shook, and her breast bounced with each hard thrust into her limp unresisting body.  Orgasm after orgasm ripped through her as the creature continued to have its way with her and absorb her rich juices.

Finally, after several minutes of attempting to force its way inside her, the creature was able to modify its breeding appendage.  The tip forming petals that it used to pry and force her cervix open, thus allowing its head to slip deep inside her womb and nestle inside her.

Her stomach began to bulge as it worked more and more of itself inside her, stretching her out birth canal out.  She moaned in unconscious protest as the mutant filled her body fuller and more completely than ever before.

B117 pulled the young woman close to it as it felt something deep inside itself grow, then detach, and begin to work itself along the length of its body and down into the appendage connecting them.

Slowly bit by bit, it contracted and moved the hard lump along its length.  Reaching the connection between them, the creature was stymied by the tightness of the woman’s body wrapped around its breeding tentacle vine.

Slowly it began to push, harder and harder, increasing the pressure until finally with a loud moan from the woman, her vaginal passage stretched out far enough to allow the hard mass to pass.  Using more and more pressure now, the creature continued to push the hard lump of its seed deep inside her.

Centimeter by centimeter the seed moved up her birth canal to be stopped once more as it reached the much smaller opening of her cervix.  Twisting and pushing, B117 thrashed the tip of its tentacle inside her womb, causing her to orgasm once more.   The sudden tensing and relaxing of her body with each pulse finally allowing the seed to continue millimeter by millimeter up inside her until finally it plopped into the warmth and wetness of her womb.

The woman’s whole body suddenly relaxed as the mutant finished implanting its seed inside her.  Sweat dripped from her limp body to be collected greedily by the vine tentacles enveloping her as they sucked at her skin.

Content for now, the creature labeled B117 began to move out of the room, holding its prize in a cocoon of vine tentacles above it.

The woman rose to conscious slowly, her mind still slow and foggy from the mutant venom the plant hybrid had injected her with.  Her whole body felt sore, and every muscle abused as if she had run several marathons or had climbed a couple of tall mountains.

She could feel the cool air of the room on her naked skin and her throat felt raw and dry.  Her eyes moved around the room, not recognizing where she was.

A very bright group of lights was over a table in one corner of the room.  All around her was a green vine type plant mass, covering what she could only assume were tables, chairs, and office equipment.  The plant covered the walls, and even parts of the ceiling, and seemed to pulse almost as if it were breathing.

As she looked around, a vine began to move towards her mouth.  She tried to turn her head, or to pull back, but she found she didn’t have the strength to even do that much.

As the tip of the vine tentacle opened her mouth and slid inside, it suddenly pulsed and began to disgorge a warm, thick, starchy tasting liquid into her mouth.  Disgusted the woman had no choice but to swallow the liquid or risk drowning in it.  After a minute or so the vine tentacle stopped and slid back and out of her mouth.

Even as she was disgusted by what had just happened, the woman was surprised to find that she felt better and a little stronger.  But before she could even begin to adapt to her situation, she felt something twitch inside her lower belly.

She looked down and her eyes went wide as she saw that her belly had grown and was now stretched out as if she were six months pregnant.  Her eyes darted around wildly, looking for something to help steady her mind with.

She saw a clock on the wall displaying the time and date.  Only a few hours had passed since she went to the lounge for her tea.  It seemed incomprehensible to her.

How could all this have happened in only a couple of hours?

Suddenly she felt a large movement inside her growing belly.  She managed to flop from her side onto her back as the first contraction hit her.  She cried out loudly and moaned as she felt something moving, fighting its way out of her.

‘Oh god… noOOOOOOOO!’ her hands each wrapping around a vine and squeezing hard as her legs spasmed.  The vines felt almost like a kind hard rubber with very little give in them as she panted and struggled with the new life growing inside her trying to be born.

Sweat covered her entire body as she panted and felt the organism inside her moving towards its birth and freedom.  She cried out again as another contraction helped to move it along.  Two small vine tentacles burst from the slit of her red swollen sex and began to wrap themselves around her thighs, giving the creature additional purchase to pull itself out of its mother.

She came then, hard and long despite everything, the pain and pleasure signals mixed up and scrambled in her brain.  The hard rubbery body of the birthing creature pushing hard against her G spot as it pulled itself out of her, raping her from the inside out.

With a final push she collapsed back against the labs floor, totally spent.  Her eyes fluttered as she fought to stay conscious despite the struggle of birthing the creature and her ordeal. 

The newborn creature began to slide up its mother’s body, two vine tentacles questing for the milk already dripping from her nipples.  Attaching themselves to her hard nipples, they began to suck greedily on their mother’s breasts, nourishing itself on her milk and already beginning to grow.

B117 began to stir once more.  Vine tentacles quested out for the young woman’s warm sweat covered body once again.  After all, her womb was now empty and available, and it had a full three-day weekend to procreate and progenerate…

As the young woman began to slip back into unconsciousness, she felt the touch of B117 along her body once more and wondered if taking the temp job had actually been such a good idea….

I hope you enjoyed my little dark story.  Thanks for reading and congratulations for making it this far.  If you did in fact enjoy the story, please feel free to buy me a coffee or send me a nude or two.  Nudes nourish my soul and fuel my imagination.  Till next time friends, stay dark and weird.  DarkSkippychan Feb/2024

#cnc somno #breeding toy #somnophilia #monster kink #tentacles #monster fucker #monster fucking #cnc dark #kidnap fantasy

[ltwilliammowett]

A Mariners compass by Pedro Freir, 1789 

Inside walls are constructed with eight panels, all having original paintings with various themes. Each of the four corner blocks titled on the top by the land mass -- America, Africa, Asia and Europa --, and has a rendering of an indigenous native of the continent and features a portrait of a famous explorer with ornate hand-painted borders and backgrounds depicting ships and the sea.

Explorers include Vasco Da Gama, Infanted Heriq (Prince Henry), Chritov Colon (Christopher Columbus) and Bartolam Dias (Bartholomew Diaz). Portraits inscribed along the bottom: "Vasco Da Gama Primeyro defcobridor da India Oriental" (Discoverer of the East India); "Infatned Heriq de Portugal defcobridor das primeyras terras, que Portugal tem immediates em Europa. & o" (Discoverer of first lands that Portugal discovered from Europe to the East); "Christov. Colon Primeyro da America e Indis as Ocidentaes discobridor" (First to America and discoverer of the West Indies); and "Bartolam. Dias Defcobridor en Africa do Cabo La boa Speranca" (Discoverer of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope).

Two of the side panels are detailed with four classical male figures pouring water from large urns, with the name below of a river that flows through Portugal to the Atlantic: "Douro", "Minho", "Tejo" and "Guadian".

#naval navigation #mariners compass #18th century #age of sail

[sweetestofchaos]

Blackthorn Ch 1 | M.YG

Pairing: Crown Prince Dragon!Yoongi x Crown Princess Impundulu!Keena Genre: Soulmate AU | Arranged Marriage AU | Fantasy AU | Fluff Word Count: 6.1K Warnings: None...very soft entry chapter Rating: PG16

Hello Princess -  Princess Keena and her envoy enter the Min Empire. There, Prince Yoongi and the Princess meet face to face.

a/n: Shout out to the great @sailoryooons for being my beta/banner maker! Also huge thanks to @nabiolive and @jessikahathaway for yelling at me to keep a special part of this chapter’s ending.

Taglist: @thickemadame​

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A sherbet colored sky, kissed with endless puffs of white cotton went for as far as the eye could see. Below, the land a mix of forest greens, sandy browns and deep greys were cracked with bottomless shades of blue. The air was crisp; it called to mind the bite of a fresh picked apple on warmer spring days. Light, weightless, disconnected from the turmoil left behind in a land a nation away. A given name, a title that held more power than any amount of gold sat coldly in a chest that heart was beating faster than the wings of a hummingbird. This was for the good of the people, the good of the nations; two different worlds coming together as one.

Beautiful ruby red and white klei eagles flew in a tight formation around a giant cape teal duck, its wings were a glossy muted grey with browner ones on its back. A spot of bright yellow hovered in the air, one single pale yellow eye peered into the modified gama attached securely to the back of the duck. The purple curtains were pinned down to keep the cool air from freezing the occupant tucked away inside. As the sun graced the sky with its warmth and bright light, a demure and soft silhouette was cast against the light fabric. The Citron Crane’s voice sang and echoed across the sky as the Min Empire’s shoreline came into view. Below on the coast, a small envoy of royal guards and emissaries waited with bated breath as the large cape teal, the size of four oxen, descended from the sky and sank into the water. The eagles formed a tighter barrier around the duck as the Citron Crane flew ahead while the duck paddled in the water towards the shoreline.

The crane stood at the water’s edge, its soft yellow wings reflected off the water’s surface before it shifted silently. A large man with rich oakwood skin and yellow topaz eyes, stood before the Min Empire’s envoy. His hair was twisted tightly in neat ropes of thick braids with gold and yellow feathers clipped to a few to show his high position in the Escistan’s royal guard. His robes were vibrant, fiery red and yellow, stitched together by careful hands. A large golden medellin rested in the center of his chest, a hamerkop with a bolt of lightning behind it carved into the metal, the royal sigil of Escistan. The head of the Min Emperor's royal guard stepped forward and hit his chest with a closed fist, a common greeting among soldiers.

“The Min Empire welcomes you with open arms.” The man had fair skin, scares littering his hands and face. His outfit was muted grey, cream, blue and peach while his brown hair was pulled into a topknot. “I am Daehyun. General of the royal guard. I will take you and your company to the palace.”

“I am Aga, second in command of the Escistan army -” Aga crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head. “-the Princess looks forward to her audience with his Majesty.”

Aga turned his attention to the duck behind him as its webbed feet slapped against the ground.  The eagles around the duck shifted and in their place stood six large men dressed in the same armor as Aga without the golden medellin around their necks.

“Bese kò ou.” Aga commanded over his shoulder to the duck.

The cape teal duck settled on the stony beach and four members of Daehyun’s group stepped forward to lower the gama from the duck’s back. Aga held his hand out with his palm facing outward and the small group stopped.

“No need.”

At his words, all heads tilted upward towards the sky and Daehyun was shocked to see a small formation of large brown birds still in the sky. The birds flew towards the ground, openbill storks, and shifted easily into servants all dressed in different shades of tans and yellows. Aga nodded his head and four servants walked over to the cape teal. Aga watched as they easily untied the gama and situated it over their shoulders without the Princess being jostled too much.

“Ale lakay.”

Aga waved his hand towards the sky and the duck flew away with a soft quack that whistled. He reached into the brown pouch on his hip and pulled out a small, smooth, round bead, the size of a walnut and the color of fallen snow. Daehyun watched as Aga threw the bead to the ground and it split in half with a small spark. In its place, between the broken halves a black Vlaamperd horse stood strong and unphased.

“A Charoite bead? I’ve never seen one in person.”

“Many in our lands,” Aga pulled himself onto the horse's back and motioned for his company to do the same. The members in Aga’s party pulled a Charoite bead from around their necks and threw it to the ground. Ten Vlaamperd horses stood in place and waited as their riders jumped onto their backs. Aga fell into Daehyun’s formation with the rest of his own people. He kept his eyes on the Princess’ gama as he passed and took his place at the front of the formation. “Lead the way.”

The journey to the palace was silent, the steady clip clop of horse hooves acted as a cadence. The path to the capital was filled with wide planes of grass, wheat and wildflowers. Farmland stretched on for miles, different crops created a colorful backdrop as the empire came into view. Women and men alike stopped their daily chores as the procession passed by. The outskirts of the capital were well taken care of. The people weren’t dressed in the finest of robes but they weren’t dirty or covered in rags. From his place above the ground, Aga took notice of a large box that many of the younger villagers sat in. It seemed to hold sand from the beach for them to play in. 

Horns and drums signaled their arrival as they passed the gates to enter the capital and the townsfolk were lined up on the side of the marketplace, pushing each other to get a better glimpse of the passing procession. A large golden dragon, the sigil of the Min Empire, embroidered on the banners of the procession gained everyone’s attention. Deep blues, vibrant purples and radiant golds dazzled the common folk as a single gamma was carried past by four strongly built men, not from this region of the world. They were outsiders, their dark skin tones a stark difference to the lightly tanned faces shielding them. They were honored guests being led to the palace by the Emperor’s very own royal guards. 

Aga rode with a purpose and once he passed through the town, he let himself breathe properly for a moment. Once at the palace gates, the procession came to a smooth halt and Daehyun announced the arrival of their foreign guests. As the gates opened music started to play and the procession continued to march into the palace’s open courtyard. 

The stonework was inviting as it led towards the steps of the emperor’s throne room where he sat proud with his wife - the empress - and his only son, the crowned prince by his side in front of him. As drums banged out a traditional greeting as the procession came to a full stop in front of the steps and Aga unmounted from his horse. 

The gamma was lowered to the ground and Aga walked over as the curtain was pulled back. From his seat at the front of the throne, the crowned prince, Yoongi, watched as the man held out his hand. A breeze blew through the palace, freshly fallen dogwood petals caught in the current. As a small dark hand, rich and smooth like the brown obsidian gems in the north, poked out from the gamma, Yoongi’s dragon growled low in his chest. Princess Keena emerged from the carrier and the petals seemingly danced around her. Yoongi couldn’t get a good look at the young princess, for her face was covered by a bold orange veil that only showed her warm brown eyes, lined in thick charcoal. She was stunning and Prince Yoongi couldn’t look away.

As the guard led the Princess up the steps, the rest of the procession followed before the head attendant announced the Princess’ arrival at last. Her royal garb was bright, brighter than any sunrise Prince Yoongi remembered seeing. The clothing was different, two main articles, a skirt and blouse joined together by short and long pieces of fabric wrapped at the Princess’ waist while a large strip of woven fabric rested across her left shoulder. A matching headdress sat on the Princess’s head; braided fabric twisted and piled into a crown with the veil attached neatly.

Princess Keena removed her hand from the guard; golden bangles and rings caught the light as she crossed her arms over her chest with her hands on opposite shoulders before she offered an eighty-degree bow, her eyes downcast to the floor. Beside her, the guard dropped to one knee and crossed his arms over his chest as well, lowering his head.

“The nation of Escistan gives thanks to the Min Empire. May the sun grant you many bright days ahead.”

The princess raised to her full height and the guard behind her did the same before he rolled his shoulders. A small group of emissaries came forth, carrying large chests filled with a cornucopia of rare goods from the foreign nation. One by one the chests were opened before the royal family and the Princess looked on with a smile hidden behind her veil as the Emperor's piercing copper eyes shined brightly.  

“My father sends well wishes and hope for endless joys in the days to come.” Princess Keena, motioned to the large man beside her, “- Aga, is my father’s testament to our nation's strength. He will teach your army the way of our warriors.”

The Emperor smiled, a single dimple sunk deep into his skin. He clapped his hands, covered in small jade and pearl colored scales, as he looked at the gifts before him, his blood red robes swayed around his wrists.

“Your tributes are as beautiful as they are rare. I hope our alliance with Escistan will only grow stronger during your stay, Princess Keena. The Min Empire welcomes you with open arms!”

Emperor Min stood from his seat, and everyone dropped to a bow while the Princess lowered her head, with her hands clasped in front of her. Emperor Min offered his hand to his wife and helped her stand before he turned his attention to the Princess again with an unknown light in his eyes.

“The Empress has hand selected your attendants; they will help you settle into your chambers at once. We shall hold a banquet in your honor tonight and welcome you once again to the Min Empire!”

The Emperor’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he stared at the princess, and he ran his tongue over the sharp fangs in his mouth.

“Your attendants will be shown to their quarters and will teach your new hands the customs of your nation. Do you have any requests for me?”

“Thank you for thinking of my comfort, your Majesty. I have no requests.”

Satisfied with the Princess’ response, the Emperor exited the throne room with the Empress on his arm. Prince Yoongi stood to his full height and walked down the set of steps before he stopped in front of the Princess. Prince Yoongi kept his face neutral as he offered his arm to the Princess.

“Allow me to show you the way to your chambers, Princess?”

Princess Keena bit her lip to keep from laughing at Yoongi. He was much more serious than she thought he would be. She nodded her head once and placed her hand on the Prince’s forearm, the fabric of his red gangsapo the only thing that kept their skin from touching. The remaining members of court bowed deeply as the Prince and Princess exited the throne room and Aga stayed six steps behind the pair. Hoseok, Prince Yoongi’s personal guard fell in step beside him and the two exchanged a simple nod in greeting.

“Did you have a pleasant time during your travels?” Prince Yoongi stared straight ahead as he spoke and the Princess thought about her trip. It was pleasant enough, no one had been hurt or gotten sick.

“It was a long but safe journey, my Prince.”

Yoongi’s dragon coiled tightly around his heart when his title rolled off the Princess’ tongue. It was a pleasing sound. Yoongi nodded his head and spoke no more as the pair walked down long corridors that turned every which way. Guards, servants and council alike all bowed low as they passed. Some looked at the Princess for longer than was deemed polite and Hoseok kept a running checklist in his mind to report on later.

The Princess took the chance to glance at Yoongi’s profile. He was not what the Princess expected. The words he shared with her in his letters were the rawest form of his soul. He was rose petal soft and fruit with honey sweet but there in front of her, Prince Yoongi had a firm jawline enhanced by patches of black scales. His eyebrows were a dark contrast to his blond hair and the Princess wondered if that was a trait given to everyone or just dragons. What she had imagined to be dark brown irises were the blackest pits of tar that reflected the sun and shined just right behind small triangular eyes. Prince Yoongi was jagged, rough around the edges, but his written words told the Princess of a much softer, warm summer days side to him.

“Here are your personal chambers, Princess.” Yoongi stopped in front of two armed guards. They stepped to the side to show a set of large red oak doors with a blackthorn tree in the center of a beautiful hand carved and painted black dragon. “I hope you find everything to your liking. Please, do not hesitate to ask for anything during your stay.”

“Thank you, your Highness.”

The Prince fought the muscle on his face. He didn’t like that the princess had called him by such a formal title. He stared at the Princess for a moment and she stared back. Her eyes told him everything her words could not. She had changed his title because others were around. Yoongi moved his arm, turnt right side up before he pulled it back and allowed for the Princess’ hand to slide into his. Their palms touched and warmth filled the Princess’ cheeks. The Prince’s hand was hot, liquid heat ran beneath his skin and his nails were long, the tips filed to a blunt point. The Prince hadn’t broken his stare with the Princess and wrapped his fingers lightly around her hand.

“Will you allow me the honor of escorting you to the banquet tonight?”

“It would be my honor, your Highness.”

Yoongi bit his tongue and kept from speaking out while Princess Keena slowly pulled her hand from his. Her own nails lightly scratched Prince Yoongi’s palm and the Prince nodded his head as he took a step back, a shiver crawling up his arm and down his spine.

“Would you allow me to send a small welcome gift?”

“It would honor me, so.”

Prince Yoongi bowed his head and Princess Keena repeated the motion.

“Rest well, Princess.”

The Prince walked away with Hoseok right behind him while Aga grabbed the Princess’ attention. He looked at the doors and Princess Keena nodded her head, “Ou mèt tcheke, Aga.” 

The guards pushed open the doors and the servants inside all rushed to stand in a single file line as they heard the doors open. Aga walked into the room first and the Princess stepped inside after. She watched as Aga searched the room for any hidden dangers while the women cowered away from his stoic face. Aga nodded to the Princess and placed a hand over his heart before he bowed his head.

"Mwen pral-" Aga started to complain, and Princess Keena shook her head.

"Ou pral tcheke chanm ou yo epi tounen yon fwa ou fin etabli, Aga."  Princess Keena smiled as she motioned towards the women in the room and Aga sighed knowing that the Princess was right, she was in good hands. "Mwen nan bon men. Montre fanm sa yo respè yo merite.”

Aga pressed his mouth into a firm line at the Princess’ words and turned towards the four women in the room who were all equally confused by their shared words. Aga bowed quickly and left the room. Once the door shut behind Aga, Princess Keena turned towards the women and bowed her head.

“I am Princess Keena, daughter of King Baasi and Queen Tiali. Please lend me your hands and forgive me for I do not yet fully speak your mother tongue.”

The four women all bowed deeply and smiled softly at the Princess. Her dress was something they had never seen before, and it was beautiful. However, it was not something that the Princess could wear to the banquet tonight. The tallest of the four women stepped forward and introduced herself as Kim Yongsun and the others were Byulyi, Wheein and Hyejin. Yongsun explained to the Princess as she spoke slowly that they were to bathe and dress her for the banquet that night as well as give her a small lesson on their etiquette.

“I would like to learn your etiquette first. My attendants will be with us shortly to help with my undress.”

“As you wish, Princess.”

Yongsun led the Princess to a table that sat low to the floor where Hyejin sat with a small smile on her face. As the Princess sat and started her lesson with Hyejin, the other women bustled around the room as they put away the Princess’ possession. A knock at the door grabbed Byulyi’s attention and she rushed to the door. She opened the door and bowed a quarter of the way as she stepped back to allow Princess Keena’s servant to enter the room. 

Izaso, Keena’s head servant crossed her arms over her chest and bowed her head. The four other women did the same as Princess Keena stood to her feet. “Nou la pou ede. Ki kote ou ta renmen nou Princess?” Izaso questioned as she looked around the room.

“Izaso, sa yo se medam yo ki pral okipe bezwen mwen isit la nan palè a. Tanpri montre yo etap dezabiye mwen pou aswè a.” Princess Keena explained to Izaso and the other servants that they had to work together to get her ready for the banquet tonight.

Princess Keena watched as Yongsun lined her women up and Izaso did the same. Yongsun started the introductions and Izaso allowed for the servants under her to speak first. Alinafe, Fatsani, Limbani, and Chimika introduced themselves in broken Laibic and the Princess was proud. She had spent a few days prior to leaving her nation teaching her servant how to say simple Laibic phrases so that they could ask for help if they needed any.

As the women spoke, the Princess acted as the translator and together the nine women started the long process of readying the Princess for the upcoming banquet. When the Princess’ crown was removed, Wheein was surprised to see that the hair wasn’t straight like her own. Princess’ Keena had hair that reached down towards the floor and stopped at the small of her lower back. Her hair was darker than any ink within the palace and it smelled of the sweetest fruits and flowers. It was twisted into tight braids only a blueberry in diameter with golden metal wire wrapped around different braids. Small golden jewelry with different gemstones were also attached to the braids.

The shock on Wheein’s face wasn’t hidden fast enough and Chimika laughed before she showed the young woman how to carefully wrap the Princess’ hair so that it wouldn’t get wet while bathing. Once Princess Keena’s hair was piled on top of her head and wrapped messily in a headscarf, it was Fatsani and Hyejin’s turn to bathe the Princess. The private washroom was huge, smooth stones covered the floor and dipped down into a wide open pool of water. Rocks of different sizes lined the wall that blocked the inside from anyone who would have tried to look in. It was beautiful and the Princess felt excited at the thought of bathing. 

Hyejin reaches out to untie one of the wraps on the Princess’s waist and Fatsani was quick to stop her. Hyejin looked confused and Princess Keena smiled softly, she knew what Fatsani was afraid of. The Princess cleared her throat and focused solely on Hyejin as she spoke.

“Do you know of the Impundulu, Hyejin? It is known as the lighten bird in my nation. The Impundulu has ruled Escistan since the first rainfall.” Princess Keena motioned for Fatsani to remove her iborun and pele. “The mark of the Impundulu is a sign of royal blood. Every blood born Impundulu has these marks somewhere on their body.” Princess Keena thought over the words that would best explain her feelings and she cleared her throat.

“The mark of the Impundulu isn’t always pleasant to look at but it is a mark I wear with pride…I hope that these marks do not frighten you.” 

Once the Princess was finished talking, Fatsani allowed for Hyejin to help with the undress and made sure that Hyejin stayed in front of the Princess at all times. Hyejin folded the clothing and placed them on a wooden cart to keep from getting wet and when she turned back around, she covered her mouth, her startled gasp muffled. Princess Keena was faced away from Hyejin, her back fully exposed. Hyejin could see dark scarring that resembled ice crystals in the shape of wings. It was a beautiful and terrifying sight, the scars weren’t raised, they were placed directly along the slope of the Princess’s back. Hyejin thought back to what she had been told about the Impundulu and all that came to mind were Hamerkop's wings. 

Hyejin made no comments on the Princess’s scars and Fatsani offered the Princess a hand to help her into the waters. When Princess Keena stepped into the water, she was surprised to find that the rocks on the bottom were heated which kept the water warm.

“Fire stones, Princess.” Hyejin had explained when she saw the Princess pause in her steps. “There are many magic stones and gems in the palace that make life more practical.”

Fatsani and Hyejin showed each other their methods to cleaning and Princess Keena enjoyed the extra attention. She had been worried that Hyejin would no longer want to be her attendant, but Hyejin showed no sign of leaving. 

The journey to the Min Empire was long and the air quality wasn’t always the best. The Princess felt dirty enough that the extra fussing didn’t bother her.  Once out of the bathing waters, Princess Keena was quickly patted dry before Fatsani helped her into a thin cream and gold dressing robe. In the main room, Byulyi and Alinafe discussed the best way to style the Princess’ hair for the banquet. Alinafe wanted to do a traditional style from the Escistan kingdom while Byulyi thought it best to do a hairstyle in favor of the Min Empire. Limbani was smart enough to suggest that they mix the two styles and when there was a knock at the door, Yongsun was quick to rush and answer it.

Hidden behind the white Hanji partition with golden leaves painted along the border, Princess Keena stood nude while Limbani massaged citrus and sweet scented oils to her skin before the Princess slipped her robe back on. While hidden, a male servant entered the room with a large box in his hands. He set the beautiful, decorated chest on the ottoman by the bed and left with a small bow of his head. Yongsun clapped her hands and called for the Princess.

“His Imperial Highness has sent you a gift, Princess.”

Princess Keena couldn’t stop the smile that danced on her lips. She stepped from behind the partition and walked over towards the large platform bed. The chest in front of her was no bigger than a large shoe box and it was decorated in gold paint and jade gems. 

“What do you think it is, Princess?” Izaso wondered out loud and the Princess had no clue. She thought back to the letters exchanged with Yoongi and one thing came to mind.

As careful as she could, the Princess opened the chest and everyone’s eyes widened at the items inside. A delicate pair of matching golden hair pins sat on top, a cluster of blackthorn flowers replicated by mother of pearls, yellow apetites and jades shone in the soft sunlight that came into the room. Underneath the hair pins a pouch rested neatly. Princess Keena picked it up and was shocked by the craftsmanship. The pouch itself was light weight, a little larger than the size of her fist. Its body was round with a squared neck that would be cinched by black silk strings. The purse was a soft lilac with a black dragon embroidered into the center, around the bottom of the bag golden flower petals lay while the dragon rested beneath a large blackthorn tree.

Princess Keena traced over the blackthorn tree and smiled. How many times had she spoken of her favorite flowers? The Prince remembered and that made the Princess’ heart flutter in her chest. Attached to the pouch was a gold tassel that had a large white moonstone encased in a beautiful cross stitch. When the Princess looked at it more, she saw that the moonstone opened and inside was hollowed out and stored two rings with thin gold bands and three white scolecite gems on each. “What is the name of this?” Princess Kenna asked and Byulyi answered that the pouch was called a Duru-Jumeoni and the tassel was called a Norigae.

Princess Keena set the Duru-Jumeoni aside and laughed, the chime like bells loud and clear as she stared down at the Min dynasty inspired Dashiki. Prince Yoongi had asked many questions about the type of clothing the Princess wore, and she had sent him a few pieces to see for himself in person. A Boubou in black and gold, colors that the Prince had stated he liked and a Kente, in red, black and gold to contrast the Boubou if he were to ever wear the two together. The Dashiki was lilac, white and a darker purple with gold and black beading embroidered along the rounded neckline and colorful patchwork on the arms and bottom. Princess Keena was impressed, the Prince had taken notes and put them to use.

“Do you like it, Princess?” Yongsun had asked and Princess Keena touched the garment lightly, the smile still on her face.

“These are very thoughtful. I’ll be sure to thank his Highness at the banquet.”

“Would you like to wear the hair pins tonight?”

“Oh! They would look wonderful with your hanbok!” Byulyi gushed and the women all nodded their heads in agreement.

Princess Keena allowed for the women to use her new hair accessories and she sat before the mirror while Byuyl and Alinafe applied mint and argan oil to the Princess’ scalp and hair before they started to style it together. Izaso and Yongsun took their time as they applied lip tint, eye liner and rouge to the Princess’ face.

“Èske rad yo pare?” Izaso looked away from the Princess’ face towards where the other women were smoothing out a lilac colored hanbok that had many more pieces than the Escistan Iro ati Buba that the Princess wore earlier. Wheein giggled as she grabbed the matching socks and shoes. Everything was ready; they just needed the Princess's body. 

Fatsani spoke up and answered Izaso’s question that everything was ready. Satisfied with Princess Keena’s hair, Izaso and Yongsun each placed a hair pin neatly in place before they led the Princess over to the bed and stepped back to allow for Fatsani and Hyejin to handle the dressing. Princess Keena removed her dressing gown and followed the simple instructions that Hyejin gave while Fatsani assisted with the unknown garments. The Princess counted in her head each item that was placed onto her body, and she was surprised that seven items didn’t feel heavy at all. Her range of motion was still flexible and when Izaso placed her dressing gown back on, the Princess sighed.

“There are five more pieces that need to be worn,” Wheein had explained. “However, we will get back to your etiquette lessons until it’s time for the banquet.”

Once again, at the desk with Hyejin, Princess Keena started her lessons while the rest of the women tidied up the room. Limbani came over the small desk and suggested that the Princess take a break and enjoy some refreshments that were brought in. Princess Keena agreed and Lambani carried a tray of small sweets over. 

“What you have in front of you is Yakgwa, a honey pastry -” Byulyi pointed to the deep fried treat. “- Bukkumi, a rice cake dumpling with sweet red beans -” Byulyi again pointed to another treat that was shaped like white half moons with colorful edible flowers on them “- and lastly, we have Dasik, a tea cookie!” Byulyi beamed, as she offered the plate of small colorful cookies to the Princess.

“These all look wonderful. Thank you for sharing them with me.” Princess Keean tried the Bukkumi first, and she enjoyed the soft and chewy texture. While she ate and practiced her etiquette, Princess Keena offered the treats to the women, and they all agreed that it was best to partake so that the Princess could show what she learned. 

Once the treats were eaten, Yongsun called for someone to take the empty trays away and Princess Keena started to get restless. The sun hadn’t set much, it was just past midday which meant there was still a lot of time that needed to pass before the banquet. 

“Would you like to rest before the banquet?” Yongsun offered and Izaso had started to protest when Yongsun motioned towards the bed.

“May I step outside for some air?” Princess Keena requested and Yongsun looked towards the door.

“I will ask for a guard to guide you.”

Yongsun stepped out of the room and Wheein jumped to her feet. “If you are going out, we need to finish getting you dressed, Princess.”

Princess Keena nodded her head and watched as Wheein and Hyejin rushed about the room, a different hanbok in their arms.

“So that your hanbok for the banquet doesn’t get dirty during your walk, Princess.” Byulyi explained as she grabbed matching socks and shoes.

"Izaso, Alinafe, Fatsani, Limbani, ak Chimika, yo ranvwaye ou. Tanpri repoze byen epi jwi aswè a."

Princess Keena’s servants crossed their arms over their chest and bowed their heads before they took their leave and soon after Yongsun came back into the room while the other women were dressing the Princess. 

“Minho has been tasked with escorting you, Princess. Your guard Aga is outside as well.”

“Thank you, Yongsun.” Princess Keena smiled brightly and held onto Hyejin and Wheein while Byulyi helped her into her footwear. The hanbok that the Princess wore was cream colored with light and dark shades of pink throughout that tied everything together. Princess Keena waited while Yongsun opened the door and Aga stood tall in a fresh new uniform that matched the guard beside him. "Koulè yo kostim ou, Aga."

Aga smoothed down his new uniform and grunted before he offered Princess Keena his arm while the guard beside him bowed deeply. “I am Choi Minho and it would be my honor to lead you through our gardens, Princess.”

Minho was charming, he had a strong face and eyes that were very expressive. He was older than Aga and that made the Princess trust him more. Princess Kenna bowed her head as she placed her hand on Aga’s arm.

“I leave myself in your care, Minho.”

Minho led the way through the palace with the Princess, Aga, Wheein and Hyejin in tow, Servants and guards alike all stopped and bowed when the Princess passed by. She kept her head held high and once outside in the fresh air; Princess Keena inhaled the flora scents around her. Many scents she had not smelled before and it was all a little overwhelming. Wheein stepped away to grab another round of refreshments for the Princess while she enjoyed her time outside. Minho led the Princess to a small gazebo that was on the edge of what looked to be a cherry blossom garden. Each breeze lifted fallen petals into the air and Princess Keena watched with sparkling eyes as the petals waltzed around her. Princess Keena sat on the pale green bench and stared out at the cherry blossom trees, as a million different thoughts swirled in her mind.

“Princess, would you care for some tea?” Hyejin offered as Wheein stepped into the gazebo.

Princess Keena nodded her head in thanks and waited silently as a cup of tea was poured for only herself.

“Minho?”

“Yes, Princess?” Minho turned to face the Princess and watched her with wide eyes.

“How many gardens are on the grounds?”

Minho thought for a moment, of course he knew the answer, but he had to check with himself to make sure. “Six gardens, Princess. I have been told that a seventh garden is in the process of being added.”

“This is a beautiful place. It’s peaceful and offers a sense of comfort.”

“Her Majesty is very fond of cherry blossoms.”

Princess Keena turned her face upward, reached out a hand and a cherry blossom petal fell into her palm. Aga watched with a fond hint of some memory in his eyes as the Princess closed her hand into a fist and pulled her hand to her chest. She whispered a quiet wish to the petal and opened her palm with a soft smile on her face. The breeze blew; up, up and away the petal went as it carried the Princess’ unknown wish. 

The petal was carried on the wind, lightly and surely as it soon found home on the shoulder of Prince Yoongi. He sat by his window, the sunlight warmed him from the outside in, with his eyes closed. When the petal landed on his shoulder, Yoongi’s eyes opened slowly, and he glanced at his shoulder. The petal stood out, small, pink and fragile against his blood red robes and he carefully plucked it between his fingers. 

Prince Yoongi stared at the petal silently and turned his attention back to the sun outside. He sighed and reached his hand out the window, before he parted his fingers and let the petal continue its journey. He watched the petal as it flew alone, and he frowned to himself unsure why he felt a sudden rush of longing.

“Hoseok!” Prince Yoongi called out and shortly after, Hoseok appeared beside him right outside of his window. “Where is the Princess?”

“Princess Keena is in the cherry blossom garden.”

Yoongi blinked slowly at the information and stood from his seat. “Let’s go.”

“Wait! Your hair!” Hoseok grabbed the sleeve of Prince Yoongi’s gangsapo and climbed through the window. “Her Majesty will have my head if I let you walk around with your hair like this.” Hoseok pushed the Prince towards his vanity and quickly fixed his topknot before he deemed the Prince good enough to be seen outside of his chambers. 

Together, Prince Yoongi and Hoseok left the bed chambers and made their way to the cherry blossom garden. In the distance Prince Yoongi saw the Princess under the gazebo as she chatted away. Prince Yoongi fought the smile that tugged at his lips and the moment Minho saw him, the older man cleared his throat and bowed deeply. Princess Keena looked in the direction of which Minho was bowing, and she rose to her feet while the others around her bowed. 

Prince Yoongi stood before the Princess and she gave him a pleasant bow before she greeted him with that charmed smile of hers. The Prince stared at the Princess and bowed slightly, “Hello, Princess.”

#soc yoongi #blackthorn ch 1 #dragon!yoongi #bts fantasy au #bts royal au #bts yoongi

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Bolsonaro was engineer of ‘wilful coup attempt’, Brazil congress inquiry alleges

Congressional investigation into failed rightwing insurrection on 8 January calls for former president to be charged with four crimes

Brazil’s former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro was the mentor of “a wilful and premeditated coup attempt” that sought to plunge Latin America’s largest democracy into political mayhem and perhaps even civil war, a congressional inquiry investigating the 8 January insurrection has alleged.

The dramatic assertion was made on Tuesday as the senator Eliziane Gama read the inquiry’s final report into January’s failed rightwing uprising in which thousands of radical Bolsonaro supporters rampaged through the capital, Brasília, after their leader failed to win re-election.

The inquiry’s 1,333-page report called for Bolsonaro to be charged with four crimes which could land him in jail for a total of 29 years: coup d’état, the violent abolition of the rule of law, criminal association and political violence. Similar accusations were leveled at dozens of key Bolsonaro allies, including three army generals who held prominent posts in his cabinet and his former justice minister Anderson Torres.

Bolsonaro, a former army paratrooper notorious for celebrating Brazil’s 1964-85 military dictatorship, has repeatedly denied involvement in January’s turmoil or seeking to stage a coup.

Continue reading.

#brazil #brazilian politics #politics #democracy #january 8 #mod nise da silveira #image description in alt

[infantisimo]

In the 1950s and ’60s, women baked cakes in the abandoned ammunition boxes left behind by British troops in the villages of Nagaland, a state in northeast India. The Naga writer Easterine Kire recalls how wives of Christian missionaries taught English and cake-baking to young girls, including her mother. While they didn’t really pick up the language, the tradition of baking cakes was passed down “from mother to daughter and from daughter to granddaughter.” It was the men who thought to repurpose the boxes — they were airtight, preserved heat well and fit perfectly over the wood fire. Since they had no temperature controls, the baker had to sit by the fire, constantly stoking it and eventually reducing it to embers. The timing had to be perfect: A minute too soon or too late could alter the fate of the cake. The boxes eventually ended up becoming part of a family’s heirloom until electric ovens became commonplace.

In the opposite corner of India, in Kerala in the deep south, several bakeries trace their history to the Mambally Royal Biscuit Factory in Thalassery, established in the late 19th century. Its founder, Mambally Bapu, is said to have baked India’s first Christmas cake. Bapu had trained as a baker in Burma (now Myanmar) to make cookies, bread and buns. When he set up shop in 1880, he made 140 varieties of biscuits. Three years later, the Scotsman Murdoch Brown, an East India Company spice planter, shared a sample of an imported Christmas plum pudding. Wanting to re-create this traditional recipe but unable to source French brandy, Bapu improvised with a local brew made from fermented cashew apples and bananas. He added some cocoa and — voila — the Indian Christmas cake was born.

The beauty of the Indian Christmas cake lies in its local variations. The Allahabadi version from north India features petha (candied ash gourd or white pumpkin) and ghee instead of butter, along with a generous helping of orange marmalade. Maharashtrians, in west India, add chironji, also known as cuddapah almonds. The black cake in Goa derives its color from a dark caramel sauce. In the south, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, cashew nuts are added to the mix. The Indian version is “a close cousin” of British plum pudding, but it has no lard and is not steamed. “Indian Christians add a generous dose of hot spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and shahi zeera (royal cumin seeds), roasted dry and then ground and added, also referred to as ‘cake masala,’” writes Jaya Bhattacharji Rose, an Indian publishing consultant, in “Indian Christmas,” an anthology of personal essays, poems, hymns and recipes.

“Our Christmas cakes reflect how India celebrates Christmas: with its own regional flair, its own flavor. Some elements are the same almost everywhere; others differ widely. What binds them together is that they are all, in their way, a celebration of the most exuberant festival in the Christian calendar,” writes Madhulika Liddle, co-editor of the anthology. Reading the book feels like a celebration in itself and makes one realize that Christians in India are as diverse as India, with Syrian Christians, Catholics, Baptists, Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans and others. Though Christians make up just 2% of India’s population, this equates to some 28 million people.

Christianity came to India in waves. It is believed that Thomas the Apostle arrived in present-day Kerala in 52 BCE and built the first church. Syrian Christians believe he died in what is now Chennai in Tamil Nadu. San Thome Basilica stands where some of his remains were buried. Toward the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed on Indian shores, followed by others, paving the way for Portuguese colonies in the region. Christian missionaries, who set up Western educational institutes, spread the religion further. The trend continued under the British Empire.

What is unique about India is the “indigenization of Christmas,” notes Liddle. It can be seen in the regional dishes prepared for Christmas feasts and celebrations. Duck curry with appams (rice pancakes) is popular in Kerala, while Nagaland prefers pork curries, rich with chilies and bamboo shoots. In Goa, dishes with Portuguese origins, such as sausage pulao, sorpotel and xacuti, adorn the tables. Biryanis, curries and shami kababs are devoured across north India.

The same regional diversity can be seen in Christmas snacks. “East Indians,” a Christian community in Mumbai described as such for their close ties to the East India Company, fill their plates with milk creams, mawa-filled karanjis (pastry puffs filled with dried whole milk), walnut fudge, guava cheese and kulkuls (sweet fried dough curls). In Goa, a platter of confectioneries called kuswar is served, including kormolas, gons, doce and bolinhas, made with ingredients ranging from coconut to Bengal gram, a yellow lentil. In Kerala, rose cookies are popular. Common across north Indian Christian households are shakkarpara, a sweet fried dough, covered in syrup; namakpara, a savory fried dough studded with cumin seeds; gujiyas, crisp pastries with a sweetened mix of semolina, raisins and nuts; and baajre ki tikiyas, thin patties made from pearl millet flour sweetened with jaggery, an unrefined sugar.

Liddle, who used to spend the festival at her ancestral home in the north Indian town of Saharanpur, also tells us about a lesser-known variation of the Christmas cake: cake ki roti. (In Hindi, “roti” means “flatbread.”) Like most communities in India, many Christian families in north India buy the ingredients for the Christmas cake themselves and take them to a baker who will prepare it. Bakers used to make the Christmas cake by the quintal (220 pounds) or more, and cake ki roti was a byproduct of that large-scale baking. The leftover Christmas cake batter was “not enough for an entire tin, not so little that it can be thrown away,” Liddle explained. So the baker would add flour and make a dough out of it. “It would be shaped into a large, flat disc and baked till it was golden and biscuity,” she said. The resulting cake ki roti may have “stray bits of orange peel or candied fruit, a tiny piece of nut here or there, a faint whiff of the spices … It was not even the ghost of the cake. A mere memory, a hint of Christmas cake.” Since cake ki roti was considered “too pedestrian,” it wasn’t served to the guests. Instead, it would be reserved until the New Year and eaten only after all the other snacks were gone.

Jerry Pinto, co-editor and contributor to “Indian Christmas,” recalled his childhood Christmases in Mumbai. There may not have been much snow in this tropical city, but wintry scenes of London and New York adorned festive cards and storybooks, and children would decorate the casuarina tree with cotton balls, assuming it to be pine. The mood would be set with an old Jim Reeves album featuring “White Christmas.” “Where do old songs from the U.S. go to die? They go to Goan Roman Catholic homes and parties,” quipped Pinto. Raisins would be soaked in rum in October, and cakes baked at an Iranian bakery. Every year, there was a debate about whether marzipan should be made with or without almond skins. The ���good stuff” meant milk creams and cake slices with luscious raisins, while rose cookies and the neoris (sweet dumplings made of maida or flour and stuffed with coconut, sugar, poppy seeds, cardamom and almonds) were just plate-fillers.

The feasting is accompanied by midnight mass, communal decorations and choral music, with carols sung in Punjabi, Tamil, Hindi, Munda, Khariya, Mizo tawng, as well as English. “One of our favorite carols was a Punjabi one, which we always sang with great gusto: ‘Ajj apna roop vataake / Aaya Eesa yaar saade paas’ [‘Today, having changed His form / Jesus comes to us, friend’],” Liddle remembered.

Starting as early as October, it would not be unusual to hear Christmas classics by Boney M., ABBA and Reeves in Nagaland’s Khyoubu village. “The post-harvest life of the villagers is usually a restful period, mostly spent in a recreational mood until the next cycle of agricultural activities begins in the new year,” wrote Veio Pou, who grew up in Nagaland.

“Christmas is a time when invitations are not needed. Friends can land … at each other’s homes any time on Christmas Eve to celebrate. … The nightly silence is broken, and the air rings with Christmas carols and soul, jazz and rock music. Nearly every fourth person in Shillong plays the guitar, so there’s always music, and since nearly everyone sings, it’s also a time to sing along, laugh and be merry,” wrote Patricia Mukhim, editor of Shillong Times, a local newspaper in the northeastern state of Meghalaya.

Neighborhoods in areas with Christian populations, like Goa and Kerala, are lit up weeks in advance with fairy lights, paper lanterns and Christmas stars. In Mizoram’s capital of Aizawl, local authorities hold a competition every Christmas for the best-decorated neighborhood, with a generous prize of 500,000 rupees ($6,000) awarded to the winner. This event is gradually becoming a tourist attraction.

Rural India has its own norms and traditions. In the villages of the Chhota Nagpur region, mango leaves, marigolds and paper streamers decorate homes, and locally available sal or mango trees are decorated instead of the traditional evergreen conifer. The editor Elizabeth Kuruvilla recalled that her mother had stars made of bamboo at her childhood home in Edathua, a village in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. The renowned Goan writer Damodar Mauzo, who grew up in a Hindu household, said his family participates in many aspects of the Christmas celebrations in the village, including hanging a star in the “balcao” (“balcony”), making a crib and attending midnight mass.

In the Anglo-Indian enclave of Bow Barracks in Kolkata, Santa Claus comes to the Christmas street party in a rickshaw — the common form of public transport in South Asia. “Kolkata’s Bengali and non-Bengali revelers now throng the street, lined by two rows of red-brick terrace apartment buildings, to witness the music and dance and to buy the home-brewed sweet wine and Christmas cake that some of the Anglo-Indian families residing there make,” wrote the journalist Nazes Afroz. Bow Barracks was built to house the Allied forces stationed in Kolkata during World War I, after which they were rented out to the city’s Christian families.

Kolkata also is home to a tiny community of about 100 Armenian Christians, who celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6, in line with the Armenian Apostolic Church. Many break their weeklong fast at the Christmas Eve dinner, known as “Khetum.” The celebration begins with an afternoon mass on Christmas Eve followed by a home blessing ceremony to protect people from misfortune, held at the Armenian College and Philanthropic Society, an important institution for the community. The Khetum arranged for the staff members and students includes a customary pilaf with raisins and fish and anoush abour, an Armenian Christmas pudding made with wheat, berries and dried apricots, among other dishes. The Christmas lunch also includes traditional Armenian dishes such as dolma (ground meat and spices stuffed into grape leaves) and harissa, a porridge-like stew made with chicken, served with a garnish of butter and sprinkled ground cumin.

“Missionaries to Indian shores, whether St. Thomas or later evangelists from Portugal, France, Britain or wherever, brought us the religion; we adopted the faith but reserved for ourselves the right to decide how we’d celebrate its festivals,” Liddle wrote. “We translated the Bible into our languages. We translated their hymns and composed many of our own. We built churches which we at times decorated in our own much-loved ways.”

#christmas

[charlesandmartine]

Tuesday 16th April 2024

A disadvantage perhaps of our location here in Tergniet is that each day so far mist has rolled in from the sea and engulfed us within our own personal cloud. Today was no different. It arrived some time after 9am. Well we had counterattack plans and so we fired up the powerful VW T-Cross and escaped to Mossel Bay some 10k away back down the N2 towards Cape Town. Success, as soon as we climbed up onto the N2, so we climbed also out of the cloud into brilliant sunshine with wall to wall blue skies. On leaving the motorway, the first task was to fill up the now gasping VW petrol tank. Now this was a first for us; a totally new experience. As we pulled up by a pump what seemed like a pit-stop team quickly formed around our white SUV. Do you want tyres and oil checking sir? No, that's fine thanks. Whilst one assistant is pumping the unleaded, others are busy scrubbing away at windscreen and windows, windscreen wiper at 90° and before long the erstwhile grubby VW is returning to showroom condition. The next problem to solve was how much tip is expected. I took the straight forward approach. How much tip do people normally give you? I said. Oh, up to you but usually R30. (about £1.30). I coughed up.

Now with a repleted full tank, we confidently became tourists and sought unashamedly the tourist information man. Before long we had the standard sheet map, the next off his pad, with yellow highlighted blobs showing where we should go and in what order.

Now one thing we needed reminding is that in the 15th century the world of smartalecking was lead by none other than the Portuguese. Big time. It was important that Portugal find a sea route to India to obtain spices. Curries were rubbish without them. Land routes were expensive and they were convinced a route could be discovered around the Cape of Good Hope. So in 1482 Diogo Cao got close by discovering the mouth of the River Congo. In 1488, reinforcement came in the form of Bartholomew Dias who commissioned a little boat and managed to make it to where we stood in Mossel Bay. He had succeeded in being the first to make it around the Cape, dropping anchor in the natural harbour here. King John II declared this place for evermore to be called the Cape of Good Hope in recognition of the new route from west to east. Vasco da Gama achieved game set and match when he followed through in 1497 completing the trade route all the way to India. Absolutely amazing these Portuguese. To celebrate 500 years a replica boat was built and sailed to Mossel Bay in 1988 and was installed once it dried out in the museum here. And we've never heard of the Portuguese ever since! Thankfully our little museum records their exploits for all time.

Obviously no headland worth its salts is complete without a lighthouse. Mossel Bay is no exception and proudly boasts Cape St. Blaize, built 1863 and stands an impressive 73m. We chose not to climb it! Instead we took a stroll around the headland via the boardwalk and were rewarded by catching sight of a seal at play in the rock pools near to us. Out to sea we could clearly see the band of low cloud that engulfed us earlier this morning.

Returning to Tergniet we left 24°C of full sunshine to re-enter our cloud dropping some 7°. The mist did not clear until about 7pm. Glad we didn't stay around here.

Only thing left to do was to have chicken, Tim Tams and SB to complete a perfect day.

Tomorrow we move on to Jeffrey's Bay some 290kms from here and just one stop before reaching out first big game reserve.

#Mossel Bay

[sweetglace]

BIRTH NAME: Silvia Neelambari Sivanesan ( Anglicised and shortened to Sylvie Sweet ) AGE: 19 ORIENTATION: lesbian ( closeted ) ETHNIC BACKGROUND: mix of Jaffna Tamil ( today Eelam/Sri lankan Tamil ) and Indian Tamil. ( Sivaganga ) FACECLAIM: Charithra Chandran TIME ZONE: Victorian England EYE COLOUR: Brown HAIR COLOUR: Black.

BACKGROUND: The last known living descendant of Velu Nachiyar, Miss Sylvie Sweet was ironically born in the one place her ancestor would have dreaded, the heart of the British empire. Like many Indian nobles of the time, Sylvie's mother, Meenakshi was taken to England as a small child, snatched away in the dead of the night and smuggled on board a ship bearing the name of the empire. Like many of her peers, Sylvie's mother still lived a very comfortable life, given as a sort of playmate to the daughter of an English lord. When she was old enough, she met Sylvie's father Suresh, who unlike her, had been raised in his home country Ceylon ( now Sri Lanka ) he had followed his own father who had travelled to England of his own free will after the annexation of the Kandyan Kingdoms back in 1815. Like his father before him Suresh had become a ship's clerk and later enjoyed relative success as a trading merchant. Sylvie was Suresh and Meenakshi's only child, and for a time they were very happy. Sylvie was well educated by her parents, mathematics, science, philosophy, history, art, literature, the Sweet's imparted on her a great love of learning. Through her father, she learnt her native tongue as well as the folklore of her people. Suresh was obsessed with the idea of Kumari Kandam long before it became a proposed theory, a fascination that he passed to his daughter. When Sylvie was 7 years old, her mother died of consumption. Father and daughter were devastated, Sylvie particularly so because she had been kept away from her mother during her final weeks and hadn't gotten to say a proper goodbye.

Time passed, and Sylvie grew as educated as she was kind, a polite child who was well praised for her agreeableness. Perhaps she thought if she were her very best self, then nothing bad would happen to her ever again. Alas, life was never so fair. Months prior to her 19th birthday, her father promised he would personally sail back to Ceylon to retrieve a mysterious present for her. His ship never arrived at Galle Harbour. In fact, it simply vanished off the face of the earth. Sylvie quietly grieved the loss, faced with the equally grim prospect of being a Victorian woman, alone in the world. It was then that her mother's "benefactor" Lord Salter. stepped in, suggesting she take a respectable position as a ladies companion. Sylvie agreed, it was the best course of action for her. On a normal Tuesday morning, she set out to the address Lord Salter had given her for an ageing countess who was in dire need of company, when a very peculiar thing happened; Marco Polo fell right out of the sky and landed in front of her, picked himself off the ground as if his 20 ft fall was nothing, dusted himself off and walked away. As strange and frightening as that event was, soon it began happening all over London, reports of people resembling historical figures falling from the sky. There was Vasco Da Gama sailing down the Thames, Sir Francis drake at Big Ben, Magellan outside Buckingham.

As confused and scared as she were, Sylvie couldn't help but notice what others hadn't, that all of these people were explorers and that they all seemed to be heading for the same destination once they landed, the docks. Lord Salter dismissed her concerns, pure nonsense concocted in the mind of a foreigner, and bid her go to the countesses address as she was supposed to.

Again, Sylvie set out for the Countesses house, but at the crossroads between the house and the docks, she paused. She couldn't explain it, but it felt as if her whole life had come down to this one choice. Be the obedient, unassuming girl everyone wanted her to be, or seek the truth like a hero in a her father's stories. for once, Sylvie chose the latter, and that one decision would change her life forever....

#about #out of character.

[mrade3l]

Title: A Glimpse into History: Unveiling the Past

Introduction:

History is a treasure trove of stories, events, and lessons that have shaped the world we inhabit today. In this short blog, we will take a quick dive into the vast ocean of history, exploring key moments and civilizations that have left an indelible mark on humanity.

1. Ancient Civilizations:

The ancient world holds a mesmerizing allure, with civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome leaving an enduring legacy. From the awe-inspiring pyramids of Giza to the philosophical teachings of Socrates and Plato, these ancient societies laid the foundation for art, science, governance, and culture.

2. Medieval Times:

The medieval era, characterized by knights, castles, and feudalism, witnessed the rise of powerful empires and the spread of Christianity. The Crusades, a series of religious wars, shaped the political and religious landscape of Europe, while the Renaissance brought forth a renewed interest in art, literature, and scientific inquiry.

3. Age of Exploration:

The Age of Exploration opened up new horizons as intrepid explorers set sail to discover uncharted territories. Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan embarked on daring voyages, leading to the colonization of new lands, the exchange of goods, and the blending of cultures.

4. Industrial Revolution:

The Industrial Revolution transformed societies with the advent of machinery, steam power, and mass production. This period witnessed significant advancements in technology, transportation, and manufacturing, leading to urbanization and the birth of modern capitalism.

5. World Wars and Global Conflicts:

The 20th century was marred by two devastating World Wars that reshaped the geopolitical landscape. These conflicts brought about immense human suffering, technological advancements, and the emergence of new world powers. The aftermath of these wars led to the formation of international organizations like the United Nations, aiming to promote peace and prevent future conflicts.

6. Modern Era:

In the modern era, we witness the rapid pace of technological innovation, globalization, and the pursuit of human rights. From the space race to the digital revolution, our world is constantly evolving, presenting new challenges and opportunities.

Conclusion:

History is a captivating journey that allows us to understand our roots, learn from past mistakes, and appreciate the achievements of our ancestors. It provides us with a broader perspective on the world and helps us navigate the complexities of the present. So, let us continue to explore the rich tapestry of history, for it holds the key to unlocking a brighter future.

[momo-de-avis]

"It's funny to me that he's considered One of the Greatest, you know, A Man With His Dick, an Untouchable" I feel like the venn diagram of hardcore VdG fans (ie hardcore nationalists) and hardcore misogynists is a circle. Like normal people would probably be like "oh that sucks to hear" but you know there are people that would love him more for it (an asshole to foreigners AND women?? that's my guy!!)

what grinds my fucking gears is the inability in this country to acknowledge that, before heroes, these guys were humans. They fucked up, and sometimes they sucked ass. I genuinely, wholeheartedly, don't understand why people are so afraid, so horrified, of seeing people for who they were. Vasco da Gama was important. He sailed to India for the first time. This man had 4 caravels with him, one sank, and yet he arrived in Calicut with four fucking caravels. Do you know where the fourth mysterious one came from?? His ass. This motherfucker had woodworkers on his stupid ships. They were know to build forts overnight out of nothing but their ass and their will. They would siege cities, built a fucking fort, and imagine being the king or lord who woke up to this shit and had your soldiers say "my lord, was that there yesterday?"

So he did the same with his ships. This was super common for the portuguese fleet. We really were the type of people who just built a ship out of nowhere, and Vasco da Gama had a whole fucking caravel inside a caravel, that he built somewhere along the way after his fourth caravel was burnt.

His discovery of the sea route to india revolutionised economy, because it directly challenged Venice's dominion over the land-route to Asia.

But he also hated women. He punished these women so fucking much, everyone in Goa, from the annoying Jesuits to the colonised natives, begged him not to. He punished them so much, his chronicler says he died saying the name of one of them.

He was a shitty viceroy too. He actually thought Hospitals were useless, and he forbade his men from going to the hospital. He thought hospitals were a place, and I am not shitting like how fucking dumb do you have to be, where men went to only, EXCLUSIVELY, because they got in a fight for women. He thought men who went to hospitals were weak.

He would often forbid his men from leaving his ship, leading to riots.

He also often forbade meals, just fucking fobidding meals. Starvation was pretty common on his ships.

I'm going to translate a section of a book:

In fact, Vasco da Gama's administration as viceroy was controversial. The politics he followed was of causing fear among all. He would forbid, he would destroy, he would threat. He forbade all ailing navigators from being transported to the hospital of Goa. To him, there was no necessity for hospitals, because, by existing, men made themselves sick. Gaspar Correia adds that Gama declared that he knew of a home remedy [mezinha] that healed all. [...] In truth, they left the hospital sick and immediately Gama forbade them from returning there, saying they were welcomed "for friendships". And because since Eve the origin of blame is given to women, he also forbade those injured in fights from going to the hospital, assuming those fights only happened because of the Eves of his time.

He forbade all. He forbade navigators from removing from ships what they carried to goa. He forbade meals, "for which hunger existed among the soldiers" (Cantanheda). He forbade people aboard ships from going to land. And he forced them all to go to Kochi otherwise they would be left with no wages. He forbade sailors from bringing aboard chests bigger than the size of a sword. [...] João de Barros finds these expressive words to define him: "for being a man who wouldn't forgive the sins of thought, let alone of work". He was "of a judicious condition", Castanheda writes, and, therefore, "many, to get rid of him, went to Coramandel and other parts where they would not be at the service of the king and even Moors felt such fear of him that they shuddered when they named him."

But joke's on this fucking loser, cause he actually died a horrible, painful, and pretty disgusting death:

"The old admiral [...] died in Kochi, plagued by remorse and with his body covered in furuncles and gangrenous tumours that ulcerated". In truth, Gaspar Correia witnessed how the viceroy suffered of great pains in his neck, that

I can't translate the next part cause it's riddled with old portuguese, but imagine a guy with bulbous postules and shit, pus everywhere, screaming in pain, this motherfucker who thought hospitals is for pussies, and meanwhile everyone is giving him shitty remedies that do jack shit

God writes straight sentences in crooked lines, as we say over here

The book is Heroínas Portuguesas, by Fina d'Armada btw

[thewolfisawake]

Figured that I should start making a list of the generals since I feel like the number is only gonna increase. Also I guess a thing about them too.

Despite the name, the Generals of the Unseelie Court are not exactly the military leaders to their land's forces. They can be but not really their purpose. The generals primarily serve as advisors and extensions of the king's will. And outright defiance towards them is tantamount to going against the crown.

Not that many Unseelie are likely to start anything with them. In addition to their advising, the generals are considered some of the most powerful and/or fearsome beings within the Unseelie's jurisdiction. Be it martial prowess, razor sharp wit, or deviousness unmatched, they are powerful. And power is difficult to argue with.

All of generals have chosen to follow King Balmoral for their own reasons but their loyalty to him is rather strong. It adds an intimidation and awe of those running the Unseelie to their own people. Some consider the generals and the king that presides them to be a cabal of beauty and lethality.

The generals are listed in order of chain of command should Balmoral be unable to govern for any reason. Note, this is not line of succession.

Mhoirbheinn Geadais

The Royal Protector and the king's right hand man. He always at the side of his liege and it is an ominous sign if he is not. He tends to use daggers and a weapon similar in function to a kusari-gama. He's known Balmoral since he was a fledgling soldier to the Unseelie. It is unknown to just about anyone in the Court how or why Balmoral has Mhoirbheinn's unwavering devotion. He is generally not liked by the Unseelie due to his unsociable attitude and reputation for intimidation and violence.

Risteard Gallochbar

The Vizier to the Crown. Also commonly considered the king's left hand. He advises the king, handles streamlining information given, and affairs within the Citadel. He is a master poisoner that also uses a whip sword. He was Balmoral's rival and one of the few gentry Balmoral ever considered a threat. His loyalty came from a 'complete defeat' to his rival and his own desires. While Balmoral's headstrong nature can irritate him, Risteard does hold a respect for the king and has little reason to truly defy him. The Unseelie Court holds him in a favorable light due to being 'on the ground' when it comes to the Citadel.

Solanine

The King's Shadow. She is his personal assassin and spy. The sight of Solanine outside of her dalliances with the generals or the king is an omen that secrets have been discovered or one has been marked for death. She relies on her demonic traits alongside poison and knives. She is the closest to a childhood friend that Balmoral has but her loyalty was forged upon his assistance in taking back 'what was rightfully hers' when they were teenagers. She runs a 'debt collections' business that is primarily run outside of the Unseelie so she does tend to travel back and forth. The favor for Solanine is neutral from a combination of her secrecy and her mean-spiritedness.

Siubhan

The actual general of the Unseelie forces. Known as the Dark Vanguard, Siubhan has no issue helming any physical obstacle to the king. And not simply issuing commands but wading into the fray. After all, you want a job done right, do it yourself. She is usually armed with a claymore and curses. She came to know Balmoral after she lost a duel to him with the wager of her service to replace one of his men she killed. Her leadership in the Unification Campaign and her action through to the Invasion of Dun an Fhómhair made her force of military might. Her relationship with Balmoral is amicable with hints of past strain. Her reputation is shining within the militia as they see her prowess as a general. Outside of this, it is still mixed due to her venomous temperament towards talking the type of fae she is.

Norval Chaput

The Herald of the Unseelie. The public relations manager and propagandist to the king. He keeps a pulse on the populace's outlook and gossip. This to formulate strategies to maintain the king's public image and favor with his subjects. He also handles affairs outside the Citadel. Norval was tracked down by Balmoral when his articles swayed the Unseelie on its own. Tempted with a cushy life and the thin-veiled threat of destruction otherwise, he entered the king's service. He is rather chummy with Balmoral although doesn't stick around because he doesn't like to work. His popularity is high within the Unseelie.

#{The Unseelie} #this will expand as more generals are made #and this is mainly a quick cheat sheet

[pablolarah]

The Liceu Literário Portugues (The Literary Portuguese Lyceum) was founded on September 10, 1868 by a group of Portuguese, at the head of which was the Count of Alto Mearim, with the purpose of spreading culture and promoting teaching and instruction, especially among the younger Portuguese who arrived in Brazil with limited knowledge and still without a defined profession. It was the time of the Lyceums of Arts and Crafts. In addition to the courses of the 1st and 2nd degree, still in the nineteenth century, the Lyceum also taught courses in Astronomy and Nautical Art, worth noting, out of curiosity, that Emperor D. Pedro II came to attend some classes of these courses.

The Lyceum initially worked in the headquarters installed in Rua da Saúde, today called Travessa do Liceu, and in 1915, under the presidency of Faustino de Sá e Gama, acquired new headquarters in Rua Senador Dantas, which was destroyed by a fire in 1932. It is then that the construction of the current building, with nine floors, inaugurated in 1938, under the presidency of Commander José Raínho da Silva Carneiro, who was largely responsible for the project, begins on the same land.

The entrance hall of the building is decorated with large tile panels by the artist Portuguese Jorge Colaço. One panel represents King Afonso Henriques and the Miracle of Ourique, and the other represents the Infante D. Henrique. There are also depictions of medieval Moorish and Portuguese sailors and warriors. One panel contains the artist's signature and the caption "Lisbon, 30-7-1937".

And:

People crossing the Almirante Barroso Avenue sunbathed.

Made with ❤️ & Photoshop

#architecture #Rio de Janeiro #Liceu Literario Portugues #Avenida Almirante Barroso #Sunset

[ltwilliammowett]

The Caravel

The caravel began as a fishing boat with Latin sails in Portugal in the 13th century. At the beginning of the 14th century, before the time of the great Portuguese discoveries, the same name was used for a two-masted, Latin-sailed merchant ship with forecastle and hut for Mediterranean and coastal voyages. After land links to India had been severed by Turkish occupations and the Mediterranean voyage had lost its importance, Portugal became the nation that intensively sought a southern sea route to India. Prince Henry, known as Henry the Navigator (1394 to 1460), was a far-sighted promoter of shipbuilding and shipping. He deserves credit not only for initiating the further development of the caravel, but also for founding a state-supported observatory and a navigation school at a very early stage.

From the two-masted caravels, the relatively slender three-masted Latin sail caravels (caravela latina) emerged, which were better suited for longer journeys and had exclusively Latin sails on all three masts. A typical feature, to which the name of the ship type is also attributed, was the Kraweel construction, in which the ship's planks butted together directly at their longitudinal seams, so that smooth surfaces were created on the outside and inside of the ship's side walls. The seams were caulked so that the ships took little water even in a swell. In addition, the smooth outer skin could be better protected against fouling and worm damage. Another feature of the caravel was the relatively high stern.

A caravela latina, by Stephen Biesty (x)

Under the influence of and in continuation of Roman traditions with divided square sails, the development of the three-masted square-rigged caravel (caravela redonda) took place during the 15th century, with square sails on the bowsprit, foremast and mainmast. Above the mainsail on the mainmast was the topsail. Because of their favourable steering characteristics, square-rigged caravels always had lateen sails on the mizzen mast. From the 14th to the 16th century, caravels were among the most seaworthy sailing ships, including four-masted caravels. Some consider this a forerunner of the galleons.

Reconstruction of a Caravel of Christopher Columbus. Drawing by Julio Guillen Y Tato (1897-1972), 1932 (x)

Vasco da Gama's ships were also caravels. Of the three ships with which Columbus sailed along Central America in 1492, the Pinta and the Nina were probably caravels, the Santa Maria was probably a Nao. He gave the speed in his diary as up to 15 Italian miles per hour, which is about 11 knots. So it was pretty fast, if you can call it that. The usual Portuguese caravels had a carrying capacity of 50 to 60 tonnes, and later a much higher capacity. Thus, the ships of the Magellan also included larger four-masted caravels.

Because of its advantages over Holland, the caravel construction method soon became the determining construction method for wooden ships throughout Europe. Thus, in 1460, the first "Karvielscheepen" were built in Holland in considerable sizes for 400 loads (800t) carrying capacity with a length of about 43 m and a width of 12 m. In the first half of the 16th century, Lübeck and Gdansk took a leading position in the construction of large Caravel ships.

Square-rigged caravels (here caravela armada) fighting and escorting naos in India Armadas, in: Livro de Lisuarte de Abreu, c. 1565 (x)

A little later, however, the carrack and later the galleons took over and the caravels became less and less important. But not completely, because as a caravela armada - an armed caravel - it remained in service with the Portuguese until the 18th century and was nothing other than a larger cross sail caravel. The Portuguese used it as an escort on the Brazil and India routes as well as to protect shipping with the Atlantic islands, it was used to monitor the Straits of Gibraltar, but also for coastal protection and anti piracy.  

#naval history #caravel #ship types #13th -18th century #age of discovery #age of sail

[ketchuplaser]

Inktober 2022

With Inktober coming up, I’ll be drawing cool post-apocalyptic vehicles for a couple of the posts. Thoughts on what cars would be best?

I’ve already done the Camaro, GTO, Gremlin, Outback, Challenger, Blazer, fan boat, ambulance, Gama Goat, Sand X, Rally Fighter, Land Rover, Brat, AZ-1, Roadmaster, 

Also  are there any specific vehicles or mutant animals that would be good to see?

Let me know!

#inktober #ketchup laser #Input request #Input needed

[safirah63]

Vasco da Gama was best known for being the first to sail from Europe to India by rounding Africa's Cape of Good Hope. Over the course of two voyages, beginning in 1497 and 1502, da Gama landed and traded in locales along the coast of southern Africa before reaching India on May 20, 1498 @visitlisbon #lisboa #Lisbon #VascodaGama #portugal https://www.instagram.com/p/CqONoq6IJd8aJMM_bze_27aZJhnQR6XuQjqXPc0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#lisboa #lisbon #vascodagama #portugal