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thetradeway · 3 years

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Session 41 17 Apr 2021: Wait, a TRAP door? Ahleqs casts Mage Armour.

Duncan is walking back from the opticians, so we start a little bit late. Ed is also going to be late, but he says to go ahead without him and he’ll catch up.

Mr. Pickles has a gift for Ahleqs (which Joe forgot until this week…)

Should be fun riding through the streets of Waterdeep - until he gets done by animal rights activists.

Matthew reminds us of what Brother Charity and Gideon did at the end of the last session - the buddy cop movie, during which they got some names of some people. (He explains in a very sketched out way until Sophie asks him to clarify a bit further, ‘like I was asleep or something’.) (For those who weren't there at the time, she *was* asleep.)

Mirt, Harper’s quest, Maxeene, talking horse, ride around the city, inn with a glory hole in it, disguised selves, names of a sun elf fellow and a half orc lady. Timothy P. Fuckapple and Thunderbuns, ah yes. (apparently Matthew was going for Danny Dyer, but he’ll take Ross Kemp.)

“That was exhilarating!” Charity says to Gideon as they flee down side alleys.

(Joe shows us an image of Undermountain, the dungeon under the Yawning Portal.)

(holy shit.)

We pick back up at the Dagger. Kessler wanted to ask Shanks about procuring us a book to offer the monks at Candlekeep. (Joe shows Melaina her new weasel…)

Kessler and Ahleqs arrive back at the Dagger, shortly followed by Charity, Carl and Gideon. Kessler points and laughs at Gideon’s disguise.

Tarragon has gone to find Renah and challenge her to an arm wrestle, loser buys drinks. Matthew worries that it might turn into a bar fight. Ahleqs: “It’s all fun and games until someone throws a dwarf.” Tarragon wins 18-21, and asks for a half an ale. “I’m very small and I’m not used to drinking.”

The others are deciding how to contact Shanks about the book. Ahleqs asks at the bar what would be the best way to get in touch. Ria and Jirr are tending bar tonight. Ria isn’t sure who Ahleqs means when he asks for Shanks. She offers to ask the other staff, and has a chat with Jirr.

Jirr can get a message to Shanks for us. Or - do we want to meet her? That might be better. Jirr will organise a meeting in the cellar. This might take a day or so to arrange.

Do we need preparations or supplies for the journey to Candlekeep? (Shopping episode! Somewhere, Travis Willingham sighs.)

We probably need rations. We also need to get passage on a boat - we could ask Surge (Gunna's water genasi friend in the Docks Ward), or Larissa. Either way, to the Docks Ward!

(Charity Prestidigitations Gideon before we leave.)

Kessler debates buying a shield and goes to speak to Filiare before we go, as well. (Scribe’s note: Her AC is already 18.) He will sell her one for 7gp; she accepts, choosing a metal one with a plain front so she can add her own design. She sells her crossbow bolts as well.

Ed joins us and Charity remembers about the mad druid that Tarragon needs to speak to, but that’s not for a few days. We decide to speak to Surge first as he’s slightly less dodgy, and if he’s unavailable or can’t help, then we’ll try Larissa. We’re trying to get passage but also get paid for it, like going to a festival and pretending to be cleaners.

(Duncan gets lost on his way to the kitchen to make coffee, and finds himself in the off license buying beer.)

As we go through the streets toward the docks, a bird lands on Tarragon’s shoulder and gives her a scroll from Amithrel, giving her the name of the druid whose tome may be of use in curing Tansy’s illness. She asks the bird to thank Amithrel for her and it flies off.

Kessler: “I wonder if I could snatch that bird out of the air…”

Duncan OOC: “This whole time I’ve just been imagining you grabbing birds out of the air and eating them.”

There follows a discussion about the diets of goblins, and how much evidence there is to suggest that they really do eat babies.

Melaina makes a Perception check to get us to the Docks ward (I almost wrote Dicks ward by accident lol). We find the temple, and Surge is in the middle of it, feeding sick sailors. He sees us and recognises us, and asks straight away if we’ve seen Gunna.

Melaina, suddenly and excitedly: “Have you seen him? Not that we care about… where… he… is…”

Surge says that he saw him briefly before he left, and that he said something about visiting his father. It could take a few months for him to return.

Melaina asks about passage on a boat. Do we want to pay, or work, Surge asks us? Well, we’ve acquired some skills in recent times. He asks about what sort of skills we have. Fire magic?, Ahleqs suggests. Tends not to be popular on wooden boats.

Kessler can make stuff…? Melaina is an elf, she could make a good lookout? Tarragon is a herbalist, she can make poultices. How many are there of us? Six? Yeah, six. Seven, if you count Brother Charity. (We’ve accepted Carl as one of us.) (Charity looks wounded.)

Ahleqs makes a Persuasion check with Guidance - 25 total.

To Candlekeep, you say? Maybe the return journey as well? Space for seven, we’re looking at a cargo ship. Is there any way Surge can contact us? We’re staying at the Dagger. Surge will ask around and send word.

Brother Charity has some shopping he wants to do. Where would he find adventuring supplies? Market in the Trades Ward. He wants Healer’s kits and scroll scribing kits, that sort of thing. We like to travel in a lump; our lump arrives in the Market.

Between a lucky roll and help from Charismatic Ahleqs, Charity can have 20gp off the asking price of 70, to the shopkeeper’s chagrin.

Tarragon buys some more herbs, as she’s offered her services as a herbalist on whatever ship Surge can get us passage on. Kessler buys some healing potions.

Anyone else want to do some panic buying? Chain mail! A gun! Some big bombs! The Death Star! Nope, that’s it. We head back to the Dagger.

So - rations, and a meeting with Shanks to maybe procure a book. Gideon has a heavy supper and falls asleep in front of the fire. (Tarragon: Five bean chilli from the new vegetarian menu, and a peach liqueur.) As we sit down to eat, Jirr motions to us. We’ve got a guest.

Shanks meets us in the cellar. Can she procure rare and curious books? Ahleqs explains what it is we need - a book that the monks of Candlekeep don’t already have in their collection. What about something unique, like a journal? Are we familiar with Xanathar’s thieves’ guild?

No-one is really sure what it’s real name is. The higher ups in that guild are known as The Hand. Their master of magic is a woman called Emerine (I think?). She’s a powerful wizard, not to be crossed. But she is undertaking research in the sewers, Shanks knows where. She has a something called the Tome of Bindings. Shanks could take us there to get it? She can time it for when the wizard isn’t in.

Would this wizard part with the book, or will we have to nick it? If we time it right, she won’t be there to defend it. But she’ll likely have traps and stuff. Ahleqs asks what do we think the chances are that she has an actual Beholder there? Low, says Shanks, as the guild leader is one and Beholders are notoriously territorial and won’t put up with another close by.

It would be doing Shanks a favour, if we got that book away from her. Can we be ready first thing?

Charity: “All those in favour say Aye.”

All of us except Kessler: “Aye!”

Kessler: “I don’t see why not, I mean I’ve got no objections…”

Shanks tells us it’ll be another trip to the sewer, so get ready.

Tarragon, thoughtfully: “Do you know anyone who sells nose plugs…”

Shanks returns the following morning and leads us into the sewer. We make CON saves against the smell. Only Tarragon fails and is polite enough to lean away rather than puking on Brother Charity, which she feels is very magnanimous of her.

Shanks leads us to a new (to us) part of the sewer, where we haven’t been before. It looks in poor state of repair. She points to a locked trap door. The wizard has been seen going in and out of there. Do we need help picking the lock…?

Melaina: “I think we’ve got this.”

(Wait, a TRAP door? Ahleqs casts Mage Armour.)

Melaina checks for traps and unlocks the door with ease, and after some wrangling, Joe gets a marching order out of us. (A police car goes by in horrible Nottingham.) There’s a small delay while Joe fights his way through all the gubbins I’ve filled roll20 with (SO MANY RED DRAGONS!), and puts our tokens on the board.

Back in the charming sewers again! It’s a nice part, and doesn’t smell. It’s part of the old elven sewer.

Ahead of her Kessler sees a metal door, with a slot into which something presumably fits. She checks for traps - it is not trapped. She goes for a pick, but rolls a 12 so nothing happens. She could try impact engineering… (Is that a fancy-lady way of saying she’s going to twat it?) Melaina elbows her way to the front and does it properly.

(Gideon has had too many meads and has probably fallen asleep - or gone to the kitchen to get sausages, so the DM moves him gently out of the way.)

We are just exploring when Joe tells us to stay where we are - uh oh!

We all make STR saves except Tarragon, who is now glad she was stuck at the back.

They roll so badly that they couldn’t pass if they added all their scores together. They are hit by lightning from the pillars in the room, as well as being blown around by wind.

Kessler shoots at one of the pillars to try and discharge the magic, but is at Disadvantage because of the wind and rolls a 9. It zaps her, and she takes 13 lightning damage.

Melaina has a go but also fails and takes some lightning damage. Joe rolls 4 1s for her damage though, noice.

Ahleqs makes an arcana check to see if he can figure out this magic, but rolls a nat 1. He uses a Sorcery point to re-roll for a 17. It seems to be retaliating when attacked, and there are glyphs on the floor that zap you if you stand on them.

Kessler and Tarragon see that the winds inside the sphere seem to be physically blowing the ammunition off course. Perhaps magic might work better…?

Ahleqs tries an Eldritch Blast, and it hits. Yay! He assumes the foetal position; just as well because he gets hit with lightning.

Tarragon does a Thorn Whip, which also hits. The pillar is starting to look damaged, and she takes 17 lightning damage. Oof! Kessler fires off a Firebolt, as Ahleqs downs a potion. She hits for 3 damage and takes 15 lightning damage. Yikes.

Melaina does a magic arrow at it - or, a spell? Or Charity can do a spell, so Melaina isn’t using up a spell slot?

He does a Divine Eldritch Blast. (A what? He is a Cleric, right? Sophie, OOC: ‘He’s a sneaky bastard is what he is.’) It does 1 damage, which is just enough - the pillar breaks. He does a Cure Wounds for Kessler, and offers the same to Ahleqs.

Melaina tries the door. It is a large, metal double door. She checks it for traps - once she’s found her character sheet again. She sees the telltale signs of trappage! She sleight of hand disarms it with a 27 - “Bazinga.” She then unlocks the door. It swings open to reveal a monster - “Lock it again! Lock it again!”

We roll initiative. DM asks if one of us want to take the Grease Wizard “because I think you’ll need him”. Oh shit. Matthew and Sophie both take him so they can squabble over him.

(Sophie OOC: “What is that thing? Oh, it’s massive and it’s got a big old sword.”)

It moves forward and breathes poison on Kessler, Melaina and Tarragon. Only Melaina makes her save. If only our front-line fighter wasn’t on a boat going to see his mum!

Tarragon rages and does Cure Wounds on herself (but the other way around); Melaina casts Woundbind on Kessler, who went down after the poison breath. (How’s that shield working out?) Melaina bonus-action-disengages and backs up.

Kessler gets to her feet and goes for a Thunder Gauntlet, which misses. She stands her ground.

Ahleqs: "I stand my ground too!" (We all laugh.) He screams (part of his spellcasting ritual), and casts Fireball. It doesn’t bother trying to make the save - ah shit.

Kessler, Tarragon, Ahleqs and Gideon (and Melaina) make perception checks - we all notice that the creature absorbs the fire, and any little dents in the armour repair themselves. Matthew-as-Gideon - “Fire appears to mend it!”

Ahleqs runs away.

Grease wizard doesn’t have Enlarge-Reduce prepared, sadly. He has a go at Enfeebling it instead. He rolls an 18 and it misses.

Oh fuck…

Kessler, right up in melee range: “Run, save yourselves!”

Ahleqs, already halfway out of the room: “Way ahead of you!”

Charity casts ‘a buffing spell’ on himself to get more HP, and then shilleweghilghosllhsoaslkhhah. Carl holds an action, as there’s not much he can do.

It’s the golem’s turn. It tries to squish Kessler, who is standing right in front of it, by bringing its sword down on her noggin. It misses! But dents her new shield. Then it swings an arm, trying to slam her into the wall. That time it hits for 14 damage.

Tarragon goes for an Indiana Jones slide between its legs but fails her Dex check and hits it in the legs. (If Duncan was DM she’d have hit something else.) She tries to batter it with her quarterstaff, but misses.

Melaina hides and shoots, and hits the thing! She rolls badly on her damage, however. (Joe assures us that this fight is winnable; we all make dubious noises.)

Kessler goes for the Thunder Gauntlets and hits it for 11 Thunder damage. She uses Fury of the Small on top for an extra 7 damage. She would like to disengage for a bonus action and split her attack; after a short discussion it’s decided that she can. She wants to move behind it so she makes a DEX check - and passes! Like a greased seal she slides between its legs. She goes for her second attack, with Advantage as she and Tarragon are now flanking it. She hits again for 8 more Thunder damage.

"Are we still in the shit? We kind of are, aren’t we." Ahleqs uses all his remaining Sorcery Points to create a 4th level spell slot before screaming “GO AWAY!” at it and casting Banishment. It fails the save and disappears!

We still need the gem around its neck, which is very much phase 2 of the plan, and Ahleqs will leave that to us.

Kessler: “I would say next time make that your opening gambit?”

Ahleqs, Concentrating: “Look, let’s not waste this minute bickering.”

(DM decides that was inspired so he won’t enforce it now, but next time Ahleqs casts Banishment he will actually have to produce the spell component - something distasteful to the target. Duncan, OOC: "I may go full monkey and fling my poo at it.")

We prepare - moving to flanking positions and rerolling initiative. Tarragon goes bear and waits to re-Rage.

Bear Tarragon and Kessler both hit with their attacks of opportunity as the thing pops back. Brother Charity goes for a whack with Sheldflhjdasdlaflfghhh, and natty 20s it for triple damage - 36 total!

It’s Kessler’s turn. She punches it upside the back of the head for a 19 which misses, then natty 20s for her second hit. Max damage, then she rolls the damage dice again, yeah!

Tarragon does a multi attack and crits with her claws - bloodied nose. Max damage and roll again - she gets max damage on that roll too! She’s so pleased it’s hard to maintain her rage.

Melaina goes for a shot but misses.

Ed has woken up! He is pleased to know that Matthew, about to take Gideon’s turn, was about to Grease something. He asks how this thing feels about fire, and is warned that it loves it. He’s very disappointed until he realises that he can use his new toy.

Wait is this the main big bad, or is this on the way to the big bad?

Sophie, OOC: “We just got into this dungeon, we’re in the foyer.”

He does Phantasmal Killer! The thing makes a WIS save - at Advantage - and fails. Ed, delighted: "It’s timid and scared and frightened." It makes another WIS save on each of its turns, or takes more psychic damage; for now it takes 16.

But…

It’s immune to psychic damage - and being frightened.

That is a poor show, Joe.

Brother Charity is up, and he’s the last one before the golem. Gideon: “We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way Charity, go and stab it with a spear!”

It’s still flanked, so Brother Charity rolls with Advantage and hits it with a 26 for 12 bludgeoning damage with Shillgslahkfksjddkghglhlhllbblhh. It’s looking tatty now, yeah!

It doesn’t get its breath weapon back, phew. It attacks the bear, at Disadvantage (because it is not attacking Kessler). It hits, but she takes half damage.

It’s Coward Time! He doesn’t need to move closer so he casts Shenanigans at level 2. He expends a spell slot to regain a sorcery point. Now he casts Shatter at level 3, using the sorcery point to use Careful Spell and steer it around his friends.

It does a CON save (“I imagine it’s okay at those”) which it has Advantage on, but it’s a construct so it has Disadvantage as per the spell. They cancel each other out so it makes a straight roll, and gets a 16 which succeeds. It takes half damage though. Having covered his eyes as he cast the spell Ahleqs shouts, “Did I get it?”

We all want Carl to get the how-de-do-dis. He does Gauntlets of Helm but misses even with Advantage.

Kessler goes for the Thunder Gauntlets and hits with her second attack, for 7 thunder damage. It’s at Disadvantage to attack anyone but her again.

Tarragon does a multi attack and hits with both - and gets the how-de-do-dis! She rips it apart with her bear claws, with a horrible screeching noise of claws on metal.

We get the crystal key!

(After the dust settles, Joe reminds us of when we fought the Flesh Ripper and Melaina very cleverly hid herself on the other side of a doorway through which the Flesh Ripper was too big to fit. We look again at the map we’re on now to see that we came through a corridor that would be too big for the golem… We are so stupid.)

The crystal fits in the slot in the door, which leads us down another corridor into a study. Melaina rolls to pick the lock with a 27. We get the book, yeah!

(Next week we pick up with our old campaign, for which I DM. I will try to add an entry here, but it won’t have the same level of detail!)

#dnd #thetradeway #campaign diary

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marlaluster · 5 years

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Emptying the cliptray on the new phone. ....

1. https://goo.gl/images/hnKp8i 2. https://goo.gl/images/wHZ7JG 3. https://youtu.be/DPosqA-pVzE 4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haves_and_the_Have_Nots_(TV_series) 5. Wiki Loves Love logo Wiki Loves Love: Documenting festivals and celebrations of love on Commons. Help Wikimedia and win prizes by sending photos. Open main menu Wikipedia Search The Haves and the Have Nots (TV series) EditWatch this page Read in another language This article is about the television series. For the 2011 play, see The Haves and the Have Nots (play). The Haves and the Have Nots is an American crime drama and soap opera created, executive produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry.[1][2] The premise of the series is based on Perry's 2011 play The Haves and the Have Nots. The show premiered on May 28, 2013 on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It is the first scripted television series to air on the network. Both the show's first and second episodes aired back-to-back on its premiere night. Each episode is one hour long. The Haves and the Have Nots The Haves and the Have Nots.jpg Genre Soap opera Crime thriller Created by Tyler Perry Written by Tyler Perry Directed by Tyler Perry Starring Tika Sumpter Crystal Fox Tyler Lepley Renee Lawless Aaron O'Connell Peter Parros Angela Robinson Gavin Houston Eva Tamargo John Schneider Jaclyn Betham Shari Headley Allison McAtee Danielle Deadwyler Brett Davis Jon Chaffin Presilah Nunez Nicholas James Nick Sagar Antoinette Robertson Theme music composer Elvin Ross Country of origin United States Original language(s) English No. of seasons 6 No. of episodes 146 (list of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Tyler Perry Ozzie Areu Mark E. Swinton Will Areu Camera setup Multiple camera Running time 42 minutes Production company(s) Tyler Perry Studios Release Original network Oprah Winfrey Network Picture format 480i HDTV 1080i Original release May 28, 2013 – present External links Website Production website Variety has recognized The Haves and the Have Nots as "OWN's most popular series to date." In addition, the drama series has been acclaimed as being "one of OWN's biggest success stories with its weekly dose of soapy fun, filled with the typical betrayals, affairs, manipulations, and a bitch slap or two." The series set ratings record for OWN, scoring the highest ratings ever for a series premiere and the highest overall ratings in the network's history. The second season premiered on January 7, 2014. To date, the series is still OWN's highest rated broadcast. The mid-season finale, aired on March 11, 2014, was the most watched broadcast in OWN's history, and also came in first among all of cable television and number 4 among all shows on television for the night it aired. The mid-season premiere aired on May 27, 2014. The second season of the series premiered on January 6, 2015. The second half premiered on June 30, 2015. The third season of the series premiered on January 5, 2016 and the second half premiered on June 21, 2016 and aired through September 6, 2016. The fourth season premiered on January 3, 2017 and ended with the mid-season finale on March 14, 2017. On January 30, 2017, the series was given an additional 44-episode order. The second half of season 4 premiered on June 20, 2017 and ended with the season finale on September 12, 2017. On November 21, 2017, the series was renewed for a sixth season, which premiered on January 9, 2018, and the 1st mid-season finale aired March 13, 2018 and on March 13, 2018, OWN also announced the second half of the season, which premiered on May 1, 2018 and with the 2nd mid-season finale July 17, 2018. On July 17, 2018, OWN announced the third half of the season, which premiered on August 14, 2018. On September 11, 2018, OWN announced the fourth half of the season, which premiered on October 2, 2018, on October 9, 2018, OWN announced the countdown to the season 5 finale, set to air November 6, 2018. The series was renewed for a sixth season which premiered on January 8, 2019. Series overview Cast and characters Reception Awards and nominations References External links Last edited 2 days ago by an anonymous user RELATED ARTICLES Crystal R. Fox American actress and singer Renee Lawless American actress Pretty Little Liars (season 5) season of television series Wikipedia Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted. Terms of UsePrivacyDesktop 6. TOP STORIES Philippines says 136 people have died in measles outbreak ABC News - 5 hours ago Philippines embassy pushes Poland deployment ban Philippine Star - 2 days ago New York Post Massive Philippines measles outbreak has killed 136 1 hour ago Global News Measles outbreak in Philippines kills 136 as country grapples with vaccine hesitancy 6 hours ago NEWS18 136 Killed, 8400 Sick Since January in Measles Outbreak in Philippines 6 hours ago South China Morning Post ‘Bombas’: the Philippine sex films whose stars were household names 1 day ago Bloomberg Philippines Tax Agency Sets Sights on Online Casinos for Chinese 1 day ago PRI Duterte’s wild proposal: changing the name of the Philippines 4 hours ago Fox Sports Asia AFF U-22 Championship 2019: Vietnam come from behind to defeat Philippines in tournament opener 1 day ago Al Jazeera The Philippines to lower minimum criminal age from 15 to 12 2 days ago 7. https://www.google.com/search?q=philipines&oq=philipines&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.6529j1j4&client=ms-android-mpcs-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#scso=_GQ9rXI7rGsuB5wKLlpygAw23:1547.8095703125.5238037109375.142822265625.3809814453125.90478515625.5714111328125.4761962890625.047607421875.09521484375.3809814453125.2857055664062.6666870117188.3333129882812.6190185546875.6190490722656.4285583496094.952392578125.047607421875.80950927734375.7142791748047.61904907226562.6666717529297.3333435058594.4285583496094.4761962890625.4761905670166 8. Hong Kong Chinese special administrative region Hong Kong is an autonomous territory, and former British colony, in southeastern China. Its vibrant, densely populated urban centre is a major port and global financial hub with a skyscraper-studded skyline. Central (the business district) features architectural landmarks like I.M. Pei’s Bank of China… More Population: 7.392 million (2017) World Bank PLAN A TRIP Hong Kong travel guide 3-star hotel averaging $71, 5-star averaging $204 19 h 35 min flight, from $818 Official languages: Chinese, English Did you know: Hong Kong has the fourth-largest merchant navy by capacity (78.5 million gross register tonnage). wikipedia.org Hong Kong Hong Kong on Google Image from Hong Kong 21 FEB Hong Kong Arts Festival Feb 21, 2019, 3:00 PM Various venues Share 3 days ago Image from Hong Kong A renovated Avenue of Stars is reopening, with movie star tributes and spectacular skyline views. Share 4 days ago More from Hong Kong PEOPLE ALSO SEARCH FOR Singapore Singapore Shanghai Shanghai Macau Macau Taiwan Taiwan Beijing Beijing Shenzhen Shenzhen Bangkok Bangkok Tokyo Tokyo View all Hong Kong - Wikipedia Wikipedia › wiki › Hong_Kong 9. https://www.cnn.com/style/article/hong-kong-skyscrapers-with-holes/index.html 10. Architecture The truth behind the mysterious holes in Hong Kong's high-rises Updated 28th March 2018 VIEW GALLERY 8 Pictures repulse bay hong kong 1 The truth behind the mysterious holes in Hong Kong's high-rises Written by Andrea Lo, CNN The Repulse Bay is a luxury apartment complex in Hong Kong that is famous locally for the curious hole cut into the body of its undulating façade. It is not alone. Along the coast of Hong Kong Island, you can find multiple properties with gaps in their midst. There's the Larvotto residence in Ap Lei Chau, a small island off the south coast, with hollowed out "sky gardens." Further west, in Pok Fu Lam, the Bel-Air on the Peak complex -- which comprises eight tower blocks, and was designed by Foster + Partners -- has a sizable peephole, offering ocean or mountains views. Buro Ole Scheeren . Axel Springer Campus . Berlin (1) poro city plan Zaha hadid opus tower Zaha Hadid Architects Opus Tower TEK_Center TEK Taiwan Bjarke Ingels_big CCTV Tower China Mirador Guangzhou-Circle-by-AM-Project01 gate-to-the-east-china RMJM Oma Hamburg Science Center Aquarium Koolhaas Shanghai world financial centre Arc de Triomphe 1/13 – Axel Springer HQ, Berlin, Germany The architects at Büro Ole Scheeren proposed this design for the new headquarters of Axel Springer, one of Europe's largest multimedia firms. The pixelated opening hints at the client's commitment to transparency. "At the core of the new building floats an urban-scale void, establishing a visual axis between former East and West and conceptually reuniting the two sides," the architects write in their project description. "The building emerges as a symbol of transparency and historic awareness." Credit: Buro Ole Scheeren... Read More These quirky cut-outs have long been rumored to exist for purposes of feng shui, an ancient Chinese system of summoning happiness and fortune through an individual's surroundings. Such holes, it is said, act as gateways for "spirit dragons" that reside in the hills behind the towers -- blocking the dragons' path to the water could bring misfortune to local residents. In reality, there are often more practical reasons than feng shui for hollowing out a square of what would have been prime real estate. Enter the dragon? Built by The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels company in 1986 at a cost of $38 million, The Repulse Bay is a 88,733 square meter (955,546 square foot) ocean-facing residential complex with a gaping 16-meter-wide and 24-meter-high hole. The unusual design was chosen for its dramatic aesthetic. "We believe it was the first of its kind in Hong Kong," says Martyn Sawyer, group director of properties for the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels." An aerial view of Repulse Bay. An aerial view of Repulse Bay. Credit: Antonio Saba "Initially, (the hole) was a shock to a lot of people, because they hadn't seen anything quite like that even in the city -- nevermind on the greener side of Hong Kong," says Ann Tsang, a creative director who moved to Hong Kong from Scotland in 1984, and lived near the property for several years. There was also a lament for the loss of the property the tower replaced: The Repulse Bay Hotel, which was built 1920. But as was the case with so many low-rise colonial buildings in Hong Kong, in 1982 it was demolished to make way for a more space-efficient high rise. Although the Repulse Bay hole was not inspired by feng shui, the "spirit dragon" theory emerged locally. It helped Hongkongers to make peace with the new building, Tsang says. "It was like: 'We've lost a colonial building, but look at this, it's super contemporary -- and by the way, it's got this kind of mysterious, mythical aspect to it.'" The site of The Repulse Bay was previously home to a luxury hotel that opened in 1920. The site of The Repulse Bay was previously home to a luxury hotel that opened in 1920. Credit: Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels The story, Sawyer says, became "local lore." "We have heard that locals believe that a family of dragons lives in the surrounding hills, and the mother dragon takes her children down to the sea to bathe each morning in the cool blue waters," he says. "In order not to block the family of dragons and bring bad luck to the site, the superstition is that the 'hole' was designed so that they could pass through." Wall to wall Dragons, of course, do not live in the hills of Hong Kong. Reality is somewhat less mythical. In the 1980s, developers began to build rows of high-rise blocks dubbed "wall-effect buildings," which led to more holes added to Hong Kong's architectural landscape. The Caribbean Coast complex in the Tung Chung district, completed in 2006, is an example of "wall-effect buildings" in Hong Kong. The Caribbean Coast complex in the Tung Chung district, completed in 2006, is an example of "wall-effect buildings" in Hong Kong. Credit: Cultura Creative/Alamy "The first 'wall-effect buildings' came about in the mid-1980s, when property development began to increase in scale as the government prioritized it as a mainstay of economic development," says Hoyin Lee, an associate professor in architectural conservation at the University of Hong Kong. Lee pinpoints the City Garden private housing development in the North Point district, completed in 1986, as one of the earliest "wall-effect" properties. Such buildings were designed to squeeze as many units as possible onto a plot of land for higher profit margins. The City Garden complex in Hong Kong. "As more of these properties were built, people (in the surrounding buildings) started to complain they were blocking the views and ventilation," says architect Michael Chiang, who runs Hong Kong-based Michael Chiang and Associates Architects. Developers came under pressure, he explains, to find a solution. In 2005, the city's Planning Department published a report, Feasibility Study for Establishment of Air Ventilation Assessment System, aka the "AVA Study." It led to the establishment of a set of guidelines on air ventilation for government-funded property projects. "However, these guidelines are not legally enforceable for private developments," says Lee. The regulations did, however, have a cultural impact. "A lot of the time, when the government allows sites to be built on, it will ask for a gap to be left in between structures," Chiang says. "But maybe you don't have enough space to do that. In the end, you come to a compromise and create a gap in the middle. You say: 'I have opened up a hole, you have ventilation, there is still a view.' That's how you get around it." Out-there design There are, course, reasons for a holey design other than feng shui or financial gain. Holes can provide entryways for light, influence how a building fits into its surrounding, or be symbolic of something altogether more meaningful. Take the Central Government Complex in Admiralty, which has served as the city's government headquarters since 2011. Its "hole" design has a more nuanced meaning. "It was not designed with feng shui in mind, but with urban design intentions of connectivity and sharing," says Rocco Yim, co-founder of Hong Kong-based Rocco Design Architects, which designed the complex. The Central Government Complex in Admiralty, Hong Kong. The Central Government Complex in Admiralty, Hong Kong. Credit: ITPhoto/Alamy The 118-meter (387-feet) structure takes the form of a giant arch: one leg is home to the Legislative Council, the other houses the Executive Council, while the horizontal floor that links the two features government offices. A public park is located underneath. 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Jessica Lack, CNN CONTENT BY LENDINGTREE Huge 15 yr fixed rate drop. Could be last chance to refinance. How to pay off your house ASAP (It's so simple) Refinance rates took a sharp decline. Do you qualify? Do this before your next mortgage payment (it's genius!) Your best refinance rates for February 2019 CONTENT BY COMPARECARDS The fastest way to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt 9 cards charging 0% interest until 2020 Spend $500, Get $150 with this astonishing new credit card Transfer your debt to a card with 0% interest until 2020 Experts say these will be the best cards for 2019 Best Lifestyle & Leisure News site AdvertiseTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyCookiesAdChoices © 2019 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network. 11. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_Witch_of_the_East 12. Open main menu Wikipedia Search Wicked Witch of the East EditWatch this page Read in another language Learn moreThis article needs additional citations for verification. The Wicked Witch of the East is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is a crucial character but appears only briefly in Baum's classic children's series of Oz novels, most notably The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900).[1] Wicked Witch of the East Oz character Wicked Witch of the East.png The Wicked Witch of the East as pictured in The Tin Woodman of Oz—illustration by John R. Neill (1918) First appearance The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) Created by L. Frank Baum Portrayed by Margaret Hamilton (The Wizard of Oz) Michelle Federer (Wicked) Rebecca Mader (Once Upon a Time) Rachel Weisz (Oz the Great and Powerful) Florence Kasumba (Emerald City) Information Alias Gingema (1939) (The Wizard of the Emerald City) Evvamene (1974) (The Wiz) Rebecca Eastwitch (1992) (Oz Squad #2) Nessarose Thropp (1996) (Wicked) Old Sand-Eye (2000) (The Unknown Witches of Oz) Diana (2003) (MÄR) East (2006) (Witch Hunter) Evanora (2013) (Oz the Great and Powerful) Zinna (2013) (Grimm Fairy Tales presents Oz #1) Witch of the East (2014) (Once Upon a Time) Mistress East (2017) (Emerald City) Species Human (witch) Gender Female Title The Wicked Witch of the East Occupation Ruler of the Munchkin Country (at time of death) Family The Wicked Witch of the West (sister) Nationality Ozian of Munchkin descent The extent of the Wicked Witch of the East seen in The Wizard of Oz as recreated in Disney's The Great Movie Ride. The Wicked Witch was a middle aged, malevolent woman who conquered and tyrannized the Munchkin Country in Oz's eastern quadrant, forcing the native Munchkins to slave for her night and day. Her charmed Silver Shoes (famously changed to magic ruby slippers in the 1939 film musical) held many mysterious powers and were her most precious and prized possession. The Witch met her demise when Dorothy Gale's farmhouse landed on her after being swept into the sky by a cyclone. Her old and withered body turned to dust, leaving behind the magical shoes which were passed to Dorothy as their new owner. The Classic Oz Books Adaptations References Last edited 24 days ago by Richard-of-Earth RELATED ARTICLES The Tin Woodman of Oz book by L. Frank Baum Wicked Witch of the West fictional character and the most significant antagonist in L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Good Witch of the North fictional character from the Oz series by L. Frank Baum Wikipedia Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted. Terms of UsePrivacyDesktop 13. tyrannized the Munchkin Country in Oz's eastern quadrant, forcing the native Munchkins to slave for her night and day. Her charmed Silver Shoes (famously changed to magic ruby slippers in the 1939 film musical) held many mysterious powers and were her most precious and prized possession. The Witch met her demise when Dorothy Gale's farmhouse landed on her after being swept into the sky by a cyclone. Her old and withered body turned to dust, leaving behind the magical shoes which were passed to Dorothy as their new owner. 14. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Shoes 15. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Witch_of_the_North 16. From behind a curtain, Walsh projects an shadow image and speaks with a booming voice to anyone who approaches his palace to seek an audience with him. He also asks for genuine magical items in exchange for help which he uses to further his deception. A woman named Zelena wants his help in finding her birth family, so he gifts a pair of silver heels to take her anywhere she desires. Zelena leaves for the Enchanted Forest to seek out family and returns asking to go to the past so she can change her own fate of being abandoned by her mother. The wizard states that even with the most powerful magic, this is not possible. Angrily, she rips off the curtain and discovers his true persona is nothing but a simple man who likes orchestrating a false image to put on a good show. Deciding to make use of him, she turns Walsh into a flying monkey as her loyal pet. Sometime later, his transformation into a flying monkey alerts Glinda, to Zelena's presence. Glinda thanks Zelena for exposing him and believes time as her pet is fitting punishment for his trickery. Zelena is welcomed into 17. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_of_Oz_(character) 18. https://goo.gl/images/GpX3fM 19. https://goo.gl/images/f7D5EE 20. https://goo.gl/images/wHRnM4

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