#desert mountain apothecary

[desertmountainapothecary]

Morteros Archaeological Site Anza Borrego Desert State Park – San Diego Backcountry Offroad 4x4 Jeep OHV Overland Adventure!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hwbzrKwlcw

Let’s visit the Native American Kumeyaay archaeological site in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. This very special place features incredible morteros, or mortars that were used for cooking, set within the cozy winter Kumeyaay campsite.  You really get a sense of the tribal life of the indigenous people within the gorgeously sculpted boulders, and the many morteros.  This video is dedicated to the Kumeyaay people past, present, and future, both north, and south of the United States, Mexico border.  

I recommend this site for anyone visiting the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, it’s about 2 miles down a graded and maintained dirt road called Mine Wash Road. Up until the Morteros site, a toyota rav 4 or subaru outback could pretty easily make it, as long as they are going slowly and being careful.  It’s so much fun to feel the wheels of your car or truck drive off of the pavement and hear the satisfying crunch of the desert dirt road underneath.

Once you get to the Morteros site, you can see why the Kumeyaay people, chose this site as a winter encampment.  There are incredible panoramic views from every direction, and an array of beautiful boulder formations to break the wind and create cozy, and very homey little areas for their domestic life.  There are many morteros around the site, so you won’t have to search far for them, and when you touch them, it’s an incredible feeling to be touching the same stone that an unknowable amount of generations of Kumeyaay people touched and used day to day.

The desert plant life is starting to green up after our cold, wet winter.  Three years of intensely destructive drought has scarred the land, but we’re starting to see some regrowth.  This area of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park is called the Mescal Bajada.  If the word mescal sounds familiar to you, that’s because the Kumeyayy word for agave, is mescal with an s, and mezcal with a z is the delicious smoky tequila distilled from roasted hearts of this type of agave plant.  And a bajada is a Spanish word for a huge desert slope area, which creates the perfect conditions for intense wind.

The wind was absolutely whipping down the mountain, and it was impossible to film with the sound.  I might come back here on a calm day and film another video, I really think this site is worth featuring twice. There’s just such an abundance of spiritual energy in this place, and I just find myself continuing to return.  

Let’s continue our journey of discovery together in Southern California and beyond.  

If you love exploring the San Diego Backcountry as much as I do, enjoy a scenic drive with me through the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Julian and Santa Ysabel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Z_o0S4Hpg&t=5s

And let’s take a supreme desert offroad adventure in Wild Coyote Canyon during our wet winter.  The creeks are flowing, and the wildflowers are blooming in the San Diego desert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQYPvqj2ouU

San Diego Backcountry Videos:

Palm Canyon Oasis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le0eGyQcUMo&t=16s

Desert Snow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoZrv58Dk08

Rusted & Rustic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxoSZmpcUcM&t=6s

Desert Time Lapses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMJCZeBUh3c&t=4s

About Desert Mountain Apothecary: The original desert apothecary for mind, body & spirit: desert roots & desert mountain botanicals: Desert Mountain Apothecary by William Z. Brennan.  Supremely natural natural skincare & botanical fragrance hand made with love from the purest natural source plant-based ingredients.  

About William Z. Brennan: William Z. Brennan is a natural lifestyle expert, founder of Desert Mountain Apothecary & author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization.  Originally from New York, and with a background in fragrance, skincare, fashion design & bespoke mens tailoring, he is now based in the Southern California Desert.

About Natural Lifestyle Optimization: William Z. Brennan is the author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization, a new way of harnessing habits and routines towards a transformation and renewal of mind, body & spirit.  Pre-order your copy of Natural Lifestyle Optimization today!

Links:

Website:

https://desertmountainapothecary.com/

DMA Journal:

https://desertmountainapothecary.com/blogs/blog

Mastodon:

https://mindly.social/@DesertMountainApothecary

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/desertmountainapothecary/

Medium:

https://desertmountainapothecary.medium.com/

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-z-brennan

Tumblr:

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/desertmountainapothecary

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/DesertMountai17

LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/desertmountainapothecary

All content in this video was created and solely owned by Desert Mountain Apothecary and William Z. Brennan, except for the following music:

Old Salooner Blues – Midnight North

Pioneers - Audionautix

Morning Mandolin - Chris Haugen

All the Fixings - Zachariah Hickman

#desert #desert apothecary #desert roots #desert supreme #desert wild #desert mountain botanicals #grateful desert #the original desert apothecary #desert mountain apothecary #william z. brennan #will brennan #william brennan #san diego backcountry #san diego #palm springs #joshua tree #29 palms #pioneertown #california #southern california #adventure #travel #explore #ohv #4x4 #jeep #offroad #overland #jeeping #dirt road

[dead-end-draws]

WOF tribe Merchant/Trading booth concepts:

Hey folks! This one was the recent winner of this WOF poll, so here’s my concept art that headcannons trading in Pyyria.

Read below cut for close-ups of the individual booths + the thought process / headcannons behind the design choices: 👇

Skywings: The Sky Kingdom’s mountain ranges provide plenty of pasture for raising sheep. As such, Skywing shepherds benefit from traveling to sell their wool, dyes, fabric, and woven tapestries. Many of these merchant tables also include herbs grown exclusively in the mountains, or ibex drinking horns that can be strapped on a dragon’s shoulder & carried in flight.

Along with goods, Skywing merchants may offer sewing services to fix tears, burn marks, or other fabric damage. They are sought out for their quality clothing, and most fabric across Pyyria originated from a Skywing’s talons.

Mudwings: Mudwings’ abundant food & cooking skills are envied almost anywhere in Pyrria. Their swamps have fertile soil, responsible for hosting diverse crops which can be purchased as produce at merchant stalls. For those lucky enough to find a traveling Mudwing merchant, the promise of a delicious dish can be whipped up and served at the stall in no time. Along with produce goods, Mudwings sell weaved baskets, spices, and cooking ware.

Sandwings: Sandwing booths offer luxuries of the desert: It’s most common to find accessories such as gold carved jewelry or musical instruments such as drums, lyres, & mandolins for sale. Though, even more sought out across Pyrria is Sandwing tattoos/piercings, which are done within the merchant areas. Ink etchings on papyrus paper are stationed outside their tents to showcase designs. All which can be selected, and poked into the skin with a tapping stick and plant dye ink by a trained talon.

Seawings: SeaWings sell a variety of ocean related goods; taking a share in the fish market with Icewings. Outside of food, there are den decorations like driftwood carvings, accessories such as seashell & pearl jewelry, and rope nets weaved by expert Seawing sailors. Some Seawings even sell fishing equipment, canoes, or offer sailor knot tying instructions to curious dragon buyers.

Nightwings: During the war, it was near impossible to find a Nightwing merchant. Most refused to participate in merchant territory, mostly as a way to keep up with their tribe’s mysterious nature.

Though in the more shady, unground parts of the market you can buy from a huge selection of obsidian weaponry, the sharpest in Pyyria. No one knew initially how Nightwings smithed so many weapons, or why, until their secret volcano kingdom and the intention to invade the rainforest was discovered. Then forging armor & weapons became clear. Along with a vast armory, for the right price, some Nightwing merchants offer Prophecies & Nightwing Literature (not always guaranteed to always be reliable) and assassin services as well (very reliable).

Rainwings: Though Rainwings haven’t been part of Pyyria’s trading for years, they have a vast hold on dragon medicine. An apothecary of herbs, salves, and remedies are all offered for various ailments due to the rainforest’s abundant resources. Along with medicinal goods, many Rainwings are fruit vendors, promising to any hesitant meat-eating dragons that such an array of flavors isn’t to be missed. Though, their fruit selling pitches often fall flat to most other predominantly meat-eating tribes.

Icewings: Icewings have everything a dragon could need to brace the cold, with a selection of goods only found in the most frigid regions of Pyyria. Furs, bone jewelry, and fresh fish (thanks to frost breath) are served on ice. Though Icewings themselves don’t require fur to withstand the cold, it’s considered fashionable and common in upper ranks to wear fur as a status symbol. Since metal is hard to smith without fire & in cold temperatures, fur and bone are more accessible to Icewings for clothing statements.

#art #illustration #bookart #wings of fire #wof #dragon #concept art #concept design #dragons #dragon art #wings of fire art #wingsoffire #wings of fire fanart #wof art #wof headcanon #wof tribes #skywing #Seawing #Mudwing #sandwing #rainwing #icewing #nightwing wof #nightwing #wof fanart #wings of fire headcanons #illustrative art #worldbuilding

[fjotla-vithir]

D&D Gpose Meme

Emoji are better anyways :3

Screenshots inspired by damage types

⚔️ - melee (slashing, piercing, bludgeoning, etc.)

☠️ - poison

🔥 - fire

❄️ - ice

☀️ - radiant

🪦 - necrotic

⚡️ - lightning

Screenshots inspired by loot

🗡️ - an enchanted sword

🧪 - a health potion

💍 - a cursed ring

💎 - a focus gem

👝 - an apothecary satchel

🔮 - a crystal ball

🐈‍⬛ - a black cat familiar

Screenshots inspired by terrain

🌲 - through a dark and vast forest

🌴 - on a warm, sunny beach

🦇 - in a secluded cavern

🏔️ - high on a mountain’s peak

🌊 - deep in the ocean

🏞️ - along the river bank

🌵 - under the blazing desert sun

#try mixing and matching! #gpose #gpose meme #gposer #screenshot meme #ffxiv screenshot meme #ffxiv #ff14 #final fantasy xiv #final fantasy 14 #ffxiv addict #ffxiv gpose #send em #share em #dnd gpose meme

[gasha40k]

It’s looking exceptionally bloody out here. Lots of good progress on my Khorne lads recently, and lots of good reading progress, too!

To start, I’m now about 3/4ths of the way through Khârn: Eater of Worlds, and it’s going pretty good so far! Lots of murder, which is par for the course for a World Eaters book. I like how the book expounds upon the Legion and its structuring quite a bit, as it’s one of the only Heresy-era novels where we get to see the Legion without Khârn or Angron. I like the Caedere a lot, I like how Dreagher is a normal person, and I like the human apothecary, Skoral, and her cool ceramite arm. I’m excited to see how it ends, but that’s enough book club.

A living myth known by countless infernal titles across the stars—the Apostate Scion, Betrayer of Valefar, Exile of the 8th, Deserter Lord—yet who himself claims none, Lord Akselos is a nigh-untouchable killer whose very name heralds the singlehanded slaughtering of entire worlds.

This is the Deserter Lord Akselos. Akselos was introduced to the blog a handful of posts ago when I first built him, but since then, I’ve not only fleshed out much of his backstory, but I’ve also given him a coat of paint and a nice base to go with it.

Billowing black cloak and beckoning hand for Khorne worshipping purposes, and definitely not because he is a bitter and melodramatic individual

I’m really happy with this mini. It may not be my best paint job, but I think it’s a solid kitbash, and all together, I think that he looks super cool. I am definitely satisfied with how he turned out. The painting isn’t super advanced but it’s cohesive and pleasing to the eye. This model also gave me a few challenges, primarily painting white. I’ve only used Wraithbone so I was a bit horrified using Corax White, but I think it turned out pretty okay.

Another challenge was figuring out how I’d base him. Because I want most of my World Eaters army to be visually similar, I figured that whatever base Akselos got would be the same base that I’d give my other World Eaters, so I had to decide on what would best fit both him and the rest of the army. I decided on some black, sort of mountainous rubble-rock with inlaid skulls (for Khorne, of course). I’m going to go over this and place some little patches of Valhallan White to break up the grey and I’m going to splatter the blood paint on the white snow, but this’ll definitely do for now.

Of his many names, Akselos is known most bitterly as Oathbreaker by the Ultramarines 8th Company, or at least by those few that remain in the 8th who still remember him.

I tried to keep the visual theme of asymmetry pretty strong throughout this model. Akselos’ soul is deeply conflicted, and has been for some centuries now. Currently, he is torn between two existences: that of the renegade Ultramarine, desperate for vengeance, and that of the Saint of Khorne, struggling to ascend attachment.

His right arm is made of Ultramarine bits. The Macraggean pauldron and Tacticus arm are all that remain of his old armor. Akselos wears this defiled heraldry as both a constant memento of his shame and a constant reminder of his hatred.

His left arm consists of Eightbound bits, who are the most daemonic units in the World Eaters roster. It’s visibly more corrupted than the rest of his body. After losing his human arm in a particularly desperate battle, the Ruinous Powers gifted Akselos with this charcoal black replacement. He pays for the gift by frequently nourishing it with the blood of the slain.

This won’t be Akselos’ actual squad, his escort squad will be a bunch of similarly white-headed Berzerkers built with Legionairy bodies to represent that they’re more renegade than WE

Akselos isn’t alone, though! I’ve officially “finished” my first squad of World Eaters. Again, the bases aren’t quite done. I’m going to add bloodstained Valhallan Snow to essentially all of these. I may also do place transfers here and there, and I’m definitely going to highlight Wally and Akselos, but the models and bases are done to a reasonable standard and I’m satisfied with calling them finished.

Shoutout to Wally he’s a day one

Here’s the squad leader, Kardon the Eternal, otherwise known as Wally the World Eater. Kardon is a veteran of unknowable age. Some claim that he fought for Khârn after Terra, some that he’s a hero from the Great Crusade, but all agree that he has been alive for millennia with the sole purpose of claiming skulls for Khorne. I think he’s a neat little homage kitbash and a solid paint job. Kardon looks purposely kinda simple so that he can either fit with a larger squad of 10 Berzerkers or lead a smaller squad of 5.

This is his squad of 5! Not much to say about the rest of these bozos, except that the first guy had a bit of a “stepped on” incident and I lost the haft of his axe, so he wields a little chain hatchet now. I like to think that the axe actually started as a two-handed Eviscerator, and over time, this guy has slowly whittled it down into a baby axe by hitting shit with it way too hard.

That’s all I got for now. Very happy with where this army is going. I hope to soon get my hands on Angron, and that’ll be a huge fucking chore, but it’s super exciting because I’d love to field that man. Beastly unit and awesome character. With Khârn, Invocatus, and Angron, I’ll only need Azrakh the Annihilator to finish my World Eaters canon character collection, and I’ll only need… a lot more units to boost my collection to 2,000pts. I’m hoping to eventually get my hands on the Combat Patrol to bolster my numbers, but that won’t be for a while since I’m a broke ass bitch. Thanks!

#warhammer 40k #miniatures #painting #chaos #world eaters #unchained path

[anxious-art-block]

LU Headcanon's Part 4: Bring back the Twiddies

KIWI WIND “How ‘bout get fucked, mate.” “Eh?” “Oh, choice man!” “All good.” “Oh, yeah-nah, not really.” “Slow down, Trev.” “Ugh, that’s grotty!” “No worries, he’ll be right.” “Bloody nora!”

I used Kiwi instead of Australian cause there’s a larger Polynesian population in New Zealand 

But anyway

Sky’s Hylian is based on Korean

Hyrule, Dawn, and Aurora are besties

Hyrule has this huge sketchbook that’s basically a plant encyclopedia without words. It has really detailed pictures he drew of any plant he’s come across starting at age 8 so that he knows which is poisonous, toxic, or deadly and which aren’t

Most of them he learned from experience 

Wild cuts Florian’s hair properly, they walked in on him trying to cut it himself and did so horribly so Wild steps in like “I may be shit at this too but I can at least what I’m doing”

Wind has canonically killed a man and we need to address that more

Also probably could and very much would to do it again 

Age Headcanons (I know they have official age ranges but like I'm ignoring that)

Time: Physically; mid-30s Twilight: 19 going on 20 Warriors: 24 Sky: 21 Hyrule: 17 going on 18 (Ha) Legend: 21 going on 22 Four: 17 Wind: 13 Wild: 18 going on 19

So, this is technically a theory but it also counts as a headcanon so here it is:

My theory on the Chain becoming, well, The Chain

Each Link was pulled through (read: Walked through, thrown, forcefully pulled, etc.) a portal in order of the timeline. This means they were all thrown into Wild’s Hyrule since they’re at the end of said timeline

This also means that some Links were dropped off at the same time, just in different locations, in order it went:

Sky: Gerudo Desert  Four: Goron City (He just kinda sets on fire) Legend, Time, and Wind: The Great Plateau (Time), Lurelin Village (Legend), Zora’s Domain (Wind) Twilight and Hyrule: Hebra Mountains (Twilight), Korok Forest (Hyrule) Warriors: Hyrule Castle

Wild and Hyrule were the first to meet, they were in the Korok Forest when a portal opened above them and dropped Hyrule through it

I just like the idea of the first game Link meeting the most recent game Link

When one meets another, their triforces will glow, and after they’ve (most) all branched off into pairs or groups, their triforce will glow and give a tugging sensation, telling them to follow it essentially, and leads them all to the Spring of Courage

That’s all I got

The Chain goes to Wild’s Zora's domain and meets Sidon for the first time and are like “who in the fuck is that” cause it’s this fucking HUGE shark Zora with this thousand-yard stare and when he sees Wild he turns into this love-sick puppy and they’re all like “??”

Hyrule hates it when any of them insult his era, cause he's someone who fully believes it's not a hopeless world despite it proving time again that it doesn't care for him

Hyrule is the only one who doesn't have a last name, not in a case of has one and just didn't/doesn't know it (read: Time and Wild) he literally just doesn't have one. Any records of his blood family they could find only listed the first names. No surname given

Time and Twi have the same angry face, Twi will just bare more teeth (well duh)

Twilight has to physically stop himself from chasing things that are thrown, but you can see his head and eyes immediately follow whatever it is

Hyrule's hylian is based on Thai

I have a royalty au who wants to hear more about it?

No one?

Oh well gonna talk about it anyway

Legend: Eldest Prince Hyrule: Youngest Prince Warriors: Personal Guard to Prince Legend Wild: Personal Guard to Prince Hyrule Wind: Wanted Pirate Twilight: Head Groom Four: Local Blacksmith Time: Butler Sky: Local Baker/Former Knight

Fable: Eldest Princess/Twin to Prince Legend Aurora: Queen of Calatia Dawn: Youngest Princess of Calatia Artemis: Personal Guard to Princess Fable Florian: Local Apothecary Tetra: Captain of the Ghost Ship/Wanted Pirate Dusk: Royal Librarian Dot: Local Florist Lullaby: Housekeeper Sun: Sky's Wife/Local Baker/Former Priestess

Additional Characters:

Ravio: "Humble" Bard Malon: Time's Wife/Owner of Lon Lon Ranch Hilda: Queen of Lorule/Best Friend to Prince Legend Styla: Princess of Hytopia Impa: Princess Fable's Lady-In-Waiting

If you’re on the discord then u already know a good bit about it but that’s all you’re getting for now :]

alright I'm done

#linked universe #lu #linked universe headcanons #lu wild #lu warriors #lu time #lu twilight #lu legend #lu hyrule #lu sky #lu wind #lu four #lu incorrect quotes

[nirikeehan]

Setting Prompts

Adapted from a list found unsourced on Pinterest; if credit is known, please let me know!

Garden

Library

Market

Greenhouse

Swamps

Docks

Observatory

Jungle

Kitchen

Waterfall

Cavern

Temple

Graveyard

Campsite

Sea

Bedroom

Bath house

Academy

Laboratory

Circus

Sewers

Attic

Castle

Office

Zoo

Antique store

Carnival

Cabin

Mountain Path

Desert

Road

Meadow

Beach

Street vendor

Lighthouse

Apothecary

Inn

Tavern

Barn

Pond

Treehouse

Tower

Hot springs

Old town

Ruins

Bridge

Forest

Archipelago

Conservatory

Haunted house

Abandoned village

Underwater

Museum

Theatre

Secret Hideout

Bakery

Catacombs

#writing prompts

[illuminamint-writes]

MCYT FIC WIPS & IDEAS

I thought that I’d make a lil masterpost of all my ideas in one place, because I’ll be updating small snippets here to tumblr while I write them! Everything’s listed in rough order of how much I have written/planned out so far.

Current Projects (AKA, these have a lot written/planned out):

The Waters are Still Cold (TWASC) - Heading the mycelium resistance is just supposed to be a little bit of fun for the server, but after HEP wins, Grian finds himself trapped in a series of time loops. [Read on Ao3]

Make a Sudden Leap - Born a Watcher, Grian wants to know what life is like as a player. So he enters 3rd life and pretends to be one. Scarian. [Read on Ao3]

Into Midnight - Side fic of TWASC exploring scenes from alternative POVs.

The Other Side of Paradise - 3rd Life AU, where instead of building monopoly mountain together after Scar gets killed via creeper, Grian and Scar end up building an oasis temple in the desert, declaring themselves neutral within the server. Scarian. [Read on Ao3]

When Withered Feathers Fall - After receiving a curious message in code in the mail, Grian finds himself slowly turning into a bird. [Read on Ao3]

Future Projects (AKA, these have rough plans and concepts):

Chisel Away the Starry Night - Set in the TWASC-series, within s8 in which the citizens of boatem find themselves in a time loop.

Disturb the Universe - Also dubbed as puppet AU. Puppet to the Watchers, Grian is a player that enacts their wishes to ensure the content they Watch remains interesting. This is fine with him—until they place him in a death game with his friends. Scarian. 

Process of Metamorphosis - Watcher Grian returns to being a player, and finds that it’s hard to go back to how things used to be.

Duet Between the Sun and Moon - Fantasy AU. Grian just wants to find the son of the travelling apothecary that saved his life and gifted him the necklace he treasures so much. He finds much more than that. Scarian.

Of Insidious Intent - Scar takes Grian’s green life. In an attempt to flee the man, Grian takes his chances with Dogwarts. Martyn is pleased that his friend is finally free from the desert.

Ideas I Have (But haven’t planned yet):

Skulk Infection AU - Grian just needs to resist resisting. The skulk is helping with that; it really is.

Knight Scar AU - Scar is convinced that Grian is going to resist against King Ren. Grian is convinced that Scar needs to leave him alone because he isn’t. Scarian.

‘My Grian was sorry too’ - The story of what, exactly, happened in s9 Grumbot’s reality, and what happened to make Grian sorry.

Mother Spore through the rift AU - The memory of Mother Spore comes through Grian’s rift, and begins to infect Grian once more.

Resisting resistance AU - Scar decides to rebel when he is not made a knight by Ren. Of course it’s only natural that he goes to Grian for help.

Til War Do Us Part - Instead of having date nights, Grian and Scar create wars to keep their romance alive. Scarian.

I have a couple of others but these are the main ones for now!

#3rd life #3rd life smp #hermitcraft #hermitcraft smp #mcyt #mcytblr #trafficblr #trafficshipping #hermitshipping #scarian #desert duo #wips list #my fic

[daeron-dondarrion]

BLACKHAVEN — Town map and locations

Blackhaven is the seat of House Dondarrion in the southwestern region of the Stormlands. It is part of the Dornish Marches, located in the northern Red Mountains close to the Dornish border, north of the Wyl River.

1. Blackhaven castle: Located at the heart of the citadel. It serves as the household for House Dondarrion as well as for the majority of their employed staff.

2. Main plaza: A place for gatherings of all kinds, a place that is especially crowded on the seventh day of the week after the people leave the sept. Street food is often sold here and it isn’t rare for musicians to delight the crowds with their songs.

3. The sept: The seventh day of the week is devoted to the Seven and so the town’s sept is the main place for the people of Blackhaven to gather for prayer.

4. The park: The largest green area in the town. A space for leisurely activities and for taking a walk.

5. The theater: Plays have been performed here for nobles and smallfolk alike. It is most often used for tablaos to watch flamenco dancers and enjoy their traditional music.

6. The guilds: This area of the town encompasses the workshops and shops of the guilds of Blackhaven. A long time ago, before the common tongue was adopted in the town, the guilds received Euskera names based on their purpose or the main materials they used for their work. These groups were called “houses”, a tradition that remains to this day. The Blackhaven guilds are identified as follows:

House of Egurra: Carpenters, roofers, and plasterers Woodcarvers, coopers, and bowyers Wagon-makers and wheelwrights

House of Janari Cooks and bakers Brewers, distillers and vintners Farmers

House of Natura Alchemists and apothecaries Healers, midwives and nurses

House of Harria Jewelers and gem cutters Masons and stonecutters Potters and tile-makers

House of Metala Armorers, locksmiths & finesmiths Smiths and metal-forgers

House of Janzkera Cobblers and shoemakers Leatherworkers, skinners, and tanners Weavers and dyers

House of Idaztea Calligraphers, scribes, and scriveners Painters, limners, and sign-makers

7. Bazaar: Located within the guild district. A great variety of goods can be found here with the exception of food, which is sold in the market.

8. Market: Unlike the bazaar, the market is dedicated entirely to selling foods. The members of the House of Janari sell their goods here.

9. Lace district: The area of town where brothels are found as well as spaces for dance performances of a very mature nature.

10 & 11. The city jail (gallows) and the constabulary: Soldiers in Blackhaven can be divided into two branches: men who are trained for battle and the militant branch that oversees that law and order are upheld in the city who operate from the constabulary. For all intents and purposes, they are the city watch. They work under the jurisdiction of a commander at the service of House Dondarrion. The city jail and gallows are located close to their headquarters.

12 & 13. First and Second garrison: Training grounds and housing for the soldiers of Blackhaven.

14. Orphanage: A home that is run by a group of septas. They receive alms from the townspeople as well as a biannual donation from House Dondarrion. They receive basic education so they may successfully become members of society when they reach adulthood. When they come of age, they are welcomed to be employed at the castle, to pursue a craft with the guilds, join the military or devote themselves to the faith.

15, 16 & 17. Inns: There are three inns in town which vary in level of luxury and cost. Wingarde Inn and Brightsong Inn are considered affordable, offering basic accommodation. King’s Quarter Inn is far more expensive, offering a more lavish service and larger quarters as well as a private courtyard accessible only by guests.

18, 19, 20 & 21. Tarvens and pubs: Good food and good drinks can be found all across Blackhaven. The Desert Hawk and The Sandstorm are frequented by all sorts of people from every social class, be it guild members, workers from the lace district, soldiers, and even some visiting nobles who want a taste of Blackhaven without any veils of propriety. The Copper Cup is considered a more family-friendly space, and the meals that Genara, the cook, serves have the greatest of reputations. Lastly, The Saffron is a tavern for those of more exquisite taste, offering both local drinks and cuisine as well as some imported delicacies.

#excuse my ugly mountains; i tried #daeron: headcanon #( blackhaven )

[xaracosmia]

ꕥ — WELCOME TO MARE COSMIA, FAWN SILEAS EMERIE. 🌗

ꕥ  — OOC INFORMATION;

name / alias: dee age: 25 pronouns: she/her ooc contact: @starfeil on twt. other characters in xc: sylvain jose gautier, neopolitan

ꕥ  — IC INFORMATION;

name: Fawn Sileas Emerie age: 24 pronouns: she/they series: OC canon point: n/a app triggers: parental death, illness, (perceived) abandonment, self-loathing

personality:

If you asked the people of Pristin Respite what their thoughts were of Fawn, they would describe her kindly: pleasant, helpful, responsible. She carries out her work to the people of Marcavilla dutifully, without complaint, and always, always with a smile. Someone more observant might notice that said smile never reaches her eyes, that it’s worn like a mask to hide the way she truly feels. (They certainly wouldn’t be wrong, though it’s difficult to get close enough to her to discern the truth behind it.)

 For all that Fawn lacks passion in her station, she takes pride in her work; she’s meticulous, careful and precise when it comes to alchemy. Much of this, however, is fuelled by an unhealthy fear of failure instilled in her by the loss she’s experienced in her life. She has quite the temper to go hand in hand with it — when things go wrong, it’s easy for her to succumb to stress and agitation, falling back on sarcastic remarks and biting words. It’s no wonder, then, that she prefers to work alone so that no-one else is subjected to it.

 Ask someone who has known Fawn all her life, and you might hear tales of a different girl entirely: someone rebellious, playful, free-spirited. Maybe they would talk of how she’d run into all sorts of trouble with a bright laugh and an even brighter smile; how she’d paint fantastical murals on the walls of buildings (with or without permission); how she’d never sit still, exploring all corners of the Verge and daydreaming of the world beyond. Whoever this Fawn had been, she seems to be long gone, a far cry from the reserved woman who rarely steps foot past the threshold of her shop and home—

 —or perhaps she never went anywhere at all. Who knows?

something your muse struggles with: her sense of identity; she’s trying hard to be the person she believes people want her to be as opposed to the person she is. she feels trapped in her own life and doesn’t allow herself to see a way out of it.

your muse’s greatest strength: her compassion and creativity; she puts others before herself, for better or for worse.

history / background: Born in the chilly mountains of Marcavilla to an eccentric apothecary, Fawn spends much of her early years sheltered from the cold inside of her mother's shop. A rather sickly child prone to the harsh weather, her mother rarely allows her free reign of the mountain; Fawn only tastes freedom when she's sent to stay with her aunt in the desert region of Chalcedony, during the winter months when the cold is at its harshest back home. She doesn't mind—her days spent in Marcavilla are done so in awe, watching her mother brew whimsical potions and healing remedies alike.  It's a craft passed down from generation to generation, her mother tells her, a craft she too will learn and take over some day. This, Fawn accepts. She's too young to understand the weight of such responsibilities, after all, and the shop is her home. For a girl so shy and so frail, it’s difficult to imagine a life outside of it.

That changes when a shivering wet bundle of child is brought into the shop by his father, seeking aid. As Fawn peers through the doorway to watch her mother work, she learns that he’d almost drowned in one of the local lakes, that his name is Adante, that he’s one year older than she is. Later, she’ll learn that he likes to tell whimsical stories that make her laugh; that he’s always getting into mischief; that he wants to be her friend.

(Her life could use a little mischief, she thinks. She wants to be his friend, too.)

Adante becomes a staple in her life in no time at all, visiting her more and more often with each passing week. He brightens up the days when sickness keeps her bed-bound, has her reaching for her sketchbook between coughs to capture the tales that he weaves her on paper. Soon enough her health begins to steadily improve, and finally, she grows well enough to join him on his adventures, too.

As Fawn tastes freedom, the world grows bigger. No longer are they content within the four small walls of their mother's apothecary, seeking something greater for themself than the mundanity of potions and poultices. Their mother speaks to them of legacy, and they reject it bitterly. The relationship between mother and child grows strained until eventually, Fawn leaves Marcavilla entirely to stay with her aunt, whose laidback attitude suits her perfectly well. She’s far closer to Adante here, too.

As the two of them grow, inseparable as ever, feelings do, too—pesky, unrequited ones that have Fawn’s cheeks heating with every nudge of her arm, every playful wink Adante sends her way. She watches him flit from person to person, helps him write poetry for his beau of the hour and bottles up her own jealousy that none of his words are ever meant for her. She tells herself that it’s better like this, that this way she won’t become part of the messy trail he leaves in his wake.

When the first poem arrives, she thinks it’s a mistake, that it’s intended for another. Then the second comes, more heartfelt than the last. A third arrives, and Fawn doesn’t even open it before she’s barrelling her way towards Adante’s home, seeking answers. (The answers come in the form of laughter and kisses and promises for the future—their future together.)

They’re happy for a time, living a life that, to Fawn, feels almost perfect. They make plans to sate their wanderlust like they’d always talked about when they were young, to travel to the far edges of the world, Fawn as a painter, Adante her muse. Their future feels so tangible, so close—

Until news of her mother falling ill has Fawn racing back to Marcavilla with Adante in tow. Even the most skilled doctors seem unable to discern what is wrong with her, and can only slow the sickness down instead of curing it. Unwilling to sit by while her mother grows gradually worse, Fawn takes matters into her own hands. She returns to the apothecary and begins to brew concoction after concoction, throwing herself into the craft she’d once rejected. Adante tries hard to keep her grounded, to stop her from overworking herself, but with each failed attempt at a cure, Fawn grows more and more agitated.

Finally, the stress and fear of loss grows too much for Fawn to bear—and so she turns to the closest target. Her fear poisons her words until they cut like thorns into Adante, for not helping, for not taking things seriously, for not being enough. They’re awful, terrible words that she doesn’t mean, yet they pour from her mouth so easily it scares her until it’s enough to get what she wants. Adante leaves. Good, she tells herself, because alone she works best. She tries hard not to acknowledge that she thinks this is what she deserves, that this is cruel justice—to be left on her own, just as she’d done to the one person who needed her. She throws herself into her work tenfold, heartbroken and desperate.

In the end, her efforts are not enough. The gravity of her mother’s loss heightens with each solemn face she sees at the funeral. Fawn mistakes the sympathy and concern in their eyes for disdain, for disappointment that she couldn’t do the one thing that was asked of her.

(Adante does not come to the funeral. Fawn is too numb with grief to care.)

She locks herself away for weeks. She wallows in her grief, blaming herself for losing the two most important people in her life—it’s impossible not to. She would be content to remain hidden behind closed doors, until a desperate knock finally pulls her from her stupor. As the door creaks open. Fawn notes the woman standing in front of her, a sickly child cradled in her arms and wracked with coughing fits. She pleads for aid, tells her that no other apothecary in Marcavilla has been able to help, and Fawn is struck with fear all over again. They don’t want to be responsible for another death, doesn’t think they can deal with the disappointment and disdain of others all over again, but—but. She recognises the illness, one that she’d been stricken with many times before in her youth. She knows how to help—and so she does.

As Fawn sends the child and their relieved mother home a few days later, the medicine she brewed having run its course and the illness purged for good, she starts to think: maybe this is how she atones. Maybe this is how she makes amends for failing the people dear to her.

The potion shop reopens the following week. It’s here Fawn remains, just as their mother had wished, carrying on the family legacy and serving the people of Marcavilla selflessly. Their dream of travelling the world to capture its beauty in their artwork is a distant one now. It doesn’t matter.

They have nobody left to share it with anyway.

powers / abilities:

Earth elemental magic (light aligned) — an accomplished user of the Marcan gift of earth magic, Fawn is able to move and shape the land at will with little effort. As a light aligned user, she can manipulate minerals and metals in addition to this, though this particular skill of hers is semi-recent and unpolished. Once a day, this power allows her to draw energy from the earth to replenish her stamina for a short time. (Notably, she knows a lot about dark-aligned earth magic in spite of being unable to use it. Changing alignments is exceptionally rare, though. Interesting.)

 inherent abilities:

While not something particularly apparent or a “gift” per se, Fawn’s family have an affinity for potion making — specifically drawing the magical properties out of mundane ingredients and brewing concoctions that are more potent than your run-of-the-mill apothecary. Fawn shares in said affinity, and is remarkably good at her craft as a result.

Fawn has some animal-like physical traits, presumably passed down from her father’s side. Her ears are pointed, canines sharp, and pupils slit and cat-like, however the only advantages any of these offer her is slightly better vision in the dark and an easy vampire costume for Halloween.

items / weapons:

A travelling painter’s kit of brushes, a sketchbook and watercolour paints, the latter of which were handmade by Fawn.

A leather satchel filled with base ingredients, flasks and other instruments for potion-brewing.

A silver moon hairpin that once belonged to their mother. It’s a family heirloom.

starting ability: earth elemental magic starting item: her painter’s kit

 extra:

post-funeral i like to imagine her sitting expressionless at a window for three months in a montage akin to bella from the twilight saga: new moon (2009)

she has agoraphobia…do with this information what you will.

she wears nothing but big knitted scarves and jumpers and knitted dresses and is always cold. never takes her gucci fur-lined leather gloves off if she can help it but that’s partly because she thinks they look really cool

definitely over her ex…right guys?...

discord id: dearheart.#5832 passcode: i hope she knows that i support her three month long expressionless window staring montage a la bella twilight we’ve all been there am i righ

#xc application #mare cosmia #mun: dee

[rockislandadultreads]

Adult Fantasy Fiction: 2020 releases 

Prosper's Demon by K.J. Parker

In the pitch dark, witty fantasy novella Prosper's Demon, K. J. Parker deftly creates a world with vivid, unbending rules, seething with demons, broken faith, and worse men. In a botched demonic extraction, they say the demon feels it ten times worse than the man. But they don’t die, and we do. Equilibrium. The unnamed and morally questionable narrator is an exorcist with great follow-through and few doubts. His methods aren’t delicate but they’re undeniably effective: he’ll get the demon out—he just doesn’t particularly care what happens to the person. Prosper of Schanz is a man of science, determined to raise the world’s first philosopher-king, reared according to the purest principles. Too bad he’s demonically possessed.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

Bridie Devine, female detective extraordinaire, is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, and a peculiar child whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery. Winding her way through the labyrinthine, sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won’t rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing a past that she’d rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where spectacle is king and nothing is quite what it seems. Blending darkness and light, history and folklore, Things in Jars is a spellbinding Gothic mystery that collapses the boundary between fact and fairy tale to stunning effect and explores what it means to be human in inhumane times.

Sucker Punch by Laurell K. Hamilton

A brutal murder, a suspect in jail, and an execution planned, but what if the wrong person is about to be killed?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When a fellow U.S. Marshal asks Anita Blake to fly to a tiny community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on an emergency consult, she knows time is running short. When she arrives, there is plenty of proof that a young wereleopard killed his uncle in the most gruesome and bloody way possible. As the mounting evidence points to him, a warrant of execution is already under way.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But something seems off about the murder, and Anita has been asked for her expert opinion on the crime scene. Despite the escalating pressure from local cops and the family’s cries for justice for their dead patriarch, Anita quickly realizes that the evidence doesn't quite add up.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Time is against Anita, as the tight-knit community is up in arms and fear against supernaturals is growing. She races to uncover the truth and determine whether the Marshals have caught the killer or are about to execute an innocent man—all in the name of justice.

Latitudes of Longing by Shubhangi Swarup

A sweeping, lyrical debut about the love and longing between humanity and the earth itself, by a major new literary talent from India A spellbinding work of literature, Latitudes of Longing follows the interconnected lives of characters searching for true intimacy. The novel sweeps across India, from an island, to a valley, a city, and a snow desert to tell a love story of epic proportions. We follow a scientist who studies trees and a clairvoyant who speaks to them; a geologist working to end futile wars over a glacier; octogenarian lovers; a mother struggling to free her revolutionary son; a yeti who seeks human companionship; a turtle who transforms first into a boat and then a woman; and the ghost of an evaporated ocean as restless as the continents. Binding them all together is a vision of life as vast as the universe itself. A young writer awarded one of the most prestigious prizes in India for this novel, Shubhangi Swarup is a storyteller of extraordinary talent and insight. Richly imaginative and wryly perceptive, Latitudes of Longing offers a soaring view of humanity: our beauty and ugliness, our capacity to harm and love each other, and our mysterious and sacred relationship with nature.

#fiction #fantasy #new books #reading recs #book recs #reading recommendations #Book Recommendations #reading list #recommended reading #booklr #booklist #currently reading #tbr

[mellifera38]

Mel’s Big Fantasy Place-Name Reference

So I’ve been doing lots of D&D world-building lately and I’ve kind of been putting together lists of words to help inspire new fantasy place names. I figured I’d share. These are helpful for naming towns, regions, landforms, roads, shops, and they’re also probably useful for coming up with surnames. This is LONG. There’s plenty more under the cut including a huge list of “fantasy sounding” word-parts. Enjoy!

Towns & Kingdoms

town, borough, city, hamlet, parish, township, village, villa, domain

kingdom, empire, nation, country, county, city-state, state, province, dominion

Town Name End Words (English flavored)

-ton, -ston, -caster, -dale, -den, -field, -gate, -glen, -ham, -holm, -hurst, -bar, -boro, -by, -cross, -kirk, -meade, -moore, -ville, -wich, -bee, -burg, -cester, -don, -lea, -mer, -rose, -wall, -worth, -berg, -burgh, -chase, -ly, -lin, -mor, -mere, -pool. -port, -stead, -stow, -strath, -side, -way, -berry, -bury, -chester, -haven, -mar, -mont, -ton, -wick, -meet, -heim, -hold, -hall, -point

Buildings & Places

castle, fort, palace, fortress, garrison, lodge, estate, hold, stronghold, tower, watchtower, palace, spire, citadel, bastion, court, manor, house

altar, chapel, abbey, shrine, temple, monastery, cathedral, sanctum, crypt, catacomb, tomb

orchard, arbor, vineyard, farm, farmstead, shire, garden, ranch

plaza, district, quarter, market, courtyard, inn, stables, tavern, blacksmith, forge, mine, mill, quarry, gallows, apothecary, college, bakery, clothier, library, guild house, bath house, pleasure house, brothel, jail, prison, dungeon, cellar, basement, attic, sewer, cistern

lookout, post, tradepost, camp, outpost, hovel, hideaway, lair, nook, watch, roost, respite, retreat, hostel, holdout, redoubt, perch, refuge, haven, alcove, haunt, knell, enclave, station, caravan, exchange, conclave

port, bridge, ferry, harbor, landing, jetty, wharf, berth, footbridge, dam, beacon, lighthouse, marina, dockyard, shipyard

road, street, way, row, lane, trail, corner, crossing, gate, junction, waygate, end, wall, crossroads,  barrier, bulwark, blockade, pavilion, avenue, promenade, alley, fork, route

Time & Direction

North, South, East, West, up, down, side, rise, fall, over, under

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, solstice, equanox, vernal, ever, never

dusk, dawn, dawnrise, morning, night, nightfall, evening, sundown, sunbreak, sunset

lunar, solar, sun, moon, star, eclipse

Geographical Terms

Cave, cavern, cenote, precipice, crevasse, crater, maar, chasm, ravine, trench, rift, pit

Cliff, bluff, crag, scarp, outcrop, stack, tor, falls, run, eyrie, aerie

Hill, mountain, volcano, knoll, hillock, downs, barrow, plateau, mesa, butte, pike, peak, mount, summit, horn, knob, pass, ridge, terrace, gap, point, rise, rim, range, view, vista, canyon, hogback, ledge, stair, descent

Valley, gulch, gully, vale, dale, dell, glen, hollow, grotto, gorge, bottoms, basin, knoll, combe

Meadow, grassland, field, pasture, steppe, veld, sward, lea, mead, fell, moor, moorland, heath, croft, paddock, boondock, prairie, acre, strath, heights, mount, belt

Woodlands, woods, forest, bush, bower, arbor, grove, weald, timberland, thicket, bosk, copse, coppice, underbrush, hinterland, park, jungle, rainforest, wilds, frontier, outskirts

Desert, dunes, playa, arroyo, chaparral, karst, salt flats, salt pan, oasis, spring, seep, tar pit, hot springs, fissure, steam vent, geyser, waste, wasteland, badland, brushland, dustbowl, scrubland

Ocean, sea, lake, pond, spring, tarn, mere, sluice, pool, coast, gulf, bay

Lagoon, cay, key, reef, atoll, shoal, tideland, tide flat, swale, cove, sandspit, strand, beach

Snowdrift, snowbank, permafrost, floe, hoar, rime, tundra, fjord, glacier, iceberg

River, stream, creek, brook, tributary, watersmeet, headwater, ford, levee, delta, estuary, firth, strait, narrows, channel, eddy, inlet, rapids, mouth, falls

Wetland, marsh, bog, fen, moor, bayou, glade, swamp, banks, span, wash, march, shallows, mire, morass, quag, quagmire, everglade, slough, lowland, sump, reach

Island, isle, peninsula, isthmus, bight, headland, promontory, cape, pointe, cape

More under the cut including: Color words, Animal/Monster related words, Rocks/Metals/Gems list, Foliage, People groups/types, Weather/Environment/ Elemental words, Man-made Items, Body Parts, Mechanical sounding words, a huge list of both pleasant and unpleasant Atmospheric Descriptors, and a huge list of Fantasy Word-parts.

Color Descriptions

Warm: red, scarlet, crimson, rusty, cerise, carmine, cinnabar, orange, vermillion, ochre, peach, salmon, saffron, yellow, gold, lemon, amber, pink, magenta, maroon, brown, sepia, burgundy, beige, tan, fuchsia, taupe

Cool: green, beryl, jade, evergreen, chartreuse, olive, viridian, celadon, blue, azure, navy, cerulean, turquoise, teal, cyan, cobalt, periwinkle, beryl, purple, violet, indigo, mauve, plum

Neutral: gray, silver, ashy, charcoal, slate, white, pearly, alabaster, ivory, black, ebony, jet

dark, dusky, pale, bleached, blotchy, bold, dappled, lustrous, faded, drab, milky, mottled, opaque, pastel, stained, subtle, ruddy, waxen, tinted, tinged, painted

Animal / Monster-Related Words

Bear, eagle, wolf, serpent, hawk, horse, goat, sheep, bull, raven, crow, dog, stag, rat, boar, lion, hare, owl, crane, goose, swan, otter, frog, toad, moth, bee, wasp, beetle, spider, slug, snail, leech, dragonfly, fish, trout, salmon, bass, crab, shell, dolphin, whale, eel, cod, haddock

Dragon, goblin, giant, wyvern, ghast, siren, lich, hag, ogre, wyrm, kraken

Talon, scale, tusk, hoof, mane, horn, fur, feather, fang, wing, whisker, bristle, paw, tail, beak, claw, web, quill, paw, maw, pelt, haunch, gill, fin,

Hive, honey, nest, burrow, den, hole, wallow

Rocks / Metals / Minerals

Gold, silver, brass, bronze, copper, platinum, iron, steel, tin, mithril, electrum, adamantite, quicksilver, fool’s gold, titanium

Diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire, topaz, opal, pearl, jade, jasper, onyx, citrine, aquamarine, turquoise, lapiz lazuli, amethyst, quartz, crystal, amber, jewel

Granite, shale, marble, limestone, sandstone, slate, diorite, basalt, rhyolite, obsidian, glass

Earth, stone, clay, sand, silt, salt, mote, lode, vein, ore, ingot, coal, boulder, bedrock, crust, rubble, pebble, gravel, cobble, dust, clod, peat, muck mud, slip, loam, dirt, grit, scree, shard, flint, stalactite/mite

Trees / Plants / Flowers

Tree, ash, aspen, pine, birch, alder, willow, dogwood, oak, maple, walnut,  chestnut, cedar, mahogany, palm, beech, hickory, hemlock, cottonwood, hawthorn, sycamore, poplar, cypress, mangrove, elm, fir, spruce, yew

Branch, bough, bramble, gnarl, burr, tangle, thistle, briar, thorn, moss, bark, shrub, undergrowth, overgrowth, root, vine, bracken, reed, driftwood, coral, fern, berry, bamboo, nectar, petal, leaf, seed, clover, grass, grain, trunk, twig, canopy, cactus, weed, mushroom, fungus

Apple, olive, apricot, elderberry, coconut, sugar, rice, wheat, cotton, flax, barley, hops, onion, carrot, turnip, cabbage, squash, pumpkin, pepper

Flower, rose, lavender, lilac, jasmine, jonquil, marigold, carnelian, carnation, goldenrod, sage, wisteria, dahlia, nightshade, lily, daisy, daffodil, columbine, amaranth, crocus, buttercup, foxglove, iris, holly, hydrangea, orchid, snowdrop, hyacinth, tulip, yarrow, magnolia, honeysuckle, belladonna, lily pad, magnolia

People

Settler, Pilgrim, Pioneer, Merchant, Prospector, Maker, Surveyor, Mason, Overseer, Apprentice, Widow, Sailor, Miner, Blacksmith, Butcher, Baker, Brewer, Barkeep, Ferryman, Hangman, Gambler, Fisherman, Adventurer, Hero, Seeker, Hiker, Traveler, Crone

Mage, Magician, Summoner, Sorcerer, Wizard, Conjurer, Necromancer, 

King, Queen, Lord, Count, Baron, Guard, Soldier, Knight, Vindicator, Merchant, Crusader, Imperator, Syndicate, Vanguard, Champion, Warden, Victor, Legionnaire, Master, Archer, Footman, Gladiator, Barbarian, Captain, Commodore, 

Beggar, Hunter, Ranger, Deadman, Smuggler, Robber, Swindler, Rebel, Bootlegger, Outlaw, Pirate, Brigand, Ruffian, Highwayman, Cutpurse, Thief, Assassin

God, Goddess, Exarch, Angel, Devil, Demon, Cultist, Prophet, Hermit, Seer

council, clergy, guild, militia, choir 

Climate, Environment, & The Elements

Cold, cool, brisk, frosty, chilly, icy, freezing, frozen, frigid, glacial, bitter, biting, bleak, arctic, polar, boreal, wintry, snowy, snow, blizzarding, blizzard, sleeting, sleet, chill, frost, ice, icebound, ice cap, floe, snowblind, frostbite, coldsnap, avalanche, snowflake

Hot, sunny, humid, sweltering, steaming, boiling, sizzling, blistering, scalding, smoking, caldescent, dry, parched, arid, fallow, thirsty, melting, molten, fiery, blazing, burning, charring, glowing, searing, scorching, blasted, sun, fire, heat, flame, wildfire, bonfire, inferno, coal, ash, cinder, ember, flare, pyre, tinder, kindling, aflame, alight, ablaze, lava, magma, slag,

Wet, damp, dank, soggy, sodden, soaked, drenched, dripping, sopping, briny, murky, rain, storm, hail, drizzle, sprinkle, downpour, deluge, squall, water, cloud, fog, mist, dew, puddle, pool, current, whirlpool, deep, depths, tide, waves, whitewater, waterfall, tidal wave, flow, flood, leak, drain

Wind, breeze, gust, billow, gail, draft, waft, zephyr, still, airy, clear, smokey, tempest, tempestuous, windswept, aerial, lofty, torrid, turbulent, nebulous, tradewind, thunder, lightning, spark, cyclone, tornado, whirlwind, hurricane, typhoon

Man-made Item Words

Furnace, forge, anvil, vault, strap, strip, whetstone, brick, sword, blade, axe, dagger, shield, buckler, morningstar, bow, quiver, arrow, polearm, flail, staff, stave, sheath, hilt, hammer, knife, helm, mantle, banner, pauldron, chainmail, mace, dart, cutlass, canon, needle, cowl, belt,  buckle, bandana, goggles, hood, boot, heel, spindle, spool, thread, sweater, skirt, bonnet, apron, leather, hide, plate, tunic, vest, satin, silk, wool, velvet, lace, corset, stocking, binding

Plow, scythe, (wheel) barrow, saddle, harrow, brand, collar, whip, leash, lead, bridle, stirrup, wheel, straw, stall, barn, hay, bale, pitchfork, well, log, saw, lumber, sod, thatch, mortar, brick, cement, concrete, pitch, pillar, window, fountain, door, cage, spoke, pole, table, bench, plank, board

Candle, torch, cradle, broom, lamp, lantern, clock, bell, lock, hook, trunk, looking glass, spyglass, bottle, vase, locket, locker, key, handle, rope, knot, sack, pocket, pouch, manacle, chain, stake, coffin, fan. cauldron, kettle, pot, bowl, pestle, oven, ladle, spoon, font, wand, potion, elixir, draught, portal, book, tome, scroll, word, manuscript, letter, message, grimoire, map, ink, quill, pen, cards, dice

Coin, coronet, crown, circlet, scepter, treasure, riches, scales, pie, tart, loaf, biscuit, custard, caramel, pudding, porridge, stew, bread, tea, gravy, gristle, spice, lute, lyre, harp, drum, rouge, powder, perfume, brush

bilge, stern, pier, sail, anchor, mast, dock, deck, flag, ship, boat, canoe, barge, wagon, sled, carriage, buggy, cart

Wine, brandy, whiskey, ale, moonshine, gin, cider, rum, grog, beer, brew, goblet, flagon, flask, cask, tankard, stein, mug, barrel, stock, wort, malt

Body Parts

Head, throat, finger, foot, hand, neck, shoulder, rib, jaw, eye, lips, bosom

Skull, spine, bone, tooth, heart, blood, tears, gut, beard

Mechanical-Sounding Words

cog, fuse, sprocket, wrench, screw, nail, bolt, lever, pulley, spanner, gear, spring, shaft, switch, button, cast, pipe, plug, dial, meter, nozzle, cord, brake, gauge, coil, oil, signal, wire, fluke, staple, clamp, bolt, nut, bulb, patch, pump, cable, socket

torque, force, sonic, spark, fizzle, thermal, beam, laser, steam, buzz, mega, mecha, electro, telsa, power, flicker, charge, current, flow, tinker

Atmospheric Words

Unpleasant, Dangerous, Threatening

(nouns) death, fury, battle, scar, shadow, razor, nightmare, wrath, bone, splinter, peril, war, riptide, strife, reckoning, sorrow, terror, deadwood, nether, venom, grime, rage, void, conquest, pain, folly, revenge, horrid, mirk, shear, fathom, frenzy, corpselight/marshlight, reaper, gloom, doom, torment, torture, spite, grizzled, sludge, refuse, spore, carrion, fear, pyre, funeral, shade, beast, witch, grip, legion, downfall, ruin, plague, woe, bane, horde, acid, fell, grief, corpse, mildew, mold, miter, dirge

(adjectives) dead, jagged, decrepit, fallen, darkened, blackened, dire, grim, feral, wild, broken, desolate, mad, lost, under, stagnant, blistered, derelict, forlorn, unbound, sunken, fallow, shriveled, wayward, bleak, low, weathered, fungal, last, brittle, sleepy, -strewn, dusky, deserted, empty, barren, vacant, forsaken, bare, bereft, stranded, solitary, abandoned, discarded, forgotten, deep, abysmal, bottomless, buried, fathomless,unfathomable, diseased, plagued, virulent, noxious, venomous, toxic, fetid, revolting, putrid, rancid, foul, squalid, sullied, vile, blighted, vicious, ferocious, dangerous, savage, cavernous, vast, yawning, chasmal, echoing, dim, dingy, gloomy, inky, lurid, shaded, shadowy, somber, sunless, tenebrous, unlit, veiled, hellish, accursed, sulfurous, damned, infernal, condemned, doomed, wicked, sinister, dread, unending, spectral, ghostly, haunted, eldritch, unknown, weary, silent, hungry, cloven, acidic

(verb/adverbs): wither (withering / withered), skulk (skulking), whisper, skitter, chitter, sting, slither, writhe, gape, screech, scream, howl, lurk, roil, twist, shift, swarm, spawn, fester, bleed, howl, shudder, shrivel, devour, swirl, maul, trip, smother, weep, shatter, ruin, curse, ravage, hush, rot, drown, sunder, blister, warp, fracture, die, shroud, fall, surge, shiver, roar, thunder, smolder, break, silt, slide, lash, mourn, crush, wail, decay, crumble, erode, decline, reek, lament, taint, corrupt, defile, poison, infect, shun, sigh, sever, crawl, starve, grind, cut, wound, bruise, maim, stab, bludgeon, rust, mutilate, tremble, stumble, fumble, clank, clang

Pleasant, Safe, Neutral

(nouns) spirit, luck, soul, oracle, song, sky, smile, rune, obelisk, cloud, timber, valor, triumph, rest, dream, thrall, might, valiance, glory, mirror, life, hope, oath, serenity, sojourn, god, hearth, crown, throne, crest, guard, rise, ascent, circle, ring, twin, vigil, breath, new, whistle, grasp, snap, fringe, threshold, arch, cleft, bend, home, fruit, wilds, echo, moonlight, sunlight, starlight, splendor, vigilance, honor, memory, fortune, aurora, paradise, caress

(adjectives) gentle, pleasant, prosperous, peaceful, sweet, good, great, mild, grand, topic, lush, wild, abundant, verdant, sylvan, vital, florid, bosky, callow, verdurous, lucious, fertile, spellbound, captivating, mystical, hidden, arcane, clandestine, esoteric, covert, cryptic, runic, otherworldly, touched, still, fair, deep, quiet, bright, sheer, tranquil, ancient, light, far, -wrought, tidal, royal, shaded, swift, true, free, high, vibrant, pure, argent, hibernal, ascendant, halcyon, silken, bountiful, gilded, colossal, massive, stout, elder, -bourne, furrowed, happy, merry, -bound, loud, lit, silk, quiet, bright, luminous, shining, burnished, glossy, brilliant, lambent, lucent, lustrous, radiant, resplendent, vivid, vibrant, illuminated, silvery, limpid, sunlit, divine, sacred, holy, eternal, celestial, spiritual, almighty, anointed, consecrated, exalted, hallowed, sanctified, ambrosial, beatific, blissful, demure, naked, bare, ample, coy,  deific, godly, omnipotent, omnipresent, rapturous, sacramental, sacrosanct, blessed, majestic, iridescent, glowing, overgrown, dense, hard, timeless, sly, scatter, everlasting, full, half, first, last

(verb/adverbs) arch (arching / arched), wink (winking), sing, nestle, graze, stroll, roll, flourish, bloom, bud, burgeon, live, dawn, hide, dawn, run, pray, wake, laugh, wake, glimmer, glitter, drift, sleep, tumble, bind, arch, blush, grin, glister, beam, meander, wind, widen, charm, bewitch, enthrall, entrance, enchant, allure, beguile, glitter, shimmer, sparkle twinkle, crest, quiver, slumber, herald, shelter, leap, click, climb, scuttle, dig, barter, chant, hum, chime, kiss, flirt, tempt, tease, play, seduce

Generic “Fantasy-Sounding” Word Parts

A - D

aaz, ada, adaer, adal, adar, adbar, adir, ae, ael, aer, aern, aeron, aeryeon, agar, agis, aglar, agron, ahar, akan, akyl, al, alam, alan, alaor, ald, alea, ali, alir, allyn, alm, alon, alor, altar, altum, aluar, alys, amar, amaz, ame, ammen, amir, amol, amn, amus, anar, andor, ang, ankh, ar, ara, aram, arc, arg, arian, arkh, arla, arlith, arn, arond, arthus, arum, arvien, ary, asha, ashyr, ask, assur, aster, astra, ath, athor, athra, athryn, atol, au, auga, aum, auroch, aven, az, azar, baal, bae, bael, bak, bal, balor, ban, bar, bara, barr, batol, batar, basir, basha, batyr, bel, belph, belu, ben, beo, bere, berren, berun, besil, bezan, bhaer, bhal, blask, blis, blod, bor, boraz, bos, bran, brath, braun, breon, bri, bry, bul, bur, byl, caer, cal, calan, cara, cassa, cath, cela, cen, cenar, cerul, chalar, cham, chion, cimar, clo, coram, corel, corman, crim, crom, daar, dach, dae, dago, dagol, dahar, dala, dalar, dalin, dam, danas, daneth, dannar, dar, darian,  darath, darm, darma, darro, das, dasa, dasha, dath, del, delia, delimm, dellyn, delmar, delo, den, dess, dever, dhaer, dhas, dhaz, dhed, dhin, din, dine, diar, dien, div, djer, dlyn, dol, dolan, doon, dora, doril, doun, dral, dranor, drasil, dren, drian, drien, drin, drov, druar, drud, duald, duatha, duir, dul, dulth, dun, durth, dyra, dyver,

E - H

ea, eber, eden, edluk, egan, eiel, eilean, ejen, elath, eld, eldor, eldra, elith emar, ellesar, eltar, eltaran, elth, eltur, elyth, emen, empra, emril, emvor, ena, endra, enthor, erad, erai, ere, eriel, erith, erl, eron, erre, eryn, esk, esmel, espar, estria, eta, ethel, eval, ezro, ezan, ezune, ezil, fael, faelar, faern, falk, falak, farak, faril, farla, fel, fen, fenris, fer, fet, fin, finar, forel, folgun, ful, fulk, fur, fyra, fallon, gael, gach, gabir, gadath, gal, galar, gana, gar, garth, garon, garok, garne, gath, geir, gelden, geren,  geron, ghal, ghallar, ghast, ghel, ghom, ghon, gith, glae, glander, glar, glym, gol, goll, gollo, goloth, gorot, gost, goth, graeve, gran, grimm, grist, grom, grosh, grun, grym, gual, guil, guir, gulth, gulur, gur, gurnth, gwaer, haa, hael, haer, hadar, hadel, hakla, hala, hald, halana, halid, hallar, halon, halrua, halus, halvan, hamar, hanar, hanyl, haor, hara, haren, haresk, harmun, harrokh, harrow, haspur, haza, hazuth, heber,  hela, helve, hem, hen, herath, hesper, heth, hethar, hind, hisari, hjaa, hlath, hlond, hluth, hoarth, holtar, horo, hotun, hrag, hrakh, hroth, hull, hyak, hyrza

I - M

iibra, ilth, ilus, ilira, iman, imar, imas, imb, imir, immer, immil, imne, impil, ingdal, innar, ir, iriae, iril, irith, irk, irul, isha, istis, isil, itala, ith, ithal, itka, jada, jae, jaeda, jahaka, jala, jarra, jaro, jath, jenda, jhaamm, jhothm, jinn, jinth, jyn, kado, kah, kal, kalif, kam, kana, kara, karg, kars, karth, kasp, katla, kaul, kazar, kazr, kela, kelem, kerym, keth, keva, kez, kezan, khaer, khal, khama, khaz, khara, khed, khel, khol, khur, kil, kor, korvan, koll, kos, kir, kra, kul, kulda, kund, kyne, lae, laen, lag, lan, lann, lanar, lantar, lapal, lar, laran, lareth, lark, lath, lauth, lav, lavur, lazar, leih, leshyr, leth, lhaza, lhuven, liad, liam, liard, lim, lin, lirn, lisk, listra, lith, liya, llair, llor, lok, lolth, loran, lorkh, lorn, loth, lothen, luen, luir, luk, lund, lur, luth, lyndus, lyra, lyth, maal, madrasm maera, maer, maerim, maes, mag, magra, mahand, mal, malar, mald, maldo, mar, mara, mark, marl, maru, maruk, meir, melish, memnon, mer, metar, methi, mhil, mina, mir, miram, mirk, mista, mith, moander, mok, modir, modan, mon, monn, mor, more, morel, moril, morn, moro, morrow, morth, mort, morum, morven, muar, mul, mydra, myr, myra, myst

N - S

naar, nadyra, naedyr, naga, najar, nal, naal, nalir, nar, naruk, narbond, narlith, narzul, nasaq, nashkel, natar, nath, natha, neir, neth, nether, nhall, nikh, nil, nilith, noan, nolvurm nonthal, norda, noro, novul, nul, nur, nus, nyan, nyth, ober, odra, oghr, okoth, olleth, olodel, omgar, ondath, onthril, ordul, orish, oroch, orgra, orlim, ormath, ornar, orntath, oroch, orth, orva, oryn, orzo, ostel, ostor, ostrav, othea, ovar, ozod, ozul, palan, palad, pae, peldan, pern, perris, perim, pele, pen, phail, phanda, phara, phen, phendra, pila, pinn, pora, puril, pur, pyra, qadim, quar, quel, ques, quil, raah, rael, ran, ranna, rassil, rak, rald, rassa, reddan, reith, relur, ren, rendril, resil, reska, reth, reven, revar, rhy, rhynn, ria, rian, rin, ris, rissian, rona, roch, rorn, rora, rotha, rual, ruar, ruhal, ruil, ruk, runn, rusk, ryn, saa, saar, saal, sabal, samar, samrin, sankh, sar, sarg, sarguth, sarin, sarlan, sel, seld, sember, semkh, sen, sendrin, septa, senta, seros, shaar, shad, shadra, shae, shaen, shaera, shak, shalan, sham, shamath, shan, shana, sharan, shayl, shemar, shere, shor, shul, shyll, shyr, sidur, sil, silvan, sim, sintar, sirem, skar, skell, skur, skyr, sokol, solan, sola, somra, sor, ssin, stel, strill, suldan, sulk, sunda, sur, surkh, suth, syl, sylph, sylune, syndra, syth

T - Z

taak, taar, taer, tah, tak, tala, talag, talar, talas, talath, tammar, tanar, tanil, tar, tara, taran, tarl, tarn, tasha, tath, tavil, telar, teld, telf, telos, tempe, tethy, tezir, thaar, thaer, thal, thalag, thalas, thalan, thalar, thamor, thander, thangol, thar, thay, thazal, theer, theim, thelon, thera, thendi, theril, thiir, thil, thild, thimir, thommar, thon, thoon, thor, thran, thrann, threl, thril, thrul, thryn, thuk, thultan, thume, thun, thy, thyn, thyr, tir, tiras, tirum, tohre, tol, tolar, tolir,  tolzrin, tor, tormel, tormir, traal, triel, trith, tsath, tsur, tul, tur, turiver, turth, tymor, tyr, uder, udar, ugoth, uhr, ukh, ukir, uker, usten, ulgarth, ulgoth, ultir, ulur, umar, umath, umber, unara, undro, undu, untha, upir, ur, ursa, ursol, uron, uth, uthen, uz, van, vaar, vaelan, vaer, vaern, val valan, valash, vali, valt, vandan, vanede, vanrak, var, varyth, vassa, vastar, vaunt, vay, vel, velar, velen, velius, vell, velta, ven, veren, vern, vesper, vilar, vilhon, vintor, vir, vira, virdin, volo, volun, von, voon, vor, voro, vos, vosir, vosal, vund, war, wara, whel, wol, wynn, wyr, wyrm, xer, xul, xen, xian, yad, yag, yal, yar, yath, yeon, yhal, yir, yirar, yuir, yul, yur, zail, zala, zalhar, zan, zanda, zar, zalar, zarach, zaru, zash, zashu, zemur, zhent, zim, ziram, zindala, zindar, zoun, zul, zurr, zuth, zuu, zym

A lot of places are named after historical events, battles, and people, so keep that in mind. God/Goddess names tied to your world also work well. Places are also often named after things that the area is known for, like Georgia being known for its peaches.

My brain was fried by the end of this so feel free to add more!

I hope you find this reference helpful and good luck world-building!

-Mel

#worldbuilding #d&d #dnd #writing resources #fantasy #word list #dungeons and dragons

[desertmountainapothecary]

Julian & Santa Ysabel Frontier Roots - Supreme San Diego Backcountry Wild Mountain Autumn Adventure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxoSZmpcUcM

https://desertmountainapothecary.com/blogs/blog/rusted-rustic-julian-santa-ysabel-frontier-roots-supreme-san-diego-backcountry-wild-mountain-autumn-adventure

Calico Cidery

Calico Ranch

Wynola Pizza & Bistro

Julian Beer Co.

The Barn Vintage Marketplace

Rustic Decor

Farmhouse Chic

Farmhouse Decor

Farmhouse Style

Rustic Style Interior Design

Rustic Style

Vintage Style

Vintage Farmhouse

Vintage Farmhouse Chic

Hard Apple Cider

Hard Cider

Apple Cider

Apple orchards

Fall

Autumn

Fall Apple Picking

Apple Picking

Apple Orchard

Southern California

Julian

Santa Ysabel

San Diego

San Diego Backcountry

San Diego Mountains

Eastern San Diego County

San Diego Backcountry Mountains

Julian Pie Company

Apple Cider Donuts

Fall Vibes

Desert Wild

Siphon Draw

Desert Supreme

Grateful Desert

Mojave Moon

Rancho Relaxo

Desert Roots

Desert Mountain Botanicals

Desert Apothecary

#Desert Mountain Apothecary #Julian #julian ca #julian california #santa ysabel #San Diego #san diego backcountry #mountains #travel #fall #cozy autumn #cozy fall #rustic #farmhouse #vintage

[herbalcompendium]

A Treatise on Transmutation VIII: Stones of Blood and Communion

A strange yet enjoyable facet of transmutation inhabits the twin isles of Zandalar and Kul Tiras. There, stones of transmutation are not tools for alchemists alone - but stones made and used by the community at large. Transmutational stones are there used more as personal boons and local offerings than tools of alchemy. The base stones of transmutation known to the isle people are largely available at any bustling market, and are carried in many a pocket as an indispensable asset during travel or adventure. Indeed, each village, town, and port boasts its own unique boon to these stones, in quite a clever manner: a village cauldron of transmutation. It is not the alchemist that transfigures the stone, but the cauldron, and thereby the place or community one finds oneself within. Many townships, from industrial to rural, pride themselves immensely on their ceremonial, communal cauldrons of transfiguration. Some have been far brewing longer than the average lifespan of a human, I am told. If one has demonstrated skill in transmutation using the stones and methods above, it should be a grand adventure to procure a market stone and explore the following cauldrons with said stone.

Eternal Alchemist’s Stone - Also called a Market Stone. This is a brilliantly turquoise stone, faintly glowing like shining seaglass. It is a powerful transmutational aide for reagents found on the isle, but is more commonly used for the purposes stated above. These are sold for a gold coin or so in Tradewinds Market or the Zocalo. For the purist and purpose of study, this stone can be transmuted by combining seventy blooms of the herb Winter’s Kiss with an equal portion of the herb Akunda’s Bite. This combination grants the stone its glassy blue hue. To this is then added twenty-five Anchor Weed pods with twenty-five motes of the volatile, sanguine substance Expulsom. This mixture tempers the stone, and grants it the ability to retain power. Finally, it is treated with two hundred motes of a substance aptly named the “Breath of Bwonsamdi”.

This chilly fog of death gives the stone its characteristic, ghostly glow, and allows it to be transfigured to other things with ease when dipped in an Isle Cauldron. This substance sounds like a fable, but then again, a form of transmutational stone owned by no other than Silas Darkmoon is also said to haunt this isle. When traveling in the Twin Islands, it is best to believe everything - especially in rural areas - until given empirical or intuitive proof of falsehood. I did overhear some young man say transmutation is “the only part of alchemy worth learning” while transmuting some isle shrubs to bubbles. This is assuredly false, as I assume the young man will remember when he is no longer a newt in a few hours. The rest of the transmutations listed below can be acquired by simply dipping a Market Stone in an Isle Cauldron with significant intention. Almost any of these stones can be transmuted from another, depending on the intended purpose of the alchemist. The cauldron’s locations, origins, and effects are listed below. I do caution against using most of these without the permission of their owners.Some of the wards placed on these Isle Cauldrons can be quite ... severe.

Sanguinated Alchemist Stone - By far the most dangerous stone to seek. The rusted, foul red brew of this Isle Cauldron seethes in the Blood Troll village of Zalamar, Nazmir.  This village houses many hungry Blood Trolls, Crawgs, and the Sanctum of Midnight, the loa Hir'eek's lair. It should go without saying that much blood is freshly brewed in this cauldron. There is speculation of Anchor Weed’s inclusion in this brew, due to its rejuvenating properties. Dipping a Market Stone within this bloody cauldron will transmute it to a glowing, brooding stone of crimson best suited to blood magicks and fleshcrafting.

Emblazoned Alchemist Stone - A proud and kingly stone, arising golden and bejeweled from a spectacular cauldron in the Zocalo of Dazar’Alor. The Zandalari take great pride in this cauldron, the brew inside ancient and the recipe closely guarded. This terra cotta and golden cauldron is easy to spot, for the brew within is a liquid gold and steams like glowing fireflies into the night sky. Market Stones are often transmuted here by artisans, as they are quite useful in both the cutting and transmuting of precious metals and gems. This cauldron is rumored to be powered by something called a Sanguicell, used for radical experimentation within the cursed halls of Uldir.

Imbued Alchemist Stone -  Whomever first put a Market Stone into this cauldron must have received quite a fright. It is a small, dark, and unassuming iron object nestled deep within the tree Gol Inath. This hallowed tree, located in the Crimson Forest of Drustvar, was worshipped by the ancient Drust. It is rumored to hold a path to the Shadowlands within its depths. Upon dipping a stone into this cauldron, which appears empty, it will be positively surrounded by turquoise light. This light explodes to a volley of screaming souls within moments. If the transmuter screams as well, the stone will turn to a useless lump of coal. If they do not, the stone will become a rounded phial filled with spectral light. This ghostly ichor can be imbibed to heal grievous or minor wounds, and takes only a minute to refill when used.

Spirited Alchemist Stone - Also quite a difficult stone to procure. The cauldron that produces this stone is in the heart of  the Temple of Bwonsamdi, Nazmir. It is a recipe only the Temple acolytes know, and should likely remain as such. The liquid inside is an inky black, and will stain the hands for roughly one year if touched. Dipping a stone in this liquid will produce a deeply black stone with an opalescent sheen. This stone is miraculous for communing with the dead, soul magicks, and the transmutation of death, water, and undeath. It should be noted that it is impossible to dip a stone in this cauldron without staining the hands, marking someone as what the Zandalari call a “Blackpalm”. Blackpalms are known to work with death, marking them as ally to some and foe to others.

Tidal Alchemist Stone - This stone can be transmuted in most places Tortollan are found. The great “Mother Cauldron” is found in Little Tortolla, in the city of Dazar’Alor. It is the shell of a great apothecary, seemingly filled with simple seawater. Like all Tortollan innovations, these shell-cauldrons are far more than they first appear to be. When used properly, a brilliant stone of glowing azure is produced, rippling like seawater. This stone may be held in the left palm to take on the form of a Tortollan for an hour or so - which may be a lifesaving act in certain circumstances. Siren's Alchemist Stone - This stone is highly useful for transmuting elemental water, air, and the making of isle potions. It is made from the Cauldron of Storms, a Tidesage cauldron found deep within Stormsong Valley. Specifically, it is in an area called the “Mother’s Mouth” within the Shrine of Storms. In the shrine is a mountain carved into the shape of the Tidemother's face. In her mouth is a barnacle and salt crystal-encrusted cauldron, a deep indigo brew swirling within.

Surging Alchemist Stone - This is a highly useful stone, and perhaps one of the most commonly sought cauldrons. It is transmuted from an Expulsom-rich brew deep in the Prickly Grove of Vol’dun. This Isle Cauldron is Vulpera in origin, brewed in the stump of an ancient barrel cactus. Dipping a stone within the vermillion waters will produce a glassy, warm, and glowing crimson stone. True to its name, this stone brings not a surge of water, but a surge of wind. Using it within the desert or isles will produce a cloud of shrouding sand, transporting the alchemist to somewhere safe and elevated nearby. Similar stones are said to exist amongst the tribes of Tanaris and Uldum. Interestingly enough, the realm of Nazjatar reportedly has similar methods for the making of their own transmutational stones. They are apparently not dipped within cauldrons, but uniquely tempered pools within the water’s depths and enhanced with naga machinery and power cores. Some of the oceanic herb Zin'anthid was brought back by those that delved below, now used in the following Isle Cauldrons to create the following stones:

Abyssal Alchemist Stone - A smooth, silky blackish-purple stone brought back from Nazjatar in droves. These plentiful stones were used as enormous freshwater pearls along the Isles until their true purpose was discovered. Suffice it to say: this stone should not be taken on a cursed ship if one likes being alive. Use, aside from plummeting ships to the depths of the ocean, is unknown. Isle superstition now makes these hard to sell amongst merchants, but some are used as display pieces or sold as trinkets.

Crushing Alchemist Stone - Formed by dipping an Abyssal Alchemist stone in the Mugambala’s Tidepool Cauldron. This cauldron is stationed in the Mugambala to specifically prevent certain individuals from forming this stone, as its properties are tenuous understood at best by the Zandalari. The warriors of the Mugambala seem to enjoy using this stone as a battle focus to strangle naga in an instant, and turn murlocs to ash. It shows promise as a weapon of war.

Ascended Alchemist Stone - An arrogant name given by an arrogant, seafaring ruler that shall remain precisely unnamed. This stone is rumored to be formed by dipping an Abyssal Alchemist Stone in a cauldron somewhere deep within Proudmoore Keep, with predictably disastrous results. It is perhaps more unwisely sold at market as a “cleansed” version of the Abyssal stone. Looking at the properties of the stone, it seems to mirror the alchemical properties of Azerite usage on a potion. Strangely, when placed near a vein or portion of Azerite, the stone will draw it inward before violently expelling it back towards the ground.

#transmutation #isles #island #zandalari #kultiran #Blood #ocean #shaman #elemental #fresh water #NAGA

[the-fae-folk]

Will you please tell us a horrifying tale in celebration for Halloween? We'd love to hear your stories!

A horrifying tale? Be careful what you ask for. This is the story of The Good Son and The Woman who wished to live forever. 

My name is Adam. Because I was the firstborn. My mother was a religious woman, at first. When my father died there was something in her that broke. Something that changed. There was an apothecary at the edge of the town. Every day she would visit it, asking for special mixtures and foods that would extend her life, keep her from dying like father. We had little money for food, and often we went hungry when she spent that money on her tinctures and cures.

I found other ways to support our family. I had a job of my own, working at the mill, and it was enough to feed us. We grew older, and my sisters found husbands and families. I stayed with my mother, because she was growing old and more frantic by the day. When I could take off work we would take trips up to sacred springs and holy sites, anything that might halt her march towards death. I had started to wonder if my mother had gone mad. But I said nothing.

Her limbs grew frail, and she trembled with every breath. Though she was a grandmother now, my sisters had children of their own, she refused to stop. Refused to give up her quest.At last she sought the Good Neighbors. Their woods were dark, yet I knew they were there, watching. My mother lit a candle and waited in the dark. When midnight came, it brought a figure into the light. He wasn’t human, but elfin. Pale and beautiful, with long graceful arms and legs, and head of cascading red hair. He wore no clothes at all, and held no shame for this, he had no reason to. Perhaps he could have been mistaken for a human, a beautiful human maybe. Except his eyes were black as the night without moon or star, and his mouth was filled with needle like teeth that glinted in the firelight.My mother went with him, leaving me alone in the dark without the candle. I knew she had gone to bargain for her desires, for her immortality. I shivered in the cold, and knew that despite how quiet it was here, I was not alone. When dawn came, my mother returned. I asked her if she had become immortal, but she said they could not give her what she wished; that they had traded her information of a people far away who could grant immortality. I asked her what she had bargained away for this information, but she would not tell me.

So we traveled. The road was long, and my mother was now old. I had to carry her much of the way, but she was light in my arms, so it didn’t matter. Past the forests, past the fields, past the mountains. On and on I walked, day after endless day. Till at last I reached a place where day did not come. A vast desert of black sands, a frigid wasteland, blanketed in eternal night.My mother hobbled on and on, calling for those she was seeking. The Ever Folk, she called them. But there was no sign of them. I urged her to rest. To sleep. We could look for them in the morning. She agreed, and we laid down upon our blankets, which were not enough to keep away the deathly chill of the desert sands.

I awoke to whispering. Something had crept into our camp while we slept. I turned over and bit back a scream. They had come. Legs like spider folk, elongated limbs connected to a mostly human torso and a pair of horrible clawed hands tipped with red. Their heads were human shaped, but they had no face. No eyes, no mouth, no nose, no ears. Just horrible stretched skin where other things should have been. No hair adorned their heads, just strange symbols painted in blue paint on grey dead looking skin. The Ever Folk had come to find us.

When I woke my mother, she too was afraid of them, but had come too far to back down. She bargained with them, seeming to understand their strange whispering. What did she want? To live forever. What would she give up in exchange for it? Anything. Anything and everything.As she made offer after offer to the faceless monsters, begging and pleading for an escape from mortal death, I shrank in fear from the ones that approached me. Their horrible clawed hands stroked my face, whispering things I couldn’t understand, didn’t want to understand. I backed away from them, tears inexplicably falling from my face as I shook my head. “No no no no no.” I sobbed, over and over again. I had no idea what I was saying no to, but I knew that the thing before me was disappointed, it withdrew, and I felt relieved.

Finally my mother smiled and stepped back. The Bargain was struck. She had her desire. The things crowded around her, alien in the pale light of stars and the waning crescent moon. They reached out with horrible elongated spider like limbs, they caressed her face. Their fingers traced her wrinkles and the bags beneath her eyes, they traced the shape of her mouth and the dimples she had gotten so long ago when she was still happy. They caressed her face..and they took it. They took her face. One moment it was there, and the next it was gone. She was faceless as they. I don’t know how I know what it was they did next, but as I watched I simply knew their purpose as they worked. From her heart they pulled out every happiness she had felt or could yet feel. They grabbed away her ambition and her love, her imagination, her desires, her dreams. Left behind was her guilt, her sorrows, her agony. She remained with despair and her sense of self. Only just beginning to understand what she agreed to, she tried to stop it, to take back her words. But it was far too late for that.

They took hold of her body and twisted it, elongated it, crafted it. They mutilated and warped her beyond recognition, pulled at her and shaped her as they were shaped. She screamed. On and on, she screamed, writhing in awful pain. I don’t know how she screamed without a mouth, but it was the sound of someone dying. I wanted to run to her, help her as the good son I had been would have done. But I couldn't move, my feet would not move. Finally her crying subsided and instead of my mother, before me stood another of the Ever Folk. Ever living. Ever undying. Ever hating. Ever suffering. Ever in pain. Ever guilty. Ever wishing that they could die at last, and knowing that they never can.

I found my feet at last. I heard them behind me, whispering in the dark, my mother’s whispers among them. They wanted me. They wanted me to join them. To live forever as they did. They wanted my face and my joy. I did not listen, I did not stop. I simply grieved for my mother as I ran. Grieved for her pain, grieved for her foolishness, grieved for her wasted days searching for what shouldn’t have been hers.

It was a long time before I stopped running. Somehow, despite the endless days the journey had taken to arrive at the desert, I had found my way past the mountains and the fields. Before me stood the dark forests. Despite their ominous appearance, I felt hope. Perhaps I could return home. Have a normal life. Forget what I had seen.

But the night I spent treading through the forest was the longest night I have ever lived. It seemed to go on, far longer than the endless night of the desert, twisting the paths and making the forest go on forever. I knew the Good Neighbors didn’t want me to leave, wanted me to stay and speak with them. They wouldn’t let me go until I did as they wanted.

So I lit a candle. He was there the moment the flame had been set to the wick. He wanted to know where my mother had gone, so I told the story. Told what I had seen and felt. When I finished, he smiled.

“So she has gotten her heart’s desire, though perhaps it is not what she thought it was. It seems that the information I gave to her has been put to good use.”

Remembering that my mother had refused to tell me what she had bargained away for the secret of the Ever Folk, I asked him then. I asked what it was she had given up. In that moment his smile was more horrible than it ever had been up until that moment. His pitch black eyes seemed to glow with a red aura, like magma deep beneath the dark earth. His head tilted slightly, like a beast examining its prey with curiosity.

“She bargained away…”he paused, savoring the moment with a lick of his lips. “Her first born child’s freedom.”

I went cold in that moment. She couldn’t, I wasn’t a baby anymore, she wouldn’t..she was my mother. But I knew that she would, and she had. I ran. I ran. I ran. But behind me they came. Spilling from the dark like living shadows. It is not hard to understand why some people mistake the Faeries for demons, sometimes the two can be very similar. Their horrible laughter filled the woods, shrieking and baying like hounds and birds as I fled.

Ahead of me I saw the edge of the woods, the light of the dawn rising over the edge of the distant mountains. Freedom was only steps away. But around my legs their shadows wrapped. I fell to the ground and scrabbled at it with my finders, which bled as I dragged them against root and stone, desperate to get away from the force behind me. I tried to scream, as my mother had done, but their shadows filled my throat, choking me and silencing any screams I might have made.

There are many dark fates in this world, many come from our own choices. But worse are the fates that others choose for us. My mother had become a monster in body there on the desert sands. But as I was dragged back into the dark, into the Deep Woods, I knew that she had become a monster long before that. And where my mother had longed for eternal life...I longed for death.

#Fae #halloween #samhain #faerie #sidhe #otherfolk #ever folk #death #eternal life #desire #bargaining #twisted #monster #freedom #mother #son #horror #story

[pineaberry]

Fictober 2019: #9

STARRING: Malavai Quinn, Sana Rae, and Pierce Cameo

For @sunsetofdoom who inspired this and @fluffynexu my newest foodie friend!

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Odessen was a temperate planet. Granted there were extremes at the poles and a few smatterings of deserts and savannas but for the most part, the temperature was cool and dry especially around the Alliance’s mountain base. For Malavai -accustomed to the humidity of Dromund Kaas and muggy basins on Balmorra- the climate required a thicker set of underclothes but it was perhaps the first time he found his full military attire to be comfortable. It was a feeling he knew was shared by the vast majority of Imperial personnel on the base. Even so, occasionally they would spot an Ortolan or Kaleesh alliance member parading around half-naked and complaining about the heat. He supposed Oddessen’s cool breezes could feel searing to a creature accustomed to icy the hells of Hoth and Illum.

Regardless, Odessen and all its quirks felt different. After surviving -and recruiting- Arcann, after toppling Vaylin, after overcoming Zildrog and their ilk… Odessen now felt like home. Malavai ruminated on the fact every morning as he prepared himself for the day. Unlike the Imperial Fleet or even Dromund Kaas, there was an ease to every member that was not defined by social protocol or rank. They had all adapted, shifted and coalesced into something greater than its parts.

He sat in the mess hall every morning surrounded by people he would have considered filth and scoundrels less than a year ago. It felt almost a lifetime had passed since he’d railed against the spectre of the Republic. The initial faction wars now seemed so petty and pointless in the grand scheme of things. Trust and peace was achievable. Just this morning he’d shared his schematics with a Jedi Consular who provided input and suggested improvements on his designs.

Perhaps he was simply biased in favor of the Alliance considering he was married to the commander but even after joining with the Empire on Ossus once more, he couldn’t imagine falling back into his previous existence.

While still occasionally fraught with peril, his life had now at long last settled into a comfortable existence. A peace he had never known before had come to settle over him. In between caring for his wife and managing her alliance, Malavai found he had plenty of time to nurture his mental health. 

That was always an odd phrase to hear. Mental health.

The Empire could boast top hospitals and the latest in surgical technology, but unless someone had a concussion Malavai had never considered the mind as anything requiring treatment. It was certainly a perk if one could acquire such a thing, but more often than naught, psychiatric help in the field came in the form of telling a soldier to grow some balls before pumping them full of stims and sending them back into the fray.

The Empire was sustained by loyalty and duty, but much of the time that meant loyalty and duty to the Sith not the other way ‘round. There were rare cases to be sure, but for the most part, Imperials were second class citizens. His mental state never would have mattered. It hadn’t mattered for a very long time. Like most he self-medicated with alcohol or stims or even crude blends of Spice when there was nothing else available. He hadn’t mattered, not until…

Malavai’s brow furrowed as he stared at his datapad.

Until Lord Tremas had found him on Balmorra. From that moment on he’d started to be significant. After she came into his life no one could touch him, not generals, not moffs, not even Sith. He was more important than any of them because she willed it so and with it, his mind and troubled thoughts became important too. All of a sudden he became aware of things such as psychological conditions and traumas. The blinders he’d operated under fell away and he could understand as the Sith healers understood. Imperials were purposely kept in the dark but Sith… Sith healers understood the mind better than any Jedi.

And so the phrase mental health became a part of his vernacular. He learned to understand it, not as the weakness it was proclaimed to be within the barracks, but as a part of a soldier’s medical condition. A clean bill of health had so much more meaning now. So it was that at the insistence of his Sith healer, Malavai acquired a hobby meant to relax him.

“Major Quinn, I have acquired the plants I had suggested for your garden.”

Malavai’s gaze flickered up to see Sana-Rae and a Mirialan Jedi padawan taking a seat next to him. A few years ago, such an action would have brought him to the brink of violence. Now, he was willing to hold polite conversation.

“The Odessen climate is nearly identical to my own home planet of Voss. I had one of Hylo’s pilots make a stop to pick up a few crates of bulbs.”

“Makin’ a pretty flower garden, Quinn?” Pierce teased as he sauntered in.

“You have my thanks. I’ve been having minimal success with local flora, but I’m having trouble with Grand Moff Vaiken,” Malavai ignored the jibe before switching screens on his datapad and showing the results to Sana-Rae.

Pierce’s brow furrowed as the words Malavai had spoken made absolutely no sense.

“Perhaps the sunlight is inadequate,” the padawan suggested.

“I don’t believe so, Grand Moff Kilran nearly died from heat over exposure, but General Hesker is stable and they’ve begun to build nurseries,” Malavai zoomed in on a picture on his datapad.

By that time, a collection of Imperial alliance members had begun to gather round and make a large fuss about eating breakfast and not eavesdropping.

“Oh is that jar all you could get out of General Hesker?” the padawan asked and there was a moment of stunned silence as the table stared at a jar in the middle of the table the contents of which they had all slathered on their morning toast.

“I’m reticent to take any more, the consequences could be lethal.”

“I am sure a little more will not hurt, I would like to have some for my apothecary if you can spare it,” Sana Rae mused.

“Well it’s not like I can milk it out of-”

There was a clatter of silverware and the trio looked up to see a silently horrified group of Imperials promptly get up and very professionally incinerate their breakfast. Only Pierce remained glaring at his morning mush as though expecting an explanation to be forthcoming. He was not disappointed.

“What’s gotten into them?” the padawan asked.

“Perhaps they do not like Odessen honey,” Sana Rae replied patiently though she was equally confused.

“There is a certain taste to it,” Malavai agreed without looking up.

He zoomed out of the image in his datapad to reveal a photo of a flower garden. In the middle were three beehives, their names painted in gold lettering: The Voidstar, The Scream of Ragnos, and The Maelstrom. Next to the image was a smaller more intricate diagram of a queen bee captioned simply as “Grand Moff Vaiken”.

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Original Fictober Promp List HERE!

#Malavai Quinn #SWTOR #Post Ossus #Sana Rae #Major Pierce #Fictober 2019

[dreamlistener]

really missing living in the desert, solitude, open spaces, the energy of the land, driving through the mountains, bright stars every night, the sound of cicadas and the sound of coyotes, living alone, waking up to cows outside my window, desert plants, herbie friends, making herbal medicine daily, my apothecary dream job, plant walks, group plant walks, foraging, making flower essences, herbal class, my reiki teachers house that was built on top of an underground river, her horses, medicine wheel ceremonies, summer nights, empty roads, monsoons, rainbows, desert sunsets, red rocks, small towns, road trips, and the solo drive from southern ca to az. this was the loneliest and one of the most traumatic years of my life but there was also a lot of magic that came out of it

#t