#historic Druid hills

[elizabethwiggins1athotmail]

How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy (ARC Review) — Pages Unbound | Book Reviews & Discussions~Kaly Arlington Placa oka Goddess Twena Hendersonville NC 28791

How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy (ARC Review) — Pages Unbound | Book Reviews & Discussions~Kaly Arlington Placa oka Goddess Twena Hendersonville NC 28791

Information Goodreads: How to Succeed in WitchcraftSeries: NoneAge Category: Young AdultSource: Publisher GiveawayPublication Date: September 27, 2022 Official Summary An overachieving teen witch vies for a prestigious scholarship at her elite high school in this contemporary YA fantasy for fans of Never Have I Ever and Sabrina the Teen Witch! Magically brilliant, academically perfect,…

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[starshinedragon]

SSO: WINTERDALE Fan written main storyline

The Map of Winterdale:

The Life Warden Trees of Winterdale:

Story design:

-> This is the updated version of an old post, taking into account the new main story quests and describing the quests in much more detail. -> It takes place after aging Concorde up and escaping Devil's Gap, after all of the main story quests up to 2023 December. -> Part of SSO Rewritten (my writing project of the whole story of SSO until defeating Garnok). You can find the story related posts with the tag "sso rewritten" -> Phases 1-2-3 is the main story so far, here I wrote phases 4-5-6 which are the main story quests connected to Winterdale.

-> The area of Winterdale was established in the Star Stable Winter Riders game and I added elements from SSO (kallters, rangers, druids) to fill in the empty places. The focus characters of the Winterdale main storyline are going to be Katja (as the main opponent), Linda (as she is her rival), Mr Sands (redemption arc) and the kallters. The setup for them is already in the game with the extremely effective hook when the MC spots them in Dino Valley leaving. The thematic guide for the Winterdale story is the rumor of the Ice Witch, already suspected to be Katja. The final confrontation of this phase is tied to Garnok and Pandoria.  

So saddle up and get ready for the adventure!

PHASE 4 –  Entering and exploring Winterdale

PART 1: Icestorm

Unlocking Winterdale:

-> MC is called to Valedale. At the runestones before the portal spiral leading to the Secret Stone circle, we meet with Avalon, Evergray and the druids who arrived from Winterdale. The leader of the Winterdale druids is Cairn Stevenson (middle aged, but younger than Evergray, white beard, blue and brown robes) and his horse is a white Percheron wearing new brown and light blue druid tack, called Ossian. They came to ask for help, since the storm in Winterdale has gotten worse. Last night a huge blizzard hit the valley and they think it is magical and suspect the hand of the Ice Witch might be in it. They are unable to dispel it and ask for the help of the Soul Riders.  

-> We ride with them through Dino valley and they give us some exposition about Winterdale. They say Pine Hill ruled over most of the valley historically. They tell us about the cold micro climate, when the kallters migrated from Dino Valley to Winterdale, and that the current persisting winter storm started many years ago. The storm is sometimes weaker, sometimes stronger, but always present. It cut them off from the other parts of Jorvik as the Frostfire pass leading to Ashland and the Seaview pass leading to Marchenghast froze over and the blizzard halted the works on Northlink tunnel. The Lord of Pine Hill mansion, who has the strongest voice in how Winterdale runs itself does not seem to care anymore. Avalon asks them how did they leave and intend to go back to Winterdale then if there is no way open.

-> MC, the Soul Riders, Avalon, Evergray and Cairn arrive at the Icengate where Nanook and Sedna (kallters) wait for us on horseback. They perform a ritual and open the magical lock on the passage. The team is escorted through the tunnel of ice and rock, made of a similar design as Stonecutter’s vault. Halfway through it Magnus Steinar’s ghost appears as he guards this tunnel. Sedna tells him everyone here is a friend and they are to have safe passage through the Icengate whenever they please. The team exits the tunnel high in the mountains and looks over the snow covered Winterdale valley ravaged by the blizzard.

Fighting the Storm:

-> The team descends on the steep Meander trail (from the Winter Rider game) and arrives in Meander Stables, where the druids set up camp. You are greeted by Eric Lowe, the owner or Meander stables. There you are introduced to the other druid characters of Winterdale by Cairn. They tell you of the situation: the magical storm started some days ago and won’t stop. Katja’s frost powers wreaks havoc, flash freezes sweep across the valley every other minute and the winds, snow and raining icicles destroy houses, stables and threaten to freeze everyone to death. The team is asked to help the valley. MC agrees to help, while the druids try to figure out a solution to stop the storm.

-> MC is sent on four different missions in four consecutive days with the Soul Riders to introduce you to the layout of Winterdale. For each mission, you go to a location in Winterdale to help the people fight the storm by dispelling frost, gathering firewood, saving the animals, etc. To get anywhere, you have to ride through the storm. Each time a flash freeze is coming you have to take cover. Icicles rain on the way indicated by the circles appearing in front of your horse that you have to dodge. You and your Soul Rider partner get there, help out and return to Meander. First, you go with Lisa to Cape Point village, next with Anne to Icewind Station, then with Linda to Pine Hill village and finally with Alex to Anvil Woods Druid Village and back to Meander.

Dispelling the Storm:

-> In the meantime, Evergray and the druids tried everything and figured out that they can’t dispel the storm alone and need help from Fripp. MC is sent to ride back to Valedale through the Meander trail, Icengate passage and Dino valley (there is not an available trailer in Meander yet- not until you open Northlink). You ride to the spiral portal in Valedale and fail to open the way.

-> Katja appears on horseback, cornering MC, tells you that they have blocked your access to the Secret Stone Circle. MC vows to stop her terror of Winterdale, but she just laughs and tells you not if I stop you first – forever! She sends fer frigid powers after you. You race back to Meander the way you came, dodging icicles and also Ice Spectres, that are like shadow seekers, but made of mist and frost and are controlled by Katja. You get back to Meander and tell the druids that Katja blocked you from opening the portal. Evergray is unusually cheerful about this and when they ask him why is this a good thing, he tell you that he figured it out. Katja blocked you from going to the Secret Stone Circle, because the solution lies there. By uniting the power of MC, the Soul Riders, druids and kallters and Fripp, you will be able to stop the storm. Avalon, the forever optimist points out the only problem is getting there.

-> You can actually get to the Secret Stone Circle on foot, however, there is one problem besides the storm, and that is the cursed Nightmare Forest. You have avoided it so far, taking the paths next to the Meander river, but now you have to go through it. As only the Soul Horses are strong enough to go through the storm and the dark forest, Alex, Anne, Lisa and Linda are riding double with Cairn, Avalon, Sedna and Uyarak (the other magic user of the kallters beside Sedna) and MC takes Evergray. You ride through the storm, hiding from the flash freezes and ride into the dark forest. The Nightmare Woods in covered in snow and ice, shadow seekers patrol and dark blue and purple wisp-like spirits drift amidst the gloomy trees. The team takes the path through the abandoned Crescent Lake Ranger Station up to the Aurora pass and then the western road leading up to Starshine Mountain. You ride up the steep mountain path (design based on the Starshine Legacy games) and get to the broken bridge.

-> Katja appears behind you sending an army of Ice Spectres. You run through the narrow path and jump the broken bridge. She stops before the jump and her horse rears, not being able to come closer to the Secret Stone Circle. Fripp awaits you in the circle and tells you don’t worry, no servant of darkness can come into the circle again, because he woke up the guardian tree of the Circle: Astral Crown. You see the formerly leafless big tree towering over the circle now covered in azure and lilac leaves, that shine like stars. The riders dismount and form a magic circle, everyone positioning themselves in front of each runestone. They perform a ritual and dispel Katja’s Icestorm from Winterdale.

PART 2: Exploring the valley

The Roads to Winterdale: Marchenghast and Northlink

-> Now that the storm is gone, MC can properly explore the valley. The Secret Stone Circle’s portal to Valedale is open again. A cutscene takes you back to Meander so you don’t have to ride through Dino valley again. Eric, the owner of Meander stables thanks you for saving the stables and the village and promises to put in a good word for you for each place in Winterdale. The Meander Championship is unlocked, it runs through the Coldstone forest and Frostbitten fields.

-> After the full introduction to the Meander area, it is time to open Winterdale properly for people and the horse trailers. Eric sends you to Cape Point to meet a ranger friend of his (Aiobhinn, the leader of the Winterdale rangers) who will lead you through the Seaside pass up to the Marchenghast Castle. Eric apparently knows everyone in Winterdale.

-> At the Marchenghast Castle they open the gate for you. There are very few people and servants there and MC meets the lord of the castle. He was told that you stopped the storm and asks how. As you can’t say magic, can choose from different stupid options to try to explain scientifically how you stopped a whole blizzard. Whatever you choose, Lord Marchenghast laughs and says he know about magic in Jorvik, don’t worry he just thought you would be better at lying. He opens the gates and grants you safe passage through the castle and estate and sends you on your way. The rocks have been removed from the road in Goldenhills and cars can now access it, opening the trailer options in Winterdale.

-> MC rides to the Baroness and tells her that the storm is over and the work on the Northlink tunnel can continue. You are sent to tell this to the workers. While the main story calls you back to Meander, the tunnel dailies are now unlocked, requiring you to help in the work for seven days to build the tunnel.

Rangers and Pine Hill:

-> Eric tells you Aiobhinn liked you and is willing to properly show you Winterdale, now that the storm is gone. You are led though Coldstone forest with the blue crystals and trail riding pathways and arrive in Explorer’s Rest Ranger Station. You are going with Aiobhinn as she checks on all of her rangers throughout the valley. You help the rangers clear the paths covered by the snowstorm, unlock races. They show you the path leading to Frostfire pass, but it is not accessible, until it melts.

-> Next, you ride north, and he shows you Pine Hill village and tells the gossip about the lord of the mansion, Mr Sands. You meet the people of the village and stables, unlocking many side quests. The ranger shows you the Rimefang woods, but you only ride on the path next to Meander river, because the forest is infested with wolves. Frosted mammoth pine trees, fallen trunks, misty woods. If you go too close to a wolf, it will start to chase you and you need to gallop to lose it. If it catches you, you are teleported out of the woods with the message: “Your horse got you out, but be careful, next time you might not be this lucky!” She tells you there is a hidden kallter village in the middle, but you can’t reach it, unless they invite you.

-> You ride to Icewind station. You meet Henry Stevenson(the old guy from the Winter Riders game), second in command to Aiobhinn and brother of Cairn who is the leader of the rangers at Icewind station. He reports to Aiobhinn and tells you the rumors about the Nightmare Woods and that there are two abandoned stations there. They plan to man them again one day, but not until the woods are haunted. You unlock side quests and races in the Icewind Woods.

Druids and Cape Point:

-> Aiobhinn remains in Icewind and Henry offers to guide you through Anvil Woods to meet the druids and his brother. You ride to Anvil Woods and are introduced to their Life Warden Tree, Wise Leaf. They built their village around it. The tree is a gigantic oak who talks in verses, metaphors and talks like an old wizard and is generally whimsical and wholesome. In the side quests, you help the druids fight against Dark Core, as the corporation wants to cut down the forest. The Anvil Bay Championship is unlocked (joint project of the druids and rangers, organized by Henry and Cairn, running through Anvil and Icewind).

-> The druids tell you of their brothers and sisters in the other druid village of Winterdale: Jorwatch. You go there and meet them, unlock quests. They tell you that they guard the path leading to Jorcrater, since noone is allowed to enter as it is too dangerous. Finally, MC is asked to meet Fripp and Cairn in the Secret Stone Circle and you are rewarded with 100 Star Coins (just like at the end of each phase).

PHASE 5- The Kallters and Mr Sands

PART 1: The Redemption of Mr Sands

Secrets of Pine Hill Mansion:

-> Meeting at the Secret Stone Circle. The dark side have been awfully quiet lately and the Soul Riders suspect they are up to something. With Pine Hill Mansion so close, Linda proposes a plan for she and MC to sneak into Pine Hill Mansion (like she did in Starshine Legacy 2) and gather information. MC meets Linda in Pine Hill Village and they wait for nightfall.

-> The hole in the wall Lisa made back in SSL 2 is still there, hidden by a bush, but Linda knows where to find it. It is dark now and you have to find your way through the maze. You do, but there are some guards and dogs outside the house, you have to sneak past them. This time, unlike in the game, you get in through the greenhouse after finding an open glass panel. Linda tells you of the adventure they had here back in high school with Lisa, when she got stuck up in a scaffolding. Luckily, the house itself is empty so you are free to wander.

-> In the main hall, Linda shows you the pictures of the Soul Riders she saw last time here. However, there are four new pictures on the walls, paintings of the Dark Riders (Sabine, Katja and Jessica) similar in style, wearing similar ceremonial dresses. The fourth picture is still covered with a tarp, high on the wall, so you can’t see. MC and Linda get into the library and start looking for clues. Linda finds Sands’ journal. They find out about Rosalind, who was burned at the stake hundreds of years ago for being a suspected witch. She was in fact, a druid and Sands hates the druids because they didn’t save her. He himself turned to dark magics trying to bring her back, but only managed to reach Garnok, who offered him immortality and Rosalind back if he helps the forces of darkness achieve victory.

-> Mr Sands appears and captures them, trapping them in two magic circles. Linda and MC focus their powers (playing a slider-click mini game), but cannot bring his spell. Linda asks him about Rosalind and tells him she understands why he did it, but this is not the way. She manages to upset Mr Sands enough to break his concentration and MC breaks the magic circles. Linda makes a moonlight flash and they run away, escape through the main entrance. Meteor and MC’s horse wait for them there and they escape Pine Hill Mansion.  

Saving Justin (again):

-> Katja makes a plan to lure the Soul Riders into a trap. Just like she kidnapped James in Starshine Legacy 4, she now plans to kidnap Justin. Justin has discovered his druid powers since meeting the Singing Yew in South Hoof and has been training. Justin was to meet MC for training in Silverglade, but he doesn’t arrive. After waiting a bit, you get up to investigate. MC finds signs of struggle and uses moon vision to see what happened. You see Katja surprising Justin and even though he tries to fight back, Katja charms and mind controls him, like she did to James. You call the Soul Riders to tell them Justin was kidnapped, but they say Katja already called and gave them an ultimatum: she wants MC to come to Dark Core Platform and bring their Soul Horse.

-> It is an obvious trap, but you have to go. No sneaking this time: you are to meet the goons at the DC ferry in Moorland. MC and their horse are brought to the platform and led in front of the portal, where Katja, Jess, Sabine and Mr Sands wait for you. Katja is keeping Justin in a magic circle at the edge of the platform where he last fell and Mr Sands is not happy about this situation at all.

-> Katja says get on with it, sacrifice MC’s horse to bring Garnok into this world. MC uses her powers to make a shield around them. Katja says fine, then I will push Justin off the platform and time you can’t save him. MC asks Sands if he is going to let this happen? What would Rosalind think of him now? She would surely not want a kid to die so she can live again? Mr Sands hesitates, doesn’t know if he is willing to sacrifice Justin for a promise of Rosalind. MC says Garnok is a force of destruction, not life and he is lying to Sands and cannot bring back Rosa, but Justin lives and he is his family. Katja is waiting for permission from Sands and she is getting more impatient by the minute. She yells at Sands to give the order and he can’t.

-> Katja pushes Justin off the platform and MC can’t do anything from the shield. The Dark Riders laugh, but Justin levitates back up. He says he has been practicing and just like his mother, Catherine, he is also very talented. He didn’t like almost dying the last time and prepared for this case. Katja is furious, and raises her hand at him, saying, cute, but cheap tricks won’t save you from the true power of darkness. She shoots dark energy at him, but a shield appears around Justin, cast by Mr Sands and it reflects the power back to hit Katja. The explosion also dazes Sabine and Jess.

-> Sands shouts at MC to flee and take Justin while they are dazed. Justin jumps on your horse and you also want to take Sands. Before he can react, a blast of dark energy hits him from behind, cast as a joint spell of Jess and Sabine. Jessica says I have always wanted to do that. You have to flee and leave Sands there.

-> You escape the platform and leave with the little boat to Goldenhills. You ride to Jasper’s farm with Justin and meet the Soul Riders there. Jasper is scolding you for getting Justin into trouble, doesn’t like this druid business that took his Catherine from him. You tell the others what happened. Linda speaks up, says I am fine with being the one to say it, but we need to save Mr Sands now. Justin agrees.

Saving Mr Sands:

-> Meeting at the Valedale spiral, going to the Secret Stone Circle, Justin is also there. Reporting what happened to the druids. All druids from Harvestlands and Winterdale met to debate whether to save Mr Sands. The conclusion is that we need allies and intel so we are going to rescue him from Dark Core. The others say we cannot be even sure that he is alive, so Linda and MC conjure up a moon vision to look for him. It shows that he lives, but barely, kept captive in some unknown Dark Core facility. You have to find out where.

-> Spying on DC with Derek. As a government agent, he knows where and how to get the information to find Sands. MC, Justin and Derek go to every possible Dark Core location and follow a trail. Finally we end up at the station above Valedale and manage to find a photo validating that Sands have arrived to the location of his imprisonment. It is not written where as DC is very secretive about him.

-> We meet up at the Valedale spiral and show the picture to the others saying that is all we have found, ready to give up. Lisa looks at the picture and recognizes the place: it is the DC Barricade, where she freed Starshine from is SSL 1. It is located just north from Anvil Woods, but the road is closed so we need a boat again.

-> Going to Cape Point to find someone willing to ferry us there. The Soul Riders and MC all plan to go and we manage to convince Justin to stay in Cape West as it is too dangerous for him to come. With the guidance of Lisa, we sneak into the DC Barricade at night. Linda conjures a vision and now that we are closer, is able to find Sands. He is held in the main building where Starshine was also held. MC, Lisa and Linda are going on foot, trying to find Sands, while Alex and Anne take the horses to a point where we can get on to escape.

-> We go through the Barricade and see many weird Dark Core projects, shipments of drakonium, artifacts, pandorian creatures in cages and imprisoned in a runic circle there is a massive, formless shadow monster. We can only see its glowing six eyes and huge clawed hand. We manage to sneak into the main building and find Sands in the same cage where Starshine was imprisoned. He spots them, but someone is coming. MC, Lisa and Linda hide and see Katja is there to taunt Sands.

-> She laughs. Oh look, how the mighty fall. Held captive in the very cage where you imprisoned the first soul horse. Another failed quest of yours. You could not get anything done even back then. Maybe I am going to be the new general of Garnok now. Sands tells her no, she isn’t going to be as she is nothing compared to Elise. You are weak, Ice Witch. You compensate well with your smarts, but you always were and will always be weak. And you know Garnok only values raw power. You are nothing to him.

-> He knows this will make her lose her cool. Linda realizes this is an opening and attacks Katja. They duel and Katja is too angry to concentrate. MC and Lisa get the cage open and get Sands. Katja wants to shoot him with dark power again, but Sands throws it back at her, weakening her a great deal. Katja uses an illusion spell, but Linda had enough of her magic. She counterspells, makes Katja lost in her own illusion labyrinth. The team runs and gets on the horses. Alex has stolen the remote opening the gates as Lisa instructed and we escape. We get to the shore and the ferry takes us back to Cape Point. Justin meets him and Sands says sorry for everything.

-> Mr Sands reconciles with Justin and the Baroness and moves back to Pine Hill Mansion. The Pine Hill Championship is unlocked. He becomes our ally, gives the Soul Riders important information about Dark Core and the Dark Riders. He promises to help us against Garnok.

-> MC has a vision: Darko has been stuck in the realm between worlds ever since Elisabeth’s sacrifice. Now Garnok needs a new general, so he rescues Darko. MC tells this to the others and Sands warns them that Darko is unpredictable, dangerous, very power-hungry and not to be underestimated.

PART 2: Cleansing Starshade Woods

Gathering intel:

-> The Nightmare Woods are still inaccessible, infested with darkness and shadow seekers. Team meets up in Meander, Linda’s idea is to check on Mr Sands and ask him for help in cleansing the Starshade Woods. MC and the Soul Riders ride up to Pine Hill Mansion and knock. A very grumpy Mr Sands opens the door and tries to send you away. You convince him to let you in, but he continues to be extremely grumpy. He leads you to the library.

-> You ask him what he knows about the Nightmare Woods. He tells you it is was the dark side’s plan to stop you from accessing the Secret Stone Circle, Darko, Jess, Katja and Sabine all kept throwing their worst dark magics to corrupt the forest. Over the years, the Starshade woods got so dark, the druids had to leave, the rangers had to leave and now noone dares to go into the haunted forest. Sands doesn’t remember all the monsters and magic that was thrown in there, so the Soul Riders keep investigating and find lists of them.

-> Sands also tells you, that the forest has a dark secret, but even he doesn’t know what it is. You have to find out if you want to cleanse the forest. Going around Winterdale, asking to people about the Nightmare Woods. Long investigation, eventually you go to Lord Marchenghast, but he only gives you cryptic answers. You investigate the Baroness’ and Fort Maria’s library too to find out more about Lord Marchenghast.

-> You find out what happened in the Starshade Woods hundreds of years ago: that was where the witches (druids) were burned. You and Linda go to Marchenghast Castle to confront the lord about it, but you cannot find him. You go into the castle and get lost in it, realizing it is cursed. You keep wandering and see the pieces of history as it was basically a tragic misunderstanding and the then young and gullible Lord Marchenghast was pressured into ordering the burning of witches. He and the castle was then cursed by one of the dying druids to suffer misfortune until he admits the truth. You and Linda finally find him in the „throne room” of the castle. Linda realizes using her powers, that the visions were not the complete truth, the castle shows you the lies of Marchenghast. You get him to admit he is not blameless in the tragedy and it is his fault as well. When the truth comes out the curse of misfortune is lifted. Marchenghast gives you a diary of the events.

-> The main story continues as you prepare for the Battle for Starshade Woods, but the Matchenghast Castle side quests are now opened. Lord Marchenghast wants to open the castle as a museum for the public and host an equestrian championship. MC is tasked to try to convince people that the curse is gone. You get merchants and horse people to come and organize the first Marchenghast championship. As the name roughly means „dark fairy tale” new magic horse breeds will be available to buy here after you do the introductory fairy tale quest line for them.

Preparation:

-> MC and the Soul Riders make a plan for the Battle for Starshade Woods. Now you know the druid ghosts, that originally haunted the place and the dark creatures the forces of evil put there. You have to find ways to neutralize each. Linda briefs you on the plan: come back every day to decrease the darkness of the woods to a manageable level until we can finally go in to cleanse the forest. You get a progression bar and have to complete daily quests for some weeks like with the Rune Runner grind.

-> You get multiple, various dailies every day. One quest is always soul riding, where you are sent into the edge of the forest to close a portal, vanquish a dark creature, etc. The other two are coop quests with one of the Soul Riders. With Lisa, you sneak in, avoiding the hostile creatures and heal and cleanse plants and animals from the darkness. With Alex, it is basically a sniper mission, you ride to a high point and shoot Shadow Seekers with lightning. With Anne, you use your light powers to dispel the dark wisps, collect their light and use it to cleanse a patch of forest from the darkness. With Linda, you ride to certain points in the forest and dispel Katja’s illusions by playing various mini games.

-> Every time you reach a milestone in the progression bar, you get a quest about the druid ghosts that died or were burned in the forest. The druids were five in total: Nimue, Moria, Lucius, Einar and Rosalind. You have to help the ghosts find peace. First, you find them in the forest, then you solve their murder (for example one was frozen to death by Katja), you make their last wish happen (e.g. take their bones out of the forest and to the place where they want to rest eternally) or bring their descendants to meet them (convincing people to come meet a ghost in the haunted forest is tricky). Lucius was Marchenghast’s friend and now wants revenge on him. MC convinces him to just talk and maybe tell him to go to hell, but Lucius ends up forgiving him and from now on lives in the castle.

-> Rosalind is the last one, who wants to meet Sands when you tell her he is alive to make sure he is okay. You bring Mr Sands to the Nightmare Woods and Rosalind says goodbye and tells you all that now she can rest in peace. The progress bar is completed and the Battle for Starshade Woods can begin.

Battle for Starshade Woods:

-> Druids, Soul Riders and MC gathering in Meander again. As the darkness decreased in the woods, Sabine and Jessica appeared attempting to restore it. You cannot let them undo your work, so it is now or never. The plan is to sweep through the forest, dispelling the final remnants of darkness and cleanse the Starshade Woods for good. The battle takes three days.

-> On the first day, you go into the part east of Crescent Lake station and disperse the remaining Shadow Seekers and dark wisps with the soul riders. The druids march behind you, cleansing the trees and animals. You get to Crescent Lake station, but Jessica is waiting for you there, defending it. Boss fight: she stands in the middle with a magic shield around her, powered by Shadow Seekers she summoned. You have to charge your lightning powers with the „catch a runner” soul riding mechanic and shoot the shadow seekers. After that you can hit her shield and defeat her. If the timer runs out she releases a dark explosion that knocks you out and you have to start again. When you defeat her, she retreats into the dark woods. You have taken the eastern part of the woods back.

-> The next day, you meet up in Cape Point village and do the same dance. You cleanse the part of the forest west of Storm Hill with the druids coming behind you. Sabine is waiting for you at the top of Storm Hill, promising she won’t go easy on you like Jess and makes a circle of fire around her and MC. Her bossfight works similarly to the Mr Anvir fight in Pandoria, except she is the monster chasing you. You have to dodge waves of fire, falling firebolts, gather sparks of power the Soul Riders summon to charge your attack and then run into her. She flees and you have Storm Hill Station.

-> The third day, you help Lisa and Anne first in pushing the front in Crescent Lake, then you fight with Linda and Alex in Storm Hill. In the middle you find Darko who is ready to unleash a massive dark creature he borrowed from Garnok. The thing is standing behind him in a cloud of darkness and you can only see its glowing evil eyes. Darko says if the forest can’t be theirs then it will be noone’s and the creature will have it. Mr Sands appears and taunts Darko. He says maybe you got what you wanted but it is not as easy being Garnok’s general as he thinks. Mr Sands counterspells Darko and the creature attacks its master. Darko teleports them both away in a panic and we win. Linda asks Sands if Darko is dead, but Sands says probably not, he has proven quite difficult to get rid of. -> The Nightmare Woods are cleansed and it returns to its original state: the Starshade Woods. It looks similar to the Hollow Woods, but with blue wisps flying around and also has a mother runestone and quests. Now we can get to the Secret Stone Circle on foot and the Winterdale rangers send people to the Crescent lake and Storm Hill Stations. The Starshade Championship is unlocked.

PART 3: The Kallters

The Blizzard:

-> Katja appears once again and unleashes a blizzard, but only on the Rimefang Woods. MC and the druids want to help, but noone can reach the kallter village unless they are invited. MC goes into the blizzard into Rimefang Woods anyways, trying to dodge the wolves. They start chasing MC and you run, but end up cornered in a gorge. A kallter girl Erika and her wolf Idun appear and save you. She leads MC to their village.

-> You meet the kallters: the council of leaders are Takuraq, Sedna, the high priestess and Uyarak, the spiritual leader (kind of a druid) whom you already met in a previous quest. Erika is the daughter of Takuraq. You have already met Nanook, who is a horse breeder. Malina and Anniq are the twins of Sedna, girl with golden hair, boy with silver and they do a little moon and sun circle magic. Kauyar is the main wolf trainer and Nasami is his wife.

-> MC is led into the communal hall and the council of elders accept your help against the wolves and Katja, but you have to gather reputation before progressing with the main story. Erika introduces you to the kallter village. It is in the middle of the Rimefang woods, next to a small lake. You have fishing dailies here. All of the kallters have their own tame wolves that keep the wild ones away from the village.

Gaining their trust:

-> In order to be able to properly help them and move around in the forest, you need a wolf. MC is sent to speak with Kauyar, who helps you bond with a wolf. They will run next to you in the Rimefang Woods and keep the wild wolves away so now MC can go wherever in the Rimefang Woods. You name it like you name a new horse you buy.

-> MC gathers firewood in the forest, helps repair the village walls, lights fires that the storm estinguished. In the forest, you have to hide from the flash freezes and dodge icicles, like in the first storm when you entered Winterdale. You have chores in Nanook’s stables for the fjords. You are introduced to Silver Runebark, the kallters’ Life Warden tree, that keeps Katja’s storm from destroying the village. When running around in the Rimefang Woods, you can sometimes see a wolf bigger and meaner than the others watching you. The kallters tell you it is called Amarok, but are strangely secretive and refuse to tell you more.

Fall of the Ice Witch:

-> Once you gathered enough reputation, the main storyline continues. The wolf pack of Amarok attacks and MC helps Nanook protect the kallters’ fjord horses. Katja is there, helping the wolves wreak havoc and using her ice powers. She says she has finally come to have revenge. MC helps stop her from freezing the village, but Nanook is cornered by the wolves. He turns into a bear and fights Amarok. The wolves are driven back and Katja flees.

-> Sedna and Nanook tell MC, that Katja is half kallter and hates them, wants to destroy the village. Nanook and his brother were cursed by Katja into a form of a bear and a wolf. MC agrees to help break the curse. The brothers have to trust each other again to break it (Amarok thinks Nanook betrayed him). Sedna and the twins help MC.

-> You have to find clues on how to break the curse. With Erika, you sneak into the den of the wolf pack using your magic. You find the writings of Amarok that he wrote before going crazy and permanently becoming a wolf. It tells you the full story of how Katja became like this. For looking different, having strong powers and being only half kallter the villagers treated her like an outsider and blamed her for every bad thing happening. She eventually got recruited by Garnok and destroyed the kallters’ previous village in Dino valley, making them leave for Winterdale to find a Life Warden Tree, that can protect them from the monster they created.

-> You confront Sedna and Nanook with this and they admit it is the truth. Nanook also chose the village over Amarok at one point and he is bitter. Amarok in turn used his wolf form to hurt Nanook’s horses and the cycle goes on. Erika says this is stupid we cannot be like this or the village is done for. Katja appears in front of the gates. She says now you see MC, I have a good reason for doing this. Help me get justice. MC says no and Katja unleashes the strom, blasting open the gates and the wolves pour in. Nanook changes into a polar bear and fights Amarok again, wins. Katja wants him to give in to hatred and strike Amarok down. This way he would complete the curse and stay as a bear forever because of his hatred. MC shouts to him not to and Nanook realizes. He changes back into a human and holds out a hand, saying i forgive you brother and hope you can forgive me as well. Amarok has managed to change back to human as well and takes his hand. The curse is broken. Katja shrieks impossible, but she cannot do anything. MC and Sedna unite their power and dispel the storm and Katja flees. Amarok returns to the village and the wolves of the Rimefang woods are no longer hostile.

-> Unlocking the Kallter Championship. You are rewarded with 100 Star Coins as it is the end of a big main story phase. The Wintersoul grind: the second "free" horse, like the Rune Runner. Now that you have completed the kallter questlines, you can start the soul riding-like grind and reputation collection with Uyarak. The Wintersoul is a special silvery-gray kallter fjord horse with ice blue kallter markings and it wanders in the Rimefang Woods. It was created when the a remnants of katja’s evil storm was trapped in a horse that ran away from Nanook’s stable. It has part of Katja’s power, freezing parts of the forest around it, needs to be tamed and who better to take care of it than MC.

PHASE 6 – Apocalypse

PART 1: Ashland and Sabine

Frostfire:

-> The dark side is properly angry now, that you have defeated every one of them again. They gather more dark power and openly attack Winterdale, sending Sabine to wreak havoc with her fire powers. Sabine always wanted to prove herself as best- now she wants to prove herself to Garnok, drunk with power.

-> The siege lasts a week, Sabine attacks different magical parts of the valley each day, until she depletes the powers she got. Every day MC gets called to a location and has to stop her. She brags about showing you all, that she is better, stronger, than Katja, who failed, just like Sands. Once the week is over she leaves and noone like the calm before the storm. The Soul Riders decide you have to figure out where she went, but before you could get on with it the earth shakes and there is a plume of smoke rising from Ashland.

Ashland:

-> This is bad. You have to get there to stop whatever Sabine is doing before she makes the volcano erupt and destroys half of Jorvik. First, you five are taking Avalon, Evergray and a Winterdale druid and ride to Explorer’s Rest and a ranger escorts you to Frostfire pass, but it is still frozen over. The druid says there is another way into Ashland. You ride to Dino Valley, but of course the path is still frozen.

-> The druid directs us to go talk to the Life Warden Tree of Dino Valley in the summit. Glacier Heart is peacefully slumbering still and we debate how to wake her. Before the team decides on anything, the ground shakes again and she wakes. At first she gets angry at you, but you manage to explain to her, that this is not your doing and you want to go to Ashland to stop it, but the path is frozen. Glacier Heart sighs: Do I really have to talk to her? Can’t you people just melt the ice of the road? The druid tells her respectfully that we are in a hurry, trying to stop the volcano from erupting and covering half of Jorvik in ash. That does it, because Glacier absolutely does not want warmth in her valley.

-> You can hear the telepathic communication between the trees. Glacier Heart calls out to her sister, Fire Glory in Ashland. She is very chatty and very ADHD and very excited about everything. It takes some tries for Glacier to explain to her that people want to go to Ashland, but the road is frozen. Fire Glory is very excited that she will get visitors and says hold on one second. She uses her fire powers to melt the ice on the road and the path to Ashland is finally open.

-> The team rides to Ashland and arrives in Ashfall village. There is a small community living there, some families and druids. The people grow extraordinary fruits and plants in the volcanic soil and the druids are stationed there to watch the volcano. Ever since the first quake, ash is falling from the sky like snow and the ground shakes here even more often. You ask about Sabine, but they didn’t see anything as they had to hide. You leave your druids in the village and go to ask Fire Glory about her.

Firefall:

-> Meeting Fire Glory, who is on one of the surrounding peaks, overlooking a valley. She likes the warmth in here, can’t image living in a cold place like like Dino and won’t shut up about how much she finds the fires beautiful. Linda politely shuts her up saying surely she would not want the valley to burn tho. She says no and we ask her is she saw Sabine. She did see her.

-> First, Sabine went to the caldera, and tried to control the fires to empower herself, but could not. Glory then saw her running around in the valley looking for something. We ask if she knows what, and the tree tells us about the Firestones. Hundreds of years ago, then the mysterious meteor shower rained pandoric stones, many landed in Ashland. Along the years they collected the fire energy of Ashland, and their pink glow turning to orange, they have become Firestones. Sabine is probably looking for these.

-> The Soul Riders and MC run around Ashland to collect the stones before Sabine does. Two progression bars show your and Sabine’s stones collected. When you found all you can, you return to Ashfall village as the druids found some more firestone locations. You go out, get them and now you have more stones, than Sabine.

-> When you return to the village however, you find the Soul Riders locked in anti-magic nullification circles. They tell you Sabine came and she was stronger than the four of them and she kidnapped Avalon. Alex tells MC that you are the only one still strong enough to defeat her, that’s why she attacked them separately. Sabine called you all to the volcano to surrender or she throws Avalon into the volcano.

-> You five ride up to the caldera. Sabine is at the edge, holding Avalon with magic over the lava. She’d drawn five more anti-magic circles and orders you to stand in it and surrender. Your lives for Avalon’s. The Soul Riders and MC all do, their powers are useless now.

-> MC has a plan to play on Sabine’s weakness. You kneel before her and admit defeat, saying she was right, she achieved what Sands could not, succeeded where Katja failed and Dark Rider Malumi is really the strongest opponent. The Soul Riders look at you like you’ve lost your mind and their reaction sells it to Sabine, who lowers her guard. Then you push Sabine and blast her with lightning and reach out for Avalon, barely catching him. Sabine falls into the lava and as her concentration is broken so are her magic circles and the Soul Riders help you pull Avalon up. Alex says nobody tell Fire Glory, but I fripping hate this place.

-> You collect Sabine’s firestones and go back to the village. As you have no use for them, you take them all to Fire Glory. She is very happy and melts the ice blocking Frostfire pass, opening the final blocked path to Winterdale. You ride back there.

PART 2: The Fall of Pandoria

Spying:

-> With Sabine gone, Katja weakened and Darko hurt by his darkness creature the Keepers of Aideen decide it is the perfect time to strike. Council meeting in the Secret Stone Circle, making a plan for how to defeat Garnok. Fripp tells us that he found the weakest point of Garnok’s prison: the Pools of Pandemonium in Devil’s Gap. He tells us that as of right now, he is imprisoned between the dimensions, that’s how he is able to access both Earth and Pandoria and that is how he was able to get Darko out of there. We debate different plans, but no decision yet.

-> The Soul Riders gather in Fripp’s rooms below and say that Linda and MC should scout DC using visions. You sit down to meditate and a series of cutscenes take place. First you see Darko standing in front of the portal, talking to a shadowy figure in it. They talk about Garnok’s return approaching, but the plans have been set back, since Sabine fell. The dark figure says my return also nears, you just have to buy some time. Darko asks what strategy you suggest and the dark figure says: They are so trusting in each other, it is disgusting. Time for some doubt. Conquer and divide, sow discord, make them make a mistake.

-> Darko’s evil plan, what we don’t see, is to make the Soul Riders send Garnok to Pandoria, where he will gather even more energy, will be stronger than ever and will be able to finally anchor himself to Earth. Darko knows MC is spying in a vision and he stages a scene. MC and Linda see him and Jess talk about how they must stop the Soul Riders from banishing Garnok to Pandoria.

-> We tell what we have seen to Fripp, not knowing this is a trap. Fripp thinks it makes sense. We have to sacrifice one world to save the other. We tell this to the druids and they agree to the plan, believing Garnok will be powerless and unable to reach Earth anymore if we manage to banish him to Pandoria. However this decision really divides the good guys, as a lot of druids believe Pandoria is not evil, there are creatures living there and the Keepers swore to protect all life. Evergray doesn’t like it either: How would you feel if someone decided Earth has to go, just so your world can live?

-> Ydris appears: How indeed. I believe one would feel quite resentful towards said people and would swore never no help them with anything ever again. Some druids ask him how did he get in here, but he just point at the runestones. I am pandorian you imbeciles. Typical humans. You surround yourselves with the magic of my world, take what you want and let the rest rot. Don’t count on my help when Garnok comes to destroy you all. Zee rears and they vanish.

-> The druids still go ahead with the plan. MC and the Soul Riders are piecing together the ritual that they will use to imprison Garnok in Pandoria. You go to the libraries of Silverglade, Fort Maria and Pine Hill with Linda to study magic circles. You gather magical herbs with Lisa, practice portals with Anne and go to Pandoria with Alex to gather crystals.

-> Now you only need to go to Devil’s Gap and convince Sive to let you do this. Linda stresses the whole way how will you convince Sive to give up the ancestral home of the vala (even if they drew power from Garnok’s prison), but when you get there she’s nowhere to be found. The Chaos Vortex is worse, than ever, a storm is raging above the gorge and lightning strikes. MC goes well that was easy, but Linda says easy never meant anything good for the Soul Riders. You go back to Fripp to report that you are good to go. Your final quest is going with Anne to close all of the portals to Pandoria.

Devil’s Gap:

-> Arriving at Devil’s Gap: the team still debates wheater they should do this, but settle for yes, they won’t have another chance like this. Using the many narrow, winding stone pathways of the valley you draw the lines of the magic circle. At certain points you carve pandorian runes into the rock walls as makeshift runestones. You make the whole valley into a big magic circle to open the gate of the prison for a moment, then banish him to Pandoria. The success of your mission relies on the fact that he is technically still sleeping.

-> Once the magic circle is done, however, Garnok stirs. MC has to ride with each Soul Rider to four different points of the valley and help them activate a rune, before riding to the middle. While riding through the pathways Garnok’s tentacles appear (like in SSL 4 and when you escaped Pandoria after finding Anne). You activate the four runes and manage to ride to the middle to complete the ritual. Garnok roars, a portal opens and the dark presence leaves the Pools of Pandemonium and is sent to Pandoria.

-> The good guys think they have won, but trouble hits immediately. Darko appears on one of the rocks above you, laughing at how you fell right into his trap. He meddles with the spell. Linda and MC have a vision of Garnok turning Pandoria dark blue and purple, breaking the islands and laughing, deep as an earthquake rumbles through the doomed world.

-> You have to act immediately. MC and Anne open a portal to Pandoria and the Soul Riders go there to stop him from destroying all of Pandoria. Once he’s done, he will also come for Earth, your only luck is that he is too busy breaking Pandoria. Linda directs you to make a binding rune, similar to what you did in Devil’s Gap. Riding around, dodging his powers. You manage to contain Garnok in Pandoria, but the realm now answers to Garnok and tries to kill you. Escape from Pandoria, the portal is collapsing. Some sun circle druids sacrifice themselves, staying behind to stabilize the portal, while we escape.

PART 3: The Hope of Pandoria  

War effort:

-> Pandoria is off-limits now. All the portals are closed and the locations are guarded by druids to alert us if anything tries to come through. Garnok is empowered by Pandoria and even through he cannot come to Earth, his evil magic can reach it. Garnok-effect appearing everywhere in Jorvik, the sieges led by Katja, Jess, or Darko. MC has to fight it with soul riding quests.

-> Chaos in Ashland, a fiery entity terrorizes the valley. The Soul Riders are sent there to investigate. Sabine returns as a flying fire-ghost entity(the ghost model is like in the picture in SSL 3's Pandoria) and she is really pissed at you. She joins the sieges.

-> This cannot go on, we need a plan. MC suggests to use Jessica. We need information, have to find out how to defeat this kind of void power and how to seal Garnok back to sleep. Jess has a rivalry with Katja and still wants to outdo her to show Garnok she is the stronger one. We organize an ambush: Anne is the bait. When she attacks her, all of us appear and say we just want to talk. We manage to strike a deal with her- in exchange for information, she will have a victory over us that Katja did not. Some druids and Anne are against this plan, but they have to make a sacrifice to have a chance.

-> Jess tells the info we need right away. Anne is suspicious, says she must be lying, why not wait until we fulfilled our promise? Jess says because she can count on the good guys being disgustingly honorable and if she told something useful, they will surely make good on their promise. Jess reveals that Pandoria can be saved if we bring Garnok back to Earth to his prison. The prison ship also used the dimension between world to keep him imprisoned. If we manage to do this, his generals will lose a good deal of power also. Linda still uses moon power to see the truth and announces that she’s not lying.

-> Agreeing on the plan: the Soul Riders are to attack the DC Barricade, pretending that we are trying to free the creatures and get the artifacts. Now we cause all kinds of havoc in DC territory. Katja and Jess arrive to protect it. MC and the Soul Riders have set a trap for Katja and we imprison her in a circle. As Darko arrives Jessica attacks us and we pretend to fall back to put on a show for him. Jess got a good point from Darko for defending the barricade, while Katja failed again.

-> We tell the information we got from Jess to Fripp and he agrees to the plan. We need to try and save Pandoria even if it means endangering Earth, as we cannot let another world be destroyed by Garnok. We just need to convince the druids of it when we get the chance.

Shadowfrost

-> Evergray calls us to meet in Valedale. Why hasn’t Sabine come back to her human form? Evergray suggests the Dark Riders can be defeated by the combination of their own power and their opposite Soul Rider’s. For Sabine it was fire and lightning. Jess must be defeated by darkness (in Pi’s swamp) and Anne, Katja by ice (in Dino vale) and Linda. We plan to make these happen. We split up: MC helps Anne and Lisa defeat Jess first, while Alex and Linda prepare to defeat Katja. If we manage they too will turn into elemental ghosts (shadow and frost), like Sabine. They will still be able to fight us, but without human consciousness, just as primordial powers. Until they get their bodies back, this will leave Darko alone in fighting us.

-> Anne and Lisa lure Jessica into Pi’s Cauldron Swamp, playing on her pride. Anne can go all in, make it seem like she gave in to hatred, then when Jess is sure she will win, Anne reveals Jess has walked into a trap pursuing Anne. She stepped in the darkness seal made by Pi, which draws power from Jess’s magic. Lisa, Anne, and MC focus their powers on Jess, she disappears, a dark ghost flies away from the swamp. This was the easy part.

-> MC, Alex and Linda go to Dino Valley, but Katja knows already what happened to Jess, she is angrier than ever. Finding her at the Ice Witch portal, she attacks us. 1st race through Dino: to lure her to the frozen lake, where we can fight her. 1st phase: Soul-riding-like bossfight in the frozen lake, Katja has a frost shield. Dodging icicles, Linda helps see where K’s magic will hit, so MC can dodge it, Alex shoots her shield with lightning. MC has to keep them ice-free, free them if they are iceblocked. Without Linda, MC can’t see where the ice will hit and without Alex it is only her shooting the shield. After removing half of her shield here, Katja starts breaking the ice on the lake.

-> 2nd race: to the higher valley, through the pine forest. The 2nd phase of the fight takes place amidst the ice columns, same fight, lightning strike her, remove her shield. She is defeated, but with the last of her power, summons illusions of many characters, hides herself as one of them. Linda and MC is find the one and point at it for Alex to blast it with lightning. When Alex turns, the illusion wears the body of James. Katja begs Alex as James not to hurt him, but Alex collects the storm from above the valley and lightning strikes her. A frosty ghost flies away. Cutscene: Darko roars and curses before the portal of DC platform as the three elemental ghosts hover before him silently.

Saving Pandoria

-> Soulriding stuff all over Jorvik, fighting the three Dark Rider entities. The Keepers try to agree on the plan. The options: A, Fully sever G’s connection to Earth and get rid of hom for now (he still may find a way back later) and let Pandoria die, or B, Save Pandoria by bringing Garnok’s full consciousness back to his Earth prison, just like Jess said. The alliance finally decides to try to heal Pandoria, sever Garnok’s link to it and defeat the monster on Jorvik for good.

-> MC and the Soul Riders are going to the Garnok-ruled Pandoria: instead of pink, it is dark blue now. We are trying to stay hidden and set up a base camp. Anne really hates being here, we have to talk her into not breaking We have to avoid Shadow Seekers and corrupted creatures. We manage to heal a small bit of Pandoria.

-> Darko notices this and comes to confront us. He siphons power from corrupted Pandoria and gives the Dark Riders their human bodies back. They are so empowered, they are just toying with us. We take part in the three bossfights for each of them, losing in each. Our Soul Rider partner magics us to safety every time, but ultimately, it seems like we have lost. Our Aideen magics start to weaken as Garnok gets stronger. His giant silhouette appears on the horizon in the distance in an epic shot.

-> MC still wants to try and fight Darko, but he blocks all your pathetic attempts at magic. The Soul Riders are on the ground, giving up. Even Lisa says all hope is lost. Then, Ydris appears with the Hope of Pandoria to save the day. For him it transforms from a fridge into a pink and golden blazing Sun and flies up to the sky its searing rays of light burning away garnok’s darkness. The low roar or a kraken reverberates from the distance.

-> Ydris combines his power with the Soul Riders’ and MC's, but Anne is still on the ground. He shouts at Anne: Stand up Sun of Pandoria and help us send him back to his prison! Concorde walks to her and holding onto Concorde, Anne is pulled to her feet. She guides the spell, and we banish Garnok from Pandoria completely, back on his prison ship on Earth, fully anchoring him to Jorvik. Darko and the Dark Riders are also sent back to Earth.

-> Linda walks up to Ydris to thank him, but he says he is still angry at them for doing this to Pandoria. He only helped the world, but still won’t ever help us again. Pandoria is accessible again, but parts are still corrupted and in ruins. Garnok is banished from Devil’s Gap and the Chaos Vortex disappears.

-> Victory, end of main storyline in Winterdale. You get a reward of the final 100 Star Coins upon returning to the Secret Stone Circle and the druids talk about possibly soon heading north to meet their brothers and sisters in Spring Valley.

TO BE CONTINUED!

THE OTHER PARTS:

SSO Rewritten 2nd Part: Springvalley https://www.tumblr.com/starshinedragon/716459529087401984/sso-rewritten-springvalley?source=share

SSO Rewritten 3rd Part: Summerplains https://www.tumblr.com/starshinedragon/726343248992419840/sso-rewritten-full-story-series-summerplains?source=share

#sso #star stable #star stable online #ssoblr #sso rewritten #sso story #sso full story series #sso fan writing #sso katja #sso garnok #sso mr sands #sso dark riders #sso soul riders #sso fanart #I had a lot of fun writing it I hope you enjoy it as well! #sso pandoria #sso magic #sso winterdale #sso winter #Sso guys if you like it id be glad to help you write the story for the game so contant me lol /hj

[broomsick]

Personal & collected tips regarding the maintenance of a harmonious relationship with the landvættir (land spirits)

“It is laid down in the first clause of the pagan law of Iceland, introduced about AD 930, that no one may approach the country in ships furnished with gaping heads and yawning snouts, i.e. dragon-heads. If they had them they must remove them before they came in sight of land, for otherwise the landvaættir would take fright.” - Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia (1964)

Quick note: if you follow the norse pagan path, Landdísir, Jötnar/Trolls/Thurses, Álfar, and even ancestors could be considered land spirits, depending on your personal experience and interpretation of historical sources.

“They do not typically speak in English words, or words of any human language. They speak in wind, in the crackle of fire, in images and concepts and intense emotions.” -  Earl S. Wynn.

In my experience, when compared to communication with fair folk, land spirit work is usually a lot more one-sided. Despite this, it’s important to keep in mind that spirits are conscious: they are individuals just like you and I, so we should treat them with love and respect, exactly in the way we would want to be treated. When it comes to landvættir, don’t expect a great deal of active communication, but rather watch out for little casual blessings that may start popping up once you start building a relationship with the land. By “land”, I mean both the land and the spirits that inhabit it, as they make a whole and are sustained by one another. The land you will work with is the area that you live in. Yes, even if it is a large city. Cities were all built upon age-old land, and this fact can be observed even in the most bustling and crowded ones. Is there a park you used to visit as a kid? Or a line of trees near your house? Small as they may seem, these places are the type to be inhabited by landvættir. Now, how do you start working with them?

“King Harald told a warlock to hie to Iceland in some altered shape, and to try what he could learn there to tell him: and he set out in the shape of a whale. And when he came near to the land he went to the west side of Iceland, north around the land, where he saw all the mountains and hills full of guardian-spirits, some great, some small.” -  Heimskringla: The Chronicle of The Kings of Norway, “King Olaf Trygvason's Saga”, chapter 6.

The first step to landvættir work is actually excessively simple. It is to acknowledge the soul within natural elements. Look around yourself, when in nature, and notice which trees, stones, boulders or plants catch your eye. 

The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids suggests to take note of the following landmarks in order to get to know your own area: the highest place, the nearest body of water, the nearest area of natural beauty, the busiest open space where people congregate on a daily basis, the most abused or neglected site, the oldest sacred site under continuous use, the nearest place where the dead are commemorated or buried, the nearest natural food-producing ground, the place most frequented by wild (non-domestic) animals, the nearest major crossroads, and other significant sites that occur to you or that may be particular to your location e.g. marsh-land, heavy industry sites, etc.

If there is a certain spot you feel most drawn to, why note make it into a sort of land altar? By land altar, I mean a place where you can regularly go to rest and commune with nature. It isn’t necessary to set up a whole altar, and I would even advise against adorning it with excessive decorations, especially unnatural ones. As much as possible, try to avoid wrappings and plastics! However, you can mark the spot with things you pick up in the area: a pretty flower or leaf, a fallen tree branch, a handful of acorns, an usual-looking rock and such. It’s okay to put these on your land altar as long as they are from the area. Picking these sorts of things up and giving them back to nature is a means to show that not only do you observe the gifts of the land you live on, but that you also appreciate them. That you see their beauty and their value. By choosing a specific spot to make such offerings, you also give the landvættir a place where they can reach back to you, where you can hear their voices and feel their touch. If you are interested in working with a tree spirit, or choosing one as you land altar, I suggest taking a look at this previous post of mine where I detailed how to get started with such a relationship! 

Disclaimer: if you keep getting a bad feeling about the place you’ve chosen for your land altar, I would definitely advise changing spots. It could mean a particular land spirit does not want to be disturbed, and it would be rude not to respect their wish.

Once you’ve chosen this space and once you feel truly settled with it, it’s a great idea to bless it from time to time. You can do so by blessing water and pouring it around and over that spot, or by singing a certain song, or chanting, etc. Simply naming what you see around you, stating the names of these natural elements, can be considered blessing, for you are acknowledging their souls. Through meditation, you may start hearing some spirits tell you the names they want to be called. Keep them in mind!

I would deem all of these “blessing” gestures offerings, though you could also offer the aforementionned leaves, flowers, rocks, acorns, as well pinecones, collected resin, earth, food you grew in your garden, etc. No matter the shape your offerings take, it is exceedingly important to be regular with them. I don’t mean you need to have a schedule (you could pretty much gift whatever, whenever), but you cannot expect for the spirits to appreciate your presence or give back to you if you have only spent time with them once or twice. Plus, you cannot truly get to know your local spirits if you don’t take the necessary time to get to know them! 

Now, I’ve been using a woodland setting as my example, but it’s obvious the landvættir are completey different individuals depending on where you live. They are different in swamps, along beaches, high in the mountains, etc. It is possible to maintain a land altar no matter what your area looks like. After all, the most important part of land spirit work is to acknowledge and live in harmony with your local spirits— the guardians of your land. In fact, I find it a good idea to locate your land altar near a natural symbol of your nation/country/area! In order to do this in an even more personal way, I suggest looking into your ancestral practices! You may notice that previous generations gave back to the land in specific ways, which you could very well include in your own practice. 

Once you’ve gone through all of these steps, keep your mind open so as to receive whatever messages or gifts the landvættir want to give in return. They might take a lot of time to answer, but stay patient. After all, their very existence and the protection they grant land is already a gift in an of itself. Sit at your land altar and open your senses. In my experience, landvættir can show their appreciation through a range of very discreet presents such as birdsong, a feeling of absolute peace and joy, a piece of knowledge, or even a new and unexpected flower that catches your eye and which you’ve never seen before. You never know what they might send you next, so best to stay aware of your surroundings when communing with nature. It has lots and lots to give, if you stand ready to receive!

Artworks and pictures: Winter Foxes by Chuck Groenink, Yule Stag by Sebastian McKinnon, painting by Omar Rayyan II, illustration by David Wyatt, land altar photograph, illustration by Lily Seika Jones.

#spirit work #heathenry #spirits #land spirits #tree lore #tree spirits #paganism #norse paganism #witchcraft #deities #deity work #animism #spirituality #forests #polytheism #witchy tips

[thecreaturecodex]

Hesperid

Image © Paizo Publishing. Accessed at Archives of Nethys here

[I was not expecting Paizo to make a specific fey based on the Hesperides from Greek mythology instead of just making them nymphs, but I like it.]

Hesperid CR 9 LN Fey This humanoid woman has a radiant beauty, her hair and skin colors reminiscent of the light of a sunset. She has long pointed ears and no pupils, marking her fey nature.

The hesperids are fey creatures that guard areas of natural beauty in the mortal realm. They are tied to the setting sun, and their domains always include a good view of the sunset. Hesperids also guard other objects as well—treasures prized by the fey or druidic circles, or historical relics thought lost. These prizes are disguised as golden apples, often mixed with mere trash disguised the same way in order to thwart robbery. More powerful hesperids may guard magical artifacts. In order to defend their landscape and their treasures, hesperids will fight, using conjured sunlight like a druid wields a flame blade.

Because of their ties to the regular cycle of the planet’s orbit, hesperids have lawful minds. Other fey sometimes see them as stodgy, but also respect their reliability and even tempers. Hesperids get along well with most lawful outsiders, as well as bronze and gold dragons, and are stern opponents of forces of undeath. They recognize that darkness has its place in the cosmic order, but are most comfortable in bright lights.

Hesperid Boons and Banes (CL 13th, DC 23) The most likely boon a hesperid would give to a mortal would be a lesser treasure, typically exchanged for something more relevant to the fey, plus access to the hesperid’s healing magic. Still, some are charmed by mortal artistry, and give their blessings as patrons of the arts. Those who try to steal from a hesperid are sometimes cursed with permanent blindness.

Boon: The glow of the hesperid fills your heart. You gain a +1 sacred bonus to all saving throws, and a +4 competence bonus to all Craft and Perform checks. This bonus lasts for 1 week. Bane: You are permanently blinded. The blindness can be removed with remove blindness or a similar effect, but returns with the sunrise each day unless it is removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, wish or miracle

Hesperid        CR 9 XP 6,400 LN Medium fey Init +6; Senses low-light vision, Perception +23 Defense AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 16(+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 deflection) hp 110 (13d6+65) Fort +8, Ref +14, Will +12 DR 10/cold iron Defensive Abilities unearthly grace; Weakness sunset dependent Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) Melee sunset ribbon +13/+8 touch (1d10+6 plus 1d6 fire) Ranged sunset ribbon +13 touch (1d10+6 plus 1d6 fire) Spell-like Abilities CL 13th, concentration +19 (+23 casting defensively) At will—daylight, veil (DC 22, self only) 3/day—cure critical wounds (DC 20), quickened glitterdust (DC 18), searing light Statistics Str 11, Dex 22, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 22 Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 36 Feats Alertness, Combat Casting,Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Quicken SLA (glitterdust),Toughness, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +21, Bluff +21, Climb +15, Diplomacy +21, Fly +25, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (geography, local, nature) +19, Knowledge (arcana, history) +16, Perception +23, Perform (any one) +21, Sense Motive +23, Stealth + 21 Languages Common, Sylvan, Utopian SQ golden apple Ecology Environment any coastal or hills Organization solitary or enclave (2-6) Treasure double standards Special Abilities Golden Apple (Su) As a standard action, a hesperid can transform any object of up to 10 cubic feet of material into a golden apple weighing 1 pound. This lasts until the hesperid dismisses the effect as a standard action or if the item has spent 24 hours outside of the hesperid’s bonded location. Sunset Dependent (Su) A hesperid is mystically bonded to a location that has a good view of the sunset under ideal conditions—cliffs, islands and valleys are common sites. A hesperid that leaves this area, or who is not outside when the sun sets in that area (even if she can’t see, or if weather hides the sun), takes 1d6 points of Constitution drain per day. A hesperid can bind to a new location with a 24 hour ritual. Sunset Ribbon (Su) A hesperid can conjure a ribbon of sunlight as a swift action, and dismiss it as a swift action. With this ribbon, she can make melee touch attacks as an attack action, or may snap it like a whip as a standard action to fire a ray up to 180 feet. Regardless of how the hesperid uses it to attack, the sunset ribbon deals 1d10 points of slashing damage modified by the hesperid’s Charisma modifier and 1d6 fire damage. Undead, or other creatures with negative energy affinity, take an additional 1d6 points of damage. Unearthly Grace (Su) A hesperid gains her Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to AC and CMD.

#hesperid #hesperides #fey #greek mythology #pathfinder 1e #pathfinder 2e

[formulatrash]

I've taken up reading historic newspapers as a hobby and I thought you'd enjoy this story from the Coventry Evening Telegraph. "Heavy Traffic - There was heavy traffic on all roads leading to Silverstone from an early hour this morning, but the filter colour system introduced at the last meeting was again successful and there were few long delays. In order to regulate the traffic, police had installed in the control tower of the former RAF aerodrome seven radio stations linked with key points over a 25-mile radius." This is from the 20th of August, 1949! As I write to you today, there are roadworks on the road between Brackley and Silverstone, which just makes me feel that news is 100% cyclical and there will ALWAYS be traffic around Silverstone. <3

I actually have a theory about this which gets into the sort of nerdy shit I'd make a video about if I was a man with a decent camera and an office. but so Silverstone is in several English counties:

looking at Silverstone on a map, it's clearly in what you'd call a black hole for ley lines. for anyone who didn't grow up in the UK in the era before the internet gave us something to do with our time, ley lines are alleged mystical power lines that criss-cross the UK and do sort of coincide with some motorways probably because that's kinda how the landscape is.

anyway, the idea is you can draw lines between significant monuments or like, random hills people have decided might have some connection to woo and then that will represent ancient energies. for no doubt very serious reasons the epicentre of all these is a tiny village called Parsley Hay halfway between Sheffield and Stoke on Trent, which I am sure does fairly well out of the related tourist industry.

more significant, in terms of British road mapping, is the existence of Little Chef roadside uhhhh cafés? diners? idk what you classify them as. like the druids of old they are now gone but their energies remain.

Silverstone sits in an uneven triangulation of former Little Chef spots:

not only does Towcester's especially hallowed, double Little Chef site unbalance things nearly irrepairably, three of these Little Chef are in Northamptonshire (the double and Old Stratford to the east) while only Buckingham is in Buckinghamshire.

these are the sort of forces that should not be messed with. it is clear why there are always traffic jams around Silverstone and it's not just because everyone invented Milton Keynes (not pictured, off to the east) then forgot to connect it to anywhere else properly it's because the roadside balance has been greatly disturbed.

now that Little Chef is no more this cannot be corrected. no amount of M&S Simply Food can ever neutralise the vibes and so it is that Silverstone is doomed to eternal traffic by the arrogance of mankind's hubristic building.

#f1 asks #just about

[autisticdelinquent]

I'm sure this is a weird concept for people who haven't pondered it before but how is there not more non-European white people out there feeling soul crushing emptiness not knowing what it will ever feel like to know the physical land or the culture/people of the places their ancestors come from? I'm mixed Native and Caucasian with maybe a few stray Asian and Polynesian lines further in my ancestry. I am mostly white but am integrating with the local Native tribal community and have since I was a child. I'm currently in the adoption process. I am profoundly grateful to know them and to at least live on the ancestral territory of my Native side. I can't help but feel so lonely and alienated on a soul level though because I will likely never be able to patch that side of my family in the same way for my European ancestry. I recognize how much more important it is to focus on the culture more at risk of going extinct, I just wish I could explore them both with the same ease. I grew up without and still don't really have any friends but online I'd always find myself being most at home feeling when talking to Scandinavians but more so with English and even more than that with Irish and Scottish people specifically. Obviously I got along with tribal relations fine but I mean as far as relationships go like in school or otherwise white dominated areas. I am 21, never been kissed, and most of my relationships have been online/LDR. The best one ever actually was with a Scottish person and we were together for years but he dumped me out of nowhere one day without even a fight and he's never been back in contact with me since to my worst dismay. I truly feel like if my white ancestors never left hundreds of years ago I may honestly have had a better childhood with more of a chance of having a social life. Even if I didn't I would've at least had sacred wells and hills and ancient monuments to explore and meditate in to connect to my ancestors. I love my Native ancestry and by all means I agree with their values and relate harder to their culture on every level because of how close I was to it growing up, but I can't help but feel people who are completely white with absolutely no historical connection to their current lands should have at least a little feeling of unease never knowing where they come from? I understand if I was only white that I wouldn't be me and genetically I'd be a whole different person but I mean hypothetically if I were to be the same personality/consciousness I'd probably be a lot more well off socially and emotionally if I'd at least grown up in a more Celtic setting. I really hate when I see Americans trying to be all in people's faces when exploring Celtic and honestly European culture in general for "ancestry" reasons because I am fully aware of how objectifying and detached that comes off and I really don't want this to sound like something from one of those Americans. The feelings in my head and heart are just too big for my autistic ADHD brain to even begin to process in a way that words can do justice to. At the risk of sounding like a loser- I crave a deeper connection to the Earth around me and with people who are familiar with my ancestral cultures. I'm not saying they actually have to be from them, reincarnation exists in Celtic belief so just because you're not from that place in this life doesn't mean you weren't connected to it before. Idk. I'm rambling at this point. If you're a druid or otherwise passionate about Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Celtic Britain, Aisle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany, etc please DM me I'm begging. I've recently enrolled in the OBOD so I'm really hoping to find people to learn/talk about bards with and just general friendship ;-;

#paganism #pagan #spirituality #ancestors #ancestor work #uk #england #english #ireland #irish #scotland #scottish #native #nativeamericans #indigenous #druid #druidism #druidic #druidry #celtic paganism #celt #celtic

[threadatl]

UPCOMING DRIFT this Sunday, 2 pm!

Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of Freedom Park with special guest Sally Dorn, who was on the CAUTION legal committee that defeated Atlanta's Presidential Parkway.

This is the 1988 newspaper photograph of Sally calling from the courthouse to announce that historic Druid Hills, Inman Park, Poncey-Highland, Old Fourth Ward, and Candler Park were safe from demolition. Sally's advocacy led to the creation of Atlanta's beloved Freedom Park.

Meet 2 p.m. Sunday at the Jackson Street Bridge, 433 Freedom Park Trail, Atlanta.

No registration needed, and free to attend!

The walk to Candler Park Golf Course will be about 3 miles. Participants can call a Lyft/Uber back to your transportation home at any point or return to King Memorial MARTA from the Candler Park MARTA station.

A project in collaboration with @threadatl advocating for walkable urbanism in ATL.

#atlanta #urbanism #urban planning #urban design #walkable cities

[amazingarchitecturewebsite]

Juxtaposition, #Atlanta, Georgia (USA) by Sheila Lee Davies Architecture @sheilaleedaviesarchitecture. Read more: Link in bio! Photography: Jonathan Hillyer, Adam Goldberg for Aerial Photography Sheila Lee Davies Architecture: Juxtaposition explores how historic and modern architecture can be combined to create an enhanced sensual architectural experience. In historic Druid Hills, a famed Neel Reid house is juxtaposed with modern additions while respecting the historic context of the Druid Hills neighborhood. A sustainable approach to restoring an historic house contrasted with modern additions brought harmonious coexistence of old and new. By taking advantage of the rolling hills of the site and integrating Reid’s design with new design, the juxtaposition of old and new architecture created a unique home that supports well-being for occupants providing constant connection with place and nature… #usa #georgia #архитектура www.amazingarchitecture.com ✔ A collection of the best contemporary architecture to inspire you. #design #architecture #amazingarchitecture #architect #arquitectura #luxury #realestate #life #cute #architettura #interiordesign #photooftheday #love #travel #construction #furniture #instagood #fashion #beautiful #archilovers #home #house ‎#amazing #picoftheday #architecturephotography ‎#معماری (at Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDJf99LZfi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#atlanta #usa #georgia #архитектура #design #architecture #amazingarchitecture #architect #arquitectura #luxury #realestate #life #cute #architettura #interiordesign #photooftheday #love #travel #construction #furniture #instagood #fashion #beautiful #archilovers #home #house #amazing #picoftheday #architecturephotography #معماری

[painted-bees]

*ahem* good sirs. Please. What is Wolves of Danu about?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Oh, wow look at all this totally unexpected, totally unprompted interest in my current hyper fixation!! Truly blessed coincidence! Lemme tell you all about it!! It's a historical horror/fantasy that takes place in 1880's British Isles and follows a Druid named Áine as she tries to survive in a world that has been long starved of the fae magic which once flowed abundantly through the lands both above and under hill. The faefolk--the Sidhe were once powerful creatures in these lands, and their mercurial meddling in human affairs had made life on the Isles much more treacherous to navigate. For the average person, the absence of magic and of the Sidhe in daily life has long brought a kind of peace they otherwise may have never known. But for the druids, this was a calamity. Cut off from the sustaining magics of their Mother Danu, the Sidhe slowly withered into starved husks of their former selves; and over the following centuries, became animated only by their clawing hunger for the last remaining wells of magic present in the overhill: druids. Relentlessly hunted by the undying Sidhe, a Druid's best hope of survival comes in the form of creatures who exist in the between; neither human nor Sidhe but both at once. Áine's search brings her to the country-side estate of a wealthy aristocratic family where their best-kept secret locks himself away for weeks at a time. Their seventh son; a wolf of Danu. Back when the the Sidhe ruled the Isles, aaages ago, they brokered a deal with the [human] clans that sought to wrestle control over the land. The Sidhe would live Underhill and leave the world above to human rule so long as certain rituals, offerings, arrangements were maintained. Among these was the agreement that the seventh son of the seventh son thenforth would be a son of Danu; compelled to follow her laws and serve as her most loyal eyes and ears in the lands above. They would exist among their human communities, advantaged by their fae charisma...to live most privileged lives as long as the goddess Danu lived. But as the moon drew closer to the earth, the would be compelled to take on a sidhe appearance and return to their Mother Danu until the moon pulled back from the earth once more. Though Danu had been vanquished centuries ago, this accord still survives among the descendants of the clan who agreed to it. Though most else surrounding this ancient agreement has long since decayed. The problem is, for these half-sidhe creatures, the drought of magic has affected them, too. While their human needs may be well met, the wolf slowly starves as all Sidhe do. Over time, this starvation is known to drive these sons of Danu mad as the hunger-driven wolf commands control more and more aggressively with the passing years. Unfortunately, the Ó Faoláin family are unaware of this inevitability regarding their youngest son. But, in a mutually beneficial arrangement, a druid could, perhaps, satiate the wolf's hunger with consistent offerings, in exchange for the wolf's protection against the other, far less restrained Sidhe. Such begins the relationship between Áine and Lomair.

here, have a bunch of sketches of explorative/unfinalized designs!:

this too, even though I only just posted it. why not!:

#wolves of danu #thank you guys haha

[steliosagapitos]

          Blessed Bealtaine/Beltane To All )O( 

         ~ “Beltane is an ancient Celtic festival that marks the beginning of summer.  It is one of the major festivals in the wheel of the year and is a sacred day and night of union between the Goddess and the God. Beltane in English, Bealtaine in Irish, Calan Mai or Calan Haf in Welsh, Bealltainn in Scottish Gaelic, and in Manx Gaelic Boaltinn or Boaldyn. It is one of the four seasonal festivals; along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasadh. This is a time of year when the veil between the worlds are thin and people would light bonfires on May Eve/Walpurgus nacht (April 30th) to ward of mischievous spirits, and to represent purification, tending the fire until dawn breaks. Historically in rural communities, cattle were driven between two bonfires to protect them from disease and evil spirits. It was also considered to be lucky to leap over the bonfire. The Maypole is a tradition that still exists today where people will dance around the maypole weaving ribbons (and magic) while they go. In Edinburgh, Calton Hill, there is a Beltane Fire Festival on May Eve every year with music, dance, fireplay, drumming, and immersive theatre that heralds the Goddess and God and the start of summer. It is a visually spectacular event that attracts thousands of visitors and is not to be missed. There are celebrations throughout England; Thornborough Henge, near Ripon in North Yorkshire hosts a weekend festival of camping, stalls, a Beltane fire, with the main Beltane Ceremony observed on the closest Sunday to May 1st. Drummers, dancers and a mummer’s play are part of the festivities, with Handfastings performed by the local Druid by appointment in advance. Family friendly, pet friendly this is a celebration for all. Hastings, Sussex, celebrate the Jack in the Green festival over the May day bank holiday weekend which hosts live bands, dancing, social events and family fun. The main event is a procession through the streets of old Hastings town on Bank Holiday Monday. The procession is filled with unique characters such as drummers, mummers, Morris dancers, giants and the beloved Green Man. Glastonbury, Somerset, also hosts a variety of celebrations. There is a gathering to witness the Sunrise at Glastonbury Tor, followed by a procession in the town of Green Men, Morris dancers, Druids, Witches, and other Pagans, Dragons, and Maypoles. There are a number of artisan shops on the high street that sell Pagan wares, not forgetting the fantastic Artist Linda Ravenscroft who has a gallery and studio at the Market Place. Throughout Wales, there are parades, fetes, Morris dancing, music and singing of Carolau Mai, or May carols, the crowning of the May Queen and May King, and dancing round the Maypole which is  very much an essential part of Welsh culture. It would be fashioned out of birch wood and painted bright colours, adorned with ribbons and hoisted into the air and dancing would commence.The drinking of beers and elderberry and rhubarb wines were supplemented by metheglin, a variant of mead laced with spices. The drink had its origin in folk medicines, and traces its etymology through a combining of the Welsh words meddyg (meaning healing or medicine) and llyn (liquor). ‘May Day’ in Wales was also associated with festivities on the village green, or – to be more Welsh about it – the ‘twmpath chwarae’. Literally the ‘tump for playing’ was a place where people could gather in the evenings, long before television, for dancing or for sports. On Calan Mai, musicians would play while traditional dances were performed. One popular theatrical entertainment was the traditional ‘mock battle’ between two men dressed to represent Summer and Winter. ‘Winter’ would arrive carrying a stick of blackthorn decorated with pieces of wool to represent snow. He would inevitably be defeated by his garlanded opponent, willow wand tied with ribbons.  At the end of the fight, a May King and Queen were crowned and the serious business of eating, drinking and cavorting would continue long into the evening.In Ireland, Bealtaine is celebrated at the Hill of Uisneach. The Bealtaine Festival was revived on the Hill of Uisneach in 2009 and today’s' festival remains much as it was in ancient times, a chance to meet old friends and make new ones. A family-friendly event that welcomes all the different tribes to celebrate the beginning of summer at the sacred centre of Ireland. In 2017, the ceremonial fire was lit by the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins; making him the first Irish Head of State to do so since the last High King, nearly a thousand years ago. It is  gathering where heritage, art, culture, music, fire-dancing, talks, workshops, wellbeing, yoga, story-telling, children's fun and food is enjoyed and celebrated before the great Bealtaine Fire is lit at sundown. Mayday celebrations vary from town to town, region to region but all have the same theme – the celebration of the start of Summer.  With the arrival of the annual of the April Lyrids meteor shower (April 16th – 25th) and the first Swallows and Bats sighted here on the Ards Peninsula this week – Summer is here ! What are the Bealtaine/Beltane/Mayday celebrations happening near you ? Get in touch as we would love to find out. However you choose to celebrate, have a magical weekend.  Love and bright blessings to all.” ~

[paganimagevault]

Tailteann Games 1924 & 32 programme covers

"The Tailteann Games, Tailtin Fair, Áenach Tailteann, Aonach Tailteann, Assembly of Talti, Fair of Taltiu or Festival of Taltii were funeral games associated with the semi-legendary history of Pre-Christian Ireland.

There is a complex of ancient earthworks dating to the Iron Age in the area of Teltown where the festival was historically known to be celebrated off and on from medieval times into the modern era.

The games were founded, according to the Book of Invasions, by Lugh Lámhfhada, the Ollamh Érenn (master craftsman or doctor of the sciences), as a mourning ceremony for the death of his foster-mother Tailtiu. Lugh buried Tailtiu underneath a mound in an area that took her name and was later called Tailteann in County Meath.

The event was held during the last fortnight of July and culminated with the celebration of Lughnasadh, or Lammas Eve (1 August). Modern folklore claims that the Tailteann Games started around 1600 BC, with some sources claiming as far back as 829 BC. Promotional literature for the Gaelic Athletic Association revival of the games in 1924 claimed a later date of their foundation in 632 BC. The games were known to have been held between the 6th and 9th centuries AD. The games were held until 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion.

The ancient Aonach had three functions: honoring the dead, proclaiming laws, and funeral games and festivities to entertain. The first function took between one and three days depending on the importance of the deceased. Guests would sing mourning chants called the Guba, after which druids would improvise Cepógs, songs in memory of the dead. The dead would then be burnt on a funeral pyre. The second function would then be carried out during a universal truce by the Ollamh Érenn, giving out laws to the people via bards and druids and culminating in the igniting of another massive fire. The custom of rejoicing after a funeral was then enshrined in the Cuiteach Fuait, games of mental and physical ability.

Games included the long jump, high jump, running, hurling, spear throwing, boxing, contests in swordfighting, archery, wrestling, swimming, and chariot and horse racing. They also included competitions in strategy, singing, dancing and story-telling, along with crafts competitions for goldsmiths, jewellers, weavers and armourers. Along with ensuring a meritocracy, the games would also feature a mass arranged marriage, where couples met for the first time and were given up to a year and a day to divorce on the hills of separation.

In later medieval times, the games were revived and called the Tailten Fair, consisting of contests of strength and skill, horse races, religious celebrations, and a traditional time for couples to contract "Handfasting" trial marriages. "Taillten marriages" were legal up until the 13th century. This trial marriage practice is documented in the fourth and fifth volumes of the Brehon law texts, which are compilations of the opinions and judgements of the Brehon class of Druids (in this case, Irish). The texts as a whole deal with copious detail for the Insular Celts.

From the late nineteenth century, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and others in the Gaelic revival contemplated reviving the Tailteann Games. The GAA's 1888 championships of football and of hurling were unfinished owing to the American Invasion Tour, an unsuccessful attempt to raise funds for a revival.

The Second Dáil approved a scheme in 1922, and after a delay caused by the Irish Civil War the first was held in 1924. Open to foreigners of Irish heritage, the first games of 1924 and 1928 attracted some competitors fresh from the Olympics in Paris and Amsterdam. The Games' main backer, minister J. J. Walsh, lost office when Fianna Fáil took power after the 1932 election, and public funding was cut. The 1932 games were on a smaller scale against a background of the Great Depression and the Anglo-Irish Trade War, and no further games were held.

Jack Fitzsimons suggested reviving the Tailteann Games in a 1985 Seanad Éireann debate on tourism in Ireland.

The Rás Tailteann ("Tailteann race") cycling race was founded in 1953 by the National Cycling Association (NCA), in opposition to the Tour of Ireland organised by the rival Cumann Rothaíochta na hÉireann (CRÉ). Cycling Ireland, the merged successor to both the NCA and CRÉ, still organises the Rás Tailteann annually, but it is usually known as "the [sponsor] Rás", or simply "the Rás".

The Irish Secondary Schools Athletic Association organised annual national championships from 1963 under the name "Junior Tailteann Games". Athletics Ireland continues to use the name "Tailteann Games" for its annual schools inter-provincial championships. also independently the tailteann games are an inter-gaeltacht event that includes other activities."

-taken from wikipedia

#ireland #irish history #sports #sports history #pagan #paganism #lughnasadh #celtic #celts #ancient celts #tailtiu #tailteann #1920s #1930s #book art

[starshinedragon]

SSO MASTERMAP (unofficial)

-> Two new big locations: Jorcrater and Drakon Valley -> New smaller areas: - Old Garnok Project Site (Springvalley)- during SSL4 DC thought they found G’s prison here. - New Garnok Project Site (Summerplains)- now they found the real site of the prison. We travel to the island via boat to spy on them and find out about their plans. - Awakened Stone Circle (Summerplains)- during the events of the Summerplains storyline it lies dormant. Once the Final Battle storylines start and we open the Jorcrater, the Stone Circle awakens. The Path of the Winds leading north will lead us to the location (new small island later) of the Final Battle against Garnok.

DRAKON VALLEY

Entrance: through Wisp valley east of the Von Blyssen manor. You go through the Forgotten Tunnel and arrive in Drakon Valley: the original digsite of Dark Core (formerly Deep Core).

Land: A deep, dry valley in the Central Mountain Range. Only a handful of dying trees remain, the land is covered in oil spills, piles of unused ore and rock and broken runestones. Littered with dinosaur bones: complete skeletons, bigger and smaller bones, many broken and many used by DC as fence poles for example. Gives the valley and evil and apocalyptic look.

Story: As the final battle agianst Garnok starts, we have to learn more about Jorvik’s and G’s past to figure out a way to defeat him. We explore the valley, learn about the history of Deep Core and Dark Core, Drakonium, how they found and started to awaken Garnok.

LOCATIONS:

-> Old Deep Core Mine: has been abandoned for hundreds of years now, ever since the big accident, that trapped many miners in the deep. Even back then, many of the Deep Core leaders were serving Garnok, digging in hopes of finding something that would help set him free. They did: the accident happened when DC first found Draconium and didn’t know how explosive it was.

-> The Collapsed Tunnel: Leads to the non-horse part of Jorvik. Originally was used for transporting ores from Drakon Valley to Central Jorvik. The tunnel was collapsed deliberately after Deep Core closed because of the accident.

-> New Dark Core Mine: opened after the company restarted and got renamed. The road goes through the mountains to Central Jorvik, a big gate prevents you from going through.

-> Draconium Mine: the Old Deep Core Mine almost totally collapsed because of the Draconium explosion and the company was forced to shut down and forbidden to dig there again. More recently they found a richer Draconium spot next to the New Mine. They have gotten better at handling the volatile ore, but it is still the most dangerous working environment in Jorvik, with the most casualties happening.

-> Drakon Valley Expedition: DC lied about finding historical artifacts in the valley so they could dig unchecked. Now Nic Stoneground and his team arrive with MC and start collecting and uncovering the forgotten artifacts.

JORCRATER

Entrance: 1. South- through Winterdale from Jorwatch Druid Village. Go through the passage through the mountains and arrive in Moonstorm Village. 2. North- through Springvalley from Thistlebranch Druid Village. Go through Wispvalley and follow the river through a cave to arrive in Sunstar Village.  

Land: the whole crater is covered with the Aideenwoods, lush and green, even more full of life, than the Wildwoods. Countless wildlife, butterflies, squirrels, rabbits, deer, Jorvik Wild Horses wander in the forest. The Jordrassil tree- the heart of the island stands in the middle, surrounded by a lake, which is the origin of the Suncrown and Silversong rivers. Four hills surround the world tree, each has a small Rune Seal Stone Circle on top.

Story: After Aideen defeated Garnok, she was exhausted, didn’t have enough energy to exist anymore. She dispersed and her energy went into the island and its creatures. From her life energy a huge tree grew in the middle of the island: the Jordrassil, the magical focus for the servants of good.

LOCATIONS:

-> Jordrassil: huge tree in the middle of the lake. Four bridges from the four Rune Seal Hills lead to the trunk. Master portal of the Tree Portal fast travel system.

-> Sunstar village: half of the druid characters camp out here. Overseeing and guarding the northern half of the Aideenwoods.

-> Moonstorm village: the other half of the druid characters. Overseeing and guarding the southern half of the Aideenwoods.

#sso #star stable online #star stable #sso map #sso rewritten #sso full story series #sso magic #sso fanart #ssoblr #sso aideen #sso garnok #fantasy map

[chimprerealesatategroup]

Confused by MLS Listed Properties? Chimpre Real Estate Group Explains Homes for Sale in Atlanta

Atlanta's vibrant real estate scene bursts with exciting possibilities. From quirky bungalows in Cabbagetown to modern high-rises overlooking Buckhead, a home for sale in Atlanta is waiting for everyone. But for many first-time buyers and even seasoned movers, navigating the intricacies of the market, especially the world of MLS-listed properties, can feel like deciphering a foreign language. 

Fear not, future homeowner! Chimpre Real Estate Group, your dedicated team of Atlanta real estate agents and Atlanta realtors, is here to be your guide.

This blog post illuminates the mysteries of MLS-listed properties and empowers you to navigate the Atlanta real estate landscape with confidence. We'll explore the significance of the MLS, equip you with valuable strategies for a smooth search, and showcase how Chimpre Real Estate Group becomes your secret weapon in securing your dream home.

Demystifying MLS-Listed Properties: Your Key to Atlanta's Real Estate Riches

Imagine a vast online treasure chest overflowing with detailed information on every home for sale in Atlanta. That's essentially the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Real estate agents from various brokerages contribute property listings to this centralized platform, creating a one-stop shop for you to discover a diverse collection of homes for sale in Atlanta.

Unlocking the Power of MLS-Listed Properties:

A Universe of Options: The MLS boasts a staggering collection of properties catering to every imaginable budget, style, and location. It doesn't matter if you crave a charming Tudor in the historic Druid Hills neighborhood, a modern townhome close to the bustling Midtown scene, or a spacious single-family home nestled in the quiet suburbs of Decatur – the MLS likely holds the key to unlocking your dream home.

Transparency You Can Trust: All MLS listings undergo a vetting process by real estate agents, ensuring accurate details and descriptions. This transparency empowers you to compare properties confidently, knowing the information you base your decisions on is reliable.

Saving You Time and Effort: Gone are the days of endlessly searching individual brokerages or websites. The MLS eliminates this tedious work, significantly streamlining your home search and saving you precious time and energy.

Unearthing Hidden Potential: Many off-market properties eventually find their way onto the MLS, offering a wider range of options and potentially uncovering hidden gems before they hit the mainstream market.

Decoding the MLS: Cracking the Property Code

Once you've identified some promising MLS-listed properties, it's crucial to understand the information they contain. Here's a decoder ring for some key elements:

Property Intel: This section unveils crucial information about the property itself, including the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, lot size, property type (single-family home, condo, townhome), year built, and any special features like a pool or chef's kitchen.

Price Point: This reflects the seller's asking price. Remember, negotiation often plays a role in homebuying, so don't be discouraged if the initial price seems out of reach.

Property Status: This indicates the property's current state. "Active" means it's available for purchase, while "Pending" signifies an offer has been accepted but not yet finalized.

Visual Journey: High-quality photos are your window into the property. Take a virtual tour and pay close attention to details like the overall layout, room sizes, and the flow of natural light.

Chimpre Real Estate Group: Your Expert Navigators of the MLS

At Chimpre Real Estate Group, we go beyond simply pointing you towards the MLS. We become your trusted navigators within it. Our accomplished Atlanta real estate agents are masters of the MLS labyrinth. We utilize advanced search filters to tailor your journey, ensuring you only encounter homes for sale in Atlanta that perfectly align with your vision.

Imagine you're a young couple seeking a light-filled, two-bedroom condo with a balcony and modern finishes in the heart of Atlanta's vibrant Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. Our agents will craft a customized MLS search that pinpoints properties that resonate with your specifications. But that's not all! We delve deeper, incorporating your lifestyle preferences into the search. Proximity to parks and walking distance to restaurants are priorities. We factor these details into the MLS search, guaranteeing you only see homes for sale in Atlanta that truly resonate with your unique needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About MLS-Listed Properties and Atlanta Real Estate

How accurate is the information on the MLS?

While the MLS undergoes a vetting process, having your Atlanta realtor from Chimpre Real Estate Group double-check any questionable details is always a good idea. We can also use our experience to spot potential red flags in listings and advise you accordingly.

What happens after I find a property I'm interested in?

Our team will guide you through every process step, from crafting a competitive offer to navigating inspections, appraisals, and closing procedures. We'll be by your side every step of the way to ensure a smooth and successful home-buying experience.

#mls listed properties #homes for sale in atlanta #chimpre real estate group #atlanta real estate agents #atlanta realtor

[alicelufenia]

Had a nice long play session with Tavierra today, so here's the latest for my chosen of Eilistraee:

Met the Dream Visitor! Her appearance is the spitting image of Qilué Veladorn, cleric of Eilistraee and chosen of Mystra. Qilué famously bore such a striking beauty that she was often mistaken for Eilistraee Herself. She's also been dead over a hundred years, so Tav is pretty sure this isn't her.

She's VERY cute tho!

Am determined not to use the tadpoles. Except, specifically, to help her comrades. So far she's used the Illithid influence three times; to free Shadowheart, to see into Astarion's mind after he tried to bite her without permission, and to see Lae'zel's fears when she held a knife to her throat. Ironically, that means she's already used the influence power more times than Alice did in her whole playthrough LMAO.

Also unlike Alice, Tav went through with Volo's lobotomy

That look when everything is fine and you'll love the results.

Kaylin don't give your oc heterochromia challenge (impossible)

Confronted and fought Kagha and the Shadow Druids. No reforming her this time, she was horrible. Except I did have non-lethal on, so she got knocked out, and everyone talked about her like she's dead, but when Rath walked near her body he had the same banter he has with Kagha after she sides with us against the shadow druids. Very weird.

Realized I had fucked up the stealing idol quest by not accepting it when I talked to Mol about it the first time, so no Ring of Protection for me T_T

Back into the Underdark! We find our way to the beach coming from the south, so we meet the duergar before the Myconid colony. She's not going to help a bunch of slavers, but does take advantage of their assuming she's a True Soul to sneak past them and steal their boat.

We hit level 5 as we enter Grymforge and instantly everyone's power level spikes (even the multiclass party members). Hearing about Nere for the first time in Grymforge, Tav is intrigued by another drow True Soul.

Pictures taken seconds before a whole lot of slavers die (Wyll approves)

Between the slavers and dead Harper-aligned drow (who have historically been allies of the followers of Eilistraee) Grymforge is officially flagged for killing everyone (except Tav stops for architect nerd talk, those guys are alright). Gotta do it subtly though without alerting the whole fortress.

Shadowheart spikes the ale flagon with drow poison to kill two slacking guards, and the rest of the team busts heads in isolated corners away from patrols.

Had an unexpectedly difficult fight with the oozes on the way to Philomeen, as Gale's Wild Magic surge made his level 1+ spells heal nearby creatures whenever he dealt damage, so I stupidly targeted a weakened ooze with magic missile, and it HEALED the ooze to full instead (healing procced on each missile hit!) So yeah Wild Magic has been working out great on this Tactician run, highly recommended.

Encountered the mimics and have realized Wyll might be my strongest combatant so far.

Once Hunger of Hadar went down these mimics couldn't do SHIT and got eaten away over the course of 4 turns. Also if you're wondering how Karlach has a 95% on a throw, Tavern Brawler + Hill Giant Strength elixir is a really good combination <broken>

Gonna rest up and then plan how I'm taking out the rest of the fortress (I really don't want to fight Nere + all the duergar, even with the ones that can help us)

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #chosen of eilistraee #my tav #tavierra torval #drow tav #drow oc #cw nudity #just to be safe #also lookit that a lore-friendly reason to use that nude dream visitor mod!

[eyssant]

Stonehenge: Unraveling the Mysteries of an Ancient Icon

Standing majestically on the windswept Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, Stonehenge is a symbol of ancient ingenuity and enduring mystery. Its massive stones, arranged in a circular formation, have captivated the imagination of visitors for centuries, inviting speculation about its purpose and significance. Let's embark on a journey through the history, legends, and significance of this enigmatic monument.

Origins and Construction

Stonehenge's origins trace back over 4,500 years to the Neolithic period, with construction beginning around 3100 BC. Over the centuries, the monument evolved, culminating in the iconic stone circle completed around 2500 BC. The construction of Stonehenge was a monumental feat, involving the transportation of massive stones from distant quarries.

Stone Types:

Sarsens: These are the larger stones that form the outer circle and inner horseshoe at Stonehenge. Some of the sarsens weigh up to 25 tons and were sourced from Marlborough Downs, roughly 20 miles (32 km) away.

Bluestones: The smaller bluestones, which exhibit a bluish hue when wet or freshly cut, are believed to have been transported from the Preseli Hills in Wales, an astonishing distance of about 150 miles (240 km).

Construction Methods:

The methods used to transport and erect these massive stones remain a subject of fascination. Some theories suggest the use of sledges, rollers, and manpower, while others propose the use of wooden sledges on tracks lubricated with water and grease. Regardless of the exact methods, the construction of Stonehenge stands as a testament to the engineering prowess of its ancient builders.

Purpose and Theories

The purpose of Stonehenge continues to elude definitive explanation, leading to a plethora of theories and speculation. Here are some of the most prominent:

Astronomical Observatory: One theory posits that Stonehenge served as an astronomical observatory, aligned with celestial events such as solstices and equinoxes. The alignment of certain stones with the summer and winter solstices suggests a possible connection to tracking the movements of the sun.

Religious and Ceremonial Site: Another widely accepted theory suggests Stonehenge was a sacred site for religious or ceremonial purposes. The monument's alignment with celestial events may have been integral to rituals, ceremonies, and gatherings of ancient societies.

Healing and Spiritual Center: For some, Stonehenge holds spiritual significance and healing properties. Modern-day pagans and druids often gather at the site during significant astronomical events, connecting with ancient traditions and the natural world.

Legends and Folklore:  Stonehenge's mystique has also given rise to legends and folklore that add to its allure. According to one legend, Merlin the wizard brought the stones from Ireland and magically set them in place. Another tale suggests that Stonehenge was constructed by giants who danced in a circle until they turned to stone.

Cultural and Historical Importance

Stonehenge's significance extends far beyond its physical presence. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, recognizing its universal value to humanity. Here's why Stonehenge holds such cultural and historical importance:

Symbol of Human Ingenuity: Stonehenge stands as a symbol of human achievement and ingenuity, showcasing the capabilities of ancient civilizations. Its construction required sophisticated planning, organization, and engineering prowess.

Cultural Icon: Stonehenge has become an enduring cultural icon, representing Britain's ancient past. Its image is synonymous with the country, featured on countless postcards, stamps, and travel brochures.

Tourist Attraction and Visitor Experience:

Today, Stonehenge welcomes visitors from around the world, offering a chance to walk in the footsteps of ancient peoples. The visitor experience includes a state-of-the-art visitor center with exhibits that delve into Stonehenge's history, construction, and significance.

Preserving Stonehenge for future generations is a priority, given its age and vulnerability to natural elements and human impact. Efforts are ongoing to ensure the monument's stability and protect its surrounding landscape.

Planning Your Visit

If you're planning a visit to Stonehenge, here are some tips to make the most of your experience:

Tickets: It's advisable to book tickets in advance, especially during peak tourist seasons.

Guided Tours: Consider joining a guided tour led by experts who can provide insights into Stonehenge's history and significance.

Weather: Salisbury’s weather can be windy and exposed, so dress appropriately with layers and sturdy footwear.

Conclusion

Stonehenge stands as a timeless enigma, inviting us to ponder its mysteries and marvel at its ancient origins. Whether you're drawn by its astronomical alignments, its spiritual significance, or its cultural symbolism, a visit to Stonehenge is a journey through millennia of human history. As you stand amidst the towering stones, surrounded by the whispers of ancient legends, take a moment to appreciate the enduring legacy of this remarkable monument. Stonehenge is not merely a collection of stones; it is a gateway to the past, a symbol of human curiosity and ambition, and a testament to the enduring mysteries of our world.

#stonehenge #travel #history

[todieforimages]

Visiting the Battle of Druid Hill-Decatur, Georgia

Over Easter weekend, a friend and I met for breakfast and decided to roam around a bit. We both wanted to visit the house where the front yard was filled with sculptural works. Druid Hill is an earthwork site identified and named by welder-turned-sculptor Clark Ashton. According to Ashton’s website, Druid Hill is the historic memorial site of The Battle of Druid Hill, the location of the…

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#Atlanta #Decatir #Dekalb County #Druid Hills #Georgia #outsider art