Last night I arrived to jiu jitsu rather late due to some work obligations running late and I was greeted by an unexpected tournament. To my big surprise I performed rather well, getting five wins out of five matches. Four submissions and one on points! The first submission was a very quick collar choke, the second two were bow-and-arrow chokes and the last was a modified Ezekiel choke from half guard. Quite happy with the result.
Author: Dennis
Sleep, Exeter, Daisies ‘n Stuff
Sleep
Recently I started to be more mindful of when I go to sleep during the week. I try to sleep 23:00 until 07:30, which practically means that I sleep from 23:30 until about 06:45 or so. I wonder if this is the natural amount of sleep I need, or if I am still adjusting. I’ve been doing this for the last couple of months now.
There was a spell during the last couple of months where there was a lot of work related stress, more than I have ever had to deal with before, and it definitely jolted my sleep a little bit, and I started to notice that I would wake up in the middle of the night and be awake for about half an hour to an hour before falling back asleep. It still didn’t affect how I felt the next morning, so perhaps the regular surplus of sleep helped.
Exeter
Yesterday I returned for another ten days in Exeter after having not been there in months. Joasia’s research sabbatical meant that she’s been in Amsterdam and we’ve rented out our apartment to a work acquaintance. It’s been really nice to be together more steadily and it seems like we are in a good place together.
Going back to Exe was nice; seeing some of the friends we’ve made, throwing a party for Joasia’s birthday, going to some of our favourite places to have food. It was really nice. Are apartment is also nice, and a small change we made to the interior, one we should’ve made a long time ago, made it even nicer.
The only thing we didn’t get to do is venture out of the city into the countryside, which is lovely around there. However, springtime is so beautiful around here that we didn’t need to go out of the city to enjoy the green and the flowers growing everywhere. At one point we came by a rugby field — and it sucks that I wasn’t able to take a photo of this — which was peppered with daisies and dandelions. Speaking of which…
Daisies
I really think daisies are the flower that bring me the most joy. A beautiful grassy lawn with daisies erupts happiness inside of me that few things manage to do so consistently. Below are some photos a few photos I took. Including a couple with daisies in them.
Treatise on the Age of Fear, by Falka of Dunagore
Falka’s treatise sets out almost all of what is described in the article on Lyrian history. A lot of it is based on religious myths that seem unlikely to have their basis in truth, which she admits, but they are myths that have become fundamental to our understanding of the Age of Fear. She does include a few bits of information that are not known outside of academics studying ancient history.
Saint Aureus the Golden One
A very strong contender for the role as the spiritual leader of the Senhadrim, Aureus is a saint in the church of Paladine and one of its most prominent historical figures. Legend has it that Aureus was the head of the church of Paladine in the time of Sir Marcus of Garamond and Dame Catherine of Dunagore and was responsible for the early organisation of the Senhadrim as a whole. He was also the one responsible for the canonisation of Dame Catherine of Dunagore after her death at the Battle for Blue Harbour.
One of the most persistent rumours is that Aureus the Golden One was not actually a human, but rather an ageless celestial creature sent by Paladine himself. A rumour made all the more entrenched when he disappeared near the end of the Age of Fear after having participated in the crusade for generations.
Lyrian Population
During the worst period of the Age of Fear, it was estimated that Lyrian population dwindled to less than a quarter of the original population. Most people lived in Westchester, Blue Harbour, Kingsport, Fulcaster and Dunagore, fortifying themselves in the ancient fortresses that dot the verdant kingdoms. The countryside was the demon’s domain, which has had two effects on the human condition;
Humans have come to feel that city’s and towns are the only way to be safe. It allowed people to cooperate in their defence. It allowed for an efficiency in the use of gathered resources. It allowed mothers to give birth within the safety of thick ramparts, which lead to a population boom. And it is this which has lead humanity to become dominant in the verdant kingdoms.
Rural populations tend to be more sensitive to the ebbs and flows of the tides of magic. This also means that they are less ignorant about the unnatural effects left behind by the last conjunction of planes. This was exacerbated by the systematic destruction of unnatural creatures and savage races by urban populations. This has lead urban Lyrians to underestimate the dangers lurking in the countryside.
Lyrium and Lore
Previously, the adventurers arrived in the bustling city of Bournemouth and found lodgings at The River Stone, an inn in the harbour district where they found that during Lord Destan’s stay in the city, he garrisoned his guards at the inn, while himself staying as a guest at the Landsdowne auction house. Luca and Emma immediately went to the library while the others rested in order get an early rise. Luca met up with an acquaintance, Falka of Dunagore, who was a lecturer at the department of ancient history and a part time librarian. She had helped Lord Destan out with his research when he arrived and she agreed to do the same for the adventurers.
The following day, Luca and Emma spent their time at the library searching for information on the Crimson Tower. They managed to find some of Lord Destan’s research findings; the first half of a poem which mentioned the tower explicitly. They managed to find the second and final piece of the poem, which Lord Destan never managed to.
In the meantime, Astrid, Emrys and James went to explore the city and found a curious alchemist’s shop and the Landsdowne auction house, where they spoke to one of the auctioneers who recalled Lord Destan staying with them and how honoured they were. Unfortunately little else was discovered and the trio split up, with Astrid going to see if she could book passage to Blackbridge through Egremont on a barge going upriver, while the others went to the library just in time to find Luca and Emma being ordered out of the reading room that Falka had assigned them by a sharp eyed noble woman by the name of Margravine Ulrikke von Rossenberg and her four heavily armed guards.
Tenth Day, Third Ride, Summer Light, 1262
(Silvermoon is waning. Bloodmoon in waxing. Darkmoon is low sanction.)
Lady Ulrikke casually told the adventurers to vacate the luxurious reading room. James, who had already checked to see whether the large glass windows could make for an easy escape route, tried to act casual while snacking on some food he had carried along with him from the breakfast table. Luca wasn’t paying attention to the distraction, choosing rather to focus on the book in front of him, and Emrys was looking for someone to take charge. After a few seconds it was Emma who placated the young noble woman and calmly told everyone to pack up and vacate the reading room, thus avoiding any conflict.
Luca took his time to gather his things and meanwhile Lady Ulrikke brought a stack of books to the lectern that he was clearing out. She looked over the reading materials that Luca had displayed and took note of the poem they had unearthed, and similarly Luca took note of the old tomes and folios that Lady Ulrikke brought in, but unfortunately couldn’t make out what subjects they were on.
The adventurers decided to find another reading room. The library was almost empty of people so they were confident that the could find an empty reading room, and decided to try to find one on the far end of the library hall, putting as much space between themselves and the entitled lady. Just as they arrived in the far hallway, a small door opened and Falka came walking through. The adventurers quickly informed her of Lady Ulrikke’s intervention and she let out a resigned sigh.
Falka brought good and bad news. The good news was that the department of Transport and Maritime had a large section of different maps and miraculously she had found a map of Pinefall, which she handed to the adventurers. They noted that the village of Bristlecone was on the southern shore of a large lake called Lake Llygad, but none of them recognised what the name meant or from whence it heralded. The bad news was that Falka was called away because a raven had arrived carrying a letter from Lord John Sheridan, urging Falka that the adventurers were not in the employ of House Sheridan, no matter what they claimed, and that any attempt on her part to prevent them from pursuing Lord Destan would be handsomely rewarded.
It was decided that Falka would no longer assist the research that the adventurers would perform. Instead, she would write an essay on all the important information regarding the Age of Fear, commissioned for two gold crowns a day by James. At the mention of gold crowns, Emma asked Falka whether she recognised the coins that Luca was carrying with them, which they had retrieved from the catacombs underneath Lynnecombe. Falka did not but was certain that these coins did not hail from any time in Lyria’s history.
A discussion was held on whether or not the group was going to purchase the healing potions that Alfred Barnaby had for sale. They were considered very expensive, but James said that they could be the difference between life or death and that it might be worth having one or two of them while they were crossing the wilderness to get to Pinefall.
Emma, Emrys and James decided to pay another visit to the Landsdowne auction house where they talk to Villem Landsdowne and find out that his passion lies with the Equestrian arts, but that he is specialised in paintings and jewellery. The adventurers convince him to show them the leather armour that Lord Destan showed interest in which is being stored in the Landsdowne vaults.
The full set of armour is of exquisite quality, complete with breastplate, gorget, skirt, greaves, arm guards and gloves. The designs are intricate, but unusually. Neither having the flowing elven patterns, symmetrical dwarven or the usual human designs. The origins of the leather is again unclear, but the adventurers do recognise that it’s likely to be of the same source as the leather scraps that the skaven were wearing. The adventurers also learn that the armour was put up on auction by House Blackbriar, hailing from the Fulham.
That evening an auction would be held to auction off a lot of several paintings by an artist from northern Silesia. Included among them will be some jewellery, and it’s on that jewellery that the adventurers focus once they learn that a silver necklace with an orange crystal pendant would be auctioned off, with the starting bid begining at 150 gold crowns. The pendant was retrieved from the vault and the adventurers were offered to take a look at it, confirming their suspicions that it was indeed a Lyrium crystal as far as they could tell. They asked whether they could be welcome at the auction and Villem Landsdowne was happy to extend them an invitation.
Emrys decided to visit the Golden Cockatrice that evening to see if he could secure a spot to perform and departed. Emma and James met up with Astrid to have some food after which Emma and James went back to the auction house and Astrid went to meet up with Luca.
At the action house, Emma and James (who introduced himself as Radeck Payton) mingled with some of the visitors and potential bidders. They found that most people were interested in the paintings, most of which had been on display. They found that the Silesian artist’s name was Annora Coehoorn. Emma was sure she had heard that surname before.
Two curious companies of people were present; a group of dwarves and a group of elves. James decided to have a chat with both. The dwarven delegation was lead by Dunatrim Hardstone of clan Thoradun. He was quite forthcoming with his reasons for being at the auction; he was neither interested in the paintings or any of the jewellery save the pendant, and tried to make sure that James knew that if he was planning on trying to outbid the dwarves that his pockets must be very deep. James managed to uncover that the dwarves were planning to use the crystal to seal their gates in time for the next Age of Fear to arrive. James uncovered that if he had access to more of the lyrium crystals he could approach Dagran Forgewright in Kingsport, the unofficial ambassador to Ard Thoradun.
The elves were less forth coming. They made note of James’ elven heritage but did so in a way that sounded condescending. The elf in charge introduced himself as Eibhear and he hailed from Duén Gwyndeith in the Worthwilde. James inquired whether they too were there for the pendant, and they were. James also managed to uncover that if he had access to more such crystals, he would be welcome at Duén Gwyndeith.
When the auction started the elves and dwarves remained relatively inactive until the paintings had all gone under the hammer. When it came time for the jewellery to be auctioned they started to pay attention. James and Emma had decided to participate in the auction of the pendant but not to exceed 800 gold crowns. The bidding started at 150 gold crowns and was immediately fierce. Emma prayed to Sedna for her inner peace to radiate to all in the room, and the rough edges were taken off the bidding. In the end it was a heads up bid between Eibhear and Dunatrim, and much to the elves dismay, Dunatrim won the auction with the final bid of 1650 gold crowns.
Some socialising was done in the aftermath of the auction, after which the adventurers retired to The River Stone.
In the meantime, Luca had been burning his candle at both ends and was feeling fatigued. When he departed the library he saw that Falka was still hard at work on the summary that she was preparing for James on the Age of Fear. He also briefly stopped by Lady Ulrikke who was surrounded by guards who were fatigued and snoring. She was still standing at her lectern, her brown furrowed, frustrated at her research. When Luca briefly spoke to her, her tone seemed to have softened towards him a bit. Luca noted that the books she had collected were old, and that she had been searching similar parts of the library as he had.
First Day, First Ride, Summer Flame, 1262
(Silvermoon is waning. Bloodmoon is waxing. Darkmoon is waxing.)
Back at The River Stone, the adventurers found the tavern nearly empty. They came together while Elmond was retiring to bed and spoke about the day’s events. It was decided that Astrid would sell the horses and cart before they departed to Blackbridge by way of Egremont.
Luca expressed his deep dismay about not being consulted before Emma and James decided to engage in the auction. He reasserted that he has valuable knowledge on arcane matters and matters of history, and that he was elected to be the master of coin, so he should be included in all matters that concern the finances of the group.
Research: Daughter of the Sea
Admiral Bertram Karadin and his daughter, Rhosyn Karadin, both sailed on the Daughter of the Sea, the mighty flagship in service to the Lyrian throne and Queen Síle d’Aragon-Valois.
In the month of Autumn Red of 952, the fleet was sent out from the Lyrian tooth to southern Mazuria to defeat a growing horde of savages who were banding together under the leadership of a seafaring warchief.
The Mazurians were engaged in a war with the Silesians at the time, so their attention was turned towards their northern rival, not their southern shores, leaving the savages to raid the Mazurian and Lyrian coasts, inflicting casualties on the populace, blocking ports and sinking vessels.
The Lyrian fleet engaged the savages at every turn but found their heavy warships outmanoeuvred by the lighter raiding vessels. Despite this, the Lyrian fleet inflicted serious casualties upon the savages.
After many rides of skirmishes at sea, the admiral grew impatient and took command of several reconnaissance vessels while leaving his daughter to take command of his warship. His plan was to pursue the last remaining savage ships and defeat them once and for all.
As the admiral sailed away from the flagship, safe in the knowledge he left his ship in the hands of the sailor he trusted most, his daughter, he looked back in shock to see the vessel being entered by two enemy galleons. Impotently he stood by and saw his sailors defeated and thrown overboard and watched as the Daughter of the Sea set her sails to head west.
Believing his daughter might still be aboard as a hostage he pursued the flagship. Despite his reconnaissance fleet being much faster ships he was frustrated by strange currents and constantly changing winds while the Daughter of the Sea raced on, remaining ever on the horizon.
Overcome with fear for his daughter, the admiral took over from his helmsman exhausting every trick he had learned during his long career to squeeze every once of speed out of his vessel, slowly leaving the rest of his fleet behind. When he finally caught up, he found the flagship abandoned off the coast of Jagged Shore, within a day sailing from Dunagore.
The last of the savage vessels came out of nowhere to attack the admiral’s reconnaissance ship and the Daughter of the Sea, who had not just been abandoned, but whose sails were torn and ropes had been cut.
To his utter horror, he had been tricked by the savages. He was prepared to fight to the death in the name of his queen until he saw that the largest of the savage vessels was being commanded by his daughter.
His heart broke and he stopped giving orders. He stood there, motionless, as his ship was attacked, as his sailors were killed around him, as the Daughter of the Sea was battered by a kraken and pulled beneath the waves.
The admiral’s daughter was cursed for her betrayal. Some say she still raids the southern coast of Mazuria and the Jagged Shore in a ghostly vessel. Others say she was turned into a siren and lures ships onto the rocks of the Jagged Shore. And other still claim she haunts the Lyrian gulf, commanding a kraken to pull ships to the bottom of the gulf.
This tragic tale has spawned numerous sea shanties.