Friday, May 31, 2013
The UN Discovers Skynet
While flipping through the channels Christof Heyns stumbled on a documentary about a man who travels back in time to stop a machine, that looks like a man, who has also gone back in time, from killing his commanding officer, who leads the resistance agains the machines. The documentary charts the wild week long battle between the man, Kyle and the machine, that he calls the Terminator.
Christof became quiet alarmed by this documentary and has sense launched a campaign to force governments around the world to stop making killer robots. But he recognized that technological development tends to take on a life of its own.
"Trying to stop technology is like trying to stop time itself,"he said in an obvious reference to the time loop created by Kyle's love affair with his Commanders mother and the apparent child . . . his commander . . . who came from the coupling.
Christof's tireless work, as reported here, reminds us all that the UN possesses the glory of Camelot . . . .
Christof became quiet alarmed by this documentary and has sense launched a campaign to force governments around the world to stop making killer robots. But he recognized that technological development tends to take on a life of its own.
"Trying to stop technology is like trying to stop time itself,"he said in an obvious reference to the time loop created by Kyle's love affair with his Commanders mother and the apparent child . . . his commander . . . who came from the coupling.
Christof's tireless work, as reported here, reminds us all that the UN possesses the glory of Camelot . . . .
Just a Little Sooner
Had we just gotten to Mars a little sooner we could have enjoyed water front on long, fast flowing rivers.
Or that's at least what the latest findings indicate. Curiosity has rumbled into a wide river bed like area filled with small, round pebbles. These pebbles are generally made in fast flowing rivers.
Read on.
Or that's at least what the latest findings indicate. Curiosity has rumbled into a wide river bed like area filled with small, round pebbles. These pebbles are generally made in fast flowing rivers.
Read on.
Dover's Walls and Gate
Powerful looking Dover Castle. Its entrance along the landward side is pretty cool. Built up from the ground so that the walls on the top of the slope create a natural moat, an almost unscalable slope. Using siege towers would be almost impossible. taking it would require scaling ladders and a great many men.
Very defensible. But even if you broke through the other walls you'd have a second slope and set of walls to break through and then an inner keep.
Whatever Barons dwelt here were secure I suspect.
Its where you want to be when the zombies attack.
Very defensible. But even if you broke through the other walls you'd have a second slope and set of walls to break through and then an inner keep.
Whatever Barons dwelt here were secure I suspect.
Its where you want to be when the zombies attack.
Characters Fighting Hlobane Orcs
Here's what it looks like when your characters encounter the highly motivated, trained and disciplined Hlobane Orcs.
Part 2
Feast Halls
There is something about the words "Feast Hall" that rouses some long dulled sense of warmth and security, fellowship, of power and comfort; more, it conjures a community bound by iron and blood, it is the house of the fire of a band's own identity. Those walls offer a respite from the hands of violence laid out by the world at large.
The Feast Hall.
In Lyminge, Kent, England, they have unearthed the foundations of what was once a proud hall. Some 70 feet long and 30 wide it was a monster for its time. Within the post wall they found some few artifacts that harken back to the warrior culture of those that occupied it, simple echoes of a time long gone but a time we still house in our dream racked sleep.
Read about the dig.
The Feast Hall.
In Lyminge, Kent, England, they have unearthed the foundations of what was once a proud hall. Some 70 feet long and 30 wide it was a monster for its time. Within the post wall they found some few artifacts that harken back to the warrior culture of those that occupied it, simple echoes of a time long gone but a time we still house in our dream racked sleep.
Read about the dig.
Battle of Grunwald
This is chaos!
Grunwald was fought between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and their allies the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Knights on July 15, 1410. It involved two titanic armies clashing upon the fields of Poland; in the end the Teuton army was over thrown and shattered. Some 8000 killed. The order survived the battle, but its strength was forever shattered.
Grunwald was fought between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and their allies the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Knights on July 15, 1410. It involved two titanic armies clashing upon the fields of Poland; in the end the Teuton army was over thrown and shattered. Some 8000 killed. The order survived the battle, but its strength was forever shattered.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The Blood of Ages
Scientists pulled the corpse of a fully grown, if partially gnawed upon wooly mammoth from the ice in Siberia recently. This is not wholly unusual, happening more often than we might think, but this one actually possessed some liquid blood. The blood was found in cavities beneath her "belly", enough to allow diggers to put the blood in a vial.
That's the rub of it. We can genetically recreate these creatures, bringing them back to the world they abandoned just a few thousand years ago.
Article here.
Of course there is a huge moral/ethical debate as to weather we should bring extinct creatures back; whether this would be an unnatural act or even cruel.
The answer is of course, yes we should. How else can we do this . . . .
That's the rub of it. We can genetically recreate these creatures, bringing them back to the world they abandoned just a few thousand years ago.
Article here.
Of course there is a huge moral/ethical debate as to weather we should bring extinct creatures back; whether this would be an unnatural act or even cruel.
The answer is of course, yes we should. How else can we do this . . . .
Meanwhile on Mars
Curiosity has finished his second drill test and is analyzing the rock dust for data. He took a moment out of his very busy day to take a snap shot and send it back to us. Here he sits upon the blasted landscape of mars (look carefully and you can see the drill bit hole in front of him):
Meanwhile people have been scouring his photos for anything and everything of interest and it seems he is not alone. People from the UFO Sightings Daily website spotted this little creature in the rocky dust not far from Curiosity. It appears a rat lives upon Mars.
Meanwhile people have been scouring his photos for anything and everything of interest and it seems he is not alone. People from the UFO Sightings Daily website spotted this little creature in the rocky dust not far from Curiosity. It appears a rat lives upon Mars.
Rpg net post of the day
So I read the forums over at rpg.net. I like them now that there are no more edition wars and such. There are a lot of good ideas and interesting discussions swirling about I don't post much and have not in a while but I will throw up a link or two every once in a while that you readers might find amusing or interesting.
The first is someone asking about Castles and Crusades if anyone cares to chime in.
Funny naming problems for familiars.
There are more. I will keep you all posted. There is a cool one with a taxonomy of the game's monsters. It is hilarious in its coolness. I'll poke around for it.
The first is someone asking about Castles and Crusades if anyone cares to chime in.
Funny naming problems for familiars.
There are more. I will keep you all posted. There is a cool one with a taxonomy of the game's monsters. It is hilarious in its coolness. I'll poke around for it.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Troll Lord vs. Fat Dargon in Facebook "Like" showdown!
We are having a contest to see who buys the beer at GenCon the first night this year. Who ever gets to 1,500 likes on Facebook first, the other has to buy the beer. But we've sweetened the pot so to speak... If we make it first, we will be giving away two pdf adventures FREE of charge for 24 hours on our site. So help us get there by liking us! You can like us by going to our Facebook page: Castles & Crusades Facebook, or simply by clicking on the like up in the left hand corner of this blog. See, we make it easy for you and hopefully we will reward everyone with a couple free adventures! If you already like us, thanks! Tell your friends, enemies, family, strangers -- come one, come all!
Rings of Hell - Historical Footnotes
We often hear about the use of napalm in Vietnam. It was a defoliant that wreaked havoc on those it touched. But this is nothing new, men have been hurling pots of burning oil at each other for a dozen centuries and more.
In 1565 the Turks attacked the fortress of Malta. Held by the Knights of St. John, the fortress consisted of 1 small fort and two cities guarded by small forts and out walls. The Knights were outnumbered 4-1 and outgunned by even greater margins. For 90 days the battle raged, described by all those who survived it as a literal hell on earth. At one point so many Turks had died that their bodies filled the ditch before the walls the fortress of Castile. The bodies began to swell in the July heat; and when the next wave of Turks charged the walls, crossing the ditch over the bodies . . . amidst the wild arquebus fire, canon balls hurling overhead, swords, pikes, ladders in hand . . . the bodies began to rupture and explode beneath the Turkish feet, throwing ichorous rot into the air about the charging Turks.
Hell on earth.
The Knights invented the fire hoop during the siege. They took barrel hoops and covered them in tar and oil, wrapped linen around them and covered them in another coat of tar. These were held in readiness upon the walls so that when the Turks began scaling them, the Knights/Maltese holding the hoops with giant pliers lit them afire and sent them rolling over the parapet. The hoops rolled down the backs of Turks, over ladders and down the walls to bounce wildly into the press of men, catching everyone they touched of fire. Many of the hoops settled on more than one target, pinning two or three people in the tar covered iron ring of fire.
During night battles the hoops bounced and rolled off the walls, spinning their flame in the darkness, like mad ring-demons from other-wordly hells.
In 1565 the Turks attacked the fortress of Malta. Held by the Knights of St. John, the fortress consisted of 1 small fort and two cities guarded by small forts and out walls. The Knights were outnumbered 4-1 and outgunned by even greater margins. For 90 days the battle raged, described by all those who survived it as a literal hell on earth. At one point so many Turks had died that their bodies filled the ditch before the walls the fortress of Castile. The bodies began to swell in the July heat; and when the next wave of Turks charged the walls, crossing the ditch over the bodies . . . amidst the wild arquebus fire, canon balls hurling overhead, swords, pikes, ladders in hand . . . the bodies began to rupture and explode beneath the Turkish feet, throwing ichorous rot into the air about the charging Turks.
Hell on earth.
The Knights invented the fire hoop during the siege. They took barrel hoops and covered them in tar and oil, wrapped linen around them and covered them in another coat of tar. These were held in readiness upon the walls so that when the Turks began scaling them, the Knights/Maltese holding the hoops with giant pliers lit them afire and sent them rolling over the parapet. The hoops rolled down the backs of Turks, over ladders and down the walls to bounce wildly into the press of men, catching everyone they touched of fire. Many of the hoops settled on more than one target, pinning two or three people in the tar covered iron ring of fire.
During night battles the hoops bounced and rolled off the walls, spinning their flame in the darkness, like mad ring-demons from other-wordly hells.
Soylent Green is People
Don't let them fool you, even though this crowd funding project raised $300,000.00 dollars and the food claims to be some kind of mixture of oatmeal and seeds, is not. Its people. I have it on very good authority. Its people.
They thought they were being very clever in naming it Soylent. But that was just to distract us.
At least on future earth the solyent was made into a cracker; you can spread stuff on. This commercially viable soylent is some kind of ectoplasmic goo.
They thought they were being very clever in naming it Soylent. But that was just to distract us.
At least on future earth the solyent was made into a cracker; you can spread stuff on. This commercially viable soylent is some kind of ectoplasmic goo.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Old School Art
Some 5000 cave paintings have been discovered in Mexico; these all date before the Hispanic invasion of Central America. These are spread over 11 sites some 100 odd miles south of US/Mexico border (this is the stomping grounds of Geronimo and Chochise).
That's old school art.
Read on.
That's old school art.
Read on.
Titan
The Cassini spacecraft is creating a topographical map of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Its already discovered a river basin some 250 miles long with headwaters and a delta; deserts, and vast lakes along the equatorial region. It rains on Titan as well, offering scientists proof of some type of liquid cycle . . . the surface is made up of frozen water, the liquid cycle of frozen hydrocarbons. The ice like nature of its surface probably explains why it is relatively flat on Titan.
All very cool stuff. Read on.
All very cool stuff. Read on.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Lake Kaindy
About a hundred years ago an earthquake caused a landslide in the remote mountain fastness in Kazakstan. The landslide walled in the end of a long, and very steep valley, blocking a creek there. Slowly the creek filled up the valley and Lake Kaindy was born. The tall spruce that grew along the valley floor survived and, though they survive and maintain their foliage beneath the water, above they are bereft of needles, making them appear as lonely masts protruding from the clear mountain water.
Historical Footnotes
On August 7, 1565 the Turks surged against a breach in the walls of the bastion of Castile in the fortified wall of Birgu during the Great Siege of Malta. For days canon blasted the walls, greatly reducing them. The Knights of St. John and the Maltese rebuilt them at night, only to suffer them blow apart again the following day. A great long section of the wall at last gave way into a giant heap.
The Turks surged forward plunging into the city of Birgu, full on knowing that the town was won. But the Master of the Order had long since given the command for the construction of an interior wall, lower than the first, and unseen from beyond the wall. The Turks surged into the gap, pushing the shattered remnants of the defenders into the inner wall and the living wave of soldiery came up short, blocked agains the second wall.
The great press of Turks behind them crushed them into the space, so that the wedge of humanity was tightly packed. At that moment the Knights opened fire with canon and arquebuses; lead and powder ripping into the wall of humanity, tearing great gaps into their ranks. The turned to flee but those pressing behind pushed forward and the slaughter became immense. Mounds of dead were heaped on the ground; and the knights, armored from head to toe surged from the second wall and fell upon them.
The Turks were destroyed and the flower of their ranks vanished in a bloody haze of iron and gore.
The outer ramparts were taken again and the knights banners shown above the field. But the Turks regrouped, undaunted by the defeat . . . .
The Turks surged forward plunging into the city of Birgu, full on knowing that the town was won. But the Master of the Order had long since given the command for the construction of an interior wall, lower than the first, and unseen from beyond the wall. The Turks surged into the gap, pushing the shattered remnants of the defenders into the inner wall and the living wave of soldiery came up short, blocked agains the second wall.
The great press of Turks behind them crushed them into the space, so that the wedge of humanity was tightly packed. At that moment the Knights opened fire with canon and arquebuses; lead and powder ripping into the wall of humanity, tearing great gaps into their ranks. The turned to flee but those pressing behind pushed forward and the slaughter became immense. Mounds of dead were heaped on the ground; and the knights, armored from head to toe surged from the second wall and fell upon them.
The Turks were destroyed and the flower of their ranks vanished in a bloody haze of iron and gore.
The outer ramparts were taken again and the knights banners shown above the field. But the Turks regrouped, undaunted by the defeat . . . .
Viking Pallisade
The Jelling monument is a large rune stone capturing Harold Bluetooth's immortality, two large burial mounds and a medieval church in between. Or so it was thought.
Extensive excavations have revealed that the monument stands at the center of what was once a very large compound. Harold's power surrounded the compound with a large wooden palisade, which housed a dozen large long-houses, enough pasture to house cattle and other livestock and plenty of room left over to conduct the daily affairs of the Vikings who lived there.
All very Cool. Read more here.
Extensive excavations have revealed that the monument stands at the center of what was once a very large compound. Harold's power surrounded the compound with a large wooden palisade, which housed a dozen large long-houses, enough pasture to house cattle and other livestock and plenty of room left over to conduct the daily affairs of the Vikings who lived there.
All very Cool. Read more here.
If you want to see a huge blow up of that picture, click here.
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