Linguistic Archeology: Japanese Pantheon

Names
1. Amaterasuomikami
2. Amenouzume
3. Fujin
4. Hachiman
5. Inariokami
6. Izanagi
7. Izanami
8. Kuninotokotachi
9. Niniginomikoto
10. Okuninushi
11. Omoikane
12. Raijin
13. Ryujin
14. Suijin
15. Susanoonomikoto
16. Tenjin
17. Toyotamahime
18. Tsukuyomi no mikoto
19. Takemikozuchi
20. Takeminakata
21. Amatsu-Mikaboshi
22. Ajisukitakahikone
23. Akkorokamui
24. Ame-no-hohi
25. Ame-no-Koyane
26. Ame-no-oshihomimi
27. Ame-no-wakahiko
28. Azumi-no-isora
29. Futsunushi
30. Iwai-nushi-no-kami
31. Isetsuhiko
32. Ishikori-dome no Mikoto
33. Kagu-tsuchi
34. Kotoshironushi
35. Kuebiko
36. Kuraokami
37. Kukurihime no Kami
38. Kōjin
39. Konohanasakuya-hime
40. Moreya
41. Nigihayahi-no-mikoto
42. Oda Nobunaga
43. Omoikane
44. Ōyamatsumi
45. Sukuna-Biko-Na
46. Sarutahiko Ōkami
47. Shōtoku Taishi
48. Seidai Myōjin
49. Satimasuma
50. Tajimamori
51. Ta-no-Kami
52. Tōshō Daigongen
53. Toyotomi Hideyoshi
54. Ugajin
55. Ukanomitama
56. Uke Mochi
57. Yama-no-kami

Popularity of use

A       %         E          %          I          %          O          %         U          %
42     73%      22        38%     53       92%      44        77%     32        56%

B       %         C           %          D        %           F          %         G          %
3        5%       5           8%        2         3%        2           3%      6         10%

H       %        J            %         K          %          L          %          M         %
23     40%    10        17%      34         59%     0           0%       34         59%

N       %        P           %          Q         %         R           %          S          %
35      61%    0          0%         0         0%      10          17%      22       38%

T        %       V            %         W          %       X           %           Y          %
25      43%   0             0%       2           3%      0           0%        11        19%

Z        %
5        8%

Popularity by name

92% I:
77% O,i:
73% A, o, i:
61% N, a, o, i:
59% K, m, n, a, o, i: (kami),
56% U, k, m, n, a, o, i:
43% T, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Ukanomitama, Ta no kami,
40% H, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Kuninotokotachi, Hachiman,
38% S, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Satimasuma, shotoku taishi, Omoikane, Isetsuhiko, Ame no oshihomimi, Ame no hohi, Takeminakata, Susanoonomikoto, Omoikane, Okuninushi,
19% Y, s, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: (yama), Yama no kami, Toyotomi hideyoshi, Oyamatsumi, Moreya, Konohanasakuya-hime, Ame no koyane, Tsukuyomi no mikoto, Toyotamahime,
17% J, r, y, s, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Kojin, Satimamori, Sarutahiko Okami, Kukurihime no kami, Kuraokami, Kotoshironushi, Ishikori dome no mikoto, Akkorokamui, Ajisukita ka hikone, Suijin, Ryujin, Raijin, Inariokami, Amaterasuomikami,
10% G, j, r, y, s, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Ugajin, Tosho Daigongen, Tajimamori, Nigihayahi no mikoto, Tenjin, Niniginomikoto,
8% C, z, g, j, r, y, s, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Uke Mochi, Kagu tsuchi, Azumi no isora, Izanami, Izanagi, Amenouzume
5% B, c, z, g, j, r, y, s, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Sukuna biko na, Oda Nobunaga, Kuebiko, Amatsu-mikaboshi, Takemikozuchi,
3% W, d, f, b, c, z, g, j, r, y, s, e, h, t, k, m, n, u, a, o, i: Seidai myojin, Iwainushi no kami, Futsunushi, Ame no wakahiko, Fujin,
0% L, P, Q, V, X

Conclusions: Kami puts in an appearance around the time Fuji Erupts forcing migration away to the south.
At 43% the rice farming gods Ta no kami (god of rice fields), and Ukanomitama (born from a reed) appear.
At 40% hachiman (god of archery and war) and Kuninotokotachi (also born from a reed) appear...

Linguistic Archaeology: Japanese Flower Names

 16 Japanese Flowers 
 Himawari                    
 Ume                              
 Asagad                         
 Kaneshan                    
 Ajisai                            
 Kinmokusai                
 Akaibara                     
 Sakurasou                  
 Akaichurippu            
 Sumire                        
 Rabenda                     
 Momo                          
 Sakura                         
 Kiku                             


 Popularity of Use
 A     %        E          %          I         %           O            %         U           % 
 10    62%   5           31%     8       50%        5           31%       8       50% 

 B     %        C          %          D         %           F            %         G           % 
 4    25%     1          6%        1         6%          0            0%       1         6% 

 H     %        J          %          K         %           L            %         M           % 
 4    25%      1         6%        7       43%         0             0%       5       31% 

 N     %        P          %          Q         %          R            %         S           % 
 3    20%      1          6%        0         0%        7            43%     9       56% 

 T     %        V          %         W         %          X            %         Y           % 
 1    6%       0         0%         0          0%        0           0%        0         0% 

 Z          % 
 0        0% 


 Flowers by Popularity
 62%                                                                              A:                              
 56%                                                                          A, S:                       
 50%                                                                  A, S, I, U:                              
 43%                                                              A, S, I, U, R:                             
 40%                                                        A, S, I, U, R, K: Sakura, Kiku      
 33%                                         A, S, I, U, R, K, E, O, M: Momo, Sumire, 
                                                                                           Sakurasou,        
                                                                                          Ume,                    
 25%                               A, S, I, U, R, K, E, O, M, B, H: Shobu,                 
                                                                                          Akaibara,            
 20%                    A, S, I, U, R, K, E, O, M, B, H, N, W: Rabenda,           
                                                                                          Kaneshan,         
                                                                                          Himawari,         
                                                                                          Kinmokusai,     
 6%       A, S, I, U, R, K, E, O, M, B, H, N, C, D, G, J, P: Akaichurippu,  
                                                                                          Ajisai, Asagao,  
                                                                                          Tsubaki,             
 0%      F, L, Q, V, X, Y, Z                                                                             

Conclusion: know to 40% of the population at the time know the Sakura (cherry blossom) and Kiku (Chrysanthenum) are the earliest named japanese flowers. Given these plants are common to Asia its possible these are plant names bought to Japan by the early peoples as they migrate. This is not the full list of Japanese flowers, so greater consideration is required.
33% Momo (Peach tree) are common in Southern Alpine Japan.
25% The Shobu grows in wetlands. Akaibara (Rose) are native to Eastern Asia.
At 20% Sunflowers put in an appearance...

There is a movement from flowers common in Korea and china... to plants common in southern alpine regions of Japan... to flowers from wetland areas... to introduced garden plants.

The movement from mountain region/forest plants to wetland will be around the time rice cultivation occurs.

Creature Catalogue: Two Aberrations

Coral Golem
Hit Dice:              3-20HD*
Armour Class:    2
Movement:         30' (10')
Attack:                 Fist
Damage:              1hp/HD
No. Appearing:  1(1)
Save As:               Fighter L3-20
Morale:                12
Treasure Type:  See Description
Alignment:          Neutral
Experience:        50xp-3,150xp

This Aberration is formed when magic items are washed overboard or in general lost at sea on a coral reef. The living organisms begin to interact with its magic, achieving a low level sentient control over the coral as a golem like entity. Any Permanant Magical item can create a Coral golem of 3-20HD based on the power of the magic item embeded in the brain coral growing around it. An Immortal Artefact would create a Coral Golem with HD equal to PP (Minor 100HD, Lesser 250HD, Greater 500HD, Major 750HD). Those with Artefacts embeded in them have use of their powers. Physical size should be considered 1 ft/HD. This means coral entities seven hundred and fifty feet tall and powered by an artefact could wander up out of the ocean or simply rise up out of the sea.

Babbadoo
Hit Dice:              40HD*
Armour Class:    0
Movement:         300' (100')
Attack:                 Crush
Damage:              as hitpoints
No. Appearing:  1(unique)
Save As:               Fighter L40
Morale:                12
Treasure Type:  nil
Alignment:          Neutral
Experience:        14,000xp

Those making use of Haste magic have reported seeing a strange entity that is only visible when hasted. This 40ft tall abberation is dark and covered with spines. Anyone hasted by magic who takes a life causes the entity to appear and attack them before vanishing. It is unsympathetic to anyone taking a life while hasted, though it distinguishes between hasted and non hasted victims punishing those who kill the slow moving.

Political Memes: Ideal Presidential Candidate

American Citizen ✔
Minor Criminal Record ✔
Despises even suspected Trump Supporters ✔

Smurf Memes: The Rules of Statecraft

Marvelous Memes: Falcon and who?

It sounded familiar...

Short Fiction: Baggage

Title: Baggage

Rondolf had attached himself to his employer several decades ago, who while exploring the far western realms beyond the Sind encountered a cult planning to sacrifice the shape-shifting Rondolf and his employer to their immortal. Rondolf's employer was surprised to learn that Rondolf could talk, given that he was masquerading as inanimate luggage at the time this came as a considerable surprise.
Escaping certain doom, Athelstan the Mage placed the chest-like mimic on a Floating Disc spell and had pretty much used him as luggage and garbage disposal in the years since.
They adventured together and as Athelstan grew old, Rondolf grew to like the human's company. However, humans being rather mortal, the eventually elderly Athelstan slipped on a stairs in a Dungeon and died having hit his head on a stone step, the Floating Disc enchantment ceasing immediatly on the magic-user's death, Rondolf was unable to simply abandon his employer's corpse so he ate him digesting the Magicuser's remains.
Rondolf didnt eat Athelstan's remains immediatly. He remained there, spilled on the dungeon floor with the corpse for several hours, licking his employer like a sympathetic pet that desperately wanted its master to wake up, yet knew deep down that that was not going to happen.
Rondolf, greatly aggrieved, eventually pulled the remains of his friend into his maw and ate him.

Rusm the Goblin had noticed the Wizard traversing the dungeon with his floating luggage. He had watched their progress through the ancient mineworks with awe, and had seen the wizard slip on a staircase and strike his head in a fall. Rusm was about to break cover to loot the corpse and luggage when it suddenly opened its toothy maw and began licking the corpse. Terrified of this new situation, Rusm slipped back into his place of concealment, and watched the strange creature lick its master's corpse like a distressed direwolf.
Rusm understood suffering, and sat silently watching the death ritual progress over its many hours until its completion. The chest had become dormant and still in the aftermath and Rusm retreated to a nearby cave where Shrieking fungi grew. Rusm killed a shroom and carried it back to where the chest was. He had no intention of being eaten so he placed the dead shrieker on the ground within reach of the chest's tongue and retreated to a location that placed him in view of the shape-shifting chest. Rusm waited for a while, and having dozed off was startled awake by a noise. The shape-shifter pretending to be a treasure chest was dormant but the fungi Rusm had offered as a meal was gone.

Rondolf, depressed and uncertain what to do now that he had eaten Athelstan's remains was surprised by the approach of the Goblin bearing the fungi. Athelstan had pretty much evicerated the other goblins in the dungeon so Rondolf was not particularly trusting of this new arrival. Still he didnt see a need to expose his true nature and silently watched the goblin approach before it placed the food on the floor of the dungeon, pushing it into the reach of his tongue before backing away. Rondolf didnt break disguise and watched the sad and crying goblin pass out asleep against the far dungeon wall before he could bring himself to eat the offering.
"Thank you." Rondolf sat and looked at the little goblin startled awake by the noise of Rondolf's words. Rondolf went silent and wondered what to do.

Rusm huddled cold and depressed against the stone wall, staring at the ever present treasure chest. Rusm's stomach growled. He would need to go find some food soon. Rusm was hungry and the chest had eaten the last shrieking shroom in this part of the dungeon.
A wooden bowl carved with runes clattered across the floor from the direction of the chest and halted at Rusm's feet immediatly drawing Rusm's attention.
"Hold the bowl in both hands." Rondolf waited for the Goblin to pick up the bowl. Rusm complied picking it up one handed and staring at it. "Both hands."
You want food or not?" Only when Rusm placed both hands on the bowl did the chest continue speaking. "...Now say the words 'nom noms'."
"Nm nms?" Rusm stared at the empty bowl.
"No... now try again." Rondolf sighed. "Nom. Noms."
Rondolf waited for the Goblin to say the words.
"Nom Noms." Rusm was surprised by the bowl suddenly filling with a selection of nuts which he spilled on the floor. "Nom Noms."
The bowl again filled with a selection of nuts. The goblin got to his feet and walked to where he had deposited the offering of the shroom and placed the bowl of nuts on the floor before retreating to his own pile of spilled nuts where he had been sitting.
"Nom noms!" Rusm smiled as he ate the nuts and watched the chest consume the similarly bountiful bowl of nuts that Rusm had shared with the shape-shifter in gratitude of a free meal.

Crappy Manga: Alien Slime sucks

An Alien Slime shows up in Tokyo...

Basic Expert: Two different Rings for your overpowered Character

Two Rings of Over Powered Awesomeness

Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown
This golden ring mounted with a red gem that looks like a smooth polished ruby provides the wearer with the ability to Teleport without error. There are a hundred identical such rings crafted by the sorcerer-king, fourty-one of which are worn by the Sorcerer-king and his followers, and the remaining fifty-nine rings are located in his fortress as spares.

Ring of the Demon Lord
This unique ring with a black, three wire weave mounted with a mirror polished cross has the ability to reflect every spell cast at the wearer irrespective of the caster level or the spell level. Worn by the Demon Lord Diablo who claimed it by defeating a previous Demon Lord.

Star Wars: Is anyone there?

TITLE: IS ANYONE THERE?

My job is to scan ships coming and going for signs of a reactor leak.
Largely they are very dangerous. I spend a twelve hour shift in a bucket at the top of a pole scanning ships. So I was there when the Millenium Falcon showed up to our top secret base with the Princess on board. And I was there when I scanned a bunch of X-wings, and Y-wings flying off to destroy the Deathstar.  And there I was as a handful of those same ships returned from their fight... so many lost. And now, I must watch as the ships evacuate the Rebellion. I am the last Rebel on this Jungle covered moon. I get to stay behind and watch as the few transport ships and fighters we have left carry the hopes and dreams of our desperate rebellion out into the Galaxy...

...Because someone had to stay behind and do their job.

Normally there would be a second officer at ground level who coltrols the system that would retract the bucket and pole to ground level. A flip of a switch and I could be down. Maybe they thought to leave some rations for me. Maybe they didnt.
I look down at the Jungle canopy and watch the alien life that makes the canopy it's home flitter between the leaves and branches. Even they sense the departure of the rest of the Rebel ships. What is that? Oh, I see. Its the remains of the Death Star impacting on the Gas Giant of Yavin. I watch as a huge something stirs up the Atmospheric Gas of the distant Yavin. The eye slowly rotates into view and I can see that it is forming a terrible storm.

Its... Beautiful. It realy is.

The sky is growing dark. I suppose its the end of my shift about now. I should be on the ground getting a meal. Maybe getting a drink and wondering how the hell I failed X-wing fighter qualification. Seriously, the damn droid flies the ship and maintains the ship. There shouldnt be a problem.

Damn it Biggs, why I am so tired?

"Just gonna close my eyes for a bit."

Woah... what was that? Weird dream about falling down through the tree canopy. And why was I a dark robed Jedi with a red glowing light saber moving between the trees lighting up the ruins of the old stone temples? That was weird. Just... yeah, that... that was weird.
Nothing out there but Yavin. That huge menacing red eye is still dominating the surface of the Gas Giant. Its like that damn Red glowing light saber. What was that? Why would I even dream about that? It seems to cast a red glow across the Jungle canopy. Usually there is a lot of animal life out at night, but this red glow seems to have driven them into hiding.

Heat sensors dont indicate anything in the upper canopy. Yeah, thats weird. All the animals are hiding from that big red eye.

"I just... cant get sleep... looking at me."

Again with the weird dreams? What was that... some kind of giant floating red eyeball flying above the trees? And again with the glowing red light saber lighting up the stone temple ruins. Just... thats messed up. I just need sleep. Cant go on like this. This is insane. Just wish that switch would activate an pull me down through the canopy... yeah just like that. Beautiful, that... beautiful.

"The red glow not so much... much better. It was starting to make me feel sick." Need to get to the Temple... Drink something.

Trees blotting out the sky... but I'm sure the temple is this way, just like in the dream. Just a little further. There it is, the smooth stone step. I'll just lay down here... stone is so cool. No. No... need to keep going inside for a drink. Need water.

"...so thirsty."

Is this right? Ground... wet. Just need to suck moisture from the stone. So cool.

"...little bit of moisture."

Tongue so dry. Why is it dry? So tired. Got to find more. I can feel it. All that water. Its behind the stone.  Just need something to get it out. Where was that red light saber from? There it is. Just turn you on and cut a hole in the stone right here... damn... its suddenly so hot... damn jungle Thats it. So much water.

Damn red glow. Why is that red glow in here? Jungle canopy stopped the red glow but the temple wont? Why is that red light making that noise? What is that noise? Is there some one there?

"Is anyone there?" I lifted the red glowing light saber and the approaching shadow ignites his own.

"Impressive." The deep tones of a voice kept alive by an artificial respirator. I move the Light saber and it sparks against its red twin blocking its downward swing. "Most Impressive."

Star Wars: Awesome Team Work

Art Folio: Rebellious Phase

Thr Future President of China... if she makes it.

Space Traveller: What should space travel look like?

The future is a space plane with a pair of maglev trains that travel in a torus to provide gravity habitat and a second maglev to provide a turbo lift moving between zero gravity and gravity regions. The huge vessel will be launched to space on a maglev catapult capable of orbiting a milion ton payload.

Bad Astronomy: A stray exoplanet near Proxima Centauri

With an Albedo of 0.65 - 0.75 falling in the albedo Range of Cumulus Stratus, the 'Darker' side having higher Albedo.


Atmosphere                        Boiling Point
Ammonium Hydroxide    310.8°K
Ammonia                             239.81°K

                                     Albedo vs. Temperature
Semimajor Axis        0.65          0.7            0.75       Period          
0.0197 AU                   310°K      298°K      285°K     2.8903 days
0.0182 AU                   332°K      310°K      296°K     2.5665 days
0.0166 AU                   338°K      325°K      310°K     2.2357 days

Assuming an Ammonium Hydroxide Atmosphere the planet is in a range of 0.0166AU to 0.0197AU from the Star for a temperature range above 310°K.

0.65

0.7

0.75

Linguistic Archeology: Hirgana using Toph

Hirgana employing Toph Script.

Star Trek: Three incredible fan films

 Star Trek: Absolution 1&2 evolves into Starship Swiftwind. Its quite fascinating.

Dungeon Mastery: The Black Crypt

1- after entry through the iron gates, a dire wolf pack appears outside the gate and will attack anyone exiting.

2- the courtyard is dominated by dirt mounds suggesting nine graves, and a statue of a gargoyle.

2A- this gargoyle statue is cursed. Anyone examining the statue must undertake a DC charisma or attempt to flee by the gate into the waiting embrace of the direwolves.
2B-grave of Eskar Richi (2gp sewn hidden in rotten scarf).
2C- grave of Adel Grindlwald (unholy symbol tattoo on back skin still intact).
2D- grave of Dinkl Dwarf-born (map to treasure beneath inner crypt casket 4A hidden in toe of left boot).
2E- grave of Oskar Thot (no valuables, though he has a sixth finger on his right hand).
2F- grave of Krandl Lestat (rope of strangulation has constricted his bones).
2G- grave of Esther Goldmyer (her mother's holy symbol is sewn to a rotten silk collar).
2H- grave of Sayer Utrich (key-stone to door of inner crypt).
2I- grave of Lalae Stavros (Wooden dire wolf summoning pipe)
2J- grave of Dietrich Onsel (silver knife).

3- at the top of a two step half dias is a door to inner crypt. It has a coin sized and shaped groove with the engraving of a tree (this is the hollow for the key-stone).

4- the inner crypt is dark and windowless and has two heavy iron caskets contsining corpses. They each weigh 180lb.

4A- beneath this casket of Kruel Tepes (an 800 year old vampire in the body of a 12 year old girl with white hair) is a pile of fifty gold pieces and a tiara with tiny gems (200gp).
4B- this casket contains the Maid of Kurul Tepes- Goetha Frinel (a 300 year old vampire cat girl and a dozen oiled and sharpened shruiken/ each enchanted with magic missile single use).

Kruel Tepes might decide she is interested in hanging out with the Adventurers while she comes to terms with the modern world as her and her maid are roused from their slumber...

More Memes: You can never go back from two is better

You can never go back to just one...

Star Trek: Apparently Enterprise is not loved by all

The events of 9-11 shaped the narrative for a lot of television and Star Trek (much like the series Farscape that died soon after 9-11) didnt escape those planes either. The Xindi arc was a significant effort to deal with what was happening real world.

But Star Trek Enterprise lacked something from the start. When you are telling a story about a Warp 9.5 engine you run into klingons, romulans, cardassians, ferengi, and the Borg. When you are telling a story about a Warp 5 engine you are telling a story about the tyranny of distance where the Klingon homeworld is not a single episode away from earth, it is half a year away... at maximum Warp.

Lets Reboot Enterprise as an Anime

Ep1: klingon needs to be delivered to homeworld... throw in an annoying passenger to be dropped off at Jupiter Station on the way out of the system...

Ep2: passenger delivered to jupiter station left a tribble on board which has an affect on the klingon in medbay as they multiply. Doctor is forced to undertake surgery on the klingon...

Ep 3: with last tribbles disposed of by the transporter leaving tribbles on pluto the doctor undertakes cranial ridge/olfactory gland surgery on the klingon, and saves his life. He now looks like old style klingons...

Ep4: suliban raiders board the ship in search of the klingon but surgical alterations have changed the klingon's appearance. Their indecisiveness allows the enterprise crew to kill them. The doctor analyzes the suliban remains...

Ep 5: the enterprise crew investigate the suliban pod attatched to the hull and gain some tactical information. An unidentified member of section 31 analyzes the suliban cloaking device, and programs the ship to return to terran space for exploitation by section 31...

Ep 6: suliban craft hit the enterprise and abduct the klingon, now sure of his identity, and take him to the suliban base. Enterprise crew begin repairs...

Ep 7: enterprise trace the suliban to their base and retrieve the klingon just in time as klingon ships blow the suliban base away. The klingons retrieve their deformed and mutilated crewman wondering why the suliban would do such a thing...

Ep 8: enterprise divert to Vulcan for repairs and a debriefing with Admiral Forrest. On route they encounter an alien ship filled with corpses being milked for adrenal gland stuff. They decide not to get involved. Enterprise returns to the ship whose crew are being harvested and are forced to fight...

Ep 9: enterprise arrives at Vulcan and some crew depart for surface in shuttles while engineering staff repair enterprise. After a debriefing with Admiral Forrest at the Earth Embassy on Vulcan, Archer discusses suliban and klingon conflict and tactical information with Forrest and Vulcans...

Ep 10: during Rest and Recreation on Vulcan an enterprise crewman (any random junior officer) becomes involved with a vulcan woman he/she meets while exploring an urban area. Vulcan drugs the crewman and takes a genetic sample, and then injects something in the crewman before rousing him/her from their slumber after an apparent evening of sex...

Ep 11: senior enterprise crew visit a vulcan monastary by shuttle for their rest and recreation while engineering finish up repairs. They become involved in an encounter with an Andorian...

Ep 12: beyond vulcan space they see an alien vessel (Romulans- though T'pol fails to identify it) and the crewman who encountered a vulcan woman on vulcan is beamed off the ship. Pursuing, the Enterprise crew find their crewman's corpse adrift in space...

Ep 13: heading for unexplored territory they visit a nice world with neurotoxic pollen in the atmosphere. They evacuate their crew...

Ep 14: enterprise crew encounter an alien ship hiding cloaked in their warp field shadow disrupting their systems. Once again they interact with klingons...

Ep 15: Archer is snatched by klingons and tortured in a way that leaves him psychologically injured. Tortured by klingons for everything he can tell them about why the klingon was surgically altered. Then they abduct the doctor for interrogation...

Creature Catalogue: Bloodbag

Bloodbag
Hit Dice:             20HD
Armour Class:   -1
Movement:         120' (40')
Attack:                 feeding spear
Damage:              1d6+1hp/round
Save As:                Fighter L10
No. Appearing:   1(0)
Morale:                 10
Treasure Type:    nil
Alignment:           Neutral


This fifty feet tall horror began appearing in and around swamps, bogs, and fens. The bloodbag wanders through the wilderness, towering over opponents which it spears with its feeding tube on a successful attack roll where it sucks an opponent dry, the large bag that makes up it's body filling with blood. It moves silently surprising in forests at night 1-5(on 1d6).

Art Folio: Ventris

Has lightsabers. Will travel.

More Memes: Inaccessible Castles

They must have a way to provide the occupants of an impregnable fortress on a mountain with food and water... even if its just a fancy cave providing shelter for an ecosystem.

Dungeon Mastery: Draft Animals vs Load

"Damn Woodsmen," Thofin pinned and shackled the last of the oxen in harness. "Paying us in felled timber trees after we go and save them from goblins."
"Suck it up Thorfin," Rayed Firebolten smiled. "If we drag this ten to tree trunk down to the river, we can pull in enough to buy you plate mail armour." 


The movement of goods requires wagons and draft animals. Unfortunately it isnt as simple as a multiplication of draft animals to increase the amount of freight moved. It actually tapers off.

Horses & Skid      Distance/day                  Load
     2                            1/4 mile              300,000lb

More Memes: Divine Architecture

Its kinda divine...

Bad Astronomy: exploring a Wagon Wheel

Assuming a white dwarf of 0.0000468767AU radius, the semi major axis of the orbiting rubidium stellar core and debris ring are approximately:

Item                       Semimajor axis
Rubidium Core    0.000130213AU
Debris Ring          0.0001822983AU

Anyway, those seven spokes on our wagon wheel are 51.4 degrees apart.

Basic Expert: Two Short Swords

Crimson Knife
This shortsword is contained in a red painted scabbard with a lead lining and red tanned leather belt fixture. The Shortsword itself has a red leather bound hand hold.

DM Note: Prolonged exposure to the cinabryl red dye used to paint and dye the leather, hand grip, and scabbard is toxic causing wounds to not heal when magical healing is used.

Bronze Tongue
This Bronze Shortsword has a hand grip bound in black dyed silk. The blade itself burns an odd flame that is cold or hot depending on the individual holding the weapon.

DM Note: the dungeon master should decide for the player. The blade will slay an efreet on a natural 20, and the wielder of the weapon will be slain on a critical miss.

Fan Films: Not the Star Wars you were looking for III

Three different encounters with a lone Imperial...

Fan Films: Not the Star Wars you were looking for II

Three more stories about the empire.

Creature Catalogue: Greater Salamander

Greater Salamander
Hit Dice:            30*
Armour Class:  -3
Movement:       450' (150')
Attacks:             1 Bite/special
Damage:            3d10/see below
No. Appearing: 1(1)
Save As:             Fighter L30
Morale:               11
Treasure Type:  3×F
Alignment:         Neutral

The sixty foot long greater salamander has the appearance of a giant, red hot lizard with six legs and violet eyes. It gives off an aura of heat that causes 3d10/round heat damage to anything in seventy five feet radius. The greater salamander is not encountered outside the elemental plane of fire unless summoned by a wish.

Linguistic Archaeology: a little game of Shogi

There are in Shogi some eight different pieces:

• Fu (Pawn)
• Kyosha (Lance)
• Kiema (Knight)
• Gin (Silver General)
• Kin (Gold General)
• Kaku (Bishop)
• Hisha (Rook)
• Gyoku (King)

By popularity of use:

A      %      E        %         I       %       O         %        U         %
4     50%    1    12%     4/5    50%     2/3      25%     3/4      37%

B      %      C        %         D       %       F         %        G         %
0      0%     0       0%       0       0%      1       12%      2       25%

H      %      J        %         K       %       L         %        M         %
2      25%  0        0%       5       62%   0         0%       1        12%

N      %      P        %         Q       %       R         %        S         %
2      25%  0        0%        0       0%     0         0%       2/3       25%

T      %      V        %         W       %       X         %        Y         %
0      0%    0        0%        0       0%      0         0%       2       25%

Z        %
01       0%



62%       K:
50%       A, i, k:
37%       U, a, i, k: Kaku,
25%       O, g, h, n, s, y, u, a, i, k: Gyoku, Hisha, Kin, Gin, Kyosha,
12%       E, f, m, o, g, h, n, s, y, u, a, i, k: Fu, Kiema
0%          C, D, J, L, P, Q, R, T, V, W, X, Z

Conclusions
50% is the K, i, a subset which can combine as Aki (Autumn), Aik, Kia, Kai (times), Iak, Ika in short forms. Or Ki (tree), Ai (love), Ak in subsets.
37% is the appearance of Kaku (Bishop) in language use. Its likely this is the first human piece name known to the developer of the language of the game implying it was inside a monastary.
25% sees a massive language surge of five piece names: kyosha (lancer), gin (silver general), kin (gold general), hisha (rook), gyoku (king).
12% marks the introduction of two final pieces to the game board: fu (pawns) meaning until this point peasants were not considered part of the battlefield or the game; and the other being the Knight. The knight is made of the combination of new letters e and m- likely as me (eye) and the much older letters k, i, and a which can be combined in alternative ways.

Suizo (drunk elephant) changes the popularity of use to:
55%    K, i: ki (tree)
44%    A, u, k, i: Kaku (bishop)
33%    S, o, a, u, k, i:
22%    g, h, n, y, s, o, a, u, k, i: gyoku, hisha, kin, gin, kyosha
11%    Z, m, f, e, g, h, n, y, s, o, a, u, k, i: fu, kiema, Suizo.

It suggests that pawns were added last to the game board, and knight evolved from an older piece (and possibly a different game) and drunk elephant as well.

Update: eliminating fu, kiema, and suizo as 'modern' pieces leaves the players with nine pieces on a 9×9 board.

Original shogi should be played each with:

• Gyoku (King ×1)
• Hisha (Rook ×1)
• Kaku (Bishop ×1)
• Gin (silver general ×2)
• Kin (gold general ×2)
• Kyosha (lance ×2)

A      %      E        %         I       %       O         %        U         %

3      50%   0       0%       3     50%     2        33%     2         33%

B      %      C        %         D       %       F         %        G         %
0      0%     0       0%        0       0%    0        0%        2       33%

H      %      J        %         K       %       L         %        M         %
2      33%  0        0%       4       66%   0         0%       0        0%

N      %      P        %         Q       %       R         %        S         %
2      33%  0        0%        0       0%     0         0%       2       33%

T      %      V        %         W       %       X         %        Y         %
0      0%    0        0%        0       0%      0         0%       2       33%

Z        %
0       0%

Popularity of use:

66%    K:

50%    A, i, k:

33%    O, u, g, h, n, s, y, a, i, k: kyosha, kin, gin, kaku, hisha, gyoku

The original set of nine comes in at 33% popularity of use for all pieces.

Update: a further consideration of shogi

Shogi Game Pieces & Variant States
1. Osho (reigning king general)
2. Gyokusho (challenging jeweled general)
3. Hisha (rook/flying chariot)
4. Ryuo (promoted rook/dragon)
5. Kakugyo (bishop/'angle mover')
6. Ryuma (promoted bishop/dragon horse)
7. Kinsho (gold general)
8. Ginsho (silver general)
9. Narigin (promoted silver)
10. Keima (cassia horse)
11. Narikei (promoted cassia)
12. Kyosha (incense chariot)
13. Narikyo (promoted incense chariot)
14. Fukyo (Pawn/foot soldier)
15. Tokin (promoted pawn)

Alphabet by use
A         %         E           %            I            %          O         %         U         %
8         53%      2          13%        8           53%     10       66%       5     33%

B         %         C            %           D           %           F         %        G          %
0        0%         0           0%         0            0%         1        6%       4      26%

H         %          J             %          K           %           L         %       M          %
6        40%       0            0%         8          53%        0        0%       2      13%

N          %        P             %           Q          %           R         %       S           %
6          40%     0            0%          0          0%         5        33%    6       40%

T           %       V              %          W         %           X         %       Y           %
1          6%       0             0%          0         0%         0         0%     7       46%

Z            %
0            0%


Popularity by use
66% O:
53% A, I, K, O:
46% Y, A, I, K, O:
40% S, N, H, Y, A, I, K, O: Kyosha, Osho, Hisha, Kinsho, Narikyo
33% R, U, S, N, H, Y, A, I, K, O: Ryuo,
26% G, R, U, S, N, H, Y, A, I, K, O: Gyokusho, Kakugyo, Ginsho, Narigin,
13% M, E, G, R, U, S, N, H, Y, A, I, K, O: Ryuma, Keima, Narikei,
6% F, T, M, E, G, R, U, S, N, H, Y, A, I, K, O: Fuhyo, Tokin,
0% B, C, D, J, L, P, Q, V, W, X, Z


Conclusions
The earliest battlefield appearing at 40% is the king, gold general, and three chariot pieces (flying chariot, incense chariot, and promoted incense chariot). At 33% we get the addition of the dragon (promoted flying chariot).

At 26% we see the introduction of the jeweled king, Bishop (angle mover), silver general, and promoted silver general. After that, more pieces are added to the game at 13%: promoted bishop (dragon horse), cassia horse, promoted cassia. And then at 6% pawns (foot soldier), and promoted pawns are added.

Other Information:
The Game Name Shogi is introduced at 26%. This marks a shift in the battlefield from the use of chariots employing wings (blades or similar opponent injury device), incense (obscuring smoke/respiratory attack aromatics) and the hero pieces king and gold general to the inclusion of the Jeweled King (Gyok-*: a surname occuring in indonesia, nigeria, and hungary), and both silver general, and promoted silver general.

*Note: for the origin of the jeweled king see Hanvueng: The Goose King and the Ancestral King: An Epic from Guangxi.

The missing piece, Suizo (drunk elephant), was introduced at 6% marking the end of the game language development phase along with the pawn though then removed for the modern game.

Ban is the name of the Game Board. Like the pawn and elephant it comes in at 6% (the end of the game language development phase). Effectivly this marks the formalization of the Shogi game.

Its obvious that the shogi game predates the introduction of more modern 'chess pieces' such as elephant and pawn, while formalization of the game, its pieces, and rules occurs after.

Fan Films: Not the Star Wars you were looking for

Three tales about the empire...