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HAWAII TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN | Don't miss this one! An amazingly beautiful garden with over 2,000 types of exotic plants, located on Onomea Bay, 7 miles north of Hilo, on the breathtaking "scenic route". See 30' tall versions of your favorite houseplants!
PU' UHONNA O HONAUNAU (PLACE OF REFUGE) | Absorb some fascinating Hawaiian history and customs at this beautiful National Historic Site at the south end of Kealakekua Bay. Picnic tables, BBQ's and snorkeling nearby.
HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK | Hike through the crater of an active volcano! Taste the sulphur in the air, feel the hot steam rising from the fissures around you.
HAWI, KAPA 'AU, and THE POLOLU VALLEY LOOKOUT | Always a fun excursion to the northern tip of the island for galleries, good food and gorgeous views! Be sure to loop back south on Hwy 250, for more vistas and a stop in green and misty Waimea, home of the Parker Ranch.
HOLUALOA VILLAGE | Wind up the hill from Kailua-Kona to visit this fun and funky artists' community.Tour galleries and coffee farms. Have a bite at the Café or Holuakoa Gardens.
KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY | A wealth of living history! Visit the 1890 vintage H.N. Greenwell Store Museum, and on Thursdays savor the Portuguese Stone Oven Bread Baking. Tour the 1920's era Kona Coffee Living Farm and see exactly how folks lived there 80 years ago.


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In case you missed it, my letter to the editor of the Washington Post, published yesterday, cites some reasons why Representative Pompeo is right to hit the 'pause' button on the public database. Here's the letter, with its headline in print and its headline online.
Missing the merits of Rep. Pompeo's questions on a federal database
A profile that didn't further the debate about consumer safety
Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) raises legitimate questions about the Consumer Product Safety Commission's new public database ["Pompeo turns to Koch in business, politics," news story, March 21]. It was unfortunate that you focused on motives instead of the valid merits of his concerns, which The Post reported Feb. 27.
The congressman rightly questions whether this database will help consumers. Because of its design, the database could become just another "yelp.com" — an Internet site for complaints — but with the apparent "seal of approval" that comes from being a federal government Web site. The public will never know which complaints have merit, which do not and which are totally off base. Congress needs to look at how the agency spends scarce public dollars to construct something that could well mislead consumers and undermine our safety mission.
The Post is hyping politics over safety. Consumer safety is not advanced by such a result.
Nancy A. Nord, Washington
The writer is a commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

subset: commoncrawl


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Blogging from A to Z
Theme: Languages of the World
Zapotec is the name not of a single language, but of a group of 58 languages that, together with related Chatino group, belongs to the Otomanguean linguistic stock. Zapotec is one of the largest families in the Oto-Manguean stock in terms of the number of speakers since the Zapotecs are the third largest indigenous ethnic group in Mexico, after the Nahua and the Mayan people. Zapotec has more varieties than any other member of the Otomanguean linguistic stock with almost as many varieties as there are pueblos in which it is spoken.
There are approximately 450,000 speakers of Zapotec most of whom live in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Veracruz. While most are proficient in Spanish, there are also many who speak only one or more varieties of their native Zapotec.
Of the 58 varieties of Zapotech listed by Ethnologue, 49 have fewer than 10,000 speakers. Most have only from several hundred to several thousand speakers. Several are on the brink of extinction.
Fascinating facts about the Zapotec
The Zapotec worshipped their ancestors and, believing in a paradisiacal underworld, stressed the cult of the dead.
They had a great religious centre at Mitla and a magnificent city at Monte Albán, where a highly developed civilisation flourished possibly more than 2,000 years ago.
The name Zapotec comes from Nahuatl tzapotēcah (singular tzapotēcatl). This word means "inhabitants of the place of sapote". The Zapotec referred to themselves as Be'ena'a, which means "The People."
The Zapotec developed a calendar and a special system of writing. This system has a separate glyph for each of the syllables of the language. It is one of several candidates thought to have been the first writings system of Mesoamerica. It is the predecessor of the writing systems developed by the Maya, Mixtec, and Aztec civilisations.
The Zapotecs believe their ancestors emerged from the earth, from caves, or that they turned from trees or jaguars into people, while the elite that governed them believed that they descended from supernatural beings that lived among the clouds, and that upon death they would return to such status. In fact, the name by which Zapotecs are known today resulted from this belief. In Central Valley Zapotec "The Cloud People' is "Be'ena' Za'a."
Thanks for reading 🙂
On a side note:
It's over! I survived the A to Z Challenge. If you've read, like and commented … Thank you! I hope you learned something new, I know I did.
For sticking with me, this month, I invite you to celebrate … virtually, of course.


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Years ago mills supplied alloy and tool steels with a spherodized annealed structure. Due to economic constraints most, if not all, mills have short cut that process. They still anneal, but it isn't a sphereodize annealed any longer. Today's annealing yields a pearlitic microstructure with an increased hardness. The result, or effect, is that the metals generally don't machine as well as they used to a few years back and surface finishes also suffer. In applications that require machining in tough, tight tolerances, difficult design areas, it often would make sense to properly anneal the material either before machining begins or, better still, once the part is roughed out to a near net shape. It is better after being roughed out because it also eliminates most of the stresses and reduces some of the deformation.
To properly spherodize anneal any steel, use the annealing temperature as stated by the manufacture of your steel, or refer to the ASM Standards. The best method is to put the steel in your Cress furnace and heat the steel to the annealing temperature. Then lower the temperature slowly (preferably 25 degrees per hour) to 900 F and then shut off the furnace. Do not open the furnace at all, and allow the furnace to return to room temperature. The process will take 22 to 24 hours but will produce a totally uniform grain structure which contain small, neat and orderly globular shaped carbides in a smooth flowing ferritic matrix.
Low carbon steels are not normally spherodized for machining since they become soft and gummy, but can be spherodized when increased ductility is desired for bending or forming parts.
COPYRIGHT © May 2007, by Advisor In Metals
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or copied without prior written permission of the author and publisher.


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The LBC Gift Exchange took place in San Francisco again. I won't have time to post pictures of the event until sometime next year. Okay, I hate people that say this in late December–freaks. In any case, Jayson Santos hooked me up with Hitman 2 for the Xbox and I have a feeling I will be playing it continuously for the next couple of weeks. Thanks.
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Thob from the Gaza/ Isdud region
Contributed by Turathuna Bethlehem University on 21.07.2006:
This dress is made of Majdal woven cotton material with orange, purple and green stipes of silk and cotton; this material is known as abu hizz ahmar. There are 'cypress tree' (saru) and 'arch' patterns. The patterns between the 'arches' are 'cushions' (mehkeddah) and 'combs' (mushut<(...)


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SDJB's Gold Buying Business
April 24, 2010 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
In the following media interview, the owner of San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB) discusses the ways in which his company's gold and jewelry impacts the local economy.
San Diego Jewelry Buyers has been in the gold, jewelry, and watch buying business for some thirty years. In these difficult financial times, what role do you see your company fulfilling with regard to the larger San Diego economy?
Owner: Every day, San Diegans bring me items which have been lying around in a dresser or safe deposit box, and trade it in for cash. Yesterday a woman in her 80s traded in her scraps of old gold for about $1800, and said she was going straight to Best Buy to get a brand new flat screen TV and home theatre for her apartment. All things considered, I think she'll get a lot more enjoyment from that TV entertainment center, than she was getting from some old broken gold jewelry that had been lying around in her dresser drawer for 30-40 years. I joked with her that if someone ever breaks into her apartment, the gold would have been a lot easier to make off with than the new giant flat screen TV mounted to her wall!
So you are saying that San Diego Jewelry Buyers helps customers realize wealth they might otherwise have forgotten about?
Owner: In many cases, yes. But it also is more than that. When people find out that they have un-tapped wealth sitting in their drawers and cabinets, wealth that can be transferred into quick discretionary income, this feeds the local economy. Money is moved, circulated, spent, and re-generated through all the businesses that the customers patronize with their sudden "windfall". In addition, taxes are paid on all of these new transactions, thus supporting local, state, and federal government services.
But at some point doesn't this all run out? I mean, there is only so much of this "untapped" wealth lying around, right?
Owner: On the one hand yes, and on the other hand, no. People often ask me "you keep buying all this gold, don't you think the public will run out of gold soon?" My answer is to point to the whole eBay phenomenon, which turned millions of everyday Americans into moonlighting dealers of second-hand merchandise. That started long before the current gold rush and economic crisis, and people are still selling their unused possessions on eBay, as much if not more so than ever. So do you think that Americans will run out of diamonds, gold, silver, jewelry, and fine watches anytime soon? Sure, the economy is bad now but it will eventually turn around. New precious items will continue to be bought, which eventually become "old" items, and SDJB will be here to turn those items into cash and transfer that wealth back into the economy.
From what I understand, you also see San Diego Jewelry Buyers' business as contributing to more than just the economy, don't you?
Owner: That's right. As a professional jeweler and designer, I've been a longtime supporter of sustainable luxury. And when it comes to selling your gold to a company like SDJB, people are helping the environment by reducing the need for eco-harmful gold mining activities. The same thing goes for when consumers sell us their pre-owned diamonds and precious gemstones. It's a win-win situation for our customers, for us, and for the community.
New Gold Jewelry & Precious Metals Law
August 5, 2009 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
Orange County readers of the San Diego Luxury Pawn Shop report should take note that a new law has been passed. The Shawangunk Journal reports that under this new law, anyone who has a business that buys second-hand jewelry (gemstones and precious metals) would have to have a license from the county and undergo a background check. In addition, two crucial rules apply. To sell gold jewelry to a store, you have to be over the age of 18 and you have to have photo ID for the store owner to see and if they want, to record. Then, the store or pawn shop must hold the items for 15 days before selling them.
The journal interviewed Dan Depew, Country Representative of the 18th District, who put it this way. "You can't just ride into town, stay in a motel, and announce that you're buying gold. Because, now you have stay in the county a while, and you have to register and undergo that background check."
Police Chief McCann believes that the new law can be a win-win for everyone, saying that if pawn shops and jewelry buyers work it into their practices, then they can be sure that the police know they're on the right side of things. McCann also added that residents can take steps to protect themselves. "Everyone [should maintain] a good record of the piece of jewelry, or property of any sort that has a value, or that they think is important to them. A photo is good, but if there's some marker on the property that is known only to them, so they can ID that piece of jewelry, then that's a great help to us in recovering things."
Worst Ways to Buy Gold
June 28, 2009 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
Investor's Chronicle (IC) has just published an article that San Diegans who are interested in buying gold as an investment. The IC reports that gold's status as a safe haven in bad times has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity, with the World Gold Council recently reporting a 248 percent increase in the investment demand for gold, compared to the same period last year.
If you are thinking of buying gold in San Diego, experts warn that you must take care because physical gold is not a regulated investment market. So while lots of people think they should be buying gold, they don't recognize that there are bad ways to buy the metal. According to the IC report, 3 of the worst ways to buy gold are:
1. Online auction sites: While this might seem obvious, eBay has seen a surge in gold-coin auctions as demand for physical metal has grown. The prices on online auction houses often out-strip true gold-market values – known as the "spot" gold price – by 25 per cent even for the plainest coins. Rarer gold coins are often bid up much higher, as new investors lack knowledge about what they are buying.
2. Newly minted "collectible" coins: So-called collectible gold coins can cost significantly more than the actual value of the gold they contain. Mints often charge 40% or more above the gold market value for these gold coins.
3. "Rare" gold coins: US authorities often warn investors against "hard-sell" dealers charging rip-off fees for what turn out to be anything but rare gold coins. Spotting a truly rare coin and knowing how much above the gold-content's value it should cost takes experience and expertise. Take the time to build your knowledge and understanding before venturing into this market.
Gold Prices Jump to 7 Month High
February 25, 2009 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
The good news keeps coming for people looking to sell their gold in San Diego. Bloomberg reports that gold climbed to the highest level in seven months on demand from investors who want to protect the value of their assets as stocks slump and the global recession deepens. Read more
Buying & Selling Gold Bullion Coins at San Diego Pawn Shops
October 23, 2008 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
If you ever come across some gold bullion coins at a San Diego pawn shop and are considering buying them, there are a few things that you should keep in mind:
Remember that gold prices fluctuate all the time, sometimes quite dramatically. So be sure to check the current day's spot price. What is gold's spot price? That's the current market price for the precious metal. In contrast, a gold bullion coin's "melt value" refers the value of the coin if it is melted down and sold.
If you plan on buying a fractional gold bullion coin (that is, a coin weighing less than one ounce) you can expect to pay a higher percentage over melt value than if you were buying a one ounce coin.
The folks at the Professional Numismatists Guild say that the average retail commission that a seller charges is 5-6%. So if it seems like the pawn shop from which you are thinking about buying a gold bullion coin is charging a higher commission than that, you can likely get a better deal elsewhere
Lastly, as a general rule of thumb, remember that Kruggerrand bullion coins are usually sold for less than the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf bullion coins.
If you are really keen on buying gold bullion coins, your best bet may be to look up a San Diego ANA (American Numismatic Association) bullion dealer by clicking here.
People in San Diego often ask us just what the history of pawn shops is, where and how the whole business got started. For the curious, SDJB has now written: A Brief History of Pawn Shops.


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House Rules and Clarifications
This page is used to list some house rules, though mainly clarifications used on the Emblem of Ea. While it is not our intent to document everything (that would be silly), we will attempt to document what may be particularly confusing as well as important relative to the game and its enjoyment.
As Emblem is not by nature a PvP game, a game oriented towards minmaxing or competition versus other players, nor a Tabletop, some of our interpretations may appear somewhat different than expected. We generally have a specific reason for what we do, though many of the items seen here will just be "things we have always done" and are only now being recorded. We simply did not have a good way to record them previously.
RAW versus RAI
PF is a social game, and that means there is a social contract between players, and that social contract includes the idea of "I'm not going to try to cheat the system." In other words, "the rules don't say I can't" is a weak argument for your actions if you know the rules aren't supposed to let you do that, even if the rules don't explicitly say you can't do that. Doing so puts the player into an adversarial relationship with the GM, trying to twist the intent of the rule while observing the letter of it, which is the same sort of thing that leads to GMs twisting interpretations of wish spells (and you know that was so lame, the 3E team precisely defined what a wish spell can do in order to have an agreed-upon set of things players could use it for and GM should allow).
Aside from the above, the CRB is something like a 500 page document filled with loopholes and exceptions. Too, sometimes it's fun to let something work for the sake of cinematics.
We are an RAI game, not a RAW one. More from Paizo devs on the language of the rules.
Animal Companions and Familiars
Can they use items? Talk?
Some familiars are capable of speech.
Paizo recently published some clarifications to Animal Companions that we'll be using.
It's also intended that animal companions or familiars can not activate magic items. An animal companion could benefit from an item with a continuous magical effect like an amulet of natural armor if its master equipped the item for the animal companion. They may not use manufactured weapons.
What magic item slots does my animal companion have?
Animal companions typically have the following item slots: headband, cloak, feet, belt, neck. They may also wear barding unless otherwise specified. Note these are more general rules--not all animal companions will have legs, for example, and so would not be able to wear said wraps.
What is the reach of my animal companion?
Some animal companions' reach will change once they change size. To determine if this occurs, use the table on this page, then cross reference it with the "normal" version of the creature. If both sources suggest the creature would now possess reach, then it does.
Due to code, balance, and other issues involving headaches and the slow and painful death of our staff, archetypes will not be added to the game.
Aura of Courage
You're immune to fear. This includes intimidation effects. This was an update from 3.5 that just doesn't fit the thematics of certain classes.
This isn't a special rule as much as it is mentioned here to clarify. Sorcerer bloodlines are a "trace" of another race or being. A sorcerer with a fae bloodline doesn't become fey, for instance, any more than an infernal bloodline becomes a devil, or so on. There are reasons that PrCs like the Dragon Disciple exist--they take characters above and beyond the limits of the sorcerer class.
Traces are exactly that, and the PRD gives us some examples: "For example, a sorcerer might have a dragon as a distant relative or her grandfather might have signed a terrible contract with a devil."
This does not make the character any less special--it just means they're still human, dwarf, or whichever is appropriate. Something unusual, however, happened to make them the way they are and they exhibit traits fantastic beyond what's ordinary.
Bloodline Stacking, Dragon Disciple, etc.
For purposes of mechanics, bloodrager bloodlines and sorcerer bloodlines are treated as different, yet similar abilities. They do not stack. Bloodrager may be used as an entry into Dragon Disciple as per Paizo's FAQ. When advancing in Dragon Disciple, when they select their spellcasting class to advance, this also selects its associated bloodline. For those entering the PrC without a bloodline, their bloodline will default to sorcerer.
Creepy Hair (Prehensile Hair)
Creepy hair falls under the natural attack rules. In entries like these, it's been clarified by developers that the -5 is often included as a kind of shorthand, because most often these natural attacks are used in conjunction with a manufactured weapon, and so forth. Therefore: If you use creepy hair on its own, it is a primary natural attack. If you use creepy hair with a manufactured weapon, it is secondary. If you possess another natural weapon, then creepy hair becomes secondary, because it falls into the "Other" category of natural attack, as per the PRD.
Similar things may be said about the barbarian's bite attack rage power, and so forth.
Finally, prehensile hair is to be referred to as "creepy hair" forever. :(
We use Paizo's update to the monk update to the AoMF. We had used the other updates, but those are incorporated into Unchained Monk. Unchained Monk is the default for Tenebrae.
Q: With the Unchained barbarian, how does rage work if used in another context? For example, a spell?
A: If the ability reads 'rage as barbarian,' then use the new rules. Otherwise, these abilities work as outlined. In addition, this FAQ applies.
Paizo FAQ: When it comes to modifiers that affect weapon damage rolls, or simply "damage rolls" (such as the bonus on damage rolls from Point-Blank Shot, inspire courage, and smite evil), special abilities that deal damage on a successful attack roll, apply them on hit point damage only, and only once per casting or use, rather than once per attack. For instance, if a spell or special ability launched a dozen different ranged attacks simultaneously, only one (of the user's choice) would receive bonus damage. This doesn't apply on area effects with the rare potential for extraneous attack rolls, like fireball. However, there is a category of abilities that deserve a special note: Abilities like Arcane Strike that specifically enhance a character's weapon or weapons themselves never apply to special abilities (with the exception of special abilities like the warlock's mystic bolts that specifically call out that Arcane Strike applies).
Specific Items
Dragonhide: Due to the more active role dragons play in the world, as ambassadors, political rulers, and so forth, dragonhide has been replaced with spirit-bond armor, an armor crafted of elemental essence.
Elven Curveblade: The elven curveblade is not available in Tenebrae at this time.
Headbands of Intellect: Not a rule so much as a reminder!
- Your intellect skills should be noted in your headband items. If not, please contact staff ASAP so we can fix it. If you think or know you've made an error with this, we can fix that too once we've verified.
- When leveling, do NOT put your ranks in these skills. They will go up automagically with your HD.
Circlets of Persuasion: Circlets of Persuasion are useful items, though they do not provide bonuses to concentration checks. We feel that allowing this "extra feature" would require a price increase at the very least--and risks leaving other casters in the cold, as nothing similar exists for them. As Pathfinder's worked hard to make concentration/casting in combat more dynamic, and because custom items are a pain, we'll be sticking with this interpretation--which is really just brushing up a "gray" area to something more reasonable.
Bucklers: This is more of a clarification as it comes up from time to time. Archers, gunners, crossbow users do not take the -1 attack penalty when carrying a buckler. That is, they are not penalized for carrying it. However, they do not receive the buckler's AC bonus unless they are actively wielding it. This makes the buckler useful if they need to rush through enemy lines, make a stand, go total defense, etc. Bucklers also apply to flat-footed ac, and so would be useful in that instance.
Feychild Necklace: See Circlet of Persuasion.
Ghostvision Gloves: May not be deactivated until the timer runs out (the description does not say the duration may be divided up).
Gloves of Dueling: The last line in its description should be updated to: 'the fighter is considered 4 levels higher for the purposes of Weapon Training.' This brings them in line with similar items of a similar price, such as a monk's robe, headband of havoc, and so on.
Monkey Belt: The Monkey Belt (and similar items) are considered to fall under the FAQ for armor spikes. Monkey belts do not count as a free hand for the purposes of reloading firearms (this requires fingers).
Shields: To keep headaches down and allow us to list things more cleanly in +inv, shield spikes may be enchanted as a weapon. Shields may be enchanted as shields.
Transformitive: This property can apparently be somewhat squirrelly, apparently. You would not believe the number and amount of discussion. Here is our take on it:
- A. The weapon property is command-word activated.
- B. It maintains its magical properties. The exceptions to this are:
- 1. The new form is unable to use an enchantment (a mace cannot be keen).
- 2. The new form is a double weapon, while the original was a single--in this case, only half the weapon would be enchanted, though the unenchanted half would still be of masterwork quality.
- C. It maintains its material makeup when possible. If the new form is not able to be made from that material, it defaults to the material for the new form (you would not end up with an adamantine staff).
- D. In general, treat it as an entirely different weapon that just happens to possess similar special materials and enchantments as your old one. For example, when transforming from a greatsword to a greataxe, use the damage dice, threat range, and multiplier of the greataxe. When moving from one form of polearm to another, you may lose Trip but gain Brace.
- A. Since we do not use differently sized weapon rules, the transformation must be to an appropriately sized weapon for the wielder.
- B. The weapon must be of the same general type as the type it is transforming to: Handedness (1H, 2H, or Light), Ranged, Reach, Melee, Thrown. For example, a Medium transformative longsword can take the shape of any other Medium one-handed melee weapon, such as a scimitar, flail, or trident, but not a Medium light or two-handed melee weapon (such as a Medium short sword or a Medium greatsword).
Wildshape, Wild Armor, etc:
From Paizo: Wild armor and other transforming armor: When I use a wild armor and gain the armor's benefits, what restrictions, if any, apply to me? In general, when I transform with a polymorph effect and some of my gear melds into the form, what restrictions do I have for melding with large amounts of heavy gear? What about other types of transforming armor?
A; If you were in medium or heavy load from encumbrance before transforming, you continue to take those penalties in your melded form. Otherwise, ignore the weight of melded items and calculate your encumbrance in your polymorphed form entirely based on non-melded items. When wearing melded armor and shields, if you gain no benefit from the melded armor, you still count as wearing an armor of that type, but you do not suffer its armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, or arcane spell failure chance. If you do gain any benefits (as with the wild property), then you do suffer the armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, and arcane spell failure chance. This also applies to all other situations where you or an armor transform: you always count as wearing an armor of that type, and if you gain any benefit at all from the armor (such as mistmail), you apply the armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, and arcane spell failure chance.
Item Crafting
Magic Item Crafting
As stated in the forums, decreasing MI crafting time isn't something we're interested in. This means we will not be reducing crafting time for rolling above the DC. Instead, Tenebrae offers a continuous crafting environment, allowing you to craft as well as adventure, and allows PCs to craft most any item within Core, so long as they meet the normal PF prerequesites. Generally also, PCs are assumed to have the materials needed.
However, if the characters involved roleplay out the request ongrid, and submit a +request/rpp, crafting time is reduced by 1 day automagically (minimum 1 day spent crafting).
Crafters may make any item of up to the below market value, presuming they have the feats, skills, and time required:
- T1: Up to 6k
- T2: Up to 22k
- T3-4: None set at this time.
If the only person available is outside these bounds, come talk with staff and we'll work with you.
When WBL is added, we generally count crafting and crafting items at their market value. We expect crafters to be a little over, but not levels and levels higher than everyone else.
Mundane Item Crafting
The mundane crafting rules are...well, they are pretty downright awful. We don't use them ingame, though players are welcome to purchase mundane items and roleplay crafting them. It isn't a perfect solution, but no one really wants to delve into this.
Crafting for Friends
Crafting for friends at-cost tends to create a "pro-clique" environment, and risks empowering a small group of people at the expense of others. Instead, crafters may offer a general discount publicly, to groups that they would have reasons to ICly do so. For example, a priest might want to be more helpful to others of their faith.
That is, discounts must be known publicly, and must be something that is generally definable, outside something vaguely nebulous such as "my friends and myself." So, publicly listing faith groups, nationalities, or an organization + its allies would be acceptable, but "exclusive random people that I happen to like" would not.
Scrolls and Consumables
We use the guidelines published by PFS, in order to create a standard price set. All potions, scrolls, wands, and other consumables are assumed to be made by clerics, druids, or wizards...The only exceptions are spells that are not on the cleric, druid, or wizard spell list. For example, a scroll of lesser restoration must be purchased as a 2nd-level scroll off the cleric spell list and may not be purchased as a 1st-level scroll off the paladin spell list. If a spell appears at different levels on two different lists, use the lower level spell to determine cost. As an example, poison would be priced as a 3rd-level druid spell instead of a 4th-level cleric spell.
For the sake of simplicity, there is no difference between an arcane and divine scroll or wand (we just care if it's on their spell list). Thus a bard and cleric may both use the same scroll of cure moderate wounds.
Scrolls that contain spells that do not appear on the cleric/druid/wizard list are made at the appropriate costs for their classes.
Scrolls that are scribed by a PC use that PC's class.
Finally, the following is changed from the PRD: "If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spell's caster level" becomes, "If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her casting class level is at least equal to the spell's caster level."
Magic Item Upgrades to and for Specific or Unique Magic Items
Most specific, named magic items (such as a Robe of the Magi) may not be upgraded. That is, they are priced "as is." The exceptions to this rule are:
- Item stacking. Another item may be "stacked" onto the previous item at 150% of the cost.
- Items meant to be upgraded. Weapons and armor have a specific means of upgrading: a +1 may be made into a +2 and so on.
- Items which already possess greater and lesser versions. These items may be specifically named, or list upgrade options in their text (such as Belt of Strength or Bracers of Archery Greater and Lesser). This would exclude items such as the Gorgon Belt, as it follows neither of these rules.
Specific magic items may not be made from different materials other than those listed.
Ordinary magic items may be upgraded to specific or unique magic items, so long as their current enchantments are part of the final, named item. For example, the flaming longsword could be made into a Flame Tongue, but a flaming, frost longsword could not be.
Tomes and Manuals of Clear Thought, Influence, etc.
Tomes and manuals that raise attributes cannot have their component cost (that is, the 25,000g price of the wish spell) reduced via RPPs. They can however, have the add-on cost reduced. For a +1 tome that is 27,500g, it is this 2,500g amount that may be reduced.
However, we do allow PCs to purchase these over time. That is, there is still a max of +5 in inherit bonuses to any individual attribute. However, PCs could purchase a +1 to strength, then later on another +1.
Intelligent Items
Intelligent items are a vague sort of thing that ultimately, have always been in the GM's hands. Paizo treats them this way--as a story item around which epics are told. The rules can seem vague or malleable based on the item or story told. Since we have opened them up to the greater world, some of their peculiars need a touch more guidance. This section will expand as it needs to, though it may do so slowly, as we will want to consider both what is fun, and potential balance and otherwise implications.
- 1. What senses does an intelligent item possess?
- From the PRD we know that: "Every intelligent magic item begins with the ability to see and hear within 30 feet, as well as the ability to communicate emphatically with its owner." On Tenebrae, they may also speak. However, intelligent items lack those wriggly hands, arms, and legs. They can't move on their own without you threatening someone with them. Zam! Pow! Bamf!
- 2. What type of action is it for an item to activate its power? What actions can they take in a round?
- From the PRD, we know that: "all powers function at the direction of the item, although intelligent items generally follow the wishes of their owner. Activating a power or concentrating on an active one is a standard action the item takes." Aside from that, intelligent items are going to be tied to your action economy to a degree, much as a mount is. Think of it this way: Your item's actions are separate, but tied to yours by virtue of it essentially being helpless and its location and movement being forcibly controlled by you. If you're waving it around as part of a full attack, then it has no choice but to be a part of that full attack action. If you stop and take a standard action, then the item may also take a standard action (such as using one of its SLAs).
- 3. Can an intelligent item cast spells in combat? How does that work?
- On Tenebrae, we treat magic spells used by an intelligent item as spell-like abilities. That is, they aren't full-fledged wizards or sorcerers. They have no spellcasting class. They're more like a monster in the Bestiary with some unique talents. That said, see the previous question for answers about action economy. We've also decided their using SLAs in combat does not provoke, because we just don't want to deal with that.
- An intelligent item's senses are limited to 30', as per the PRD. This will affect its range, as effects generally require Line of Sight.
- 4. What about spells with a range of touch, or personal?
- This gets tricky. What it comes down to is that the item is essentially helpless, movement-wise. So, for a touch spell, think of it in terms of Domain Strike or similar feats. If you want to add weapon damage to the spell's effect, you're going to need to make a normal attack with the item, against normal AC. If you don't want to include weapon damage, then you make a touch attack with the item.
- However, you're going to need the action economy available to do so (see previous questions).
- As for personal: at the moment, it refers to the item. However, if you can find text in the PRD, Errata, a FAQ, or material published by a Paizo developer that suggests it may be used on the wielder, please let us know, as this sounds pretty cool to us as well.
Handling Treasure
Item Size: As a general rule, items in treasure are 'unsized' until they're claimed. This means if the DM rolls a +2 Studded Leather Armor, the lucht has the same chance as the half-oruch. The one exception to this rule are items thematically tied to the adventure, or similar affects.
Claiming Items: Treasure by its nature is fairly random. That is, sometimes one person gets the 'big item' one time. This just means that another person will get it a different time. It's just the nature of the game and not something we sweat too much over. If we did, it'd mean turning down some awesome items and a lot of coppers-counting. That is, there's never a reason for the fighter to have to 'pay back' just because a nice armor showed up. All of us staff realize this happens in some games, which is great! It's just not something we want as part of our culture. Likewise, if someone nabs all of the items with the intent to sell...that's grounds for a talk with staff. We can track that sort of thing.
Chargen, Advancement, and Specific Feats
The following feats may be taken, but require you to specify what the feat applies to via +request before using it in play: Aspect of the Beast, Preferred Spell, Favored Defense.
The following feats may only be taken via means of a +request. In the meantime, please take a 'filler' feat that staff will replace: Eldrich Claws, Rending Claws.
Removed from Pathfinder
The following feats are in Core, but unavailable: Leadership, Improved Familiar.
Improvised Weapon
There is no errata on this yet, so this interpretation is subject to change. Currently, it is not possible to use improvised weapon for purposes of "doubling up" on a polearm, etc. This is because such weapons already have specific feats associated with them and a dictated method of usage. That is, an axe is already a weapon and requires the martial weapon proficiency. From the Improvised Weapon feat: "Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat." Too, this drops us into a fuzzy area of making every polearm a double-ended weapon, which doesn't seem to be what the designers intended. Or, into questions such as: "but do I apply the enhancement bonus?" Until there's errata regarding this, this is the interpretation.
There is a feat to shorten the length of a polearm and attack an adjacent square: short haft. This feat also lets you keep the enhancement bonus of the polearm when attacking adjacent.
We use the author's clarification for this feat, as outlined below. You are required to be adjacent to the ally you're defending, but not their attacker.
While as always my authorial opinions are simply that, and not official errata in any way for the purpose of RAW, PFS, etc., if you'd like to know what was in my head while writing those feats the answer is this:
Bodyguard is intended to require you only to be adjacent to the ally you're defending, not to require you to threaten their attacker. Requiring you to threaten the attacker makes the feat MUCH less useful, since then you can't block ranged attacks or reach weapons or attacks against targets with concealment or cover or anything else that would prevent an AoO. My intention with tying it to the AoO mechanic was simply to make it an ability you could use more than once per round, rather than wanting to tie it specifically to all the implied mechanics of AoOs. I had thought about just making it an immediate action, but that limits it to once per round and takes your im/swift action. I figured that was an appropriate mechanic for In Harm's Way, but the defensive bonus of AA was modest enough that I thought it entirely fair to not limit it that way.
As an side, I should say that for both feats, as well as the shield feats and shield-based archetypes I wrote, I thought that defender characters needed a little extra love in the rules, whether evil emperor bodyguards or altruistic protectors.
It's possible I had misremembered the mechanic for Aid Another, thinking that AA to add an attack bonus required an attack roll vs. AC 10 against the target while AA to add to AC required an attack roll vs. AC 10 against the defender. I can't really say for sure about my thought process 3 years ago, but that could have been the root of the problem.
So, if you're looking for a suggestion to solve the problem, you could perhaps use a rewording of the benefit section of Bodyguard to read something like this.
A short option:
Benefit: When an adjacent ally is attacked, you may use an attack of opportunity to grant your ally a +2 bonus to AC, as if you had successfully used the aid another action.
or a longer option:
Benefit: When an adjacent ally is attacked, you may use an attack of opportunity to attempt the aid another action to improve your ally's AC. You do not need to threaten the attacker to use this action; you need only be adjacent to the target and make a successful attack roll against AC 10. You may not use the aid another action to improve your ally's attack roll with this attack.
I think either of those should convey the desired effect (that you *can* take a bullet or jump in front of a reach weapon or even a trap) for your home campaigns, though again if you're playing PFS or other RAW, you are out of luck, as I think by RAW the strict requirements of making an AoO would have to apply, and you could only use Bodyguard against a foe you threaten.
Combat Patrol
Clarified from the feat's developer:
- Yes, the feat requires you to give up your attacks now on the hope or expectation of getting them back as AoOs.
- So why would you do it?
- 1. If you want to have better average attack rolls. AoOs are at your highest attack bonus, so if you get more than one, you get to make each at your highest number, rather than using your normal iteratives.
- 2. If you want to interrupt spellcasting. Making attacks on your turn doesn't force concentration checks; attacking people mid-cast does.
- 3. If you want to screw with ranged attackers. If you AoO someone preparing a ranged attack, you can disarm or sunder their bow/crossbow (likely with no AoO, since they are using a ranged weapon, unless they have armor spikes or a natural weapon) and prevent their attacks.
- 4. If you want to block enemy movement. If you use Stand Still or trip or grapple to stop an enemy from moving through your area.
- The feat works like this:
- A. You can stand in one spot or take a 5-foot step and then activate the feat (full-round action). This expands your threatened area. If you normally have 10-foot reach, now you have 15-foot reach. If you quaff a quick enlarge person extract, now you have 20-foot reach; that, plus your own 10-foot square of size, lets you cover an area 50 feet across.
- B. Anytime someone does anything within 15 feet of you, you can use some of your movement (which you essentially 'saved up' from your turn) to move over and whack them. Your movement does provoke if you have to walk past bad guys, but you can move tactically to avoid their threat zones.
- C. Your threatened area moves with you.
- Conceptually, the feat works by playing on metagame expectations by players and DMs (and, logically, by the rational combat expectations IN-GAME from monsters who know how threatened areas work) because it lets you threaten areas that you're not supposed to be able to threaten. Spellcasters or archers will take a 5-foot step and cast/shoot, not expecting you to be able to react. Monsters will walk by outside what they think is your threatened area, not expecting that you'll be able to get in their way.
- At the same time, even if/when creatures notice your trick and start going around your area, then:
- 1. They don't know how big your area is. As your BAB goes up, your threatened area gets bigger and bigger. They have no way of knowing how far your reach extends, so now they're not sure where they can go to do their standard tactical tricks.
- 2. Players and DMs will often go to absurd lengths to avoid an AoO. This means that, if you are working in the mode of being a protector/defender of an area, or trying to keep squishier party members safe, bad guys who see you in action may start taking the LONG way around to get to other party members. Which is GOOD. That's a win for you; by simply projecting the perception of force and control of the battlefield, you are altering their actions and making them waste movement and/or combat turns maneuvering rather than running past you and whacking other party members.
- 3. All of the above, of course, assumes that they even *CAN* run around you. In a dungeon, they may have no choice but to suck it up and absorb the AoOs if they can't get out of your threatened area.
- So, in sum, is it useful to YOU?
- Maybe.
- It's something that gives you an added dimension of tactical versatility for situations when it's to your advantage to react to your opponents rather than charging up and bashing them. As a dwarf, you might get less mileage out of it (pun intended) because of your slower movement rate, but that's easily fixed with longstrider, expeditious retreat, haste, or anything else that bumps your move.
Elven Battle Training
This feat applies to all Elven sub-races, but to their specific weapon familiarity entries. In the case of the Wild Elves, this feat would apply to polearms and bows.
Furious Focus
This is not a house rule, more a clarification. Furious focus only works with the first PA attack you make each round. This means it does not apply to a haste attack, the second cleave attack, and so forth.
Shield Slam
Q: Do the bonuses from Improved Bull Rush and Greater Bull Rush, as well as any other bonuses that would be applied to the maneuver (Dwarf racial: Relentless +2), get subsequently added to that attack roll total to compare to the target's CMD to see if the maneuver takes effect?
A: From what we've read, this is allowable and part of the intended effect. Effects which normally would modify a bull rush (such as feats) apply to the roll substituted for the CMB bonus after the fact since it becomes a bull rush.
Shield Prof
Q: Does shield proficiency let you use a shield as a weapon?
A: Yes.
Breath of Life
The use of this spell is expanded somewhat to make it friendlier to a MUSH environment. It's now open to other divine casters, though at a slightly reduced effect. See the Magic page for adjustments.
Nobility Domain
Nobility's domain uses the Martyr subdomain as a replacement for Leadership.
Elemental Forms
Elementals don't have hands, so it's impossible to wield a weapon or wear armor when transformed into one. Casting as an elemental may be done with Natural Spell, though.
- Q: Is there a limit to how many summons I can have?
- A: We've always had a soft rule on summons. That is, be mindful of other players, turn times, and the ability of everyone to share the spotlight. If you're cutting into others' fun, it is time to summon fewer creatures.
- Summoning though, can extend turn times even then. It is also true that some folks prefer a harder rule rather than a soft one.
- With that in mind, we'll be experimenting with one active summoning spell at a time, per individual caster. Casting a different summoning spell would require ending the previous one.
- The intent of this is to streamline turns, and to make things go a little more smoothly for everyone.
- Q: Can I add additional monsters to the monster summoning tables?
- A: We follow the guidance of Paizo's developers in this regard. From James Jacobs:
- Nope. No chance. We didn't have room, or the time to go through and pick out balanced additions to the spell, nor do we want to set up the expectation that something like that will be in every Bestiary, plus some other boring reasons.
- We really just don't want to bloat the summon monster tables with too many choices, honestly. It's already kinda hard to choose a monster; making there be TOO many choices spread across TOO many books just leads to option paralysis in game and that's not good.
- In the end, we decided that these spells more or less needed to be self-contained. That mean that they had lists that referenced the main Bestiary and didn't go beyond that. This is mostly a balance issue (too many monsters on the list allow for too much specialization per encounter), but also a game-play issue (too many monsters on the list causes option paralysis and makes the simple choice of choosing a summoned monster a tough one) and a public relations issue (we try not to build parts of the game to be too dependent on non-core products).
Wish cannot be used to raise attributes directly. Instead, see our section on magic item tomes and attributes, above.
Learning New Spells
To learn a new spell, a wizard, artificer, witch, or other prepared caster must first acquire the scroll. Wizards and artificers must then then pay scribing costs as per the PRD, while witches must make a caster check (see witch page).
PC casters may sell scrolls to one another at whatever price they wish. This is seen as more realistic, as it's rare a PC or NPC would consider loaning out their livelihood...
War Golems and Rage
Our war golems have never been immune to the fatigue after rage. It's meant as a balancing feature after rage and rage powers.
Races with Spell-Like Abilities
If your race gives the option of "choose x number of 0-level spells" or something similar, please send in a +request to tell staff what you'd like. Unless you do this and it is noted on your +sheet, you are not considered to have these spells.
In addition, these SLAs do not qualify a PC for early entry into a PrC, a feat, or so on.
Diplomatic Combat and Skills Combat
Pathfinder doesn't provide rules for these, so we've adapted their performance combat rules. See what you think. You should be able to flex this in order to make any sort of skill event you desire.
Social Skills and PCs
Skills such as diplomacy, intimidate, and so on do not function between PCs. That is, PCs are heroes, and heroes follow different rules. On Tene, we take this to mean that players may roll for fun within agreed-upon social situations, but as a rule of thumb, these skills apply to NPCs only.
When using these skills with NPCs, remember to use common sense. That is, using intimidate on someone will likely result in them calling the Watch. While this is stated in the PRD, it bears repeating: what would you do if someone came up and threatened to hit you with a stick?
With skills such as diplomacy, also, it's important to remember that these skills are not instant-wins. While use of diplomacy may encourage NPCs' attitudes to shift, this is typically by one step either direction only. In addition, saying that "I have a +34 diplomacy, everyone loves me" ...is not something we wish to see. Diplomacy, like charisma, may represent many talents and skills after all. A PC does not need to be liked well to be persuasive.
Be aware also that DMs will often give an advantage, for example, to the Althean who roleplays speaking with his temple rather than the wizard who happened to put max diplomacy or perception ranks on a headband.
Finally, review your RPP spends. If you've an active membership in an area (this is a defined RPP spend), you're likely to receive a lower diplomacy DC, or uncover information more easily than someone who does not. This is doubly true if you have influence in that area. ...that is, investing within an area pays off. You "know your way around." Don't expect that as an outsider you'll automagically succeed just because you have the ranks. Naturally, it will be more difficult for you, as an outsider. This is not to say impossible, it's just more realistic.
Craft and Profession
Where and when applicable, these may be used as knowledge skills regarding applicable areas. For example, someone with Profession/Brewer might roll their skill to identify a number of different beers or wines, or to know the history of beer or wine within a specific area. Craft and Profession skills may also be earned via RPPs.
Miscellaneous Houserules
Inherit Bonuses to Attributes
Currently, we do not allow Wish to be used to raise ability scores. However, we do allow manuals to stack, up to the normal maximum of +5. This lets characters purchase, and enjoy the benefits of an attribute raise over time. For example:
- Narg the Barbarian picks up a Manual of Manual of Bodily Health +1. This raises Narg's Con score by 1. Later on, he picks up a Manual of Bodily Health +3 book. His total inherit bonus to Con is now 4. Still later, he picks up a Manual of Bodily Health +2 book. His total bonus is +5, as that is the maximum per attribute for inherit bonuses.
Damage Dice Progression Due to Size
We use the Paizo errata: Damage Dice Progression Chart.
Additional Combat Maneuvers
The following Combat Maneuvers and relating feats are approved from the APG: Dirty Trick, Drag, and Reposition. Steal, however, is not.
Burrow: A creature with a burrow speed can tunnel through dirt, but not through rock unless the descriptive text says otherwise. Creatures cannot charge or run while burrowing. Most burrowing creatures do not leave behind tunnels other creatures can use (either because the material they tunnel through fills in behind them or because they do not actually dislocate any material when burrowing); see the individual creature descriptions for details.
Missing Limbs
We use 4 Wind Fantasy Games' rules for the loss of a limb or body part. See: The Loss of a Body Part. These rules are included only to describe the mechanical effects of such a loss. We do allow prosthetics, which are an RPP Character Spend.
Mounted Combat
We use a selection of Dire Destiny's Mounted Combat Rules in place of those in the PRD. Not all of DD's rules are used; only those included on the wiki are currently used. These rules will be propagated to more areas of the site for easier reference (such as skills) as soon as Lahar finds the coffee.
The following questions have occurred, regarding mounted combat:
- Q: If my mount has flyby attack, can the rider attack as well? Or, if the rider has ride-by attack, can the mount attack as well? Or, if mount has flyby and rider has ride-by attack, can they both attack together?
- A: So long as your mount possesses feats that allow him or her to attack during that time, then they can attack an opponent within their reach. For example, if you had Ride by and your mount had Spring By, you're both trained to make that sort of mid-attack. Likewise, the rider would need the capability to attack during a certain time.
Touch Attacks and Weapon Finesse
Weapon finesse may benefit melee touch attacks, allowing the attack roll to be based on Dexterity rather than Strength.
Based on clarification from Paizo's developers, rend is additional damage added to someone's attack for the purposes of overcoming DR. It's only added once, though!
Stipends are a way for us to handle some forms of level-up. For example, a PC might spend 10 RPPs to begin play at Level 3 instead of Level 2. In a case like this, we award a stipend. Stipends appear as objects placed in a character's inventory. They specify a certain amount in gold pieces. In the previous example, it would say: 2000g stipend.
This is gold that the player may use to purchase items, spells, and so on by sending in a +request with what they'd like to buy.
Since it's given for the purpose of gaining a full level all at once, it may not be used with crafter, RPP, or other discounts.
If this were allowable, we'd need to halve the amount given. Or, award some people 60 percent of their stipend value because they're not a crafter, 50 percent if they were, but then we get to special materials, spells, and...no one wants to deal with this ever and it wouldn't be fair to everyone else.
To use a stipend, just use +request and let us know what you'd like to buy. 85% of a stipend must be spent.
Good and Evil, Law and Chaos
Sometimes, we get questions about this. Tenebrae operates in a "classic" fantasy sense that is different from today's more "gray tones" morality. That said, we do not usually make a very big fuss over alignment. The following is merely meant to explain that yes, evil is really Evil--not misunderstood, and that a Chaos descriptor on a spell really would mean it taps into something unusual.
Tenebrae exists in a world saturated with magic. When viewing its creatures, then, it requires something of a shift from traditional thinking. In such a world, creatures constructed of pure arcane are possible, and so it should come as no surprise that creatures may be formed from pure concept, as well.
Concepts such as good, evil, law, and chaos are tangible things in a realm of this type. In a world saturated, these elements take on near-living forms and influences. Magic can call upon and be influenced by the forces of chaos as equally as it may be the forces of good. And, so may living creatures may be "part law" as much as they are "part magic."
Evil, chaos, law, good are then tangible forces on their own. They influence the world around them. A creature that shows as Evil on detect evil really, truly IS Evil so far as the universe is concerned. It follows then, that not all creatures are redeemable on the modern sense--though a small few may be, and if they are it lies in the realm of epic taletelling.
This may appear to fly in the face of conventional ideas of "gray morality." Yet, it makes sense when we accept these concepts as actual elements within the setting. These elements are the result of "high fantasy" and are part of, and exist within, a world saturated in magic, concept, and the otherworldly.
It makes templates such as "anarchic" possible and even desired. So the lesson here is--enjoy it for what it is, and realize we are in a realm other than our own.
A second lesson conversely, is to not become too "wrapped up" in the interpretation of what is Law or what is Chaos, though they most certainly do exist. These by their nature will have varied definitions. In this way, "law" does not mean legality (it would mean that alignment changed at borders, which is silly), but can mean a variety of spectrum and desires for order, a wont to put the good of the whole before yourself, or other myriad interpretations. "Chaos" likewise does not need to mean personal freedom for everyone (which is often a US political slogan that folks get very passionate about), and could mean never trusting authority to the point of refusing to go to local police, a general stand against "the Man" or even an innate desire for instability. That is, while these are forces within the universe, they are also vast enough to encompass a great variety of interpretations, and strong enough to prevent them from being swayed towards any one particular definition.
This does not mean that it is okay for a good character to enslave another creature, for example--quite the opposite, in fact. It means however, that he or she may find different motivations for not doing so and that these reasons do not necessarily need to conform to another's, though they would conform to some basic sense of "what is good." Likewise, extreme examples such as slavery are seen as Evil by the universe--no gray areas within them. These examples should be easily recognizable to most players.
It also means that as staff, we are not here to police alignment debates or worry over the small bits. We will do so if we have to, but it is not very fun to do.
The Alignment Button
What Model do the Gods Use?
This comes up from time to time, not often but often enough that it deserves mention and an easy-enough place to reference or post to. As they are today, the deities and faiths in Emblem of Ea more resemble various forms of historical and fantasy paganism than they do say, Roman Catholicism. If a particular faith does resemble RC or other forms of Christianity in any way, it's because of local cultural influences and is by no means the norm or the intent of the game. A close look at the temples in Alexandria show them to be more often 'pagan' in influence, in fact, than the classic marble temple structure with vaulted ceilings. Clerics possess titles unique to their faith instead of "Mother" or "Father."
This means that:
- Worship methods vary widely, based on culture, race, subcultures, etc.
- Different orders and suborders are possible and encouraged.
- A god's core is the same across Ea, though the details change. This is similar to how there's been a 'god of war' or a 'god of the hunt' in multiple cultures all over the world. The details and methods of worship change, but there's a common, central theme or concept. Ea's deities were given 'common' concepts at their center so that this could play out.
- Assumptions we make about rl vows (poverty, celibacy, etc.) DO NOT apply unless it's local to that culture, suborder, etc. For example, a suborder of Veyshanti Korites could demand celibacy because they believe it makes their devotion to the arts of war more pure, based on some obscure teaching by an Ifrit-blooded general.
- The idea of 'one deity' is completely alien to Ea.
- Aethism is completely alien to Ea--the gods have visible, tangible effects in the world.
- Deities, as well as famous people and nobles, are fodder for colorful and even ribald stories of all kinds. This doesn't make deities any less respected; instead, these stories add color to the world and draw them in a relatable way to everyday life. For example, even Althea had problems with Gilead when the guy was in his Terrible Twos. However, when she made him apologize to his uncle Navos for 'the incident,' he probably undertook some Herculean task instead of being sent to his room. Because he's a god. And he's Epic.
Finally, while there are some universal values because Emblem of Ea, and DnD, are 'high fantasy' (slavery being evil, tropes such as pride causeth downfall are all pillars of Classic Fantasy) faiths and details will vary by culture, race, and so on.
All of this is just a lengthy way of saying that historical and fantasy paganism are a better model for Ea's gods--and don't hesitate to invent, create your own suborders, interpretations based on the theme around them.


text:
Monome is a brand name for boutique electronic instruments and controllers. Much of the hardware and software is open source. In 2013 the company released a limited edition of a sound computer called Aleph. Some lore I read said only 100 were built and there are auctions online for the thing.
I got lucky and a friend who performs as the name Daedelus had one in his studio. He handed it to me and said something like "this thing is really cool. It has a programming language and it's like a computer. you might like it." So now I have one.
The Aleph is really complicated. It took over a week for me to go through tutorials, read docs and experiment until I could do new things myself and get results I would expect. It's 100% open hardware and software. This is only an introduction, though I'll be featuring it in other articles and it's a fixture at the gnar working group at Noisebridge.
A key feature which sets this computer apart from, like a computer running Linux is the 8 analog audio ins and outs have no latency beyond the electrical limits of the DSP chip. This means that if a 1/4" cable is connected from output 1 to input 1, the signal will be delayed by one sample, which at 48000 samples per second equals 0.00002 seconds. Very complicated feedback networks with external gear connected by cables can be built and the signal processing is nbd.
There is no operating system. It's two main chips, an avr32 microcontroller and an Analog Devices Blackfin BF533 for DSP.
Here's a recording of me using the delay / filter network with a guitar and feedback.
The hardware meets and exceeds any commercially available audio interface. It includes
- 4 analog 1/4" audio out connectors
- 4 analog 1/4" audio in connectors
- Toggle switch for audio in 1/2 between line level and instrument level (guitars/mics)
- 2 electrical foot switch inputs
- Stereo headphone output
- 4 0-10v control voltage inputs with 3.5mm connectors
- 4 0-10v control voltage outputs with 3.5mm connectors
- 4 push button toggle switches
- 4 rotary encoders
- gain controls for headphones, input 1/2 and output 1/2
- USB host port for MIDI controllers
- USB device port for a serial debugging console on a computer
- and finally, a weird 3.5mm jack that speaks the I2C protocol for connecting electrical circuits
Monome has an official teardown
The software provides an interface to map any hardware I/O to any other parameter. The system which allows for this control is named Bees. It's not really a programming language but more of a signal processing graph configuration system. This is the abstract breakdown.
- Inputs are values you set to 16 bit numbers
- Outputs generate values and connect to Inputs
- Operators do things to values, exporting Inputs and Outputs
- Presets store Input values in registers (32 at the time of this writing)
- Modules make sound and export parameters to Inputs
- Scenes save a snapshot of all of the above into a named configuration stored on the SD card
The source code is available. The cross compile toolchain is straight forward to set up on macOS with Docker. As of this writing, there are three main branches. The master branch is for stable releases like if you bought the unit new. The dev branch which is what turnes into a new release. Then the skektek branch which is much different than the first two. I had little trouble building the skektek branch and loading it onto the unit. There's a script named
install.sh in the top level of the repo.
I'm looking forward to making more sounds with this thing. There's an active community on the Monome Lines forum.


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Deputy President slams corruption
South Africa's deputy president yesterday denounced government corruption in what was seen as a rebuke to President Jacob Zuma, who has faced calls for his resignation because of scandals and graft concerns.
"We now know, without any shred of uncertainty, that billions of rands of public resources have been diverted into the pockets of a few," Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
He added that corruption has damaged South Africa's economy, which recently entered recession for the first time in eight years.
Ramaphosa is a likely front-runner to replace Zuma, whose term continues until elections in 2019, but there are calls from within the ruling African National Congress party for him to quit earlier and allow the party to shore up support before the vote.
The deputy president also said a judicial enquiry should be established to investigate alleged wrongdoing and law-enforcement agencies must target those responsible for stealing state funds.
Ramaphosa spoke at a meeting of the South African Communist Party, a former backer of Zuma that barred him from addressing its conference.


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When, where: Tonight, 7:30 p.m., at The Horn in Suwanee.
Records, rankings: Centennial is 1-4 overall, 1-1 in Region 6-AAAAAA and unranked; Lambert is 2-3, 1-1 and unranked.
Series record: Centennial leads 1-0.
Last meeting: Centennial won 26-7 in 2012.
What to know: Lambert got the win it desperately needed against North Forsyth to keep its season afloat. The Longhorns must now prevent against a letdown as Centennial comes to town. The Knights are dreadful on defense, allowing a region-worst 43.4 points per game.
Lambert's offense is averaging a region-worst 14.8 points per game and will have an excellent opportunity to fix its woes. The Longhorns need quarterback Tucker Maxwell to limit turnovers and manage the game. Tailback Kameron Pickett must follow up his 92-yard rushing performance against North for Lambert to record its third win.


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Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Examples of the work I created when working for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland. Working as a temporary Marketing Officer promoting the events held on campus and performed by students across Scotland, I had the opportunity to develop and design the promotional material. Primarily creating posters and flyers, I also worked on creating a membership scheme and was asked to create advertising for industry publications for recruitment.


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Coming Clean with This Organic Girl
What prompted you to make the switch to using cleaner beauty products?
Which beauty product did you swap first?
Good question. Hmm. I really just went cold turkey when I realized my products were potentially compromising my health. Then I took my time discovering, trying, and finding new faves. I love wearing makeup but I also love not wearing makeup- so I had fun researching, learning, and enjoying the journey. I remember one of the first green beauty products I tried was W3LL PEOPLE'S Bio Brightener - my sister actually gave it to me as a gift and I still love it to this day!
"Being responsible for two little lives put a fire in my belly and a purpose in my soul."
Was beauty the first thing you switched when moving to a cleaner lifestyle?
What are some of your clean beauty staples?
What does your skincare routine look like?
What are you most excited to see in the future from clean beauty?
We are seeing a lot of brands mixing cutting-edge science and technology with naturals and getting results. I'm excited to see what comes next. I mean, we have come a long way from mixing beetroot powder with cacao butter and calling it a lipstick. Just this year, I've witnessed a plant-based retinol change my skin overnight. Or what about Hairprint that colors gray hair with just 8 food-grade ingredients? Or True Botanicals Clear line - a MADE SAFE certified skincare line that outperformed Proactiv in third-party clinical trials? I'm just excited in general to see what science will do next. It's truly exciting!
What advice would you give to someone wanting to transition to cleaner beauty products?
Baby steps. It's impossible to expect a full transition to cleaner products in a week, a month, or even longer. Honestly, I am years into this process and even to this day, I am still constantly looking for better swaps. For example, it took me forever to find a clean shampoo that worked for me. I would suggest starting with swapping out the products that stay on your skin all day like lotion, moisturizer, deodorant, foundation, sunscreen, lipstick, and lip balm. These have the potential to make the biggest health impact.
"It's impossible to expect a full transition to cleaner products in a week, a month, or even longer."
Photos by Monkey & Squirrel Photography, 2018


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Large Pores (1 Reviews)
Worth It Rating: 100%
- Loved It!: 100%
- Liked It: 0%
- Not Sure: 0%
- Don't Bother: 0%
An Overview
Treatments for Large Pores
Toners and astringents can temporarily reduce the size of your pores, but the best way to unclog your large pores is with a deep exfoliation. There are some "sure-fire" natural remedies for battling large pores and include anything from sugar scrubs to egg white masks. At-home exfoliation can help in some cases, and it certainly can't hurt. However, at the end of the day, there really is nothing better than medical grade spa treatments like Microdermabrasion, Photofacials, and Chemical Peels.
Microdermabrasion is a safe and proven method for treating minor skin damage. The treatment consists of an aluminum oxide spray that can erase blemishes and unclog pores. Your pores are teeming with oil and dead skin, the only way to really clean them out is with an intensive exfoliation. After your large pore Microdermabrasion, you'll actually be able to feel the difference on your face right away; you'll feel cleaner and 10 lbs. lighter.
IPL Photofacial is a light-based solution to help shrink your large pores. Retin-A and certain antibiotics can increase your body's natural skin healing, which can decrease pore size. Photofacial works for pores in a similar manner, intense pulsed light harmlessly permeates through your skin and promotes new collagen growth. Your body then uses this collagen to heal itself and reduce large pores. The great part about Photofacial is a treatment can continue helping your skin for up to six months after it's performed.
Chemical Peels - A good peel can offer your pores a deeper level of exfoliation than Microdermabrasion. As your clogged pores and dead skin are pulled away, healthier skin is encouraged to grow back in its place. While, recovery is more intensive than a Microdermabrasion, the results can be even greater. You can generally expect younger, softer skin from a Chemical Peel with noticeably smaller pores. Many spas offer a Mircopeel, which is a combination of Microdermabrasion with a Chemical Peel. A Microdermabrasion before a Chemical Peel allows for deeper penetration of the product into your pores.
More about Large Pores
Large pores are for the most part genetic. If either one of your parents had large pores then most likely, so will you. However, your pores are probably not really as large as you think they are, and with a suitable skincare regimen you can minimize your large pores right away. The first step in any large pore treatment is a little TLC; you simply have to treat your skin right.
Your pores contain your hair follicles and sweat glands, so you can imagine that they become clogged very easily. The best way to shrink large pores is to make sure they're clean. If they're blocked with oil, your pores will seem enlarged. Wash your face twice a day with a pore-refining cleanser. Oil causes larger pores, so remember to pay careful attention to your "T-zone" (your chin, nose, and forehead). A prescription for Retin-A can not only clear your skin, but also reduce your pore size. Check with a dermatologist to see if this topical treatment is right for you.
Large Pores Reviews:
Would Recommend American Laser To Anybody
Frequently Asked Questions
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For Seattle residents serious about anti-aging treatments and long term skin rejuvenation, there are a number of excellent Seattle Photofacial providers offering impressive results for a fair price.


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How to Choose and create your Domain Name?
Whether you are an individual or an organization, take your time in choosing and buying your domain name because it will represent you on the Internet.
- In your analysis, consider the perception of your correspondents and the meaning of the name you select
- Make sure the domain name you have chosen complies with the Afnic Naming Policy and with the rights of third parties
On your communication media (business cards, brochures, etc.), your domain name also plays an important role in associating the ideas of modernity and openness conveyed by the Internet with your image. A domain name is not just the translation of an IP address in a string of characters that is easy to remember. It is also the first form of contact with your correspondents. Whether you use your family name, business name or a combination of keywords, a domain name is necessarily meaningful and helps to highlight an idea or an identity.
You should therefore ensure that your correspondents understand the same meaning as you, especially if you plan to use your domain name internationally. Finally, and especially if your search for a domain name is part of a corporate strategy, also remember the various syntactic possibilities, to counter data entry errors and avoid diversions of trade.
Before Registering Your Domain Name
As a minimum precaution, it is recommended to register the chosen domain name with the ccTLD of the target country (a .fr domain name for France) and the .com gTLD. It is also important to immediately ensure that the domain name you have chosen is available, by consulting our domain name availibilty check tool. Remember that a domain name is unique within a namespace (such as the .fr TLD) and is attributed to the first individual or entity that requests it and meets the eligibility criteria.
However, the chosen domain name must not infringe the rights of other persons, companies, or institutions. This may be the case if the chosen name is confusing with respect to a domain name already assigned, the surname of a person, or a brand name. Adding a key word is often enough to remove the ambiguity. These checks will also allow you to make sure your domain name will help you be clearly visible on the Internet.
Caution: Terms Subject To Prior Review
The namespaces managed by Afnic also include the terms subject to prior review, which you can see listed on our site.
An application to register a domain name containing a reserved term must be substantiated. Afnic may be led to refuse the application if there is evidence to prove the term will be used in bad faith, and/or there is no legitimate interest in registering it.
Registering Your Domain Name
Any individual residing in, and any corporate entity having their registered or main office in the territory of a Member of the European Union, or in the territory of the following countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, may register a domain name for a limited period, subject to accept the terms of the Afnic Naming Policy. A domain name may be filed in order to associate web resources with it (known as an "activated domain") or simply to safeguard its use by third parties.
Where to buy domain names?
In all cases, the domain name creation request is done through a registrar.
Afnic does not receive applications directy. Once transmitted by the registrar of your choice, the request to create a domain name in .fr, .pm, re, .tf, .wf or .yt is processed by Afnic as quickly as possible.


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Don't expect to see Hollywood star Christian Bale in Ridley Scott's upcoming picture, Child 44.
Scott Free Productions and director Daniel Espinosa have confirmed with the TheWrap.com that Bale met with the filmmakers this week to officially turn down the project. Lionsgate/Summit are also no longer involved in the film.
Writer Richard price is on board to write the script based on British novelist Tom Rob Smith's book of the same name.
TheWrap.com describes the movie:
Set in the 1950s, the story revolves around a member of the Soviet military police, investigating a series of nasty child murders. He becomes the target of his government's suspicion and paranoia.
At the center of the story is Leo Demidov, a disgraced lawyer in the Stalin-era Soviet Union who is assigned to investigate the murders. The book is based on the true story of the Ukrainian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who was executed for 52 murders.
The first publication in a trilogy exploring the impact of Stalin on the Soviet Union, the book was first picked up by Fox and Ridley Scott was once attached to direct.


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Since July 31, 21 children in China have drowned, sounding the alarm for the government to fully commit to improving children's safety and preventing similar incidents from happening in the future.
The latest accident occurred in central China's Hunan Province on Thursday, when five students at a local junior high school drowned while swimming in a reservoir in Wentang Township.
Drowning is one of the major causes of death among children in China. Figures from the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) show that drowning caused 57 percent of the total accidental deaths among children under the age of 14 in 2011.
Rural-urban disparities in these statistics are notable, as 83 percent of the drowned children were from rural areas, or four times the amount of urban drowning victims, according to the ACWF.
Many of the children who have drowned were "left-behind children" whose migrant worker parents left them with friends or relatives so they could find work in cities far from home.
An apparent lack of adult supervision and safety awareness contributed to the children's deaths, but the root of the problem lies in the uneven distribution of social resources, especially educational resources, between urban and rural areas.
During the summer, children living in cities have access to swimming pools and other recreational facilities. Various summer camps, training courses and other activities greatly enrich their vacation time as well.
However, children from rural regions don't have access to many of these facilities and activities. For them, swimming or fishing in ponds and rivers is a great treat.
Local governments should adopt stricter regulation measures, including setting up warning signs by rivers, ponds and reservoirs, and dispatching patrol and rescue teams to keep rural children out of rivers and ponds and to rescue those in danger of drowning.
To raise safety awareness among rural children and their parents or guardians, it is also necessary to spread safety education via community events, TV alerts or radio broadcasts.
Schools, volunteer organizations and communities should be fully mobilized to form a network to warn children about risks and teach them how to stay safe.
The government could also purchase services from non-governmental rescue organizations to expand public participation in protecting rural children.
In the long run, local governments have their work cut out for them in terms of preventing tragedies similar to those seen throughout this summer and ensuring that rural children can stay safe while they have fun.
To start with, local governments need to invest more in building swimming pools, gymnasiums as well as other sports and entertainment facilities in rural areas, and grant children easy access.
Relevant government agencies should also initiate or encourage more summer activities like art and music lessons to engage rural kids.


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June 16:
A couple weeks ago I led a small group of Connecticut Audubon Society members on a birding trip to Baxter State Park. We departed Connecticut on the morning of the 16th and headed north. To break up the drive we stopped at Kennebunk Plains for some grassland birding. Despite our arrival during the heat of the early afternoon, there were still birds to be seen. VESPER SPARROWS were conspicuous, some carrying food. BOBOLINKS and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were actively singing. After hearing a few GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, we finally spotted a singing bird that teed-up nicely for us. A flyby UPLAND SANDPIPER was gratifying. We did not see or hear any sign of the few Clay-colored Sparrows that had been reported here, but the time of day was likely to blame more than anything.
Night at Big Moose Inn.
June 17:
We started this day with our first try for Spruce Grouse. The park does not open until 6am (they open at 5am beginning in late June), so we arrived at the gate for opening and headed straight for the thickest boreal habitat along the Tote Road. It's about a 20-mile drive on a narrow, dirt road to the best boreal birding, so we didn't arrive until around 7am.
It didn't take us more than 15 minutes of driving slowly through the appropriate habitat to spot a male SPRUCE GROUSE a few yards off the road (nice spotting Marie!). The group enjoyed some really nice views of this bird as it walked slowly through the dark shadows of the thick spruce-fir forest. What a cool bird. Too easy!
With the toughie out of the way, we park the van and spent the next couple hours walking and birding along the same stretch of road in search of other boreal residents and breeders. BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS were fairly common and the males were quite vocal this morning. They played hard-to-get for a while but we eventually secured scope views (!) of one cooperative singing male.
A small flock of GRAY JAYS passed through to our delight. After a few more minutes we heard a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER calling from off the road, but it just did not want to show itself. No worries though, as it wasn't the last time we would have a shot at this bird. A little while later we were taunted by another (or the same) calling BBWO, still not in view. We then had a couple birds calling excitedly, one of which briefly perched high in a tree right along the road! Morris Finkelstein was able to grab a few photos, which I have posted below. Thanks to Morris for allowing me to post a few of his photos in this report.
The boreal birds kept on coming. We had multiple YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS, FOX SPARROWS, WINTER WRENS, both KINGLETS, BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, SWAINSON'S THRUSHES and a singing LINCOLN'S SPARROW. More common warblers included MAGNOLIA, NASHVILLE, and CANADA.
We were about ready to leave the area when a vocal BOREAL CHICKADEE appeared seemingly out of nowhere right next to the van. We had great looks at this bird that was very responsive to 'pishing.'
This stretch of boreal forest is just spectacular and worth the visit to the park by itself. If you're looking for Spruce Grouse, this is the place to go.
We headed south a bit to the Nesowadnehunk Campground for a look around. The best bird was a singing TENNESSEE WARBLER, but we weren't able to get a look. The warbler list continued to climb as we added NORTHERN PARULA and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. Nice looks at a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and ALDER FLYCATCHER were new for the day.
After a picnic lunch we continued to bird our way south along the Tote Road, heading back in the direction of the southern entrance gate. Miscellaneous stops at ponds and streams yielded RING-NECKED DUCKS, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and HOODED MERGANSER.
After reaching the entrance gate we turned to the northeast and headed toward our destination for the afternoon: Sandy Stream Pond. Known for its moose sightings, we were hoping for a sighting of this unique ungulate.
En route we had two RUFFED GROUSE cross the road at different spots, providing great opportunities to compare them to the SPRUCE GROUSE that was still fresh in our minds.
We took the short hike to Sandy Stream Pond where two MOOSE were waiting for us, a young bull and an older cow, chomping away on aquatic vegetation. They seemed largely oblivious to our presence, allowing confiding views.
On our walk back to the parking lot we had our most cooperative BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER of the day.
It was back to Big Moose Inn for a fine dinner, drinks, and a good night's rest. On the way back, this curious RED FOX was intrigued by the big gray van from Connecticut.
June 18:
We awoke to overcast skies and a fine mist in the air. Determined to make the most of it, we headed back into the park and toward the Roaring Brook Campground parking lot, the park's best location for breeding Philadelphia Vireo. Unfortunately we arrived to a rain and were unable to get any decent views of the singing vireos.
We pressed on, returning to Sandy Stream Pond to check for more Moose. No Moose this morning, but a hen COMMON GOLDENEYE and her six very small chicks entertained us. The weather seemed to be improving and I suggested we continue on a 2.5 mile loop trail. Bad call, Nick! Over a mile into the trail all was going well when the skies opened up. This steady pouring rain was not brief...it lasted for quite some time. The walkable trail quickly turned muddy, and the ample rocks and tree roots were as slippery as could be. We were already halfway around the loop and decided to press onward. How bad could it get??
Well, it got worse. More rain, more slippery rocks, and...a rushing stream that could only be crossed by wading up to your knees! Hey, that wasn't part of the trail description! I admit my heart was in my throat a few times, hoping that we would get through this without a major orthopedic injury! Luckily the group persevered, kept their chins up, and forded the stream successfully. We were all relieved when we arrived back at the parking lot after our little adventure.
As for birds along that whole stretch? It was tough to hear anything over the sound of steadily falling rain.
At this point we were cold, wet, and tired. We drove back to the Inn for lunch. En route, as if my blood pressure wasn't high enough already, a moose decided to cross the road right in front of the van. A narrow miss!
After hot showers and a relaxing lunch, the skies began to clear mid-afternoon (as Tom predicted, nearly to the minute!) . We were eager to get back outdoors, so we targeted some birding along the Golden Road that runs outside the southern end of the park. There are some great pockets of habitat along this road, and good birds to boot. Here we enjoyed nice looks at PINE WARBLERS and deciduous breeders like AMERICAN REDSTART and OVENBIRD. We watched an EASTERN KINGBIRD building a nest in the stump of an old dead tree. The trip's only PALM WARBLER was singing here, and one shrubby marsh held two singing WILSON'S WARBLERS that finally showed themselves after a good deal of patience.
Tonight we headed into Millinocket for dinner, after which a few of us decided to head back to the Golden Road for some birding after dark. We were hoping for owls, but they were silent tonight. On this still evening we enjoyed calling WHIP-POOR-WILLS and yodeling COMMON LOONS, which were just barely audible over the raucous amphibians.
Night at Big Moose Inn.
June 19:
Today was our last day in Maine, as we would be back in CT before dark. Not without some birding, though.
I had trouble sleeping and decided to head out for some sunrise scouting along the Golden Road. I located a cooperative pair of OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and got on another BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, this one a male. Yet another MOOSE was feeding at a roadside lake.
After breakfast with the group, we headed back out to see the OS Fly's I had found earlier. The pair did not disappoint, and everyone enjoyed killer scope views. Another family of GRAY JAYS passed through.
Further up the road we stopped at one of the many lakes and ponds, this one with a fair amount of open marshy habitat. We were treated to a pumping AMERICAN BITTERN which we eventually spotted sky-pointing between rounds of gulping air. Yet further up the road we were treated to a trio of flybys: a pair of adult BALD EAGLES, a particularly aggressive PILEATED WOODPECKER, and several CLIFF SWALLOWS going to and from their nests under a bridge.
Eventually we pulled ourselves away from the birding and began our trip back home. The skies cleared further and the wind really picked up. We made a short vigil for Cape May Warbler at a reliable location, but it was nearly noon by the time we arrived and the breeze was really keeping the passerines quiet.
Finally, before we left the state of Maine we made a detour to Messalonskee Lake to view the BLACK TERN colony there. Our high count was five birds in view at one time from the southern boat ramp.
From here it was back to Connecticut, after tallying 105 bird species as a group over those few days.
I hope to lead this trip again in the future, possibly as soon as next summer. If I had to make changes to the itinerary, I would add another full day of birding the Baxter area, as we were still finding plenty of new birds up until the second we left. Alternatively, we could make this a week-long trip that includes a couple days in the Bar Harbor area to enjoy the coastal birding scene, including a bird and whale-watching trip offshore for marine mammals and puffins. Either way, I can't wait to get back up there!
Oh, did I neglect to mention black flies? Yeah, there were a few of those...
- Nick
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Maine (Baxter) Trip Report: June 16-19, 2011
Posted by Nick Bonomo at 7:39 PM
Labels: Maine 2011
2 comments:
Hey Nick, thanks for checking out my blog - I'd fallen off the birding bandwagon for a bit with all the moving I've done recently, but I'm back in So Cal and glad to have free time to get out birding again. I am SO jealous of your moose sightings. The entire time I was in school in Vermont I was looking for a moose. Alas, it was not in the cards, but from everything I've head about their tempers maybe that's for the best. Anyhow, great blog!ReplyDelete
So cool! looks like you had a great trip! I might have to make my way to the east coast sometime. I love the landscape in your photos, and of course the moose! :)ReplyDelete
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