2024 W : Weapons

 

There is only one topic that first the challenge letter -- "Weapons." Although my interest in military weaponry originally pertained to re-enactments or my coverage of militaria for collector's magazines and antique trade publications as a correspondent, the information has proven useful in my writing. It may only be swords and bows rather than tanks and jeeps, but they are still weapons.

From Imprisoned in Stone, a sparring session that takes on a uglier tone when jealousy enters the competition.

Gareth’s lips tweaked in a smile. I might not be able to have Maerva, but I am under no compulsion to make it easy for Colwynn. Stooping down, he rose in fluid motion with a sword in his hand. He tipped the blade in salute, first to Tralin and then Colwynn. Three strides and he stood in the middle of the room. His muscles rippled from the weight of the blade as he twirled it through a series of one-handed figure eights.

All motion stopped, turning him into a grim-faced statue. Light glinted off the hilt that now hovered at shoulder height. The steel shaft pointed on a straight line to Colwynn’s head. “Your move, my friend,” Gareth said.

Colwynn rushed. His sword struck Gareth’s block. Again and again, the two men sparred. The sound of metal against metal mingled with the grunt of men. With each attack and counter, the fight grew more vicious. Gareth used his heavier weight to force Colwynn back. When the next blow landed, the flat of the blade struck bone not metal.

In contrast, from Fire and Redemption, the site of a duel to determine Brial's fate. Instead of a room magically turned into an arena, circle eight was a real site. You know when you have reached the traditional place where friendly competitions were held during the clans gathering by the marker tree with the face of an ancient watcher carved into it.

Having set as much contingency protection in place as she could, Brial scanned the area. It hasn’t changed much since the last time I was here, she thought. The grass is trimmed. The archery targets are set up, bows and quivers of arrows hang from stands just inside the grassy area, and the cairns that mark the shooting distances are neatly stacked in their places. The one difference chilled her soul. It looked like someone had decorated the tree stumps and rock benches with glittering steel. Every type of bladed weapon from throwing daggers to axes, and short swords to great ones half as tall as a man awaited their summons to the competition. Her gaze shifted from the spears and halberds to settle on the matching sets of quivers full of arrows and the decorated bows that leaned against them.

“Karst is no weaponsmith, knows nothing about the battle axes of the northmen, nor the pikes favored by eastern fighters,” she whispered. Her resolution hardened. Deheoul will not leave the field alive. Neither tradition nor my kin will prevent me from having my revenge if Karst falls.

~till next time, Helen

If intrigued and want more excerpts or a free read of the first chapter of Imprisoned in Stone or Fire and Redemption, click on the cover in the banner.

 

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2024 V : Volcano's I Have Known

 

As a young girl, I lived for a period of time I lived on the island of Luzon in the Philippines in a compound just outside what was at the time known as Clark Air Force Base. It wasn't significant to me at the time but Clark was just 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) east of Mount Pinatubo. Pinatubo is most notorious for its June 15, 1991, eruption, the second-largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century after the 1912 eruption of Novarupta in Alaska. Complicating the eruption was the arrival of Typhoon Yunya, bringing a lethal mix of ash and rain to towns and cities surrounding the volcano.volcano. We left the area in 1967 so we were not affected by the eruption. However, many years later while watching a documentary on various volcanic eruptions I watched Pinatubo blow her stack. And was quite grateful not to be part of Operation Fiery Vigil.

 

Mt. Pinatubo caldera.
Image by CuriosityDrivesTheCat.
Courtesy of Pixabay.

Volcanoes also appeared in both the Dragshi Chronicles and the Tear Stone Collectors. Mount Tagachim is mentioned in 2024 T : Tagachim. The volcano in the Tear Stone Collectors is unnamed, just known as the fiery lair of the Goddess. You can discover it here as Trelleir, who has spent time warming himself on a ledge above the bubbling lava pool, recounts his impressions.

~till next time, Helen

 

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 Fire and Amulet

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2024 U : Unearthing #mfrwhooks

 

"U" is for "unearthing." In writing, unearthing a future event can be done by foreshadowing. Unearthing a character's past can be the use of backstory. In the real world , if lucky enough to participate in an archaeological dig, you can literally unearth the past in the form of fossils, lost artifacts, and abandoned structures.

Since the official theme for the challenge is "books, writing craft, and the writing life with some personal thoughts sprinkled in," this post is a diversion from books to a more personal insight. I have been fortunate enough over the years to be part of several archaeological digs.

Hunting in the cool waters of a tree-shaded creek on a hot day rewarded you with fossilized shark teeth. Items found on a Revolutionary War battlefield using the Bag-tag-and-flag techniques contributed to the history of the site. Horseshoes and hard-forged hinges were unearthed on my family's farm. Finding and recovering coins of the various ages may not be of high financial value due to their decades buried beneath the grass, but the memory was as precious as the antique buttons found.

If you have followed my blog for any period of time, you might remember I have also visited the dark side and written non-fiction. As part of my work in the museum field, besides the above, I have been involved in traditional trowel and sift archaeological research including a survey dig at a colonial-era home. Now to set the stage, a survey dig does not uncover the entire site. Open squares are separated by untouched earth to allow future researchers access to undisturbed ground. The reason for this is important because sticking out of the wall of one of the areas being dug was a decorated piece of porcelain. The urge to remove it was strong so there would be a displayable artifact. "No one will know."

Various excuses swirled in our mind. "It is sticking out so we are not really removing it." As to whether just the handle and side of the cup was photographed in situ, or whether a more computer image taken and the piece then returned to its hiding spot? "No comment." I will say if you dig in the backyard, three squares down, six squares over, using the tree as the starting point the item is still there.

~till next time, Helen

 

 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

Since it's Wednesday, this post is doing double duty. The rest of the Book Hooks hop is at http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com