It turns out that in Ireland, there is this series of Cairns in a place called the Mountains of the Witch (Celeste?). Here is a picture of the entrance of one of them:
http://www.carrowkeel.com/sites/loughcrew/jpegs/cairnf.jpeg
Look familiar? Well, close by is a standing stone called the *Whispering* Stone.
Not too far away is another hill called Cairns Hill; sound like Cairn Hills to you, too?
On top of all of this, in some of these cairns, iron and stone balls have been found--iron balls trap, anyone?
;-)
It turns out that in Ireland, there is this series of Cairns in a place called the Mountains of the Witch (Celeste?). Here is a picture of the entrance of one of them:
http://www.carrowkeel.com/sites/loughcrew/jpegs/cairnf.jpeg
Look familiar? Well, close by is a standing stone called the *Whispering* Stone.
Not too far away is another hill called Cairns Hill; sound like Cairn Hills to you, too?
On top of all of this, in some of these cairns, iron and stone balls have been found--iron balls trap, anyone?
;-)
The Cairn Hills is a location in Greyhawk and has been for tens of years. They have been around long before the Age of Worms AP.
That's a cool site, good resource for pics that I can show teh players!
I was in the UK in april, and spent most of the time driving around old castles, cairns, iron age hill forts, etc. It's one thing america really lacks. 1000s of years of civilization. Sure, there's a few sites here and there, but the sheer proliferation of sites in the UK is incredible.
*small digression*
Ah, but the big secret is, in U.S. there are thousands of ancient structures out there which are just as old, the Anasazi, but their ruins are in remote and mostly unihabitable locations (deserts, cliffsides, and unreachable canyons) so they don't get much notoriety (aside from a few isolated tourist hotspots like Mesa Verde). For example, I go vacation on Lake Powell Utah every summer and I discover more new Anasazi ruins in hard-to-reach canyons every time (Lake Powell is a virtually endless place; it's 186 miles long, with 2000 miles of shoreline, with thousands of side-branching canyons!). The Anasazi culture started developing 3000 years ago, and their peak building period was from 1 AD to 1300 AD. Some of their gravity-defying cliffside dwellings are amazing (amazingly scary to climb to, or even to stand in!). The Anasazi ruins can be found all over a wide geographical area including Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado.
The castles in Europe are definately more artistic though, and definately more interesting. I'd prefer a castle over a maze-like mesa ruin anyday. :)
Forget the Cairns! What's the inspiration for Diamond Lake?
Two HBO shows that I have never seen (due to a lack of cable) spring to mind: Carnivale and Deadwood. If they are serving as inspiration, I'll have to rent them.
... It's one thing america really lacks. 1000s of years of civilization...
Some may disagree -- Mayans, Incans, Aztec, etc. Some left spectacular remains, others left virtually nothing. I suspect competitive, warlike cultures tended to leave behind sturdy, long-lasting buildings and fortresses.
You're right though, the sheer volume of cool structures left behind in Britain at all levels is awe-inspiring :)
Jack
Forget the Cairns! What's the inspiration for Diamond Lake?
Two HBO shows that I have never seen (due to a lack of cable) spring to mind: Carnivale and Deadwood. If they are serving as inspiration, I'll have to rent them.
Go...rent them now...those shows are both awesome. Totally bummed that Carnivale got cancelled. Incredible characters and great writing.
Deadwood is the inspiration for my game's Diamond Lake. Still planning on having a scene with two people grappling and falling off the Emporium's balcony while the coach rides in. One looks up while holding a knife over his foe.
"Welcome to Diamond Lake!"
Carnivale was a cool show. I met a pair of identical twin sisters recently here in Seattle that used to appear in it.
Creative Director
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*small digression*
Ah, but the big secret is, in U.S. there are thousands of ancient structures out there which are just as old, the Anasazi, but their ruins are in remote and mostly unihabitable locations (deserts, cliffsides, and unreachable canyons) so they don't get much notoriety (aside from a few isolated tourist hotspots like Mesa Verde).
Interesting you should mention the Anasazi, LeapingShark... You'll see why in one of the later installments of Age of Worms...
Totally bummed that Carnivale got cancelled. Incredible characters and great writing.
Wait? When did that happen? After the season finale and the cliff-hanger they decided to CANCEL IT? That was my favorite TV show... sigh. Any links to the news of the cancellation?
Totally bummed that Carnivale got cancelled. Incredible characters and great writing.Wait? When did that happen? After the season finale and the cliff-hanger they decided to CANCEL IT? That was my favorite TV show... sigh. Any links to the news of the cancellation?
http://www.hbo.com/carnivale/news/index.shtml
5.11.2005 | Carnivale Comes to a Close:
After a two-season (24 episode) run, HBO has decided not to renew its Emmy®-winning Depression-era drama, Carnivale . As Carolyn Strauss said, "We have decided not to renew Carnivale. We feel the two seasons we had on the air told the story very well and we're proud of what everyone associated with the show has accomplished."
Garnering widespread critical praise, Carnivale contributed to HBO's 32 Primetime Emmy® Award wins in 2004, landing 5 awards out of 7 nominations. The wins include trophies for Outstanding Cinematography and Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series, ending the series on a high note.
Its too bad. Daniel Knauf (the creator of the show) signed up with Showtime for a new series though... not sure what it will be.
Totally bummed that Carnivale got cancelled. Incredible characters and great writing.Wait? When did that happen? After the season finale and the cliff-hanger they decided to CANCEL IT? That was my favorite TV show... sigh. Any links to the news of the cancellation?http://www.hbo.com/carnivale/news/index.shtml
5.11.2005 | Carnivale Comes to a Close:
After a two-season (24 episode) run, HBO has decided not to renew its Emmy®-winning Depression-era drama, Carnivale . As Carolyn Strauss said, "We have decided not to renew Carnivale. We feel the two seasons we had on the air told the story very well and we're proud of what everyone associated with the show has accomplished."
Garnering widespread critical praise, Carnivale contributed to HBO's 32 Primetime Emmy® Award wins in 2004, landing 5 awards out of 7 nominations. The wins include trophies for Outstanding Cinematography and Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series, ending the series on a high note.
Its too bad. Daniel Knauf (the creator of the show) signed up with Showtime for a new series though... not sure what it will be.
Pardon me while I do a Vader - NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Ah well, that show was the inspiration for a Mutants & Masterminds campaign as well as more than a few D&D scenarios. Sigh, and this was when Samson had just beat out Tyrion Lannister for the "Coolest Small-Person Ever Award."
To get back onto the topic of this thread - There are a couple of things I got inspiration from in the Emerald Isle for D&D. One of them was New Grange, a very cool cairn/underground stonehenge of sorts and Glendalough, a monastic valley with very fantasy looking scenery - ruined towers and abbeys surrounding a placid lake in an idyllic valley, complete with sheep.
Some example photos:
Glendalough - http://www.avelin.hitsplc.com/IMAGES/Glendalough%20general.JPG
New Grange - http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm
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I spent a few months travelling the Rockies, in and around Idaho and Montana. You can find some amazing things here in our own backyard. Cities like Elk City and Dixie in Idaho are really impressive, in that they look like they havent changed in 100 years. The SAlmon river is impressive, as are the small, still dirt, in some cases, roads, winding through the mountains. We were in a Jeep, and being topless, the Jeep, not my girlfriend, was espescially cool.
As far as it goes, the reason those extra rocks are up there is the BIG CAIRN, is that everyone who visits it is supposed to take one up. You put your rock on the cairn after you make the climb.
It's supposedly the site where Queen Maeve is buried (enemy of Cu Chulain in the Tain). You are taking the rocks up there to ADD to the cairn. The locals don't want Maeve to get out of her tomb...
Anyways, all that aside, the "cemetary" is very likely to be about as old as Newgrange. Meaning very old. Older than pyramids in Egypt old.
I knew all that time in college was good for something.
I believe the "Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe was an influence on the module. Firstly, because of the seven different colored rooms and secondly because of the Red Death plague that killed some of Land's family.
