Well-Preserved Mummies Discovered in the Valley of the Kings

Over on Archaeology.org, there is a new article this week titled "Well-Preserved Mummies Discovered in the Valley of the Kings." Read more here!

Inside your Instrument

There is a neat, old pictorial on BoredPanda.org with shots taken from inside some musical instruments that have me thinking about some bardic adventure ideas.  See more here!

Major Landmarks In The History Of Dark Fantasy

A recent article on io9.com highlights "Major Landmarks In The History Of Dark Fantasy."  See if you agree with their choices here!

Emboldened NASA Chief Charles Bolden

A recent article on Space.com highlights a vision of the future espoused by NASA chief Charles Bolden Read more here!

Ballygraney Portal Tomb

Over on the Historic Sites of Ireland blog, there are some nifty photos and a bit of info on the "Ballygraney Portal Tomb."  See more here!

Erik the Holy's Coffin Opened

Over on The Local website, Sweden's News in English, there is a brief article heralding the Swedes have opened the 850-year-old coffin of a king. See more here!

Definite Aquascape TV

Over on the Definite Aquascape TV You Tube channel, there is a series of videos (with pleasant music) showing how some folks landscaped with water elements in aquariums.  It's all very beautiful but the second half of the second video includes some footage of a dragon turtle or sea dragon with an island on his back above the waterline.  I've only watched the first two as of this posting, and have linked the first five down below, but there are a lot more of them on the channel.  Enjoy!

River Splits the USA

Over on Gizmodo.com there is a recent article called "This creek divides the US connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans." See more here!

Time and Clocks in the Middle Ages by Elizabeth York Enstam

Over on the Medievalists.net website, they recently featured an article titled "Time and Clocks in the Middle Ages: by Elizabeth York Enstam that was originally published in the Richardian Register Vol XXXVII No 1 Spring 2007, a publication from the Richard III Society. See more here and here!

Sharks Are More Evolved

A recent article on the National Geographic website explains "Fossils Suggest Modern Sharks Are More Evolved Than Previously Thought." Now, this doesn't mean they found land-sharks, yet, but it is interesting what differences can be found once fossils are uncovered and examined. Read more here!

Secrets of the Viking Hoard - 360-degree Interactive

Over on The Guardian website, they pointed us toward a "Secrets of the Viking hoard - 360-degree interactive." See more here!

Scientists Find New Species of Blood-Sucking 'Dracula Ants'

A recent article over on FearNet.com states that "Scientists Find New Species of Blood-Sucking 'Dracula Ants.'" See more here!

Siege Warfare During the Crusades

Over on the Medievalists.netwebsite, they recently featured a re-published paper on "Siege warfare during the Crusades." See more here!

Re-Imagined Alignments

This might be the single funniest take on alignment I have seen in 40 years of RPGing.  (Warning: Some adult language included)  See more here!

Downton Roman Mosaic Showing

According to the westerndailypress.co.uk wesite, "Downton Roman mosaic on show after 1,700 years under Wiltshire' soil." See more here!

Blood Moon

Last night was one of those wonderful celestial events known colloquially as a Blood Moon.  Over the next year and a half, beginning with last night, four total eclipses will happen in sequence, known as a tetrad.  Read more here!

On a related note, I've once again uploaded the Toeffrun Creation Myth offering to RPGNow. com, and related sites.  It's a fine pantheon product originally created for Era 3.XE but which is quite useful to any Medieval Fantasy setting and easily adapted to any system (very little of it is system-dependent).  Check that out here!  I mention it because one of my favorite deities from the pantheon is Nekrem.  In my own setting, those who know of Nekrem and wish to ward off the danger a Blood Moon can bring on hold up their thumb and index finger in a circle on front of their eye, look toward the Blood Moon and utter, "Her Eye, the Moon" three times.  A superstition, no doubt, but why take chances? -

Nekrem - Mistress of Death Neutral Evil is the alignment of Nekrem, though she has followers of all the evil alignments and even some who may merely cross the line occasionally. Those brief glimpses into the darkness can be the undoing of a person, but greed and other motivations have a way of making some people rationalize their behavior. Most often celebrations and rituals in her name occur only at night or in the dark places where most mortals fear to tread. Oddly, there are annual rituals held by those of other religious beliefs, in the dead of winter, which are performed by those who hope to placate her and bring a speedy spring. Weapons favored by the followers of Nekrem are usually chosen for the amount of pain they can inflict. They include acids, poisons, spiked and barbed weapons of all kinds, and the whip. Nekrem’s domains are Death, Destruction, Evil, Magic and Trickery

Otto I and Nicephorus II Phocas and Food

When Liutprand of Cremona went as ambassador for Otto I to Byzantia, he had a lot on his plate. Read here about how food played a part in the cultural stability between empires before years hit the four digit mark.

Slavic and Greek-Roman Mythology

Over on the Medievalists.net website, they recently featured a paper on "Slavic and Greek-Roman Mythology," Check it out here!

Top 10 Smartest Animals

The shalieb.com website has a pictorial with extensive captions they have titled "Top 10 Smartest Animals."  Take exception to their choices here (or below ;-) )!

Knights vs Samurai Battle

Over on The Japan Times YouTube channel, "the Japan Armored Battle League, established in 2013, recently held its first tournament, which featured knights fighting samurai." Enjoy!

Volcanic Islands

Over on io9.com, they feature "Aerial Photographs [that] Catalogue the Life and Death of Volcanic Islands." See more here!

Animal Mummy Coffins of Ancient Egypt

There is an interesting pictorial article over on the Archaeology.org website titled "Animal Mummy Coffins of Ancient Egypt" that is well worth a look.  See more here!

Bronze Age Burial Cist

Over on archaeology.org, a recent article states that "Erosion Reveals Cist Burial in Scottish Cliff."  When I see the related photos on culture24.org.uk, I cannot help but imagine there is a complex of tunnels and chambers further within.  See more here and here!

Deadly Australian Fauna

Buzzfeed recently featured "37 Pictures That Prove Australia Is The Craziest" when it comes to deadly fauna. See more here!

Stolen treasure: The Coggalbeg Hoard

Over on the IrishArchaeology.org website, there is a recent article titled "Stolen treasure: The Coggalbeg Hoard" with some nice treasure photos. See more here!

Surreal Abandoned Malls

A recent Buzzfeed pictorial features "Completely Surreal Photos Of America’s Abandoned Malls." See more here!

Byzantine Mosaics Uncovered in Israel

A recent postings on Archaeology.org heralds "Byzantine Mosaics Uncovered in Israel." See more here!

20K High-Res Maps Online via the NYPL

A recent article on Open Culture mentions that the "New York Public Library Puts 20,000 Hi-Res Maps Online & Makes Them Free to Download and Use." See more here!

Dragon Storms

Over on Gizmodo.com, there is a recent article pointing out the resemblance of three storms over the USA to dragons.  See more here!

Black Death Research

As reported on The Guardian website, there is some new research suggesting that the Black Death was spread as an airborne virus as opposed to the traditional belief that is was transferred by the fleas on rats.  Read more here!