#Things like traditional religious clothes are based on the climate of the region

[gxlden-angels]

Hey, I just saw your most recent post and am curious about the irrelevant part - what do you mean by the ''religions abstaining from pork because it was unsafe to eat at the time'' thing? I've never heard that before and I am genuinely intrigued to know about it.

Hi !! There's a lot of religious rituals and rules that people continue today out of tradition and respect that were started (or thought to have been started) for safety/health reasons, with one big one being how meat can be handled and what meat is safe to consume! Pork is the main one that I know of since I have some friends that keep kosher or only eat halal meats

Essentially, pigs are honestly pretty gross animals if you let them be. They're opportunistic omnivores, so they'll essentially eat whatever they can get their teeth on. That includes rotting/spoiled food, fecal matter, and even people if they sit still long enough. Pigs can also carry some gnarly diseases that can easily be passed on to people. It's why you'll often hear people refer to them as "unclean" in both a religious and hygienic sense, despite their cleanliness on the outside. You might not know what Trichinella parasites are, but if your cousin shits himself to death after eating porkchops, you're gonna assume that's a sign from someone above not to eat anymore pigs

We now have modern medicine, biologists, food scientists, meat storage/serving regulations, etc. etc. that have made the risk of catching anything from pork less than minimal as long as you store and cook it properly and there hasn't been a new outbreak of something. A lot of people keep the tradition out of respect for their ancestors/culture. A lot of people also keep it because they know that pigs are still kinda gross, even with modern interventions. I've met people that no longer follow pig-based rules at all, while others adjust it so they're only eating pork if they know where it came from and what that pig ate from birth to bacon

Basically, eating a pig before the creation of antibiotics and vaccines was the peak form of fucking around and finding out. Whether you found out because of salmonella or the wrath of every deity out there (or both!) is up to you

[themoonsbeloved]

Okay, so I’ve been searching up different Arabian clothing (I hope that’s the right term, feel free to correct me) for Scarabia, but is there a style to a specific country I should stick to?

Hey! So disclaimer, I’m not Arab or come from any MENA ethnic-cultural background, so any advice I give is mostly from my own experience and understanding as a Muslim and South Asian about the culture and how I would approach trying to present Arab-coded characters in traditional clothing. I also don’t know under what specific context is your question so I’ll try to touch on a couple things just incase.

I personally avoid picking a style of traditional clothing specific to a country in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) because you’ll find yourself looking into so many cultures with different forms of cultural wear, different terms for these items of clothing, in just ONE country alone, which will overwhelm you. On the surface to us it probably seems like everyone wears the same thing, a turban and a long tunic (thobe), which to an extent is true, given these are garments that historically are about practicality in terms of living in desert climates. But just like any region of the world each culture, sub-culture, tribe, have distinctions in their clothing which represent their tribe and where they come from. In South Asia its the same thing, I’m Pakistani and just in Pakistan alone there are so many distinct cultures which have different styles of turbans, and the type of turban or dress can specify a person’s identity and which tribe/village they belong to. So this being said in my opinion it’s probably best not to look into a specific style in a country, as generally they have similar traditional garments. You can still expand your knowledge on the different turban styles and thobes just to have a general idea, you can take note of the similarities in terms of colours, folding, anatomy of the turbans etc. But yeah in the end I don’t think specifity is the goal here because its near impossible, just good intention and respect to understand the people that these characters are based off of (and none of that racist sexual belly dancer/Disney Aladdin type bs).

If you’re leaning towards traditional garments and turbans, a generic thobe and more culturally accurate turban (aka NOT a piece of scarf wrapped twice round the head with the top of the head fully exposed, wrapped in a bow on the side of the head like on Kalim lmaooo), is good enough. Alternatively, looking up Muslim male fashion also helps, since Muslims make up a huge majority in MENA countries, over time the thobe has been adopted universally by other Muslims regardless of ethnic background and culture, typically and more specifically under religious contexts such as reglious events/celebrations/holidays. There is also, though not as big of a thing, Westernised takes on Muslim fashion, like hoodies that look like thobes (e.g., Example of what I did here)

Hope this helps, again this is my personal opinion on what feels the most appropriate way to approach it, so for any MENA folk who probably know better than me you can feel free to say your bit if what I’ve explained may be wrong. 

[newstfionline]

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Student loan debts (WSJ) U.S. taxpayers could ultimately be on the hook for roughly a third of the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio. This could amount to more than $500 billion, exceeding what taxpayers lost on the saving-and-loan crisis 30 years ago. While defaulted student loans can’t cause the federal government to go bankrupt the way bad mortgage lending upended banks during the financial crisis, they expose a similar problem: Billions of dollars lent based on flawed assumptions about whether the money can be repaid.

Costa Rica to close non-essential businesses next week over COVID-19 (Reuters) Costa Rica will for the next week close non-essential businesses, including restaurants and bars, across the center of the country due to a sharp increase in new cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations, the government said on Thursday. From May 3-9, restaurants, bars, department stores, beauty salons, gyms and churches must close in 45 municipalities in central Costa Rica, where almost half the population lives and over two-thirds of new cases have been registered. The government will also impose travel restrictions during the week.

After a Year of Loss, South America Suffers Worst Death Tolls Yet (NYT) In the capital of Colombia, Bogotá, the mayor is warning residents to brace for “the worst two weeks of our lives.” Uruguay, once lauded as a model for keeping the coronavirus under control, now has one of the highest death rates in the world, while the grim daily tallies of the dead have hit records in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru in recent days. Even Venezuela, where the authoritarian government is notorious for hiding health statistics and any suggestion of disarray, says that coronavirus deaths are up 86 percent since January. As vaccinations mount in some of the world’s wealthiest countries and people cautiously envision life after the pandemic, the crisis in Latin America—and in South America in particular—is taking an alarming turn for the worse, potentially threatening the progress made well beyond its borders. Last week, Latin America accounted for 35 percent of all coronavirus deaths in the world, despite having just 8 percent of the global population, according to data compiled by The New York Times.

France Proposes More Surveillance to Hunt for Potential Terrorists (NYT) The French government, responding to several attacks over the past seven months, presented a new anti-terrorism bill on Wednesday that would allow intense algorithmic surveillance of phone and internet communications and tighten restrictions on convicted terrorists emerging from prison. “There have been nine attacks in a row that we could not detect through current means,” Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister, told France Inter radio. “We continue to be blind, doing surveillance on normal phone lines that nobody uses any longer.” The draft bill, prepared by Mr. Darmanin, came in a political and social climate envenomed by Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, who applauded a letter published this month by 20 retired generals that described France as being in a state of “disintegration” and warned of a possible coup in thinly veiled terms. Published in a right-wing magazine, Valeurs Actuelles, the generals’ letter portrayed a country ravaged by violence, swept by hatred and prey to subversive ideologies bent on stirring a racial war. “If nothing is done,” they said, “laxity will spread inexorably across society, provoking in the end an explosion and the intervention of our active-service comrades in the perilous protection of our civilization’s values.”

Toll of Afghan ‘forever war’ (AP) After 20 years, America is ending its “forever war” in Afghanistan. Announcing a firm withdrawal deadline, President Joe Biden cut through the long debate, even within the U.S. military, over whether the time was right. Starting Saturday, the last remaining 2,500 to 3,500 American troops will begin leaving, to be fully out by Sept. 11 at the latest. Another debate will likely go on far longer: Was it worth it? Since 2001, tens of thousands of Afghans and 2,442 American soldiers have been killed, millions of Afghans driven from their homes, and billions of dollars spent on war and reconstruction. The U.S. and NATO leave behind an Afghanistan that is at least half run directly or indirectly by the Taliban—despite billions poured into training and arming Afghan forces to fight them. Riddled with corruption and tied to regional warlords, the U.S.-backed government is widely distrusted by many Afghans.

In India’s devastating coronavirus surge, anger at Modi grows (Washington Post) As he surveyed the thousands of people gathered at an election rally in eastern India on April 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared jubilant. “Everywhere I look, as far as I can see, there are crowds,” he said, his arms spread wide. “You have done an extraordinary thing.” At the time, India was recording more than 200,000 coronavirus cases a day. In the western state of Maharashtra, oxygen was running short, and people were dying at home because of a shortage of hospital beds. In Modi’s home state of Gujarat, crematoriums were being overwhelmed by the dead. For Modi, the most powerful Indian prime minister in five decades, it is a moment of reckoning. He is facing what appears to be the country’s biggest crisis since independence. Modi’s own lapses and missteps are an increasing source of anger. As coronavirus cases skyrocketed, Modi continued to hold huge election rallies and declined to cancel a Hindu religious festival that drew millions to the banks of the Ganges River. Modi swept to a landslide reelection victory in 2019, offering Indians a muscular brand of nationalism that views India as a fundamentally Hindu country rather than the secular republic envisioned by its founders. He has cultivated an image as a singular leader capable of bold decisions to protect and transform the country. Now that image is “in tatters,” said Vinay Sitapati, a political scientist at Ashoka University in the northern Indian state of Haryana. Modi and his governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) built a formidable machine for winning elections, Sitapati said, but their mind-set of continuous campaigning has come “at the cost of governance.”

Iran and Saudi Arabia Edge Toward Détente (Foreign Policy) Iran’s relationship with Saudi Arabia could be entering “a new chapter of interaction and cooperation,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Thursday, as the two countries signal a rapid mending of diplomatic ties. Khatibzadeh’s comments came in response to an interview Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave to state television this week, when he said that problems between the regional rivals could be overcome and “good relations” could soon prevail. His recent comments offer a stark contrast with ones he made in 2018 when he compared Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Adolf Hitler and described Iran as part of a “triangle of evil.” Behind the scenes, the two countries have also been busy. Earlier this month, the Financial Times broke news of direct talks, held in Baghdad, with a primary focus on ending the war in Yemen.

Chloe Zhao's challenge to Chinese Beauty standards (Quartz) Although Chloé Zhao’s Oscars win has largely been censored in China, her chill, no-makeup look at the awards ceremony has become a hit among many Chinese women, who say Zhao made them feel they can also ditch cosmetics and stop appealing to mainstream beauty standards in the country. China has a set of rigid standards for women’s appearance, prompting online slimming challenges that encourage young girls to pursue body shapes that allow them to wear children’s clothes, or have waists with a width similar to the shorter side of a piece of A4 paper (around 21 cm). As such, Zhao’s no-makeup look is a much-needed endorsement for women in China, where few public figures dare to break away from traditional beauty requirements.

Hong Kong’s latest star TV host? City leader Carrie Lam. (Washington Post) In a city known for producing action-packed martial arts movies, there’s a gripping new TV show on the block. The title promises to captivate viewers: “Get to Know the Election Committee Subsectors.” The star? Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, not as a guest but as the host. The show, which premiered Wednesday on public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong, gives Lam a platform to promote electoral changes introduced by Beijing that further tilt the system against pro-democracy voices, add weight to industry-sector representatives and ensure only “patriots” loyal to the Communist Party can govern Hong Kong. People in mainland China have long been accustomed to state propaganda broadcasts. Hong Kong, however, traditionally had a freewheeling media environment. But almost a year after China imposed a security law that curtailed freedom of speech there, the public broadcaster has become a vital instrument of Beijing’s efforts to control the narrative. Wednesday night’s double-episode premiere featured furious agreement on the merit of Beijing’s electoral changes. The episodes scored only a few thousand views and mostly “thumbs-down” responses on YouTube. One user drew comparisons to George Orwell’s “1984.” If you missed the show, there’s plenty of opportunity to catch it again; episodes will air four times a day, every day.

Cambodians complain of lockdown hunger as outbreak takes toll on poor (Reuters) Residents in Cambodia’s capital gathered on Friday to demand food from the government, outraged at what they called inadequate aid distribution during a tough COVID-19 lockdown that bars people from leaving their homes. Authorities put Phnom Penh and a nearby town under a hard lockdown on April 19 to quell a surge in coronavirus infections that has seen Cambodia’s case total balloon from about 500 to 12,641 since late February, including all 91 of its deaths. Though private food deliveries are operating, markets and street food services are closed, making it difficult for poorer families to get supplies, with many without income because of the stay-home order. Amnesty International on Friday called Cambodia’s lockdown an emerging humanitarian and human rights crisis, with nearly 294,000 people in Phnom Penh at risk of going hungry.

Palestinian election delay (Reuters) It could have marked a political turning point. Palestinians were slated to go to the polls starting next month for the first time in 15 years—but on Thursday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced he will indefinitely postpone the elections. He blamed Israel, accusing authorities of stonewalling efforts to let Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem cast their ballots. But Israeli officials suggested Abbas was using Israel as a pretext to cancel a vote his faction might lose. Hamas, his party’s rival, has rejected the move, and some Palestinians took to the streets to protest.

The real threat to Chad’s military rulers: unemployed youth (Reuters) When Neldjibaye Madjissem graduated with a mathematics degree in 2015, he began searching for work as a school teacher. Six years on, he is still looking—and is angry. The 31-year-old blames Chad's government for lack of work, mismanagement of oil revenues and corruption. No wonder people are protesting on the streets in their thousands, he says. The battlefield death of President Idriss Deby last week, after 30 years of autocratic rule, sent the Central African country into a tailspin. But perhaps the greater threat for Chad’s rulers comes from the mass of unemployed young people tired of the Deby family and its international allies, particularly former colonial ruler France. At least six people died in violent protests this week. "The lack of jobs risks creating a great problem. The people are angry," said Madjissem, as he prepared a private lesson to a high school student in the living room of a tiny house in N'Djamena. His infrequent wage: $3 an hour.

Famine looms in southern Madagascar, U.N.’s food agency says (Reuters) Famine is looming in southern Madagascar, where children are “starving” after drought and sandstorms ruined harvests, the U.N.’s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday. Amer Daoudi, senior director of WFP operations globally, speaking from Antananarivo, Madagascar, said he had visited villages where people had resorted to eating locusts and leaves. “I witnessed horrific images of starving children, malnourished, and not only the children—mothers, parents and the populations in villages we visited,” Daoudi told a United Nations briefing in Geneva. Malnutrition has almost doubled to 16% from 9% in March 2020 following five consecutive years of drought, exacerbated this year by sandstorms and late rains, he said.

[writingquestionsanswered]

I want to write a fantasy story set in a world that is inspired by ancient china and touches upon the culture. I have some knowledge of the culture based from my heritage but I dont think it will be enough. I will have to do a lot of research, of course, but I was wondering if you had any tips or pointers that I should pay attention to while researching a different countrie's culture and customs?

Using an Existing Country as Inspiration; Research Tips

Here are some things to keep in mind when researching an inspiration country for a Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel:

1. No Country is a Monolith

Remember that every country encompasses a diverse array of geography and biomes, flora and fauna, climate and weather events, cultural and religious groups, cultural and political regions, customs and traditions, lifestyles and industries, architectural styles and fashion, food and drink, weapons and military, economy and political relationships. When incorporating elements from your inspiration country, don’t just zero in on the best known, stereotypical elements. Look for unusual, lesser known elements, too, but also include a diverse array of elements to reflect how diverse an entire country can be.

2. Inspiration vs Taking

All too often, writers choose an inspiration country and simply take the elements they like, without changing them at all, and incorporate them right into their stories. This is problematic for a lot of reasons, not the least of which because it’s frequently done by white writers taking elements from countries with a history of European colonization and oppression, and also because taking something and being inspired by something are two different things. If I’m a clothing designer and I’m inspired by Coco Chanel, I shouldn’t be re-creating her looks exactly, right down to giving my collections the same names as hers. Instead, I should be incorporating the feel of these looks into my own looks, but putting my own spin on them and adding my own personal elements. The same is true of using a real place as inspiration for a fictional one, especially in Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Your fictional place should be a mix of inspired elements and complimentary elements that you created from scratch.

3. Similar but Different

To elaborate further on putting your own twist on a thing… let’s say your inspiration country is India, and you’re choosing inspiration elements from across India’s very broad cultural, political, historical, and geographical existence. But you want your reader to say, “This setting reminds me of India.” Not, “This setting is India.” So, if you incorporate actual Indian elements into your story, with their name, appearance, and exact significance unchanged, not only are you taking, not borrowing, you’re also going to confuse your reader. Is this place somewhere in India? Is it an alternate version of India? Or is it a new, fantastical place from some other time that doesn’t exist on Earth? The latter is what you’re going for, and you won’t get there if you incorporate henna, saris, rajahs, and khandas into your story without altering them and making them your own. Don’t take henna and put it into your story. Be inspired by henna and create something like it of your very own. Maybe it’s a plant-based dye called leehna, and instead of being reddish-brown in color, it’s a deep purple or bright blue. Change the cultural significance of this dye, or when and how it’s used. Your readers are smart… they’ll recognize it as being something like henna, but it doesn’t have to actually be henna in order for it to serve the same function in your story.

4. Something of Yourself, Too

If you’re writing about a fictional place, not every element should be inspired by your inspiration country. Think up your own elements, too. Try to create elements that with both compliment and contrast with the elements that inspired you from the inspiration country. You want this fictional country to be a nice mix of inspired elements with your own twist, and totally new elements of your own creation.

5. Research Tips

(a) Once you’ve selected your inspiration country, start by finding a comprehensive historical timeline of the country and familiarize yourself with its historical eras, royal dynasties, political and religious shifts, important wars, cultural and political clashes, colonialism, and any other important history. By getting this general overview of your inspiration country, you’ll be better prepared to pick and chose inspirational elements.

(b) Google can be a tremendous resource when researching anything, but don’t limit yourself to encyclopedia entries and educational articles. Other things to try:

– YouTube may have educational videos and documentaries, both general and geared toward specific details, about and related to your inspiration country.

– YouTube may also have tours of different areas, regions, and historical sites

– Streaming sites and cable may also have interesting shows and documentaries that touch on your inspiration country

– Podcasts are another option for learning about your inspiration country. Do a search for [inspiration country] + podcast, or “podcasts about [inspiration country]

– Music from your inspiration country, both historical and contemporary, can be found on YouTube, Pandora, and other sites that offer music

– Google Maps and Google Earth may offer street level tours of your inspiration country

– Google Image Search can yield amazing results if you’re looking for visual inspiration from your inspiration country, or images of a particular element

– Writing forums may have members from your inspiration country. Try asking if there are any, and if so, see if there are elements from their country that they would love to see re-imagined in fantasy, or elements that they’re tired of seeing.

– Museums with world collections can be an amazing place to find inspiration from your source country. You can look for items in all different collections, from artifacts to fashion and everything in between.

– Books, both coffee table books and travel books, can be a great way to learn information about your inspiration country.

- Try keeping your research in three places: a notebook, for information you find out and about or in books, a desktop file folder for digital information and pictures you want to save, and a browser folder for web sites and other links you want to save. Use the same name for all three so that it’s easy to remember and fine. Keeping all your information together, and knowing where it all is, will help keep you organized during the research process.

Good luck!

[unfadingones]

Avariel (Winged Elves)

Disclaimer: All information here is copied directly from the Avariel elven subrace entry in the Races of Faerun book of the Forgotten Realms Dungeons and Dragons series, 3.5 edition. Nothing was changed except the occasional grammatical error.

Regions: Most avariel choose the Avriel region, but other valid regions include Damara, the High Forest, Narfell, the North, Silverymoon, the Vast, and the Western Heartlands. Racial Feats: Flyby Attack (See Monster Manual), Hover (See Monster Manual), Improved Flight, Rapid Flight. Racial Prestige Class: Bladesinger Level Adjustment: +3 (may not be applicable in 5e)

The avariels, or winged elves, are without a doubt the most reclusive and least numerous of the elven subraces on Faerun. Many scholars have long dismissed them as creatures of myth. In truth, small numbers of avariels still dwell in Faerun, concealed in hidden enclaves and remote regions.

The most striking feature of the avariels is their soft, feathered wings. These wings have spans of anywhere from twelve to sixteen feet and are usual white, but they may also be gray, brown, black, or speckled. Avariels take great pride in their wings and spend long hours grooming them. Their skin is pale, often porcelain white, with tinges of blue or faint silver. They have silver-white or black hair, with other shades being rare but not unheard of. The avariels' eyes are rather large and more expressive than those of other elves, and they tend to be brilliant shades of blue or green. A few avariel have scintillating violet eyes as pure as amethysts. Avariels stand 5'9 tall on average, with thing, graceful limbs and angular facial features. They are the most beautiful and striking of the elven races, although too often this beauty is marred by haughtiness and condescension toward their land bound kin, whom they often pity.

Avariels are even more delicate than other elves, and their movements are quick, calculated, and graceful. They prefer to wear loose fitting, diaphanous clothing that catches the wind in flight and ripples and weaves in the air. Armor is almost never worn, because it tends to weight them avariels down and hinder their graceful motion. Avariels cannot fly while wearing heavy armor.

Avariels age more quickly than most elves, having the starting age and life expectancy defined for gnomes in Tables 6-4 and 6-5 of the Players Handbook. Avariels use the following random height and weight characteristics instead of those described on Table 6-6:

Avariel, male           5'0 +2D8, 70lbs x(1D6)lbs Avariel, female        4'8 +2D8, 65lbs x(1D6)lbs

History:

Along with the green elves and lythari, the avariels are one of the three oldest elven races. Today, though, they are all but extinct, forced into the far corners of the world ages ago by the ancient dragons and hunted mercilessly by evil folk.

The avariels, upon their first migrating to Faerun millennia ago, found the world to be a vast, beautiful place. Unfortunately, vicious dragons ruled the skies above ancient Faerun. The newly arrived avariels were nearly wiped out by the dragons before the First Flowering. the last of their race flew eastward long before the first Crown War, wandering the skies only when they had to, hiding on the ground like vermin and living terrible, dirty lives as nomads and scavengers.

The last redoubt of the avariels today is known as the Aerie of the Snow Eagles, a crystal citadel hidden atop one of the most remote peaks in the Icerim Mountains of distant Sossal. The exact location of the Aerie of the Snow Eagles is one of the avariels' most closely guarded secrets.

The aerie itself resembles a tremendous castle or tower of glass, built on a sheered-off mountaintop. A flight of avariel nomads discovered it abandoned ages ago. The avariels believe that the original mountaintop was taken by a Netherese archmage who wished to use it to build a floating city. The present-day aerie is a wonder to behold. The walls of the glass aerie are magically hardened to the strength of steel. Inside, the Aerie of the Snow Eagles supports a tropical climate, complete with jungles of plants and trees long extinct elsewhere in Faerun.

For two centuries, this last lair of the avariels has been led by Winged Father Aquilan Greatspan (CG male avariel Ftr4/Clr12/Dis5/Hie1). The avariels fly there still, fishing in the freezing waters of the Great Ice Sea and hunting the icy reaches of the Great Glacier.

Outlook:

Avariels came dangerously close to extinction long ago, and has taken them thousands of years to recover to the point where they don't have to worry about the fate of their race. Only recently have they begun to expand back into the world, sending explorers, diplomats, and merchants south into Faerun proper. Small, scattered bands of avariels still exist in the heartlands of Faerun, but these groups rarely number more than a dozen and usually avoid civilized areas.

Avariels are free spirits who would like nothing better than to simply soar on the currents high above the ground, taking in the views Faerun has to offer. They possess an irrepressible zest for life. Even in the darkest, most desperate situation, an avariel remains cheerful. Unfortunately, while friendly to those they consider their equals, avariels also tend to be condescending and even downright rude to land-bound races. The avariels are usually unaware of this; it's just their natural reaction to treat land-bound races as lesser creatures. Given time and enough exposure to other cultures, avariels can overcome their natural bias.

Avariel Characters:

Winged elves combine a tradition of vigilance and skill at arms with a joyous reverence for the sheer peaks and open skies of their homelands. Many become fighters, rangers, or clerics. Avariel civilization is old and established, so avariel barbarians are unheard of. Wings elves lean toward the divine rather than the arcane, but a small number take up the study of wizardry and generally excel at it. Common multiclass combinations include fighter/cleric, cleric/ranger, and cleric/wizard.

Favored Class: The favored class of the avariels is cleric. While many avariels are drawn to the study of combat and skill at arms, the hearts of the winged elves favor a more contemplative and philosophical existence. Even those who spend their lives studying the marital tath often set aside these pursuits in order to return to a holier calling.

Prestige Classes: Some avariels practice the art of the bladesong and use it to protect their communities. Like other kinds of elves, winged elves greatly respect the skill needed to become a bladesinger. Avariel wizards often aspire to become arcane devotees or loremasters, while avariels of all other classes are drawn to the divine champion and divine disciple prestige classes.

Avariel Society:

The avariels have a unique model for their societies, separating into two groups when they congregate in large numbers: a war-like society of fighters and soldiers, and a peaceful society of thinkers and religious scholars. These two subcultures, as diametrically opposed as their separate philosophies may be, work together to forge a powerful symbiotic relationship.

Warlike avariels have a complex code of honor that they use to guide and temper their militaristic activities and training. These avariels spend their lives defending their kin. Their lives are geared toward war and power, and they answer to their ward chiefs, who share responsibility for ruling the society with the religious leaders of the peaceful avariels. The martial avariels are proud and hearty, and they form eternal friendships with those who earn their respect and trust.

In combat, warlike avariel have little pity or remorse about cutting down their enemies. The concept of surrendering is highly dishonorable to these avariels, both for themselves and for their enemies. Once lethal combat begins, few avariels break off until they or their enemies are dead. Drawing blood from and enemy is nothing less than a promise to honor the enemy with one's skills in combat and not humiliate him by leaving him alive to dwell on an embarrassing defeat. The act of slaying an enemy is viewed simply as delivering on that promise.

Warlike avariels prefer to use ranged weapons, and they aren't above using wings to gain an advantage over land-bound enemies. This is supported by their code, which allows them to cut down an enemy from an unassailable distance in the skies above. Those who cannot defend themselves against an attack from the skies should know better than to mak an enemy of a clearly superior foe.

The peaceful avariels, unlike their warlike kin, focus mainly on arts and the intellectual aspect of life. When faced with conflict, a peaceful avariel relies on her brains and diplomatic abilities- and often on her magic power. Peaceful avariels are artists, philosophers, and researchers who spend their lives studying the world and its history and creating works of art simply for the sheer joy of creation. The peaceful avariels are also responsible for providing their society with food, entertainment, and education. Many peaceful avariels are also very religious and spend much of their time contemplating the ways of their deity, Aerdrie Faenya.

Despite their divergent personalities, these two subcultures interact surprisingly well. Young avariels typically spend time immersed in each subculture, learning from both warriors and priests. These exchanges, which often last for a decade or longer, allow avariels raised in one subculture to learn how the other subculture lives.

Language and Literacy:

All avariels can speak Elven and Common, and each learns an additional language based on his or her native region. Most winged elves are intelligent enough to pick up at least one additional language. This additional language is usually Auran, so the avariels can speak with allied creatures of the air such as the giant eagles they adore. Additional languages often learned by avariels include; Goblin, Orc, Sylvan, and the predominant human language(s) of their home region. Avariels also often learn the Draconic and Giant languages so that they can converse with their hated enemies if the need arises. All avariels are literate, except for avariel barbarians (assuming they exist).

Abilities and Racial Features:

Avariels have all the elven racial traits listed in the Player's Handbook, except as follows: (Note: One or more of these may be retconned due to 5e rule changes)

+4 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom. Avariels have hollow bones and, as a result, are more fragile than humans. At the same time, they are gifted with a keen intuition and intellect, and an almost otherworldly grace.

Keen Sight (Ex): Avarials gain a +4 racial bonus on all spot checks, this replaces the standard +2 racial bonus that most elves gain.

Avariels gain a +4 racial bonus on jump checks. They are strong for their weight.

Proficient with either rapier or longsword, profient with lasso and bolas. This replaces the standard elven weapon proficiency with longswords or rapiers and proficiency with short bow, longbow, composite longbow, and composite shortobws.

Flight (Ex): Avariels have a flying speed of 50 feet with average maneuverability, as long as they do not carry more than a medium load, are not wearing heavy armor, and are not fatigued or exhausted. Avariel wings have a span of 12 feet on average; they cannot fly in an area that does not allow them to fully extend their wings.

An avariel may make a dive attack. A dive attack works just like a charge, but the avariel must descend a minimum of 30 feet and attack with a piercing weapon; if she hits, she deals double damage. An avariel can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line. For more information on flight, see the Tactical Aerial Movement second in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Home Region. Bonus languages: by region.

Favored Class: Cleric

Level Adjustment: +3. Avariels are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most of the other common races of Faerun. see Table 1 in the Introduction.

Avariel Magic and Lore:

Although the warlike subculture of avariel society appreciates magic and respects its power, members of the peaceful subculture the the true masters of divine and arcane magic. The avariels, like most other elven races, have wholly and completely embraced the art of both divine and arcane magic. Unlike most other races though, the avariels have only recently (in elven terms) become re-established on Faerun. For most of their history, the avariels simply haven't had the luxury of experimenting and toying with magic; they were too focused on simply surviving. But with their discovery and colonization of the Aerie of the Snow Eagles they have, for the past 500 years, felt safe enough to begin researching magic once again.

Spells and Spellcasting:

Avariels favor conjuration and transmutation magic for their versatility, and the miniature jungle world within the Aerie of the Snow Eagles is the culmination of their most potent conjurings and transmutations. Avariels have also been focusing more on divination spells of late, as they seek out their lost - and well hidden - brethren.

Avariel Magic:

The avariels are commonly thought to be the originators of wings of flying. Ancient rumors hold that powerful and compassionate avariel spellcasters invented the first wings of flying as gifts to for land-bound friends so that they too could know the bliss and rapture of soaring the skies above Faerun. It stands to reason that winged boots may have also been introduced into the world by generous avariels as well.

Avariel Deities:

Like the aquatic elves, the avariels acknowledge the Seldarine as a whole and pay lip service to most of these elven deities, but they hold a special reverence for a single member of that pantheon - in their case Aerdrie Faenya, the elven goddess of the skies, weather, and avians of all sorts. Although they do not elevate their religious beliefs to the level of fanaticism, the avariels as a whole are deeply religious, and the thought of not venerating a deity is alien and unwholesome to most of them.

Avariels believe that it is due to Aerdrie Faenya's intervention that they are able to survive at all. Ages ago, Aerdrie Faenya gifted the avariels with their wings because she knew that they would face great trials and danger in the future and would need the advantage of flight if they were to have any hope of survival. Avariels also believe that she takes more of a direct hand in their lives than do the gods of the other elves. Avariels often attribute to Aerdrie Faenya's intervention events that most other races would view as simply fortunate coincidences.

Relations with other Races:

The avariels are on good terms with other sentient, good aligned avian races. They admire and respect giant eagles, a bond that survived the dark centuries of draconic persecution. The avariels are also fond of the aarakocras, but since the winged elves were driven from the Star Mounts, their interaction with these bird-men has dropped off significantly. They get along well with air genasi as well, although they are often frustrated with the genasis ambivalence and disinterest in good and evil.

Avariel relations with land-bound races are not nearly as productive. The avariels have traditionally viewed those who can't fly as objects of pity (at best) of derision (more commonly). Recently, the avariels have begun to realize the error of their ways - the landlocked faces, despite their lack of wings, can be powerful and helpful allies. Avariels from the Aerie of the Snow Eagles have recently sent diplomats to neighboring kingdoms (Narfell, Rashemen, Damara, and the Great Dale in particular) and have been doing their best to treat the ground races as equals.

The avariels are still hunted to this day by evil dragons, who view the winged elves and their magical aptitude as the greatest threat to their dominion over the skies of Faerun. Dragons have nowhere near the presence in the skies as they did in the ancient past, but their memories are long. In particular, the white dragons of Hoarfaern are particularly dedicated to the final destruction of the avariels and the Aerie of the Snow Eagles.

Avariel Equipment:

The avariels have taken the craft of glassblowing and elevated it to an art form. When most races turn to metal, wood, or stone to craft gear, the avariels have turn to the fragile and delicate medium of glass. In a way, their affinity for glass as a medium reflects their very nature, for the avariels themselves hare fragile and beautiful people.

While much avariel glass is delicate and decorative, the winged elves have also mastered glassteel (see the appendix), a form of glass as strong as metal. Many avariel outposts are made of glassteel, as are some armor, weapons, and tools.

Arms and Armor:

The avariels prefer to fight with ranged weapons and usually carry bows of some sort when they are away from the Aerie. The avariels sometimes prefer ranged weapons that incapacitate their victims. As a result, the winged elves train with lassos and bolas extensively. When forced into melee combat, avariels use swords almost exclusively, with a marked performance for longswords (for stronger avariels) or rapiers (for more dexterous avariels). Avariels prefer lighter armors that do not restrict their ability to fly, so mithril armor is especially valued.

Animals and Pets:

The avariels have long had a close bond with the giant eagles of Faerun, and they settle in the same areas. Giant eagles are intelligent creatures and are considered allies, not pets. Avariels are naturally fond of any non evil avian creatures, particularly birds; most avariels keep a few birds as companions or pets. Pet birds are never caged though, and can come and go as the please. Cages don't sit well with the avariels.

Avariels sometimes employ arrowhawks, griffons, and hippogriffs as guards for their aeries. They adore rocs and think of them as magnificent beast touched by Aerdrie Faenya. Rocs are admired from afar, however, as such massive creatures don't easily fit in avariel cities.

Avariel Region:

Small numbers of avariels live with their elven kin in various refuges across the northern portions of Faerun, but this region describes a character native to the Aerie of the Snow Eagles, north of Rashemen.

Preferred Classes: Cleric, fighter, ranger, wizard. A character of one of these classes may choose a regional feat and gain her choice of the bonus equipment below as a 1st level character. An avariel of any other class may not select one of the regional feats here and does not gain the bonus equipment at 1st level.

Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, and Auran. Bonus Languages: Damaran, Draconic, Giant, Rachemi, Sylvan, Tuigan. Regional Feats: Artist, Education, Mind over Body, Rapid Flight, Strong Soul. Bonus Equipment: (A) rapier* or longsword*, or (B) /wand of cure light wounds/ (1st level, 20 cgarges(m ir (C) scroll with 6 1st level and 1 2nd level cleric spells.

[kurahieiritrjio]

World building

Sharing an old project based on an Ice Aged Greece to help focus the concepts here.

Believe it or not coloration is the greatest imagination grabber of all. It focuses the scene to provide the setting. Shape comes second. Lumpy, rounded, square, flat, twisted, gnarled, fuzzy, oval, squat, sloped, angular, and circular all give distinctive impressions of how something looks. How many shapes can you think of that describe rocks, tree limbs, cave mouths, faces and body builds. Animals and plants all have distinctive colors and features of shape that should be combined when you describe this element to give a breathtaking four dimensional feeling kind of setting to promote any written scene.

Here is a worksheet that is helpful to help you figure out your world, Example used is Ice Age Greece. Ignore the Futuristic tags since I devised those for my own worlds. This worksheet was designed for space travel obviously. However this will be helpful in explaining how your world is a character that all other characters must interact with at all times whether they realize it or not. In some cases I will also add notes for you to consider before you fill out that section.

 Generalized Outline- World Building Basics: Science Fiction

Astronomical/geological Section:

Planet Name:

Planet Class:  Moon, Super Terrestrial, Terrestrial (Earth like)sub-jovian, Jovian (Think Jupiter) Sub-terrestrial (Think Venus or Mars For Size):

If Terrestrial; Is it Like Earth Now, the Past, or Futuristic (very High tech):

How Is This Planet The Same or Different From Our Planet?

Type of Atmosphere?

Geography: Mountains/deserts/plains/woodlands/ Swamp/ Oceans, Etc. Physical Features Include Size/ Gravity/atmosphere/ Moon(S)/Sun Class: (F5 Lower Strength White Through F-9 Lowest- to G Class Yellow (Our Sun is in This Category= G1 to G9 (9 Is Weakest) or K Class (Red Dwarf Close to Death =Plot Added Drama)/ Constellations of Note:

Maps: Get Graph Paper and Build Your Own Maps or Buy Some D&d Type Maps and Then Do Mental Alterations or Chop and Pastes onto Larger Sheets to Create a Map to Help You See Where Your Characters Are Going to and Coming From! (No Matter What Genre You Are Writing it helps you to see the distances the characters cross so they don’t do 100 miles in a week at one time, then two hundred miles in one week somewhere else. Pace and Time Laws Do Not Change, and Therefore You Will Have to Give Space and Time References to Build a Good Story:

What Natural Resources Exist (Such as Mining Resources to Build Technology from If Applicable)? Yours will be stone/animal/flora heavy:

How Are These Resources Utilized by The Dominant Species Specifically?:

Climate: Distinct Seasons; Summer/winter/spring/ Fall/dry/wet/ & Types of Weather Patterns: Ie. Snow, Rain, Arid, Humid, Tropical:

Temperatures Expected Average Highs/Lows During Each Season:

Flora And Fauna Section:

Food Sources: What Do People And Animals on Planet Eat?

Domesticated Animals: Types of Livestock For Work or Food Can Your Planet Support Based Upon Geography And Climate?

What Types of Companion Animals or Pets Does Your World Have, If Any?

 Wild Animals:

What Kinds of Animals Does This Planet Support Naturally? How Do The Main People And Animals From The Wilderness Regions Interact? Are Wild Animals Carnivores, Omnivores, or Herbivores, or Some of Each Type? What Is The Food Chain Like? Ex: Herbivores Need Plants in Large Numbers to Eat So The Carnivores Can Eat Them And The Omnivores Eat Both Meat And Plants Aka Like Humans Do:

Are Any of These Wild Life Animals Intelligent Like Your Dominating Species Is Intelligent?

 People or Races Section:

Population Size:

World Population:

City Population: (Only Those Needed For Story Line):

Town Populations:

Village Populations:

Specific Race (S) of Note:

In What Ratios? (I. E.  30% White Skin, 15% Black Skin, 12% Blue Skin,  65% Green Skinned)

 Culture And Society:

Villages or Cities, Rural or Suburban, Inner-city Versus Outer-city (Think New York With Brooklyn And Other Suburbs For Inner Outer City Concept)

Language(s) Spoken:

Specific Cultural Aspects: (Hunter Gatherer/ Farmer/ Industrialized?)

Holidays, Celebrations, Rites of Passage, Family Traditions?

What Are The Most Important Festivals And Holidays?

How Important to Culture Are These Rituals And Holidays?

Behaviors Frowned Upon?

Behaviors Approved Of?

Word or Phrases Specific (Idioms) to The Region in Question?

Any Known Origins to The Words or Phrases Used by People of This Area?

Significance of Following Cultural Enrichment Forms:

Art:

Music:

Dance:

Entertainment:

Leisure Activities:

Dress/fashions:

What Forms Do These Items Take?

Gender Roles: Which Gender Is Dominant or Is There No Dominance at All?

How Does Society Enforce Those Gender  Roles Through Education, Through Expected Conformation of Roles Between The Two Genders?

Family Structure:

Who Raises And Teaches Children?

Who Cooks Meals by Tradition?

Do Extended Families Live Together or Is it Parents And Children Only in Each Dwelling?

Are There Different Types of Food Eaten in Different Social Classes or Unified to Region (Japanese Eat Stir Fry/ Americans Eat Steak And Potatoes as Example)

Social Class: Warrior/spiritual, Wealthy/working/poor/middle Class Etc:

Where Do Each Class of People Live And Do Their Dwellings Vary From Class to Class?

Do Clothing, Personal Items Such as Jewelry or Fashions Vary Based Upon Class And Wealth?

Do Hairstyles And Similar Things Vary by Class And What Types Are There? (Long or Short Hair? Beards or Mustaches Etc Go Here)

 Genealogy: Build Bloodline Maps For Visual Bloodline Traits And Such For Future Reference, Even If Not Mentioned in The Story Per Say, They Can Be Great Ways to Add Tension Based Upon Race And Other Background Hints You Don’t Go Into in Depth And They Make For Very Interesting Characters!

 Religion(s): )Major Notes) An example: Greece never followed the standard proto religious format of Gods created the world and Universe. They always felt the Universe created the Gods both male and female as mediators between Universe and man, plants, and animals. It was one of the very first cultures to embrace pantheons or multiple Gods belief system. That is the reason it still influences out modern world to this day. Instead of fatalistic driven human sacrifice to appease the Gods, these guys actively sought out more than one God to get the decision they wanted long before the classic era Mythology tomes of their ancient religion was passed into a physical written format. That needs to be shown in action to some extent. Have these people doing rudimentary rituals reminiscent of much later Classic era Ancient Greece religious ceremonies. Read classic Greek Mythology. The titans of earth and sky are the well known distinction that sets ancient Greece apart from the rest of the world.

This provides a very strong tool for making the story line zing if you explore the mythology for the oldest recorded roots, and downgrade the best known Grecian ancient rituals significantly into a more generic shamanic norm. Give clues to the later evolution into Greek specific rituals through your prototype religion which tickles memories of school classes that touched upon the classic era Greek in many schools. Then readers will really stick with your story because they will be desperately trying to figure out where the main is living.)

 One God or Many? Name Some And Denote Genders Implied:

Spiritual Philosophies:

Beliefs About Birth, Death, And Afterlife?:

Does Culture Condone Burial, Cremation, or Something Else?:

Why?:

Who Is in Charge of Places of Worship?:

Does This Place Have Magic Practices And If So How Does That Affect The World on a Planetary Wide Basis as Well as Locally?

How Does Religion in General Impact The World?

Will it Have Relevance in The Plot Line of The Story? Or Will it Simply Be a Low Key Element That Helps Define Character Behaviors in Story Line?:

Do Different Races Have Different Gods?

Does Technology And Religion Co-exist Peacefully or Are There Strong Conflicts Between The Two Factions?

(*myths from Religions Alive or Defunct/ History / and Politics Are Always Relevant to the Shaping of a Character’s Behavior and Actions!)

Architecture: Describe the houses and buildings with some interior details so we can see where everything is in relation to living quarters and/or communal get together areas.

 EDUCATION SECTION

What Levels of Education Exist on This Planet or in a Specific Area?  Give List of Educational Expected Forms Such as Home School to High School and College If Possible.

For my world Education system, who trains under which hall (This Is The Term For Schools Based Upon Highly Specific Technology, Medicine, Textiles, Political, Police, Computers or Space Travel in My Sci-fi Series Which Means Trained to become a Journeyman Level For The Particular Trade... It’s a Guild Based Trade Society Kind as You Can See....If You Choose Hall Style, Is Training Off Planet, or Planet Sponsored (For Home Planets With Resident Halls)

Give List of Halls And What They Train Help Insure Plot Consistencies And Add Details to Plots.

What Forms of Specialized Education Systems Exist If Any for your genre and expectations by readers?

 Time Section:

 What Calender or Other Methods of Measuring Time Exist? Include Clocks And Time Pieces, or Sun Dials, as Well as Give Some Form of Indication as to Whether or Not This Society Is Aware of Months And Years Passing. (All Technology Using Species Will Have Both Clocks And Calendars For Certain as Will Any Medieval Societies Have at Least Calenders If They Have Oceanic Shipping And Trade With Outside Races And Nations)

 Technology Section: (If in your case it is flint napping, and wood work, basket making and similar, you do need to have this down pat to be believable.)

Technology, Science And Jobs Section; Is Technology Eco Friendly or Industrial Pollutants Generating? Large City Complexes With Factories & Refineries, or Smaller Information Dominant Social Structures That Have Pleasant in Home Offices, Smaller Scientific Designated Areas Versus Agriculture Regions.

What Levels of Technology Exist on This World (Horse And Carts/ or Cars And Planes/ Space Ships And Higher?)

Communications Systems Include Mail, Phone or Other Forms of Vocal/written Communications. Are There High Tech Telephones or Is There a Mailing System? How Does it Work For Sending Info Like ‘Help, We’re Being Attacked! Send The Militia!’ How Does it Work If Calling Home to Say, “Hey Mom And Dad I’m Getting Married Next Week, or I Got That Great New Job!”?

Is Technology The Same Planet Wide or Only in Specific Regions?

Is Technology Distributed Based Upon Racial or Economic Factors or Equally Shared?

Is There a Technological Aspect That Will Have Significant Impact Upon The Story?

What Is The Major Forms of Transportation? (Horse And Carts/ or Cars And Planes/ Space Ships?)

How Does Technological Advances Shape These Forms of Transportation?

What Level of Technology For Weapons Where Applicable? (Forges/Assembly Lines/robot Workers as Examples)  

Are There Any Weapons Restrictions, And Are Those Restrictions Important to The Plot Line?

How Has The Technology (Or Magic) Helped to Build up or Destroy The Society That Uses It? Is it Still Helping to Build, or Destroy Its Users?

 Medical Section:

What Level of Medicine Exists?

Who Does The Healing?

What Technology Is Involved, If Any? (Shamans And Witches And Magic Users Would Use Herbs or Crystals)

If Technologically Advanced What Types of Medical Care Is Available to The People (Hospitals And Insurance Company Concepts  Go Here)

What Types of Diseases And Illnesses Are Common?

Are They Curable, or Lethal?

Who Cares For Sick Family Members With Non Lethal Colds?

 POLITICS SECTION:

Governmental Questionnaire:  

What Kind of Government(s)  Exist in This World? (Story Relevance Specific) (Politics Is Always Relevant to Some Degree in Every Story Line!!!)

Does Your Planet Have More Than One Government?

Sovereigns = King Queen, by Birth With Dukes And Lords

Democratically Elected= President And Congress as Example Elder’s Council,

Land Holders Council, Dictatorships, Ogliagarchy, Parliamentary (Limited Sovereign- Must Get Elected Groups Agreement to Do Certain Things) Militant (Yes it Is Different From Tyranny, A.k.a. Dictators),  Cooperative (A Lot Like Ogliagarchy, But a Smaller Group Making The Decisions),

How, & Why Did This Government Come About?

Diplomatic Corps) How Many? Any Special Training required?

How Are Relationships Between Countries? Are Any Currently at War With Each Other? If So, Why?

 Taxation

How Does it Work? Purchases Taxed Only, Land, Paychecks, Possessions, Birth Fees?

Taxes and Regulations upon Imports & Exports Where Applicable. Community Based Trade Without Taxation Such as a Village Would Be Seen as Normal. Trade? Name Some Imports, Exports (Look at Geography for Natural Resources to Come up with These Items- a Farming Community Will Trade Grain and Food Stuffs with More Industrialized Areas for Things like Forged Metal Goods Etc)

Are There Taxes on Imports and Exports?

Trade Section/

Large Mass Goods or Specialized Goods. Example, Are They Like Corroscant From Star Wars.. Must Import Food And Water to Survive.. Or Like Mon Calamari... Lots of Exports, Lesser Imports Due to Self Sufficiency. Export Raw Materials or Finished, or Refined Goods.  

How Are Goods Imported and Exported? (By Ship/truck/train/caravan/plane Etc...)

How Is Local; Trade Carried Out? (Barter May Exist in Local or a Credit Ledger You Pay off When Harvest Time Is Done as Example)

Economics:

What Types of Currency Is Used? (Money And Coins/ Credits or Plastic Cards/ or Implanted Chips/ Gems or Barter Forms (A Chicken For a Bag of Grain Example) Currency? What Are Denominations in Credit/ Money Forms For Your Planetary or Nations? Driads For Coalition as Example. If You Have Major Ports of Call Built Into Your System, You May Have a Star Grouping Form of Currency Such as Example Star Wars Driad, as Well as an Internal Set of Indigenous, or Planetary Specific Currency. Are the Monies Based on Metals, Papers, Fabrics, Jewels and Crystals, Microchips, Cards, or Barter?

Is There More than 1 Monetary System to Be Considered for this Story Line?

 LAW SECTION:

In Depth Judicial System: What Rules For Theft or Does This Species Idolize It? Violence (Warrior Species Will Probably Have Ritual Battles And Other Forms of Accepted Violence And Laws That Uphold Forms of Ritualized Violence)are There Laws For or Against Sex Crimes? Or Any Other Form of Judgement Ruled System Such as Divorce, Wills/probate, And Drug Slave Trade Laws or Bans Etc. And Who Enforces... Military <Militant Rule Government System> Private Security Groups (Hired by Government?) Regulation Trained Police or Law Enforcement Agency That Is Government Backed. Embezzlement, Fraud/perjury, Domestic Situations: I.e. Traffic Tickets/ Monetary Disputes., Lawsuits, You Get The Idea.

What Level of Law Enforcement Exists?

Is There a Structured Legal System Such as in America With Lawyers And Courts? Or Is it ‘Caught And Hung Same Day’ Variety (Antiquated/medieval) System?

Who Makes And Upholds The Laws of The Region?

What Are The Laws And The Consequences For Breaking Them?

 Basic History:

Any Major Wars? Inter-species to Interplanetary?  More Than One Country/nation And Governmental Styles Will Have a Past War History. First Space Voyage, Famous Treaties or Constitutions With Who Signed And Why? These Are Good to Make Obscure References to in Novels That Take Place Elsewhere If Only to Remind The Reader of The Exotic Setting Without Having to Bash Readers Over The Head. Major Holidays, Interplanetary And Galactic? Design a General Interspecies Calender, or National Holiday Calender Depending on The Genre Writing. History World and Local

Wars of Significance?

Treaties of Significance?

Major Discoveries That Have Altered History

Natural Disasters, and Other Events That Have Altered History?

Are These Histories Directly Affecting Your Story Overtly, or Simply Shaping Character Behaviors (Same as Religion)

If Important to Main Story List Some Ways it Will Affect the Characters and Story Line Potentially.

History of Interactions Between Different Societies?

Important Historical Figures That Influence a Culture or Society? In Example:  Religions Created By, Governments Designed By? Laws That Make Differences? Metals Found and Forged for First Time? (You Get the Idea Here)

 MISC POSSIBILITIES

Military.. Draft Based or Volunteer Corps? Paid a Good Wage/ Poor Wage? Does This World Have Sets of Treaties to Provide Troops in Time of Crisis in Example  Coalition Sponsored or Local Provisions Such as Lord Calling on Vassals, or Do They Have Full Time Experienced And Trained Army or Similar Liberation Intentioned Forces? Example : Major Ports And Military Platforms Paid For by Coalition Agreements in Return For Skills Such as Tech Support, Housing For Warriors, Docking/repair Platforms in Space Etc...(Sci Fi Examples)

 For Fantasy Only Section:

Magic:

If There Is Magic on this World Is There More than 1 Type of Magic (Type Is Healing or Warrior, or Holy Relic Making, or Getting from One Place to Another in Examples)

How Does Magic Work in Your World? Cast and Get Immediate Results or Cast and Wait, or Perhaps You Need a Power Object to Do Anything at All.

What Are the Limitations of Magic? (Example Magic Might Not Work to Resurrect the Dead, but it Might Be Able to Recreate an Arm If You Lose One in a Fight)

What Magic Taboos Exist? (I.e. Creating a Frankenstein Would Be a Taboo in Many Cultures):

[askdawnandvern]

A Lamb Among Wolves

Sorry I was a day late with posting this, but I had a really rough day yesterday and it sort of set me back a bit. It's mostly that I'm sick, coupled with some bad news that I'm still sort of getting over and now I'm trying to catch up. So it's official, we are now in act three. (Day three) of the trip in the story. All the set pieces are in place, and it's now more of a matter of moving things along. I'm going to be trying to hit the story as twice as hard at this point to get it out and finished faster than my previous rate, but it's still going to take a bit to get back to one chapter a week. But I'm going to be making a dedicated effort to try and get there so I can wrap this up.

That said, the ask blog might take a slight hit due to it. Mostly in the form of more 'text base answers' and less extended comics in order to achieve this goal. But at this point, there are only about 16 or so chapters left, and I'd prefer to get it all wrapped up before Summer.

Anyway, sorry for the delay Here's hoping we wrap this up quickly and satisfyingly in the coming months. WT, out.

And if you'd like early access to chapters and access to other perks you can check out My Patreon. www.patreon.com/wastedtimeee

Chapter Thirty-One: The Cultural Tenets of the Northern Roaropean Lamb

"Much like the wolves of old, ancient sheep as a species could be found on nearly every continent in some form or another. From the coldest mountain regions to some of the hottest climates, an ancient wandering mammal had a significantly high chance of running into a flock of sheep without even trying. In fact, sheep are considered to make up one of the largest representative species on the planet next to mammals in the canid and feline families respectively. And as you can imagine, that kind of density of species has lead to quite a few...unsavory rumors about sheepfolk in the eyes of other mammals. Especially thanks to the work of many Rams who wielded any sort of power, many of whom were in my family. But I am getting off track. The point of this entry is to discuss how sheepfolk tended to work in a society, their beliefs and social rules. More specifically those which pertain strongest to my genetic background, that being sheep of Schottish ancestry.

Now we've already discussed the general structure of early ancient sheep herds, and the system of hierarchy in place among them. Caprids have been, and remain a largely docile species that focus primarily on defending themselves rather than antagonizing others aside from a few notable exceptions. There was one key term i forgot to explain though, that being the word 'flock'. I had mostly referred to sheep as being 'herds' in the previous historical entry as it was easier to digest for most prey species and other predators. But the term 'flock' was a unique phrase that sheep's used to refer to their herds. I'm not sure exactly how common knowledge this is, but I thought it was a good idea to throw this in for good measure.

The Schotts, being herbivores in nature like all sheep relied largely upon farming and agriculture in order to sustain their close-knit communities, and thus their religious beliefs revolve largely around harvest and protection. The chief god amongst caprid kind being 'Hornunnos', roughly translating to 'he of many horns'. His multiple long, and numerous horns representative of his great wisdom, virility, and strength that came with being a well-developed ram. And on the feminine side, we have 'Cervidwen' goddess of bounty and the beauty of life. Cervidwen, roughly translated to 'hooves of grace' held sway over nature, the seasons, and nurturing the arts. It was she the Schotts prayed to for mild winters and bountiful harvests. And it was she who supposedly inspired the songs and stories that were birthed from some of sheepfolk's greatest minds. Tales of beauty, first love, and adventure. As well as tales of woe and warning to young little lambs that I will be touching on shortly.

Sheep shared a reverence for the moon, and its cycle just as wolves did. However, whereas wolves looked to the moon for guidance and prayer, it held in most sheep a powerful, paralyzing terror. A full moon was seen as a terrible omen to the native Schotts, which can be directly connected to the Norwulves preference fighting and going to war under its terrible glow. Fighting and warring that almost always found itself laying its paws at the shores of the Schottish Isles. As such a great deal of Caprid nursery rhymes and stories feature the presence of the full-moon as a dreadful set-up to a young kid or lamb being dragged off into the night by a fearsome wolf to be dined upon under the moon's sinister glow. Some going into excruciating and morbid detail about lamb's blood and pearly sharp teeth gleaming under the cursed glow of that hateful orb.

One of the most well known and shared stories that still persists to this day despite how much society has changed is the tale of 'Little Red Riding Hoof', a story originating from cervines and quickly adopted and adapted to the Schottish cannon. In it, a young doe, or in the case of the Schotts, a young ewe, travels to visit her ailing Grandmother in order to bring her a basket of goodies. But she leaves on the night of a full moon despite her parent's protest to wait till the morning, as her Grandmother is in dire need of supplies. They warn her of wolves, and their treacherous ways, but she is adamant that she can handle herself alone. Along the way she is silently stalked by a, you guessed it, hungry wolf, who eventually confronts her under the premise that he is simply a weary traveler looking for food. The fearful ewe is somewhat hesitant to even talk to the lone wolf, but takes pity on him, offering a small morsel of her Grandmothers supplies to soothe his hunger pangs. She remains firm however, that the small bit of food was all she could offer and reveals the nature of her journey to the creature. Much to her surprise, the wolf lets her go, and the ewe finds herself doubting her parent's warnings about wolf treachery.

But the wolf, now aware of the nature of her trip, and familiar with the cottage, sneaks ahead of the ewe and mercilessly devours her Grandmother whole. Once Red Riding Hoof arrives, the wolf masquerades as the ewe's ailing Grandmother. Poorly donning her ill-fitting clothes and trying his best to deceive the ewe into getting close enough to bite into her. Which the ewe foolishly acquiesces to.

To be fair, that part never really made sense to me in any iteration of the story. As a ewe, I couldn't conceive a lamb so dumb as to not immediately recognize that the mammal pretending to be her Grandmother was just that, a pretender, a fake. Then again, as a little lamb, I hadn't realized that my best friend had been a wolf until my Father had discovered the relationship. While I had heard the term wolf, the picture that had been painted for me was a snarling, drooling hideous beast, much as the story depicts.

And so the little friendly ball of fluff that quickly became my playmate didn't exactly fit the bill when it came to my Father's description. I simply couldn't make the connection, neither there, nor with his nickname, 'Puppy'. It was the name his brothers gave him, but only I was allowed to call him. But as to the meaning or implication of that title  I was still far too naive. And my Father was quick to make sure I never made that 'mistake' again.

But again, I've wandered off track. (Note: re-read this and consider revising it or shifting it to a later section.) Sufficed to say, the ewe is somehow fooled by the wolf's act. But unlike today's sanitized, family-friendly version of the tale put forth by companies like Dismurinae where the courageous woodsram bursts in at the last second and saves the foolish young ewe. The traditional version of the tale ends with the wolf simply devouring the lamb and escaping into the night, leaving her family to grieve the loss of their daughter and Grandmother. It was meant to be a staunch warning, a story that no matter how it played out it always ended the same way, death by the jaws of a hungry wolf.

As I've said, it is one of many caprid fear-mongering tales all aimed at warning young, impressionable lambs of the horrific nature of wolves. But stories like these were more than enough to force most of the Schotts to rely primarily on the sun and daylight for mapping their calendars and properly timing their harvests. And on a moonlit night, the average Schottram resident was hiding inside their home, with doors barred and windows shuttered and secure.

Lastly, I feel it is of obvious importance to explain the inner workings of caprid marriage. While the ceremony is fairly common among a variety of prey species with little variation, it is less so with predators, many of which ascribe to their own more unique ceremonies. But again, for the purposes of this particular book, I will only go into the rules and traditions of your standard 'Schottish' wedding.

The caprid take on marriage was one of the first popularized union ceremonies in Roarope, finding its start in the 'flocks' of Schottram and Irelamb before spreading and mingling amongst a variety of other prey groups and societies. It is a simpler ceremony in organization when compared to the rigorous approval process involved in the Norwullf or Canidean wolf 'tithing' ceremonies. Essentially, any ram is allowed to marry any ewe they wish without familial approval, although it is customary as a sign of respect. And in the case of the Schotts it came with many a hefty bonus. Entitlement to land, the merger of farms, and most commonly the bride's 'dowry'.

This 'dowry' was a small sum of money bestowed to the wedding ewe by her parents. it was intended to act seed money for the budding mates new family. Although today, the 'dowry'  has fallen out of favor pretty much everywhere outside of Schottram.

The ceremony is usually held by day in a meadow or field, not at night for obvious reasons. In the ceremony family and friends are expected to attend, and a caprid pastor is employed to officiate the union under the eyes of the gods. Most commonly the gods invoked to bless the ceremony are of course Hornunnus and Cervidwen, again for reasons that should be obvious to you given what importance I previously ascribed to them.

In the times of the Ancient Schotts, these pastors played a revered roll in most caprid communities. They were seen as the direct connection between the flocks on Animalia and the will of the gods, much like the 'seers' among the Norwulves. And as such their approval was tantamount to the success of any prospecting wedding couple. In order to reach the respected status of a pastor, these mammals underwent numerous trials to prove their hardship and devoting to the gods. But in reality, these were simply rites of passage that were approved over by other 'pastors' as a 'direct sign of approval' from the gods wasn't easy to provide evidence of. Most of these ancient trials have been lost to time, the ancient writings describing them varied and scattered. But the few fragments that remain describe anything ranging from lasting three days with no food or water to searing oneself with a hot iron. However, in today's society, becoming an 'official' caprid pastor is as easy as the click of a mouse, much to the relief of a great many sheepfolk.

The ceremony begins with the pastor invoking the god and goddess directly, before turning his attention to the wedding couple. This part of the ceremony remains quite traditional, so much so that the original text has barely changed in the thousands of years since its origin, and it goes as follows.

'Blessings and merry we meet, Gentlerams and ewes alike. I beseech the great god Hornunnus, whose wisdom is unparalleled, and dear goddess Cevidwen, graceful lady of plenty and merriment to lay their gifts of virility and bounty upon at the feet of the couple who stands before me.'

He would of course lead with the males name, followed by the female, announcing them both the audience as well as the gods.

           'Noble (insert ram's name), and Lady ( insert ewe's name) have asked for thee to share in their joy and to declare the depths of their love for one another before you all. To be blessed by both those among us, and those above as they embark on this journey together.'

It was then the pastor would ask the budding couple if they were certain of their choice. Fairly standard among most prey weddings aside from the wording.

           'Lord (ram), are thou certain of the love? Does thou retain an inkling of doubt or fear?

If the response is 'Nay, I am certain.', then the ceremony continues with the pastor repeating the same line directed at the Lady. And with her assent marches onward.

           'In as much as this Noble (mammal) and Lady (mammal) have pledged to one another to be married on this day. We call upon the gods to bless this union, and their lives together. Therefore, should there be any lamb assembled among us that can show just cause why these sheep should not be joined, then speak now, or forever be silent.'

The pastor would then hold for objections, again, another standard of most prey ceremonies aside from the archaic language. If there were no objections, the ceremony would continue.

'Great Hornunnus and Lady Cervidwen, holders of the unforeseen knowledge beyond knowing, we humbly ask of thee to bless this union. To bless their lives with merriment and plenty, and guide them through their trials and sorrows. To bless them with strong, healthy and mirthful lambs to carry on their proud name. '

Then of course, the pastor turns his attention directly to the couple.

           'Do you, Noble (mammal), take unto thyself as wife the Lady?'

To which the groom should respond.

           'Aye, for our lives, and into the hereafter.'

From there, the bride is asked a rephrased version of the question, and upon her agreement, the ceremony moves to a very interesting portion. At this time, the caprid pastor opens the floor to the wedding couple, offering them a chance to speak to one another in their own words. This is commonly referred to as the 'trading of vows', and it is intended for the couple to write their own speeches to one another. Professing love, and the depths of it and so forth. It's easily one of the most popular portions of romantic films involving prey weddings, leaving us with many eternally romantically quotable lines.

'It is now time for the trading of the vows, and with it, I open the floor to thee Lord (wolf) and Lady (ewe).

And of course, this is where the vows would go, but as they are generally unique, I don't exactly have anything to place here. So try to imagine the most romantic, beautiful sweeping statements delivered with passion and grace. The groom declaring his bottomless love for the bride, his unwavering trust and belief in her despite the slings and slander of others. And the bride, declaring how she is undeserving of love, yet overcome with joy to be loved, and of her lover.

Thanking the groom for his unwavering support and love, his care and devotion, the way he seems to treasure her like a precious stone when others treated her as if she were a malformed pebble. That her love for him is eternal regardless of the pelt he wears, the sharpness of his teeth, or his rugged good...

Ahem, Well I'm getting off track I think, I'm not sure where I was going with that. I mean, you must get the idea by now. (Note to self: shorten or remove vow examples?) After the vows, the pastor continues by presenting the traditional rings to the couple to be wed. The rings are traditionally made of polished ash wood, the grooms inlaid with gold edging, and the brides with silver. Each ring contains the other mammal's name etched on the interior of the band. While rings are a common practice with prey ceremonies, only caprid and cervine ceremonies use rings made of polished wood. It is what is believed to bind them to their natural roots, the forest from which they came, and the gods and goddess that watch over.

           'Gods, bless these rings which the Noble Vernon Hunter and Fair Lady Dawn Bellwether have chosen to mark themselves as to be forever unified in heart and within their spirits. As they give and receive these rings, may they testify to the world of the covenant made between them.

Then Vernon would say.

           'Dawn, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my undying love for you.

And then I would say.

           'Vernon, receive and wear this ring and make me the happiest ewe in all of Animalia!'

(Note: This section needs to be revised heavily, this is supposed to be clinical, not emotional. Still, at the moment I can't bring myself to erase it. So fix it later!)

Then the pastor ends the ceremony with what most movies about prey marriages feature heavily. The kiss.

           'With the recitation of the vows, and the rings you now wear, may this union be made official. With a kiss, the purity and endless depths of their love will be laid bare for all to witness and embrace. You may now kiss the bride.'

With that comes the kiss of course, followed by the usual celebration of the newlyweds in the same meadow in which their union was consecrated. A fringe benefit of having an outdoor ceremony being that you don't have to have two separate venues to hold the celebration.

At the ceremony toasts are made, traditional food is eaten and merriment is made. Well wishes and gifts are shared and music is played and generally this part is all left up to those throwing the party. There are a few small traditions that are sometimes employed such as the tossing of the bouquet, and the removal of the garter, but otherwise, the afterparty has never been a very rigid, strict affair, and has easily adapted to the times. Even going so far as to make additions to the whole affair, adding the ever popular and the increasingly elaborate 'Honeymoon' as part of the package. All things I thought I was never going to have, and now...'

Dawn let out a pleasant sigh as she skimmed back over her previous handiwork. A smile forming on her lips as she quietly re-read the slight error in her clinical recounting of a traditional caprid wedding ceremony.

"Dawn, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my undying love for you." Dawn murmured softly to herself, smiling warmly at the words on the screen.

'He probably wouldn't say it exactly like that...' The ewe thought to herself. 'Knowing him, he'd find something better.'

Dawn began to yawn, doing her best to quiet it with one hoof while stretching with her other arm. The other girls were all still asleep, Malcolm snoring loudly as he unconsciously scratched at his belly, and the ewe was still keen not to wake them with her own troubles.

The ewe had no intention of waking up as early as she had. It had to have been at least an hour before the first glimmers of morning light began to filter through the windows of the large bedroom. But there had been a number of factors at play to rob the ewe of sleep that night, forcing her to turn to her writing to drive them back, and Malcolm's snoring was probably the least of it.

To start with, the collapse of Ada's bed and the lack of proper spares in the room had more or less forced the group to take Audrey's advice and have two of the girl's bunk together. Naturally, or at least Dawn should have immediately assumed to be the natural solution, Ada and Vanna concluded the two smallest mammals in the room should be the ones to split a bed. They of course, quickly focused their gaze on herself and Qali to further emphasize the choice had already been made.

It made sense to Dawn, her own bed proving much too large for someone of her size anyway. But what the girls had neglected to mention, was that the diminutive little vixen was quite pawsy in her sleep.

Perhaps they didn't know, or perhaps it had been the ewe's own fault for having invited the fox to pet her wool that night. But Dawn had spent the evening fending off the vixen's attempts at grappling the ewe's wooly poof in her sleep.

The first two times the sleeping fox had managed to get a tight grip around her hair, Dawn had reluctantly woken the vixen up to let her know what she was doing. Qali, of course, was terribly embarrassed, apologizing profusely before shifting over to the farthest edge of the bed as she could before going back to bed. However, it didn't take long for the slumbering canid to drift her way back over to Dawn's side. And before the ewe knew it, the vixen was once again entangled in her wooly mane, letting out contented little sighs as she presumably 'counted sheep'.

Eventually, the ewe gave up fending off the impromptu cuddle session, choosing to embrace the little excitable vixen's unintentional affection in the interest of a good nights sleep. But despite the slight discomfort of having a mammal practically suction cupped to her head, it was something warm. It was an affectionate gesture the fox clearly couldn't control, and it was certainly more welcoming than what awaited Dawn in her dreams.

Each time the lamb had managed to drift off into slumber, she found herself in that darkened study. The acrid yet sweet scent of brandy overwhelming her nostrils so strongly it caused her to gag. The dim shine of the lighting against its bronze and deep green fixtures creating a glare in all directions as the ewe struggled to find her ground. She could still see the wolf, seemingly towering over his desk now as he glared back at her with hateful eyes. Piercing grey eyes that smoldered with an unrelenting disdain for the increasingly smaller ewe standing before him. His lips curled around his gleaming, sharpened teeth as he spat bile in her direction.

The same speech, over and over again, only now without her protests. She couldn't muster a defense, and with every hateful statement or unkind word, she felt herself shrinking smaller and smaller.

In desperation, she called to her primal self, the beast that once haunted her dreams before her encounter with her Father in that old factory on the frigid tundra night. Anything to give her the strength to stand back up, to defend herself. But it never came. It was gone after all, now a part of her that for some reason she couldn't conjure as Dorian continued his incessant berating.

"Ya'll came out here expectin' everything to go your way." The wolf repeated, his grimace deepening as the disgust in him rose. "You were thinkin' about yer selfish needs!"

"N-no!' The ewe waivered.

"You think I'd ever accept you as one of our own? " Again word for word, the wolf's most painful barbs playing on loop for her own personal torment.

Dawn tried her protest, but each wave after wave of painful insults and untrue statements was wearing her down. Reducing her to nothing more than a heap on the floor of the dimly lit office until she suddenly found herself on the wolf's desk. The ewe now no bigger than an ant, surrounded by the various golden baubles on the now massive wolf's desk as he raised his decanter in the air preparing his final blow.

"As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter!" The wolf bellowed at a deafening octave as the ewe clutched at her ears in pain.

Then the decanter came down. Faster, faster and closer as the ewe found herself unable to move. Paralyzed with terror as she tried to scream out.

"NO!"

And just like that she was awake again, dripping with sweat and gasping for breath. Thankfully Qali proved to be a heavy sleeper, or perhaps the ewe would have woken her. Instead, the slumbering fox remained gripped to her hair, hanging off of her slightly as the ewe sat up, trying to regain her composure.

And so the evening went, and each time the ewe closed her eyes she was back in that place. The room that stunk heavily of fine brandy, the golden reflections that seemed to blind her, and the fierce and towering Dorian. It played on repeat, the same way each time. And Dawn could do little to stop it other than waking up and escaping that terrible realm of her innermost demons. And eventually, the ewe resigned herself to staying awake, rather than be forced to face it again.

After carefully prying the fox off of her head and easing her back onto her own pillow, the ewe went right to burying herself in her work. Doing her best to bury the terrible dream behind volumes of text that still needed to be typed. Losing herself in hazy visions of a blissful and beautiful caprid  marriage to the wolf she loved so dearly. It was something she could still take some sort of solace in. Despite Dorian's hateful words, and outright refusal to accept her as part of the family, at the very least he couldn't deny her a caprid ceremony. At the very least she and Vernon would have their ceremony, with or without his approval. They would stand together in a beautiful meadow, before the gods and the members of their families that chose to attend and pledge their love to one another. Their devotion, their loyalty, and their honor before joining as one in heart and in spirit.

The ewe had so lost herself in her fantasy, her safe haven, that the world around her had managed to fall away. Only managing to tear herself away from her work when then first rays of the morning brought her back to her reality. She was still in the Hunter home, still in Dorian's domain, and soon enough she would have to face the day and whatever it was set to bring.

The ewe carefully eased herself off of the mattress, doing her best not to wake the tiny vixen still sleeping peacefully as she tightly grappled her pillow in the place of the ewe's fluffy poof before cautiously rolling her suitcase out from beneath its place under the bed. With deliberately soft steps the ewe made her way across the room, carrying the suitcase to keep the wheels from rattling against the hardwood floor as she approached the room divider. Once behind the privacy of its curtain, the ewe too to dressing herself in the most worn out and comfortable set of clothes she had packed in preparation for working the stand. And old lavender blouse with flowing sleeves that she could easily roll up should she need to work with dough. And a simple, but trusty deep purple skirt to go with it that she didn't mind staining.

Taking a seat on the hardwood floor, the ewe pulled her pocket mirror from the case, as well as her usual wool care equipment to spend a few minutes getting her wool back in order. The diminutive vixen had done quite a number to her usually solid and bouncy spherical bouffant, but it was nothing a few minutes with the wool brush and a heavy application of wool cream couldn't manage to tame.

Adding the last touches to her hair, the ewe prepared to snap her compact shut only to freeze just short of the nearly involuntary action. She stared at the weary-looking ewe staring back at her, the sadness etched into her features appearing almost permanent in the bleary reflection. With a wavering sigh, the ewe tried to assure herself that she was okay. That everything would work out. To take her own words she had spent yesterday evening telling Vernon to heart and trying to remain optimistic despite herself. Dawn forced a smile to her muzzle, and for a moment she nearly had herself convinced she could do it.

"As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter!"

Her smile dropped the second the words replayed in her head, the ewe letting out another weak and shuddering sigh as she felt herself faltering.

Dawn wasn't sure how to press on with this facade. With Dorian in charge, any sort of leeway made at Hunter Household with the other members of the family meant little. What sort of organic relationship could she truly hope to foster with the icy white wolf acting as a roadblock? Certainly none that required visiting the Hunter Ranch to say the least. The ewe wondered how her sisters would react to Dorian's assessment of her, or the Hunters for that matter? What about Audrey, his mate? The ewe couldn't even begin to picture the disaster that was waiting to happen should she breathe a word of her confrontation with the wolf to anyone in the family, especially Vernon. The damage done would most certainly be devastating, and the rifts that would be driven between members of the family might prove far too vast to mend.

Yet she had to endure two more days. Two more days of biting her tongue while Dorian's words ate a hole through her stomach. And in that moment, the ewe remained uncertain that she could stand it.

Then she saw it. Behind her reflection in the mirror she could see her suitcase. The purple container still left open, with notes and clothes haphazardly strewn about. But among the various bits of necessities and wool care products she could see the edge of a familiar band sticking out from between two notebooks. The bracelet she extracted with great care before laying it to rest gently in her palm.

"Puppy's Best Friend." She read softly, a warm smile forming on her muzzle.

Carefully the ewe slid the familiar, albeit childish looking bracelet onto her wrist. Dawn gave it a gentle spin, letting out a quiet chuckle as a few of the translucent bead caught glimmers of light as they spun before clutching down on the bracelet with her other hand. The ewe squeezed it tightly, holding it as if it were a sacred talisman that would protect her from her own thoughts. Drawing strength from the simple presence of it on her arm. A reminder that no matter what, she had her 'Puppy Love'. And in the end, that was all she really wanted.

Dawn could feel her confidence returning as she clutched the bracelet.

She could do it, she could get through it. And then, once they returned to Zootopia she and Vernon could start planning their 'real' wedding and put Dorian's nastiness behind them. While she loved her new sisters and brothers dearly, she could get along just fine without returning to the ranch, and would be more than happy to invite them out to Zootopia should they be so inclined to see her.

'Vernon probably doesn't even care about getting a 'tithing' ceremony.' The ewe reassured herself. 'Between the official caprid wedding and our partnership license I'm sure he'll be more than satisfied.'

As Dawn closed her suitcase, zipping it shut as quietly as possible she continued the positive mental self-encouragement. The ewe growing more confident with each soft stride she made on her way back to her bedside. With a quiet huff, the ewe slid her case back under the mattress and eased herself back onto her bed next to the slumbering arctic fox.

Gently closing her laptop, the ewe came to a final conclusion.

"I can wait to tell Vernon what happened when we get home." Dawn mused to herself. " He'll be mad sure, but with that much distance between him and his Father he'll have time to cool off and then..." Dawn paused, the next words even her more optimistic approach was having a hard time parsing. " Maybe they can talk it out like adult mammals."

Vrrt! Vrrt!

Dawn nearly jumped out of her pelt at the sudden, abrupt noise. It was a quiet droning sound, but it was close enough to startle her. The ewe's eyes began to scan wildly for the source, glancing back at Qali for a moment and raising an eyebrow. The fox was still slumbering away, her paws choking her pillow to death.

"Did you...?" Dawn muttered softly.

Vrrt! Vrrt!

This time Dawn felt it, the slight and familiar vibration trembling through the blanket beneath her. Glancing over near the side of her laptop, she spied her Carrot phone resting softly where she had left it to charge. The screen of the device now dimly lit with a message prompt.

The ewe rolled her eyes at her moment of brief stupidity before quickly scooping the phone into her hands before it could make any more noise. With a flick of her hoof the screen came to life, the text alert now clear and visible as it hung over her home screen.

"Two new messages from Judy Hopps."

"Lamb Sakes..." Dawn uttered quietly. "I completely forgot about Judy!"

Opening the app, the ewe was greeted with both messages, each sent within seconds of one another.

"Judy: Dawn, you awake? I know it's pretty early, but I wanted to check in."

"Judy: Unless you were asleep and my text woke you up. If so, I'm sorry."

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a soft chuckle at the rabbit's message string. It was clear from the split seconds between the messages and the second-guessing herself the rabbit was already firing on all cylinders. Dawn's reply was considerably shorter, and what the ewe could only imagine in comparison to the rabbit, slower.

"Yes, I'm awake". The ewe texted back.

Dawn watched the screen in silence. For a moment it remained still, but soon enough Dawn could see the ellipses denoting the rabbit was in the process of typing a reply.

"Judy: Couldn't sleep either?"

Dawn's expression shifted to a dull glare as she let out a quiet, sarcastic laugh.

"Define sleep... Dawn responded.

Again Dawn watched as the ellipses danced below her last message.

"Judy: Yeesh, that bad huh?" Came the reply.

Dawn placed a hoof over her eyes, slowly pulling it down her face as she let out an exasperated sigh. The ewe taking a moment to release some of her previous tension before continuing the conversation.

"Bad, is putting it lightly Judy." The ewe answered.

There was a slight pause before the rabbit began to type her response.

"Judy: You want to talk about it?"

Dawn let out another soft, sarcastic chuckle before keying in her reply.

"It would take me hours to go over everything." Dawn texted. "It's really something we should save for discussion on a coffee meet after all this is said and done."

The pause was longer this time, leaving Dawn to imagine the rabbit was pondering her next statement with a greater degree of care.

"Judy: You sure?" By the time the message popped, Judy was already typing a follow-up.

"Judy: How about a 'Clop's Notes' version?"

Dawn smirked at the response. The ewe wasn't sure about exactly how to distill all that had happened to her in just the two days she had been at the Hunter Ranch, but she supposed she could try. Dawn pondered quietly, organizing and trimming her planned response in her head in order to get as much information out with the least amount of text as possible. It had to be getting close to breakfast time now, and soon enough the ewe would be far too busy to keep up with a long-running test conversation.

"Well let's see..." Dawn texted, preparing the rabbit for the oncoming info dump.

"To start with, Vernon's Father hates me." Dawn added, feeling a particularly painful sting inside her chest as she pressed send. " I mean, he told me to my face more or less, but I haven't told Vernon yet."

As Dawn continued to type, Judy gave a short and simple reply.

"Judy: Oh..." The text popped up.

"Judy: I'm so sorry Dawn." She followed up with.

" We also got kicked out of the fair yesterday for being a pred/prey couple, the North Meadowlands Representative going so far as asking Vernon's whole family to leave." Dawn continued.

"And to top it all off I had my remnant estrus yesterday, and Vernon and I got caught rutting in the family cornfield because he howled during it." Dawn added.

Judy's response was immediate.

"Judy: Yikes... -_-* " The text popped up.

"And that's not even the half of it..." Dawn replied. "There is so much more that's happened over just the last two days. It's been a rollercoaster." Dawn shook her head dismissively as she typed. " I just gave you the 'highlights'."

It seemed like at least a minute rolled by before Judy began typing a response, giving the ewe time to make a quick scan of the bedroom to make sure she still hadn't disturbed the other Hunter girls. Fortunately even Qali, who remained tightly gripped to her pillow, coiled around it protectively.

"Judy: I hope there are some positives... :/" The rabbit eventually replied.

Dawn chuckled softly to herself.

"Oh there are, it really isn't all bad." Dawn typed a reply. " I get along well with Vernon's Mother, as well as most of his brothers."

"Judy: 'Most', huh?" The rabbit was quick to reply.

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Well, I suppose nobodies family is perfect right?" The ewe replied. "You can't really win 'em all."

Before Judy could finish her reply, Dawn tapped out another quick addendum to her list of positives. " I've also gotten very close with Vernon's Sister-in-laws."

The rabbit's ellipses paused, giving Dawn time to add more or less conclude her statement.

"But the way things have been going, The negatives are beginning to wear me down faster than any of the positives can help build me back up." Dawn sent, letting out a soft, tired sigh.

The ellipses on Judy's incoming message remained frozen for a moment or two, most likely waiting to see if the ewe was done with her line of thought before pressing forward with her reply. But eventually, the little dots began to move again.

"Judy: You want to talk about imperfect families?" That response forced a ewe to stifle a giggle. She could already tell where the rabbit was going.

"Judy: Not to belittle your struggle, but getting the approval of seven siblings instead of three-hundred has considerably better odds, trust me."

Dawn shook her head trying to keep the rising smirk that was desperately trying to form on her muzzle as the rabbit continued.

"Judy: The thing that really baffles me is how my Dad is acting about me and Nick." Judy added. "Well, not really baffles me, but it's certainly hypocritical."

Dawn was quick to reply, eager to hear what must have been the starting point for the doe's own weekend struggle at the Carrot Day festival.

"Oh?" Dawn replied. "But I thought you told me your Father liked Nick?"

Dawn waited, Judy seemingly taking a moment to figure out how to reply. The ewe knew from previous conversations that Nick had been on trips with her to Bunny Burrow several times over the years. Unlike her and Vernon, the family was quite familiar with the fox. And when it came to Judy's Father, he was absolutely enamored with him. The prospect of someone keeping an eye on the rabbit in her 'dangerous' line of work, and his knowledge of the inner workers of Zootopia proving to be an easy angle to charm the older rabbit. Judy had even mentioned the fact that Nick had been teaching him a variety of way to gain the upper hand in her Father's weekly poker game. Sufficed to say, all of the previous accounts from Judy had lead Dawn to believe the two mammals had a healthy and robust 'bromance' between them. After a few moments, the rabbit finally texted back.

" 'Judy: Liked' being the key word here. " Just replied, ending her sentence with a frowning rabbit emoji. "He loved Nick when he was just my partner. But now that I announced we are dating...well...you get the idea."

Dawn chuckled quietly to herself as she read the reply.

"Judy: Now the old buck is acting like Nick committed a crime against mammality or something." The rabbit followed up.

The ewe lets out a sigh, at least she wasn't the only one suffering when it came to this issue. although she found herself wondering if the situation was just as bad as hers. Still, the ewe wanted to keep the conversation light, and trying to compare the nuances between their situation would have to be reserved for a later time. Nor did Dawn want to fall into the trap of playing the game of 'who has it worse'.

"Sounds like we both are having Father problems. :/" Dawn replied. "It feels better to know I'm not alone at least."

The rabbit was already typing a reply as the ewe hit send.

"Judy: The worse part is that Nick being Nick, is actively making it worse by antagonizing him. Bleh." Another frowning rabbit icon followed the statement. "Judy: Nick actually asked him last night if "Plowing the field was as rough for him as when Nick 'plows' me."

Dawn clasped her muzzle tightly in an effort to keep her laughter from escaping at the fox's statement. She was sure it was embarrassing to Judy, but being outside of it made it particularly hilarious.

"Judy: The two of them are starting to drive me crazy!" Judy typed back, a rabbit emoji with swirly eyes following the text. "Judy: But I'm going to settle this stupid thing once and for all today."

The ewe quirked a curious eyebrow as she read over the question. Judy was always the kind of mammal to take the initiative when it came to solving a seemingly impossible problem. It was something the ewe admired about the rabbit. But in this instance, it didn't seem like a problem one could just force a fix upon.

"How?" Dawn responded dumbly, her lips mouthing the word as she typed.

The rabbit was quick with a reply.

"Judy: We're going back to the fair today." Judy replied. "Judy: And I'm forcing them on to the Ferris wheel together."

Dawn scrunched her muzzle in confusion, the rabbit's plan seeming more baffling than her initial declaration.

"O...kay...?" Dawn replied, but the rabbit was already typing.

"Judy:  I know the rabbit who runs the Ferris wheel, and he owes me a favor." Judy continued. "I'm going to have him stop them at the top, and Mom and I won't let them down until they bury the hatchet!"

Dawn stifled a chuckle out the outlandish plan, it was a classic Judy solution.

"I don't know if I could do the same thing in my case..." Dawn replied, a frown returning to her muzzle. "I feel it's a bit more complicated than that with Vernon and Dorian."

There was a momentary pause before the ellipses danced at the bottom of the screen again.

"Judy: His Father?" Judy finally replied.

"Yes." The ewe typed back.

"Judy: How so?" Judy fired back almost as quickly as Dawn had sent her message.

This comment was drawing the conversation dangerously close to treading back on having to be a three-hour discussion, something the ewe was certain she didn't have time for. Dawn tried to think of a short reply, eventually coming up with something to move the conversation along. But while she was in the middle of typing the reply, a soft knock came at the bedroom door, drawing her attention away from the screen.

"Dawn, ya'll up?" The door opened slightly, and the ewe spotted a familiar nose wiggle its way in between the crack. "Honey Lamb?" The muzzle whispered.

"Vernon?" Dawn whispered back.

The door opened wider, allowing the wolf to poke his head in the rest of the way. Vernon flashed the ewe a small smile.

"'Mornin' Darlin'." Vernon said softly, his eyes scanning the room slowly before shifting his attention back to the ewe. "Dressed already?" Vernon asked.

Dawn rapidly cleared the unfinished message from her screen, entering a quick reply before shutting the phone down and sliding it in her pocket. 'Saved by the wolf.' She thought to herself.

"I'll talk to you later, Vernon's up. gtg." The response read.

With her cell tucked away, the ewe eased off the side of the bed as quietly as she could before scrambling her way over to the wolf at the door. as she approached, Vernon widened the gap, allowing himself to slip partially inside the bedroom. The wolf was dressed in a simple grey hoodie, and a beat up pair of jeans, wearing one of his favorite bandannas around his neck.

"So are you." Dawn replied in a hushed voice as she came up beside him.

Vernon smirked, glancing down at his hoodie.

"Takes me about five minutes er' less to get ready fer the day Floof's." Vernon chuckled softly. "It ain't like I'm the type to fuss with my looks too much." The wolf ran a paw through the tuft of fur on his scalp, letting out a soft sigh as he dragged it back.

"You sleep alright Mutton Chop?" The wolf's features took on a look of concern. "I mean considerin' the prep ya'll do in the mornin' I take it you've been up fer a while now."

Dawn looked away slightly, she couldn't really bring herself to look the wolf in the eyes, but the lamb played it off as glancing back at the other girls.

"Eh..." Dawn muttered. "I slept okay." Dawn shrugged as she brought her attention back to the wolf.

Vernon chuckled softly as he stood on the tips of his feet, glancing further back into the bedroom. Following his eye line, she could see the wolf had settled his gaze on the still snoring Malcolm. The wolf was now laying on his back, his muzzle opening and closing widely as he practically snarled in his sleep.

"Yeah..." Vernon smirked, looking back down to Dawn. "Suppose I should have told you Malcolm's a snorer."

Vernon giggled quietly as she turned back to Vernon.

"How does Xavier sleep through that?" Dawn asked.

Vernon rolled his eyes slightly. "Earplugs." The wolf said bluntly before placing a paw by his face and leaning down and closer to Dawn. "Malcolm don't know, so don't tell him."

Dawn had to stifle a laugh as the wolf rose to his feet again.

"So, ya'll ready to get some food in ya before we head out?" Vernon asked, slipping his paws into his pockets. "Ma made 'caramel prench toast' just fer us. And trust me, it's amazin'. "

The ewe quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"Just for us?" Dawn glanced back at the other mammals still peacefully asleep just in time to catch Malcolm scratching his gut again. "You mean, we aren't going to wake them up?"

Vernon shook his head dismissively.

"Ma thinks it's best to let 'em sleep in." Vernon replied with a slight frown. " Considerin' Pa's 'ban' and all it ain't like they'll be comin' with us, plus most of 'em are probably gonna need to help set up fer the barbeque." Vernon shrugged. " 'Sides, Ma thought it might be nice fer the three of us to have a nice, quiet meal together." The wolf flashed her a soft smile. "And I kinda liked the idea."

"But what about their breakfast?" Dawn asked, throwing another glance back at the slumbering mammals. "Surely they don't want to miss out?"

Vernon shook his head. "Ma says Malcolm's got 'em covered. He's on home cookin' duty today anyway." The wolf said with a smirk. "He always handles the barbeque cookin' after all."

Dawn nodded, taking another glance back at the sleepy mammals. The idea of a nice, quiet breakfast without the wild clamorous din of the entire Hunter family, as much as she loved them, did sound rather nice. It certainly was a reassurance that mammals like Yuri and Ulric wouldn't be there to start the day off even more so on the wrong hoof than it already had.

Dawn turned back to the wolf, flashing him a weak smile.

"That sounds lovely Vernon." The ewe whispered.

Dawn could see the wolf's tail wagging softly behind him as a warm smile curled across his muzzle.

"Excellent" The wolf went to clap his paws together, nearly making the impact before the wolf caught himself. The wolf tried to play off his mistake by quickly running one of the offending paws through his hair. "So, ahem..." The wolf cleared his throat. "Ya'll ready then?"

Dawn smiled at the goofy canine, giving him a soft assenting nod.

"Just let me put my laptop away and get my jacket, okay?" Dawn replied.

Vernon smirked, giving the ewe a nod as she turned back toward her bedside. Making her way back to the bed, the ewe slid her suitcase out from beneath the mattress once more, unzipping and opening the purple case before reaching for her laptop. The ewe gingerly rested it on top of her clothes, pulling the plug free of the wall before draping it on top of the computer.

As Dawn reached for her coat that was sticking out of the side of the bag, she felt a familiar rumble in her pocket.

Vrrt! Vrrt!

Clearly Judy had replied, but the ewe waited until she had closed her suitcase and returned it to the spot beneath the bed before pulling the phone free of her pocket.

Making her way back toward Vernon, her coat slung over her shoulder, the ewe opened the phone once more to read the rabbits reply.

"Judy: Alright, good luck Dawn."

Dawn smirked as she slid the phone back into it's resting place within her pocket before turning her attention back to the awaiting wolf.

"Got a message?' Vernon asked. "Nothin' important I hope..." The wolf flashed her a worried look.

Dawn let out a soft chuckle.

"It's nothing Puppy, just Judy." The ewe replied.

The wolf's frown dissipated, a smile returning in its place. "Aww, rabbit cop again? Tell I said hi!"

Dawn giggled. "Later, okay. Now let's go eat." Dawn said, grasping the wolf's paw with her free hoof. "I'm famished."

Vernon chuckled softly. "Alright. Alright."

As the couple walked away from the bedroom, the wolf gingerly closing the door behind them as they stepped away, Dawn continued to ruminate on Judy's last text. The words resting in the forefront of her mind along with the other mantras she had been focusing on just moments earlier.

"Alright, good luck Dawn."

"By the gods, I hope so..." Dawn thought to herself. "I certainly need it."

[nomadic-travel-blogger]

Alchi Choskor Monastery in incredible Leh

Explore one of the oldest and ancient structures of Ladakh. – The Alchi Monastery. This monastery contains four separate settlements with exceptional mural paintings, intricate art –work and beautiful wood carvings. If you are planning a vacation to Leh, don’t forget to add this historical inspiration in your itinerary

Travel Guide to Alchi Monastery and Alchi Village in Ladakh :

Alchi Monastery is not much discussed when we talk about different places to visit in Ladakh. There are not many pictures of the place too on the internet. Hence I was always very curious to know more and learn about Alchi Monastery. Once I visited Lamayuru Monastery, my next visit was to explore Alchi. And lastly, I did visit this ancient and intriguing place and found it unlike any other places to visit in Ladakh, I had seen before. 

Let me ride you to the tour of one of the most important religious centers in Ladakh – The Alchi Monastery. 

History and layout of the Alchi Monastery :

Situated on the banks of the Alchi river, This Monastery is known as one of the oldest Buddhist centers in Northern India. Distanced at 80km from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, this Monastery is based at the lowermost section of Ladakh along the Srinagar – Leh highway. 

Mahaguru Rinchen Zangpo constructed this beautiful Monastery along with Lamayuru and many other monasteries across the entire region of Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Tibet between the years 958 to 1055. The Monastery got buried with time and eventually worshipped stopped, and tourists stopped visiting this place until the Buddhist group Gelukpa (Dalai lama) invaded and started managing the region. Alchi is considered as the oldest settlement administered by Likir monastery.

Alchi is a small quaint village with patches of green and brown mountains with few white highlights. You will cross pass the fluttering player flags across the bridge to arrive at Alchi Monastery. There are small shops and little houses along the way with warm locals to greet you everywhere. 

This Monastery consists of a cluster of several chortens and temples in small box-like buildings, each resembling different time periods and functions. These clusters form the Dukhang, the Sumstek, and the Manjushri Temple complex. These white stupas and chortens greet you with a warm welcome once you enter the door of Alchi Monastery. These old buildings consisted of ancient wall paintings and art-work along with murals of thousands of Buddhas. There are approximately 1000 imposing statues of Lord Buddha and other deities in beautiful artistic style depicting the art-work of the Baroque period. 

Once you enter the small door of Sumstek temple, you will be stunned to find not one but three statues of Lord Buddha in various avatars standing tall within starting from the height. The center statue was of the Maitreya Buddha (future Lord Buddha), while the other two sides were the Manjushri Buddha and Avalokiteshwara Buddha. 

 Photography is not allowed within the Monastery, and hence you need to visit and get a glimpse of the place yourself. There are two major temples built there named Lakhang Soma and Lotsabha Lakhang, which are decorated with beautifully carved paintings and constructed following the Kashmiri culture.

Location and how to connect to Alchi village :

Alchi Monastery is located in a small village called Alchi tucked away in the region of Ladakh in the Himalayas. It is mounted at an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level. Alchi is found alongside the Indus river valley connected to Leh through the road network. 

You can catch a flight to Leh connecting from different cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Srinagar. Once in Leh, you can reach Alchi either by bus, taxis or motorbike.

Regular local buses or Taxis are available to connect you to Alchi. However, you can also hire private cabs and bikes as per your convenience. The Alchi- Manali road is the world’s highest motorable road connecting two major road networks from different places to visit in Ladakh to the rest of India.

 The roads are usually open from June to October for tourists to travel.

 Good time to visit Alchi :  Like any other region in the region, Alchi, too, has an extreme climate. The temperatures can rise from 15°C to 25°C in summers to 10°C to -35°C in winters. It’s extremely essential to carry warm woolen clothes during winters as well as protect your skin from sunburn during summers. 

The best and most prefered time to travel to Alchi is from the months of May to September when the climate is pleasant, and roads are open to travel. 

Things to do while at Alchi Monastery :

One of the olderst and vintage places to visit in Ladakh, Alchi Monastery gives you ample options for things to do and places to explore. Let us discuss below about the same :

 Shopping at the local Alchi Market :

The small Alchi has beautiful small Tibetan handicraft shops in the local market located around the complex of the Monastery. You can go shopping for a variety of unique handicrafts in the market. Alchi is also famous for pearls, jewelry, and many other organic products as well. You can explore the markets and go shopping as per your desire. The market is located about 80 miles from Leh town.  

Trekking at Alchi

The most popular treks that tourists come for is the Lamayuru – Alchi trek in Ladakh district. This trek will take you on an adventurous journey to explore the ancient and oldest monasteries. The trek begins with visiting the most popular Lamayuru Monastery and ends with the tour to Alchi Monastery. The age old monasteries in this region are extremely popular. This trek lets you discover the small isolated villages hidden in the mountains. 

Festivals celebrated at Alchi Monastery : 

The most favorable season to visit Alchi Monastery is during the time of their vibrant and colorful festivals like Galdan Namchot, Losar, Monlam and Sho Dun, Chotrul Duchen, and Dajyur. Get yourself involved in these festivals to discover the culture and tradition of Ladakh. 

Hemis festival is celebrated in the Hemis Gompa, which occurs during the month of June. This festival lasts for up to 4 – 5 days making you spectacle spiritual mysticism of the Buddhist religion. Participants wear colorful masks, each depicting a different story to take part in the dance and enjoy the festival. You can visit Alchi Monastery during this period as an excursion for a day and witness the fantastic triumph of good over evil.

 These festivals are celebrated all over the region for fifteen days every year. You can participate in various cultural events and sports activities held during this period. Most popular attractions include mask dances, archery competition, and polo. 

River Rafting In Alchi 

Rafting in Ladakh invokes a thrill like no other place. It is one of the most looked forward to activities to do while in Alchi. The confluence of Zanskar and Indus river is perfect for rafting and adds to the thrill and adventure of the journey. 

Expeditions for river rafting are in full spring during summers when the water which has frozen during winters melts. It is a perfect time for adventure sports activities as the river flows at high speed from the months of June to September. 

Nearby places to visit in Ladakh :

There are many small villages and gompas to explore once you find yourself in Alchi. You can visit Likir Monastery, located about 5 km from Leh. 

 Spituk Monastery and Phyang Monastery also can be visited once you are done paying a visit to Alchi Monastery. This Monastery is located about 17- 18kms from Leh and can be visited on the same day you visit Alchi.

[junker-town]

Kaurs, Singhs and Kings

Dickey Singh via Sikh Coalition

How a ‘Sikh Heritage Night’ at a Sacramento Kings game sparked a movement against bigotry

Inderjit Singh Kallirai’s white whale was a performance of bhangra on ice. Four years ago, he was in talks with the San Jose Sharks to stage just such a performance between periods of a game. Having set up similar events in NBA arenas, he knew that bhangra, with its high-energy beats and whirling dance, could electrify the crowd.

The issue was this: How do you dance on ice? One idea was to lay mats over it, but the Sharks worried that might damage the playing surface. Then the kids, the troupe of dancers Kallirai had found, rebelled. “They turned around and said to me, ‘Uncle, you can’t do bhangra on ice’,” says Kallirai, now a 61-year-old retired state employee in Sacramento, says. “‘Bare feet and ice don’t mix.’”

There was a long back-and-forth, and the dance didn’t pan out. But it did break the ice, in another sense. In March 2017, the Sharks became the first NHL team to host Sikh Heritage Night. A few hundred community members, many of whom had never watched hockey live before, came for a game against the Vancouver Canucks. Their kids received special “Sikh Heritage” t-shirts and got to take photos at center ice.

There wasn’t any bhangra, but the community got to showcase its culture in other ways. Outside the arena, performers twirled swords in a traditional martial arts demonstration. Inside, on the concourse, community members manned a booth where fans could get their heads wrapped in that most visible of Sikh garments, a turban. Demand was high, especially for the teal ones. Every last turban was gone after one period of play.

These days, the organizers bring more turbans. Sikh Heritage Night has become an annual tradition in downtown San Jose, driven by the local gurdwara, or temple. For this often-misunderstood community, long accustomed to keeping a low profile in a country where they’ve often been targets of intimidation and violence, the event is a chance to stand at the center of one of the city’s iconic venues.

And other cities are following suit. Over the last five years, Sikh heritage events have become increasingly common at pro sports stadiums around the United States. They started in California, where half of America’s Sikh population lives, and have since popped up as far away as San Antonio, Detroit, and Philadelphia. They’ve been held at NBA, NFL, and NHL arenas. Many are spearheaded by Sikh “uncles” and “aunties” — that’s how South Asian-American kids refer to the grownups in their communities — who love sports. “Uncle Indi” Kallirai, who claims to be infected with a “desire not to be idle,” has organized about a half-dozen of them himself, and had a hand in many more.

At a time when many minority groups feel isolated, events like these are an unthreatening way to reach thousands of people. Teams appreciate them too; at a minimum, they are a great way to fill seats and inspire new fans. For Sikh-Americans, though, these events carry a greater charge.

Four days after the Sept. 11 attacks, a gunman in Mesa, Arizona, drove to a gas station and shot dead its turban-wearing owner Balbir Singh Sodhi. This attack turned out to be among the first of hundreds of hate incidents targeting Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and Middle Easterners among others that have occurred since 9/11. More recently, Sikhs have been targeted as part of the broader climate of racism and anti-immigrant bigotry in America. Anti-Sikh hate crimes surged almost 17 percent in 2017, according to FBI data. The Sikh Coalition, a civil rights group, says even that figure reflects systemic underreporting by law enforcement and individuals.

Sikh advocacy groups have responded to the violence with aggressive outreach, concentrated toward public institutions like Congress, school districts, and courts. Still, 60 percent of Americans admit to knowing zero about Sikhs, according to a 2015 survey sponsored by the National Sikh Campaign. Sikhs are frequently confused for Muslims and Hindus, a double inaccuracy. Sikhism is not just a different religion; it forbids discrimination against people of any faith.

In California where the Sharks play, half of Sikh children say they’ve experienced bullying, according to the Sikh Coalition. In 2018, two Sikh men were viciously beaten in Northern California less than a week apart.

”Sports is one activity that’s based more on sporting rivalry than anything about culture, race, or anything.” - Inderjit Singh Kallirai, Sikh heritage event organizer

This climate can push Sikh-Americans to retreat to their communities, where they know they are safe. “Because of numbers, because of our own personal lifestyles, we don’t want to be too much in the face of anybody,” Kallirai says.

But as Kallirai tells it, a point comes when enough is enough. For him, that was in August 2012, when a gunman in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, went to a Sikh gurdwara and murdered six people before killing himself.

Kallirai grew up in England and has lived in America for 30 years. He has never felt any great affinity for sports, much less American sports. But to him, the Oak Creek tragedy showed that for all of Sikhs’ advocacy in America, it wasn’t reaching ordinary people.

He wanted a new frontier of outreach, one that could reach the masses.

”Even Nelson Mandela brought it up. That sports is one activity that’s based more on sporting rivalry than anything about culture, race, or anything,” Kallirai says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Manchester United fan, and you’re brown, green, whatever. The only person you don’t like is a Liverpool fan.”

Kallirai’s efforts began in his own backyard, with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and its legions of adoring Sikh fans. Sikhs’ history in California’s Central Valley goes back more than a century, when they were among the immigrant laborers who built the Transcontinental Railroad. Some stayed in California and got into farming, a career choice reflective of their roots in agrarian Punjab, the region where Sikhism was born and that today sits on both sides of the India-Pakistan border. America’s first gurdwara went up in Stockton in 1912, 50 miles from where the Kings play today.

Sikh-Americans now work in a much broader range of fields, from gas stations and convenience stores, to trucking, engineering, medicine, and tech. Still, many Sikhs sense a distance from the neighbors and customers they see every day. They know they are marked, by clothing as well as race.

”Community can be difficult. You’re different,” says Jimmy Gill, a 37-year-old engineer who grew up outside Pittsburgh. “We have a lot of these light-touch relationships. Not very many deep relationships with people in the community.” On weekends, his family often drove to the Sikh temple more than an hour south.

Kallirai had been mulling putting together a Sikh-oriented sports event of some sort when an excellent opportunity came along. In 2013, Indian entrepreneur Vivek Ranadivé became owner of the Kings. Ranadivé wasn’t Sikh, but Kallirai knew how to pique his interest.

There was the obvious, of course. Sacramento, one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., is home to scores of South Asian, and Sikh, Kings fans. Less obvious, but known to Desi uncles, was that Ranadivé had grown up in an era when many of India’s star athletes, particularly in field hockey, were Sikhs from Punjab. He would have known that Sikh men take the last name Singh, and women the last name Kaur, to signify, among other things, the equality of all people.

The owner didn’t need much convincing. Ranadivé quipped, according to Kallirai, that as a kid, he heard calls like “Singh passes to Singh and Singh scores!” on the radio.

The Kings’ first-ever Sikh Heritage Night took place on Sunday, April 13, 2014, the same day as the Sikh holiday of Vaisakhi, which celebrates the spring harvest and the implementation of many of the core religious practices Sikhs observe today. “We reached out to the community and said, ‘We’re gonna do this,’” Kallirai says. “‘You’ve gotta go to the gurdwara to celebrate Vaisakhi, go do it. It’s over at one. Three o’clock, come over, four o’clock our thing starts.’”

Kallirai and two other “uncles” — Ravi Kahlon, a soft-spoken former bhangra teacher, and Guri Kang, a gregarious small businessman — spearheaded the event, playfully nicknamed “Kaurs, Singhs, and Kings.” The cultural tie-in worked even better than expected. Sikh fans drove in from all over Northern California.

Kallirai is proud of the event. The Kings even gave him and his partners a plaque for “Best Heritage Night.” But for him, the day’s greatest success was showing thousands of people that Sikh-Americans aren’t cloistered foreigners, but active participants in their community. At some level, he thinks, that message was received.

”When we had the bhangra performance at halftime, the audience all stood up and gave a standing ovation for the performance,” he says. “The excitement of the kids to be performing in an NBA arena, I don’t think anybody’s gonna take that away from those kids. Those kids were the first to do this in an NBA arena!”

The three uncles knew they were onto something. After the event, they found themselves on the phone with Sikhs around the country — cousins, friends, perfect strangers. Their question: How do we do this, too? Kallirai and his partners were happy to advise. Kang had an extensive personal network, Kahlon was the dance expert, and Kallirai was the hype man and promoter. They came up with a name befitting their ambition: K3 International. Why not? First Sacramento, then the world.

Dickey Singh via Sikh Coalition

South Asian uncles come in every variety, from boisterous and charming to reserved and stern. Kallirai leans eccentric. He’s enthusiastic when talking about racial equality, but tight-lipped about his personal life. (The extent of it: He has three sons; the middle one is a Marine.) He gushes with the energy of a quasi retiree — even in retirement, he’s working part-time in a real estate office at a Sacramento strip mall — and sometimes edges into salesmanship. He holds ideals of racial equality that would resonate with many liberal Californians, but also thinks gender identities have become too fluid and that cops should get more benefit of the doubt in police-related shootings.

Like many Americans, he holds views that are complicated and sometimes contradictory. But one thing always comes through: a passion for fighting religious and racial discrimination. He traces that passion back to growing up in Derby, England in the 1960s and 1970s, a time of deep hostility toward South Asian immigrants. He was nine years old in 1967, the year the far-right National Front party formed. He remembers the firebrand “Rivers of Blood” speech of 1968, when anti-immigrant politician Enoch Powell warned of demographic replacement by migrants. He remembers hearing about South Asian people — or anyone who could remotely pass for South Asian — getting beat up by skinhead gangs.

Sports brewed the same dangerous atmosphere. “We were pretty much accustomed to the thuggery or violence that would happen after soccer games,” he says. “Even after I came [to the U.S.] I read a local news report that some of these individuals were bank managers, accountants and many other things, by day and during the week. But when it came to Saturday soccer they were coordinating and planning these vandalistic activities. It was something you could not imagine of these people and the walks of life they come from.”

But when South Asians retracted from society, he felt, things just got worse. So he encouraged people to do the opposite. As a young teacher at a Derby-area junior college, he pushed South Asian students to organize outreach and charity events. In 1986, inspired by Live Aid, his students put on a show with South Asian bands from all around England and donated the proceeds to earthquake relief in Mexico.

Kallirai moved to America in 1989 and became a citizen 10 years later. Throughout, he kept up his charity work outside of his day job. He visited local senior centers. He sat on the World Bhangra Council. He helped raise money for local sheriffs and mayors.

After the 2012 attacks, he found himself talking to Kahlon and Kang about why it felt like nothing was working. How were Sikhs still not reaching the people who feared them, even more than a decade after 9/11? Then the insight hit them. How do you reach people? You go where the people are.

”Our concept was hey, why don’t we go where some of these people — we can call them hillbillies, rednecks, whatever they are — narrow-minded, we can label them many ways. But one thing they do, they are actually part of football, basketball, sports. The best way to be in these places is to be part of them,” he says. “We’re actually sitting and having direct contact with these people.”

Following the Kings event, K3 organized events with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015, then the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns in 2016.

Teams were receptive, in part, because K3 had figured out all the little things. “In all these events, they’re timed to the T,” Kallirai says. “You can’t go in and put on a 10-minute bhangra show.”

“You don’t have to do anything different. You have to be you, but you have to be out there.” - Sachdeep Singh Arora, Sikh heritage event organizer

In fact, NBA teams told Kallirai the performance had to be kept under three-and-a-half minutes. Simple enough. But there was another issue: Which way should the kids face?

”When you’re dancing on the stage it’s easy, you just face one side,” Kahlon, a former bhangra teacher, says. On a pro hardcourt? “North, South, East, West,” he says. “We took so many days, the whole choreography, so people can dance like that.”

Once the choreography was hammered down, it could be replicated.

Similar events popped up elsewhere, sometimes with K3’s help but not always. 2014: Los Angeles Clippers. 2015: San Antonio Spurs. 2016: Philadelphia 76ers. “Word gets around,” says Rucha Kaur, a community development director with the Sikh Coalition. “Folks talk to each other — teams talk to each other.”

Gurpaul Singh, who organized Sikh heritage events with the San Antonio Spurs, guesses that approximately 1,000 Sikhs live in the greater city area. He says the community wanted to broaden its reach beyond local parades and cultural festivals. “We wanted to take it to the next level in creating awareness. We wanted to reach a larger audience,” says Singh, CEO of a San Antonio consulting firm.

Heritage events are also a chance to add texture and depth to the public’s notions of Sikhs. Many of the events showcase Punjabi culture, whether it’s dance, music, or martial arts. One event had a Sikh UFC heavyweight fighter as its special guest. Many feature local Sikh kids performing the national anthem, or holding an American flag. An event put on by Sikh-American veterans had two representatives in combat fatigues. Gurpaul Singh’s school-aged son, Jeeve, sang the anthem once. “Our values are similar to the American values,” he says. “Religious freedom, equality, social justice.”

These displays of American patriotism by Sikhs aren’t without critics within the community. One performer, who asked not to be named, said that an “almost extra display” of patriotism has become the norm in post-9/11 Sikh-American advocacy, even though Sikhs have already lived in America for over a century. In academic quarters, some go further, questioning whether Sikhs should buy into American values if those values include imperialism, genocide of Native Americans and structural racism toward African-Americans.

But these arguments don’t get far with most of the Sikh-night organizers. They argue that sports, unlike politics, is a universal language. And it’s one that Sikhs love as much as their fellow Americans.

This love runs deep, all the way back to Punjab. One village, Sansarpur, has produced at least a dozen Olympians. Athletes of Punjabi heritage have distinguished themselves in cricket and pro basketball, in addition to field hockey. As for non-athletes, many Punjabis who move to America have no trouble transferring their love of Indian sports to Western ones like baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. Reflecting that, both the NBA and NHL have Punjabi-language broadcasts.

That love of sports has been passed down to people like Sachdeep Singh Arora, who grew up in New Jersey.

Dickey Singh via Sikh Coalition

”Basketball around here is like a gospel. You go to anybody’s house during the Finals, there’s a party or reception. Everybody — the men at least — is crowded around the TV watching the game,” says Arora, a civil engineer who still lives in the Princeton area. “You go to any Sikh kid in this state and they love basketball. They want to be the next Michael Jordan.”

Arora used to be one of those kids, but now he admits he’s an uncle. “I mean, I guess I would identify as an uncle. I got four gray hairs this year.”

Arora also grew up looking for ways to promote interfaith understanding in his diverse Jersey community. He ended up volunteering with an interfaith charity, ONE Project, that had connections to the Philadelphia 76ers.

As a diehard 76ers fan, Arora had seen members of his faith recognized before. He says an early form of Sikh night occurred in 2015, when a Sikh colleague of his bought a bundle of Sixers tickets and gave them away to local communities. Then Arora saw events being held in San Antonio and L.A. that had a totally different scale of outreach, with dancing, anthem performances, info booths, the works. “I said, you know what, we can make this one bigger,” he says.

He talked to the 76ers, and at the end of 2016, the team held its first official Sikh Heritage Night. The event has become an annual fixture. Last year, it featured traditional drumming and bhangra. The color guard included a Sikh Boy Scout and a Sikh U.S. Navy servicewoman.

Like others, the event got attention in the region. Arora was recruited to help set up the first-ever Sikh heritage event for the New Jersey Devils, held earlier this year.

Arora is well aware of the discrimination directed at people who look like him. He experienced some of it after 9/11. But he says his faith is not about victimhood. It’s about everlasting optimism in the face of injustice.

Maybe that’s why his favorite part of the Sikh heritage events is when people sit down with a Sikh and get their heads wrapped with a turban like his. “Obviously tying turbans on random fans could go either way,” he says. But “it’s a very intimate experience, because you get a four-to-five-minute window to have a one-on-one conversation with somebody.”

”I think that what happens in our communities is, [Sikhs] get objectified, they get racism against them. The issue is that they cower. They hide. People are going to make comments so let’s just go cower in the corner and not come out,” he says. “The thing that I’m trying to promote differently is we have to be out there. You don’t have to do anything different. You have to be you, but you have to be out there.”

Among the many Sikh heritage events that have been held over the last five years, some have become annual, some biennial. Organizers say more teams, and more leagues, are inquiring. In a few cases, they’ve ended for lack of anyone to take charge.

Indi Kallirai, for his part, has stepped back from doing these events. He never figured out Bhangra on Ice, and his talks with NHL teams died. He says he and the Kings were all set to host an event in 2017, but it fell through at the last minute, and K3 hasn’t organized one since. (Others stepped in, and the event continues. The Kings did not reply to a request for comment for this story.) Work, personal matters, and fatigue took his focus off K3. There was a website, but they took it down three years ago.

”If somebody else wants to do it, we’ll help them, but we’ll take a step back. That’s pretty much where it ended,” he says. Sometimes, he and his buddies talk about getting involved again.

The headlines often remind them of how much work remains. In August, a 62-year-old Sikh man in Tracy, Calif., was stabbed to death while taking an evening walk in the park. Police arrested the 21-year-old white male suspect at his Tracy home, and he has pled not guilty.

Maybe that’s why Kallirai, the man who can’t fully retire, can’t fully let go. He’s never found anything that reaches people, that touches people, quite like sports.

”You’re not going to change somebody just by doing bhangra in front of them. But when it’s in front of a large audience and there’s a minor piece of education ...” he trails off.

”There are individuals who’ve been turned around, even in Oak Creek,” he says. “If you converted one to come back onto the humanitarian side, it’s been a success.”

[wanderonwardsvanessa]

Forget what you’ve heard about Tunisia. Tunisia is safe and ready to welcome you to its incredible beaches and unbeatable hospitality. I was blown away by the comforts of Tunisia and inspired by the diverse history of this great country. It’s a 5 star destination that is perfect for families, romantic getaways, and relaxing retreats.

In this article, you’ll learn about:

Tunisia’s Diverse History

Safety in Tunisia

Women in Tunisia

Where to Stay

Things to do

For this guide, I’ll mostly be focusing on the Hammamet/Cap Bon area. It is easily accessible and there are incredible 5 star resorts and picturesque beaches for all to enjoy.

Tunisia’s History

Being located along the edge of the Mediterranean came with its advantages as well as its disadvantages. Over the years, many well-known empires have ruled over Tunisia – which was home to the mighty city-state of Carthage – and this diversity is reflected in the present-day culture, architecture, and tradition. Tunisia is highly influenced by nearby Arab countries, but it possesses a certain modernized history that is unique in its own right. After declaring independence from France in 1956, Tunisia continued to blend together Islamic traditions with European modernization to create an open and inviting environment for all genders and religious preferences.

Cap Bon – Tunisia’s tourist hub – is a small peninsula in far northeastern Tunisia. Known today for its incredible beaches and fine wine, Cap Bon grazes the Mediterranean and has a rich history that spans into the early 5th century BC. As a lush agricultural region, Cap Bon was responsible for feeding the major cities and acting as a strategic military base. The Romans called the region the ‘beautiful peninsula’ and for good reason, with white sand and turquoise waves, Cap Bon is a holiday-maker’s dream.

Safety in Tunisia

The most common question I get about Tunisia is this – “Is Tunisia Safe?” If you’re late to the party, Tunisia gets a bad reputation for a terrorist attack in 2015. It was horrible and the world mourned. But this is not a unique experience for any country. Terrorism knows no boundaries, has no sympathy, and does not discriminate based on passport. But with so many horrible things happening in the world, it’s easy to forget what has happened in our own countries.

A few examples include:

Paris, France (2015) – 130 people were killed

Vegas, U.S. (2017) – 58 people we killed and 422 were wounded

Manchester, UK (2017) – 22 people were killed and 116 injured

Bali, Indonesia (2002) – 202 people were killed and 209 injured

Even with these bleak moments in our history, the above tourist hubs aren’t considered to be synonymous with terror – so why is Tunisia? Perhaps it’s because Tunisia is not in the news as predominantly so people have fewer things to associate the country with. Well – here are some things to change your perception!

Tunisia is...

Alive with energy and culture

Vibrant with natural landscapes untarnished by man

Flushed with local produce and spicy delicacies

Ready to welcome the world

In terms of day-to-day safety, the government is now relatively stable and Europe is investing heavily in local initiatives and programs. In fact, the European Council on Foreign Relations reports:

“Tunisia’s security services have improved significantly since the country’s high-profile terrorist attacks in 2015 (2018).”

Recently, European countries have worked very closely with Tunisia specifically on security, by ‘providing training and equipment for counter-terrorism and conducting some joint operations with Morocco’ (ECFR, 2018).

On a personal note, I felt safe walking around in the markets, on the streets, and we regularly spoke to friendly people. As a precaution and to ease the concern of tourists, large resorts will check under all taxis and cars coming in and out of the grounds for anything suspicious. There are also security guards and lifeguards on all of the beaches as well.

Women in Tunisia

Women are not expected to dress or behave in any specific way. There are active laws in place to protect young girls from forced marriage and assault (UNICEF, 2017) and Tunisia’s youth literacy rates for girls is 96% (UNICEF), which is one of the highest in the Arab world. The education system here actively encourages women to better themselves, whether that’s inside the home or outside. It’s up to them really.

In terms of clothing, Tunisian women dress on a wide spectrum. Some are in traditional wear and others look like they are strolling the streets of Paris. The tourists wore whatever they wanted (including tiny bikinis), but I would recommend being respectful to the some-what conservative nature of North Africa generally.

Where to Stay – Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa 

Tunisia is most known for its incredible beaches and there’s nowhere better to experience this than at the Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa in Hammamet. Located just 1 hour from the Tunis-Carthage International Airport, the Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa is just outside the tourist mecca of Hammamet. The Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa is a 5 Star Resort that specializes in:

Luxury Suites

Restorative Spa & Hammam

Pristine Private Beaches

5 Star Hospitality and Service

Dynamic Dining

Events and Weddings

We were lucky enough to enjoy an Ambassador Suite with a pool view (1668 sq ft), which was 10 times bigger than any flat I have seen in London (lol). The resort had graciously left us a table of specialty dates, nuts, fruit, and a bottle of wine upon our arrival and this was just a small example of Tunisia’s incredible hospitality legacy.

Most of the tourists at Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa were regulars. Visitors are greeted by name and with a firm handshake. You can tell that years have gone into the relationship and many of the staff members have been working for this hotel for YEARS (some over a decade).

The treatments at the Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa were pretty incredible as well.  ‘Thalassa‘ derives from the Ancient Greek “Thálassa (Θάλασσα)”, meaning “sea or salt water,” and Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa did NOT  disappoint. I chose to do a hammam session with a full-body mud mask, a restorative massage, and a collagen facial. I walked out feeling like Aphrodite herself.  I noticed there were multiple solo travelers doing the same thing during my time there. Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa has a rich history of catering to those who are looking to relax their bodies and mind. Even Mariah Carey has been known to frequent the Presidential Suite!

Cities & Regions to Visit

Some notable highlights are:

Hammamet – Beach resorts, boardwalks, and 5 star accommodation. What’s not to love! This is the perfect place to have as your basecamp to visit other beautiful areas of Cap Bon.

Sidi Bou Said – Sidi Bou Said is a picturesque town of blue and white Mediterranean buildings that’s buzzing with tourists. Enjoy delicious cinnamon bambalonis (pastry) whilst you’re visiting.

Matmata – Tunisia’s warm and dry climate makes it a perfect setting for the fictional planet Tatooine (The Phantom Menace). Head south and have a look.

I hope this guide gives you the confidence you need to experience Tunisia’s wonderful magic for yourself. Tunisia is such a wonderful and beautiful country; it’s ready to welcome the world.

    Tunisia: A Guide to Tunisia for First Time Travelers Forget what you've heard about Tunisia. Tunisia is safe and ready to welcome you to its incredible beaches and unbeatable hospitality.

[tempocannon]

Khaled Hussein & The Texas Room

[This is a feature I wrote for Eleven Magazine in spring 2016. Listen to The Texas Room.]

In a small bungalow in Tower Grove South, Louis Wall and I sit on a couch. Across a wide coffee table, Khaled Hussein and his teenage daughter confer. A huge TV showing a soccer game on mute dominates the wall closest to us; a giant fish tank with an electronic keyboard in front of it covers the opposite wall. The conversation is going a bit slower than your average music mag interview: Hussein speaks only snippets of English. His daughter is translating heroically, but she clearly has a few better things to do on a Saturday morning than answer a nosy stranger’s questions.

“Do you like living in the United States?” I ask.

His daughter translates the question quietly into Arabic, leaning to her father’s ear. Between my utter lack of Arabic and his minimal grasp of English, Hussein and I have had a hard time communicating, but the answer to this question comes easily. He looks directly at me. “Yes,” he says, smiling.

Like the stories of so many immigrants and refugees, the tale of Hussein’s path to his present home is full of false starts and reversals. Growing up in Iraq, he dreamed of becoming a singer, inspired by international icons like George Michael as well as local singers. He got his start hustling in local restaurants and clubs, and soon had a career on his hands. By the time he was a young adult, he’d become a minor pop sensation in Baghdad. A music video still in circulation in the Arabic-language reaches of YouTube shows him in a dark suit, courting a woman in a red dress. Men decked out in full Arab thawb robes and agal headdresses dance joyously around the couple to a pounding beat. Hussein was very much the secular cool guy of 1990s Ba’athist Iraq until a changing political and religious climate hostile to secular singers (and then the American invasion of 2003) pushed Hussein and his family out of the country.

Hussein fled to the then-peaceful Syria, where he raised his young family and sought out work as a singer until the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011. The Hussein family relocated to St. Louis, where they’ve lived since, out of reach of armed conflict but isolated, far away from friends and family back home.

Since Khaled left Iraq, he’s continued singing. He shows us a video on his cell phone after giving his daughter a wordless sign. (She reappears a moment later, holding a silver tray full of cookies and two glasses of Sunny D.) Onscreen, present-day Hussein stands decked out in white shirt and dinner jacket in the center of a crowd of dancers. He’s clad out in snazzy dress clothes, self-assured, gesturing to the crowd: every bit the professional.

Hussein’s American musical career might have taken place solely at Arab events if he hadn’t come into contact with Louis Wall through the St. Louis-based Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma. Wall was seeking participants for his recording project, The Texas Room, which pairs immigrant and refugee musicians with St. Louis locals to create unique conversations between disparate styles of music.

Wall, the slight, eloquent drummer of semi-defunct St. Louis rock group Jumbling Towers and present engineer at Cherokee Street’s Native Sound Recording, had been at work on the project for a couple of years. Years of conversations with friends in his indie-rock community caused him to realize that he had always been narrowly focused on American music. “I’d been playing in rock bands and jazz bands for the majority of my upbringing,” Wall says, “and the more I learned about other people’s cultures, I realized I had a pretty specific culture of my own, which excited me. But I wanted to know about other people’s stories because I was so in my own world. I wanted to know what kind of musician I could become if I worked with people way outside my social group.”

When he started the project, Wall reached out to the International Institute of St. Louis, which helps recent immigrants gain a foothold in the city. Wall got on the Institute’s message boards, and before long he had a short list of musicians he thought would make interesting collaborators. The project really took off when one of Wall’s friends got him in touch with a singer from Lagos, Nigeria. The singer needed a track recorded immediately for radio in Lagos, one of the biggest cities in the world.

Wall was the perfect guy for the job, because he happens to be an engineer at Native Sound Studio on Cherokee, the merger of his old apartment studio on Texas Avenue with David Beeman’s former studio across the street, behind The Bomb Door. The idea to make a full album out of his collaborations with refugee and immigrant musicians was gradual, though. Wall says, “I realized I could probably do a collaboration album at some point. I realized I wanted to do that before I had the materials or even people to do that. It was super sketchy even just to start.” So he started recording a song every month. Over the course of the last year Wall and his compatriots released one track each month on SoundCloud, culminating in the album Non-Fiction, out last month.

The songs are a blend of traditional material with Wall’s own riffs and beats. Some pieces were fleshed out collaboratively over the Internet; a few were created completely from scratch. Wall had a sort of house band that appeared on many of the tracks, but due to budgetary constraints Wall acted as the nerve center of the project, coordinating collaborators, coaching performances, and editing work made by a group of people that eventually ballooned to fifty collaborators from over fifteen nations.

Wall would begin each month by deciding which of the musical ideas he was working with were either most exciting at that time or ripest to be taken to another stage. Typically, the next collaborator would be someone as far away from the original contributor as possible. “The last song we did [“Gau Sorai Uchali”] was a Nepali devotional song,” Wall relates. “I remember my friend Lisa was playing Irish flute at the time. I said, ‘Do you want to do this song? I think flute would be great on it,’ and it worked out perfectly. I think it sounds like one cohesive unit. But these people probably would have never met and these styles aren’t normally played together.”

Bringing in disparate collaborators on his own time allowed Wall time to create an artistic product to his personal standards, but it did impede the improvisational chemistry that could have come about if he had been able to get all the collaborators on a particular song in a room together. The project was funded by the New York-based organization Fractured Atlas in conjunction with the local Regional Arts Commission, but time constraints and the significant budgetary issues associated with booking time in a professional studio prevented Wall from setting up weekend-long sessions in which all of the collaborators could collectively come up with an arrangement. “These musicians are great and they can really feed off each other,” he says “My only regret is that I wasn’t able to get everyone in a room together. I was able to produce and arrange through the computer, but these are playing musicians who are way better musicians than I am, and could have worked a lot faster.”

Despite budgetary and time constraints, the sessions in which players actually did meet up and play together flowed smoothly. Many of the participants are professional musicians, and many have a conversational command of English, but Wall found that any remaining linguistic barriers melted away in the studio. “My buddy Khaled,” Wall says, “I had to communicate through his daughter. So I’d have to put up a microphone in front of him and hope for the best. Not only was it hard to communicate with him, it was hard to communicate abstract ideas like, ‘put a little more expression into this note, or put a little more feeling into this note, or watch the attack of this note, watch your timing,’ cues that would help a singer get through a session. I just couldn’t communicate any of those. His daughter isn’t a musician. She couldn’t translate these esoteric things into Arabic at all. That was a struggle, but he could tell when I was psyched when things were going well, and he’s a professional, so for the most part if we were both feeling good, then we were satisfied with it.”

The tracks on Non-Fiction are proof of the cohesion Wall found with his collaborators. “Unde Dragoste,” a clarinet-heavy tune sung by Romanian vocalist and guitarist Ben Tulin with backing vocals from Spanish-language group Adria and Her Treasures, showcases the project’s jazzy, elegant, emotive side. “Red River Valley,” dedicated to the memory of Eric Garner and performed by Natalie Huggins with The Voice of the Holy Spirit African Choir, presents an unsettling blend of soulful piano pop with chanting and vocal collage. “Tora Tora Tora” delves into hip-hop territory, with verses by 18andCounting and Smoll Mashup and a chorus by Khaled Hussein. My personal favorite, “Gau Sorai Uchali (Psalm 150)” demonstrates the project at its best, wrapping the touching, gonzo ebullience of an old Nepalese devotional song with an adrenalized drumbeat. The combinations of instruments and idioms are striking, but Wall’s careful cultivation of analog warmth and ability to swaddle the compositions in the production values of ‘60s and ‘70s pop bind the threads together into a cohesive whole. The lyrics—penned by Wall and the collaborators—work to tie the album together as well, meditating in a slew of languages on the power of collective action to overcome injustice.

While Wall is clearly focused on empowering immigrants and publicizing the work of musicians from foreign countries, his central place in The Texas Room project does raise questions of cultural appropriation. The histories of pop and “world music” are riddled with examples of white musicians employing the music of people of color to their own advantage. Ry Cooder has caught flack throughout his career for inserting himself into the music of other cultures for a profit. Paul Simon was lambasted for incorporating the compositions of uncredited South African musicians into his mondo-hit Graceland. And it’s easy to see the early histories of rock, jazz, and the blues as instances of the powerful borrowing from the disenfranchised. Whatever your understanding of the fine line between reverent imitation and colonialist plundering, it’s clear that Wall is wrestling with the issue and taking care to work for the whole circle of collaborators, not just for himself. “I think it depends on your intention,” he says, choosing his words with care. “There are definitely a lot of people taking non-Western music and making it accessible to Western ears. If that is the intention, then I have no interest. My interest and intention lies on me interfacing with other people and other cultures, and not trying to dumb it down or water it down. Hopefully, if I’m doing my job right, I’m going to speak my truth and my culture on these songs and not try to pretend like I’m taking on someone else’s role insincerely, and let the other people speak their truth.”

Wall admits that he is at the center of The Texas Room. “I’m the biggest benefactor of this project,” he acknowledges, “I have no shame in that. I think artistically I took whatever direction I wanted to take. At the end of the day I’m still arranging everything. This is my way of opening my mind and my door a little bit to my neighbors. I just think it’s important that we listen to each other. When you listen and put a face to a name, that can really help with empathy and compassion. I just realized that empathy is not compassion. I just realized that empathy is the ability to see yourself in someone else’s shoes, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to do anything about it. You also have to have compassion.”  

By the measure of allowing Wall to meet his neighbors and practice compassion in the St. Louis music community, The Texas Room project seems to have been a resounding success. In Khaled Hussein’s living room, the Iraqi singer interrupts our halting conversation to give a demonstration. He sits down at his keyboard (flanked by tropical fish), taking care first to point out his new mixing board to Wall, indicating the device with his characteristically bashful charm. “Nice,” Wall returns, and the two share a momentary grin. If music is the universal language, musical gear must work at an even deeper for musicians. These two men don’t need words.

Hussein turns on his programmed drumbeat, the downbeat-heavy rhythm used in so much Middle Eastern pop, and begins singing, his voice strained with emotion from the first note. He wends his way up and down a scale abundant with twists and turns foreign to my American ears before tapping out the melody on the keyboard, daughter bored on the sofa, Wall and me rapt. As Hussein plays the last note, he looks up, radiant.

[samclapp]

Khaled Hussein & the Texas Room

[This is a feature I wrote for Eleven Magazine in spring 2016.]

In a small bungalow in Tower Grove South, Louis Wall and I sit on a couch. Across a wide coffee table, Khaled Hussein and his teenage daughter confer. A huge TV showing a soccer game on mute dominates the wall closest to us; a giant fish tank with an electronic keyboard in front of it covers the opposite wall. The conversation is going a bit slower than your average music mag interview: Hussein speaks only snippets of English. His daughter is translating heroically, but she clearly has a few better things to do on a Saturday morning than answer a nosy stranger’s questions. 

“Do you like living in the United States?” I ask.

His daughter translates the question quietly into Arabic, leaning to her father’s ear. Between my utter lack of Arabic and his minimal grasp of English, Hussein and I have had a hard time communicating, but the answer to this question comes easily. He looks directly at me. “Yes,” he says, smiling.

Like the stories of so many immigrants and refugees, the tale of Hussein’s path to his present home is full of false starts and reversals. Growing up in Iraq, he dreamed of becoming a singer, inspired by international icons like George Michael as well as local singers. He got his start hustling in local restaurants and clubs, and soon had a career on his hands. By the time he was a young adult, he’d become a minor pop sensation in Baghdad. A music video still in circulation in the Arabic-language reaches of YouTube shows him in a dark suit, courting a woman in a red dress. Men decked out in full Arab thawb robes and agal headdresses dance joyously around the couple to a pounding beat. Hussein was very much the secular cool guy of 1990s Ba’athist Iraq until a changing political and religious climate hostile to secular singers (and then the American invasion of 2003) pushed Hussein and his family out of the country.

Hussein fled to the then-peaceful Syria, where he raised his young family and sought out work as a singer until the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011. The Hussein family relocated to St. Louis, where they’ve lived since, out of reach of armed conflict but isolated, far away from friends and family back home.

Since Khaled left Iraq, he’s continued singing. He shows us a video on his cell phone after giving his daughter a wordless sign. (She reappears a moment later, holding a silver tray full of cookies and two glasses of Sunny D.) Onscreen, present-day Hussein stands decked out in white shirt and dinner jacket in the center of a crowd of dancers. He’s clad out in snazzy dress clothes, self-assured, gesturing to the crowd: every bit the professional.

Hussein’s American musical career might have taken place solely at Arab events if he hadn’t come into contact with Louis Wall through the St. Louis-based Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma. Wall was seeking participants for his recording project, The Texas Room, which pairs immigrant and refugee musicians with St. Louis locals to create unique conversations between disparate styles of music.

Wall, the slight, eloquent drummer of semi-defunct St. Louis rock group Jumbling Towers and present engineer at Cherokee Street’s Native Sound Recording, had been at work on the project for a couple of years. Years of conversations with friends in his indie-rock community caused him to realize that he had always been narrowly focused on American music. “I’d been playing in rock bands and jazz bands for the majority of my upbringing,” Wall says, “and the more I learned about other people’s cultures, I realized I had a pretty specific culture of my own, which excited me. But I wanted to know about other people’s stories because I was so in my own world. I wanted to know what kind of musician I could become if I worked with people way outside my social group.”

When he started the project, Wall reached out to the International Institute of St. Louis, which helps recent immigrants gain a foothold in the city. Wall got on the Institute’s message boards, and before long he had a short list of musicians he thought would make interesting collaborators. The project really took off when one of Wall’s friends got him in touch with a singer from Lagos, Nigeria. The singer needed a track recorded immediately for radio in Lagos, one of the biggest cities in the world.

Wall was the perfect guy for the job, because he happens to be an engineer at Native Sound Studio on Cherokee, the merger of his old apartment studio on Texas Avenue with David Beeman’s former studio across the street, behind The Bomb Door. The idea to make a full album out of his collaborations with refugee and immigrant musicians was gradual, though. Wall says, “I realized I could probably do a collaboration album at some point. I realized I wanted to do that before I had the materials or even people to do that. It was super sketchy even just to start.” So he started recording a song every month. Over the course of the last year Wall and his compatriots released one track each month on SoundCloud, culminating in the album Non-Fiction, out last month.

The songs are a blend of traditional material with Wall’s own riffs and beats. Some pieces were fleshed out collaboratively over the Internet; a few were created completely from scratch. Wall had a sort of house band that appeared on many of the tracks, but due to budgetary constraints Wall acted as the nerve center of the project, coordinating collaborators, coaching performances, and editing work made by a group of people that eventually ballooned to fifty collaborators from over fifteen nations. 

Wall would begin each month by deciding which of the musical ideas he was working with were either most exciting at that time or ripest to be taken to another stage. Typically, the next collaborator would be someone as far away from the original contributor as possible. “The last song we did [“Gau Sorai Uchali”] was a Nepali devotional song,” Wall relates. “I remember my friend Lisa was playing Irish flute at the time. I said, ‘Do you want to do this song? I think flute would be great on it,’ and it worked out perfectly. I think it sounds like one cohesive unit. But these people probably would have never met and these styles aren’t normally played together.”

Bringing in disparate collaborators on his own time allowed Wall time to create an artistic product to his personal standards, but it did impede the improvisational chemistry that could have come about if he had been able to get all the collaborators on a particular song in a room together. The project was funded by the New York-based organization Fractured Atlas in conjunction with the local Regional Arts Commission, but time constraints and the significant budgetary issues associated with booking time in a professional studio prevented Wall from setting up weekend-long sessions in which all of the collaborators could collectively come up with an arrangement. “These musicians are great and they can really feed off each other,” he says “My only regret is that I wasn’t able to get everyone in a room together. I was able to produce and arrange through the computer, but these are playing musicians who are way better musicians than I am, and could have worked a lot faster.”

Despite budgetary and time constraints, the sessions in which players actually did meet up and play together flowed smoothly. Many of the participants are professional musicians, and many have a conversational command of English, but Wall found that any remaining linguistic barriers melted away in the studio. “My buddy Khaled,” Wall says, “I had to communicate through his daughter. So I’d have to put up a microphone in front of him and hope for the best. Not only was it hard to communicate with him, it was hard to communicate abstract ideas like, ‘put a little more expression into this note, or put a little more feeling into this note, or watch the attack of this note, watch your timing,’ cues that would help a singer get through a session. I just couldn’t communicate any of those. His daughter isn’t a musician. She couldn’t translate these esoteric things into Arabic at all. That was a struggle, but he could tell when I was psyched when things were going well, and he’s a professional, so for the most part if we were both feeling good, then we were satisfied with it.”

The tracks on Non-Fiction are proof of the cohesion Wall found with his collaborators. “Unde Dragoste,” a clarinet-heavy tune sung by Romanian vocalist and guitarist Ben Tulin with backing vocals from Spanish-language group Adria and Her Treasures, showcases the project’s jazzy, elegant, emotive side. “Red River Valley,” dedicated to the memory of Eric Garner and performed by Natalie Huggins with The Voice of the Holy Spirit African Choir, presents an unsettling blend of soulful piano pop with chanting and vocal collage. “Tora Tora Tora” delves into hip-hop territory, with verses by 18andCounting and Smoll Mashup and a chorus by Khaled Hussein. My personal favorite, “Gau Sorai Uchali (Psalm 150)” demonstrates the project at its best, wrapping the touching, gonzo ebullience of an old Nepalese devotional song with an adrenalized drumbeat. The combinations of instruments and idioms are striking, but Wall’s careful cultivation of analog warmth and ability to swaddle the compositions in the production values of ‘60s and ‘70s pop bind the threads together into a cohesive whole. The lyrics—penned by Wall and the collaborators—work to tie the album together as well, meditating in a slew of languages on the power of collective action to overcome injustice. 

While Wall is clearly focused on empowering immigrants and publicizing the work of musicians from foreign countries, his central place in The Texas Room project does raise questions of cultural appropriation. The histories of pop and “world music” are riddled with examples of white musicians employing the music of people of color to their own advantage. Ry Cooder has caught flack throughout his career for inserting himself into the music of other cultures for a profit. Paul Simon was lambasted for incorporating the compositions of uncredited South African musicians into his mondo-hit Graceland. And it’s easy to see the early histories of rock, jazz, and the blues as instances of the powerful borrowing from the disenfranchised. Whatever your understanding of the fine line between reverent imitation and colonialist plundering, it’s clear that Wall is wrestling with the issue and taking care to work for the whole circle of collaborators, not just for himself. “I think it depends on your intention,” he says, choosing his words with care. “There are definitely a lot of people taking non-Western music and making it accessible to Western ears. If that is the intention, then I have no interest. My interest and intention lies on me interfacing with other people and other cultures, and not trying to dumb it down or water it down. Hopefully, if I’m doing my job right, I’m going to speak my truth and my culture on these songs and not try to pretend like I’m taking on someone else’s role insincerely, and let the other people speak their truth.”

Wall admits that he is at the center of The Texas Room. “I’m the biggest benefactor of this project,” he acknowledges, “I have no shame in that. I think artistically I took whatever direction I wanted to take. At the end of the day I’m still arranging everything. This is my way of opening my mind and my door a little bit to my neighbors. I just think it’s important that we listen to each other. When you listen and put a face to a name, that can really help with empathy and compassion. I just realized that empathy is not compassion. I just realized that empathy is the ability to see yourself in someone else’s shoes, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to do anything about it. You also have to have compassion.”  

By the measure of allowing Wall to meet his neighbors and practice compassion in the St. Louis music community, The Texas Room project seems to have been a resounding success. In Khaled Hussein’s living room, the Iraqi singer interrupts our halting conversation to give a demonstration. He sits down at his keyboard (flanked by tropical fish), taking care first to point out his new mixing board to Wall, indicating the device with his characteristically bashful charm. “Nice,” Wall returns, and the two share a momentary grin. If music is the universal language, musical gear must work at an even deeper for musicians. These two men don’t need words. 

Hussein turns on his programmed drumbeat, the downbeat-heavy rhythm used in so much Middle Eastern pop, and begins singing, his voice strained with emotion from the first note. He wends his way up and down a scale abundant with twists and turns foreign to my American ears before tapping out the melody on the keyboard, daughter bored on the sofa, Wall and me rapt. As Hussein plays the last note, he looks up, radiant.