M274 Mule utility platform truck, a 4-wheel drive, gasoline-powered truck/tractor type vehicle that can carry up to 1⁄2 short ton (0.45 tonnes) off-road. It was introduced in 1956 and used until the 1980s. At the US Army Armor and Cavalry Collection.

After World War I, the National Defense Authorization Act of 1920 placed all Tanks in the U.S. Army under the Infantry Branch. During the following two decades, several Infantry Tank and Cavalry Officers pushed for an independent Armor branch.

In the 1930's, the U.S. Army approved the creation of the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized) to test the concept of armor-central formations. After years of developing new doctrine and tactics, the Brigade proved itself during the 1940 Louisiana Maneuvers.

With mechanized war already raging in Europe, Congress approved the creation of an independent Armored Force on 10 July 1940.

The 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized) at Fort Knox, Kentucky became the core of the 1st Armored Division, while the Infantry Tank units consolidated on Sand Hill at Fort Benning, Georgia to become the 2nd Armored Division.

While the official Armor Branch birthday is 12 December 1776 in recognition of the establishment of the Continental Dragoons in the American Revolution, this day represents a sort of re-birth of the mounted branch and the overall mechanization of the U.S. Army.

This is the Ford Model 1918 3-Ton tank.

Designed in 1918 by the Ford Motor Company, it was one of the first American tanks ever produced.

The M1918 weighed only 3 tons, as the full name suggests. It was an incredibly small tank, measuring 4.3 metres (14 ft) long, 1.8 metres (6 ft) wide, and 1.8 metres tall, and having just two crew members (one driver, one gunner) in its extremely cramped hull.

Despite its engines having been pulled right out of a Ford Model T and getting discribed as anemic, the M1918 had a fairly quick top speed for the time at 12.8 km/h (8 miles/h)

Those silly arms on the back of the tank help it avoid getting stuck in ditches!

Despite being intended as a light tank, the first two prototypes didn't even have a gun. They were effectively just lightly armoured boxes that you could sit a person in.

The idea behind the M1918 was that it would be used to safely transport soldiers and weaponry onto a battlefield, though it didn't end up being very good at that.

This thing was a death box :D

It was based off of the French Renault FT-17, but is worse in almost every way possible.

When the final design of the M1918 eventually got to have a machine gun, it would still be incredibly limited in its use due to an extremely small range of motion. And although the tank does have angled armoured plating unlike SOME early tanks (looking at you, Sturmpanzerwagen A7V), the armour thickness was only a maximum of half an inch thick, leaving it vulnerable to anti-tank weaponry and concentrated machine gun fire.

On both the FT-17 and the M1918, the engines are located directly behind the crew compartment. The FT-17 has a metal divider between the engines and crew to give them time to escape in case of an engine fire.

The M1918 doesn't!

If you are operating this tank and the engines catch fire, you are dead!

Isn't that wonderful? :D

The US Army had a contract with Ford to produce 15 thousand M1918s, though testing proved the use of the tank to be quite limited compared to the readily available FT-17s. Production was halted after WW1 ended, with only 15 tanks being fully complete, and not one of them ever saw combat.

The two surviving M1918s are located in the National Armor and Cavalry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia and the Ordnance Collection in Fort Lee, Virginia.

Sources: X , X

World Elephant Day

Personifying prehistoric beauty, theological relevance, and environmental importance, this August 12, we honor one of Earth’s most magnificent creatures with World Elephant Day. Over the last decade, the number of elephants has significantly dropped by 62% and they could be mostly extinct by the end of the next decade.

It is estimated that, every day, 100 African elephants are killed by poachers. The desire for ivory in Asian markets has led to the slaughter of thousands of elephants. World Elephant Day was created to raise awareness and create change to save these majestic creatures. Since its founding in 2012 by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand along with over 100 elephant conservation organizations worldwide, World Elephant Day has reached millions of individuals who love elephants and want to do whatever they can to help.

World Elephant Day is a day where organizations and individuals can rally together to give a voice to the issues threatening elephants.

This powerful, collective global movement offers a way to establish and endorse conservation solutions to make the world a safer place for elephants and their habitats so future generations can appreciate them.

Let’s combine all our efforts on August 12 for World Elephant Day 2021 to help preserve and safeguard elephants from the multiple threats they face.

History of World Elephant Day

Elephants and humans have come a long way together throughout the history of civilization. Thanks to the sheer expanse of the African elephant’s natural environment as well as its size and threatening posture, it has largely managed to resist captivity and domestication. The Asian elephant, on the other hand, which has lived alongside humans for over 4,000 years, enjoys great respect and is associated with a variety of cultural and spiritual customs. In Thailand, for example, the elephants are a national icon with a national holiday dedicated entirely to them and they can even receive a royal title from the king.

Despite all of the above, there is still a lot we don’t know about elephants. They have the biggest brain of any land animal, which makes them clever, conscious, social, and empathetic — qualities we humans strive for in ourselves. Humans and elephants share many characteristics and they are possibly more like us than any other animal. But we are putting their future in jeopardy and threatening their essential biodiverse habitats throughout Asia and Africa.

Elephants are a keystone species for their environments since they promote healthy ecosystems and encourage biodiversity. As the World Elephant Day website says, “To lose the elephant is to lose an environmental caretaker and an animal from which we have much to learn.”

We can save elephants by enforcing stronger local- and international protection policies and legislation for wild elephants against poaching and the illegal trade of ivory, promoting better management of their natural habitats, educating people on the vital role of the elephant in ecosystems, improving the way elephants in captivity are treated, and, if necessary, reintroducing captive elephants into wildlife reserves to allow a natural replenishing of endangered populations. These are just some of the aims of various elephant conservation organizations around the world.

Elephants are running out of space and time. We have to work together to prevent senseless poaching and the trafficking of ivory, and establish protected natural sanctuaries in which elephants and other wildlife can thrive — before it’s too late and they’re all gone.

World Elephant Day timeline

279 B.C. Armed Elephants

The Greek general Pyrrhus attempts to restore Alexander the Great’s empire by invading southern Italy with an army that includes 20 armed and armored elephants.

218 B.C. Surviving Elephants

Famous Carthaginian general Hannibal leads a cavalry of 37 elephants across the Alps — Surus, the only elephant to survive, becomes his mount for 15 years.

801 A.D. Arabian Elephant

A Jewish trader named Isaac is sent by Charlamagne to procure an elephant who would later be immortalized in many of the “Arabian Nights” stories.

1885 Jumbo the Elephant

Jumbo, circus owner P.T. Barnum’s famed elephant that he purchased in France, is struck and killed in a rail-yard accident — Barnum continued making handsome profits off exhibiting the elephant’s skeleton.

1903 Edison Kills Elephant

The Edison Manufacturing Company films the public electrocution of an elephant named Topsy conducted by General Electric.

1916 Murderous Mary

An elephant by the name of Mary who crushed her ill-equipped assistant trainer after poking her in an infection is hung by the neck for murder.

HOW TO OBSERVE WORLD ELEPHANT DAY 2021

Donate!

Participate

Educate yourself

Donate to the World Elephant Society or the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, which focuses on restoring natural habitats, changing legislation, and the rehabilitation of these animals.

Inform other people about what is happening to elephants, get your friends to sign a pledge, or share your love and concern for elephants with a hashtag #WorldElephantDay or #WorldElephantDay2021

Learn about what others are doing to conserve and protect elephants. Support efforts to treat and care for these magnificent creatures in non-exploitive and sustainable environments where they can thrive. And join World Elephant Day’s list of elephant supporters.

5 FUN FACTS ABOUT ELEPHANTS

Their tusks are teeth

They eat a Lot

Endangered elephants

Threatened elephants

Missing elephants

Elephant tusks are actually enlarged incisor teeth that first appear when elephants are around two years old.

Elephants need up to 150 kg of food per day — that equals about 150 bags of chips!

The Asian elephant is an endangered species with less than 40,000 remaining worldwide.

The African elephant is threatened with less than 400,000 remaining worldwide.

There were over 100,000 elephants in Thailand at the beginning of the last century — today, there are less than 4,000.

Why World Elephant Day is Important

We love elephants

They’re crucial to the environment

We don’t know much about them

Humans haven’t been very kind to elephants throughout history, despite all they’ve done for us. They are intelligent, loving, and mysterious creatures that should be preserved.

Elephants are a keystone species, which means they create and maintain the ecosystems in which they live and make it possible for a myriad of plant and animal species to live in those environments as well. The loss of elephants gravely affects many species that depend on elephant-maintained ecosystems and causes major habitat chaos and a weakening to the structure and diversity of nature itself.

Elephants have the largest brains of any living mammal on Earth. We still have a lot to learn from them and we can’t do that if they are all extinct.

Source

Ossiarch Bonereapers are a faction of undead warriors in the Age of Sigmar game. They are a unique construct of bone and deathly magic, each holding a soul that suits the death god Nagash's grand purpose. The Mortisan Ossiarch Bonereapers were created from the bones collected from the Tithe of Bones by Mortisan craftsmen. Nagash created the legions of the undead and they are purpose-built for war and to fulfill his vision to create a perfect, endless army to conquer every landmass which will be known as the Necrotopia. The Ossiarch Bonereapers are a highly disciplined army, with a focus on elite units and powerful characters. They have a unique mechanic called the Mortek Shield-Corps, which allows them to create a shield wall to protect their units and heroes. Overall, they're a really fun army to play. Everyone who enjoys the undead aesthetic should look into them. This list will detail the 10 best units available to them, saving you time and money as you build your army! 10) Necropolis Stalker Alpha Datasheet The Necropolis Stalker Alpha is a powerful hero unit in the Ossiarch Bonereapers army. It can lead a unit of Necropolis Stalkers, which are four-armed and four-faced war giants that are twice the height of Mortek infantry and were created to be used as shock troops. The Necropolis Stalker Alpha is one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units because it is fast-moving and hard-hitting cavalry that can deal a lot of damage in close combat and is also durable, making it an excellent choice for taking out enemy heroes and monsters. The Necropolis Stalker Alpha can also be equipped with a powerful artifact that can increase its damage output even further, making it a formidable force 9) Vokmortian Datasheet Vokmortian, Master of the Bone-tithe, is a powerful hero unit in the Ossiarch Bonereapers army. He is one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units because of his ability to summon additional Ossiarch Bonereapers units to the battlefield. This makes him an excellent choice for keeping your army topped up and ready to fight. Vokmortian is also a formidable fighter in his own right, capable of dealing significant damage in close combat. He is equipped with a powerful artifact that allows him to reroll failed hit and wound rolls, making him even deadlier on the battlefield. In addition to his combat abilities, Vokmortian can also be used to support other units in your army. He has an ability that allows him to grant nearby units additional attacks, making them even more deadly in close combat. This makes him an excellent choice for buffing your army and taking out enemy units! 8) Morghast Archai Datasheet The Morghast Archai is a powerful unit in the Ossiarch Bonereapers army. Crafted by Nagash himself to act as both personal guard and executioners, they are protected by magically forged ebon-wrought armor that can even turn aside arcane attacks and reply to those attacks with Spirit Halberds or Spirit Swords. The Morghast Archai are one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units due to their high mobility, durability, and damage output. They are able to fly, making them one of the fastest units in the army, and their Soul Piercer ability allows them to deal mortal wounds to enemy units. Additionally, they have a powerful command ability that allows nearby units to reroll hit rolls of 1, making them excellent for supporting other units in your army. 7) Mortisan Boneshaper Datasheet Crafted by Nagash himself to act as both personal guard and executioners, they are protected by magically forged ebon-wrought armor that can even turn aside arcane attacks and reply to those attacks with Spirit Halberds or Spirit Swords. The Morghast Archai are one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units due to their high mobility, durability, and damage output. They are able to fly, making them one of the fastest units in the army, and their Soul Piercer ability allows them to deal mortal wounds to enemy units.

In addition, they have a powerful command ability that allows nearby units to reroll hit rolls of 1, making them excellent for supporting other units in your army. 6) Gothizzar Harvester Datasheet The Gothizzar Harvester is a Behemoth that collects the remains of the slain, stripping them of flesh and storing them in a gaping cage of bone on its back. They bludgeon and cleave those in reach of their primary arms even as their secondary limbs gather the dead. The Gothizzar Harvester is one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units due to its ability to support other units in the army. Its Bone Harvest special rule allows you to return models and heal units every time a model is slain within 3" of the Harvester. This makes it an excellent choice for keeping your other units alive and in the fight. In addition to its support capabilities, the Gothizzar Harvester is also a formidable combat unit. It has a high number of attacks with its Reaper Scythe and can also use its Bonecleaver Greatblade to deal massive damage to enemy units. 5) Immortis Guard Datasheet The Immortis Guard are elite constructs that exist to defend the Bonereaper command structure, and their duty is to ensure no mortal vermin sullies their masters with the business of violence. In terms of gameplay, the Immortis Guard are one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units due to their durability and versatility. They have a high Wounds characteristic and a 3+ save, making them difficult to take down. Additionally, they have a powerful command ability that allows them to intercept wounds and mortal wounds suffered by friendly characters within 3" on a . This ability, combined with their high durability, makes them an excellent choice for protecting your army's characters. The Immortis Guard are also highly versatile, as they can be equipped with either Mortal Halberds or Soulbound Shields. The Mortal Halberds are better against heavily armored targets, while the Soulbound Shields provide additional protection against ranged attacks. This versatility allows the Immortis Guard to be effective against a wide variety of enemy units. 4) Necropolis Stalkers Datasheet Necropolis Stalkers are four-armed horrors that possess the gestalt essence of master duelists, leaping and spinning in a frenzied dance of death. They are considered one of the best Ossiarch Bonereapers units due to their mobility, damage output, and versatility. Necropolis Stalkers are highly mobile, with a 10" move and the ability to run and charge in the same turn. They also have the ability to move over terrain features and other models as if they weren't there, allowing them to easily get into combat. In combat, Necropolis Stalkers are incredibly deadly. They have a high number of attacks with their Spirit Blades, which can bisect a human in a single blow. They also have the Precision Aspect ability, which allows them to reroll hit rolls of 1 when targeting heroes or monsters. This makes them particularly effective against high-value targets. Necropolis Stalkers are also highly versatile, as they can be equipped with either Nadirite Blades or Spirit Blades. The Nadirite Blades are better against heavily armored targets, while the Spirit Blades provide additional attacks and damage output. 3) Arch-Kavalos Zandtos Datasheet Arch-Kavalos Zandtos is a leader unit in the Ossiarch Bonereapers army. He is known and feared as the Dark Lance of Ossia, and has a burning hatred for the living that Nagash has stoked to the point of obsession. Fielding high mobility with a 12" move and the ability to run and charge in the same turn. He also has the ability to move over terrain features and other models as if they weren't there, allowing him to easily get into combat. In combat, Zandtos is incredibly deadly. He has a high number of attacks with his Nadirite Lance, which can easily pierce through heavily armored targets.

He also has the Soul Guide ability, which allows him to reroll hit rolls of 1 for friendly Ossiarch Bonereapers units within 18". This makes him particularly effective as a support unit for other Ossiarch Bonereapers units. 2) Mortek Guard Datasheet Mortek Guard are the core of the Ossiarch Bonereapers army and are designed to dominate the battlefield. Rocking some nice durability with a 3+ save and the ability to reroll saves of 1 in melee combat. They can also be equipped with shields, which increases their save to 2+ against ranged attacks. In combat, Mortek Guard are deadly, with a high number of attacks with their Nadirite Blades. 1) Katakros Datasheet Katakros is the Mortarch of the Necropolis and the commander of the Ossiarch Bonereapers, a faction of undead warriors in Age of Sigmar. He was once a mortal from the Realm of Ghur who became a skilled general and led the armies of the underworld of Ossia in the Realm of Shyish. After coming into conflict with the armies of Nagash, he pledged his allegiance to Nagash and was remade into a powerful undead construct. Katakros is considered one of the best units in the Ossiarch Bonereapers army due to his incredible durability and powerful abilities. He has a high Toughness and Wounds characteristic, making him difficult to kill, and his Shield Immortis ability allows him to ignore wounds on a roll of 5+. He also has a powerful command ability, Supreme Lord of the Bonereaper Legions, which allows friendly Ossiarch Bonereapers units to reroll hit rolls of 1 while they are wholly within 24" of Katakros. In addition to his defensive and supportive abilities, Katakros is also a formidable combatant. He is armed with Inda-Khaat, a massive sword that deals significant damage to enemy units, and he has a range of powerful attacks, including the Nadirite Dagger and Soulreaver Greatblade. To summarize, Katakros' wide variety of offensive, defensive, and supportive prowess makes him the best Ossiarch Bonereaper unit in Age of Sigmar!

12 Soviet women, 775 confirmed kills in one picture. During World War 2, the Soviet government recruited some 7.75 million women, of whom 800,000 served in the military. This photo was taken in Germany, May 4, 1945.

The 3rd Shock Army, part of the 1st Belorussian Front, was home to remarkable female snipers during World War II. These 'Shock' armies were specially structured to engage and dismantle significant enemy forces, benefitting from increased armored and artillery assets compared to other combined arms armies. When needed, the Shock armies were further reinforced with mechanized, tank, and cavalry units.

One of the precision roles performed with exceptional expertise by many female soldiers was sniping. In 1943, it is estimated that there were over 2,000 female snipers in the Soviet armed forces, who collectively achieved an impressive tally of more than 12,000 confirmed kills.

Among the standout female snipers were Nina Alexeyevna Lobkovskaya and Ukrainian Lyudmila Pavlichenko, who garnered particular recognition for her extraordinary feat of eliminating over 300 enemy soldiers. The Soviet Union made extensive and effective use of women in sniping duties, recognizing that this role suited them well. Good snipers demonstrated patience, carefulness, and deliberation, skills that many women soldiers possessed. Additionally, snipers' ability to avoid hand-to-hand combat and their need for higher levels of aerobic conditioning made it a role that women could excel in.

Books of 2023

Book 12 of 2023

Title: Redcatcher MP: 199th Light Infantry Brigade Authors: Mickey M. Bright & S. Fay Risner ISBN: 9781490457482 Tags: FSB Alice (Vietnam War), Interrogator, KOR ROK Republic of Korea Army, Military Intelligence, Military Police, US Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker, US USA 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, US USA 17th Cavalry Regiment, US USA United States Army, USA 199th Light Infantry Brigade, USA 199th Light Infantry Brigade - 152nd MP Platoon, USA 552nd MP Co., USA 90th Replacement Bn, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Bien Hoa, VNM Bien Hoa Airbase (Vietnam War), VNM Highway 1, VNM Long Binh, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN General Tran Van Minh, VNM RVN ARVN MP Quan Canh Military Police, VNM RVN Chieu Hoi Program/Force 66 - Luc Luong 66 (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Kit Carson Scouts (Vietnam War), VNM Saigon, VNM Tan Hemp, VNM Tu Do Street, VNM US USA 24th Evacuation Hospital - Long Binh (Vietnam War), VNM US USA II Field Force (1966-1971) (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Xuan Loc Rating: 4 stars Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.Military Police

Description: Mickey put his heart and soul into his book about his three tours in the Vietnam War. He brings to life the men he served with and treasured as friends as well as the Vietnamese people he grew to know and respect. He describes everything he saw and felt about the country in vivid detail. That includes the horrors of war as well as the men's feverish efforts to block their worries and fears in their off duty hours. Mickey's humor comes through when he writes about being invited to supper at a Vietnamese Police Officer's house and finds he's eating dog meat. Or when he becomes really nervous on patrol alone and thinks he's going to confront VC in a village cemetery only to find he's face to face with the harmless village bum.

Men felt pressure and stress all the time. They didn't know where the enemy was. There wasn't a front lines or a safe area even on base. They could never fully relax. The horrors of this war led many soldiers into a fog of drugs just to cope. Smoking marijuana was as popular as smoking a cigarette. The young men were drafted during the hippy drug era. Many of them had tried drugs, marijuana and drinking alcoholic beverages in the states. In Vietnam, drugs were cheap and very accessible. Beer was cheap at the PX and kept under the bunks by the case. Most times, it was consumed warm. The camaraderie between the men in their off time led to addictions that had to be faced when they went home. For many, drugs became a way to sleep in a stupor without fear and nightmarish images of death haunting them. The years that Mickey Bright was in Vietnam, statics show that more men went to the hospital because of their addictions than those with wounds. At the time, his war stories wouldn't have been wise to write about in letters to his worried family. We see the standoffs as Mickey describes them and get a feel for what his duties were like as a military policeman. Often something about Vietnam reminded him of his family and home in Nevada, Missouri. It's only when he was midway through his third tour of duty that he felt he'd had enough of this strange land and war. With new men coming in all the time, he dwelt more on the friends he lost, and the ones that went back to the world that he missed. Then there were his memories of Lei, the pretty Vietnamese girl he loved. When she was killed during a fire fight in Saigon, Mickey didn't have a reason to stay. He was ready to come home.

Review: Let me first start out by saying the book has a good flow to it. It's engaging, it's an interesting subject, and it's not just a collection of short stories thrown together like many of these books are.

In fact, it reads more like a novel than a memoir, and the book is better for it.

The primary negative is that, like many other independently published books, it screams for an editor. There are constant errors in spelling, errors in formatting, repeated paragraphs, and the like that a good proofreader and copyeditor would fix - and it does effect the readability at times.

Having said that, Mickey was an MP REMF, and while most books about MP's involve a lot of fighting, a lot of throwing around authority, Mickey took a different tact. Serving 3 tours with the 199th and temporarily with the 11th ACR, you get a little action here and there, an occasional rocket, an occasional law enforcement issue, but mostly it details a lot of drug use, a lot of drinking, and a lot of boredom and trying to fill hours in between shifts. Normally that would make for a boring, tedious, and uninteresting book, but because of the cast of characters, and the prose, it's actually still worth a read.

What weapons were used during the Crusades? I remember something vaguely about bows/crossbows being important but nothing else. Thank you :D

Nonnie, if you are (as I suspect) asking this for Very Important Fic Research Purposes, let me just say: you, my good gentleman/lady/nonbinary pal/mineral/vegetable, are Extremely Valid, and I salute you utterly. Let us just quietly assume that is in fact what you are doing. Buckle up, because yes. You have to consider individual and collective weaponry, differences in Christian vs. Muslim armies, tactics, and their development over the crusades. Never fear, I am here to make it entertaining (ish) for you. Let’s start with the individual warriors.

How To Arm Your Crusader: Nicky Edition

First! Nicky is from Genoa, which was most notably involved in the First and Third Crusades. I mention this because if you’re deciding to place him among a contingent of his fellow countrymen, it’s useful to know where you can most easily do that and where it would be most realistic to have them fighting. It will also make a difference for what he’s armed with. You are correct about crossbows being one of the major weapons of the crusades; indeed they were so effective in medieval warfare generally that the church tried to ban them, at the Third Lateran Council in 1179, from being used on fellow Christians. (Muslims were still fair game.) Longbow archers were used occasionally (though it wasn’t until the 13th century, mostly after the end of the crusades, that they became a major battlefield force), but Nicky would definitely be a crossbowman or at least know how to use one, because we have multiple mentions of Genoese crossbowmen in the sources. (Me in the shower this morning: YOU IDIOT OF COURSE HE’S A CROSSBOWMAN! YOU SEE HIM WITH A LONG RIFLE AND EVERYTHING!). Notably, Richard the Lionheart fought the Battle of Jaffa (1192) with 54 Genoese crossbowmen, about 100 knights, and 2 horses. It is up to you if you decide to use this fact or not, ahem.

Crossbows are easier to learn how to use than longbows, but require strength to wind the mechanism and launch the bolt. There is also a more powerful version called the arbalest, which had a frame made of metal instead of wood. These also had a longer range, so they were in fact a bit like the assault rifles of their day. Unlike a rifle, however, you have to have enough time to fire the weapon (which takes a while) and therefore it’s not as useful if the enemy is right on top of you. They’re most helpful in attacking an enemy in a more stationary position (such as, say atop a tower or a wall) and where you can have enough space to reload without being overrun.

We see that Nicky has a broadsword, which would also be a fairly standard weapon for a crusader. Most boys started their training at the age of 7, and the value in achieving the rank of knighthood would rise steadily over the course of the crusades, complementing the development of the ethos of chivalry. At the time of the Norman Conquest (1066), we could still have “free” or “unfree” knights, and it was a mark of military service rather than a distinct social rank. But with the popularity of chivalric literature in the 12th century, the ideas and prestige associated with knighthood skyrocketed. I know I’ve written some posts about this somewhere, which I’m too lazy to go find right now, but you can possibly find them in my medieval history tag. In essence, chivalry means martial prowess. It has a more romanticized aspect, of course, but it’s mostly about kicking ass, though it does prescribe certain codes of conduct for combatants (on both sides) and for noble-born women, as well as a strong religious aspect. If you do want more info on this and how to avoid the stereotypes of a chivalric knight, let me know and I’ll go dig up my old stuff.

There’s also a big difference between fighting on foot (infantry) and fighting on horseback (cavalry). All the footsoldiers were a lower or more common rank, and if you had a horse, you were almost certainly a knight or a professional soldier. Footsoldiers usually were pike (spear)men, since even if you only have long spears and a shield wall, you can throw together a pretty awesome defense. (At the Battle of Hastings, English fyrdmen with just pikes and shields almost defeated multiple Norman heavy cavalry charges.) Plus, a spear doesn’t take too much special training: just poke the sharp end into the other guy, as Jon Snow might say. Hence it was easier for non-professional soldiers or citizen conscripts to use it rather than the more specialized skills for knights.

The best warhorses were known as destriers. They were specially trained to kick, bite, and raise as much hell as their masters in battle; they were expensive and prized. A fast, strong horse often also used for war or for fast travel is a courser. A horse for non-battle or basic transport situations would be a palfrey or a rouncey (though lower-status men-at-arms could also ride one in battle). We can decide whether or not Nicky has one of these.

Armor! The Christian crusaders wore steel (chainmail) which was a major advantage in close-quarters combat. This is not the plate armor you may be thinking of, since full-body armor didn’t get used until around the 14th century at the earliest and came into full vogue in the 15th/16th century (by which cannons had often made it obsolete and dangerous). Chainmail is no joke: it weighs at least thirty pounds and boys had to wear it from childhood to know how to stand up in it, let alone move. (I.e. all those movies where anyone just slaps it on and is fine are liars.) You would wear several layers: first an undertunic, then a padded leather gambeson, the steel hauberk itself (often thigh-length), and then a cloth tabard on top, which displays your badge or flag or your cross, if you’re a crusader (though these were far from ubiquitous and sometimes color-coded by country). That way people can also tell which side you belong to. You wear a helmet on your head (obviously), vambraces and gloves on your arms, and greaves on your legs, over heavy leather boots. Now imagine all that coming at you with a spear on a charging warhorse.

.... what I’m saying is, medieval knights could kick your ASS.

You can also use daggers, hatchets, and other small arms (morningstars are cool, but alas, were never really used in the field). A knight sometimes carried a special blade known as a misericorde, which had the gruesome but necessary purpose of finishing off a wounded enemy (or friend) who hadn’t died immediately from their injury but wasn’t going to survive it either. Welp.

And with that:

How To Arm Your Muslim Warrior: Joe Edition

So we’ve got Nicky sorted: what about his More Than Boyfriend mortal enemy? Well, for the most part, it will look something like the above. Christian crusaders of the period would have called Muslims “Saracens,” which was the name for them, along with less flattering things (heathens, infidels, etc) but when in doubt, if writing from a crusader POV, you can just use Saracens. Actual Muslims obviously never use this word to refer to themselves. They did not have crossbows, but rather shorter and more mobile bows that were designed to be used from horseback. Arabian horses were smaller in stature than European destriers, but faster and more maneuverable, and had a legendary reputation for speed and temperament. Muslim forces would also sometimes ride to the battlefield and then dismount to fight.

We see that Joe has a sword with a shorter and wider/slightly curved blade in comparison to Nicky’s long, straight broadsword. In my fic, I call this a saif, which is just the Arabic word for sword and is how Muslims of the period would have referred to it (the word “scimitar” is from an Italian name for it and wasn’t used until at least the 16th century). It can mostly refer to any Islamic sword in this style, though there are different names for regional variations. If you want to give him a really cool and culturally significant weapon (especially since I headcanon him as a Fatimid Shia Muslim from Egypt), you could give him the zulfiqar, which was a double-pointed sword used by Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin of Prophet Muhammad and one of the main figures in Shia Islam. It is often represented on flags and in battlefield invocations. The actual zulfiqars that exist are more often dated from the 16th/17th century with the Ottomans or from 19th-century Persia, rather than from the crusades, but hey, you can always say that Joe had something to do with that. Sidenote, research the differences in the various Muslim dynasties of the crusader period, as they’re definitely not one size fits all (especially in re: the prominence of Sunni sultans in the later crusades, and how Joe might have thought about that).

As noted, the Muslims didn’t wear steel armor, which was a disadvantage to them in close-quarters combat with crusaders. Their armor was made of boiled leather and lamellar scales, designed to be light and good for long-distance riding rather than a heavy battle. They would also have helmets (in various shapes and styles), gloves, etc. An archer would have a quiver and have to think about using, reclaiming, or mending arrows after a battle (the Never Ending Quiver in every movie ever: ALSO WRONG).

I will confess that I don’t know as much about Islamic warrior ethoi comparable to chivalry as I should. However, the crusades were taking place against the backdrop of the Islamic Golden Age, in which the culture, sophistication, and scholarly study in the Islamic world was at its height, and there are plenty of artists, poets, mathematicans, and philosophers that Joe would be familiar with, that would guide his actions in the way that chivalry might for a knight. Such as, for example, Avicenna (Ibn Sina) from Samarkand, or the Banu Musa brothers of Baghdad. There would also obviously be the Qur’an and the ahaditha (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) and other religious texts and traditions. Obviously if you’re going to use any of these, be respectful, do your research, and present it in a positive way.

And then of course there is the:

Big-Ass Cool Weapons of Major Boom

So what else do we have on a large scale, aside from the individual warriors? For a start, we have (on the crusader side) siege engines, such as mangonels, trebuchets, towers, etc. These are not comparable to the Return of the King-esque “break off a chunk of the city with every hit,” but they were pretty damn effective; during the Third Crusade, one stone from a trebuchet was reputed to have killed twelve people in the market in Acre. Richard the Lionheart also hauled along a lot of high-quality stone from Sicily to make better missiles than the soft crumbly sandstone of the Holy Land. There’s a reference to a “cat,” which seems to have been a tower containing multiple compartments for crossbowmen, which could be pushed up against city walls. There are also battering rams and other blunt-force weapons, since sieges were a main part of every crusade. (In fact, commanders tried to avoid open battles as much as they could, though there were also usually at least one on each crusade.) Defensive strategy included digging deep ditches around walls, to prevent your opponent’s siege engines from getting too close, or just throwing stuff down at them as they tried to climb with scaling ladders. With this, we also have....

Greek fire! It’s semi-similar to wildfire from Game of Thrones, even if not quite as effective, but still a pretty cool weapon. The Muslims used it first; it didn’t enter Christian warfare until Geoffrey Plantagenet introduced it in 1151 (his grandson, Richard the Lionheart, also got to be rather fond of it). It was a long-burning liquid explosive that could burn even on water and couldn’t be put out by regular means; it was very feared and very effective. So if you were under siege and had some of that stuff to pour down on the defenders, it would be useful (along with boiling pitch, oil, or other more ordinary substances). Your enemy might plan for that or try to defend against it by using hides soaked in water or some other kind of shield.

Anyway, I’m sure there is more I could say here, but this is already MORE than long enough. I hope it is helpful to start with. And inspirational. Ahem.

HEADCANON ; DO NOT REBLOG.

armor in the 15th century had evolved beyond individual pieces of metal plate, becoming what we know today as full plate. the shoulder pieces, called pauldrons, would be a singular sheet that wrapped around the arm and overlapped another on the bicep to give the arm flexibility, usually shifting down into the elbow couters.  they had very strong gauntlets with broad overlapping plates that shot upward from the knuckles and down the arm to the elbow, where the joint would be wrapped with leather beneath the couter.  the chest piece would also be whole, but made of many pieces with a sliding rivet for the sake of mobility, and would usually have overlapping pieces beneath it. 

the count was part of the bl*ck army,  serving as a warlord under the service of mathias c*rvinus in the later part of the war, after they (the citizens he presided over) had become more pressed under the thumb of the king corvinus later deposed.  ( keep in mind, this did not stop the monarchy from forcibly relocating poor / non-magyar folks into the transylvanian basin, nor stop the hussar from looting/raids ) what this means for his armor is that, as the name of the army suggests, the plate and leather of the soldiers were dyed seamlessly black.  this was true save for the pelts he wore, which were often sewn together out of foxes and badgers he’d hunted himself, or the occasional wolf, which were vibrant against the plate.  even the barding of his mare was black on her sorel coat, with a stark, blue feather sticking out from the leather straps on the chanfron.  his horse also had an escutcheon, in which two small horns were placed to give it the appearance of a zmeu.  

when it comes to blades, he had an extremely selective taste.  he favored mobility, yes, but also the ability to use brute strength against his opponents. for this fact he favored the bastard sword in close combat, and at times the zweihander if he had the opportunity to use it. the lord’s height, coupled with the extreme reach of long blades made for an incredibly powerful weapon with a ton of force behind the swing. for these weapons, he preferred them well baanced - to have a long hilt with a very narrow blade, oftentimes kris above the pommel, with a sharp edge and very acute point. 

as was customary when hunting, he carried a variety of knives on his person. more than the hunting dagger in the laces of his boots.  he carried a short blade known as a hunting sword that measured from the very tips of his fingers to the start of his inner elbow.  it was ornate, but well-weighted and used exclusively while hunting game. the blade would be very sharp at the tip and more dull toward the pommel. this would be a well-worn blade, with obvious marks from being sharpened by a stone.  he enjoyed hunting and tracking on his own, and enjoyed the quiet it brought him. 

on that note (hunting) comes the mention of his matchlock arquebus collection.  one of which is quite small. it was created as a hand-cannon in 1411, and it ignites by matchlock on the primer so that the propellant/pellet can be ignited and shot forward. it was used in substantial number by the bl*ck army of hungary, with sources siting that it was wielded by one in four soldiers and one in five when accounting for the entire army.  vladislav also had a smaller version from further east, called a pischal, which were used primarily by troobs on horseback - or pischal'niki.

of course, there were longer versions of this handgun, which were much more like a rifle.  these he tended to use when hunting larger game, like wolves or bears.  it would be held or brought over the shoulder, and on each form the trigger came in the form of a serpent-like hook beneath the long barrel of the gun.  with these the human-vladislav’s aim was deadly, and he was well-acquainted with the issues in accuracy that came from the distance between barrel and propellant.  it required the user to carry with him long match twine that would be used to light the black powder that was loaded int the chamber.  said black powder would hang from vladislav’s waist along his belt. the recoil was fierce.  

he cared for his weapons constantly, and normally sacrificed a full day of his week to dedicate solely to cleaning them himself, as he trusted no one else to handle them.  he had a menagerie of weapons at his disposal in the family Armory, some of which dated back hundreds of years before his conception.  these would eventually be passed down to his uncle’s children - the children of valerious - and were ironically the very same ones used to hunt him into the 19th century.  in his arsenal were flails, longswords, falcata, crossbows and other artifacts, like special daggers or silver stakes used to hunt and kill strigoi terrorizing the village. they of course had corsques, shields, halberds, glaives, corsata, crossguarded blades and archery equipment as well.  most belonged to deceased relatives, and each had a story.

last but not least is the kijil; popularized by the ottoman empire across all of eastern europe. it is a blade that resembles a moderately curved scimitar, but is the size of a long dagger.  it became widely used within the balkan states and eurasian steppes, and was popular in the cavalry. vladislav received his within the militia and it, like for so many other soldiers, became part of his daily wardrobe. he wore it often along with the black kaftan he’d been gifted by his lithuanian mother, and sheathed it in a decorative, gold casing to hang above his waist on his right side                   as he is left-hand-dominate ambidextrous.

Part 59: Retribution

More here: @aliens-and-shiz

The day began like any other. Quiet. Reserved. The birds began chirping with the sunrise, the dew clinging to the grass and trees, making the valley glisten like a field of crystals, shimmering with the breeze. And front and center, a single yellow flower. Simple, elegant, with 6 small yellow petals with a bright read heart. It danced in the breeze, softly swaying.

Until the boot came down, crushing it and killing it, forcing it into the earth. The marching army, flattening the pristine landscape, before now untouched by man nor beast of burden. But such is the way of progress and war: until all is consumed and cast asunder; until the enemy has been thoroughly routed, exiled, or desecrated.

With the boot came roaring machines, machines designed not for pleasure or any domestic purpose, rather conceived with but one concept in mind: destruction. The tanks rolled past the marchers, on into the neck of the valley. Emblazoned on the sides a red, white, and blue banner with scattered stars.

Before the machines, ahead of their way, two monolithic mountains stood guard over the valley past which the quarry of man lie.

We fall back to that first boot. Still stomping over the dirt, crushing without care nor concern what lie beneath its sole. Moving up and out we see two legs, attached to a torso of a man. The man was outfitted head to toe with black armor, matte finished, and it’s face covered in a mask with black goggles and a ventilator. He carried a long firearm, similar in aesthetic construction to the common AR-15, but with far greater firepower. To their left, another individual, similarly decked out. To their right, yet again. And so on and so forth.

Before long, the valley filled with these creatures and their metal beasts, slowly funneling their way through the sacred place. They spooked up the native wildlife, causing them to scurry away en masse, using paths made for an altogether different season, but necessary today. But for one small, purple, 4-winged beast.

For this little one, curiousity got the best of him. He flew over the ranks of these new creatures, and went to see where these loud things were headed.

As he flew past the mountain, a place that it had called home its whole life, the red, greens, and oranges beneath the purple sky, it flew to a place it had never gone. Towards where it’s ancestors warned to avoid, as larger beasts tended to live there. Ones that detested it’s presence, and would cook him over an open fire just as easily as snap his neck and throw him away. And he found one of their settlements.

It was a flurry of activity. The blue Rekkans not giving a care to the creature as it observed them rushing into vehicles, scrambling over each other, setting up walls and blockades, and letting the small fires go and build.

Then, a boom. And the sound of whirring.

The creature glanced toward where it came from, and saw smoke beginning to rise. He saw two small dots quickly growing in the sky, and one long stream of smoke trailing behind a bright light, growing far quicker.

The creature lifted its wings to fly, but time was not on its nor this towns side, as the missle split into 6, and proceeded to pummel the town in a massive destructive wave, tearing the wings off its torso before it could even flap them once in a futile attempt at self preservation.

And with that time... froze.

The shock wave rippled through the town, flattening buildings, tearing clothes and skin off people’s backs, turning them into a salsa of rock, dust, blood, and plant matter.

They didn’t have enough time.

They weren’t warned.

They didn’t care to listen to the stars.

They didn’t care that the planet they found, a death world far from home but rich in resources, was the only thing within a hundred light-years that was making any noise.

They didn’t know the consequences of messing with humanity- and never thought maybe that’s why they were alone in the first place.

Kidnapped seasons past by yet another race, enslaved, tortured, sold to the next highest bidder or gifted as a favor, the human race spread among the Coalition with ease. In no way a legal sale, as business where sentient lives of any kind are bought and sold for profit was among the most strictly outlawed practices among the vast collection of planets. Then again, sentience was legally defined as membership within the economic sphere that spanned galaxies, so if you were to find something fresh, it was ripe for the picking.

Then again... normally they do not fight back. If this could be called fighting.

For that is the human war machine. It is a testament to destruction, an ode to chaos, and a love song to mother death herself. It is efficient to its core, an unstoppable force fueled by rage, emotion, lust, and ingenuity. If you steal from them, if you touch their people, if you give them impossible odds- be warned. They are relentless and unmerciful. You may not see it today. Or tomorrow. Or a year from now. Even a century.

But they will come. For they do not forgive. And they certainly never forget.

For this reason, on they marched. Sure, they could open a communication, they could negotiate. But then the universe wouldn’t learn. Those that took from them would have no remorse forced upon them. Until every family is reunited, every home mended, every child found and accounted for, they would not cease their advance.

The legions of man sifted into the forests. And as they marched, the cavalry instead turned, funneling at an angle into the trees- feeding the battle to their very whims. In file the men entered, until a sound rang out. A siren in the distance. The first wave charged into the forest. They had given them enough time to prepare now. Exactly as much as the original extraterrestrials had given humanity all those months, soon to be years, ago...

...just enough time to pray.

T28/T95 105mm prototype super heavy tank/assault gun. Built during WWII to crack the Siegfried Line in Germany, it was later considered as a possible participant in the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland.

The near 100-ton vehicle was initially designated a heavy tank. It was re-designated as the 105 mm Gun Motor Carriage T95 in 1945, and then renamed in 1946 as the Super Heavy Tank T28.

One of the vehicle’s most distinguishing features was the double sets of tracks it used to reduce the enormous ground pressure it generated. To make the T28 remotely transportable, these tracks had to be removable, otherwise it would be too wide to fit onto any flatcar or trailer.

In December 1941, the M3 Medium Tank was the primary tank being produced for the U.S. Army and was a stopgap while America caught up in tank design.

Fast forward to only three years later in 1944, and the T26E3 (later standardized as the M26 Pershing) was finishing evaluation and soon would be rushed to Europe in response to the Battle of the Bulge.

The Spearhead

I realize that I make a lot of reference to Urbosa’s soldiers, so I thought I’d put my thoughts all in one place for later reference.

For most of “The Center Cannot Hold” Urbosa is accompanied by six other warriors, comprising her Spearhead. A Spearhead is the smallest unit in the armed forces of Gerudo Town, usually comprised to three pairs of sworn sisters and a leader. Urbosa’s Spearhead is a ceremonial guard that is also lethally functional. Every woman there has proven herself worthy to ride the war-road with their Chief, though some of Urbosa’s choices are considered unorthodox by the Town Elders.

Makeela Urbosa va Rana: SHE. Needs no introduction. The Point of the Spearhead.

Taarvi va Vikla, aka Old Taarvi, aka Battle Crone: The oldest member of the team at 156; she was once a member of Urbosa’s mother’s Spearhad back in her prime, and swore an oath to Chief Rana that she would look after Urbosa as long as she was physically able. Has known Urbosa since she was a baby. Loyal unto death, but Extremely Done with everyone and everything. Still refuses to retire and take up the mantle of Elder. Can and will kick the ass of anyone who looks sideways at Urbosa. Had Some Kinda Thing with Urbosa’s mom but refuses to elaborate. Wants Urbosa to settle down with a nice Gerudo girl and maybe stop dropping everything to help the Hylian Princess...but also recognizes that a mother’s duty is to her daughter.

Corvuu va Fatira: The Spearhead’s combat medic. Highly skilled, has saved the life of everyone in the Spearhead thrice over. Extremely calm under fire, intense interest in the natural world. She’s writing a book on the commonality of all living organisms, and employs an army of children to collect specimens for her wherever they go. Decent at fighting, but prefers the scalpel to the sword. Is very done with the dumbass younger members of their group injuring themselves in foolish stunts. Married happily to Sabri. Will occasionally eat thing she shouldn’t to test the effects.

Sabri va Savee: Corvuu’s reckless and cheerful wife; full of roguish charm, has connections all over Hyrule because she used to work for a mercenary group. Gave up the roving life the moment she met Corvuu and worked her ass off to prove herself worthy of joining Urbosa’s outfit. Will flirt with Corvuu at the least appropriate times possible. Excellent storyteller, and has an unending barrage of dirty jokes in her arsenal. Irritates the living shit out of Taarvi for sport. Absolutely is the reason that one of Zelda’s first words in Gerudo was ‘fuck’.

Brona va Deerdra: Grim and unyielding in battle, Brona is nevertheless is warm and gentle in her everyday life. Tries to find peaceful resolutions to conflicts, much to her sworn-sister Taarvi’s irritation. Everyone is mystified by her relationship with Taarvi, who is at least a century her elder. The popular theory is that Brona’s unrelenting good humor eventually broke Taarvi’s spirit. Enjoys music of all kinds, and has some skill with a few instruments, including the Zora harp. Her true talent is with the Gerudo pipes, and serves as the piper when their unit marches to battle. Once had a wife and daughter, but lost them when their village was attacked by Yiga infiltrators. Refuses to speak of them at all; mentioning them is the one thing that can flip the switch on her affable personality.

Makeela Ubala va Ubari: One of the newer members of the Spearhead, eldest daughter of Urbosa’s sister. Joined the army the hot second she turned 17 to get away from the chaos of six sisters and parents who are nauseatingly in love. Loves the life of a soldier and is proud to serve under her aunt. Like all the women of her family, she is extremely stubborn and has a deep sense of honor and justice.Hates to see people in power mistreating people below them. A horse-hearted young woman who wants to build up the cavalry. Frequently engages in dumbass behavior because impulse control is not her forte. Considers Zelda her baby cousin (even though they have only recently started spending time together and is only a year or so older than her), tries to bring her out of her shell.

Ritva va Retava: Sworn sister to Ubala, the youngest member of the Spearhead at 17. A bit shy, and deeply anxious to prove herself. Daughter of the greatest armorer and blacksmith in the tribe, she has an innate understanding of how to repair or rebuild things. Finds ancient technology fascinating, and hopes to study it in greater depth when she’s done with her stint in the army. Falls hard and fast for Princess Zelda as they bond over the Sheikah slate, which has not escaped Urbosa’s notice. Co-conspirator in dumbassery; is the first to suggest they try to ride things that have been charged with a Stasis rune.

BONUS: Arakna va Amala: Urbosa’s sworn sister; they’ve been bound since they were fifteen, when they went through something traumatic together. Loyal to the point of fanaticism. Spy master and occasional murderer for the sake of Gerudo interests, side-hustle/cover as a cloth merchant. Would kill for Urbosa. Has killed for Urbosa. Has eyes and ears all over Hyrule Castle and beyond. Largely cheerful and irreverent, she nonetheless has a lethal temper. Can and will gleefully roast Urbosa at the slightest provocation. Has a deep aversion to touch; you don’t touch Arakana, she touches you. Multilingual, excellent dancer and seamstress. Favors poisons and strangulation as methods of disposal. Will very literally murder anyone who hurts Urbosa in any capacity; the only reason Rhoam’s still alive is because Urbosa ordered Arakna to lay off. Aranka keeps offering to kill him at least once a year.

Edmond Monabellan, in fairy robes. For that moment you want to research a character, for proper representation, but the information isn’t there because white washing of history!

Tale 19: Meriam Craweleoth: Mage Queen of The Grand West (chapter 4.2 -  Time Stands Still: Edmond 4/10) part 4. Stories of Old

Maps

violence, murder, war

On the first day of Autumn, Meriam gave her kingdom a princess: Odette Craweleoth. In four week’s time, an army of Anglia needed to march north to aid Isfisceard, against Mage Prince Edmond of The Far North. Meriam knew he would win if she was not them. She had given her word on behalf of Anglia, in promise of peace with the two north kingdoms, to deal with the prince personally; as a stronger magic user. Meriam was being pulled into war. Furthermore, to arrive on time, the Anglian cavalry, and Meriam, would need to leave promptly. But she was still in recovery with her brand-new daughter, and was far to weak to use magic or ride long-distance and into war. Each week that passed, she made the army wait, in hopes she would recover just enough to join them. She wanted to hate Odette for holding her back, but couldn’t, because after almost a month of constant contact, Meriam had become attached to her only child. She was scared what would happen to her baby if she left for even a day. It was Meriam’s nightmare; ill from child bearing, homebound because of child she didn’t want, had the lives of hundreds of men in her hands, and being forced to use magic in battle. Meriam lay next to her husband, feeding her daughter, and humming her nephew to sleep, thinking; there had to be something she could do that would result in everyone, includer herself, winning.

Time is not to fooled with, but in Ealden Cynedom, it has a way of healing from tampering. As if everything is meant to be, and destiny is unchangeable. Meriam didn’t like using her powers to affect the minds and experiences of time on people, but she needed time. Unlike common folk, Meriam could afford to wait till the last possible minute. If she needed time, she could always make more, by stopping, reversing, or forwarding the clock. With little but a small hourglass, in a marble upon a chain, she was able to move the world around her, backwards. Two weeks after the battle she was supposed to attend, of which was likely won by Prince Edmond at the cost of many lives, Meriam made the world reverse to one week before the battle.  She reversed the event she had failed to attend, resurrecting all who had fallen, and erasing the memory of it ever taking place. It is one thing to use time on a person, a group, or a city; but Meriam was too great a mage to think so small. The whole world was within her control with enough concentration. Still weak, but able enough to use magic to compensate, she marched with the royal guard, who was unaware the Grand West was three weeks in the future compared to other lands. May her fairy robes protect her, for Meriam intended to come home and hold her daughter and husband again. She had a promise to keep, and intended only to return after Edmond Monabellan groveled for an alliance at her feet.

           At dawn, Feon woke like any other day. She put on the water to make the porridge, and her family ate breakfast while making their plans for the day. Feon was going to comb the town for daughters of the sea, her husband was going to get wood and sharpen their knives. Their daughters were doing laundry, and Lyra was sent to gather herbs and berries in the glens outside the village. By mid mourning, everyone was off to their tasks. while Feon kissed her husband at the door, the town guard came, and ripped her from his arms. Feon was dragged through the town, as she began to hear panicked yelling and horns. She struggled to get free. The men overpowered her, and dragged her to the edge of the short stone wall of the village. The lord was there, organizing soldiers into formation, and Feon’s captors pulled her head back by her hair, and yelled at her to sing. They pulled at her while the screams started, and a rally speech was given. And all Feon could think about, was where is Lyra? Feon looked around frantically as she was being yelled at to sing a protection enchantment over the town; but that would require feeling love and desire to protect, and Feon only felt fear. Then, lit arrows came, and landed in the nearby the roofs, causing a fire. There was more screaming and panic as the villagers attempted to put out the fire. The two men continued to pull Feon’s hair, and yell for her magical aid in battle. They needed to hold on until Anglia came. Then Feon looked across the field and hills. The world went silent, as directly across the field, her eyes met the yellow eyes of a black haired rough young man, in violet and gold wolf armored robes. He rode a bear, and was exuding a glow like a black hole. She could feel her heart pound against her chest, as a second wave of arrows fell, and the battalion charged to meet their enemy. The promised army of Anglia failed to arrive in time. Feon could not afford to wait for her son Lyra to return; So, she began to sing.

           Not a moment earlier, in a tent in the Algonquian camp, Edmond sat with his sister, Luthid. His painted hide tent, was lavished in furs, silver and fine fabrics. His general, who was promised lordship if he conquered the Northlands of Celticia, reminded Edmond of his uncles wishes. Algonquia did not want to kill the people of the Northlands, they just wanted access to its mild weather and greenery. The King of Algonquia did not wish to send his nephew to the imperialistic frontier; It was Edmond’s choice, as a paladin, to help his families kingdom. Even his own men feared him, after he cleared battle after battle to reach the island of Isfisceard. But after using magic for murder, and missing his home, and fearing for his sister, Edmond began to doubt his mission. The radiant green bogs, glens, hills, and song of the sea, were beautiful enough to make him cry; As he murdered its innocent people for someone else. He loved fey, and learned to use weapons as a boy groomed as an heir. The only male heir left. If his sister Luthid died as well, Algonquia would be kingless. And there would be no way for Edmond to give power to the people if the Far North was in untrustworthy hands. He wanted to go home. He wished he had suggested diplomacy sooner. But the soldiers of Algonquia crossed an entire nation, and tasted its blood and riches along the way. Edmond was too far to go back.

Edmond ordered his general out of his tent, and asked for his sister. The general denied his request; Luthid agreed to summon fey for battle in the camp, and was in a small tent preparing. The amount of magic required to control fey, needs a mage to have magic move through them constantly, destroying their bodies. If the battle went on too long, and Edmond did not aid her in controlling their collection of wolf fey, she may die. Edmond felt terror, but did not show it. He went upon the back of his familiar, and lead the lines forward in the crisp ocean air of morning, according to battle plans. They were silent as cats, and swift as foxes.

Edmond was to slowly advance with his foot soldiers, after the arrows of stone and fire had been shot. The yells, and miscellaneous weapons of Celtician men no longer scared them. They had tasted too much victory. After the arrows, behind Edmond, would be the wolf children controlled by Luthid in the camp. Including three Aliki wolf princes they had captured. The carnivoran fey and skilled warriors, tore threw the small army of Isfisceard; and Edmond was untouched as he drew a sword of darkness, while seated high upon his powerful mount. His fairy robes made him impenetrable. And then he heard the sweet song of a woman, and a veil of gold move over the burning town; his eyes met Feon’s, as she cried in fear, attempting to put a charm on the village. It reminded him of how he wanted to cry. For his brethren, for his actions, for his sister, and from the immense pain he felt as a black arrow pierced his familiar from the sky. He became disoriented and no longer absorbing sound for his spells; for a moment, he was weak. Just as quickly as sound had resumed, it dissipated. The battle field began to slow to a stillness, and the sound of hooves approached from the south.

Meriam swooped down upon Nihten, landing in front of Edmond who was gasping his chest on his knees. She looked like Raven, clad in black raven kingdom robes, and black makeup against her pale colours. She was unflinching, like a disappointed mother that saw through their child’s lies. She lifted a silver sword, the gift from Helrem that could cut anything, and pointed the blade at his neck.

“You bitch!” Edomnd yelled, lashing forward with his sword. His intent was to knock away Meriam’s blade. But Meriam held firm; and Edmond’s shadow sword met her own sword, it was cut in half. As time resumed, and her men swept the battle field, They started devastating his troops with their horses. Edmond was shocked, and then Meriam kneed him in the face.

“You disgust me. Those wolf children, and their princes, would have trusted you once. And you make them taste the foul blood of men. You are no mage.” Meriam scolded. Nihten began to peck and pull at his cape, as Meriam tore off his tunic and gloves. Without his robes he could be killed easily. Then he noticed the fey flee form the field, and the two dead Aliki wolves, and their third brother gagging on the blood in his mouth. The fey were free, thus Luthid, his sister, was dead. Edmond dropped his head. He would not come home, and he did not want too. The yelling, and clashing began to sting like his aching heart. The year of sieges resurfacing in his mind. Meriam held her blade high to kill him, and then noticed he was crying.

“Let me at least see my sister, even if she is dead, one last time.” He cried. Then Edmond lifted his head, and yelled for his troops to retreat. Meriam lowered her sword. “I don’t want death anymore. I want my palace bed, and to drink with my uncle, and see my sister wed. I want to howl charms of good dreams into the night, and be the last king Algonquia will ever need. I will leave this land and yours alone. I do not want it anymore. These warm green fjords, come at far to high a cost.” He cried. Meriam lowered her sword. That was exactly what she wanted to hear, and it made her sad. Meriam grabbed Edmond’s collar, and dragged him to his camp. All the soldiers parting ways she walked. As if her presence demanded the men of all three armies to show respect. She gave off an aura of darkness and regality. Meriam walked through the Algonquia camp, and turned their tents to water with only a whisper; and delivered the incapacitated prince to his dead sister’s side. Then she left the way she came, moving calmly across the battle field, and through the burning village. She walked through their house fires, saving their children, and alchemized water to put out the flames. Meriam seemed so steady, its scared people that they could not read her reaction to the battle. Neither joy nor woe. Inside, she was too sad to feel.

On the beach, that was now silent and raging, Meriam found Feon crying and dishevelled upon the pale quartz stone. Feon then ran to the Lighthouse, and up the cliffs. Meriam walked slowly after her. Her stern demeanor softening to one of sorrow, as she followed her friend up the stairs to the peak of the sea wall. Feon wailed into the stormy void, and Meriam walked up, and held her.

“My children and husband died putting out the fire. And Lyra never came back from the woods by the battle field. Down there, by the rocks, an evacuation ship has fallen to a kraken, who was summoned by their song. She must have really liked it. Then the stirring waves approach, and I believe Lyra has been claimed by the sea. Why am I alive Merry? Out of everyone, why me? Why not my children?”

“You protected your village from further danger. That is why you are alive like many of them. I must admit I am so sorry; I wish I could have come sooner. But you did not tell me how long it would take for me to gather strength for this mission, after bearing a child. I also didn’t expect I would love her so much.” Meriam whispered. “I understand, why you do not want to leave them behind. I can’t imagine your loss, Feon.”

“I am happy your family is safe. I am happy the Far North retreats and bargains for forgiveness and friendship. I am happy-” Feon sniffed.

“Do not lie. Even if this battle is over, you have lost so much this day. You may cry, I will be here next to you.” Meriam sniffed. “I will cry with you.”

           After a few days of restoring the village and resting, Meriam and her men prepared to leave. The people of Isfisceard and Celticia thanked them, for not only winning a battle, but ending a war. They were willing to leave the past behind them, for the chance at another dawn. Before Her troops left, Meriam walked to the beach. There was white fog that did not block the sun, upon the pristine beach. Laughter of selkies collecting shells echoed across the empty sand. Feon stood by her rock, looking into the perfectly flat sea.

“I came to say good bye; but now I am disturbed by the silence of the sea.” Meriam said.

“Oh, goodbye my friend.” Feon said starring into the fog. “Well wishes to your family; I trust helping with the village’s babes means your daughter won’t starve when you return. Though I know a woman of your noble standing shouldn’t need to worry about such thing. Sorry; I just miss my own babies so much. You know, you were right; I think I want to stop journaling magic texts, and instead write poetry for charms.” Feon said. She was still gazing into the horizonless distance.

“No worries. But, why do you observe nothing so closely?”

“This morning I saw a man on the beach; wearing white and gold fish robes, and with ginger hair twisted into strands that are tied in an elaborate knot. And I hear the fey of the sea thank their Queen father for a song of calmness and mist. I am happy; Lyra will live on, safely around magic.” Feon smiled.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

Breaking the Line - Edited Roll20 Log

[Back dated from after Minutes to Midnight and before Warplanning 2]

[Event Start]

The counter-attack had caught the forces of House Illithia off-guard, and a conscripted army that had expected an easy advance against the scattered resistance from the Emberglades instead found themselves on the run. Retreating behind hastily dug and fortified earthworks, they manage to halt what meager soldiers that the Heartlands had to spare. Gathering their strength for the next push, they awaited Judereth’s militiamen. Numbering in the thousands from every household of the Glades, they had spent the last day mobilizing and marching to the front and were now prepared to join a new offensive.

Judereth marched at the head of the coalition. True to her words over the war table, they were to be the tip of the spear. A spear that would be driven straight into the heart of Westheath. “Spread the word, we’re approaching the front,” said the Baneret, and the men under her command did so without question.

Relriah rode beside her, sidesaddle. She looked the part of a noble lady save for the sheathed sword on her saddle and the look of fire in her eyes. “I am in your hands,” she said with a nod, looking at the men that she led into battle. The comment seemed to encourage them, activating some sort of primal instinct that did not wish to see a mother come to harm.

Mara Blazingdawn rallies the banner men of the Dawnspire to her side. Looking along the ramparts, she could see the muzzle flash of rilfemen opening up onto the approaching forces. Bodies littered the field of good men poorly spent. "Shields!" Mara shouted, as she channeled a personal protection spell. Swords and shields versus well fortified fusiliers. "It's a suicide charge! We need to clear them out!"

Thanidiel:"I am not fond of that entrenchment."

"Highdawn will hold but will not advance until there is breach."

Kebha was silent as always, her presence unknown even to those men she had been given to command. She had all but abandoned them, leaving them with the simple notion of kill or be killed- or be eaten, if they failed. Kebha cared little for the fates of 'her' troops- she was here at Lirelle's request, honoring perhaps the closest thing to a friendship she had formed outside of the cabal. She left them to their devices, cloaking herself in thick void and vanished from sight along with Xio'lhr and her trusted Ashtongue.

Ethalarian nudges his Charger forward to the crest of the small hill behind the artillery. He surveys the field with a grim expression painted over his scarred features and turns to the square-jawed man behind him. "Send word to Highdawn and the militia cavalry under my command- we wait for a breach in the lines."

Thanidiel:"Lady, if you would pull towards the farmland."

"It is unwise to be so close to the 'firing line.'"

Thanidiel 's iconic banner flicks after Ethalarian's runner reaches them. Some sign of her understanding without return or shout.

Relriah acquiesces to Thanidiel's demands. "Very well, I'll be observing"

Elara Blazingdawn surveys the troops under her command and fists her hands on her hips. "Alright lads and lasses. Now's the time to find that inner sense of strength that I hope to the Light you all have. Otherwise, uh, we're done." She pauses, realizing this is a bad motivational speech. "BUT!" She exclaims, "We represent the Dawnspire tonight! The Serdar has sent us strong and bolstered to the field. Tonight we fight for,er, Quel'thalas!"

Avenaiel is a construct of an elf, and her soldiers seem the same; the remains of Blood Knight armor mantles her but it is mostly replaced with leathers. She waves with her fingers to the artillery, and is greeted with nods.

[Combat Start]

[The Assault]

With a great war cry, the forces of Emberheart charge across the gap of no-man’s land, crossing over the corpses of the ones who had charged before them. But this time, the soldiers of the coalition were there to protect them with their flesh and steel. Esheyn covered their flanks, her soldiers protecting the ladder and siege bridge bearers with their shields as cavalry belonging to Thanidiel, Ethalarian, and Relriah ride at their backs, ready to cross the moment the staked trenches were bridged.

Beathyn orders the bombards that he had purchased off Obaniwix to shell the enemy rifle lines, trying his best to minimize the casualties from enemy fire.

Mara & Elara Blazingdawn, with their knights sent by Telchis and Ellasha from the Dawnspire, covered their rightmost advance, ensuring that the militia there were well protected from their assault.

Kheba, an Illidari of blood and shadow, infiltrated the enemy lines, drifting over with others of her kind until they were far behind the enemy defences and trenches. She moved towards the artillery that was raining death down upon friendly troops on the assault.

Oosaarn advanced with arbalests on either side and a handful of no longer bored Warsong at his back. While the orcs held their ground, crossbows soon fired away at the enemy's rifles.

[The Staked Trench Bridged]

Thanidiel rides straight through the enemy lines to the forefront of their cavalry reserves. The standard of Tyr’s Hand held high in the horizon by her troops as the ex-Knight cracks a whip of holy fire like a blazing lightning strike, meant to startle the horses.

Ethalarian lifts his lance high and bellows his orders over the din of cannon fire and the screaming wounded. "Punch through! Clear a path for the infantry!"

Thanidiel:"Soon would be the time to gain a real notch on your belt, Lady Illithia."

Relriah gives her a nod, unable to hide the mix of excitement and horror in her eyes.

Elara Blazingdawn signals her troops to advance, reinforcing Mara's troops near the ladder. Boots thunder on the ladder as the elven troops raid the fort, turning on the Westheath Militia where they can.

Oosaarn led that ragtag group of Warsong towards the siege ladders. Leaving the arbalests behind to continue their volleys upon the enemy forces.

Kebha continues to advance forward, an incidious shadow across the battlefield like choking smoke. She rushes forward, making her way towards the battery, biding her time until she can do real damage. Across the field, the militia struggled on, heeding the words of Thanidiel. They drew steel, diving forward into the riflemen before them.

[Battle for the Battery]

Esheyn rallies her troops to press on, to bring their weapons down upon the militia that surround them.

Mara Blazingdawn"Rally! Do not get stopped! All forces advance!"

Ethalarian wheels his cavalry about as the first formation of heavy infantry are broken apart. He signals to the militia cavalry with his lance and turns his own cavalry on the infantry striking at his flank.

Elara Blazingdawn hikes up the ladder with her troops in tow, eager to close the distance between her sister and herself. "Keep moving, keep moving! Get that militia!"

Oosaarn’s Arbalests again fired on the forces at the other side of the defenses. All while the group of orcs barreled into the enemy's frontlines in thunderous war cries.

Shrapnel catches Thanidiel as the battery fires indiscriminately into the advancing Emberheart forces. She is seen passing the Standard of Tyr's Hand to the Emberglades heavy cavalry and pulling off of the field with a scant retinue, letting them continue the battle in her stead.

[Morale Breaks Militiamen begin to flee]

Mara Blazingdawn:"Let these peasants run back to their homes. All forces reform and move onto the trebuchet!"

Ethalarian goes racing northward now, shouting orders for his flagging unit of militia to retreat. The Blood Knight lancers crest the hill, preceded by thundering hoofbeats and the deafening blast of a war horn. Lances at the ready, enveloped by the twisted sheen of stolen Light, they crash into the crews manning the artillery battery.

[The Trebuchet is destroyed. Combat Ends. Knowing they were defeated a significant number of Westheath forces have thrown down their arms.]

Ethalarian would like to keep War Crimes to a minimum.

Mara Blazingdawn:"The battle has finished. What will we do with all of these captured and wounded?"

Iriina:"Dungeon."

Relriah doesn't speak, but should the decision to slay the captured and wounded be decided upon she would see to it herself.

Oosaarn:"Give them a choice. Rot in a cell or a quick death."

Kebha sheathes her glaives, turning her attention back towards her allies. She says nothing, but does eye the frightened looking infantry like a snack.

Isilos:"The question is, will they become hostile combatants if released?"

Judereth clears her throat. "Prisoners will be a drain on resources we scarcely have at the moment. But I am usre Lord Emberheart would like them alive. The boy wants to be merciful."

Mara Blazingdawn:"I am liken to agree. Hold them in a cell until the war is over. Rebels are less likely to take up arms if their brothers and sisters have a chance of surviving. Killing them will only give them reason for revenge."

Elara Blazingdawn:"Offer them the choice."

Oosaarn:"Then do whatever it is your 'lord' wants. I do not care."

Iiloridan shrugs his shoulders; not his land, but if they were asking... "I agree with the orc. Cell or death."

Ethalarian tugs on the reins of his charger and, somewhat bloody and now covered in artillery shrapnel- thanks Isilos- exhales a long sigh. "I've seen enough of my kin slain in recent times." Lord does he sound thoroughly -tired-. "Treat their wounds and hold them until this business is finished."

Judereth:Sighs, shakes her head, but orders her militia coming up from the rear to collect the wounded and to clasp the others in chains.

[The Coalition votes to Imprison them.]

Kebha laments. But Dinner.

Ethalarian: There are enough freshly dead people to eat, you monster

How a faceless force of Stormtroopers and the 501st Legion do good

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-ca-hc-star-wars-stormtroopers-20151206-story.html

By Jevon Phillips  |  Multiplatform Editor  |  Dec. 4, 2015

The worst of the Empire is on display tonight. Scads of white-costumed Stormtroopers, Imperial gunners, Death Star staff officers and TIE pilots fill the streets of Anaheim in a true show of force for the evil Galactic Empire. The crowd loves it. Stormtroopers stomp together as the “Imperial March” blasts through the speakers of a modified car. Bah-bah-bah-bum-bah-bum-bum-bah-bum. As if summoned by his own evil theme song, Darth Vader appears. Children rush to the Sith Lord and the most feared villain in the galaxy leans down and starts giving high-fives to kids and adults. The onlookers go mad.

Apparently it’s good to be bad.

You wouldn’t assume the club whose nickname is Vader’s Fist would be met with love and adoration across the country, but that’s just how far the 501st Legion has grown. What started as a Geocities website in 1997 for “Star Wars” fans has advanced into a worldwide charitable organization of cosplayers. They appear at hospitals, fan conventions and local parades. Most memorable perhaps was when the 501st overwhelmed the crowds at the 2007 Rose Parade as the stunning escort to Grand Marshal George Lucas.

The 501st is the fictional, Earth-side headquarters for the Empire. The most popular recruit for the 501st is the Stormtrooper.

“Something about the Stormtrooper is just elegant and iconic. There is strength there, and not the kind that carries with it the responsibilities of portraying a single character: This was the everyman character,” says Albin Johnson, creator of the 501st Legion.

Despite their charitable demeanor, the 501st is not your normal cosplay group; entry into the Legion is fairly rigorous for new recruits. First you have to submit a photo of yourself and your Imperial costume. The draftee must then pass a review by a membership officer who compares the images against an official requirements list for authenticity. Detail is key.

The military structure continues on down through the organization of the 501st. The groups of fans around the world are categorized as garrisons (25 members or more), outposts (one to 24) and squads (smaller collections that are usually part of a larger garrison).

For example, a local Los Angeles squad with 200 members belongs to the Southern California Garrison. There are 74 garrisons (some boasting more than 450 members) and 30 outposts across the globe (including an Aurora Borealis Alaskan Outpost) listed in the 501st database, found at www.501st.com.

But wait, there’s more. The reach of the 501st is as long and vast as the expansive “Star Wars” galaxy. Along with garrisons, outposts and squads, special detachments have been created. For example, there’s an Armored Cavalry Detachment that members of the Bounty Hunters Guild can belong to, all with their own insignias and command structures.

Still the questions remain: Why not start a rebel army? Why join up with the bad guys? Creator Johnson says one reason is the anonymous appeal. “The idea of the Stormtrooper is that they’re anonymous; anyone could be behind that mask. In some regards, without all the evil Empire stuff, they could be soldiers we know today — dedicated to service, strong, brave. The Stormtrooper gives us that archetype we can fill in any way we like,” Johnson says.

Plus the appeal of the charity work that continues to draw in more and more recruits. Larry Harris, walking in one of his first charity events in Anaheim, has been an Imperial Stormtrooper for only a few months. He decided to join after a couple of members assisted his family while waiting in the long lines at this year’s Star Wars Celebration. Their helpful attitudes, along with their devotion to charity work, convinced him to enlist and invest more than $2,000 in “A New Hope” Stunt Trooper uniform.

“The parades are fun and everything, but we’ve done a lot of charity work,” said Harris. “This is what it’s all about, the charity. As they say, we’re villains doing good.”

Commanding Officer of the Imperial Sands Garrison (San Diego region) Lesley Farquhar joined after months of researching both the group (and her costume). For her, the outings are not only fulfilling for her but help provide family bonding time as well. “My husband is also in the group. It’s something we enjoy sharing with each other and our children,” says Farquhar.

Southern California Garrison Executive Officer Lawrence Green joined the group after bonding with 501st members who were all working to assemble a three-quarter-scale replica of an X-wing fighter. Like many others, he is also a member of the Rebel Legion (which no one at the 501st seemed too bothered by, even though the Rebels and the Empire are mortal enemies). And he even constructed a mash-up suit that combines the dark and the light side of the Force, “My Luke-variant Stormtrooper armor came together in a marathon 20-hour assembly ‘whose-idea-was-this-I-believe-it-was-yours’ frenzy of coffee, snacks and swearing.”

Greg Miller, an Oregonian who drove down to Anaheim to walk in their fall parade, had wanted to join since the group came into existence. Now his “Star Wars” name is Dax Corrin, and he’s a full-fledged Imperial gunner, a member of the Cloud City Garrison in Portland.

Green and Miller are just two of the thousands of stories about why some people join the 501st. All individual tales, all eventually partaking in charitable acts, but many leading to becoming a faceless member of a generic yet iconic Stormtrooper nation. They may be the villains, but they’re also a source of inspiration.

The Legion doesn’t operate rogue from the mother ship; Lucasfilm recognizes the 501st as an official organization. “I would be lying to say I imagined this level of success for the Legion,” says Johnson. “The two things I hoped for came through beyond my wildest dreams: support from Lucasfilm and enthusiasm from fellow costumers. All of our success stems from those two factors.”

Lucas passed on his blessing by officially including the 501st in the canon of “Star Wars.” Novels “Survivor’s Quest” and “Fool’s Bargain” mention the 501st as Earth’s contingent in the Galactic Empire. “The Episode III Visual Dictionary” wraps the 501st into its compendium, and there’s also a mention in LucasArts’ “Star Wars Battlefront II” video game.

A further honor will come in the new “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” film as a droid that the 501st Legion rallied around, R2-KT, is introduced on-screen. It is a bittersweet moment for Johnson since the pink and silver droid was created by a fellow “Star Wars” fan group, the R2 Builders’ club, to help his daughter Katie as she fought what turned out to be terminal cancer. When he found out about it, it was hard to contain his emotions.

“I almost cried. Maybe I did cry and I just can’t admit it. What a beautiful gesture. And again, Lucasfilm had everything to do with that. They know the story of our late daughter and her battle with cancer, and they were there every step of the way helping us,” says Johnson. “They know intimately what went into R2-KT’s birth and the R2 Builders’ generosity in making her. Our family just hugged and jumped for joy together knowing Katie’s legacy would live on in that galaxy far, far away.”

With all of the charity and smiles that the group has brought to others, it seems the Force may have returned a few.

___________________

Photos set 1 of 5 (by Allen J. Schaben)

Members of the 501st prepare to march at the Anaheim, CA Halloween parade on October 24 (2015?)

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Garrett Humphrey wears a homemade Tie Fighter costume during the Anaheim Halloween parade

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Shawn "Obishawn" Crosby posing by his "Z-Wing" car that he uses for charity events throughout the year

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Nathan Tebo, 5, admiring Obishawn's Z-wing.

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Nathan Tebo, 5, and his father Michael Tebo admiring Obishawn's Z-Wing, with Jeff Donoho (dressed as Han Solo) in the background.

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Julie Tahapary holding her dog Joy (R2D2) and Harpy (Darth Vader) at the Anaheim Halloween parade

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Members of the Orange County Star Wars Society

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