#ironsand

How Tamahagane (Japanese steel) was made, video by Life were I'm from.

As Japan did not have many iron ore deposits, it had for a long time to rely on more available satetsu 砂鉄 (ironsand, carried for ex. by rivers). Ironsand was then processed in special furnaces called tatara to make prized tamahagane 玉鋼 (traditional Japanese steel, used among other things to forge swords).

If you've seen Princess Mononoke, you know exactly how tatara forge could look like thank to Lady Eboshi's Iron Town:

... and now I have the Tatara women work song stuck into my head <3

Pokemon Challenge - Regional Variants! #770 Te'Roan Palossand.

Te'Roan Palossand is a Ground/Steel type based on ironsand, a metal-rich type of sand used uniquely in New Zealand for industrial smelting. I went for a more sharp-edged look for this Palossand, as I wanted it to have an almost factory-facade sort of look to it. I did question myself not making it ghost type since that's a pretty important part of the original Palossand, but in the end I was swayed by this set's Ground/Flying theme.

Catch the rest of the Te'Roa set in my master post!

Send “✉” for a text that WASN’T SENT > > Open

“I wish I had not made him into a servant.”

Ink drips onto the paper after the period, ever impatient. Sasori knows better than to leave a letter unanswered, but when the conversation turns to regrets, what is he supposed to say?

He huffs on his workbench, fiery hair standing on end as he fiddles with his ink brush,. Drafting and redrafting. He spots his uncertainty in the choppy letters, and the realization is irking. He swiftly scraps the effort, and tosses the ruined scroll onto the table, fuming.

For once, Sasori will leave Kakuzu waiting.

It takes several minutes before he settles down, staring at the collection of carved geodes on top of a shelf on his wall. Bloodstone scorpions, lapis spiders, jade dragons– an assortment of deadly carved into everlasting beauty. In the corner of the studio, their creator, humming placidly as he sculpts a tiger out of onyx. Blue-black hair droops over his work, a jointed hand brushing it out of his face. Golden eyes flash as he lifts the tiger to inspect its form. 

Gentle heart, gentle hands. The sight of the former Kazekage drains both his temper and his soul.

Now composed, Sasori picks up the brush and restarts his letter,