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Natural Resources Worldbuilding Questions:

What is the most precious or in demand natural resource, and why?

What natural resources are most endangered or at risk, and what could/must be done to avoid disaster?

Who has the monopoly on each natural resource (or are resources more universally shared or hard to find)? Why?

Who uses the most natural resources (individually or as a group such as a nation, city, government). Are some fair or wise in their use while others are selfish or unaware?

Where is each natural resource located? How has this impacted other categories of worldbuilding such as trade, geography, transportation, environment?

Where are the most strategic locations for access to natural resources? Is there (or has there been) conflict over who controls them?

When was each natural resource discovered, have some been used longer than others in different regions?

When will supplies of resources dwindle? Will they be abundant for the span of your characters’ lives?

Why is access to natural resources either constrained/controlled or free?

Why are natural resources important to social justice or politics?

Here you go @msrandonstuff – and everybody else. I was confused and this letter is actually the second letter La Fayette wrote to Adrienne (on board La Victoire) after he left France. There is also a third letter that he wrote while still in Paris for Adrienne to find immediately after he was gone. Both of these letter are rather short so I put them on here as well, under the cut. 😊

On board La Victoire, May 30 [1777]

I am writing to you from very far away, dear heart, and to this cruel separation is added the still more dreadful uncertainty of the time when I shall hear from you. I hope, however, that it will be soon. Among the many reasons that make me want to arrive at my destination, none make me more impatient than that. So many fears and so many worries are added to the intense grief of leaving everything that is most dear to me. How did you take my second departure? Did you love me less because of it? Have you forgiven me? Have you thought that in any case I would have been separated from you, wandering in Italy and leading a life without glory, amidst the people most hostile to my projects and my way of thinking? All these reflections did not prevent me from experiencing a terrible emotion during the awful moments when we left the shore. Your grief, that of my friends, (your pregnancy,) Henriette-all came to my mind with a terrifying vividness. It was then that I could find no more excuses for myself. If you knew everything that I have suffered, dear heart, during the sad days I passed in flight from everything that I love in the world! Must I add to this the unhappiness of learning that you do not forgive me? In truth, my dear, that would be too much to bear.

But I am telling you nothing about myself, about my health, and I know that such details interest you. Since my last letter I have been in the most tedious of regions; the sea is so dismal, and I believe we sadden each other, she and I. I should have landed by now, but the winds have cruelly opposed me, and I shall not see Charleston for eight or ten more days. That is where I expect to land, and it will be a great pleasure for me. Once I am there I shall have the hope, every day, of receiving news from France; I shall be informed of so many interesting things, both about what lies ahead, and above all about what I have left with so much regret! Provided that I learn that you are well, that you still love me, and that some of my friends do too, I shall be perfectly philosophical about any other news I receive, no matter what it is or where it comes from. But if my heart is wounded in a very tender spot, if you, dear heart, no longer love me as much, I would be unhappy indeed. But I do not need to fear that, do I, dear heart? I was very ill during the first part of the voyage, but I could have given myself the consolation of the wicked, which is to suffer in a numerous company. I treated myself in my own way, and I recovered sooner than the others. Now I feel almost as if I were on land. Once I arrive, I am sure that I shall have acquired the hardiness that will assure me perfect health for a long time. Do not fancy, dear heart, that I shall run great risks in my service here. The post of general officer has always been regarded as a warrant for long life. I shall have functions different from those I would have performed in France, as a colonel, for example. In the former grade, one serves only in councils of war. Ask any of the French generals of which there are so many because, once they have reached that rank, they no longer run any risk, and consequently do not make room for others, as in the other ranks. To prove that I do not wish to deceive you, I shall admit that at present we are in some danger because we risk being attacked by English vessels, and my ship does not have the strength to defend itself. But once I land I shall be in perfect safety. You see that I tell you everything, dear heart, so have confidence in what I say, and do not be anxious without cause. I will not write a journal of my voyage for you one day follows another here, and, what is worse, they are all alike. Always the sky, always the water, and again the next day the same thing. In truth, the people who write volumes about an ocean passage must be cruel babblers. For, like them, I have had contrary winds, I have made a very long voyage, I have endured storms, I have seen some ships, and they were much more interesting to me than to any other person. Well, I have not noticed anything that was worth the trouble of writing down, or which has not been described by everyone.

Now, dear heart, let us speak of more important things: let us speak of you, of dear Henriette, of her brother, or her sister. Henriette is so lovable that she gives me a liking for daughters. Whatever our new child may be, I shall welcome it with great joy. Do not lose a moment in hastening my happiness by informing me of its birth. I do not know if it is because I am a father for the second time, but I feel more like a father than ever. Mr. Deane and my friend Mr. Carmichael will furnish you with the means; I am very sure that they will neglect nothing to get the happy news to me as quickly as possible (because they are truly my friends). Write, or even send a reliable man. It would give me so much pleasure to question a man who had seen you-Landrin, for example-in short, do as you think best. You do not understand, dear heart, how ardent and tender my love is, if you believe you may neglect anything that relates to you. You will receive my news very late this time. But when I am established you will receive it often, and it will be much fresher. There is no great difference between sending letters from America and sending them from Sicily. I confess that I cannot stop thinking angrily of Sicily. I believed that I was so close to seeing you again. But let us cut short the discussion of Sicily. Good-bye, dear heart, I shall write to you from Charleston; I shall write to you before I arrive there. Good night for now.

June 7

I am still on this dreary plain, dear heart, and it is so dismal that one cannot make any comparison with it. To console myself a little I think of you, and of my friends. I think with pleasure of meeting you again, my dear; what a delightful moment it will be when I arrive and suddenly embrace you, when you do not expect me. Perhaps you will be with our children. Even thinking of that happy moment gives me the greatest pleasure. Do not fancy that it will be a long time. It will surely seem long enough to me, but in fact it will not be as long as you may imagine. Without being able to set the day, or even the month, without seeing for myself the state of things, I can assure you that the exile until the month of January prescribed by M. le Due d’Ayen appeared to me so interminable that I am certainly not going to inflict a truly long one upon myself. You must admit, my dear, that the employment and existence that I shall have are very different from those to which I would have been restricted during that futile journey. As the defender of that liberty which I idolize, freer than anyone else, coming as a friend to offer my services to this most interesting republic, I bring there only my sincerity and my goodwill, and no personal ambition or selfish interest. In striving for my own glory, I work for their happiness. I trust that, for my sake, you will become a good American. Besides, it is a sentiment made for virtuous hearts. The welfare of America is intimately connected with the happiness of all mankind; she will become the respectable and safe asylum of virtue, integrity, tolerance, equality, and a peaceful liberty. We have from time to time some minor alerts, but, with a little skill and good luck, I am quite certain of getting through without trouble. I shall be all the more pleased at that because I am becoming more prudent every day. You know that the vicomte is always repeating that “travel educates the young.” If he only said it once every morning and once every evening, in truth that would not be too often, because I am coming to appreciate more and more the justice of the maxim. I do not know where that poor vicomte is, or the prince, or any of my friends, and this lack of news is a cruel thing. Every time that you chance to meet any of those I love, give them a thousand and ten thousand greetings for me. Embrace my dear sisters tenderly; tell them to remember me and love me. Present my sincere compliments to Mile Marin. I recommend to you also, dear heart, the poor Abbe Fayon. As for M. le Marechal de Noailles, tell him that I do not write to him for fear of boring him, and because I had nothing to tell him about except my arrival. I await his requests for some trees, or plants, or whatever he would like from me, and I truly hope that my exactitude will be proof of my affection for him. Also present my respects to Mme Ia Duchesse de Ia Tremollle, and tell her that I make the same offer to her as to M. le Marechal de Noailles, either for herself or for her daughter-in-law, who has a very beautiful garden. Also let my old friend Desplaces know that I am in good health. As for my aunts, Mme d’Ayen, and the vicomtesse, I am writing to them myself. That completes the list of my little commissions, dear heart; I have also written to Sicily. Today we have seen several types of birds that indicate that we are not far from land. The expectation of arriving is very sweet because life in this region is so dull. Fortunately, my good health permits me to engage in some activity; I divide my time between military books and English books. I have made some progress in that language, which will soon be so necessary. Farewell, my dear, I cannot continue because night is falling, and I have forbidden all lights on my vessel for several days now. See how careful I am. Farewell, then, if my fingers are guided a bit by my heart, I do not need to see clearly to tell you that I love you, and that I shall love you all my life.

June 15, at Major Huger’s house

I have arrived, dear heart, in very good health, at the house of an American officer, and by the greatest luck in the world, a French vessel is just about to sail. You can imagine how pleased I am at that. (I have only the time to close this letter.) This evening I go to Charleston; I shall write to you from there. I have no more interesting news. The campaign has begun, but there is no fighting, or at least very little. The manners of the people here are simple, honest, and in every way worthy of this land where everything proclaims the beautiful name of liberty. I had planned to write to Mme d’Ayen, but it is impossible. Farewell, farewell, dear heart. From Charleston I shall go by land to Philadelphia and the army. Is it not true, my dear, that you will love me always?

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977–1981, p. 56-60.

Welcome to our first annual PARA PRIDE! Held by Foxx Hollow, Magickal Menagerie, Chaos in Pandora’s Box, Black Lotus Caravan, & More! Click Foxx Hollow’s link here for the facebook event that will be happening later this week!

Both owners of MM are on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, as are many practitioners, conjurers, and other voices in our spiritual community. Our diversity is part of what makes us all so magickal. We extend our everlasting support to our various LGBTQ communities, with emphasis on Trans Rights as well. You are all so beautiful and we love you all so much. You all deserve happiness and to never experience social or legal hindrances based on your identity.

As part of our Para Pride offerings, we have a few fabulous discounts! Here are the codes!

70% Off Custom Conjures with code RED

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Is there a time period more appropriate for Werewolves and Reverents than the Norse Era? I’m not entirely sure, but I know this: The Wolf and the Raven is one heck of a setting. Let’s look at a map of possible locations you could set your game during this time period using Vikings as your primary focus, shall we? 

Yeah, even though the place names are mostly of the modern nations, not the countries that existed at the time, that is pretty impressive. The Wolf and The Raven is set from 700 to 1100 CE, a formative era of Europe where the medieval nation-states were born. This is also the era where Christianity really starts to take off in Northern Europe, and you have various Saints wandering the land, doing miracles and extolling the virtues of a resurrected Jesus. See why Geist is perfect for this period?

Given that we are talking about Vikings, there is also lots of raiding and war to go around. This is the era when the Vikings pour out of Scandinavia in search of wealth and glory. This the era of the Great Heathen Army, the Normans, Alfred the Great, and William the Conqueror. War is an easy thing in this time. 

It is also a period of trade and colonization, which is why the map extends so far to the east and west. Iceland is born in this time period, Greenland will be settled for a time, and the Norse will even make their way to North America. In the other direction, trade will bring the Norse to both Russia and Byzantium, where they will become the elite bodyguards of kings. 

Worth noting as well is that Chris Allen, one of the writers of Werewolf: The Forsaken, has written an expansion to this era that is really cool. I won’t spill all the juicy details, but suffice to say, if you aren’t happy about the fact that I haven’t mentioned the Norse gods much, especially Ymir and Fenrir, this is for you. Werewolf fans will also know that the latter is important to the Blood Talons, in the spiritual lord kind of way. So if you aren’t as interested in all of the historical battles, but do want to rip your way through some giants climbing the World Tree, you might want to check it out. 

Ultimately, my favourite thing about The Wolf and the Raven is the diversity it offers. With a little research, you can turn this from a snapshot of a time period to a full on alternate campaign setting. There is a lot going on and there are a lot of different stories waiting to be told. Mr Wednesday would be proud. 

Literary Resources: 

Beowulf - The epic poem. Pretty much required reading. 

The Saga of the Icelanders - Homaric in its reach and scope, these Sagas aren’t as well known, but paint an excellent picture of what life in medieval Iceland was like. 

Viking Settlements & Viking Society edited by Svavar Sigmundsson - Tougher to get a hold of, I literally bought my copy in Iceland, but totally worth it. A broad set of essays that cover lots of ground across the Viking world. 

Online Resource: 

Thor’s Angels by Dan Carlin - Hardcore History is one of the best history podcasts out there, and this episode is right in the sweet spot for the culture and time period we are talking about here. 

The Vikings by Kenneth Harl - Professor Harl’s lecture style does admittedly take some getting used to, but it it is so worth its. This is an excellent primer on Viking history and culture. 

The Vikings! by Crashcourse - A quick, ten-minute introduction to the Vikings, who they were, and what some general misconceptions about them are. 

Note: I’ve been meaning to start doing some write-ups on the various Dark Eras for a while, so now seemed like an appropriate time. What actually galvanized me into doing this is the fact that I have yet again run up against the limit of how many links I can have in my research posts. To remedy this, I’m going to start writing about the Dark Eras and including my resource links in those posts instead. Even if you don’t play Chronicles, hopefully, you find these posts interesting and some of the resources helpful. 

If you know of any good resources on the Vikings, let me know and I’ll add them to the list. 

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