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The House of the Nightmare
Originally from Smith's magazine (1906-sep)
by Ewdward Lucas White
I FIRST caught sight of the house from the brow of the mountain as I cleared the woods and looked across the broad valley several hundred feet below me, to the low sun sinking toward the far blue hills. From that momentary viewpoint I had an exaggerated sense of looking almost vertically down. I seemed to be hanging over the checkerboard of roads and fields, dotted with farm buildings, and felt the familiar deception that I could almost throw a stone upon the house. I barely glimpsed its slate roof.
What caught my eyes was the bit of road in front of it, between the mass of dark-green shade trees about the house and the orchard opposite. Perfectly straight it was, bordered by an even row of trees, through which I made out a cinder side path and a low stone wall.
Conspicuous on the orchard side between two of the flanking trees was a white object, which I took to be a tall stone, a vertical splinter of one of the tilted limestone reefs with which the fields of the region are scarred.
The road itself I saw plain as a boxwood ruler on a green baize table. It gave me a pleasurable anticipation of a chance for a burst of speed. I had been painfully traversing closely forested, semi-mountainous hills. Not a farmhouse had I passed, only wretched cabins by the road, more than twenty miles of which I had found very bad and hindering. Now, when I was not many miles from my expected stopping-place, I looked forward to better going, and to that straight, level bit in particular.
As I sped cautiously down the sharp beginning of the long descent the trees engulfed me again, and I lost sight of the valley. I dipped into a hollow, rose on the crest of the next hill, and again saw the house, nearer, and not so far below.
The tall stone caught my eye with a shock of surprise. Had I not thought it was opposite the house next the orchard? Clearly it was on the left-hand side of the road toward the house. My self-questioning lasted only the moment as I passed the crest. Then the outlook was cut off again; but I found myself gazing ahead, watching for the next chance at the same view.
At the end of the second hill I only saw the bit of road obliquely and could not be sure, but, as at first, the tall stone seemed on the right of the road.
At the top of the third and last hill I looked down the stretch of road under the overarching trees, almost as one would look through a tube. There was a line of whiteness which I took for the tall stone. It was on the right.
I dipped into the last hollow. As I mounted the farther slope I kept my eyes on the top of the road ahead of me. When my line of sight surmounted the rise I marked the tall stone on my right hand among the serried maples. I leaned over, first on one side, then on the other, to inspect my tires, then I threw the lever.
As I flew forward I looked ahead. There was the tall stone — on the left of the road! I was really scared and almost dazed. I meant to stop dead, take a good look at the stone, and make up my mind beyond peradventure whether it was on the right or the left — if not, indeed, in the middle of the road.
In my bewilderment I put on the highest speed. The machine leaped forward; everything I touched went wrong; I steered wildly, slewed to the left, and crashed into a big maple.
When I came to my senses I was flat on my back in the dry ditch. The last rays of the sun sent shafts of golden green light through the maple boughs overhead. My first thought was an odd mixture of appreciation of the beauties of nature and disapproval of my own conduct in touring without a companion — a fad I had regretted more than once. Then my mind cleared and I sat up. I felt myself from the head down. I was not bleeding; no bones were broken; and, while much shaken, I had suffered no serious bruises.
Then I saw the boy. He was standing at the edge of the cinder-path, near the ditch. He was stocky and solidly built; barefoot, with his trousers rolled up to his knees; wore a sort of butternut shirt, open at the throat; and was coatless and hatless. He was tow-headed, with a shock of tousled hair; was much freckled, and had a hideous harelip. He shifted from one foot to the other, twiddled his toes, and said nothing whatever, though he stared at me intently.
I scrambled to my feet and proceeded to survey the wreck. It seemed distressingly complete. It had not blown up, nor even caught fire; but otherwise the ruin appeared hopelessly thorough. Everything I examined seemed worse smashed than the rest. My two hampers alone, by one of those cynical jokes of chance, had escaped — both had pitched clear of the wreckage and were unhurt, not even a bottle broken.
During my investigations the boy's faded eyes followed me continuously, but he uttered no word. When I had convinced myself of my helplessness I straightened up and addressed him:
"How far is it to a blacksmith shop?"
"Eight mile," he answered. He had a distressing case of cleft palate and was scarcely intelligible.
"Can you drive me there?" I inquired.
"Nary team on the place," he replied; "nary horse, nary cow."
"How far to the next house?" I continued.
"Six mile," he responded.
I glanced at the sky. The sun had set already. I looked at my watch: it was going seven thirty-six.
"May I sleep in your house to-night?" I asked.
"You can come in if you want to," he said, "and sleep if you can. House all messy; ma's been dead three year, and dad's away. Nothin' to eat but buckwheat flour and rusty bacon."
"I've plenty to eat," I answered, picking up a hamper. "Just take that hamper, will you?"
"You can come in if you're a mind to," he said, "but you got to carry your own stuff." He did not speak gruffly or rudely, but appeared mildly stating an inoffensive fact.
"All right," I said, picking up the other hamper; "lead the way."
The yard in front of the house was dark under a dozen or more immense ailanthus trees. Below them many smaller trees had grown up, and beneath these a dank underwood of tall, rank suckers out of the deep, shaggy, matted grass. What had once been, apparently, a carriage-drive left a narrow, curved track, disused and grass-grown, leading to the house. Even here were some shoots of the ailanthus, and the air was unpleasant with the vile smell of the roots and suckers and the insistent odor of their flowers.
The house was of gray stone, with green shutters faded almost as gray as the stone. Along its front was a veranda, not much raised from the ground, and with no balustrade or railing. On it were several hickory splint rockers. There were eight shuttered windows toward the porch, and midway of them a wide door, with small violet panes on either side of it and a fanlight above.
"Open the door," I said to the boy.
"Open it yourself," he replied, not unpleasantly nor disagreeably, but in such a tone that one could not but take the suggestion as a matter of course.
I put down the two hampers and tried the door. It was latched, but not locked, and opened with a rusty grind of its hinges, on which it sagged crazily, scraping the floor as it turned. The passage smelt moldy and damp. There were several doors on either side; the boy pointed to the first on the right.
"You can have that room," he said.
I opened the door. What with the dusk, the interlacing trees outside, the piazza roof, and the closed shutters, I could make out little.
"Better get a lamp," I said to the boy.
"Nary lamp," he declared cheerfully. "Nary candle. Mostly I get abed before dark."
I returned to the remains of my conveyance. All four of my lamps were merely scrap metal and splintered glass. My lantern was mashed flat. I always, however, carried candles in my valise. This I found split and crushed, but still holding together. I carried it to the porch, opened it, and took out three candles.
Entering the room, where I found the boy standing just where I had left him, I lit the candle. The walls were whitewashed, the floor bare. There was a mildewed, chilly smell, but the bed looked freshly made up and clean, although it felt clammy.
With a few drops of its own grease I stuck the candle on the corner of a mean, rickety little bureau. There was nothing else in the room save two rush-bottomed chairs and a small table. I went out on the porch, brought in my valise, and put it on the bed. I raised the sash of each window and pushed open the shutters. Then I asked the boy, who had not moved or spoken, to show me the way to the kitchen. He led me straight through the hall to the back of the house. The kitchen was large, and had no furniture save some pine chairs, a pine bench, and a pine table.
I stuck two candles on opposite corners of the table. There was no stove or range in the kitchen, only a big hearth, the ashes in which smelt and looked a month old. The wood in the wood-shed was dry enough, but even it had a cellary, stale smell. The ax and hatchet were both rusty and dull, but usable, and I quickly made a big fire. To my amazement, for the mid-June evening was hot and still, the boy, a wry smile on his ugly face, almost leaned over the flame, hands and arms spread out, and fairly roasted himself.
"Are you cold?" I inquired.
"I'm allus cold," he replied, hugging the fire closer than ever, till I thought he must scorch.
I left him toasting himself while I went in search of water. I discovered the pump, which was in working order and not dry on the valves; but I had a furious struggle to fill the two leaky pails I had found. When I had put water to boil I fetched my hampers from the porch.
I brushed the table and set out my meal — cold fowl, cold ham, white and brown bread, olives, jam, and cake. When the can of soup was hot and the coffee made I drew up two chairs to the table and invited the boy to join me.
"I ain't hungry," he said; "I've had supper."
He was a new sort of boy to me; all the boys I knew were hearty eaters and always ready. I had felt hungry myself, but somehow when I came to eat I had little appetite and hardly relished the food. I soon made an end of my meal, covered the fire, blew out the candles, and returned to the porch, where I dropped into one of the hickory rockers to smoke. The boy followed me silently and seated himself on the porch floor, leaning against a pillar, his feet on the grass outside.
"What do you do," I asked, "when your father is away?"
"Just loaf 'round," he said. "Just fool 'round."
"How far off are your nearest neighbors?" I asked.
"Don't no neighbors never come here," he stated. "Say they're afeared of the ghosts."
I was not at all startled; the place had all those aspects which lead to a house being called haunted. I was struck by his odd matter-of-fact way of speaking — it was as if he had said they were afraid of a cross dog.
"Do you ever see any ghosts around here?" I continued.
"Never see 'em," he answered, as if I had mentioned tramps or partridges. "Never hear 'em. Sort o' feel 'em 'round sometimes."
"Are you afraid of them?" I asked.
"Nope," he declared. "I ain't skeered o' ghosts; I'm skeered o' nightmares. Ever have nightmares?"
"Very seldom," I replied.
"I do," he returned. "Allus have the same nightmare — big sow, big as a steer, trying to eat me up. Wake up so skeered I could run to never. Nowheres to run to. Go to sleep, and have it again. Wake up worse skeered than ever. Dad says it's buckwheat cakes in summer."
"You must have teased a sow some time," I said.
"Yep," he answered. "Teased a big sow wunst, holding up one of her pigs by the hind leg. Teased her too long. Fell in the pen and got bit up some. Wisht I hadn't 'a' teased her. Have that nightmare three times a week sometimes. Worse'n being burnt out. Worse'n ghosts. Say, I sorter feel ghosts around now."
He was not trying to frighten me. He was as simply stating an opinion as if he had spoken of bats or mosquitoes. I made no reply, and found myself listening involuntarily. My pipe went out. I did not really want another, but felt disinclined for bed as yet, and was comfortable where I was, while the smell of the ailanthus blossoms was very disagreeable. I filled my pipe again, lit it, and then, as I puffed, somehow dozed off for a moment.
I awoke with a sensation of some light fabric trailed across my face. The boy's position was unchanged.
"Did you do that?" I asked sharply.
"Ain't done nary thing," he rejoined. "What was it?"
"It was like a piece of mosquito-netting brushed over my face."
"That ain't netting," he asserted; "that's a veil. That's one of the ghosts. Some blow on you; some touch you with their long, cold fingers. That one with the veil she drags acrost your face — well, mostly I think it's ma."
He spoke with the unassailable conviction of the child in "We Are Seven." I found no words to reply, and rose to go to bed.
"Good night," I said.
"Good night," he echoed. "I'll set out here a spell yet."
I lit a match, found the candle I had stuck on the corner of the shabby little bureau, and undressed. The bed had a comfortable husk mattress, and I was soon asleep.
I had the sensation of having slept some time when I had a nightmare — the very nightmare the boy had described. A huge sow, big as a dray horse, was reared up on her forelegs over the foot-board of the bed, trying to scramble over to me. She grunted and puffed, and I felt I was the food she craved. I knew in the dream that it was only a dream, and strove to wake up.
Then the gigantic dream-beast floundered over the foot-board, fell across my shins, and I awoke.
I was in darkness as absolute as if I were sealed in a jet vault, yet the shudder of the nightmare instantly subsided, my nerves quieted; I realized where I was, and felt not the least panic. I turned over and was asleep again almost at once. Then I had a real nightmare, not recognizable as a dream, but appallingly real — an unutterable agony of reasonless horror.
There was a Thing in the room; not a sow, nor any other namable creature, but a Thing. It was as big as an elephant, filled the room to the ceiling, was shaped like a wild boar, seated on its haunches, with its forelegs braced stiffly in front of it. It had a hot, slobbering, red mouth, full of big tusks, and its jaws worked hungrily. It shuffled and hunched itself forward, inch by inch, till its vast forelegs straddled the bed.
The bed crushed up like wet blotting-paper, and I felt the weight of the Thing on my feet, on my legs, on my body, on my chest. It was hungry, and I was what it was hungry for, and it meant to begin on my face. Its dripping mouth was nearer and nearer.
Then the dream-helplessness that made me unable to call or move suddenly gave way, and I yelled and awoke. This time my terror was positive and not to be shaken off.
It was near dawn: I could descry dimly the cracked, dirty window-panes. I got up, lit the stump of my candle and two fresh ones, dressed hastily, strapped my ruined valise, and put it on the porch against the wall near the door. Then I called the boy. I realized quite suddenly that I had not told him my name or asked his.
I shouted "Hello!" a few times, but won no answer. I had had enough of that house. I was still permeated with the panic of the nightmare. I desisted from shouting, made no search, but with two candles went out to the kitchen. I took a swallow of cold coffee and munched a biscuit as I hustled my belongings into my hampers. Then, leaving a silver dollar on the table, I carried the hampers out on the porch and dumped them by my valise.
It was now light enough to see to walk, and I went out to the road. Already the night-dew had rusted much of the wreck, making it look more hopeless than before. It was, however, entirely undisturbed. There was not so much as a wheel-track or a hoofprint on the road. The tall, white stone, uncertainty about which had caused my disaster, stood like a sentinel opposite where I had upset.
I set out to find that blacksmith shop. Before I had gone far the sun rose clear from the horizon, and almost at once scorching. As I footed it along I grew very much heated, and it seemed more like ten miles than six before I reached the first house. It was a new frame house, neatly painted and close to the road, with a whitewashed fence along its garden front.
I was about to open the gate when a big black dog with a curly tail bounded out of the bushes. He did not bark, but stood inside the gate wagging his tail and regarding me with a friendly eye; yet I hesitated with my hand on the latch, and considered. The dog might not be as friendly as he looked, and the sight of him made me realize that except for the boy I had seen no creature about the house where I had spent the night; no dog or cat; not even a toad or bird. While I was ruminating upon this a man came from behind the house.
"Will your dog bite?" I asked.
"Naw," he answered; "he don't bite. Come in."
I told him I had had an accident to my automobile, and asked if he could drive me to the blacksmith shop and back to my wreckage.
"Cert," he said. "Happy to help you. I'll hitch up foreshortly. Where'd you smash?"
"In front of the gray house about six miles back," I answered.
"That big stone-built house?" he queried.
"The same," I assented.
"Did you go a-past here?" he inquired astonished. "I didn't hear ye."
"No," I said; "I came from the other direction."
"Why," he meditated, "you must 'a' smashed 'bout sunup. Did you come over them mountains in the dark?"
"No," I replied; "I came over them yesterday evening. I smashed up about sunset."
"Sundown!" he exclaimed. "Where in thunder've ye been all night?"
"I slept in the house where I broke down."
"In that there big stone-built house in the trees?" he demanded.
"Yes," I agreed.
"Why," he quavered excitedly, "that there house is haunted! They say if you have to drive past it after dark, you can't tell which side of the road the big white stone is on."
"I couldn't tell even before sunset," I said.
"There!" he exclaimed. "Look at that, now! And you slep' in that house! Did you sleep, honest?"
"I slept pretty well," I said. "Except for a nightmare, I slept all night."
"Well," he commented, "I wouldn't go in that there house for a farm, nor sleep in it for my salvation. And you slep'! How in thunder did you get in?"
"The boy took me in," I said.
"What sort of a boy?" he queried, his eyes fixed on me with a queer, countrified look of absorbed interest.
"A thick-set, freckle-faced boy with a harelip," I said.
"Talk like his mouth was full of mush?" he demanded.
"Yes," I said; "bad case of cleft palate."
"Well!" he exclaimed. "I never did believe in ghosts, and I never did half believe that house was haunted, but I know it now. And you slep'!"
"I didn't see any ghosts," I retorted irritably.
"You seen a ghost for sure," he rejoined solemnly. "That there harelip boy's been dead six months."
(Prepared by Deborah McMillion)


'Director and founder of UK Football Trials Harry Price visited the school this week to talk to the lads about the upcoming football trials in April which they will be attending.
Harry kindly gave up his time to visit the squad at IH Manchester to share his expertise and knowledge on what scouts look for within a football player. The 90 minute talk was full of information regarding the 10 key areas scouts evaluate each player on during the 3 hour trial which is held at Woodley Sports Village. It was interesting to see as head coach how engaged the players were and how relevant the work we do on the training field is helping the lads with their preparation.
The lads were able to put questions to Harry about the process of being offered a trial within a professional / semi-professional club, who reiterated the importance of hard work, commitment and attitude were some of the key attributes a player must show to help secure a trial with a club.


Yesterday I watched Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, Judge Somebody, Days of Our Lives, First Time Home Buyer, a Spanish soap opera, an infomercial for Bare Minerals, another infomercial for Wen Hair Care, the news and Thomas the Tank Engine. I have no explanation for Thomas the Tank Engine but for the rest, I have a perfectly good excuse.
I have often thought – privately ( or on the world wide web – same difference) that it doesn't make any sense that I don't ever get sick. I actually thought maybe I was that guy in the movie who couldn't get hurt ( what was that movie called?) I never get sick. I might feel a little under the weather, maybe even a little tired and worn down – heck, I might even have PMS… but I have not laid in my bed nor have I watched TV during the day for 10 or more years. I have not ever even turned on the TV during daylight.
Nevertheless, in the last week, I managed to campaign a few times, teach my class, manage my mother's stay in a nursing home and future possible incapacitation, two sick kids, a large Rosh Hashana dinner, and a husband's sudden and ridiculous trip to the emergency room. Maybe I reached my limit?


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COMEDY QUEEN selected for Berlin International Film Festival
We are thrilled to let you know that our film, COMEDY QUEEN by director Sanna Lenken has been selected for the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, where it will screen in the Generation Kplus section. This marks Sanna Lenken's second feature film selection at the festival, as her feature debut "My Skinny Sister" was awarded with the Crystal Bear in 2015.
The drama comedy is based on Jenny Jägerfeld's acclaimed novel of the same name and Linn Gottfridsson ("Beartown", "Glowing Stars") has written the script.
Director, Sanna Lenken comments on the selection: "I'm so thrilled and happy to come back to Berlin and Generation. The film couldn't get a better start."
"We are very proud to be representing this touching gem of a film and thrilled to see it celebrate it's international premiere at the Berlinale" says Helene Aurø, Sales & Marketing Director at REinvent International Sales.
The film is directed by the acclaimed Sanna Lenken, whose latest work, the series "Thin Blue Line", was a massive success on SVT (Swedish Television). She has previously directed the Guldbagge Award-nominated short films "Eating Lunch" (2014) and "Night Children" (2018) and made her feature film debut with "My Skinny Sister" (2015), for which she was Guldbagge Award-nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay and was awarded with the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and the Grand Film Award at the Gothenburg International Film Festival.
Sasha is just 13 years old and wants nothing more than to become a stand-up comedian. She wants to make everyone laugh, especially her father who cries in the shower when he thinks no one is listening. Everything at home reminds her of her mother who no longer lives, and behind Sasha's eyes the life-threatening tears burn. But she refuses to mourn. She secretly writes a list of everything she has to do to survive – shave her hair, stop reading books, say no to the world's cutest puppy and above all – become a Comedy Queen.
The main role Sasha is played by Sigrid Johnson ("Maria Wern", "Tusen år till julafton"), Sasha's father Abbe is played by Oscar Töringe ("Thin Blue Line", "My Dad Marianne", "Top Dog") and in the role of Sasha's bestie Märta we see feature film debutant Ellen Taure.
Producers of the film are Rebecka Lafrenz, who previously produced "Bert's Diary" (2020), "Cockpit" (2012) and was awarded the Guldbagge Award for "Sebbe" (2010), and Anna Anthony, who previously produced "Jalla! Jalla!" (2000), "In a Better World" (2010), "Becoming Astrid" (2018) and "Zozo" (2005), for which she received the Nordic Council Film Award. Executive producers are Joshua Mehr and Pontus Edgren.
COMEDY QUEEN is produced by FLX in co-production with Film i Väst, SF Studios and SVT and with support from the Swedish Film Institute and Nordisk Film & TV Fond. SF Studios is distributing the film in the Nordics and REinvent International Sales handles international sales. The film will premiere in Swedish cinemas in February 2022.
About SF Studios
SF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world's oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and London. The company is producing and distributing feature films and TV series as well as providing the digital services SF Anytime and SF Kids.
After TROM, Reinvent Studios produces first YA series Boys

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Did you miss the last Recommendation Sunday, or just not have the time to go through the hundreds of fantastic ideas that Grown and Flown Parents FB Group members were gushing over?
to check out all the member benefits.
Cooking Ideas: Members are raving over this low-sodium teriyaki sauce, Soy Vay Veri Teri Teriyaki sauce, and report using as a marinade with chicken, steak and salmon. It's sold at Trader Joe's and we found it on Amazon here.
Has anyone tried Hint Water? Water-infused with fruit, zero calories?
This exhibit, Winnie-the Pooh: Exploring a Classic, is in Boston through January 9.
Books recommended this week are Beartown (the audio version, too) Us Against You, a Man Called Ove, Britt-Marie is Here, My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, Us Against Them, Birds Without Wings, Big Little Lies, Educated And if you have younger nieces or nephews and are looking for a book for them, The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade has a strong anti-bullying message.
Sending cards to every college student you know- they LOVE real mail.
These boots: Available at Costco or Amazon an great for kids in college who will need them for snowy days.
For your dog, try this inexpensive pet harness.
Apps – Tasty app has 3000 recipes and you can create your own digital cookbook as you save the ones you like. Not familiar with Tasty? Buzzfeed created this digital cooking content and, according to this article in the NYTimes, it is now some of the most popular digital content on the web. YUM!
Photomath app can help solve math problems and show your kid instructions about how to solve the problem along the way, all by using the camera function on a smart phone. WOW!
Go on a vacation, especially a cruise or a trip to the beach. Check out Sisters on the Fly is you want to join a travel group to travel with other women.
Host a care package party for your parent's birthday party: pick a charity that can use care items, ask the friends to bring things to contribute, pack the boxes and ship. Good Karma all around.
To get rid of sweat stains on white shirts : Mix 1/2 Cup hydrogen peroxide, 5 tsp of baking soda and 1/4 water Apply the mixture to the stain and scrub it in, let sit for 2 hours (at least) and then wash in cold cycle. If stain still visible do not dry but repeat process.
Getting rid of clutter – check out the Freecycle and Buy Nothing FB groups for your neighborhood.
For all Grown and Flown Recommendation Sunday, book, college care package and grad gift ideas, visit our G&F Amazon Shop.


Hey quit playing with your dingy!
I have an Avon dinghy with a wood transom that I take down my local II-III(IV-) run once and a while (900-1100cfs). Pretty fun. A little more work for sure. Once you bail out enough to flip it, that's the best way to get the water out. Never done the poudre, but if there are some good pools to flip and re-right you should be golden. Be careful flipping against shore, the extra weight and sharp rocks/sticks might make for a bad day.
I've seen one go down the Nenana in Alaska a couple times. That one had a skilled guide who knew the river, an oar frame, and another guy to bail. The second guy wasn't very big; the first one was a bit taller than average. I don't remember what it was flowing but at least a few thousand CFS. Class III/IV-. Never saw them flip, but they might have once or twice.
I run my 82 redshank with a conduit frame for low water fishing and its so light and easy to move. Its a dog when it gets much water in it but thats just the way it was before self bailers. Looking forward to taking it down the Gorge this summer for a splash and laughs. Fully expect to buckle and flip it in Tumbleweed. The rubber on those old boats is so supple that it doesnt exactly get drum tight.
My boss ran the grand in her 12 foot red shank. I'll have to find the pictures.
If he ends up not wanting it, I'll give him $100 for it. I'm always looking for patch material.


Go back to nature on a horse riding and camping trip. Ride through steep mountain passes, crystal-clear rivers, and lush forests on a sure-footed horse, sleeping under a blanket of stars and sipping coffee brewed over the fire.
Traveling on horseback, with pack animals carrying your luggage, is the purest form of riding. Depending on the location, these pack animals can be horses, mules, camels, or yaks.
Pack trips usually cross wilderness areas, such as massive mountain ranges and plateaus that are sparsely populated and rich in wildlife. You are able to cover a greater distance than you would on foot, discovering grounds that are too rough to be accessed by vehicles. You'll spend 24 hours with your horse, connecting and establishing a trusty partnership.
"A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without the wings." – Mongolian proverb. The nomadic horse culture is often associated with Genghis Khan and his hordes, but its roots can be traced back thousands of years in Central Asia. Today, horses are still central to life in Mongolia, and the country's horses outnumber its human population.
Immerse yourself in Mongolia's nomadic way of life and find out how an entire empire was won on horseback. Witness one of the last surviving horse cultures in the world, in which little has changed since the conquest of Genghis Khan.
Join a horse riding and camping trip in Mongolia and let Mongolian horses guide you through the country's contrasting landscapes. From the Gobi Desert in the south to the wilderness in the north and the vast steppes in between, you will visit some of the world's most isolated regions.
In northern Mongolia, near the border with Russian Siberia, follow ancient trails in the Taiga Mountains. Ride through the Khan Khentii Special Protected Area, almost completely uninhabited by humans and home to several endangered species of animals.
Meet the Tsaatan – the Reindeer People – that live west of Lake Khovsgol. Also known as the Dukha, the Tsaatan are one of the last nomadic tribes of reindeer herders. This dying culture is completely dependent on reindeer, which are domesticated and considered part of the family.
North of capital Ulaanbaatar, the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park offers some of the most scenic views in the country. In the Hustai National Park, see wild Przewalski's horses. This endangered species that once roamed freely across the dusty steppes has been recently reintroduced in Mongolia.
Ride through the semi-arid steppes south of Ulaanbaatar, passing by sand dunes and giant rock formations. Learn about Mongolian culture by attending fascinating festivals. At the National Dance Ensemble, you can listen to khoomii (throat singing). Local Naadam festivals are the Mongolian equivalent to the Olympic Games, and have three disciplines: wrestling, archery, and horse racing.
The crew uses yaks or camels to carry the luggage and necessary equipment. You will camp alongside rivers, usually in a ger camp – traditional round-shaped dwellings that are easily assembled and disassembled. You'll get the chance to spend time and actually stay with a nomadic family.
One thing to keep in mind when planning a horse riding and camping trip in Mongolia is that the country has a generally harsh climate. Summers are short and winters are long and cold. Therefore, the best time to go horse riding in Mongolia is between June and September. While the riding itself is not too technical or demanding, you will spend long hours in the saddle during the longer treks.
To truly experience the Western United States' backcountry, there's no better way to do it than on horseback. Summer months are the best time to go on a pack trip in the US, and the states of Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona are the top destinations for a multi-day adventure in the saddle.
Ride American Quarter horses deep into the heart of the Rocky Mountains, through natural parks and wilderness areas, cooling off by alpine lakes and glaciers, against an awe-inspiring background dotted with snow-capped peaks.
In Montana, ride at the foothills of Glacier National Park and in the scenic Blackfeet Reservation, home to one of the largest tribes in the US. Cover great distances on the vast trail system in the Crazy Mountains and explore the Rocky Mountains as only a few do, on a wilderness pack trip in Montana.
In southern Montana, venture into the Greater Yellowstone Area, the largest area still protected from development in the lower 48 states. Ride through remote areas, along sparkling springs, grassy valleys, pine forests, mountain meadows, and over high mountain passes, camping in complete wilderness.
In Wyoming, explore the contrasting features of the Yellowstone National Park on horseback. South of Yellowstone, ride through true isolated wilderness in the Gros Ventre mountain range. Bighorn National Forest has several horse riding trails for shorter and less demanding horse camping trips.
In Colorado, horse riding has been a tradition in the Rocky Mountains National Park ever since it was established in 1915. The San Juan Mountains in the southern Colorado Rockies have the highest average elevation in the US, and are said to have some the most bedazzling and varied scenery in the US. Go horse trekking over the Continental Divide in the Weminuche Wilderness, a glaciated area with streams, deep valleys, green meadows, and tall waterfalls.
In Idaho, ride through Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest and the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, along the rugged canyons of the Salmon River (also known as "The River of No Return"), climbing all the way up into the Rockies. In the Gospel Hump Wilderness, follow the trails that gold miners and early settlers used to cross the country.
In Arizona, embark on the Grand Canyon Winter Pastures Ride. From the remote North Rim, descend on steep trails into the Grand Canyon. Once down, you'll explore the Grand Canyon's least frequented areas as you make your way to Monument Valley.
It is said that Kyrgyz people are born on horseback. In the remote villages and mountains of the country, babies learn to sit in the saddle before they can walk. Horse trekking used to be the only means to get around. For many, it still is.
Discover the Kyrgyz nomadic culture on a horse trekking tour in Kyrgyzstan. Follow in the footsteps of ancient traders on the Great Silk Road, the world's most complex system of caravan routes, which connected the East and West across the roof of the world. Ride Kyrgyz horses on these ancient routes today, carrying all your essentials on horseback.
Famous for its jaw-dropping lakes and tall mountains, it's possible to go horse trekking just about anywhere in Kyrgyzstan. And you don't need experience to do so. You only need to be fit enough to withstand the long journeys on horseback.
The most popular horse treks in Kyrgyzstan are the trails to Issyk Kul Lake, the second-largest alpine lake in the world, and Song Kol Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the country.
East of Issyk Kul, the Karakol Valley has fascinating horse trails leading through mountain passes over 3,800m (12,500ft) tall. North of Issyk Kul, the Chong Kemin National Park also offers high altitude horse riding trails.
Near the border with China and Kazakhstan, follow the trails of nomadic herders against the backdrop of Khan Tengri (7,010m/ 22,999ft), the highest mountain in the Tian Shan mountain range.
In western Kyrgyzstan, the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve is home to seven high mountain lakes. In the south, the Alay Valley offers horse riding trails around the glaciers and vast pastures at the foothills of the Lenin Peak (7,134m/23,406ft).
The best time to go horse riding in Kyrgyzstan is during summer, between June and September, when the roads are accessible and the weather is warmer.
For centuries, horsemanship has been a way of life for the people of Argentina. Horses have been the inseparable partners of the gaucho – the solitary, hard-riding, and hard-working man taking care of cattle in the pampas (vast steppes of grassland plains). The gaucho is Argentina's cowboy, and has long been a symbol of freedom.
Experience the gaucho way of life on a pack trip in Argentina! Ride Argentine Criollo horses through the pampas and pristine valleys of Patagonia's wilderness.
The Northern Patagonian Andes are home to spectacular national parks. Just outside the laid-back mountain town of Bariloche, Nahuel Huapi National Park is also known as Argentina's Lake District. This is South America's oldest national park, and the most popular horse riding trail here is Ruta de los Siete Lagos ("the Seven Lakes Route").
A bit north, on the border with Chile, the Lanin National Park is home to the snow-capped Lanin Volcano, lunar landscapes, and glacial lakes. South of Bariloche, explore the Lago Puelo National Park, a sublime Patagonian forest surrounding a turquoise lake.
The high Andes are where the most sought-after horse riding trails can be found – the crossings from Argentina to Chile.
Embark on a legendary crossing flanked by the highest summit in the Americas – Aconcagua (6,960m/22,837ft). Starting from Mendoza, you'll follow the historic route that San Martin took in 1817 to liberate Chile from colonial rulers. These remote areas are largely uninhabited and serve as nesting ground of the famed Andean condor.
Another grand traverse starts near Bariloche and ends near Puerto Varas, in Chile's Lake District. Climb high in the Andes, following the old pioneer trails of gold miners and gauchos.
Southern Patagonia is famous for its otherworldly jagged coastlines and glaciers. Tierra del Fuego ("Land of Fire") is South America's southernmost tip, also known as the "End of the World". Here, you'll leave civilization behind, passing by diverse wildlife and abandoned shelters of the early Patagonian explorers.
The best time to go horse riding in Argentina is from October to May, during summer. The pace is steady, but the rides are demanding. You must be prepared for multi-day adventure trips that cover a lot of ground. Most of the trails are steep and winding, with river crossings and technical mountain passes.
Follow in the footsteps of the Incas. Join a horse camping trip in Peru and go trekking on ancient trails, through wild Andean landscapes, passing by famous Inca temples, eucalyptus forests, and terraced fields, discovering indigenous communities and spending the nights camping under the stars.
Ride Peruvian Paso horses over the country's highlands, through the many natural parks north of Cusco, visiting Pre-Inca and Inca sites, passing by llamas, alpacas, and condors.
The Inca Trail is the most popular trek to Machu Picchu, following the original journey through the Sacred Valley. This lush green valley was prized for its rich agricultural lands. Today, it is dotted with Inca ruins, terraced fields, and remote villages with mudbrick cottages, which give it an authentic Peruvian feel.
The most popular alternative to the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the Salkantay Trek. The route crosses the sacred lands of the Incas over the Apacheta Pass (4,590m/15,026ft).
In southern Peru, ride through the Colca Canyon, one of the world's deepest river canyons, home to the giant Andean condor, remote traditional villages, and Pre-Inca terraced agriculture.
The best time to go horse riding in Peru is during the dry season, between April and October, with June through August being the coldest months. Please take note that the weather in the mountains can change drastically and you should be prepared to experience four seasons in one day.
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Turn to nature and go out into the wild on a mountain horse riding holiday!
Octavia is a travel writer for BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. She is a passionate mountaineer, tree hugger, and adventure addict who is in love with wild horses and dreams to be just as free as they are.


Are we alone? Or could life on alien worlds really exist? David A. Aguilar, space artist extraordinaire, shows readers what creatures living on extrasolar planets might be like, using real science and stunning otherworldly illustration.


Inspired by August Wilhelm Schlegel's translation, Felix Mendelssohn composed an overture to Shakespeare's »A Midsummer Night's Dream« in 1826. At the request of the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, this was later expanded into incidental music for the stage. Vladimir Jurowski combines the complete stage music with two works also inspired by Shakespeare's comedy: Carl Maria von Weber's overture to the opera »Oberon« and the Sinfonia N. 8 of the former Capell-Compositeur Hans Werner Henze.
Vladimir Jurowski is currently one of the Staatskapelle's regular guest conductors. Born in Moscow to the conductor Michail Jurowski, he studied in his home town as well as in Dresden and Berlin, in which city he obtained his first top post at the Komische Oper. International stardom came in 2001 when he was appointed to the position of music director of Britain's Glyndebourne Festival. In 2007 he took over as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Since October 2011 has also directed the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation. In February 2012 he conducted the premiere of the Requiem »Dresden – Ode to Peace« by last season's Capell-Compositrice Lera Auerbach at a Staatskapelle remembrance concert. Now Vladimir Jurowski is returning to the Staatskapelle for the performance of the first Violin Concerto by the current Capell-Compositrice, Sofia Gubaidulina.


The Edge Hotel School hosts regular guest lectures for current EHS students to support our ethos of industry-engaged education.
This guest lecture will provide an overview of events such as Goodwood, Glorious Goodwood and Festival of Speed. The session will be delivered by the Entertaining and Hospitality Managing Director of Goodwood who will provide a unique insight into the planning and operation of these high-profile events.
Please note this session is for September 2018 events management students, but other EHS students can attend if they wish.
Andrew Coggings, Entertaining and Hospitality Managing Director for Goodwood, oversees the Goodwood hotel and health club, four restaurants, private members' club the Kennels, and Hound Lodge, a 10-bedroom luxury retreat. The division also manages the relationship with Goodwood's catering partner Rhubarb.


text:
Pathfinder / Setting / Player Companion
Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the High Court (PFRPG)
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Discover Your Noble Side!
Adventure is not limited to forbidding dungeons and grimy back alleys; sometimes the greatest risks and rewards are found in the gleaming halls of queens and emperors. Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the High Court presents everything you need to take your escapades into the royal courts and noble houses of Golarion. Learn how to dress and act in high society, gain access to the echelons of political power, and take advantage of the privileges afforded to those who have mastered the arts of courtly intrigue!
Inside this book, you'll find:
Archetypes for a variety of classes, such as the court fool bard to the butterfly blade slayer, who performs a noble's dirty work in the shadows.
Equipment and magical courtly regalia suitable for any ruler, including thrones that grant great power to whoever earns the right to sit upon them!
New traits, feats, and spells for characters who wish to mingle with nobility, as well as new tactics that let a participant of a verbal duel cut her opponent down to size.
This Pathfinder Player Companion is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be incorporated into any fantasy world.
Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Player Companion Subscription.
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Surprisingly Heroic
Alchemaic — Jun 10, 2017, 09:11 am
This is not a well-titled book. When you think of a book with this title, you think of a middling to mediocre heavily flavor-focused book with at best some fluff archetypes that are kind of forgettable after a week or two. What you don't expect is a whole host of really cool archetypes, flavorful items and abilities that hold up mechanically, and even new options for verbal duels of all things. Not everything's a slam dunk of course, there's a few less interesting or questionable archetypes scattered throughout the book (like the Paladin that trades out a bunch of stuff to basically become a Swashbuckler) but there's also a bunch of really good archetypes included, like the Fighter archetype that gets Strength-based Combat Reflexes, and the Silksworn Occultist, a great archetype for the class that only gets better as it wears increasing amounts of bling.
Definitely worth a look, especially for someone who wants a character that's regal and wants to show it in style.
Serviceable but Uninspired
Jhaeman — Mar 28, 2017, 05:36 am
I decided to pick up Heroes of the High Court because a PC I'd been running for a while is a noblewoman and I thought I might find some good material for her in a book designed for PCs involved with royalty and noble intrigue. Alas, my character died this past weekend (aboleths!), but I'll still review this book anyway. As with all entries in the Pathfinder Player Companion line, this is a 32-page full colour book. The inside back cover is a reproduction of the cover, while the inside front cover is a depiction of six different signet rings and possible interpretations they could hold. It's a weird feature, but not necessarily a bad one (at least for people, like me, with zero in the way of artistic ability). The interior is literally divided into about fifteen different two-page long sections, which makes summary a bit of a chore. But if you stick with me, I'll try to move fast.
1. "Introduction/Rules Index": There's a couple of exceedingly-obvious paragraphs of introduction, followed by very short (one paragraph each) descriptions of some of the more prominent noble courts in the official campaign setting of Golarion: the Black Dome (Sothis), Castle Overwatch (Lastwall), the Imperial Palace of Egorian (Cheliax), the Imperial Palace of Oppara (Taldor), the Palace of Fallen Stars (Numeria), Queen Edasseril's Court (Kyonin), and the Umbral Court (Nidal). Each court receives a background trait; most are Social traits, but a couple are Magic or even Combat. Most don't actually have much to do with nobility in particular, and relate more to the culture of the region than anything.
2. "Playing a Noble": This section introduces five new feats (three of which are Story Feats), each of which is themed around being a different type of noble: Aspiring Noble, Enlightened Noble, Noble Impostor, Noble Stipend, and Self-Exiled Noble. Next, there's over a dozen new benefits that can be taken with the Noble Scion feat (from the Inner Sea World Guide book) relating to different regions of Golarion. Most of the benefits are fairly minor.
3. "Court Entertainers": Two new archetypes, one for Bards ("Court Fool") and one for Skalds ("Court Poet"), as well as three new Bardic masterpieces. I really like the Court Fool archetype and it seems like a natural role for a Bard, but the Skald archetype is a bit strange as it involves improving allies' "aesthetic sensibilities" (non-physical attributes).
4. "Royal Defenders": Three new archetypes, one for Fighters ("High Guardian"), one for Gunslingers of all things ("Thronewarden"), and one for Witches ("Witch-Watcher"). Witches also get two new hexes and a new patron choice, Protection. The Gunslinger archetype seems okay to me, the Witch archetype really needs much more flavour (it's very bland conceptually), and the Fighter archetype seems like a really bad choice, as the character loses several bonus combat feats in exchange for getting very specific feats with restrictions on them.
5. "Arcane Retainers": Four new spells, three new Alchemist discoveries, and a new Alchemist archetype ("Royal Alchemist"). The artwork accompanying this archetype is pretty cool, but the archetype itself seems like a very, very complicated way to essentially give allies some modest bonuses against disease and poison. I've noticed a trend in Pathfinder game design of giving various class features "pools" of points that do various different things depending on the number of points spent, and I'm not sure if it's a good one for gameplay.
6. "Orders of Chivalry": One new archetype for Cavaliers ("Gallant"), one for Paladins ("Virtuous Bravo"), and the introduction of a new category of magic items called Favors. The Gallant really doesn't do much, but the Virtuous Bravo basically adds Swashbuckler class abilities to a Paladin chassis and definitely provides a different feel for a character with them. Favors are one-use only minor magic items given to a character as a reward or token of admiration for services rendered; I like the concept, though most are pretty expensive considering their minor mechanical effects.
7. "Courtly Races": All of the Core Rulebook races get short (two to three paragraph) entries on what their royal courts are like, along with an alternate racial trait. My favourite of the bunch is "Conservative Diplomacy" for dwarves, which says that they treat any roll of 5 or less on a Diplomacy check as a 5, but any roll of 15 or better as a 15. The mechanical effect ties in really well with the flavour explanation and it makes perfect sense.
8. "Courts of the East": This section contains description of noble life in Jalmeray and Katheer (two areas of the campaign setting that don't receive as much coverage as others), which is more useful than the fairly generic description in the previous section. There's also two new feats, a new Oracle archetype ("Inerrant Voice"), and a new Psychic discipline ("Pageantry"). I have to confess to not knowing much about Psychics (apart from a terribly inept attempt to create one), but the Pageantry discipline looks pretty powerful; I will note, however, that the abilities it grants do not seem particularly well-tied to a "pageantry" theme. Function should follow form here, and it doesn't.
9. "Courts of the Dragon Empires": Brief overviews of four Tian royal courts are provided: Minkai, Po Li, Tianjing, and Xa Hoi. There's also four new feats and a new Occultist ritual. Again, I appreciate seeing some options themed around areas of Golarion outside the Inner Sea, even if the options aren't always as well-tied to the flavour as they should be.
10. "Ecclesiastical Courts": This section includes very brief (one paragraph each) introductions to the royal courts of Cheliax, Mendev, Druma, Razmiran, and Nidal, along with five new feats loosely themed to each. I really like the feats in this section: creative and useful. Two new clerical subdomains are also added, "Chivalry" and "Sovereignty."
11. "Invested with Divinity": This entire section is about a major new Monk archetype, the "Invested Regent." Again, the archetype grants a pool of points which which the character can do special things (and this pool is separate than the Monk's Ki pool). There's three new feats, each of which requires the archetype as a prerequisite. The powers granted to a character with the archetype just don't seem to have much to do with the flavour of the concept, and appeared to be a bit randomly chosen to me.
12. "Enemies of Rule": An archetype each for the Slayer ("Butterfly Blade") and Vigilante ("Dragonscale Loyalist") and three new spells for infiltrating and detecting impostors. The archetypes in this section were much better than in the previous section, and it's good to see Vigilantes getting some attention in a book that would seem to be a natural place for them to shine.
13. "Conduct and Decorum": This section introduces some new ways to use existing skills, such as using a Knowledge (nobility) check instead of Sense Motive to determine if someone is feigning noble blood. I like the concept overall, though some of the options seem more complicated than necessary in order to accomplish a relatively rare task. The verbal duel rules from Ultimate Intrigue receive support with four new tactics; I'm a big believer that new rules sub-systems should be supported beyond the book they're introduced in, so I was happy to see this.
14. "Courtly Regalia": Seven new mundane and magical articles of clothing or accessories to make every noble look (and act) their best. My favourite by far is "Phantom Entourage", which does exactly as the name implies--it creates illusory assorted sycophants and hangers-on to make it clear to everyone just how important the (actually unimportant) wearer is. There's also a new Occultist archetype called the "Silksworn." The concept has been quite popular in the Paizo forums, though again I'll cop to not knowing enough about the class to offer an opinion.
15. "Implements of Rule": Several new magic items, including crowns and scepters, as well as a new type of magic items, thrones. Thrones are interesting because they provide benefits to the monarch sitting on them as well as anyone who makes an obeisance (like kneeling or other gesture of allegiance) before it. I could imagine thrones as an excellent way to add some interesting effects to "boss fights" without risking PCs getting their hands on something so powerful that it will upend campaign balance.
So you can see from the summary above that the book is chock-full of new options. Contrary to what one might expect, there's no particular focus on the classes that seem more naturally aligned to courtly settings (like Bards, Paladins, Vigilantes in their social guises, etc.). Instead, this book has a "satisfy everyone with something for everyone" approach. My feelings after reading it are of mild disappointment. There's no heart or style to the book; the writing in each section is functional but pedestrian, and it's never inspiring or passionate about a rarely-touched area of Pathfinder gameplay that deserves better. I know most buyers of these books want as much "crunch" as can possibly be fitted between two covers, but the book suffers for it in terms of cohesiveness and enduring contribution to the game.
Intriguing new archetypes and items
Kathleen Lopez — Mar 6, 2017, 07:26 pm
I ordered this right as I saw it available. My current character is a noble, so thought it would be useful for her for some different flavor. I wasn't wrong, but was also pleasantly surprised by the various archetypes, items, and spells available.
The archetypes, as with others in the same vein, don't completely replace a class'so abilities, but rather give them noble (or anti-noble) flare. Some even change classes a fair bit (dex paladin??), but that's par the course for archetypes.
Additional excitement came to be when I read into the info for verbal duels; so much can be done with that, adding a new dynamic to game play.
The items are interesting without being overpowered or too situational- not everything needs to be a Legendary Sword of Legend. In particular, I love the item that gives a character it's own illusory hangers-on... could donly both useful and hilarious things with that!
All in all I like it, and am looking forward to using some of these items and rules in game soon.
A few noble gems among the common riff raff
Plausible Pseudonym — Feb 25, 2017, 01:45 pm
Do you want a lot of rules and options to help run a campaign set in royal courts and other elite social environments? Buy Ultimate Intrigue!
But this book is ok, too. You'll find many archetypes and feats that are of the usual quality (forgettable but not offensively bad) and a few well polished diamonds.
1. A bardic masterpiece that replicates the Commune spell
2. The Protective Luck hex makes enemies roll twice and take the worst when attacking an ally
3. A paladin archetype that gives lots of swashbuckler abilities at reasonable cost
4. A strong level 4 occult ritual that can serve as a daily party buff
5. A monk archetype that lets you swap feats for SLAs or advanced feats (w/o preqs) fueled by a new (Cha based) pool of energy separate from your ki, it's also well supported by feats, a case can be made for treating this as a standard archetype you need to justify not taking
6. The Perceive Betrayal spell, which is great for bodyguard or intrigue situations
7. New skill options for existing social skills, much better than the UI "here's a feat to do something you were obviously capable of by default before we published this" approach
8. The Silksworn Occultist. Easily the best 6th level caster when it comes to actual spell casting and SLAs, 9th level casters would be jealous if they weren't, you know, 9th level casters. But for breath and effectiveness in using the abilities and spell levels it does have it's really, really good.
9. The Chastising Baton, a magical rod. Adds +1 DC to all compulsion spells, and sickens the target for 1 round if they make their save. Only 5,000 gp and a new must have for serious Mesmerists, Psychics, and Enchanters.
My biggest disappointment is the Pageantry Discipline for Psychics. It has promise, but makes a big, easily avoided mistake in the spell list that overlooks a well known OA errata, and the first discipline ability by possible intent is basically useless, but as actually written is too powerful. Better editing would have made this a good addition, but I don't see how it can be saved without a comprehensive FAQ that a Player's Companion won't get. Maybe PFS clarifications can at least fix the bonus spell list error.
Ardencroft — Feb 23, 2017, 11:18 am
Product Discussion (348)
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Porridge Feb 20, 2017, 09:52 am
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
I'm toying with the idea of making an Occultist who is a psychic investigator, focusing on abilities like object reading and aura sight, and taking divination as one of their implements. Does the Silksworn archetype seem like a good fit for such a character?
(I.e., does it trade out object reading and aura sight (bad for this concept)? Does it get access to a wider array of divination spells (good for this concept)? Or to "talky" abilities to use when investigating (good for this concept)?)
Isabelle Lee Feb 20, 2017, 08:41 pm
Porridge wrote:
Well... perhaps. If you're not too attached to the "psychic" part. Still, let's see what we can do for you. ^_^
The silksworn:
(I.e., does it trade out object reading and aura sight (bad for this concept)?
Still there.
Does it get access to a wider array of divination spells (good for this concept)?
Not anything the occultist couldn't already learn. But you'll get more of what you could already access.
Or to "talky" abilities to use when investigating (good for this concept)?)
It definitely gets a bit of that.
QuidEst Feb 21, 2017, 06:05 am
To add on to that, if "psychic" is a big deal, the Psychic Sensitivity feat is great for getting that flavor back.
Isabelle Lee Feb 21, 2017, 06:30 am
QuidEst wrote:
I thought this three times, and still somehow forgot to include it in my post. ^_^
Hot dog! Awesome!
(Especially since the Occultist divination spells lend themselves very well to the idea of a psychic detective. So having access to more of them than 1/lvl would be great.)
Definitely got to pick up a copy of this!
Styms Feb 21, 2017, 08:08 am
Luthorne wrote:
steelhead wrote:
Alright, had some time to read through this, here's my thoughts on it.
** spoiler omitted **...
Hey Luthorne, could you enter this post as a review? It provides a lot of detail and the only reviewer just posted a star rating rather than giving your level of thought to the review. People will be more likely to read your exposition if it is a review, and it will help prospective buyers. Thanks!
I think I would have to pare it down considerably if it was going to be a proper review...since it's, well, rather rambly...
You say that Luthorne but your review and list of things has convinced me that this is an immediate buy for me.
Devastation Bob Feb 21, 2017, 02:43 pm
How soon before this will be in Brick and Mortar shops?
Rysky Feb 21, 2017, 04:20 pm
Tomorrow!
Cthulhudrew Feb 21, 2017, 09:12 pm
Isabelle Lee wrote:
You didn't accidentally summon Beetlejuice, did you?
Cthulhudrew wrote:
Not this time...
Gisher Feb 22, 2017, 02:40 am
Too sleepy for a detailed analysis, but my initial impression is that the Silksworn Occultist is very cool. I want to see what it looks like with some levels in Dragon Disciple. ;)
Plausible Pseudonym Feb 22, 2017, 05:33 am
The Pageantry Psychic discipline is cool, but has some issues. Most are minor.
1. The one that is NOT minor is the 4th level bonus spell: Overwhelming Presence. This is a 9th level spell that was errata'd out of the OA Psychic spell list assigning it to the (way) wrong level. So this discipline doesn't have a legal 4th level bonus spell.
2. Ritual Unity: This is the only discipline ability that refreshes phrenic pool and doesn't provide a per day limit on attempts/successes. Usually it's either the pool ability modifier or 3+ the pool ability modifier, but as written this is a way to refresh your phrenic pool an infinite number of times per day. Since skill Aid Another checks are pretty much possible to spam infinitely, this is a problem.
3. The fact that all of the other discipline abilities require expending a phrenic point is an issue if a limit on refreshing your pool gets implementedl. Except for Power from Pageantry (which has the very significant 1 round casting limitation already built in) none of these are obviously powerful enough to justify spending pool on them, an approach only otherwise taken on the (stronger) discipline abilities form Occult Origins. Power from Pageantry aside, a per Cha modifier limit per day would have been better and more consistent with most Psychic disciplines.
Rysky Feb 22, 2017, 05:57 am
Plausible Pseudonym wrote:
In regards to Ritual Unity, it could have definitely been worded better, but I believe the intent was for it to only apply on aid another skill checks that are part of a Ritual, not on all aid another skill checks.
I considered and rejected that because that would make this LOL bad. Vanishingly rare opportunities to attempt it, and how often do you want to do an Aid Another on someone else rather than doing the skill checks yourself? You're an Int based character with class skills in all Knowledge skills, it's not very often that a party member will be a better option even if you could boost them via Aid Another (at a relative -2 penalty because you'd be forgoing your own +2 bonus from doing it yourself). Which you can't.
Occult Rituals rules wrote:
These checks cannot benefit from the aid another action
Secondary casters (with a flat +1 per four participants) are the only way to boost a ritual.
Ritual Unity for all skill Aid Another attempts is actually fine and well balanced (given the Phrenic pool suck on all other abilities), it just needs a use/success per day limitation. Compare to the Self Perfection discipline, which also has an (even easier) instant win trigger condition to refresh pool by jumping around.
Ok, Silksworn Occultists are awesome! And they do synergize really well with Dragon Disciple. Now I want to play one who gradually becomes more dragony while wearing his hoard in the form of gold-threaded and gem-encrusted garments.
Plausible Pseudonym Feb 23, 2017, 03:33 pm
Slowly working through this, but I have to say that as much as I love the panoplies in Psychic Anthology I have to admit that Silksworn is probably going to make me ignore them. This is unquestionably the best 6th level caster in the game when it comes to actual spellcasting. If you wanted to play a Wizard but can live without high level spells (or your GM bans full casters) this is an easy and very cool and powerful choice that can potentially outshine it in several areas with the right build, especially after 16th level and the +2 DC boosters come online.
I do wonder flavor-wise why the Silksworn is arcane. Getting psychic power from resonances in items makes a sort of sense, getting arcane power from a love of bling does not.
Mechanically I assume it was done to avoid wearing déclassé armor over your finery, but it's hard to justify in universe.
QuidEst Feb 23, 2017, 08:17 pm
It's the mechanical reason.
If you want a fluff reason, though, my choice would be that it's a Prophecies of Kalistrade thing. Money is power, and you are getting the universe to sit down and acknowledge that.
The silksworn originally had flavor tying it more firmly to Vudrani lore and to the courts of Nex. It got left by the wayside at some point, alas; wordcount is a cruel, cruel mistress, and Mavaro's art always takes up a lot of room. (It does make a really good Prophet of Kalistrade, though, especially since the PrC establishes them as arcane spellcasters.)
As for the original inspiration, it went along the following lines:
-"They're supposed to wear fancy clothing, which suggests no armor."
-"Who doesn't wear armor in this game? Sorcerers, wizards, and monks."
-"We already have a divine occultist, so why not an arcane one?"
...now I just need to find a way to make an alchemical occultist, and we'll have the set. ^_^
The Blood Alchemist is kind of one coming from the other direction. Gets various circle abilities, at least.
jedi8187 Feb 24, 2017, 08:14 am
My body is ready.
My compliments to the author of the occult ritual tea ceremony, this is a nice buff that I could see being part of the daily ritual for a party if you've got someone willing to accept the primary caster backlash.
Legalistic Reading feat's ability to cast a scroll spell two consecutive rounds is almost a great ability, but by the time you can make the CL check you'll have better options than scrolls.
Ventnor Feb 24, 2017, 12:44 pm
A silksworn occultist VMCed with an Oracle could be pretty neat if you choose the Covetous curse.
Has anyone praised the Invested Regent monk archetype? I think it's brilliant from a design perspective, maximum flexibility allowing limited use prequisite skipping feats or SLAs to be chosen in place of regular or bonus feats. Because of the way it's written it should stack with any archetype that doesn't trade out the 1st level bonus feat. It's hard to see why this wouldn't be a reasonable pick for everyone else.
thecursor Feb 24, 2017, 04:32 pm
Well, have you ever seen the movie "Zapped"?
Revan Feb 24, 2017, 07:02 pm
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Companion, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Well it *is* Cha based, which is usually the one stat that a Monk can afford to dump, but yeah, all in all, pretty nice.
You can get plenty out of it without boosting Cha, the level 1 ability is an ok 1 point boost to a save when you have an immediate action to spare, and you just buy a self buff you don't need that often with a later feat. You'd have to do a really big Cha investment to make a big difference, so play it slow.
Or combine it with the Scaled Fist archetype and say that your right to rule comes from your association with Imperial Dragons.
thecursor wrote:
It's not finding out how to flavor it - that's a breeze. ^_^
It's more "I need to be assigned to write an occultist archetype, in a book where adding such an archetype makes sense." And that can be way harder than you'd think, for various reasons. For example, the silksworn would look much different if it had been in Psychic Anthology instead.
Gisher Feb 24, 2017, 09:43 pm
Heh, heh! My plan is working. :)
Whoa, the Chastising Baton! Only 5,000 gp to add a permanent +1 DC to all compulsion spells, and the targets is sickened for 1 round and takes 1d6 nonlethal even if they save! An early must have for Psychics, Mesmerists, and Enchanters.
thecursor Feb 25, 2017, 07:47 am
I was half joking, please don't do an Alchemical Kineticist based on Zapped, that would be awful.
However...I just PMed you with a suggestion you could pitch...
Set Feb 25, 2017, 09:20 am
Arcane power from gods (or archfiends, etc.) associated with wealth or greed, such as Abadar or Mammon, could also be a suitable Golarion flavor connection, although it does seem perfect for a Prophet of the Kalistrade.
Flavoring the fancy garb as implanted gemstones, a la Karzoug, could be a way to tie it to the Runelord of Greed, and his Thassilonian courtiers, as well.
Going in another direction, the 'silk' itself could be special, in some way, being produced by aranea or phase spiders or jorugumo. Perhaps not any old silk will have the arcane resonances for this sort of thing.
The Silksworn is just thematic and flavorful as heck. You could easily design an entire class, with a dozen different flavorful options, based on this one archetype, and it can thematically integrate with the setting (thanks to the Kalistocracy, Greed magic, Mammon, etc.) than some other archetypes (or even whole classes...).
Set Feb 25, 2017, 12:03 pm
Yeah, it's not something you'll be able to make even half the time with even a 1st level scroll before 16th level or so, which makes it a strange option for someone to be able to take at 3rd level (three levels before it will work even on a natural 20).
OTOH, it *might* synergize with the Cypermage ability of Focused Scroll.
Focused Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a cyphermage can add a bonus equal to twice his Intelligence modifier on any caster level checks made with a scroll spell, including checks to overcome SR. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 his cyphermage level (minimum 1).
It would be neat if it somehow interacted with the Scrollmaster and / or Scroll Scholar Archetypes.
Compared to the Druid herbalist option in Healer's Handbook to create a bunch of free potions each day (potentially even of higher level druid spells!), it's nothing to write home about.
Arachnofiend Mar 14, 2017, 01:36 am
I see some people suggesting to stack the Invested Regent archetype with the Scaled Fist but... I'm not sure if you could actually do that by a hard reading of the rules. Scaled Fist changes up the bonus feat list and the Investitures replace bonus feats.
Since that isn't actually a conflict that could cause mechanical issues I think most GM's would ignore that issue but it might be a problem in PFS.
RicoDetroit Mar 20, 2017, 03:06 pm
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Pageantry Discipline-FIXED
Bonus Spells ...Complex Hallucination (UI) (8th)...
Ritual Unity (Su): You receive a +2 bonus on all skill checks attempted as part of an occult ritual. In addition, when you take the Aid Another action to assist an ally with a skill check and succeed at a DC 20 check, you impart a +4 bonus to your ally. When you successfully aid an ally in this way, you regain 1 point in your phrenic pool. The maximum number of points you can regain in this way per day is equal to your CHA modifier. (Note that if you fail the DC 20 check, but still succeed at a DC 10 check, then you still impart the standard +2 bonus but do not regain any points in your phrenic pool.)
Power from Pageantry (Su): When casting a spell with a casting time of 1 standard action or less, you can spend 2 points from your phrenic pool to extend the casting time to 1 full round as you create a showy display of psychic power. By doing so, the cost of any phrenic amplification you link to that spell is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0 phrenic points). You can use this ability a maximum number of times per day equal to 3 + your CHA modifier.
Plausible Pseudonym Mar 20, 2017, 09:04 pm
Bryan MANGUM wrote:
1. I don't see what that spell has to do with Pageantry.
2. This is how it should work, agreed.
3. This didn't need a nerf, and your change actually makes this useless. You're paying 2 phrenic points and extending your casting time in order to...save 1 point, for a net loss of actions and and 1 phrenic point.
Markov Spiked Chain Mar 21, 2017, 08:33 pm
Verzen wrote:
Markov Spiked Chain wrote:
Another Skald Archetype that replaces Inspired Rage without any mention of using or replacing Rage Powers. :(
You can still use rage powers with their new song. My question is... can my allies who accept it cast spells?
There's nothing in the Song's description, or in the description of rage powers, that would let affect characters use Rage Powers, any more than they could under Song of Marching.
I don't see any reason your allies can't cast spells/concentrate. Presumably the whole point is to be a bard for caster DCs.
Shadow_Charlatan Mar 22, 2017, 06:35 am
Would Scion of Highhelm be restricted to dwarves ?
Luis Loza Rule and Lore Creative Director Mar 22, 2017, 06:39 am
Technically, no. It's a lot harder to justify a non-dwarf as a Scion of Highhelm, but if you and your GM can work out a good reason for it, there's no reason it shouldn't work.
Ardencroft Apr 21, 2017, 10:02 pm
were you intending the hex "Protective Luck (Su)" to be unlimited uses on a target per day or did you forget to include the "a creature cannot be
the target of this hex again for 1 day" line on this? It seems incredibly strong if you can use it on your party whenever you want.
Fourshadow Apr 24, 2017, 07:04 am
Samuel K 495 wrote:
SHHHHHHH! Keep that on the down low or they will take away such pretty things!
Honestly, sheesh. Don't ruin it for the rest of us!
Plausible Pseudonym Apr 29, 2017, 12:18 pm
It's not a shock, but Silksworn didn't get approved for PFS, nor the Chastising Baton. I'd also hoped for a campaign clarification to make the Pageantry Psychic discipline actually work, but they banned it. Probably too many issues to deal with.
Jacob W. Michaels Apr 29, 2017, 03:07 pm
Sorry for the delayed response; I was out of country.
were you intending the hex "Protective Luck (Su)" to be unlimited uses on a target per day or did you forget to include the "a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day" line on this? It seems incredibly strong if you can use it on your party whenever you want.
I can't speak for Paizo's official response, but my intent when I wrote it was for it to have unlimited uses per day on a target (a la the fortune hex, which it was modeled after).
Rogue Eidolon Apr 29, 2017, 03:38 pm
Fortune Hex wrote:
The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
Rogue Eidolon wrote:
Dur. And this is why you don't respond while still recovering from vacation. :)
Hushed May 11, 2017, 01:24 am
Is the Invested Regent intended to be stackable with other archetypes? The wording comes across very similar to the Qinggong monk archetype, but I was hoping someone involved in making it could clarify the intention.
Xelaaredn Mar 27, 2022, 06:52 am
Jacob W. Michaels wrote:
I'm aware I'm kinda commiting threadomancy here, but was this meant to be a "crap, yeah, once per day" or...? Just, because with scars and constant cackling... Which keys face it, is just typical witch shenanigans, this can kinda break combat pretty quickly.
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Defence Ministry dragged to court over N$8m sanitisers
Posted by Observer | Mar 11, 2021 | Observer National | 0 |
Kandjemuni Kamuiiri
Amid swelling allegations by Windhoek Mayor, Job Amupanda, of irregular procurement at Ministry of Defence, it has emerged Phoenix Capital Investment, the company at the centre of the sanitiser supply tender, has dragged the Ministry to court over non-payment for sanitisers delivered more than five months ago.
According to Phoenix Capital Investment Director, William Angula, the company which has enlisted Sisa Namandje as its lawyer, is seeking to recover N$ N$8 311 625 owed for the sanitisers delivered. "We have written them a letter of demand through our lawyer, Sisa Namandje, about two weeks ago, informing them of the fact that we are going to court and it was received about a week ago. The company spent a substantial amount on delivery of the sanitisers and the goods have been with the ministry for five months, yet up to date we have not received any payments for these goods," Angula told Windhoek Observer.
"We would like the ministry to make the payments because the goods have been accepted and signed off by the ministry, yet no payments have been made or the ministry should come to the table and say 'we are willing to settle out of court'."
On the allegations on social media regarding the payment, Angula said, "everything swirling around social media is propaganda and allegation, because we have not received one single dollar from the Ministry of Defence, hence that's why we went to see our Lawyer, consulted him and he then wrote them a letter of demand."
On the allegations of double invoicing by the company, Angula said, "based on the dispute of payments between Phoenix Capital Investments CC and the Ministry of Defence, there has never been two invoices issued that have been paid, just one invoice was issued for the total contract value amount, which is N$8.3 million."
According to Amupanda, on 26 June 2020, the Defence Ministry is alleged to have issued a purchase order of N$ 8.3 million to Phoenix Capital Investment CC without following tender procedures.
"On 7 September 2020, this company provided an invoice of N$ 3 167 100.00 (3 Million) for the sanitisers on purchase order 100003. One 25 L Container was invoiced at N$ 5 000.00. One month later, on 06 October 2020, this company again gave another Invoice, against the same purchase order (numbered 100003) this time increasing the millions to N$ 8 311 625.00 (8 Million). In means the sanitisers tender, although only at 8 Million on the official purchase order, it ended up at 11 Million. No one can explain how this happened," Amupanda alleged.
The Ministry of Defence in a statement issued on Wednesday, declined to shed light on the alleged shady deal regarding the procurement of sanitisers stating that the matter was now before courts.
"With regard to the issuance of a tender to Phoenix Capital Investment CC, it is true that, with the escalation of COVID-19 infections in Namibia, the said company was awarded a tender, in terms of Article 27 of the Public Procurement Act, to supply sanitisers to the ministry. This issue is now subjudice since the company has resorted to seeking legal recourse," said Defence Ministry Executive Director, Trephine Kamati.
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Absurdity piled on top of arrogance.
That's the best way to explain what took place at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation board meeting Wednesday when one man decided to sell off 22 city-owned houses.
With a packed audience sneering back at him — one shouting "shame!", all but one brave soul opposed to the sale — board chair Case Ootes didn't argue, only because he couldn't argue with, er, himself.
There was no mental jousting in search of a solid policy position, and no chance for mindless debate among board members. All decisions were, of necessity, unanimous, even as the public pleaded for alternatives and a deferral to consider other options.
Such is the case when a public body is reduced to the farce of one-man rule.
Now, Ootes' decision may indeed have been the correct one. You could be convinced to sell off most, if not all, the 22 city-owned houses put on the block and use the anticipated $15.7 million windfall to provide more and better homes for scores of citizens who need it.
There is, in fact, a solid case to be made — one that was made long before Mayor Rob Ford took office and long before he installed the one-man board to oversee operations of the housing company. This sell-off is not Ford's idea, though he agrees with it. And even though it aligns with Ootes' thoughts, he's not the architect. This stretches back to 2007.
But on Wednesday, no one was convinced, only repulsed.
Instead of making the case for the sale, the city's administration spat in the public's eye.
Such arrogance. Such autocratic excess. Such unnecessary and undemocratic indulgence.
In case you missed it, the recommendation to finally sell the houses, after years of study, came before the housing company's board Wednesday. Now, it's always controversial to attempt the sale of public housing units, no matter how justified. As such, it is always wise to proceed with caution, be as transparent as possible, and follow good governance and proper procedure.
For this reason alone, one would have expected the housing company to have been on high alert. But there is more.
Housing advocates and activists have no faith in the Rob Ford administration, especially after his musings about privatizing social housing. They were further alarmed that Ford fired the housing board over scandalous spending and installed a one-man caretaker. Alarm has grown to concern because the caretaker is Ootes. As a councillor, Ootes campaigned to sell off the city's single house portfolio and use the money to fix the broken housing stock.
Under the circumstances, Ootes should have removed himself as far as possible from this item. He should have deferred the vote to the new board when constituted in June. "You know my position. The evidence is overwhelming. But because I am tainted, I'll leave it to the full board," Ootes could have said Wednesday.
As such, respect, not revulsion, would have been his due today.
Understand that these houses will be sold. The previous board was clearly headed this way. City council will vote in favour. These are the worst of the close to 900 homes the city owns and they are in terrible shape, costing more than is wise to fix up and maintain.
There are protections in place: Tenants will be relocated. Those paying "market rent" (seven out of 10) can't be evicted easily. Units have to be replaced someplace else and won't be lost. Tenants with exemptions will keep them until death. And the housing company has policies in place to ease the transition.
All Ford — and Ootes — had to do was go slow, respect the fact that there is a perception they are inimical to public housing, and show some good faith by waiting two months.
Instead, it's full steam ahead.
It is the way of a marauding force high on ideological excess. It's not good governance.