Flora & Fauna Friday - Old Tree, Old Seed, & No Weeds

Over on smithsonianmag.com, we're told the story of "How One Man Accidentally Killed the Oldest Tree Ever" here.

Also, on cfweradio.ca, we find out "Archaeologists Dig Up An 800-Year-Old Native American Pot. What They Found Inside Is Changing History" here.

Finally, on horseandman.com, they tell us about "Hay Bale gardening: no weeds, no fertilizers and less watering."  Learn more here.

Flora & Fauna Friday on GRYMVALD.com

Examining animals, plants, and the

environments we use for our tabletop RPGing.

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Historical Thursday - Ancient Piracy

Our recent game of Civilization (1980) prompted some discussion on piracy in the ancient world.  I shared some facts I recalled from my lessons but thought I would glance about the web and find a few links with worthwhile information.  First, over on graecomuse.wordpress.com, have a look at "Piracy in the Ancient Mediterranean" here.

Also, on cindyvallar.com, on Cindy Vallar's Pirates and Privateers: The History of Maritime Piracy, she has a whole section on "Ancient Piracy" here.

Finally, on piratesinfo.com, check out Krzysztof Wilczynski's article on "Roman Piracy" here.

Historical Thursday on GRYMVALD.com

Sifting through History to
enhance our tabletop RPGing.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - The Sea Peoples

There has been some argument over time regarding what was meant by the Ancients when they referred to "The Sea People(s)."  Some have said pre-Greek Greeks while others have suggested they were that and more, a loose confederation of mostly-pirates who were also traders and mercenaries-for-hire.  Some accounts have them banding together for full-scale invasion.  One of the more well known stories of them is outlined on ancient-origins.net and has to do with "The Battle of the Delta: Ramses III saves Egypt from the People of the Sea."  Find out more here.

Also, on wikipedia.org, now that the appetite is whetted, read a bit more on them and the controversy that surrounds the Sea Peoples here.  And salimbeti.com has some primary sources that mention the Sea Peoples here.

Finally, on ancient.eu, Joshua J. Mark gives a pretty good account of the facts in summary here.  Personally, I fall into the camp of the Sea Peoples being refugees from the collapse of both the Myceanean and Hittite empires of the Greek peninsula, Crete, and Asia Minor.  Without more definition from the historical record, I don't feel it can be more specific than that.

Worldbuilding Wednesday on GRYMVALD.com
The nuts and bolts of Worldbuilding
for our tabletop RPGing.

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The Tuesday Sundries - Copper, Silver, & Gold

Over on thevintagenews.com, they tell us of "Two million copper coins weighing 10 tonnes found inside 2,000-year-old tomb" here.

Also, on legionofhonor.famsf.org, they reveal "Ancient Luxury and the Roman Silver Treasure from Berthouville" here.

Finally, on wesh.com from a few years ago, we're told how the "Sanford family finds $350K worth of gold off Fla. coast" here.

The Tuesday Sundries on GRYMVALD.com
Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics on GRYMVALD.com
not covered elsewhere or wanting a particular focus.

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RPG Media Monday - Learning Beowulf

Over on wmich.edu, they are "Teaching 'Beowulf' in the Context of Old Norse-Icelandic Literature" here.

Also, on medievalists.net, they discuss "Beowulf: a regime of enforcement" here.

Finally, on the Open Education and Culture YouTube channel, "Dr Francis Leneghan gives a talk on Beowulf, one of the most important works in Anglo-Saxon literature."  Enjoy!

RPG Media Monday on GRYMVALD.com

What can be gleaned from Media

and used in our tabletop RPGing?

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Setting & Society Sunday - On Love

Three from the Medievalists.net website this week with the first being "Medieval Images of Love" here.

Also, they give us "Five Medieval Love Tokens" here.

Finally, they feature a look at "The Medieval Magazine (Volume 2 Issue 2)" where the theme is "Love and Marriage."  Learn more here.

Setting & Society Sunday on GRYMVALD.com

Looking closer at Setting and Society

as a part of what is presented by GMs.

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Saturday in Space - Gravitational Waves

Over on globalnews.ca, they tell us more about "Gravitational waves: What they are and why scientists are so excited about them."  Find out here.

Also, on space.com, they explain "Gravitational Waves vs. Gravity Waves: Know the Difference" here.

Finally, on the Piled Higher and Deeper (PHD Comics) YouTube channel, they simplify things for us in a video titled "Gravitational Waves Explained."  Enjoy!

Saturday in Space on GRYMVALD.com
What's happening in Space and

what can it mean for our tabletop RPGing?

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