L is for Lorelei

April 14, 2014 by Roland Clarke

L is for Lorelei: A Creole from Louisiana, Lorelei Trahan is a protagonist in “Wyrm Bait”, and an avid player of the MMORPG set in the the world of Gossamer Steel.

The Lorelei is a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany, which rises some 120 metres above the river. Marking the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea, it is the most famous feature of the Rhine Gorge, a 65 km section of the river between Koblenz and Bingen that was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in June 2002.

Lorelei is also the name of a female water spirit associated with this rock in folklore and in music, art and literature. Similar to mermaids known as Nixe or Nixie, or to the water nymphs in the epic poem Nibelungenlied – called Rhine maidens in Richard Wagner’s opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen – Lorelei has been portrayed as both innocent and seductive.

Rhein maidens warn Siegfried. Originally the image stems from Richard Wagner’s Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods ~ by Arthur Rackham

The Lorelei is related to the Norwegian Nøkken, who are shapeshifting water spirits, who usually appear in human form, as handsome young men. These spirits have appeared in the myths and legends of all Germanic peoples in Europe, although perhaps most known in Norwegian and Scandinavian folklore – and therefore appearing in The Country, the Scandinavian enclave in Gossamer Steel.

L is also for Lyminster in Sussex, England where the English equivalent of the Nøkken lived. However, the English Knucker is depicted as a wyrm or dragon, which terrorized the countryside.

L is also for Doctor Lupero, alias Lupercus, the principal antagonist in Gossamer Steel. And L is for Lewis the law in “Wyrm Bait”.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders ~ I is for Ithaka ~ J is for Junk ~ K is for Kitsune

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.

My theme is ‘The World of Gossamer Steel, the SF-fantasy setting for a series of short stories and novellas that portray the tales behind the MMORPG that is central to my crime novel ‘Wyrm Bait’.

M is for Mojave

April 14, 2014 by Roland Clarke

M is for Mojave: To the world of Gossamer Steel, Mojave is both a bane and a windfall. The Mojave Air and Space Port is where the solar array is launched from before the apocalypse. However, Morena Sokol finds her future and that of her family in the Mojave Desert.

The Mojave Air and Space Port, also known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Center, is located in Mojave, California, at an elevation of 2,791 feet (851 m). It is the first facility to be licensed in the United States for horizontal launches of reusable spacecraft, being certified as a spaceport by the Federal Aviation Administration on June 17, 2004. Occupying over 200 acres of a former Marine Corps training base, it is home to around 140 companies, many in the area of suborbital vehicle development. When it comes to global ‘firsts’ in flight, flight test, and aerospace, the Mojave Air and Space Port has been a consistent breaker of records and aerospace barriers, from The Scaled Composites Model 76 Voyager, the first aircraft in history to fly around the world without stopping or refueling (1986), to SpaceShipOne, the first non-governmental rocket ship to space (2004).

The Mojave Desert is situated between the Great Basin Desert to the north and the Sonoran to the south (mainly between 34 and 38°N latitudes). A rainshadow desert, the Mojave is defined by a combination of latitude, elevation, geology, and indicator plants. Elevations are generally between three and six thousand feet, although the famous Death Valley National Park includes both 11,049-foot Telescope Peak and the lowest point in the United States 282 feet below sea level at Badwater.

Ivanpah Solar Power Facility (California) with all three towers under load, Feb., 2014 ~ Sbharris

Ivanpah Solar Power Facility (California) with all three towers under load, Feb., 2014 ~ by Sbharris

There are several solar power plants in the Mojave Desert supplying power to the US electricity grid. Insolation (solar radiation) in the Mojave Desert is among the best available in the United States, and some significant population centres are located in the area. These plants can generally be built in a few years because solar plants are built almost entirely with modular, readily available materials. Some of the plants are on the eastern side near Boulder City, Nevada – SE of Las Vegas. The world’s largest solar plant, Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating project, is south-west of Las Vegas and opened on February 13, 2014. There are some others on the Californian side around Lancaster and Barstow, around an hour from the Space Port, proving a factual basis for the ‘accident’ that creates the world of Gossamer Steel.

M is also for the goddess Mielikki, Magerøya Isle in The Country, and for MMORPG Gossamer Steel avatar Manushri in @Wyrm Bait’.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders ~ I is for Ithaka ~ J is for Junk ~ K is for Kitsune ~ L is for Lorelei

K is for Kitsune

April 12, 2014 by Roland Clarke

K is for Kitsune: Japanese folklore in origin, Kitsune is the nickname of one of the protagonists in “Wyrm Bait”, the cyber-mystery set against the MMORPG set in the world of Gossamer Steel,.

Kitsune are Japanese foxes, which are common in their folklore. There are two types of Kitsune: the zenko, who are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with the god Inari; and there are the mischievous yako, who sometimes are malicious as well. In some stories Kitsune’s intelligence and magical abilities increase with age. Foremost among these abilities is that of assuming human form, sometimes to trick people but more often featuring as guardians, friends, lovers and wives.

Kitsune can have up to nine tails, as they become older, wiser and more powerful. In some legends one tail is dominant and only by removing this tail, can a Kitsune be subdued. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a deity.

Inari and its fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade kogitsune-maru (Little Fox) at the end of the 10th century. The legend is the subject of the noh drama Sanjō Kokaji. By Ogata Gekkō

Kitsune feature in art down the ages, including modern art forms like mangas and video games. They are the basis for the venomancer class in Perfect World, characters who are a woman with a few fox-like features including ears and a tail, but they can turn into a fox while fighting.

K is for two other creatures from folklore, the korrigan and the kornblock. In Breton folklore, a Korrigan is a fairy or dwarf-like spirit, while in Germany and Scandinavia the kornblockes are goat-bodied creatures that are said to help grow grain and corn, but will steal or spoil it if given a reason.

K is also for the Kainga, the corporation behind the solar array that triggers the apocalypse in Gossamer Steel.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

I is for Ithaka

April 10, 2014 by Roland Clarke

I is for Ithaka: Ithaka: The Tapestry is a game developed by Prinaka, the company behind the ‘Gossamer Steel’ MMORPG that appears in the cyber-mystery ‘Wyrm Bait’.

Ithaca is the home of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, and Ithaka is also a famous poem by the Greek poet C P Cavafy that pays homage to Homer’s Odyssey, one of the greatest epic poems written. After the victory of the Greeks in the Trojan War, Odysseus sets sail for his home on Ithaca. But, as the mastermind behind the Trojan Horse deception, he had incurred the wrath of the God Poseidon, who tries to ensure that he never reaches his wife Penelope and their son Telemachus. On his ten year journey, Odysseus faces cyclops, lotus-eaters, sea monsters, and hostile giants, then finds himself trapped by the beautiful nymph Calypso on an island. When he finally reaches home, Odysseus reclaims control of Ithaca. But if you don’t know the full story read more here.

Cavafy’s poem addresses our personal journey to Ithaka, and pays homage to Homer’s epic poem. For an excellent article on “Ithaka” with a link to a powerful Sean Connery reading, with music by Vangelis, go to: http://ninaalvarez.net/2008/08/09/poem-video-of-the-day-ithaca/

I is also for Inventors and for India, which as Bhārata is central to the world’s survival. In the world of Gossamer Steel an Indian engineer attempts to unlock the secret to teleportation. Without inventors and inventions going back to the wheel and earlier, humanity would not have progressed as far as we have. The inventions have been made by people all over the globe, not just in the West. There have been periods, such as the Industrial Revolution, when enormous strides have been made, although sometimes these periods have been times of war. Not every invention has been beneficial, although are the scientist to blame or the paymasters? Many of the inventions that arise in the world of Gossamer Steelare rooted in our current world, although the apocalypse precipitates their creation.

I is also for the ice-wraiths that terrorise The Country, imps and idad or yew, one of the Ogham trees.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders

H is for Herders

April 9, 2014 by Roland Clarke

H is for Herders: In our tour of the world of Gossamer Steel the herders are descended from the nomads of Eurasia and the Sámi, the indigenous people of The Country. They have common roots and to them the land and its spirits are sacred, and they revere the world that has always been called Sapmi.

For centuries herders have practised Nomadic Pastoralism, moving their livestock to fresh pastures on which to graze. The herded livestock include cattle, yaks, sheep, goats, reindeer, horses, donkeys or camels, or a mix of species. Nomadic pastoralism is commonly practised in regions with little arable land, with the herders seeking out the grazing wherever available. Historically this lifestyle has, in some instances, led to warrior-based cultures that have made them fearsome enemies of settled people, notably in the case of the Mongols and Magyars.

Of the estimated 30–40 million nomadic pastoralists worldwide, most are found in central Asia and the Sahel region of West Africa. Other areas include the Arabian Peninsula inhabited by Bedouins, as well as Northeast Africa inhabited by Somalis.

In areas of harsh climate, the nomadic pastoralists have traditional grazing grounds that they move their herds between. These herders, found in Northern Europe and Russia, include the indigenous Sami, Nenets, Tsaatans, and Chukchis. These are the basis for the Herders in Gossamer Steel, with their lifestyles revolving around reindeer herding.

Dhuka herder moving his reindeer ~ Image: Uluc Kecik

H is also for HAV – Hybrid Air Vehicles, which are modified airships designed for freight or surveillance. With the rising cost of fuel, HAV are becoming one way forward in aviation, especially when attempting to access remote areas with heavy loads. In the 21^st century many of the drawbacks with conventional airships are being resolved, and this is a growth area. In a world without oil, this technology will become crucial to a new world.

In our tour of the world of Gossamer Steel, H is also for antagonist Hubert Green, and for the Hearthalls, centre of learning and of pilgrimage in The Country.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda

G is for Garuda

April 8, 2014 by Roland Clarke

G is for Garuda: The Garuda (from the Sanskrit: Garuḍa गरुड or “devourer”) is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. In the world of ‘Gossamer Steel’ it exists in the self-reliant land of Bhārata, where myth and a greenpunk solutions exist alongside each other. An airship called Garuda, piloted by Captain Devaki, is essential to the exploits of Dravidian pirates. Garudas also play a central role in the cyber-mystery ‘Wyrm Bait’, appearing in the ‘Gossamer Steel’ MMORPG in the climactic in-game battle.

Appearing in several legends and venerated all over South East Asia, the Garuda is the mount of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism but has his own independent scriptures. In Buddhism, the Garudas are a race of winged beings that were the enemies of the Nagas, serpent beings, until the Buddha made peace between them. Both Thailand and Indonesia use the Garuda in various forms as their national symbols, including the sign of the Thai Royal family, and in stylised form as the logo of Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia.

“Garuda Statue” by antpkr

G is also for Gliders, engine-less heavier-than-air craft, capable of sustained flight. With recreational, sport and military applications, they have ranged from solo use to landing military units with equipment; although the latter have been superseded by helicopters and short-take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft.

Towed into the air or carried by a plane as payload, then released, glider’s aerodynamic shape allows them to remain aloft longer. Certain types can climb and soar using updrafts and thermals, in the same was as large gliding birds, such as owls and hawks, which are often seen circling inside a thermal to gain altitude without flapping their wings.

For sport/recreation there are three types of gliders, sailplanes, hang-gliders and para-gliders, although the latter are used by the military for dropping troops into remote areas. The latter two are primarily solo craft are either made of an aluminium alloy or composite-framed fabric wing, or are wing-shaped parachutes. They are light and manoeuvrable enough to be launched by the user from a high location such as a hill or cliff. In one Gossamer Steel tale, Captain Devaki uses a hybrid hang/para-glider that is more akin to the aerobatic wings used for Parabatix.

Hang Glider ~ Image courtesy of Dominic Harness / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In our tour of the Gossamer Steel world, G is also for giants, goblins, gremlins, gnomes, ghosts, protagonist Niels Gundersson and the antagonist Hubert Green.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks