Thursday, August 25, 2005

Spinning Some Maps

With new travellers wandering into our realm someone might like to explore some cartography and begin to map this world.

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Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Baba's Golden Spindle and Tapestry

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In ancient times there were palace run societies and common women were actively involved in cloth, textile industries. Women, often captured and kidnapped in raids, were hauled away to become captive slaves. They were not treated badly, not beaten or fettered but were employed in palaces and temples. Often they married local men and had children and were too encumbered to run away. Women worked chiefly in spinning and weaving, not for pleasure but as a part of a substantial industry. The palace manipulated business like an orb spider. It had a range of talented people in its web. You are taken because of your talent, to a palace and presented with a golden spindle, gold thread and beads. The looms have half finished cloth on them. Your task is to weave a story much as those who wove the Bayeaux Tapestries.

Baba Yaga was not amused when Koshchey the Terrible attempted to kidnap the talented women who had been working for her so she sent her three knights, the Red, White and Black and they found the place where Koshchey had enslaved the women and put them in front of golden spindles.

After a few harsh words the knights bought back the troupe, together with their spindles, golden thread and beads and they are now working near Baba's, spinning, preparing to head off on a Caravan expedition to the camp of the Amazon Queen where they will be able to display and perhaps sell their wares. Just one of the things that they are working on is a tapestry that details the journey they have undertaken todate.

Of course, by the time their caravan finally reaches the Amazonian Camp they will have even more wonderful stories to tell.

Sibyl Enchanteur