Picture perfect

There could by two ways to look at this picture. One, a roleplaying way, Tarn and Eweev contemplating a beautiful hill on Dantooine. Two friends, very close.

The other way could be less roleplayed and simply state that it feels good to take a break, look at the scenery while hunting graul marauders. Only 40 left...

Dantooine: Stones in Small Hill

3858 167, elevation 15. On top of a small lake island, an outward pointing circle of eigh megalith limestones. The Dantari don't use boats or rafts despite extensive use of water resources, so bringing the stones to the location is an issue. This indirectly supports the theory that Dantari Rockshapers are Force adepts.

Dantooine: ???

7020 1015, elevation 2. A thune skeleton.

Dantooine: Tribal Huts (II)

6605 1887, elevation 1. Two small stone and thatch huts. Two Mokk shamans. A discarded whetstone, a pontoon using platform technology. This location could be construed as a fishing village, but the disuse and the (re)allocation by the shamans suggest that within Mokk culture, riverside / lakeside settlements carry a mystical value.

Museum of Natural History (XV)

A new sign for the Museum of Natural History is now visible from Kimogila Way, this sign, with its bats and rustic looks seemed quite in line with the contents of the building.

Also, as a Galactic Moon Festival sign, it acts as reminder that the Museum is also a place where traditional cultures have their crafts and traditions displayed.

Hope you'll enjoy the visit!

From Tatooine to Ord Mantell to Ord Mantell to Lok to Dathomir

This was a busy instance run week end and it was good. It started on Friday evening with a successful Tusken King instance. The group was good (special kudos for Enkarn who teamed with yours truly in the Slums near Wattoo's), though we made it through phase II by a thread (1 citizen left). Phase III was a breeze.

Ambiance was good and the constituting group enjoyed a good silly moment at Dantooine Mission Outpost to rebuff and replace those that left (see this dancing pic, notice the flourish :).

With such a good moment, about half of the group signed up for ISD and other good friends (Kohaeg and Brite) joined up. With some lazy flying with the yacht we arrived undisturbed aboard the ISD and painfully moved from the landing bay to the corridor. After that corridor, it was mostly a piece of cake.

24h later, new ISD run, again, from Dantooine Mission Outpost as a starting point, the group took a little moment to constitue, but what a group! The fastest ISD run I was given to do (less than 50mns, the "forced entry" buff was still on for a good moment when we were dividing loot at Coronet Spaceport). Needless to say that all went well.

How to resist doing some more ? Not possible, and off to Lok for the IG-88 instance. With a meticulous clearing of the droids outside, it was time for all to go in...all but one who dropped group just outside the instance. Not a good idea really. Still, we perseverance, IG-88 was defeated but that was a bit exerting.

Still, not exerting enough, so we thought, for a third run. By then, daylight saving kicked in in Europe and granted this avid player an extra hour of gameplay (yay), and we launched to the bowels of Dathomir. There, however, tiredness, uncoordination, bad luck and miscommunication took the better of an otherwise good group. It was a good moment, intense and really, to be redone.

Overall, it was also the opportunity to add 4% of various skills, get 4 tokens and get closer to those prized jewelry sets.

Thanks for the runs all!

Treasure Hunting (IV)

This activity provides an endless fun. Not only its theme is evocative (treasures from the Jedi Enclave), but it provides an excuse for collections (Treasure Hunter) and the associated badge, some good loot, and last but not least, good moments spent with friends.

In this occurrence, Enkarn and I (and the familiars and the droids) ended up digging six treasures for a, ahem, meager result. But it was good moment nonetheless and we had the opportunity to fight a fun looking opponent (see pic). As Obi Wan once said, "he's more machine than man".

Dantooine: Stone Heads

4640 3640, elevation 9. This site is most unexpected and perhaps yield clues as to the origin of the Dantari statues. It is highly recommended that further exploration of the site be undertaken.

The site consists of six Dantari statues, positioned in two rows of three facing each other. At the end of the passage composed by the statues, an arch from the Golden Dome Culture and at the other end, a Nabooian statue head, similar to the ones incorrectly attributed to the Gungan. Janta scouts remain in the vicinity of the site.
Unless extraordinary circumstances, it is likely that the arch and the Nabooian statue come from the same builders, thus pointing to a link between Naboo and the Golden Dome Culture. In addition, the Nabooian statue, with its decoration may represent an exogenous element to the decoration of the Dantari Statues. As it was noted earlier, the Dantari Statues wear jewelry, something completely absent from the Dantari culture. While the Nabooian statue wears a different type of jewelry (tiara, forehead dot, three-piece earing) it is, until now, the only other element having some.

If we are to recall the sites that encompass both Dantari and Golden Dome Culture, especially those using complex architectural intertwining (zigurats or hidden valley), this site strongly suggest that a Naboo population occupied Dantooine at some point in the past and left elements that have, over time, translated in Dantari culture, as exemplified by the large amount of statues used solely in relation with more traditional Dantari elements (markers notably).

Dantooine: Platform Wooden

4339 3908, elevation 26. A funerary platform overlooking a lake. There are no votive offerings associated with the corpse, though, it is positionned on a mat. Two thune skulls decorate the platform. Judging from the importance of the caretakers, it is likely that the corpse was an honored member of the Mokk clan. Indeed, a Clan Leader, two warriors and three herbalists remain on location. In addition, a marker also wards the access to the platform.

Dantooine: Marker

2736 3356, elevation 21. A marker on top of limestone boulders, guarded by two Janta Soothsayers. This structure overlooks the lake downhill and the marker wards access from the lake.

Dantooine: Stone Block

2106 2837, elevation 21. This odd structure of unknown function is a cubic block of 15x15x15 with four golden domes on top of it. The structure overlooks a body of water and a Dantari marker is nearby, seemingly warding off the access to the structure.

The structure material is sandstone, and the structure shape suggest that it was built by the sandstone linear culture. However, there presence of the four golden domes, similar in shape, size and texture to those left by the Golden Dome Culture are intriguing. The combination of those two elements suggest that one culture borrowed from the other one.

Dantooine: Three Walls

Undisclosed Location. A destroyed Rebel perimeter, this perimeter protected a subspace communication antenna as well as various light materials. There are currently abandoned Rebel personnel still using the base as a landmark, though cautiously because of nearby Imperial presence.

Dantooine: Seven Arches

1316 2967, elevation 6. This site is surprising on several counts.

First, it is only the second site of the Sandstone Linear Culture on the planet. Second, it uses both natural landscape and human engineering (road).

The site consists of seven unevenly separated arches positioned over the road, on a length of 86x.

Dantooine: Debris (II)

1787 3202, elevation 1. During the exploration, I came across what seemed to be a recently crashed Rebel ship with two survivors (stranded Rebel scouts).

While their ship is of unrecognisable make, it is still possible to make up for the ship fuselage, two damaged crates, one half buried R5 unit and the possible dome of another R-unit. A stranger element of the fuselage is visible on location. The diameter of this element, the internal structure, suggesting metal construction and the apparent fused plates suggest that it is indeed part of the ship, to be confirmed.

I have let the scouts used my radio and communicate with what I would assume be the "abandoned" Rebel base. I have decided not to report their presence to Imperial command or what is supposed to be planetary authorities.

On a side note, the debris of their ship may be those that are scattered on the planet and, to some extent, integrated in Dantari lore.

Dantooine: Fishing Platform

1048 3623, elevation 0. A Kunga fishing platform. This structure seems to be one of a kind.

The platform is built on stilts directly in the water. It is large enough for two thatched huts to be built upon it, support the weight of a whetstone, a tanned hide, a fishrack and four Kunga hunters.

The choice of a thatched huts may, in this case, be explained with the precarious architecture, leaving little room for limestone buildings.

Of note, this fishing platform is used by "hunters", thus indicating the Kungas - and perhaps the Dantari at large - have no social function related to fishing. This appears as an interesting social biais given the oft observed fish dietary use of the Dantari.

Dantooine: Random observations

While moving from one site to the next, I came across this Mokk hunter lean-to. It is the first occurence of such a structure.

Unconnected to this observation is the various names used by Dantari Raiders among themselves: Raider, Strategist, Battlelord. To my knowledge, no other tribe uses such titles.

If they are indeed the only ones using such titles, it would confirm that the current Dantari society is evolving from a hunter gatherer society, mostly nomadic, to a more pastoral society with semi permanent outposts or camps and seasonal use of crops.

Dantooine: Three Huts

271 3550, elevation 1. Three thatched huts positioned in triangle, all huts face inward and collapsed fences are still visible.

The position of the collapsed fences suggest that they enclosed this small village rather than they were used to keep domesticated animals.

This site adds to the series of abandoned or damaged thatched huts, suggesting that the Dantari have progressively moved away from this type of habitation to the benefit of the sturdier limestone / thatch structures and / or the limestone buildings.

Dantooine: Platform (III)

992 2410, elevation 15. A Janta funerary platform overlooking a lake. Three Janta scouts remain nearby.

The platform is decorated with limestones at the base of the stilts, suggesting perhaps the resting place of a Rockshaper. In addition, two torches are placed alongside the platform. Among the votive offerings, two tanned hides are on the platform and there is no weapon rack. The platform is also decorated with a thune skull and a bol skull. The corpse is placed on a mat.

Dantooine: Columns

218 2146, elevation 1. Across the river, columns from the Jedi Temple Ruin Culture. The columns are positioned in two rows of three columns, however, judging from the remains of columns on both sides of the river, it is possible that there were initially, two rows of five columns.

This JTRC site is quite unusual in that it bars a waterway, rather than espouse it (such as on a path, or alongside its banks).

This shows a greater aesthetical research among the JTRC than initially observed.

Dantooine: Statue

-504 2063, elevation 8. A Dantari statue overlooks a promontary above the lake. The area is guarded by a marker crowned with a voritor skull and two Kunga warriors.

The statue is tilted and will probably fall in the water over time.

Dantooine: Arch & Ruin (II)

-752 2090, elevation 1. Just an earshot away from the Mining Outpost, on a small island in the middle of a lake is an open air structure from the Jedi Temple Ruin Culture.

The structure consists of one arch, oriented 85° NW, and seven pillars / columns placed in beehive position.

This structure adds to the already numerous sites left by the Jedi Order on Dantooine. As with most open air structure, its location seems to have been chosen for reasons that are at least aesthetic, but other reasons may also be explored.

Dantooine: Ruins (III)

-1482 2710, elevation 11. Ruins from the "Golden Dome Culture". This appears to have been a single room building with an arched entrance. The entrance is oriented full North (0°). The building size is 19x12.

Four pillars are positioned in two rows of two in front of the building.

Museum of Natural History (XIV)

A new addition to the Museum of Natural History, a jar of larva is now displayed in the Fauna Room.

These larvas have been collected on Naboo, but are quite generic and present on most planets if not all.

Hunting Krayts

It was a good moment to spend with friends in Tatooine's most famous POI. Eweev, Kohaeg, Brite, Aemep, Tarn, two Droidekas and a Separatist Droid, few pets...a large hunting family. A collecting family would be a better term as almost every one was attempting to complete (or start) the Krayt slayer collection.

On the menu, a couple of hours worth of fun hunting Juvenile and Ancient Krayts (among others). With a camp located nearby and an ent at the ready for the unexpected cloning trip, that hunting session went particularly well. Officer support in the form of stim delivery via Lambda shuttle gave the expedition a definite well planned moment...the only difficulty really resulting from low batteries for a Droideka. But, heh, even that contingency was planned for.

Cheers guys, let's do that again soon!

Galactic Moon Festival a reality ?

The odd occurence of a ghost house on Lok. According to the overhead map, a small house should be standing exactly at my location.

Visibly, there is no such house and for some unexpected reason, the server still remembers its location.

This issue has been raised on the official SWG forum and to my knowledge has not received a technical answer.
While it's possible to ponder from a rp perspective that the overhead map uses both live data and registered data. It does raise eyebrows.

Nevertheless, the sheer fun of the oddity makes this incident worthwhile.

Dantooine: Marker & Skull

-1820 3790, elevation 6. A site combining various strong symbolic elements.

The marker or totem, a thune skull and overlooking a lake. Two Mokk scouts seem to guard this place.

Dantooine: Statues

-1288 3870, elevation 18. Five Dantari statues generally aligned with one another and facing generally South West.

This site confirms the repetitive pattern of statues observed in multiple sites. Whereas, statues are grouped together.

Dantooine: Platform (II)

-1821 2803, elevation 2. A fenced platform guarded by three Mokk scouts. The platform is decorated with a weapon rack and a fence.

This is the second Mokk site with a platform that is not currently used for funerary purposes. It therefore raises the possibility that the use of platforms changes from one Dantari tribe to the next.

Dantooine: Fences (II)

-2581 2213, elevation 2. Fences have been positioned in a dry riverbed in such a way as to block the passage. These fences indicate a territorial boundary, reinforced by three markers. The fence is 50x long.

This site, along with the preceding site and the megalith with fences site clearly show territorial occupancy. In this light, the two statues overlooking a road encountered earlier may also indicate territorial occupancy.

The recognized presence of territorial occupancy appears as a precondition to political recognition among the Dantari.

Dantooine: Two Huts (II)

-2533 2608, elevation 21. A Mokk (damaged) village, currently occupied by two hunters.

Two small huts constitute the village, one is decorated with a bol skull on top. A marker overlooks the lake, warding from it. A whetstone is on location. A collapsed fence and two markers seem to indicate a village "entrance".

This site is the first obvious sign of territorial occupancy, with delineation. The presence of the markers may lead to a reinterpretation of former markers, bearing in mind that their primary function may not any longer be restricted to death or danger, but also to territorial occupancy. If such were the case, they would not be directed to members of the tribe, but also to members of other tribes, as a warning of enfrigement.

Dantooine: Ruins (II)

-2485 3430, elevation 1. On an isthmus or landbridge between two lakes, a Jedi Temple Ruin Culture site of a roomed building, 7x10 at the widest.

This type of building has already been seen earlier during the exploration and shows the same asymetrical nature in the building shape. However, among the ruins are two stones not are unusual in appearance of Jedi Temple Ruin Culture sites. At the moment, it is not possible to determine whether the presence of these stones is coincidental or of significance.

Two novice Force mystics were present during the exploration of the site, perhaps on a pilgrimage.

Dantooine: Statues on Hill

-3655 3973, elevation 69. Three Dantari statues atop a hill with two markers overlooking the valley. The lateral statues are tilted, but the central statue is looking 100° SW, towards the landbridge identified in the site "Path and Arches".

City Maintenance (XIX)

From: City Hall
Object: City Maintenance
Date: Wed. Oct. 22nd

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

A total of 54350 credits has been paid from the city treasury for maintenance and upkeep of structure.

Museum of Natural History (XIII-f)

In the Exploration Hall, the addition of a reusable bone, more specifically, a humerus, acts as a reminder of the inherent dangers of confronting wilderness.

Museum of Natural History (XIII-e)

In the Bio-Engineering Room, two new essential displays have been added.

After isolating DNA samples, isomerase and lyase enzimes, it was time to isolate pheronomes.

Here, bat and spider pheronomes have been isolated and can now be displayed.

Museum of Natural History (XIII-d)

In an effort to make the Live Museum more realistic, contextual displays have been added. Notably, these include large spider webs of the kind produced by hermit spiders (also in the Live Museum).

It is necessary to underline how large relative to hermit spiders' size can actual webs be. Such webs, as shown in the Live Museum can easily trap creatures several times the Human size.

Museum of Natural History (XIII-c)

In the Fauna Room, an antenna and a leg are now on display.

These were obtained from capper flappers in Theed, Naboo. The size of these parts is an indication of the relative size of the Nabooian insects.

All the more remarkable is that the Cappers do not have an exoskeleton to maintain their large bodies.

Museum of Natural History (XIII-b)

In the Fauna Room, this replica of a young Krayt Dragon is an opportunity to appreciate the skeleton of these magnificent hunters.

Placed next to the skull of an adult Krayt, it also helps appreciate just how large these creatures grow in size.

Museum of Natural History (XIII-a)

With over 600 items to display in Twin Mountain Base's Museum of Natural History, it was high time to complete a 100 items storage crate item and thus complete yet another collection. The new increment now places the Museum's capacity at 700 items, thus leaving ample room for new pieces.

In this light, many new pieces (9) have been added to the Fauna Room, the Exploration Hall, the Live Museum and the Bio-Engineering room.

These additions will be augmented with a new sign to the Museum, borrowing from the Galactic Moon Festival and new exhibits, so treat your eyes to the new displays and enjoy the visit!

Galactic Moon Festival

With the Galactic Moon Festival going on, strange costumes have been tried on and trick or treating has occured in the otherwise peaceful city of Moenia. From a SWG lore perspective, it's an interesting festival to discover, although explanations will have to be given on why and how The Bloated One managed to push this novel event so far from his home base of Tatooine and what unusual generosity encouraged him to mint "Jabba coins" to give.

Still, surprises abound, be they the disturbing Kashyyyk scarecrows with impaled Wookiees, candles in a skull with a humanoid skull sporting unexpectedly large fangs, numerous items related to the natural world (always a Tarn favorite), and a surprinsing foray into Hutts' physiology is uncovered with the help of the Hutt costume. Indeed, when immersed in the Moenian waters, Hutts swim rather gracefully, gracefully ondulating their body in a lateral fashion, not unlike varactyls or legless reptiles.

Elections anyone ? (IX)

FM: City Hall
Obj: Election won
Date: Wed. Oct. 15

Congratulations, Mayor Tarn Pagott!

The populace of Twin Mountain Base has elected to retain you for another term. Your rights and privileges as Mayor have not changed. The next mayoral election has started and the results will be tabulated in three weeks' time.

The city thanks you for your continued service.

City Maintenance (XVIII)

From: City Hall
Object: City Maintenance
Date: Wed. Oct. 15th

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

A total of 54350 credits has been paid from the city treasury for maintenance and upkeep of structure.

Eweev's tales from Scylla (4)

Tanisi walked into the Captain’s cabin to find Eweev curled up on the bed, shoulders shaking. Soft sobs were muffled by the pillow she held over her face.

He strode quietly over, settling his weight down on the bed beside her. He removed the pillow from her face, brushing the damp, blonde hair back. He stroked his knuckles across her cheek, wiping away the tears.

Eweev opened up red-rimmed eyes and looked up at him. Fresh tears flowed down her face.

Tanisi felt his heart break seeing her this way.

He gathered her up, folding her into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, as he brushed a soft kiss against her forehead.

“What’s wrong, My Lady?” he whispered against her brow.

“What is happening to me?” she choked.

HE stroked her hair. “You’re letting your anger control you,” he told her.

She lifted her head, turning those terror stricken eyes on him. “I’m becoming sith,” she chocked out, her voice hushed.

Tanisi pulled her up, gathering her in closer. He rested her head against his shoulder, stroking her soft, blonde hair.

“You’re not sith, my Dear,” he whispered against her hair, smelling the floral soap she used.

She tilted her head up to look at him. “Then what else is it?”

He cupped her cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb. “You’re a woman who is grieving,” he told her, softly. She was becoming sith, but she had to learn to control her emotion more. She already had an amazing amount of restraint, but she still had a little bit more to learn. “Let him go.”

“I can’t,” she whispered.

Tanisi lowered his lips onto hers, touching them lightly. His arms tightened around her, pulling her soft body against his. He felt her lips move under his.

He pulled back, looking down into those expressive eyes of hers. “You can,” he told her, his voice barely above a whisper. “His hand caressed her face. “I love you, Eweev.”

Eweev blinked away the shock.

He pressed his lips against her forehead.

She pushed him away, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I can’t do this.”

Dantooine: Roads

The Dantooine landscape comprises of many roads and paths, which given the population density is quite surprising. These roads oftentime crisscross a planetary quadrant or extend almost haflway along the planet. Surprisingly, these roads are absent from available cartography and overall maps such as the ones created from a ship sensor's suite do not spot them easily. On the other hand, hand-held location devices and radar indicate quite clearly the roads, even in 1024m magnification.

Why would the Dantari create such roads - oftentimes, carved literally across hills or small mountains, remains to be examined. It is possible that these roads were made from ancient occupants of the planet (Jedi Temple Ruin Culture, Golden Dome Culture, even the Rakata) or are more recent (Spaceborne Culture, Imperial, Alliance).

Dantooine: Path & Arches

-3363 3546, elevation 0. On a natural landbridge across a lake, a site from the "Jedi Temple Ruin Culture".

This site consists of two arches bordering the landbridge and three sets of two columns alongside the landbridge. The arches carry the usual sword wielding statue, and the columns are devoid of any symbol.

The pathway length is 235x long.