The Tuesday Sundries - Cave of the Mounds

Since moving north a few years ago, I've been meaning to visit Cave of the Mounds.  It's "a natural limestone cave located near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin" and "is named for two nearby hills."  I've been an RPGer since folks first began publishing RPGs but hadn't until this last weekend been underground in a cave complex.

I'm sure true spelunkers would categorize my experience as touristy, and it was, but being in Cave of the Mounds for nearly an hour was one of the highlights of this year for me.  It's not far west of Madison and anyone in northern Illinois or southern Wisconsin could easily make a day trip of it.

It costs less than twenty bucks and just under ten for kids, though I paid the extra six dollars for a one-year membership with the intention of getting back there a couple more times.  Even if circumstances prevent me from returning, I'll feel it was money spent well for the preservation of this beautiful, natural landmark.  More photos from my trip (nearly 200) can be seen in my Facebook album here and Google Plus album here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Art & Artists

Over on discovermagazine.com, they ask "Who Were the World's First Artists?"  Find out more here.

Also, on siberiantimes.com, they share a "4,000 year old art gallery found in Siberia" here.

Finally, on the CBS Sunday Morning YouTube channel, they highlight a "Cave-digging artist [who] finds inspiration underground."  Enjoy!

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Tunnels Revisited

I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago on "Ancient Tunnels" here but wanted to revisit tunnels again.  Over on quora.com, a curious person asked "What techniques were used to construct tunnels, during ancient and medieval times, to meet exactly at the same point midway?"  Find out here.

Also, on atlasobscura.com, they tell us "We Still Don't Know Why Medieval Europeans Built Their Mysterious 'Erdstall' Tunnels" here.

Finally, on dailymail.co.uk, they let us know "Tunnels of war: 200-year-old passages where French prisoners were held during the Napoleonic Wars go on sale for £19,000" here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Crystals

Over on crystalage.com, they detail the many "Stone Types" here.

Also, on sciencealert.com, "Scientists might have finally figured out where the rarest crystals on Earth formed."  Find out here.

Finally, on telegraph.co.uk, they shared the "Amazing caves of giant crystals inside the Naica Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico" here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Ancient Locations

Over on aleteia.org, they tell us that "A 1500-Year-Old Underground Byzantine Church Is Found in Turkey."  Find out more here.

Also, on seeker.com, we're told of "3,400-Year-Old Necropolis Found in Egypt" here.

Finally, on acorjordan.wordpress.com, we're asked "What Lies Beneath?"  And we're given "New Insights into Petra’s Temple of the Winged Lions [from] The American Center of Oriental Research Blog."  Learn more here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Ancient Tunnels

Over on smithsonianmag.com, "A Secret Tunnel Found in Mexico May Finally Solve the Mysteries of Teotihuacán."  Find out more here.

Also, on spiegel.de, discover "Rome's Tremendous Tunnel: The Ancient World's Longest Underground Aqueduct" here.

Finally, on ancient-origins.net, "Extensive Ancient Underground Networks [have been] Discovered Throughout Europe."  Learn more at here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Hidden Waters

Over on environment.nationalgeographic.com, they treat us to "11 Rivers Forced Underground" here.

Also, on offbeattenn.com, they tell us of "The largest underground lake in the US is under Tennessee" here.

Finally, on newscientist.com, they recently revealed a "Huge never-before-seen lake spotted hiding under Antarctic ice" here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Alchemy, Spells, & Hell

Over on travelpast50.com, check out "The Museum of Alchemy" here.

Also, on livescience.com, they reveal that an "Ancient Egyptian Handbook of Spells [has been] Deciphered" here.

Finally, on hell.lolwot.com, they share "10 Versions Of Hell From Different Mythologies" here.  Many who have gamed in my own campaign world of Grymvald over the years might be aware that the underworld is generally known as Tartarus.  The name was lifted from Greek mythology though the details are utterly different.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Underground City, Kingdom, & Ocean

Over on industrytap.com, "This 5,000-Year-Old Underground City was Just Unearthed in Cappadocia, Turkey."  Learn more here.

Also, on brightside.me, "A Real Underground Kingdom" is the subject of an excellent pictorial here.

Finally, on extremetech.com, "Scientists discover an ocean 400 miles beneath our feet that could fill our oceans three times over."  Find out more here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Mummies, Caverns, & Reclaimed Village

Over on forbes.com, "DNA Reveals These Red-Haired Chinese Mummies Come From Europe And Asia."  Learn more here.

Also, on hoopladaily.com, see "18 Never Been Seen Photos Of The Er Wang Dong Caverns" here.

Finally, on dangerousminds.net, check out "Fascinating photographs of an abandoned Chinese fishing village reclaimed by nature" here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Melting Ice, Lost Tunnels, & Rugged Mountains

Over on sciencealert.com, an "animation shows what Earth would look like if all the ice melted" here.

Also, on bbc.com, they discover "The lost tunnels buried deep beneath the UK" and specifically Liverpool here.

Finally, on the National Geographic YouTube channel, a recent video explores the rugged mountains of Grand Teton National Park.  Enjoy.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Luxor Tomb, Rock Churches, & Son Doong Cave

Over on archaeology.org, they tell us of an "18th-Dynasty Tomb Discovered in Luxor" here.

Also, on the Medievalists.net, we learn of an "Ethiopian Pilgrimage: The Rock Churches of Lalibela" here.

Finally, on newsner.com, they featured some fantastic photos of the Son Doong Cave system in Viet Nam here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Turkey's Underworld, Peruvian Sarcophagi, & Destructive Prehistoric Farming

Over on Allen Varbey's website, he shared an article originally published in Dragon Magazine #201 from January 1993 titled "Turkey's Underground Cities: Real-world dungeons" discussing how places like Derinkuyu is rich with ideas for RPG worldbuilding.  Read more here.

Also, a recent article on viralnova.com is titled "Wanna Go Exploring? Check Out These Sarcophagi Deep In Peru" and highlights Karajia, "the site of the tombs of ancient wise men."  See more here.

Finally, io9.com explores "How Farming Almost Destroyed Ancient Human Civilization" here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Chinese Tomb Murals, Roman Skeletons, & the Teotihuacan Tunnel

Over on Live Science, a recent article describes how a "1,000-Year-Old Tomb Reveals Murals, Stars & Poetry."  Read more here.

Also, on sobadsogood.com, discover "Unbelievable Skeletons Unearthed from the Catacombs of Rome."  See more here.

Finally, from the Huffington Post, "Archaeologists Make Incredible Discoveries In Tunnel Sealed 2,000 Years Ago."  Find out more here.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Teotihuacan Tunnel Treasures

Word has been spreading about the magnificent finds, somewhere upwards of 50, 000 objects.  Read more here and here and enjoy the video below from the Vefpressan Pressan Bleikt Eyjan YouTube channel.

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Underworld Ocean

Not quite as advertised but this underworld ocean concept on Live Science is a rather amazing one.  Read more here!

Cueva de las Manos - The Cave of Hands

In the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina, south of the town of Perito Moreno. lies a cave; The Cave of Hands. Read more here!

Dwarven Forge Unleased

I might normally post this on MFWARS.com but it really is quite the adventure and setting.  Use a browser that will translate the language for you and enjoy this more here!

3D Walkthrough of Lascaux Cave

Over on lascaux.culture.fr there is a 3D walkthrough of the Lascaux cave complex with all the prehistoric art one would expect.  While there, be sure to explore the various panels and make note of the levels of the cave system.  The walk-through has a clever way of denoting how you climb deeper into the earth that feels rather natural.  Below is the Panel of the Wounded Man but see more here!

Underground Mayan Observatory

According to a recent National Geographic YouTube video, the Mayans had an underground observatory.  Enjoy!