Thom vs the Plague-bearer Daemon

[Thom Stépan]

As I am working on this challenge my theme is starting to take on more form. With the whole Corona virus pandemic I think it is ideal to use this as a way to add flavour to my challenge. I am not exactly sure how the challenge will develop. After all the pandemic is going to be part of our lives for the next six months at least, so it's not like I can kill the plague-bearer daemon in one challenge. Maybe it will involve me hunting and tracking it down. Or just surviving the effects of a plague daemon on my world. H'mm I may even get back into some creative writing with this challenge. Let's see how I go.

 

 

So my goals for this challenge:

 

To Defeat the Daemon one must Study the Daemon

Study with the uni going into shut down there will be no more on campus classes. I need to focus on maintaining my study habits and get my assignments in. I am studying two subjects and it is recommended to spend 10 - 15 hours per week on each subject. So that is my goal, ten hours per week per subject studying. 

 

To Defeat the Daemon one must hunt the Daemon

Walking I love my walks they help clear my head, and help me feel good in the mornings. Ideally walking daily is best, however as long as I get a minimum of three times per week I will be okay with this. 

 

To Fight the Daemon one must be Stronger than the Daemon

Bodyweight Workouts I have been a bit slack with my physio exercises for my knee. Which is not good. I need to get these going consistently. This goal is vital not only for strengthening my joints, but also with the lock down it may become the primary means of exercise. I also need to start doing some upper body and core strengthening exercises as well. This is a good time to bring back the NF BBWW routine. The goal will be three times per week. 

[Thom Stépan]

What the? Strike throughs on everything I just wrote. Bloody technology. 

 

[Thom Stépan]

Some Warhammer-y goodness, or foulness considering the image.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

My GL/Admin powers couldn't remove the strikethroughs. Did you copy+Paste them into the text box?

[Xena]

The strikethroughs are a little weird, but I was still able to read it, and it looks good!

 

 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

If that's the weirdest tech thing I have to deal with today ..... I'm good.  

 

Following, of course.

[DarK_RaideR]

I cast Dispel Magic and fixed it, but the spell also removed the formatting

[Xena]

2 hours ago, DarK_RaideR said:

I cast Dispel Magic and fixed it

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

5 hours ago, DarK_RaideR said:

I cast Dispel Magic and fixed it, but the spell also removed the formatting

Well done commander.

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

On 3/24/2020 at 2:55 PM, DarK_RaideR said:

I cast Dispel Magic and fixed it, but the spell also removed the formatting

 

[Thom Stépan]

Morning all, 

Thanks @DarK_RaideR, it is better to lose the pretty colours than to put up with the strikethroughs. My PC is slowly dying, but hopefully with the upcoming stimulus package I may be able to afford a new one that will be able to function reasonably well. 

 

Things have been a bit odd this past week. First with the social isolation and lock downs actually starting for us. We now currently have 4 confirmed cases here in Wagga Wagga. I have been walking every other day. Thursday my Theo started talking about upgrading our camping equipment and creating a bug out crate for food. I think between the fires and the virus he has been thinking more in terms of prepping for disasters. Which is a sensible thing to be honest, so long as we don't go too overboard. Then yesterday Bec called me frantically just after 8 am. Our dog Kodi, had a massive gash on his chest just under his left leg. I won't share a picture, it was bad. Not much bleeding though. So I ended up staying there for the day. Helping her feel calm, and watching the kiddos. My highlight was watching Frozen 2 with Elaina and Chris. After a bucket load of stitches Kodi is okay and has a drain in. The best we can figure out is he fell on a broken plastic outdoor chair that was left behind by the previous tenants. The chair was upside down in the wood storage section of brick BBQ. 

 

Goals for Zero week.

 

Study the Daemon

I have completed my first assessment tasks for both subjects and handed them in on time. My Lit one caused me the most grief. Part one was to choose any poem, song or ballad that I knew well and write 150 words as to why it was important to me. Trying to choose one was the hard part. In the end i chose a poem I had published in 1999, I doubt if more than a couple of hundred people have ever read it. But it fit the topic. 

 

Hunt the Daemon

I have gotten three walks in this past week. Monday and Wednesday I walked 1.6km. A reasonable distance that got me out of the house and doing something. Yesterday I increased my long walk to 3.2km which is great. Going to leave it at that for a bit and improve on my pace slowly. I am currently walking 12.50's/km at the moment. My 3.2km took me 40 minutes. Yes I am very happy with my progress so far. 

 

Stronger than the Daemon

I need to get started on this one. I haven't done anything this week. 

 

 

It started with rumours, as such things always did. People got sick and were dying. Nothing unusual about that, but there was something different this time. The Storytellers spoke of people getting sick in their hundreds, and scores of people dying. Something to do with bats. The stories were hazy, coming from a far off land to the north. Then people started getting the same illness in Koori country, and it started spreading. Some claimed it was a punishment for evil sent by their god. Others said it was a conspiracy or a hoax. Ansgar felt something different about this one. The Parliament declared that people shouldn't travel and to stay at home. Hospitals were struggling to look after the sick, People started fighting over suppiies in fear. Then the illness was named, the Crown plague.

Early in the mornings Ansgar walked the empty streets of Dancing Crows. There was something wrong. It felt different to other sicknesses that he had seen in his lifetime. It was malevolent, with an intelligence of its own it seemed. The healers and leeches were overwhelmed, priests claimed that their god would protect them, then died. Now the Crown plague had come to Wiradjuri country. Ansgar gripped his staff tighter as he walked the deserted streets. How to survive this?

 

 

[ladyofthebog]

I'm back and so glad to see you are here. This is a very interesting time to be living in and I'm looking forward to see how these time treats you and yours.

[RES]

Following of course! I hope Kodi is okay and happy that you get time with your children  

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

On 3/27/2020 at 3:02 PM, Thom Stépan said:

Trying to choose one was the hard part.

 

OMG, that WOULD be the hardest part.  

 

Good start to the adventures!!!

[Xena]

Great job with the school work and walking!

[Thom Stépan]

Update time. 

 

Kodi is home from the vet, with the cone of shame. Poor puppy, he is being such a sooky la-la at the moment lapping up all the extra attention. I spent a fair bit of time at Bec's on Sunday so she could sleep as Kodi was whimpering all night. 

 

Yesterday was a downer for me. I couldn't walk much without my stick, knee was way to sore. Resting today as well. I have been seeing a lot of FB posts from friends who are taking the time to enjoy their crafts and hobbies whilst at home. I realised that I can't do any crafting as I lost all my craft equipment when Bec and I broke up. Until the stimulus money the Aussie government has promised comes through, I won't be able to replace it. I also don't actually have anywhere to do my crafts either, except the lounge room floor. Woke up feeling a bit brighter. So at least I know it isn't a return of the Black Dog and his bloody trolls. 

 

Ansgar sat quietly in his small home, what to do? What is going on? He cast the runes, and saw something very troubling. No ordinary plague, but one created by a Daemon. Surely the Healers and Leeches would sort this out, and the augurs would be searching for the plague daemon, wouldn't they? Ansgar knew he had to do something, but what? He could read and learn. he could get ready, if the plague daemon manifested in Dancing Crows he would be ready to help. If not, then his actions would calm his troubled mind and spirit. "Better get to work, then". he said to himself. 

[Thom Stépan]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:54 PM, ladyofthebog said:

I'm back and so glad to see you are here. This is a very interesting time to be living in and I'm looking forward to see how these time treats you and yours.

Woohoo!

Good to see you too, found your latest challenge and following. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

2 hours ago, Thom Stépan said:

Kodi is home from the vet, with the cone of shame. Poor puppy, he is being such a sooky la-la at the moment lapping up all the extra attention. I spent a fair bit of time at Bec's on Sunday so she could sleep as Kodi was whimpering all night. 

 

Remember the magic word?

If you are doing so much for Bec, it's fair to ask for some of that craft stuff.

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

20 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

it's fair to ask for some of that craft stuff.

 

What he said!!!  Big soulful eyes, if needed ....

 

[Thom Stépan]

On 3/31/2020 at 1:12 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Remember the magic word?

If you are doing so much for Bec, it's fair to ask for some of that craft stuff.

 

Sadly it was stolen along with a brand new chainsaw and several other items, from the farm as she was in the process of moving house. 

 

Just have to replace things. 

[Thom Stépan]

So far this week has been a bit dodgy, tried for a walk earlier this week. Made it to the corner before my knee gave out. Slowly made my way home. Walked a measly 350 metres, it took me 6 minutes. Not a grumble so much as a sadness as walking has become very hard and I enjoy walking so much. Anyway, such is life. 

 

This week I have spent a fair bit of time helping Bec, she has been a bit sick so I have helped with shopping and cooking at least one meal a day, usually dinner. Yesterday she went to the hospital struggling to breathe, asthma and cold like symptoms don't go well together. She got the full run down, but no check for the plague. Yes she has all the matching symptoms, but because she hasn't been overseas or in direct contact with one of the current confirmed cases. So she may or may not have it. She has to self isolate and act if she has Covid 19. 

 

She wanted me and Theo to move in with her, so I could look after everyone, and Theo could go to work from there. Only drawback is Theo can't work if he is living with someone sick. So I said I would spend the mornings doing my stuff and after lunch go around and help Bec stay and cook dinner before heading home. Yes, on my sore knee. Well that went down like a lead balloon. Apparently all I care about is money, I refused to engage in the argument she was wanting on messenger. Then she posts on facebook how the only person who could help her won't because he only cares about money. No I haven't engaged there either. Sigh. 

 

This morning I managed to do my leg strengthening exercises and a round of BBWW. 10 Wall pushups, 10 one arm rows with an 8 kilo kettlebell and a ten second plank. No lunges though as I am doing other stuff to strengthen the knee. 

 

Study has been sucky this week. 

 

On other things I am in the process of creating a persona for the SCA. Ansgar is a Thegn from Northumbria in the year 1054, he injured his right leg in the war with the Scots of Macbeth. Ansgar's father is a Dane who was a part of Cnut's army in 1016, Erik was awarded land near Tyneside in Bernicia. Ansgar's mother is Aethelflaed, a daughter of a Thegn from Bamburgh. Also I have been working on creating my device, SCA coat of arms, as well. I am loving the Heraldry stuff as it is a welcome distraction. Ignore the fluff around the shield. The blazon would go; Argent, chevron azure, three acorns azure. Nice and simple hopefully I can get it passed along with my name. Yes, technically such heraldry was not used in the early 11th century. But that is why the A stands for Anachronism. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

12 hours ago, Thom Stépan said:

She wanted me and Theo to move in with her, so I could look after everyone, and Theo could go to work from there. Only drawback is Theo can't work if he is living with someone sick. So I said I would spend the mornings doing my stuff and after lunch go around and help Bec stay and cook dinner before heading home. Yes, on my sore knee. Well that went down like a lead balloon. Apparently all I care about is money, I refused to engage in the argument she was wanting on messenger. Then she posts on facebook how the only person who could help her won't because he only cares about money. No I haven't engaged there either. Sigh. 

Good for not enganging her. She wants that fight even more than she wants you to live with her.

[Xena]

Sorry about your knee. Good that you know what to do to work on strengthening it.

Yes, Bec's problems are not your problems. Help where you can because you are kind person and you care about the kids, but I see no reason why you should live there.

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

On 4/4/2020 at 3:15 AM, Thom Stépan said:

On other things I am in the process of creating a persona for the SCA. Ansgar is a Thegn from Northumbria in the year 1054, he injured his right leg in the war with the Scots of Macbeth. Ansgar's father is a Dane who was a part of Cnut's army in 1016, Erik was awarded land near Tyneside in Bernicia. Ansgar's mother is Aethelflaed, a daughter of a Thegn from Bamburgh. Also I have been working on creating my device, SCA coat of arms, as well. I am loving the Heraldry stuff as it is a welcome distraction. Ignore the fluff around the shield. The blazon would go; Argent, chevron azure, three acorns azure. Nice and simple hopefully I can get it passed along with my name. Yes, technically such heraldry was not used in the early 11th century. But that is why the A stands for Anachronism. 

 

YEA!!!  My SCA persona is Christiana de Lacy, 12th Century Englishwoman, teacher of arithmetic and yeoman archer.  I had been playing around with a device that hasn't been submitted yet.  

 

Do you have local people to play with??  That's been my biggest challenge is that there's no one closer than an hour away.  

 

 

[Thom Stépan]

Quick update, my old computer finally died. Today I am working with my new [refurbished] all in one PC. Damn this sucker is fast and the screen feels huge to me. I had an old 17 inch monitor, that was nearly square shaped. This sucker is a wide screen 22 inch and I love it. For the computer nerds, this is a HP EliteOne 800, with a 4th gen i7 processor and 8 GB RAM. Yes I know it is older tech, but it is still a hell of a lot better than what I was trying to work with. 

 

@Chris-Tien Jinn, Lady de Lacy has a beautiful device. I am very lucky to have a local group. We were a part of the Shire of Bordescros, which is based in Albury-Wodonga on the NSW Victoria border, about two hours south of us. But over the last 4 years our numbers have grown and we are in the process of becoming a shire in our own right. We are the incipient Shire of Strathcorbie in the Kingdom of Lochac. The name has been accepted and now we are just waiting on an event with Crown in order to be made official. Maybe Fields of Gold will go ahead in October/November. This plague has been hard on our kingdom. On the plus side there are a heap of new training videos coming out so that is a bonus.