Mountains

[close] Books that invite us to reconnect to nature, open our eyes to the wonder of the natural world around us, and inform us about the healing power of nature

[close] Ten years ago, there was a great war between the dragons and humans. The dragons lived in the mountains, on the high peaks, and the humans moved in from across the seas, into the shore and the small valley. As they expanded, they required more land, which demanded they move up to the mountains. The dragons had allowed the human infestation for too long and decided to trim down the population. However, by accessing long caves and mines in the mountains from civilizations long dead, the humans found themselves on sacred grounds of dragon peace. There were no killing the humans, who attacked them and slaughtered the strongest of the dragons, subduing the weaker. A pact was made, as the humans were not to be so cruel, and were determined to establish a means to live in peace. Therefore, a treaty was forcibly made and both leaders were made to sign. The terms: The dragons were to stay on the mountains. The humans were to remain in the valley. Any person who left their place and went to the other's and murdered of the others was to be executed. There was to be an academy to try to arrange eventual harmony between humans and dragons, pairing young children with young dragons. The academy was to be held on a two peaked mountain, one peak the living quarters for the humans, the other for the dragons. And where the peaks met was the academy, where they were to collaborate and work together as a team. The peace is tentative, to say the least, with the dragons having no idea where the secret tunnels that lead to their sacred land are. The dragons are fearful of the intruders and the humans are fearful of the monsters. Ten years have passed since the treaty was established. Will coexistence ever be possible? And all the while, the bonding ceremony is a mystery, even to those who go through it and come out with no memory other than being bonded. There is a sinister hand at work, and a knot woven, interlocking all fates into a course chosen by the most unlikely.

[close] What's America Reading This Week? Each week the New York Times updates its list of the bestselling books in the United States and each month our group picks two of them. These are the books that everyone is reading; the future classics, academic required reading and Hollywood movies. Let's see what all the hype is about!

[close] "Go to Alaska," they said. "It'll be fun," they said. They couldn't have been more wrong. The day is a beautiful day as you board the small plane called Canso. The sky is blue, the sun is shinning and there isn't a cloud in the sky. The airport is located in a small town in the Florida Panhandle and it is hot. Everyone is encouraged very strongly to buy a blanket, even a jacket. The airline supplies these things, of course, but everyone would want their own stuff. No one really listens, though. The plane takes off and for a long time, everything is fine. You're sailing over the beautiful, unsettled, wild and free Canadian mountains. You're starting to regret not buying a blanket when they seem to run out. There is a sudden burst of turbulence as we enter a storm. A flight attendant goes to check on the captain and there is a scream. Then, there is an unmistakable feeling of free falling... You wake up freezing. It takes a while to registered that the smell is blood. It takes a while to realize that you've crashed. It takes a while to realize that the plane is on fire... There's no sign of civilization anywhere. Search parties have been sent out and there's nothing. Can you survive against the elements? Against the grizzlies? Against all odds? Or will you be one of those who perish? Or will you be one of those who just up and disappears? This RP takes place in the dead of winter. So, it is dark and snowy, all the time.