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observe my insanity
Oct. 11th, 2004 06:08 pmWell, I did it. I signed up for NaNoWriMo. I'm convinced I'm insane, but at the least, it'll be an interesting ride.
Plus, hey, it's already induced me to read a book about biological and chemical warfare in ancient times. Yes, there was a lot more of it than you think, starting with simple poisoned arrows and culminating in things like Greek Fire or the really nasty trick the people of Tyre pulled on Alexander the Great when he besieged them -- they roasted grains of sand and bits of scrap metal until they were red hot, and then catapulted them in showers over the city walls. The sand and metal sank into the soldiers' skin, burning all the way, and fell down between their armor and their skin. Pretty diabolical. Then there were the people of Hatra, who in addition to using naphtha to cast liquid fire down at Roman legions, also flung scorpions and blood-sucking insects at the invaders. The Romans actually broke through the city walls, but gave up and left in the face of such... well, dirty war.
Fascinating stuff.
The book on the Victorian underworld is also interesting.
(Yes, my story isn't a very nice story. But then, a really nasty environment is so helpful when you need to torture your characters a bit! *evil grin, rubs hands together*)
Plus, hey, it's already induced me to read a book about biological and chemical warfare in ancient times. Yes, there was a lot more of it than you think, starting with simple poisoned arrows and culminating in things like Greek Fire or the really nasty trick the people of Tyre pulled on Alexander the Great when he besieged them -- they roasted grains of sand and bits of scrap metal until they were red hot, and then catapulted them in showers over the city walls. The sand and metal sank into the soldiers' skin, burning all the way, and fell down between their armor and their skin. Pretty diabolical. Then there were the people of Hatra, who in addition to using naphtha to cast liquid fire down at Roman legions, also flung scorpions and blood-sucking insects at the invaders. The Romans actually broke through the city walls, but gave up and left in the face of such... well, dirty war.
Fascinating stuff.
The book on the Victorian underworld is also interesting.
(Yes, my story isn't a very nice story. But then, a really nasty environment is so helpful when you need to torture your characters a bit! *evil grin, rubs hands together*)
