Hello

[Valmai Belle]

Hello! I'm new too. Nice to meet you and hope to see you around!

 

[Satrim Kha'os]

Welcome to TV.N Trond, if you need help or want to chat just give me a holler.
Dead civilisations eh. Like the Inca?

 

[Nymala Ingasy]

Welcome to Tar Valon! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! :welcome

 

[Trond Maslin]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!

Welcome to Tar Valon! What is your favourite dead civilization?

I would have to say Ancient Rome, partly for all their great feats, but mostly because I just love their language and literature. As fascinating as Near Eastern civilizations can be (I remember being obsessed with pyramids and mummies when I was a boy), they have always felt so exotic to me. While ancient Rome was certainly a different culture, it bears enough of a resemblance (at times, too much of a resemblance) to the modern world to keep me from feeling completely disoriented. Also, I don’t know how to read hieroglyphics, so, you know…

Have you read any of Brandon Sanderson's other works? He creates amazing places and cultures for his books. Especially in Way of Kings, the first book in is Stormlight Archives series.

I have not. In fact, I had never heard of Brandon Sanderson until he started continuing the Wheel of Time. I like his writing, though, and will definitely check out Way of Kings.

Dead civilisations eh. Like the Inca?

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve only really read about Old World civilizations and know next to nothing about the Inca!

 

[Elyss Koh'inor]

The civilizations of Central and South America can be very interesting. My favorite of those would probably be the Maya. The Aztec can be a little...bloody for my taste. But still interesting

 

[Satrim Kha'os]

I am seriously curious about a supposed civilisation that predated the Maya/Inca/Aztec etcetera...

 

[Elyss Koh'inor]

Do you mean the Olmec Satrim? Not much has been discovered about them. But there are plenty of giant stone heads that they left behind.

 

[Kassidy Rose ni DaiShan t' al'Kalin]

Welcome to Tar Valon! :joy

If you have any questions,or just want to talk, feel free to shoot me a message !

 

[Owena al'Saturni]

Welcome! I like your name and avatar.

 

[Satrim Kha'os]

Do you mean the Olmec Satrim? Not much has been discovered about them. But there are plenty of giant stone heads that they left behind.

Ah, yes!!
Do you know anything about them Trond?

 

[Alyccea Nymaessene]

Welcome, Trond! :welcome

I, too, am fascinated by all this talk of ancient civilisations. Have you been to Rome to see the ruins?

You also mentioned that you normally read science fiction. What are your favourite SF stories?

Also (because I'm curious ) how did you choose your name?

 

[Trond Maslin]

Ah, yes!!
Do you know anything about them Trond?

No, though all this talk of pre-Columbian civilizations is making me think a trip to the library to rectify my ignorance is necessary...

Welcome, Trond! :welcome

I, too, am fascinated by all this talk of ancient civilisations. Have you been to Rome to see the ruins?

You also mentioned that you normally read science fiction. What are your favourite SF stories?

Also (because I'm curious ) how did you choose your name?

Sadly, I have never been to Rome, though I would love to see all the ruins (not to mention all the Renaissance art!). Have you? I have seen Roman ruins in other countries, though, and have fond memories of scaling an abandoned aqueduct.

I was really into Star Wars as a kid and the first sci-fi stories I read were Michael Stackpole's X-wing series. Since then, I've really enjoyed Isaac Asimov's Foundation series and Robot stories, Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End, Dune, Ender's Game, and Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Are you a sci-fi fan?

My name for the forum was the name of my D&D character in college. After someone tried naming his character "Tim, the Crusher of Beer Cans" or something like that, the DM insisted we come up with fantasy-esque names. If I recall correctly, I just played around with different combinations of letters and syllables until I found something that sounded cool. Also, the Tron remake had come out around that time, so I may have been influenced subliminally by its amazing action scenes and lack of plot.

 

[Roheryn ni Galghandhrei t'al'Djinn]

The ruins in Rome are really cool! I was there years ago and would love to go back...

 

[Alyccea Nymaessene]

Sadly, I have never been to Rome, though I would love to see all the ruins (not to mention all the Renaissance art!). Have you? I have seen Roman ruins in other countries, though, and have fond memories of scaling an abandoned aqueduct.

Ooh, where was that?

I have been to Rome, and much of the northern half of Italy (Venice, Florence, Milan, Assisi etc.). Rome is undoubtedly my favourite, though. Palatine Hill (where a lot of the ancient ruins are) is absolutely breathtaking. The scale of some of the old ruins is incredible, and to imagine that these gigantic statues and columns were carved and erected without any modern technology... it just boggles the mind. And even around the rest of the city, there are buildings and statues that have been there for centuries, even millennia, that you can just walk straight into.

It's the complete opposite of anything we have in Australia

I was really into Star Wars as a kid and the first sci-fi stories I read were Michael Stackpole's X-wing series. Since then, I've really enjoyed Isaac Asimov's Foundation series and Robot stories, Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End, Dune, Ender's Game, and Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Are you a sci-fi fan?

I am, though I haven't read as much "classic" sci-fi as you have. I re-read Dune recently and liked it much more than I did as a child, though! And I also recently read The Martian (not long after reading The Long Mars), so right now I'm slightly obsessed with all things Mars

My name for the forum was the name of my D&D character in college. After someone tried naming his character "Tim, the Crusher of Beer Cans" or something like that, the DM insisted we come up with fantasy-esque names. If I recall correctly, I just played around with different combinations of letters and syllables until I found something that sounded cool. Also, the Tron remake had come out around that time, so I may have been influenced subliminally by its amazing action scenes and lack of plot.

That's neat! I think a lot of members have adopted their D&D names here on the site. Your name also sounds like it would fit perfectly into the WoT-verse!

 

[Trond Maslin]

I hated Dune when I read it as a child; it wasn't until I revisited it in high school that I enjoyed it. I felt the same way about The Eye of the World at first: it took me a few tries to push through the prologue and first chapter, and it wasn't until I re-read that section years later that I appreciated it.

The aqueduct was north of Caesarea Maritima in Israel, which used to be the capital of the Roman province! It sounds like you had quite a tour of Italy. Being from America, I remember having a similar surreal feeling when I visited Israel: it was like stepping into a history book, being surrounded by things centuries older than the 'ancient' buildings I'd known back home.

 

[Ashara Koh'inor]

Do you mean the Olmec Satrim? Not much has been discovered about them. But there are plenty of giant stone heads that they left behind.

Actually, daughter mine quite a bit has been discovered about the Olmec more in the last decade. If you'd like to know more, your mother has quite a few books you may borrow

 

[Ashara Koh'inor]

Do you mean the Olmec Satrim? Not much has been discovered about them. But there are plenty of giant stone heads that they left behind.

Actually, daughter mine quite a bit has been discovered about the Olmec more in the last decade. If you'd like to know more, your mother has quite a few books you may borrow

 

[Ashara Koh'inor]

Trond, it is a pleasure to welcome you to TarValon.net! I am so pleased you have found us and I hope you will stay around. Many of us share your interests (and probably sense of humor) and look forward to talking with you! Please feel free to message me if you have any questions or would like to talk.

 

[Soronhen Ciryaher]

Welcome to TarValon Trond!

 

[Nyavene al'Meer]

Also, I don’t know how to read hieroglyphics, so, you know…

Just throwing that in there :rofl