Handling Hazardous Materials at Home - Health Encyclopedia ...

hazardous materials found at home

hazardous materials found at home - win

@UPI: Houston neighborhood evacuated after hazardous materials found at home https://t.co/dnNwgwk5sY

@UPI: Houston neighborhood evacuated after hazardous materials found at home https://t.co/dnNwgwk5sY submitted by -en- to newsbotbot [link] [comments]

[HEL-Verse] Still Untitled Spinoff Story [Chapters 1-3]

Happy Lunar New Year's eve to all my readers who are celebrating and feasting! Some notes for clarity on today's post...
-----
Q: What is this story?
A: This is a spinoff that I have been dabbling around with for the last few months on and off, based on the events of a commission from last January: The First Juggernaut
-----
Q: Why haven't I seen this story before if the 4th chapter is releasing today?
A: This story falls under the category of "one shots", which is content made available, at least initially, only to certain subscribers of my patreon. I am making prior chapters available to everyone today both on my patreon and below.
-----
Q: I am a patron, where can I read the latest installment in the untitled goose snake saga?
A: I will be posting it to patreon shortly after finishing this post and I will link it at the bottom of this chapter.
-----
Q: I am a patron, why can't I read the latest chapter?
A: Latest installment is available to anyone supporting me to the tune of $10/month or greater. As with the prior chapters, chapter 4 will eventually be released to the public.
-----
Q: Is this considered canon for HEL Jumper purposes?
A: Yes, unless something explicitly conflicts with the HEL Jumper in which case I made an oopsie.
-----
Q: Who is Drake and what is this snake of which you speak?
A: Read on to find out!
-----
Chapter 1
September 17th 2035, Human Dreadnought HMV Resplendent Dawn, Shuttle Bay
“Mr. Thane! Good of you to join us here in Udanis. How was your journey? Uneventful I hope,” the incredibly tall, dark-skinned man called out across the cavernous metal room. Delta Division shuttles could be seen darting in and out of the space almost constantly, ferrying goods and personnel between the dreadnoughts, cruisers, destroyers, and support ships that currently made up humanity’s presence in what was, effectively, a star-system wide DMZ declared by the Ghaelen and enforced by humans. Unable to stomach the reality of warfare in hostile conditions against even more hostile foes, the ‘space elk’ presence had long since fled the system. Taking his bearings, the stockier, tanned individual with unkempt black hair and a civilian’s uniform nodded to the approaching figure.
“I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Rear Admiral. Until just now I didn’t even know the identity of my destination. Though I understand the need for secrecy now that I’m here. Drake Thane, it’s a pleasure.” The two men engaged in a firm handshake, the squeeze of the palm a tried and true test of such men. Beta Division did not have many Admirals, and Udanis did not have many civilians.
“You’ll have to forgive Admiral Freidrich, but our resident Juggernaut seems to be giving him the runaround again. Victory will go to a young woman’s head though, won’t it?” the taller man laughed. “I am Rear Admiral Natori Kaczynski, at your service. And yes, that is a Beta Division insignia. Though perhaps you might be able to appreciate such a thing? After all, Delta called you out here too, didn’t they?”
“With all due respect Rear Admiral, I don’t even know why I’m here,” Thane replied. “Only that the pay is better than the FBI was offering.”
“Mmm, significantly better I’d suspect. The HEL does have its means,” Natori agreed. “Right this way then, Mr. Thane. Perhaps you’ll understand better once you’re brought up to speed. Ah, how rude of me!” the Rear Admiral suddenly exclaimed as though set upon by a novel idea. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“I indulged in a ‘final meal’ on the transport, sir. But thank you,” Drake replied. Natori cast a knowing smile his way.
“Very good then. I see you packed light so let’s head to the nearest briefing room then. Mary?”
‘How may I be of assistance, Rear Admiral Kaczynski?’ the ship’s VI requested.
“Has a briefing room been set aside for Mr. Thane’s arrival?”
‘Yes sir, forwarding the location to you now.’
“Useful little tool, isn’t she?” Natori asked as he turned on his heel and led Drake straight in the opposite direction down the corridor.
“I’m only familiar with the civilian models, sir. The US government hasn’t gotten around to upgrading its systems yet.”
“Surprising absolutely no one, but perhaps we should be thankful,” Kaczynski suggested as he turned a corner and carried on, saluting various soldiers and support personnel as they moved at a leisurely pace. “Were it not for the bureaucratic incompetence of Terran governments, who would want to join the HEL?”
“That’s one way of looking at it, I suppose,” Thane agreed. “And while it may not be my place Rear Admiral, isn’t playing escort below your station?”
Natori looked him over with an appraising eye. “How tactful, but such is to be expected from a crisis negotiator I suppose. Allow me to assure you, Mr. Thane, the current situation is very much the concern of men like me.”
-----
Over the next couple hours, seated across a polished wooden table from one another, Natori reviewed with Drake the timeline of the pacification of Udanis IV, from the discovery of life in the system in early 2035, to first contact, and eventual full blown war by the end of May of the same year. The conflict had ended on June 6th, with the first truly successful battlefield deployment of Beta and Delta division’s latest collaboration, the Juggernaut program.
“So you brought me here to deal with Lieutenant Lavinaga, sir? Was it something about the, what did you call it, Queen’s nest operation? How many of those… stimulants is she still on?”
“No and yes. Fortunately, Lieutenant Lavinaga is quite well,” Natori replied, reaching for the pitcher of water and glasses in the middle of the table. He unhurriedly poured for them both, and the two men paused to soothe their throats. “While it is true that you were brought here to negotiate with veterans of this conflict… perhaps it’s better that I show you. This way please,” the Rear Admiral proposed, leading Drake on a short walk that nevertheless felt like a mile. The Marines and other combat personnel he’d seen up to that point appeared to be in high spirits, already swapping stories about gallantry during the operation while reminiscing fondly about the fallen. Maybe years later they might need someone like him, but not then and not there.
Eventually they arrived at their destination, given away by the fact that Natori was required to provide biometric identification in two forms as well as enter a combination PIN to pass through a set of imposing steel bulkheads. Drake recognized the area immediately as an interrogation facility, with the Rear Admiral escorting him all the way to the back. It was a cell constructed for long term confinement, and the two men found themselves alone in front of what Drake was sure was a one way mirror. The only other humans in the area were the Marine guards stationed back at the entrance. It didn’t help his nerves that they were in full armor intended for combat in hazardous environments. “Who’s on the other side of that wall, Rear Admiral?”
“Not who, Mr. Thane,” Natori corrected with an unsettling fire in his eyes. “But what.”
With the flick of a switch light suddenly poured through the opening, allowing Thane to see the interior of the spacious but barren room. “Jesus fucking Christ!” he whispered. “Are you mad, Rear Admiral?”
“Quite, Mr. Thane. But so are most who labor for the advancement of humanity. I daresay if you accept this job you’ll be rather similar.”
“I speak Farsi and Arabic, Rear Admiral. I deal with veterans of the Middle Eastern conflicts. What in God’s good name do you expect me to do with a Gorgon?!”
“An excellent question!” Natori agreed. “For starters I’d like you to see if you could bring us to the point where she does not spit acid at anything that moves. The fact that they store them in the approximate location of human mammary glands lost its humor… rather quickly.”
Drake swallowed heavily and took a closer look at the alien. Its entire body screamed danger to him. Natural rock-like armor covered its entire, serpentine form, which took after the Nagas or Lamias of human mythology. Her yellowish-green skin was the same color as the acidic environments of her homeworld, and her whiplike tail seemed to be constantly searching for something to coil around, or perhaps lash out at like a flail. “How long has she been here?”
“Since June 7th, Mr. Thane.”
“It’s been more than three months? Rear Admiral, surely this is in violation of… something!”
Natori licked his lips and hung his head. “This is why we sent for you, Mr. Thane. We have tried everything, and I mean everything, to establish some sort of diplomatic relationship, or even communication. She eats heartily and tries to kill us whenever she can. She is one of the only survivors of the Queen’s nest, and we believe that such authority will be key in any sort of eventual alliance.”
“You really are mad,” Thane whispered as Natori placed his hands behind his back and looked at the Gorgon.
“Am I mad for seeking powerful allies for our species, Mr. Thane? The Ghaelen possess powerful technology, but the price of its acquisition was steep. We will only bring ruin to ourselves if ‘galactic policeman’ is to be our role. Let our own country’s history be an example on that matter. No, one day we will come across a challenge we cannot surmount alone. I would much prefer it if the acid spitting snake women were on our side in that event, Mr. Thane. After coming this far, I hope you’ll at least humor me.”
“And Admiral Freidrich, sir?”
Natori met Drake’s eyes. “Approved this operation personally, Mr. Thane.”
The crisis negotiator breathed deeply and ran a hand through his mop of hair. “Just… how many people have died before me?”
“None, Mr. Thane! And I have no intention of making you the first.” The civilian shot Natori a dubious look that obviously conveyed his opinion on that particular statement. “Yes well, there were a couple of men who needed emergency medical treatment and reconstructive surgery, but we have equipment that is rather resistant to Gorgon acid thanks to their sacrifices, among many others. Shall I fetch one for you?”
“With all due respect, Rear Admiral-”
“Ah, you know what they say about that little lead in,” Natori chuckled, the casual hand on his hip indicating he fully understood why Drake had afforded him his ‘due respect’.
“Then you’ll have to consider the month-long journey to be my gesture of good faith. I’d like to see everything you have on the Gorgons, ideally in printed form. And yes, that includes the classified bits. I’ll sign whatever NDA’s you deem reasonable. And a cup of coffee… maybe two. You can keep your acid-resistant suits for now. I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”
After a moment of consideration, Natori offered Drake his hand again. They shook. “I appreciate your consideration, Mr. Thane. I will oversee the preparation of said documents, as well as the necessary security clearances. In the meantime you are free to observe our captive, though might I suggest taking a pitstop in your cabin first?”
“You’re the type to get mixed up in the affairs of his subordinates, aren’t you, Rear Admiral?” Thane ventured cautiously. Natori’s smile was different somehow that time, almost unsettlingly so.
“Perhaps your keen eye will succeed where I have failed, Mr. Thane? We will be in touch and Mary is, of course, at your disposal. Welcome to the Resplendent Dawn,” Kaczynski finished, turning quickly on his heel and departing, saluting the Marine door guards as he left.
“Apparently he’s also one to leave civilians alone with alien captives,” Drake muttered, looking down at the control panel for the one way glass. Left there was a post-it note, a vintage technology that still found itself in use even in the era of shield generators, FTL travel, and VI’s.
Don’t activate the two way functionality. We’re running low on materials to manufacture more polarized glass.
Thane chuckled in disbelief and ran a hand over his face, captivated momentarily by the holes he could see in the alien’s forearms, a natural biological gap between the Gorgon analogs of the radius and ulna. At least he assumed she had bones. “What have I gotten myself into?”
-----
As it turned out, the answer to that question was a bit more complex than one on one prisoner or hostage negotiation, something that became readily apparent after an hour or so of reading in front of the alien’s cell. The coffee was surprisingly adequate, as was the insulated mug that kept it warm as he labored. He would glance up on occasion to observe his subject, not wanting to fully depend on unreliable witness testimony, more reliable autopsy reports, combat records, and the gruesome video feeds from the suit of one Lieutenant Lanvinaga. If Kaczynski’s tale was true, and he had no grounds to assert it wasn’t, the alien before him had not only retained the will to live after more than three months in solitary, she also retained the desire to kill and fight. She was sane and hostile. That was more than could be said for some of the veterans he’d talked down in the past.
“Or failed to talk down,” Drake allowed with a mutter, shaking his head. Movement caught his eye and he refocused on the alien, watching as she curled up on herself only to adjust and re-adjust, picking at the rock-like armor that seemed to grow from her very body. Scratching his head, the human consulted several images that he would have rather not dealt with, various post-mortem shots of Gorgons that had been killed during the pacification. Very few sported natural armor to the level of his subject, but not because she was some sort of unique specimen. Near as he could tell the Gorgon before him was quite typical for her species, but her natural armor was jagged and reminded him of a volcanic rock field. Much of his reference material depicted Gorgons with relatively smooth plating that rested underneath manufactured metallic armor. “It’s worth a shot,” Than shrugged, noting that it was 21:00 shipboard time. “Mary, is Rear Admiral Kaczynski still awake?”
‘Good evening Mr. Drake Thane,’ came Mary’s synthesized but pleasant enough voice. ‘The Rear Admiral has retired for the evening. Are you experiencing an emergency?’
“No no, nothing like that,” Thane clarified quickly. “I’ll just leave him a message then.”
‘Very well, you may begin recording when ready.’
“Rear Admiral, this is Drake Thane. In the morning I’d appreciate it if you could track down a couple of rocks and an industrial sander for me. I have an idea.”
-----
“I believe I’ve waited long enough to sate my curiosity?” Natori stated as he watched Drake sanding down one surface of the chunks of Udanian crust he’d been given.
“Fair enough. How familiar are you with the anatomy of beavers, Rear Admiral?”
“How familiar are you with the anatomy of beavers?” Natori barked with laughter. “Oh I definitely picked the right man for this job.”
“Save that for when I actually get somewhere, sir. The answer, I suppose, is that I’m familiar enough to know that beavers don’t just cut down trees to build themselves shelter. Left alone long enough without anything to gnaw on their teeth will continue to grow and grow, injuring or even leading to the death of the animal. These Gorgon appear to possess the same quality when it comes to their natural armor,” Thane postulated. Natori’s eyes lit up.
“You propose a gift?”
“I hope you don’t mind the loss of a belt sander,” Drake said shortly.
“Let’s not wait then. Her first meal of the day is scheduled around this time.”
“Good enough for me. Where’s this suit, the one that will stop me from getting my face melted off?”
“Storage locker on the left. We haven’t personally delivered anything for some time, so be prepared for resistance,” Kaczynski warned. “She seems to consider eating her meal off the floor worth the chance at an attack.”
“Duly noted,” Drake replied in a tense voice, finding a heavily fortified hazardous environment suit that would have looked more at home on a space walk where the Admiral indicated. A short time later, sweat beading on his brow, he unlocked the door to the Gorgon’s cell. The moment he entered, the alien puffed out her chest and spat a stream of sickly green acid from her mouth. Though the attack was exemplary in its aim and velocity, that also made it relatively easy to dodge if one was willing to simply drop to the floor. Well protected as he was, Drake did just that, squashing whatever manufactured nutrient cubes had been intended for her. In return, he chucked the first rock at her, earning a momentary reprieve as the alien tried to process the fact that one of the legged beings keeping her hostage had thrown a rock at her. It was enough time for him to roll the second one to the base of her body, a couple feet below where her torso met her tail, which carried on behind her for a good six feet or so. The fact that the second rock was ‘presented’ instead of ‘chucked’ was not lost on the alien, but that didn’t prevent her from compressing the venom sacks in her chest again.
“Oh for the love of-” Thane cursed, retreating out the door as the second biological attack splattered onto the surface just behind him. To his amazement, Natori was applauding even as two Marines rushed at him with decontamination equipment.
“A magnificent swan dive if I’ve ever seen one, Mr. Thane! And before you believe I’m having a laugh at your expense, come look at what our guest is already up to.”
At Natori’s insistence Thane shucked the enviro-suit as quickly as he could and returned to the one-way mirror. There, he could see the Gorgon ignoring her smushed breakfast entirely. After a brief contemplation of the rocks that had been given to her, she began banging at her own body with one of them, chipping off pointy bits of rock that clearly agitated her. At least Drake considered it could be fully fledged rock; he had no idea if aliens producing natural rock armor atop their own dermis was reasonable. Whatever it was, it was certainly tougher than keratin. The Rear Admiral ran a hand over his short, close cropped hair. “I would certainly call this progress, Mr. Thane. What is your next step?”
“To see if I can get her to look at a human for longer than a second without trying to dissolve him,” he replied tersely. “Do you have more of those rocks?”
Natori cocked a brow his way. “Mr. Thane, this is a Delta Division Liberation-class dreadnought. We have plenty of rocks.”
Chapter 2
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Drake Thane cursed, hauling himself to his feet after another harrowing trip into the Gorgon’s cell. She had accepted his gift of rocks, but had not made any sort of connection between the smooth and jagged varieties, instead using both to chip away at and then grind down the excess armor growing from her skin. That was how she spent most of her days when not eating or attempting to fight anyone who entered her enclosure. He had only been aboard the Resplendent Dawn for forty eight hours, but he’d read more than enough to make it clear that the Gorgon’s were highly intelligent and capable of advanced battlefield tactics. Humanity’s swift victory was primarily a technological feat, not a tactical one.
“Which leaves pride, an absurd amount of pride,” he muttered, debating whether to remove the helmet from his head and return to study or attempt something new. Exactly what, he did not know. Not willing to throw his life away or test the durability of the hazardous environment suit further, he began removing it in a process that took several minutes and assistance from one of the Marine sentries on duty. “Thank you. Let’s leave it out for now. I might try again later today.”
“As you say, Mr. Thane,” the Marine replied. “Not sure what you could do though. Nothing gets through to them.”
“Something will,” Drake insisted. “But I understand where you’re coming from.”
“Shall I inform the Admiral of this morning’s result?” the soldier asked
“No need. It’s status quo for now,” he said, heading back to the table that had become his workstation and opening up a portable computer he’d been provided with to review the various multimedia files that humanity possessed on the Gorgons. Ongoing attempts at communicating with the planetside populace had borne no fruit, with the various kingdoms going to ground the moment anyone tried to make contact. He had already checked once, but he double checked to make sure there were no records of torture, starvation, or unusual punishment of his current subject. He doubted they would have actually been logged, but there was continuity in the timetable. That was enough for him.
“How long can you keep this up?” he wondered of his new adversary. It was practically against the code of his profession to consider an interlocutor an enemy, but given that she had attempted to dissolve him without fail every time he stuck his nose in the door, he was willing to make an exception. “Yeah, don’t remind me. The answer is at least a couple months. At least the coffee’s still hot.”
Caffeine in hand, Thane instead opened up various combat records. He did his best to avoid the more gruesome ones, but a few caught his interest. There were several instances where gear had been retrieved and the combat logs analyzed to discover that the deceased had been engaged in one on one combat by individual Gorons, sometimes in the presence of entire enemy units. “Dear Lord in heaven,” he muttered. “They’re going to make a movie out of this, if it’s even declassified.”
The ‘this’ in question was a helmet recording from a Marine private who had been surrounded by an enemy platoon. With no ammunition remaining, he had fixed his bayonet and stood to face his death with courage. Instead of immediately spitting acid at him or ganging up on him, one of the Gorgons had stepped, or was it slithered, forward. After a long moment that took Thane’s breath away, the Marine realized that the spear-wielding, armored alien was challenging him to something of a duel. Most remarkable was what happened when the Marine proved victorious, ramming his bayonet into a gap between the alien’s armor and bringing her down in a writhing mass of rock and flesh after several minutes of testing each other. The remaining enemies retreated, and the victorious Marine had survived the hostile environment of Udanis IV long enough to call for backup.
“Only problem is I doubt I could land a hit on her to save my life, even if she’s unarmed and unarmored… well, no extra armor,” he mused. The idea of asking another to fight in his stead was equally unpalatable, especially since he wasn’t sure the Gorgon would submit to anything short of death. “This is getting me nowhere.”
Recognizing his own limits, Drake sorted his affairs and left the interrogation bloc, wandering around the ship and letting his mind drift until he drifted right into an imposing blonde soldier whose rolled up sleeves revealed several mechanical interface points embedded in her arms. “Who the hell are you?” she demanded.
“Drake Thane, crisis negotiator. I’m here at the request of Admiral Freidrich and Rear Admiral Kaczynski. It’s an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Lavinaga.”
“Christ, is it that fucking obvious?” she asked, glancing down at her arms. “Guess it is. You lost, Thane?”
“Physically? No. But maybe you can help me? I’ve got a bit of a Gorgon problem,” he admitted.
“The survivor? Should just space her if you ask me,” Lavinaga said dismissively. “Assuming you want that thing alive I’m not your woman.”
“And what if I want someone to go in there and wear her down so I can actually attempt to communicate with her and not get a face full of acid?”
“And I thought I was insane,” she laughed.
“It’s my job at the moment,” he shrugged.
“Would I get to wear my armor?”
“Of course. Don’t see how else you’d survive. You're still mostly flesh and blood.”
“I’m going to let that insult pass cause it’s been way too long. She’s in the interrogation cells, right? Meet you there in a few.”
“I actually don’t have approval for this yet,” he admitted. “I just had the idea when I ran into you.”
“Well you don’t worry your little head about that, Drake,” she simpered, clapping a hand down on his shoulder so hard he thought his collarbone might fracture. “You let me handle those Admirals.”
-----
Drake didn’t want to know how Lavinaga had gotten permission, but true to her word she appeared in her full star spangled glory about an hour after leaving him in one of the Resplendent Dawn’s many corridors. The hum of the ship and overhead lighting was drowned out by the heavy footfalls and hissing hydraulics of her suit. When she reached his side, the visor of her helmet slid open.
“You have no idea how awful this feels,” she said affectionately. “So, what do you need me and Ares to do?”
“I don’t really know. Just wear her down enough that I can show her how this works without dying,” he suggested, holding up the portable belt sander he’d used to smooth over a few rocks that were now the sole possessions of the Gorgon. Lavinaga just shook her head.
“If that’s what you want. Should be fun. I wonder how long she can go,” Lavinaga said with a bit too much anticipation in her voice. “Well, enough standing around! Let’s go see if she remembers me.”
Drake readied himself at the observation port as Lavinaga hefted her enormous shield and casually threw open the door to the cell. “Sup bitch? Long time no see!”
Thane watched, horrified, as the Gorgon assaulted the Juggernaut with a zeal and fury that she had never shown him. Her venom sacs were depleted within seconds, only scratching the paint of the wall of metal that made up Lavinaga’s shield. She threw what rocks she had and slammed her tail against the hulking monstrosity to no avail, the borderline psychotic laughter of Lavinaga her only reward for her efforts. Sweat dripped from Drake’s brow as his thesis slowly proved itself correct and the Gorgon’s blows slowly weakened and became lethargic. The juggernaut drove the point home by casually pushing her to the ground after about half an hour. “Now why don’t you just get comfortable down there? You’re lucky someone other than me is running the shots or I’d be testing my boot against your skull,” she warned.
“Lieutenant please, we don't know how much of our language she understands,” Drake said over the intercom. “Thank you for your restraint. I’ll be right in.”
On account of the mobile metal wall that stood between him and the broken alien, Drake steadied himself and managed to summon enough courage to enter the area without any protection other than the jeans and shirt he was wearing. In his hands were two stones and the sander. The Gorgon watched his every move, her acid green eyes still alert even as her body failed her. With no acid left to spit, she bore witness to him demonstrating the ability of the sander to grind down and polish rock. He didn’t belabor the point. Instead setting the tool down a couple feet from her. “I want to talk,” he said before turning to leave with the juggernaut. “Lieutenant, whenever you’re ready.”
“You eggheads think up the craziest things,” Lavinaga shrugged. “Am I allowed to taunt it again?”
“Please don’t.”
“Fine, but only because you’re handsome,” she insisted when they were safely outside. “Oh, also you owe me a few beers on account of the time I’m about to spend in the armory. See ya, Thane.”
Drake was so struck by her antics he barely had time to rush back into the cell when he was the Gorgon lifting the tool he’d left her to the one place on her body she had no armor, her neck. “Stop!” he roared, snatching it from her grasp before leaping back several feet as his brain finally caught up with what his body had done. “Why? You’ve been trying to kill us all for months!”
The alien’s eyes were narrow and downcast, and bits of her natural armor littered the cell where they’d been broken against the unyielding armor of Lavinaga’s suit. Small areas of her body were discolored, a deeper green than the rest. He could only assume bruising. “Maybe I am fucking insane,” Drake admitted, walking forward and turning the sander back on. “I didn’t defeat you, so I’m not going to be the one who kills you.”
The Gorgon hissed violently at him, but was unable to physically harm or stop him from grinding down and polishing one of her shoulders. With no other recourse, she simply refused to look at him instead. When Drake left, he took the sander and every rock with him, not wanting to leave her anything that might be used as a tool for suicide. As soon as the door to the cell closed, his legs gave way and he collapsed to the floor, feeling only the racing of his heart and the damp cling of his sweat-soaked clothing to his body. He did not return to the interrogation blocks that day.
-----
“You wanted to see me, Rear Admiral?”
“Yes indeed, Mr. Thane. I daresay you did something, I’m just not sure that something was good,” Natori explained as Drake entered the interrogation wing the next day, having spent more time than necessary grooming and feeding himself. His mind weighed heavily with the pain he’d inflicted upon his charge. The language of the Gorgons remained an inscrutable mess of low pitched hissing and other sounds, but hopelessness was a universal concept. It seemed that their captive was finally allowing that darkness to permeate her mind and influence her actions. Per Kaczynski’s report, gone were the consistent attacks against those bringing her food as well as efforts to eat it. “I am not usually one for threats, Mr. Thane, and I don’t precisely intend this to be one but I know you’ll likely interpret it as such. We cannot afford to lose her. Her potential is too great.”
“I understand, sir. I’ll head in right away,” Thane replied, acknowledging the Admiral’s concern. Instead of stopping by the locker containing his protective gear, he instead grabbed his coffee and walked straight to the cell door. Natori held out a hand but remained silent.
“Well I suppose I did threaten him,” he mused, nevertheless ensuring his sidearm was loaded, a round chambered, and the safety off. Precautions in place, Kaczynski settled in to observe what he was sure, one way or another, would be an eventful ‘session’ with the prisoner. To his most welcome surprise, Drake Thane managed to enter the cell and stand just past the threshold for several moments without getting attacked, dissolved, or impaled. The man took a long draught of his coffee before jerking his head upward in a moment of recollection. The Gorgon watched him all the while, almost unblinkingly, as he left the drink on her untouched breakfast tray and retreated to retrieve the portable sanding device he’d used on her the prior afternoon. He paused to speak with the Rear Admiral.
“Well, I’d call that an improvement,” he insisted. “You ever notice what it smells like in there?”
Natori cocked an eyebrow his way. “I can’t say that I have. I assume you’re about to share?”
Drake shrugged and tilted his head. “Nearest I can describe it is the Devil’s perfume, like if fire and brimstone smelled appealing, or at least rather inoffensive.”
“How curious,” Natori replied, leaning slightly to the right so he could look around Drake. “Though perhaps we should ruminate on that once we secure your coffee?”
Drake spun around fast enough to tweak his neck, finding the Gorgon with his coffee in hand. Her long, thin, black, serpent-like tongue was extended several inches and lapping at the dark brown liquid. The two men stared. “Has she ever been given coffee before, sir?”
“Just water, Mr. Thane. Curious as I am, I would like you to go and stop her now.”
Thane needed no further encouragement, bolting back into the room to snatch back his drink. The Gorgon replaced the disposable lid and offered it to him. Her eyes were still as menacing as ever, but the telltale contractions of her chest muscles that foretold a gout of deadly acid were missing. He tentatively reached out and accepted it, earning a low, complex hiss in return. Glancing down, he pointed at her untouched meal and then the sander. The Gorgon cracked her whip-like tail against the ground in frustration but complied, taking the food to a far corner of the room and beginning to eat piece by piece. Her eyes never left him even during her retreat as she demonstrated a rather remarkable ability to slither backwards.
Drake figured that was good enough, sitting against the opposite wall and opening his coffee. While it didn’t seem any different, he wasn’t about to take the chance that an alien with venomous pseudo-breasts didn’t produce oral toxins. Instead he stood again and approached her, keeping both hands on the cup so as not to arouse suspicion. He deposited it next to her and then returned to his position. With a curious hiss the alien opened the lid and, instead of continuing to drink, dipped the tip of her tail into the still slightly steaming liquid before continuing with her meal.
“What in the world?” Thane whispered, watching as the greenish skin underneath the Gorgon’s natural rocky plating shifted to a yellower hue, starting from the tip of her tail and moving slowly upward towards her body. The color change didn’t get all the way there before stalling out, but she seemed pleased with it to the point that upon finishing her meal she actually pointed to him, then to the sanding tool in his hands, and finally to her other shoulder. Unheard by the two of them, Natori threw his head back in laughter, amazed at the transition from murderous adversary to an imperious giver of orders. Drake shrugged but saw no reason not to comply. He’d been planning to attempt such a maneuver anyway as a further showing of good faith following the Lavinaga incident.
When he stepped within arm’s reach of her, the Gorgon straightened her torso and held out a thin, armored hand and poked him in the sternum. Even her fingers had the potential for danger with their rocky nail-like tips. Her other hand rested on her chest as she hissed a particular pattern of sounds twice in a row; she then poked him again. He nodded. “My name is Drake Thane. Sorry I can’t understand you.”
Undeterred, the Gorgon simply lowered herself back onto her coiled tail and presented her shoulder. She hissed again in a softer tone as Drake activated the sander, taking another glance at his coffee which now seemed to be serving as a tail warmer.
“Might as well get started then. You clearly have quite a bit to teach me.”
Chapter 3
Available to the public on my patreon here due to reddit's post size limit.
Chapter 4
Available to select patrons here
submitted by SabatonBabylon to HFY [link] [comments]

First Contact - Third Wave - Chapter 385

[first] [prev] [next]
"So the kid, right, he starts the second grade. Now, his dad and mom are still worried he's going to slack off on his grades like he slacked off all summer on his chores, so his dad promises him anything he wants if he gets straight A's," Casey said, looking down one of the barrels of his partially disassembled minigun.
Vuxten and the others nodded, Vuxten glancing at Addox to see if the scout drones had returned. When Addox shook his head head Vuxten knew they were still out.
"So the kid, right, he really busts his ass. Buckles down doing homework, extra credit, all of it, right? So he gets straight A's and his dad's all: son, you can have whatever you want. A trip to Zaginaw Beach, a tour of Titan, even a trip to Mouse Planet," Casey said. He locked the barrel back in place and begun unscrewing the next one from the housing.
"The kid looks at his dad and goes: Father, I just want a single pink golf ball," Casey said. He lifted the barrel up and looked down the inside. "The father is all "A single pink golf ball? I offer you anything your heart desires, my son. Surely you want more, despite being only a second grader. Surely there is something in this grand universe that you wish." The son replies, just a pink golf ball father."
Casey tilted the barrel, checking for gouges in the barrel's rifling.
"The father thinks to himself: well, bright children are often strange, and buys a single pink golf ball. When he presents it to his son the kid runs off with it, and the father doesn't see it again," Casey said. He suddenly looked up. "Drones coming back. Get ready."
Vuxten nodded. There was always a chance that Precursor machines could follow the drones back.
The drones settled in their cradles on Sergeant Addox's shoulders and Vuxten knew the Terran sergeant would have his armor systems and his greenie compile the data into a usable form.
"Hey, Sergeant Casey, can I ask a question?" one of the Telkan with third squad asked.
"Go ahead, kid," Casey said.
"Aren't you worried about the fact you're just in a loading frame? Why not fab up power armor?" the Telkan asked.
Casey stared for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't do power armor any more. Back a couple centuries ago I was part of Ninth Armored Guard, an Old Blood unit, a historical Vodkatrog armor division," Casey said. Before the Telkan could speak he held up his hand. "I was a damn good power armor troop. Powered Orbital Drop Assault."
"That's a fast life expectancy for someone without SUDS. Ninth Guard is one of the Old Blood units that expect you to die during assaults, you don't get dropped to a non-Blood unit for dying," Glory said from where she was sitting on a pile of uncrushed ore. "How in the burning chrome Hell did you get out of that alive?"
"I was better than the enemy. Too good," Casey locked the barrel in on the minigun and looked back up. "I suffered a bad case of Operator Identification Syndrome. Part of me still yearns for it."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Glory said softly, turning slightly and looking away as if the big combat mech was embarrassed.
"I wasn't patterned on your big dropship ass," Casey laughed.
Glory laughed and it felt like something that Vuxten didn't understand had been cleared from the room.
Vuxten could feel some sort of weird longing from the big Terran.
"Patterned? What's that?" Wextuk asked.
"It's when you develop an emotional attachment to the VI or eVI assist systems in your power armor, robot combat power armor, tank, whatever," he said. "It's pretty rough and if you get a bad enough case you end up needing hospitalization and therapy."
"How did you get it?" Wextuk asked. Vuxten thought about telling the Telkan Private Second Class to shut up, but figured that they might as well talk about something while the maps were being compiled.
"I was a power armor jock. Good one. Deep insertion, heavy assault, had an 80mm railgun on my right shoulder that could hit orbital targets. Rapid fire rapid reload missile rack, point defense, battlescreen systems, the whole nine yards. Toughest suit ever produced by the Confederacy or anyone else in the Universe," Casey said.
"The NovaStar-VII," Glory guessed. "You were a NovaStar pilot. By the Digital Omnimessiah, I thought all of you were dead."
"What happened?" Wextuk asked.
"One drop went bad, hell, the whole war went bad, and I spent literally two years in my armor. Never getting out of it," Casey said. "Once I was able to get out of it, I spent five years where the only time I got out of my armor was to do field repairs on it or to briefly talk to survivors I'd rounded up."
"You can stay in armor that long?" Wextuk asked.
"Yes," Casey said. He reached forward and tapped Wextuk's armored chest. "Your armor is designed for you to live in, without removing it, for up to five years."
Wextuk shivered.
"It's not advised," Glory said softly.
Casey reached down and wrapped his hand around the firing grip for his minigun and Vuxten saw the weapon's smartwire go live.
"When did the drop go bad?" Addox asked, not looking up. Vuxten knew he was going over the maps and the data.
"I barely got to the ground," Casey said softly. "It was a horror show aboard the CSFNV Sulaco less than an hour after we docked with Thule Station. One minute everything was green, the next I was fighting for my life. I was actually in the shower when it all went sideways."
Vuxten noticed everyone glanced at each other as small arcs of purple electricity wound around the barrels of Casey's minigun.
"I barely made it to Jemila and get her wrapped around me before almost everyone was dead," Casey said. "Had to fight my way to the drop pods and launch it manually. For almost two years Jemila was my only company aside from terrified civilians and the enemy. I couldn't leave her embrace, couldn't take the chance. After a while, I didn't feel safe unless I was in her embrace, unless I could hear her voice and feel her touch me, feel myself become one with her."
"Chromium Saint Peter," Glory swore softly.
He suddenly looked up and gave a sudden grin that made Vuxten wonder just exactly how many teeth humans had in their mouths.
"After that, I went Administrative for about ten years, then Maintenance for about twenty years, then went into Ordnance before rotating to an Old Blood unit," his grin seemed to get more friendly and the electrical arcs vanished. "And that, boys and girls, is how Uncle Casey ended up in Ordnance."
"Map's done," Addox said, looking up. "My little brother's about to have a fit."
"It's Mantid make, Precursor Omniqueen era," Casey guessed.
"Yup," Addox said. He shook his head. "It's really obvious once you hit the maintenance spaces."
"I assume it gets worse?" Vuxten said. "Live Mantids?"
Addox shook his head. "No. Pressure suits, hazardous environment suits, greenie toolkits, the whole nine yards. Looks like one of the larger ones, the ruling caste, is supposed to be overseeing this thing but from the scan data it looks like it was retrofitted for full automation. Got the old style horseshoe command center with the upraised central pit in the middle."
"Got us a route?" Vuxten asked.
"Several. Easy to forget how big the ruling caste was," Addox pointed at Casey. "Bigger than him in his loading frame."
"Can you get us a route that won't have us fighting everything between here and there?" Vuxten asked.
Addox nodded. "Yeah. Not for Glory, though. She's gonna have to stay here," he said.
"Great, finally get a date and you all ditch me," Glory laughed. "It's because my butt's big, isn't it?"
"You know it," Addox said.
"I don't like leaving her behind. We should pull her braincase and take her with us," Casey suddenly said, turning from where he was staring at the dead conveyor belts.
"No, I'm good, Casey," Glory said.
Vuxten heard his armor chirp as Glory opened a private channel to Casey, his officer hardware alerting him to the communication's existence but not the contents.
"I'll come back for you if I have to," Casey said.
"I know you will," Glory said.
"Got the route," Addox said. He looked at Vuxten. "Give the order, sir."
Vuxten stood up. "All right, move out by squads. Let's see what this thing's brain looks like."
The blue line appeared on his visor, showing the way.
"Let's get going," Vuxten said.
He led his men into the dark maintenance spaces of the beast.
-------------------
General No'Drak looked over the data and Ge'ermo'o watched, slowly being able to make more and more sense of the Confederate labels.
"Can you get a deep level scan of where the three mountain ranges join?" No'Drak asked, puffing on a cigarette.
The pink canine-human-feline chimera shook her head. "Too many atomic explosions to get a good ELF reading or seismic reading. Unless you want to have the Dinochrome Brigade and Third Armor to stop firing and give us a few hours to do deep level crust geo-mapping."
No'Drak clacked his mandibles in irritation.
"So we have no idea what that machine, who has managed to reach speeds of nearly a hundred miles an hour under the ground, is heading toward?" he asked.
"I'm afraid not, sir," the Military Intelligence Analyst said. "I can give you a WAG if you wish?"
WAG? Ge'ermo'o wondered. He checked his implant and nodded. Wild Ass Guess.
"By all means, Sergeant, wag your tail," No'Drak said, putting out his cigarette and pulling the pack out in the same motion.
"Refit base. Probably extensive. Continental plate drift on this planet is slow but steady, which means we're looking at a machine that has probably been largely asleep for millions of years," she said. "Combine it with the fact that the Precursor mining machines all have armor that grows stronger when exposed to heat and pressure and we're looking at deep mining machines. Probably transition zone between the mantles capable so it can access the really exotic materials."
"This planet produce any exotics?" No'Drak asked.
She checked her display and shook her head. "Our dataslicers have cut through the Lanaktallan records. They've only been here thirty thousand years, but before that the native species had to deal with a lack of fissile material and rare metals like lithium and neodymium."
"That machine and any companions might be why," No'Drak mused. "Mining it down in the transition layer before it can be brought up closer to the surface of the crust through geological means."
The Terran chimera nodded. "That's what my Section Leader believes."
"Which means, there might be a bunch of..."
"STATUS CHANGE!" someone called out.
Ge'ermo'o watched as No'Drak spun in place, looking at the tank.
"Third Armor's Third Brigade, Fourteenth Regiment just issued authorization for Mjölnir rounds!" someone called out.
"Time for Trucker to authorize release?" No'Drak asked.
The slim male human with bright pink hair and black warsteel cybereyes checked his console. "Sixty-two seconds, his combat gestalt usage jumped to eighty-three percent of combat bandwidth during that time, up twenty-three percent from current theater combat bandwidth usage."
No'Drak nodded. "Allow it. Patch us in via satellite."
Ge'ermo'o looked up the Mjölnir phrase on his datalink and all six of his eyes opened up wide.
"You are authorizing such rounds?" he asked No'Drak. "I do not seek to interfere but..."
No'Drak nodded. "They're about to engage a Precursor machine the size of a city that's using its onboard manufacturing capabilities to pump out thousands of combat machines as we speak. The longer it has to dig in and acquire resources the more difficult it will be to stop it."
General No'Drak turned and looked at the holotank as the massive machine was shown from orbit. It was surrounded by dust and smoke, its crash having shattered a fifth of the megalopilis it had landed on. Huge cracks, hundreds of meters wide, could be seen in its hull, and craters that were measured in the kilometers glowed sullenly with molten metal from where Space Force had engaged the massive Precursor ship and caused it to crash land instead of continue its orbital bombardment.
"That thing can win the war all by itself," he said.
"STATUS CHANGE!" the shout came again.
Ge'ermo'o felt himself tense.
"3-14 is firing," the same person called out.
Ge'ermo'o felt his tendrils curl protectively under his jowls, felt his crests inflate protectively.
The Precursor's battlescreens were thick, thick enough to resist nCv shots. Thick enough to tear apart the tiny tanks that had just emerged from the flaming hell of a burning chemical refinery.
The whole holotank went white.
----------------
01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 activated the additional battlescreen projectors, feeling the electronic equivelent of anxiety as the power level dropped. It was running on backup reactors, its primary reactors dead and in the damaged sections that were little more than wreckage.
The feral lemurs and their damnable kinetic rounds that bypassed the initial battlescreens had hammered it until it had almost begun to break up. Till parts of its superstructure had begun to break up. It had been forced to dive for the planet, narrowly avoiding the massive tanks the size of a Precursor ancillary vehicle, and had slammed belly down into the city.
It was the first time it had ever been in a gravity well and despite the fact the OEM coding had protocols for it, 01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 did not enjoy the experience.
The tanks, small pathetic things of strange matter elemental alloy armor wrapped around a massive cannon, with their own battlescreens nearly as powerful as 01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011's own screens, all leveled their barrels.
The Precursor could detect the rapidly shifting complex battlecode between the tanks, linking them together and linking the tanks to a larger network, but it had learned that to expose itself to the feral's battlecode meant exposing itself to madness as feral attack VI's would swarm it.
The Precursor tensed. It didn't know how it knew, but it knew, that the ferals were about to fire at it.
----------------
The main guns all fired, seconds apart, in one rippling long wave. The Lanaktallan tanks fired first, their shots hitting the battlescreen in rapid succession, all within a single second.
The rounds, fabbed up and assembled by 15th Combat Sustainment, V Corps, III COSCOM, went off as designed.
An atomic detonation to drive a warsteel explosively forged penetrator into the battlescreen.
01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 watched the power suddenly drain past its ability to manage, watched the battlescreen projectors overheat and fail in one cataclysmic failure as they tried to resist not only over a hundred 125kt directed atomic explosions, but the warsteel penetrator slightly ahead of the shockwave.
The Precursor's battlescreens failed, nearly 15% of A'armo'os shots streaking forward to hit the forward prow of the Precursor. Those drove craters five hundred meters deep into its armor, blowing out armor in a hundred meter radius as the EFP's did their work.
Before 01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 could adapt, could manage the brutal hits it was taking across its prow, which was already damaged from the crash...
...the real rounds streaked over the prow, sailing across the hull.
For an instant 01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 thought the rounds had missed. Some of them fired a full two seconds behind the leads.
The rounds were spaced precisely, the math triple and quadruple checked by the green mantid engineers in addition to the fire control computers.
01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 had enough time to detect that the shells contained components usually found in crude omnidirectional nuclear weapons. It computed that, based on weight and the standard 0.004 kt/kg explosive weight ratio where all species that developed superluminal flight gave up atomic and nuclear weapons, it could survive even the massive amount of explosions it would suffer. The fact they were omnidirectional meant that the majority of the explosive force would be wasted even if the rounds performed an airburst to hammer compressed atmospheric gasses against the Precursor's hull.
The ghosts of billions of Mantids, uncounted Mar-gite, and races gone from the universes all howled with laughter.
Ge'ermo'o could have even told it that what it was about to receive, it would not be grateful for.
The shells, each weighing 'only' two-hundred and some change kilograms, oriented point down, the warbois shrieked with glee, and then detonated the round.
Those races, who had met the humans toe to toe, or even Ge'ermo'o, could have told 01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011 that ascribing the achievements of other races to the maddened lemurs of TerraSol was a mistake.
The rounds were directed enough, were too powerful, to be counted under atomic protocols by the Confederate military, which had an upper limit of 2.25 megatons for directed atomic weapons.
The Confederacy counted them these rounds as 'nuclear'.
The backblast appeared, from orbit, like a blast sustained over a full second that came out to just over 50 megatons.
But that was the blast that drove the hammer home, like explosives used to drive a drill into the granite of a quarry.
Those 50 megaton blasts drove the real payload into the Precursor's body like nails of hellfire from a nailgun. The nails five hundred meter wide tubes of ravening energy that were the equivalent of 250kt blasts. The tubes ripped past the armor, the energy release of the 'backblast' and the 'tube' lasting for nearly a full second.
Each 'payload' detonated deep inside the Precursor. Mathematically precision to place each 'payload' within the edge of the adjacent payloads in order to compress the in between matter to the point that even the dullest elements would undergo fusion.
Even battlesteel.
Each of the payloads detonated, the Tsar warheads, with a net explosive weight to system weight ratio that would make any race who had not witnessed it stare in disbelief.
One hundred and thirty megatons detonating in an enclosed area.
The still 'ongoing' blast tube driven by the 'backblast' prevented the blast inside the Precursor from exiting through the channel ripped through the armor by the 'nail'. Instead, as explosions followed the path of least resistance, it was squeezed and pushed into the body of the Precursor.
From orbit, through the few sats still in operation, the entire top of the Precursor vanished in bright white light.
01001111 01010111 00100000 01001101 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000001 01001100 01001100 01010011felt nothing as its surface armor exploded outward and boiling matter ripped apart by the most basic of universal reactions consumed everything inside the armor.
The ground rippled like water for nearly two hundred miles.
The detonation was strong enough that it bounced off the molten core of the planet and caused an echo earthquake a third of the planet's circumference away.
Where the Precursor had been battlesteel burned.
----------------
"Tango down."
[first] [prev] [next]
submitted by Ralts_Bloodthorne to HFY [link] [comments]

My ultra hardcore recycling guide for our house

Hi all,
I've been putting together info for how to recycle in Tucson while leveraging all the recycling options that are open to me: curbside, the city's upcoming glass drop-off, local and mail-in corporate-sponsored, and TerraCycle (a paid option). I aim to reuse or recycle every last bit of waste coming out of our house, no matter how crazy it may seem. Partly I just want to see how difficult it is; I recognize that my process isn't practical for most people.
Anyway, here's what I've gathered so far.

General principles

​
  1. COMPOST: If it can be composted, compost it! (More on this below.)
  2. REUSE: If it can't be composted, reuse it! Reuse is always the most environmentally-friendly option.
  3. DONATE: If it can't be reused by you, donate it if it's something worth donating that someone else could use. https://tucsoncleanandbeautiful.org/ has a great directory for places that will accept various materials. Cero is a Tucson store that also accepts lots of stuff for donation and reuse. Donation usually involves transportation and some kind of carbon emissions, but it's still better than recycling. Don't donate junk! Donations aren't a free trash can.
  4. MUNICIPAL RECYCLING: If it can't be donated, recycle it locally using municipal recycling (curbside or drop-off). Recycle Coach has all the info you need on what municipal recycling can or can't recycle. ESGD's page on residential recycling also has some important guidelines. Recycling uses energy and involves carbon-emitting transport, plus not everything in a recycling waste stream actually gets recycled, so try to reuse first.
  5. LOCAL STORE DROP-OFF: If it can't be recycled using municipal recycling, recycle it at a local store for free. Earth911 has a search page that finds these stores and breaks them down by type, and TerraCycle's corporate-sponsored programs page also has some local programs. These programs typically ship their waste to a recycling partner, often TerraCycle in New Jersey, which adds to the environmental footprint of the process, so try to recycle municipally first.
  6. FREE MAIL-IN: If it can't be recycled at a local store, use one of TerraCycle's free corporate-sponsored mail-in programs. These programs end up sending waste TerraCycle, just like the local store drop-offs, but are arguably less efficient than sending a big communal batch of stuff, so try to use the local store drop-offs first.
  7. TERRACYCLE (PAID): If it can't be recycled using a mail-in program, use a paid all-in-one box to have TerraCycle recycle it if it's small and light. This is effectively the same as using one of the mail-in options above except that you have to pay, so try to use a mail-in program first.
  8. REGIONAL DROP-OFF: If it's a big bulky waste that can't be donated, see if it can be recycled outside of Tucson (e.g., save up Styrofoam for the next time I drive to Phoenix, where they do have the appropriate facilities). TerraCycle accepts almost anything, but their all-in-one boxes are pricey, so it may make more sense to save up big hard-to-recycle stuff like packaging for Phoenix or another big city, if you think you'll drive there at some point. Don't make unnecessary trips just to drop off waste!
  9. TRASH: If it can't be composted, reused, donated or recycled, throw it away and make sure that you follow the guidelines for hazardous waste disposal.
  10. GOLDEN RULE #1: Make sure that the material is clean. Clean waste streams are more valuable to recyclers, which helps keep costs down. Don't use too much water cleaning up stuff, but don't feel too guilty about using water, either! Dishwater usage is a tiny sliver of household water consumption, not to mention that industry and agriculture generally use much more water than homes.
  11. GOLDEN RULE #2: The goal of recycling is to break down your waste into "primary materials" (e.g., plastic, metal, paper, glass) that can be used by industry to make new products. The more mixed your materials, the more you need to research how to recycle it. Knowing the basics goes a long way. For example, I know that metal cans get melted down, so a paper or plastic label attached to the can doesn't worry me because I know that it will get burned off. But what about a milk carton, which is paper fused with plastic? Or the circuitry inside the plastic base of a CFL bulb? If you can't intuitively explain how the thing is going to get broken down into its primary materials, that's your cue that you need to do some research.
  12. GOLDEN RULE #3: Knowing the basics of how recycling centers work goes a long way. For example, if you know that you can't recycle plastic grocery bags curbside because they get stuck in the machines, that's a hint that you shouldn't try to recycle your plastic food wrap, either. Or if you know that plastic bottle caps fall through the holes of a separator, that's a hint that you need to research whether your beer bottle caps are recyclable (even though they're metal).
​

Reuse and recycling guide for my home

This is not a comprehensive list of every recycling resource in Tucson, this is just for my house my household's needs. I've found that there's no one-size-fits-all solution if you want to reach close to 100% recycling/reuse, you end up having to come up with a list that's customized for your home, which requires research. I'm providing my list as a potential template as well as for inspiration.
Legend:
​
​

How do I sort all this?

Right now, I'm using a makeshift system of lots and lots of bags to keep everything separate. My idea is to do a monthly "recycling day" and drop off everything that needs to be dropped off as well as mail in everything that needs to be mailed in. I haven't had to do this yet since I started this project.
I hope to build a sorting station in my house once I understand my needs a bit better.
​

Notes on TerraCycle and partner programs

A lot of the corporate-sponsored/mail-in/drop-off programs are done through TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycler that specializes in recycling hard-to-recycle things (e.g., potato chip bags, toothbrushes). They make lots of their money through large corporations, which essentially pay them to process unprofitable waste in order to burnish their environmental stewardship bona fides. They also offer paid recycling pouches and boxes to the general public. You mail in these pouches/boxes (they come with a shipping label) after filling them up with recyclable waste.
TerraCycle will recycle almost anything and everything. However, anything that gets recycled through them or one of their corporate programs is shipped to New Jersey for processing, so it's preferable to reuse or recycle locally. They're also not as transparent as I wish they would be. I'm not certain, for example, how much of each waste stream actually gets recycled. They have a customer support contact form that's been very good for getting my questions answered, but beware that they take about 2-3 days to get back to you per request.
I bought the large "all-in-one" box from their site and found a coupon code online to bring the cost down to around $350. I read a review elsewhere from someone who got a medium box (about 50% the size) who said that it lasted her six months. My idea is to use this box as "recycling of last resort" and rely on drop-off programs as much as possible to keep costs down. On the other hand, this makes my life more complicated in terms of sorting different waste streams, so you could simplify by putting waste destined for various drop-off points into a single TerraCycle all-in-one box.
You need to register for free on their website to use their mail-in programs. Many of their mail-in programs unfortunately have wait lists. Of the ~15 programs for which I signed up around two weeks ago, about 8 had wait lists, and I got off the wait list for about 5 of them. So they seem to go through the list pretty regularly. Once you're in, you can print off a free UPS label from the "my profile" section of the site after logging in.
If I had to take a wild guess, I would assume that TerraCycle has a higher rate of recycling than municipal programs, but this must be balanced against the financial and environmental cost of shipping waste to their facilities.
​

Composting

The Achilles' heel in my recycling and reuse plan is organic matter. The City of Tucson has a composting program but it's only open to businesses.
There are a few volunteer-run programs here and there that accept compostable waste. I managed to sign up for one, UA's Compost Cats, and will be meeting them tomorrow to pick up my sealed composting bucket and go over the program rules. I know that they have limited capacity, so you have to email them. They took about a week to get back to me.
​

Am I insane?

Maybe a little 🙃.
​

Shout outs

​
submitted by Low_Walrus to Tucson [link] [comments]

Service Boot review: Shoes, Service, Rub Taps (At the Front/Corcoran)

Gallery
(Apologies for the bad lighting, the big orange thing in the sky is hiding from me.)
Bottom line up top: Comfortable last, rugged construction, lots of construction details that are usually only found in much higher price points, while other features are very bare-bones. Great value at $200 (bought on sale in November), but at the regular price of $300 they would be overpriced unless you need a WWII-replica boot, or you really like the Munson last.
What are they?
A very accurate replica of WWII US service boots, both for good and bad. They replaced leather-soled service shoes because the leather soles were found to wear out too quickly, so everything under the foot on these is extremely tough. They were meant to balance durability, comfort, and economy using the techniques and materials of the 1930s.
Fit
They are built on the Garrison Army Munson Last, which was meant for the most comfortable fit for the widest variety of foot-shapes while marching, running, or jumping, in an era when cushioning and shock absorption basically didn't exist. It's a very comfortable last for people with wide toes, "high volume" feet, or those who strike with their full foot or forefoot. the fit is meant to be snug around the ankle and bridge of the foot, but is meant to be wide open at the toes. The toe of the Munson last is high and bulbous, and the sole curves up significantly at the toe, to help the boot match the natural movement of the forefoot as much as possible. The last is meant to encourage a natural, "barefoot" gait (or was meant to do so with the techniques and materials at the beginning of the 20th century). People who strike more heavily on their heel often find the last less comfortable, and feel a lack of arch support.
These boots are insanely true to size, fitting to precise, military standards. The are meant to fit "close enough" if you go ½ size up from brannock, but is available in ½ sizes — that room helps the boot fit better for those of us with especially "high volume" feet.
Compared to most "service boot" lasts, the fit should be similar, probably a little more snug at the ankle and waist, and more open in the forefoot and toes. Because of the room at the toes, lacing the boot snug matters more than with other lasts.
​
Upper Construction
The upper leather is the main way that costs were cut on these boots. It's typical US combat boot leather, and probably the last from Tasman. It's a painted leather, but I'm not certain it's a proper "corrected grain", since the top of the grain is clearly not sanded off. I'm not sure they're visible in the gallery, but there are barbwire scars, and all the folds and marks one would expect from the very top of the cowhide — they are just painted over. I'm not sure it's properly a "full grain" either, since it's under 2 mm thick and the suede has almost totally been split from it. It's the most durable part of the hide, but in the cheapest way possible with marks on the hide and anything that could be removed for more lucrative uses already gone. The paint mostly covers the flaws (and reenforces scars) and makes the leather smooth and shiny. This is also a very dry, stiff leather, and gets most of it's waterproofing and protection from the paint.
Since the color comes from the paint, scuffs and scratches are really obvious. The leather's natural color is a bright "rawhide" color, so it shows through clearly (something like the scuff-marks at the bottom of my left sole in the gallery).
That said, it's not exactly a "bad" leather either. The WWII instruction manual that comes with these boots says to apply dubbin weekly, and since the leather has little oil or wax in it naturally, it becomes infused with the stuff pretty easily. When heavily conditioned and treated (as intended), it turns into a pretty rugged and practical leather. Having a lot of wax infused with the top layer is critical, since that strengthens the paint and lets nicks and cuts "heal". Mine in the gallery aren't really polished, and haven't gotten more care than a brush and wipe down since November and they've been worn in snow, salt, and slush for a few months. I'm kind of amazed how much shine they have when the closest thing they've seen to polish is Sno-Seal and tiny bits of burgundy polish rubbed in anywhere that the rawhide showed through.
​
These are true unlined boots. The structure for the toe and heel are outside the vamp and quarters, hidden under the toe cap and heel foxing, so there is no need to cover anything inside the boot. Despite the leather being rather rigid, it's stitched well enough that there are no rough seams in the leather. All the thread used in these boots is rather thick and course though, so they are uncomfortable with dress socks (but fine with any medium or heavy sock). They don't breathe especially well (not bad, just no benefit over lined boots), but their water resistance isn't especially bad when they are treated properly, and they aren't any worse for winter wear than any other uninsulated boot. They aren't unlined for any sort of practical benefit, it was just to cut costs, but it doesn't really matter if you are wearing boot socks.
​
​
The toe and heal structure are horsehide — this is one of the features that is unexpected on a boot in this price range, nd one of the things At the Front specified for their make up instead of the cheaper materials Corcoran would usually use. When new the toe and heel boxes are very rigid, but since they are leather too, they soften a bit as conditioner penetrates to them, giving them a "springy" quality. I didn't buy these boots for motorcycle riding, but had them on a trip when a friend asked me to bring a motorcycle home for them, and the toe and heel hold up well to manipulating foot controls.
​
The lacing is not the best, but it's workable. The laces in the photos are 54" Guarded Goods waxed cotton laces, but the boots actually came with original issue nylon laces that were surplus from WWII, and the original laces are only 42". I just cannot lace these boots all the way with a 42" lace — for most people you'll need something else. With the Munson last, shock is meant to be absorbed by the lacing, and frankly the shaft of these boots is a little too short to do that reliably unless you adjust the laced perfectly before tying them. If the laces aren't snugged all the way up then they can pinch at the top as they move around, and they won't be comfortable if you skip the top eyelets to wrap the laces around. Since these have more and closer eyelets than most 6" boots, they tend to need longer laces than average.
They eyelets work, but the are cheap, painted aluminum. This was don't partly to lower cost, but mostly to reduce brass use for the war effort. One of the intentions with this design was to use as little copper and brass as possible.
​
​
Sole and footbed
​
The insole is... not really an insole. It's actually more of a lasting board, meant to add structure and stability. It seems to be the same leather as the fullsole is, and is a thick, rigid plank. The stitching on the "insole" is the same thick, coarse thread that you see on the welt, and if you wear dress socks it will feel like there are pebbles in your boot. Most of the break-in for this boot was in getting the sole and insole to flex, and it took about 2 weeks.
I know that sounds bad, but it's actually really comfortable (as long as I don't wear dress socks). The insole has molded to my foot, and it is extremely stable and protective. In terms of spreading weight evenly even when standing on an uneven surface, they are the most comfortable boots I've ever worn. I definitely see why that design choice was made for boots that would be worn over all sorts of uneven or hazardous surfaces.
​
There is a little bit of a sockliner at the heel, with some sort of shock-absorbing material under it. I know there is cork used in these boots, but it's mostly used as filler, and the pad under the lining feels more like cotton or nylon batting, perhaps with cork under it. It works, and feels good, but the boots aren't really meant to absorb shock that way.
​
The welt is a 270° Goodyear welt, and was salmon pink before I treated these boots. The welt stitching was bright white, but turned grey when I treated the boots. I don't think it was meant to be any special color, but was just the natural color of that leather.
​
There is a steel shank. It's not triple-ribbed (extra wide) like on jump boots, but I think it's double-ribbed. Combined with the thick, stiff insole and fullsole, this provides plenty of stability, even standing on motorcycle pegs.
​
There isn't a midsole on these boots; that is a leather fullsole (or that's what the Army called it anyway). It is an extremely thick and hard leather (or maybe some type of laminate, like plywood). One of the changes At the Front made for their make-up was to ask for that leather for the sole rather than the composite of leather particles that Corcoran uses on their other WWII boots and jump boots.
​
The block rubber heel was specially ordered from Goodyear, built to WWII standards. Goodyear literally had to reapply for their old "wing foot" trademark to make these, and it uses a different rubber composition. If you look in the holes, it's tacked on (as well as cemented), and there seem to be voids in the rubber which if done to WWII standard, as everything seems to be, should be filled with cork. There isn't a practical reason for adding voids to the rubber, but there was a rubber shortage because of the war, so the intent was to use as little as possible.
​
The rubber taps were also specially ordered from Goodyear since they were originally made with as little rubber as possible in the composition (they are not the same composition as on other boots made by Corcoran). They are oil-resistant, and are attached with cement, two-rows of stitching, and tacks — these are probably the most secure soles I've worn on anything. The tacks seem to be mostly zinc to save on the amount of copper in them (again for the war effort).
Since grip was not the first priority for these taps, I'm surprised how grippy they are. They were meant to make soles last longer, and to use as little rubber as possible — grip was not really even a design requirement. As combat shoes, it was presumed that soldiers would add hobnails if they needed more grip. The tread patern doesn't even look very grippy. In that context, the grip is not bad. I don't wear them in heavy snow, but for shoveled and salty winter parking lots and sidewalks they've been fine — not as good as a Vibram 430 sole, but better than Dainite. Mud and wet grass would probably be the worst surfaces, but they are fine on smooth wet indoor surfaces that give Dainite trouble.
Due to COVID I haven't been out and about as much as usual, but these have been my daily wear boots due to their comfort and the fact that I could melt half-a-can of snow-seal into them without ruining the leather. The heels and taps have held up remarkably well in my opinion. I tend to be hard on heels, but those barely show wear, though I think the strength and stability of the sole and insole might be keeping me from wearing the soles unevenly.
Given how thick the "rubber taps" are (thicker than most "outsoles") and how slowly and evenly they seem to be wearing, I can't imagine ever needing to resole them. If anything the first "repair" they might need would probably be to the tacks as the rubber around them wears enough that they start scratching things.
Overall everything under the foot on tases is incredibly sturdy and stable. The quality control is far better than usual for Corcoran, with just a bit of frayed thread at the end of the welts (very normal for GYW) and a few tacks that are a bit sloppy. The design isn't complicated, but it really works.
​
Care
The manual says to apply dubbin once a week — the boots are meant to be heavily treated. I've been using Hubberd's Boot Grease and Sno-Seal on these boots, since this is exactly the sort of leather and application those products are intended for.
I started with two double applications of Hubberd's; two weekends in a row I heated the boots slightly, applied the grease and let it sit over night, then the next morning wiped off excess, and buffed them out. Then I immediately warmed the boots again, applied the grease again, and left them for the next morning to wipe off excess and buff them out again.
Hubberd's works well for softening leather, and adds a lot of nourishment to leathers that need it, which the rigid, dry leather these boots came with really needed.
The welts were salmon-pink and the welt-stitching bright white before the Hubberd's, but it greyed those significantly. Because of the paint, it didn't seem to alter the color of most of the boot at all.
During those two weeks I scuffed the paint off in a few spots, so I rubbed burgundy shoe polish in anywhere that the lighter leather was showing and brushed them out. (The color of the leather is "russet", but it's brown with a bit of red, and it looked like the burgundy would blend better on the light spots than brown would).
For the next two weekends, I melted in a single, heavy coat of Sno-Seal. I started by warming the boots and rubbing the wax into all the stitching and seams with my fingers, then warming them again to massage a heavy coat in all over. The next morning I brushed and buffed the boots out.
The Sno-Seal helped a lot with water-resistance, especially at the stitching. These boots have coarse thread and big needle-holes, so getting wax in there to plug those up really helped. I'm surprised how well the Sno-Seal protects against scuffs and cuts though. I'm also surprised how much of a shine it holds. Sno-Seal is mostly bees wax, so I't not impossible that it could be buffed, but that isn't the main purpose.
I've only had these for 3 months, but for the future I'll probably just use the burgundy shoe polish if they get scuffed, and reapply Hubberd's then Sno-Seal at the start of each winter.
​
Final thoughts
I bought these because of the Munson last. My left foot is a bit mangled so a last that is specifically meant to allow normal foot movement and prevent injury works best for me, and I've owned several military boots on that last. It's honestly more comfortable for me than sneakers.
Seriously, I'll buy pretty much anything on that last.
I bought these for everyday casual shoes that don't scream "MILITARY!" and since so many casual boots copy them (I'd bet that most GYWers own at least one set of boots derived from these) they pass for casual. I'm not sure I would buy them at $300, but for $200 they are crazy good.
I hadn't expected these to be put together so well. I didn't expect to actually like the outsoles taps, but the are actually good for in-town wear. I also expected to hate the insole, since any Corcoran boots I've owned in the past had cheap removable insoles, and these just have thick slabs of hard leather, but it turns out that a thick slab of hard leather that conforms to your footpads and moves with them is pretty comfortable.
These are dead simple boots, but with unexpectedly good quality, and they just work well. Both the last and the insole+sole are so simple yet good, and I'd love to get better leather on that same basic design.
submitted by inktomi19d to goodyearwelt [link] [comments]

Explore the Para-Elemental Planes of Ice, Magma, Ooze, and Smoke; the borders between the major elemental planes.

You can read this post and see images of the Para-Elemental Planes on Dump Stat

What are the Para-Elemental Planes?

Where the major Inner Planes meet, they form the para-elemental planes, minor planes of existence that combine the materials of two different major elements into a single plane. These planes are Ice, a minor plane of Air and Water; Magma, a minor plane of Earth and Fire; Ooze, a minor plane of Earth and Water; and Smoke, a minor plane of Air and Fire. They are considered minor because of the difficulty of reaching these planes, and the smaller number of inhabitants that reside on them.
These planes, while minor, are far more dangerous than the major planes they adjoin, one of the reasons why they are so scarcely populated. Despite the danger of visiting such places, they each hold unique locales and treasures within their depths.

History

The para-elemental planes are first introduced in the Manual of the Planes (1987) where their foundations are first laid. It’s not until The Inner Planes (1998) that additional detail is provided on the inhabitants, specifics to the planes, and locations to visit. These planes’ paraelementals are the only creatures that are referenced in 3rd edition and in 4th edition, and while these planes are touched on in 5th edition’s Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014), very little is revealed on them, though Smoke is renamed to Ash.

An Outsider’s Perspective

These minor planes are as varied from each other as the major planes that make them up. For outsiders, these planes are dangerous, but for those who have learned their secrets, can hold hidden treasures unable to be found anywhere else in the planes. Each of these para-elemental planes presents unique challenges to be overcome.
Ice
Between the Plane of Air and the Plane of Water, the Plane of Ice is a realm of freezing temperatures where everything freezes eventually. Water, flesh, blood, stone, metal, ice, and even words and thoughts freeze in this plane the closer one travels to the center of it. The entire plane is covered in freezing ice, creating twisting caverns and tunnels, with large chasms that shrink and grow as the ice moves throughout the plane. Those who visit this plane do so to find frozen thoughts in the center of the plane, or to hunt the monsters who roam this plane, like yetis, animentals, ice mephits, and more.
Magma
Between the Plane of Earth and the Plane of Fire, the Plane of Magma is a flowing realm of super-heated rock. Large islands of obsidian float across the magma floes, with subterranean lava tubes that run throughout the plane like a spider web and is heavily used by traders and travelers as it is protected from the burning magma. Visitors are often searching across the plane for gems that form from the intense pressure and heat of this plane, as well as powerful wizards who have formed towers to study the elemental power of magma.
Ooze
Adjoining the Plane of Earth and the Plane of Water, the Plane of Ooze is a horrible realm of stinking gases and caustic muck that floods across the plane. Few visitors willingly travel to this plane, and it seems as if even the inhabitants of this plane want out from the slime, sludge, and muck of this world. Visitors of the plane have difficulty with the sludge-like caustic mud, searching through the wastes of Sigil for valuables, for ooze-gems, strange and rare gems that fetch a high price so long as they are thoroughly cleaned before being taken to market, as well as searching for hidden prisons of ancient creatures bound to Ooze.
Smoke
Between the Plane of Air and the Plane of Fire, the Plane of Smoke is a large fog bank of smog and smoke, of caustic fumes and burning embers that choke the lungs of those who try to breathe it. Visitors of this plane are often the djinn and efreet who wage a war across this plane, treating it as a vast and bloody battlefield as they attempt to gain elemental ground against the other side. Others who visit this plane do so either as mercenaries or as explorers searching through the smoke-laden air for rare gases that can provide healing, offer new experiences, as well as horrible poisons for assassins.

A Native’s Perspective

The majority of those who are willing to reside and inhabit this plane are the paraelementals and mephits who are formed from their plane. There are other races and creatures of these planes, though they are sparse and many have long ago left these planes for more hospitable planes like the major Inner Planes or the Material Plane. Almost no true powers claim any parts of these planes, though many are working towards taking on the mantle of archomental, primordial, and even godhood.
Ice
Freezing cold. Freezing chill. Miles upon miles of frozen caverns slowly freezing over and then re-freezing again. The inhabitants are cold just like their plane, uncaring for others who hate the cold and ice, looking with cool gazes at those who try to survive in this freezing realm. The inhabitants of this plane are largely the paraelementals who are ruled over by an up and coming archomental known as Cryonax. Cryonax rules from his icy fortress known as the Chiseled Estate and is focused on expanding his empire of ice and has imprisoned hundreds of wizards, some are even water and ice genasi, to help bolster his strengths and see him to victory.
Magma
Bubbling molten rock forms vast oceans of churning magma that threatens to burn everything that touches it. Those who live here must struggle against the burning rocks and caustic air of toxic fumes. While there are few settlements on this plane, at least visitable by outsiders, many of them are ruled over by individuals who are researching or hiding. The true rulers of this plane, the mephits, are vicious and cruel, they enjoy dominating any creature who comes to this plane, and by sheer numbers alone, can overtake any others on this plane. They are ruled over by a powerful magma mephit known as Chilimba, who insists that others call him the Searing Emperor, the First General of the Cauldron, and the Master of All Mephits. The mephits rarely negotiate and are seen as pests by outsiders like the efreet and dao who often meet on this plane.
Ooze
Probably the least inhabited of any of the para-elemental planes, the Plane of Ooze is often thought to be the most inhospitable of the planes, including the quasi-elemental plane of Vacuum or the Negative Energy Plane. It’s not that Ooze kills so quickly, which it does, but because it is such a horrible, stench-ridden, caustic ocean of muck, mud, and other rotting things. Inhabitants of this plane always seem to be wanting to leave, with even the ooze mephits searching desperately for ways off the plane even though they are formed from the plane itself.
While the ooze mephits are the largest group of inhabitants, they have never built settlements on this plane and instead travel in nomadic groups, hunting for outsiders to drown in the murky depths of this plane. Paraelementals often stick to the darkest depths of this plane, while the animentals, animals of elemental form, are as disgusting as the plane itself. Ooze dogs still behave like dogs, but if they try to lick your face, their saliva is like caustic acid that melts through flesh, bone, and armor.
Smoke
Burning and acidic air, stinging smoke laden with ash, and endless expanses of foul gases make up this plane and hide dark secrets in their clouds. Several creatures claim this plane as their home, though their true numbers are hidden throughout the smoke and gases. The largest presence are the smoke mephits who follow Ehkahk, a simple smoke mephit who has decided that he has the powers of a true archomental, even if he has no special powers. After them, in almost equal numbers, are the smoke paraelementals who ignore the mephits that try to push their insane ruler on them. Instead, these paraelementals follow their Smoke Dukes, powerful paraelementals who rule over settlements and regions.

Atmosphere

The atmospheres on each of these planes are heavily influenced by the major elemental planes that they adjoin, combining them and bringing in new hazards. Not every plane is breathable, and each plane has unique hazards that make it difficult to survive traversing them. These planes can support life, but it is a life that has evolved in an alien way to overcome the dangers of each plane.
Ice
With its freezing air, the Plane of Ice is aptly named. This plane exists without light except what outsiders and inhabitants create for themselves, and no heat can be squeezed out of this plane. Freezing bodies might form the largest population on this plane, though if rumors are to be believed, those individuals are still alive, you just have to unthaw them. Similar to Earth, Ice is made up of a massive glacier of ice that has tunnels crisscrossing throughout it. There is breathable air throughout the plane, though if travelers end up inside of the ice sheets, or the ice forms up around them, they’ll quickly be cut off and begin suffocation.
Magma
Magma has a definite gravity, and thus has a surface to it that most are forced to wade through or sail on an obsidian vessel. The air is sometimes breathable, though it is laced with the burning smoke of fires and magma. To survive these toxic fumes, the air must be filtered or magically treated to make it safe to breathe for those who require it. Trying to peer through this burning haze is largely restricted by the ever-present smoke and foul gases, making it difficult to make out any details from further away than 100 feet.
Ooze
Similar to the Plane of Water, this entire plane is consumed by the murky mud of ooze, its caustic nature destroying and consuming anything that touches it. The closer one travels to Earth, the thicker the muck grows, making it almost impossible to swim or wade through as if it was made of large chunks of solid-mud, while the closer one travels to Water, the looser and more liquid it gets until its like swamp water, but made of powerful toxic waste. Spells and creatures who can normally breathe water are capable of breathing this filth, though it does nothing to stop it from being toxic and poisonous. Trying to breathe the air is difficult as it is just as toxic as the muck of this plane.
Smoke
While there is no risk of drowning, like there is on Magma or Ooze, this plane is just as dangerous to breathe in. Filled with the burning embers of long extinguished fires and toxic gases that are highly combustible, this plane is dangerous to breathe in. Those who breathe the fumes of this plane in, unfiltered and unprotected, immediately begin suffocating and dying as their lungs begin bleeding and burning away.

Traits

Travel to the Plane

Most people who are looking to travel to these planes are often asked why they would ever do that, doubly so for those who wish to visit the Plane of Ooze. Despite any misgivings a traveler may have of journeying to these planes, it is not extremely difficult for those who are keen on visiting. There are portals in Sigil, the Outlands, and other places across the multiverse that offer ways of arriving in these portals. Sigil has several portals in its sewers and in the Hive that offer connections to the Plane of Ooze, as well as portals to the other planes at random locations as the Lady of Pain sees fit to create them.
Portals to the Plane of Smoke can be found on Bytopia that requires the breath of a gnome to open, and as if they shouldn’t be outdone, Moradin, the god over dwarves, built his portal on the slopes of Mount Celestia in his realm. Ooze has portals on many of the layers of the Abyss, like the 222nd layer where the kingdom of Juiblex is said to be. It’s little surprise that a demon prince of oozes might have some interest in such a horrible and mucky place like Ooze.
If you are trying to get to Magma, there is a well-known portal in a remote portion of the Outlands built of basalt. No one knows who built the portal, and many believe it was quite a small creature who did so as most humanoids have to squeeze through, making it almost impossible for large creatures to access it. Instead, if a traveler is hoping to get to Ice, there are portals known to exist on Cania, the eighth layer of Baator, though that is a difficult portal to access if one isn’t a devil. There is also a portal on Muspelheim, a fiery layer located on Ysgard, though no one is quite sure how it formed or for what purpose.
Portals to these planes can spring up anywhere their specific elements come together in sufficient quantities. Freezing cold oceans on the Material Plane may link to the Plane of Ice, just as the centers of volcanoes may hold a portal to the Plane of Magma. Smoke is often found above large forest fires where toxic air clings to itself, while Ooze portals can often be found in places of swampy detritus and rotted corpses.
Since these planes adjoin the borders of the major elemental planes, they can also be walked to on any of the adjoining planes. This requires a guide, as each of these planes are infinite by their very nature, making it difficult for outsiders to truly understand where these borders are located.

Traversing the Plane

Only those who understand what dangers exist on these planes can truly be prepared for what they face. Traversing any of these planes is no simple task and requires magic, strength, and luck to survive them.
Ice
Depending on where a traveler is on the plane, they may have it quite easy or very difficult. In the areas near the Plane of Air, in a region known as Precipice, it is a sheer cliff that must be traversed up to get closer to the center of the plane. Spiked shoes, rope, pickaxes, and more are required to scale these cliffs, or one risks slipping on a slick piece of ice and plummeting to their freezing death hundreds of miles below them. As they journey towards the center of the plane, they must have access to some way to nullify the cold, though even that isn’t enough. Creatures immune to the cold, like white dragons and even creatures of ice, find the cold so painful that even they begin freezing. It isn’t unheard of to come across the frozen body of a creature in the twisting caverns of Ice.
As a traveler moves closer to the Plane of Water, the massive block of ice that forms most of this plane soon gives way to a freezing cold ocean. Icebergs float across the dark oceans, and some swear that the water itself is far colder than even the ice of this plane.
Magma
Luckily for travelers, gravity exists on this plane and makes getting around it somewhat simple. Those who can fly can easily soar above the burning magma, though they still must deal with the toxic fumes that rise to meet them. Those who lack such an ability have a few other options. They can try and trudge through the magma, half walking and half swimming through the burning magma. This is a slow and painful process as the sticky fire burns anything within it that isn’t protected.
Another option is to hire a dao obsidian ship that can sail across the churning sludge of Magma. These ships aren’t cheap but have natural bubbles of breathable air that are maintained around it with magic, making it the safest and easiest ride across the plane. The dao aren’t to be trusted as they have been known to make slaves of those who would hire their ships. Beyond simply swimming through the magma, there is also a complex lava tube network that spans the entire plane. In these hollow tubes, a traveler is protected from the sizzling magma, though the tubes do nothing to cleanse the air. Large trading caravans and explorers rely on these tubes to safely travel from Earth to Fire.
Ooze
Depending on where a traveler is on the plane, it may require them to swim through the thin muds of the plane, or they have to half-dig, half-swim through the thick muck. The ooze-mud near Water is liquidy enough to easily swim through, though the caustic nature of the plane means any swimmers must have some spells to stop them from being dissolved by the acidic muck. Closer to Earth, the muck gets thicker and harder to bypass, forcing those to dig and channel their way through the marshes of acidic mud. A traveler could also remain still and just allow the currents of muck that move through this plane to carry them off, moving wherever the languid currents carry them.
Smoke
Traveling across this plane is virtually identical to traveling on the Plane of Air, one must simply determine their ‘down’ and fall in that direction. There is no gravity on this plane, and most visitors who visit this plane find it easy to use the same tricks they’d use on the Plane of Air, here. One of the biggest differences though is that visibility is greatly reduced and typically travelers can only see up to 30 feet in front of them. This means they have to be constantly focused on what they are falling towards as earth motes can suddenly appear, and if they aren't fast enough, they may splat into it.

Locations

These planes adjoin the major elemental planes, as well as border several quasi-elemental planes. Each plane has six borders that behave slightly differently than the core of the plane, providing new hazards and dangers for travelers. Most settlements often form up around the most hospitable borders, leaving other borders devoid of life if it is too dangerous to reside there.

Ice

Ice shares borders with the Plane of Air, Lightning, Steam, Water, Salt, and Vacuum, each creating a unique interaction with the blistering cold of ice. Lightning and Ice creates a field of soft snow, blowing pleasantly across the landscape in a realm known as the Shimmering Drifts. While it may seem pleasant at first, if these electrical-charged snowflakes touch a creature, it can cause the creature to lose their wits and act as if they are under the effects of a confusion spell. Steam and Ice create the realm of the Fog of Unyielding Frost, a place of super-cold vapors that if breathed can freeze your lungs solid. While it is survivable in this realm, those who reside or travel through here must always have some sort of protection from the cold.
Traveling towards Air is the region known as Precipice, this is at the very ‘top’ of Ice where snow-capped mountains and sheer ice cliffs creak and groan as the ice continues to grow. No sun illuminates this realm, making it so that to climb atop these cliffs or mountains, one must travel in the pitch-black of night. Moving downward, through the frozen ground towards Water, it eventually turns into the frigid place known as the Sea of Frozen Lives, a surfaceless ocean of suspended icebergs. It is said that even the water is colder than the ice that holds it and that the icebergs that float in this liquid were once travelers who succumb to the cold.
Salt and Ice form a realm known as the Stinging Storm, a raging tempest of salt-water and acrid crystals that hail across the realm. Those who get caught in a storm are forced to contend with crystals of all sizes hailing down in a devastating bludgeoning cacophony of pain and acidic burns. Where Ice reaches Vacuum, it creates the Frigid Void, a realm free of ice and snow but it still retains its painful cold as well as the deadly void of nothing.
There are only a few sites on Ice, for if you stop moving on this plane, you are likely to join the frozen statues. Traveling through the ice channels, even the warmth of a fire is a danger as it can melt some of the ice around you, turning it into a chilling liquid that splashes down on you and then instantly refreezes with you in the center of this ice block. It is best to travel with a magically-created light spell and protect oneself from the cold using magic.
Arcolantha
Thought to be the place that every visitor should see, at a spot deep in the ice is a strange world that is unaffected by the growing realm of ice. It appears like a massive sphere with its ice-walls perfectly polished to a high sheen, making it easy to peer through the ice for hundreds of feet. There is even a large light in the center of this sphere that illuminates the entire structure in a brilliant light, but the beauty of ice isn’t the reason to visit. That reason is the thousands of creatures that are ‘buried’ in the ice, these creatures, and even humanoids, have been taken from all across the multiverse and stored in the solid ice here.
No one knows who is doing this, or for what reason, but travelers from all over who study specific creatures often venture here for a chance to look at one of their specimens up close through the ice.
The Chiseled Estate
Located on Precipice is the icy fortress of Cryonax, a colossal structure that extends well over a mile above the surface of the ice, and stretches far below in a vast underground network. In the very center lies a throne room where Cryonax rules from, watching over his realm and forming his plans on extending his power over ice and pushing the freezing reach of Ice onto other planes. Found throughout his twisting fortress are yetis, frost-covered umber hulks, snowy ropers made of ice, and massive dire-beasts formed of ice and snow who safeguard his fortress from intruders.

Magma

Magma shares borders with the Plane of Fire, Ash, Dust, Earth, Mineral, and Radiance, each creating a unique interaction with the bubbling and churning mass of molten rock. Radiance and Magma create the realm known as the Glowing Dunes, often thought to be one of the deadliest places in all the Inner Planes. Rolling hills are made of volcanic ash, and as one travels closer to Radiance the dust becomes metallic and radiates out energy and light. Those who travel across the hills risk catching a horrible disease or curse, no one truly knows what exactly it is but even those who are immune to such things can catch it. This disease or curse causes blistering skin, blindness, baldness, and hundreds of other symptoms before the eventual death. On the border of Mineral and Magma is the realm of the Obsidian Forest, with massive spires of volcanic glass and crystals that rise out of the burning wasteland. Its thought that evil creatures of stone reside here, having fleed from a powerful archomental known as Ogremoch located on the Plane of Earth.
Traveling towards Earth, the magma thickens and creates an area of basalt cliffs and spires that overlook rivers and lakes of lava known as the Scorched Wastes, this area is largely devoid of life except for firenewts and salamanders. In the opposite direction, heading towards Fire is a realm known as the Searing Mists where fires erupt in massive explosions across the almost liquid-like magma that flows quickly across the surface like a massive churning ocean. At the very edge of the border against the Plane of Fire is a curtain of searing droplets of molten stone that form a fog-like haze separating the two planes.
Traveling towards the Negative Energy Plane presents the two options of Ash and Dust. Where Ash and Magma meet is the region known as the Chalk Islands where islands of chalk rise up surrounded by rivers and oceans of magma. The islands are freezing cold and filled with the choking ash of their plane, while the magma creates rivers of boiling heat, making it quite difficult for travelers to contend with such extremes. Dust and Magma form the Sands, a realm of desert-like qualities, though it is the coolest place on Magma. Moving through the sands, the particles slowly become more and more powder-like, wreaking havoc on metal and mechanical items that begin rusting and corroding.
Few settlements have formed up on Magma, as it is quite a dangerous place to spend too much time thanks to the sudden jets of flame that explode across the surface. A few cities are known to exist on the surface of this realm, as well as more than a few laboratories and magical towers manned by sages and wizards who wish to be left alone so they might work on their magic in peace.
Fields of Nevermore
On the surface of this plane is a cool crust of stone that has grown thick enough to be used as the foundation of a city. While typically such stone would melt into the magma, there is a great and powerful artifact at the center of this city known as the chillsword which has been planted in the magma itself as an attempt to destroy this artifact in ancient times. Unfortunately for the wielder, not even the melting magma of this plane could destroy the artifact, and instead the blade formed a cooled area where a settlement would eventually rise around. While the air is still dangerous and filled with toxins, ambitious travelers who are searching for a respite from this plane took a liking to the area and eventually formed a large city, creating strange breathing devices that transform the toxins of this plane into breathable air.
Targath’s Tower
While not a wizard himself, Targath Reniume had commissioned over a dozen powerful wizards to construct for him a tower on Magma. Some believe that he paid them with illicit goods that he had acquired, with the most unbelievable rumors that he had stolen the moaning diamond and gave it to them. This tower is made out of permanent walls of force, making it an invisible tower in the churning magma. It rises several stories above the plane of Magma and far below it where it is anchored to the lava tube network that crisscrosses the plane.
He is happy to allow visitors to rest at his home, often only requiring news of the world outside for a comfortable bed and a lavish supper. No one is quite sure how Targath moves from his tower and out into the many worlds outside, but he seems to be able to travel with a care-free demeanor and can almost will himself to appear anywhere in the multiverse.

Ooze

The Plane of Ooze shares borders with the Plane of Earth, Dust, Salt, Water, Steam, and Mineral, each creating a unique realm as it interacts with the stench swamps of Ooze. At the borders of Steam and Ooze, it creates the realm of the Choking Gale, where the ooze and muck grow thin and eventually turns into strong winds that spray oily poisons over those who journey here. Rolling clouds of toxic vapor twist and pummel visitors across this realm, choking and burning even those who are immune to poison, its vapors clinging to skin and causing horrific burns. Between Ooze and Mineral, the ooze is said to congeal into a molasses-like substance that grows thicker and thicker the closer one travels to Mineral. This realm, known as the Slag Marshes, has a thin atmosphere, that is at least breathable, but it tastes of metal and the sludge of this marsh eats its way through clothes, skin, and even bone.
Traveling towards Earth, the muck and ooze thicken until it becomes a thick mud that sucks at your feet as you move through it. This realm, known as the Muckmire, often solidifies and hardens around those who move through it, as there is little moisture here. This hardened muck quickly freezes travelers in place much like amber sap from a tree that freezes around an insect. It's not uncommon for motes of this hardened material to float to the surface with a horrified, and long-dead, creature trapped within it. On the opposite side of this plane, as one travels to Water, the muck and ooze grow thin in a region known as the Bile Sea where the ‘water’ clings to the skin like caustic acid. There are a few fish that have come over from Water, though they are horrible creatures with most slowly rotting in the ocean, making it that much more unappealing to visitors.
Moving off to the Negative Energy Plane, Ooze shares borders with Salt and Dust. Traveling towards the borders of Salt and Ooze, the ooze thickens and becomes briny, with muck so caustic it corrodes metal almost immediately. Even magically protected weapons and armor begin to rust away into the Stagnant Sea. At the border of Dust and Ooze, is the realm known as the Oasis of Filth, a place so thick with disease that creatures concoct a massive variety of plagues, illnesses, and fevers that can only be found on this plane.
It's no surprise that even the inhabitants of this realm seem to be seeking any way out of this plane. It is almost unheard of to find any traveler that has ever had a positive experience in this plane, making it so that few have any reason of setting up a permanent settlement on the sucking muds of this plane.
The Trash Heap
Sigil might have the largest concentration of portals to Ooze, but that is because it needs a place to put its waste material as there is nowhere in the city. Instead, it gets pumped through one of their portals, often requiring the dabus to clear out any clogs, and ends up in Ooze. Miles upon miles of junk litter this plane, rotting food, weapons, and even the occasional body, sometimes still alive, floats across this area. While many might turn their nose up, the trash heap is inhabited by dozens of individuals looking through the junk as sometimes there are treasures and lost items of high value worth living out here for.
The Cysts
This plane is quite useful for those who wish to entomb and entrap creatures using powerful magics to sink targets into the muck. These trapped creatures create cysts in the mire, and they are preserved, like living fossils. While cysts are impossible to see through, making it difficult to tell what is on the other side, they can provide some clues as a giant will form a cyst that is 15 feet or more in length, while a kobold may only create one a few feet tall. Occasionally these cysts might rupture, spilling forth their contents onto the plane, and while many might drown on the filth around them, several have escaped their confines, driven insane by the untold eons trapped on this plane. On rare occasions, travelers have walked on cysts that have risen to the surface, accidentally rupturing the cyst and spilling out whatever creature had been locked away.

Smoke

The Plane of Smoke shares borders with the Plane of Air, Lightning, Radiance, Fire, Ash, and Vacuum, each creating unique interactions with the choking gases of this plane. Lightning forms the darkened realm known as the Aurora, where brilliant waves of colors rip across the sky like lightning. It is said to be one of the natural wonders of the multiverse, a place that all must-see for its pure beauty. Next to this realm is the border of Radiance and Smoke, creating a realm known as the Sea of Stars that is also a vast expanse of darkness, but this one holds flakes of light and energy that zip and move across the expanse like lightning bugs. This glistening, radiant energy is dangerous to touch, but another wonder to behold for its beauty.
Traveling to the Plane of Air, the smoke and heat begin decreasing on this plane but before one can reach the purified air of the self-named plane, they must enter through a gloom known as the Eternal Haze. This realm is completely poisonous with stranges gases and toxins not seen, or breathed, anywhere else in the multiverse. In the opposite direction, as one heads towards the border of the Plane of Fire and Smoke, is the realm known as the Scaled. This area is so hot that, while there are no flames, it is just as hot as Fire with smoke so thick that a traveler can’t see more than a few feet, if that, in front of them. It is said that all the smoke from Fire travels to this area, and gathers up in thick clouds that are impassable unless led by an efreet.
Heading towards the Negative Energy Plane are the planes of Ash and Vacuum. At the border of Smoke and Ash is a place known as the Ember where flakes of super-heated ash move across the lit sky like from a campfire. This ash sears and blisters whatever it touches, making it a dangerous realm to stay for long in. At the borders of Vacuum and Smoke is the horrible realm of the Gray Way that is as deadly as it is subtle. The air here is not toxic, but it is still dangerous to breathe in as the vapors cause hallucinations and madness in all. Those who breathe in this realm, even for a short time, begin losing themselves in the madness, forgetting what it is to be alive and unalive, what is good vs evil, and becoming brutal and kind in the same moment. This horrible condition is thought to be only removed by a powerful restoration spell, but it's said that those who survive such a condition are forever changed.
Unlike many of the other para-planes, this plane is often traveled though many of its travelers are efreet soldiers and djinn warriors who wage their battles across the entire plane.
The Choking Palace
Ehkahk, a semi-what powerful mephit, lays claim to this floating castle made of black iron that drifts across the plane. His palace holds a large library filled with a jumbled mess of esoteric lore, for Ehkahk prizes himself as a scholar and has gathered up any type of book or piece of lore that he can, filling his shelves with strange knowledge that may be best locked away. Hundreds of mephit scribes are sent across the plane, and beyond, searching for more knowledge to fill Ehkahk’s shelves. The Great Ehkahk is even quite a writer himself as he writes massive amounts in his journals that he stores in his libraries, though no one is quite sure why he does so. While Ehkahk, the Smoldering Duke, has made no moves against the other planes, many wonder if he is simply biding his time and growing his power so that he might truly become an archomental.
The Hidden City
Secreted somewhere in the plane, this massive city is built atop a natural spring of water, the only one like it in all the plane of smoke. Magic and smoke help to make this city almost impossible to find, safeguarding it from opposing forces that would like nothing more than to destroy the city or take it over as a large fortification. Djinn and efreet and are interested in finding and securing this city, with the djinn wanting to create an alliance with the city to house their armies, while the efreet wishes to enslave the occupants and transform the city into their fortress. Even the Smoldering Duke, the tyrant mephit, wishes to control the town, though it is more out of jealously that something could be hidden in the smokes that he so dearly loves.
The rulers of the Hidden City are always twin heirs, at least for the past eight generations, and go to great lengths to ensure that those worthy travelers who need food and shelter can find the city. They are always open to those who are running away from the oppression of the genies, helping outsiders so long as they can find the city and are worthy of their protection.

Factions & People

Genies

The genies don’t reside on the para-elemental planes but do wage their wars across them. The djinn and efreet, from the planes of Air and Fire respectively, wage their war across Smoke. The dao and marid, from the planes of Earth and Water respectively, wage their war across Ooze. Dao and efreet often meet secretly on Magma, conducting trade missions as well as planning their attacks on their hated enemies. While the djinn and marid meet on Ice, neither much care for the freezing temperatures and, while they are not hostile with each other, rarely take to planning engagements against their enemies.
The genies also use these planes as hunting grounds, moving across the planes in search of elemental animals of these planes, or hunting the mephits and paraelementals. The genies see the mephits as nothing more than vermin and pests, slaughtering large numbers of them like they would rodents.

The Powers

No true power lays claim to any portion of these planes, this might be because these planes are so difficult to get to or that they are just too hazardous for outsiders to visit that the gods have decided it isn’t worth the effort. There are a wide variety of individuals who believe themselves to be gods, archomentals, or primordials, though few, if any, truly hold such power.
Cryonax
On Ice is an individual that is the closest to becoming a true archomental, also known as a primordial. Standing at 15-feet tall and covered in white fur, he is often said to resemble that of a powerful yeti or a massive polar bear that stands on its hind legs. Cryonax often thinks of himself as a deity already, though he has yet to prove his true power against others, something many believe he aims to fix. He is hoping to expand his rule to the entire plane of Ice, and even for Ice to replace one of the major Inner Planes in importance. Some say he dreams of a day where he can freeze over the entire multiverse, ruling it with a freezing fist.

Paraelementals

The elementals of these planes are known as the paraelementals and include mephits and elementals. They are thought to be the plane given sentience and are summoned by spellcasters looking to trap elemental energies or control them in battle. While the elementals often have unique names to describe themselves, rarely if ever going by the title of paraelemental or mephit, they are categorized as such by scholars who study such creatures and beings.
The paraelementals of these planes are wary and unfriendly, treating others with extreme caution and even hostility. Their planes are often turned into large battlefields between the warring genie factions who fight and slaughter other creatures indiscriminately across the plane. They can still be treated with, though they are typically only swayed by goods that they see as valuable. Smoke elementals value rare gases and strange perfumes while an ice elemental may value magical items that deal with the cold and create cold spells.

Encounters

Ehkahk's Books - A rumor in Sigil has been making the rounds, that there is an insane mephit on the Plane of Smoke searching for hidden books and lost knowledge to fill his shelves. Claims to be paying top coin and, those who can bring him valuable knowledge will be given large expanses of land, or smoke as the case might be, in the Plane of Smoke. They may even be elevated to the prestige of being a noble among the mephits, a questionable title if ever there was one.
Frozen Thoughts - At the very center of the Plane of Ice, even thoughts freeze into crystals of unique forms. Scavengers and explorers brave these painfully cold realms in search of hidden information and ancient knowledge, selling these ideas to the highest bidders. Rumors are that the true name of a demon prince might be found in its frozen form, frozen on the lips of someone long dead.
Lost Dabus - The Lady of Pain’s dabus are in charge of the operations of Sigil, which means they have to unclog the sewers from time-to-time that lead into the Plane of Ooze. Unfortunately, a temporary closed on a dabus doing such maintenance and is wandering the planes seeking a way back to Sigil.
Obsidian Sails - Travel across the Plane of Magma is quite easy for those willing to pay for passage on one of the dao's obsidian ships. Unfortunately, many of these vessels have been commandeered by pirates, and while the magma pirates are incredibly rare, they aren't unheard of on the flowing oceans of lava.
The Zoo - The mysterious caretaker of the Arcolantha is hiring a group of adventurers to bring several creatures to its realm so that it might freeze them inside of its walls for all to enjoy. These creatures are rare and difficult to find or might be incredibly deadly, but the pay is good, and it's a chance to find out who actually owns the Arcolantha.

Resources & Further Reading

Manual of the Planes (1st edition) / For more information on the introduction of the Para-Elemental Planes.
The Inner Planes (2nd edition) / For more information on the locations and people in the Para-Elemental Planes.
submitted by varansl to DnDBehindTheScreen [link] [comments]

Turning Random League of Legends Champions into a DnD Build (Attempting) Until I've Done all 152 (and Counting) Day 17: Leona

Praise the Sun for our 17th champion in the series, Leona!
submitted by BestBaconatorNA to 3d6 [link] [comments]

Explore the Positive Quasi-Elemental Planes of Lightning, Mineral, Radiance, and Steam; the borders between the Positive Energy Plane and the major elemental planes.

You can read this post and see images of the Positive Quasi-Elemental Planes on Dump Stat

What are the Positive Quasi-Elemental Planes?

Between the major Inner Planes are the positive quasi-elemental planes that bridge the gap between them and the Positive Energy Plane. Four quasi-elemental planes blend the pure energy of Positive with the elements, creating worlds of agitating elements that are often as deadly as they are beautiful. The four planes are Lightning, Radiance, Mineral, and Steam, each adjoins a different elemental plane of Air, Fire, Earth, and Water, respectively.
These planes are crackling with energy and its occupants are just as full of life as the plane. Unfortunately, for many travelers, these planes are just as dangerous as the Positive Energy Plane and pose very real risks for those who visit them.

History

The positive quasi-elemental planes are first introduced in the Manual of the Planes (1987) where the foundations of each are laid. This book provides the reader with information on how deadly these planes are and their relationship to the Inner Planes as well as the Positive Energy Plane. It isn’t until The Inner Planes (1998) is released though that additional detail is provided on the inhabitants and specific places to explore. Unfortunately, little information is actually known about these planes.

An Outsider’s Perspective

Survival in any of these planes is difficult for the ill-prepared. Not only do travelers have to overcome the challenges of the major element that each quasi-plane represents, but they are energized by the Positive Energy Plane, creating agitated realms of chaotic energy.
Lightning
Travelers are greeted with a world alight with lightning and energy. The sky is crowded with black clouds and arcs of lightning. The entire plane smells of ozone while bolts leap from cloud to cloud and touching anything in this world is enough to cause static shock to explode out. A glowing brilliance, known as St. Elmo’s fire, coats everything that visits the plane, giving every creature an electrical brilliance. The biggest secret to survival on this plane is to avoid bringing any metal as even a dagger is enough to attract the elemental energies of this plane, turning the traveler into a lightning rod.
Mineral
Thought of as the treasure trove of the multiverse, the plane is made up of brilliant gems, ores, rubies, sapphires, gold, and more with veins of pure metals wrapped around each other like tree roots. Because this plane represents the positive energy of the Plane of Earth, it is filled with the positive minerals and materials with pure metal and gems of the finest quality. Despite how easy it is to find such valuable goods, this plane isn’t often visited simply due to the deadliness of it all. This world is filled with razor-sharp edges from gems, ore, metals, and more, cutting and slicing any creature that attempts to move through the world more than a few feet.
Radiance
Beautiful and made of pure color, this plane is of an aching and burning beauty. Radiance is the mixing of the Positive Energy Plane and the Plane of Fire, creating a burning, cleansing energy that glows and burns in painful splendor. Every color can be found glistening in this realm of energy, with colors swirling in a dazzling display. There is a price to witnessing the beauty of this plane, as anyone who visits goes blind from the Radiance unless they can properly prepare for their trek into the plane.
Steam
This plane, despite its name, is surprisingly cool and many believe that calling it Mist would be a better name for it. This mist is clammy and thick, seeping into everything and drenching it completely. While there are pockets of superheated water, it isn’t the biggest danger that travelers should be mindful of, instead, it is drowning on the plane. The mist is so thick and prevalent that every time a creature breathes, they are also breathing in lungfuls of water, choking on flooded lungs.

A Native’s Perspective

Creatures of these planes exist, though they are rare and typically don’t like leaving their home plane without good reason. These creatures are based on the elements of their planes, overflowing with energy from the Positive Energy Plane, and are often thought to be bubbly and over the top. Very few powers make their home on these planes, though they are often visited by many gods who simply wish to re-attune themselves to a specific element, like storm gods who visit Lightning.
Lightning
The natives of Lightning are largely the lightning elementals, though there are a few others who soar through these storm skies. There are even creatures, the Uun, whose entire life cycle starts and ends in the flash of lightning that arcs through the sky. Many of the creatures found here take on the form of lightning, making it hard to discern what is a living lightning bolt and what is a natural construction of the plane, with many believing that every lightning bolt is sentient and alive. Some outsiders have lived here so long as to understand the dark of this plane, though they are rare and reside in the center of the plane on a small mote of earth.
Mineral
One of the few quasi-elemental planes with an Archomental, Crystalle, who holds claim over the territories of the plane. The inhabitants of this plane are largely the quasielementals of Mineral, though there are also the Tsnng, a race of crystalline creatures who are renowned for their spellcasting and magic. The inhabitants of the plane are typically only encountered by outsiders when they begin trying to take precious gems and ore from the plane, especially in large scale operations like with teams of miners. The inhabitants are constantly having to protect their plane from outsiders looking to get rich quick, and even fighting off the Xorn who travel to this plane from the Plane of Earth and try to devour everything they find. Strangely, the Dao are allowed to take what they want from this plane and are not hassled or destroyed for their greed, making many believe that the Dao are offering something to the Tsnng and Crystalle that allows them such freedoms.
Radiance
The beings of Radiance must be able to survive the erratic energies of the Positive Energy Plane, as well as the burning heat of the Plane of Fire. This radiance isn’t simply hot, but its blinding beauty is enough to burn out those unworthy travelers who would travel to this plane. The quasielementals who reside here are aloof, even with each other, and rarely choose to make themselves known to outsiders. While the people of Radiance rarely ever leave, several distinct groups reside on this plane.
The Varisoh, a group of bird-like humanoids who live in a place known as the Refuge of Color where two regal figures, King Black and Queen White, watch over them. It is said that the two are powerful and have godlike powers. Apart from them are the inhabitants of the Kingdom of the Blind, occupied solely by outsiders who have journeyed to this plane and refuse to leave. Thanks to the protection of their home, they are not blinded by the beauty of the plane.
Efreet also journey to this plane, though the inhabitants despise them. The only outsiders the inhabitants like, at least a little, are the celestials who pilgrimage to this plane. Devas, solars, holiphants, and more journey to this plane to witness the splendor of Radiance.
Steam
Steam holds a variety of natural creatures who appeared in the mists of this plane. The most common are the elementals of this plane, though they are incredibly hard to see as they are mist themselves, allowing them to blend into the plane almost seamlessly. The easiest way of locating these elementals is to look for their communities as they constantly trade with the Marids for slaves for unknown purposes.
Apart from the elementals are the Faberes, gigantic balloonlike creatures who propel themselves through the plane by breathing out gases, the Javoose and Calden, which appear to be large water bugs that flit across the plane in search of food, and the Klyndesi and Wavefires who also appear like steam or mist in strange forms. The Klyndesi are dangerous to outsiders as they hunt the Fabere and travelers, while the Wavefires simply hunt the plane for dry air and don’t bother attacking other creatures.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere on these planes is akin to the major elemental plane that they represent, though they introduce their risks. Every plane is breathable, though in the case of Mineral, there just might not be much to breathe as it is made of solid ore and gems, like the Plane of Earth, and there are only pockets and tunnels to travel through. These planes can support life, though each has its own unique dangers associated with them.
Lightning
Arcs of lightning fill this world and any metal immediately begins building up charges and attracting lightning to it. The atmosphere is breathable, though it tastes like burnt ozone with a tang. So long as travelers aren’t wearing metal, they probably won’t get struck by lightning often though certain spells are needed to help ward them from harm.
Mineral
Like the Plane of Earth, this plane is almost completely filled with minerals occupying almost every space of this plane, though the difference is that it has no limestone or granite filling in the spaces between gems and ore. Air exists in the twisting tunnels, and apart from the deadly razor-sharp edges of this plane, it is easy to survive here.
Radiance
Brilliant lights blind all creatures who journey here unless they take the necessary precautions to protect their eyes. Those who are resistant or immune to the heat of Radiance, which is dependent on the edition if it is simply fire or radiant damage, can look upon this world without going blind. Others must cover their eyes in thick bandages that can protect their eyes from the intense light of the plane. A common tactic by many is to cast darkness on themselves before they enter the plane, as the spell makes the plane around them just dark enough that they can see without going blind.
Steam
While this plane is breathable, it is like breathing in heavy fog and mists that fill up your lungs with water. The only way to survive in this plane is if you can naturally breathe in water or air, or you have a water breathing spell cast on you. Many unprepared travelers have drowned on the air of this plane, their lungs so full of water that they burst.

Traits

Travel to the Planes

Traveling to these planes is not too difficult, though it isn’t as easy as traveling to one of the major Inner Planes. There are known portals that link to these planes, as well as vortices that suddenly spring up where their element is strongest. While portals are commonly used by many travelers, you can also hire guides from the major planes, and they can take you across the planar boundaries that separate their plane from one of the quasi-elemental planes. The borders at these intersections of planes can be quite dangerous, but with a trusted guide, it isn’t too difficult to get across them, of course, the guide may only know where the border is and not be able to help navigate you across the new plane.
The most common portals appear in places that are linked to the planes, and of course, Sigil holds at least one portal to each of these planes, but they can be constantly changing their location as the mood comes. Portals are often guarded by creatures who embody some form of that element, like Storm Gods on the Outlands have laid claim on a series of portals to Lightning, or a group of dwarven miners, also on the Outlands, have laid claim to a portal to Mineral. Celestials feverishly guard a portal to Radiance from fiends trying to unlock the power of radiant energy, while Steam might be located at the bottom of Aquallor on Arborea.
Vortices, quick and temporary portals that are often only one way, often form at points of large gatherings of elements. Lightning storms on the Prime Material Plane could be a bridging point for Lightning, while many Prime Suns are thought to spawn vortices on their surface to Radiance. Mineral also creates vortices when massive amounts of brilliant gems and pure ore are gathered together, while Steam often appears in dense, massive fogs that are so thick as to be impossible to see through.
Another popular method of traveling to these planes is by using the Ethereal Plane and traveling through the Deep Ethereal until you find a quasi-elemental plane’s color curtain and stepping through. Most Border Ethereals for these planes are relatively safe, apart from the standard inhabitants of the Ethereal Plane, though there can be errant bolts of lightning that suddenly appear on Lightning’s Border Ethereal, just as thick fog might seep into the Steam’s Border Ethereal and threaten to drown anyone there.

Traversing the Planes

Traversing these planes is difficult for those unprepared, and it isn’t solely because of the inhabitants or the elemental nature of these planes. The planes are so agitated with energy that they can have secondary effects that make staying in them for an extended period of time quite dangerous. While moving across these planes is similar to how it works on the major plane they are part of, it does come with its problems.
Lightning
With arcs of lightning and balls of electricity that chase after living creatures, traveling the plane is often thought to be a death sentence. Those who journey here, and wish to travel, must take a lot of precautions to protect themselves and their equipment from the hazards of this plane. Most planewalkers simply discard any metal items, instead, bringing in wood swords and leather armor to protect them from building up too much static in the plane. Those who choose to bring metal objects attract lightning immediately upon entering the planes, and those who survive a bolt, or several, find themselves walking around with metal objects increasing in static charge. Simply touching or brushing the metal is enough to set it off and a massive eruption of energy soon follows, often destroying everything and everyone nearby as a blast of lightning, thunder, force, and fire explodes out.
Once a traveler has arrived on this plane, and survived, the next problem they face is the cacophony of this realm as peals of lightning are soon followed by the rumbles of thunder. This plane is full of thunder, shaking, and booming across the plane, causing creatures to become deaf, and it has even been known to cause some to implode from the vibrations. To properly travel through the plane, travelers need thick earplugs of wax shoved into the ears to help reduce the noise, which unfortunately makes them deaf to their companions.
Finally, a traveler is now ready to traverse the plane. To travel across the plane, it is the same as the Plane of Air where you determine your gravity and fall to your destination. This type of travel can be awful for those unused to it, though there is less material in Lightning than in the Plane of Air so the chance of hitting something as you fall is greatly diminished.
Mineral
This plane is solely composed of pure ore and beautiful gems that are so sharp that it slices any creature that walks through the plane. Only twisting tunnels and caverns allow egress through the plane, but luckily those empty spaces are filled with breathable oxygen. If you don’t wish to follow the natural and artificial tunnels that have been mined through the plane, you are forced to dig yourself your own tunnel or have the ability to walk through stone like a Xorn. This is the same process as the Plane of Earth, though the Plane of Earth is far less lethal to simply walkthrough.
Sharp edges and crystals extend out from the walls of tunnels and caverns, almost invisible to the naked eye. These edges slash and cut through thick leather, hard metal, and more, cutting creatures and visitors to ribbons simply from walking through the plane. The only way most can travel this plane without being sliced and bleeding out is by wearing thick heavy armor, like full plate, or have magical protections. While planewalkers disagree on how much magical protection is required, they all know that a ring of protection is not going to cut it, but rather you need magically warded armor.
If journeying through a world of sharp and deadly edges isn’t enough to deter visitors, those who spend more than a day here must also save against petrification. Those who are unable to withstand the effects of this plane turn into a perfect statue of crystal.
Radiance
Unlike the Plane of Fire, which has a super-dense layer of fire to walk upon, Radiance is more like the Plane of Air and Lightning. A creature must simply decide which way is their down and travel in that direction. Inhabitants of this realm have no understanding of gravity and find creatures who ‘fall’ to travel the plane as being ridiculous and lacking. For them, traveling the plane is simply done by existing and that by existing, they can move across their home plane. Planewalkers will often compare their movement to be similar to flying, though they have no wings or visible signs of levitation.
Of course, traveling across Radiance is all for not if the traveler is blinded by the radiance of this plane. Creatures must wear thick padding over their eyes, cast darkness on themselves, or wear special lenses over their eyes to block out as much radiance as possible - these obstructions can’t stop all light and so while a creature might be blindfolded, light still pierces through and they can make out dark shapes against a painfully bright background. Planewalkers have discovered that certain smoky gems from Mineral can be crafted into lens caps that can be worn over the eyes, these special gems can block out almost all of the radiance and allow a creature to see as normal in the plane. Unfortunately, they are quite delicate and if a traveler gets into a fight, they can be knocked off or destroyed by such quick movements.
Steam
Traversing Steam can be done in a variety of ways based on the abilities of the traveler. Due to how thick the air is with water, creatures can easily swim through the air, almost like they were flying, while other creatures can treat the plane much like the Plane of Air and decide on a new down for them to fall in, though it is slower like they were falling through an ocean. Birds and other creatures with wings can fly through the fogs, and the most common method of traveling is using steamships.
Steamships are large objects that are similar to airships in that they have a large balloon with a carriage of metal or wood strapped to the bottom of the balloon. Unlike an airship though, they don’t use rare gases to levitate the creation but have captured, or trained, steam mephits to release steam into the balloon. Once the balloon is full, the pilot of the steamship can release the steam and the ship moves at frightening speeds across the plane. Occasionally, Fagere might act as the balloons with carriages constructed below them and act as large whales that taxi creatures across the plane.

Locations

Despite the dangerous and hostile atmospheres of these planes, there are many settlements and reasons for visiting each of these planes. Because these planes connect the Positive Energy Plane with a major elemental plane, they provide a bridge of sorts between the two and are often visited by travelers hoping to go from one to the other. Also, every plane that borders the Positive Energy Plane has a tower made of its substance created by an unknown being eons ago. These towers pierce into the Positive Energy Plane and provide peninsulas into the plane of relatively safe spaces.
Where the planes border another, it’s difficult to tell where one plane ends and the other begins, and instead, these borders are split across the planes. When describing a realm of Radiance and Mineral, known as Brighthome, it’s not restricted to a single plane but rather acts to adjoin the two planes and stretches between them.

Lightning

Lightning shares borders with the Positive Energy Plane, Steam, Ice, the Plane of Air, Smoke, and Radiance, each creating a unique interaction with the erratic energy of Lightning. Steam and Smoke both create an area of electrical fog that sparks with deadly energy and makes it difficult for creatures to see further than a few inches in front of their face, these two areas are both known as the Dark Land. The space near the Plane of Air is known as the Subdued Cacophony where there is more space between the dark thunder clouds and less errant bolts of lightning. As an opposite, where Lightning adjoins the Positive Energy Plane, the realm is known as the Wall of Energy where a physical barrier of lightning exists like a wall to the next plane.
Ice and Lightning create the realm known as Glistening Crystal where solidified ice crystals of lightning crackle with the green energy of lightning ready to explode out. Bright Ice, a rare material, can be mined from these ice glaciers though it is incredibly dangerous to get ahold of and transport safely off the plane. Where Lightning reaches Radiance, it creates the Bright Land, a region of the plane where it resembles the inner portion but the clouds themselves glow a dazzling array of different colors.
While Lightning is a massive storm cloud, there are a few important locations that all planewalkers should be aware of in their travels.
The Eye
Located near the center of this plane is a place of quiet and peace. Generations ago, some powerful individual was able to use their magic to quiet the plane and create a small area of peace. In this peace is a large earth mote where a small town has formed, welcoming outsiders who need a respite from the cacophony of Lightning.
The Tower of Storms
Located in the region known as the Wall of Energy, where Lightning abuts against the Positive Energy Plane, this tower has a glistening blue hue that crackles with electricity and bursts through the barrier between the planes. No entrance has been found, and no one has been able to enter the tower, at least no one is telling if they had. Even the elementals of the plane know little about this structure but are convinced it must hold powerful sway over Lightning.

Mineral

Mineral shares borders with the Positive Energy Plane, Steam, Ooze, the Plane of Earth, Magma, and Radiance, each creating a unique interaction with the crystalline structures of Mineral. Steam creates the realm known as the Misty Caverns choked with thick mists and fog. Ooze, also known as the Plane of Mud, creates the glistening, underground sea of mud and crystals that float through the thick ocean known as Sparklemire. It is rarely traveled as it is a slog to move through the mud, and even if you do, the crystals will slice you into ribbons.
The space near the Plane of Earth is called the Unnamed Border as it is impossible to tell where one ends and where the other begins, it just a massive sheet of stone and rock with caverns and tunnels dotted throughout. As an opposite, where Mineral adjoins the Positive Energy Plane, the realm is known as the Gemfields where the gems begin glowing. The closer you travel to the energy plane, the less gems there are, and the more they glow until they become stars glistening in the void.
Magma and Mineral create the realm known as the Natural Forge which is filled with precious metals but they only exist in the state of molten ore. Those who can survive the intense heat can pull forth such pure metals that when fashioned into jewelry or weapons, take on a supernatural beauty of their own. Where Mineral reaches Radiance, it creates the Brighthome, a realm similar to Gemfields where the gems are less deadly and instead glow with radiant energies. The vast majority of outsiders choose to make their home here as it is far safer than in the dangerous depths of the rest of the plane.
There are not a large number of sites on Mineral, and those that exist are defined by what ore or gems are in abundance.
The Tower of Lead
This tower is massive and gray, jutting up through the borders of the Positive Energy Plane and Mineral, uniting the two together over a thin peninsula of minerals. Inside the tower is the best forge in the multiverse, at least according to dwarven legend, which is blasphemy to many dwarves as Moradin claims to have the best. While no one knows who built the place, it is largely abandoned and those who work the forge only stay for a short while. Those who decide to stay longer mysteriously disappear and no one has puzzled out where they leave to. There are also tools and machines inside the tower whose purpose is unknown, though they were built by someone for some specific reason. Many believe that these tools are meant for the technology yet to come and some dwarves have tried experimenting with the tools to little success. No matter how hard the dwarves have tried, no one has been able to steal the tools from this tower.

Radiance

Radiance shares borders with the Positive Energy Plane, Lightning, Smoke, the Plane of Fire, Magma, and Mineral, each creating a unique interaction with the burning radiant energy of Radiance. Lightning creates the Bright Land, a region of the plane of radiant clouds and lightning. Smoke creates the Sea of Stars, thick clouds of smog with twinkling stars of radiant energy burning through.
The space near the Plane of Fire is known as Brightflame, a region of fire in such varied colors that it appears as a rainbow of flame. As an opposite, where Radiance meets the Positive Energy Plane, it creates the region known as the Light, a place of healing and brilliant illumination. The realm holds such influence of positive energy that wounds themselves can heal, though not as quickly as the energy plane itself.
Magma and Radiance create the realm known as the Glowing Dunes, molten lava that gives off a radiant glow of energy. Where Radiance reaches Mineral, it creates Brighthome, a realm of glowing crystals where the Kingdom of the Blind can be found.
While little is defined about Radiance, those who travel to this plane are meet with such intense light and colors that it can be difficult to truly define where you are on this plane.
The Kingdom of the Blind
This city occupies Brighthome, the border between Mineral and Radiance. The city is formed inside of a massive mineral and is difficult to locate. This mineral also acts as a shield from the burning light of Radiance, making it a welcome respite for those who occupy the city from the energies of the plane.
The Heart of Light
Also known as the Tower of Healing, this tower punches through the borders of the Positive Energy Plane and Radiance, creating a peninsula of radiant ground. This tower is largely abandoned but sees visitors constantly as they journey to this tower to heal curses, wounds, and afflictions. This tower is also studied by mages for it is constructed solely of blue light given physical form, no one has been able to reproduce it.

Steam

Steam shares borders with the Positive Energy Plane, Mineral, Ooze, the Plane of Water, Ice, and Lightning, each creating a unique interaction with the mists of Steam. Mineral creates the realm known as the Shard Forest, crystals of all sizes float through dense fog, with the tiniest of the gems sharp enough to slice through tough leather armor. Ooze, also known as the Plane of Mud, creates the Realm of Cloying Fear, a place of nothing but a thick atmosphere of stench and oily air unfit for breathing.
The space near the Plane of Water is called the Islands of Water where the plane is more water than air and bubbles exist between massives droplets of water. As travelers move further away from the Plane of Water, these droplets get smaller and smaller until they become a fine mist. As an opposite, where Steam adjoins the Positive Energy Plane, the realm is known as the Raging Mists where the droplets are so incredibly tiny it is like a super fine mist that radiates brilliant light.
Ice and Steam create the realm known as the Hoarfrost where a freezing mist coats everything in a layer of ice. This region is overrun with ice and steam mephits fighting to gain control of the realm. Where Steam reaches Lightning, it creates the Death Cloud, with large clouds carrying massive electrical charges that blast apart any creature, mineral, or object that gets too close to them.
While Steam is a massive fog cloud, there are important sites that cut through the dense mists and is well occupied for such a dangerous plane.
Adrift
This city was created by outsiders to the realm and is in the shape of a spinning ring with clouds gathered around the outside. While there are the perpetual mists of this plane in the city, it is not so thick that travelers have to worry about drowning on it. At the center of the city’s ring are the Floating Statues, massive sculptures of human men and women that are over 1,000 feet in length. While no one is quite sure who these statues depict, they are quite old and many are beginning to fall apart, though their broken pieces still float next to the statue they broke off from. Creatures of all types live and work next to the mephits of this plane, creating a safe place for travelers to visit.
The Tower of Ice
Piercing through the borders of the Positive Energy Plane and Steam, this massive tower is made entirely of ice. While it is difficult to enter the structure, a secret not often passed on to strangers, alchemists and poisoners find that the arcane laboratories within create potions and poisons of exceptional quality. Control over the tower is tenuous and those who work within the labs rarely stay for long to cement their rule over the tower.

Factions & People

The Powers

Only one power claims a domain in these Positive Quasi-Elemental Planes, and that is the powers known as King Black and Queen White located on Radiance. Many other powers will journey to these planes simply to reattune themselves to those energies, or if they are searching for something specific within the planes, but no other had decided to make their realm here. It could be that since the Inner Planes are focused on existence, and less on beliefs, that they just find it too difficult to reach their worshippers and petitioners on these planes.
Archomental
While they are not truly a power, or godlike being, the Archomental on Mineral, known as Crystalle, holds a small domain throughout the plane. Its tower is made of crystalline structures and an army of crystal elementals guards it against outside forces.

Quasielementals

These elementals are known as quasielementals by sages and researchers of the planes, though the elementals themselves don’t refer to themselves as such. They are thought to be the plane given sentience and are often summoned by the spellcasters looking to trap elemental energies or control elementals in battle. Most of these elementals that walk their plane are simply the animals of their planes, creating the birds, vermin, and natural beasts in varying displays of elements. From radiant rats of dazzling colors to lightning birds crackling with energy to the mist deer that gallop through the clouds of fog, these creatures have a natural place in their ecosystems.

Encounters

Djinni’s Hunt - A djinni is planning on going on a great hunt through the Lightning plane and is inviting a large number of individuals to join him. He is hoping to bring down a massive, ancient blue dragon who has made their roost in the lightning storms. While the djinni has some skills, he is hoping for the party to weaken the beast for him so that he might land the killing blow and show off his victory to the other djinni nobles.
Cursed Existence - A party member has been cursed with festering wounds and no spell has worked. Rumors of the Tower of Healing has spurned them to traveling through Radiance in search of its healing energies.
Miners of Mineral - A team of dwarves are heading out into the Mineral plane and are looking for stalwart defenders who can protect them from Mineral Elementals, Xorns, and other foul creatures that dislike them taking gems from the plane.
Xanxost - Xanxost, a slaad, is looking for tasty mephits to eat. Unfortunately, Xanxost is having problem as all the mephits keep running away from him in Steam. Xanxost is having difficulties as the mephits keep running for protection behind larger Steam creatures and Xanxost can’t eat them. Xanxost looking for adventurers to kill big Steam elemental, then Xanxost can eat mephits.

Resources & Further Reading

Manual of the Planes (1st edition) For more information on the introduction of the Positive Quasi-Elemental Planes.
The Inner Planes (2nd edition) For more information on the locations and people in the Positive Quasi-Elemental Planes.

DnDBehindTheScreen

The Infinite Storm: The Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning
The Quasi-Elemental Plane of Minerals
Quasielemental Plane of Radiance
The Plane of Steam, Aerosol, and Mistbloods
Reflective Planes: Feywild / Shadowfell
Outer Planes: Astral Plane / the Outlands / the Abyss / Beastlands / Limbo / Mechanus / Mount Celestia / Nine Hells (Baator) / Pandemonium / Sigil
Inner Planes: Elemental Chaos / Ethereal Plane / Positive & Negative Energy Planes / Plane of Air / Plane of Earth / Plane of Fire / Plane of Water / Para-Elemental Planes
Far Realm
submitted by varansl to DnDBehindTheScreen [link] [comments]

hazardous materials found at home video

Accepted Items: These materials are accepted at the Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste facilities. Click for details, drop-off instructions, and alternative drop-off options such as neighborhood hardware stores. For a list of materials accepted at One-Day Events, click here. Handling Hazardous Materials at Home. Many common household products contain chemicals that can cause injury or death if they are not handled, stored, or used properly. ... Don't mix or combine hazardous materials unless you know you can do so safely. 10 Most Common Household Hazardous Materials 1. Asbestos Asbestos is rarely used today in home building materials. However in homes built prior to 1990, it may be found in plaster, insulation, boilers, vinyl floor tile, glazing compound, pipe covers, caulking compounds, roofing materials, drywall board and taping compounds, flooring, many adhesives, fireproofing insulation, and exterior siding ... Some products in your home are considered hazardous and require proper disposal. Look through your home for hazardous chemical products. Use the following list as a guide and when the time comes to dispose of these products, please dispose of them properly. Hazardous Building Materials Found in Homes & Other Structures . When considering salvaging materials from remodeling or deconstructing a building, it is important to know which materials contain hazardous materials that cause environmental and health concerns. It is also Bleach, ant killer, and gasoline are poisons commonly found in the home. But plenty of other toxic or hazardous chemicals fill our shelves and cupboards, and some of them may surprise you. Hairspray, for instance, is highly flammable. Learn more about these chemicals by taking this quiz. And because so many job sites are the source of these materials, a countless number of employees are exposed to extremely hazardous substances every day. Below is a list of 10 of the most hazardous chemicals found in the workplace and their associated health risks. 10 Hazardous Chemicals You Might Encounter on the Job 1. Arsenic. Physical state ... Entry page for Household Hazardous Materials, includes description of household hazardous wastes, where household hazardous wastes are found around the home, guide to safer products, protect kids from toxins, safe disposal and recycling of hazardous wastes, safer alternatives, and other informational resources Hazardous materials (hazmat) are any material that has properties that may result in risk or injury to health and/or destruction of life or facilities. Many hazardous materials (hazmat) do not have a taste or an odor. Some can be detected because they cause physical reactions such as watering eyes or nausea. Where are Hazardous Materials Found at Home? Around the Home l In the Yard l More Resources : Around the Home Cleaning Products. Never mix household cleaners. Never, ever mix bleach with other cleaners or soaps, especially ammonia products. These mixtures can create deadly fumes. Avoid products with the antibacterial Triclosan.

hazardous materials found at home top

[index] [4304] [1428] [6322] [8290] [6893] [5710] [378] [7708] [2356] [893]

hazardous materials found at home

Copyright © 2024 top100.msport.site