Iam Pace
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ipace.bsky.social
Iam Pace
@ipace.bsky.social
44 followers 120 following 70 posts
Research assistant and editor.

And, long ago, I won some neat awards while writing for Dr. Ed Madison, Erik Bender, and Miranda Anderson.

I usually post about real-world locations and objects that offer inspiration for games and stories.
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ipace.bsky.social
On the cold shore Loch Shiel waits a lonely tower, a monument to one of the many struggles for the English crown (1745).

Glenfinnan Monument offers ideas for a wizard's tower or watchtower in #ttrpg games & #writing.

#dnd #art #writingcommunity
📷️: Stuart Mckay; Gary Saddler; & Nigel Cole
This image is by photographer Stuart Mckay (www.stuartmckayphotography.com). A cold veil mantles the land in white. In the distance, mountains rise to flank the winding reach of a Scottish loch. The nascent twilight marks the cloudy sky pink, which colors the waters below in kind. All this occurs before a single building, a tall tower surrounded by an octagon wall of stone. This image is by Gary Saddler. It is dark, near night, but the sun still touches the heavy sky. The tower is in the foreground and it shows the road and park lot around it. This image is credited to Nigel Cole (www.visitorsguidetoscotland.com). It is bright day and of a season of growing. The trees are full and the grass is bright with life. This image is credited to Nigel Cole (www.visitorsguidetoscotland.com). This is a close shot of the tower. It shows how slender it is and of the cobbled stones making its exterior. There is a bronze statue and rail crowning the tower.
December 5, 2025 at 9:06 PM
ipace.bsky.social
At the edge of the Danube River stands a rocky spur, a crag on which the 14th-century ruins of Golubac fortress rest.

The fort traces its history to that of a Roman outpost and offers ideas for locations in #ttrpg games & #writing.

#dnd #art #writingcommunity
📷️: Nikolas Kolis & Nikola Kojević
This image is by photographer Nikolas Kolis (IG: nikolaskolis). A massive root of a mountain stretches into a wide, dark river. Upon the rocky cliffs is an ancient fortress complex, replete with great towers connected by crenelated walls. A single tower rises from the river's depths, tethered to land by an extension of the wall. This image is by photographer Nikolas Kolis (IG: nikolaskolis). This is a distant image of the fortress at twilight. The color of the low sun touches the clouds with oranges and deep reds. Repairs to the castle can be seen on a large building flanking the shore of the massive river. This image is by photographer Nikola Kojević (IG: nikolaskojevic). This photo is shot from the river and shows the cliffs guarding one side of the fort and the towers nestled atop those cliffs. This image is by photographer Nikola Kojević (IG: nikolaskojevic). This photo is from a nearby forested hilltop. It shows the pretty white of the masonry and ashlar of the fort.
December 5, 2025 at 12:17 AM
ipace.bsky.social
The Dark Hedges (Na Fálta Dorcha; Ireland) is a lonely road leading into a beech forest, and the tangle of branches overhead weaves a cathedral-like canopy of arched boughs.

#dnd #art #writingcommunity #ttrpg #writing
📷️: Stephen Emerson; Adrian Chandler; Maggy Morrissey; & Colette Cannataro
This image is by photographer Stephen Emerson. The beech trees are barren and the sun is low, casting corpuscular light through the naked branches of the canopy. A straight but cresting road leads into the gloom of the woods, whose branches form curious arches above the path. This image is by photographer Adrian Chandler. The trees are full of green leaves and verdant bushes and grasses flank the road. This image is by photographer Maggy Morrissey. Once again, the trees are without leaves, and the shrubbery along the road's edge is diminished, quiet in color and sleeping through the winter. A thick fog seeps through the woodlands. This image is by Colette Cannataro. The trees are alive with verdancy, and the sun, while low, is bright and fills the woods with warmth.
December 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
ipace.bsky.social
With lofty walls of white ashlar and crowned with conical towers, Château de Pierrefonds (France) looks like it rose from the pages of Arthurian legend.

The château offers location ideas for #ttrpg games & #writing.

#dnd #art #writingcommunity
📷️: Marcel; Elsa Cyril; & Idarvol
This image is by photographer Marcel (IG: blazingstar). Built on the foundations of a much older fortress from the 12th century, Pierrefonds is an exemplary example of how many picture a fantasy castle: soaring battlements between massive white towers under conical roofs. This image is credited to Elsa Cyril. This image is credited to Idarvol of Wikipedia.
December 2, 2025 at 6:18 PM
ipace.bsky.social
From the narrow reaches of a rocky shore stretches an ancient bridge, battered by wind and waves. It leads to Gaztelugatxeko Doniene, a 10th-century hermitage atop a lonely islet.

The location offers ideas for #ttrpg games & #writing.

#dnd #art #writingcommunity
📷️: Jabi Sanz & Andy Roberts
This image is by photographer Jabi Sanz. The photo shows an incredibly narrow stone-brick arched bridge leading to a sea island as twilight falls over the waves. This image is by photographer Jabi Sanz. The lavender and orange of deep dusk peaks out of sea cave in the island (left of the bridge). This image is by photographer Jabi Sanz. This photo shows the slender bridge from atop the island it leads to. This photo is attributed to Andy Roberts on Wikipedia. The image shows the rocky island and the hermitage atop it. It is bright day with a clear sky, and the blue horizon shows the endless sea.
December 1, 2025 at 6:08 PM
ipace.bsky.social
An evening mist tide sweeps over Sacra di San Michele and Mount Pirchiriano (Italy). The lights of the Roman-fort-turned monastery ignite the fog from within, a silent flame in the ebbing twilight.

The site offers ideas for #ttrpg games & #writing.

#dnd #art #writingcommunity
📷️: Valerio Minato
This image is by photographer Valerio Minato. Perched atop Mount Pirchiriano like a crown upon a head, the bright lights lining the complex turn the ancient ashlar walls orange and yellow in the waning day—the mingled colors of gold. On the expanse of twilight comes the mist, dark and deep (like a fine evening with your parent and/or guardian). As it fills the valley Pirchiriano rises from, its waves crest the peak to engulf the monastery. The way the image has captured the fog rolling over the complex looks just like waves breaking and spraying across the rocks of a beach. This image is by photographer Valerio Minato. This is a wider, and earlier, shot of the evening. The fog isn't as thick and it shows more the valley and surrounding mountains and woods. Snow touches the peaks in the background and the last glimmer of sun paints the clouds with lavender. This image is by photographer Valerio Minato. The dark fog has nearly engulfed the entire structure. The mist is so thick that it is difficult to discern that there is a mountain at all. This image is by photographer Valerio Minato. The fog has devoured the monastery wholly. Only its lights, which are like flames within night, show that it still stands.
November 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
ipace.bsky.social
The Yellow Mountains (Huangshan) are a vast swathe of karst peaks, immense spires of rock erupting from a sea of mist.

Once called “Yishan,” the region was renamed during Emperor Xuanyuan's fabled pursuit of alchemy.

#dnd #ttrpg #fantasy #writing #china #history
📷️: Max Rive & Andreas Skielboe
Photos by Max Rive (maxrivephotography.com). Karst mountains, towering yet slender mounds of stone resembling asymmetric pillars rise from a misty forest. Photos by Max Rive (maxrivephotography.com). This image is attributed to Andreas Skielboe on Wikipedia. It shows the Yellow Mountains during winter from a wooden walkway with a stick railing. The branches are covered in icicles.
November 28, 2025 at 6:08 PM
ipace.bsky.social
Bastei Bridge integrates the natural spires of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains into its architecture.

Bastei means bastion, and the bridge was once part of a fort.

The mountain bridge offers ideas for dwarven #architecture in #fantasy #writing & #dnd / #ttrpg.

📷️: André Alexander & Michel Struhárová
This photo is by André Alexander (IG: formgestalter). A medieval-looking bridge spans numerous massive spires of rock, incorporating the stone into its own architecture. In the distance can be seen short mountains and woodlands. Between the spires of rocks are towering trees reaching up more than a hundred feet from the ground. This photo is by André Alexander (IG: formgestalter). The angle of this photo shows a tower next to the bridge built atop a stone spire. A narrow bridge connects the main bridge to the tower. This photo is credited to Michel Struhárová (IG: northern_hikes). This image shows the many arches that make up the foundation of the bridge as well as how the bridge connects to the mountain's stone spires.
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
ipace.bsky.social
Set amongst the many isles within an artificial lake is the medieval fortress complex of Castle De Haar.

Destroyed in 1482, the castle was rebuilt and expanded.

A medieval compound spread across closely packed islands offers ideas for #fantasy #writing & #dnd / #ttrpg games.

📷️: Giulio Groebert
This image is by the phenomenal photographer Giulio Groebert (IG: giuliogroebert). Four carefully shaped islands are set within a carefully shaped artificial lake. Each island is dedicated to a different function of the castle. This image is by the phenomenal photographer Giulio Groebert (IG: giuliogroebert). The lawns on each island are carefully manicured and green. Much of the structures rising from the islands are reddish brickwork. The roofs of the castles and mansions that make up the island complex are dark gray and feature many peaked towers. This image is by the phenomenal photographer Giulio Groebert (IG: giuliogroebert). The largest section connected to the mainland is a massive gatehouse, a castle and a palace in its own right with beautiful windows and peaked towers.
November 26, 2025 at 12:51 AM
ipace.bsky.social
Towering from roiling mists are the sharp, sheer cliffs of the Lofoten archipelago (Norway), which stand in stark contrast to the rolling sea lapping at their edges.

Such a location offers ideas for exploration in #fantasy #writing & #dnd / #ttrpg games.

📷️: Giulio Groebert
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 AM
ipace.bsky.social
Within Salina Turda (Transylvania) are massive chambers hewn from the earth deep below.

The salt mine dates to antiquity and has been converted into a tourist attraction replete with restaurants and offers ideas for a dwarven city in #fantasy #writing & #dnd / #ttrpg games.

📷️: National Geographic
November 24, 2025 at 12:40 AM
ipace.bsky.social
As evening comes, the wind strikes the snow from a mountaintop, sending the frost whirling heavenward before the setting sun ignites the flurry with the colors of fire.

The sun refracting through wind-whipped snow can set the mood for travel in #fantasy #writing.

#dnd #ttrpg
📷️: wegotravel_8 세계 풍경
November 22, 2025 at 8:54 PM
ipace.bsky.social
Near the village of Watkins Glen weaves a 400-foot-deep gorge flowing with waterfalls dancing amongst pools of clear water.

Stone footbridges and paths cut into the very rock bring visitors to the ravine.

#dnd #ttrpg #fantasy #writing
📷️: Pure Passion Photography; Markus Bar; & Stephanie B.
This image is credited to Pure Passion Photography. A beautiful but narrow ravine is filled with cascading waterfalls and tiered pools. Crossing above the flowing water are bridges. It is fall, and the red and yellow leaves drape the stone in rich color. This image is by Markus Bar (IG: markusbar). The image shows one of the several stone bridges that cross the ravine as well as one of the stone stair paths. This image is by Markus Bar (IG: markusbar). Here is another stone footbridge crossing the ravine. This one is about halfway in the gorge. This image is by Stephanie B (IG: steph_ann_ee). It is winter, and the waterfalls have frozen into long icicles.
November 21, 2025 at 8:03 PM
ipace.bsky.social
Resting in the village of Bukowina Tatrzanska is a house built by Polish architect Sebastian Piton.

Informed by fairytales and folklore, Sebastian engraved amongst the fine timbers intricate symbols inspired by Polish myths and culture.

#dnd #dnd5e #ttrpg #fantasy #writing
📷️: Sebastian Piton
This image is by Sebastian Piton (check the bottom right of the photo). Inspired by medieval and fairytale cottages, this large house stands upon a foundation of stone. The roof mimics wooden shingles and the many porches and balconies have elegantly carved pillars. Upon the roof rests a tall pyramid-like structure to mirror certain architectural styles of the past. The window frames are beautifully carved wood set with triangular glass panes. This image is by Sebastian Piton. This side image of the house shows the slopping roof as well as the many curves and asymmetrical quality of the house. Those are the two most standout qualities that lend the cottage its exotic nature: the asymmetry and the gentle curves fashioned into many areas of the building. This image is by Sebastian Piton. The inside of the house is even more stunning than the exterior. The wood within is finally sanded and polished. The curves and weaves of wood are present within. The pale texture of the treated wood helps enhance sources of light. This image is by Sebastian Piton. This image shows a close-up of some of the beautiful engravings. These ones are all along the arch that greets visitors to the front entrance, which is a set of finely detailed double doors.
November 18, 2025 at 3:26 PM
ipace.bsky.social
Upon a woodland hilltop Wallace Monument stands in Gothic splendor. At festive moments, its stone edifice is awash with a variegated glow in the night.

The Stirland folly offers ideas for a wizard's tower or eerie ruin in #fantasy #writing & #dnd.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Barry Hughes & Stuart Mckay
This image is by local resident Barry Hughes. The full moon creeps up the hillside to be rising right behind the right side of the tower. This image is by photographer Stuart Mckay. An old stone-block arched bridge spans a low river. The stonework is moss-covered and discolored. In the distance, rising from a woodland knoll, is a tower with a jagged roof like a spiked pyramid. This image is by local resident Barry Hughes. The tower is colored rainbow with lights in celebration of Pride Month. This image is by local resident Barry Hughes. The tower is soaked in an eerie, ominous blood-red light.
November 17, 2025 at 2:34 AM
ipace.bsky.social
Nestled between snow-crowned peaks are the icy-blue waters of Lake Erskine.

The remote alpine lake is located in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park at 1,340 meters and offers ideas for exploration in #fantasy #writing & #dnd.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Chance Allred; Ryan Resatka; & Rach Stewart
This image is by photographer Chance Allred (IG: chanceallred). A thin waterfall travels from the towering heights of a lake surrounded by rocky mountain peaks. While the upper section is nearly devoid of green, the lower sections, as the waterfall turns into a steep creek, are flush with verdant vegetation. The water of the lake is a brilliant turquoise beneath a dark blue, often called cerulean, sky. This image is by photographer Ryan Resatka (IG: ryanresatka). The angle of this photo shows how steep sections of the waterfall are. There is also more snow on the mountain tops. Because the day is cloudy, the waters are much darker, a deep sapphire. This image is by photographer Rach Stewart (IG: rachstewartnz). The day appears to be twilight, and much of the mountain is covered in shadow. The water is dark, dim even, but it is still a beautiful blue.
November 15, 2025 at 8:02 PM
ipace.bsky.social
On the verge of the arctic circle is a hole hewn into the stone of a Lac de Gras island.

The Diavik Diamond Mine exudes more than 3,500 lb. of diamonds annually.

Such a site offers ideas for exploration in #fantasy #writing & #dnd.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Dr. John Bullas; Rio Tinto Group; & Fred Lum
This image is attributed to Flickr user DrJohnBullas. On a rather flat island, incredibly asymmetrical, is a massive hole, hundreds of feet across and deep. As with many such mining operations, the hole consists of concentric roads leading into the center. This photo is attributed to the company of Diavik Diamond Mine and the Rio Tinto Group. Like the first photo, this is an aerial image of the mine but much later with a sister mine, not as large, right beside it. This photo is attributed to the company of Diavik Diamond Mine and the Rio Tinto Group, who own a 60 percent stake. The lake is frozen and all is covered in snow. Everything is made nearly equal in the flatness of winter save for the great holes of the mines. As the website the photo was borrowed from says: "An aerial view of the Diavik Diamond Mine at Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories (Fred Lum/Globe and Mail via Canadian Press)."
November 14, 2025 at 6:41 PM
ipace.bsky.social
A humble islet is home to a modest building that has safely guided ships and sailors for more than 150 years.

The Pokonji Dol Lighthouse (Croatia) stands watch off the shore of Hvar Island.

A tower upon an island offers ideas for #fantasy #writing & #dnd.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Alen Vrbos & WNDRLUST
This photo is by Alen Vrbos (IG: a.v_b.o.s.s). A squat, white structure crowned by a great light rises from a lonely, barren island. The beautiful sapphire waves sweep against its white shores. This image is attributed to WNDRLUST, but that site seems unreliable. This is an aerial view of the islet. It shows the layout of the lighthouse, its white-stone paths, and support buildings from directly above. This image is attributed to WNDRLUST. This image shows the mainland shore from the isolated islet.
November 12, 2025 at 3:37 AM
ipace.bsky.social
A massive crest of stone cuts through the high desert of New Mexico. The ridge leads to an inselberg named Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings," in Navajo, towering over the arid landscape.

Curious rock formations offer ideas for #fantasy #writing & exploration in #dnd.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Ronald Söthje
November 11, 2025 at 12:04 AM
ipace.bsky.social
A twilight mist floods the forest around Alnwick Castle, leaving the castle's towers like islands in a sea of violet.

The 11th-century Northumberland fortress was the location for 𝐷𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝐴𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑦.

A castle in a twilight forest offers ideas for #fantasy #writing & #dnd.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Jim Scott
Photo by Jim Scott Photography (IG: jimscottphoto). The gray-stone silhouette of Alnwick Castle appears from mists dyed purple by twilight. The shape of deciduous trees can be seen throughout the lavender fog. Photo by Jim Scott Photography. The mists are thick here, bloating out most of the forest and castle, but a few tower ruins can be seen like islands rising from the shroud. Photo by Jim Scott Photography. The waves of violet mist continue to roll through the forest, blanking all before it.
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
ipace.bsky.social
Polish wildlife photographer Igor Siwanowicz carefully cultivated mushrooms upon books to create living art.

The position of the fungi implies that they are sprouting from the pages, as though some ancient magic is escaping from the tome.

#dnd #dnd5e #ttrpg #fantasy #writing
📷️: Igor Siwanowicz
Photos and art by Igor Siwanowicz. This is a closer image of the top of the book, which shows a nest of tall, white mushrooms growing slightly askew. Photos and art by Igor Siwanowicz. This is the original art piece before the photographer altered it. Photos and art by Igor Siwanowicz. Like pale towers, mushrooms topped with brown caps sprout from a book with a thick, dark cover. Originally, the book was the Bible, but the artist changed it to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to make the art piece less controversial.
November 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
ipace.bsky.social
These gorgeous images of the Patagonian mountains evoke a deep sense of wanderlust, of navigating mysterious wilds.

Sometimes, bringing the verisimilitude of travel to players requires not but evocative descriptions that instill life and history.

#dnd #dnd5e #ttrpg #fantasy #writing
📷️: Max Rive
This image is by the photographer Max Rive. You can see more of his work on his website. In the vast distance separated by a winding river is a frost-touched range of towering mountains. The peaks are viewed through the slightly tilted framing of two tree branches. This image is by the photographer Max Rive. The sun stirs below the horizon, casting a low light across a deep valley cloaked in frost. A creek gently weaves its way through the vale as mist hangs above it. This image is by the photographer Max Rive. Vast, jagged peaks rise toward the sky. Nestled among their lower reaches is a lake, its water a pristine and depthless blue.
November 8, 2025 at 1:52 AM
ipace.bsky.social
Built into a massive cliff overlooking the forests of Paro Valley, Taktsang Monastery (Bhutan) connects to a cavern network known as the Tiger's Nest that weaves throughout the mountains.

#dnd #dnd5e #ttrpg #fantasy #writing
📷: Tom Anderson; Vinayaraj; Bernard Gagnon; & Subhadeep Mondal
Tom Anderson. Hugging a narrow strip of rock curving up the face of a massive cliff is a white-walled monastery topped with roofs of gold and crimson. Below is a deep valley dense with green trees. This image is credited to Vinayaraj (Wikimedia Commons). The image is from a distance from the cliffside monastery. It shows how high up on the mountain side it is. This image is credited to Bernard Gagnon (Wikimedia Commons). A thick front of mists rolls into the valley from the mountain tops, which creates a scene of the monastery standing vigil above a sea of fog. This photo is by Subhadeep Mondal (IG: subhadeep.mytravelframes). It shows one of the Tiger's Nest caves and a white structure within it.
November 5, 2025 at 4:22 PM
ipace.bsky.social
Constructed in the 13th century to protect Glamorgan, Caerphilly Castle dominates an island within an artificial lake.

As the largest castle in Wales, the fortress saw extensive fighting throughout its life.

#dnd #dnd5e #ttrpg #fantasy #writing #history
📷: Hawlfraint y Goron & cadw.gov.wales
This image is copyrighted by Hawlfraint y Goron; Crown Cymru Wales. A massive castle ruin, the largest in Wales and second largest in all of the UK, stands upon an island in an artificial lake. The remains of massive towers are set on each corner of the relatively square island, and great walls run along the island's border. This image is credited to the government site cadw.gov.wales, which is responsible for promoting tourist destinations within Wales. This image shows the outer wall of the castle, which is only connected to the island fortress by a bridge. This long outer wall has its own moat and earthworks. This image is credited to the government site cadw.gov.wales, which is responsible for promoting tourist destinations within Wales. A family looks into a bit that is filled with the large statues of two adult dragons and two baby dragons. The statues of the adult dragons are made so they seem to be coming out of a cave in the stone wall. This image is credited to the government site cadw.gov.wales, which is responsible for promoting tourist destinations within Wales. A person is being held by a smoke-breathing dragon.
November 3, 2025 at 8:03 PM
ipace.bsky.social
From its vantage on a spur-like island in a dark vale, the 12th-century Eltz Castle (Germany) watches the evening fog roll through the autumn woods.

A tall castle in a dark forest offers ideas for #fantasy #writing & #dnd, especially this #Halloween season.

#dnd5e #ttrpg
📷: Carl T. Loveall
This photo is by Carl T. Loveall. The twilight mist tide rolls in as the faint light of day touches the sky with gentle lavender. A narrow bridge of cobbled stone leads to an arched entrance. Within the arch are two aged but stout wooden doors. The doors lead to a tall castle with many turret-type towers topped with cones. This photo is by Carl T. Loveall. The photo is framed by fall leaves, orange and yellow in their dying days. In the distance is Eltz Castle, slowly being engulfed by fog. All around are the slopes of darkly wooded hills. This photo is by Carl T. Loveall. The image is dark, and the perspective shows the cobblestone-arched bridge leading to the slender castle rising from the valley between the forested hills. This photo is by Carl T. Loveall. This photo shows the island-like hill the castle sits on in the dark German valley.
November 1, 2025 at 5:22 PM