atreideslioness: (Child of Dune)
Ghanima Atreides ([personal profile] atreideslioness) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2014-09-24 09:46 am

Keeping Your Advantage: Terrain and You [Weds, 3rd Period]

The class had been handwavily instructed to meet in the Danger Shop today. Ghanima was not going to field-trip this one. "Welcome back," Ghanima said as the students entered the Danger Shop. She was standing beside two large trunks, and the room was blank, not yet assigned an environment. "Today, we're going a bit farther north than many of you, myself included, are accustomed to."

She pressed a button on the remote, and suddenly the students would find themselves surrounded by snow. "Welcome to the Arctic!" Ghanima said cheerfully, apparently unbothered by the sudden drop in climate.

She was cheating and regulating her own body temperature, which was why she seemed so perky. Normally she wouldn't use her Bene Gesserit talents in such a flagrant way, but it was only for an hour, and was hardly going to lead to Abomination. "I hope you brought your mittens! For those of you that didn't..." she knelt to open the first chest, which was filled with coats, hats, mittens, and snow shoes. "Luckily, I happen to have some."

"Long before brick or wood houses with indoor heat became commonplace, people had to be creative when building homes to protect them from nature's elements," Ghanima lectured as people got dressed. "Wealthy Europeans embraced the concept of a nearly indestructible castle built from stone. Native Americans in warmer climates favored the tepee, or tipi, made entirely of animal hides or bark. Unfortunately, for the inhabitants of Earth's more frigid regions, such as the Canadian tundra, neither of these were good options. Building materials were pretty much nonexistent, making it difficult to craft even the most rudimentary home. These people used the only abundant material to form a modest roof over their heads: snow. Thus, the igloo was born. The Inuit, better known to some of you as Eskimos, invented the igloo centuries ago. The igloo was a means for hunters to survive brutal winters in a vast area spanning more than 3,500 miles, including eastern Siberia, Greenland, Alaska and parts of Canada."

"Today, we will learn how to build the most basic of snow shelters," she continued. "Knowing how to make a snow trench shelter, a snow cave, or igloo can save your life in a winter survival situation. The great insulative qualities of snow can be used to help keep you warm enough to survive in even the coldest weather; but only if you know how to use the snow to your advantage."

"Only experts should try to make an igloo to spend the night in, least it collapse on you. A snow trench or cave, however, almost anyone can do," Ghanima said, quickly explaining the techniques behind making a trench. "I've provided shovels and knives for today's work, but you won't always have such equipment in the field. Snowshoes also make good digging tools, and if you're carrying a field kit, a cup or pot will also work."

"Now get to work," she said, opening the second chest to distribute tools to the class before taking a knife for herself. She wasn't going to ask the students to do something that she was unwilling to attempt herself. "Feel free to work solo or in groups. I programmed the room so that we've got one hour to dark, and you don't want to be caught out without a place to sleep."
seveninchmotto: ([neu] Calm but deadly.)

Re: Sign-In

[personal profile] seveninchmotto 2014-09-24 08:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Isabelle Lightwood

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] kenselvren.livejournal.com 2014-09-25 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
Jalian d'Arsennette y ken Selvren
gavegoodface: (Face: cunning hat)

Re: During the Lecture

[personal profile] gavegoodface 2014-09-24 03:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, Face had found a hat at least.
not_every_mage: ([neu] i wear the black hat)

Re: During the Lecture

[personal profile] not_every_mage 2014-09-24 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)
It didn't snow often in the parts of Thedas where Anders lived, so this assignment felt unkind at best. He dove for the chest of clothing as soon as he could, wrapping himself in a thick down coat before tying a scarf around his neck and chin, jamming a knit cap over his head, and pulling on the thickest gloves he could find.

The layers meant moving was a challenge, but he was warm, and that was what really counted.
Edited 2014-09-24 15:08 (UTC)

Re: During the Lecture

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-09-24 05:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Elsa actually jumped a little when the setting suddenly changed, though she really didn't seem bothered by the chill once she realized what had happened.

You know. For some reason.
justwantedfriends: ([boo] aww wasabi no)

Re: During the Lecture

[personal profile] justwantedfriends 2014-09-24 07:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Kira was definitely suiting up - she haaated being cold and was not looking forward to winter at all. This was a sad reminder of what might be to come, and she was hoping she'd never need to use whatever skills she picked up today.

Re: During the Lecture

[identity profile] kenselvren.livejournal.com 2014-09-25 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
Jalian was familiar with this sort of cold, but she was also usually clothed properly for it. Still, she took her time finding something warm to wear that she could still move well in.

Re: Activity: Make a Shelter

[identity profile] kenselvren.livejournal.com 2014-09-25 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
Jalian shrugged, picked a shovel up, and started digging. One hour wasn't much time to make something large enough.