Sir Hectimere
Angosteria - The Solemnity Of Ceremony
New recruits taking the Imperial oath before taking up employment in the Angosterian Soot Mines. This before and after picture displaying in great detail the distinct cleansing attributes of Angosterian soot. The new recruits are being lead through the ceremony by His Spotlessness the Grand Scrape (centre of picture) Who, having been at the job for three quarters of his life, has naturally reduced in size,( a by product of inhaling Angosterian soot fumes over a period of time ) and is seen turning up his toes as a mark of respect at the sacred moment of the soot scraping stick blessing part of the ceremony. Soon, at the command of the Grand Scrape, a boundless bout of extreme leaping will begin in which all participants will crack the sticks of each other in passing. This of course is how the soot is disengaged from the walls and ceiling of the mine shafts when below ground and is the first important part of the recruits punishing training schedule.
The import and export of soot is an important part of the Angosterian economy (exporting the white and importing the black) and it is considered a great honour to be selected to work in the mines. However it is a hazardous business and over exuberant leaping below ground has caused excessive falls of soot at times, bringing down not only the mine ceiling but huge lumps of the town of Rongob resting peacefully above the workings.
The gentleman seen to the right of the picture is the Master of The Mines and is seen sitting on the sacred Stone of Sponge over which all Monarchs of Angosteria have been crowned in the past, (a post which has been vacant for several genarations since the introduction of work to the Monarchs duties.) The Master will take the recruits on, after the ceremonies have concluded, and lead them to the mines where, at the behest of their parents (and after huge wadges of the filthy lucre have changed hands) they may possibly never be seen again.
(In reality:- Morris Dancers at the 2010 Teignmouth Folk Festival)
Camera: Olympus FE-120 6.0 Digital.
Angosteria - The Solemnity Of Ceremony
New recruits taking the Imperial oath before taking up employment in the Angosterian Soot Mines. This before and after picture displaying in great detail the distinct cleansing attributes of Angosterian soot. The new recruits are being lead through the ceremony by His Spotlessness the Grand Scrape (centre of picture) Who, having been at the job for three quarters of his life, has naturally reduced in size,( a by product of inhaling Angosterian soot fumes over a period of time ) and is seen turning up his toes as a mark of respect at the sacred moment of the soot scraping stick blessing part of the ceremony. Soon, at the command of the Grand Scrape, a boundless bout of extreme leaping will begin in which all participants will crack the sticks of each other in passing. This of course is how the soot is disengaged from the walls and ceiling of the mine shafts when below ground and is the first important part of the recruits punishing training schedule.
The import and export of soot is an important part of the Angosterian economy (exporting the white and importing the black) and it is considered a great honour to be selected to work in the mines. However it is a hazardous business and over exuberant leaping below ground has caused excessive falls of soot at times, bringing down not only the mine ceiling but huge lumps of the town of Rongob resting peacefully above the workings.
The gentleman seen to the right of the picture is the Master of The Mines and is seen sitting on the sacred Stone of Sponge over which all Monarchs of Angosteria have been crowned in the past, (a post which has been vacant for several genarations since the introduction of work to the Monarchs duties.) The Master will take the recruits on, after the ceremonies have concluded, and lead them to the mines where, at the behest of their parents (and after huge wadges of the filthy lucre have changed hands) they may possibly never be seen again.
(In reality:- Morris Dancers at the 2010 Teignmouth Folk Festival)
Camera: Olympus FE-120 6.0 Digital.