"Barbarism is the natural state of mankind… Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And barbarism must always ultimately triumph." Robert E Howard   “Becoming a barbarian was often a bid to improve one’s lot.” James C Scott “We are riders; our business is with the bow and the...

“This is how 70,000 horsemen of the Taira died, buried in this one deep valley; the mountain creeks ran red with their blood and the mound of their corpses was like a small hill.” The Tale of the Heike   “Tomoe had long black hair and a fair complexion, and her face was very lovely; but she was...