A maelstrom is a powerful, and typically permanent, whirlpool. The most famous one is the Moskstraumen, located off the rocky shores of Lofoten, Norway. Several others exist, notably Corryvreckan on the Scottish coast and Old Sow along the border of New Brunswick and Maine. They arise naturally where tidal forces and the particulars of geography generate fast-moving circular currents. Rapid vertical movement of water, such as at the bottom of a waterfall or the opening of a fissure on the sea floor, may also cause maelstroms, although those caused by the latter are only temporary. In either case, they are loud: their roaring waters can be heard over long distances.

-The Moskstraumen is said to be the home of the kraken. Charybdis, a huge monster mentioned in the Odyssey, is described as a living whirlpool. In a fantasy or historical setting, this or another maelstrom may be the abode of a legendary creature.
-Both Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe describe the Moskstraumen as able to swallow a ship entirely. While this may not be the case, a larger or magical maelstrom – or a black hole in a sci-fi setting – may have the capability to do that much harm.
-The bottom of a maelstrom may hide a passageway. Temporary whirlpools may sit atop giant undersea caverns (kept airtight with magic, perhaps). Permanent ones may provide an entrance to a hollow earth, or other dimensions, like the Elemental Plane of Water or an alternate universe.

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Basic Information

Tara has long been rumored to be the ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland. The original monument consisted of a ring fort adjacent to a barrow, both surrounded by low earthworks. Several smaller forts and a passage tomb surround the complex. Within the ring fort is the Stone of Destiny, which legend says screamed when touched by a rightful king. This was brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann with three other legendary treasures (the Sword of Light, Dagda’s Cauldron, and the Spear of Lugh).
It was been an important site well into the modern era. 142 monarchs are said to have ruled from Tara. St. Patrick is rumored to have been converted to Christianity there. Other stories say that the site contains a portal to the realm of the Tuatha.
Sources

Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara
A thorough examination of the monuments on Tara http://www.megalithicireland.com/
A more mythical view of the site http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/tara/
Game and Story Use

• The four legendary treasures of Ireland can be viewed as the basis for the four suits of the Minor Arcana in a tarot deck (and indeed a modern deck of cards). Each one is rumored to have significant magical powers. The Stone of Destiny is the only one whose location is known, making a quest for the other three quite daunting.

• Historically Tara was the center of resistance to encroaching enemies, used by the Celts against Rome, the Irish against the Normans, and Catholics against Protestants. In a wartime campaign it would be a national symbol of valor, to be defended at all costs.

• Several of the various monuments on Tara Hill have astronomical significance. They might sit astride ley lines or provide magical power at certain points of the year.

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Basic Information

The Dulce base is believed to be a sprawling underground complex located beneath Archuleta Mesa on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation near Dulce, New Mexico. For decades, this region of the country has seen an above-average share of UFO sightings, seismic anomalies, and reports of cattle mutilation. The UFO community alleges that in 1969, the federal government began construction of the multilevel complex in collaboration with the alien species known as “Greys.” In exchange for access to alien technology and knowledge, the Greys have been allowed to harvest livestock and people for experimentation. These experiments, carried out on-site, include the creation of hybrid alien-terrestrial life.
Dulce is rumored to contain at least seven levels that extend up to two miles below the surface. According to reports, the bottom three are staffed by as many as 18,000 Greys, as well as members of other species such as Reptoids. Human employees staff the top four floors, including conduction experiments on psychic abilities. Tunnels for high-speed shuttle trains connect Dulce to other similar sites across the western U.S, and there are landing facilities for aircraft using UFO technology. Security is tighter than in any other federal site, and incorporates advanced weapons (“flash” guns emitting some sort of radiation) and biometric doors.
In 1979, a man alleging himself as a Dulce employee decided to go public. The evidence he provided, in the form of security tapes, personal photographs, and administrative forms, has been distilled into a collection of materials called the “Dulce Papers.” Many versions of these documents exist, to the point that it is probably impossible to identify any original material.
Sources

A sample of Dulce papers: http://www.crowdedskies.com/pageimag...e%20Papers.pdf
Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulce_Base
The Dulce Book (everything you might want to know about the base but were embarrased to ask): http://www.thewatcherfiles.com/dulce_book.htm
Game and Story Use

• Dulce base works best in a game set in 1950 or later. However, due to the base’s location some Western or other historical settings may be able to take advantage of the area’s rumors of strange lights and earthquakes.
• Information or technology taken from Dulce make a good McGuffin for conspiracy or post-apocalyptic campaigns. The Dulce papers themselves, though they may be fakes, might also be important in debunking a conspiracy.
• The idea of a government collaborating with a strange foreign species is a useful in many contexts. In a fantasy or historical setting, the newcomers may be demons or mythological entities as well as aliens.
• The aliens may seem hostile, but prove to be allies to humanity in the face of an invasion by a shared enemy. Alien contact may also be the prelude to mankind reaching the stars.
• Sci-fi games may take the existence of aliens as a given, in which case a Dulce analog could become a home base for workers involved in xenobiological research.

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