As I understand it, the area surrounding Mount Vesuvius had experienced many earthquakes prior to the big explosion. Regretfully, it would be 2000 years later before man began to understand the early warning signs. After the initial pyroclastic surge, Pompeii was completely covered over with ash and lava; not to be uncovered again for 1700 years. The scene is dark, but so was that day two thousand years ago. This began as an experiment to create 3D rain effects in Bryce. Unfinished statue-Daz M3, other stuff I modeled in Bryce. Falling ash is existing in a real 3d environment from foreground to beyond last building. Thanks for viewing