TITLE: The Fantasy Root CONTEXT: "An old iron sword was placed on top of each mound. That was an altar to the God of War, to whom more sacrifices were offered than to any other god. Every year they brought cattle and horses to these swords. From among captured enemies they sacrificed every hundredth man. First a libation of wine was poured over their heads. Then they cut thleir victims' throats and collecte'd the blood, and carried it to the top of the mound and poured it over the sword. At the foot of the altar they cut the right arm and shoulder from the body, and tossed them in the air, each arm being left to lie where it fell. The trunks lay separately." HISTORICAL REMARKS: Citation above is from Herodotus's remarks about Scythians (via Osprey). The sword (iron/bronze, grip wrapped with leather) and statues on burial mounds are based on the photos - I believe they're quite accurate. TECHNICALS: Sword is modelled with trueSpace, materials are combinations of textures with procedurals. But the main challenge of this picture was to blend the grass: 3D"close"(left/center down), 2D"mid/distant"(right down corner) and terrain"background"(to the horizon) into one treeless steppe. That's why it has no DoF (yet,- I intend to set lens 0,002 and render as "portrait" setting). Lighting is a combination of sun, "three points" and "lightdome" (nothing big, just several spotlights)