Nightfall

Nightfall or night fall may refer to:

Time of day

Film

Gaming

Literature

Stories and novels

Nightfall (video game)

Nightfall is an American computer game released in 1998 by Altor Systems, Inc. It is claimed to be the first real-time 3D first person adventure game, as it was published in 1998, while the next most recent game known in that genre – realMyst – was published in 2000. It employs a three dimensional world and sprites for objects such as vases and rats, as well as true 3D objects such as blocks and statues. Essentially, the gameplay is a combination of 3D first-person shooters such as Doom, the gameplay found in Myst, with some additional elements.

Story

The player takes the role of an archaeologist exploring an ancient Egyptian tomb for a wonderful secret. Unfortunately, an earthquake occurs, sealing the entrance with rubble. Rather than waiting to be rescued, the archaeologist decides to explore the tomb for another exit and the treasure he was searching for.

The game is patterned after the journey of Ra through the underworld in Egyptian myth. After the game's first level, which serves as an entrance to the underworld, there are twelve levels corresponding to the twelve hours of Ra's journey. Many of the game's puzzles are based on the actions of Ra in the underworld. From the thirteenth level it is possible to escape the tomb and thus win the game. However, there is also a fourteenth "secret" level, which can be accessed from the thirteenth, and which leads to an alternative ending. This level has no basis in mythology.

Nightfall (radio series)

Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall's episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories.

Nightfall was the brainchild of producer Bill Howell, who was best known at the time for his work on CBC Playhouse and the cult favorite adventure series, Johnny Chase: Secret Agent of Space. (Howell later went on to be executive producer of CBC Radio's highly-popular series, The Mystery Project, which ran from 1992 to 2004.) When CBC Radio was revamped and given an expanded budget in 1980, Howell approached the newly appointed head of radio drama, Susan Rubes, about his idea for a supernatural/horror anthology series that would push the envelope. Though not a fan of the horror genre, Rubes recognized a hit when she saw one and gave Howell the green light to begin production.

Moko

In the mythology of Mangaia in the Cook Islands, Moko is a wily character and grandfather of the heroic Ngaru.

Moko is a ruler or king of the lizards, and he orders his lizard subjects to climb into the basket of the sky demon Amai-te-rangi to spy on him. When Amai-te-rangi pulls up his basket, he is disappointed to find it full of miserable little reptiles, which escape and overrun his home in the sky.

References

Mokosh

Mokoš (Old Russian Мокошь) is a Slavic goddess mentioned in the Primary Chronicle, protector of women's work and women's destiny. She watches over spinning and weaving, shearing of sheep, and protects women in child birth. Mokosh is the Great Mother, Mat Zemlya.

Mokoš was the only female deity whose idol was erected by Vladimir the Great in his Kiev sanctuary along with statues of other major gods (Perun, Hors, Dažbog, Stribog and Simargl).

Etymology and origin

Mokosh probably means moisture. According to Max Vasmer, her name is derived from the same root as Slavic words mokry 'wet' and moknut(i) 'get wet'. She may have originated in the northern Finno-Ugric tribes of the Vogul, who still have the divinity Moksha.

Myth

Mokoš was one of the most popular Slavic deities and the great Mother Goddess of East Slavs and Eastern Polans. She is a wanderer and a spinner. Her consorts are probably both, the god of thunder Perun and his opponent Veles. In saying the former Katičić follows Ivanov and Toporov (1983) without further corroborating their claim. Katičić also points to the possibility that as goddess Vela she is the consort of Veles, and might even be interpreted as another form of the polymorph god Veles himself. Mokosh is also the mother of the twin siblings Jarilo and Morana.

Moko (dolphin)

Moko (2006 – 7 July 2010) was a male bottlenose dolphin who associated with humans on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand from 2007 to 2010.

Moko, short for Mokotahi, a headland on Mahia Peninsula, was three-years-old as of July 2009. He resided at Mahia Beach for two and a half years from 2007 to September 2009, and became a major attraction there. He received worldwide fame when he rescued two pygmy sperm whales in March 2008. A year later, he trapped a woman out at sea. At the beginning of September 2009 Moko moved 80 km up the coast to Waikanae Beach, Gisborne, and in January 2010 he moved to Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty for five months before following a fishing boat to Tauranga on 3 June.Scientists were worried about Moko's welfare after a study found he had been scarred by boats and a fish hook. He was found dead on a beach at Matakana Island near Tauranga on 7 July 2010.

History

Rescue of pygmy sperm whales

In March 2008, Moko was seen helping two pygmy sperm whales that were trapped between a sandbar and Mahia beach. A local man who found the whales told his neighbour, Malcolm Smith, who was a Department of Conservation worker. Smith and other rescuers tried for an hour and a half to re-float the whales, with no success. Smith was wondering if it would be better to kill the two whales when Moko appeared. Moko approached the pair of distressed whales and led them through a narrow channel to the safety of the sea.