Inner bicep tree

Occult Conspiracy

2015.01.10 02:39 Occult Conspiracy

A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key.
[link]


2013.04.08 17:52 valadian Public forum for Minas Minas, centerpiece of the Metropolis and capital of Gondolin

[link]


2024.05.14 00:12 Bowazon_ Season 4 Heartseeker Victimise Rogue Guide by Bowa

Season 4 Heartseeker Victimise Rogue Guide by Bowa

Season 4 Heartseeker Planner Links

Note: This guide and the build links above may be updated from time to time. Look out for these updates in the original guide document here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pVRhEVZa0qPrg_03Tq_k98eMrmD7s8DK4kELn_Pfhi4/edit?usp=sharing

How it works

Heartseeker is one of the Rogue’s ranged basic attacks that has a reliable chance of hitting its targets.
Although Heartseeker is reliable in that respect, its damage potential was very limited throughout Diablo 4 history due to its lower base damage compared to core skills and combo points and because it had no way of delivering imbuement effects, inflicting area of effect (AoE) damage or taking advantage of the huge damage bonus from precision.
While basic skills still can’t be imbued and precision doesn’t work with basic skills, Heartseeker’s main obstacles have been solved:
  • Basic skill’s lack of damage has been solved by using Moonrise and Adaptability aspects (on a 2-hander and amulet) which together boost basic attack damage by 5.6x as well as providing attack speed and movement speed benefits
  • Victimise will be a very strong key passive going into season 4. Not only will Victimise provide a decent damage boost for Heartseeker that can’t otherwise benefit from Precision, Victimise makes the Heartseeker build viable by giving the build AoE damage
  • As of season 4, you can now get Heartseeker ranks from your pants slot (up to +8)
Victimise is a key passive that works off lucky hit, which basic attacks like Heartseeker - together with Primary Heart Seeker which allows Heartseeker to ricochet and hit twice - can proc very often because of its 50% lucky hit chance and because of Heartseeker’s fast attack speed.
Also, because Heartseeker tracks targets, this can be used safely and reliably to deal damage to enemies from afar. As enemies then agro towards you from a distance and converge closer and closer together as they approach you, this allows your AoE explosions to deal more damage the more tightly packed enemies become.
Pros
  • Good consistent damage that doesn’t need an elaborate attack rotation to do reliable damage
  • Easy to play by spamming a single attack without worrying about conditional damage combinations and energy usage
  • Safely fight from a distance, taking the heat off you and reduces the chances of long drawn out fights from needing to dodge around
  • No resource issues so no need to build around energy sustainability in your build, saving skill points, aspect slots, affix slots on gear and less reliant on Inner Sight
Cons
  • Crowd control effects (CC) are not the easiest to apply with attacks since Heartseeker only hits 1 or 2 targets per cast
  • Damage takes a little time to ramp up - Heartseeker, Moonrise, Exploit Weakness, Chip all have buffs or debuffs that ramp up based on how many times you hit targets. This takes about 3-4 seconds for all damage bonuses to be fully online
  • Not a build that you can start levelling with from a brand new character until you collect the key ingredients
  • Despite having AoE in the build, builds like Penetrating shot and Scoundrel’s Kiss Rapid fire are still unmet when it comes to AoE potential
Victimise Double Dipping
Victimise has interactions with your original attacks that result in your damage output being affected by double dipping. This means that certain buffs and debuffs boost your damage twice, usually in 2 different stages of your full damage calculation.
Victimise bases its damage based on a percentage of damage that your Heartseeker hits do. For example, if Heartseeker does 10,000 damage and Victimise does 300% of your original (Heartseeker) damage, then Victimise explosions will do 30,000 damage.
If then your Heartseeker damage is increased by buffs and debuffs that result in Heartseeker doing more damage against its targets, then this will increase the base damage of Victimise. For example, if the Control glyph + Exploit Weakness debuffs increase Heartseeker’s damage by 50%, then Heartseeker will now do 15,000 damage, and Victimise is expected to do 45,000 damage (because Victimise does 300% of your Heartseeker damage).
However in this case, when Heartseeker results in a Victimise explosion and hits the same targets that are affected by the Control glyph + Exploit Weakness debuffs, then Victimise itself also gains the benefits from these debuffs, and its final damage will increase from 45,000 damage to 67,500 damage, or in other words 30,000 x 1.5 x 1.5 = 67,500 damage.
Known interactions that double dip with Victimise:
  • Caltrops - as long as the target is standing in Caltrops while hit with Heartseeker and Victimise
  • Exploit - as long as the target is health or injured when hit with Heartseeker and Victimise
  • Subverting Poison Trap - as long as the target is standing in Poison Trap, but not applicable to us since we don’t deal poison damage
  • Control glyph - as long as the target is CC’ed when hit with Heartseeker and Victimise
  • Pride glyph - as long as the target is health when hit with Heartseeker and Victimise
  • Chip glyph - as long as the target is hit 10 times with physical attacks prior to when hit with Heartseeker and Victimise for maximum effect
  • Canny glyph - as long as the target is hit 10 times with non-physical attacks prior to when hit, but not applicable to us since we don’t deal non-physical damage
  • Deadly Ambush - as long as the target is standing in any of our traps (Caltrops) while hit with Heartseeker and Victimise
  • Exploit Weakness - as long as the target is hit 25 times while vulnerable prior to when hit with Heartseeker and Victimise for maximum effect
Credits to Ava on Sanctuary Diablo 4 Discord server for testing this out.
To put things into perspective, while playing in the PTR, I noticed my Barrage hits that were doing 1.1 million damage were procing Victimise explosions that were doing almost 12 million damage.
With Heartseeker, our damage per hit with Heartseeker and Victimise explosions will do much more damage, and Victimise explosions will occur more often.
https://preview.redd.it/bjskc65ro90d1.png?width=756&format=png&auto=webp&s=5d30f050350d11604ee1a341efc7aee86d75a4ab

The Build

Skills
  • Heartseeker - The main “core” skill for this build. Get Primary Heartseeker for ricochet Heartseeker arrows that deal 75% of the original damage. These arrows can loop back around and hit the same target twice, as long as it doesn’t hit a wall or obstacle
  • Dash - For general mobility and disengagement. Get Enhanced Dash for 15% critical strike damage for bosses or tightly packed enemies
  • Shadow Step - For general mobility and a CC break. Get Enhanced Shadow Step for 8% critical strike chance mainly for bosses, and Disciplined Shadow Step to help refresh Shadow Step’s cooldown. Alternatively you can get Methodical Shadow Step for better stagger application, but using Shadow Step in this way risks being caught in CC and potentially dying
  • Concealment - For general mobility, disengagement, and a CC break. Get Subverting Concealment for applying vulnerable while in the levelling stages
  • Smoke Grenade - For disabling groups by dazing them, disabling suppressor barriers and for activating both Cheap Shot, Control and Concussive Strikes. Get Enhanced Smoke Grenade for an extra 25% damage bonus versus groups of enemies (this doesn’t work on bosses). Get Countering Smoke Grenade for quickly refreshing Smoke Grenade’s cooldown vs groups of enemies (this doesn’t work on bosses). Alternatively, get Subverting Smoke Grenade to increase the stagger effectiveness of Smoke Grenade on bosses
  • Caltrops - Apply slow in an area. Get Enhanced Caltrops for up to 45% extra damage bonus (depending on how long enemies stay in Caltrops), and get Disciplined Caltrops for 10% critical strike chance vs enemies standing in Caltrops
Specialisation
Inner Sight, purely for the 25% critical strike chance bonus once every few moments.
Passive Effects
  • Weapon Mastery - If using a bow, gives you more damage vs vulnerable enemies, if using a crossbow, gives 15% critical strike damage
  • Exploit - Increases damage to healthy and injured enemies. This passive also double dips with Victimise
  • Malice - Increases damage to vulnerable enemies. What’s less commonly known is Malice also increases the base damage of Victimise
  • Frigid Finesse - Increases damage to chilled and frozen enemies. This build freezes enemies and staggers bosses so this passive is quite powerful
  • Sturdy - Reduces damage taken from close enemies
  • Siphoning Strikes - Healing when you critically strike close enemies. Although we can fight at a distance, we can still fight up close and get some healing while doing so
  • Stutter Step - Increases movement speed temporarily while we critically strike. Useful during fights for mobility
  • Trick Attacks - Knocks down enemies for a short period when you critical strike them while they are dazed
  • Concussive - When you knock down an enemy, gain up to 12% critical strike chance. This should work during the first few seconds of a boss getting staggered also (but to be confirmed)
  • Agile - Increases your dodge chance after using a cooldown (in this case: Dash, Shadow Step, Concealment, Smoke Grenade, Caltrops)
  • Haste - Increases movement speed. This passive does improve attack speed when below 50% energy, but this never happens
  • Trap Mastery - Gain 12% critical strike chance when your Death Trap activates (for the High-end Pit variant only)
  • Dark Shroud - Reduces damage taken from enemies. Although this is an active skill, we gain Dark Shroud shadows passively through Umbrous aspect, making this a more passive effect
What we don’t pick up
  • Impetus - Doesn't work with basic skills. Given that we attack very fast, this passive won’t be useful anyway
  • Imbuements - Basic skills aren't imbueable
  • Precision Imbuement - Basic skills aren't imbueable
  • Shadow Crash - This build doesn’t deal shadow damage
  • Consuming Shadows - This build doesn’t deal shadow damage or need energy recovery
  • Deadly Venom - This build doesn’t deal poisoning damage
  • Debilitating Toxins - This build doesn’t poison enemies
  • Alchemical Advantage - This build doesn’t poison enemies
  • Chilling Weight - This build doesn’t chill enemies, only (instantly) freezes enemies
  • Innervation - This build doesn’t consume energy so not needed
  • Second Wind - This build doesn’t consume energy so no benefit
  • Alchemist's Fortune - This build does not used any non-physical attacks
  • Rugged - We have high mobility with this build and we can heal our way through damage over time effects that stick on us
  • Reactive Defense - We have Shadow Step to quickly get us out of CC effects
  • Mending Obscurities - We can use potions while in concealment
  • Aftermath - This build doesn’t consume energy so not needed
  • Shadow Clone - Not only is Shadow Clone severely undertuned to do very little damage (after accounting for all of your aspects and paragon), Shadow Clone doesn’t proc Victimise which is there most of our damage comes from
Aspects
  • Moonrise - Increases attack speed, increases movement speed and significantly increases damage when 5 stacks of Moonrise are accumulated. Use in your 2-hander weapon for higher damage bonus
  • Adaptability - Significantly increases damage when at or above 50% energy. Because we’re always at 100% energy, this is an unconditional damage bonus for Heartseeker. Use in your amulet slot
  • Crowded Sage - Increases dodge chance and heals you whenever you dodge. Use in one of your defensive slots. Alternatively, use Assimilation aspect for Fortify accumulation instead of the healing effect
  • Umbrous - Gain Dark Shroud shadows when you critically strike enemies with Heartseeker. Use in one of your defensive slots
  • Edgemaster's - Increase damage by up to 20% based on your available energy levels. Because we’re always at 100% energy, this is an unconditional damage bonus. Use in one of your offensive slots
  • Elements - Increases damage to a set of 3 damage types for 7 seconds at a time. This is basically a 30% damage increase that is active for 7 seconds, inactive for 7 seconds, etc. Use in one of your offensive slots
  • Retribution - Increase damage against stunned or knocked-down enemies (and staggered bosses). Use in one of your offensive slots
  • Rapid - Increases attack speed for Heartseeker. Use in one of your offensive slots
  • Frostbitten - Increases critical strike damage against frozen or stunned enemies and when hitting enemies with smoke grenades, instantly freezes them. Use in either your boots or chest slots
  • Concussive Strikes - Dazes enemies and increases damage against dazed enemies. Use in either your boots or chest slots
  • Inner Calm - Increased damage, with the bonus tripled after standing still for 3 seconds. Useful against staggered bosses or when feeling safe against dazed groups. Use in one of your offensive slots
Note: We are not using any unique items for this build. Paingorger’s Gauntlets seem like a very good unique item to use for this build, but unfortunately its final damage output from testing by other people has been underwhelming. To be tested once season 4 launches however.
Paragon
  • Exploit Weakness - Ramps up your damage against enemies (per target) the more that you hit them while they are vulnerable. Double dips with Victimise
  • Cheap Shot - Increase your damage while there are 1 or more enemies nearby that are CC’ed, up to a 25% damage bonus for 5 or more enemies
  • Deadly Ambush - Increase your damage against enemies that are affected by your traps (Caltrops in this case). Double dips with Victimise
  • Control glyph on starter board - Increases your damage against CC’ed enemies. The glyph core bonus double dips with Victimise
  • Chip glyph on Cheap Shot - Ramps up your damage against enemies (per target) the more that you hit them with any of your (physical) attacks. The glyph core bonus double dips with Victimise
  • Pride glyph on Leyrana's Instinct - Increases your physical damage against healthy enemies. Using this glyph on Leyrana’s Instinct also allows us to max out our resistances. Double dips with Victimise
  • Exploit glyph on Deadly Ambush - Increases your vulnerable damage (important for Victimise) and makes enemies hit by your attacks vulnerable (once every 20 seconds). Deadly Ambush board is used for Exploit for the high number of strength nodes around the glyph
  • Combat glyph on Exploit Weakness - Increases your critical strike damage. Exploit Weakness board is used for Combat for the high number of intelligence nodes around the glyph
  • Ranger glyph on Tricks of the Trade - Reduces your damage taken while you are holding onto a bow or crossbow (ie, after casting Heartseeker)
  • Diminish glyph on No Witnesses - This glyph is used just to boost the surrounding rare +life node. We don’t care about the glyph core bonus for now as it's awfully niche (from physical attacks from vulnerable enemies)
Note: We should end up with 7 paragon boards in total.

Stats/Gear Priorities

Summary
  • Vulnerable damage - stacked as high as possible for higher additive damage and for scaling Victimise’s base damage. Aim for 900+% vulnerable damage from gear and paragon
  • Other additive damage bonuses - to further increase your overall damage output. Get 650+% of this from Marksman critical strike damage tempers and other smaller ones from gear and paragon
  • Attack speed - to cast Heartseeker quicker. Aim for 85+% from gear and 30% from Rapid aspect
  • Chance to cast Heartseeker twice - scales up your damage output as you’re casting more Heartseekers per attack. Aim for 95+% from 2 tempers on weapons
  • Heartseeker - is used as the main skill for delivering damage and Victimise procs. Aim for 11+ ranks in total between your native skill points and your pants
  • Lucky hit chance - to proc Victimise and other effects (CC, Umbrous, vulnerable) more often. Aim for 50+% from gear. You can use an elixir to boost this up further
  • Critical strike chance - to increase how often you critically strike and gain a damage bonus from Weapon Mastery, Frostbitten, Deadly Ambush and your critical strike damage additive and core bonuses. Aim for 80+% from intelligence, gear and paragon, including Marksman critical strike chance bonuses
  • Dexterity - to increase your baseline damage and increase your dodge chance. Aim for 1500+ from gear and paragon
  • Life - is needed for survival. Aim for 40,000+ in total
  • Dark Shroud - is needed for your main source of heavy damage reduction. Aim for 12+ ranks in total between your native skill points and your chest piece
  • Dodge - reduces the chance of direct attacks damaging you, which also protects your Dark Shroud shadow stacks. Aim for 50-70% from dexterity, gear and the Agile passive
  • Armour cap - 9,230 for 85% damage reduction from physical attacks
  • Resistances - 70% to all resistances
  • Crowd control effects - to disable enemies and build up stagger on bosses. Get 4-5 affixes that apply CC effects on enemies, including Concussive Strikes. After that, get crowd control duration
  • Movement speed - to improve mobility in combat and general mobility. Get 70+% from gear and skills, including from Moonrise
Item Pieces
  • Weapons - for vulnerable damage, attack speed, dexterity. Tempering: marksman critical strike damage, chance to cast Heartseeker twice (on your 2-hander + one of your swords), caltrops duration (on one of your swords)
    • Vulnerable damage - High priority stat to help stack Victimise damage
    • Attack speed - Enough to get 100% attack speed from weapons alone
    • Chance to cast twice - To ensure 100% chance to cast Heartseeker twice per cast to multiply effective damage output by 2
    • Caltrops - Caltrops duration is preferred over Caltrops size since the extra duration will work at the highest damage bonus benefit and will extend the benefit before needing to move (break our Inner Calm bonus) to reapply Caltrops
    • Marksman critical strike damage - Some extra additive damage
  • Rings - for vulnerable damage, life, lucky hit chance (on one of your rings), lucky hit chance to apply vulnerable (on one of your rings). Tempering: marksman critical strike damage, agility cooldown reduction
    • Vulnerable damage - High priority stat to help stack Victimise damage
    • Life - Needed for survival
    • Lucky hit chance to apply vulnerable - An important stat that helps apply and maintain vulnerable on enemies
    • Lucky hit chance - Stacking lucky hit chance is important to increase Victimise proc rate and for applying CC more often
    • Agility skill cooldown reduction - This helps mobility by increasing the uptime on mobility skills that get you from point A to B faster
    • Marksman critical strike damage - Some extra additive damage
  • Amulet - for Exploit, Malice, Frigid Finesse. If you can’t get a 3x passive amulet, you can also aim for lucky hit chance. Tempering: marksman critical strike chance, dodge chance
    • Exploit - Important for the double dip effect for Victimise
    • Malice - Important for increasing damage versus vulnerable enemies and increasing the base damage of Victimise
    • Frigid Finesse - Increases the damage of enemies frozen by attacks and for increasing damage during boss stagger window
    • Marksman critical strike chance - Helps the build reach very high levels of critical strike chance
    • Dodge chance - Needed for survival
  • Helm - for life, armour, lucky hit chance. Tempering: dodge chance, lucky hit chance to X (see below “CC effects”)
    • Life - Needed for survival
    • Lucky hit chance - Stacking lucky hit chance is important to increase Victimise proc rate and for applying CC more often
    • Armour - 2 armour rolls across all gear is needed to reach the armour cap. Juggernaut’s can be used instead, but having 2 armour rolls frees up an aspect slot
    • Dodge chance - Needed for survival
    • Lucky hit chance to X - Needed for applying CC effects against enemies
  • Chest - for Dark Shroud ranks (important), life, armour. Tempering: single resistance (see below “Resistances”), lucky hit chance to X (see below “CC effects”)
    • Dark Shroud ranks - Important for survival, going from 11 ranks to 15 ranks of Dark Shroud is a 25% effective damage reduction bonus
    • Life - Needed for survival
    • Armour - 2 armour rolls across all gear is needed to reach the armour cap. Juggernaut’s can be used instead, but having 2 armour rolls frees up an aspect slot
    • Single resistance - Needed to complete capping resistances across all elements
    • Lucky hit chance to X - Needed for applying CC effects against enemies
  • Gloves - for vulnerable damage, critical strike chance, lucky hit chance. Tempering: marksman critical strike chance, lucky hit chance to X (see below “CC effects”)
    • Vulnerable damage - High priority stat to help stack Victimise damage
    • Critical strike chance - Improves overall damage output and Umrbous aspect proc rate
    • Lucky hit chance - Stacking lucky hit chance is important to increase Victimise proc rate and for applying CC more often
    • Marksman critical strike damage - Some extra additive damage
    • Lucky hit chance to X - Needed for applying CC effects against enemies
  • Pants - for Heartseeker ranks (important), life, dodge chance. Tempering: dodge chance, lucky hit chance to X (see below “CC effects”)
    • Heartseeker ranks - Important for stacking Heartseeker damage
    • Life - Needed for survival
    • Dodge chance - Needed for survival (stacked twice from item stats and tempering affix)
    • Lucky hit chance to X - Needed for applying CC effects against enemies
  • Boots - for movement speed, dexterity, life. Tempering: movement speed, crowd control duration (see below “CC effects”)
    • Movement speed - Important for general mobility and to speed up gameplay and avoidability of dangerous attacks (stacked twice from item stats and tempering affix)
    • Dexterity - For adding in extra damage and dodge chance
    • Life - Needed for survival
    • Crowd control duration - Linearly scale up the amount of stagger that can be delivered on the boss
CC effects
We want to have as many CC applying effects from our tempering mods as possible across Boots, Pants, Gloves, Chest and Head gear pieces. The possible CC applying effects available from tempering are:
  • Lucky Hit: Up to a +[21.0 - 30.0]% Chance to Slow for 2 Seconds
  • Lucky Hit: Up to a +[13.5 - 22.5]% Chance to Immobilize for 2 Seconds
  • Lucky Hit: Up to a +[13.0 - 17.5]% Chance to Stun for 2 Seconds
  • Lucky Hit: Up to a +[13.0 - 17.5]% Chance to Freeze for 2 Seconds
  • Lucky Hit: Up to a +[13.0 - 17.5]% Chance to Daze for 2 Seconds
Some guiding principles on how I’ve chosen which effects we want to have across Boots, Pants, Gloves, Chest and Head gear pieces are written below:
  • We want to have one of each type of effect across our gear set to diversify our stagger application. It’s important to have this diversification because applying the same type of stagger effect twice or more times in quick succession reduces the effectiveness of that type of stagger effect (for how long is not currently known)
  • In our build, we already have daze from Smoke Grenade and Concussive Strikes, and we already have slow from Caltrops, so we will need to pick up:
    • 1x Freezing effect
    • 1x Stun effect
    • 1x Immobilise effect
  • 4th CC effect: You can either pick up another 1x Freezing effect to freeze enemies more often and trigger Frigid Finesse and Frostbitten bonuses more often, or pick up 1x Slow effect for better stagger diversification and damage reduction from slowed enemies from the Cheap Shot board
  • We also pick up 1x crowd control duration rather than getting a 5th CC effect on our last piece to help boost the effectiveness of each of the following and to reduce the chance of diminishing stagger effect (by applying too many individual CC effects):
    • All tempering lucky hit chance to CC effects
    • Concussive strikes
    • Smoke Grenade
  • We should end up with 4x lucky hit CC effects and 1x crowd control duration across Boots, Pants, Gloves, Chest and Head gear pieces
  • The above needs more testing, but that’s the current idea
Read more information about how stagger works here https://discord.com/channels/989899054815281243/1239196457488355328/1239196457488355328
Bow vs Crossbow
As a basic principle, bows shoot 22% faster and crossbows deal 22% more damage. However, some nuanced stuff should be noted:
  • Crossbows come with vulnerable damage, which boosts your Victimise base damage. However, this damage increase from vulnerable damage in the scheme of things is not major. This damage increase is pretty much unconditional however
  • Bows have extra damage to distant enemies, which can be nice sometimes but it can be hard to keep your distance from enemies at times especially if you’re trying to optimise damage your output with Dash and Caltrops, which require you to get close
  • Bows shoot faster and can apply CC effects quicker this way. This in theory staggers bosses quicker. However, bows have been found to not quite shoot 22% faster than crossbows in some circumstances, and applying CC effects quickly have some diminishing returns even if true.
  • Furthermore, you can apply stagger on bosses using cooldowns such as Shadow Step and Smoke Grenade which aren’t affected by how much faster you can shoot with a bow
  • Crossbows also gain us a higher Weapon Mastery passive bonus than what bows can do, though only by 3% at rank 3 of Weapon Mastery. Although Weapon Mastery with a bow increases your damage to vulnerable enemies, it does not contribute to your Victimise base damage in the same way that the Malice passive does
  • Bows look cooler because of transmogs and because you’re shooting faster
While for this build there is no clear winner between using a bow or crossbow, it will ultimately be decided for you based on what you find or trade for out in the field and how lucky you get with your tempering rolls.
Swords vs Daggers
We use Heartseeker for our “core” attacks, so we will only rely on our swords or daggers for their damage bonuses.
Swords come with extra critical strike damage and daggers come with extra damage versus close enemies. Given that we will have a high amount of critical strike chance with this build and we may be fighting from afar quite often, going with swords is more ideal for this build.
Survivability
For survivability, there are a few things that will help us here.
  • Dark Shroud with Umbrous aspect - Dark Shroud with up to 15 ranks gives up to 68% damage reduction when 5 shadows are active. Umbrous aspect allows you to gain shadows when you hit enemies with Heartseeker. Since you lose shadows every time you take direct damage, being able to get them back quickly is important
  • Dodge - Dodge allows you to avoid taking damage from hits altogether. Apart from the obvious benefit of avoiding damage, not taking damage also helps preserve your Dark Shroud shadows. Beware however that dodge doesn’t reduce the damage you take when you do take damage, and dodge doesn’t avoid certain ground effects or damage from damage over time sources, so don’t rely on dodge too much. Somewhere between 50% to 70% dodge should be enough without stretching you too much
  • Life - The more life you have, the more punishment you can take. Try and aim for around 40,000 life or a little bit more to ensure you can take most hits without dying
  • Damage reduction - Pick up damage reduction where you can. The following paragon nodes should be secured to help you survive:
    • Damage reduction from vulnerable enemies on Exploit Weakness
    • Damage reduction from elite enemies on Cheap Shot
    • Damage reduction from trapped enemies on Deadly Ambush
    • Ranger glyph
    • Damage reduction from slowed enemies on Cheap Shot if you have 1x Slow effect from tempering. Note that this form of damage reduction is less important since it doesn’t work on bosses
  • Resistances - Resistances can be maxed out without any gear rolling resistance affixes by
    • Tempering Fire, Lightning, Poison or Shadow resistance on the Chest piece
    • Getting the Leyrana’s board with a maxed out Pride glyph
    • Getting the cold resistance cluster of nodes from on Exploit Weakness (30 out of 35% worth)
    • Making sure that your rings natively roll cold resistance on them on their inherent affix. If you can only get 1 ideal ring with cold resistance on it, then pick up the remaining 5% cold resistance node on Exploit Weakness as well to top up your cold resistance
  • Crowded Sage vs Assimilation - Both aspects have 8% extra dodge on them. Crowded Sage will be better against lots of smaller attacks, where as Assimilation will be better for less frequent but harder hitting attacks, so take your pick
  • More defensive - If necessary, swap Elements aspect for Might aspect or Assimilation/Crowded Sage aspect (requires some aspect shuffling) to further improve survivability. You can also gain the full glyph bonus on No Witnesses by swapping to Diminish (damage reduction) and adding more surrounding strength nodes

Levelling

At the start of your levelling journey, you should follow any other levelling guide out there that uses Rapid Fire, Barrage or Penetrating Shot and use combo points. Once you reach the key passives at the bottom of your skill tree, you should use Precision for the foreseeable future.
There are a few key ingredients that you should get before switching over to using Heartseeker and Victimise:
Heartseeker:
  • Mid to high roll Moonrise aspect, ready to put on your ranged weapon slot
  • Mid to high roll Adaptability aspect, ready to put on an amulet slot
  • Rapid aspect, ready to put on any offensive slot
  • Victimise (see below) since Precision doesn’t work with Heartseeker
  • Ideal: Ranks to Heartseeker on pants, chance to cast Heartseeker twice, etc
Victimise:
  • Either Accursed Touch aspect or Lucky hit chance to make targets vulnerable on one of your rings. Note that you will drop Accursed Touch long term but it can be handy to use while levelling
  • Exploit glyph
  • Some lucky hit chance affixes (20+). Gloves are the best spot to get this early
  • High amount of vulnerable damage bonuses (200+)
  • Ideal: At least 2 double dipping interactions from your paragon

High-end Pit

In high-end Pit content, even trash enemies will take a little while to kill. This will force you to use your Caltrops, Smoke Grenade and other tools more often to maintain an efficient clear speed. With this in mind, see the notes below on the changes to make from the standard build.
  • Swap Concealment for Death Trap + Prime Death Trap, Death Trap will be used to tightly group enemies together and to activate Trap Mastery
  • Swap Stutter Step for Trap Mastery, since we will not be speed farming but trying to maximise damage output when we activate Death Trap
  • Swap Inner Sight for Preparation, while we can’t lower Death Trap’s cooldown with Preparation, we will use it to lower other cooldowns with Death Trap. Given that Inner Sight will likely perform badly in higher levels of Pit, this swap becomes sensible
  • Swap Agility cooldown reduction for Trap cooldown reduction to help maximise the uptime for Death Trap
  • Swap Combat glyph for Ambush glyph, Combat glyph makes sense in a more agile build, but we will become more heavily reliant on Caltrops and Death Trap for damage output, so Ambush will give us a small damage boost over Combat
  • If necessary, swap Elements aspect for Hectic aspect (requires some aspect shuffling) to further improve the cooldown refresh for Death Trap

Boss Attack Rotation

  • Spam Heartseeker to ramp up all of your damage modifiers - Heartseeker, Moonrise, Exploit Weakness, Chip - and to apply constant CC effects on the boss until they are close to being staggered. Save your Smoke Grenade for now
  • Once staggered, quickly Shadow Step them, throw down Caltrops and Dash through them
  • Spam Heartseeker into them while standing still
  • Once the boss comes out of stagger, throw your Smoke Grenade then spam Heartseeker to apply constant CC effects on the boss until they are close to being staggered again
  • Once staggered, quickly Shadow Step them, throw down Caltrops and Dash through them
  • Spam Heartseeker into them while standing still
  • Repeat this process until the boss is dead
Situational Skill Usage
  • Use Dash or Concealment to disengage when you feel in danger. Remember to not disengage for too long otherwise you will lose your ramp up damage modifiers - Heartseeker, Moonrise, Exploit Weakness, Chip
  • Use Shadow Step when you get CC’ed, making sure that it’s safe to do so first
  • Use Caltrops but sparingly (at the start of stagger window) since Caltrops takes time to cast when you want to be shooting with Heartseeker instead to apply CC and keep damage modifiers online. This will also help ensure that you have Caltrops ready during the stagger window
  • Use Death Trap to refresh cooldowns, preferably on the boss to also activate Trap Mastery and brief moments of Deadly Ambush, Ambush, etc
  • Use Smoke Grenade when it comes off cooldown but avoid using it during the stagger window
submitted by Bowazon_ to D4Rogue [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 00:00 ClaimSalt1697 A MASTER LIST of real world tie-ins to ACOTAR: Part 2—World Map, Items, Terms & Other ✨🌙

-----------------

⚠️ WARNING: Maasverse Spoilers—Proceed with Caution ⚠️

-----------------
Part 1: Characters and Courts (sorry for those who already saw this post and now it's gone. I realized after publishing that Reddit formatting deleted a solid CHUNK of detail after the fact. Gimme a few days and I'll get it back up and published)
Part 2: World Map, Items, Terms & Other - YOU ARE HERE
-----------------

If this is the first post you've landed on, see Part 1 above for an introductory explanation to this two part post.


https://preview.redd.it/tblspn7am90d1.png?width=832&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e1c5d11b53736e3ac49b29e6734dba821f44e4e

UK + IRELAND

PRYTHIAN
A combination of Prydain, the old Welsh name for Britain, and Brython, which translates to “Ancient Britons” from Welsh.
HYBERN
A riff of Hibernia, the Classical Latin name for Ireland.

Artist of Prythian map: P-dulcis on redbubble

ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN-PARALLEL LOCATIONS

ILLYRIA
The Ancient Greeks used the term Illyria to define a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. The numerous peoples who populated those areas were known collectively as the Illyrians. The region itself is quite mountainous.
THE MIDDLE
May refer to the Midlands, the central part of England, though geographically the Prythian map places the Middle central to Prythian, not central to England; with the Prythian inclusion of Scotland, the Middle on Prythian maps is located further north than the actual Midlands of England.
UNDER THE MOUNTAIN
A potential nod to the Schiehallion, a cone-shaped mountain often referred to as the center of Scotland. It's name comes from the Gaelic Sìth Chailleann, meaning "fairy hill of the Caledonians." On the southwestern side of the mountain is said to lie the well-concealed Uamh Tom a' Mhòr-fhir, a cave serving as an entrance to the underworld.
As the Schiehallion lies in the middle of Scotland (the Night Court) and not the middle of mainland UK (Prythian), the Sciehallion could instead be representative of Ramiel.
THE WESTERN ISLES
May refer to the Outer Hebrides, also known as the Western Isles, which is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. They are also sometimes known as Innse Gall, a Gaelic term meaning "islands of the foreigners/strangers" which was originally used by mainland Highlanders when the islands were ruled by the Norse.
ACOTAR role: The Prison is located in the Western Isles.
THE PRISON
Though located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland rather than the Outer, the Prison may be a nod to Beinn Shiantaidh, which is Scottish Gaelic for "holy mountain." It is located on the western side of the Island of Jura and is the second highest peak of the Paps of Jura.
Fun fact: Pap is of Old Norse origin and means breast.
VALLAHAN
Valhalla is the hall of slain warriors in Norse mythology, located in Asgard, where those who die in combat live in peace under the leadership of the god, Odin. They are said to dwell in Valhalla until the events of Ragnarök, where they will then march out to fight in aid of Odin against the jötnar, a type of being in Germanic mythology.
ACOTAR role: Vallahan is a faerie territory located in the northwest portion of the Continent.
ADRIATA
The Adriatic Sea is located in Southern Europe and separates the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. It contains more than 1,300 islands.
BOG OF OORID
The Oorid Lough is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland.
CRETEA
Crete is the largest and southernmost island in Greece.
ACOTAR role: Cretea is where Miryam and Drakon's people lived following the War.
LAPPLUND
Lapland is a geographic region in Northern Fennoscandia which covers much of the Nordic countries. It is also a province of Sweden and the largest region of Finland.
ACOTAR role: Lapplund is where the Cauldron was hidden.
ITICA
Ithaca is an island featured in the Odyssey and was the island home of Odysseus. It is also a real island in Greece. The Kathara Monastery is located in Ithaca.
ACOTAR role: Itica is one of three temples where the feet of the Cauldron were hidden.
MONTESERE
Montserrat is a mountain range near Barcelona.
ACOTAR role: Montesere is a fae territory located in the Continent's NW and is considered generally wealthy. They allied with the loyalists in the War.
RAVENNIA
Ravenna is located in Northern Italy and was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
ACOTAR role: Ravenna is a fae territory on the Continent and allied with the Loyalists during the War.
DUNMERE
Dunmere is a hamlet in Cornwall, England.
ACOTAR role: Dunmere is a town located within the Night Court, between Velaris and the sea.
NEVA
The Neva is the fourth-largest river in Europe and is located in northwestern Russia.
ACOTAR role: Neva is one of the largest human cities on the Continent and is where the Archeron sisters' father travels to trade.
SCYTHIA
The Scythians were an ancient Eastern Iranic equestrian nomadic people who migrated from Central Asia to the steppes of modern-day Ukraine and Southern Russia.
ACOTAR role: Scythia is one of the territories of the human lands on the Continent, ruled by Queen Vassa. They are said to be a horse loving people.
ROSEHALL
Rosehall is the name of a remote hamlet in the Scottish Highlands.
Fun fact: The 2nd Duke of Westminster acquired the Rosehall estate and his mistress at the time, Coco Chanel, redecorated the interior to her own liking. Winston Churchill, a close friend of the Duke, also visited the estate.
ACOTAR role: Rosehall is mentioned in ACOFAS and is theorized to be the place where Azriel's mother resides.

AFRICA-PARALLEL LOCATIONS

THE BLACK LAND
Black Land translates from Kemet, a popular ancient name for Egypt, which is derived from the color of the fertile black soil along the cultivated area of the Nile valley.
ACOTAR role: The Black Land is a region of the continent where human slaves were ruled over by a High Fae queen. Miryam and Drakon joined the mortals in the War and freed Miryam's people by crossing the desert and eventually the sea.
THE ERYTHRIAN SEA
The Erythraean Sea, originally an Ancient Greek geographical designation, has been used as a name for the Red Sea which lies between Africa and Asia.
ACOTAR role: Drakon used his magic to split the Erythian Sea.

ASIA-PARALLEL LOCATIONS

XIAN
Xi'an is the the most populous city in Northwest China snd the second most popular tourist destination in China.
ACOTAR role: Xian is a Fae territory on the Continent and allied with the Loyalists during the War. A large majority of the Dawn Court is made of Fae from Xian, including Thesan's mother. Feyre remarks that Amren may have molded her mortal body after their peoples.
BHARAT
Bhārat is one of the two principal official short names for the Republic of India.
ACOTAR role: The Archerons lost their fortune when their father's ships sank on the way to Bharat.
RASK
May refer to Rask, a city in Iran, that serves as both capital of its county and district.
ACOTAR role: Rask is a Fae territory on the Continent and allied with the Loyalists during the War.

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS

VELARIS
Possibly derived from the Latin vēlo*,* meaning "to veil, cover, wrap" along with "to hide, conceal" and "to clothe in." Could also derive from the Latin vēlum, meaning "to veil, curtain" and also indicates a tarpaulin acting as cover for outdoor spaces.
THE WALL
No singular reference, but the presence of a wall separating one race from another, often humans from mythical beings, is rife throughout history, mythology, and fantasy.
One from each category that has loose ties to ACOTAR: (1) Hadrian's Wall, ie the Roman Wall, a defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia. It spanned from coast to coast, cutting across the entire width of Northern England. (2) In Norse mythology, the Master Builder asking for the hand of the goddess Freyja as payment for constructing a wall around Asgard to defend the gods. (3) The English village of Wall in Neil Gaiman's Stardust, named after the wall separating the land of Faerie from the mortal realm, highly guarded and cautioned against for mortals seeking to pass through.
THE MOONSTONE PALACE
Romans linked moonstone to the moon goddess Diana (goddess of wild animals and the hunt) and Ancient Greeks linked it to their lunar deities Artemis, Hecate, and Selene.
SIDRA RIVER
Sidra is a name of Latin origin and means "Goddess of the stars" or "like a star."
RAMIEL
Ramiel is a fallen Watcher, a type of Biblical angel, one of the 20 Watchers that rebelled against God by mating with mortal women, therefore creating the Nephilim (Shadowhunters, anyone?). Ramiel means "God has thundered." Ramiel is sometimes conflated with Remiel, also known as Jeremiel, meaning "God shall have mercy," as is listed as one of the seven Holy Angels. He is the archangel of hope and is responsible for divine visions and guiding the souls of the faithful into Heaven.
POOL OF STARLIGHT
No plausible connection found, though there is a famous pool in Greek mythology—a pool Mnemosyne presided over in Hades, counterpart to the river Lethe. Dead souls would drink from Lethe to wipe their past lives from remembrance when reincarnated. Those who drank from Mnemosyne's pool remembered and halted their transmigration of the soul.
ATHELWOOD
Ethel (also aethel) is an Old English word meaning "noble." Athelwood can mean "noblewood."
ACOTAR role: Athelwood is Morrigan's estate located in the Night Court.
GOLLIAN MOUNTAINS
Göll is one of the named Valkyries from Norse mythology. Her name means "tumult," or "noise, battle."
ACOTAR role: The Gollian Mountains are where the Valkyries were slain during the War.
MYRMIDONS
In Ancient Greek mythology, the Myrmidons were an Ancient Greek tribe. In the Iliad, they are the soldiers commanded by Achilles. Myrmidon has also come to mean "a follower or subordinate of a powerful person, typically one who is unscrupulous or carries out orders unquestioningly."
ACOTAR role: The Myrmidons are a set of mountains serving as the border between the Day Court and the Night Court from which the Illyrians migrated.
CESERA
No direct reference found, but may allude to Caesarea, the name of numerous cities and locations throughout the Roman Empire.
ACOTAR role: Cesera is one of three temples where the feet of the Cauldron were hidden.
SANGRAVAH
No direct reference found (and I lost my mind searching for one). Closest I came to was the similarly sounding Angharad, a feminine Welsh name, long associated with Welsh royalty, history, and myth, including Arthurian legend.
ACOTAR role: Sangravah is one of three temples where the feet of the Cauldron were hidden.
GREENFIELD VILLAGE
No direct connection found, though Greenfield is the name of several villages of England.
ACOTAR role: Greenfield village is a neighboring village to where Feyre grew up and where Isaac Hale's wife is from.
WINDHAVEN CAMP
No connection found, though a separate Windhaven also appears in Tower of Dawn in the TOG series. Altun—Windhaven being the rough translation—is located in a three-peaked mountain range and is the home of Sartaq's hearth-mother and family.
Fun fact: Windhaven is the name of a science-fiction novel by George R. R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle following a group of humans who crash-landed on a foreign planet and learned to craft their own wings out of the spaceship wreckage.
THE WOLF'S DEN
No connection found, BUT fun fact: there is a named Wolf's Den castle in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka Game of Thrones) that now serves as a prison. "All the days were much the same inside the Wolf's Den, and any change was usually for the worse." A Dance with Dragons, Ch 29
ACOTAR role: The Wolf's Den is the name of the worst tavern in Velaris that Nesta is known to frequent.
SILVERSPRING CREEK
No plausible connection found, BUT fun fact: "Silver Springs" is a song written by Stevie Nicks, performed by Fleetwood Mac, and is so strongly ACOTAR-coded even my non-loving playlist-to-book self can't deny it. If you want more bread crumbles that SJM is a Stevie Nicks fan, "Rhiannon" and it's lyric origins have potential ties to the Rhiannon of TOG.
You could be my silver springBlue-green colors flashin'I would be your only dreamYour shinin' autumn ocean crashin'
Time cas t a spell on you*, but you won't forget me*I know I could have loved youBut you would not let me
ACOTAR role: Silverspring Creek is a stream running through Feyre's human village, near where she hunted rabbits.
STRYGA'S CASTLE
No direct reference found, but due to Stryga/the Weaver resembling a female demon akin to a vampire in Slavic mythology (see the Monster section above), it is possible Stryga's former home, before she was confined to her cottage, is reminiscent of Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula and the Transylvanian Castle complete with three vampiric sister brides who entice men with their beauty and charm before proceeding to feed upon them.

The Night Sky

ARKTOS
Arktos, also written Arctus, means "bear" in Ancient Greek. Arktos was a centaur who fought against the Lapith spearmen. The Arktos Megale (aka Ursa Major, the Great Bear) is one of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy who drew on earlier works by Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian astronomers.
ACOTAR role: Arktos is one of the three regarded holy stars (the furthest left star) of the Illyrians and serves as part of the symbol for the Night Court. The echelon of Arktosian is reserved for Illyrians who survive the Blood Right but fail to reach Ramiel.
CARYNTH
May refer to Corinth, an ancient city that was one of the largest and most important of Greece, or Carinthia, the southernmost Austrian state in the Eastern Alps, noted for its mountains and lakes.
ACOTAR role: Carynth is one of the three regarded holy stars (the middle star) of the Illyrians and serves as part of the symbol for the Night Court. The echelon of Carynthian is reserved for Illyrians who scale the summit of Ramiel during the Blood Rite and are considered elite warriors.
ORISTES
Orestes (also spelled Orestes) means "stands on a mountain" and he is the subject of several Ancient Greek plays and myths concerning his madness and purification.
ACOTAR role: Orestes is one of the three regarded holy stars (the furthest right star) of the Illyrians and serves as part of the symbol for the Night Court. The echelon of Oristian is reserved for Illyrians who make it to the Ramiel during the Blood Rite but don't reach the top.
Locations not listed: A slew of various more minor locations have not been listed, including the Four Market Squares of Velaris, certain cottages and houses, and even the Ironcrest Illyrian war-camp.

https://preview.redd.it/jxxgjkfim90d1.png?width=842&format=png&auto=webp&s=00944156c7edd485265a4cad7f66c5ac8e41b31d
THE CAULDRON
There are many magical cauldrons present in various mythologies, one being the Pair Dadeni in Welsh mythology, a magical cauldron able to resurrect the dead, and the coire ansic of Irish mythology, the cauldron of the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which never ran empty.
TRUTH-TELLER
Possibly inspired by Fragarach, an Irish mythological sword known as "The Whisperer" or "The Answerer." It was the sword of Nuada, the first high king; it was said that no one could tell a lie with Fragarach at their throat and that the sword inflicting wounds from which no one could recover.
THE HARP
May refer to the uaithne, the magical harp of the Dagda, the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Irish mythology. It could control men's emotions and change the seasons.
THE MASK
In Egyptian culture, death masks were designed to guide the spirits of those mummified into the next world.
THE UNKNOWN 4th TROVE ITEM
Seen in a vision by Nesta via Lathys, which we now know to be the Horn, and may refer to the Gjallarhorn of Norse mythology, the sound of which is said to herald the beginning of Ragnarok.
ATARAXIA
Ataraxia, in Ancient Greek philosophy, was a state of calmness untroubled by mental or emotional disquiet, ie tranquility of the mind. It was considered the ideal mental state for soldiers entering battle.
ACOTAR Role: Nesta's Made sword.
GWYDION
Gwydion is a name meaning "born of the trees" and is the given name of Gwydion fab Dôn, a magician, hero, and trickster of Welsh mythology. Caer Wydion, the castle of Gwydion, was the traditional Welsh name for the Milky Way.
ACOTAR role: The Starsword and twin to Truth-Teller.
NARBEN
No direct reference found, though narben in German means "scar."
ACOTAR role: Narben is a lost sword from the Dread Trove.
OUROBOROS MIRROR
The ouroboros is an ancient symbol of a serpent or a dragon eating its own tale, first present in ancient Egyptian iconography and the Greek magical tradition, the term itself deriving from Ancient Greek. It has been used frequently and extensively throughout fantasy literature. It often symbolizes the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
The Books of Breathing are a set of ancient Egyptian funerary texts that are intended to enable those deceased to continue their existence in the afterlife. It is a simplified form of the Book of the Dead.
VERITAS ORB
Veritas is of Latin origin meaning "truth." It is the name for the Roman virtue of truthfulness and in Roman mythology, Veritas is the Goddess of Truth. Universities and colleges such as Harvard use the term veritas as their motto.
SYMPHONIA
Symphonia is Greek in origin and was used to denote a variety of musical instruments.
AMARANTHA'S NECKLACE AND RING (JURIAN'S FINGER AND EYE)
Jurian's finger bone and eye, kept by Amarantha, are reminiscent of relics and reliquaries, often religious in nature. Relics typically consist of the physical remains or personal affects of a saint and the reliquary is the container that holds them.
FAEBANE
Possibly inspired by wolfsbane (aka aconite or monkshood), a poisonous flower ancient Greeks would poison arrows and bait with to hunt wolves. It is lethal and often fatal and is an oft-used plant and poison within the fantasy genre.
Fun fact: In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet himself was killed with an aconite-laced blade.

https://preview.redd.it/pjo213ymm90d1.png?width=840&format=png&auto=webp&s=de57f0ba269bd4b48b2782eb380da90a8ba2d6eb
DAEMATI
Potentially a combination of the Greek word dae (to give) and the concept of mati, labeled as "the evil eye" in Greek classical antiquity. Daemati may effectively mean "to give the evil eye."
THE WEAVER'S SONG
The Weaver's song, sung when Feyre was stealing Rhysand's ring from her cottage, is similar to "The Twa Sisters," a traditional murder ballad dating back to mid 17th century England. It tells of two sisters who travel down to a body of water where the older one pushes the younger one in. A harp or a fiddle is then made out of the murdered sister's body, which plays itself and sings about her murder.
submitted by ClaimSalt1697 to acotar [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 23:54 throwawaybackup420 You shouldn’t exhaust yourself when working with demons.

(We are going to say we because we are a DID system.) We’ve worked with Lucifer for awhile as a very very much so beginner in demonology. He told us he was disappointed in us for not trying to recover so we decided to rush our recovery as much as we could. We for some reason thought demons wanted to push you to your absolute limit, always. After a few months of moping in a week we discovered more about ourselves than most people find out in months. We’ve been pushing ourselves so hard in recovery. More than we need to.
Lucifer has been being super distant and we wondered why. We were doing everything he told us. But we started riding the bus to go do errands and occupy ourselves until the night. Until we passed out. We wrote constantly in our journal and would communicate with our inner self until we got super anxious, then would spend hours talking it out until we felt like it was better. We were speed running our recovery, and we feel happy enough, but aren’t enjoying life.
We weren’t being mindful. Just shopping every day and spending too much money and spending no time to pay attention to the trees, meditating to open ALL our chakras at the same time.. and we found out our solar plexus chakra was so exhausted it felt like it was of breath. We realized we just need to be silent with ourselves and meditate quietly. Just need to enjoy life.
Yes, we felt like we could handle it, but Hera (she’s been around us now and then) showed us something about waves.. said the faster they go, eventually the ship will crash.
Please take our and Lucifers advice. Don’t rush yourself. We also promised demons and deities a bunch of offerings for helping us and thought they’d want nice expensive things and exhausted ourselves going around trying to find them. Just relax. And please be careful working with demons if you’re mentally ill/a beginner like us. Our spirit team said they’d be watching but very distant for now while we work on ourselves. That’s it.
submitted by throwawaybackup420 to DemonolatryPractices [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 23:46 Lothere55 Six Decants from u/Hype_Moments: Reviewed!

Decant Reviews Part II: The Revenge! This batch came to me from the most excellent u/Hype_Moments, who thoughtfully reached out to me to inform me of his services after I expressed dismay at my inability to obtain samples directly from Montagne. The decants arrived promptly and packaged securely enough to withstand a nuclear blast! I also appreciate the attention to detail when it comes to labeling: matching Montagne's font and including the notes makes the sampling process feel very deluxe. Great experience, would order again!
On to the fragrances. Unless stated otherwise, I have not smelled the inspiration fragrances, so I am judging these on their own merit. For your reference, I typically prefer unisex fragrances, but I decided to roll the dice and included three feminine scents this time. I'm 29, and I work in both office and classroom environments. Let's get into it!
Eau Vanille: This one is not for everyone, but it's definitely for me. The rich, deep vanilla combined with the guiac wood and incense smells like going to mass at a grand Cathedral. Sophisticated, solemn, mysterious. I imagine that Notre Dame smells like this on Good Friday. Honestly, it kind of reminds me of my confirmation. I swear, the oil the bishop puts on your (greasy, 13-year-old) forehead smells a lot like this. That said, I love this because it reminds me of a positive moment in my faith formation, but it may evoke complex or negative reactions in others. The incense calms down after a couple of hours, which allows the vanilla to shine. Definitely not too sweet, and reads straightforwardly unisex to me. If you're a vanilla-lover looking for something a bit different with some oomph, this could be for you. Maybe not the best choice for the heat of summer, but I will be looking to purchase the full bottle come autumn. Would wear to my arch-rival's funeral.
Strawberry Milk: The wildcard of the bunch. I did not think I was going to like this because I thought it was going to be extremely juvenile and sickly sweet. I ordered it out of pure curiosity after hearing about the ungodly sums folks were shelling out to get their hands on a bottle. While it's definitely a sweet gourmand, it's not syrupy sweet. It's kind of fruity and powdery and just a bit herbal. There's something in here that comes off a little minty to my nose, which is baffling considering the notes. I'm not getting anything particularly strawberry-like, though. Maybe a hint of something lactonic, like malted milk powder, and a burnt-sugar note that could be caramel. Very wearable if you like sweet scents. Not obtrusive, kind of like if you gave a your-skin-but-better scent some moxie. Certainly not your typical celebrity scent. I could see a lot of women liking this. The longevity wasn't the best on this one, though: I think I got about four hours out of it. I'm not personally in love with it, but I'm glad I tried it.
Pink Rose Exclusif: Good Lord, y'all. This THE hot girl perfume. The most attractive woman you can think of probably wears this. It's a really beautiful, sweet, creamy, powdery rose wrapped in a veil of incense and supported by vanilla and woody notes in the base. There's some fruitiness in there too, particularly in the opening. Despite the powderiness and incense, it's quite edible smelling; like a fruity sponge cake that's also drenched in rose syrup, served immediately after the Confirmation service (callback!). I recognize this scent because I have encountered it in the wild on women wearing Delina Exclusif or its dupes, and it definitely... affects me, shall we say. This will turn heads for sure. It also lasts forever with excellent projection. I put on 3 sprays, wore it all day, went to sleep, and then my pillow and sheets smelled like Pink Rose Exclusif for DAYS, just from coming into contact with my arm. You absolutely do not need much of this. As much as I love it, I'm on the fence about whether to buy it, because I'm not sure how often I would actually wear it. It's a little more femme than my personal style usually calls for, imo. Plus, I'm not sure I want all the attention this would garner. That said, it's a 10/10 frag, I'd go for it today if I were single and ready to mingle. UPDATE: After writing this review, I got the opportunity to test the OG in-store, and I can confirm that this is a 1 to 1 dupe. I don't detect any difference whatsoever. Nice work, Montagne!
Pink Rose: This one humbled me. I had already tried the Exclusif version, and figured this was the more wearable, daytime version. I did my normal application (1 spray each on wrists & inner elbows, 2 sprays on the neck, 1 on the front of my shirt) and then headed to the office. When my coworker told me I smelled good from 6 feet away, I knew I had overdone it. I was smelling this all day long, from the 8:30 AM application until bed time. And not just little whiffs here and there, I'm talking constant presence in my olfactory organ. A little distracting, if I'm honest. Luckily, it's a beautiful fragrance. Florals are hit or miss for me, but I have a soft spot for rose. Whereas the Exclusif smells like rose dessert, this smells like a living rose growing fresh and vibrant in the garden. The litchi and rhubarb bring in a little sharpness, and there's a green accord in there that's really refreshing. This is rose done in a modern, interesting way, and I dig it. Feminine, but in a way that feels manageable for my typical presentation. Despite my initial blunder, I do think it's more every-day wearable than its sister as long as you are conservative with your application. Will buy for sure, and probably sooner rather than later.
Carnal Gray Extrait: In a word: exquisite. This smells like being wealthy, well-traveled, and the hottest person at the function. Charisma in a bottle. Effortlessly sexy without being provocative. It's well blended, but not linear. We start with a spicy, herbaceous opening; you get the cardamom right away, with some sweet green undertones. Then, a beautiful dry down. It becomes more powdery with a bit sweetness thanks to iris, tonka, and vanilla. The woodiness from cedar and sandalwood and earthiness from vetiver and patchouli keep it from going gourmand, and the result is something deep, dark, and complex. Perfect for special occasions where you want to dress to impress, this would be the ultimate companion to a well-tailored suit or a fancy cocktail dress. Apparently folks are somewhat divided on whether Gris Charnel Extrait leans feminine or masculine, but to me, CGE is perfectly unisex. Great performance; three sprays lasts me all day with moderate projection. This is my favorite fragrance from Montagne so far, and in the running for my favorite fragrance of all time. It's probably not the best choice for the hot, humid summer that's coming my way, but I don't even care, this is going to the top of the queue. 12/10, I am writing in my will that I want this sprayed on me before I go in the casket.
Brooklyn Jazz: At last, a fragrance that I can compare to its inspiration! I have smelled and fallen in love with Maison Margiela's Jazz Club, and was super excited to see how the wallet-friendly version from Montagne stacks up. Indeed, it's a very close match. We have a nice peppery opening that gives way to boozy, rum tobacco heaven. It's not in the notes, but this definitely comes off leathery to my nose. It smells like sitting in a leather armchair, sipping on dark liquor, and smoking... some kind of tobacco product. I want to say a pipe rather than a cigar, but neither is my vice of choice, so I can't be sure. Either way, old school badass. Think Ron Swanson in Duke Silver mode. If anything, there is perhaps more of an herbal accord here that I didn't notice in Jazz Club, but that could be due to the translation from EDT to EDP. Masculine leaning, but still suitable for ladies who appreciate smokey scents. Altogether, a lovely warm and cozy scent. Decent longevity, but the projection could be better (maybe needs maceration). I do like it, but I'm more motivated to get my hands on Carnal Gray Extrait and Eau Vanille, both of which are certainly different, but occupy a similar region of the fragrance family tree. I may pick it up after I make it through the summer.
Thanks for reading my reviews! And special thank-yous to both u/Hype-Moments and u/AyybrahamLmaocoln for supplying this community with decants and saving us from the anxiety of blind-buying. Let me know if you have any recommendations for my next decant order, particularly more masculine scents that are good for summer; I want my collection to have a little of everything. What do y'all think of Afternoon Dive and Torino 2021? That's all, over and out.
submitted by Lothere55 to MontagneParfums [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 22:46 taitaigarvin Love Spells that Work Instantly ((+256755470380)) Love Spells that Work in 24 hours love spells that work immediately without ingredients All Countries 100%% Can love spells work Overnight?? Which free love spells can work in 24 hours? Casting a Spell on Someone to Make This Person Love You

lost love spells in Australia-Best Love Spells That Work Fast & Easy 2024 are among others lost love spells in Usa cast online and in-store to bring back lost love spells in #24 hours!! simply email (intclairvoyant@gmail.com) Call/WhatsApp: +256755470380 return lost love spells even after all other spell casters have failed!! What are you waiting for?? lost love spells caster in Johannesburg https://powerfulspellspsychic.wordpress.com/ free lost love spells-"Allure Astrology," learn how casting ethical love spells is the perfect way to invite more positive energy into your relationship goals...lost love spells in Uganda. .lost love spells in south Africa lost love spells in Paris France //+256755470380// lost love spells in Singapore -lost love spells in USA lost love spells in Paris- love spells results in #24 hours
black magic lost love spell caster in Uganda +256755470380 how to restore with lost love spells@ Lithuania, India, China, Cuba, Uruguay, Turkey, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Milan, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Mongolia, Thailand, Singapore, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Oman, Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, Chad, Nigeria, Senegal, Ivory coast, Cameroun, Togo, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Belize, Jamaica, Brazil, Seychelles, Mauritius 100% guaranteed results mudi spell homes WhatsApp +256755470380
love spell$ Online Best love spell decanter֍+256755470380 (MD , USA ) yet stimulating Love Spells IN Bridgeport CT, Baltimore, MD. 1.֍Get back Ex lover. get your Ex back https://rwenzoripsychics.myportmoni.com/
★ how to reuniting with lovers and make him or her- how to bring lost lover back my powerful bring back in Barbados, Saint Lucia, Palau Andora Tonga Dominica Bahrain Antigua and Barbuda Marshal Monaco Tuvalu Vatican City Nauru Liechtenstein Luxembourg Comoros Sao Tome and Principe Kiribati Samoa Cape Verde Trinidad and Tobago Brunei Cyprus Lebanon Qatar Vanuatu The Bahamas Eswatini Fiji Slovenia Kuwait El-Salvado Djibouti North Macedonia Haiti Burundi Equatorial Guinea Albania Solomon Islands Armenia Lesotho Belgium Moldova Estonia Costa Rica
lost love spells in Washington-We dug into the rich history of love magic to help you wrap your head around how it all works- Powerful Spell To Make Someone Love You((+256755470380 where to Find a spell to make someone love you or specific spells to bring ex back! // lost love spells in usa // lost love spells caster in New York // lost love spells in new york // lost love spells caster in Canada https://rwenzoripsychics.myportmoni.com/
lost love spells in Uk- Powerful Instant Best Love Spells©╬⓿ ☎(+256755470380) U.S.A, U.K, Australia, Singapore, Canada, South Africa, Uganda, Norway, Guam, Grenada, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria&))))
lost love spells in Texas //lost love spells in Norway- How to Make Someone Fall in Love with You//lost love spells in boston // lost love spells in dallas // lost love spells in london // are lost love spells caster in johannesburg cheap??
You are not recommended to try spells to bring a lover back if you are going through the following: You know that your relationship with your ex is toxic and the best painful option to take in this is to move on. It is not a good choice to be in a relationship that is un-natural, one that is built on witchcraft. The love spark as to be their at all times.
Even the most powerful love spell may not fulfill the things that are required for a real relationship to be in place. Love should be natural and if your partner looses interest in you, its better that you let them follow the heart. If one door closes, expect another open infront of you.
Therefore witchcraft or love spells should not be the ultimate solution to mending a broken heart in a relationship, one has to make love exist naturally by doing the right things to your partner, the things that will recapture the inner feelings of love and affection as you did in the start of the relationship.
Only if and when all has been tried and failed to work that one should order for my love spells that actually work, and indeed this will be the last nail in the coffin to fix your troubled relationship permanently.
asmr ariana grande avengers endgame ace family act up apex legends abc song aladdin 2024 ali a avengers endgame trailer amazon amazon prime https://lostlovespellz.wordpress.com/ american airlines airbnb aol mail amtrak apple abcya autozone aol airpods amazon gift cards aa batteries airpod case aaa batteries apple watch band 38mm air fryer apple watch apple watch band 42mm alexa american express accuweather bank of america best buy bryce harper bed bath and beyond billie eilish bitcoin barnes and noble Bosnia Herzegovina Georgia Ireland Sierra leone Brazil Benin Eritrea Honduras Liberia Bulgaria Guatemala South Korea Iceland Hungary Portugal Serbia United Arab Emirates Azerbaijan Serbia Panama Algeria Argentina Kazakhastan bing bb&t bloomingdales bluetooth headphones bluetooth earbuds baby wipes bluetooth headsets bluetooth speakers blood pressure monitor biotin bath bombs blender bubble wrap big lots bbc news britney spears bass pro shop belk baby shark blueface bts bill nye planet on fire blackpink bad bunny bye sister tati bruno mars bohemian rhapsody cardi b cocomelon city girls coryxkenshin ceeday cj so cool chris brown country music clout offset cardi b captain marvel craigslist chase costco capital one cnn cool math games credit karma calculator cvs comcast compression socks women cat litter collagen powder coconut oil condoms coffee grinder creatine crocs women can opener cbd oil craigslist dc chernobyl dry erase markers digital photo frame dog treats dishwasher pods dog bed dog toys diffusers for essential oils https://rwenzoripsychics.myportmoni.com/ dog harness dish soap dry shampoo david dobrik dolan twins drake shaman in uk da baby astrologer despacito dude perfect danielle cohn dantdm ddg darius garland doris day dominos dow jones dictionary detective pikachu dsw doordash dollar tree draft lottery 2024 docs delta airlines discover card login discord domino's pizza drudge report delta driving directions dropbox earbuds essential oils echo dot electric toothbrush extension cord essential oil diffuser external hard drive ear plugs earphones epsom salt ebay espn expedia etsy easter 2025 english to spanish enterprise elizabeth holmes emilia clarke epic games earth emma chamberlain eminem envy me endgame trailer ed sheeran ellen ella mai elmo email edible arrangements ebates enterprise car rental ebay motorsfacebook flights fox news food near me fortnite fashion nova fandango fedex forever 21 fedex tracking fire stick flowers for delivery prime fitbit fitbit charge 2 bands flowers fitbit versa bands food scale fan foam roller fanny pack funny videos fgteev future faze rug funnymike frozen 2 fearless flamingo faucet failure facebook log in to facebook friv facebook search frontier airlines fidelity gift cards for amazon gift card graduation party supplies 2019 gift cards for amazon birthday game of thrones merchandise grandma gifts gaming chair graduation gifts for her garden hose gel nail polish google gmail google translate google maps google classroom google docs game of thrones google flights google drive google slides gabriel zamora gacha life gods country gunna ghost recon breakpoint gypsy rose blancharde gummy bear song genius game grumps google search groupon home depot hotmail hulu harris teeter h&m hobby lobby harbor freight https://rwenzoripsychics.myportmoni.com/ hbo go hbo h&r block happier horses in the back halsey homicide logic happy birthday song high hopes hindi songs hit or miss hey julie h3h3 hdmi cable headphones hydro flask hummingbird feeder hangers hammock heating pad hand soap high waisted swimsuit howard stern comes again hsn hotels huffington post happy birthday it chapter 2 trailer i got the horses in the back imagine dragons i dont care ed sheeran iggy azalea itsfunneh i like it cardi b inside edition inquisitormaster i think moto moto likes you instagram indeed ikea iran ixl ihop icloud irs imdb iphone xr iphone charger iphone xr cases iphone 8 plus case iphone xr screen protector iphone xs max case iphone 7 case iphone x case iphone 8 case iphone 7 plus case iphone 6s case itunes illinois lottery images jcpenney jetblue jennifer aniston joann fabrics juegos friv jimmy john's menu jennifer lopez justice jeep jcp jumpsuits for women jojoba oil jump rope jewelry organizer jade roller jewelry cleaner journal juicer juul charger jewelry box james charles jeffree star jake paul james charles apology juice wrld joe vs james charles joe rogan jeffy jojo siwa j cole jordyn woods john wick 3 ja morant john durham jussie smollett jobs near me jimmy johns jeff bezos keto pills kindle fire kindle paperwhite e-reader keto snacks keto knee brace knife sharpener ketone strips keurig coffee maker kleenex tissues kohl's kahoot kayak kroger kim kardashian khan academy kelley blue book katy perry kizi kylie jenner kohls kevin durant keto diet kamala harris kings dominion keanu reeves kaiser permanente kodak black kevin gates kawhi leonard game winner khalid kids videos for kids kane brown kid cudi playboi carti kendrick lamar ksi lightning cable lingerie for women lol surprise dolls led strip lights laptop lg stylo 4 phone case laundry detergent effective sex love spells that really work how to cast an african love spell to get ex back how to cast an attraction love spell with candles how to cast black magic love spell with blood powerful witchcraft spells for love that work fast most effective witchcraft spells for love how to cast a beauty love spell strong effective sex love spells that really work powerful love spells in surrey, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire U.K liquid laundry basket lavender essential oil luggage tags linkedin lowe's home improvement lululemon louis vuitton lands end lord and taylor lady gaga lane bryant little caesars lexus lil baby logan paul lazarbeam lil nas x old town road lachlan lia marie johnson lil wayne lil uzi vert lil pump lil durk lowes lakers loft lebron james labcorp lindsey graham mothers day gifts for mom from daughter mothers day gifts for wife metal straws mothers day card micro sd card mouse pad maxi dresses for women makeup brush set mothers day flowers for delivery prime only mct oil murders on my mind music mrbeast maleficent 2 mo bamba marshmallow michael jackson middle child markiplier memes msn mapquest maps menards macy's mail mega millions winning numbers minecraft michaels mapquest driving directions macys momo mcdonalds march madness mega millions mlb scores nba youngboy nipsey hussle ninja nikita dragun nle choppa nicki minaj nelk nba draft lottery nba lottery 2019 nikocado avocado nba nba draft netflix nba lottery news https://lostlovespellz.wordpress.com/ nba playoffs nordstrom nba scores nba mock draft nintendo switch nespresso capsules nose hair trimmer no show socks women nintendo switch games nursing bra nintendo switch case nail clippers nespresso vertuoline pods night light nascar nike new york times neiman marcus national weather service old town road old town road billy ray cyrus olivia jade one punch man season 2 episode 6 ozuna old town road lil nas x lyrics offset oneplus 7 oneplus 7 pro ocean eyes outlook old navy office depot office 365 overstock orbitz olive garden olx oriental trading omegle opm outback oral b replacement brush heads one piece swimsuits for women office chair oh the places you'll go by dr. seuss oil diffuser outdoor rug ovulation test strips oculus quest outdoor string lights oral b electric toothbrush paper towels pop socket psn card digital code portable charger packing tape playstation card ps4 controller paper plates pregnancy test protein powder pinterest paypal pandora prodigy pizza hut powerball winning numbers pnc bank party city pottery barn petsmart powerball papa johns panera popeyes pooh pathology test arsenal pewdiepie pewdiepie vs t series peppa pig please me bruno mars post malone pop out projared paw patrol polo g panic at the disco queen quando rondo queen naija queen live aid 1985 full concert quin nfn qka ka shpija quavo quran tilawat quadeca queen don't stop me now qvc quizlet quest diagnostics quickbooks qvc shopping online quotes quill queen elizabeth qatar airways queen sheets q tips quest bars queen bed frame queen mattress qtips cotton swabs quest protein chips queen mattress protector qtips queen comforter set quizlet live quizizz quadratic formula quick draw roblox realtor restaurants redbox reverse phone lookup reddit rotten tomatoes royal caribbean rei regal cinemas redfin restaurants near me r kelly rj barrett ashida tlaib run 3 ryan's toy review robbery juice wrld rihanna rebecca zamolo r kelly interview roddy ricch rage 2 review ricegum reusable straws roku ring doorbell resistance bands ring light roku streaming stick rompers for women revlon one step hair dryer and styler rice cooker reusable produce bags southwest seth curry spotify https://rwenzoripsychics.myportmoni.com/ spanish to english staples safeway snake steph curry starbucks solitaire shane dawson songs sunflower post malone soph slime snl sicko mode shallow lady gaga ssundee sonic the hedgehog movie southwest airlines sam's club sears soundcloud shutterfly social security spirit airlines shower curtain shower curtain liner scale shoe rack summer dresses for women scrunchies for hair scrunchies swimsuits for women spray bottle sunglasses for women tim conway translate target twitter turbotax ted bundy trump tulsi gabbard thesaurus ticketmaster toilet paper teacher appreciation gifts https://lostlovespellz.wordpress.com/ toothpaste tea tree oil teeth whitening tide pods trash bags thank you cards tapestry travel accessories tati t series tana mongeau trisha paytas tati and james charles drama thotiana blueface tim conway dentist taki taki try not to laugh tim conway elephant travelocity traductor tractor supply tmz twitch tripadvisor us trailer undisputed upchurch us unspeakable usher ufc unthinkable smiley unspeakablegaming un poco loco usb c cable umbrella usb flash drive usb hub unicorn gifts unicorn party supplies usb extension cable usb wall charger uber gift card unicorn united airlines usps ups tracking usaa ulta uber usa today urban dictionary us map united usps tracking uber stock us movie uber eats usa jobs erizon wireless verizon vrbo victoria's secret vanguard Casting a Spell on Someone to Make This Person Love You https://sheikhabdulkarimspellscaster.wordpress.com/ vistaprint vans venus vimeo vera bradley vitamin d vacuum cleaner vitamin c serum vitamin c visa gift card vitamin e oil velcro strips with adhesive vital proteins collagen peptides vitamin d3 vape pen vines vanossgaming vy qwaint venom vice veronica wang vicente fernandez vamos pa la playa valuable pain vines that keep me from ending it all verizon fios venezuela virginia tech dmv weather walmart warriors washington post wayfair weather dc wells fargo walgreens washington gas washington capitals whatsapp web white pages wikipedia webmd weight watchers wireless earbuds wireless headphones water bottle waist trainer wireless mouse womens tops weighted blanket where the crawdads sing waterpik wireless charger wwe worth it wow post malone without me halsey without me wild n out wheels on the bus wow wrong wiz khalifa https://rwenzoripsychics.myportmoni.com/
https://sheikhabdulkarimspellscaster.wordpress.com/
https://lostlovespellz.wordpress.com/
love spells that work instantly love spells that work in 24 hours love spells that work immediately love spells that work immediately without ingredients love spells that work immediately free love spells that work in 24 hours free love spells that work in minutes love spells that work instantly free binding love spells that work fast binding love spells that work fast free best love spells that work love spells that simple work for beginners best love spells that work free free love spells that work instantly for beginners free love spells that work instantly for beginners without ingredients love spells that work overnight free love spells that work overnight free love spells that work overnight without ingredients simple love spells that work overnight
Email: [intclairvoyant@gmail.com](mailto:intclairvoyant@gmail.com) [spellsherb22@gmail.com](mailto:spellsherb22@gmail.com)
submitted by taitaigarvin to blackmagicspelling [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 22:12 syl2013 Reprogramming takes years but it’s worth it! Today for the first time in my entire life realized that after 6 years of therapy I don’t hate myself anymore. I don’t call myself names anymore. I don’t look down on myself anymore. I love myself.

I seriously didn’t think the reprogramming would finally happen. I was so close to giving up after 5 years of therapy but realized that I was still in contact with my abusive family and went from some contact to low contact and it tremendously helped. Year 6 of therapy and continue to go strong in my journey from damaged to healing and thriving.
I forgot to add protein to my smoothie this morning and instead of my inner critic saying something negative my adult mother shows up and says it’s okay my sweet girl we can always add it in. And that’s growth for me! Huge growth. Any of you who stayed the course and are glad you did, I would love to hear your stories. And for those of you who are still questioning if therapy or any work you are doing is working, remember that it took decades of abuse to get us into a toxic fight of flight daily response programming and now with environment control, boundaries, therapy, meditation, prayer, self awareness, and willingness actions to do the work and patience we will heal. It just takes so much courage and I challenge you all to the stay course.
For the first time in my life I’m experiencing joy. This spring is just such a spiritual experience. The flowers are brighter. The birds singing is lovely. The trees they seem so alive. And it hits me all the time and I cry tears of joy because for the first time in my life I feel like I’m living, like I was born again. I feel more in my body than ever before. I’m growing up and I’m so proud of myself and my faith in God our creator to bring me back into the light. I was so lost and thought I would for sure die and never make it back from mental illness. I was a captive now I’m free and live in my truth everyday. I wasn’t crazy, I never was, and you aren’t either. 🙏
submitted by syl2013 to CPTSD [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 22:00 DiscoverDurham Things to do in Durham this week!

If you’d like to add an event to our calendar, submit an event here. Please check with the event organizers to see if events change due to weather. Have a great week!
See the full weekly calendar on our website.

Noteworthy Events

The Lion King at DPAC
Adult Recess at CCB Plaza
Duke Baseball vs UNC at Jack Coombs Field
Bimbé Celebration at Rock Quarry Park
Peter Pan at The Carolina Theatre
DPW Limit Break at Durham Convention Center

Multi-Day Events

The NGIN Cityscapes Summit at Durham Convention Center
Durham Greek Festival at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
Historic Buildings Open House at West Point on the Eno Park
Movies at The Carolina Theatre

Monday, May 13

2 p.m.
Board Game Night at The Glass Jug in Downtown Durham
5 p.m.
Arts & Drafts at Fullsteam Brewery
6 p.m.
Disc Golf Putting League at The Glass Jug in RTP
6:30 p.m.
Trivia Night at Ponysaurus Brewing Company
7 p.m.
Community Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

Tuesday, May 14

Events at Durty Bull Brewing Brewing Company
Events at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham
Events at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP
5:30 p.m.
Boxyard Run Club at Boxyard RTP
6 p.m.
In Other Words at Arcana
Duke Baseball vs College of Charleston at Jack Coombs Field
Bring Your Own Vinyl with Jaffar at Rubies on Five Points
Women on the Wall at Triangle Rock Club - Durham
6:30 p.m.
Trivia at Durham Food Hall
Pony Ride at Ponysaurus Brewing Company
7 p.m.
Trivia at Beer Study Durham
Not Rocket Science Trivia at DSSOLVR Durham
Tuesday Blues Jam at The Blue Note Grill
8 p.m.
Comedy Night at Bull City Ciderworks
Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons Trio at Kingfisher
Enter Shikari at Motorco Music Hall
Vision Video + Tears For The Dying at The Pinhook

Wednesday, May 15

Events at Atomic Empire
Events at Boxyard RTP
Events at ZincHouse Winery & Brewery
9 a.m.
Senior Short Game Clinic at Hillandale Golf Course
10:30 a.m.
Storytime on the Roof with Durham County Library at The Durham Hotel
12 p.m.
Adult Recess at CCB Plaza
3 p.m.
Durham Farmers’ Market at Durham Central Park
4 p.m.
Whiskey Wednesdays at Alley Twenty Six
5 p.m.
Free Wednesday Wine Tasting at Beer Study Durham
5:30 p.m.
Ride of Silence at CCB Plaza
6 p.m.
Queer Craft Night and Tarot with Joy at Arcana
Bimbe Community Block Party at Holton Career & Resource Center
Come Take a Flight With Us: A Bright Black Workshop at Proximity Brewing Company
Free RTP Business Rockstar Connect Networking Event at Sheraton Imperial Hotel
Sweet Social: Auntie's African Ice Cream at The Durham Hotel
6:30 p.m.
Trivia Night with Pickle at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP
7 p.m.
Bottle Swap: Homebrew Club at Durty Bull Brewing Brewing Company
Skip The Small Talk: Speed Friending Event at Fullsteam Brewery
Hammered Trivia at Hi-Wire Brewing
Karaoke Night at Mavericks Smokehouse
Music Bingo at Ponysaurus Brewing Company
3rd Wednesday Jazz Jam Session at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen
Brett Chambers Open Mic at The Blue Note Grill
8 p.m.
Air Hockey Tournament at Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Trivia Night at Bull McCabe's
Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery
The Weeks at Motorco Music Hall
Blends With Friends at The Pinhook

Thursday, May 16

Events at Boxyard RTP
Events at Durty Bull Brewing Brewing Company
8:30 a.m.
Harnessing the Power of AI to Ensure Equitable HR Practices at RTI Holden Building
9:30 a.m.
Guide Supported Canoeing, Kayaking, and Standup Paddleboarding at Eno River
12:15 p.m.
Midday Meander: A Strolling Conversation at Sarah P. Duke Gardens
3 p.m.
Guided Museum Tour at 21c Museum Hotels Durham
5 p.m.
Thirsty Thursdays at Dashi
Righteous Roots Reggae Show at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP
5:30 p.m.
Walking Club with Bull City Strollers at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham
6 p.m.
Queer Trivia at Arcana
Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works
6:15 p.m.
Pony Run at Ponysaurus Brewing Company
6:30 p.m.
AfterHours: Science of Beer at Museum of Life and Science
Line Dance Classes at Mystic Farm and Distillery
Space Code Youth Open Mic at NorthStar Church of the Arts
Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club - Durham
7 p.m.
Trivia Night at Beer Tooth Taproom
Bimbé Cypher at CCB Plaza
Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at Congress Social Bar
Duke Baseball vs UNC at Jack Coombs Field
Summer Jazz Jam (Curated by Al Strong) at Missy Lane's Assembly Room
Community Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery
Al Strong Presents Jazz on the Roof at The Durham Hotel
7:30 p.m.
Trivia Night with Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewing Brightleaf Square
Reverend Billy C. Wirtz / Armand Lenchek & Carter Minor at The Blue Note Grill
Pillow Talk: Speed Dating and Conversations About Sex / Sexuality at The Pinhook
8 p.m.
Weekly Single Mingle at Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Trivia at Fullsteam Brewery
Danny Lopriore at Motorco Music Hall
9 p.m.
DJ Halo Presents: No Requests at Rubies on Five Points
9:30 p.m.
Karaoke Night at The Tavern

Friday, May 17

Events at Atomic Empire
Events at Durty Bull Brewing Company
Events at Mettlesome
Events at Moon Dog Meadery
Events at The Blue Note Grill
10 a.m.
Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee
12 p.m.
Co-Working Social at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham
4 p.m.
Late Spring Tree Ramble at Sarah P. Duke Gardens
5 p.m.
Guided Museum Tours at 21c Museum Hotels Durham
Food Truck Friday at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP
5:30 p.m.
LOJO: Log Off, Jam On at Boxyard RTP
6 p.m.
Aly J & Kevin Clark and Tarot with Kathleen at Arcana
Third Friday Art Walk at Downtown Durham
Friday Night Makes at Durham Arts Council
May Third Friday at Durham Arts Council
Counterpoints Exhibition Reception at Durham Bottling Co.
Third Friday at Golden Belt Arts
Duke Baseball vs UNC at Jack Coombs Field
Screenprint Roundup at The Fruit
The Patio Dance Parties : Clueless Fridays at Unscripted Durham
6:30 p.m.
Kayla Waters (Hosted by Marcus Anderson) at Missy Lane's Assembly Room
7 p.m.
Live Vinyl Spinning by PhDJ at Beer Study Durham
Early Show: John Howie Jr. / Ramona and The Holy Smokes at The Pinhook
7:30 p.m.
Evening Eno Exploration Paddle at Eno River
Evan Ringel & Ariel Pocock at Sharp 9 Gallery
8 p.m.
Pass the Aux at Boricua Soul
Stereo Reveries at DSSOLVR Durham
Karaoke! at Fullsteam Brewery
Cheekface at Motorco Music Hall
Dance Blues Friday at Studio 5
9 p.m.
Kayla Waters (Hosted by Marcus Anderson) at Missy Lane's Assembly Room
10 p.m.
The Floor: Special Guest THEYDYLIKE at Rubies on Five Points

Saturday, May 18

Events at Atomic Empire
Events at Boxyard RTP 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Will & Well: Grand Opening
Events at Durty Bull Brewing Company
Distillery Tours and Tastings at Liberty & Plenty
Events at Mettlesome
Events at The Fruit
Events at The Pinhook
Guided Walking Tours with Triangle Adventures
7 a.m.
Lookin For A Cure at Bull City Running Company-South
8 a.m.
Durham Farmers' Market at Durham Central Park
parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park
9 a.m.
South Durham Farmers' Market at Greenwood Commons Shopping Center
9:30 a.m.
Guide Supported Canoeing, Kayaking, and Standup Paddleboarding at Eno River
10 a.m.
Pop Up Record Show at Beer Durham
Durham's Home Goods Market at Black Wall St Gardens
Bear Awareness Week at Museum of Life and Science
10:30 a.m.
Mother's Day Brunch at The Durham Hotel
11 a.m.
Battle of the Blades 2024 at Historic Durham Athletic Park
12 p.m.
Springtime Outdoor Market at Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works
Preservation Durham Annual Home Tour: The Rambling Ranch at Orchard Park Picnic Shelter
1 p.m.
Duke Baseball vs UNC at Jack Coombs Field
Say It With Glass Workshop - Sam Nguyen at Moon Dog Meadery
Bimbé Celebration at Rock Quarry Park
2 p.m.
Closing Reception — Dan Gottlieb: Figure Ground at Craven Allen Gallery
Durham "Bullpen" Treasure Hunt - Walking Team Scavenger Hunt! at Fullsteam Brewery
3 p.m.
A Beautiful Noise Spring Concert by the Common Woman Chorus at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Peter Pan at The Carolina Theatre
4 p.m.
Family Fun Saturday: May Flowers at Guglhupf Restaurant
5 p.m.
Rooftops and Alleyways Community Canvas Wall Brawl at Dashi
Durham Blues & Brews Festival at Durham Central Park
Hops & Blues at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP
6 p.m.
The Moon Unit and Tarot with Emily at Arcana
Peter Pan at The Carolina Theatre
6:30 p.m.
Kayla Waters (Hosted by Marcus Anderson) at Missy Lane's Assembly Room
7 p.m.
A Beautiful Noise Spring Concert by the Common Woman Chorus at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Crones of Anarchy: Blues, Rock, Americana at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen
7:30 p.m.
Jim Ketch Swingtet at Sharp 9 Gallery
Big Birthday Dance Party: Combo Platter with 2 Sides at The Blue Note Grill
8:15 p.m.
BBYMUTHA: Sleep Paralysis Tour 2024 at Motorco Music Hall
9 p.m.
Kayla Waters (Hosted by Marcus Anderson) at Missy Lane's Assembly Room
10 p.m.
Fortune Factory Presents: Taurus Dance Party at Rubies on Five Points

Sunday, May 19

Events at Atomic Empire
Events at Durty Bull Brewing Company
10 a.m.
Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's
10:30 a.m.
Al Strong Presents Jazz Brunch at Alley Twenty Six
12 p.m.
Preservation Durham Annual Home Tour: The Rambling Ranch at Orchard Park Picnic Shelter
Sunday Dollar Bin Sale for Charity at Rumors Durham
Supernatural Sunday - Psychic Affair + Healers Market at Weldon Mills Distillery
Farmers Market at ZincHouse Winery & Brewery
12:15 p.m.
Public Tour at Duke Chapel
2 p.m.
Hillandale Golf Beginner Clinic at Hillandale Golf Course
3:30 p.m.
Davis Dance Company Spring Recital 2024 at The Carolina Theatre
4 p.m.
Showings at Scripps: Miguel Gutierrez at ADF's Samuel H. Scripps Studios
Carmina Burana at Baldwin Auditorium
Día de las Madres Kermes at El Futuro’s Therapeutic Green Space
String Break at Fullsteam Brewery
6 p.m.
Emma Jane's EP Release Show and Tarot with Joy at Arcana
Davis Dance Company Spring Recital 2024 at The Carolina Theatre
6:30 p.m.
Open Mic Night at Moon Dog Meadery
7 p.m.
DPW Limit Break at Durham Convention Center

Running Art Exhibit

Hometown (Inherited): Ten Year Retrospective at The Fruit
Dan Gottlieb: Figure Ground at Craven Allen Gallery
Constellations: 40 Years of Explorations within Sacred Geometry by Steven Ferlauto at Horse & Buggy Press and Friends
It Ain’t All Black And White at DAG Truist Gallery
María Magdalena Campos-Pons: Behold at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
Counterpoints at Durham Bottling Co.
Cameron Elyse's Divine Nine Legacy Memoir Exhibition at Hayti Heritage Center
submitted by DiscoverDurham to bullcity [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 21:38 MountainSkald [A Valkyrie's Saga] - Part 101

Sorry about the delay. I ultimately decided that the story needed a substantial re-write and ended up back at square one. Unfortunately, this means chapters will now only go up three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Hopefully you’ll enjoy this new version, and find it worth the wait.
Also, my Patreon is now up if you feel like supporting my writing. I’ll add advance chapters as soon as they’re written.
Thanks for reading!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
2. Task Force Nemesis
He, General or mere Captain, who employs everyone in the storming of a position, can be sure of seeing it retaken by an organized counterattack of four men and a corporal.
- Battle Studies, Ardant du Picq
“You’re one of those Academy girls, aren’t you?”
Christie Stirling’s heart seized as a shock of adrenaline lanced through her body, and she needed a great deal of effort not to flinch or tremor. Other party guests looked around in surprise, but her smile remained unblemished. She turned with the lazy and graceless air she had portrayed throughout the night to look into the predatory eyes of Allana Rayker; the inhuman terrorist who had killed her best friend.
The question was either a trap or an accusation. The Academy—a fake university—was the cover of the shadowy organization that had recruited Christie. They had made her a Valkyrie; an enhanced super soldier tasked with protecting humanity from the devastating armaments of an extinct alien race, and those, like Rayker, who wanted to exploit those weapons for evil purposes.
Now that Valkyrie had found the evil woman’s hiding place, the hunt was reaching its final moments. But, shaken by surprise, Christie’s instincts screamed that her cover was blown, that she would be tortured and executed, and that the rest of the task force stealthily approaching the chateau would be discovered and attacked.
She feigned a puzzled smile as she fought for control of her emotions. All around the room, expensively dressed party goers mingled and talked with abandon. Light flashed off crystal glasses, chandeliers, and jewelry worth more than any citizen’s life. A man tipsy with wine laughed raucously at the joke of a Central Committee member, no doubt eager to impress one of the most powerful people in the galaxy.
The exclusive party, hosted by Joakinn Meissner, newly selected president of the largest arms manufacturer in the galaxy, had been anticipated for months. The guests were lost in the lavish display of wealth, with no idea, Christie was certain, that they might be about to witness a gruesome murder.
An angry inner voice drowned out the rising panic. How dare she allow herself to fail? How dare she let down her fellow Valkyrie, who had worked tirelessly for years to hunt down Rayker, and finally bring her to justice? And how dare she betray the memory of her friend Rose, who had already given her life in that struggle? There was simply no room for weakness, and Christie would be damned if she was going to let the operation end so abysmally.
She held onto her façade by her fingertips, as a gut-wrenching void swung beneath her.
“Where?” she asked, slurring her words. “Oh, you mean the mystery school? No, I went to Cambridge actually.”
She kept her eyes unfocused and wandering, but nevertheless taking in details. The galaxy’s most dangerous terrorist was dressed in black, and an earpiece was just visible behind the locks of black hair that fell from the neat bun. She didn’t hold a glass, and stood awkwardly, as one who doesn’t care to impress or reassure. On her wrists, Christie noticed the subtle bulges in the skin that marked her most deadly weapons—spikes of bone that she could launch with more power and speed than bullets.
Rayker stared into her eyes, dragging out the silence. Around them, the fabulously adorned guests began to look over, bemused by the strange interaction. Christie continued the drunken pause, allowing her eyes to droop with fatigue. She wished it were real, but tonight she could not be affected by alcohol. Like all Valkyrie, her bloodstream was flooded with nano machines that gave her enhanced speed, strength, and healing potential. Twenty-four hours earlier, a bioengineer had programmed the nanites to target and break down all alcohol enzymes that passed through her system.
Unfortunately, even advanced technology wouldn’t help her survive for long against Rayker.
Eventually Christie began to turn away, suppressing the shiver she felt at showing her back to a predator.
“Loving the dress,” she said with a hint of disdain. “Not everyone can pull off funeral black at a drinky fete.”
“Perhaps I was mistaken,” Rayker said, her voice neutral. “I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure.”
Christie stopped and looked back at her with a smirk. “Gosh, you’re scary!” she crowed. “You might almost be a villain in one of those spy movies!”
A wave of embarrassed silence, interrupted by a few titters, passed through the crowd, while others hid disbelieving grins behind their drinks.
Rayker ignored them and extended her hand. “Allana Rayker. I’m an associate of Herr Meissner.”
Christie shook limply. “I’m Petti.”
Rayker’s eyebrows flickered as she suppressed an obviously contemptuous expression. “You’re the girl who found success on the feeds recently? Modeling lingerie?” Her lips twisted into a fake smile. “I wouldn’t normally be interested, but so many men have told me that you have a surprising intellect.”
Of course, the meeting had been inevitable. Rayker had been prowling the halls of Meissner’s Chateau, interrogating every young woman in a similar fashion. Christie’s cover had been calculated to make her stand out, but in a way that could be easily dismissed. ‘Petti’ was a highly connected social influencer, who craved adoration and attention. It had been a fun role, up until now.
Christie grinned at the lascivious looks around her. “You guys—you’re so sweet!”
Her crowd of male admirers laughed, then directed blank stares at Rayker. Christie offered a prayer of thanks for the collective lust that was patiently trying to convince the intruder that she was an unwelcome bore who had no right to deprive them of the attention offered by an inebriated and provocatively dressed young woman, and should leave as soon as possible.
Enchanté,” Rayker said, and stalked off.
“Is there a draft in here? I think I felt a chill,” Christie said to more laughter.
She turned her sunbeam smile back to the crowd while she reached a gently shaking hand up to brush the silver of her brooch. The tiny and delicate shapes of the flower’s petals helped calm her mind as she focused on the next step.

A mile away, in the dense woods of the Chateau’s outer grounds, Lance-Corporal Kayla Barnes moved slowly through the dark undergrowth. She placed each foot purposefully, testing the ground before shifting her weight to prevent the cracking of a twig or the rustle of leaves.
As she crested a low rise, she froze. The multi-wavelength vizor of her helmet showed the surrounding trees and foliage in dark grey and black patterns. Amidst the visual chaos she had been struggling to navigate, a pair of tiny white blobs had suddenly appeared.
Heat sources. Guards.
Kayla reached for the comm switch on her chest and triple clicked the talk button, sending a burst of static noise to the rest of the squad. Close behind, the three other members of her fire team, who had stopped when she had, raised their rifles and peered through scopes at the distant threat. Further along the gentle slope, the second half of their eight-woman squad also stopped, as they too scanned to locate the new target.
They were Rangers, part of Valkyrie’s elite infantry force. Under the cover of darkness, they had climbed through the surrounding mountains and crept past local security forces to infiltrate the chateau grounds. When the time came, their job would be to neutralize the VennZech corporation’s mercenary guards, leaving the Chateau infiltrators free to break in and take down Rayker.
Kayla would either succeed in her mission or die trying. She had graduated Valkyrie’s crushing selection course together with her three best friends, whom she had sworn never to let down. She had already unforgivably failed Rose Djallen; killed in action on a previous operation. Thandi Khawula was in the squad’s second fire team, covering her movements. Christie was in the chateau, facing their target alone.
As Kayla watched the distant blobs draw closer, they resolved into familiar human figures. Three of them. They were strolling, weapons slung, as they made the head and arm movements of everyday conversation.
Of course they were distracted; they had the Ambrosia detail. The planet was the luxury destination for the most powerful members of human society. On its pristine shores, rivalries and factions were forgotten. Powerful cartel members, after being offered a month’s stay, would be offered mutual, but discrete, agreements in place of a prison sentence. Business might be politely discussed, but anyone looking to extort or threaten fellow guests of would find their home planet visited by a Helvetic League security fleet. The normally fractious and squeamish planetary governors would look the other way. Nobody in their right mind would want to disturb this world’s tranquility.
But Valkyrie worked from the shadows and went wherever they pleased. Besides, if everything went to plan, nobody would even know what had happened.
The Chateau was built high on the slopes of Ambrosia’s most popular mountain range, not far from a huge ski resort. Perched on the edge of a sheer cliff, the building was flanked by a spectacular waterfall. In daylight, there was a jaw dropping view of the surrounding peaks and valleys. The grounds were covered in dense forests that stretched across the surrounding slopes. Normally, they were peaceful, disturbed only by the occasional guest out for an adventurous hike. Now they were crawling with Rangers, closing in to seal the chateau off from the outside world.
Kayla slowly turned her head and found the muted gray patch of her squad leader a short distance away. Their combat suits kept their body heat from seeping out into the world—as much a necessity to protect them in the vacuum of space as to keep them hidden. The diffuse blob of Corporal Ksenia ‘Kes’ Rudaski slowly raised an arm towards Kayla, and made a gentle motion in the direction of the approaching men.
Kayla raised her own hand in a thumbs up, then began to move forward. She did not need to see or hear her three other Rangers to know they would be close behind.
The two elements were separating. Kes’ Alpha team spread out on the rise to keep their rifles aimed at the new threats, while Kayla’s Bravo team crept towards them.
Their commanders had decided early in the operation that they should attempt to minimize human casualties wherever possible. To that end, Kayla and her squad mate Ray carried stun rifles. They could stop the heart of a human with a projectile that could latch into the skin and deliver a violent electric shock. Then, the Rangers would have up to two minutes to reach the unconscious victims and inject them with a solution to restart their cardiac rhythm before a powerful tranquilizer took effect. The men would wake up with amnesia hours later, and Valkyrie would confidently maintain its secrecy while assuaging the ethical concerns that interfering in human society often brought them.
Unfortunately, the weapons were only effective to a hundred yards. Kayla and Ray would have to get as close as they could before they could take out all three of the guards. They had night vision, and any sound would carry far on such a quiet night. Even distracted, they wouldn’t miss a disturbance amongst the trees.
Kayla had been a talented stalker since she was a child, a noiseless shadow in any environment. Nevertheless, there was always the chance that something could go wrong, and the Rangers couldn’t take the risk of a compromise when so much was on the line.
Certainly not, Kayla grimly reminded herself, when Christie’s life was in so much peril. One wrong move and Rayker would kill her immediately before making good her own escape and destroying months of work.
So Kes and her three Rangers kept their high-powered, suppressed rifles trained on the distant men. At the slightest hint of a problem, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill, and the ‘moral question’ would be chalked up to the fortune of war. False intelligence would be distributed implicating cartel involvement in the raid. Valkyrie ethics had always been a nebulous concept at best.
The closer Kayla got through the undergrowth to her target the closer, she knew, her watcher’s lethal assistance would have to pass by her own body. But she felt no fear. Thandi had become a talented marksman; neither she nor the others would make a mistake.
Now only fifty yards away, the men stopped by a large boulder, leaning against the rock while they drank from their canteens. Kayla dropped to her belly and merged into the ground as she slithered forward.
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
submitted by MountainSkald to redditserials [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 21:32 MountainSkald A Valkyrie's Saga - Part 101

Sorry about the delay. I ultimately decided that the story needed a substantial re-write and ended up back at square one. Unfortunately, this means chapters will now only go up three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Hopefully you’ll enjoy this new version, and find it worth the wait.
Also, my Patreon is now up if you feel like supporting my writing. I’ll add advance chapters as soon as they’re written.
Thanks for reading!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
2. Task Force Nemesis
"He, General or mere Captain, who employs everyone in the storming of a position, can be sure of seeing it retaken by an organized counterattack of four men and a corporal."
- Battle Studies, Ardant du Picq
“You’re one of those Academy girls, aren’t you?”
Christie Stirling’s heart seized as a shock of adrenaline lanced through her body, and she needed a great deal of effort not to flinch or tremor. Other party guests looked around in surprise, but her smile remained unblemished. She turned with the lazy and graceless air she had portrayed throughout the night to look into the predatory eyes of Allana Rayker; the inhuman terrorist who had killed her best friend.
The question was either a trap or an accusation. The Academy—a fake university—was the cover of the shadowy organization that had recruited Christie. They had made her a Valkyrie; an enhanced super soldier tasked with protecting humanity from the devastating armaments of an extinct alien race, and those, like Rayker, who wanted to exploit those weapons for evil purposes.
Now that Valkyrie had found the evil woman’s hiding place, the hunt was reaching its final moments. But, shaken by surprise, Christie’s instincts screamed that her cover was blown, that she would be tortured and executed, and that the rest of the task force stealthily approaching the chateau would be discovered and attacked.
She feigned a puzzled smile as she fought for control of her emotions. All around the room, expensively dressed party goers mingled and talked with abandon. Light flashed off crystal glasses, chandeliers, and jewelry worth more than any citizen’s life. A man tipsy with wine laughed raucously at the joke of a Central Committee member, no doubt eager to impress one of the most powerful people in the galaxy.
The exclusive party, hosted by Joakinn Meissner, newly selected president of the largest arms manufacturer in the galaxy, had been anticipated for months. The guests were lost in the lavish display of wealth, with no idea, Christie was certain, that they might be about to witness a gruesome murder.
An angry inner voice drowned out the rising panic. How dare she allow herself to fail? How dare she let down her fellow Valkyrie, who had worked tirelessly for years to hunt down Rayker, and finally bring her to justice? And how dare she betray the memory of her friend Rose, who had already given her life in that struggle? There was simply no room for weakness, and Christie would be damned if she was going to let the operation end so abysmally.
She held onto her façade by her fingertips, as a gut-wrenching void swung beneath her.
“Where?” she asked, slurring her words. “Oh, you mean the mystery school? No, I went to Cambridge actually.”
She kept her eyes unfocused and wandering, but nevertheless taking in details. The galaxy’s most dangerous terrorist was dressed in black, and an earpiece was just visible behind the locks of black hair that fell from the neat bun. She didn’t hold a glass, and stood awkwardly, as one who doesn’t care to impress or reassure. On her wrists, Christie noticed the subtle bulges in the skin that marked her most deadly weapons—spikes of bone that she could launch with more power and speed than bullets.
Rayker stared into her eyes, dragging out the silence. Around them, the fabulously adorned guests began to look over, bemused by the strange interaction. Christie continued the drunken pause, allowing her eyes to droop with fatigue. She wished it were real, but tonight she could not be affected by alcohol. Like all Valkyrie, her bloodstream was flooded with nano machines that gave her enhanced speed, strength, and healing potential. Twenty-four hours earlier, a bioengineer had programmed the nanites to target and break down all alcohol enzymes that passed through her system.
Unfortunately, even advanced technology wouldn’t help her survive for long against Rayker.
Eventually Christie began to turn away, suppressing the shiver she felt at showing her back to a predator.
“Loving the dress,” she said with a hint of disdain. “Not everyone can pull off funeral black at a drinky fete.”
“Perhaps I was mistaken,” Rayker said, her voice neutral. “I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure.”
Christie stopped and looked back at her with a smirk. “Gosh, you’re scary!” she crowed. “You might almost be a villain in one of those spy movies!”
A wave of embarrassed silence, interrupted by a few titters, passed through the crowd, while others hid disbelieving grins behind their drinks.
Rayker ignored them and extended her hand. “Allana Rayker. I’m an associate of Herr Meissner.”
Christie shook limply. “I’m Petti.”
Rayker’s eyebrows flickered as she suppressed an obviously contemptuous expression. “You’re the girl who found success on the feeds recently? Modeling lingerie?” Her lips twisted into a fake smile. “I wouldn’t normally be interested, but so many men have told me that you have a surprising intellect.”
Of course, the meeting had been inevitable. Rayker had been prowling the halls of Meissner’s Chateau, interrogating every young woman in a similar fashion. Christie’s cover had been calculated to make her stand out, but in a way that could be easily dismissed. ‘Petti’ was a highly connected social influencer, who craved adoration and attention. It had been a fun role, up until now.
Christie grinned at the lascivious looks around her. “You guys—you’re so sweet!”
Her crowd of male admirers laughed, then directed blank stares at Rayker. Christie offered a prayer of thanks for the collective lust that was patiently trying to convince the intruder that she was an unwelcome bore who had no right to deprive them of the attention offered by an inebriated and provocatively dressed young woman, and should leave as soon as possible.
“Enchanté,” Rayker said, and stalked off.
“Is there a draft in here? I think I felt a chill,” Christie said to more laughter.
She turned her sunbeam smile back to the crowd while she reached a gently shaking hand up to brush the silver of her brooch. The tiny and delicate shapes of the flower’s petals helped calm her mind as she focused on the next step.
A mile away, in the dense woods of the Chateau’s outer grounds, Lance-Corporal Kayla Barnes moved slowly through the dark undergrowth. She placed each foot purposefully, testing the ground before shifting her weight to prevent the cracking of a twig or the rustle of leaves.
As she crested a low rise, she froze. The multi-wavelength vizor of her helmet showed the surrounding trees and foliage in dark grey and black patterns. Amidst the visual chaos she had been struggling to navigate, a pair of tiny white blobs had suddenly appeared.
Heat sources. Guards.
Kayla reached for the comm switch on her chest and triple clicked the talk button, sending a burst of static noise to the rest of the squad. Close behind, the three other members of her fire team, who had stopped when she had, raised their rifles and peered through scopes at the distant threat. Further along the gentle slope, the second half of their eight-woman squad also stopped, as they too scanned to locate the new target.
They were Rangers, part of Valkyrie’s elite infantry force. Under the cover of darkness, they had climbed through the surrounding mountains and crept past local security forces to infiltrate the chateau grounds. When the time came, their job would be to neutralize the VennZech corporation’s mercenary guards, leaving the Chateau infiltrators free to break in and take down Rayker.
Kayla would either succeed in her mission or die trying. She had graduated Valkyrie’s crushing selection course together with her three best friends, whom she had sworn never to let down. She had already unforgivably failed Rose Djallen; killed in action on a previous operation. Thandi Khawula was in the squad’s second fire team, covering her movements. Christie was in the chateau, facing their target alone.
As Kayla watched the distant blobs draw closer, they resolved into familiar human figures. Three of them. They were strolling, weapons slung, as they made the head and arm movements of everyday conversation.
Of course they were distracted; they had the Ambrosia detail. The planet was the luxury destination for the most powerful members of human society. On its pristine shores, rivalries and factions were forgotten. Powerful cartel members, after being offered a month’s stay, would be offered mutual, but discrete, agreements in place of a prison sentence. Business might be politely discussed, but anyone looking to extort or threaten fellow guests of would find their home planet visited by a Helvetic League security fleet. The normally fractious and squeamish planetary governors would look the other way. Nobody in their right mind would want to disturb this world’s tranquility.
But Valkyrie worked from the shadows and went wherever they pleased. Besides, if everything went to plan, nobody would even know what had happened.
The Chateau was built high on the slopes of Ambrosia’s most popular mountain range, not far from a huge ski resort. Perched on the edge of a sheer cliff, the building was flanked by a spectacular waterfall. In daylight, there was a jaw dropping view of the surrounding peaks and valleys. The grounds were covered in dense forests that stretched across the surrounding slopes. Normally, they were peaceful, disturbed only by the occasional guest out for an adventurous hike. Now they were crawling with Rangers, closing in to seal the chateau off from the outside world.
Kayla slowly turned her head and found the muted gray patch of her squad leader a short distance away. Their combat suits kept their body heat from seeping out into the world—as much a necessity to protect them in the vacuum of space as to keep them hidden. The diffuse blob of Corporal Ksenia ‘Kes’ Rudaski slowly raised an arm towards Kayla, and made a gentle motion in the direction of the approaching men.
Kayla raised her own hand in a thumbs up, then began to move forward. She did not need to see or hear her three other Rangers to know they would be close behind.
The two elements were separating. Kes’ Alpha team spread out on the rise to keep their rifles aimed at the new threats, while Kayla’s Bravo team crept towards them.
Their commanders had decided early in the operation that they should attempt to minimize human casualties wherever possible. To that end, Kayla and her squad mate Ray carried stun rifles. They could stop the heart of a human with a projectile that could latch into the skin and deliver a violent electric shock. Then, the Rangers would have up to two minutes to reach the unconscious victims and inject them with a solution to restart their cardiac rhythm before a powerful tranquilizer took effect. The men would wake up with amnesia hours later, and Valkyrie would confidently maintain its secrecy while assuaging the ethical concerns that interfering in human society often brought them.
Unfortunately, the weapons were only effective to a hundred yards. Kayla and Ray would have to get as close as they could before they could take out all three of the guards. They had night vision, and any sound would carry far on such a quiet night. Even distracted, they wouldn’t miss a disturbance amongst the trees.
Kayla had been a talented stalker since she was a child, a noiseless shadow in any environment. Nevertheless, there was always the chance that something could go wrong, and the Rangers couldn’t take the risk of a compromise when so much was on the line.
Certainly not, Kayla grimly reminded herself, when Christie’s life was in so much peril. One wrong move and Rayker would kill her immediately before making good her own escape and destroying months of work.
So Kes and her three Rangers kept their high-powered, suppressed rifles trained on the distant men. At the slightest hint of a problem, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill, and the ‘moral question’ would be chalked up to the fortune of war. False intelligence would be distributed implicating cartel involvement in the raid. Valkyrie ethics had always been a nebulous concept at best.
The closer Kayla got through the undergrowth to her target the closer, she knew, her watcher’s lethal assistance would have to pass by her own body. But she felt no fear. Thandi had become a talented marksman; neither she nor the others would make a mistake.
Now only fifty yards away, the men stopped by a large boulder, leaning against the rock while they drank from their canteens. Kayla dropped to her belly and merged into the ground as she slithered forward.
Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
submitted by MountainSkald to HFY [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 19:38 TypewriterTypeWrote [SF] 'Diamonds' Part 1 (Part of the 'Human Nature' series)

PART 1

“Don’t touch!” Abe commanded, slapping Max’s hand away. They were both bent over at the waist, admiring.
“Sorry, it’s just… so… what is it?”
“I call it the Alchemic Thaumaturgator.”
“Of course you do. Is that because you couldn’t think of anything simpler, or you just liked the way it rolls off the tongue?” Max smirked.
“Mmm, it’s a work in progress.” He flung a sideways glare at him.
“Sure. So what is one of these?”
“It’s complicated and delicate and to be honest it’s a bit of a mystery, even to me.”
“Right.” There was a moment of silence as they continued scrutinising.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Abe murmured, almost to himself.
“I mean, yeah, of course….”
“Don’t look at me like that, I can’t tell you what I don’t know!” Abe stood up and let out a disgruntled huff.
“Hmm. Well, it’s confusing enough to give you nausea just looking at it so I’m sure they’d love it as an offering for the Nobel Prize, especially with a name like ‘Alcomic Thordy-whatsit.’”
“Well, maybe, if it gets that far. I nearly broke it last week, which is why I’m telling you,” Abe stood up straighter, one hand on his hip and the other pointed firmly at Max, “to strictly to keep your curious hands to yourself, ok? I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary.”
“Ok ok, I won’t touch it. But really, it looks like it should be in a museum somewhere. Or a Cabinet of Curiosities...”
“Little good would it do in either of those places.” Abe turned to Max and clasped both his hands in his own. “Listen, you are my closest friend and this thing is very important to me. I wouldn’t leave it with you if I didn’t think you were perfectly capable of safeguarding it, so please don’t worry, I know it’s in good hands.”
“If you really think I’m up to it?”
“I do.”
“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment!” Max threw his arms in the air in a sarcastic show of tah-dah! “Go forth, oh Knight of Overly-Complex Science, go do what you have to do and I’ll keep an eye on this beast for you. Shove it on the table and I’ll look after it and Will Not Touch It.”
Abe looked put out, but comically so. “Is that really what you think I sound like?” He laughed. “I’ll put it over here, then. Get in touch if you need me, any time. You have my contacts?”
“I do…” Max fumbled around his pockets. “They’re… here. Got them right here.”
“Good. In which case I’ll leave you to your own devices. See you soon, and thank you.”
“See you soon.”
“Take care. Oh, one more thing. If you talk to it, it talks back.” Abe shut the door behind himself.

***

“So, you’re an Alchronic Thormome… grater? Doesn’t sound right… So tell me, what is one of them?” Max stared at the thing, perplexed.
It reminded him of what the love-child would be between a glass roller coaster and a steampunk jellyfish, though it bore absolutely no resemblance at all to a jellyfish, and fascinated him far more than that nature documentary he had been watching last week ever could. Jellyfish bobbing around and being brainless and boring, and when they weren’t they were stinging people to death and getting eaten by turtles. Even the name is boring. Jelly. Fish. Like those squidgy, dry-goo kids toys that you’re supposed to throw at the window but gets hair stuck to it when it falls on the carpet. Yuck.
Which was weird, considering this monstrosity he had been tasked with looking after was definitely the most interesting and intricate and pretty thing he had probably ever clapped eyes on. It had a heaviness to it, a purpose. And it felt like it was watching him.
Better steer clear for a while. It looks weird, he had been told things that absolutely made it sound weird and to be honest, it frightened him a little.
He wasn’t usually one to be afraid. Hell, he’d always been the brawn of his sturdy group of friends, right since he was a kid. He had worked his way up the proverbial ladder and had been widely recognised as the guy you don’t screw with at his school, though he wasn’t particularly proud of how he got there, (there had been a lot of fights behind the bike sheds and nicked sandwiches under the threat of blackmail at lunch). But he had forgotten all that and settled himself into being the relatively good-looking, popular, flirtatious guy who did a moderately average job in the eyes of his colleagues and had a moderate measure of success with the ladies.
Made no sense then that this contraption he had been lumbered with for a stint had shaken him by its sheer solidness on his front room table. It seemed to be unmovable in its presence, though it was light as a feather when it had been brought in and that fact in itself threw him because how can something that looked so substantial weigh that little? His bloody breakfast weighed more!
“What the hell are you?” Max wondered out loud.
He sat and stared at the thing for the longest time, watching to see if it would move. Only the sparkly inner swirled. Nothing more. It gave him the feeling of lying on the bottom of the ocean, staring at the sun beams though the surface until it started to fade. His eyes stared to fade. His mind went blank. He was being sucked down a long, dark tunnel of still water by his chest, he was sinking and swimming and becoming the empty space around him, it seemed he could feel the particles in the air as they vibrated and resounded in his ears, felt himself being blinded…
Max blinked and snapped back into the room, found himself standing in front of the machine. The studded brass bands holding the tubes together rotated slowly, silently.
Yeah, there’s something not right about that thing. Something unnatural.
Slowly backing out of the room and trying very hard not to show the Alcolic Thormatador… Thermanter… the thing that it was making him uncomfortable, he sidled through the doorway and into the hall. Yeah, that thing is just plain wrong.
In the corridor he paused, tried to laugh at himself.
This thing is just metal and glass and sparkly water, he thought. It doesn’t have the brainpower to understand that I feel some kind of way about it and even if it did, what is it going to do? It’s an invention, a machine and nothing more and machines are made by people, made by my friend, so what the hell is there to be afraid of?
He reached the kitchen, surprised at his own existential awareness that seemed to come quite fluidly, which was most unlike him. Maybe he was getting soft in the head. He heard that happened at a certain time of life but that phenomenon would be a bit premature. He wasn’t much past his third decade, thank you very much!
Max filled a mug from the water boiler and threw in a teabag and a few sugars. He squeezed the bag against the side of the mug until the dregs started dropping, plapped it in the sink and poured in milk. He stirred his tea well, just as always, but now the clinking of the mug took on an added layer of comfort when he knew what was in the front room. He wasn’t in a dark tunnel where he couldn’t do anything but watch, he was in his own kitchen that he had had rebuilt last year. He picked out the worktops and cupboards, he chose the shiny silver appliances, he bought the gourmet herbs and put them on the window sill, slightly over-watered and flooding their drip trays until they almost overflowed. He was in his own kitchen, familiar down to the millimetre, and solid. Nothing could touch him here.
No, he thought, it’s just an invention. A thing.
He put the spoon down with certainty on the worktop and squared his shoulders: he marched down the hall towards the front room with his tea in his left hand and the right balled up into a fist. He paused for a second outside the door. No sound.
This is my house, I won’t be intimidated in my own damned house.
He rounded the corner, planted his feet wide and glared hard at the thing.
“Look, I don’t know what you are,” he said to the machine, “but you don’t look dangerous. And seeing as we’re going to be spending some time together, I’m just going to ignore you and you can ignore me, ok? No making me feel like I’m being watched, no making me feel like I’m swimming around somewhere in space, no more weird stuff and I won’t put you in the loft. We’ll coexist in blissful harmony, like water and jellyfish.”
The Alchemic Thaumaturgator just sat there, glistening.
“Ok. Good. Fine.”
He grabbed the fern and the shamefully stunted lucky bamboo (that damned plant his cat was always rubbing his face on) that were perched next to the door and shoved them onto the table in front of the machine, mostly obscuring it from view. Better.
Max backed up and sat on the couch under the window, across the room from the table and that freakish unicorn turd of a contraption. He wrenched his eyes away for just long enough to put on the television and throw one final look over at the thing on his table, searching for it amongst the foliage. It hadn’t moved. It just sat there. He gestured at it rudely with a slightly shaking hand.
The soothing sound of the narrator drew him back into his TV and another nature documentary, this time about the great apes of the rainforests of Western Africa. This was much more interesting. He swivelled sideways in his chair to face the screen directly, sipping away at his tea.
“See,” he said towards the table, “this is exactly what…”
He glanced back and promptly fell out of his chair. His tea went flying as his mug thudded to the floor in an all too under-dramatic fashion compared to what his adrenaline was doing.
The thing was lighting up! It was glowing! Only a little bit but it was actually putting out light!
“Jeez!” Max shouted at it from the floor. “What is that? How is that happening? What is it doing? Stop it! Stop it!”
He scrambled around, on his hands and knees and still on the floor, trying to shut off the sounds of viciously shaken branches and primates howling at each other. The screen mercifully emitted a heavy click and fell into blackness as the remote fell to the floor. In the resounding silence of the room it was just Max, his adrenaline-fuelled breathing and the glass machine.
He stared at it. It absolutely was staring at him, even from between the leaves, there was no doubt, the liquid in the middle was pooling and somehow gathering at the front of the tubes facing the room. The glowing light had already started to fade and the liquid lost concentration and dispersed again, slowly swirling around in all its glittery glory, just as it had before.
Max was still splayed out on the floor, his breathing struggling to return to normal. He stood up and flattened himself shakily against the wall.
“What just happened?” he muttered under his breath. “What the hell was that…”
The thing looked at him, ‘nothing to see here,’ it said, feigning innocence.
“Whatever you are, just stay the hell away from me!” Max shouted at the machine as skirted around the walls until he got to the doorway. The door was ajar but, because his eyes were fixed in horror at the fragments of the machine that were exposed from within the plants, he bumped backwards into the door, nudging it closed and clicking it shut. Fumbling for the handle he tried to wrench it open, only to find the handle in his hand, horrifyingly detached.
He was stuck in there with it.
Panic flooded his body. A sharp twist in his gut and sweat poured from every millimetre of his skin and a faint whine emitted from his mouth.
Deep breaths, he told himself. Deep breaths, you can figure this out. It can’t hurt you, so just sit down and figure it out.
He sat himself back on the sofa, pushing it further back and rucking up the rug into waves in front of him with his feet. Never had he been so afraid of an inanimate object before. Spiders, yes. The open ocean, yes. Heights, yes. But this?
He sat staring at it, filtering his brain through his usual coping processes. He couldn’t beat it, like he had done in school. He couldn’t charm it, like he had done at the office…
“It’s an elaborate Newton’s Cradle, for Christ’s sake! A fancy-man’s Rubik’s cube!” he told himself. “Some science experiment that a five year old could have done. Yeah, I bet he just put some glow stick stuff in the water and mixed it up and told me it’s real to scare me. It doesn’t even look that bad.” He stood up and took a hesitant half step towards it on quavering knees and reluctant feet, fighting the ‘flight’. “See? Can’t hurt me.”
Max blinked. The thing hadn’t even moved. What was so scary about it anyway? The glowing? It was probably the reflection off the TV. He moved the plants from in front of it with outstretched arms and stepped back as far as he could go.
“I’m going to call you Ruth,” he said, getting bold and pointing at it, “because Alcoholic Thermo… whatever is just ridiculous. Ok? And Ruth was my grandma’s name, and I liked her, she was safe as houses.” Sure, his grandma had died of an embolism nearly ten years ago, but he wasn’t going to admit that to this thing that he didn’t even know what an embolism was. Ruth was a safe name and the familiarity was comforting.
He felt the liquid moving towards the front of the glass again, shimmering and pulling him in. He felt his fear spike, then dissolve. It couldn’t hurt him. He was safe. He was in control.
“I think it was mean of him to call you something so ridiculous. But I suppose if he’s going to go for the Nobel Prize they like that kind of thing, don’t they?” He half laughed, took another step towards it. “Those competitions are always stupid though, nobody ever comes up with anything really new, it’s not like they’ve invented hovercraft cars or machines that can take you on holidays to the afterlife, is it?” He had nearly reached the table now. The tubes were glowing a little still and he could see something moving in there. His curiosity peaked over the top of his fear and had a good look at the prospect of getting closer. Curiosity decided to get closer.
Max leaned down, hands on knees, and stared into the ever-moving swirls that flowed through the glass tubing. Arms extended to their full defensive stance, he gently nudged the plants out of the way and took a good look at Ruth. He remembered his friend saying something about studs and elements.
“Hey, there they are! I didn’t see these before! So those… those are elements? Are they elements?” He asked the glass, dumbfoundedly pointing at the stuff he had assumed was glitter but now wasn’t half as sure. He had never seen elements before…
Ripples glowed in the liquid: it had heard him. They moved closer and were warming now, somehow.
“No way!” Max exclaimed, his mouth hanging open. So this is what Abe had meant! “It’s not possible! It’s not real! Is it real? Are you real?” He asked. “Of course you’re real, you’re sitting on my table! Ha! What a stupid question Max. So, if I ask you a question, are you gonna answer me, huh?”
The glass glittered at him, but nothing else.
“Ok, are you alive?”
Nothing.
“Hmph. Maybe it was a trick of the light.”
No answer.
Max flopped into the sofa, his brows furrowed at Ruth.
He found himself talking to himself, trying to dispel the weird energy that his friend’s invention had brought with it.
“This thing is strange. He said if I talk to it then it responds, but I asked it a question and it doesn’t do anything, but when I was watching that monkey progr…”
He stopped short.
“Yeah! Let’s shove that chimp documentary back on, shall we?”
Click, the screen shot into life of every colour of the rainforest, the howls echoing around the room. But Max didn’t watch the TV, he had his eyes firmly fixed on Ruth, remote still in hand in front of her, waiting expectantly.
Nothing. Dammit. Just the glittery same as glittery before.
Max tried not to let the tidal wave of disappointment wash him away. Maybe it wasn’t the show. Maybe it was a prank, a trick of the light after all.
Max bent to put the remote on the arm of the sofa. The light from the TV shone onto the table and Ruth crescendoed into life and started throwing out beams of light that looked like the solar flares he had seen on that awful show about space and rocks and stuff he wasn’t in the least bit interested in but had watched anyway.
But he had figured out the key: he was standing in between Ruth and the screen and his shadow had been overcasting the table! Ruth needed a full view to do… that thing… whatever it was that she was doing with the light.
Ping, pong, ping, pong, his eyes went between Ruth and the monkeys sailing through the trees by their ridiculously long arms, right up until the credits started rolling and she faded to a faint glow again. She still glittered but it wasn’t the same. She definitely needed encouragement. Inspiration, if you will.
Max flicked across through each channel, watching Ruth closely for any changes (of which there were none,) tock, tock, tock went the remote until he found a different channel, one that was obviously designed for people with limited imagination, because wow, even he can outpace the monotonous nasal narrator and he didn’t consider himself a particularly clever man! He wasn’t stupid either, but on the last one when they started to explain what a bacteria is he had lost his rag and shouted at the screen a bit.
“Everyone knows what a bloody bacteria is!” he had yelled. “Tell me something I don’t know, yeesh! Whoever said these documentaries were supposed to be informative obviously hadn’t got two brain cells to run together.” But the cinematography was nice. Lots of nature-looking things to watch, the natural world an’ all.
This time it was about walruses. All flopping around on the sea shore, getting sunburned and jabbing at each other with their overgrown chompers. He had seen this one before, it wasn’t as patronising as the others. Predictably narrated, yes, but not patronising.
He turned up the volume and spun round to look at Ruth.
She was throwing out flares again, hundreds of short wisps!
And just to test the theory, he tocked across onto the menu screen and selected a random game show that he had never heard of. True to form, Ruth dimmed back to her uninspired state of simple glitteritude.
“AHA! I knew it! You’re a sucker for the nature channel too! Aha! Ahahaha!”
Max threw up his arms in celebration, the remote going flying, cheering into the emptiness of the room. Empty, except for him and this thing which apparently had a liking for chimps and sunburnt sea mammals.
Damn, this thing is incredible, he thought. Why the hell, how the hell does it…?
He sat, flabbergasted, mouth agape.
Suddenly he jumped up, scrabbling around behind the sofa trying to find the remote again, where is it where is it where is it…
He flicked the volume up and down and Ruth still put out light. She shone and shone, the beauty!
He started singing to her, “shine on, you crazy diamond!”
She seemed to like that, too.
submitted by TypewriterTypeWrote to u/TypewriterTypeWrote [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 19:11 norfolkborder [For Sale] Talking Heads, Rare Stevie Nicks - Uncirculated Rumours Set, Prince, Beatles, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Modern Sounds Hank Williams Acid Rock, early Johnny Cash, & More

All original pressings unless noted Grading is sleeve/vinyl $7 flat shipping
Nice batch of of gems for sale including early Johny Cash, rare Stevie Nicks "Unoffical Rumours" set on red vinyl, Iron Maiden, Zeppelin, Modern Sounds "Hank Williams Rock-Acid", & more.
photos / https://imgur.com/a/kIbmbFz
AC/DC - Fly On The Wall (VG-/VG+) club press $10 SOLD
Beatles - White Album (VG/VG) w/ poster $40
Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (VG+/VG+) green label, w/ inner $30
Blue Oyster Cult - Spectres (VG+/VG+) white label promo, misprint $15 SOLD
Johnny Cash - With His Hot & Blue Guitar (VG/VG-) $40
David Bowie - Station To Station (VG+/VG) w/ inner $20
Deep Purple - Machine Head (VG+/VG+) w/ lyric insert $30
Doors - The Soft Parade (VG/VG+) 1970 club press, RL $15
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (VG/VG-) $20
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (strong VG/strong VG) in shrink w/ hype, w/ poster $20
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (VG-/VG+) w/ all inners & minty poster, box lays flat $65
Stevie Nicks - Uncirculated Rumours (NM-/NM-) unreleased demos, complete set of 3, red vinyl $220
Iron Maiden - Powerslave (VG/VG+) club press, w/ inner $50
James Gang - Rides Again (VG+/VG+) $15
Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Vol. I & II (VG+/NM) $50
Judas Priest - Sin After Sin (VG/VG+) $15
King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King (VG+/VG+) 75 press $25
King Crimson - In The Wake Of Poseidon (VG+/VG+) $20
King Crimson - Beat (VG+/NM-) club pressing, w/ inner $13 SOLD
Kiss - Alive II (VG/VG) w/ inner sleeves $15 SOLD
Kiss - Gene Simmons (VG/VG) w/ inner $10 SOLD
Kiss - Paul Stanley (VG/VG) w/ inner, signed $95
Led Zeppelin - II (VG+/VG+) $25
Led Zeppelin - IV (VG+/NM-) w/ inner sleeve, 1971 club pressing $25
Love - De Capo (VG/strong VG, glossy) gold label, stereo $20
Van Morrison - His Band & The Street Choir (VG+/VG+) palm tree labels, w/ misprint, w/ company sleeve $10
Van Morrison - Tupleo Honey (VG+/NM-) palm tree labels, w/ company sleeve $25
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon (VG/VG+) w/ 1 poster $40
Prince - Purple Rain (VG+/VG+) in shrink w/ hype, w/ poster & inner; top copy $40
Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup (NM-/VG) in shrink, w/ hype stickers, w/ inner & poster $15
Steely Dan - The Royal Scam (VG+/VG+) w/ inner, w/ company sleeve$25
Steely Dan - Countdown To Ecstacy (VG+/VG+) 77 press, w/ insert & company sleeve $20
Steely Dan - Aja (strong VG/strong VG) w/ lyric inner $20
Steely Dan - Can't Buy A Thrill (VG+/strong VG) 74 press $20
Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic (VG/VG+) yellow label, w/ company inner $15
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (VG+/NM-) club press, very clean copy, w/ inner $50
The Who - Who's Next (VG/VG+) $15
Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (VG+/VG+) 75 press $15
Neil Young - On The Beach (VG+/VG+) w/ inner $35
Frank Zappa - Ruben & The Jets (VG/+VG) $10
Modern Sounds - Hank Williams (In Modern Rock-Acid Sound) (VG/VG) $40
submitted by norfolkborder to VinylCollectors [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 18:43 pasta-carbonara Tattoo prices in LA?

Hi guys! I moved to LA not too long ago and wanted to know what is a fair price for a tattoo here.
I want to get a 12cm black and white piece in my inner biceps and the artist I contacted (guest artist from South Korea) told me it would be around $500-600, is that a good price for LA or is it expensive?
Also, should I tip the tattoo artist? If so, how much? The tipping thing is still new to me so I don't know when and how much is customary.
Thanks in advance guys!
submitted by pasta-carbonara to AskLosAngeles [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 17:43 ranc1 Broken Looking-Glass Self is Social anxiety

What is Looking-Glass Self? This is concept in sociology, discovered in 1902 by Cooley - and his theory states that we form our own identity based on what we think other people think who we are. In fact, the whole sociology is based on social anxiety- the very same social anxiety that psychiatry (CBT and DSM) are pathologizing and trying to cure and destroy and present as mental illness.
Without social anxiety, without ability to worry what other people think about us - we would lose social skills, empathy and civilization norms - such as not eating others.
"If it weren't for the nervous people in the world, we'd all still be eating each other." The Misfits (1961) https://youtu.be/h56iL7vK5Y0
When people consume chicken - they eat the flesh of animals because there is no ability to connect with the slaughtered animals as conscious beings who are able to think and perceive us. So when we destroy social anxiety- our ability to worry what other people think - we will become psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists. This also provide us with important information of self expression and holding toxic people accountable - by stating the facts and truth. Toxic people learn to suppress social anxiety - and this gives them ability to be cruel. And the only way to probe their delusions is to speak the truth to them. And that is why toxic people mock and go into hysteria mode - because their suppressed conscience and morality and ethics are eating them from inside.
Dolphins are not caught with smiles but cruelly with hooks, Michele. One day you will learn to be cruel. Caravaggio (1986) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF12uM_GK74
Sociology is based on social anxiety - that we form our own identity based on society. We need other people to provide us information who we are and how to express ourselves. The language is the very first thing that society gives us to define who we are - by using the very words that society is using.
Theories of the Self
William James (1890): A person has "as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and carry and image of him in their minds"
Charles Cooley (1902): Views of self reflect the standpoints of significant others in our lives ("looking-glass self")
George Herbert Mead (1934): We imagine the perspectives of others and incorporate these into our self views - and that this occurs continuously as we interact with others on an ongoing, moment to moment basis.

Having a distorted looking glass (incorrectly imagining others’ opinions of us) can cause bad feelings, or a negative self-image. https://wa01001786.schoolwires.net/cms/lib/WA01001786/Centricity/Domain/70/Socialization%20Notes.pdf
What happens when we are around toxic people - is that our identity is deformed as well. CBT claims, along with DSM, that our worry what other people think - is personality disorder, called Borderline:
Reality testing is ability to perceive reality properly. Without too much deviation from facts. Borderline refer to you if want to know anything about reality. “Do you think so too?” Narcissist will tell you "am I not genius". YT Richard Grannon & Prof. Sam Vaknin about Fantasy
Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects the way people feel about themselves and others, making it hard to function in everyday life. It includes a pattern of unstable, intense relationships, as well as impulsiveness and an unhealthy way of seeing themselves. (Mayo Clinic)
The truth is - if we are around toxic people, their criticism will affect our self worth. Their constant nagging, constant nitpicking, constant error finding and constant drama about anything that moves - will have an effect on our sense of stability and security in the world. This is not disorder. This is simply how society works. In order to heal our mental health issues - we need to repair connections with other people - which may include minimizing exposure to toxic people or cutting toxic people completely off from our lives.
We will never feel secure, confident, worthy - if there are toxic people around us who are criticizing us and others all the time.
Improving our relationships is improving our mental health. William Glasser
Interpersonal strife with those close to us leads to rifts and resentments that produce symptoms of mental illness; these problems are, in fact, the logical consequence of troubled relationships. Glasser emphasizes that lasting psychological problems are usually caused by problems in our personal relationships (rather than signifying a biochemical abnormality in the brain), and distress can be remedied through repairing these relationships without recourse to psych drugs. DK psychology book, WILLIAM GLASSER
Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
In another words: feel safe with other people = mental health
The single most important issue for traumatized people is to find a sense of safety in their own bodies. 🟦 Bessel A. van der Kolk
Toxic people cause social anxiety. That is why social anxiety is called social+anxiety. There is social element that is causing the anxiety. There is social factor contributing to anxiety. It is not called self-anxiety. We did not catch social anxiety by walking randomly in the street when it was rainy, so we caught a common cold. It is not like we felt bored in our lives so we invented neuroticism to keep us active and occupied. Social anxiety must start in childhood with ACE and ACoA where we learned from early on - that life is dangerous, that people are not safe, that we must worry to be hyper-vigilant and that we are unworthy if we make any kind of mistakes. We learned that our flaws, imperfections and mistakes are our core personality - abnormal and inept.
Society attacks early, when the individual is helpless. B. F. Skinner
This is how we end up with Broken Looking Glass Self. Distorted Looking Glass Self. We end up with operant conditioning - to worry what other people think in such way that we attempt to think for the other person ahead of time, so that they do not get mad of us - and then attempt, we try hard not to make other people mad. And how we execute this operant conditioning - depends on our background, people around us and punishments to which we were exposed as kids. Most socially anxious learn to keep quiet. To shut up. To self censor. And to self blame. If the other person is angry or hysterical - we will feel responsible for their mood swings and we will try hard to fix their emotions and their problems. Soon - we spread this fixing on other people, who are not angry - and we create fake social mask that is always pleasant and nice and helpful to anyone, especially if they are angry and rude and intrusive. We learned to interpret their anger as our fault and our abnormality. Looking glass self is broken - because it does not reflect any more - now we imagine how to please other people without using looking glass (mirror) - as all people use it.
Other people are there as information post. They broadcast who they are, many of them mask their true Self and present fake version of themselves, their social mask. Our brain will naturally form opinion about us through the words and opinions and non-verbal gestures from other people, strangers or our acquaintances. This part is totally normal. This is not disorder. This is not illness. The disorder starts when we try hard to fix other people's conclusions about us by making ourselves small and by changing our routine so that we soothe the other person. Instead of CBT techniques - all that we need to do here is to allow other people to think whatever they choose to think about us. Simply allow other people to hate us and leave it at that.
We really have to work very hard at changing our programming because we don't understand we're upset because someone else has a perception of us that we're uncomfortable with. And we challenge this person's perception of us. We're upset that people think this about us. Something amazing happens when you begin to accept that other people are allowed to have their own faulty perception of you. 🟥 Lisa A. Romano Breakthrough Life coach Inc.
For the next step, sociology will also help us. CBT and DSM, psychiatry is telling us concrete steps which we must take - and morally and ethically speaking - this is illegal. When someone orders us what we must do - this is called manipulation and coercive control. This way anyone who is psychopathic and narcissistic can climb, grab and push their way to powerful position of ordering others what to do - and then evil people can easily manipulate and control the masses. This is what happens with psychiatry. Psychology on the other hand explains concepts - psychology does not order us what to do in life and how to react. That is why Humanistic psychology is healthy.
It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. Carl Rogers
In the same manner as Humanistic Psychology and IFS Model - sociology also has the similar term that allows clients freedom in own choices - which is called Thomas theorem.
The Thomas theorem is a theory of sociology which was formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. In other words, the interpretation of a situation causes the action. This interpretation is not objective. (wiki)
If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. - formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas
This means - that no other person can objectively tell us what is the best way to go in life. We need our inner GPS, our intuition, our common sense, other people as well - to form our reality and our construct of the future where we are headed. With CBT and DSM - we do not have this freedom. With CBT and DSM - we are pathologized instead - and all our focus is spent on fixing our symptoms - we are literally self consuming ourselves with CBT.
In real life- real life situations will not allow us to form rigid mindset. Any other person, any other situation in life - good or bad - is always unique and different. Sometimes it is great that we shut up and that we self censor ourselves - especially if we are tired and we don't want to harm other people with our nagging and complaints that will go off as soon as we get to sleep and rest. On the other hand - many situations in life that are triggering our social anxiety require from us to self express, that we talk out our truth - no matter how much manipulative people attempt to shut us up with mocking and shaming.
So when we allow other people to form toxic conclusions about us - we need to know that we can rely on our brain, on our intuition to tell us how to react and what to do and how to behave. We have this mechanism inside us. We do not need to pathologize ourselves with CBT. CBT will tell us that we must be assertive in order to handle toxic people. This is horrible advice because:
"If you have been the scapegoat in a narcissistic family system, the concept of setting a boundary is laughable. You would be telling them exactly how to hurt you, and they would happily oblige. Also, trying to set a boundary in a calm and tactful way would be met by resistance in the form of mocking and ridicule, attempting to bait the scapegoat into anger, which would prove you are the problem." YT kingbee9778
"I feel gaslighted by the therapy mantras of “ you have to teach people how to treat you “ ,(setting boundaries). No you don’t and no you can’t. First of all, it’s not my job to teach an adult how to behave like one and quite frankly, it’s a trap and a drain hole. Secondly, I DON’T CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE. They will do what they want, especially if they have the tiniest ounce of power over you." YT gertrudewest4535
When we follow CBT - we will repeat the broken Looking Glass Self when we exposure ourselves to social situations - and social anxiety will not go away - because we will continually process the same ways reality and other people in a manner that is toxic to us - through seeking approval from other people, through self flagellation, through harsh inner critic and internalized toxic shame.
To fix broken Looking-Glass Self means fixing social anxiety: when we are afraid of what other people think about us. With CBT we self pathologize our normal reaction to worry what other people think about us. This is not disorder, it is totally normal to have awareness that other people are thinking about us.
Many social anxiety coaches will use "Spotlight effect" as proof that other people do not worry about us:
"The spotlight effect is the psychological phenomenon by which people tend to believe they are being noticed more than they really are."
In toxic contact - toxic people - those same ones who trigger our social anxiety - do notice anything about us. In normal population - other people will think about us and we will define each other - through the process called The Michelangelo phenomenon - where we chisel each other into better version, where we change our toxic habits that hurt us as much as they hurt other people. In unhealthy, toxic social dynamics there will be the opposite: Golem Effect and Crab mentality. Where there is competition and where other person is perceived as threat and someone to pull down.
A lot of content on mental health in mainstream media does not cover the unique corner that survivors of narcissistic abuse live in. Not one mention of being in any kind of toxic relationship. “Avoid your triggers” is not easy in narcissistic relationships. When the discomfort is living in your house or down the street or in the next office. It was not even rumination, but reality. And the constant exposure means you don't get a break. 🟥 DoctorRamani https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uusKWmjUk6k
I'm not setting boundary with these people. “Don't do this with me”. “Don't say this with me”. It's all internal. Because if you try to set a boundary with someone who's narcissistic or antagonistic – it's never going to work. And I think it's unsafe guidance to give.
With this dangerous person no. But what are you willing to tolerate. How can you protect yourself emotionally. What access can you remove. Move these people from VIP section.
🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
With broken Looking-Glass Self - we end up being trapped in toxic people's minds. Similar to horror movie / book The Cell from 2000. Even when we develop Who cares attitude, and when we consciously try to block and build walls away from toxic people, when we try hard to push down and suppress toxic people - we are still trapped in their reality of what they potentially might think about us. This is why CBT is not working - because CBT tries hard to convince us to use suppression as method to block social anxiety. And we cannot block other people - we need other people for our identity and our self worth - where there is healthy interaction called Interdependence. Toxic people behave in codependent way - they see other people as competition and this creates codependency. They need other people like vampires need blood - to exploit someone's attention, someone's focus, money, time and or resources of any kind. It is like give me, give me, give me - and provide nothing in return. With social anxiety we end up giving others without observing if the other person is emotionally invested in us at all. It ends up and one side interaction, exploitation really. Social anxiety means suppress anger as well. We learned to push our anger away - and this attracts toxic people who count on our silence and understanding and toxic empathy - knowing that they can cross boundaries of social interaction in their favor and we won't make any kind of protest. Then our own only protection - is avoidance. Therefore - social anxiety is natural defense mechanism against dangerous criminally insane psychopaths who are abusing their power position against ourselves.
In our teen years we experiences bully experience - after years of exposure to ACoA and ACE (constant criticism and constant drama at home) - so we generalized the belief that we cannot trust other people - and we learned that we process reality through broken Looking Glass Self - where we appease other people with our decisions - by being afraid what other people may think badly of us - since we were pressed and pushed into equating social rejection and our self worth as if they are one of the same. And psychiatry - instead of explaining us that it is totally normal to worry what other people think - CBT explains us that this is abnormality. This faulty explanation from medical industry is adding more trauma and more toxic shame and it gives our inner critic free reign to self abuse us - because we believe we are abnormal and ill if we worry what other people thin about us. In reality - all people worry about others. Even psychopaths worry what other people will think, along with narcissists - because they know that they need to form fake social mask of charm in order to seduce new victims into their agenda of exploiting and manipulating others.
Looking-Glass Self tells us - that we simply allow toxic people to form bad opinion about us in their heads - and that we absolutely do nothing to change this image that toxic people freely choose to believe about us in their heads.
You're no longer going to play the game of what can I do differently to get them to behave differently – because the answer is to that is nothing. That's radical acceptance. It takes long time. And it's not just accepting their behavior is not going to change, it's also the way it affects you is also not going to change. Just because you radically accept doesn't mean that somebody screaming at you is going to hurt any less- it does,it hurts a lot 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
Other people will hurt us. They will say mean and untrue things about us. They will attack us - this has nothing to do with who we are. Their choice to harm and hurt other person - is abnormality in their brain. Normal healthy sane people do not attack others. Normal healthy sane people have ability to emotionally regulate themselves. Person who does not have this ability - is sick and mentally ill. And this has nothing to do with us. We are not the ones who can cure them by changing our behavior.
Lundy Bancroft: "Abuse is NOT caused by bad relationship dynamics. You can't manage your partner's abusiveness by changing your behaviour. But he wants you to think you can."
The pain that we feel when toxic people attack us, verbally or physically - is normal pain, we need this pain as the instruction for us what to do with severely damaged people around us.
If you are not feeling pain, anger and sadness while you are taking in psychological abuse or something similar – you are going to end up in those situations over and over again –because you are not logging information that your body telling 🟥Heidi Priebe https://youtube.com/watch?v=GTQohPaGnSY
People say it bothers me when they say these things. I say, because they say bothersome things. I don't want you to lose that part of you. That part is good index what is okay, what's not. From that point – excavation. A person pulling their true self out of their relationships. If you grew up with narcissistic parent, it was a true self that never even got to develop. It's how much your identity got co-opted. What do I like, what do I stand for. 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
The core of narcissistic person is very fragile. That's why they lose it when you critique them. Or give them feedback. Or don't read their mind. Or don't do exactly what they want. And that's why they use all kinds of tactics like manipulation, gaslighting, invalidation, dismissiveness, competitiveness, betrayal. Some of them are tactics, some are unemphatic behavior. And it gives them the upper hand in relationship. Control, power gives them supply. 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
With social anxiety - we do not need psychiatry. Socially anxious need sociology. It is after all social issue. Social anxiety is anxiety that is connected to society - the name itself reveals this crucial aspect: society, social, societal. Psychiatry will only leave us lacking and with belief that something is horribly wrong with us, when we are around toxic people:
DSM doesn't explain anything. So many therapies and particularly CBT and others are just so focused on extinguishing symptoms which were once strategies of survival. And it doesn't make sense that you want to extinguish – we want eventually to move away from these symptoms and these strategies but I certainly don't want to pathologize them or look at them as somehow defective because they have saved our lives. 🟥 Transforming Trauma Episode 21 IFS & NARM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRTHacVAwdk
When we stop self pathologizing our social anxiety - we will unburden ourselves with toxic idea that feeling pain is abnormal and sick. And it will give us energy to start looking what is causing this pain - instead of focusing ourselves on chasing the symptoms. Without the stigma and labels - we will have much more resources at our disposal to handle difficult people in life who are causing our social anxiety in the first place.
With social anxiety - we need to learn about the Cooley's concept Looking-Glass Self and other terms from sociology. Instead of pathologizing our social reactions - we simply need information to confirm us that we are not abnormal and inept as CBT paints the socially anxious. We need information to learn what our rights are.
Five themes of microaggression against people with mental illnesses
1. Invalidation
When other people dismiss their illness or symptoms through minimizing their experience, symptomizing their normal experiences, and patronizing
2. Assumption of inferiority
When other people assume that people with mental illness have lower intelligence, are incompetent, and that they do not have control
3. Fear of mental illness
When other people fear them because they believe that they may be dangerous or unpredictable
4. Shaming of mental illness
When other people tell them that they shouldn't let others know about their mental illness
5. Second class citizen attitudes
When other people treat them as if they don't have the same rights as the dominant group of society.
Mental Health Forum, 2016

Diagnosis is not an excuse to be selective about their rights. Autistic not weird
Healing the Broken Looking-Glass Self means learning about the mentality - which we never had chance to learn in our developmental years. Other children learned this concept via keeping connections with other people. We - started to avoid people. Even when we were around other people - we pulled our investment emotionally with other people - and this way we never learned that other people are safe. We developed the stump growth - that is being stuck in age 12, when we started to avoid people. Similar to the plant that cannot grow roots in small basin or tree/plant that is stumped in growing due to some kind of obstacle to grow upright. Our growth was shaped from the perspective of not trusting other people - because they harmed us. Other people learned to develop certain amount of trust. They learned to filter out the bad people. And they learned that they are safe to express themselves - without being punished for it. This is why their social anxiety is in normal threshold. They will experience stress and then behave in anti-social manner, they will express their anger without problems - because they were never pushed into forming their self worth through worry what their tormentors might think about them. So it is not like social anxiety is abnormality or sickness - it is simply that non-socially anxious people were lucky enough to grow in healthy ambient, and that is their secret. They were not stronger. They were not more competent. They were not better or superior to the socially anxious. They simply had privilege and entitlement that helped them over-pass developmental years without fearing other people. Their mechanisms how to handle triggers - are mostly unhealthy (lacking empathy) - but their Looking glass self was not broken. With interaction with other people, with other children, they learned naturally to allow difficult people to hate them. Instead of worry - that is found in social anxiety - they simply turned their focus onto other people. With social anxiety - we do not have other people, we have no one to turn to, since we learned that other people are painful and traumatic. We never learned that hanging around with other people is enjoyable experience - and if someone is rude, toxic and abnormal - that we are allowed to focus and place our attention to better, healthier people around us.
In shame culture ambient - we will learn that other people criticism is reflection of our worth - and that is Broken Looking-Glass Self. That we cannot feel good about ourselves until other person reflects positive words about us to us:
Young American explained why she left Croatia:
"In Croatia people constantly express intrusive opinion about matters which are none of their business. The most irritating things were rude people."
https://www.poslovni.hlifestyle/amerikanka-napusta-hrvatsku-neucinkovitost-i-birokracija-te-ljudi-koji-nemaju-motiva-za-napredovanjem-u-poslu-358422
Young American explained why she escaped from Croatia:
"Often I heard Croats intruding why am I eating something, or commenting about what I wore. There is no such thing in America, we allow people to be what they want to be. People here are strange as if I am inside toxic relationship."
https://www.vecernji.hshowbiz/amerikanka-u-hrvatskoj-iznenadila-objavom-ljudi-su-ovdje-cudni-kao-da-sam-u-losoj-vezi-1351757
Don't look to the approval of others for your mental stability. 🟦 Karl Lagerfeld
We will heal social anxiety trauma with healing our choice to stay stuck around toxic people. We can cut toxic people - even when we are unable to leave them physically - by severing the trauma bonding in our mind - that is broken Looking-Glass Self.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
Yes, toxic people are pathological liars, They spread gossip. They create drama and hysteria. Toxic people do not have word toxic stuck on their forehead. Toxic people will not behave toxically in front of others - because they depend to look good in the eyes of other people - so they also have Looking-Glass Self no matter how much they said that they do not care what other people think about them. Therefore - social anxiety is clear indication that we are around toxic people. Toxic people do not allow us to express ourselves - and they use various methods of coercive control to manipulate their targets. The first step is to sever this trauma bonding - by allowing them to hate us.
That we basically stop impressing others.
Don't try to impress others. ✝️ Bible, Philippians 2-3
Cooley said our sense of Self comes from how we think other people see us. “I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am; I am what I think you think I am.” Other people's reflections of us and how we think about those images they have of us help create our sense of Self. Grades from teachers can reflect back to us an image of ourselves that we then internalize and becomes our self-perception. They effect self-image. 🟥 The Looking glass self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1wwTCuZBo
We imagine we are seen by others. And that imagination forms our identity. Our identity is being shaped by others. Others is agent which influences who we are in society. You begin to believe that and you begin to see as your identity, what other people think of you. Intelligent, high self esteem, outgoing – you believe what people say about you, it becomes your identity. Our identity is formed through the way we imagine people see us.
🟥 Looking-glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWOflUXKUQ
That imagination comes from interaction with these people. In the process of interaction they tell you this is what we think about you. And then you go off believe in that. You don't control what people think about you. Front Stage Behavior: Familiarity breeds content-With front stage they behave nicely. It's in subconsciousness of individuals that they have to behave a certain way in public. At interview- they smile, but is this who they are?
🟥 Looking-glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWOflUXKUQ
It is often said that American Beauty is a film about identity. Each character seems to go through a very personal identity crisis. But I would argue that this crisis are not personal at all. They are products of wider social forces. We may define ourselves based on prevailing attitudes towards sexuality, beauty and material success. Sense of self strongly influences by social world.
🟥 American Beauty Film Analysis: The Sociology of Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6youJFbEgQ
Ricky shows Jane that he likes her as she is. Eventually this leads her abandoning the idea of surgery and gain enough confidence and self-esteem to tell Angela what she really thinks of her. Freed from idea that everyone looks down on he because of her physical appearance, Jane's sense of self is no longer defined how she looks, how she looks to others.
🟥 American Beauty Film Analysis: The Sociology of Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6youJFbEgQ
An individual realize its self by reflecting others' perceptions about him. They use social interactions as a mirror. A Person grows and develop due to interpersonal interactions of the Society. When one interacts socially, one completely considers how one looks in the eyes of others. Negative response leads to depression and anxiety.
🟥 Looking Glass Self Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAzsBj6yTpw
Looking Glass Self where you see yourself the way you think others see you. You can't see the way others truly see you. So you're seeing yourself they way you think others think they see you. You can see how much is lost in the translation. You're much more beautiful than you think. You attract so much more than you know. There's more going on with you than you care to acknowledge. Beauty is not about what you see. It's about what you reflect. 🟥 Looking Glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFEkq8uDiJU
Mirror in front of you, and you are looking at yourself in the mirror, the way it is – is mirror in reality. As Masha labels you, tells you, comments on you, provides you all kinds of feedback, your self continues to develop. The way society perceives you and gives feedback about you. It is considered important to yourself and you have that impression that is how I should be. Their significance or importance makes you proud.
🟥 Looking Glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa-PD1YVxj4
There is something you have never understood, Joe. These people at the top, they are the same as anybody else. But you had it inside of you to be so much bigger than any of them. You just had to be yourself. That was all. With me you were yourself. Only with me. Room at the Top (1958) https://youtu.be/Cs1C_Tu2crI
submitted by ranc1 to SocialAnxiety_Ideas [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 17:12 aspendosforum What do you think about this tattoo artist’s works? I’m planning to have black-line tattoo.

What do you think about this tattoo artist’s works? I’m planning to have black-line tattoo.
Hi guys, I have been following this tattoo artist and i really like his works but i do not understand the tattoos as much as you guys so i wanted to ask. I am planning to have my tattoo in my inner biceps like in the first photo.
submitted by aspendosforum to TattooDesigns [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 13:30 Sufficient_Tip_5111 Long Weekend Trip to Lakshadweep Samudram Schedule May 2024

It's summertime, It's vacation time! Escape the summer heat by spending your weekend in Lakshadweep Travel Package. The land of nature has a vast variety of wonders on it which will make you fall in love with it. Or if you are an Ocean adventure-seeking Samudram scheduled for May 2024 is live for you! The natural color of the earth, you can experience the vibrant colors of nature in Lakshadweep's long weekend trip, it is a land that never heard of the word ‘pollution’. If you are a nature lover, this island is especially for you.
Let’s dive into the wonders of Lakshadweep and how can you spend your time while you are in Lakshadweep without missing out on any activities. Goltravels understands how crucial every trip is and makes every package with utter love, care, and in the most unique way.
What’s the first thing that will come to your mind while going on your trip to Lakshadweep? Beach! Yes, Lakshadweep is an island and is famous for the beaches it has. Explore the Lakshadweep’s beaches and book the Samudram 2024 schedule without wasting any time. You will be amazed by the magnificent view of the coastal line on the cruise tour and fresh unpolluted water without any dirt or trash around the coastal line.
Take your shoes off, and feel the soft sand under your feet while the waves caress your feet occasionally which makes you giggle this May 2024. Don’t be hesitant to let your inner child out. Play with the sand, build a sand fort, and make the wall strong so the waves won’t take your fort with them!
Remember to not pollute nature there and put the trash in the trash can. Help to maintain the natural beauty of Lakshadweep.
Explore the underwater wonders
Snorkeling Snorkeling is one of the most popular things to do in Lakshadweep. Even if you are a non-swimmer, with just some pre-warming exercise and practices, you can snorkel and witness the beauty of underwater creatures and rich marine life exploration underwater. With these water sports activities, you do not have to worry about your swimming skills while you go snorkeling.
Scuba Diving
If you are an adventurous person, Scuba diving is perfect for you. For someone who loves tropical gateway to interact with marine creatures and explore underwater species such as colorful corals reefs, you can choose scuba instead. Scuba Diving is a way lot funnier than snorkeling, which allows you to interact with marine creatures. Considerably you can spend more time underwater in scuba when compared to snorkeling and you can go in-depth and touch the surface of the underwater if it's nearby. Don’t miss out on such activities when you are on your trip to Lakshadweep.
Island hopping in Lakshadweep
Why only visit a single island when you have access to pay a visit to plenty of islands in Lakshadweep? Lakshadweep consists of about 36 islands and atolls which are unique in their way. Out of 36, only a few are inhabited others are uninhabited and some are used for agricultural purposes. While you are in Lakshadweep you can do a little of island hoping on a mini adventure where you can visit a few of the atolls by boat or ferry.
Enjoy your food on the beach side
Try out the Lakshadweep’s famous dishes and drinks under the shade of the palm tree on the coastline. Lakshadweep offers a vast variety of food and has an international menu for you to try out. Imagine having your favorite dish along with the sounds of birds chipping and the cool breeze from the coastline. Sounds pretty awesome right? Yes, you can have a peaceful time while on your trip to Lakshadweep which will relax your physical and mental well-being.
Stay beside the coastal line
Why choose a boring hotel when you can stay in a cottage or beach house while on your trip to Lakshadweep? You can choose according to your taste and budget. While you are in the land of nature, make sure to enjoy every bit of it. Accommodation plays a crucial role because you will spend most of your time there i.e., the nights. Imagine watching the wave dancing along with the sky reflecting on the surface of the water from your bedroom! Don’t miss out on this sparkling view and book your accommodation accordingly.
Why Gol Travels?
Gol Travels is made to make your travel easier. Gol understands that every trip is valuable to a person, where a person will create memories that will last for a lifetime. You can customize your trip and have a unique experience without stressing over the planning and executing it. Are you indecisive about the perfect way of executing this idea of yourself in Lakshadweep? We will be there will you at every step and make your travel easier. Gol Travels offers a vast variety of Lakshadweep packages for you to choose from!
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and plan your next trip to Lakshadweep for May 2024 and enjoy your long weekend in such an amazing way. Don’t forget to pack your swimsuit and sunscreen/sunblock to protect yourself from the harmful sun rays. Worry less and enjoy more!
http://www.goltravels.com
submitted by Sufficient_Tip_5111 to u/Sufficient_Tip_5111 [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 10:38 Auslan02 Sensitive skin

I’m thinking of getting my first tattoo and was planning on it being the size of my inner bicep. My problem is I have very sensitive skin that swells when injured, if I get a scratch it swells up for a few hours just on the injury site. Can anyone else who has sensitive skin share their experience please? Or would you get a little mini tattoo like a flower to see how your skin reacts?
I’m not looking for medical advice I just want to learn from other people’s experiences. Thank you for your time
submitted by Auslan02 to tattooadvice [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 09:45 BeeBuild MCSnips [Modded] {Whitelist} {1.18.2}

🌟 Welcome to Citizen Snips Season 2 Beta! 🌟 DM for Discord Invite
Embark on the ultimate Minecraft journey at MCSnips- where creativity meets adventure in a world filled with endless possibilities! 🚀
Are you ready to dive into a realm where the landscapes are as diverse as your imagination? Our server boasts mods like Create, Dynamic Trees, and Biomes o' Plenty, enhancing your Minecraft experience like never before! We strive to create a dynamic world with a vanilla-friendly feel plus a whole lot more diversity added in.🌲🌈
🌳 Dynamic Trees: Explore lush forests teeming with life as trees sway in the breeze and grow dynamically right before your eyes! From towering oaks to slender birches, every tree is a masterpiece waiting to be discovered.
⚙️ Create Mod: Unleash your inner engineer and build incredible machines with the power of Create! From intricate contraptions to sprawling factories, the only limit is your creativity. Let your imagination run wild as you design and automate your own world.
🌎 Biomes o' Plenty: Prepare to be mesmerized by a world of breathtaking beauty and diversity! With Biomes o' Plenty, every corner of our server is bursting with unique landscapes, from lush jungles to icy tundras and everything in between. Adventure awaits around every corner!
But that's not all! MCSnips offers a vibrant community of fellow adventurers, ready to embark on epic quests, collaborate on massive builds, and forge lifelong friendships. Whether you're a seasoned builder, a daring explorer, or a redstone wizard, there's a place for you in our ever-expanding world.
Currently in Beta as we customize settings, recipes, and mod sets. Participants in the open Beta will receive a bonus kit as thanks at the start of the release in around 1 month's time.
Join us today and start your journey into the extraordinary world of MCSnips. The adventure of a lifetime awaits! 💫
DM for Discord Invite
submitted by BeeBuild to mcservers [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 09:25 StoicMindway 6 Stoic Principles To Remember Being In Relationship With A Women

We often sacrifice much for those we cherish showing them how much we care but sometimes they disappoint us by exploiting our kindness for their own gain. They might seem friendly when they need something but once they've gotten what they wanted they vanish like a bird in flight so how can we regain control of such situations.
Today we delve into nine crucial aspects of interaction between men and women drawing inspiration from the stoic philosophy that has withstood the test of time. By avoiding these nine actions we can swiftly notice positive changes in our relationships empowering ourselves in the process so if you are experiencing difficulties in your relationship take a seat open your minds and let's embark on this enlightening journey together.
Number 1 - Don't reshape your life to fit others
Imagine trying to build a puzzle with pieces that just don't fit together causing frustration and confusion at every turn that's what it feels like when you try to conform to others expectations, it's like Seneca said everywhere means nowhere, trying to do too much at once leaves you feeling lost and unsure of where you're headed instead of trying to blend in like a chameleon, it's time to stand out like a shining star in the night sky. Be proud of who you are and the things that make you different, don't let others dictate how you should live your life it's time to take control and walk your own path.
Remember your life is your own story to write not someone else's so let your true colors shine and paint the world with your authenticity and purpose.
Number 2 - Don't ruin your life by being too obsessed with someone
Don't let your life revolve solely around others like a satellite stuck in orbit. When you focus too much on someone else it's easy to lose sight of your own dream and what makes you special instead of nurturing your own goals and aspirations you find yourself constantly catering to their needs and desires neglecting your own thirst for fulfilment as the wise Marcus Aelius once said, nowhere can a man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.
When you become too entangled in someone else's world it disrupts your balance casting you into the shadows and stripping away your sense of worth. Break free from their hold and stop being a mere satellite to their planet, your life isn't a supporting act in someone else's story.
You're the lead role the star of your own Journey, always remember that and never let anyone dim your brilliance.
Number 3 - Don't let anything harm your mental health or happiness
Prioritizing someone else's happiness over your own mental well-being is like giving away your flashlight in the dark leaving yourself stumbling and lost. When you neglect your own health to cater to someone else's needs you're essentially surrendering control of your own happiness instead of finding fulfilment, you end up in a cycle of trying to please them while your own spirit's plummet.
It's crucial to take a step back and reclaim ownership of your life life. Your mental health and happiness are invaluable assets that shouldn't be compromised or traded away rather than playing a supporting role in someone else's narrative seize the spotlight and become the protagonist of your own story. Protect your inner peace and joy with unwavering determination strengthen your resilience and refuse to let anyone steal your happiness, your mind belongs to you alone and you have the power to shape your own destiny.
Number 4 - Don't push friends or family away for someone else
Don't keep your distance from your friends and family just because you're really into someone else, it's kind of like cutting off branches from the tree that's holding you up each friend and family member is like a branch that's always been there to help you, if you start pushing them away it's not just about losing friends, you're also weakening the support system that's been there for you.
Plato once said people are like dirt, they can either nourish you and help you grow as a person, or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.
When you isolate yourself from your loved ones just to seek approval from someone else, you're picking a tough road, take the initiative to rekindle those significant relationships, nurture your support system your friends and family form an Irreplaceable Network serving as your bedrock and source of strength. Embrace the steadfast companions who have stood by you through thick and thin.
Number 5 - Don't invest too much time in them
Don't pour all your precious time into someone else's bottomless well of need, it's like tossing your most valuable asset into into a dark abyss. Each moment you devoted excessively to them is a moment of your life slipping away forever.
Time is your greatest treasure not a bargaining chip in someone else's endless demands as Seneca wisely observed it is not that we have a short time to live but that we waste a lot of it by surrendering all your time to someone else you're forfeiting the most vibrant moments of your existence.
Reclaim your time it belongs to you alone not to anyone else. Don't allow them to overshadow your entire life, seek equilibrium invest your time thoughtfully cherish it and allocated to endeavors that ignite your passion foster growth and bring you fulfilment, remember you wield authority over your own time don't fritter it away on someone who may not value its significance.
Number 6 - Don't reveal everything about your past especially the tough times
Revealing your entire past to someone is like unfolding every hidden aspect and challenge you've encountered. Your past especially the difficult aspects is deeply personal.
It's the narrative of your own Journey that helped you navigate through tough times, it's not something to divulge for others to take pleasure in or pass judgment on. Discussing all your past Secrets means you're revisiting old challenges. Now you're vulnerable to potential harm or exploitation, keep your secrets securely held within yourself not everyone deserves access to them. Only disclose what is necessary while safeguarding the core elements of your narrative.
submitted by StoicMindway to dating [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 08:31 Kytholek The Garden of Eden and the Tree of Knowledge

The Garden of Eden is a story of someone eating from the Fruit of "Knowledge"...
Now, we depend on external authorities to tell us: what happend in the past, whats good/bad for us, projections for the future, how energy dynamics (money) works, dictating how we function through governance and, biggest of all, how reality works through science. (of which consciously separates itself from any "God" or Intelligence)
Knowledge.
Separating ourselves from God, and giving our attention towards an external Idol of authority... Lucifer was the "light bearer." Light often associated with intelligence or focused attention, as a laser...
Temptation... towards social conformity."Do not be conformed by the way of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind."
Eating from the Tree of Knowledge...
"paying" attention towards the inner God, or attention towards the external "idol" of authority?To "sin" is to "miss the mark."
Interesting innit?
submitted by Kytholek to Christianity [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 03:12 CaptainAthleticism You'll learn I'm about to make you an arm wrestling God

Ok. I'm going to turn you into a pro armwrestler.
Fuck everyone else giving you advice right now.
Here it is.
There's 4 exercises.
There's a process to this. I get to tell you this being able to tell you the reason now. If you do it right, they'll be that your biceps won't have any other choice but to grow. That's the whole idea. You stop thinking about how do I get big or strong arms, stop right now, just exercise is not what gives you big strong arms. You work your bicep like you're meant to, like make people stare at you at the gym, meant to, in other words you are supposed to work your bicep like they have no other choice to grow.
I used to arm wrestle a ridiculous amount growing up as a youth. I would do like arm wrestling 30 people in a day, I could sometimes. To the point even I can't move my arm with pitcher's arm where I don't have to move it for it to be painful. When I walk into a room, I'll likely find the strongest person there just to challenge them to arm wrestling. I have a bigger and stronger right bicep, and I'm lefthanded. It's just from arm wrestling.
I don't look like I'm all that strong, but I think about nothing but working out growing stronger and building muscle. I stopped working out for a while, but before that I stopped when one thing I could have done was curl 65lbs. And I'm 122lbs right now.
So, here's what you do. Start with incline dumbbell palm down curls. Hammer curls. Concentration curls. Sets of each of those, all in one day even. On a separate day when you recover, precher dumbbell curls.
And there's a method exactly to do this the concentration and preacher curls.
Actually, really, they are the same exercise, they just happen to work the bicep differently. But that's not all of why this works.
The bicep has two major muscles, and one on the outside of the arm, too, that's sort of related too. The bicep itself has what's a long head the top or outside of the arm bicep, the inner bicep closer to the arm to the body is what's called the short head. You get a stretch on incline curls, but only to the long head, and the reason why it's called that is because it's the only part in the bicep that actually connects to the shoulder which is why you feel the stretch. But, the short head, actually, you are able to curl more from it because it's not attached at the shoulder, it has less distance to contract. So, that's why you have to work your biceps differently to account for this.
It's very complicated and takes a while to explain if I explain every little detail, but I just have to make sure you at least get something out of this. Like, just one thing, so it makes sense that if that part of your bicep really would be stronger, that the same amount of exercise or weight that you would use for the other part, you'd have to work the short head that much more, because how actually it's stronger anyway.
The concentration curls happen to help work the short head when you're doing it right. You can't do that motion on incline to really work that like arm wrestling would either. In concentration curls, the weight consistently is straight down.
In preacher curls. It's exactly the same. The only real difference is simply it can actually work the entire bicep at once when you're doing it right. An EZ bar also works, but dumbbells would be better.
So, the reverse of what I've been saying is also true. Like because the long head is actually smaller and weaker, that also just means that your workout is more to account for the difference it's to really actually get a stronger bicep, is to get an overall stronger bicep, too.
There's a right way to do both these exercises. Now, I have to explain. It's in your wrist. What I'm saying also applies to arm wrestling. How you can tell you're doing it right, it's not just curling, it's in when you drop or bail on the weight, too. When you let go of it, it shouldn't even be like you're holding a dumbbell. It's not pulling back your arms or rolling out of your hand. Exactly when you let go of the weight, it should literally just drop right out of your hand. It's the same for imagine how that you're supposed to run. Running isn't, you know, swinging your arms up and down. It's in your wrist. Picture yourself sprinting, how does it look? It's supposed to be natural. It's like it's like all in one motion. Just like how's it just like in arm wrestling. You're throwing your arms back but your wrist twists all at the same time all in one motion. Curling with your biceps are just the opposite of that.
Also, preacher curls, it's not like you have to have them to have strong biceps. But that that exactly why everyone ignores them like they're literally going out of style, thinking they don't need them. It's one of the few exercises that you can do that are for specifically muscle imbalances, which is why I call them balance exercises, important for every muscle group, anyway, that's why it's supposed to work.
Tips for arm wrestling.
It's not like putting a hand under a barbell. It's just not. You have to get in there. Get as tight as possible. You jam your web of your thumb and hand into theirs and then twist until you've made a solid fist. Even having to twist around your whole arm like twisting off a top until you make that fist. And don't curl. You just swing your arm down as fast as hard as possible. And don't forget rows, either. There's a muscle responsible for bringing your arm down from above, not the lats to pull closer, I'm talking about a muscle just to bring the arm down. I forget the name, starts with an r, and it's like right there behind the deltoid just below it. It would stabilize your arm because you're going to be pulling against a jerking motion, if that muscle gives out, which might happen long before you give up against an opponent of equal strength, you'll be done for. You could also try straight arm tricep pulldown.
submitted by CaptainAthleticism to stokedmuscle [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 23:09 DragonKnov Kunlun Sect's Weakest Disciple: Chapter 15

‎‎ ‎[📖First ⏮️Previous Next⏭️]

The morning air was alive with the cheerful melodies of songbirds, their trills seeming to dance among the gently rustling leaves overhead.

Ji Wuye walked the ancient cobblestone path, each step leaving a faint echo in the tranquil courtyard. Warm rays of golden sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees, casting a gentle illuminating glow that caressed his handsome features.

The sun had only just peeked over the horizon, and yet the Outer Disciple courtyard was already a flurry of activity when Ji Wuye arrived. Several young disciples dressed in the white martial robes moved about, engaged in their morning routines and exercises.

"Junior Ji~"

"Brother Ji~"

No sooner had he stepped into the open space than Ji Wuye found himself swarmed by a bevy of young ladies, surrounding him from all sides like a whirlpool of floral perfumes and brightly colored silks. Their voices mingled in a chorus of concern and relief.

"Are you alright?" One piped up, her delicate hand grasping his sleeve.

"I'm so glad you're still alive," another chimed in, brushing an errant strand of hair from his face with familial tenderness.

Soon, their hands were everywhere - patting his shoulders, straightening his robes, even daring to caress his cheeks that were squished between the soft pillows of their chests.

The heady aromas of rosemary and sweet blossoms filled his senses, blending with the plush sensations enveloping him.

"Ugh..." Ji Wuye mumbled, struggling for breath amidst the well-intentioned fussing. "Senior Sisters, Big Sisters, I can't breathe."

His muffled words seemed to fall on deaf ears, drowned out by the rising tide of feminine fretting. It was only to be expected.

Known as the weakest disciple in the sect, his safety had been a grave concern when the Tower of the Gods appeared, forcing all to enter its trials.

"I heard you got bullied by Qin Bai. Tell me what he did to you - this Senior Sister will take revenge," one voice rose above the clamor, stern yet laced with a fierce protectiveness.

Ji Wuye turned to see Lian RuoGang, an exquisite vision framed by flowing midnight tresses that danced like silken waves in the morning light.

When the sun's rays struck her hair at just the right angle, hints of fiery sunrise seemed to blaze within the ebony strands cascading past her shoulders.

Her face could have inspired artistic masters to immortalize her beauty - pale, flawless skin like porcelain offset by rose petal lips and captivating azure eyes that seemed to ebb and flow like the tide beckoned by the moon's call.

Garbed in a white martial robe adorned with azure stripes befitting her status as an Official Disciple, Lian RuoGang favored Ji Wuye as she kept come to the Outer Disciple courtyard, just to oversee her Junior Brother's training.

Her words sparked a flicker of recollection in Ji Wuye's mind, memories of their interactions from the previous timeline.

A warm, affectionate smile tugged at his lips before he even realized it. "I'm alright, Senior Sister Lian," he replied, his tone carrying a newfound maturity and subtle fondness that caused the gaggle of Seniors and Big Sisters surrounding him to freeze, taken aback.

"Ah look, our Junior is stolen by Senior Sister Lian!"

"Ugh... so this is the feeling of your man being taken right before your eyes."

Teasing laughter and joking remarks filled the courtyard, snapping Ji Wuye out of his momentary daze. Before he could so much as blink, a flick landed squarely on his forehead with a sharp snap.

"Ugh!" Ji Wuye's crimson eyes went wide as Lian RuoGang turned away, her ears burning a vibrant crimson that clashed beautifully with her midnight tresses.

"Junior...you can't say that word anymore!" she reminded sternly, though the wavering lilt of embarrassment in her tone only incited another peal of giggles from the observing rest of Sisters.

The flick from an Official Disciple of the 4th realm or above was no joking matter. Despite his arduous body training, a dull throbbing ache blossomed where her fingertip had connected.

"Look...look, Brother Ji, I got this hidden art from a shop in the Tower," one of the Senior Sisters interjected, deftly drawing upon her Qi as a flickering ember of golden flames danced to life in her upturned palm.

The tiny display immediately captured the rapt attention of the rest of Sisters.

"Wow...so it's true."

"I just heard the rumors. They said you can buy inner art from the Tower's shops?"

When Ji Wuye observed this display of the hidden art, he realized most of the disciples were finally becoming aware of the existence of the mystical shops within the Tower of the Gods.

There had been no guidance or introduction provided on how to utilize the various features from the Tower of the God.

'This meant someone must have already stumbled upon the purpose of the strange coins they received after clearing two consecutive challenges within the Tower's floors.,' he thought inwardly.

If those coins served no tangible use, why would they be handed out as rewards?

'It wouldn't be long until the rest of the disciples unraveled the mystery of the inventory system,' The realization caused a faint smile to tug at the corners of Ji Wuye's lips.

However, the heartwarming scene in the courtyard was suddenly shattered by a harsh shout echoing from the far side of the grounds.

"You... Where are your manners in front of your Senior!" The gruff, reprimanding tone belonged to a man who was currently glaring down at a young lady standing before him.

"You're not even a Senior, and you're trying to order me to massage your shoulder?" The woman's reply dripped with utter disgust, her voice carrying clearly across the space.

When Ji Wuye's gaze found the source of the confrontation, he immediately recognized the familiar trio surrounding the equally familiar figure of Song Jia.

Sudden murmurs and whispers rippled through the gathered seniors and disciples.

"Junior Sister Song..."

"How dare those dogs bark at this time..."

Many of the Big Sisters and Senior Sisters who overheard Song Jia's defiant retort felt a flare of indignation on her behalf, their faces twisting into looks of outrage at such disrespect being shown.‎ ‎ ‎

‎‎ ‎[📖First ⏮️Previous Next⏭️]
submitted by DragonKnov to HFY [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 22:46 BeeBuild MCSnips Season 2 Open Beta [Modded] {Whitelist} {1.18.2}

🌟 Welcome to Citizen Snips Season 2 Beta! 🌟 DM for Discord Invite
Embark on the ultimate Minecraft journey at MCSnips- where creativity meets adventure in a world filled with endless possibilities! 🚀
Are you ready to dive into a realm where the landscapes are as diverse as your imagination? Our server boasts mods like Create, Dynamic Trees, and Biomes o' Plenty, enhancing your Minecraft experience like never before! We strive to create a dynamic world with a vanilla-friendly feel plus a whole lot more diversity added in.🌲🌈
🌳 Dynamic Trees: Explore lush forests teeming with life as trees sway in the breeze and grow dynamically right before your eyes! From towering oaks to slender birches, every tree is a masterpiece waiting to be discovered.
⚙️ Create Mod: Unleash your inner engineer and build incredible machines with the power of Create! From intricate contraptions to sprawling factories, the only limit is your creativity. Let your imagination run wild as you design and automate your own world.
🌎 Biomes o' Plenty: Prepare to be mesmerized by a world of breathtaking beauty and diversity! With Biomes o' Plenty, every corner of our server is bursting with unique landscapes, from lush jungles to icy tundras and everything in between. Adventure awaits around every corner!
But that's not all! MCSnips offers a vibrant community of fellow adventurers, ready to embark on epic quests, collaborate on massive builds, and forge lifelong friendships. Whether you're a seasoned builder, a daring explorer, or a redstone wizard, there's a place for you in our ever-expanding world.
Currently in Beta as we customize settings, recipes, and mod sets. Participants in the open Beta will receive a bonus kit as thanks at the start of the release in around 1 month's time.
Join us today and start your journey into the extraordinary world of MCSnips. The adventure of a lifetime awaits! 💫
DM for Discord Invite
submitted by BeeBuild to MinecraftBuddies [link] [comments]


http://rodzice.org/