Property management companies like real estate companies in Sri Lanka are entities that handle the day-to-day operations and maintenance of real estate properties on behalf of the property owner. If you intend purchasing a commercial property for sale or villas for sale in Sri Lanka, it is such companies that would help you to better manage the property and handle the nitty gritty on your behalf. Their responsibilities can vary depending on the type of property they manage, but generally include tasks such as:
· Tenant Relations: Managing tenant inquiries, screening potential tenants, handling lease agreements, and addressing tenant concerns or complaints.
· Rent Collection: Collecting rent from tenants, enforcing lease terms, and pursuing delinquent payments if necessary.
· Property Maintenance: Coordinating and overseeing repairs, regular maintenance, and upkeep of the property, including landscaping, cleaning, and ensuring that everything is in good working condition. They will even handle the management and operations of agricultural land like coconut land for sale in Sri Lanka.
· Financial Management: Handling financial aspects such as budgeting, accounting, and reporting to the property owner. This may also include paying bills, property taxes, and other expenses related to the property.
· Marketing and Advertising: Advertising vacancies, showing the property to potential tenants, and implementing marketing strategies to attract new tenants.
· Legal Compliance: Ensuring that the property complies with local housing laws, building codes, zoning regulations, and safety standards. This includes handling eviction proceedings if necessary.
· Tenant Services: Providing services to tenants such as handling maintenance requests, resolving disputes, and addressing emergencies.

Property management companies aim to maximise the value of the property while minimising the stress and workload for the property owner. They act as intermediaries between the owner and the tenants, handling various administrative, financial, and operational tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the property.

The many benefits of using a property management company
Using a property management company can offer numerous benefits for property owners, including:
· Time Savings: Property management companies handle all aspects of property maintenance, tenant relations, and financial management, saving property owners valuable time and effort.
· Expertise and Experience: Property managers are professionals with experience in real estate management, ensuring that the property is well-maintained and managed efficiently.
· Tenant Screening: Property management companies conduct thorough screening processes to find reliable tenants, reducing the risk of problematic tenants and vacancies.
· Rent Collection: Property managers handle rent collection and pursue delinquent payments, ensuring a consistent cash flow for property owners.
· Property Maintenance: Property management companies oversee regular maintenance and repairs, preventing small issues from turning into costly problems.
· Legal Compliance: Property managers stay up-to-date with local housing laws, regulations, and safety standards, ensuring that the property is in compliance and reducing the risk of legal issues.
· Marketing and Advertising: Property management companies advertise vacancies and attract potential tenants, minimising vacancy periods and maximising rental income.
· Emergency Response: Property managers handle emergencies such as maintenance issues or tenant disputes, providing quick and efficient solutions.
· Financial Management: Property management companies handle budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting, providing property owners with transparent and accurate financial records.
· Peace of Mind: By outsourcing the day-to-day management tasks to professionals, property owners can enjoy peace of mind knowing that their investment is in good hands.

Using a property management company can streamline operations, minimise risks, and maximise returns for property owners, making it a valuable investment for those who own rental properties.

Are there any challenges involved with using a property management company?
While using a property management company offers many benefits, there are also some potential challenges to consider:
· Cost: Property management services typically come with fees, which can eat into the rental income. It is important to carefully consider the cost-effectiveness of hiring a property management company, especially for smaller properties or in markets with lower rental yields.
· Finding the Right Company: Not all property management companies are created equal. Finding a reputable and reliable company with a track record of success can take time and research. It is essential to thoroughly vet potential property management companies before hiring them.
· Communication: Clear and effective communication between the property owner and the management company is crucial. Miscommunication or lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and dissatisfaction with the management of the property.
· Lack of Control: Some property owners may feel a loss of control over their investment when delegating management tasks to a third-party company. While property managers are hired to make decisions on behalf of the owner, some owners may struggle with relinquishing control.
· Quality of Service: The quality of service provided by property management companies can vary. Issues such as slow response times, inadequate maintenance, or poor tenant relations can negatively impact the reputation of the property and its profitability.
· Tenant Turnover: High tenant turnover can be costly for property owners, as it results in vacancy periods and additional expenses related to finding and screening new tenants. Property management companies play a crucial role in minimising tenant turnover by providing excellent tenant relations and timely maintenance.
· Legal Liability: Property owners remain ultimately responsible for legal matters related to their properties, even when they hire a property management company. It is important for owners to ensure that the management company they hire is knowledgeable about local laws and regulations to avoid legal issues.
· Conflict of Interest: In some cases, property management companies may prioritise their own interests over those of the property owner, such as by recommending costly repairs or maintenance services from affiliated companies. Property owners should be vigilant and ensure that the management company acts in their best interests.

Despite these challenges, many property owners find that the benefits of using a property management company outweigh the potential drawbacks, especially when it comes to saving time, reducing stress, and maximising the profitability of their investments.

I have called Mina out on multiple occasions for changing her message to her own convenience at the expense of her audience. It still remains controversial for whatever reason. See related posts:

• “Sprinkle Sprinkle” Mina: Stats don’t matter ➡️ Red Pill Mina: Be Realistic
• Mina claims your "front-runner" will BUY YOU A CAR. "That's how it works out for a lot of my clients". But is that how it worked out for her?
• The fallacy of Mina's "provider man" CULT and her "evolutionary basics" scam
• Is it realistic to expect a “full provider” in this day and age?

A common pattern is how she will say one thing to grow her audience and then turn around and switch things up on them and gaslight them about it. That's because the truth is that her teachings are inherently flawed. They are riddled with manipulated half-truths that appeal to your lower self.
These femininity gurus appeal to your most toxic traits and your own vanity to reel you in and then use it against you:
Mina explains that what the feminine brings is \"energetic\"
While this may sound nice on the surface, be careful consuming “femininity” content that teaches that what you contribute is “intangible” or “mysterious”… you are making it okay for her to be "feminine" to you and thus you are agreeing to be scammed. It's like what I said in this post: It's all a game to her, and she played us (many of us)... Everything you think she's teaching you how get from men, she is actually getting from YOU
Notice how she describes what the masculine brings versus what the feminine brings. You as her customer are literally her masculine. You are bringing the money while she is bringing the “honey”. The only person that really benefits from such teachings is the teacher. When most of her students actually carry this mindset into their other relationships, it does not work because most healthy people do not like entitled, selfish, or self-absorbed people- male or female. At best people will just avoid you, at worst you can actually attract high level predators. (Almost like what happened with the Tinder Swindler)
Mina can try to act like this is not what she teaches, but this hyper-entitled "I am a goddess" "i get paid to exist" mindset is literally the mindset she uses to attract her audience. Mina for example has expressed a clear aversion to housework. Mina from the beginning went out of her way to make it clear that her full provider also does bulk of the cooking and cleaning. She made it clear that his provision was not in exchange for house work or child care. That her sheer feminine energy in itself was enough.
This messaging was like porn for women. She was able to grow her audience like wildfire. She was able to sell her overpriced courses like hot cake.
Her teachings always seemed a little "unrealistic" to me, but I figured that I had too many "limiting beliefs". Clearly her teachings were working right? Look at all her testimonials? ....Well that right there is the catch.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Mina is NOT delivering for her clients. Even in this forum when people try to push back on my critiques of these teachings, rarely does anyone actually say "it worked for me". "I have a full provider who is happy to do all these things and I don't lift a finger". Most of it is just more along the lines of "I still believe this is possible" or "i believe this is how it should be"
Women in these spaces are very quick to call any man who doesn't fully align with Mina's model of a relationship "effeminate" or "broke" or a "loser". That may be true, but if most men or even a good proportion of men today are effeminate or broke, then how useful are these teachings anyway? That means that most women will not end up in the type of relationship that Mina is promoting. It doesn't matter if they spend $88,888 on her VIP coaching package. That is the cold hard truth.
So I guess that's why Mina changed her tune and at some point started telling us to be realistic started looking at "the data". The truth is that Mina's teachings do not add up. That is why she often contradicts herself.
She actually used to encourage women to wait to get married. She used to say that a a 24-year-old woman who had never lived alone or never held a job and jumped straight into marriage would be a "disaster". She actually even encouraged women to wait till their 30s to settle down. Mina used to teach women that providers come in stages. And she talked about a "king provider" stage that was around when a man was in his 40s and above.
But now she is telling girls to forget pursuing a serious degree that they can get a job in, and to forget pursuing a serious career. That they should put all their focus on getting married once they turn 22. She is pushing for an age gap which would make them marry men who are also in their 20s. What percentage of American men are ready to be full providers in their 20s?
Her teachings are all over the place. They are not grounded in reality. She doesn't care how many people she leads astray.
She doesn't know anything about "rotational dating". She never used it herself. She has pulled out a "blueprint" completely out of her behind that she herself didn't follow just so that she can sell books. She is a charlatan and it is so sad that women are taking anything she says seriously. Girls are basing major life decisions and even choosing their college majors based on the nonsense that comes out of Mina's mouth.
Mina's teachings are not designed to make sense. They are designed to make dollars. For herself. Millions of them. (Pun intended)
P.S. It's not even just her relationship content. I would caution against doing business with any trainee of Mina, sorry. I just know that a major selling point for her business and coaching courses is that she can help you "get paid to exist". It is really just a greedy ego trip. It's not about actually providing quality service to people. Maybe that is why one of them has recently gone out of her way to make it clear that she gives her all to her students.

I (31F) deeply value the camaraderie and wisdom of women of all ages and this is probably the touchiest situation in my life. I am utterly lost.
I’ll preface this by saying I consider myself a deeply religious person despite not going to church and being very liberal and left-leaning in my values. I am very sex positive (I even have friends who are sex workers). I stopped having sex when I was 24. But even before then, it was never a positive venture. I started when I was 16 because a boy at school manipulated me one day claiming he wanted to come over and watch a movie (I was an EXTREMELY sheltered and abused child and my parents had just died around that time so I was just was happy someone wanted to talk to me at all.) I didn’t even understand what was happening. He was extremely mean to me over the course of a few months until he got tired of me. I was a heavier girl all my life til about about 24-ish. And I had SEVERE cystic acne. So any sexual experiences were with men who were promising love and adoration but ghosted me immediately after and didn’t want to be seen with me in public. After my skin cleared and I lost the weight, I noticed I was universally considered very beautiful. I am regularly complimented on my appearance almost daily as well as my personality (This is only mentioned to drive home the fact that dating itself isn’t an issue of lack of options or interest).
But I stopped having sex because, frankly, men are so cruel. It is as if cruelty is the point. I watch them. Playing cat and mouse with women they deem weaker than then. Resenting them for perceived falsehoods. Almost angry that they even have to feign interest to have access TO them. I am a high-earning woman, which I don’t discuss with men but when I say what my job is it can be naturally surmised by anyone that I am not at all poor. I also have a bit of a public profile. And I am not exaggerating when I say I feel I’m almost punished for this by men I’m meeting. One man asked me if I’d be willing to quit working once I got pregnant (I’m childfree by choice) and he was angry when I laughed. As if I’d ever let the trajectory of my life or my potential children’s lives be determined by how long a man was interested in fucking me. I met one guy on Hinge and we went on an extremely pleasant date! But because I wouldn’t go upstairs to his apartment with him once it was over, he stalked me for a year, found where my relative and I were living at the time, and tried to break in and kill us. I only met him once. The other times I’ve wanted to sleep with men, they’ve refused to meet me halfway and get tested. One said “this is alot of work for a little pussy.” You can see why I’ve been celibate awhile.
And yet. The problem remains. I’d like to have sex again one day. Truly, I’d like to experience GOOD sex. Preferably within the confines of a relationship. My friends say that only gives me the illusion of safety and that a man could leave immediately after. Relationships don’t mean anything. Leftover religious trauma makes me feel like if I tried the casual sex route, the earth itself would swallow me whole. Casual sex also gives men the idea they have carte blanche to treat those women like dish rags. And men always ghost me when they hear I’ve never had a relationship or that I haven’t been sexually active in almost a decade. They think something is wrong with ME. I meet men all the time who only want to sleep with me. Not only am I growing sexually frustrated (hey 30s hormones! Lol) but existentially frustrated as well.
Therapist, grandmother, and friends say to save a horse and ride a cowboy. What say you all? ⚖️

As I mentioned in a post earlier today, I have decided to embark on the religious studies journey by preparing a special study guided series of self paced dynamic verse by verse incredibly high level of studies in secular and spiritual development of the world cultural and religious traditions that's going to include numerous types of sources texts from every single type of practice I can unearth thanks for the Good old Google and Bing research resources.
This started with the Gnostic texts and the Dead Sea Scrolls with the Gospel of Thomas and the Book of Enoch. It has been a few weeks and I have literally gotten so far ahead of myself that it seems like I am overdue and overwhelmed by such an amazing task. This is why I am not sure if I should really be posting it but if not here, I would not know where to ask for advice and feedback and guidance and editing and moral support and even research assistance and input from anyone whose willing to assist in any capacity.
There's nothing to do except process the questions and help with the commentary and limitations of this format and the hope that there might be at least ONE human being that's interested in similar things that's willing to help in whatever capacity they can....
I had plans of trying to make it easier for everyone by trying to finish at least one full text before posting others, but I don't think it's possible because I keep going from different ones back to these then to those then back to that regardless of the fact that I am confused and staring to get burned out before I get started....
So I have changed my mind about finishing up one to present for the group and will simply be posting some daily stuff for your input and feedback. I'm not trying to make you convert to any faith as these guides will cover every single type of practice eventually.
Today is Wisdom of Solomon day so I have to unpack my own stuff here and I have no real formal plans yet for how to present it all, that is based solely on the fact that I am also doing this for my own spiritual growth and development and so there's no formal plans for publication as a project yet....
Anyway this is a basic overview of how I have been working on my project and I love the fact that you still might be reading after that long winded meandering message!
WISDOM OF SOLOMON
Wisdom of Solomon Outline:

1. Introduction (Chapters 1-6):

• Addressing rulers and kings
  
• The pursuit and benefits of wisdom
  
• Reflections on divine wisdom
  

1. Wisdom in History (Chapters 7-9):

• Solomon's request for wisdom
  
• Wisdom's role in various historical events
  
• Contemplation on divine attributes
  

1. Wisdom and Idolatry (Chapters 10-11):

• God's guidance in history
  
• Consequences of idolatry
  
• Divine justice and mercy
  

1. Divine Wisdom vs. Human Wisdom (Chapters 12-15):

• God's protection of Israel
  
• Contrasting divine wisdom with human folly
  
• Punishment for wrongdoing
  

1. God's Just Providence (Chapters 16-19):

• God's interventions in history
  
• Divine providence and care for Israel
  
• Consequences of disobedience
  

1. Wisdom as a Guide (Chapters 20-21):

• Moral lessons from history
  
• The role of wisdom in human life
  
• The contrast between the righteous and the wicked
  

1. Call to Righteousness (Chapters 22-24):

• The importance of following wisdom
  
• Wisdom's divine origins
  
• The benefits of embracing wisdom
  

Study Guide Questions

1. Symbolism:

• Explore the symbolic meanings of key elements in the text, such as wisdom, righteousness, and folly.
  
• Analyze the metaphors used to convey deeper spiritual and moral truths.
  

1. Historical and Secular Context:

• Investigate the historical context of the Wisdom of Solomon, considering the cultural and political milieu of the time.
  
• Examine secular perspectives on the text, noting its influence on philosophy and ethics beyond religious contexts.
  

1. Esoteric Wisdom:

• Uncover esoteric or hidden wisdom within the text, delving into allegorical interpretations and hidden meanings.
  
• Explore how esoteric knowledge is conveyed and its significance for those seeking deeper spiritual understanding.
  

1. Theological Implications:

• Discuss the theological themes present in the Wisdom of Solomon, such as divine justice, mercy, and the nature of God.
  
• Examine how these theological concepts align or differ with other religious traditions and theological perspectives.
  

1. Spiritual Development:

• Identify the types of individuals mentioned in the text and explore how their engagement with wisdom contributes to their spiritual development.
  
• Discuss the transformative journey depicted in the Wisdom of Solomon and its implications for readers seeking spiritual growth.
  

For exercises, activities, readings, and examples:

• Exercise: Analyze a specific passage from the Wisdom of Solomon, discussing its symbolism and how it relates to broader themes in the text.
  
• Activity: Compare a selected verse from the Wisdom of Solomon with a similar concept or teaching from a secular philosophical work.
  
• Reading: Explore relevant passages from apocryphal texts or the Dead Sea Scrolls to identify common themes with the Wisdom of Solomon.
  
• Example: Provide a case study of an individual or community applying the wisdom found in the text to navigate a moral or ethical dilemma.
  

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Chapter 1, Verse 1:
"Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth. Think of the Lord with goodness, and seek him with sincerity of heart."
Themes:

1. Symbolism:

• The call to "love righteousness" symbolizes the importance of moral and just leadership.
  
• "Seeking the Lord with sincerity" symbolizes a genuine and wholehearted pursuit of divine wisdom.
  

1. Historical and Secular Context:

• The address to rulers reflects the historical context of addressing leaders, emphasizing the moral responsibilities of governance.
  
• The concept of seeking God's guidance resonates with broader ethical teachings in various cultural and philosophical traditions.
  

1. Esoteric Wisdom:

• The verse hints at esoteric wisdom by emphasizing the inner disposition of rulers and their connection to divine principles.
  
• Explore hidden meanings within the call to righteousness and sincere seeking of God.
  

1. Theological Implications:

• The theological implications involve the relationship between righteousness and divine favor, highlighting the importance of ethical conduct.
  
• Consider how this aligns with or challenges theological perspectives from other religious traditions.
  

1. Spiritual Development:

• Rulers are encouraged to grow spiritually by cultivating a love for righteousness, suggesting that moral development is integral to leadership.
  
• Reflect on how individuals in positions of authority can spiritually evolve through ethical governance.
  

Exercise:
Reflect on a historical or contemporary leader who exemplifies the principles outlined in this verse. Discuss how their commitment to righteousness and sincere seeking of higher principles impacted their leadership.
🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫 Chapter 1, Verse 2:
"For he will be found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him."
Themes:

1. Symbolism:

• The idea that God is found by those "who do not put him to the test" symbolizes a call for genuine faith and trust.
  
• "Manifesting to those who do not distrust him" suggests the importance of a sincere and unwavering relationship with the divine.
  

1. Historical and Secular Context:

• The notion of not putting God to the test reflects a biblical caution against demanding miraculous signs.
  
• Explore how this concept aligns with or differs from testing or seeking evidence in secular and philosophical contexts.
  

1. Esoteric Wisdom:

• The verse implies esoteric wisdom by emphasizing the subtleties of divine manifestation, which may require a certain disposition or spiritual state.
  
• Discuss the deeper meaning of finding God through trust and the absence of doubt.
  

1. Theological Implications:

• The theological implication is a call for genuine faith and trust in God's presence.
  
• Consider theological discussions on faith, trust, and divine revelation within the context of different religious traditions.
  

1. Spiritual Development:

• This verse suggests that spiritual development involves cultivating a trusting relationship with the divine, rather than testing or doubting.
  
• Reflect on how trust in the divine can contribute to an individual's spiritual journey.
  

Exercise:
Explore historical or biblical narratives where individuals either demonstrated unwavering trust in the divine or faced challenges due to testing God. Discuss the outcomes and lessons learned from these narratives.
🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃 Chapter 1, Verse 3:
"For perverse thoughts separate people from God, and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish."
Themes:

1. Symbolism:

• "Perverse thoughts" symbolize moral and spiritual deviation, highlighting the impact of one's inner disposition on the relationship with God.
  
• The testing of God's power symbolizes a lack of trust and reveals the foolishness of such attempts.
  

1. Historical and Secular Context:

• Explore historical instances or secular examples where moral or perverse thoughts led to a separation from higher principles or values.
  
• Consider how the testing of authority or power is viewed in different historical and philosophical contexts.
  

1. Esoteric Wisdom:

• The verse implies esoteric wisdom by emphasizing the spiritual consequences of perverse thoughts and the folly of testing divine power.
  
• Delve into the hidden meanings of "separation from God" and the exposure of foolishness.
  

1. Theological Implications:

• Theologically, the verse underscores the impact of moral choices on the relationship with the divine.
  
• Discuss theological perspectives on the consequences of moral deviation and the testing of God's power.
  

1. Spiritual Development:

• This verse suggests that spiritual development involves guarding against perverse thoughts and avoiding attempts to test or challenge divine power.
  
• Reflect on how individuals can cultivate a mindset that fosters a closer relationship with the divine.
  

Exercise:
Explore historical or literary examples where characters or individuals faced consequences due to perverse thoughts or the testing of authority. Discuss the broader moral lessons conveyed in these narratives. 🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄
Chapter 1, Verse 4:
"For wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin."
Themes:

1. Symbolism:

• "Deceitful soul" symbolizes insincerity and moral duplicity, suggesting that wisdom requires authenticity.
  
• The idea of wisdom not dwelling in a "body enslaved to sin" symbolizes the incompatibility of wisdom with a morally compromised state.
  

1. Historical and Secular Context:

• Explore historical or secular perspectives on the relationship between wisdom and personal integrity.
  
• Consider how different cultures and philosophical traditions view the role of wisdom in virtuous living.
  

1. Esoteric Wisdom:

• The verse suggests esoteric wisdom by highlighting the spiritual prerequisites for the indwelling of wisdom.
  
• Reflect on the hidden qualities that make a soul receptive to wisdom and explore esoteric interpretations of the text.
  

1. Theological Implications:

• Theologically, the verse emphasizes the alignment of the soul with moral principles as a condition for receiving wisdom.
  
• Discuss theological perspectives on the interplay between wisdom, virtue, and the state of the soul.
  

1. Spiritual Development:

• This verse implies that spiritual development involves purifying the soul from deceit and sin to make it a suitable vessel for wisdom.
  
• Reflect on how individuals can actively work toward creating conditions for wisdom to flourish in their lives.
  

Exercise:
Analyze a historical or literary character who experienced a transformation from deceitful or sinful behavior to a more virtuous state. Discuss the role of wisdom in this transformation and the impact on the character's life.
🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️🛤️
Chapter 1, Verse 5: "For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit and will leave deceitful thoughts behind, and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness."
Themes:

1. Symbolism:

• "Holy spirit of discipline" symbolizes divine guidance and correction, emphasizing the transformative power of discipline.
  
• The departure of the holy spirit from deceitful thoughts symbolizes the incompatibility of divine guidance with moral compromise.
  

1. Historical and Secular Context:

• Explore historical examples or secular perspectives on the role of discipline in personal and moral development.
  
• Consider how different cultures view the concept of a guiding and disciplining spirit.
  

1. Esoteric Wisdom:

• The verse implies esoteric wisdom by linking discipline with the holy spirit and suggesting a spiritual transformation.
  
• Examine the deeper meanings of discipline and the spiritual consequences of deceit and unrighteousness.
  

1. Theological Implications:

• Theologically, the verse underscores the role of the holy spirit in guiding individuals toward righteousness and away from deceit.
  
• Discuss theological perspectives on discipline, divine guidance, and the consequences of unrighteousness.
  

1. Spiritual Development:

• This verse suggests that spiritual development involves embracing the discipline of the holy spirit and distancing oneself from deceit and unrighteousness.
  
• Reflect on how individuals can cultivate a receptive spirit for divine discipline in their journey of spiritual growth.
  

Exercise:
Explore religious or philosophical texts that discuss the concept of divine discipline and its role in guiding individuals towards righteousness. Discuss the similarities or differences with the Wisdom of Solomon.
I will stop here since it's already overwhelming long and I have been working today up to the end of Chapter One just with Wisdom of Solomon.
I will post the Book of Enoch stuff later on which is already much more in depth with the commentary and study materials and I think that it's coming along nicely. This is just beginning so I figured it was a good skeleton to illustrate where I start off then I will give a much better clue 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️ to where it's headed later today when I can format the Enoch stuff for posting.
Thanks in advance for checking it out and please don't hesitate to repost in places that might help out in their own ways, even if it's to roast the hell out of me (no pun intended, if that's even a pun!)

Warning: profanity and descriptions of verbal abuse.
About five days ago now I (33F) made the decision to go no contact with my younger sister (30F). For the sake of this post, I’ll call her Amy.
Our parents say that Amy and I were really close when we were little. That it was common for them to go wake us up and find that Amy had snuck into my room and into my bed to snuggle with me at some point in the night. They said she looked up to me and that when our youngest sister (currently 27) was born that she was always at my elbow watching how I did things with the baby and then copying it. This is how things went for years.
Sometime around when I was 10, and Amy was 7, things started to change. She’d get mouthy and act out with any provocation or none at all. To the rest of the world she was a nice, normal kid but at home the mask came off. What started as annoying became a hassle became a nightmare as the years went by. My parents tried to address and correct her behavior at first but got worn down over time until my dad just avoided involvement whenever possible and my mom leaned more toward pacifying and damage control.
It’s no surprise that Amy and I’s relationship changed with me not really wanting to spend time with her that wasn’t mandated by our mom and things got worse as I entered my teen years and didn’t wanna play and hang out with my kid sisters, in general. I think it was around that time that she started getting mean and nasty. It wasn’t unusual for her to say things like “I hate you”, “I don’t love you” and whatever but she started getting cutthroat. She’d aim for whatever she thought would hurt you the most. She’d call you a bitch, a cunt (still one of her favs), say you’re stupid, worthless, a piece of shit, that no one likes you that they’re lying to you, that you’ll die miserable and alone, etc etc etc. She’d rant on and on for as long as she could keep the insults flowing. She’d also twist her version of events just enough to make herself look the victim. She had her door taken away several times cuz she kept slamming it. My poor mom took the brunt of Amy for years as that’s where she tended to point her poison and is still the one Amy targets the most.
Thankfully college brought me new friends, some of which also had complicated family relationships, and they helped me grow a back bone and taught me about boundaries and more. Amy was always nice when she wanted things from you but would turn ugly if you said no. Even if you agreed to help her, it wouldn’t stop her being nasty for some other reason. That behavior was where I drew my first boundary. “You can’t ask me for help and then be a dick to me. Do that and my help ends immediately.” Took a few times for the message to sink in, but it did. It was business as usual any normal time but she learned to be on good behavior while she was receiving help from me.
This pattern of verbal abuse, her blocking people for however long until she needed something, and her general unpleasantness pretty much continued as we went into our adult lives and she moved a few hundred miles away. When she was planning her wedding, we were threatened with having our invites rescinded constantly no matter if the topic had to do with the wedding or not. Now that she had a kid, continued access to said kid is the go-to ultimatum criteria for every occasion. Our parents have said that they’re afraid of letting themselves be too open to bond with her kid out of fear that they would grow that bond and then Amy would one day make good on her threats.
The kid is actually what brings us around to the breaking point. I had a kid of my own not long before she did so she bombarded me with questions and wants for advice all through her pregnancy. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was damn near daily. It got to the point I snapped at her that Google is a thing that exists and so is her doctor. Ask them. That got me yelled at and blocked for a while but silence was sweet. The questions continued after her kid was born but at least not as goddamned always.
A couple days ago, Amy started drama with the whole family centered around a crib our parents had set up for whenever the grandbabies come over. Amy demanded that our parents buy a brand new crib and that they had to do it by a certain date or she was never coming to visit and our parents would never see her kid again. She tried getting me on her side about it, tried to say she wasn’t demanding or giving ultimatums, and tried to read me the text she sent that started all this but I’d already seen the text and knew she was lying. She unleashed at me when I called her out before hanging up on me and sending a text saying that I was an “ignorant bitch” and “a shit fucking mother” and somehow there it was, the last straw.
I’m a shit mother? So that’s why my child is consistently meeting and even exceeding developmental milestones? Why the child care staff gush and say what a joy my child is? I’m so shit at being a mother that she made me her nearly exclusive source of parenting info?
After venting to my husband for a bit, I called my parents and youngest sister and told them what happened and what I’d decided to do about it. My mom tried to talk me out of it, saying it was just gonna set her off, but I reminded her that it’s not our responsibility to manage Amy’s actions and emotions. That’s her job and the entire reason why we are where we’re at.
I waited until the next day to write my response and then sent this:
“Amy,
I didn’t respond last night because I was tired of dealing with everything and wanted to make sure I did respond from a place that was more clear headed. I’m not surprised that you lashed out at me last night. It’s expected, it’s what you do. I don’t care that you called me a bitch. I don’t even care that you called me ignorant. What crossed the line for me was your attack on my motherhood. You aimed to hurt, as you always do with these attacks, so you went for what you thought would cut the deepest. Unfortunately for you, I know I’m a good mom. I see that truth in the beautiful, confident, intelligent, loving little kid I’m raising. I’ve seen it in the months of your pregnancy when you came to me with questions almost daily and in the months that followed when you’d have a question about once a week. I know I’m a good mom, and so do you, which is why your attack missed its target and hit an entirely different one. This behavior of lashing out at the smallest provocation and in the harshest most cutting way you can devise will not be something I continue to tolerate. It was unacceptable when we were kids and it’s even more unacceptable now as a grown adult. I don’t know why you think its ok to act this way. I don’t speak for the whole family, but for me and my family, there’s now going to be changes where you’re concerned. For the foreseeable future, you’re blocked. I will not give you the privilege of being in my life when you can’t be respectful. If you would like that privilege restored, and to have the opportunity for us to have a relationship again, then I need to see evidence that you are making the effort to manage negative emotions in a healthy and mature manner. How you go about that is your choice. My personal recommendation is that you start with how you treat the rest of our family.”
She’s been surprisingly quiet since then and my youngest sister says it might be that Amy blocked me and my message wasn’t delivered, but that’ll change at some point and I’ve told them they can forward my message along if it comes up.
I’m very much enjoying my new peace even if I also feel like I’m mourning the loss of my sister. I do love her. We were close once and she could actually be pretty caring and decent when she wasn’t being a raging bitch. I can only hope this is a wake up call for her.

Author’s Note:
If you enjoy the story so far, please consider upvoting and commenting! These go a long way in helping the story reach a larger audience. (Also, reddit removes all my formatting for some reason so if you want a fully formatted read, check out my story on RoyalRoad)
READ 2 WEEKS AHEAD: Season Finale Chapter 17 is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!
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First
Three, two, one... execute.
Ron peeked around the corner, his M4E1 Carl Gustaf already loaded with standard HEAT rounds. The rest of Alpha Team stacked up behind him or behind Ryan, who was on the other side of the doorway. Through the opening, they could see a nightmarish tangle of webs and egg sacs, with the skittering shapes of Spiranids lurking in the shadows in the far corners of the room.
The Queen was positioned in the center of the room, completely exposed by a cluster of eggs. Henry watched as Ron leveled his Gustaf, taking aim at the Queen while they stayed along the wall to ensure Ron’s backblast was clear. It should have been an easy kill, but a flicker of movement caught Henry’s eye.
A blob of white flew across his vision, smacking into Ron just as he fired his weapon. The thick strands of webbing bypassed Kelmithus’ shielding and wrapped around him, sending him flying back a couple of meters. He landed on his back, his body and launcher completely stuck to the floor by the condensed silk.
Around the same time, the Gustaf’s projectile struck the Queen’s abdomen section. The resulting blast tore through its exoskeleton but was far from a fatal blow. The Queen shrieked, a sound far deeper than Henry expected.
“Fuck!” Ron shouted, struggling to break free from the webbing.
Henry exhaled. They were a man down, but helping him had to wait; the not-dead Queen and its minions took precedence. It would be great if he had another launcher in his own Holding Bag, but that was something he’d have to bring up to Chief Cole later. Henry tossed his grenades into the room, the pops mingling with the screeches of injured Spiranids. Ryan struck simultaneously, throwing his own collection into the mix. Like firecrackers, the explosives were violent but short-lived.
As the chaos subsided, Henry pushed in. Raising his shotgun, he tore through a Spiranid that pounced at him, its carcass smoldering from the white phosphorous. Beside him, Isaac, Ryan, and Dr. Anderson’s shots rang out, tearing through their own sectors of fire.
Almost immediately upon their entry, the Queen surged forward with terrifying speed. It reared its head back like it was about to vomit, mandibles covered in a sick, yellowish color. Henry recognized immediately what it was trying to do. “Acid, move!”
Henry dove away from his previous position, taking a shot at another Spiranid that had taken the opportunity to jump at him while its master was preparing to attack. He narrowly escaped the lethal spray as it jetted toward him. The acid splattered on the ground where they had stood not even a second before, sizzling fiercely as it corroded the thick webbing sprawled across the floor. He noticed as he ran that, rather curiously, the acid was simply puddling on the floor. There was no damage to the floor itself, but if it could tear apart high-quality monster silk just like that, he didn’t want to find out what it could do to an envirosuit.
Henry glanced back after blasting apart his third Spiranid. His teammates were fine – Ryan helping him keep the Queen’s attention, Sera already on her way to Ron, and the others taking care of the smaller Spiranids. He tried to get a quick headcount of how many Spiranids they’d already eliminated. Between their guns, Kelmithus’ magic, and the grenades, he estimated they had killed at least a dozen so far. Solid progress, but the fact that they weren’t able to take out the Queen with their first strike was an issue.
Henry rolled to his left as the Queen pounced on his previous position. It was fucking fast, like a Goliath birdeater but scaled up – and with nasty abilities that really shouldn’t belong on a creature like this. He recovered quickly and took aim, firing point-blank into its thorax. The white phosphorous pellets hissed as they burned into its exoskeleton, forcing it back.
Beside him, Ryan’s shotgun boomed. He struck the Queen’s legs, which seemed to be more fragile than the thick exoskeleton surrounding the head and thorax. The pellets bit into the chitin, likely striking a nerve as evidenced by the leg’s subsequent buckling and collapse. It was a lucky shot – one that he doubted they could repeat four or five more times.
“Sera, use my knife! Here, right here!” Ron called out.
Sera’s sword must’ve been too large to effectively cut through the webbing. They had to hurry up. He and Ryan had been dodging the Queen’s attacks, but mostly by a hair’s breadth. All it took was one lucky hit from the Queen to put them out of commission, possibly for good. “Sera, status on Ron?”
“One minute!” she responded.
Damn. That was one minute later than he’d hoped. Reacting instinctively, Henry noted the Queen raising one of its legs – a sure sign of it preparing for another attack. The Queen struck again, this time cleaving the air with the leg, aiming to corral him into a predictable escape route. As its leg swept through the air, Henry caught sight of the Queen rearing its head back in a grotesque mimicry of a snake about to strike – another acid attack.
Anticipating the monster’s strategy, Henry feinted to the right, a move he hoped would mislead it about his true intentions. As the Queen’s head followed his feint, Henry twisted sharply, scraping against the rough ground. With a powerful push from his legs, he launched backward just as the Queen unleashed its attack.
Acid spewed forth in a wide arc, splattering where he had just been. The corrosive globs almost instantly melted the webbing on the floor, collecting into pools. And there was the second issue. The longer this fight dragged on, the less room they’d have to maneuver.
Henry unloaded into the creature’s compound eyes before tossing a flashbang near its legs. The creature staggered backward, blinded in both its eyes and its sensory hairs. Henry used the precious few seconds he bought to reload his weapon and check up on his team. “Yen, sitrep?”
“Stragglers neutralized; we’re moving to you now.”
Automatic gunfire erupted as Isaac and Dr. Anderson joined the fight against the Queen, dumping their mags on the creature’s head. The 6.8mm seemed to penetrate well, but he could say the same if they fought an elephant; the Spiranid Queen was simply too large for the relatively small caliber rounds to have any effect besides pissing it off.
The Queen lunged again, its legs surrounding him from all sides. There was only one way out, and it was through the belly of the beast. Henry rushed forward, ducking under the Queen’s mandibles as he slid underneath its abdomen. He fired his shotgun as quickly as he could, unloading pellets into the beast’s underbelly. The white phosphorous scorched the softer flesh, drawing a shriek of pain from the massive creature.
As the Queen writhed under the relentless assault, Ryan and the others seized the moment to reload their weapons and reposition. They poured everything they had into the creature’s cephalothorax, bluish ichor oozing from the hundreds of new wounds that they opened up. Yet, it was like chipping away at a mountain – it simply wasn’t enough. The creature thrashed around violently in response; Henry knew it was only a matter of time before it landed a hit on someone.
And land a hit it did. With a terrifying swiftness, one of its massive legs slammed into Henry’s chest, launching him backward. The shield Kelmithus cast on him flickered as it absorbed the brunt of the impact. He crashed into an egg sac by the entrance – its membrane ruptured on impact, drenching him in a sticky, corrosive slime. The sac provided little cushion, and he hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him.
Pain flared across Henry’s chest where the Queen’s leg had struck him. Gasping for breath and battling the encroaching blackness in his vision, he instinctively checked his envirosuit. He started with the areas he could see, glancing down at his chest. It was visibly deformed, dented but not quite a gash.
Still intact, thank goodness. No breach, but another hit like that would be disastrous. He breathed a sigh of relief, his chest hurting like hell as he did so. He checked his sides and back. Parts of his suit were covered in slime from the egg sac. It didn’t seem as corrosive as the Queen’s acid, but it was still a hazard. Quickly, he swiped at it, removing as much as possible with his gloved hands to prevent further damage.
He forced himself up, grabbing his shotgun from the floor. The Queen was already barreling toward him, the damn monster not letting up. He didn’t have time to make a run for it; he needed to jump to one side or the other, and the timing needed to be perfect. Just as the Queen’s shadow engulfed him, the air turned icy cold, frost creeping up on his visor.
Ice formed from thin air, spearing up from the ground and piercing through the Queen’s legs. The spikes rooted the beast in place. Not one to waste an opportunity, Henry dashed away from the entrance, firing at the immobilized giant spider as he linked up with the others.
“Sera?” Henry asked again.
Sera’s voice came in strained. “Almost…” Then, with a triumphant shout, she announced the word Henry had been desperate to hear. “Done!”
“Owens!” Henry said, risking a glance back.
Ron had already grabbed his Gustaf and was in the process of loading another HEAT round. “On it!”
Henry grinned. It was a relief, to be sure. With Ron free and back in the fight, the odds had just tipped heavily in their favor. The Queen was tough, but it wasn’t invincible; they just needed an opening.
Given the damage the Queen sustained to its body, Henry couldn’t imagine it being in peak fighting condition. Even in its weakened state, though, it still had the capability to dodge Ron’s attack, and it seemed to be saving its web ability for that very inevitability.
“Take out the legs!” Henry ordered.
They combined their fire on the left legs, since Ryan managed to break one of them earlier. He heard a crack that might’ve been the chitin giving way or the leg snapping, but it was hard to tell. He was just about to chalk it up to the prevailing gunfire around them, but then he saw it: a brief stumble. The Queen recovered quickly, but it was clear to Henry that it wouldn’t be able to manage any more damage to its legs.
Then, he noticed a blur in his peripheral vision to his right, moving so fast his eyes could barely keep up. Shit, he was certain he kept track of the Queen’s movements. With the existing damage to his envirosuit, he’d be completely fucked. He braced himself for another impact, but it never came.
As he focused harder on the blur, he caught a glimpse of a flash of light that could only be one thing – Sera’s sword, And, just like a flash of lightning, she had already cleared the vicinity of the Queen. The Queen’s foreleg seemed to simply vanish, severed so cleanly that it took a moment for the beast to realize what had happened. When it did, it let out a screech of pain, its balance faltering as it tried to adapt to the sudden change.
While Henry focused on taking out another leg from the left side, Sera had already shifted to her next target. Their assault was brutal: white phosphorus pellets and hard-hitting 6.8mm on one side, ice magic and skilled swordsmanship on the other. And to think, they managed to inflict all this damage by the time Ron completed his reload.
“Clear the way!” Ron called out, his Gustaf aimed right at the Queen’s head.
Henry jumped back, watching as Kelmithus conjured another set of ice spikes to root the beast again, in case the five obliterated legs weren’t enough to keep it down. The Queen thrashed against the icy bonds, its remaining legs slashing through the air in a frenzied bid for freedom. It spat acid – a tactic that would’ve worked effectively on most other materials, but instead simply got diluted with the melting ice. Even as the acid reacted with the ice, the spikes held firm, anchoring the beast in place like steel cables.
Henry’s heart pounded in his ears. Come on, Owens, he urged silently. Take the shot.
As if on cue, Ron pulled the trigger. The Gustaf bucked in his hands as the HEAT round streaked towards its target. Henry barely had time to brace himself before the explosion hit, the shockwave slamming into him and nearly toppling him over. He staggered back, gazing into the settling dust.
When the smoke cleared, the Queen’s head was obliterated – replaced by a gory mess of shattered chitin and pulverized flesh. Blood sprayed from the gaping hole, covering the ground in a pale blue hue. The creature’s body convulsed, its remaining legs scrabbling weakly at their surroundings.
A surge of triumph washed over Henry, but it was fleeting. From the corner of his eye, he locked on to a glimpse of movement. One of the Queen’s legs continued to spasmodically jerk around and spray the ground with blue ichor. He raised his shotgun in a nonchalant motion and blasted the errant limb, watching as it shuddered and went still.
Sera stepped up, her sword barely catching the light as she jammed it into what was left of the Queen’s thorax. A sharp twist, and it was over. She then yanked the blade from the carcass, her grip shifting subtly along the hilt. As she flicked the sword, frost swiftly coated the ichor clinging to the metal. The frozen debris was flung off, hitting the ground and shattering like glass.
He glanced down at his Holding Bag. Damn, the fight took out most of his shells. Swapping out his shotgun for his M7, he turned to his team and took stock of their condition. It seemed everyone had mostly gone unscathed, only debris and dirt scarring their envirosuits. Well, except for himself and Ron. “Think we’re gonna have to start calling you pinata now,” Henry said, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
Ron scoffed. “Yeah? Says the runner-up,” he said, tapping the dent on Henry’s envirosuit. “Better ‘pinata’ than ‘roadkill’, though. But seriously, what’s next? Don’t even know where to start.”
The room was empty, save for the debris strewn about and the singular obelisk standing in the center of the room. He didn’t notice it earlier, but as he got closer, he realized that the obelisk emitted a faint light that barely escaped the canopy of webs. He looked it up and down before turning to the others. “Only one place to start. Let’s clear out the webs, see what’s hiding below.”
“Doc, Kel, clear out the eggs. Hayes, Sera, see if the Queen’s got anything useful. Everyone else focus on the webs,” Henry ordered.
Ron drew his knife and started slicing through the dense cobwebs. “Hey, what y’all think the Queen’s Tier is?”
Isaac paused to consider. “Eh, Tier 8, probably. Minotaur boss and Rillifane boss were both Tier 8, so I’d say the spider’s around the same level.”
“Well, the resilience of the specimen isn’t a definitive measure of the Tier,” Dr. Anderson pointed out. “It’s quite possible that we merely had the most suitable tools at hand in this particular encounter.”
“The scholar speaks truly,” Sera agreed. “There is nary a defining criterion; defense is but one of many that are considered by the Guild. Were it so simple, Kelmithus and I would have attained Tier 9 ere now.”
“So, what do you think the Queen is, then? Tier 7 maybe?” Ron asked.
Henry shook his head. Tier 7 didn’t seem accurate. Using his knife to scrape some of the webbing off his glove, he voiced, “Spiranids are weak in general, but are classified as Tier 5 or higher because of their traps, ambush tactics, numbers, and abilities. Archers can use Wind Snipe and mages can use wide-area spellcasting, but they can’t reliably penetrate the exoskeleton’s armor. If anything, this is probably on the lower end of Tier 9.”
“Tier 9, huh?” Isaac muttered.
Sera smiled as she stood back. She stuffed a frost-covered gland into her holding bag and paused from her work as she chimed in, “Hmm… how keen. I expected nothing less from the first Tier 6 entrants in Eldralore’s history! It shows plain why the Guild did so swiftly raise you.”
“Hah,” Henry chuckled. It was an amusing thought, but… “Say, ya think we can get to Tier 7 after this?”
Sera’s eyebrows shot up. “Tier 7? A mark of no slight merit. What have you achieved since attaining Tier 6?”
Henry reached to scratch his chin, then cursed softly as his glove thudded against his visor. “Well, we took down a Rillifane pack, a Sentinel Lindwyrm, and now this primal Spiranid Queen. That’s not too shabby, eh?”
“Firm victories,” Sera admitted, “but advancement weighs more than battle alone. The Guild also considers quest difficulty, knowledge gained therefrom, and impact – in other words, glory.”
“The Baranthurian Ruins,” Dr. Anderson blurted, taking the words out of Henry’s mouth. He turned to Kelmithus, who approached them after confirming that the eggs had been cleared out. “Surely, working with the Sanctum Arcanum must be quite the honour. The Guild holds their quests with high esteem, wouldn’t you say?”
Kelmithus nodded, burning a clump of disposed webs on the ground. “True as that may be, advancement oft hinges upon the cumulative experience of dozens of quests.”
“Well, ain’t no small feats for us lately,” Ryan remarked. “The quest to the Baranthurian ruins, what was it, Tier 8? Yeah, that was Tier 8. Sentinel Lindwyrm? Hell, Tier Nine. That there beast?” Ryan pointed his gun at the carcass of the Spiranid Queen. “Tier 9 as well.”
Ron interjected, “Plus we’ve been helping out along the way, like those villagers, and taking on quests others won’t touch. Honestly, the Hardale quest should be pretty weighty too, considering the Nobian shenanigans.”
Sera hummed, mulling over Alpha Team’s experiences. The fact that most of their quests at Tier 6 had essentially been Tier 7 quests or higher in difficulty was probably unheard of in the Guild. Not only that, but they’d been able to complete these difficult quests successfully. Hell, with flying colors, even. That had to count for something.
Henry looked over at Sera, stepping back as he allowed Kelmithus to dispose of the webs that he had cleared out. “So, whaddya think? Based on what we’ve done, you think we got a shot at Tier 7?”
Sera looked up at the ceiling as she weighed her response. “Ehh, you’ve a strong case. Alas, it’s Taldren’s call to make. His favor seems yours, though; I wager he’ll agree.”
Henry grinned. Moving up meant they could have access to more quests. Naturally, that also meant better rewards and in turn, access to some truly magical equipment. “Good to hear. Guess we’ll see to it once we get back to Eldralore. Now, we should probably –”
A soft glow of light gradually lit up the room, interrupting Henry mid-sentence. He squinted, readying his weapon. The light came from the walls and ceiling, illuminating the once-dark chamber. The obelisk, now free of webs, now hummed… healthily? It wasn’t like he had a manual to tell him if this was a good or bad development, but judging from the facility’s reaction, it must’ve worked.
Henry glanced at his HUD. The temperature readings were rising, too. The icy chill from Kelmithus’ magic rapidly dissipated as the environmental controls kicked in. “Well, looks like we’ve done all we can here. Let’s head back to the containment cell room and see if we can find anything else of interest.”
– – –
Outskirts of GB-2, Grenden Forest
Carvus Alnect Virelius narrowed his gaze toward the brightening sky, his eyes cutting through the retreating mist that had long veiled the forest’s canopy. This unprecedented clarity above the ruins was strange. After centuries cloaked in an impenetrable fog, why did the skies clear now?
The Umber Vicearch’s mind worked like a whetstone, sharpening the fragments of reports from his scouts, cryptic as they were. The recent skirmish, occurring concurrently with the lifting fog, could not be mere happenstance. Regardless of the answer, the unexpected fold presented a welcome complexity to test his mettle.
He set his thoughts aside as the sound of footsteps approached.
“Leuarch Eldreyn reporting, milord,” one of his men said. “We’ve word from Serarch Trelian.”
Carvus gave him a nod to continue.
Eldreyn relayed the news. “The scouts espy traces of battle: a fallen Sentinel Lindwyrm and two carriages left abandoned near the cave’s entrance. The land bears scars from some form of magic, strewn with strange metal tubes and other objects unknown to us. Save for the Lindwyrm, no other bodies are to be found. What are your commands, milord?”
Carvus took a deep breath. No other bodies? Two carriages? That such a formidable creature was felled with no apparent casualties among their ranks suggested a small but extraordinarily capable force. Each member was no doubt Tier 7 at the least. The limited number of carriages implied a party not larger than ten. But… what could the metal objects mean?
Powerful though they might be, could such a small group withstand his numbers? Carvus entertained the thought briefly. No, direct confrontation would be unwise. The site bore secrets too vital to squander on rash gambles. Better to maneuver them into a position where the only viable option would be to comply with his demands.
“Hold our position, Lornus,” Carvus commanded. While he preferred the safety of their hidden vantage in the forest, the intrigue of Trelian’s findings – the slain Lindwyrm – was too compelling to ignore. “The contents of Trelian’s report compel our own investigation. Lead us, that we might see for ourselves.”
“As you command, milord.”
It was a short walk to the clearing. As they reached the treeline, Carvus held up a hand, signaling his men to halt – they should go no further than the cover of the forest. The aftermath of the battle lay evident before them. The massive form of the Sentinel Lindwyrm sprawled near the far side of the clearing, its outline murky at a distance.
Carvus squinted, adjusting his position slightly for a better view. He felt his jaw drop, a lapse in composure that surprised even him. Yet, who could fault him? The beast lay nearly torn asunder, its massive body riddled with gaping, jagged wounds that no sword or arrow could inflict. Indeed, not even traditional siege weapons or combat spells could inflict such damage.
The destructive capability of fyric powder was well-known to him – he had seen its use in adamantite mines. The wounds on the Lindwyrm, however, spoke of a force of another Tier entirely. Where fyric powder might clear a path through a stubborn boulder, the agent used against the Sentinel Lindwyrm seemed capable of obliterating several boulders at once, perhaps even an entire cliffside.
Turning his attention from the ravaged beast, he scanned the battlefield. Among the chaos, his eyes caught the glint of metal – strange tubes scattered about, all some lighter shade of bronze. The craters were blackened and littered with debris: shards of metal mixed with wires. This was clearly no ordinary skirmish.
He moved closer to the tree line, cautiously examining the unfamiliar objects. The metal tubes bore no resemblance to any weapons known to Nobian forces. However, their presence here implied that somehow, these objects were related to the catastrophic wounds on the Lindwyrm.
Near the cave’s entrance, two metal carriages lay abandoned. Their exteriors were marred by dirt and marked with an array of dents that appeared to be from the Lindwyrm’s armored tail. The carriages, in style and make, aligned with reports of American machines observed by their Umbercari in distant Eldralore. Mounted atop each was a long cylinder. As foreign as they were, he could tell they were weapons – ones capable of unleashing formidable destruction.
Adventurers throughout the ages had ventured here, all repelled by the formidable Lindwyrm that long guarded these grounds. Had it been folly to devote their resources to the conquest of their neighbors, rather than to mastering and exploiting this site? Such questions surpassed his station, yet irrespective of the answers, the Emperor would surely take no pleasure in learning that he had allowed Americans to plunder the Gatebuilder’s secrets.
Carvus turned to Lornus. “Bid our scouts to investigate the cave.” As Leuarch Eldreyn departed to carry out the orders, he beckoned to one of his serarchs. “Bring me one of those metal tubes. I wish to examine it.”
He sat on a rock, watching the light bend around the man’s form until he vanished from sight. The serarch then adjusted the temperature around his body, matching it to that of the forest. Were it not for the subtle shifts in the man’s mana as he held the spells, Carvus would have surely lost track of him.
The serarch made his way forth, passing through the trees and into the clearing beyond. With haste, he seized upon one of the tubes that lay scattered about, and then, as quick as he had come, he turned and made his way back to the forest’s edge. When at last he returned, Carvus stood up and held out his hand.
The tube, lighter than its solidity might have portended, was chill to the touch and was marked by a patina that showed clear signs of bending. He tried to bend it with his fingers, but the metal resisted. Even when he used magic to strengthen himself, it yielded naught but scant impression. What could have possibly moved the metal?
Looking closely, he noticed that the metal wasn’t bronze, as he had first thought. Though bearing a hue akin to bronze, it was of a kind unfamiliar to him. The surface was engraved with American script – characters and sequences that held little meaning to him. Yet, to deem the letters ‘engraved’ would be to err; it was as if they were imprinted with a craftsmanship nary a smith could rival.
He turned it over in his hands, his eyes drawn to a circular groove near the base. Examining both ends, Carvus noted the open end was distorted as if a great force had expelled something from within – an insight into his previous question. The other end was sealed, marked by a small, precise indentation. He held it up, aligning it with a similarly sized hole in a nearby tree.
This was no common weapon. As a trebuchet releases its load, so too must this tube have hurled its own projectile. It gave him an idea. What if one were to use an adamantite tube with fyric powder, place a keen arrowhead atop, and ignite the mixture below? Would it rival a standard Wind Snipe combined with physical enhancement magic?
Carvus’ thoughts were interrupted by someone calling out to him. “Milord.”
“Hm?” He looked up, finding the face of Leuarch Franus. “What is it, Martano?”
He hesitated, as if second-guessing his words. “The… The Lindwyrm… The men grow restless, milord. They wish to claim the spoils of this battle – the Sentinel Lindwyrm’s materials are prized in many a lore. And these carriages, would it not profit us to salvage what we can? They may hold more secrets – or riches.”
He turned the leuarch’s words over in his mind as he would a well-worn coin. In truth, the idea held merit. Even the smallest measure of a Lindwyrm’s blood was a treasure beyond compare – to say nothing of the other materials, sought after by alchemists and smiths alike. That the Americans had forgone harvest was a curious thing indeed. Could it be that they were ignorant of the creature’s true worth? Or perhaps, had they found something more valuable?
And then there were the carriages, gleaming in the sun like ripe fruit waiting to be plucked. If they could but glean some understanding of how the Americans had so deftly slain a beast of the Lindwyrm’s standing, it would surely prove a boon to the Empire’s own martial pursuits. Perhaps, armed with such knowledge, they might at last gain the upper hand against the accursed Sonarans.
Carvus cast his gaze once more upon the clearing, then turned to face Martano. “Aye,” he said. “Let it be so.”
Yet, as he made to step forth, a low, droning sound beckoned his attention – a buzzing hum that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. The unfamiliar noise compelled him to halt. He raised his hand, stopping his men as he searched for the noise. He tilted his head skyward, squinting as he beheld a strange sight: a winged thing hanging in the air above the clearing, like an animal circling its prey. As the sunlight reflected off its surface, it became evident to him that this was no creature of flesh, but a machine – much like the metal carriages.
“Hold,” Carvus ordered. “We dare not venture forth.”
Martano stepped forward, doubt and confusion etched across his face. “But, milord, if we shroud ourselves in invisibility, surely they cannot see us.”
Carvus shook his head. “Nay; recall the umbercari we sent to infiltrate the Duke’s mansion. They, too, thought themselves hidden, yet were somehow discovered. We know not what sorcery that flying machine might possess, and we cannot risk exposing ourselves.”
Before Martano could respond or venture any further protest, the scouts returned, led by Serarch Trelian. The search bowed his head before providing his report, “Milord, the cave lies empty, and the Lindwyrm’s nest remains untouched. We discovered footprints leading to a great sealed door, which we believe to be the entrance to the ruins.”
Carvus nodded. The Americans had ventured forth and left the loot behind for a reason. He thought back to a fortress that the Empire once sacrificed to encircle the forces of the now-conquered Kingdom of Durenelle. “So be it. Let us abandon these lesser spoils. As our adversaries have forgone these spoils in pursuit of greater gains, so must we sacrifice Straltus.”
Next

It's your friendly neighborhood deal hunter back at it again with your weekly grocery deals.
Here's a sneak peek at some of this week's deals - Sales for May 16th to May 22nd, 2024.
This week's got some seriously good finds to keep your wallet happy and your fridge stocked. Here's what caught my eye:

Farm Boy

• Chicken breast (boneless skinless): $5.99 per lb - This is a standard price for boneless, skinless chicken breast.
• Wild-caught Argentinian shrimp (23-30ct): $7.99 340g/bag - This is a good price for decent-sized, wild-caught Argentinian shrimp.
• Mini cucumbers: $5.00 for 2/6-packs - Same great price on mini cucumbers as before!
• Canadian Fiddleheads (fresh daily): $5.99/lb - This is a cool find! Fiddleheads are a fun seasonal item, so why not try them out?
• Hothouse tomatoes: $1.49/lb - This is a good price for hothouse tomatoes!
• Eggplant: $1.49/lb - This is a fantastic price for eggplant! Usually, it's closer to $2 a pound or more.
• Zucchini: $1.49/lb - This is a good price for zucchini! You might find it cheaper, but it'll take some effort.
• Green onion: $0.77 per bunch - This is a great price for green onions! It's almost surprising to see them under a dollar.
• Blueberries: $2.99 full pint (473g) - This is a fantastic deal on blueberries! Definitely worth picking some up.

Food Basics

• Ground chicken (lean, Zabiha): $3.88 450g/pack - This is a great price for lean ground chicken!
• Fresh 100% Quarter Pound (¼ lb) Lean Ground Beef Burgers: $4.00/4-pack: These beef burger patties work out to $4 per pound, which is a good deal! Especially considering the buns are also on sale. This is basically $10 for 8 delicious homemade burgers!
• Asparagus: $1.98/lb - This is an excellent price on asparagus! Especially since it's priced by the pound, not by the smaller bunches.
• Sweet peppers: $2.98/4-pack - This is a nice price for sweet peppers!
• Sweet potato and sweet purple potato: $1.28/lb - This is a fair price for sweet potatoes. It's neat that the purple sweet potatoes are included in the same deal.
• Coleslaw kit (Green Giant): $5.00 for 2 340g kits - This is a great price for coleslaw salad kits!
• Mini potatoes: $2.98 5lb/bag - This is a good price for a 5lb bag of mini potatoes!
• Strawberries: $1.67 454g/shell - This is an amazing deal on strawberries! Here's hoping they taste great too!
• Cherries: $5.98/lb - This is a decent price for cherries. The commenter recommends making homemade yogurt popsicles with them, although they do admit it's a bit of work to pit them.
• Brick cheese (Selection): $4.44 400g/bar - This is a nice price on brick cheese! Under $5 for a whole bar!
• BBQ Sauce and Mustard (Selection): $1.00/each - This is a nice find! Especially if you're planning on making burgers this week, stocking up on condiments at this price is a good idea.

Freshco (price matcher)

• Frozen burgers (Compliments): $9.99 1.13kg box (8-pack) - While this comes out to about $3/lb for beef, it's important to remember these are frozen, processed burgers. They contain ingredients like bread crumbs and flour, and have a higher saturated fat content than fresh patties. Read the label and make an informed choice!
• Wild-caught Argentinian shrimp (23-30ct): $6.99 300g/bag - This is a good price for wild-caught Argentinian shrimp!
• Sweet peppers: $2.99/4-pack - Another great deal on sweet peppers!
• Mushrooms: $2.99 454g/shell - This is a fantastic price on mushrooms! Stock up while they're on sale.
• Green beans: $1.99/lb - Awesome price for green beans, just like last week!
• Royal Gala apples: $1.49/lb - This is a good price for Royal Gala apples, but you might be able to find them even cheaper if you wait for a sale.
• Blueberries: $2.49/full pint - Another fantastic sale on blueberries!

No Frills (price matcher)

• Beef burgers (No Name): $9.99 1.36kg/12-pack - These frozen burgers are similar to the Compliments brand we saw earlier, but they're smaller and have more sugar and weird ingredients like "onion extract" and "corn syrup solids" than the Compliments ones. They also don't mention the saturated fat content.
• Fresh Chicken Drumsticks: $1.87/lb - This is a fantastic price on fresh chicken drumsticks! At only $1.87 per pound, it's a great time to grab some for your favorite recipes.
• Ground chicken or turkey: $8.00 870g/pack - This is a decent price for ground chicken or turkey, at about $4.20 per pound.
• Ground beef (lean): $6.00 450g/tube - This isn't a great price for ground beef since it comes in a tube.
• Steelhead trout fillet: $9.99/lb - This is the standard price for steelhead trout.
• Asparagus: $2.99/lb - This is an okay price for asparagus, but No Frills sometimes has better deals.
• Green beans: $2.99/lb - Same with the green beans, No Frills has offered lower prices in the past.
• Cucumber: $0.99/each - This is a good price for cucumbers.
• Mini-cucumber: $3.99 11-pack - This is a fair price
• Watermelon (9lb average): $2.99/each - This is a good price for a watermelon.
• Ataulfo mangoes: $5.64 5lb/case - This is a good deal on Ataulfo mangoes, which should come out to about 8 mangoes.
• Pineapple: $2.99/each - This is a good price for a pineapple.
• Brick cheese (Armstrong): $5.49 400g/bar - The price of cheese seems to be going up a bit everywhere.
• Black Diamond Cheese Slices, 22 Slices, 410 g: $2.49 - Save 36% - $3.88 at Walmart.
• Dry pasta (Italpasta): $1.25 750g/packs - This is a good price for dry pasta. Stock up if you're planning on making a pasta salad.

Real Canadian Superstore (price matcher)

• Beef rib-steak (ungraded): $7.88/lb - Not the best deal. You're paying graded prices for ungraded meat.
• Golden Pompano (frozen): $2.88/lb - This seems to be a store-specific deal. Has anyone tried this fish before?
• Dressed Tilapia (frozen): $2.88/lb - This means the frozen tilapia comes with the tail and fins already removed.
• Potatoes: $5.50 10lb/bag - This is a great deal on a big bag of potatoes!
• Corn: $0.40/ear - This is an incredible price on corn! It might even be a loss-leader for the store, so stock up if you can.
• Watermelon (11lb average): $3.99/each - This is a good price for a large watermelon.
• Pineapple: $3.00/each - This is a good price for a pineapple.

Sobeys

• Chicken thighs (boneless skinless): $5.99/lb - This is an okay price for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but there might be better deals out there this week.
• Beef striploin steaks (AA): $8.77/lb - Scene Member Price - This price is only available to Scene members.
• Beef sirloin tip roast or marinating steaks (AAA): $8.99/lb - This is a tough call. Sirloin tip is leaner but might be less tender than the striploin. The higher AAA grade might make it more tender though. It depends what you're looking for.
• Lobster (live): $10.99/lb - Scene Member Price - This is a good price on live lobster, but only for Scene members.
• Asparagus: $2.44/lb - Good price! This is a good price on asparagus!
• Green beans: $2.67/lb - Good price! This is a good price on green beans!
• Bok choy: $0.99/lb - Amazing price. I don't get how other places charge $2/lb+ for choy, and then you have Sobeys of all stores swooping in to steal the show! This is an incredible price on bok choy! Sobey's is undercutting the competition with this amazing deal.
• Asian pears: $0.99/lb - Awesome price! This is a great price on Asian pears!
• Brick cheese (Cracker Barrel): $5.77 400g/bar - This Cracker Barrel brick cheese seems a bit pricey compared to other options.

Walmart

• Ground beef (lean): $3.97/lb - This is a fantastic price for lean ground beef! Time to fire up the grill and make some delicious burgers!
• Asparagus: $2.97/lb - This is a fair price for asparagus. It's not the biggest discount, but it's still a good option if you're looking for some.
• Corn: $0.32/ear - This is the best deal on corn this week! At only 32 cents an ear, you can't beat this price.
• Potatoes: $4.97 10 lb/bag - This is a good price for a big bag of potatoes. Stock up on your favorite starchy side dish!
• Coleslaw kit: $2.77 397g/kit - This is a good price for a decent-sized coleslaw kit. Perfect for a quick and easy side dish.
• Strawberries: $1.84 454g/shell - This is an amazing price on strawberries! Stock up while they're this cheap.
• Pineapple: $3.97/each - This isn't a bad price for pineapple. Remember, pineapples take a long time to grow, so appreciate the good deals when you see them!
• Brick cheese (Armstrong): $4.94 400g/bar - Another sale on Armstrong brick cheese for around $5!

Costco

• Gain Cold Water Liquid Laundry Detergent with Oxi: $17.49 - Save $3.80
  
• Finish Quantum Ultimate Plus Dishwasher Detergent Pack of 96 tablets: $17.99 - Save $6.00
  
• Ecos Earth Friendly Liquid Laundry 225 Washloads : 16.99 - Save $5
  
• Purex Cold Water Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent 250 wash loads : 17.49 - Save $4.50
  
• Cashmere Premium 2-ply Bathroom Tissue 40-pack: 19.99 - Save $5
  
• Cascade Power Clean Dishwasher Detergent 115 ActionPacs : 18.49 - Save $4.50
  
• Finish Quantum Jet-Dry Ultra Rinse Agent 315 washes : $9.99 - Save $4.50
  
• OxiClean Max Efficiency Stain Remover 275 loads : $16.99 - Save $5.50
  
• Dawn Ultra Platinum Advanced Power Dishwashing Liquid 2.66 L : $10.99 - Save $3.00
  

P.S. Let me know if you find any other amazing deals at Costco – always happy to share the savings!
🙏 Loving the content so far? Share the love with a friend! If you know someone who might enjoy this, it would make my day if you could forward it their way.🙏
Reference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RJ5pfn7QZOA8YTP-TxjcjSwQI4Bd6OghyF9igf_1Xtw/edit?usp=sharing

The next day finds the military part of the Bridger family waiting in one of the larger cargo bays. Paladin company and Shark Platoon are on hand, all in full power armor except for Makula, with the exception of Jaruna who's standing next to Jerry in a family uniform with her shotgun and sword slung over her back. Jerry had also elected for a dress uniform today, though he'd paired it with a 'ceremonial' curaiss that could still take a hit from a plasma cannon or two... and concealed a small shield generator. Mixed with his cloak and the Crimsonhewer war ax on his belt, Jerry thought he looked every bit the barbarian warlord... if a bit too clean cut for a Hollywood depiction of such.
The situation reminded Jerry of a similar reception back on Serbow... but this one was a bit less ceremonial and a bit more... dynamic. They didn't have any formal bonds with Clan Karchara, or their Khan, Komugai. So as a meeting of two new to each other factions, things could get... exciting. Which considering they were talking about Cannidor meant that things could potentially get very violent, very quickly.
They usually didn't. Not any more. Yet... it never helped to play it safe, even with a clan that had a decent reputation like the Karchara. More cut throat clans had been heard to disguise themselves for meetings like this for meetings so they could ambush their targets after all. Plus as always, there was tradition to observe and satisfy. Tradition which could be best summarized as 'Offer one hand, but arm the other.'. The Cannidor were ready to fight a war naked among any people but their own. They were beyond dangerous. So an armed society wasn't so much a polite society as the unarmed were likely mentally infirm, and to be politely left to their own devices.
A sharp whistle from the 1MC draws Jerry from his thoughts.
"Now hear this! The Clan Karchara envoy is arriving!"
The Karchara drop ship slides into view out of the black and makes it's way towards the docking day with all the leisurely grace of a terrestrial shark swimming towards a coral reef. Whoever's piloting it is clearly a hot hand on the stick because the ship moves as smooth as anything Jerry had ever seen out of Cruel Space, extending it's landing gear and coming to a halt with nary a hint of a bounce in it's suspension and shock absorbing gear.
"Hmmm. The Karchara..." Jaruna rumbles. "An interesting contact in Cannidor space to be sure. So to recap what we talked about, they're somewhat on and off again allies of my old clan. Decent types for the most part. No idea who the Khan is now, and a little searching online didn't turn anything up. Don't think the intelligence weasels had anything either. Save that they've been having some internal structural changes. Seized a new planet too, lighting raid, unconventional tactics, whatever that means. Gives them complete control of... ten decently populated and industrialized star systems I think. They're firmly in the middle of the power band for the Khans by that measurement, exact position depends on the number of warriors under arms they can bring to the Golden Khan's muster."
"Right. Well. Guess we'll have to see what Khan Karchara wants to chat about, and hear about this plan of hers."
The Karchara drop ship settles onto it's landing gear, and it's flight crew leaves the engines running. Tradition. You never knew if a reception was actually friendly after all, and it was also a mark of respect for the hosts. You might be asked to fuck off after all.
The forward assault ramp drops, and the honor guard warriors of the Khan march out, in power armor, but with their helmets off, fanning out to cover their leader. The lack of helmets was very much a declaration of intent, the human equivalent of open palms for a Cannidor in power armor.
Jaruna's brow instantly furrows as she scans the faces of the honor guard.
"...Wait. I know some of those girls. One of my aunts, Norkath is there on the left, and that's... but that."
Jerry can hear Jaruna's brain crunching that information.
"...Komugai. You said the Khan's name was Komugai? Not Jelvuna?"
"Definently Komugai."
"...Unless she changed her name... but then would Aunt Norkath join the Karchara proper without her...?"
Jaruna mutters to herself, clearly trying to puzzle whatever's eating at her out, when the sound of heavy boots on the assault ramp sound, and an utterly massive Cannidor woman starts to come into view. She cuts an imposing presence. Her uniform not too far off from Jerry's, a mix of barbarian warlord and modern dress uniform. The massive war ax over her shoulder tipping the scales on the barbarian - modern officer scale towards barbarian. It was easy to miss her other various weapons in the sheer scale of her. Her stark white fur, the three brutal scars across her muzzle, and another two over her left eye, which had a cybernetic replacement.
Khan Karchara stands for a moment, surveying the room silently... and before anyone can say anything, Jaruna breaks the silence;
"...Mom?"
Khan Karchara cuts loose with a booming laugh that reminds Jerry of Khan Isuras, and if this is indeed Jaruna's mother, he can immediately see exactly why the two women cut palms and swore sisterhood. He wouldn't be hard pressed to believe they were actual sisters.
"Heh. Glad to see all that time on Centris hasn't dulled your powers of observation! Always said you were a sharp one."
There's no sarcasm there, a little maternal teasing perhaps, but she's not mocking Jaruna. Anyone with eyes can tell Khan Karchara is damn proud of her child.
"And this'd be my son in law... bit small but hell just from your first date with my little girl I know you're a first class head kicker, plus you already gave me four grandbabies to spoil! Hahah. I suppose these bigguns here are the older girls? I... say. I thought there was three of you."
Karchara points at Makula.
"You're a bit old to be Hippolyta considering she was born a couple weeks ago. Who are you, girl?"
"Makula Sa'Bridger, I was adopted a few days ago. Honored Matron."
Karchara grins, her numerous teeth gleaming in the light of the hangar.
"Matron? Not Khan?"
"You are my mother's mother, standing in my family's clan hold. To refer to your title by right of blood is most appropriate."
Another bark of laughter.
"Well drilled and whip smart I see. You know the ways of our kind well, granddaughter." Karchara smirks, looking smug before turning to her honor guard.
"See girls? Five now! Haha! What a stud of a bull!"
Khan Karchara turns back to Jerry and Jaruna.
"Ah but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's get the formal bit done so we can go jaw a bit and then hopefully I can visit with my eldest daughter, my son in law and these fine young ladies."
She quickly shifts her body a bit, drawing herself up to her full, imposing twelve foot height.
"I am Komugai, Khan of Karchara. I come to broker peace and fellowship between our clans, to join them in a bond of steel that will stand the sword storm for all time."
Jerry nods slowly. More than they'd expected actually. That was laying out intent to conduct some very, very serious negotiations.
"I, Jeremiah, Khan of Bridger, Admiral of this fleet, lord of these proud warriors before you, bid you welcome, Komugai of Karchara, bring your banner among ours, that they might rest together while we discuss the business of peace, and of wars yet to come."
"Well spoken indeed... and the steel in your eyes." Komugai nods slowly. "Yes, I see what you see in him, Jaruna, well past his considerable combat skills. All the better my dear son-in-law that you have already begun working on my grand design... but come, let us dismiss our warriors that they might go and eat, drink and enjoy themselves. We need only you, Jaruna, and perhaps my granddaughters for this business, so that they might learn the ways of leadership."
"I think we can accommodate that." Jerry says before turning and pulling the ax off of his belt and raising it high, an ancient Cannidor signal for attention from the leader of a warband to their warriors.
"Warriors, we walk with friends, show them to the promenade, that they might share our table while we discuss business."
Jerry and Jaruna guide Komugai to the conference room they'd prepared, while Joan and the girls quickly hustle to get their armor stowed and get their tails to the same spot. None of them wanted to miss a minute of this!
Still, the tension in the room's fairly heavy when the door closes, and Jaruna turns on her mother.
"Alright. We got a couple minutes till the girls get up here. What the hell, mom? You changed your name? Took over the Karchara? What the heck is going on?"
Komugai settles herself in a Cannidor scale chair, grinning all the while.
"You should be happier, daughter. This was inspired by you after all. When you left our band. Left the old clan... I knew you were right. We won't speak of that business, but we were obligated... and I should have been brave enough to refuse, but I lacked the standing... and perhaps the courage. So I did what any good Khan worth her blades would do and crammed it down their throats. Broke that clan, took them in, then subsumed the Karchara with my new band. They've got the older name, so I became Khan Karchara instead of remaining Khan Jormuntide. Your Aunt's got the title now. I'd offer it to you, but you've got your own clan now."
"So Jormuntide remains at least." Jaruna shuts her eyes for a second and lets out a slow breath. "You really did all this because of my idealistic and childish temper tantrum nearly a century ago?"
"Hardly childish. Idealistic? Absolutely. There's something to be said for actually trying to live up to our own ideals though. Especially as warriors. However, that is personal business, and we have business to discuss for the Undaunted first."
Komugai turns to face Jerry square on.
"Admiral Bridger, I'm prepared to offer two things to the Undaunted. One. I want to ally myself and my clan formally with the Undaunted. Second, I prepared to gift an entire star system to the same from my holdings. It is populated, but sparsely across three habitable worlds. Ripe for ongoing colonization and industrialization. To keep things fair, people within my clans will be given a chance to move to or from as they please if for some reason they don't wish for Undaunted citizenship. The Undaunted will then have the standing to select a Khan for your Cannidor population, both in Cannidor space, and Undaunted wide. A non voting position at first, but as the clan grows you will achieve that status quickly I believe."
Jerry stops dead. "...Did you just offer us a star system with three habitable worlds?"
"Yes."
"...Okay, I'm on board, but why?"
"Simply put, the worlds are marginal. They need investment. They need settlers. You need worlds. A strong alliance with humanity... and being the first Cannidor clan to extend that hand formally, even having your realm within my space... only benefits me. As I grow my own territory I might even cede another system to the Undaunted. If the Undaunted Khan helps me in those battles I damn sure will." Komugai chuckles. "We'll see how many Khans are stupid enough to try to fight me in the next few decades of course. The other thing I'm trading on is Undaunted naval power. As you just learned, we don't really do navies. I want a professional navy, the Undaunted have agreed to help me get it... and help secure my space once we secure them my end of the bargain, that, Admiral, is where you come in."
Jerry arches an eyebrow and gestures for Komugai to continue.
"Simply put, you need to do what you just did with that border bandit Khan Irgalas, but across Cannidor space. This isn't a done deal. It's up to the Grand Council and I'm but one vote. You already have an in with some of the other Khans, and the Undaunted are doing business with Cannid Solutions. That's an excellent start, and you just made a stellar formal introduction of yourself to Cannidor space. A flawless orbital and ground fight like that'll make sure word gets around that the Undaunted are here... and as dangerous as their rep says they are. I got a little list of the other movers and shakers you need to press the flesh with to win over key parts of the council. You make the rounds, and I'll be doing the same on my end. We meet on Canis Prime for the council meeting, and then we either have a huge brawl to make our point or toast victory with some top quality booze."
"You make it sound pretty simple." Jerry says, clearly not believing there's all there is to it.
Komugai shrugs. "It is simple in its concept. Pressing the flesh and winning the various Khans over won't be. They'll all have their little tests and challenges for you to get the measure of both humans and the Undaunted. We've seen a lot on the trivid as a species. A lot of us have heard stuff in the news or from kin. This is your chance to just straight up show people who you are and what you're about. Because now you're here, and therefore 'real'. If that makes any sense. Cannidor don't really care much about shit happening on the other half of the galactic disk. Undaunted, Humans, being here? Now? Now people will really start paying attention besides idly seeing if there's some interesting amateur porn or more combat footage available."
The Khan points over at Joan, Boudicca, Khutulun and Makula. "These four will likely be very critical to the warrior house's opinion of you... your next generation of warriors, your daughters. How are they treated? How are they trained? What's their mettle like? If they're strong, and worthy, you will impress the khans in a very good way. If my granddaughters are found wanting, they'd question a great many things... and could cause trouble when the Grand Council meets to discuss my little proposal, among other orders of business."
Jerry looks over at Joan and the girls, all four of them are suddenly looking very tense, especially Makula. "I have every confidence in all of my daughters to deal with anything the Khans can throw at them. Even Hippolyta if a trial suited for an infant is on hand."
That gets a chuckle from the girls, relaxing them a hair.
"Still. We'll burn that bridge when we get there. No sense borrowing trouble that hasn't come yet."
Komugai nods. "Wise words. Your diplomats have already approved this plan on their end, they'll send you the itinerary and all the fussy details shortly. Unless you have other questions for me?"
"I've heard there's a grand council of patriarchs too. Would getting in good with them help?"
That gets a full on shrug from the massive warrior woman. "Yes? I mean. Probably. No good way to arrange that though beyond asking my hubby, and I have. He said their council will handle things if it's deemed appropriate, and I don't need to fuss about it too much, and I know a polite way to be asked to fuck off when I hear one... so keep your head on a swivel on that one Jerry, I'm sure the patriarchs are well aware of the Undaunted... and are looking at a possible way to make warriors out of their sons without making their wives piss their frilly panties."
The khan's brilliant white teeth glitter in the room. "Back when we were the more traditional kind of savages back on our homeworld, the bulls did a lot of the leading and the fighting on an individual basis. Women however have always fought the wars. As we grew as a species, developed power armor, space travel, had our population bloom, a bull fighting another in single combat became less practical, and the other traditional male roles of shaman, guide, and brain trust came to the forefront. The council of patriarchs is an old body Jerry. Pre space flight. One of our first forms of international diplomacy between the khans. The matriarchs hold all the power... but when the council of patriarchs speaks, people know to shut up and pay attention."
Jerry nods slowly. Seemed like he'd just have to wait and see... and make sure he made a good impression when the opportunity presented itself.
"Well. I think that concludes everything we need to talk about professionally. Unless you have something else Khan Karchara?"
"Aww, just call me Mama like my big fuzz ball over here used to when we're not working! I've heard a bit about this little fortress of yours, could you all give me the tour? I'd like a chance to talk to all my new granddaughters after all."
Jerry shrugs. "Sure, we'll head up to the Den for a bit, then head down to the promenade to join the girls for some drinks and skewers. Our Cannidor eatery's got the best skewers in wild space whenever we're there."
"Don't I believe it, get to try some more Earth meats too! Bought a little sampler pack from a friend and good goddess, if you start exporting that bacon stuff in bulk, I'm going to invest in a chain of gyms, because there's going to be a lot of girls fighting to keep their girlish figures!"
First Last (SFW) Last (NSFW)

10 practical tips for designing a motivating Hero Image that always works

The Hero Image is the first thing people see when they open your page. It’s your unique chance to win them over — or lose them forever.
It takes mere seconds for the user to process the first screen. But behind the scenes, there’s a lot of painstaking work by marketers, designers, and developers. How can you quickly find the right solution and pick the perfect image?
I have compiled the best practices for creating an effective Hero Image to share with you. Let us learn from the best.

1. Don’t lose sight of Hero Section goals

The goal of a Hero Section is to make the user want to learn more and perform the next action. It serves as an introduction and invites further communicat

2. Don’t lose sight of user goals

In an attempt to surprise and keep the viewer on the first screen, some designers unwittingly replace the user’s goal with their own: to make an awesome design. But the user’s goal is not design.
The user’s goal is to get something he or she needs: a thing, a service, or particular information. The design should facilitate this task rather than hamper it.
Smart design doesn’t draw attention to itself, or distract users from their goals, or make them gape in amazement, forgetting why they came. This is especially true for the hero section.
Here’s a typical case. The key points presented to the user are:

• what the company is offering;
• advantages of this offer;
• reasons to trust the company;
• actions to be performed by the user.

The message is obvious: our company is great and the user should hurry up and press that button. Alas, that’s not how it works.
User goals have nothing to do with the goals of website owners, marketers, or designers.
Any info that has no immediate value for the user must be held back. Messages like “We Are the Best,” “Celebrating Ten Years of Success,” “Why People Trust Us,” etc. belong at the bottom of the visual hierarchy.

Hero Section visuals must prioritize user goals.

Show the users what they want to see, and make it look really good. That’s your number one priority. All the rest — reliability, trust, guarantees — only serves to cement the user’s conviction that they’ve come to the right place.ion.
At first glance, what users want to see are benefits and problem solutions, not how great the company is or how cool the design looks. :) That stuff stays in the background!
A Hero Image is a visual stimulus. It promises benefits, improvements, and positive changes.
The user will be willing to take a step forward if:

• they intuitively and immediately like the visuals;
• they see a solution to their problem;
• they’re motivated by the image;
• they’re motivated by the heading;
• they understand what to do next.

3. Remember: no clutter

The home screen must be crystal clear and easily navigable for the user. This is where you showcase the very essence of your offer. Do your utmost to maximize readability. This includes:

• clean, uncluttered design;
• clear page structure;
• plenty of “air”;
• no distractions;
• hierarchy of highlights;
• motivating, concise heading and subheading;
• hero image that matches the message and copy;
• understandable and predictable navigation panel.

Keep it simple and concise!

4. Turn the user’s goal into a visual magnet

The designer’s task is to visualize the user’s goal, making it look attractive, lively, and catchy. Do a comprehensive study and analysis of your users, product, and competitor sites. This will help you find inspiring images and motivating messages for your audience.
Customers often arrive at the page with a specific image of their goal in mind. It’s important to take this into account and meet their expectations. Predictability is what people expect from you. This applies to both visuals and user experience.
Follow the “one idea, one image” rule. Let your heading resonate with, reinforce, and enhance the image. The image and text must stimulate the user’s desire and willingness to take a step toward gratification.

5. Look for specific triggers

As you work on a Hero Image from concept to final design, remember: you are creating a motivational trigger. Feel free to use any and all marketing, design, and psychology tricks to influence user perception.
Every audience has its own motivation. Get to know your users and find the best way to engage them, both emotionally and rationally. (An emotional reaction is followed by a rational assessment of the information.)

User emotions need to be designed and incorporated into the project at the concept stage.

Specific triggers, such as images and/or text, are especially good for engaging emotions.
To find the best trigger, ask yourself:

• What should the user feel when he/she sees your offer?
• What memories should it evoke?
• What associations should it create?

Finding an emotional trigger often requires a good brainstorming session. Make a list of emotions and their possible visualizations, such as engaging images, illustrations, or videos. Test the best ideas.
This is the key to your future conversions and audience love.
The emotions don’t necessarily have to be positive. Apple once successfully exploited fear by designing a blood-red AIDS awareness website with an invitation to become a blood donor. It looked impressive. I don’t know about donations, but a lot of people bought red iPhones. :)

6. Show explicit or implicit benefits

An effective trigger is always associated with user benefits. The trigger pushes users to perform actions that will let them reap these benefits.
Popular Hero Images are focused on:

• the product;
• action;
• advantages;
• the context;
• the process (behind the scenes);
• the company’s owner.

Any type of the Hero Image must convey benefits.

Explicit benefits: highlighting the apparent advantages of using the product or service.
Implicit benefits: visually and psychologically highlighting the user’s improved status, importance, success, skills, and opportunities.
User analysis will help you decide what should be made explicit or kept implicit on a case-by-case basis. Showcasing an implicit benefit is always a win-win. A website that sells nails, for example, will fare much better if its hero section features an image of a thrifty, smart, and neat worker than if it simply has a photo of a house or a bunch of nails. Customers will enjoy feeling like handy homeowners.

7. Manage the user’s attention

Be clear about where you want the viewer’s eyes to go. What will they see first? What next? Where should their gaze linger? Everything depends on the goals of your website and product. The hierarchy of highlights needs to be planned in advance and then tested to make sure it looks like you need it to.
The user’s gaze is controlled by dominance and focal points. Dominant elements are the largest and most attractive ones. Focal points are icons, buttons, and other elements that the user sees after the dominant element. They are responsible for the user’s interest zones and hold his or her attention. They’re typically located at the edges of the screen.
Lifehack #1: Blur your design layout and show it to an average person (not a designer). What’s the first thing they see? What merits more or less attention? It’s a good way to rectify failed ideas before it’s too late.
Lifehack #2: Use eye-tracking software. Even a simple freeware app will help you check if the highlights are in the right places.
If you find that the user’s gaze doesn’t linger long enough on any given element, get to work. Perhaps it’s worth highlighting this element further by making it larger or brighter, adding animation, increasing the font size, and so on. (Test everything!)
Note: Place the main highlight on the emotional trigger, not the CTA button.
All visual composition tricks and instruments must be hierarchically ordered. Shape, color, shade, contrast, size, balance, movement, typography — everything must follow the principle of priority.
Note: Remove distractions. Everything that’s not a first impression priority must have reduced visibility, hidden, or moved elsewhere.

8. Use relevant images

Images are relevant when they match the website’s purpose, idea, and content. Any mismatch between the idea and its visual representation leads to misunderstanding and mistrust. It’s not just out-of-context imagery. A website dedicated to innovation using outdated designs is also an example of irrelevance. Unnecessary wow effects that distract from the message are likewise irrelevant.

The Hero Image must visually convey the essence of the content.

9. Use a short, powerful tagline

Use a short, powerful tagline to engage the user. Coming up with it isn’t as easy as it seems. It’s a creative process. Again, I recommend brainstorming. You have limited character space, yet you need to succinctly convey your values, explain some benefit or problem solution, or ask a related question that will pique the user’s interest. Brainstorming is a great way to find an original idea.

10. Be subtle with your СТА

You may have a great hero image with a good conversion potential, but it will be worthless without a CTA. However, CTA should be approached with caution.

Never use CTA to exert pressure.

Design your CTA to be friendly and non-aggressive rather than demanding. Do not pressure the user into learning everything at once, making purchases, or subscribing. CTA is a logical step on the user’s path toward their goal. If you failed to pique their interest with your tagline and visualization, no CTA button or text will work.
CTA is an organic continuation of your design and business idea. Your visitors are welcome. That’s the point of a CTA button or message: it invites the user to join the action.

Focus your UI and UX on making the user’s goal attractive.

Only then will your CTA be effective. A button motivates no one. People are motivated by ideas and images of the future.
Thanks for reading. Don't forget to follow analyzeoptimize for more such insightful content to grow your online busines.

Warning, lengthy read. Skip at the end for TL,DR.
I know the title is strange and makes you think “why is this guy hung up on a girl he dated for just 3 months?” The thing is, i’ve known this girl for almost 8 years. We were classmates all throughout high school and weve been best friends for 5 years. We broke up just a few hours ago and i’m feeling really shitty rn.
She was perfect in my eyes. She always looked after me all throughout highschool, we had shared interest over nerdy stuff(things like anime, musicals, and songs) so we really got along well. Since then i’ve always saw her as someone i wanted to grow old with, but with some stakes at hand like ruining our friendship and being awkward with our other friends i decided not to tell her my feelings.
We’ve been great friends since and due to the pandemic we grew even closer, once a week we’d chat about what we did and our interests at the time either via by call or by messenger. Of course by spending time with her my feelings grew even more. I cherished all those memories, every single one of them. All those small talks we had, those games we played together. The times we spent are my most treasured thing.
Come senior high school and by luck we we’re classmates. I was really stoked at that time considering all the memories we can create. Unfortunately though we somewhat stayed as friends due to her being unavailable for a relationship/ already talking to someone else, and due to me not wanting to mess our already built friendship over the years.
We graduated and went to college, i stayed in our city while she went to a high class college in another province. We stayed in touch for the most part but I decided that my priority was studying and making new social circles in my department. At the end of the first semester we(along with another close friend of ours) decided to watch the movie barbie. She invited us because she genuinely wanna watch it, i decided to come because it would be funny. By some fate our other friend wasnt available and couldnt come so it was just us two. I dont know why but something rekindled my feelings for her. It was like just spending time with her made all the distance fade. After that she started messaging me daily through tiktoks, we spend countless hours just talking and sharing funny tiktoks we see through our feed.
About three months passed and february rolled around. I was full blown in love with her again and with our hangouts being more common, i decided to confess to her. It was really hard for me to do so, sure I was in a few relationships before but this is the first time im confessing with so much stakes at hand. By my surprise she said yes and my life was turned upside down. I was so happy and ecstatic i couldnt sleep after we we’re together.
The next three months was bliss. It felt good to be genuinely love someone you care for. And it was so amazing to be loved back. I was in cloud-nine for those months. But here’s where it started to go wrong.
We had a small fight about what I said last week. I joked about something and she took it the wrong way. For the first time in our relationship we had a fight that wasn’t resolved in hours. I had really started to doubt the foundation of our relationship so by the time we were able to talk again, my emotions got the better of me and i started talking about our relationship. I know it was stupid and really immature of me to not trust her but what I felt at that time is that I wanted to secure this relationship of ours. Again she misenterpreted it and thought that I was doubting her, that it hurt my pride because she can’t mirror my affection for her.
She said we had to cool off for a while, I of course accepted because I always put her over myself. A week has passed and now she talks to me again, but i know something feels really off, like she’s distancing herself from me, like she’s slowly slipping away from me. Then here comes my second mistake. I asked her what are we? Because im so scared of losing her i asked her if there was a problem and that we could try to fix it.
And then the bombshell happened. She said that we should just break up, she was bothered by some of what I said. I blamed myself for not putting enough effort into the relationship. I think I relied too much on our past that I forgot how to walk with her to the future. I was pathetic at what I did, the way I see it I half-assed everything that we done. At that moment I felt like a helpless child, so young and immature, knew nothing of the world he lives in.
I miss her, i still love her. I’m like an idiot shouting to God, praying she’ll give me another chance, to fix the wrongs that i made. I want to hug her, I want to see her light up again, I want to see that dimple when she smiles. I love her so so much.
But i know things won’t go back to the way it was. I know that she’ll move on in her life, she’ll probably find someone better than me to treat her the way i should’ve treated her then. I regretted ever confessing, regretted ever showing that side of me then, regretted prioritizing her over myself. I hated that I was powerless to change what could’ve been easily prevented.
If you’re reading this somehow, i hope you have a good life, I genuinely hope you succeed in your study. I don’t know how long till I move on from you, hell I probably won’t. But just know that a part of me will still love you forever. My one and only Lovey.
TL,DR: girl i know for almost a decade broke up with me, now I feel empty and shitty
PS: i just wanted to share my story and take it off my chest, im currently trying new things to distract myself and move on

Link for all the chapters available for free here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
Deep in the groaning halls of sinew and bone he awaited his audience with the god. At a wave of his hand the ribs which held up the ceiling contracted, tendons shifting within the pink walls of the chamber as the jagged, calcareous spurs that composed the doorway sank back into the spongy masses of tissue, revealing a passage curving down and out of sight.
Menash stood before the yawning portal and considered eternity. This was no an idle thought: here in the Dawning Chamber, the concept was very real. His father, Yulan, had stood in this exact spot times beyond count. When he was struck down in his prime by the Night Weaver and her Leaper offspring, torn limb from limb as he fought to defend Chthonis from a raiding party, Menash’s uncle, Aqavarr, had carried his broken remains over that grinning threshold to join the hosts of the dead, never to return.
A hot and heavy exhalation rattled up out of the depths, wafting in the acrid scent of the bonding pools and the wet slithering sound of the rebirthing canals. Menash felt a crackle of static in the corners of his mind before the signal sharpened and he heard It whisper distinctly:
“Enter…”
The familiar dread crept its way up the small of his back, and he gave a little shiver. No matter how many times he had communed with the Vitalus, he’d never been able to shake the feeling of his utter insignificance. But he persevered, walking bravely down the slurping passage, past the rows of broad antechambers lining either side of the hallway. Each one held a slumbering shape immersed in a cryogenic bath, towering hulks of muscle encased in ribbed and riveted plates of chitin. No two were alike in size or physiology, but all seemed to emanate the same primeval aura of dread that tickled Menash’s fight-or-flight-instinct, skewing it very much towards the latter response. These were the Hollowores, soulless avatars of the Vitalus, each one a tool capable of eradicating an entire species. As Menash approached, one of the living weapons stirred to life. A pronged, anvil-shaped head emerged from the bath, umbilical feeder tubes detaching from its armored flanks as the rest of its bulk followed, its mauve exoskeleton as sleek and shiny as amethyst. The Hollowore extended legs as thick as grown pine trees and lifted itself above him, its pairs of crushing pincers dripping amniotic fluids as it herded him towards the central room.
Bundles of white gossamer filaments spread all across the floor, encircling steaming pools of pus and acid. He saw arms and legs, sensory organs and entire exoskeletons being knitted before his very eyes, the amino acid chains being stitched on a layer at a time, the weeping pus evidence of microphages fighting off possible infections as the Vitalus did Its work.
These were the next generation of exomorphs, yet to be assigned to their hosts. It was here that Vitalus constantly improved the only thing that could ensure the continued survival of Menash’s subspecies. Exomorphs were bonded to Gallivants at birth, the organisms supplying their hosts with the means to breathe an atmosphere they was never meant to endure, and the strength to fight in a world that was red in tooth and claw. They were as swift as the summer wind and could multiply their host’s muscular power by up to twelve times their natural output.
But for all their God-given might, Gallivants were still mortal. They could and often did perish in the endless struggle for existence that the Vitalus called the Great Game. But even in death they could still commit their essence to posterity, passing down their defining traits through the malleable genetic code of the gilt helix. It was the Vitalus’ greatest boon; through the gilt helix a single individual could become a progenitor of an entire generation, becoming at one stroke the father of whole nations and peoples.
One day he too would prove worthy of the honor that Yulan had earned with his life. But he was not alone in that ambition. Menash was annoyed to find the crimson-clad Vezda and the cowardly Racek waiting for him inside, standing next to a large ball of filaments that hung from a tonsil-like growth hanging from the walls.
This node pulsed, emitting a small storm of bioelectric activity, networks of fungi conveying commands in the form of oscillating voltages to their communities of symbiotic bacteria, the latter containing greigite mineral crystals aligned in the shape of electromagnetic coils. Other networks hidden in the walls modulated and amplified the signals, and the three Gallivants steeled themselves for the onrushing flood of information as the Vitalus tapped into their minds.
He was a candle before the raging heart of the thunderstorm. For an instant Menash touched a fraction of Its intelligence, the divisions of time and space rolling back as they joined the ocean of shared consciousness, becoming one with the living systems of Arachnea. From the tiniest aeroplankton floating above the waves of the golden coastlines, to the herds of ultrapods munching their way through swathes of trees in the savannahs. Menash felt himself pushing up out of the soil, longing and lusting and reaching for the sunlight with a trillion green fingers uncurling, alive with the furious movement of life.
But what was that flicker of orange to the east? That searing heat, that prickling pain spreading like a cancer down his side?
The Vitalus scooped them up and hurled them headlong into hell itself. A roaring wildfire was sweeping into the heart of the eastern rainforests. Menash tasted ash and ruin, felt pieces of himself wither and burn, his branches tongues of fire, wood cracking from the intense blaze, sap boiling instantaneously upon contact and rupturing, splitting him right down the grain. He fled in terror, running, slithering, digging, swimming, flying away in crazed panic from the walls of red death closing in on him. As his skin flaked off in clumps of charcoal he looked back and saw it towering over the treetops, the epicenter of this howling vortex of destruction: the grey behemoth. Its burnished metal hide gleamed like copper, reflecting the fury of the conflagration burning well into the night.
Menash pulled his mind away before it was lost forever in the storm of electric potentials. He saw Racek and Vezda swaying on their feet, breathing hard and fast.
“Heart of the World,” he managed to gasp, “What is your bidding?”
The Hollowore maneuvered itself until it was facing him directly. Tiny beady eyes fixed him in their blank gaze. The node emitted a blue pulse and the creature shuddered as it received the signal. It opened a maw powerful enough to chew boulders into gravel and rumbled:
“This one is the alpha which survived first contact with anomalous variable. It will tell Us what occurred, and from whence this threat emerged.”
“It came from the karst mountain range, where the yellowjacket Amit live,” Menash replied, “It was destroying the largest mound in that area, massacring its inhabitants. It brought the mountain down on them—we’ve never seen anything like it. Zildiz was the first on the scene. She warned us not to approach, and that it was dangerous, but some of us,” here he cast an angry look at Vezda, “Some of us went ahead and tried to scavenge from the bodies of the dying. Then the behemoth ignited the air and burned scores of us to cinders.”
“Irrational. Why did you do this?”
“W-we thought that you had spawned the grey behemoth,” Menash stammered, embarrassed to say the least, “That it was the newest addition to the Great Game, another species of ultrafauna that would help perfect Arachnea.”
“Not so. It was made by an evil far older than the All-In-One,” replied the Vitalus, “It is called a Divine Engine. In cycles past, this evil sought to undo this world and all that inhabit it. In that, it almost succeeded.”
Menash felt his blood run cold at those words.
“Is it the only one of its kind?” Racek piped up. Menash and Vezda both bristled at his interruption; subordinates were only supposed to speak when spoken to.
“There were several deployed here in Our infancy. We had thought them all destroyed in the War of Creation.”
“Your Munificence,” Racek went on, heedless of the venomous looks he was getting from the other two, “Most of us survived because Zildiz persuaded us to dive into the river. She saved all our lives! But as I washed up on the riverbank, I saw the behemoth casting a seedpod into the skies. I did not see where it landed, but it was travelling in a high arc due east. Is this the behemoth’s method of reproducing? If so, then how many offspring can it generate from this one seed?”
The Vitalus met his questions with a minute of silence. Menash had never known It to take so long to respond to a query, and felt another stab of unease in his gut. Unless he was imagining things, the Vitalus seemed genuinely disturbed by the scenario that Racek has raised, enough to convince Menash that the danger was far from hypothetical.
“That is a distant possibility,” It said somewhat cryptically, “Regardless, We cannot allow the Engine’s continued existence.”
“Then it must be destroyed,” Vezda said, her barbed tail eagerly perking up.
“We are not certain that it can be,” the Vitalus said, and Menash heard Racek audibly gulp at the admission.
“But Your Omniscience, you alone are the arbiter of growth and decay,” Vezda said in disbelief, “Surely you can unmake this monster as well?”
“Perhaps. The Divine Engines were built to withstand the extremes of temperature, gravity, atmospheric pressure, acidity and irradiation found on semi-inhabitable exoplanets. Worlds of bareness and desolation, glassed by thermonuclear bombardment or infested with alien microorganisms. In the wars of Our youth, the Betrayers used tungsten-alloy warheads fired from space platforms to crack their bulkheads. Not even Our vessels, the Hollowores, could damage them in any significant way. We will need time to gather the raw materials and fabricate the weapons needed to end this threat.”
“What must we do?” Menash asked.
“If this variable is not dealt with, it could upset the delicate balance We have sacrificed so much to achieve. Already the wildfire it has caused will release close to 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroy 2.3 million acres of forest before Our countermeasures can stop it. Time is our limiting factor. If the Engine cannot be destroyed now, it must be restrained.”
“It hasn’t moved an inch since we last saw it,” Vezda said brightly, “Maybe it has already died?”
“Yes, and maybe your mother was a horka toad,” Racek said snidely. Vezda scowled and took a step towards him, then stopped as she remembered that she trod on hallowed ground.
“Not so. It has merely gone dormant. Having expended its fuel, it is now running on the bare minimum of its reserves. My children, you must ensure that it does not wake again. Establish a quarantine zone around the Engine and let none approach, on pain of death. The Leaper kindreds will secure the ground while the Gallivants patrol the skies.”
Vezda and Menash exchanged troubled looks. Nobody wanted Leapers establishing a foothold in what was essentially a buffer zone between their subspecies. Once allowed to settle in a habitat, it would not take long for them to adapt and become masters of their new territory. Ousting them would become a battle of attrition, and given the lower birthrates of Gallivants, it was not one they could long afford.
“Respectfully, we do not require assistance from our brother kindred,” Menash ventured, “We are more than capable of safeguarding the area ourselves.”
The node throbbed again, the bioelectric flashes taking on an angry purple hue. With a sound like the grinding of a millstone the Hollowore clashed its claws together impatiently. All three of the mortals took a hasty step back.
“The alpha will obey, or another will be found that can,” the Vitalus growled at them, “All subspecies will observe a general truce during this period. This is a temporary addition to the Great Game. Those that serve Us well shall be rewarded. We shall also enlist the aid of your terrestrial cousins, as well as the Cataphract clans to replenish the soil, and lone Saints who shall rove beyond the quarantine zone.”
Menash’s unease deepened. The Vitalus was bringing together four different kindreds, some of which killed each other on sight, in a move that reeked of desperation. The kindreds had worked together before, of course, on complex projects such as altering rainfall patterns and husbanding struggling species, but never so many at once. This was bound to end in bloodshed.
“Those that break the truce shall be chemically neutered, and their gilt helix purged from the existing gene pool,” the Vitalus continued, “You will maintain this quarantine until We have dealt with the Engine.”
“It is understood!” Menash and Vezda said at once.
“But what about Zildiz?” Racek blurted out, again risking his entire lineage by speaking out of turn, “She might still be alive out there!”
“He’s right,” Menash found himself agreeing despite his dislike for Racek, “She’s our alpha, after all. It would be a shame to lose her helix. Do we have your leave to send out a party to recover her?”
The Vitalus pondered the request for a moment, then crushed his hopes when it said:
“Regrettable, the loss of the female. Valuable stock for the breeding program. But it has not responded to Our signals—it is unlikely to have survived. The female Vezda shall take up its duties as alpha.”
“But Your Benevolence—” both men cried out in unison.
“It is decided. She has risked the Great Game, and must abide by its outcome. To speak more on this would risk Our displeasure,” the god warned.
“We can’t spare the manpower anyway,” Vezda pointed out, trying not to look too pleased at Its decision. She darted a quick look at Menash, long enough for him to see the selfish desire festering in her heart. He turned away from her in disgust, baring his blades by the slightest of margins to let her know what he thought of her, then asked the Vitalus:
“But what of the Engine’s seedpod? Should we search for it?”
“Negative!” the Vitalus boomed, its node reinforcing the word with a spike of activity that sent needles of pain spearing into their heads, “We shall complete this task. It is dangerous and can be entrusted to no other.”
The Hollowore angled its massive head towards the cavernous ceiling, armored flaps on its back sliding aside as it unfurled sets of rigid sixty-meter wings. A wide sphincter on the roof gaped open and Menash saw the evening sky awash with the stars in their milky multitudes. The Hollowore took a deep breath through the spiracles lining its thorax and abdomen, pumping air through a pair of hollow tube-like protuberances under either of its wings. Menash and the others quickly scampered to a safe distance. Seconds later there was a scream of chemical combustion and the Hollowore rose into the evening skies, leaving behind a long trail of superheated gases, the backwash almost knocking Menash off his feet. They watched as the Hollowore gained altitude, making straight for the columns of billowing smoke on the horizon, a sweeping shadow blotting out the light of the heavens.
The Vitalus’ mental presence receded with it. When it did not return, they took it to mean that they were dismissed and likewise took flight and headed for Chthonis. They were hardly out of the Dawning Chamber when Vezda seized the scrawny Racek by his wings and anchored her feet right up against his back.
“Funny little man, are you? Crack jokes at my expense again, and I’ll see to it that you’ll never fly again!” she snarled, yanking hard. Racek yelled as his wings threatened to pop out of their sockets.
“Stop!” Menash said, ramming his shoulder into her and knocking the smaller male out of her grip. Vezda rounded on him, blades out and her tail aquiver with rage.
“As for you! No one should speak to the Vitalus like that!” she shrieked, “Much less gainsay It! Are you trying to get us all killed? It is the source and continuance of life itself—”
“But the Vitalus doesn’t always consider the individual scale of things,” Menash reasoned, controlling his rising anger as he tried to defuse the situation, “Its scope of thought is beyond ours. Therefore it is up to us to look after each other. None of us can win the Great Game alone. We need people like Zildiz for the species to prosper.”
“Your logic is flawed,” Vezda spat, “Empathy is a sham devised by the selfish action of the gene, which seeks only to preserve itself. At least I am honest enough to look after my own interests. Your obsession with that whore is misplaced. Heed my words, Menash. What happened today marks a change in the Great Game. Only the ruthless will reap the rewards of this era. Think on that, and act accordingly.”
The female darted off in another direction, leaving the two behind.
“Thanks,” Racek said, rubbing at his sore shoulders, “My, my. She’s really taking her promotion very seriously, isn’t she?”
“This doesn’t make us friends,” Menash said shortly, “We share a common interest, that’s all.”
The two flew together in silence for a time, the dark canopy unrolling below their feet. Racek had always been a bitter rival for Zildiz’s affections. In the mating seasons he and Menash had flown the damsel-dance against each other countless times, racing and dogfighting at top speed through the dense bamboo thickets in an effort to impress her.
But each time she had always chosen Menash. Naturally. He was the stronger, the braver, the son of the Scourge who had slain hundreds on his lightning raids into Leaper territory. Their pairings had been brief and passionate, yet she had always laughed at the end and gone on her merry way, a rose petal borne on a scented breeze, the dalliance as meaningless to her as other concerns like eating or breathing.
But not to him. Right now, all that mattered was her. And Racek was the only one in the whole wide world who knew exactly how he felt. Did that mean he could be trusted? Menash considered the enormity of what he was about to do, and wavered. Then he saw her face in the darkness of his home, the face she wore when they were all alone together, and he took a deep breath before breaking the silence, saying:
“I’ll be in charge of the quarantine. I can arrange for you to disappear for a few days. I can have one of the younglings mimic your magnetosynaptic signal, make it seem like you’re with the rest of us.”
“You’d do that? For me?” Racek said in astonishment.
“Hah. Not for you,” Menash laughed softly. He looked Racek straight in the eyes and continued: “What’ll it be, then?”
If he so much as hesitates, I’ll have to kill him here and now, Menash told himself.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course!” the little brown male said vigorously.
“Good,” Menash sighed with relief, “She’ll be very grateful to whoever brings her home. I’d do it myself, but as an alpha I can’t risk being seen as disobedient.”
“Then why give me this chance? After all that’s passed between us?”
“I should have thought that was obvious,” Menash replied. Racek digested that for a bit, then out of nowhere said:
“If I find her—when I find her—I’ll tell her exactly who it was that sent me.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Bah! Just so we’re even, that’s all,” Racek grinned, his mouthparts slanting askew.
“Thanks, I guess. I’d…I’d appreciate that. You do understand what we’re risking here, right?”
“Sure. We’ll be total genetic write-offs if we’re caught. But it’s not like I wanted to see tiny ugly Raceks running around the house anyway. What about you, though? Why are you putting your neck on the chopping block?”
“You know why,” Menash said quietly, his thoughts still lingering on her face.
“Yes,” Racek agreed with a wistful air, “Yes, I suppose I do.”
And the pair spoke no more until they reached Chthonis.
Link for all the chapters available for free here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

In some magical way, there is always a leaver,two leavers, a troll, a thrower, a toxic player in my team.
Now lets add that sometimes its my fault which just a bridge for the lose strike and there we go.
starting from 1500mmr i dropped to 777mmr in 3 days, starting with 9 lose strike, win and then another 7 lose strike.
So lets see what games i had:
game 1: leaver at 3 minutes, we surrender at 7 minutes, lose.
game 2: leaver at 8 minutes, titan dead at 23 minutes
game 3: bad carry went 1/12/1, lose.
game 4: jungler only farmed and lost all battles late game.
game 5: TWO leavers
game 6: close game, i think i was not good enough late game.
game 7: mid just decided jungler is trash and throw the match.
game 8: enemy team had master chang'e went 30+/2/something. (i am low silver)
game 9: leaver.
out of 60 games, around 20 leavers in my team and only 1 leaver in enemy team.
oh and lets not talk about those games i had playing solo and going strong taking the lane but team goes 3/20 in 13 minutes.
i main support cthulhu/horus/gilgamesh.
most wins i managed to get is by leading the game with mixed build cthulu/crit gilga. the game expects me to play like plat/diamond in silver lobby....
needless to day i have lost countless games with 20+/4-/10+ playing crit gilga. mostly because the team dont attack the titan with me when its a clear win but NO they go for other phoenix. -_-
i am just gonna play ranked for reward chest (15 wins) and that's it.

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Hi, needing some reassurance, mostly I think. Advice obviously welcome too.
My full first draft is due in a couple weeks and I have been putting crazy hours to get all the different bits finished (some chapters needing rework, half an analysis left to write, still havent started the discussion etc.). For context, ive not worked crazy hours over the thesis, never managed my ADHD correctly and just enjoyed being alive. Honestly im getting away with murder if one big 2 months of crunch is all it takes to get through!
So far, i was feeling better about the work and was building confidence in the draft. I have a paper corresponding to a key chapter which just got accepted for publication in a peered review journal, and i figured it gave me legitimacy. But today i cannot stop the growing worry that i dont have enough content/pages/words overall. I could inflate some bits im still working on, but everyone knows waffle is not the solution. Im worried i will have a draft in June that essentially is not enough for a PhD thesis. It’s word count is closer to an Mphil.
Im doing quant research, so adding a chapter would imply a lot of overhead work before it adds any new insights/content.
I think a thesis in my department should be no longer than 100,000 words (lol) with most being around 80,00. If i push through the next weeks, im aiming to have 60,000 at best.
I guess i know that a lot of people get these worries at this stage, so I think it would help a lot to hear anyone’s experiences with similar anxieties, and how you kept pushing through long hard hours on something you started worrying wasnt good or enough.
This page, and how relatable it is, has really helped me throughout the almost 4 years of my thesis, so thank you all in advance for your kindness, and for reading this.
Screaming here instead of into the void, S

Heads up: this is long, and I don’t know what I am asking. Maybe writing this down was some sort of therapy or at least a way to get some of my thoughts in order. I am always appreciative of some perspective.
So, the scary and ugly words that may define the end of a relationship era have been said…”Maybe we should just call it quits then”. I am very sad for the kids and our family and mostly worry about how we should tell this to our older kid (6). This will be devastating for them.
Some context: My partner (M38) and I (F43) are together for 12 years, not married, two young children (6 & 2). We both work full-time, have a house and lead a fairly average and busy life. We don’t live in our home country, which we left 12 years ago, and have been living abroad ever since (different countries). So, we’ve been through a lot together and had plenty of good and some challenging times. Also, we don’t have any family support in the country we call home now.
Our challenges started a while ago, got better for a long time (we decided to buy a house and had a second child that is now 2) and now we are back to bad. This was seriously creeping up on me and I am very confused about the overall up and down of my partner perceiving our relationship as good or bad. I am a fighter and tend to want to work on things as I don’t assume it will be easy breezy without putting in the effort. He, I don’t know, may be done putting any effort into the relationship or is not willing to put the right amount in, as he hopes to get away with little to no fighting.
Going back to the beginning of the pandemic, about 2 years after the birth of our older child, he told me he wants to leave me as he didn’t think that our relationship was good or loving enough and he couldn’t take it anymore. We decided to do couples counselling and worked, amongst others, on our communication, which appeared to be an issue. Our relationship improved and I started working on some personal challenges that stem from my childhood.
Our upbringing was quite different. He is the only child of a single mum. His stepdad has been part of his life since he was about 3 years old. His stepdad used to (now retired) work in a different city so was only around on weekends and during holidays. His mum is loving and easy-going, and his stepdad and mum have a great relationship. However, despite his mum and stepdad getting along incredibly well, my partner always had a somewhat challenging relationship with his stepdad as he was never too keen to take on the father role and was rather strict. My parents on the other hand are emotionally very immature and there was plenty of emotional neglect and, at times, emotional abuse. Because of this I have issues classifying and understanding my emotions, asking for support, confidence and self-worth.
Because of my upbringing and because I absolutely love and adore my children, it is very important to me to be patient and take the gentle parenting approach whenever possible. Admittedly, this doesn’t always work out as I have my limits and the kids can be a handful. My partner on the other hand, albeit a very great and loving dad, is much stricter, works a lot with consequences and doesn’t tolerate unruly children. Personally, I have no problem if both parents follow a different strategy if it’s complimentary, which I thought our parenting is. My partner, however, thinks otherwise and told me that the challenges with our kids are because of my parenting style and because I don’t have them under control. They are great children and do exactly what I expect children their age would do at times: fight for independence, have toddler manners and tantrums, are terrible at listening after a long day of school and are naughty at times. For the longest time, I thought that our parenting styles align pretty nicely, now it’s a major issue for my partner that I have different opinions on how to treat our children.
Another issue that keeps popping are chores and me asking him to do certain things, while he wants to the things when he wants to do them, not when I ask him to. In his mind, I am giving him orders. In my mind, I simply want to share the workload and want to be able to rely on him. Some contexts. It’s important to me to share household and childcare chores and we follow a, more or less, 50/50 approach (mental workload is still mostly on me though). We are both working full time and because my role is more senior, I am earning a decent amount more than him. He, however, has assets from his parents. Sometimes when I see that X needs to be done and I am on my way out to get the kids, I ask him if he can do X. When I come home and still have to do it myself, I can’t help it but I am disappointed. I try to communicate my emotions clearly, which is a hit and miss on how it’s perceived. I learned that expressing my disappointment about him not doing X is a miss, as he considers this an attack and shoots back that he is frustrated and annoyed with me giving him orders and then being disappointed in him.
And now the good old physical connection. We never had the most elaborate sex life. Pretty vanilla and never the amount he would have liked. Due to my upbringing, I don’t need physical touch to feel well (I love hugging my children though and do it often). Since I rarely got affection growing up, a bit of hugging goes a long way for me, and I don’t tend to crave it. In contrast, he likes hand holding, touching, hugging etc. In the past, our therapist suggested that I simply initiate a hug once a day, which worked for quite a while. Fast forward, busy lives combined with plenty of sick days for most of the fall and winter, there wasn’t a lot of physical connection between us. However, what bugs me is that he complains that he misses it but rarely initiates. I don’t understand. I never turn down a hug and it’s usually me who asks for sex.
Overall, he is a great person and partner, and fantastic dad with his own issues that he doesn’t seem to be fully aware of. Even though he appears very confident, he isn’t. He is constantly seeking praise and confirmation, and often thinks that the ‘the grass is greener on the other side’. He rarely sees the error in himself and thinks that his way is the right way. He is also almost obsessed with being happy. Therefore, he can’t handle when I am a little down and tells me I am bipolar. I have moody spells when I am getting my period and lately work has thrown me some curveballs. But overall, I feel I am in decent mental shape most of the time, especially considering that I broke off the contact my parents about 10 months ago and I am working through some childhood trauma. I am proud of the discoveries and progress I’ve made. For him, it’s not good enough. He doesn’t like thoughtful me that isn’t smiling all the time with sun shining out of my ass.
Somebody saying or implying that I am not good enough or not meet their expectations is a bit of a trigger for me (which he knows), as my mother constantly criticized me for all sort of stuff.
He smokes a decent amount of grass, because it is helping him relax and be more chill with the kids. I wonder if this has changed his perception, memory for sure and contributes to overinterpreting certain things.
All I really want is not to be put down and compared to my mother, and being accepted by my partner for the person I am, with all the good and the bad.
Is there hope? I would miss our family terribly and hate that our children would get their first emotional scar.

I have early onset COPD. I live in rural Nebraska, one of my triggers for my lungs is grain dust. I asked my wife to leave and she said no she wouldn't leave because she desires a life where ournkids grow up woth family ( S8, D7).
I learned about my COPD shortly after my son's birth and switched careers in part became of that (welder to teacher). WThe same doctor visit the doctor told me I should also look into living somewhere else due to accute allergies to grain dust and the nature of COPD. Each time I have a flair up my lungs get slightly more damaged, making the next flair up more often and more obstructive.
We lived in rural Kansas at the time. We finally moved to a different farm community in Kansas, despite my pleas to move somewhere good for me, in 21 due to her desire to go back to school. She failed out of school and we ended up having to leave our house we thought we were going to buy and ended up moving close to her sister in Nebraska. Again I asked to find somewhere else where it would be better for my lungs, but understood that we were in a dire situation and needed to find a home. We moved again in the same home and used the last of our savings to get out of our old lease and I to our new one beciae she didn't like our apartment and wanted to move into a duplex that opened up.
We are maxed out money wise, there is no hope of improvement here in that regards. She says the kids are happy because they have friends and she doesn't want to uproot them again. I am currently in the middle of a flair up... I feel like there are daggers in my chest and I asked her again if we could go and she said no... so I got angry and told her I was going wothout her . We separated, I got angry, she didn't want me and chose her familyover me. I started looking for distractions joined all kinds of Facebook pages and ended up liking a photo of another woman and commented on her eyes. My wife seen these and broke down. I went out to a bar with a friend because we never go on dates and I wanted to go out. My wife asked of I cheated, I did not. We argued back and forth, I cried for days. She doesn't think moving would help, she said she is scared we would end up homeless despite the relocation adding money to our pockets.
All of my family told me I'm being selfish, all of her family telling her I'm wrong. While I cry because all of thisnis happening because it hurts to breath and it's going to keep getting worse and now my choices are to lose my kids and try and find somewhere that isn't literally sucking the life from me or stay with a woman that I love but feel doesn't love me... or at least not enough to choose me. I asked to end the separation because I'm afraid I will end up killing myself if I have to live wothout them. Therapy hasn't helped, every argument and disagreement we have stems from this fear that she doesn't really love me that I'm just the safe choice. But I feel stuck because I will lose my whole world if I try to go for me. So I'm sitting here feeling depressed feeling like shit because my chest burns and she still gets everything she wants and I'm happy she is happy but idk how I could ever believe her when she tells me she loves me. Idk how I could ever believe her when she says I'm her world when I KNOW every chance she has had to shoot me over ANYONE else has always to make me the second option. But to leave is to leave everyone and everything and be a distance parent .

Heads up: this is long and I don’t know what I am asking. Maybe writing this down was some sort of therapy or at least a way to get some of my thoughts in order. I am always appreciative of some perspective.
So, the scary and ugly words that may define the end of a relationship era have been said…”Maybe we should just call it quits then”. I am very sad for the kids and our family and mostly worry about how we should tell this to our older kid (6). This will be devastating for them.
Some context: My partner (M38) and I (F43) are together for 12 years, not married, two young children (6 & 2). We both work full-time, have a house and lead a fairly average and busy life. We don’t live in our home country, which we left 12 years ago, and have been living abroad ever since (different countries). So, we’ve been through a lot together and had plenty of good and some challenging times. Also, we don’t have any family support in the country we call home now.
Our challenges started a while ago, got better for a long time (we decided to buy a house and had a second child that is now 2) and now we are back to bad. This was seriously creeping up on me and I am very confused about the overall up and down of my partner perceiving our relationship as good or bad. I am a fighter and tend to want to work on things as I don’t assume it will be easy breezy without putting in the effort. He, I don’t know, may be done putting any effort into the relationship or is not willing to put the right amount in, as he hopes to get away with little to no fighting.
Going back to the beginning of the pandemic, about 2 years after the birth of our older child, he told me he wants to leave me as he didn’t think that our relationship was good or loving enough and he couldn’t take it anymore. We decided to do couples counselling and worked, amongst others, on our communication, which appeared to be an issue. Our relationship improved and I started working on some personal challenges that stem from my childhood.
Our upbringing was quite different. He is the only child of a single mum. His stepdad has been part of his life since he was about 3 years old. His stepdad used to (now retired) work in a different city so was only around on weekends and during holidays. His mum is loving and easy-going, and his stepdad and mum have a great relationship. However, despite his mum and stepdad getting along incredibly well, my partner always had a somewhat challenging relationship with his stepdad as he was never too keen to take on the father role and was rather strict. My parents on the other hand are emotionally very immature and there was plenty of emotional neglect and, at times, emotional abuse. Because of this I have issues classifying and understanding my emotions, asking for support, confidence and self-worth.
Because of my upbringing and because I absolutely love and adore my children, it is very important to me to be patient and take the gentle parenting approach whenever possible. Admittedly, this doesn’t always work out as I have my limits and the kids can be a handful. My partner on the other hand, albeit a very great and loving dad, is much stricter, works a lot with consequences and doesn’t tolerate unruly children. Personally, I have no problem if both parents follow a different strategy if it’s complimentary, which I thought our parenting is. My partner, however, thinks otherwise and told me that the challenges with our kids are because of my parenting style and because I don’t have them under control. They are great children and do exactly what I expect children their age would do at times: fight for independence, have toddler manners and tantrums, are terrible at listening after a long day of school and are naughty at times. For the longest time, I thought that our parenting styles align pretty nicely, now it’s a major issue for my partner that I have different opinions on how to treat our children.
Another issue that keeps popping are chores and me asking him to do certain things, while he wants to the things when he wants to do them, not when I ask him to. In his mind, I am giving him orders. In my mind, I simply want to share the workload and want to be able to rely on him. Some contexts. It’s important to me to share household and childcare chores and we follow a, more or less, 50/50 approach (mental workload is still mostly on me though). We are both working full time and because my role is more senior, I am earning a decent amount more than him. He, however, has assets from his parents. Sometimes when I see that X needs to be done and I am on my way out to get the kids, I ask him if he can do X. When I come home and still have to do it myself, I can’t help it but I am disappointed. I try to communicate my emotions clearly, which is a hit and miss on how it’s perceived. I learned that expressing my disappointment about him not doing X is a miss, as he considers this an attack and shoots back that he is frustrated and annoyed with me giving him orders and then being disappointed in him.
And now the good old physical connection. We never had the most elaborate sex life. Pretty vanilla and never the amount he would have liked. Due to my upbringing, I don’t need physical touch to feel well (I love hugging my children though and do it often). Since I rarely got affection growing up, a bit of hugging goes a long way for me, and I don’t tend to crave it. In contrast, he likes hand holding, touching, hugging etc. In the past, our therapist suggested that I simply initiate a hug once a day, which worked for quite a while. Fast forward, busy lives combined with plenty of sick days for most of the fall and winter, there wasn’t a lot of physical connection between us. However, what bugs me is that he complains that he misses it but rarely initiates. I don’t understand. I never turn down a hug and it’s usually me who asks for sex.
Overall, he is a great person and partner, and fantastic dad with his own issues that he doesn’t seem to be fully aware of. Even though he appears very confident, he isn’t. He is constantly seeking praise and confirmation, and often thinks that the ‘the grass is greener on the other side’. He rarely sees the error in himself and thinks that his way is the right way. He is also almost obsessed with being happy. Therefore, he can’t handle when I am a little down and tells me I am bipolar. I have moody spells when I am getting my period and lately work has thrown me some curveballs. But overall, I feel I am in decent mental shape most of the time, especially considering that I broke off the contact my parents about 10 months ago and I am working through some childhood trauma. I am proud of the discoveries and progress I’ve made. For him, it’s not good enough. He doesn’t like thoughtful me that isn’t smiling all the time with sun shining out of my ass.
Somebody saying or implying that I am not good enough or not meet their expectations is a bit of a trigger for me ( which he knows), as my mother constantly criticized me for all sort of stuff.
He smokes a decent amount of grass, because it is helping him relax and be more chill with the kids. I wonder if this has changed his perception, memory for sure and contributes to overinterpreting certain things.
All I really want is not to be put down and compared to my mother, and being accepted by my partner for the person I am, with all the good and the bad.
I thought we have a beautiful family and amazing kids. I worry about how to tell my kids and how to handle this moving forward. Is there hope?

(For those that just want the end product, here you go
I advise you strongly to download it instead of using Google Sheets, otherwise it could misplace most if not all the pictures I used)
Greetings everyone ! About a year ago I did make a damage calculator, for personnal use at first, and I had planned on making it for others too, so I had to make it understandable for others.
Sadly since I played a lot less after finishing this calculator, and got into other games, I kind of stopped playing consistently and totally forgot to do this ....
I recently got back into the game and am currently catching up with a year worth of content, plus all I already had to do so I've been busy.
And I remembered I had this file on my computer, so I decided to see if it still worked, for the most it does, but as some new stuff has been added I've been forced to change a bit of what I did, one thing led to another and I did the whole thing from scratch.
But in the first place how come I did a Damage Calculator ?
Well, Story Time it is !
Story time:
Whilst farming AD I noticed that despite being under the same buff/debuff/conditions, and hitting the same enemy, my damage wasn't a fixed value, so I understood from this situation that there is some RNG in the damage value of this game . I thought it would be kind of neat to have a damage calculator to see what kind of fluctuation there is, or simply know how much damage I could do without actually doing it in game.
Little did I know is that this idea took me through a long journey that lasted for about 2-3 months.
And after searching, it appears there was a post that was made around 5 years ago or so, on a spreadsheet (by u/will_jojo, thank you by the way to this person) calculating damage. Great, right ? Well, yes and no, I'm a dumbass so I didn't understand a single thing of it and totally gave up when I saw formulas, number and different values to input. Needless to say my experience when it comes to spreadsheet prior to this journey was near 0 . Plus since it is 4 years old with all the new mechanics and grastas and stuff it is sort of outdated (I know there was a second version too that did include grastas) To put it bluntly it appeared to be too hard to me, so while it was cool that someone did this, it wasn't useful to me since I didn't understand any of it.
So then, I had a "brilliant" idea and thought to myself: "How about I just make it myself, that way I know it won't be outdated and there'll be everything I want in it, simple as that !" Never have I been struck by karma so fast....
I searched if there was a thing such as a damage formula for this game. Turns out there was and it was on the wiki all this time! By the way thanks to the people that made this wiki as always, and props to the people that made this hellish formula.
So I clicked on the page to see the formula and the details as to how it works. Needless to say I ended up having a stroke given the sheer size of that page. Jokes aside it was a really well detailed page and you can see the amount of work that was put into it, but my dum-dum brain had trouble processing all of it. After taking a break and reading through it while understanding absolutely nothing, I reduced this to "so it IS just a formula after all, simple enough for me to make a damage calculator, right ?"
And with my experience in terms of spreadsheet, it was litterally sink or swim, watching tutorials so as to understand a bit about spreadsheets and stuff. I can't stress out how much this forehead of mine encountered the hardness of my wall during the creation of this Calculator.
As you have guessed it was a pain to do it, mentally and well, physically, damned be this wall. First I had to actually read the entire page of wiki concerning the damage formula several times so as to understand it, which in and of itself took me quite some time.
As for the looks of it, I totally took the same direction as u/will_jojo by doing it on a spreadsheet.
The main difference being that mine is a mess. Then I had to turn all the gibberish of the damage formula wiki page into actual spreadsheet formulas, and make it understandable by people like me, as well as just about anyone.
Also making sure the values were good by testing them myself with my units, making sure that it wouldn't break if a buff/debuff was applied etc.... To put it in a nutshell, I had an awful lot to do to keep me busy, but after a lot of pain I finally succeeded in putting all of this together and make it both viable and working, at least for this first version that is. Because there still is an awful lot to do in terms of enhancements, especially visually because it's a real mess let's face it....
(I'll spare you the details on the numerous times where it went wrong, just know there were A LOT of times where I had to start over, either because of a crash, my fat fingers making a mess in formulas or me simply going in the wrong way...)
I tried to take into account as much things as possible, but I may have forgotten some .
Keep in mind: I have no skills when it comes to maths or using a spreadsheet prior to this, so what I did may be inefficient/have unnecessary brackets/could be shortened. You are free to use it for yourself, share it, ignore it, or upgrade it (if you like to torment yourself with long formulas that is). If you have any feedback about this or criticism (especially negative one as it's the best indicator as to what's to change), feel free to let me know .
As for the way it works, it' very simple: -Sheet 2: A step by step instructions as to how to use Page 3 properly
-Sheet 3: The calculator, just type the values of your unit as well as other values (buffs/debuffs/effects/etc....)
-Sheet 4: A page where I explain precisely how I made that Damage Calculator this way people can understand what I did and perhaps find things I did wrong if you are interested in how I made it.
And with that have fun, I stay available if you have any questions.

Note: All of the following criteria are looked at in a vacuum and isolated from other matchups.
Connections:
How similar are the characters, are the connections to said characters true, and are they unique to both characters?
Note: Quantity is taken into account, but quality and uniqueness are what’s primarily taken into account for ranking.
0 : They do not exist and / or are all factually incorrect.
0.5: There is at least one connection that is factually accurate, but it is generic and surface level.
1-3: There is at least one accurate connection, and this one connection is of good quality and is unique. Everything else is either very stretched, generic, and/or wrong.
4-6: More than one connections that are mostly accurate, and there are a few unique connections, and any others are primarily made up of generic connections. Not necessarily bad connections, just ones that are not unique. There may be a handful of stretches. The number of connections isn’t as important up until this point.
7-9: There are a decent amount of connections that are all accurate and strong aside from a few stretched and/or generic connections.
10: A bunch of strong, unique connections that are all factually accurate with very little to no stretches.
Examples of Good Connections: Isaac vs Omori, Harry Potter vs Percy Jackson
Examples of Bad Connections: Darth Vader vs Sephiroth, Buddha vs Gojo
Thematics:
How similar are the character’s personal stories? And if they’re not similar, what about the stories of franchises overall?
Note: Contrasts are counted (as parallels) for when ranking Thematics. Uniqueness and quality also apply to thematics.
0: Character’s Stories and/or Series do not align or parallel at all
1-3: Character’s Stories and/or Series are vaguely similar
4-6: Character’s Stories and/or Series are decently similar and/or parallel each other
7-9: Character’s Stories and/or Series are very similar and/or parallel each other
10: Character’s Stories and/or Series either align/contrast nearly perfectly
Examples of Good Thematics: Ori vs The Knight, Ghost Rider vs Spawn
Examples of Bad Thematics: Luffy vs Ryuko, Giratina vs Yukari
Example of Stronger Connections but Weaker Thematics: Goku vs Sonic, Agent Jones vs Rick Sanchez
Example of Weaker Connections but Stronger Thematics: Monokuma vs Koro-Sensei, Duke Nukem vs Serious Sam
Animation Potential:
How easy would it be to produce a good looking animation? (Available models and sprites, effort required to draw by hand, etc.)
Note: Live Action episodes are too few and far between in both official episodes and MUs that would actually benefit from it, so it will not be taken into account for most MUs.
0: Neither Characters have assets that can be used to make an animation. Assets are going to have to be made in full for the animation to work (I.E. Making 3d models / Sprite sheets from scratch). Almost entirely relies on being hand drawn.
1-3: Only one character has assets, with them being low quality at that. Heavily relies on being hand drawn or assets being created and/or edited.
4-6: At least one character has high quality assets in both sprites and 3D with the other having minimal resources OR both characters have very low quality assets. Would need to rely on hand drawn a bit, but depending on the MU it could be excusable.
7-9: Both have high quality assets in either sprites and/or 3D and/or are very hand drawn friendly. (HD friendly characters EX: The Knight (Hollow Knight), Scooby-Doo, Mickey Mouse, etc.)
10: Both have high quality assets in all styles and are very hand drawn friendly.
Examples of Good Animation Potential: Yuji VS Denji, Scorpion vs Kratos
Examples of Bad Animation Potential: Junko vs The Major, Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III vs Guts
Fight Potential:
How do the characters' combat kits mesh well and/or bounce off of each other well? Do both characters have enough in their respective arsenals to make an interesting fight?
Note: This is based purely on the actual combat side of things, with more intelligence based MUs doing better in Story Potential.
0: Neither character has/can canonically fight
0.5: One character can fight, the other can not
1-3: Both characters are able to fight though very minimal means, usually just being just normal people throwing out basic attacks (punches, kicks, sword swipes, etc.).
4-6: Both have at least more than one ability that can bounce off / counter each other well somewhat dynamically
7-9: Both characters have abilities that bounce off of each other naturally, with both having a lot to pull from in their arsenals
10: Both poweskill sets bounce/match each other masterfully and has a very good and enticing dynamic
Examples of Good Fight Potential: Kaos vs Vortech, Skul vs The Knight
Examples of Bad Fight Potential: Shigaraki vs Mahito, Walter White vs Light Yagami
Interaction Potential:
How well do the characters' personalities, fighting styles, and environment mesh well with each other?
Note: Non verbal communication is taken into account, and non language based communication is also taken into account (roaring/screaming, body language, general expressions of emotion, etc.)
0: Both characters are mute and/or emotionless and cannot interact with one another.
1-3: Only one of the characters in the match up can speak/interact, whereas the other character is either unable or unwilling to interact with either character. The dynamic is one-sided
4-6: Both characters can interact with each other, and their personalities are able to bounce off each other at least on a surface level
7-9: Both characters can easily create unique dialog and banter that comes and flows very naturally.
10: Both characters involved have nearly the same personalities, or contrast each other in an extremely dynamic way that flows extremely naturally
Examples of Good Interaction Potential: Darth Vader vs Lich King, Blade Wolf vs Omega
Examples of Bad Interaction Potential: Giratina vs Wobblewok, Revan VS Dark Urge
Story Potential:
Do the characters involved have a good, in-character reason to want to fight one another? Is there potential for an interesting story to be told through the fight?
0: Neither have an in character reason to fight and have no interesting or dynamic potential for a story during the fight
1-3: At least one character has a reason to want to fight, albeit a reason that’s dubious. That, or the reason both characters want to fight fall into cliche storytelling tropes (for the fight to functionally work, you would need to force these characters into a situation that’s out of character for both)
4-6: Both have a good reason as to why they would want to fight each other, but it’s not unique to either character specifically
7-9: Both have a good in character reason to want to fight and have the potential for an interesting story to be told during the fight/grow some kind of relationship with each other
10: Both have a perfect reason to fight with a magnificent story being told during the fight that feels very official, aside from one having to die
Examples of Good Story Potential: Walter White vs Light Yagami, DIO vs Alucard
Examples of Bad Story Potential: Josuke vs Ichiban, Adam vs Asura
Music Potential:
Do the styles of the characters and/or series mesh well? How many types of genres can it be? Can it tell something of a story without vocals?
Note: We rarely if ever take commission tracks into account for this category, given it can either under utilize the source material or goes involves the commissioned to create an effectively original track
0: Neither have canonical music to work with
1-3: Both have music to work with but clash very hard in tone, instrument choice, genre, and composition/heavily rely on Brandon and Therewolf being Brandon and Therewolf
4-6: Both have music that can work together but would clash in tone, instrument choice, genre, or composition/rely on Brandon and Therewolf being Brandon and Therewolf
7-9: Both have music that can very clearly work well together and/or can work in multiple different genres
10: Matches up in tone, instrument choice, and composition, can reasonably work in multiple genres, can tell somewhat of a story, and can just fucking slap
Examples of Good Music Potential: Grimm vs Alastor, Teddy vs Faust
Examples of Bad Music Potential: Gojo vs Gyro, King Piccolo vs Sukuna
Debatability:
Can you reasonably make an argument for either character to win the fight?
0: Neither character has anything to work with in terms of debating. They have no feats, or scaling of any kind to work with
1-3: The winner of the match up is very clear cut. With the only notable discussion being how fast does the winner stomp the loser
4-6: Both have win cons, but it's still very cut and dry who wins. And/or the debate relies on what you buy for both
7-9: Very debatable with very reasonable arguments being able to be made for either character winning
10: It’s borderline, could go either way, and or is a tie
Examples of Good Debatability: Shang Tsung vs Raphael, Q84 vs Batter
Examples of Bad Debatability: Alastor vs Black Hat, Scout vs Rebbeca
Promotability:
How easy would it be to make promotional material for the matchup?
Note: Hand drawn fan art from artists both inside and outside the general Death Battle community are not taken into account when ranking Promotability.
0: Neither characters have official cannon designs to work with
1-3: Characters have at least one render for thumbnails, and minimal assets for track arts and next time trailers
4-6: Characters have a fair amount of content in decently high quality for thumbnails, trailers, etc.
7-9: Characters have a lot of good, high quality, and dynamic renders and footage to use. The matchup can be easily promoted and it be of good quality
10: Characters have an abundance of renders with dynamic posing and in great quality for thumbnails, next time trailers, etc.
Examples of Good Promotability: Springtrap vs Junko, Makima vs The Batter
Examples of Bad Promotability: Sans vs The Judge, Owlman vs Rick Prime
Recognizability:
Character recognition is how well known the characters / series are, how well documented the characters / series’ are, and how well established they are in and outside of Death Battle
Note: Character recognition is taken into account for both existing fans of Death Battle, and newcomers to the series. This does not account for popularity
0: The characters involved in the match up are either extremely obscure, to the point where only the match up creator knows who the characters are, or they do not exist
1-3: Characters/Series are at least semi known and have a decent following, but are still extremely obscure to the general public and to the DBM subreddit. At bare minimum the characters exist
4-6: Characters/Series are decently well known, and have a decently sized following. But are still not considered to be household names. More often than not brand names are carrying the recognizability more than the characters themselves
7-9: Both the characters and their respective series are massively well known and documented, both in and out of the DBM community
10: Household names that have reached across the globe. These characters are massively well known, with very few people, if anyone, not knowing who these characters are.
Examples of Good Recognizability: Homer vs Vader, Mickey vs Bugs
Examples of Bad Recognizability: Multiverse Monarch VS The Cockroach King, Uzi vs Izzy Fisher
Here is the outline for the overall finished grades. Mind you this is based on the Canadian grading system so anything below a 50 is considered to be a failing grade.
0-29: Any match up that gets a grade in this score really cannot functionally work as an episode of the show. Too much effort would be placed on the Death Battle team in order to make it happen.
30-49: Any match up that gets a final grade within this score could work as an episode, in theory. But in practice it would still prove too difficult for the Death Battle team to make a full episode on.
50-59: Any match up that gets a final grade within this score can functionally work as a full episode of the show. There is just enough for the Death Battle team to justify making a full episode on, but would still require significant effort to make the episode work.
60-69 (nice): Any match up that gets a final grade within this score can solidly work as a full episode with very few potential major issues. There may be a few that still permeate, but nothing that will bring the match up down overall in terms of making a full episode.
70-79: Any match up that gets a final grade within this score can definitively work as a full episode of the show. There is enough to make an episode work and then some, with only 1 or 2 potential major issues, but nothing too great that brings the overall quality down significantly
80-89: Any match up that gets a final grade within this score can work fantastically as a full episode. There would only be 1 potential major issue, but it would be minor in comparison to everything else the match up gets right.
90+: Why isn’t this an episode yet? This matchup is firing on all cylinders and has nearly every category going for it in its favor.
With all of this being said, does anyone have any further questions about the rubric? I would be happy to answer any and all questions.

Heyo everyone,
First of all, thank you wonderful people for joining me here. Firstly a short Overview of the setting, some ideas for the story and then i will throw a few extras in at the end. Would be happy to hear everyones thoughts to all of this, what you love or hate, what kind of cool and crazy ideas you have for me and yeah thats it actually :D Lets get into it.
System: i will be using the Cypher system, as it gives me the Narative focus with plenty of customization and adaptiblity. I havent been doing too much with it yet, but i really like it already from readying and listening a bit to plays.
Setting: This is where it gets mythical. So imagine a world just like ours. Actually exactly our world. A few years in the future some archelogists and divers find Pandoras Box hidden on a greek island in an underwater cave with plenty of warning. and even logbook with it. Its Odyseus's logbook, in which he mentioned he trapped all the gods and magic in that box with the help of Circe and a few of the other more benevolent gods. Thus started the golden age of humanity where they didnt have to worry about annoying a bunch of superpowerful self absorbed mythical assholes on Olympus.
Surprisingly, the archelogists actually listened to Odyseus warning and decided that some mysteries might be better left unsolved. The box was left open to allow the world the speculate. Not long after that, the box was the most important and most talked about object in the world. It even went on a world tour through the biggest museums. That was until it arrived in America. In the years since 2024, interest in Social media and influencers only increased, causing people to do anything for clicks and likes. And one particular idiot went as far as sneaking a gun into a museum to shoot open pandoras box live on Stream.
Not long after that, 90% of the world population died. As the contained magic exploded forth and spread across the world in light speed, it wrecked havoc across the whole world, changing the land, the animals and the people. Monsters reappered, The gods made their anger at their imprisonment clear to anyone they could and the world offically ended on that day.
Now, 40 days in the future, North America is a wasteland generally regarded as inhabitable due to the high concentration of Mana there, which is toxic to Humans. Most people live in Europe, Africa, Asia and australia, or whats left of it anyways. Famine and war are standard. Some people are training to use magic themselves, others devote themselves to hunting the new monsters for their rare parts, others integrate magic into technology for wonderous creations and most just try to survive in small communities. Most people avoid the gods at all cost, some have formed into cults for them while the rare few attempt to rebel (which often ends in gruesome deaths).
Now the players find themselves in a familar yet unknown world, Magic everywhere to be found, Horrible creatures ready to feast on them around each corner, Ruined cities promising loot and danger, Technology growing rapidly thanks to magic and Powerful beings toying with them for their amusement.
Adventure: So I want to sent the players to North america as part of a huge strikeforce to retrieve a part of pandoras box for study to maybe capture the gods again. obviously this will be a huge secret, they will think its to retrieve vital knowledge to fight a spreading plague as will most of the expiditions members to avoid the eyes of the gods. They will be teleported to America through a new device, but will be forced to travel back on their own accord. Which will lead them to a container ship that holds their strikeforce and some survivors they will find to travel back over the ocean. TIME FOR AN ODYSEE. Everything will go wrong on the trip, i wanna challange the players with impossible emotional choices like maybe during a famine on board some passangers will eat the dead. Should they be punished? Or when the ship is hit by a monster, should we seal a part of the ship to prevent more of the ship taking in water, even if most people couldnt evacuate yet.
I want the players to distinguish themselves during their time in NA to allow them to tale the command of the ship, maybe the commander of the expdition is heavily wounded ( dont want to kill them off, because someone gotta reveal they carry a shard of the box with them). That way all of the decision will be upon them.
I want them to also meet poseidon, who will be their main villain. He will attack them multiple times and the only way they will survive is often with big casualties, with help of other gods or magical artifacts. Other gods will be involved too. Maybe someone from the backgrounds of the player gets involved to murder them. And the two gods trying to kill them , with the bickering giving them a way to escape. In the end they can either kill a god using the piece of the box, or bring the piece home for future use. Will they be able to protect themselves and their people from poseidon, or do they have to strike his heart with their piece of pandoras box. When presented with an opportunity to kill another god, the god who hurt the players the most by killing family and friends, will they take this chance or will they be able to control their rage.
I want to leave this very open ended, just with many encounters ready to go if the opportunity present itself.
And i have to say, Epic: the musical was a big part of the inspiration, just want to give credit where its due. Absolutly amazing.
Here id be happy to hear your ideas. Anything is fine, good or bad opinions. Really just collecting thoughts now.
Some other cool things about the world i will include: Shades: when people were hit by the explosion of mana from the opening of the box, most disintegrated instantly. Some left behind a shade made of pure mana. Those shades are like ghosts on autopilot that follow the routine of the person that it once was. They are usually neutral just doing their thing, but if they sense a disturbance to their regular routine, they will react hostile. As incorperal beings they are incredibly difficult to stop unless you possess magic. They will use the mana inside them to overload you and kill you slow and painfully
Mana/magic: so mana is plentiful and everywhere. It can be used to cast spells and empower oneself. How to do this, is a difficult skill the players will learn during their adventure. The only problem is that mana is toxic to humans as our bodies evolved something like mana allergy. Players can cast spells from their internal force as well if they have one (like divine power born with or purified mana they gained through meditation) so caster classes have a few safe options. But in the end, i want players to pursue a game of risk and reward, by drawing on the mana around them, giving them abilities but also causing many negative effects.