Welcome back to attempting to make Solo into a babyface. Here are some important notes from part 1.
-Smackdown has the men’s MiTB (Andrade holds it)
-Jacob Fatu debut was at Summerslam.
-in the smackdowns leading up to Fastlane, Jacob Fatu and the Tongas turned on Solo
-Jacob Fatu def Solo Sikoa at Fastlane with the help of Zilla Fatu (and sort of Jimmy Uso)
-Jacob Fatu challenged Solo for the position of Tribal Chief, causing Roman Reigns to return.
-Jimmy Uso joins Solo and Roman after hearing Roman is back.
-Jey Uso agreed to return for one fight at Survivor Series
-We sit at the survivor series with the Fatus and the Tongas vs Roman, Solo, and the Usos
On the Smackdown before Survivor Series, Roman and Jacob have a standoff. It was announced that tonight there will be a match between the Usos and Tongas for the advantage in the war games match. Ultimately, a guerrilla warfare hit on Jimmy would end the match, giving the advantage to the new bloodline.
Before we even get to the war games, it's the Rock vs Cody Rhodes for the Universal title, and the match is intense. The Rock goes for a peoples elbow, but is countered. Then he goes for a rock bottom, but is countered into a cross-Rhodes. He hits the first, and goes for a second, and hits that too, and goes for a third, but unlike when he beat Roman at WM40, the Rock is able to get out of it. It’s a brutal fight that goes on for a while. Cody is in a corner, and is thrown on the ground. The Rock goes for his people's elbow again, and is dodged again. Cody looks to dodge the upcoming rock bottom, but the rock expects it, instead hitting Cody in the head and sending him down to the floor. The Rock goes for his third peoples elbow, and lands it this time. 1, 2, 3. The Rock was the champion. Cody Rhodes had lost, giving even more momentum to the new bloodline.
With the team captains and orders set, it was time for the men’s war games match. Roman vs Jacob started it off, and it was clear off the bat Roman hadn’t lost a step. He hit move after move after move on Jacob, but Fatu was resilient. He knew his team had the advantage, and if he waited, his brother would be there soon enough. For the first 5 minutes it’s all Roman Reigns, until Zilla Fatu entered the ring. Even for Roman, 1vs2 monsters was hard. Jacob Fatu looked more insane than ever, and Zilla didn’t look much better. Roman was getting overpowered, and the Fatus were going in on him. But it was time now for the next person to enter. Solo Sikoa was in the match, and instantly went for a big hit on Zilla Fatu. The fight was now back in control for the old bloodline. Solo was beating on Zilla, and Roman was back on top until Jacob. But like before, it was about to get ugly, as now Tama Tonga was in the fight. Tama Tonga went straight for Roman. It was back to Roman getting overrun, and to make matters worse, Zilla had turned the tides against Solo. The old bloodline hoped things could change with the introduction of Jey Uso into the fight, as he went for the quick spear on Tama Tonga, but Tama Tonga was smart, and got out of the way. Now it was Tama beating down Jey, and now Roman was so exhausted it was hard to keep up with Jacob. Things got even worse when Tonga Loa got into the match. It was really bad, especially for Jey Uso, who was now the target of a double team. Eventually, everyone in the new bloodline hit a finisher on the old bloodline, but they couldn’t pin them yet. However, in came Jimmy Uso, and it was now up to him. He looked at Tama Tonga, the man who took his place, and he hit him with a spear, but Tonga Loa didn’t let that slide, hitting his own spear on Jimmy. But now Jey was up, and hit Tonga Loa with his own spear. It was a spearfest, and Roman looked to get involved, going for the spear and pin on Jacob Fatu, but Jacob kicks out at 2. It was the old bloodline in control, except for Solo, who was still getting wrecked by Zilla. However, it was Jimmy who came to save him, and they lock eyes, with Jimmy nodding his head to Solo. The match rages on, and the tides slowly turn back in the favor of the old bloodline. Multiple 2 counts happen with very close calls. Eventually, everyone’s on the ground except Solo and Tama Tonga. The original new bloodline members stared eachother down, and charged. Tama Tonga went for a finisher, but he missed, which opened the door for a Samoan Spike. He goes for it, and hits it, but before he can go down for the pin, Jacob Fatu, who got up after a vicious Roman spear, hits Solo with a spear of his own. 1, 2, 3. The new bloodline were the winners of the war games match. It’s was a nightmare. The new bloodline had both that match and the WWE Universal title. Things looked bad.
As if things weren’t bad enough, Jey Uso kept his word and went right back to Raw, not wanting any more involvement. However, before he did leave, he quickly let Roman know “if my brothers gonna rock wit yall, don’t let him get hurt real bad, aight?” Roman simply nodded.
It’s the smackdown after survivor series, and now it was time to look ahead to the Royal Rumble. But there was an issue about last match. Was Jacob Fatu the new tribal chief? Well, in his eyes, yes, but to almost everyone else, no. Jacob Fatu realized this, and would come out to confront Roman. They eventually decided to settle it all at the Royal Rumble, a main event of the show with Fatu and Reigns fighting for the official title of Tribal Chief. Not much of note besides the typical run ins from the bloodline happen, so we go straight to the Royal Rumble.
If you want a fun fact, the woman’s winner is Zoey Stark, but we aren’t focused on anything until the men’s Royal Rumble match. Not much of note happens until number 13, which has our first main story entrance, Zilla Fatu. He lasts to about 20, and unfortunately, no backup really arrived, and he was out. At 21, out came Jey Uso, and his brother Jimmy followed at 22. Then it felt like everyone involved with the bloodline came. 24 was Tama Tonga, Cody Rhodes was 25, Tonga Loa was 26, and Randy Orton, who’s back for the first time since his injury against Jacob Fatu at 27. Then we get the grace period in it with 28 being Sheamus. However, at 29, we get someone who’s familiar with the bloodline that hasn’t been mentioned up to this point. Sami Zayn. He’s had a very good run and only recently dropped the IC title to Ilja Dragunov at Survivor Series. Then, at 30, it’s none other than Solo Sikoa. Eventually, we’re down to 6. Tama Tonga, the Uso brothers, Solo, Sami, and Carmelo Hayes. Carmelo Hayes had been here since number 7, and was targeted quickly, but he was good. Eventually, Tama Tonga got his hands on Solo, looking for revenge from that Samoan Spike at Survivor series, and is about to take him over. However, this is when the bond between Jimmy and Solo is truly reformed, and Jimmy saves Solo. However, Tama Tonga takes the chance to eliminate Jimmy Uso, and it’s down to 5. Sami Zayn lands a Heluva Kick on Carmelo, and he seems finished, but Tama Tonga is on a rampage, and looks to eliminate him. However, in a move that’s questioned by a lot of fans, Solo Sikoa eliminates himself to also eliminate Tama Tonga. He looks on at Jey Uso, telling him to win. Jey and Sami, who had been together a lot on raw, team up and eventually eliminate Carmelo, meaning it’s Jey Uso vs Sami Zayn. In the end, after some brutal fighting, it’s Jey Uso who wins the Royal Rumble, getting his shot to win back the World Heavyweight Championship he lost at Summerslam.
With that behind, it was time for Jacob Fatu vs Roman Reigns in a normal match, meaning if anyone got involved, it was over. And indeed, someone, specifically the Rock, got involved. The Rock explains that he’s the tribal chief, and that Jacob Fatu has just been his stand-in for the time being with Roman. But now, it was the road to wrestlemania, and the Rock declared he end Roman for good in Las Vegas. The universal title match was on st wrestlemania.
In the weeks leading up to elimination chamber, we begin to find out who’s gonna be in the match, and the very first 2 to get in are Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. They are followed by Randy Orton, LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes, and Tammaso Ciampa, who at this point has broken off from DIY. Then, it’s time for the match. The winner (seemingly) getting a shot the universal title at wrestlemania. It’s expected that the winner will either kick Roman out of the match or make it a 3-way.
The men’s elimination chamber begins with Melo and Ciampa. Sadly for Ciampa, he’s pinned before the next person, Randy Orton, can even come out. Then, it’s move after move as Solo, then Jacob, then LA Knight all exit their pods. Sadly for this story, and great news for Solo, Jacob Fatu is the second out, being target by everyone else in the ring. However, they then turn their eyes to Solo, but before LA Knight can charge, Randy Orton stops him, saying that “Solo changed, even if he’s still an asshole”. That was all LA Knight needed to hit Randy Orton with a BFT, but is unable to get the 3 count, as Solo stopped him. However, he didn’t need to, because off the top rope came Carmelo Hayes, who goes for the p- RKO OUTTA NOWHERE! 1, 2, 3, Carmelo was done. Now down to the final 3, completely out of it, Randy Orton was the next to go, beating by LA Knight. Now it was Solo vs LA Knight, winner goes to wrestlemania. It was close, with so many 2 counts. However, as LA Knight went on the top rope and going for the jump, Solo Sikoa revealed a new version of the Samoan Spike, as he was somehow able to catch LA Knight with an RKO style Samoan Spike, and that was it for LA Knight, with Solo winning.
Now came the big question. What was Solo going to do. Well, to a lot, it was obvious, and it’s was announced that the match for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship was a triple threat between The Rock, Roman Reigns, and Solo Sikoa.
Over the next few weeks, the new bloodline and old bloodline fueds grew. It was heated, and eventually, the Tongas challenging the Uso brothers to a tag team match for the tag team titles (remember they’re still held by the tongas). One half agrees, but unfortunately, Jey Uso declines. Jimmy Uso needed a tag partner, but was it going to be. Nobody new. Over the weeks, the pecking order became clear to almost everyone when the rock, out of anger, went in on Zilla Fatu for losing a match on Smackdown. Jacob Fatu at first went to bat for his brother, but would eventually also indulge in putting Zilla down. This was the opportunity anyone in the old bloodline was looking for. They wanted a crack in that new bloodline, and they got it. They planted the seeds for Zilla Fatu to turn on the new bloodline, but he wouldn’t do it.
Jacob Fatu was still very clearly angry about Elmination chamber, and every chance he got to attack Solo, he took it. It was back and forth, eventually resulting in a challenge by Jacob Fatu live on stage to Solo, the main event of night one for the chance to fight in the title match against the rock and Roman. However, before Solo could take the match, someone came out to his rescue and offered to take the match himself, none other than the former Universal champ, Cody Rhodes, claiming that this chance shouldn’t be taken from Solo. However, he did have one stipulation for Solo, and that’s if Solo won, Rhodes would get a shot at the title quick. Solo agreed, and Fatu, looking annoyed, also agreed. If Rhodes won, not much would happen, but if Fatu won, the fight would become a fatal four way.
It’s the smackdown before the smackdown before wrestlemania, and tensions are high. There’s a huge argument, and it results in a lot of shouting. It eventually spins to Zilla Fatu, and how he is so young and so raw that he hasn’t matured enough. But that’s when Jimmy makes his move. He tells Zilla “don’t make the same mistake I made a year ago. Do it.” But Zilla didn’t move. Tama Tonga made sure Jimmy Uso knew that he can’t talk like that, but that’s when the big moment happened. Zilla Fatu super kicked Tama Tonga. It was the same thing that happened with the original bloodline. Zilla Fatu had turned, and stood by Jimmy Uso. It was quickly set up that the match for the tag titles would be between Jimmy Uso and Zilla Fatu vs the Tongas. As the camera panned to the crowd at the very end, if you stopped it quickly, you could see Jey Uso, at the top of the stairs, smiling.
It was time for the smackdown before wrestlemania, and again, tensions were so high it was insane. With Zilla turning, everything was crazy. Fights broke out, blood was shed, and it was a huge fight. At the end, the rock declared it was his title, and he would end this entire thing by winning. Roman declared the same thing. Solo, well Solo just stood there. However, little did they know, at the end of the show, there stood LA Knight, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and Kevin Owens, seemingly looking at someone, and declaring that “the master plan was ready for wrestlemania”.
And that’s where part 2 ends.
There will be a finale part 3 that will probably be shorter than parts 1 and 2.
Hope you all enjoyed

The Clan

“They must've done a lot of drugs,”\ they said as we came down\ out of the mountains in a dream,\ cooing senseless empty sounds,\ weaving spells all unaware,\ moonflower and barrenwort\ tangled in our hair\ beside the sun-choked road,\ begging in the dirt in tattered robes.\ \ Bright and belonging \ in the blue and the green, \ blinded by the merely seen,\ with eyes askance they willed us gone. \ Night fell quiet, but come the dawn \ their thugs arrived with whips and dogs\ to drive us out beyond their borders.\ But our joy lit the sullen sky, \ paradise shining in our eyes, \ and our minds ablaze with pretty lies;\ nothing they could do really mattered.\ \ On golden sand, in deep warm water, \ we opened the doors forever; \ laughing gasping in the river, \ flowing, growing, touching … touched. \ They watched; and they mocked;\ but our children had picked every pocket,\ and stolen the key to every lock.

Apocalypse

“We'll bring the vermin to their knees,”\ they said as we swept down,\ flooding through their golden towns,\ planting our mangled seed \ in working girls with barren dreams, \ the stunted spawn of royalty. \ \ Stunned drones swarmed the writhing queen,\ maddened by the plague she had not foreseen\ and could not contain; \ arms outstretched we burned in the rain, \ scourged lame and raving in shuttered squares, \ sowing discord, rage and pain, \ and sparking fires everywhere. \ \ Stillborn gods twitched underground, \ foundations cracked without a sound, \ and all that lived fell trembling;\ but joy shimmered in the sweltering air, \ unblemished by thought, unscarred by care\ and oblivious to everything, \ \ Calm cradling chaos; a heartbeat to breathe;\ then it was as though creation screamed\ and our children rose on bloody wings.
1 2 3 4

I’ve done several fasts btwn 10-12 days and more than 5 fasts btwn 5-8 days and I weigh daily.
This is my first time doing rolling fasts and I’m 10 days in so far and feel like I’ve found my fasting calling.
My records suggest that extended fasting very slightly beats rolling fasts thru 7 days, we are talking weight loss of 15 lbs vs 13.5 lbs here.
However, after the first 7 days, rolling fasts are equal to or slightly better than extended fasts for weight loss.
The difference seems to be the lack of a plateau with rolling fasts.
I’ve seen daily weights and chart from others that show a weight gain of 2-4 lbs after the fast breaking meal, but at least to this point, that hasn’t been happening for me.
After 2 big refeeds of 3000 calories, one low carb (13.3%) and the 2nd keto (net carbs 5g, 0.2% carbs), I lost 0.6 lbs and gained 0.6 lbs, respectively, so I’m net zero weight gain in terms of refeeds.
Currently 26 hrs into a 96 hr rolling fast, I’ll be getting more data and will be able to go head to head with my most successful 12 day extended fast - right now, it looks like 12 days of rolling fasts will come in a tie or possibly win by 1 lb or lose by 1 lb - now there is a caveat, I did a 39 hr rolling fast as the 2nd fast, btwn the first fast of 96 hrs and the 3rd fast of 72 hrs, so that refeed, though only 1000 calories with 1g net carbs, has probably cost me 1 lb.
Here is the 9 days of data from my rolling fast thus far:
Fasting Weight Progress
Fast started at 3:30am on Sunday 5/5
Day 1 weight is at 12pm, 33 hrs in (+9 hrs from full day)
Daily weights 11:30am-12:30pm
Day 0… 229… last meal at 3:30am
Day 1… 225.8 (3.2)… FAST 33 hours
Day 2… 223.4 (2.4)…FAST
Day 3… 221.0 (2.4)… FAST
Day 4… 219.6 (1.4)… EAT salmon, tuna, hemp at 2:30am-4:30am to BREAK 95:2 HR FAST 1000 cals 0 net carbs
Day 5… 217.2 (2.4)… EAT brisket x 3, tuna, hemp, walnuts, almonds, raisins from 7pm-1am to BREAK 39:6 HR FAST 3000 cals 100g carbs
Day 6… 216.6 (0.6)… FAST
Day 7… 215.2 (1.4)….. FAST
Day 8… 213.4 (1.8)… EAT 67:5 HR FAST salmon x 2, ground beef x 2, chicken x 2, steak, walnuts, almonds, 3000 cals 5g net carbs
Day 9… 214.0 (+0.6)… FAST
Day 10… ???
In terms of sustainability, I had no problem doing 72 hrs during the last fast with no hunger on Days 1 & 2 and only mild-moderate hunger on Day 3, and though I could have went 96 hrs without too much of a battle, I broke at 72 hrs.
Currently at 26 hours into new fast, hunger is none to minimal after eating 3000 cals of a 5g net carb refeed, and plan is to do 96 hours this time as long as hunger on Day 3 is moderate or lower.
There may very well be individual differences between people, with some losing more weight and/or preferring extended fasts and others getting those benefits from 72-96 hr rolling fasts.
Plan is to break current fast with lo carb SALAD-based 3000 cal refeed (kale, spinach, broccoli, brisket x 2, 120 cals beans, 130 cals sweet potatoes, seeds, nuts) that should bring me briefly out of ketosis for a few hours, and compare weight loss of isocaloric 5g net carbs carnivore & nuts based refeed vs 60g net carbs high fiber lo carb kale, spinach, broccoli, brisket, beans, sweet potatoes, seeds, nuts refeed.
Has anyone done this comparison before? If so, did isocaloric 3000 cals carb zero keto outperform high fiber low carb (60g net carbs) or is it the other way around, with nutrients from vegetables, beans and well-rounded meal flipping the switch from ketones to glucose to ketones for a few hours - how energy intensive is it to flip that switch twice within a few hours and can nutrient-loaded meal supercharge fat burning after 12-day fast drains nutrients?
Also, has anybody else not gained weight after refeeding on a rolling 72-96 hr fast?
If you haven’t gained weight after refeed on a 72/96 hr rolling fast, how many cals was your meal and what foods comprised it?
Thanks for reading, please feel free to comment.

I know slugs are always an issue but this year the damage they are causing seems so much worse than any year previously. Probably the combination of constant rain and not enough sunshine.
It’s making me wonder why I bother putting in all the effort to grow from seed for the plants only to be eaten within days when they’re put outside.
The only edible not being attacked by slugs is nasturtium and potatoes in my garden.
How’s everyone else fairing?

To set the stage, I am an HR Admin who handles the entire Onboarding process from the point of initial verbal job offer up until New Hire Orientation. Being on property, I am then New Hires' first point of contact for any needs or inquiries.
A recent Candidate was dragging his feet as far as signing both his Offer Letter and Pay Plan after his verbal acceptance, to me, of a Job Offer.
My Supervisor asked me to reach out to this Candidate to try to get a status.
When I did, via text, which had been our normal mode of conversing thus far, he never responded.
I thought this was kind of a big question to ignore. But, I took it to mean that the Candidate didn't find my role in assisting him with the Onboarding Process as being important enough to him.
Through the grapevine, via my Supervisor, I learned that there was a problem with his Pay Plan that essentially came down to him asking for more money.
So, I figure, instead of replying to me by simply saying, "Yes, just confirming the final details of my Pay Plan.", he chose to ignore me.
After 3 days, and eventually signing his Pay Plan, he breaks the silence, via text, to ask a question about his Onboarding Packet. I answer him promptly.
He then sends me a text telling me that he didn't want to seem rude last week, but that 'Sally', (a totally unrelated employee in his future department, and that I have very limited contact with), told him not to answer me and that she would 'talk to me'. (She never did.)
I at once judged this Candidate as not only rude and immature, but as a drama-stirrer.
Right or wrong, I now have a small seed of animosity planted towards Sally, where I had no reason to before.
I can't fathom a current Employee advising a New Hire Candidate to simply not respond to HR.

I have completed the game and was travelling back to the Origin tree to collect my last Plant seed but the game keeps on crashing as soon as I interact with the Travel prompt near the Big Bird. I have restarted Steam, restarted my PC and nothing's working. The game keeps on crashing!

I’m wanting to start growing food but I’m not really sure where to start. Our house is rented so anything I grow would have to be potted. Also, there’s a fair amount of indoooutdoor cats in my neighbourhood and I wouldn’t want them ruining my plants so any insight on that would be great.
Do I need to get a small greenhouse? I live in the uk and the weather tends to be on the cloudy/rainy/windy side. Not always, but quite often. And our backyard is quite small, but it gets a good amount of sunlight. I could fit a small greenhouse.
What plants can I keep in a pot or planter and they’ll thrive without needing to be transplanted into the ground?
Should I start with seeds or plants?
What about herbs? I’d love to have fresh herbs. We do so much cooking from scratch and it would really up our game and save us money. Would I need a lamp for in the winter?
Any suggestions for doing it with a small budget?
And if you have any resource suggestions (books, YouTube, websites, whatever). Anything that’ll teach me about cultivating healthy plants.

Does any where in the area sell pine berries (white strawberries)? I have failed multiple times trying to germinate White Soul Strawberries seeds this year and was hoping maybe I could just buy a plant or some roots to get them in the ground this spring.

Hi, guys! I just bought some seeds online a few days ago. They're arriving today and I'm not gonna be able to plant them because my cocopeat hasn't arrived yet. I plan to store the seeds in a container til tomorrow or maybe put them in the fridge. Any tips? I live in a tropical country. It's currently 100F where I'm at rnnnnn I don't want the seeds to die

I got some dwarf sunflower seeds that Im growing for my mother. They’ve already germinated and are ready to plant but I realized I didn’t have compost. Would it be possible to plant them without compost until I get some?

Reddit Account: u/Chicken_Supreme01
Discord Tag: justchackensauce
Name and House: Aerys Belaerys
Age: 20
Cultural Group: Valyrian
Appearance: The blondish-white that marks him as Valyrian, Aerys is a youth in his early 20's and the bright eyes of a man with his whole life ahead of him.
Trait: Just
Skill(s): Vanguard (e), Cunning (e), Tactician
Talent(s): Board Games
Negative Trait(s): N/A
Starting Title(s): Knight of Aegon's Rest
Starting Location: With his family
Alternate Characters: N/A
---

Bio

Aerys Belaerys was born on Dragonstone to Aemon and Alyssa Belaerys. His father was occupied trying to scrape together any amount of money for their family while his cousins marched to war with the Targaryens. He would be the eldest of their two children with his sister Maegelle being born a few years after and from a young age, Aerys had very little expectations placed upon him unlike others that bore the name Belaerys.
In the beginning he was set to follow one of two paths, that of a warrior or that of a copper counter akin to his father, either way he would be a man sworn to serve the Targaryens and the main branch of Belaerys on their family farm. His mother wished more for him to be told, but being the side branch to an already lowly Valyrian family did not open up many opportunities.
Much would change quickly however, Aerys would only live on Dragonstone for a short period of two years before his families luck would take a surprising turn. A short stint inside Aegonsfort before tragedy befell House Targaryen as the King was slain by a Tully assassin. Aerys was far too young to even remember these times however, with his first memories only ever being of the family's new home in what was once called the castle of Riverrun.
Life would be easy going for Aerys, all eyes were on his elder cousins and the main branch of House Belaerys. Such relaxed expectations would lead Aerys to try and find his own niche in the family, a position no other would be able to match him in. He dreamed ambitiously and so threw himself at everything he could hoping something would stick, and stick something did.
While his cousin Aelor grew to love the fine arts, Aerys would find himself enthralled with matters altogether more martial. Learning the history of the Westerosi was made ever more interesting thanks to the countless spats and wars that occurred throughout the continent. From the Andal invasions all the way back to the mystical wars between the First Men and Children of the Forest, Aerys soaked in knowledge of battles and strategies and begin dreaming of the day he would ride out at the head of his own army.
As the years passed and the boy grew into his teenage years, he had moved on from daydreaming his battles to creating mock scenarios out of game pieces, challenging all who he deemed might pose a worthy challenge. This would start out with a soldier here, or one of the maesters there, but soon enough none in the castle wished to play such a game, and so once more his thirst for advancement in his craft would evolve.
Aerys would begin setting up mock battles using Belaerys men-at-arms as the new pieces. This form of the game would give him further visual queues to look for during the battles, and would lead him to further honing his abilities on the field. The mixture of reading every piece of work and actively leading troops in the mock battles around Aegon's Rest, Aerys' abilities would eventually begin to plateau, there was only so much practice could do in place of actual real world experience.
Such experience was likely enough to come his way however, as before long an old and bitter rivalry that Aerys had only read about finally flared back up. Blackwoods and Brackens once more raised their banners and pointed their weapons at one another.
While much of the surrounding Houses began to fear that the spat would spill out into something all the more devastating, Aerys was overjoyed at the potential for real warfare experience. No other voice was louder then little Aerys Belaerys during the council meeting that Lord Baelor Belaerys called over the matter. While some voiced caution, and others voiced leaving the House out of it entirely, Aerys Belaerys urged his uncle to support a side and earn prestige and renown for their House.
Baelor would be swayed by his nephews pleas, and a raven would be sent to House Blackwood declaring that House Belaerys stood with them. The banners would be called, and while Aerys would not be given any sort of command due to his youth, it would not stop the excitement from rising in his chest. The only thing that did kill the excitement was the dragon that appeared on the horizon the day Belaerys was set to march to join the conflict. At first believing it to be one of the Queens, Aerys was beyond surprised to see none other then his cousin Aelor.
His cousin and the dragon would fly off almost as soon as they had landed. Aerys was not privy to the discussion that took place between father and son, but he knew deep down that if a dragon had joined the mix, it was highly unlikely that he would see any form of real battle this day.
This feeling would turn true as reports came back the very same day that both Blackwoods and Brackens agreed to return to their own lands instead of face a dragon, his heart sank at this news and his feelings became conflicted for but a moment. It was great for his House and cousin that Belaerys now wielded a monstrous beast like Veraxes, but it was that fact that also stole Aerys' first chance at live combat.
He wouldn't remain in a sour mood for long however, because once Aelor returned he would give Aerys the chance of a lifetime, and the pair of cousins would fly atop the back of Veraxes together. Aerys could remember tying the chain, his heart beating hard as the great dragons wings stretched out and prepared for flight. It would be a memory he would hold dear, as though in their childhoods they had never been able to forge a close bond, this one act would be the start of a strong fellowship between the two.
Life would once more fall into a simple cycle of monotony, Aelor flew off to explore what Westeros had to offer, and Aerys would continue his learning efforts. Eventually the entirety of Aegon's Rest library was exhausted. His father Aemon would urge him to see knowledge and experience outside the family's lands, more specifically to the Citadel like he had. Although he was wary of leaving at first, he would concede that in order to grow and gain more knowledge it would be needed.
In 20 AC, Aerys would leave Aegon's Rest for the first time in 18 years. He would travel through the West and Reach, meeting new people and experiencing new things along the way. Finally he would reach Oldtown, the high spire reaching far into the sky above him. He would spend the next five years working his way through several links of a chain, emerging in 25 AC with a more complete education and solid foundation in regards to warfare.
He would make his return journey to Aegon's Rest, only to learn of his family's impending journey to the festivities being held near King's Landing.
---

Timeline

5 AC - Born to Aemon and Alyssa Belaerys.
7 AC - Moved to Aegon's Rest after King Aegon's death.
14 AC - Begins his journey to find his own niche inside his family.
18 AC - Pushes his uncle to join the fight between Blackwood and Bracken, conflict is averted by his cousin Aelor arriving atop Veraxes.
20 AC - Exhausts most avenues of furthering his abilities within Aegon's Rest, journeys to the Citadel in Oldtown to further education.
25 AC - Returns to his family.
25 AC - Present.
---
Family Tree
---
Name and House: Aemon Belaerys
Age: 42
Cultural Group: Valyrian
Appearance: An older man, he has seen his fair share of life, Aemon is usually disheveled looking
Trait: Steward
Skill(s): Architect, Avaricious, Scrutinous
Talent(s): Coin Stacking
Negative Trait(s): N/A
Starting Title(s): Steward of Aegon's Rest
Starting Location: With his family
Alternate Characters: N/A
---

Bio

Born ten and seven years prior to the Conquest to Maekar Belaerys and Aerea Scales, Aemon had one sibling, a younger sister named Alyssa. He would spend his entire youth on Dragonstone until he'd grown to become a man-at-arms under House Targaryen.
During the Conquest, he'd land with his cousin Baelor and Aegon Targaryen at what is now known as King's Landing. Despite his best attempts, Aemon was never exceptionally skilled with a sword, he would quickly find ways to not be sent to the frontlines, managing to fake an injury to his ribs on the eve of the Field of Fire.
This fake injury would cause him to miss the battle, and thus miss the death of his cousin Monterys as he fell to the enemies arrows. He would miss the field turning red as the Targaryens dragons turned everything to fire and ash.
The loss of his cousin, a man he might have been able to protect had he been more brave, shook the last reserves of strength from Aemon. He would hang up his sword for the last time, vowing to never pretend to do something again, and only do that which he knew would actually be able to help his family.
While his cousin and their offspring proved valorous warriors, Aemon had always been drawn to that which truly made the world function, gold. From a young age his ability to keep track of funds and find the best deals had kept his burgeoning family fed as they tried to subsist on a meager farm on Dragonstone. Although he had a knack for this line of work, his education had been truly lackluster given his background, a few years after the war he would seek his Baelors permission to learn from the group of Maesters down at the Citadel.
After arriving at Oldtown he would immediately become consumed by the sheer amount of potential knowledge the Citadel had to offer, and the nightlife that Oldtown had to offer wasn't too bad in its own right. Despite his marriage to his sister-wife, Alyssa, Aemon had never felt a true closeness to her as a husband should, and so truly he dove into all the city had to offer.
Several years pass, several chain links forged, several seeds planted. Aemon would journey home with so many new experiences gained and knowledge secured under his belt, it was time to return to his family and do everything he could to make up for lost time.
In the time spent in the South, House Belaerys under Baelor had not been idle. Now the Lords of their own fief, it seemed like their House was on the rise. Although the first meeting between the two was awkward at first given the amount of time spent away from each other, Aemon would find his place in the family soon enough.
Raised to the position of Steward, he would quickly show that his time in Oldtown was not wasted. Repairs on the castle would be completed faster than originally anticipated, prices for equipment and resources were negotiated for better prices, and the flow of taxes from the surrounding lands was tweaked to allow for more gains per moon.
Life would pass by, and soon enough Aemon would witness his son growing into a young man of his own. Unlike him though, Aerys would be captivated by war and the commanding of soldiers. Sometimes it led Aemon to wonder how such a boy came from him, but still it made him smile to see his own excel at something they held dear.
One day the peaceful life that Aemon had grown accustomed to appeared to be slipping, as word rose from the east that the ancient rivalry between Blackwoods and Brackens was on the cusp of once again reigniting. Despite his pleas for Baelor to remain neutral from the conflict, it was his own sons words that resonated best with the Lord of Aegon's Rest.
To Aemons own horror, Aerys was pushing for their house to join the fray on the side of the Blackwoods and march to war. Once more the sinking feeling of fear and cowardice crept up on him, and he felt like this time, instead of his cousin dying, it would be his own son.
His fears would begin to reach the surface as the day to march off to battle arrived, no amount of arguing or fighting had dissuaded either Baelor or Aerys from the current course of action, and it seemed anything short of draconic intervention wouldn't be able to stop Belaerys from joining the fight.
Such thoughts would prove true however, as in the sky appeared the mighty form of that which could be mistaken for nothing else. A dragon flew above Aegon's Rest for the first time in a decade, except this time it brought a rider that did not bear the name Targaryen.
Aemon was just as shocked as everyone else as none other then Aelor Belaerys dropped off the back of the dragon. His fears washed away as he witnessed Aelor return to his dragon after speaking with Lord Baelor, surely the son had returned to save his House from sacrificing any lives.
After the conflict was averted by the actions of Aelor, life at Aegon's Rest would return to a sense of normality. Such life was perfect for him, but alas he soon saw the effects it had on his son. The boy seemed to grow restless and irate at the peace that reigned over their region of Westeros. Aemon knew the boy needed new experiences, and thanks to his time there, he knew exactly where such knowledge and experience could be gained.
He would direct his son to travel to the Citadel, engulf himself in the studies and histories the Maesters had collected there, and absorb all he could. Such things would surely teach the boy a thing or two, and also allow him to travel across Westeros and see some of the world outside the castles walls.
All was once more calm, Aemon would begin spending the time he wasn't dedicating to being Steward to fishing, reading, and even teaching his daughter the finer points on being a steward, so that one day she might be able to help out with his duties.
Time would fly by until, in 25 AC, Aerys would return home a moon before House Belaerys was set to travel to the festivities being held near King's Landing. House Belaerys flourished now, a thriving castle and an heir that wielded a deadly dragon.
What could possibly go wrong?
---

Timeline

17 BC - Born to Maekar Belaerys and Aerea Scales.
1 AC - Lands with Aegon and his family, fakes multiple injuries to dodge being sent to the front lines of major battles.
5 AC - Aerys Belaerys is born.
6 AC - Travels to the Citadel to learn economy and stewardship
12 AC - Returns home, Maegelle Belaerys is born on the last day of the last moon.
13 AC - Is named Steward of Aegon's Rest.
20 AC - Sends his son to study at the Citadel, like he once did.
25 AC - Present.
---
Quentyn Strong - Castellan
Weese - Bandit
​

Okay, honestly I've never actually finished the game because I've played year one over and over trying to get it as perfectly done as possible. So, here are some "advices" of my last run and probably the best I've had.
•Early bait maker: the best thing you can do is to start by fixing the bridge at the beach to reach the sea urchin and build the bait maker, that way you can quickly begin fishing the most profitable fish you can find. Recommended start fishing in the sea to level up quickly since there's less trash and you can save space by selling everything right away to willy.
•Early smoker: this one is harder since the cave jelly is a bitch to find. But, for PC players(I honestly don't consider this cheating, because I think it's pretty fair and something that should be added eventually) I use a mod to craft the jellies. Even better, you can take advantage of those fishes that aren't so profitable, using the smoker anyway but keeping them as food to save up money.
•Coal: Don't necessarily focus on mining for this, you can buy it from Clint, it's worth it since the reward is far greater when used in the smoker.
•Community center: Unlock it as soon as you can, and complete the easiest bundles quickly so you can reach the boiler room and have the minecarts, they save way too much time at the beginning of the game. Sprinklers: If you have SVE, buy them from Sophia. It's a bit expensive, but once again it saves time and energy.
•Axe: Level up your axe first, it's worth more than the pickaxe because it gives access to the secret woods to gather hardwood. Never forget to plant the mahogany seeds.
•Joja cola: in the last update, Joja cola now gives a short speed buff. Take advantage of it, so don't make the mistake of throwing away the joja cola you find when fishing.
•Prize ticket: make sure you never forget the daily quests. If you have ui info suite, every day click on the billboard in your inventory menu. This is very important, because after you exchange two prize tickets(I think it's two) you unlock mystery boxes where you can rather easily get deluxe speed gro, perfect for ancient seeds, strawberries and whatever you need.
•Fish: Have a chest with at least a couple of fish from every type, this way, when you get Willy's daily quests, you just make some bait and the quest is done in a couple of minutes at most. Save at least 9 iridium fish for the Stardew valley fair in autumn, because that's enough to win first place.
•By this point, you should already have a very decent amount of money, so what I did at least, was to upgrade coop and barn to the max before buying animals so you won't waste time feeding them every rainy day.
That's all I can remember right now. It's a lot, I know, but it's worth it. Just so you can have an idea of how useful this all is, I'm at spring 8 year 2, all five masteries, with three junimo huts, exchanging iridium ores for mega bombs,all ginger island unlocked, every tool enchanted, two silos, two barns(one still empty though), one coop, three ponds, max friendship with almost everyone and with currently 1.773.021 gold.
Either way, if anyone wants to ask something, go on and I'll do my best to answer.

(Trigger warning for pedophilia, existentialism and self harm)
I (21m) have been struggling with pedophilic disturbances in one form or another since my pre-teens (I think it really started when I was maybe 11?) beginning in the form of feeling guilt and uncertainty for feeling attraction to my own peers when I was in middle school. I know now that developing sexual urges and desires is normal, but I didn’t know it back then, and I thought I was breaking the law for even thinking of girls in a sexual way. Nobody told me it was normal/okay, and a typical part of teenage development. I just assumed it was illegal.
It wasn’t until high school that I became brave enough to start asking questions and seeking answers, and actually learning for the first time that it was okay for teenagers like then-14yo me to have sexual desires, and that highschoolers actually regularly have sex with each other, and don’t face legal repercussions, contrary to what I used to believe. I genuinely thought teenagers having sex was just a baseless movie trope and nothing else.
However, I was still stuck in the mindset I had back in middle school—that it was illegal, disrespectful, evil, etc. to have sexual attraction at such a young age, especially towards girls my age (minors at the time). I was, almost piously, stuck clinging to that mindset. And the new information I had gathered—from other 14-18yo girls, mind you—was rather abrupt in my developmental timeline. So there was a lot of conflict between this new information, and my outdated “thou shalt not goon” ideology.
It was also around high school that I began noticing the budding sprouts of my disorders beginning to manifest, whose seeds were planted all the way back in middle school. I started to notice—though at the time, couldn’t fully comprehend or articulate—that even though I was growing up, my sexual attraction wasn’t, and I still found middle schoolers attractive. I kept thinking it was just a series of intrusive thoughts and kept pushing it down. Early on in high school, I looked at the 3-year legal age gap with minors, and thought I could force myself to stop being attracted to girls who were younger than 3 years below me. I kept doing mental compulsions, trying to force it away. Each year I got older, I would try to convince myself to stop being attracted to another age group. Alas, it did not work like I hoped it would, and hebephebophilia continues to plague my brain to this day.
Between the middle of high school to a little after graduation, I was in a state of denial. My 3-year age gap rule was expired when I turned 17 (also, I didn’t realize how wrong that rule was for such young kids, but now I know that much narrower age gaps are more correct). So, for the following years, I just kept pushing it all further and further down. Denying I had what I had. After all, it goes against my moral. My ethical code. My philosophies. How could I possibly have something encoded in my mind, that is so antithetical to my values? Of course, bottling it up didn’t help. Throughout my latter teenage years, I was left frequently confused and distressed. And I was always worried that if I let myself analyze my condition, even just a little bit, I’d be put on a watchlist and arrested soon after.
It wasn’t until I went to an OCD clinic for my contamination OCD, that I found other people with the same issues I was facing, and that I wasn’t going to get locked up for addressing my pedophilic disorders. I finally began unboxing years of bottled up torment, pondering how it all came to be, and formulating theories on why I have this curse, this disease. Trying to make sense of it all.
Of course, even though I’ve had some breathing room handed to me on a silver platter, it’s still a pair of chronic disorders. I’m still reeling from all those years spent hiding from myself and from the world (the latter of which I’m still mostly doing). And still figuring out how to cope with my condition, in the present and the future. I’ve had suicidal thoughts and intentions because of my disorder. And these suicidal thoughts still manifest in the maladaptive daydreams I have, conjuring up scenarios in my mind where I end myself due to the guilt and shame I feel. I’m physically unable to enact a successful suicide attempt, due to my low pain tolerance, my existential fear of death (ironically) and the way my body automatically freezes and shuts down in times of heavy distress.
I want to be able to tell my friends and most of my family about my disorder. But it’s incredibly risky to do. I feel like I’m lying to them, deceiving them, by keeping my secret. And I feel trapped, and that telling more people will expand this little prison cell in my mind, making it more breathable and livable, as it has done so far with the therapists and friends I’ve made from the clinic. But I know how emotionally charged pedophilia is. I, for one, feel so much violent rage and distraught grief whenever I hear that some monster has decided to violate a child. And I know that would be the first thought to enter someone’s mind. I know that anyone I tell is prone to developing any series of misunderstandings, misinterpretations.
Even though I’ve never inflicted any degree of sexual harm to a child and never will, the simple fact that I have pedophilic disorder is enough to ravage my mind with guilt and shame. I find myself hoping I don’t live past my 30’s or 40’s because of it.
Violating anyone is a conscious choice, and I’ve always been confident in the fact that it’s a choice I will never make. Still, the sensations, thoughts and feelings that develop in my mind make it difficult for me to live with myself, regardless of the fact that it’ll only ever stay in my mind.

3.4. Mahishasaka or Sarvāstivādis

[wisdomlib.org:] [Mahishasaka had the doctrines] similar to those of the Mahasanghika. [Mahishasaka] denied reality to past and future, but maintained the reality of the present. Similarly, the school rejected the doctrine of the void and the non ego, the production of taint by the Five consciousness, the theory of nine kinds of non activity, and so on. They held that enlightenment came suddenly rathern than gradually.

Mahasamghika split from the Sthaviravāda (Theravada or Dhamma-Vinaya) and produced many schools.

According to the Theravādin Dīpavaṃsa, the Sarvāstivādins emerged from the older Mahīśāsaka school, but the Śāriputraparipṛcchā and the Samayabhedoparacanacakra state that the Mahīśāsaka emerged from the Sarvāstivāda. [Sarvastivada (wiki)]

Some Vajjian monks, who were possibly the followers of Devadatta, established the Mahasamghika after the schism after rejecting ten Vinaya rules. Like a few other monks, a Vajjian monk complained about the Vinaya rules. The story is recorded in Vajjiputta Sutta, which was utilised to support an argument that the Dhamma-Vinaya tradition added new rules. Indeed, the Buddha, the founder of the Dhamma-Vinaya Sasana, added new rules as required. However, before His passing He let the monks remove the minor rules, but the monks kept all the 227 rules. Only some Vajjian monks once again attempted to remove ten rules and split the Sangha after their attempt failed. These rebel monks founded many schools that united into Mahayana. The Sarvāstivādis wrote many famous Mahayanist scriptures.

Gandhāran Mahīśāsakas are associated with the Pure Land teachings of Amitābha Buddha. [Seated Buddha Amitabha statue.jpg (wiki)]

• Mādhyamika Also known as: Śūnyavāda, Shunyavada, Encyclopaedia Britannica
• Sarvastivada Also known as: Sarvastivadin, Vaibhashika, Encyclopaedia Britannica

Mahāsaṅghikās revised the Dhamma and Vinaya in their own way. The revised collections were known as Ācariyavāda as distinguished from the Theravāda of the First Buddhist Council. Dīpavaṃsa says, that the Mahāsaṅghikās did not stop after changing the Vinaya rules. They went further by laying down for themselves new doctrines contrary to the established ones. They recited for their purposes the sūtras and Vinaya, they made alterations in the texts and their arrangements and interpretations.
There are four kinds of teachings, that can be accepted as the Buddha's words – sutta, suttānuloma, ācariyavāda, attanomati. In Parinibbāna Sutta there are other four kinds of teaching – Buddhāpadesa, Saṅghāpadesa, Sambahulattherāpadesa, Ekattherāpadesa. They are not contradicting each other.
They also replaced portions of the text by others according to their liking and even rejected certain parts of the canon though they have been accepted according to the tradition of Mahā Kassapa's council. They refused Parivāra and Abhidhamma Pakaraṇa, Paṭisambhidā, Niddesa and Jātaka.
Mahāsaṅghikās divided their canon into five parts: 1. Sūtra, 2. Vinaya, 3. Abhidhamma, 4. Miscellaneous, 5. Dhāranīs. [ Notes from BPU Sri Lanka - Third Year ]

According to Sibani Barman in Dipavamsa (study): Chapter 2d - The Third Buddhist Council,

the Vibhajjavādins claim that their theories and Canon are same as the original Sthaviras (the elders).

• But that statement is untruthful. Kaccānagotta Sutta is a living proof. This is explained in 3.3.

Sarvāstivādis Doctrines

[David Bastow. The first argument for Sarvastivada. Asian Philosophy Vol. 5 No. 2 Oct.1995 Pp.109-125 Copyright by Asian Philosophy]

[Bastow:] The argument is two-fold: that past states of mind can be directly perceived; and that the temporal and causal context of these states of mind, including their karmic future and the possibility of an alternative saving future, can also be directly perceived.

In demonstrating their belief, the Sarvāstivādis attacked, the Venerable Maugdalyayana in the Maugdalyayana-skandhaka, the first chapter of the Vijnanakaya (200 BCE?):

[Bastow:] The sramana Maugdalyayana says: The past and the future do not exist; the present and the unconditioned (asainskrta) exist.

• Atacked: Singled out a thera, ignored the Buddha, and attacked the Dhamma;
• The Venerable Maugdalyayana represents the Sakyamuni Buddha.
• The past is memory, not the present dhamma. The past as memory is perceived, not lived nor imagined. The past as perceived is not lived, but it was lived, so it can be perceived.
• The future is yet to be lived, so it cannot be perceived, but it can be planned, expected and imagined.

[Bastow:] Section 1: [The Sarvāstivādis argued based on] probably Anguttara Nikaya III section 69 (i.e. A i 201-3). "There are three akusala-mulani (roots of ill, roots leading to bad consequences). These are lobha, greed; dvesa, anger; and moha, confusion." From this agreed premise the argument proceeds, first taking the case of lobha. There is no doubt then that there has been, is, will be a seeing that lobha is akusala (otherwise translated: a seeing of akusala--presumably meaning akusala-dharmas--in or through lobha). The lobha that is thus seen--is it past, present or future? If it is past or future, then it must be admitted that past or future exist. So could it be present?

• Lobha (greed) which existed in the past does not exist now, nor will exist in the future. When the object that caused that state of mind dimished, that greed also dimished. For example, one ate a certain food with greed. After eating it, greed was replaced by another state of mind, sleepiness, which was about sleeping and delusion. Sleepiness is different from craving for food. One does not get sleepy for food.
• If the same greed were to exist until now, one must be greedy the same way one was greedy for that food. Then one must not have different states of mind, anger and delusion.
• Greed cannot liberate anyone from anger and delusion.
• If that greed and all other greed must exist right now, greed must be accumulating and becoming too much to handle.
• And there were times of anger and delusion.
• Can anyone proove they are suffering from all the greed, anger and delusion which they had in the past?

[Bastow:] To allow this would involve admitting that there are in one pudgala two simultaneous cittas, states of consciousness; but this cannot be admitted. However, there must be seeing of either past lobha, or future lobha, or present lobha; otherwise it could not be that someone sees that lobha, akusalamula, is akusala. And in that case it would not happen that someone becomes repelled by lobha, detached, freed from lobha, obtains nirvana (or has obtained or will obtain nirvana).

• Hetu paccaya (root condition)
• Root (anusaya) exists but not as a plant (lobha).

[Anusaya Sutta:] its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising; [Thanissaro Bhikkhu] [Anusaya] are identified or associated with kleśa, paryavasthāna, and āsrava, and they are the ‘root’ of bhava [Dr. Ari Ubeysekara:] The seventh and the last of the latent tendencies is [obsession with ignorance (avijjanusaya)] which can be considered as the root cause of all unwholesome actions.

• Root (obsession) of greed is not greed.
• Nibbana is realised by exhausting the past kamma committed based on greed, anger and delusion.
• Anusaya Sutta: Obsessions (1): the seven obsessions

[Bastow:] The same argument is then applied to other things that can be seen with respect to lobha: it can be seen that lobha is a fetter, a bondage, an anusaya; and further that lobha is to be rejected, to be left behind, to be abandoned, to be fully known (prajna).

• Sarvāstivādis knew about anusaya, but they might not understand it as explained by the Sakyamuni Buddha.
• Lobha comes into being when consciousness comes to contact with a sight, sound, smell, taste, touch or thought of an object/subject that is alluring.
• Dosa comes into being when consciousness comes to contact with a sight, sound, smell, taste, touch or thought of an object/subject that is agitating/annoying.
• Moha comes into being when consciousness comes to contact with a sight, sound, smell, taste, touch or thought of an object/subject that is difficult, mysterious, deluding...
• Lobha, dosa, and moha cannot exist at the same moment of consciousness, nor unconscious-ness.
• Lobha, dosa, and moha are cetasika.
• Citta and cetasika need each other's support to stand like the two sheaves of reeds.
• Lobha, dosa, and moha cannot be abandoned, but they must be eradicated by digging out the roots.

Devadaha Sutta (2)

[SN 22:2 Venerable Sāriputta explained to a large number of monks:] ‘When one is not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for [rūpa], then from any change & alteration in that [rūpa], there arises sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, & despair. When one is not free from passion… for feeling… for perception… for fabrications… & despair. When one is not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for consciousness... & despair. Seeing this danger, our teacher teaches the subduing of passion & desire for [rūpa]… for feeling… for perception… for fabrications. Seeing this danger our teacher teaches the subduing of passion & desire for consciousness.’

A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1

by Surendranath Dasgupta 1922 212,082 words ISBN-13: 9788120804081
Quoting Vasumitra (100 A.D.), Surendranath Dasgupta presents three major Mahayanist groups as doctrinally not very different, and the Hindu authors ignored their (minor) differences.

1. Mahāsaṅghikas: the body was filled with mind {citta) which was represented as sitting,
2. Prajñaptivādins: no agent in man, no untimely death, for it was caused by the previous deeds of man,
3. Sarvāstivādins believed that everything existed.

We can observe how all these doctrines are presented in the earliest Mahayanist sutras, particularly the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra, the Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtra, the Lankavatara Sutra, Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (the Lotus Sutra).

the Prajñaptivādins had inaugurated the Śūnyavāda by drawing up a list of ten emptinesses. In the Mahāvibhāṣā [...] we read [...] there are many śūnyatās [...] Were the Prajñaptivādins the inventors of these ten śūnyatās or were they borrowed from the Mahāyānists? [II. Emptiness in the Hinayānist sects]

Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön asks that question. The Hindu writers seem to have the answer:

[Dasgupta] When the Hindu writers refer to the Buddhist doctrine in general terms such as “the Buddhists say” without calling them the Vijñānavādins or the Yogācāras and the Śūnyavādins, they often refer to the Sarvāstivādins by which they mean both the Sautrāntikas and the Vaibhāṣikas, ignoring the difference that exists between these two schools.

Nāgārjuna did not consider the Prajñaptivādins as Mahayanists. Mahayana did not exist when the Mahāsaṅghikas was formed after the second schism (Devadatta's schism was the first), so they are considered as Sthaviravādis, who produced Prajñaptivādins and Sarvāstivādins. By AD 5th-6th, Bodhidharma arrived to China, and according to him, Mahayana was well-established as the Yogacara school, which adopted the Lankavatara Sutra.

Bodhidharma was believed to have introduced the Lankavatara Sutra to Chinese Buddhism. This sutra was a development of the Yogacara (“Mind-only”) school of Buddhism established by the great masters Asanga and Vasubandhu, and Bodhidharma is described as a “master of the Lankavatara Sutra”. [ Bodhidharma – the founder of Gongfu (Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline)]

The authors of the Lankavatara were the Sarvāstivādins.

[Bodhidharma:] the only reason I’ve come to China is to transmit the instantaneous teaching of the Mahayana This mind is the Buddha. (Bloodstream Sermon)
[Bodhidharma:] "This nature is the mind. And the mind is the buddha."
[Lanka:] this triple world is nothing but a complex manifestation of one’s mental activities."

Bodhidharma, known as an expert in the ten-stage sutra, was a zen master, from the Yogacara school. He did not know vipassana, as he condemned arhats. He was clearly a follower of Mahadeva, who authored the five points downgrading the arhats.

[Bodhidharma:] Among Shakyamuni’s ten greatest disciples, Ananda was foremost in learning. But he didn’t know the Buddha. All he did was study and memorize. Arhats don’t know the Buddha...

Bodhidharma did not know the meaning of arhat. Nāgārjuna defines arhat in Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra as follow:
[quote]
1. Ara means enemy (ari) and hat means to kill (han). The expression therefore means “killer of enemies”.^\1]) Some stanzas say:

The Buddha has patience (kṣānti) as his armor (varman), Energy (vīrya) as his helmet (śīrṣaka),
Discipline (śīla) as his great steed (mahāśva),
Dhyāna as his bow (dhanus),
Wisdom (prajñā) as his arrows (śara).
Outwardly, he destroys the army of [Māra] (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mara#mahayana) (*mārasena*).
Inwardly, he destroys the passions (kleśa), his enemies.
He is called Arhat.

1. Furthermore, A marks negation and rahat means ‘to be born’. The expression means, therefore, “unborn”. The seeds (bīja) of the mind of the Buddha (buddhacitta) ‘do not arise’ in the field of rebirths (punarbhavakṣetra), for ignorance (avidyā) in him has been dissolved.

[end quote] Nevertheless, the Flower Sermon, which was composed in 1036 states that Mahayana comes from Kashyapa, whom Bodhidharma mentions in the Bloodstream Sermon. Based on Bodhidharma's attitude to the arhats, that Kashyapa could not be the Venerable Mahakassapa, the father of the Sangha who established the Theravada. However, that Kashapa appears in the Lankavatara Sutra:

Kashyapa (fl. 400 B.C.) . Also known as Uruvilva Kashyapa or Mahakashyapa, he was the eldest of the three Kashyapa brothers and among the Buddha’s earliest disciples. He was also India’s First Patriarch of Zen. [Lankavatara Sutra: Glossary. Page 458]

The Mahayanists expect they could become Buddhas by following these individuals.

The Flower Sermon (1036 AD) : the Buddha gathered his disciples together for a talk on Dharma. Instead of speaking, however, the Buddha simply held up a lotus flower in front of him without saying a word. “I possess the true Dharma eye, the marvelous mind of Nirvāṇa, the true form of the formless, the subtle Dharma gate that does not rest on words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the scriptures. This I entrust to Mahakasyapa.”

Check out the post history. Interesting and very persistent.

Everything that's needed for fertile life is pushed toward sea level. Bidirectionally. Falls downward if above water, or floats up from below or.
But either way, the things that settle there are the stuff of fertile, festering abundance. The edible and decomposing ingredients of all life as we know it.
Everything moves toward sea level because of pressure. Barometric pressure pushing down or buoyancy pushing up, that beautifully, magically, result in all necessary building blocks being available at the water's surface.
The things animals and plants and bacteria need to survive.
Which means not only that gravity is nothing more than pressure, but also that the rules of gravity flip around at the surface. And only some things.
All physical material has innate properties that cause them to respond in specific ways to this dual-pressure gravity system, depending on their value. Those with high nutritional and reproductive potential all seem to float or drift or splash back to the event horizon at sea level.
Dense matter like rocks, containing overly compact and therefore inaccessible ingredients of life, may be pushed down a mountain by atmospheric pressure, but they do not stop at the surface. If given the chance to find equilibrium at sea level, they sail right past, ignoring buoyant gravity, self-sorting away from the event horizon. Because rocks are not needed for procreation or sustenance. Usually.
Low density ingredients like gasses may float up through water, and keep on floating once they reach the surface. They continue up though the above-water pressure system’s “gravity,” taking their place at the top. And by being there, they contribute to the downward pressure we used to know as the only gravity.
But important, nascent things like seeds and decaying matter and land animals and edible fish all effortlessly float back up, to where they can participate in life. Right there at the event horizon’s fertile sphere, which falls exactly between underwater and above. The plane of existence between two gravities.
And this dual direction, dual gravity system that endlessly pushes everything within its grasp up or down until it has been processed again and again by the both pressure systems, this event horizon is where literally everything happens.
Which suggests that the most fertile place in the universe is the untapped event horizon. A black hole’s potential to become the next dual-gravity system.
[Share](javascript:void(0))

We got a new house and we were super excited to try gardening. The yard only had lawn, no other plants, and although we didn't want to remove the lawn altogether, we wanted to add a lot of other plants to it and make it a garden. We researched so much to make sure we get plants that are not invasive, that attract pollinators, that rabbits don't enjoy etc. But now it feels like all those efforts were wasted. We sowed seeds for a few flowering plants (marigold, daisy, iris) and got a couple of flowering plants from the nursery (lavender, pansy, viola, astilbe). Soon after that, rabbits started coming and absolutely destroyed the plants. So we added chicken wire. But that didn't stop the rabbits. We got the Costco repels-all and added it around the borders. It worked for a few days but got washed off every time it rained (pacific northwest). So we got the Plantskydd animal repellent which did a little better. But we still found rabbit poop a week or so later. So we spent a weekend digging a trench along the border and added more fencing. In the process we found a cutworm chrysalis and threw it out. Not sure how many more are waiting under the soil. We started some plants indoors. We started basil, parsley, tomato, bell peppers, chilli peppers, cilantro indoors. We literally had 99% germination rate. There was only one tomato seed that didn't germinate. Even all the cilantro seeds germinated! We were so excited! Now we're trying to get the plants outdoors. We started putting the plants out for a few hours everyday for hardening them. Today I went out to bring them back and they are filled with bugs. I was heartbroken and I could have cried! This means getting insecticides or I don't know what else (unsure what the bugs are exactly). The last couple of weeks I used to love just sitting and staring at the yard watching things grow. Every step of the way, I keep thinking this is a lesson, I'm learning something new. The plants always show a determination to come back. Even the ones that were destroyed by the rabbits are coming back now. But this was supposed to be a hobby. And now it just feels like it requires so much time and effort to maintain, and I'm feeling super discouraged. Now I just feel so sad looking at the garden because I'm reminded of all the pests and bugs.
Not sure what I'm expecting from this post. But just wanted to put my thoughts out and see if anyone else felt the same way when starting their garden.
TLDR: We were excited to try gardening for the first time, and it's amazing to watch the plants grow, but all the maintenance required to keep the pests away are discouraging us.

By popular demand, I guess...
I was kinda just being a smart-ass, but some of you wanted more so here it is: epilogues for every NPC as if they didn't continue to travel with Gorion's Ward and instead just decided to live their own life. Obviously, there are some implied alignment changes here.
This turned out to be longer than I expected and I kinda just threw it all together while I was working. Please excuse any typos or sloppy writing.
I want to apologize for one thing, though. Viconia's epilogue really only works if GW is a male, so I had to make that assumption for the sake of her story. If it matters any, I easily play just as many female GWs as I do male GWs. In fact, I probably play more female GWs because I don't care for the romances, frequently play the canon party, and want to nip the lame Jah romance in the bud.
But, to have them all in one place, I included my original smart-ass epilogues with the additional ones I created. Now, every character from BG1 and BG2 has an epilogue. I don't have the EE characters, though, because I play the original games and don't really know them.
So, just for funsies, which one is your favorite and why?
"Anomen continued to wait at the Copper Coronet for a party of adventurers willing to travel with him. Maybe it was the grating sound of his voice, or perhaps the way he leered at women, but he continued to remain alone. Eventually, he needed to find work to make ends meet. With Gorion's Ward having disbanded the slave traders and pit fights, Hendak had to find a new form of entertainment for the patrons. As such, he invented an all male review ladies night, and Anomen found work as a 'dancer'. He left the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart to join the less noble order of the pole. He also renounced his faith to Helm and instead allied himself with Waukeen because if you wanna see some groin, you gotta have some coin."
"Despite Gorion's Ward clearing the trolls from her keep, Nalia was not able to reclaim her lands and instead lost her estate to Lord Roenall. The lord offered to let her retain residence in her family's ancestral home, but only in exchange for her hand in marriage. Nalia found the proposition to be repugnant. Instead, she salvaged whatever wealth she could from her family's keep and moved to Athkatla to start a new life. She no longer helped the less fortunate, as she was now among their numbers and had her own problems. Nalia's lack of any practical skills combined with her sense of entitlement sent her into a life of failure followed by drinking and debauchery. She now spends more time back at the Copper Coronet than anywhere else. It is hard to say where she squanders her wealth more, the alcohol, or on the dancers during Ladies Night."
"After the incident with the Planar Sphere, Valygar was finally free of his past, could retire to his cabin, and pursue his true passion: writing. Ironically, the only inspiration he found ended up stemming from his family's checkered past. Valygar's only works that even had middling success were 'Tuesdays with Lavok' and 'Dude, Where's My Planar Sphere', with the latter being made into a production at the Five Flagoons Theater."
"Haer'Dalis continued to work as a performer at the Five Flagoons Theater. Unfortunately, it struggled due to poor management. It might have turned out better if an outside agent with fresh ideas had stepped in, but Gorion's Ward had better things to do than be a bard. While the work was generally steady, the returns were not great and the material was a little low-brow for Haer'Dalis' liking. The tiefling realized he reached rock bottom when he was cast as the lead in a play about a buffoon who apparently lost a plane-shifting apparatus the size of a small castle and had to find it before his parents returned from Neverwinter. After the opening night, he took his own life in his dressing room. His body was found the next morning with a note saying, 'Art is dead and I am art, so I shall join art in death.' Biff the Understudy stepped in for Haer'Dalis despite never having an opportunity to read the script. Nevertheless, the production was a resounding success and launched Biff's career to new heights."
“A heartbroken Garrick found work as a character actor at the Five Flagoons Theater, but eventually gained more success as a writer and director. He found it to be a mostly agreeable situation, aside from a tiefling primadonna who would constantly belittle his work and call it ”trite" and “drivel”. Fortunately, that situation worked itself out in time and Garrick found Biff to be much easier to direct. With the tiefling gone, his ideas had room to grow. He invented a new kind of love story, one where the protagonist doesn't always get the girl at the end but the journey to that ending would be quite amusing. He labeled this genre “the Comedy of Romance” and the works were mostly based on his own life. His plays were quite popular among the commoners, with his top selling shows being 'Sleepless in Saradush', 'Silverymoon Linings Playbook', and 'Crazy Rich Aasimars'. He eventually fully transitioned off the stage into the director's chair. By the peak of his fame, he was married to none other than Queen Ellesime."
“Aerie continued to work at the circus and WOULD NOT SHUT UP ABOUT HER DAMN WINGS. Even Quayle eventually grew sick of hearing about it. This put strain on their relationship. Things took a turn for the better when Ribald Barterman acquired a new curiosity for his shop. It was a magical ring which he sold to Quayle at a reduced rate out of sympathy. This ”treasure" was actually a cursed Ring of Deafness, which Quayle found to be anything but a curse and wore it for the rest of his days."
“Xzar and Montaron were both slain at the hands of the Athkatla Harpers, but this is actually where their story begins. Xzar, as he had done so many times before, had a backup plan of an arcane nature should death befall either he or the halfling. Their mortal essences were pulled to a pocket plane he created. There they could be channeled into restored bodies cloned at his estate. With this particular round of ritual, Xzar had incidentally made a slight error in the incantation and the two found themselves in a time suspended state in Xzar's pocket plane. It was only five minutes for the rest of the world, but it was fifty years for them. This turned out to be a pivot point in their relationship. Having only each other's company in this shadowy void, they were finally able to work out their feelings for each other. When they had returned to the prime material plane, they discovered their mutual animosity was replaced with love. Rather than pick up their life where they left off with the Zhentarim, they decided to pack it all in, moved to Bryn Shander, and start a bed and breakfast. Montaron rediscovered his halfling roots and love for the culinary arts while Xzar would perform seances to connect guests with their late loved ones. Scones and Bones became an overnight success and was consistently listed as a “must see” in Volo's travel guides. In their golden years, the couple co-wrote a memoir of their journey, ‘Brokeback Montaron’, which is sold in bookstores everywhere."
“After briefly crossing paths with Gorion's Ward, Mazzy Fentan continued her crusade as a de facto halfling paladin. She eventually found herself petitioning for membership at the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart in Athkatla after she had singlehandedly saved a village from an ancient dracolich. Despite the extent of her virtue and accomplishment, her petition was denied on the basis that halflings could not possibly be real paladins. This inspired her next crusade, one to break down vocational barriers for all demihuman races. Why couldn't halflings be paladins or dwarves be wizards? And why did gnomes always have to be illusionists? It simply made no goddamn sense. She began to get traction with her quest when she attended lectures by the wizards of the (sword) coast in Candlekeep. With their help, she ushered Faerun into a new edition era where there would be no vocational barriers for adventurers based on their race. Soon, the world began to see roguish halflings that also venerated Helm, while tending to the wilds as a druid. Half-orc bards also studied as wizards while manifesting natural arcane abilities as sorcerers. Tiefling paladins took their crusades to the wilderness and served as rangers, while sidelining as clergy to Mystra. The world was now a liberated place, free to not make any goddamn sense in a myriad of new ways. At one point, Lady Mazzy Fentan of Trademeet (now formally a paladin) crossed paths with a dwarven shadowdancebard and in that moment she regretted everything. Seriously, just take a moment and picture that. It would look fucking ridiculous.”
“Yeslick's clanhome was flooded once again. Despondent and without options, he took work at a smithy in Baldur's Gate but never stopped dreaming of finding both a clan and a home. He found a way to bring this dream to life after a courageous halfling paladin broke down the barriers for, among other things, dwarves to be wizards. Yeslick had an idea. He studied magic diligently until he was able to cast two spells of great importance: Water Breathing and Permanence. He then searched the lands for other clanless dwarves who would be willing to try something new. With the new clan he formed, Yeslick permanently gave all his fellow clansman the ability to breath underwater. They then moved into the flooded Cloakwood Mines and built the first underwater dwarven stronghold. Using his arcane powers, Yeslick also developed the ability to speak with the marine life that shared this stronghold. And, with that, the clan Aquadwarf was born. At one point, Valygar visited and wrote a play based on Yeslick's story. However, he couldn't even get it to stage at the Five Flagoons Theater. The illustrious director Garrick was quoted as saying, “A hero that can breath underwater and talk to fish? Nobody would go for that!"
“Keldorn finally retired from the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart and looked forward to a much simpler life. He rekindled his marriage with Lady Maria and life seemed to improve. It was rather early on when the couple discovered that Maria had become pregnant again. It was also not long after that when Peony, the housekeeper, also became pregnant. Maria started to ask Keldorn about this, but Keldorn started to get defensive and asked, ”Hey, who's the Inquisitor here?" Then Keldorn started to do the math with her to track the conception of Maria's pregnancy. She certainly did not want him to get to the end of that equation, so she quickly changed the subject. She suggested getting a new maid, but Keldorn chastised her for abandoning someone in their time of need who had been like family for years. He forbade Peony's departure claiming that his god, Torm, would not stand for it. Maria then made a passive aggressive comment about Torm being the god of loyalty, but she was mostly just muttering under her breath to get the last word in. Eventually, both children were born and had probably the most awkward upbringing of anyone in Faerun."
“After Gorion's Ward helped Coran take down a wyvern, the rogue brought the beast's head back to the mayor of Beregost for the reward and accolades. He thought this put him in a position to be a hero of great renown and perhaps, just maybe, people would stop mocking him for his flashy attire and completely superfluous eye mask. They didn't. He only gained acceptance when he crossed paths with a ranger who seemed indifferent towards Coran's keen fashion sense. Coran traveled the Sword Coast with his ranger sidekick, righting the wrongs against the ‘little guy’ and taking the law into their own hands when needed. This partnership dissolved when he discovered that the ranger thought Coran was the sidekick. As if! Coran tried to correct the ranger, whose argument was, 'Really, man, if that outfit doesn't scream sidekick then I'm Elminster's twin brother.' The ranger was not related to Elminster and shared no resemblance.
“Kivan never was able to get his revenge on Tazok. Unbeknownst to him, that honor was taken by Gorion's Ward. His thirst for vengeance continued to eat away at him until he found himself in a bat infested cave in the wilderness. It was then he snapped. He turned the cave into his secret hideaway, put together a disguise and started wandering the sword coast looking for evil-doers to punish. He would leave his calling card wherever he saved the day, a token of a bat with longer ears like an elf. And bats already had rather long ears so these bat ears were almost comically obtrusive. Nevertheless, his deeds were generally appreciated and the people stared calling him Bat-elf. For a short spell, another elf tagged along with him and tried to help, but he was so flamboyantly dressed that one could pick his sidekick out of the shadows blindfolded. Kivan eventually had to send him on his way. Unfortunately, his vigilante crusade abruptly ended after receiving a cease and decist order from DC Comics. Kivan could fight both monster and marauder all day, but his 14 Constitution wouldn't hold up against a lawsuit for trademark infringement.”
“Skie was deeply affected by both the death of her brother and the assassination of her father. And yes, her father was actually murdered and didn't lol-jk back to life in some crappy DLC. In any event, through these traumas, she came to realize the puerility of what she thought was her brilliant criminal masterminding. Instead, she decided to settle down and live a more responsible life as an upstanding citizen of Baldur's Gate. She took the reins of her father's estate after his death and rose to prominence as one of the Grand Dukes of the city. She maintained her relationship with Eldoth for quite some time, inexplicably, as he refused to get a job because he didn't want to take attention from his band which he swore was going to make it. However, the bard spent most of the day either lounging at Skie’s estate or gambling away his allowance with games of three-dragon-ante at the Helm and Cloak. Eventually, inspired by the book “Men Are From Menzoberranzan, Women Are From Immilmar," she decided to call it quits with Eldoth and sent him packing. Shortly thereafter, she met a man who was nothing like Eldoth and they settled down together to start a family."
“Eldoth's dreams of being a world-famous musician fronting the greatest band in Faerun never reached fruition. This was partly because he didn't actually have a band and partly because he didn't have the talent to write music. Instead, he just had a lute he purchased at Lucky Aello's Discount Store that only had one A-string and was missing the E-string. Also, Eldoth could only play power chords and he couldn't really sing and play at the same time. Most of the time he would just strum a chord or two and then talk about what the song would do next, often describing a solo and half playing it on an ”air lute" (while he was still holding an actual lute, mind you) to give people the idea as to how the song would sound when it was finally written. Yeah, he was one of those guys. After Skie kicked him to the curb, he bounced between various barmaids who clearly had low self-esteem, but not low enough to keep him around for long. Eventually, he got one of them pregnant and was forced into a shotgun wedding by the barmaid's father. He now works in the kitchen at the same inn as his barmaid wife. She helps the customers up front and he cooks eggs in the back. Eldoth continues to tell himself that this experience will just provide inspiration for his music and that someday he was going to get the band back together."
“After being rescued by Gorion's Ward, Xan made his way to Baldur's Gate to regroup. He spent an inordinate amount of time beating himself up over his failures and trying to muster the gumption to continue his quest to unravel the political turmoil of the region. However, it took him months to get to this point, and by that time, Gorion's Ward already sorted out the problems in the region. Discovering this, he deemed himself a failure yet again and sunk into a deeper depression. He pulled himself out of it when he met a woman who lost most of her family to violent deaths during the iron crisis, yet she still kept herself together and became a local success in a few short years. Xan immediately fell in love with the recently single Skie Silvershield and began to court her. They eventually married and started a family. At Xan's insistence, and inspired by his wife's name, their two daughters were named Sunshine and Rainbow. Xan was a staunch supporter of his wife's career and stayed home to raise the kids. When they were older and needed less attending, he followed a new dream and became a motivational speaker.”
“Korgan had his revenge against his backstabbing crew and employer, but he felt...empty. It was done, but he felt no satisfaction. Disgruntled and disappointed, he decided to lose himself in his cups at the Copper Coronet. Even this did nothing to alleviate his malaise. One night, having passed out drunk in a peasant room at the Copper Coronet, he dreamt of that final fight but something was different. In the background of the battle, there was a glow coming from the door of a shack and he heard the whispering of a language that sounded like it was from Kara-Tur. When he woke the next morning, Korgan returned to the rooftop and found the shack from his dream. He knocked and was greeted by a priest of Illmater. Korgan told the priest of his dream and he was led into the backroom where he found a man from Kara-Tur infirm and huddled over a cup of tea. The priest explained that he had just reincarnated this man of the faith using a heart delivered by a passing adventurer. Korgan took this as a sign, converted to the faith, and the two paired up to help those in suffering as a result of the schemes of others. The tales of Korgan and Yoshimo were not only told in many of a tavern by the bards, but also collected in graphic serials that were popular among the children of Athkatla.”
“Ajantis' death sent him into an afterlife at Everwatch, the realm of Helm. For his honor and diligence, the devout knight was granted an audience with his patron. Ajantis then told Helm what utter bullshit the god was. I mean, c'mon, he's the god of protection, the Vigilant One, and he couldn't protect a group of knights from a dragon's cheap illusion spell that a mage even tried to dispel with True Sight? It was like Helm wasn't even trying. Helm was stunned by the confrontation but also had no valid defense. Ajantis called Helm to a trial that was mediated by Tyr. After careful deliberation, Tyr determined that Helm was sleeping on the job and the judgment was to demote him to a lesser deity. Now, Helm was the patron of guards, but not actual guards that ever see action, just the ceremonial ones whose weapons and armor are super shiny and probably not even real. Ajantis was then granted Helm's old portfolio and became a god that truly protected his followers.”
“Viconia left Athkatla's government district perplexed. She was rescued from burning at the stake by Gorion's Ward and then immediately dismissed. She found this to be unusual behavior for a male. She was accustomed to men either trying to bed her or kill her, but this casual indifference was completely new. Viconia came to be obsessed with Gorion's Ward from a distance. She spiraled into a fantasy where the two of them had a future together. It was pretty bad. There were some extremely embarrassing vision boards involved and that wasn't even the worst of it. When her mania reached critical mass, her obsession actually collapsed and she had an epiphany. She came to realize that she did not need this man, or any for that matter. She started on a journey of self discovery and took a moral inventory of her past relationships. She wrote about it in the book, “Men Are From Menzoberranzan, Women Are From Immilmar”. She then used the revenue from the book sales to open Athkatla's first feminist bookstore. In Her Words became a mecca for women, particularly those who felt trapped in bad relationships. The community that emerged here created the group, Friends of Galia, which strove to free women from abusive relationships. Eventually, the bookstore expanded to include an apartment block above that became a shelter for such women. Occasionally, the partners of these victims would come around to In Her Words in an attempt to drag their partners back home. You can probably guess how a confrontation between a drunken 0-level commoner and a Drow priestess of Shar ends."
“Faldorn was defeated by Jaheira in Trademeet and lost her title of Arch-Druid. In truth, she was relieved to be relieved of the position. Years of pushing forward the Shadow Druid agenda led Faldorn to realize that she had lost touch with the real Faldorn along the way. After some soul-searching, she reinvented herself as a lifestyle guru and developed an entire line of organic health and beauty products under the name, She-Wolf. Both her products and seminars were all the rage in Athkatla, specifically among noblewomen who clearly had too much free time. Faldorn eventually gave up her residence in natural environs for a lavish estate in Athkatla's government district. Her following soon pressured her to petition to join the Council of Six after the fall of the Cowled Wizards left the position open (aside from a short-term replacement). Her petition was a success and she soon found herself on the Council of Six. Under her leadership, she created created the FDAA, the Food and Drink Association of Athkatla. Now, instead of draconian rules governing magic in the city, equally restrictive rules and standards were applied to the food and drink that the people consumed.”
“Barely surviving being gravely wounded by Irenicus, Tiax left Spellhold for Athkatla where he intended to do what he did best: rule. Learning from his past campaign mistakes in Baldur's Gate, he changed his slogan from ”Tiax Rules!" to “Make Athkatla Great Again”. Of course, what he thought would make Athkatla great was putting himself in charge as a despotic leader. But, he toned down that aspect of his platform and instead focused on the history of scheming and backroom dealing of the Cowled Wizards (as if he was any less evil or scheming) and promised the people he would be different than all the other corrupt politicians. Miraculously, despite his obviously apparent character flaws, he succeeded in replacing the Cowled Wizards' representative on the Council of Six. He decided to take their stance on restrictive magic to the next level and banned magic entirely. Since he didn't study the arcane himself, it was no skin of his nose. This move undermined his support base leaving him with only the most backwards and ignorant followers. He was ultimately removed from his position when he insisted the city build a wall around the planar sphere and was expecting that the city's wizards would be the ones to pay for it. After his removal, his few remaining extreme supporters organized an invasion of the main government building under the guise of freedom of assembly. All nine of these “rebels” were rounded up, tried, and sent to prison. Tiax was convicted of treason and reincarnated in Spellhold, which was now just a common prison. After his eventual release, he was prohibited from seeking any position of power in Amn."
"Edwin Odesseiron continued to lay low with the Shadow Thieves for a while. The Cowled Wizards suffered a crippling blow as a side effect of the conflict between Gorion's Ward and Irenicus. Edwin decided to step in and finish the job. His thought was that he could wipe out the Cowled Wizard remnants and then take credit for their defeat, thereby gaining him more clout among the Red Wizards of Thay. After many conspicuous mage battles in the streets of Athkatla, he succeeded. However, the people who noticed his efforts the most were actually the people of Athkatla. They were tired of living under the Cowled Wizards' iron fist and Edwin was lauded as a liberator and hero. He even had a statue in his image raised in Waukeen's Promenade. Edwin was initially nonplussed over people finally giving him the credit he always felt he so rightfully deserved. But, he quickly came to accept their praise and bought in to being a champion for the people. Edwin continued his agenda of liberation when a clearly insane gnome who found his way on the Council of Six tried to ban magic entirely in the city. Edwin and his followers were primarily responsible for having the madman removed from his seat.
“Shar-Teel, Safana, Branwen, and Alora all happened to cross paths with each other at Elfsong one evening. Shar-Teel was looking to fight a man, Safana was looking to shag a man, Branwen was recently petrified by a man, and Alora was just excited to be somewhere new. The four got to talking with each other and, despite having wildly different personalities, seemed to hit it off. Shar-Teel was sarcastic and aggressive, Safana was self-absorbed and man-hungry, Alora was kind and sweet, and Branwen was the matriarch of the group. You wouldn't think this lot would get along, but they actually did, and their differences merely become the fuel for innocuous hi-jinks week after week.”
"With Gorion's Ward's help, Cernd was able to rescue his child that he then abandoned again at the druid grove near Trademeet. He promised that he would return to raise the child, he just needed to run to the general shop in Trademeet for some pipeweed. He never returned, but that was pretty obvious since he didn’t even smoke. Cernd continued to wander Faerun. It came to light in Cormyr that Cernd had actually married, and had children, with numerous women in Cormyr, Amn, the Sword Coast, Tethyr, Calimshan, Turmish, Halruaa, Icewind Dale, Chondath, Sembia, Impiltur, the Silver Marches, and even the Troll Hills (don't ask). Furthermore, it was discovered that Cernd was not actually a druid, just a werewolf that had a Ring of Goodberries. The druid con was so that he could have a reason to abandon his wives and children and move on to a new situation. You would be surprised at how many women could fall for a guy that can conjure an impromptu picnic in the park. Unfortunately for Cernd, Cormyr was not the kind of place to run afoul of the legal system. For the crime of bigamy, he was sentenced to life in prison. He never set foot near a druid grove again, but he was allowed to participate in a work-release program tending to the gardens of nobles.
“Kagain returned to his shop and grew even more bitter, but not over what the death of Entar Silvershield's son had done to his reputation and business. Instead, he resented that even the Enhanced Edition of the game didn't give him a remotely decent companion quest. By Moradin's hammer, Cernd even had a pretty involved companion quest and the story there both starts and ends with a deadbeat dad! Also, Kagain can regenerate! Korgan can't even do that. And another thing! He was sick of people confusing the two of them as if all dwarves look alike or something. Ok, granted, they're both old dwarves with greying beards, but Korgan's beard is tied while Kagain's beard is brushed out. Of course, none of this made sense to anyone, even to Kagain who never actually crossed paths with Cernd or Korgan. However, the dwarf had nothing to do with his time except stand in his shop, isolated and alone, until he was done in by insanity and plantar fasciitis.”
“The death of Khalid shook Jaheira to the core. She convinced herself that she could never love again, certainly not so soon after his death nor with anyone that would be a child in her eyes. That would be absurd and rather tacky. After her escape from Irenicus' prison and deposing Faldorn from the druid grove, she took over as Arch-Druid. Being a Harper just wouldn't be the same without Khalid. However, the grove would allow her to explore a new, but comfortingly familiar, phase of life. She had barely been installed as the Arch-Druid when Cernd dropped off his child and disappeared again. He did not even stay long enough to tell Jaheira the child's name. Knowing he would likely not return, she named the child Khalid after her lost love. Realizing there were other children our there without families to care for them, Jahaeira would send her subordinates to wander nearby lands and bring them to the grove for a better life. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of these children happened to be Cernd's. She eventually renamed the grove to Kinder Garden in honor of the grove's new purpose of giving these children a kinder upbringing. Jaheira's headstrong personality served her well with these lost children, who all loved her as they would any mother. The Kinder Garden became the most thriving druid grove in all of Faerun. Jaheira eventually died in 1547 DR, with hundreds of children haven been rescued in her lifetime, and a memorial was erected in her honor at the grove. The inscription read, 'Nature's Servant Awaits.'"
“After being freed from Irenicus' dungeon, Minsc put his boots on the ground at the Copper Coronet. Being the simple man that he was, he found himself unwittingly recruited into fighting in the gladiator pits (before Gorion's Ward was able to free the slaves). Yet again, Minsc took a blow to the head. But this time, its effects were something completely new. No longer was he the slow-witted evil-slaying ranger, armed to the teeth and packing a hamster. Instead, his intelligence and wisdom started to blossom and he explored, through dissertation, the impact of modern civilization on the overall ecosystem of Faerun. Indeed, before Minsc started his work, the people of Faerun didn't even have the concept of an ”ecosystem". He left Athkatla to pursue a residency at Jaheira's grove where he could study and work in peace. He published works like, “The Intersection of Geopolitics and Biodiversity: Living More but Dying Sooner”, “The Essential Symbiosis Between the Savage and Civilization”, and “Moral Urbanization: Seeking a More Comprehensive Prosperity”. Minsc continued his studies and writing and ultimately produced enough groundbreaking works to have his own annex in Candlekeep. It was shortly after the dedication of this annex that Minsc disappeared from Faerun, never to be seen again."
“Jan Jansen's fate was the most impressive of all as his endeavors shaped the very fabric of Faerun for centuries to come. His story truly serves as a moral lesson for everyone and we should heed its virtue quite seriously. Helping Lissa and Jaella planted a seed of regret in Lissa with regards to her marriage to Vaelag. Speaking of seeds, this reminds Jan of a time when he was helping his Uncle Scratchy with his turnip farm. However, Uncle Scratchy was hoodwinked and the seeds he received were actually purple carrot seeds. You can imagine Uncle Scratchy's surprise when they sprouted and he suddenly had a field of purple carrots. Well, as you probably know, you can't make turnip stew, or turnip casserole, or turnip pie with purple carrots. But it just so happened there was a mage tower nearby and the resident mage needed a vast number of carrots. Apparently, her plan was to animate them as a kind of vegetable army to combat a myconid infestation in cave system rather close to her tower. Of course, animated carrots are quite self-assured and were immune to myconoid's confusion spores. Anyway, Jan had a once-removed cousin, Bobil, that was lost in those caves when he was a young gnome. He had wandered so deep that he found himself in the den of a solitary xvart who was obsessed with a magic ring. Bobil happened to purloin that ring but it turned out to not be magic at all. However, it was still worth enough for Bobil to buy himself a nice cottage in Trademeet. He then started his own turnip farm and had better luck than Uncle Scratchy. Wait, what were we talking about, again?”
“Boo continued his mission to study the sentient life forms of Faerun and determine their potential impact on the metaverse. He preferred the continued company of Minsc due to the ranger's kindness and protectiveness. Boo found this to be quite valuable in his current miniaturized state. Even after Minsc's accident, where his intellect began to expand, Minsc never lost his good heart and inherent kindness and the two remained the best of friends. It was a number of years later that the term of Boo's mission was complete. A team of his fellow people arrived on a spelljammer to collect the giant miniaturized space hamster. Minsc (and Boo) were on a retreat in a remote part of the Neverwinter Wood when a vessel shaped like a giant acorn landed in a nearby clearing. A number of human-sized anthropomorphic hamster-like beings, who called themselves the Ysoki, emerged and met with Boo. One had a strange crystalline device which it used to restore Boo to his proper size. Minsc naturally remained composed while all this was happening. He and Boo talked often and he knew this day would be coming. Boo returned to the spelljammer with his brethren to debrief on the mission. The Ysoki wanted to bring a sample back to their homeworld for further learning and study. Boo offered Minsc for the task, as the exemplar human would fit in nicely with the Ysoki's advanced culture and society. Everyone was in agreement and made the offer to the ranger. Minsc felt like he had made every contribution he could to the people of Faerun, so he accepted and boarded the ship. Boo, excited to finally be on a spelljammer again, took the helm and plotted a course for his homeworld. At his side sat his friend and faithful companion, Minsc.”