Super Earth High Command, ATTN: General Brasch
This transmission comes from the SES Keeper of Midnight; may it find you free and well.
After numerous deployments on both Bot and Bug fronts, this Destroyer and its crew respectfully request review and revision of Super Earth Arsenal training material and field tactics. A number of soldiers have questioned the efficacy of Democratically potent weapons; whether this is a lack of training or a lack of imagination, we diplomatically decline to speculate. The field instructions proposed, below, are the result of numerous Dives and uncountable Diver lives; please consider their dutiful sacrifice when reviewing for implementation and publication.
Primary Service Weapons:
Many Divers swear by the tried-and-true AR-23 Liberator, even with advancements in certification and generously-approved requisition orders. While this workhorse has certainly earned its place on the battlefield, new Divers should be advised that "a ricocheted shot harms only Democracy." To these ends, this Destroyer's crew recommends usage of the field-customized AR-23P Liberator Penetrator, JAR-5 Dominator, R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper, and (for those Divers suffering near-sightedness or combat-induced vision complications) the SG-8S Slugger. While the R&D team has provided a plethora of punishing projectiles and propellants, these four have proven the most reliable and surefire solutions for all but the most specialized applications. While these weapons may not have the sheer ammunition or spraying-power of other options, our EAGLE-1 pilots have a number of near-instantaneous swarm solutions on standby; simply activate your Stratagem Beacon and put your trust in our Ladies of Liberty.
Standard-Issue Sidearms:
This Destroyer has not sufficiently field-tested the newly deployed P-113 Verdict pistol; as such, we will not yet deliver our Verdict findings at this time. However, our crew has seen extensive use of the P-4 Senator, GP-31 Grenade Pistol and, in an unlikely turn, even the ill-reputed LAS-7 Dagger - the latter of which is surprisingly effective at ending the threat of grunt-ranked Automaton forces provided you aim the precision beam into their finely-tuned optical sensors. For reasons unknown, it puts them out of commission faster than a Hellpod makes a hamburger.
Special-Requisition Support Armaments:
While the specific implementation for these highly-specialized weapons depends largely on the specialty training and field experience of the Diver in question, the Keeper of Midnight crew has found delightfully Democratic deployments for some of Super Earth's least-requested weaponry. As our Gunnery Marshal Obediah "O.B." Wong once said: "Take the high ground. Then their limbs. Then their lives." This plays-out particularly true of the RL-77 Airburst Rocket and FAF-14 Spear; our crew has seen incredible success in having the gunner-to-be carry the weaponry to unmolested ground via Jump Pack. If employing these tactics, you will require a trusted Battle Buddy to carry your munitions pack, and return to them between shots for rapid reload. When so deployed, the RL-77 can be aimed squarely at the center of approaching swarms/cohorts and its proximity sensor remains un-triggered until the payload reaches the most Democratically-correct location for maximum Freedom enforcement. The notably-finicky Spear, meanwhile, seems to suffer fewer lock-vector recalculations when fewer stray targets cross the FOV to your Patriotic Problem.
Additionally, the under-utilized LAS-98 Laser Cannon has seen incredible success in an unintuitive application: the high-powered beam appears to instantly coagulate the innards of unarmored Terminids, making "sweep-and-reap" left-to-right passes of this high-powered weapon a surprisingly effective means of thinning swarms of bugs.
In Closing:
We here upon the SES Keeper of Midnight humbly request that you honor the lives of countless Divers dutifully sacrificed upon the soil of socialist sycophant systems by incorporating their hard-honed tactics in the next edition of Brasch Tactics.
For the glory of Super Earth!

Hi, i was playing with friend and i added like 6 new mods, and server didnt start up, so i deleted them and 3 of them was making problem. After fixing this my CMD is showing thow this:
[00:36:38] [Server thread/INFO] [minecraft/MinecraftServer]: Stopping server
[00:36:38] [Server thread/INFO] [minecraft/MinecraftServer]: Saving players
[00:36:38] [Server thread/INFO] [minecraft/MinecraftServer]: Saving worlds
[00:36:38] [Server thread/ERROR] [minecraft/MinecraftServer]: Exception stopping the server
java.lang.NullPointerException: Cannot invoke "net.minecraft.server.level.ServerLevel.m_6857_()" because "serverlevel2" is null
at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_129885_(MinecraftServer.java:513) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23191!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:A}
at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_7041_(MinecraftServer.java:584) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23191!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:A}
at net.minecraft.server.dedicated.DedicatedServer.m_7041_(DedicatedServer.java:510) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23191!/:?] {re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B}
at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_130011_(MinecraftServer.java:689) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23191!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:A}
at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_206580_(MinecraftServer.java:251) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23191!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:A}
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:842) ~[?:?] {}
[00:36:38] [Server thread/INFO] [Framework/]: Unloading server configs...
Please help ASAP!!!!!

Super Earth High Command, ATTN: General Brasch
This transmission comes from the SES Keeper of Midnight; may it find you free and well.
After numerous deployments on both Bot and Bug fronts, this Destroyer and its crew respectfully request review and revision of Super Earth Arsenal training material and field tactics. A number of soldiers have questioned the efficacy of Democratically potent weapons; whether this is a lack of training or a lack of imagination, we diplomatically decline to speculate. The field instructions proposed, below, are the result of numerous Dives and uncountable Diver lives; please consider their dutiful sacrifice when reviewing for implementation and publication.
Primary Service Weapons:
Many Divers swear by the tried-and-true AR-23 Liberator, even with advancements in certification and generously-approved requisition orders. While this workhorse has certainly earned its place on the battlefield, new Divers should be advised that "a ricocheted shot harms only Democracy." To these ends, this Destroyer's crew recommends usage of the field-customized AR-23P Liberator Penetrator, JAR-5 Dominator, R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper, and (for those Divers suffering near-sightedness or combat-induced vision complications) the SG-8S Slugger. While the R&D team has provided a plethora of punishing projectiles and propellants, these four have proven the most reliable and surefire solutions for all but the most specialized applications. While these weapons may not have the sheer ammunition or spraying-power of other options, our EAGLE-1 pilots have a number of near-instantaneous swarm solutions on standby; simply activate your Stratagem Beacon and put your trust in our Ladies of Liberty.
Standard-Issue Sidearms:
This Destroyer has not sufficiently field-tested the newly deployed P-113 Verdict pistol; as such, we will not yet deliver our Verdict findings at this time. However, our crew has seen extensive use of the P-4 Senator, GP-31 Grenade Pistol and, in an unlikely turn, even the ill-reputed LAS-7 Dagger - the latter of which is surprisingly effective at ending the threat of grunt-ranked Automaton forces provided you aim the precision beam into their finely-tuned optical sensors. For reasons unknown, it puts them out of commission faster than a Hellpod makes a hamburger.
Special-Requisition Support Armaments:
While the specific implementation for these highly-specialized weapons depends largely on the specialty training and field experience of the Diver in question, the Keeper of Midnight crew has found delightfully Democratic deployments for some of Super Earth's least-requested weaponry. As our Gunnery Marshal Obediah "O.B." Wong once said: "Take the high ground. Then their limbs. Then their lives." This plays-out particularly true of the RL-77 Airburst Rocket and FAF-14 Spear; our crew has seen incredible success in having the gunner-to-be carry the weaponry to unmolested ground via Jump Pack. If employing these tactics, you will require a trusted Battle Buddy to carry your munitions pack, and return to them between shots for rapid reload. When so deployed, the RL-77 can be aimed squarely at the center of approaching swarms/cohorts and its proximity sensor remains un-triggered until the payload reaches the most Democratically-correct location for maximum Freedom enforcement. The notably-finicky Spear, meanwhile, seems to suffer fewer lock-vector recalculations when fewer stray targets cross the FOV to your Patriotic Problem.
Additionally, the under-utilized LAS-98 Laser Cannon has seen incredible success in an unintuitive application: the high-powered beam appears to instantly coagulate the innards of unarmored Terminids, making "sweep-and-reap" left-to-right passes of this high-powered weapon a surprisingly effective means of thinning swarms of bugs.
In Closing:
We here upon the SES Keeper of Midnight humbly request that you honor the lives of countless Divers dutifully sacrificed upon the soil of socialist sycophant systems by incorporating their hard-honed tactics in the next edition of Brasch Tactics.
For the glory of Super Earth!

Hi, can anyone help me get my server back up and running.
I had it running last night and now when I was going to play I saw that it had crashed. I'm not very good at reading server crash logs :c
I will leave the crash log below:
---- Minecraft Crash Report ---- // This doesn't make any sense!
Time: 2024-05-13 23:46:41 Description: Exception in server tick loop
net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigFileTypeHandler$ConfigLoadingException: Failed loading config file lost_aether_content-server.toml of type SERVER for modid lost_aether_content at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigFileTypeHandler.lambda$reader$1(ConfigFileTypeHandler.java:47) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigTracker.openConfig(ConfigTracker.java:60) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigTracker.lambda$loadConfigs$1(ConfigTracker.java:50) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at java.lang.Iterable.forEach(Iterable.java:75) ~[?:?] {re:mixin} at java.util.Collections$SynchronizedCollection.forEach(Collections.java:2131) ~[?:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigTracker.loadConfigs(ConfigTracker.java:50) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.server.ServerLifecycleHooks.handleServerAboutToStart(ServerLifecycleHooks.java:96) ~[forge-1.20.1-47.2.20-universal.jar%23912!/:?] {re:mixin,re:classloading,pl:mixin:APP:lithostitched.forge.mixins.json:common.ServerLifecycleHooksMixin,pl:mixin:APP:croptopia.mixins.json:ServerLifecycleHookAccessor,pl:mixin:A} at net.minecraft.server.dedicated.DedicatedServer.m_7038_(DedicatedServer.java:162) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23907!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:computing_frames,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:APP:lithostitched.mixins.json:server.DedicatedServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:mixins/common/nochatreports.mixins.json:server.MixinDedicatedServer,pl:mixin:APP:tombstone.mixins.json:DedicatedServerMixin,pl:mixin:A} at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_130011_(MinecraftServer.java:634) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23907!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:computing_frames,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:inject_resources.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:modernfix-common.mixins.json:perf.dedicated_reload_executor.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:ae2.mixins.json:spatial.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:citadel.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:balm.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:dankstorage.mixins.json:MinecraftServerAccess,pl:mixin:A} at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_206580_(MinecraftServer.java:251) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23907!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:computing_frames,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:inject_resources.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:modernfix-common.mixins.json:perf.dedicated_reload_executor.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:ae2.mixins.json:spatial.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:citadel.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:balm.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:dankstorage.mixins.json:MinecraftServerAccess,pl:mixin:A} at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:842) ~[?:?] {re:mixin} Caused by: com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ParsingException: Not enough data available at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ParsingException.notEnoughData(ParsingException.java:22) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ReaderInput.directReadChar(ReaderInput.java:36) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.AbstractInput.readChar(AbstractInput.java:49) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.AbstractInput.readCharsUntil(AbstractInput.java:123) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TableParser.parseKey(TableParser.java:166) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TableParser.parseDottedKey(TableParser.java:145) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TableParser.parseNormal(TableParser.java:55) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TomlParser.parse(TomlParser.java:44) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TomlParser.parse(TomlParser.java:37) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ConfigParser.parse(ConfigParser.java:113) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ConfigParser.parse(ConfigParser.java:219) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ConfigParser.parse(ConfigParser.java:202) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.file.WriteSyncFileConfig.load(WriteSyncFileConfig.java:73) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.file.AutosaveCommentedFileConfig.load(AutosaveCommentedFileConfig.java:85) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigFileTypeHandler.lambda$reader$1(ConfigFileTypeHandler.java:43) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} ... 10 more
A detailed walkthrough of the error, its code path and all known details is as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- System Details -- Details: Minecraft Version: 1.20.1 Minecraft Version ID: 1.20.1 Operating System: Windows 10 (amd64) version 10.0 Java Version: 17.0.10, Oracle Corporation Java VM Version: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (mixed mode, sharing), Oracle Corporation Memory: 4734454720 bytes (4515 MiB) / 8589934592 bytes (8192 MiB) up to 17179869184 bytes (16384 MiB) CPUs: 20 Processor Vendor: GenuineIntel Processor Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-14600KF Identifier: Intel64 Family 6 Model 183 Stepping 1 Microarchitecture: unknown Frequency (GHz): 3.49 Number of physical packages: 1 Number of physical CPUs: 14 Number of logical CPUs: 20 Graphics card #0 name: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Graphics card #0 vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de) Graphics card #0 VRAM (MB): 4095.00 Graphics card #0 deviceId: 0x2786 Graphics card #0 versionInfo: DriverVersion=31.0.15.5152 Memory slot #0 capacity (MB): 16384.00 Memory slot #0 clockSpeed (GHz): 4.80 Memory slot #0 type: Unknown Memory slot #1 capacity (MB): 16384.00 Memory slot #1 clockSpeed (GHz): 4.80 Memory slot #1 type: Unknown Virtual memory max (MB): 57510.62 Virtual memory used (MB): 34086.33 Swap memory total (MB): 24894.45 Swap memory used (MB): 102.54 JVM Flags: 20 total; -Xms8G -Xmx16G -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200 -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:+DisableExplicitGC -XX:+AlwaysPreTouch -XX:G1NewSizePercent=30 -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=40 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=8M -XX:G1ReservePercent=20 -XX:G1HeapWastePercent=5 -XX:G1MixedGCCountTarget=4 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=15 -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90 -XX:G1RSetUpdatingPauseTimePercent=5 -XX:SurvivorRatio=32 -XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1 Server Running: true Player Count: 0 / 20; [] Data Packs: vanilla, mod:betterdungeons, mod:simplemagnets, mod:integratedterminals, mod:laserio (incompatible), mod:modernfix (incompatible), mod:evilcraft, mod:useitemonblockevent (incompatible), mod:yungsapi, mod:gateways (incompatible), mod:jumbofurnace (incompatible), mod:wstweaks (incompatible), mod:shrink (incompatible), mod:universalgrid (incompatible), mod:darkutils (incompatible), mod:apotheosis (incompatible), mod:clickadv (incompatible), mod:ldlib (incompatible), mod:create_new_age, mod:betterfortresses, mod:paraglider (incompatible), mod:cloth_config (incompatible), mod:durabilitytooltip (incompatible), mod:structure_gel, mod:industrialforegoing (incompatible), mod:handcrafted (incompatible), mod:repurposed_structures, mod:structurecompass, mod:botania, mod:spark (incompatible), mod:corail_woodcutter, mod:advgenerators, mod:yungsextras, mod:attributeslib (incompatible), mod:tombstone, mod:extrastorage, mod:cumulus_menus, mod:naturesaura (incompatible), mod:constructionwand, mod:mcwroofs, mod:littlelogistics (incompatible), mod:cfm, mod:chimes, mod:flib, mod:betterendisland, mod:nitrogen_internals, mod:potionblender (incompatible), mod:l2library (incompatible), mod:fastleafdecay, mod:sfm (incompatible), mod:despawntimers (incompatible), mod:mcwlights, mod:betterjungletemples, mod:smartbrainlib (incompatible), mod:rechiseled (incompatible), mod:attributefix (incompatible), mod:caelus (incompatible), mod:epherolib (incompatible), mod:botanypots (incompatible), mod:farmingforblockheads, mod:rechiseledcreate, mod:additional_lights, mod:fusion, mod:extradisks, mod:edivadlib, mod:mythicbotany, mod:integratedcrafting, mod:dungeons_arise, mod:logprot (incompatible), mod:terrablender, mod:biomesoplenty (incompatible), mod:cleanswing (incompatible), mod:corgilib, mod:sushigocrafting (incompatible), mod:domum_ornamentum, mod:flywheel, mod:bhc (incompatible), mod:justenoughprofessions, mod:securitycraft, mod:almostunified (incompatible), mod:structurize, mod:fastfurnace (incompatible), mod:lootr, mod:occultism, mod:allthetweaks (incompatible), mod:extremesoundmuffler, mod:cosmeticarmorreworked, mod:morered (incompatible), mod:ad_astra (incompatible), mod:rsrequestify (incompatible), mod:alchemylib (incompatible), mod:advancedperipherals (incompatible), mod:tinyredstone, mod:towntalk (incompatible), mod:betteroceanmonuments, mod:sophisticatedcore (incompatible), mod:glassential (incompatible), mod:prism (incompatible), mod:placebo (incompatible), mod:bookshelf, mod:sophisticatedbackpacks (incompatible), mod:littlecontraptions (incompatible), mod:uteamcore, mod:mcwdoors, mod:utilitarian, mod:macawsroofsbop, mod:absentbydesign, mod:konkrete (incompatible), mod:rsinfinitybooster (incompatible), mod:refinedstorage, mod:chipped (incompatible), mod:mcwbridges, mod:rebornstorage (incompatible), mod:tempad (incompatible), mod:hostilenetworks (incompatible), mod:endertanks, mod:jearchaeology, mod:fuelgoeshere, mod:simplylight (incompatible), mod:industrialforegoingsouls (incompatible), mod:memorysettings (incompatible), mod:blockui, mod:tiab (incompatible), mod:villagertools (incompatible), mod:mysticalcustomization, mod:lostcities, mod:elevatorid, mod:runelic, mod:twilightdelight (incompatible), mod:inventoryprofilesnext (incompatible), mod:aiimprovements, mod:moreoverlays (incompatible), mod:cupboard (incompatible), mod:voidscape (incompatible), mod:undergarden, mod:caupona, mod:betteradvancements (incompatible), mod:platforms, mod:dyenamics (incompatible), mod:thermal_extra (incompatible), mod:mcwpaintings, mod:clumps (incompatible), mod:artifacts, mod:toastcontrol (incompatible), mod:mininggadgets (incompatible), mod:mysticalagriculture, mod:craftingtweaks, mod:libipn (incompatible), mod:endermanoverhaul (incompatible), mod:eccentrictome, mod:mysterious_mountain_lib (incompatible), mod:enderio, mod:easy_villagers, mod:reliquary (incompatible), mod:pigpen (incompatible), mod:fastbench (incompatible), mod:fluxnetworks (incompatible), mod:buildinggadgets2 (incompatible), mod:minecolonies, mod:pylons, mod:ferritecore (incompatible), mod:functionalstorage, mod:modularrouters (incompatible), mod:notrample, mod:justzoom (incompatible), mod:charmofundying (incompatible), mod:valhelsia_core (incompatible), mod:create_enchantment_industry (incompatible), mod:flickerfix, mod:productivetrees, mod:createaddition (incompatible), mod:dynamiclightsreforged (incompatible), mod:supermartijn642configlib (incompatible), mod:quarryplus, mod:playeranimator (incompatible), mod:irons_spellbooks, mod:botarium (incompatible), mod:mcwwindows, mod:create_jetpack (incompatible), mod:ironjetpacks, mod:everythingcopper, mod:powah (incompatible), mod:cabletiers, mod:rangedpumps, mod:macawsbridgesbop, mod:balm, mod:jeresources, mod:shetiphiancore, mod:mysticalagradditions, mod:ctov, mod:athena, mod:stylecolonies (incompatible), mod:novillagerdm, mod:alltheores (incompatible), mod:glodium (incompatible), mod:ae2insertexportcard, mod:torchmaster, mod:botanytrees (incompatible), mod:ironfurnaces, mod:mcwtrpdoors, mod:supermartijn642corelib, mod:resourcefulconfig (incompatible), mod:ad_astra_giselle_addon (incompatible), mod:curios (incompatible), mod:searchables (incompatible), mod:measurements, mod:framedblocks, mod:angelring, mod:sparsestructuresreforged (incompatible), mod:mcwfurnitures, mod:flightlib (incompatible), mod:jadeaddons (incompatible), mod:infiniverse (incompatible), mod:bettermineshafts, mod:sliceanddice (incompatible), mod:darkpaintings (incompatible), mod:crafting_on_a_stick (incompatible), mod:elytraslot (incompatible), mod:harvestwithease, mod:multipiston, mod:lithostitched, mod:bdlib, mod:travelersbackpack, mod:naturescompass, mod:jumpboat, mod:libx, mod:utilitix, mod:jei, mod:mekanism, mod:gravitationalmodulatingunittweaks (incompatible), mod:mekanismgenerators, mod:pneumaticcraft (incompatible), mod:packingtape (incompatible), mod:forge, mod:cofh_core, mod:thermal, mod:thermal_integration, mod:redstone_arsenal, mod:thermal_cultivation, mod:appleskin (incompatible), mod:thermal_innovation, mod:silentgear, mod:thermal_foundation, mod:thermal_locomotion, mod:thermal_dynamics, mod:mcwpaths, mod:alchemistry (incompatible), mod:zerocore (incompatible), mod:mousetweaks, mod:immersiveengineering (incompatible), mod:usefulrailroads, mod:createoreexcavation (incompatible), mod:nochatreports (incompatible), mod:allthemodium (incompatible), mod:spectrelib (incompatible), mod:kotlinforforge (incompatible), mod:pipez, mod:integrateddynamics, mod:itemcollectors (incompatible), mod:croptopia (incompatible), mod:serverconfigupdater (incompatible), mod:polymorph (incompatible), mod:zeta (incompatible), mod:entityculling, mod:railcraft, mod:oceansdelight (incompatible), mod:connectedglass, mod:hyperbox (incompatible), mod:aquaculture, mod:cristellib (incompatible), mod:totw_modded, mod:cyclopscore, mod:blue_skies (incompatible), mod:betterwitchhuts, mod:netherportalfix, mod:aiotbotania, mod:geckolib, mod:creeperoverhaul, mod:ars_nouveau (incompatible), mod:ars_elemental (incompatible), mod:eidolon (incompatible), mod:aether, mod:lost_aether_content, mod:morejs (incompatible), mod:naturalist (incompatible), mod:connectivity (incompatible), mod:cookingforblockheads, mod:controlling (incompatible), mod:dankstorage (incompatible), mod:citadel (incompatible), mod:cataclysm (incompatible), mod:mixinextras (incompatible), mod:potionsmaster (incompatible), mod:twigs (incompatible), mod:create_dragon_lib (incompatible), mod:generatorgalore, mod:railways (incompatible), mod:twilightforest, mod:mob_grinding_utils (incompatible), mod:farmersdelight, mod:corn_delight (incompatible), mod:ends_delight, mod:entangled, mod:commoncapabilities, mod:crashutilities (incompatible), mod:getittogetherdrops, mod:endersdelight, mod:noflyzone, mod:mcwfences, mod:mcwfencesbop, mod:wirelesschargers (incompatible), mod:patchouli (incompatible), mod:ars_ocultas (incompatible), mod:thermal_expansion, mod:integratedtunnels, mod:gunpowderlib, mod:exchangers, mod:ftbultimine (incompatible), mod:betterstrongholds, mod:resourcefullib (incompatible), mod:mekanismtools, mod:deeperdarker, mod:architectury (incompatible), mod:bambooeverything (incompatible), mod:findme (incompatible), mod:observable (incompatible), mod:ftblibrary (incompatible), mod:ftbteams (incompatible), mod:ftbranks, mod:ftbessentials (incompatible), mod:ftbchunks (incompatible), mod:computercraft, mod:energymeter, mod:sgjourney (incompatible), mod:bigreactors (incompatible), mod:productivebees, mod:trashcans (incompatible), mod:inventoryessentials, mod:t_and_t (incompatible), mod:voidtotem (incompatible), mod:rhino (incompatible), mod:kubejs (incompatible), mod:gtceu, mod:cucumber, mod:matc, mod:trashslot, mod:jmi (incompatible), mod:blueflame (incompatible), mod:sophisticatedstorage (incompatible), mod:allthewizardgear, mod:additionallanterns (incompatible), mod:itemfilters (incompatible), mod:ftbquests (incompatible), mod:ftbxmodcompat (incompatible), mod:productivelib, mod:ensorcellation, mod:create, mod:ars_creo (incompatible), mod:delightful (incompatible), mod:ponderjs (incompatible), mod:waystones, mod:structory, mod:fastsuite (incompatible), mod:journeymap (incompatible), mod:comforts (incompatible), mod:dimstorage, mod:myserveriscompatible, mod:dungeoncrawl, mod:charginggadgets (incompatible), mod:mcjtylib, mod:rftoolsbase, mod:rftoolspower, mod:rftoolsbuilder, mod:deepresonance, mod:xnet, mod:xnetgases (incompatible), mod:rftoolsstorage, mod:rftoolscontrol, mod:betterdeserttemples, mod:mahoutsukai, mod:terralith, mod:bloodmagic (incompatible), mod:rftoolsutility, mod:moonlight (incompatible), mod:configuration, mod:toolbelt (incompatible), mod:titanium (incompatible), mod:silentlib, mod:mixinsquared (incompatible), mod:jade (incompatible), mod:ae2 (incompatible), mod:aeinfinitybooster (incompatible), mod:ae2wtlib (incompatible), mod:expatternprovider (incompatible), mod:ae2things (incompatible), mod:polyeng (incompatible), mod:arseng, mod:appflux (incompatible), mod:merequester (incompatible), mod:forbidden_arcanus (incompatible), mod:theurgy, mod:nethersdelight, mod:quark (incompatible), mod:supplementaries, mod:allthecompressed, mod:chemlib (incompatible), mod:enderchests, mod:jei_mekanism_multiblocks (incompatible), mod:appbot (incompatible), mod:modonomicon, mod:rsinsertexportupgrade, mod:solcarrot (incompatible), mod:moredragoneggs (incompatible), mod:refinedstorageaddons, mod:refinedpolymorph, mod:appmek (incompatible), mod:ae2additions (incompatible), mod:megacells (incompatible), mod:packetfixer (incompatible), mod:expandability (incompatible), Supplementaries Generated Pack, T&T Waystone Patch Pack (incompatible), builtin/aether_accessories, gtceu:dynamic_data, libxdata/mythicbotany:curios, voidscape_aether_compat (incompatible) Enabled Feature Flags: minecraft:vanilla World Generation: Stable Is Modded: Definitely; Server brand changed to 'forge' Type: Dedicated Server (map_server.txt) ModLauncher: 10.0.9+10.0.9+main.dcd20f30 ModLauncher launch target: forgeserver ModLauncher naming: srg ModLauncher services: mixin-0.8.5.jar mixin PLUGINSERVICE eventbus-6.0.5.jar eventbus PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar slf4jfixer PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar object_holder_definalize PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar runtime_enum_extender PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar capability_token_subclass PLUGINSERVICE accesstransformers-8.0.4.jar accesstransformer PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar runtimedistcleaner PLUGINSERVICE modlauncher-10.0.9.jar jcplugin TRANSFORMATIONSERVICE modlauncher-10.0.9.jar mixin TRANSFORMATIONSERVICE modlauncher-10.0.9.jar fml TRANSFORMATIONSERVICE FML Language Providers: minecraft@1.0 javafml@null kotlinforforge@4.10.0 lowcodefml@null kotori_scala@3.3.1-build-0 Mod List:

Hi! About to begin paying off my loans and have been browsing this sub to learn. Huge thank you to people like u/girl_of_squirrels u/mindmapsofficial and u/Betsy514. These are true public service heroes fighting the good fight. Do you have a tip jar (seriously)?
After extensive research, I believe I have my situation figured out but want to confirm I'm thinking correctly. Here's what you need to know about me followed by my questions: 23 years old. Graduated undergrad in 2023. $19,500 in principle loans, all direct federal. 5 loans (3 subsidized, 2 unsubsidized), weighted average interest of 3.99%. All serviced through Edfinancial. Regrettably I haven't dealt with these loans since graduating. Grace period ended and repayment began 11/16/23, then looks like I was automatically put in forbearance on 1/15/24. As of today, $125 has accrued in interest. Currently live in Vermont, but expecting to move and live internationally in the next few years. I do not have a stable job and don't plan on getting one anytime soon (focused on the joys less travelled and learning how to ethically exist in this world). Hard to say annual income based on this but definitely less than $33,000 / year. My plan is to enroll in SAVE. I will qualify for $0 monthly payments. I believe I'll continue on this low income track and will shoot for forgiveness in 25 years. However, to be safe I plan to make monthly payments to an HYSA or something adjacent, saving up with the idea that should I choose to, years down the line, I can lump sum pay off my loans.
I arrived at this plan based partially on my belief that the following statements are true. I'm asking for help in confirming or correcting these statements:

1. On the SAVE plan as a single person with income <$33,000/yr, I will have a monthly required payment of $0. Under a non-SAVE plan, my loan balance of $19,500 at 3.99% interest would accrue $63.92 monthly. However, because my monthly payment is $0, that entire $63.92 will be subsidized and will not accrue. The amount of money I owe will not change as long as I remain on SAVE, make monthly payments (even if $0), maintain and certify low income annually, and SAVE rules don't change.
   1. A. The SAVE plan in its current terms is not guaranteed. Although highly improbable, law makers can always change loan repayment options, so it's good to have a backup plan.
   2. B. Because I have $125 in unpaid accrued interest prior to beginning SAVE and my monthly payment will be $0, this will just hang out in my account and not change. What is not clear to me is what happens to this at the end - would this just be added to my total balance, meaning I would either receive forgiveness for or pay off $19,892?
2. Years down the line but before the end of my payment term, my savings account should surpass my loan debt. At this point, if I decide I want to pay off the loans rather than waiting for forgiveness, while still on the SAVE plan, I can make a lump sum payment of my total balance, and I will have paid off my loans. Case closed.
3. If I opt to not pay the loans and receive forgiveness, when I pay income tax the year after I'm forgiven, I will submit a 1099 with my taxes stating the balance forgiven. I will be taxed as if that amount was additional income that year.

Last question I have is more superfluous than the rest: who am I actually paying? It seems that the money was loaned to me by the federal government, and they contract with EdFinancial to do the management. When I repay my loan, does it all go back to the government? Or is some of it going to Edfinancial? PS - here are great links that helped me in my research process (among many smaller threads), godspeed on yours, future redditor. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

First, for the starter -- I haven't followed any one specific "recipe", however I did what appeared to be the general formula -- 50g flour, 50g filtered water. Feeding was daily, using between 25 - 50g carryover, and feeding 1:1:1. After a few days I was feeding every 12 hours. But I never really get much more than 10% rise after feeding, although plenty of bubbles popping at the surface (and some visible through the jar).
Started with AP unbleached flour, but alternated in some whole wheat (from a bag I've had sitting here for about a year), and picked up fresh organic Dark Rye flour to mix in too. Been doing kind of random (the dark rye I've mixed with AP, as it is a bit expensive and a small bag).
After 8 days, I still decided to go for it, did a bulk feeding the get it to 130g total, used 100g, had 30 carryover. Mixed 500g flour with 350g water, let it set (I got called into a work meeting, and lost track of time, I think it set for 1.5 hours instead of 30 minutes). By the time I mixed the salt and levain in, the dough felt like sting cheese. Mixed it the best I could, did several stretch & folds, and a few hours later went to shape it and proof it. But the dough felt really wet, couldn't get it to hold its shape hardly at all. Put it in the proofing bowl anyway, and about 4 hours later it still hadn't risen much, but the poke test seemed to come back ok. But it still wasn't holding its shape that well when pulled out of the bowl.
Shaped it the best I could, got it in the hot crock pot, didn't get hardly any oven spring, finished cooking, but when I cut into it I had somewhat normal looking crumb of what you'd expect (some holes were .5 - 1 cm large, a bunch of holes like those on a sponge, etc). But connecting the holes were really dense pieces of dough that looked like yellow wood glue. Amazingly enough, the loaf was still edible (I ate half that first night).
Now on to correcting the problems. Every since that first bulk of of the starter, it seems almost dead. I've gone back to putting in about half rye, and switch to bread flour, still not doing much. Temp is around 74F - 78F. Now 4 days later I can see bubbles in it, but no rise. Is this because I'm only keeping 30g carryover, and with 1:1:1 I end up with 90g of fed starter? Is that too small for this stage? I'm keeping it in a pint-size wide mouth (straight side) mason jar, so I have roughly an inch or so in the jar.
Now I did an experiment. Every since the 7-day mark, I've been saving my discard in the fridge, but for 60g discard I've been adding to it another 30g flour and water (so about half what a starter feeder would be). Just to keep the discard from starving to death. Yesterday I took out 50g of discard, fed it in another jar 1:1:1, to get a second starter going, and after feeding that again this morning (discarded this one down to 50g, so I end up with 150g total), and it has already bulked up by about 60% (still not doubling, but doing much better than my original starter).
If this keeps working after a couple more feedings, I think I'm going to commit my original starter to the discard jar, and use this new one. Once I get a consistent doubling then I'll go ahead and throw this one in the fridge, as I plan on baking about 1 loaf a week.

Hey all,
Wanted to post about my journey in this process. Posting this is a little difficult as I have to now find a new job per my companies rules. Wanted this to serve as a data point for people in a similar boat.
Red Flags: 1. I was fired from a part time job due to lying and “taking money from the tip jar”. I believe this was a misunderstanding of the situation and also believe I mitigated the circumstances around what happened. 2. Digital Piracy: disclosed this before the Poly and didn’t seem like a huge issue so I don’t think this was looked into that much. 3. I smoked weed once in Nov 2020. It wasn’t mine and only two people including myself knew about this but I felt like I needed to disclose it. I think this impacted my Secret clearance process. I also used Poppers (amyl nitrite) 4 times in the last three years (July 2021 - April 2024). I did not report this as I was under the impression they were not illegal to use because they are marketed frequently as VCR cleaner. I never have bought or sold it but I was offered and accepted. This substance came up during the polygraph and the rest of it was canceled shortly after. Once I realized that the status of this wasn’t what I thought it was I said I wouldn’t use it again and I thought it would be infrequent enough to matter.
Beige flags 1. I was asked to leave a bar once which was brought up in my TS interview and I disclosed this event. My roommate at the time did not remember this happening.
Timeline:
14th July 2021 submitted sf86 for DOD secret
Few days later used poppers for the first time.
Oct 2021: had a congressperson perform a congressional inquiry into my process
Oct 2021: had interview with agent over Zoom
Oct 2021: cleared for DOD secret
Dec 2021: started first job
Sept 2022: submitted sf86 and started second job for TS/SCI w poly
Nov 2022: agent interviews me
Jan 2023: 2nd poppers use
My contacts and neighbors are also interviewed over this time.
Nov 2023: 3rd poppers use
March 2024: 4th poppers use
March 2024: Poly with IC. Canceled after the drug question and I thought it would be rescheduled to complete it.
May 2024: Denied clearance and stripped of Secret

Pics

https://imgur.com/gallery/dh6cwG2

Description

• Markers: I have 2 sharpies on my fridge: 1 black and 1 silver (for light and dark backgrounds). I also have a black dry erase marker for my Tupperware so I can easily wipe it off and reuse it
• Labeling: Whenever I open a new jar or bottle, I immediately write on the lid/cap/body what date (and year, if it lasts a while like condiments) I opened it. If it's takeout/delivery, I just write "Tue 5/7" so I can easily see the day of the week which is most important for me
• Expirations: If someone else in my household opens something and doesn't label it, I'll write the expiration/best by date instead and prefix it as "Expires" or "Best by"
• Impact: No more guessing/doing foul smell or taste tests if something is too old or went bad. My mom (who also has ADHD) would always say, "I think I just bought that not too long ago, it should be fine," only to find out "not too long ago" = 3 months ago. It also makes culling items and cleaning the fridge so much easier
• Caveats: It sucks if you have other people in your household who don't label when opening things and they don't remember. I explained to my spouse how much easier it makes our lives and they do it when they can remember but it isn't 100% which is okay
• Alternatives: I've seen food label stickers on Amazon that I haven't tried since this system works for me, but if you don't want to mark your Tupperware even with dry erase markers, the stickers might be easier
• Inspiration: I used to work at a grocery store stocking produce. Every time we received a shipment our manager would make us date every box, and for any existing box in the cooler we needed to put a "use 1st" sticker on it to indicate we should put out the existing produce before the new stuff. I'm so thankful for that and it made identifying old/new stuff so much easier.
TL;DR: I got fed up never knowing how old something was in the fridge/freezer. By labeling everything with dates for when they're opened or when they expire, it's made me tolerate using the fridge again and not accidentally eating month-old food.

Scan the qr to order beverages from the bar, you pick up and pay for. Scan the qr again for a refill, which you pick up. - tip jatip request upon payment
Scan the qr for the menu, Scan a different qr to place your order, include your phone number when you pay plus ask for tip, they text you to pick up your own food, flatware, salt, pepper napkins etc.
Clear your own table when you are done.
Bill total: $69 for 1/2lb of assorted barbecue meats, 2- 1/2 cups of slaw and 2 very dry Jiffy mix corn bread 3x3 squares.
We won't return, but I'm hearing more and more resturants are heading this way.

Hello and welcome to a very special installment of The Great Spice Off! What is The Great Spice Off?
I love the scent of Old Spice, so much so that it's the only aftershave I use as I don't really feel a need to splash anything else on. But, as we all know, Old Spice no longer makes shaving soap. They do still make a cream but that's hardly a great soap and it doesn't actually smell like Old Spice. As such my plan is to test out all the Old Spice options that are out there on as many bases as possible both to try out a variety of bases from different soapmakers and to report back to you on who really nails the scent.
I'll be shaving three times with each soap, using a variety of brushes and razors, and blades. Yes, I know that means it won't be exactly scientific but this is going to take a while and I want to use all my other shit too. Soaps will be rated on a few factors and given points from 1-5 for each.

• Oldness: How much does the soap smell like OG Old Spice. This is the more analytical scent analysis and I'm comparing to an OG Old Spice aftershave I have and the Shulton aftershave from India.
• Spiciness: This is the je ne sais quois of Old Spice. Does the soap make me feel the nostalgia, warmth, and whatever it is about the scent that works. Is there something special about it that makes it stand out? Does it invoke a memory or make a new one? The most subjective of this list.
• Lather: You know, can I make a shave soap out of it.
• Shave: How's it work on the ol' face while shaving.
• Post: How's the scent profile after the event. How does my face feel.

Crowne & Crane The Spice

And so we enter (for now) into a strange little corner of Old Spice dupery that I honestly wouldn't have even entered if I had read the description of The Spice before ordering it long ago. Also, if Crowne & Crane hadn't named the soap something pretty inaccurate. Also, also, if I hadn't accidentally picked up a second dupe of the scent recently. Yes, The Spice is not an Old Spice dupe but an Old Spice Limited Edition (LE) dupe.
Record Scratch. Double Take. Wuuuuuuuh!???
So you're asking yourself what the heck is an Old Spice LE. Well, despite what most think, Old Spice has had many scents over the years and almost none of them are riffs or new twists on their original Old Spice scent. Old Spice, the company/brand, made a plethora of scents throughout the history of producing Old Spice that, while all fell in the kind of old fashioned scenting category, had nothing to do with what we think of as Old Spice. Old Spice LE was one of these scents. From the dating I can find online, it was released sometime in the early 90s and stuck around for a chunk of that decade and possibly into the 2000s. It's also possible it was a scent released every couple of years as I can see a few different bottle versions. I don't actually know that much about it, have never smelled the original myself, and the Internet is not actually full of Old Spice product history let alone a defunct aftershave from the early 90s.
Whatever the history, what appears to be consistent is that it came in a clear bottle and was called Limited Edition. It also featured a base of amber, cedar, and woods with supporting notes of cardamom, lavender, moss, and jasmine, and citrus top notes. As you can see, aside from the citrus, it doesn't have all the much in common with Old Spice but that hasn't stopped a fragrance seller from selling a dupe of the discontinued scent for those who may still be looking for it. And so, there are soapers out there who pick this scent up for whatever reason instead of actual Old Spice. Actually, there are only two and Crowne & Crane are the only ones I can find doing it intentionally (more on that in a future review). They're also naming it The Spice, which is a little misleading considering the only spice scent in it is cardamon and given the lavender, citrus, and moss present its clearly intended to be somewhat of a fougère. The Spice, I think we can all agree, is not the name anyone would give a fougère.
So why then am I even reviewing it? That is like asking why do people climb Everest? Why do athletes push their body to the extremes? Why does the woodchuck chuck wood? If these questions could be answered then perhaps I could answer why I am reviewing this. But they can't be.
Crowne & Crane was founded in 2016 by Karl and Liz, whose last names I can't find so we'll call them Karl Crowne and Liz Crane. Karl was an enthusiast it looks like before going into the ol' soapmaking business and, being founded pre-2020, is officially an ol' timer in the artisan soap industry. Despite that longevity they aren't really all that popular around these parts with u/PhilosphicalZombie and u/loudmusicboy literally being the only two folks who appear to use them regularly if at all. I'd say that's maybe because they're not just a shave soap company but Stirling isn't either so that logic kind of flies out the window. Then again, we're a bunch of grown men and women telling other people how we removed hair from our bodies on a daily basis. Logic means nothing here.
Crowne & Crane have two bases, vegan and tallow. Most of their soaps are in tallow only and that's what The Spice comes in so that's what we're working with here. Of note is a commitment to organic, humanely-raised cows for the beef tallow, which is always a plus in my book (and sustainably sourced palm oil). The soap itself is kind of dry and chalky, not in a bad way and it wasn't hard or falling apart. It's a soft, dry soap, which are not contradictory things. The base is made up of Potassium Tallowate, Sodium Tallowate, Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Aloe Vera Juice, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Phthalate-Free Fragrance, Potassium Shea Butterate, Sodium Shea Butterate, Kokum Butter, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Lanolin, Tussah Silk. Nothing to much to comment on here except I can't stop saying the word tussah over and over in my head. It's a weird word and now it doesn't feel real I've said it so much. Tu... ssah. Tooo suuuhhh...
The labeling is a nice vintage boat symbol, which, again, is a bit misleading given the LE branding was very much a modern (for the 90s) Old Spice look, not the classic schooner branding of the OG Old Spice. If you weren't paying attention (*cough* me *cough*) you might just order this thinking you got an Old Spice dupe and open the lid to find you most assuredly did not. Well, open the lid is a bad description as I bought their 3 oz puck option instead of the 5 oz jar and it came wrapped in paper. 3 oz, by the way, is a great mid-price option that gives you more than a tiny sample but not a full plastic tub. I'd be perfectly happy to have other shaving companies offer this... please... please... there's so much soap under my sink. So... much... soap.
(Sidenote: if you are looking to get their soaps, do it quick as they're going on hiatus during a move in two days!)
Oldness: 0
As a scent not designed to smell like Old Spice this one knocks it out of the park. In fact, it does such a great job not smelling like Old Spice I'd put it up there with some of the greatest scents that don't smell like Old Spice ever made. Have a scent that doesnt's smell like Old Spice that you love? This one smells as much not like Old Spice as that one does! If you're looking for something that doesn't smell like Old Spice but has the word Spice featured in its name and the words "Old" and "Spice" in the description next to each other than this is the soap for you.
Spiciness: 3
This is actually a pretty solid scent even if its called The Spice but isn't really a spicy scent at all. It's definitely a vintage scent, though, and reminds me a bit of Seaforth! Spiced but not as good. Because of that I'm going to say that it still captures a bit of that classic feel that Old Spice gives you even if its a scent from the 90s, a decade that has yet to fall into the "classic" zone and thus still feels like everything from it was cringe (including teenage me).
Lather: 5
What an absolutely brilliant lather The Spice kicks up. From the moment water hits it turning it into a thick prot-lather to the gloriously shiny conclusion, it's just a pleasure to lather. The soap is super thirsty, which can often lead to some dialing issues but I never had those aside from having to add a lot of water to both my larger scoop shave and my medium scoop. You don't need a lot of soap to get this going big and it's really easy to get there and looks great the entire time. If you were going to make an ad about shave soap -- as we all dream to do -- and needed a pretty lather to build up this would be a great choice.
Shave: 3
The Spice offers an incredible cushion of soap that can tackle even the most aggressive razor, making it feel barely there on your skin. However, it is, at best, mid-tier on its slickness with limited residual slickness too. As I reduced the amount of soap I used on each shave I figured I'd eventually hit a lather that was both full of cushion and slickness, but even on my final shave with the least amount of lather I wasn't too impressed with the glide provided. There's slickness there, it's not like dragging some sort of pillowy sandpaper over your face or anything but despite the copious amounts of water I added it never truly peaked.
Post: 2
The Spice's Old Spice LE scent isn't exactly complimentary with either my Indian Old Spice for the vintage one. It's not an afront to the nostrils or anything (sometimes I picture what nostrils being afronted would look like and it weird me out) but it ain't great. It probably plays a bit better with the more floraly vintage spice if I was forced to choose one by some deranged wet shaving person forcing people to shave with stuff. The soap also left my skin feeling a little sticky for some reason, like there was a layer of it still on there. That dissipated quickly but it was an odd sensation.
Final Verdict: 13
Crowne & Crane might be one of my favorite soaps to lather as it's easy to do, looks fantastic, lathers big, and just drinks up the water. It's just kind of fun working it into a lather and for someone who appreciates the process of wetshaving that's a big deal. The shave doesn't quiet live up to the lather, though, despite some really great cushion. Where it really disappoints is the post shave where it not only still doesn't smell like Old Spice (even if it was never trying to) but also left my face feeling a little icky. No one likes an icky face, just ask .
Previous Great Spice Offs:

1. 1940s Old Spice Shaving Soap in Vintage Mug (9)
2. 1973-91 Old Spice Shaving Soap (7)
3. Old Spice Shaving Cream (Original) (12)
4. Master Soap Creations Vintage Spice (19)
5. Black Ship Grooming Classic (17)
6. OSP Old Gold (19)
7. Chiseled Face Groomatorium Trade Winds (17)
8. Wholly Kaw Twice as Spice (17)
9. Barrister and Mann Barrister's Reserve Spice (21)
10. Mama Bear Aged Spice (10)
11. MERShaving Old Timer Spice (20)
12. Soap Commander Endurance (20)
13. Signature Soaps Novus Spice (17)
14. Hoffman's Shave and Soap Company Burn the Ships (19)
15. Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Cold Spice (15)
16. Hendrix Classics & Co Commodore (20)
17. Ginger's Garden Old Spice Type (15)
18. Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations Mariner (10)
19. Stone Field Shaving Company Ltd. No. 37 (18)
20. Cooper & French Old Goat (19)
21. The Holy Black Artisan Line Shaving Soap (21)
22. Stirling Soap Co. Stirling Spice (20)
23. Van Yulay Spicy Man (10)
24. Pinnacle Grooming The Good Ship OS (15)
25. Mystic Water Soap Windjammer (14)
26. The Village Soap Smith Old Spice (Type) (14)
27. Cloud Shave "Unscented" (13)
28. Wet the Face Spices From the Sea (17)
29. Artifact Soapworks Old Spice (Type) (15)
30. DentonMajik Ole Fife (21)
31. Phoenix Artisan Accouterments Oud Spice (17)
32. Lativ Natural Skin Revival Shaving Soap Old Spice (8)

Special Editions

• Summer Break Soaps Remote Learning
• Spearhead Shaving Company Seaforth! Spiced
• Eleven Shaving Unscented/Hendrix Classics & Co Commander

I'm also looking for the below soaps if you've got any you're willing to sell/trade/donate:

• Wild West Shaving Co. Snake Oil
• Wickam Spice Trade
• Occult Grooming Essentials Modern Spice
• Fougare Salem

I already have these soaps that I have not reviewed yet:

• Bundubeard Reijger
• Bundubeard Drommedaris
• Bundubeard De Goede hoop
• Areffa Soap The Sea Son

I have an XC hardtail that I ride trails with and also use for commuting (because it’s fun, makes me feel good about myself, and it’s cheaper than gas).
I’ve always known that mountain tires aren’t the greatest for pavement, including all the years I commuted on a MTB in my late teens/early 20’s, but I’ve just dealt with it.
I finally decided to try out some tires that might be closer to a road tire. My commute is 25 miles each way (I only do it 3x per week and often ride the train home—employer provides a pass—so it’s not too crazy). I fortunately have asphalt bike paths most of the way, with maybe 200 yards of gravel, and 2-3 miles of intense highway at the end, with semi trucks, dirt and road debris.
I didn’t want to feel sketchy on too narrow of tires (which may or may not be a valid concern; I’ve just never ridden a road bike), I also wanted great puncture protection, great grip in wet weather, while hopefully rolling faster than my Specialized Fast Trak 2.35’s. I used the bike rolling resistance website to weigh the factors, and decided on the Continental Contact Urban’s in 700x 42mm.
I did my first big commute on them last week, and also rode around town all weekend. I‘m super impressed! They roll very fast! Great grip cornering tightly on pavement and they don’t feel the least bit sketchy on gravel or dirt sections (though again, only a small part of my commute)
On the sections where I usually average 13-15 mph, I was getting more like 14-17 mph— time will tell if wind or other factors boosted that. I probably could have done 37mm or 40mm width, but the 42’s feel good (note, I have 29x25mm inner rims and the road size 700c is no issue, as long as the tire width is at least 1.25x the width of the inner rim).
Toward the end of the ride, my body was feeling slightly more jarred from the reduction in rubber, so thats the only con so far (and switching tires next time I ride trails). But overall, a noticeable improvement.

I see a lot of people here who unfortunately got no shinies this weekend, feeling cheated. Without knowing the strat or the meta, that's what happened to me in previous shiny events, and you can't really maximize your gets. By doing this, I came out with 40+ Shiny's and I only managed to play for 1 day of the event.
The overall strategy to shiny hunt, is to use endless mode, and get a save-game ready for the next event.
Step 1- Start a new endless save, I recommend picking one amazing pokemon (Kyurem, Fairy/Steel type, any other OP legendary, anything with beast boost etc), a pickup mon (Linoone or Diggersby etc, if it's shiny already then even better), and as many shiny pokemon as you can squeeze onto your team.
Step 2- Focus 100% on one pokemon. Don't invest in any of your other pokemon, don't rare candy them, don't give them meds, literally you just need 1 pokemon. Your OP carry that you selected.
Step 3- Prioritize shiny charms (obviously), but make sure to grab these items especially whenever you see them.

Candy Jars, you wanna get as many as possible, because the only way to survive endless is to outlevel everything with rare candies, and the more levels/candy the better
Rare candies, same reason as above.
All stat vitamins, especially Calcium/Protein's and Carbos. In late game, you will want to be outspeeding and 1-shotting everything. Defense etc is important, but if you're so fast and offensively strong, it's not as important. You'll max out all of these vitamins either way down the line.
Money items, like Gold Punch's and Amulet coins. You don't "earn" money in endless, so this is essential. Eventually, you will be in the hundreds of millions and eventually billions of dollars. This will let you literally spam rerolls, which is essential late-game to get more rare candies and other type boosting items like Charcoals/Metal coats etc.
And of course, all good items like Master Balls, Kings Rocks, Grip Claws etc. Once you see and grab yourself a Black Hole, you will be set up for life. You won't need a pickup mon anymore, since you'll be literally self sustaining items for your carry.

Once you have 4 shiny charms, you should stop playing and save this file for the next Shiny event. But keep all this in mind for down the line if you get lucky enough to get 4 shiny charms super quickly.

Ok to monetize and make gender switches in the script, otherwise please leave the script as is! Let me know if you intend to fill it and leave me your channel so I can subscribe and keep an eye out for it if you'd like to! Always excited to see people's hard work!
You're travelling on a road between one town and another. You've travelled this road before many times, in fact you were here just a few days ago. And now, on your way back, someone has built an entire mansion, and you can see the roof sticking up above some of the trees. You unfortunately picked a poor day to travel, as a storm is approaching, and the wind is picking up. This fateful choice will lead to an intriguing string of events, leading you to meet an elf named Claudius Ozarus. This story will come in multiple parts, so feel free to make a series of it!
Claudius has a very silly, eccentric, flamboyant and overall over the top personality. Almost seems like he's the overtired type of chatty, or perhaps trying to distract from something. But! When he's talking with just himself he usually sounds calm and melancholic, total opposite of his personality around other people.
[PT1]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Starts with the listener knocking on his study door]
Claudius: Hm? Yes, Come in.
Listener: ....
Claudius: Ah, good morning to you as well. How are you settling in?
Listener: ....
Claudius: Ah, I'm glad to hear that.
Listener: ....
Claudius: Why am I... ah, I often get carried away and miss a night of sleep, I'm not early to my study, I simply never left. [He laughs]
Listener: ....
Claudius: Please, no need to concern yourself over me, my body doesn't need very much sleep. But, you must have come here to say something other than good morning, tell me, is there anything I can do for you?
Listener: ....
Claudius: Ah, you've been spending some time in the library then I take it? Yes, it's mostly historical religious texts, or magical tomes and artifact almanacs. My focus work, you could say. I don't know if it will pique your interest, but it will certainly pass the time. Quite a bit of time...
Listener: ....
Claudius: Ah, yes of course. You're welcome to take any book you like from the library to your room to read, or to a drawing room, wherever you feel comfortable. Just remember to put it back exactly where you found it once you're finished reading it! I'm rather meticulous with my organization.
Listener: ….
Claudius: You… seem like there’s more you want to say. Is there?
Listener: ….
Claudius: You found a secret passage? In my library? Impossible! I wonder who in the world could have put that there…? [Dramatic, joking] Oh right! It was me. [He laughs and stands up, walking towards the listener] I appreciate your respect for my privacy, but I don’t mind showing you what’s down there. If you’re going to be staying here, I’d much rather have you see it with me there to explain.
[He walks to the library, either some footsteps or a scene fade!]
Claudius: Hm… it would seem you weren’t quite honest with me. This lock is magical, I know when someone tries to open it.
Listener: ….
Claudius: No need to look so anxious, I’m not angry. I know you could never get through something like this. If I wasn’t the fashioner of this lock, I would seriously doubt my own ability to crack it open, and I’m exceptionally confident with magic prowess. I’m sure you were just curious, I can certainly relate to that. [Claudius unlocks and opens the door] After you.
[Footsteps]
Listener: ….
Claudius: Yes, unsettling to say the least I’m sure. I’ve kept and collected every magic item I’ve found over the last four hundred or so years that is designed to do harm. Like these rings over here? The one wearing the master ring would have total control over whoever is wearing the other, and there isn’t much the victim can do to resist the power. That vial of liquid is a contained monster, if you let it out, it will torment you, get in your head and convince you to do things you never thought yourself capable of. Everything in here is extremely dangerous, hence the powerful lock. Please take care not to touch anything, I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.
Listener: ….
Claudius: [Sounding kind of hurt, but not surprised] Ah… you look frightened. I understand, having all these things in a secret room in my house is surely not the best look for me. But please understand, I keep these here for a reason. Many of these items cannot be safely destroyed, I would be putting myself and others at risk if I tried. Like… that heart, in the jar there. Looks ordinary, right? Macabre, but ordinary. You can connect it to someone to control them. If you destroy it, that someone will die. And I have no way of knowing whether or not it’s currently connected to someone. By destroying it, I could be killing someone. Or the monster in the vial, if I try to destroy it there’s a chance it could escape and cause harm. Do you… understand where I’m going with this?
Listener: ….
Claudius: Yes, precisely. Simply keeping them contained, and out of the hands of others, they pose no risk. That’s why I live alone, and travel as much as I do. Both in search of new items to remove from the metaphorical market, and to protect the ones I already have from being discovered. And of course, I study them. Sometimes learning enough about one item will lead me to another, so on and so forth.
Listener: ….
Claudius: Noble? I don’t know about that… I prefer smaller crowds, this is just a good excuse. Although I keep these protected from everyone, I don’t entirely mind showing you. I get the feeling I can trust you with this information. And well, now you see why it’s so important you don’t bring people here without telling me first. If the wrong people found this out, I fear it could be disastrous. Even just staying in this room too long could tempt good people to use something from my collection. Come, let’s leave the trinkets in peace, before they start whispering to you.
[Footsteps leaving the room, door shuts and locks. Footsteps continue as they walk back to the study]
Listener: ….
Claudius: Oh yes, they really will whisper to you. Some of them, anyway. Many contain evil creatures who will do anything to manipulate your mind, tell you what it thinks will convince you to do what it wants you to. I’ve learned to tune them out over time when I’m in there, but even I don’t spend a lot of time in that room at once. I apologize for keeping it a secret up until you discovered it yourself, but I wasn’t positive I could trust you. Now, I’m not overly concerned with it.
Listener: ….
Claudius: Difficult to break into, but certainly not impossible. You may not seem threatening, but most people with evil inclinations won’t show them to you outright. How would I know for certain your kind and understanding nature isn’t a mere facade?
Listener: ….
Claudius: Why do I trust you now? Hm, well, in speaking to you several times, I’m confident I’ve gotten to know your mannerisms, and I never saw any indication of lies in our conversations. And no offense but… I’m positive I’m much stronger than you. There’s hiding power, and then there’s simply not having any.
Listener: ….
Claudius: Oh come now Shortcake, you and I both know you haven’t the slightest clue about magic.
Listener: ….
Claudius: Well, maybe if you ask nicely, I’ll teach you. But for now, I have to return to my study. It was awfully sweet of you to walk me back. [Teasing]
Listener: ….
Claudius: Aw, don’t be mad. Run and get yourself some breakfast before the food disappears, alright?
[Footsteps walk away]
Claudius: I certainly didn’t expect that to be uncovered so quickly… what an interesting human companion I’ve come to find myself with. So long as that curiosity doesn’t get us into any trouble, it’s almost refreshing.
[Claudius begins to flip through books, end scene]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for reading!!! Additionally, if anyone would like to do an audio for this story and would like to know a little bit more about the mystery and what's going on behind the scenes for character acting, please feel free to message me! I'm happy to share, but I don't want to spoil the mystery for anyone who wants to follow as it goes along.

Here is this week's list! Have a great week.
Monday, 5/13
The Djangoners (jazz) - The Little Theater Cafe, 7P (FREE, All ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL
Tuesday 5/14
Hallucination Realized (metal) - Record Archive, 6P (FREE, all ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL
Wednesday, 5/15
Jim Bowers / Steve Piper / Jake Wren (singesongwritefolk/Americana) - Abilene, 7P ($8, all ages)
The Iron Roses / Hit Like a Girl / Blind Adam and the Federal League / Matt Pless / Comfort Object (punk/rock) - Montage, 6P ($18, 16+)
Mitty & The Followers (soul) - Record Archive, 6P (FREE, all ages)
Levi Gangi and Kelly Izzo Shapiro (Americana) - The Little Theater Cafe, 7P (FREE, All ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL
Thursday, 5/16
Ringo Deathstarr / Bad Bloom (shoegaze) - Photo City Music Hall, 7P ($20+, 18+)
AMIDI - Skylark, 7P ($5, 21+)
Chest Fever (The Band tribute) - The Club at Water Street, 8P ($20+, 18+)
Grace Serene & The Super Clean - Three Heads Brewing, 7:30P ($10, 21+)
The Margaret Explosion (jazz) - The Little Theater Cafe, 7P (FREE, All ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL
Friday, 5/17
Flavor / Big City (rock n’ roll) - LUX, 10P ($5, 21+)
Rozwell Kid / Rodeo Boys / Fuzzrod (punk/rock) - Bug Jar, 8P ($15, 18+)
PickNumberThreeMyLord / Feast of Love / Coalition / Easy Blame (hardcore/screamo) - The Flying Squirrel, 8P ($10, all ages)
STCLVR / burnt-feathers / Hidden Mother / Prayer Rope / Transcendental Filth (industrial/darkwave) - The Psychic Garden, 7:30P ($15 NOTAFLOF, all ages)
Rochester Silent Disco presents Rooftop Silent Disco with DJ JustRoc, DJ AMPED, and DK Darkstep (DJ) - The Penthouse at 1 East Avenue, 9P ($25/$35, 21+)
The Occasional Saints (rock n’ roll) - Abilene, 5:30P ($5, all ages)
Garcia Peoples (rock) - Abilene, 9:30P ($15/$20, all ages)
Juice Box Dance Party (DJ) - Photo City, 8P ($12+, 21+)
Driftwood (folk/rock) - The Club at Water Street, 7P ($25, 18+)
Gimme Gimme Disco (DJ)- Montage, 8P ($20+, 18+)
No Child Left Behind (Rock) - Record Archive, 6P (FREE, all ages)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (jazz) - Essex, 9P ($15+, all ages)
Total Mass Retain (YES Tribute) - Lovin’ Cup, 8P ($30+, all ages)
90’s Alternative Night- Three Heads Brewing, 7P ($10, 21+)
David Clark’s All About Joel (Billy Joel Tribute) - The Theater at Innovation Square, 7P ($32+, all ages)
The Quintessentials (swing/blues/jazz) - The Little Theater Cafe, 7P (FREE, All ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL
Saturday, 5/18
30th Anniversary of Weezer’s Blue Album ft. Zero Level + more (Weezer Tribute) - Bug Jar, 8P ($15, 18+)
The Rhino Chasers / Sunscream (surf/rock) - Skylark, 9P ($5, 21+)
Poorly Wrote Suicide Note / Purity Control / Deep Disdain / Debatably Stable - The Psychic Garden, 7:30P ($15 NOTAFLOF, all ages)
Bugcatcher /Overhand Sam / Shep Treasure (indie/alt/rock) - Bar Bad Ending, 7P ($10, 21+)
Bear Bones (eclectic/dance) - Abilene, 7P ($10, all ages)
From Ashes to New / Point North / Ekoh / Phix / elijah (metal/hiphop/electronic) - Water Street, 5P ($33+, 16+)
Fishbone’s Angelo Moore / Some Ska Band / Turkey Blaster Omega (ska)- Photo City, 7P ($20+, all ages)
Mark Lettieri Group (jazz/funk/soul) - Montage, 8P ($36+, 18+)
Dopapod (funk/rock/mixed genre) - Essex, 9P ($15+, all ages)
Mo’ Mojo (Zydeco) - Lovin’ Cup, 7P ($15, all ages)
Extended Family (rock) - Three Heads Brewing, 7P ($10, 21+)
Annie Wells Band (jazz) - The Little Theater Cafe, 7P (FREE, All ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL
Sunday, 5/19
THE SOUND PRESENTS: Painless Painless / Declaw / Chores (indie/rock) - Bar Bad Ending, 7P ($12, 21+)
Cheap Kids / Somesurprises/Garden of Evildoers (indie/shoegaze/folk) - The Psychic Garden, 7:30P ($10 NOTAFLOF, all ages)
Contaminated / Hallucination Realized / Deep Disdain / Leaking Head (hardcore) - Bug Jar, 9P ($12, 18+)
Dissonant Seepage / Morgue Terror / Transcendental Filth / Criminally Insane (metal) - Photo City, 5P ($15, $18+)
WAMMO - Bop Shop Records, 8P (TBD, all ages)
Trousdale (rock) - Essex, 9P ($15+, all ages)
Kinloch Nelson (fingerstyle guitar) - The Little Theater Cafe, 7P (FREE, All ages)
LILAC FESTIVAL

Assault Rifles

• Pretty much all AR’s need reworking but AH have acknowledged this or at least the CEO has. Make them all med pen weapons bar liberator (keep this gun as the reminder of how you started, should be the weakest primary but still good for up to diff 5), make them slower firing but really hurt armoured units to distinguish them from smg’s. Speaking of…

Submachine Guns

- Pummeler: this is in a good spot imo, baseline weapon powerful, fun but obvious limitations. - Knight: the one gun I have no idea what to do with TBH - Defender: seems fine too, maybe make it hit even a bit harder than the pummeler as it doesn’t stagger. That’s the trade off. Buffing damage obviously takes into account if AR's are buffed to above where SMG's are right now.

Shotguns

- Punisher: baseline, feels fun to use with obvious limitations, hits hard and has good range, staggers like it should. - Slugger: given the slug nature compared to the other shotguns it should be the most powerful single target shotgun, needs stagger back defo. Fun with a mouse and key but hard to use effectively with controller even before the nerf. - Breaker: restore the mag size to launch number, that’d make it baseline again - Breaker incendiary: baseline, great gun right now super fun - Breaker Spray and Pray: I’ve honestly had no need to use this weapon over incendiary.

Marksman rifles

• Not really my playstyle, good for weakpoints maybe but my aim isn't the best so maybe better damage to non weakpoints too. That or lean into the weak point strength with unique sights that highlight weak points specially, maybe even see through fog and blizzard/sand storms.

Explosive

- Eruptor: This gun felt really fun and I reckon baseline at launch bar too many mags which may be an actually good nerf balance wise, I never knew about any exploits myself until after nerf but using this with a stalwart had me smiling. Defo keep its bug nest, fabricator clearing ability. Restore its glory! - Crossbow: this puzzled me and was the breaking point for me personally regarding AH’s approach to balance because I thought it needed a buff to compete with the eruptor yet it was nerfed. Should do big damage, basically one shot single med pen targets or spewers on direct hits. Treat more like a specialised grenade launcher with support stalwart as primary, less splash than grenades but great for chargers asses and stripping legs. Increase power and lower velocity I think, make it a skill based weapon. Have it close holes and fabricators and open crates. - Jar 5 dominator: baseline honestly, needs more patience than other shotguns when using to shine due to handling but it does. Let it open crates atleast.
- Punisher Plasma: I need to try it out more but I hear good things post buff, could be baseline. Should atleast open crates but maybe not close holes and fabricators idk - Blitzer: so close to baseline, maybe the arc inconsistencies and the upgrade to chained target applying to it also could get it there. - Scythe: all I can say is with a controller, it’s no fun, hear mixed opinions with mouse and key - Sickle: honestly on cold planets, baseline choice and the ammo debuff doesn’t hurt it there. Outside cold planets it gets tricky but I think that should be it’s unique selling point. - Scorcher: right now, pretty much there baseline wise. - Purifier: Dead on arrival, could be as much fun as launch eruptor if reworked in an interesting way.

Secondary Weapons

- Peacemaker: with a laser sight compared to redeemer I think it’s fair to stay, mainly for ballistic shield builds it has use but also like the liberator reminds you where you started. - Redeemer: single shot, this gun still beats the new verdict IMO for DPS. Baseline on that alone. Fun to spray in a pinch but mag count balances it. Lacks laser sight for First Person Ballistic Shield tho which is a shame. - Senator: Good baseline now it has a speed loader, not a fan of the sights or reticle though but thats me. Also hard to use in First Person with ballistic shield. -Dagger: Like the scythe maybe with mouse and key, better aim, its great for weakpoints on bots but i don't have any fun with it myself. - Verdict: More mags and the laser sight could make it a good Ballistic Shield gun if using in First Person but I also feel just adding med pen armour would just tip it to a baseline choice.

Grenades

• My only beef here is now the Thermite grenade, it doesn't stick most of the time and like others have said, if it lowered armour pen needed for that area after its explosion it'd be a very cool strategy for big targets, soften them up then unload an MG into the area.

Armour Passives

Rather than individual armours I wanna talk about the passives and what new ones could replace the abundance of identical ones.
- Democracy Protects: 50% less chance of getting killed by lethal damage and prevents bleeding from chest haemorrhages. First part is interesting but second part never really noticed myself, fine but perhaps could just be 50% less chance of getting killed by lethal damage and 25% chance for limbs to not break*.* Making this a 'Luck' Style armour.
- Engineering Kit: Reduces recoil while crouching or laying down by 30% and increases grenade capacity by 2. At the moment apparently this effects all recoil regardless of crouching or laying down, which honestly should remain. make it Reduces recoil by 30% and increases grenade capacity by 2. Baseline!
- Extra Padding: Increases Armor Rating. A baseline for new players.
- Fortified: Reduces recoil while crouching or laying down by 30% while granting 50% resistance to explosions. I would change to perhaps Reduce Flinching effect by 30% when crouching or prone while granting 50% resistance to explosions.
- Med Kit: Increases Stim capacity by 2 and increases their duration by two seconds. Baseline, very good passive buffs.
- Servo-Assisted: Increases grenade throwing range by 30% and adds 50% bonus to limb health. Instead of Limb Health, I think the whole passive should be Increases grenade throwing range by 30% and support weapons reloads by 15%
- Scout: Markers placed on maps scan the area every two seconds, reduces enemy detection by 30% Honestly our go to armour right now, baseline, whether because it's working as intended or not.
- Electrical Conduit: 95 percent resistance to arc damage. Almost there honestly but I think adding a secondary would make it more fun, like 95% resistance to arc damage and increase Fire rate of arc based weaponry by 10%

Suggestions for other passives for existing/ future armours

- Feel the Burn: Take 80% less Fire Damage from all sources, movement speed increased while on fire by 20% I could see some intentional self immolation to quickly speed grab samples, finish artillery loading in fire tornados or make an escape from a large group, also a good counter to the Hulk Scorcher. Risk vs Reward.
- Artic Explorer: Reduce movement penalty in deep snow and during blizzard hazards by 50%. More Traction on Ice. I considered maybe giving a reduce detection buff instead but I'd rather just have a scout armour with polar colours.
- Geologist: Samples appear marked on the main map when in 50 metre proximity and sample outlines can be seen through terrain at 25 metres. Shows outlines of dropped sample containers too within 25 metres. When ya hunting specifically for samples this would be a handy set for one diver to bring. Like with scout the marking on map doesn't apply squad wide and would show as blinking dots representing their rarity, green/orange/purple. Could also have a hidden buff that audibly warns being in a meteor shower impact zone.
- Flexible Shoulder Pads: Increase solo reload speed for backpack weapons by 30% and increase melee damage by 50% The main draw here is obviously the first buff, it wouldn't affect non backpack support weapons like the railgun or AMR (The Servo-Assisted reload buff I suggested covers those but less of a buff) but Spear, Airburst, Autocannon, Recoilless etc.
- Analyst: Highlights mission critical objects of interest in 50m proximity through terrain. Enemies and patrols temporarily show as red outlines through terrain when pinged. This is similar to the Geologist perks but instead of samples showing through terrain, terminals/ssd's/launch codes, artillery warheads, valve icons show from further away. Enemies also pulse three times (per 1.5 seconds) allowing you or perhaps even your whole team to get a better view. Extra hidden buff, see outlines of team mates when dropping in.
What do you guys think? It’s pretty clear now that trying to do this monthly content is just not working out, more issues than wins overall not to mention the longer this goes on the more intimidating it is for new players coming in having to spend thousands of super credits to just access the bonds and if they shortcut with real money are gonna feel let down with the lacklustre feeling of weapons and uninteresting new armour as they are now.
The latest war bond seems to be ignoring the last balance update numbers before it, which gives the impression things are too rushed as they are now. so the tenderiser (which doesn't even match the trailer colour wise) and purifier are pretty much dead on arrival. The Verdict feels underpowered with light pen now the senator has a speed loader etc
If this goes on we’re just gonna get more new weapons and armour that seem superfluous and often worse than existing launch weapons with more on the way before existing ones are properly fixed. Bear in mind a lot of players aren’t grinding for these bonds but again paying for them.
I think instead (if possible with Sony terms) the next 3 month gap between bonds should really work over issues with some existing armours and weapons, with interesting effects and unique elements that let them stand out. I think it would be easier holding back new content and releasing it in a massive dump too because the heavy users will unlock them immediately and bring to attention any issues needing a quick fix before the rest of the player base get their first impression spoiled.
The arc resistance to armour was the only real interesting post launch armour passive and it didn't even cover all Weights. Each war bond if remaining as monthly at the very least should introduce a new fun passive effect. Like others have said the Polar Bond giving an armour passive specific to snow planets with a secondary buff to run on ice without slipping would have been a lot more interesting.
The focus of balance now should be no nerfs, only buffs. The best weapons right now are the only fun ones to use ATM, none feel overpowered so make them the baseline.

Book 1 Prev Next
The journey back to the City of Glass is surprisingly uneventful. I suppose part of it is that we're used to the trip by now — I'm able to tune out everything that happens on the way, up to and including the strange interaction with the guards where they take a sample of my Firmament. Nothing's come of it so far, but I still make sure to give them a fake sample.
Tarin, as usual, doesn't bother. I imagine he's done this plenty of times before he ever met me, though, considering his relationship with Miktik. I doubt them having an additional sample of his Firmament is actually going to make a difference.
"What happened between you and Mari, anyway?" I ask once we've gotten past the Great Gates. Tarin looked like he needed some time to think on the journey, so I haven't asked about it so far. Now, though, he looks a little more like he's in the mood to talk.
"She tell me she worried," Tarin says. We've slowed down to a walking pace for the time being. Actually being in Isthanok means we have to be careful about Whisper being able to listen in to everything they say. I've never really thought about how suffocating that is, but the difference is stark now that I haven't had to watch my every word for the past day or so.
"About what?" I ask. I think I know the answer, but Tarin seems to want to talk it through.
"Me," Tarin says, which surprises me. It doesn't exactly mirror what she told me when we last spoke, though that was a different iteration of her. "She worry I lonely."
"I'm assuming she's not talking about the kind of loneliness I can help with," I say dryly. Tarin's expression is almost comically horrified, like he hadn't even considered that interpretation.
"No!" he squawks. "Just... I experience many things. She not. You understand?"
That much I do understand. Tarin's essentially moving on without her. He's having new experiences, encountering new people, fighting new fights — and Mari is stuck in place. I haven't made any progress in figuring out how to bring someone else into the loop intentionally, nor do I really know where to start, even with all the strides I've made in Firmament and imbuement.
"Yeah," I say. That's a little closer to what Mari talked to me about. "Do you know what you want to do about it? I've been wondering if I might be able to bring her into the loop somehow..."
To my surprise, Tarin immediately shakes his head. "She not want join," he says. "She say experiencing same thing too many times not easy."
A short silence. Then Tarin continues, "she right."
I don't have anything to say to that.
"You don't seem bored with the loops," Ahkelios points out. His chosen perch this time is on top of my head, nestled in my hair. "Not yet, anyway."
"I not bored," Tarin says. "Many things interesting. But for how long?"
"As long as you can handle it, I suppose," I say.
Maybe I've been looking at this the wrong way. Maybe I shouldn't be looking for a way to get Mari in, but a way to get Tarin out.
I'm not sure I like the idea of that.
—
Isthanok looms ahead of us. The first indication that it's near is the crystalline palace in the sky that directs the sun's glare almost directly into my eyes. This is also the first time I notice that Tough Body seems to passively increase my ability to stare into powerful sources of light without being blinded. Not that I'm about to try staring into the sun or anything.
As more of the city comes into view, however, I almost immediately notice that things are... different. I slow down, bleeding off the speed skills I've been using, and next to me Tarin does the same. We exchange cautious glances.
"I don't remember there being this many guards before," I say quietly.
More accurately, I don't remember there being any guards before. Security within Isthanok is mostly handled by He-Who-Guards and his many bodies, as I understand it. I don't ever really see them around, so presumably they're good at hiding.
Even in the last loop, where Guard began injured and apparently dying, there hadn't been any guards stationed at the borders of Isthanok. So one of two things must have happened: either Guard's condition is much worse than before, or Whisper was able to pass on a message about the Trialgoer being active.
I grimace. The changes don't bode well, but this doesn't really change what we have to do.
"We're not going to visit Miktik this time," I mutter. I feel compelled to be quiet even though we're still well out of Whisper's range — at least, I'm pretty sure we are. The Firmament doesn't get collected into her palace from this far away. "Don't want to put her at risk, and we've already seen the design for her Firmament sink."
"Your design not complete," Tarin points out, entirely reasonably.
"I'm sure I can make do," I say. Ahkelios makes it a point to rap me on the skull, at this point, and I sigh. "...Okay, we'll talk to Miktik. But I don't want to involve her any more than necessary. At this point I'm tired of seeing Whisper abuse her."
From the grim look on Tarin's face and the way he tenses up, I'm pretty sure he agrees. He confirms it a second later. "She try it again and I fight her."
"Not kill?"
Tarin snorts. "I not kill Whisper. She too strong. But I can be very, very annoying."
I can't argue with that. The idea of Tarin swooping in and out at his blistering pace and annoying Whisper makes me smirk a bit.
That smirk quickly falls away as we approach the guards that stand at the border to Isthanok.
They're both silverwisps, and considering how unkempt their uniforms are and the way they keep looking nervously between one another, I'm guessing neither of them are used to the job — they hold their weapons like they're toys rather than weapons.
Their weapons are large marbles filled with deadly Firmament. I hope they know what side the Firmament is supposed to come out from — the spherical shape doesn't really give you a lot of clues. I can tell there's a cone of energy in there with my Firmament sense, but barring that, there are no markings that might indicate a firing direction.
"That looks like a disaster waiting to happen," I mutter.
The noise is enough for the two silverwisps to take notice. One of them steps forward. "What's your purpose in Isthanok today?" he asks. I note the sudden concentration of Firmament being drawn up to Whisper's palace — she's listening in.
"Visit!" Tarin squawks. "We want visit—"
"—a kobold-run shop we heard about," I interrupt. "I think it's called Thys and Thaht?"
Tarin gives me a baffled look. I ignore him.
"Really?" the guard seems surprised. I feel the focused Firmament waver a bit — Whisper's lost interest and is going back to passive listening. "Not a very popular shop, that one."
"Why not?" I ask.
He shrugs. "Too many explosions," he says, waving a hand. "How long will you be staying in Isthanok?"
"Not long," I say. "Maybe a day or two. We're going to check out the Craven Arena, too."
"Oh?" the guard leans forward, suddenly interested. "As a spectator, or a fighter?"
...That smells like a trap. I feign embarrassment and laugh. "I doubt I'd last a second in the ring."
"Most people don't," the silverwisp says, his pendant displaying a smirk. He takes a step back — evidently, I gave him the answer he wanted to hear — and waves us both in. "You're clear. Enjoy your time in Isthanok."
Tarin and I make our way past him, a little bemused by the whole experience. Everything inside Isthanok hasn't changed, at least. The Firmament feels a little different, but I'm guessing that's because of Guard's absence, which speaks volumes as to his power.
"We go shop?" Tarin asks. His way of asking about the kobold shop I mentioned, I suppose. Anything more specific might be an obvious tipoff, especially if Whisper knows that the Trial is now active.
"Let's get your friend first," I say. "Bring her along. I'm sure she'd be interested in what they've got."
I'm not just saying that, either. Whatever tech or imbuements they use are seriously impressive, considering the difficulty I had against that one piloted robot. Tarin nods thoughtfully in response.
We make our way once more to Miktik's workshop, ducking through the hole in the fence and the Firmament barrier that separates the two sections of the city. Like before, the abrupt change in noise is jarring — this part of the city is much louder than any other. I wonder if that's why the barrier exists, to dampen and filter out the sound that Whisper receives as she listens in on the city. It's not like that's a trivial imbuement to keep running.
"Something feel different," Tarin says suddenly. I blink.
"Does it?" I glance around. Nothing looks particularly out of the ordinary.
"I feel it too," Ahkelios says. The little guy twitches in his spot in my hair — I can't see him, but I can feel him shifting uncomfortably. Not a great sign.
I flick on Firmament Sight. My natural Firmament sense is good, but I'm not able to organize the information as quickly as I can with a visual reference. The moment I do, I see it.
There's... a gradient, for lack of a better word. The Firmament looks normal at first glance, but a second look shows that it's getting gradually denser as it approaches the direction of Miktik's workshop, and while the workshop itself is still out of range for me, this is enough to warrant caution.
Evidently, Ahkelios and Tarin have developed their instincts enough to know when something is wrong, even if they can't pinpoint what it is. I'll have to work on that.
"There's some kind of concentration of Firmament up ahead," I say. "It's subtle, but it's there."
Ahkelios opens his mouth to ask me a question, then pauses, sending said question through our bond instead. What changed this time? he asks. Whisper took longer to send for MIktik last time. This is too soon.
I shrug. No idea, I admit. But I'm guessing Whisper has some idea of what's going on now.
You think she's got something to do with this, then?
Maybe. It's the only thing I can think of, anyway. We'll find out. Not like a bit of Firmament is going to stop us.
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Author's Note: Reddit seems to have changed the submission page and now pasting into the text box doesn't retain formatting no matter what subreddit I try to paste in, so I'm using a markdown exporter instead. Hopefully that doesn't cause any problems.
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