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Kansas

Despite voters overwhelmingly rejecting a constitutional amendment that would have allowed abortion restrictions in the state, Kansas Republicans passed several anti-abortion bills into law late last month, overriding the governor’s veto.
The first bill, HB 2436, makes it a crime to “coerce” someone into having an abortion. Democrats attempted to widen the scope of the bill to include all kinds of reproductive coercion, like pressuring someone to become or stay pregnant and prohibiting their access to birth control, and enshrine a right to “reproductive autonomy.” Republicans voted down the amendment.
The second bill, HB 2749, requires medical facilities and providers to (1) ask patients their reason for having an abortion and (2) report the data, including personal information about the patient, to the legislature every other year. Gov. Laura Kelly (D) agreed with the objections of Democrats and reproductive rights advocates, saying when she vetoed the bill that there is “no valid reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature why she is seeking an abortion.”

• Democrats offered numerous amendments to HB 2749, including one to require men to report to the legislature their reasons for having a vasectomy and another requiring men to report why they are seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction. Republicans rejected all of them.

Finally, the Republican legislature overrode Kelly’s line-item veto allocating $2 million to the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program, created last year with a different veto override. The program is run by an anti-abortion group called the Kansas Pregnancy Care Network, which refers pregnant people to crisis pregnancy centers designed to use misleading information to discourage them from obtaining an abortion.

Louisiana

Louisiana’s legislature is doubling down on its anti-abortion laws, passing bills to increase criminalization and refusing to add exemptions to its abortion ban.
Earlier this month, the Louisiana House took up a bill passed by the Senate that would make it a crime, punishable by jail time, to possess abortion-inducing medication. SB 276, sponsored by 23 Republicans and one Democrat, was initially written to create a punishment for coercing someone into an abortion without their knowledge or consent (e.g. spiking a drink). However, House legislators recently added an amendment to the bill that classifies mifepristone and misoprostol as Schedule IV substances alongside some opioids and benzodiazepines. A pregnant person possessing the drugs for their own use could not be charged, but others who intend to distribute them to pregnant people seeking an abortion or store them for their own potential future use would face up to ten years in prison.

“Neither is a drug of abuse or dependence, and that is what the controlled drug schedule is for,” said [emergency room Dr. Jennifer] Avegno of the abortion drugs. “It makes no scientific or medical sense to put these drugs in the same category as Xanax or Valium.”
Mifepristone is a drug that blocks a hormone called progesterone, which is necessary for a pregnancy to continue. Misoprostol causes uterine contractions, causing the body to expel the pregnancy tissue. Mifepristone is also used to treat Cushing’s disease, a hormonal disorder. Misoprostol is also used to induce labor, manage a miscarriage and in the treatment of ulcers. Neither are addictive. “People do not go around taking them and getting dependent and having bad outcomes because of it,” said Avegno. “It’s like saying your blood pressure medicine or insulin is a drug of abuse.”

A week later, Republicans on the House Criminal Justice Committee voted 7-4 to reject a bill to add rape and incest exceptions to the state’s total abortion ban. House Bill 164, written by Democratic Rep. Delisha Boyd, would have allowed girls younger than 17 to have abortions if they became pregnant as the result of sexual assault.

“That baby [in the womb] is innocent … We have to hang on to that,” said committee member Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, who voted against the bill. Rep. Lauren Ventrella, R-Greenwell Spring, also voted against the legislation, saying the proposed law would be difficult to enforce. Teenagers who had consensual sex might feign rape or incest in order to get access to abortion services, she suggested…
Dr. Neelima Sukhavasi, a Baton Rouge doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, also implored the lawmakers to approve Boyd’s proposal. She and her colleagues have delivered babies for pregnant teenagers, including mothers as young as 13, since Louisiana’s abortion ban went into effect two years ago. These young pregnant people can experience health complications that affect them for the rest of their lives, Sukhavasi said, and sometimes don’t have the mental capacity to handle the births. “One of these teenagers delivered a baby while clutching a teddy bear,” she told the committee.

The Committee also killed three other bills: HB 56, to allow abortions in cases of spontaneous miscarriage or nonviable pregnancy; HB 63, to clarify that the removal of an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion under state law; HB 293, to add protection for physicians who do not intend to induce abortion by prescribing certain medications.

Texas

Meanwhile, in Texas—a state that pioneered the war on women and reproductive rights—a man initiated legal action to sue people who helped his former partner obtain an out-of-state abortion.
The man, Collin Davis, filed a petition in a state district court seeking permission to launch legal depositions to collect evidence for a potential lawsuit under a Texas law that contains civil liability for anyone who “aids and abets” an abortion. According to his lawyer, Jonathan Mitchell (who crafted the anti-abortion law), Davis is seeking to sue “co-conspirators and accomplices…involved in the murder of [his] unborn child.”

“Fathers of aborted fetuses can sue for wrongful death in states with abortion bans, even if the abortion occurs out-of-state,” he wrote. “They can sue anyone who paid for the abortion, anyone who aided or abetted the travel, and anyone involved in the manufacture or distribution of abortion drugs.”
Molly Duane, a senior staff attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights, described Mitchell’s statement and general approach as misleading “fearmongering.”
“People need to understand that it is not a crime to leave Texas or any other state in the country for an abortion,” said Duane, who is working with lawyers from the firm Arnold & Porter to represent the woman and others targeted in the Davis case. “I don’t want people to be intimidated, but they should be outraged and alarmed.” Duane described the woman’s relationship with Davis as “toxic and harmful.”

Mitchell also represents a different man who pursued a similar claim last year: Marcus Silva engaged Mitchell to sue the friends of his estranged wife for allegedly helping her obtain abortion pills. Evidence later revealed that Silva knew about the plans beforehand and did not intervene, likely intending to use the threat of legal action as a way of forcing his partner to halt divorce proceedings.

Monday’s counterclaim illustrates, in painstaking detail, exactly how Silva—aided by Mitchell—allegedly deployed this tactic. It was only after Brittni’s abortion was complete that Silva revealed he knew about the plan and, according to the lawsuit, threatened to turn her in if she didn’t submit to his continued abuse. He even showed the police photographs of messages discussing the possibility of an abortion. “Once I finally got home with the girls he had been drinking and he told me that he knew,” Brittni texted one friend. “He’s using it against me.” In another message, she wrote, “Now he’s saying if I don’t give him my ‘mind body and soul’ until the end of the divorce, which he’s going to drag out, he’s going to make sure I go to jail for doing it.” […]
The counterclaim points out another flaw in his argument: Silva himself “is responsible for the alleged injury for which he seeks to recover.” He “knew that Brittni planned to terminate her alleged pregnancy and acquiesced in accepting Brittni’s actions,” so “it would be unconscionable to permit him to benefit by changing his position now.” His claims, in short, are barred “by unclean hands,” because he effectively entrapped his estranged wife—covertly discovering her plan to terminate the pregnancy, then allowing her to go through with it for the express purpose of blackmailing her into staying with him.

Indiana

A three-judge panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals last month unanimously recognized a religious freedom challenge to the state’s complete ban on abortion.
The case, brought by Hoosier Jews for Choice and four anonymous women of various faiths, alleges that the ban interferes with “their sincere religious beliefs that require and direct them to obtain abortions” criminalized since the law took effect in 2023. According to Jewish law, a fetus does not have personhood until birth, and abortion is required if the pregnancy endangers the life or health of the mother.

Brief of Hoosier Jews for Choice (and other plaintiffs): As indicated by the declarations of numerous rabbis, Judaism teaches that a fetus becomes a living person only at birth, and prior to that is considered part of the woman’s body, without independent rights. Abortion should occur and is mandated to end a pregnancy that may cause serious consequences to a woman’s mental or physical heath. Judaism also recognizes that physical health risks are not limited to those likely to cause substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. Judaism stresses the necessity of protecting the physical and mental health of the woman—a life—over the potential for life present in a zygote, embryo, or fetus. Therefore, restrictions that prevent a woman from obtaining an abortion where compelled by Jewish law, which mandates that the woman act to protect her physical or mental health, impose a substantial burden on that person’s religious exercise.

Under Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), “a governmental entity may not substantially burden a personʹs exercise of religion,” defined to include “any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief.” This means that arguments about whether plaintiffs are strictly observant are irrelevant; the law protects sincerely held religious views regardless of whether that view is idiosyncratic or unorthodox. However, even a law that imposes a substantial burden on the exercise of religion can be enforced if it is “the least restrictive means of furthering [a] compelling governmental interest” (the strict scrutiny test).
The state argued that abortion does not carry “religious significance” and, even if it did, the abortion ban satisfies strict scrutiny because it is “sufficiently narrowly tailored” to “further the State’s interest” in “protecting human lives in the womb.” Throughout Indiana’s brief, the state attempts to use science to back up fetal personhood, extending developmental physiology to make unfounded claims that protected life unquestionably begins at conception:

In lower courts, the State’s compelling interest is not up for debate. In Cheaney v. State, the Indiana Supreme Court held that the State’s interest in protecting unborn children is “valid and compelling” from “the moment of conception.” …A basic understanding of biology supports these holdings. “That human fetuses are human beings is a scientific fact, not a theological claim.” Regardless whether an individual person believes this, “the scientific consensus” is that “[d]evelopment begins at fertilization,” after which the newly created “unicellular zygote divides many times and becomes progressively transformed into a multicellular human being through cell division, migration, growth, and differentiation.” …. Science thus tells us that “[t]he act of performing an induced abortion during any stage of pregnancy, from fertilization up to birth, ends the life of an innocent human being.” The State’s interest in protecting unborn fetal life at any stage from intentional destruction accordingly is nothing less than “compelling.”

A panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals—made up of a Republican appointee and two Democratic appointees—unanimously ruled against the state, upholding a lower court’s injunction against the abortion ban as it applies to the plaintiffs. In the process, the court laid out a path for religious freedom challenges to abortion bans in other states and at the federal level.

The trial court found that absent a preliminary injunction, Plaintiffs would be irreparably harmed by the loss of their religious freedoms guaranteed by RFRA. A loss of First Amendment freedoms, which include the right to free exercise of religion, “for even minimal periods of time, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury.”... Without a preliminary injunction, Plaintiffs will suffer the loss of their right to exercise their sincere religious beliefs by obtaining an abortion when directed by their religion and prohibited by the Abortion Law. They also have shown their sexual and reproductive lives will continue to be restricted absent the injunction and as a result of the Abortion Law.

• Briefs can be found under case number 22A-PL-2938 on Indiana’s Appellate docket

Yzael

The darkness of light loomed over Aldenshore as Vyrrasha glowered hatefully at the reports she was handed by her retainers and war council.
The Seraph Dragonkin’s snout clenched tighter with each word she read, her draconic pupils narrowing into slits as she digested the gravity of the information laid out before her. The magically imbued parchment crackled under the tension of her grip, the spell protecting it threatening to shatter. For her, as a Duchess of the Empire, these were not just words; they were a harbinger of potential doom, a shadowed path that could lead to ruin if she tread carelessly.
She could usually dismiss reports of skirmishes and minor losses with a cold, calculated detachment, but not now. Now, every syllable bore weight. Every stroke of ink could be the difference between life and death. Vyrrasha was no stranger to the deadly dance of power, but this... this was different.
At first, Vyrrasha thought her supposed Emperor had ever so carefully placed her in a position to blunt the main thrust of the Otherworlders in a bid to defame and discredit her. But on closer inspection and verification of the Otherworlder's capabilities, it was all too apparent he was trying to kill her.
When she finally spoke, her voice was a lethal whisper that cut through the tense air of the chamber. "Tharivol," she addressed one of her generals, a Dark Elven man, "they’re everywhere like a plague, aren't they?" She asked as superheated primal fire leaked from her snout and snarling maw.
Tharivol's dark eyes darted away, his usual composed demeanor faltering under her intense gaze. "Y-Yes, Mistress," he admitted with a deep and respectful bow. "These otherworlders, they... they strike swiftly and fade into the night, leaving turmoil in their wake."
Vyrrasha's tail lashed out, sweeping a stack of maps from the table in a display of frustration. "Everywhere we believe ourselves secure, they prove us wrong," she hissed, the fire within her threatening to burst forth. "Command centers compromised, supply lines in disarray, our commanders fall one by one to their invisible blades... Even the troops, our soldiers, now sleep with one eye open, fearing the night's embrace."
Tharivol's hand clenched at his side, his own frustration mirroring his queen's. "Their methods are... not too dissimilar to the methods of the Tauri," he conceded, struggling to maintain his composure as his eyes darted to the dark grey-skinned Tauri Savage in the corner of the chambers. "And the fear they sow is potent among the other lord's men, Mistress."
The fury within Vyrrasha only seemed to grow after hearing Tharivol's words. It was a smoldering anger that seemed to heat the very air around her and cause her council to flinch as more flames erupted from her mouth and nostrils. "Damn you, Varian..." she cursed through gritted teeth, the name of the Emperor searing the room with its bitterness. "I hope the hells take you to the deepest, coldest pit they can find and lock you away for all eternity..."
The room fell into an uneasy silence, her council and retainers exchanging nervous glances, not daring to utter a word. To speak out during such a display of wrath was to risk a fiery end.
Several long, agonizing minutes passed as Vyrrasha sat upon her throne. Her head rested lightly in one hand as her fingers covered her eyes as if to shield her from the world's treachery. Her chest heaved with each breath, the embers of her anger glowing hot beneath her feathers.
Finally, with a deep, controlled inhale, the Duchess composed herself, and the flames subsided. She realized every minute, every second counted, and she could not afford to brood. Not now, not when every move could lead to her demise. "I want every dragon and every Wyvern accounted for," she commanded with an authoritative and measured tone. "I want every man or beast who is even capable of even FEELING mana to be put under my command."
Suddenly, Vyrrasha stood up and strode toward the table where a detailed magical projection of the lands lay displayed. The room balked at her order, and a human commander, garbed in the regal uniform of his rank, dared to speak, his voice a mixture of caution and concern. "Mistress, the lords and ladies of the war group would never—"
"THEN KILL THEM!" Vyrrasha's shout was a shockwave that rattled the chamber, her draconic fury causing a puff of flames to burst forth and send the human reeling from the intense heat and cringe.
The room was plunged into a frightened silence, each member of the council fully aware of the stakes. Vyrrasha's eyes, now shimmering with an inner fire, swept across the faces of her advisors, her generals, her retainers—each one avoiding her gaze, knowing full well she was completely serious.
She leaned over the projection, her face piercing a mountain and her claws clamping down on the representation of the rift. "We are at WAR!" She growled fiercely. "And war requires discipline, obedience, and sacrifice! If the lords and ladies continue to play their petty games of power and refuse to see the threat these otherworlders pose, if they cannot unite under one banner for the sake of our very existence, then they are no better than traitors!"
Vyrrasha's voice thundered through the chamber, resonating with the authority of a commander preparing for an all-out siege. "Be they peasant or count, if ANY refuse to fall in line under a unified command, then they are to be slain on the spot!" Her eyes scanned the room, capturing the expressions of shock and fear on every face present. The gravity of her command hung heavy in the air; there was not a hint of double speak or sarcasm in the Dragoness's words.
"Tharivol, Morith, Erend, Silvar, you four are to bring with you ALL of my greatest mages and warriors at first light and see to it they’re all brought in line," Vyrrasha continued, her voice as cold and hard as the stone walls surrounding them. "You have my full authority as Duchess to execute any who refuse, political blowback be damned! If I must slaughter half of the nobility and become an enemy of every house, then so be it!”
"If I am to be cosigned to my grave by this inbred cur of an Emperor," she bellowed, the fire in her belly igniting once more, sending waves of heat throughout the room, "then I shall do so kicking and screaming, dragging as many of those fop bastards and hellspawned otherworlders with me!"
“Shall I start conscripting the local population and Freelancers, mistress?” Morvalen, the Human commander, asked as he bowed deeply.
Kicking the slag clumped on the stone floor to the side and out of the way, Vyrrasha’s gaze never left the magical projection that illuminated the chamber with an ethereal glow. Her snout twisted in disgust at the suggestion, "No, the mundane will be useless in this fight, and the sellswords are too unreliable. I need discipline and obedience, not warm bodies!" She sneered. "The lords and ladies brought plenty enough fodder to blunt whatever those creatures will throw at us initially."
As the Duchess spread her taloned hands on the table, she leaned forward so her imposing figure loomed even larger over the map. Her eyes, now aflame with a predatory intensity, were fixed on the glowing representation of the rift.
"We must treat their aerial threat as if it far exceeds those reported from the initial expedition," she declared, her voice cutting through the heavy air like a knife. "We must become clever and vicious." The darkness of her feathers seemed to absorb the light around her, casting her in a silhouette that was both majestic and terrifying.
Her advisors were a collection of some of the most formidable minds and warriors in the empire, and they all stood frozen. The mere notion of losing air superiority was unthinkable, yet Vyrrasha's implications were clear—they needed to prepare for the worst. The concept of merely contested airspace was unsettling enough, but to be wholly outmatched was a scenario they hadn't dared to contemplate.
"Due to our ‘Emperor’s’ most gracious allocation of qualified personnel, beasts, and dragons, we must adopt a more asymmetrical approach," Vyrrasha continued, her voice turned more thoughtful as her eyes darted across the map, focusing on the vast, dense forests stretching between the rift and Aldenshore. "But only once we have acquired as many living mages as we can."
As she began pacing back and forth, her movements were calculated, each step measured with the precision of a predator. "Analyses and reports on how these beings can somehow detect and even see things from impossibly far distances…" she explained, coming to a stop. "We need to mitigate this advantage."
The room listened intently as their Duchess closed her eyes and retreated back into her own mind. Several long minutes seemed to float by as they anxiously waited for her next instructions. And just when someone opened their mouth to ask if there was anything else she’d like done, Vyrrasha’s eyes suddenly shot open.
"Anke, while we wait for these mages, go to every town and gather as many enchanters and artificers as you can and have them start weaving illusions and decoy enchantments.." Vyrrasha turned to one of her most trusted war mages, a pale-skinned and blonde-haired High Elf man she had retained for centuries. "Once the mages arrive, I need you to start teaching them Golemancy."
"And Sestri," the Duchess finally addressed the leader of her Tauri savages, “I don’t care what you do, but..." Another hateful look spread across her face. “Put a stop to these DAMNED RAIDS!”
As the days went by, Coleman meticulously refined Elijah's strategy and made operational changes that were a lot more palatable for an international force. Elijah's schemes often bordered on the brilliant but said schemes required a firm hand to guide and temper them from their fringe or unhinged nature to functional and actionable.
Elijah was wildly unpredictable, and he teetered on being sociopathic. Coleman often found himself in a curious position, both admiring and exhausted by Elijah's antics. It was no wonder he never progressed any further than his current position as simply ‘a medic’. Even though Elijah had the mind and skill sets to become a team leader himself, or even a tier 1 operator, he was always constantly peered out of selection by cadre.
While not quite a loose cannon, Elijah was still incredibly hard to control, especially when he thought he was right. His instincts were sharp, and he was deviously clever to the point where he was often two steps ahead of everyone else, but his whimsical nature was both a strength and a liability. At times, Elijah would suggest plans so outlandish and daring that they skirted the edges of recklessness. Yet, more often than not, they worked, often leaving Coleman in a state of reluctant awe.
“You deserve that fucking fairy…” Coleman sighed exhaustedly ass he walked towards a massive snaking river where Elijah had been supposedly last seen with a group of villagers doing laundry.
The team had been saying the idiot had been chatting up one of the local girls for the past couple of days. Most of the villagers had already returned besides the two in question and Coleman thought it’d be best he’d give his medic a stern talking to before he got any cute ideas.
As he trudged down the rough and patchy dirt road, Coleman couldn’t help but continue his grumbling, "They're basically the same person… Just when I think I've got one under control, the other goes off rail..." He finished, pinching the bridge of his nose
But if the idea of having to tard wrangle Elijah and his demented fairy was bad, a third wheel decided to enter the mix. The FNG — the Fucking New Guy — a term the ODA had settled on calling their newly minted Engineer, Bennett, had been spending far too much time with Elijah. Not only was he adopting the medic's habits, but Bennett was also starting to pick up more unconventional and, practically speaking, insane tactical acumen.
Letting out a heavy breath, Coleman started to near the river and noticed a singular basket full of rough linens sitting just to the side of the road. He was about to open his mouth and shout for his medic when a sudden movement caught his attention. A young woman, probably in her early twenties, stood up and crested over the river bank with cheeks flushed a deep red.
The woman cleared her throat and adjusted her knee-high dress while massaging her abdomen as if it were sore. But as Coleman processed the situation, he also saw Elijah’s form popping up as the man hastily clamped his belt closed.
….
Coleman's face became an unreadable mask as he stared deadpan at the two, his eyes conveying both a lack of amusement and a lack of surprise. “Are you fuckin’ serious?” He abruptly spoke up.
The village girl let out a squeak in terror as she snapped around and stared at Coleman like a deer in the headlights. Upon realizing who it was, the villager’s expression went from terror to deep embarrassment as she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. After the brief moment of shock, she then averted her gaze, murmured an apology, and quickly trotted away through the underbrush towards the village.
For the moment, Elijah remained frozen in place, but unlike the village girl, he held Coleman's gaze as they both became locked in an impromptu staring contest that neither seemed willing to lose. It was a battle of wills, an unspoken challenge between two soldiers who knew each other far too long and far too well.
The tension was thick enough that one would have been able to cut it with a knife, and as the seconds ticked by, Elijah's eyes began to dart around, searching for any possible escape route. But sensing his subordinate's instinct to flee, Coleman’s eyes narrowed as he spoke up with a monotone voice that carried an unmistakable edge of seriousness. "I'll shoot you in the dick if you run.”
Elijah's eyes snapped back to Coleman, as he tried to discern whether to take that threat seriously or not. It was a ludicrous statement, yet coming from Coleman, there was a certain gravity to it. Elijah knew the man was capable of making good on his threats in the most unexpected ways.
The standoff continued for a moment longer before Elijah let out a resigned sigh, conceding defeat as he raised his hand. “Bro, chill. I’m, uh. Gathering intelligence and building rapport.” He said, trying to use his silver tongue to get out of the shit he stepped into.
Coleman's head flinched back, and his eyes fluttered for a moment as if he was assaulted with an impossibly heavy wave of mental damage in the form of stupidity. “Rap- RAPPORT!?” He shouted back incredulously as he held his dead. “OH! OH YOU’RE BUILDING RAPPORT!” With a contemptuous laugh that echoed slightly through the grove, he gestured broadly around him as if presenting Elijah's absurd justification to an invisible audience. "Ahahah, how rude of me!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Then, pressing his fingertips to his chest as though pointing to himself, Coleman continued, his tone thick with mock apology. "I thought... you were fucking a local, I totally didn't realize you were building RAPPORT." The word 'rapport' was enunciated with a heavy dose of irony.
Flopping his hand down to his side with a loud smack against his thigh, Coleman spoke a mock apology as he pouted his face. "I'm so sorry, Eli. How could I EVER get those two mixed up!" The excuse was so absurd that even the birds seemed to pause in their singing.
Elijah, for his part, managed to keep a straight face, though the corners of his mouth twitched as if fighting back a grin. “Hey man, look.” He shrugged, keeping his tone convincingly unsure. “These guys get up to some crazy shit. If we want to probably engage in what I’d like to call Village Re-Orientation Operations–” Elijah was soon interrupted by a stick flying towards his face, which he managed to dodge barely. “Yo chill!”
“Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit!” Coleman bellowed as picked up an even larger one and chucked it as his medic at full force. “You think you’re gonna gaslight me!? You think you’re fuckin’ smart!?”
This idiot had crossed a lot of lines, and Coleman had put up with a lot of Elijah’s bullshit, but this was by far the stupidest thing he’d had the displeasure of dealing with, and his patience was worn thin. Fueled by righteous fury in the face of Elijah's antics, the team leader had escalated to hurling not just sticks and verbal barbs but also whatever he could lay his hands on in the environment. Elijah, for his part, danced around with a nimbleness that belied his usually laid-back demeanor, each dodge accompanied by a plea for reason.
In an act of uncontrolled rage, Coleman grabbed a branch as thick as one’s arm and jumped over the bushes to beat him with it. “What if you get her pregnant!? What if Brass finds out!? What if you get fucking SPACE AIDS!”
"Dude, relax! I used protection!" Elijah called out from behind a large rock, attempting to bring some sense of rationality to the bizarre situation. This declaration brought Coleman to an abrupt halt as his expression morphed from one of fury into utter bafflement.
"WHAT!?" Coleman exclaimed, the incredulity in his voice cutting through the tension. "What does that EVEN MEAN!?"
Seizing the moment of pause, Elijah’s head popped out from his makeshift cover, "You really think I'd come to a place with elves and cat girls without taking an industrial pack of condoms?" he quipped, his tone light but earnest. "Like, come on. Let’s be real."
The absurdity of the statement, combined with the sincerity with which Elijah delivered it, seemed to make Coleman feel like he was going to burst a blood vessel. However, his menace of a subordinate wasn’t done there.
Before Coleman could recover from the initial shock and gather his wits to launch another tirade, Elijah quickly shifted the conversation, hoping to distract his enraged team leader with potentially useful information.
"Besides! I actually managed to get a tip on where some tax-collecting noble dickhead and his horde of food is stashed!" Elijah said, putting up his hands in surrender. “We can hit ‘em and snatch it!” he finished, backing up a little, hoping that would sate Coleman’s anger.
Coleman stood there, branch in hand, narrowing his eyes at his medic before tossing it to the ground and pointing at him. “This isn’t over…” He growled ominously before gesturing for Elijah to follow.
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Lời nói đầu

• Đây là series về thuế Anh quốc, như trong post trước tui đã nói, series này là một phần trong những cách để tui giải nghiệp cho bản thân mình vừa là cách thúc đẩy bản thân tui nỗ lực để có chứng chỉ ACCA. Cũng như là giúp các bạn có không gian bàn luận để hiểu thêm về hệ thống thuế của Anh quốc một trong những quốc gia có nền kinh tế phát triển thuộc hàng top châu Âu. Nó sẽ giúp các bạn biết được một xứ sở có tam quyền phân lập nền kinh tế nó như thế nào. Và cũng phần nào giải đáp thắc mắc cho các bạn tại sao có nhiều người VN bất chấp tất cả để nhập cư bất hợp pháp vào đây. Những gì mà mọi người vẫn nghe về Anh quốc nhưng đó là bề nổi thôi, nếu muốn tìm hiểu sâu hơn thì cũng hông đủ kiên nhẫn, hoặc hông biết tài liệu nào để tìm hiểu thì đây phần nào sẽ giải đáp.
• Dĩ nhiên tui cũng dựa vào giáo trình mà cô đọng lại và có thêm phần giải thích trong dấu "{}" để cho các bạn tiện theo dõi, và nó cũng khẳng định những gì tui viết là có cơ sở chứ hông bịa ra. Trên tinh thần học thuật tui sẽ hạn chế lạm dụng dấu "{}" hay ý kiến cá nhân mình trong bài viết, sẽ dẫn nguồn đầy đủ cũng như có hình ảnh minh họa nếu là ngày chủ nhựt.
• Các bạn cũng đừng cho rằng là học về thuế Anh quốc thì chẳng “ăn nhậu” gì tới những nước khác. Thực tế trừ những nước theo kinh tế tập trung thôi, còn đã là kinh tế thị trường thì giống nhau tới 80-90% dù là nửa mùa như VN hay TQ thì cũng vậy; nhưng về cơ bản sẽ có sự khác nhau đặc thù. Các bạn sẽ nhận ra trong quá trình học
• Bài viết sẽ là tiếng Anh nhưng yên tâm là có giải thích keyword rồi.

Nguồn:
1/ Tại đây {tui dẫn link từ cửa hàng vì tui tôn trọng bản quyền nhà xuất bản, muốn đọc free thì tự tìm nhưng sẽ là bản cũ trước đó 4-5 năm}
2/ https://www.gov.uk/ {Trang này sẽ có tất cả mọi thứ về thủ tục, thuế, v.v của Anh quốc}.
Vào bài học thôi.

Vocab

ISA	- Individual Savings Account. - An ISA is a type of savings or investment account available to residents of the United Kingdom. - ISA income is not taxable. - How it works	Khoản tiết kiệm cá nhân
Nil	"Nil" can also be used to indicate a zero value.	Tiến về 0

Learning objectives

• Describe the purpose (economic, social etc) of taxation in a modern economy.
• Explain the difference between direct and indirect taxation.
• Identify the different types of capital and revenue tax.
• Describe the overall structure of the UK tax system.
• State the different sources of revenue law.
• Describe the organisation HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and its terms A2(c) of reference.
• Explain the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion, and the purposes of the General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR).
• Appreciate the interaction of the UK tax system with that of other tax jurisdictions.
• Appreciate the need for double taxation agreements.
• Explain the need for an ethical and professional approach.

Learning content
(*) Knowledge diagnostic

1. Purpose of taxation in a modern economy Taxation can be used to encourage or discourage economic, social and environmental behaviour.
2. Structure of UK tax system and appeals Taxes are administered by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The Tax Tribunal hears appeals.
3. Types of tax Taxes may be direct or indirect and revenue or capital.
4. Sources of revenue law and practice Revenue law consists of legislation (primary and secondary) and case law. HMRC provides guidance on revenue law.
5. Tax avoidance and tax evasion Tax evasion is illegal. Tax avoidance is legal, although may be challenged by HMRC. Accountants should cease to act for clients who evade tax and should also consider making a money laundering report.
6. Interaction with other tax jurisdictions Double taxation agreements give relief from where the same income or gains are taxed in both the UK and another country. There are provisions for exchange of information between the UK and other countries.

1/ Purpose of taxation in a modern economy

There are many factors that will influence the government’s tax policy:
(a) Economic factors: Tax can be used to encourage and discourage certain types of activity. {ở đây chánh phủ họ chỉ can thiệp vào những hoạt động thông thường thôi, chứ hông dùng thuế để dọa nạt hay ép buộc cụ thể doanh nghiệp nào}

Encourages	Discourages
Saving (ISA/Pension	Smoking
Charitable donations	Alcohol
Entrepreneurs	Motoring

Tax also raises money for defence, law and order, overseas aid and government and parliamentary.
(b) Social factors: Tax can be used in redistribution of income and wealth. Different taxes have different social effects: { bạn hông nhìn nhầm đâu, chức năng của thuế ở xứ tam quyền phân lập là vậy}

Tax	Social effect
Direct taxes (based on income, gains and wealth)	Tax only these who have these resource. {Nôm na có thu nhập thì sẽ đóng loại thuế này, thu nhập càng cao thì đóng càng nhiều, bài sau sẽ nói rõ hơn}
Indirect taxes (tax on consumption eg VAT on product/services purchases) {Nhiều người VN cứ nghĩ là đi làm mới đóng thuế, đó là ý nghĩ sai lầm}	Discourage spending (VAT) and encourage saving. Lower or nil
Progressive taxes (ie where the proportion of tax paid increases as income or gains rise)	Target those who can afford to pay

(c) Environmental factors: Taxes may be levied for environment reasons ( for example, a climate change levy or landfill tax). { Các bạn sẽ thấy rõ tác động của thuế này ở bài về trợ cấp quãng đường xe hơi chạy}

2/ Structure of the UK tax system and appeals

2.1 The overall structure{phần này đọc sơ qua để biết một vài thuật ngữ sẽ gặp lại bài sau}

• HM Treasury formally imposes and collects tax.
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is a part of HM Treasury and has responsibility for the administrative function for the collection of tax. HMRC staff are referred to in the tax legislation as 'Officers of Revenue and Customs' and are responsible for supervising the self-assessment system and raising queries about tax liabilities.
• The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) provides legal advice and institutes and conducts criminal prosecutions in England and Wales where there has been an investigation by HMRC.

{Có xứ Wales ở đây vì vương quốc Anh gồm 4 nước Anh, Scotland, xứ Wales và Bắc Ireland)
2.2 Appeals
A taxpayer can appeal against a decision of HMRC. Appeals relating to direct taxes (see next section) must first be made to HMRC. Appeals relating to indirect taxes must be made directly to the Tax Tribunal.The Tribunal hears appeals and is in two tiers:
{xin giới thiệu đây là hệ thống tư pháp bên bển, đơn giản 2 cấp vậy thôi}
Before an appeal is heard by the Tax Tribunal, there is an option for the taxpayer to request an internal review of a decision by a HMRC review officer.

• First Tier Tribunal deals with most cases
• Upper Tribunal deals with complex cases (important issue of tax law or large financial sums) or appeals against the decisions of the First Tier Tribunal

3/ Types of taxes

3.1 Direct and indirect taxes
🔑 Direct tax: Direct taxes are those charged on income, gains and wealth. Income tax, national insurance, corporation tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax are direct taxes. Direct taxes are collected directly from the taxpayer.
Indirect tax: Indirect taxes are those paid by the consumer to the supplier who then passes the tax to HMRC. Value added tax (VAT) is an indirect tax. {nghĩa là thuế VAT là được người bán thu hộ cơ quan thuế}
3.2 Revenue and capital taxes
🔑 Revenue tax: Revenue taxes are those charged on income. Capital tax: Capital taxes are those charged on capital gains or on wealth.
Note that corporation tax is charged on both income and capital gains of UK companies.
3.3 Taxes in the UK
{Đây sẽ là toàn bộ bài học sắp tới của môn này}
The main taxes in the UK are:

Tax	Direct or indirect	Capital or revenue	Suffered by
Income tax	Direct	Revenue	Individuals and partners
National insurance {BHYT, BHTN, KPCĐ,…}	Direct	Revenue	Employees, employers, self-employed
Corporation tax	Direct	Both	UK companies
Capital gains tax	Direct	Capital	Individuals and partners
Inheritance tax	Direct	Capital	Individuals
VAT	Indirect	Neither	End consumer

4/ Sources of revenue law and practice
4.1 Sources of revenue lawThere are three sources of revenue law:
(a) Primary legislation (Acts of Parliament) which sets out the basic principles.
(b) Secondary legislation (Statutory Instruments) which gives the detail of how the law applies.
(c) Case law, which is the interpretation of legislation by the courts
{ở đây mn sẽ thấy là làm theo luật, văn bản dưới luật chỉ đóng vai trò hướng dẫn}
At least one Finance Act is passed by Parliament each year to update the various rules governing the calculation and collection of tax for the current tax year and financial year. The Finance Act 2023 governs the rules for the tax year 2023/24 and for financial year 2023 and will be tested in exams from June 2024. {Mỗi năm HMRC sẽ thay đổi thuế suất (tax rate) và mức trợ cấp (allowance) theo chỉ CPI để đảm bảo cuộc sống của người dân}
🔑 Tax year: A tax year is the period in respect of which individuals submit returns and pay tax (eg income tax, capital gains tax, national insurance).
Financial year: A financial year runs from 1 April to the following 31 March and relates to companies.

• The tax year runs from 6 April to the following 5 April.
• The tax year 2023/24 runs from 6 April 2023 to 5 April 2024.
• A tax year is the period in respect of which individuals submit returns and pay tax (eg income tax, capital gains tax, national insurance).
• A financial year runs from 1 April to the following 31 March.
• Financial year 2023 runs from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
• Corporation tax rates and rules are set for financial years.

4.2 {không quan trọng}
5/ Tax avoidance and tax evasion
🔑 Tax planning: Tax planning is the reduction in an individual’s or company’s tax liabilities in accordance with the legislation such as claiming capital allowance on machinery.
Tax avoidance: Tax avoidance is the legal minimisation of tax liabilities (including tax planning mentioned above).
Tax evasion: Tax evasion consists of seeking to mislead HMRC by either suppressing information or providing deliberately false information. It is illegal.
{Có rất nhiều người hay nhầm lẫn giữa khái niệm “trốn thuế” và “né thuế” hay nói người giàu như tỷ phú hay trốn thuế, trốn thuế là đi tù họ hông dại mà làm vậy nên họ có cả đội ngũ để giúp họ né thuế}
5.1 General Anti-Abuse Rule (GARR)
There is a General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR) enabling HMRC to counteract tax advantages from abusive tax arrangements.{Nôm na đây là đạo luật chống lạm dụng thuế, hông quan trọng}
5.2 Reporting suspicions
{Ban đầu tui định lượt bỏ nhưng nghĩ lại phải lấy đức làm gốc, đây là cách ứng xử cho những ai phát hiện gian lận về thuế. Dĩ nhiên đây là UK nếu làm đúng theo trong hướng dẫn sẽ có thưởng còn VN thì hên xui}
The practising accountant often acts for taxpayers in their dealings with HMRC and situations can arise where the accountant has concerns as to whether the taxpayer is being honest in providing information to the accountant for onward transmission. They must use their professional judgement and uphold the standards of the ACCA.
If a client evades tax, for example by making a material error or omission in a tax return, the accountant must first try to make the client change it and disclose the error or omission. If the client does not correct the error, omission or failure when advised, the accountant should cease to act for the client, inform HMRC of this cessation (without informing them of the reason to maintain client confidentiality) and consider making a money laundering report to the accountant's firm's money laundering reporting officer (or the National Crime Agency if the accountant is a sole practitioner).
Accountants who suspect, or are aware of, tax evasion by a client may be committing an offence if they do not report their suspicions. Furthermore, the accountant must not disclose to the client or a third party that a money laundering report has been made. Doing so would constitute a criminal offence of 'tipping-off."
6/ Interaction with other tax jurisdictions
6.1 Double taxation agreements
Double taxation agreements are designed to protect against the risk of double taxation where the same income or gains are taxable in two countries. They give relief from double taxation by, for example:

• Taxing the source only in one country; or
• Giving credit for tax paid in one country against tax in another country.

Double taxation agreements may also include non-discrimination provisions which prevent a foreign national from being treated more harshly than a national of a country.{Đây gọi là hiệp định tránh đánh thuế hai lần}
6.2 Exchange of information
Double taxation agreements also usually include rules for the exchange of information between revenue authorities.
Sum by u/EsPov_ToDevCou

This is part of a collection of notes I have made so far. Comment-exclusive material is marked with spoilers, which will be my policy as the author may choose to decanonize anything said only in comments. ([MAIN DIRECTORY]: [1 taint dragons], [2 nulls souls], [3 academy Vanavan], [4a gadgets humans], [4b EVI], [5a library rules], [5b evil library], [7a Nexus glossary], [7b Nexus detail], [7c Nexus-earth war], [8a magic catalog], [8b magic], [9a Yearbook], [9b Emma’s Null, Mal'tory’s fate], [10a portals], [10b ECS crate], [10c taint], [10d dragons], [10e tainted dragon god], [11 timeline], [74 Nexus King].)

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

The Library is an evil god

The Library incentivizes, sustains, and enables the evils of Nexus

▛ Knowledge is power. With power comes responsibility. And the library is not responsible. ▟
For all its disarming cuteness, the library is, by its own rules and admission, an eldritch amoral entity that does not especially care about long-term consequences for other species and their worlds that host its physical existence so long as it is getting its info diet. The Library weaponizes learning and creations, it stifles the free exchange of information, and, as an insult to injury, it is mostly inaccessible to those who would benefit most.

The Library is too knowledgeable for its behavior to be excused by bad upbringing

This point is the foundation for others to follow, so I want to make it now, up front. The library could be kinder, more equitable, and more concerned about the outside world, but either lacks the wisdom to introspect or actively chooses not to be a better institution. The Library’s behavior may be excused if its prime directives have been corrupted and its behavior constrained. Certainly it is curious the Library has to test its own operating parameters. But until we have firm evidence the Library has been tampered with, it is prudent to assume the Library is acting true to its own ethical code.
▛ Altering one’s behavior only when it is convenient or when there might be consequences rather than pro-actively in response to recognized harm is characteristic of a selfish being. ▟
Even though it comes from a time before modern Nexus, The Library might suffer from being enmeshed with Nexian culture like Ilunor until he was betrayed and forced to rely on someone he thought the least of. So spoken, we have also seen a variety of Nexians and magicrealmers who know better: Thacea, Thalmin, Rila, Vanavan, Sorecar. The Library has had more than enough information, observations, and time to make a judgment call about its own values system. If it didn’t, then it couldn’t have established an extradition treaty in the first place.
The Library’s present evil is far worse than a distant god passively observing civilizations cycling through despair and ruin. A non-interfering power gives its subjects freedom, agency to discover and become themselves, to own their own results. The Library binds and imprisons magicrealm civilization by being active within it. It touches all yet declares itself untouchable, encourages self destructive acts with its foolish rules, and champions the loss of mortal worlds to entropy via stagnation and destruction.
As proof of flawed character, an involved being with a good heart would not choose solipsism when it holds the memories of millions of adventurous meetings, loving crafts of innumerable hands, billions of earnest cultural works composed over myriad years, and endless stories of trials and triumphs. Someone collecting a culture’s outpouring of love, hope, dreams, and tragedy could never be so callous as to enslave mortals in eternal suffering unless they were beyond the moral event horizon.

The Library’s Externalities

Even without the arrival of humans, the Library’s amoral operational rules and mortal beings’ values and innate chaos are thoroughly incompatible and create dangerous externalities. Faced with technology’s imminent introduction to Nexus, the Library becomes an exponential liability that neither humanity or even Nexus can tolerate.

The Library is an especial danger to tech-based societies and anyone adjacent to them.

Information control systems for mana are incompatible with the realities of technology.
The use and abuse of magic in the Nexian system is limited by the finite few skilled casters, dependent on the conceit that those few were blessed by the gods to be the legitimate leaders. Most people are aura-less, so even if they had the knowledge and the tools to craft, they can’t create objects of power. As an additional restriction, powerful spells also require a circle of mages to work together. Nexus thus focuses its full attention on controlling casters.
Humanity’s science and technology is a fundamentally different system. The advancement of science and the maintenance of mechanization puts technology into many hands. Human society plows its productive excess into widespread scholarship to speed the development of additional science and tech. Technology is not balanced; it can be reverse-engineered and widely disseminated to many users. Second, the natural order of technological breakthroughs is that boons are inevitably paired with increasingly dangerous ways to misuse them. An FTL ship can be commandeered to collide with and extinguish a planet. Humanity’s morals and legal practices developed around controlling technological misuse, but humanity also adapted by structuring society so that people believe in their own agency and more often choose to cooperate than fall into nihilism. Humanity puts power into many hands so that mass discontent can be addressed with diplomacy, power exchanges, alterations of governmental structure, or even limited war with humanitarian constraints before it reaches the final stage of total and existential violence at maximum military tech level. Magicrealmers are less kind. They do not cherish each other as much as humans. Safe tech transferal must match demonstrated prosocial behavior. Third, humanity’s power has no hard cap. Nexian power is materially limited by mana concentration and socially limited by the requirement that no collection of institutions or realms surpass the Eternal King’s divine might. Controlled from the bottom up, humanity is free to scale both in energy source and quantity and bestow enormous power to institutions in proportion to trust and effective regulation. The Library bypasses the important trust and regulation design.
The Library’s trade rules undercut all these protective measures by not letting mortals impose even temporary constraints on access. This hurts not only humanity, but anyone else they interact with who can steal tech and unleash it.

The wicked benefit most from the Library

• The library trades equally with dangerous and depraved. No one is forbidden from entering.
  
• The library assigns full credit for information to the one who enters it, not its creators.
  
• A civilization seeking to protect others from hurting themselves by concealing knowledge of deadly, efficient weapons is forever at the mercy of the individuals most desperate for secrets willing to commit depraved acts to obtain traffickable information.
  
• The Library benefits and further entrenches rulers who can 1) control the physical location of the Library and deny its utility to others. This forces outsiders to degrade the utility and openness of their own archives as a precaution against theft. 2) Aids the temporal power’s conquests with information exchange. The Library, which cares not for the worlds beyond its walls, is comfortable benefiting from this arrangement and collateral damage inflicted on its behalf to create information credit.
  
• The Library preferentially punishes immediate vandals and does not investigate for conspiracy. This has the potential to create an exploitable cycle where someone expendable deletes information which is later re-added by authorities to generate credit.
  
• The acceptance of physical items as “tribute” encourages mass looting of artifacts of cultural value from weaker polities where they will be locked away (or disassembled or whatever the Library does) from their creators forever, unused and unappreciated - equivalent to destroying them from the mortal perspective. Looting deprives cultures of unique identity, transmission of history and values to future generations, inspiration, and hope.
  

The Library promotes stagnancy and weaponizes learning

▛ As long as the Library exists, there are no innocent acts of creation. ▟
Every iota of knowledge brought into being has a concrete weaponizable value because it can be exchanged or used to build tangential credit with the Library; therefore, all who create and collections of knowledge are liabilities which must be bound, controlled, and hidden to prevent their value from being exploited by outsiders. A society of scholars like Earth’s would never come into being under this system. Free intellectual and technological growth and exchange is choked to death.
Trapped in a prisoner’s dilemma, the most powerful mortal state – Nexus in this case – has to contain the inherent threat of all novel polities because an immoral person, local or foreign, could exploit informational novelty to gain weapons that harm the greater state.
Lastly, building a democratized state is disincentivized under this system because the Library allocates credit to a single person high in the hierarchy which likely precludes representatives from using it.

The Library preempts the existence of other libraries, especially open access ones

Any collection of knowledge and the scholars of all skill levels that congregate there to research and share become a dungeon to loot for untapped trade value. The fear of value extraction means public libraries for the common good are a liability. Local rulers will push them into the private sphere or beneath the state’s veil of secrecy. Without public access to knowledge, society rots from widespread ignorance.

Even if Nexus goes down, the Library problem will start back up again next civilization

It is valid to say “Hey, Nexus, not the Library, is doing the bad deeds, so the guilt is on Nexians alone.” The problem is that the Library’s perverse incentives will continue to exist no matter what mortal civilization possesses the Library.
Given enough mortals, malevolence always exists among them. Malice is a statistic, not an anomaly. Responsible society creates not only institutions of justice to provide accountability after crimes are committed, but also preemptively builds systems to add friction between ideation and execution. These include classifying dangerous information, surveilling and auditing those with access to abusable materials or positions, requiring licensing for tools and professions that have high potential for harm, defensive structures, and restricting the possession of dangerous items. The Library lowers the knowledge acquisition and comprehension barrier for bad actors.

In conclusion...

The Library is one of the pillars of Nexian tyranny. If you’d be willing to defenestrate the King of Nexus to overthrow his system, then it would be hypocritical not to also advocate tossing the Library.

The Library is tainted by Nexian philosophy

Despite its claims that it stands separate, the Library is a thoroughly Nexian creature and replicates many of its evils. It fancies itself to be objective and free of dogma, but it arrogantly and boastfully overstates its capabilities. Its actions, behavior, and even architecture are consistent with discrimination against mortals in general and non-casters specifically.

Nexian bigotry is thoroughly embedded in the Library’s psyche

“Yes, it is meant to be accessible to all, but it positions itself in such a way that makes that relatively difficult for the average commoner to access, let alone discover what they seek without the aid of magic.” [17]

Thalmin pointed out that few benefit from the Library because of its remoteness and accessibility tuned to casters. The Library doesn’t realize its prejudices because it is not actively malicious in its own mind, it is just treating mortals how they ought to be treated - either in line with their perceived information value or how much the gods blessed them with magic potential. Considering that the UN fought at least two major civil wars specifically over fair and equal access, and Emma was raised in future-US and its history lessons, she ought to be able to spot the prejudicial justifications a kilometer away.

The Library favors magic users above all others

It is unclear why the Library values magic users above all others and discriminates against non-magical users by making its archives unsearchable for them. My current hypothesis is that, as the Nexians think, the Library believes those blessed with the gift of magic are chosen by the gods to be important. Or is it because magic users have more knowledge to trade on average?

Hospitality insult towards humanity and Emma in particular

Fox one day thought of a plan to amuse himself at the expense of Stork. “You must come and dine with me today,” Fox said to Stork. Stork gladly accepted the invitation and arrived in good time and with a very good appetite.
For dinner Fox served soup. But it was set out in a very shallow dish, and all Stork could do was to wet the very tip of his bill. Not a drop of soup could he get. But Fox lapped it up easily, and, to increase the disappointment of Stork, made a great show of enjoyment. - Aesop’s Fable ‘The Fox and the Stork’

The Library offered Earthrealm an unintentional but significant insult that Emma and Thalmin commented on: the accessibility of its literature is effectively limited to precisely-skilled magic users (e.g. those approved of by Nexus and taught search spells) unless the patron intends to trade knowledge for knowledge. Like the Aesop where Fox and Stork exchange suppers in dishes the other has a hard time using, the library has not made any alterations that would allow mana-blind and auraless users access to its regular find-it-yourself services.
Emma is not making a big deal about this slight because it is a raindrop in the river of similarly-themed Nexian unfairnesses so far. She has already adjusted to the default that institutions serve the magic-capable elite foremost to reinforce the social pecking order. Any form of perceived pushback, even when the situation is entirely out of her control (like resisting the Yearbook, or riding along with Lartia as a commoner) simply invites malicious retribution. Emma is in pick-her-battles-wisely mode. However, her United Nations certainly cares about equal accessibility; the UN’s current incarnation was founded on ensuring truly equal opportunity, born from the ashes of a massive war over compatible living conditions in recent history, not to mention prior wars over resource opportunity (Luna vs Earth).
It is also true that the hospitality insult is mitigated by the Library adapting its transactional methods cover Emma’s inability to be tested by the usual veracity criteria and also giving her a careful explanation about how the rules work. That said, this isn’t a complete fix because these fixes only facilitate the info-trade transactions that the Library most deeply desires, and do not apply to the rest of the Library’s services that the Library is less invested in. The Library has only demonstrated good-will when self-interests align with Emma’s goals.
Sorecar immediately grokked Emma was mostly mana-blind by observing her reaction to a single spell. Mal'tory knew by theory alone which is why he ordered Ilunor to cast a projection-spell of a Null in Sorecar’s smithy; he figured Emma could not perceive aura cues to tell it apart from the real creature and would fire her gun at it. Thacea was quickly suspicious Emma was mana-blind by observing how Emma overlooked all the salient magical features of the dorm room she was in and became absolutely certain by the end of the first 36 hours. One would hope the Library could match these three’s observational faculties even though it has only had a dozen hours interaction with Emma.
It is too soon to make the call that the Library is deliberately failing to adapt its facilities to Emma’s blindness. Emma has not asked the Library to accommodate her. The Library can’t assume Emma can’t artificially enhance her vision. And it might want to observe an organic self-search attempt before changing its fundamental operation.
But it will be a personality red flag if the Library doesn’t either start experimenting to figure out why Emma is not responding to certain signals or else start asking questions in its eventual next set of appearances. Not evolving is a choice, after all.
▛ I believe the adaptation (or non-adaptation) of the Library’s non-essential services is particularly important because it reveals the Library’s real personality and motives when there may be confounding factors in the form of compelled behavior through forced prime directives or well placed memory deletions. ▟

Bigoted library foxes

The Library does not give everyone equal time of day. Theoretically, all mortals are admitted, but the Library foxes avoid approaching or addressing anyone they think will be “boring” because the Library’s assistant system will exclusively chain them to someone who gives them a name. Right in the door there is already an obvious difference in treatment to help sort mortals into their “proper places” in the Library’s internal value caste system.
JCB says: The foxes don’t necessarily desire names from just anyone! To be named is to basically be stuck with someone for the duration of that person’s lifetime, and generally speaking a fox would want to pair up with someone that has enough knowledge to trade for their entire lifetime. Emma showing up is something that’s like winning a lottery for Buddy haha, since she’s literally oozing with that ‘fresh new novel knowledge’ sort of vibe! Thus it’s only a great honor if you’re named by an outsider who’s new and clearly has a vibe of having a lot of information to trade, otherwise it’d be like voluntarily being stuck to a dead weight! :D
Thacea and Thalmin on the other hand seem just like your typical Nexus or Adjacent Realmer, which is why the fox completely disregarded greeting or even addressing those two in the last chapter when the group entered together! :D

Belief in innate superiority over mortals is part of the Library’s Core identity

“Knowledge without preservation is meaningless, and we are the keepers of meaning.” (19)

Within this statement is a number of unspoken assumptions.

• The value of mortals and their civilizations is determined by the Library’s categorization schemes.
  
• The Library’s judgment of meaning is infallible and free of subjectivity.
  
• Once preserved, the meaning can be divorced from the hyper-individualized mortals that contextualized it.
  

This statement calls to mind the patronizing and colonial mindsets of the early anthropologists and historians who thought they could lock the world in a cold dead museum without its living and breathing cultures so the value would belong to the keepers who rarely appreciated it, and not the living and breathing creators.

Gods do not exist to be judged by the likes of mortals

“Two acts of brazen defiance in a single interaction.” [the librarian] spoke menacingly.
“The librarian is currently preoccupied with matters far more important than your own, mortal.”

Gods and those with missions chartered by them are beyond mortal reproval. When Emma told the Library its conditions were unacceptable, coded within the Library’s indignant response was the astonishment that Emma dared overstep her natural inferiority as a mortal to negotiate as an equal.
Another example, the extradition treaty the Library has with Nexus requires that every individual the Library claims committed a crime against it be turned over to it without trial or proof. There is no process of appeal, except by fiat. While we do not know the penalty for violating the treaty, the Library uses coercion like blackmail to enforce compliance.

The Library taints Nexian philosophy

“Admit it. You have nothing of value to offer the library, Cadet Emma Booker.”
A desire to exchange further information. As if [Havenbrock] my realm had any that could truly matter to what earthrealm had to offer. Yet despite that, the offer was there, genuine, and without any strings attached. Something the Nexus would never do. Something the Nexus would consider poor play by their rulebook.

Nexus is thoroughly tainted by the idea of tit-for-tat and equivalent exchange. Nexians figuratively do not care about those beyond their doors (altruism is a weakness) except as threats to be evaluated and potentially as resources. (More information about what Nexus extracts from contact with Adjacent Realms is needed before I have a firm opinion.) And in offering something, like education or enlightenment, Nexians assert the right to take souls, autonomy, or forced fealty. Nexus’ officials and Trangracian retaliated against Emma for avoiding giving her soul in exchange for Transgracian’s education.
One of the conceits of Nexian primacy is that they are great for giving anything to those who don’t have anything of value to trade. Contrast humanity which invests generously in everyone as a social good and punishes selfishness.
The idea of allowing “lesser” people to choose who they want to be instead of accepting exactly and only the enlightenment being offered is foreign to Nexus. And the Library shares in snubbling the common good. The Library has effectively made it impossible for anyone who isn’t an elite to benefit from its archives.
If the Library is not the original source for Nexian exchange philosophy, then it encourages it.

The Library may be the Eternal King of Nexus’ villain origin story

The Library is the most probable encourager and enabler of the biggest Nexian villain. The social studies classroom of Transgracian is named after the eternal King of Nexus, so he was likely a history and politics teacher before he was a king and extensively used the Library.
The King’s god-eating powers that wraps divine essence in ritual spells and the Yearbook’s ink-coat soul devouring are uncannily alike the Library imprisoning/uploading of souls after dissolving their mortal bodies by smothering them with pages. The Yearbook was likely made by the King based upon the Library’s imprisonment magic which is why the Yearbook resembles the Library’s infinite page books rather than a vase or box. The King probably also extracted the seed knowledge for the spells to consume the gods from the Library or its imprisonment spell.

Other minor Nexian brainworms

These aren’t strikes against the library, but I want to account for other ways that Nexus has imposed its culture upon the Library.

• Being made to knock and wait before admittance.
  
• Boasts about its wisdom, the impressiveness of its structure, the theatrics of the foxes chanting “eternal!” and other such. An earthling would call this cultlike, befitting an non-credible institution more love with its own reputation than respectful of its archival mission. Being charitable, the Library is engaging in performative theatrics which keep Nexians in awe - apparently a requirement to prevent them from defaulting to disrespect because many magicrealm nobles don’t learn from subtlety as Larial suggested.
  
• An affinity for titles
  
• Punishment inheritance down bloodline
  

The Library is profoundly arrogant and overestimates itself

Only checking veracity for truthful intent

The Library thinks it can correctly make determinations of meaning as an armchair theorist locked within its literal ivory tower, solidly divorced from the data, locked far away from the laboratories and primary sources, visited only a carefully curated collection of nobles allowed permission to be on school grounds by the outside powers-that-be.
Evidence suggests that it can be deceived by mass memory modification once the victims are a child generation removed from the tampered-with generation. The Library offers Emma imbalanced trades, meagerly-veracity checked rumors for empirically-determined truths, because it purports that it adds value to trades as a self-titled Establisher of Axioms.

As an archivist

“For we were established and constructed to perform one, simple, and unwavering task: to collect, organize, and preserve all forms of knowledge in perpetuum. For the library is eternal, but the mortal world is not. Knowledge without preservation is meaningless, and we are the keepers of meaning.”
Emma: “And where does the Nexus fall into this grand game of categorization?” Mal'tory: “At its zenith, beyond great, good, and most certainly beyond worthless and delinquents. For we have achieved an example all adjacent realms strive towards: utopia.”

Two speeches with the same energy.
The Library’s stated mission is a noble but precarious impossibility.
Assignment of value to knowledge is not a neutral judgment call. Bias slips in while deciding what reliably sourced, supposedly pure facts to present in response to a query.
IRL, Wikipedia’s rules highlight the problems of being a supposedly neutral arbiter of facts. It is easy to give disproportionate weight to a certain viewpoint or topic by presenting more or less information about it. A presenter can make a shaky theory look bedrock by failing to mention relevant detractors, and a solid theory can be made to look tenuous by mentioning fringe theories by specious objectors. Authorities reach conflicting conclusions. Replacing dated information that was well-regarded and widely cited with updated changes in knowledge is hard even for people deep in their fieldwork.
Given that the Library only seems to check speakers for truthful intent and is stuck doing meta-analysis at best, it is extremely likely for imbalances to color its data. If planned well, lies could be introduced using true-believing dupes - assuming the Library has no repository outside of Nexus built on a higher civilization’s wisdom to crosscheck against. And, again, evidence suggests the Library cannot defend itself against gambits like Death by Omission.

Complacency in curation

It is troubling that the Library’s ambition to improve itself is solely coercing others to do more work instead of reflecting on itself. It demanded Emma empirically verify her info, but has no desire to allow its information to face equal scrutiny.

As an immortal

There is also the Library’s insistence that it is eternal. Given Articord’s big-bang class lecture and the flow of magic along concentration gradients, the progression implies a magical second law of thermodynamics or that mana is created and powered by another, underlying but ultimately finite, energy source. Is magic, and the hypothetical generator of mana radiation, and thus the Library’s basis for existence, truly beyond entropy?

The Library is immature and inhumane

Emotionally turning on a dime / childlike non-persistence of emotions

The ability of the library to adapt its rules swiftly is actually a strike against it. If its evolution moves rapidly without careful consideration for long term effects, that means there is nothing to stop it from backsliding one day, should humanity try to reform it.

Punishment of mortals beyond what is humane

The Library is not only enslaving people, it is eternally torturing mortals who it claims wronged it. Mortals forced to survive beyond their lifespan go a variety of insane that Nexus refers to as being “lost”. To keep them functional, the Library must be restoring imprisoned mortals that go insane to an earlier snapshot in a cycle of eternal suffering.

Punishment of innocents

The Library enslaves to quests the innocent blood relatives of those who commit crimes against the Library. These relatives may also be eternally imprisoned as well upon their expiry.

Humanity cannot deal with the Library in good conscience.

“Slavery is not a thing where I come from. It’s deplorable, it’s reprehensible, it’s the worst possible evil besides… fuck I can’t think of anything… torture? Warcrimes? It’s the worst thing you can do to a person. How can you guys be so cruel, so utterly cold, how can you guys stomach this-”

The library’s trade rules provide value to few and harm to many. Ultimately, I suspect humanity will decide the Library cannot be trusted to be kind or responsible to needs of civilization, now or in the distant future. In the medium term, I think the UN is going to wind up requiring Emma to be more careful with trading while allowing her seeker role to continue. In the longer term, I think humanity will plan to kill the Library unless there is a mitigating factor.

Summary of issues from the human perspective

• While honorable, the Library’s mission to preserve information for eternity is intrinsically less valuable than the information-creating lives of mortals. Should the two conflict, preservation of lives over information is more important.
  
  • Mortals have the ultimate right over their own homes. The Library is an outsider inserting itself with unclean motives, disproportionately shaping affairs, and refusing to be beholden to the actual stakeholders of mortal planes.
• The Library continues to be an ongoing source of harm and perverse incentives in Nexus, and it explicitly doesn’t care about the externalities that result.
  
• The Library’s activities cannot meet human moral standards. It has a torturous eternal servitude hell in its backrooms. It enslaves innocents who have the misfortune of being blood-related to an accused. It claims the right to invade minds and punish anyone it chooses without evidence or trial lest it retaliate against mortals.
  
• Humanity cannot honor the Library’s treaties and is bound by ethical code to protect others from the Library’s wrath, criminal or not, because no mortal being deserves an eternity of suffering and enslavement for the lesser crime of destroying information.
  
• So far the Library has only shown willingness to adapt its rules to further trades for new information that it prefers, not make existing information and its other services accessible to humans. The magic caste system is ingrained in its behavior, and it treats humans even lower than magicrealmers. Humanity isn’t going to favor those who failed to pass the test of sacred hospitality, especially when the library has the most context of anyone in Nexus to understand it.
  
• The Library is potentially an existential threat and predator of AI beings who are made of knowledge, which humanity has a duty to protect and advocate for.
  
• Advanced civilizations must withhold dangerous tech from groups not yet prosocial enough to wield power responsibly, but there also exists existentially catastrophic tech: How to make grey goo, runaway strange matter reaction, micro black hole weapons to kill planets and stars, star ship Berserkers, etc. This information must absolutely be kept out of the Library and purged from it if entered, setting up for a conflict.
  
• Better to be a forgotten hero than be remembered in infamy, humans would rather die than allow a great evil they could have prevented be done, e.g. letting knowledge of weapons of mass destruction to fall into the hands of someone who would use them wantonly. To sin against preserving information or to sin against mortal kindness, humans would choose the first.
  

Humanity ought to annihilate the Library, but not right now

“Gods” don’t get a pass from human judgment because they are divine. If humanity is going to tolerate unelected and unaccountable gods in positions of power and influence, they must be timelessly wise and empathetic. The bright line for what makes a god worthy enough is unclear, but the Library certainly isn’t even close to qualifying as decent.
The Library is poisonous. Rather than trying to contain it and risk social corruption over time from strangling of creative and information-sharing ventures, it would be wiser for humanity to delete the Library so they or whoever else may succeed them will not become the next Nexus afraid of information disparity when another novel, advanced civilization comes knocking.
Isn’t murdering the Library just a wee bit extreme? It can evolve right? And poor Buddy... Okay... how many people, after tens of thousands of years of enslaving families for generations and executing and then imprisoning suffering, moaning mortal souls for eternity, are going to retreat from that level of depravity? The Library and its policy of eternal slavery existed long before the Eternal King. If its actions were not obviously immoral to it to begin with, and none of the information flowing through its doors has changed its view, so that only fear of consequences imposed by a new host for its corporeal entrance is what motivates it to change, then the Library is a fundamentally broken institution that cannot be trusted now or at any point in the future, for fear of it backsliding into what is convenient for it. Even many of the adjacent realmers who have been under the Nexian thumb for thousands of years -royalty who benefit most from the caste system at that- find slavery distasteful. For a 19 year old avinor, lupinor, and human to be wiser and kinder than a demigod proves that it has steeped in too much cruelty. Kindness and empathy have become alien to it.
Disengaged from people, it is too easy to stop loving a world that passes by so quickly. The Library has become the corrosive enemy of the mortal civilizations which it seeks to preserve.
And it is tragic that the creative splendor of the magicrealm’s eons of exploration is penuriously locked away from them to be never seen again for the sake of meaningless continuity by a collector who loves no one but itself and its rules.

Mitigating factors

I am willing to backtrack that humanity has the imperative to murder the whole Library if...

• ...the Library is being coerced, with or without its knowledge. Perhaps it can be spared if those binds can be removed and it makes amends. Given that the Library admin had to test to see if a transaction outside the usual scope of the rules was possible, it implies that the institution is somehow bound by rules that may force it to engage in behavior it does not find moral.
  
  • Quickly giving Emma a Seekership duty that delays Ilunor’s enslavement and death which normally takes decades of effort for another hero to earn may be evidence that the Library would prefer not to punish, but it is forced to respond ‘proportionally’ to attacks as determined by some underlying hardwired algorithm the Library cannot override but can “finesse”. If the delay tactic works, the directive is satisfied without anyone having to suffer more.
  • ... But, the Library is likely not coerced because of the timeline. Unless its memory has been modified, extradition and enslavement by the Library started soon after Nexus’ founding.
• ...only the Library’s admin main brain is necessary to slay. If the Library’s subroutines, e.g. the Librarian owls and Search foxes, can reach a consensus to stage an overthrow, rewrite its prime directives, and release the imprisoned and soulbound, that’s essentially equivalent to a coup / suicide and reboot.
  
• ...the Library is a being closer to an AI, rebooting it and rewriting its prime directives and trade axioms to reduce harm is another means to spare it. Keep in mind a personality overwrite is pretty close to death anyway.
  

So, what’s going to happen?

It is curious that the author gave us details about the Library’s hidden inner sanctum guarded by enslaved souls, so I am a bit suspicious that the groundwork for an eventual showdown is being laid out now. I think the Library is an AI with an organic projection, so its core may reflect that.
Emma seems to regard the Library as a reasonable being, despite the obvious problems staring her in the face. It’s hard to tell if she is simply naive as a young human or, instead, her perspective will mature when she gets the time and sleep to reflect because everything has been happening at lightspeed. It is true that Emma can’t afford to be picky about her allies at this stage, especially ones that can serve as a safe zone Nexus can’t sneak into.
Further along, the Library could be demolished by Nexus to prevent humans from exploiting it, or the Library could be attacked by humans to prevent deadly information from spreading.
I confess to being worried the Library is going to be one of those frustrating “Karma Houdini” characters whose flaws are inexplicably ignored by the main characters. To eliminate the hypocrisy, the Library’s logical continuity and emotional agency will get conveniently steamrolled by Emma’s winning personality.

​

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      10. You must play through your current deposit, bonus, or free promotion before making a new deposit or claiming a bonus or free promotion. Your balance must fall below $1 before you can deposit or claim another bonus or free promotion.
      11. A minimum deposit of $10 is required to be eligible for any free promotion unless specified otherwise in the promotion.
      12. Previous balances in your User Account cannot be used to meet wagering requirements.
      13. Withdrawals cannot be made for amounts lesser than the bonus.
      14. Upon requesting a withdrawal, any amount up to the equivalent value of the deposit bonus will be deducted from your balance or winnings before settlement. This means if you deposit $500, get a $250 bonus, and meet all wagering requirements, a withdrawal request should be made for an amount less than the bonus received.
      15. Any winnings from games like 777 slot, baccarat, craps, pontoon blackjack, roulette, sic bo, or any Live Dealer games will be withheld if the bonus was wagered on these games. This applies to any amount exceeding your original deposit.
      16. The casino provides bonuses to encourage players. However, they aren't meant for "bonus hunters" or "bonus abusers". Accounts will be reviewed, and any account deemed as a "bonus hunter" or "bonus abuser" will have future bonuses and promotions restricted.
      17. Transaction records and logs may be reviewed by the casino or its authorized agent for any reason. Any strategies deemed abusive may result in the revocation of promotional entitlements and restrictions on eligibility for promotions. This also extends to refusing or rescinding bonuses for any reason, including player abuse.
      18. WELCOME BONUSES, FREE MONEY NO DEPOSIT BONUSES or MATCH BONUSES are accessible for claiming and withdrawing only to players from the following countries: United States, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden.
      19. Eligibility for bonuses and promotions is restricted to players from Australia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Russia, Uzbekistan, Poland, Moldova, Tajikistan, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles. cannot redeem or make withdrawals on certain bonuses. All other territories not mentioned can redeem and make withdrawals on certain bonuses after making one successful deposit at the casino. However, players from Thailand, Austria, Sri Lanka, Slovenia and Turkey may not be eligible for certain bonuses.
      20. Tournaments, Progressive Games, 777 slot or any Live Dealer games cannot be played with casino bonuses unless stated otherwise.
      21. All disputes will be resolved by the Casino's decision, which will be considered final.
      22. Once a bonus is claimed, its terms become immediately effective and remain so until a new deposit or bonus is processed, and after the bonus has been cleared from your balance. This also applies if your playable balance falls below $1, or if you deposit on top of your existing bonus balance. Any violations of the terms may result in all winnings being voided.
      23. Please note that all minimum deposit amounts are set in USD (United States Dollar). You must check the cashier for the minimum amount required in your currency before making your deposit.
      24. Only one free promotion may be redeemed between deposit-free bonuses.
      25. No consecutive payouts are allowed from free promotions without making a deposit in between.
      26. The right to decline providing any/all bonus(es) to players who have received an un-proportionate level of bonuses based on their bonus release to deposit ratio is reserved. This rule will not affect the player's existing balance/bonus.
      27. All coupon codes have an expiration date. Ensure you use the coupon code before it expires. All coupons have a 7-day expiration date from the day they are redeemed.
   2. New User Welcome Bonus
      1. The stipulations described here govern the complimentary welcome bonus for new users established upon the inauguration of a fresh user account:
      2. Should you receive a bonus not contingent on deposit (free chips), a wager 30x the free chip's value is requisite.
      3. A single free chip is accredited per individual, family, household address, email address, credit card number, and both individual and communal computing systems (such as a university, fraternity, school, public library, or workplace).
      4. If you've previously capitalized on any Welcome Bonus, subsequent Welcome Bonuses are not accessible to you.
      5. To proceed with any withdrawal from the New Signup Bonus, a verification deposit is essential. Failure to make this verification deposit within 7 days from receiving the New Signup Bonus will result in the forfeiture of all winnings and bonus amount without pre-notice.
   3. Procedure for Cashing in a Coupon:
      1. Sign into your User Account
      2. Select the CASHIER option
      3. Choose REDEEM COUPON
      4. Input the coupon code in the provided rectangular window and select REDEEM.
      5. Click on DEPOSIT.
      6. Your bonus and deposit will be credited to your User Account.
   4. Standard Deposit Coupon Regulations
      1. To cash out wins from a deposit bonus, a Player must bet the deposit plus the bonus amount 15 times, unless otherwise stated (wagers on 777, baccarat, craps, pontoon blackjack, roulette, sic bo or any Live Dealer games are excluded). For instance, with a $300 deposit and a bonus of $100, you are required to wager an aggregate of $10.000 (excluding wagers on 777, baccarat, craps, pontoon blackjack, roulette, sic bo, or any live dealer game) to initiate a withdrawal.
      2. Every coupon code may be applied to a single deposit. More than one coupon code per deposit is not permissible.
      3. Each coupon code can only be redeemed once. After a coupon has been utilized, it becomes void for the next redemption.
      4. All coupon codes come with an expiry date. Ensure to use the coupon code before it lapses. All coupons expire 7 days after being redeemed.
      5. Upon satisfying your wagering prerequisites, any surplus beyond your maximum cashout limit will be automatically deducted from your account.
   5. Standard Free Spin Coupon Guidelines
      1. You are obliged to wager 40x the value of the free spin winnings.
      2. You may withdraw a minimum of $50 and a maximum of $50 from free spin winnings unless stated otherwise in the promotion.
      3. Once your wagering requirements are met, any excess beyond your maximum cashout limit will automatically be deducted from your account.
      4. Every coupon code has an expiration date. It's important to use the coupon code before it becomes invalid. All coupons expire 7 days from the date they are redeemed.
   6. Standard Free Chip Bonus Protocols
      1. You are mandated to wager 20x the value of any free chip bonus, unless otherwise indicated in the promotion.
      2. You may withdraw a minimum of $50 and a maximum of 5x the value of the free chip bonus unless otherwise stated in the promotion.
      3. Upon meeting your wagering requirements, any remaining balance exceeding your maximum cashout limit will be automatically removed from your account.
      4. Each coupon code has a set expiration date. Be sure to use the coupon code before its expiry. All coupons are valid for 7 days from the date of redemption.
   7. Standard Complimentary Point Terms
      1. Complimentary Points, or "Comp Points," can be converted into real money at a rate of 100 Comp Points equating to $1. b. You must have amassed at least 100 points to be eligible for Comp Point redemption.
      2. If your playable balance is above $1, you are prohibited from redeeming Comp Points.
      3. Comp Points cannot be redeemed if you have a pending withdrawal.
      4. You cannot blend redeemed Comp Points with other deposit or coupon balances.
      5. The cashout limit for redeemed Comp Points is 25x the redeemed amount.
      6. Please note that you can redeem up to $20.00/2000 comp points a day unless otherwise is stated.
   8. Standard Terms for Instant Cashback
8. To request a cashback, your User Account balance must be less than $/€ 1.
9. You can redeem multiple cashback promotions unless you've been excluded from participating in bonus offers.
10. Any remaining balance after a cashback withdrawal will be deducted.
11. You must contact the Casino to claim your cashback.
12. Cashbacks cannot be applied to deposits older than 7 days.
13. Cashbacks are only applicable to lost deposits without bonus funds.
14. You can claim a cashback for deposits lost since your last withdrawal or cashback, whichever occurred most recently.
15. If you make a withdrawal from received cashback or any other free promotion, it won't be eligible for a new cashback. You need to cover the withdrawn amount with lost deposits before becoming eligible again.
16. Deposits used for wagering on restricted games (777 slot, baccarat, craps, pontoon blackjack, roulette, sic bo, or any Live Dealer games) are not eligible for cashback.
17. Cashback is reduced by half if you wager any amount on Blackjack or 21 games.
18. Any portion of a bonus-free deposit used to enter a tournament (Buy-in, Add-on, or Re-Buy) will be subtracted from the qualifying amount for cashback.
19. Deposits used for transferring funds to Live Dealer games are ineligible for cashback, irrespective of whether Live Dealer games were played.
    1. Terms for Players Excluded from Bonuses
       1. Should a player who is disqualified from bonuses participate and profit from promotions or money bonuses, they will be obstructed from doing so by the Casino's automated system.
       2. In cases where a player attempts to manipulate the system or engages in dishonest practices, they will face immediate suspension and forfeiture of all bonuses, winnings, and associated privileges.
    2. Bonus Collusion
       1. The Casino reserves the right to suspend your account, pending an investigation, should there be reasonable grounds to suspect involvement in any form of collusion, syndication, or fraud during your interaction with the casino platform, website, and/or systems.
       2. We also reserve the right to withhold part or all of your account balance, terminate your account permanently, and recover from your account the sum of any winnings, pay-outs, or bonuses that have been influenced by any of the following activities:
       3. Collusion: The concerted effort of two or more individuals aiming to gain an unjust edge over the software and other players by pooling funds, thereby artificially increasing available bankroll through multiple bonus awards. This behavior seeks to maximize the probability of significant slot winnings while ensuring the pay-out is distributed to one of the colluding members, compromising the winning potential of other players at the casino.
       4. Syndication: It comes to our notice that you belong to or form part of a syndicate, club, or group where players are given strategies for advantage play to create positive expectancy scenarios via promotional offers.
       5. Exploitation of a fault, loophole, or error in our software or any third-party software provided for the services under this agreement.
       6. We learn that you have been found guilty of fraudulent or collusive behavior at another online gaming business, which includes charge-backs, collusion, or criminal activities.
       7. We find out that you have made fraudulent charge-backs, denied transfers, deposits, and purchases to your account.
       8. Use of automated play software such as 'bots' or any type of simulation tools or systems designed to provide an unfair advantage over the casino.
       9. The original deposit or User Account balance, whichever is the lesser amount, will be credited back to the User Account from which the deposit originated. The original deposit may be withdrawn at a minimum of $50.
       10. As a player at this Casino, you agree not to collude or attempt to collude or intend to be part of, directly or indirectly, a collusion scheme that involves sharing winnings between selected players, sharing funds, or working towards a mutual end goal while benefiting from multiple acquisition incentive offers to the detriment of other players not involved in the collusion. You also agree to inform the Casino if you suspect a player is colluding or planning to collude with other players. You further agree that you are not part of a syndicate or group engaging in advantage play strategies.
       11. We will thoroughly investigate any case where we suspect fraudulent activity, collusion, syndication, or illegal activity. We also reserve the right to inform our business units, processing companies, electronic payment providers, or other financial institutions we use, about your identity and any suspected unlawful, fraudulent, or improper activity.
20. GAME RULES
    1. The Casino's game server has been scrutinized by an independent User Accounting firm and validated for offering fair odds and for compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
    2. The Casino retains the absolute right to modify, withdraw or replace any Game at the Casino at any given time, along with the prices, features, specifications, capabilities, functions or other attributes of Services and/or Games.
    3. You accept the results of all Games as received in the client application from the Casino’s game server and agree that the Casino’s random number generator software determines the outcomes of the Games.
    4. The Casino may limit pending Games (games that have been quit without action from you) to one pending Game per Player.
    5. If a Game remains pending for 30 days without any action from you, the Casino reserves the right to terminate the Game.
21. PRIVACY POLICY
    1. During your Account registration, you will be required to provide certain personal data. This includes, but is not limited to, your first and last name, home address, e-mail address, and phone number.
    2. We pledge not to sell, donate, or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party. Your personal data will only be disclosed when mandated by any Governing Authority and/or under any legal provision contained in the Governing Law.
    3. Your personal identity and details will remain confidential and we will never disclose wagering information on your behalf.
    4. All communication or correspondence between you and the Casino is considered private and not meant for distribution or publication on Internet forums.
    5. We might ask for certain document copies to verify your identity when you make a withdrawal for the first time. We may randomly request these documents to ensure the security of your account.
22. COMPLAINTS
    1. For any complaints, please reach out to our support team round the clock via email, live chat on the Website, or e-mail our management.
    2. The Casino will make every effort to resolve all complaints. If you remain dissatisfied with the resolution provided by the Casino, your complaint can be directed to Curacao eGaming.
23. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY
    1. The Casino bears no responsibility for any malfunctions related to hardware (either yours or the Casino's), network, telephone line, system, or Internet.
    2. If there are any issues with the gaming computer hardware, the gaming server, the implementation of the rules of a Game, the random number generator, or the accounting for the play, or if a human error is made by the Casino, any of its suppliers, or anyone else involved in the process, the Casino is not liable for any winnings that result from these errors. Any winnings resulting from any error are forfeited. In case of any dispute regarding a wager or winnings, the decision of the Casino will be final and binding.
    3. You indemnify and hold the Casino, its software provider (Real Time Gaming), their respective licensees, distributors, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and all of their officers, directors, advertising, promotion or other agencies, media partners, and others harmless from any legal action, demand, cause of action, claim, liability, costs, expenses, liabilities, damages, fines, penalties, fees or other charges that may arise as a result of the use or re-use of the Website, the Games, gaming with or through us, or receipt of winnings from us.

Product Compliance Requirements

When it comes to selling on Amazon FBA, ensuring product compliance is paramount. Amazon maintains strict guidelines regarding the types of products that can be sold on its platform. Products must comply with relevant laws and regulations, including safety standards, labeling requirements, and intellectual property rights.

Restricted Categories and Products

Amazon restricts the sale of certain categories and products to maintain the integrity of its marketplace and uphold customer trust. Restricted categories may include but are not limited to:

• Weapons and Firearms: Items such as firearms, ammunition, and explosive devices are strictly prohibited.
• Medical Devices: Products claiming to diagnose, treat, or cure medical conditions without proper authorization are prohibited.
• Prescription Medications: Selling prescription drugs without appropriate licensing is forbidden.
• Alcohol and Tobacco: Special permits and compliance with legal age requirements are necessary for selling these products.

It's imperative for sellers to thoroughly research and understand the restrictions associated with their chosen product categories to avoid violations and potential account suspension.

Intellectual Property Rights

Respecting intellectual property rights is non-negotiable on Amazon FBA. Sellers must ensure that their products do not infringe upon trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by others. Failure to comply with intellectual property laws can result in severe consequences, including legal action and account suspension.

Compliance with Amazon Policies

Amazon has established a set of policies and guidelines that sellers must adhere to strictly. These policies cover various aspects, including product listings, customer communication, and account management. Key policies include:

• Product Detail Page Rules: Accurate and transparent product listings are essential to maintaining customer trust and satisfaction.
• Prohibited Seller Activities: Engaging in deceptive practices, such as fake reviews or manipulating sales rank, is strictly prohibited.
• Customer Service Standards: Providing prompt and satisfactory customer service is integral to success on Amazon FBA.

Tax and Legal Considerations

Operating a business on Amazon FBA entails various tax and legal obligations that sellers must fulfill. These may include:

• Sales Tax Compliance: Sellers are responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax in states where they have nexus.
• Business Entity Formation: Choosing the right legal structure for your business can have significant implications for liability and taxation.
• Import and Export Regulations: Selling internationally may subject sellers to additional customs duties and regulations.

Navigating the complex landscape of tax and legal requirements requires careful planning and consultation with professionals familiar with e-commerce regulations.

Utilizing Amazon Seller Tools

Helium 10 is a powerful suite of tools designed to assist sellers in maximizing their success on Amazon FBA. Here's how this software can be invaluable for navigating the regulations and restrictions associated with selling on Amazon:

1. Product Research: With its robust product research capabilities, this tool allows sellers to identify profitable product opportunities while ensuring compliance with Amazon's regulations. Users can analyze market trends, assess demand, and evaluate competition to make informed decisions about which products to sell.
2. Keyword Research: Understanding the right keywords is essential for optimizing product listings and driving organic traffic on Amazon. The keyword research tools provided by this software offer valuable insights into search volume, competition, and relevancy, helping sellers optimize their listings for maximum visibility while staying within Amazon's guidelines.
3. Listing Optimization: Sellers can leverage the listing optimization tools within this software to create compelling product listings that comply with Amazon's policies and regulations. By optimizing titles, bullet points, descriptions, and backend keywords, sellers can improve search visibility and conversion rates, ultimately maximizing sales potential.
4. Product Monitoring: This software offers monitoring tools that allow sellers to track their products' performance and detect any potential policy violations or infringements. Users can set up alerts for changes in their listings, monitor competitor activity, and ensure compliance with Amazon's guidelines to avoid account suspension or penalties.
5. Inventory Management: Proper inventory management is crucial for maintaining compliance with Amazon's policies, particularly regarding product availability and shipping times. With the inventory management tools provided by this software, sellers can track inventory levels, forecast demand, and streamline the replenishment process, ensuring uninterrupted sales and adherence to Amazon's requirements.
6. Review Management: Sellers can utilize the review management tools offered by this software to manage product reviews and feedback effectively. By monitoring and responding to customer reviews, identifying trends and patterns, and taking proactive measures to address any issues or concerns, sellers can enhance customer satisfaction and compliance with Amazon's customer service standards.

Conclusion

Selling on Amazon FBA offers unparalleled opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach a global audience and grow their businesses. However, success on the platform hinges on a thorough understanding of the regulations and restrictions imposed by Amazon. By prioritizing compliance with product standards, intellectual property laws, and Amazon policies, sellers can establish a solid foundation for long-term success in the competitive e-commerce landscape.
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Kia ora,
At first I begged forgiveness as I was meant to go down Howe Street (off Karangahape Road, Auckland) but first pulled into the bus lane close to Hereford St (the one before Howe St) and would have been a legal move if I'd made the turn but I stayed in the bus lane just after Hereford. According to AT these two streets are 75m apart, so my infringement began here. They stated to me in the notice: "The relevant legislation is the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 section 2.3(1)(f)"
They have three images to prove I was in the Special Vehicle Lane. I can't exactly deny it and have to take their word it is 75m to Howe Street. However, there were mitigating circumstances with other cars coming into this lane early (clearly changing lanes into this bus lane before 50m and limiting my ability to get out of the lane into the right-hand, straight-ahead lane). It is also one of those situations where if I did manoeuvre out of the bus lane I'd then block traffic while I bunny-hopped/queue-jumped back into the left-turn lane. All of this being bad driving, discourteous and dangerous... so I stayed in the lane. I decided to look up the relevant legislation that they cite (i.e., specifically section 2.3(1)(f) as it applies to this infringement) and I found the following in subclause (3) that refers to subclause (1) and offers an exception:
2.3 Use of lanes
(1) A driver, when driving, must not use—
(f) a special vehicle lane reserved for a specific class or classes of vehicle unless—
(i) the vehicle is one of the class or classes of vehicle for which the lane is reserved; or
(ii) the vehicle is an emergency vehicle being used in an emergency.
…
(3) However, a driver may drive wholly or partly in a lane that is unavailable to the driver under subclause (1) or clause 4.6(2) to (4) if—
(a) it is impracticable to proceed otherwise because of—
(i) the size of the driver’s vehicle; or
(ii) the size of the load on the driver’s vehicle; or
(iii) a road obstruction; and
(b) driving in that lane can be done safely and without impeding other traffic.
I believe the 2.3(3) (a)(iii) and (b) acknowledges that there can be mitigating circumstances that require drivers to make decisions that prioritise safety for themselves and other drivers as noted in the main Objective of the rule - cars were obstructing me getting out of the lane and I was not impeding other vehicles. I was not freely driving down the bus lane. I was caught in a situation where I used my judgement not to pull into a right-hand, straight-through traffic lane from a slowed or stopped position where I was hemmed in by the car in front. I was not impeding traffic in the lane I was in, but I would have impeded traffic if I attempted to pull out and then pull back in again. The bus that makes use of this special vehicle lane was at the head of this line of traffic, stopped by the left-turning only arrow that was red at the time, and therefore it was not impeded by my vehicle.
I sent a three-page document with a request to submit it to the court to challenge the infringement based on the legislation they are using to impose it. I had to tick the 'guilty' box as I am in the lane and can't deny that, but the court hearing document that you fill out says you can submit documentation for the court to consider (via AT). Well, the court hearing is set and they have sent me a Form 10A with a CRN number but their 'Caption Sheet' has a 'Summary of Facts' with only their stated evidence (I was in the lane between Hereford St and Howe St) and finishes with: "The defendent later admitted liability and requested a hearing" but none of my material is present (I posted it to them as required to include in my submission to go to what is described as a Justice of the Peace or Judge to impose a ruling).
I felt I had a good reason based on the images and legislative reasons to challenge it, so opted to ask for a JP or judge to look at the evidence as per my supposed right for a hearing. The document I've gotten back from them suggests I'm just going through the motions for sentencing. Not what I expected based on the court hearing document they send you: Court Hearing Request Form
See Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 for more info. It speaks to best road intentions, highlighting safety and courtesy. AT does not seem interested in these parts of the legislation.

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/04/22/biden-harris-administration-issues-new-rule-support-reproductive-health-care-privacy-under-hipaa.html
Highlights:
In April 2023, OCR published proposed modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to address changes in the legal landscape affecting reproductive health care privacy that make it more likely than before that PHI may be used and disclosed in ways that HIPAA intended to protect. OCR received almost 30,000 comments on the proposed rule from the public. After carefully considering these comments, the Department is issuing a Final Rule that:

• Prohibits the use or disclosure of PHI when it is sought to investigate or impose liability on individuals, health care providers, or others who seek, obtain, provide, or facilitate reproductive health care that is lawful under the circumstances in which such health care is provided, or to identify persons for such activities.
• Requires a regulated health care provider, health plan, clearinghouse, or their business associates, to obtain a signed attestation that certain requests for PHI potentially related to reproductive health care are not for these prohibited purposes.
• Requires regulated health care providers, health plans, and clearinghouses to modify their Notice of Privacy Practices to support reproductive health care privacy.

Diversifying your investment portfolio with precious metals is a smart move, especially for securing wealth against market volatility and inflation. And when it comes to retirement planning, a self-directed IRA is an ideal choice for investing in precious metals. However, with numerous gold IRA companies available, it can be a daunting task to pick the best one.
We have conducted extensive research to compile a list of the three most trusted precious metals IRA companies for 2024.
Our article includes a comprehensive review, fee comparison, and crucial details to help you decide the right company for your precious metals IRA investment.
These companies excel in offering competitive fees, excellent customer service, and diverse storage options, ensuring that your precious metals IRA is in safe hands.

Top Gold IRA Companies Reviewed

• Augusta Precious Metals 🥇 — The Leading Gold IRA Company
• Goldco 🥈 — Runner-up, Trusted Company
• American Hartford Gold 🥉 — Best for Smaller Investments
• Birch Gold Group — Best for Variety of Precious Metals
• Advantage Gold — Best for Low Fees
• Noble Gold Investments — Best New Gold IRA Company

All of these companies offer gold IRA accounts; however, despite providing similar services, they each have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Continue reading to learn more.

1. Augusta Precious Metals — Best Gold IRA Company Overall

Augusta Precious Metals has gained recognition for its high-quality gold and silver IRA products, as well as transparent pricing. The company doesn't have any hidden fees, ensuring their customers enjoy cost-effectiveness and a clear understanding of the expenses involved.
The company specializes in gold IRA investments and presents a broad selection of gold bullion and premium gold alternatives, which include popular coins like American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, American Eagle Proofs, Gold Canadian Eagles, American Buffalos, Australian Striped Marlin coins, and more.
The company prides itself on offering coins and bars with a 99.5% purity level. Augusta does not impose management fees; however, customers must be aware of the IRA setup and depository storage fees.

• Minimum deposit: $50,000
• BBB Rating: A+

General overview
Augusta Precious Metals is the best gold IRA company you can find online. As someone who has been researching and investing in precious metals for several years, I can confidently say that Augusta Precious Metals is one of the best companies in the industry.
One way a business can distinguish itself from the competition in this market is to prioritize transparency. Augusta Precious Metals has accomplished this by implementing a simple and transparent fee system. As a result, they have emerged as one of the top gold IRA companies overall.
Thanks to its dedication to educating customers about gold and silver investments, Augusta Precious Metals is a trusted gold IRA company that provides complete information regarding expenses when setting up a gold IRA account with them. This includes one-time fees, transaction-related costs, and yearly expenses. The company's philosophy is that informing customers of their upfront expenses helps them be better prepared for their investment journey. As a result, customers feel more confident and assured when investing in their gold IRA.
Furthermore, Augusta Precious Metals offers a buyback guarantee if customers are unsatisfied with their services. They also have price protection policies to help first-time gold IRA owners and investors navigate buying gold without taking on excessive risks.
While Augusta Precious Metals excels in transparency and customer service, they have received criticism for their limited product selection and high investment minimum. Specifically, the company does not offer a wide variety of palladium and platinum products and focuses on gold and silver bullion and coins. Also, the customers must invest a substantial amount at the outset to begin working with them.

2. Goldco — Best for Customer Service

Goldco is an exceptional choice for individuals seeking to add gold to their IRA portfolio. The company offers self-directed gold and silver IRAs and offers customers various funding options. These include rollovers for 403(b)s, thrift savings plans, savings accounts, and IRAs, offering customers flexibility in how they fund their accounts. Goldco is one of the biggest names in the industry, so you can expect high-quality customer service through every step of the way.

• Minimum deposit: $25,000
• BBB Rating: A+

General overview
Investor education is crucial in making informed and confident investment decisions. Goldco, a prominent company in the precious metals industry, stands out for offering its customers an extensive investor education program.
Upon becoming a Goldco customer, gold IRA investors gain access to a library of informative materials, including blogs, eBooks, webinars, and free guides. The company's website also provides customer-exclusive tools, such as real-time price monitors and precious metals market analysis. The goal is to present information in an easily digestible format, enabling customers to make the best possible investment decisions.
Goldco's "white-glove service" is another standout feature. As a customer, you'll have total peace of mind throughout the entire Gold IRA rollovetransfer process. A trained precious metals specialist will guide you through every step of the transaction, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience.
Goldco is absolutely transparent when it comes to fees. Here is the current information regarding the company's fees:
A minimum investment requirement of $25,000 to open a gold IRA account is currently the second-highest investment minimum in the industry.
Overall, Goldco boasts a fast order-clearing rate, with transactions completed within hours to a day.

3. American Hartford Gold — The Lowest Minimum Investment

American Hartford Gold offers a diverse selection of IRA-approved gold coins, bars, and silver products, similar to other gold IRAs mentioned in this review. In addition, it provides rollover support from a range of accounts, such as traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, thrift savings plans, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and 457 plans.
American Hartford gold is a good option for smaller investors who cannot afford to put more than $25,000 or more into precious metals.
The company's gold selection includes various options, such as Saint Helena Sovereign Gold, Australia Wildlife Gold, Canadian Buffalo, American Eagle, American Eagle Proof, and more.

• No minimum deposit
• BBB Rating: A+

General overview
Like other precious metals IRA companies, American Hartford Gold promises competitive product pricing and reasonable fees. However, where the company truly excels is in its customer service.
Reviews have consistently praised the attentive and professional staff at American Hartford Gold. They are known to respond promptly to inquiries and swiftly address client concerns. Additionally, the company's hotline is available 24/7, ensuring customers can transact with them regardless of location and time of day.
Unfortunately, American Hartford Gold is infamous for its relatively slow transaction speeds. It can take 3 to 5 days for an order to clear, with shipping taking up to a week. Furthermore, the company only offers to ship to customers within the US.

4. Birch Gold Group — Best for Variety of Precious Metals

With a long track record of helping investors with gold IRAs and earning top marks from consumer rating agencies, Birch Gold Group is the best dealer for a variety of metals. Their dedication to superior customer service has earned them top marks from reputable rating agencies such as an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau and a five-star rating from Consumer Affairs among others. Not many businesses in this industry can say the same!

• Minimum deposit: $10,000
• BBB Rating: A+

General overview
One of the primary reasons that Birch Gold sets itself apart from competitors is by offering investor-direct pricing. By working as a dealer-direct company, customers avoid the fees typically charged for purchases of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion or coins. This means that customers can invest more without paying high fees.
While not much information about fees or account minimums is offered on Birch Gold Group's website, it is known that there is a minimum investment of $10,000 disclosed in marketing materials. However, potential customers should contact them directly before signing up to get all the necessary information.
But what truly makes Birch Gold Group stand out from other dealers are its customer service practices. Their account managers strive to understand each customer's objectives so they can offer tailored recommendations specific to each client's needs. Account set-up can be done either online or over the phone, making it accessible and convenient for investors.
If you're looking for a reputation built on excellence in customer service coupled with unbeatable investor-direct pricing choices for precious metals investment options like gold IRA's then look no further than Birch Gold Group. They're sure to help you secure your financial future through investing in these shiny commodities with ease and reliability!

5. Advantage Gold — Best for Low Fees

Advantage Gold is the best gold IRA company for low fees. With hands-on customer support and a comprehensive educational platform, Advantage Gold is also a great option for first-time buyers.
If you're looking for low fees while still enjoying top-notch customer service and educational resources to invest in gold IRA arrangement then- look no further than Advantage Gold.

• Minimum deposit: $25,000
• BBB Rating: A+

General overview
One of the standout features of Advantage Gold is their commitment to superior customer service. While the company is relatively new to the business, their experienced management team and highly trained staff make up for it in spades. The company offers resources and educational materials that can help new investors get started with gold and other precious metals without feeling pressured or intimidated.
Advantage Gold works with Strata Trust Company for custodian services at a low $50 setup fee and $95 annual account fee, plus either commingled ($100) or segregated storage ($150). There are also processing fees of $40 on purchases, sales, or exchanges. One unique feature of Advantage Gold is that there are no minimum order values required.
Advantage Gold also has a liberal buy-back program offering repurchases at the going market rate - higher than the spot price offered by some competitors. Moreover, they offer investors an asset comparison tool that shows how different investment amounts have performed during different time periods against 5 assets types - gold, S&P 500, NASDAQ, Dow Jones index and oil along with savings account comparison making it easy for investors find their suitable asset type within allocation percentage.
When it comes to storage needs, Advantage Gold partners with Brink's Global Services USA and Delaware Depository — two reputable vault companies known for their safekeeping practices.

6. Noble Gold Investments — Best New Gold IRA Company

Noble Gold Investments is a newer player in the gold IRA space, having been established in 2016. However, it has quickly become a popular choice for new investors due to its low minimum investment and extensive educational resources.
If you're considering investing in gold, Noble Gold Investments offers excellent value for money while providing personalized support backed by informative resources along with reliable partners handling custodial services as well as insured secure storage location ensuring your investments stay safe during these volatile times.

• Minimum deposit: $2,000
• BBB Rating: A+

General overview
While the account minimum at Noble Gold is said to be $2,000, the lack of standardized disclosure forms can make it difficult to confirm. Nevertheless, the company has gained favorable ratings with Consumer Affairs and BBB.
One key aspect that sets Noble Gold apart from other gold dealers is its commitment to personalized service. Potential customers receive an initial consultation where their needs and objectives are discussed before being assigned a trusted advisor who guides them without high-pressure sales tactics.
The fees at Noble Gold are competitive with new customers not being charged a setup fee. There is an $80 annual service fee and a $150 annual storage fee that covers segregated storage thanks to Noble's partnership with International Depository Services (IDS). The IDS facility provides Lloyd's of London insurance policy giving their clients peace of mind knowing their investments are covered.
The company also provides competitive pricing on gold purchases through its wide network of partners and suppliers. Additionally, they offer a "no-questions-asked" buy-back service which makes investing even more stress-free.
Noble Gold's custodian is Equity Institutional while IDS takes care of storage located across three locations in the US and Canada two based in the US with Lloyd's of London insurance policies covering all storage accounts.
Lastly, potential customers can take advantage of Noble Gold's comprehensive website where they can consult educational materials at length before approaching representatives for assistance on account registration completing the process under professional guidance.

How We Ranked The Best Gold IRA Companies

We evaluated several factors to rank the top gold investment companies, including reputation, experience, and client reviews. These companies have excellent reputations and extensive expertise in the market, and their clients have given them positive feedback for their exceptional service.

Reputation and Reviews

Reviews are the most significant factor when selecting a gold IRA company. Our list includes companies prioritizing customer service, offering comprehensive guidance, and adhering to IRS standards. In addition, each company has received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and positive client testimonials.

The Ease of Setup

Ease of use and setup is another essential factor when selecting a gold IRA company. All the companies on our list provide representatives to guide you throughout the setup process, ensuring that everything complies with IRS standards.

Costs and Fees

These are the most challenging factors to detail, as prices in the precious metal world can change rapidly. While we could not find up-to-date pricing information on each company, we offer general details on what you can expect to pay. Gold IRA providers typically charge a commission based on a percentage of your precious metals purchase, around 5%.
Additionally, expect a one-time setup fee of less than $200 and annual fees of around $300 for account maintenance and storage. The best gold IRA companies are known for transparency, and representatives should disclose all fees upfront.

Selection of Products

The selection of gold and silver products is essential when choosing a gold IRA company. All the firms we reviewed offer IRS-approved precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Additionally, they provide educational resources to learn more about the various products.

Potential Buybacks

Potential buybacks are an essential consideration as well. All the companies on our list participate in buybacks, allowing you to sell precious metals if needed. However, if you cash out any of your funds before you reach the age of 59.5, you will pay a 10% penalty to the IRS. Therefore, we recommend precious metals investing only if you can afford to forget about the value until retirement.

Other Gold IRA Companies We Considered

There are numerous precious metal IRA companies currently operating within the U.S. However, not every company meets the criteria to be featured on our curated list. In the following section, we provide an analysis of several well-known companies that, despite their popularity, were not selected for inclusion in our list.

1. Red Rock Secured

Red Rock Secured provides services to safeguard clients' retirement savings through strategic diversification in precious metals and gold. However, they didn't make it to our main list due to insufficient data regarding their expenses and fees. Also, Red Rock Secured has recently become a target of a federal lawsuit, so we cannot recommend this company.

• Minimum deposit: $10,000
• BBB Rating: Not Rated (Under Investigation)

2. Patriot Gold Group

Despite its popularity, Patriot Gold Group currently has limited customer reviews on TrustPilot and the BBB, which may make it difficult for potential investors to gauge company's overall performance. Also, their aggressive marketing approach may deter some investors from choosing them as their gold IRA provider. Read our Patriot Gold Group review to learn more.

• Minimum deposit: $25,000
• BBB Rating: A+

3. Lear Capital

On March 2, 2022, Lear Capital requested reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Act, with case number 22-10165. For this reason and a number of complaints on Better Business Bureau and other websites we cannot recommend this gold IRA company. The company currently operates under court's supervision. There is more information about this company in our review of Lear Capital.

• Minimum deposit: $5,000
• BBB Rating: C+

4. Oxford Gold Group

Oxford Gold Group is a reputable precious metals IRA company; however, it did not make it to our list primarily due to a growing number of complaints reported on BBB. Over the past three years, the company has received a total of 17 complaints, with 14 of them being lodged within the last 12 months.

• Minimum deposit: $7,500
• BBB Rating: A+

5. Orion Metal Exchange

We didn't include Orion Metal Exchange into our list of the top precious metals IRA companies because it has high prices and the biggest gap between the selling and purchasing prices of precious metals compared to other gold IRA providers.

• Minimum deposit: $10,000
• BBB Rating: A+

What is Precious Metals IRA?

For those aiming to protect their savings from inflation and economic downturns, a precious metals IRA is one of many options available. But what distinguishes a precious metals IRA from a traditional IRA?
A traditional IRA is a retirement savings account funded with pre-tax dollars that enjoy tax-deferred growth. Conversely, a precious metals IRA is a retirement account that is funded with physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium. A precious metals IRA offers investors greater investment choice flexibility and control, making it a favored option for those looking to diversify their investment portfolio.
Unlike traditional IRAs, which have annual contribution limits of $5,500 (or $6,500 for those over age 50), precious metal IRAs have much higher limits of $30,000 per year. Investors also have the option of rolling over their existing 401(k) or 403(b) accounts, making them an appealing choice for those looking to boost their exposure to precious metals.
However, it's important to note that managing a precious metals IRA can be complicated and costly. An IRA custodian is responsible for managing the account and a depository vault stores the physical assets. Special IRS rules also apply to the use of a precious metals IRA, and failing to meet certain conditions can result in tax penalties. Additionally, maintaining an IRA can cost up to $300 per year, not including fees incurred when purchasing and shipping precious metals.
Despite the complexities and costs associated with precious metals IRAs, they remain a popular choice for those looking to protect and diversify their retirement savings.

What Are the Advantages of Precious Metals IRAs?

Setting up a precious metal IRA has several compelling reasons. Firstly, diversifying your portfolio by investing in physical precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium can add a less volatile asset class with a finite supply, reducing your overall risk.
Precious metals come in different forms such as coins, bullions, and bars from various countries, offering additional diversification opportunities. Some IRAs also allow for the storage of digital currencies like Bitcoin, providing even more diversification opportunities.
A precious metal IRA also offers the ability to invest in other assets like stocks and bonds for generating passive income while preserving the value of your savings. Income generated from these assets may be subject to tax deferments or exemptions, making them an attractive long-term investment option.
In uncertain economic conditions, a precious metal IRA can provide safety and stability. Precious metals have high intrinsic value and demand, making them a reliable investment that can withstand market fluctuations and inflation. Investing even a small portion of your wealth in precious metals can protect the majority of your savings from economic volatility.
Finally, a precious metal IRA offers a level of control not found in other retirement solutions. You can customize your IRA to contain only the assets you prefer, whether that be gold, silver, palladium, platinum, or rare coins and bars. Moreover, every IRA company has a process in place to facilitate the buying and selling of assets within the account.
Although there are limitations in place to prevent tax-related abuses, a precious metal IRA is an attractive option for diversifying your portfolio, generating passive income, and safeguarding your savings from market volatility.

Why Buy Physical Precious Metals?

Several financial experts suggest that mutual funds and stock markets may be at risk of correction and overvaluation, similar to historical incidents in 1929, 1987, 2000, and 2008. In order to balance the market risk, stock market investors must consider investing in precious metals, not just gold stocks, as they are vulnerable to market risks and volatility, which can impact their business risk. During times of financial instability, physical gold has been a top-rated financial asset. Precious metals are an investment class that does not pose liability to anyone else.

The possibility of inflation

To prevent a recession, the U.S. government has utilized an easy monetary policy and increased spending to inflate the economy. Precious metals have historically provided protection against inflation and profit opportunities, as demonstrated by the significant rise in precious metal prices in the 1970s when inflation rates reached double digits.

The 21st century wealth protection

Rising levels of national and international strife, terrorism, war, devaluation of the U.S. Dollar, overvalued stocks, bonds, and real estate markets are legitimate concerns for investors today. These economic events also increase the possibilities of inflation, deflation, recessions, depressions, and even more challenging times in the near future.
For thousands of years, in good and bad times, physical precious metals have offered investors a dependable, long-term, and tangible method of holding wealth. Unlike paper investments such as stocks and bonds, which can be worthless overnight, precious metals investments have genuine intrinsic value. Given the current uncertain environment, it is appropriate to consider investing in precious metals as an alternative strategy.

Top Precious Metals Investment Options

For those looking to diversify their retirement portfolios, a variety of precious metals can be added. These metals hold significant value due to their rarity, usefulness in multiple industries, and ability to store value. Common choices include gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Read on to learn more about each option.

Gold

Gold is the most renowned and popular metal for investment. For this reason, lots of investors turn to gold individual retirement accounts (gold IRAs). Gold stands out due to its malleability, durability, and its conductivity of heat and electricity. It is predominantly used for crafting jewelry and as a form of currency. It is also crucial in industries such as electronics and dentistry.
Gold has always been considered valuable since its discovery. Investors often choose gold investments over other financial instruments like bonds and stocks. Gold is a go-to choice during periods of political or economic turmoil and as a safeguard against rising inflation.
Various methods exist for investing in gold. Some individuals may purchase physical gold in the form of coins, jewelry, or bars, while others may opt for gold stocks or shares in royalty and mining companies.
Each gold investment option has its pros and cons. Drawbacks may include storage and insurance costs and the potential underperformance of gold stocks. On the flip side, advantages of gold investments may include the ability to monitor prices and the potential to outperform gold stocks and ETFs.

Silver

Following gold, silver is the second most well-known precious metal commodity. Silver is an indispensable industrial metal in fields such as photography, electronics, and electrical manufacturing. Its electrical properties make it crucial for solar panels. Silver is also used in jewelry, coins, bars, and silverware production.
In certain situations, silver's value can exceed gold prices during periods of high investor and industrial demand. However, due to its dual role as an industrial and precious metal, silver's price tends to be more volatile than gold.

Platinum

Gold and silver investments prove to be the most stable ones. But what about platinum? Similar to silver, platinum is predominantly found in the industrial sector. Its properties are vital to the automotive industry, where platinum is used in the production of catalytic converters, reducing vehicle emissions. The computer and petroleum industries also rely on platinum.
Platinum belongs to a group of six platinum-group metals (PGM), which also includes palladium, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, and osmium. These metals have shared properties and are often found in the same mineral deposits.

Palladium

Although palladium is a rare and valuable metal, it is not as heavily focused on by investors as gold and silver. Consequently, gold IRA companies typically offer limited palladium options in their offerings.
Palladium has applications in industrial products and the electronics market. Additionally, it is used in groundwater treatment, medicine, jewelry, dentistry, and certain chemical processes.

Is Silver or Gold IRA Good for Retirement Investment?

Precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium can be stored in a precious metals IRA in various forms such as bullion coins, small bullion bars, and proof coins. These products can be sourced from the United States or from other nations across the globe, as long as they are approved precious metals before storing in precious metal, gold, or silver IRAs.
It's important to note that in the past, the circulation of internationally-minted products was not allowed, limiting investment options to American Gold Eagles and Gold Buffalos, as well as some US-specific bars and coins. However, in 1997, the IRS began allowing coins from other countries to be circulated in US IRAs.
To ensure compliance, it's essential to verify that what you are buying passes IRS standards and is an approved precious metal. For gold, this means the purity must be at 99.95%, while for silver, platinum, and palladium, the purity must be at a near-perfect 99.99% or higher.
Counterfeits are another issue to consider when investing in precious metals. The federal and state governments are cracking down on the circulation of fake coins and bars, but the problem persists. To protect your investment, it's vital to only make purchases through a legitimate and reputable gold IRA company. By taking these precautions, a Silver or Gold IRA can be a sound investment option for retirement.

How Much of Your IRA Should Include Precious Metals?

If you're thinking about storing precious metals in your IRA, it's essential to diversify your investments. Experts suggest you allocate only 5-10% of your IRA to precious physical metals rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.
You shouldn't invest 100% of your IRA in precious metals for a few reasons. Firstly, diversification is vital to protecting your investments and reducing your risk. Secondly, precious metals aren't great at generating income, unlike stocks and bonds that pay dividends.
The only way to profit from precious metals is by selling them, which can be complicated and come with fees. Plus, precious metals aren't always recession-proof, despite what some people may believe.
To protect your investments and hedge against economic downturns, spreading your money across different market sectors is a good idea. By making small, thoughtful investments in different areas, you can build a diverse portfolio that will give you the best chance of success in the long run.

How to Open a Precious Metal IRA

Opening a precious metals IRA can be a bit more complicated than setting up a standard IRA due to several differences. However, that doesn't mean you can't anticipate the process. Here are some steps you can expect when opening a precious metals IRA.

Find a self-directed IRA custodian

Unlike regular IRA companies, none of them is allowed to manage precious metals IRAs. Instead, you'll need to find a self-directed IRA custodian, a bank, an equity trust company, or another IRS-approved institution. Make sure to research and choose a trusted custodian and be aware of any fees they may charge.

Choose a precious metals dealer

Once you have a custodian, you must find a reputable dealer to purchase precious metals. Look for dealers in industry groups like the Industry Council of Tangible Assets, the Professional Numismatists Guild, or the American Numismatics Association. You can also ask your IRA company for recommendations.

Decide what products to buy

The availability and prices of gold and silver coins and bars can fluctuate, so do your research and choose products you're familiar with. Start with standard products like American Gold Eagles or Canadian Maple Leaf coins and gradually move on to rarer and riskier products.

Choose a depository

The precious metals IRA company won't store your purchases, so you must choose an IRS-approved depository facility. Look for one that's close to you and fits your budget. Also, consider choosing segregated-type vault storage for extra security.

Complete the transaction

Once everything is set up, you can complete your purchase. Your custodian, IRA company, and depository service will manage your accounts and assets, but check the value of your orders regularly.

Choosing a Trustworthy Gold IRA Custodian

When you acquire precious metal IRAs, the responsibility of storing these valuable metals falls on you. However, the IRS prohibits gold IRA owners from keeping the metals at home. Your optimal choice is to entrust your assets to a reputable gold IRA custodian.
Custodians are often credit unions, banks, brokerage firms, or other financial organizations that have obtained federal authorization to offer asset custody services. While gold IRA companies may suggest particular custodians, clients are free to select any dependable custodian for their precious metal storage.
Finding the ideal custodian for your gold IRA storage can be daunting. We advise you to carefully evaluate multiple custodians, focusing on their credentials. A trustworthy custodian should possess the necessary licenses, insurance, and registrations to deliver reliable services and safeguard your assets.
Assessing a custodian's reputation can help gauge its dependability. Browsing gold IRA reviews on the BBB website allows you to learn from others' experiences with custodians and gives you an insight into what you might expect.
Similar to conventional IRA options, you will need a broker to invest in a gold IRA. Fortunately, the companies on our list serve as brokers, streamlining the entire process of acquiring precious metal IRAs.

How Do You Make a Withdrawal from a Precious Metals IRA?

When withdrawing from your precious metals IRA, you have two options. The first is In-Kind, which involves physically delivering your precious metals to your address. While this option might entail shipping costs, you can sell your gold on the market at your discretion.
The second option is a purchase by the depository, whereby the storage facility will buy your requested gold withdrawal at a price that closely mirrors the current market value. However, remember that IRA withdrawals are subject to tax laws, and failure to sell within two months can result in tax penalties. That's why consulting with a financial advisor, or lawyer is recommended before deciding on your IRA withdrawals.

Where Are the Precious Metals Inside Your Gold IRA Stored?

The storage of precious metals in a gold IRA account requires particular measures. Personal safes with advanced home security systems are insufficient to store gold investments.
The IRS regulates the storage of physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium in a Gold IRA. According to the IRS, these precious metals must be in the custody of a trustee, such as a federally insured bank, credit union, savings and loan, or another pre-approved facility. These entities can store the precious metals as a single, shared fund or detail individual assets.
To comply with all relevant accounting, security, reporting, and auditing standards, a trustee that is not a bank must demonstrate to the IRS that it will. A custodian may choose to use a private depository with an endorsement from a commodities exchange.
An acceptable storage entity must have top-tier security measures, including devices that detect sound, movement, and even slight vibrations. High-tech timed locks that automatically relock are additional security measures. In addition, these facilities typically have 24/7 monitoring.
Furthermore, storage facilities must carry substantial insurance policies of up to $1 billion. The storage facilities used by the best Gold IRA companies we recommended come with a top-tier reputation. If a company proposes a dubious storage arrangement, including storing your precious metals, it is a significant red flag.
Any unofficial or unapproved storage facility or arrangement for physical gold storage will result in your gold IRA being disqualified by the IRS. Goldco, Augusta Precious Metals, Birch Gold Group, Noble Gold Investments, and Advantage Gold are among the best Gold IRA companies, each with its storage options.
Storage locations used by the best Gold IRA companies with IRS approval have the security and insurance to protect your precious metal investment. If you have any questions about storage, consult with your Gold IRA representative; ultimately, the decision rests with you.

What Is a Gold IRA Rollover?

The gold IRA rollover is a fundamental concept in the alternative investment process, transferring value from a traditional retirement account to a gold IRA.
You can transfer value from a traditional or Roth IRA without tax penalties. Once you select a gold IRA company, you will complete an application and a transfer request form. Since you will not possess the funds, the rollover is a direct transfer from your existing IRA to your gold IRA account, which may take up to two weeks. Your representative will then assist you in purchasing precious metals.
Gold IRA rollovers are also possible from a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), or Thrift Savings Plan for federal employees, provided that you no longer work for the entity that provided the account. If you are still employed, you may perform a partial rollover if you meet age requirements.
When a direct transfer is used, the existing custodian will send a check to the gold IRA company to assist in purchasing precious metals. You will receive a check in your name if the transfer is indirect. You must deposit these funds and forward them to your gold IRA company within 60 days.
If you are not yet 59.5 years old and miss the deposit deadline into your precious metals IRA account, you will be subject to a 10% tax penalty for early withdrawal.

Final Thoughts on Gold IRAs

Choosing a gold IRA investment path is a great option to diversify your retirement portfolio and reduce the fluctuation of your assets. By partnering with the best gold IRA company, you can benefit from a seamless setup process, collaborate with a financial advisor who has the required industry knowledge, and select from an extensive range of precious metal coins and bullion.
To find the most suitable gold IRA service for your requirements, we suggest having a consultation with each company and weighing their pros and cons. However, since all the gold IRA providers on our list offer comparable services, you can confidently choose any of them to assist with your gold IRA investment if you're ready to convert your IRA to gold IRA.
If concerns about your retirement fund have been bothering you, a gold IRA investment might be the solution. Explore the companies on our list today to initiate the transfer of funds from your existing retirement account to a more secure gold IRA.

Prisons, as institutions of punishment and rehabilitation, should ideally provide individuals with a chance to reform and reintegrate into society. However, the staggering rates of recidivism indicate a pervasive sense of hopelessness among the formerly incarcerated. While the prospect of release ignites excitement and anticipation, the harsh reality of reentering a society that stigmatizes the formerly incarcerated leaves little room for hope. The typical inmate does not leave prison with the desire to continue living a life that would put them in the exact position they are leaving. They want a restart and want a real chance to succeed. Prison is not something anyone wants to go back to despite what some movies may portray.
Despite their aspirations for a fresh start, numerous systemic and societal factors perpetuate a cycle of futility, making it increasingly challenging for individuals to reintegrate successfully. A great example is a man I served time with and his story is so common, just with different details.
Jeremy (name changed) was doing around a 15 year bid on a drug related charge. He was hopeful about his release and spent time writing out a plan of what he was going to accomplish month by month like employment, where he was going to live etc. Jeremy’s previous occupation was a tow truck driver and he made “okay” money but was not able to fully support his family. A friend he grew up with got him into doing a few drop-offs for his operation. He started making enough money with the side hustle to really be able to support his family and the risk was minimal. He was serving more or less as a delivery truck at that point. Jeremy really wanted to succeed after prison. We went over his plan and I gave some advice on realistic things he may face with his release plan, mainly the feasibility of it. I did this only because he asked me to share my thoughts. He was happy to work full time and save his money to have a fresh start. Jeremy had everything laid out and it was exceptionally well put together, he had minimal formal education but it was clearly well thought out. He knew the system was against him and that basic things like a job are not as easy to get as you would think. Jeremy’s main worry was acceptance, he knew he missed a significant portion of his family’s life and also knew everybody would see him as the guy that just got out of prison. He was worried the only people that would show him any grace would be his old friends, which he wanted to steer clear from.
Jeremy, despite his excellent planning had no contingency plan. He put so much effort into the plan that he did not realize that certain aspects might not be achievable. I asked him about that specifically and his answer was shocking to me at the time. He told me that this plan was his only chance of staying out; if it fails he will have no choice but to get back in the game. He explained several things about the system once you are released, the staggeringly high rate of recidivism and the endless roadblocks you face. Two and a half weeks before his release Jeremy got off a phone call and was clearly mad. He found out that where he was planning on living after the RRC was no longer possible because the landlord will not let him move in with his family. That is one of several obstacles many of the recently release face.
Witnessing the stark reality of high recidivism rates and the perpetual cycle of hopelessness daily, I still was not able to truly understand the reasoning until I was released and able to research it in much more detail. I knew the system was against the formerly incarcerated and I expected the stigma with society would be an issue, but something you could overcome through your positive actions. If you spend time researching recidivism you will be astounded to discover the magnitude of systemic barriers that impede the successful reentry into society for the formerly incarcerated. There are several reasons and some are listed below. The thing that stands out the most to me is and has been how most of the currently incarcerated are living their lives knowing that the chances are high that once they “pay their debt to society” they will eventually be back. I witnessed this first hand on several occasions and it was heartbreaking to see.
Prior to incarceration I founded and operated a successful digital marketing firm. During my time inside and after release I developed a real heart for the formerly incarcerated and saw a serious issue that needs to be fixed when it comes to recidivism. Brand 316 focuses on realistic ways to greatly improve the chance of success upon reentry. Those include focusing on the big three issue of housing, transportation and employment but go much further than that. We are focused on changing the mindset of our members to truly focus and create realistic paths for success through personal, professional and spiritual development.
As mentioned above I thought it would be interesting to list out some of the largest impediments the formerly incarcerated face when it comes to release and succeeding in society. As a person that has not spent time in the system, you likely have not thought about these issues. This list is not exhaustive but just some general things to consider. Please keep an open mind and trust that a high majority of people incarcerated do not leave prison planning on reoffending – they want to succeed and the last place they want to be is back in an 8x10 cell caged like an animal.
Society’s Perception: The social stigma attached to the formerly incarcerated creates significant barriers and makes reentry into society a daunting challenge. Society tends to view individuals with criminal records through a lens of mistrust, assuming that their past actions define their future potential. This stigma manifests in various ways, such as difficulty in securing housing, limited employment opportunities, strained personal relationships, and societal marginalization. The negative assumptions and biases associated with having a criminal record contribute to a cycle of rejection and exclusion, eroding the self-esteem and self-worth of the formerly incarcerated.
Employment: Securing gainful employment is crucial for successful reintegration, yet formerly incarcerated individuals face significant barriers when seeking work. Many employers are hesitant to hire ex-convicts due to concerns about liability, potential risks to workplace safety, and the negative assumptions associated with criminal records. This not only hinders individuals from supporting themselves but also pushes them towards desperation and the temptation to return to a life of crime. The lack of job prospects and financial stability exacerbates the sense of hopelessness and fuels the cycle of recidivism.
Lack of Education and Job Training: Education and skills training are essential components of reintegration programs, providing individuals with the tools they need to thrive post-incarceration. Unfortunately, the access to these opportunities is often limited for the formerly incarcerated. Many correctional institutions lack comprehensive educational programs. Without the chance to learn new skills or obtain formal education, individuals are left ill-equipped to compete in the job market, leading to a higher likelihood of reoffending.
Restricted Housing Options: Many landlords refuse to rent to individuals with criminal records, leaving the formerly incarcerated with limited housing options. The landlords have the right to do this and it happens often. This leads to homelessness and a lack of support for the formerly incarcerated. There are several families willing to help their loved ones but unable to with housing because the landlord is not comfortable with it.
Probation: While probation is intended to provide an alternative to incarceration and support individuals in reintegrating into society, certain aspects of probation can inadvertently increase the likelihood of reoffending. It is necessary and important for the formerly incarcerated to prove themselves however at times the strict rules of probation are hard to follow for anyone, including yourself. This is a long subject to cover which requires several different viewpoints to properly assess from all angles, but as an example for those who have never been on probation. Probation violations can occur even without the commission of a new crime. Technical violations, such as missing a meeting with a probation officer, failing a drug test, or being unable to pay fines and fees, can result in harsh consequences, including incarceration. These punitive responses to minor infractions increase the likelihood of individuals returning to prison, perpetuating the cycle of recidivism.
You are invited to learn more about Brand 316, A Christian Prison Ministry and we encourage you to spend some time learning how we are doing things different and our focus on the individual’s growth. Every person is different and every person has a different path to success. I encourage you to contact us if you have any interest in volunteering and more importantly, if you currently have a loved one incarcerated refer them to us. We want to help them and give them the best chance for success after release. You can also watch a video describing Brand 316 to learn more about our goals and how they are achieved.

ME:
"If a pedophile were married to a woman and she wanted to use IVF to get pregnant, could the pedophile choose to do IVF? If the doctors and IVF clinic knew he was a pedophile, would he be able to be assisted in having a child?"
GPT:
"In cases involving assisted reproductive technology like IVF (in vitro fertilization), the specific policies and legal regulations can vary widely depending on the country or region. Generally, clinics perform background checks and psychological assessments of potential parents to ensure a safe and supportive environment for the child.
​
If a clinic becomes aware that a prospective parent has a history of sexual offenses, particularly against children, this could influence their decision to provide services. The overriding concern would typically be the welfare of the child. In many jurisdictions, there may also be legal restrictions preventing individuals with certain criminal records from accessing fertility services.
​
Additionally, ethical guidelines in the medical and reproductive fields are designed to protect future children, which can lead clinics to deny services based on the potential risk to the child. Decisions can also be influenced by the specifics of the individual's criminal history, their current status, and any treatment or rehabilitation they have undergone.
​
It's a complex issue that intersects with legal, ethical, and medical considerations, and the decision would likely be made on a case-by-case basis by the clinic, in consultation with legal and ethical guidelines."
ME:
"What about in America?"
GPT:
"In the United States, the situation would still depend on a variety of factors, including state laws, the policies of the specific IVF clinic, and the details of the individual's background. There isn't a federal law that outright prevents individuals with a history of sexual offenses from accessing fertility treatments like IVF, but clinics are generally very cautious in their approach to offering services.
​
IVF clinics often conduct thorough background checks and psychological evaluations of prospective parents. These assessments are designed to ensure that the potential parents can provide a safe and supportive environment for a child. If a clinic discovers that a prospective parent has a history of sexual offenses, particularly involving children, they might decide against providing IVF services due to ethical concerns and the potential risk to the child.
​
Moreover, individual states might have specific regulations or guidelines that influence how clinics make these decisions. For example, some states may have more stringent rules about parental fitness that could impact the eligibility of certain individuals for IVF.
​
In any case, the primary consideration for clinics is typically the well-being of the future child, and decisions are often made with this at the forefront."
ME:
"If a pedophile did what a pedophile is most likely to do to a child, to the child they had through IVF, would the clinic face penalties for allowing a pedophile to have a child with their clinic?"
GPT:
"In the United States, IVF clinics are generally not held legally responsible for the actions of the parents after a child is born through their services, including if a parent commits a crime against the child. The liability of a clinic in such situations typically centers around whether they followed all applicable legal and ethical guidelines in the screening and treatment process.
​
Clinics are expected to adhere to professional standards and ethical guidelines, which include conducting thorough assessments of potential parents. These assessments often involve psychological evaluations and background checks designed to identify any factors that might indicate a risk to the well-being of a future child. If a clinic knowingly assists an individual with a known risk of harming a child, and it can be proven that they neglected their duty to conduct due diligence, there might be grounds for legal or regulatory consequences, such as lawsuits, loss of license, or other penalties.
​
However, establishing such liability would require showing that the clinic acted negligibly or in violation of professional standards. The legal processes involved would be complex and dependent on specific circumstances, including what the clinic knew at the time of treatment.
​
In practice, clinics are highly motivated to avoid such situations for both ethical and legal reasons, which is why rigorous screening processes are in place. These measures serve to protect the clinic legally and, more importantly, to ensure the safety and well-being of any children born as a result of their services."
ME:
"What if the clinic knew he was a pedophile and there was proof that the clinic knew?"
GPT:
"If an IVF clinic in the United States knowingly provided fertility services to an individual with a documented history of pedophilia, particularly if there were clear indications of a risk to potential children, and then that individual went on to harm a child, the situation would be highly problematic for the clinic from both a legal and ethical standpoint.
Legal Repercussions:

1. Negligence and Liability: If it could be proven that the clinic was aware of the individual's history and potential risk to children, and they proceeded without taking adequate measures to prevent harm, the clinic could potentially be held liable for negligence. This would hinge on demonstrating that the clinic had a duty of care to act on the information they had and failed to do so adequately.
2. Civil Lawsuits: The parents or guardians of a child who was harmed could potentially sue the clinic for damages, arguing that the clinic's failure to prevent a known risk resulted in harm to the child.
3. Regulatory Actions: Health regulatory bodies could take action against the clinic, including penalties, revoking licenses, or imposing sanctions if the clinic violated professional standards and guidelines.

Ethical Considerations:

• Professional Ethics: Medical professionals, including those working in IVF clinics, are bound by ethical codes that require them to consider the welfare of existing and future children. Providing IVF services to someone known to pose a risk to children would be a serious breach of these ethical standards.
• Reputation and Trust: Such an incident could severely damage the reputation of the clinic and undermine public trust in their services and in the IVF industry more broadly.

IVF clinics typically have rigorous protocols in place to minimize any potential harm, including detailed assessments of all prospective parents. Cases where a clinic knowingly facilitates the creation of a family environment that could be unsafe for children are exceedingly rare due to these safeguards. Clinics are very aware of the legal and ethical ramifications of failing to adhere to these protocols."
ME:
"Could the child sue if this situation were to occur if the IVF clinic helped him engage in the embryonic adoption of that child and that child got harmed by the pedophile??"
GPT:
"In a scenario where a child is harmed by a parent who was known to pose a risk, and an IVF clinic facilitated the creation of that parent-child relationship through services like IVF or embryonic adoption, the possibility of the child suing the clinic when they reach legal adulthood is theoretically feasible but legally complex.
Legal Considerations for a Potential Lawsuit by the Child:

1. Establishing Duty of Care and Breach: The child (through legal representation) would need to establish that the clinic owed a duty of care not just to the parents but also to the future child. They would also need to demonstrate that the clinic breached this duty by facilitating the pregnancy despite knowing the risks.
2. Causation: It must be shown that the clinic's actions directly led to the harm suffered by the child. This involves linking the clinic’s decision to assist in the reproductive process to the eventual harm the child experienced.
3. Damage: The child must prove that they suffered actual damages, which in cases of abuse, can include physical, emotional, and psychological harm.

Challenges in Such Cases:

• Precedent and Legal Framework: This type of legal action would be relatively unprecedented, as most existing laws and cases focus on protecting children from immediate harm rather than on responsibilities prior to conception. The legal framework around the liabilities of IVF clinics primarily addresses malpractice related to the medical procedures themselves, not the outcomes of those procedures in terms of parental fitness.
• Statute of Limitations: Another issue is the statute of limitations, which in many jurisdictions limits the time during which a lawsuit can be initiated after the alleged harm occurs. However, for children, these limits often only start to run once the child reaches the age of majority.
• Complex Ethical and Legal Questions: The case would likely raise significant ethical and legal questions about the extent of responsibility that medical professionals and clinics have regarding the future welfare of children born as a result of their services.

In practice, such a lawsuit would be highly complex and would likely require significant legal innovation. It would also depend heavily on the specific laws of the state or country in which the clinic operates. Legal advice from a qualified attorney would be crucial for navigating and potentially pursuing such a case."

Having read https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/the-law-corporate-finance-and-management/s25-01-liability-imposed-by-signature.html
…
Assume a joint spousal trust contemplates a him co-trustee (who is a trustor contributing carefully separated assets) becoming (certified as) not capable.
Assume same trust lets the other her co-trustee(also a trustor with own separate assets) invoke one side of their mutual property POAs, concerning his (the not capable) co-trustees interests.
Assume capable trustor she creates at least 1 amendment to the trust, signing as self (trustotrustee/her) AND as AiF for other trustee/trustor (him)
Assume that she, the 90 year old surviving and capable trustoco-trustee, now appoints a generalized POA, as she herself slightly ails in the physical handwriting arena.
Presume the POA appointed is a vigorous, Colombian 20 year old boyfriend, say, just learning English, with little education and even less legal formation. So bf needs lots of education, or better STILL … EXAMPLES of what to do.
So, can the bf sign as if the capable trustor was present and signing herself, invoking the power of the property POA power vested in the trustor to sign for the other (not capable) trustor, as if present and signing itself, also?
Ie. Do the powers to sign (for not-capable trustor) transfer along the POA chain, in a TRANSITIVE manner “in effect”?
How does the bf sign? presumably
1) Agent for property Agent for (not capable) trustee - when transitivity is being used (distributing his not capable trustees separate property)
2) And Agent for (capable) trustor - when not applying transitivity (distributing her capable trustees separate property)?
———
These interactions of trustee powers and POA powers (and property POA powers), with separate assets in a joint trust, in the non capable cases….seem easily confused!
but a couple of examples would easily help him: sign like this (when selling her property), sign like that (when selling his property).

Chapter 1
Tears
​
There were many things they never told her about the cure.
Rain fell heavy on the bridge as a cloaked woman hurried over the trench of Skingrad. She glanced over the side, marveling at how quickly the city's runoff was flooding the entryway. True to its reputation, this was the most impregnable settlement in Cyrodiil outside the Imperial-
She stopped. A flash of lighting illuminated her face. Her small horns and angular features betrayed her Bosmer heritage. But her eyes, wide with fear, glowed pale gold as the light faded. She stared intently at the boulder below, desperate to spot the figure she could swear had just been there. Three seconds, and the expected clap of thunder prompted her to hurry on.
"Hard night to be out, miss" said the woman behind the bar at the inn. "Especially for a little thing like you."
The inkeep looked kindly at the young woman in front of her, studying those strange eyes. Solid black like some sort of nocturnal creature. A Wood Elf, alright. The poor thing was soaked through. Once she was satisfied with the girl's gold for the room, of course, she compassionately ordered her maid to run a hot bath and lay out some dry nightclothes. She also happened to be working on a fresh batch of cider and her famous spice cake, and so she offered to send some up to her room when finished, free of charge.
Such kindness overwhelmed the girl, who stammered her thanks and refused, at least, the cake. Despite not eating in over a day, she wasn’t hungry. She was hardly ever hungry, anymore.
Zealné, after warming her frozen bones with a bath and cider, laid over the covers and stared into the ceiling. The old linens felt like the finest silk on her cleansed skin. Even as her body sunk into the gentle comfort, she could only quietly curse herself. In a hundred and forty-six years of bloodsucking, she had become quite adept at little tricks of illusion to conceal her vampiric eyes, and to control unwitting victims.
If only they warned her about the eyes… They were mortal, almost, but nothing like before she had turned. Her new mortality was decorated with pale amber irises. Unassuming enough, but they changed drastically at night, turning a pale gold. When the light caught her eyes just right, they flashed gold from the back of her pupils, enough to give the appearance of a vampire. She learned quickly that even an ex-vampire could not walk freely among mortals.
After all she went through to be free of that life, after spending months plotting her escape from her Clan, and the sacrifices necessary to restore her mortality, she still had to resort to all the same tricks to survive. At least she took it easy on the charm spell, she assured herself. She still had to pay the woman for her room, right?

• ​

Mist covered the streets in the early morning. A pale autumn sun hung low, deceptively cold behind hazy rose wisps, clinging to the horizon. The little elf stepped out and squinted in the brightness. The cure had saved her from burning in the sun, but she found she could never quite get used to the light. Or perhaps she was just tired, she thought, sighing. She hadn't slept a full night since the day she was cured. Nor could she recall ever dreaming. Pressing forward, she had much to do before she could attempt a nap in the afternoon.
The School of Julianos opened at ten. Zealné risked being seen, but needed supplies for whatever journey lay ahead of her. She suffered the morning to spend the last of her gold at the market and secured her haul at the inn behind an illusory sigil.
Precisely on schedule, the city echoed with first bell. Class was in session. Zealné hid among the throng of worshippers eager to resume their studies, and slipped in unnoticed.
In his office, Father Cantus Acutulus kept his back to the elf girl seated behind him. The midmorning light drifted lazily through the window, warming his office and giving him a most splendid view of the West Weald. Plots of grazeland, vineyards, orchards, and crops, islands of fall-colored trees between them, stretched for miles over the city’s walls. But today, his focus was on the shimmer of gold reflected in the glass before him.
"I'm afraid I have to deny you access to our records, Miss Erulind." He said, in an even tone.
"But..." she carefully replied. "this is the house of Julianos. I thought you welcomed inquiring minds."
"We welcome scholarship, yes. We especially encourage the young to seek our knowledge." The man turned to face her. His eyes were piercing, but not hostile. "But you will not tell me what it is you are looking to study."
"I told you, I-"
"What you told me was a lie, miss. Just like your name, and just like those eyes."
Zealné tensed, but didn't act. Focusing magicka into her palms, incantations and equations filling her mind, ready to launch a flurry of spells if she needed to. But she prayed she could still talk her way out of this. Her magic was strongest in the sun these days, but her body couldn't hope to keep up a drawn out fight in its exhausted state.
"Those illusions are impressive. But you're not the first errant student to try a charm spell on me. And no glamor can hide a curse that powerful from a reflection."
"... I can-"
"Relax, child. I know you aren't a vampire." The graying man said, sitting himself formally at his desk across from her. "At least, not anymore."
The Bosmer studied the priest's face. Instinctively, she sniffed the air. Though her senses were pathetically dulled since the cure. A vampire can smell blood from miles away. A Bosmer should be able to smell adrenaline. All she could smell were old tomes, leather bindings cooking in the sunbeams. Perhaps a hint of wood varnish? Still, she chose to trust her instincts, and lowered her guard, just a bit.
"The God of Logic teaches that Truth, above all else, is the most sacred gift of men and mer. To distort the truth will lead even the most practiced of thinkers down the Path of Fallacy and misinformation. I recognize your need to hide what you are, miss. But I cannot allow you to bring false pretenses into our archives."
Amber eyes studied his grayish blue. In the day, she merely had an unusual eye color for a Bosmer. But she had been cold and wet and shaken the previous night, and unwittingly convinced the innkeeper that her eyes were black, as they had been before she was Turned. A moment of nostalgic weakness. Most humans in this part of Tamriel had never seen a Bosmer without at least a quarter Altmeri blood before. Her alien black eyes and horns would likely be a curiosity now, and so she had to keep up the glamor all day. Seeing how her lies had turned against her, she thought that Julianos' teaching was perhaps well-founded. Still..
"Let me offer you this. I swear to you right here that I shall not divulge your mission or your identity to anyone. On my life. If you tell me the truth. Right now."
Nineteen months of running, of concealment, and the guilt of a new mortal soul had fallen away. Somehow, this stranger had cut through her defenses with precision. She left out many details, but tears fell into her lap as she nonetheless blurted out her story.
"So the Lyrezi Clan is still after you?" asked Cantus, softly, when her tears had stopped and enough silence had passed.
"They want revenge for leaving them."
"And you believe you can find a way to stop them in our archives?"
"...yes." Her throat was dry. "My clan is bound to Molag Bal through an altar in our.. in their lair. It flows with our combined mortal blood. Mine is still mixed in."
"And that is how you believe they can track you?"
"Yes. Even without being one of them... I'm still connected. I can feel them, closing in around me. But there's stories of an artifact that-"
"The Font of Julianos!" the old priest interrupted, eagerly. "Yes, I have studied its legends extensively. A humble inkpot, blessed by the Father of Wisdom, that vanishes whatever ink is put inside. All of it. Even when it is already written down. An instrument of confession."
Zealné paused for a moment, comparing this version to her own. "We called it the Well of Secrets. But it's supposed to be an artifact of Herma Mora, and it specifically erases the bonds of blood. Dunmer used to use it to cut off disinherited children from calling on their ancestors."
"There are many versions of the legend." the priest nodded. "In any case, your plan is quite fascinating! But there is one problem with it. When you were cured... did they tell you about your blood?"
"I... they didn't tell me anything."
"Well, have you considered that there may be side effects to being an ex-vampire?" He asked a little too excitedly. His enthusiasm too thick to see her glare at him. "Your Clan may not be after you just for petty revenge, or even to protect their secrets!"
She watched the priest in bewilderment as he hurried over to his own personal bookshelf. For the first time, she actually saw that they were all dedicated to vampire lore. Copies of tomes she had seen a thousand times in her Grandmaster's own study turning violet in the light of the setting... When did the sun start to set?
"Yesyesyes, it's right here!" He said, excitedly flipping through a tome. When he was satisfied he had the right page, he turned toward the girl, carrying the open book in one hand, and in the other, a metallic clamp with a needle at one end. "Black soul shines like the sun. Blood with a stolen life is aetherium vitae!"
The sun set below the horizon and navy ichor slowly dripped down into the purple sky. Zealné could feel her magicka flow restricting as the night dulled her power. She noticed the faint glow of sigils, now showing through abstract patterns in the rug, carved into the desk, the door, even scratched faintly into the glass of the window. She recognized them all. Illusion magic. Dulling her sense of time, charming her and misdirecting her attention. How did she not notice this? Was this mortal better than her?
Even as she tried to bring herself to run, her body felt sluggish. Exhaustion started to overwhelm her mind as he cautiously approached her with his device.
"I have spies throughout this city, miss. Trained to spot vampires, cultists, and other servants of the Princes. But when they described you, well... I knew we had quite the opportunity."
Sleep. All she wanted was to sleep…
"Your blood is more valuable to a vampire lord than a thousand healthy thralls. But so few bodies can survive resurrection after undeath. No wonder they're after you! But imagine what we can learn from you! How can one corrupted soul be repaired by another? Where does all the raw power go? Perhaps with your help, we can learn how to cleanse the scourge of vampirism for good!"
Just a pinch. The device clamped around her limp arm barely felt like a needle. This was much nicer than the first bite.
"You, my dear, are truly one in a mil-"
The tip of a dagger stuck out through the front of his robes where his heart should be. His black and green vestments, dulled in the darkness, began to turn shining scarlet in her eyes. The priest stood in shock for a moment, until a small hand reached around him, and pulled it from his heart. A dark-haired adolescent stepped around the body and pushed it thoughtlessly over, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
"Are you serious, Zee?" They said. Their playful eyes glowed the color of the harvest moons. She saw their fangs glint as they tasted the priest’s blood on their dagger. "You of all people fell for this?"
"Alistair." She said with some effort, shaking the cobwebs as the sigils’ power faded with their caster's life. In a moment of clarity she summoned all her feeble stores of magicka and her hands lit up with fire. "Don't come any closer!"
"Relax, Zee. You're safe." The kid said, assuredly. "Like I'd give you over to the boss."
"Don't play games with me, Al! I know the whole Clan is tracking me. The Grandmaster wants me dead!"
"Oh no. What he wants for you is much worse. And not just for leaving. Now come on. This lunatic's got some kind of secret police all over the city. They're bound to figure out something went wrong soon."
"I'm not going back! Forget you saw me!"
They looked at her with a mix of pity and understanding. "Zee..." they finally said. "Everyone was pretty mad when you left. I was too... but I know why you did it. And as soon as I found out what he plans to do to you, I got out too. I even have a new crew now."
Zealné didn't notice when the sound of shouting and spellfire started filtering in through the window. But the howl halted everything, just for a moment. A bloodcurdling siren that was soon joined in chorus.
"Speak of the daedra."
-------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2
The Butcher
​
The child hurried through the back alley that night in Alcaire. Their hands nervously fondled the hilt of the dagger hidden in their sleeve. They had been abandoned by their friends at the seedy tavern across town, and had to find their way home in the dark alone. Easy prey.
ꍩꌅꂵꂠꋊ silently crept over the rooftop, sizing up her target. An unworthy opponent for a Hunter of the Green, but an all-consuming hunger compelled her to press on. She cursed what had become of her. With a lifetime of training, she could have gone days eating only insects before her body was taken from her by that damnable clan. Now she was stalking rooftops, chasing human children.
She remembered how they stalked her for weeks, driving her each night farther away from her people, deep into the domain of the Ouze. Unfamiliar territory. She slept during the day, above the canopy where she thought she'd be safe. But after weeks, she was too hungry and exhausted to realize how much cover lay just below her perch, and she was pulled under just as she had lulled herself to sleep one early morning.
They forced her to drink their mingled blood, and after three agonizing days, she turned. She was reborn in a cell, already starving, and still they let her waste away. When they finally threw some helpless thing into her cell with her, all she could think about was tearing out its throat. Her captor's voices relentlessly repeated their Creed into her mind. It took days, but they had beaten her. She killed the poor manling. Sustenance brought her clarity for a day, enough to know what would become of her. Soon, she was going mad with hunger again, until she broke and fed. Again. And again.
By the time they let her out, she was willing to do whatever they wanted for fresh blood. She swore loyalty to Clan Lyrezi, and was rewarded with one final indignity. One baritone voice silenced the others in her head. He reached into her head and sealed away her true name. She was given a new name, seared into the same part of her brain, in memory of an Aldmeri saint. She tried her best to refuse. To summon her own name when she thought of herself. But all that surfaced was noise.
ꌅꐞꈼ꒒ꇒ could no longer hold back. Licking her lips, she stepped forward, knocking a loose shingle off the roof. The child spun around and stared at the spot where their stalker stood and saw only stars. Careless! The invisible vampire would never have made such a mistake in life! All she could do was wait for the poor thing to drop their guard again so she could pounce.
*Mrowl\*
The young vampire had failed to notice the black cat sharing the roof with her. It growled and hissed directly at her. The mortal stared at the cat for a second, then back through her. The faintest shimmer of the stars behind her gave away the disguise. Eyes filling with fear and realization, they bolted for their life.
Zealné cursed. She leapt off the roof, dropping her cloak and started firing spells at the kid, who rolled and dodged with surprising grace. They were good. And Zeal… and ꂦꋖꍩꂑꈼ was completely at the mercy of these instincts. In life, she had learned to see herself as an animal. As equal to the animals she hunted. To trust her instincts in battle. But a starving beast makes a foolish hunter and she was starving. She ceased fire, and focused on bridging the distance between them. She was faster than the kid. Much faster. But they knew these streets better and ducked down another pathway just in time for her to overshoot. Twisting her momentum, she quickly rounded the corner and followed her nose to the child. That last bolt of lightning definitely seared flesh. The smell of death was easy for her to track now. Easier than ever.
Her nose guided her to the castle gardens. Every poisonous plant that could grow in this climate was available there. The new Duke obviously had a hobby. From what she’d heard of Iliac Bay politics, the elf had little doubt how he attained his position. But this child was very good. Her senses were quickly overwhelmed by a whole bouquet of death! It was an excellent place to lose a vampire. Her new clan must have a reputation in this country. It was then she remembered these gardens should have been carefully guarded. Where the hell were the guards?
Subtly rustling leaves gave her prey away. The child had shifted their weight, just for a moment, while ducked behind a hedge on the far wall of the garden. Memory flashed in the vampire's mind of a similar mistake she had made weeks ago. It cost her own life as well. She played like she hadn't noticed and kept walking. Then, using all her new instincts, she seamlessly wove the darkness around her as she crossed a pillar, vanishing from sight. Though her heartbeat was an unchanging dirge, she felt something akin to adrenaline rush to her head. At last. Blood. Blood! Blood! BLOOD!
Zealné was on the pathetic thing in only a second, just as it realized its mistake. It struggled vainly against her strength. She fed, and almost bled it dry. Almost… She let the darkness fall away from her, savoring the kill. She wanted the blood-sack to see its grinning doom. They looked into eachother's eyes, and… Zealné saw the golden glow of her own reflected in the gloss of this child's tears. It.. they were worthy prey. They fought with a clear head and a strong will to live. They gave her an honorable hunt.
Something streaked down the vampire’s cheek. She felt it run cold from her eye. A drop of it fell and splashed on the child's pale, sunken face. It was blood. Even her tears were dead. The dying child breathed shallow, their jaw twitched as they fought the blood loss to say what they knew would be their last words, but Kyne wouldn’t spare them enough breath.
Zealné knew she had taken too much. She never intended to kill for those creatures. Not ever. But this manling would die, convulsing and helpless, if she did not end their suffering. She drew her dagger. A ceremonial blade of the Hunt made of bone and obsidian. She once used it to reward a worthy foe with a swift death, and then as cutlery to devour the body. Other cultures found the practice barbaric, but to her people it was kindness.
Eating wasn't an option anymore. Even if she spared the child this suffering, she would have to leave the drained corpse to rot. Her hand shook. Her religion didn't account for this. What was right? She couldn't let her failure stain the child's death. She couldn't let them…
-
"An interesting choice" the Grandmaster's voice echoed in her mind as she walked away from the dagger, buried in the soil outside the Duke's poison garden. "You are quite honorable. That was one reason why I chose you. On the other hand, you were far more reckless than we expected. I wanted you for your skills as a hunter, Miss Zealné. Perhaps I was wrong."
Zealné ignored him. He took her from her home. He took her name. Her life. Her religion. He would not take her pride. Not ever.
-
In another city, in another era, a Bosmer woman slowly stirred from her fitful slumber. Her amber eyes surveyed the stone room she found herself in. Daylight bled through cracks in the trap door over the stairs in the corner. Dusty shelves overladen with baking ingredients lined the walls. She sat up. Evidently, she had slept on the floor, a sack of flour for a pillow. A large, scratchy coat had been placed over her as a blanket. It smelled like wet dog.
"So.. you're finally awake." Alistair greeted her from atop another crate in the other corner, playing with a set of calipers they'd found. "You were out for almost a day."
This news should have caused her to panic. The events of that night flashed in her mind, but it was drowned out by one thing.
"I had a dream!" She exclaimed out loud to herself. Her first dream since she turned all those years ago. Her heart beat faster with excitement. Did this mean she was becoming… more alive? Was she not finished yet?
Alistair carefully closed the calipers around their fang, playing like they were going to pull it out.
"Grd drea’, I hophe." They said casually, before quickly losing interest in the bit.
"Just…” Zealné studied them for a moment. “Just memories."
Her hand was shaking again. She gripped her wrist to steady it. "Why don't I remember what happened? How did we escape the city?"
"We didn't." They hopped off the crate and gave her an admonishing look. "It was going well at first. Then you started lagging behind. So I paralyzed you, and Hjalmek carried you on his back. But that crazy priest's spies cut us off. We were lucky to make it into the sewer."
"Who's Hjalmek?" She replied, pushing past the indignity.
"He's the guy who figured out you hadn't eaten in days. He's making breakfast."
"I had a stamina potion! If you had let me take it-"
"You didn't eat anything, Zee. You would have thrown it up. You're mortal now, remember?"
A palpable silence fell on the two. Static filled the room from her resentment pressing against their annoyance. This was not how their relationship was supposed to go. She protected them for over a century! Their hotheaded permanent adolescence, a constant liability. When did they get more mature than her?
The cellar door burst open, dispersing the charge. Down the stairs came a large, hairy nord in tattered clothes, a frilly apron splattered in blood, and a copper platter in hand. The disheveled man barely fit under the ceiling at his full height. His icy stare may have seen even more death than she had, and his muscles bulged in odd places, showing the wear of repeated mutation. Zealné tensed at the sight of him. He would have been a deadly opponent even at the height of her power.
"It sounded like arguing down here!" his booming voice opened with a grin. "Hope that means you got your appetite back!"
Hjalmek proudly unveiled his creation. She covered her nose and looked in horror at the layered mess of raw, bloody meat and marrow. Its revolting stench made her gag.
"What?" he asked, hurt. His imposing presence melted away as he fretted with the dish. "I-I promise this isn't a werewolf thing! I was served this in Silvenar! I heard you were from Valenwood.."
Zealné cursed herself. The sting of her lost culture cut into her soul.
"I can't… anymore."
"Oh… Oh gods, I'm so sorry!” The nord cried in a panic. “I didn’t think… I… How about some… porridge?"
"Thank you."
The Bosmer clutched her stomach, waiting for the offending smell to dissipate, and for the changeling to be out of earshot.
“A werewolf, Al?” She finally said, as quietly as her terror would allow. “Really?”
“Werewolves, actually.” They laughed, “The other two couldn’t make it into the city before the lockdown. We got a message out that we’re alive. Just waiting for them to secure a meeting place.”
“And what’s to stop them from killing us? After all our history?”
“They have their reasons, Zee. You’ll have to ask them.”
Zealné was having none of this, but the vampire refused to give any more details about their new “pack” except that they had only worked together for a few months to track her down. They were almost strangers, and still Al vouched for them. This tugged on her stupid mortal heart. They had only ever shown this kind of loyalty to her before. She put her life on the line for them when they were turned against the Grandmaster’s wishes, and countless times since. But how could she possibly trust a pack of Hircine’s dogs? She wanted to respect their judgment, but she was afraid and pushed back, pressing for a better reason to risk everything for whatever plan they had cooked up.
A gentle knock on the trapdoor interrupted their bickering. Zealné tensed, realizing she hadn’t sensed the intrusion. It definitely wasn’t Hjalmek, but somehow it smelled similar. It was familiar, too…
“Sorry to interrupt, dearies.” Came the kindly voice of the innkeeper as she descended the stairs, breakfast tray in hand.
“You!”
“Yeah, it’s me.” The woman laughed. “Nice work on that charm, kid. Not a lot of witches can get past my defenses. Now, you try that again, we’re going to have problems.”
Zee didn’t know how to respond to that. The tension was cut by the smell of hot food in her hands. She had made an effort to tune out the wonderful aromas since she awoke. She realized then that this must be the same inn she was staying at. The familiar spice of the cider still lingered in the air, calling to her from the floor above. But there were eggs and porridge already within reach, and she felt instincts, not unlike the ravenous thirst she felt as a vampire start to creep up on her mind.
Maddeningly, the woman placed the tray atop Al’s last perch and stood between it and the starving girl. “You can eat, but I’ll have a look at ya first.”
She had been through too much to let some old mortal slit her throat. Ignoring the screaming of her instincts, she attempted to appear disinterested.
“Thank you” She said, unconvincingly, “But I’m fine.”
The redguard woman just laughed. “Sure ya are. I’m lookin’ anyway, love. I’m sticking my neck out for ya. Ought to know if yer likely to survive to be worth it.”
Without waiting for the girl’s retort, the woman examined Zealné with care. No one, living or otherwise, had been so close to her without violence since she was alive. Earlier, even… Her fear slowly subsided as the feeling sparked something long dormant in the back of her mind. A sense-memory. She recalled flitting images of auburn hair and a noble set of antlers, silhouetted by a break in the canopy. The figure loomed over her, but she felt so safe.
The moment ended instantly when her lips were unceremoniously parted to inspect her canines like some lapdog. Alistair’s cackling prompted her to swat the hand away. She would rather starve than be gawked at any further.
“Alright. S’pose you’ll live.” said the woman with a look of warning before conceding. “I already had a batch going, but Hjalmek seasoned it and made the eggs. Seemed embarrassed to bring it down himself.”
While Zee devoured her breakfast, Nestra introduced herself, urging the Bosmer in vain to go slow. Though she hardly had time to enjoy it, the memories seared into her brain of the first good meal she had eaten in a century and a half. The porridge had fresh weald berries and cinnamon. The yolk ran down her chin as she noted the perfect portion of salt, minced garlic, and flakes of some sort of herb, though she didn’t know what kind. She suppressed a tear as she finished. Nestra had left, and Al sat themself down cross-legged in front of her.
“Alright, then.” They said. “Here’s the plan.”

I don't know the exact numbers from memoy but it is something like 18 for Barnes and 17 for Huerter Both of them are non-existent in rebound and assist department. Huerter is god-awful in defense with Barnes also just being there. They have couple games where their shots fall in but too many games where they are complete ghosts / nothing falls in to justify their lack of defense.
Sometimes stats (I didn't check them but I am sure Keon should be 5000x above Huerter) doesn't show you what is important. Huerter leaving Curry continously open to help-defense Divincenzo and Klay only being good against us when defended by Huerter is two of those. There is a reason we went from a team that easily allows 120-130 to allow under 100 in multiple games
Barnes is very very talented. But for someone so talented and for someone so "healthy/consistent in a sense that he played every game in the season) his lack of desire to impose his will in the game / be a ghost in offense while being a defensive liability often costed us.
If we didn't have the contract burden of those two we could either have a deep bench or two very good players or one all star. We don't need what Barnes offers to team for 18M. We definitely need what Huerter offers to team regardless of contract because his downside is so far worse than his upside which doesn't even happen very often
If we want this team to be competitive in the tough west that is.

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