This is just a loose 20 minute ago theory, but when i pieced it together it was quite compelling, so i'd thought i share.
This was my train of thought/research..
'the answers i already know', F spoke widely about grammar and punctuation so how about 'the answer's i already know', meaning 'the answer IS i already know'. Had he left out the apostrophe? So i thought about it and came up with KNOW to KNEW.
I toyed with KNEW, new and old, turnover a log, thought about how the unintended clue was in the preface of one of his books where he was towing a boat on The Madison. and then thought how about CANOE?
Give the poem to a child... the answer's i already KNOW - KNEW - K-NEW - CANOE.
So i looked up CANOE, and one of the derived terms is CANOE BIRCH, so i went to that page and it says 'The Native Americans used the bark of this tree for building canoes.'
So i thought ok let's go with this... one of the other definitions of BIRCH was
'A stick, rod or bundle of twigs made from birch wood, used for punishment. Synonyms: makepeace, switch'
The STICK was in the chest photo.
ROD is a fishing rod.
The BUNDLE OF TWIGS was when he didnt have anything to light a fire so he wadded the map.
He spoke about corporal PUNISHMENT from his father.
MAKEPEACE which is another name for a bundle of twigs, relates to 'go in peace' in the poem.
And SWITCH was what his father punished him with.
That's quite a positive collection right there.
The birch tree is WHITE, and it's long been thought that the blaze could be white, and it would 'anything that stands out' in a forest full of pine.
What if we meant to be looking for an AMERICAN WHITE BIRCH tree in a forest full of pine? (or even his actual turned over dugout CANOE that looks like any other log?)
If you've been wise and found the blaze - if you KNOW/KNEW and found the blaze.
Let's look at what evidence we have, the picture with the downed logs over the chest don't appear to be a BIRCH tree and neither do the others around it. However we don't know for sure that it's as simple as being directly under the blaze, what if there's a BIRCH tree further up the hill and we have to look quickly downhill to find the treasure? He did say he wasn't sure it pointed in any of the cardinal directions so downhill can't be fully ruled out. He also said 'i KNOW it's still there'.
The pine tree that fell over the chest doesn't completely satisfy the answer to the blaze, and there is doubt, which in turn opens up other possibilities, such as this.. an AMERICAN WHITE BIRCH or more romantically/spiritualy his hypothetical OLD dugout CANOE that he made and left back there each year. Roll over a log. Plus in some tribes Chiefs were buried in their canoes to escort them to the afterlife. (beam me up)
I like it, it ticks many boxes and it was fun researching again like the good ole days,
What's your thoughts? Please be as brutal or nice as you like. Cheers.
edit: added ROD, other thoughts and typos as usual.

A list of some of the books that I found beneficial to improve my bushcraft skills. In some order.
The 10 Bushcraft Books – Richard Harry Graves
Bushcraft – Mors Kochanski
Outdoor Survival Skills – Larry Dean Olsen
Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills – David Wescott
Primitive Technology II: Ancestral Skill - From the Society of Primitive Technology – David Wescott
Camping in the Old Style – David Wescott
Essential Bushcraft – Raymond Mears
Primitive Technology – John Plant
The Trapper’s Bible – Eustace Hazard Livingston
First Person Ecology – Tim Smith
The Woods Cook: Outdoor Cooking With A Professional Guide – Tim Smith
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive – Cody Lundin
Earth Knack: Stone Age Skills for the 21st Century Kindle Edition – Bart Blankenship
United States Air Force Search and Rescue Survival Training: Af Regulation 64-4 – U.S. Department of the Air Force
The Book Of Camping And Woodcraft – Horace Kephart
The Complete Woodsman – Paul Provencher
Camp Life in the Woods and the Tips and Tricks of Trapping: How to Build a Shelter, Start a Fire, Set Traps, Capture Animals, and More – William Hamilton Gibson
Ashley Book of Knots – Clifford W. Ashley
The Klutz Book of Knots – John Cassidy
Outward Bound Ropes, Knots, and Hitches – Buck Tilton
Wildwood Wisdom – Elsworth Jaeger
Camp-Lore and Woodcraft – Daniel Beard
Shelter’s, Shacks, and Shanties: A Guide to Building Shelters in the Wilderness – Daniel Beard
How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter, and Self-Preservation – Bradford Angier
Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants – Bradford Angier
A Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness & Travel Medicine – Eric A. Weiss M.D.
Wilderness Medicine – Paul S. Auerbach
Wilderness First Responder – Buck Tilton
68W Advanced Field Craft: Combat Medic Skills – AAOS
Traditional Bowyer's Handbook: How to build wooden bows and arrows: longbows, selfbows, & recurves – Clay Hayes
Traditional Bowyer’s Bible Volumes 1-4 – J. Hamm
Primitive Skills and Crafts: An Outdoorsman's Guide to Shelters, Tools, Weapons, Tracking, Survival, and More – Richard and Linda Jamison
Survival Skills of the Native Americans: Hunting, Trapping, Woodwork, and More – Stephen Brennan
Making Native American Hunting, Fighting, and Survival Tools: The Complete Guide to Creating Arrowheads, Axes, and Other Primitive Implements – Monte Burch
Crafts And Skills of the Native Americans: Tipis, Canoes, Jewelry, Moccasins, and More – David R. Montgomery
Native American Crafts And Skills: A Fully Illustrated Guide to Wilderness Living and Survival – David Montgomery
Insects: An Edible Field Guide – Stefan Gates
The Complete Guide to Edible Plants – The Department of the Army
Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs – Falcon Guides
Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America – Falcon Guides
Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools – John C. Whittaker
Flintknapping: A Guide to Making Your Own Stone Age Tool Kit – Robert Turner
Firearms, Traps, and Tools of the Mountain Men – Carl P. Russell
Bush Leatherwork – Ron Edwards
SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere – Lofty Wiseman
SAS Tracking Handbook – Barry Davies
The Science and Art of Tracking – Tom Brown Jr.
Tracks and Trailcraft: A Fully Illustrated Guide To The Identification Of Animal Tracks In Forest And Field, Barnyard And Backyard – Ellsworth Jaeger
A Field Guide to Mammal Tracking in North American – James Halfpenny
The Amateur Trapper – Stanley Harding
The Science of Trapping: Old-Time Lessons on Catching Animals for Fur – Elmer Harry Kreps
Primitive Outdoor Skills – Richard L. Jamison
The Ultimate Guide to Survival Shelters – Tim Macwelch
The Complete Survival Shelter Handbook – Anthonio Akkermans
The Pocket Field Guide: Survival Tarp Shelters – Creek Stewart
Woodcraft: Master the Art of Green Woodworking with Key Technologies and Inspiring Projects – Barn The Spoon
Bushcraft Spoon Carving – Leigh Robinson
Bushcraft Kuksa Carving – Leigh Robinson
Bushcraft Bow Drill Bible – Leigh Robinson
Guide to Making Fire Without Matches – Christopher Nyerges
Fire Making – Daniel Hume
Making Fire In The Wild – Louella Bath
Building the Perfect Fire – Miles Tanner
Simple Shelters – Jonathan Horning
We Are Nature – Raymond Mears
The Art of Whittling – Walter L. Faurot
50 Things to Do with a Penknife – Matt Collins
Pencil, Paper, and Stars: The Handbook of Traditional & Emergency Navigation – Alastair Buchan
Make Your Own Traditional Fishing Tackle – Paul Duffield
The Beginner’s Guide to Traditional Archery – Brian J. Sorrells
Be Expert With Map & Compass – Bjorn Kjellstrom
Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass – Harold Gatty
Collins Ultimate Navigation Manual – Lyle Brotherton
Wilderness Navigation Handbook – Fred Touche
The Practical Guide to Celestial Navigation – Phil Somerville
The Natural Navigator – Tristan Gooley
The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs – Tristan Gooley
Reading Weather – The Field Guide to Forecasting the Weather
Basic Illustrated Weather Forecasting – Falcon Field Guide
Weather Forecasting Made Simple – Stan Yorke

This rant is a long rant, but please, read. I feel like this post will get me a lot of hate but this is the only place where I can talk to people that understand me.
On my first post here, someone commented "it's not "moving heaven and earth for his kid", it's "moving heaven and earth for his ex" she is the one receiving the help, not SD." and I have thought about it ever since.
SO is far from being poor. BM is completely capable of taking care of her child. She lives with her mother (doesn't pay rent) has two cars (one being a 4WD with snorkel aka not cheap). She has a PHD and works for Deloitte. She also kayaking/canoeing, always traveling and competing (just for sporting). On her insta she's always posting her nights out with friends and her fancy drinks. She also got a boob job last month. C'mon she's also far from being poor.
He doesn't pay child support, instead, he says he prefers to pay things she need has basically said that would only regulate it (juridically) if BM was bad to him (BM disrespects him a lot, even told his mom that she would fu** his life but he turns a blind eye).
The thing is: He is always making her life easier. They were never married. He says he was just hanging out with her for that thing (...), one day he got drunk and it happened. To be honest, he always says bad things about her like "she's annoying" "she's boring" "I want to get away from her". But at the same time, he is too good with her. Trust me, I have divorced parents, I know what being good or bad to your ex is.
I'll list my points. - He pays for almost of everything. Except things like the light and water bill, if she goes out with SD she will ask for money and he will send (I've seen messages of her like (this weekend I went to a restaurant and a park with her, send me 200); Anything health related (vaccines, medicine, exams, appointments); school (a expensive private where he also pays ballet and gymnastics so that she can stay more hours at school (because BM says she can't have her own child at home while teleworking (it includes also paying for all her materials, from all the books and notebooks to glue and pencils); Clothes (she will send a link and say "she wants this and that"); the baby sitter she has before starting full time at school; formula (she will be seven in 3 months but she still ask him to buy a big can every 15 days); birthday parties? from the place to the food everything on him; her bedroom on BM's house and even the baby car seat for BM's car, it was he who had bought. Now, one of the most absurd ones, she messages him asking him to buy things like chocolate milk, cookies, nutella, soap, shampoo, instant noodles WEEKLY (be for real) - Anything extra like swimming lessons, therapy, private tutoring, he is also the one who pays - He is ALWAYS the one to drive to alternate days, BM can stay comfortable inside her home; - He does homework with her 95% of the time because BM says it's hard to deal with SD; - He is also the one who attends school appointments and every medical appointment; - SD's bike magically disappeared from BM's apartment and now he will pay for a new one alone even though it was under BM's responsibility
BM wants the custody, when he says to give it to him e MIL she denies, but I can assure you that it's just because in the country where I live it's extremely difficult to see fathers having custody and all her friends and coworkers would look bad at her. They EOWE during school days but EOW during school breaks. (She barely has to deal with SD during the week, she takes SD to school (around 7 minutes from their house) early (SD said that some days she even took her before 7 a.m). SO picks her up at 5.45pm and does homework with her and two times a week he takes her to eat (Sometimes he get her back like 9 pm) BM really doesn't deal with SD a lot.
Important to mention that he said he would only go to court if BM was bad to him 🙄. The law in the country where I live says that child support can only get UP TO 20% of your wage and I don't know why he doesn't regulatize it. 🚨 He also said that if BM ended up giving the custody to him, he wouldn't ask for child support when our country's law says it an undeniable right. (MIL and I believe that when SD's grandma fall sick or die/ when SD become a rebel teenager (SD is a completely spoiled brat, we both have no doubt she will be harder to deal than she already is) BM will give the custody to him.
What do I have to do with it? Well, he says he plans to marry me and have kids. Time and money matters. I know he expects me to work (Like, full time, I'm at uni, so I only work part time), and although I've never asked, I'm sure he will expect me to help with money if we move in together. Also about time, I feel in my gut that if we have a child, I'll be the one responsible for it, both i prioritized since he is always doing everything for BM.
I can mention a lot of situations that made me feel unprioritized time-wise. This weekend we left in cold, raining, to buy and deliver formula to BM house. money-wise, he cancelled our trip saying it was too expensive for now, when I had already declined other trips with others, and told my family and friends about the trip and he convinced me to get the subway-bus route (university-house) instead of the bus one (more dangerous but more expensive) saying he was going to pay the difference in value but only did once in March and never again. When he talks about our wedding, he always says "we should do something simple" "you aren't expecting something big, right?" when I saw the expensive venue he rented for his daughter's birthday and went with him to buy all the extra needed. He also kept sd's car seat for if we have a child, why is she entitled to new, expensive items and our imaginary child second hand items?
I just feel like (my friends and MIL too) he could, yes, demand things from BM just like she does and divide better their kid's obligations (homework, driving, appointments) and money (regulating it in court❗️, establishing at least a 30-70% paying for her needs, alternating buying things). This kid will grow up and honestly, I don't think he should be the one paying for sanitary pads and every other need.
Once when I spoke to him about the driving issue, he said that he also always pick me up (we see each other on weekends) ('always' is a lie because sometimes he asked for ubers and a couple of times I used public transportation). I answered "yes, I only have one boyfriend, she has two parents!"
If you read until here. THANK YOU. I poured out my heart here. Spilled everything that's been bothering me for months. I just want to know what would you feel. I don't think I'm overreacting but getting opinions from people in similar situations is always welcomed. Please be kind. I just want to know if I should leave. He's great to me but a future where he prioritizes other women's kid over my family would really make me unhappy.

Which is fastest/easiest to build, especially as mostly a one-man crew with little experience? It's a small shed, 10x12 ft, aiming for a simple 4:12 gable roof (minimum pitch allowable by code here). Stick framed with a ridge board and notched rafters, or pre-build simple trusses on the ground with plywood gussets, and haul them up afterwards?
I considered buying prefab trusses, but the quote came in higher than expected (like 5X the price of materials if I DIY it).

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To: [redacted]@gmail.com
From: [redacted]@lodgeofkozeron.org
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Subject: Membership with the Lodge of the Ancient Order of Közeron
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Hello again Eric!
I am reaching out to you regarding your intent to pledge to the Lodge of the Ancient Order of Közeron. As you are already aware, this fraternal brotherhood is unlike the fraternities at other universities. In fact, it has nothing to do with so called "Greek Life" at all. Membership with our Lodge will not only help you as you attend Eldertide Polytechnic University here in Echo Bay, but you will find that the brotherhood of the Lodge will help you in life after your matriculation has concluded. Many Lodge members find successful careers in law enforcement, politics and several are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
Before we invite you to participate in the Pledging Ceremony, we do want to ensure that you know and understand a few things about the Lodge:

1. Everything you learn about the Lodge as a pledgling or full member is strictly confidential. You will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to proceed further. Failure to uphold your end of this agreement has dire consequences which will be discussed further with you should you desire to continue pledging.
   
2. Mastery of a Martial Art is compulsory. The Lodge will not dictate which form (or forms) of Martial Arts to pursue and there is no time constraint or expectation for you to reach a level of mastery quickly. As far as the Lodge is concerned, you may pursue mastery for the rest of your life, but your attempts must be earnest. This will be verified yearly for the rest of your life. Again, failure to uphold your end of this will be met with dire consequences. Please consider this before continuing.
   
3. The Scarification Rite is mandatory. It hurts. A lot. You will bare the mark of the brand below your left ankle for the rest of your life. You will have trouble walking as the scar left by the brand heals. This rite is another of our many secrets and my brother and I recommend wearing a bandage and using crutches as the scar heals. Claiming to have a sprained ankle is the easiest way to explain away your trouble walking for several weeks and you are welcome to come waterskiing with us on the day of the ceremony should you choose to use this excuse. Spraining your ankle doing an activity will give your story the appropriate alibi. You don't have to come with us, but we like you so we wanted to invite you.
   
4. We use a coded language when speaking about the Lodge in public. Don't worry this is fairly simple to master and you will learn it quickly.
   
5. Membership is for life. Yes LIFE. You cannot leave. EVER. Please consider this carefully before continuing forward. Attempting to leave, again, will be met with dire consequences.
   

There are a number of other considerations you will need to consider as you pledge, but we find these to be the most important. In addition, please review the attached file and memorize the contents to the best of your ability. It is an account of Közeron's Rise and early history.
This document was generously scanned page-by-page by Eldertide Polytechnic University's head librarian Darlene Fischer from a 1934 University textbook which is kept in her private and restricted collection. This textbook of which only one copy remains, contains an entire chapter of what is considered by experts to be the most accurate, definitive account of Közeron's history. It is a great privilege to have this information shared with you so please recognize that and act accordingly.
Commit as much as you can of it to memory as the Grand Navigator will frequently quiz you about its contents prior to accepting your application for Lodge membership.
Finally, If you have any questions, please reach out to me or my brother, Dean. As your Sponsors, we will be happy to answer any and all questions.
If you fail it reflects poorly on us, so do not embarrass us, Eric!
Sincerely,
Devin James
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📎 Attachment: rise-of-kozeron.pdf

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Attachment Contents:

 

The Rise of Közeron

The Viking ship known as Klóra Karfi disappeared on its journey homeward to the shores of Norway as it traversed the freezing waters of the North Sea with its sister ships, the Skelmir Hlíf and Hjarta Hvassi. It would be the final voyage of all three ships led by the famous Viking raider Kortan Sigurd and myriad pieces of the Skelmir Hlíf and Hjarta Hvassi were said to have washed ashore near Lindisfarne, England, the town that they set out from, after a great storm ravished and destroyed them. The winds and waves that night were responsible for drowning their respective crews and reducing both ships to kindling. Although historical documents from the corresponding time period and region of Britain assume the same fate befell the Klóra Karfi, something very different happened to Kortan Sigurd and the men on that ship.
image-1.jpg
The raid was said to have been swift and brutal. The Viking warriors led by Sigurd, in documents written by Brother Godric Eadwine (an Anglo-Saxon monk at the Lindisfarne Priory), are described as “a band of savage heathen men whom hath once more come ashore, bringing ruin to the holy churches and townships that lie within the countryside's embrace. Three ships did arrive at break of day, one bearing the shape of a giant seashell carved upon its prow, another adorned with a heart, and the final with the visage of a dragon, adorned with fierce clawed talons striking fear. The men aboard these vessels slew all who stood against them, robbing their victims of money, treasures, and even their food. Ere they set their homes ablaze, reducing them to naught but ashes.” Brother Godric Eadwine also describes the storm that night, mentioning it the following day in his private diaries: “The tempest that did wreak havoc upon the coast yestereve was terrible and treacherous, verily the work of some evil force. The north tower of our holy monastery was smitten by lightning, causing a great fire in its wrathful strike and taking Abbot Edwulf Oswine from us. Between the dire events of the day and the calamities of the night that followed, the happenstances on the 19th day of June in the 824th year of our Lord shall forever be graven upon my memory.”
The histories inscribed by this monk and others of the Lindisfarne Priory claim that, upon finding pieces of wrecked longships mere days after the raids, the Klóra Karfi was destroyed along with its sister ships the Skelmir Hlíf and the Hjarta Hvassi in the storm that ensued after the violent plunder that befell the English coastline. There are, however, conflicting historical documents recorded by the Seãkwa people, a Native American tribe settled on the coast of New England in North America during the same time period. This unverified history is quite possibly the true fate of Kortan Sigurd and the Klóra Karfi, for in early 1932, during a ground excavation for a local business, a ship of Viking origin with a dragon’s head prow matching Brother Godric Eadwine’s description was unearthed from where it was buried near Veil Reef Beach at the southern boundary of Echo Bay. Experts confirm that the type of wood used as well as the building style of the vessel matches the construction of others built in the time period and location where the Klóra Karfi originated, lending further credence to the idea that the ship was not destroyed but was instead separated from its sisters during the violent storm, inexplicably finding its way completely undamaged and wholly intact to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
image-2.jpg
According to Seãkwa historians, the tale that follows originated from stories told by the physical manifestation of an oceanic deity named Közeron, who shared his history with the tribe when he encountered them sometime in the 7th century. It has been shared in tribal memory for over 1,200 years via word of mouth, art, canoe carvings and architectural adornments from different time periods in their tribal history and remains a major part of the Seãkwa’s tribal identity to this day.
After successfully raiding Lindisfarne and the surrounding countryside, Kortan Sigurd and his men returned to their ships, securing their plunder and setting sail for home. The trio of longships were particularly quick and were thought to have possibly moved at an average speed of 8-12 knots, taking them approximately three days to five days of rowing with breaks and weather factored in, to make the approximate 800 kilometer return trip to their village on the coast of Norway. Typically, Viking longships of this time period sailed within view of the coastline and did not sail directly across open seas causing a journey that would otherwise take approximately two days to take nearly twice as long.
Sigurd was standing at the helm of the Klóra Karfi, adorned with its intricately carved prow, when the sky suddenly darkened and the wind began to howl like a vengeful spirit. A fierce and unexpected storm descended upon the three ships out of nowhere just hours after they set sail. The seas roared and monstrous waves reached their great hands towards the sky, threatening to capsize the raiding party’s ships with every gust. The men of the Klóra Karfi watched in horror as a maelstrom opened beneath the Hjarta Hvassi and Skelmir Hlíf, spinning them around and around one another in endless circles as their crews attempted to furiously row their vessels to safety. The men watched as the efforts of those in the other longships were unsuccessful and the whirlpool snapped the oars that competed against its currents one by one, eventually swallowing both ships whole and beginning to pull at the lone Viking longship that remained.
As the Klóra Karfi spun in the very same current that its sisters perished within, a great wave submerged the deck, taking three of the crew overboard and into the watery depths. The remaining men clung to the ship, white-knuckled and fearful, as the maelstrom’s grip tightened and their fate seemed set in stone.
When the intense storm finally abated, Kortan Sigurd and his men remained aboard the ship adrift in a dense fog, obscuring their vision of everything past two or three feet in every direction. The mist was so thick that when the men stood at the stern, they were unable to see the bow of the Klóra Karfi at the other end. The sun above them, showing barely through the haze, appeared as an illuminated, ghostly disc and worse still, not a single one of the men could remember how they survived. They could recall the onset of the typhoon, the terrifying whirlpool and watching their sister ships being crushed as they were sucked down to the bottom, but the memory of how they escaped that fate themselves was a blank void–as if it were wiped from their minds.
Amongst Sigurd’s men was one woman who went by the name of Aud Olofsdotter; a fierce shield maiden and soothsayer or “völva” as she was known in their native tongue, who claimed to have received a prophetic vision during the storm. Over many years, the men learned to listen to her and listen closely when she shared her visions with them, as she was a skilled storyteller and her prophecies became truths quite often. She spoke of a great kraken; a monstrous spear-headed sea creature with dozens of great, reaching tentacles, emerging from the depths at the very center of the maelstrom and pulling at the Klóra Karfi into the spinning waters.
image-3.jpg
According to her vision, as it began to capsize, instead of allowing the longship to overturn, the great beast held it upright and level for a moment. It raised it up and above the waves for just a moment before it pulled the ship into the maelstrom’s center and underwater entirely. Instead of becoming submerged beneath the viciously undulating surface, the crew found themselves traveling through a mystical tunnel beneath the waves–a water-passage that encircled the ship above and below and seemed to stretch endlessly before and behind them. She claimed that this underpass beneath the surface of the water was a place of unremembering where the passage of time and the movement of the ship became entirely meaningless. The span between the storm and waking in the fog, which seemed to the men to be mere moments, was actually, she claimed, to be over three weeks. Some of the men who heard her telling of this vision claimed that this simply could not be so and at this, she urged them to check their stores of food and fresh water.
“You will find them nearly depleted.” she said, “I tell you, it has been nigh on a month since we sailed through this otherworldly realm, as guided by some unseen force and in that time, we have consumed nearly all of our provisions.”
Their stores of food, which were mostly stolen during the raid, should have lasted them nearly 20 days and what remained of their supply of fresh water was barely enough for four, although the barrels should have been nearly full for their journey was only meant to last a week or two and no longer. At this revelation, the men were dismayed and disoriented and looked to Kortan for leadership and guidance.
Knowing no other means of escape from their plight, he ordered them back into the hull and to begin rowing in a direction that, unsure of their location and lacking means of navigation through the fog, he chose arbitrarily–desperately hoping it would lead them safely to land and salvation.
For five days they rowed and the thick blankets of mist hanging in the air never lifted. Morale plummeted as hunger and thirst gnawed at their resolve to continue onward and some of the men began to believe and share in whispers that they surely must be dead. Their reasoning was that the maelstrom actually crushed their longship, like it had done to its sisters, and while the other crews made it to Valhalla, they somehow found themselves lost along the way. On the sixth night, shortly after the first of their numbers was found dead of malnutrition and dehydration in his bunk below decks, the waters around the Klóra Karfi were discovered to be glowing with a neon green phosphorescence and illuminating the fog with an eerie light. Both things were interpreted by most of those aboard the ship as a malevolent sign.
No one knew why he chose that night, when the water shimmered with an eerie glow, but even the most rational among the crew could be tempted to drink the seawater at this point, driven by their relentless thirst. Perhaps this man, unlike the others, saw the neon waters as a divine omen. The first to drink was Vontell Eriksson, who lowered a bucket into the glowing sea and raised it to his lips, swallowing nearly half without even attempting to skim the luminescent algae from the surface. In the waters around Echo Bay, the phosphorescent green glow is a familiar sight and is caused by psykothrix algae. This algae, more abundant before the Bay was settled, is still illegally harvested, dried, and processed for its consumption to this day. Known for its vivid glow and psychedelic properties, psykothrix algae poses a significant risk if not properly prepared. Studies reveal that improper processing can lead to severe irrationality and bouts of inexplicable violence, especially in those with weak or compromised constitutions. Thus, when the six starving and thirsty crew members were convinced by Vontell to drink the water with him, each of them fell into a state of frenzied madness. These seven men became the crew’s undoing.
That night, driven by insatiable hunger and the effects of psykothrix, the intoxicated men determined Aud Olofsdotter to be the weakest of the crew on board. They stabbed her to death and cut away strips of her stomach, which they began to eat raw. It wasn’t until they began to consume her uterus, intestines and liver that they were witnessed by another crewman who happened upon them in the midst of their gruesome act. Being greatly outnumbered by the madmen, he retreated above deck to alert Kortan Sigurd about what he’d seen happening below.
Most of the men gathered on the deck, drawn by the eerie glow of the eldritch waters. Kortan, rallying his remaining best fighters, descended below deck to confront the madmen-turned-cannibals. A brutal battle ensued, with the intoxicated men holding the advantage; the uncured algae granted them unnatural strength and cunning. In a short time, they overpowered Sigurd and his fighters, capturing Sigurd and binding him tightly to a beam.
As the remaining crew discovered the mutiny, they attempted to reclaim their ship, descending below deck to attempt to overthrow the mutineers and free their leader. However, the madmen’s enhanced abilities led to a bloody slaughter. One by one, Sigurd’s men fell until only Kortan remained, shouting at the mutineers and demanding to be released. The madmen taunted him for hours, their eyes gleaming and wild the entire time. Before the night was through, they mutilated their captain, severing his arms at the elbows and cutting off his legs, tossing them into the glowing sea. Kortan was strong and his strength and desire to live never faltered, even at the end when they threw him, still alive, into the freezing neon waters as well.
This marks a pivotal moment in Seãkwa tribal history where legend and myth become one, for Kortan Sigurd did not perish. Indeed, what transpired next endowed him with everlasting life. Xaigon, eternal and undying, in this time period was already inhabiting the waters of Echo Bay and was already living there in his dream state for eons. His followers on land were already brewing Cetacean Essence and undergoing the telltale transformations and adaptations necessary to live with him beneath the waves for several hundred years. At this time, the Shining City in the fabled Coral Caves was considerably smaller than its present size. By 824 AD, Depth Departures were occurring in small, unrecorded numbers within the Seãkwa tribe, with the Xaigonian Fishpeople beneath the black waves of Echo Bay numbering between 750 and 900 souls.
It is crucial to note that the true scope and size of the Shining City has never been accurately counted or estimated with any degree of success. By the time of this publication in 1934, it is thought that over 5,000 souls reside in the Shining City. The Xaigonian Fishpeople do not permit outsiders, particularly census takers, to enter their great, secret city, and likely never will, rendering these numbers unverifiable. Experts concur that the population of the Coral Cave’s Shining City is at least double that of Echo Bay. However, many argue that this undersea population is easily three times larger than the land-based population.
For more information on Xaigon, Xaigonian Enclave, Xaigonian Fishpeople, Cetacean Essence or Depth Departures, refer to Chapter 12, "The Lore and History of Xaigon" beginning on page 137.
Having been noticed by Xaigonian scouts two days prior, the Klóra Karfi was already being watched closely by the residents of the Shining City and as Kortan Sigurd’s body sank beneath the waters, it was collected by three Xaigonian Oracles. Moving hastily and employing the use of their dark magic, the Priestesses dismembered a giant lobster attaching its limbs, tail and legs to Kortan Sigurd’s torso, thus saving his life.
When Kortan awoke beneath the sea, his eyes slowly adjusted to the dim, otherworldly light filtering through the water. Confusion gripped him as he took in his strange surroundings; an underwater temple filled with bioluminescent sea creatures and phosphorescent algae. Before him stood the three Oracles, pleasure painted across their scaled faces, satisfied with their work. For a short time, he strained to comprehend the alien environment. When they spoke to him, he did not understand their words and he slowly began to grow agitated.As realization dawned, this confusion and agitation gave way to a burning wrath. The annals of Viking mythology are clear: a slain warrior's rightful place is within the hallowed halls of Valhalla, where he would feast and fight for eternity. Yet, by some cruel twist of fate, Kortan found himself denied this glorious afterlife. His resurrection beneath the waves was not a blessing but a curse–a theft of his warrior's reward.
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Fueled by this perceived outrage and denial, Kortan's rage intensified. His once noble visage twisted with fury, he turned on the very Oracles who saved his life. These mystical seers of the deep, revered for their wisdom and power, unwittingly incurred his vengeance. He saw their actions not as a salvation but as a condemnation, a denial of his divine right.
As their mangled bodies began to turn the waters of their sacred temple red, Kortan breathed heavily of their mystic blood as it commingled with the seawater. In breathing this blood, he was further imbued with the dark magics of the Xaigonian Priestesses.
This act of destruction and desecration within the sacred confines of one of Xaigon’s temples, nestled in the secretive Shining City of the Coral Caves, did not escape notice. Xaigon himself, a nightmarish entity with a slick, reflective black form, both squid-like and humanoid, bearing a colossal obsidian shell upon his back, stirred from his eternal slumber. Waking from his dreamstate and rising up from the Abyss, he ascended through the chasmic cliffs of his sleeping crevice, swimming directly to the temple where the massacre transpired. Within moments, his formidable tentacles rent the walls of the sacred sanctuary to rubble, and upon discovering Kortan still within, a titanic clash between the two ensued.
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Xaigon found himself facing an evenly matched adversary in the transformed Viking. The battle raged with ferocity, hand-to-tentacle, for nearly an hour. When Xaigon’s powerful and whip-like appendages succeeded in tearing the newly attached claws from Kortan’s arms, it seemed as though victory was within his grasp. Yet, in a twist neither combatant anticipated, something extraordinary occurred.
Lobsters possess the remarkable ability to regenerate their claws through a process of molting their exoskeletons. This regeneration process begins immediately upon the loss of a limb, with a bud forming at the site of the wound. In an ordinary lobster, it may take several molts to fully restore a missing claw or limb and depending on the age of the lobster, this may be a process that takes anywhere from a year to five years total for this remarkable ability to allow for eventual regrowth.
However, imbued with the supernatural blood of the Oracles, Kortan’s regeneration defied the natural order. To the astonishment of both Xaigon and Kortan, his claws began to regenerate instantaneously. The exoskeleton formed and shed multiple times within mere seconds. In less than a minute, the missing claws were fully regrown from where Xaigon severed them.
Defeated and bewildered, Xaigon retreated into the spiraling abyss of his onyx shell. Once fully ensconced, the ominous sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the depths as he blocked off the shell’s opening and sank slowly to the ocean floor, leaving behind a trail of bioluminescent mucus in his wake. Kortan continued his assault on the impenetrable shell where it lay at rest on the ocean floor for quite some time, his relentless blows failing to make a dent in the unnatural and unholy barrier that shielded the ancient god.
At last, conceding the futility of his efforts, Kortan abandoned the fight. He swam back to the surface, resolute in his determination to attend to other unfinished business that awaited him above the waves.
It did not take long for Kortan to locate the Klóra Karfi, despite the dense fog enshrouding the surface. Finding it was easy for him amidst the eerie, glowing waters. His newly transformed limbs, both dexterous and surefooted, allowed him to scale the side of the longship with ease, and with a mighty heave, he hoisted himself aboard the deck, where the mutineers were still celebrating their ill-gotten victory, their minds still twisted by the hallucinogenic effects of the psykothrix algae.
Kortan cleared his throat, a sound that sliced through their carousing and caused the startled men to turn and face him in horror. The only remaining vestiges of his humanity were the intricate patterns of tattoos on his chest, his furious bearded face, and his long, elaborately braided hair.
With his newfound power, Kortan exacted a brutal revenge on the mutineers, slaughtering them for their betrayal and casting their severed limbs into the sea. Having satisfied his vengeance, Kortan left the ship and ventured into the vast ocean depths. For many months, he explored the underwater realms, encountering many creatures native only to Echo Bay. Creatures both wondrous and terrifying. His journey was marked by continuous clashes with the Xaigonian Fishpeople who still believed they might find a way to best him in battle and earn the glory and recognition of Xaigon. Every Fishperson who attempted to fight him in the sand at the depths of the open waters was repaid for their efforts with death.

Közeron and the Seãkwa Tribe

The Seãkwa Tribe were living along the coast of Echo Bay for generations prior to 825 AD, their existence deeply intertwined with the rhythms of the tides and the whispers of the ocean. They held a profound belief in the spirits dwelling within the watery depths, chief among them Xaigon himself. Their rituals and traditions were inextricably linked with the natural world of the sea, as they considered themselves the guardians of its enigmatic mysteries.
According to Seãkwa tribal historians, Kortan emerged from the waves in Twilight Cove, located on the north side of their village, one sunny afternoon. He was first spotted by a pair of tribesmen who were fishing on the shore. Horrified and awestruck by his appearance, they abandoned their belongings, including a basket containing their substantial catch, and ran back to the village to alert the tribe. Kortan observed these men, picked up their abandoned basket in his claws, and followed them with a curious demeanor.
Upon his arrival at the village, Kortan found it seemingly deserted. The fishermen, known for their serious dispositions and honesty, recounted their encounter to the tribal leaders. The elders, trusting their word, sounded the alarm by blowing three times into a conch shell, prompting the entire tribe, except for one, to flee the small village. The elderly and infirm hid among the high sand dune grasses, while the young and able-bodied quietly and quickly ascended the hidden paths within the Twilight Pass cliffs. Everyone halted where they stood when Kortan arrived, with many crouching in the seagrasses along the rocky path and others watching from the cliffs with shocked amazement.
Kortan briefly surveyed the village before sighing and leaving the basket of fish at what he supposed was the village center. Observing this, the one man who had stayed behind decided to emerge from his hiding place. Talanook, a trusted member of the tribal shaman, approached Kortan with cautious reverence, sensing an immense power radiating from him. After several minutes of circling Kortan, who stood unmoving, Talanook beckoned to the villagers, signaling that it was safe to return.
No one living on land had ever seen Xaigon, so when Talanook proclaimed that this being was the manifestation of the deity in physical form, the tribe fell to their knees, offering respect and pledging their devotion. Kortan, unable to understand their language, did nothing to correct the misunderstanding and seemed to accept their worship. The tribe celebrated their fortune, believing they were in the presence of a divine entity from the sea.
As days turned into weeks, Kortan remained among the Seãkwa, gradually learning their language and lifestyle. His presence became a central part of their daily lives, integrating himself into their customs and routines. Yet, a schism began to form within the tribe, as not all members were wholly convinced of his divinity. A young warrior named Mako, known for his strength and perceptiveness, started to question Kortan’s true nature. Over time, Mako's suspicions grew, and he became convinced that this creature was not Xaigon. He began to quietly whisper to others, suggesting that Kortan was a mere usurper seeking to disrupt their sacred traditions. His skepticism resonated with many in the tribe, finding a receptive audience among the doubtful.
The division reached a breaking point when Kortan, struggling with his newfound language, mispronounced words that evoked laughter from a crowd of onlookers. Losing his temper, Kortan destroyed one of the tribe’s sacred totems, throwing it into a bonfire before retreating hastily back to the sea. He was not seen nor heard from for many days. This act of desecration was too much for Mako and his followers. They accused Talanook and the shamanic council of leading the tribe astray, sparking a fierce debate among the Seãkwa people. In a matter of days, the once-unified tribe stood on the brink of civil war.
Unable to reconcile their differences, the tribe split into two factions. Mako and his followers, steadfast in their belief that Kortan was not Xaigon, chased Talanook and his supporters out of Twilight Cove. Mako declared Twilight Cove a sacred site, insisting it should belong only to the true believers of Xaigon as the one true sea god. Talanook and his followers, still devoted to Kortan, relocated to Veil Reef Beach, on the southern end of Echo Bay.
When Kortan emerged from the waves once more, the faction remaining in the original village acted as though he were invisible. Using his limited understanding of the Seãkwa language, Kortan attempted to apologize, having finally realized that the people worshiping him believed him to be Xaigon. Despite his efforts, they ignored him entirely until one of the elders broke the silence. The elder, using simple words that Kortan mostly understood, explained where those who still loved and followed him had relocated.
Over the following weeks, Kortan learned much more of the language from his devoted followers. He gradually dispelled their misconception, explaining that he was not Xaigon. As his grasp of the language improved further, he recounted to the elders of the exiled faction how he had defeated Xaigon in hand-to-hand combat months earlier. He described how the deity had retreated into his shell to escape him. In recognition of his deeds and power, Talanook bestowed upon him the name Közeron, solidifying his new identity among the Seãkwa.
The two factions of the Seãkwa tribe continued their fierce struggle for many months, but the relentless conflict began to take a heavy toll on both sides. Leaders from each faction started to recognize the futility of their strife, and in a rare moment of unity, Talanook and Mako agreed to meet under a banner of truce. They convened at the rocky outcrop known as Spirit’s Reach, a neutral ground sacred to both factions. There, they discussed peace and the pressing need to preserve their people and traditions.
After several days of intense negotiation, a tentative peace was established. Both factions agreed to respect each other’s territories and cease hostilities. The Közerians would continue to inhabit Veil Reef Beach, while the Xaigonians would remain at Twilight Cove. They decided to share the waters and resources of Echo Bay, cooperating only when absolutely necessary to avoid further bloodshed.
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This fragile peace was maintained through a grudging commerce. The Közerian faction, with their access to the groves near Veil Reef Beach and Közeron’s knowledge of shipbuilding, excelled in crafting canoes. They traded these canoes to the Xaigonians in exchange for the right to fish the abundant waters of Twilight Cove. Even the Seãkwa who had splintered from the faction that remained at Twilight Cove recognized that these waters were the richest fishing grounds in Echo Bay. They remain so to this day, a testament to the continued devotion and sacrifices of the Xaigonian Enclave.
This arrangement, though fraught with tension, allowed both factions to thrive. The Közerians used their shipbuilding skills to explore new waters and expand their trade, while the Xaigonians, with their deep connection to Xaigon, continued their sacred rituals and maintained the fertility of their fishing grounds. The peace forged at Spirit’s Reach endured, a delicate balance of mutual respect and necessity, shaping the destiny of the Seãkwa people for generations to come.
ss

So, here’s the scene that my partner and I watched unfold at Elk Island on Saturday afternoon:
We arrived around 3:00 for a picnic and a paddle in our canoe. Right as we were arriving, the wind was really starting to pick up. As is normal on a sunny weekend this time of year, the front of the lake was busy with rental kayaks and canoes; mostly people who have no idea how to paddle and are blissfully unaware of the risks to which they're exposing themselves.
As we got the charcoal bbq lit and started cooking, the wind got stronger. It was very choppy and whitecaps were starting to form. Most of the rental boats were coming back into shore, either by choice or inadvertently. (At least the wind was pushing towards shore.) I had planned to be giving my partner a solo canoeing lesson and then let her go out and play on her own while I sat on shore, however we decided to postpone that for another day due to the wind. I’ve been out alone during windier conditions but I’m quite an experienced paddler.
We then saw two people capsize about 2/3rds of the way out to the big island in the centre of the lake. (We later realized it was two kids. Had we known at the time, we would have been on the water in a second.) They were wearing lifejackets and the wind was slowly pushing them towards shore, but not very fast. After several minutes, two parks staff took one of the rental canoes to paddle out to them. It quickly became apparent that the parks staff also had no idea how to paddle. They were both paddling on the same side, were being pushed all over the place by the wind, and could barely make it out to the capsized boat. There were a few minutes when my partner and I were wondering if we'd have to go and perform a rescue for all four of them.
Eventually, they got the kids to shore. By that point, they had been in very cold water for probably half an hour or more, likely scared and suffering from at least mild shock. Hypothermia sets in very quickly in those conditions. A parks rescue boat (motor boat) showed up right as they were finally getting to shore. Kind of too little, too late; no idea why it took them so long to get a rescue boat out... Then, a medical team showed up and was treating one of the kids on the beach, who was laying down. Eventually, he was brought away on a stretcher, hooked up to oxygen. I have no idea if it was for hypothermia and shock, or something else.
The entire time this was happening, more couples and families who clearly had no idea how to paddle on a calm day let alone in strong winds were taking canoes out from shore. Thankfully, most of them didn't make it more than maybe 30 metres from shore before they were pushed back in by the wind. Eventually, the rental company did stop sending people out in canoes but they continued to rent out kayaks while this was happening. (I should mention that the rental staff played no part in rescuing the kids who were using their rental boat, nor did they really show any concern or pay attention to what was happening.)
This whole thing was an absolute shit show and everyone involved is lucky that it didn't end more seriously. There were so many poor choices and terrible risk management from all parties.
PADDLING ON THE WATER IS A HIGH RISK ACTIVITY. As an experienced paddler, it is often frustrating, comical, and sometimes terrifying to watch others on the water when they have no idea what they are doing. Most people have no idea of the risks involved in water sports. The easy accessibility of spots like Elk Island and the river flowing through our city fool people into thinking it is perfectly safe. It is not.
If you have never paddled before and haven't bothered to learn at least the very basics, like how to hold a paddle, how to sit in a canoe to keep your boat stable, etc., then YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING ON THE WATER. If you are going out, pick a calm day and rent a kayak, not a canoe. Canoes are far more challenging to paddle and control.
Luckily, these kids capsized on the front end of the lake where they were clearly visible from shore. Had they gone to explore the islands then no one would have seen them capsize and we'd likely be reading about two drowned kids.
I am also shocked at the terrible risk management and rescue protocol demonstrated by parks staff. I have no idea why two staff who clearly don't know the first thing about paddling would think it's a good idea for them to attempt a rescue in windy conditions. In doing so they put themselves in danger and could have made the situation much worse. Why did it take so long to get a rescue motorboat out? Why are staff paddling out in a canoe without a throw bag, rope, or anything else that could assist in a rescue? Why were all other rental boats not told to come in during the rescue?
Lastly, I am deeply concerned by what seemed to be a complete lack of regard to safety protocol from the boat rental company. Are they giving customers any basic instruction before sending them out on their own? Something as simple as, oh, I don't know... "paddle on opposite sides", or, "stay down on your knees to keep the boat more stable." Are they telling customers what to do in the event of a capsize? I doubt it, since these kids spent a long time trying to pull their boat to shore with them even though it was completely sunk below the surface. Why were two kids who did not know how to paddle put in a boat together without an adult in the first place? Why do they have no rescue protocols at all? (They didn't even attempt to try and help.) Do the boat staff even know how to paddle, themselves? Somehow, I doubt it.
This is how people die, folks.
p.s. Two years ago, a grown man drowned in Elk Island while paddleboarding. His body was found days later. He was not wearing a lifejacket. His friends and family all said, "he was such a strong swimmer."
/rant

Hi there! 🌿☀️ I’m Michaela, a 24 y/o female from Canada. I work remotely as an editor, so I often have free time throughout the day to chat. Please only message me if you are 18+, thank you 💕
Some of my interests:
History 📚: I have my master’s in art history but I'm also interested in social history. I especially love the Renaissance and the ancient world.
Reading 📖: I'm a major bookworm, and I read a lot of fantasy and romance. I would love to chat about books if you like to read!
Art 🎨: I love painting, drawing, paper crafts, crocheting, and jewellery making. If we become good friends, I will 100% make you things for Christmas/your birthday!
Outdoors/Nature 🍃: I’m a huge fan of being outside but usually prefer to be doing relaxing things in nature. I often go for hikes, canoeing, camping, wildlife watching, and beach combing. I also have massive vegetable and flower gardens along with a bunch of houseplants inside.
Slow Living/Cottagecore 🦉: I'm really into living life slowly and enjoying simple pleasures. I love collecting antiques, baking, preserving fruits/veggies from my garden, going foraging, drinking lots of tea, and practicing mindfulness. I'd love to send you pictures of our chickens and the baked goods and preserves I make!
If you've gotten this far, thank you for taking the time to read this long post! If we have some common interests and you think we might click, feel free to send me a message! Please say more than “hi” and I’d greatly appreciate a little introduction about yourself! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hi there! 🌿☀️ I’m Michaela, a 24 y/o female from Canada. I work remotely as an editor, so I often have free time throughout the day to chat. Please only message me if you are 18+, thank you 💕
Some of my interests:
History 📚: I have my master’s in art history but I'm also interested in social history. I especially love the Renaissance and the ancient world.
Reading 📖: I'm a major bookworm, and I read a lot of fantasy and romance. I would love to chat about books if you like to read!
Art 🎨: I love painting, drawing, paper crafts, crocheting, and jewellery making. If we become good friends, I will 100% make you things for Christmas/your birthday!
Outdoors/Nature 🍃: I’m a huge fan of being outside but usually prefer to be doing relaxing things in nature. I often go for hikes, canoeing, camping, wildlife watching, and beach combing. I also have massive vegetable and flower gardens along with a bunch of houseplants inside.
Slow Living/Cottagecore 🦉: I'm really into living life slowly and enjoying simple pleasures. I love collecting antiques, baking, preserving fruits/veggies from my garden, going foraging, drinking lots of tea, and practicing mindfulness. I'd love to send you pictures of our chickens and the baked goods and preserves I make!
If you've gotten this far, thank you for taking the time to read this long post! If we have some common interests and you think we might click, feel free to send me a message! Please say more than “hi” and I’d greatly appreciate a little introduction about yourself! I hope you have a wonderful day!

I've been trying to make a TV entertainment stand for two weeks.
Using a straight (or so I thought) piece of wood, I tried to joint the edge of a huge 1.5x1.5m (nearly 5x5 feet) coffee table that I'd picked up from Facebook marketplace using a router and a flush trim bit.
That didn't work. The piece of timber I was using as a straight edge was too thick for the router depth, and the bit flew off into the space I'm calling a workshop, never to be seen again. I bit the bullet and went and bought a circular saw. I figured I could, using some plywood, make a big T-square. I cut a piece of plywood to width and joined one edge using the aforementioned supposedly straight piece of timber and a cross piece of plywood, making sure it was square to the blade of the square using a speed square.
Using this as a fence for my circular saw, I tried ripping and cross-cutting it, and it seemed fine until I realised that the cuts weren't straight!
what am I doing wrong? now the entire piece of the timer is off-square, and I have no clue what to do from here, not to mention I'm incredibly annoyed with myself.
I'm not new to this hobby, but this is simple stuff that should not be hard! do i give in and just buy a straight edge that i know is straight and go from there????
this is A CRY FOR HELP!