So I'm mainly curious as to how my rng is and what other peoples rng is like.
I've pulled 2475 pulls in the non divine summons/events. Im like 99% f2p I'll grab the veryyy occasional .99 summon if I can for a 10 pull. I started playing back in July of last year relatively close to release. So I've pulled on a lot of banners. Granted one of the first champs I got was Silas. but no Vierna, so I'll take that as good rng at least.
Now out of all those banners from what I recall, I've only pulled 3 legos on banners. Gwendolyn and Artemis being at or past my pity. (Which I realllly wanted Hatssut for because even if she was the worst hero I freaking love her.) Lust was the surprise being 51 away from the 200 pity line. I'll put my hero list at the bottom.
Now I'm asking though because my friend who I play with is either very lucky or I am just that unlucky. Because they've played the same amount of time as me and last I had checked I had about 200 pulls more than them. BUT they always get a lego from the banners. They usually get multiple legos really. While I sit and stare in sadness at the guild chat thinking of my blue and green pulls. lol I joked about pulling Lust before them and then they pull 2 Arrogance and a Lust. I just don't get it am I honestly just that unlucky? lol
I would also like to stress this is in no way complaining. This is one of my favorite games and I am genuinely curious if I am just cursed or something. lol And just as a bonus can we all give a lil extra luck if I am cursed on the Serephina and Dhalia banner because I am in loveeeeee! Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk! May all our rng be blessed!
Hero list: Valeriya, Calypso, Silas, Gwendolyn, Anai, Artemis, Lust, Brokkir, Abomination, Volka, Zelus, Shamir, Ezryn, Laseer, and Nocturne.

For me, Jean De Fluer by Grant Green

Speaking of Dwarven Excavation, I want something a lot different from the module. As written on the module, whoever tries to take the green gem in the final room will cause the gem to turn to dust and trigger the statue explosion, very likely killing whoever is caught in the explosion. That sucks.
Let's say I let the players find a way to take the gem without triggering the trap by wearing the abathor amulet, by sacrifing some of their own blood or whatever...
What curse would you give to the green gem? I'm looking for something that grants both a buff and a debuff, plus it can be removed later on in the game.
What I thought is something like: attunement with the green gem causes the player to gain advantage on all rolls of an ability score of their choice... But the gem needs something to fuel this boon, so I choose an ability score of my choice and that character has disadvantage on all rolls for that ability score (e.g.: a rogue could pick dexterity for advantage, but I'll pick constitution for his/her disadvantage rolls).
About lifting the curse, I thought Adabra Gwyn could provide a way to dampen the effects of the gem (+4 / -4 instead of adv / disadv) and to lift the curse the gem must be brought back to its original place... I was thinking it could be axeholm, in the ruined temple section.
Either the gem itself will provide visions of its original place, or the high priest's diary explains how and where it was stolen.
What do you think? Would you change something or have a better curse in your mind?

(continuation of part 1)

III. Searching for Aerith Beyond FFVII

There were absolutely no answers in Remake or OG (at this point in my research, Rebirth wasn’t released yet), no matter how much I looked; nothing at all hinted at how Cloud could’ve obtained the memories of OG that emerge in Remake as MOTFs. I knew I had to look elsewhere to search for more clues, so I decided to check every piece of media ever released by SE with a mention of Cloud or Aerith in it, digging for hints in the compilation and beyond.
And boy, did I find them.
III. a) Core Worlds and Suspension Worlds
There are a couple of general FF rules that we need to establish before going forward.
It’s important to note that there are multiple realms in which the FF stories take place, each with a different name, history and society. This ensures that all FF stories occur separately, never intercepting or interacting— though they do have creatures like moogles and chocobos in common, as well as concepts like airships, gil, magic and some form of crystal. For simplicity, I will refer to these separate worlds in which the numbered FF games (FFI, FFII, FFIII, etc) occur as “core worlds”.
Characters from different core worlds may appear together in non-numbered FF games, the events of which have no impact on the core world at all: it seems that sometime after a FF character has reached the end of their core world’s plot-line, they may somehow be summoned to far-removed realms where they will face new adventures. I call these far-removed realms “suspension worlds”. One example of a FF game that takes place in a suspension world is Dissidia Final Fantasy, wherein characters from multiple core worlds unite to accomplish a mission as a team.
III. b) Final Fantasy Tactics
First on our list of non-compilation SE games to explore is 1997’s Final Fantasy Tactics (FFT), a game whose plot takes place in the suspension world of Ivalice. Let’s plot out the relevant events, and then analyze!
III. b) i. Fact-Finding
The main character of FFT, Ramza, encounters a brunette flower peddler with Aerith’s iconic, gravity-defying bangs:
\"Aeris\" in FFT's Ivalice
If you choose to buy a flower from her, she express her relief: apparently, business isn’t going well because no one is interested in flowers. The girl wistfully dreams aloud:

“When is my knight in shining armor going to take me away from here...?”

Later, Ramza and his companions encounter a mysterious machine that can summon people from across universes. The machine is activated, and a rather rude young man with spiky blonde hair appears. Cloud claims he used to be in SOLDIER, and says the last thing he remembers is “getting stuck in the current”. He looks to be disoriented and lost, and suffers from piercing headaches. Mere moments after being summoned to Ivalice, Cloud rambles:

“What’s this? My fingers are tingling… My eyes… they’re burning… Stop… stop it [Se]phiroth…”

He dashes out of the room, but not without announcing:

“I must go… must go to that place…”

Outside, Cloud encounters the brunette flower girl Ramza met earlier. She offers Cloud a flower, but he only stares at her wordlessly:

“Flower girl: Buy a flower? Only 1 gil.
Cloud: …
Flower girl: Something wrong? Do I resemble someone?”
Cloud: No… it’s nothing.”

As soon as Cloud leaves, a gang of ruffians surround the flower girl and start harassing her, demanding payment that’s apparently overdue. One of them finally calls her by her name: “Aeris”. He grabs her, insinuating that he might sexually assault her in lieu of payment. Aeris is not strong enough to push him away. That’s when Cloud returns:

“Cloud: Get your hand off her!
Thug: What did you say!?
Cloud: Didn't you hear me? Get your dirty hand off her!
[…]
Cloud, to Aeris: Go… now.”

Aeris heeds Cloud’s advice, fleeing the scene before a fight between Cloud and the thug can break out. After Cloud scares the ruffians off with the help of Ramza and his companions, he speaks once more:

“I lost… something very important… Ever since, I’ve been lost […]. What should I do? What about this pain [?] Must go… to the Promised Land.”

III. b) ii. Fact Analysis
There’s a lot to unpack here, all of which you probably clocked in your head upon reading, but let’s put it down in writing.
While FFT Cloud’s memory is far from perfect, the Aeris he encounters in Ivalice doesn’t recognize him at all. FFVII Ultimania Omega addresses this question without answering it:

“[The flower seller’s] name is Aeris, and she has the same appearance and tone of voice as the Aeris of FFVII. However, when she comes across Cloud, she does not recognize him. Could she really be the same Aerith who appears in FFVII but with memory loss, or is she a completely different character?” (“#4 Proof of Omega”, “FFVII in Other Games”, “Final Fantasy Tactics”, page 560).

Regardless of her unknown identity and inability to recognize Cloud, FFT Aeris’ fantasy of a “knight in shining armor” is quite reminiscent of the flower girl/bodyguard dynamic we’ve come to know and love. Cloud’s armor doesn’t shine, but in my opinion, if you’re looking for the dystopian, corporatocratic equivalent of a knight, you can’t get much closer than a supposed-former-SOLDIER-turned-bodyguard. Additionally, despite his rude and cold attitude toward Ramza’s gang, the urgency with which Cloud swoops in to save the flower girl from the ruffians betrays a softer, warmer side to him: the flower girl/bodyguard dynamic strikes again!
FFT Cloud’s dialogue borrows two lines from the speech OG Cloud makes as Aerith lies dead in his arms (disk 1, chapter 28): “My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!” and “What are we supposed to do? What about my pain?” You might’ve noticed that this glimpse of grief Cloud experiences in FFT bears a resemblance to the fourth MOTF 4 experienced by Remake Cloud (see section “II. a)”). Could it be that FFT Cloud and Remake Cloud have something in common?
Shortly after being summoned to Ivalice, FFT Cloud declares that he must go to “that place”, a mysterious line that is later elucidated when he tells Ramza that he must go to the Promised Land and find the “very important” thing he’s lost. The Promised Land is the Cetra culture’s afterlife, meaning FFT Cloud is looking for someone who’s died, someone “very important” to him. OG suggests this is none other than Aerith:

“Cait Sith, reading Cloud’s fortune: You will find [what] you pursue. However, you will lose the most precious thing” (disk 1, chapter 16, English translation by Kotaku’s “Let’s Mosey: A Slow Translation of Final Fantasy Seven: Part Eight” by Tim Rogers, 9:42-9:52).

&

“Cloud, after seeing Aerith’s hand reach for him through the Lifestream: … I think I'm beginning to understand.
Tifa: What?
Cloud: An answer from the Planet… the Promised Land... I think I can meet her... there” (disk 3, chapter 3).

Finally, let’s try to understand where on the OG timeline Cloud was summoned to this suspension world from and what he remembers. His comment about getting stuck in a current has to be about the Lifestream; apparently, on top of its atemporal nature, it can act as a conduit to other worlds. One only enters the Lifestream if they’ve somehow fallen into the core of the planet or once they’ve passed away and returned to the planet. Both scenarios merit consideration.
On the one hand, it’s possible that Cloud was summoned to Ivalice after he and Tifa fall into the core of the planet: this point in the FFVII OG timeline occurs after Aerith’s death and shortly before Cloud finds out he was never SOLDIER, which matches the gaps in FFT Cloud’s memory quite well. However, this scenario does not account for the vagueness with which FFT Cloud remembers Aerith and her death. Most importantly, Cloud’s realization that he can find Aerith in the Promised Land occurs much later in the game (FFVII OG, disk 3, chapter 3) than when he falls into the Lifestream with Tifa (FFVII OG, disk 2, chapter 8).
On the other hand, FFT Cloud’s vague yet persistent memories of Aerith suggest that he’s been summoned to Ivalice after his eventual death post-OG, but also that he’s lost quite a large portion of his memories. His incomplete memory loss is likely the result of Cloud’s individuality’s erosion by the Lifestream after death, which we discussed in section “II. a) ii.”. We can therefore surmise that by the time he is summoned to Ivalice from the Lifestream, Cloud has been dead for long enough that the Lifestream eroded a large portion of the memories of his lifetime. This post-death scenario is likelier than the first. The memory of Cloud’s realization that he was never SOLDIER must be gone, which explains why he claims otherwise upon being summoned to Ivalice. Contrastingly, vestiges of Cloud’s OG memories of Aerith cling to his soul, even after others have been wiped clean. Could this be a consequence of their soulmate bond? Could the strength of Cloud’s love and grief for Aerith have made his memories of her stronger and more difficult for the Lifestream to erode? Could it be both?
One thing is clear: Aerith is of fundamental importance to Cloud, even when he can’t quite remember her. In fact, the only other character he remembers and/or mentions in FFT is Sephiroth. It does make sense that the memories of those who have marked one’s soul forevermore would be the most difficult for the Lifestream to erode.
III. c) Dissidia Final Fantasy
The next stop on our travels through suspension worlds is 2008’s Dissidia Final Fantasy! Now strap in, because here’s where things get really serious.
III. c) i. Fact Finding
In the suspension world of Dissidia Final Fantasy (DFF), the goddess of harmony Cosmos and the god of discord Chaos are engaged in a never-ending cycle of conflict. Both deities need warriors to fight on their behalf, so they recruit core world characters into their respective teams by summoning them to DFF. Some of these summoned characters are FFIV’s Cecil, FFVI’s Terra, FFVII’s Sephiroth, FFX’s Tidus, and of course, FFVII’s Cloud. The warriors find themselves in the suspension world of DFF with no memories of their core worlds’ plotlines. However, as the DFF adventure progresses, they are able to recover pieces of their memories here and there. It isn’t clear how much they come to remember. Ultimately, the warriors hope to return home to their core worlds by fighting in this war and seeing to its end.
Cloud is summoned to DFF as a warrior on the side of Chaos, who seeks to destroy all existence. Sephiroth is also on Chaos’ side, meaning the two are teammates despite being enemies in their core world of FFVII. It just so happens that Tifa is a summoned warrior in DFF too, though she’s fighting on Cosmos’ side. Intrigued by her vague familiarity, Sephiroth hypothesizes that killing Tifa will bring back his memories of OG’s plot line: before long, the masamune wielder finds Tifa alone and corners her into a one-on-one fight. Thankfully, Cloud swoops in and saves her before Sephiroth can do any harm. Tifa is thankful for Cloud’s help, though confused that Cloud would elect to assist her and turn against a fellow warrior of Chaos; she doesn’t remember what Sephiroth and Cloud mean to each other in OG. In fact, Tifa doesn’t even remember Cloud’s name or that they share a core world, though Cloud feels somewhat familiar to her. For his part, Cloud at least remembers that Tifa is someone he cares about from his core world. As Tifa thanks Cloud for saving her from Sephiroth, something she says elicits an odd reaction from the warrior of Chaos:

“Tifa: The way you showed up and fought that guy off. It was a pretty cool thing to watch. You were like a hero, charging in to save the girl.
Cloud gasps at her words. She doesn’t notice” (Dissidia 012: Treachery of the Gods, report 5: “Unexpected Fulfillment 2”).

On another note, Cloud knows he will have to fight Tifa once the Cosmos-Chaos conflict comes to a head, as they are on opposing teams. He thinks to himself:

“Once [her] memories return, [she]’ll lose the will to fight just like I have. So... Before that can happen, I have to act...” (Dissidia 012: Treachery of the Gods, report 5: “Unexpected Fulfillment 2”).

In order to end the cycle of the conflict and to avoid fighting Tifa, Cloud decides to try and defeat Chaos himself. Predictably, Cloud is no match for the deity. As he dies, Cloud pleads the following to the goddess Cosmos:

“Cosmos, goddess of harmony. If you can hear me, listen to my plea. I beg you. Save her. Save my friend… Tifa.”

Cosmos hears him and responds immediately:

“Cosmos: An end to this conflict, and a life spared? This is your heart's desire? If your will remains unchanged, I shall bring you here when the battle draws to a close. Cloud. My chosen" (Dissidia 0.13: Treachery of the Gods, report 7: “Unexpected Fulfillment 3”).

Cloud’s wish is granted by Cosmos: the first phase of the conflict ends without Tifa getting hurt, and she is sent away from the suspension world of DFF before the second phase begins. Cloud is saved from death, and Cosmos enlists him into her team of warriors for phase two: this time, Cloud is fighting on the good side.
Now we enter phase two of the war. Cosmos tells her team of ten core world warriors that in order to save the world from Chaos’ destruction, they must collect what she describes as crystals containing the power to persist through darkness. I call these the “DFF crystals”. There are ten DFF crystals in total: one for every warrior in Cosmos’ group to find. To obtain their crystal, each hero must overcome a trial that will confront them with whatever personal struggle they faced in their core world; if they prove themselves worthy, their DFF crystal will appear to them. On one hand, some warriors’ DFF crystals simply take the form of the crystals found in their core world. For example, Onion Knight’s DFF crystal looks to be nothing more than one of FFIII’s elemental crystals, which hold little to no personal significance to him. On the other hand, some warriors’ DFF crystals symbolize something more personal to their respective warriors. For instance, Cecil’s DFF crystal looks to be one of FFIV’s dark crystals, which specifically represent the dichotomy of light and darkness he struggles with in his core world’s plot line. Cosmos describes the quest for the DFF crystals as follows:

“Cosmos: The crystals embody the strength to face despair. With ten gathered, there is hope yet to save the world. The path to your crystal will be perilous... and different for each and every one of you. But you must believe in and follow your own path. Even if you know not where that path leads" (Dissidia 013: Light to All, prologue: “A Final Hope”).

From this exposition, simply keep in mind that: Cloud must find his crystal by overcoming a personal trial, and his crystal may have the appearance of an object in OG that’s important to him.
Once the team is debriefed on their mission, Cloud remains reticent to fight; he doesn’t much like the mysterious nature of this conflict. Not knowing exactly what they’re all fighting for is clearly bothersome to the swordsman, and the idea of thoughtlessly engaging in battles leaves a bad taste in his mouth. Fellow warrior Firion understands that without a reason to fight, Cloud’s heart just isn’t in it. He imparts upon Cloud that he must have a dream he’s fighting to protect, something he wants to see come true, to motivate him to stop Chaos from destroying all existence. Unfortunately, Cloud doesn’t have a dream to preserve, or can’t find one for himself:

“Cloud: I've looked, but I'm still empty-handed. And without a dream, what do you suppose I should do? […] Maybe what I'm looking for... isn't here” (Dissidia 0.13: Light to All, chapter 1: “Beyond Doubt”, “Gateway of Good and Evil”).

Another fellow warrior, Cecil, expresses worry for Cloud, whose response evokes the main theme of FFVII OG:

“Cecil: Everyone's worried, Cloud. But... Do you shoulder a larger concern?
Cloud: Concern... Maybe a sense of loss" (Dissidia 0.13: Light to All, chapter 1: “Beyond Doubt”, “Beyond the Continent”).

Whatever Cloud is looking for “isn’t [there]”, and he feels “a sense of loss”: Cloud’s motivating dream has been lost to him. This is later reasserted in a conversation with Terra, another warrior of Cosmos:

“Terra: And you, Cloud... What's your dream?
Cloud: I've lost mine" (Dissidia 0.13: Light to All, chapter 3: “The Chosen Battle”, “Gateway of True Intent”).

Later, Cloud encounters and fights Sephiroth, who is still a part of Chaos’ team. Sephiroth is defeated, but not before he’s taunted Cloud with his habitual puppet talk. However, Cloud remains strong and refutes Sephiroth’s manipulation, asserting that only he can determine his own path. This must’ve been Cloud’s personal trial, because his crystal appears at that very moment: it is a small, light green orb that looks like materia from his core world. Having pocketed his crystal, Cloud decides he must find his own reason to fight. Interestingly, his search is depicted as intertwined with Fate:

“Cloud: Even if I have my doubts... I have to find my own answer […] Until then, I'll keep fighting.
Narration: The warrior has vowed to keep fighting— and keep fighting he will […]. Etched in destiny, his quest for answers continues on” (Dissidia 0.13: Light to All, chapter 1: “Beyond Doubt”, “Gulg Gateway”).

Later, the nemeses meet again in a segment called “Recurring Tragedy”. Their interactions here are particularly interesting. Sephiroth speaks of making Cloud suffer through despair and pain as though referencing their history together:

"Sephiroth: This disease called hope is eating you alive. The world of suffering was born out of such half-baked ideals.
Cloud: If that's the case, I have to endure the suffering. There's no moving on if I run from it.
Sephiroth: If that is what you wish for, you shall drown in the pain. I'll lead you to true despair. [My] shadow is burned into your heart. We'll meet again, Cloud. I'll keep coming back— as long as you are who you are."
Sephiroth disappears. Cloud looks out into the distance before the scene ends.
“Cloud: No thanks. The one I really want to meet is…” (Dissidia 013: Light to All, epilogue: “Conclusion of a Cycle”, “Recurring Tragedy”).

This final line suggests Cloud has finally found a reason to fight: he wants to meet someone unspecified.
Finally, after the war has ended, we arrive at the final cutscene of DFF. I will let you read the full script, with notes added by me in bold behind the spoiler censors. Please do not read my notes if you do not wish to encounter spoilers for FFI, FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV, FFVI, FFVIII, FFIX or FFX:

“[The] heroes are all standing together in a grassy field with a forest behind them. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining brightly, and the wind is blowing gently. The heroes look around them in awe. They're all holding their crystals.
WoL: The battle has come to an end...
Tidus notices that his crystal has begun to emanate a blue glow.>! His crystal is a movie sphere from his core world of FFX: a capsule containing sounds and images that people record for later viewing. Tidus’ crystal likely represents the specific movie sphere recorded by his love interest Yuna, which revealed that she’d loved him from the beginning.!<
Tidus: Gotta go, huh...
The blue glow transfers to him as well. He turns to look at the others
[…] Tidus grins at the others, then turns and runs toward a nearby lake. He leaps into it in a manner reminiscent of [the events] of FFX. He vanishes as he descends toward the lake.
Zidane: We're not vanishing. We're returning—
Zidane is sitting on a tree limb as he says this. His crystal begins to glow gold, as does he. His crystal is shaped like a highly important ‘progenitor of all life’ crystal from his core world of FFIX.
Zidane: — to where we're supposed to be.
Zidane spins around the tree limb with the use of his tail and launches toward the sun. He's lost to view.
A white feather then drifts down from that direction and Squall catches it. The feather is reminiscent of his love Rinoa Heartilly, whose character symbol is a white feather. In fact, Squall’s crystal looks like a mix of his revolver gunblade from FFVIII and Rinoa’s feather motif. [Squall glows blue.]
Squall: Perhaps we can go on a mission together again.
Squall vanishes.
Cloud is then visible, standing in [a] flower field. The flowers are white and yellow. Cloud has his crystal, a light green materia from his core world of FFVII, in hand.
Cloud: [(Chuckles shortly, like a scoff)] Not interested.
Cloud walks off into the flower field, gaining a green glow. He vanishes.
A snowflake then falls into Terra's right hand as her crystal begins to glow pink. The flames drawn on her crystal represent her power, which is connected to the element of fire: her character arc in FFVI.
Terra: I think I've learned how to keep going. Thank you— and take care.
Terra glows pink and then vanishes. Bartz throws a stick. He's glowing pink as well.
Bartz: When you're having the most fun, that's when time always flies. His crystal is the Adamantite from his core world of FFV.
Bartz vanishes.
Cecil: It's mine to pass on—
A moon appears behind Cecil and goes through its phases as he begins to glow blue. His crystal has shadowed and illuminated parts, representing the duality of his character, which is central to his personal arc in his core world of FFIV. It also represents his brother Golbez, who has chosen the darkness. Cecil considers his familial bond with Golbez his guiding light and hopes to be with him someday.
Cecil: — this strength I've gained from everyone.
Cecil vanishes.
Onion Knight hugs his crystal and looks up toward the sky. His crystal is shaped like those found in his core world of FFIII**.**
Onion Knight: Everyone... thank you!
OK briefly glows blue and then vanishes.
There are wild roses at Firion's feet. He and WoL are looking toward the sky. WoL suddenly begins walking away while Firion looks down and sees the roses.
Firion: This isn't the end. Another dream is waiting to begin.
His crystal is the color of the wild roses that were at the center of his dream and of his motivation to fight Chaos. The roses are also the emblem of the Rebel Army he was a part of in his core world of FFII. His crystal is shaped like Pandaemonium, the final dungeon of his core world story. Firion gains a violet glow and then vanishes.
WoL is walking through the field and then comes to a stop. He's looking at something.
WoL: May the light forever shine upon us.”

As you can see, everyone’s crystal is very important to the story of their core world, and in the cases of at least Tidus, Squall, Terra and Cecil, the crystals represent something very personal. What about Cloud and his crystal, then? What about the dream he lost and the person he wants to meet? Let’s begin analyzing to answer these questions.
III. c) ii. Fact Analysis
Firstly, it’s clear to me that the Cloud that appears in DFF is a post-OG Cloud, given how many plot points from OG he interacts with. I’m reticent to say whether or not this post-OG Cloud is dead like in FFT, as he recovers many of his memories of OG during DFF and there is no evidence of him having passed away and joined the Lifestream.
The second thing I’d like to point out is Cloud’s strange reaction when Tifa compares him to a hero who swoops in and saves the girl from the bad guy. Cloud gasps, indicating that her words mean something to him; the trope Tifa references must therefore be included somewhere in the FFVII OG plot-line. Some of you are surely ahead of me by now, having realized that only the tragic antithesis of this trope appears in OG: Cloud is unable to save Aerith from Sephiroth (disk 1, chapter 28). Whether or not DFF Cloud remembers Aerith herself at this point, it’s clear he recalls the pain and guilt of losing Aerith to Sephiroth.
Next, let’s address Cloud’s lost dream: to meet an unspecified person. It seems Cloud is aware at this point that in OG, he was eternally separated from the person he dreams of meeting. So, who was he separated from in his core world? Who can he never meet again, even if his team of warriors defeats Chaos and Cloud returns to the realm of FFVII? There are a few options —his mother, his father, Zack, Jessie, Biggs, Wedge, and any other person he knew who died—, but the sheer narrative weight that Aerith’s untimely death carries makes it clear who he truly wants to meet. This is corroborated by Cloud’s “I think I can meet her… there” line in OG (disk 3 chapter 3), by FFT Cloud’s search for Aerith during his appearance in Ivalice, and by Cloud’s strange reaction to Tifa’s comparing him to a hero who swoops in and saves the girl from the bad guy. All the available evidence suggests that Cloud’s dream is indeed to reunite with Aerith, and that this dream is “lost” to him because she was killed by Sephiroth (disk 1, chapter 28). This would also explain the title of the DFF segment “Recurring Tragedy”, since as we all know, the ultimate tragedy of FFVII OG is Aerith’s death. Considering Sephiroth was the one to take Aerith away from Cloud, Sephiroth’s threats of drowning him in despair in “Recurring Tragedy” only solidify this interpretation of Cloud’s lost dream.
Finally, we arrive at the ending cutscene. Cosmos’ warriors return to where they belong to try and accomplish whatever dream they held as motivation during the Cosmos-Chaos conflict, each carrying their DFF crystal. Cloud is shown standing in a field of white and yellow flowers and walking deeper into it with a light green materia in hand. Why was a white and yellow flower field chosen to represent DFF Cloud’s dream? The answer is obvious. White and yellow flowers symbolize Aerith: she sold Cloud a yellow blossom upon first meeting him in OG (disk 1, chapter 1), and her yellow and white flowerbed cushioned Cloud’s fall when the two reunited in the Sector 5 church (disk 1, chapter 4). What’s more, we have the iconic credits video of the original cut of Advent Children to refer to, wherein Cloud is seen driving near flower fields. Aerith stands there (3:20), seemingly waiting for him. Here’s what Nomura had to say about this credits scene:

"[...] we filmed the video for the ending credits in Hawaii. There are fields of flowers on both sides of the road, and the colors —yellow and white— are the same as the flowers in Aerith's church […]. With Aerith, 'flowers' have been her image throughout the series” (FFVII Reunion Files, “Countdown to Reunion”, “Stories from CG Production”, page 87).

Even in the Advent Children Complete cut of the film, where Aerith is not shown standing in the field, the flowers and their symbolism of Aerith remain. That being so, it’s more than fair to say that the white and yellow flowers in DFF’s ending cutscene serve as yet another confirmation that Cloud’s dream is to be with Aerith.
With all of this established, we can address the nature of Cloud’s DFF crystal. As we established, every core world has its own version of a crystal, each possessing a distinct appearance, function and meaning. Materia are the crystals of FFVII, so one could be satisfied by the proposition that Cloud’s DFF crystal is simply meant to represent a random materia. However, I think Cloud’s crystal is specifically the White Materia, as it represents Aerith’s sacrifice, her importance to the plot and what she died fighting for. If any one object symbolizes her death, it’s the White Materia; it’s even given closeups during the event (2:33-3:02). Besides, unlike any other materia in FFVII, the White Materia is known to glow a light green when Holy has been activated:

“Bugenhagen: If [the prayer] reaches the planet, the White Materia will begin to glow a pale green” (FFVII OG, disk 2, chapter 15).

Here are pictures of the White Materia in OG and Advent Children, and two pictures of Cloud's DFF crystal (in order) so you can compare for yourself:
https://preview.redd.it/0qtumfeyfq0d1.jpg?width=386&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3995f010738c83fca0c5842a0564d0a9ad206dfd
https://preview.redd.it/0kj525tzfq0d1.jpg?width=1144&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=575573ef1d2c937635cf569d4a376886a24b384c
Cloud's DFF Crystal
Cloud’s DFF crystal
So far, in both suspension world games we’ve examined (FFT and DFF), Cloud is searching for Aerith. As a final note on DFF, it may interest you to know that codirector of the Remake trilogy Toriyama was actually a writer for DFF: he may have carried some themes from DFF to Remake…
III. d) Detour: The Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Farewell Exposition
Before we hop onto the next suspension world, let’s return to ours for a quick detour: the 2018 Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Expo. Themed with farewells and tragedy, this expo showcased the heartbreaking goodbyes featured in different FF games. Artwork, clips, quotes and images aplenty here! As the highly anticipated Remake was going to be coming out approximately a year and a half later, the FFVII section of the expo featured a few sneak peek Remake designs. This means the expo was at least partly curated with the Remake trilogy in mind; there could be interesting material in the FFVII section of the expo related to Remake. Let’s dive in!
Unsurprisingly, the focus of the FFVII section is Cloud and Aerith, since she is the loved one he lost in OG. Zack is also given a mention, however Aerith was the glaringly central star of the show. To showcase how important Aerith’s farewell in particular was to the expo, the FFVII portion was introduced by a photo of Cloud lowering Aerith into her watery grave and a video of her tragic death:
Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Farewell Exposition, FFVII Introduction
The description under the video screen reads:

“She was gone in the blink of an eye. But the pain never went away.
Aerith awoke the ultimate magic to protect the planet and the people she loved. Yet her life came to a sudden end at the hands of Sephiroth, a man bent on seeing the world destroyed. Even the usually stoic Cloud couldn’t hide his grief at the unexpected death of an irreplaceable companion. ‘My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning.’ True words, revealing Cloud’s deep sorrow” (Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Exposition).

Conveniently enough for us, the expo’s tagline is “Who is the person you want to meet again?” Given that Aerith holds the spotlight in the FFVII section of the expo, it’s clear who SE is telling us Cloud wants to reunite with. Recall Cloud’s unfinished line in DFF: “The one I really want to meet is..." (Dissidia 013: Light to All, epilogue: “Conclusion of a Cycle”, “Recurring Tragedy”). We theorized that he must be referring to Aerith, and now, we are certain.
The expo also had pamphlet descriptions of the farewells depicted. Here is the general summary of FFVII‘s farewell story according to that pamphlet:

“The story follows the lead character Cloud, but it is the heroine, Aerith, who opens Cloud’s eyes and helps bring him closer to understanding the mystery that is his past. Through her, we draw closer to the truth of the story.
This scene, in which the heroine Aerith is lost, is easily the most shocking and tragic in the story. No one expected to say goodbye to such a major character in the middle of the story. Rumors of a secret way to revive Aerith spread, and it was clear players were having a hard time saying goodbye to her too. Even now, twenty years later, it still feels like a shocking turn of events” (Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Exposition Pamphlet, page 36).

It’s interesting that SE would mention the rumors of Aerith’s revival circulated by players back in 1997, especially as fans were awaiting Remake’s release…
In light of everything we’ve analyzed so far, it can be said that between FFT (1997) and this farewell expo (2018), SE has consistently demonstrated that reuniting with Aerith is post-OG Cloud’s goal. That’s a period of over two decades— two decades of wishing, seeking, longing in real-world time for this character. This is a huge long-term commitment for SE to make, and you can bet the devs don’t take it lightly. Again and again, once the events of the OG game have ended, Cloud is shown to desire a reunion with Aerith. This ever-present and ever-insistent theme will become very important to us later in this analysis.
(continued in part 3)

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/mkJHupd
I've bought a lot of things and need to get rid of some other things to make way for said things. Feel free to make any offers! Shipping will be determined once agreements are made.
EMG/Iron Airsoft PWS MK107 Mod2 Kit (~$375)

• Was bought as a kit, installed stock TM MWS lower parts to make it fully functional. Never fielded, only test fired.
• Has a Guns Modify Hop Up unit and adjuster.
• Has a Viper PDW stock, but the original PWS rifle buffer tube will be included, as well as all the included hardware that came with the kit.
• Doesn't include a magazine! You can add some if you'd like.

B&T USW (~$175)

• Fielded on one outing, got an MP7 so no longer have a need for it.
• Comes with 3 green gas magazines and 1 C02 magazine.

Cybergun/CYMA P90 with Krytac Modular Receiver (~$200)

• A stock P90. If you're not interested in the Krytac Upper being included, I'll be willing to sell for a lower price!
• Will come with 3 midcap magazines, as well as an Angel Custom Extension.

SOLD TM MWS Magazines (~$30 each)

• I'm replacing these with PMAGS, so no longer need so many.

Red Dots (~$15 each)

• I'll be honest, I do not remember where I got these, probably Evike LOL but they are functioning fine.

I know it is waaay too late probably for name ideas but I thought it'd be fun to share the one I just came up with since we still don't have one. You know how it ripped hockey fans in the state hearts apart when Norm Green took the North Stars to Dallas? We could pay homage to that in a sense with the rich hockey tradition of our state with this name idea. I present:
Minnesota Meteor's (like a shooting star of sorts). The crest on their sweaters would be a black foreground with some nature scenes (reminiscent of the Wild) with dark colors such as a baby midnight blue, if that is even a thing lol but it makes sense in my head, or a dancing faint aurora green, or even a mix of the two, progressing back to a prominent dark/light purple sky dotted with sparkly twinkling stars. Front and center above the little silhouetted (like trees particularly, and black, no color on them at all) nature crowded lake scene (lake can be dark dark dark blue) would be a massive black puck with sparkly silver "heat" trail like it is burning up in the atmosphere racing down to Earth at an angle with a giant stylized "M" or "Meteor's" in bad ass font in the middle of the puck.
Secondary patches and alternative crests can be based around this or other things close to the heart of Minnesotans but ideally would still be general enough to appeal to the general hockey fandom far and wide.
What do y'all think? Sorry for the poor punctuation and grammar. I'm on my phone and it's also not my strong suit anyway haha.

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/ehLjlhb
Great condition eleven10 tq holder on an rdr gear right hand tq bracket compatible with red dot safariland holsters, with an eleven10 tq sleeve. $85
Werkz m6 g19/tlr7a iwb holster. $55
Extras: $65
Aws ranger green quick adjust sling new unused
Magpul cantilever aluminum mlok scout mount
Streamlight offset aluminum m lok scout mount
Arisaka momentary black scout tailcap, new unused
Holosun low micro mount
Surefire mlok swivel tan no hardware

I seem to be at an impasse and I just can't seem to figure out this game. I just came from finishing Fallout3 to which I had a great time. I hopped into FNV after recommendations from the Fallout community, but so far it's gone.. not well and I'm really close to just giving up.
1) The food doesn't heal and wears off in seconds. The books of various topics also expires in seconds. Sleep and stimpacks can't be the only way to heal up in the midst of a gunfight, not to mention that Stimpacks are rare! I've been looking in all the usual places, med kit boxes, random containers, dead people, etc...
2) The guns suck! All of them. Even if fixed to 100%! I have a variety of weapons and have even modded a few, but I can't seem to kill anyone or anything with any semblance of regularity even with using VATS. If I don't get that first headshot off on a crit (with or without VATS), I'm going to die. If there's more than one person I'm battling, I'm going to die. I even have the DLCs and supposedly start off with good guns but not that I can tell thanks to the amount of times I've had to reload.
3) The Karma system seems to be completely screwed up. Why am I getting bad karma for stealing from .... the powder gangers? The same a**holes that just tried to blow me up with dynamite. I don't give two sticks about how the powder gangers think of me, I thought I was supposed to destroy them after what they tried in Goodsprings?
4) I can't go ANYWHERE outside of Goodsprings without getting owned by the wildlife! Radscorpions, bloatflies, more scorpions, a couple of centaurs, cazadores, raiders, viper clan thugs, powder gangers, etc. just seem to walk all over me.
5) Everything wants level 50! I can't pick this lock without 50 lockpick. Can't hack that terminal without level 50, can't fart without being level 50, oh but I can die a lot at level 1.
6) The bad-guy-detector in the HUD (the lines that show the cardinal direction and whether or not a particular entity is hostile) is laughably narrow in some cases and extends to ridiculous lengths in others. Using the dry lakebed as an example, I saw three scorpions that didn't even register in the HUD, meanwhile the HUD will show me a neutral party that's two miles away that I don't even have line of sight to. At least with FO3, the red dots were bad guys, the green dots were good guys, and it was fairly consistent 1/4 mi radius from the player's position.
I really need some guidance. I want to get to the story but I can't even exist without something taking a chunk out of me. I've already rebuilt my character twice, do I need to do it again? Are there any guides available that are trusted that can at least get me buffed up enough to even consider going to NV?
Steam says I've played for 12 hours, there's at least two character recreations, and countless reload-from-saves due to random encounters going generally poorly. 12hrs into Fallout3 and I already had a pretty effective arsenal up and was up to at least level 8 or 9.
Preferred playstyle: Sniper, not that I can find a sniper rifle to save my life. Close quarters combat even with the caravan shotgun seems to be more miss than hit even at point blank range and CQC with the grenade launcher (see the Powdergangers jail shootouts) really just seems to be adept at killing me and me only.
My current stats: Level 6
Skills: Barter 15 Energy Weapons 22 Explosives 22 Guns 47 Lockpick 37 Medicine 25 Melee Weapons 21 Repair 45 Science 30 Sneak 40 Speech 35 Survival 15 Unarmed 15
SPECIAL: Strength 5 Perception 6 Endurance 4 Charisma 1 Intelligence 9 Agility 8 Luck 9
Perks: Built To Destroy Educated Run 'n Gun Small Frame Swift Learner
Suggestions, tips, guidance is appreciated! Thank you.

Animal‌-Man/Swamp‌ ‌Thing

Issue‌ 32:‌ ‌ The Pale Wanderer
Written‌ ‌by‌ ‌Deadislandman1
Edited‌ ‌by‌ PatrollinTheMojave
 
Next‌ ‌Issue‌ ‌> ‌Coming‌ ‌Soon
 
Arc: Flesh and Bark‌ ‌
 ‌ ‌
‌  ‌ ‌
Then
An arc of purple lightning flashed across the night sky of the Boneyard, splitting the dark sky in twain as Capucine trudged across the ashy wastes of the realm. A cold gale ripped through the land, chilling the warrior to the bone, yet after centuries of time living in the Rot’s home realm, it felt identical to the ocean breeze that graced her every evening of her monastic childhood. Anxious, she fiddled with her leather armor, tightening every strap and support to make sure they were all in the right positions. She double checked that her sheath was properly tied to her belt, and that the steel sword within was sharp and clean.
He would catch up to her sooner or later, almost certainly before she made it to the portal. It wasn’t hard to pick that fact up. The Boneyard always became a little rougher when he wasn’t happy. She’d endeavored to spare him a difficult conversation, but perhaps that was too optimistic a hope. He was smart for someone his age, even if he’d made such a grave mistake.
Perhaps she was trying to spare herself the labor of having a conversation, rather than trying to keep the adolescent Avatar’s emotions in check. Perhaps she was just running from her problems, something she couldn’t remember ever doing before. Perhaps her ambitions to steer the young Avatar towards better decisions was the wrong choice on her part.
…No. Her advice was invaluable, she knew that much, and William Holland took that advice well. She just wasn’t in much of a position to give advice anymore.
Climbing atop an gray, dusty hill, Capucine gazed at the portal back to the physical world, composed of a miasma of swirling bones and inky fluids. To the unadjusted nose, it smelled absolutely foul, but to Capucine it smelled no different than the rest of the Boneyard. This was her ticket back, to somewhere where she’d do… something.
She didn’t know what that something was. In fact, she felt nauseous at the idea of wandering the world for centuries yet again with no real goal or purpose, though when considering the alternative, Capucine was ready to step right through the portal, even if her reason for leaving was so small in the grand scheme of things.
Breathless, Capucine took one step towards the portal, only for a boom of thunder to shake the realm. Capucine stopped dead in her tracks, sighing. William didn’t need to say anything to get her attention, as she turned around, coming face to face with the young Avatar.
He’d grown quite a bit in the three years she’d been advising him. His mane of red hair had regained some of its color, and across his pale face stood the beginnings of a beard, with bits of pronounced stubble around his chin and above his lips. He remained as gaunt as ever, yet he’d also grown much taller since his beginning as the Rot’s leader. He looked Capucine in the eyes, keeping his expression as blank as possible, “I got your note.”
Capucine narrowed her eyes, “So you did.”
William’s bottom lip quivered, “There’s no way I can change your mind…is there?”
“Not that I can see,” Capucine remarked.
William’s head drifted to the side as he attempted to avert his gaze, hiding his eyes from Capucine behind his wild hair. He choked back something, maybe a sob, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said. It was a mistake.”
Capucine took a step forward, feeling the urge to console the boy, yet as she reached out towards him, she found herself frozen by trepidation. She was not a woman of gentle words, and this was a situation that called for them. Rescinding her hand, she stepped back towards the portal, “What’s done is done. I do not hate you, William Arcane, but I cannot stay here.”
Capucine turned her back on William, readying herself to step through the portal. She took one step, then another before William spoke once more, “Tefé.”
Capucine stopped, electing not to turn back and face the young Avatar. Realizing that she was waiting for him to continue, William spoke again, “My sister. I know her, she’s got a good heart, but she’s not like me. She’s not an Avatar. She could always use someone to watch her back.”
For a moment, Capucine did not answer, and the silence seemed to push William to take a few steps back. Turning, he began to walk away, unable to think of much else to say, when Capucine finally answered back, “If she is the sister of William Arcane…then I know her to be someone of good character. Your advice is invaluable, Avatar. Thank you.”
Without another word, Capucine stepped through the portal, disappearing from the Boneyard. William stared at the portal for what felt like hours before he finally shuddered, his shaky breathing accompanied by a single tear that froze up on its way down his cheek, stopping short as a bead of ice just before it fell off of his jaw.
Now
“So you’re here because my brother suggested it?”
“That’s correct.”
Capucine answered Tefé’s inquiry in a dry manner, keeping most of her focus on cleaning the gasoline off her sword with a rag. She sat upon the corpse of the formerly living infected tree, using it as a comfortable log of sorts while Maxine and Tefé remained in their canoe, having managed to dock it by tying it to a nearby set of protruding roots. It was about noon now, and the Florida heat had become unbearable. Maxine wiped her forehead, expecting that she’d probably be dead without the trees as a shield from the sun.
Tefé rubbed her throat, recovering from the vice grip of the tree, “I…how is he? He’s not in trouble is he?”
“Far from it. Your brother is doing better than most. He’s got a keen mind for leadership, and the Rot endures with him as its head,” Capucine sheathed her sword. “He doesn’t need my advice anymore, and I do the world no favors remaining at his side. If I am to continue the preservation of a better world, then it’s best I accompany you instead.”
Tefé grumbled a little, but also couldn’t help but smile, “So the little rascal thinks I need a hand, huh? Thinks I need advice.”
Tefé smirked, then looked up at Capucine, “Got any words of wisdom for me?”
Capucine looked down at the tree carcass, then back at Tefé, “Don’t get grabbed by monstrous trees.”
Tefé swallowed, “Yeah…sound advice.”
Maxine stared at the water, noting that its viscosity had remained unchanged, “Uh…guys? I think there are more gasoline trees somewhere out there. I feel like it would’ve cleared up at least a little bit.”
Capucine jumped into the canoe, breaking the rope keeping it moored with her bare hands, “Then we find the source of the infestation, and remove it.”
Maxine and Tefé didn’t do anything to impede Capucine’s actions, though they were certainly taken aback by this old English era woman taking charge of their mission. Without a word, Capucine grabbed a paddle and began rowing upstream, her toned build making what was a laborious task for Tefé effortless. The trio moved upstream at a rapid pace, with Capucine barely making a single grunt or noise as she paddled onward. As the hours went by, the water to gasoline ratio of the river continued to tip in the gasoline’s favor, to the point that eventually Capucine looked like she was putting real effort into her paddling.
Tefé stared at the woman, unsure of what to make of her, “So…Capucine?”
“Yes?”
“I know your name, I know you’ve been…advising my brother. What else do you do? What’s your story?”
Capucine frowned, “To be brief…I was born over a thousand years ago in Lindisfarne Abbey. What happened after is a personal matter, and one I’d rather not discuss. Similarly, discussing how I came to be immortal, and what I’ve done in the many centuries afterwards would doubtlessly be a fruitless and boring exercise. That energy is better spent rowing.”
Tefé raised an eyebrow, “Okay….then, why are you doing any of this? What drives you to help us?”
Capucine paused for a moment, allowing the canoe to slow in its approach upriver. Then, she snorted, a small smile forming as she began to paddle once more, “I’ve lived long enough to know this is a good place, a good world. I like it intact and alive, and I’d do whatever it takes to keep it that way.”
“Uh…good answer,” Tefé turned her attention to the rest of the forest, watching carefully for threats. Capucine was certainly blunt, and maybe a little scary looking, but from what she could tell the woman wasn’t much of a danger. If she wanted to learn more, she could do that after the case of Silver Springs was solved.
Maxine grimaced, staring at the thick gasoline they were rowing through, “What do you think is causing this stuff? The closest thing I can think of is the Rot but…part of me can’t put that picture together.”
“Because this is not the Rot’s doing. William is well aware of these kinds of problems, and manages them well. He would never allow something like this to escalate as far as it has,” Capucine grunted, her sheath rattling against the interior of the canoe. “This is something different.”
“Oil’s a fossil fuel, right?” Maxine asked, “Could there be any connection?”
“Perhaps, but this isn’t just oil, it’s gasoline. It’s processed,” Capucine grunted, the act of rowing becoming tougher. “Something is turning the oil into Gasoline. Maybe it’s the trees, maybe it’s something else.”
“But what force would do that? There’s definitely something magical going on about these things,” Maxine asked.
Capucine frowned, “I am…unsure. I’ve not heard of any force that pertains to these properties. Perhaps one of them has evolved. Such an occurrence is not unheard of; the Red does it all the time.”
“Or maybe…someone’s twisting a force into something it isn’t,” said Tefé. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out soon enough.”
Eventually, the boat rounded a corner, passing another infected tree. Maxine and Tefé readied themselves, only for Capucine to keep paddling, “Do not bother with them. They’re symptoms, not the cause.”
Maxine raised an eyebrow, “And the cause is….where?”
Capucine pointed down the river, and past a muddy, poisoned shore sat an entire row of the ailing cypresses, encircling a clearing of some kind. As the canoe pushed up against the mid, Capucine trudged out, making her way towards the clearing with her hand on her longsword’s hilt. The trees seemed to regard her, blatantly still conscious, yet they did not attack. Maxine and Tefé followed in trepidation, eyeing the trees in suspicion.
“Why aren’t they attacking?” Maxine asked.
“I don’t know,” Capucine remarked. “Perhaps they’re afraid.”
“Of you…or of something else?” Tefé wondered aloud.
As the three entered the clearing, they came across a sight none of them would have expected…a human heart.
It laid in the mud, rooted by cartilage that snaked its way beneath the earth. It beat with a satisfying rhythm, pulsating as if it still rested inside the body of a living man. A thick liquid permeated the mud, shifting outward from the heart.
Gasoline.
Capucine drew her sword, preparing to stab the heart with it. Eyes wide, Maxine jumped in front of her, “Woah woah woah, what are you doing?!”
“I’m removing the problem,” Capucine remarked.
“But…but…we don’t know what this thing even is?”
Capucine sneered at Maxine, “Is it not obvious? Someone or something has perverted an object of the Red, and that infection is spreading to the Green. With its removal, this area can begin healing.”
“How can you know that for sure? I’m the Avatar of the Red, and I can’t feel any trace of the Red in there,” Maxine exclaimed.
“Then the corruption of the object has completely overridden its connection to the Red. All the more reason to destroy it.”
Maxine whirled around, staring at Tefé for help. Tefé opened her mouth to protest, yet she was unsure of how to proceed. On the one hand, the Green was suffering, this place was suffering. Getting rid of the heart seemed like the right answer, yet Maxine was right as well. They knew practically nothing about this heart, and if the trees weren’t attacking them, maybe it was an invitation to learn more.
Before she could voice her opinion on one approach or the other though, a new voice made itself known, a raspy, texan accent that came from vocal chords that didn’t realize they were long past their expiration date.
“Well, if you’d let me speak…I’d love to tell you why I deserve to live!”
The trio assumed defensive stances as the ground rumbled around the heart, at which point a dozen or so ribs began to poke out of the mud around the heart, followed by rotten yet well preserved flesh. The heart and ribs rose with the flesh, revealing a man with an open chest as he picked himself up from out of the mud. He was wearing an old coat and pants, and wore only one sock on his feet. Inconsistent, matted hair hung from his head, covered up slightly by a ruined cowboy hat. An ugly stubble dotted his cheeks, paired with yellow teeth and milky white eyes. He smiled, raising what looked to be an old revolver to his chin to scratch it with the barrel. With the other hand, he reached out to shake any of the trio’s hands, “Howdy folks. Pale Wanderer, representing the Parliament of Gears…how are you doing this fine day?”
The trio looked at each other in confusion, then Capucine spoke, “What are you? Are you the cause of the Malady plaguing this land.”
“Well…I wouldn’t call it a malady per-se! More of a necessary sacrifice.” The Pale Wanderer tipped his hat up. “As for what I am? Well honey…I’m a crusader. A force meant to alleviate suffering, and right now? That suffering is…well, it’s not exactly something any of the flora or fauna here really give a shit about.”
“And what’s that?” Tefé asked.
“Well…it’s a bit of a logistical nightmare to explain, but it starts with oil!” The Pale Wanderer gestured towards the ground. “We’re a car based society, here in the United States I mean! Trouble is, gas prices are fuckin’ outrageous these days, right?”
Capucine narrowed her eyes, “I do not see how that should concern us.”
“I’m not finished!” The Pale Wanderer remarked. “The average American has to pay an arm and a leg for gas nowadays, and they need gas if they want to get anywhere. Have a job, wanna see family, need to make a trip to the grocery store? Need to pay for gas if you wanna to any of that! Trouble is, gas comes from oil, and oil? It’s getting rarer by the minute…that’s why I made this place!”
The Pale Wanderer raised his arms, gesturing to the gasoline laced mud and the producing trees, “Think about it! More Gasoline means the market price of Gasoline’s gonna go down, which means gas is cheaper for everyone! At least, I think that’s how it works! Plus, my Gas is A+ quality, even comes in Diesel!”
As The Pale Wanderer continued on about his tirade on Gas prices, Maxine and Tefé shared a confused glance at each other. They’d never encountered something like this before, something this unusual, this keyed in and calculated in purpose yet scattershot in reasoning. The only thing two of them seemed to fixate on though was something the Pale Wanderer said when he introduced himself.
The Parliament of Gears.
Tefé stepped forward, “You said you were part of the Parliament of Gears? What is that? I’ve never heard of them.”
“Oh, That’s cause we’re new on the block, sweetie, but glad to be here,” The Pale Wanderer remarked. “Not qualified to sell them overall though, you’ll have to talk to marketing for that.”
“Enough!” Capucine declared, holding the point of the sword at the Pale Wanderer. “Your reasons for poisoning this place are simplistic and needless. Leave, or I will make you leave!”
The Pale Wanderer raised an eyebrow, “See, now I don’t like comments like that! We’re all just having a lovely discussion and now all you wanna do is escalate! Things don’t have to be this way! Maybe we can work something out?”
Tefé glanced between Capucine and the Pale Wanderer, making an educated guess that Capucine wasn’t the type to back down in these sorts of situations. Furthermore, she had a point. This place was suffering, and no matter the Pale Wanderer’s intentions, that was something that wouldn’t stand, “We don’t want to fight you, but what you’re doing is…horrifying. You’re killing everything around here for…Gasoline! We can’t stand by and let that happen.”
The Pale Wanderer glanced at Tefé, a glum look on his face. Maxine seemed to be holder her breath somewhat, but there was no question that she was on Tefé and Capucine’s side. Sighing, The Pale Wanderer scratched his thigh with his gun, “So that’s how it is?”
Capucine’s grip on her sword tightened, “That’s how it is.”
The Pale Wanderer pursed his lips, “...Well, if we’ve got no more words to share…I guess we better hop to it.”
The wanderer raised his revolver, only for Capucine to surge forward at lightning speed, piercing him in the heart with her sword. For a moment, he was still, motionless, and Capucine stared him dead in the eyes. Then, he shifted, and after meeting her gaze, he began to laugh, his guffawing causing gasoline to spurt from his heart and onto Capucine’s sword and armor, “Hah! Good try!”
Capucine attempted to back away from the Wanderer, only for him to grab her wrist, keeping her and the sword wedged firmly in his body. Raising his weapon, he prepared to put a bullet in Capucine’s eyes, only for her to deliver a swift fist to his arm, knocking the gun out of his hands. Smiling, he took advantage of his newly freed hand, grabbing her by the throat and squeezing tight. As Capucine struggled for air, the Wanderer could only hoot and holler, “Whooo-weeee! We’re getting down to it now!”
Maxine and Tefé rushed to help the ancient warrior, only for a mob of living trees to encroach upon them, blocking their way while attempting to grab or smash them with their heavy branched arms. Maxine dove to the left, dodging the crushing slam of one tree, while Tefé slipped through the roots of another, narrowly avoiding being picked up again. Separated, the two tried to get a read on each other while avoiding harm, yet it was difficult for either of them to really do anything to help Capucine.
They were both far from the Red and the Green’s safety. No animal would go anywhere near the Pale Wanderer, meaning Maxine’s powers were utterly neutered. Similarly, there was no living plant life near the battlefield, meaning Tefé couldn’t use her powers either. If they wanted to get out of this, they would need to think outside the box.
And that’s when Tefé spotted the Wanderer’s revolver sitting in the mud, and a wild idea crossed her mind as she scanned it and the gasoline laden ground around it. She glanced at Maxine, then to the gun, and Maxine seemed to pick up on what she was thinking. It was a gambit, an insane gambit, but without much power to draw on, it might be their only shot.
Together, the two began to race for the gun, trying desperately to keep out of the reach of the trees. Tefé tried to get there quickly, yet she found herself pursued by a half dozen trees, pressured by their presence. Maxine was closer, and managed to pick up the gun as Tefé was halfway over, only for a tree to come barreling towards her. She whirled around to run, only to snag her foot on a dead root, causing her to trip and fall. Afraid of losing their one chance at Victory, Maxine shared a split second look with Tefé before throwing the gun towards the Pale Wanderer, just as the tree came down on her. It stretched out its arms, its branches ensnaring her and trapping her in place.
Her mind in overdrive, Tefé pivoted and raced for the Pale Wanderer, leaping over the swinging branches of another tree in order to catch the gun. Capucine gasped for air, her eyes glazing over as the Wanderer choked the life out of her, laughing like a madman. With the trees about to grab her, Tefé leapt for the Wanderer’s back, looping one arm around his neck to hold on while planting the gun’s barrel against the gasoline soaked sword, “Stop!”
The trees froze in place, including the one holding Maxine captive. The Pale Wanderer raised his eyebrow, loosening his grip on Capucine and allowing her to breath, “What’s this now? Ready to call it quits?”
Tefé gritted her teeth, “I’m ready to make a deal, and if you refuse, I’ll blow us all sky high! Even you won’t survive that, will you?”
“The hell’re you…” The Pale Wanderer looked down at the gun planted against the sword, and finally realized what was at stake. There was a reason smoking a cigarette at a gas station was a stupid idea, and Tefé was willing to demonstrate. A bullet crashing against steel would cause sparks, and sparks can light many fires, especially ones where the ground was soaked in gasoline. She’s set miles of forest on fire, to nuke the entire place from the ground up….and from the tone of her words, the Wanderer knew Tefé meant it, “Ohhhhh…Clever girl….Ha! So, you’ve got me. What do you want from me?”
Tefé let out a grunt of exhaustion, “I want you…to fuck off and never come back here. Got it?”
The Wanderer chuckled, then winked at Capucine, letting go of her and allowing her to pull out the sword, “Well then, a deal’s a deal.”
Snapping his fingers, The Wanderer watched as every tree around him began to dissolve into an inky ooze, including the one holding onto Maxine, who became drencheds in the stuff. Similarly, the Wanderer himself began to dissolve, though much more slowly. As he sank into the earth, he looked up at Tefé and Capucine, “This place’ll return to what it once was, but don’t count me out just yet. We’ll be seeing each other…oh, and keep the gun. Think of it as a gift from little ol’ me.”
Eventually, the Pale Wanderer was gone, not even his hat remaining, leaving Maxine, Tefé, and Capucine to stare at the spot he once occupied. The crisis at hand was solved, at least as far as they knew, but the problems were only just beginning.
A new force of nature was here, and it did not seem to be a peaceful one.
 
Next Issue: A Trip to somewhere new!
 

Bold lines in the tables are new since the previous update.
Olympic Peninsula & Northwest Wash.
https://imgur.com/iZGkJzI

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Jefferson	PT	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 590%
Mason	Biobot	(4)	May-11	UP	+ 380%
Skagit	ANA	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 60%
Skagit	MV	(1)	May-09	DOWN	- 30%
Whatcom	LYN	(1)	May-09	DOWN	- 30%

North Puget Sound [1 of 2]
https://imgur.com/cDJ99FP

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Island	COUP	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 10%
Island	OH	(1)	May-10	DOWN	- 20%
Snohomish	APP	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 150%
Snohomish	ARL	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 60%
Snohomish	EVR	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 20%
Snohomish	STAN	(1)	May-08	DOWN	- 40%
Snohomish	256	(3)	May-10	UP	+ 100%

North Puget Sound [2 of 2]
https://imgur.com/bRLEzmt

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
King	BWT	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 30%
King	KCS	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 20%
King	WSPT	(1)	May-07	UP	+ 30%

South Puget Sound & Southwest
http:

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Clark	MRPK	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 30%
Clark	SNCK	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 110%
Clark	VWS	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 190%
Lewis	Biobot	(4)	May-04	DOWN	- 20%
Pierce	CC	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 60%
Pierce	PUY	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 320%
Thurston	LOTT	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 80%

North & South Central Wash.
https://imgur.com/PYK6D0q

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Benton	WRCH	(1)	May-07	DOWN	- 30%
Chelan	WEN	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 130%
Grant	EPH	(1)	May-08	DOWN	- 50%
Kittitas	ELL	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 260%
Okanogan	BRW	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 30%
Yakima	YAK	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 40%

Northeast & Southeast Wash.
https://imgur.com/91j9m3y

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Franklin	PAS	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 30%
Spokane	RP	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 90%
Spokane	SPK	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 60%
Walla Walla	WALLA	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 80%
Whitman	PLM	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 10%

Notes:

Solid lines on charts are generated from data provided either by the Washington State Department of Health (WADoH Ref. (1) ), WastewaterSCAN (Verily/WWS (Ref. (3) ), or Biobot (Ref. (4) ).
White diamond dots are from most recent CDC/NWSS (Ref. (2) ) data scaled to supplement missing or out-dated data when available.
Because each of these four agencies use different normalization methods, different smoothing methods, and different averaging/location identifiers, the concentration of virus is not comparable between locations. See reference links at the bottom of this post for more details.
There are 33 sewersheds distributed across 6 charts initially grouped by geographic region then alphabetized by county and sewershed. The data shown is a compilation from WADoH (1), NWSS (2), WWS (3), and Biobot (4). Tables include sewershed ID, Reference ID, Date last sampled, Trend (based on the change between the averages of the two most recent weeks), and 14-Day Change (approx. amount which the trend has increased or decreased).
All data presented are smoothed in some degree to even out inconsistent sampling dates and extreme highs and lows. Most sewersheds are sampled 1-3 times a week and are published within a week. Some locations are "late" reporting by 10 days or more so be sure to note your sewershed's "Date" in the table or graph. Locations that are more than two weeks old will have "n/a" listed under Trend to indicate there it is out of date.
For further information on the many variables that affect virus concentrations in WADoH generated data please refer to the "Learn More" link on the Washington State Department of Health Wastewater Dashboard.

References with links to details on y-axis units, normalization protocols, data limitations, and sampling methods:

• (1) WADoH and click "Learn More"
• (2) CDC/NWSS
• (3) Verily/WWS and here
• (4) Biobot

Bold lines in the tables are new since the previous update.
Olympic Peninsula & Northwest Wash.
https://imgur.com/iZGkJzI

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Jefferson	PT	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 590%
Mason	Biobot	(4)	May-11	UP	+ 380%
Skagit	ANA	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 60%
Skagit	MV	(1)	May-09	DOWN	- 30%
Whatcom	LYN	(1)	May-09	DOWN	- 30%

North Puget Sound [1 of 2]
https://imgur.com/cDJ99FP

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Island	COUP	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 10%
Island	OH	(1)	May-10	DOWN	- 20%
Snohomish	APP	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 150%
Snohomish	ARL	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 60%
Snohomish	EVR	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 20%
Snohomish	STAN	(1)	May-08	DOWN	- 40%
Snohomish	256	(3)	May-10	UP	+ 100%

North Puget Sound [2 of 2]
https://imgur.com/bRLEzmt

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
King	BWT	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 30%
King	KCS	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 20%
King	WSPT	(1)	May-07	UP	+ 30%

South Puget Sound & Southwest
http:

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Clark	MRPK	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 30%
Clark	SNCK	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 110%
Clark	VWS	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 190%
Lewis	Biobot	(4)	May-04	DOWN	- 20%
Pierce	CC	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 60%
Pierce	PUY	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 320%
Thurston	LOTT	(1)	May-08	UP	+ 80%

North & South Central Wash.
https://imgur.com/PYK6D0q

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Benton	WRCH	(1)	May-07	DOWN	- 30%
Chelan	WEN	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 130%
Grant	EPH	(1)	May-08	DOWN	- 50%
Kittitas	ELL	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 260%
Okanogan	BRW	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 30%
Yakima	YAK	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 40%

Northeast & Southeast Wash.
https://imgur.com/91j9m3y

County	ID	Ref.	Date	Trending	14-Day Change
Franklin	PAS	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 30%
Spokane	RP	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 90%
Spokane	SPK	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 60%
Walla Walla	WALLA	(1)	May-09	UP	+ 80%
Whitman	PLM	(1)	May-10	UP	+ 10%

Notes:

Solid lines on charts are generated from data provided either by the Washington State Department of Health (WADoH Ref. (1) ), WastewaterSCAN (Verily/WWS (Ref. (3) ), or Biobot (Ref. (4) ).
White diamond dots are from most recent CDC/NWSS (Ref. (2) ) data scaled to supplement missing or out-dated data when available.
Because each of these four agencies use different normalization methods, different smoothing methods, and different averaging/location identifiers, the concentration of virus is not comparable between locations. See reference links at the bottom of this post for more details.
There are 33 sewersheds distributed across 6 charts initially grouped by geographic region then alphabetized by county and sewershed. The data shown is a compilation from WADoH (1), NWSS (2), WWS (3), and Biobot (4). Tables include sewershed ID, Reference ID, Date last sampled, Trend (based on the change between the averages of the two most recent weeks), and 14-Day Change (approx. amount which the trend has increased or decreased).
All data presented are smoothed in some degree to even out inconsistent sampling dates and extreme highs and lows. Most sewersheds are sampled 1-3 times a week and are published within a week. Some locations are "late" reporting by 10 days or more so be sure to note your sewershed's "Date" in the table or graph. Locations that are more than two weeks old will have "n/a" listed under Trend to indicate there it is out of date.
For further information on the many variables that affect virus concentrations in WADoH generated data please refer to the "Learn More" link on the Washington State Department of Health Wastewater Dashboard.

References with links to details on y-axis units, normalization protocols, data limitations, and sampling methods:

• (1) WADoH and click "Learn More"
• (2) CDC/NWSS
• (3) Verily/WWS and here
• (4) Biobot

What a wonderful game. So many parts made me feel like a genius when I put it together (the ghost dog flame was the moment it hit 10/10.) I love the depth of these puzzles but when it starts getting “outside the game” stuff like scanning barcodes and interpreting Morse code and whatnot that’s a bridge too far for me.
So a few questions:

1. What’s the deal with the statues with symbols and numbered dots littered throughout the world?
   
2. In the top right, bright green section, occasionally when I go through some rooms with the uv light on, the trees sparkle, that has to mean something right?
   
3. On the way to the seahorse flame, in the room with the hummingbird, is there a secret? I spent a chunk of time convinced I could get myself to a room above the hummingbird that may not exist
   
4. How to get to the upper level of the room of the room showing the dogs and the manticore under uv light? What’s the connection between the dogs and the manticore?
   
5. Certain sections of walls have symbols like keys and bones, what’s up with that?
   

Kudos Billy, this is just outstanding work.

I have this https://trinitysupply.com/products/copy-of-trinity-1000-lumen-led-flashlight-with-green-dot-sight-for-12-gauge-pumps-hunting-optics-security-target-range-home-defense-accessory-3
I can’t get the thing to stay on the tube, is it just simply not a fit for a 20 gauge or am I doing something wrong?
If it doesn’t fit, where can I find one that does?
Thanks

Timestamps
Additional pictures (only the items in timestamps are available): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y9R5j7zmo2oRJdmFLo8K0HJynoCeqrZz?usp=drive_link
PLEASE READ: I will give discounts for buying multiple items, around $5-10 per additional item. However, I will not be taking offers on any of the items. Instead, every Wednesday, I will repost this listing with lowered prices, until all the items are sold. Prices for items that people have shown interest for will not be reduced upon relisting. Prices will be reduced based on their price the previous week as follows:

• items greater than $200 will be lowered by $20
• items greater than $60 will be lowered by $10
• items greater than $20 will be lowered by $5
• items lower than $20 will be lowered by $2

All prices are shipped to CONUS. I will not be shipping internationally.
Keyboards (all new, unbuilt)
If you want to buy any extras separately from their bundles, lemme know and we can work something out.

• wilba.tech Salvation (blue) - $220
• Think6.5 V2 LE 1u (black with polished chamfered edges, only 88 produced) - includes extra PCB - $430
• Think6.5 V2 brass badge (1u lightbulb)/weight combo - $90
• Think6.5 V2 e-white badge (1u anchor)/weight combo - $55
• Think6.5 V2 1u badges - 7 total, $18 each

Keycaps (all sealed)

• GMK 80082 (BL00 base/BL00 aesthetic) - 2 sets total, $120 each
• GMK Demon Sword (base) - $150
• GMK Mizu (novelties) - $140
• GMK Nuclear Data R1 (novelties) - $45
• GMK Pixel (base, novelties, spacebars) - $120

Other

• Keycult 1/60 wrist rest (brass) - $170
• MAK WongBox+ artisan case - $110

RAMA Artisans

X	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
A			$180 Monochrome Starry Night X	$180 Monochrome Starry Night O			$55 Minimal 2 X Black		$45 Bleached X	$45 Bleached O		$35 Classic Red O				$35 80082 Pink	$35 80082 Blue	$35 80082 Blue	$60 Vaporwave X
B	$45 Deep Navy X	$90 Dolch Black on Red	$90 Dolch Cyan on Gray	$35 MODO2 Red	$35 MODO2 Gray	$35 MODOL Red	$35 MODOL Cyan	$35 MODOL Gray	$90 Dots White Dot	$90 Dots Gold				$45 Metaverse R2 Red on Silver	$140 Jamon Bacon	$140 Jamon Eggs			$90 Peaches n Cream Peach	$90 Peaches n Cream Leaf
C			$35 Red Devils Horangi		$35 Sumi Kanji		$70 Kuro Shiro R1 Black				$55 Masterpiece Knife Gold		$70 Bento O Salmon	$70 Bento O Gold	$55 Bento R2 O Gold		$45 Bento R2 Kanji Gold	$45 Honor Kabuto Gold	$45 Honor Katana Silver	$45 Demon Sword Gold
D	$140 Mizu Navy GID	$140 Mizu White				$35 Red Dragon Gold Fire 1u		$70 Botanical White	$70 Hiragana White	$70 Hiragana Grey							$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Gold Matte	$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Moon Matte	$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Gold	$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Moon
E	$180 Keycult Black on Brass				$35 Pono Gray Kitty	$45 Pono Geo Kitty Rose Gold		$45 Amethyst Pick Gold			$35 Norse Aluminum	$45 Norse Brass	$35 Ion Kuro	$35 Ion Milk			$35 Redline Tread	$35 Minimal 2 Red Square	$35 Minimal 2 Green Triangle	$35 Minimal 2 Blue Circle
F	$35 Tuzi Bunny	$35 Tuzi Bunny			$35 ThinkCaps Row 1	$35 Apollo	$35 Dolch R5				$35 Pink on Navy			$45 Camping R2			$35 Beta	$35 Serika 2
G			$70 Sydney Meetup 2019	$35 RAMA Shrimp on the Barbie	$35 Zambumon		$45 NovelKeys Wave		$35 Fuyu		$35 Peach Blossom	$35 Oni 1u	$35 Amalfi					$45 Bread Gold		$45 B Silver
H					$25 9009 R3 Green Swirl			$25 Redacted Swirl	$25 Redacted Swirl	$25 MODO2 Swirl	$25 MODO2 Swirl	$55 Nautilus Nightmares Enter								$60 Ivory Rose Gold
I	$35 KAT Cyberspace X GID	$35 KAT Cyberspace O GID	$45 KAT Milkshake Silver	$35 KAT Mizu Navy GID	$35 KAT Mizu White	$35 KAT Mizu Red	$35 KAT Explosion Red	$35 KAT Explosion Gold	$35 KAT Atlantis	$35 KAT Lucky Jade	$35 KAT Oasis
J	$35 SA Mizu Navy	$35 SA Mizu White	$35 SA Dualshot	$35 SA Dualshot																$70 RAMA Knob Kuro

Thanks for looking!

Hey all, I’m looking at putting on an optic for my Echelon. It’s my EDC and backcountry gun, and it goes almost everywhere with me. It is always concealed either appendix or a Hill People Gear kit bag.
I’m torn between the Holosun 507C, Holsun 508T, 507 Competition, and EPS (all in green). Due to my eyes being funky, I’m only interested in the MRS versions of all these optics because I’m not going to run the dot, just the circle. Sadly, I don’t think I can do the SCS platform due to it being auto adjust only. Although super slick, my eyes are sensitive to optics that are overly bright & since nobody near me has an SCS, I can’t even window shop it to see what it’s like.
I have a pretty hard $450 limit. I can not breach it.
I like the 507C because it’s cost effective. I’ve played with them before and have liked it.
I like the 507 Competition because of the 8 MOA circle, plus the enormous window. I don’t think I’d get it because it is likely to big for me to conceal appendix all that well.
I like the 508T because it’s essentially a beefed up 507C for only a bit more money.
I like the EPS because it’s enclosed. I’m not thrilled with the price because I’d like to spend some money on ammo and range time, and this uses all my budget.
What are your thoughts on this?