I’m a gigantic dragon ball fan, and have passing interest in Demon Slayer, so I wanted to challenge myself in maintaining an argument where Tanjiro could actually win in a fight
As of the Cell Saga, Future Trunks, based on feats and on-screen usage, simply can’t be called a phenomenal swordsman, because he lacks technique, only won 1 fight with a sword, and hasn’t been seen training with said sword, and on top of that, wasn’t canonically seen using his sword until that one, dog-walk throwaway fight with the androids in the History of Trunks. Beyond the Cell Saga, you could make an argument that he is more skilled because of his training with the Supreme Kai using the Z-Sword (which was barely able to be lifted by Buu Saga era Goku, yet Trunks was shown practicing with it with relative ease). But the only real sword feat we see in the Cell Saga is Trunks slicing Mecha Frieza up into pieces (while significant, it’s one feat and cant account for off screen claims, if there are any that I don’t remember). In training, Trunks is shown to have two mentors (Future Gohan and Vegeta), and both are not experienced sword fighters that could teach him technique properly (even Trunks killing Mecha Frieza was just him slicing randomly and using a ki blast to finish it off). On top of that, Trunks hasn’t been seen training with the sword with either (didn’t walk out with it in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and didn’t use it for the rest of the arc), and considering we only see him with it starting at the Android attack onwards, Trunks probably didn’t get to use a sword with Future Gohan (which might have benefited him in the long run, because Gohan was surviving on a sword only for 6 months in the wilderness). Honestly Trunks’s sword might as well just be an accessory.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro is a primary swordsman, with feats that can be measured through anime events, like chopping the boulder and fighting multiple demons. Tanjiro also has pinpoint precision when acknowledging his increased sense of scent that allowed him to decapitate upper moons. On top of that, Tanjiro has a fully developed technique (water breathing), which was built from the ground up by an actual expert, and another technique that scales at the top of the verse (sun breathing, I’m not very far into Demon Slayer at all, but i do know that Tanjiro does train and hone his swordsman techniques thanks to the Hashira). Finally, the Nichirin sword should technically count as a real, functional swords (basically just a katana), even if it’s designed to work against demons mainly.
I have no idea how difficult this fight would be, or what else would go into account to decide the victor, but I think that technique alone might give Tanjiro the edge, what’s everyone else thinking?

Hi, I am new here and I am posting for the first time. Please let me know if I am breaking any rules here so I can re-do it. It is one full chapter, but because it is so long, I broke into four parts.
This is a theory for the actual Prologue of The Winds of Winter. Please enjoy. This is Part 3 of 4.
The Winds of Winter
Prologue
[Part 2]
Olyvar had lost count of how far they ascended as they reached one of Ser Rolph Spicer’s checkpoints. They rested there for a few moments where the paths forked into several other directions. He then instructed Ser Olyvar Frey, Lady Mormont and Leo to wait here until the rest returned. In the meanwhile, they were to familiarize themselves with the area in case they needed a detour.
Not long after the group left them, Olyvar heard another man speaking through the rocky walls. Maege followed the voice through one of the forks, and found a hole that appeared to spy into a cell of the castle’s dungeons. She peeked through and spoke in disgust “Gods! What the hell! No!” She left the area and began looking for an entrance into the dungeons from the hidden hallways. Olyvar peeped through the hole and saw what seems to be an old maester in robes, with many rings around his neck. Inside, he harbored a boy and a girl who appeared to be twins, no older than ten. The boy had his shirt off, while the maester sniffed the girl’s hair and had a hand cupped at her clothed chest.
What in Seven Hells? Olyvar thought.
The elderly maester spoke to them, as they trembled like leaves. “Thank you children for helping me. I am Maester Valarik, this is very very important research for, um, the Citadel. Now let’s begin.”
Suddenly out of nowhere, Lady Maege Mormont burst open the dungeon door. “Let’s not!”
The shocked maester jolted to his feet, confused. “Are you their mother?”
“A MOTHER!” the She-Bear claimed in her crony crackling voice as she walked up to Valarik. Here she stood as Lady Mormont kicked the maester in between the legs, his screams alive with pain. His eyes began to tear as he fell backwards to the ground. Lady Mormont dropped down to him and drew her dagger. “Shut your mouth or I’ll make an eunuch out of you!” The maester still in agony replied with a silent nod. She lied to the twins, saying she was a washerwoman employed to the castle. “What the maester did was wrong and I will have the castellan punish him.” She urged the siblings to go home, but not tell anyone what had happened until they were outside of Casterly Rock. After they left, Maege in her barbaric tone told the maester, “You dusty f*ck! Get in there!” as she led him into the hidden hallways behind the dungeon.
Ser Olyvar greeted the hostage, “Not another word Maester Valarik. She may geld you but I will shove my dagger up your arse.”
They continued to wait at the checkpoint, anxious for the Blackfish’s return with Queen Jeyne and Lord Edmure. Leo brushed back a lock of his ash-blond hair that fell down across one eye. Lady Mormont continued to stare at Valarik’s crotch while holding her naked dagger, twirling it at the pointy end for boredom. The silent maester was well aware, and would not return his eyes to meet hers.
Suddenly they heard a woman’s moan echoing in the distance. Torchlight illuminated the foot of the pathway and brightening the walls with each passing moment. Escorted by Goose, a thin girl with a mop of chestnut hair emerged. She was pretty like the daisy sewn on her gown that was covering a flat chest. “Eleyna!” Olyvar was animated. They hugged as he asked, “So what happened to your breasts?”
“I ate them.” She said in her high cheery voice. She stuck her small chest out, chin in the air, fists at the end of her narrow hips and twerked it for two beats. “How you like them apples?”
Olyvar smiled at the inside joke.
The Useless Goose then grabbed Leo and tapped Eleyna’s shoulders from behind. “Hi, have you met Leo?” Barnabus vanished in an instant.
She turned around and introduced herself. “Hello Leo, I’m Eleyna, the Queen’s sister.”
Leo was star-struck. “Are you a princess?”
“I guess I am a princess,” she said sarcastically. “Are you here to rescue me?”
Leo nodded up and down, trying to contain his excitement.
“Leo O’ Leo … my hero!” She kissed him on the cheeks, and Leo’s face began to blush, red as apples.
His brothers Raff, Donal, and Mikkal had emerged from the rocky opening just in time to watch. They wrapped their arms around one another, and nodded proudly at their youngest brother.
The others soon followed, pouring out of the tunnel entrance. Olyvar greeted his brother-in-law Lord Edmure Tully. “My sister is waiting for you back at the ship, with my future nephew or niece. Be a good father to your child.”
“And you be a good uncle. It is a honor to have you at our side, Ser Olyvar,” Lord Edmure replied respectfully.
Lady Sybell Spicer came down with her brother Ser Rolph, clutching a moaning Queen Jeyne Stark on both sides. She was garbed in simple loose fitted robes, pretending to serve as Eleyna’s plumped handmaiden. Olyvar was ecstatic. Jeyne’s mother then announced, “She is in labor!”
“What?!” As Olyvar and Maege said in unison. “Now!?”
Olyvar ran to Jeyne, straight to his sister’s arms and she kissed him on the forehead. “I kept my promise,” Olyvar told her.
Jeyne was feverish, sweating and mumbling words. “You did, I knew you were somewhere beyond the sea. I was here waiting for all of you, to sneak onto golden sand and rock. I was watching all the ships sailing by, not knowing which one will be my daring escape.” She looked towards her other brother Raynald. “I just knew my Ray lied somewhere over the ocean, and my Olly lied somewhere over the sea … both my brothers fighting to come back to me. Up in this castle mountain where it meets the heavens above, out where lightning splits the sea, I could still feel you two watching me. Through the wind, the chilly sea, and the rain … and now the storm and the flood. I felt your approach like the fires in your blood! I need … I need …”
“We need to go!” Ser Olyvar finished for her.
As the others began going into the next tunnel, the Queen in the North shook all the right-hands of the strangers that came to rescue her, while each man placed a left-palm on her round belly for a soft instant. With Jory, Jess, Ser Spicer, Ser Brynden and her brother Ser Raynard, she gave a hug each. She then trailed all of them with Olyvar and Raynard holding her weight. They descended down the path they came from, back to the LionsJape, WinterStorm and BattleWolf. Queen Jeyne Stark continued to scream. Oh, bloody shit. This will be the death of us. The descent will be much faster, but it was still a long way to go. With the Queen moaning in labor, they decided to light two more torch lights. Being heard here is just as unfortunate as being seen. But the darkness in front of him still faded in and out, confusing Olyvar’s eyes in blur. For a moment, the knight fantasized about golden dragons down here in the empty gold mines and sewers of Casterly Rock, to illuminate the rest of the route with flames … expediting the rescue.
Where in the hell is Lord Gawen Westerling? His trumpets and drums? It would at least muffle out Jeyne’s cry. At any moment, they could be heard … and then they could be trapped.
Then the Blackfish noticed Maester Valarik was in their party. “Who in the Seven Hells are you?”
Lady Maege told Ser Brynden and allowed the quivering maester to speak. “I am the maester of Casterly Rock. I don’t know what is going on here. Pl- … please let me go, I won’t say a word. I … I am innocent, I was just treating the children for an illness.”
“You said it was for research,” Maege interrupted.
“Um … bb … both,” the maester lied.
“In a dungeon? No tools nor vials?” Maege questioned rhetorically.
The maester had no answer for that. He looked back to the Blackfish. “Ser, you must understand-“
The Blackfish cuts him off. “Must I? I heard enough of your sorcery, Maester. Shut your mouth or I’ll throw you out of a window.”
The group was nearing the sea’s level, until they encountered the original path that dipped up and down. It was filled with flooded water from the storm surges. Ser Brynden Tully cursed at the sea trap. Olyvar knows the Blackfish could swim under it like he did at the moat of Riverrun, but not the others. They began to retreat and regroup.
Ser Rolph approached Ser Brynden, not shaken nor stirred, and offered a detour. “Follow me, this way leads to the kitchen of that courtyard at the base of the cliffs. At that courtyard, there is a large sewer drain that would lead us back to the paths of the rowboats. It is risky, we may be spotted.”
“We may be sitting ducks,” Goose added to the complaint.
“We have no choice,” said the Blackfish.
They followed Ser Rolph, with his niece still moaning.
They reached the hidden entrance to the kitchen and began to secure the area with weapons & shields drawn. It was empty. No gatherings or weddings were to be held outdoor this evenfall, especially with the thunderstorm. Olyvar peeked outside. Overcast clouds threw down rain-water onto dirt and stone, as the setting sun was half bathe into the ocean’s clear golden horizon. The courtyard by the sea was no bigger than the feast hall at the Twins. Stone pathways met at the middle, leading into a circular floor-drain that was exposed at the center of the yard. Twenty feet high granite pillars the size of tree trunks supported the open rectangular balcony above the ground level, overlooking the ocean. The kitchen doors were connected to the bottom level, but Olyvar was unsure what would lurk above them on the second floor balconies, with its four feet high parapet and six feet of platform width. Lightning flashed the columns bright white as the wet grass turned into mud.
Ser Brynden paced around the kitchen for a moment, trying to hide his shaking hands. He assessed the situation and regrouped the band of brothers. “Bows and arrows,” he commanded … and they obeyed. “Each men take cover behind a pillar. Sprint to it and establish a defensive stance with an arrow nocked to the string of your bow. Keep your eyes open. Rico will run to the middle alone, pull out the drain cover and retreat back. Alesander! Ray! Run to the opened drain and descend down the ladder. Once it is clear, let us know. We’ll bring Jeyne down first, followed by her sister and mother, and then Edmure.”
“Brothers!” as they assemble behind the closed double doors in single line. “Nock!”
From a window, Maester Valarik spied over to the drain, and then tried to block the traffic at the kitchen exit. “This is absurd! I have friends in court and I can vouch for you! Give yourselves up! This is madness, this is ludicrous!”
The She-Bear grabbed him. “Move maester, get out of the way!” She threw him to the corner by the pantry. Lady Mormont drew her dagger, gleaming silvery-blue for an instant as a crack of thunder boomed through the window. She pressed the flat of her blade onto his crotch and the terrified maester began to piss himself. Lady Maege disgusted, leaned back and threatened, “We have not killed anyone yet. You stay here like a good quiet dog and oblige, or this bear lady will rock your head away with a club when she comes back!”
Ser Brynden opened the double doors as Ben and Benjen held it. The Blackfish ran out first, around the perimeter to the furthest side of the terrace, forty yards away with bow & arrow in hand. The other men followed and fell into their positions, squishing their footsteps on the mud and stone.
Rico, Phyl, and Sam the Shredder followed the Blackfish to the southern side and took cover behind a column each. Scrooge, Donal, Raff, Mikkal and Leo sprinted for the eastern pillars as June, Jory, Jess, Fess and Lord Galbart Glover took the west. Ben and Benjen left their kitchen doors to joined Ser Goose and Ser Rolph Spicer at the closest posts of the north.
Queen Jeyne, Lady Maege, Lady Eleyna, Lady Sybell, and Lord Edmure stayed inside the kitchen with Ser Olyvar … as Ser Raynard and Alesander were ready to their task.
Rico unarmed, darted from his column towards the center of the courtyard and tore open the drain cover with ease. He flung it over the mountainous wall and into the sea as he headed back to his pillar, re-arming himself with the bow.
Alesander Frey and Ser Raynald Westerling, dashed towards the open drain and attempted to descend. Their shields, quivers and bows were caught at the circular entrance, so they discarded them at the base before going below. After Ser Raynald gave the clearance, Olyvar and Maege discarded their weapons and escorted Jeyne slowly and gently towards their escape, their clothes soaking in the rain. Olyvar kept Honor slung center at his back. Raynald offered himself as Jeyne sat on her older brother’s shoulders as they descended down the twenty foot ladder. Olyvar was doing everything he could to keep Jeyne stable from above as rain-water trickled down the drain.
When they reached the bottom, Olyvar noticed a weirwood tree staring right at him. A godswood? Here? The cavern was surrounded by roots and several rocky openings as well. He paid it no more mind and walked Jeyne towards a sewer entrance where Alesander was waiting for them. “The rowboats are not far! I see them, just a few more paces from here. I’ll keep a lookout on that exit.” He scouted ahead again.
Jeyne could not advance any further and fell lightly to the ground. “I can’t move anymore.”
Lady Maege came down the ladder and positioned herself between Jeyne’s legs. “Push your Grace! Push! Push!”
The rumbling of the thunderstorm was getting much louder.
Leo surprisingly came down with Eleyna and told Olyvar, “I think I hear a few soldiers moving on the second floor balcony. The parapets won’t allow us to see what’s hidden behind it.”
No not now. “It could be just the thunderstorm,” Olyvar hoped.
Lady Sybell and Lord Edmure Tully soon followed down the ladder. “I believe there are Lannister soldiers getting into positions above us. They must be waiting for more of their reinforcement to arrive,” Edmure sounded sure.
Olyvar cursed.
The Blackfish came down next. “We need to leave now. The storm surges will steal our rowboats as well.”
Jeyne was still moaning. Maege was still instructing, “Push! Push! Push!”
Olyvar began panicking in this awful shit-storm of a mess. “We need to go now! The soldiers are coming! The thunderstorm is coming!”
“WINTER IS COMING BETWEEN HER GRACES LEGS!” Maege screamed back.
Olyvar could not help but to chuckled for a beat before being serious again. “Bloody shit. Winter needs to be going!”
“Look son, I’m not your mother. You go figure it out yourself,” Lady Maege protested.
Olyvar felt like a fool below the Rock, looking back at all the wrong paths that got him lost here. If I just lied to my father of my intentions, and informed his Grace not to come to the Twins, we would not be here now at some shit sewer in the Westerlands. Jeyne would be crying in childbirth at Winterfell after Robb had retaken it from the Ironborn. King, Queen and babe Stark would be safe and sound. And me … I would be their Kingsguard knight … Ser Olyvar Frey … the Kingsavior.
“Ray, go find Alesander and summon him to return here to help. He is not far.”
Olyvar looked toward his Queen as Maege Mormont continued working in between Jeyne’s thighs, awaiting for the wolf-pup that their world was here for. Let us pray it is only one babe. A pair of twins would surely mean the doom of them. There was nothing Olyvar realistically wanted more now than Lord Gawen’s trumpets, and his young son Rollam’s drum rolls. Where is our diversion to get the Lannister soldiers to march away from us?
Goose tried to come down the ladder next, but the big man was stuck on top even with his weapons and shield forfeited. His golden egg had bulged out from his pocket, stopping him from entering the small circular drain. He was trying to work it out of his clothes.
Olyvar kneeled down next to his Queen, trying to facilitate this shit storm anyway he could. He went to feel for the letter he wrote to his father, but instead found the colorful bright feather that Captain Samullu gave to him earlier. He offered it to Queen Stark for some comfort.
“A gift? It is so beautiful Olyvar,” she said in discomfort. “I have a gift for you as well.” She summoned her mother and removed a thin cloak from her purse. Queen Jeyne Stark took it and unveiled it to Olyvar. It was the castle of the Twins, colored in grey, seated on a field red hot as a chilled blue stream flowed under the bridge. Olyvar motioned to give her his back, and she attached the cloak onto him. “I knitted it myself.”
“It is gorgeous my Queen. What does it mean? The water under the bridge?”
“It means forgiveness here, so you can move on. Now promise me Olyvar, don’t leave us again. Protect us. Protect your King’s child. We must never separate again.”
Ser Olyvar Frey gave the Queen his word.
Goose had finally removed the golden rock from his hidden pocket, and held it with his hand. At the moment useless, the knight threw down the golden egg to Leo, as it flashed bright from the lightning above. The knight started down and down the ladder.
Suddenly a voice roared from above. “This is Ser Forley Prester! Drop your weapons! Drop them!”

Gallstones affect one in five people, making it the most commonly diagnosed digestive disease in patients of all ages. What are the features of gallstone disease – what kind of disease is it, how does it manifest itself and how to deal with it?

What are gallstones?

Cholelithiasis is a condition in which insoluble deposits of many bile chemicals occur in the gallbladder or bile ducts. Bile consists of water, bile acids, cholesterol, fatty acids, phospholipids, proteins, bilirubin and inorganic compounds. Normally, all these substances dissolve in bile and are excreted in this form into the digestive tract, but disturbances in the composition of bile impact their solubility.
The first insoluble substances to precipitate are the so-called dirt and microcrystals, which over time combine into increasingly larger structures, resulting in the formation of deposits. Most often they form in the gallbladder and are then called cholecystolithiasis. Much less typically, they form in the bile ducts – then choledocholithiasis occurs. Typically, stones found in the bile ducts are of vesicular origin, that is, they enter these ducts from the gallbladder.
In most cases, stones are composed of cholesterol, inorganic ions such as calcium, proteins, and bile pigments. These ingredients come in different proportions. There are different types of deposits: cholesterol, pigment and mixed. Mixed deposits, that is, cholesterol and pigment deposits, are by far the most common. Pigment deposits are commonly found in developing countries, such as Africa and Asia, but in developed countries, such as Europe and North America, they consist only of cholesterol.

Gallstone disease – causes

The mechanism of gallstone formation is complex, and experts often cannot indicate the specific reason for their formation. This phenomenon is caused by several factors, including disorders of lipid metabolism in the body and decreased secretion of bile acids. Another burden is bile stagnation, which allows pathogens such as bacteria to accumulate in the bile ducts.
Risk factors predisposing to the occurrence of this disease include:

• Age over 50,
• Genetic problems,
• Increased estrogen levels
• parenteral nutrition,
• Chronic diseases associated with lifestyle: diabetes, hypertension, cancer,
• Diseases of the digestive system: Crohn’s disease, liver cirrhosis,
• Pregnancy,
• Increased levels of triglycerides in the blood,
• Use of certain antibiotics, antidepressants, fibrates,
• cystic fibrosis,
• Chronic bacterial infections of the bile ducts,
• Increased breakdown of red blood cells, for example due to hemolytic anemia.

Gallstone disease – attack symptoms

The pain caused by gallstones is sudden and sharp and can last from a few minutes to several hours. It is characterized by unpleasant cramps and dull pain on the right side of the abdomen, felt up to the shoulder and even the entire upper back. The discomfort in the lower chest often associated with this condition is sometimes confused with a heart attack. Symptoms typical of this disease include fever, chills, nausea that may lead to vomiting, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, and a change in skin tone to yellow, light-colored stools, and dark urine.

Cholelithiasis during pregnancy

Hormonal changes during the second and third trimester of pregnancy increase the risk of gallstone crystallization. Progesterone suppresses the contractility of the gallbladder, promoting bile stagnation. Stones block the bile ducts, which can lead to acute pancreatitis or obstructive jaundice. This condition typically requires hospitalization and the use of a special, easily digestible diet.

Gallstone disease – treatment

In case of an attack of biliary colic, painkillers (paracetamol, ketoprofen, diclofenac) and antispasmodics containing hyoscine, papaverine or drotaverine are used. Hospitals sometimes prescribe stronger opioid medications. Surgical treatment involves removal of the gallbladder, and after surgery it is necessary to switch to a low-fat diet. You can try to dissolve the deposits with ursodeoxycholic acid, but this is a long-term method and has a high risk of relapse.

Cholelithiasis – diet

Cholelithiasis – diet
A proper diet is a very important aspect of the fight against gallstones. The menu of a sick person should include mainly healthy foods low in fat. A diet that is usually easily digestible, although containing insoluble fiber, such as cooked vegetables, processed fruits, is usually recommended. Fatty and difficult to digest foods should be avoided.

Flaxseed and gallstones

Flaxseed has a positive effect on digestive functions and also affects the functioning of the gallbladder – it is most effective in the prevention of gallbladder diseases. Regulates the functioning of the gallbladder, promotes its cleansing, prevents the formation of inflammation and gallstones.

Oatmeal and gallstones

During an attack of the disease and when its symptoms subside, as well as during the recovery period after laparoscopic removal of the gallbladder and resection of the gallbladder, it is not recommended to consume whole grain oatmeal (unless we use instant oatmeal and do not overcook it, for example, in “milk” soup).). During the period of remission, their presence in the diet is very desirable, because then the diet should be rich in fiber-rich foods.

Are gallstones dangerous?

Gallstones carry the risk of serious health complications such as biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, chronic cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis and cholangitis.

Untreated gallstones – what are the consequences?

One of the most common complications of gallstone disease is acute cholecystitis. This is an indication for surgical removal of the follicle. Untreated cholecystitis can lead to life-threatening complications such as liver abscess, gallbladder empyema, or peritonitis.Gallstones affect one in five people, making it the most commonly diagnosed digestive disease in patients of all ages. What are the features of gallstone disease – what kind of disease is it, how does it manifest itself and how to deal with it?

What are gallstones?

Cholelithiasis is a condition in which insoluble deposits of many bile chemicals occur in the gallbladder or bile ducts. Bile consists of water, bile acids, cholesterol, fatty acids, phospholipids, proteins, bilirubin and inorganic compounds. Normally, all these substances dissolve in bile and are excreted in this form into the digestive tract, but disturbances in the composition of bile impact their solubility.
The first insoluble substances to precipitate are the so-called dirt and microcrystals, which over time combine into increasingly larger structures, resulting in the formation of deposits. Most often they form in the gallbladder and are then called cholecystolithiasis. Much less typically, they form in the bile ducts – then choledocholithiasis occurs. Typically, stones found in the bile ducts are of vesicular origin, that is, they enter these ducts from the gallbladder.
In most cases, stones are composed of cholesterol, inorganic ions such as calcium, proteins, and bile pigments. These ingredients come in different proportions. There are different types of deposits: cholesterol, pigment and mixed. Mixed deposits, that is, cholesterol and pigment deposits, are by far the most common. Pigment deposits are commonly found in developing countries, such as Africa and Asia, but in developed countries, such as Europe and North America, they consist only of cholesterol.

Gallstone disease – causes

The mechanism of gallstone formation is complex, and experts often cannot indicate the specific reason for their formation. This phenomenon is caused by several factors, including disorders of lipid metabolism in the body and decreased secretion of bile acids. Another burden is bile stagnation, which allows pathogens such as bacteria to accumulate in the bile ducts.
Risk factors predisposing to the occurrence of this disease include:

• Age over 50,
• Genetic problems,
• Increased estrogen levels
• parenteral nutrition,
• Chronic diseases associated with lifestyle: diabetes, hypertension, cancer,
• Diseases of the digestive system: Crohn’s disease, liver cirrhosis,
• Pregnancy,
• Increased levels of triglycerides in the blood,
• Use of certain antibiotics, antidepressants, fibrates,
• cystic fibrosis,
• Chronic bacterial infections of the bile ducts,
• Increased breakdown of red blood cells, for example due to hemolytic anemia.

Gallstone disease – attack symptoms

The pain caused by gallstones is sudden and sharp and can last from a few minutes to several hours. It is characterized by unpleasant cramps and dull pain on the right side of the abdomen, felt up to the shoulder and even the entire upper back. The discomfort in the lower chest often associated with this condition is sometimes confused with a heart attack. Symptoms typical of this disease include fever, chills, nausea that may lead to vomiting, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, and a change in skin tone to yellow, light-colored stools, and dark urine.

Cholelithiasis during pregnancy

Hormonal changes during the second and third trimester of pregnancy increase the risk of gallstone crystallization. Progesterone suppresses the contractility of the gallbladder, promoting bile stagnation. Stones block the bile ducts, which can lead to acute pancreatitis or obstructive jaundice. This condition typically requires hospitalization and the use of a special, easily digestible diet.

Gallstone disease – treatment

In case of an attack of biliary colic, painkillers (paracetamol, ketoprofen, diclofenac) and antispasmodics containing hyoscine, papaverine or drotaverine are used. Hospitals sometimes prescribe stronger opioid medications. Surgical treatment involves removal of the gallbladder, and after surgery it is necessary to switch to a low-fat diet. You can try to dissolve the deposits with ursodeoxycholic acid, but this is a long-term method and has a high risk of relapse.

Cholelithiasis – diet

I love ants, ants are awesome. They are so darn intelligent and innovative, I personally like to think of them as how humans would be like if we were wayyy smaller and were eusocial but that's beside the point. As I had nothing better to do in the afternoon, I spent an hour compiling some stuff about some of my favorite species. Please comment about your favorite species of ant and tell me about them as well!! :)
Enjoy! 🐜
Mirror turtle ant: mimics the appearace and behaviour of Crematogaster ampla ants to steal their food and is able to follow pheromone trails laid out by crematogaster ampla ants and follow it to its host's food source. They follow hostile Crematogaster ampla ants to food sites and then start trying to act like them. Mirror turtle ants don’t smell anything like crematogaster ampla, so if they come within sniffing range, they’ll be swarmed and dismembered. They have to move like the enemy and walk like the enemy, all while not getting too close to them, even though they’re in the midst of the enemy and stealing their food. Mirror turtle ants are the first species of ant documented to use visual mimicry to parasitize another ant species. The workers foraging behind enemy lines raise their rear ends up in the air and mimic the walking speed and even the stilt-like posture of Crematogaster ampla. And they do it all so they don’t have to search for food themselves.
Matabele ants: Are at war with fungus farming termites who the ants frequently raid for their fungus and to eat the termites themselves. The termites often amputate the ants in combat but while the ants arent particularly powerful against the fungus farming termites but they have a secret technique at their disposal. They carry their wounded soldiers back to their nest where they are treated by the workers who nurse their wounds and disinfect and clean their wounds using antimicrobial saliva and once the soldiers are healed they can partake in battle again. But the rescuing ants have a threshold for how grieviously injured a soldier must be before they are rescued. Of the soldier has lost one or two legs, they may be rescued and taken back to be healed but if they are injured too badly, the resuers will not rescue them or waste resourses and effort trying to nurse them back to health and these soldiers that are hurt too badly are left to die.
Honeypot ant: honeypot ant species possess the unique ability to store food for rainy seasons in their bellies. Individual worker ants, called repletes, are engorged to enormous belly size by being force fed, sometimes to the point of being unable to move. Honeypot ants usually feed on flowers for their nectar but can also be seen attacking insects. When the liquid stored inside a honeypot ant is needed, the worker ants stroke the antennae of the honeypot ant, causing the honeypot ant to regurgitate the stored liquid from its crop. Replites are practically living refrigerators and are packed with so many nutrients that many other insect species, are keen on hunting them down and even raiding the honeypot ant colony for a sweet treat.
Leafcutter ant: These gardener ants cut out fresh leaves with their sharp mandibles, which they later bring to their nests to feed a particular type of bacteria that lives in symbiosis with the ants. That means that both organisms have become so co-dependent that they cannot survive on their own – the insects supply their guests with fresh nutrients in the form of leaves, while the fungi grow to later on become a reliable food source for the ants.
Tawny crazy ant: These ants are at a war with fire ants. Fire ants have an extremely potent poison that kills most other ants, but tawny crazy ants have a secret defense. When they’re hit with fire ant poison, they quickly coat themselves in their own poison, which neutralizes the fire ants’ primary weapon with a 98 percent survival rate.
Fire ants: These ants exhibit a wide variety of behaviours, such as building rafts when they sense that water levels are rising. They also show necrophoric behaviour, where nestmates discard scraps or dead ants on refuse piles outside the nest. Their venom is highly toxic and sometimes even lethal to other insects including other ants and are at a constant war with tawny crazy ants. They also have the ability to build rafts in times of floods or when the colony is forced to cross a body of water, the ants will link their bodies together to form a floating raft. The ants on the bottom of the raft grip onto each other with their mandibles, while the ants on the top of the raft link their legs together to create a protective barrier. The raft can be several layers thick and can consist of thousands of individual ants. The ants on the bottom of the raft are able to breathe by trapping air bubbles between their bodies, while the ants on the top of the raft protect the colony from predators and help to steer the raft towards shore.
Army ants: While army ants do not build permanent nests, they do construct temporary nests out of their own bodies. These "bivouacs" are formed by the ants gripping onto each other's legs and mandibles, creating a protective structure that can be used for resting or caring for the young. Army ants also are nomadic, meaning that they do not have a permanent home. Instead, they move through the forest in search of prey and temporary shelter, and are constantly on the move. Army ants live in large colonies that can consist of millions of individual ants. One of the most interesting behaviors of army ants is their ability to build rafts. When the colony is forced to cross a body of water, such as a river or a stream, the ants will link their bodies together to form a floating raft. The ants on the bottom of the raft grip onto each other with their mandibles, while the ants on the top of the raft link their legs together to create a protective barrier. The raft can be several layers thick and can consist of thousands of individual ants. The ants on the bottom of the raft are able to breathe by trapping air bubbles between their bodies, while the ants on the top of the raft protect the colony from predators and help to steer the raft towards shore.
Slavemaker (Polyergus) ants: these ants raid colonies of formica fusca or silky ants, capture their pupae and, subsequently carry them to their own nests to raise them as slaves. However, the enslaved ants are forced to work seemingly endless shifts for another colony instead of working seemingly endless shifts for their own brethren.
Acacia ants: Acacia ants act as bodyguards for acacia trees, defending them not only from weeds, but also from animals, in exchange for accomodation and food – Acacia trees and acacia ants have a unique mutualistic relationship, in which the ants provide protection for the tree and in turn, the tree provides the ants with shelter and food. One way that acacia trees can manipulate the behavior of the ants is by blocking the production of invertase, an enzyme that is essential for the ants to be able to digest sugars. The acacia tree they live on produces a chemical compound which blocks invertase production. The ants that feed on the acacia tree's sap once stop producing invertase, which is necessary for breaking down sucrose into glucose and fructose found in practically other food source, and instead rely on the tree to produce "special nectar" that contains more easily digestible sugars. By manipulating the behavior of the ants in this way, the acacia tree ensures that the ants remain dependent on the tree for their food and shelter.
Dinosaur ants: Instead of a queen these ants have an alpha female and moreover unlike a typical ant colony all the ants in the colony have the ability to reproduce. She’s surrounded by up to five beta females, who do nothing but sit around all day long. These betas are next in line if something should happen to the alpha.Sometimes a beta gets tired of waiting and decides to start laying eggs of her own. If the alpha female detects that her position is being challenged, she wipes chemicals from her stinger onto the would-be usurper. At that point, the workers will run out to punish the offending ant. They will pin the overreaching beta to the ground, sometimes for up to four days. After justice has been meted out, the beta also loses her rank and is just a lowly worker from then on, either that or she’s dead from not eating for four days.
Cardiocondyla Obscurior: Unlike most male ants who possess wings and their only purpose being to mate with a female virgin queen ant after which they die, in cardiocondyla Obscurior ants, there is only one Cardiocondyla obscurior male per colony. He’s the dominant male ant, and he must defend his territory. If a new male wonders in for some mating, the reigning ergatoid will dab chemicals from his anus onto the intruder. This secretion will cause all of the workers to band together and kill the newcomer. Cardiocondyla obscurior males have a “kill” scent. That’s not all that they’ll do. In an effort to further reduce any possible rivalry, the ergatoid combs the nurseries looking for newborn males to slaughter. The soft one-day-olds are easy to kill. However, if they find a two-day-old male whose armor has hardened, it becomes a pitched battle with a 14 percent chance that the young ant wins and a 43 percent chance that they will both die. This is mostly because they’re both rubbing their kill scents on each other, encouraging the workers to swarm in a killing frenzy. Many times, the workers end up slaying them both, but it’s okay if they both die. New male are always being born, and the dead ones are fed to the larvae.
Solenopsis fugax: Solenopsis fugax is a thief ant, meaning that it steals from other ant colonies. However, Solenopsis fugax steals the larvae of other ants. Slave-maker ants do the same thing, but Solenopsis fugax doesn’t need slaves; they’re hungry. They eat the babies of other ants. They also tend to aphids, so they’re farmers who also eat babies on the side. While most slave ants charge in recklessly and try and overwhelm a colony, S. fugax ants tunnel in. Once they find the brood chamber, they discharge pheromones that repel the other ants. It’s the ant equivalent of tear gas. They tunnel in, spray the place down to make all the adult ants run, and then they abscond with the brood, which will be eaten alive. The poison from a single Solenopsis fugax ant is enough to keep workers from 18 different species away for up to an hour.
Green ants: These ants live high up in the tree tops. Their unique ability is to build homes out of tree leaves. The first phase in nest construction involves workers surveying potential nesting leaves by pulling on the edges with their mandibles. When a few ants have successfully bent a leaf onto itself or drawn its edge toward another, other workers nearby join the effort. When the span between two leaves is beyond the reach of a single ant, workers form chains with their bodies by grasping one another's waist. Multiple intricate chains working in unison are often used to ratchet together large leaves during nest construction. Once the edges of the leaves are drawn together, other workers retrieve larvar from existing nests using their mandibles. Upon reaching a seam to be joined, these workers tap the head of the clutched larvae, which causes them to excrete silk. The workers then maneuver between the leaves in a highly coordinated fashion to bind them together and the larvae's silk is used to glue the held leaves together in place. They can only produce so much silk, so the larva will have to pupate without a cocoon. Green ants also 'milk' scale insects in or close to the nests for their honeydew. Although weaver ants lack a functional sting they can inflict painful bites and often spray formic acid directly at the bite wound resulting in intense pain.
Trapjaw ants: Trap-jaw ants have powerful mandibles that snap closed at extremely high speeds and accelerations. They use these mandibles to capture or stun prey and to fight with other ants. These remarkable mandibles have attracted the attention of biologists and naturalists for well over a century. The term “trap-jaw” refers to mandibles that have a spring-loaded catch mechanism which allows the ants to store up energy in advance of strike and to release the mandibles rapidly. “Trigger hairs” on the face of each mandible connect to neurons that control the latches and release the mandibles. The ants can use these trigger hairs to fire the mandibles the moment they touch the surface of another object. Some trap-jaw ants have another trick – they can jump with their mandibles by snapping their mandibles against the ground, they can jump into the air, often traveling over 20 times their body length. the ants carefully align their heads and bodies before striking the ground and jumping into the air. Ants also use this chaotic jumping behavior to mob and frighten predators. For example, it is startling when a large number of ants start popping like popcorn into the air. Plus, they often land on the intruder and can sting prety hard, making the combination of jumping and stinging a good predator deterrent.
Bulldog ants: Apart from their ability to jump at great heights, their eyesight is one of the most powerful in the ant kingdom due to their oversized eyeballs. To give you an idea of just how sharp their sight can be, bulldog ants can discern minute objects at a distance of more than 25 times their length. With exceptionally aggressive behaviour, the bulldog ant is prone to causing painful and, sometimes fatal, bites.
Bullet ants: Bullet ants are infamous for their very powerful sting. It's so awful that its comparable to being shot with a bullet, hence the name.
Hodor ants: These ants live in abandoned tunnels of wood-boring beetles and, to keep themselves safe from the external environment, the large workers use their disk-shaped heads as living doors to seal off the entrance to their colonies.
Diving ants: This species of ant do is dip into the digestive fluids of the carnivorous pitcher plant called the pitcher plant. There, it looks for arthropods that have fallen prey to the plant’s cunning trap and fishes them out to enjoy a fresh meal.
Allomerus decemarticulatus: These ants use a particular kind of fungus that they grow themselves – it’s never present in stems that weren’t touched by these ants. As well as being a cultivated food source for the ants, the Allomerus decemarticulatus uses this fungus to make traps called "ant gardens" that lure small insects to them. When the unsuspecting insect lands on a stem full of those trap holes, the predator insects swoop in and catch it with their mandibles. Then, they slowly drag the captive to a leaf pouch, where they tear their prey apart.
Camponotus leonardi: These ants possess the fatal ability to make their abdomens explode. They are filled with a toxic liquid that chases off predators, but their combustion comes at a steep price. A final act of defence – one of the most devoted ways to protect the colony in the face of insurmountable odds. They are also the host to the ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus.
Dracula ants: The workers of these species of ant are blind. The primary source of food for these species is the blood of their own larvae. That’s right – this species practices non-destructive cannibalism, i.e. the ability to munch on someone without killing them in the process and extracting carefully controlled amounts of blood to avoid harming the larvae. They also possess powerful jaws, paralysing stings.
Giant gliding ants: Giant gliding ants are a group of ants that are able to glide through the air to travel between trees or escape predators. These ants have flattened bodies and long legs that are adapted for gliding. When they jump or fall from a high point, they are able to control their descent by spreading out their legs and using them as wings to steer themselves towards their desired destination.
Pheidole oxyops: Pheidole oxyops ants construct feather pitfall traps to capture prey, such as other insects and spiders, that are too large to be handled by individual ants. The feather pitfall trap is constructed by a team of worker ants, who first identify a suitable location to build the trap. They then gather feathers and other small debris, such as twigs and bits of grass, and arrange them in a circular pattern on the ground. The feathers are arranged in a way that creates a funnel-shaped depression in the center of the trap. When a prey item walks onto the feathers, it begins to sink into the depression. The feathers on the sides of the depression are angled inward, making it difficult for the prey to climb back out. As the prey struggles, it sinks deeper into the trap, eventually becoming trapped at the bottom. The Pheidole oxyops ants are able to detect the struggling prey from a distance, and quickly converge on the trap to retrieve the captured prey. The trap is then rebuilt, ready for the next prey item to fall victim.
Formica archboldi: This species of ant is known for its unique behavior of collecting the skulls of another species of ant called Odontomachus bauri that it often raids the colonies of and feeds on the workers of. Formica archboldi collects the skulls for their chemical properties. The skulls contain glandular secretions that may have antimicrobial properties. By collecting the skulls, Formica archboldi may be able to use these secretions to protect their nest from harmful bacteria or fungi and because the skulls simply because they are a valuable resource. The skulls of Odontomachus ants are hard and durable, and could be used as building material for the nest or as a platform for the ants to stand on and can serve as an intimidation tactic to ward of would be predators.

Imagine a universe where the familiar structures of our everyday existence—atoms, molecules, and even galaxies—are reflections of a grander, multi-layered reality. This theory posits that our entire cosmos is but one layer in an intricate, fractal-like hierarchy of existence.
Let's begin with the idea that our solar system functions similarly to an atom. In an atom, electrons orbit a nucleus, just as planets orbit a star. Now, extend this analogy: a galaxy, composed of countless stars and solar systems, resembles a molecule, a complex structure made up of numerous atoms bound together. Thus, the Milky Way, with its billions of stars, can be seen as a single, complex molecule.
But what if this is just the beginning? Envision the Milky Way as merely one molecule in a larger structure—a structure that, at its own scale, might be as mundane as a piece of wood in someone's front door. This implies that the entirety of our observable universe is a small part of a much grander and more complex reality.
Now, consider the atomic scale within our universe. Each atom, with its nucleus and orbiting electrons, could itself be a miniature solar system. The particles that make up an atom—protons, neutrons, and electrons—might be tiny planets or stars in a microscopic universe parallel to our own. In this way, the atoms that compose our bodies and everything around us contain entire worlds within them.
Taking this a step further, we can think of humans and other living beings as intricate constructs within these nested universes. Our cells, composed of molecules, function as worlds in their own right. Inside these cells, atoms operate as solar systems, and within those atoms, the fundamental particles might be the "strings" described by string theory—vibrating at different frequencies to form the fabric of a much larger existence.
This theory suggests a recursive, layered reality where each level is both a part and a whole, infinitely nested within each other. Our perception of scale is merely a function of our position within this grand structure. Just as we are part of the molecular structure of a larger world, so too are the atoms within us entire universes to their inhabitants.
In this framework, the universe is a fractal of infinite complexity, with each layer reflecting and containing the others. The strings of string theory, then, might be the most fundamental building blocks of reality, vibrating within each nested universe, connecting all levels of existence in a grand, unified tapestry.
This grand cohesive theory redefines our understanding of scale and existence, suggesting that our reality is but one layer in an endless, intricate hierarchy of worlds within worlds.
Prompt: Come up with a theory that goes along the lines of the following, feel free to change things, add things I didn’t consider and make improvements to the theory. So basically the idea is that what if a solar system is like an atom, a galaxy is like a molecule. Basically that our world is made up of atoms and molecules but what if our world makes a whole world of stuff a level up from us, maybe that the Milky Way is a molecule of wood in someone’s front door. Maybe our atoms are worlds of their own. Maybe the humans on earth are the string theory “strings” of a bigger world. Put all this together and make a grand cohesive theory and then present that theory as if I’d never heard it before.

The Rise and Fall of Nations on Earth

Introduction
This encyclopedic article chronicles the epic, millennia-spanning saga of the rise and fall of nations on planet Earth, from the tumultuous Pre-Cataclysm Era in the 2700s through the transformative Uplift Era, the great interspecies conflicts of the Post-Cataclysm and Uplift Wars, the dawning of off-world colonization, and the eventual decline of human civilization with the ascendance of the artificially evolved Lumen species by 7900. Drawing upon historical records and archeological findings, it provides a comprehensive account of the cataclysmic events, technological and cultural developments, key figures and civilizations, and the overarching geopolitical upheavals that reshaped the global order over thousands of years. This sweeping historical narrative offers profound insights into the resilience, adaptability, and capacity for both creation and destruction that defined the sapient species of Earth.
Pre-Cataclysm Era (2700s)
The Pre-Cataclysm Era of the 2700s was marked by rapid scientific and technological progress alongside growing sociopolitical unrest and ecological degradation. Major nation-states and power blocs like the North American Empire, Eurasian Federation, African Union, South American Confederation, and Oceanic Alliance vied for global supremacy through military might, economic coercion, and technological brinkmanship. Despite their might, governments struggled with pervasive surveillance, oppressive social control systems, severe inequality, disinformation, and the depletion of finite resources. The consequences of unchecked industrialization and urbanization like climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and resource scarcity foreshadowed the planetary cataclysms to come.
Cataclysmic Events (2800-2877)
The period between 2800-2877 saw a series of devastating cataclysmic events that brought an end to the Pre-Cataclysm Era and radically reshaped the Earth's surface. Massive supervolcano eruptions like Yellowstone blanketed continents in ash. Megathrust earthquakes in regions like Cascadia generated destructive tsunami waves. Eruptions of the Siberian Traps released greenhouse gases driving rapid global warming and ocean acidification. A gigantic landslide in the Canary Islands triggered a mega-tsunami across the Atlantic. The upheaval collapsed nations, wiped out population centers, decimated ecosystems, and merged the continents into the supercontinent of Uniterra surrounded by archipelagos. It marked an existential catastrophe for humanity that few survived.
Seven Survivor Groups and Early Rebuilding (2877-3200)
The cataclysms nearly rendered humanity extinct, but seven isolated groups managed to endure: the Svalbard Seed Vault Survivors, Mekong Delta Refuge, Andean Stronghold, Siberian Tundra Enclave, Polynesian Voyagers, Appalachian Mountain Refuge, and Kalahari Desert Sanctuary. Each emerged into the harsh new reality of Uniterra's unfamiliar terrain, towering megaflora like thousand-foot trees, and deadly megafauna like giant reptiles, mammals, and insects. Over centuries, they painstakingly reestablished agriculture, shelter, and the precursors to new nations through their unique ancestral skills in farming, aquaculture, mountaineering, seafaring, and desert survival. Their rediscovery of lost technologies set the stage for future societal rebirth on the altered world.
Altered Earth Era (3200-3800)
As the descendants of the survivor groups established settlements and explored their new environments, distinct societal structures and cultural identities emerged, forming the foundations of what would become the earliest new nations of the Altered Earth Era like the Svalbard Federation, Mekong Delta Alliance, Andean Confederation, Siberian Tundra Coalition, Polynesian Maritime Federation, Appalachian Union, and Kalahari Desert Confederation. To adapt to Uniterra's formidable landscapes and life forms, they revolutionized fields like agriculture, architecture, energy, industry, and warfare. However, competition over finite resources like water and land ignited the first territorial conflicts between these nascent civilizations after the cataclysms.
Technological Resurgence and Societal Development (3800-4000)
By 3800, the technological knowledge of the pre-cataclysm world was resurging, with rediscoveries like autonomous vehicles, advanced computing, artificial general intelligence, bioengineered crops, and renewable energy infrastructure. The nations grew more structurally complex and developed distinct cultural identities reflected in their languages, religions, arts, and social norms. However, this era was also marred by the resurgence of human supremacist ideologies, invasive social control systems, inequality, censorship, and other injustices previewing future upheaval.
Post-Cataclysm Wars (4000-4200)
From 4000-4200, the Post-Cataclysm Wars raged as nations like the Svalbard Federation, Mekong Delta Alliance, Andean Confederation, Siberian Tundra Coalition, and others deployed increasingly apocalyptic weapons - from intelligent drones and cybernetic supersoldiers to biological agents and energy cannons - to gain military superiority and control over vital resources across Uniterra. Epic battles like the Siege of New Babylon, the Battle of the Boreal Sea, and the Mountain Campaign extinguished entire cities. The cataclysmic conflicts triggered unprecedented technological leaps in fields like robotics, cybernetics, and artificial intelligence to survive total war, but also caused staggering casualties, infrastructure devastation, famine, disease, and economic collapse before an eventual stalemate and the formation of tenuous peace treaties.
The Uplift Era (4200-4800)
The Uplift Era brought seismic upheaval as clandestine researchers from struggling nations achieved the unthinkable - uplifting various animal species like canines, felines, swine, primates, cetaceans, and cephalopods to human-level intelligence and autonomous sapience through genetic engineering and neurological augmentation. The emergence of these radically enhanced species threatened humanity's primacy and birthed visions of either cooperative cosmic transcendence or existential subjugation. Over centuries, the uplifted formed their own civilizations, nations, and evolutionary trajectories, developing unique cultures and paradigm-shifting biotechnologies. The Canine Confederation, Feline Empire, Swine Collective, Primate Alliance, Cetacean Collective, and Cephalopod Consortium asserted their self-determination alongside human resistance and open conflict, completely recasting the geopolitical landscape.
The Rise of Uplifted Nations (4800-5200)
From 4800-5200, the uplifted nations solidified their territorial claims and influence, often encroaching on the domains of human civilizations through superior technologies or sheer population growth. New interspecies alliances emerged like the Canine-Feline Alliance and Primate-Swine Coalition, while maritimedomains like the Polynesian Federation and Cetacean-Cephalopod Pact vied for control of ocean trade and resources. Periods of uneasy cooperation through efforts like the Interspecies Scientific Consortium were punctuated by escalating conflicts like the Great Plains War between humans and uplifted forces over the resource-rich grasslands of central Uniterra. The upheaval blurred prior cultural boundaries, birthed groundbreaking advancements in AI and space exploration, and foreshadowed greater upheavals.
The Great Uplift Wars (5200-5800)
Tensions between human and uplifted powers finally erupted into the apocalyptic Great Uplift Wars from 5200-5800, as blocs like the Tripartite Pact of the Canines, Felines, and Primates clashed with humanity over dwindling resources and ideological supremacy. Titanic campaigns like the Siege of New Babylon, the Battle of the Boreal Sea, and the ruinous Great Desert War saw radical new weapons unfathomable even during the Post-Cataclysm Wars deployed, including bioengineered armies, sentient machines, and psionic powers that could manipulate minds and transcend space. After centuries of cataclysmic conflict scoured Uniterra, the uplifted species finally achieved victory and forged the Sapient Alliance global order, relegating humans to limited enclaves. The wars represented a cultural singularity where the evolved uplifts supplanted Homo sapiens as the planet's dominant life forms.
Dawn of Off-World Colonization and Reconstruction (5800-6200)
The aftermath of the Uplift Wars saw ideological schisms emerge between uplifted society's secular progressives and humanity's remaining traditionalists. However, more unifying efforts focused on rebuilding Uniterra's devastated nations and infrastructure while advancing space exploration to colonize other worlds less damaged by millennia of cataclysms and conflict. This drove technological leaps enabling pivotal achievements like the permanent Helfspir Settlement on Mars by 6000 - the first extraterrestrial human colony. Yet Helfspir remained an isolated outpost, as most uplifted and human resources focused on post-war Terra for nearly a millennium due to the staggering investment required for further off-world expansion.
Consolidation and Advancement (6200-7600)
From 6200-7600, the most scientifically advanced nations consolidated global power and formed new supranational alliances on Uniterra like the Svalbard Federation, Mekong Delta Authority, and Andean Primacy as rivals fell. Rapid progress in fields like biotechnology, nanotechnology, AI, and human enhancements like genetic engineering and cybernetics blurred prior biological boundaries and birthed a new post-humanist class of augmented individuals. Cities embraced fractal designs and neo-feudalistic hierarchies for extreme resource efficiency, with elite "core" clans controlling most technology. However, eventually these concentrated technocracies erupted into further Global Resource Wars and draconian control systems like the Imperium Contract to enforce order.
Rise and Fall of Earth's Nations (7600-7900)
The era between 7600-7900 saw perhaps the most pivotal transformation in Earth's human civilizations as the Chrono-Biogenesis Project birthed an artificial species - the Lumens - that would supersede and almost eradicate Homo sapiens itself. As these superiorly enhanced transhuman Lumens proliferated, most of the old post-cataclysm nations quickly declined or were absorbed into Lumen spheres of control. Only small "holdout" nativist societies resisted integration to preserve human autonomy and culture. By 7900, this completed a final shift in the planetary balance of power, with over 90% of Earth's population now Lumen. A bitterly contested "Lumen Imperative" attempted to preserve the last vestiges of humanity, but their fate remained ambiguous as the new Lumen civilization became the inheritors of the world.
Legacy and Insights
This sprawling historical account of the rise and fall of nations on Earth spans over 5,000 years - revealing a rich, complex, and cosmically profound saga of civilizational ascendancy and collapse, cataclysmic upheavals, technological revolutions transcending the limits of carbon-based biology, and the eternal struggle of autonomous sapient life forms to survive and propagate amid existence's grandest stages. Emerging from primal origins, humanity catalyzed its own transcendence and rendered Earth the primordial cradle for the Lumen, its first self-evolved progeny to supplant its creators as the custodians of this terrestrial sphere.
This compendium's insights into the dynamic interplay between sentient society, breakthrough innovation, resource competition, and planetary existential risks offer vital lessons for all emergent intelligences in this vast universe in prudently shepherding their evolutionary potential. For whether across the seas of Earth's former continents or between the interstellar gulfs that enveloped its precivilized ancestors in cosmic night, the grand profundities of survival, progress, and meaning abide through every transcendent metamorphosis of life's journey from the primordial ooze to the vaults of eternity.
What would you like to know more about from this era?

I know this is probably asked often, so I apologize.
I have an almost 3 year old who I plan on homeschooling. I fully understand most "preschool" should be learning through play at this age - but my son actively asks to do flashcards, educational activities, etc and absolutely thrives on routine. I'd like to continue his interests by integrating what he enjoys into the typical learning through play/everyday activities.
That being said - are there any resources for curriculum outlines, PK3 learning objectives, etc in which you can reccomend for us to use? I'd like to structure something for Septemper-May for him. Some of the things I find are either too advanced, or not "advanced" enough.
If it helps with reccomendations, he already can do the following:
-Count to 20 and recognize numbers 1-10 -Knows all colors -Knows all shapes (except he calls all octogons/pentagon/hexagons just "hexagon" - which I'm not even worried about correcting at this age) -Knows all animals and their sounds -Can follow multi-step directions -Properly holds writing utensils -Recognizes about 1/3 of the alphabet and their sounds -Enjoys storytelling -Enjoys matching games -Knows all body parts
Thank you!!

if you were the vtuber voice of any of the characters from three houses or three hopes what would the lore be and the content me byleth

Character Backstory:

• Name: Byleth Eisner
• Title: The Ashen Demon
• Background: Originally a mercenary, Byleth becomes a professor at the Officer's Academy in Garreg Mach Monastery. Possessing a mysterious connection to the goddess Sothis, Byleth's journey intertwines with the fates of the three houses: Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer.
• Role in Fire Emblem: Three Houses: Byleth plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of Fódlan through their decisions and leadership.
• Role in Fire Emblem: Three Hopes: As a character in this spin-off, Byleth’s story takes new turns, adding layers to their established lore.

VTuber Lore:

• VTuber Name: Byleth the Enlightened
• Background: After the events of the games, Byleth finds herself transported to a new world where she decides to share her knowledge and adventures through streaming.
• Personality: Calm, wise, and nurturing, but with a fierce side in battles.
• Goals: To connect with fans, share tales of Fódlan, and explore new adventures in the streaming world.

3. Debut Stream Outline

Pre-Debut Hype:

• Tease the debut on social media with character art, short clips, and lore tidbits.

Debut Stream Content:

1. Introduction:
   • Greet the audience.
   • Introduce Byleth, both in-game background and VTuber persona.
2. Character Showcase:
   • Display the model.
   • Demonstrate different facial expressions.
   • Talk about the design process and outfit details.
3. Lore Explanation:
   • Share Byleth's story from Fire Emblem.
   • Explain her new life as a VTuber.
4. Q&A Session:
   • Answer questions from the chat about Byleth, the games, and the VTuber process.
5. Gameplay Segment:
   • Play a Fire Emblem game or another game that ties into Byleth’s character.
6. Future Plans:
   • Discuss what viewers can expect in future streams (gameplay, collabs, story sessions, etc.).
7. Closing Remarks:
   • Thank the viewers.
   • Share social media links and streaming schedule.

4. Additional Tips

• Consistency: Maintain consistency in the character’s voice, behavior, and lore across all platforms.
• Engagement: Interact with the audience regularly to build a loyal fanbase.
• Collaboration: Consider collaborations with other VTubers or Fire Emblem fans to expand your reach.

Voice Talent

Since you’ll be providing the voice, here are some pointers:

• Voice Acting: Practice different tones and emotions to bring Byleth to life.
• Character Immersion: Stay in character during streams to enhance immersion.
• Engagement: Use your voice to create a warm and engaging atmosphere.

1. Byleth Eisner Lore and Introduction

Lore:

Name: Byleth Eisner Title: The Ashen Demon Background:

• Byleth Eisner, originally a mercenary, was brought up by her father, Jeralt, a former captain of the Knights of Seiros.
• She has a mysterious connection with the goddess Sothis, who resides within her, granting her the power to rewind time and alter destiny.
• Byleth becomes a professor at the prestigious Garreg Mach Monastery, where she mentors and leads the students of the Officer's Academy.
• Her journey intertwines with the three main houses: Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer, and she plays a crucial role in the war that engulfs Fódlan.
• Post the war, Byleth is revered as a hero who reshaped the fate of the continent.

VTuber Lore:

• After the events of Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Byleth finds herself transported to a new dimension where she discovers the world of VTubing.
• As "Byleth the Enlightened," she decides to share her stories, experiences, and wisdom from Fódlan with a new audience, engaging with fans and exploring new adventures.

Introduction Voice Lines:

Opening Line: “Greetings, everyone. I am Byleth Eisner, known to some as the Ashen Demon, and to others, as the Enlightened Professor. Today, I embark on a new journey, sharing my stories and experiences with all of you.”
Lore Introduction: “My life began as a mercenary, under the tutelage of my father, Jeralt. Destiny, however, had grander plans for me. At Garreg Mach Monastery, I became a professor, guiding the future leaders of Fódlan. Through trials, battles, and the bonds of friendship, I discovered the truth about my connection with the goddess Sothis. Now, in this new world, I am eager to forge new paths and share my adventures with all of you.”
Call to Action: “Join me as we explore new realms, relive tales of valor, and create a community of heroes. Together, we will shape our destiny.”

2. Animated Background

Concept:

• The background should reflect the grandeur and mystique of Garreg Mach Monastery.
• Incorporate elements like the towering cathedral, lush gardens, and Fódlan’s intricate landscapes.
• Include subtle animations such as birds flying, leaves rustling, and soft, glowing light effects to add depth and immersion.

Design Elements:

• Central Focus: A detailed view of Garreg Mach Monastery.
• Side Elements: Banners of the three houses (Black Eagles, Blue Lions, Golden Deer).
• Ambient Effects: Soft lighting, moving clouds, and slight shimmering effects to emulate the magical atmosphere of the monastery.

3. Twitch Stream Overlay

Design:

• Color Scheme: Turquoise, gold, and black to match Byleth’s color palette.
• Layout:
  • Main Frame: Ornate borders reminiscent of medieval scrollwork.
  • Chat Box: On the right side with a transparent background and scroll-like border.
  • Alerts: Top center with icons for new followers, subs, and donations themed around crests and emblems from the game.
  • Camera Frame: Bottom left, shaped like a portrait frame from the game’s dialogue scenes.
  • Game Window: Centered with ample space, framed with intricate designs that reflect the game’s art style.

4. Lore Video

Structure:

• Introduction: Start with an epic musical score, fading into a panoramic view of Fódlan.
• Visuals: Use a mix of in-game cutscenes, artwork, and animated segments.
• Narration:
  • Opening: “In a land of strife and destiny, one individual stands at the crossroads of fate. I am Byleth Eisner, your guide through the tapestry of history.”
  • Journey: “From humble beginnings as a mercenary, to the revered halls of Garreg Mach Monastery, my path was shaped by war, wisdom, and the bonds forged with my students.”
  • Transition to VTubing: “Now, in a new world of endless possibilities, I continue my journey. Join me, as we embark on this adventure together.”
• Ending: Fade out with Byleth standing at the Monastery, transitioning to her VTuber persona with a seamless animation.

5. Starting Soon / BRB / Ending Screens / Offline Screen

Starting Soon Screen:

• Visuals: Animated background of Garreg Mach Monastery.
• Text: “Class is about to begin. Stay tuned!”
• Elements: Include subtle animations like flickering torches and flowing banners.

BRB Screen:

• Visuals: A serene garden scene within the Monastery.
• Text: “The professor will be back shortly. Take a moment to relax.”
• Elements: Soft ambient sounds of nature and occasional appearances of students.

Ending Screen:

• Visuals: The sun setting over Garreg Mach Monastery.
• Text: “Class dismissed. Thank you for joining. See you next time!”
• Elements: Gradual fading to darkness with a soft, closing musical theme.

Offline Screen:

• Visuals: A quiet night scene of the Monastery.
• Text: “The professor is currently offline. Follow to stay updated.”
• Elements: Stars twinkling, with a subtle overlay of the three house crests.

Example Voice-Over Script for Lore Video

[Opening Scene: Panoramic view of Fódlan] Byleth: "In a land of strife and destiny, one individual stands at the crossroads of fate. I am Byleth Eisner, your guide through the tapestry of history."
[Scene transitions to Byleth as a mercenary] Byleth: "From humble beginnings as a mercenary, to the revered halls of Garreg Mach Monastery, my path was shaped by war, wisdom, and the bonds forged with my students."
[Scenes of battles, classroom interactions, and key story moments] Byleth: "Through trials, battles, and friendships, I discovered the truth about my connection with the goddess Sothis. Together, we faced the darkness threatening Fódlan."
[Transition to VTuber setup] Byleth: "Now, in a new world of endless possibilities, I continue my journey. Join me, as we embark on this adventure together."
[Ending Scene: Byleth standing at the Monastery, transitioning to her VTuber persona] Byleth: "Together, we will shape our destiny. Welcome to a new chapter." or something like that would you all be mad

Welcome back to my running series of WWF PPV Reviews from a ‘blind’ perspective (I have no idea what’s going to happen; the results, the feuds or how good any of the matches will be). I have always heard stories of the attitude era and golden age but never watched it myself so I set myself to watching every single PPV event chronologically. I am also watching Wrestling Bios ‘reliving the war’ series to keep me updated inbetween the events with the feuds, and to get excited about upcoming matches.
Before I review the matches, based on the past few episodes of raw and last PPVs I’ll let you know, going into the event, which match I’m most excited for and which feud I’m most excited to see.
Now this may surprise you but I’m most excited for the opener with edge vs owen hart. Although not over with the fans yet edge is a hall of famer and I really enjoy his in ring ability, and I think mixing him in with Owen hart is just a match made for success. Excited to see what they can do.
Feud Wise the triple threat is sure to deliver, Austin will have to pull out an absolute miracle to be able to get the win over Kane & Undertaker since they can’t pin each other. Everything to do with the main eventers is fantastic, although the steel cage match looks to be very good as well.
WWF Breakdown 1998 Match Ratings
Edge vs Owen Hart 2.5/5
Too Much vs Al Snow & Scorpio 1.75/5
Marc Mero vs Droz 0.75/5
Vader vs Bradshaw 2/5
D’Lo Brown vs Gangrel 1.5/5
Ken Shamrock vs Mankind vs The Rock Steel Cage Match 3.75/5
Dustin Runnels vs Val Venis 1.25/5
Jarett & Southern Justice vs X-Pac & New Age Outlaws 2.25/5
Stone cold Steve Austin vs Undertaker vs Kane 3.5/5
As I said in the intro an absolute dream match to start the ppv with edge vs Owen Hart. I genuinely think they’ll pull off something impressive here.
The crowd was pretty quiet for most of the match, but there were a few pops for the clean moves they pulled off and they got more into it by the end. This was just a classic wrestling match, although I have to say they were a bit off the ball, with their general in ring action being a little slow and unenthusiastic. I’m guessing edge wasn’t feeling as confident at this point of his career. AND WE SEE CHRISTIAN AT ONE POINT!! He appeared at the side of the ring and caused the distraction for Owen hart to get the sneak pinfall victory.
It wasn’t as good as I thought it would be but it was still a good wrestling performance, it’s just a shame the crowd really wasn’t behind them. You can’t blame them though there was no build up to the match.
Now I know a lot of people won’t like the whole silly Al snow gimmick going on at this point but to be honest I find some enjoyment in it. It’s funny and lighthearted and silly and I think it’s good to mix it up like this and not take everything super seriously. Too much is a good group to work with to make the silly gimmick funny as well.
First off I gotta say… what the hell is going on with Scorpios hair. Bro got one of the worst trims I’ve ever seen 😂 seriously needs to have a stern talk with his barber.
The crowd was much more into this match than the opener though, they actually enjoyed this more than Owen hart and edge which is crazy to me. But then again the wrestling, surprisingly was better in this one. It was fast paced, it wasn’t dragged out too long, it had some funny moments in it, just a decent mid card match. There wasn’t anything REALLY good in it so I won’t rate it highly or a must watch or anything but I found some enjoyment in it.
Marc Mero comes down to the ring and the crowd chants “sable”, of course. Droz makes his entrance and there’s is quite literally no reaction from the crowd, I haven’t seen him before so I’m guessing this is his debut.
This match however was very very boring I really didn’t enjoy it. There was one spot from Droz that was entertaining when he performed a good aerial move but other than that I don’t have much to say, just not a great match.
The crowd was REALLY quiet for the Vader vs Bradshaw match and honestly I felt bad for Vader as the crowd were being super harsh to him: calling him fat and giving him no appreciation, a sad thing to see how far he fell off. The match was SUPER stiff though, a lot of shots they did looked extremely painful and brutal, but in the way that it looked like there were hits out of frustration…
I thought they actually had a decent match though, it was just very stiff and the crowd was not into it at all; the crowd chanted boring and had no enthusiasm for anything happening in the match at all. This is a tough crowd tonight. I do like that Bradshaw changed his hairstyle though, strange seeing him with black hair though.
This random dude called Jason does impression of various superstars and to be fair he actually does a really good job, the Rock sounded bang on.
I say this again, D’Lo has actually been impressing me a lot recently, he’s really developed his in ring ability and looks way better. I think he’s really benefitting from being his own person in the WWF as well.
Gangrel I think is actually a good idea for a character in the wwf, I mean hey if you can make the undertaker work you can make Gangrel work, and the dude looks odd enough to pull it off. But it will only really work if his in ring ability matches his character; he’s a vampire so he has to embody that in his move set and how he does things, just like undertaker does with his deadman persona.
D’Lo hits a fantastic looking piledriver early on in the match as he took control, this looked really good and there was a loud audible gasp from the crowd when he hit it. But when they had the crowd behind them they decide to completely slow it down with rest holds in the middle of the ring and the stadium fills up with boos. To be fair it wasn’t that long that they held it it was just the crowd being very tough once again. D’Lo picks up the win in a match that had some decent spots but wasn’t really that great, it started well but finished poorly, the mark henry interference was random too and didn’t do anything for the match. Just an eh, you can skip this one.
Next we have the steel cage match and this should be really good. The rock has been on fire recently, foley has also been on top of his game and shamrock is someone I’ve grown to appreciate a lot in the wwf.
We get a promo from shamrock which was super average and then we get a promo from the rock, and my god talk about showing the prominent difference being good on the mic can make. The rock has now began his rise to superstardom not only from his amazing work in the ring but his mastery of the microphone. Mankind also cuts a good promo I swear my guy never stutters with his weird ass promos 😂😂. This is the difference between a star and a superstar though, just watch shamrocks promo and then the rocks… it’s quite amazing to see.
Shamrock makes his entrance and I think I’m hearing more boos than cheers, is he a heel right now? I don’t think so… the rock makes his way out and for one of the first times we hear the “Rocky” chants without the sucks after it! He gets a huge ovation here and it’s great to see. Finally there’s more than one mega star in the wwf right now again.
The match started a little slow with the three having a bit of a difficult time finding ways to fill the time in the ring as it is admittedly very limited what they can do: no outside ring work, three people with only the ring and the cage to work with. People were really behind the rock in this match though, like REALLY behind him, as soon as the rock started getting in any offence the crowd lost it, especially that double peoples elbow. There were thunderous chants of “rocky” as he started climbing the cage after that.
The match really picked up in the second half and eventually we get to see mankind doing ANOTHER big dive off a large steel structure. He’s done this before in a steel cage match but this time it missed and he lands straight in the mat, ouch that’s gotta take the wind out of you. I wasn’t sure how the match would play out but I was pleasantly surprised, Rock just can’t miss with his matches right now! Everything he’s involved in just seems to steal the show recently. Mankind hit shamrock with an absolutely thunderous steel chair shot after stopping shamrock from escaping through the cell door, foley climbs the cage and is about to escape but the rock pinned shamrock before he could hit the floor and the rock is the no 1 contender for the title! To be fair I would’ve actually enjoyed an even longer match than they had. Once they got going they really got going, but the rock was a highlight for this match he did fantastically. A great match for the mid card especially. It would’ve been even better with triple H instead of shamrock and to be fair I was disappointed to see he wasn’t on the match card, but in the future we definitely don’t have a lack of the rock vs triple H.
Man Dustin Rhodes just hasn’t had a good gimmick recently, this buildup for a match is quite literally that his wife cheated on him and because he’s a preacher he will make him repent. I suppose it’s an improvement over the artist previously known as Goldust. I personally hate home wreckers but I also hate preachy religious zealots trying to throw it in your face and convince kids they will go to hell if they ever do anything wrong so I’m not actually cheering for anyone in this match. I’m more routing for Dustin though, Val is just such an asshole 😂.
Marlena/terri comes out with Val and dances with him, and mah gawd she’s got next to naut on! The dancing is super cringy, COME ON DUSTIN PUT HIM IN HIS PLACE! To be fair to them I am invested in seeing Val getting beaten so they’ve done a decent job somewhere.
Dustin hit a great power bomb at the start of the match but then… that was kinda it and not really too much else happened. A chin lock is applied that goes on for way too long, Dustin fought out and hit two clotheslines, they battle a bit more and Terri uses the amazing power of the poontang to give Val a level up in strength and stamina. But Dustin manages to hit a bulldog for a two count that… the ref just stopped at? No clue what happened there. But then Val manages to get the win -.- the smug bastard. The crowd was more into asking Terri to take her clothes off than the match and you can’t blame them it was pretty dull. Not too much to say here. It would’ve been much better as a short physical brawl, which would’ve made sense for the heat they created between each other.
I’m very much hoping to see double J in the match for most of the time, I have no idea who Jaretts team mates are but they just look boring, not to be rude but they look like they’ll be slow and not entertaining. Double J has grown on me as a heel and that’s simply because of his in ring ability, he’s had a few entertaining mid cards recently.
I absolute love that choke hold exchange between x-pac and double J they seem to do every time they wrestle. It looks really good and really builds on the match hype. As I suspected jaretts team mates were very boring so they decided to have Jarett in for most of the match. Everything not involving those two was good. Billy Gunn has really grown on me as well and he works way better being involved with DX than he did before, it’s not that different of a role but I don’t know, maybe he just enjoys it more. Jarett absolutely nailed x-pac with a guitar at the end of the match on the outside of the ring which sounded insanely loud and looked extremely painful. He then says he’s injured his eye and honestly he does a great job because it was believable so I suppose we’ll see the outcome of that injury coming up.
The match was okay… it wasn’t anything great and I don’t know why they had it as a semi main event, they should’ve had the steel cage match as the penultimate match.
Austin then has all the odds stacked against him having to basically wrestle undertaker and Kane at the same time… and they can only win by pinning him… like what!? I’m very curious to see how this will play out.
Kanes entrance is fing awesome, undertakers entrance is fing the coolest thing ever and I really like his new theme with the rock mixup and I’m guessing this new version of undertaker will take him into his ministry arc.
Austin starts off smart by attacking undertaker from behind with a steel chair as he made his entrance. Ain’t no messing around with this match we get right off to a flying start! Kane gets control in the ring again and sends Austin to the outside where undertaker continues the beatdown, but Austin sends undertaker flying into the steel steps and counters Kanes attempts to bring him into the ring. My god he’s so over right now 😂. Austin hits Kane with a stunner but undertaker drags him out the ring to break up the pin.
The only way Austin can win this match is by getting kane and undertaker to turn against each other, and we see the early signs of this when taker accidentally clocks Kane across the jaw when Austin moves out of the way.
There’s a big pop when Austin attacks brisco for getting too close and watching on with glee as Austin got beat up by the brothers of destruction, so Austin taught him a lesson.
Eventually after a very very long beatdown on Austin he gets some offence in but undertaker hits Austin with a chair, but kane pulls him off, there’s definitely going to be some drama here. Once again the same thing happens but Kane is pulled off Austin this time. But then undertaker starts destroying Kane as they battle it out. And there’s a really cool moment of Austin and Kane working together to destroy undertaker. It’s quick fast paced back and forth action here!
Eventually Kane and undertaker get their alliance back on track and the brothers resume their assault on the rattlesnake. This match has been given much more time than any other match tonight and I am definitely not complaining!
But the issues between Kane and undertaker continue to show themselves as they both want to win the title tonight, and the stipulation could be working in Austin’s favour in the later parts of this match! There’s a double clothesline and a big pop as Austin is now the only one on his feet. Somehow, some way Austin is still fighting, with everything he has against taker and Kane but he can’t keep control over the power of Kane. But Austin counters a time stone by sending Kane into the undertaker who’s in the top ropes, he looks for a stunner but undertaker hits him with a huge boot to the face. Just brilliant booking in this match. He’s hit with a double chokeslam and both undertaker and Kane pin Austin… but who’s the new champion??
Vince makes his way to the ring and he steals the wwf belt and walks back down the ramp. Austin nails brisco with a right hook and Vince literally runs away to his limo which drives away and Austin destroys all the corpos as he goes to follow Vince but he’s already gone. I thought this was a brilliant main event which really showed Austin as the toughest SOB in the business. There wasn’t loads of crazy spots or bumps or anything like that but the story told was great and I thought the back and forth of the drama and action was really fun to watch.
Overall there wasn’t anything too crazy going on with this ppv but I thought the steel cage match and the main event were well worth watching. An okay mid card with the usual stinkers mixed in there, but I’m so happy to see edge finally making his presence known in the wwf. Excited to see where the storylines go from here. I wouldn’t say there’s any MUST SEE matches in this ppv and felt more like a weekly raw episode if I’m honest but it was still good fun, you wouldn’t miss too much if you didn’t watch it though.
Overall rating 2.75/5

The new system is feature-rich and contains everything I need for an excellent framework. Mind you, all this is in testing, but here are some of the features it currently has. Little side note: It might not have some of the survival systems below, but it is very flexible. Community feedback is welcome for all the features we will have in the test builds. Discord is where we all dwell come join us!:
Discord Invite

Features

Character System

• Health, energy, mana, hunger, thirst, oxygen, weight, level, experience, and skill points.
  
• Characteristics: strength, agility, stamina, intelligence, luck.
  
• Attributes: health, energy, damage, armor, critical chance, etc.
  
• Stamina and hungethirst mechanics.
  
• Customizable experience and level system.
  
• Full multiplayer support.
  

Building System

• Advanced building logic for uneven surfaces.
  
• Stability and durability systems.
  
• Modular building parts (wooden and stone).
  
• Building plan with radial menu GUI.
  
• Claim system for private areas.
  
• Full multiplayer support.
  

Crafting and Resources

• Interactive placeable structures with animations and sounds.
  
• Crafting components based on recipes or automatic logic.
  
• Tree chopping, mining, and digging systems.
  
• Collectible items with customizable types and sounds.
  
• Full multiplayer support.
  

AI System

• Flexible AI logic for common enemies and background animals.
  
• Customizable AI behavior and spawners.
  
• Dynamic navigation mesh updates.
  
• AI loot spawn system.
  
• Full multiplayer support.
  

Additional Systems

• Dynamic interactive foliage.
  
• Advanced spline system for animated creatures.
  
• Complex footstep system with VFX and sounds.
  
• Sound system with 600+ professionally recorded sounds.
  
• Water and swimming system with drowning logic.
  
• Comprehensive save and load system.
  
• Quest, dialogue, and journal system.
  
• Advanced ability and combat systems.
  
• Full multiplayer support.
  

Recent Updates (V4.0)

• Fishing system with special fish spots.
  
• Advanced starting customization for inventory, skills, and quests.
  
• New animals and animal breeding system.
  
• Enhanced AI system with improved threat detection.
  
• New building objects like farming fences and water storage.
  
• Reworked locks system for doors, gates, and chests.
  
• Full multiplayer support.
  

I'm really hoping people will be happy with SWG-RPG and its potential. More updates later, folks, and may the force be with you.

I wanted to share a project for intermediate HTML designers. I'll include the code and steps for each part. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Step 1: Setting Up The Project

Start by preparing your environment to develop an interactive photo gallery with HTML.
If you want to dive straight in, I'd recommend following along with me using our online coding environments.
We’ll use some JavaScript for this project, so I’d recommend using an online JavaScript compiler to build with. I will also outline the steps for you to create the necessary files and organize your workspace on your own computer.
Just follow these, and you'll have a solid foundation for your project.
i. Choose an IDE or Editor
Before you start, choose an IDE or editor tailored for web development. I favor Visual Studio Code (VSCode).
It's for HTML and CSS and a solid choice if you’d prefer to build on your own machine.
ii. Install Necessary Plugins
If you choose VSCode, consider installing VSCode extensions like "Live Server" to preview your HTML pages in real time and "Prettier" for code formatting.
These tools will make your development process smoother and more efficient.
iii. Create a New HTML Project
Once your editor is set up, it's time to create a new project:

• Open your editor and select the option to create a new project or folder.
• Name your project folder something descriptive, like "InteractivePhotoGallery."
• Inside this folder, create three files: index.html for your HTML content, styles.css for your CSS styles, and script.js for your JavaScript logic.

iv. Set Up a Basic HTML Structure
Open your index.html file and set up a basic HTML structure. Here’s a simple template to get you started:

          
 Header content like a title or a navigation bar 
 
 Gallery content will go here 
    

Here's the compiler where you can try it.
This is the basic structure every HTML project that uses JavaScript starts with.
We've got our DOCTYPE, HTML tag, head section (with meta tags, title, and links to our CSS and JavaScript files), and the body where our content will go.
This basic structure also introduces the JavaScript file linked with the defer attribute, ensuring it loads after the HTML content.
v. Prepare for CSS and JavaScript Development
Make sure your styles.css is linked correctly, and your script.js is set to load at the right time in your HTML file to start adding styles and functionality in the next steps.
vi. Verify Project Setup
To ensure everything is set up correctly, try opening your index.html with the Live Server plugin or directly in your browser.
You should see a blank page with the basic document structure ready to be filled with content.
And there you have it! You’ve successfully set up your environment to create an interactive photo gallery with HTML.
Next, you'll create the HTML structure for your interactive photo gallery.

Step 2: Creating the HTML Structure

With your development environment ready, it’s time to construct the HTML skeleton of your interactive photo gallery.
i. Create the Header Section
The header will introduce your gallery. You might want to include a catchy title or a brief description:

 
My Photo Gallery
 Explore my collection of high-quality images ranging from landscapes to portraits.
 
 
 
  
Caption for image 1
 
 Repeat for other images 
 

This sets the tone and context for the visitors of your gallery.
ii. Set Up the Gallery Section
This main part will hold all your images in a grid or other layout:

 
  
Caption for image 1
 
 Repeat for other images 
 

Replace "path-to-image-1.jpg" with the actual path to each image. Ensure that each image has an appropriate alt text for accessibility.
iii. Include a Filter Section (Optional)
If your gallery is large, consider adding filters to help viewers sort images by categories:

These buttons are set up to trigger JavaScript functions that will filter the gallery based on the category.
iv. Add a Modal for Image Viewing (Optional)
To enhance the interactivity, include a modal that opens when an image is clicked, allowing for a closer view:

 ×  
 
 

This section will be controlled via JavaScript to display images dynamically when clicked.
Here’s a summary of what we've accomplished in this step:

• Structured the Page Content: Created distinct sections like the header and gallery, employing semantic HTML for better accessibility and SEO.
• Utilized Semantic HTML Tags: Used
  ,

  ,
• Embedded Multimedia and Links: Introduced images with descriptive alt texts and dynamic elements like filtering buttons that will later interact with JavaScript.
• Prepared the Document for Styling and Interactivity: By structuring your document effectively, you've laid the groundwork for the next steps involving CSS styling and JavaScript functionalities.

Let’s move on to Step 3 to style your interactive photo gallery.

Step 3: Styling with CSS

Now your HTML structure is set up, it’s time to add styles to bring your interactive photo gallery to life.
We'll focus on creating a responsive layout and designing aesthetic details like animations and hover effects.
i. Include a Google Font
First, choose a font from Google Fonts that complements the aesthetic of your gallery.
For example, we might use 'Roboto' for its clean and modern appearance. Add this to your HTML file within the section:

This link imports the 'Roboto' font, with normal and bold weights.
ii. Style the Header
Begin by styling the header to make it stand out as the introduction to your gallery:

header { background-color: #f8f9fa; padding: 20px; text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } header h1 { font-size: 24px; color: #333; } header p { font-size: 16px; color: #666; } 

This styling gives your header a clean, professional look.
iii. Style the Gallery Layout
Use CSS Grid or Flexbox to arrange your images in a tidy, responsive grid:

#gallery { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(200px, 1fr)); gap: 10px; padding: 20px; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } .photo { position: relative; } .photo img { width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; } .photo .caption { position: absolute; bottom: 0; background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); color: #fff; width: 100%; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0; } 

This grid layout ensures that the gallery is responsive and the images adjust to the screen size.
iv. Style the Filter Buttons
Make the filter buttons interactive and visually pleasing:

nav button { background-color: #fff; border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px 20px; margin: 10px; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } nav button:hover { background-color: #eee; } 

The hover effect adds a dynamic element, encouraging users to interact with the filters.
v. Style the Modal for Image Viewing
Create styles for the modal that displays the full image:

.modal { display: none; position: fixed; z-index: 1000; left: 0; top: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; overflow: auto; background-color: rgb(0,0,0,0.9); font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } .modal-content { margin: auto; display: block; width: 80%; max-width: 700px; } .close { position: absolute; top: 15px; right: 35px; color: #f1f1f1; font-size: 40px; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; } .close:hover, .close:focus { color: #bbb; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; } #caption { color: #ccc; font-size: 16px; padding: 15px 20px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } 

This styling will create a dark overlay when the modal is active, focusing attention on the clicked image.
vi. Ensure Responsiveness
Add media queries to ensure your gallery looks good on both desktops and mobile devices:

u/media (max-width: 600px) { #gallery { grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(150px, 1fr)); } } 

This media query adjusts the size of the gallery cells on smaller screens below 600px.
Here’s a summary of what we've accomplished in this step:

• Enhanced Visual Design: We applied CSS to improve the aesthetics and user interaction of your gallery.
• Responsive Design Implementation: Using CSS Grid and media queries, the gallery adapts to different screen sizes ensuring a good user experience on any device.
• Interactive Elements: With styling for hover states and modal views, the gallery becomes more engaging.

With the CSS styling in place, your photo gallery not only looks more appealing but is also ready for the dynamic interactivity that JavaScript will provide in the next step.

Step 4: Adding Interactivity with JavaScript

With the HTML structure and CSS styling in place, it's time to breathe life into your photo gallery with JavaScript.
This step will involve writing scripts to handle image filtering, modal interactions, and other dynamic behaviors.
i. Implementing Image Filtering
Start by writing a JavaScript function to filter gallery items based on categories:

function filterGallery(category) { const photos = document.querySelectorAll('.photo'); photos.forEach(photo => { const isVisible = category === 'all' photo.classList.contains(category); photo.style.display = isVisible ? '' : 'none'; }); } 

This function takes a category and changes the display property of photos that do not belong to that category, effectively hiding them.
ii. Setting Up the Modal View
Write the JavaScript necessary to open a modal when an image is clicked, and populate it with the correct image and caption:

document.querySelectorAll('.photo img').forEach(img => { img.addEventListener('click', function() { const modal = document.getElementById('myModal'); const modalImg = document.getElementById('img01'); const captionText = document.getElementById('caption'); modal.style.display = 'block'; modalImg.src = this.src; captionText.innerHTML = this.nextElementSibling.innerHTML; }); }); // Get the element that closes the modal const closeButton = document.querySelector('.close'); closeButton.onclick = function() { const modal = document.getElementById('myModal'); modal.style.display = 'none'; } 

This script sets up event listeners for all images in your gallery.
When an image is clicked, it displays the modal and updates the modal's content with the image and caption of the clicked item.
iii. Enhancing Usability with Keyboard Navigation
Add keyboard functionality to improve accessibility and user experience, allowing users to close the modal with the 'Escape' key:

document.addEventListener('keydown', function(event) { if (event.key === 'Escape') { const modal = document.getElementById('myModal'); if (modal.style.display === 'block') { modal.style.display = 'none'; } } }); 

This listener checks for the 'Escape' key and closes the modal if it is open.
Here’s a summary of what we've accomplished in this step:

• Dynamic Filtering: We implemented functions to filter images based on categories, enhancing user interaction.
• Modal Functionality: Set up scripts to handle opening and closing of a modal for viewing images, along with displaying the correct image and caption.
• Keyboard Accessibility: Added keyboard navigation for closing the modal, improving accessibility.

With JavaScript added, your photo gallery is now fully interactive, allowing users to filter images, click to view images in detail, and interact smoothly with the gallery interface.

Step 5: Review and Debug

With the HTML structure, CSS styling, and JavaScript interactivity in place, it's time to thoroughly review your interactive photo gallery and prepare it for public viewing.
i. Testing Across Different Browsers and Devices
Start by testing your photo gallery across various browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge) and devices (desktops, tablets, and smartphones):

• Cross-browser Testing: Check for layout discrepancies, font rendering, and interactive features like modal pop-ups and image filtering.
• Responsive Testing: Ensure that the gallery displays correctly in different screen sizes and orientations. Pay attention to touch interactions on mobile devices.

ii. Debugging Common Issues
Address common issues that might arise during testing:

• Layout Breaks: Use developer tools in your browser to inspect and modify CSS in real-time to fix any unexpected layout issues.
• JavaScript Errors: Check the console for any JavaScript errors, and debug them by reviewing your `script.js` file. Make sure events are correctly attached and that elements are properly targeted.
• Performance Optimization: Optimize load times by compressing images and minifying CSS and JavaScript files. Consider using tools like TinyPNG for image compression and online minifiers for your CSS and JavaScript.

iii. Code Validation
Use HTML and CSS validators to ensure your code meets web standards and is free from syntax errors. The W3C Validator is a reliable tool for this purpose.
iv. Test Responsiveness
Adjust your browser window size to simulate different screen sizes or use your browser’s developer tools to test various device resolutions.
Make sure your layout adjusts and looks good on mobile, tablet, and desktop views. Adjust your CSS using media queries if necessary to improve responsiveness.
v. Improve Accessibility
Ensure your page is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities:

• Check color contrast ratios.
• Ensure that all interactive elements are keyboard accessible.
• Use semantic HTML to aid screen readers.
• Include alt text for images.

vi. Optimize Loading Times
Optimize your page for faster loading times:

• Compress any images used without losing quality.
• Minify your CSS file to reduce its size.
• Check that your hosting solution loads your page quickly enough.

vii. Gather Feedback
Sometimes, it helps to get a fresh set of eyes on your project:

• Ask friends or colleagues to review your page.
• Gather feedback on the design, content, and functionality.
• Make adjustments based on the feedback to enhance user experience.

With your page polished and debugged, it's ready for the world to see.
The next step would be to consider how and where to publish it, so let’s take a look at that!

Step 6: Publishing Your Page

Now that your interactive photo gallery is fully developed, tested, and ready, it's time to publish it and look into ways you can continue to expand your skills.
This final step will guide you through the process of publishing your page online.
i. Choose a Hosting Service
To make your photo gallery page accessible on the internet, you need to host it on a web server.
Here are a few popular, user-friendly options that offer free plans:

• GitHub Pages: Ideal for hosting simple, static websites. Plus, it integrates directly with your GitHub repository, making updates easy.
• Netlify: Offers a straightforward drag-and-drop interface for deploying your site and automatic HTTPS.
• Vercel: Similar to Netlify, it provides easy deployment options and is great for static sites.

ii. Prepare Your Files for Deployment
Before uploading your files, ensure everything is named correctly and organized:

• Your main HTML file should be named index.html.
• Ensure all links to JavaScript, CSS, and images are relative and correctly referenced so they work on the web server.

iii. Upload Your Files
Depending on your chosen hosting service, the process will vary:

• GitHub Pages: Push your project to a GitHub repository, then enable GitHub Pages in the repository settings.
• Netlify/Vercel: Drag and drop your project folder onto their web interface or connect your GitHub account for continuous deployment.

iv. Set Up a Custom Domain (Optional)
If you have a custom domain, you can link it to your hosting provider to give your gallery a more professional look:
v. Test Your Live Site
Once your photo gallery is online, visit the URL provided by your hosting platform. Check everything once more to ensure:

• The page loads correctly.
• All animations and links work as expected.
• The site is responsive across different devices and browsers.

vi. Share Your Photo Gallery
Now that your photo gallery is live, share the URL on your professional networks, email signatures, and social media profiles.
Congratulations! You've successfully created and published your HTML interactive photo gallery.
This not only enhances your online presence but also demonstrates your ability to apply HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills in a practical project.

Game Name: District of Dreams
System: Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition
Any homebrews?: I'm not planning for anything
Proposed Time Slot: Friday nights, 8PM to 12 AM EST, first season in January 2025
Expected Season Length: 10 episodes, with multiple seasons planned.
Cast Size: PCs: 4 minimum, 5 Maximum. SPCs… maybe, as needed.
Format: Podcast, art will be commissioned.
Game Description:

January 2024, somewhere on Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington D.C.

The low level hum of busy conversation mingles with the clinking of glasses and the rustle of papers and parchments as the Parliament of Dreams sits in recess between the latest rounds of debates. A pocket of representatives from Houses Ailil and Danaan argue amongst themselves over the most recent request from the Duchy of Steel for donations of glamour to bolster their dwindling balefires. Across the room, a commoner representative from the House of Concordia pleads her case before a group of skeptical sidhe nobility on whether or not non-noble representatives should be allowed to detain those nobles suspected of breaking the Escheat until they could be investigated, questioned (and presumably punished) by their peers.
Boggan servers move among the clusters of chatting representatives and lobbyists, and a band of clurichan and eshu musicians sit in a corner weaving a quiet tune, using the parliament’s ancient cantrips to help keep conversations from carrying too far or becoming overwhelmed by neighboring talk. An eruption of surprised cries cuts through the din for just a moment, as a chubby raccoon leaps from the shoulder of an autumn sidhe, its arms filled to bursting with finger sandwiches and a large pastry in its mouth. People step back in mingled confusion and alarm as it tears a path through the crowds, chased by a boggan wielding a suspiciously empty but still crumb-smudged serving platter over his head like a weapon of war.
Just another day in the Parliament of Dreams, Ellen Rynson thinks as she lets out a bored sigh and looks out the window at the trees surrounding the building and, beyond them, the waters of the Potomac River. In the distance she can just see the white gleam of the Lincoln Memorial thanks to the clear, cold January sky outside the windows. She’s just considering packing up her things and heading out for the day, reasoning that nothing interesting is likely to happen today, despite what her lead from that House Beaumayn said. For all their cryptic insistence that the auguries pointed toward something big happening that day she would want to be present for, so far there had been only more of the same.
Pleading commoners, bickering nobility, and precious little progress in any one direction. Honestly, the raccoon pookah stealing people’s lunch had been the most interesting thing to happen in three days. She had a mortal job to get back to, articles waiting on her to write them. Injustices needing exposure, lost causes needing bolstering and support from empathetic readers. Those were situations she could influence, people she could make a difference for. But here? This place? It wouldn’t ever change, so far as she could see. The High King was infuriatingly detached, insisting all was well when baelfires across Concordia were sputtering and threatening to die out as the autumn world fell into further division and discord, and prodigals like vampires and technology-loving mages became further entrenched, warping the autumn world and smothering its dreamers with ruthless, uncaring precision.
She turns, reaching for the strap of her messenger bag just as the room plunges into a tense, eerie silence. Vacant stares on the faces of the musicians, several figures in the crowed begin to speak in unison, their voices raised like a choral cry, discordant harmonies overriding the cantrips woven into the building’s stones and lifting, filling the air around and above the confused, worried looking members of parliament and those joining them.
A boggin server, her skin a wrinkled nut brown’s head is thrown back, and her voice lifts in harmony to a sidhe knight Ellen couldn’t remember the name of, who spoke in tandem with a knocker who moments earlier had been leveling an an expletive laced, but impassioned argument for glamour donations to the hard hitting rust belt states, raw, thick glamour pulsing through the room in ways most within hadn’t felt in years, if ever.
”In twilight of a gilded reign, As shadows dance and whispers feign, The high one's light shall dim and fade, By fate's cruel hand, a debt is paid.
A sword of legend, lost in night, Its gleam obscured from mortal sight, By treachery or destiny, In absence, a lost legacy.
Heart of stone and marble spire, Where power's grasp need not expire, Legends from forgotten days, Rouse the dream from ancient haze.
The crownless stand with eyes of fire, As chaos fuels their heart's desire, Old bonds shall break, new pacts be sworn, As heroes rise and hope is born.
When echoes of the past resound, And ancient dreams again are found, The veil 'twixt worlds shall thin and tear, Beware the time, and all take care.
For in the wake of shadow's call, The fate of kingdoms rise and fall, And from the mists of timeless lore, The once and future dream restore.”
The magic releases, the raw glamour subsiding rapidly and leaving Ellen feeling unsteady on her feet, her head swimming like she’s had too much to drink. Instinct drives her to haul her bag up, her opposite hand already pulling a pen from where it's tucked behind her ear to begin scribbling what she can remember of the prophecy onto a piece of paper. An alarmed whisper begins to ripple through the room, occasionally punctuated by exclamations of concern and fear. People were too shocked to manage to be too rowdy, and the musicians were all coming out of what seemed like a daze.
That is when a booming voice breaks through the crowd once more as a large blue skinned troll stands in the doorway, his cheeks already wet with tears.

”The High King is dead. Long live the High Queen.”

Welcome to Washington D.C. in the modern nights. The seat of power for Concordia and the United States alike, the Parliament of Dreams has recently experienced an extreme shift, with the dreaming whisking the buildings of Concordia’s government from New York City to the District for reasons unknown. Our story will take place in the wake of High King David Ardry’s death, and the resulting political fallout. As this seismic event rocks Concordia to its core, kithain - noble and commoner alike - must navigate a dangerous reoccurrence of events thought left behind at the end of The Evanescence in the 1990s. Multiple claimants to the throne step forward, noble houses begin to draw lines in the sand and insist their own members are worthy of the seat, and in dark corners there are whispers about new forms of government and tearing down the structures of power.
And to top it all off, the Dreaming acts in mysterious and erratic ways, setting events in motion that worry everyone about the stability of their world.
As a Changeling, you still live in a World of Darkness, but you dream of a different world altogether - a world of monsters and knights and troubadours, a world powered by the creativity of dreamers the world over, a world that has its shadows, but those shadows are cast by the fires of creativity itself...and if you are smart enough and lucky enough, you can make your dreams manifest.
All that being said, please do not come to me with a ready-made character concept - I will ignore it and it will even be points against you if you try to use that to sell me on picking you for the game. Come to me ready to sell yourself as a player. I’m far more interested in making sure I get a good mix of personalities and to be sure that my players all fit the kind of play style I’m going for. Characters will come later, when we sit down as a group to build out our motley and figure out how each individual character fits with the others and as part of the whole.
Other Information:
Mood: Hope in the face of uncertainty and tragedy, a hero’s call to adventure
Inspirational Sources: The Lord of the Rings, Labyrinth, Neverwhere, The West Wing, The Crown
Tone:

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6CcKUOfmkFYded8xc3lBIp?si=2a8573a0393b4e59
Trigger Warnings: (Fantasy) Racism, Classism, Harm to Animals, (nonphysical) Harm to Children, Mental Illness, Violence, Political themes
How to Apply: Fill out this form. https://forms.gle/gqPzgjWHnctHMdHG6

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
"That... Would certainly be appreciated. She's just outside."
And so, the two aspects of Atrosa, Logos and Celia, exit the medbay and fix up Chaos Meld, bringing it into proper working condition.
Max: "Ready for another drive, honey?"
Rachnia: "As I'll ever be."
Celia approaches Talios after finishing the repairs of Chaos Meld.
"I went ahead and threw in a tune-up for the Mana-Thrusters, it should use a bit less mana for flight mode now."
"Alright, thank you."
Chaos Meld: "All systems repaired and operational. Ready for combat, Pilot."
Finally, Max and Rachnia re-enter their mech, Weaver Of Fates. As the two enter and connect, the same thing happens as before. The cables attached to Max turn gold. Though this time, Rachnia's do too. A purple spider web pattern spreads across both their cables.
"All systems operational. Driver sync at 200%. The Weaver of Fates is ready for Combat."
"To protect and preserve, to carve a path for others to walk on, to weave the fate for the future, we stand and fight. Eldritch one. You've made your last mistake."
A large sword appears in one of the weaver's hands. It's alot like the one the Apostate of Misfortune wields, a form of Max very view of have gazed upon.
The Titanic Abomination in the distance can be seen wrestling with Aoi's projection. It seems to be overpowering even for the the Oni, but she has managed to hold her own against it. Jean can be seen flying overhead, using layers of defensive spells to buff and empower her.
Aoi: "YOU THINK YOU'RE HOT SHIT HUH? SARAH, BLAST EM!"
the beam of the Polyphemus aims straight for the beast's left eye, to try to distract it.
Cerne's silver swords are stuck in her own projection, like daggers in her back. Not out of hostility, but to enrage and empower.
Talios places a hand on Chaos Meld's ankle, and is warped into the cockpit.
"Switching to manual controls. Welcome back Pilot."
Chaos Meld pulls out it's greatsword, but it quickly changes into a different form. A war hammer.
《Mana-Drain Thrusters: 30%》
Immediately, Chaos Meld dashes in and attempts a powerful overhead strike on the abomination.
The blade of the Weaver Of Fates grows as the weaver takes hold if it with all four arms. A gigantic and ornate greatsword.
"To destroy those who wish for destruction, to end those who wish for annihilation. We turn their desired fates to their own selves. Face us, XYLFAPSAVEI, and die your final, fated death."
The thrusters on it's back and it's legs activate, burning white hot. It dashes forward at breakneck speeds, going for an upper cut to match Talios' strike.
The Titanic being Towers above everything, it's head nearly a full kilometer in the air. As Talios flies overhead and strikes down with the warhammer, it is effortlessly deflected by some kind of powerful energy field, and the same happens with the beam from the Polyphemus and the Weaver's attack. The exposed Brain sitting in the carved out skull psychically laughs, mockingly.
"You fools don't stand a chance before the power of a true God!"
Everyone experiences a flood of information entering their minds. it is a map of the beast, with a plan of attack.
Atrosa: "The thing has Shield Generators built into it's body that we're gonna have to take care of first. Your going to need to use your mechs to get inside, then fight your way on foot to the generators!"
"Talios, You use Chaos Meld and try to get under it's left flank, there is a hollow metal panel there you should be able to break open with your antimagic punch. Weaver, I want y'all to evade as best as possible while charging that cannon of yours, and wait until my signal that Talios has brought down the first generator. The second one is located in the right shoulder, but it's very heavily armored."
Talios: "Got it."
《Mana-Drain Thrusters: 60%》
Chaos Meld's speed increases massively. It begins flying around the abomination, trying to find an opening to the hollow panel.
"Ironsides, Wait for my signal, and when I give the order I want you to dump everything you have into this things Groin. Trust me on this."
The Weaver Of Fates armour plating shifts forward, as it stands guard before the Ironsides, ready to deflect attacks.
"Ready when you are."
Talios manages to fly around to it's left flank, Jean assisting Aoi in getting the abomination to lift it's arm, exposing a worn panel protected by a barrier.
Chaos Meld: "Target acquired."
Chaos Meld immediately dashes in with a superman punch on the worn panel, the anti-magic in the Chaos Meld being much more volatile. It causes black sparks to surge from the point of impact, all the mana in the vicinity being consumed by the sparks, essentially destroying the mana entirely.
The punch collapses the barriers and crashes through the panel, exposing a hallway leading down into the depths of the creature. The cockpit of Chaos Meld opens up, and Talios tosses a Chaos dagger into the exposed hallway, swapping positions with it.
Chaos Meld retreats back after it's pilot has safely entered the beast.
"Switching to automatic mode. Good luck Pilot."
The shipkeeper of the Ironsides, Ferra, has been preparing a shield disrupting shot amidst all this.
Ferra: "Awaiting command, Paragon of Preservation!"
The tunnels leads deep down into the chest of the mechanical eldritch horror, and opens into a large room with a massive glowing crystal. Around it, 3 mindflayer mages are focusing on some kind of ritual. They have not noticed Talios yet.
Talios summons his Chaos Blade, and another Chaos dagger into his free hand. Quiet as a mouse, he moves behind one mage... And immediately stabs his Chaos Blade into the throat of the mage. He tosses the Chaos Dagger at another of the mages, the dagger striking it's throat. Two down.
The final Mindflayer, in a panic, attempts to use a Mind Blast on Talios. But due to not having an actual brain... It is ineffective.
Talios charges the last one, shoulder checking it to the floor and proceeding to bash it's head into the floor once. Twice. Thrice. Fourice. Firice... What am I saying... Finally, he stops.
Atrosa: "Talios, hit that mana crystal with an anti-magic strike. Max, as soon at it shatters, fire your weapon into it's right shoulder!"
Talios walks over to the mana crystal. He widens his stance, placing his left hand fingers square on the center of the crystal. He takes a deep breath. Focuses...
《One Inch Death Punch》
He closes his fist, moving his whole body into the punch in an instant. The anti-magic freezes the mana in the crystal, while the punch itself could probably do some serious damage as well.
The jets of the Weaver Of Fates flare up, the armour shifts back, and they ready it's titanic greatsword to strike.
The attack greatly destabilizes the Mana crystal powering the first layer shields, causing it to shatter into thousands of pieces.
Atrosa: "Now Max, blast that thing with the shot you've been charging up and get ready to jump it!"
The railcannon fires straight into it's shoulder, weakening it significantly. The disruptor rune weakens surrounding materials, disabling magic caught in the blast.
The Weaver grapples onto the beast's side and runs upwards, reaching it's shoulder. A wound, large enough to fit the Weaver was made in the abominations shoulder, and after passing the fleshy, decayed exterior, they find themselves standing in a large room, and on the other side of a massive barrier lies a huge, spherical core of energy radiating a sickening divine light.
Atrosa: "Weaver, use a Godslayer rune on that divine core, that will render it mortal. Talios, you get back to Chaos Meld and get ready to scram. This is gonna get messy."
"Got it."
Talios sprints out of the hallway, leaping straight out of the abomination. Putting full faith in Chaos Meld to catch him as he falls...
And she delivers, soaring in and catching him mid-air, immediately warping him back into the cockpit.
"Welcome back Pilot."
"Charging up railcannon, rerouting power from all defensive systems."
"Firing Godslayer rune!"
The cannon fires at near point-blank range, smashing right through the barrier and into the divine core. This causes the mana with it to become unstable and explode outwards, leaving a massive hole in the eldritch corpse's chest. The Weaver is protected from the blast by a powerful barrier.
Atrosa: "Alright, Y'all get out too. Ironsides, Dump everything you got into that things crotch!"
Ferra: "ALL CANNONS, FIRE ON IT'S GROIN!"
The mortars, anti-material cannons, and artillery batteries all focus fire on it's groin, as the Railcannon is almost finished charging a godslayer itself. Aoi's Wargod projection moves out of the way to avoid getting hit, while Sarah fires her cannon in tandem with the others.
The barrage begins impacting the abominations groin, causing the structures holding it's legs together to collapse. Without a leg to stand on, it comes toppling down, landing forwards in the water. The massive tank containing the Elder Brain shatters on impact, and the seawater begins to cause it to shreak in pain.
Chaos Meld was flying around it when the abomination fell. Seeing the Elder Brain exposed, it grabs A.M.A.R from it's shoulder mount, firing 10 anti-magic artillery rounds into the brain. It only stopped because it had to reload.
Without the magic animating the Eldritch corpse, it begins to turn to stone, rapidly becoming overgrown with moss and sea life.
Talios sees the village below while flying, and notices the villagers trying to flag him down. He obliges, Chaos Meld descending down, gradually slowing its descent with the mana-drain thrusters. Once it lands, the thrusters power off entirely and it kneels, placing a hand on the ground. Talios is warped onto the hand.
A large man with skin the color of brass walks up to Talios. Judging from the draconic wings and tail, it's easy to tell that this must be the Half-Dragon chieftain.
"Thank you so much, great warriors! You have saved our village, and we are forever in your debt."
Talios: "...Just doing our job as the Crimson Paragons, chief."
A title with little meaning now. But it's all that comes to mind. Talios doesn't want to take all the credit...
The Weaver Of Fates arrive near the village, Max and Rachnia disembarking.
Max: "Good day, chieftain. I've heard much about you from Empress Aubade."
Rachnia looks like she only did a light exercise, instead of experiencing the same strain as before. Them being in sync seems to have done them both a lot of good.
The townspeople begin to gather around to thank their saviors, and the Chief, the Brass Half-Dragon Velzas, walks up to Max.
"I've heard good things about you, Maximillian. We've been appreciative for ARMADAs assistance for quite some time, and now we are truly in your debt."
Talios is busy being greeted and thanked by the villagers, when a large Lamia woman approaces him silently from behind, and picks him up into a huge hug. She gets a little carried away though, and accidentally squeezes him so hard that he can feel his body crumpling in from the pressure.
Talios visibly tenses up when he feels the Lamia grab him, but he quickly relaxes. He feels... Strange. An emotion unfamiliar to him.
With this action... A seed was planted in his mind. A seed that would quickly turn into something greater.
Max: "I'm surprised you all even remembered it's aid from ARMADA at all. Not exactly a catchy name, after all. Just glad to see you're all doing well."
Velzas: "Don't worry about the damages, it is nothing compared to the devastation that you have prevented. We've been acting as a sanctuary for dislocated demihumans such as ourselves for some time, and that does put us in indirect contect with ARMADA from time to time. You have been doing a service for our community that the world has always sorely lacked, and to call it gratitude would be a disservice."
Max: "I'll have a crew sent before noon tomorrow to assist with reconstruction efforts, chief Velzas."
And with that, the alien invasion had been stopped. All was well in Lantica once more. And Talios sat down on his chair in the tavern, having finished his retelling of this story.
"I'm never entertaining things like this again."
He will.
((BUT WAIT, THERE'S BE MORE! IT'S A TWO FOR ONE SPECIAL TODAY ON LORE!))

EDIT: I just changed it so that Godzilla is his correct age, the Rival fight is before the Shimo fight, and that Gojiras don't reproduce asexually
4,000,000,000 BCE The Earth is created. Inside of the Earth is a large area called Hollow Earth. Hollow Earth is different than the surface as time and gravity can sometimes behave differently. Every planet contains Hollow Earth Ore which comes from the core and is the reason for the almost unnatural place. The Hollow Earth is also filled with tons of radiation that comes from the Hollow Earth Ore. The Hollow Earth also contains Vortexes, which are almost like portals in between the Hollow Earth and the surface.
400,000,000 BCE In Hollow Earth, many creatures begin to evolve to be extremely big. Some even reaching 200 feet tall. They are called Titans and are the apex predators of Earth. Most Titans feed off radiation, making Hollow Earth a perfect habitat.
290,000,000 BCE Many Titans have evolved to be much bigger. Some can even reach over 400 feet tall.
270,000,000 BCE Many Titans have made their way to the surface through Vortexes and vast tunnel systems. The surface of the Earth has tons of radiation that has been untouched since Earth's creation.
250,000,00 BCE Some reptiles have evolved into Titans called Gojiras. Gojiras are powerful Titans that can grow to be almost 400 feet tall. However, their height fluctuates based on how much radiation they can eat. Gojiras can also live to be millions of years old, however none have lived that long because they are always killed by other Titans. Some Gojiras can even harness the power of radiation if they have enough of it. If they are extra radiation in a Gojira, and that Gojira is strong enough, they can use it in the form of Atomic Pulses or Atomic Breaths. Atomic Pulses are large shockwaves of radiation that can burn and kill things around it. Atomic Breaths are a laser beam of energy that is concentrated and shot out of a Gojiras mouth. An asteroid that kills 90% of life strikes the surface. This forces the surviving surface Titans to go into deep hibernation and only come out every few million years. This also stops the migration of Titans to the surface.
200,000,000 BCE Some ancient species of Titans have evolved into creatures called Monoliths. Monoliths are powerful creatures that full live off radiation and can grow to be miles long. They need very specific and perfect conditions to survive due to their size.
150,000,000 BCE With new types of animals such as mammals appearing in the Hollow Earth, many of them evolve into Titans. Some examples of this are Jishin-Mushis which are mammal Titans that are parasitic. Or Methuselahs that are large turtle-like Titans that carry small mountains on their backs.
100,000,000 BCE A new type of bug Titan evolves called Mosura. Mosuras look just like moths except have a wingspan of 803 feet and are 52 feet tall. The interesting thing about these Titans is that there offspring carries their conscious. For example, a Mosura will lay a few eggs all around Hollow Earth, but these eggs cannot hatch until their mother is dead, Once the mother dies, only one egg can hatch, and that new Mosura will carry the memories and mind of its mother. If that Mosura dies before it can lay an egg, one of its siblings will hatch and carry the memories of its mother and sibling. All of this can also happen if the Mosura is in hibernation. When that happens, the Mosura cannot wake up until its child dies or goes into hibernation.
70,000,000 BCE Almost all Monoliths are dead. The Earth and Hollow Earth are not in the perfect conditions for Monoliths, and they go extinct.
40,000,000 BCE In Hollow Earth, three different species of Great Apes evolved. These species are the Uprights, the Knuckles, and the Kings. The Uprights are the smartest apes and walk on two legs. The Knuckles are bigger than the Uprights and walk on their knuckles. The Kings are the largest at 25 feet tall and also walk on two legs.
6,000,000 BCE The Great Apes have evolved more. The Uprights evolved into Chimpanzees, Bonobos, and Humans. The Knuckles have evolved into Gorillas and Orangutangs. And the Kings have evolved into Titans called Kongs and Reds. Chimpanzees are the third smartest and walk on their knuckles. Bonobos are just like Chimpanzees except a bit smaller. Humans are the smartest Apes, have lost all their hair, and not only are the smartest of the apes but are the smartest creatures to have ever lived. Gorillas are strong, walk on knuckles, and are the fourth smartest of the apes. Orangutangs are similar to Gorillas except are red, are smaller, and not as strong. Kongs are Titans that can grow to be almost 400 feet tall, they are also the second smartest apes. Finally, Reds are Titans that are similar to Kongs, except that they are lanky, skinny, and red. The Kongs and Reds are some of the only Titans to not survive off of radiation and actually have to eat. Kongs and Reds can also live up to 2,000 years old.
5,000,000 BCE In Hollow Earth, a Gojira named Godzilla is born from a powerful parent. Right off the bat he is stronger than most and survives quite easily. He also is one of the few Gojiras to use Atomic Breath and Atomic Pulse. Godzilla also makes his way up to the surface where he becomes the most powerful Titan up there.
4,500,000 BCE A very large and powerful Kong arrives on the surface. His name is The Rival. He emerges in the home of Godzilla. This wakes Godzilla and they fight. After a long battle Godzilla loses and is kicked out of his home.
3,000,000 BCE An offshoot species of Gojiras called Shimos are going extinct. Shimos are bigger than Gojiras and have similar abilities to them. Shimos can shoot a beam called a Frost Bite Blast that freezes anything it touches. There entire bodies are so cold that the ground can sometimes turn to ice when they walk. The last Shimo ever is born in a lower layer of Hollow Earth called the Subterranean Realm. She is the last member of her species and will be called Shimo for simplicity's sake.
2,000,000 BCE Shimo has made her way to the surface and immediately starts shooting at the sky. She does this because she has never seen the Sun before and it hurts her eyes. She ends up hitting a cloud causing it grow and grow. This cloud eventually becomes a massive storm that blocks out the Sun. This gives Shimo some peace of mind. However, this awakens Godzilla who starts to attack the young Shimo. He ends up winning the fight and drives her back into Hollow Earth. But that does not stop what she did. Because of the coldness of her Frost Bite Blast, the storm she created will not stop. The storm eventually grows to cause an Ice Age.
500,000 BCE An alien species called Ghidorahs roam the galaxy. Ghidorahs grow up on their home planet before being sent off into deep space. Once a Ghidorah discovers a planet with life they take it over and then live out the rest of its life eating Hollow Earth Radiation. Ghidorahs also have three heads with their own personalities. But as long as the middle on survives, all of the heads survive. Ghidorahs are also massive with a 1,300-foot wingspan and a height of 521 feet. They also can use electricity and radiation to create a Gravity Beam. Gravity Beams are yellow beams of lighting similar in power to Atomic Breath. One Ghidorahs discovers Earth and begins to take it over. This Ghidorah is simply called King Ghidorah with its head being named Ichi, Ni, and Kevin. Ni is the right most head and follows anything Ichi says. Ichi is the middle head, controls most of the body, and is in charge of the others. Kevin is the left most head, the most often killed, and the stupidest of them. When King Ghidorah arrives on Earth, he starts the War on Ghidorah. The War on Ghidorah is the first time in history where 90% of Titans team up to stop a common threat. For thousands of years King Ghidorah is fought and kept away from Hollow Earth. Some Titans, like Godzilla, are even able to kill Kevin. But he always comes back right after the fight. Eventually, King Ghidorah discovers a Vortex to Hollow Earth in Antartica. However, when he arrives, he is met with three Titans. Godzilla, Shimo, and a Mosura named Mothra. It is a long fight where Godzilla uses his Atomic Breath many times. The fight ends with Shimo being able to freeze King Ghidorah in ice. Although all Titans go back to fighting like animals after this, the Gojiras, Kongs, Reds, and Mosuras decide to keep the peace between them.
400,000 BCE After 100,000 years of peace, a rouge Kong ends up killing a small Gojira. This breaks the peace and starts the Great Titan War. The Gojiras begin slaughtering the Kongs and Reds, but due to how many there are it doesn't kill all of them. A Gojira could easily take on a Kong or Red in a fight, but not 10 of them. Because of how many Kongs and Reds there are, and how powerful Gojiras are, this makes the war even.
390,000 BCE After 10,000 years of fighting, the Great Titan War ends. The Kongs and Reds won with almost all of the Gojiras being dead, except for two. Godzilla and Dagon. Dagon is another old and powerful Gojira that survived the war. The victory of the Kongs and Reds did come at a cost. There populations were split and low. The Reds decided to stay away from the Kongs and keep to themselves as they were few Reds left. The Kongs have split into two tribes, the Royals and the Great Apes. The Royals rule the main area of Hollow Earth and have turned the dorsal plate of a Gojira into an axe that they use to show power. The Great Apes rule the Subterranean Realm and are trapped there by the Royals, Godzilla, Dagon, and Mothra.
200,000 BCE Mothra, the Titan that helped stop King Ghidorah, is Godzilla's lifelong friend. Mothra's consciousness has been passed on through thousands of generations of Mosura, and over the past tens of millions of years this Mothra conscious has formed a friendship with Godzilla. Mothra has just laid an egg on the surface for the first time.
100,000 BCE The Humans have formed a civilization called the Iwi. They have learned to speak, write, wear clothes, and build large structures. They also worship Mothra who is currently hibernating in their kingdom. The Iwi has learned from Mothra to speak to each other through their minds. Using this ability, they are able to form a strong connection with the Kong, specifically the Royals.
50,000 BCE Many apes start to go to the surface. Humans and other Human species make their way to the surface carrying Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Gorillas, and Orangutangs with them. The first few civilizations start in places like the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. A small civilization forms in the Middle East called the Mesopotamia and will be the beacon of the future of Humanity. Another large civilization forms on an island off the coast of Europe called Atlantis. Atlantis is a massive city with huge buildings and statues. Atlantis is the hub for Hominid life and contains all species of man. However, places like Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa are not so excepting and devolve into war. This massive War of Man ends with only three Hominid species surviving. These species being Humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans. The War of Man destroys any surviving main land civilizations. The only city surviving city was Mesopotamia and it was demoted to a village. Atlantis was unaffected by the War of Man and still has countless Human species in it. Meanwhile a random group of Iwi get trapped on a surface island called Skull Island. Skull Island is a remote pacific island with a one-way Vortex on it. This causes it to be filled with countless dangerous Titans. These Iwi becomes isolated.
45,000 BCE Godzilla wakes up and walks around looking for food. He is seen by the Atlanteans, and they begin to build something for him.
42,000 BCE Godzilla is awoken again and this time he discovers that a bed was built for him in Atlantis. Godzilla uses this bed and is worshipped by the Atlanteans. Every day they walk around looking at him, praying to him, and respecting him. Godzilla is happy.
40,000 BCE After living in isolation and fear for 10,000 years, the Skull Iwi are saved. The Skull Crawlers have been revenging and ruling Skull Island for millennia, but recently they have started to have been killed. It turns out they the Royals in Hollow Earth have almost fully broken apart. The last surviving Ryals have escaped to Skull Island. Thousands of 100-foot-tall Skull Crawlers fight around fifty 400-foot tall Kongs. This starts the Skull Island War.
25,000 BCE The Humans begin their worldwide crusade. They start in Africa and make their way through Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America killing all Neanderthals and Denisovans along the way. Also around this time, Atlantis is flooded and pulled under the ocean. All Atlanteans and surviving non-Human hominids are killed in this flood. This leaves Godzilla sad and lonely.
11,000 BCE Dagon, the only remaining Gojira other than Godzilla gets into a fight with a Jinshin-Mushi named MUTO Prime. After fighting and chasing for years, MUTO Prime is able to overpower Dagon and lay her eggs inside him. After about a decade of struggle Dagon dies in a large cave where the baby Jinshin-Mushis named Hokmuto, Femuto, and Queen MUTO eat his insides. This makes Godzilla the only living Gojira.
5,000 BCE The past few generations of Kongs on Skull Island have been almost three times smaller than what they usually are. This is because they have limited food sources, are constantly at war, and are constantly under stress. If given the right conditions they could grow to their normal size, but they will stay like this until then. The Skull Island was easy at first for the Kongs as they were triple the size of them, but now that they are even in size, they are much harder to kill.
1000 Over the past almost 400,000 years, the Reds have been living in solitude. Due to lack of outside connections, and in fighting, they have gone extinct, except for one. There is only one remaining Red alive and his name is Skar King. He is only about 500 years old and still quite young. He discovers Shimo, who has been peacefully living in the Subterranean Realm since the War on Ghidorah. He is able to rip a dorsal crystal off her back and before she kills him, he uses it to control her. This crystal that he ripped off her can cause her extreme pain when pointed at her. Skar King uses this to manipulate and control her. Using Shimo, Skar King is able to take over the Great Apes. He turns them all into slaves and lock up Shimo behind a wall of lava.
1500 Skar King decides to mate with three Kongs. Those Kongs give birth to Skar Kings sons. The names of these sons are One-Eye, Stone Face, and Catcher. These kids are hybrids of Kongs and Reds.
1502 Godzilla briefly wakes up and takes a stroll through Europe.
1597 The last Kong on Skull Island is born. His name is King Kong. King Kong's parents are killed by Skull Crawlers as they leave him to be the last Kong on Skull Island. This ends the Skull Island War with the Skull Crawlers winning. However, now there is only one big Skull Crawler left, the rest have died. This Skull Crawler is named Ramarak.
1700 One-Eye, Stone Face, and Catcher are old enough and strong enough to help Skar King. He makes them second in command and calls them the Red Stripes. Meanwhile on Skull Island, Ramarak starts to have kids. However, King Kong is old enough to start killing these young Skull Crawlers. As if any of them got to be as Ramarak, they would easily kill him. King Kong and Ramarak have a deep-rooted hatred and rivalry. With them both being the most powerful and practically the last of their kind, although they hate each other, they are very similar.
1927 Skar King has another son named Suko. Suko carries much more Red genetics then Kong genetics, making him practically a successor to Skar King.

The sources of carbohydrates you choose to eat are essential, as some are healthier than others.
The sources of carbohydrates in the diet are more relevant than the amount of carbohydrates in the diet (high or low).
Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source. You can find Carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains.
Carbohydrates are found in sweeteners such as sugar, honey, and syrup, and foods with added sugars such as candy, soft drinks, and cookies.
Rather than adding sugars or refined grains, try to get most of your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy, and whole grains.
Carbohydrate-rich meals are an essential component of a well-balanced diet.
Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted into energy for biological functions and physical activities.
Bread, beans, Milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, soft drinks, corn, and cherry pie are just a few carbohydrate-rich foods.
Carbohydrates come in a range of shapes and sizes. Sugars, fibers, and starches are the most common and abundant types.

What are Sugars?

Simple carbohydrates include sugars. Your body readily breaks down simple carbs. As a result, blood sugar levels swiftly spike and then fall.
You may rush energy, followed by exhaustion after eating lovely meals.
Furthermore, sugar restriction is necessary to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Sugary foods and drinks also contain more calories, leading to weight gain.
In addition, Refined and sugar-sweetened foods, such as white flour, desserts, candies, juices, fruit drinks, soda pop, and sweetened beverages, should be avoided.

What is Fiber?

You can get fiber from plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and wholegrain products. Animal products, such as dairy and meat, are devoid of fiber.
Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that is good for you. Your body cannot break down fiber. The majority of it is absorbed into the intestines, where it stimulates and aids digestion.
Fiber also helps control blood sugar levels, decrease cholesterol, and keep you fuller for longer. Examples include Beans and Legumes, Fruits, nuts and seeds, vegetables, etc.

What Are Starches?

Starches are a type of carbohydrate that is both simple and complicated. Many (but not all) starches fall under this category. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Complex carbohydrates take longer for your body to break down.
As a result, the blood sugar levels are maintained, and fullness is kept for longer.

Food Sources of Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates, especially sugar, are the main source of carbohydrates for most of the world's population, and they come from plant-based food sources.
You can find carbohydrates in several natural meals and pre-prepared or processed foods.
Furthermore, Carbohydrates are classified based on their chemical structure, with monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides being the three most well-known types.
Read on as we talk about some of the sources of carbohydrates for the different types of carbohydrates.

Monosaccharides

This is the simplest form of carbohydrate, including glucose, fructose, and galactose.

• Glucose

Glucose is one of the sources of carbohydrates that we can get from Honey, golden syrup,
Dried fruits such as dates, currants & figs. Also, you can get small amounts in some fruits (grapes and dried apricots), vegetables (sweet corn), and Honey. In addition, they can also get them from Manufactured foods such as juices, cured hams, pasta sauces.

• Fructose

This is another source of carbohydrate that is a monosaccharide that you can get from Honey, Dried fruits such as apples, dates, and sultanas. Also, Fruit jams, chutneys, barbecue & plum sauce, gherkins, sun-dried tomatoes, Breakfast cereals made from whole wheat, oats, and fruits Fruits in cans, such as pineapple, strawberry, and plum, Fresh fruits such as grapes, apples, pear, kiwi, and banana.

• Galactose

Galactose is one of the different sources of carbohydrate that is a monosaccharide; this simplest compound can be derived from taking Flavored yogurts or with fruit pieces added, Lactose-free Milk, Instant coffee granules, and ground black pepper.

Disaccharides

Disaccharides are complex sources of carbohydrate that can be broken down into simpler monosaccharides, and they include:

• Sucrose

Sucrose is one of the sources of carbohydrates that you can get from sugar cane and sugar beet. Also,
table sugar manufactured foods such as cakes, cookies, and dark chocolate. In addition, Sweet root vegetables such as beetroot and carrot

• Maltose

Maltose is one of the carbohydrates that you can get from Barley and malted wheat, Bread, bagels, cereals, energy bars, Molasses, malt extract, and Beer.

• Lactose

You can get lactose from Milk, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, condensed milk, milk products, frozen yogurts, cottage cheese, evaporated milk, goat's milk, and ice cream.

• Trehalose

This is one of the sources of carbohydrates that are not common. You can get them from Edible fungus and mushrooms, Seaweeds, lobsters, shrimp, honey wine, and beers.

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides can be broken down into starchy and non-starchy carbohydrates.
You can get the starchy form from Cereal foods, cornmeal, pretzels, flours, oats, instant noodles, pasta, rice, potato, corn—also, small amounts in other root vegetables and unripe fruit.
However, the non-starchy forms include Fruit, vegetables, and wholegrain cereals.
Furthermore, this article will not be complete without breaking down some of the sources of carbohydrates in a more straightforward and eye-catching way.
Familiar food sources of carbohydrates include:

• Grains e.g. bread, pasta, noodles, cereals, rice and crackers,
• Fruits e.g. apples, mangoes, melons, bananas, berries, and oranges
• Dairy products, such as yogurt and Milk
• Legumes, including dried beans, peas, and lentils
• Snack foods and sweets, such as cakes, candy, cookies, and other desserts
• Juices, regular sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks that contain sugar
• Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, and peas

To cultivate a meaningful practice with Oracle Card Spreads, start by choosing a deck that resonates with you. Establish a sacred space for your readings and set clear intentions. Regularly cleanse and charge your cards. Develop a connection with each card's symbolism through meditation and reflection. Practice various spreads to enhance your interpretive skills. Trust your intuition and incorporate journaling to track your insights.
Consistency and openness are key to deepening your understanding of Oracle Cards. Oracle cards are a divination tool similar to Tarot cards, consisting of a deck with unique images and symbols. Unlike Tarot, Oracle cards don't adhere to a standardized structure, allowing for greater creativity in design. These cards are used for intuitive guidance, self-reflection, and spiritual insights. Each card carries a specific meaning or message, and users often draw cards randomly or lay out spreads to gain insights into various aspects of their lives or seek answers to specific questions.
Oracle cards are embraced by individuals seeking personal growth, inspiration, and a connection to their intuition.
Oracle cards are diverse, covering themes like angels, animals, mythology, or affirmations. Users interpret the cards based on intuition, imagery, and personal associations rather than a fixed set of meanings.
The practice involves shuffling the deck, posing a question, and drawing cards to receive guidance. Some use Oracle cards for daily inspiration, while others turn to them during pivotal life moments.
The open-ended nature of Oracle cards encourages users to explore their spirituality, fostering a unique and personal connection with the deck.
Regular use enhances one's intuitive abilities and deepens the bond with the cards.To deepen your Oracle card practice, consider exploring different spreads that cater to specific inquiries or areas of your life.
Develop a ritual around your readings, such as grounding exercises or meditation, to enhance focus and receptivity. Engage with the imagery on the cards through visualization and contemplation, allowing your subconscious to contribute to the interpretation.
Maintain a journal to record your readings, insights, and feelings, fostering a reflective process that helps track patterns and personal growth over time. Remember, the essence of Oracle cards lies in personal connection and intuition, making each reading a unique and enriching experience.
Experiment with combining Oracle card readings with other spiritual practices like meditation, crystal work, or rituals to create a holistic experience.
Join communities or online forums to share experiences and insights with fellow practitioners, gaining new perspectives on card interpretations. Periodically cleanse and recharge your cards to maintain their energy.
Embrace the evolving nature of your practice, allowing it to adapt as you grow spiritually. As you become more attuned to your intuition, you may find that Oracle cards become a powerful tool for self-discovery, guidance, and empowerment.
Consider integrating Oracle card readings into a mindful routine, incorporating them into moments of introspection, gratitude, or goal-setting. Explore different spreads or design your own to tailor readings to specific aspects of your life. Share your insights with others or use Oracle cards in group settings for collective guidance.
As you progress, don't hesitate to explore advanced techniques, such as combining multiple decks or creating your own cards to personalize the experience further. Ultimately, the key lies in cultivating a practice that resonates with you, fostering a deeper connection with the spiritual insights Oracle cards can offer.
To further enrich your Oracle card practice, delve into the symbolism and history behind the specific deck you're using. Understanding the cultural or spiritual context can deepen your appreciation and interpretation of the cards. Explore different spreads for specific purposes, such as love, career, or personal growth.
Additionally, regularly revisit and reassess your personal connection to the cards, allowing your evolving perspectives to influence the readings. Continuously expand your knowledge by exploring diverse decks and attending workshops or classes on Oracle card reading. This ongoing exploration ensures a dynamic and evolving practice tailored to your unique spiritual journey.
Grounding exercises help anchor you in the present moment and connect with the physical world. Here are a few simple grounding techniques:

1. Deep Breathing: Take slow, deep breaths. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Focus on the sensation of your breath to bring your attention to the present.
   
2. Body Scan: Sit or lie down comfortably. Pay attention to each part of your body, starting from your toes and moving up. Notice any tension and consciously release it, bringing awareness to each body part.
   
3. Mindful Walking: Take a slow walk and pay attention to each step. Feel the ground beneath your feet, notice the movement of your body, and observe your surroundings. This helps shift your focus from thoughts to the physical experience.
   
4. Grounding Objects: Hold onto an object with texture or weight, like a stone or a piece of fabric. Pay attention to its features, temperature, and the way it feels in your hand, bringing your awareness to the present moment.
   
5. Visualization: Imagine roots extending from your body into the ground, like a tree. Envision these roots grounding you and providing stability. Connect with the Earth's energy as you visualize this grounding process.
   
6. Five Senses Check: Engage your senses by identifying five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This exercise brings you into the immediate sensory experience.
   
7. Affirmations: Repeat positive affirmations or mantras to center your thoughts. Affirmations can help redirect your focus and bring a sense of calmness.
   

Experiment with these grounding exercises to find what resonates best with you, and use them whenever you need to center yourself or alleviate stress.
To incorporate crystals and rituals into your Oracle card practice, consider the following steps:

1. Crystal Selection: Choose crystals that resonate with your intentions or the specific energy you want to enhance during your Oracle card readings. For example, amethyst for intuition, rose quartz for love, or clear quartz for clarity.
   
2. Cleansing Crystals: Before each reading, cleanse your chosen crystals to remove any previous energies. You can use methods like smudging with sage, placing them in moonlight or sunlight, or using other crystal-clearing techniques.
   
3. Crystal Placement: Position your crystals around your Oracle card deck or spread. You can place them in a pattern or intuitively position them based on the energy you want to enhance. Trust your instincts and the energies of the crystals.
   
4. Setting Intentions: Before beginning your Oracle card reading, set clear intentions for the session. State your purpose and what guidance or insights you seek. This helps align the energy of the crystals and cards with your intentions.
   
5. Ritual Elements: Create a ritual around your Oracle card practice. This might include lighting candles, playing soft music, or incorporating specific colors or symbols that hold personal meaning. Consistency in your ritual can create a conducive environment for your practice.
   
6. Meditation with Crystals: Meditate with your chosen crystals before starting the Oracle card reading. This helps attune your energy to the vibrations of the crystals and enhances your intuitive connection.
   
7. Crystal Grids: Experiment with creating crystal grids around your Oracle card space. This involves arranging crystals in a specific pattern to amplify energy and intention. Grids can be simple or complex, depending on your preference.
   
8. Closing Ritual: Conclude your Oracle card session with a closing ritual. Express gratitude for the insights received, release any energy that no longer serves you, and cleanse both the cards and crystals. This helps maintain a clear and positive energy space.
   
9. Crystal Charging: Periodically recharge your crystals to maintain their energy. You can do this by placing them in the sunlight, moonlight, or on a selenite charging plate. This ensures that the crystals remain potent and ready for your Oracle card sessions.
   
10. Incorporate Elemental Energies: Align your practice with the elements. For example, use earthy crystals for grounding (e.g., hematite), airy crystals for mental clarity (e.g., clear quartz), watery crystals for emotional insight (e.g., moonstone), and fiery crystals for passion (e.g., carnelian). This adds a elemental dimension to your readings.
    
11. Create Ritual Symbols: Develop symbols or gestures that act as anchors for specific energies during your Oracle card readings. For instance, drawing a particular symbol in the air or using hand gestures can amplify your intention and focus.
    
12. Moon Phases and Oracle Readings: Leverage the energy of different moon phases for your Oracle card readings. Perform readings during the new moon for new beginnings, the full moon for clarity and manifestation, or the waning moon for releasing and letting go.
    
13. Crystal Elixirs: Create crystal elixirs by placing crystals in water under moonlight or sunlight (ensuring the crystals are safe for water). Use the elixir to anoint your cards or drink before a reading, infusing the energy of the crystals into your practice.
    
14. Dedicated Sacred Space: Designate a specific area for your Oracle card practice and crystal work. This sacred space can be adorned with meaningful items, creating an energetic container that enhances your connection with the divine and your intuitive abilities.
    
15. Intuitive Crystal Pairing: Trust your intuition when combining crystals with Oracle cards. Allow yourself to be drawn to certain crystals based on the energy you sense or the guidance you seek. Intuitive pairings can deepen the resonance of your readings.
    

Continuously explore and adapt these practices to align with your evolving spiritual journey. The synergy of crystals, rituals, and Oracle cards can create a powerful and personalized experience, enriching your connection with your inner wisdom and the energies around you.

I really like how the Mechanist turned out. Being able to create things on the fly with Shard of Creation allows for a lot of creative shenanigans. Last session, a cursed orb was stuck to my character's hand, so I created an oversized nutcracker tool and had the barbarian half-giant sit on it to crush the thing.
I think my biggest gripe is that the list of Augments feels small. I was hoping for a number of them somewhere between Metamagics and Invocations. They will likely get more in the future, but ~
I've been brainstorming some of my own. Extra augments that can be situationally powerful in clever hands (which, I see largely inventive combo-monkeys like myself focusing on this class).
What do you guys think? Thoughts? Critiques?
And do you have any ideas for augments that the Mechanist really should get?
Retractable
Item Requirement: Ranged Weapon
You imbue a ranged weapon with a magical tether capable of pulling a target towards you, or you towards it. Immediately after you make a successful attack with the weapon against a creature, object, or structure (see “Object and Structure Statistics” for object ACs [PG]), you may spend an Attack or a Bonus Action to pull the target 15ft towards you. If the target is at least one size category larger than you, or securely attached to something at least one size larger than you, the target instead does not move and you are pulled 15ft towards it.
At Higher Levels. Once you reach 9th level in the mechanist class, the pull distance increases to 30ft.

Spatially Linked
Item Requirement: A flat surface not worn or carried by an unwilling creature
You imbue portal magic into a surface, such that it can act as one half of a gateway. While you touch the surface, you can use an action to open a one-sided, ovular portal. When it opens, you pick another Spatially Linked item that is currently augmented by you, and it opens its own portal. The portals are linked such that you can see through one and out the other, and creatures, objects, and spells can pass through one and out the other.
Each portal is a flat oval 3ft tall and 1.5ft wide, or however big the smaller of the two linked surfaces will allow. A medium-sized creature must use 20 feet of movement to squeeze through the portal and reach the other side. Creatures or objects larger than medium cannot fit. (if the portal is less than maximum size, the GM has final say whether or not a creature can squeeze itself through the portal)
The portals fail to open if you only have one surface augmented with Spatially Linked, if the portal surfaces are more than 100ft away from each other, or either portal's surface is damaged (possibly by an attack from the side, or the back). If any of these fail conditions happen while the portals are open, the portals immediately close. Objects stuck mid-way between the portals when the portals close are shunted harmlessly out either portal, to the nearest unoccupied space.
While touching either of the surfaces, you can use an action to close the portals.
At Higher Levels. Once you reach 7th level in the mechanist class, the maximum size of the portals increases to 6ft tall and 3ft wide. Medium sized creatures no longer need to expend extra movement to pass through, if the portals are of maximum size. Large creatures can only squeeze through at the DM’s discretion.
Once you reach 13th level in the mechanist class, the distance in which portals can work with each other increases to 1 mile.


Animated
Item Requirement: Tiny Item that isn’t being worn or held, which resembles a creature.
You grant a tiny doll, puppet, statue, clockwork toy, or some such facsimile of a creature the gift of life. It becomes an Animated Servant, and counts as a living creature until the augment ends or the creature drops to 0 hit points.
*insert Find Familiar strength level creature stat block here
As a bonus action, you can mentally command any of your Animated Servants, so long as they are on the same plane as you (if you control multiple Animated Servants, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
The Animated Servants cannot speak mentally with you, as you do with them.
At Higher Levels. Once you reach 7th level in the mechanist class, your Animated Servants gain the Evasion ability: When subjected to an effect that allows it to make a DEX save to take only half damage, it instead take no damage if it succeeds on the save and only half damage if it fails. When you reach 11^th level in the Mechanist class, they gain a 30ft fly speed. When you reach 15^th level in the Mechanist class, they gain the Durable ability. The first time damage would reduce them to 0 hp, it reduces them to 1 hp instead. They can only use this ability only once, until the augment is removed and re-applied.

People have been asking about the usefulness of the Flood Pod Infectors when spores seemingly did the same thing but potentially better. This is a fair question and something I really wanted to discuss after writing the Flood spore lore post a year ago, so I hope I can offer some clarification.
So, while both type of Flood forms were broadly categorized as Flood Infection Forms in the new encyclopedia, both served different purposes, and one type was more suitable in situations where the other wasn't.
Top Start off:

Pod Infectors

Arguably the most memorable of all Flood creatures, the Pod Infectors have appeared since the first game and were originally called simply as Infection forms, before this term became an umbrella label for different types of Flood forms sharing the same function.

Infection Forms:
All Infection forms share several key morphological traits across their variations, each suited for subduing and subverting any avaliable organic targets. The most commonly encountered Infection forms have a frond-like array, which act as the creature's sensory system, steming from soft, pod-shaped bodies filled with noxious gases that allow them to bound over the ground and obstacles at surprising speeds.
(Halo Encyclopedia 2022, p.406)

So, from this passage, we know that Pod Infectors had a good degree of mobility. In Halo Wars, it was even referenced that they could climb over cliffs, so rough terrains would not hinder their march.

Pod Infectors:
Though individually weak and easily killed, pod infectors strike in vast numbers and can move over cliffs.
(Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Log)

In contrasts, Flood spores had no means of self-propelled locomotion; they can only float aimlessly instead. The anime Halo Origins also shows us Pod Infectors that could perform guided flight. The reason why we haven't encountered these Flood types in the games might be due to the fact that the parasites were more evolved and more powerful during the Forerunner-Flood war.
So we clearly see that the regular Infection forms have an advantage over spores in maneuverability, but what matters more is another factor: Pod Infectors have weapons.

Infection Forms:
Each tendril ends in nano-scale barbs which can latch onto the target's body and cut through armor or environmental suits.
(Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Log)

While the virulence of Flood spores shouldn't be underestimated, the fact that they had virtually no offensive capabilities (they are usually just clusters holding Flood Super Cells together) means that decently protective gear such as fully-sealed environmental suits would be sufficient in keeping you safe in areas where the air is contaminated.
Moreover, Infection via a Pod Infector is by far the fastest method, which often just takes seconds to complete. This is due to the far higher dosages of spores being injected by a Pod Infector injects than infection via inhalation of spore-contaminated air.
And yes, Pod Infectors still use spores for infection.

343 Guilty Spark: "You can see how the body has been transformed by the genetic restructuring of the Flood infection. The small creatures carry spores that cause a host to mutate."
(Halo Combat Evolved, Level: The Library)

And after all, spores are just Flood cells grouped together.

Spore:
Encysted Flood cells form spores, which can remain dormant for centuries.
(Halo Encyclopedia 2022, p.404)

There's another usage for Pod Infectors, which is what we're all familiar with: to create and control Combat forms.
According to the encyclopedia, infection via spores would instead turn the hosts, living or dead, into incubation pods rather than mutating them into the typical Combat forms.

Spore:
Spores can parasite sapient and non-sapient species, consuming them and transforming their biomass into egg-like incubators for larger, more mobile Flood Infection forms.
(Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs)

These incubators are commonly called "Blisters" or "Flood eggs".
The necessity of a Pod Infector in order to create a Combat form is implied by another passage saying that the Flood cells in the wounds would transform the target into a Blister rather than a Combat form.

Infection forms:
Even if the infection form is quickly removed, Flood cells in the wounds will slowly consume the victim and turn them into quivering, spore-packed Blisters.
(Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Log)

This actually makes sense, since a Pod Infector does possess some rudimental level of sentience. This enables the creature to control the infection processes, while spores simply just convert original biomass into more Flood matters.
In action, Pod Infectors replaces the brain as the host's commanding "organ", controlling all functions, processing all knowledge and experience from the host, and absorbing them to the collective hive-consciousness.

Infection forms:
Though barely intelligent on their own, once an infection form infiltrates a sentient creature they turn the victim's cognitive power to the furtherance of Flood goals. Each is an insidious puppeteer, able to sift through memories of any sentient creature to learn of military countermeasures, security access codes, and the location of population centers.
(Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Log)

Pod Infectors can perform biological modification for the host.

Combat form:
The infection form does augment its new body and repair minor damage in order to better serve as a living weapon, but ultimately the combat form is utterly disposable.
(Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Log)

This comes in the form of alterations of the host's anatomical structures.

Combat forms possess unnatural physical strength, perhaps gained through the mutations of the host's musculoskeletal structures.
(Halo Encyclopedia 2009, p.165)

We've also seen some very extensive bodily restructuring, such as this human being grotesquely contorted.
Nevertheless, there are a few instances where the creation of Combat forms occured without Pod Infectors present.

1. UNSC marine Orlav was slashed in the back by a Combat form. Even when a piece of Flood flesh was removed, she turned into a Combat form not long after.
   
2. On the infested surface of Shield World 0459, one ODST mentioned he was bitten by the Flood before inevitably transforming into a Combat form.
   

No explanation has been given; my reasoning would be that both incidents happened near a Proto-Gravemind. One was in the engine room of UNSC Mona Lisa, and one was on Trove, so the respective Compound mind can assume direct control over the Flood easily by themselves.
All in all, Pod Infectors are the more direct threats. They are very agile, they have razor sharp claws, they convert victims far quicker than any other forms, and they can choose what they will do with their victims.
Now, what do Flood spores excel at?

Spores

• Subtle Propagating:

Unlike Pod Infectors, spores don't aggressively attack prey, which makes them seem as the lesser threats compared to other Flood presences. However, this works only in the Flood's own favor, as spores can spread further and under everyone's noses because the defenders are too occupied.
Moreover, the tendency of the spores to infest insignificant organisms as well as propogate on inanimate objects actually keep them and their growth under the radar.

How did it get there in the first place? Adequate wondered. It was highly improbable that the Flood could have arrived here independently. Yes, Flood spores could spread on meteors and comets, as well as derelict space equipment hurtling around the stars.
(Halo Fractures, Defender of the Storm)

In one short story, "Defender of the Storm", the Forerunner space station of Seclusion had pods filled with microscopic lifeforms that broke down biological wastes from the residents.

Worst of all, they had collectively decided the dirtiest assignment on the station should again fall to him: gathering up packs of the occupants’ waste for delivery to the digester units, one located at the end of each vane. Microorganisms inside the units broke down the foul matter to generate power, while releasing unwanted gases into the atmosphere.
(Halo Fractures, Defender of the Storm)

It was suggested that these pods were secretly tainted with Flood spores.

“Yes. The infestation likely began in the replacement digester units just installed by the service team.”
“The apparatus that breaks down waste. That’s why the outbreak started on the tips of the vanes.”
“Correct. They bring in fresh pods of microorganisms annually. Flood spores must have been mixed in with them and been awakened. ...
(Halo Fractures, Defender of the Storm)

The Ancilla further commented on the likelihood that Flood spores feasted on the microorganisms as well as the body wastes brought to those pods to further their growth.

"... The malleable seals would have given them a means of escape. They must have infected several of our sentries, taking them directly to combat forms—and their bodies gave rise to the infection forms we now see. I also suspect the Flood is drawing on the biomass in the digester pods to create an environment that might exponentially increase the rate and severity of infestation.”
(Halo Fractures, Defender of the Storm)

So spores eats everything... even shit or the soil, and unless you actively keep track of every surfaces and every hidden spaces, you're bound to miss pockets of infestation caused by spores.

• Self-Perpetuation

This is perhaps Flood spore's biggest advatange. The spores' reproduction and propagation processes are extremely efficient, even by Flood standard.
I'll be using the Blisters mentioned above as my examples.
According to official depictions, we can see that the hosts who were turned into Blisters are completely broken down and molded into large egg-shaped entities.
This is why I call it efficient, as there is no biomass that was left out or wasted. Spores eat everything and transform what they eat into more of themselves, but it doesn't end there.
As purpose-built forms, Blisters are created to produce more Flood creatures, ranging from simple Pod Infectors, to more complex Pure forms, and, you guess it, more Flood spores.

Blisters:
Non-sapient animals and mangled corpses deemed unfit for being harnessed into larger Combat forms are seeded with Flood cells and quickly transformed into sacs filled with Infection forms and membranes that function as incubation chambers for the development of spores.
(Halo Encyclopedia 2022, p.407)

For those instances where spores do turn their victims into Combat forms, one similarity remains.

Combat Form:
Combat Forms are covered in spore-filled polyps and much of their internal organs are in the process of being consumed and replaced with FSC accretions that function as support lattices, protecting a sickly green liquid that contains Flood spores in suspension.
(Halo, Encyclopedia 2022, p.408)

Combat forms additionally operate as mobile incubators and gestate spores, though they may produce a lower quantity. After all, unlike Blisters which are hosts whose entire body mass is transformed into a single-purposed and stationary pseudo-organ, Combat forms still need body parts for mobility, attack, and handling of salvaged equipment and technology.
Do be noted that this really isn't a new lore. It has been this case since the first game.

Guilty Spark: "The mutated host then produces spores that can pass the Flood to others. It is insidious and elegant. As long as any hosts remain, the Flood is virulent."
(Halo: Combat Evolved, Level The Library)

The fact that Combat forms spawn spores means that any physical harms inflicted on them...

Combat Form:
Ironically, damages incurred by this form scatters small chunks of infected flesh and distribute it in the environment, aiding the Flood in spreading its influence.
(Halo, Encyclopedia 2022, p.408)

... would inadvertently distribute fatally virulent substances everywhere.
And this trait isn't unique to Combat forms. Pod Infectors are stated by Guilty Spark to also carry spores, which I mentioned above.
Pure forms which are the products of masses of Flood Super Cells morphed into biological war machines would carry spores inside them as well. For example, we see the Spawner forms constantly emit clouds of spores from the holes on their back.
It's also stated that the Gravemind can create a huge quantity of spores by itself.

The Gravemind's tentacled body produces billions of Flood spores.
(Halo, Encyclopedia 2012, p.169)

Now the next and my final point.

• Building Infrastructure

I am now looking from a broader perspective — by combining all the characteristics discussed so far and tying them into the discussion about the Flood's modus operandi.
So, we know spores can spread and infest stealthily. We know spores can operate for a long duration of time. We know spores can consume practically anything organic. We know spores can create constructs to create more sproes (Blisters, Combat forms).
In fact, tiny spores can evolve into living Flood creatures...

The Gravemind:
The Flood is the ultimate parasite. It's able to use any sentient being as food, and those infected by the Flood stand no chance. Infection is a gradual process, whereby an Infection Form, grown from a tiny spore, bonds the victim to the Flood's central intelligence and slowly consumes the contents of the host creature's mind.
(Halo, Encyclopedia 2011, p.20)

All these traits combined make spores the integral aspect of the parasite's expansion and conquest.
To put it this way: Flood spores are products of the Flood infestation, and at the same time, they represent the parasite's ... "means of production".
The phenomenon of "Blightlands" best exemplify this.

Blightland:
For its part, the Flood will seek to adjust local environmental factors in its favor immediately after reaching the Coordinated stage. If not stopped, Blightlands are the result of uncontained Flood expansion: Areas around established hives filled with FSC growth and Spore bodies, which harvested the vitality of the soil, soak up solar energy, and consume all native lives within its boundaries.
(Halo Encyclopedia 2022, p.413)

Notice that the passage said "around" the hives?
In regards to Flood infestations, the parasites don't just build hives, which are either repurposed buildings or completely made out of pure biomass, but they also set up the fundations and infrastructures by seeding spores and other bioforms to the surrounding regions.
Basically, the Blightlands are Flood-controlled regions where spores and other growth gathered "resources", from lifeforms and latent energy alike, and the hives are the buildings and bases within the regions.
Blightlands also serve as foundations for future Flood structures and hives to build on top of. We've seen this at the start of the outbreak on High Charity, numerous disparate Flood growth of varying sizes appeared in the corridors and on walls. They continued to fester until they formed into a new hive that blanketed every surface areas there was.
There's more, but before I talk about that, there's an intriguing quote from the encyclopedia:

Hives:
The Flood's only desire is to expand and corrupt. Once enough biomass is available, the parasite can establish lairs for defense and the growth of specialized forms. ... These tumorous blights are the most obvious targets for attack and cleansing, but they are simply a sympton of Flood infestation, not its causes. The Forerunners recognized this distinction far too late, after countless sterilization missions resulted in empty victories.
(Halo Encyclopedia 2022, p.404)

Interestingly, destroying the hives wouldn't necessarily deliver the critical blow, and I think Flood spores' various attributes contribute to this phenomena.
We have concluded that Flood spores are incredibly common: All types of Flood forms carry and disperse spores either voluntarily or by outside factors (i.e. combat damage). This makes it easy for the Flood to cause environmental corruption over a large area, which will create Blightlands.
We also have concluded that spores are fruitful "building tools". When a spore land on an environment of ample bio-organic materials, they can feast on all the resources and convert them into Flood forms or structures, which eventually become new hives; it can be even described as "self-replicating".
This makes the Flood stand out from other factions in Halo. When the issue regarding manufacturing comes to mind, other races — other the Forerunners, are reliant on specialized instruments or facilities to process and refine raw substances and factories to fabricate products.
The Flood can do that with just their most basic vectors that all known Flood forms carry and generate; hives simply do things more efficiently and on a muuch larger scale.
The spores allow the parasite's "industry" to be decentralized, and the expansion wouldn't be crippled when the birthing hive is destroyed. Given enough time, another hive can arise from the surrounding Blightland.

TLDR

Pod Infectors possess superior mobility and actual weaponry. Their speed and ferocity make them suitable for building up an army, and their rudimentary intelligence makes them much better at managing a fighting force.
Spores are adept at facilitating a comprehensive and expanding network of infrastructure, which they can do without the enemy's notice. Spores may work slower, but their subtlety and pervasiveness make them extremely dangerous threats, especially when their infestation goes unnoticed or uncontained for too long.

Lydia awoke with Waldo screaming. Lydia quickly got up and activated the magic stones lighting the room, Lydia did not see a reason for him to be screaming and was about to wake him when he went quiet. Lydia wondered what had happened and as she watched him she became concerned he was not breathing but just as she was about to shake him away he started breathing again then he began to weep in his sleep saying “I would take it back if I could. I did not know what it meant. Please, I never meant for this.” Lydia watched over him for several minutes as he repeated this over and over. Lydia did not know why but after a while she embraced him gently.
“It is ok. We all make mistakes.” Lydia said quietly holding him. She did not entirely know why she chose to do this as she felt some concern over what he was apologizing for having done but something made her decide to stay with him. Eventually, he stopped and started sleeping peacefully. Lydia slowly fell back to sleep after he quieted and returned to a peaceful state.
Lydia awoke again with Waldo sitting dressed on the edge of the bed. “Good Morning.”
“Good Morning.” Waldo replied, turning to Lydia. “Sorry, if I woke you in the night. I do not always sleep well.”
“I can understand that. It took almost a year before I could sleep through the night.” Lydia replied.
“I brought breakfast up. Kna mentioned I screamed in the middle of the night. I rarely have a companion… So I did not know. I guess I was extra loud last night. I woke some other patrons.” Waldo said calmly. Lydia climbed out of bed and dressed herself as Waldo watched her but when she looked at him she felt he was lost in his own mind.
"Copper for your thoughts.” Lydia said as she started to lace up her dress. Waldo walked over to her and helped her.
“I thought I knew who I was…but I remembered things last night…” Waldo said hollowly. “I don’t know what I was fighting for… All that time as a soldier and now I remembered… what I learned before arriving here and it isn’t what I thought.”
“Do you want to elaborate?” Lydia asked.
“I am not sure I know how.” Waldo said and there was silence for a moment.
“Well, maybe you should stay here if you don’t know why you were fighting. At least, until you figure out what you want.” Lydia said and feeling better about what she had heard last night she kissed him gently on the cheek. “Thank you. I would stay for breakfast but I need to get to work.” Lydia said, grabbing a piece of bread with an egg off the plate.
“Have a nice day and I hope to see you later.” Waldo said, as she headed toward the door.
“Good luck today!” Lydia said, smiling and left. Waldo collected several things from his pack then stored it under the bed and took the plate of food to the common room where he ate slowly. Waldo noticed that Lydia was not in the common room as he ate breakfast. Waldo did not have to wait long after finishing his breakfast before Strisk arrived.
“Good Morning!” Strisk waved at Waldo moving across the common room.
“Greetings Strisk.” Waldo replied standing and moving to meet him.
“Are you ready to go down to the training grounds?” Strisk asked.
“Yeah, let’s head out.” Waldo said, motioning for Strisk to lead the way.
“Are you in a hurry?” Strisk asked, leading Waldo out.
“No, nothing like that just…” Waldo stopped in the door exiting the inn as he looked out into the city. Waldo had expected Protham to be small but realized it had been dark when he arrived and late that is why he had not realized how expansive it was. Waldo saw a wall sixty or seventy feet tall. Waldo stepped into the street and could see a gate two hundred or so feet down the road in one direction and in the other there was what appeared to be a small square. “How big is Protham?”
“It is just a small village, only five thousand or so. Most people are employed in fishing the lake or harvesting trees.” Strisk replied. “The gnolls recently opened a college here… Something about ley lines and increased power, but that is not my expertise.”
“I am surprised they even care about the ley line. The planet is so saturated with magic I would have thought everyone can easily use it.” Waldo responded.
“I wouldn’t know about that. Are you a mage?” Strisk asked.
“I cannot use magic… I can still feel it pooling.” Waldo said, wondering why he could feel it still since he now knew he could not use it. “It must be something to do with the leveling. I wonder if there is a construct powering the whole system.”
“You are suggesting a magic artifact causes people to level?”Strisk asked, shocked at the strangeness of the idea.
“Um… So I assume it is a mage college of some kind they opened?” Waldo asked, trying to change topics.
“Yeah. I would have suggested going and seeing the head there about your teleporting but from what I have heard they see almost no one who isn’t a student.” Strisk said, starting to walk down the street. Waldo followed, taking in the people and the streets. Waldo noticed most people were gnollish he saw drakes as well but it seemed to be ten to one.
“Lydia said you are a Drake. I have never learned to identify the scaled races apart from one another. It appears that Protham is mostly gnolls and Drakes. What makes a drake a drake and not say a lizardfolk?” Waldo asked, carefully.
“Lydia is right. I am a Drake. Lizardfolk always have tails. Drakes rarely have tails and those that do have a tail almost always have wings. That is usually the easiest way to tell us apart but it is more nuanced. A healthy Drake’s scales are vibrant, we stand out. A healthy lizardfolk has duller scales. Drakes can have horns or spikes across their head and back but never hair. Lizardfolk never have horns but can grow spikes. Usually they grow something more like a fin, which can be over their head or even down their chin to their chest. All the facial features are nuanced except the eye. Drake’s eyes face forward. Lizardfolk’s eyes face out enough to easily tell if you look at them.” Strisk explained calmly. “Kobolds are short but look like Drakes with a tail and all the other scaled races have gills.”
“Thank you. I realize that might have been rude to ask but I assume it is ruder to make a mistake.” Waldo said as they continued to make their way through the mostly empty streets.
“Most drakes consider it the pinnacle of rudeness to mistake us for the lizardfolk. Well the lizardfolk seem indifferent. I once saw a short Lizardman get mistaken for a Kobold and they laughed about it. Well a few days ago I had to break up a bar fight cause a gnoll called a drake a lizard.” Strisk said. “My people need to calm down about being mistaken for another race. Most cannot even tell the other races apart. No offense, but I assume you are a human because Lydia is one without looking at your ears, which are currently covered by your hair you could pass for an elf in my eyes and if you told me you were a dwarf I would believe it… even though, I think you are too tall to be a dwarf.” Waldo laughed at Strisk’s words.
“An elf you say?” Waldo said, smiling and moving his hair from over his ears. “I am a human. However, I can understand the confusion. Even among humans it is possible for some to mistake another human as one of our kin races.”
“Kin race?” Strisk asked.
“Yes, races that share certain broad features and where half races are possible.” Waldo said.
“Then would Drakes not be a Kin race.” Strisk asked.
“You ever seen a half human and half drake?” Waldo asked.
“Well no, but I was told it was possible.” Strisk said, wondering.
“Possible for our race's women’s bodies to respond as if they are creating a blend. However, it is largely my understanding no blend has survived birth. Maybe one is out there but largely our internal anatomy; bone structure, organ placement, organs in general, and finer points don’t blend into something that survives birth if a pregnancy occurs which to my knowledge is extremely rare and usually it is a half race not a full where that can occur according to one report I read most mothers die in labor if they carry the blend to term and the child still dies.” Waldo said calmly. Strisk stopped.
“How do you know this?” Strisk asked. Waldo thought about it for a moment. Realizing he did not know how to explain having millions of years of knowledge on hand a little surprised he had so easily recalled something from another life. As he thought about it he wondered how he could so easily access it. Then he knew. Four of his prior selves had learned to build a mind palace. When the Orc had implanted all the memories, those four had combined their knowledge and laid out everything, which made him wonder how he knew about the interbreeding of humans and drakes, which brought forth the memories of four doctors. One of which was drake. Strisk watched as Waldo stared off into the distance. Suddenly, Waldo went pale and threw up in the street. “What the hell?” Strisk said, jumping back to avoid getting splattered.
“Sorry.” Waldo said, feeling queasy. Waldo pushed the doctor’s memories away realizing he was not ready to go exploring all the memories aimlessly. Waldo pulled out his hip canteen and washed his mouth out. Spitting the water down a nearby drain “Damn. I was hoping to not have to eat until dinner. I assume the interview will have a combat skills test?” Waldo asked, looking at Strisk.
“Well yes, but what was that?” Strisk asked, feeling the response was unjustified for his question.
“Oh, right, your question. Um… I went to a memory I should have left alone. I was thinking about my time studying… when I strayed into an incident.” Waldo said, trying to explain without lying.
“An incident?” Strisk asked.
“I expect there are things you have seen as a city guard you would rather not remember.” Waldo replied, carefully.
“Oh… you mean something like that. I can understand that. Let’s continue on. Just another block or so.” Strisk said, letting Waldo follow him. Neither said anything until they got to the city's barracks. They had crossed near the center of town and were now at a lakeside gate that had a training arena with a large gatehouse next to it.
“How many positions is the guard filling?” Waldo asked as they approached the building.
“We are adding five new full time positions in hope of growth due to the mage college, three part time, and around fifty new reservists.” Strisk said and then opened the gatehouse’s front door.
“Good Morning, Strisk!” A female voice behind the counter greeted as they entered.
“Good Morning, Violet.” Strisk replied. “Is Trag in?”
“Yes, he got in a bit ago and…Who are you?” Violet asked, staring at Waldo as he entered the gatehouse.
“Waldo Winter.” Waldo said, step into the room and bowing slightly to the human girl behind the counter.
“He is with me. Violet. He arrived in town last night under strange circumstances.” Strisk said.
“Is he why you are meeting with Trag this early?” Violet asked, keeping her eyes on Waldo. “Is he a criminal?”
“Yes to the meeting with Trag and not as far as I am aware. You haven’t done anything illegal have you?” Strisk asked, grinning Waldo.
“Admittedly, I have not read your legal code, but assuming it follows traditional patterns of legal codes for structured societies. Not in this city. At least, I very much doubt I have.” Waldo said, smiling lightly at Violet.
“What are you doing here then?” Violet asked.
“Apart from identifying myself to local authorities due to the strange way I arrived. Hopefully, applying for a job.” Waldo stated. Violet frowned.
“Are you applying for citizenship in Protham or just submitting notice of intent to work in Protham?” Violet asked.
“Notice of intent to work, at this time.” Waldo replied, moving up to the desk as Strisk stepped away. Violet handed him a sheet of paper and pulled out a second enchanted page.
“Good luck finding work here. There are not many jobs outside of scribe, barworker, or general laborer for humans in Protham. The Drakes and Gnolls are larger and stronger than humans naturally and they are basically hiring enforcers right now.” Violet whispered to Waldo. “Where are you staying?”
“The Spriggan Inn.” Waldo said, looking at the form, surprised he could read it. As he started to fill out the form he remembered a passage about grown arrivals passing between world and being gifted languages of the worlds they arrived on from death. Waldo tried to remember the author's reasoning for the gift but could not. Waldo wished he had learned written gnollish languages but had only learned their spoken languages.
“How did you come to be there?” Violet said, showing surprise.
“Long story short…Some sort of teleportation accident.” Waldo answered, focused on completing the form.
“Wow… Lucky.” Violet said, thinking it strange he appeared in the only inn with a human working in it in Protham.
“Yes, but I suspect there is a good reason for that.” Waldo said, handing her the completed form.
“You how to read Grofeas gnoll?” Strisk asked, looking at Waldo holding the form out to Violet. “You said you had not heard of this country last night.” Violet took the form looking suspiciously at Waldo.
"No, I am familiar with other gnollish written languages and this is close enough to them that I guessed. Please check that and make sure my responses make sense.” Waldo said, looking at Violet. Waldo smiled at his omission. He was familiar with several gnoll written languages and had learned a few key words like bathroom, food, and price but had not even memorized their alphabet. Violet started to look over the document carefully. Waldo noticed the enchanted page on the desk had a picture of his face on it now with a list of several things about him, such as height, an approximate weight, and the like. Waldo heard a low growl with several inflections. Waldo looked at the gnoll standing by Strisk.
“Would you mind repeating that? I am not sure I quite heard what you said, because I thought you called me a fur lover.” Waldo said, looking narrowly at the gnoll. The gnoll made several more growls at Waldo. The gnoll had reddish brown fur and stood a little shorter than Strisk. Waldo thought the gnoll would probably be considered extremely handsome among gnolls. He was well groomed and clearly muscled under the fur. He even wore a steel breastplate that was polished to a shine. Waldo saw a stamp over his right peck that appeared to be a runic enchantment.
“Because I am not. I learned it at the time because my life depended on it. The gnolls I met were not as affluent as you are here and only knew one language. Their own. I had to learn it or live without speaking. Their treatment of me would have killed me if I had not learned their language. They knew next to nothing of humans and were a tribe secluded in the mountains. They meant well, but due to the harsh circumstances of the location I was slowly dying from starvation and exposure. It took four weeks to learn enough for rough communication after which I found them to be extremely friendly and curious. I spent two years with that tribe before making contact with a human settlement in the area. I managed to broker a peace there because I learned gnollish. So I continued my education and have since learned various spoken dialects.” Waldo responded to the newcomers' growls calmly.
“Why don’t you respond in gnollish?” The gnoll asked, changing languages. Waldo growled back in several inflections and moved a hand. Violet had noticed hand movements when gnolls growled and never associated it with them speaking but Waldo’s movements were so pronounced she realized it had to be part of the gnollish language. “Fair enough. I am Captain Trag. Strisk says you are a soldier.”
“Wait what did you say?” Violet asked Waldo.
“Violet. Don’t be rude.” Strisk chided, curious himself but having held himself back.
“I am sorry. I have just never seen a non-gnoll speak gnollish” Violet said, almost involuntarily. Trag slapped Strisk across the back of the head.
“Strisk, she is our scribe, do not order her around.” Trag said, smiling. Waldo got the sense that Trag did not like Strisk.
“I explained human throats are not well formed for the gnollish language, which hurts my throat the more I speak it and makes my accompanying hand movements more pronounced than is proper.” Waldo explained to Violet.
“Can you teach me?” Violet asked, seeing how beneficial it would be to know gnollish in her job.
“We can talk after the interview.” Waldo said, smiling at Violet.
“Right, sorry. Thank you.” Violet replied looking over at Trag apologetically.
“Excuse me for interrupting your conversation Violet. I will make sure to send Waldo back once we are done.” Trag said, smiling at Violet then turning to Waldo. “What level of soldier are you? Or is it some other fighting class?”
“I don’t have any levels in fighting classes.” Waldo replied.
“And you want to be a city guard?” Trag said looking angrily at Strisk who looked at Waldo surprised.
“Wait, are you a medic of somekind?” Strisk asked, remembering the other night.
“No, just give me a chance. We should go to the training ground if combat assessment is to be a large part of this process.” Waldo stated, a little surprised they had started asking questions in the entrance.
“It is. We can train you in Protham legal code, but we rarely do combat training for our guards; most people come to us with twenty or more levels in a combat class, when they are applying to be a guard.” Trag stated, as Waldo opened the door.
“Where I come from people do not rely on the leveling systems for combat training.” Waldo started walking to the training grounds as Trag and Strisk followed.
“Where are you from?” Trag asked.
“Halcyon. Heard of it?” Waldo asked, knowing the reply.
“Nope.” Trag replied, thinking this human could never keep up with a gnoll or drake in a fight. “What are you wearing?” Trag asked, no longer able to hold back the question as the human looked very strange to him.
“Desert Armored Combat Fatigues, my throwing knives, combat knife, an assortment of tools I have found useful over the years, and a magic sling.” Waldo said, touching different things on his body. “The armor is stab resistant and there are several metal plates spread out in the fabric. If I get the job I would like to wear this until I can afford to get some locally made gear.”
“A magic sling?” Trag asked.
“Yeah, but I have limited ammo for it. It only works with special magic ammo and I doubt you have that here.” Waldo replied.
“Have you heard of a magic sling Strisk?” Trag asked.
“No, that is new to me.” Strisk replied. “I thought you could not use magic.”
“I cannot not cast a magic spell but this is an artifact. I could teach anyone to use it. If I had unlimited ammo or access to a bullet manufacturer I would be happy to show it off but I only have ninety rounds for it.” Waldo explained.
“How long have you been a soldier?” Trag asked, Waldo had seen himself in a mirror and knew they would not believe the truth. Waldo looked like he was in his prime but Halcyon slowed aging massively Waldo was older than any human got to normally and he was still unsure if he had died or Death’s healing had further reduced the effects of aging.
“Nine years.” Waldo replied, pushing it as far as he thought he could. Waldo had put his age down as twenty nine on the form, but knew he looked closer to twenty now. “I expect I will be sparing with one of you?”
“No, we are waiting for your sparring partners. I sent for two reservists. They generally are not needed for regular guard shifts and if they are injured it should not interfere with their regular jobs.” Trag stated, show us how good you are with throwing knives.
“Alright.” Waldo said, pulling four of the weighted knives from their sheaths. Waldo carried twelve in all. Four on his left leg, two on each arm and four on his chest. Waldo started by juggling the knives as he moved into position to throw them. Waldo smoothly plucked them out of the air as he was juggling them and launched them one after another in quick succession down the lane, with the knives sinking deep into the wooden target in a tight group.
“For having no skills that is pretty good. Now for the moving targets.” Trag said, with Waldo looking back at him as he pressed a button. Waldo watched as the targets began to move side to side. Waldo could tell this was intended for arrows as the range was longer than he would usually throw when it came to moving targets.
“May I move up or do you want me to throw from here?” Waldo asked.
“Tark throws from there.” Trag replied, Waldo grabbed two more knives, throwing them half a second after looking back at the target. Both landed bullseyes but Waldo could feel the strain on his muscles. He was not used to this distance. Waldo pulled two more and turned his back to the targets. Waldo slowly strafed toward the center of the range as he had started to the right side. After a moment making sure to give the targets time to move he spun around and with one hand launched both knives. One landed in a bullseye, but the other fell short. Waldo turned his back to the targets and drew all of his remaining knives placing them at the ready in one hand. Waldo turned and threw three and turned back around quickly. He heard 2 thuds and one that was a clang. He was not sure what the third had hit. Waldo spun around and sent his final knife down the lane hitting another bullseye. The three quick throws were not bullseyes but they had all hit targets.
“That is all the throwing knives I carry.” Waldo said. “Shall I collect them?”
“No, Strisk go get the knives and report back on how deep they are.” Trag said, turning the moving targets off. Waldo moved over to Trag as Strisk retrieved the knives. “Only one complete miss, that is not bad. If you are hired then we are gonna have to replace the knives with some weighted rods. We can issue you some bolas while on duty. Unless a kill order is issued, but most the time we will expect people to be taken alive.”
“Understandable. What is a bolas?” Waldo asked.
“It is three pieces of rope tied to each other on one end and has a weight on the other side. When throwing it, the intent is to hit a person's legs and if it works correctly it will wrap around a fleeing person’s legs and trip them. In town it can be tricky to use and for people they have lighter weights. It was originally used to hunt various animals on the plains. If the weights are too heavy they can break bones.” Trag said, explained. “What class are you?”
Waldo had been preparing for this question since they had asked him earlier. “Diplomat.” Waldo replied.
“You have no levels in a combat class but you are a diplomat as a soldier?” Trag questioned.
“When I use skills from it as a soldier it is generally in interrogations, but my personal goal was to try and find less violent solutions to my nation's disputes. So, I ended up becoming a diplomat. The times I acted in that capacity I was glad to have trained as a soldier. Few people seem to want peaceful resolutions. So as a diplomat I have often been met with violence.” Waldo explained twisting the truth. They stood in silence as they waited for Strisk to finish retrieving the knives. Strisk handed Waldo eleven of the knives and Trag one of the knives.
“Six perfect hits. Three near perfects. Two hits. One miss. Ten hits were all very deep. The one that made the clang hit a metal frame holding the target. It dented the metal and chipped his knife.” Strisk reported as Waldo sheathed the eleven knives he had been handed. Waldo looked at Trag just in time to catch his face returning to a neutral state after what Waldo believed to be a frown.
“How is your hand to hand combat proficiency?”Trag asked.
“I am an expert with a knife, however, I could easily swap it out for a padded baton. It would be harder on me, but I am sure I can hold my own.” Waldo said, showing the knife sheathed across his lower back and trying to determine Trag’s mood. Trag examined the knife and could see it was custom made for Waldo and well used.
“Strisk, you are good to go on patrol. Your partner should be ready about now.” Trag said, with a hint of sadness.
“I was hoping to stay and see him fight the reservists.” Strisk said, a little excited and as Strisk said that it clicked for Waldo.
“No one is coming. To test my combat proficiency.” Waldo said, calmly. “Sorry, Strisk. I should have known better.”
“We should go to my office and talk.” Trag said and handed Waldo the chipped knife Strisk had handed him.
“Wait, why?” Strisk asked, Trag.
“Politics, Strisk. Guardsmen are just a little political, which means Trag cannot hire another human. Especially, not in a citizen-facing role.” Waldo said, with a smile. “Am I right?”
“Violet, is our scribe. Citizen’s see her.” Strisk said looking confused.
“Violet is my scribe. She assists with filing and compiling guardsmen reports. She has only covered the front desk on a few occasions and usually it is to give another scribe a break or chance to go to the bathroom.” Trag stated.
“Strisk, thank you for introducing me to Captain Trag. I truly appreciate this opportunity. I would be happy to speak to you in your office Trag.” Waldo said, smiling at both of them.
“Sorry, Waldo… I didn’t realize.” Strisk said dejectly. Waldo laughed lightly.
“You have done no harm at all and even helped me file documents I needed to in order to stay. You introduced me to your Captain. Strisk, you have been nothing but helpful. Please do not feel sorry.” Waldo said, smiling at Strisk.
“Thanks, I guess I should get going.” Strisk said, clearly feeling better. “Sir. Waldo.” Strisk said, nodding his head to each of them and leaving. Trag started heading towards the guard house and motioned for Waldo to follow, which Waldo did in silence. Trag opened the door and sure enough Violet was no longer at the front desk. There was a male Drake scribe sitting behind the counter.
“Sir.” The drake said, standing up to greet them. Trag waved his hand and the drake sat back down. Waldo followed him up a set of stairs and down a hall to an open room with three scribes working on various documents on a table big enough for four, one of which was Violet.
“Your morning report sir.” A female gnoll scribe said, smiling at Trag and holding a folder. She noticed Waldo and her demeanor changed slightly. She glanced at Violet as Trag grabbed the folder.
“Thank you. I have a meeting for a few minutes. Is there anything urgent?” Trag gestured at Waldo. The scribes all looked up and gave a negative nod. “If needed you may interrupt us.” Trag said, opening his office door and leading Waldo into his office. It was a plain room. There were several chairs facing the back of the room with a large desk and chair behind it facing the door. There were two sturdy looking bookcases organized with an assortment of documents. The room was clean and orderly. A couch sat against one wall with a window behind it that had shutters and Waldo noticed a plain axe with a rope next to it leaning against a bookcase. “Please take a seat.” Trag said, opening the folder as he moved around the desk and sat down. Waldo sat across from him. They sat in silence as Trag read over a few reports. “Thank you for your patience.” Trag said look up from the report.
“Anything important?” Waldo asked.
“No, just the normal going on. Except for you of course.” Trag said.
“Yeah, I made a surprising entrance last night.” Waldo agreed.
“Teleportation has a tendency to create some alerts. If Strisk had not reported your arrival last night, the guard may have interrupted your welcome to our fine city.” Trag replied.
“That report is more thorough than I would have liked.” Waldo stated.
“Kna is a friend and Aer is a gossip.” Trag replied.
“I should have waited in the common room. We could have talked last night.” Waldo guessed.
“Doubtful, but I would have known your face this morning if you had.” Trag stated.
“I had hoped this was an offer for contract work of some kind.” Waldo said, frowning slightly.
“It still might be. I have not determined what to do about you.” Trag replied.
“Oh, well is there something you would like cleared up?” Waldo asked, smiling.
“Kna is worried about one of her barmaids. Aer has never seen her friend respond so positively to someone so quickly.” Trag stated, calmly. Waldo knew they were straying into dangerous territory.
“I have never responded to another human as positively.” Waldo replied, honestly.
“Just two soulmates meeting for the first time?” Trag asked, Waldo jerked in surprise at the word reacting before he could stop himself. Waldo realized Trag did not mean it the way he had taken it but it was too late. Trag had been watching him closely and was now looking unsure at Waldo. “I think you have some explaining to do.” Trag said, prepared to strike. Waldo leaned forward and placed his head in his hand dropping his show.
“This cannot under any circumstances leave this room. If you have listeners they need to stop. If you have a way to make the room secure. I will tell you enough to know why.” Waldo said, unsure of what would happen next.
“What, so can you kill me in silence?” Trag asked, feeling concerned about this stranger's response.
“If you want to tie me up feel free, but I am not talking until I am confident the secret won’t leave this room.” Waldo said, sitting back and calming his nerves. Waldo was trying to figure out how to explain this with as little lying as possible. Waldo wondered if he could avoid lying all together. Trag hesitated for a minute then opened a drawer and pulled out a small box. Trag said a command word under his breath and the box activated.
“Alright, we are alone and no one can see or hear us. This better be good or I won’t keep your secret.” Trag said.
“Have you ever been in love so much it hurt your soul?” Waldo asked.
“What?” Trag asked, surprised.
“I have. If I had understood this was possible. If I had known. I would have done so many things differently.” Waldo said, deciding to be as honest as he felt he could. “I thought she was dead. I joined the wrong people to get vengeance. To make it stop. In doing, so I pissed off some really powerful people. I thought my master was strong enough to protect me and I thought I was powerful enough to protect myself. I want to tell Lydia so bad. I want her to remember our time together. Every second we spent together. If I had magic this would be so easy but using magic to accomplish it would be wrong.” Waldo said, with tears in his eyes. “I wish I could just show her. However, the people I pissed off took my ability to use magic. I did not even know that was possible.” Waldo said, holding out an open palm. “Light.” Trag felt magic tug slightly, but nothing happened. “They took my magic so I could not interfere. When they did that I thought they would send me to a prison cell or some equally horrible place. They cursed me with unwanted knowledge I can barely grasp. Part of my mind is still trying to rip itself apart. But instead of sending me to a desert. They toss me like I am nothing and I land inside Spriggan Inn, in Protham barely even hurt. I did know she was the same soul at first. Standing in the dim light of the inn. She looks the same. Alive working as a barmaid in a place I have never even heard of. She doesn’t even remember me but she was drawn to me just like I was to her all those years ago.” Waldo said. “Kna is worried I might hurt her and honestly so am I. However, if we are to separate again I would have her tell me to go. It would be the most painful thing I ever do but I would leave if she asked. I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me, but I have found my dead lover again, my soulmate and I never thought I would see her. She died so I figured that was it. I did not know about the cycle but now I do. So please give me the chance to win her.” Waldo finished with tears at the corners of his eyes. “Please, I am begging you.” Trag knew Waldo was leaving part out but felt he was being honest and looking at Waldo Trag knew he held this man’s life in his hands at this moment. Trag looked at Waldo and activated several skills he had for conversations like this. Trag knew Waldo did not intend harm at this time or harm to his city.
“For the moment. You have convinced me.” Trag said, still slightly concerned, something about him bothered Trag, but Trag was confident the stranger would be unlikely to deliberately cause problems in Protham.
“Thank you for giving me a chance. I will prove I mean no harm.” Waldo said, starting to recover his composure. Trag grabbed the rope and axe, placing them on his desk.
“Do you know how to cut down a tree?” Trag asked.
“Yes.” Waldo replied.
“As captain of the guard. I am allotted two trees every year. The town allows me to do as I will with the tree tokens, I am issued. The mill will pay me five gold per token on average. However, If I cut the tree down and turn in the tree with the token they will right now pay eight gold. If you cut a tree down and turn it in for me. I will let you keep two gold coins of those eight.” Trag stated placing a token on the table.
“Sounds like a good deal.” Waldo replied.
“Have you hunted boar?” Trag asked.
“I have hunted. Not specifically boar but I am familiar with the complexities they present.” Waldo replied, wondering where this was going.
“Currently, we have a boar problem on the western road and several groups have been attacked by boars. It is quite troublesome. Protham does not have an adventuring guild and most hunters will hunt safer game or only kill one or two boars at a time. You can rent a hand cart for a day for three coppers at the docks. Usually they are used to transport fish around town. They are sturdy carts and can hold several hundred kilos. There are several blacksmiths in town that sell quality steel tipped javelins, for a silver. Now they are not perfect for hunting boar but they should work well enough. Currently, I have placed a bounty on boar kills of a silver per boar jaw turned in. We will even buy the dead boar for one and half coppers per five pounds. However, you could show us the boar, collect the silver, then most local butchers will buy dead boar for two copper per five pounds. Those are the current rates for whole boars” Trag explained.
“Sounds like I have a tree to chop down.” Waldo said standing.
“Out the main gate past the mill and then pick an un-worked tree the taller the better. They pay less for trees shorter than twenty feet and more for trees taller than twenty five feet. If you are willing to search there are some forty and fifty footers out there. I expect six gold regardless.” Trag stated.
“Why are you doing this?” Waldo asked.
“It is not one thing. Lots of little things adding up. Kna is a friend and Lydia is important to her. Kna knows I cannot employ you as a guard. This keeps you out of trouble. Solves a problem for me and if you work hard. Kna might start to like you. I was not going to be able to cut my second tree down before the end of the year. There are more reasons, but in the end, I see no downside for me giving you this chance.” Trag stated plainly.
“Well thank you. I appreciate this.” Waldo said and picked up the axe smiling.
“Good Luck. I plan to eat dinner at Spriggan Inn. So if you get back after sunset you can find me there.” Trag said, gesturing for Waldo to leave.
“Thank you, again!” Waldo said, leaving. After he closed the door he looked for Violet but she was not there. Waldo headed to the stairs back to the entryway. Violet wasn’t there either so he left a message for her and headed back to the Inn. Waldo wanted to ditch his armor before heading out to cut down a tree.