1.Do you have mini-rituals before starting to work? Do you turn on music or is it important for you to sit in silence to immerse yourself in the world of Astraea and come up with new interesting plot twists?
Before work, I walk the dog and drink coffee) I prefer silence.
2.What did you do before joining the Romance Club team?
Before joining the Romance Club team, I worked as a narrative designer.
3. Have you made mood boards? Did you guide the artists and show examples of buildings/rooms/clothing, etc., or did you leave a lot to their will?
Visual examples, text descriptions - all this is part of our work. This is how technical specifications are drawn up. But it is only a direction followed by the artist's long journey. And very often the result turns out to be even better than I had in my head.
4.Which of the screenwriters do you keep in touch with, besides Alice?
We communicate very closely with Alexandra, the author of “Requiem.” We came to the Kyrgyz Republic almost at the same time, we both fell under Alice's wing, so we are walking side by side. She is wonderful and I worry about her story just as much as I worry about mine
5.Which view do you adhere to more in life: Is there something otherworldly or do you explain it more with logic?
I don't believe in the other world. But I'm ready to change my mind if I ever encounter something surprising.
6. Do you plan to reveal your appearance to players? And will you share the processes of creating scenes/cuts, etc.?
I don't plan to reveal my appearance
I will definitely try to share the processes of creating characters, cut scenes, etc.!
7. Is it difficult to write your first story and especially write down those moments that should be connected in future episodes?
As in any job: there are plenty of nuances. But what you see in the final is worth any effort and difficulty
8.Are you going through your own story and who are you planning to go along the branch with?
Yes, of course) While I haven't decided on the branch, I'm taking improvements from everyone.
9. How many seasons are you planning for your novel?
3 seasons are planned.
10. Will there be new characters as love interests? Or maybe there will be another female branch?
I'm afraid this is a spoiler
11. When will the branches be closed?
Not planned yet. Play calmly
12. In what year do the events of the story take place?
Events take place around our time.
13. Mikael said “Our Father” when mentioning the situation with Raphael. Is this "Father" a patron? Or someone else? Will this be mentioned further in the story?
Of course, we will definitely find out who their father is
14.Will they show the occult symbol that was found in the last update?
Yes, we will show the symbol a little later.
15. The main character's wardrobe looks unreal! Tell me, what inspires you when creating images for Audrey?
Thank you!We try to stick to the classics, like all Astrea employees
16.How much will stats influence Audrey's future worldview and the novel itself as a whole?
Stats affect not only her worldview, but also her character. And they, of course, will influence the finale.
17.Will any other stats and other paths not related to the character of the main character be added in the future?
No, there will be no more stats. But different endings will also depend on certain choices.
18. What are the favorite zodiac signs? — How old are each of the characters? — What is the height of each of the favorites?
I will answer these questions in more detail. We will prepare questionnaires for you or something like that
19. Will we be able to match the characters?
To be honest, there were no such thoughts. But I was very curious, who would you like to set our characters up with?
20.Which character is closest to your character and why?
Probably Mikael. He and I are both workaholics and it's hard for me, like him, to get emotional
21. In the update, almost all the choices with the guys were for romance. Is it possible to make paid friendship elections in order to get to know them better, but not make your main LI jealous?
So far, nothing fatal has happened in story. In the future, the paths of friendship and romance will differ more clearly.
22. Will we dress up our favorites?
We will
23. Also about the topic of family. From Audrey we already learn a lot about her parents. This topic is well raised in the disclosure of the MC itself. But will the theme with the favorites' parents also be revealed?
We will learn about the past of all our heroes. And we'll raise the topic with our parents, too, if it plays an important role for them, as, for example, it did for Audrey herself.
24. How was David created?
David was created easily. He had a lot of prototypes, which makes it difficult to single out just one.
Initially, he was conceived as a big rake, but as the chapters were written, the character himself made adjustments to his character
25. What about David's past relationships? Did they exist and if so, will you talk about it in the novel? Overall, is he ready for a serious relationship?
Whether he will be ready for a serious relationship depends on you and your choices
26. Why does David call Audrey “witch”?
Probably because she bewitched him
27. Has Mikael ever had a serious relationship in the past? It seems that it is in terms of serious love relationships that it is extremely difficult to hook him! It's like he's so inaccessible)
It seems to me that the players of the RC took even those who were not so inaccessible)) The main thing is not to lose hope!
28. What is Felonia's sexuality? Has she been in relationships with girls/boys before?
I think for Fel, the main thing is the person, not their gender.
29. About Cassiel: Will he show gentleness instead of the usual barbness?
Here everything depends on your choices) Everything is in your hands!
30. How was Raphael created? Who were you inspired by and are there any prototypes?
Raphael, by the way, is the only character who has only one prototype. To avoid spoilers, for now I can tell you that this is a character from the book. Perhaps after the first season, when the character is revealed more, I will share the name) And perhaps someone will guess it now
31. We have already learned that Ruth is quite close to Audrey. We also agreed to meet with her. She is somewhat important in the plot and perhaps a branch is planned with her?
She's important to the plot, but there won't be a branch with her
32. We could see the Wolf in the opening animation. How important is this animal in the plot and, perhaps, we can become its owner? According to the type of pet for the MC. Or is the Wolf not as simple as we think and hides within himself something more than an ordinary beast?
Yes, of course, the wolf is important to the plot. It will open additional scenes and become a good friend for him

A defense of Aldarion is more difficult, and thus will take longer than In 'Defense' of Erendis, which is recommended to read first. We know much less of Aldarion's tale as 'The Mariner’s Wife' is told primarily from Erendis’ side in Númenor, and at the same time, there is a much longer tale in Aldarion’s life during his voyages that we only get a peak of in Gil-galad’s letter that would greatly change our perception of events in ‘The Mariner’s Wife’, particularly during the crucial 877 voyage after Ancalimë is born, which was argued as a fault of Aldarion.
Within the context of the story, Lady Uinen, Maia of the Sea, and Lord Oromë, Vala of the Forest, could be read as central characters, and a defense of Aldarion is best shown as a tale between these two beings.

Meneldur and Aldarion's Early Years

From an early age, Meneldur likely stressed to his son Aldarion the importance of his duty as the Heir of the Sceptre. Meneldur did not share in his son’s passions, but certainly had his own:

(Meneldur) loved dearly the land of Númenor and all things in it, but he gave no heed to the Sea that lay all about it; for his mind looked further than Middle-earth: he was enamoured of the stars and the heavens.

From what little we can glean of Meneldur’s early life, the pursuit of his passions were cut too early for his liking:

When Meneldur received the Sceptre he removed, as he must, from the Forostar, and dwelt in the great house of the Kings in Armenelos. He proved a good and wise king, though he never ceased to yearn for days in which he might enrich his knowledge of the heavens.

Meneldur may have been constraining Aldarion’s passions the same way his own had been. In doing this, he tried to impart on Aldarion that a King’s duty was first to the public.
We can gather from the texts that Meneldur started to constrain his son’s voyages sometime within the period of 750 when Aldarion created the Guild of Venterurs and 800 when Aldarion was named Heir to the Sceptre. Aldarion was still quite young during this time especially by the standard of the Line of Elros, and Aldarion was within his right to pursue his passions.

Tar-Meneldur looked coldly on the enterprises of his son, and cared not to hear the tale of his journeys, believing that he sowed the seeds of restlessness and the desire of other lands to hold.
Tar-Meneldur ever opposed his son, and he set a curb on the felling of trees in Númenor for the building of vessels; and it came therefore into Aldarion’s mind that he would find timber in Middle-earth, and seek there for a haven for the repair of his ships.

As Meneldur began increasing preassures on Aldarion to constrain his voyages, this conflict would likely the the foundation of Aldarion’s land weariness, further driving him into the arms of Lady Uinen. By 816, he would be described as associating ‘life on land’ negatively:

Life on land was irksome to him, for aboard his ship he was subject to no other will, and the Venturers who accompanied him knew only love and admiration for the Great Captain.

Erendis gives Aldarion the Bough of Return

Before Aldarion would depart again in 816, Meneldur would act even more severely with his son’s Sea-longing and would deny Aldarion’s voyage the ‘Bough of Return’:

When a ship departed from Númenor over the Great Sea to Middle-earth a woman, most often of the captain’s kin, should set upon the vessel’s prow the Green Bough of Return; and that was cut from the tree oiolairë, that signifies ‘Ever-summer’, which the Eldar gave to the Númenóreans, saying that they set it upon their own ships in token of friendship with Ossë and Uinen.

This would likely be a hurtful act and a condemnation of Aldarion's passions by his father, but Erendis would enter Aldarion’s life at this critical moment:

Erendis came to Aldarion in Rómenna while he was preparing for departure, bearing the Bough of Return for Aldarion’s journey:
Erendis came there, little though she loved the noise and bustle of the great harbour and the crying of the gulls.
Aldarion greeted her with amazement and joy; and she said: ‘I have brought you the Bough of Return, lord: from the Queen.’
‘From the Queen?’ said Aldarion, in a changed manner.
‘Yes, lord,’ said she; ‘but I asked for her leave to do so. Others beside your own kin will rejoice at your return, as soon as may be.’
At that time Aldarion first looked on Erendis with love; and he stood long in the stern looking back as the Palarran passed out to sea.

Erendis would affirm Aldarion’s love of the Sea and Lady Uinen when his father was cold. When Aldarion came back from his voyage in 820, he uncharacteristically came back sooner than he intended, and with a generous gift for Erendis. And soon he would spend his longest known stay on Númenor for Erendis.
Bringing Aldarion the Bough of Return would have further significance to Aldarion in the context of Númenor at this time. When Aldarion was born in 700, the people of Númenor were a fairly reclusive society whose main point of contact with the outside world were Aman. Aldarion was a pioneer and had ventured where no other Númenórean had in Middle-earth, which was widely regarded as the land of the “Men of Darkness”.
Beside Aldarion’s own companions, most in Númenor likely sympathized with Meneldur, making Aldarion feel estranged from his own country.

Lady Uinen and Lord Oromë

In a sense, Aldarion and Erendis’ true partners were the Lady Uinen of the Sea and the Lord Oromë of the Forests, for Aldarion’s love of the Sea and Erendis’ love of trees. This becomes clear to them during Aldarion’s longest stay land after he arrives back in Númenor in 843 and seeks out Erendis:

‘I will not share my husband with the Lady Uinen,’ said Erendis.
‘That is a twisted saying,’ said Aldarion. ‘As well might I say that I would not share my wife with the Lord Oromë of Forests, because she loves trees that grow wild.’

A twisted saying indeed for Aldarion, for he also loved trees. His own name is likely to mean “Son of Trees” in Quenya, with the compound of aldar ("trees") and the suffix -ion ("-son"). Lord Oromë, who loves all trees, is known also as Aldaron. Aldarion cuts many trees for his vessels but is also shown to be a good steward of the forests, and it is not suggested that as a mariner he cut more than he planted.
Aldarion’s happiest days were planting trees with Erendis. As she brought him the Bough of Return, he in turn affirmed her love of Lord Oromë:

But Aldarion wooed Erendis in earnest, and wherever she went he would go; he neglected the havens and the shipyards and all the concerns of the Guild of Venturers, felling no trees but setting himself to their planting only, and he found more contentment in those days than in any others of his life, though he did not know it until he looked back long after when old age was upon him.

Aldarion and Erendis could certainly bond over a shared love of trees, though Erendis values them in a different way than Aldarion. Aldarion values them more for their use, while Erendis for their aesthetic value.
While Aldarion came to live with and embrace Erendis’ love of Lord Oromë, himself a lover of trees, Erendis realized during this time that she could never embrace the Lady Uinen:

(Erendis) determined that she must utterly defeat the Sea and the ships, or else be herself defeated utterly.

Erendis conceals her dislike of the Sea

But before their marriage in 871, Erendis makes efforts to conceal this motivation to defeat the Sea in front of Aldarion. From their very first encounter, Erendis conceals her dislike of the atmosphere of the harbor of Rómenna to deliver him the Bough of Return.
Then in 850, for the centennial of the founation of the Guild of Venturers, Erendis goes on a small voyage with Aldarion to Andunië:

At length he sought to persuade Erendis to sail with him on a voyage about the Island in the ship Eämbar; for one hundred years had now passed since Aldarion founded the Guild of Venturers, and feasts were to be held in all the havens of Númenor. To this Erendis consented, concealing her distaste and fear; and they departed from Rómenna and came to Andúnië in the west of the Isle.

This voyage may have given hope to Aldarion that Erendis could be made to love the Sea eventually. Erendis also displayed an ability to compromise with Lady Uinen. Before Aldarion’s voyage in 863 after their betrothal, she refuses to come with him, but Erendis’ language is still sorrowful and ultimately conciliatory:

‘And, alas! if for love of you I took ship, I should not return. It is beyond my strength to endure; and out of sight of land I should die. The Sea hates me; and now it is revenged that I kept you from it and yet fled from you. Go, my lord! But have pity, and take not so many years as I lost before.’

Even so, Erendis’ dislike of the Sea comes off particularly strong at times, even for a woman of Númenor. In Andunië, after Erendis’ first voyage with Aldarion:

There Valandil, Lord of Andúnië and close kin of Aldarion, held a great feast; and at that feast he drank to Erendis, naming her Uinéniel, Daughter of Uinen, the new Lady of the Sea.
But Erendis, who sat beside the wife of Valandil, said aloud: ‘Call me by no such name! I am no daughter of Uinen: rather is she my foe.’

We get no reaction from Aldarion here, though we are unsure if he even heard this. Other signs of Erendis’ feelings would be harder to deny by Aldarion as they were made in direct conversation with him. One explanation for Aldarion to dismiss these signs would be that it was a common sentiment for a woman of Númenor to be wary of the Sea. Númenorean women seemed to defy conventions in many ways, being nearer to men in stature and strength, and skilled on horseback.

They did not, however, greatly love the Sea. They would journey in need in the coastwise craft from port to port; but they did not like to be long aboard or to pass even one night in a ship.

The Fall of Númenor. The life of Númenoreans: Of sports and pastimes (38-39)
Much like Erendis hoped to teach Aldarion the ways of Lord Oromë, Aldarion might have thought there was hope to teach Erendis the ways of Lady Uinen.

The 877 voyage after Ancalimë’s birth

So after the 6-year voyage from 863-869, we arrive at the marriage of Aldarion and Erendis in 871 and the birth of Ancalimë in 873. Aldarion is certainly at fault for the interruption of their ‘Days of the Children’ (see In ‘Defense’ of Erendis).
So what drove Aldarion to the Sea so soon after their wedding and the birth of Ancalimë in 873? We know Aldarion was capable of spending at least 15 uninterrupted years on land in Númenor, and was happy spending them with Erendis. What could have driven him back on a voyage so soon, even if it was intended to be breif, after the birth of his daughter in defiance of the convention of the Eldar?
The more obvious explanation has to do with the nature of his travels. Gil-galad’s letter to Meneldur is Aldarion’s best defense:

Long I have owed you thanks, for you have so many times sent to me your son Anardil Aldarion: the greatest Elf-friend that now is among Men, as I deem. At this time I ask your pardon, if I have detained him overlong in my service; for I had great need of the knowledge of Men and their tongues which he alone possesses.

Here is a breif account from Aldarion upon return of his travels in 882: But here is a breif account from Aldarion upon return of his travels in 882:

‘But the world is changing again. Outside nigh on a thousand years have passed since the Lords of the West sent their power against Angband; and those days are forgotten, or wrapped in dim legend among Men of Middle-earth. They are troubled again, and fear haunts them. I desire greatly to consult with you, to give account of my deeds, and my thought concerning what should be done.’

Aldarion has a long-standing relationship with Gil-galad and the peoples of Eriador by this point, and we know from the timeline that Sauron would begin to stir in Middle-earth starting around SA 500, well before Aldarion’s set foot on Middle-earth. There were likely conflicts and even wars being fought in Eriador. Aldarion was far from the conflicts increasing in severity of the people he had no doubt come to care for, and the ever-present threat of the Shadow consuming them, would no doubt cause worry for Aldarion. The peace-time demands of Númenor would pale by comparison.

Erendis causing Aldarion’s Sea-longing

Another possible interpretation is that Erendis’ own fear about Aldarion’s love for the Sea would began to reveal to Aldarion her own true feelings about the Sea and his work.
Sometime after Ancalimë’s birth, two things happened. Erendis began to fear the power of the Sea on Aldarion’s heart and Aldarion began to dabble again in ship building. But which came first: Aldarion returning to ship building, or Erendis’ own fear that Aldarion would soon leave again? In the course of the narrative, it would seem Erendis’ fear came first.

For in secret she still feared the Sea and its power upon his heart; and though she strove to hide it, and would talk with him of his old ventures and of his hopes and designs, she watched jealously if he went to his house-ship or was much with the Venturers.

Up until their marriage, there may have been few signs to Aldarion of the depth of Erendis’ dislike of the Sea, or he may have ignored them, instead focusing on their common passions. After their marriage, Erendis’ anxiety about Aldarion’s possible interruption of their ‘Days of the Children’ may have caused her to increasingly reveal a hatred and incompatability with Lady Uinen, in turn strenghtening Aldarion’s Sea-longing. His ship building in this sense could be seen as a retreat into comfort, eventually leading him to succumb into his Sea-longing.
Erendis’ dislike of Lady Uinen could also be seen as a betrayal in Aldarion’s mind of the shared harmony they had from their first encounter when she brought the Bough of Return to Aldarion in 816. Afterwards, they of both of Lady Uinen and Lord Oromë dwealt in harmony for many years from Aldarion’s perspective, with Aldarion happily planting seeds with Erendis, and Erendis taking voyages with Aldarion.
When Erendis revealed that she actually shared more with Meneldur in condemning his love for Lady Uinen, and that their hopes were not in fact compatable, Aldarion was soon driven back into her arms.

I (16F) have been sick for the past 3 days and only ate my first meal today. I didn't eat anything the first 2 days because I ended up throwing up all my food and only ate some fruit purée yesterday and managed not throw up.
I went to my step-dad's brother's place (let's call my step dad John and his brother dan) with the family because "family's" important. My brother (13M) broke his leg in February and they're still not over it and still take care of him and focus on him more than me now even though I was almost passing out from not eating much and the heat outside.
I was playing video games inside because dan is chill like that. My brother came to see me and said out of nowhere "I'm gonna play in 10 minutes" so, out of spite and fatigue, I simply answered "no". He said "in 10 minutes or in 10 minutes, you choose" so repeated my answer. He went to go get our mother and when she got here, my brother told her I'd been playing for at least 1h30 when it had only been 25-30 minutes. I tried to explain that to my mom but she made me cave in after yelling at me, so I'd stop at 7:15.
When 7:15 arrived, I hadn't noticed so my brother went to go get our mom and she ended up yelling at me again to let my brother play. At this point, I was already on the verge of tears. Then my brother decided to put his legs practically on mine on the sofa, so I pushed them away. That ended up making him yell at me, so I yelled back. Then our mom got down and started yelling only at me, which after that made john come down to yell at me "how old are you for f_ck's sake?!" And I broke. I cried, they kept yelling, I went to the basement and stayed there.
Been crying for a while so I texted my best friend ,with spite for my brother, mother and john, and got on a call with her after.

Trying an experiment his month by changing the monthly "What Are You Reading" Thread into a weekly one. Alongside your comments as to what you're reading, please leave a remark as to whether you prefer the threads to be weekly or monthly. Depending on the response, the reading thread will remain monthly or change into a weekly format.
Share what manga you are currently reading and what you think about them. The more detail the better! ("Reading x" < "Reading x and liking it" << "Reading x and like how it does a, b, and c....")
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If done correctly your text will show up like this. Thanks for participating in the community!

https://xenagoguevicene.wordpress.com/2024/05/18/old-genocide-joe-has-got-to-go-by-philip-giraldi-17-may-2024/
Embracing Netanyahu does not constitute a foreign policy
It is extremely difficult to discern what might be the thinking behind the clueless President Joe Biden and his Blinken-Austin-Mayorkas foreign-policy-plus national security team. Or rather, the problem is that there does not appear to be any thinking about it at all if one measures it by what benefits it brings to the American people. It all actually seems to derive from a desire to construct a narrative that will win the presidential election coming up in November, which will fortunately be run against a deeply flawed GOP candidate named Donald J. Trump. But look at what is on the Biden record: the country’s southern border with Mexico is a porous as a Swiss cheese, allowing literally millions of illegal immigrants into the USA since Biden took office; Washington is both de facto and de jure simultaneously fighting and losing two unnecessary wars involving nuclear powers which has cost a nearly bankrupt Treasury well into the hundreds of billions of dollars; and the White House is needlessly sanctioning non-hostile competitors like China while also making illegal popular social media sites like TikTok which have committed the sin of reporting and disseminating accurate narratives about good old “best friend and closest ally” Israel. Predictably, neither of the assertions about the value of the Jewish state is true, nor is it a democracy, but who cares when you’re having fun shooting people and spending someone else’s money?
Oh, and just try to exercise your first amendment free speech rights by demonstrating against Israel’s slaughter of upwards of 40,000 Palestinian civilians using US provided weapons and you will be hit on the head by a cop, possibly arrested, and even expelled from college! If you want to see where this is all going, check out reports of the recent FBI detention and interrogation of distinguished Israeli historian Ilan Pappe seeking to enter the US through the Detroit International Airport. Pappe is a critic of the Netanyahu government and of US policy so he was held, questioned in detailed about his contacts, and had his phone copied before being allowed to proceed. Meanwhile, a group of top federal judges have signed a letter stating that they will strike back against the demonstrating students by refusing to hire any graduates of Columbia University Law School as law clerks. And there even is a bill currently before Congress that would empower the government to label the foreign protesters “antisemites and terrorism supporters” and deport them, with some going to Gaza with the expectation that they would be killed, possibly by the mighty Israel Defense Forces (IDF)! It would be a startling new development to punish those whose crime consists mostly of trespass even given the rather loose ethical boundaries established by the war on terror and the Antisemitism Awareness Act! Or indeed one might follow the Senatorial route led by a chirping Lindsey Graham who recommends dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza to kill everyone who has survived the Israeli onslaught. The area then might be developed after the radiation dies down for those splendid seaside villas for Jews only suggested by the esteemed Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.
To be sure, Joe sometimes mumbles something that might just be viewed positively, like his recent blocking on humanitarian grounds of a consignment of bunker buster bombs on their way to Israel due to Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that, no matter what, he would invade Rafah to completely destroy Hamas and whoever else might happen to get in his way. Joe predictably reversed that decision last Tuesday, approving a $1 billion supply of munitions after he came under pressure from the Israelis and their many friends in the US, to include a host of Israel-loving GOP congressmen who have carried their fight on behalf of the Jewish state to The Hague, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is being directly threatened with American wrath lest it try to punish Israeli leaders for their genocide in Gaza. As Bill Astore put it “Last week, President Biden appeared to have strapped on a temporary spine in delaying shipments of ‘offensive’ weaponry to Israel for its murderous invasion of Rafah in Gaza. That spine had a short duration as Biden announced [Tuesday] renewed shipments of tank and mortar rounds to Israel.” Congress has also gotten into the game with the GOP controlled House of Representatives having passed a bill that would compel the White House to continue all arms shipments to Israel. Joe might also be thinking of political contributions, as American Jews donate the majority of Democratic Party funding, as well guaranteeing a friendly media in his campaign as they dominate both the news and the entertainment industries. See, Joe can figure some things out all by himself every once in a while!
Here’s the problem with Joe, apart from the roughly $12 million in gift-donations from Jewish/Israeli sources that he has obtained in his political career. His tactical thinking does not extend beyond his personal interests, to include his corrupt children, a trait very much like that which is possessed by his good buddy Netanyahu who is facing corruption charges of his own in Israel. Joe believes he is much cleverer than he actually is and thinks that an occasional mild verbal criticism of the Israeli behavior will convince his target audience of voters that he really is concerned about the continuing death toll in Gaza, where the Israelis have already been taking initial steps in their attack on Rafah by using their tanks to penetrate into the targeted zone to destroy and kill.
And as for the reported completion and initial functioning of the floating pier connected to Gaza constructed by US military engineers, it will not dramatically change reality on the ground even though Biden is claiming that it will enable the entry of much needed food and medical aid. Israel will still “security” control what is allowed to enter into Gaza proper while Netanyahu is seeing the pier as a bridge to nowhere, usable primarily to export excess Palestinians to foreign lands that are either willing or unwilling to accept them. And its existence creates some interesting possibilities. As it presumably will be logistically supported on the pier itself by US-based personnel, Netanyahu might well be tempted to stage a false flag attack blamed on Hamas to kill a few Americans and lock Biden into Israel’s right-wing Gaza policies from now on. Bear in mind that, in reality, Biden could care less if all the Palestinians might be “disappeared” just as he would like to see any and all critics of Israel be subjected to the harshest punishments, including prison and denial of basic rights as well as being stripped of government benefits. He has called the protesters “lawbreakers” and spreaders of “chaos” and congress is currently investigating the alleged “subversive organizers” of the “anti-Israel terrorists.”
Biden and company, as well as Trump, who is advising the Israeli government to “finish the job” with the Palestinians, clearly have no actual red lines that must not be crossed when it comes to Israel. The war of extermination of the Gazans has been accompanied by a more hidden war being conducted by the Jewish settlers on the West Bank, which has been largely under Israeli occupation since 1967. The frequently armed settlers have been attacking unarmed Palestinians, destroying their homes and businesses, ruining their crops and vineyards, and even killing them on occasion. Israeli police and army standing by do nothing to stop the fun and even frequently participate themselves by arresting and beating Palestinians who are guilty only of being Palestinian. Hundreds of Palestinians have been arrested without charges apart from “preventive detention” since the troubles began in October and the jails are overflowing. The clear intention, verbalized without any shame by senior Israeli government officials like Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, is to produce a Greater Israel cleansed of Arabs. And Biden, who pretends to favor a two-state solution to the unrest, helps the process along by vetoing UN resolutions that would help create separate sovereignty for Palestine.
Some of the most outrageous recent developments have been the settlers’ interfering with shipments of food and medicines entering into Gaza, a point that a faux-sympathetic Biden stresses repeatedly when pontificating regarding bringing aid to the starving people who are trapped with nowhere to go inside the enclave. The Israel clampdown even includes the Mediterranean Sea being blocked off by the Israeli navy which shoots any desperate Gazans who try to go close to the water so they can fish for food. In the most recent incidents, observed by the standing-by but inert Israeli army and police, truckloads of food were blocked, the drivers and aid workers removed and beaten, and the food was destroyed and burned before the trucks were treated likewise. In another incident settlers dumped huge boulders on one of the access roads to a checkpoint leading into Gaza, rendering it impassible and blocking any aid. Journalists and aid workers are meanwhile being killed by the army to prevent any reporting of what is going on while the US State Department refuses to condemn the activity. Biden called the interference with assistance convoys “outrageous” but has done nothing whatsoever about it, nor has he followed up on pledges to sanction Israelis who attack Palestinians or their property on the West Bank.
The whole problem is that Israel is a monster, an apartheid state that somehow feels it is empowered by God and the United States to kill all its neighbors and rob the American taxpayer to pay for and equip the slaughter. Israel is backed by an all-powerful US domestic lobby that includes unlimited Jewish money and activist Zionist groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) led by the hideous Jonathan Greenblatt and the venerable American Israel Political Affairs Committee (AIPAC), both of which are now busy raising money to defeat all congress critters who have ever criticized the Jewish state. ADL and AIPAC are also linked to “that old time religion” knucklehead Christian Zionists concentrated in the Republican Party who have their Scofield Bibles firmly embedded between their ears where their brains are supposed be. A partial solution would be to make the Jewish-Zionist groups register as foreign government agents directed by Israel under the the terms of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which is exactly what they are, but that will never happen. President John F. Kennedy tried to register the predecessor group to AIPAC and many believe he paid the ultimate price for that affront as well as for his bid to stop Israel’s nuclear weapons program.
So, my fellow Americans, what should we do? Well, we should do whatever we can, which includes speaking out about how we have been sold out by our leaders and opinion makers, and we should continue to do that even knowing that they will try to silence us by destroying free speech in this country. It is all we have left and we should continue to oppose what is happening. The first step however, is to get rid of politicians like Joe and Donald, who have been completely corrupted by more than fifty years in the “system” and are totally sold out and irresponsible in their behavior. There are honest politicians and journalists out there and we just have to find them, support them and get them elected and in positions where they will be able to bring about change in how things are done in Washington! One might call it the New American Revolution to restore our rights and free us from foreign oppression!

Calling All Weavers of Worlds! Seeking a Fellow Bard to Craft an Epic D&D Saga
Adventurers, gather round the campfire! Two companions, a seasoned veteran and a burgeoning hero, seek a Legendary Dungeon Master to weave a tale that will echo through the ages! We understand that finding a DM who works in IST can be a challenge, but trust us, taking a chance on us won't be a decision you'll regret!
We Hunger for Adventure!
A Feast for Roleplayers: We crave stories that drip with atmosphere, where our characters can truly blossom. Deep lore, rich interactions, and meaningful choices are the tavern fare we desire!
Combat Chefs: While we savor a well-crafted fight, it's the story that truly sets our hearts ablaze. We yearn for battles that punctuate the narrative, not overshadow it.
Exploration Enthusiasts: Uncharted territories beckon! We relish delving into hidden corners of the world, uncovering secrets and unraveling mysteries.
The Perfect Campaign Recipe:
Setting Spice: Homebrew worlds or established settings like the Forgotten Realms – we're open to your culinary expertise!
Tone: A pinch of seriousness, a dash of humor – a balanced meal for the soul!
Playstyle: A smorgasbord of combat, roleplay, and puzzles! We crave a story-driven campaign where our choices have weight.
Our Player Personalities:
The Stealthy Shadow: One of us is a rogue in the making, a master of deception and cunning (think: Robin Hood with a dash of Loki).
The Open Book: The other is a flexible character waiting to be written. We're eager to collaborate and create a hero who fits seamlessly into your world.
More Than Just Players, We're Fellow Storytellers!
We're a positive and inclusive duo who believe in the power of collaboration. We'll actively engage with your world, breathe life into our characters, and be your partners in crafting an unforgettable saga. One of our companions will be embarking on a small adventure from May 24th to June 11th. But fear not! They're flexible and happy to play before their trip or even participate in text-based sessions to develop their character and delve into any lore you require. We're dedicated to making this work and ensuring a smooth experience for everyone.
Ready to Craft a Masterpiece Together?
If you're a DM who thrives on roleplay, enjoys a collaborative storytelling experience, and seeks enthusiastic players who will devour your meticulously crafted world*, then send us a message! We'd love to hear about your DMing style and the campaign that's brewing in your mind.
Let's embark on a journey that will become legend!
Availability: Evenings starting at 8 or 9 PM IST on weekdays and Saturdays, open to early mornings or late nights on Sundays

https://xenagoguevicene.wordpress.com/2024/05/18/old-genocide-joe-has-got-to-go-by-philip-giraldi-17-may-2024/
Embracing Netanyahu does not constitute a foreign policy
It is extremely difficult to discern what might be the thinking behind the clueless President Joe Biden and his Blinken-Austin-Mayorkas foreign-policy-plus national security team. Or rather, the problem is that there does not appear to be any thinking about it at all if one measures it by what benefits it brings to the American people. It all actually seems to derive from a desire to construct a narrative that will win the presidential election coming up in November, which will fortunately be run against a deeply flawed GOP candidate named Donald J. Trump. But look at what is on the Biden record: the country’s southern border with Mexico is a porous as a Swiss cheese, allowing literally millions of illegal immigrants into the USA since Biden took office; Washington is both de facto and de jure simultaneously fighting and losing two unnecessary wars involving nuclear powers which has cost a nearly bankrupt Treasury well into the hundreds of billions of dollars; and the White House is needlessly sanctioning non-hostile competitors like China while also making illegal popular social media sites like TikTok which have committed the sin of reporting and disseminating accurate narratives about good old “best friend and closest ally” Israel. Predictably, neither of the assertions about the value of the Jewish state is true, nor is it a democracy, but who cares when you’re having fun shooting people and spending someone else’s money?
Oh, and just try to exercise your first amendment free speech rights by demonstrating against Israel’s slaughter of upwards of 40,000 Palestinian civilians using US provided weapons and you will be hit on the head by a cop, possibly arrested, and even expelled from college! If you want to see where this is all going, check out reports of the recent FBI detention and interrogation of distinguished Israeli historian Ilan Pappe seeking to enter the US through the Detroit International Airport. Pappe is a critic of the Netanyahu government and of US policy so he was held, questioned in detailed about his contacts, and had his phone copied before being allowed to proceed. Meanwhile, a group of top federal judges have signed a letter stating that they will strike back against the demonstrating students by refusing to hire any graduates of Columbia University Law School as law clerks. And there even is a bill currently before Congress that would empower the government to label the foreign protesters “antisemites and terrorism supporters” and deport them, with some going to Gaza with the expectation that they would be killed, possibly by the mighty Israel Defense Forces (IDF)! It would be a startling new development to punish those whose crime consists mostly of trespass even given the rather loose ethical boundaries established by the war on terror and the Antisemitism Awareness Act! Or indeed one might follow the Senatorial route led by a chirping Lindsey Graham who recommends dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza to kill everyone who has survived the Israeli onslaught. The area then might be developed after the radiation dies down for those splendid seaside villas for Jews only suggested by the esteemed Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.
To be sure, Joe sometimes mumbles something that might just be viewed positively, like his recent blocking on humanitarian grounds of a consignment of bunker buster bombs on their way to Israel due to Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that, no matter what, he would invade Rafah to completely destroy Hamas and whoever else might happen to get in his way. Joe predictably reversed that decision last Tuesday, approving a $1 billion supply of munitions after he came under pressure from the Israelis and their many friends in the US, to include a host of Israel-loving GOP congressmen who have carried their fight on behalf of the Jewish state to The Hague, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is being directly threatened with American wrath lest it try to punish Israeli leaders for their genocide in Gaza. As Bill Astore put it “Last week, President Biden appeared to have strapped on a temporary spine in delaying shipments of ‘offensive’ weaponry to Israel for its murderous invasion of Rafah in Gaza. That spine had a short duration as Biden announced [Tuesday] renewed shipments of tank and mortar rounds to Israel.” Congress has also gotten into the game with the GOP controlled House of Representatives having passed a bill that would compel the White House to continue all arms shipments to Israel. Joe might also be thinking of political contributions, as American Jews donate the majority of Democratic Party funding, as well guaranteeing a friendly media in his campaign as they dominate both the news and the entertainment industries. See, Joe can figure some things out all by himself every once in a while!
Here’s the problem with Joe, apart from the roughly $12 million in gift-donations from Jewish/Israeli sources that he has obtained in his political career. His tactical thinking does not extend beyond his personal interests, to include his corrupt children, a trait very much like that which is possessed by his good buddy Netanyahu who is facing corruption charges of his own in Israel. Joe believes he is much cleverer than he actually is and thinks that an occasional mild verbal criticism of the Israeli behavior will convince his target audience of voters that he really is concerned about the continuing death toll in Gaza, where the Israelis have already been taking initial steps in their attack on Rafah by using their tanks to penetrate into the targeted zone to destroy and kill.
And as for the reported completion and initial functioning of the floating pier connected to Gaza constructed by US military engineers, it will not dramatically change reality on the ground even though Biden is claiming that it will enable the entry of much needed food and medical aid. Israel will still “security” control what is allowed to enter into Gaza proper while Netanyahu is seeing the pier as a bridge to nowhere, usable primarily to export excess Palestinians to foreign lands that are either willing or unwilling to accept them. And its existence creates some interesting possibilities. As it presumably will be logistically supported on the pier itself by US-based personnel, Netanyahu might well be tempted to stage a false flag attack blamed on Hamas to kill a few Americans and lock Biden into Israel’s right-wing Gaza policies from now on. Bear in mind that, in reality, Biden could care less if all the Palestinians might be “disappeared” just as he would like to see any and all critics of Israel be subjected to the harshest punishments, including prison and denial of basic rights as well as being stripped of government benefits. He has called the protesters “lawbreakers” and spreaders of “chaos” and congress is currently investigating the alleged “subversive organizers” of the “anti-Israel terrorists.”
Biden and company, as well as Trump, who is advising the Israeli government to “finish the job” with the Palestinians, clearly have no actual red lines that must not be crossed when it comes to Israel. The war of extermination of the Gazans has been accompanied by a more hidden war being conducted by the Jewish settlers on the West Bank, which has been largely under Israeli occupation since 1967. The frequently armed settlers have been attacking unarmed Palestinians, destroying their homes and businesses, ruining their crops and vineyards, and even killing them on occasion. Israeli police and army standing by do nothing to stop the fun and even frequently participate themselves by arresting and beating Palestinians who are guilty only of being Palestinian. Hundreds of Palestinians have been arrested without charges apart from “preventive detention” since the troubles began in October and the jails are overflowing. The clear intention, verbalized without any shame by senior Israeli government officials like Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, is to produce a Greater Israel cleansed of Arabs. And Biden, who pretends to favor a two-state solution to the unrest, helps the process along by vetoing UN resolutions that would help create separate sovereignty for Palestine.
Some of the most outrageous recent developments have been the settlers’ interfering with shipments of food and medicines entering into Gaza, a point that a faux-sympathetic Biden stresses repeatedly when pontificating regarding bringing aid to the starving people who are trapped with nowhere to go inside the enclave. The Israel clampdown even includes the Mediterranean Sea being blocked off by the Israeli navy which shoots any desperate Gazans who try to go close to the water so they can fish for food. In the most recent incidents, observed by the standing-by but inert Israeli army and police, truckloads of food were blocked, the drivers and aid workers removed and beaten, and the food was destroyed and burned before the trucks were treated likewise. In another incident settlers dumped huge boulders on one of the access roads to a checkpoint leading into Gaza, rendering it impassible and blocking any aid. Journalists and aid workers are meanwhile being killed by the army to prevent any reporting of what is going on while the US State Department refuses to condemn the activity. Biden called the interference with assistance convoys “outrageous” but has done nothing whatsoever about it, nor has he followed up on pledges to sanction Israelis who attack Palestinians or their property on the West Bank.
The whole problem is that Israel is a monster, an apartheid state that somehow feels it is empowered by God and the United States to kill all its neighbors and rob the American taxpayer to pay for and equip the slaughter. Israel is backed by an all-powerful US domestic lobby that includes unlimited Jewish money and activist Zionist groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) led by the hideous Jonathan Greenblatt and the venerable American Israel Political Affairs Committee (AIPAC), both of which are now busy raising money to defeat all congress critters who have ever criticized the Jewish state. ADL and AIPAC are also linked to “that old time religion” knucklehead Christian Zionists concentrated in the Republican Party who have their Scofield Bibles firmly embedded between their ears where their brains are supposed be. A partial solution would be to make the Jewish-Zionist groups register as foreign government agents directed by Israel under the the terms of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which is exactly what they are, but that will never happen. President John F. Kennedy tried to register the predecessor group to AIPAC and many believe he paid the ultimate price for that affront as well as for his bid to stop Israel’s nuclear weapons program.
So, my fellow Americans, what should we do? Well, we should do whatever we can, which includes speaking out about how we have been sold out by our leaders and opinion makers, and we should continue to do that even knowing that they will try to silence us by destroying free speech in this country. It is all we have left and we should continue to oppose what is happening. The first step however, is to get rid of politicians like Joe and Donald, who have been completely corrupted by more than fifty years in the “system” and are totally sold out and irresponsible in their behavior. There are honest politicians and journalists out there and we just have to find them, support them and get them elected and in positions where they will be able to bring about change in how things are done in Washington! One might call it the New American Revolution to restore our rights and free us from foreign oppression!

LIVE from Lincoln Financial Field; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sunday, April 7th 2024 Commentated by Michael Cole + Ian Riccarboni + BIG E
Countdown to WrestleMania XL: Presented by Cricket 5G. Panel: J. Redmond + S. Roberts + P. Rosenburg
WWE NETWORK INTRO
WWE Presents WrestleMania XL! Stadium Shots / Countdown Panel Introduction
Arriving Shots: Randy Orton / Kevin Owens / Bianca Belair / DIY
(Philadelphia City Shots)

• WWE WrestleMania XL Countdown Panel Introduction

(Match Video Package) Panel discuss Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns vs The Rock.

• Megan Morant sit-down interview with Triple H.

(Philadelphia City Shots)
(Match Video Package) Panel Discuss CM Punk vs Seth Rollins

• Byron Saxton is standing by outside Cody Rhodes’ bus.

THE ROCK CONCERT LIVE (in-ring)
(Match Video Package) Panel discuss Bayley vs IYO SKY
(Lincoln Financial Field Stadium Shots)

• Byron Saxton is standing by with IYO SKY.

Street Fight for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: The Kabuki Warriors def. KC2 (c) + The Unholy Union (14:27)

• Byron Saxton is standing by with Paul Heyman.

(Lincoln Financial Field Stadium Shots)
(Match Video Package) Panel discuss Rhea Ripley vs Jade Cargill.

• Byron Saxton is standing by with ATGMBR winner - Chad Gable!!
  
• Journalist Tom Rinaldi is standing by ringside.
  

(Philadelphia City Shots)

• Kayla Braxton is standing by outside Roman Reigns’ locker room.

‘Community Impact Correspondent’ Cody Field joins the panel!
WWE WrestleMania XL: Presented by WWE 2K24 + Snickers.
WWE NETWORK INTRO

• WrestleMania Cold Open, as narrated by Meek Mill.

WWE Presents WrestleMania XL! Stadium Shots / Commentary Team Introduction (on ramp) (Angle Zoom-Twist, Down Slight-Flip) Michael Cole (stadium shots): “Good evening WWE Universe, you are looking LIVE at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (the home of the Philadelphia Eagles) as WWE presents WrestleMania 40!” Michael Cole: “Well, joining me tonight, he is one of the greatest wrestling announcers around today, and he is the newest addition to the WWE broadcast team…it’s Ian Riccarboni!” Ian Riccarboni: “Thanks Cole, I am ecstatic to be here and the atmosphere inside this stadium is surreal! Tonight, lives will be changed, history will be made and I can’t wait to get this thing started!” Michael Cole: “And to my left, he is a former WWE World Champion…BIG E!” BIG E: “Hello everyone, I am sad that I won’t be competing tonight but I feel priviledged to be sat beside two legends in the commentating industry! I can promise, however, that tonight is going to be very special folks and you will not want to miss it!”
America The Beautiful - Performed by Jhene Aiko
Arriving Shots: Logan Paul / J. Uso + S. Zayn / Rhea Ripley / Jade Cargill Match Preparation Shots: CM Punk + Seth Rollins
(J. Redmond standing by ringside towards the end of CM Punk’s entrance) “Tonight, the winner of the men’s 2024 royal rumble match, CM Punk will be competing in his first televised singles match in over 9 years. He faces off against current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and these two have a legitimate hate for each other, but tonight they have the opportunity to settle their differences and CM Punk has the chance to become world champion once again, tonight at WrestleMania!”
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: - Lilian Garcia / Referee: Chad Patton CM Punk def. Seth Rollins (c) (17:02)
Arriving Shots: The Rock + Roman Reigns

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: 2x Grammy award-winning actor: Bradley Cooper Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Team: Joel Embiid

C4 SKY CAM Advertisement (Ian Riccarboni) “WrestleMania is powered by C4 Energy, the official energy drink of WWE. Available everywhere. Shop the newest flavour Nectarine Guava Knockout, exclusively at Circle K.”
During Becky Lynch’s entrance (Michael Cole) - “Well, Becky Lynch’s new book ‘The Man - not your average average girl’ currently the New York times No.1 Bestseller. Available now, worldiwde!”
(Match Hype Video Package) Steel Cage Match: Liv Morgan def. Becky Lynch + Nia Jax (12:48)
Warm Up Shots: Logan Paul
Jackie Redmond is standing by backstage with Paul Heyman. She says; “Paul, congratulations on your Hall of Fame induction. What can we expect in tonights main event.” Paul Heyman says; “After tonight…WWE will never be the same again. The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns has his plate full tonight as he faces two incredibly talenteds uperstars in what promises to be a battle. But…as ever, my Tribal Chief will walk out as champion, the same way he has walked out of the past 4 WrestleMania’s, and he will lead WWE right into a new era as his hold over all of WWE…continues!”

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: Social Media Influencer + Co-Owner of PRIME: KSI Social Media Influencer: IShowSpeed Kansas City Quarter Back: Patrick Mahomes

LA Knight Slim Jim Commercial.
Slim Jim Graphics Advertisment: (BIG E) “This match is presented by SlimJim. Get savage with America’s favourite spicy meat stick. Snap into a SlimJim!”
During LA Knight’s entrance (Michael Cole) - “Hey, look who’s watching in London, the United Kingdom. They are all LA Knight fans across the pond!”
(Match Hype Video Package) During L. Paul’s Entrance (Ian Riccarboni) - “WrestleMania 40 is brought to you in part by Prime Hydration. 1.3 billion in sales last year - the fastest growing beverage in history and the official hydration drink of WWE. With only 25 calories, 0 added sugars, BCAA and electrolites. Drink Prime!”
(Show Prime Hydration Station) - Lilian Garcia WWE United States Championship: LA Knight def. Logan Paul (c) + K Owens + Randy Orton + AJ Styles (16:45)
Hall of Fame Ceremony Video Package

• Presentation of WWE Hall of Fame - Class of 2024. (Bray Wyatt + Paul Heyman + Batista + Mickie James + Cindi Lauper)

C4 SKY CAM - Bray Wyatt fireflies (w/ Shatter)

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: Bafta Award-Winning Actor: Syllvester Stallone Professional Boxer: Conor McGreggor

Commentary Team announce the return of the KOTR + QOTR tournaments.
Bianca Belair def. Jordynne Grace (15:56) - Lilian Garcia
Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal Documentary Commercial.

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: NXT Champion: Trick Williams ECW Originals: The Dudley Boyz + Rob Van Dam

Commentary promote WWE Backlash; France 2024.
(Match Hype Video Package) Best 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the WWE World Tag Team Championships: Jey Uso + Sami Zayn def. DIY (c) (39:10)
Jackie Redmond is standing by backstage with WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk.
WrestleMania XL sponsors - WWE 2K24 + Snickers (Ian Riccarboni): “Well, WWE is presented by Snickers. Snickers satisfies. And also by WWE 2K24, the highest rated WWE 2K game of all time. Relive 40 years of WrestleMania, play all new match types and career-mode experiences with an iconic roster of over 200 superstars + legends. Available now, worldwide” * Snickers Commercial
Cody Rhodes laves his bus and makes his way to the stadium. (Commentary mention Wheatley American Vodka.) “Earlier today, The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes arrived in style, in his newly wrapped bus featuring WWE partner Wheatley American Vodka. Maybe Cody will celebrate tonight with an American mule cocktail. Enjoy American mule yourself made with Wheatley American Vodka, in celebration of WrestleMania 40!”

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: Kansas City Chief Tight End + 3x SuperBowl Champion: Travis Kelce 14x Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter: Taylor Swift

(Match Hype Video Package) (J. Redmond standing by ringside towards the end of Bayley’s entrance) “Tonight, will Bayley be able to avenge the brutal betrayal, courtesy of Damage Ctrl? IYO SKY has been dominant as champion since SummerSlam last year, but she faces her toughest challenge yet in former best friend, Bayley when these two collide in a heated battle for the first time, on the grandest stage of them all!”
WWE Women’s Championship: / Referee: Dan Engler IYO SKY (c) def. Bayley (14:20)
WWE 2K24 Commercial.
C4 SKY CAM - (Commentary mention highlights of the night so far.)

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: Former Philly Eagles Center + SuperBowl Champion: Jason Kelce Philly Eagles Offensive Tackle + SuperBowl Champion: Lane Johnson

(Philadelpha City Shots)
During Gunther’s entrance (BIG E) - “They are about to enjoy this match in Cologne, Germany as well LIVE right now. Of course, supporting Gunther, we will be in Germany, August 31st for the big Bash in Berlin!”
(Match Hype Video Package) WWE Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship: Gunther (c) def. Andrade El Idolo (15:30)
WWE Shop Commercial.
WrestleMania Attendance Announcement: Kevin Hart announces the WrestleMania XL attendance (72,755) alongside the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders. Pretty Deadly interrupt but they are soon cut off when John Cena returns and hits an AA on Kit Wilson and a Five-Knuckle-Shuffle on Elton Prince.
Jade Cargill meets Bianca Belair while warming up backstage in gorilla.

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: Actor and Singer: Vanessa Hudgens Mayor of Philadelphia: Cherelle Parker

Commentary promote WrestleMania Press Conference, immediately following WrestleMania XL on WWE’s social media platforms.
(Match Hype Video Package) - Lilian Garcia / Referee: Jessika Carr Women’s World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) def. Jade Cargill (W/Megan Thee Stallion) (16:39) * Towards the end of the match, Dominik Mysterio knocks Jade Cargill off the apron behind the ref’s back. This allows Rhea Ripley to pick up the win and retain her title. After the match, Rhea Ripley starts to beat down Jade Cargill but Mercedes Moné returns to WWE to assist Jade Cargill. As Rhea Ripley and The Judgement Day are walking up the ramp, Mercedes Moné raises Jade Cargill’s hand in the ring.
“The WrestleMania highlight of the night is presented by Xfinity 10G network. Get a reliable connection and the fastest internet from Xfinity - the future stars now!” Xfinity Highlight of the Night: LA Knight wins WWE US Championship.
Roman Reigns A&E Documentary Commercial.
Commentary Team thank Welshy Arms for WrestleMania’s official theme song ‘Legendary’. (Available now on Apple Music and Spotify)

• We see the following stars ringside for WWE WrestleMania XL: President of UFC: Dana White UFC World Heavyweight Champion: Jon Jones

WrestleMania 41 Announcement: Triple H + Carolyn Goodman (Mayor of Las Vegas) announce that WrestleMania 41 will be taking place at Allegiant Stadium on April 19th + 20th!
(Match Hype Video Package) / Referee: Charles Robinson No Holds Barred - Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Cody Rhodes def. Roman Reigns (c) + The Rock (26:18)

Sebenernya ini pemikiran yang berasal dari membaca suatu buku, buku ini kasih perspektif dan jawaban dari pertanyaan itu. Mungkin sudah bisa ditebak judul bukunya.
Tapi tujuannya karena saya penasaran, mau tau jawaban-jawaban dari orang lain. Mohon dijawab kalau berkenan. Terima kasih sebelumnya 🙏

“What defines virtue and how are we to gauge it? An inquiry that reverberates through epochs, its answer as fickle and capricious as the fates of those who deem to ask it. Duty, honor, justice - many over the ages would name these virtues, the conduits through which noble intentions find expression. Yet, as the battlefield of beliefs unfolds, a legion emerges, each as sworn to these principles as to obliterating all who would dare stake alike claim. Thus, battles rage and wars are waged and, in the end, those who are left are no more right than those fell by the blade. Alas, it is the victors whose ideals are etched into monuments for posterity. Except even words chiseled in unyielding stone are fated to fade in time. So is the wicked cycle destined to repeat in all its futility, its ephemeral prize seized again, only to be lost and sought anew. Try and picture, if for but a moment, a world where our rulers paused to reflect on the lessons of yore. They, too, would discern the elixir that enables one to escape the confines of memory—the very burden our fleeting nature forbids us to carry. Progress and evolution. Adaptability and transcendence. Everlasting and yet not stagnant, irrefutable, and yet fluid, these are the only true virtues. Thus, must we ever venture into the uncharted and unfamiliar for only from these unexplored domains may the truly virtuous arise.”
Where: Discord (Video and Voice) + FoundryVTT
When: every Saturday 5 - 9/10 pm GMT+1 (CET), 11 am - 3/4 pm EST
Who: party of 4 players and a DM seeking one extra player
Updates: Recruitment updates will be posted here.
Hello there and well met! If you’ve made it past the flavor text (or skipped it) and through the basic info (hopefully didnt skip past that one) you might very well be at the right address! Without further ado onto the post.

🐲The campaign🐲

Having only just recovered from the Second Sundering and the War of the Silver Marches, the North had been ravaged by a whole new set of tumultuous events - the rise of the Cult of the Dragon and that of the Absolute, the Fall of Eltruel and the short reign of the beholder crime lord Xanathar just some among them. After a brief respite from the twisted and the unnatural the clouds once more begin to gather. Along the Long Road, whole hosts of wild beasts and monsters have been accosting travelers seemingly at random and in the grand metropolis of Waterdeep a sudden rise in crime seems to coincide with strange events passing unnoticed beneath the surface. Amidst all this, in spring of 1493 DR, a party of adventurers delves into a mystery of enchanted gemstones being utilized to nefarious ends by unknown perpetrators all the while navigating the labyrinthine twists of city faction politics.
As implied by the post title, this is an ongoing campaign (we are 12 sessions in at the time of this post). Due to some irl commitments weve recently dropped a player and are looking to replace them.
As the title suggests, this is a roleplay focused mystery/lore driven campaign. Expect an overreaching plot with ample secrets to uncover, conspiracies to unravel and eldritch truths to unearth. The first word of the password is "Doth". On the same level of importance or more important even be that the players preference, there is a variety of subplots to engage with, from small and goofy and random to ones rivaling the main story arc in complexity and variance. Among these, individual character story arcs play a leading role, at times seamlessly intertwined with the current focus of the party, at times separate and independent.
As was already mentioned and is further described below, this is a roleplay focused campaign and a roleplay heavy game. This means that roleplay exists as a unifying concept for all other aspects of the game including exploration, combat, and puzzles. That said DnD is only DnD with all three of its main pillars intact and this campaign is no exception in that regard. I very much enjoy the mechanical side of the game as well besides roleplay and so things like multiphase boss fights and custom magic items are definitely on the table.

🧙‍♂️The DM🧙‍♂️

Hello there, Jay here, 25 yo law student from Central Europe currently working on finishing his master’s degree, trying to stay afloat in the current lease market. I study and work in a law firm by day and DM or play DnD by night (more like evening but night sounded cooler). I have been a big fan of TTRPGs since my early teens and of online DnD for the past five years. I’ve DMed multiple campaigns, finished CoS not least among them and I currently play in a long-term campaign. Before you ask, yes, my schedule is strained but not to the point I am unable to engage with my hobbies.
I would describe my DMing style as driven, realistic, and involved but also very conscious about player agency and collaborative storytelling as core values that make TTRPGs so popular and unique. I spend a lot of time ensuring the worlds I create and the stories I want to tell feel alive. From hand-picked music, to fully voiced NPCs and scenic descriptions designed to breathe life into the campaign setting I daresay my games rival in quality those of the professional DMs that charge for each session.
There is a drawback to this all however. Second word of the password is "thy". I expect a lot from my players as well. Writing a story in DnD is not a one person job. It takes a collective effort of the entire group to create something truly unique, something that one can be proud while looking forward to each session. Unwinding and letting off steam means something else for everyone. For me it means losing myself in the creative process of roleplaying an NPC or describing a scene, watching my players masterfully portray their own characters or having the party derail my plans in an awesome unforeseen and unexpectedly enriching way. If you find yourself in any of what I just described than this may be a game for you. If you don’t, that’s fine. This is definitely not a game for everyone.

🏰The setting🏰

Forgotten Realms is a default setting of Dungeons and Dragons but it is anything but boring and mundane. With now decades worth of lore behind it, it offers an unparalleled opportunity for anyone wanting to build on solid foundations to bring their ideas to life. While it has garnered a lot of attention lately with the release of a certain videogame (more people now know Astarion than a good amount of Hollywood celebrities I’d say) it has had its loyal following even before then, being constantly expanded and living its own life in a host of both online and home games. It’s been a natural choice of mine for a while now and not once have I had any regrets. The third word of the password is "mirror". I feel with how great of a variety of content the Forgotten Realms offer everybody is able to pick something that suits their creative vision. In summary the Forgotten Realms almost feel like a real place with how much worldbuilding has been done with them and offer a diversity of content few other TTRPG settings can boast.
When it comes to setting of the campaign in the world of Faerun I have once again made a somewhat traditional pick and decided to place the onset of the game onto the Sword Coast, more precisely into the city of Waterdeep. If one of the key upsides of Forgotten Realms is diversity of content, Waterdeep is one of the best representations of this. Being the largest settlement on the known Faerun, Waterdeep offers nigh limitless options in terms of main story arc genre, character creation and character backstory implementation. It has everything every large TTRPG settlement ought to have (fickle upper class, enigmatic factions, quaint taverns and extravagant nightclubs, always in bad mood city watch, a castle and a harbor) as well as few pretty original ideas such as colossal definitely not alive statues, a city council where even its members don’t know each other’s identity and a massive dungeon right underneath the city where you can literally fall right from a tavern taproom.
In case you are wondering, while this campagn takes place primarily in the city of Waterdeep itself, there is nothing stopping the players from exploring past the city if they so choose. The final word of the password is "crack?". Different parts of the main plot and various subplots can and will encourage the party to explore Waterdeep environs and sometimes even further.

📃The requirements📃

No exceptions here. Unless otherwise stated, the requirements must be met at the time of application.

• to apply you need to be 20+ yo
• you need a functioning webcam (at the time of application) and a stable internet connection - we will be using both video and voice on discord and as a general rule Wifi doesn’t handle long video calls well (believe me when I say I speak from experience) so cable or other similar form of stable connection is strongly encouraged
• you need a Discord account and you will need a Forge account - Forge is a hosting service for Foundry, don’t worry, you won’t need to input any personal info (besides maybe an email) to register and I will be footing the bill
• you need a PC that can and will run Foundry Virtual Tabletop - check the minimum requirements on the Foundry website, a fair warning, Foundry won’t run on tablets and phones (not that you should consider those in the first place)
• you need at least an elementary knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition - when it comes to the awareness of the rules, I won’t be too harsh, but definitely don’t apply if the first time you’ve seen the PHB was a week ago
• you need TTRPG/roleplay experience and/or a very strong roleplay inclination - this is a heavy roleplay game where most if not all ingame talk will be done in character and where you will be expected to voice your character in a way that is distinct from your standard voice
• you will need to be very punctual when it comes to session attendance - I expect my players to attend most if not all sessions, online or not, this campaign is a designed as a longterm commitment and by applying you are acknowledging this, having other hobbies and time-consuming real-life obligations is understandable (I got those too) but those 4-5 hours you will be expected to set aside for the session

🙋‍♂️How to sign up🙋‍♀️

Youve made it all the way to the end of this long post. Congratulations. Or maybe you’ve skipped all the way to the end. In that case I strongly recommended you go back. If not to learn what you are applying for than to make sure you haven’t missed something very important. Now if you are confident that you have what it takes and that this is a game that you could have a lot of fun with, please fill the below attached google questionnaire (if for any strange reason the link doesn’t end up working, please let me know in the comments under this post) and if fortune favors you, I shall get back to you promptly. Best of luck to you and I hope to speak to you soon!
https://forms.gle/5kc4RbwavJPfT8PD9
______________________________________
PS: As a part of the questionnaire, you will be asked to submit a short piece of your narrative writing in a form of a google doc link (not a custom piece of writing, any relevant past one you have will do). Maybe best have that ready beforehand? On that note, dont apply for the game with a detailed backstory of a character you want to play that you arent willing to adapt to the conditions of the setting/campaign.
PSS: Not to discourage you but if you do make it through the questionnaire and into the second group of applicants you will be asked to do a discord interview with your webcam turned on. I am asking you to go through a lot for a game you might not even end up liking I know, but if you do end up liking it, all this effort will be well worth it as I am sure my other players would agree.

“What defines virtue and how are we to gauge it? An inquiry that reverberates through epochs, its answer as fickle and capricious as the fates of those who deem to ask it. Duty, honor, justice - many over the ages would name these virtues, the conduits through which noble intentions find expression. Yet, as the battlefield of beliefs unfolds, a legion emerges, each as sworn to these principles as to obliterating all who would dare stake alike claim. Thus, battles rage and wars are waged and, in the end, those who are left are no more right than those fell by the blade. Alas, it is the victors whose ideals are etched into monuments for posterity. Except even words chiseled in unyielding stone are fated to fade in time. So is the wicked cycle destined to repeat in all its futility, its ephemeral prize seized again, only to be lost and sought anew. Try and picture, if for but a moment, a world where our rulers paused to reflect on the lessons of yore. They, too, would discern the elixir that enables one to escape the confines of memory—the very burden our fleeting nature forbids us to carry. Progress and evolution. Adaptability and transcendence. Everlasting and yet not stagnant, irrefutable, and yet fluid, these are the only true virtues. Thus, must we ever venture into the uncharted and unfamiliar for only from these unexplored domains may the truly virtuous arise.”
Where: Discord (Video and Voice) + FoundryVTT
When: every Saturday 5 - 9/10 pm GMT+1 (CET), 11 am - 3/4 pm EST
Who: party of 4 players and a DM seeking one extra player
Updates: Recruitment updates will be posted here.
Hello there and well met! If you’ve made it past the flavor text (or skipped it) and through the basic info (hopefully didnt skip past that one) you might very well be at the right address! Without further ado onto the post.

🐲The campaign🐲

Having only just recovered from the Second Sundering and the War of the Silver Marches, the North had been ravaged by a whole new set of tumultuous events - the rise of the Cult of the Dragon and that of the Absolute, the Fall of Eltruel and the short reign of the beholder crime lord Xanathar just some among them. After a brief respite from the twisted and the unnatural the clouds once more begin to gather. Along the Long Road, whole hosts of wild beasts and monsters have been accosting travelers seemingly at random and in the grand metropolis of Waterdeep a sudden rise in crime seems to coincide with strange events passing unnoticed beneath the surface. Amidst all this, in spring of 1493 DR, a party of adventurers delves into a mystery of enchanted gemstones being utilized to nefarious ends by unknown perpetrators all the while navigating the labyrinthine twists of city faction politics.
As implied by the post title, this is an ongoing campaign (we are 12 sessions in at the time of this post). Due to some irl commitments weve recently dropped a player and are looking to replace them.
As the title suggests, this is a roleplay focused mystery/lore driven campaign. Expect an overreaching plot with ample secrets to uncover, conspiracies to unravel and eldritch truths to unearth. The first word of the password is "Doth". On the same level of importance or more important even be that the players preference, there is a variety of subplots to engage with, from small and goofy and random to ones rivaling the main story arc in complexity and variance. Among these, individual character story arcs play a leading role, at times seamlessly intertwined with the current focus of the party, at times separate and independent.
As was already mentioned and is further described below, this is a roleplay focused campaign and a roleplay heavy game. This means that roleplay exists as a unifying concept for all other aspects of the game including exploration, combat, and puzzles. That said DnD is only DnD with all three of its main pillars intact and this campaign is no exception in that regard. I very much enjoy the mechanical side of the game as well besides roleplay and so things like multiphase boss fights and custom magic items are definitely on the table.

🧙‍♂️The DM🧙‍♂️

Hello there, Jay here, 25 yo law student from Central Europe currently working on finishing his master’s degree, trying to stay afloat in the current lease market. I study and work in a law firm by day and DM or play DnD by night (more like evening but night sounded cooler). I have been a big fan of TTRPGs since my early teens and of online DnD for the past five years. I’ve DMed multiple campaigns, finished CoS not least among them and I currently play in a long-term campaign. Before you ask, yes, my schedule is strained but not to the point I am unable to engage with my hobbies.
I would describe my DMing style as driven, realistic, and involved but also very conscious about player agency and collaborative storytelling as core values that make TTRPGs so popular and unique. I spend a lot of time ensuring the worlds I create and the stories I want to tell feel alive. From hand-picked music, to fully voiced NPCs and scenic descriptions designed to breathe life into the campaign setting I daresay my games rival in quality those of the professional DMs that charge for each session.
There is a drawback to this all however. Second word of the password is "thy". I expect a lot from my players as well. Writing a story in DnD is not a one person job. It takes a collective effort of the entire group to create something truly unique, something that one can be proud while looking forward to each session. Unwinding and letting off steam means something else for everyone. For me it means losing myself in the creative process of roleplaying an NPC or describing a scene, watching my players masterfully portray their own characters or having the party derail my plans in an awesome unforeseen and unexpectedly enriching way. If you find yourself in any of what I just described than this may be a game for you. If you don’t, that’s fine. This is definitely not a game for everyone.

🏰The setting🏰

Forgotten Realms is a default setting of Dungeons and Dragons but it is anything but boring and mundane. With now decades worth of lore behind it, it offers an unparalleled opportunity for anyone wanting to build on solid foundations to bring their ideas to life. While it has garnered a lot of attention lately with the release of a certain videogame (more people now know Astarion than a good amount of Hollywood celebrities I’d say) it has had its loyal following even before then, being constantly expanded and living its own life in a host of both online and home games. It’s been a natural choice of mine for a while now and not once have I had any regrets. The third word of the password is "mirror". I feel with how great of a variety of content the Forgotten Realms offer everybody is able to pick something that suits their creative vision. In summary the Forgotten Realms almost feel like a real place with how much worldbuilding has been done with them and offer a diversity of content few other TTRPG settings can boast.
When it comes to setting of the campaign in the world of Faerun I have once again made a somewhat traditional pick and decided to place the onset of the game onto the Sword Coast, more precisely into the city of Waterdeep. If one of the key upsides of Forgotten Realms is diversity of content, Waterdeep is one of the best representations of this. Being the largest settlement on the known Faerun, Waterdeep offers nigh limitless options in terms of main story arc genre, character creation and character backstory implementation. It has everything every large TTRPG settlement ought to have (fickle upper class, enigmatic factions, quaint taverns and extravagant nightclubs, always in bad mood city watch, a castle and a harbor) as well as few pretty original ideas such as colossal definitely not alive statues, a city council where even its members don’t know each other’s identity and a massive dungeon right underneath the city where you can literally fall right from a tavern taproom.
In case you are wondering, while this campagn takes place primarily in the city of Waterdeep itself, there is nothing stopping the players from exploring past the city if they so choose. The final word of the password is "crack?". Different parts of the main plot and various subplots can and will encourage the party to explore Waterdeep environs and sometimes even further.

📃The requirements📃

No exceptions here. Unless otherwise stated, the requirements must be met at the time of application.

• to apply you need to be 20+ yo
• you need a functioning webcam (at the time of application) and a stable internet connection - we will be using both video and voice on discord and as a general rule Wifi doesn’t handle long video calls well (believe me when I say I speak from experience) so cable or other similar form of stable connection is strongly encouraged
• you need a Discord account and you will need a Forge account - Forge is a hosting service for Foundry, don’t worry, you won’t need to input any personal info (besides maybe an email) to register and I will be footing the bill
• you need a PC that can and will run Foundry Virtual Tabletop - check the minimum requirements on the Foundry website, a fair warning, Foundry won’t run on tablets and phones (not that you should consider those in the first place)
• you need at least an elementary knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition - when it comes to the awareness of the rules, I won’t be too harsh, but definitely don’t apply if the first time you’ve seen the PHB was a week ago
• you need TTRPG/roleplay experience and/or a very strong roleplay inclination - this is a heavy roleplay game where most if not all ingame talk will be done in character and where you will be expected to voice your character in a way that is distinct from your standard voice
• you will need to be very punctual when it comes to session attendance - I expect my players to attend most if not all sessions, online or not, this campaign is a designed as a longterm commitment and by applying you are acknowledging this, having other hobbies and time-consuming real-life obligations is understandable (I got those too) but those 4-5 hours you will be expected to set aside for the session

🙋‍♂️How to sign up🙋‍♀️

Youve made it all the way to the end of this long post. Congratulations. Or maybe you’ve skipped all the way to the end. In that case I strongly recommended you go back. If not to learn what you are applying for than to make sure you haven’t missed something very important. Now if you are confident that you have what it takes and that this is a game that you could have a lot of fun with, please fill the below attached google questionnaire (if for any strange reason the link doesn’t end up working, please let me know in the comments under this post) and if fortune favors you, I shall get back to you promptly. Best of luck to you and I hope to speak to you soon!
https://forms.gle/5kc4RbwavJPfT8PD9
______________________________________
PS: As a part of the questionnaire, you will be asked to submit a short piece of your narrative writing in a form of a google doc link (not a custom piece of writing, any relevant past one you have will do). Maybe best have that ready beforehand? On that note, dont apply for the game with a detailed backstory of a character you want to play that you arent willing to adapt to the conditions of the setting/campaign.
PSS: Not to discourage you but if you do make it through the questionnaire and into the second group of applicants you will be asked to do a discord interview with your webcam turned on. I am asking you to go through a lot for a game you might not even end up liking I know, but if you do end up liking it, all this effort will be well worth it as I am sure my other players would agree.

Today (May 18) marks the beginning of our reading of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. We will be reading it over the course of the next eight weeks and will be reading two “books” aka chapters per week until the final week, where we will be reading the final book. Below is our reading and discussion schedule:

• Start Date: 18/05/24
• Week 1 - Books 1 & 2 - 25/05/24
• Week 2 - Books 3 & 4 - 01/06/24
• Week 3 - Books 5 & 6 - 08/06/24
• Week 4 - Books 7 & 8 - 15/06/24
• Week 5 - Books 9 & 10 - 22/06/24
• Week 6 - Books 11 & 12 - 29/06/24
• Week 7 - Books 13 & 14 - 06/07/24
• Week 8 - Book 15 - 13/07/24

​
To see our full schedule for 2024, click here.
It is important to note, that many of the stories within the Metamorphoses are extremely violent and, depending on your translation, graphic in nature. There are many instances of on-page sexual violence and rape, so please be aware of this before reading. Unfortunately, I haven’t read this text before, so I can’t provide you guys with a more detailed list of warnings or of when said things happen within the text. I wish I could. If anyone has read this text before and would like to help me with adding content warnings, please leave a comment below or DM me.
Aside from this, the Metamorphoses is seen as accessible for modern readers. I have a translation guide available here, which provides some info on which translations are more graphic than others. Please note that every translation will contain some references to the violence in the original text. This is a good thing, in terms of preserving history but may not be comfortable for some readers, which is understandable.
Ovid:
Publius Ovidius Naso aka Ovid was born in 43 BCE and lived until 17CE. This means that he was born during the final years of the Roman Republic and lived most of his life during the early years of the Roman Empire. He was born to an old and wealthy family. He began writing quite young and was a celebrated poet for most of his adult life. He started out writing romantic poetry and then moved into more ambitious (and subversive) styles. He was famous during his lifetime, which was kind of his downfall – the Emperor, Augustus, exiled him in 8CE. We don’t know what he did to anger Augustus specifically, but it was enough to get Ovid exiled to a place called Tomis for the rest of his life. There are some theories that Ovid was associated with someone who helped Augustus’ granddaughter in her adultery, but we will never know for sure. It appears that Ovid spent his last few years writing in Tomis, with some hope that the publication of more of his work could lead to Augustus forgiving him. That didn’t happen, but Ovid did complete the entire Metamorphoses, which has gone on to be a major source of what we know about the Greco/Roman mythos for generations. It also appears that, unlike with Virgil's Aeneid, Augustus had little to no chance at interfering with the work (as it was complete upon Ovid's death). Which is a major plus, in terms of us getting to read what the author intended us to read.
The Metamorphoses:
The Metamorphoses is a long narrative poem that is split over fifteen books. The poem is extremely ambitious in its scope: from the creation of the world to Ovid’s lifetime. The main thing that links all the stories together is the theme (and title) of the text: transformation (Metamorphoses). As mentioned in the last section, Ovid was an acclaimed poet and a master in his craft. In the Metamorphoses, Ovid plays around and even deconstructs the myths and the poetic styles that have come before. So, even though the overall text is very pro-Rome, I think it is fair to say that, from a technical and story standpoint, the overall work is subversive. It has had a huge influence on other writers and artists since the time it was published.
A lot of myths are included within these books so it would be hard for me to list them all here. However, some of the best-known versions of the myths come from the Metamorphoses such as the tragic story of Medusa, the birth and early life of the god Bacchus (aka Dionysus) and tales like the story of Atalanta. The poem also covers some myths we are familiar with here on the sub, such as the story of Jason and the Argonauts and the Trojan War. It will be interesting to read Ovid’s more Roman-centric perspective of this older myths.
Due to this text being written by a Roman poet, the names of the gods and many of the heroes are different here than in the other (Greek era) texts we have read. Here’s a link to a breakdown of the major name changes.
After we finish the Metamorphoses, we will be reading Natalie Haynes book Pandora's Jar, which is a modern collection of essays that focus on the portrayal of women within the Greek mythos.

Let's get one thing straight: The Bible's definition of female roles was ensconced in cultural patriarchy. Even so, I outlined a biblical reassessment of said roles to see if Butker even had ethos here.
The nascent Christian Church emerged within a dominantly patriarchal society where women were predominantly relegated to domestic spheres. This socio-cultural substratum profoundly influenced the Church Fathers, whose hermeneutics of biblical texts were invariably shaped by the prevailing gender norms. Prominent figures such as St. Augustine, Tertullian, and St. Jerome, among others, were instrumental in the formation of early Christian theology. Their writings, replete with the gender biases endemic to their times, have significantly influenced the Church's stance on the roles of women.
St. Augustine, for instance, while acknowledging the spiritual equality of men and women, often underscored the subordinate role of women in terrestrial matters. His exegesis of the creation narrative in Genesis suggested that woman was created as a helper to man, thereby reinforcing the notion of male hegemony. For example, St. Augustine's interpretation of Genesis 2:18, which describes Eve as a "helper" to Adam, has been used to justify the subordination of women. However, the Hebrew word for "helper" used in this context is "ezer," which is also used in the Old Testament to describe God’s assistance to humanity (e.g., Psalm 33:20). This indicates that the term does not imply inferiority but rather a form of partnership and support.
Tertullian’s writings went further, casting women as the gateway for the devil, a perspective that indelibly tainted the perception of women in the early Church. This notion stems from his interpretation of the story of the Fall in Genesis 3, where Eve is tempted by the serpent. However, this interpretation overlooks the fact that both Adam and Eve are held accountable for their disobedience. Moreover, the New Testament offers a more nuanced view of sin and redemption that does not single out women as inherently more culpable or susceptible to sin than men. For instance, in Romans 5:12-21, Paul discusses sin entering the world through one man (Adam) and redemption through one man (Christ), emphasizing collective human fallibility rather than gender-specific blame.
St. Jerome, despite extolling the virtues of celibate women, perpetuated the idea that women were inherently weaker and more susceptible to sin than men. However, St. Jerome's view of women as inherently weaker and more prone to sin is contradicted by various New Testament passages that highlight the active and significant roles of women in the early Christian community. Women such as Mary Magdalene, who is the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection of Christ (John 20:18), and Phoebe, who is referred to as a deacon and a benefactor in Romans 16:1-2, exemplify the important roles women played. Additionally, Galatians 3:28 underscores the fundamental equality of all believers: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This verse explicitly challenges the notion of gender hierarchy within the Christian community.
These interpretations were not merely reflections of personal biases but were deeply embedded in the historical and cultural contexts of the early Church. The Greco-Roman world, where Christianity initially took root, was a patriarchal society that afforded women limited rights and opportunities. For the Church Fathers, it was nearly inconceivable to envision women as independent agents capable of significant contributions beyond their traditional roles as wives and mothers. This cultural parochialism led to a theological framework that confined women to subordinate roles within the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
The ramifications of these early interpretations have been profound and enduring. For centuries, the Catholic Church has maintained a rigid gender hierarchy, systematically excluding women from ordained ministry and other positions of ecclesiastical leadership. The notion that women were innately suited for specific roles—primarily those involving caregiving and nurturing—became deeply entrenched, perpetuating stereotypes that undermined women's potential as leaders and intellectuals within the Church.
Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize that the early Church also bore witness to women who played significant roles in its development. Figures such as Phoebe, a deaconess mentioned in the New Testament, and other prominent women in early Christian communities, demonstrate that the exclusion of women from leadership was not an immutable doctrine but rather a consequence of later interpretations. These historical examples suggest that the early Christian movement may have been more inclusive than traditionally conceived, and that the rigid gender roles were a subsequent imposition.
In contemporary times, there has been a burgeoning recognition of the necessity to re-evaluate the roles of women within the Church. The Second Vatican Council and subsequent papal teachings have emphasized the dignity and equality of women, advocating for greater inclusion and participation of women in various aspects of Church life. Nonetheless, significant challenges persist as the historical and cultural baggage of early interpretations continues to influence the Church's stance on gender roles.
To advance, it is essential to critically examine the historical context in which the Church Fathers formulated their views on women. By understanding the socio-cultural influences that shaped these interpretations, we can disentangle core Christian teachings from the cultural biases of its early proponents. This will enable a more authentic and inclusive understanding of women’s roles in the Church, one that aligns with contemporary values of gender equality and justice.
So why is Butker's assessment of Christianity and women's roles wrong, even when stripping the issues inherent in Catholicism away? Butker posits that true fulfillment for women is found primarily in traditional roles as wives and mothers, emphasizing that these roles are paramount to achieving happiness and stability. He uses his own wife, Isabelle, as an exemplar, praising her dedication to their family as the cornerstone of his success. Butker’s assertion is rooted in a long-standing tradition within Christianity that venerates motherhood and homemaking. This perspective finds support in certain Biblical passages, such as Proverbs 31:10-31, which extols the virtues of a diligent and wise woman who manages her household with care and skill.
Proverbs 31 describes an idealized woman who is industrious, manages her household, and is respected by her family and community. This passage is often cited to highlight the significant role women play within the family structure, supporting Butker’s view that women's primary fulfillment is in the domestic sphere. Moreover, Titus 2:3-5 advises older women to teach younger women to be "self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." This reinforces the notion that women's roles within the home are divinely ordained and central to their identity and purpose.
However, a comprehensive examination of the Bible reveals a broader spectrum of women's roles beyond the confines of traditional domesticity. For instance, the Bible presents numerous examples of women who played pivotal roles outside the home. Deborah, a prophetess and judge, led Israel and was revered for her wisdom and leadership (Judges 4:4-5). Similarly, Priscilla, alongside her husband Aquila, was a prominent early Christian teacher who played a crucial role in the ministry of the Apostle Paul (Acts 18:26). These examples demonstrate that the Biblical narrative supports a more expansive view of women's contributions, both within and beyond the home.
Moreover, Galatians 3:28 states, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This passage underscores the fundamental equality of all believers in Christ, suggesting that spiritual and vocational roles should not be rigidly confined by gender. It challenges the notion that fulfillment and service to God are exclusively linked to traditional gender roles, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of vocation that encompasses diverse talents and callings.
Butker’s speech, while well-intentioned, risks oversimplifying and idealizing the roles of women by not fully acknowledging the breadth of Biblical examples and teachings. His emphasis on traditional roles may inadvertently marginalize those women who feel called to pursue vocations outside of marriage and motherhood. The Bible supports the idea that women, like men, can be called to various forms of service, leadership, and professional endeavors.
Isabelle Butker’s choice to prioritize her family is indeed admirable and reflects a valid and fulfilling path. However, it is essential to recognize that other women may find similar fulfillment in different arenas, whether in ministry, education, business, or other fields. The Bible does not prescribe a single path for all women but rather provides principles that can be applied to a variety of life circumstances.

depot minimum winamax
Exigences de dépôt
Les exigences de dépôt sont des règles et des procédures à suivre lorsqu'on souhaite effectuer un dépôt, que ce soit dans une banque, une entreprise ou un établissement financier. Ces exigences varient en fonction du type de dépôt et de l'entité receveuse.
Dans le cadre d'un dépôt bancaire, par exemple, il peut être nécessaire de remplir un formulaire indiquant le montant à déposer, le type de compte concerné et les coordonnées du déposant. De plus, certaines banques exigent la présentation d'une pièce d'identité valide pour des raisons de sécurité et de traçabilité.
Pour les dépôts effectués dans le cadre d'une entreprise, les exigences peuvent être liées à la nature des biens déposés. Il peut s'agir de marchandises, de liquidités ou de documents importants. Dans ce cas, un bon de dépôt ou un reçu peut être émis pour attester de la transaction.
Il est essentiel de respecter ces exigences de dépôt pour garantir la bonne gestion des fonds et la transparence des opérations. En cas de non-conformité, des sanctions peuvent être appliquées, allant de la simple annulation du dépôt à des poursuites judiciaires en cas de fraude.
En conclusion, que ce soit pour un dépôt bancaire, commercial ou financier, il est primordial de se conformer aux exigences de dépôt en vigueur pour assurer la légalité et la fiabilité des transactions effectuées.
Montant minimum requis
Le montant minimum requis est un terme financier utilisé pour décrire le niveau minimum de fonds ou de capitaux requis pour investir dans un produit financier, tel qu'une action, une obligation ou un fonds commun de placement. Ce montant varie en fonction du type d'investissement et des exigences spécifiques du produit financier.
Il est important de comprendre le montant minimum requis avant de faire un investissement, car il peut avoir un impact sur votre capacité à investir dans un produit financier particulier. Si vous ne respectez pas le montant minimum requis, il se peut que vous ne puissiez pas investir dans le produit financier de votre choix.
Le montant minimum requis peut être déterminé par divers facteurs, tels que les objectifs d'investissement du produit financier, les risques associés à l'investissement et les politiques de gestion des fonds. Il est essentiel de consulter les documents d'information d'un produit financier pour connaître le montant minimum requis et être pleinement informé des conditions d'investissement.
En veillant à respecter le montant minimum requis, vous pouvez maximiser vos chances de réaliser des profits et de gérer efficacement votre portefeuille d'investissement. N'oubliez pas de consulter un conseiller financier professionnel pour obtenir des conseils personnalisés avant de prendre des décisions d'investissement importantes.
Critères de dépôt
Les critères de dépôt jouent un rôle crucial dans le processus de soumission de contenu, que ce soit des articles, des images ou des vidéos. Ces critères sont des directives établies par une plateforme, un site internet ou une publication pour garantir la qualité et la pertinence du contenu déposé par les utilisateurs.
En règle générale, les critères de dépôt portent sur plusieurs aspects tels que la longueur du texte, la qualité de l'écriture, la pertinence du sujet, l'originalité du contenu, l'orthographe et la grammaire, ainsi que le respect des droits d'auteur. Il est important pour les soumissionnaires de prendre connaissance de ces critères afin d'augmenter leurs chances de voir leur contenu accepté et publié.
Certaines plateformes exigent également que le contenu déposé respecte des normes spécifiques en matière de langage, d'images utilisées ou de sujets abordés. Il est donc essentiel de lire attentivement les critères de dépôt avant de soumettre du contenu pour éviter tout refus ou toute modification demandée par les modérateurs.
En somme, les critères de dépôt sont des outils essentiels pour garantir la qualité et la pertinence du contenu proposé sur une plateforme donnée. En respectant ces critères, les auteurs peuvent maximiser leurs chances de voir leur contenu diffusé et contribuer ainsi de manière positive à l'enrichissement de la communauté en ligne.
Limite de dépôt
La limite de dépôt, également connue sous le nom de limite de dépôt, est une restriction imposée par les banques et les institutions financières concernant le montant maximum qu'un individu peut déposer sur son compte. Cette mesure vise à protéger tant les clients que les institutions financières elles-mêmes en limitant les risques associés aux dépôts importants.
Les limites de dépôt peuvent varier d'une institution à une autre et sont souvent déterminées en fonction de divers facteurs tels que le type de compte, le statut du client et les politiques internes de la banque. Généralement, les comptes de dépôt standard ont des limites de dépôt plus élevées que les comptes d'épargne.
Il est important de connaître et de respecter les limites de dépôt établies par votre banque pour éviter tout problème ou retard dans le traitement de vos dépôts. Dépasser la limite de dépôt peut entraîner le rejet du dépôt ou des frais supplémentaires, ce qui peut être évité en planifiant soigneusement vos transactions financières.
Pour toute question concernant les limites de dépôt de votre compte, il est recommandé de contacter directement votre conseiller financier ou de consulter les termes et conditions de votre institution financière. En respectant les limites de dépôt en place, vous contribuez à maintenir un fonctionnement fluide de votre compte bancaire et à assurer la sécurité de vos fonds.
Montant initial obligatoire
Le montant initial obligatoire est une somme d'argent minimum exigée pour ouvrir un compte ou souscrire à un service financier. Il peut s'agir d'un dépôt à effectuer lors de l'ouverture d'un compte bancaire, d'un investissement à réaliser pour accéder à un produit financier ou d'une mise de fonds requise avant de pouvoir emprunter de l'argent.
Ce montant initial obligatoire varie en fonction du type de service financier envisagé. Par exemple, pour ouvrir un compte courant dans une banque, il peut être nécessaire de verser une somme minimale. De même, pour investir dans un placement financier tel que des actions ou des obligations, un montant minimum peut être exigé pour démarrer.
Dans le cadre d'un prêt, le montant initial obligatoire peut se présenter sous la forme d'un apport personnel à fournir avant de pouvoir contracter le prêt principal. Cela permet aux prêteurs de s'assurer que l'emprunteur est engagé dans le projet et qu'il dispose d'une certaine capacité financière pour soutenir sa demande.
Il est important de bien se renseigner sur les montants initiaux obligatoires liés aux différents produits et services financiers, car ceux-ci peuvent avoir un impact sur la rentabilité de l'opération ou sur les conditions de souscription. En respectant ces exigences, vous pourrez bénéficier pleinement des avantages offerts par les produits financiers et optimiser ainsi votre gestion financière.

To preface: This is mainly a bunch of mental notes and what I recall from conversations I've had with people concerning an AU project I may work on... I consider myself a fan of DB, but over the years I have drifted away from the modern stuff, may catch the newest movie but that's about it. Despite this, I just let loose on the topic of a rework, sending walls of text to people randomly when I get an idea. To supplement myself I have started to read DB from the beginning, refreshing myself on details and whatnot, and keeping track of stuff like characters, locations, items, techniques, etc just for personal reference. With that out of the way I should probably get to the actual ideas...
I'll start off with ki and related systems: Taking inspiration from stuff like chakra points and mind field theories. Basically, all living things have ki points throughout their body; lying on/within vital organs and the primary joints. Connected via ki channels, and assisted in regulation by the "Threads of Preservation", which are mapped onto the lymph system. The ki points spread throughout the body generate an aura that can indicate one's physical health, but can also be utilized to enhance one's presence and the impact of melee attacks. Situated on the brain, is a ki point that generates the mind aura that can indicate mental health/state and is the center of psychic abilities; being more "malleable" than the bodily aura, it can be cast out like fishing rod or net to grab things and link one's mind to another. When these auras are used in tandem, one is able to fly. It can be pictured as the bodily aura being used to suspend yourself, manipulating the air around you, while the mind aura pulls/pushes you away from things. To use ki directly, your own life energy, it is emperative to have a moderate ability to visualize things; as using ki relies on moving it through your system. In the case of a beam attack, it is being energy from ki points, through the interconnecting, channels, to the ends of your extremities and out at a frequency/intensity that is destructive. Healing is done by a similar process but at a much more game output, with the intent of transferring it to another person's system. Stuff like ki balls and discs are released from the body, and then guided by the mental aura; unless released and just let to fly on its own. To strengthen one's abilities with ki, mental exercises can help, plus general physical training to build mind-muscle connections/control and flexibility. Strenuous physical activity also widens the channels between ki points, allowing for easier flow. Ki points can be expanded, but some people are unfortunately born with smaller ki points, limiting their potential storage and output. These people often fall back on different methods of combat, or if they retain a sizeable brain ki point, focus on psychic abilities and training. The art of shapeshifting, demonstrated by characters like Oolong and Puar, is a rare affinity. Wherein a person can manipulate the structure of their ki system, altering their appearance as their body conforms to the new configuration. This process is not permanent, lest the shapeshifter has great force of will, since the structure of one's ki system will always want to return to it's natural/stable state. As forcing the channels to lengthen or shorten, does not come without strain. I think that's all I really have regarding ki, so I'm gonna move on to some world details...
World: I'm not quite a fan of planet busters and universe shakers, at a certain point it gets boring and tedious. To majorly pull back the scale, the world I envision is a singular vast plane of ocean, with great continents and islands scattered about them (the whole world shaking would only really occur if multiple Supreme Kais and Gods of Destruction were fighting at once). Split into quadrants, monitored by the kais who help council "Kami", the medium between Heaven and the Earthly realm, as well as the appointed authority of said realm. Probably selected/voted on by the kais, who judge for a mortals moral character, wisdom, and connection to the realm; the operating Kami can take on desciples who will be strongly considered as a candidate for the next Kami. Below Kami then are the angels, heaven-born beings who are born when positive energy rises up from the Earthly realm and clumps together. Solidifying into humanoid forms that have an innate sense of justice, and will unflinchingly carry out actions in the name of that justice. Perfect to be linked to Gods of Destructions, who are mortals, the strongest of their respective regions, that are appointed to keep the "destructive balance" in check; possessing an aura that can influence the occurrence of natural disasters and the like. As well tasked with cutting down threats to their region as a whole. The one who is in charge with coordinating and pairing Gods of Destructions with Angels is the Grand Minister. Making sure each of them having personalities that go well together. The Angels and Gods of Destruction are not weak by any measure, but simply appointed to a role with different qualifications, that put them below other beings in this universal hierarchy. With that said, Gods of Destructions take on desciples too, which will be candidates for their master's positions. Ultimately relying on the choice of Kami and the decision of the Kais. Above Kami, is another medium of Heaven and Earth, King Yemma who is of the Oni. A race created by the Kais and Supreme Kais to keep souls in check and operate the systems of heaven. King Yemma himself is both the strongest of the Oni, as well as the most wise, assuring him the role of "Judge of Souls" and "the guardian of the gate". Above Yemma are the Kais, led by Grand Kai who is the mediator between the lesser and Supreme Kais, the tiebreaker for decisions involving Earth, and the host of heavenly events/contests. Above him are the Supreme Kais who rule over the quadrants of Heaven, and answer to the absolute authority of this world— Grand Supreme Kai... I'm not personally a fan of Zeno, so opted to omit him, I can see his appeal but he just doesn't feel right to me as the top of the ladder. Bringing things down— way way down, below the Earthly Realm is the realm of Demons. Formerly a dark abyss before the demon Kais, born from the rotten fruit of the Kaiju trees that birth the core people, the first people that devised the Earth and the Heavens, were cast down there; because of their malicious tendencies. With their vast power they gave the abyss form and like their counterparts, created life, utilizing the negative energy which sinks down into their realm. They wait until their demonic legions are great enough to wage war on Earth and Heaven. Until then, they council the "Emperor" of the realm, the strongest of all demons who has a majority of the clans under his dominion. All beings except angels can convert into demons, via a ritual of renouncing the good within them to take on a more monstrous form. This action having great affects even on ones progeny (like the majority of Demon King/Chief Piccolo's offspring)... I think that's all the major stuff regarding the world and it's Hierarchy. Guess I'll clarify some things here, such as I previously mentioned the Earthly Realm is a singular plane. Meaning such things as Planet Namek and Planet Vegeta, are now islands/archipelagos far out from their mainlands (but still greatly far from other major land masses). To the point that their existence has become legend, such as talk of the might warrior race that bear resemblance to humans but with the tails of monkeys~ that sort of thing.
Other tangents: Speaking of the Saiyans, I want them of course to be strong though, but more in the sense that they recover quickly and have heightened instincts in regards to battle, learning new techniques relatively quickly. I actually want them to be somewhat stunted in the art of ki, primarily relying on their raw strength. As well as following very harsh and strict practices of training and diet. To the point, in this universe, if you put an alternate Goku and Vegeta next to each other, due to Goku's more relaxed and carefree approach he'd appear more filled out though still with a solid physique of course. Vegeta on the other hand would be cut/shredded to an extreme point, but as the story would go... As Vegeta gets accustomed to life on the mainland and starts to question his culture, initially sickened by Goku's indulgence, eventually gains an appreciation for the food provided by Bulma. Allowing Vegeta to fill out his frame a bit more and gain an appreciation for mainland cuisine. To touch on Oozaru and Super Saiyan, the transformations associated with the Saiyans— I'd like them to have different utilizations. Oozaru being a symbol of the old culture, raw power and killer instinct being greatly valued. While Super Saiyan would be the symbol of a new way, one with a better balance between the body and mind. The Oozaru outclassing Super Saiyan in pure strength, but being less mobile (making it very difficult to fly and move without destroying things), limiting ki usage, and affecting the mind of the Saiyan. While the Super Saiyan promotes developing one's mind along side their body. It's origin lying in ancient Saiyan mystic practices, relating to the harnessing of one's power. One group created the fake moon technique, that would allow them to turn Oozaru at any time and help them train to control it. While the other, less prominent group were able to achieve the state of Super Saiyan. Due to the extensive work that would be required to inspire ki use among the Saiyans, it never caught on, remaining as a legend for years ti come. The moon technique winning out while Super Saiyan faded, kept alive in some circles because of the mystique but unaware of what one would need to acquire that kind of form. Which leads into the irony of doing the exact opposite of what the traditional Saiyans do. Focusing just on their bodies and fighting, instead of the simple pleasures of life and growing one's connection to the world. Encapsulated in Goku, a Saiyan raised by a human and trained by others to seek strength but also enjoy the life he is living. A side note related to that - I'm picturing a semi-funny sequence where Vegeta is trying to ask around Goku's friends and family about what his life was like. Trying to figure out the key to Super Saiyan but just getting more frustrated. On the form itself, I've devised a branching scheme to it. With the base super Saiyan being a balanced refinement of the body. While the graded forms would be strength specialization with the working named "Buffed" and "Maxed". Super Saiyan 2 being the speed specialization, with the working named Charged. Super Saiyan 3 being the ki specialization, with the working name "Flow" (get it, because ki flow and his flowing hair). All of them would have different uses instead of being a linear progression of power, and with all their own drawbacks. The obvious being the graded forms losing mobility, but making them very dangerous once they get their hands on you. Vegeta would be drawn to these forms, falling back on his own Saiyan sensibilities; Trunks supporting his dad as he would be open to the possibility, unaware of the limits of Super Saiyan. While Goku and Gohan would be focused on the speed specialization. I think it would be cool if these specializatiknd could work together instead of one outright outclassing the other. For example one person could lead Cell with speed into an ambush, where he can be overpowered physically. Moving into Flow, going with the fact it's easier to use when dead, that's because the dead don't have a physically body to keep running with ki. In the afterlife, that is all you are, a battery of ki. But with a body, the form majorly improves output, opening one's channels to their limit, but if one is not careful they can easily extend too much ki... The sorta odd one out in this case is Super Saiyan 4, which relies on the Oozaru form of course. Diverting the transformation so that they remain in a more compact form. However, this form kinda acts like a cross between strength and speed specialization, with the drawback that it messes with the mind. Making it easy for a Saiyan to forget exactly what they are doing, lashing out any chance they get (even at allied), and forgetting about mercy. Goku and Vegeta seeing potential in this form, but wary. Best case scenario they are facing an opponent one on one, away from a crowd, that they have no qualms with killing.
To touch on Super Saiyan God, I have to touch on Beerus, who instead of coming to Earth somewhat randomly from what I recall. He is instead visiting the Saiyans and other Z Fighters, with the intention of recruiting desciples. Pretending to go rogue, in order to make it feel like they are in a dire situation and will fight with all they have. After evaluating all their strengths, he relents and invites those he seems with great potential/likelihood of succeeding him to his temple to perform a ritual of transferring divine ki... As I'm not a fan of the original Super Saiyan God ritual and it's legend. Just feels weird to have two coinciding legends, but one has more obvious relevance. So instead, Beerus would remark that he has heard of Saiyans being candidates in the last but is curious what these "new age Saiyans" are capable of. Training them to achieve their godly state (red), that can act as an alternate to their base form, which they would eventually be able to incorporate with Super Saiyan. Thus becoming Super Saiyan Gods in that sense. The recruitment narrative would also reframe the tournament between Beerus and Champa, as teachers testing their desciples against one another.
I'm not quite sure what I'm gonna do with Ultra Instinct & Ego + Beast yet, and I'm not caught up on Super as I indicated at the beginning. But I do have some closing additions... On time Travel, their a couple instances such as in the early series, later in the Android + Cell Saga, and that one weird Bardock special. But to tie them together I have devised the presence of general time distorting items. Which in the case of the early series and Bardock, those would be handled with the items as they naturally occur. You touch them and they bring you to a certain time, usually related to the location it is found (though in the case of Bardock, it wouldn't be him sent back, and the village would be destroyed regardless the item would just give someone the chance to make a timeline in which it was saved), but your actions would just create a new timeline. While you would be returned to your own as if nothing happened, even if you "die" while in contact with the item, it's more akin to a simulation where you would wake up afterward near the item. Bulma however would acquire one of these items and make it the core of the time machine used by Trunks, directing it's effect to specified times. On Frieza and his golden form, I imagined if he attained it while in the afterlife instead of after his revival. The reason he runs into the stamina issue is because he only used it without a physical body, similar to how their is less of an issue of ki in the afterlife, there is no stamina/ki going toward the maintenance of your body. I'm also sort of scratching out his black form because I find it boring— replacing it with the idea that his golden form is a cocoon for a subsequent form. Which he would realize is a way to conduct the demon conversion ritual. Going through with it, he would emerge in a new demonic form. Not fully confident in that idea but it's there. But I am a bit more confident in restructuring Frieza's forms, making his impish form his original form. To remove the redundancy of making so many forms to restrict llert and just have his race be very adaptive. His second form would then be strength focused, his third would be speed, his fourth would be balanced, while his full power form would act in a similar way to the grade 2. Broly he's a Saiyan mutant. Which causes him behavioral issues and enhanced power progression. Paragus would put the device on him to make him more passive and restrict him. The device developed by Paragus and a technology advanced race (Cheelai's in my verse, which would lead to her and Broly meeting), would help Paragus establish his own regime, attracting wayward Saiyans to conquer in his name now that Island Vegeta was destroyed and the prince is nowhere to be found. His super Saiyan form, due to his mutation, is triggered by desperation (to not displease his father) and anger instead of greater aspiration/need. The years of being controlled by his father, essentially splitting his personality. All of his passive traits remaining in his base form, while all the violent and sadustic tendencies welled up in his super Saiyan form. Fusion, I don't think that needs to be altered much. Off the top of my head it would probably require two people matching their auras instead of power levels for the dance; synchronizing them long enough so their bodies and minds can merge temporarily.
Feel free to ask questions, I didn't cover absolutely everything ofc, so any questions, thoughts, and questions would be appreciated.