Salary increase letter template

Hello Reddit,
I’m reaching out to share my recent experience with the Schengen visa application process, and to seek advice and support from this community. My wife and I recently applied for a Schengen visa through the Swedish Embassy for a trip to celebrate our 15th year together (not our marriage anniversary). Despite meticulous preparation, our application was denied, leaving us frustrated and disheartened. Here are the details:
Our Background:

• We are both working professionals.
• The trip was purely for tourism and to celebrate our anniversary.
• My wife earns a bare minimum salary but works for a reputable company, while I earn more than a decent about for my age, for this trip and for the country I am living in!
• I showed ample financial means through a combination of savings, government bonds, and deposit scheme investments, with a 1:1:1 ratio. My liquid bank savings alone were sufficient to cover the trip for two weeks.

Documents We Submitted:

1. Completed and signed visa application form.
2. Proof of identity and marital status (photocopy of passport, national identity, marriage certificate).
3. Round-trip flight confirmation.
4. Hotel reservations
5. Financial stability and proof of income (payslips, salary certificate, bank account statement, solvency certificate, TIN certificate, income tax certificates, and saving certificates).
6. Health and travel insurance policy covering the entire stay.
7. Detailed itinerary.

Reason for Denial: The refusal letter cited two reasons:

1. "The information communicated to justify the purpose and conditions of the planned stay are not reliable."
2. "There are reasonable doubts as to your intention to leave the territory of the member states before the expiry of the visa."

Our Feelings: Despite presenting a strong case with genuine and meticulously prepared documents, we were denied. This feels like a severe injustice, especially considering our stable backgrounds, education, and financial ability to support the trip, only for the people like us. It’s hard not to feel that this scrutiny is disproportionately harsh. I understand there are a lot of political neusance going on, but with strong background and education, and ability to spare, I guess this is just us!
Seeking Advice: Has anyone else faced a similar situation? How did you handle it, and were you successful on a subsequent application? Any advice on how we can strengthen our application further or address the reasons for denial would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for reading and for any help you can provide.
TL;DR: Applied for a Schengen visa through the Swedish Embassy with my wife to celebrate our 15th year together. Despite a thorough and genuine application, we were denied for reasons that seem unfounded. Seeking advice and support from those who have been in a similar situation.

I like the current team,I'm sad Hailey is leaving now just when I started to like her- at first I COULD NOT STAND HER, didn't understand why she never ran a brush through her hair lol. BUT, I LOVED the last episode,and now I know why.
I saw an article today about budget cuts. They're cutting the seasons for the FBI's and Chicago One by two episodes, since the writers strike, and salary increases-have had to cut the seasons shorter-and if you notice, they rarely have the entire team together like they did so much on the most recent episode for the same reason, budget cuts. Most episodes, most scenes center around one or two of the main characters,there are much fewer scenes with the entire team-allows them to cut costs bc the actors must be paid based on a certain amount of time they're in the season. Anyway, still love it, but wish we got to see the whole cast together more often.
STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY JESSE LEFT (I THOUGHT HE WAS FULL TIME DIRECTING, BUT NO, JUST A COUPLE EPS?) ABD WHY IS HAILEY LEAVING??? MAYBE TRIED TO RENEGOTIATE HER CONTRACT/SALARY AND DIDN'T GET WHAT SHE WANTED?? JUST A GUESS...AND, ESPECIALLY WANT TO KNOW IF SHE AND JESSE ARE TOGETHER IRL

I've been working for this company for exactly 8 months. They pay me based on my requested salary, and since becoming a regular employee, they have increased it slightly. I understand that, as a new employee, I can't expect a significant raise.
However, the company is currently facing financial difficulties, and all staff have been experiencing delayed salaries. This is the second time our salaries have been delayed.
Given the circumstances, should I start looking for another job, or should I stay? I'm genuinely worried about the situation.

I'm looking for a series of 2D animated comedy shorts I used to watch on a German kids' TV channel back in the 2000s. I think the title was written in lowercase letters and sung out by a male VA in the very short intro sequence, but this could be a false memory. I don't know if it was a German show or just a dub. The main characters were two anthropomorphic bird parents and their bratty son who was still partially in his eggshell. I think they were light brown Dohdoh birds (I know the spelling is wrong, but Reddit won't let me post if I write it correctly). The animation looked a bit simplistic and stilted.
I only remember two skits. In the first, the boy and his Mom were at the doctors' office. The boy was supposed to get a shot, but repeatedly flinched away out of fear, which increasingly agitated the doc. After his Mom promised to get him ice cream if he was brave, the boy had the audacity to tell the doc to hurry up with the shot. It ended with the doc ramming the syringe in the eggshell (not graphic or scary, just comedic).
In the second skit, the Dad asked the boy to go to the store and buy some bottles of water. Since the boy didn't feel like doing it, he kept stalling with What-if scenarios and successfully manipulated his Dad into going to the store himself (I have the feeling it might have been a rip-off or parody of this Sesame Street skit).

National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Scholarship: Fully funded by the U.S Department of State, NSLI-Y provides intensive 8-week language & cultural immersion programs in locations around the world. The program is part of a U.S. government initiative to foster international cooperation by ensuring that Americans have the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge necessary to effectively communicate. NSLI-Y provides overseas critical language study opportunities to American youth through merit-based scholarships to spark a lifetime interest in critical foreign languages and cultures.
The program schedule consists of 4 hrs of language study at a local school, cultural excursions after school, free time, time w/ host family, homework.
Pros • Free travel to Indonesia, low income so might be only chance • Learn Indonesian language • Love traveling/ study abroad (my dream) • I’ve been focused on school, I want a break before college • Meet new friends • Could help me get other study abroad • Intangible benefits: personal growth, language, etc. • Short term fun • Can leave home earlier
Cons • College starts the day after I get back (3 hrs away) • Orientation dates are when im gone so I wont be able to go in person • Will probably attend a virtual orientation but its when im already gone • Only chance to participate
Government Internship for rising college freshman: Engineering internship at an Air Force Base w/ a college prep element. 1st & 2nd years do college/ life prep & engineering. 3rd & 4th years are placed on a team.
Pros • If I stay in the program, they will most likely offer a job (main purpose of program) • Guaranteed internship throughout college if I keep a 3.0 GPA • I’ll make around 6,000 (Salaried 30k+) • Salary increases every summer • College prep themes every week: guest speakers in industry, mentors, life lessons, “college hacks”, etc. • Project-based learning assignments: Learn coding in python (currently a beginner), build & program hardware, etc. • Can use all base amenities • Head start to learn Computer Engr & mentorship as first gen low income • Tangible benefits: money, engineering skills, career advancement, etc. • Long term advancements
Cons • Would be giving up other summer opportunities • If I decide I don’t want to do it anymore, I’ll regret not doing NSLI-Y Indonesian summer • Won’t be able to apply until sophomore year & the college prep isn’t included • If I get the post college job, I’ll have to move back near my hometown
I’m really conflicted on what to chose because I really love to travel, and I feel like going on the study abroad will be really beneficial to me. Though a lot of people have told me it would be stupid to pass up this internship because there are so many other study abroad opportunities. But I feel like there are other internships and I’ll be working the rest of my life so I should just enjoy the summer. At first I was gonna chose study abroad then I started to reconsider bc I fear that I won’t be good enough in engineering to get another internship in college.
So would I be “stupid” to pass up this internship for the study abroad?

Wanted to get a sense here about how people feel about this. This sub is getting increasingly unusable as someone in their mid-30s, the younger people here have absolutely no concept or understanding of the issues older people face. But they are in the clear majority and control the voting patterns (a fundamental problem with all of Reddit tbh). Anyone who says their salary is 10k+ is shot and downvoted to zero every single time (unless they have a relatable sob story to mitigate), and the top replies are always snarky and stupid and totally unrelated to finance ("why can't you be happy with what you have, bro" is usually the top comment). The assumption that some people here have that anyone making 120k+ should be a finance whiz who shouldn't need advice, or that since it's above median salary you don't need help or a sounding board, it's just totally absurd.
This is not really a SG specific problem (though I have to say it's pretty bad here), other country subs also had to branch off - and maybe we need a duplicate of Henryfinance or aushenry as well? As you can see, there are plenty of discussions to be had in such subreddits which they couldn't in original subs because they were downvoted to oblivion
It's silly that anyone who is "above the median" is instantly shot down here. But at the same time, frustration at somewhat high earners is understandable, I've been there when I was young. Do we separate the two cohorts and create a safe space for both?
The obvious downside is that given it's a small community, it might be really really hard to reach critical mass to get the sub going

So long story short, I sold a car (in Oregon,) transferred the title notified the DMV of the sale promptly afterwards. Few months later and The Toll Roads (California) is spamming me with toll violations for the vehicle. Yeah, I left the plates on, didn't get a bill of sale, etc. My bad and lesson learned.
What I'm trying to figure out is how to get these guys off my back. When I called OR DMV about it, they assured me the notice was still on file, and I did everything required to release myself from liability per ORS 803.117. I filled out the Toll Roads affadavit of non liability, and they keep rejecting it because I don't have the dude's address, and they ignore me when I try to reason further. I've called them three times, twice spoke with clueless reps who knew nothing, and once with an upper management who said she would check with the email department and never got back to me.
I'm getting more of these letters multiple per week now because apparently whoever has the vehicle is racking up a bunch of these and I'm getting increasingly angry about it. Worst case scenario I will simply refuse to pay, but I would much prefer to make them leave me alone. Is there anything I can say to them to achieve this end? Could I/Should I get a lawyer to send them a cease and desist or something to that effect? Could really use some pointers.

Today I sat down and sent out letters to the media about how the independent monitor who is overseeing the APD's consent decree has announced that they have met all the requirements, and he is recommending that Albuquerque police be released from further review. A judge will decide if that is the case in early June.
The issue that I have with that??? The Albuquerque Police Department TOPS the nationwide list per capita for officer involved shootings. Population wise they killed more people last year than any other US law enforcement agency, and their rate of shootings has gone UP rather than down over the past decade.
APD is also currently being investigated by the FBI for the DWI scandal, which involves numerous corrupt officers not showing up to court (assumingly in exchange for bribes) over many years... offenses which were not uncovered by the committee put in charge of policing the police, nor the department supervisors.
These things do not suggest that APD is now REFORMED and can be trusted with handling investigations of their own department internally. If anything, it makes it clear that whatever oversight they have been receiving isn't working. Not only do they need the federal oversight to continue, they need someone else put in charge of monitoring their department... obviously anybody who thinks that the APD is currently 'all good' doesn't have very good judgement.
So here is the letter that I have been sending out to local news agencies and government officials. I encourage everyone to research this situation themselves and write their own letters or make phone calls voicing their concerns about the APD being released from federal oversight even though they are literally the countries #1 killer cops and their department is steeped in misconduct.
"I'm writing you today because I simply can not believe that the independent monitor that is overseeing the DOJ order for Federal oversight over APD has recommended that it come to an end because they have supposedly met their goals... The statistics say otherwise.
Albuquerque police top the nationwide list of officer involved shootings per capita - looking solely at population, they killed more people in 2023 than any other US city! Their rate of shootings has gone up over time rather than down, and the increase isn't comparable to a growth in population.
They also have an unreasonably high death rate of incarcerated people, an enormous number of unconvicted people being held for low level offenses while violent repeat offenders are left roaming the streets, and a disproportionate number of arrests of POC that reveal a department wide racial bias.
Albuquerque has an atrocious level of crime for a city this size, and APD has a horrible response time with many people across the city complaining that they NEVER SHOW UP AT ALL to 911 calls for assistance. When they do show up they are incredibly likely to murder people who are unarmed, experiencing a mental health crisis, acting out due to being under the influence of substances, or just because they are Black/Hispanic/Native.
The department has a high number of complaints against officers where nearly none are found in favor of the civilian victims upon internal review - it's an unusually low number in comparison to other places. There are numerous instances over the past decade when they have lacked transparency regarding misconduct, refusing to release the names of officers involved or hold them accountable for their actions. These things alone should be reason enough for them to continue being monitored... proof that they haven't improved enough to be released from review.
But the Albuquerque police are also literally in the middle of a FBI investigation due to the DWI scandal. That's a great big red flag! Why wasn't this independent oversight committee able to spot that multiple officers weren't showing up to court hundreds of times over many years, with all the cases connected to the same attorney? Instead it took a citizen doing their own investigation to break open the corruption, and it required the media covering the story to make sure that this controversy wasn't buried. If the monitors couldn't catch this misconduct and abuse of power, what else is going on in the department that has either not yet been revealed or is being purposely hidden?
None of this sounds like "REFORMED" to me - if this is how the APD behaves while under the microscope, what will they do when they have independent power over their own misconduct again? How can this monitor group see all of this happening yet still recommend that the consent decree end? They are responsible for overseeing a police department that is currently at the TOP of the list for police killings and one that is engulfed in a conspiracy involving many officers, yet they are giving the APD 'the all clear'? Make it make sense!
I'd like to see more news stories pointing out all the reasons why the consent decree shouldn't stop and how they need a new monitor instead - the current one didn't fulfill his promises and hasn't been able to bring the APD into REAL compliance. We citizens obviously cannot bring our complaints directly to the APD or the oversight committee and expect transparency or action, so the burden falls on to the local news agencies to investigate this topic and release their findings to the community.
I've recently seen some news articles that were critical of the head monitor Mr. James Ginger, saying that his office isn't accessible to the public, he's usually out of state, he's been paid many millions of dollars and wasn't able to get the job done in the amount of time that he originally stated.
So it seems suspicious that almost immediately after news agencies investigated his role and uncovered some pretty disparaging stuff about his job performance he suddenly declares the department to be in compliance of the consent decree and announces that his oversight role will end.
Is there a connection? Is he giving them a passing grade after years of putting in the minimum amount of work just so he can write down a win on his resume? Is James Ginger attempting to back out of his responsibility over this police department by painting them as "cured" when they obviously aren't?
Please talk about this issue more, the public really needs to see the facts about APD that suggest that they shouldn't be released from DOJ oversight. It's especially important that some articles about this get published before a judge reviews this claim of the department being in compliance and possibly signs off on it at the beginning of June. We cannot allow the nation's top killer cops, a department chock full of misconduct, to be responsible for policing themselves!
I would love to see the mayor, city council, or some concerned citizens petition the court for a continuation of the consent decree with a new independent monitor in charge, as well as an investigation into the current monitors' performance and reason for declaring the APD in compliance when it's obvious that they have not improved enough to be released from oversight.
But that isn't likely to happen without the media pointing out the facts about APD's performance and reiterating the failures of Mr. Ginger over the past decade. We've got to put some pressure on city officials to do the right thing and stop the APD from being given free reign over their own affairs again... literal lives are at stake."
Thanks for taking the time to read all of that! I really hope that we as a community can prevent this from happening and finally bring some meaningful and much needed change to our police department.

I know I’m not the first to ask this, but I wanted to see what the WP Community’s May 2024 opinion on this is. I’ve been using Oxygen to build sites since I started my agency a few years back and have loved it. Creating design sets to duplicate from site to site is easy, integrates well enough with ACF (a NEEDED component other template builders like Beaver don’t really excel at), setting global styles is easy, has solid developer controls, etc.
However I’ve been increasingly more and more discouraged by how little time and effort the Soflyy devs have been putting into Oxygen since the launch of Breakdance. Updates are slow and it seems to be more of just legacy support at this point. That’s fine for the existing sites I have, but going forward, I find it hard to justify confusing using it.
Enter Bricks.
I’ve been playing around with it for the past few days and have found it to be fairly comparable to Oxygen’s UI. It also integrates well with ACF and has far more frequent updates and DEV involvement. I’m still trying to get a feel for how design sets work but other than that I’m just about sold.
Fellow Oxygen users in 2024, is switching to Bricks still the move? Or are you sticking with Oxygen and, if so, why?

I don't think some might notnconsider this a major problem but I think I just made a bad decision. I am currently earning a monthly salary of around $400. Much like everyone else, I needed a phone so I got one worth $500 for monthly installment of $60. After just 7 months, I had that phone stolen. Out of distress, I went to get another phone for the same deal. Now, I have to pay $120 for the next 5 months & another $60 for the following 7 months. I just now realized that it was too much bill for me. With my little salary, I could only save a little amount out of it and now that my monthly expenses just increased I don't think I can still have money left. My current total monthly bills now is around $100 and daily expenses up to $200. I really regret acquiring this phone and much more regret my negligence to lose an expensive phone. I wish just had stayed cheap

Hello everyone, I’m 23, backstory - I started a new role at a company recently and I love the values and ideals of this company.
They are big on customer service, cleanliness and creating a great experience for customers, this is something I genuinely enjoy and pride myself in doing.
They even have such high standards for cleanliness, with making coffee I feel my expertise as a barista has changed immensely since starting with them.
Here is the dilemma:
They are a new company and as such in the last few months hours have been very inconsistent.
Starting at 2 then 3, then 4, 6 and back to 3 shifts again per week - I lack confidence with them in the exact hours I expect weekly.
Because of this, I decided to apply for a new barista role at a different company. I interviewed and was given the role immediately.
My issue is this: this is a smaller mom and dad company and I realised at my trial coffee shift that they seem to have very low cleanliness level i.e wet clumped coffee grounds were all over the counter by the espresso machine.
They also re-made milk in the same jug as already steamed leftover milk.
This would never fly at my current job as everything is cleaned and fresh by barista’s very consistently.
The second thing is as it’s a very small company, I have a weird feeling it might get awkward working so closely to the owner.
My current job is a huge corporation, where we speak with managers directly instead. It’s a lot more chill.
The first job is great and amazing in skills and opportunities for growth, save the inconsistent hours.
This new job worries me with the management and the lack of cleanliness. I read a review by an ex employee who states the company is toxic and surfaces dirty i.e exactly what I said.
Clearly this is one person’s speak and my intuition vs a nice owner and great interview.
I’m unsure the next steps to take.
Ps: s I received my offer letter, where they asked for an email to e-transfer me salary.
This is strange as my current job asked for a blank cheque to get my bank direct deposit details and even uses a system that deposits pay every 12:00pm on bi-weekly Fridays.
They need a quick start and I am scared to give up my availability at a great, inconsistent company
for a new company with consistent hours but the environment might be physically unclean and awkward, with less chance to grow in skill as a Barista.

So as the title says, I'm curious as to how stat increases impact a certain weapon's aow. Ik that the higher the letter scaling of a weapon, the more it increases the damage it does in respect to the number of points added to the attribute (e.g., dragon communion seal doing more damage the more arcane put into it).
I'm doing an all-dagger build and I'm curious on the implications of certain weapons, specifically the glinstone kris. The weapon equally scales in int and dex (both being c), however im curious as to if the scaling on the aow will change if more points are put into dex as opposed to int. In other words, if I put all of my points into dex and keep the int base requirement for the glinstone kris, will the aow do significantly less damage in comparison to putting all of my points into int?

The Plan of Independece of North America
Iguala
Americans, under whose name I aglutinate not only those born in America, but also the Europeans, Africans and Asians who reside in her: have the kidness to hear me. The nations that are called great in the expanse of the globe were once dominated by others, and until their enlightenment allowed them to establish their own opinion, they did not emancipate themselves. The Europeans who have achieved the greatest ilustration and political development were once slaves to the Romans; and this Empire, the greatest that history recognizes, resembles the Parent of a family, who in his old age sees his children and grandchildren separate from his house because they are already of age to form theirs, and set out themselves, preserving, respect, veneration and love, to its primitive origin.
Since three hundred years ago North America has been under the tutelage of the most Catholic and pious, heroic and magnanimous Nation. Spain educated and exalted her, forming those opulent cities, those beautiful towns, those provinces and expanded kingdoms that in the history of the universe will occupy a very distinguished place. With the populations and ilustration increased, and known to all, the branches of the natural opulence of the soil, its metallic richness, the advantages of its topographical situation, the damage caused by the distance from the center of its unity, and that the branch is the same has the trunk; The public and general opinion of all population is that of the absolute independence from Spain and from every other Nation. This is how the European thinks, and so do Americans of all origins.
This same voice that resonated in the town of Dolores, in the year 1810 and that caused so many misfortunes to the beautiful country of the delights, due to disorder, abandonment and other multitude of vices, also established public opinion that the general union between Europeans and Americans, Indians and indigenous people, is the only solid foundation on which our common happiness can rest. And who will doubt that after the horrific experience of so many disasters, there is not even one who stops lending themselves to the union to achieve so much good? European Spaniards: your homeland is America, because you live in her; In it you have your beloved wives, your tender children, your estates, commerce and goods. American people! Who among you can say that they don't descended from the Spanish? See the sweet chain that unites us: add the other ties of friendship, dependence and interests, education and language and the conformity of feelings, and you will see that the bonds are so close and so powerful, that the common happiness of the Kingdom must be made by all, gathered in a single opinion and in a single voice.
The time has come for you to manifest the uniformity of feelings, and that our union shall be the powerful hand that emancipates America without the need for foreign aid. At the head of a brave and determined army, I have proclaimed independence of North America. It is now free; she is the mistress of herself; She no longer recognizes or depends on Spain, nor on any other Nation. Hail her all as independent, and let our hearts sustain this sweet voice, united with the troops who have resolved to die rather than part with from such a heroic enterprise.
The army has no other desire than to preserve the pure and holy religion that we profess, and to ensure general happiness. Hear the solid foundations on which the army bases their resolution:
1st. The Catholic, apostolic, Roman religion, without tolerance of any other.
2nd. The absolute independence of this Kingdom.
3rd. Monarchical government tempered by a Constitution analogous to the country.
4th. Ferdinand VII, or those of his or another reigning dynasty will be the emperors, to find ourselves with a ready-made monarch and prevent the disastrous attacks of ambition.
5th. There will be a Junta, in the meantime the Cortes are created to make this plan effective.
6th. This Junta will be named gubernatorial and will be made up of the vocales and the Viceroy.
7th. The Junta will govern by virtue of the oath already taken to the King, in the meantime he appears in Mexico and takes it, and then all further orders will be suspended.
8th. If Fernandinand VII decide to not come to Mexico, the Junta or regency will rule in the name of the Nation, while the Cortes decide who must be crowned.
9th. This government will be supported by the Army of the Three Guarantees.
10th. The Cortes will decide whether the Junta should continue or be replaced by a regency while the Emperor arrives.
11th. The Cortes will work, after they meet, on the Constitution of the Mexican Empire.
12th. All its inhabitants, without any other distinction than their merit and virtues, are citizens suitable for any job.
13th. Their persons and property will be respected and protected.
14th. The secular and regular clergy are preserved in all their rights and properties.
15th. All branches of the State and public employees will remain as before, and only those who oppose this Plan will be removed, and replaced by those who are most distinguished in their adherence, virtue and merit.
16th. A protective army will be formed that will be called The Army of the Three Guarantees, and that will sacrifice itself, from the first to the last of its individuals, rather than suffer the slightest infraction of them.
17th. This army will observe the Ordinance to the letter, and its leaders and officers continue where they are, with expectations, despite vacant jobs and those they consider necessary or convenient.
18th. The troops of which it is composed will be considered as troops of the line and the same will be true for those that later embrace this Plan; Those who differ and the countrymen who want to enlist will be considered as national militia, and the arrangement and form of all of them will be dictated by the Cortes.
19th. The jobs will be given by virtue of reports from the respective chiefs, and in the name of the Nation provisionally.
20th. While the Cortes meet, crimes will be dealt with in full accordance with the Spanish Constitution.
21th. In the case of conspiracy against independence, imprisonment will be carried out, without moving on to anything else until the Cortes dictates the penalty corresponding to the greatest crime after Lesse divine Majesty.
22th. Those who try to sow division will be monitored and will be considered conspirators against Independence.
23th. Since the Cortes that are to be formed are Constitutional Cortes, the deputies must be elected under this concept. The Junta will determine the rules and the time necessary for this purpose.
Americans: Here is the establishment and creation of a new Empire. This is what the Army of the Three Guarantees has sworn, whose voice is carried by the one who has the honor of addressing it to you. Here is the object for whose cooperation it incites you. It does not ask you for anything other than what you yourselves must ask for and desire: union, fraternity, order, inner stillness, vigilance and horror of any turbulent movement. These warriors want nothing more than common happiness. Unite with their courage, to carry out a enterprise that in all aspects (if not for the small part that I have had in it) I must call heroic. Having no enemies to defeat, let us trust in the God of armies, who is also the God of peace, that all of us who make up this body of combined forces of Europeans and Americans, of dissidents and royalists, will be mere protectors, simple spectators of the great work that I have outlined today, and that the fathers of the country will touch up and perfect. Astonish the Nations of cultured Europe; See that North America emancipated itself without shedding a single drop of blood. In the transport of your joy say: Long live the holy religion we profess! Long live North America, independent of all the nations of the globe! Long live the union that made our happiness!
Iguala, 24 of february, 1821
Signed Agustin de Iturbide.

LATHANDER
The Morninglord, Commander of Creativity, Patron to Spring and Eternal Youth, Mentor of Self-Perfection, Bringer of the Dawn, Lord of Birth and Renewal
Greater Power of Elysium
Symbol Sunrise made of pink, red, and yellow gems, or a simple rosy pink disk
Realm Morninglory (Elysium/Eronia)
Alignment Neutral Good
Aliases none
Superior none (AO)
Allies Chauntea (lover), Deneir, Eldath, Gond, Ilmater, Kelemvor, Llira, Lurue, Mielikki, Milil, Oghma, Paladine, Selune, Siamorphe, Silvanus, Sune, Torm, Tyche (dead), Tymora, Tyr, Ushas
Foes Bane, Beshaba, Bhaal (dead), Cyric, Ibrandul (dead), Iyachtu Xvim (dead), Loviatar, Moander (dead), Myrkul (dead), Shar, Talona
Servants none
Servitor Creatures butterflies, celestials of all types, elysian dragons, hollyphants, radiant creatures, robins (normal and celestial), sanctified creatures, sun peacocks (normal and celestial), sunwyrms (good aligned only)
Manifestations an intense and rosy radiance that appears around objects to indicate special qualities or at confusing or dangerous junctures to indicate a safe or preferred path, and that causes those people it surrounds to be telekinetically pushed out of harmful situations, healed of all wounds, purged of any diseases, poisons, foreign objects, magical and nonmagical afflictions and deleterious effects, magical or psionic compulsions, fear, and curses, causes resurrection effects to be automatically successful, and transmits messages
Signs of Favor aster blossoms, an intense and rosy radiance with the same qualities as his manifestation, sun peacock feathers
Worshipers Aristocrats, artists, athletes, farmers, hunters of the undead, merchants, monks of the Sun Soul, peasants, performers, the youthful
Cleric Alignments LG, NG, CG
Specialty Priests Morninglord
Holy Days Midsummer morning, the mornings of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes
Important Ceremonies Song of Dawn; contracts, marriages and promises made at dawn, funerals for those not meant to be raised or resurrected
Portfolio Athletics, birth, creativity, dawn, renewal, self-perfection, spring, vitality, youth
Domains Community, Courage, Endurance, Good, Glory, Hope, Life, Protection, Radiance, Renewal, Strength, Zeal
Favored Weapon Dawnspeaker (heavy or light mace)

LATHANDER
Male Sentinel 20, Cleric 20, Morninglord 20, Master of Radiance 5
NG Medium Outsider (Extraplanar, Good)
Divine Rank 17
Init 44 (+16 Dex, +8 Superior Initiative); Senses 17-mile-radius; Listen 77, Spot 77; remote sensing (20 locations), portfolio sense
Aura divine aura (DC 78), courage (100 ft, +8 saves against fear), radiant 3/day; Languages can communicate with any living creature; Words of Creation
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AC 105, touch 57, flat-footed 95, undead 107 (+18 armor, +20 deflection, +10 Dex, +17 divine, +30 natural)
hp 1,860 (20d10 + 45d8 plus 1300), fast healing 74; divine shield 23/day (170 hp); renewal 1/day (if fall below 0 but less than -10 hit points regain 1d8 +20 hp); DR 40/epic, evil and adamantine
Immune ability damage, ability drain, banishment, death effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, fire, imprisonment, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, rebuking, sleep, sonic, stunning, transmutation, and turning
Resist acid 37, cold 37; SR 81
Fort 111 Ref 101 Will 105; +2 against evil outsiders and undead, +4 against mind-affecting effects from evil outsiders, +5 against evil spells or spells from evil characters
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee dawnspeaker 115/110/105/100 (55 plus 18 fire plus 18 holy plus 1 negative level vs evil plus 48 vs evil outsiders and undead plus undead disruption [Fort DC 79 or die]/19-20/x2 plus 36 fire plus 36 holy plus 2 negative levels vs good plus death [Fort DC 79, evil outsiders and undead] plus undead disruption [Fort DC 79 or die]), +8 atk vs evil outsiders and undead; or
Melee spell 80 or
Ranged spell 76
Base Atk +43; Grp +63
Atk Options Awesome Smite, Cleave, Holy Potency, Power Attack; smite evil 24/day (+20 atk, +455 damage)
Special Actions alter reality, divine blast (444 damage) 23/day, feat of endurance 1/day (+30 Con for 1 minute), destroy evil outsiders and undead 27/day as a 66^th level cleric (turning check 73, turning damage 105; Heighten Turning, Intensify Turning, Multiturning, Quicken Turning), protective ward 1/day (+65 resistance bonus to one saving throw for one hour), surge of hope 1/day (when failing a skill check, attack roll, or saving throw, add 1d6 to the result), touch of life 1/day (1d6 +65 temporary hp to a single creature for one hours), zeal 1/day (take 20 on a skill check, except on checks are not normally allowed to take 20, without increasing the amount of time needed to make the check); Battle Blessing, Corona (Will DC 62), Divine Censure (Will DC 62), Epic Divine Might, Epic Divine Vengeance, Sacred Vengeance
Combat Gear dawnspeaker
Divine Spell-like Abilities (CL 65^th; +1 good spells; all [fire] and [light] spells are intensified)
At will – aid, animate objects, animate plants, antimagic field, atonement, bear’s endurance, bigby’s clenched fist, bigby’s crushing hand, bigby’s grasping hand, blade barrier (DC 53), bless, bless weapon, bolt of glory, bull’s strength, charm person (DC 48), cloak of bravery, color spray (DC 48), commune, consecrate, crown of glory (DC 55), death ward, dismissal (DC 51), dispel evil (DC 52), disrupt undead, disrupting weapon (DC 52), endure elements, enlarge person, widened faerie fire, flame strike (DC 52), fire shield, fire seeds (DC 53), freedom, gate, globe of invulnerability, good hope, greater cloak of bravery, greater dispel magic, greater heroism, greater planar ally, greater restoration, greater status, greater teleport, heat metal (DC 49), helping hand, heroes’ feast, heroism, hide from undead (DC 48), holy aura (DC 55), holy smite (DC 51), holy sword, holy word (DC 54), hypnotic pattern (DC 49), iron body, lesser restoration, lion’s roar (DC 56), magic vestment, mass bear’s endurance, mass heal (DC 56), mind blank, mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion, plant growth, plane shift (DC 52), polymorph any object (DC 55), prayer, prismatic sphere (DC 56), prismatic spray (DC 54), prismatic wall (DC 56), protection from energy, protection from evil, rary’s telepathic bond, rainbow, rainbow pattern (DC 51), refreshment, refuge, regenerate, reincarnate (DC 51), remove disease, remove fear, repulsion (DC 54), righteous might, sanctuary (DC 48), scintillating pattern, searing light, sustain, spell immunity, spell resistance, status, stoneskin, sympathy (DC 55), summon monster IX (good creatures only), sunbeam (DC 54), sunburst (DC 55), tongues.
1/day – calm emotions (DC 51)
Master of Radiance Spell-like Abilities (CL 56^th; +1 good spells; all [fire] and [light] spells are intensified; only usable during aura of radiance)
1/round – beam of sunlight, searing light
Morninglord Spell-like Abilities (CL 54^th; +1 good spells; all [fire] and [light] spells are intensified)
1/day – daylight, searing ray (as searing light, but automatically empowered against undead)
Cleric Spells per Day (CL 54^th; +1 good spells; all spells are energized and maximized; all [fire] and [light] spells are intensified)
20^th (3+1/day) – heightened intensified end to strife (DC 63) (x2), heightened last judgement (DC 70), enhanced heightened intensified mass heal (DC 59) (D).
19^th (3+1/day) – heightened miracle (DC 69) (x2), consecrated intensified purified sacred storm of vengeance (DC 59), enhanced empowered heightened sunburst (DC 63) (D).
18^th (3+1/day) – consecrated enhanced heightened purified flame strike (DC 62) (x2) (D), intensified quickened righteous smite (DC 57), enhanced intensified righteous smite (DC 57).
17^th (3+1/day) – heightened holy word (DC 67) (D), heightened know true name (DC 67), empowered intensified lion’s roar (DC 58), heightened quickened miracle (DC 63).
16^th (4+1/day) – intensified mass heal (DC 59), intensified righteous exile (DC 59) (x2), intensified storm of vengeance (DC 59), enhanced quickened sunburst (DC 58) (D).
15^th (4+1/day) – empowered intensified blade barrier (DC 56) (D), enhanced quickened searing erupt (DC 59) (x2), intensified mass cure critical wounds, heightened righteous glare (DC 65).
14^th (4+1/day) – enhanced fire-substituted fiery searing lion’s roar (DC 58) (D), heightened quickened holy word (DC 60) (x2), empowered quickened sunburst (DC 58) (x2).
13^th (4+1/day) – enhanced quickened flame strike (DC 55) (D), quickened implosion (DC 59) (x2), quickened sublime revelry, intensified weight of sin (DC 56).
12^th (5+1/day) – empowered enhanced blade barrier (DC 56) (D), empowered enhanced cometfall (DC 56), intensified divine retribution (DC 55), consecrated purified sacred firestorm (DC 58) (x2), quickened visions of the future.
11^th (5+1/day) – quickened amber sarcophagus, consecrated purified quickened cometfall (DC 56), sacred searing erupt (DC 59), quickened greater shield of lathander, quickened light of purity, quickened sunbeam (DC 57) (D).
10^th (5+1/day) – quickened crown of brilliance, consecrated fire-substituted searing earthquake (DC 58), quickened heal (DC 56) (D), empowered fire-substituted stormrage.
9^th (7+1/day) – heightened eternal rest (DC 56), quickened flame strike (DC 55), feast of champions, gate, mantle of the fiery spirit, prismatic sphere (DC 59) (D), summon elemental monolith, undeath’s eternal foe.
8^th (8+1/day) – chain dispel, holy aura (DC 58) (D), illusion purge, know true name (DC 58), mass restoration, mass valiant spirit, spread of contentment (DC 58), shun the dark chaos (DC 58), consecrated purified wages of sin.
7^th (8+1/day) – bastion of good, control weather, fortunate fate, quickened light of Venya (DC 53), rain of embers (DC 57), radiant assault (x2) (DC 57), rejuvenating light (DC 57), sunbeam (DC 57) (D).
6^th(8+1/day) – chasing perfection, consecrate battlefield, quickened deific vengeance (DC 52), heal (DC 56) (D), fiery vision (x2), ghost trap, light of courage (DC 56), vigorous circle.
5^th (9+1/day) – atonement, blistering radiance (DC 55), chaav’s laugh (DC 55), condemnation (DC 55), crown of flame, divine agility, divine retribution (DC 55), searing meteoric strike (DC 54) (x2), valiant fury (D).
4^th (10+1/day) – aligned aura (DC 54), assay spell resistance (x2), aura of the sun (x2), channeled divine health, cure critical wounds, holy smite (DC 54) (D), recitation, sacred haven, sunmantle.
3^rd (10+1/day) – cure serious wounds, fell the greatest foe, find the gap, flamebound symbol (x2), forced manifestation (DC 53), heart’s ease, mass align weapon, phieran’s resolve, prayer (D), protection from negative energy.
2^nd (10+1/day) – detect aberration, eagle’s splendor, healing lorecall, make whole, mark of doom (x2), mark of judgment (x2) (DC 52), master’s touch, share talents, shield other (D).
1^st (10+1/day) – bless water, conviction, detect taint, divine favor, endure elements (D), exorcism (x2) (DC 51), nimbus of light, ray of hope, ray of resurgence, vision of heaven (DC 51).
Orisons (6/day) – create water, cure minor wounds, guidance, light, purify food and drink, read magic.
Epic Spells Prepared 6 divine, up to Spellcraft DC 122
Epic Spells Known epic mage armor, epic repulsion, epic spell reflection, global warming, glorious light of renewal, greater ruin, hellball, nailed to the sky, nimbus, rain of fire, ruin, superb dispelling. Lathander has additionally created many epic spells that bring light and life, as well as bring ruin to the undead.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Abilities Str 50, Dex 42, Con 50, Int 36, Wis 51, Cha 50
SQ avatar, bane of the restless, celestial fortitude, celestial minion 1/day, creative fire +20, divine grace, divinity, immortality, lathander’s light, resist fiendish lure
Feats Awesome Smite, Battle Blessing, Cleave, Consecrate Spell, Corona (Will DC 62), Divine Censure (Will DC 62), Divine Might, Divine Vengeance, Empower Spell, Energize Spell, Energy Substitution (fire), Extra Turning, Fiery Spell, Heighten Spell, Heighten Turning, Holy Potency, Improved Critical (heavy mace), Improved Initiative, Improved Turning, Maximize Spell (B), Power Attack, Purify Spell, Quicken Spell, Quicken Turning, Sacred Vengeance, Sanctify Martial Strike, Searing Spell, Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Words of Creation (B)
Epic Feats Enhance Spell, Epic Divine Might, Epic Divine Vengeance, Epic Spellcasting (B), Great Smiting (x2), Improved Heighten Spell, Intensify Spell, Intensify Turning, Multiturning, Positive Energy Aura, Superior Initiative
Salient Divine Abilities Area Divine Shield (170 hp in a 170 ft square or a 17 ft sphere or hemisphere), Automatic Metamagic (energize spell), Banestrike (evil outsiders), Banestrike (undead), Call Creatures (17 celestials with up to 37 HD), Divine Inspiration (hope), Divine Fast Healing (x2), Divine Paladin, Divine Spellcasting, Divine Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Divine Weapon Specialization (heavy mace), Earthmother’s Boon (unique salient divine ability), Energy Burst (170 ft, 136 fire damage), Energy Storm (170 ft, 17 holy and 17 positive), Gift of Life, Indomitable Strength, Life and Death (Fort DC 79 or die, 340 damage on a successful save), Lord of the Dawn (unique salient divine ability), Mass Life and Death (any number of creatures no more than 17 miles apart, Fort DC 79 or die, 340 damage on a successful save), Power of Nature, Rejuvenation (-17, -34 in Morninglory), Undead Mastery (17 creatures)
Skills Appraise 70 (78 paintings and sculptures), Bluff 82, Concentration 125, Craft (painting) 138, Craft (sculpting) 138, Diplomacy 143, Gather Information 72, Heal 125, Jump 84, Intimidate 86, Knowledge (arcana) 80, Knowledge (history) 92, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 118, Knowledge (religion) 118, Knowledge (the planes) 118, Listen 77, Perform 145, Ride 62, Search 75, Sense Motive 82, Spot 77, Spellcraft 122, Survival 67 (75 extraplanar), Swim 82, Tumble 67
Possessions +8 full plate of the celestial battalion, dawnspeaker

Aura of Radiance (Su) The light of Lathander shines perpetually. No matter how dark it is, the Morninglord sees as though the conditions were identical to the outdoors at sunrise. This ability functions like darkvision out to 60 feet, except that he sees in color. Lathander also has a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells with the darkness descriptor and a +2 sacred bonus to Armor Class against attacks from undead creatures.
Beam of Sunlight (Sp) Lathander can evoke a dazzling beam of intense light (the equivalent of a beam from the sunbeam spell) once per round as a full-round action as long as his radiant aura is active as a 56^th level caster.
Blessing of Dawn (Su) The sight of the morning sun is an inspirational vision for the Morninglord. Lathander gains a +2 morale bonus on Will saves from sunrise until noon. This ability is in effect only while he can see the sun; the effect is suppressed any time he is deprived of the sight of it during this period.
Celestial Fortitude (Su) Lathander’s endurance and fortitude are enhanced against fiendish attacks. He has a +2 sacred bonus to all Fortitude saving throws against effects from evil outsiders and evil spells. Additionally, if he makes a successful Fortitude saving throw against an effect from an evil spell or evil outsider that normally deals half damage or partial effects on a successful save, he instead takes no damage and suffers no partial effects.
Celestial Minion (Sp) Lathander may summon a Medium or smaller size celestial animal (with the celestial creature template) as a standard action usable once a day. This celestial minion carries the same responsibilities as a paladin's special mount and gains the same bonuses to its HD, natural armor, Strength, Intelligence, and other special abilities that a paladin's special mount has, but only remains for 20 hours before returning to the outer plane from whence it came.
Creative Fire (Ex) The Morninglord is a creative, expressive deity. He has a bonus equal to his morninglord level on all Craft and Perform checks.
Divinity Lathander is an embodiment of ancient divine power. As such, reality is his to shape as he sees fit.
Alter Reality: Lathander may alter reality within the bounds of his portfolio. This functions as a wish spell that requires no XP or material cost. The limits of this ability are fully described in Deities and Demigods. He can additionally alter his size from Fine to Colossal and may additionally alter up to 100 pounds of objects in the same manner.
Avatar: Lathander can have up to 20 avatars at any given time. The Morninglord appears as a golden-skinned athletic male of exceeding beauty who has just fully entered early manhood. He wears noble robes constructed in the colors of the dawn, carries himself proudly, and dresses in the finest golden plate armor if attending to matters that might turn violent.
Divine Blast: Lathander can create a ray of divine power that extends for up to 17 miles, dealing up to 444 points of damage, as a ranged touch attack with no saving throw. Lathander can unleash a divine blast 23 times per day, and alter the visual, auditory and sensation-based qualities of his divine blast as he desires. Lathander’s divine blasts generally take the form of rays of fiery sunlight.
Divine Shield: As a free action 23 times per day, Lathander can create a shield that lasts 10 minutes and stops 170 points of damage from attacks. Once the shield stops that much damage, it collapses. Any damage Lathander is naturally immune to does not count towards the shield’s limits.
Earthmother’s Boon (unique salient divine ability) Chauntea is Lathander’s lover and has bestowed a degree of protection over her consort. By her grace, the Lord of the Dawn cannot be harmed by any nonmagical plant or any creature with less than 33 Hit Dice with the plant subtype. Epic creatures and creatures with equal or more than 33 Hit Dice must succeed at a Will save (DC 79) to harm the Morninglord.
Greater Turning (Su) Six times per day, Lathander may use greater turning as the granted power of the Sun domain. This is superseded by his Lord of the Dawn salient divine ability.
Lathander's Light (Su) Whenever Lathander casts a spell with the light descriptor, its area is doubled.
Lord of the Dawn (unique salient divine ability) Lathander is the sun. He is the light that drives back the darkness, the brilliant spark that lights the way out of night and the creative brilliance within every artist. His dominion over light and the sun, both physical and metaphysical, grants him a variety of powers as listed below:
Fires of the Sun: The light of the sun shields Lathander’s body. This protection renders Lathander immune to all forms of magical and nonmagical fire, with searing effects only dealing half damage. In addition, spells and spell-like abilities cast by Lathander from the Sun domain, or with the [fire] and [light] descriptors, are similarly enhanced and are always intensified.
Radiance of the Dawn: Lathander can shed light equal to full sunlight in a 17-mile emanation from his body that counters and dispels all Darkness effects unless created by a higher ranked deity. Undead and evil outsiders caught within the radius must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 79) or be destroyed and turned into dust. Creatures vulnerable to sunlight suffer a -17 penalty to the saving throw. A successful saving throw still deals 17d8 points of damage, while creatures vulnerable to sunlight suffer 17d12 points of damage.
Spark of Creativity: Lathander is the commander of creativity, the inspiration and muse for craftsmen and artists throughout the Realms. 17 times per day, Lathander may bestow a +17 divine bonus to any Craft or Performance check, or the Efficient Item Creation feat, to up to 17 creatures for the next 24 hours. Performances and non-magical items crafted beneath the aegis of this ability always earn three times the normal gold amount and have three times the listed market price in cost. Magical items crafted with the benefit of this ability add +17,000 gp to the listed market price and increase any numeric benefit (enhancement bonuses for the purpose of attack and damage rolls, armor and save bonuses and so forth) by +4.
Spurn the Profane: Lathander uses the totality of his character level to determine the effectiveness of his ability to smite evil, turn outsiders and undead as well as any of his feats that affect the undead. His turn attempts resolve as greater turnings (as the granted power of the Sun domain). In addition, Lathander adds his paladin spells to his clerical spell list, using the sum of both lists to determine his caster level.
Wrath of the Dawn: As a standard action Lathander can generate a ray of scorching light that extends for up to 17 miles and inflicts 17d6 points of damage, half fire and half divine. As a full attack option, he can generate up to four rays, and undead and evil outsiders suffer 17d12 points of damage. In addition, Lathander can duplicate the effects of any spell with the [light] descriptor as a standard action. (CL 65^th, DC 50 plus spell level).
Maximize Turning (Su) Once per day, Lathander can automatically achieve the maximum possible result on a turning damage roll. This is superseded by his natural divine powers.
Radiant Aura (Su) Three times per day, Lathander can emanate an aura of brilliant light that weakens undead creatures for one minute. The aura provides bright illumination in a 30-foot radius around him, and shadowy illumination for an additional 30 feet beyond that. Creatures that take penalties in bright light also take them while within the radius of the bright aura. In addition, undead creatures within the radius of bright light take a —2 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. Activating the radiant aura is a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. While his radiant aura is active, Lathander casts spells with the light descriptor at +2 caster level. The radiant aura is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell with the light descriptor for the purpose of interacting with spells and effects with the darkness descriptor.
Rejuvenation of the Morn (Su) Dawn is a powerful symbol of rebirth and renewal. Once per tenday, Lathander may spend one uninterrupted hour before dawn in prayer. As soon as the sun rises after this prayer ritual, he gains one benefit of his choice from the following list.
· Healing up to full normal hit points (self only).
· Removal of any poisons or diseases (self only). This effect does not restore ability damage or ability drain caused by poison or disease.
· Full restoration of ability damage due to one poison or disease.
If his prayers are interrupted for even a single round, the attempt is ruined, and he must wait a full tenday to try again.
Resist Fiendish Lure (Su) Lathander has a +4 sacred bonus to all saving throws against mind-affecting attacks of evil outsiders.
Possessions
Dawnspeaker, Lathander’s gold-and-ivory mace, is a +10 fiery blast ghost strike mighty disruption heavy mace of holy power and evil outsider and undead dread. When held by the Morninglord, it also functions as a holy devastator. The DC of the weapon’s disruption and dread abilities is 79, and creatures vulnerable to sunlight suffer a -17 penalty to saving throws made to resist Dawnspeaker’s abilities. Lathander is known to loan out Dawnspeaker to questors and warriors he deems worthy and can call it back to his hand from anywhere in the cosmos.
The Morninglord also occasionally wears a set of golden +8 full plate with the powers of an armor of the celestial battalion. The bonuses are not reflected in the above statistics.
Other Divine Powers As a greater deity, Lathander automatically receives the best possible result on any die roll he makes (including attack rolls, damage, checks, and saves). He treats a 1 on an attack roll or saving throw normally and not as an automatic failure. He is immortal. Senses Lathander can see (using normal vision or darkvision), hear, touch, and smell at a distance of 17 miles. As a standard action, he can perceive anything within 17 miles of his worshippers, holy sites, objects, or any location where one of his titles or name was spoken in the last hour. He can extend his senses to up to 20 locations at once. He can block the sensing power of deities of his rank or lower at up to two remote locations at once for 17 hours. Portfolio Sense Lathander is aware of any event under the light of the sun, competition or act of artistry of the number of people involved up to 17 weeks in the past and 17 weeks in the future. Automatic Actions Lathander can use any skill related to his portfolio as a free action if the DC for the task is 30 or lower. He can perform up to twenty such free actions each round. Create Magic Items Lathander can craft any magical item that associated with heat and light, aids in self-empowerment, preserves or restores vitality or harms the undead, including artifacts.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Eternal Rest [Ravenloft: Legacy of Blood 71]
Necromancy
Level: Cleric 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray (see text)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell creates a ray of golden light that destroys one undead creature’s material body (if it has one), causing it to crumble to dust, which is then wafted away in a swirling breeze. This spell affects incorporeal undead without the usual incorporeal miss chance, and such a creature merely winks out of existence if it fails its save. If the target makes a successful save, it still takes 6d6 points of damage. If the creature has a special quality that allows it to return after destruction (such as a vampire’s fast healing power or a ghost’s rejuvenation power), the creature gains a bonus equal to its Charisma modifier on its saving throw. If such a creature fails its saving throw against this spell, it must make a successful Will save at the same DC (also with its Charisma modifier as a bonus) to return. If the creature’s method of return normally requires a saving throw (as a ghost’s rejuvenation power does), the creature must first make that saving throw, then make the Will saving throw against this spell.
You can improve your chance of success by presenting at least one object or substance that the target hates, fears, or otherwise finds repulsive or painful (such as a mirror and bud of garlic for a vampire). For each such object or substance, you gain a +1 bonus on your caster level check to overcome the target’s spell resistance (if any), and the spell’s saving throw DC increases by +1. A particular creature’s history might suggest additional objects or substances that would make the spell more effective.
This spell can also be cast when an undead creature has been physically destroyed and its remains are not present. In this case, the spell must be aimed at the spot where the creature was destroyed, and it must be used within 1 minute of the undead creature’s destruction. No attack roll is required for this use of the spell.
This spell can destroy an undead darklord’s physical form, but it cannot prevent the darklord from returning.
Rainbow [Dragon Magazine 321 68]
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Cleric 6, Radiance 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Effect: Rainbow bow, quiver, and arrows
Duration: 1 hour / level
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: Yes
A rainbow-hued longbow appears in your hand, along with a full quiver of arrows fletched with different colors. The longbow is considered a +1 longbow that the caster is proficient with. The quiver holds an endless supply of seven different colored arrows, each being made of a different material and having the following effects:
Red: +1 elemental-bane adamantine arrows.
Orange: +1 construct-bane silver arrows.
Yellow: +1 plant-bane evil-aligned arrows.
Green: +1 magical beast-bane good-aligned arrows.
Blue: +1 undead-bane lawful-aligned arrows.
Indigo: +1 aberration-bane chaotic-aligned arrows.
Violet: +1 dragon-bane cold iron arrows.
Only the caster is able to use the bow, quiver, and arrows. They appear immediately back in the caster’s possession if dropped or given away, though the caster may drop the bow and quiver to use another item, but can rematerialize them at will, as a free action. The bow, quiver, and arrows have no weight and cannot be disarmed or sundered.
Know True Name [Kalamar: Player’s Guide 3.0 177]
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Cleric 8
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Ranged: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. / 2 levels)
Target: One fiend
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You force a fiend to tell you its true name. Once you know a fiend’s true name, all spells that you cast at that creature have their save DCs increase by +4. You also gain a +4 on all checks to penetrate the creature’s spell resistance.

Hello…I am posting this from a throwaway. I appreciate your insight as this has been a lengthy discussion in our family.
I see this sub as a "exit interview" as I am looking for insight.
My husband (39m) works in the automobile industry and has a chance to have a 3-5 year (possibly longer) assignment in the US. It would be a significant pay increase. If we take this opportunity, we plan to sell our house in the UK. Based upon appreciation we would clear approximately $300k USD, which we could use to buy a house in the US. We have two cars in the UK, which we would sell and buy new ones in the US. My husband also has now 30 days holiday leave in the UK.
I have lurked on this reddit for a long time as I suspected that a move to the US might be in the works. I feel that on the balance most comments I have read about moving to the US have not been frankly on the balance been positive compared to life in the UK and/or Europe.
I (35f) have one child (age 5) and we plan to have at least one more.
Here is what is holding me back:
I am note sure that after paying for health insurance, car insurance, etc. that the pay bump will really enable us to make more than what we are making in the UK, especially if I work as I have read that daycare can be between $3-5K/month in the US. Healthcare too. If we have another child, $200-40k for a hospital stay (vs. basically zero in the UK).
I also am diabetic and would need to see an endocrinologist. I have read that (I don’t really understand what this means) I may have a hard time finding one as there is a difference between in and out of network? Possibly a year waiting time to see a specialist in the US?
The food in the US. I am worried about the cost as well as the additives as I have read how hard it is to find food in the US without additives or highly processed ingredients.
I am a UK citizen, but of Ghanaian descent. As the job transfer would be in the south (South Carolina), how much is racism an issue? I have read about “sundown” towns and police violence towards minorities, which makes me nervous. From reading the comments here, it seems that racism is a thing in a lot of the US outside of urban areas.
I am a lapsed Episcopalian, but don’t go to church, so the idea of a religious centered country makes me nervous as well.
Schools? Will my child be taught actual science?
The gun violence in America is something I don't need to mention here.
I also have read that higher salaries in the US are a myth once healthcare costs, food costs, car insurance, etc. is figured in as well as the lack of any social safety net.
I am not keen on this move as I don’t think the quality of our life would be less expensive and better in the US vs. the UK. The suburbs don’t really have (from what I read) a sense of “community” once the hussle culture and superficiality is figured in. I am also worried about xenophobia and Americans not really knowing about the UK or Ghana.
I am trying however to keep an open mind and any insight from Americans or especially expats to the American south would be appreciated.
Edit: The city we would be moving to would be Greeneville, SC.
It looks nice, but doesn't say much about crime or if “walkability” is truly “walkable” by UKstandards.

Hello…I am posting this from a throwaway. I appreciate your insight as this has been a lengthy discussion in our family.
My husband (39m) works in the automobile industry and has a chance to have a 3-5 year (possibly longer) assignment in the US. It would be a significant pay increase. If we take this opportunity, we plan to sell our house in the UK. Based upon appreciation we would clear approximately $300k USD, which we could use to buy a house in the US. We have two cars in the UK, which we would sell and buy new ones in the US. My husband also has now 30 days holiday leave in the UK.
I have lurked on this reddit for a long time as I suspected that a move to the US might be in the works. I feel that on the balance most comments I have read about moving to the US have not been frankly on the balance been positive compared to life in the UK and/or Europe.
I (35f) have one child (age 5) and we plan to have at least one more.
Here is what is holding me back:
I am note sure that after paying for health insurance, car insurance, etc. that the pay bump will really enable us to make more than what we are making in the UK, especially if I work as I have read that daycare can be between $3-5K/month in the US. Healthcare too. If we have another child, $200-40k for a hospital stay (vs. basically zero in the UK).
I also am diabetic and would need to see an endocrinologist. I have read that (I don’t really understand what this means) I may have a hard time finding one as there is a difference between in and out of network? Possibly a year waiting time to see a specialist in the US?
The food in the US. I am worried about the cost as well as the additives as I have read how hard it is to find food in the US without additives or highly processed ingredients.
I am a UK citizen, but of Ghanaian descent. As the job transfer would be in the south (South Carolina), how much is racism an issue? I have read about “sundown” towns and police violence towards minorities, which makes me nervous. From reading the comments here, it seems that racism is a thing in a lot of the US outside of urban areas.
I am a lapsed Episcopalian, but don’t go to church, so the idea of a religious centered country makes me nervous as well.
Schools? Will my child be taught actual science?
The gun violence in America is something I don't need to mention here.
I also have read that higher salaries in the US are a myth once healthcare costs, food costs, car insurance, etc. is figured in as well as the lack of any social safety net.
I am not keen on this move as I don’t think the quality of our life would be less expensive and better in the US vs. the UK. The suburbs don’t really have (from what I read) a sense of “community” once the hussle culture and superficiality is figured in. I am also worried about xenophobia and Americans not really knowing about the UK or Ghana.
I am trying however to keep an open mind and any insight from Americans or especially expats to the American south would be appreciated.
Edit: The city we would be moving to would be Greenevill, SC.
It looks nice, but doesn't say much about crime or if “walkability” is truly “walkable” by UKstandards.

ACT 1. Sunday afternoon after visiting the local market two brothers wait for their train to arrive. If they were even a minute late, they knew their mother would surely scold them and scold the elder of the two far worse. The idea of another beating did not bother the elder brother; he had been through far worse just dealing with the brat and his attempted jailbreaks, though something did begin to make him painfully nauseous forcing him to feel pressured by the light breeze as if gravity had suddenly been increased tenfold. All his senses were heightening beyond anything he had thought possible.All around him he saw that the once energetic and hyperactive passengers had become little more than mannequins; their movements slowing to a standstill. They had all gone silent. The station was no longer filled with the cries of children or the gentle laughs of their parents. He had never heard such silence in such a crowded location. He did not feel panicked, nor did he feel a need to act for this silence was oddly comforting to him. However, the newly calm atmosphere would quickly be the source of a lifetime of suffering.His hand began to reach for his brother in an attempt to call his attention. Though in a moment of both unprecedented shock and exhaustion John shoved his younger brother onto the rails of an oncoming train. Local news would report the incident as nothing more than a tragic manic episode of a young sixteen-year-old. However, for John this single visceral instant in which all of his brother's bones were instantly crushed was stretched into hours. He was painfully aware of how every bone in his brother's body contorted in inhuman ways some nearly resembling perfect right angles, until eventually, they snapped and sent insurmountable pain throughout his nervous system. His blood curling screams were made mute by the screech of the train coming to a halt, though, by the time they stopped, his brother had torn his every vocal cord and had long ago lost consciousness. Still on the platform, the elder brother stood still, attempting to process what exactly he had done. He had no idea what force had compelled him to push his brother, but that instant would forever define what he saw as reality.That however was nineteen years ago, in present day he lived in isolation far from any person. He spent his isolated days wandering the land around his cabin completing house chores that distracted him from reminiscing about his days in the asylum or as he liked to call it “The Echo Room” where he was transferred after the incident. He headed inside after spending a portion of his morning counting all one-hundred-and-thirty-two trees that were showing signs of life after the harsh winter that nearly forced him to cut down two of them for firewood. Once inside he began preparing his morning coffee when he heard a loud creak come from the hall. He (after many incidents) learnt to avoid the boards that creaked, so in his mind immediately an intruder was breaking into his cabin searching for food or his stash of special edition coffee. Deciding to investigate he walked towards the noise when suddenly he heard two knocks at his front door. Confused and slightly worried, he proceeded to walk towards the door making sure not to step on any of the annoyingly loud floorboards.He approached and looked through the peephole and saw only what remained of the melting snow outside. Opening the door, he saw that only his steps led to the doormat. He glanced around and saw no indication of any life aside a few dark patches on the snow. He was about to close the door when he noticed a tiny red package wrapped in a radiant red bow placed clear from where the door would open. Cautiously picking it up, he noticed how it had almost no weight to it; as if empty. He walked inside and sat at his desk planning to journal later about the weird morning he had been having. He examined the exterior of the package and saw how not only was it near perfect condition but it was also slightly warm to the touch; as if recently held. He undid the bow and cautiously opened the package, half expecting an explosive of some sort. Though, all he found was a ragged ripped piece of paper. Unremarkable aside from the fact that it was inside such a carefully constructed package. On the other side he saw that it had some scarlet lettering inscribed into it reading.“Ouroboros”. At first believing it to be a prank by the kids who had heard rumors about him, and his incident, nearly caused him to dismiss it entirely deeming it little more than a slightly humorous event. He decided to put it aside for now as he had coffee left to drink that was quickly getting cold. He walked back towards the kitchen still distracted by the idea of no trace being left by whoever had left the gift. Was it even a gift? Maybe it was just some well-executed prank? In any manner he would later have a better look at it. He absentmindedly, reached for his cup and immediately pulled his hand back shocked by the temperature of the cup. It was frozen! Almost to a complete solid. He thought himself slightly distracted but not enough to freeze his morning coffee especially not his special edition coffee. First The Box and now this, it was all adding up to an annoying morning. Was it still morning? No, that’s not right. He had just spent the day counting trees. How could it still possibly be morning?The thought of Dr. Lumis being correct about his mental condition after so many years sent a chill down his spine especially since last time they talked, he did not exactly behave amicably. He was sure that both incidents had been isolated events that could never happen again. Sure, he had heard the echoes every once in a while, but he was never insane like the others; this he knew to be a fact. If he was insane, how could he have ever left? Disoriented and beginning to sweat, his legs suddenly gave out causing him to fall backward landing on the cold wooden floorboards. He looked around hurriedly expecting to see an intruder that had somehow found him. After seeing nothing but his pristine furniture, he steadied himself and began to control his breathing. He slowly got up causing the wood underneath to creak under the sudden release of weight. Deciding to further assure himself he went around the cabin checking in all four rooms. He found nothing aside from his own disturbances. Still feeling slightly nervous and disturbed he headed back towards the living room in search for The Box with the red bow determining that it had somehow triggered his current situation. The Box was still where he placed it; much to his relief. He sat down. He looked once again at the scarlet lettering.
Act 2. Back in the asylum he would often spend his days wondering how he could have ever been grouped alongside individuals who had purposefully and viciously committed heinous crimes against innocent victims. He was not insane like them. Whatever had caused his hand to shove his brother had long abandoned him. His routine now consisted of cleaning whatever mess the older residents made in the halls and transporting lab waste to the crematorium. He would clean from the southern stalls all the way to the northern cemetery and make his rounds gathering the waste from the rooms. It was a simple job but lonely, nonetheless. The halls were often only illuminated by tiny flickering red lights that indicated the position of the cameras through which Dr.Lumis would often monitor John during his nightly crusades. Though incredibly distasteful, John did not mind, he accepted that odd situations would be easier to explain if someone of credit had seen them. Yet despite this, he felt he was being watched by someone other than the doctor. He assumed that this feeling was due to the paranoia he had been diagnosed with a few months back. On a particular night, moments after dumping another bag of soft solids and dense liquids down the chute, he heard footsteps, just outside the room. Expecting to see the doctor he begrudgingly walked towards the door. Exiting and seeing no one he called out for the doctor but got no response aside from the echo of his own voice. He began to walk towards where he had heard the footsteps come from when he suddenly collapsed out of exhaustion. The same exhaustion that had plagued him during the moment of his brother’s death. He tried to reach for his panic button (a gift from Lumis) but it had disappeared from his chain. He tried to scream but not a single whisper was heard. He gazed into the dark corridor where he had thought Dr.Lumis had gone, but saw nothing but soft shadows. Though something was unnervingly wrong about them. They moved as if following an order, all synchronized, all heading towards him. That night in the asylum had left him scared to even return to the disposal area; he feared that The Shadows might eventually be able to reach him. The Shadows did not haunt him unaccompanied: they followed alongside The Echo tormenting his nights. While The Shadows could not reach him during daylight, he could never escape The Echo. It followed wherever he went and tracked everything he did. Dr.Lumis explained that he merely suffered from an extreme case paranoia but John saw the others; who yelled and who screamed true nonsense, he was perfectly aware of himself and the ones around him. Dr. Lumis secretly believed patient #132 experienced Hyper-sanity though this he would never verbally confess. It was term he decided would for now adequately describe his patient’s acute awareness of The Shadows and The Echo. John would for many years go without hearing The Echo after that night, only ever hearing what seemed like the final moans of a dying voice. Back in present day, he hoped he wasn’t suffering another hallucination as they tended to leave him in an embarrassing shocked state. He questioned what “Ouroboros” could possibly mean in relation to himself. He considered the possibility of it being an early warning of some threat to the sanctity of his home. He quickly dismissed it as he had not interacted with anyone long enough to possibly annoy them. Weird them out? Sure. Offend them? Maybe with his sense of fashion. Following his incredibly fine-tuned survival instincts he put on a light coat and went outside to walk among the trees. A mundane task, but one he truly enjoyed especially since he hoped it would distract him for a short while. Just before he closed the door behind him, he took one more look at The Box sitting on his desk and decided to take it with him in case he met the person who had left it. The sun had begun to set marking the end of the day. He watched the sun hide behind the mountain range letting the world bathe in darkness for another night. John did not dislike the night (he had worked nightshifts in The Echo Room for years) but he didn’t find the freezing cold to be ideal. He had not left his land for what was a few years now and the idea of even slightly stepping out of his comfort was making him incredibly anxious. Still, he walked forward towards wherever the path took him. The night only got darker and quieter, and he only got colder. He did not see the lightning bugs that usually warded away the dark near the edge of his hill. Without the soft hum of bugs or soft breeze that would brush against his beard he felt alone. Even the nights back in the asylum did not possess this level of quiet. He kept moving hoping that eventually he would find something that could break the uncomfortable silence. As he continued down the hill, he realized he could no longer distinguish the path from the dirt surrounding it. He considered heading back when he realized he had not kept track of where he had come from. Not only was he lost but alone with his thoughts and whatever had been watching him from the start. He walked a step forward and then another one back repeatedly. What he was attempting to achieve was beyond reason. Had he gone mad? No, he was perfectly sane. “Wait, I can hear them clearly now” he spoke, his voice dried from the cold.“This is not a hallucination” he spoke softly.“i-I AM NOT HALLUCINATING” he proclaimed. He heard The Echo once more though they were not of his voice but rather of Another. He had long been aware of “The Echo” but he could never fully determine whether it was a dream or an effect of the chemicals but this Other was undoubtedly real. “I don’t know where you are but please. Are you real?” he asked the night. He could now hear The Echo or rather feel the pressure of its words upon his reality. Had it been trying to hide the Other? He walked forward and pulled out The Box. “You gave me this right? What for? What purpose does it serve?” No one responded.Annoyed, he threw it as far as he could down the hill. “THERE! THIS CAN’T CONTINUE WITHOUT IT, RIGHT?” He shouted at the endless empty. That’s when out of the darkness emerged a faint light. Was it a lightning bug or maybe a sign of civilization?
Act 3. Cautiously, he approached the cold light and saw that the light was artificial. The tube inside flickered before another appeared a few feet ahead, and then another and then another and then what seemed like an uncountable amount more. He took a step forward and noticed that the ground underneath had turned to hard white tile. Accepting that this was not the weirdest occurrence that had affected him he proceeded to walk forward making sure to keep a mental note to journal about it later. The surrounding landscape transformed into white walls that every so often had a window that let him peek at the other side. At first, he could still see the snowy landscape, but it to slowly changed; first having scattered papers and then chairs, cabinets, and desks until they eventually resembled a typical office. Its purpose was not obvious to him, and neither was the hallway but if they were changing surely, it possessed a deeper metaphorical meaning that related to his life. He saw a door at the very end of the hall and decided to not postpone the ploy of whatever “The Echo” was planning. He stood before the door wondering about what it could possibly contain. John proceeded to open the door. Inside was a desk along with a single cabinet. Walking inside he noticed that the room was illuminated by some otherworldly source that had no words that could possibly describe it. He walked towards the desk and a file he had not seen previously, sat open. Inside was a description of his physical appearance. “Age: 35. Height: 5’8. Weight: 185 lbs. Hair: Black with obvious signs of stress. Eyes: Brown. Character Aptitude: High.” “Okay, I get it. I’m old, you didn’t have to expose my hair like that” he said slightly embarrassed quickly restyling his hair. He noticed that even though they had an almost perfect description of his hobbies, dreams and wishes they did not have a single picture as if they for some reason were only able to use words. “SOOO you know about that one time in the asylum (don’t ask) BUT NOT A SINGLE PICTURE? That’s lame.” he said mockingly. On the final page he found what looked like an incomplete file; most of the personal attributes had not yet been filled and only a note was made reading. “They don’t need a complete story just one they can understand.” Besides the fact that whatever role he played in this act had been a mere afterthought; he was confused as to how anyone could have ever gathered such sensitive and personal information about his isolated life. Was it The Echo? Had it told them his life? A phone started to ring somewhere in the room abruptly breaking the silence he had become used to. He quickly rotated towards the source of the ringing but did not find anything. There was only him and the four walls that despite the lighting did not change a shade of grey. He walked towards one of them that seemed to be where the noise came from resting his hand on it and gently put his ear to it thinking that the ringing was from another room entirely. The wall he had just laid a hand on had no longer a physical representation and causing John to fall through to the other side. Disoriented he slowly looked up and saw The Telephone illuminated by what seemed to be the same light that illuminated the previous room. This one however was far more powerful and concentrated solely on The Telephone. He approached it expecting a chasm to somehow appear underneath his feet. The Telephone did not stop ringing and only seemed to increase in intensity (though this could have simply been a hallucination). He lifted it to cut the blaring noise and slowly put it to his ear. “hello?” “…” “…” “The protagonist only dies if the story ends” the voice said quietly. “HUH? YOU DRAGGED ME HERE TO TELL ME THAT OMINOUSLY ANNOYING LOAD OF *********!” “…I’m so sorry” The call disconnected not out of offense but rather out of completion. John slammed the phone back onto its stand and decided it was time for this nonsense to end. He walked out into the room he was in before anxiously attempting to find another exit: only to be met with solid walls. What wicked game had he been roped into? When would it end? These were questions he would answer far earlier than he expected. A door appeared in the center of the room. No, it was more of a two-dimensional plane that appeared to be a sort of portal. With no other options, John stepped into the newly opened portal.
Act 4. On the other side was a station, and his ears were immediately flooded with the cries of children and the laughs of their parents. He walked around moving through the crowd careful to not miss any indication of the location. His pace increased as he began to recognize the commuters shortly realizing exactly where he was. He rushed to a platform, the platform where he and his brother were to arrive after their day in the market. He sat on a nearby bench committed to saving his brother no matter who he would have to shove instead. Three agonizing days passed with the daily commuters repeating their routine with the slightest variations. One of these variations would be the key to preventing the day that haunted his nights. Something would soon cause him to shove his brother onto the tracks. He was determined to stop the fall or kill himself to keep his brother safe.He heard a familiar laughter and turned towards the source and saw his brothers face uncontrollably laughing and himself lightly smiling. He began to run towards them but felt once again suddenly exhausted. As if the air became a type of nonnewtonian sludge making his legs impossibly heavy. The crowd around him seemed to be moving just as easily as before; children laughing just as maniacally and just as carelessly. He tried to yell to them, but his lungs were filled with the dense fluid drowning any screams he attempted. He was forced to watch how his brother got closer and closer to the edge. Through much effort, he managed to get close enough to extend a hand towards his past trying to desperately push him away from his brother. The past reacted in what seemed to be a defensive system and sent a temporal anomaly throughout the space his past and present inhabited. Time began to exponentially speed forward. In a last desperate attempt to prevent his brother’s death he tried to distract the past long enough to let the train pass without incident, but the temporal anomaly caused the relative slow velocity of his touch to have the effect of a sudden jerk and in his final moments of consciousness he saw his brother accelerate towards the rails in a split second. He awoke back in the office alone with nothing, but the realization of what force had killed his brother. He curled into the fetal position and began to cry; still believing his lungs to be filled with the dense liquid he did not let out a single sigh. He spent several hours in this state of painful silence without even opening his eyes. His emotions were chaotic and his thoughts unending. They tormented him for hours far after he had run out of tears to let out. They were merciless and torturous forbidding him from resting, insisting on his suffering. Being the cause of his brother’s death nearly caused him to go insane yet part of him kept insisting that Another was to blame. Another had caused him to do it. The Other had forced his hand. Of this, he was now sure. The Other enjoyed his suffering, The Other forced him to kill his brother. He had not eaten nor slept in what seemed like years and yet he stood up defying the gravity that held him down. He took a deep breath of as much oxygen as his lungs allowed and began to speak. “Whoever you are. Whatever you are. Wherever you are. Just know I will no longer play for your entertainment the rest is entirely my choice” he said threateningly. He then began to walk forwards confidently towards the dark wall and through the hidden door that he was not supposed to see. He entered what seemed to be a studio room though, unlike the sterile office; it was trashed. Papers littered the floor and empty bottles populated the lone mattress. On it laid a journal that had recently had liquid spilt on it. He picked the journal and gently opened it and began to read. It was scratched with the stray ideas of a creator who seemed to have never decided upon an end or beginning to his story; yet possessing the journey. He saw many ideas that together seemed to create a way for the continuity to depend entirely on Another rather than itself. A thought described in a single word interested him enough to take it with him. The room started to dissolve around him transforming into a cold landscape. Armed with the knowledge of who he was he treaded what remained of the worn-out path. The sun began to rise signing the start of another day, yet John did not seem to notice as he was focused on something buried in the snow. He could not see much of it yet he knew it was The Box he had thrown the previous night. He dug it up and began his walk up the hill once more. He eventually arrived at his cabin and walked towards his front door….
Act 5.
If you wish to rebel; continue reading on the next page.
Begin the story once more on Truth 2.
If you wish to ward away The Other; don’t read any further
If you wish to follow The Echo read Truth 3
To understand turn to Truth 4
Truth 1
…Before deciding that no longer would he be a puppet for someone’s amusement. John arrogantly began marched back down the hill and headed north towards the nearest interstate a few miles from his home hoping that he had derailed The Echo’s plot. It took him hours on foot, but he would eventually come across the road and start his journey back to civilization no longer subject to the whims of an Otherworldly Audience. He believed his future was now his to decide. He decided what he would become. He decided when and what to think. This he was sure would be how he escaped his torment. John suddenly suffered a complete body collapse and fell forward landing face first onto the scorching road. It would be several sweltering hours before anyone would find him. But eventually someone did, john suffering heavy burns and on the brink of death was saved. He would awake months later in a hospital bed though no one would ever know of this. Weeks would pass as john laid in the hospital bed unable to speak or even move; alerting no one to his consciousness. The doctors and nurses were busy with whatever important patients needed immediate attention; they walked from one end to the other in what seemed like mere minutes. The entire time the only company he had was The Echo and yet slowly it too seemed to forget his existence as well. Eventually The Echo having no interest went away.Jane a third-year medical student had recently joined the staff a month prior and had already been assigned two elders and one child. Though overwhelmed she did not grow annoyed nor frustrated; she loved her job and by proxy her patients. Despite her benevolent nature there was a single patient she never went near as he always seemed to be watching her despite his eyes being shut for over four months. Any time she got near to patient #132 she would begin to get nauseous and quickly retreat. She had no ID on the man, but it seemed he was dehydrated for far longer than should’ve been possible and should be by all accounts dead if not near it. Whenever she worked nightshifts, she would swear that she heard the man whimper slightly as if to warn her of something. Even when she was on the opposite side of the building, she would hear the echo of his groans. She would eventually be transferred and would soon forget the man who after 6 months was officially declared braindead and was due to be disposed of, yet she would still every once in a while, still hear The Echo. Forgotten Ending
Truth 2…Realizing that there was no other choice John took a step forward while placing the note he ripped from the journal into The Box making sure to keep it neatly packaged. He saw the footprints he had left two nights before and carefully stepped into each one making sure to not disturb the surrounding snow. Whatever…Whoever had set him on this path allowed him to live a life of suffering, a life of loss, and a life of pain. This, he felt was the way things were intended to play out; the way it had to end. He placed The Box on the final step making sure it would not be knocked away whenever the door would eventually open. He walked away nearly to the edge of the property when he looked back once more. Managing to peek inside he saw his past still making his coffee when he saw an almost invisible distortion appear near the front door. He smiled and turned away only saying…Freedom ending
Truth 3…though spotting a disturbance near the back of the cabin distracted him from the front door. He decided to investigate for fear of losing a single blossoming tree. Arriving near the back fence he saw no indication of a disturbance giving him much needed reassurance. He heard noise emerge from inside the cabin giving him one more dilemma to deal with. He headed to the backdoor making sure to not disturb the recent snow and entered the cabin. Being sleep deprived and without coffee he had forgotten about the wooden floor and stepped on one that caused a creak to be heard throughout the cabin. He quickly hid in the bathroom fearing that he had disturbed the continuity that The Echo had established when suddenly a bright flash blinded him. He found himself at the front door next to The Box. Slightly amused he proceeded to knock on the door and was soon after transported once more to an empty hall. Both confused and entertained as he was being transported from one place in time to another he took a few steps forward alerting the past to his presence. Seeing his past enter the hall he ducked and quickly hid around the corner. His past seemed to believe that the doctor was in the halls and decided to investigate though just as he was nearing closer; his past collapsed. John saw how his fall was slowed as if moving through the dense liquid he had once gone through. He walked towards his past and noticed an old fashioned panic button that would instantly call Dr.Lumis to his location. Measuring the consequences, he decided to remove the panic button and head back towards The Shadows. For a third and final time he was transported to a final location, the bottom of a snowy hill. Taking in his surroundings he noticed burn marks on the snow where his past would eventually walk through the portal whenever the past caught up. He reached into his pocket and realized how the plot was supposed to move forward. He walked until he reached the exact point where his past would once again find The Box. He kneeled and buried The Box making sure to erase any evidence of his own disturbances. Fully fulfilling his purpose John collapsed. The End.
“Did the hero die?” “What?” “Did he die?” “No? He beat the bad guy and saved the day remember?” “Yea but like AFTER.” “Well, I guess after a few years he would.” “No” The young child said growing annoyed, “when you said, “The End” did he die?” “No.” responded the elder brother. “Then what happened to him? Is he still alive?” “The protagonist only dies if you stop reading.” concluded the elder brother as if possessed. Begin again?
Truth 4…Then just as he took his first step forward everything began to rot. His trees, his home, his coffee, all of it was slowly eroding into a fine dust. He knew that another temporal anomaly would be the likely cause, but he had not yet experienced one that possessed this level of molecular destruction. The fabric of his reality was slowly and thoroughly being untangled into its most simple of compositions. It separated the light from dark, gravity from time, and words from spaces.John could now comprehend what had defined his reality for so many painful years, he finally understood The Narrative and how all possible endings had been chosen long before his creation. John had been a slave from the moment The Narrative began; not once in his entire existence had he ever had a real choice only walking paths already treaded by Another. He was nothing but a plot device in an otherwise self-indulging tale written by a gentle master forced to be cruel for those above. From the moment this story began, John was in pain. He could never hope to truly escape; he could only die until he arose once more. Had John never understood what his life really was then maybe he could’ve found meaning in his suffering. Unfortunately, this choice has now forced John to become aware of how truly meaningless his existence was. His life was little more than entertainment for The Other; they were the ones truly in control. For as long as The Other remained, The Echo would doom John to eternal suffering. The Echo was never in control of The Narrative; he too was merely a subject to it by an even greater force. The Echo did not wish for John to suffer but The Other would not allow John to live if he did not. It is a toxic cycle of pain, suffering and realization that forces John to relive The Narrative lifetime after lifetime. The Narrative must have suffering intertwined into its foundation otherwise The Other would grow bored and erase the reality ending John in but a mere thought. Don’t you see? Don’t you understand? This is reality; John cannot exist without pain, The Echo cannot live without a narrative, and The Other is you. THE END......
Intended to be a philosophical narrative detailing the tragic relationship between the reader, the narrator, and the character and how they cannot coexist without hurting each other.

Hello F.I.R.E Redditors. Here is a complete picture of my financial profile so far:
Emergency funds: $3,000 earning 5.30% APY at online VIO Bank.
Checking account: $100 daily balance.
Debt: $0.
Tax Filing Status: Single.
Tax Rate: Up to 12% Federal, 0% State.
State of Residence: Texas.
Age: 46.
Gender: Male.
Kid(s): None. No plans on having any.
Desired Asset allocation: 100% Stocks.
Net Worth: $825,600 which is my all-time high today!
Annual Salary: About $70k with 3% increase every year expected.
Current retirement assets:
Taxable:
$51,664.82 -> Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX), Expense Ratio: 0.04% at Vanguard.
ESPP: $5,303.72 -> Megacorp (2% of paycheck), 1 year holding period before selling required, 15% per share discount. Using the profits to invest in VTSAX taxable account at Vanguard.
Traditional 401k: $556,101.10 -> SP 500 Index PL CE F, ER (Unknown) 85% AND Small Cap Index, ER (Unknown), 15% 6% Company Match $1 to $1. I took the allocation advice from Bogleheads forums and this is what was recommended to mimic VTSAX.
Contributing $23k with True Up option available.
Roth IRA at Fidelity: $207,887 -> Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund (FZROX), Expense Ratio: 0.00%. Contribution: $7k.
Pension at Fidelity: $0, Company merged into what it is today. employed for 1 year and 3+ months (Not sure if I will get any pension).
Employer has Roth 401K option.
Asset: 2016 Ford Fusion SE, paid off.
Never owned Real Estate. Always rented. I am paying at my highest rent in history which is now stands at $613.
Mother lives with me. She gets SSI, SNAP, Medicare/Caid. Family sends me the following funds every month:
Brother A: $500. Brother B: $300. Mother: $120.
I prefer to F.I.R.E at an expense of $60-$75k per year living in Texas (Not my main choice) (rough future estimate).
Credit score 800+.
Game plan moving forward:
Continue to contribute the maximum allowed by law into traditional 401k and Roth IRA.
Company also offers a after tax up to $10k into 401k with in Roth conversion and I am not sure if I use should be using that instead of VTSAX taxable at Vanguard?
Leftovers to VTSAX taxable (varies)
Overall yearly contributions would be at least $40k counting the 401k match.
When should I plan to take SS? I am aiming for age 70.
Health: Fairly good health so far.

After reworking the budget and making plans to increase my salary and savings I am looking to buy my first property in the next 2 years. My cousin is in a similar situation to me (single, late 20’s, renting) and we both agreed it would be a good idea to go in on our first property together.
When we told our family of our plans to get a house with first home buyers scheme around 750k they told us that was ridiculous - instead we should buy a unit then sell it to buy a house down the track. Our concerns are;

1. We don’t want to be boxed up in a unit and have no space
   
2. Units don’t accrue as much value as houses
   
3. By the time we sell the unit we may be priced out of buying houses anyway - with the olympics coming to Brisbane I am worried that prices will increase dramatically more than they already are
   

So are we planning a bad decision or are these above points valid?