TLDR enclosed for each section directly under their respective subheading in bolded font

1. CONTENTS

Having originally posted this on NamiMains, I have come forth with a rune page that has been rising in popularity on enchanters: First Strike. Not only is this applicable on Nami, but on a lot of other enchanters who have decent range
The following guide has been split into these sections: - 1. CONTENTS - 2. Credentials - 3. So how/why does it work? - 4. ITEMS - 5. RUNES - 6. Core Mechanics of Nami W - 7. Final Words
Due to the length and detail of this guide, I can understand if some fishies don't wish to read everything. In which case, I have included TLDRs in this post. For ease of access, here are some formatting guidelines for the TLDRs of this post:
The following guide has been split into sections for easier navigation, if u are in a hurry for a specific section, scroll down to find the specific subheading that u need. Each explanation is also lengthy, but if u want a brief TLDR of each section, it will be enclosed for each section directly under their respective subheading in bolded font

2. Credentials

I know that some people really care about credentials, so I am leaving this here. Feel free to skip this section and jump straight into the content if it does not concern u
I am a Master tier enchanter main with over 2.7mil points on Nami. I am by no means a perfect player, I still make mistakes and have plenty of areas to improve on
So, please note that the following information serves as a recommendation and general guideline. It was compiled based off of my own personal experience. Said information is not concrete, nor is it a law that you must follow. You are entitled to your own preferences, playstyles, and opinions, which may differ from mine. My only intent here is to share information that some players may find helpful

3. So how/why does it work?

TLDR (for this section): - Take First Strike vs matchups you outrange - Nami E on allies procs First Strike - The new Jack of All Trades rune should be utilised (see below for how)
Before I get into the specific build, I first need to explain how and why this whole setup works. First Strike is mostly taken as a gold-accelerating rune vs matchups that u outrange, ensuring that u get the "first strike" onto enemies consistently. With the changes to First Strike giving more base gold on the initial hit and less gold on subsequent hits compared to before, it pairs really well with a lot of enchanters' poke patterns. Usually, we have one poke spell and not much followup. The current First Strike matches this poke pattern perfectly (think Nami W, Sona E, Seraphine passive-empowered autos etc), allowing us to get an extra 15g per proc on top of our support item gold
On Nami specifically, we have an additional way to proc First Strike, since Nami E on allies actually procs First Strike! The best part of this interaction is that ur ally can be hit by enemies with ur E buff, but bc it wasn't you being hit directly, u will still retain the First Strike bonuses if ur ally hits enemies back with ur E buff despite being hit first! A common issue raised with this point is "what if my ADC is bad and doesn't use my E buff?" Don't worry, I got u covered too! So, whenever u empower an auto or ability that is still travelling middair towards the enemy, if u E urself or ur ally during said auto/ability, the slow and bonus dmg from E will still apply on impact. So, if u notice that ur ADC has cast an auto or ability onto the enemy, try to E them while this auto/ability is still travelling towards the enemy. Not only will this maximise E duration, give enemies minimal time to react to the slow and extra dmg, but it will also ensure that u proc First Strike due to E buff, as well as Manaflow Band and other item effects
This also works on ur own autos and abilities, and chaining abilities tgt like this will also help to cancel Nami's lengthy spell animation for more efficient trade patterns, hence better First Strike usage. Since W is our most consistent poke ability, we ideally want to start with this ability when trying to proc First Strike. This differs slightly from the regular Aery setup where we want to auto -> E ourself while our auto is still middair travelling towards enemy -> W enemy -> bubble/ult or let the bounceback heal retaliate enemy dmg. Instead, we want to W -> E ourselves while W is still middair travelling towards the enemy -> auto -> disengage with bounceback heal or bubble/ult. Additional tip: If you hover over Nami's W, you may notice multiple rings. The outer ring indicates Nami's W range when self-cast, meaning that the ability has a slightly longer range when you cast it on yourself bouncing towards an enemy (25 more range) rather than casting it on an ally to bounce or straight onto an enemy. So if u ever need to W urself first, or need just a bit of extra range, make sure to utilise this. To execute this most effectively, I recommend using alt+W for self-cast
I'm able to come out of lane with 300-400 gold fairly consistently. Pair this with free boots or Cash Back, and u can essentially double this amount of gold. Since enchanters tend to be quite item-reliant, having this extra gold generation allows us to reach our item spikes a lot faster, further increasing the snowball potential

3.1. Jack of All Trades

Supports are actually able to utilise the new Jack of All Trades rune surprisingly well. Our support item alone already covers 3 of the 10 stats required. Here are the list of stats that we will generally be able to obtain on supports: - AP - HP - Health Regen - Mana Regen - Haste - Movespeed - %Movespeed - Heal/Shield Power - Armor - Magic Resist - Mana (?) - Magic Pen (?)
In order to get these stats, we will need our support item which gives HP, health regen, and mana regen. Most items will cover the haste component. Boots for the movespeed stat. Ardent will give us the %movespeed as well as heal/shield power. But if we don't need Ardent, then we can split this into any other heal/shield power item + Shurelya's. Armor + magic resist can be optained from Locket or Wardstone. Alternatively, if we don't need armor + magic resist, we can instead trade these stats for magic pen + mana instead (will also explain this in further detail below)
As you can see, the items required for Jack are situational items. It is important to identify during champ select if said items, particularly Ardent/Shurelya's + Locket/Wardstone, will be built for this game. Altho, these items will be applicable in most situations anyway
If u don't need these items for that particular game, or if u don't feel like u'll be able to reach all these stats for whatever reason, then Cosmic Insight is always a great staple. Lower summ cds for lower Flash and Heal cds, notoriously long-cd spells, as well as item haste. Item haste works on non-active item cds such as Dream MakeCelestial/Solstice/Zaz'Zak's cds, Mandate mark cds, as well as lowering trinket cd etc.

4. ITEMS

TLDR (for this section): - Skip paragraphs to see builds under their respective subheadings (4.1. Defensive Build and 4.2. AP Build) below - Each individual dot point reperesents one individual item slot
Alright, now that all the theory work is out of the way, we can finally move onto the specific build (what everyone is here for). There are two main builds to go about this. Each individual dot point reperesents one individual item slot:

4.1. Defensive Build

• Support Item (upgrade does not matter, as long as u have the base support item)
• Mandate
• Lucidity boots
• Shurelya's + SoFW/Mikael's/Redemption/Dawncore OR Ardent + Mejai's/Morello/situational (buy Dark Seal on first recall if u plan on getting Ardent)
• Locket/Wardstone

This build is run in situations where u need the defensive stats from Locket or Wardstone vs harder comps or matchups, with Locket being particularly good vs AoE and/or burst dmg. This build will also cover all the stats from Jack of All Trades (see list from previous section)
Ardent is the most efficient item for Jack due to it providing mana regen, heal/shield power, and %movespeed, all in one item. This will free up an extra item slot where we can buy a situational item, like antiheal, or if it's not needed then Dark Seal into Mejai's is always a great alternative for cheap AP (Nami has good AP ratios), or any other alternative item that u may need. Just make sure to buy Ardent before this situational item in order to max out Jack
However, it may not always be an Ardent game. In situations where it isn't an Ardent game (non-autoattack-reliant comps), u will need to split the %movespeed and heal/shield power stats into 2 separate items. Typically, Shurelya's + any other Forbidden Idol item will cover this. You can also go for any other item that gives %movespeed, but I find Shurelya's the most consistent. The main downside is ofc, the build being quite rigid if u go for this option (no room for antiheal or other situational items)

4.2. AP Build

• Support Item (upgrade does not matter, as long as u have the base support item)
• Mandate
• Sorc Shoes
• Archangel's (buy Tear on first recall preferrably, or second recall latest)
• Shurelya's + SoFW/Mikael's/Redemption/Dawncore OR Ardent + Mejai's/Morello/Horizon Focus/Cryptbloom/situational (buy Dark Seal on first recall if u plan on getting Ardent)

This is a more AP-focused build in situations where u don't need to be so defensive. We omitted the armor and magic resist from Locket/Wardstone for mana (Archangel's) and magic pen (Sorc Shoes). Nami E on allies uses her own magic pen, hence Sorc Shoes here

5. RUNES

TLDR:

• Inspiration: First Strike, Magical FootweaCash Back, Biscuits, Jack of All Trades/Cosmic Insight
• Sorcery: Manaflow + Transcendence/Absolute Focus/Celerity/Scorch/Gathering Storm OR Transcendence/Absolute Focus + Gathering Storm
• Double Adaptive + Scaling HP OR 8AH + 2%MS + Scaling HP

The more specifics to optimise ur runes to their respective builds:

5.1. Runes for Defensive Build

• Inspiration: First Strike, Cash Back, Biscuits, Jack of All Trades/Cosmic Insight
• Sorcery: Manaflow + Transcendence/Absolute Focus/Celerity/Scorch/Gathering Storm
• Double Adaptive + Scaling HP OR 8AH + 2%MS + Scaling HP

Omitted free boots for Cash Back. Since this is for the defensive build, we will need to rush Lucidity boots vs hard matchups. Not only are Lucidity boots a cheaper option so it gives a faster spike in movespeed vs skillshot-heavy lanes, the lower Flash cd will be good vs engage lanes. Jack vs Cosmic has been explained in previous sections
Manaflow + Transcendence is default. For in-depth explanation:
Manaflow is essential for defensive build. Only go Absolute Focus in situations where enemies lack poke, allowing u to maintain the HP threshold for the AP. Transcendence is a good default, when unsure u can always default to this due to Nami's long cds. Pair both these with double adaptive minor shards option. Celerity if u need the movespeed vs heavy-skillshot comps (pair this with the 2% movespeed minor shard option)
I personally don't recommend Scorch with the First Strike setup due to the scaling nature of this build. However, Scorch is typically good with early-game ADCs or matchups where u have early pressure. Scorch also barely adds any bonuses to First Strike, especially as the game progresses. Avoid Scorch if enemies have sustain, as they can easily outheal or outshield that bit of Scorch dmg. When unsure, or in any other situation, go Gathering Storm

5.2. Runes for AP Build

• Inspiration: First Strike, Magical Footwear, Biscuits, Jack of All Trades/Cosmic Insight
• Sorcery: Transcendence/Absolute Focus + Gathering Storm
• Double Adaptive + Scaling HP

Due to the more expensive nature and higher scaling potential of this build, go free boots so that u can focus on rushing items. Since we go Archangel's with this build, we won't need Manaflow. For maximum scaling, I recommend Absolute Focus + Gathering Storm (also the greediest option). Otherwise, Transcendence as explained prior

6. Core Mechanics of Nami W

TLDR (for this section): - More than 100AP -> subsequent bounces heal/dmg MORE - Less than 100AP -> subsequent bounces heal/dmg LESS
Smth absolutely crucial to these First Strike builds, as well as any other AP Nami builds, is understanding her W bounce mechanic. I often get asked why AP Nami, so I will just include this section here as well. For the fellow fishies who already about this, please feel free to skip this section
The reason why AP Nami is a thing is bc of the way her W scaling works to begin with. We unironically heal more with AP builds than enchanter builds. Allow me to explain:
Patch 14.6: 'The damage and healing value is modified by *-15% (+7.5% per 100AP)** each bounce.'*
Patch 14.7: 'The damage and healing value is modified by *-10% (+10% per 100AP)** each bounce.'*
Before I explain how to get crazy heal/dmg numbers on Nami's W bounces, I first need to explain her unique scaling on W. Unlike most other enchanters who benefit from heal/shield power, Nami's W has a unique scaling where subsequent bounces become weaker pre-100AP, and become stronger post-100AP. This threshold was at 200AP before the most recent changes on her, so they buffed it significantly by lowering the threshold down to only requiring 100AP instead of 200, making AP builds even more potent now in terms of healing and dmg. As such, Nami benefits more from stacking AP than heal/shield power
To give some perspective, previously if I had 200AP my W bounces would be equally as strong as each subsequent bounce. However, with these changes, with 200AP our W is now amped by 10%, and will continue amping by 10% for every 100AP. Getting 400AP on AP Nami builds is very doable with the right setup, buffing our subsequent bounces by 30% per bounce. This means our second bounce will be 30% stronger than the first, and our third bounce will be 60% stronger than the first bounce, which does not need further explaining as to why this is absolutely obnoxious when it comes to dmg and healing values
These changes also mean that a lot of Nami players will need to learn to prioritise their bounces according to what they need. Before, some enchanter builds struggled to reach the 200AP threshold, so we could just autopilot the first bounce without giving it much thought. Now, bounce prioritisation will actually become a prominent part of her kit
To explain how to alternate W effectively with an example, if my primary target (the one I want to dmg/heal the most) is A and my secondary target (less priority target) is B, then I will alternate my W bounces as follows:

• For most healing: W1 bounce to ally B -> W2 bounce to enemy -> W3 bounce to ally A for maximum healing
• For the most dmg: W1 bounce to enemy B -> W2 bounce to ally for heal -> W3 bounce to enemy A for the maximum dmg

And ofc, if u have Mandate then make sure to use E before W to ensure ur W bounces do even more dmg and proc Mandate c:

7. Final Words

I really hope this helps out some fellow supports. This build can be a bit difficult to grasp at first, and will take some time to learn and get used to. But always rmb that when unsure u can always go back to Aery as it will always remain the most consistent option overall
I'm also aware that First Strike is being nerfed next patch from 15g -> 10g. Personally, I think it could still be situationally good. Also, I apologise for any typos that may have been made, as the post was quite lengthy (so I may have missed some typos while proofreading)
This is also my first time making a post to this this degree of length and detail, so if there are any formatting errors or discomforts, please feel free to leave feedback below for me to improve on! For those who stayed til the end, I genuinely want to thank u and appreciate ur time and support 🥺🩷🩷
^{**Disclaimer:* In order to avoid unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings, please note that the above information serves as a recommendation and general guideline intended to explain the phenomena. It is based off of my own personal experience, as well as research of other players. Thus, said information is by no means perfect, nor is it a law that you must follow. You are entitled to your own preferences, playstyles, and opinions, which may differ from mine* ®}

So this originally started as an idea to use chat gpt to run a DND 5e campaign for me to use to test different character builds, then I started to wonder if I could incorporate hunter x hunter into the game. Using a really really long chat gpt prompt I wrote it actually ended up going really well so I decided to try to make it an entire system that you could kinda hopefully incorporate into any version of DND or other ttrpgs to have your own personalized hunter x hunter campaign. Now this whole thing is really messy but that's just because it's easier for my weird brain to work with. Anyway here's what I have so far 1. Primary Race: Human - The primary race is human, reflecting the "Hunter x Hunter" universe. However, players can customize their characters with unique physical traits or abilities, reflecting the diverse range of human appearances in the series.

1. Alternative Race: Chimera Ant
   
   • As an alternative, players can choose to be a Chimera Ant, which allows for a mix of human and animal traits, offering unique physical and sensory abilities. This race would have its own set of strengths and vulnerabilities.
2. Classes
   
   • Hunter: The main class, with sub-classes based on Hunter types (e.g., Beast Hunter, Treasure Hunter).
   • Assassin: Focused on stealth and precision, with techniques like those of the Zoldyck family. Sub-classes could be based on different assassination styles or tools.
   • Criminal: A class for those who operate outside the law, like the Phantom Troupe, with sub-classes based on criminal expertise (e.g., Thief, Bandit, Mercenary).

Nen System Integration

1. Nen Types and Abilities
   
   • Each class develops Nen abilities based on their Nen type, with unique Hatsu abilities.
   • Assassins and Criminals might have Nen abilities that complement their class skills (e.g., a Thief might be a Transmuter, changing the properties of their aura to aid in stealth).
2. Aura Points (AP)
   
   • This system replaces spell slots. Using Nen abilities consumes AP, which can be restored with rest.

Gameplay Mechanics

1. Nen Training and Character Progression
   
   • Character leveling involves improving Nen control and developing Hatsu abilities.
2. Combat and Nen Conflicts
   
   • Combat includes standard D&D mechanics and strategic use of Nen.
   • Nen-enhanced attacks and defenses: Characters can use AP to enhance physical attacks or bolster defense, adding an extra layer to combat strategy.
3. Quests and Adventures
   
   • DMs craft campaigns within the "Hunter x Hunter" world, allowing exploration and interaction with familiar and new elements.

Balancing and Adaptation

1. Balancing Races and Classes
   
   • Chimera Ants might have natural advantages (like enhanced senses) but also specific weaknesses (such as susceptibility to certain Nen types).
   • Each class and sub-class should offer unique advantages and playstyles without overshadowing others.
2. Adapting Nen Abilities
   
   • Nen abilities must be balanced in power and utility, encouraging creative use without making them overpowered.
   • Regular player feedback and DM discretion will be essential for maintaining balance.
3. Skill and Ability Checks
   
   • Incorporate Nen in skill checks, where appropriate, to allow creative problem-solving using Nen abilities.

This hybrid RPG would blend the detailed world and power system of "Hunter x Hunter" with the structured gameplay of D&D 5e, offering a rich and dynamic role-playing experience. Players can explore the complexities of Nen, engage in strategic combat, and embark on diverse quests, all while navigating the morally complex and vibrant world of "Hunter x Hunter."
Merging the power system and world of "Hunter x Hunter" with the fundamentals of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition could create a unique and exciting tabletop RPG experience. Here's a basic framework for how it could be done:

Character Creation

1. Races and Backgrounds: Stick to D&D's system for races and backgrounds, as these provide rich lore and diversity. However, incorporate elements from the "Hunter x Hunter" world into the backgrounds, allowing players to come from specific regions or organizations within that universe.
   
2. Classes: Replace D&D classes with "Hunter" as the primary class. Sub-classes could be based on the different types of Hunters in "Hunter x Hunter" (like Beast Hunter, Treasure Hunter, Blacklist Hunter, etc.), each with unique skills and quests.
   
3. Ability Scores: Use the standard D&D ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma). These will influence the character's physical and mental capabilities as usual.
   

Nen System Integration

1. Nen Types: During character creation, players determine their Nen type (Enhancer, Emitter, Manipulator, Transmuter, Conjurer, Specialist). This could be chosen or determined randomly, as in the series.
   
2. Nen Abilities (Hatsu): Players develop their unique Hatsu abilities, guided by their Nen type. This replaces the magic/spellcasting system of traditional D&D. Balancing these abilities would be key to ensure gameplay remains challenging and engaging.
   
3. Aura Points (AP): Similar to spell slots in D&D, characters have Aura Points. Using Nen abilities consumes AP, which can be restored with rest.
   

Gameplay Mechanics

1. Nen Training and Challenges: Incorporate Nen training into the leveling-up process. As characters level up, they gain more control over their Nen, unlocking new capabilities or strengthening their Hatsu.
   
2. Quests and Storytelling: The DM crafts adventures within the "Hunter x Hunter" universe, allowing players to explore familiar locales and encounter characters from the series, while also introducing original plots.
   
3. Combat and Challenges: Integrate D&D's combat system, but with modifications to incorporate Nen abilities. This includes Aura defense, Nen-enhanced attacks, and strategic use of Hatsu abilities. A nen user may choose to enhance their Attack power, Speed, or defense, by covering their bodies or weapons with aura. Enhanced Attack- Choosing to put 1 or more AP into enhancing attack will grant +2 to damage for each point.
   

Enhanced Defense- Choosing to put 1 or more points into defense will subtract -2 points of damage taken for each point.
Enhanced Speed- Choosing to put 1 or more AP into speed will grant +5 movement speed, +1 to attack bonus, and +1 to AC for every two AP, because enhancing speed is much more difficult and usually only one who's ability allows for it can enhance their speed efficiently.
Enhancing such abilities uses AP but does not deplete it. tho prolonged use of aura will cause it to weaken over time. through training this can be overcome.

1. Nen Conflicts: Introduce Nen battles, which are more about outsmarting opponents with clever use of Nen abilities than just overpowering them.

Balancing and Adaptation

• Balancing Nen Abilities: Ensure that Nen abilities are balanced, allowing for creative use without overpowering characters. This might require regular adjustments and feedback from players.
  
• Adapting D&D Mechanics: Some standard D&D mechanics might need to be adapted or omitted to fit the "Hunter x Hunter" theme. For instance, traditional spellcasting doesn't fit, so classes that rely heavily on this might need reworking.
  

This hybrid game would offer the depth and complexity of D&D's role-playing and combat systems with the unique and intriguing Nen system from "Hunter x Hunter," creating a fresh and engaging experience for players familiar with either or both worlds.
In "Hunter x Hunter," each Nen user has an affinity for one of six Nen types: Enhancer, Emitter, Manipulator, Transmuter, Conjurer, and Specialist. We can assign a key ability score to each Nen type for calculating Aura Points (AP) and other Nen-related mechanics. Here's a suggested assignment:

1. Enhancer
   
   • Key Ability: Strength or Constitution
   • Rationale: Enhancers focus on reinforcing their natural physical abilities, making Strength or Constitution a natural fit.
2. Emitter
   
   • Key Ability: Charisma
   • Rationale: Emitters project their aura away from their bodies, requiring force of personality, represented by Charisma.
3. Manipulator
   
   • Key Ability: Intelligence
   • Rationale: Manipulation requires precision and understanding complex systems, aligning well with Intelligence.
4. Transmuter
   
   • Key Ability: Dexterity
   • Rationale: Transmuters alter the properties of their aura, requiring finesse and control, which Dexterity represents.
5. Conjurer
   
   • Key Ability: Wisdom
   • Rationale: Conjurers create objects out of their aura, requiring insight and strong mental discipline, qualities associated with Wisdom.
6. Specialist
   
   • Key Ability: Wisdom or Charisma
   • Rationale: Specialists have unique and varied abilities that don't fit into other categories. Wisdom or Charisma can be chosen based on the nature of the Specialist's unique ability.

Aura Points (AP) Calculation

• AP is calculated using the formula: [Character Level] + [Modifier of Key Ability Score] x 2.
• For instance, a Level 5 Enhancer with a Strength score of 16 (Modifier +3) would have an AP of 5 + (3 x 2) = 11.

Using the Key Ability Score

• The key ability score would also be used for determining the difficulty class (DC) for saving throws against Nen abilities, and for attack rolls when applicable.
• For example, if an Emitter with a Charisma modifier of +2 uses an ability that requires a target to make a saving throw, the DC would be calculated using their Charisma modifier.

This system ties the Nen type to specific D&D ability scores, enhancing the role-playing aspect by encouraging players to consider their characters' strengths and weaknesses when choosing their Nen type and developing their abilities.
Removing traditional spellcasting and replacing it with a Nen-based system is a significant change that can fully integrate the unique aspects of "Hunter x Hunter" into your D&D game. Here's how you can adapt the Aura Point (AP) system to completely replace spellcasting:

Revised Aura Point (AP) System for Nen Abilities

1. Aura Points as the Sole Power Source - All supernatural abilities, including those that would normally be spells in D&D, are now Nen abilities powered by AP. - Characters do not have spell slots but instead use AP to activate and sustain their Nen abilities.
2. Nen Ability Categories - Classify Nen abilities into tiers, similar to spell levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master. - The AP cost for using an ability depends on its tier: Basic (1-2 AP), Intermediate (3-5 AP), Advanced (6-8 AP), Master (9-12 AP).
3. Learning and Developing Nen Abilities - Characters learn new Nen abilities as they level up. The number and tier of abilities they can learn and use are based on their level and key ability score. - Characters can also develop custom Nen abilities in consultation with the DM, tailored to their character's development and story.
4. Aura Point Recovery - AP is fully restored after a long rest. Half of the maximum AP is restored after a short rest. - Certain items or actions in-game could also restore AP.
5. Overexertion Risks - Using more AP than the maximum can lead to overexertion, causing fatigue, reduction in maximum hit points, or other penalties. - Severe overexertion could lead to more drastic consequences, like temporary loss of Nen abilities.
6. Nen Training and Advancement - Include quests or training sessions for characters to increase their AP maximum, reduce Nen ability costs, or learn new abilities. - This system allows for character growth and the pursuit of mastery over Nen.
7. Nen-Based Defense and Attacks - Allow characters to use AP to enhance physical attacks, defense, or to perform feats like enhanced jumps, bursts of speed, etc.
8. Balancing Nen Abilities - The DM should ensure Nen abilities are balanced within the game, avoiding overpowered combinations. - Regular feedback and adjustments may be necessary based on gameplay experience.
With this revised system, Nen becomes the central mechanic for all supernatural and extraordinary abilities in the game, deeply immersing players in the "Hunter x Hunter" universe while maintaining the strategic and role-playing elements of D&D. This approach requires careful planning and balance but offers a unique and engaging gameplay experience. for the HUNTER class, the features include
Creating detailed class features and proficiencies for each Hunter class and its subclasses in a D&D 5e format requires a comprehensive approach. I'll provide a basic outline for the "Hunter" class and one subclass, the "Beast Hunter," as an example. You can use this format as a template to develop other subclasses.

Hunter Class (General Features)

Hit Points - Hit Dice: 1d10 per Hunter level - Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier - Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Hunter level after 1st
Proficiencies - Armor: Light armor, medium armor - Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons - Tools: None - Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence - Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Survival, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth
Equipment - (a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon - (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack - Leather armor, a hunter's token, and a dagger
Features
Let's define each feature of the Hunter class in the context of a "Hunter x Hunter" and D&D 5e hybrid game:

Level 1: Nen Sensitivity

• Gain the ability to perceive and vaguely sense aura (Nen) in yourself and others.
• Provides advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks related to detecting Nen use or aura presence.

Level 1: Hunter's Expertise

• Choose two skills from the Hunter skill list. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen skills.

Level 2: Nen Training (Basic Techniques)

• Learn the basic Nen techniques: Ten, Zetsu, and Ren.
• Ten allows you to defend against low-level Nen attacks.
• Zetsu lets you conceal your aura, improving stealth.
• Ren increases your aura output temporarily, enhancing physical abilities for a short time.

Level 3: Hunter Archetype

• Choose a Hunter Archetype, reflecting your specialized training as a Hunter. This choice grants you features at later levels.

Level 3: Nen Ability (Hatsu)

• Develop your unique Nen ability (Hatsu) based on your Nen type. This is a special ability you can use by spending Aura Points (AP).

Level 4: Ability Score Improvement

• Improve one ability score of your choice by 2, or two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Level 5: Extra Attack

• You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Level 6: Archetype Feature

• Gain a feature granted by your chosen Hunter Archetype.

Level 7: Nen Training (Advanced Techniques)

• Learn advanced Nen techniques that allow for more potent use of your aura, including enhanced versions of Ten, Zetsu, and Ren.

Level 8: Ability Score Improvement

• As with level 4.

Level 9: Indomitable (1 use)

• You can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Level 10: Archetype Feature

• Gain an additional feature from your chosen Hunter Archetype.

Level 11: Improved Nen Ability

• Your Nen ability (Hatsu) becomes more potent or versatile. This could mean lower AP costs, increased effects, or additional options for its use.

Level 12: Ability Score Improvement

• As with level 4.

Level 13: Indomitable (2 uses)

• As with level 9, but you can use this feature twice between long rests.

Level 14: Archetype Feature

• Gain another feature from your chosen Hunter Archetype.

Level 15: Nen Mastery

• Gain mastery over your aura, significantly increasing your Aura Point (AP) maximum and potentially unlocking unique uses for your Nen.

Level 16: Ability Score Improvement

• As with level 4.

Level 17: Indomitable (3 uses)

• As with level 9, but you can use this feature three times between long rests.

Level 18: Archetype Feature

• Gain an additional feature from your chosen Hunter Archetype.

Level 19: Ability Score Improvement

• As with level 4.

Level 20: Hunter's Pinnacle

• Reach the pinnacle of your Hunter abilities, granting a significant, unique power or enhancement related to your Nen type and Hunter Archetype. This could be a powerful new Nen ability, a permanent increase to key stats, or another major benefit.

These features combine D&D 5e mechanics with "Hunter x Hunter" lore, offering a comprehensive and thematic progression for characters in this hybrid game.
Each subclass within the Hunter class would have similar structure, with unique abilities and features tailored to their specialization, such as Sea Hunter, Gourmet Hunter, etc. This approach keeps the balance and progression familiar to D&D 5e while integrating the unique elements of the "Hunter x Hunter" universe.

Beast Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Beast Tracking - Gain proficiency in Survival. If you already have it, double your proficiency bonus for Survival checks related to beasts. - Learn to track and identify creatures by their tracks, noises, and other signs.
Level 6: Primal Communication - Ability to communicate on a basic level with beasts and understand their intentions and emotions.
Level 10: Beast Companion - Bond with a beast you encounter, which becomes your faithful companion. - Use the Ranger's Companion feature from the Ranger class as a reference for rules and stats.
Level 14: Predator's Instinct - Gain advantage on initiative rolls in natural environments. - Can't be surprised by beast-type creatures.
Level 18: Master of Beasts - Gain the ability to temporarily control or influence the behavior of beasts through Nen.

Sea Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Aquatic Adaptation - Gain the ability to breathe underwater and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. - Gain proficiency in Athletics. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus for Athletics checks related to swimming.
Level 6: Deep Sea Knowledge - Advantage on Nature and Survival checks related to aquatic environments. - Can identify aquatic creatures and plants and their uses or dangers.
Level 10: Pressure Resistance - Gain resistance to cold damage and ignore the effects of deep and cold water pressure.
Level 14: Master Navigator - Can never be lost at sea. Gain proficiency in Navigation tools. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus.
Level 18: Call of the Depths - Ability to summon and communicate with sea creatures, possibly enlisting their help or guidance.

Treasure Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Artifact Lore - Gain proficiency in History. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus for History checks related to artifacts and treasures. - Can identify and appraise artifacts and relics.
Level 6: Trap Sense - Gain advantage on saving throws against traps and spells that protect treasures. - Can detect the presence of traps within a 30-foot radius.
Level 10: Dungeon Delver - Move at normal speed while stealthily exploring ruins and dungeons. - Resistance to damage from traps.
Level 14: Ancient Secrets - Can decipher ancient languages and codes. Gain advantage on Intelligence checks related to ancient texts and puzzles.
Level 18: Treasure's Boon - Once per long rest, can locate a significant treasure, artifact, or hidden place within a 10-mile radius.

Music Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Harmonic Awareness - Gain proficiency in a musical instrument of your choice. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can detect mood and intentions of others through their tone and choice of words.
Level 6: Soothing Melody - Can use music to calm emotions, dispel fear, or inspire courage in others.
Level 10: Sonic Resonance - Gain resistance to thunder damage and charm effects. - Can use music to communicate simple ideas to creatures that don't speak any languages.
Level 14: Echolocation - Through focused listening, can sense the location of objects and creatures in complete darkness within a 60-foot radius.
Level 18: Symphony of Power - Once per long rest, can play a powerful melody that grants temporary hit points, cures one condition, or boosts one ability score for the duration of the performance.

Gourmet Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Culinary Expertise - Gain proficiency in Cooking tools. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can identify edible and medicinal plants and creatures, and the best ways to prepare them.
Level 6: Enhanced Taste - Can detect poisons and potions by taste. Gain advantage on saving throws against ingested poisons.
Level 10: Exotic Cuisine - Can prepare meals that grant temporary hit points or other minor benefits.
Level 14: Iron Stomach - Gain immunity to poison and disease from ingested sources.
Level 18: Culinary Masterpiece - Once per long rest, can create a meal that acts as a Greater Restoration spell or provides a significant buff to the party.

Blacklist Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Investigative Skills - Gain proficiency in Investigation. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can gather information and track targets in urban environments more efficiently.
Level 6: Interrogation Expert - Gain advantage on Insight and Intimidation checks when interrogating.
Level 10: Criminal Network - Can establish contacts and gather information from criminal sources. Gain advantage on Charisma checks when dealing with criminals.
Level 14: Expert Tracker - Gain the ability to track targets over long distances, even across different terrains.
Level 18: Master of Justice - Once per long rest, can discern the truth of any statement or determine the location of a person or object related to your investigation.

Medical Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Medical Knowledge - Gain proficiency in Medicine. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can stabilize a dying creature as a bonus action.
Level 6: Herbalist - Can identify and create medicinal herbs and potions. Gain proficiency in Herbalism Kit.
Level 10: Healer's Touch - Can use a pool of healing points to restore hit points equal to 5 times your Hunter level. As an action, can touch a creature to restore any number of these points.
Level 14: Disease Resistance - Gain immunity to disease and advantage on saving throws against effects that cause illness.
Level 18: Lifesaver - Once per long rest, can perform a healing action that acts as a Resurrection spell without needing material components.

Archaeological Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Ancient Lore - Gain proficiency in History. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can identify and interpret historical artifacts, ruins, and texts.
Level 6: Ruins Delver - Gain advantage on saving throws made to avoid or resist traps and natural hazards in ancient ruins and dungeons.
Level 10: Relic Hunter - Can sense the presence of significant historical artifacts within a 1-mile radius.
Level 14: Cryptographer - Gain the ability to decipher ancient codes and languages, and unlock magical inscriptions.
Level 18: Guardian's Favor - Once per long rest, can invoke ancient powers for protection or insight, granting advantage on a series of checks or resisting a powerful magical effect.

Information Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Network of Contacts - Gain proficiency in Persuasion. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can establish a network of informants to gather information more effectively.
Level 6: Codebreaker - Gain advantage on Intelligence checks to intercept and decipher secret messages and codes.
Level 10: Eavesdropper - Gain the ability to listen in on conversations or sounds from great distances or through barriers.
Level 14: Master of Disguise - Can create disguises that allow blending into almost any environment or society. Advantage on checks made to maintain a disguise.
Level 18: Omnipresent Knowledge - Once per long rest, can gain detailed knowledge about a person, place, or object that is not commonly known or easily accessible.

Lost Hunter Subclass

Level 3: Expert Tracker - Gain proficiency in Survival. If already proficient, double the proficiency bonus. - Can track creatures and people across various terrains, and can discern the passage of time since their passing.
Level 6: Urban Tracker - Adapted to tracking in urban environments, can navigate and gather information in cities efficiently.
Level 10: Sixth Sense - Gain a limited ability to sense the direction of a sought person or object within a 5-mile radius.
Level 14: Path Finder - Can create shortcuts or find the most efficient paths through natural and urban landscapes.
Level 18: Find the Lost - Once per long rest, can locate exactly a lost person or item, regardless of distance or barriers, as long as they are on the same plane of existence.
These subclass features provide specialized skills and abilities that align with the unique roles and expertise of each type of Hunter, allowing for a rich role-playing experience within the "Hunter x Hunter" and D&D 5e hybrid framework. Players can choose a path that best suits their interests and play style, diving deep into the diverse world of "Hunter x Hunter." . If anyone has any suggestions or questions please let me know. Also if you want the full chat gpt prompt you can DM me

TLDR enclosed for each section directly under their respective subheading in bolded font

1. CONTENTS

The following guide has been split into these sections: - 1. CONTENTS - 2. So how/why does it work? - 3. ITEMS - 4. RUNES - 5. Core Mechanics of Nami W - 6. Final Words
As per request of a fellow fishie, I have come forth with a rune page that has been rising in popularity on enchanters: First Strike. Not only is this applicable on Nami, but on a lot of other enchanters who have decent range
Due to the length and detail of this guide, I can understand if some fishies don't wish to read everything. In which case, I have included TLDRs in this post. For ease of access, here are some formatting guidelines for the TLDRs of this post:
The following guide has been split into sections for easier navigation, if u are in a hurry for a specific section, scroll down to find the specific subheading that u need. Each explanation is also lengthy, but if u want a brief TLDR of each section, it will be enclosed for each section directly under their respective subheading in bolded font:

2. So how/why does it work?

TLDR (for this section): - Take First Strike vs matchups you outrange - Nami E on allies procs First Strike - The new Jack of All Trades rune should be utilised (see below for how)
Before I get into the specific build, I first need to explain how and why this whole setup works. First Strike is mostly taken as a gold-accelerating rune vs matchups that u outrange, ensuring that u get the "first strike" onto enemies consistently. With the changes to First Strike giving more base gold on the initial hit and less gold on subsequent hits compared to before, it pairs really well with a lot of enchanters' poke patterns. Usually, we have one poke spell and not much followup. The current First Strike matches this poke pattern perfectly (think Nami W, Sona E, Seraphine passive-empowered autos etc), allowing us to get an extra 15g per proc on top of our support item gold
On Nami specifically, we have an additional way to proc First Strike, since Nami E on allies actually procs First Strike! The best part of this interaction is that ur ally can be hit by enemies with ur E buff, but bc it wasn't you being hit directly, u will still retain the First Strike bonuses if ur ally hits enemies back with ur E buff despite being hit first! A common issue raised with this point is "what if my ADC is bad and doesn't use my E buff?" Don't worry, I got u covered too! So, whenever u empower an auto or ability that is still travelling middair towards the enemy, if u E urself or ur ally during said auto/ability, the slow and bonus dmg from E will still apply on impact. So, if u notice that ur ADC has cast an auto or ability onto the enemy, try to E them while this auto/ability is still travelling towards the enemy. Not only will this maximise E duration, give enemies minimal time to react to the slow and extra dmg, but it will also ensure that u proc First Strike due to E buff, as well as Manaflow Band and other item effects
This also works on ur own autos and abilities, and chaining abilities tgt like this will also help to cancel Nami's lengthy spell animation for more efficient trade patterns, hence better First Strike usage. Since W is our most consistent poke ability, we ideally want to start with this ability when trying to proc First Strike. This differs slightly from the regular Aery setup where we want to auto -> E ourself while our auto is still middair travelling towards enemy -> W enemy -> bubble/ult or let the bounceback heal retaliate enemy dmg. Instead, we want to W -> E ourselves while W is still middair travelling towards the enemy -> auto -> disengage with bounceback heal or bubble/ult. Additional tip: If you hover over Nami's W, you may notice multiple rings. The outer ring indicates Nami's W range when self-cast, meaning that the ability has a slightly longer range when you cast it on yourself bouncing towards an enemy (25 more range) rather than casting it on an ally to bounce or straight onto an enemy. So if u ever need to W urself first, or need just a bit of extra range, make sure to utilise this. To execute this most effectively, I recommend using alt+W for self-cast
I'm able to come out of lane with 300-400 gold fairly consistently. Pair this with free boots or Cash Back, and u can essentially double this amount of gold. Since enchanters tend to be quite item-reliant, having this extra gold generation allows us to reach our item spikes a lot faster, further increasing the snowball potential

2.1. Jack of All Trades

Supports are actually able to utilise the new Jack of All Trades rune surprisingly well. Our support item alone already covers 3 of the 10 stats required. Here are the list of stats that we will generally be able to obtain on supports: - AP - HP - Health Regen - Mana Regen - Haste - Movespeed - %Movespeed - Heal/Shield Power - Armor - Magic Resist - Mana (?) - Magic Pen (?)
In order to get these stats, we will need our support item which gives HP, health regen, and mana regen. Most items will cover the haste component. Boots for the movespeed stat. Ardent will give us the %movespeed as well as heal/shield power. But if we don't need Ardent, then we can split this into any other heal/shield power item + Shurelya's. Armor + magic resist can be optained from Locket or Wardstone. Alternatively, if we don't need armor + magic resist, we can instead trade these stats for magic pen + mana instead (will also explain this in further detail below)
As you can see, the items required for Jack are situational items. It is important to identify during champ select if said items, particularly Ardent/Shurelya's + Locket/Wardstone, will be built for this game. Altho, these items will be applicable in most situations anyway
If u don't need these items for that particular game, or if u don't feel like u'll be able to reach all these stats for whatever reason, then Cosmic Insight is always a great staple. Lower summ cds for lower Flash and Heal cds, notoriously long-cd spells, as well as item haste. Item haste works on non-active item cds such as Dream MakeCelestial/Solstice/Zaz'Zak's cds, Mandate mark cds, as well as lowering trinket cd etc.

3. ITEMS

TLDR (for this section): - Skip paragraphs to see builds under their respective subheadings (3.1. Defensive Build and 3.2. AP Build) below - Each individual dot point reperesents one individual item slot
Alright, now that all the theory work is out of the way, we can finally move onto the specific build (what everyone is here for). There are two main builds to go about this. Each individual dot point reperesents one individual item slot:

3.1. Defensive Build

• Support Item (upgrade does not matter, as long as u have the base support item)
• Mandate
• Lucidity boots
• Shurelya's + SoFW/Mikael's/Redemption/Dawncore OR Ardent + Mejai's/Morello/situational (buy Dark Seal on first recall if u plan on getting Ardent)
• Locket/Wardstone

This build is run in situations where u need the defensive stats from Locket or Wardstone vs harder comps or matchups, with Locket being particularly good vs AoE and/or burst dmg. This build will also cover all the stats from Jack of All Trades (see list from previous section)
Ardent is the most efficient item for Jack due to it providing mana regen, heal/shield power, and %movespeed, all in one item. This will free up an extra item slot where we can buy a situational item, like antiheal, or if it's not needed then Dark Seal into Mejai's is always a great alternative for cheap AP (Nami has good AP ratios), or any other alternative item that u may need. Just make sure to buy Ardent before this situational item in order to max out Jack
However, it may not always be an Ardent game. In situations where it isn't an Ardent game (non-autoattack-reliant comps), u will need to split the %movespeed and heal/shield power stats into 2 separate items. Typically, Shurelya's + any other Forbidden Idol item will cover this. You can also go for any other item that gives %movespeed, but I find Shurelya's the most consistent. The main downside is ofc, the build being quite rigid if u go for this option (no room for antiheal or other situational items)

3.2. AP Build

• Support Item (upgrade does not matter, as long as u have the base support item)
• Mandate
• Sorc Shoes
• Archangel's (buy Tear on first recall preferrably, or second recall latest)
• Shurelya's + SoFW/Mikael's/Redemption/Dawncore OR Ardent + Mejai's/Morello/Horizon Focus/Cryptbloom/situational (buy Dark Seal on first recall if u plan on getting Ardent)

This is a more AP-focused build in situations where u don't need to be so defensive. We omitted the armor and magic resist from Locket/Wardstone for mana (Archangel's) and magic pen (Sorc Shoes). Nami E on allies uses her own magic pen, hence Sorc Shoes here

4. RUNES

TLDR:

• Inspiration: First Strike, Magical FootweaCash Back, Biscuits, Jack of All Trades/Cosmic Insight
• Sorcery: Manaflow + Transcendence/Absolute Focus/Celerity/Scorch/Gathering Storm OR Transcendence/Absolute Focus + Gathering Storm
• Double Adaptive + Scaling HP OR 8AH + 2%MS + Scaling HP

The more specifics to optimise ur runes to their respective builds:

4.1. Runes for Defensive Build

• Inspiration: First Strike, Cash Back, Biscuits, Jack of All Trades/Cosmic Insight
• Sorcery: Manaflow + Transcendence/Absolute Focus/Celerity/Scorch/Gathering Storm
• Double Adaptive + Scaling HP OR 8AH + 2%MS + Scaling HP

Omitted free boots for Cash Back. Since this is for the defensive build, we will need to rush Lucidity boots vs hard matchups. Not only are Lucidity boots a cheaper option so it gives a faster spike in movespeed vs skillshot-heavy lanes, the lower Flash cd will be good vs engage lanes. Jack vs Cosmic has been explained in previous sections
Manaflow + Transcendence is default. For in-depth explanation:
Manaflow is essential for defensive build. Only go Absolute Focus in situations where enemies lack poke, allowing u to maintain the HP threshold for the AP. Transcendence is a good default, when unsure u can always default to this due to Nami's long cds. Pair both these with double adaptive minor shards option. Celerity if u need the movespeed vs heavy-skillshot comps (pair this with the 2% movespeed minor shard option)
I personally don't recommend Scorch with the First Strike setup due to the scaling nature of this build. However, Scorch is typically good with early-game ADCs or matchups where u have early pressure. Scorch also barely adds any bonuses to First Strike, especially as the game progresses. Avoid Scorch if enemies have sustain, as they can easily outheal or outshield that bit of Scorch dmg. When unsure, or in any other situation, go Gathering Storm

4.2. Runes for AP Build

• Inspiration: First Strike, Magical Footwear, Biscuits, Jack of All Trades/Cosmic Insight
• Sorcery: Transcendence/Absolute Focus + Gathering Storm
• Double Adaptive + Scaling HP

Due to the more expensive nature and higher scaling potential of this build, go free boots so that u can focus on rushing items. Since we go Archangel's with this build, we won't need Manaflow. For maximum scaling, I recommend Absolute Focus + Gathering Storm (also the greediest option). Otherwise, Transcendence as explained prior

5. Core Mechanics of Nami W

TLDR (for this section): - More than 100AP -> subsequent bounces heal/dmg MORE - Less than 100AP -> subsequent bounces heal/dmg LESS
Smth absolutely crucial to these First Strike builds, as well as any other AP Nami builds, is understanding her W bounce mechanic. I often get asked why AP Nami, and it would be natural for some fishies to come forth and ask about this too, so I will just include this section here as well. For the fellow fishies who already about this, please feel free to skip this section
The reason why AP Nami is a thing is bc of the way her W scaling works to begin with. We unironically heal more with AP builds than enchanter builds. Allow me to explain:
Patch 14.6: 'The damage and healing value is modified by *-15% (+7.5% per 100AP)** each bounce.'*
Patch 14.7: 'The damage and healing value is modified by *-10% (+10% per 100AP)** each bounce.'*
Before I explain how to get crazy heal/dmg numbers on Nami's W bounces, I first need to explain her unique scaling on W. Unlike most other enchanters who benefit from heal/shield power, Nami's W has a unique scaling where subsequent bounces become weaker pre-100AP, and become stronger post-100AP. This threshold was at 200AP before the most recent changes on her, so they buffed it significantly by lowering the threshold down to only requiring 100AP instead of 200, making AP builds even more potent now in terms of healing and dmg. As such, Nami benefits more from stacking AP than heal/shield power
To give some perspective, previously if I had 200AP my W bounces would be equally as strong as each subsequent bounce. However, with these changes, with 200AP our W is now amped by 10%, and will continue amping by 10% for every 100AP. Getting 400AP on AP Nami builds is very doable with the right setup, buffing our subsequent bounces by 30% per bounce. This means our second bounce will be 30% stronger than the first, and our third bounce will be 60% stronger than the first bounce, which does not need further explaining as to why this is absolutely obnoxious when it comes to dmg and healing values
These changes also mean that a lot of Nami players will need to learn to prioritise their bounces according to what they need. Before, some enchanter builds struggled to reach the 200AP threshold, so we could just autopilot the first bounce without giving it much thought. Now, bounce prioritisation will actually become a prominent part of her kit
To explain how to alternate W effectively with an example, if my primary target (the one I want to dmg/heal the most) is A and my secondary target (less priority target) is B, then I will alternate my W bounces as follows:

• For most healing: W1 bounce to ally B -> W2 bounce to enemy -> W3 bounce to ally A for maximum healing
• For the most dmg: W1 bounce to enemy B -> W2 bounce to ally for heal -> W3 bounce to enemy A for the maximum dmg

And ofc, if u have Mandate then make sure to use E before W to ensure ur W bounces do even more dmg and proc Mandate c:

6. Final Words

Phew! That was probably one of my lengthiest explanations made into a single post to date! I really hope this helps out some fellow fishies. This build can be a bit difficult to grasp at first, and will take some time to learn and get used to. But always rmb that when unsure u can always go back to Aery as it will always remain the most consistent option overall
I'm also aware that First Strike is being nerfed next patch from 15g -> 10g. Personally, I think it could still be situationally good. Also, I apologise for any typos that may have been made, as the post was quite lengthy (so I may have missed some typos while proofreading)
This is also my first time making a post to this this degree of length and detail, so if there are any formatting errors or discomforts, please feel free to leave feedback below for me to improve on! For all the fishies that stayed til the end, I genuinely want to thank u and appreciate time and support 🥺🩷🩷
Hope this explains everything!
^{**Disclaimer:* In order to avoid unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings, please note that the above information serves as a recommendation and general guideline intended to explain the phenomena. It is based off of my own personal experience, as well as research of other players. Thus, said information is by no means perfect, nor is it a law that you must follow. You are entitled to your own preferences, playstyles, and opinions, which may differ from mine* ®}

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to share a little project I worked on for fun – it’s called Binary Brew. It’s a lightweight, free app for macOS that helps keep your screen awake. I think this app is pretty useful for some. Honestly, all it is is a GUI for the terminal function "caffeinate."
Why I Made It:
I use the caffeinated terminal function often and used to rely on the Caffeine app, but it’s become quite overpriced. So, I decided to build Binary Brew as a free alternative. Feel free to take my code and make it better!
What It Does:
• One-Click Activation: Keep your screen awake with a single click.
• Custom Timers: Set it for 15, 30, or 60 minutes.
• Simple and Lightweight: Easy to use without any fuss.
How to Get It:

1. Download it from the GitHub Releases section.
   
2. Drag Binary Brew to your Applications folder.
   
3. Open the app and you’re good to go!
   

Feedback:
I’d love to hear what you think! Feel free to drop comments or issues on GitHub. I can't promise I'll update this often, because this is just something I did for fun. It's my first coding project.
GitHub Repository: Binary Brew
Thanks for checking it out!

amazing race tweaks: ebonheart active effects is not showing up in my character's active effects. are imperious and amazing race tweaks incompartible?
i tried to follow the LLO guide as best i could. here's my load order:
ussep skyrim cut content jayserpa lines expansion guard dialogue overhaul cheat room (xb1) free crafting free player home font replacer - eadui jayserpa quest expansion at your own pace aio less tedious thieves guild skyrim reputation wintersun - faiths of skyrim imperious - races of skyrim sacrilege - minimalistic races of skyrim andromeda - unique standing stones of skyrim game environment tweaks: immersive cheats wear multiple rings [xbone] hearthfire display cases war: immersive weapons bounty preview [xb1] big: ultimate kills get no more dead followers better harvestinf get no more dead merchants amazing race tweaks: orc amazing race tweaks: redguard amazing race tweaks: breton amazing race tweaks: ebonheart amazing race tweaks: aldmeri dominion vokrii - minimalistic perks odin - skyrim magic odin - vokrii compatibility better gold pentapox audio aio better black door - dark brotherhood azurite weathers ii (v2.52) sky collection: galaxy of nirn azurite mists by dr jacopo (unp) lovergirl skin - 4k loverboy default 2k seraphim female body racial body morphs - standard xp32 maximum skeleton extended old kingdom - weapon overhaul old kingdom - weapon overhaul cheat room patch old kingdom - armor overhaul rally's all the things - aio diverse dragons rally's furniture aio rally's solstheim aio 1k saerileth choice: models and textures cathedral 3d plants aio enhanced blood (512) pretty lanterns ilinalta - realistic water realistic rs+elven children argonian skintones [xbox] populated lands more to say 9.0.2 sissel book quest - more to say addon fancy followers overhaul immersive amazing follower tweaks teldryn sero dialogue expansion [xb1] marriage voice types immersive carriages elegant jarls (xb1) immersive patrols character creation overhaul provincial courier service vanilla hair - salt and wind (1k) argonians enhanced td18 lore-friendly hairs natural eyes pretty lips full lip tintmasks 4k genuine giants rainbows over waterfalls remove small rocks hot springs of skyrim [xb1] lampposts of skyrims hearthfire upgrade bundle library version glowing azure statue remove hearthfire grossness better gray quarter peaceful hearthfire hearthfire custom basement madmen -- forsworn real armies - civil war twenty eight friendly cats mihail house cats - my version by xtudo [xb1] civil war aftermath flame vfx edit - normal frost vfx edit pastel map markers [xb1] alternate start - live another life new beginnings - live another life add on humble beginnings for alternative start js quest expansion alternative start patch

Ok I just want to make sure I'm not being an idiot here, but I bought the complete edition while it was on sale, and apparently to activate that I need to put in a registration code on mogstation. Problem is, I can't get into mogstation without a one time password. Apparently you can set these up using software authenticators, which you... need a one time password to set up? Am I missing something or can I just not access mogstation, so I can't upgrade my game?
Edit: I've never set up any one time passwords on this account before. It's a new account and I played on the free trial on the account for maybe 10 or so hours. I can't leave it blank on mogstation login or on SE account management login, both say they are invalid.

Monthly Merchandise Megathread #39!

Hello everyone! This is a mega thread for merchandise sales in which /Neopets members can advertise and find sales of Neopets merchandise with ease here. This thread will not be pinned after today, but it will be added to the sidebar.
Please read the following information carefully and trade safely!

Rules

• Sellers must abide by our 90/10 Advertising Rule:

Some Neopets-related promotional posts/comments are allowed if you are an active member of the subreddit. A maximum of 10% of your contributions can be promotional; the other 90% should be meaningful and active engagement in other conversations here.

• Please do NOT advertise a sales post in private messages/chats, thread comments, or in a new post. Don't treat the Neopets community as your own personal cash cow.
  
• If you are selling NC Cards, please follow and adhere to the 90/10 rule as outlined above.
  
• NC Cards/Merch/Codes are NOT to be traded with NP/NC items as that is against site rules.
  
• Art, craft, and coding commissions are NOT allowed due to the legal complications involved. (We are waiting to re-evaluate this once the Neopets Fan Art program fully releases.) Additionally, we do not condone DMing random people to sell merch either.
  
• Moderators have no liability with respect to any conducted transactions.
  
• Moderators are not liable for lost funds or time. We cannot help you get your money back/your merch. It is YOUR responsibility to uphold your end and choose partners wisely. Caveat Emptor.
  
• Moderators will step in if we receive multiple reports that a user is abusing the marketplace via not delivering works, not paying or any other breach of trust.
  

General

• This thread is in CONTEST MODE This is to discourage downvoting in order to increase everyone's visibility and make it fairer for participants arriving throughout the day. All posts are randomized!
  
• Please observe all rules as outlined in our community and discussion guidelines! (Check out the nifty sidebar!)
  
• The plan is to have a mega thread every first Saturday of the month.
  
• Reminder: NEVER mention Reddit (or any variations thereof like Read It, Arr! Neopets, Blue Aliens, “that other site”, etc) or this thread on Neopets itself! We are not an officially affiliated fansite and doing so can put your account—or the ones of others—at risk of getting frozen!
  

Courtesy

• If you do gift, gift at your own discretion.
  
• Exercise caution when it comes to new Reddit/Neopets accounts posting on the thread.
  
• Please don’t be rude and steal other people’s sales if they are not intended for you.
  
• There is to be no begging or harassment of any kind.
  
• Report any suspicious individuals to the mods! This thread is a free-for-all chaotic mess most of the time and not micro-managed in any manner.
  

FAQ

Is Selling NC Cards/Merch/Codes Neo-Legal?

• See Neopian Times, Issue 529 (tl;dr: Yes, but no exchanging on-site NP/NC for IRL Merch)

Hi, TNT. While I was browsing through eBay, I found Neopets trading cards for sale. There are so many, and I was interested in buying some, but wouldn't that be against the rules? I don't really think it would be, but I'd rather ask than risk my account. I'm not 100% sure, but can't you redeem codes from the cards in the packs and get items? Would that then be considered buying items? ~i_luv_cows12345
No, physical merchandise produced or officially licensed by us is just fine to buy, sell, or trade online. This includes stuff like real life plushies, action figures, TCG cards, etc. Codes are considered a legitimate part of these items. Items you cannot buy or sell online are virtual items, Neopoints, Neopets, or accounts.

• See Neopian Times, Issue 610 (tl;dr: Yes, but no exchanging on-site NP/NC for IRL Merch)

Hi, TNT! I have an odd question for you.... about commissions. Now, I know taking them in exchange for anything on Neopets is against the rules, as is doing commissions with Neopets characters. However... what about real-life merchandise? I'm the sort that's willing to take trades, and I was wondering: could someone pay me in Neopets plushies? What about rare item codes, or Neocash? (the cards, not actual on-site NC items) I mean, people sell the item codes on eBay all the time, so wouldn't that be okay? As far as NC cards go, if I'm just going to buy them anyway, why not save a step? Would these be against the Terms & Conditions because they give things on the site itself? I mean, obviously, it still wouldn't be okay to do a commission OF Neopets, but in exchange for merchandise, where do you guys stand? (please remove my username) ~username removed
As you said, as long as you aren't taking commissions of Neopets intellectual property, you're welcome to trade or sell your real-world merchandise however you'd like. According to Lawyerbot: "Trading plushies, rare item codes, NC cards, etc. for real-life merchandise is fine. I once traded my brother's turtle to a friend for a Shadow Uni Plushie.

Can I just send the Space Faerie Code, but keep the items?

• See Neopian Times, Issue 651 (tl;dr: Yes)

Hi, TNT! So, I had a question about gifting rare item codes, Space Faerie codes, site theme codes (like Puzzle Adventure), etc. I know it is against the rules to ask for anything like "tips" or compensation in return for gifting a code, as well as selling codes. However, is it against the rules to ask someone to return the item that they got from the code itself? Say someone receives a plushie from redeeming a code. Is it okay to ask that they return the plushie, or would it be better to say something like, "I would greatly appreciate if you return the item, but it's not required" since non-requested thank you gifts are allowed? I just wanted to be sure. Thank you for your time! Also, a side note: I LOVE YOU, TNT. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 9+ YEARS NOW AND NEOPETS IS AWESOME. spreads love Please remove my username. ~username removed
If the receiver is kind enough to return the item from the code, we wouldn't consider it any sort of "tip" due to the nature of Rate Item Codes. That said, once you give away the code, it is up to the codebearer to decide what to do with the item. You can ask them as you phrased the example above, but code gifting is an unsupported transaction and we will likely be unable to assist if the person chooses to keep the item.

Where can I redeem codes?

• Redeem most codes at the Grundo Warehouse.
  
• Redeem Neocash Cards codes here.
  
• Redeem TCG codes at the Neopets TCG Prize Code Redemption.
  

What Neopets Merchandise gives out the Space Faerie challenger?

Products that can reward the Space Faerie challenger are:

• Old Neocash Mystery Capsules Codes
  
• Fun Pak Codes
  
• Comic-Con Codes
  
• Newer Merch Codes (Geekify, What’s Your Passion, etc.), etc.
  
• TCG, Current Neocash, and Promotional Rare Item Codes do not reward the Space Faerie challenger.
  

Neopets Official Merch

• Neopets Shop
• What’s Your Passion
• Geekify
• More here: Merch Partners

Neopets Fan Art Program

• Calling All Creative Neopians! (Jan 10, 2024)
• The Neopets Fan Art Program will be a platform to showcase trusted and approved sellers who create quality Neopets-inspired artwork. This means approved sellers can legitimately sell digital Neopets products and commissions for real-world currency, with support directly from Neopets. Approved sellers will be featured on a dedicated page directly on Neopets.com, with an opportunity to share your work and build connections with potential clients and customers! There, Neopets will be able to link visitors to your store to purchase directly, meaning you won’t have to worry about any fees from Neopets! Your earnings will be 100% your own. This will also protect you and give you confidence in providing your services without risk of copyright infringement or rule violations on your Neopets account.

Gonna be a long read, thanks for going through it.
I'm in Canada. I attended Uni for 1 year studying IT but dropped out, I did not like a single moment about it. It killed my passive mild interest in coding. I wanted to study social work but threw that idea away after feeling completely apathetic after helping homeless people in the city. During my NEET years, I fell in love with a game. Eventually, I got a full-time day job working on a computer, and at night I taught many other players how to get better at that game for free, and some were willing to pay a couple bucks. I tried to advertise myself through YouTube, but it didn't take off fast enough and I had to call it quits from stress of overworking myself after 6 months. I wasn't given the opportunity to work part time to be able to focus more on being able to make it work.
I absolutely loved every second of it. Filling in my free time with coaching sessions, building and maintaining new relationships with players, constantly brainstorming new lesson ideas for videos, working on scripts, recording and editing videos, designing the thumbnail. Every single video I released I cherish with all my heart and am very proud of myself for what I have made, and I love coaching players so much I continue to do it to this day for free, though much more sparingly than I used to.
That was a year ago. Nowadays, I pay $500 in rent to live in my parents home and just go full degenrotting whenever I am not at work. When I am at work, I miserably and quietly suffocate, begging internally to be saved by the grace of spontaneous death or a time skip to the weekend, even though its only just an hour into Monday. It is not an exaggeration when I say it feels like suffering to be at work. This is not a case of the 'I hate Mondays'. I've already used up all my sick days and vacation hours to avoid work as of last week, so that leaves me with 6 months of no paid time off remaining to use. It's only Saturday night as I type this, and I am already dreading and stressed out about how I have to go back to work soon.
The job itself is like gold compared to any other minimum wage job around I've seen for no degree. Insurance benefit, well air conditioned, I sit by a window with a view of trees and grass, work hours are 7-2:30 M-F with 30 min paid lunches, the work is easy too as it is just basic data entry, and travel takes only 5-10 mins by car. My supervisors and manager are extremely passive as well and basically completely leave me alone, not even so much as a progress evaluation or anything of the sort. Because of this, I spend at least 60% of my work time (if not more) just browsing reddit on my phone and take bathroom breaks constantly, occasionally I will get high in the middle of the work day too. I am the worst employee, no doubt about it, but I truly can't bring myself to care because I find it gratifying to think that I will be fired. I do not talk with any coworkers and have no friends both inside and outside of work.
Typing out that last paragraph and reading it back, a part of me genuinely thought, Wait, that sounds like a dream job. Yet, despite being in it... I hate it, and it sucks that I do :( At work, I often fantasize about escaping in unhinged ways, like jumping from the second floor, calling in a bomb threat, injuring myself to be admitted to a hospital, and other such ilk. I often question what's wrong with me, and wish I just could be okay with where I am in life, but I deeply feel like my life sucks. I have ADHD, I am taking meds for depression, and also seeing a therapist.
I also like to cook, but love learning new dish recipes even more. I would hate cooking if I worked in a restaurant, and I don't have the chutzpah to become a personal chef.
I appreciate you for reading this far. If I could be allowed an additional luxury, please, if you have any suggestions to help me, please make it as detailed as possible; include the exact steps or relevant resources that would take to achieve your suggestion, as well as a description of what the path you suggest looks/feels like. I need to know not only *what*, but also the *how* and *why*. I understand if not every one is willing to do this, I appreciate you all the same for even just responding.
Thankyou

PRESENT
This is Part 2 of 3, the Present, in game events we see! Onwards!
The Protagonist is some sort of content creator, one that goes to abandoned or forgotten places and "searches" them, as can be gleaned from the cameras facing the protagonist on his desk, and his conversation with a certain Laura, or LSparks53 (there's also an error in this Harmony tab, with one of the messages from Laura reading as from LauraSparks53 instead of LSparks53. Just a note). This Laura helps our protagonist, who goes by the username of eEnsign. His profile picture are the letters UF, which is weird, since it doesn't match the username, nor what Laura calls eEnsign: Ed. Anyways, I digress. From now on, I'll call the protagonist Ed as well. Laura helps Ed get footage of these places as per the conversation.
eEnsign: "Hey Laura! I'm doing another search this weekend! Wanna come with me?"
LSparks53: "The last few times I've gone with you SUCKED LMAO."
eEnsign: "Remember that old theme park we went to see as kids? Indigo Park?"
LSparks53: "yeah? I kind of forgot about that place? Been closed for a while, right? how would you even get in?"
eEnsign: "Honestly, I don't know. I'm not even gonna bring my equipment. Jump a fence of something? We've done worse lol”
LSparks53: "aight, well just be careful. I'm gonna pass on this one. if you can get in i'll go with you to help record some other time. i'm looking it up now and there's like NO info online about it. probably swarming with cops too."
eEnsign: "I guess we'll find out! I'll check it out, maybe we can go together next week?
Lsparks53: "just be careful, Ed. I don't want to be paying your bail."
And with that conversation, we learn that these two are like a dynamic duo of sorts, having some sort of channel or website where they post footage of places lost to time and "search" them, breaking laws of trespassing and such, apparently also having "done worse", whatever that means. Maybe they took a few things from the place, so burglary? It's never specified. Probably burglary, though, considering that Ed has taken to collecting all sorts of plushies and such from Indigo Park.
What I want to point out is how weird this Laura person acts. As soon as Indigo Park is mentioned, Laura instantly seems to dislike the idea, but never directly says it. Instead, she becomes reluctant to go with Ed, despite having done worse, as Ed puts it. Perhaps she's just cautious, and based on her last sentence, they haven't been caught before, or else she would have said "I don't want to be paying your bail again."
However, I don't think that's the case. Remember when Laura said she looked up Indigo Park and found nothing? Well, we know the website is still up and running, or at the very least, Ed used some sort of service like the Wayback Machine to pull it up on the right most monitor on his desk, which can be seen in the opening cutscene. On it, there's even an option to purchase tickets still, which is incredibly weird, which I'll also go into later on. Why would a defunct theme park need a still running website? After all, if you evacuate everyone from it with no explanation, wouldn't you want to get rid of all evidence of it? If not destroy the property outright, then at least take the website down. Again, digressing, the point is that Laura didn't find this website ... or she did, but didn't say anything.
Again, this is purely speculation at this point; I mean, the two of them have broke into a few places trespassing and recording and documenting abandoned places at least a few times for the internet, and maybe she really is just that cautious, worried about being imprisoned and charged for trespassing, and even attempted burglary.
And it seems like Ed is asking the same questions we are. Behind the Harmony tab is a notes tab with several questions such as "Why did it close?" and "What is left?", among a few others that are cut off. The next question seems to ask "Is it still" something. Seems like Ed and us are in the same boat. Hopefully we can help each other out.
Regardless, Ed ends up climbing the fence and enters the closed off Indigo Park, where dozens of crates stamped with the Indigo Park logo, along with trash, can be seen. Walking around, the main gates are closed off, and one of the doors seem to open on their own, allowing Ed entry into the Registration Center, a desk with a few monitors where a Rangler would sit and check Ed in.
Inside, the Rambley AI comes to life, noting that Ed is the first person there in just over eight years, before directing us to the previously mentioned Registration Center. It is revealed here that AI Rambley has access to the cameras (both computer cameras and CCTV cameras), where he notes that Ed isn’t on the guest list, probably because he snuck in, and didn’t pay for his tickets. However, what stands out as odd is that Rambley doesn’t recognize Ed at all, asking if he was here for the first time. We know that it’s most definitely not Ed’s first time here, but it’s unclear if AI Rambley doesn’t recognize Ed because he grew up, or the registration process requires a photo upload.
Rambley AI: "Hm, I don't seem to have your face in the guest list. Is this your first time here in the park? Or did you just get plastic surgery?"
From here, Ed’s directed to go through the gates, but both AI Rambley and Ed realize that the gates are not open and are instead sending an error message. Going back to the Registration Center, Ed finds and replaces a missing gear, and the gates finally open, from where Ed is free to explore. He’s directed to the Critter Corner, where he receives a Critter Cuff to enter certain areas, and the park, from where he’s directed to Rambley’s Railway to get to know most (poor Salem) of the characters. A massive statue of Isaac Indigo and Rambley can be seen at the entrance.
As Ed makes his way through to Rambley Railway, it’s clear that the park is not in the best condition. Ransacked gift stores, empty cafes with rotting food and festering drinks, tunnels collapsing at the drop of a hat, and weeds spouting everywhere even disconcert the AI Rambley, who tries to shrug off the state of the park by claiming renovations, but it’s clear he’s unsettled with how empty and broken the park is. We’ll cover that later as well.
On this ride, Rambley introduces us to everyone, except for Salem, indicating he’s friends with everyone except her and Lloyd, for whom he has … let’s a bit of distaste for. He’s shown to be sarcastic and snippy with Lloyd, but even his supposed friends aren’t safe from his occasional jabs.
Rambley when speaking to Mollie Macaw: “You sure are [the best pilot you ever saw], Moll! Why, you only crashed into six barns this week!”
Mollie: “I’m not crashin’, Rambley! I’m barnstormin’!”
Rambley: “Haha! What’s barnstorming?”
Mollie: “It’s crashing, with style! I-it barely hurts at all!”
The stutter in Mollie’s audio is what interests me. It could be interpreted as a glitch, which is certainly possible. The park hasn’t been maintained in eight years, and it is falling apart. But it could also be interpreted as Mollie losing her characteristic confidence, upset that Rambley seems to be so keen on pointing out her failures in her hobby sphere.
Rambley, when speaking to Finley the Sea Serpent: “Why the long face? And body? … Oh Finley, you should come out of YOUR shell!”
Finley, in response. “How about YOU come into it instead?”
I would also like to note AI Rambley’s interaction with Finley’s plushie.
AI Rambley: “Ooh, you found my buddy Finley! You know, he’s really shy, like, TOO shy, like OBNOXIOUSLY shy, but he’s got a good heart.”
I want to point out the fact that when Rambley speaks about how shy Finley is, he doesn’t seem to be doing it in a jesting way. In fact, he seems genuinely annoyed with how introverted Finley is, to the point where you can hear it in his voice, and he also uses his annoyed model with slanted eyes when mentioning it.
There’s also a note here that, apparently, Rambley and Finley have known each other for over 100 years, though it’s unclear if this is actually real information, or just something the creators of the ride decided to include for the fun of it.
And another thing. At the very end of the Finley section, Finley hopes that the rider will actually visit him and Oceanic Odyssey, because he’s lonely. Why should he be lonely? He’s friends with Rambley and Mollie, at the very least. Is it because he lives on the bottom of the ocean? Or for other reasons?
Ed then reaches Salem’s area, which is noticeably, horrifically destroyed, a splatter of something bright red front and center. This is where the ride breaks down, and Ed’s required to go and fix it, before continuing onto Lloyd’s area.
I’d like to stop the story to consider the state of Salem’s area; why is it so destroyed? I’m going to avoid thinking of the red splatter as blood, to be honest, but we do know that the Mascots bleed red, thanks to Mollie Macaw. In my mind, there are three potential perpetrators.
The first two are noticeably weak connections, and the reasoning isn’t 100%, so take it with a grain of salt. We know that all the characters received Mascots, so there are three of them that, in my mind, are capable.
The first is, admittedly, a bit weird: the Mascot of Salem. We know she despises Rambley and his friends (her relationship with Lloyd remains a mystery), so it’s possible that Mascot Salem was the one to sabotage her area, as a way of getting back at Rambley. Why her area only is admittedly a bit weird, so she’s not the strongest match. Another piece of evidence would be the smashed animatronic of Mollie. Again, we do know that Salem has used Mollie before by dumping her potions onto her and making Mollie Salem’s minion. Could she also have smashed the animatronic bird?
The second suspect is Mascot Mollie. She can be seen following Ed throughout the ride, and the whole park, for that matter, and we do know there is some bad blood between her and Salem because of the arcade game Rambely Rush. It would give motive for Mascot Mollie to do such a thing, and she’s the only Mascot running about Indigo Park that we know of; Lloyd remained in his theater, not pursuing Ed when he leaves. At the end of the chapter, when Ed enters Oceanic Odyssey, it’s unclear whether a robot or Mascot Finley appears in the aquarium, but he’s likely confined there as well. Mascots Rambley and Salem aren’t even mentioned once.
Now, this one is also kind of a stretch, but the only character that would have more reason to hate Salem more than Mollie is Rambley. They are clear nemeses (again, Rambley Rush), and have been for quite some time. While the AI Rambley is generally benevolent, but still with a sharp tongue, it remains to be seen what exactly the Mascot Rambley is like. His Mascot is still likely here in Indigo Park somewhere, one of the remaining two (Mollie being dead, unless there are several of each Mascot present, in which case this elevates the terror a few notches. Imagine being chased by seventeen Mascot Lloyds) besides Salem. He could very well be the perpetrator. However, I do have a bit of trouble explaining why he would wreck the Animatronic Mollie. Maybe because he knows it’s just a fake, and not the real Mascot Mollie?
However, there is one convenient detail that I have not mentioned. Remember the smashed Animatronic Mollie, and how we were questioning why she was wrecked in the first place? Well, she does offer us one clue. When Ed approaches the bird, Mollie flickers to life momentarily, her voice garbled and distorted until finally, she says this:
Animatronic Mollie: “Not Rambley! He hurts Lloyd! He hurts Lloyd!”
After that, poor Animatronic Mollie finally shuts off for good, her painted eyes devoid of the life she once had. Well, this certainly got interesting, didn’t it? Rambley hurts Lloyd? How? I mean, think about it! How would a raccoon actively hurt a lion? This isn’t like a honey badger situation; raccoons are much more vulnerable and weaker than honey badgers. What’s also interesting is her words themselves. Why would someone program an Animatronic Mollie to say this? We eventually find out that Mascot Mollie will memorize and be able to repeat words or phrases she’s heard, if Ed has the misfortune of being caught by Mascot Mollie later down the line. Is it possible that the same is true for the animatronics? And if so, does that mean that Animatronic Mollie was shouting bits and pieces out of context, or was it supposed to be something she was never meant to hear, and was thusly wrecked?
And even if this was out of context, that still opens up a major can of worms. Even if Rambley never hurt Lloyd, who is this ‘He’ that did hurt Lloyd? Keep this in mind until we reach Lloyd’s attraction.
Anyways, onto Llyod’s area. It’s clear that Lloyd and Rambley both don’t like each other, quite possibly because Rambley hates how Lloyd used to be number one, and Lloyd possibly because he’s not happy that he was replaced by Rambley as head honcho. Rambley, for his part, doesn’t really try to antagonize Lloyd, just wearily going through the ride and trying to get out as fast as possible here.
And that’s essentially it for the ride, AI Rambley suggesting Ed go visit Jetstream Junction. Careful observation would yield the fact that Mascot Mollie has been stalking Ed, studying him from behind the scenes, though she won’t end up being an antagonist until later on.
What’s interesting to note is that at the end, AI Rambley says this: “So, whatddya think? Pretty fun, right? Now you know all about my friends! And Lloyd …”
We know that Rambley cannot stand Salem, Rambley Rush made it quite clear. So, why refer to Salem as a friend? Why is her area so wrecked? Is it possible that AI Rambley has no reason to hate her, because he’s not aware of how often he’s pitted against her in media? But that would also mean that AI Rambley would have to be quite unaware of the media surrounding him, but he seems to know a lot about the history of the park. He still dislikes Lloyd, after all. And then that would beg the question if Mascot Rambley actually dislikes Salem enough to destroy her area in his ride. Too many questions that, unfortunately, there are no answers for. We can’t even see AI Rambley’s thoughts on Salem through a plush or anything, because there are no current collectibles in Chapter 1 that refer to her.
This is actually why I think one of the more intriguing aspects of ‘Birds of a Feather’ is Salem, and her ambiguous presence within the game. There aren’t even any posters in regard to her, unlike Lloyd or Rambley or Mollie or Finley. She’s just so wrapped up in mystery … anyways.
After finding out Jetstream Junction is locked away, AI Rambley sends Ed to Lloyd’s Main Stage Theater, where Ed first catches a glimpse of Mascot Lloyd, dozing on the stage. When Mascot Lloyd notices Ed, he runs into the back, and unfortunately, that’s where Ed has to go.
When Ed reaches the stage himself, AI Rambley tells Ed to be careful, because he has no vision of the backstage area, which is weird. AI Rambley seems to have access to the rest of Indigo Park, why is this area so special? It’s just storage, for the most part … and Mascot Lloyd, but AI Rambley still thinks they’re just as good as they were in their hay day, so he has no reason to be wary of the Mascots themselves until later. It’s true that it’s a Ranglers Only area, and we haven’t really seen AI Rambley in these areas before, so that could be it? Maybe because of his dislike for Lloyd? But then why give AI Rambley access to the stage at all? I don’t know, to be honest. Yet another question. However, AI Rambley does say something interesting.
AI Rambley, to Ed, regarding the behind the stage area: “Hey buddy. I got eyes all over the park, but I can’t see anything behind the stage. If you’re going back there be careful. Your Critter Cuff is not yet able to resuscitate you.”
Why should a Critter Cuff be able to resuscitate a person? From what I understand, it’s supposed to be like those Disney Bands that you can wear at parks, giving you access to different rides and such, even having complementary features of being a pedometer, mood ring, and a heartbeat sensor. This could either be a sort of tease to future upgrades Ed might be able to get in future chapters … or implies something darker. These Critter Cuffs were given to regular guests, for what purpose should they be able to revive someone from being unconscious?
Anyways, as Ed makes his way backstage, Lloyd makes some appearances, even once trying to attack Ed before being foiled by the massive boxes landing on him, causing him to slink away. Along the path, however, is something interesting. Binders, pages, even notebooks are scattered, almost like a bread crumb trail. I was never able to make out what they say besides some months like January, or vague Table of Contents with no explanation. Just thought it was weird. Food for thought. Grabbing the keys, Ed heads back, finding the door locked behind him. Trying to open the door yields an attack by Lloyd, who is strangely repelled by a high-pitched noise.
Now, from all that I have read, there seem to be two theories as for why Lloyd flees. The first cause is that Mascot Lloyd is driven away by the high-pitched beeping from the Critter Cuff. The second, and arguably more intriguing theory, is that someone blows a tamer’s whistle. A tamer’s whistle is a whistle used by tamers to direct animals, usually in settings like circuses where the animal has to perform some sort of trick or feat of athleticism. As it’s used more and more often, the animal learns to recognize the pitch, or duration of the shrill sound, associating it with a certain action that needs to be performed. In this case, the theory states that the tamer’s whistle caused Lloyd to fall back, before fleeing.
Now, while I think the tamer whistle theory is cool in concept, I don’t know who would be able, or more importantly, willing to save Ed from Mascot Lloyd. AI Rambley is not able to see what’s back here, nor should he understand what’s happening, so that removes him from the picture. Mascot Mollie is a possibility, perhaps wanting to save Ed for herself, as she’s seen stalking and watching Ed ever since Rambley’s Railroad, and even appears briefly in the hallway when Ed exits the theater backstage, but why want Ed for herself? They probably don’t need food, else they would have died, sweet pastries and sugary drinks present or not. They were left alone for eight years, after all. The thrill of the hunt would be the only explanation. And then there are our two unknowns, running about the park: Mascot Rambley and Mascot Salem. Could they have been the ones to do it? But why assume they’d act differently towards Ed? Surely they’d still be hostile?
And if the Critter Cuff was the savior, why was it ineffective against Mascot Mollie? Could it be because of the physiological and biological differences between Mascots Lloyd and Mollie? And why did it go off only when Lloyd was nearby? After Lloyd is repelled, the noise stops, after all. Was it the elevated heart rate that tipped off the defense mechanism? But again, surely it would have done the same when Ed would be chased by Mascot Mollie?
Remember what Animatronic Mollie told Ed with her dying breath? ‘Not Rambley! He hurts Lloyd! He hurts Lloyd!’ Could this be what Mollie was referring to? After all, Lloyd didn’t just run away; he collapsed a few feet away from Ed for a brief stint, paws pressing against his ears as Lloyd curled up into a fetal position, only running away when the high-pitched sound ended. Mascot Lloyd genuinely seemed in great pain, and was only able to run away, quite hastily, may I add, once the sound stopped. Was Rambley, AI or Mascot, the one who abused such a feature? Or was it someone else?
Remember, we have no idea why the Mascots turned hostile. Possibly due to a lack of exposure to humans, and thus claiming certain territories for themselves. After all, Mollie didn’t attack Ed until he entered her designated area. But then that brings into question Mascot Rambley. Where was he all this time? Rambley Railroad is his place, after all. But this isn’t Rambley’s only attraction in Indigo Park. At least one other location that we find that bears Rambley’s name is ‘Café de Raton Laveur’, which is French for Raccoon Café. Does that mean that Rambley owns other attractions, and is stalking those? It’s unclear.
Anyways, want to know another possible reason why there was a sudden evacuation with no explanation? What if the Mascots rebelled against the humans because of mistreatment? Think about it, Animatronic Mollie says ‘Not Rambley! He hurts Lloyd! He hurts Lloyd!’ What if Animatronic Mollie wasn’t referring to Rambley hurting Lloyd, but someone else? Someone who would want to design a special feature built into his Critter Cuff that he could activate and subdue, if not straight up hurt Lloyd? And who is the only other male character that we know of besides Rambley, Lloyd, Finley, and Ed?
That’s right, Isaac Indigo himself. This could very well be a case of mistreated creatures rebelling against the horrors they endured. Think about it, when in stressful situations, the mind, both human and not, is much more willing to go into fight or flight, is much more likely to punch first, question later. Is it possible that this Animatronic Mollie caught a snippet of a conflict that arose between the Mascots, when Mascot Mollie was trying to mediate? While this does go against the theory that Animatronic Mollie was destroyed by Mascot Rambley to silence her, it’s still a possible theory, no?
Again, these theories are very much a stretch, I just wished to lay them out on the table and offer them up for people to see and debate.
After grabbing the keys, Ed goes to Jetsream Junction, where Ed goes about exploring and solving some puzzles in order to progress further into the building, as it seems to be the only other place that isn’t falling apart and seems to be in somewhat stable condition. Inside one of the rooms is the Rambley Rush arcade game, and there is something interesting that Salem says in here.
Salem, speaking to Rambley: “Meet the new and improved Marley Macaw! Now with none o’ that ‘friendship’ garbage stopping her from tearin’ you to pieces. I wonder what she REALLY thinks of you now? Have fun finding out!”
Now, this could just be me overanalyzing this thing. It’s our only reference to Salem, and some of the things I cite as evidence could very well just be regular dialogue for an arcade game. However, on the off chance that this means something, I was very interested in what Salem said about what Mollie thought of Rambley. She makes it seem like Mollie is under some sort of illusion in regard to Rambley, like he’s a villain masquerading as a good guy, but has everyone around him convinced he’s good. This could tie in with the broken Animatronic Mollie, as if Mollie found out about some truth in regard to Rambley. After all, her broken, jittering speech made it seem like Rambley was actively hurting Lloyd. Could she have gone to someone to get help, but that other someone suggested Rambley as an ally? That could explain why Mollie felt the need to emphasize that ‘He hurts Lloyd’ twice, like she’s genuinely freaking out that her best friend actively hurt others he didn’t like.
Putting that theory aside, Ed goes through the area, heading up to Mollie’s ride, only to find it inaccessible due to major chunks of broken debris. AI Rambley seems sort of horrified to find the place so broken and calls up a repair technician. It’s no surprise that the line is discontinued, due to most Ranglers likely being laid off after the closure of Indigo Park.
From here, AI Rambley, still somewhat jarred by the wreckage he’s seeing, encourages Ed to go and visit Mollie’s Landing Pad, strangely acting as if Ed had just finished his journey on the attraction, when he couldn’t even step onto it. From there, Ed goes and solves some puzzles, making his way deeper into the building. He spots Mollie a few times as she gets away from him, hiding. What’s an interesting note is that some sort of liquid seems to be dripping from Mollie. When you encounter her in one of the tubes, she leaves behind some sort of reddish grime that disappears once her animation is done. Her eyes, also, aren’t the way they’re usually portrayed. They’re similar to Lloyd’s in that there are white pinpricks of light in dark sockets, Lloyd’s being thin ovals in dark sockets.
As Ed finishes up the puzzles, he goes deeper before he’s attacked by Mascot Mollie herself, fleeing through the numerous tubes and tunnels, before eventually leaving it all behind and entering some sort of Ranglers Only Area.
Before we continue, I’d like to point out something. When being chased, Mascot Mollie occasionally rehearses some lines she once heard, repeating this.
Finely, to Rambley: “You’ve known me for 100 years.”
Reasonable enough; she was there when Ed was in the Rambley’s Railroad attraction. No, what concerns me are two other lines, identified by SuperHorrorBro in his analysis of chapter one.
Mascot Mollie: “Get back in your cage, bird.”
And finally, this.
Mascot Mollie: “Get up you stupid freak!”
Remember, Mascot Mollie only repeats what she has once heard. She doesn’t actively make her own dialogue. Remember the theory I had about the Mascots having enough of their terrible living conditions, and rebelling against the staff? It seems like this is the right direction to go in. Lloyd and Mollie do not attack immediately. While Lloyd runs away, Mollie observes, watching, biding her time. She follows you to Lloyd’s theater, and what does she see, or, rather, hear? Lloyd being pushed further and further back into his domain, the one place he should be happy, before being forced into a corner, and where he lashes out. Even though Ed ends up leaving, he ends up claiming a piece of Lloyd’s territory, and Lloyd goes back onto his instincts, to hunt. However, when he gets too close, that blasted, accursed Critter Cuff lets out its horrible whine, Lloyd collapsing, consumed with nothing but pain. Once the sound ends, he flees, like a terrified animal.
And what does Ed see when he leaves? Mascot Mollie, observing Ed. She’s seen that, yet again, a human encroaches, pushes their bounds, eventually hurting Lloyd to get what he wants. And then, he goes to Mollie’s home, the Jetstream Junction, a place she’s been locked out of due to needing a Critter Cuff, but she wouldn’t dare touch one. She saw what happened to Lloyd, who knew what sort of anguish it would inflict upon Mollie?
She enters behind Ed, stalking him, fury building as she watches Ed run about like he owns the place. How dare this man, this human, walk upon her domain whenever he wants, but she has to wait until she’s let in, like some sort of caged bird. Well, she’s not a caged bird, and she’ll make Ed see that.
At first, when AI Rambley sees Ed, he wishes to stop Ed, but seeing a towering Mascot Mollie chasing him, he opens the door, slamming it shut behind Ed just as Mascot Mollie’s head enters the room, killing the Mascot instantly as blood sprays all over the metallic door and floor. AI Rambley attempts to act like nothing happened, but fails, sighing.
He explains that he didn’t realize the danger of Indigo Park and its inhabitants due to being stuck in that early Reception Center for all of those eight, lonely years, unable to see or interact with anything inside. He was just so excited to finally see an actual person that he pushed Ed into this tour, realizing that, with the way things were, there was no way Ed would come out unscathed, and the AI seems genuine in his sorrow. However, he asks for Ed to help restore the park to the former glory, and, miraculously, Ed agrees. However, before Ed leaves, AI Rambley drops this one last piece of vital information.
AI Rambley: “Whew! That was exhausting to say that whole spiel, but Rambley’s Ranglers (registered) is a registered trademark … that expired yesterday.”
Okay, so couple things. From my impression, I had the feeling that somehow, someway the Indigo Company as a whole was alive and kicking. I mean, look at what Ed has to say when he interacts with the Rambley Raccoon plushy.
Ed: “Ah, there’s my buddy. Kinda feels like Rambley has a whole empire now, being the main man of Indigo and all.”
Ed gives us the distinct impression that not only is Indigo still around, but it’s also positively thriving, yet they allow their trademarks to expire? Trademarks essentially last forever, but you have to fight, in court, to let them continue every ten years or so. If Indigo is based on Disney, the stingiest, largest entertainment company, why would they let their trademark expire, and give access to others? Well, this might have to do with the initial terms.
You see, in order to keep a trademark, you have to defend its usage every ten years. Well, okay, then why didn’t Indigo do so? One of the terms for renewal is that you have to continuously use that trademark. You can’t just claim one and never use it again, that’s basically an infraction upon free speech. Sure, you can fight for its ownership, but there are rules and regulations to these kinds of things, you can’t just trademark something like ‘Oof’ or ‘Lmao’ and keep it without at least saying those phrases occassionally.
And, so far as we know, there are no other places such as Indigo Park owns. Ranglers are synonymous with staff in the park, so obviously, it would be hard to justify keeping a trademark when you never expect to use it. So, that’s my theory on why the trademark did indeed expire the day previously, October 6^th, 2023 (apparently, the creator confirmed the game takes place in 2023, so, that means that Ed arrives on October 7^th, 2023, and the last person to enter park left on October 7^th, 2015).
Anyways, after that, AI Rambley leads Ed to Oceanic Odyssey with the intention to get it back up and running, as it has been closed due to repairs, something that AI Rambley hopes Ed can assist with. As Ed exits, he tries entering a hallway, which AI Rambley blocks.
AI Rambley: “Uh oh. That Rambley’s Ranglers room is only accessible by Royal Ranglers. Maybe you’ll grow up big and strong enough to enter it! But for now, don’t.”
This is the first instance of hierarchy within the Ranglers that Ed has been introduced to so far, and the dark undertone AI Rambley takes when he tells Ed not to go there is somewhat concerning. What exactly is AI Rambley hiding back there? Well, I have a few hunches.
Let’s point out the obvious regarding our friends, the Mascots; they’re not regular animals. Obviously, regular animals don’t have dark orbitals with thin white slits, or have turquoise noses, or have macaws the size of cassowaries. However, they are still animals, creatures of flesh and blood that act like their regular animal counterparts; Lloyd is an ambush predator, stalking until he himself is presented with an opportunity to attack. However, lions are known to just straight up attack if they are discovered by accident, especially if the prey is weaker and slower than them. Lloyd runs away instead of attacking.
Similarly, Mollie follows Ed warily, unsure of what to think of him for most of the time. She never aggresses until he enters her territory, and even then, she’s surprisingly lenient with Ed, straight up until he finishes those color-coded symbol puzzles. Only then does she attack. And even then, this is a behavior reflected in regular macaws as well, as these birds are fiercely territorial of their area.
So, these Mascots didn’t pop up straight from the ground, did they? They had to be bioengineered at the very least, mutated regular animals becoming the Mascots guests once knew and loved. They are, however, animals at their core, animals that do not attack for no reason. They try to deescalate the situation, as Lloyd does when he runs backstage, and when Mollie pulls herself back through the tunnels, away from Ed, and striding through the corridors, until she eventually loses patience and chases after Ed through Jetsream Junction.
I’d like to propose the theory that these Mascots were created in that area of Jetstream Junction, hidden underground and away from prying eyes. This is also where the Mascots were likely mistreated and abused, called horribly names at the very least, and endured beatings and humiliating acts at their worst. This is also likely where the Mascots originally snapped. After all, literally not a single guest understands why they were evacuated. Unless the guests who saw what happened were silenced, there should have been something floating around the Internet, on some obscure forum.
Now, why would AI Rambley hide this? Because he now understands that these Mascots are dangerous, a risk he cannot allow, since he enlisted Ed to bring the park back from the dead. AI Rambley realizes that Ed doesn’t have the tools to survive that area; perhaps because one of the Mascots lurks in there, locked away, or because he doesn’t want Ed to flee, horrified as to the scientific process that allowed for the mutated abominations to roam Indigo Park.
Regardless, Ed finally makes his way to the entrance of Oceanic Odyssey, home of the Mascot Finley. In fact, we actually get to see a glimpse of Finely’s actual size in one of the aquariums as his large head and long torso appear, before the chapter ends. I don’t believe that this is an animatronic, as electricity and water do not mix, especially animatronic with running current of electricity in water.
And that’s where Chapter 1 of Indigo Park, ‘Birds of a Feather’, ends off. Chapter Two will likely revolve mostly, if not totally, around Oceanic Odyssey and Mascot Finley.
So, I have two predictions as for where the next chapter might go. Based on the reactions Mascots previously had to Ed, I believe that Mascot Finley will not be attacking immediately. He’ll likely be observing, like Mollie, at least for a certain amount of time, until he proceeds to attack and harass Ed around his attraction. Ed will eventually get Oceanic Odyssey up and running, and have to leave Mascot Finley behind, as he’s still hostile and very much a danger to Ed.
The alternative to this is that once Mascot Finely realizes what Ed is trying to do, he stops being aggressive, and might instead become a temporary ally, allowing Ed to reach certain locations with his knowledge of the place.
Regardless of Mascot Finley’s ultimate fate, Oceanic Odyssey being powered on will likely catch the attention of Indigo. Based on the information we know so far, Indigo is still a well known, public entity. It’s possible that Indigo abandoned the theme park route, instead focusing exclusively on media such as cartoons, movies, and merch, or they might have other sister locations to Indigo Park. It’s unclear.
Whew. In the words of AI Rambley, this is a lot of information. Almost nine thousand words in, and we finally finish covering Chapter 1. So, let’s proceed to the Conclusion I draw regarding the story Indigo Park tries to tell, and the future events that might transpire.

TL;DR Vercel is awesome but cold starts have me skeptical for longterm. Heroku seems a great alternative (and cheaper), but if you can't keep it under 512RAM (in my case), you only solved one problem and created another. Should I just go VPS? concerned code below.
I utilized the Google Ads Api and created a Google Shopping App that incorporates all of Google's RMF: Required Minimum Functionality For a Standard Shopping tool. The plan was to just create an app that follows a marketing strategy (just to create structured campaigns) I've been using for while and make it available to other people in ecommerce. By time I was finished and ready to submit, I realized there was a lot more I had to add in order to get approved. Makes sense though because they don't want you to just offer creation functionality, but not editing or removal.
The app itself is roughly 17k lines. 219 files.
Database: MongoDb to store encrypted tokens.
Billing: Stripe
Main resource: Google Ads Api & Google Content for Shopping Api
Authentication: next-auth (Google provider)
Tried Vercel Hobby to start:
I was getting function execution timeouts right out the bat. No chance this would work it seemed. Upgraded to pro...
Vercel Pro $20 p/m:
This works and with some configuration, I was able to have the app fully functional. Most times, it is so fast and I love it, but the cold starts are unpredictable and aren't ideal for many reasons. Still, I submitted the app to google to have my requested access granted and app approved for production and all went well! Given I was able to get the app approved with Vercel, I want to make it work. I tried experimental:

//next.config.js experimental: { bundlePagesExternals: true, }, 

Set my memory to 3009mb and extended my maxDuration to 30 secs in vercel.json. Implemented lazy loading for some of the larger components that are required by RMF but not likely the reason you would use the app.
Still, it seemed this would be the norm... Are things suppose to improve once you get regular traffic? Is it unique to each user or the app itself? I haven't canceled my account yet, but I did remove my domain because I figured I should give Heroku a shot.
Heroku $7 per month - Basic
I saw a post talking about Heroku as an alternative to Vercel, and I already use Heroku (node.js/Express backend) + Firebase (React frontend) for another project. Never had an issue, but I was skeptical about a Next.js app due to the monolithic structure and some of the complex processes this app performs.
The biggest shortcoming for me is the hard 512mb RAM limit. I don't have anymore cold starts, but when I initially started the app up I was hitting memory exceeded (R14) in my logs. On the very first start I also experienced an execution timeout (sigh...). I have been trying to reproduce this error since to see if it will be a common occurrence but, so far It hasn't shown itself again...
Aside from that, It's great, but not without it's own shortcomings (in my case RAM). Even upgrading to Standard would still leave me with the same amount. At that point, It becomes questionable if it's a better solution than Vercel. If I want 1GB of RAM from heroku, I'm looking at $50 minimum p/m?
Context to possible issue:
I believe the issue lies in how I authenticate users and immediately send the first Get request after successful authentication.
NextAuth Callback:
Check if user has account already

let googleUser; try { //check if we have a user under the google email for ads account googleUser = await GoogleAdsAuth.findOne({ email: user?.email }); } catch (err) { console.log( "There was an error with the code - Check GoogleAdsAuth Model also.", err ); } //add existing account id to token - regardless of access & refresh tokens if (googleUser) { token._id = googleUser._id; token.theme = googleUser.theme; token.planExpiryDate = googleUser.planExpiryDate; token.planType = googleUser.planType; token.cleanUpService = googleUser.cleanUpService; token.accountActive = googleUser.accountActive; if (googleUser.googleAccountId && googleUser.googleAccountId !== "") { token.googleAccountId = decryptData(googleUser.googleAccountId); } else { token.googleAccountId = googleUser.googleAccountId; } } 

Check if Google sent an access and/or refresh token:

//check if we have an access token after login with google if (account?.access_token && account?.provider === "google") { //encrypt access token let encryptedAccessToken = encryptData(account?.access_token); //Check if refresh token is available let encryptedRefreshToken = account?.refresh_token ? encryptData(account?.refresh_token) : undefined; //check if user exists, if they do, update the properties for access and refresh tokens if (googleUser) { let googleData: { [key: string]: string } = {}; //update access token with new encrypted access token googleData.access_token = encryptedAccessToken; //if a refresh token is in the response update this too if (account?.refresh_token) { googleData.refresh_token = encryptData(account?.refresh_token); } try { await GoogleAdsAuth.findByIdAndUpdate(googleUser?._id, googleData); token.theme = googleUser?.theme; } catch (err) { console.log("Error updating Tokens for user", err); } } 

If they don't exist create a new account for them.

else if (account?.refresh_token && !googleUser) { //create a new user for that user const startDate = new Date(); const freeTrial = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000; const endDate = new Date(startDate.getTime() + freeTrial); const googleAuthUser = { startPlan: startDate, planExpiryDate: endDate, accountActive: true, planType: "free", email: user?.email, name: user?.name, access_token: encryptedAccessToken, refresh_token: encryptedRefreshToken, cleanUpService: true, createdCampaigns: 0, campaignQuota: 1, totalCreatedCampaigns: 0, stripeCustomerId: "", theme: "light", googleAccountId: "", selectedClientId: "", } as GoogleAuth; const newGoogleAuth = new GoogleAdsAuth(googleAuthUser); try { await newGoogleAuth.save(); //set token id to new user id token._id = newGoogleAuth._id; token.theme = newGoogleAuth.theme; token.googleAccountId = newGoogleAuth.googleAccountId; } catch (err) { console.log("Error adding GoogleAuth Details to DB", err); } 

then...
after this I send them to the app dashboard where a GET request is made immediately after to retrieve all the Shopping performance data. I've cleared my cache, revoked app permisions and deleted my user in the on Mongodb to start the process over again, to see If I can repeat the error, but can't atm.
Anyway, If you read this all, thank you. Am I wrong to immediately send additional requests to Google immediately after authentication? Median Latency for Google Api calls are 625ms and 95% latency is 1200ms.
In case your interested, here is the request I make after successful authentication - /api/...

export default async function (req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse) { const { id, segment } = req.query; // mongoDb Id an date segment (i.e. 'LAST_7_DAYS') await dbConnect(); let googleUser = await findGoogleAuthById(id as string, res); const decryptedRefreshToken = decryptData(googleUser.refresh_token); const decryptedAccountId = decryptData(googleUser.googleAccountId); const client = getClient(); const customer = client.Customer({ customer_id: decryptedAccountId, //google.googleAccountId could go here refresh_token: decryptedRefreshToken, }); //Query using GAQL const query = getAppAnalyticsQuery(segment as string); let result; try { result = await customer.query(query); res.status(200).json({ analytics: result }); } catch (err) { console.log(err); if (err instanceof errors.GoogleAdsFailure) { googleError(err); //log the Google errors } return res.status(500).json({message: 'unable to retrieve shopping performance data' }); } } 

Sorry If I didn't explain this well. Between weighing up the options to take a 3rd shot at another hosting service or question whether I can better optimize my code to work within Heroku's RAM limits. I definitely would appreciate some feedback or advice. My gut is telling me to go VPS, but I wonder If i may be ignoring a bigger issue at hand. I know my next-auth implementation part could be better optimized and the amount of comments might just piss some of you off (bare with me, it was a pain to set up). I am definitely working on improving it now. Just took time to post this hoping to get additional feedback.
In hindsight, I wish I had structured the app to host have the frontend and backend hosted separately. Oh well, I think I can make this work, but want to be considerate my next steps.

The Injustice Initiative and Megaverse Council did not grieve with their former leader for too long, due to the combined forces of Venessa and Velocity making swift progress in uniting dozens of Omniverses under their heroic banner. Velocity used her direct and demanding demeanor to influence the defenders of each Omniverse to join the Council and was brutally honest in her meetings with the current situation. She stressed that if they refuse to join then they will face extinction and the Council will not help them when they are attacked due to them only having priorities for attacking the demons head on. Venessa on the other hand focused her attention in strengthening the Injustice Initiative with rigorous training and firing incompetent people in leadership positions and swiftly replacing them with those that were far more competent and understood the severity of the situation. In the span of 16 days, the combined efforts of these two feminine leaders made great leaps in progress that equaled or surpassed Diamond's own work in the past three months.
While these two were on a mission together, The Researcher contacted them regarding a very important matter. When the two heroines arrived at the Council's headquarters The Researcher revealed to them two enormous discoveries. "We finally found them. The place where our foes call home, Omniverse 6,666,666. We do not know much of this Omniverse other than the Diamond from Omniverse 8 being aware of its potential and became paranoid of its existence leading him nearly wiping all traces of it from the Council's database. I happen to uncover the last fragments of his report that failed to be deleted. Furthermore, the Core of that Omniverse is deeply fractured, completely drained of all power. We can deduce with sound reasoning that the landscape of that Omniverse is something out of an apocalypse with everything that could have gone wrong, definitely went wrong. In addition, it is a very wide and vast Omniverse similar to the Main Omniverse. In fact, before its current miserable state, it was a near copy of the Main Omniverse. We are trying to scout and analyze the area as best as we can, but it is blocking all of our scanners. Our supernatural sensors can barely last four seconds before frying when they sense the amount of dark negative energy that shrouds that Omniverse." Velocity, "And the other news?" "We also found a very promising Omniverse that was elusive to our map, but just appeared and is surging with radiant energy from the Light." Venessa abruptly, "Light? Like The Light......... not just colorful lights?" "Correct. Would you care to guess what this Omniverse's number is?" "I would assume it would be the polar opposite of the other, so Omniverse 7,777,777?" "Bingo. Apparently, they have a hierarchy over there and their King requests your presence. His words not mine were King Alexander humbly requests the presence of Empress Venessa of the Main Omniverse and any companions she wishes to bring for a formal meeting in regards to the future protection of the Megaverse."
"Alright, message King Alexander and tell him I will adhere to his request. She accessed her communication com and ordered Tray and Cross to join her on the mission. She then turned to Velocity. I would have you join me on this mission, but I do not want to delay the progress you are making in convincing more Omniverses to join our cause." A short time passed as the three members arrived for their briefing with Venessa. After their meeting, they used their watches and traveled to Omniverse 7,777,777. Their eyes were blinded by the bright rays of the sun, before they could tell where they were at. At last, their eyes adjusted to their environment, which resulted in them being astonished at the shining city that was before them. They observed trains similar to bullet trains zipping back and forth through wind tubes and the residents there in very intricate clothing. The residents either had high collar jackets, dazzling shirts, and most importantly, Venessa could sense all of them having unusual levels of the Light inside of them. A loud voice could be heard behind them. "Are these the people who the King wishes to speak with?" The group turns around and sees two men standing a few feet behind them. One appears six foot and a few inches, he did not wear a shirt but was surrounded with gold and red armor, a long red cape, black pants, and long flowing blonde hair. The other was a little shorter around five feet and possibly 11 inches with black and purple hair, a black and purple cape, purple pants, and purple armor in the exact areas as the first man. The second one responded to his companion in a soft-spoken manner,"Yes, these are the three we were assigned to escort back to the castle." Venessa, "Hey, are you two like siblings or something? You two kind of look alike." The purple one, "That assumption is correct. I am Lucrest and this is my older obnoxious brother Leoped." Leoped, "We are two in a handful of select individuals, who serve the King by carrying out special assignments and investigations." Lucrest, "If you will please follow us, the King is eager to greet you."
The three heroes followed the two guards to the castle, during their walk Venessa teased her sibling, Tray. "It appears those two brothers have larger swords than you. I think they are far superior swordsmen if they can handle large blades like that. It fails to even compare your toothpick of a sword." "Shush! I don't want to hear it. I choose elegance and gracefulness over something flashy." The group finally reached the castle as several guards in colorful shining full body armor saluted the group as they stepped inside the large white crystal doors of the castle. Leoped and Lucrest led the trio right towards the throne room; no sooner than when the doors opened, King Alexander leaped from his throne and welcomed his guests. The King's outfit was composed of expensive black cloth with silver and blue crystals creating his unique armor with gold outlining around the edges and his crown. His hair was white as snow with a cape flowing from his waist with two metallic angelic wings attached to his back. He appeared as someone who was no older than their early 20's, much less muscular than Leoped, while possessing a staggering height of 6,7. "Greetings Empress Venessa, first adopted child of Diamond! A pleasure to finally meet you. Greetings to you Tray, second adopted child of Diamond! And a very warm welcome to Cross, the last member and headmaster of the Royal Guard!" Cross' attitude changed from being standoffish to one of utter shock. No one has addressed him as headmaster since the days of the Clone War. Tray whispered to Venessa, "Headmaster of the Royal Guard? I never knew that about Cross." "Yes, many years in Cross' realm he was headmaster of the Royal Guard, an elite group of warriors who protected his realm from malevolent threats under the orders of a man named the Keeper. This was brought to an end when.........Alastor manipulated him to massacre all of his fellow friends and the Keeper towards the end of the Clone War, mere days before order Kingdom Come was initiated."
King Alexander, "Empress Venessa please accept these gifts as a sign of good will. He signaled for four servants to step forward with bundles of technology and scrolls. The Alphaverse is more than ready to work closely alongside the Megaverse Council to defeat the fallen angels and corrupted souls of the Demonic Council! Please follow me to our war chambers." King Alexander led the heroes down several steps to a room that was protected by several guards. They were granted access and upon entering, the heroes were stunned to see holographic displays of plans and projects that were scattered as two male figures were debating with a female. The figures turned to the doors and quickly turned off the scattered plans and pulled up a file that said, "Propositions and explanation for the Megaverse Council." One unique hologram Venessa saw before it disappeared was a hologram of the Matrix of Eternity with a subject line under it labeled "Restore the Matrix to its former power?" As Venessa was deep in thought, King Alexander spoke to his guests who the other three figures were, "The lanky one with grey hair and a gas mask is our lead chemist, Lorenzo. The other one with him with the crimson operator hat, black and red hair, and basically black and red from his natural wings to his armor adored with many medals is our head of homeland security, Viciate. Last but not least is our lead scientist of technology, and weapons, whose brilliance I cannot put into words, Malissia." Malissia had medium length jet black hair that only left her left eye visible, yet it appeared she had unique facial marks that were long black lines leading up to her eyelids. She wore a long black coat that went just above her ankles with boots in the shape of heels. Nearly everything she wore was black except her shirt which was white with print that resembles computer chips. Malissia, "I prefer to go by M." Tray in a playful manner, "A little gothic in your appearance compared to everyone we've seen today!" "Simply a matter of taste and perception." Tray then noticed Malissia had white irises as the rest of her eyes were black, which created a sense of mystery behind them.
Lorenzo, "The disgraced Royal Guard is here......." King Alexander disappointingly, "Lorenzo......we talked about this." Venessa, "Hey what was that project regarding the Matrix of Eternity about? How would any of you be able to reload it?" King Alexander, "We have the source that originally fueled the Matrix. We were the ones who originally created it." Cross and Tray were shocked to hear such a revelation. Was the king bluffing or legitimately telling the truth? Malissia, "The reason you saw so many other projects scattered was due to these two knuckleheads trying to push these loose ideas my way, knowing full well we had a meeting today." Viciate, "Then Lorenzo and I should be going." Viciate and Lorenzo leave the room as King Alexander and Malissia start speaking with Venessa, Tray, and Cross. Lorenzo and Viciate journeyed far from the castle's boundaries and into the outskirts of the gorgeous city into a dark alleyway where a female was waiting for them. "Have you two finally reached a decision?" Lorenzo, "Yes, we have, Paradox." Paradox in a feminine form smiled while twirling their hair, with a snap of their fingers a contract appeared before Lorenzo and Viciate. "Both of you sign there. Viciate tried to sign with a pen, but Paradox stopped him. Nuh uh uh, in blood!" Viciate pulled a dagger and cut a piece of flesh off him and Lorenzo as they signed the contract that bonded them to Black Hat. See that wasn't so hard. Now I sense you have something to tell me?" Viciate, "The Empress, playboy, and ex-harbinger of darkness are here. They learned of the plans to restore the Matrix of Eternity." A sadistic smile appeared on Paradox's face, "Wonderful! Wonderful! Things could not be better! With your help we can kill those three now and you two will rule this Omniverse as the new kings only in service to Black Hat and the Council. Let them retrieve the remains of the Matrix, and we can either strike before or after they restore the Matrix, then steal it and place it within the treasury with the other dangerous objects that could pose a threat to our reign. Run along now and continue to play your parts like good little errand boys." Paradox gave them a wink. Lorenzo, "Freak! When it comes to your services, we work with you, not for you!" The two then leave as Paradox continues to smile in the shadows.
Back in the war chamber. Venessa, "Impressive. All that you are proposing will greatly benefit us. I can see your offers are sincere, but I must ask, why it took you this long to reveal yourselves?" King Alexander, "That is........simply because of an old law......that had been in effect for thousands of years. I wanted to honor my father and his father, but eventually my consciousness allowed me to overturn that old silly law." Loud footsteps could be running through the halls as a young teenage girl open the doors to the room with pieces of paper in her arms. She began to speak clearly out of breath, "I'm here sister. The documents you wanted." Mallisa, "A few minutes late like usual, Joan." "It's not my fault, military class went on longer than normal! Gosh, how many times do I have to tell you I hate it that mom and dad forced me to become a soldier!" "Everyone, this is my younger sister, Joan. Joan this is Empress Venessa and her two colleagues, Tray and Cross." Everyone exchanged friendly greetings except for Tray who stared at Joan. There was something about Joan that captivated him, it was either the childish way she speaks or the fact she had navy hair like he did. Instead of a handshake, he wrapped both his hands around hers and knelt down, "My fair lady, it is with great honor to meet you. I pray that you will accept my greeting as one of humbleness and may good health and prosperity follow you all the days of your life, my dearest madam." Everyone in the room stared dumbfounded at Tray's speech. Cross, "Where the crap did that come from Shakespeare?" Joan stood there blushing as she stuttered while addressing Tray, "Th....thank y...yo.....you." King Alexander, "Well this meeting is nearing its end, so why don't Tray and Joan spend some time with each other while the rest of us handle the closing logistics?" Mallisa, "WHAT THE?" "Alright it's settled then. Tray and Joan, you two are dismissed."
Joan and Tray stared at each other before she offered Tray some lunch, which he readily agreed to. Alexander turned back to Venessa, "Venessa, if you don't mind, I will like you and your party to stay here the next four days. The first two can be used to handle business regarding our technology and battle tactics as I introduce you to our greatest soldiers, warriors, and fighters. The last two days can be a sort of mini vacation." "Well..........I don't think such an offer will hurt. You have yourself a deal King Alexander!" At lunch Tray and Joan were deep in conversation. Tray, "You look much different than your sister. Your eyes are normal, you are much more cheerful, and just overall livelier." "My sister takes all the stress and responsibilities of the family upon her. That and her role in the kingdom just adds more stress to her. As for her eyes and facial markings, those came when she felt called to the Spring of Restoration." "What now?" "The Spring of Restoration grants those worthy unique properties or powers. Only a select few experience a change from the spring. It is not heavily protected because the spring prevents anyone unworthy from stepping foot in its waters." "Radical." "Mhm!" "So, I heard you fighting with your sister about you hating being trained as a soldier. Why is that?" "It freaking sucks! My parents do not want me to be an astronomer or engineer! They want me to become a Celestial Crusader. On top of that, I don't even get to choose what I want to do or what I want to eat a majority of the time! Eating lunch with you right now is a rare occurrence." "Have you brought your problems to the king?" "Yes, but I don't know if he is hearing my pleas or not. If he's not, I don't blame him, he has a lot on his mind and considering my parents are very influential in terms of politics, if the king makes a brash move, my parents will give him political turmoil." Tray abruptly received a message from Venessa stating their four day stay. He was excited and already made up his mind that he will spend these four days showing Joan the freedom she is missing out on.
The next two days, King Alexander did everything he said he would to Venessa and Cross. Among the strongest warriors and fighters were Ezekiel with his four angelic wings and star saber, Phonix with his ability to control time and fire, Ian with the ability to create things out of metal at will and his large sword in the shape of a key, Vivi with her ability of harnessing animal souls and acquiring their powers and abilities to her disposal, and with several other notable fighters. Yet, the group was slowly stalked by Lorenzo who reported all of their movements to Paradox. The next two days arrived where Venessa and Cross briefly parted ways in order to find some way to relax before returning to base. On the fourth day, Venessa contacted her adoptive mother, Selena, for a special request. She wanted Selena to travel to the Alphaverse with the Matrix of Eternity in order to restore it with wisdom capable of changing the tide of the war. As for Joan and Tray, the two traveled all across the kingdom from going to the beach, kayaking, visiting the aquarium, and art museum. Tray taught Joan how to properly duel and was deeply proud when she complimented him on his elegant sword. Unknown to them Viciate was also reporting their activities to Paradox. On one of their stops, Joan brought Tray to the Spring of Restoration just for them to sight see. Yet, she was startled when Tray stopped responding to her. His eyes were affixed at the spring as he slowly started to step towards it. Joan tried to stop him, but her petite body could not stop him.
Suddenly, he stopped on the edge of the spring and bent down scooping up the water as he started to drink it from his hands. Joan was confused at Tray's behavior, "Are you......alright?" Before Tray could turn around, he collapsed on the ground. "TRAY!" She ran to him, but when she arrived, his eyes opened wildly as his body started to glow with an unearthly light. Tray's body started to transform with his pupils becoming white similar to Mallisa but instead of the other part of his eye becoming black, it became a bright cyan color. His navy hair became white with a few streaks of cyan along with his olive skin changing to being white as quartz. His outfit even started to change around him with his clothes glowing with a clear like cyan substance with a hood gently resting on his hair. Gold embroidered his collar as a unique glowing cyan halo appearing over his head. "Joan.....please tell me I'm not dead." "I uhhhh you mmmmmmm I guess not? Here let me show you what you look like." Joan opened her camera and took a photo of him in order for Tray to see the photo. "Oh my gosh I became even more handsome." "Seriously, that's what you think about after looking like you just died on me!" "Hey, I'm sorry for zoning out on you like that. I just heard a soothing voice calling me from the Spring and I could not help but follow it." "The voice was more than soothing than mine?!" "Well yes...CRAP NO NOT LIKE THAT I SWEAR!" Joan started punching Tray as he let out a hearty laugh. From the shadows Viciate contacted Paradox on what happened and for Paradox to arrive swiftly to exterminate the couple.
The two continued on their walk after having their emotions die down. Yet, there was a sort of tension in the air between the two as one waited for the other to speak first. At last, Tray was the one to break the tension as he stopped Joan and decided to finally reveal to her the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind the past few days. "Joan, I don't know how to say this but, whenever I am around you, I just feel warm inside and what I could only describe as butterflies, erupt in my stomach." Joan blushed deeply before responding, "Oh Tray!" "Joan, if you do not want to enlist in the Celestial Crusaders, you don't have to. I'm offering you a choice. I see how much you care for your older sister and your eagerness for freedom. I encourage you to follow your heart and join me. I promise with every fiber in my being that my family and I will protect you and support you with whatever decision you make." Joan with tears in her eyes. "Oh Tray! Thank you! I want to briefly stay here so I can help my sister with any last assignments and join you on exploring the Megaverse and you taking me back to the Omniverse you call home! Thank you, thank you for being such a wonderful person to me these past four days. Truthfully, I can say I feel the same when I am around you. Your outgoing free-spirited nature is very cute and contagious." Tray extends his hand towards Joan, "Then what are we waiting for? Take my hand and I will show you all the wonderful places in my Omniverse! Obviously after you are done helping your sister of course." He gave her a big comforting smile as he waited for her to wipe the tears of gratitude off her face. However, just before she could place her hand in his, a gunshot went off as a singular bullet went through the right side of Joan's head and exited out of the left. Tray opened his eyes and was horrified at the pool of blood emerging from Joan's body as she lay lifeless on the ground. He was shaken as he heard a sickening laugh. He hastily turned his head to the direction of the laughter.
Tray's eyes widened in confusion as he saw Gadget Bandito emerge from the shadows. "What.....what are you doing here? How did you get here? Why have you done this after being a loyal member of the Initiative for many years?!" "Doesn't matter. Any last words kid?" Tray thought inwardly, "Wait......no......there is no way he is the real Gadget Bandito. The real one does not even know a lot of the Megaverse, much less keep up with any news from the Initiative." He finally spoke out loud. "My powers and senses are telling me you are Gadget Bandito. But my heart, mind, and soul tell me otherwise! WHO ARE YOU?" Paradox finally revealed himself to Tray as he morphed into his mechanical appearance. Tray finally spoke after being at a loss for words, "I know you. I know who you are. No, you are not even a person anymore. You have turned yourself into something unrecognizable. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE! YOU ARE THE CREATURE WHO MURDERED MY FATHER'S PARENTS ON THE NIGHT OF HOLY THURSDAY!" Paradox had a twisted malicious grin on his mechanical face as he spoke, "Aren't you a smart one." Tray began to channel his new powers granted to him from the Spring of Restoration. "I WILL NOT ONLY AVENGE THE DEATH OF DIAMOND'S PARENTS! BUT FOR JOAN WHO YOU SHOT IN COLD BLOOD! DIE YOU BODY MORPHING BASTARD!"
Filled with pure rage, Tray could not control his powers as Paradox merely toyed with him before using Tray's disorientation to his advantage. Paradox was able to overpower the young hero, but briefly underestimated his new power buff when Tray's halo pierced itself into Paradox's chest. This comeback was shortly lived due to the intervention of Viciate who incapacitated Tray and tied him up. Elsewhere, Venessa felt a disturbance in her gut and thus gathered Cross and met with King Alexander to ask where Tray and Joan were at. The King did not know of their location much to the dismay of Venessa, but suddenly in the throne room a thick green mist entered the room which knocked the guards and the heroes unconscious. Lorenzo did his best to pick up the bodies of the heroes and tie them up, "Now we just wait for the Queen of Asteria to arrive and snatch the Matrix from her by ransoming these hostages."
Meanwhile Selena took care of Diamond and would not allow him out of her sight. If he had to leave her house, she would go with him wherever he went, due to the public opinion on him fiercely divided. There were some who believed the attacks were caused by him while others knew that he would never do such a thing and it had to be an imposter. She would fiercely criticize any bystander who booed or tried to assault Diamond. Diamond on the other hand did not like how Selena was being overprotective of him, and her reasoning was that his mental state was not in a good place. Truthfully, it felt like he was on house arrest. One day the two of them took a nap on Selena's couch, when Selena was notified to embark on the mission to Omniverse 7,777,777. She did not have Diamond know what mission it was, but said it was important. "Don't do anything stupid or silly while I'm gone. And do not go on any adventures either! If I find out you left the town, you won't hear the end of it!" "Alright sheesh I got it."
Selena traveled to Sanctuary and entered one of the passwords a few of the elite members possessed in order to gain access to the broken remains of the Matrix of Eternity. She grabbed the pieces and created a portal to the Alphaverse. Once Selena teleported off to her mission, Diamond took advantage of this opportunity and decided to venture into town. He grabbed his Bluetooth earbuds and walked outside to his favorite coffee shop. While walking, he played Have You Ever Seen The Rain, by Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of his father's favorite bands. He could not resist but sing along with the lyrics, "When it's over so they say it'll rain a sunny day, I know, shining down like water. I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain? I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain? Coming down on a sunny day." During his stroll a handful of protestors spotted him and began to yell, "Murderer! Thief! Crook! Liar!" One such protestor threw a pot of hot water at him, which nearly resulted in Diamond retaliated, but he bore these wrongs patiently and continued on his way. He turned a corner into an alleyway and started to dance and jump in the puddles. On the other side were a set of stairs where he slowly danced his way down each step to the closing parts of the song still singing with raw emotion. "Yeaaaaahhhhhhhh I wanna know have you seen the rain? I wanna know have you ever seen the rain? Coming down on a sunny day."
He turned off his music when he entered the doors of the small shop and waited patiently in line. After he finished placing his order and pulled out his wallet to pay, the cashier whispered to him, "It's on the house. You are still a hero to us who work here." "Are you sure ma'am?" "Yes. It'll be out shortly." He took a seat near a window and started reading the local newspaper in silence. Just then a little boy who was with his parents came to his side and started to speak with him. "Excuse me sir, but are you, Diamond?" Diamond chuckled to himself, "Well there is no use in hiding my identity. Yes, I am." "Can you tell me what it was like during the year I was born?" "Uh, odd request but yeah I can tell you, first I have to ask how old are you?" "I just turned four!" "Well happy birthday! Let's see four years ago was 2016.....wait no it was 2020. Gosh was 2020 four years ago? Man, all these adventures all start flowing together kid. So, around this time an old enemy of mine named......" Diamond abruptly stopped speaking as he felt a disturbance. "Named who, sir?" Diamond stood up and slowly walked to the doors as a giant explosion went off in the center of town. Everyone started screaming, running in all directions from the blast, as Diamond signaled his AI using his nanotech vision glasses. "HONEY what are we looking at? HONEY? Crap I never turned you back on." Diamond hastily had his nanotech grow on his left arm as he turned on the setting to activate HONEY. "I'm back! Are you ok boss, did you do anything brash when I was gone?" "We can catch up later HONEY, right now I need you to prevent traffic from entering this street and alert the local authorities." "Yes sir!"
While all of this was happening on Earth, Selena's portal finally brought her to the Alphaverse. She begins to mutter to herself, "Alright Venessa I'm here. Hopefully we can get this done quickly, because I don't trust Diamond being by himself." Selena was cautious of her surroundings, due to being greeted with an eerie vacant throne room. She suddenly heard a quiet "help me," this prompted her to locate the source of the voice which resulted in her finding Lorenzo lying next to a pillar. "Please help me." "Who did this to you, where are they now, and have you seen a young girl with pink and blue hair go by?" Selena used her powers to silently read the injured person's mind, but before her powers could alert her of it being a trap, she heard another voice which caused her pupils to shrink with fear. "Hello my precious doll." Selena turned to face the new voice and to her horror, she saw Paradox standing behind her, appearing the same way he looked the day before he died. The trauma from the mistreatment and terror she received from him overridden her senses and caused her to stand completely motionless. Behind her Lorenzo leaped and took off his mask expelling a strong toxin into her lungs causing her to faint and drop the pieces of the Matrix. Lorenzo, "Why did you change the plan to capture her instead of bargaining with her?" Paradox, "Because I want the last thing, they see is me holding the reloaded Matrix and handing it over to my masters." Paradox then switched back to his mechanical body and wrapped Selena in thick pairs of chains. He then took her body along with the rest of the heroes to the depths of the castle.
Simultaneously on Earth, Diamond slowly made his way to the source of the blast as he yelled at the pedestrians to head southbound. When he reached the center of the blast three figures emerged. A hulking lizard creature, a humanoid squid, and a tall figure wrapped in black cloth with piercing red goggles. "HEY! THIS TOWN IS CLOSED TO THUGS LIKE YOU TODAY!" The man in black cloth responded back, "We were wishing for a fight with Selena, but facing you is even better!" "I suggest you stand down before I rip a tentacle from your friend Squidward!" "Grok shut his mouth." The hulking creature lifted his axe from his back and started charging at Diamond. Diamond tapped his chest as his nanotech started to form around him as he created several large blasters from his back and fired at Grok. The blasts sent Grok flying backwards to his two other companions, but the man in black simply waved his hand to the right which sent Grok crashing into a local store. Diamond flew towards the humanoid squid and started punching him with unrelenting force that caused the squid to vomit quantities of ink. The man in black teleported behind Diamond and used his mystic powers to gain the upper hand by distorting the reality around them. The squid shaped his head into a spear and tried to pierce Diamond with his poison, but Diamond dodged it and sent him hurdling towards the man in black, breaking the reality illusion. He then had his suit create a sticky net which he shot to capture both the man in black and squid. Grok finally managed to get back up, but upon seeing his comrades captured, he clicked a button on his belt that resulted in him exploding creating a blast deadlier than the first. Diamond noticed there were a few people that were in the blast radius of this second explosion and flew towards them using his strength to hold the falling debris from the tall business building. The debris piled the streets with dust and papers, until the sound of sirens broke the silence. Law enforcement arrested the two other villains while Diamond was barely holding large portions of fallen walls, glass, and stone from crushing him and the civilians under him. The leading officer noticed Diamond struggling in the debris, but decided not to help him, he thought to himself, "Let's see if he can truly save others and be the hero the weak minded believe him to be." The crushing weight began to take a toll on Diamond as he slowly began to lose his footing until he was on his knees holding the debris up.
"I promise.....I will get all of you out alive!" Negative thoughts began to enter his mind as various voices began to call out. "You are not good enough. You couldn't save your own parents; how can you save these unfortunate souls? You are playing a fool's game. See how the law enforcement refuses to acknowledge your existence. Face it your story is over. Finished. You are nothing but a weak boy who thought he could have been a great hero." Diamond tried to block out these voices, but they began to take a toll on him, nearly causing him to give up, but then a quiet voice entered his mind. A voice smooth like honey but strong as thunder echoed in his mind. "You are something more. Look inside yourself, you are something far more than when you started all those years ago as a small-town hero. Do not listen to their empty words, listen to me. Do you renounce sin?" "I do." "Do you renounce the Devil, the sin whisperer, and all his empty promises?" "I do!" "Do you believe in the Faith of your fathers, the Resurrection, and life everlasting?" "I do!" "Arise my child." At that very moment Diamond felt the power of the Light course through him at greater quantities than before as his body began to glow with gold and white light. With a newfound access to the Light, Diamond felt it was only natural to change the wording when harnessing its power, "Through the power of Heaven's Light.......All things are possible!" Diamond effortlessly lifted the debris away from him as the civilians under his care ran to the rest of the crowd. The onlookers stared at Diamond's glowing gold and white body. They were baffled in amazement as a few murmured amongst themselves, "Truly this is the act of a selfless hero."
Diamond did not hear the crowd's cheers, whistles, and praises as he stood deep in contemplation. Deep within his soul, he was able to sense his family was in grave danger. With his connection to the Light restored, he made it his new mission to travel to the Omniverse where he sensed the disturbance. He quietly spoke to himself, "Oh yeah I'm ready to whip the person who is so bent on ruining my life! But first, I have to do it in style. He allowed his suit to create two large speakers; HONEY make sure the volume is on max. Time for us to go back into the Megaverse!"
To Be Continued In The Alphaverse Part 2

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Lore (Factory New), B/O: $7194.77

★ Butterfly Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2025.74

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★ M9 Bayonet Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $557.87

★ M9 Bayonet Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $529.41

★ M9 Bayonet Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $465.39

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★ Talon Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $1295.27

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth (Minimal Wear), B/O: $746.28

★ Karambit Bright Water (Field-Tested), B/O: $688.15

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★ Flip Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $547.93

★ Flip Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $476.69

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $278.18

★ Flip Knife Black Laminate (Well-Worn), B/O: $258.83

★ Flip Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $181.64

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★ Stiletto Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $686.04

★ Stiletto Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $665.41

★ Stiletto Knife, B/O: $601.39

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $418.25

★ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $227.80

★ Stiletto Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.96

★ Stiletto Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $192.79

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★ Nomad Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $518.11

★ Nomad Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $169.78

★ Nomad Knife Forest DDPAT (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $166.88

★ StatTrak™ Nomad Knife Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $335.79

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★ Skeleton Knife Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $442.05

★ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Minimal Wear), B/O: $426.24

★ Skeleton Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $314.03

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2361.28

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $376.53

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★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $557.12

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $471.42

★ Ursus Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $212.37

★ Ursus Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $187.66

★ Ursus Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $178.18

★ Ursus Knife Ultraviolet (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $155.13

★ Ursus Knife Boreal Forest (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.26

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★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Minimal Wear), B/O: $204.83

★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Field-Tested), B/O: $184.50

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Lore (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $224.11

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★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $2142.02

★ Bowie Knife, B/O: $230.44

★ Bowie Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $209.20

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.51

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

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★ Falchion Knife Night (Field-Tested), B/O: $132.54

★ Falchion Knife Urban Masked (Well-Worn), B/O: $112.81

★ Falchion Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $108.81

★ Falchion Knife Forest DDPAT (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.82

★ Falchion Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.46

★ StatTrak™ Falchion Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $143.08

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★ Paracord Knife Crimson Web (Minimal Wear), B/O: $486.48

★ Paracord Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $163.12

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★ Survival Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $138.26

★ Survival Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

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★ Gut Knife Sapphire (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1127.79

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $286.17

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $246.55

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $240.77

★ Gut Knife, B/O: $210.49

★ Gut Knife Lore (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.22

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $151.51

★ Gut Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.94

★ Gut Knife Rust Coat (Well-Worn), B/O: $118.99

★ Gut Knife Boreal Forest (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.80

★ StatTrak™ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $237.96

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★ Shadow Daggers Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $264.92

★ Shadow Daggers Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $253.03

★ Shadow Daggers Tiger Tooth (Factory New), B/O: $237.22

★ Shadow Daggers Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.40

★ Shadow Daggers Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $144.42

★ Shadow Daggers Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $105.20

★ StatTrak™ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $150.46

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★ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $365.99

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $228.93

★ Navaja Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $227.43

★ Navaja Knife Slaughter (Factory New), B/O: $209.06

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $203.16

★ Navaja Knife Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $132.57

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $121.69

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.95

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $100.41

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $369.01

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $109.95

GLOVES

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2394.67

★ Sport Gloves Omega (Well-Worn), B/O: $572.33

★ Sport Gloves Bronze Morph (Minimal Wear), B/O: $338.88

★ Sport Gloves Big Game (Field-Tested), B/O: $323.66

⎯

★ Specialist Gloves Marble Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1652.07

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike (Field-Tested), B/O: $599.14

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web (Well-Worn), B/O: $231.57

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot (Minimal Wear), B/O: $126.21

⎯

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Minimal Wear), B/O: $996.99

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Field-Tested), B/O: $383.31

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Well-Worn), B/O: $276.00

★ Moto Gloves Turtle (Field-Tested), B/O: $180.28

⎯

★ Hand Wraps CAUTION! (Minimal Wear), B/O: $502.29

★ Hand Wraps Giraffe (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.73

★ Hand Wraps CAUTION! (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $178.32

⎯

★ Driver Gloves Queen Jaguar (Minimal Wear), B/O: $181.01

★ Driver Gloves Rezan the Red (Field-Tested), B/O: $101.66

⎯

★ Broken Fang Gloves Jade (Field-Tested), B/O: $127.88

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.55

⎯

★ Bloodhound Gloves Guerrilla (Minimal Wear), B/O: $127.94

★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened (Field-Tested), B/O: $102.55

WEAPONS

AK-47 X-Ray (Well-Worn), B/O: $478.95

AUG Hot Rod (Factory New), B/O: $425.83

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Hyper Beast (Factory New), B/O: $413.95

M4A4 Daybreak (Factory New), B/O: $309.51

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge (Factory New), B/O: $305.43

AK-47 Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $196.38

StatTrak™ M4A4 Temukau (Minimal Wear), B/O: $174.64

P90 Run and Hide (Field-Tested), B/O: $167.03

AWP Asiimov (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.33

Souvenir SSG 08 Death Strike (Minimal Wear), B/O: $140.00

M4A1-S Printstream (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.70

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Golden Coil (Field-Tested), B/O: $117.48

AWP Asiimov (Well-Worn), B/O: $115.97

StatTrak™ Desert Eagle Printstream (Minimal Wear), B/O: $112.96

StatTrak™ AK-47 Asiimov (Minimal Wear), B/O: $110.85

Souvenir M4A1-S Master Piece (Well-Worn), B/O: $102.42

AK-47 Bloodsport (Minimal Wear), B/O: $100.53

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Ramese's Reach, Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Apep's Curse, Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Mummy's Rot, Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Black Nile, Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Steel Delta, Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Waters of Nephthys, Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Eye of Horus, Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (ScaraB Rush, Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Sobek's Bite, Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Copper Coated, Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Paris 2023, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

Some items on the list may no longer be available or are still locked, visit My Inventory for more details.

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DAY: MAY 31 2024
5-31-2024

RESEARCH SUGGESTS LEADERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ARE TAKEN JUST AS SERIOUSLY AS FORMAL STATEMENTS

Over 180 world leaders maintain social media accounts, and some of them issue policy warnings to rivals and the public on these platforms rather than relying on traditional government statements. How seriously do people take such social media postings? A new study suggests the general public and policymakers alike take leaders’ social media posts just as seriously as they take formal government statements. The research, by MIT political scientists, deploys novel surveys of both the public and experienced foreign policy specialists. “What we find, which is really surprising, across both
5-31-2024

SCALE OF ONLINE HARM TO CHILDREN REVEALED IN GLOBAL STUDY

More than 300 million children a year are victims of online sexual exploitation and abuse, research indicates. Pupils in every classroom, in every school, in every country are victims of this hidden pandemic, according to researchers who have conducted the first global estimate of the scale of the crisis. The statistics, from the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute at the University of Edinburgh, amount to a clear and present danger to the world’s children, according to the crime agency Interpol. Online risks One in eight of the world’s children, about
5-31-2024

PRONATALISM IS THE LATEST SILICON VALLEY TREND. WHAT IS IT—AND WHY IS IT DISTURBING?

For Malcolm and Simone Collins, declining birth rates across many developed countries are an existential threat. The solution is to have “tons of kids,” and to use a hyperrational, data-driven approach to guide everything from genetic selection to baby names and day-to-day parenting. They don’t heat their Pennsylvania home in winter, because heating is a “pointless indulgence.” Their children wear iPads around their necks. And a Guardian journalist witnessed Malcolm strike their two-year-old across the face for misbehavior, a parenting style they apparently developed based on watching “tigers
5-31-2024

HOW SCIENCE, MATH, AND TECH CAN PROPEL SWIMMERS TO NEW HEIGHTS

One hundred years ago, in the 1924 Paris Olympics, American Johnny Weissmuller won the men’s 100m freestyle with a time of 59 seconds. Nearly 100 years later, in the most recent Olympics, the delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo, Caeleb Dressel took home the same event with a time that was 12 seconds faster than Weissmuller’s. Swimming times across the board have become much faster over the past century, a result of several factors, including innovations
5-31-2024

BANNING SEX CRIME OFFENDERS FROM CHANGING THEIR NAMES DOESN’T MAKE US SAFER

The government of British Columbia recently introduced a bill to ban people convicted of serious offenses from legally changing their name. The proposed amendment to the province’s Name Act would also prohibit those found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder from changing their name. The government announced the move after media reports that Allan Schoenborn legally changed his name to Ken Johnson. Schoenborn was found not criminally responsible for the deaths of his children in 2010 because of a delusional disorder, and was placed at a psychiatric hospital.
5-31-2024

SILICON VALLEY ISN’T THE START-UP UTOPIA WE THOUGHT, RESEARCH FINDS

Silicon Valley—considered the world’s hub of technology and innovation—can breed inequality and sameness among budding entrepreneurs, according to new research. Behind the multi-million-dollar deals and tales of start-up utopia, Silicon Valley’s “uneven” investment landscape is in fact a barrier to many budding businesses, says the study from the University of Stirling and Georg-August-University Göttingen. But the researchers suggest other countries could still learn from the more discerning entrepreneurial ecosystem that bred giants such as Apple and Google, to be more selective in backing start-ups. While it is not uncommon for
5-31-2024

I WANT TO KEEP MY CHILD SAFE FROM ABUSE—BUT RESEARCH TELLS ME I’M DOING IT WRONG

Child sexual abuse is uncomfortable to think about, much less talk about. The idea of an adult engaging in sexual behaviors with a child feels sickening. It’s easiest to believe that it rarely happens, and when it does, that it’s only to children whose parents aren’t protecting them. This belief stayed with me during my early days as a parent. I kept an eye out for creepy men at the playground and was skeptical of men who worked with young children, such as teachers and coaches. When my kids were
5-31-2024

OVER 300 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE, EXPLOITATION, FINDS METASTUDY

It takes a lot to shock Kelvin Lay. My friend and colleague was responsible for setting up Africa’s first dedicated child exploitation and human trafficking units, and for many years he was a senior investigating officer for the Child Exploitation Online Protection Center at the UK’s National Crime Agency, specializing in extra territorial prosecutions on child exploitation across the globe. But what happened when he recently volunteered for a demonstration of cutting-edge identification software left him speechless. Within seconds of being fed with an image
5-31-2024

CYBERFLASHING IS A FORM OF GENDERED SEXUAL VIOLENCE THAT MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY

Sexting—sending sexually suggestive or explicit messages and images—is now a widespread practice, and can be a healthy way to express and explore sexuality. However, there is a need to distinguish between consensual sexting and forms of sexual harassment like cyberflashing. Cyberflashing refers to the act of non-consensually sending sexual imagery (like nudes or “dick pics”) to another person. It is facilitated through communications technologies including text, AirDrop and social media applications like Snapchat and Tinder. Similar to flashing—when a person unexpectedly and deliberately “flashes” their genitals to others—that occurs in
5-31-2024

VIRTUAL TRAINING MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE, COST-EFFICIENT OPTION FOR CHILD EDUCATORS

Teachers and other child educators can benefit from regular professional development, but in-person training can be expensive. New research found that virtual training can be a budget-friendly alternative—and especially effective for certain groups of educators. The study—a collaboration between researchers at Penn State and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and published in the International Journal of Professional Development, Learners and Learning—found that educators who took a virtual training reported feeling more confident in their abilities to implement practices shown to support positive youth development. In particular, after-school providers who did not
5-31-2024

HUMBLE LEADERS BOOST EMPLOYEES’ WORKPLACE STATUS AND LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL, FINDS STUDY

There are many different types of workplace leaders, from those who prioritize the needs of team members and the organization above their own, to authentic leaders who foster openness, trust and transparency. A recent study by the University of South Australia published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior has highlighted the significant benefits of humble leadership in the workplace. According to the study by UniSA’s Dr. Xiao Lin, humble leadership can effectively elevate the workplace status of employees by boosting their sense of respect and prominence. It also leads to
5-31-2024

WHY ARE GROCERY BILLS SO HIGH? A NEW STUDY LOOKS AT THE SCIENCE BEHIND FOOD PRICE REPORTING

Rising food costs are squeezing Canadians around the country. Nearly everyone is feeling the pinch, and it’s not just an inconvenience—high food prices are a major threat to food security for many Canadians. Understanding why food prices are so high and why they are changing is critical to the well-being of our society. Unfortunately, consensus on why food price are so high is in short supply. Explanations given in reports like Canada’s Food Price Report and the news media range widely, from the war in Ukraine to supply chain issues
5-31-2024

WILL GENERATIVE AI CHANGE THE WAY UNIVERSITIES COMMUNICATE?

Is artificial intelligence an unprecedented opportunity, or will it rob everyone of jobs and creativity? As we debate on social media (and perhaps use ChatGPT almost daily), generative AIs have also entered the arena of university communication. These tools—based on large language models that were optimized for interactive communication—can indeed support, expand, and innovate university communication offerings. Justus Henke has analyzed the situation of German realities about six months after the launch of ChatGPT 3. “The research was conducted about a year ago when enthusiasm was high, but it was
5-31-2024

STUDY SHOWS RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF SUPERSPREADERS RESPONSIBLE FOR LARGE PORTION OF MISINFORMATION ON TWITTER

Classification of superspreader accounts. A large portion (55.1%) of accounts are no longer active. For each class annotated with political affiliations, colors indicate the ideological split. The last group aggregates all accounts with political affiliations. Credit: PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302201 A small team of social media analysts at Indiana University has found that a major portion of tweets spreading disinformation are sent by a surprisingly small percentage of a given userbase. In their study, published in PLOS ONE, the group conducted a review of 2,397,388 tweets posted on Twitter
5-31-2024

HOW LIFE’S BIG MOMENTS CAN CHALLENGE STARTUPS

Life-changing events like the birth of a child, the purchase of a new home, or a lottery win could threaten the survival of a new business venture, the positive family events had a comparatively greater influence, albeit negatively, on the survival of a new venture, compared with
5-31-2024

RUDE AT WORK? FEELING GUILTY CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER, KINDER WORKER

We’ve all done it. A bad night’s sleep or a tough commute made us cranky, and we lashed out at a coworker who did nothing wrong. What can we do to make up for it? According to a new study published in the Journal of Business Ethics, embracing our guilty feelings can help us make up for our bad behavior by encouraging us to act more politely and work harder the next day. “We found that anyone can be rude at work, because anyone can
5-31-2024

RESEARCHERS INTRODUCE A PLANETARY INCLUSION SCALE TO FOSTER BROADER ETHICAL THINKING

Social inclusion and having a sense of belonging with other people are key elements of a good life. However, the fate of humanity is a challenge that extends beyond our social reality. Experiences of belonging and inclusion, understood in a broader sense than before, may be crucial for a sustainable future. In an article published in the International Journal of Social Pedagogy, a team of researchers propose a new planetary inclusion scale that structures our planetary relationship three-dimensionally based on temporal, spatial and ethical orientation. The temporal element relates to
5-31-2024

‘LEAN IN’ MESSAGES CAN LOWER WOMEN’S MOTIVATION TO PROTEST GENDER INEQUALITY

Women in leadership are often told to “Lean In,” designed to be motivational messaging demonstrating that they are more confident, strategic and resilient to setback. However, new research indicates that such “lean in” messaging can hinder women’s motivation to protest gender equality. Popularized in a book by American technology executive Sherly Sandberg, the “Lean In” solution to gender inequality advises women that demonstrating personal resilience and perseverance in the face of setbacks is key to career advancement. Now, a new study led by the University of Exeter, Bath Spa University
5-31-2024

ALGORITHMS COULD HELP IMPROVE JUDICIAL DECISIONS

A new paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics finds that replacing certain judicial decision-making functions with algorithms could improve outcomes for defendants by eliminating some of the systemic biases of judges. Decision makers make consequential choices based on predictions of unknown outcomes. Judges, in particular, make decisions about whether to grant bail to defendants or how to sentence those convicted. Companies now use machine learning based models increasingly in high-stakes decisions. There are various assumptions about human behavior underlying the deployment of such learning models that play out in
5-31-2024

DIGITAL CAMPAIGNING IS A HUGE PART OF ELECTIONS NOW—BUT GOING VIRAL ISN’T EVERYTHING

The election has commenced and the race is on—to amass as many likes, shares and comments as possible. Digital campaigning, particularly through social media, is now a key part of political candidates’ communication toolkit. In fact, every general election campaign since 1997 has at some point been lauded as the first to make effective use of digital campaigning. But it was in 2015 that David Cameron’s campaign first made strategic use of social media to drive an election victory. As political reporter Tim Ross outlines in his excellent book, Why
5-31-2024

WHY ARE ORGANIZATIONAL COVER-UPS SO COMMON?

The TV dramatization of the UK Horizon Post Office scandal evoked outrage and disbelief. However, as another example of dysfunctional organizational behavior, it was expected rather than exceptional. The Post Office saga joins a long list of cover-ups or scandals that includes Hillsborough, Enron, Grenfell, the infected blood scandal, the Tuam babies scandal in the Republic of Ireland, Boeing 737 Max and Nasa (Columbia space shuttle). They represent what happens when there is a move within organizations and institutions to cover up the causes of
5-31-2024

AMONG GEN Z AUSTRALIANS, 38% IDENTIFY AS SPIRITUAL AND HALF BELIEVE IN KARMA. WHY IS SPIRITUALITY SO POPULAR?

Spirituality is increasingly popular with young Australians: recent research shows 38% of Gen Z Australians identify as spiritual. It also reports 50% of them believe in karma, 29% in reincarnation and 20% in astrology. When it comes to activities equated with spirituality, 28% of Gen Z Australians practice meditation and 22% practice yoga. In Australia, spirituality is strongly, enduringly central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and culturally and religiously diverse communities. Yet until recently, spirituality has received far less attention than religion. Spirituality may be
5-31-2024

COMPANIES CAN IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE EARLIEST PRODUCT-DESIGN STAGES

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Lithuanian and Italian universities propose a tool that allows companies to assess the circularity of their future products. The self-assessment tool emphasizes the co-creation of circular design in the early (creative) stages of product development, encouraging entrepreneurs and designers to think more systematically and collaborate better by integrating related stakeholders into the product development process. The study is published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology. “The majority of existing practical tools (systems of indicators) are aimed at measuring the environmental impact of products already
5-31-2024

RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION AFFECTS A STATE’S COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

New research has revealed up to a 9% increase in college first-year enrollments in US states that have legalized recreational marijuana compared with states without such legalization. The study, which is published in Economic Inquiry, found that the increase was from out-of-state enrollments, with early adopter states and public non-research institutions experiencing the most pronounced increases. Recreational marijuana legalization did not negatively impact degree completion or graduation rate, and it did not affect college prices, quality, or in?state enrollment. The findings suggest that some students perceive recreational marijuana legalization as
5-31-2024

RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION AFFECTS A STATE’S COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

New research has revealed up to a 9% increase in college first-year enrollments in US states that have legalized recreational marijuana compared with states without such legalization. The study, which is published in Economic Inquiry, found that the increase was from out-of-state enrollments, with early adopter states and public non-research institutions experiencing the most pronounced increases. Recreational marijuana legalization did not negatively impact degree completion or graduation rate, and it did not affect college prices, quality, or in?state enrollment. The findings suggest that some students perceive recreational marijuana legalization as
5-31-2024

HOW THE ‘MODEL MINORITY’ MYTH HARMS ASIAN AMERICANS

May is Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, a time when Americans celebrate the profound contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders—a group that is commonly abbreviated as AAPI—to U.S. society. It’s also a time to acknowledge the complexity of AAPI experience. And as a professor who studies equity and inclusion in business, I think the focus on AAPI communities this month provides an excellent occasion to push back against a stereotype that has long misrepresented and marginalized a diverse range of people: the myth of the “model minority.” The
5-31-2024

WONDERING HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT CONSENT? HERE’S AN AGE-BASED GUIDE TO GET YOU STARTED

The Australian government’s new campaign Consent Can’t Wait challenges us all to improve our understanding of consent. It asks a series of questions to illustrate this issue is more complex than simplistic “no means no” messaging. The campaign invites viewers to consider the nuances of consent, so we can raise these important issues with children and young people in our lives. But what is a good age to start talking about consent? How do parents tackle such conversations when this information probably wasn’t readily discussed in our own upbringing? How
5-31-2024

A PRODUCT OF NATURE OR NURTURE?

The concept of cultural entrepreneurship has many facets. It encompasses both the cultural and social impact of entrepreneurial training, and the environmental factors that influence its development. Some societies, such as the U.S., have a strong entrepreneurial culture. This means that certain characteristics are celebrated and encouraged, such as the ability of individuals to assume risks, patience when confronting challenges, and innovative problem solving, especially in uncertain situations. However, not all countries have such an entrepreneurial culture. Entrepreneurship struggles to take off in Europe In general, entrepreneurship can drive economic
5-31-2024

STUDY BRIDGES ANIMAL BEHAVIOR RESEARCH AND COMPUTER CODING TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN STEM

A graphic depicting a student coding. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University Teachers today face a bit of a conundrum, according to a new study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Their goal is to prepare young students to enter a rapidly changing world. Even basic jobs require technical proficiency, which requires computational and analytical skills. To address this need, many educators are pushing to fold these important STEM skills into elementary curriculum. Here’s the problem. Young students can lose interest and even develop an aversion
5-31-2024

STUDY SHOWS VR CAN HELP TEACHERS BETTER DISTRIBUTE THEIR GAZE

On the left, a bird’s-eye view of the virtual classroom; on the right, screenshots of each of the four gaze-visualization conditions. Teachers need to know their material, but they must also keep their students engaged and interested. Part of that involves making eye contact with their students—all of them. A multidisciplinary team of researchers tested several methods of data visualization in an immersive virtual reality (VR) classroom, to give teachers a way to gauge
5-31-2024

MARKETERS CAN MANAGE ‘FEATURE CREEP’ SO CONSUMERS FEEL LESS INTIMIDATED BY TOO MANY FEATURES IN A PRODUCT

Wifi-enabled washing machines. Voice-controlled microwaves. App-enabled TVs, vacuum cleaners, and even window blinds you can control from the comfort of your couch. Many of the technological features now included in everyday products are useful and accessible. But research has shown that having too many can overwhelm potential buyers, making them less likely to make a purchase. In recent research, Wayne Hoyer, marketing professor and James L. Bayless/William S. Farrish Fund Chair for Free Enterprise at Texas McCombs, digs into the phenomenon of “feature creep” and its impact on consumer sentiment.
5-31-2024

RESEARCHERS EXPLAIN SOCIAL MEDIA’S ROLE IN RAPIDLY SHIFTING SOCIAL NORMS ON GENDER AND SEXUALITY

A new paper summarizing decades of research demonstrates how social media has supported an explosion of diversity in gender and sexuality in America during the 21st century, and also how these technologies have equally enabled a cultural backlash. The paper’s authors, UC Santa Cruz Psychology Department faculty members Phil Hammack and Adriana Manago, identified five main narratives about gender and sexuality that they believe emerged through social media as people have strived to be “authentic” on these platforms. The findings, along with resulting recommendations for psychology researchers and practitioners, were
5-31-2024

KEY FACTORS IN TRAINING ASSESSORS FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE RATINGS

New research is examining how organizations can improve their training programs by customizing frame-of-reference training to emphasize identifying negative behaviors critical to their goals. While assessors naturally identify positive behaviors, C. Allen Gorman, Ph.D., associate professor in UAB’s Department of Management, Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, says targeted training helps them recognize harmful actions that can hinder organizational objectives. Involving assessors in defining important performance dimensions and examples of behaviors, both good and
5-31-2024

STUDIES CHALLENGE WIDELY HELD BELIEFS ON APPLICANT DIVERSITY AND WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Justin Frake is interested in cause-and-effect relationships in real-world data and the hidden dynamics that shape workplace behavior and equality—or inequality, as the case might be. His curiosity has led to research that challenges some popular beliefs as well as published studies related to women in the workforce. One study shows that firms promoting flatter hierarchies inadvertently discourage female applicants and another study counters several recent studies that claim women CEOs negatively impact career outcomes of other women. Both are published in the Strategic Management Journal. The assistant professor of
5-31-2024

CHALLENGING LEWIN’S MOTIVATIONAL CONFLICTS THEORY

A recent series of experiments challenges the longstanding theory of motivational conflict resolution introduced by Kurt Lewin. According to Lewin, conflicts between two undesirable outcomes (avoidance–avoidance conflicts) are typically harder to resolve than those between two desirable ones (approach–approach conflicts). Lewin posited that avoidance–avoidance conflicts, where individuals must choose between two undesirable outcomes, are typically more challenging to resolve compared to approach–approach conflicts, which involve choosing between two desirable options.
5-31-2024

MEN WITH ‘TOXIC MASCULINITY’ ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE SEXUAL ADVANCES WITHOUT CONSENT, STUDY FINDS

No means no when it comes to sex. But what happens when a woman makes a more passive response to a sexual advance? According to new research from Binghamton University, men differ in how they interpret these types of responses, and men who display hostile masculinity, known commonly as “toxic masculinity,” tend to act on them regardless of whether or not they think it’s consensual. A team of researchers, including Binghamton psychology professor Richard Mattson and graduate student Michael Shaw asked men between the ages of 18–25 to respond to
5-31-2024

WHY WE DEHUMANIZE OUR POLITICAL OPPONENTS

Some of human history’s greatest atrocities—genocide, slavery, ethnic cleanings—are rooted in our ability to dehumanize people from other social, political, or cultural groups. Whereas prior research has traced dehumanization to the belief that others think or feel less than we do, new research co-authored by Haas professor Sameer Srivastava shows that our tendency to dehumanize can also be influenced by how we think others view important facets of the world. The greater the difference between our perceptions of an outgroup’s worldview
5-31-2024

STUDY SUGGESTS CHILDREN ARE OFTEN EXPOSED TO PROBLEMATIC CLICK BAIT DURING YOUTUBE SEARCHES

When a child peruses YouTube, the content recommended to them is not always age appropriate, a new study suggests. Researchers mimicked search behaviors of children using popular search terms, such as memes, Minecraft and Fortnite, and captured video thumbnails recommended at the end of each video. Among the 2,880 thumbnails analyzed, many contained problematic click bait, such as violence or frightening images, according to the Michigan Medicine led research in JAMA Network Open. “Children spend a significant amount of time on free video sharing platforms that include user-generated content,” said
5-31-2024

STUDY FINDS WOMEN ARE VULNERABLE IN POST-WAR PEACE PROCESSES

Post-war peace processes are a dangerous period for women. Many are forced to live close to men who committed serious abuse during the war or are expected to testify in various types of truth commissions, which can be both retraumatizing and stigmatizing. These are the findings of a new study by peace researchers at Uppsala University, published in the journal PLOS ONE. “In short, peace projects can force women to live side by side with ex-combatants who committed atrocities during the war. This puts them at risk of further threat
5-31-2024

HOW EMBRACING THE CRINGE CAN HELP YOUR DATING LIFE

We can all agree that dating is hard. Getting to know people can feel vulnerable, but at the same time, exciting. We can also agree that feeling rejected can be one of the worst feelings, especially after we put ourselves out there. Dating can also expose us to a lot of cringey things, maybe even something we didn’t know we’d consider cringey. Think of cringe like something that makes you uncomfortable, or something about someone else that you don’t find attractive. Before dating, most of us consider what we’re looking
5-31-2024

PERSONAL CONNECTIONS AT WORK POSITIVELY IMPACT RETENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH, SAYS REPORT

New survey results from Wiley suggest people still feel connected at work despite the prevalence of hybrid and remote work environments and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). According to the latest Wiley Workplace Intelligence report, “Human Connection: The Crucial Secret to Thriving in the Digital Age,” nearly 8 in 10 employees surveyed (78%) said they feel connected with their coworkers, and almost 7 in 10 (69%) said they also enjoy making connections with their colleagues. Around half even said they want to learn more about their coworkers by doing
5-31-2024

RESEARCHER DEVELOPS MODEL OF INFLUENCER IMPORTANCE WITHIN INSTAGRAM NETWORKS

A study has provided new insights into social media influencers, particularly focusing on those in the women’s fashion sector on the well-known image and video sharing platform Instagram. In a departure from the approach taken by earlier studies, Jens K. Perret of the International School of Management in Cologne, Germany, has used network statistics and centrality measures to establish a model of influencer importance within their network. Perret analyzed data from 255 influencers covering a four-year period. Influencers are loosely
5-31-2024

MOST PEOPLE TRUST ACCURATE SEARCH RESULTS WHEN THE STAKES ARE HIGH, STUDY FINDS

Rank (X-axis) does not affect the evaluation of trustworthiness (Y-axis, mean-centered) of accurate results. This lack of relationship is robust across experiments (columns) and for clicked results (top row, red) as well as non-clicked results (bottom row, blue). The trend lines represent the predicted change in trustworthiness ratings per unit decrease in rank fitted by the linear regression models. Credit: Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61645-8 Using experiments with COVID-19 related queries, Cornell sociology and information science researchers found that in a public health emergency, most people pick out and click
5-31-2024

MISLEADING COVID-19 HEADLINES FROM MAINSTREAM SOURCES DID MORE HARM ON FACEBOOK THAN FAKE NEWS, STUDY FINDS

Despite the greater potency of “fake news” on Facebook to discourage Americans from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, users’ greater exposure to unflagged, vaccine-skeptical content meant the latter had a much greater negative effect on vaccine uptake. Credit: Jennifer Allen, Duncan Watts, David G. Rand Since the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, fake news on social media has been widely blamed for low vaccine uptake in the United States—but research by MIT Sloan School of Management Ph.D. candidate Jennifer Allen and Professor David Rand finds that the blame lies
5-31-2024

CRITICAL DIALOGUE HELPS STRAIGHT MEN CONFRONT SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC BELIEFS

Adult heterosexual men with sexist and homophobic views can potentially improve their attitudes toward gay men and women by engaging in critical dialogues that use illustrations as a springboard, according to a new University of Michigan study. The work is published in the journal Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services. The process by which people shift from a prejudicial stance to one of relative acceptance is a key innovation of the study. Guided by trained facilitators, critical dialogues reflect illustrations depicting different gender roles and sexual identities. The images
5-31-2024

RELIEVING A FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

If you dread public speaking you are not alone. It is a leading social phobia, one that can cause a state of anxiety that reduces otherwise articulate people to nervous incoherence. A strong fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia. Academic studies estimate it affects 20% of the population, but depending on the sample and methodology, the figure could be as high as 40%. As American writer and humourist Mark Twain said, “There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” But help
5-31-2024

HOW SOME PRIVATE COMPANIES ARE MARKETING TECH AND AI SOLUTIONS

How do universities and colleges decide who to admit? Given the earnings advantage of a post-secondary degree both globally and in Canada, this is an important social mobility question. While the answer varies from one institution to the next, most focus on education criteria like exam scores and grades. However, Canada’s new intake cap on study permit applications puts increased pressure on Canadian institutions to also consider immigration criteria when admitting international undergraduate students. This is just the latest example of immigration’s growing influence on the societal roles of Canadian

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Helena II - Red pt 1

^{25 AC, moon 11, mid-morning, clear}
Helena sat at the small dark wood desk that she had been gifted by the House of Lannister. Her chambers were coast facing, and she had a partial view of the port and then sweeping northwards towards the Rock which she could see in the distance. They were objectively nice chambers, probably nicer than some of the minor lords’ about the Westerlands, and even of the more significant lords of poorer kingdoms. She had a four poster bed in a separate room, and her own toilet which she didn’t have to share. Her solar as most lords would have called it was open air, and had the balcony from which she could enjoy her view. The Lion’s Hearth was not the tallest nor most formidable keep, but it was practical, and it was grand. From her desk she looked up and admired the tapestry that hung on the long wall, a hunt outside the walls of Lannisport a dozen knights chasing a doe. She figured it was a metaphor of sorts and then turned her head back to her work.
With a final flick of her quill she finished the sentence she had been focused on, her sign off and sponsorship of an impressive upcoming apprentice. She looked up once again and took a moment to breath, gently placing the feather back into the ink as a knock came at her door.
The male voice from the otherside thick with a Westerman accent.
“Lord Gerold Lannister for the Lady Helena.”
She did not waste a moment.
“I am dressed, the Lord may enter as he pleases.”
The door creaked as it opened, thick oaken wood almost warping the cast iron hinges. Helena rose to her feet and smoothed over her navy dress lined with golden filigree; a gift from Desmera. She courtsied.
“Lord Gerold.”
He was dressed in satin, accents of castle steel down his centre for buttons, and on his shoulders as false pauldrons.
“Helena, so formal, come now. We have become friends in these years.”
“Yes, but your guardsmen will still rumour me to death if they think I am fleecing you.”
“Right you are, and so too are they.”
“Agreed. If they do not tattle on me, they may not tattle on anyone, best keep them tattling all the same.”
Gerold laughed, and Helena liked that her quickness kept him entertained.
“How can I be of service?”
Gerold gestured to the balcony and together the pair walked to look over the view. Out in the harbour ships were coming and going, small trading vessels with even a pair of larger Sunset Sea whalers. Amongst them all though was three great carracks, their sails crimson, with golden lions roaring triumphantly.
“The guilds are pressing me for an answer.”
“I am informed of such, Triston has been relentless, and the Clothier’s Guild is making motions for a formalised hall.”
“Yes, quite so quite so, there is also the matter of the rest stops for your bards throughout the city.”
She nodded, there was much required of their time, and not enough investment possible to achieve it all.
“We’ll also need to commence building of the secondary marketplace which was promised.”
Gerold rubbed his temples, there was a lot of coin meant to flow out from his coffers.
“And incomes Helena?”
“Well we have ships we aren’t using…”
Gerold snorted and looked at her then over at the bay.
“Ah yes, Lancel will love that, selling our ships off to some highest bidder.”
Helena breathed a sigh and tried again.
“You could open Lannisport to a banking guild, the Pearl, or the Seven?”
Gerold furrowed his brow, it had been on his mind for some time that it might be necessary.
“We’ll think about it. For now, send out the word, get the clothier guild its hall and I want to see the new marketplace up and running before the moon turns. Clear out the old silver square for it, nobody has used that in years at least since Aegon’s Conquest - we used it for mustering once now…well.”
He cleared his throat.
“I’m glad we talked business, now shall we talk about the hunt and the feast? I think we should discuss what we saw.”
Helena nodded, returned inside and poured a glass of lemon water for them both.

Tywin Lannister II - Red pt 2

Tywin Lannister had returned from King’s Landing in less than full spirits. His performance in the tourney had been less than spectacular and his efforts to find a suitable wife were none the further to fruition. Instead all he had managed to do was convince a couple lords to come on the expedition West. He had wanted so very much more. Today, as the sun reached mid-morning and the gulls cried shrilly overhead, he was yet again on steward duty. The shipyards of Lannisport had been opened once more thanks to the provision of Ironwood from the Bank of the Pearl and three carracks had been hauled into them for upgrades.
The shipyard of Lannisport was rivalrous to the most major ports in Westeros, with Oldtown, and the Arbor foremost amongst her competitors. None in the West could rival, and the Reynes’ shipyard was still smaller by a full industrial setting. The port itself was divided into a crescent merchant harbour followed by an inner shipyard for naval use. This inner shipyard was a ring with a central lighthouse surrounded by an outer ring of shipyard slipways divided into a series of docking bays. Above the raised docking bays were the training yards, warehouses, and assorted living quarters for naval crew quarters which Lannisport revered as close as knights. Tywin had never been a naval man, but his best friends in life had, some had served in the legion with him.
As he stood at the head of the shipyard and surveyed the three massive carracks that were being upgraded he could not help but admire them. Three friends they had been out on the water not days ago, now as they had their new ironwood fittings placed, they became more like sisters.
Ocean Roar was the largest of the three. She was the flagship for the expedition, a three masted behemoth, with enough hold space for nearly three moons at sea by herself and a crew of nearly fifty. If the captain wanted he could have overfilled her to near seventy-five. Had she been a war galley she would have easily held some three hundred oars. She composed square-rigging on the foremast and mainmast and lateen-rigging on the mizzenmast. She had a lofted high rounded stern with aftcastle, forecastle and bowsprit at the prow. Her figurehead was a lion’s head and mane trailing down into the water all in cast bronze and plated in gold.
Lionsheart was the second largest, but she was already ironplated and once had fought several naval battles against the Ironborn. Another three masted carrack, her hold space had been reduced to include a sailing gallery for training at swordplay. Presently the gallery had been cut open and mounted crossbows were being placed inside her. Where once she had hunted ironborn on the open water, now she was preparing to hunt whales. Her figurehead was a black wooden woman, her hand outstretched holding a black iron heart. Tywin had a special place in his favourites for this ship.
Finally, and most new to the sea was the untested Windshear. Slightly smaller than her companions the ship had three masts still but less bulk, she was the fastest of the trio or at least was meant to be. She could be crewed in a pinch by as few as three trained men, or at full capacity as many as forty. Her sails had been stained red and gold, the crispness of them audible even as the wind caught them in the slipway. Her figurehead was a series of rolling waves. Tywin prayed she would hold up on the open ocean.
Gerold Lannister knew his ships after years of listening to dockmasters and shipyard wardens. That was why the trade cog Castle Rock had been sent with a contingent of fifty men in each of her five escorts. None of them were as well trained as the crew going West, but Tywin had taken much the same measure here. Already he had sent about finding naval men who had already done at least two ventures to the open water against the ironborn. Greenhands would be limited for this voyage.
As he inspected the shipyards and each of the three ships one at a time, he made notes and gave instructions. He took advice from the foremen and gave insights where he could from his time aboard Ibben whalers, and Essosi galleys. By the time the sun was setting on the yards, the ironwood was being used in three core areas. Enhanced structural reinforcements for the three masts on each to stop them cracking in Sunset Sea storms; barding around the prow of each ship to allow them to ram if necessary, and extra hatching to the sides and underside in case they struck a reef or whale. No amount of additional protection would make any of them unsinkable but they would be the most terrifying ships on the open ocean if they encountered something unfriendly such as a giant squid.
When he was finished, as sweat had beaded down his brow from all the walking, and his jerkin was stained from helping with the upgrades himself, Tywin made his way back to the Lion’s hearth to write letters. What interest they had found was not enough and there were ravens still needed. Most importantly was to his old friends the Iron Legion. With a tired sigh he pulled off his shirt and sat at his desk, his scars free for any to see though he wasn’t expecting any visitors. He plucked his quill and ermine ink and got his tired hands to yet more, but different, work.