This’ll be a rather mundane vent on a non-dramatic breakup. I’m posting this as a method of self reflection to help cope.
I (40sM) dated her (40sF) for about six months exclusively, and I suppose this is around the time most relationships either progress or fizzle. Truth be told, I haven’t been thrilled with the relationship for the last few months, so this is likely a blessing in disguise. Still, it hurts.
We met on Bumble, she reached out first, and we had a six hour date the next day. We had a lot of differences - I have no kids (she’s a single mom of 2), I’m into fitness/martial arts (she walks and gardens), I’m a nerd/gamereadetech geek (she’s not any of those things). But we were both introverts, and we laughed a lot together. Since that first date, we were exclusive and spent a lot of time together. I loved her wit, she loved animals, and things seemed really fun at first.
The struggles began early. Even though I appear rather “masculine” (muscly, tattooed, ex Marine)…I’m actually quite sensitive. If you’re into MBTI, I’m an INFJ - A. She is quite clear in telling people that she’s insensitive, doesn’t have time for feelings, and can’t process her own. This should’ve been the first red flag where I cut and run. But I didn’t. I figured we’d talk through any issues that came up. I’ve been through therapy, have read self improvement/relationship counseling books, and I’ve done a lot of self work. She was very clear about the importance of stating issues and concerns clearly, and I like that.
Our relationship followed that standard, typical template of mismatched temperaments - things were great until a conflict. She’d do something insensitive, I’d get hurt, I’d try to talk it out, and she’d get explosively, angrily defensive - and completely unaware (or uncaring) of how that’d impact me. Sometimes it’d happen right away, other times we’d appear to have a calm discussion…only for me to get lashed out at the next day after she’d had time to think. She was blindly focused on being “right”, instead of understanding or compromise. Another red flag.
I wasn’t blameless - I can be overly sensitive, as she liked to tell me, and I enjoy semi frequent communication in between visits. We’d see each other on the weekends, and I wanted to stay connected during the week with texts. She felt put off by that, and would go a day or so without responding. When I brought it up, she’d get angry and say “I just don’t miss you that much during the week - I’m independent and I don’t need consistent communication”. Again, another clear sign of incompatibility. I need to pay attention to these things.
She felt smothered, I felt disconnected. So I pulled back, texted less, and kept my feelings to myself. I supported her through some big changes, and kept quiet about my own wants. Things went GREAT when I did that, as you can imagine. I tried to just focus on enjoying our time together, while pulling myself back when apart. I thought it might be good for me.
I should mention the dynamic of our relationship at this point. It was sorta…one-sided. She left the “honeymoon period” quicker than I did, and I became the driver for things. I also paid for most dates, cooked meals for her, drove her around (because she drove her kids all week)…she enjoyed me “taking care of her”. She introduced me to her friends (at her request), I’d help her with gardening and home projects, and I even helped her with work problems. Our conversations were primarily her venting and complaining. We live apart, and we spent weekends at her place because it’s bigger, has her dog, and it’s more private. My place is smaller, I have cats, and a roommate. I didn’t mind this arrangement - I enjoyed her company, she was affectionate, and we laughed a lot.
She never showed much of an interest in my things, to the point of “yeah, I hate gaming/am not a readethat’s kid stuff”. We did binge GoT, which I appreciated. She never expressed interest in my friends, who are also nerdy gamer friends. She’d offer to meet them if I wanted, but I never pushed it because she didn’t seem enthusiastic. I figured if she wanted to meet my friends, or stay at my place, she’d ask. Because she was always clear about “just say what you want”.
I’m sad, so I’m painting a one-sided picture here. I should note the fun times we had. We went to Vegas for a weekend, did E, and had a great time. I took her house sitting to my family’s beautiful coastal home, and we visited some of my childhood haunts and botanical gardens (she’s a plant fanatic). We took the train to a beach town, and spent a long weekend smoking pot and eating. We hiked, we took a lot of walks, we’d get stoned and watch laser shows. We’d wear pajamas, smoke pot, and binge tv while cooking stupid food.
She also has a lot of lovely characteristics. She’s hilarious and witty, she’s really intelligent about her hobbies/work, she’s very devoted to her friends and family, and she’s beautiful. She’d be considerate in small ways - picking up things at the store, etc. She also had a really busy life - two teens, a full time job, and a tight social/family circle. I never distrusted her, never worried about cheating or any of that stuff. She wasn’t physically affectionate, but would try to be because it’s important to me. She’d compliment me and say nice things.
She wasn’t a bad partner, and neither was I. But months of me keeping quiet about my feelings, recognizing her waning enthusiasm, and feeling dissatisfied in the relationship came to a head this weekend. I had some weird, confusing feelings about feeling taken advantage of, or at least putting in more effort than her - I wanted to process it more, but she wanted to talk. We had, what I thought, was a calm and open discussion. I never said that I don’t appreciate her, and I thought I reassured her. It seemed fine, I left, texting was fine.
Next morning she called me and dumped me. She pointed out all the things she done “for me”, like introducing me to her friends (I never asked for that, and I was generally excluded/ignored at gatherings), including me in her gardening (I don’t care about gardening, I took an interest to connect with her), spending weekends together (I also spent MY weekends with her, at her place, because she was more comfortable there). She got quite mad at the idea of me paying for things and driving, stating “I’ve never paid for any of my meals on a date”. She claimed I never let her into my life, introduced her to my friends, etc. She felt unappreciated, and like I was going to keep score.
I was shocked at her anger. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and if all these things were on her mind…why didn’t she communicate them? Had she asked, i would’ve scheduled a friend meet that week! I would’ve told her not to bother introducing me to her friends if she viewed it as a “favor” to me. Hell, any grievance she communicated in the past was dealt with immediately and decisively by me…so she knows I don’t fuck around.
She said she was done, I didn’t want to end things in an ugly manner so I told her I loved her, she’s a beautiful person, and I hope she finds what she wants. I sent a final text apologizing for any hurt, and other kind things. She sent a LONG, dumping text basically shitting on me. I sent another kind “I’m sorry for any hurt I caused, you’re a wonderful person, I wish you well”. Then I blocked her.
It’s like a gut punch. I know I could’ve handled things better, and she definitely could’ve. It’s clear that she wanted a low maintenance partner, and I wanted a reciprocal equal partner. She needs to do some work on her temper and conflict issues, and I need to be more discerning and aware of red flags early.
Thank you for reading, it helps to write this all down.

My friend Sandra and I have known each other for over 20 years (we are 30-32). Sandra is getting married to Andres, and I am married to Ian.
Some relevant information:

• Andres and I originally come from the same country and even the same region. We share many characteristics.
• We both have very round faces, deep brown eyes, long straight black hair, etc. If you didn't know better, you might assume we are siblings.
• I met Andres six years ago and introduced him to Sandra. He proposed two years ago.
• I own a beautiful property in my home country that I was ready to lend to Sandra and Andres for their wedding.
• My property is like a finca and has 10 rooms. Usually, I would rent it out for weddings at a somewhat high price, but I was happy to give it to them at no cost, with the condition that they hire their own catering and have their guests strip their beds when they leave.

The issue:
Three months ago, Sandra became more reclusive. She wouldn't answer my texts, and we didn't meet up. Two weeks ago, she appeared at my door with Andres. They sat us down (my husband included) and said she suspected that my daughter is actually Andres' biological daughter and requested a paternity test for peace of mind.
I was so shocked that I couldn't say anything. My husband lost his temper and raised his voice, telling Sandra that she was being absolutely stupid.
Sandra pointed out that my daughter looks like Andres. I explained that Andres and I look alike. She kept shaking her head, saying my daughter would look more like my husband and not like my exact copy.
The evening ended poorly. I agreed to the test if they paid for it. The results came back last Friday, showing that Andres was not the father. We also did a test confirming that my husband is the father.
Sandra cried and tried to hug me. I told her I didn't want to and that I didn't want to be friends with her for the time being. She kept saying her worries were justified and made a comment about "women from your country being more likely to do that."
In that moment, I was filled with anger. I told her she could forget about using the venue and that I didn't want her in my life anymore. She started crying, but I made her leave.
Her mom and she have been texting me, saying they can't find a new venue. I still said no.
Twenty minutes ago, Sandra called me sobbing, saying that the wedding is off because of me.
Am I the asshole? Should I have let her use the venue at the usual price, or was what I did okay?
Original link: https://www.reddit.com/AITAH/s/SdlTfo4xSz

My friend Sandra and I have known each other for over 20 years (we are 30-32). Sandra is getting married to Andres, and I am married to Ian.
Some relevant information:

• Andres and I originally come from the same country and even the same region. We share many characteristics.
• We both have very round faces, deep brown eyes, long straight black hair, etc. If you didn't know better, you might assume we are siblings.
• I met Andres six years ago and introduced him to Sandra. He proposed two years ago.
• I own a beautiful property in my home country that I was ready to lend to Sandra and Andres for their wedding.
• My property is like a finca and has 10 rooms. Usually, I would rent it out for weddings at a somewhat high price, but I was happy to give it to them at no cost, with the condition that they hire their own catering and have their guests strip their beds when they leave.

The issue:
Three months ago, Sandra became more reclusive. She wouldn't answer my texts, and we didn't meet up. Two weeks ago, she appeared at my door with Andres. They sat us down (my husband included) and said she suspected that my daughter is actually Andres' biological daughter and requested a paternity test for peace of mind.
I was so shocked that I couldn't say anything. My husband lost his temper and raised his voice, telling Sandra that she was being absolutely stupid.
Sandra pointed out that my daughter looks like Andres. I explained that Andres and I look alike. She kept shaking her head, saying my daughter would look more like my husband and not like my exact copy.
The evening ended poorly. I agreed to the test if they paid for it. The results came back last Friday, showing that Andres was not the father. We also did a test confirming that my husband is the father.
Sandra cried and tried to hug me. I told her I didn't want to and that I didn't want to be friends with her for the time being. She kept saying her worries were justified and made a comment about "women from your country being more likely to do that."
In that moment, I was filled with anger. I told her she could forget about using the venue and that I didn't want her in my life anymore. She started crying, but I made her leave.
Her mom and she have been texting me, saying they can't find a new venue. I still said no.
Twenty minutes ago, Sandra called me sobbing, saying that the wedding is off because of me.
Am I the asshole? Should I have let her use the venue at the usual price, or was what I did okay?
Edit: Andres was not chill about this. He seemed exasperated. He was quite upset and basically just agreed to this, so she would drop it. I didn't include it because I did not see the relevance for the conflict between me and Sandra

This is for Vedic astrology and so follows Vedic rules for considering conjunctions, which states they are formed when two or more planets occupy the same house and sign. Conjunction effects are made stronger with proximity, but they are still considered to apply even if there are 28° in the same house and sign.
The planets have natural friendship and Panchda friendship. If planets coming together are friends, their characteristic properties join. When they are neutral or enemies, a conjunction tends to weaken one of the planets involved, with stronger planet's characteristics prevailing but to a lesser extent cancelling each other out. Similarly, the natural significations of planets may or may not coincide or clash. If they do coincide, results will be better. But if opposing each other, then it will reduce the significations of the planets. If the planets belong to the same nature i.e. fiery, earthy, airy, or watery, hot or cold, fast or slow, it may increase their combined results. The opposite effect will occur when they contrast one another’s nature.
Here are some of the things conjunctions may indicate. I am only going to include those of the Sun and Moon to save time. An important thing to remember is that the time of fructification for a conjunction will align with major and minor planetary periods (dasas).
Sun and Moon— Both are friends, but Sun is hot & fiery representing the soul, while the Moon is cool & watery representing Mana (mind) and becomes weak in Paksh-bala when close to Sun. They give good results when placed in Trikone/ 10th house / Aries, Cancer or Leo sign. This conjunction is said to make the native valorous, haughty, skilled in works of stone, machinery & tools, sale of intoxicants/ poisons, wanderer, harsh, wicked, immodest, libidinous, easily submitting to females, and suffering from eye diseases. If otherwise influenced by benefics, the native may also become a great philosopher or saint. This conjunction promotes general strength of character and usefulness at home & abroad. It is good for all social and benevolent acts, gives humanitarian impulses and conduces to popularity and general success. That said, the effects of weak Moon will be prevalent.
Sun and Mars— Both are friends, fiery, hot, bilious, aggressive, and cruel Grahas. This conjunction is said to make a native strong, energetic, bold, clever, liked by rulers, brave in combat but prone to injury, a tormentor of enemies, impulsive, hasty, short tempered, obstinate, a liar, quarrelsome, sinful, bereft of home and family comforts, but loves siblings. One suffers due to defects in blood or digestion. But if this conjunction is aspected by Jupiter, the will power and desire of the native will be harmoniously realized. Such natives tend to be employed in police or armed forces, and this combination makes a capable surgeon or engineer as well. It makes one splendorous, strong, valorous, very emotional, and foolish. In female charts, in Trikone houses, it gives abortions & miscarriages. This combination is destructive and not preferable in Kendra/ Trikone houses, unless with benefic influences. I t gives best results in lagna, 10th or 11th house. In 10th house, it is extra strong, since both gets directional strength here; it makes one dictatorial towards subordinates.
Sun and Mercury— This combination is very common as Mercury is never more than 28 degrees away from Sun in any chart. But when closely conjunct together, they form Buddhaditya Yoga, making one learned, intelligent, virtuous, skilled in various arts, an eloquent orator, honorable, and popular. The native is sweet tongued, talkative, clever, earns wealth by serving others, scholarly, good in looks, but fickle minded. This yoga is more effective in signs or lagna of Sun/ Mercury. It gives better results if Mercury is behind Sun within three degrees or so; when it gives high power & capacity for concentration and can make one wealthy. It gives good results in Kendra/Trikone houses except for 7th. It is good in 2nd and 11th houses.
Sun and Jupiter— Both planets are friendly, fiery, Satwik, and male. The conjunction makes one virtuous, able to gain from friends, possibly wealthy, wise, intelligent, widely renowned, spiritual, a good teacher, knowledgeable of scripture, a follower of religious pursuits, possibly a banker or physician, and skilled in various activities relating to Jupiter and Sun. The native is always sincere, devoted to duty, wise, diplomatic, healthy, long-lived, servile, and helpful to others even at the cost of themselves. In 4th or 9th house, it can make one a legal expert. If Jupiter is combust or otherwise badly afflicted, in case of males, there would be loss in wealth and in happiness from progeny; and in case of females, there could be delay in marriage or marital problems.
Sun and Venus— The two are inimical to each other. Sun is fiery, Satwik, and Krror male, representing the soul. Venus is airy and watery, Rajshi, benefic, and female, representing sensual pleasures. The two together affect eyes and eyesight. This conjunction is said to make the native skilled in archery/weaponry, music, acting & fine arts, affectionate, popular, polite, indulgent in vehiciles, property, and ornaments, and they earn through opposite sex. It can make one an optician (in 6th/ 8th house) and well known (in 5th, 8th, or 10th house). The native is said to be libidinous, lacking stable marital life (particularly in 5th, 7th or 9th house), possessing limited progeny, addicted to vices (especially in Cance Scorpio), highly sexed (especially within 3 degrees). The combination is generally better when Venus is ahead of Sun and not combust. It is worse in moveable signs.
Sun and Saturn— The two are bitter enemies and hostile to each other. Saturn is quite different from Sun, being airy, Tamasik, malefic, gender neutral, and eunuch. Sun represents vitality and soul and Saturn lethargy and miseries. Both are separatist planets and lead to salvation though. Some say they may represent father-son or boss-subordinate relationship. A native with such a conjunction is generally said to be virtuous, intelligent, mindful of their duties, mature in behaviour, learned, and follows tradition being self made. They get inheritance, but generally squander away ancestral property. They have a bitter family life, dominating enemies, an anguished mind, and this adversely affects cordiality with father or senior authorities. They are popular among poor; labourous, and downtrodden. It gives poor results in Kendra or Trikone houses, indicates gain from Sun's articles but loss from Saturn's articles and not favourable for ladies of one’s family. One does not get comfort of wife/ children and leads a secluded life with this placement unless mitigating factors are at play.
Moon and Mars— Moon is watery, Satwik, cool, and female, representing wavering mind and mother; but Mars is fiery, Tamsik, hot tempered, and male, representing valour; martial talents, and younger siblings. Both belong to the same friendly group and control formation & circulation of blood. Such a native with this conjunction is generally clever, shrewd, highly emotional, erratic, less controlled, over-active, courageous, short tempered, adamant, and ambitious. They can be wealthy (Chandra-Mangal yoga), deal with women heavily. They are skilled in work related to wines, earthen pottery, leather, handicrafts, minerals, and consulting. If afflicted, one suffers from low vitality, blood disorders, and can be hostile to nurturers & maternal relations.
Moon and Mercury— Both are natural benefics, but Mercury is different as it is earthy, Rajshik, and a eunuch planet. If Moon is divine mother, the Mercury is divine prince, who is not happy with his mother. This conjunction gives an active mind, highly developed intellect, a retentive memory, good general knowledge and common sense, sound expression, quick wit, and diverse merits. It makes one beautiful, can be wealthy, amiable and attached to one's spouse, humorous, soft spoken, modest, fortunate, famous, a successful scholar, and an eloquent speaker. Interestingly, it gives good results even in 3rd, 6th, 9th, or 12th houses. If afflicted by Mars/ Saturn, it causes Pisach Yoga and makes native scornful, hypersensitive, erratic, and a complex ridden person with a feeling of guilt, insecurity, and suspicion.
Moon and Jupiter— Both are friendly, benefic and Satwik, but Jupiter is fiery, wise, and male. The conjunction highlights good qualities of both and Jupiter does not allow Moon to waver or do any wrong. It makes native devoted to god, healthy, happy, distinguished, contended, good natured, optimistic, mentally benevolent, attached to their duties, engaged in virtuous deeds, helpful to others, sympathetic, broad minded, warm hearted, and very intelligent. It gives very good results in Kendra/ Trikone houses. In 10th house, it gives good positive kind of management skill and consultancy work. Together they form famous Gajkesari Yoga. However, if afflicted, it makes one harsh, lethargic, critical of others, fickle minded, and wasteful.
Moon and Venus— Both planets are natural benefic and females, and Moon is great facilitator of main significations of Venus i.e. marriage & pleasure. But Venus is airy/watery and Rajsik. The native is wise, good looking, popular, adept in music, fine arts, tailoring, weaving, & mandarin trading of clothes, clever in buying & selling, fond of flowers & perfumes, refined with cool mind, lover of beauty, associated with and gets comfort & wealth from women. One has more daughters than sons and earns from sea travel. If in close conjunction, it is detrimental to married life. If afflicted, one is lazy, sinful, quarrelsome, addicted to vices, and may have death in water or through violence. In 6th or 9th house, it gives ailments in belly but in 12th it gives wealth from foreign sources.
Moon and Saturn— This is a great mismatch and the two are inimical to each other. Moon is watery, Satwik, female, and the fastest moving natural benefic; but Saturn is airy, Tamasik, eunuch, and the slowest moving natural malefic. Native may be born to a widow, remarried,spouse may be sickly or elder. They are said to be bereft of grace, self esteem, virtue, wealth and valour, having less progeny, worried, peevish, gloomy, hard working, and gets little happiness or nurture from mother. However, if it is aspected by Jupiter, several of its shortcomings get “cancelled.”

--⧼ BEGIN Broadcast Message ⧽--
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Priority Level: Urgent
:: From ::
Center Arm of the Emperor, Planet Laran
:: To ::
All Survivors of Fellow Royal Cast Broods
:: Message ::
The Emperor has graciously permitted the use of his Excellency's summer home on Planet Laran, located in the Empire's Center Arm, as a temporary refuge during the unprecedented violent Terran offences against His Holiness and the holiness of the Omni-brood of Ix.
:: Attachments ::
Coordinates and Flight Key
:: Royal Cryptographic Signature ::
Lord La'Ix, The Emperor's Right-Center Arm
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
--⧼ END Broadcast Message ⧽--

earlier

"CURSE THEM! The great houses are going to have my bloody head for this! There is no way this should've happened and under my command too! The Golden Emperor's own exotic holiday world has gone to ash and the only one to blame is going to be me. Well it was basically my watch anyways. Curse. Them. All"
Those were the only legible sounds one could hear among the frantic stamping of one particular Ixian lord as he hurried away through the underbrush of the royal reserve just outside the centre palace. The same Ixian lord that, only hours earlier, was delighting in his typical cooked boar while enjoying his evening's entertainment of a young Terran girl running for her life from a loose Laran tiger. Something about the way those bipeds run always makes him laugh. Some similarly caste Ixian would call this form of entertainment childish, lowbrow, and immature. He would tend to agree. But sometimes he just wanted cheap slapstick humour. The day to day life of the royal caste tends to get dull with all the fine arts an Ixian of his caste is meant to enjoy.
"How did it all go to shit!?! I was always attentive, and there hasn't been an uprising since those terrans were tamed for the palace. I mean we mostly neuter the problematic ones anyways, so why all the sudden aggression?", he shouted in agitation at the emptiness in front of him.
Speeding through the royal garden which in actuality is a repurposed Savannah of the island the palace is on. The Ixian was a beast of speed. Perfectly honed and trained over decades, and genetically maintained over eons, he always proudly held that he was the fasted in his brood of 16. Making a name for himself among the other broodkin for being the most genetically suited for the rank of high general (not that there was any need for generals, there hasn't been need for war in so long). Of course the Ixians always pride themselves in having no excess potential, and adapting your environment to suit your biology, but it never hurts to have perfect biology. That's the true pride of an Ixian.
That innate need to change the universe rather than changing themselves is what led to their vast interstellar empire. One that reached from constellation to constellation and then eventually to the arms of entire galaxies, terraforming worlds to the same environment they were already adapted to. Since forcing nature into one's bidding was the most sacred duty of any that shared a lick of Ix biology.
Which was why the Ix was confident in themselves. This Ixian in particular surely felt surprised, but mainly he was only moderately upset at the sudden change of situation, from being comfortable in the royal dining hall to sudden exercise.
"Everything can be changed back. Everything can be changed back." It repeated the mantra to itself. As it began to relax and turn its snarled sharp mouth into a toothy grin.
"Yes, there is nothing to worry about at all. Then let's make a game plan. Just need to make it to the space port at the harbour. Grab a ride out and find someone else to take the fall. That old royal butler is as ancient as the dirt of the broodworld. Hell, he probably was there when it vanished in the shadow of the holy empire's long past." chuckling to himself at the quite witty remark, but saddened that no one else was there to hear it.
Should be realistic enough for the others to believe. But first things first, I need to reach the harbour-master. It thought while its dense muscles powered the beastly lizard-like form on its journey, as it bound in the direction of its destination at top speed on all fours.
The blood red sun was already kissing the horizon by the time the Ixian went to nearly collapse under exhaustion of the extended sprint. He hasn't ran this far and fast than when he a young broodling that won competitions and competitions in the royal sports. I think I might have overdid it. He thought while massaging the oncoming threat of a sneaky cramp in his hind leg.
The Ixian were well known for speed. But their stamina was another thing. There bodies simply didn't have the evolved features for long distance travel. There was never truly any need in the past, as their very steady and controlled climate and sparsely diverse ecosystem on Ix never truly required much challenge.
It turned its panting head to face the way it came, gazing proudly at the great distance it made in such a short while.
But something was off by that view. Something different to what he was expecting. The view itself was mostly fine. Well, as fine as a smoking mark in the distance, presumably from the summer palace being engulfed in flame and spitting great plumes of black smoke. But no, something about this view chilled him to this spine. Craning his neck from his vantage point he could swear there was a small speck in the distance.
What on great Ix is that?
All of a sudden realisation hit like a rock on a peaceful pond. Something was following him. Something unknown and cold was making its way to his location. He was certain it wasn't any of his guards, all guards permitted to serve under the royal summer home were Ixian of course. Physically bred for their strength and speed, and placed into roles of importance like protecting the higher caste such as himself. (Whereas this day being the only exception). It did look like he was the only Ixian that actually made it out of the palace so far. Ixians are able to cover short distances in phenomenal speed, akin to a scaly 4 legged beast of the hunt.
No this was something else.
Feeling a very small panic build up inside, but veiling that cold, unwanted terror as impatience at how far he still needs to travel yet. Lord La'Ix flexed his anterior legs and sped on leaving behind a red-yellow cloud of dust in his wake.
He frowned. Feeling strange at a never before felt sensation. Like something in the back of his perfectly designed brain was screaming a silent, but terrifyingly familiar warning.
"Ix itself is an ancient world. Temperate in climate, while abundant in vegetation and small game. It is unknown how the Ixian was formed on paradise.
The old priest can drum into your heads that I'Ix made us into being by indenting his form in the sand of the first beach and filling the shape with his life. Moulding us into being.
The heretic would counter and say we evolved from a previous species akin to ourselves over the course of untold lengths of time.
The philosopher would suggest that only on paradise would the sentient universe fill in the space for the perfect beings to enjoy the fruits of existence.
Lastly, even the lowest caste Ixian would point and laugh at the rest and say 'why talk about antiquity, when we can make more paradise to fill the heavens'."
-A popular Ixian parable
Lord La'Ix bolted up all of a sudden from his resting spot. Heart suddenly beating frantically. The stars had barely enough time to shift positions when last rested his weary body, only a couple hours must have passed since dusk fell and the world plunged into night.
The silence of the Savannah made sound from afar travel better. Aside from the quiet rustling of the wind he wasn't so sure what he heard. Assuming his bored ears were playing tricks on him.
Calming down, curling up on the flat cool rock he found he started to drift to the shadowless lands where all Ixian go when they dream...
Drums, no, not drums. Some sort of mechanical tool? Not that I ever heard of a tool that just beat the ground senseless. A strange beating sound could be heard, pounding into the ground. As he stayed frozen and very awake, he could have sworn it was getting louder. Closer.
CRACK. SNAP. CRACK.
Suddenly the entire valley echoed the sounds of a few broken sticks.
La'Ix jumped up, whirling around, and came to face something approaching fast that could only be described as a cold predator, not that there were any predators on the homeworld's recorded history. But every cell in his aching body reacted the same. DANGER, DANGER, RUN, RUN.
The silver light of the planet's 3 moons barely lit the valley but what that light bounced off of was a figure in motion. Front Legs pumping up and down, nostrils flaring, eyes too close together, and pupils so large it was like staring at darkness itself.
Hold on there are only 2 legs right? Sudden familiarity hit him hard, memories of last night's entertainment stained his mind. In the name of Ix is that a Terran?!?
La'Ix didn't realise it then, but it was looking at a Terran, despite the Terrans characteristics looking different to the standard slave he was used to seeing. The pumping body of the runner was made for such long distances. Sweat acting as a cooling mechanism, making the man glisten in the harsh moonlight, the enlarged nostrils taking in all the air the body needs for this type of strenuous activity. And the enlarged pupils, made for adjusting to low light environments.
Down on the plains of the Savannah were two creatures. One a perfect evolutionary miracle, practically evolution's first try gone right, Perfectly made for its environment and was never truly exposed to varying climates and environments. And the other, having crawled through the primordial ooze, and struggled and fought its way through dangers, diseases, and competition on its own horrifying world. Where deadly heat in deserts can dry out any living thing, and such freezing poles that can turn anything that enters it in pure ice.
The man's lean and sweat-slicken form was steadily making its way towards the frozen statue of La'Ix. Just as he got within 50 paces did La'Ix sprint away scattering pebbles in its path the echoes of which bounced back from the valley's sharp walls. Undeterred, the chaser kept steadily running. Jaws grit. Eyes locked on afar.
And afar was its prey. Sprinting away.
HOW IN IX'S NAME DID THAT THING KNOW WHERE I AM? The La'Ix in a fit of sudden excitement mixed with a heavy dose of panic, began its high octane sprint from the sudden looming threat of being found. Hind Legs propelling the creature's body forward, while its front arms, which were historically also for four legged locomotion, pulled the terrain closer with each stride. Increasing its momentum until it reached max speed.
"Broodling La'Ix!" said a stern but educated voice.
"Huh? Oh! Yessir!" a young Ix jumped to attention still thinking about more enjoyable things specifically outside of the classroom walls.
"Well? Can you please answer my question or will you make your other broodkin wait until Ix falls to ash first", the tutor said expectantly, prompting several muffles giggles in the room.
"Sorry sir. What makes the Ixian race its place in eternity is the attention we put in perfection. After our home-world of Ix's climate and terrain began to change, the leaders from antiquity decreed we carry on the spirit of the home-world in maintaining a consistent biological and genetic profile that will always be suited to Ix's surface. As we change worlds to be more like Ix, we can spread the spirit of Ix to them. As such, Change is- uh, change is..."
"Change is the poison of perfection, Remaining unchanged for Ix enable us to carry its spirit to other planets in the heavens", continued the tutor. "Well you certainly paid some attention to today's lesson at the very least. But remember that final part. It's the last of the core tenants you will need to remember."
"Yessir!"
A good half night passed on the surface of the Savanna. Where a previously noble and alert Ixian who took great care in appearances and status was no longer to be seen. Instead of that proud domineering alien representative of ix was a dishevelled, dusty, ragged creature, dehydrated, hungry, and exhausted from the various sprints it forced itself to endure to stay ahead of fate's ever closing hand.
Is this the sword of Damocles that was mentioned in the ancient Terran records? Always hanging down on those who hold power and seek more? Fate's sharp blade? But why me? I was never in any real power. All I wanted out of this life was a comfortable posting with no dirt and grime from the lower worlds. Why me? Why now? Why do I-
La'Ix snapped himself out of a daze. Is he here- No, no I should be far far away from that Terran now. Maybe I can find some-
A dim glow interrupted its train of thought. Much too early to be the Sunrise on the Emperor's summer planet, and much to low to be the light from one of it's 2 moons. It was a light from a town.
"That's right!" The Ixian barely managed to rasp in between haggard breaths. Its body barely able to continue the amount of self inflicted abuse it has suddenly been put in.
A lot more hunched over than the Ixian was earlier. It made its way towards a small town it knew was in between the palace and the harbour. The emperor loved his royal rustic towns and villages. It is said that his royal emperor would sometimes tour around them marvelling at the romantic theme of a simple rustic life. Although getting a personal town full of Ixians required a lot of lower caste be forced into long and expensive work contracts as background entertainers for the king's planet, all this excessive show of wealth was partially for peackocking the emperor's reputation, and partially for his own personal enjoyment. The Emperor is almost culturally required to flaunt his royal wealth in all forms in order to keep connections with all the royal houses. An emperor that doesn't shower their supporting aides and houses with grand gifts is fated to eventually be found cold on the floor of the royal banquet due to 'suicide from accidentally ingesting poison', as was the previous emperor.
To avoid such an unfortunate passing, the Higher Royals would trade vast resources, delicacies, and even exotic slaves to court 'royal favours'. Slaves of the Terran variety especially are considered to be the most unique of gifts the empire has ever acquired.
Terrans weren't necessarily large and bulky. Fighters were assigned to the Slave Obniraks. Powerful creatures used to fill the fields on tougher worlds where mechanical services would be deemed to expensive. The growth of a Obnirak into full working adulthood is only a few cycles. Meaning mass producing a workforce is quite an easy feat.
Terrans instead would take vast cycles to mature from a childling to an average adult. Meaning growing a slave force would take vast quantities of resources, immense patience, and strict guidance from their owners as to not create faulty creatures. All of which increases the general standing on any house that manages to keep a vast amount of Terran slaves in the best quality.
Terrans weren't necessarily docile and obedient. That role was perhaps given to the oldest slave race the Ix ever controlled. The Iralisa. It was known that they were made remarkably docile due to generations upon generations of select breeding, and pruning off the 'aggressive traits' from the gene pool. However, that led to the adverse effect of physically weakening them to a point where such docility and lack of a frame to keep up with their workload led to a general lack of Ixian interest and were subsequently purified.
Terrans are notoriously independent and herd-minded in larger quantities. Similar to growing a very stubborn Terulian Rose Vine. Which only looks impressive when great care have been given. Terrans need to be given an illusion of being ever so slightly free. Which typically involves owning vast amounts of land and nature to let them roam and graze. Of course, the only ones that can accommodate grand work forces of Terrans are the larger houses with the appropriate territory for humans, as is studied in the Ixian art of Servitude.
One can only guess which species is the Emperor's favourite.
The following town should indeed have both, low caste Ixians, and possibly none of the Emperor's favourite slaves.
The Ixian approached the glowing town. As it reached closer it straightened its back, upright on its hindlegs in the royal fashion. And proclaimed. "It is I! La'Ix, royal courtier. Lend me aid imme-"
Something is off. Not a single shadow in the town, I can see lights but no movement, where is every-
After turning the corner to the center of the small town, the dustied and weary creature froze in its tracks when it saw it. A pit nearly as wide as an Ixian land cruiser and who knows how deep filled with a stench so powerful it watered his eyes. Despite the Ixian's lack of a proper sense of smell. It knew the foul fetor of death.
The crudely dug pit was nearly overflowing when he approached it. Large, smoking, smouldering pyres cast that eerie light that had drawn him in.
"H-how? Wha-What the..." he trailed off when a local species of Laran boar growled and squealed as it tore a dead Ixian limb from the mountain of corpses.
"Who could've..."
He stopped. The shock of seeing his own kind laid like broken dolls in a bleeding pit slowly faded, replaced by a numbness. The Ixian had just noticed they were of Ix. Only of Ix.
Not a single terran colour was visible in the black and spotted pit of bodies. Not a single slave body was visible.
I-Impossible...
His legs gave way, either from the strain of the entire nights run, the horror facing him, or the threat from behind. He just dropped.
Minutes passed, or hours. It was hard to tell. But the Ixian lay slumped. Body unwilling to move further. Battered flesh unwilling to be propelled by a shattered spirit.
Mind slowly spinning up again. Thoughts began whirring to life in its mind. Could the rumours actually have been true? It had read the sparse reports of odd activity from certain Ixian-controlled worlds on the outer arms of the empire. Small uprisings of unknown origin. Hardly anything of note. If it had no affect on the greater houses then it was of no real concern to Ix and its emperor.
Could this threat have made its way to the centre arm already? Impossible. But what else could have done this to us?
Something caught the Ixian's eyes. In the middle of the pit it stood. A large stake, wet with deep Ixian crimson, dripping ever so slowly. Towering over the pit like a battlefield flag was a head of an Ixian rammed onto the tip of the spike. But the particular detail that caught the Ixian's eyes was a symbol cut into the flesh of the large forehead.
Looking from the outward-in. Eight concentric rings, which proceeded to get smaller and smaller in size until it reached a dark mass at the centre of the symbol. The Ixian never forgot the symbol and the affect it had on it.
Eight concentric rings, and a centre mass. Eight rings, and a mass. Eight- Eight what? Eight planets? And a star? ...
A growing pool of cold dread rose in its guts that made it shiver despite the fair night. This dread reflected the sharp reality on its frigid surface.
This Ixian was well-bred, well-trained, and well-educated. Although anyone with a basic education would know of such a pattern.
Terra and her sisters. THEIR star system...
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
It's not possible!-
Knowing what that sound meant, the Ixian tried to whirl around, its body barely being able to heed its masters commands. Just when it was starting to move again it felt it.
Sudden sharp agony. Sudden sharp, raging agony. The Ixian looked at it's hind leg. A sharpened wooden stake was jutting out of it.
It loud out a tight lipped scream, as it grasped the pulsating wound as one does immediately after an injury. It barely had enough time to look up at its attacker when the Terran bolted forward, shortening the distance between hunter and prey from metres to mere paces. The Ixian barely had enough time to block the hand grasping the knife as the arm flew forward at the last minute with a crash.
What phenomenal force!
Using the momentum from that sprint plus the wind up of his arm. The Terran was able to impart a phenomal show of force for a creature its size. That's when La'Ix for the first time saw a human in its raw unchanged form. Great beads of sweat collecting dust on its brow, to prevent it from entering the eyes. The constant release of sweat from the countless pores on its soft fleshy skin. Constant cooling? Even the visible veins and capillaries visible from the fire light.
What a beast of endurance-
Suddenly the horizon fell before the Ixian only to reveal the inky black sky dotted with pigments from stars like a painters masterpiece. When did I look up? Then a crash and blunt force from the ground.
The Ixian had been toppled over by that ferocious exchange of force.
Barely able to get up due to the wind being knocked out of its single large lung, the searing pain in its hind leg, and the exhaustion from the chase. It was too late. The terran was already on top of it. Taking up the entire view of the sky as the terran stepped forward into its field of vision.
The sudden perspective change made a once small and frail looking slave look grander than life, grander than all the legends told to Ixian broodlings.
The punches rained down. Repeatedly. A constant bombardment of beating rained like the drops of rain before the first dew. The previous pain in its leg forgotten, to invite a new visitor in the form of blunt force trauma. So ferocious were the raw blows to its carapace that the Ixian felt the exoskeleton crack under the increasing pressure and strain.
Something cracked, another thing snapped. The amount of pain too much to comprehend. The neurons firing in its second brain just assumed it was everywhere. Its half-working eye glimpsed the fist as it came down for the nth time. Red and split knuckles, revealing pure white bone beneath—a reinforced weapon. The perfect natural offence. All the muscles moved to propel it downwards where something else cracked and split.
Is this where I die?
As if understanding its fate the Ixian's form slumped over. Its body barely holding onto the natural exoskeleton shielding that covered its chest and facial area. Fluids leaking from the cracks that went too deep, and who knows how many internal ribs are shattered.
Its body, knowing that that more movement will cause more injuries, and further stimuli would confuse it further. It simply shut down.
The last moments it had as it fell backwards on its side. Was a small running figure. Hand clutching wooden spears. But the truly petrifying sight was behind it. A vast shadow flickering from the light of the lit pyres from the hunter in front of it. A shadow cast so large, jagged, and menacing it appeared to swallow the town whole.
And into a hole did the Ixian fall. A vacuum with no sensation or thought. Just darkness.
How... did we never notice such a... monster... in their... shadow...
All Ixians were taught about 'violence' and 'conflict' at an early age. As a sort of rite of passage that any of them would go through as they survive their early broodling days. As Ix have no natural predators, they had begun to instil a serving of some necessary conflict to keep their generations fresh and somewhat physically strong. As a precaution, only rudimentary forms of civil sports, races, shows of strength and courage were ever really explored. But always in a controlled and calm settings, as there would never be any true need for actual conflict.
As there was always a need to maintain ones own environment. The need never arose for the development of fighting techniques and schools of training. That was one of the best parts of being an Ix that many thought. Having supreme control over the worlds you inhabit means setting gravity, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperatures to the perfect levels for comfort replaced any need for biological change. Why grow when you can keep everything the same way, how you like it.
They were a vast empire. An empire of statues.
-Excerpt from the history of extra-solarian species, Author unknown
It awoke to a burning radiating heat from in front. The large sun was already starting to set on the horizon when it awoke. Had a whole day passed? Or two?
Trying to block the setting sun from its eyes it couldn't. "What?...", barely made out in a whisper.
I'm tied up.
And indeed the Ixian was right. Tied up next to a small brook, with a scorching fire in front of it. The monster nowhere to be seen.
"No good... it's too tight", it grunted in an attempt to escape its bindings.
Going slack in defeat it avoided any additional movement. Not having the energy to spare to move. It was lucky to have always been lazy at shedding its carapace - a frequent nag from its broodmother - might just have become its salvation in this case.
Thank Ix.
So there it stayed.
Hours passed. The Sun fully set and the stars awake in this dark world barely lit up the wildlands. Only the prisoner in this cone of firelight existed out here.
A rustling up ahead caught the prisoner's attention disturbing the eerily still silence of the Savannah night. And ungodly horror of a squeal ruptured the air invoking a deep visceral terror within the bound prisoner. Something. Something close but just outside the firelight was eyeing it, glinting from beyond the light. Those dark predatory eyes stabbed the prisoner with a sudden coldness. All while the squealing suddenly halted. SNAP. SQUELCH.
Now it came, emerging into the light. A beast. Holding a knife in one bloodied hand, dripping on the dirt. And dragging by the leg, a massive adult Laran boar grotesquely smearing thick blood still warm from the cut in the neck on the dirt.
The prisoner watched, barely moving, barely breathing. Frozen with the horror in front of it as the bloodied carcass was skinned; fur sliced away with harsh, scraping sounds with the crude knife. Spurting remaining blood all over the site.
The pink naked flesh then washed in the brook, leaving a distinct smell of oxidised blood in the air, before being skewered and roasted over the roaring flames. Fat popping violently in the heat.
In this gruesome display, the beast revealed not just a fate for the boar, but a dark hint of what might come. The realisation struck deep—this could be more than just a demonstration; it was a terrifying preview of its own potential end.
It passed out again.
Only to be awoken by the haunting echoes of a wild, desperate squeal that once thrummed through the savannah's eerie silence. Dare it open its eyes?
After a great heavy effort -utilizing its every last drop of courage- one eye cracked open. And what it saw. Made it regret ever having done so.
Right across from it, the hunter was a grotesque silhouette against the flickering fire. Grasping a severed boar leg was a mouth viciously biting, ripping, tearing into the flesh with primal ferocity. Each bite was deliberate, each tear of sinew was a clear, calculated demonstration of supreme savagery. Its jaw muscles bulged with the force of a bite.
All the while, the eyes—deep, abyssal pits—fixed intently on the prisoner. Deepest black pits stared back at it. Watching. Observing. Calculating, with a dark intelligence. it was calculating. It was relishing the terror it inspired and the control it exerted. Or planning its next meal.
The sounds of ripping flesh filled the thick, blood-soaked air. Deep into the night. Deep into this never-ending nightmare.
Never once did the prisoner move. Not an iota. Frozen in abject horror.
The night passed quietly. After the feast the human had, or the desecration of life that the prisoner saw, whichever way you look at it. The human nodded off to sleep. Content in the success of his mission. But the tied up creature had no such rest. Sending silent pleas to the stars that it might be saved. But not daring to make a sound, less it awaken that sleeping horror. Or was it sleeping? Dear Ix, it might be watching me. Feigning sleep to keep an eye on its meal. Dear Ix I'm next...
All through the night, the demons plagued its mind. Until the warmth of the morning rose, and with it the sound of an Ixian cruiser.
Elation could not be an understatement for the tired, tied, beat, and bruised thing. Craning its neck to the direction of the sound about to bellow out an Ixian warning to the demon resting next it.
"BE CAREFUL! THERE'S ONE HERE-". It stopped speaking. That previous elation it felt at a saviour arriving to rescue it from the demons grasp, fizzled out like a drop of water in a drought.
That all so familiar cold remained. And the dryness of despair. As pairs of dark pupils shot back at it.
On the cruiser were tall adult Terrans. Clean cut, well fed, well dressed Terrans. Four, no Six, no eight of them. All hanging onto the side of cruiser while it made its way to their location. Compared to the demon waking up beside it, these creatures were organised. A savageness neatly packaged in a uniform with a symbol. The prisoners eyes grew wide in its sunken sockets. 8 rings, and a centre mass. They must be the cause of, well all this.
Accepting fate, its head fell in part defiance, in part to avoid the stinging eyes of these others. It felt their gaze burn through—cold, cruel, calculating. There is nothing I can do any longer.
"You're finally here. What took you so long?" The runner said to his approaching comrades, "Took all night to catch up to him."
"Hey Jan, great work", the tall militant woman shot back. With a playful punch to his arm. "Guess all that cardio really paid off, didn't I tell you it would!" She let out a playful guffaw.
"Thanks Chel", replied Jan.
"Ok chop chop people, we're on a schedule. We need to reach the port ASAP remember? Come on Jan, rest up all you like, you're still on the clock."
"Aye sir." Jan shot back in a mock salute, gaining a sneer from the commandant, then a sneaky smile.
"Don't forget your trash. And make sure its breathing still."
It creaked open its eyes, seeing pairs of boots moving towards it and standing in front. In silence. Then all of a sudden, felt pairs and pairs of hands pull and tug. and lift it up The thing let out a pathetic silent sob. While it was loaded in the back of the cruiser, face up. Staring at eyes, piercing black dots peering back. It could never understand what was being felt by those eyes and those faces.
Ixians wear their emotions on their carapace; spots and stripes would slowly appear in certain parts, representing emotions and feeling that their bodies felt in a general sense. But the most private thoughts were of course, still kept private.
But this. This was just too foreign. The eyes never stopped. Even in the swaying movement of the cruiser the pupils never broke contact. Those eyes. As if it was peering into it, envelops your entire mind. There was no way to hide, even hiding in his inner self would do no good. Those eyes. Those predator eyes can find me anywhere I try to escape to. Inside and out.
Some times passes.
"You know. I lost good friends to the royal caste. Especially to this one's brood clan or whatever they like to call it." One of them was looking right at it when they said it. It turned its eyes over to the source. A short one, with a slave scar on the neck said it. A scar that shot through his memories. A scar inflicted to property owned by, his brood. This one is dangerous..., it thought.
Jan, and the others didn't look but felt it. The cold darkness in that tone made it clear what it intended to do.
The female militant, Chel, I think her name was. Slowly reached to the side arm on her holster. Sensing the oncoming problem.
"You still understand me don't you? I've had to watch good people die. Damn good people." The scarred one one stood, grabbing the upper rail of the cruiser to steady themselves. "I hear that even if you get ill, you become the entertainment for the night. What was it now?" She paused for a brief second. "Oh I remember".
"Stil" Chel said slowly. "Cool it". Hand still on the butt of the sidearm.
Not hearing or not wanting to reply. Stil continued. "Torn apart by those raptor pets. Hands or feet cut off as souvenirs for those fucked-up parties and those fucked-up guests. Oh yea, and the 'toy play' or whatever they call it. Can't have Ken and Barbie fight back now, can we?"
Stil leaned closer to the now cowering, shaking thing, "I wonder which one was your favourite." The words cut through La'Ix like an icicle. This was the first time these demons actually spoke to it directly. And it didn't like it. It could sense the venom from the words.
"Stil..." Chel slowly got up, hand still at the ready. "I said cool it." The line had a steely warning to it. Chel wouldn't risk the mission. Even if it meant doing what must be done.
Agonizing seconds passed. The cowering, shaking thing seemed to grow whiter and whiter by the second, It's spots clearly showing what it felt. Staring up, Not willing to move but being unable to hide. It felt the absolute crushing weight of the present. Grinding it down to a paste.
Everyone stayed still. The two militants didn't move. The rest didn't seem to even have paid attention to the converstation, still looked away.
Longer passed.
Stil smiled, "Oh come on Chel, you know I wouldn't do anything to our friend here? You know I was just playing around." Stil laughed. Chel didn't react.
Stil immediately crouched, faced the shaking prisoner inches apart eye to eye, and in a whisper said "Right friend?"
She wants me to reply? Dear Ix I can't even think with those eyes in front of me What do I do?! What do I say?!
"Right. Friend?" Stil repeated slower and colder. Like the blade of a surgeon hovering over skin, ready to plunge.
The gears of its Ixian brain grinded to a screeching halt. In utter desperation to find a reply it simply gave up. Instead, it felt a warmth slowly spread. Slowly spread between its hind legs. It had released its bladder.
"BAHAHAHAHA LOOK AT IT" Stil roared in laughter. The sound of it rattling the prisoners brain with the sound. Disorienting its senses. "NOW THAT'S CLASSIC TIMING IF I'VE EVER SEEN IT!" She plopped back down face red and still laughing.
The Ixian didn't know what to do but tremble and sob silently on the cold surface of the cruiser surrounded by laughter. and the warmth of its piss. It tried to plug its ears. But the sound still came. Laughter. Laughter. Laughter. Dear Ix, what are these demons... where are they taking me? To hell?...
The cruiser kept cruising. Towards the port across the island. Trailing laughter behind. Or to the sobbing wreck of a thing, demonic cackling.
The scent of familiarity wafted into the senses of the prisoner as the cruiser started to slow. The smell of the salt, the chirping of familiar aviaries. Sound of the crash of sea. The port.
Braving a sentence for the first time in for what seems eternity. It let out a question "...w..w..where ... why... are... ... we ...h... here?" It managed to say shakily, eyes downcast.
As if in response, a sharp shove greeted it from the back and a hard hit on the ground was as much of an answer it was getting.
"Move it", Jan said gruffly.
They walked. the ixian still bound but free to walk in the middle of the group of humans. Towards a destination still not known. The walk twisted, and turned, and twisted again. One thing struck out to the prisoner. It was too clean, especially for what it was expecting, it's last experience being in the previous blood-soaked town laden with bodies and carrion eaters.
The port town was completely silent, free from the regular hustle and bustle it usually had even when the emperor was not present. And superbly clean. Not a single piece of dirt to be seen. Not a single Ixian either. Where did everyone go? Did they make it out somehow when these invaders came?
In the background, the surf broke relentlessly.
Piercing eyes caught the prisoners glance, as it wandered curiously around the town. Realising its mistake La'Ix tried to look away but the burning gaze gripped his own.
As if reading its soul. The human answered the hidden question bubbling up in La'Ix. "You should've seen them your royal majesty". The one called Stil said while bending in mocking courtesy.
The surf pounded the shore even more loudly now.
"They don't swim well. Especially the young ones. They dropped like stones. Turning all white by the time they stopped moving."
Louder now. The sea roared.
Nothing came. Not a thought in La'Ix's mind. Its mind struggled to comprehend the depth of what was said by Stil, the scarred human.
The waves boomed louder now. Louder than the sun, echoing louder than the screams of all the Ixians that must have perished.
It saw the lips of the standing-devil in front of it. But all the came from its blood red lips were obscured by the sound of the pounding of the waves. The echoes of drowned kin, thudding and slapping against the shore, merged with the relentless surf in La'Ix's mind.
This is for our sins.
Wave after wave, the relentless surge continued, each one a haunting reminder of the souls lost to the sea, each crash a ghostly thud of bodies hitting the shore.
Very slowly did some exhausted neuron in the Ixian's head come to a conclusion as to how these creatures in front of it can be so relentless, so cruel, and so evil. When pushed to beyond its breaking point, did their true carnivorous instincts rear their ugly head.
Oh dear Ix. What sort of environment could breed such demons?
La'Ix didn't remember what happened next. The memories feel like a distant dream now as he sits watching the port sky now.
The aching brand on his forehead of the 8 ringed system, pulsed in pain—a departing gift from his newly made friends, stung from the salty sea air.
He barely recalls the staggered walk from the empty inter-arm transmission office and the inputting of his biometric royal seal. He barely even remembers the message that was sent under his name and signature
And even less does he remember what he heard what will happen next.
All alone now, he stares at the sky of the empty port town. As he watches more royal ships enter the atmosphere.
He gazes upward, thoughtlessly, statue-like Knowing fate will come for them all. Fate in the form of piercing black eyes and a monster so large it can fit in a shadow.
A single thought, carried its way from above the despair to the surface. Slowly. Like a bubble in a pool of tar.
What was I meant to tell the emperor again?

So my story is simply called Omarapello, after the titular city state. The story is set on a planet called Plaloic that is somewhat analagous to a late 20th early 21st century Earth without a typical focus regarding what culture (though I tend to write as if it's western just because that is what I am more familiar with).
The planet has several continents, two northern continents called Awwshaw and Alloclack (all the names for places and characters I made up, if they resemble real names that is convenience), a central continent called Relico, a southern, frigid continent called Frigerdia, and a more isolated continent from all the others likewise along the equator called Murico.
The history of Plaloic is somewhat uncertain among its inhabitants, with some theorising it was divinely created by the God of the religion Iqualinity, while others think an ancient, powerful race called the Ancient Ones used advanced biotechnology to create the modern races before leaving for some reason.
For a bit more information on Iqualinity, it was founded in the Medieval Era equivalent on the northern continents by a prophet called Iqua, who preached about a single creator God, but about whom not much else is known otherwise, including things like what species Iqua was, what sex / gender, even things like what Iqua's attitude to war and peace was. This religion was later spread to the other continents, most notably Relico, while Murico has mostly kept its more ancient beliefs due to its attempts to stay isolated.
And the modern races? They are anthropomorphic animals, analagous to Earth animals, with the types of animals in each country reflecting the climate conditions there. For example, temperate species in temperate countries, tropical ones in tropical countries, etc.
These animals are only anthropomorphised as necessary for them to live in a human like society, so they still retain as much of their original characteristics as possible. So like with snakes, they can talk and see and hear things more like a human, but still have no legs, cannot blink, must swallow food whole, and are still ultimately cold blooded.
Meanwhile four legged animals like wolves still remain on four legs, but their digits are better at interacting with objects and they can stand on two legs temporarily to a better extent than Earth wolves, for tasks. Etc.
This story takes place in the tropical city state of Omarapello, on Relico. This city is in a state of constant change, as a war had occurred a hundred years prior to the main story, and even within that time period a New City had been built joined to the Old City. The New City is highly developed and modern, thanks to a powerful company called Mecklazack Enterprises and its allied companies. But it's still got massive flaws, as it is very restrictive to everything the inhabitants can do, like their movements outside the city state (facilitated only via special trains to satellite settlements on resources for the city), who gets what types of medical aid, and how many children individuals can have.
Meanwhile, the Old City is derelict, abandoned by the council that rules Omarapello. So instead order is maintained by powerful gangs, most notably companies like the Mecklazacks which take advantage of the extra freedom and land, and a mysterious cult made up of nude, masked figures whose goals often involve brutal torture and bizarre rituals.
Technology is both somewhat like Earth's and also completely unique to this world.
(I didn't know whether to include info on the premise of the story as well, with the key characters, but decided ultimately to just include the world itself. I can follow up with the premise of the story itself to tie in if that's allowed, but I assumed by worldbuilding this sub just wants the background itself).
So, what do you think? :D

Grass, belonging to the Poaceae family (also known as Gramineae), is one of the most widespread and ecologically significant plant families on Earth. This family includes a vast array of species, ranging from those that make up our lawns and pastures to the staple food crops that sustain much of the world's population, such as wheat, rice, and corn. Grasses are crucial for various reasons, encompassing their unique botanical characteristics, their ecological roles, their evolutionary history, their cultivation and uses, and the challenges they face. This comprehensive overview aims to provide an in-depth understanding of these aspects.
Grasses exhibit a distinct growth habit and structural anatomy that set them apart from other plant families. The root systems of grasses are typically fibrous, forming a dense network of roots that are excellent at stabilizing soil and accessing water and nutrients from the upper soil layers. This characteristic is especially vital in preventing soil erosion and promoting soil health.
The stems of grasses, known as culms, are generally hollow and segmented by nodes. The internodes, or the spaces between these nodes, can vary in length and are crucial for species identification. The leaves of grasses are usually slender and elongated with parallel veins. They emerge from the nodes and are sheathed around the stem. At the base of the leaf, there is often a ligule, a small membranous or hairy appendage that helps in differentiating between various grass species.
The reproductive structures of grasses are also unique. Grass flowers, or florets, are typically small and inconspicuous, grouped into spikelets. These spikelets are arranged in different types of inflorescences such as spikes, racemes, or panicles. The flowers of grasses are generally adapted for wind pollination, a characteristic that is reflected in their structure, which lacks large, colorful petals. Instead, they have specialized structures that facilitate the dispersal of pollen by the wind.
Most grasses reproduce sexually through seeds. The flowers produce pollen that is carried by the wind to fertilize other plants, resulting in seed formation. Many grasses can also reproduce vegetatively through rhizomes (underground stems) or stolons (above-ground runners). This method of asexual reproduction allows grasses to spread and colonize large areas efficiently, contributing to their dominance in many ecosystems.
Grasses play an indispensable role in soil conservation. Their dense root systems are incredibly effective at binding the soil, reducing the risk of erosion caused by wind and water. This is particularly important in regions prone to desertification or where the soil has been exposed due to deforestation or agricultural activities. By stabilizing the soil, grasses help maintain soil health and prevent the loss of fertile topsoil.
In terms of climate regulation, grasslands serve as significant carbon sinks. Through the process of photosynthesis, grasses absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their biomass and soil. This carbon sequestration process helps mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Additionally, grasslands influence local and regional climates by affecting evapotranspiration rates, which is the combined process of evaporation from the soil and transpiration from plants.
Grasslands support a remarkable diversity of life, providing habitat and food for numerous animal species, including insects, birds, and mammals. The structure of grassland ecosystems supports a variety of plant species, creating a complex web of interactions and dependencies. This biodiversity is crucial for the resilience of these ecosystems, enabling them to withstand and recover from environmental changes and disturbances.
Grasses also play a vital role in the water cycle. They help in the infiltration of rainwater into the soil, reducing runoff and promoting groundwater recharge. By slowing down water movement, grasses help prevent flooding and maintain the moisture levels in the soil, which is essential for the health of the ecosystem and for agricultural productivity.
The evolutionary history of grasses is relatively recent compared to other plant families. Grasses evolved around 66 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. Their rise to dominance is closely linked to the cooling and drying of the Earth's climate, which favored the spread of grasslands over forests. The diversification of grasses has been driven by their ability to adapt to a wide range of environments, from tropical savannas and temperate prairies to arid steppes and alpine meadows.
In agriculture, grasses are indispensable. They include some of the world's most important food crops, such as wheat, rice, maize (corn), barley, and oats. These cereal grains provide a significant portion of the global caloric intake and are fundamental to the diets of billions of people. The cultivation of these crops has shaped human civilization and continues to be a cornerstone of global food security.
Many grass species are also cultivated as forage for livestock. Species like alfalfa, ryegrass, and clover are commonly grown for grazing, hay, and silage. These forage grasses are essential for the livestock industry, providing the necessary nutrition for animals and supporting dairy and meat production.
Beyond food and forage, grasses are being explored as sources of bioenergy. Species like switchgrass and miscanthus are considered promising candidates for biofuel production due to their high biomass yield. These grasses can be converted into biofuels, providing a renewable energy source that can help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
In landscaping, grasses are widely used for creating lawns, parks, golf courses, and sports fields. Turf grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, Bermuda grass, and fescue are selected for their durability, aesthetic appeal, and ability to withstand foot traffic and mowing. These grasses play a significant role in urban and suburban environments, contributing to the aesthetic and recreational value of these areas.
Grasses are also used in erosion control and land rehabilitation. They are often planted to stabilize soil and restore degraded lands. For example, vetiver grass is used for its deep root system, which can prevent landslides and rehabilitate mining sites and other disturbed areas. By stabilizing the soil and improving its structure, grasses help restore the ecological balance and promote the recovery of degraded landscapes.
Despite their many benefits, grasses face several challenges. Some grass species can become invasive, outcompeting native species and disrupting local ecosystems. For instance, kudzu and cogongrass have spread aggressively in some regions, requiring significant management efforts to control their growth and prevent ecological damage.
Grasses are also susceptible to pests and diseases. Fungal diseases like rusts and smuts, as well as pests such as armyworms and grasshoppers, can cause significant damage to grass crops and turf. Effective pest and disease management strategies are essential to protect these valuable resources.
Climate change poses additional challenges for grassland ecosystems and agricultural practices. Shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns can affect the growth and distribution of grass species, impacting food security and ecosystem stability. Droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events can stress grasslands, reducing their productivity and resilience.
Adopting sustainable management practices is crucial for maintaining healthy grasslands and ensuring the long-term viability of grass-based agriculture. Practices such as rotational grazing, integrated pest management, conservation tillage, and the use of drought-resistant grass varieties can help mitigate the impacts of environmental stressors and promote the sustainability of grasslands.
Grasses are an indispensable component of Earth's ecosystems and human agriculture. Their diverse roles range from stabilizing soils and sequestering carbon to providing food and forage. Understanding the complexities of grass biology, ecology, and management is essential for harnessing their benefits while addressing the challenges they face in a changing world. By promoting sustainable practices and responsible stewardship, we can ensure that grasslands continue to thrive and support both natural ecosystems and human livelihoods.

Be it personality, life experience, or just characteristics in general, which idol are you most like? I would have to say that I'm actually closest to Shu my beloved, which makes me both happy and sad with myself. We both love art, are short tempered perfectionists, and come across as arrogant and self-centered when we only want the best. But that's me personally. What about you? Who are you closest to?
Edit: We also both love control. Control is great.

Somethings we know:

1. The Ark is close to the ocean

We know the Ark is close to the ocean first of all thanks to the Sea You Again event having the Admiral use an elevator to get to the ocean, it can't be that far away from the ocean otherwise the tunnel would have to be super long if it were further in land.

1. The The Ark is close to volcanoes which is also in an arid environment We see volcanoes in the story in the desert or arid environments
   
2. They use English road signs There are many examples in the champain where they use Road signs in English, along with the sign pointing to the Ark being in English as seen in Over Zone
   

https://preview.redd.it/mzvjgioxqa1d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=3714453c32a6d8ebe31f59739ce0127d5fb0d6df
Along with this the Ark's Enterance can be seen with lush forests and green grass.
To put it simply I think the Ark is in Western America.
https://preview.redd.it/byaxcy5ura1d1.png?width=535&format=png&auto=webp&s=18240e272e12de79457ef413c61320533b4e6cb4
Specificly here as it has plenty of deserts, forests, volcanoes, and is relatively close to the ocean. The Northern Base is a little stretch, but there could have been some climate change considering how far into the future the game is.
Some holes in my argument

1. The Northern base might be too far away to get in foot like we see in game.
   
2. There could have been a massive climate uset which throws everything off.
   
3. This possibly could just not be Earth as we know it.
   

Context: This is a worldbuilding project taking place 200 years into the future from 2022. A group of superbeing like entities from another reality of earth have come to help direct humanities future towards a better future and have created the nature company that will further help them in their goal to restore earth's ecosystems. Today we will be going over the assortment of species of proboscideans in Japan.
During the megafauna rewilding project of Japan, the nature company quickly resurrected mass populations of extinct megafauna from the holocene to the miocene. Here Japan which was once known to be empty of megafauna, found itself covered in new fauna and flora. Of course the giants of Japan's ecosystem are the proboscideans.
There is two body plans of proboscideans Japanese biologists often identify with. The big ones and pygmy ones. These two types of body plans define Japan's proboscideans and their role in the ecosystem an ecology.
For the big ones body plan, exists 5 or possibly 6 big proboscideans in Japan.
The most numerous and successful of the big proboscideans in Paleoloxodon Naumanni or often called the Japanese elephant. Being generalist mix feeders with preference for grazing but able to feed on any foliage, they are the most adaptable compared to the other proboscideans. The species are also known to vary in size when it comes to resources as some males can be the size of cows while others are the size of Asian elephants although it should note that large individuals are more common and the smaller individuals are more commonly found in islands that are not part of the Ryu kyu islands. Living in tight nit family groups similar to that of African elephants with a matriarch, they roam the mountains and lowlands of Japan. In Hokkaido, they coexist with the woolly mammoth population during the various seasons. In Fall and Winter, they retreat to the boreal forests to browse while the mammoths take over the cold steppes. During spring and Summer, Paleoloxodon Naumanni would take on mixed feeding on browsing and grazing on temperate grasslands. Their relationship with other proboscideans in adaptable and easy, allowing them to compete with their competitors with ease.
Stegodon orientalis or often called the common long tusked elephant, is the second most numerous large proboscidean in Japan. Being a mixed feeder with a preference of browsing. Stegodon orientalis spreads from the island of Kyushu to Hokkaido, being one of the two more successful large stegodons in Japan. In Hokkaido, they often retreat from the island during Fall and Winter as they cannot compete the Japanese elephant in the boreal forests while the spring and summer they return to the island being the most dominant browser. Living in small tight nit groups they are known to have mix herds with paleoloxodon and sinomastodon. Their long tusks clear the foliage, providing open areas for plant biodiversity to grow. They are popular in Japan due to their long tusks giving them the nick name Otoro.
Sinomastodon sendaicus or often called the Japanese mastodon is a species of medium sized sinomastodon living in the islands of Kyushu and Honshu. They are mainly browsers but have been found grazing although browsing is their preference. Living in small matriarchal herds, they plow through the forests browsing across trees and shrublands. Mixed herds are often common alongside stegodon orientalis. Due to their smaller size they are often bullied by other larger species of proboscidean when it comes to resources. Bulls of other large proboscideans often bully Sinomastodon due to musth.
Woolly mammoths live in the island of Hokkaido and only that island. Being secluded from the mainland, they are considered their own subspecies. Despite on the island, they didn't need to shrink as Hokkaido has enough biomass to support a population. They live in herds within the steppes of Hokkaido which become more abundant during the fall and winter. They often retreat to last steppe refugees during spring and summer as the climate doesn't suit the ecosystems they need.
Stegodon miensis or often called the large elephant, is the largest proboscidean in Japan. Having similar small tight family groups of females, in which they roam the forests clearing foliage as they go. Due to their larger size, they are able to bully off smaller proboscideans when it comes to competition over resources giving them access to the highest reaches of foliage. However, it is because of their large size that they cannot live with proper populations on the islands meaning they have smaller populations leading them on the endangered list. They still persist in Hokkaido as they are most recognizable by their size and somewhat sloped back. Just like their orientalis cousins, they are mixed feeders with preference for browsing to sustain their massive size.
For the pygmy ones, at least three species of proboscideans exist in Japan.
Stegodon aurorae or often called the Japanese dwarf elephant, is the most successful of the dwarf proboscideans excluding dwarf members of Paleoloxodon Naumanni. Living across the islands of Kyushu to Honshu. Being smaller than their cousin competitors allows them to utilize the natural resources better due to their island environment. However, the downside being that predators like the Japanese tigers and lion can easily take down a full grown adult means that they need to utilize their herds to their maximum with herds having complex defense mechanisms as well as calls that attract bulls for aid.
Gomphotherium annectens or often called the dwarf four tusked oni is one of two basal dwarf proboscideans that live in Japan. They are generalist grazers that live in matriarchal groups in herds that roam across the main island of Kyushu and southern parts of Honshu. They are known to be very aggressive to any predator that comes close due to their smaller size and are known to attack humans if threatened. This aggression mostly due to the predators and competition that they have to live with. Competition from their larger and more derived cousins, have forced Gomphotherium annectens to restrict their range. It is due to this competition, that populations were forced to go to the northern/central Ryu Kyu islands specifically Okinawa. It should be said that Okinawa has a predator that came with them the lesser Japanese tiger but that is for another day.
Stegolophodon pseudolatidens or called the dwarf four tusked elephant is the other basal dwarf proboscideans that live in Japan. They are generalist browsers that live in female herds that also roam the main island of Kyushu and southern parts of Honshu. Although aggressive to predators, they are surprisingly calm to humans. Just like Gompotherium, competition from their larger and more derived cousins, have forced stegolophodon to be restricted in Japan. Due to this competition, that populations were forced to go to the northern/central Ryu Kyu islands specifically Okinawa. Mixed herds between the two basal species are very common in Okinawa.
All proboscideans in Japan hold massive significance to the people of Japan. They represent animals that are wise, strong, and kind. Despite looking at this list of proboscideans and realizing how much there is, this is actually an island version of heavy niche partitioning amongst many animals in this case, proboscideans. Japan has a massive case of heavy niche partitioning of deer species. The mainland competition is even more fierce than ever before with miocene to pleistocene animals clashing in an new arms race earth never had seen before, and humans don't know what will happen next.
questions and criticisms are welcomed.

During the megafauna rewilding project of Japan, the nature company quickly resurrected mass populations of extinct megafauna from the holocene to the miocene. Here Japan which was once known to be empty of megafauna, found itself covered in new fauna and flora. Of course the giants of Japan's ecosystem are the proboscideans.
There is two body plans of proboscideans Japanese biologists often identify with. The big ones and pygmy ones. These two types of body plans define Japan's proboscideans and their role in the ecosystem an ecology.
For the big ones body plan, exists 5 or possibly 6 big proboscideans in Japan.
The most numerous and successful of the big proboscideans in Paleoloxodon Naumanni or often called the Japanese elephant. Being generalist mix feeders with preference for grazing but able to feed on any foliage, they are the most adaptable compared to the other proboscideans. The species are also known to vary in size when it comes to resources as some males can be the size of cows while others are the size of Asian elephants although it should note that large individuals are more common and the smaller individuals are more commonly found in islands that are not part of the Ryu kyu islands. Living in tight nit family groups similar to that of African elephants with a matriarch, they roam the mountains and lowlands of Japan. In Hokkaido, they coexist with the woolly mammoth population during the various seasons. In Fall and Winter, they retreat to the boreal forests to browse while the mammoths take over the cold steppes. During spring and Summer, Paleoloxodon Naumanni would take on mixed feeding on browsing and grazing on temperate grasslands. Their relationship with other proboscideans in adaptable and easy, allowing them to compete with their competitors with ease.
Stegodon orientalis or often called the common long tusked elephant, is the second most numerous large proboscidean in Japan. Being a mixed feeder with a preference of browsing. Stegodon orientalis spreads from the island of Kyushu to Hokkaido, being one of the two more successful large stegodons in Japan. In Hokkaido, they often retreat from the island during Fall and Winter as they cannot compete the Japanese elephant in the boreal forests while the spring and summer they return to the island being the most dominant browser. Living in small tight nit groups they are known to have mix herds with paleoloxodon and sinomastodon. Their long tusks clear the foliage, providing open areas for plant biodiversity to grow. They are popular in Japan due to their long tusks giving them the nick name Otoro.
Sinomastodon sendaicus or often called the Japanese mastodon is a species of medium sized sinomastodon living in the islands of Kyushu and Honshu. They are mainly browsers but have been found grazing although browsing is their preference. Living in small matriarchal herds, they plow through the forests browsing across trees and shrublands. Mixed herds are often common alongside stegodon orientalis. Due to their smaller size they are often bullied by other larger species of proboscidean when it comes to resources. Bulls of other large proboscideans often bully Sinomastodon due to musth.
Woolly mammoths live in the island of Hokkaido and only that island. Being secluded from the mainland, they are considered their own subspecies. Despite on the island, they didn't need to shrink as Hokkaido has enough biomass to support a population. They live in herds within the steppes of Hokkaido which become more abundant during the fall and winter. They often retreat to last steppe refugees during spring and summer as the climate doesn't suit the ecosystems they need.
Stegodon miensis or often called the large elephant, is the largest proboscidean in Japan. Having similar small tight family groups of females, in which they roam the forests clearing foliage as they go. Due to their larger size, they are able to bully off smaller proboscideans when it comes to competition over resources giving them access to the highest reaches of foliage. However, it is because of their large size that they cannot live with proper populations on the islands meaning they have smaller populations leading them on the endangered list. They still persist in Hokkaido as they are most recognizable by their size and somewhat sloped back. Just like their orientalis cousins, they are mixed feeders with preference for browsing to sustain their massive size.
For the pygmy ones, at least three species of proboscideans exist in Japan.
Stegodon aurorae or often called the Japanese dwarf elephant, is the most successful of the dwarf proboscideans excluding dwarf members of Paleoloxodon Naumanni. Living across the islands of Kyushu to Honshu. Being smaller than their cousin competitors allows them to utilize the natural resources better due to their island environment. However, the downside being that predators like the Japanese tigers and lion can easily take down a full grown adult means that they need to utilize their herds to their maximum with herds having complex defense mechanisms as well as calls that attract bulls for aid.
Gomphotherium annectens or often called the dwarf four tusked oni is one of two basal dwarf proboscideans that live in Japan. They are generalist grazers that live in matriarchal groups in herds that roam across the main island of Kyushu and southern parts of Honshu. They are known to be very aggressive to any predator that comes close due to their smaller size and are known to attack humans if threatened. This aggression mostly due to the predators and competition that they have to live with. Competition from their larger and more derived cousins, have forced Gomphotherium annectens to restrict their range. It is due to this competition, that populations were forced to go to the northern/central Ryu Kyu islands specifically Okinawa. It should be said that Okinawa has a predator that came with them the lesser Japanese tiger but that is for another day.
Stegolophodon pseudolatidens or called the dwarf four tusked elephant is the other basal dwarf proboscideans that live in Japan. They are generalist browsers that live in female herds that also roam the main island of Kyushu and southern parts of Honshu. Although aggressive to predators, they are surprisingly calm to humans. Just like Gompotherium, competition from their larger and more derived cousins, have forced stegolophodon to be restricted in Japan. Due to this competition, that populations were forced to go to the northern/central Ryu Kyu islands specifically Okinawa. Mixed herds between the two basal species are very common in Okinawa.
All proboscideans in Japan hold massive significance to the people of Japan. They represent animals that are wise, strong, and kind. Despite looking at this list of proboscideans and realizing how much there is, this is actually an island version of heavy niche partitioning amongst many animals in this case, proboscideans. Japan has a massive case of heavy niche partitioning of deer species. The mainland competition is even more fierce than ever before with miocene to pleistocene animals clashing in an new arms race earth never had seen before, and humans don't know what will happen next.
questions and criticisms are welcomed.

I've had an interesting idea for a project- Running an "Earth 2.0" projection simulation. I'm looking for recommendations on which Al platform would be suitable to run this on. Initially, I considered using ChatGPT, but after some research, Claude seems to have stronger reasoning capabilities. I would greatly appreciate any prompts or assistance related to this subject matter.
Framework for simulating Earth 2.0 from day one, taking into account a wide range of conditions and processes spanning physical, geological, biological, environmental, evolutionary, and cultural domains with their respective parameters:

1. Initial Planetary Conditions: This factor encompasses the fundamental physical characteristics of the planet Earth at the starting point of the simulation.
   
   • Planetary mass: 5.972 × 10²⁴ kg (The total mass of the Earth, which governs its gravitational pull and other physical properties)
   • Radius: 6,371 km (The average distance from the Earth's center to its surface, determining its size and surface area)
   • Axial tilt: 23.44 degrees (The angle between the Earth's rotational axis and the perpendicular to its orbital plane, influencing seasons and distribution of solar radiation)
   • Rotation period: 24 hours (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full rotation on its axis, determining the length of a day)
   • Orbital period: 365.25 days (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun, determining the length of a year)
   • Distance from the Sun: 1 AU (149,597,870 km) (The average distance between the Earth and the Sun, dictating the amount of solar radiation received)
2. Atmospheric Composition: This factor defines the initial composition of the Earth's atmosphere, which plays a crucial role in various processes, including climate and habitability.
   
   • Nitrogen (N₂): 78.08% (The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, essential for various biological processes)
   • Oxygen (O₂): 20.95% (A vital gas for aerobic life, also involved in various chemical reactions)
   • Argon (Ar): 0.93% (An inert gas present in the atmosphere)
   • Carbon dioxide (CO₂): 0.04% (A greenhouse gas that plays a crucial role in the Earth's climate and carbon cycle)
   • Water vapor (H₂O): Variable, initial value = 0.25% (The gaseous form of water, influencing temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric processes)
3. Hydrological Cycle: This factor encompasses the distribution and movement of water on Earth, which is essential for life and various natural processes.
   
   • Total water volume: 1.386 billion km³ (The total amount of water present on Earth, including oceans, ice caps, and underground reservoirs)
   • Ocean surface area: 361 million km² (The total surface area covered by oceans, playing a crucial role in the Earth's climate and biogeochemical cycles)
   • Land surface area: 149 million km² (The total surface area of the Earth's landmasses, including continents and islands)
   • Initial precipitation rate: 1000 mm/year (The average amount of precipitation falling on the Earth's surface annually, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
4. Geological Processes: This factor encompasses the dynamic processes that shape the Earth's surface and interior over time.
   
   • Plate tectonic movement rate: 2-10 cm/year (The average rate at which the Earth's tectonic plates move, driving continental drift and mountain formation)
   • Volcanic eruption frequency: 50-70 per year (The average number of volcanic eruptions occurring annually, contributing to the Earth's natural processes and atmospheric composition)
   • Earthquake frequency: ~1 million per year (The average number of earthquakes occurring annually, resulting from tectonic plate movements and other geological processes)
5. Biological Factors: This factor encompasses the initial living organisms present on Earth, including the human population and other plant and animal species.
   
   • Initial human population: 2 males, 3 females (The starting point for human evolution and population growth)
   • Initial animal species: 100 harmless, 20 potentially dangerous (The diversity of animal species present at the start, including both harmless and potentially dangerous species)
   • Initial plant species: 50 edible, 200 inedible (The diversity of plant species present at the start, including both edible and inedible species)
   • Genetic diversity of initial human population: 0.8 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The level of genetic variation within the initial human population, crucial for adaptation and evolution)
6. Resource Availability: This factor encompasses the natural resources available for sustaining life and enabling human survival and development.
   
   • Freshwater sources: 10 lakes, 5 major rivers (The availability of freshwater sources, essential for drinking water, agriculture, and various human activities)
   • Natural resources: 20 types of wood, 10 types of stone, 5 types of fibrous plants (The diversity and availability of natural resources, including wood, stone, and fibrous plants, which can be used for shelter, tools, and other purposes)
   • Food sources: 50 edible plant species, 20 huntable animal species (The availability of food sources, including edible plants and huntable animals, necessary for human sustenance)
7. Environmental Conditions: This factor encompasses the initial climatic and environmental conditions on Earth, which influence the distribution and growth of vegetation and the overall habitability for humans and other species.
   
   • Global mean surface temperature: 15°C (The average temperature across the Earth's surface, affecting various biological and ecological processes)
   • Global mean annual precipitation: 1000 mm (The average amount of precipitation falling annually across the Earth's surface, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
   • Vegetation distribution: Forest cover = 60%, Grassland cover = 30%, Other vegetation = 10% (The initial distribution of different vegetation types, influencing the Earth's ecosystems and carbon cycle)
8. Evolutionary Processes: This factor encompasses the mechanisms driving the evolution and adaptation of living organisms, including humans, over time.
   
   • Mutation rate: 10⁻⁸ mutations per nucleotide per generation (The rate at which genetic mutations occur, introducing new variations that can be acted upon by natural selection)
   • Natural selection pressures: Environmental stress factor = 0.5, Predation risk = 0.2, Competition factor = 0.3 (The relative strengths of different selective pressures acting on organisms, such as environmental stress, predation risk, and competition for resources)
   • Adaptation mechanisms: Physiological adaptation rate = 0.001, Behavioral adaptation rate = 0.005 (The rates at which organisms can adapt physiologically or behaviorally to their environment, influencing their fitness and survival)
9. Cultural and Social Dynamics: This factor encompasses the emergence and development of human culture, language, and social structures over time.
   
   • Language complexity: Initial complexity = 0.1 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of complexity of human language, which will evolve and increase over time)
   • Social hierarchy: Initial hierarchy level = 0.2 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of social hierarchy and organization within the human population, which will likely develop and become more complex over time)
   • Skill acquisition rates: Tool-making = 0.01, Fire-making = 0.005, Hunting = 0.02 (The rates at which humans can acquire essential skills, such as tool-making, fire-making, and hunting, which will influence their survival and cultural development)
10. Stochastic Events and Uncertainties: This factor encompasses the random and unpredictable events that can occur, as well as the uncertainties associated with parameter values and model assumptions.
    
    • Natural disaster probabilities: Floods = 0.05, Droughts = 0.03, Wildfires = 0.02 (The annual probabilities of occurrence for various natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires)
    • Disease outbreak probability: 0.01 (The annual probability of a disease outbreak occurring, which can significantly impact human and animal populations)
    • Parameter uncertainty ranges: Temperature ±1°C, Precipitation ±10%, Soil composition ±5% (The ranges of uncertainty associated with various parameter values, such as temperature, precipitation, and soil composition, reflecting the inherent uncertainties in the model and input data)

I've had an interesting idea for a project- Running an "Earth 2.0" projection simulation. I'm looking for recommendations on which AI platform would be suitable to run this on. Initially, I considered using ChatGPT, but after some research, Claude seems to have stronger reasoning capabilities. I would greatly appreciate any prompts or assistance related to this subject matter.
Framework for simulating Earth 2.0 from day one, taking into account a wide range of conditions and processes spanning physical, geological, biological, environmental, evolutionary, and cultural domains with their respective parameters:

1. Initial Planetary Conditions: This factor encompasses the fundamental physical characteristics of the planet Earth at the starting point of the simulation.
   
   • Planetary mass: 5.972 × 10²⁴ kg (The total mass of the Earth, which governs its gravitational pull and other physical properties)
   • Radius: 6,371 km (The average distance from the Earth's center to its surface, determining its size and surface area)
   • Axial tilt: 23.44 degrees (The angle between the Earth's rotational axis and the perpendicular to its orbital plane, influencing seasons and distribution of solar radiation)
   • Rotation period: 24 hours (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full rotation on its axis, determining the length of a day)
   • Orbital period: 365.25 days (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun, determining the length of a year)
   • Distance from the Sun: 1 AU (149,597,870 km) (The average distance between the Earth and the Sun, dictating the amount of solar radiation received)
2. Atmospheric Composition: This factor defines the initial composition of the Earth's atmosphere, which plays a crucial role in various processes, including climate and habitability.
   
   • Nitrogen (N₂): 78.08% (The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, essential for various biological processes)
   • Oxygen (O₂): 20.95% (A vital gas for aerobic life, also involved in various chemical reactions)
   • Argon (Ar): 0.93% (An inert gas present in the atmosphere)
   • Carbon dioxide (CO₂): 0.04% (A greenhouse gas that plays a crucial role in the Earth's climate and carbon cycle)
   • Water vapor (H₂O): Variable, initial value = 0.25% (The gaseous form of water, influencing temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric processes)
3. Hydrological Cycle: This factor encompasses the distribution and movement of water on Earth, which is essential for life and various natural processes.
   
   • Total water volume: 1.386 billion km³ (The total amount of water present on Earth, including oceans, ice caps, and underground reservoirs)
   • Ocean surface area: 361 million km² (The total surface area covered by oceans, playing a crucial role in the Earth's climate and biogeochemical cycles)
   • Land surface area: 149 million km² (The total surface area of the Earth's landmasses, including continents and islands)
   • Initial precipitation rate: 1000 mm/year (The average amount of precipitation falling on the Earth's surface annually, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
4. Geological Processes: This factor encompasses the dynamic processes that shape the Earth's surface and interior over time.
   
   • Plate tectonic movement rate: 2-10 cm/year (The average rate at which the Earth's tectonic plates move, driving continental drift and mountain formation)
   • Volcanic eruption frequency: 50-70 per year (The average number of volcanic eruptions occurring annually, contributing to the Earth's natural processes and atmospheric composition)
   • Earthquake frequency: ~1 million per year (The average number of earthquakes occurring annually, resulting from tectonic plate movements and other geological processes)
5. Biological Factors: This factor encompasses the initial living organisms present on Earth, including the human population and other plant and animal species.
   
   • Initial human population: 2 males, 3 females (The starting point for human evolution and population growth)
   • Initial animal species: 100 harmless, 20 potentially dangerous (The diversity of animal species present at the start, including both harmless and potentially dangerous species)
   • Initial plant species: 50 edible, 200 inedible (The diversity of plant species present at the start, including both edible and inedible species)
   • Genetic diversity of initial human population: 0.8 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The level of genetic variation within the initial human population, crucial for adaptation and evolution)
6. Resource Availability: This factor encompasses the natural resources available for sustaining life and enabling human survival and development.
   
   • Freshwater sources: 10 lakes, 5 major rivers (The availability of freshwater sources, essential for drinking water, agriculture, and various human activities)
   • Natural resources: 20 types of wood, 10 types of stone, 5 types of fibrous plants (The diversity and availability of natural resources, including wood, stone, and fibrous plants, which can be used for shelter, tools, and other purposes)
   • Food sources: 50 edible plant species, 20 huntable animal species (The availability of food sources, including edible plants and huntable animals, necessary for human sustenance)
7. Environmental Conditions: This factor encompasses the initial climatic and environmental conditions on Earth, which influence the distribution and growth of vegetation and the overall habitability for humans and other species.
   
   • Global mean surface temperature: 15°C (The average temperature across the Earth's surface, affecting various biological and ecological processes)
   • Global mean annual precipitation: 1000 mm (The average amount of precipitation falling annually across the Earth's surface, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
   • Vegetation distribution: Forest cover = 60%, Grassland cover = 30%, Other vegetation = 10% (The initial distribution of different vegetation types, influencing the Earth's ecosystems and carbon cycle)
8. Evolutionary Processes: This factor encompasses the mechanisms driving the evolution and adaptation of living organisms, including humans, over time.
   
   • Mutation rate: 10⁻⁸ mutations per nucleotide per generation (The rate at which genetic mutations occur, introducing new variations that can be acted upon by natural selection)
   • Natural selection pressures: Environmental stress factor = 0.5, Predation risk = 0.2, Competition factor = 0.3 (The relative strengths of different selective pressures acting on organisms, such as environmental stress, predation risk, and competition for resources)
   • Adaptation mechanisms: Physiological adaptation rate = 0.001, Behavioral adaptation rate = 0.005 (The rates at which organisms can adapt physiologically or behaviorally to their environment, influencing their fitness and survival)
9. Cultural and Social Dynamics: This factor encompasses the emergence and development of human culture, language, and social structures over time.
   
   • Language complexity: Initial complexity = 0.1 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of complexity of human language, which will evolve and increase over time)
   • Social hierarchy: Initial hierarchy level = 0.2 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of social hierarchy and organization within the human population, which will likely develop and become more complex over time)
   • Skill acquisition rates: Tool-making = 0.01, Fire-making = 0.005, Hunting = 0.02 (The rates at which humans can acquire essential skills, such as tool-making, fire-making, and hunting, which will influence their survival and cultural development)
10. Stochastic Events and Uncertainties: This factor encompasses the random and unpredictable events that can occur, as well as the uncertainties associated with parameter values and model assumptions.
    
    • Natural disaster probabilities: Floods = 0.05, Droughts = 0.03, Wildfires = 0.02 (The annual probabilities of occurrence for various natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires)
    • Disease outbreak probability: 0.01 (The annual probability of a disease outbreak occurring, which can significantly impact human and animal populations)
    • Parameter uncertainty ranges: Temperature ±1°C, Precipitation ±10%, Soil composition ±5% (The ranges of uncertainty associated with various parameter values, such as temperature, precipitation, and soil composition, reflecting the inherent uncertainties in the model and input data)

Cisco Router Security
What are the two access privilege modes of the Cisco router?
User EXEC Mode: This is the initial access mode for a router. In this mode, the user can access only a limited set of basic monitoring commands.
Privileged EXEC Mode: This mode provides access to all router commands, such as debugging and configuration commands. It requires a password for access to ensure security.
What is the approach for password for the privileged mode of the router?
enable secret [password]
uses hashing algorithm so that the password is not in plain text but encrypted
How to ensure that all passwords in the router are stored in the encrypted form?
service password-encryption
What is the difference between the Cisco router’s startup and running configurations?
How to save the running configuration into start up configuration?
Startup Configuration: Stored in the NVRAM, this configuration is used to boot the router. It remains unchanged until an administrator explicitly saves the running configuration to it.
Running Configuration: Held in the router’s RAM, this configuration is active on the router. Changes to the router’s configuration are made here and are effective immediately.
Know and be able to configure all aspects of the Cisco router covered in class. For example,
configuring the router interfaces, setting the router OSPF ID, etc.
enable
configure terminal
hostname MyRouter
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface Serial0/0/0
ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.252
clock rate 64000
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
enable secret mysecretpassword
line console 0
password myconsolepassword
login
exit
line vty 0 4
password myvtypassword
login
exit
crypto key generate rsa
ip ssh version 2
ip ssh time-out 60
ip ssh authentication-retries 2
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.254
access-list 10 permit 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255
access-list 10 deny any
Practical Routing, OSPF, and Security
What is the difference between static and dynamic routing?
Static Routing: Involves manually setting up routes in the router's routing table through configuration commands. These routes do not change unless manually updated or removed. Static routing is simple, secure, and uses less bandwidth but lacks scalability and flexibility.
Dynamic Routing: Automatically adjusts routes in the routing table based on current network conditions using routing protocols. This approach allows for more flexibility, scalability, and fault tolerance, but consumes more resources and can be complex to configure.
What is the difference between link state and distance vector routing?
Distance Vector Routing: Routers using distance vector protocols calculate the best path to a destination based on the distance and direction (vector) to nodes. Updates are shared with neighboring routers at regular intervals or when changes occur. This approach can lead to slower convergence and issues like routing loops.
Link State Routing: Each router learns the entire network topology by exchanging link-state information. Routers then independently calculate the shortest path to every node using algorithms like Dijkstra’s. This results in quicker convergence and fewer routing loops.
Distance Vector Routing: Each router computes distance from itself to its next immediate neighbors. (RIP, EIGRP, & BGP)
-Does not build a full map of the network
-Focuses more on the next hop towards the destination
Link State Routing: Each router shares knowledge of its neighbors with every other router in the network. (OSPF and IS-IS)
-Builds a full map of the network
-Each router shares information
-Maintains a database of the entire network.
Give an example of the distance vector and link state algorithms.
Distance = RIPLink State = OSPF
What type of protocol is Routing Information Protocol (RIP)? Be able to understand
examples and solve problems.
Example of a distance vector protocol
dynamic protocol
-shares routing info with neighboring routers
-an interior gateway protocol that operates within autonomous system
-oldest of all dynamic protocol; RIPv1
-widely used open standard developed by IETF
-a distance vector routing protocol
-limited to maximum 15 hops;

 how rip works -rip sends regular update message (advertisements to neighboring routers) 

-every 30 seconds that resets after each successful ack
-route becomes invalid if it has not received a message for 180 seconds
-RIPv1 (obsolete) uses broadcast, while RIPv2 uses a multicast address -Update message only travel to a single hop
downside : limitations, each router in its table can only have one entry per destination. Have to wait for advertisement for an alternative path, cannot reach hops 15 paths away, little to no security.
What type of protocol is Open Shortest Paths First (OSPF) protocol? Be able to under-
stand examples and solve problems.

• an interior gateway protocol that operates within autonomous systems to build a full map of the network.
  
• widely used open standard developed by IETF
  

-a link state routing protocol

 intra as routing with RIP 

What is the Link State Advertisement (LSA) in OSPF? What is the Link State Database
(LSDB)?
-LSA contains data about a router, its subnets, and some other network information.-OSPF puts all the LSAs from different routers into a Link-State Database (LSDB)
The goal of OSPF is to be able to determine a complete map of the interior routing path to be able to create the best route possible.
The way this is done is that OSPF finds all the routers and subnets that can be reached within the entire network. The result is that each router will have the same information about the network by sending out LSA.
How does each router in OSPF create a map of the entire network?
Step 1 : Acquire neighbor relationship to exchange network information.
Step 2: Exchange database information, neighboring routers swap LSDB information with each other
Step 3: Choosing the best routes, each router chooses the best routes to add to its routing table based on the learned LSDB information.
What is the process for two OSPF routers to become neighbors?
A. a neighbor sends out a Hello packet including the router ID along with subnets that it routes to the given multicast address to a given OSPF area ID.

this is also a way for routers to tell neighbors that they are still on and good to go. 

B. Once other routers receive this packet, they run some checks. The neighboring routers must match the following requirements:
-area id needs to be the same (also used when scaling up OSPF)
-the shared or connecting link should be on the same subnet.
-The Hello and dead timer must be the same.
-the dead timer is having enogh time before the sending router assumes that the neighbor is down.
-this timer is typically 10 secs for point-to-point and broadcast networks.
C. If all is fine, the receiving router will go into Init stage and sends a hello message of its own. This Hello packet list its own network info along with the known neighbor R1. This puts R1 into a 2-way communication status.
D. R1 sends another Hello message to R2 with the information as a known neighbor. This allows the R2 now with a 2-way communication status as well.E. We now have a 2-way neighboring routers
What is the difference between point-to-point and multi-access networks? How does OSPF
handle each case?

Point-to-Point: A network setup where each connection is between two specific nodes or devices. OSPF treats these links with straightforward neighbor relationships since there are only two routers on each segment. 

Multi-Access Networks: Networks where multiple routers can connect on the same segment, such as Ethernet. OSPF uses a Designated Router (DR) and a Backup Designated Router (BDR) on these types of networks to reduce the amount of OSPF traffic and the size of the topological database.
DR selected by the highest OSPF prio.
Be able to configure OSPF routing given a topology.
–
Example:
Consider a topology with three routers R1, R2, and R3. The routers
are connected R1 =⇒R2 =⇒R3 =⇒R1.
R1 has interface f0/0 connected to the
interface f0/0 of R2. R2 has interface f0/1 connecting to the interface f0/0 of R3.
Finally R3 has interface 1/0 connecting to the interface 1/0 of R3. Assuming all
routers are Cisco 7200 routers, configure them to use OSPF to dynamically route in
this topology (you will be given the Cisco router manual for such questions).
•
R1enable
configure terminal
hostname R1
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface FastEthernet1/0
ip address 192.168.31.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 192.168.31.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
end
write memory
R2enable
configure terminal
hostname R2
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface FastEthernet0/1
ip address 192.168.23.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 2.2.2.2
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 192.168.23.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
end
write memory
R3enable
configure terminal
hostname R3
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.23.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface FastEthernet1/0
ip address 192.168.31.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 3.3.3.3
network 192.168.23.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 192.168.31.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
end
write memory
How does OSPF authenticate packets to protect against packet spoofing and tempering?
Be able to enable it a Cisco router.
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) can authenticate packets to protect against packet spoofing and tampering using several methods. The two main types of authentication are:
Plain Text Authentication: This is simple and provides minimal security. It sends the password in clear text.
Message Digest 5 (MD5) Authentication: This provides stronger security by using cryptographic hash functions to authenticate OSPF packets.
Plain textenable
configure terminal
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.1 255.255.255.0
ip ospf authentication
ip ospf authentication-key cisco123
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
area 0 authentication
exit
write memory
MD5enable
configure terminal
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.1 255.255.255.0
ip ospf authentication message-digest
ip ospf message-digest-key 1 md5 securepassword
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
area 0 authentication message-digest
exit
write memory
Network Defense Fundamentals
•
What is IP spoofing? Explain.
-The ip packet contains the source and destination Ip addresses.-Is it straightforward to modify the ip address of the packet.
-IP Spoofing: sender chagrin his source address to something other than his real address.
How can IP spoofing be used in security attacks?
-If the attacker sends an Ip packet with a spoofed IP, they will not receive a response form the destination: the machine with the IP matching the spoofed IP will receive the response.Ip spoofing operation - the sender spoofs the source IP address to point to another target. The receiver system replies to the spoofed IP.
•
What are the countermeasures to IP spoofing?
Ingress and Egress Filtering: Network operators should implement filtering rules on routers and firewalls to block packets with source IP addresses that should not originate from those networks. Ingress filtering blocks incoming packets with a source IP address that is not valid for the network, while egress filtering blocks outgoing packets with an invalid source IP address.
Reverse Path Forwarding (RPF): This technique ensures that the incoming packets are received on the same interface that the router would use to send traffic back to the source. If the path does not match, the packet is discarded, preventing spoofed packets from passing through.
IPsec (Internet Protocol Security): IPsec can be used to authenticate and encrypt IP packets, ensuring that they come from legitimate sources and have not been tampered with. This makes spoofing attacks significantly more difficult.
How can IP spoofing be used to perform DoS attacks?
IP spoofing is often used in Denial of Service (DoS) attacks to obscure the attacker's identity and to overwhelm the target with traffic from what appears to be multiple sources. One common type of DoS attack that utilizes IP spoofing is a Smurf Attack. In a Smurf Attack, the attacker sends ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) echo requests to broadcast addresses of networks, with the source IP address spoofed to that of the victim. The devices on the network respond to the echo requests, sending replies back to the victim's IP address. This amplifies the traffic directed at the victim, potentially overwhelming their network and causing a DoS condition.
•
Know how to use
hping3
for performing ping floods.
Using hping3 to perform ping floods involves sending a high volume of ICMP Echo Request packets to a target to overwhelm it.basic ping floodsudo hping3 -1 --flood [target_IP]
Using spoofed source ipsudo hping3 -1 --flood -a [spoofed_IP] [target_IP]
Controlling the Packet Sending Rateo hping3 -1 --flood -i u1000 [target_IP]Combining sudo hping3 -1 --flood -a 10.0.0.1 -i u1000 192.168.1.1
Firewalling
What is a firewall?
a filtering device on a network that enforces network security policy and protects the network against external attacks.
According to NIST SP 800-41, what are the characteristics of a firewall?
NIST standard defines the possible characteristics that a firewall can use to filter traffic.
-(IP Address and Protocol type) filtering based on source/destination IP address/ports, traffic direction and other transport layer characteristics.
-(Application Protocols)controls access based on application protocol data
-(User identity) controls access based on user identity
-(Network activity)
What are the limitations of the firewall?
Firewall capabilities: -Define a traffic chokepoint in the network and protects against IP spoofing and routing attacks
-Provide a location for monitoring the security events -Provide non-security functions: loggin internet usage, network address translation-Serve as platform for VPN/IPSec
Firewall limitations:-protect against attacks bypassing the firewall, connections from inside the organization to the outside that do not go through the firewall.-protect against internal threats such as disgruntled employees.
What is a packet filter firewall? Be able to write and interpret rules and to spot configu-
rationflaws.
Packet filtering firewall : applies a set of rules to each packet based on the packet headers.Filters based on: source/destination IP, source/destination port numbers, IP Protocol Field:defines the transport protocol, Interface : for firewalls with 3+ network interfaces, the interface from which the packet came from/going to
•
What is the difference between the default and allow and default deny policies? Which
one is the more secure one?
-when no rules apply to a packet, a default rule is applied: default deny : what is not explicitly permitted is denied default forward : what is not explicitly denied is allowed
default deny is more secure, you dont have to identify all of the cases that needs to be blocked, if one is missed, default deny will deny it.
Port 0-1023 reserved
1024-2**17 ephemeral
source port used by the system initialiatizng a connection is always chosen from the ephemeral ports
Be able to configure the packet filtering functions of iptables.
–
Example:
Write iptables rules to block all ICMP traffic to and from the system.
iptables -A INPUT -p icmp -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -p icmp -j DROP
Example:
Write iptables rules to block all traffic on port 22
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -j DROP
–
Example:
Write iptables rules to block traffic to host 192.168.2.2
iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dest 192.168.2.2 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --src 192.168.2.2 -j DROP
What are the limitations of the packet filter firewall?
-does not examine upper layer data : cannot prevent attacks that employ application specfic vulnerabilities or functions.cannot block application specific commands.
•
What is the stateful firewall and how does it compare to a packet filter?
A stateful firewall is a network security device that monitors and tracks the state of active connections, making decisions based on the context of the traffic. Unlike a simple packet filter, which examines individual packets in isolation based on predetermined rules, a stateful firewall keeps track of connections over time, distinguishing between legitimate packets that are part of an established session and potentially malicious ones. This contextual awareness allows it to block unauthorized connection attempts and prevent attacks such as spoofing and session hijacking. While packet filters, or stateless firewalls, operate faster and consume fewer resources by applying static rules to each packet independently, they lack the sophisticated traffic pattern handling and enhanced security provided by stateful firewalls.
•
What is the application-level firewall? What are its advantages and limitations?
An application-level firewall, also known as an application firewall or proxy firewall, operates at the application layer of the OSI model. It inspects and filters traffic based on the specific application protocols (e.g., HTTP, FTP, DNS) rather than just IP addresses and port numbers. limitations : increased communications overhead due to two separate TCP connections

 and not transparent to the client 

Application-level gateways are also known as application-level proxies.
-act as a relay for the application-level traffic.
-runs at the application layer, and examines application-layer data
Supported ProtocolsFTPSTMPHTTP
What is a circuit-level firewall? What are its advantages and limitations?
-Similar to the application-level gateway, but only tracks the state of the TCP/UDP sessions.
-Does not examine application data , simply relays TCP segments
-Allow/deny decisions based on whether a packet belongs to an established and trusted connection
Advantage of circuit-level firewall -do not filter individual packets(simplifies rules)

-fast and efficient 

Disadvantages:

-do not filter individual packets -require frequent updates: traffic is filtered with rules and policies that need regular updates for new threats and risks -the vendor needs to modify the TCP/IP implementation for thor applications to use the circuit-level proxy. 

What are the different approaches to basing the firewall?

-stand-alone machines -software modules in roosters, switches, or servers, or pre-configured security appliances. 

What are the host-based firewalls?
Host-based firewalls: a firewall software module used to secure a single host.
What are the network device firewalls?
Network device firewall = routers and switches often have firewall functions, like packet filtering and stateful inspection, to check and filter packets
What are the virtual firewalls?
-in a virtualized environment, servers, switches, and routers can be virtualized and share physical hardware. The hypervisor that manages the virtual machines can also have firewall capabilities.
What is the DMZ? How is it used for securing networks?
A Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in network security is a physical or logical subnetwork that contains and exposes an organization's external-facing services to an untrusted network, typically the internet. The primary purpose of a DMZ is to add an additional layer of security to an organization's local area network (LAN). By isolating these externally accessible services, the DMZ ensures that if an attacker gains access to the public-facing systems, they do not have direct access to the rest of the network.
How the DMZ Secures Networks
Isolation of Public Services: Services that need to be accessible from the outside, such as web servers, mail servers, FTP servers, and DNS servers, are placed in the DMZ. These services are isolated from the internal network, which helps protect the internal systems from attacks that may exploit vulnerabilities in the public-facing services.
Controlled Access: Firewalls are used to create boundaries between the internet, the DMZ, and the internal network. The firewall rules are configured to allow only specific types of traffic to and from the DMZ. For example, incoming web traffic might be allowed to reach a web server in the DMZ, but not to access internal systems directly.
Minimal Exposure: Only the necessary services are exposed to the internet. This minimizes the attack surface, reducing the number of entry points that an attacker can exploit. Internal systems and data remain protected behind the additional layer of the firewall.
Layered Security: The DMZ provides an additional layer of defense (defense-in-depth). Even if an attacker manages to compromise a server in the DMZ, the internal network is still protected by another firewall, making it harder for the attacker to penetrate further.
Monitoring and Logging: Activities within the DMZ can be closely monitored and logged. Any suspicious behavior can be detected early, and appropriate actions can be taken to mitigate potential threats before they impact the internal network.
Traffic Filtering: The firewalls between the internet and the DMZ, as well as between the DMZ and the internal network, can filter traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols. This filtering ensures that only legitimate traffic is allowed and that malicious traffic is blocked.
-if attacker compromises a server on the network, they will be able to pivot to other systems on the network.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having the two DMZ firewalls be from
different vendors?
Using different firewall manufacturers for the two firewalls maybe a good idea, avoids possibility of both having the same vulnerability but introduces more complexity and management overhead.
Be able to write pfSense firewall rules
Penetration Testing
•
What is penetration testing?
-legal and suthorzied attempt to locate and exploit vulnerable systems for the purpose of making those systems more secure.

pen testing, pt, hacking, ethical hacking, whitehate hacking, offensive security, red teaming 

What is the objective of the penetration testing?

Use tools and techniques used by the attackers in order to discover security vulnerabilities before the attackers do. 

What is the BAD pyramid?

The purpose of a red team is to find ways to improve the blue team, so purple teams should not be needed in an organization where the red/blue teams interaction is healthy and functioning properly. 

red attack
purple defender changes based off attack knowledge
blue defend
green builder changes based on defender knowledge
yellow build
orange builder changes based on attacker knowledge
Why are the penetration tests conducted?
-a company may want to have a stronger understanding of their security footprint.

-system policy shortcomings -network protocol weaknesses -network/software misconfigurations -software vulnerabilities 

What is the difference between penetration testing and vulnerability assessment?
-two terms often incorrectly ,interchangeably used in practice.
-vulnerability assessment : review of systems services to find potential vulnerabilities-penetration testing: finding an exploiting system vulnerabilities as proof-of-concept
What is the difference between black-box, white-box, and grey-box testing.
Black-Box Testing
Tester Knowledge: The tester has no knowledge of the internal structure, code, or implementation details of the system.
-lack knowledge of system
White-Box Testing
Tester Knowledge: The tester has full knowledge of the internal structure, code, and implementation details of the system.
-very thorough , but not completely realistic
Grey-Box Testing
Tester Knowledge: The tester has partial knowledge of the internal structure, code, or implementation details of the system.
What is the difference between ethical and unethical hackers?
-penetration testers, with proper authorization of the company, help improve the security of the company.
-unethical hackers, personal gain through extortion or other devious methods, profit, revenge, fame, etc. No authorization to conduct the attacks
•Ethical vs unethical hacking, penetration testers: obtain the authorization from the organization whose systems they plan to attack unethical hackers: attack without authorization.
Know the stages of penetration testing and the importance of following a structured ap-
proach.
–
Planning and Reconnaissance:
Planning: Define the scope and goals of the test, including the systems to be tested and the testing methods.
Reconnaissance: Gather information about the target, such as IP addresses, domain names, and network infrastructure, to understand how to approach the test.
Scanning:
Purpose: Identify potential entry points and vulnerabilities in the target system.
Methods: Use tools to scan for open ports, services running on those ports, and known vulnerabilities.
Gaining Access:
Purpose: Attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to the system.
Techniques: Use techniques like password cracking, SQL injection, or exploiting software vulnerabilities.
Maintaining Access:
Planning and Reconnaissance:
Purpose: Ensure continued access to the compromised system to understand the potential impact of a prolonged attack.
Methods: Install backdoors or use other methods to maintain control over the system.
Analysis and Reporting:
Scanning
Purpose: Document the findings, including vulnerabilities discovered, methods used, and the level of access achieved.
Report: Provide a detailed report to the organization, highlighting the risks and recommending steps to mitigate the vulnerabilities.
Remediation:
Gaining Access
Purpose: Address and fix the identified vulnerabilities to improve the security of the system.
Action: Implement the recommended security measures from the report to protect against future attacks.
Retesting:
Maintaining Access
Purpose: Verify that the vulnerabilities have been successfully remediated.
Process: Conduct a follow-up test to ensure that the fixes are effective and no new issues have been introduced.
Importance of Following a Structured Approach
Consistency: A structured approach ensures that each stage is systematically followed, making the testing thorough and reliable.
Comprehensiveness: Following each stage helps identify and address all potential vulnerabilities, leaving no gaps in the security assessment.
Documentation: A structured method produces detailed documentation, which is crucial for understanding the security posture and for future reference.
Effectiveness: It ensures that the penetration test effectively mimics real-world attack scenarios, providing valuable insights into how an actual attacker might exploit vulnerabilities.
Risk Management: By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, organizations can proactively manage security risks and protect their assets from potential attacks.
Example:
What is the difference between the passive and active reconnaissance?
•
Passive Reconnaissance
Definition: Gathering information about the target without directly interacting with the target system or network. The aim is to collect data without alerting the target.
Methods:
Publicly Available Information: Searching for information that is freely available on the internet, such as social media profiles, company websites, and news articles.
DNS Queries: Looking up domain registration information (WHOIS data), DNS records, and IP address ranges.
Network Traffic Analysis: Capturing and analyzing network traffic without sending packets to the target (e.g., using tools like Wireshark in a non-intrusive manner).
Search Engines: Using search engines to find information about the target, such as employee names, email addresses, and technical details.
Advantages:
Low Risk: Minimizes the chance of detection by the target because no direct interaction occurs.
Stealth: Suitable for the early stages of reconnaissance when the goal is to remain undetected.
Disadvantages:
Limited Information: May not provide as much detailed or specific information about vulnerabilities or configurations as active reconnaissance.
Active Reconnaissance
Definition: Actively engaging with the target system or network to gather information. This involves direct interaction, such as sending packets or probing the target.
Methods:
Network Scanning: Using tools like Nmap to scan for open ports, running services, and network topology.
Vulnerability Scanning: Running vulnerability scanners (e.g., Nessus, OpenVAS) to identify known weaknesses in the target systems.
Social Engineering: Directly interacting with individuals (e.g., phishing attacks) to gather information.
Probing and Enumerating: Sending specific queries or packets to the target to elicit responses that reveal information about the system (e.g., banner grabbing).
Advantages:
Detailed Information: Provides more detailed and specific information about the target's vulnerabilities, configurations, and active services.
Identification of Weaknesses: More effective in identifying exploitable vulnerabilities that can be used in subsequent attack phases.
Disadvantages:
Higher Risk: Increases the risk of detection by the target, which could alert them to the reconnaissance activity.
Potential Legal Issues: Unauthorized active reconnaissance can lead to legal repercussions if done without permission.
Summary
Passive Reconnaissance: Involves gathering information without direct interaction with the target, resulting in lower risk of detection but potentially less detailed information.
Active Reconnaissance: Involves direct interaction with the target to gather detailed information, but carries a higher risk of detection and potential legal consequences.
Both types of reconnaissance are essential in penetration testing to understand the target's environment and identify potential vulnerabilities while balancing the need for stealth and detailed information.
Be able to use the penetration testing tools discussed in class
nmap 192.168.1.1
nmap -sS -sV -O -A 192.168.1.1-sS: Perform a stealth SYN scan.
-sV: Detect service versions.
-O: Detect operating system.
-A: Perform aggressive scan (includes OS detection, version detection, script scanning, and traceroute).

First Previous Next
Fletch gently pushed open the large and lavishly decorated bronze doors of the university administration building and ambled out into the portico. He set his cup of coffee down on the pedestal of a granite pillar and pulled his cigarette case from the breast pocket of his tan trench coat. The old chief inspector plucked a cigarette from the ornately engraved case with slender fingers and wondered why the Kael let him come at all.
Something felt very off with the whole thing. The more he thought about it, the more he questioned the story he got. Mike Anderson was certainly depressed, but as far as Fletch could tell, he had not displayed any suicidal behavior. And why now? Fletch thought. Things were on the upswing for the kid. His grades were excellent, his family situation was good, and he was out of the house more this term than the last. Fletch scratched his mustache. Why would the seals hide the autopsy and the gun? He brought the cigarette to his lips, snapped the filigreed case shut, and slipped it back into the breast pocket of his coat. Fletch flicked open his lighter and sighed as he lit his cigarette. Murder.
It was a hopeless case. These days, warrants were approved by the seals, and even if they weren't, he doubted that he could get one anyway. His suspicion of foul play was backed by nothing but his instinct.
Fletch watched students hustle and bustle through the plaza in front of him as he puffed away at his cigarette and pondered his theory.
But why kill him now? They could have done it in complete secrecy while he was a POW. And it couldn’t be to keep what happened in Philadelphia under wraps. His death brings more attention to it. And he wasn’t a rebel. So why? Fletch sipped at his coffee as he flicked ash from his cigarette. Vengeance? Did he kill some noble brat during the war?
Fletch scratched at his grey mustache and glanced at his watch. I’ll have to follow that thread. He tossed his half-smoked cigarette into a puddle as he briskly walked down the steps and through the university plaza.
The withered investigator was deep in thought when he entered the parking lot. What do I tell that Enrique chap? He unlocked his car and crawled in. I certainly can’t tell him that his mate’s been clipped with no evidence. Fletch turned the key, and the engine of his little Volvo sputtered to life. It’s no bleeding use. I’ll just tell the lad they weren’t interested in sharing and keep my suspicions to myself.
As he reached for the shifter, Fletch noticed a delightfully thick manilla envelope stuck in the gap between the center console and the passenger seat.
He pulled the envelope from the crack. Gingerly, he opened it and pulled out a small note. It read We’re even now, prick.
Fletch smiled and couldn’t help but mutter, “The game is afoot,” as he flicked through the stack of documents inside.
Isabella poked her head into the large office and saw Professor Dret’la with a ball of dark green yarn on her lap and bone darning needles beset with carvings in her hands.
Isabella was struck with confusion. What? She crochets!?
The professor looked up from her labor, spotted the confused girl outside her door, and called, “Come in.”
Isabella walked into the office and took a seat. She gestured to the yarn in the professor's hands. “What are you making?”
The professor smiled as motherly as one could with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. “It will be a hat for my son. He just received his commission as a junior biologist, so he has to rummage around in freezers to get samples for his whole research team.”
Isabella blinked. This was not characteristic at all for the quick-tempered professor with a penchant for launching chalk across lecture halls at the mildest provocation.
Isabella shook off her shocked expression and gave the tall professor a dimpled cheek smile. “That’s so sweet! I’m sure he’ll love it. One of the best gifts I’ve ever received was a thick wool sweater from my mamma during a training exercise off the coast of Norway.”
The professor, still smiling, sat up straight. “I hope that’s the kind of reception I get.”
The professor’s demeanor hardened as she stowed the yarn and needles in the desk drawer. “Now, let's get down to business.”
Isabella gulped.
“To start, congratulations. You’ve passed our testing and been selected for officer training.”
Isabella asked, “Who else was selected?”
“There are nine others: Robert Rhodes, Elena Pavel, Hal Jellico, Zheng Li, Brooke Halsey, Colow Aden, Magnus Tordenskjold, Bill Lee, and Kazuya Yamamoto.”
Isabella didn’t recognize all the names.
“Should you choose to accept, you will be taking a prep course taught by Colonel Ocidea and I starting next week and lasting all through the summer. If we deem you ready, you’ll ship out for basic training and then off to the Royal Military Academy, where you can earn your commission.” Dr. Dret’la leaned in close to Isabella. “Do you accept?”
Without hesitation, Isabella answered, “Yes.”
“Mike, come over here. You’re going to want to see this.” Calty voiced from her seat in the front of the cockpit.
Mike rolled off the couch and walked into the front of the cockpit as the captain shouted, “Decelerate!” Mike couldn’t help but grab onto the back of Calty’s seat as the FTL drive kicked into gear. The cockpit glass dimmed just before blindingly bright blue jets of fire from the front-facing engines came into view. A bright green circle flickered onto the glass surrounding a marble-sized dot darker than the rest of the now dim screen. The dots and circles expanded at an extreme pace until they took up most of the display. Another dot appeared—minuscule compared to the other—surrounded by a red circle. The growth of the shadowy dots and the circles around them slowed and then stopped entirely as the engines sputtered out.
The HUD faded out of view, and the tint of the glass slowly lightened, revealing a vast planet embraced by blue-green ice with a colossal foundry in its orbit. The planet, a gas giant called Drassus, was orbited by four rings. One was made of containers, and the other three were made up of loose ore gleaming in the nearby star's light. Exhaust chimneys spewing gas and fire sprouted from the otherwise spherical foundry, giving it a sea urchin-like profile, which, together with the weave of pipes bringing fuel from beneath the icy surface of the planet below, made the foundry resemble an old naval mine.
The captain strode up to the front of the cockpit. “One-third ahead and steer 14 degrees left. We’re unloading in bay three.”
Six mech suits and a tug exited a plasma-shielded hanger as the ship came to a halt. The mechs glided to the front of the ship and started dismounting the external cargo bay from the Broken Fin while the tug hitched onto the opposite end of the ten-kilometer-long rack of containers.
A little while later, the tug pulled away with the load of containers, and the comm system blared to life. “Broken Fin, you are cleared to leave. The UO corporation thanks you for your business.”
The captain replied, “Our pleasure. Broken fin out.” as the ship pulled out of the loading bay.
He turned to the navigation officer and said, “Lock in coordinates for jump to Kael Prime.”
The captain went to the central control board and pulled up traffic control. “Tower 1, this is the Broken Fin. We request a jump slot to Kael Prime from Drassus.”
“Broken Fin, request granted. Your departure slot is at 16:33.”
Mike glanced at the top right of the ship's HUD and looked at the time. 16:21.
Better get my stuff together…
The ship shuddered ever so slightly despite the inertial dampeners as it exited FTL. Mike was lounging on the couch with his bag at his feet. He was ready to get off this tub.
Mike idly watched flames lick at the cockpit window as the ship descended into the atmosphere of Kael Prime. He looked at Dreki, who was sitting on the other couch. His muscles bulged through his clothes despite wearing a white sweater so large it could be mistaken for the sail of an average-sized boat. Mike asked, “Do you know anything about what’ll happen to me now?”
The big Kael shifted in his seat. “Technically, I’m not supposed to tell you anything, but what the hell.” Dreki pulled the collar of his sweater down, revealing an angry white number burnt into his iron-gray skin just below the collarbone. “First, you’ll get branded.” He released his shirt and pointed to a small scar on the side of his head. “Then you’ll get an AR implant.”
“Where will I be getting that?” Mike asked.
“The Imperial Science Academy. We’re going to be staying there for a few days. They’ll run a bunch of tests and get you fitted for equipment there. After that, I’ll drop you off at the spaceport, and you’ll be off to Tlaxcalssus for basic training. After that, I don’t know.”
“Thanks.”
The ship shook as it touched down on the landing pad. “Time to go.” Dreki shouldered his pack and walked out the door. Mike fiddled with the straps of his bag as he followed Dreki down the ramp and to the far side of the ship, away from the rest of the passengers. Mike's nose was immediately assaulted with the acrid smell of sulfur from where the fiery exhausts of engines had melted asphalt. The spaceport was swarming with vehicles and filled with the constant roar of ship engines and a symphony of smaller equipment. Power loaders and mechs loaded and unloaded heavy cargo, shuttles bustled to and fro with passengers, baggage carriers snaked through the crowded landing pads, and vehicles that looked like floating garage doors zipped through the air at ankle height, bringing pilots and crew to their ships. Mike couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the absurdity of it all. Here he was, in the heartland of the enemy, walking through what was essentially a ten-acre parking lot.
Dreki plopped his bags on the ground and yawned as he stretched his arms over his head. “Our skiff will be here in a minute.”
Mike tuned out the beeps and whirrs of the tank-sized forklifts and mechs unloading the ship and gazed out beyond at the horizon. You’re not in Kansas anymore, bub. Mike thought as he studied the skyline of the imperial city basked in the glow of the early evening sun. Some of the buildings wouldn’t look all that out of place on Earth, but the skyline was assaulted with abominations that pissed on the laws of physics as Man understood them. Tusk-shaped skyscrapers defied gravity with their seemingly unsupported curves, and even more absurd were pyramids stacked atop another point-to-point like hourglasses. Any delusion of normalcy that Mike could come up with was shattered.
Dreki picked up his bag and pointed to a slab of black marble speeding towards them at ankle height. “Here’s our skiff.” A railing popped out of the center as the skiff came to a gliding halt. Dreki boarded the skiff and took hold of the rail, and Mike followed suit.
They sped through the spaceport and stopped outside what looked to Mike like a train station. Dreki shouldered his bag and stepped off the skiff. Mike stepped off and quickly fell in pace with Dreki. The big Kael led Mike into a grand station bustling with people. Most were Kael, but there was a smattering of other species. Some stared at Mike, others glanced, but most completely ignored him as he followed Dreki through the hall and onto a platform. Unfamiliar aliens clearly weren’t an uncommon sight here.
The walls of the station were covered with mosaics depicting Kael warriors from the distant past. Dreki noted the human's curiosity and said, “The founders of the clans.” He leveled a massive hand toward an opulent, towering mosaic of a Kael warrior wielding a bronze falx. The imposing figure's body was made of blue gemstones, the eyes rubies, one tusk silver, and the other gold. “That’s the founder of my clan, Drekalla Gold Tusk.”
Mike asked, “How’d he manage that?” As he followed Dreki into a mostly empty train car.
Dreki plopped down on a bench. “He was the war priest of Hroptaug the Conqueror during the unification wars. After the wars were won, Hroptaug granted us the Steam Hills.” Dreki pointed through the train window at the mosaic of another warrior whose body was made of milky white pearls. “That one,” He paused and spat on the floor, “Tiblan the Terror, challenged Drekalla to a duel for most of that land. Drekalla was cutting him to pieces, but the craven poisoned his blade. Just before Drekalla could deliver the final blow, the poison reached his heart, and Drekalla died. The only wound on his body was a cut across his forearm that barely drew blood.” Dreki rolled up his sleeve, showing a scar that reached from his elbow to the middle of his forearm. “Every K’alla is cut the same way to remind us of the blood feud.”
Mike inwardly sighed. Kael and their damned feuds… “How long ago was this.”
“Seven thousand four hundred and fifty-one years ago.”
Mike held back a snort. The absurdity of it all. The first human law codes came about to stop blood feuds, and out here, they have feuds that have lasted longer than Earth's recorded history.
“How’s that feud been going as of late?”
Dreki’s face sagged, “Not good.”
They both grew quiet. Mike shuffled uncomfortably.
Mike glanced at the route display and broke the silence, “What's with the middle city, inner city thing?”
Dreki relaxed slightly. “Oh, so the city used to be a fortification. The inner city is actually a volcanic island. The middle is built over the river, and the outer city was built on the banks.”
“I see.”
The doors closed, and the intercom sounded, “Next stop, the inner city.”
Dale Robert’s wrinkled face was unreadable, and his highly decorated black and blue dress uniform immaculate as he led a horse through the street. He felt the eyes of thousands of onlookers on him, and he hated it. The pure black horse had a black leather saddle on its back. Two tall, glossy black boots were placed backward in silver stirrups, and the elaborate hilt of Mike’s basket-hilted broadsword jutted from the top of a black leather scabbard buckled to the saddle. Roberts followed the horse-drawn caisson bearing the flag-draped coffin of his old commanding officer. Not much farther now, he thought. The sounds of the cartwheels rolling and the horse’s tack jangling were wholly drowned out by boots stamping the ground in unison. Almost all of the 1800 survivors of the 801st regiment were there, resplendent in their dress uniforms, marching behind Mike one more time. The local police and fire departments joined them.
Roberts was unsure about it all. He felt that the poor kid's family would have preferred a smaller service back home in Colorado instead of this damn near royal procession. And Roberts was damn sure that the seals did not give their permission for this, no matter what the police chief said.
A reporter ducked through the police barricade and tried to ask the marching soldiers questions, but they remained stone-faced as the procession marched nearer to the gates of Philadelphia National Cemetery. Roberts handed the reigns of the riderless horse to another man in uniform and joined seven other members of Charlie platoon in pulling the casket from the cassion. They silently began their march to the grave, closely followed by General McCarthy, the man who was Joint Chief of Staff, and the color guard. Bagpipers began to blare, “Going Home.” Roberts heard the sound of gravpulse engines and looked up in dismay as a Kael gunship broke through the low clouds and descended to just barely above the cemetery. A loudspeaker blared, “Disperse at once.”

Preface: This is for Vedic, Sidereal Astrology.
This took a super long time to finish, but I've finally reached a point where I think I'm done trying to improve it. This part will focus more on how Purva Bhadrapada manifests for individuals.
Reminder that Purva Bhadrapada spans from 20° sidereal Aquarius to 3°20’ sidereal Pisces.
Nature
Purva Bhadrapada reminds me a lot of Kali Yuga. In Hindu cosmology, Kali is the final of the four ages that the world goes through as part of a continuous cycle of creation, maintenance, and dissolution. It is the final stage before the onset of a new cycle, promising the destruction of the old order and the eventual merging of all into a unified whole. It signifies a time of dual balance before dissolution of individual identities and the reunification of all existence with the divine source. This can be viewed as being similar to the process of individual death, but it is on a universal scale. Kali Yuga is considered the age of darkness and moral decline, where spiritual values deteriorate and materialism prevails. According to Hindu scriptures, Kali Yuga is characterized by widespread social, political, and moral corruption, as well as a decline in virtue and Dharma (righteousness). It is believed that, during this age, human beings face numerous challenges and spiritual tests, and the pursuit of higher consciousness becomes increasingly more difficult compared to the previous Yugas. Just as Kali Yuga tests individuals with challenges to their spiritual resolve amidst the prevailing degeneration of values, Purva Bhadrapada is a cosmic stage where one's truest nature is tested through the weakening separation of the spiritual and the material. Here, individuals are made to confront their deepest fears and desires, burdened with the challenge of facing their true nature and purifying their souls. The emphasis of this nakshatra lies in releasing attachments amidst the seduction of outer freedom and power, mirroring the spiritual trials inherent to Kali Yuga. Yet, despite challenges of degeneration, there exists a unique opportunity during the stages of both Kali and Purva Bhadrapada. Kali is believed to be the best time for spiritual progress and true liberation because individuals can attain spiritual growth more rapidly due to the intensity of the challenges they face during this period, and the same is true of Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra. Both Kali and Purva Bhadrapada emphasize the importance of transcending mundane concerns and dedicatedly seeking spiritual truth amidst the backdrop of pervading ignorance.
The primary nature of Purva Bhadrapada is that of penance and disequilibrium. Purva Bhadrapada is the stage of evolution where individuals are made to undergo intense internal transformation and dissolution, shedding layers of their being in preparation for spiritual renewal and divine return. This process of metamorphosis can be seen as a type of penance, whether embraced willingly or thrust upon them. It offers eventual rewards as they journey towards enlightenment. As the primary nature of Purva Bhadrapada revolves around penance and transformation, individuals heavily influenced by this Nakshatra are oriented towards personal introspection and societal purification, viewing their lives as both a personal quest for growth and an opportunity to contribute to something greater. Individually, they seek to cleanse themselves of past transgressions and strive for spiritual redemption, and they feel personally responsible for their impact on others. At a broader societal level, they are driven by a strong sense of justice and a duty to rectify societal wrongs of the past and present in order to contribute to the collective upliftment and purification of their community. As such, they often subject themselves and others to extreme physical, mental, and spiritual challenges. They are presented with a kind of spiritual trial of sacrifice: either they can willingly embrace self-denial and endure while remaining detached, or they can create so much desire and fear that it causes them to lose the direction of their souls in the process. While the primary manifestation of Purva Bhadrapada energy is inwardly focused on cultivating self-discipline and perfection, oftentimes to an unhealthy degree, sometimes the focus can instead shift outward. This is where Purva Bhadrapada gains a lot of its infamy; Purva Bhadrapada is revered as one of the most "difficult" and "intense" nakshatras among Vedic astrologers. It is an asterism that gets approached with trepidation due to its somber imagery and associations with themes of violence, debauchery, and malevolence. The negative traits linked to Purva Bhadrapada, such as paranoia, pessimism, and hedonism, contribute to its daunting reputation. And for the most part, the fear of this nakshatra is justified. Not only are these individuals capable of doling out punishment themselves through various means like violence, manipulation, curses, etc., but they can also inadvertently bring out the self-destructive or uncontrolled nature of others. They are the types to cause deep introspection and confrontation with one's own shortcomings and fears, often acting as catalysts for irreversible transformation of character.
In terms of Purva Bhadrapada's inherently unbalanced nature, the trajectory is quite clear. These natives are not the type to do anything in moderation and often have an unstable demeanor and sense of self. They will always be pulled towards the polar extremes of anything, but they can flip on their values rapidly following any transformative event. They may occupy the deepest levels of material saturation, completely lost in chasing fame, drugs, sex, and uncontained immoral activities. Yet, paradoxically, they can also find themselves drawn to the heights of spiritual austerity, sometimes even at the same time they are trying to maximize their material standing. This innate propensity for extremes and contradiction manifests in every aspect of their lives, from their relationships, to their goals, to their beliefs, and to their actions. They are esteemed for their amiable disposition, characterized by warmth, thoughtfulness, and a selfless inclination to assist others without seeking acknowledgment. Yet, concurrently, they are often perceived as self-serving, prone to bouts of ill temper, and housing a proclivity towards ego-centricity. Despite appearing outwardly normal a lot of the time, they can be very eccentric. They are the types to lead clandestine lives, harboring secrets and maintaining hidden facets of their personalities and activities, even to those closest to them. This can make them seem nefarious and untrustworthy. Sometimes this is the case, but despite having a reputation for deceit, many of them are known to be sincere and honorable. Yet, underlying however they are being perceived is a deeper struggle to fully identify with anything. This challenge leads to inner conflicts and uncertainties, as they grapple with their sense of self and their place in the world. They are up and down, left and right, constantly in a state of internal conflict that leaves them questioning who they really are. They can feel like they don't know themselves while still being hyper-individualistic and defensive over whatever their current sense of identity is, even though it is likely to change. These contradictions reveal the complexity of their psyche, where outer appearances often mask inner conflicts and contradictory emotions and experiences. Purva Bhadrapada natives navigate the space where boundaries are starting to blur, reflecting the burgeoning singularity of existence in their minds. Due to this, sometimes they can seem like walking contradictions, embodying multiple clashing characteristics at once. For example, while they may harbor a sense of superiority over others, they can also experience deep-seated insecurity and jealousy. They can like to be critical, but cannot handle criticism. Additionally, they might demonstrate a strong desire for independence and self-reliance, yet simultaneously crave validation and approval from those around them. These conflicting traits contribute to their complex and enigmatic nature, making them intriguing yet challenging individuals to understand to others and themselves.
Purva Bhadrapada's inclination towards extremes extends to their pursuit of goals, as they approach certain tasks with unwavering ambition and dedication. They set high standards and are willing to push themselves to extreme limits to get what they want. This relentless drive for perfection and attainment can sometimes lead them to engage in behaviors that are harmful to the well-being of themselves or others, as they struggle to find balance and moderation. At this point, you may be asking, "how is that penance if they are only striving to selfishly get what they want?" Well, the painful truth about this is that they do not really want these things. They are told by others ignorant to their situation that they will be happy when they achieve some kind of abstruse goal set forth for them by society, and they are sent on a goose-chase of material ambition to achieve happiness, but this inevitably only leads to further dissatisfaction. They are met with pain, humiliation, and harsh transformation, but they keep pushing towards their aspiration of material fulfillment. It is only when they get that job, marry that partner, become famous, etc. that they realize it does not bring them happiness or fill them with the sense of purpose they crave. In fact, this realization often leads to intense anger as they confront the worthlessness of what they spent all their time chasing. The journey through Purva Bhadrapada is undeniably arduous, but that is to be expected with such a potent force. They are called to transcend their attachments, lest they be forcefully ripped away. They begin to grapple with an inescapable emptiness they feel when interacting with the world, and this can often lead them to deep feelings of nihilism. Purva Bhadrapada natives are predisposed to being unhappy, and this is not a shallow kind of unhappiness that fades based on external circumstances. Rather, it is a deeply existential depression– a feeling of confused worthlessness and dissatisfaction they often battle with for the duration of their lives. Their experiences and attachments become increasingly burdensome as they grow more aware of the fleeting nature of life. These natives will openly acknowledge the impermanence of worldly intentions, and while this can be both good or bad, it ultimately makes their minds unpredictable and unstable. With the recognition that nothing lasts forever, a new philosophy can be used to justify any action according to moral relativism. If nothing matters in the grand scheme – where whatever you do will eventually fade into obscurity, wiped away with the start of a new cycle – then anything you do doesn’t really matter in the end. This gives these natives a sense of untouchability, a feeling to do whatever they please at their most uninhibited. And it is in this stage of recognizing one’s freedom to do whatever they want is that the test to discern their one’s nature begins. When there is total freedom, the only real concern becomes about what one chooses to do with their freedom. After all, the only harm that can come from doing what you want is ultimately the result of wanting to do something harmful. Sadly, the reality is that most people are not strong enough to fully resist the temptation of evil and would fail this test. It is for this reason that this trial is exclusively administered to individuals who possess a high level of spiritual advancement found under Purva Bhadrapda. Regardless of the difficulties they face, those governed by Purva Bhadrapada have tremendous inner strength and personal resilience, which often manifests in worldly and spiritual achievement and prosperity in various facets of their lives.
Individuals born under the influence of the Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra are inherently inclined towards detachment from external influences. This detachment often leads them down two distinct paths. Some choose to embrace a life unbound by societal norms, driven solely by their inner convictions. These individuals seek to experience life to the fullest, embracing both its joys and challenges. However, if they feel unfulfilled, they may turn to darker pursuits in search of excitement. Conversely, others utilize their detachment for spiritual advancement, renouncing materialism in favor of a disciplined quest for higher truths. In both cases, detachment becomes a defining trait, shaping their lives in divergent yet meaningful ways. Whether they become revolutionary leaders or appear lazy due to their selective motivation, their actions are stirred only by what truly invigorates their souls. Their inner character often changes with time. They can start out seeming quite innocent and fragile, and a lot of the time they will have something about them that invites torment, be it their big and eccentric personalities, their height, their weight, their looks, etc. This often leads people to perceive them as different and vulnerable. Unfortunately, this vulnerability often attracts individuals who seek to exploit, victimize, or corrupt them. There's a noticeable pattern of others attempting to take advantage of their perceived weakness, whether it be through just trying to make them feel bad, manipulating them, coercing them to do things they do not want to, or forcing them to be alone by treating them as outcasts. This predatory behavior can leave these individuals feeling isolated, betrayed, and miserable, further fueling their inner turmoil and sense of disillusionment with the world around them. However, this also serves to strengthen them. During the course of their lives, they will experience a series of external transformations that will change who they are. While their soft and innocent demeanor may still be present in some ways, there will be a new darker side to their nature. The inner transformations that Purva Bhadrapada natives undergo change them into stronger, more hardened versions of themselves. This alteration can manifest in tendencies towards violence, aggression, deceit, manipulation, etc., yet at the same time, it also equips them with the strength and capability to protect others when needed. As they navigate the complexities of life, they become formidable forces, possessing the resilience and detachment to confront challenges head-on along with the capacity to wield their strength for both good and evil.
Purva Bhadrapada natives exhibit a curious mix of flippancy and seriousness, often displaying a casual attitude towards many topics yet simultaneously exuding an air of solemnity in regards to topics concerning things like philosophical and existential inquiries. They possess a keen intellect characterized by innovation and depth of gnosis, which lends to their excellence in fields like science and research. Additionally, they are known to have an insatiable thirst for knowledge and information gathering brought about by a powerful yearning for deeper truth. While they may have a religious inclination, their focus lies more on unraveling the essence of spirituality rather than adhering rigidly to dogma. As a result of their approach to religion, they can sometimes be critical of conventional religious practices, which rely heavily on dogmatic rules and rituals. These natives are generally liberal and disdain hypocrisy as well as superficiality, valuing authenticity and depth in both thought and action, regardless of how much it clashes with anything else. Despite their show of outward confidence, they often wrestle with inner self-doubt and a crippling fear of failure, which leaves little room for optimism when they are faced with setbacks. While they typically prefer to be alone, they may inadvertently rely on others when seeking to escape the monotony of their everyday lives. This can make them seem unreliable or inconsistent when it comes to their relationships. They are driven by an innate desire to transcend mediocrity and to be perceived as exceptional. This drive for superior distinction stems from underlying feelings of insecurity and a fear of judgment, compelling them to constantly push the boundaries and strive for success through originality in all aspects of their lives. In their personal relationships, Purva Bhadrapada natives may struggle to balance their need for independence with their desire for connection. Generally, in their interactions with others, Purva Bhadrapada natives are intense yet detached. Despite their desire for authenticity and closeness in relationships, they may struggle to express their openly, fearing rejection or misunderstanding. This internal conflict between their need for connection and their fear of vulnerability can create barriers to intimacy, causing them to retreat through self-imposed isolation. Additionally, their critical nature and high standards can sometimes alienate others, as they can come across as overly judgmental or demanding of their fitness, partners, colleagues, etc. They value depth and sincerity in relationships, but sometimes it can be too much to where they end up pushing others away with their intensity. Despite these challenges, they are still often very empathetic and understanding, and they can offer support to people when needed.
Before I get into the padas, I want to give some examples. I do not want to go into much detail or take up too much time with this, but given the very complicated nature of this nakshatra, I feel that it is necessary to provide media representations for people to look into if they are interested in knowing more about how it manifests: Martin Scorsese PB Moon and Andrew Garfield PB ASC (Silence Official Trailer (2016) - Paramount Pictures), Billie Eilish PB ASC (Billie Eilish - bury a friend (Official Music Video)), Jack Black PB Moon (School of Rock (2003) Trailer #1 Movieclips Classic Trailers), Dylan O'brien PB Moon (AMERICAN ASSASSIN - Official Trailer - HD (Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton), Logan-Marshall Green (Upgrade Trailer #1 (2018) Movieclips Trailers), Paul Walker PB Moon (Hours TRAILER (2013) - Paul Walker Movie HD), Bill Skarsgard PB Moon (The Crow - Official Trailer (2024) Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs, Danny Huston), Olivia Wilde PB Sun (A VIGILANTE Official HD International Trailer Starring Olivia Wilde) & (The Lazarus Effect Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass Movie HD), John Stamos PB ASC (John Stamos Stars in "Secrets of Eden" Lifetime), Hozier PB Sun (the lyrics and imagery of this video are extremely Purva Bhadrapada) Hozier - Take Me To Church), Kaya Scoledario PB Sun (Spinning Out Official Trailer Netflix), Ryan Gosling PB ASC (THE FALL GUY Official Trailer 2 (Universal Studios) - HD), Camila Mendes PB Moon (Do Revenge Official Trailer Netflix), Bryan Cranston PB Sun (Breaking Bad Trailer), Sabrina Carpenter PB Moon and Milo Manheim PB Sun (Sabrina Carpenter - Feather (Official Video) Alexandra Daddario PB Sun (Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches Trailer: Starring Alexandra Daddario AMC+), Jacob Elordi PB Moon (2 HEARTS Official Trailer (2020) Jacob Elordi, Tiera Skovbye), Tom Blyth PB Moon (Billy The Kid (EPIX 2022 Series) Official Trailer), Daniel Gillies PB Sun (COMING HOME IN THE DARK Trailer (2021) Daniel Gillies Suspense Thriller Movie), Matthew Gray Gubler PB Sun (KING KNIGHT Trailer (2022) Angela Sarafyan, Matthew Gray Gubler), Jon Hamm (Corner Office (2023) Official Trailer - Jon Hamm, Danny Pudi, Sarah Gadon), Rachel Weisz PB Sun + Moon and Sam Claflin PB Moon (MY COUSIN RACHEL Official Trailer FOX Searchlight), Chris Pine PB Moon (Jack Reacher Movie Trailer), Madison Beer PB Sun (Madison Beer - Make You Mine (Official Music Video), Sharon Stone PB Sun (Basic Instinct - Trailer (1080p)), Michael Jackson PB Moon (Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official 4K Video), and Jenna Ortega PB Ascendant (most of her depictions in media emphasize her Rohini Moon, but this movie in particular was very emphatic of her Purva Bhadrapada rising: https://youtu.be/_fZXEMNG8Zg?si=hW8mPhAvXIqYxOQU).
Padas
(mostly for Moon) They all tend to be skinny to middle weight until they get older, where they either become more muscular or plump/curvy.
1st – The first pada of Purva Bhadrapada, falling in the Aries Navamsa, signifies a stage of primal energy and raw ambition. With Mars as their guiding force, they exhibit a relentless drive to achieve their goals, refusing to be deterred by obstacles or setbacks. However, being the initial pada of the nakshatra just leaving the stage of Shatabhisha, this quarter is the least spiritually developed. While they may possess great worldly ambition and the capacity for success, they may also be prone to ego-driven actions and an overly narrow focus on material pursuits. They can get into occultism or spirituality, but it is usually an attempt to further themselves in the material realm. Natives born under this pada possess a combative nature, always ready to engage in confrontations to defend their beliefs or assert their dominance. They tend to be more mentally aggressive than physically, but nonetheless their volatile temperament can lead to physical disputes as well when they are provoked enough. They know they can be very damaging when they lose control, so they will do everything in their power to prevent escalation. Ironically, this can make them seem passive. They typically exhibit anxious tendencies while attempting to conceal or downplay their feelings of worry. Natives of this pada are extremely passionate, but they have a tendency to constantly compare themselves to others, which ultimately can lead them to disregard their efforts to focus on surpassing someone else's. This propensity of theirs for aggression, envy, and competitiveness can strain relationships and hinder their personal growth, as they become consumed by their own desires for dominance and validation. They are usually medium tall with a wide forehead and low eyebrows.
2nd – The second pada of Purva Bhadrapada, ruled by Venus in the Taurus Navamsa, embodies a stage of sensual indulgence and creative expression. Individuals born under this pada are drawn to the occult and mysteries of the unseen, often delving into practices such as astrology and black magic. There is a bit of detachment from the mysticism of it at this stage though. They may prefer to look at it through a scientific or philosophical perspective as opposed to one that embraces faith in the divine. While their interest in these esoteric realms may lead to proficiency in such arts, it also heightens their propensity to lose track of their life's direction, becoming absorbed in the pursuit of hidden knowledge and power. Natives of this pada are characterized by their attractive physique, with beautiful broad teeth and strikingly captivating eyes that draw others to them. They possess an innate charm that makes them highly appealing to the opposite sex, and they are not hesitant to indulge in their darker desires and fantasies. Their creativity knows no bounds, as they constantly innovate and explore new avenues of expression. However, despite their magnetic allure and creative flair, individuals of this pada are prone to indulgence and excess, particularly when it comes to satisfying their sensual appetites. Their pursuit of pleasure and gratification can sometimes lead them astray, causing them to lose sight of their responsibilities and priorities. This stage of Purva Bhadrapada is more spiritually evolved than the prior, but it is still in the accumulation phase of Aquarius and the 11th house. Despite their outward charm, they may struggle to find stability and balance in their lives. They are prone to accidents.
3rd – The third pada of Purva Bhadrapada falls in the Gemini Navamsa and is ruled by Mercury. Natives born under this pada embody the mental side of Purva Bhadrapada, which is very focused on cultivating critical reasoning and gathering information, emphasizing communication, learning, and adaptability. Individuals born under this pada are intellectually inclined, constantly seeking to expand their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. They are playful and curious by nature, approaching life with a sense of wonder and exploration. Their energy is expressed through communication and expression, as they excel in articulating their thoughts and ideas. They have a natural gift for language and may find success in fields such as writing, teaching, or public speaking. Despite their playful demeanor, they are still very serious about their pursuits, driven by a deep-seated desire for personal growth and self-improvement. Natives of this pada tend to be peaceful and honorable, seeking harmony and balance in their interactions with others. However, their mercurial nature can sometimes manifest as manipulation or deceit, particularly when they perceive it necessary to achieve their goals. Nonetheless, they are skilled at navigating social situations and may possess a knack for making money through their cleverness and resourcefulness. In terms of appearance, individuals of this pada may have gaunt lower cheeks, high cheekbones, a narrow and defined jawline, and a medium stature. These physical characteristics complement their sharp wit and agile minds, making them engaging in social settings.
4th – The fourth pada of Purva Bhadrapada is ruled by the Moon in Cancer Navamsa. This is the most spiritually advanced of all the padas and tends to be among the most intense. At this stage, individuals born under this pada have either undergone profound inner transformation, shedding their attachment to worldly desires and material gains for the sake of aligning with the cosmic order, or they have fallen for the empty temptations of material life, leading them to a deeper state of moral decay. This pada in the sequence of this nakshatra symbolizes the finalization of death, and just like when we die, the impact of our lives can no longer be altered. You are called to surrender all you have acquired to the purifying flames of the spiritual fire, relinquishing personal benefit for the greater good, and if you fail, your soul will be lost to another cycle of rebirth. This represents the height of the nakshatra's power to manifest, it can come to be either an uplifting force for individuals and humanity as a whole, or as a potentially dangerous influence. Those born under this pada are deeply engaged in their own spiritual pursuits, usually guided by a sense of purpose and higher calling. They possess an innate magnetism and power that exerts influence over others and the world around them. Despite the intensity of their spiritual journey, individuals of this pada tend to enjoy good longevity and robust health, thanks to their deep connection with the cosmic energies. They are often perceived charismatic individuals, drawing others to them with their presence. However, their innate power comes with a responsibility to wield it wisely, as they hold the potential to bring about significant positive change or destruction, depending on how they choose to channel it.
Caste
Purva Bhadrapada belongs to the Brahmin or priestly/scholarly caste. This classification is based on the inherent qualities and tendencies of individuals born under this nakshatra, rather than their family lineage, as seen in contemporary caste systems. In Vedic astrology and Hindu tradition, each nakshatra is associated with as caste, thereby linking them to specific attributes, occupations, and societal roles. Brahmin is positioned as the highest caste and is given the most power and responsibility, both socially and spiritually. In classical texts, the Brahmin caste is exalted for its dedication to scholarship, spirituality, and moral rectitude. Brahmins are depicted as the keepers of sacred knowledge, entrusted with the preservation and dissemination of ancient scriptures and teachings. They are revered for their intellectual prowess, philosophical insights, and commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards. Brahmins are expected to lead lives of austerity, simplicity, and self-discipline, setting examples of virtue and righteousness for society. Additionally, they play important roles in leading religious rituals, ceremonies, and spiritual practices, acting as intermediaries between individuals and the divine. Their contributions also extend beyond religious and intellectual realms though, as they also provide guidance, counseling, and healing to individuals and communities. Overall, Brahmins are portrayed as paragons of virtue, wisdom, and enlightenment, embodying the highest ideals of human excellence and divine knowledge as described in classical texts, acting as oases of wisdom by guiding society not only in matters of spirituality but also in areas such as literature, philosophy, and science. Their primary occupations are mostly associated with administration of all sectors of society, teaching, healing, and providing spiritual guidance. Its intersection with Aquarius Rashi on the ecliptic plane may also relate it to Kshatriya and Shudra.
Gunas
The nakshatras each represent the different gunas at different levels of functioning. For this asterism, it might be confusing to find out that, despite all of its negative connotations, it is associated primarily with Sattva or purity/balance. This mainly stems from this Nakshatra's capacity for penance, spiritualism, and generosity. Overall, Purva Bhadrapada is associated with two levels of Sattva and one of Rajas. Sattva prevails at the physical and mental levels, while Rajas predominates at the spiritual level. At the physical level, individuals born under Purva Bhadrapada exhibit qualities of purity, harmony, and balance. They are often composed, grounded, and possess a sense of stability in their physical endeavors. Mentally, they tend to exhibit clarity, wisdom, and a penchant for introspection when they are only focused on engaging their rational mind. This can get muddy when they try to incorporate less tangible aspects into their thinking though. At the spiritual level, the influence of Rajas emerges, driving them towards spiritual growth and evolution but also threatening them with the struggle of inner turmoil. With Rajas at the most personal level of the spirit, this can cause a onstant seeking pf external validation and gratification, which leads to things such as constantly chasing after fleeting desires and pleasures from their lack of contentment. Additionally, the intense drive associated with Rajas may result in overexertion, burnout, and a disregard for self-care. It can lead to an inflated ego, arrogance, and a tendency towards manipulative or self-serving behavior. Therefore, while Rajas can propel individuals towards spiritual evolution, it also poses challenges that need to be navigated with mindfulness and self-awareness. Together with the heavy influence of Sattva, Rajas in this nakshatra creates a spiritual restlessness that works to propel these natives to actively engage in spiritual practices, seeking to transcend worldly limitations and attain spiritual liberation. It comes with risk, but this is a necessary trial.
Gana
Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra falls under the category of Manushya Gana, or "human species." This designation speaks to the inherent qualities and tendencies of individuals born under this nakshatra, aligning them with human characteristics and behaviors. People belonging to the Manushya Gana Nakshatras, including Purva Bhadrapada, place value on their self-worth and esteem. They often enjoy good physical attributes and are blessed with fortune, leading comfortable lives. With warm and friendly personalities, they exhibit care and affection towards their family, friends, and loved ones, readily offering assistance to those in need. However, they also prioritize their own interests and benefits. They are known for their warm and caring nature. The path of those born under Manushya Gana nakshatras is undefined because they determine their own morality. They possess the potential to exhibit both positive and negative qualities, akin to the diverse nature of humanity itself. They have the potential to be even more evil than the Rakshas and even more good than the Devas. While some may lean towards acts of kindness and generosity, others may display tendencies that are less altruistic. This blend of qualities makes them a complex combination qualities you might see for the Deva and Rakshasa Ganas. Keep in mind that you should look at the dominant Gana in your chart to gain a better understanding of how this may apply to you.
Thank you for taking the time to read this if you did. I will have to continue this in a third part because I'm out of room on this post. Afterwards, I will be starting on Shravana Nakshatra soon, and then later on Anuradha.

Reddit Account: Drewbrease14
Discord Tag: drewbrease
Name and House: Godric Royce
Age: 34
Cultural Group: Valeman
Appearance:
Trait: Monstrous
Skill(s): Swords, Daggers, Dual Wielding(e)
Talent(s): Dancing, Ducking under doorways, Breaking chairs when sitting
Negative Trait(s): N/A
Starting Title(s): Lord of Runestone, The Bronze Bull
Starting Location: Opening Event
Alternate Characters: N/A
AC:
Name and House: Arnold Royce
Age: 24
Cultural Group: Valeman
Appearance: Bald and mean. This blacksmith is never far from an anvil. When he is not cooking up killer steel, he can be found whittling in secluded areas. 5'6 and completely separate physical characteristics to Godric.
Trait: Artisan(Armor)
Skill(s): Scrutinous(e), Architect
Talent(s): Dancing, Fishing, Whittling
Negative Trait(s): N/A
Starting Title(s): Blacksmith of Runestone
Starting Location: King's Landing
Alternate Characters: N/A
Biography:
Lady Royce would give birth on a particularly wretched night some thirty-four years ago. The babe, said to be something of a scientific marvel, felt equal in weight to a chainmail coif when picked up(About 14 pounds, maybe more). He was aptly named Godric. The wetnurses practically refused to move him far when nursing him for fear of fatigue and soreness from the hefty baby. Lord Royce however, was recounted as being incredibly proud of the boy's size and natural strength. He thought it to be evidence that the Bronze kings of legend may yet return to Westeros. Starting with the largest boy in their house's history. When he reached the age of 7 and could begin swinging a sword in the yard, he quickly injured his younger sparring partners and was soon moved to the men-at-arms for fear of manslaughter. The boy continued to grow at an alarming pace. When he reached the age of 10, he was sent to be a squire for a local knight. Already the boy stood at around 5'6. He learned many things, taking care of arms and armor, swinging a sword.
He eventually was knighted at the age of 18. He now towered above any man he had ever met. At a ridiculous height of 7’4, it was hard to distinguish him from the mountains around them. Not only was he tall, but broad and rippled with muscle. He earned the nickname the Bronze Bull from his choice of armor and temper. He was a hulking brute, one that held no shame in ducking to get through doorways. When he rode in local tourneys, his competitors would bow out to avoid a caved-in chest plate. Left with little to no challenge at home, he rode throughout the Vale on many adventures. Godric cared little for petty politics, though he did support House Arryn in their endeavors. He would go on to assist in the fight against the mountain clans. Earning many accolades from his fellow knights.
After the passing of his father, Godric now finds himself running Runestone. A position that he wished to never be in. He now balances the responsibilities of his lordship and his desire for something more. Though he is honor bound as a knight, he often lets his anger take hold of him. A temperament that is sure to land him in trouble as he navigates the difficult atmosphere in Westeros.
Timeline:
9 BC - Godric is born, a massive brute. Much to his father’s joy and his mother’s dismay.
2 BC - Godric continues to get larger and larger. Many of the boys at Runestone refuse to spar with him due to his strength. He is forced to duel man-at-arms instead.
1 AC - Godric begins to squire for a local knight. It is here that he learns how to fight with a blade and the codes of a knight.
9 AC. - Godric is knighted and sets out on many adventures. Earning fame and glory on the road.
23 AC - Godric’s father passes suddenly, forcing the giant to return home. He finds that ruling does not suit him, and takes every chance he can to leave home. Leaving his brother to pick up the pieces.
25 AC - Present day. Godric approaches the tumultuous situation in the Kingdoms with hesitation and an open mind. He knows little of what is to come.
Family Tree:
Supporting Characters:
Arnold Royce - Builder
Jeyne Royce - Scholar