Heyo! My first post here!
So, this project is what I feel to be the most likely to happen after the extinction of humanity given how F-ed-up it is. Finally the folly of men would've led to catastrophic consequences; the poles melting down, sea levels rising, the Ozone Layer being burned down, depletion of resources, extinction of species, nuclear wars and winter in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as the rise of cyberpunk societies in the Southern Hemisphere. Then finally the eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano would somehow nullify the chances for humanity to survive. Only domesticated and pest species of all five kingdoms would be left to survive and adapt to the freezing North and scorching South. There would be three periods; the first one being just centuries after humans went extinct, with thousands or millions of vermin and domesticated species running amok in the streets. The last one would be set millions of years after things would've quieted down and every ecosystem would look pretty much the same since more or less the same species would now be found worldwide. But maybe the most significant one would be a quasi-stable period in-between them.
Would you like to share your thoughts on what could happen? How these vermin and domesticated plants, animals and fungi would evolve without mankind? And some illustration ideas as well? I really appreciate feedback and help for this project! 👍🏻

I'm looking for players to join my homebrew world, but before the lore dump, here's some info.
{Schedule} We will play biweekly at 2PM US Central.
(If you constantly have to miss or be late I may sadly ask you to go. I know life gets in the way which is fine, but if it constantly holds back the game it's an issue.)
{Setup} Voice chat on Discord with some bots. Mostly theater of the mind.
Homebrew allowed with approval.
Characters must be made at the table.
{About The DM} So the way I like to setup the game is where I build a frame of the world and then have my players fill it out.
Experience wise I have about 6 years, mostly dming. I prefer darker themes mixed with angst and chaos.
{The World of Lands Asunder}
Things were never really perfect, their was always some sort of conflict or tragedy going on. But most tend to agree that the world wasn't as bad as it was when the sun bled from heaven to earth, destroying thousands and creating the scorched lands, one of the after effects of many godly deaths.
People miss the time before the Arcanaus Fungi corrupted mages, turning them into madmen and beasts, spreading spores.
Once an empire is but now a collection of factions, city kingdoms and conflict in the wake of what seems to be the darkest of hours.
However with chaos brings opportunity, whether this opportunity is forging ones own kingdom, or sailing the waters, choosing to be a swashbuckler, perhaps your path is to explore what happened, what felled gods and tore lands apart.
It's up to you to choose how you survive.
(Feel free to ask me any questions or suggest your own ideas!)

You can find these works: https://www.attalus.org/poetry/nicander.html
NICANDER, 'GEORGICA'
[68] Athen. 3.126 B : Greek text Nicander in the first book of his two Georgica showing the use of groats also mentions the word mystron [spoon hollowed out of bread] in the following words :
But when you prepare for eating a freshly-killed kid or lamb or even a chicken, sprinkle the bottom of hollow vessels with unripe wheaten groats and pound them down; then stir up together with fragrant oil. And when the broth seethes, pour it over them . . . but smother by clapping on the lid, for as it stews the coarse meal swells. And when it simmers gently, eat it with hollow scoops of bread.
[69] Athen. 2.52 E : Greek text
Oaks, the delight of Pan,
says Nicander in the second book of the Georgica.
[70] Athen. 9.369 B & 4.133 D-E : Greek text
(a) Nicander in his Georgica mentions the French turnip. (b) And that to whet the appetite they also ate turnips treated with vinegar and mustard Nicander makes plain in the second book of his Georgica, saying . . . (c) Nicander of Colophon mentioned mustard {in Th. 921} and in his Georgica.
But sow turnips on a threshing-floor levelled with a roller, so that they may grow to the shape of low kneading-tables. The turnip . . . for two stocks, turnip and French turnip, both of them long and solid, are to be seen in our garden-plots. French turnips you should wash and dry in the north winds; they are welcome in winter to those who stay idle indoors, and if soaked in hot water they revive. But the roots of the turnip you should cut into fine slices after gently washing the dry outer skin, and then let them parch for a little while in the sun; or else dip a number of them in boiling water, and then plunge them into bitter brine; or again pour white must and vinegar into the same vessel in equal quantities, and then immerse them in it and cover with salt. Again, you may pound raisins and the mordant seed of mustard with a pestle and pour them in. And at the same time moist lees of vinegar . . .
[71] Athen. 9.371 B : Greek text
Nicander in the second book of his Georgica says:
And along with them a tall stem of fennel, along with them too roots of stone sperage, and even the slatternly carrot as well, Cretan alexanders, and sow-thistle, and hound's tongue, and endive; with them pound also the bitter leaves of cuckoo-pint and the plant which is called 'bird's milk'.
[72] Athen. 9.372 E : Greek text
Nicander of Colophon in the second book ofhis Georgica makes mention of this practice, calling kolokyntae {gourds} 'sikyae', for, as we have said before, that was what they used to be called. And this is what he says:
But as to the gourds themselves, when you cut them, put cords through them and dry them in the open air. Then hang them up in the smoke so that in winter your servants may fill a sufficiently ample pot and may gobble them up with no need to work . . . the woman who grinds corn pours in pulse of all kinds. Into it men cast strings of gourds after a thorough cleansing, and mushrooms too, and ropes long since plaited of dried vegetables . . .
[73] Athen. 9.395 C : Greek text
Nicander in the second book of his Georgica speaking of Sicilian doves says
And you should rear in your home Dracontian doves which lay two eggs at a time, or doves of Sicily; for it is said that neither kites harm them, nor (?) snakes their eggs.
[74] Athen. 15.683 A - 684 F : Greek text
Nicander in the second book of his Georgica, likewise enumerating flowers which are suitable for wreaths, speaks of the Ioniad Nymphs and of roses as follows :
But the flowers of Ionia you should sow, and all such as come to full growth you should transplant. Of gilliflowers there are two kinds, one is yellow and like gold to look upon; the others, those which the Ioniad Nymphs proffered in their yearning as a pure chaplet to Ion in the lands of Pisa; for, pursuing a wild boar with his hounds, he had overtaken it, and in Alpheius's stream he washed the bloodstains from his limbs at eve before passing the night with the Ioniad Nymphs.
But from the thorny rose you should cut shoots and plant them in trenches making them two full palms in length. First, those which Midas of Odonia, when he forsook his kingdom in Asia, raised in the lands of Emathia, ever crowned with full sixty petals in a ring. Second, the roses of Nisaea by Megara; neither is Phaselis nor the city which reveres the White-browed Goddess to be spurned, the flourishing city by the waters of Magnesian Lethaeus.
Sometimes plant shoots of the strong-rooted ivy in trenches, sometimes even a spray of the white-berried ivy from Thrace or else the white kind or that with wandering tendrils. They should be plucked as young shoots, and you should strengthen and make them to grow into a single head, fastening the twisted ends deep in freshly plaited baskets in order that two golden clusters may unite and be linked right up to the flaunting crown, the green foliage sheltering them on either side.
From seed no doubt spring the cupped flowers {lilies} that put forth heads, whose petals are white, whose centres saffron-stained. These some poets style krina, and others leiria, others again ambrosia, and many Aphrodite's Joy, for the lily rivalled the hue of her skin. But the thing of shame uprising in its midst has been named the yard of a braying ass.
The iris however is grown from roots - the dwarf iris and that which is like the mourning hyacinth but grows with blossoms swallow-hued, keeping pace with the swallows' coming; and both kinds put forth in folds their ruthless leaves, and the new-born flower-cups seem ever to have drooping lips. So too grow the flowers of dazzling hue, corn-cockle and plantain; nor shall the camomile in bloom be counted nought, nor the well-known ox-eyes which uplift their head so high, nor the wallflower that vies with the rising beams of the Sun god. But tufted thyme you will plant on . . . in order that, as its long sprays creep forward, the wind may blow through them or that it may hang downwards in its desire for draughts of water.
But of the poppy itself . . . cast away the petals, in order that you may preserve its capsule undevoured by caterpillars, for in truth all creeping things settle upon the petals as they open and feed upon the capsule which is like dewdrops, full as it is of honey-sweet fruit. But when the petals are gone, the heat or else the buffeting winds easily harden the flesh, and the creatures get no firm foothold when they hope to find food, and often their footsteps slip when they essay the solid heads . . .
A good depth of manure in the pot brings on the shoots of marjoram and the young sprigs of the frankincense-tree, and all other plants which gardens furnish to make chaplets for toiling men . . .
Yes, and delicate ferns and the acanthus which resembles the white poplar, and the crocus which closes in the spring, henna too and scented bergamot-mint and all other lovelinesses that unsown a meadow rears in hollow, watered spots, ox-eye and fragrant flower-of-Zeus, chrysanthemums and also hyacinth and low-growing violets, dark, and abhorred of Persephone among flowers. And of their company are the towering all-scent and the cornflags which encircle the graves of virgins lately dead, and sparkling anemones which with their dazzling colours lure living maidens from afar.
And everybody plucks elecampane or gleaming blue-daisy and sets it down by the roadside shrines of gods or upon the statues themselves, as soon as he sees them, gathering sometimes, too, fair lupins, or else the gold-flower and lilies that fade upon the tombstones of the dead, and salsify with its grey beard, and modest cyclamens and garden-cress, which men call the garland of the Netherworld Captain.
[75] Athen. 2.51 D : Greek text
And Nicander besides in his Georgica explains also that it (the mulberry) appears earlier than other fruits, and he always calls the tree morea, as do the Alexandrian writers too.
And of the mulberry, which is the delight of little boys and is the harbinger to man of the pleasant season of fruit.
[76] Athen. 2.54 D : Greek text
The Euboeans named it {i.e. the sweet chestnut} lopimon and karyon, but others balanos,
says Nicander of Colophon in his Georgica.
[78] Athen. 2.60 F : Greek text
And fungi are generated from the soil, and only a few of them are edible, for the majority choke the eater . . . And Nicander in his Georgica states also which are the deadly ones, and says
Horrid pains are in store from the olive and from the pomegranate and the holm-oak and the oak . . . the choking weight of puffy fungi that cling to . . .
And he says also,
When you bury the foot of a fig-tree deep in dung and moisten it with a constant flow of water, there will grow on the roots fungi of the harmless kind. You may gather any of these cultivated on the root, but not those which grow on the ground.
(The remainder could not be read.)
[79] Athen. 2.61 A : Greek text
And then you will cook some champignons with them,
says Nicander in the same passage.
[80] Athen. 2.71 D : Greek text
Nicander in his Georgica says
At the same time they lop off the side-growths of the date-palm and bear away the 'cabbage', which children delight to eat.
[81] Athen. 3.72 A : Greek text
Nicander in his Georgica says
Of beans sow the Egyptian, so that in summer you may contrive garlands with its flowers, and that, when the pods of ripe fruit have fallen off, you may hand them to youths who have long craved for them as they feast. But the tubers I boil down and serve at banquets.
[82] Athen. 3.72 A : Greek text
What Nicander calls 'tubers' Alexandrian writers call colocasia; as the same writer has it
Having stripped the colocasium from its bean and shredded it into . . .
[83] Athen. 3.92 D : Greek text
And Nicander of Colophon in his Georgica enumerates the following kinds of shell-fish :
Or all such shell-fish also as feed in the depths of the brine - sea-snails and whelks and clams and mussels, the clinging children of the sea-goddess, and the den of the pinna itself.
[84] Athen. 9.366 D : Greek text
Nicander of Colophon mentions mustard and in his Georgica says,
And the mordant seeds of mustard.
And again:
Garden-cress and pepper-grass and the dark-leaved mustard.
[85] Athen. 9.370 A : Greek text
Nicander in his Georgica says :
The cabbage is smooth, but at times the wild form may intrude into sown gardens and flourish with an abundance of leaves, either the curled kind. . . with leaves, or the green, which turns red and looks parched, and the ill-coloured Cumaean which is like the soles wherewith men cobble second-hand sandals. This men of an older generation style a prophet for vegetables.
[86] Athen. 2.35 A : Greek text
Nicander of Colophon says that wine {oinos} was so called after Oineus :
And Oeneus squeezed it out into hollow cups and called it oinos.
[87] Athen. 2.49 F : Greek text
Nicander,
The fruit they call the cuckoo's.
[90] Schol. Ther. 349
The word ἀμορβεύειν signifies 'to attend' and 'to minister to'. Nicander in another work writes:
Oxherds attend to the teams of mules.
[91] Schol. Alex. 298
For he habitually calls bitter, pungent things 'astringent'. For example, he describes unripe grapes as 'drawing up', 'astringent'.
When a draught of unripe grapes draws up the lip.

I've been running a Kingdom Hearts/Treasure Planet themed campaign for nearly a year now and we've explored various worlds already. We've done a lot of the stereotypical worlds like a desert planet, a water world, abandoned mining planet, ect. But I'm starting to run low on cool and unique planet themes. I need exactly one more world before this weekend since I always give my players increasing numbers of exploreable planets once they finish their current set. Of the world's I have coming up I have: a planet where the players are all forced to sing songs like a Disney movie (the whole planet is Disney themed), I have a frozen prison planet where the inmates have overrun the place, a massive Fungi planet with 5 different fungi clans are at war, a planet with huge forests where massive fauna are dropped off for sport, a gas giant planet with floating cities (take on Bioshock 3), and a city built on a dying sun that specializes in making weapons.
So, I'm looking for wacky ideas, cool themes, or even just a funny one-shot. The campaign is heavily homebrew and is a combination of action and comedy so nothing is off the table. Suggestions highly appreciated as I'm slowly running out of steam..

The Student Association of Psychedelic Investigation (SAPI) warmly invites everyone to its first social event of 2024, The Fantastic Fungi Movie Screening! Fantastic Fungi is an award-winning documentary introducing the often-hidden world of mycology, highlighting the life-giving role that fungi play in our ecosystems and their potential in our lives for healing, creative enhancement and more.
About the film:
"When so many are struggling for connection, inspiration and hope, Fantastic Fungi brings us together as interconnected creators of our world."
Fantastic Fungi, directed by Louie Schwartzberg, is a consciousness-shifting film that takes us on an immersive journey through time and scale into the magical earth beneath our feet, an underground network that can heal and save our planet. Through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists like Paul Stamets, best-selling authors Michael Pollan, Eugenia Bone, Andrew Weil and others, we become aware of the beauty, intelligence and solutions the fungi kingdom offers us in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges.
Director: Louie Schwartzberg Writer: Mark Monroe Narrated by Brie Larson Producer: Louie Schwartzberg, Lyn Davis Lear, Elease Lui Stemp Cast: Paul Stamets, Michael Pollan, Andrew Weil, Eugenia Bone, Suzanne Simard Rating: Not Rated Running Time: 81 Minutes"
Proceeds from this event will go towards fundraising for future SAPI projects and events as we seek to increase education about responsible psychedelic investigation and broaden the voices heard in current psychedelic dialogues. This event welcomes people from all backgrounds, whether you are familiar with fungi and psychedelics, or just curious to learn!
Online Tickets: $5 unwaged/students $10 waged
Door tickets: $6 unwaged/students $12 waged
Venue: HMLT104, Kelburn Campus of Victoria University of Wellington
Details:

• 6:00 – 6:30pm: Doors open to meet and socialise
• 6:30-6:40pm: Rebekah Senanayake (president of SAPI) to give a short talk on SAPI and psychedelics
• 6:40-8:00pm: Fantastic Fungi Movie plays
• 8:00 – 8:30pm: Doors remain open for discussion

About SAPI:
SAPI was born in 2024 at Victoria University of Wellington with the vision of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and research into altered states of consciousness across all levels of university and the wider public. SAPI responsibly investigates altered states of consciousness (including psychedelics), their effects on the brain and body, the function they have in different cultures, and the role they play in human evolution past, present, and in *hypothetical* futures. SAPI welcomes anyone with an interest in the responsible investigation of psychedelics to join (student & other)!
Connect with us!
The aim of SAPI is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and research into psychedelics and altered states of consciousness. We invite in people from all backgrounds - whether you are an emerging student, an expert in the field, or simply curious about altered states and looking to broaden your knowledge. Join us as we explore psychedelics, their effects on the brain and body, the function they have in different cultures, and the role they play in human evolution past, present, and *hypothetical* futures. We meet weekly at Victoria University to discuss psychedelic research and ethical practices, and host social events throughout the year. SAPI warmly welcomes students and non-students to join.
Ticket link here: https://events.humanitix.com/fantastic-fungi-movie-night Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/960870642346792/
Contact: [sapivuw@gmail.com](mailto:sapivuw@gmail.com) Link to Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/sapivuw/

(I am not a creationist, but I am a bored contrarian and I need to argue with somebody right now. Also, I'm trying to get a better grasp of the rules of phylogeny, so maybe y'all can teach me something.).
Reasons that I think the LUCA was an animal:
1: Unicellularity is hard. We have this idealized conception of a unicellular microbe, where you stick a single cell on a petri dish and then overnight it becomes a million cells, but the vast majority of life can't do anything like this--certainly the LUCA couldn't, right? I think there would be an advantage to early life being multicellular, in that early life could "borrow" RNA/DNA/proteins with neighboring cells. Also they wouldn't need a full complement of molecular machinery if their neighbor can help out, even if their neighbor is a different species. Just like I can borrow my neighbor's stove if I'm making a special meal, early life probably borrowed very basic molecular machinery from the neighboring cell. And if any of their genes broke, they could maybe get a replacement from their neighbor? I think that it's hard to live all by your lonesome self if you're a primitive life form, so being multicellular is easier since you can rely on neighbor cells for various things and don't have to do everything yourself. I also think there's a very blurry line between a single multicellular organism and an interdependent community of unicellular organisms where none of the organisms could survive without the others. Many scientists agree that early life was like this—an interdependent community—and much life still is like this. But why should this type of community be considered to be closer to unicellularity than multicellularity?
2: The nucleus seems like a leftover relic from the RNA world. The primary function seems to be to separate transcription and translation, but why would you want to do this in a DNA organism? Why are you separating transcription from translation if you already have this elegant system in prokaryotes of just having the ribosome and the RNA polymerase right next to each other doing their things almost simultaneously, much, much faster and more efficiently than eukaryotes. Why make everything ten times slower by evolving a nucleus when you could just not evolve a nucleus? Evolution doesn’t plan ahead, and I fail to see how the nucleus is a favorable adaptation in the short term. On the other hand, a nucleus makes a ton of sense for an organism with an RNA genome because you'd need a way to separate your genomic RNA from your RNA transcripts so they could be regulated separately -- You wouldn't want to splice up or run a ribosome over your RNA genome, that would be a disaster.
3: Having a nucleus would make it easier to evolve DNA. Whatever enzyme is deoxygenating the RNA backbone wouldn't run into the problem of accidentally deoxygenating the RNA transcripts. Since the transcripts are outside the nucleus.
4: The nucleus could be an early form of cell specialization for a multicellular life form. If we think of the nucleus as a separate cell from the cytoplasmic space, I think the picture of early RNA life becomes clearer. Some cells/compartments evolve to specialize in replication and transcription -- these become the nucleus -- wheras other cells/compartments become specialized for translation of proteins --these became the cytoplasmic space, which ultimately engulfed the nucleus. In this primitive RNA organism, there would have been little distinction between replication and transcription. The cells of various sizes would have shared proteins, allowing the smaller cells specialized for replication/transcription to still benefit from the gene products being produced in the larger cells specialized for translation. The smaller cells would do a more faithful job of replicating the genome and not have to risk damaging their genes in the messy process of gene expression.
5: Based on the multiple chromosomes in the nucleus, the first Eukaryote was a likely a synthesis of multiple organisms. Multiple organisms implies multicellular. If we look inside the nucleus, we see multiple, weird, x-shaped chromosomes, with a bunch of dumb hacks (centrosomes, telomerase, etc) to keep them from falling apart as they replicate. The bacterial system makes so much more sense for modern organisms -- just having a single circular chromosome: simple, elegant, effective. Again, the eukaryotic system seems like a molecular fossil from an earlier era where these features were actually necessary. I'd argue that the eukaryotic system supports multiple chromosomes because the original chromosomes were the RNA genomes of different interdependent organisms that lived in a multicellular community. Their RNA migrated into a single nucleus for better regulated and better synchronized replication of the community genes.
6: The homologies between Porifera and Amoebozoa make no sense if Animals came from Choanoflagellates. It is widely assumed that multicellular eukaryotes evolved from single-celled eukaryotes, and this seems to be the case in land plants, at least, since they're so similar to algae which obviously came before land plants--but are we sure that it isn't the other way around for animals? Conventional wisdom is that animals evolved from choanoflagellates, and we see very similar cells to choanoflagellates in Porifera called choanocytes. BUT: Porifera (sponges) also have amoebocytes, which look and function a lot like amoebas. Amoebas are believed to be relatively closely related to animals, although not as closely related as choanoflagellates. Yet animals cannot have evolved from both amoebas and choanoflagellates, and choanoflagellates look nothing like amoebas. Isn't it an odd coincidence that amoebocyte cells in sponges are so much like amoebas? If animals came from choanoflagellates, then the similarity of amoebas and amoebocytes would have to be a coincidence. An alternative direction of evolution makes a lot more sense to me: Animals came first, and amoebas and choanoflagellates are separate lineages of reduced animals that have evolved down to only being a single cell. Other eukaryotes (such as fungi, algae and plants) could be evolved from these single-celled descendants of animals.
7: Gene homologies between microsporidia and prokaryotes. Since microsporidia are very obviously reduced fungi, this makes no sense in the current prokaryote-first paradigm, so these gene homologies are handwaved away as being the result of horizontal gene transfer. But what if it isn't horizontal gene transfer? Microsporidia is a parasitic clade of fungi which has lost most of its genes, seemingly lost its mitochondria (are we absolutely sure they ever had mitochondria?) and shrunk to about the size of a bacterium. Its shrunk so much and lost so many genes that it actually is able to withstand mutations to very basic molecular machinery such as its ribosomes, which are very different from the ribosomes of other eukaryotes and seem more similar to the smaller ribosomes of prokaryotes. Perhaps prokaryotes are just even-further-reduced microsporidia that have lost their nucleus, circularized their DNA (which can also happen in cancer cells, google "eccDNA") and further streamlined their molecular machinery.
8: We can learn a lot about the order of the clades from the type of ecological niches they currently occupy. For example: there do exist extremophile bacteria, so there's nothing inherent in bacterial microbiology that prevents them from evolving into extremophiles. So why do we see mostly extremophile archaea, but bacteria occupy almost all of the generalist, high productivity microbial niches? I'd argue: Probably, archaea had a head start in evolving specialized adaptations for extremophile environments. Probably, archaea came first. Imagine an archaeon existing before there were any bacteria, and it evolved to occupy all microbe ecological niches. Then bacteria came along in a new adaptive radiation with superior molecular biology. They were able to supplant archaea from most generalist niches but haven't been able to challenge archaea for extremophile niches for which archaea have specialized genes and specialized adaptations. And neither bacteria nor archaea seriously challenge eukaryotes for the larger ecological niches which require even more specialized adaptations. This to me implies that Eukaryotes came first, archaea came second, and bacteria are the most recent domain.
9: Animals almost exclusively occupy the large, complex, predator niche. I'd argue that the large predator niche, of all ecological niches, is the one where the greatest advantage is given to the organism who evolves to fill the niche first. Because selection pressure changes a lot once the predator appears: Things that can't run away from the predator are forced to make themselves as unappetizing as possible. So they can't have complex proteins, since complex proteins = tastier. So how can any clade evolve into a predator if there already exists a predator clade that could eat it? The fossil record seems to think: It can’t. Throughout the entire fossil record for which we have good records (since the Cambrian), the predator is always an animal. Never does a slime mold or a fungus something evolve muscles and teeth and start competing with animals for the predator niche. But this isn’t 100% true -- you have Venus fly traps, I suppose? So that’s one exception, the only one I can think of. Animal predators today have billions of years of evolutionary head start evolving such things as muscles, a nervous system, circulatory system, etc. If anything else other than an animal starts evolving complex structures or energy storage, it's only going to make itself tastier to an animal. The predator is also the niche that cares the least about the efficiency of basic molecular processes -- it doesn't need to be efficient when the world is its buffet. For this reason, I'd argue that the predator clade must have established itself very early. Probably the kingdom that occupies the apex predator niche at any given time is the absolute oldest lineage of multicellular life. Because long, long after all the original autotrophs have gone extinct, replaced with things that don't waste so much energy and have more efficient and streamlined molecular biology, the apex predator clade would remain on its throne, since nothing, I'd argue, would be able to compete with its evolutionary head start evolving so many complex adaptations for multicellularity. Are we to believe there was ever a time when the apex predator niche was something other than an animal? It's difficult to imagine. If that apex predator was a prokaryote, what is it about animal molecular biology that allowed it to overcome such extreme odds and supplant that prokaryote as the apex predator?
10: The fossil record of animals before the Cambrian is probably very incomplete. The first complex animals in the fossil record (the cambrian explosion) seem very, very advanced already -- I think this is a representation that our fossil record is incomplete and animals are a much older clade than they seem. Since predators are rarer in an ecosystem, and may have been even rarer when energy was scarcer due to less oxygen in the atmosphere (early heterotrophic life likely breathed sulfur compounds), we may simply not have any good fossils of animals from before the cambrian.
11: It's also possible that early animals simply weren't made out of the right material to fossilize. Maybe Archean-eon animals had no bones or anything like that and so they didn't fossilize, so we don't have examples of them. We can't assume that just because you don't find fossilized animals from ~3 billion years ago doesn't mean they weren't around then. And even if we did find fossilized animals from that long ago, they were probably so radically different from modern animals that we might misidentify them. For example, we have many fossils of strange creatures from billions of years ago, nobody knows what they are. Maybe they are animals? Example: Google “Grypania”. Currently there is a debate on whether these are algae or bacteria. But they are quite large, and they look sortof wormlike, so, in my view, there’s no reason they couldn’t be primitive animals.
12: Animals are slow reproducing but have the most sophisticated adaptations for multicellularity. The slower something reproduces, the slower it evolves, since there’s less opportunities for mutations. So how did animals have time to acquire so many complex adaptations for multicellularity? They must be an especially ancient lineage, something that has been multicellular much longer than anything else – otherwise they wouldn’t have had time to acquire so many complex adaptations for multicellularity.
13: Phylogenetic trees based on bioinformatics suffer from "long branch attraction" artefacts -- where fast reproducing, simple, and numerous organisms group together at the base of the tree. This is a well-known problem for making phylogenetic trees. Since prokaryotes are so much more numerous and reproduce so much faster than eukaryotes, it’s natural that they would have the most genetic diversity, even if they evolved later. The appearance of prokaryotes at the base of the tree of life derived from bioinformatics algorithms may be a product of long branch attraction.
14: Counterpoints on mitochondrias. I’ll admit that mitochondrias do look a lot like bacterial symbiotes, but that doesn't necessarily mean the original eukaryotes had mitochondrias. Once alphaproteobacteria evolved, it might have infected many lineages of eukaryotes simultaneously, since nothing had resistance to its infections yet. Maybe it impersonated the mitosome and supplanted its function, and did such a good job as a mitosome that the only surviving eukaryotic lineages are ones with alphaproteobacterial infections. Also, if we assume that bacteria are reduced eukaryotes, then many of the gene homologies for mitochondria associated genes could have been present in the eukaryotic LUCA, and perhaps they were used for regulating the mitosome which preceded mitochondrias. I think that the mitochondria is an interesting piece of the puzzle, but it doesn't conclusively demonstrate that prokaryotes came first.
….
I make ASCII phylogenetic tree for fun:

 _______________________________________________Placazoa 1____LUCA_____________________________________________5_____Ctenophora _______Cnidaria ___Bilateria ______________________________________________Porifera _____________Choanoflagellatea _________Dinoflagellata _______Algae ____Viridiplantae __2___________________________________Amoebozoa _________________________________Fungi _3_______Microsporidia __4____Archaea ^ ______Bacteria (endosymbiosis into various eukaryotic clades) _____Mitochondria ^ (horizontal gene transfer from now-extinct RNA life forms to bacteria and archaea) ______________________primitive RNA life forms (extinct) 1: A community of highly interdependent organisms evolves into multicellular eukaryotic progenator with a DNA genome inside a nucleus. This hypothetical LUCA is a relatively large and complex heterotroph which fed on primitive RNA life forms. 2: First truely unicellular (non-colonial) organisms (independent living isn't easy!) 3: Extreme miniaturization 4: Loss of eukaryotic nucleus 5: Complex adaptations for apex predator niches (neurons, etc) 

So I found one of my old stories recently in my drafts, and I've come to realize that I might actually continue writing this. I have the world-building, Prologue, and half of the first chapter done, but I lost motivation while I was writing it so I really just don't know where to go with this story anymore.
I'll just post the world-building for now, if anyone wants to see the prologue, or the start of the first chapter, I'd be happy to share those as well! I just really need some feedback on what I should do with this:
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(World-building/The Kingdoms:)
Kingdom of Aerithia: This kingdom is inhabited by people with wings, known as Aerithian. They have various types of wings, Aerithia is known for its sprawling cities built into the sides of cliffs and mountains, with intricate networks of bridges and platforms connecting them. Their culture revolves around flight, with aerial sports and competitions being popular pastimes.
Food: Aerithian cuisine is influenced by the diverse landscapes of their kingdom. They have a variety of dishes that incorporate ingredients such as skyfruit (a type of fruit that grows high in the mountains), cloudberries, and skyfish (fish that can be found in the kingdom's rivers and lakes). They also have a unique way of preparing food using hot air currents to cook dishes at home.
Some popular dishes include:

• Cloudcake: A delicate dessert made with light and fluffy clouds infused with the sweet essence of skyberries, a rare fruit that grows only at high altitudes.
• Cliffhanger: A hearty meal featuring roasted mountain vegetables like crisp cliff mushrooms, golden sunroot, and savory radishes, served with a side of crispy winged potato wedges.
• Cloud Nine Nectar: A refreshing beverage made with sparkling mountain spring water, infused with the essence of ethereal blossoms and a hint of celestial honey. (Yes, they do borrow the Celestial honey from Solara, but only in trade for their skyberries!)

Culture: The Aerithians have a rich cultural heritage that revolves around flight. They have elaborate aerial dance performances that tell stories from their history, as well as aerial sports such as sky racing and aerial acrobatics. They also have a strong tradition of craftsmanship, with artisans creating intricate works of art using feathers, leather, and other materials.
Lifestyle: Life in Aerithia is centered around flight, with Aerithian using their wings to travel between cities and navigate the mountainous terrain. Their cities are built to accommodate this lifestyle, with wide streets and open squares where Aerithian can take off and land safely. The Aerithians have a strong sense of community, with families and clans forming tight-knit groups that support each other.

• Feathered Wings: Aerithians with feathered wings, reminiscent of those found on birds, hail from the central regions of Aerithia. These individuals are often skilled artisans, craftsmen, and artists, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of their surroundings. Feathered wings symbolize creativity, grace, and adaptability.
• Leathery Wings: Found predominantly in the northern territories of Aerithia, individuals with leathery wings possess a rugged resilience and a strong connection to the rugged landscapes of their homeland. They are often hunters, trackers, and guardians of Aerithia's wilder expenses. Leathery wings signify strength, endurance, and a deep affinity for nature.
• Membrane Wings: Aerithians with membrane wings, akin to those seen on bats, are native to the southern reaches of Aerithia, where the climate is warmer and more temperate. These individuals excel in roles requiring agility, speed, and precision, such as messengers, scouts, and explorers. Membrane wings represent agility, resourcefulness, and a love for adventure.

Color of Wings:

• Golden Wings: Individuals with golden wings are often descendants of Aerithia's founding families or hold positions of high authority within the kingdom. Golden wings symbolize nobility, leadership, and honor. Those with golden wings are typically entrusted with important diplomatic missions, governance responsibilities, or leadership roles within their communities.
• Silver Wings: Silver-winged Aerithians are revered for their wisdom, knowledge, and scholarly pursuits. They are often scholars, historians, and custodians of Aerithia's ancient lore and traditions. Silver wings signify intellect, insight, and a deep reverence for learning and discovery.
• Bronze Wings: Aerithians with bronze wings are known for their strength, resilience, and dedication to service. They are often found in roles that require physical prowess, such as guards, soldiers, and laborers. Bronze wings represent loyalty, duty, and a steadfast commitment to protecting their homeland and its inhabitants.

Geographic Origin and Wing Patterns:
Furthermore, the patterns and markings on an Aerithian's wings often indicate their specific geographic origin within Aerithia. For example, individuals from the eastern cliffs may have intricate patterns resembling the swirling winds and jagged rock formations of their homeland, while those from the western valleys may bear markings reminiscent of flowing rivers and lush vegetation.

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Kingdom of Elyria: In Elyria, people possess innate magical abilities or powers. These abilities can range from elemental manipulation to telekinesis to shapeshifting. Elyrians value knowledge and education, with academies and libraries being central to their society. They live in cities adorned with floating crystals that harness and amplify their magical energy.
Food: Elyrian cuisine reflects the diversity of its inhabitants' magical abilities and the bountiful resources of their kingdom. They have a wide array of enchanted ingredients and culinary techniques that produce dishes both delicious and mesmerizing. Some examples include:

• Aquaper Soup: A magical soup simmered over a crackling fire, infused with ember essence and filled with hearty ingredients like flame-roasted root vegetables and enchanted embergrain
• Shapeshifter's Bonbons : Magical bonbons that change flavor and texture with every bite, crafted from a blend of shape-shifting ingredients like chameleon chilies, illusionary mushrooms, and elusive essence fruits.
• Levitating Ezamon: A refreshing beverage served in crystal glasses that hover above the table, infused with sparkling crystals that enhance its flavor and fizz. (The levitation is just for looks xD)

Culture: Elyrians have a deep reverence for magic and the pursuit of knowledge. They believe that magic is a gift to be cherished and honed, and they place great importance on education and learning. Elyrian society is organized around academies and libraries, where mages of all ages gather to study and share their knowledge. They have a rich tradition of magical arts, including spellcasting, potion brewing, and enchantment.
Lifestyle: Life in Elyria is shaped by magic, with its inhabitants using their powers in everyday tasks and activities. Telekinesis is commonly used for tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and construction, while elemental manipulation can be seen in everything from gardening to entertainment. Elyrians live in cities adorned with floating crystals that harness and amplify their magical energy, creating a dazzling display of light and color.

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Kingdom of Solara: Solara is inhabited by people who are attuned to the sun and the stars. They have a deep connection to celestial bodies and possess abilities related to light, healing, and prophecy. Solarians live in golden cities adorned with intricate mosaics depicting constellations and sun motifs. Their society is governed by a council of seers who interpret the will of the heavens.
Food: Solarians have a diet rich in fruits, grains, and vegetables that thrive in the warm, sunny climate of their kingdom. They cultivate crops such as golden wheat, sun-kissed citrus fruits, and exotic tropical fruits like Sunberries and Radiant oranges. Solarian cuisine often features light and refreshing dishes, with herbs and spices that reflect the vibrant flavors of their surroundings. Some popular dishes include:

• Sunburst Sorbet: A vibrant sorbet bursting with the flavors of solar fruits like sunberries, solar cherries, and radiant oranges, served in a bowl made of pure sunlight.
• Golden Glow Elixir: A luminous drink crafted from golden ambrosia nectar, infused with shimmering stardust and the essence of solar flowers, said to imbue its drinker with vitality and radiance.
• Solarian Oyuve Strix: A refreshing blend of tropical fruits like Skyberries, pineapple, and papaya, with a splash of coconut water for added hydration. (And, yes! Solara did get their skyberries from Aerithia in trade for celestial honey)

Culture: Solarians have a deep reverence for the sun and the stars, which permeates every aspect of their culture. They celebrate celestial events such as solstices and equinoxes with elaborate festivals, featuring music, dance, and ceremonial rituals. Art and architecture in Solara are adorned with intricate mosaics depicting constellations, sun motifs, and other celestial symbols. Solarians also have a strong tradition of storytelling, with myths and legends passed down through generations that explain the origins of the sun, moon, and stars.
Lifestyle: Life in Solara revolves around the rhythms of the sun and the stars. Solarians rise with the dawn and spend their days basking in the warm sunlight, engaging in activities such as gardening, stargazing, and meditation. They have a deep respect for nature and strive to live in harmony with their surroundings, practicing sustainable agriculture and conservation efforts to protect their lush landscapes.

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Kingdom of Terranova: Terranova is home to people with an affinity for the earth and its creatures. They possess abilities such as earth manipulation, plant control, and animal communication. Terranovans live in harmony with nature, dwelling in sprawling forest cities built among the trees. They have a strong bond with the natural world and often serve as its protectors.
Food: Terranovan cuisine is rooted in the bounty of the earth, featuring a wide variety of plant-based dishes and locally sourced ingredients. Their meals are often simple yet flavorful, celebrating the natural flavors of the forest and fields. Some popular dishes include:

• Earthsong Salad: A vibrant salad featuring a melody of fresh greens, earthy root vegetables, and sweet-scented flowers, dressed with a drizzle of forest dew and sprinkled with wildwood nuts.
• Treefruit Tart: A decadent dessert made with layers of lush vine fruit compote, creamy forest cream, and delicate leaf biscuits, served with a garnish of sun-kissed petals and earth essence dust.
• Fungi Fantasia: A feast featuring a variety of fantastical fungi dishes, from enchanted mushroom risotto to roasted pixie puffballs, each infused with the magical essence of the forest floor.

Culture: Terranovans have a deep reverence for nature and the interconnectedness of all living things. They celebrate the changing seasons and the cycles of life with festivals and ceremonies that honor the earth and its creatures. Art and music in Terranova are inspired by the natural world, with intricate carvings, paintings, and songs that reflect the beauty of the forest and its inhabitants.
Lifestyle: Life in Terranova revolves around the rhythms of nature, with Terranovans living in harmony with the land and its creatures. They build their cities among the trees, using sustainable materials and techniques to minimize their impact on the environment. Terranovans have a strong bond with the animals of the forest, often communicating with them telepathically and working together to protect their shared home.

Animism is an old term that encompasses a great many things. I am not trying to claim the definitive form in any way.
But I would like to gently introduce a new perspective of animism:
Whatever sense of reverence for the spiritual that I feel, it's there, in nature.
Grottoes, gardens and groves
Grottoes include: springs, brooks, streams, rivers, waterfalls, swimming holes, fishing holes, lily ponds, swamps, lakes, oases, wetlands, and fountains too, hell why not
Gardens include: farmland, meadows, parks, backyards, fields, vacant lots, houseplants, median strips, hydroponics, weed grows, lichen covered stumps, and grass that grows through the sidewalk/ anyplace cultivated by, nurtured by or coexisting with humans. Graveyards are also gardens but obviously in a different way.
Groves include: forests, jungles, random stands of trees, high chaparral, palm groves, scrub, outback, bushlands, and deserts too (because Joshua trees, agaves and saguaro)
Living things encompass the whole of the tree of life, each kingdom -- plant, animal, fungi, archaea, and others that may come into being.
Your gender is part of you and belongs to you, to express however you see fit. Bodily autonomy is integral.
Humans are omnivorous, and you can follow what your heart and mind and body tell you when choosing what you eat.
Some people eat meat; that is part of life, but we MUST treat animals under our care and everywhere with kindness, including those we eat. Also, we encourage the development of cruelty-free vat-grown meat.
Outer space is part of nature and we welcome discovery, with respect.
We are not anti artifice or anti technology; we are anti exploitation and anti destruction. The preservation of our natural environment is paramount.
Everything, big and small, contains a spark of consciousness and is treated with grace.

I live off strictly vegan food for already two weeks now. I enjoy adding portobellos in my salads for good protein source.
Fungi are neither animal or plant. But they’re related kingdom to animals as molecular evidence suggests. Whether or not is ok to replace animal protein with fungal protein in vegan diet?

They reproduce through spores. Nothing in the animal kingdom that we know of on Regular Earth reproduces through spores, however we do know that fungi do. Fungi and animals are closer in the evolutionary chain that fungi and plants, as they split from each other later than plants and what would become fungi and animals did. Based on this, we can postulate that the "bugs", as we call them, are actually intelligent fungi.

You ever had a experience that you just felt was just made for you a experience that combined so many things you love that there's no way it exists. Well that is the exact scenario i was in when i discovered a little Indie Game that managed to give me everything i could have ever asked for. Now already i love Indie Games due to how they always try not only scratch that particular itch but also give there own spin on it. Some of my favorites include Shovel Knight for its twist on Mega Man, A Hat In Time for its combination of both 3D Platformers and Collectethons, Bug Fables for its Paper Mario formula both in its design and its mechanics, And of course Dust An Elysian Tale for its incredible art str level design combat story characters and soundtrack. Each of these games not only are some of my favorite games in there specific genres but also are some of my favorite games of all time. However one genre that i absolutely adore is the absolutely phenomenal MetroidVania which combines Collectethon elements as well as Zeldas use of abilities to progress. And while some of my favorite games come from this genre including the previously mentioned Dust. The one game that i think perfectly captures everything i love not just about this genre but video games as a whole. Is a game that has recently become my favorite Indie game of all time and MetroidVania called Hollow Knight. Hollow Knight has just about everything i could ever ask for in a video game including great story characters lore level design gameplay combat atmosphere music and of course boss fights. And so i am going to go through each individual aspect and flesh out just how much i adore this game. So if you're interested i will be breaking this down into chapters for easy access especially if you only care about one category over the other. But with all of that said its about time to finally take a deep dive into the world of Deep Nest and this little game called Hollow Knight.
Ch 1 Showing Not Telling. The Lore. I honestly love a good story as it can get me immersed in the world and give me the drive to keep continuing. And while Hollow Knight does indeed give you that every now and then in the main quest. Like Dark Souls the real good stuff isn't always told to you right away if at all. No instead you need to piece together things yourself through the games world dialogue item descriptions and of course even your own theories. This gives off a real mysterious feeling and defiantly gets you invested in the world of Hollow Nest and it's inhabitants something i can appreciate.
Ch 2 Style Over Substance. The Design. Just like a lot of Indie games due to not having a big budget sometimes they have to get creative with different ideas of how to cut costs. Take Bug Fables for example where though it has the Paper esthetic they didn't just decide to have just copy paste characters. Instead they got to work and came up with there own unique spin they decided to design there entire world based around bugs. So just like Bug Fables Hollow Knight had to come up with a similar concept and they went with you guessed it bugs. This means that nearly every single NPC Enemy and everything else in between are bug themed though they still have there own unique personalities. However even though you are essentially playing as bugs that doesn't mean the developers are just going to let it end there. Team Cherry has created a world so immersive and diverse it honestly blows my mind with what they come up with. So the whole game you are going through this place called Hollow Nest which lives underground. This means that everything you will end up seeing is all designed to be underground. But believe me when i say that it doesn't stop the insane amount of variety that you will be seeing throughout the game. From dark caves to grassy areas crystal peaks and even a fungi infested wastland. Each of these are not only breathtaking but also gives you chances to explore and get sucked into this world that is laid before you. The entire game also has a ton to interact with like the aforementioned many different characters. But also the world itself from it's traps treasures many different sidequests and of course tons and tons of lore. Trust me when i say that this game never gets boring as there is plenty to do and explore showcasing the blood swet and tests that was put into this amazing world of Hollow Nest. It honestly reminds me of the great world design of The Legend Of Zelda Franchise which is one of my favorite video game franchises ever made.
Ch 3 Genius Mechanics. The Gameplay. Every good game needs equally good if not great gameplay and controls. And since this is a Metroidvania one of my all time favorite genres of games. The first thing that needs to be in a good Metroidvania is great controls and Hollow Knight nails this down perfectly. Now to create a good set of controls Hollow Knight actually uses different games as inspiration. Like the Heart Pieces from The Legend Of Zelda or the Pogo Jump from Shovel Knight. But of course the real meat and potatoes is in your abilities because if there's one thing i in Metroidvanias it's abilities. There are some staples of the genre like the Double Jump The Speed Dash and the Ground Smash. However there is also unique abilities that Hollow Knight incorporates like The Shadow Dash Wall Climb and how it handles it's Magic System. I won't say to much about the Magic System since it will be covered during combat but lets just say its amazing. Now while all of these abilities are great and all despite the games amazing tight controls there is two other aspects of Hollow Knight that I want to talk about The Map and Charms. A Map is one of the most important items in any game but especially so for Metroidvanias. It is your way of navigating and figuring out where you need to go. Though with the all around feeling of Hollow Knight and it's atmosphere sometimes you just want to explore yourself without a guide. Well Hollow Knight just so happens to have the best of both worlds letting you get lost stumbling your way around until you end up finding Cornifer who will sell you the map of the specific area for a small fee. This means you will have to rely on your own memory and navigational skills to make your way through each area until you find Cornifer by tracking down his paper and his humming. While this is a great idea there is one thing i don't like about this and that's you have to bye a Quill before the map will be drawn in. Unfortunately due to something i will talk about during the combat segment this can be tedious at the beginning of the game. Other than though i really love this game and it's gameplay as it's extremely addicting to want to keep exploring and it has a really great flow that keeps you engaged and about those Charms well you'll just have to wait and see in the combat Chapter.
Ch 4 Simplicity Has Depth. The Combat. So as a surprise to absolutely nobody i adore this games combat. A great combat system can really make or break a game for me as combat is probably one of the things i look forward to in a video game. This doesn't mean the combat has to be as flashy or satisfying like most of my favorite games. All i ask for is just fun enemies to fight and bosses to overcome. Not everything has to be combo heavy as Platinum DMC or Kingdom Hearts. Or as strategic and free flow like Zelda Resident Evil or most RPGs Like Xenoblade and Final Fantasy. Some combat mechanics could be as simple as Spyro and just involve you attacking the enemy once to kill them. Now of course Hollow Knight isn't quite as basic like that but you do get my point. Though Hollow Knight appears that way at first glance there is a lot more depth under the surface. It starts out pretty simple to understand you slash with your Nail left right up and down with your Pogo Slash. However this means that you focus more on the enemies Telagraphs and your placement and this goes double for the boss fights. Of course this isn't everything as there is also your Magic which is called Soul and this is where things get interesting. Soul is connected to everything including casting spells healing and even some of your abilities cost Soul. Meaning that Soul is pretty important right since it's connected to all of this stuff and has different uses. But the question remains what happens when you run out since there will be plenty of times where you know doubt will. Well aside from certain statues and maybe a ancient pool you're only way of getting it back is by attacking with your Nail. This is because just like Kingdom Hearts it incentives you to get into combat more often than not. Its actually really genius since you won't spend so much time running due to the only way to get in a good Heal is by fighting enemies its just freaking fantastic. Then there's your Charms which acts like sort of buffs or cheats that give you different properties. Like being able to gain more Soul of being able to attack quickly a lot of these changes the dynamic in the game pretty significantly. Once again though you can only carry so many Charms so just like your Soul you have to pick and choose what you really want. They kind of remind me of Paper Mario or Bug Fables Badges since they also act like the same way. Like prioritizing navigation over making your Nail be able to hit farther away there's a real strategy and it kept me engaged the entire time. Unfortunately though there is one thing that might turn people off and that's what happens when you die. Because like Dark Souls when you for you lose your currency and this means if you can't make it back to that spot you will lose everything. Despite this i really do like this combat system especially how it actually makes use of your abilities for not just traversal and platforming but for combat as well just like another Indie Game Dust An Elysian Tale.
Ch 5 The World Of Hollow Nest. The Level Design. Everybody will probably tell you that I'm a sucker for a good selection of levels. A great level can really heighten a game to greater heights then ever before. I'm not going to lie the levels here might just be my new favorite lineup in any game. What really makes these levels standout so much is both the way they are structured and there inclusion in the world itself. As i eluded to earlier each of these unique locations have there own gimmicks designs and enemies to make them always standout. Having great platforming segments combat encounters and even tons of secrets to find making these levels really stick with you. Honestly these areas really reminds me a lot of Shovel Knight and its level layouts. Which considering Shovel Knight has some of my favorite levels in all of gaming that is definitely a compliment. Just like Shovel Knight Hollow Knight also knows how to trust you to learn how things work. Because instead of just teaching you Hollow Knight gives you a test of what's to come and then slowly builds on it the further you get. Like in the Fungal Wastes you have to Pogo bounce on these mushroom flowers to propel yourself upward just like Shovel Knight. In the Crystal Peaks you have to go through factory obstacles like conveyor belts smashing machines and even Lasers. Each of these areas not only teach you by having you learn from experience. But they also have a lore reason for being there and how the world works getting you immersed. Some of my favorites includes Fungi Wastes, Crystal Peaks, and Kingdoms Edge which is a snowy looking location that even has a arena called The Colosseum Of Fools. And just like some of my favorite levels of all time my favorite area in the game combines all of the elements i just said along with great atmosphere music and gameplay. Now once you get through a good portion of the game having gone through some pretty amazing tense and epic stuff. Eventually you make it to a giant door and enter it just as you feel save though the door locks you in. This is to make sure that you have to continue on since this next location is possibly one of the most important. Because as you make your way through these winding corridors with Soldiers around every corner. Finally you make it to some semblance of safety as you discover a bench which when you sit on it the music swells the camera pans out to reveal a gorgeous raining city amply called The City Of Tears. That moment hits different after everything you have been through you finally have time to finally reflect on how far you have come. This level is easily one of my favorite levels of all time and easily my favorite location in the game. From it's atmosphere being a raining city due to it being built underneath the great Blue Lake. To the music being one of my favorite tracks in the game sounding both somber and majestic but also somehow mysterious. The gameplay being a perfect test of all of your skills and abilities you have acquired both in the level design and in combat. And finally the lore behind this place which i won't spoil it here but let's just say it's pretty dark. All of this culminates in the creepy and challenging Soul Sanctum. Which involves tough enemies that can cast Magic eerie music and ends with one.Of the best bosses in the game Soul Master. Speaking of bosses it's time to dive into what is arguably the best moments in any game the Boss Battles.
Ch 6 Spectacular Boss Design. The Boss Battles. Boss Fights are easily my favorite part in any video game from there story atmosphere gameplay music and just overall fun factor can't be understated. And while there is a ton of games that have some of my favorite bosses ever made such as. Kingdom Hearts, The Legend Of Zelda, Metroid, Resident Evil, DMC, Platinum Games, From Softwhere, Xenoblade, Final Fantasy, Spider Man, Kirby, Mario, Sonic, Lego, Mega Man, and more recently Prince Of Persia The Lost Crown. Not to mention the one off games like Shovel Knight A Hat In Time and Bug Fables. Each of these franchises and individual games have absolutely incredible boss fights and some that i would consider as my favorites. Yet despite all of this i would defiantly say that Hollow Knight not only would deserve to be up there. But honestly is probably in my top five favorite roster of bosses and let me just tell you it's pretty stiff competition. Hollow Knight not only checks off all of my boxes for how to make amazing boss fights. But also has a staggering amount of them im not kidding there is over Thirty Boss Battles and most of them are amazing. So instead of talking about the all around boss quality i decided that I'm going to give a few examples of just how great these bosses are. As well as also showing off my favorites starting off with the first boss. By the way Major Spoilers!!!!!!!!! from here on out so lets get into it.
False Knight. Every good game needs a great intro that tests you with everything to get you ready for the rest of the game. This means that when making a first boss it needs to follow this premise as well. Already the first are was really great The Forgotten Crossroads. Teaching you everything you need to know as well as being just a great area in general. But then you eventually meet the first mandatory boss of the game The False Knight. And i think that the first boss The False Knight does all of this exceptionally well and is one of my favorite first bosses. He's big he's strong and very intimidating for a first time player while also being well telegraphed to get to terms with. I also really love his gimmick of not being able to actually damage him and therefore not be able to get Soul until he's stunned is really amazing. Plus i love the lore about him how he's just a squishy helpless creature that just wanted to become a knight is really kinda sad. Then there is his music which just like the test of the boss themes is absolutely fantastic and fits the fight perfectly. Overall this fight should be the standard of how to make a first boss because this one stands the test of time.
Soul Master. The build up to this battle is just amazing already i loved the City Of Tears and everything it taught you. But then The Soul Sanctum just took that to a whole nother level. Between the enemies the Spell Casters and the Mutants as well as the Mini Boss already great. This finally leading up to the encounter against the boss of the Sanctum Soul Master. Who fights you on top of the roof as you overlook the City Of Tears in the pouring rain and then the fight begins. Soul Master attacks you primarily with spells while also teleporting around. Sometimes he will even try to rush at you which you have to Pogo off of or he will try to ground pound which creates shockwaves that you have to avoid. However this is your chance to use everything you have learned in order to best this cunning foe. Once you finally deal enough damage he will drop your well deserved power up the Ground Smash and just when your about to grab it. Soul Master Slams through the floor and out of pure rage tries to kill you with everything he has. This leads into the second phase where he will try to smash you continuously. But he will eventually get exhausted this leading him open to attack while he just hurls spells at you. And then there's the music which has a choir to fit the dramatic battle and even includes the Light Motif of the main area just like the rest of the boss themes. This fight was just payoff and satisfaction at its finest and is a way to cap off your first visit to the City Of Tears.
Mantis Lords. I love the Mantis Village the build up to this place and it's Mantis Tribe being called some of the greatest warriors ever already set the tone. Then going through this place having to get The Mantis Claws so you can Wall Climb and gain access to the City Of Tears. Only to have the option of coming back having to contend with these Mantis Warriors who aren't even controlled by The Infection and there traps is just awesome and made this place really memorable. Then we make it to there leaders three sister's called The Mantis Lords. Who we have the opportunity to challenge them and if we beat them we earn the respect of the Mantises and they give us access to there locked away secrets and won't attack us. However this is easier said than done since the Mantis Lords are pretty freaking challenging and won't give us an inch. This means we really have to prove ourselves that we are worthy and boy what fight it is. It starts out with a giant Steel Cage and spikes in each side of the arena meaning you have to keep a eye on your positioning. We start out by fighting only one of the Mantis Lord's as we get a fast of the attacks we'll be dealing with. But eventually after we best the first one though the remaining two will tag team making this turn into a Gank Battle. But it's not unfair as we already should have gotten used to the attack patterns of The Mantis Lord's by now. Accompanying this epic battle is a glorious boss theme which the frantic battle and just makes this already phenomenal boss battle even better. Once you best The Mantis Lord's in combat not only do they open the gates letting through to Deep Nest. You also earn the respect and honor of some of the greatest warriors ever definitely a well earned reward. In conclusion this boss fight has everything you could ever want to make it truly a perfect battle. From build up to the atmosphere and the gameplay slowly ramping up the difficulty and of course the music being a perfect track to fit the tempo of the fight. Plus the reward afterwards makes this boss battle really special and would make my top five favorite bosses easy. Yet believe me when i say this isn't even my favorite boss in the game yet and that is just a testament of the quality of this games bosses.
Broken Vessel. One of the biggest mysteries of the game is who you are and what you are doing since you kind of just show up due to a presence beckoning you. This mystery gets deeper and deeper as you meet certain characters who seem to call you either a savior or destroyer. Which makes you start to wonder just why did you show up here and who was that was calling you. And while we will get to the who called you latter you do eventually find out what you are and what your purpose is by going to a place called Ancient Basin. Now let's just say that this place doesn't really seem very welcoming instead it feels empty and eerie not to mention it's at the bottom of Hollow Nest one of the scariest area's in the game. This all creates a kind of mysterious atmosphere from the enemies to the design of the place and even the ambiance instead of music. All of this leads up to the actual boss fight which instead of fighting a creepy or terrifying monster at the end. Instead you end up seeing a familiar figure who looks a lot like you except it is dead . But just as you get close to it the figure awakens reanimated by the Infection this is revealed to be a Broken Vessel. That moment hits hard since this is the first time finding out just what you are and your purpose to contain the Infection. And now you stand before what is essentially your sibling seeing him possessed by the Infection and now you have to fight him and the fight is fantastic. To start out this battle feels like a really good battle of equals as Broken Vessel has a ton of attacks he can whip out. Being able to bounce around the arena, charging at you with his Nail either from the ground or the air, produce orange blobs of the Infection to attack you or even track you. and even attack you mindlessly with his Nail just to keep you on your toes. Last but certainly not least Broken Vessel at half health will occasionally unleash a desperation attack where he will bombard you with tons of Infection Blobs. Unfortunately though once you beat him the Infection will leave him and he dies with one last gasp before collapsing. This fight was really tragic and sad having to put one of your own siblings out of there misery. The music is is actually very subtle and somber and atmosphere with the wind blowing really capturing that feeling even more and trust me it gets worse.
Hornet. Rivals tend to be some of my favorite bosses since they usually have great build by antagonizing you multiple times throughout the game. Plus the added benefit of them being able to sometimes level up with you making for a evolution of both your skills and your rivals. Then of course there's just the fact of fighting a battle against someone who is either in your same weight class or has a similar skill set like you do that just gets the heart pumping. Some of my favorite boss fights of all time just so happens to be rivals due to them being the ultimate test for you and your skills. My favorite example probably being Vergil for his evolution contrasting appearance and his character and boss fights were just so epic some of the best in all of gaming. And so you could imagine reaction when i got introduced to would be my rival in Hollow Knight Hornet. Who not only has great build up from you slowly following her throughout the second area Green Path. We eventually find her only for her to call is ghost and that are kind shouldn't be exempted around here. This is further displayed by the sight of her impaleing a similar figure like us thus beginning the fight and It Is Glorious. Hornet has quite a bit of attacks she can dish out and with her Nail and the usage of Silk she can get pretty unpredictable. Her attacks includes being able to throw her Nail at you and pull it back, Darting around the arena with her silk making her a very nimble opponent, and last but certainly not least she can charge a barrier of Silk around her damaging anyone who gets to close meaning you have to be aware of you positioning. Once you beat her she flees and you examine the other body to retrieve the MothWing Cloak which allows you to Dash. After that though you encounter Hornet a few times even trying to help you during some moments. This all leads up to you finally encountering her again at Kingdoms Edge where she challenges you to one last duel. To prove that you are ready to finally find out the truth of your reasoning for being created thus beginning the final battle against Hornet The Sentinel. She has mostly her same moves she had before with a couple of new tricks to mix it up. Being able to Parry your attacks like you can which you have to pay attention to. And at half health she's will sometimes set traps all around the arena this combined with her previous attacks can be an extremely dangerous combo so be careful. That and her increased speed and health makes her definitely one of the hardest bosses in the game. Meanwhile the music during both of these fights immediately captures the essence on this intense rivalry. Afterwards Hornet lets you pass and you retrieve the Kings Seal which allows you go deeper in the Ancient Basin into The Abyss. Rivals are considered to be some of my favorite bosses in all of gaming and Hornet definitely scratches that well needed itch.
Hollow Knight. Finally after so long it's time to talk about the reason why you we're called to Hollow Nest. And it just so happens to be the one who has been built up since the beginning of the game the Hero Of Hollow Nest and namesake of the game The Hollow Knight. Because as it turns out The Hollow Knight is your sibling as well and was tasked with containing the source of The Infection inside of him. This is why The Ruler Of Hollow Nest The Pale King created you and your siblings without emotions so you could just be vessels. Now while most of them were failures and couldn't even resist the power of The Infection there was one who was created to be perfect The Hollow Knight. However eventually both The Pale King and The Hollow Knight basically became emotionally attached like a father and son. Unfortunately this means that The Infection was able to manipulate that attachment and use it to corrupt The Hollow Knight. But before The Infection could escape The Pale King sealed away The Hollow Knight in order to stop The Infection from spreading across Hollow Nest. Of course as you know this didn't stop The Infection for long and eventually it slowly escapes from the Sealed Chamber The Black Egg Temple. Thus begins are journey where we are called to this place by are brother and he wants us to stop The Infection since he didn't. Leading up to the inevitable confrontation against your brother after breaking all of the seals The Dreamers cast and traversing the new Infected Crossroads. Making it to The Black Egg Breaking The Seal and finally ending up face to face with The Hollow Knight after all of this build up is one of the most satisfying feelings ever. Then after all of that and you severing the chains that bind The Hollow Knight the final battle begins. First of all let me just get this out of the way this is probably one of my favorite bosses ever made. Everything is just perfect the atmosphere the build up the music and the gameplay is just absolutely magnificent. It starts off like a really epic battle of equals with The Hollow Knight being able to perform quite a few attacks like. Multiple slashes with his Nail, a thrust with his Nail, firing blobs of Infection from his arm, being able to Perry your attacks, and last but not least jumping in the air stabbing the ground and releasing a AOE attack that erupts Infection all around the ground which if you get hit by it will do double damage to you. Yeah it's a lot to keep up with and is definitely a perfect final duel that will put all of your skills to the ultimate test. But that is until about half health where the music crescendos and The Hollow Knight starts stabbing himself almost as if he wants you to kill him. At this point the battle changes into a more somber and tragic affair as while the Hollow Knight will sometimes still try to attack you he will either try to stab himself again or just out right stumble. Instead you are fighting Infection as it flings The Hollow Knights body around like The Broken Vessel. Or The Infection will just shoot out all over the arena from The Hollow Knights body in a desperate attempt to try and kill you. While the gameplay might be absolutely amazing the music is just on a whole nother level and depicts this fight brilliantly. It's called The Sealed Vessel and it starts out extremely epic with a entire orchestra. then it crescendos with sharp notes when the stabbing happens. only for the piece to change into a more melancholic track with just a single note being repeated over and over again showcasing the regret and acceptance The Hollow Knight feels. And once you finally defeat The Hollow Knight you either take his place as the next vessel. Or if you did everything right to meet the requirements you continue on to another battle which is.
The Radiance. Final Bosses should be a final exam of everything you have learned throughout the entire game. That and they should usually have the best atmosphere build up gameplay and music in the game. While The Hollow Knight was already probably one my favorite boss battles of all time. There is however yet another final boss the true final boss to be exact which you can fight only if you have all of the necessary requirements. Which is two halves of something that if combined can be turned into something called The Pure Heart. Now the how to get this item is pretty tough since getting each one of the two halves is honestly one of the hardest things I've ever done. Between Queens Gardens with its tough traps enemies and boss make for a pretty intense gauntlet. Then there is accessing The White Palace with your aforementioned upgraded Dream Nail. And The White Palace itself has some of the most ridiculous platforming i have ever seen. However once you do all of that you still have one more thing left to do and that is take The Pure Heart back to the Abyss. Which will then trigger a long scene in which The Main Protagonist finds out the truth which transforms The Pure Heart into The Void Heart. After all of that though you're still not done as you still have to defeat The Hollow Knight and use The Dream Nail on him to enter his mind. Finally after everything you have gone through its time to confront the source of The Infection a deity named The Radiance. Unfortunately though right now i want to get the bad news out of the way first because whenever you want to fight The Radiance you have to always fight The Hollow Knight. Other then that though man is this a extremely amazing final boss fight even before you even begin the fight. The Radiance stands high above you shrouded by clouds awaiting your just like The Mantis Lord's did. Once you do The Radiance will now away the clouds and appear in front of you. Unlike regular bosses which just have there title name pop up with The Radiance the screen goes bright and then The Radiance title name pops up to showcase this extraordinary being. Another thing that makes The Radiance different from every single other adversary you have fought up till now is that The Radiance does double damage with every single attack. Luckily though at the very least there is no contact damage from The Radiance probably because The Radiance is a deity. Oh and of course The Radiance also has a choir along with other instruments just another reason to make this boss really stand out. Speaking of attacks The Radiance has also got quite a huge arsenal and sometimes can even combine some. Attacks include summoning a wave of light which has to be shadow dashed through. Summoning waves of swords that you have to either jump through or platform over. Shooting either three laser beams or streams of swords at you from the Radiance itself. And of course summon balls of light which hones in a your position just like The Enemies of The Soul Sanctum. It all sounds like quite a lot and believe me it is but its also supposed to be like that. That and you have just as much opportunities to be able to damage The Radiance especially with Magic which it's weak to. Plus this is the true final boss meaning you should have every single ability and this boss puts them to the test. Especially since The Radiance has multiple phases each with the arena shifting thus changing the dynamic of the battle every time. The first phase involves you on a flat platform while The Radiance sometimes will summon swords for you to Pogo off of. The second phase sees you and teleporting around the battlefield as you have to jump between multiple platforms. And finally the third has The Radiance flying high up in the sky trying to avoid The Many Vessels coming after it. Meanwhile you have to keep climbing up platforms in order to reach The Radiance while avoiding is many laser beams it shoots at you. All of this leads up to what is essentially the most satisfying finisher ever as you and your hundreds of siblings including The Hollow Knight. Unleash all of your furry and absolutely destroys The Radiance ending this never ending nightmare once and for all. Unfortunately though after all of that we are treated to a bitter sweet ending. Where even though The Infection has been dealt with it came at a price. As both The Main Protagonist and all of his siblings sacrificed themselves in order to vanquish The Radiance. Both The Hollow Knight and The Radiance creates one of the best final boss experiences I've ever had and this still isn't my favorite boss in the game so what could possibly top this.
Grimm. Now it's finally time to talk about not just my favorite boss in the game but one of my favorite boss fights of all time but first i need to give some context. So while there were many DLCS that slowly got added overtime my favorite and the one i was most interested in had to be The Grimm Troup Expansion. Which not only promised a ton of things including new story bosses music and more. But just in general i really love the design and atmosphere that this DLC brought to the table. Since it's a sort of Carnival/ Spooky type of environment which since i love Halloween so much is usually something I'm really into. Not only that though it also introduced some really colourful characters including. A Spide Worm looking woman who can improve your Fragile Charms. A harmonica playing dude who looks like he's pretty anxious about something. And finally there's there leader Grimm who has a great design and honestly gives me Dracula vibes. He also will be the one who we are doing a task for which involves taking care of our new Grimm Child which was given to us by Grimm. By killing these little ghost guys and feeding the flames to our little one which will help him continue to grow. Eventually after enough of that Grimm will challenge is to a duel which will once again help feed the child And This Fight Is Magnificent. Starting off the battle Grimm will actually now to the crowd in the background before fighting. If you hit him though while he is bowing he will attack you more aggressively for your lack of honor for this fight. Grimm has quite a bit of attacks up his sleeve like summoning bats a flaming uppercut dive kick and sprouting spikes from the ground. Plus Grimm has an attack where he blows up like a balloon and shoots our waves of fire balls that you must jump through just like The Radiance. Luckily though he only does this attack at each 25% threshold of his health that and he's weak to spells in this form. All of this gives a sort of dance to the death kind of feeling especially since Grimm will even react based on your position. This battle also has probably my favorite piece of music in the entire game. Where it starts out with a organ to fit the Dracula inspired foe. Then the choir starts kicking along with a whole orchestra. And finally a freaking guitar kicks in halfway to really get you pumped up for this fast paced battle. However after all of that Grimm still isn't done with you and asks you to go seek out more flame. Before you do that however the music playing guy tells you the true identity of Grimm and says how he wants you to banish Grimm instead. Because if you keep going through with the ritual he says Grimm will eventually be reborn through the child and will continue to cause chaos around multiple universe's. But if you decide to go through with his ritual then after getting enough flame you find Grimm sleeping and have to use Dream Nail on him. Then you enter a weird looking area where you keep hearing this thumping sound which turns out to be this giant heart in the background. Our of nowhere Grimm tips through the heart with the whole place shacking like the universe is tearing apart just by this entities mere presence. Eventually though just as he's about to make his appearance unlike The Radiance The entire screen goes pitch black and he's revealed to be Nightmare King Grimm. Here unlike the previous battle there is no honor or mercy here it's just absolute brutality. Grimm is far faster hits harder and is more healthy so your in for a long battle. On top of that Grimm also changes up his tactics just enough to really test your might like. Summoning rows of bats above and below, his uppercut creates more flames, his dive kick creates a stream of fire, and he will no longer telegraph the spike attack. Aside from that though he also will hover in the air and create pillars of fire and of course there's his returning balloon attack at intervals. Not gonna lie this fight is hard like really hard and yet it feels like just such a rush when your dodging strings of attacks with pinpoint accuracy feels like a perfect dance even more so than the previous fight. Gameplay isn't the only thing that this fight has going for it though there also the intense atmosphere. From the Nightmare Heart in the background that as the fight goes on keeps changing. To the music which starts off intense showing that Grimm is not messing around. Just like the Heart though the track keeps changing getting a lot more chaotic with the chanting almost symbolizing the meaning of this battle and the many universe's. Its easily one of my favorite piece of music in the entire game with its insane amounts of variety and symbolic value fitting perfectly with this battle. After the battle though both Grimm and The Heart explode and your taken back to Hollow Nest with The Grimm Child fully grown. Unfortunately this insinuates that maybe killing Grimm and The Heart completed his ritual and he will be reborn again. Everything about Grimm and his boss battles is just absolutely perfection the build up atmosphere gameplay and music just complements these fights beautifully.
Ch 7 Sound That Fits. The Soundtrack. Christopher Larken has easily become one of my favorite Composers of all time due to how he just showcases the setting of this world perfectly. Every single one of his tracks matches the tone of the scene beautifully. Whether its atmospheric tracks like the area tracks, action packed tracks like many of the boss themes with a hint of Light Motifs, or even be able to capture a moment like with Sealed Vessel which is one of my favorite tracks of time just like this soundtrack.
Ch 8 The Conclusion. This game is honestly in my opinion a freaking Masterpiece and after several Hours three playhroughs one speedrun and nearly hundred and twelve percent completion. And can safely say that i love everything about this game from the. Amazing story that has incredible depth, to the phenomenal level design that has great variety, the addicting gameplay that keeps me coming back for more, the spectacular boss fights which are some of the best I've ever faced, and the perfect soundtrack which has some of my favorite tracks of all time. Everything is just so wrapped up perfectly in a nice little bow and shows the love and care that went into making this fantastic experience and I'm proud to say it's one of my favorite games of all time.