Below you will find a weekly reminder of our Rules and partial FAQ. It's definitely a long read, but it's worth your time, especially if you are new to the community, or dropping by as a result of a link you found elsewhere. We periodically revise our rules, this weekly notice will help keep you informed of any changes made.
NOTE: These rules are guidelines. Some moderation discretion is to be expected.

Community Rules

1. Kindness Matters

Advise, don't criticize.

• Post with empathy, thoughtfulness, and constructive commentary rather than judgment. Don't be an asshole.
• Name-calling, slurs (including gender or race based slurs), and insults towards other community members will not be tolerated. Do not attack others for their personally held values, custody situation, marital status, physical distance from stepkids, or economic status; or on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, or ethnicity.
• No name-calling toward children, including the above-mentioned insults or the term "skids", or terms such as "mini-wife" or "mini-husband."
• Comments advocating spanking or any mention of wanting to harm children are not allowed.
• This is a support sub, not a judgement sub, assholes are not tolerated. Comments with terms used in other subs to pass judgement on assholes will be removed.

2. No Drama

This is a support sub.

• Bickering, nitpicking, and thread derailment will not be tolerated and will be subject to removal at moderator discretion.
• Do not repeatedly badger a poster demanding answers, or refuse to acknowledge an answer that's already been given.
• Do not use sensitive issues from past posts (either from this sub or other subs) to attack another user, as we are all discussing vulnerable topics.
• Crossposting anything from /stepparents to any other subreddit might result in a ban and may result in the original thread being locked. Brigading our sub will result in an immediate ban.

3. Report, Don’t Rant

No backseat modding.

• If you see someone breaking the rules, report the post or comment to the mods rather than engaging them in an argument. Failure to do so may be subject to comment removal at moderator discretion.
• No meta posts complaining about rude comments, DMs, or general sub issues.
• If you think someone is a troll or previously banned user, either use the report function or message the mods to direct their attention to the issue.

4. No Naming & Shaming

No userpings or links.

• Tagging/pinging users or other subreddits in an attempt to bully, harass, or complain will not be tolerated. Do not tag other subs, ever.
• If you want to complain about another subreddit being hostile to stepparents, do not name the subreddit. "Other parenting/advice/judgement subs" will suffice.

5. No Platitudes

Nobody knew what they were getting into.

• Comments like "You knew what you were getting into", "Love them, love their kids!", "They're a package deal!" and "You have to love them like your own!" will be removed.
• Comments suggesting that OP is not cut out for stepparenting will be removed at moderator discretion.
• Comments like "This is just a part of parenting, deal with it!" will be removed at moderator discretion.

6. No Trolling

We have zero tolerance for trolls.

• This is a support sub. Our subscribers do not have the time, nor inclination, to provide support to internet trolls. Posts that are suspected to be trolling attempts will be immediately removed, and the poster banned.
• Concern trolling, devil's advocating, gish-galloping, sealioning, and general asshattery are subject to immediate removal and banning without warning or notice.
• Any attempt to circumvent the ban by creating a new username will be reported to reddit admins and possibly result in account suspension.

7. No Personally Identifiable Information

Use discretion when posting.

• We highly recommend using a separate account for support subs to help prevent being doxxed. Do not post any information that may allow others to figure out your identity.
• Do not post photos of children, or any other photo that could be used to identify you or another user on the sub.
• Any image that contains a name or other identifying information should have the name or identifying information blurred out. This includes drawings, notes, and screenshots.
• Do not link to social media or any articles/blogs where you or another user on the sub is mentioned by name.

8. No More than 2 Posts per 24 hours

Use the daily threads.

• We are not a huge sub, but we are no longer a small sub. If you have multiple grievances to air, use the daily discussion threads instead of multiple posts.

9. Follow Reddiquette

Remember the human.

• Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.
• Read it in full here.
• Downvoting is reserved for comments that don’t contribute, and shouldn't be used to indicate disagreement.
• If you believe someone is in violation of the subreddit rules, please either use the report function or message the mods to direct their attention to the issue.
• Suspected brigading will be reported to reddit admins.

10. No Porn, Spam, Blogs, or Research Studies/Surveys Without Mod Approval

Just don't.

• This is a SFW subreddit. Posting pornography will result in immediate post removal and permanent ban.
• Advertising on the subreddit (outside of Reddit's own advertising) is not allowed.
• No personal blog posts are allowed without express moderator permission.
• No advertising without prior mod approval.
• No asking for money/posting fundraisers/etc.
• For links to parenting research studies or surveys, please message the mods for permission before posting.

11. Disputes in Modmail Only

Don't argue with the mods on the sub.

• Any issues specifically related to how a mod is moderating should be addressed to the full moderating team via mod mail. This ensures that all mods are aware of any concerns and prevents disintegration of the topic thread at hand.
• This means to do not message or send chat requests to individual mods. All discussion and complaints about mod actions need to be done in mod mail ONLY. Failure to follow this rule can result in an immediate permanent ban.
• Comments in threads asking about mod decisions are subject to removal without notice.

12. Moderator Actions

We aren't kidding.

• Users are expected to know the rules before posting. If you are warned or banned for violating the rules, ignorance is not an excuse.
• Moderators will remove posts and comments and/or lock threads in accordance with the rules above. Typically this happens when threads have gone off-topic in a way that is not productive for the OP, or comments overall have become contentious or disrespectful.
• If a poster continues to argue or to willfully violate these rules, temporary and permanent ban procedures will be followed. Any attempts to avoid or bypass temporary bans will result in a permanent ban. User bans will not be discussed in the sub. Questions posted about user bans are subject to removal and the poster subject to warning/ban procedures. The mod team will not discuss a specific user ban with anyone other than the user involved.
• New accounts are subject to manual approval until they are no longer deemed "new" by the mod team. This helps to weed out trolls and ban evaders.
• We rely on Automoderator to scan for specific words and phrases that are not welcome here and notify the mod team to review the comment or post. This includes slurs of any type and platitudes such as "Love them as your own!"
• The mod team uses a combination of blacklisting and banning when dealing with trolls.
• We employ the use of a bot that automatically bans anyone who comments in subs that have historically harassed our users. If you are picked up by the bot for telling trolls to get fucked, reach out via mod mail and we'll get you sorted out.
• The rules above as well as ban procedures are considered guidelines only; some deviation may be necessary on a case by case basis and/or at the mod team's discretion.

13. Ban Procedure

These actions are at moderator discretion.

• Pornography will result in an automatic permanent ban.
• Extremely egregious content will result in an immediate permanent ban.
• You may receive a 7 or 30 day temporary ban for first and second rule violations, depending upon severity.
• Continued rule violations will result in a permanent ban.
• Willful attempts to avoid or bypass temporary bans will result in a permanent ban.
• We recognize the reddit site-wide rules of using alt names to get around bans and will ban those as well as report them to reddit admins.

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FAQ - About the Rules

What does Kindness Matters mean?

• Shortest version? Don't be an asshole. People come here for support and advice, they do not come here to be yelled at or told they are the reason everything is going sideways. There are ways to point out that someone may want to do some reflection on their own actions and reactions without being an asshole about it.
• The purpose of this subreddit is to provide support and a sense of belonging for struggling stepparents. We aren't here to pass judgement, but rather to offer support, empathy, and constructive commentary. That does not include "hard truths" or "tough love." Stepparents get enough of that in every other subreddit, we're not passing it out here. Be respectful.
• Remember, most people aren't going to come to a sub like this when everything is going great and everyone is getting along. People are coming here when they are down, when they are feeling defeated and stretched to the limit. Kicking someone when they are down is shitty behavior and we don't tolerate it.

What about being kind to the kids?

• "Won't somebody think of the children?" Pearl clutching isn't needed here. If you read the Kindness Matters rule closely, you will see that there is a clause in there about name calling children. We don't allow it. We also don't allow people rolling in telling OP that they feel sorry for their stepkids because OP is feeling overwhelmed and overloaded.
• If anyone is advocating slapping, spanking, or any other form of violence, report the comment immediately. We do not advocate violence towards children of any sort. The mod team does not advocate any sort of physical punishment at any time.
• Venting about behaviors is not the same as insulting the kids. However, if you see a post or comment where kids are being name called or dragged to the point of no return, use the report button. We try to catch the posts and remove them before they hit the sub, but we cannot see every comment without your help. Use the report button to bring problematic comments to our attention. Don't engage in a war of words on our subreddit.

Why is this sub such an echo chamber?

• Not allowing contributors to pile on and tell OP that they are a terrible human being who should never be around children does not equate to being an echo chamber. Many contributors here will offer OP suggestions to help them work through their resentments and frustrations, and the most egregious situations are called out. We simply ask that it be called out with respect.
• If you feel that a post is simply too much for you to handle without following the rules, move on to another post.
• If you believe that a post itself is crossing the rules report it. If the mod team has approved the post, it is because the mod team believes that the OP needs help from the community or needs a moment to vent and move on from their vent. That does not give you license to pile on disrespectfully. Unless it is proven that OP is a bot, assume that OP is a human being with real thoughts and feelings and has posted from a place of vulnerability.

Why can't I tell OP that they are an asshole?

• Because this isn't a judgement sub. We aren't AITA, we don't want to be AITA.
• Comments with terms like YTA, NTA, ESH, NAH will be removed.
• Don't start your posts with INFO either. We generally recognize that as a fishing attempt for more information to pass judgement on OP, and again, we are not a judgment sub.

But OP asked if they were an asshole?!

• Their post somehow got past our automoderator. Just use the report button. We will address it with OP.
• If you've asked if you are an asshole, a-hole, a*hole, a**hole, whatever, don't be surprised if your post is removed without warning. This isn't a judgment sub. If you want judgment, you know where to go.

What is a gendered slur?

• While it seems that everyone understands what racist slurs are, people struggle understanding the concept of gendered slurs. Generally speaking, we are talking about derogatory nouns or verbs that are used to negatively describe people or situations based on gendered terms.
• We've gone back and forth on this a few times, and the truth is, we get it, it's your safe space and you want to be able to vent about BM/BD how you want to vent about them, without us telling you how to vent about them. Fair enough. Vent away. What we are going to stick to here how people are referring to other users and to stepchildren.
• Examples that are not allowed:
  • "My SD is such a little bitch."
  • "She dresses/acts like a slut."
  • "My SS acts like a pussy."
  • "My SS is such a beta male."
  • "You are all fucking whores."
  • "Any dude who is raising some sluts kids is a cuck!"
  • "Little Lord Fauntleroy over here thinking he runs the house!"
  • "You're just the bangnanny, get used to it."
• Don't call users here names, don't call stepchildren names.
• Masking the term with asterisks or other neat little tricks might get you around the bot, but if we see it, we're removing it and quite possibly giving you a time out. The intended word is still there and you deliberately tried to skate the rule.
• As there is not enough space to list every term that is offensive and does not belong, nor every situation in which term or phrase may be allowable in context, this rule is enforced based on moderator discretion.

Seriously? You are the language police now?

• We're here to talk about stepparenting. And we would like for that to happen in a respectful way. Attacking each other doesn't help. Belittling stepchildren draws in trolls who don't understand your frustration, all they see is an evil stepmonster talking shit on the internet about a poor, innocent baby. Yes, even if that "poor, innocent baby" just robbed you blind and set fire to the house on their way out the door. That's just how it goes.
• We are aware that this is a relatively new rule and a lot of older posts and comments contain a lot of problematic language, including some from mods themselves. We are growing and evolving, and rules change as the sub grows and evolves.

What does No Drama really mean?

• Pretty much what it says, do not bring drama from other subs into this sub. Do not engage in vote brigades. Do not try to incite other subscribers to riot in a different sub. Don't follow posters into this sub from other subs to continue to harass them. Do not badger someone or derail threads. Do not harass community members because you don't agree with them. There's enough drama in the daily lives of subscribers, more isn't needed.

What is thread derailment?

• When a comment chain has devolved to the point where all you are doing is arguing back and forth with someone about the same thing over and over again, you have derailed the thread. Also known as bickering. It's what children do. We assume if people are in a stepparent role they are adults. We expect you to act like it.
• If you aren't a stepparent, or in a stepparenting role, consider that perhaps this subreddit isn't for you. If you want to participate, do so with respect. Thread derailment, arguing, bickering, and nitpicking are not allowed.

But what if they didn't answer my question?

• No one has to answer your questions. This is a support sub, not an inquisition. Jumping on a bandwagon with "OP is evading the question" in a 20 comment long chain is the epitome of thread derailment. You'll find more information about trolling below and how this might be considered such.

Why am I being silenced? I'm just asking for a back and forth!

• Thread derailment, badgering, and nitpicking are considered harassment. Continued harassment of either community members or mods will get you banned.

Why can't I look at someone's post history and comment about it?

• No mod in the history of this sub has ever once said post histories are forbidden. What we do frown upon is using someone's post history to attack, belittle, or otherwise harass someone.
• Example Post: "My stepkid's mom really hates me. How can I make this better?"
  • Okay: "Based on the timeline and your post history, it looks like this may have started as an affair. Unfortunately there's going to be outstanding issues for a long time due to that. Try focusing on yourself and how you can move forward without worrying about how someone else feels about you."
  • Not Okay: "Holy shit! You were the OW! What the hell do you expect, homewrecker?!"
• Example Post: "I am completely overloaded and feeling very down about myself."
  • Okay: "In your post history you mentioned that your spouse wasn't really helping around the house. Has that changed at all?"
  • Not Okay: "LOL, you already got the answers you need in your post on relationships. You are stupid for sticking with your lazy spouse."

Why can't we crosspost stuff to other subs?

• We can't stop you from doing so. The problem isn't that something has been crossposted, it's when the community that it's been crossposted to feels the need to come over here and harass OP. When we see that happening, we lock the post and start passing out bans. If you did the crossposting, you'll be banned. If you participated in the brigading, you'll be banned.

What if it's my own post?

• Again, we can't stop you from doing so. We prefer that you don't technically crosspost, but rather just copy and paste your post. Why? Because inevitably the above will happen. Redditors from other subs will follow you back to /stepparents and start attacking users here. It just happens.

What is "brigading"?

• Reddit defines vote manipulation and brigading as follows:
• Using multiple accounts, voting services, or any other software to increase or decrease vote scores.
• Asking people to vote up or down certain posts, either on Reddit itself or through social networks, messaging, etc. for personal gain.
• Forming or joining a group that votes together, either on a specific post, a user's posts, posts from a domain, etc.
• We, along with pretty much every other subreddit that has ever had to deal with this nonsense, further define brigading as this: You saw a post on another sub that linked to our sub either via a link in a comment or a crosspost. It was basically saying something along the lines of "OMG, check out these assholes over on /stepparents! They literally hate all their stepkids!" And then you and your friends come over and start hammering on OP and telling OP how much they suck. Congrats, you have just participated in a brigade.

What is this whole Report, Don't Rant thing about?

• If you see a post or comment that breaks the rules, instead of engaging, report it. When you report it, it sends notification to the mod team. We will act on it where appropriate. Engaging with bad faith users may result in your comments being removed. If you repeatedly do so, you may end up being banned.

What if I see an obvious troll?

• Report it.

What if they are being really mean in comments?

• Report it.

What if they are harassing me in private messages?

• Step 1: Report them to admins. You can report harassment to reddit by using this link or send a DM to reddit admins. Include the link to the DM, admins can see your inbox and providing a direct link is helpful for them to weed out bad actors.
• Step 2: Block the person so they cannot directly contact you again.
• Step 3: Send us a mod mail and let the mod team know. Tell us who they are and what they said, send us a screenshot if you can - admins can see your DMs, mods can't. We'll take action where necessary by banning from the sub if they aren't already banned.

What do you mean by No Naming & Shaming?

• Just as we prefer to not be linked to or crossposted from, we do not allow linking to or calling out other subs by name. If you see something you want to share, say it's a hot post that has hit the front page and a stepparent is being absolutely flayed, just refer to it as "that hot post that hit the front page." If you want to complain about other places in general, "other parenting/advice/judgement subs" will suffice. Absolutely under no circumstances should you link to anywhere else.

I can't link to other subs?

• Do not directly link to another sub. (e.g.: "/insertsubnamehere is ridiculously hostile to stepparents!")
• Do not name other subs. (e.g.: "I won't link to it directly, but insertsubnamehere is ridiculously hostile to stepparents!")
• Do not abbreviate other subs. (e.g.: "I know that ISNH is ridiculously hostile to stepparents!")

I can't ping other users?

• Do not summon another user with a username ping/tag. (e.g.: "insertusernamehere was being an asshole.")
• If you are agreeing with someone, it is okay to link to them. (e.g.: "I agree with insertusernamehere, you need to take a couple of steps back and reflect on this.")

What does No Platitudes mean?

• Sanctimonious, overused clichés that grossly oversimplify the stepparenting experience are neither wanted nor allowed here. We have all heard it a thousand times before, we don't need to hear it again. It's not nearly as insightful and wise as some would like to think.

Why don't you people understand it's a package deal?

• Any comment that suggests that OP should have known what they were getting involved with, or that they needed to understand that the kids were part of some package they needed to accept before signing up for marriage is subject to immediate removal.
• This is one of the most insensitive things you can say to a stepparent. Most stepparents were aware of the children, but they were probably not aware of all of the family dynamics.

Why can't you just love them like they are your own?

• Demanding that a stranger you do not know love children that are not biologically theirs as if they were theirs can be incredibly damaging to someone who is already in a vulnerable situation. Any comment that falls along these lines will be removed.

What do you mean by No Trolling? I was just...

• No means no. No trolling. No pretending to be a stepparent and then whipping out the Greatest Hits Bingo Card of The Worst Stepparent in the History of Stepparents. We see you. We've seen you a thousand times.

What does "concern trolling", "gish-galloping", and "sealioning" have to do with stepparenting? This isn't a debate sub, why are you using debate terms?

• That's absolutely right, this isn't a debate sub. And yet, here we are, day after day, having to defend ourselves against this sort of thing. So, enough. No more. Usage of any of these things will get you banned.

What is "Concern Trolling?"

• A concern troll is someone who disingenuously visits sites of an opposing ideology to disrupt conversation by offering unwanted advice on how to solve problems which do not really exist.
  • Example Post: OP expresses concern that she will feel, and possibly act, differently towards her stepchildren after her husband decides that no, he doesn't want anymore children after all.
  • Example Concern Troll pulled from actual mod mail after their comment was removed: "Possible child abuse claims need to be sorted out well before whatever empathy you believe the OP was looking for."

What is a "Devil's Advocate"?

• "I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but have you considered that maybe BM is just really tired and needs a break, too?" BM has dozens of different mom based subs alone on reddit she can complain on, this sub is for stepparents. The stepparent doesn't need to consider that maybe BM is just really tired and needs a break.

"Gish-galloping?" What does that even mean?

• The Gish Gallop is the fallacious debate tactic of drowning your opponent in a flood of individually-weak arguments in order to prevent rebuttal of the whole argument collection without great effort. The Gish Gallop is a conveyor belt-fed version of the on the spot fallacy, as it's unreasonable for anyone to have a well-composed answer immediately available to every argument present in the Gallop.

And "sealioning?" What's that?

• Sealioning involves jumping into a conversation with endless polite, reasonable questions and demands for answers, usually of entry-level topics far below the actual conversation (e.g. "please prove sexism exists"). This tactic differs little from harassment; instead of discussion, the point is to derail discussion, receive criticism (for their ignorance) so as to look like a victim, or to make someone feel overwhelmed and quit talking.

Who gets to define what is considered asshattery?

• The mod team, of course! If we feel that comments are out of line, are trolling, are leading up to a fight or "just asking questions", we are going to remove them and most likely ban the offender.

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FAQ - Sub Questions

Posting Guidelines for Stepparents

• Body text is required, we suggest you use line breaks between paragraphs as a wall of text is difficult to read. Posts that have only a title are likely to be removed. Instead of using names (even fictitious ones), try to use the sub acronyms. It helps our users to follow along if you use the acronyms and not names.
• Assign a post flair that accurately describes what your post is about and what you are seeking. If you are posting an update from a previous post, include a link to that post.
• Flairs are applied to posts to determine what a person is looking for. When submitting a new post, you should choose a flair that specifies if you are looking for advice, support, etc. The following link flair is available and is color coded with side bar links so that you can search by flair:
  • Advice - For when you are specifically asking for advice or help.
  • Announcement - Mod Use Only, for subreddit announcements.
  • Daily (Formerly TTP) - Mod Use Only, for our daily discussion threads.
  • Discussion - A little advice, a little "How does your family handle this?"
  • JustBMThings - Pretty sure this is self explanatory!
  • Legal - Asking for legal advice? Tag it with this!
  • Miscellany - Just a sort of off topic thing? Use this tag.
  • Resource - Sharing a good resource or asking for one? This is the tag you need!
  • Support - For those days when you want nothing but a good old fashioned cry and some community love.
  • Update - Updating us on something that you posted about previously? Use this one!
  • Vent - We all need to vent sometimes. Respect the tag as a vent. This isn't how OP talks all day every day.
  • Win! - Celebrate those wins with us with this tag!
  • Megathread - Mod Use Only, for large mega threads (typically around major calendar events.)

Posting Guidelines for Bioparents

• Stepparents is a support community for stepparents, by stepparents. As bioparents, you may want to have more insight into how the stepparent in your life feels or thinks. You may have questions on how to ease the transition for your partner. However, please keep in mind that this community was not created for you. It was created for your partner or your ex's partner. If you are seeking support on how to deal with a stepparent, there are other subs more suited for your situation and your post is subject to removal.
• There are some posts from bioparents we will accept:
  • Seeking advice on how to support your partner as they navigate stepparenting
  • Seeking resources to help you better support your partner
  • Seeking resources for your partner
• There are some posts from bioparents we will not accept:
  • Complaints about how the stepparent is too involved in your kids lives
  • Vents about how the stepparent is not involved enough in your kids lives
  • "Cautionary tales" advising stepparents to back off
  • Seeking advice on how to tell the stepparent to back off
  • The Do's and Dont's of Stepparenting
  • How your kid's stepmom is literally The Worst
• Comments from bioparents that are helpful and supportive are welcome and appreciated. Comments from bioparents that are not helpful or supportive are not welcome and subject to removal. There are several other subs that may meet the needs of bioparents better than we can. We recommend /coparenting, /parenting, /parents, /blendedfamilies, and /singleparents as starting points.

Guidelines for Stepkids

• At this time, we do not generally accept posts from stepkids. Comments from stepkids that are helpful and supportive are welcome and appreciated. Comments from stepkids that are not helpful or supportive are not welcome and subject to removal. If you are a stepkid seeking support, we highly recommend /stepkids. It is a very supportive community specifically for stepkids. We also recommend /blendedfamilies as another potential group for support.

What the heck are all these acronyms? I'm confused!

• Check out the Common Acronyms wiki page. We try to keep this updated as new terms are introduced to the sub.

Why aren't my posts or comments showing up?

• New posters and accounts go through a waiting period before their posts will show in the sub and the comments on posts automatically. During the new account approval period the mod team will check posts to be sure you aren't attempting to circumvent a ban with a shiny new account. Please be patient while the timer runs down on your "new" status and the mod team approves your posts and responses.

Why was my comment removed?

• Comments are removed when they do not follow the rules of the sub. These rules are published in several places for your reading pleasure.
• Comments are removed at moderator discretion. In some cases your comment may be removed while another remains up. If you find this to be the case, and you believe the comment to be violating the rules, instead of arguing with mods or demanding they remove the additional comments, just report it.

This comment/post is really offensive! Why is it still up?

• All moderators are volunteers and have busy real lives. Sometimes things get past us. The best thing you can do is report anything you find offensive or inflammatory. It's the quickest and most reliable way of alerting us to an issue.

I've received a hurtful/unwanted PM from someone about my recent post. What should I do?

• If you receive an unwanted/hurtful PM from a name you don't recognize, please report it to Reddit Admins using our handy pre-populated form. Be sure to include the permalink to the message. We've been dealing with a few unhappy folks who like to attack stepparents, and reporting it to the admins is the only way to make it stop.

What are the general moderator guidelines?

• Users are expected to know the rules before posting. If you are warned or banned for violating the rules, ignorance is not an excuse.
• Moderators will remove posts and comments and/or lock threads in accordance with the rules above. Typically this happens when threads have gone off-topic in a way that is not productive for the OP, or comments overall have become contentious or disrespectful.
• If a poster continues to argue or to willfully violate these rules, temporary and permanent ban procedures will be followed. Any attempts to avoid or bypass temporary bans will result in a permanent ban. User bans will not be discussed in the sub. Questions posted about user bans are subject to removal and the poster subject to warning/ban procedures. The mod team will not discuss a specific user ban with anyone other than the user involved.
• New accounts are subject to manual approval until they are no longer deemed "new" by the mod team. This helps to weed out trolls and ban evaders.
• We rely on Automoderator to scan for specific words and phrases that are not welcome here and notify the mod team to review the comment or post. This includes slurs of any type and platitudes such as "Love them as your own!"
• The mod team uses a combination of blacklisting and banning when dealing with trolls.
• We employ the use of a bot that automatically bans anyone who comments in subs that have historically harassed our users. If you are picked up by the bot for telling trolls to get fucked, reach out via mod mail and we'll get you sorted out.
• The rules above as well as ban procedures are considered guidelines only; some deviation may be necessary on a case by case basis and/or at the mod team's discretion.

I've been wrongly banned/Why can't I comment here?

• Due to an influx of harassment from users with specific user histories, we have employed a user history ban bot as described above. If you think this has affected you and wish to appeal, please message the mods.

Why was I banned without warning?

• There are numerous reasons that the mod team might opt to move perm banning without warning. Message the moderators if you have specific questions.

If you do not want to read the wall of Text:
Riot purposely matches players to hit 50% WR. It's a bad design for skill based ranks.
If you are above, 2-3 of your teammates will be "bad", vice versa for below. Brand New Players get special exemptions, older players with smurf accounts are tracked. Riot does this on purpose, not specifically targeting people, but targeting by a formula. The higher your WR the more "bad" players you will see. There are people who are bad, just refusing to accept reality, however 90% of LoL is not Bad. They are being placed against people ABOVE their skill level on purpose to Lose. Not to "test" them. Not to figure out where they should be placed. Normal games affect Ranked games.
Hidden MMR is the culprit, and needs to be abolished. Everyone should start at Iron 4 and move up. People who refuse to accept reality are why Riot is in such a declining state. More cheaters, More account sellers, More negative players. This is because of the community. If you pathetic fanbois would stop with the copium, you could actually see LoL become so much more. Riot would end up with more money and players.
Your Rank Means Nothing. I can buy it. I can climb it myself. I can let others carry me to it.
I have played LoL Since it first came out. I am one of the OGs and I have once even believed in this Copium. I always assumed when people were complaining they knew NOTHING. However I have decided to play low elo NA. I have learned from my personal games and from going thru 5000 NA Players from Iron 4 to platinum 1, that Riot actually fixes games. I have seen Smurf accounts lose in streaks. I have seen Brand New Players win 50 games in a row. Now I know things are statistic, and people say "Well maybe they had a bad game" 1 bad game is not 15 losses in a row on a Master Smurf in Iron. The Hidden MMR is actually the problem here. Based on OP.GG data, there are Hundred of Thousands of games in Iron to Plat Daily. So with such a massive player base, it should be really easy to match Skill to Skill. However Autofill doesn't actually make que times faster. With so many players playing daily, that's impossible. Accounts that ONLY Fill almost always play Bot or Jungle. Even tho Riot themselves say Jungle and Support is the MOST needed roles.
Riot does not pick players out and target them like people think or feel. They don't need to. They take your Stats across all games and place you with Specific people. Here is how it actually works, Lets say you made a new account and you did well on your grind to 30, end up with above average stats. Riot places you WITH below average players against 3 players at your skill level if you need to lose to hit your 50% WR. If you need to win you get placed with 2 players at or above your Stats, against a team of "bad" players. This is to give off the "RNG" factor. Its not RNG at all if you take out who is queing at that time. This is why some matches INSTANT pop while others can take a min or 2. The longer you wait, the harder it is for the system to match you "correctly".
I personally created 30 accounts to test my theory. 10 on one comp. 20 on different computers (I build computers, I have a ton) and internet providers (like McDonalds wifi etc) The 10 on my personal computer got put into "Smurf" elo every time regardless of Stats. So I take that means they track your Email/IP/Etc. None of which are above gold, except my main. (Mods here are losers, so I will not disclose account names. They want to Hide information for some reason, like the scripting plague we have going on, and the 40% cheating rise we have now hit.)
However where things got really interesting. The 20 accounts to make me look like a new person, 5 are in Masters. only 1 is in Iron. I fed my ass off on that one and it got banned right after hitting iron 4. Not sure how it figured out I was inting, considering I never let myself have the lowest KDA, I just always pushed for bad plays and team wiped. So maybe you do get banned for being bad? idk.
What I noticed across all my accounts were the teammates. My won games the top 2 teammates had consistent wins. My lose games the enemy team had consistent wins. Specifically 2-3 enemy players. Then after looking thru a lot of "bad players" accounts I noticed the EXACT same thing.
I also noticed Hidden MMR Never Ever lines up with Visual MMR.
I then looked across high WR accounts and found out most of the ones I reviewed are actually never cause THEY won the game themself. Their teammates actually lined up and had "Good" games and did better than their last 10 matches. Which makes this funny, is the people claiming others need to "Git Gud" are actually just lucky. Remember I said 3 players. There are 5 per team. roughly 10% chance of one of them having a "good" game and NOT feeding while the enemy team had the feeder.
People who are hardstuck aren't actually stuck because of skill. Its faulty design placing people against people above their skill level to keep them down. This is why Stomps and Snowballs happen. Only .05% of LoL players are ACTUALLY good. The ones who go to esports and don't get caught cheating.
The rest of the players are actually pretty even in terms of Skill. There are Iron players who can 1v1 Masters and completely dominate. They can legit 1v9 but get aggravated because their teammates are not the same level as them, so they end up making a bad play Team Fight wise.
I would add in how broken Champions are, which actually add a lot to why certain people lose. They may enjoy their Rammus, but can't carry as rammus because their 4 teammates are braindead that match. So they que up again, play rammus, and get a smart teammate, which then hits that dopamine rush. This is where MOST LoL players fall. If this game actually based Rank on Skill, most players would be in Platinum - Emerald. Trolls, AFKers, Inters, etc would be in gold and below.

FRESH WIPE - MAY 18TH!!!
Calling all Role Play (RP) players, come check out Black Sierra - Deer Isle! We are a growing server that is taking up the RP mantle. Come join us and get in on the ground level. We are new player friendly and welcome experienced hands as well!
We strive to keep the server as realistic as possible, without being uber hardcore, for the casual player.
you will find realistic pricing on items, and a multitude of ways to make money in your journey, depending no the type of player you are.
Raiding is limited to do weekends only and only through doors/hatchways. So you don't have to worry about getting offline raided during the week when you are at work!
Come check us out, we are always open to suggestions!
Discord: https://discord.gg/VdMPzKBT9S
Features:
🗺️ Playing on the Deer Isle map
💰 Fully stocked custom trader with real world pricing for all your buying and selling needs. For those of a Bandit heart, there is also a bandit camp for you.
📣 Automated Airdrop Events with a variety of different loot.
📣 Random patrolling AI, that may or may not engage you. And a Z virus that is spread by the infected!
🧱 Safezone towns if you choose to take up a craft.
🔐 Bank with individual and clan accounts.
💵 Events, a Bunker, Temple, and toxic crater.
📜 Additional Discord Features (More coming).
🚶 Friendly and fair admin staff (no toxic or cheating admin).
⚔️ Weekend Raiding only (No wall raiding) and Breaching Charges.
🔫 Boosted loot, along with modded gear and guns (FOG, MMG, SNAFU, TF, and CPB Mods).
🚙 Extra cars, boats, and helis available, along with Dodge Rams, Land Rovers, Baja Buggies, and Oshkosh Trucks, and Red Falcon Watercraft.
📷 First Person and 3rd person views.
🌙 Minor Quality of Life Improvements to make the game more.
🧱 For those with RP in mind, we have Metallurgy, ammo making and leather working mods, along with moonshine and a Pizzeria.
Find us in the community tab by searching "Black Sierra - Deer Isle RP".

I (F30) have a crazy ex, and a 2019 Macbook Pro. I noticed something recently on my computer that has me questioning my security, hoping for some insight on this or if I'm just being paranoid.
Some context, my ex and I had a very intense and toxic relationship that began about a decade ago and officially ended about 5 years ago. My ex cheated on me which ended the relationship, and to this day, remains with the woman he cheated on me with. They both became obsessed with me until about a year ago. For the past 4 years I have had hacking attempts on a majority of my social media which all led back to them (locations of the login/password change attempts gave me no doubt it was them). I would get "anonymous" emails clearly from my ex, etc. My ex was even reaching out to my family on social media until about a year ago, when I finally think I got it through to them that I wanted to be left alone and I would file a protective order against them. Also, keep in mind that digital harassment has been the thing because they moved across the country shortly after our circles found out about the affair.
With that information, I'll explain what I recently observed on my computer that has led me here. (Also adding, I purchased this laptop while I was still living with my ex and he was actively (unknowingly to me) cheating on me, the laptop and the relationship overlapped by about 3 months, so he did have physical access at one point).
I recently got into modding a new game I started playing. I noticed that all my mods for a specific game (Stardew Valley) were being run from a file located in a user profile with my ex's nickname.
Basically my terminal for SV shows X Mod in /Users/Sam/Desktop/FileName. (Example being my ex's name).
My terminal for my other main longterm modded game (Sims), shows X Mod in /Users/Jane-Doe/Desktop/FileName. (Example being my name).
When I do a deep dive through my files, I only find that showing up with my ex's nickname under Users when I run my mods for SV. I cannot for the life of me actually find any type of folder or user profile that I can access with that title. It only shows up in my terminal that shows the status and coding for the mods I'm using. I do not know when it was created, I only noticed it this week when one of my mods needed to be updated.
I also have never changed the settings for where I save my mods, I am very organized with them and have always saved them to a desktop folder on my only apparent user profile that is titled accordingly to the game.
Another major thing I should mention before I wrap this up; I have not noticed anything to say that he is actively accessing my computer. My cursor doesn't move, tabs aren't left open, everything always appears as I left it. My only hunch is just the User Profile appearing as the saved location for those mods.
As I mentioned, the digital harassment only stopped about a year ago, so I am still very much on edge. I very much could be paranoid right now, however my ex does have a lot of money and connections to tech that most civilians don't. There's nothing on the laptop that could be used against me, it's all just games, art and music. I don't fear him leaking anything to humiliate me, but the thought of him having access somehow does mess with my perception of privacy.
If anyone familiar with game modding or just generally tech savvy could give me some insight, that would be incredible. Thank you in advance and feel free to let me know if I can provide any further information in the comments.

Breaking news my fellow redditors!
I did a stupid
I come to present my load order and crash log for help figuring out where i went wrong on my modlist. Unfortunately for myself, I am a dumbass and somewhere along the line after adding a plethora more mods after working off the Begin Again list, suddenly i can no longer fast travel outside of D.C interior zones as I instead get fast traveled over to my desktop screen. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll be presented with a big black.....texture before TTW crashes.
Here's my load order, go ahead point and laugh and tell me how I completely messed up my load order so I can go cry in the corner about it for 5 minutes then fix the problem. Unlike my irl preferences, please point out any red flags in the list so they can be avoided.

Mod_Priority,#Mod_Status,#Mod_Name,#Mod_Version

"0000","+","DLC: TribalPack",""
"0001","+","DLC: OldWorldBlues",""
"0002","+","DLC: MercenaryPack",""
"0003","+","DLC: LonesomeRoad",""
"0004","+","DLC: HonestHearts",""
"0005","+","DLC: GunRunnersArsenal",""
"0006","+","DLC: DeadMoney",""
"0007","+","DLC: ClassicPack",""
"0008","+","DLC: CaravanPack",""
"0009","+","Tale of Two Wastelands",""
"0010","+","JIP LN NVSE Plugin","57.21.0.0"
"0011","+","JohnnyGuitar NVSE","f5.04d"
"0012","+","lStewieAl's Engine Optimizations","1.0.0.0"
"0013","+","lStewieAl's Tweaks and Engine Fixes","9.15.0.0"
"0014","+","lStewieAl's Tweaks and Engine Fixes INI","2.1.0.0"
"0015","+","ROOGNVSE Plugin","3.3.2.0"
"0016","+","NVTF - New Vegas Tick Fix","10.2.2.3b"
"0017","+","New Vegas Mesh Improvement Mod - NVMIM","1.10.0.0"
"0018","+","UIO - User Interface Organizer","2.30.0.0"
"0019","+","The Mod Configuration Menu","1.5.0.0"
"0020","+","kNVSE Animation Plugin","20.0.0.0"
"0021","+","ShowOff xNVSE Plugin","1.75.0.0"
"0022","+","ShowOff xNVSE Plugin INI","--"
"0023","+","FOV Slider","2.9.0.0"
"0024","+","ISControl Enabler and Ironsights adjuster (now ESPless)","2.3.0.0"
"0025","+","JAM - Just Assorted Mods","4.4.0.0"
"0026","+","JAM or Just Sprint animation replacers","1.1.0.0"
"0027","+","Hit's Anims - Season 1","1.4.0.0"
"0028","+","Hit's Anims - Season 1 cowboy","1.0.0.0"
"0029","+","Hit's Anims - Season 2","1.3.0.0"
"0030","+","Hit's Anims - Season 3","1.0.0.0b"
"0031","+","Hit's Anims - Animation Fixes","14.0.0.0"
"0032","+","B42 Weapon Inertia","1.2.0.0"
"0033","+","B42 Quickthrow - an alternative grenade hotkey mod","3.1.0.0b"
"0034","+","B42 Melee Bash","0.6.0.0b"
"0035","+","B42 Inspect - aka Animated Ammo and Weapon Condition Checking","f1.02"
"0036","+","B42 Descriptions aka Pip-Info","0.3.0.0"
"0037","+","Pip-Boy 2000 Mk VI","0.9.0.0"
"0038","+","Different PipBoy Animations","2.0.0.0"
"0039","+","Consistent Spread - Firearms Accuracy and Wobble Fix","1.3.0.0"
"0040","+","Butcher Pete Complete - A Melee Animation Overhaul","1.0.0.0"
"0041","+","SIGMA - Katana animations - kNVSE","1.1.0.0"
"0042","+","SIGMA - Baseball bat and Golf club animations - kNVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0043","+","SIGMA - Melee animation overhaul - Chapter 1 - kNVSE","1.2.0.0"
"0044","+","SIGMA - Spear animations - kNVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0045","+","SIGMA - Greatsword anim set - kNVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0046","+","SIGMA - Shishkebab anim set - kNVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0047","+","SIGMA - Sledgehammer anim set - kNVSE","1.1.0.0"
"0048","+","Different Ballistic Fist Animations","1.0.0.0"
"0049","+","Different PowerFist Animations Xolerys kNVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0050","+","Blended Locomotion","1.2.0.0"
"0051","+","WAP Year One and Bonus","2.3.0.0"
"0052","+","WAP AR Series Replacer","1.3.0.0"
"0053","+","WAP AR Series Replacer 1","1.5.0.0"
"0054","+","ETJ Animations All Cowboy Repeaters","1.0.0.0"
"0055","+","ETJ Animations Anti Materiel Rifle","1.0.0.0"
"0056","+","ETJ Animation's Riot Shotgun","1.0.0.0"
"0057","+","ETJ Animation's 45 PISTOL","1.3.0.0"
"0058","+","ETJ Animation's That Gun 5.56","1.3.0.0"
"0059","+","ETJ Miniguns","1.0.0.0"
"0060","+","ETJ Animation's Hunting Shotgun (2 Versions)","1.0.0.0"
"0061","+","ETJ Animations Caravan Shotguns","1.0.0.0"
"0062","+","ETJ Animation's BAR Automatic Rifle","1.0.0.0"
"0063","+","ETJ Animation's 45 SMG","1.0.0.0"
"0064","+","ETJ USAS - 12","1.1.0.0"
"0065","+","Different Fatman Animations Xolerys kNVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0066","+","FNV Clean Animations - Missile Launcher","1.0.0.0"
"0067","+","FNV Clean Animations - Rock-It Launcher","1.0.0.0"
"0068","+","FNV Clean Animations - Incinerator","1.0.0.0"
"0069","+","FNV Clean Animations - Recharging Weapons Pack","1.0.0.0"
"0070","+","Ani_MP5 kNVSE Set","1.1.0.0"
"0071","+","Supplementary Weapons Pack","1.3.0.0"
"0072","+","Supplementary Weapons Pack1","1.0.0.0"
"0073","+","NVRA - AutoMag","1.5.0.0"
"0074","+","Classic Fallout Weapons Remastered","1.9.2.0"
"0075","+","NMCs_Texture_Pack_For_New_Vegas","1.0.0.0"
"0076","+","NMCs_Texture_Pack_For_New_Vegas2","1.0.0.0"
"0077","+","NMCs_Texture_Pack_For_New_Vegaschair","1.0.0.0"
"0078","+","water tower","1.1.0.0"
"0079","+","patch","1.1.0.0"
"0080","+","Nut Vegas - Landscapes","1.0.1.0"
"0081","+","Climate Control NVSE","1.0.0.0"
"0082","+","Desert Natural Weathers - NV - TTW","7.7.0.0"
"0083","+","Presets for DDOPP","1.1.0.0"
"0084","+","Simple Interior Lighting Overhaul","1.2.0.0"
"0085","+","Simple Interior Lighting Overhaul - TTW Patch","1.2.0.0"
"0086","+","111777's Silent Player Voice","0.1.0.0"
"0087","+","Project Reality Footsteps","2.1.0.0"
"0088","+","High Resolution Screens","1.1.0.0"
"0089","+","Frozen 3rd Person Masculine Movement","f1.02"
"0090","+","Frozen 3rd Person Feminine Movement","f1.02"
"0091","+","360 Movement","1.2.0.0"
"0092","+","Diagonal movement","0.6.0.0b"
"0093","+","NV Compatibility Skeleton","13.0.0.0"
"0094","+","Rebuild the Capital","2.35.0.0"
"0095","+","Helmet Overlay","1.10.0.0"
"0096","+","Big Town Extensions","f5.04"
"0097","+","Another Millenia1","TTW1.4"
"0098","+","TTW 3.3 Lone Courier's Dialogue","2.0.0.0"
"0099","+","IMPACT","2.0.0.0"
"0100","+","IMPACT - Compatibility Edition (JIP LN) (DLC - TTW - All Mods)","f2.03"
"0101","+","Fallout NV Cheat Terminal Redux","1.87.0.0"
"0102","+","Canvas Backpacks - FNV - TTW","2.0.0.0"
"0103","+","B42 Dropmag and One in the chamber","1.2.0.0b"
"0104","+","Classic weapons","1.0.0.0"
"0105","+","AM dropmag patch","1.1.0.0"
"0106","+","TTW - Mothership Zeta Rehaul","3.5.0.0"
"0107","+","TTW - Complete Player Home Upgrades","2.0.0.0"
"0108","+","TTW The Regulators","1.6.0.0"
"0109","+","Smooth True Iron Sights Camera","2.0.0.0"
"0110","+","EVE - Essential Visual Enhancements","1.19.0.0"
"0111","+","aMidianBorn NV Book Of Water","omni2"
"0112","+","BLEED TTW","1.8.7.0"
"0113","+","Player Dialogue Improvements","6.0.0.0"
"0114","+","(TTW) D.E.R.P. - Dialogue Expansion for Role-Players","1.1.0.0"
"0115","+","Weapon Mods Expanded - WMX","1.1.4.0"
"0116","+","Weapon Mods Expanded - WMX1","1.1.4.0"
"0117","+","WMX (Weapon Mods Expanded) - TTW Patch (Unofficial)","1.1.0.0"
"0118","+","WMX - Moddable FO3 Uniques for TTW","1.1.0.0"
"0119","+","Another Millenia","2.4.7.0"
"0120","+","TTW - Mothership Zeta Rewards","1.0.0.0"
"0121","+","The Pittsburgh Expansion Project - TTW Port","1.0.0.0"
"0122","+","TTW Collectibles - The Pitt","4.0.0.0"
"0123","+","WMVM - Weapon Mod Vending Machine","3.3.1.0"
"0124","+","I Need Glove (Fist Me Baby One More Time)","2.0.0.0"
"0125","+","Armed to the Teeth - Redux","2.3.0.0"
"0126","+","Armed to the Teeth - Redux1","1.0.0.0"
"0127","+","JIP Localized Damage Fix","1.0.0.0"
"0128","+","Simple Power Armor HUD","2.1.3.0"
"0129","+","Wasteland Soldier - NV Edition","1.0.0.0"
"0130","+","Wasteland Soldier Redux NV","1.1.0.0"
"0131","+","Tammer","d2024.5.17.0"
"0132","+","Roberts Male Body FNV","3.4.0.0"
"0133","+","Roberts Male Body FNV1","3.3.0.0"
"0134","+","Roberts Male Body FNV2","3.3.0.0"
"0135","+","Roberts Male Body FNV3","3.4.0.0"
"0136","+","Roberts Male Body FNV4","3.3.0.0"
"0137","+","Roberts Male Body FNV5","3.3.0.0"
"0138","+","Type3 Body and Armor replacer","2.1.0.0"
"0139","+","Spice of Life - Variety Armor and Clothing Robert Breeze Type3","1.2.0.0"
"0140","+","Deus Specs",".1"
"0141","+","The BLACKJACK pack - Tons of armors for VANILLA bodys","d2024.5.17.0"
"0142","+","DogTooth Enclave Officer","1.0.0.0"
"0143","+","Unique Troublemaker Outfit-Nightstalker Set","1.2.0.0"
"0144","+","Classic Fallout Metal Armor","1.0.5.0"
"0145","+","Classic Fallout 2 Metal armor Mk II","1.3.0.0"
"0146","+","Classic Fallout 2 combat armor Mark 2 (remastered)","1.0.0.3"
"0147","+","Veronica Outfit Replacer","1.0.0.0"
"0148","+","Classic Combat Armor Replacer Redux","1.1.0.0"
"0149","+","Classic Replacers for TTW","1.1.0.0"
"0150","+","Classic Combat Armor Replacer Combined (TTW)","1.2.1.0"
"0151","+","Tribal Power Helmet - Definitive Edition","1.0.0.0"
"0152","+","Ballistic Skull Mask","2.0.0.0"
"0153","+","Courier Duster Replacer","f2.00"
"0154","+","GP-5 Gasmask","1.0.0.0"
"0155","+","NCR Commando","1.0.0.0"
"0156","+","The Lone Wanderer - TTW and NV","1.2.0.0"
"0157","+","Waster Gear - TTW - FNV","1.0.0.0"
"0158","+","Petal Gasmask","1.4.0.0"
"0159","+","DVA - Distributed Variety Armors - Hats Headgears Accessories","1.1.1.0"
"0160","+","Classic Fallout Tesla armor","1.0.17.0"
"0161","+","Arsthetiu's Armoire - A Nif-Bashed Armour Collection","2.34.0.0"
"0162","+","Fallout The Odyssey Mega Armor Pack","1.0.0.0"
"0163","+","Fallout Revelation Blues Mega Armor Pack","1.0.0.0"
"0164","+","Searchlight Firefighter Outfit","1.0.0.0"
"0165","+","Mercenary Wanderer",".1.01"
"0166","+","Classic Tesla Armor","1.2.0.0"
"0167","+","Fallout Tactics Brotherhood Metal Armor Integration","1.1.0.0"
"0168","+","KORs Pistol Harness","1.1.0.0"
"0169","+","Geonox Riot Armor","1.1.0.0"
"0170","+","Geonox Riot Armor - Female Version -","1.1.0.0"
"0171","+","Wasteland Seeker Armor","1.1.0.0"
"0172","+","Altyn Helmet - Retro Tactical Headgear","1.0.2.0"
"0173","+","AKIRAMORI Tactical Gloves","1.1.0.0"
"0174","+","WW2 M1 Helmets","209.0.0.0"
"0175","+","WW2 M1 Helmets1","2.0.0.0dot1"
"0176","+","WW2 M1 Helmets2","d2024.5.17.0"
"0177","+","Metal Armor MkI","1.4.0.0"
"0178","+","Psycho Armor and Mask","2.0.0.0"
"0179","+","The Road Warrior Armor","1.0.0.0"
"0180","+","Wasteland Stealth Armor NV","1.0.0.0"
"0181","+","Bone Harvester - Tribal Cannibal","1.3.0.0"
"0182","+","Modern Gunslinger Armor","1.2.0.0"
"0183","+","Salvaged Armor","1.1.0.0"
"0184","+","yUI - User Ynterface","1.4.0.0d"
"0185","+","ySI - Sorting Ycons","1.4.0.0b"
"0186","+","Classic Leather Armor Replacer for Leather Armor1","1.0.0.0"
"0187","+","Classic Leather Armor Replacer for Leather Armor","1.2.0.0"
"0188","+","Power Armor Visual Enhancement (PAVE)","2.1.0.0"
"0189","+","STARS TTW - Sweet's Total Armor Rework System","2.22.0.0"
"0190","+","STARS TTW and ySI Patch","2.2.0.0"
"0191","+","AVCCA - Animated Visor for Classic Combat Armor","1.1.0.0b"
"0192","+","Book of Steel - Compatibility Edition","2.1.0.0"
"0193","+","PipBoyOn Node Fixes","1.2.0.0"
"0194","+","Titans of The New West","2.1.35.0a"
"0195","+","(TTW) Benny Humbles You","f1.05"
"0196","+","(Benny Humbles You) and Steals Your Stuff","12.43.0.0"
"0197","+","STARS TTW - Sweet's Total Armor Rework System1","1.0.0.0"
"0198","+","Uncut Wasteland","1.0.0.0"
"0199","+","Uncut Wasteland1","1.0.0.0"
"0200","+","very's patch hell","1.0.0.0"
"0201","+","Cyberware 2281","d2024.5.17.0"
"0202","+","Cyberware 2281 TTW 3.3 Patch","d2024.5.17.0"
"0203","+","Cyberware 2281 - B42 Quickthrow 3.1b Patch","d2024.5.17.0"
"0204","+","Yvile's Crash Logger","4.5.4.0"
And here's the crash log
Exception C0000005 caught!
Thread: [FNV] Main
Calltrace:
Cannot load DbgHelp.dll, error: 0x00000000
Error initializing symbol store
0x0019F314 ==> -\(°_o)/- (0x10E8C00D) : (Corrupt stack or heap?)
0x0019F34C ==> -\(°_o)/- (0x10E768DA) : (Corrupt stack or heap?)
0x0019F370 ==> -\(°_o)/- (0x10E8EFD8) : (Corrupt stack or heap?)
0x00000000 ==> -\(°_o)/- (0x10E722C6) : (Corrupt stack or heap?)
Registry:
REG VALUE DEREFERENCE INFO
eax 0x00000000
ebp 0x34001AB8 0x010EE70C ==> Class: NiDX9ShaderDeclaration
ebx 0x00000000
ecx 0x44002600 0x010EFE94 ==> Class: NiDX9VertexBufferManager
edi 0x000BC250
edx 0x00000000
eip 0x00E8C00D
esi 0x44002600 0x010EFE94 ==> Class: NiDX9VertexBufferManager
esp 0x0019F2FC
Stack:
# VALUE DEREFERENCE INFO
0 0x000BC250
1 0x0019F314
2 0x00000000
3 0x00000000
4 0x00000000
5 0x144E9E20
6 0x44002600 0x010EFE94 ==> Class: NiDX9VertexBufferManager
7 0x00E768DA
8 0x00000000
C 0x3AEF7600 0x010F017C ==> Class: NiGeometryBufferData
D 0x3A9F7720 0x0109FC54 ==> Class: NiTriStripsDynamicData
1F 0x3A9F7720 0x0109FC54 ==> Class: NiTriStripsDynamicData
28 0x3A9F7720 0x0109FC54 ==> Class: NiTriStripsDynamicData
29 0x49003960 0x010B8980 ==> Class: , failed to get string for label
2A 0x3AEF7600 0x010F017C ==> Class: NiGeometryBufferData
2D 0x1840FAC0 0x010EE4BC ==> Class: NiDX9Renderer
39 0x34001AB8 0x010EE70C ==> Class: NiDX9ShaderDeclaration
3C 0x49003960 0x010B8980 ==> Class: , failed to get string for label
3E 0x25821FA4 0x010BCC90 ==> Class: , failed to get string for label
40 0x25821FA4 0x010BCC90 ==> Class: , failed to get string for label
49 0x3AEF7600 0x010F017C ==> Class: NiGeometryBufferData
4A 0x1840FAC0 0x010EE4BC ==> Class: NiDX9Renderer
51 0x3F184AA0 0x010B7DC8 ==> Class: , failed to get string for label
69 0x3F184AA0 0x010B7DC8 ==> Class: , failed to get string for label
72 0x4602C480 0x0109CB9C ==> Class: NiCamera: failed to format
7B 0x4602C480 0x0109CB9C ==> Class: NiCamera: failed to format
83 0x1840FAC0 0x010EE4BC ==> Class: NiDX9Renderer
84 0x1840FAC0 0x010EE4BC ==> Class: NiDX9Renderer
8A 0x430F8000 0x010A8F90 ==> Class: BSFadeNode: Name: "RockCanyon06", 0A05C115 (), Baseform 0A0464C3 (RockCanyon06rad70)
8C 0x4004D000 0x010C1D14 ==> Class: BSMultiBoundNode: failed to format
8F 0x4604EB40 0x0109CB9C ==> Class: NiCamera: failed to format
90 0x4604EB40 0x0109CB9C ==> Class: NiCamera: failed to format
94 0x1E7A7AF0 0x0102F55C ==> Class: TESObjectREFR: 0A05C115 (), Baseform 0A0464C3 (RockCanyon06rad70)
98 0x4004D000 0x010C1D14 ==> Class: BSMultiBoundNode: failed to format
BD 0x1A49CA34 0x010870AC ==> Class: Creature: 0A0C5D3F (), Baseform 0A01CFA2 (CrBrahminDC)
C5 0x45020CC0 0x010BD44C ==> Class: NiParticleSystem: Name: "pSparks"
F0 0x381802D0 0x01024F4C ==> Class: BGSPlaceableWater: FF0039E4 (PlaceableLODWater)
F3 0x381802D0 0x01024F4C ==> Class: BGSPlaceableWater: FF0039E4 (PlaceableLODWater)
F7 0x381802D0 0x01024F4C ==> Class: BGSPlaceableWater: FF0039E4 (PlaceableLODWater)
FA 0x4302F2D0 0x010A8F90 ==> Class: BSFadeNode: failed to format
FB 0x381802D0 0x01024F4C ==> Class: BGSPlaceableWater: FF0039E4 (PlaceableLODWater)
FE 0x381802D0 0x01024F4C ==> Class: BGSPlaceableWater: FF0039E4 (PlaceableLODWater)
Memory:
MinimumWorkingSetSize: 200.00 KB
MaximumWorkingSetSize: 1.35 MB
PeakWorkingSetSize: 2.93 GB
WorkingSetSize: 2.93 GB
QuotaPeakPagedPoolUsage: 1.15 MB
QuotaPagedPoolUsage: 989.79 KB
QuotaPeakNonPagedPoolUsage: 944.85 KB
QuotaNonPagedPoolUsage: 164.85 KB
PageFaultCount: 1.34 MB
PagefileUsage: 3.03 GB
PeakPagefileUsage: 3.03 GB
Module bases:
UNABLE TO IDENTIFY MODULE CONTAINING THE CRASH ADDRESS.
This can occur if the crashing instruction is located in the vanilla address space, but it can also occur if there are too many
DLLs for us to list, and if the crash occurred in one of their address spaces. Please note that even if the crash occurred
in vanilla code, that does not necessarily mean that it is a vanilla problem. The vanilla code may have been supplied bad data
or program state as the result of an issue in a loaded DLL.
If you've read this far ahead because you're actually taking time out of your day to help out this idiot who barely knows anything about compatibility and mod conflicts, t h a n k s m a n !

I am not the OP. That is u/No_Chrysler-4-Me. Originally posted on EntitledPeople and pettyrevenge.
​
There are two previous BORUs I posted last year:
First Post Jan 8, 2023
Second Post Jan 8, 2023
​
Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence
​
Editor's Note: THIS IS VERY LONG! OP posts a lot about his family. I will include links to other posts at the bottom of this BORU, but I will keep this post focused on the brother and OP.
​
TL;DR of the above BORUs: OP's older brother is lazy and a cheapskate. OP bought a truck, an '03 Toyota Tundra. Brother gets jealous and buys a 01 Dodge Ram 1500, but it's crap. OP tries to help brother fix up the truck despite warning him not to buy it. Once it was running a little better, brother challenges OP to a race. Brother loses and becomes obsessed with practicing racing, ruining the truck further. Eventually they go camping, have more shenanigans, brother finally blows the transmission. Brother has to drive his ex-girlfriend's minivan, which he hates, tries to LS Swap the Ram, but no one will lend him the money. He eventually sells it. Brother doesn't stop there. He NEEDS a truck, so he has the brilliant idea of chopping the minivan up to make it into a truck. He needs money to Frankenstein the minivan, no one will pay, but eventually he cuts it up, uses recycled wood to make the truck bed, etc. He calls it the "Mini-Ram."
​
My brother sold the Mini-Ram and got a Silverado. That was fine. It's what happened after that made things worse May 5, 2024
​
I've been gone for some time. But I'm back with a bad one. I've spoken before about how my older brother competed with me needlessly. And he did a lot of beyond stupid shit. Well he finally pushed the whole family over the edge, and got disowned. And I'm going to be explaining a lot of what happened the past year, and then some from before that. But it's too long for one post.
Well going back more than a year. Some may remember my brother getting a free minivan from his ex after the Dodge Ram truck I warned him not to buy became a moneypit. I helped him work on that truck and even repaint it. And I helped him remodel his camper trailer too. Why? Because he's my brother. And I guess some part of me deep down kept hoping he'd one day change. But he tried to take credit for things I did. Especially with remodeling the camper. And he had tantrums when called out on his lies. He also became temporarily obsessed with my truck, and even implied he'd just take it from me because he hated driving a minivan. He referred to it as a chick car. He acted like a complete child because I refused to trade vehicles, and even got our parents involved. It was just a really stupid and needless situation that my brother tried to make a hill to die on.
It started when my brother bought his Dodge Ram simply because I bought a Toyota Tundra. He had a perfectly running Subaru Baja before that. Then he said he wanted a man's truck and bought the worst barely running pile he could find that was also overpriced considering the condition. He could have at least aimed for a diesel since he wanted a dodge so bad. Lots of dumb shit happened after that. Including my brother wanting to LS swap the Ram after destroying it's engine and two transmissions. But I'm pretty sure the person who offered to do the LS swap for him was a scammer. Not to mention LS swapping any vehicle basically means replacing the ECU. But it never happened anyway since the engine and transmission my brother wanted sold before he could get them. And he had no running vehicle anymore. So my brother's ex, whom he has a young child with, gave him her old 90s Ford Windstar van. It was admittedly an ugly, dent riddled POS with the rear window busted out. But it still ran and drove surprisingly well, considering that's not one of Ford's better vehicles. And then my brother decided to cut it up into some sort of van/truck. Or a ute as they're called in some places. But he made this thing ugly. Lots of spray foam, recycled wood, and rattle can paint. Even mismatched sub-lights above the cab. He frequently raided the junkyard for parts. And he even glued a Ram badge onto the grill of that van/truck. He called it the Mini-Ram. Lots of stupid cheap mods done to that vehicle too. Someone once asked me how ugly the Mini-Ram was on a scale of 1 to 1000. And I said about a 667.
My brother did a lot of other dumb things in this time. Like following me camping just to piss me off. He was a general leech who stole power from my generator, and tried to steal beer from my camper fridge repeatedly. He was so brazen as to just walk right in, and then tried to pretend to be so drunk he didn't realize what he was doing when caught. I've spoken many times about how he stole booze from me. Until my friends and I revenge pranked him and his near equally douchey friends with a growler full of laxative tainted beer. We admittedly used way too much laxative. But my brother never stole from me again because I threatened to tell everyone about his humiliation. He crapped on his own shoes squatting in the woods. And that's just a bit of it.
Eventually my brother seemed to learn his lesson. He sold the Mini-Ram to someone who actually paid him well for it. And no, I don't know what they did with it. And I don't care. But, when the 2K he sold the Mini-Ram for was combined with his savings, my brother had a bit over 4.5K to buy a better vehicle with. And he spotted a 99 RWD Silverado truck with an extended cab for sale online. He really shouldn't have sold his only method of transportation before having a replacement vehicle ready. But I couldn't fault him for taking the deal when presented, considering what he sold. And as much as my brother annoyed me, I still cared about him enough to help. He showed up begging me to drive him over 60 miles to look at this truck he found on Market Place.
So I reluctantly drove him out to see this truck. It wasn't that bad actually. Save for the rough mismatched paint, the rusty hood, the dents, the cracked windshield, and.... Actually, I guess it was kinda that bad. But not compared to the clapped out Ram my brother bought previously. The Silverado had a manual transmission, which we both confirmed shifted great as the records showed it had been rebuilt a few years before. The engine had been swapped at one time too. So it was kinda hard to gauge the odometer as it had not been rolled back for the new engine. It was at about 350.000 miles, but those numbers don't really mean jack when the engine and tranny have been replaced or rebuilt. Admittedly the engine ran like a top. The tires on the truck were in pretty damn good shape too. And on steel rims. Which I like. Very practical. I asked my brother if this was the manly kind of truck he'd been looking for. And for once he spoke logically and said that he'd rather have this than risk what happened with the Ram again. Fair enough. Besides, Chevy trucks are cool and reliable. I've always liked them. Like a rock as they say.
My brother and I scrutinized this truck in detail like a pair of pawn brokers, and talked the price down to 3K. They wanted 4K. But we could hear a sound while test driving it that was either bad ball joints or wheel bearings. We jacked up the wheels, and the bearings felt and sounded fine. But the ball joints were pretty bad. And that's not a cheap fix unless you can do it yourself. The truck was owned by the seller's father, who'd passed away a year prior. So the guy took 3K for it after we listed the problems. After driving it back, I insisted my brother get the truck to a mechanic ASAP. And he listened that time. The mechanic said the ball joints were about to come apart, and it's have caused a very bad situation if they had. And it cost him a grand to get them replaced. The truck also needed new plates ant the title registered. Which ate up a lot of the remaining budget. Then came the paint. My brother wanted the Silverado painted black right away. I told him to wait. But he didn't listen and DIY'd some body work, and then rattle-canned it with Rustolium turbo cans. The paint was full of orange peel, and overspray. He didn't even use primer. And the truck looked kinda mediocre. Then the southern weather had at it. Already numerous chips, scrapes and fades. Whatever. I stopped caring.
You'd think that'd be the end of this part. But no. There's more. What's behind door number 3? If you guessed a dumbass with a knife stuck in his ass. Then you'd win the gold! Yeah that's right. My brother got a knife in his ass.... How? How else... He and his friends all got high and decided they were gonna go outside and build a fort in the back yard of the house they rent out of scrap they found laying around. My brother while stoned wanted to show off how he can flip out a butterfly knife really fast, and decided he was gonna act like he was in an action movie, and did some sort of stupid thing where he was running and flipping out the knife really fast. The ground was wet, he slipped, and somehow got the knife in his right butt-cheek. They called me to come take him to the hospital because they were all too stoned to drive. I had to lay my brother down in the bed of my truck on a mattress because we were too scared to pull the knife out, and I drove him to the hospital like that. They rushed him in, and thankfully he only needed about 5 stiches on his butt and some antibiotics. Then I drove him back home the same way, and he insisted I take him to a drive through. He also tried to get me to pay, because...reasons! I told him to buy his own damn food.
After that there was more dumb BS that I won't bother getting into. But eventually my brother was seemingly getting bett...er...less bad. He was a bit sore his Silverado wasn't a 4X4, and my Tundra is. But being RWD kept him from trying to take it off-roading. He did try once, and had to pull the truck out of mud with a come-along. And he didn't try it again. He did want to drag race my truck again too. I said hell no. Not gonna risk either of our piles breaking down. And he was a complete douche about that too. I told him to stop acting like his dick was bigger than it is, and act his age. He didn't take that well. But he seemingly really was improving. Even being a much better dad to his daughter. Things got pretty good for him. Until I decided to buy a house. That's when the serious drama started.
​
My entitled brother threw a massive fit, just because he was mad I bought a house May 6, 2024
​
Yeah, I'm aware of several similar stories involving entitled family members wanting houses they have no claim to. But I guess this shit really happens. And it's no picnic when it does.
I suddenly became a homeowner some time ago because friend of mine's grandfather was moving to Florida. And his house was ripe for picking. I knew the old man well. RIP, he passed a few months later from a sudden stroke. Anyway, he offered the house and property to me for 200K. I practically ran to the bank to apply for the loan. The house is a manufactured home from the 80s. But it was remodeled repeatedly by the former owner, and has a separate garage building. The home and property could have gone for more. But he offered the house to me because he knew I'd take care of it. I had 30K saved that made a good down payment. And I was happy to leave my apartment. I'd wanted to eventually move out of there after what my cheating ex did anyway. But that's a story for another time.
As for my brother. Well he went bonkers when he found out I bought a house. He had this repeated history of copycatting me for the past decade. But this... There was no way in hell he could copycat buying a house with his terrible credit and inconsistent income. And he got in an argument with me over how I was just trying to make him look bad by doing something he couldn't. No, I just wanted a damn house. And the price was too good to refuse. Then he told me I should have turned it down because...(He had no good reason) I could practically see his screws getting looser with every dumbass excuse he made as to why I shouldn't have done it. But I pointed out all those excuses were just because I did something he currently can't. And when I bought the house, it had nothing to do with him. I just wanted to be a home owner for the security and extra space. I finally don't have to store my camper at my parents' house. And I have a garage that I can store stuff and tinker in.
I bought a camping cot, he bought a camping cot, went to the gym, he went to the gym, bought good booze, he bought good booze (Or stole it from me), I bought a new TV, be bought a new TV, I bought a truck, he bought a truck, I bought a camper, he bought a camper, I bought a used portable DVD player, he bought a used portable DVD player, I went camping in a specific place, he went camping in that specific place, I bought a house, he...(404 Error! Insert tea kettle noises and Benny Hill chase). He also acted like a complete child toward me when he built his Mini-Ram thing. He actually confronted me and said it was keweler than my boring Tundra, because it was something original. I swear, he did the dumbest mods to that vehicle. Like putting twist studs in the suspension coils to raise the ride height.
Well after weeks of openly fuming about me being a home owner, my brother suddenly acted like he had another brilliant idea. He wanted to move in with me. I laughed at him. Then he ended up demanding I rent one of my rooms to him. And for only $200 a month (Utilities included) because he shouldn't have to pay any more than that since we're family. He flipped his lid when I said fuck no! Then he got our parents involved again. Only this time they actually sided with him at first. Though it was mainly our mother. She and my brother showed up demanding I let my brother move in. And my brother had a shit eating grin on his face that I could tell he was thinking he was getting his way thanks to mommy dearest. I said "FUCK NO!" to both their faces, and my mother cried that I was using foul language to her and being an ass when I had the space now. I called my dad, and he told my mom that he'd warned her I wouldn't do it. And to leave me the hell alone. Mom whined my brother was living out of his camper next to a shabby house he was renting space from. I said that wasn't my problem to fix. And my brother has proven countless times that he cannot be trusted. My brother was fuming to the point of being red with veins popping out. My mom tried one more time to convince me with tears. And that just made me angrier.
I went on a rant that was something like this. Bro can't buy a house, so he wanted to invade mine. I refuse to ever live with my brother again. I would sooner live in the woods without electricity than with him. He's intentionally irritating as all hell. And if I had him as a roommate, I just knew he'd steal my booze, take my stuff, and invade my privacy none-stop. Not. Fucking. HAPPENING! No matter how many tears mom tries using on me. My mom broke down and finally conceded she'd never convince me after that rant. And she had to take my brother by the hand and leave with him because he initially refused to go, and kept begging her to turn back and make me let him move in. And then I yelled to him that it was a laugh that he called me a mama's boy before. Because he'd become exactly that. And this was just like the time he tried to get our mother to make me trade vehicles with him because he felt ashamed to be driving a minivan. He yanked away from mom, then told me to go fuck myself and the horse I rode in on. I laughed and pointed out I didn't ride in on anything, because I was already home. But his rattlecan horse was waiting for him in the driveway. He flipped his lid again, and looked like his head was going to explode. But mom got in front of him, and told him to just go. Then he drove off in his rattlecan Silverado without her. He'd driven her there. And then I had to take her home.
While taking her home, I made things very clear with my mother over why I could never trust my brother again. And his life was not my burden to bear. And then told her how little my brother was offering for rent anyway. Which he'd conveniently not told her. Then I later rented that same room to one of my best friends for $600 a month, and he pays for utilities. The other two rooms are my bedroom and a home office. There's an extra room in the separate garage too. So my mother tried to make me let my brother live in the garage instead. There's enough room in it's storage room for a bedroom. Again I said fuck no. And that's since been turned into another friend's rented room with a bit of a plywood remodel. Yeah, I kinda rented both the spare bedroom and garage room out to friends out of spite. But I wasn't letting my brother live with me in any capacity!
My brother later ended up having a complete meltdown in front of our parents over how he's the older brother. He should be the one who owns a house first. He's supposed to be successful, and I'm supposed to be the big loser in his shadow. Our dad poked him with his cane and told him that's not how life works, and they had a big argument. They told him to get out and not come back until he's cooled off and learned that he's just being a pointlessly jealous asshole.
The next part I post, my brother did the dumbest thing of all.
Edit: I came home late to over 600 comments, and still more pouring in. Far too many for me to answer. So I'll clear some things up here. Yes, I am no contact with my brother. And he's NC with the rest of the family as well. I do have cameras inside and outside my home. And a dash cam too. My brother knows this, and has stayed the fuck away since he left town. I'm told I'm an asshole too. Not arguing that, because it's true. I'm not exactly the nicest guy. But have someone like my brother in your life, and see how peachy you turn out.
Some have mentioned to having siblings just like my brother. Sadly I know very well people like him are increasingly common these days. My dad said a number of times that my brother probably would have ended up dead in an alley if he lived here 50 years ago with the way he behaves. As for our ages. I'm 30, and my brother is 32. I have not given my parents a spare key to my house. One is with a friend, and another is very cleverly hidden.
My house is a manufactured home. But it's not in a trailer park, and has been significantly modified with new siding and a new roof, and has a separate garage building. The previous owner was a former general contractor, and he loved to build and repair. And yes, I do have good insurance.
I keep seeing comments about a clock radio. Pardon me for not getting the reference. But I do own a digital alarm clock that has a built in CD player. Currently plays Tina Turner's Proud Mary to wake me up.
My brother and I were raised pretty evenly. He was always a jerk. But went full asshole after moving out. But our mother didn't favor him. She chewed him out plenty. And she didn't normally side with his stupidity. She just wanted him to live in a better place than in a camper next to a house filled with potheads. Addition: My brother willingly moved into that camper. He was renting half a room in that house of potheads. Then convinced the landlord to let him live in his camper on the property for the same price instead. And he bragged about his camper a lot. Which he has a full gaming center in, complete with PlayStation. He only wanted to invade my house to piss me off and make his cost of living even lower. He also doesn't like camping nearly as much as me. He mainly liked just pissing me off by following me. He loved to make me miserable. In fact, he felt entitled to make me miserable. That's the kind of person he is.
Do I have a restraining order against my brother? Not really. Just didn't bother. Because even if I did, it'd only be for like a year. And my brother wouldn't let something like that stop him if he was truly determined anyway.
​
My entitled brother lost his mind and attacked me, his ex, and our father. That got him disowned by the family. But not before I beat the crap out of him May 8, 2024
​
Warning: Contains domestic violence, small town drama, and idiocy. Read at own risk.
My brother's major downhill spiral started with jealousy over my house, but only got worse thanks to this next part. He started smoking pot more heavily and drinking harder. And that was making him more aggressive and violent. He got in a brawl outside of a bar for reasons I still don't know. But he got his ass handed to him on a platter. He eventually found out his ex has been seeing someone else. And ironically that someone is another friend of mine. Which was news to me. But it's not like he wasn't around my brother's ex a fair bit. They're both fairly social people, and were also friends for years. Once the secret was out, he confessed to me it wasn't planned. But my brother's ex Sara (Fake name) and my friend just clicked one day about a year ago. This sorta thing can only happen in a town like ours. I admit, Sara is very beautiful. But I've always seen her as a big sister figure ever since she started dating my brother in high school. So I never thought of getting with her myself. She kept her new boyfriend a secret for some time. I didn't even know until someone else spilled the beans. And the word traveled. When my brother found out, that was the last he could mentally take.
My brother was hoping for years that Sara would take him back. But no such luck there. When he lost his mind over the fact my friend was dating Sara, he started hunting for the poor guy. My friend is not a fighter, and a self described beanpole. So that's what I'll call him. Sara seems to like Beanpole because he's everything my brother is not. He isn't really a brave person. And came to me when he found out my brother was looking for him. He has a rather distinctively painted car. So it's easy to spot. My brother caught wind Beanpole was at my place, and came roaring his truck down the street.
When my brother showed up to my house, he started screaming and banging on my door because he wanted to kick Beanpole's ass. And when I refused to let him in, he attacked me. We had a redneck brawl right there in my front lawn. I want to say I won. But the fight only stopped when one of my friend/tenants yelled he was gonna call the cops. I sucker-punched my brother while he was distracted, and told him to never come back to my house again. And if he ever tried to hurt Beanpole again, I'd make sure he'd up in the hospital with two broken legs. This was backed by the other friends/tenants I had there. My brother is an idiot. But even he knew that pissing off my entire friend group was not a good idea. So he picked himself up off the ground and started leaving. But he clearly looked like he wanted to do something to my truck because he stopped and just stood there staring at it with his hands in his pockets, like he was debating scratching the paint with his keys. I yelled at him that I have CCTV. But then he turned around, pulled his pants part way down, and started rubbing his ass directly onto my truck's passenger side door. Then he forced out a nasty fart and said he sharted a little, and laughed like a nutbar when he took off. I immediately got the hose. I'm just glad I didn't leave windows open or doors unlocked. Otherwise he'd have done far worse. And the smell of what he did was pretty much what you'd think.
Everyone already knew Sara was never going to take him back. She avoided dating for years because my brother is so unhinged that she knew he'd do something like this. That's why she and her new boyfriend kept it secret. I went to ice my bruises and call Sara. But my brother was already calling and texting her. Over and over again, he wouldn't stop. He was begging she break up with her boyfriend and take him back. He even said he wanted to marry her and move to the northwest. Not sure why he specified that part of the US. Maybe because we live in the southeast. But she flatly told him no, never again, not happening even if hell froze over. He cried that it wasn't fair, because she was his first love (she wasn't), and they have a daughter together. Then he started sending her flowers, love letters and gifts. She sent them all back. Then she announced online that she and Beanpole had been dating for some time, and recently made plans to eventually move in together. That's when my brother really went off the deep end.
A few hours after he saw that post, my brother got wasted and then barged into Sara's parents' house by body ramming the back door. He actually cut his face because the door had a glass window. But he was so drunk that he didn't notice he was bleeding. Sara understandably freaked out, and my brother grabbed and tried to force her to kiss him. She pushed him away and he hit her for refusing him. He slapped her and threw her to the floor really hard like an angry pimp wanting his money. And his daughter saw it all and started screaming at the top of her lungs. Sara screamed too, and my brother fled. Police were called, and Sara was taken to the hospital. My brother threw her down so hard that she had a dislocated shoulder. My brother was found by police at his camper, where he was even more drunk than before, and half his face was covered in blood. He had to be taken to the hospital, where he got stitches. Then taken to jail. He got charged with trespassing, breaking and entering, and assault. (Surprisingly not DUI too, as he'd actually walked there) When our parents and I found out, well the family finally couldn't take it anymore, and went into an uproar. Our parents had it out with my brother after he bailed himself out from jail, and then he tried to fight our dad when they argued. And no surprise, he tried to blame everything on me.
My brother actually said I let Beanpole steal his woman. But couldn't really explain how. He also refused to believe I did not know until recently. Then he said that Sara was supposed to be his. Dad not only disagreed, but told my brother that he was a fucking disgrace, and that was an absolutely disgusting way to talk about Sara. She's not his property. And then my brother shoved dad as hard as he could. Dad got knocked to the floor, and my brother started kicking him. Dad isn't a small man. But he's old with a bad back and a bad knee. And needs a cane just to get around. Since we knew my brother would only have gotten crazier if he saw me, I was hiding in another room with the door cracked and listening in. I knew he might do something crazy. So I insisted on secretly being in the house when he was confronted. And I'm glad I was, because I came to dad's defense before my brother could do too much damage. I knew we were roughly even in a fight. So I ambushed and hit him in the back with a rubber mallet, and then beat the shit out of him. No police were called that time. I attacked him in defense of our dad. So he probably would have been screwed if he tried to get me charged anyway. And then he'd have gone right back to jail. Someone also once asked me if I enjoyed beating up my brother that day. I did not. I was just in an adrenaline fueled rage protecting my dad. But all things considered, I could have done far worse to my brother with that rubber mallet, as he only really got bruises. My dad gave hm a good smack in the face with his cane too though. But it's just hollow aluminum. Not exactly a damage dealer.
Our parents (mainly my dad) disowned my brother as I threw him out the door. And he spent some time crying on the porch and saying he was sorry and didn't mean it, then switched to saying we could all regret this, and we could go fuck ourselves before finally leaving. My mother spent hours crying. She'd stuck up for him before, and this was how he repaid her. My brother managed to avoid real prison time, or a trial for attacking Sara by taking a guilty plea deal. He signed away custody of his daughter. And Sara got a restraining order against him. My brother got a fine, somehow only a couple months in county jail, probation, has to abstain from alcohol for six months, and he had to pay for the property damage. Sara's dad already put in a new door, and billed my brother for it. My brother also understandably lost his job due to the situation.
Our mother secretly kept in contact with my brother, and agreed to look after my brother's truck and camper while he was serving his two month sentence. And she didn't ok it with dad first. He was pretty pissed at her for going behind his back. But she reasoned that it would be the last thing they ever did for him, because she didn't want my brother to have no place to go after getting out of the clink. And even she made it clear it was the last of her good will towards him too. Once my brother got out of jail, mom drove his truck and camper to a store to meet him, and gave him back the keys. She told me there was barely a word of thanks from him. Mostly just grunts when she tried to get him to talk to her. Dad said he still looked like an ungrateful sod. After that my brother lived wherever he could park his camper for a while until one of his remaining friends somehow got him a new job as a welder in another town 40-ish miles away that he was having to commute to with his camper for a while. But he was back every weekend. Apparently he only got the job by agreeing to work for less than what the job would normally pay. So he could move there permanently as soon as he got the ok from his probation officer. Which said officer didn't make easy I heard. I don't know the red tape of it. But he managed to pull it off. He can't leave the state. But he could still move to another county it seems. He's probably renting a space in a trailer park right now or something. And maybe he's back to doing his side hustle of hauling trash for people.
Before leaving town, my brother showed up outside my house to give me the double middle finger and dance around like a monkey while cursing at me in the street when he knew I was watching from the window. I guess it was his stupid way of trying to get in a last laugh without breaking the law or something. But then I got an idea. I've heard plenty of people say to kill with kindness. So I tried it in my own way. I grabbed an unopened bottle of my favorite honey whisky from the pantry because I know my brother really loves that stuff too. Then I went outside and walked right up to him, and shoved the bottle into his hands. I think it was the last thing he expected me to do in the moment. And I know he'd NEVER willingly break a bottle of good booze. Especially when it's free. Then I told him to have a drink on me to start his new life. I could barely keep myself from laughing when I turned to walk away. When I looked at my CCTV footage later, he actually stood there looking really glum while just staring at the bottle, and then moped back to his truck.
And then he was gone. Off to start his new life as a career welder. My brother is a childish, narcissistic, misogynistic, asshole to an extreme degree. But he's actually damn good at welding. Both with steel and aluminum. Mostly self-taught too. It's practically his only real talent. He's even done basic forging and auto body work. I've seen him do shit with scrap metal I wish I could. But that's the only real compliment I can still say about him. Maybe he'll make a decent new life and career for himself doing metal work elsewhere. He's better off away from us, just like we're better off away from him. He deleted all his social media, and I assume blocked us on everything. Not that we'd bother to contact him. One of his few remaining pothead friends in town told me my brother wants to legally change his name when his probation ends. Knowing him, he'll likely do it.
Things are much more peaceful and far less dramatic without my entitled leech of a brother here. Some part of me missed him for a while. But he's just a terrible person. And the only one who's still missing him, is our mother. She's still kinda broken up about it. But dad has been unwavering that they did the right thing by disowning him. He made his own bed. Now he's lying in it. I doubt my brother will come back any time soon. And if he does, he will not be welcome.
Edit: Got home and cracked open a bag of salt & pepper pork rinds, and was half expecting hundreds of comments like last time. I'm thankful it wasn't. Still, I'm also thankful to everyone who gave their support. To answer some questions I got in comments and DMS. I've got cameras inside and outside my house. Beanpole and Sara are still dating. But they've put off moving in together for now. My niece is doing good. But says she has no daddy anymore. My brother was barely a father to her anyway. Yes I know it was a bit much giving a known alcoholic a bottle of booze. And good booze at that. But I knew he wouldn't be able to drink it for months anyway. Which is why I was trying so hard to hold back laughter when I gave it to him. Besides, he's just gonna drink like a fish on his own dime when his court ordered sober time runs out.
I'm hoping this is the last post about current antics involving my brother. Maybe I'll tell other past stories about him. Or the story of my cheating ex. Still couldn't bring myself to post that. I typed it out and everything. But I guess it still ate at me because I really liked that woman. And yeah, this situation with my brother eats at me too. But he's toxic. And I'm better off without him in my life anymore.
​
Related Posts:
My entitled brother wanted my cot and tent for the camping trip
The time my brother stayed over and stole all the alcohol from my fridge
​
THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP
DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP's OR COMMENT ON LINKED POSTS, REMEMBER - RULE 7

This is gonna be a long one, because I'm just baffled at its current state.
Modders. Everywhere. Every lobby I've joined for the past couple of weeks have had 2,3, or more modders. I don't dislike that fact, but shit really hits the fan when skidders that bought a paid client with their mommy's card explode everyone constantly, mess with them at all times, and genuinely ruin the fun. This has happened way too many times. I report, search for a new lobby, and move on. But this has started happening to me so damn much that I just gave in. I got Terror, a client advertised as the best free "protection" client against other modders. And that's what I used it for. I would only use it to mess with modders that ruined other players' experience. I didn't mod in any money, since I didn't need it (already had every vehicle I wanted). I didn't need any RP, since i was lvl 109 already. I didn't use it for any other purpose, besides fixing my car every so often when I was out for casual driving.
Emphasis on "was". I was just slapped with an e-mail saying I'm permanently banned.
I'm baffled at this point. So, in today's day and age playing GTA Online on PC, you can either: A) Get shat on by skidders with no chance to fight back, since they have anti-report protection; B) Shill out money on a paid mod menu just to maybe be able to get the other modder to stop what they're doing, while also protecting yourself from a ban, or; C) Scour the internet for a safe but free mod menu for a tiny sliver of a chance to fight back, only to get perma-banned, while obvious modders walk away scot-free.
I can only hope that GTA 6 will have better anti-cheat.

I'm trying to do some experimentation and for this Ineeed money fast, I tried using the CheatPak mod on nexus but I can't figure out how to use it.

So I saw they put the addon for bedrock Tinkers Construct of the original java mod on the marketplace on PS4 and me being me, I bought it. Unfortunately I feel cheated as I do with many of their packs they add. Where's the knapsack? What's with all of the slime and goofy gadgets being made out of it. And should I just switch to java to not have to deal with half-assed mods and paywalls? I'm not picky when it comes to laptops as long as they're cheap and preferably $200 or less cause I'm not worried about high specs. I know Linux and Windows can run Java. Back on topic, always downloading and paying for packs that don't give me the fun thats advertised nor the adventure and new ores I see from actual modded Java YouTubers is just wasting money in my opinion. Even with the bedrock addon Insane craft, the "power" gauntlet, as they name it, glitches out and doesn't work half the time. Any advice helps

So I saw they put the addon for bedrock Tinkers Construct of the original java mod on the marketplace on PS4 and me being me, I bought it. Unfortunately I feel cheated as I do with many of their packs they add. Where's the knapsack? What's with all of the slime and goofy gadgets being made out of it. And should I just switch to java to not have to deal with half-assed mods and paywalls? I'm not picky when it comes to laptops as long as they're cheap and preferably $200 or less cause I'm not worried about high specs. I know Linux and Windows can run Java. Back on topic, always downloading and paying for packs that don't give me the fun thats advertised nor the adventure and new ores I see from actual modded Java YouTubers is just wasting money in my opinion. Even with the bedrock addon Insane craft, the "power" gauntlet, as they name it, glitches out and doesn't work half the time. Any advice helps

https://preview.redd.it/txxje76glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=298e088bea13813f34017cf7f668f7cc6d76d8cb
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https://preview.redd.it/rigegb8glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=11f4395f9682d7ea58666c889edb5a5721563fcd
https://preview.redd.it/d4u9w16glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=77fe60e79ef82ed27aa9db100994560c1f5db641
https://preview.redd.it/1onqce6glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=bf0db82d8f48bd9e088e561bdf862b82f2e3b99a
https://preview.redd.it/u0d2b26glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=c65feac9fbd5fc772973d504f94529638576c124
https://preview.redd.it/a4skx26glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=6963e5819b0317ab93609684c239660c1c5c79d4
https://preview.redd.it/jnhvf66glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=a2a6d13e4889caa36987727da148174bb305ed69
https://preview.redd.it/eu96g26glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=246fa78387f2c75881fca575d8993b74f5088a93
https://preview.redd.it/wdbvw66glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=0bb51e8ae8d40a00ed376233e6638a302c3b0c67
https://preview.redd.it/cv6b0e8glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=f7aeafb6e6bf6c9422587bfa52c3d532a547e454
https://preview.redd.it/gan6356glw0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=2416767300c19814c3455065b04b588404cd8803
(I use a translator)
I used cheats to build it. mod was not used.
It has 13 floors and a rooftop. The first floor has portals to each floor, and the second through twelfth floors are filled with portals. There are a total of 132 available portals, not including the portals that go to each floor. Outside the building, there are three large portals and one portal to the starting point.
Stone walls up to the 8th floor and glass walls from the 9th floor. I did this because of building weight restrictions. The building has tons of lights, but they don't require fuel. The chest on the first floor contains a feathered cloak. Newly created barricades have strange snapping.
https://cafe.naver.com/valheim/4289
You can get this world file from the link above. Feel free to distribute, use, etc., but don't sell it for money.

I wanted to update you all on what I’ve been working on over the past couple of years, and make a proposition that I think many of you would be interested in.
Disclosure: I’m going to be pitching all of you. I have talked about this with Jim and he is in support.

Update

In late 2022, I got recruited to work on distributed computing platform called Bacalhau, which was being built at Protocol Labs at the time. In May 2023, a team that I was a part of started a contract to build an incentivization layer on top of Bacalhau. Initially, my primary job was to prevent cheating in this protocol using only verification-via-replication, so basically the game theory of optimistic compute. If you’re interested, you can read more here: https://docs.co-ophive.network/research/game-theoretic-verifiable-computing. The purpose of this project was to provide a platform that anybody could use to make their own distributed computing network - basically a smart-contract based building block for DCNs.
In addition to that work, I ended up also co-architecting the core protocol. As you can imagine given my background, I had Gridcoin and BOINC in mind as I was designing it. What we ended up creating was a very flexible protocol that accomplishes by default a lot of desirable properties.
For some additional context, the project that I was working on at Protocol Labs was called Project Bravo internally. The company that the initial team building the protocol was going to start was tentatively called Lilypad, which was used for external communication, and is now a separate company working off of the same codebase as us. My current company, CoopHive, has one investor - Protocol Labs - that provided a small amount of incubation funding.

Protocol

Our protocol is a two-sided marketplace for compute that connects clients and compute nodes. Right now, the clients and compute nodes are connected via an intermediary called a “solver”, which acts as a market-maker by proposing matches to the clients and compute nodes. A sequence of deals, results, and mediations is put set of rules for putting IPFS CIDs on chain. These CIDs act as pointers to off-chain data, so we end up with mostly just hashes on-chain, enabling scalability.
What this architecture enables is a number of desirable properties, like arbitrary mediation protocols, so that anyone can define how results are determined to be correct, as well as automatic, decentralized data storage of job inputs and outputs, meaning that computations can be reproduced relatively easily.
We’re working on some really cool stuff right now, including a decentralized vector database, enabling autonomous agents to negotiate with each other over the pricing and scheduling of jobs, and constructing a next-generation DCN in simulation.

Proposition

I got my start in Gridcoin, and want to give back to the community.
Basically, I want to turn this marketplace into a total public good. So no fees, pay in any token, and launch on any EVM-compatible chain. I want to turn this platform into something that enables flexible mechanism design for scientific projects. That means enabling people to design their own tokens to reward scientific computations, and eventually other parts of the scientific process as well.
You might be wondering at this point: I have investors and am running a business, so how am I going to make money if I’m turning the marketplace into a public good?
The plan is to invest in projects building on top of this protocol. The main idea is the tokenization of latent computing power - can we find computations that nobody is willing to pay for now, but that somebody might be willing to pay for later? Think finding the cure for cancer through computational means as a BOINC project, with a project-specific token dedicated to it. By incubating/investing in projects building on top of this protocol, projects can either have their results be eligible for retroactive public goods funding, or become intellectual property and be sold.

Partnership

I’d like to bring CoopHive to the Gridcoin community. This is a potential basic outline of what a partnership would look like:

1. Gridcoin remains independent as a community
2. We make a DAO governing the codebase
3. We launch a governance token to raise funds to pay developers
4. Potential renaming/new repo
5. The protocol can either be anchored onto Gridcoin’s blockchain using a Bitcoin scaling solution, or we can wrap GRC and use it while the protocol is deployed to some other chain
   1. E.g. https://ethresear.ch/t/building-an-evm-for-bitcoin/15402/1, https://rootstock.io/, https://www.botanixlabs.xyz/en/home

Thoughts?

As far back as I can remember, I had always been passionate about the great outdoors. My love for the wilderness began when I joined the scouts, exploring the diverse landscapes of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. I was never a huge fan of the dry, barren landscapes, but camping provided a much-needed escape from the monotony of Orange County suburbia.
The first time I visited the Pacific Northwest, I was enchanted. The scenery was breathtaking—majestic mountains, lush fields, and meandering rivers. It was clear that anyone who praised the desert's beauty had never laid eyes on the Cascades. Seeing grass and wildflowers growing without irrigation was practically a revelation.
When I was old enough, I moved to Washington state, immersing myself in nature every weekend. My adventures took me hiking through dense forests, camping by serene lakes, and occasionally taking mushrooms under peaceful waterfalls.
I joined several online forums dedicated to outdoor enthusiasts. One community that particularly fascinated me was the Northwest Tomb Raiders. This group of history buffs and thrill-seekers was dedicated to uncovering artifacts, whether Native American relics or treasures hidden in modern ruins. Many members were collectors, fencing their finds to museums and archaeologists, which made it a rather profitable side gig, should you be lucky enough.
In the fall of 2009, an intriguing post appeared on the forum. A user named Lokk claimed to have discovered a cache of artifacts with Scandinavian origins. He couldn't carry everything back due to the treacherous terrain and his age, so he shared the coordinates, hoping someone else could retrieve the items. I scrolled down to see a few posts of people planning to loot it in the Spring, when the paths have reopened. One user, Patagooner, planned on going as early as possible.
Excited by the prospect, I gathered my two friends, Carl and Noah, for the expedition. They weren't as enthusiastic about camping as I was, but after I told them how much a single arrowhead goes for on the black market, they were on board. It was the start of winter now, which had its advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, the rangers would have a harder time spotting us. On the downside, the harsh conditions posed a serious challenge for two inexperienced hikers.
I must’ve blown about four grand at REI on gear for them, justifying it with the knowledge of how much more I would make with two extra packs. That is of course assuming there really were as many artifacts as Lokk had said, and Patagooner hadn’t beaten me there.
The journey began like any other. We met in the pre-dawn darkness and went over our supplies, ensuring we had everything we needed. By mid-morning, we were on our way, my pickup truck winding up the mountain paths. The roads of Olympic National Park were the epitome of the raw, untamed beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
They snake through ancient forests, where towering Douglas firs and Western hemlocks create a verdant canopy overhead. Mist clings to the trees, giving the landscape an ethereal quality. Occasionally, the forest would open up to reveal breathtaking vistas of snow-capped peaks and deep, shadowy valleys.
As we climbed higher, the landscape grew increasingly desolate. The dense forest thinned out, replaced by rugged terrain and jagged rock formations. The air grew colder, and the first flurries of snow began to fall, dusting the ground in a thin, white layer. The road became narrower and more treacherous, winding precariously along the edge of steep cliffs.
Finally, a road closure blockade signaled the end of our journey in the truck. We unloaded three dirt bikes—one mine, two rentals—and continued up the trail. The bikes roared to life, carrying us several more miles into the wilderness. The trail twisted and turned, cutting through dense underbrush and over fallen logs. The snow began to fall more heavily, blanketing the forest floor and muffling the sound of our engines. The world around us grew quieter, more isolated.
Eventually, the snow became too deep to traverse by bike. We dismounted and prepared to continue on foot. The silence of the forest was profound, broken only by the occasional rustle of branches in the wind. I checked my modern GPS, its screen displaying the coordinates and a relief map of our destination.
The cold air bit into our cheeks as we trudged through the snow-laden forest. The silence was almost oppressive, broken only by the crunch of our footsteps and the occasional call of distant wildlife. The GPS indicated we were close to our destination, but the dense underbrush and uneven terrain made progress slow.
Suddenly, Carl's excited whisper cut through the stillness. "Hey, look at that!"
He pointed to a small, furry creature ambling through the trees. It took a moment to realize what it was—a bear cub, innocently exploring its surroundings.
My heart sank. "Carl, get back," I hissed, my voice low but urgent. "Where there's a cub, there's a..."
Before I could finish, a massive shape exploded from the trees. The mother bear, easily three times the size of the cub, charged at Carl with a ferocity. She was a blur of dark fur and powerful muscles, her roar echoing through the forest.
"Run!" I yelled, but it was too late. The bear was upon Carl, swiping at him with her massive paws. He screamed as he fell to the ground, the bear towering over him. Desperation and adrenaline surged through me. I grabbed the nearest heavy branch and swung it at the bear, hoping to distract her.
Noah joined in, shouting and waving his arms. We had to be careful; one wrong move and she would turn on us. The bear snarled, turning her attention away from Carl for just a moment. It was enough for him to scramble backwards, clutching his bleeding arm.
"We have to get him out of here," I shouted to Noah, who nodded, fear etched on his face. The bear, still enraged, seemed torn between attacking us and protecting her cub.
Using the brief respite, we hauled Carl to his feet. His face was white, and he was clearly in shock. Blood soaked his sleeve, dripping onto the snow. "There's a ranger station about two miles from here," I said, my voice shaking. "We need to get him there. Now."
We half-carried, half-dragged Carl through the forest, every shadow and sound heightening our paranoia.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the small, wooden structure of the ranger station came into view. We had been avoiding the rangers to keep our expedition secret, but now it was our only hope.
Pounding on the door, I prayed for a quick response. The door creaked open, and a weathered face appeared. "What happened?" the ranger demanded, taking in the sight of Carl's bloodied form.
"Bear attack," I gasped. "We need help."
The ranger's expression shifted from suspicion to urgency. "Get him inside. We've got a first aid kit and a radio."
As we eased Carl onto a makeshift bed, the ranger inspected his wounds. "You're lucky," he said after a moment. "The cuts are deep, but they missed any major arteries. He'll need stitches, but we can handle that here. No need for an airlift."
The ranger's face darkened as he turned to me. "What the hell are you boys doing out here?”
I hesitated, "We... we were just exploring."
The ranger's eyes narrowed, his anger palpable. "Exploring? In a restricted area? In the middle of winter? Are you out of your minds?"
He worked quickly and efficiently, cleaning and stitching Carl's wounds. Carl winced but stayed silent, his eyes closed in pain.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out here?" the ranger continued, his voice rising. "The storm, the wildlife... This area is off-limits for a reason! You should have known better." he said, pushing a finger into my chest.
"We'll stay here for the night," he continued, "The storm's getting worse, and it's too dangerous to move him now. We'll reassess in the morning. And count yourself lucky I don't arrest your asses."
Night fell quickly, the storm outside growing more ferocious with each passing minute. The howling wind battered the small ranger station, and the walls creaked under the pressure. We huddled in the main room, the tension thick in the air.
The ranger looked at us sternly. "I need to check the perimeter and make sure everything is secure. There are things out there you don’t want to encounter, especially in this storm."
"Things? What do you mean?" Noah asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The ranger's expression hardened. "Just stay put. No matter what you see or hear, do not leave this cabin. Understood?"
We nodded, the seriousness in his tone leaving no room for argument. "We'll stay put," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
The ranger grabbed his coat and shotgun. "I'll be back in an hour. Do not leave this cabin." With that, he opened the door and stepped into the raging storm, disappearing into the darkness.
As soon as the door closed, I turned to Noah. "We need to go. Now."
Noah's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? He said to stay put."
"If we wait until morning, we'll be escorted out of here and lose our chance. This might be our only opportunity to find those artifacts."
Noah hesitated with uncertainty "But... what about Carl?"
"He'll be fine here. The ranger can take care of him. We have to do this now."
Reluctantly, Noah nodded. "Alright. Let's take what we can and go."
We quickly looted extra gear from the cabin. I checked the GPS one last time before we slipped out into the storm, the cold wind battering us.
The snow fell heavily, obscuring our vision as we slogged through the forest. The ranger was nowhere in sight as we made our way towards the our destination, each step filled with trepidatious excitement.
The storm began to die down as we approached the coordinates. We stepped into a clearing where the undisturbed snow lay like a pristine white blanket. In the center stood an ancient, weathered stone altar, encircled by intricate wooden carvings, delicate metalwork, and beautifully crafted statues. The sight was breathtaking, a treasure trove, a veritable museum of paganism.
Noah and I exchanged glances, our eyes wide with amazement. "Do you see this?" I whispered, barely able to contain my excitement.
"We're going to be rich," Noah replied, his voice trembling with awe. "These must be worth a fortune!"
We approached cautiously, as if the vision before us might disappear. The craftsmanship was stunning. I reached out to touch a carved wooden idol, marveling at the detail. "This is incredible," I said, my voice barely audible.
We began to load our packs with as many artifacts as we could carry, each one more exquisite than the last. It was beyond our wildest dreams. We were so engrossed in our task that we didn't notice the small figure watching us from the ridge.
It wasn't until I turned to leave that I saw her. A young girl, maybe eight years old, stood there, her blue eyes wide with curiosity. She was dressed in simple, rustic clothing, her blonde straight hair blowing gently in the wind. For a moment, we just stared at each other.
"Noah," I whispered urgently, nudging him. "Look."
He turned, his eyes following my gaze. "What the...?" he muttered, his voice trailing off.
The girl took a tentative step forward, her eyes fixed on the items in our hands. There was no fear in her gaze, only a quiet intensity that made my skin crawl.
"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
She tilted her head slightly. "My name is Sigyn."
"What are you doing out here, Sigyn?" Noah asked, his voice shaky.
"I live here,"
"You live here?" I echoed, incredulous. "Is there anyone else around?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"Where?" Noah demanded, looking around nervously.
"Everywhere," she said with a giggle.
The way she said it, so matter-of-factly, bothered me deeply. Noah and I exchanged a look, both of us trying to figure out what to do next.
"We can't take her back to the ranger," Noah started, "We'll lose everything."
I nodded, my mind racing. "Sigyn," I said slowly, "we need to know who else is here. Can you help us?"
She looked at me with her piercing blue eyes, then said, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Noah asked.
"For what's going to happen to you," she replied, her voice tinged with sadness.
"You need to tell us what's going on," Noah said, grabbing her arm roughly. "Why are you out here alone?"
She looked up at him, unperturbed. "I am not alone," she said softly.
Before we could press her further, a loud, guttural mooing sound echoed through the clearing. We turned towards the direction the girl had come from, and there, emerging from the shadows, was the silhouette of an elk. As it approached, my stomach dropped. Its body was a grotesque amalgamation of life and decay. Its skull was fully exposed, the eye sockets dark and empty. Large patches of its ribs were visible, the flesh around them rotted away.
The elk's movements were slow and deliberate, its head swaying as if in a trance. It walked directly towards us, its hollow eyes fixed on Sigyn. The closer it got, the more the stench of death filled the air—a nauseating mix of decay and earth. I fought the urge to retch.
Sigyn stood up, her expression calm. The monster sniffed her gently, its nostrils flaring. Without a word, she climbed onto its back, mounting it like a horse. It was a surreal and horrifying scene ripped straight from a nightmare.
As she settled onto the elk, she looked back at us, "A thief in the night shall reap what he sows," she said, her voice carrying an otherworldly echo. "Beware the price of stolen dreams."
With that, the beast turned and began to walk away, Sigyn riding it into the shadows of the forest. We stood there, frozen in place. The realization that we were in far over our heads began to sink in. This started to feel like a trap.
We need to get out of here," My voice trembling. "Now."
We turned to leave, our packs heavy with the pilfered goods. But as we took our first steps, the forest around us seemed to come alive. Shadows moved among the trees, and whispers floated on the wind. I quickened my pace, glancing nervously over my shoulder.
"Did you hear that?" Noah asked sharply,
"Just keep moving," I commanded.
A figure emerged from the shadows, blocking our path. It was a man, tall and gaunt, his eyes burning with an intense light. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, his voice cold and menacing.
"We're leaving," I stammered. "We didn't mean any harm."
The man smirked, and with a swift motion, he raised his hand. More figures appeared, closing in on us from all sides. We were surrounded.
"Run!" I shouted, shoving Noah forward.
We sprinted through the forest, branches whipping at our faces and legs. The figures pursued us, their footsteps silent and relentless.
Noah stumbled and fell, his pack spilling open. Statues scattered across the ground, glinting in the moonlight. "Help!" he cried, scrambling to gather the items.
"Leave them!" I shouted, pulling him to his feet. "We have to keep moving!"
But it was too late, their hands seizing us. I struggled, kicking and thrashing, but their grips were too strong. They forced us to the ground, binding our hands with rough, coarse ropes.
"Please," I begged, "Don't hurt us."
The man who had first appeared stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "A thief in the night," he mocked.
They dragged us through the forest, the trees closing in around us like a cage. We were at their mercy.
In the distance, I could see the elk standing at the edge of the clearing, Sigyn still astride its back. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of pity. But then they turned away, disappearing into the shadows once more.
We were dragged into the heart of the forest, our struggles futile against the unyielding grip of our captors. As we broke through the treeline, a massive bonfire came into view, its flames licking the night sky. Shadows danced around the clearing, cast by the flickering light. A woman stood at the forefront, her presence commanding.
Her eyes were milk white, devoid of pupils, and her long, flowing white hair cascaded down her back. She was completely naked, her skin pale and marked with intricate symbols. Atop her head, she wore an elk skull, its antlers extending like eerie, skeletal fingers. She beat a drum emblazoned with more of the same cryptic symbols, each thud resonating deep within my chest.
Around the fire, about two dozen people stood, all drinking from crude, horned cups. Their faces were solemn, eyes fixed on the woman as she led them in a haunting chant. The atmosphere was thick with a mix of reverence and intoxication.
We were forced to our knees before the woman, who paused her drumming to look down at us. Her gaze was haunting, as if she could see into the very depths of our souls.
"Who are you?" Noah demanded, his voice trembling.
The woman ignored him, raising her arms to the sky. The chanting grew louder, the rhythm of the drum faster and more frenzied. The air around us seemed to vibrate with energy, the flames of the bonfire growing higher and more intense.
I glanced at Noah, fear mirrored in his eyes. The woman began to speak, her voice low and melodic, but filled with power, in a language I couldn't understand. Suddenly, she stopped, lowering her arms. The chanting ceased, and an silence fell over the clearing. She looked directly at me, her white eyes unblinking.
En tjuv i natten skördar vad han sår, akta dig för drömmar som du stjäl och får.
Hans skratt bevakar lundens gömda stig, där skuggor sveper över skogens liv.
För varje stulet andetag och svek, måste en tjuv möta sitt smärtsamma ödelek.
Tricksterns vilja, vår ande här, så i hans nåd, våra liv bär.
I was terrified and confused. She started again, softer, in a way I could understand.
A thief in the night shall reap what he sows, beware the price of stolen dreams.
His laughter guards our hidden groves, where shadows cloak the forest's seams.
For every stolen breath and lie, a thief must meet his painful end.
The tricksters will, our spirits tie, so in his grace, our lives suspend.
The crowd surged forward, grabbing Noah first. He screamed, his terror echoing through the trees as they pulled him towards a makeshift altar beside the bonfire. The woman chanted louder, her voice rising in a hypnotic rhythm as they began their gruesome work.
They stripped him of his shirt and bound his arms to a wooden frame. I tried to move, to help him, but the grip on my shoulders tightened, pinning me to the ground.
The woman approached Noah, holding a knife with a blade that gleamed in the firelight. She started to slice into his back, her movements deliberate and unhurried. Noah's screams pierced the night as she methodically carved the shape of wings into his flesh.
Blood poured from the wounds, soaking the ground beneath him. The crowd's chant grew louder, almost drowning out his cries. I watched in horror as the woman reached into the incisions, breaking the ribs and pulling them outward, creating a parody of wings.
Noah's agony was unbearable to witness. His screams turned to whimpers, his body convulsing in pain. The woman didn't stop until the work was complete, his lungs exposed and hanging grotesquely from his back.
They lifted Noah's broken body and placed him over the fire. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, making me gag. His life ebbed away as the flames consumed him, the once vibrant light in his eyes fading to nothing.
The woman turned to me, her expression devoid of mercy. "You will meet the same fate," she said, "He demands it."
The smell of burning flesh and the sight of his broken body over the fire was seared into my mind. Despair settled over me as I closed my eyes.
A deafening blast shattered the night. My eyes flew open to see the shaman stumbling backward, a gaping wound in her chest. She collapsed to the ground, her white eyes staring lifelessly into the void.
The villagers turned in shock as another shot rang out, this time hitting one of the men holding me. I twisted free from their grasp and saw the park ranger standing at the edge of the clearing, a pump-action shotgun in his hands. He fired again, the sound echoing through the forest, before one of them tackled him to the ground.
"Run!" he shouted, his voice raw and desperate. "Get the hell out of here!"
I didn't need to be told twice. I sprinted into the darkness, the chaos of the clearing fading behind me. Branches whipped at my face, and the snow underfoot made every step a struggle. I could hear the sounds of fighting and gunshots, but I forced myself to keep moving.
The cold air burned in my lungs, but adrenaline pushed me forward. I didn't stop until I reached the station, my legs threatening to give out from under me. I burst through the door and slammed it behind me.
Inside, Carl lay where we had left him, his face pale and twisted in pain. I stumbled to the radio, my hands trembling as I fumbled with the controls.
"Mayday, mayday!" I yelled into the microphone. "This is an emergency! We need help! Please, someone, come quickly!"
Static filled the room, punctuated by my ragged breaths. I repeated the call, my voice growing more frantic with each passing second. Finally, a voice crackled through the speaker. "This is Ranger Station Bravo. What's your location? Over."
I could barely form the words. "Olympic National Park! The ranger station near mount Christie! We're under attack! Please, send help!"
"Copy that. Help is on the way. Stay put and stay safe. Over."
I collapsed to the floor, my body trembling with exhaustion and fear. Carl moaned softly, his eyes fluttering open. "What… What happened? Where's Noah?”
Tears streamed down my face and I found myself choked up. “He’s gone, man. Help is coming.”
The minutes stretched into an eternity as we waited. The wind howled around the station, and every creak and groan of the structure set my nerves on edge. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, that the forest itself was closing in on us.
The radio crackled again, this time with a different voice. "Helicopter en route, ETA fifteen minutes. Prepare for extraction."
I glanced at Carl, his eyes filled with confusion. "Hang on. We're getting out of here."
As the minutes ticked by, I couldn't help but think about the ranger. He had saved my life, but he hadn't made it back. My mind conjured up images of what might have happened to him, the cultists overwhelming him in the darkness. A sense of guilt gnawed at me, knowing he had sacrificed himself for us.
The sound of rotors cut through the night, growing louder as the helicopter approached. I ran to the window and saw its searchlight piercing the treetops, scanning for the station.
I helped Carl to his feet, supporting his weight as we made our way to the hatch. The helicopter hovered above, lowering a rescue basket. The wind from the rotors whipped the snow into a frenzy, but I didn't care. Salvation was finally here.
We secured Carl in the basket first, and I watched as he was hoisted up, disappearing into the safety of the helicopter. My turn was next. I realized that I was now alone and exposed. Fear coursing through me as I scanned around the edge of the forest, expecting to be grabbed and taken seconds before my rescue. But the moment never came. As I gripped the rope, I took one last look at the forest below. The flames of the bonfire still flickered in the distance.
I was lifted into the air, the ground falling away beneath me. The helicopter's crew pulled me inside, and I collapsed onto the floor still holding onto my pack, my body finally giving in to exhaustion. The doors closed, and the helicopter banked away, leaving the horrors of the park behind.
Weeks had passed since the harrowing events, but the memories clung to me like the bitter cold. I had returned to civilization, seeking solace in the familiar chaos of the city. I found a wealthy collector through a network of contacts. The artifacts fetched a price tenfold the cost of gear. The money was substantial, but as I held the cash, it felt like a hollow victory.
Noah's absence weighed heavily on me. His disappearance was chalked up as a missing persons case, and despite my best efforts to explain what had happened, no one believed me. The authorities conducted a search of the area, but they found no trace of the cult, the artifacts, or the clearing. It was as if the forest had swallowed up all the evidence.
I returned to the site where we had parked the truck. The dirt bikes were gone, stolen by opportunistic thieves, but the truck remained. I drove back in silence, the road winding through the dense forest. For a moment, I thought I saw the girl watching me from atop a ridge until I realized it was just paranoia. I stepped on the gas a little harder.
Back home, I checked the Tomb Raiders forum again. The post that had led us into the forest was gone, deleted without a trace. I messaged the mods, but apparently, they don’t keep records to maintain confidentiality. I wrote about our experience, detailing every terrifying moment, but the responses were skeptical at best. Most dismissed it as a work of fiction or a desperate cry for attention.
Time passed, and I tried to return to a semblance of normalcy. Yet, the wilderness called to me stronger than ever. It was my sanctuary, the only place where I could find peace amidst the turmoil. I spent more and more time outdoors than ever before, but now it always felt like I was just running from something.
Determined to prove what had happened, I returned to the forest with a camera and recording equipment. This time, I documented every step, capturing footage of the trees, the snow, and the eerie silence that hung in the air. I retraced our path, hoping to find the clearing again. But each night, as I reviewed the footage, something strange would happen. The files would be corrupted or entire segments missing.
I pressed on. I found the site where Noah had fallen, the ground still bearing faint traces of what had happened. I set up the camera and began to speak, recounting the events in detail. As I spoke, a cold wind swept through the clearing, and the camera's screen flickered. I finished my account and turned to check the recording, only to find the file corrupted once again, the footage replaced by static and a faint, mocking laughter.
I returned home, defeated and exhausted. My attempts to share what I had experienced were met with disbelief and ridicule. The files I managed to save were corrupted beyond recognition. It was as if the forest itself was conspiring against me.
Almost exactly one year later, as I browsed the forums, a new post caught my eye. It was cryptic, eerily similar to the one that had led us into the nightmare. It spoke of another trove of artifacts, hidden deep within the wilderness, waiting to be claimed.
The post was signed with a new name: Skygge. Different handle, same style. Another trap. They had taken so much from me, left scars that would never heal. I opened my drawer, my fingers brushing over the cold metal of my weapons. This was the moment I had been waiting for. This time, I'll be ready.
The forest’s secrets won't remain hidden forever.