Information copied from the Faraday statement released via the Faraday future app:
Company was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A)(iii), as the Company’s securities had a closing bid price of $0.10 or less for ten consecutive trading days. The letter indicated that, as a result, the Nasdaq staff has determined to delist the Company’s securities from The Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Delisting Determination”).
As previously reported, on December 28, 2023, Nasdaq notified the Company that the bid price of its listed securities had closed at less than $1.00 per share over the previous 30 consecutive business days and, as a result, did not comply with Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). The Company was provided 180 calendar days, or until June 25, 2024, to regain compliance with this rule.
Additionally, on April 18, 2024, Nasdaq notified the Company that since it had not yet filed its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, it no longer complied with Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). Pursuant to Listing Rule 5810(c)(2)(A), this deficiency is now an additional basis for delisting.
The Company intends to request a hearing to appeal the Delisting Determination by May 1, 2024, the latest date permitted, which will stay the suspension of the Company’s securities for 15 days from the date of the request, during which time the Company’s securities will continue to be listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. The Company also intends to request an extended stay of the suspension pending such hearing with Nasdaq’s Hearings Panel.
If the Company fails to appeal the Delisting Determination by May 1, 2024, trading of the Company’s common stock will be suspended at the opening of business on May 3, 2024, and a Form 25-NSE will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will remove the Company’s securities from listing and registration on The Nasdaq Stock Market.
The Company is considering all potential options available to it to regain compliance with the aforementioned rules, including filing its 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, timely filing its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, and seeking stockholder approval for a reverse stock split.

This idea came to me in college and I've sort of played around with it over the years. I would appreciate any constructive criticism, especially focused on the prose and characters. This would be the introductory chapter of one of the main characters, Karl Klug, who is an important noble in his country. I hope you enjoy!
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KARL 1
Three men stood beneath a great oak branch, hands bound and nooses pulled tight around their necks. The branches connected to a mighty tree, old as the mountains themselves. The men were all silent, as were the other corpses gently swinging in the morning breeze. The air was still cold from the dew, not yet banished by the still rising sun.
“If you have anything left to say, now would be the time.” Karl Klug, Lord of the Wald said as he eyed them with disgust from the back of his chestnut horse destrier. He sat tall in the saddle, his close cropped brown hair and clean shaven face a far cry from the ragged appearance of the condemned. His heavy, black, woolen cloak was pulled tight, the hood up to block out the wind. Under the cloak he wore a simple brown doublet, with a crest bearing the black tree on a green field that was the sigil of his house. Karl always made sure to represent House Klug when acting as Lord, as was his duty.
These men were thieves, rapists, and murderers. They attacked travelers on the roads of the Wald, and it was Karl’s duty, as Duke of the Wald and Lawspeaker to the King, to keep those roads safe. The law demanded only one punishment for their transgressions. Their fate would serve as a warning to other would-be bandits.
The first man, a stern face and hard eyes, said nothing, but spat on the ground. The second man, fat and whimpering, managed to speak out in between choked sobs “Please m’lord. Mercy! They made me do it!”
The last man, a boy no older than fifteen, barked at him to be quiet. “We’re done for Ozzy. Go to the Wainman with some dignity, would you?” Such bravery in one so young. What could he have become if he followed a different path?
With that, Karl nodded to Jorivs, his household Resolver, who pulled hard on the ropes, them each one by one into the air, sending them kicking and choking into the Beyond. The second one, Ozzy, screamed and begged for his mother before the rope cut him off. Jorivs tied the final line off to a stake, while Wolter, his barber-surgeon companion, scribbled something down in a book. “They go to their doom in all different spirits, yet they all dance the hangman’s jig just the same.” He said as he turned a page.
“Amazing the lessons they teach at Spierpont.” Jorvis chuckled as the last pair of legs stopped kicking. “Shame Lemba couldn’t join us.”
“The Elf has seen his fair share of death. Let him enjoy his peace.”
“I only jest, my lord.” Jorvis said as he took a sip from his canteen. He motioned for Wolter to take a drink, but the older man was too busy furiously scribbling in his notebook to notice.
Karl looked to the east. The dawn was still cresting the horizon. “I’m off to the woods. I will not be disturbed.” Matilda and the children will still be sleeping. Best not to wake them with my return.
His pages nodded and replied in unison “Yes my lord.” By Karl’s standing order, Jorvis was peeling the boots of the dead men, better they should shoe a pauper than rot on the condemned. Wolter sketched the hanging men in his book, taking special care to note the lolling tongues and soiled breeches. Jorvis had the boots in a loose pile when he pulled a knife and a small pouch from his belt. “The eyes,my lord?”
He nodded grimly. “Hain will have his due.” Jorvis took a small stool and set to work, all six organs removed in a few quick flashes of the blade. Jorvis placed the grim package in its usual place on Baldur, Karl’s horse. With the bloody sack tied to his saddle, Karl rode off towards the thick forest nearby, a page in tow to hold his horse.
The page started to speak, and then stopped himself. He was a small boy, ten or eleven at the most. He had been to several executions before and not once had he been troubled by the sight of death.
Karl noticed the indecisive boy and helped him along.
“Something bothering you, Wiglaf?”
“The” came a squeak. Wiglaf cleared his throat and tried again. “The Resolver grumbles, lord. He grumbles that it would be easier to take the eyes before hanging the condemned.” He said meekly
“I know he grumbles. I know. But this is the way things are to be done. Taking their eyes before they hang is not the punishment for their crime. These men had their trial, and I sentenced them to die, not to be tortured. Do you understand, Wiglaf?”
“Aye, my lord. I understand.” Wiglaf nodded.
Wiglaf. So eager to learn but so nervous to offend. I’ll talk to his father the next time we meet.
This was the first time in months he had a chance to take in the forest. The influx in banditry in the past year had been a great source of woe not only to Karl, but to the Waldish people as a whole. They had enough to be fearful of without their fellow man adding to their problems. It had kept Karl up many nights, as he racked his brain trying to figure out the cause.
He had built roads, sick houses, held fairs, endorsed the Bard’s college, done all in his power to keep the people happy and content and quiet, and yet, there were some who still turned to crime. Why? No. Not now. Not here. Karl decided that he needed to rest his mind from constant affairs of state, and allow himself to relax before he made his offering.
They reached a clearing, and Karl dismounted. “Hitch up Baldur and rub him down. Have something to eat from my pack if you get hungry. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone this time.” The page nodded. Wiglaf, a good lad, if a bit timid at times. Weather had concealed his typical path into the great forest, but muscle memory lead his way.
He enjoyed his solitary walks in the woods, it gave him a chance to forget the woes of rulership, the frustrations of fatherhood, and the horrible curse that befell his bloodline. Now that things had quieted down with the bandits, Karl hoped he might have more time to be a husband to his wife, Matilda, and a father to their children. His three children, though nearly adults themselves, still tended to make a commotion. What they need is a firm hand. Their mother will spoil them rotten if she has her way. Karl laughed to himself. She always gets her way.
His feet knew where he was going, even if his mind did not. He always returned to the same place, no matter what direction he turned. Are the woods themselves magic, or just the creatures that inhabit it? He wondered as he found the well worn dirt path covered by a tunnel of tree limbs. The branches must have kept this clear from storms after all.
Few who entered the Wald came back alive, save for the Elves and their slaves, who usually came out in one piece. Most who walked too far past the tree line simply vanished. There were rumors, of course. Even his own grandfather had claimed that he was, in fact, the same Helm Klug that had vanished without a trace in the winter of 542. He had fallen through a tree hollow and into the myth shrouded realm of Cunnan, where time flows differently, or so the stories go. As such, though ninety-five years had passed from the time of the vanishing, Helm had only aged ten years or so.
Karl’s realm was a dangerous one, even without the recent rise of the highwaymen. To an outsider, walking alone in the duchy of the Wald was like strolling past a dark alley with coins jingling loudly. To Karl Klug, Lord of the Wald, it was like walking into his own bedroom. He had grown up here, he knew that danger lurked behind every tree, above every branch, and below every root. Not once had he seen anything like what Grandfather Helm had rambled about. No fairies or witches or traces of Hain. Still, one had to tread carefully here. Even Karl would not dare to venture in some parts of the forest, for an ancient force still had power in the dark parts of Bordrim.
I hope Hain will be pleased with my tribute. To survive here, one had to know when to fight, when to run, and when to submit. Some might call that heretical, going against the word of the church, But that was not something he wished to think about now, not when he was trying to be at peace.
The fresh air cleared his head and refreshed his spirit. Karl took a long, deep breath filling his lungs with the cold morning damp. He knew he would not be distrubed here, as none but the Duke of the Wald may travel to this part of the woodland.
He had been Duke ever since the death of his father when he was just four years old, though he had not ruled in his own right until he was fourteen. In that time, he had learned much from his regents, and his mother, who was far more capable than many made her out to be. She had taught him that most men, however pure their intentions may seem, nearly always had some ulterior motive that they wished to advance. Karl remembered that as his most valuable lesson, and it had assisted him greatly as he came of age. My father’s sycophants did not last long when I ruled in my own right.
The sound of rushing water came to his ear as he walked by the River Cember where his father had drowned. He used to intentionally go out of his way to avoid being near it, but now he barely gave it a second glance. I used to be so afraid of the water, until I understood why Father died. But by then, Mother had the Court Elf Lembe throw me in Sillac Pond. How I thrashed! It didn’t seem so scary after that. Fate is far more terrifying than any danger and far more comforting than any joy. Once you have been through the worst, everything else can be done with ease.
Karl heard a branch snap in the trees to his right, and his hand slipped to the silver coated dagger at his hip. He stood still as the trees around him, slowly moving his eyes from right to left as he looked for the source of the noise. Funny. I was afraid of harmless water for so many years when there were very real threats all around me the entire time. As long as I stay on the path, no beast would dare harm me.
There were no further noises, and judging by the humming of insects and the singing of birds, there was no real threat. Probably a stag or maybe one of Grandfather Helm’s Fae creature having a laugh at my expense. He continued walking for some time, climbing up small, rolling hills and ducking under fallen tree trunks, before reaching a final, gentle incline which led to Hidden Hill. That was where they found his older brother, Jasper, hanging from the tree at the top. That was the day his father had told him about the curse that stalked their family.
He made his way up the slope, as he had countless times before. The top of the hill was clear, save for one tree, planted by Karl’s grandfather Helm upon regaining control of the Wald after decades of Gaunt rule. His family adopted that tree, and made it part of their heraldry. A great black tree, sounded by the green of the forest.
The air seemed to resist being pulled into his lungs now. He had to unclench his teeth, relax his shoulders. He looked down at his fingers. He had scraped away the flesh near the nails on his thumbs and middle digits. How long have I been at it this time? It is difficult to relax when I am surrounded by some many painful reminders of the past. No matter how deep in this forest I walk, I cannot escape the memories that tears at me.
He kept his eyes low. Karl enjoyed seeing the blooming flowers and vibrant weeds that grew along the path he always walked. One particular group of plants caught his eye. A clover patch. The old folks said that in every clover patch, there was one particularly special sprout. And so Karl made a point to look over each and every patch he saw, even if only a passing glance.
What’s this? He said to the tiny green sprout as he crouched down for a closer look. A clover with four leaves. Lucky, lucky. Karl smiled as he plucked the clover and put it in his coin purse. And a good omen too. I know Otto will love this.
Karl continued up the path, and sat beneath the great black tree, looking out onto the castle that stood proud below in the clearing. Grey Hallow, it was called, and it was among the oldest in Bordrim, predating even the great fortresses of the Empire that many great houses now called their own. With two rings of thick, tall walls and towers covering every angle of approach, no enemy had ever successfully stormed the walls. Though a knife in the back is sometimes better than a ram at the gate, as history has proved.
Karl grabbed the now wet sack that Jorvis had provided. He quickly found a small knothole and stuffed the grisly offering side. The Dule clasped his hands together and bowed his head. “Haim, please take this offering that we may know quiet peace.” He sighed. Was Haim even real? Or just another story to make obedient children?
As Karl reclined in the unearthed roots of the black oak, he smiled. *Real or not, offerings to Haim aren’t all terrible.*This was the tree that he had married Matilda under, after he came back from the Siege of Hammerring, the last remaining Imperial stronghold in Bordrim. He had made a fortune by securing the ransoms of important Imperials, bringing House Klug from the embarrassment of near bankruptcy to extreme wealth in a single day. He had spent coins like a drunken gambler blessed with immovable luck that night, and from then on men had begun to say he was the richest man in the kingdom. I don’t know about any of that. But riches aren’t just measured in gold. Karl thought as he ran his fingers along the black bark of the tree.
Searching through the leather pack he took from his saddle, Karl grabbed the cloth that held the dried venison and cheese he had carried along for his breakfast. The castle will just be coming to life now. He thought as the sun began to climb higher in the sky. After he had broken his fast, he pulled a quill, a tightly sealed ink pot, and a piece of parchment from his sack. He began to write.
“Your smile, a joy
Your laugh, a pleasure.
When we are together,
Troubles are light as a feather.”
Karl would have a servant hide that among Matilda’s things, where she would discover it later. Even after fifteen years of marriage, Karl loved to create these little surprises for his wife, just as she loved finding his cumbersome gifts and clumsy poetry.
A long, steady drumming sounded over the tops of the trees, booming from the direction of Grey Hallow, but far beyond. In the west, birds squaked and scattered to the wind. By the cadence of their beat, Karl knew it was the Elves, come to pay their respects and receive letters of safe passage as required by the Pact. A little earlier than expected. No matter. I prefer early to late. No doubt my Chamberlain, Aldred, will have everything prepared. Karl sprang to his feet, dusted off his trousers, and rolled the dried parchment. He followed the path back to the castle at a quick pace, humming a song his Bard had sung the previous night while they slept under the stars.
The day had well and truly begun upon his return. Servants wearing the green and black of his house dashed about as their duties required. Men stood guard wearing the Great Black Tree of the Klugs on their livery. The halls were alive with chatter and the scuffing of feet. Karl knew a long line of petitioners awaited him in his hall, but everyone knew that an audience with elves took precedence over the squabbles of men. They had all heard the drums, and they would be pressed together like bees in a hive just for a glimpse of the pointy eared outlanders. Every year, young elves Elves embarked on a great journey that they called *THING* or “The Taste” in the Imperial tongue. They spent anywhere from one to one hundred years living among the mortals, learning their ways and customs. Some spent the rest of their millennia-long lives among the mortals, watching dynasties rise and fall, technological marvels stun the world, and should they be unfortunate enough to make friends or find lovers, they witness death on a scale previously unimaginable.
Lemba is due to return home by the end of the year. After seventy years of service to my family, he’s earned his rest. Perhaps one of the newcomers would like a position at court. I would very much like to continue my lessons. Karl flexed his fingers at the mere thought of magic. Outlawed in most realms of men, Karl had insisted on instruction. The training was hard and the consequences if discovered by the Church would be dire, but in a land as dangerous as the Wald, every advantage counted.
The drums boomed, growing louder as the elves approached closer. I must hurry. I cannot insult them by wearing the same clothes I just wore to an execution. Karl jogged down the path from whence he came. Wiglaf was holding Baldur by his reigns, and he snapped to attention the moment he saw Karl approach. “The drums my lo-”
“I heard. Ride ahead and have your father prepare clothing for court.”
“Right away, my lord.” The page said as he galloped away. Karl followed at a quick but more relaxed pace. No sense in appearing sweaty and exasperated for my guests. He reasoned as he rode down the winding path.
His servants were waiting at the gate for him. They grabbed their reins from Baldur, and Karl climbed down from the horse. “Andred has selected your clothing, m’lord. Right this way, if you please.” Onna, the fat seamstress said and she beckoned him to follow. She led him to the laundry, where Karl pulled the dirty articles he had worn for the execution and picked up the courtly clothing she had laid out. He pulled the white linen tunic on first and fasted it was a leather belt inlain with a large silver buckle. His slipped into brown wool trousers next and grabbed a pair of light leather boots. While I won’t appear filthy in front of my guests, high fashion is not something I care to waste my gold on.
Karl sat in his finely carved chair on the dais at the end of the hall. It sat to the right of an identical, but smaller chair where his wife sat*.* She wore a black and green dress with a modestly cut v-neck which exposed her pale skin. Her golden hair lay in one long braid along her shoulder. and her piercing blue eyes smiled back at Karl’s own green. This was the women he had fallen in love with the moment he first spoke to her. She had been less convinced, at first. While he had been the highest born of her many suitors, he had not been her first choice.
“I thought you were boring!” She would tease him later. “You barely said a word the first three times we met.”
“I was nervous.” He would reply. “You captured my heart and my wits that day in High Hibaltia.”
“Well, that wit is what won me. Perhaps I just borrowed it for a time.” She smiled.
Cleverness, justness, kindness. These are the things that make me love you.
The couple held each other's hands as they looked over the court. The chamberlain, Aldred, was quickly giving some last minute instructions to his son and another page, and they immediately scrambled to their work. Guards stood firmly at attention in front of the doors, knowing that they would be facing a hallway full of eager onlookers at any moment.
Their three children stood to the side, talking amongst themselves. Grimbold was the oldest. And doomed to die young, as my brother and uncle have. He was tall, taller than Karl even. He had the arms of a blacksmith’s apprentice and Karl’s own brown curls. He shared his mother’s sky blue eyes and slender nose, as well as her quick temper. He’ll want more responsibility soon. I’ve already denied him a squireship. Perhaps a minor position at court would assuage him.
Next to Grimbold was Charlotte, their only daughter. She too had Karl’s curly brown hair, but she wore it in a long braid, like her mother. She was just like Matilda, in fact. They were both skilled with numbers, and Charlotte’s fascination with bards rivaled Matilda’s own obsession. The two of them often pleaded with Karl to hire this performer or that one, and Duke Karl Klug, Lawspeaker of Bordrim, would not resist his girls, especially Charlotte. She had just turned fourteen, and would be expecting suitors soon. I doubt any of them would be worthy of her. The two of us share a thin patience for stupidity and love makes fools of us all. Especially this false, courtly love the Pawley’s have been peddling these last centuries.
And then there was Otto, the youngest of the three. He stood in between his brother and sister, obviously uncomfortable and being talked over. Nervous and shy, Otto had trouble making friends with children his age. He got along well enough with Wiglaf, but the two never actively sought each other out for play. Probably waiting for the other to make the first move. Karl thought to himself.
“Otto!” Karl yelled. The boy snapped nearly to attention. “Come here, lad. I have a surprise for you.” The boy warily came before his parents.
“Close your eyes and stick out your hands, Otto.” Matilda gently urged.
Otto did as he was told. “Karl dug around in his coin purse and pulled out the clover and a gold coin. He placed the two in Otto’s open palm.
His eyes beamed just before the rest of his face lit up. “Is it real?” He asked as he squealed at his gift.
“Just found it this morning. I figured, with you as my son, I already have all the luck I need.” Otto grinned wide, his missing baby teeth apparent in his otherwise toothy smirk. “Now, with that coin, I want you to find a book that we can read together. Would you like that?” “Yes, father! Yes, yes!” Otto exclaimed, almost shaking with excitement.
“Now get back to your place. The Elves will be here soon.:
“Yes, father!” Otto slipped the clover and coin into his own purse and hurried back to his siblings.
Matilda leaned over and kissed Karl on the forehead. “You’re a good man, Karl Klug.” His mind raced back to dawn, and the creaking of ropes. “I try to be, my love.” He kissed her forehead back. There was a commotion behind the doors to the hallway. It started as a low murmur, and then grew in size, becoming a roar of excitement.
Lemba, Karl’s tutor and resident Elf, took
The Elves had arrived.
Two figures, hooded in dark crimson cloaks, approached the dais. Less than a quarter of what I was told to expect. Behind them were six large, muscular, green skinned orcs bound together at wrist and ankle. Less than a tenth of what I had prepared for. Some Orcs had obviously suffered wounds in the recent past, black blood welling up through tightly wrapped bandages at shoulder, scalp, or thigh. Karl knew from past experience that were these wounds even a slight inconvenience to the Elves, the Orc would be killed with no more pity than lame donkey.
The two cloaked figures marched in a praticed cadence as they moved towards the Duke and Duchess. They all move like that in this room. Is it tradition? Or something more calculated? Lemba, can you enlighten me?
“In due time.” The elf’s voice answered in Karl’s mind. “For now, let us see who has survived the journey.
Karl cast a quick and silent spell to identify the travelers, his only tell was a twitch of the nose, which may have been mistaken for an aborted sneeze.
Viksna and Piske Dun Beske, twin siblings of a prominent Orhani family. Lemba leaned and whispered into Karl’s ear. “The youngest children of a powerful family of sorcerors. T
“Viksna and Piske you illuminate my land with your presence.” Karl’s voice boomed across the hall. It had been so long since he had shouted without magical amplification that he wondered if his throat could even yell anymore.
The two outsiders removed their hoods and stood with clasped hands and bowed heads. Their hair golden, their ears pointed, they were both of a similar height and build, shorter than most men in the room, and Karl could tell they were thin even under their robes.
“And you honor us with your hospitality, Lord Klug.” The pair said in unison.
“You’ve arrived sooner than expected. Was your trip pleasant?”
“We ran into some trouble with monsters, I’m afraid.” Piske said, matter of factly.
“ They devoured quite a few of our slaves.” Viksna added. And of course, the Shadow King must have his due. Our traveling companions were not to his liking. We two and The six Orcs you see behind us are all that is left, I’m afraid, out of the seventeen souls we departed with. Ah, yes. The older races call Haim by his title and dare not refer to him by name. A superstitious bunch, the Elves.
Three slaves for each of us is hardly fitting.” Piske scoffed.
“A shame. I will see that they are tended to. And my servants shall make up for your deficit. See these creatures to their quarters.” He ordered with a wave of his hand.
Guards cautiously herded the six chained beasts on the points of spears, but the broken creatures simply did as they were told and offered no resistance, not even a scowl. They were broken in mind and spirit, they simply existed to do as they were told. Even still, they looked as if they could crush a man’s skull without much effort, and so the guards insisted on caution. I cannot say I blame them.
The instant their slaves were gone from the room, the elves both went down to one knee, each pulling a small bundle from their cloaks. In unison they spoke. “We have come to pay tribute to the Lord of the Wald. Bordermaster, River Watcher, Upholder of the Pact. We offer these small tokens to you, Great Lord.”
Karl pushed up from his seat on the dais and walked towards the pair, gesturing them to stand. This well rehearsed speech never fails to delight my courtiers. “You have left your great capitol of Orhani to live amongst the lesser lived. You have endured freezing cold and driving rain. You have crossed river and mountain, field and fell, and traversed the Wald itself. You have fought beast and monster and seen many things that Man fears in his dreams. You have lost friends and companions along your way, and for that, you have our sympathy. However, all is not lost, and these deaths have not been in vain. You have proved yourselves worthy of fellowship through your very deeds. I bid you stand, as friends of Men.” The two figures stood, pulling back their hoods as the ritual demanded. They both looked as beautiful as painted godlings, young as if in their prime, though each must have seen a hundred years come and go.
The two approached, stepping slowly, deliberately, in unison to the dais where Karl sat. Piske stepped forward, leaving his sister still as a statue with her bundle still in her hands.
“For you, my lord. A gift.” He bowed and handed the package to Karl.
“Thank you, Piske.” Karl exchanged a rolled parchment for the gift. The container was small, and light. It could have been empty if Karl did not know better. He pulled the string holding everything together, and opened the paper wrapping. Inside was a ring, small and green, with all manner of beasts carved intricately on the sides.
“This is remarkable, Piske. You have my thanks.” Karl said as he turned the ring over in his hands. He spied an eagle, a fish, a rat, and a bear amongst the throng of creatures on the metal.
Piske looked to Lemba, eyes practically screaming for help. Lemba chuckled to himself for a moment and then cocked his head in Karl’s direction.
“May I approach, my lord?” the Elf asked in the elegant Elvish tongue, hands out stretched. Karl nodded his approval and he came forward. Piske leaned forward, taking the ring from the Lord’s hand and slipped the emerald ring onto his own left pointer finger.
“This ring is rather...peculiar, my lord. Observe.” The Elf cleared his throat and began to shout “Will one of you fellows come out? We’d like to make introductions.”
A heavy silence, followed by quiet, confused muttering amongst the onlookers. Then a shriek came from the rear of the crowd, growing louder and closer by the second.
That’s when it appeared before Karl’s eyes. It came forward at a run. Sharp claws, huge black eyes, and jagged yellow teeth.
“The ring summons rats?” Karl answered in Elvish in between laughs.
“Or maybe it makes the wearer forget his manners.” came a perfect Elvish reply from the rat. Karl’s eyes shot wide. Bhalik’s Maw. Did that rodent just speak? He regained his composure and looked around his court. Everyone was staring up at him. Had they all heard too?
“They can’t hear me, you big oaf. Only the ring bearer can.” Karl glanced at the green band around his finger. “My name is difficult to pronounce, but for the sake of simplicity, call me Ymaut. Piske tells me you have a rather large network of informants. How would you like to expand?
“We’ll discuss another time. Thank you, Piske. You honor me.”
Piske bowed. “Of course, my lord. My sister has brought you a gift as well” gesturing to his companion. He stepped back to take her place, while Viksna approached, bowed and held out her tribute. The thing she brought was bigger and heavier than her brother’s gift. When Karl had finished unwrapping it, he understood why.
“A Grimoire.” he said quietly.
“May I approach, my lord?” Karl nodded absently as he flipped through the pages.
Viksna whispered. “I am told you enjoy practicing magic. I would be happy to teach you, if you’d like.”
“This is too much to trade for a mere letter of safe conduct. Anything in my power to give you is yours, if you but name it.”
Viksna thought for only a brief moment. “Should there be an opening for a position in your court that I may be suitable for, I would like to enter your service.”
Lemba is leaving my service, to return to Outland. If you would care to remain here and assume his role upon his departure, I would welcome the company.” Karl said as he struggled to tear his eyes away from the book. That will be all for today. My servants will show you to your chambers. Should you want for anything at all, you need only ask and it is yours.”
The two bowed low. “You honor us, my lord.” the two Elves said as one. As they slowly walked from the hall, Karl’s Chamberlain, Aldred, whispered in his ear. “My lord, Sir Vanya has come to charge Baron Stevers as an oathbreaker. My duty calls. Karl thought, the grimoire still open in his hand.

Date: 05/27/2024

Reading time: 7 minutes, 1410 words

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Citizens have been organizing actions of disobedience in different parts of Yerevan, in the metro, on regional highways since early morning. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan called to organize actions so that their voices could be heard. As of 10:10 a.m., 196 participants of the action were brought to the police.

ArkaAm

Armenian Foreign Minister, President of the Hauts-de-Seine of France discuss multi-layered bilateral partnership issues

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the delegation headed by Georges Siffredi, the President of the Hauts-de-Seine of France. The interlocutors discussed issues of the multi-layered bilateral partnership between Armenia and France.

Armenpress, France's Hauts-de-Seine region ready to support flood-affected Tavush: Pashinyan receives Georges Siffredi, French Hauts-de-Seine department ready to assist flood-hit Tavush region of Armenia

Armenian Foreign Ministry highly appreciates international partners' support following heavy floods - spokesperson

Heavy floods in Lori and Tavush regions of the Republic of Armenia caused loss of lives and serious damage of infrastructure and residential areas. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highly appreciates the solidarity expressed by international partners, countries and organizations.

Armenpress, Identities of four flood victims in Armenia confirmed, Iranian Embassy extends support to Armenia amid flood crisis, Pashinyan leads emergency response meeting for Lori and Tavush regions, French Hauts-de-Seine department ready to assist flood-hit Tavush region of Armenia, PM Pashinyan holds meeting with emergency response team, 269 people evacuated amid severe floods in Armenia’s north

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan received representatives of Armenian communication operators

Minister of High-tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia received representatives of Armenian communication operators to assess and eliminate communication problems in the settlements affected by the flood. A large amount of infrastructures were damaged as a result of the flood, and operative works are being carried out to restore them.

Armenpress

Our common objective is sustainable peace in the South Caucasus – Borrell had a phone conversation with Mirzoyan

EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said achieving peace in the South Caucasus is “our common objective” Borrell wrote on X social network. He reiterated support to Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process.

Armenpress

The highway to Bagratashen customs checkpoint is passable - details

The highway to the Bagratashen customs checkpoint is passable in the direction of Yerevan-Sevan-Dilijan-Ijevan. The Road Department reports that there is some accumulation of water in one area.

Armenpress, Minister: Bagratashen border checkpoint to open soon, road already accessible, Bagratashen customs checkpoint on Armenia-Georgia border functioning normally

The “Crossroads of Peace” project initiated by RA Government has a crucial potential for regional stability - Iñárritu

Iñárritu: "Crossroads of Peace" project could serve as an acceptable alternative to more contentious proposals such as the so-called “Zangezur corridor’s” The only recognized corridor in the region has been the Lachin corridor, established to connect Armenia with Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) The success of such an initiative hinges on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Armenpress

No problems in Russian-Armenian trade, says deputy prime minister

"There are absolutely no problems and failures in trade between Russia and Armenia," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said. The Upper Lars checkpoint (on the border between Armenia and Georgia) is operating in a normal mode. Upper Lars is the only land route from Armenia to Russia via Georgia.

ArkaAm

Armenia appreciates solidarity of intetnational partners aftet heavy floods – MFA

Heavy floods in Tavush and Lori regions of Armenia caused loss of lives and serious damage of infrastructure and residential areas. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "We highly appreciate the solidarity expressed by our international partners, countries and organizations following heavy floods"

ArmRadio

Armenia: Top cleric to retain title as he bids to become interim PM

Galstanyan said earlier that the interim government would be tasked with stopping the “destruction of our homeland”.

PanArmenian

Ex-mayor of Karabakh capital arrested in Yerevan

Ex-mayor of the Nagorno-Karabakh city of Stepanakert David Sargsyan has been arrested for 20 days.

PanArmenian

China, Japan, and South Korea hold first high-level meeting in nearly five years

Meeting was held between Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul. This is the first tripartite meeting of the three countries since 2019, aimed at resuming negotiations on free trade and security.

Armenpress

Yerevan Municipality postponespurchase of 15 new trolleybuses and 171 new buses for the next year

Yerevan Municipality postpones purchase of new buses and trolleybuses for next year. Mayor Tigran Avinyan said he cannot imagine organizing the purchase of 18-meter buses in a short period. Earlier, the municipality said it planned to acquire 15 new trolley buses and 171 new buses.

ArkaAm

Municipality: repair of Yerevan streets to start today

The repair work will be started from Nor Nork administrative district. Mayor Tigran Avinyan said Yerevan residents often ask why potholes are not fixed on one or another street. The main reason is that the municipality cannot carry out both patching and repair work within one year.

ArkaAm

Iranian Embassy in Armenia offers condolences over casualties caused by heavy floods

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Yerevan expresses its condolences over the casualties and material damages caused by the recent flood in some cities and residential districts of Armenia. Four people were killed as rivers to overflew their banks in norther regions of Armenia.

ArmRadio

💵 Economy

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan to retain episcopal rank – Mother See

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan will retain his episcopal, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin informs. At the same time, his ecclesiastical and administrative service will be terminated.

ArmRadio

Armenia’s foreign trade turnover grows to $13.7 bn in Q1 2024

Armenia's foreign trade turnover grew up to $13.7 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Exports from Armenia grew by 180% in Q1 2024, compared to the same period of 2023. Armenia’s imports grew by 110% to $7.73 billion in same period.

ArkaAm, Electricity generation in Armenia grew by 0.4% year-on-year in four months of 2024, Armenia's economic activity up 13.2% year-on-year in 4 months in 2024, Armenia's foreign trade turnover in January-April increased 2.4 times to 13.7 billion dollars

⚽ Sport

Eduard Spertsyan is one of the best midfielders in the Russian Premier League

Eduard Spertsyan is one of the best midfielders of the 2023/24 season of the Russian Premier League. The midfielder of the Armenian national football team participated in 29 matches, scoring 11 goals and providing 7 assists.

Armenpress

Armenian gymnast Artur Avetisyan wins gold atWorld Challenge Cup in Varna

Armenian gymnast Artur Avetisyan became the winner of the World Challenge Cup held in Varna, Bulgaria. The athlete won the gold on the rings with 14,500 points in the final.

ArmRadio

Date: 05/26/2024

Reading time: 0 minutes, 142 words

🏛️ Politics & Government

Armenian authorities work to cope with aftereffects of heavy rains

About 232 people evacuated in Lori and Tavush regions, as well as in capital Yerevan. 30 teams of 324 rescuers working in the affected territories, the Rescue Service of the Interior Ministry said. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan headed to the flood-affected area, where search and rescue operations are underway.

ArkaAm

This is a natural disaster of enormous proportions - minister speaks about the consequences of flooding

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan: 'This is a natural disaster of huge proportions' He said the restoration of the M6 and M4 motorways towards Georgia is a priority. The emergency situation arose due to heavy rains in Tavush, Lori and Yerevan.

ArkaAm

🧪 Science & Technology

Water supply to 16 settlements of Armenia interrupted due to flooding of water pipelines - Veolia Jur

As a result of the Debed River overflow, the 530-millimetre Alaverdi-Arkhis-Nomberyan water pipeline was flooded, Veolia Jur Company reports. Water supply to towns of Akhtanaka, Akhtala, Ayrum, as well as villages has been interrupted. The flooding also caused problems in Dilijan, some neighbourhoods of which were left without water.

ArkaAm

Date: 05/25/2024

Reading time: 2 minutes, 555 words

🪖 Military

Armenian delegation participating in NATO PA session

The delegation is headed by Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the standing committee on defense and security matters.

PanArmenian

Azerbaijan's defense spending set to increase by 11%

Azerbaijan's spending on defense and national security will increase by 11%, according to a fresh bill.

PanArmenian

🏛️ Politics & Government

Post by Vice-Chair of Czech Chamber of Deputies on Azerbaijan's actions in Karabakh sparks strong reaction in Baku

The head of the Azerbaijani-Czech Parliament's working group sent a letter of protest on behalf of the members of the Czech Republic-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary Friendship Group of the Chamber of Deputies.

Armenpress

Armenian premier visits the NSS Border Guard outpost stationed in Baghanis section

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the NSS Border Guard outpost stationed in Baghanis section of the region of Tavush. PM was reported that no violations were found on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, no incidents and accidents occurred.

Armenpress

Ambassador of Armenia to India participated in the India-Armenia Trade Conference

Ambassador of Armenia to India, Vahagn Afyan, participated in the India-Armenia Trade Conference in New Delhi. He delivered a speech at the event organized in cooperation with the Indian Economic Trade Organization (IETO) Armenia's tourist attractions were presented in interviews and articles of the Indian "Diplomatist" magazine.

Armenpress

Armenian FM, EU’s Borrell discuss regional issues

The EU’s Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia, developed as a result of the Brussels meeting of April 5, was touched upon. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Miroyan and the EU HVP touched upon other topics of mutual interest.

ArmRadio

Possible change of Schengen visa fee will not apply to Armenian citizens – MFA

The possible change of Schengen visa fee will not apply to Armenian citizens. MFA Spokesperson Ani Badalyan says the amount of the fee for Armenian citizens is defined by the agreement “On Facilitating the Issuance of Visas between the Republic of Armenia and the European Union” signed on December 17, 2012.

ArmRadio, Schengen visa cost won’t change for Armenia – diplomat

At Pelopennese University, Ambassador Mkrtchyan speaks about Armenia’s foreign policy, ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh

Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Greece had a lecture on “Armenia today and its foreign policy” for faculty and students. Tigran Mkrtchyan presented the cases of violations by Azerbaijan of binding decisions adopted by the International Court of Justice.

ArmRadio

Lavrov says envoys “periodically” summoned for consultations

Sergei Lavrov has commented Moscow’s summoning of Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin.

PanArmenian

Nikol Pashinyan visits the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Voskepar

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Church of the Holy Mother of God, located in the village of Voskepar. He learned about outcomes of the delineation works of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the service of the NSS border guard troops.

Armenpress

“Nagorno-Karabakh: Endangered Armenian Heritage” photo exhibit held in the House of Commons of Canada

Armenia co-hosted a photo exhibit in the House of Commons entitled “Nagorno-Karabakh: Endangered Armenian Heritage” The exhibit included works of Canadian Armenian photographer Hrair “Hawk” Khatcherian from his book “Artsakh: The Photographer's Eye”

Armenpress

PM Pashinyan’s helicopter makes unplanned landing in Vanadzor due to adverse weather

The helicopter carrying Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made an unplanned landing in Vanadzor due to adverse weather conditions. "Dear friends, everything is fine," he wrote on Facebook following the landing.

Armenpress, Armenian PM’s helicopter makes ‘unscheduled landing’ in Vanadzor due to bad weather, Armenian PM’s helicopter makes emergency landing in Vanadzor

🧪 Science & Technology

Yeremyan Projects opens state-of-the-art dairy production plant

Yeremyan Projects officially launched the Yeremyan Products state-of-the-art milk processing plant in Yerevan on May 24.

PanArmenian

🎭 Culture

Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’, featuring Armenian actors, wins Palme d’Or at 2024 Cannes Film Festival

Sean Baker’s Anora, which stars Armenian actors Karren Karagulian and Vache Tovmasyan, has won the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The win marks a new high point for Baker, the director of The Florida Project.

Armenpress, Sean Baker’s ANORA starring Armenian actors wins Palme d’Or at Cannes Festival

Donations to Armenia:

Himnadram
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ArmeniaFund

Roll…roll…roll…
KER-SMASH!
“Good one, Rock. One more and you’ve got yourself a turkey.” Parker Markle, owner of the bowling establishment, noted.
“Thanks, Parker”, I said, thankfully accepting another longneck, “You still going on with your renovations here?”
“Damn straight!”, he replied, “I’ve got me investors, I’ve got me plans, and I’ve even got me real building permits this time…”
Two weeks later, we’re standing out in front of Parker’s still smoldering bowling alley and Parker is on the verge of tears.
“God damn shame”, I said, trying to commiserate my friend.
“Fucking squatters. Can’t even start on the renovations without these bastards…We chuck’em out of your place and the fuckers burn the place down. Hear from the local constabulary yet?”
“Yeah”, he snuffs, “Fucker’s ain’t got a hard dollar among them; nor two cents in their heads. Sure, I can sue, but to what purpose? Look at the place. I had my investors…I had plans…I’m well and truly fucked, Rock.”
“How much you out? “I asked, “How much you need to rebuild and remodel?”
“Oh, fuck me”, Parker trembled, “At least $55-60 thou. Where the fuck am I supposed to come up with that sort of scratch?”
Ker-ching!
I chucked my empty into the bin.
SPANG!
Parker immediately, without asking, dips into the ever-present cooler and hands me an icy-cold one.
In return, I hand Parker my business Rhodium American Express card.
“What’s this?”, he asks.
“It’s my entry into the world of keggeling and conspicuous consumer consumption” I chuckled.
“What the fuck?”, Parker asked, brow furrowed like the early spring marijuana fields hereabouts.
“Use it to order your needful things”, I said, “I’ve got way more than 60 thou free on the card. I mean, let’s not go nuts…”
“You mean?” He asked, quizzically.
“Yep.”, I replied, “Your wishes have been answered…sort of.
Parker looks at me with wide, wondering eyes.
“I’m your god-damned partner.” I smiled as I lit a huge Oscuro cigar; channeling Marion Ravenwood.
“Oh, fuck”, Parker suddenly breaks into a mile-wide smile. “We’re going to be the first bowling alley to have a walk-in humidor, aren’t we?”
“Fuckin-A, Bubba.”, I chuckle, “Plus a Class-A liquor license. Enough of this Class-B slinging beer for bucks bullshit, we’re going to have us a real tavern here on the green…”
“Let me get my plans”, Parker laughs, “I never thought of going the Class-A direction.”
“We’re going to serve more than pre-nuked wings and slate-board pizza.” I said, “We’re going to have 75 lanes, a full-service tavern, walk-in humidor, 80s arcade, and real fucking food. I remember you going on and on about it before the fire. Well, I haven’t forgotten what you’re dreaming about, so fuck it, let’s just do it.”
“It might go a bit past 60 large”, Parker said, slightly uncertainly.
“Let’s just keep it under 100k and for the love of grog, don’t say anything to Esme…”, I pleaded with Parker.
“I’ll do my best”, Parker said, as a manly handshake ensued.
“This could be the start of a beautiful friendship” I nattered.
Between my American Express card and Parker’s insurance pay out, we’ve got more than enough to start selecting contractors and hire us a security team. We’ve had the plans drawn up, had all the blueprints drafted, reviewed and OK’ed by the various governmental departments.
We are ready to tear down what remains of the old place, groom the land, and begin our re-build.
But first, there’s this little problem neither of us had foreseen.
What the fuck are we going to do with over 1,500 scorched pins and 800 or so blistered bowling balls?
We’ve already ordered all new pinsetters, pins and balls; so, what to do with all the leftovers…?
What to do?
What to do?
Of course! We hold a pre-opening carnival and sell tickets to a bowling ball mortar game.
No shit! Carve out a big-ass target out in some field, and fire bowling ball mortars. The closest ticket to where the ball lands wins.
We can worry about the details later.
First, I need to gin-up a set of bowling ball mortars. We’re going to introduce the southwest to Bowling Ball Bingo!
Hell. We’ll make it a huge pre-opening event: bowling ball punt guns, food trucks, local music, games of skill, food trailers, local brewery participation, drinking and merry making.
Still going to need some bowling ball cannons.
But first, we’ll need a place to hold the festivities.
No worries.
Y’see. I know this guy…
Now, in town, there’s been a lot of building. In fact, it looks overly developed.
However, go outside of town a couple of miles, and it’s heavily rural, fallow, and all agrarian.
Then there happens to be an old Junior League baseball diamond that’s been closed for years and in an advanced stage of neglect and derelictitis. However, it’s right off the main exit highway and nestled up closely to the San Juan River. Loads and loads of area to expand and have a nice little festivity.
I know the owner, the venerable ol’ bean Gilberto Cabrera.
So, I load up with beer and cigars and drive over to see Gilberto.
He’s outside his one-up, two-down, three across shotgun shack, sipping warm Modeles and cursing every aspect of life he’s currently been assigned.
I roll up and Gilberto instinctively reaches for his trusty double-barreled Ruger, gauge of 12.
“Whoa!”, I shout. “Just me, Gil. Kindly ol’ Doctor Rock.”
“What the fuck do you want?”, he growls.
“Hey!”, I yell, “Use low tones, or you can’t have any of the goodies I brought back from Canada.”
He props the shotgun over in a corner and being the avaricious old bastard he normally is, he bids me over to the porch to have a rag-chew and he a rifle of my truck’s built-in humidor.
I wander up and present him some pure maple syrup, fresh from Walmart, a half dozen cigars and a cold 12 pack of straight from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm’s (“The beer refreshing”).
We sit and catch up with each other. He’s an old widower and never had time for kids, so he’s grateful to have someone at least approximately his age to rabbit on with. He’s either 70 or 125, or somewhere in between.
It’s hard to tell with some of these old, wrinkly types.
Anyways, I broach the subject of ‘borrowing’ his land in and adjacent to the old ballpark.
“What fer?” He asks.
“Well,” I reply between sips of some recently obtained Kentucky Firewater, “Parker Markle and I are partners in a new rebuild of his bowling alley, which the squatters burned to a crisp once we got the local fuzz to chuck’em out.”
“Aye?”, he scowls, “Bastards. What does that have to do with me?”
“We decided to hold an impromptu festival, a couple of days, for grand re-opening, where we’d get some folk in to cater the event, with music, maybe some carnival-type rides, local food trucks and trailers, petting zoo for the kids, maybe a pick-up softball game or two and (saving the best for last) Bowling Ball Bingo.”
“What the hell’s that last one?” He wondered.
“Well, we’ve got nearly 1,000 old and slightly scorched bowling balls from the fire. Parker’s got new stock coming in with the insurance money. So, what better way to dispose of old bowling balls by building a couple of cannons, firing the balls skyward and have them fall on some prepared ground? The ground with have a checkerboard of letters and numbers, and instead of popping up little balls at the local Catholic Church, we use bowling ball cannons to choose?”
“Gil looks at me and scoffs, “Y’know, it’s not been really too quiet around here since you moved in. I know you’re a Master Blaster, but what do you really do?”
“Nothing too exciting,” I snicker, “I just snuff oil and gas well fires.”
“Hrumph”, he snorts, “No wonder it’s like the Fourth of July hereabouts every weekend.”
“A man’s gotta stay in practice”, I chuckle back.
We both have a snort and I produce new cigars. We spend the next few hours drafting up an agreement where we can use his land to hold the festival.
But the land and facilities are in a sad state of repair.
So, I promise to fix it up if he loans it to us for pre-opening weekend.
OK, but the facilities need paint, weed removal, blading for parking, Porta Johns, marking of parking areas, etc.
I tell Gil that’s fine. We’ll do all the work necessary to get his 40-acre donation ready for the big weekend. I also agreed to cede the finished area over to the Junior League baseball concern when we’re finished. As well as give the Jr. League 5% of the take, as the area is impoverished and any little help would be smiled upon greatly.
Gil also wants a nice, little honorarium to the tune of 5% of the gate.
“Sorry, Gil”, I replied, “But that’s a NCD (No Can Do). But I’ll let you sit in the security shack and keep an eye on the gate and warn about any potential trouble”.
He seemed less than amused.
“The gate will be right next to the beer garden and I could arrange it so that you could receive free beer in exchange for your time and sharp eye.” I noted.
The ink on the agreement wasn’t yet dry when Gil stated calling for his free beer.
“In a couple weeks, Gil”, I said, handing him a 12-pack of Blatz. “This’ll hold you until then.
He was deliriously happy. Free beer. Free cigars. A minuscule dose of power over his neighbors.
“Today is going to be a long day”, I noted to myself as I pulled out of Gil’s driveway.
First order of business was getting my old D-6 Caterpillar Dozer up and running. However, it needs some work.
I’ve got an idea, but the more it fleshed out, the more I felt like Hawkeye Pierce trying to get a new pair of boots from the Army.
I think I can nuke several birds with one stone: A trip to see Clay Smith about pipe for four bowling ball cannons.
I’ve known Clay for years and he’s one of the reasons we’ve settled in the area. He runs a fabricating/machine shop and that means I don’t need to buy an outbuilding to build my own metal shop.
After the obligatory handshakes, beers and cigars, we get down to brass tacks.
Well, CRA monel steel actually.
Found some 12.000" OD {A} x 8.600" ID {B} x 3.400" Wall {C} DOM Steel CRA casing, actually from the US Navy and once was part of a battleship’s complement; unknown which boat was the donor.
Perfect for 4 cannons.
CRA refers Corrosion Resistant Alloy; special pipe composited by two different materials including inner pipe and outer pipe. Inner CRA layer (0.25~26.0mm) normally such as Stainless steel, Duplex, Nickel alloy, Titanium, Hastelloy, Monel, etc., which are suitable for high corrosion environment.
Outer base material could be seamless or welded, SAWL, SAWH, ERW, HFW, or DSAW carbon steel pipe. The carbon steel substrate provides the required strength and the CRA cladding/lining provides the adequate corrosion resistance to the product being transported. The dissimilar metals that are present through the thickness of the pipe wall bring certain challenges to welding of clad/lined pipes, because welding of such pipes is usually carried out from the outside, using a single-sided welding technique
Clay needs some welding consumables, and will cut and polish the pipe for me if I find him a special CRA cutter-welder.
So, off to see Madden Martin at his welding shop.
“Madden, I need to borrow your CRA welder.” I notify him.
“Sure, what for?”, he asks.
“I’m building bowling ball cannons.” I replied.
“Oh. OK”, retorts Madden, thoroughly nonplussed with the day’s turn of events.
Sure, I can borrow the welder, all I need is to get him some good Wisconsin beer.
After a trip to the house, Madden loads the CRA welder into my truck after he offloads 2 cases of Blatz Light Cream Ale, 2 Cases of Leinenkugel’s, 2 cases of Point (“When you’re out of Point, you’re out of town”) and 2 cases of Spotted Cow from New Glarus.
I drop off the cutting welder to Clay and Javan Elliott, his second in command. We sit and chew the rag for a while, as his minions, of which he has thousands it seems, do the needful.
With the flick of the forklift, they load the 4 cut sections of the bowling ball punt guns in my truck.
Back to see Madden and we discuss his “kids” (apprentices) that are going to be helping me make the bowling ball cannons.
All it cost me was another couple of cases of beer and a box of ridiculously expensive cigars.
There are 6 “kids”:
2 Native American (Navajo): Shizhe'E (Navajo), Atsidi (Navajo),
2 Hispanic (by way of Old Mexico): Hector Manzanares, Richardo Sanchez (really) and,
A pair of local Heinz-57 variety Norteamericanos: Zachary Gibson and Alfie Walsh.
They all spoke passable English, and with my intense Oilfield Spanish, we could still communicate.
First, came the really dirty work. The pipe sections needed to be swaged, that is, drifted to see if they were the proper dimensions.
Any underage had to be filled with weld and then ground to specs. Any overages had to be ground down to specs.
This steel is about a 65-68 Rockwell hardness.
FYI: Rockwell hardness refers to how resistant a metal object is to penetration and permanent deformation from another material. It’s a measuring system of non-destructive metallurgical testing that determines how hard and strong steel truly is.
Truth is, it’s tougher than hammered nails. Way tougher, more like high-speed steel in circular form. However, it’s great for lateral compression and tension resistance, but prone to quench cracking. Quench cracks result from stresses produced during the transition from austenite to martensite, which involves an increase in volume. The martensitic transformation starts at the outermost surfaces of the part being quenched.
In other words, when there’s a phase change in the steel, it must be tempered or annealed slowly. So, a temperature shift greater than 300C must be done slowly or the metal cracks like an old soft-boiled eggshell.
I spent the rest of the day designing the cannons, and once that was done, explaining the blueprint to the gang of 6. They listened intently, asked non-stupid questions and generally came to impress me with the knowledge and work ethic.
The next day, I dropped back over to Madden’s and viewed the finished products.
They built the cannons beautifully. I checked them over and they were in specs every single measurement. They had acid-dipped them to get rid of the mill scale and then, went ahead and laid out the jobs.
It seems trivial, but many, even older hands, will do that in the opposite order. Here’s how errors creep in and begin to multiply.
I swaged each bore with a bowling ball I’d liberated from the old alley and it snugged into each like a Joey snugs into Mamma Roo.
I figured I could use these guys to help renovate the ballpark. I ask Madden if I can poach them for the duration of the build.
Madden readily agrees.
As long as they’re OK with a new boss and I’ll pay their way:

1. Beer.
3. Cigars.
5. $350/day.
6. Plus, I needed to teach them the basics of detonics.

Since this was Friday, I paid up for their day’s work and told them to meet me, bright and early (~0800) at the ballpark.
Six voices, in unison and several languages, agreed they’d be there with bells on.
That, I thought, would be interesting to see…
Saturday morning; I had my boon friend, Cat-skinner and all-around good guy, William “Kit” Carson come to the house and help me maneuver the old Cat 6 onto its trailer.
The beast is an old 1977 D6D model, with 140 original horsepower. The D6 is a versatile machine that can be used for a variety of tasks. It is commonly used in construction, mining, and agricultural applications. It is a great choice for clearing land, grading, and road building. It can also be used for digging and pushing materials, as well as for light demolition work. The machine is capable of pushing large loads and can handle most types of terrain.
I took it in trade for a job I did leveling out an old, abandoned limestone quarry that the owner was standing to lose via fines some ~US$50,000/day. He procrastinated and postponed, but did none of the US Government required remediation to the old rip-rap quarry once he finally wrung every peso out of that old hole.
It cost me a few cases of dynamite, a shitload of ANFO, a water well rig and a number of shotholes; but once we were finished, the place resembled a Kmart parking lot rather than the dark side of the moon.
But he didn’t have the cash to pay me and my crew, so I took his old D6 to hold while he generated some cash flow.
He died intestate some 14 months later. I submitted my bills to his estate and they basically said to keep the Cat, they’d sent the proper documents for title transfer, and we’d all call it a day.
So, I had a tinker item. I’d have Kit drop by when I was out of pocket and he could futz with the old girl and see if he could get her up to specs.
We replaced virtually every part on the tractor at one time or another. We stroked and bored the old powerplant and took her from ~140 BHP to around 500. Added a new turbocharger, since now we were residing at over 6,000’ AMSL. New tracks, pinions, trunnions, idlers, ripping hook, roller carrier, ad infinitum. New hoses, clamps, hydraulic cylinders…virtually jacked-up the radiator cap and inserted a new machine underneath.
She still was a cranky old bitch, and had to be kept warm and dry otherwise she’d sit and spit, sputter and smoke.
Yes, we were kindred spirits.
We teased her up onto the trailer and I backed my truck into the drive to hook-up. Luckily, the ballpark was less than 3 miles distant, as even my heavy-duty dualie truck was near it’s limit when it came to towing as the dozer tipped the Toledos at just over 37k pounds.
We all met over at the park and I immediately laid out an impromptu office on the hood of my truck. I had topo maps, aerial photos of the park, and after covering the maps over in vellum, I dragged out my drafting gear and started to sketch dimensions, and where things were going to go.
Kit had backed the dozer off the trailer and I battened everything down with old oil company map magnets and pulled my rig out of the way. I chose a spot under a copse of old-growth elms and live oak. The elms were afflicted with Dutch Elm Disease and the oaks had nasty cases of Live Oak Decline.
They were going to be removed and burned as per NOAA and BLM and half a dozen other alphabetic soup governmental agencies.
Besides, this is where the bingo board was to go.
Kit spent the best part of the day keeping the Cat running and training all of our international proteges. We took frequent breaks to go and rescue the Cat when Ricardo forget where the brake was and damn near drove into the Lower San Juan River or to ensure my charges were staying well hydrated.
The beer was locked in a cooler for when the drinking light was lit after 1700 hours.
Between them taking turns on learning how to speak “Cat”, Kit and the others often came by with ideas, comments and flat-out ridicule for how I was designing the park. Often, this required the liberation of some of my prime cigars.
Parker dropped by and informed me he had lined up 12 local food trucks for the two days, so we’d need parking, Porta Johns, running water and power for these guys.
“Fine”, I replied, “We now have a food court.”
“And well need parking”, Kit noted.
“How many cars at once? “, I asked.
“Best make it a thou”, He replied.
“Hmm…”, I hmm’ed. “The average car is a bit under 7′, but if you are driving them in, you need to park them far enough apart to allow exit on the driver’s side. So, allow 10′ width per car.
The average length is just under 15′. You can certainly park them close enough to allow 18′ per car, for backing and pulling out purposes.
While each acre of land contains 43,560 square feet, a simple mathematical computation shows if each parking space requires 180 square feet, 1 acre of land would accommodate 242 parking spaces. Of course, this assumes no turning lanes and each parking space is right next to each other. If a field that is 180 feet by 242 feet (approximately 1 acre) is designed with six rows of parking spaces with each parking space being approximately 10 feet by 18 feet and the traffic lanes are 24 feet wide, approximately 150 spaces can be designed. Therefore, there are three pairs of parking rows, each containing 48 spaces. The one-way traffic lanes are 12 feet wide and the two-way traffic lanes are 18 feet wide.”
“OK, I said aloud, “It looks like for a thousand cars at once, we’ll need about 7 acres. No problem. We’ve got nothing but space out here.”
“Problem”, Atsidi cautioned, “7 acres represent a long walk. Come in late and too far to drag the kids.”
“OK, clever dick”, I replied, “You and Shizhe’N are tasked with finding some shuttle buses. 25 or 30 person coaches that can just drive an ellipsoidal track around the parking areas. Let me know when, where and how much.”
“For two days?”, he asked.
“Nahh”, I said, “Let’s get them here a day early for a dry run. 3 days.”
“OK, bossman”, he smiled, “But we’ll need some greenery to grease those wheels…”
I peeled off a series of Benjamins from my wallet and gave them to them along with a register to sign.
“Everything on the up and up.”, I said, “I need receipts for everything. I’m going to keep sharp tabs on how much everything costs. Savvy?”
“Oh, yeah, Rock”, they both smiled, “We savvy goodly.”
“Wise-asses.” I snickered.
After lunch, we all sat around smoking and chatting. There were ideas being bounced all around. Some quite good, some a bit silly and some downright laughable.
To give you a rough idea of the layout, it all centered around the ballpark. It had bleachers, a bullpen, dugouts, rudimentary concession stands. And the ball diamond. The park was originally built for the local Little League, with base paths 70’ and pitching distance 50’. Over the years, it had been revived and now had 90’ base paths and 60.5’ pitching distances.
We decided that a fresh coat of paint would revive the old park and make it look more festive (and real). I reached out to several local businesses, and most bought advertisements on the outfield back fences. They’d supply the either canvas banners or plywood sheets with all the pertinent information about their company. Only cost $50/weekend, and it was tax deductible.
It was tax deductible since Esme pointed out our whole endeavor could be umbrellaed under as per the internal revenue code, a 501(c)3 is a nonprofit organization for religious, charitable, scientific, and educational purposes.
Donations to 501(c)3 are tax-deductible.
That helped grease the skids well and I had the lads out hammering and trying off canvas from the gusty Santa Ana-type winds that swept the area.
I won’t go over each and every event we had set for the park, but between Kit, myself and the guys, we had bladed down to the top Kirtland Shale roughly 8 acres for parking facilities. Kit took a turn and angled the main blade and inserted gutters around each acre of parking to facilitate drainage.
I built a Porta San farm that was close enough to the beer vendors yet far enough from the Food Court to be a convenience to all and a detriment to none. I even got the local Honey Wagon drivers to donate their time for a passel of free entrance and drinks tickets.
We had taken out ads in the local trades and dailies; as well as someone on the Internet built a page for the event.
We had a LOT of interest and actually had to turn away some potential partners as this was only a two-day affair. Evidently, a few groups had tried before, but never more that reviving the Little League and park. We went whole hog and decided it was going to be something with all the flavor of a State Fair, but we decided early on that a petting zoo for the kids was enough. I mean, the state actually still runs a real State Fair.
OK, we had a functional ballpark for Little through Senior League. Even had water piped in for the showers and real toilets, rather than Porta Johns. Along one side of the diamond, closer to the river, was the games and attractions area. A rectangle of ‘ping pong ball in the bowl to win a goldfish, to balloon shooting galleries and guess your weight/age’ type of attractions; along with some very, very sedate rides; carousel, mini-scrambler and a Squirrel Nut Zipper, as I recall.
Along the other side of the diamonds, was the food court. We had now some 18 trucks and trailers committed to the festivities. We were going to have funnel cakes, roast turkey legs, pickle-on-a-stick, some Mexican bakeries with all their delectables and one, oddly enough, all the way from Baja Canada hawking huge, ‘it takes two hands to handle’ cream puffs.
How that last one got wind of our little soiree was going to remain a mystery…
Then there was the entrance with ticket taker-sellers.
Of course, I had put in a specialty tent, with the help of no less than 7 local micro-breweries; a Beer Garden. We decided to just go with a Class B license and avoid all the potential nasties of both glass bottles (we only sold draft beer in Solo cozy-red cups) and high proof liquor.
There were, of course, a battalion of Porta Johns in close proximity to the Beer Garden.
We had a couple of the local oilfield service companies donate a fully functional and kitted out First Aid Station as well as a Security office.
Taking notes from the Chicago 1969 Republican party in Chicago, we put out feelers for large, tough people to enforce security if such was needed.
Thanks to Hector and Rick, we had the local motorcycle club, “The Rig Pigs” volunteer their services as security. These are guys that not only work in the Oil Patch but are also motorcycle aficionados. I know or have gotten to know every one of them, from Roughneck to Toolpusher to Rig Manager.
To be continued…

Christians Do Not Understand Acts 15:19-20

A critical analysis of the common misinterpretation of Acts 15:19-20 and how it affects the Christian faith and practice.
Jul 30, 2022: "Christians Do NOT Understand Acts 15:19-20!" starts at ~32 minutes in.
Notes taken on Jan 3, 2024
Formatting Key
Bible VerseItalicsArticles Number text in verse. Jesus talking. using KJV unless noted otherwiseNotes on the verse Not necessarily relevant to the current class, but still importantArticle link Quote from article {{quote removed later}}

Christians Do Not Understand Acts 15:19-20

A critical analysis of the common misinterpretation of Acts 15:19-20 and how it affects the Christian faith and practice.
Jul 30, 2022: "Christians Do NOT Understand Acts 15:19-20!" starts at ~32 minutes in.
Notes taken on Jan 3, 2024
Formatting Key
Bible VerseItalicsArticles Number text in verse. Jesus talking. using KJV unless noted otherwiseNotes on the verse Not necessarily relevant to the current class, but still importantArticle link Quote from article {{quote removed later}}
Christians concluded that there are only 4 commandments that they should follow as non-Israelites. Christians will take you here so that they don’t have to keep the entire law of moses. The christians that give it to you don’t understand the context/background. Even though they know that there are more than just these 4 commandments.
These verses don’t even support them either. This can’t be used as a standard for what we should do.
It doesn’t include: don't murder, don’t steal, don’t keep the sabbath, don’t honor your father and mother, etc.
Hypocrisy is doing this. This is a double edged sword.
Belief in Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.
The disciples never said anything about circumcision. There was never a debate about the Law of Moses before Acts 15. The first christians were Jews. They never abandoned the Law of Moses. The disciples encouraged keeping the Law of Moses.
The 4 commandments mentioned were a “beginners package” to get them started.
Act 15:19-20 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: (20) But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

• This is James talking. We don’t trouble the Gentile converts.
• Is this for all time or for just those that have just come to the faith?
• Fornication is a blanket turn regarding any sexual act
  • Adultery, harlot, homosexuality, incest, etc.
• Things strangled
  • Things with blood in them (back to the levitical law)
  • You have to drain the blood out of every animal (don’t eat any blood)
• What happened to honor your father and mother or no killing or stealing or bear false witness or coveting?

Paganism is idolatry.
The crosses everywhere are idolatry.
The Jews and Gentiles didn’t have different sets of rules.
Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

• Certain men said this. The apostles didn’t teach this. This was a lie that was taught. People were holding on to their traditional views.
• They didn’t abandon their previous beliefs completely.
• You don’t have to follow the Law of Moses to be saved. You don’t have to be circumcised to be saved.

The apostles only talked about circumcision in response to people that were against christianity.
Act 2:36-41 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (37) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (40) And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. (41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

• This is on the day of pentecost.
• Peter is addressing the House of Israel, the Jews, the Israelites
  • This was who christianity was given to first
  • He is rebuking them.
• There were some gentiles here too, but Peter was addressing the Jews first.
• Verse 38 doesn’t say to keep the Law of Moses
• Being saved doesn’t mean keep the Law of Moses or be circumcised
  • This is how you get saved.

The Jews didn’t stop following the Law of Moses. All they added was believing in Jesus.
Their audience was Jews.
Keeping the law never became an issue until “christians”/new-comers started talking about it.
There are two groups of gentiles. Those that knew the law and those that knew nothing (were 100% pagan).
Act 4:10-11 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (11) This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

• This is Peter and John preaching Jesus
• You have to be saved by and through Jesus
  • Not by the law or circumcision.

The people in Acts 15 were talking to new gentile converts. They had no background on the law of moses or Jesus.
What do you have to do to be saved?

• Believe in Jesus

But what does that entail?...
You show that belief by establishing the law!
Act 11:13-18 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; (14) Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. (15) And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. (16) Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. (17) Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? (18) When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

• Your saved through Jesus
• God has granted repentance to the Gentiles
  • This means they too have an opportunity to be saved (through Jesus)
• They were teaching belief in Jesus

The Law of Moses wasn’t an issue. Jesus never said anything against it.
Act 15:1-2 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (2) When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

• Certain men (not Paul, James, etc.)
  • They taught that to be saved you have to follow the Law of Moses
• This became a big argument that Paul and Barnabas were arguing against.
• They went to go have a council meeting

Act 15:5-11 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. (6) And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. (7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. (8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; (9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

• These certain men were a sect of the pharisees
• Before this, circumcision wasn’t an issue discussed
• This was because Gentiles were brought into the picture that had no Hebrew roots.
  • They were making circumcision a requirement for salvation.
• Peter is recounting how he got the gentiles in.
  • Cornelius had some background of the law and such
  • Others didn’t have background
• Whenever the apostles converted non-Israelites, then people got mad
• Verse 10, christians THINK that peter is rebuking law
  • Tempting God is actually breaking the law (this is clear in the old and new testament)
• The yoke referred to is something that is going against the law or the gospel
  • Yoke talked about in matthew 23
    • Pharisees were putting a heavy burden on the new converts that were grievous to be borne
• Here, they were making the gospel unbearable. Making the gospel hard to do.

Mat 23:1-4 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, (2) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: (3) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (4) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

• These burdens were extra
• They added laws to the laws of Moses, making the laws of Moses unbearable.

The only people that described the law in a negative way were sinners.
How can the sabbath be a burden when it literally means rest?
The burden was talking about the man-made traditions that the Pharisees try to add. They did it with the law and with the gospel.
Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

• The difference between Jesus’s yoke and the pharisee’s yoke is that the pharisees made restrictions to make the law of Moses heavy.

The only way you tempt God is by disobeying him.
The apostles didn’t have a decision prepared for Acts 15 which is why they went to the council.
1Jn 5:1-3 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

• We keep his commandments
• That we keep his commandments
  • The commandments aren’t grievous
  • Grievous (G926)
    • βαρύς
    • barus
    • bar-ooce'
    • From the same as G922; weighty, that is, (figuratively) burdensome, grave: - grievous, heavy, weightier.
    • Same word in Matthew 23:4

1Jn 5:3 ERV Loving God means obeying his commands. And God's commands are not too hard for us,
1Jn 5:3 CEV We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.
1Jn 5:3 DRB For this is the charity of God: That we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not heavy.
The Pharisees' commandments are heavy (they don’t talk about the law of Moses).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~REAL LESSON NOW~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 15:13-14 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: (14) Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

• Discussing how to talk with the very new convert Gentiles (100% pagan)

Act 15:19-20 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: (20) But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

• The decision is to not make the conversion hard.
• Did James just choose these four (there are actually five) things? Where did James get these?

Lev 19:4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.

• James got this one. The first direct way it was said.
• Book of Leviticus was for the priests.
  • They were the teachers of the ancient hebrews.
• James went to the teacher’s edition essentially.

Lev 18:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 18:5-6 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. (6) None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

• This is the fornication that James is talking about. It covered all the sexuality stuff.
• It is a blanket statement, which is more than just four precepts in chapter 18.

Lev 17:13-14 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. (14) For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

• They should drain the animals dry.
• You also can’t eat the blood.

James drew from the law of Moses. Was this all that James thought was essential? Why would he give any precepts at all if only belief in Jesus was the goal?
The Holy Spirit guided them what in the beginning that they should do.
Act 15:20-21 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. (21) For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

• First, four precepts from the law of Moses.
• Then he says that the law of Moses is taught in all the synagogues.
• The Gentiles would get the rest from the synagogues from their cities.
  • This is why James didn’t have to give an exhaustive list.

He assumed that the Gentiles would somehow end up in a synagogue on the sabbath. This means James also told them about the sabbath day!
They had to be smart about how they taught them.
Act 13:13-15 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. (14) But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. (15) And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

• Synagogue in Antioch and they went in during the sabbath day.
• After reading of the law and the prophets!
  • This is what James was saying
• Then they opened the study for questions
• This is where they learned the rest of the precepts.

Act 13:42-44 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. (43) Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. (44) And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

• There were gentiles in the synagogue keeping the sabbath. They were learning of the laws of Moses.
• proselytes were new converts to the faith.
  • Never was a Jew, but converting to the ways of Israel.

Jews kicked out the christians from the synagogues.
True christianity is torah observance.
1Ti 4:12-13 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (13) Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

• KJV falls short here

1Ti 4:12-13 ISV Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity. (13) Until I arrive, give your full concentration to the public reading of Scripture, to exhorting, and to teaching.

• The scriptures in their day was the old testament.
• This public reading was in synagogues on the sabbath.

1Ti 4:12-13 BBE Let no one make little of you because you are young, but be an example to the church in word, in behaviour, in love, in faith, in holy living. (13) Till I come, give attention to the reading of the holy Writings, to comforting the saints, and to teaching.

• Public reading of the scriptures. They were reading the old testament and teaching it.

1Ti 4:12-13 CEV Don't let anyone make fun of you, just because you are young. Set an example for other followers by what you say and do, as well as by your love, faith, and purity. (13) Until I arrive, be sure to keep on reading the Scriptures in worship, and don't stop preaching and teaching.

• They say keep on reading.
• The reading of the scriptures was a part of the worship.

The four things that James said was not the exhaustive list of do’s and don’ts. It was just an introduction to the law of moses.
(Antwan)
Josephus - Antiquities Of The Jews
03.20.02. Book 20, Chapter 02
CHAPTER 2
HOW HELENA THE QUEEN OF ADIABENE AND HER SON IZATES, EMBRACED THE JEWISH RELIGION; AND HOW HELENA SUPPLIED THE POOR WITH CORN, WHEN THERE WAS A GREAT FAMINE AT JERUSALEM.

1. ABOUT this time it was that Helena, queen of Adiabene, and her son Izates, changed their course of life, and embraced the Jewish customs, and this on the occasion following: Monobazus, the king of Adiabene, who had also the name of Bazeus, fell in love with his sister Helena, and took her to be his wife, and begat her with child. But as he was in bed with her one night, he laid his hand upon his wife’s belly, and fell asleep, and seemed to hear a voice, which bid him take his hand off his wife’s belly, and not hurt the infant that was therein, which, by God’s providence, would be safely born, and have a happy end. This voice put him into disorder; so he awaked immediately, and told the story to his wife; and when his son was born, he called him Izates. He had indeed Monobazus, his elder brother, by Helena also, as he had other sons by other wives besides. Yet did he openly place all his affections on this his only begotten (2) son Izates, which was the origin of that envy which his other brethren, by the same father, bore to him; while on this account they hated him more and more, and were all under great affliction that their father should prefer Izates before them. Now although their father was very sensible of these their passions, yet did he forgive them, as not indulging those passions out of an ill disposition, but out of a desire each of them had to be beloved by their father. However, he sent Izates, with many presents, to Abennerig, the king of Charax-Spasini, and that out of the great dread he was in about him, lest he should come to some misfortune by the hatred his brethren bore him; and he committed his son’s preservation to him. Upon which Abennerig gladly received the young man, and had a great affection for him, and married him to his own daughter, whose name was Samacha: he also bestowed a country upon him, from which he received large revenues.
   
2. But when Monobazus was grown old, and saw that he had but a little time to live, he had a mind to come to the sight of his son before he died. So he sent for him, and embraced him after the most affectionate manner, and bestowed on him the country called Carra; it was a soil that bare amomum in great plenty: there are also in it the remains of that ark, wherein it is related that Noah escaped the deluge, and where they are still shown to such as are desirous to see them. (3) Accordingly, Izates abode in that country until his father’s death. But the very day that Monobazus died, queen Helena sent for all the grandees, and governors of the kingdom, and for those that had the armies committed to their command; and when they were come, she made the following speech to them: "I believe you are not unacquainted that my husband was desirous Izates should succeed him in the government, and thought him worthy so to do. However, I wait your determination; for happy is he who receives a kingdom, not from a single person only, but from the willing suffrages of a great many." This she said, in order to try those that were invited, and to discover their sentiments. Upon the hearing of which, they first of all paid their homage to the queen, as their custom was, and then they said that they confirmed the king’s determination, and would submit to it; and they rejoiced that Izates’s father had preferred him before the rest of his brethren, as being agreeable to all their wishes: but that they were desirous first of all to slay his brethren and kinsmen, that so the government might come securely to Izates; because if they were once destroyed, all that fear would be over which might arise from their hatred and envy to him. Helena replied to this, that she returned them her thanks for their kindness to herself and to Izates; but desired that they would however defer the execution of this slaughter of Izates’s brethren till he should be there himself, and give his approbation to it. So since these men had not prevailed with her, when they advised her to slay them, they exhorted her at least to keep them in bonds till he should come, and that for their own security; they also gave her counsel to set up some one whom she could put the greatest trust in, as a governor of the kingdom in the mean time. So queen Helena complied with this counsel of theirs, and set up Monobazus, the eldest son, to be king, and put the diadem upon his head, and gave him his father’s ring, with its signet; as also the ornament which they call Sampser, and exhorted him to administer the affairs of the kingdom till his brother should come; who came suddenly upon hearing that his father was dead, and succeeded his brother Monobazus, who resigned up the government to him.
   
3. Now, during the time Izates abode at Charax-Spasini, a certain Jewish merchant, whose name was Ananias, got among the women that belonged to the king, and taught them to worship God according to the Jewish religion. He, moreover, by their means, became known to Izates, and persuaded him, in like manner, to embrace that religion; he also, at the earnest entreaty of Izates, accompanied him when he was sent for by his father to come to Adiabene; it also happened that Helena, about the same time, was instructed by a certain other Jew and went over to them. But when Izates had taken the kingdom, and was come to Adiabene, and there saw his brethren and other kinsmen in bonds, he was displeased at it; and as he thought it an instance of impiety either to slay or imprison them, but still thought it a hazardous thing for to let them have their liberty, with the remembrance of the injuries that had been offered them, he sent some of them and their children for hostages to Rome, to Claudius Caesar, and sent the others to Artabanus, the king of Parthia, with the like intentions.
   
4. And when he perceived that his mother was highly pleased with the Jewish customs, he made haste to change, and to embrace them entirely; and as he supposed that he could not he thoroughly a Jew unless he were circumcised, he was ready to have it done. But when his mother understood what he was about, she endeavored to hinder him from doing it, and said to him that this thing would bring him into danger; and that, as he was a king, he would thereby bring himself into great odium among his subjects, when they should understand that he was so fond of rites that were to them strange and foreign; and that they would never bear to be ruled over by a Jew. This it was that she said to him, and for the present persuaded him to forbear. And when he had related what she had said to Ananias, he confirmed what his mother had said; and when he had also threatened to leave him, unless he complied with him, he went away from him, and said that he was afraid lest such an action being once become public to all, he should himself be in danger of punishment for having been the occasion of it, and having been the king’s instructor in actions that were of ill reputation; and he said that he might worship God without being circumcised, even though he did resolve to follow the Jewish law entirely, which worship of God was of a superior nature to circumcision. He added, that God would forgive him, though he did not perform the operation, while it was omitted out of necessity, and for fear of his subjects. So the king at that time complied with these persuasions of Ananias. But afterwards, as he had not quite left off his desire of doing this thing, a certain other Jew that came out of Galilee, whose name was Eleazar, and who was esteemed very skillful in the learning of his country, persuaded him to do the thing; for as he entered into his palace to salute him, and found him reading the law of Moses, he said to him, "Thou dost not consider, O king! that thou unjustly breakest the principal of those laws, and art injurious to God himself, [by omitting to be circumcised]; for thou oughtest not only to read them, but chiefly to practice what they enjoin thee. How long wilt thou continue uncircumcised? But if thou hast not yet read the law about circumcision, and dost not know how great impiety thou art guilty of by neglecting it, read it now." When the king had heard what he said, he delayed the thing no longer, but retired to another room, and sent for a surgeon, and did what he was commanded to do. He then sent for his mother, and Ananias his tutor, and informed them that he had done the thing; upon which they were presently struck with astonishment and fear, and that to a great degree, lest the thing should be openly discovered and censured, and the king should hazard the loss of his kingdom, while his subjects would not bear to be governed by a man who was so zealous in another religion; and lest they should themselves run some hazard, because they would be supposed the occasion of his so doing. But it was God himself who hindered what they feared from taking effect; for he preserved both Izates himself and his sons when they fell into many dangers, and procured their deliverance when it seemed to be impossible, and demonstrated thereby that the fruit of piety does not perish as to those that have regard to him, and fix their faith upon him only. (4) But these events we shall relate hereafter.
   
5. But as to Helena, the king’s mother, when she saw that the affairs of Izates’s kingdom were in peace, and that her son was a happy man, and admired among all men, and even among foreigners, by the means of God’s providence over him, she had a mind to go to the city of Jerusalem, in order to worship at that temple of God which was so very famous among all men, and to offer her thank-offerings there. So she desired her son to give her leave to go thither; upon which he gave his consent to what she desired very willingly, and made great preparations for her dismission, and gave her a great deal of money, and she went down to the city Jerusalem, her son conducting her on her journey a great way. Now her coming was of very great advantage to the people of Jerusalem; for whereas a famine did oppress them at that time, and many people died for want of what was necessary to procure food withal, queen Helena sent some of her servants to Alexandria with money to buy a great quantity of corn, and others of them to Cyprus, to bring a cargo of dried figs. And as soon as they were come back, and had brought those provisions, which was done very quickly, she distributed food to those that were in want of it, and left a most excellent memorial behind her of this benefaction, which she bestowed on our whole nation. And when her son Izates was informed of this famine,
   

(5) he sent great sums of money to the principal men in Jerusalem. However, what favors this queen and king conferred upon our city Jerusalem shall be further related hereafter.
ENDNOTES
(2): Josephus here uses the word monogene, an only begotten son, for no other than one best beloved, as does both the Old and New Testament, I mean where there were one or more sons besides, Gen_22:2; Heb_11:17. See the note on B. I. ch. 13. sect. 1.
(3): It is here very remarkable, that the remains of Noah’s ark were believed to he still in being in the days of Josephus. See the note on B. I. ch. 3. sect. 5.
(4): Josephus is very full and express in these three chapters, 3., 4., and 5., in observing how carefully Divine Providence preserved this Izates, king of Adiabene, and his sons, while he did what he thought was his bounden duty, notwithstanding the strongest political motives to the contrary.
(5): This further account of the benefactions of Izates and Helena to the Jerusalem Jews which Josephus here promises is, I think, no where performed by him in his present works. But of this terrible famine itself in Judea, take Dr. Hudson’s note here: - "This ( says he ) is that famine foretold by Agabus, Act_11:28, which happened when Claudius was consul the fourth time; and not that other which happened when Claudius was consul the second time, and Cesina was his colleague, as Scaliger says upon Eusebius, p. 174." Now when Josephus had said a little afterward, ch. 5. sect. 2, that "Tiberius Alexander succeeded Cuspius Fadus as procurator," he immediately subjoins, that" under these procurators there happened a great famine in Judea." Whence it is plain that this famine continued for many years, on account of its duration under these two procurators. Now Fadus was not sent into Judea till after the death of king Agrippa, i.e. towards the latter end of the 4th year of Claudius; so that this famine foretold by Agabus happened upon the 5th, 6th, and 7th years of Claudius, as says Valesius on Euseb. II. 12. Of this famine also, and queen Helena’s supplies, and her monument, see Moses Churenensis, p. 144, 145, where it is observed in the notes that Pausanias mentions that her monument also.
Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

• The pharisees make them twice as likely to go to hell.

Mat 23:15 ERV "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and you Pharisees! You are hypocrites. You travel across the seas and across different countries to find one person who will follow your ways. When you find that person, you make him worse than you are. And you are so bad that you belong in hell!

• These people would go to great lengths to make this one convert even worse than them.

The new testament didn’t create a new set of rules. Jesus showed us how to really live the law of Moses in spirit, but this doesn’t mean abandoning the letter of the law.
Christ saves. To maintain your salvation, you must keep the law of Moses.
The sabbath, the new moons, the dietary laws, etc. they weren’t ever a controversy. If something is established and there is silence going forward regarding it, then it never goes away.
You have to keep the law through christ to be saved. There are steps to salvation.
When the apostles went to the Jews, they knew what they were repenting from; the only difference was to also believe in Jesus.
Christianity today teaches repentance from sin without actually turning from sin.
Believe in Christ & Repent from sin -> Have fruits of repentance and keep the law in Christ
Connect Acts 15:1 with Matthew 1:21. This describes what Jesus came to save people from.
Belief in Jesus blots/cancels out PAST sins.
Now that they have been converted, Acts 21 - after the intro.
Peter says:

1. Saved by Christ
2. Save yourselves

3:28:17
James gave the Gentiles four precepts to start them off with. And he said they would learn the rest.
Christians today say that nothing that you do can affect your salvation. Even though in Acts 2, Peter told them to save yourselves from this untoward generation.
So, first Peter tells you that you have to be saved by Christ. Then he turns around saying save yourselves. That means you gotta do something.
This is the analogy: Christians see Jesus as this lifeguard that keeps jumping in the pool while you're drowning and keeps pulling you out even though he was the one who told you to not get in the pool in the first place. The Bible describes Jesus as you drowning and he shows you what to do to save yourself, by giving you the life preserver. So if someone asks you, you would be right to say that Jesus saved me because he was the one that threw you the life preserver, but he made me participate in my own salvation. I had to play a role in it. That is the part that Christians miss.
Christians Do Not Understand Acts 15:19-20
A critical analysis of the common misinterpretation of Acts 15:19-20 and how it affects the Christian faith and practice.
Jul 30, 2022: "Christians Do NOT Understand Acts 15:19-20!" starts at ~32 minutes in.
Notes taken on Jan 3, 2024
Formatting Key
Bible VerseItalicsArticles Number text in verse. Jesus talking. using KJV unless noted otherwiseNotes on the verse Not necessarily relevant to the current class, but still importantArticle link Quote from article {{quote removed later}}

This is PART 2!! Follow this link to READ PART 1 FIRST!

Marika and the Night of the Black Knives

So by now it would appear that Marika had ample reason to become an angry, murderous shadow bent on revenge. She was married and impregnated, possibly against her will, by an old man who was controlling, and possibly mad and dangerous. She was wrongly accused of being unfaithful, forced to flee her home for her and her child's life, hunted and slandered everywhere she went.
What could she do? Well, she may have plotted an assassination using the power of Death and Black Flame.
Considering the Royal Remains set calls Ensha "the Soulless King", and the moniker 'soulless' has exclusively been used to describe those killed with the rune of death such as the "soulless demigods" of the Mausoleums, it suggests this method was also used to kill him. It's been a long standing mystery as to why there appears to be a second death-blighted body in Stormhill, when Godwyn was assassinated in Leyndell. Various parts of the story of the Night of Black Knives has never quite added up, and I think we can now see why: There was more than one night of the Black Knives.
Black Knife Hood: Hood used by the Black Knife Assassins. The assassins that carried out the deeds of the Night of the Black Knives were all women, and rumored to be Numen who had close ties with Marika herself.
Evidence such as this has been used to accuse Marika of being involved in the death of her son Godwyn. Because why would those involved in the Night of the Black Knives be Marika's closest people? You could decide that maybe it was some kind of inside job behind her back, but it's surprising that some find it suspicious. Technically you can still believe Marika was involved with killing Godwyn and this theory at the same time, (though I don't personally). But I believe that at the very least, this text is meant to describe Marika and her comrades who set out to kill Ensha.
Left: DLC character impaled with golden object. Middle: Black Knife. Right: Blade of Calling.
The object spearing the corpse in the DLC Image branches, somewhat similar to the Black Knives used in Godwyn's murder. It's golden color is quite difference, but a sister weapon to the Black Knife, the Blade of Calling, has the skill 'Blade of Gold.' I have long been a proponent that Melina is a piece of Marika. I believe she may represent her lost innocence from long ago, fragmented from shattering the ring. As Melina's weapon, it seems possible that the Blade of Calling may have been a weapon used to kill Ensha-Shabriri.
Blade of Calling: Dagger given to one who set out on a journey to fulfill her duty long ago. The power of its former owner, the kindling maiden, is still apparent. The one who walks alongside flame, Shall one day meet the road of Destined Death.
Upper Left: Stormveil Corpse. Lower Left: DLC Character. Upper Right: Godwyn Corpse. Lower Right: Godwyn from Original Story Trailer.
Notice anything about the two death-blighted corpses? The one buried at the foot of the Erdtree which we are told is Godwyn's corpse, shares his golden hair as an identifying feature. The corpse under Stormveil however is hairless, it's bald, like the man in the portrait.
Considering as well that
Granted, there is not a lot of explicit information pointing to a second plot, and it appears the stories of such a possible second plot, may have been mixed in with the rumors surrounding Ranni's plot. However there is a lot of circumstantial evidence. For instance, we do know that the creation of a a blade capable of killing gods was crafted once before, in the Eternal Cities.
Fingerslayer Blade: The hidden treasure of the Eternal City of Nokron; a blade said to have been born of a corpse. This blood-drenched fetish is proof of the high treason committed by the Eternal City and symbolizes its downfall*. Cannot be wielded by those without a fate, but is said to be* able to harm the Greater Will and its vassals.
Nox Monk Hood: Silk hood worn by the monks of the Eternal City. Long ago, the Nox invoked the ire of the Greater Will, and were banished deep underground. Now they live under a false night sky, in eternal anticipation of their liege. Of the coming age of the stars. And their Lord of Night.
As the former Elden Lord and God of his age, Ensha would have been protected by the Greater Will, just as Marika-Radagon is in the present day. It would have taken a special blade with the ability to kill Gods in order to commit her act of treason. In Ranni's plot, this blade was forged by the War Counsilour Iji who acts as a Smith in the game and has the ability to upgrade your weapons. He used a 'mirror helm' in order to do so and avoid the gaze of god.
Iji's Mirrorhelm: Helm fashioned from a crystal looking-glass, said to have never left War Counselor Iji's head. Easily broken and weak against striking attacks. Worn by those committed to high treason, it wards off the intervention of the Greater Will and its vassal Fingers. Iji was afraid. Terrified of his own treachery.
Nox Mirrorhelm: Helm fashioned from a crystal looking-glass. One among the Eternal City's ritual implements. Easily broken and weak against striking attacks. Worn by those committed to high treason, it wards off the intervention of the Greater Will and its vassal Fingers.
Those of the eternal cities did the same, and the crafter, the smith, may even be known. Hewg, the Smith of the Roundtable, is the only other smith in the game capable of upgrading your special weapons aside from Iji. His name may be a play on the word "Hew" meaning to shape or chop, especially wood (such as the Erdtree perhaps), and the Germanic name "Hugh" meaning "Bright in Mind and Spirit" or "Thoughtful", and related to the name Hugin, one of the names of Odin's Ravens in Norse Mythology. Hewg even says that he is crafting a weapon to kill a god for Marika.

Hewg says: Your divinity, have mercy, and grant me forgiveness. The road is yet long. A God is not easily felled. But one day, without fail, you will have your wish. So please, grant me forgiveness, Queen Marika..."

Some have suggested this line is proof that Marika is keeping him hostage, but this is not the case. Hewg tells you explicitly that he is being kept in chains by the Roundtable, probably Gideon, the All Knowing, who appears to be in charge of the current Roundtable.

Hewg: "I see you've noticed the chains. Nothing special. I'm a prisoner, and these are my chains. I'm trapped by the Hold, undying, smithing for you fools. That's all there is to it".

Now if Hewg did this in the past it would be strange that he is talking about forging a weapon for killing a god now as if it's happening in present day. But as you eventually find out if you continue to talk to him, Hewg seems to be having issues with his memory.

Hewg: Who are you? Oh, I must be a blacksmith. Now, let's get smithing...Could you tell me what happened? Why is the Roundtable burning, in ruins? Why does that girl weep for me? Have I forgotten something of dire importance?

Perhaps this was even done to him on purpose to hide the memory of this act of treason from the world. As we see in the original Portrait, Marika is wearing a veil, and in Elden Ring, items such as the Mimic's Veil and Concealing Veil are associated with trickery and hiding secrets. You first find the Mimic's Veil item in Stormveil, which even has the word 'Veil' in it's name, suggesting some sinister secret lies there. The Vulgar Militia armor suggests they may be from the Shadow lands concealed by Marika's veil, and that said lands, and all memory of these events in history were removed from the world.
Vulgar Militia Armor: Armor worn by lean, mean, and filthy militiamen. Freshly-singed battlegrounds effusing with the stench of the dead. Forbidden lands that will be excised from the memory of history. This is where the vulgar militia serve, as untiring, unsung watch-keepers.
But rather it seems Hewg did complete the weapon, which became the Godslayer's Greatesword. And Marika and her apostles set out to kill Ensha.
God Slayers Greatsword: Sacred sword of the Gloam-Eyed Queen who controlled the Godskin Apostles before her defeat at the hands of Maliketh. The black flames wielded by the apostles are channeled from this sword.
Considering the remains of Ensha are 'employed' by Gideon, and he even has Hewg imprisoned to the Roundtable, it suggests that he is actually completely aware of the original plot of Marika's to kill the old Elden Lord. He sought out Hewg for his abilities to make a godslaying blade in order ot become Elden Lord. His 'servant' Ensha himself may be a dead puppeted body of his, considering if you try to feed him Seluvis's puppet potion he recognizes it right away, as if it's a practice he's familiar with and perhaps able to perform himself.

(Showing Seluvis's potion) Gideon Ofnir: "Is that potion what I think it is? Bloody Seluvis. I suppose he's up to something again. Oh, I won't interfere. You go ahead and do what you must. The Roundtable has no code to speak of. But, I ask you this. Are you really going to do the bidding of that twisted dolly botherer? Or would you rather hand that potion to me, and see if we can't get one over on the bastard?

But this begs the question of why there is a second corpse besides the one in Stormveil inflicted with Deathblight? I don't know that there is a clear answer. Ensha could be a replica. Shabriri's body snatching could be a routine thing and Ensha was a former body of his aside from the one inflicted with Deathblight. Rogier of Gideon himself could have retrieved the remains when poking around Stormveil. It could also be that the signs of deathblight in Stormveil are not the actual body of the person killed, but merely the effects of accursed ground from the deed done.

Sacrifices of War, the Soulless Demigods

Another mystery that may be connected to the first night of the Black Knives are the Walking Mausoleums, which house a number of soulless demi-gods, as is where Remembrances can be duplicated.
Mausoleum Soldier Ashes: Ashen remains in which spirits yet dwell. Use to summon the spirits of five mausoleum soldiers. Spirits of five headless soldiers who confound foes by disappearing and reappearing at will. The mausoleum is where the bodies of soulless demigods are lain to rest, and these soldiers followed their masters into Death by severing their own heads from their bodies.
We have a number of bodies in the Wandering Mausoleums which appear mostly normal in size and shape, despite their soullessness. It could be that the walking stone platforms are meant to keep the curse effecting any ground long enough to begin forming a blight-cursed ground.
Left: Lhutel the Headless Spirit Asses. Right: Mausoleum Corpse in offering gesture.
Rather than being the victims of Death Blight however, they may be the willing perpetrators who assisted Marika in killing Ensha, who like Ranni, sacrificed their bodies to the ritual which creates the Black Blades, leaving their souls to wander 'burnt and bodiless'. The Mausoleum Knight Armor description emphasizes how the knight, who is headless just like the soulless demigods themselves, were willing and their decapitations were self-inflicted. The hands of the demi-gods within are even raised as if making an offering.
Mausoleum Knight Armor: Armor worn by headless knights who endlessly guard the Wandering Mausoleum. The wing-shaped ornaments on its back evoke the Deathbird. A self-inflicted curse that ties the spirits of these loyal knights to the land, having willingly beheaded themselves so that they may serve their masters in death.
Many assume the death of these Demi-Gods housed in the Mausoleums to have occurred after the second Night of the Black Knives. But the opening sequence of the game never actually mentions any demigods perishing other than Godwyn, merely mentioning that Godwyn was 'the first', then moving on to the shattering war. Mentioning he is the first could merely be alluding to the fact that the Tarnished in the game goes on to fell a heck of a lot more throughout the story, racking up that body count.

Opening Narrator: "Now, Queen Marika the Eternal is nowhere to be found, and in the Night of the Black Knives, Godwyn the Golden was first to perish. Marika's offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring."

There is also the case of the words of a spirit overlooking one of the Walking Mausoleums, which some have suggested connect them to Godwyn's death, but this is one of the rare cases where the English translation of Elden Ring falls short.

(English) The mausoleum prowls. Cradling the soulless demigod. O Marika, Queen Eternal. He is your unwanted child....
(Japanese) …霊廟がさまよっている。魂無きデミゴッドを抱いて おお、永遠の女王マリカよ。貴女の、醜い落とし子を抱いて
(Direct Translation): …The mausoleum is wandering. Embracing a soulless demigod, O eternal queen Marika. Holding your shameful offspring…

Not only is there no gender mentioned for the child, which further dilutes the possibilities for who she could be talking about, it doesn't mention anything about being unwanted. I personally feel that the phrase itself is something of a double entendre.
The word 醜い can mean both ugly or unsightly, as well as disgraceful, shameful. While the word 落とし子 can mean a noble's illegitimate child, as well as aftermath or result, as in the aftermath of war. This may be referring both to the soulless demi-gods, who died willingly in an act of war upon the former Elden Lord, as well as the child who was a product of the shameful act inflicted on Marika. In no way does it say the child isn't wanted or suggest that Marika would have harmed or abandoned the child.
It is at this point that we have to question that these so-called demigods could be Marika's children at all. We don't exactly know when the first Night of the Black Knives took place, but could she have had the time to produce so many children? It is possible, but it seems pretty unlikely. And after all Enia makes a point of confirming that all demi-gods come from Marika:

Enia: "...Indeed. But remember one thing. The demigods are each and all the direct offspring of Queen Marika."

Here the here for 'Offspring' is 'こ', meaning child or offshoot (as in a plant). However Enia is talking about the demi-gods alive currently, who do all appear to be her children. That is not to say that demigods always only referred to her blood children.
Volcano Manor Invitation: Letter given by Rya as thanks for retrieving her necklace. Contains an invitation to Volcano Manor. "Brave Tarnished, Seek the Altus Plateau in the realm of the Erdtree. Prove yourself by making this journey, and the Volcano Manor will fully extend its invitation. To fight, amongst a family of champions."
In cut content, Tanith would even have welcomed you into the family herself if you willingly fed yourself to the snake, which was named Evelign. (possibly from "Eveline" meaning source of life or Little bird, and Evangeline meaning "Good News" as well as the word "Evil".)

Tanith (cut content): A fine sacrifice indeed. Let us devour the gods, together! Now you are family.

Furthermore the language used in the description of the walking mausoleum includes 'cradled' and 'embraced' These are both terms used in the description of the Gloam-eyed Queen towards her apostles, with the Godskin Swaddling Cloth saying "The Gloam-Eyed Queen cradles newborn apostles swaddled in this cloth. Soon they will grow to become the death of the gods." And the Black Flame's protection uses the word 'Embraced' the same as is used in descrioptions of the Deathbed companions.
Black Flame's Protection: A black flame incantation of the Godskin Apostles...The Apostles were all embraced by the Gloam-Eyed Queen, and the black flame was their armor within.
If these are fellow recusants who gave their lives for the plot, they may have been the original Ravenmount assassins, given the Mauseleum Knight armor says it has "wing-shaped ornaments on its back [to] evoke the Deathbird." Both appear to be associated with a 'ritual' if nothing else.
Raptor's Black Feathers: Robe crafted with the black feathers of a bird of prey. Worn by the assassins of Ravenmount. A ritual implement for transforming into a Deathbird, if only by imitation. Strengthens jump attacks. "We are birds of prey, bringers of death."
The Raptor's set is even located in the Sage's Cave where you find a Black Knive Assassin--the Ravenmount Assassin's modern analogue, and Necromancer Garris, who appears to be yet another Ensha proxy, given item descriptions suggest he hunted and murdered his wife and twin children--twins just like Tamar, thus rediscovering an ancient death hex thought lost--just as knowledge of Ensha was lost. Just like Ensha ruled over people who were 'lost and desperate'.
Family Heads: Three bludgeoning copper heads attached to a handle by chains. Signature weapon of Necromancer Garris, the heretical sage. The heads were made to resemble those of his wife and two children.
Rancorcall: Sorcery of the servants of Death. Summons vengeful spirits that chase down foes. Charging enhances potency. Once thought lost, this ancient death hex was rediscovered by the necromancer Garris.
Top: DLC Story trailer scene Miquella followers. Bottom Left: Walking Mausoleum. Bottom Right: Spirit Calling Bell.
But regardless of who they are, or where the soulless demigods come from, it seems possible the DLC may intend to revive them, as proposed by u/marinebiologist_0. The Ashes of Lhutel the Headless suggest there is an intention to revive their soulless masters.
Lhutel the Headless: Legendary ashen remains. Use to summon the spirit of Lhutel the Headless. Spirit of a headless knight who leads the mausoleum soldiers. Wields a lance enrobed in Death and hurls spectral lances at foes. Lhutel sacrificed her life so that in Death she could continue to protect a soulless demigod until their revival, earning her the hero's honor of Erdtree Burial.
And while the deafening Bell of the Walking Mausoleums may be meant to invoke a Funeral Bell, it is also the case that in Elden Ring, Bells are used to summon spirits, such as with the Spirit Calling Bell and the Wraith Calling Bell.
Mausoleum Surcoat Armor: Worn by headless soldiers who endlessly guard the Wandering Mausoleum. The surcoat depicts the mausoleum bell, which rings in constant mourning for the soulless demigods.
Spirit Calling Bell: A bell capable of summoning various spirits from ashen remains...Spirits can only be summoned in the vicinity of a rebirth monument.
Wraith Calling Bell: Bell used by worshippers of revenants. Ring bell, using FP to summon prowling wraiths...Wraiths are said to be the vengeful spirits of those who died when cursed.
Only time will tell what they followers have gathered for. With the possible implication of Shabriri suggesting that those inflicted with soullessness are not gone but merely untethered from their bodies, as well as Ensha's corpse from the Story Trailer suggesting he may be an opponent in the DLC, perhaps they have gathered to put him down once and for all. But that's just speculation.

Marika and Maliketh: The Slaying of a Beast

The Elephant, or shall we say the 'Beast' in the room, is of course the demise of the Gloam-Eyed Queen. This is not helped by the fact that when you examine the Japanese on items regarding Maliketh, they are often much more ambiguous than the English version. The Godslayer's Great Sword says "Sacred sword of the Gloam-Eyed Queen who controlled the Godskin Apostles before her defeat at the hands of Maliketh." Notably, it is said that Maliketh 'sealed' destined Death and that he 'defeated' the Gloam-eyed Queen, not that he killed her.
Scouring Black Flame: A black flame incantation of the Godskin Apostles. The black flame could once slay gods. But when Maliketh sealed Destined Death*, the true power of the black flame was lost.*
To figure out what may have happened we need to investigate the nature of Maliketh himself. Who and what is he? Maliketh's Remembrance and his Armor set have some insights.
Remembrance of Maliketh, the Black Blade: Maliketh was a shadowbound beast given to his Empyrean. Marika's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Even then, she betrayed him.
Maliketh's Helm: Beast's helm made of black iron and decorated with gold. Worn by Maliketh the Black Blade. Maliketh, Queen Marika's loyal half-brother, bore a blade imbued with Destined Death...
Maliketh is a "Shadowbound Beast" to Marika. Shadowbound beasts are loyal wolf-men serving Empyreans, who are God candidates chosen by the Two Fingers. Though often referred to as their master's siblings, rather they are actually the very shadow of their master, being "a part of their very being," as Blaidd says. It would appear that if the Empyrean seeks to defy their fate, the Shadowbound beast will enter a rage and attack them.
Raging Wolf Greave: Greaves worn by Vargram the Raging Wolf, one of the first Tarnished to visit the Roundtable Hold. According to the old legends, wolves are the shadows of the Empyrean, and this is what Vargram aspired to be.
Blaidd's Armor: Well-worn black armor of the man-wolf Blaidd. Blaidd, who served as Ranni's shadow, was a loyal ally who would defy destiny itself if it would have him turn upon his Lady.

Blaidd (At Forlorn Hound Evergaol after defeating Radahn): Oh, it's you... It's me, Blaidd. Old Iji trapped me here. Told me I'd bring nought but bale to Lady Ranni. But there's no chance that could happen. I'm part of her being. Her very shadow... I thought old Iji knew as much... Honestly, I don't know what's going on anymore...

Blaidd*: "No. I’m part of her very being! I could never betray her! No matter what might happen... Ranni... She needs me..."
It is my belief that shadowbound beasts represent the Empyrean's bestial nature. To become a being capable of ascending to a God, one must separate their reason from their natural instincts for desire, aggression and even survival. When one is able to do this, their shadow becomes a beast in service to their master, as the Elden Beast is a servant to the Greater Will. Only those who are capable of defeating their inner beast are capable of becoming true gods.
Just as Blaidd turns against his will upon Ranni when she resists the desire to rule and chooses to leave the lands between with the Elden Ring, when Marika's revenge upon Ensha was done, she may have been tempted to betray the duty of a God and give up being an Empyrean and Queen, so he attacked.
Maliketh may have been a leader among the assassins on the first Night of the Black Knives, the armor is black and helm is shaped somewhat like a raven's head. As Gurranq, he also gives out claw items which have three toes, like a raven's claw along with small wings on the seal. The claw mark on Melina's eye appears to be a bird's as well.
Top Left: Maliketh. Top Right: Caelid Crow. Bottom Left: Melina eye seal. Bottom Right: Clawmark Seal.
Given the various claw items surrounding Maliketh, the eye items that mention Marika's duty, and the claw symbol over Melina's eye, which later opens in the Frenzied ending to reveal a deathly appearance many have associated with the Gloam-Eyed Queen, it seems possible Maliketh may have blinded Marika in the attack in order to seal the Rune of Death. Or perhaps Marika gouged out her eye herself after coming to her senses, as per the Matthew 5:29-30:
"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell."
Marika's Scarseal: An eye engraved with an Elden Rune. Said to be the seal of Queen Marika. These seals represent the lifelong duty of those chosen by the gods.
Marika's Soreseal: This legendary talisman is an eye engraved with an Elden Rune, said to be the seal of Queen Marika...Solemn duty weighs upon the one beholden; not unlike a gnawing curse from which there is no deliverance.
Indeed Marika may be completely blind in the present day. Aside from generic statues in churches, cinematic game footage and concept are does not show her with her eyes open at any point and rarely shows her from the front either. This may be corroborated by the Shield of the Guilty.
Shield of the Guilty: Shield made to venerate a maiden whose eyes were crushed by Briars of Sin before being reborn in these lands. Venerating the repose of the soul, this shield boosts focus.
In the 1.0 description it was even more obvious that it likely depicted Marika.
(Shield of the Guilty 1.0) Shield covered in sharp spikes, depicting the image of a goddess. Can also be used as a weapon, as the spikes cause severe hemorrhaging.

Conclusion

So ends this theory write up. many of you may be wondering, "Okay, but how does Radagon fit into the theory? Or Godfrey? Or Godwyn? Or Messmer? Or Rennala? Or etc." Unfortunately I will have to address all of that in my next post, as this one simply became too long.
Initially I was going to include all of these characters, because I feel I have enough evidence to do so and broaden the scope significantly. However, I felt it was better to narrow this theory to Marika and Ensha alone. Thank you for reading, I hope you will consider this theory honestly.

This idea came to me in college and I've sort of played around with it over the years. I would appreciate any constructive criticism, especially focused on the prose and characters. This would be the introductory chapter of one of the main characters, Karl Klug, who is an important noble in his country. I hope you enjoy!
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KARL 1
Three men stood beneath a great oak branch, hands bound and nooses pulled tight around their necks. The branches connected to a mighty tree, old as the mountains themselves. The men were all silent, as were the other corpses gently swinging in the morning breeze. The air was still cold from the dew, not yet banished by the still rising sun.
“If you have anything left to say, now would be the time.” Karl Klug, Lord of the Wald said as he eyed them with disgust from the back of his chestnut horse destrier. He sat tall in the saddle, his close cropped brown hair and clean shaven face a far cry from the ragged appearance of the condemned. His heavy, black, woolen cloak was pulled tight, the hood up to block out the wind. Under the cloak he wore a simple brown doublet, with a crest bearing the black tree on a green field that was the sigil of his house. Karl always made sure to represent House Klug when acting as Lord, as was his duty.
These men were thieves, rapists, and murderers. They attacked travelers on the roads of the Wald, and it was Karl’s duty, as Duke of the Wald and Lawspeaker to the King, to keep those roads safe. The law demanded only one punishment for their transgressions. Their fate would serve as a warning to other would-be bandits.
The first man, a stern face and hard eyes, said nothing, but spat on the ground. The second man, fat and whimpering, managed to speak out in between choked sobs “Please m’lord. Mercy! They made me do it!”
The last man, a boy no older than fifteen, barked at him to be quiet. “We’re done for Ozzy. Go to the Wainman with some dignity, would you?” Such bravery in one so young. What could he have become if he followed a different path?
With that, Karl nodded to Jorivs, his household Resolver, who pulled hard on the ropes, them each one by one into the air, sending them kicking and choking into the Beyond. The second one, Ozzy, screamed and begged for his mother before the rope cut him off. Jorivs tied the final line off to a stake, while Wolter, his barber-surgeon companion, scribbled something down in a book. “They go to their doom in all different spirits, yet they all dance the hangman’s jig just the same.” He said as he turned a page.
“Amazing the lessons they teach at Spierpont.” Jorvis chuckled as the last pair of legs stopped kicking. “Shame Lemba couldn’t join us.”
“The Elf has seen his fair share of death. Let him enjoy his peace.”
“I only jest, my lord.” Jorvis said as he took a sip from his canteen. He motioned for Wolter to take a drink, but the older man was too busy furiously scribbling in his notebook to notice.
Karl looked to the east. The dawn was still cresting the horizon. “I’m off to the woods. I will not be disturbed.” Matilda and the children will still be sleeping. Best not to wake them with my return.
His pages nodded and replied in unison “Yes my lord.” By Karl’s standing order, Jorvis was peeling the boots of the dead men, better they should shoe a pauper than rot on the condemned. Wolter sketched the hanging men in his book, taking special care to note the lolling tongues and soiled breeches. Jorvis had the boots in a loose pile when he pulled a knife and a small pouch from his belt. “The eyes,my lord?”
He nodded grimly. “Hain will have his due.” Jorvis took a small stool and set to work, all six organs removed in a few quick flashes of the blade. Jorvis placed the grim package in its usual place on Baldur, Karl’s horse. With the bloody sack tied to his saddle, Karl rode off towards the thick forest nearby, a page in tow to hold his horse.
The page started to speak, and then stopped himself. He was a small boy, ten or eleven at the most. He had been to several executions before and not once had he been troubled by the sight of death.
Karl noticed the indecisive boy and helped him along.
“Something bothering you, Wiglaf?”
“The” came a squeak. Wiglaf cleared his throat and tried again. “The Resolver grumbles, lord. He grumbles that it would be easier to take the eyes before hanging the condemned.” He said meekly
“I know he grumbles. I know. But this is the way things are to be done. Taking their eyes before they hang is not the punishment for their crime. These men had their trial, and I sentenced them to die, not to be tortured. Do you understand, Wiglaf?”
“Aye, my lord. I understand.” Wiglaf nodded.
Wiglaf. So eager to learn but so nervous to offend. I’ll talk to his father the next time we meet.
This was the first time in months he had a chance to take in the forest. The influx in banditry in the past year had been a great source of woe not only to Karl, but to the Waldish people as a whole. They had enough to be fearful of without their fellow man adding to their problems. It had kept Karl up many nights, as he racked his brain trying to figure out the cause.
He had built roads, sick houses, held fairs, endorsed the Bard’s college, done all in his power to keep the people happy and content and quiet, and yet, there were some who still turned to crime. Why? No. Not now. Not here. Karl decided that he needed to rest his mind from constant affairs of state, and allow himself to relax before he made his offering.
They reached a clearing, and Karl dismounted. “Hitch up Baldur and rub him down. Have something to eat from my pack if you get hungry. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone this time.” The page nodded. Wiglaf, a good lad, if a bit timid at times. Weather had concealed his typical path into the great forest, but muscle memory lead his way.
He enjoyed his solitary walks in the woods, it gave him a chance to forget the woes of rulership, the frustrations of fatherhood, and the horrible curse that befell his bloodline. Now that things had quieted down with the bandits, Karl hoped he might have more time to be a husband to his wife, Matilda, and a father to their children. His three children, though nearly adults themselves, still tended to make a commotion. What they need is a firm hand. Their mother will spoil them rotten if she has her way. Karl laughed to himself. She always gets her way.
His feet knew where he was going, even if his mind did not. He always returned to the same place, no matter what direction he turned. Are the woods themselves magic, or just the creatures that inhabit it? He wondered as he found the well worn dirt path covered by a tunnel of tree limbs. The branches must have kept this clear from storms after all.
Few who entered the Wald came back alive, save for the Elves and their slaves, who usually came out in one piece. Most who walked too far past the tree line simply vanished. There were rumors, of course. Even his own grandfather had claimed that he was, in fact, the same Helm Klug that had vanished without a trace in the winter of 542. He had fallen through a tree hollow and into the myth shrouded realm of Cunnan, where time flows differently, or so the stories go. As such, though ninety-five years had passed from the time of the vanishing, Helm had only aged ten years or so.
Karl’s realm was a dangerous one, even without the recent rise of the highwaymen. To an outsider, walking alone in the duchy of the Wald was like strolling past a dark alley with coins jingling loudly. To Karl Klug, Lord of the Wald, it was like walking into his own bedroom. He had grown up here, he knew that danger lurked behind every tree, above every branch, and below every root. Not once had he seen anything like what Grandfather Helm had rambled about. No fairies or witches or traces of Hain. Still, one had to tread carefully here. Even Karl would not dare to venture in some parts of the forest, for an ancient force still had power in the dark parts of Bordrim.
I hope Hain will be pleased with my tribute. To survive here, one had to know when to fight, when to run, and when to submit. Some might call that heretical, going against the word of the church, But that was not something he wished to think about now, not when he was trying to be at peace.
The fresh air cleared his head and refreshed his spirit. Karl took a long, deep breath filling his lungs with the cold morning damp. He knew he would not be distrubed here, as none but the Duke of the Wald may travel to this part of the woodland.
He had been Duke ever since the death of his father when he was just four years old, though he had not ruled in his own right until he was fourteen. In that time, he had learned much from his regents, and his mother, who was far more capable than many made her out to be. She had taught him that most men, however pure their intentions may seem, nearly always had some ulterior motive that they wished to advance. Karl remembered that as his most valuable lesson, and it had assisted him greatly as he came of age. My father’s sycophants did not last long when I ruled in my own right.
The sound of rushing water came to his ear as he walked by the River Cember where his father had drowned. He used to intentionally go out of his way to avoid being near it, but now he barely gave it a second glance. I used to be so afraid of the water, until I understood why Father died. But by then, Mother had the Court Elf Lembe throw me in Sillac Pond. How I thrashed! It didn’t seem so scary after that. Fate is far more terrifying than any danger and far more comforting than any joy. Once you have been through the worst, everything else can be done with ease.
Karl heard a branch snap in the trees to his right, and his hand slipped to the silver coated dagger at his hip. He stood still as the trees around him, slowly moving his eyes from right to left as he looked for the source of the noise. Funny. I was afraid of harmless water for so many years when there were very real threats all around me the entire time. As long as I stay on the path, no beast would dare harm me.
There were no further noises, and judging by the humming of insects and the singing of birds, there was no real threat. Probably a stag or maybe one of Grandfather Helm’s Fae creature having a laugh at my expense. He continued walking for some time, climbing up small, rolling hills and ducking under fallen tree trunks, before reaching a final, gentle incline which led to Hidden Hill. That was where they found his older brother, Jasper, hanging from the tree at the top. That was the day his father had told him about the curse that stalked their family.
He made his way up the slope, as he had countless times before. The top of the hill was clear, save for one tree, planted by Karl’s grandfather Helm upon regaining control of the Wald after decades of Gaunt rule. His family adopted that tree, and made it part of their heraldry. A great black tree, sounded by the green of the forest.
The air seemed to resist being pulled into his lungs now. He had to unclench his teeth, relax his shoulders. He looked down at his fingers. He had scraped away the flesh near the nails on his thumbs and middle digits. How long have I been at it this time? It is difficult to relax when I am surrounded by some many painful reminders of the past. No matter how deep in this forest I walk, I cannot escape the memories that tears at me.
He kept his eyes low. Karl enjoyed seeing the blooming flowers and vibrant weeds that grew along the path he always walked. One particular group of plants caught his eye. A clover patch. The old folks said that in every clover patch, there was one particularly special sprout. And so Karl made a point to look over each and every patch he saw, even if only a passing glance.
What’s this? He said to the tiny green sprout as he crouched down for a closer look. A clover with four leaves. Lucky, lucky. Karl smiled as he plucked the clover and put it in his coin purse. And a good omen too. I know Otto will love this.
Karl continued up the path, and sat beneath the great black tree, looking out onto the castle that stood proud below in the clearing. Grey Hallow, it was called, and it was among the oldest in Bordrim, predating even the great fortresses of the Empire that many great houses now called their own. With two rings of thick, tall walls and towers covering every angle of approach, no enemy had ever successfully stormed the walls. Though a knife in the back is sometimes better than a ram at the gate, as history has proved.
Karl grabbed the now wet sack that Jorvis had provided. He quickly found a small knothole and stuffed the grisly offering side. The Dule clasped his hands together and bowed his head. “Haim, please take this offering that we may know quiet peace.” He sighed. Was Haim even real? Or just another story to make obedient children?
As Karl reclined in the unearthed roots of the black oak, he smiled. Real or not, offerings to Haim aren’t all terrible.This was the tree that he had married Matilda under, after he came back from the Siege of Hammerring, the last remaining Imperial stronghold in Bordrim. He had made a fortune by securing the ransoms of important Imperials, bringing House Klug from the embarrassment of near bankruptcy to extreme wealth in a single day. He had spent coins like a drunken gambler blessed with immovable luck that night, and from then on men had begun to say he was the richest man in the kingdom. I don’t know about any of that. But riches aren’t just measured in gold. Karl thought as he ran his fingers along the black bark of the tree.
Searching through the leather pack he took from his saddle, Karl grabbed the cloth that held the dried venison and cheese he had carried along for his breakfast. The castle will just be coming to life now. He thought as the sun began to climb higher in the sky. After he had broken his fast, he pulled a quill, a tightly sealed ink pot, and a piece of parchment from his sack. He began to write.
“Your smile, a joy
Your laugh, a pleasure.
When we are together,
Troubles are light as a feather.”
Karl would have a servant hide that among Matilda’s things, where she would discover it later. Even after fifteen years of marriage, Karl loved to create these little surprises for his wife, just as she loved finding his cumbersome gifts and clumsy poetry.
A long, steady drumming sounded over the tops of the trees, booming from the direction of Grey Hallow, but far beyond. In the west, birds squaked and scattered to the wind. By the cadence of their beat, Karl knew it was the Elves, come to pay their respects and receive letters of safe passage as required by the Pact. A little earlier than expected. No matter. I prefer early to late. No doubt my Chamberlain, Aldred, will have everything prepared. Karl sprang to his feet, dusted off his trousers, and rolled the dried parchment. He followed the path back to the castle at a quick pace, humming a song his Bard had sung the previous night while they slept under the stars.
The day had well and truly begun upon his return. Servants wearing the green and black of his house dashed about as their duties required. Men stood guard wearing the Great Black Tree of the Klugs on their livery. The halls were alive with chatter and the scuffing of feet. Karl knew a long line of petitioners awaited him in his hall, but everyone knew that an audience with elves took precedence over the squabbles of men. They had all heard the drums, and they would be pressed together like bees in a hive just for a glimpse of the pointy eared outlanders. Every year, young elves Elves embarked on a great journey that they called *THING* or “The Taste” in the Imperial tongue. They spent anywhere from one to one hundred years living among the mortals, learning their ways and customs. Some spent the rest of their millennia-long lives among the mortals, watching dynasties rise and fall, technological marvels stun the world, and should they be unfortunate enough to make friends or find lovers, they witness death on a scale previously unimaginable.
Lemba is due to return home by the end of the year. After seventy years of service to my family, he’s earned his rest. Perhaps one of the newcomers would like a position at court. I would very much like to continue my lessons. Karl flexed his fingers at the mere thought of magic. Outlawed in most realms of men, Karl had insisted on instruction. The training was hard and the consequences if discovered by the Church would be dire, but in a land as dangerous as the Wald, every advantage counted.
The drums boomed, growing louder as the elves approached closer. I must hurry. I cannot insult them by wearing the same clothes I just wore to an execution. Karl jogged down the path from whence he came. Wiglaf was holding Baldur by his reigns, and he snapped to attention the moment he saw Karl approach. “The drums my lo-”
“I heard. Ride ahead and have your father prepare clothing for court.”
“Right away, my lord.” The page said as he galloped away. Karl followed at a quick but more relaxed pace. No sense in appearing sweaty and exasperated for my guests. He reasoned as he rode down the winding path.
His servants were waiting at the gate for him. They grabbed their reins from Baldur, and Karl climbed down from the horse. “Andred has selected your clothing, m’lord. Right this way, if you please.” Onna, the fat seamstress said and she beckoned him to follow. She led him to the laundry, where Karl pulled the dirty articles he had worn for the execution and picked up the courtly clothing she had laid out. He pulled the white linen tunic on first and fasted it was a leather belt inlain with a large silver buckle. His slipped into brown wool trousers next and grabbed a pair of light leather boots. While I won’t appear filthy in front of my guests, high fashion is not something I care to waste my gold on.
Karl sat in his finely carved chair on the dais at the end of the hall. It sat to the right of an identical, but smaller chair where his wife sat. She wore a black and green dress with a modestly cut v-neck which exposed her pale skin. Her golden hair lay in one long braid along her shoulder. and her piercing blue eyes smiled back at Karl’s own green. This was the women he had fallen in love with the moment he first spoke to her. She had been less convinced, at first. While he had been the highest born of her many suitors, he had not been her first choice.
“I thought you were boring!” She would tease him later. “You barely said a word the first three times we met.”
“I was nervous.” He would reply. “You captured my heart and my wits that day in High Hibaltia.”
“Well, that wit is what won me. Perhaps I just borrowed it for a time.” She smiled.
Cleverness, justness, kindness. These are the things that make me love you.
The couple held each other's hands as they looked over the court. The chamberlain, Aldred, was quickly giving some last minute instructions to his son and another page, and they immediately scrambled to their work. Guards stood firmly at attention in front of the doors, knowing that they would be facing a hallway full of eager onlookers at any moment.
Their three children stood to the side, talking amongst themselves. Grimbold was the oldest. And doomed to die young, as my brother and uncle have. He was tall, taller than Karl even. He had the arms of a blacksmith’s apprentice and Karl’s own brown curls. He shared his mother’s sky blue eyes and slender nose, as well as her quick temper. He’ll want more responsibility soon. I’ve already denied him a squireship. Perhaps a minor position at court would assuage him.
Next to Grimbold was Charlotte, their only daughter. She too had Karl’s curly brown hair, but she wore it in a long braid, like her mother. She was just like Matilda, in fact. They were both skilled with numbers, and Charlotte’s fascination with bards rivaled Matilda’s own obsession. The two of them often pleaded with Karl to hire this performer or that one, and Duke Karl Klug, Lawspeaker of Bordrim, would not resist his girls, especially Charlotte. She had just turned fourteen, and would be expecting suitors soon. I doubt any of them would be worthy of her. The two of us share a thin patience for stupidity and love makes fools of us all. Especially this false, courtly love the Pawley’s have been peddling these last centuries.
And then there was Otto, the youngest of the three. He stood in between his brother and sister, obviously uncomfortable and being talked over. Nervous and shy, Otto had trouble making friends with children his age. He got along well enough with Wiglaf, but the two never actively sought each other out for play. Probably waiting for the other to make the first move. Karl thought to himself.
“Otto!” Karl yelled. The boy snapped nearly to attention. “Come here, lad. I have a surprise for you.” The boy warily came before his parents.
“Close your eyes and stick out your hands, Otto.” Matilda gently urged.
Otto did as he was told. “Karl dug around in his coin purse and pulled out the clover and a gold coin. He placed the two in Otto’s open palm.
His eyes beamed just before the rest of his face lit up. “Is it real?” He asked as he squealed at his gift.
“Just found it this morning. I figured, with you as my son, I already have all the luck I need.” Otto grinned wide, his missing baby teeth apparent in his otherwise toothy smirk. “Now, with that coin, I want you to find a book that we can read together. Would you like that?” “Yes, father! Yes, yes!” Otto exclaimed, almost shaking with excitement.
“Now get back to your place. The Elves will be here soon.:
“Yes, father!” Otto slipped the clover and coin into his own purse and hurried back to his siblings.
Matilda leaned over and kissed Karl on the forehead. “You’re a good man, Karl Klug.” His mind raced back to dawn, and the creaking of ropes. “I try to be, my love.” He kissed her forehead back. There was a commotion behind the doors to the hallway. It started as a low murmur, and then grew in size, becoming a roar of excitement.
Lemba, Karl’s tutor and resident Elf, took
The Elves had arrived.
Two figures, hooded in dark crimson cloaks, approached the dais. Less than a quarter of what I was told to expect. Behind them were six large, muscular, green skinned orcs bound together at wrist and ankle. Less than a tenth of what I had prepared for. Some Orcs had obviously suffered wounds in the recent past, black blood welling up through tightly wrapped bandages at shoulder, scalp, or thigh. Karl knew from past experience that were these wounds even a slight inconvenience to the Elves, the Orc would be killed with no more pity than lame donkey.
The two cloaked figures marched in a praticed cadence as they moved towards the Duke and Duchess. They all move like that in this room. Is it tradition? Or something more calculated? Lemba, can you enlighten me?
“In due time.” The elf’s voice answered in Karl’s mind. “For now, let us see who has survived the journey.
Karl cast a quick and silent spell to identify the travelers, his only tell was a twitch of the nose, which may have been mistaken for an aborted sneeze.
Viksna and Piske Dun Beske, twin siblings of a prominent Orhani family. Lemba leaned and whispered into Karl’s ear. “The youngest children of a powerful family of sorcerors. T
“Viksna and Piske you illuminate my land with your presence.” Karl’s voice boomed across the hall. It had been so long since he had shouted without magical amplification that he wondered if his throat could even yell anymore.
The two outsiders removed their hoods and stood with clasped hands and bowed heads. Their hair golden, their ears pointed, they were both of a similar height and build, shorter than most men in the room, and Karl could tell they were thin even under their robes.
“And you honor us with your hospitality, Lord Klug.” The pair said in unison.
“You’ve arrived sooner than expected. Was your trip pleasant?”
“We ran into some trouble with monsters, I’m afraid.” Piske said, matter of factly.
“ They devoured quite a few of our slaves.” Viksna added. And of course, the Shadow King must have his due. Our traveling companions were not to his liking. We two and The six Orcs you see behind us are all that is left, I’m afraid, out of the seventeen souls we departed with. Ah, yes. The older races call Haim by his title and dare not refer to him by name. A superstitious bunch, the Elves.
Three slaves for each of us is hardly fitting.” Piske scoffed.
“A shame. I will see that they are tended to. And my servants shall make up for your deficit. See these creatures to their quarters.” He ordered with a wave of his hand.
Guards cautiously herded the six chained beasts on the points of spears, but the broken creatures simply did as they were told and offered no resistance, not even a scowl. They were broken in mind and spirit, they simply existed to do as they were told. Even still, they looked as if they could crush a man’s skull without much effort, and so the guards insisted on caution. I cannot say I blame them.
The instant their slaves were gone from the room, the elves both went down to one knee, each pulling a small bundle from their cloaks. In unison they spoke. “We have come to pay tribute to the Lord of the Wald. Bordermaster, River Watcher, Upholder of the Pact. We offer these small tokens to you, Great Lord.”
Karl pushed up from his seat on the dais and walked towards the pair, gesturing them to stand. This well rehearsed speech never fails to delight my courtiers. “You have left your great capitol of Orhani to live amongst the lesser lived. You have endured freezing cold and driving rain. You have crossed river and mountain, field and fell, and traversed the Wald itself. You have fought beast and monster and seen many things that Man fears in his dreams. You have lost friends and companions along your way, and for that, you have our sympathy. However, all is not lost, and these deaths have not been in vain. You have proved yourselves worthy of fellowship through your very deeds. I bid you stand, as friends of Men.” The two figures stood, pulling back their hoods as the ritual demanded. They both looked as beautiful as painted godlings, young as if in their prime, though each must have seen a hundred years come and go.
The two approached, stepping slowly, deliberately, in unison to the dais where Karl sat. Piske stepped forward, leaving his sister still as a statue with her bundle still in her hands.
“For you, my lord. A gift.” He bowed and handed the package to Karl.
“Thank you, Piske.” Karl exchanged a rolled parchment for the gift. The container was small, and light. It could have been empty if Karl did not know better. He pulled the string holding everything together, and opened the paper wrapping. Inside was a ring, small and green, with all manner of beasts carved intricately on the sides.
“This is remarkable, Piske. You have my thanks.” Karl said as he turned the ring over in his hands. He spied an eagle, a fish, a rat, and a bear amongst the throng of creatures on the metal.
Piske looked to Lemba, eyes practically screaming for help. Lemba chuckled to himself for a moment and then cocked his head in Karl’s direction.
“May I approach, my lord?” the Elf asked in the elegant Elvish tongue, hands out stretched. Karl nodded his approval and he came forward. Piske leaned forward, taking the ring from the Lord’s hand and slipped the emerald ring onto his own left pointer finger.
“This ring is rather...peculiar, my lord. Observe.” The Elf cleared his throat and began to shout “Will one of you fellows come out? We’d like to make introductions.”
A heavy silence, followed by quiet, confused muttering amongst the onlookers. Then a shriek came from the rear of the crowd, growing louder and closer by the second.
That’s when it appeared before Karl’s eyes. It came forward at a run. Sharp claws, huge black eyes, and jagged yellow teeth.
“The ring summons rats?” Karl answered in Elvish in between laughs.
“Or maybe it makes the wearer forget his manners.” came a perfect Elvish reply from the rat. Karl’s eyes shot wide. Bhalik’s Maw. Did that rodent just speak? He regained his composure and looked around his court. Everyone was staring up at him. Had they all heard too?
“They can’t hear me, you big oaf. Only the ring bearer can.” Karl glanced at the green band around his finger. “My name is difficult to pronounce, but for the sake of simplicity, call me Ymaut. Piske tells me you have a rather large network of informants. How would you like to expand?
“We’ll discuss another time. Thank you, Piske. You honor me.”
Piske bowed. “Of course, my lord. My sister has brought you a gift as well” gesturing to his companion. He stepped back to take her place, while Viksna approached, bowed and held out her tribute. The thing she brought was bigger and heavier than her brother’s gift. When Karl had finished unwrapping it, he understood why.
“A Grimoire.” he said quietly.
“May I approach, my lord?” Karl nodded absently as he flipped through the pages.
Viksna whispered. “I am told you enjoy practicing magic. I would be happy to teach you, if you’d like.”
“This is too much to trade for a mere letter of safe conduct. Anything in my power to give you is yours, if you but name it.”
Viksna thought for only a brief moment. “Should there be an opening for a position in your court that I may be suitable for, I would like to enter your service.”
Lemba is leaving my service, to return to Outland. If you would care to remain here and assume his role upon his departure, I would welcome the company.” Karl said as he struggled to tear his eyes away from the book. That will be all for today. My servants will show you to your chambers. Should you want for anything at all, you need only ask and it is yours.”
The two bowed low. “You honor us, my lord.” the two Elves said as one. As they slowly walked from the hall, Karl’s Chamberlain, Aldred, whispered in his ear. “My lord, Sir Vanya has come to charge Baron Stevers as an oathbreaker. My duty calls. Karl thought, the grimoire still open in his hand.

Disclaimer: I'm bringing it here before any shutdown of AMH because lately, there's random stuff being posted there and a lack of control.

*Deals from 2020 onward might still be possible in some ways.
1927:

• Fox Film and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer were planning to merge before being called off.

1929:

• Warner Bros Pictures, Inc. called off a merger with Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation.

1956:

• Suitors including what would become Associated Artists Pictures had been bidding for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's back catalog. MGM would eventually enter the TV market themselves.

1957:

• Associated Artists Pictures almost closed a deal to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's shorts library (including the Tom and Jerry shorts) but shut it down due to the (unspecified) price tag.

1958:

• National Telefilm Associates announced plans to buy Associated Artists Pictures, which at this point was a subject of litigation. It would be United Artists who would buy them.

1971:

• 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer considered merging.

1982:

• Orion Pictures looked at buying Embassy Pictures and Allied Artists before settling in on Filmways.
• Warner Communications tried in July to buy back the rights to Metro-Goldwyn-MayeUnited Artists' pre-1950 WB library for the first time. The negotiations fell apart because of dozens of unresolved points, probably relating to the oldest Warner Bros. films. The second time was successful 14 years later with the Turner merger.

1984:

• Reliance Insurance attempted to take over Disney.

1985:

• Turner attempted to take over the Columbia Broadcasting System for $5.4 billion.
• Viacom was looking to buy 50% of MGM/UA from Turner.

1987:

• Carolco Pictures attempted to buy Orion Pictures and Media Home Entertainment.
• NBC considered buying the Turner Broadcasting System.

1989:

• MCA offered to buy Disney.
• Bill Cosby tried to buy a stake in NBC.
• Jim Henson attempted to merge his company with The Walt Disney Company for $150 million.
• Before Time Warner, Paramount Communications, which just rose up from Gulf+Western planned to merge with Time Inc before the latter went with Warner Communications.
• Viacom itself even planned to merge with Gulf+Western, 5 years before making a full-on successful buyout.
• Viacom was even in talks with MCA Inc., the owner of Universal Studios, according to the same article.
• Ted Turner somehow tried to repurchase Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, this time including the United Artists side.
  • News Corporation, which also owned 20th Century Fox, also bid for MGM/UA.
  • Qintex (which would later become Seven Media) also planned to buy MGM/UA for A$1.5 billion.

1991:

• In March, Brøderbund ended merger talks with Sierra On-Line, and given that date, it most likely started plans in the previous year.
• Turner's New Line Cinema looked into buying Orion, which the interests of Republic Pictures, Savoy Pictures, the American Broadcasting Company, and Polygram would also follow.

1992:

• MCA and Hallmark were originally the buyers for Hanna-Barbera but got outbid by Turner, which merged with Time Warner.

1993:

• In September, QVC tried a hostile $9.6 billion bid for Paramount Communications before a lawsuit came in, and lost to a $9.85 billion bid from Viacom in February.

1994:

• Bell Atlantic planned to buy Tele-Communications Inc. for $33 billion. TCI would later head for AT&T 5 years later.
• Time Warner Communications tried to buy NBC from General Electric for $2 to 2.5 billion.

1995:

• News Corporation, MCA, Time Warner Communications and Cinergi placed bids for Carolco Pictures before Le Studio Canal+ took over.
• Brøderbund bid for the original The Learning Company, before SoftKey bought them and adopted their name. They would buy Brøderbund in 1998.

1996:

• Before fatefully settling its eyes upon Sierra On-Line and Davidson & Associates (Blizzard, Animation Magic, and Knowledge Adventure), Comp-U-Card International, or more unfortunately named, CUC's Walter Forbes had considered a larger company that consisted of not just Sierra and Davidson, but also Brøderbund and LucasArts.
• After having Broadway Video's family library for dinner, Golden Books planned to buy out Nelvana.
• Microsoft nearly acquired Davidson & Associates (Blizzard) on the first try, but they lost to Comp-U-Card. In December 1997, CUC merged with HFS, and the new company was renamed Cendant, which would suffer a big accounting scandal.
• British Telecom, who owned a partial stake since 1994, bid $22 billion for MCI.
• For a year, Polygram attempted to buy out Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Samuel Goldwyn.
  • News Corporation and Morgan Creek also bid for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

1997:

• GTE, which eventually merged with Bell Atlantic to become Verizon 3 years later, bid $28 billion for MCI. Eventually, Worldcom kicked in.
• GoodTimes Interactive planned to buy MicroProse for $250 million before letting Hasbro Interactive take it in. Coincidentally, both GoodTimes AND Hasbro Interactive would be bought out by Infogrames (later Atari SA) in 1999 and 2001, respectively.
• Epic Pictures had offers to be bought by Artisan, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Disney before PolyGram succeeded to buy it. PolyGram would eventually sell it to Metro-Goldwyn-MayeOrion over a year later.

1998:

• Microsoft tried to acquire Davidson & Associates (Blizzard) for the second time from Cendant, but they were beaten by Havas, which was owned by Vivendi.
• Viacom's Paramount Pictures offered to buy French art house studio CiBy 2000 for 500 million francs, or roughly $80 million in USD. The founder's widow, however, refused, and the catalog was dispersed between TF1, MK2, and several companies. Thirty-two years later, Paramount would get almost half of an indie film studio: Miramax.

1999:

• MCI Worldcom tried to buy Sprint for $129 billion. After a 2001 scandal, Worldcom (name since 2000) was renamed to MCI Inc., which would get bought by Verizon in 2006. Sprint merged with T-Mobile US 14 years after MCI went to Verizon.
• Global Crossing offered to buy US West for $37 billion before Qwest outbid them. Coincidentally, the rest seems to have been a big wave of all coming together, as Global Crossing (after a bankruptcy in 2002) would get bought by Level 3 in 2011, which itself would be bought in 2016 by CenturyLink WHO MERGED with Qwest back in 2010.
• Artisan Entertainment and Canal+ were speculated to pick up PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.
• Two years before the release of the Xbox, Microsoft approached Nintendo about buying them. The deal was that they would make the hardware for Nintendo, but the latter's executives "laughed their asses off."
  • They also tried to buy Squaresoft, Electronic Arts, and Midway around this time.
• CanWest Global attempted to acquire NetStar (which consisted of TSN and Discovery Canada), but was vetoed by ESPN. CTV would eventually buy it.
• Francis Ford Coppola planned to buy United Artists from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

2000:

• Activision and partial owner Nintendo bid for Rareware until Microsoft bought them out 2 years later.
• Netflix offers to be bought by Blockbuster for $50 million, but they decline.
• Warner Music Group tried to buy British music label EMI for $20 billion but canceled the merger after pressure. Info here. After EMI's bankruptcy in 2011, Warner would buy Parlophone from it for $765 million, about 40% of EMI's record label.

2001:

• Sesame Workshop was put up for sale, with speculated buyers being Viacom, AOL Time Warner, The Walt Disney Company, and Classic Media.
  • The Jim Henson Company was also up for sale to The Walt Disney Company, Viacom, HIT Entertainment, AOL Time Warner, Haim Saban, and Classic Media.
• Chris-Craft (involved in the United Paramount Network) offered to be bought by Viacom for $3.1 billion until News Corp came in.
• Before NBC came in, the bidders of Telemundo were Viacom, The Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation (later absorbed into Univision), The Walt Disney Company, and AOL Time Warner.

2002:

• Viacom and USA Network were originally speculated to buy Fox Family Worldwide before it was sold by News Corp to The Walt Disney Company.

2003:

• Emtv tried to sell The Muppets to Sesame Workshop and ClassicMedia.
• Before Lionsgate took the shot, Marvel and Miramax were placing a bid to pick up Artisan.
• Viacom, Liberty Media Corp, News Corporation, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Barry Diller were also bidding to buy Universal Studios and its theme parks.

2004:

• Comcast tried to buy Disney for $66 billion.
• Take-Two Interactive Software considered buying Vivendi Universal Games for $1 billion, which was below what Vivendi Universal wanted. Vivendi Games, after its parent company stripped itself of Universal Studios to make NBC Universal, would merge with Activision Publishing four years later to create Activision Blizzard, now part of Microsoft.
• In June, an unnamed financier offered $10 million for TheFacebook, the first of many attempts over the next three years.
  • Friendster also offered to buy them, according to documents seen by SAI Global.
  • A couple of Google execs visited Facebook's office to see if there was a way to work with Zuckerberg or perhaps even buy his company.
• 2 years after Kirk Kerkorian put Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer up for sale, Time Warner emerged as a bidder for the studio. The bid wasn't unexpected, as Ted Turner was the largest shareholder. After all, his Turner Entertainment Group had risen to success through its ownership of the pre-May 1986 library, which had been acquired by the bidder when they merged with Turner eight years prior.
• Casey-Werner was looking to sell itself to a large media company but would later decide against selling. The potential suitors were General Electric/Vivendi's NBC Universal and the first incarnation of Viacom, which owned CBS.
• Channel 4 considered merging with Channel 5 for nine months before calling it off. Five would later get bought by RTL Group.

2005:

• Viacom offered to buy out TheFacebook for $75 million; the deal would have Mark Zuckerburg earn $35 million "on the spot".
  • MySpace's CEO Chris DeWolfe also visited Mark and his team to buy them.
  • NBC Universal's NBC execs stopped by "for a peek" this year.
  • In the fall, Mark Zuckerberg flew to New York to meet with Viacom CEO Tom Freston. Tom would pitch all sorts of synergies to Mark between MTV and Facebook.
• Before creating an alliance consisting of Pandemic Studios and BioWare, Elevation Partners planned to buy out Eidos Interactive before SCi (no, not Sony Computer Interactive) stepped in and bought them in May. The Pandemic and BioWare alliance would get bought by Electronic Arts 2 years later, with the former studio shutting down two years later.
• Five months before Viacom purchased Dreamworks SKG, there were rumors that NBC Universal would buy the then-independent studio for $2.5 billion. Dreamworks Pictures already used Universal's film distribution and home entertainment divisions to distribute their products.

2006:

• In January, News Corporation's Ross Levinsohn wanted to buy Facebook but was worried the deal might not keep up its growth.
  • Viacom sent the company a $1.5 billion offer--$800 million in cash up front, the rest a payout later. In this case, it's said it "almost sold."
  • In June, Yahoo! offered $1 billion, only to... lower it to $850 million after announcing horrible Q2 earnings.
    • In the fall, they suggested they would pay $1 billion or more.
  • In the middle of the year, AOL's CEO Johnathan Miller wanted to buy the company, convincing Time Inc.'s CEO to come in on the deal they took to their parent company Time Warner. A detailed plan would have AOL sell MapQuest and Tegic, while Time Inc. would sell IPC. Together, they'd offer $1 billion-plus.
• At least according to the YouTuber Hook: before Google came in, the bidders for YouTube were News Corporation, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and even Viacom, the last of which, after the Google purchase, would coldly claim YouTube infringed copyright, losing in the long end, and, after a CEO change, bought VidCon.
• In November, National Transcommunications Limited (or NTL for short) approached ITV plc with a merger bid. However, it would get blocked when British Sky Broadcasting (now Sky UK) bought roughly 18% of ITV for £940 million ($117.3 million in US dollars).
  • RTL Group, who owned Channel 5 at the time, also bid at one point; the plan would have seen RTL acquiring Sky's stake in ITV plc (with the aim of further acquisitions of shares in the future) in exchange for BSkyB taking full control of Channel 5.

2007:

• Google offered to buy Facebook.
  • Microsoft also offered to buy a small stake in the platform at a $15 billion valuation, then have the option, every six months, to buy another 5 percent. The complete takeover would've been well within five to seven years. While it never happened, they did buy 1.6% of the company for about $250 million, a deal which set their value at $15 billion.

2008:

• A reverse merger deal between DHX Media and Entertainment One was considered.
• Microsoft offered to buy Yahoo! for $47.5 billion until the latter let Google display its ads on the site.
• There were later debunked rumors of Viacom buying Take-Two Interactive, around the time of the next one:
• Electronic Arts even tried to buy Take-Two Interactive until September.
• France Télécom (present-day Orange) planned to buy Swedish telco TeliaSonera for $40 billion, but both could not come to an agreement.
• Square Enix planned to buy Tecmo, but the latter insisted on a merger of equals with Koei.

2009:

• Lionsgate announced plans on February 1 to buy Summit Entertainment, but 2 days later, the plans fell through. Lionsgate would end up purchasing Summit in 2012.
• Before Comcast came in, Time Warner and News Corporation were originally interested in buying NBC Universal from General Electric and Vivendi.
• News Corporation, Time Warner, Amir Malin's Qualia Capital, and Lionsgate Entertainment were bidding for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Holdings during its bankruptcy. Time Warner already owned the pre-May 1986 MGM library, had enough cash reserves, and co-produced the Hobbit films with the studio. News Corporation's 20th Century Fox, meanwhile, was Metro Goldwyn Mayer's home entertainment distributor at the time.

2010:

• News Corporation made a plan for the takeover of British Sky Broadcasting (already owning 39.1% until then) in June for 700 pounds per share for the remaining 60.9% shares until two turning points came: the removal of regulatory approval from Vincent Cable in December, and the more infamous 2011 News of the World phone hacking incident, which caused the bid to fall to its face.
• In a part 2, two more bidders, Reliance Entertainment (about $1.8 billion) and Relativity Media (about $1.6 billion) went onboard for MGM Holdings. But by November 3rd, MGM Holdings filed bankruptcy and emerged almost a month later when the Federal Bankruptcy Court approved the reorganization plan.

2011:

• AT&T tried to buy T-Mobile US for $39 billion.
• Hulu found itself in an unsolicited offer that was said to involve Google and Yahoo!. Ultimately, none of the bidders offered an amount satisfactory to its owners.
• World Wrestling Entertainment and the UFC were in separate talks to buy G4 until UFC went into a deal with Fox and WWE built its network.
• Before Mattel chipped in, the other bidders planning to buy HiT Entertainment from Apax Partners were The Walt Disney Company, the second incarnation of Viacom, rival Hasbro, ClassicMedia (which would be bought by Dreamworks Animation, which is now a Comcast company), Chorion, and Saban Brands.

2012:

• CBS was also rumored to buy Sony Pictures from Sony.

2013:

• Facebook's Instagram attempted to buy Snapchat for $3 billion in cash due to the latter's introduction of Stories. 3 years later, Instagram made their own Stories.
• Yahoo! considered buying either Netflix or Hulu until they fatefully decided upon Tumblr for $1.1 billion.
  • DirecTV and Time Warner also bid for Hulu.
• Time Warner was stated to be one of the buyers of THQ until its bankruptcy in the same year, followed by Nordic Games buying its trademark in 2014.
  • ZeniMax Media also made a $26.3 million bid for THQ's Relic Entertainment before Sega came in.
• Dish Network considered buying Sprint for $25.5 billion.
• RTL Group's Fremantle attempted to buy out All3Media.
• Microsoft was negotiating to purchase HTC, a fact revealed by former Nokia chairman Risto Siilasmaa during an interview with the Helsingin Sanomat, or Hesari. Microsoft would later buy Nokia's mobile phone business that year.
  • On the topic of mobile phones, Lenovo planned to buy Blackberry Limited, but the Canadian government blocked the deal due to security concerns because prominent members of governments around the world have used Blackberries themselves. They would later buy Motorola Mobility from Google in January 2014 for $2.91 billion.

2014:

• 21st Century Fox offered an $80 billion bid for Time Warner, but a potential CNN spinoff was one of the reasons why it became unattractive and fell.
• Hasbro planned to buy DreamWorks Animation to form Hasbro-Dreamworks, two years before Comcast went in.
  • SoftBank was also planning to buy Dreamworks Animation for $3.4 billion.
• Comcast tried to buy Time Warner Cable for $45.2 billion but faced a ton of madness to the point of abandonment.
• BT, ITV plc, Channel 4, Comcast (through NBCUniversal), Endemol, Time Warner, Viacom, Scripps Network Interactive, Saban Capital Group, and a joint bid of BSkyB and Discovery Communications were all bidders reportedly interested in acquiring Channel 5. Viacom won.

2015:

• There were some fears of Yahoo! buying Dailymotion from Orange, which were soon quelled by Vivendi's purchase of the site.
• Apple had considered buying TimeWarner.

2016:

• Before Viacom bought Telefe from Telefonica, Time Warner and the Cisneros Group were bidding for the network.
• 21st Century Fox tried a $32.5 billion bid for Sky until they were bought by Disney. Comcast eventually kicked in and bought Sky.
• Vivendi attempted a bid to buy out Ubisoft for $6.4 billion before ending the hostile takeover bid 2 years later. Today, Ubisoft is partially owned by Tencent.
• Disney somehow planned to merge with Time Warner before AT&T went into negotiations.
• Activision Blizzard's CEO Bobby Kotick somehow considered buying TimeWarner before AT&T took it.
• National Amusements sends a letter to both CBS Corporation and Viacom asking them to merge back. It's declined... for now.
• ITV plc placed a £1 billion ($1.3 billion USD) offer to buy eOne, which they rejected. Hasbro bought them for $4 billion in 2019.
• The Walt Disney Company planned to buy Twitter but decided not because there were a substantial amount of bots.
  • Microsoft, Salesforce, and Google were also said to bid for Twitter.
• Viacom tried to sell a stake of Paramount Pictures to Dalian Wanda, but it fell through, thankfully.
• Spotify was rumored to be looking into buying SoundCloud. It would be complementary as Spotify targets signed artists, and SoundCloud targets indies.

2017:

• 22 companies comprising but not limited to Viacom, Miramax, Ronald Wayne Burkle's Yucaipa, Lionsgate, A&E, Sony, and MGM all placed bids for The Weinstein Company.
• Viacom was going to take in Scripps Networks Interactive before Discovery Communications came through with a $12 billion outbid.
• Comcast, Sony, and Verizon were the other bidders for 21st Century Fox's assets. Comcast's bid persisted until July 2018, leaving it to The Walt Disney Company in March 2019.
• Tribune Media announced its sale to Sinclair Broadcast Group, but 15 months later, they were sued for a breach of contract. They would merge with future CW majority owner Nexstar Media Group for $4.1 billion.
• Hasbro attempted to buy Lionsgate.

2018:

• Viacom, CBS (both would re-merge in 2019), Verizon, Comcast, Amazon (later would buy MGM in 2022), Sony, and Hasbro again were speculated to buy Lionsgate, and there were rumors that a combined CBS-Viacom would buy out the studio, with Vice Chairman Michael Burns implying in an interview with CNBC that Lionsgate, CBS, and Viacom all merge.
• Google was eyeing Epic Games before starting their own cloud service called "Project Stream", later named Stadia, which lasted until 2023.
• Endeavor, All3Media, ITV plc, DHX Media, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, and Fremantle were all in the running for Endemol Shine Group. Banijay would merge with them two years later.

2019:

• Univision was speculated to be bought by ViacomCBS in articles like this, before Televisa (sort of) came in 2 years later, to form TelevisaUnivision.
• Before Viacom re-merged with CBS, there were rumors of the latter entity buying Starz from Lionsgate.
• Before ViacomCBS kicked in, the bidders for a 50% stake in Miramax were the second incarnation of Viacom, Lionsgate (which had the home video rights to Miramax, at least in the United States), and Spyglass Media Group, who had been the owner of The Weinstein Company's library a year ago. Spyglass was the first to exit talks, followed by Lionsgate a month later. After two months, Viacom went out of the discussion until the re-merge with CBS Corporation meant they would resume buyout talks with Miramax.
• ViacomCBS was also speculated to buy Discovery pre-announcement of the Warner Bros Discovery deal two years later.
• Continuing on with the post-merger 'nundrum, ViacomCBS was also rumored to buy Sony Pictures and even Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
• Xerox planned until 2020 to buy out Hewlett-Packard for $33.5 (later $35.0 in the second bid) billion. Hewlett-Packard indicated it would make its counteroffer for Xerox.

2020:

• Microsoft not only (and this was very publicized) tried to buy Tiktok, but almost tried to buy out Capcom, Nintendo, and even Warner Bros. Games.
• Apple and Netflix were rumored to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
• Take-Two Interactive was going to buy Codemasters for $994 million and assign it under 2K, before being trumped by Electronic Arts with a billion-dollar bid.
• ViacomCBS initially planned to sell Simon and Schuster to Penguin Random House but ended up in a blockage two years later.
  • Before that announcement, News Corp (HarperCollins) and Vivendi (Editis) were said to be the other bidders for S&S.

Around this time, Lionsgate made an unsolicited offer to merge Starz with ViacomCBS' Showtime.
2021:

• Comcast had some plans to buy Activision Blizzard, at least according to Puck.
• In a better-known attempt, they considered spinning off NBCUniversal and merging it with Electronic Arts, which sadly never materialized.
• Comcast was speculated to merge with ViacomCBS after the announcement of the Warner-Discovery deal, which would only get churned down to SkyShowtime for specific regions.
• Bagdasarian Productions has been reported to have put itself up for sale for about $300 million, with Paramount Global (who has home entertainment rights and Nickelodeon aired the latest show) being the most likely bidder.
• Microsoft was interested in acquiring Zynga before it was sold to Take-Two Interactive Software.
• Microsoft was also seriously planning to buy out some of over a hundred developers and nine publishers, and also considered Sega, Square Enix, and IO Interactive in an April 2021 slideshow given out this year's ruling by the FTC on ActivBliz.
• Lionsgate was planning for as long as into the next year to buy STX.

2022:

• Fox Corporation and News Corp were going to merge, only to get called off.
• There were the marathonical rumors of Apple, Disney, and even Amazon buying out Electronic Arts.
• The Washington Post was looking to buy Wordle before The New York Times Company became the buyer.

2023:

• Playtika tried to buy Rovio for $813 million before Sega Sammy took the helm.
• Comcast was speculated to buy out World Wrestling Entertainment before Endeavor Group came in.
  • They were also rumored to buy the remaining 67% of Hulu from The Walt Disney Company, until it became the other way around.
• Legendary, Fremantle, and GoDigital Media Group were bidding to buy Entertainment One from Hasbro until Lionsgate won the bidding.
• In the finale of the Simon and Schuster sale, the other bidder besides Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts was News Corp's HarperCollins.
• Paramount Global planned to sell BET to people including Byron Allen, Shaquille O'Neal, and 50 Cent, until deciding that the networks were a core asset.

I've owned some royal mail shares for around 10 years, actually since before I knew anything about investing. I've never bothered transferring them to my current broker and just let them do their thing, paying me dividences and been largely even unaware of the change to IDS. I see now in the news (and because I got a letter), that's there been a take over bid and the latest offer is good enough for the board to consider it. Am I correct in assuming that the board (if wanting to accept the offer), will put this to shareholder vote (including mine), and if the bid is accepted (by simple majority?), then my shares will be sold at the offer price which is something like 360p plus I'd get a nominal dividend of 2p and a special dividend of 8p? Do I then simply get this money in my bank account like my dividends and then I no longer have any shares?
Is there anything I should be doing here? Either must (legally obligated to do), or should (it's good idea and might save/make me some money).
Thanks in advance!

I’ve decided to write this in an attempt to vent the frustration and sorrow that have been eating away at me ever since I started playing Moonvale. I’ve tried discussing the matter with a friend of mine but he couldn’t really relate since he’s new to Duskwood. I guess there would be no better place to pour my heart out than the Duskwood family.
Many posts and comments have already been made, expressing dissatisfaction and disappointment towards the game but most of them revolve around the outrageous prices and A.I generated pictures. So it is very important for me to point out all the other problems since they’re numerous and equally important.
▪︎P.S : My current game progress is around 17%, so if yours is further ahead, please refrain from any spoilers in the comments. ▪︎P.S (2) : I didn’t expect the post to turn out to be this long but, if you could bear with me and read it all, I’d be thankful.
Before Moonvale came out, I enjoyed brainstorming and asking myself all sorts of questions to which answers will be provided in the upcoming game.
In addition to all the questions and feelings of excitment and anticipation that got hold of my mind, another feeling pervaded me : Worry for Everbyte and Moonvale.
Duskwood has been such an excellent and immersive game, cleverly made, created with love and care. Its quality kept increasing as the devs surpassed their limits in every new episode and came up with innovative and superb ideas for every new chapter. They raised the bar and never failed to deliver, bringing out a game close to perfection, sitting on the throne of interactive mystery games.
I could only imagine the weight bearing on Moonvale. With such a splendid predecessor, I was worried that the successor might not live up to our expectations. However, I decided to have faith in it since it’s being made by the same skillful creators of Duskwood so, what could possibly go wrong ? SIGH..

1. LAYOUT OF THE GAME : ▪︎The first thing one notices is how the new layout doesn’t really give off a messenger’s vibe. While Duskwood’s charm lay in the simplicity of its design and practicality of its mechanics, the attempt to embellish Moonvale has only made it too «loaded », resulting in a childish banal looking interface and confusing features.

▪︎ Ironically enough, despite being « loaded » some important features have been skipped, such as the possibility to visit characters’ profiles and thus have easy access to previously sent files, or adjust the text speed (i personally find texts a little faster than i would’ve wanted them to be).
▪︎Everyone has already touched on the unsettling A.I generated pictures. When we’re finally given the option to customize our profile, we’re left with 2 options : Either spend a crazy amount of diamonds to get some random unpleasant A.I generated pic, or be left with a grim faceless avatar.
▪︎What’s with the tracker set inside the chat UI ? At first i thought it was there to indicate our game progress but then realized it only moved after we picked a premium choice. And now I don’t even know what it is for anymore. BUT a tracker of ANY KIND put to the players’ face only causes uneasiness and stress.

1. THE NEW ACHIEVEMENTS SYSTEM : ▪︎And this one is what I HATE ABOVE ALL ELSE. The achievements listed literally spoil the contents of the episode and one can pretty much guess some of the upcoming events just by reading them.

▪︎Players have to go through the game while bearing in mind all the time that there are specific things they gotta do or say to collect some stupid points and diamonds to access « special » content. Not to mention that some achievements can never be obtained since sometimes our dialogue forks into 2 possible answers that both lead to achievements and you can only pick one.
Please.. Achievements only restrain one’s sense of freedom and create needless stress and pressure on players. They are absolutely unnecessary and ruin the fun.

1. CHARACTERS : ▪︎They felt unauthentic and aloof. Unlike Duskwood characters, they haven’t got any special traits or distinct personalities. I can barely tell Violet and Ash apart. Charlie is simply an even more frivolous version of Richy. And the A.I generated profile pictures made matters worse and I couldn’t connect to any of them. Some of their lines are even echoes of Duskwood lines.

▪︎I don’t like ERIC and couldn’t feel any connection or chemistry with him, yet we notice how the game is trying to lead us towards a forced partnership and complicity with him, as when he says he « wishes he could keep Adam’s disappearance to just the two of us » which is clearly reminiscent of some of our conversations with Jake, or when we start using « we » in the group chat to refer to Eric and ourselves. The purpose is obvious : Eric is meant to replace Jake through Moonvale and probably become our new partner.
I’m attached to Jake and it would certainly make me deeply sad if he were to only reappear one last time for a short moment to bid us farewell and then be gone forever. But I decided, if this were to happen, to accept it and be open to new options. BUT these « new options » gotta be equally good or surpass the bar set after Jake, and our partnership must come naturally. Eric simply isn’t it. (Needless to add, his appearance isn’t to everyone’s taste).

1. PACING AND PLOT : ▪︎Am I the only one who finds the pace of events a little weird ? Duswkood started out nicely and calmly. We were apprised of the problem at hand (Hannah’s disappearance) and then worked slowly on collecting evidence with our friends as the mystery unfolded progressively. In Moonvale, there is so much going on already within the first minutes of gameplay. It felt like many discoveries and incidents were assembled merely in order to seize players’ interest but failed to eventually. Also MC was linked to the mystery in a way that felt forcible and made no sense. Our number was sent, we already receive 2 calls addressed to us in person and A DAMN LETTER WITH OUR NAME ON IT. Huh ??

▪︎Why do we have to pay to be able to see the secret chats now ? And how are we able to see them anyway ? In Duswkood it was thanks to Jake’s hacking skills, and checking secret chats was NECESSARY for our investigations. Now the secret chats have been deprived of a ground justifying them AND purpose. Are you telling me to just skip them if I don’t have enough to unlock them ? And do you expect me to carry on playing with the same composure after that ? Of course it’d bug me for the rest of the game ! AND THE TIMER ON THEM WAS THE LAST STRAW. Stress everywhere..

1. MINIGAMES : ▪︎I don’t really hate them, though it felt like Everbyte lost their originality since these are a replica of Candy Crush and other similar games. The little shiny cubes in Duskwood with their occasional explosions had more freshness and spirit to them. What I don’t quite like is the design of the outer page displaying the minigames (unpleasant and childish) plus how they freeze once the number of stars required is attained. Also how they once had a meaning behind them (hacking the cloud) but they no longer do. The background music is nice though.
   
2. PAYWALL : ▪︎I feel like it’s needless to say anything here since it was unanimously agreed that this whole new system of unlocking premium content (that pops up very frequently) with a crazy amount of diamonds as well as the prices set for the packs are completely ridiculous and outrageous and totally crush the fun.
   

▪︎Quick info : Given how currency value is different depending on countries, what they labeled « best offer » is worth +1000 M.A.D in my country, which is a CRAZY sum of money here.
We’ve known Everbyte as meek hardworking and talented people and not some greedy guys running solely after profit. So this is all pretty shocking.
These are all the problems that came into notice so far. For a 17% game progress, they’re numerous and discouraging. I am yet to get to the side story which is the most anticipated part, but I already feel very anxious and lost the desire to carry on. If the side story turns out badly, I will definitely plumb the depths of despair.
It was important for me to list all these problems because i don’t want Everbyte to simply modify the pricing options and substitute the A.I pics. I want the game to be revised wholly down to the smallest detail. You accustomed us to quality and perfection so stand by that.. If you’re willing to redress the current situation, that is.
• Dear Everbyte, you said that you hear us.. That you learned from Duskwood, but this isn’t what Moonvale conveys at all. Please, prove that you really hear us now and fix this.

I’ve decided to write this in an attempt to vent the frustration and sorrow that have been eating away at me ever since I started playing Moonvale. I’ve tried discussing the matter with a friend of mine but he couldn’t really relate since he’s new to Duskwood. I guess there would be no better place to pour my heart out than the Duskwood family.
Many posts and comments have already been made, expressing dissatisfaction and disappointment towards the game but most of them revolve around the outrageous prices and A.I generated pictures. So it is very important for me to point out all the other problems since they’re numerous and equally important.
▪︎P.S : My current game progress is around 17%, so if yours is further ahead, please refrain from any spoilers in the comments. ▪︎P.S (2) : I didn’t expect the post to turn out to be this long but, if you could bear with me and read it all, I’d be thankful.
Before Moonvale came out, I enjoyed brainstorming and asking myself all sorts of questions to which answers will be provided in the upcoming game.
In addition to all the questions and feelings of excitment and anticipation that got hold of my mind, another feeling pervaded me : Worry for Everbyte and Moonvale.
Duskwood has been such an excellent and immersive game, cleverly made, created with love and care. Its quality kept increasing as the devs surpassed their limits in every new episode and came up with innovative and superb ideas for every new chapter. They raised the bar and never failed to deliver, bringing out a game close to perfection, sitting on the throne of interactive mystery games.
I could only imagine the weight bearing on Moonvale. With such a splendid predecessor, I was worried that the successor might not live up to our expectations. However, I decided to have faith in it since it’s being made by the same skillful creators of Duskwood so, what could possibly go wrong ? SIGH..

1. LAYOUT OF THE GAME : ▪︎The first thing one notices is how the new layout doesn’t really give off a messenger’s vibe. While Duskwood’s charm lay in the simplicity of its design and practicality of its mechanics, the attempt to embellish Moonvale has only made it too «loaded », resulting in a childish banal looking interface and confusing features.

▪︎ Ironically enough, despite being « loaded » some important features have been skipped, such as the possibility to visit characters’ profiles and thus have easy access to previously sent files, or adjust the text speed (i personally find texts a little faster than i would’ve wanted them to be).
▪︎Everyone has already touched on the unsettling A.I generated pictures. When we’re finally given the option to customize our profile, we’re left with 2 options : Either spend a crazy amount of diamonds to get some random unpleasant A.I generated pic, or be left with a grim faceless avatar.
▪︎What’s with the tracker set inside the chat UI ? At first i thought it was there to indicate our game progress but then realized it only moved after we picked a premium choice. And now I don’t even know what it is for anymore. BUT a tracker of ANY KIND put to the players’ face only causes uneasiness and stress.

1. THE NEW ACHIEVEMENTS SYSTEM : ▪︎And this one is what I HATE ABOVE ALL ELSE. The achievements listed literally spoil the contents of the episode and one can pretty much guess some of the upcoming events just by reading them.

▪︎Players have to go through the game while bearing in mind all the time that there are specific things they gotta do or say to collect some stupid points and diamonds to access « special » content. Not to mention that some achievements can never be obtained since sometimes our dialogue forks into 2 possible answers that both lead to achievements and you can only pick one.
Please.. Achievements only restrain one’s sense of freedom and create needless stress and pressure on players. They are absolutely unnecessary and ruin the fun.

1. CHARACTERS : ▪︎They felt unauthentic and aloof. Unlike Duskwood characters, they haven’t got any special traits or distinct personalities. I can barely tell Violet and Ash apart. Charlie is simply an even more frivolous version of Richy. And the A.I generated profile pictures made matters worse and I couldn’t connect to any of them. Some of their lines are even echoes of Duskwood lines.

▪︎I don’t like ERIC and couldn’t feel any connection or chemistry with him, yet we notice how the game is trying to lead us towards a forced partnership and complicity with him, as when he says he « wishes he could keep Adam’s disappearance to just the two of us » which is clearly reminiscent of some of our conversations with Jake, or when we start using « we » in the group chat to refer to Eric and ourselves. The purpose is obvious : Eric is meant to replace Jake through Moonvale and probably become our new partner.
I’m attached to Jake and it would certainly make me deeply sad if he were to only reappear one last time for a short moment to bid us farewell and then be gone forever. But I decided, if this were to happen, to accept it and be open to new options. BUT these « new options » gotta be equally good or surpass the bar set after Jake, and our partnership must come naturally. Eric simply isn’t it. (Needless to add, his appearance isn’t to everyone’s taste).

1. PACING AND PLOT : ▪︎Am I the only one who finds the pace of events a little weird ? Duswkood started out nicely and calmly. We were apprised of the problem at hand (Hannah’s disappearance) and then worked slowly on collecting evidence with our friends as the mystery unfolded progressively. In Moonvale, there is so much going on already within the first minutes of gameplay. It felt like many discoveries and incidents were assembled merely in order to seize players’ interest but failed to eventually. Also MC was linked to the mystery in a way that felt forcible and made no sense. Our number was sent, we already receive 2 calls addressed to us in person and A DAMN LETTER WITH OUR NAME ON IT. Huh ??

▪︎Why do we have to pay to be able to see the secret chats now ? And how are we able to see them anyway ? In Duswkood it was thanks to Jake’s hacking skills, and checking secret chats was NECESSARY for our investigations. Now the secret chats have been deprived of a ground justifying them AND purpose. Are you telling me to just skip them if I don’t have enough to unlock them ? And do you expect me to carry on playing with the same composure after that ? Of course it’d bug me for the rest of the game ! AND THE TIMER ON THEM WAS THE LAST STRAW. Stress everywhere..

1. MINIGAMES : ▪︎I don’t really hate them, though it felt like Everbyte lost their originality since these are a replica of Candy Crush and other similar games. The little shiny cubes in Duskwood with their occasional explosions had more freshness and spirit to them. What I don’t quite like is the design of the outer page displaying the minigames (unpleasant and childish) plus how they freeze once the number of stars required is attained. Also how they once had a meaning behind them (hacking the cloud) but they no longer do. The background music is nice though.
   
2. PAYWALL : ▪︎I feel like it’s needless to say anything here since it was unanimously agreed that this whole new system of unlocking premium content (that pops up very frequently) with a crazy amount of diamonds as well as the prices set for the packs are completely ridiculous and outrageous and totally crush the fun.
   

▪︎Quick info : Given how currency value is different depending on countries, what they labeled « best offer » is worth +1000 M.A.D in my country, which is a CRAZY sum of money here.
We’ve known Everbyte as meek hardworking and talented people and not some greedy guys running solely after profit. So this is all pretty shocking.
These are all the problems that came into notice so far. For a 17% game progress, they’re numerous and discouraging. I am yet to get to the side story which is the most anticipated part, but I already feel very anxious and lost the desire to carry on. If the side story turns out badly, I will definitely plumb the depths of despair.
It was important for me to list all these problems because i don’t want Everbyte to simply modify the pricing options and substitute the A.I pics. I want the game to be revised wholly down to the smallest detail. You accustomed us to quality and perfection so stand by that.. If you’re willing to redress the current situation, that is.
• Dear Everbyte, you said that you hear us.. That you learned from Duskwood, but this isn’t what Moonvale conveys at all. Please, prove that you really hear us now and fix this.

Residential Contracting 101
With over 20 years of building experience, I would like to share with you my insights in navigating becoming a successful contractor. With many different avenues of the building world its key to understand what problems will arise on any given day. A man once told a saying that stuck-the 6 p’s in life- Piss Poor Preparation leads to Piss Poor Performance. Preparation builds everything in construction, without preparation the jobsite will not run correctly. The best advice I was ever given was to learn a little about every trade giving you the ability to understand trade lingo and secrets. An example would be painters use the terminology flash; this means when the sub structure bleads through the paint. Subcontractors will give the best pricing if they respect your knowledge of the industry. If the subcontractor feels they will have to hold your hand through the job they will charge an extra fee…i.e. I call it the aggravation fee. In this blog I will explain the key elements in finding success in all aspects of the industry. Contracting is a physically and emotionally demanding job which requires planning and foresight to complete projects on time within budget. Picking your customer is just as important as picking your employees or subcontractors. I have worked for some of the most demanding customers leading me to question at the end if the job was even worth it. Sleepless nights, constant changes, lack of payment, lawsuit threats, adding work that was in the contract are just a few things you could face with a tough customer. With so many moving parts at all times it is critical to be able to adapt to changes within a short time frame. Materials will come in damaged, subcontractors will be late, employees will get sick, but the deadline you set does not change. The stress can be overwhelming at times keeping your mind in a good place is key to navigating all that is thrown at you. Choosing your client picking the right jobs-Keep these questions in mind The first question to be asked is what the time frame is to start the job to see if it fits within the timeframe for your business. If the time frame doesn’t work then move on from the project or let them know when you would be available to start. If the client really wants to use, they will wait until you are available. Taking on too much work will only lead to problems. Construction is a serviced based business, staying on top of the project and client will eliminate an unhappy customer and construction issues that will be over seen. With online presence if details are missed and customer service lacks it will only be a matter of time the phone will not ring. The second question to be asked to the client is do they have a budget in mind for the project. If they answer yes this is good, follow through with what the budget is. If the budget seems low let them know, this will eliminate a tire kicker, educate them on what the price range could be. If the budget seems reasonable then continue the discussion to the next question. If they answer no let them know that you can give them an estimate to see if the project is feasible with their finical capabilities. Taking on a job that is not correctly budgeted will lead to an unsatisfied customer due to non-transparency of the construction cost. The third question to be asked is anyone else bidding on the job, if the answer is yes, understand you might just be number check for the contractor doing the job. Dig a little deeper and find out how many numbers they are getting and why. If your business model is to be competitive be completely transparent with customer, this will gain trust with them. Let them know you get what you pay for and if you they choose the lowest bid it could lead into lack of quality of work.
The fourth question I will ask is there any specific subcontractors they wanted to use. If the answer is yes then I would explain to them you only use the subcontractors you have a working relationship with. Otherwise, this could backfire as the subcontractor might not show, do subpar work, talk behind your back to the homeowner. In my experience I would stay away from using any homeowner to alleviate problems down the road. A quick conversation now can save headaches down the road. The fifth question I will ask are planning on getting the job permitted, this needs to be known it takes more time for the permitting process. Plans will have to drawn submitted and approved to the city before work can commence. The sixth question I will ask if a residential remodel is are you going to be living through the remodel if yes understand this will take more time to navigate the project due to answering questions and cleaning the house on a daily occurrence. I would recommend seeing if the customer would be willing to move into an Airbnb or friends for at least the demo portion of the project. If they do plan on living through the remodel add a couple hours a day to accommodate the extra time that will be required. The seventh question I would ask in a residential remodel is how old the house is to see if there is asbestos that would need to removed by a proper company. A home built before 1979 will most likely have some asbestos in the house, use a licensed company with proper insurance to dispose of the materials. If everything looks good to this point find out a little more about the client personality. If the client seems reasonable, I would bid the job. Unreasonable people can cause you more stress than its worth. These are some red flags I would look out for. Some jobs are not worth the money. Very demanding in the way you are going to perform your job- I.e., tell you how you are going to do your job- You’re the professional not them! Give you a hard time about your price- haggle with price you estimated- The price is the price! If they are a family with little money and you want to help them out is one thing, if they are trying to beat you down is another. Mention they have a lawyer-there is no need for them to bring up that they have a lawyer - Run for the hills as if the job goes south, you will be the one losing out! Tell you what the payment terms are. It’s your business you get paid how it works for your company. If you want to get paid every Friday, put it into your contract-If the clients do not agree move on it will save you frustrations If they talk bad about the last contractor, chances are they will talk bad about you. There is a reason why the contractor does not work for them anymore, unless he did subpar work this a red flag Clients are using an interior decorator that will purchasing all of the materials- The materials could be ordered incorrectly by the interior designer your company will not make the mark-up it deserves. Interior decorators usually add time to the job as well as act like your boss. Charging a little extra for the time and stress that it will entail is only fair. Clients want to purchase the materials- You are using your knowledge to buy the correct materials-The mark up on the materials keeps the doors open working for wages only pays the bills The husband and wife do not get along-You will become the mediator between the couple it will lead to taking sides a losing proposition- A drama free work place is always best! Dangling carrot-if you do this job the next one will be better-Only look at what there offering at the present moment, if its not a good fit do not take the job for a job down the road…Its not worth chasing a job that might not happen! The Art of the Sale First things first selling your company is all about presentation. In meeting your clients for the first time show up with a collared golf shirt tucked in, belt, nice jeans, and newer shoes. Have a truck that a clean, no dents scratches, preferably washed the day you are going into your meeting. Have a leather note pad that is clean no dirt or paint visible. Show up 5 minutes early, if you’re running a little late shoot them a text to let them know. Treat the situation as if were going on a first date, best foot forward. As you introduce yourself give them a warm greeting, letting them know you are very interested in the work. Find out a little about them, hobbies, where they lived, etc etc. You are going to be working with them on a daily basis its nice to know what makes them tick. Having a good working relationship from the start is key forming a solid relationship. As the conversation progresses find out who wears the pants in the family…ie who’s the final decision maker. If its fits the wife, chances it is…..then kindly let the husband know happy wife happy life when their in a stall mate on an issue. As your looking at the project throw in some suggestions of what you think would look good from past experiences, this will get their attention that you have knowledge and want what’s best for them. If you see ways to save them money in their project let them know, money is a large point of the sale keep that in mind. Mention that you’re not the least expensive contractor but you’re not the most expensive either. Your customer satisfaction is your number one goal which leads to more time spent on keeping them happy. One happy customer will lead to another, one unsatisfied customer leads to work in the future. Bring up the fact the finishing the job on time is key goal to your business, many contractors run several jobs at once causing the jobs to be finished way behind schedule. You must stand out as having integrity, good morals, and the ability to problem solve to get the job. The clients will be testing you to see if you’re a good fit as well. Keep in mind as you take your notes that you must not forget anything they mention as it will come back before the job is completed…i.e. we mentioned that to you before we started the job! Take pictures of the proposed area for work, that way you can use it to better right your estimate. Let them know you will give them a detailed outline of when the job will be completed letting them see how long each phase will take and correlate it with your payment schedule. Before you leave their house let them know when the estimate will be sent to them. MAKE SURE YOU HIT THAT DEADLINE! Once you sent the email over with estimate make sure you get confirmation that they received it. Wait at least 2 days before checking with them, hopefully they contact you first! If they want negotiate the price, let them know that it is the best price that you can manage, its not worth losing money before you start. I closed 80% of the work I estimated by being very transparent and friendly. If you come off with an attitude charge double what the going rates are you might only land 1 out of 10 jobs as well as getting the reputation of being expensive. Bidding the job Looking up industry standards on pricing is what I would go buy for pricing. If you google the coat of any installation there will be a cost range for everything. Looking at the cost ranging from high to low I would tend to be in the middle. Some items might be low on the internet if this is the case use your best judgment not to lose money. Closing sales is key to success and keep the doors open for business. Being in the middle on pricing is key as most customers shy away from contractors that are extremely low or high on the price range. I tend not bid out hourly as wages do not pay for retirement. Bidding is better as customers no the exact price of the cost of construction. It also keeps the job moving quicker as time and material contractors take longer to complete projects…Thus costing the client more money and valuable time they could spend in their house. Using a Contract Using a detailed estimate tied to a contract covers your butt in 99% of the time. Having a piece of mind that every aspect of the job is covered in the estimate and contract protects both your company and the client. Key terms to include in your estimate/contract are. Have a schedule on excel showing the start dates and dates of each trade this will show the customer you are organized with time lines. If not written in the detailed in the estimate the item is excluded- This ensures if its not written down its not included. TBD- To be Determined- A phrase on a line item that has yet to had final decision of products or service needed. -The pricing will follow the decisions to be finalized Give out what your written warranty will be for parts and labor this changes state to state. If the homeowner provides the product than no warranty will be given on that particular item. In the contract have a start date and end date with the verbiage subject to change due to weather, product delivery, change orders Have a progress payment schedule to ensure the client understands when funding will be expected-Including if not payment is rendered service to the project will stop. Have written terms of how change orders will be charged-cost plus 20% or a set fee Make sure in your contract that arbitration is required versus going to court- This will save lawyer fees and going to court Many contracts can be found online and each state requires different contracts
Finding leads Finding leads is easy with the right network of people. I personally do not find working for friends or family members a good fit. Relationships get strained when money is involved, causing undue stress for both parties. I have listed a couple of ways to build a network or find work using the internet. Get in contact with realtor’s- Realtors have a big client base of homeowners who need work done Contact local Architects to see if they are working with any general contractors Leave some business cards at your local materials suppliers-Doowindow/lumber-many times clients will ask salesman for a referral. Join a business networking group- BNI is one of many Join a internet website lead generation company- Houzz, Angie’s List, Home Advisor, thumbtack, Yelp run an ad on craigslist Use a marketing company to market your website-This could become costly with little results Create a Facebook business page Create a Yelp business page
Building your subcontractor base Having 2 subcontractors for every trade, gives you the flexibility of completing jobs on time if the one the subcontractors is too busy at the time you need their service. Your subcontractors are the face of your business, choose owner run companies that are professional. Check to make sure there license are up to date..ie workman’s comp, liability insurance, state license. Choosing subcontractors with lettered vans, logoed t-shirts is s key to looking professional in the clients’ eyes. In the past I have gotten a lot of subcontractors for material supply shops, stopping by jobsites, researching the internet using Yelp, Home Advisor, etc etc. Once you get one good subcontractor ask them if they know any other trades they would recommend. One good subcontractor leads to another in most cases. The key to having a good group of subcontractors is to let them know that you are there to get help them get the job done. They do work for you but without them you are nothing…keep that in mind! Make them aware a clean jobsite is required at the end of everyday to ensure the proper safety for all parties including theirs! Over the years I have referred a lot of companies work when there is only 1 trade needed. Referring work to subcontractors is a good way to get top priority when you have work that needs to be completed ASAP. Timing is everything in times of emergency having a good group of subcontractors will make your business run smoothly. Pay your subcontractors immediately after performing work, this will make them feel appreciated! A happy subcontractor is one that will gladly go the extra mile for you knowing that there not just a number to your business! Buying lunch once a week for the jobsite is always a good token of appreciation!
Supervising In supervising any jobsite its key to monitor everything from materials on hand, weather, vehicle parking (if applicable), jobsite safety, and subcontractors’ workmanship. If you hired a professional there should be little supervision in the work being performed, on rare occasions a new hire might need some mentoring to get the results completed correctly. If you see a problem with there work address it with the worker directly, no need to call his boss…. building repour with the worker letting him know you got his back goes miles down the road! Checking in on the job first in the morning to answer any questions or changes that need to be conveyed and once in the afternoon to make sure all work be completed is done per construction industry standards. A job that is run blindly will have many more issues than one that is watched over. I have seen many jobs with no site supervision, leading to subpar quality work as well as safety hazards. Its better to be like an eagle than cluck like a turkey!
Working with the City/Inspectors On permitted jobs the city and site inspector will be a large part of how smoothly the job runs. Each phase of construction has an inspection allowing for the project to continue. Make sure your subcontractors are aware that the project is inspected before starting the job. The best way to stay on his good side is to provide a clean jobsite and having the job built to the highest standards possible. When having the site inspected be courteous to the inspector asking any questions or concerns you have with the work during the job. Being completely transparent will save you aggravation of problems down the road. The more he trust you the better if you seem sneaky or rude he will make your life a living nightmare! Many inspectors will have an attitude towards you….I suggest keeping quiet and doing what ever he wants….he’s the boss no need to get in a pissing match you will not win at. How to deal with irate customer Stay calm during any argument with an irate customer. Never raise your voice or show that you are bothered by their disgruntled behavior. If the customer is trying to get more from you than agreed upon stand your ground. Worst case scenario is you walk from the job, which in the long run be more of a loss for the client. I have only run into a couple of these clients; they are unreasonable and not worth losing sleep over a few dollars. Its best to terminate the relationship as it would be my best guess that a referral from this customer would not be one you wanted anyway. If you feel it was just a miscommunication on your end, take reasonability and remedy the problem. Taking accountability for your mistake will go a far way in their eyes and on future issues that arise. Prepping the homeowner pre-construction Before starting the job, it very important to give the homeowners a warning of what will happen during the construction process.

1. All furniture in the proposed working area must be moved- I would recommend having the clients take care of this to limit the risk of damage to their belongings.
2. There will be dust that will be in the house up to 3 months after construction-I would recommend hiring a construction cleaning company at the end of the job even so after it is cleaned dust will be present months after words.
3. There will be conflicts between you in the homeowner at some course of the job. - You will do your best to eliminate them as quickly as they arise-i.e. material damages, miscommunication, job delays
4. All decisions on materials must be made before the start of the job- this will eliminate job stoppage due to materials not being on site.
5. All materials will be on site before commencement of job-
6. Payment structures must be made per contract otherwise job will stop until payment rendered
7. Cars are to be moved out of the driveway- Ensures ease of loading and unloading of materials/tools
8. Give the specific hours that workers will be present- i.e. 7-3:30
9. Determine what areas are allowed to be used as staging for tools/materials
10. If animals are present in the home that they put outside or in a room during the day
11. All valuables in the house are locked in safe
12. Ask if using client’s household bathroom is okay or to bring in Porter Potty
13. Being transparent as possible is key to keeping a great relationship with your client!

During Construction During construction it is key to take detailed photos to eliminate any damages that were not caused by the construction process. I would also make a video to ensure all areas are included. All subcontractors should also take progress pictures to ensure if problems arise in the future, they will not be responsible for any work that they did not perform. Keep an on-going log of progress to the homeowners and share the pictures for there records. This will keep homeowners excited of the progress being made. When the house is gutted to the studs it is important to have construction photos showing where all utilities are run in the walls or sub floor. If there is a problem in the future there will photos showing all utility locations. Protect all flooring with plywood or floor protective. I also like to protect front door and tarp all areas where subcontractors are to be working. Make sure to cover any chandeliers/furniture/doorways with plastic to eliminate dust. Ask the homeowners if they have any concerns that they could think of. We’re all human and possibly a detail was missed! Post Construction Phase If the project went smoothly appreciation should be shown to the customer. Find out if the husband likes a particular type of liquor. Bring the wife a bouquet of flowers. Send a Christmas card to the family letting how much you appreciated the work. You know you have done a good job if they tell you they will refer you to their friends. The best compliment you could receive is a good referral. In Summary Try to find a knitch in the market, I found kitchens to be a great remodel projects. Bathrooms are tough as they are small, expensive with little profit margin with every trade involved. Windows/doors are also another great knitch as they can be installed quickly. There are so many different remodeling items that can be stream lined to make the selling installing process flawless. Once the core group subcontractors are in place the job almost runs itself. Every day is a learning experience with new materials or methods in construction. Keeping up with codes, materials, fluctuating labor and material cost is a job within itself. Anyone can be a contractor with the right mindset.

This is a Chinese legend; approx. 6,000 words.
Content:
1 Constant Fair and Peach Flower Girl
2 Death with Eyes Open
3 Peach Flower Fortune
4 Wordless Tombstone
[5 Mental Illness Treatment]()
6 Fate Through
7 Nude Wedding

1 Constant Fair and Peach Flower Girl

[Constant Fair ]()is an orphan since childhood in Publican Liu’s pharmacy as a long laborer. He was not smart since he was a child, score of school was not that good, and always made mistakes when he grew up and learned how to do business. However, Publican Liu not only took good care of him in every aspect, but also always tolerated and harbored him, and did not hold him accountable for his faults. Constant Fair had never met Publican Liu since he was a child; he also often wanted to see him to salute and thank him in person, but it was always disrupted by some strange and unexpected arrangements.
Constant Fair knows, Publican Liu is eccentric, often go out to travel, leisure time in the study of ancient books, do not like to see people. In addition, Constant Fair also knows that he is not good health, there is a kind of what, no one can say the strange disease.
One day, Publican Liu commissioned a matchmaker to propose marriage to Constant Fair, to betroth his daughter, Peach Flower Girl, to him. He heard that Peach Flower Girl is intelligent, beautiful, and her medical skills are even more brilliant, to her matchmaking are more than to kick through the threshold, is not marriage. The matchmakers showed him articles written by Peach Flower Girl, told him what she had done, and created opportunities for him to meet her, so have a chance to see her in person. Constant Fair saw that Peach Flower Girl was beautiful; the articles she wrote were clearly organized, with wonderful words; the affairs she had done were all skillfully arranged. Constant Fair thought he was not worthy of her, so he refused. As a result, he heard later that the Peach Flower Girl was also unwilling and called him stupid.
Some days later, again, Publican Liu asked the matchmaker to marry Peach Flower Girl to Constant Fair and tried to persuade him. Constant Fair finally said, "As long as Peach Flower Girl is willing, I am willing." As a result, Constant Fair heard that Peach Flower Girl was not willing again.
After some time, Publican Liu asked the matchmaker to marry Constant Fair and Peach Flower Girl again, saying that, this time, Peach Flower Girl had already agreed. Constant Fair heard that Publican Liu and the matchmakers had been trying to persuade Peach Flower Girl to marry him, and that the father and daughter had quarrelled over the matter often recently. He thought to himself, "This is that Peach Flower Girl let me to delay for a few days so as to let her father have a rest and a few days of fun, and then it is me to reject it. Constant Fair then said to the matchmaker, “I'll think about it then”. After a few days, he told the matchmaker: “No.”
In this way, Publican Liu and the matchmakers used many ways to set up the marriage between Peach Flower Girl and Constant Fair, which was a long time coming, but just not possible. Time passed, Peach Flower Girl and Constant Fair both passed the age of normal marriage.

2 Death with Eyes Open

In one middle night, a matchmaker who had become friends with Constant Fair came running to tell him, “I don't know what's wrong! old Publican Liu is acting like crazy! He said he would ‘die with eyes open’, until he sees you and Peach Flower Girl get married, and enter honeymoon house. He also secretly let people in the preparation of a small inner courtyard, to you and the Peach Flower Girl locked inside; not married to not let you two out. I thought, ‘What's going on here! I had to tell you!’ I also found out that they know that you and I are friends and have sent someone to watch me, so I found a chance to sneak out. With that said, I must return, in case of that I am discovered.”
Constant Fair was shocked when he heard this and thought, “This can't be done! Then I ruin Peach Flower Girl for life! No! I must Leave!” That night, he escaped from Publican Liu's pharmacy. He didn't go back to his hometown because he was afraid that Publican Liu would send someone to catch him.
Constant Fair lived a life of anonymity, wandering around. Of course, he also needed to make a living, and later he worked as a shopkeeper in a pharmacy. For the first few years, the business did quite well, and the business grew. Later, he realized that someone was working against him in business and went to resign with the proprietor. The proprietor said, "Now, our business is so big that we can fight with them! I trust you, and I don't blame you if you lose money." Constant Fair said, “I don't want to fight with them. To tell you the truth, I suspect those opponents are related to one of my former benefactors”. The proprietor understood the matter well and said: “In that case! I cannot force you.”
Constant Fair left the pharmacy and wandered to another place, where he found another job in a pharmacy. Something similar happened to the last job. He found out that there were against him in business, and still thought that those people were related to the former boss Publican Liu, so he voluntarily gave up the job again.
In this way, Constant Fair changed job after job, always feeling that someone was struggling with him and unwilling to fight back against his opponents, but his bad reputation spread, and he couldn't find a job. So, he went back home.
On his way to his old village, Constant Fair met a messenger. The messenger asked him, "Do you know Constant Fair from Fair Family Village?" He replied, “I am!” The messenger said, “The people in your home asked me to tell you that your father passed away.” Constant Fair thought to himself, “I have been an orphan since I was a child, and replied, “You are mistaken! I'm not the person you're looking for!” The messenger verified, “XXX County, YYY town, Fair Family Village, the name is Constant Fair!” Constant Fair replied immediately, “Yes! It is me!” The messenger added, “The news that the people in your hometown asked me to convey to you is that your father has passed away. I'm just a messenger, and the rest, I don't know!”
At this, Constant Fair felt uncomfortable in his heart and sensed that something was wrong. When he arrived home, he inquired if there was anyone else in the village also name Constant Fair. He found out, in his county, only has one Fair Family Village, and in the past 40 years, only his name is Constant Fair in the Village. For several days in a row, he felt a tightness in his chest.

[3 Peach Flower Fortune]()

On this day, Constant Fair went to the marketplace for a walk. From a distance, he saw a group of people surrounding a fortune-teller. Constant Fair never believed in ghosts, gods, fortune-telling, and the like. But somehow! That day he stood at the back of the queue and wanted to listen.
The fortune-teller saw Constant Fair immediately and said, “The one at the end of the line is in a hurry! Let him come first! Those in front wait a while.”
Constant Fair said, "I'm not in a hurry, I can wait."
The fortune-teller said, "Come over here if you're told to!"
Constant Fair walked up to the fortune-teller, and before he could say anything, the fortune-teller said, “Congratulation! You've got Peach Flower Fortune (Note 3)!”

Note 3, what is peach flower fortune? Equivalent to the Western world's "The Chosen One" (i.e., the Golden Boy, Adam), except that the peach flower fortune is expressed in terms of the woman's (Eve, Jade Girl) beauty, talent, rich, and power to express this concept. How did the fortune teller see it? The Chinese fortune-teller profession and the Chinese juristic teacher profession use the same set of books. The Golden Boy and Jade Girl is the basic model in that book, and the Peach Flower Catastrophe is one of the main cases in that book.

Constant Fair replied, “I don't know! I can still have Peach Flower Fortune!”
The fortune teller asked, "In the past, when you worked for someone, was there a proprietor who treated you very well, but you never saw him?"
Constant Fair replied, "Yes!"
The fortune-teller said, “He is dead, and with eyes glaringly open!”
Constant Fair heard, feel the head "buzz" a moment, the sky spinning, earth gravity vanishing, organs are moving. When he calmed down, felt his chest clogged, as if pressing a stone, heard the crowd talking about really God's calculations, a look to know! No wonder that he was said to be in a hurry!
Constant Fair turned around and started to walk home. The fortune-teller said: “Wait, I haven't finished yet! I think you really don't know! When Peach Flower Fortune comes, no one can stop it, there's no other way. You can only obey the wish of that old proprietor of yours and go to his house quickly. Even if you must spend all your money to pay for the betrothal gift, you still must gain their favor, wed their daughter, and enter honeymoon house, before you can be relieved of this Peach Flower Catastrophe.”
Constant Fair reached into his pocket and realized he had no money with him, so he said, "I'll go back to get the money and return it to you."
The fortune-teller said, “No need, I don't want your money.”
Constant Fair felt strange and asked why he didn't want his money. The fortune-teller said, “To tell the truth! Judging from your face, you won't live more than a hundred days. It's unlucky to spend dead people's money!"
Constant Fair said, "Thank you very much! I will definitely repay you when I have the chance in the future."
The fortune-teller added, "Wait! On the way, you must drink more water; drinking water will renew your life. Also, you must keep walking; if you fall, you may never get up again!"
Thanking again, Constant Fair went home, packed his bags, and went on his way that night.
A few days later, Constant Fair felt his chest getting more and more clogged, his stomach gurgling, and problems with his stomach and intestinal motility; sores began to grow on his skin. Whenever he arrived at a place, he first looked for a well, drank his fill, then filled two jugs of water to carry with him, ate something and immediately rushed on. In this way Constant Fair traveled day and night, rushing to Liu's medicine farm.

[4 Wordless Tombstone]()

The world had changed, and Publican Liu’s family moved back to his home village, Peach Flower Village, a long time ago. After a lot of trouble, Constant Fair was sent to the cemetery of Peach Flower Village by a carter who took pity on him.
At the cemetery, Constant Fair read the inscriptions on every grave, but he did not find Publican Liu's name. He was so tired that he sat down to rest in front of a wordless tombstone. At that moment, a woman wearing mourning clothes came to him. He hurriedly stood up and asked, "Dare I ask this big sister, whose grave is this?"
Woman replied, “This is my father's tomb.”
Constant Fair hurriedly asked, “Can I ask what your father's name is?”
Woman said, “My father said I was not his daughter, caused him to die with eyes open, would not allow me to say his name at his grave.”
The two then talked at the grave. Constant Fair first told his story; then the woman told hers.
Woman said, “When I was born, have a peach flower birthmark on my leg, so people called me Peach Flower Girl. When I grew up, I was picky in choosing husband, couldn't find one. My father appointed one for me, a longtime laborer in our medicine farm. His name was Constant Fair, was a fool. I did not agree. Later, my father had a small courtyard built up, and he planned to confine him and me there, not letting us out until we married. In the middle of a night, I created an opportunity for one of Constant Fair's friends to slip out, so Constant Fair ran away. My father sent people to look for him everywhere. A few years later, my dad became seriously ill, so we moved back to our home village. Not long after, my dad passed away.”
Peach Flower Girl said: “Before my father died, he said to me, ‘You are not a real woman, you are not destined to have a husband, and you can't enjoy the happiness of being a woman; therefore, I have detained a husband for you. You can only be happy if you marry him. One day, after I die, a man will come to my grave to commonwealth and bow to me. At that time, you will take these two letters: one is my will; another is eight hieroglyphics that I summarized what I have learned and done in my whole life. You ask him to guess the eight hieroglyphics. If he does, he is your husband. You kneel and ask to marry him.' My father handed this dagger (which is a Philosopher Stone Pestle) to me and said, ‘If he doesn't agree, you kill yourself with it.'"
Peach Flower Girl continued, “Years passed, and no one came to visit his grave. I had not the heart to marry anyone either. A few days ago, I heard that a man was going around looking for a grave. I asked my butler to see what was going on. He followed you and saw your fainting, so he carried you here. I will send someone to bring you some food later.” Peach Flower Girl finished her talk, turned around heading back to the village.

5 Mental Illness Treatment

Constant Fair felt more comfortable, but chest is still congested, in front of the grave to cry loudly, while crying while thinking: what is Publican Liu’s life doing? He thought about it for two days and two nights but could not figure it out.
At dawn on the third day, Constant Fair heard someone call his name, like his father. At that moment, the man said again, “Constant Fair! Do you not even recognize me!?” As the man set down the meal, he said, “Look at what I brought, all your favorite foods when you were a child.” Only then did Constant Fair notice that this meal delivery man was Uncle Grain, who had taken care of him as a child and treated him the best.
Uncle Grain said, “When the old master was alive, he would always ask me to bring you some of the delicious food made in the backyard kitchen. Every time, he told me, ‘Just say whoever sent it, do not say I sent it.’ These are all your favorites, eat them while they're hot to warm your body.”
Uncle Grain continued, “The day before yesterday, Lady said that you were not sick. I came to bring you food, saw that you were sick all over. Last night, I went to my Ninth Uncle's house, who is a famous medical doctor in this area. I told him about your condition and begged him bitterly. My uncle was cornered, so he told me, ‘This is a matter of life and death, you must not tell outsiders. Yesterday, a few of us old doctors discussed Constant Fair’s case. Your old Master Liu is a famous benefactor, who all know for hundreds of kilometers around. But he was so unfair to Mr. Fair that he put his life in danger. Publican Liu was a rare man of the world, and if he were to cast the curse of ‘Death with Eyes Open’, it would certainly be done seamlessly.’”
Uncle Grain said: "I then flattered my uncle: Uncle you very knowledgeable! But in the end, I don’t understand what the cause of Constant Fair's illness is. Our old master asked Constant Fair to guess the eight words that summarized his life's learning and doing, but how could Constant Fair guess out with his little literal inks? Can you make it simple for me? I need to understand, otherwise I came begging you for nothing!”
“My uncle said, Constant Fair is also a scholar! He grew up with Publican Liu, how could he be less educated?”
“I said, I watched Constant Fair grow up, he was stupid since he was a child! He was afraid of being beaten by the teacher at school, often skipped school. Old Master Liu trusted me and asked me to take care of him. I was lazy and concealed on either end. Every time our old Master Liu asked me, I told him that Constant Fair was smart and diligent, but he was always stupid and didn't learn well. Later, Master Liu asked me to lend Constant Fair his favorite books. Whether Constant Fair read it or not, I told old Master Liu that, ‘Constant Fair liked it so much that he read it two or three times, could almost recite it'.”
“My uncle scolded me, ‘Why do you work like this! Publican Liu's godly business is ruined by you!’.”
“I say, Uncle Ninth! It's useless for you to scold me, even to beat me. If Constant Fair sickly died, haven’t I been a man in vain! Then I won't live long. Constant Fair has been kind and filial since he was a child, how could he get this strange disease! Isn't this someone setting him up!”
“My Ninth Uncle immediately said, ‘That's right! Publica Liu died with eyes open; and he and Constant Fair had a factual father-son relationship. Constant Fair, he is a great rebel, self-inflicted sin, could not live! But he was framed also. That's what's illness with him. If word of this gets out, your Publican Liu will be disgraced! Don't you understand? Then what's the Liu family spying on everyone in our village now!”
Note 5: Uncle Dragon said that in the original story of Peach Flower Catastrophe, the original author used Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, God Theory, Ghost Theory, and other twenty more ancient Chinese philosophies to discuss the cause and treatment of Constant Fair's illness.
Uncle Grain said to Constant Fair, “I then knelt down to my Ninth Uncle and begged him to come up with a solution.”
“Ninth Uncle said, ‘I didn't realize that this matter had brought you into the circle. Yes, this happened in our Peach Flower Village, several of us old doctors feel frustrated and irritated. This medicine is the result of our discussion yesterday. But if the mental illness is not removed, Constant Fair's physical illness will not be cured.'”
Uncle Grain continued to say, “I said to my Ninth Uncle, ‘Our old Master is a learned man, and he asked Constant Fair to guess eight hieroglyphics, but with Constant Fair's little learning, he couldn't guess them! What, according to you, Uncle, are those words?”
“My uncle immediately became angry! He shouted, ‘Good Son’s Uncle (that is real name for Uncle Grain)! In terms of seniority, I'm your uncle; in terms of age, you're still two years older than me.' How can you say that?”
“Later, my uncle explained: ‘Publican Liu learned Taoism from Extremely-Vague Real-Human (Annotation, also being called Non-Position Real-Human that is True Suchness, is nature law) in his early years and was the closing door (i.e., the last) disciple, who had received real teachings. In terms of seniority, he is my teacher uncle. My teacher uncle set up a trap and I'm here to break it, that is I am cheating on teacher, terminating ancestors! But in terms of Publican Liu's personality, he's not a man who bites off more than he can chew and shows off his metaphysics; for a scholar, those should be a few common hieroglyphics.’”
“I asked my Ninth Uncle what I can do for Constant Fair then?”
“He said, ‘Tell Constant Fair truthfully all that Publican Liu had asked you to do to him behind his back！Let him comply with Publican Liu's wish, that's the only way out, otherwise, he surely dies.'"
Uncle Grain looked around again, handed Constant Fair the medicines for internal and external use, such as Shenling Baizhu San (that is a popular ancient remedy for gastrointestinal ulcers), and whispered, “I have to go, if not they may never let me bring you food again.”

6 Fate Through

Constant Fair sent Uncle Grain away, while eating while tears dripping. He was sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes crying, sometimes angry, sometimes leisurely, thinking, thinking, thinking, he remembered what happened to him when he was a child (what is called Fate Through).
Constant Fair lost his mother when he was young and lived with his sick father. One day, he saw children eating candied haws on the street, and he cried and asked his father for them. His father carried him outside the courtyard of Publican Liu, pointed to the big house of the Liu family and said: "You are engaged to the eldest lady of this family, but our family is poor! We don't expect this marriage. Dad is sick. When Dad is gone, you come to his house. When you grow up and make money by yourself, then you can buy whatever you like!"
At this time, Constant Fair came up with the first four hieroglyphics of eight, “former generation’s marriage reasoning factor”.
On the fourth day, three shopkeepers came to visit Constant Fair and said, “To tell you the truth! We were all present when the old Boss Liu died. He really could not rest in peace. Why did he die with eyes open? We all know! Peach Flower Girl is stubborn, she never believed a word the old Boss Liu said since child. Death with eyes open, all because of worrying about her! The spirits keeping term had not even passed, so she gritted her teeth and said, ‘My dad died with eyes open because he was mesmerized by that stupid guy Constant Fair.’ She swore she would kill you and sent people around to look for you.”
Constant Fair said, “Thank brothers, for your truthful words, but I am still willing to stay here for spirits keeping, and to think out his will.” After the shopkeepers left, Constant Fair threw himself on the Publican Liu's wordless tombstone and cried aloud. While crying, while thinking, I was stupid since childhood, not good at reading, often beaten and scolded by teachers. When I grew up, I was slow in learning to do business and often made mistakes. Fortunately, Publican Liu's favoritism harboring, I strugglingly learned some pharmacy to rely on for life. Since leaving Liu's family, I was not able to return home, and there was no place to complain about the bitter, barely able to support myself, until now nothing has been accomplished. The old master Liu chose me to take care of his family, causing the merchant group to fall apart. Crying, Constant Fair felt a stream of warmth flow like warm water from top of his head to his whole body, after that, he felt much more comfortable in his heart and body than before.
On the fifth day, several shopkeepers came to advise Constant Fair again: "Old Master Liu is erudite and a rare man of the world, how can we guess his mind! The Peach Flower Girl is a temperamental person with a goddess’ face and a scorpion’s heart, no one can get a good fruit with her. It's not worth wasting time here for a woman like her. Go! We several old brothers will gather money for your treatment, we don't need her Peach Flower Girl!"
Constant Fair said, “Thank brothers, for your truthful words, but I am still willing to stay here for spirits keeping and to figure out old master’s last words.” After the shopkeepers left, Constant Fair threw himself on the wordless tombstone and cried loudly. As he cried, he thought, “Is it true that I don't have that kind of learning and can't come up with that kind of words!?”
For many days, Constant Fair's friends came to persuade him every day: “What if you guessed those eight words? Peach Flower Girl will not do what our old boss wanted! You are so sick now, and she said you are not sick. Since you came back, no one has seen her sad for you. She is still happy, admiring flowers in the backyard, and still has leisure heart to read books. Some people also saw her laugh stealthily in the garden.”
One day, in the Peach Flower Village's auditorium, Peach Flower Girl was deliberating with the shopkeepers when a little servant ran in in a panic, shouting, “It's no good! The new Boss fainted on the mountain!”
Peach Flower Girl rebuked sharply: "Shut up! Who is your new Boss!"
The little servant hurriedly changed his words and said: “The new son-in-law fainted on the mountain!”
Peach Flower Girl was furious: “Get out of here! Let you watch him! It's that if he dies, don't let the wild dogs carry his corpse away, so that I can have something to build his grave and wear mourning for him!"
A shopkeeper said anxiously to Peach Flower Girl: “Big Boss! You're the best healer in this house, we must immediately go to the mountain to look!”
Peach Flower Girl was indeed a skilled healer, after a few pinches here and pokes there, Constant Fair woke up. Peach Flower Girl stood up and said, “He's not sick”, then, went back to the village.
On this day, several shopkeepers came to Constant Fair's tent again and said: “O brother! This time we are not here to advise you, but to bid you farewell. As you know, the world is going downhill, and people's hearts are not in the right place. It is hard to business nowadays, the business of all our pharmacies is getting worse day by day, also we must support our families.”
Constant fair became anxious when he heard this: “You've all left! What about our lady!?”
A shopkeeper said angrily: “This is something I really don't understand! Your own life is at stake, and you're still thinking about her!”
Constant Fair froze, sighed, and muttered involuntarily: “This is my fate!”
The shopkeeper yelled: “I know you don't believe in God, Buddha, or ghost, when did you start believing in fate!?”
At that moment the old butler came running in a great hurry, gasping for breath as he said: “I thought I wouldn't be able to catch up with you!”
A shopkeeper said to him: “I thought you weren't leaving! Why do you still come to us!”
Constant fair asked the old butler: “Why don't you leave？”
The old butler said: “I took an oath! Once the old Big Boss told me in tears, ‘Peach Flower Girl has been afraid of being alone since she was a child! I'm most afraid that in the future she won't even have anyone to talk to around her.' So, I swore, ‘Don't worry! Big Boss, no matter what happens, I'll stay by her side and talk to her.’”
A shopkeeper asked: “Then what are you doing here?”
The old butler said: “I was afraid that our lady had secretly changed the old Big Boss’ will, so I made a copy and replaced the real one with a fake one. I also have no place to keep this will, I trust you shop managers and want you to keep it for me.” The old butler said, handing the letter to the shopkeepers, and added: “I must go back; our lady can't be left without someone to talk to.”
Constant Fair realized and said: “I guessed it! Brothers! Our lady is a person who loves face, for my sake, stay for a few more days.” Saying this, he wrote eight hieroglyphics, “Former Generation’s Marriage Factors, Predetermining Fate”.

7 Nude Wedding

Early the next morning, Constant Fair, and the shopkeepers, as well as the villagers, all came to the hall of Peach Flower Village for the ceremony of announcing Publican Liu’s Will. Peach Flower Girl opened the letter with the eight-hieroglyphics testament and saw that Constant Fair had guessed correctly, so she said, "Then I will go and fetch the will."
The people waited in the hall. The old butler, anxious, went to Constant Fair and whispered, “The false will, I'm afraid she'll change it too!” Shopkeepers all felt that it made sense. So, the old butler led the way, and the group went together to the backyard to look.
One smells the smell of burning paper as one enters the study. Peach Flower Girl was there reading the will! Seeing that people were coming, she smiled and said, "I just wanted to read my father's will first, so I made the group wait impatiently! Good! Let's just go back to the hall!"
The old butler tugged at Constant Fair's sleeve and whispered, "Announce the will right here!" One of the shopkeepers understood and said, "Big Boss! Everyone is here, let's read the will here!"
Peach Flower Girl smiled and said, “It's not so bad to be in a hurry for a while, I think it's better to look dignified in the hall. Constant Fair! What do you think?”
Constant Fair said, "I also think that there is more solemnity in the hall, there are still many clan members waiting there!"
On the way back to the hall, the old butler pulled Constant Fair aside and asked, "When you entered the house, didn't you smell the odor of burning paper?"
Constant Fair replied, "I did!"
The old butler said, "Isn't it obvious! She created a fake will and burned the old boss’ will. By the time we got back to the hall, the ink on the will she wrote was dry."
Constant Fair replied, "The old boss made the will, and his daughter wants to change it. What does that have to do with me?"
When the old butler heard this, he fell and said, "This has something to do with me! I've been the old boss’ butler for 50 years, and I can't even keep his will safe, so how am I going to see the old boss after I die! Constant Fair! You must help me!"
Constant Fair said to him, “You do this and this…”
When the two of them returned to the hall, people were waiting for them! Peach Flower Girl asked Constant Fair, "Who do you think will read the will?"
The old butler volunteered, “If the people trust me, I am willing to issue the will on behalf of Publican Liu." The people all agreed that the old butler was indeed the right person to represent the old proprietor Liu, so he read out the will.
According to the will, all the property of Publican Liu is inherited by Constant Fair, and Peach Flower Girl and Constant Fair hold a nude wedding in front of Publican Liu's grave. When the old butler handed over the will to the clan for checking, people find that what is written in the will is different from what the old butler read, so they asked the old butler, “what is going on?”
Peach Flower Girl heard and saw clearly: butler did not read it as she had written it; he had recited the will of Publican Liu. Shame on her; everything was just as Papa had said, and she didn't even have one trustworthy person by her side. "What's the point of you living! It's better to die!" Thinking about what her father had said, the Peach Flower Girl literally pulled out the Philosopher-Stone Pestle, wanted to kill herself.
Constant Fair was prepared and snatched the dagger with one hand. Peach Flower Girl was stunned, and her anger rose from her heart. At this moment, people heard a "plop" sound! It turned out to be the old butler kneeling while howling loudly: "Old master! I'm sorry! Lady! I'm sorry!"
People were shocked, and hurriedly asked what was going on. The old butler crawled to Peach Flower Girl and hugged her legs, crying as he said, "My lady! It's all because of me, the old family slave that I'm all faults!"
Peach Flower Girl asked in surprise, "Old Uncle! What are you doing! Stand up if you have something to say and speak slowly."
The old butler said, “If you don't forgive me and promise me you won't kill yourself anymore, I'll die here on my knees. If Missy is dead, I don't want to live anymore! But I can't die, I don't have the face to see the old master!”
People advised Peach Flower Girl, “Speak up! The old butler is so old, it's not decent for him to kneel like this!” The two of them were at a standstill for a while. Peach Flower Girl was over it and had a step to take. She promised to forgive the old butler and not to kill herself.
People asked the old butler, "What on earth is going on? No one understands if you don't tell them!"
The old butler said, “I was afraid that Missy would read the real will and commit suicide, so I wrote a fake will and gave the real one to those shop managers for safekeeping.”
People then asked those shop managers, “Where's the real will? Take it out quickly!”
The clan checked the will and confirmed that it was Publican Liu's handwriting. Constant Fair suggested, “Burn this fake will, don't make things difficult for the old butler.”
Those shop managers asked Peach Flower Girl, “Big Boss! What should we do about this?”
How smart Peach Flower Girl is! After looked and listened, she understood everything and said, “Then leave it all to you managers!" She stood up and went back to the backyard. Those shop mangers discussed, this is a matter of life and death! Everyone who should be here is already here. The wedding should take place immediately!
On the same day, everyone went to the mountain. Constant fair and Peach Flower Girl married naked in public in front of the grave. As soon as the two of them kowtowed in front of Publican Liu’s wordless tombstone, people saw turquoise smoke rising from Publican Liu’s grave. Crowds cheered: Auspicious! Auspicious! Auspicious! Auspicious!
What is auspicious? As the old saying goes something old, something new, something borrowed, something turquoise blue!
What is the old? The wordless tombstone is the tombstone of an ancient god, and there is this legend in many cultures around the world, no one knows how old it is.
What's the new? The ancient wordless tombstone manifests words again, this Peach Flower Catastrophe story is new.
What is borrowed? The eyes of audiences and readers of the Peach Flower Catastrophe are borrowed. Publican Liu left words in his will: I want Constant fair and Peach Flower Girl to nakedly commonwealth and bow to my grave, let the audience and Peach Flower Catastrophe story readers laugh at this pair of beastly unfilial children instead of me.
What's the turquoise blue? That turquoise blue smoke! Turquoise blue is a greenish blue color, a constant of Constant Silent Sky which can represent God.
The End

Part 7
I didn’t have to be a bright man to realize what was at play here.
To deal effectively with the external threat of my own government, he needed to charge his ship to full capacity. But he couldn’t proceed with the plan since that would mean enabling Buster to wreak havoc from the inside, which put Korelo in a Catch 22 situation.
He was probably hoping by getting rid of me, Buster would also follow suit.
So I decided to simply play along for the time being.
“How am I supposed to do that? My dog is dead because of you.” I said.
Korelo paused briefly for a moment before continuing to speak.
“You can confine him in his current state by using a container we provide, but you must summon him to you, and see the task through. “
“And why would I do that?” I asked.
“You are anyway going to kill us all. Once your ship starts to work again, you are definitely going to go through with your plans. So why should I do anything you ask of me?”
Korelo replied, “That plan has been scrapped. We are only looking to leave Planet Earth. Nobody else needs to get hurt. This should be seen as a win-win situation for both of us. “
“If that is true, you would have already done it. I understand that this ship has developed problems, but you could have used the other one to escape,” I said pointing at the smaller spaceship hovering close by.
I saw a look of reluctance appear on the Captain’s face, and I immediately understood. I suddenly burst out laughing.
“HAHAHA!!”
“You can’t leave Earth without the mothership, can you?”
“Well, well, well… It seems the Captain is bit of a control freak…..isn’t he?”
“Why am I not surprised? People like you have the obsessive need to have everything under your control. No wonder you are trapped.”
“So what is it Captain…..don’t trust your own team huh?” I asked Korelo smiling.
He simply glared at me in silence, and that only made me want to laugh even louder.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”
I knew I was being dramatic, but I just wanted his whole crew to witness someone laugh at their boss.
For a second, I wondered if these rascals even had a funny bone to understand what I was saying. But I instantly felt some satisfaction, when I saw Korelo’s green face turn a deep shade of violet.
I could see that it was torturing him to sit and negotiate his survival with a lowly earthling, that too, an ordinary security guard at that.
I slowly leaned back in my chair and relaxed.
”Anyways, I am comfortable being where I am. And I have no interest in leaving.” I said.
“But I do have a better idea!”
“Why not all of us die together?”
“We don’t even have to do a thing! They will come, and do all the work for us!” I said pointing to the cluster of fighter jets fast approaching the spaceship.
Korelo was trying hard to maintain his composure. He took a quick peek at the screen, and then began speaking to me in a slow and menacing voice.
“Michael, you would be better served to accept my offer. Not only for your own wellbeing, but for that of the entire planet as well. I am not without options here. You have seen the devastation that thing can cause,” he said pointing to his spaceship.
“Well, it is capable of a whole lot more. You can be rest assured if I am pushed to the wall, I will use it to flatten out multiple cities, and millions of people will die.”
“And in the off chance, me or my crew members don’t make it out of here safely, the repercussions would be dire for Planet Earth. My part of the world will not take this lying down. “ Korelo warned me.
“Well, I seriously doubt that. You are just a private contractor right? I challenged him.
“I mean, who loses sleep over the death of a contractor?”
“The answer is likely no one!” I declared, not bothering to even wait for a reply.
“They will probably assign the project to someone else immediately. But for argument’s sake, let’s assume, I do help you and you do manage to escape Earth. Why shouldn’t I consider the possibility that you might go and station yourself somewhere in the Solar system that is just beyond our reach, but well within yours, to attack us again at a moment’s notice?” I queried out loud.
“Maybe you will park your ship somewhere beyond Saturn, and then slowly bid your time waiting for reinforcements. That does not sound like a very positive scenario for Earth now, does it?”
“I mean I am alive right now only because you see me as a cash cow for some research group. You expect me to believe that you will leave Planet Earth alone, when you’ve been waiting for decades to wreck this place.” I remarked, skepticism evident in my tone.
“Your little presentation today about your expansion plans was bad enough for a general sitting. And now that you have been so thoroughly inconvenienced, I shudder to think what a revised plan would entail. Perhaps, it’s best not to release the animal now that it has been caged.” I concluded with satisfaction.
“Also, I really do doubt if other alien beings out there are obsessed with Earth the way you are, for them to sit and make multiple trips over the years. Makes me wonder if Earth is actually a passion project of yours,“ I added, as an afterthought.
“And who knows?
“Maybe, just maybe, they might even move on to another planet and leave Earth alone. Or, if they do decide to come after us, we will figure it out. Either ways, you are not getting any help from me.”
I waited for him to react. But all I got was silence and a murderous glare from korelo.
I continued to speak, “You killed my friend and brother, Captain. And then you tortured my dog.”
“You don’t deserve second chances.”
“And considering you already called me an agent of death, perhaps I was put in your orbit by somebody else to take you down. “
“Heck! When this ship goes down, taking all of you to your deaths, I might even miraculously survive! You never know!
“And when that happens, I will be waiting here, ready, to take a piss on your filthy corpse!” I finished off.
I was half hoping Korelo would snap, and go for the kill. It would give Buster the right kind of impetus to go to town with these scoundrels.
But he just sighed deeply, and signaled his guards to take care of me. He then slowly turned around to continue to lead his crew.
The two guards held me by the collar of my shirt, and tried to get me off the chair. When I resisted, I felt a hard punch to my plexus. I doubled over in pain only to get punched in the face again. I fell to the floor clutching to my sides, when the guard kicked me again in the stomach.
Both the aliens were incredibly strong, and the pain was excruciating. I knew my ribs had cracked in multiple places.
I began to cough up blood and started fading in and out of consciousness. They then dragged my body to the portion of the room that had the teleportation device. I could see a large red coloured rectangular object fixed to the ceiling.
As I lay on my back, breathing heavily, I saw one of the alien’s pick up Buster’s mortal remains and place it next to me.
While I could no longer see him in his spirit form anymore, I knew he was close by, desperately trying to do whatever he could to save me.
I tried to speak as clearly as possible, while fighting through bouts of coughs.
“Buster…Stay!....Guard!……Atta…”
I was blinded by a flash of white light, and immediately faded out of consciousness.…..
A Few Months Later.....
After buying flowers from the nearby florist, I continued down the road, finally turning right to enter through the gates of the cemetery. Few minutes in, I stopped by the headstone of my cousin Henry, and laid down some of the flowers I brought for him.
I said a little prayer for the departed soul and then continued walking ahead. A minute later, I pulled out a foldable chair, and sat by the tombstones of my wife Jessica and dog Buster. Both of them were buried alongside each other, which I thought was fitting, and their headstones looked beautiful.
It’s been 3 months since the alien attack happened, and the world has slowly begun to move on. But things have not been all that easy for me.
Jessica’s surgery had gone well, and she was put on the ventilator to help deal with her breathing problems. But when Korelo used one of our own missiles to bomb the power grid, it caused an acute power shortage for the entire city.
The explosion and the bombings also resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, putting a great strain on the hospital resources. They had no option but to prioritize on healthier patients, which meant letting Jessica go.
It didn’t help that I was at that point, lying unconscious, battered and bruised in a hospital.
Had it not been for some well-wisher of mine who rescued me from the desert, I would also probably be dead by now. It took me over a week to regain consciousness, but by then it was already too late. She was gone.
The cemetery’s groundskeeper William went out his way to help me, even assigning burial plots at a location that gave me the space and privacy to grieve for the dead. I guess I have Adam to be grateful for that.
When I eventually went to collect Jessica’s remains, the coroner had issued me William’s calling card. Apparently, he had also come by twice to the hospital to check on me, but I was still unconscious back then.
So when I finally did contact him at the cemetery, I was surprised to see that Buster had already been buried there. He also offered the vacant plot next to Buster for my wife and I was grateful.
I guess he must have his own crazy alien story with Adam, for him to be so helpful towards me.
Meanwhile, I haven’t seen the alien with the French beard since I last saw him at his shop. I knew at some level I should be a little cross at him, for all subterfuge that he orchestrated on me and Buster without our knowledge.
But after seeing a mad man like Korelo, and what he had planned for us, I could fully see and understand his point of view.
With regards to the Captain, I learned from the news that our pilots managed to take down both spaceships, killing all aliens on board.
The media dubbed it as “The Greatest Victory of Mankind”.
“I know you too have a share in that buddy. Atta boy!” I said, smiling while placing flowers by Buster’s tombstone.
I sat beside them for an hour before finally getting up to go back home. When I reached my apartment, I saw a small rectangular box by the door. There was also a letter underneath it with my name on it. I opened the letter and began reading.
Dear Michael,
How are you doing?
I hope you are better, at least much better than when I found you in the middle of the desert. I know the last few months haven’t been easy.
You must have many questions that bother you, and I would have ideally liked to see you in person to answer them. But I am not sure if I am somebody you would like to meet right now.
So I am writing this letter to explain my side of things, in the hopes that it will give you some clarity and closure.
My twin brother and I are part of a Universal Collective that was formed to combat players like Korelo. So we settle down in various planets that are vulnerable to such attacks, and help local civilizations as and when required. Our motive is to provide technological and strategic guidance that can be of help to these governments.
Michael, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t puzzled when you walked into my shop with your bizarre tale. It made absolutely no sense until you showed me the telescope. Even then, I had a hard time believing you.
Most of all, I never expected you or Buster to end up in Korelo’s ship. It was a contingency that we thought would never come to pass.
But somebody like Korelo has always been a formidable opponent, and even civilizations that are more advanced have struggled to defeat him.
So when I saw his telescope in your hand, I had to account for the possibility of the two of you coming face to face with each other, whatever the circumstances, and however remote it maybe.
I had a duty to use all avenues that were available to me.
So I decided to put a chip in your hand, while my brother stuffed a ball like object into a muffin, and fed it to Buster. The ball is actually our version of an EMP device that has the ability to severely cripple defence, and aviation systems. But it can be activated only from within the confines of a spaceship, and not from the outside.
The device is designed to lay dormant and be virtually undetectable in such a state. And it can be activated only at a very specific frequency, right down to the decimal level. The chip that could emit such a frequency was inserted in your hand with a syringe gun.
And when it activated, it also began to store everything you see and experience through your own eyes.
So when we recovered the chip after admitting you in the hospital, we too got a glimpse of all that transpired inside the spaceship.
Michael, I am going to be frank with you.
I knew Buster wouldn’t survive if the chip turned on. Nor did I think you would live if you came in the crosshairs of someone like Korelo. And yet, it is a call I would repeatedly make, if the fate of a civilization hangs in the balance.
But I never expected to see what came next following Buster’s demise. That was something extremely rare even in my part of the world. It usually happens only when the departed has a very close bond with the living.
However, I do apologize for not being honest with you, and for misleading you even when I knew your life would be in danger.
Considering the bravery you and Buster showed in confronting Korelo and his crew, I know you can understand better than most that sometimes, fighting for a cause takes precedence over our own individual lives.
If you ever feel the need to talk to me, I’m always here for you. I can be reached through William.
This is not the end. Till then so long my friend!
Regards,
Adam
I put the letter away, and opened the box. There was a pair of sunglasses inside. I removed it from the box to take a closer look. It looked like regular sunglasses. But the frame had a series of small black buttons on either side. There was also a small note attached to the box.
It read, -
Michael
Attn: Please be careful if you are in the vicinity of a large power source, or when there is a bolt of lightning coming your way. And always watch your six!
I put on the glasses and pressed the first button I could reach.
All my surroundings suddenly transformed into shades of amber, and I immediately turned around to see…. Buster happily wagging his tail at me…
◆◆◆

YŪREI CHRONICLES [ 幽霊クロニクルズ ]
Tales of Japanese Horror [ 日本のホラーの物語 ]
By: Seph Cruz [ 投稿者: セフ・クルーズ ]
CONTENTS [ コンテンツ ]
Preface [ はじめに ]
Chapter 1: The Cursed Scroll [ 第 1 章: 呪われた巻物 ]
Chapter 2: The Shrine in the Shadows [ 第 2 章: 影の神殿 ]
Chapter 3: The Haunting of the Geisha [ 第 3 章: 芸者の幽霊 ]
Chapter 4: The Onryo's Revenge [ 第 4 章: 怨霊の復讐 ]
Chapter 5: The Dollmaker's Curse [ 第 5 章: 人形師の呪い ]
Chapter 6: The Shadow in the Forest [ 第 6 章: 森の影 ] Chapter 7: The Haunting of the Yūrei Inn [ 第 7 章: 幽霊旅館の幽霊 ]
Chapter 8: The Curse of the Haunted Kimono [ 第 8 章: 幽霊着物の呪い ]
Chapter 9: The Mirror's Malevolence [ 第 9 章: 鏡の悪意 ]
Chapter 10: The Bridge to the Beyond [ 第 10 章: 彼方への架け橋 ]

 "Yūrei Chronicles: Tales of Japanese Horror" 

Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
In the heart of Kyoto, where history whispered through the ancient streets, there existed an antique bookstore known only to those who sought the rarest of tomes. Nestled among centuries-old texts and dusty manuscripts, a forbidden scroll lay hidden, waiting for an unwitting soul to stumble upon its chilling secrets.
Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
The quaint, dimly lit bookstore was a treasure trove of the past. Intricate calligraphy adorned scrolls, while faded ink whispered stories of long-forgotten samurai and mystical creatures. Among these relics of history, one scroll remained elusive, concealed behind a glass case. Its dark, ornate cover bore no title, and its presence seemed to beckon.
Haruki, a young scholar with a fascination for the occult, visited the bookstore one rainy afternoon. His curiosity led him to inquire about the enigmatic scroll. The elderly shopkeeper, Mr. Tanaka, peered at him with a knowing look, cautioning him about the scroll's malevolent reputation.
"Many have sought to uncover its secrets," Mr. Tanaka said, his voice trembling with age, "but few have lived to tell the tale."
Haruki, undeterred by the ominous warning, insisted on examining the scroll. Mr. Tanaka, sensing the scholar's determination, reluctantly unlocked the glass case. As Haruki unrolled the ancient parchment, he saw that it was filled with intricate symbols and incantations, written in a language he could barely comprehend.
For days, Haruki delved into the scroll's mysteries. His sleepless nights were filled with whispers from unseen forces, and chilling drafts seemed to haunt his small apartment. Yet, he pressed on, believing that the scroll held untold knowledge and power.
One fateful night, as a full moon cast eerie shadows across his cluttered study, Haruki recited an incantation from the scroll. The room grew icy cold, and an otherworldly presence enveloped him. A mournful wail echoed through the room, and Haruki's heart raced as he beheld the apparition before him.
A yūrei, its long, disheveled hair obscuring its gaunt face, hovered in the air, its eyes filled with anguish and rage. It reached out bony, pale fingers toward Haruki, its spectral form translucent yet undeniably real.
In that moment, Haruki realized the scroll's true nature – a curse that summoned vengeful spirits to torment the living. He had unwittingly invited the yūrei into his world, and now, it sought retribution for its suffering.
The scholar's life turned into a nightmare as the vengeful spirit haunted his every waking moment. His research became an obsession to find a way to pacify the yūrei and lift the curse. With each passing day, Haruki's health deteriorated, his body and mind succumbing to the relentless torment.
Desperate, he sought the guidance of a renowned exorcist, who revealed a grim truth. The only way to break the curse was to discover the scroll's origins and offer the yūrei the peace it so desperately sought.
As Haruki ventured deeper into the scroll's history, he uncovered a tale of betrayal and tragedy that spanned centuries. With newfound knowledge and a heavy heart, he prepared to confront the vengeful yūrei and set things right.
In a chilling confrontation between the living and the dead, Haruki faced the spirit, offering it the closure it craved. As the yūrei dissipated into the ether, its mournful wail echoed one last time, fading into the night.
Haruki emerged from the ordeal forever changed, carrying the weight of the scroll's curse as a cautionary tale. The forbidden knowledge he had sought had come at a great cost, a reminder that some mysteries should remain hidden, and some curses should never be invoked.
As the sun rose over Kyoto, the antique bookstore remained shrouded in an eerie silence, and the cursed scroll returned to its cryptic slumber, waiting for the next unwitting soul to unlock its dreadful secrets.
End of Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
In the heart of a tranquil Japanese village, nestled among ancient forests, stood a centuries-old Shinto shrine, known to few but revered by all. This sacred place held an eerie secret, hidden in the shadows of its past.
Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
The village of Mizuki was picturesque, surrounded by dense woods and the whispers of rustling leaves. Its most treasured gem was the Shōrin Shrine, a sanctuary dedicated to the worship of the kami, where the villagers paid homage with heartfelt prayers and offerings.
On a bright spring morning, the Hayashi family moved into a charming house near the shrine. Yuko, a spirited young girl with inquisitive eyes, was enchanted by the quaint beauty of Mizuki and the mystique of the Shōrin Shrine. Her parents, Masato and Yuki, hoped the peaceful village would offer respite from the bustling city.
Their first evening in Mizuki was serene, and the family felt blessed to live in such an idyllic place. As night descended, they heard a faint melody echoing through the forest—a haunting tune played on a traditional shamisen. Yuko, drawn by curiosity, followed the eerie melody to the shrine.
At the shrine's entrance, she saw a flicker of movement among the trees and bushes. As her eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight, she gasped in awe and terror. There, bathed in an ethereal glow, stood a beautiful woman dressed in a white kimono, her long hair cascading like an ebony waterfall.
The woman's face bore an expression of immense sorrow, and her eyes seemed to pierce Yuko's very soul. In her delicate, spectral hands, she held a shamisen, its strings plucked by fingers that had long since turned to mist.
"Who are you?" Yuko asked, her voice quivering.
The apparition gazed at Yuko with an inscrutable sadness and whispered, "My name is Hana. I have been bound to this shrine for centuries, waiting for someone to hear my song."
Hana's story unraveled like a tragic tapestry before Yuko. She had once been a young woman in love with a humble fisherman from Mizuki. Their love was forbidden, and when their secret was discovered, they met a tragic end at the hands of the villagers.
As she spoke, the melody of her shamisen became more mournful, and the trees seemed to weep in sympathy. Hana's spirit, bound to the shrine, could only find solace by sharing her story with the living.
Yuko, moved by Hana's tale, felt a deep connection to the ghostly figure. She promised to help Hana find peace and bring her story to light. Together, they would uncover the truth behind the tragic love story that had ensnared the shrine for centuries.
As Yuko delved into the village's history, she uncovered hidden documents and ancient scrolls that confirmed Hana's story. The injustice done to Hana and her beloved was a blot on the village's past, a truth that had been concealed for generations.
With newfound determination, Yuko rallied the villagers to acknowledge the village's dark history and to seek forgiveness for the sins of the past. In a moving ceremony at the Shōrin Shrine, the villagers offered their prayers, and Hana's spirit was finally set free.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Mizuki in golden light, Hana's ethereal form dissolved into a wisp of gratitude and serenity. The shrine, once shadowed by sorrow, now radiated with newfound peace.
"The Shrine in the Shadows" became a tale passed down through generations, a reminder that love and forgiveness could transcend even the darkest of curses. Mizuki continued to flourish, its shrine standing as a testament to the enduring power of redemption.
End of Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
In the vibrant streets of 19th-century Tokyo, beneath the shimmering lanterns and behind the delicate allure of geisha, a haunting presence lurked—a presence that would forever change the life of a celebrated geisha named Kaede.
Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
In the heart of Tokyo's historic Yoshiwara district, Kaede was renowned as one of the most captivating and skilled geisha. Her beauty was ethereal, her dances mesmerizing, and her laughter like the tinkling of wind chimes. But beneath her porcelain makeup and the grace of her performances lay a heart heavy with secrets.
One cool autumn evening, as the lanterns cast their warm glow on the district, a newcomer arrived at the teahouse where Kaede performed. His name was Kaito, a handsome and enigmatic man with piercing eyes that seemed to see beyond the facade of the geisha. Kaede's heart quickened as their eyes met, and she felt a connection she had never experienced before.
As weeks turned into months, Kaede and Kaito's bond deepened, their love blossoming like the cherry blossoms in spring. But their love was a forbidden one, as Kaito was a samurai, and their worlds were as different as night and day.
One fateful night, Kaito revealed a dangerous secret to Kaede—he was involved in a plot against a powerful daimyo who ruled with cruelty and oppression. Kaito believed that by exposing the daimyo's corruption, he could bring justice to the people. He asked for Kaede's assistance in gathering information from the teahouse's influential patrons.
Reluctantly, Kaede agreed, and together, they embarked on a treacherous path filled with deceit and danger. As the days passed, they uncovered dark secrets that could expose the daimyo's crimes. However, their actions did not go unnoticed.
One evening, as Kaede performed for a gathering of influential men, a sinister figure appeared in the shadows. It was the vengeful spirit of a geisha named Akiko, who had perished in Yoshiwara under tragic circumstances. Her ghostly form was veiled in a blood-red kimono, and her eyes burned with malevolence.
Akiko's haunting began subtly—a chill in the air, whispers of despair, and a feeling of dread that hung over the teahouse like a shroud. Kaede, sensing the supernatural presence, knew that they had awakened a vengeful spirit.
Desperate to protect Kaede, Kaito sought the guidance of a local exorcist, who revealed the tragic story of Akiko. She had been a geisha in love with a samurai, but their forbidden love had led to betrayal and death. Her restless spirit sought vengeance on those who dared to love across societal boundaries.
With the exorcist's help, Kaito and Kaede embarked on a perilous journey to confront Akiko's spirit and offer her the peace she so desperately sought. In a climactic showdown, they faced the vengeful geisha, revealing the truth behind her betrayal and death.
As the first light of dawn bathed the Yoshiwara district, Akiko's spirit dissipated, her eyes filled with sorrow and resignation. The curse she had cast upon the teahouse lifted, and peace returned to the district.
Kaede and Kaito's love story continued, forever marked by the supernatural forces they had encountered. The teahouse thrived once more, its lanterns casting their warm glow over the enchanting district, where love knew no boundaries and forgiveness transcended even death.
"The Haunting of the Geisha" became a legend whispered among geisha in Yoshiwara, a testament to the enduring power of love and the consequences of forbidden desires in the mysterious world of Edo-era Tokyo.
End of Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
In the heart of a decaying city, where abandoned buildings stood as silent witnesses to forgotten tragedies, a group of urban explorers would stumble upon a place where the restless dead held their sinister dominion.
Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
The city of Kurayami had fallen into disrepair, its once-thriving industries crumbling, and its streets echoing with the memories of better days. Among its many derelict structures was the forsaken Kurayami Hospital, a place whispered about only in fearful tales.
Rumors spoke of a curse that had befallen the hospital after a gruesome series of medical experiments in the early 20th century. Patients had been subjected to horrific procedures, and their agonized cries still seemed to reverberate through the corridors.
A group of urban explorers, lured by the thrill of the forbidden and the allure of the macabre, set their sights on Kurayami Hospital. Among them was Hiroshi, the group's leader, and Yumi, a budding photographer with an affinity for capturing the eerie beauty of abandoned places.
As the explorers entered the hospital's crumbling entrance, they were greeted by the musty scent of decay and the eerie silence of long-abandoned hallways. Shadows danced in the dim light as they ventured deeper into the forsaken building, their footsteps echoing like distant whispers.
The group's excitement turned to unease as they encountered signs of the hospital's dark past—rusty surgical instruments, bloodstained gurneys, and cryptic medical notes. Yumi's camera captured it all, each photograph revealing more about the hospital's gruesome history.
As night fell, the explorers gathered in the hospital's decrepit lobby, their flashlights casting trembling beams into the darkness. It was then that they heard it—a faint, mournful wail, like the keening of a soul in torment.
Hiroshi, the group's fearless leader, brushed off their concerns, attributing the sound to the wind or their imagination. But the cries grew louder and more anguished, echoing through the halls.
The group became separated as they navigated the labyrinthine corridors. Yumi, camera in hand, wandered into the hospital's disused psychiatric ward. There, in a shadowed corner, she saw her camera's flash reveal a horrifying apparition—an onryo, a vengeful spirit with long, disheveled hair and eyes filled with hatred.
The onryo's spectral form contorted with rage as it approached Yumi. Its icy fingers reached out, and she felt an otherworldly coldness pierce her very soul. She knew that this was the spirit of a patient who had suffered unimaginable horrors in the hospital.
As Yumi's companions searched for her, they stumbled upon the onryo's lair and witnessed the terrifying encounter. In a desperate bid to save Yumi, they searched for a way to pacify the vengeful spirit.
Through a combination of research and communication with a local historian, they learned the full extent of the hospital's atrocities. Armed with this knowledge, they returned to the onryo's domain to confront the spirit and offer it the peace it had been denied for so long.
In a climactic showdown, the group faced the onryo, revealing the hospital's dark secrets and acknowledging the suffering of the tormented souls within. With profound remorse, they begged for forgiveness on behalf of those who had perpetrated the atrocities.
As the first rays of dawn broke over Kurayami, the onryo's anguished wails transformed into a mournful sigh. The spirit, its wrath finally quelled, dissipated into the ether, leaving behind a sense of profound sadness and closure.
The group of urban explorers emerged from Kurayami Hospital, forever changed by their encounter with the supernatural. They had confronted the past and offered redemption to the restless dead, leaving the decaying city with a newfound sense of hope.
"The Onryo's Revenge" became a cautionary tale among urban explorers, a reminder that some places are best left undisturbed, and that the past, no matter how dark, can be confronted and reconciled.
End of Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
In a remote mountain village, nestled among mist-shrouded peaks, a master dollmaker crafted exquisite creations that captured the hearts of collectors worldwide. Yet, within her secluded workshop, a malevolent force lurked—one that would ensnare a curious journalist in a nightmarish world of living dolls and dark secrets.
Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
Hidden away in the secluded village of Ichiban, known only to those who ventured deep into the mountains, lived a master dollmaker named Ai. Her dolls were celebrated for their lifelike beauty and craftsmanship, with collectors from distant lands coveting her creations.
One brisk autumn morning, a journalist named Keiko received a cryptic letter from a source in Ichiban, hinting at a sinister mystery surrounding Ai's dolls. Intrigued by the enigmatic message, Keiko embarked on a journey to the remote village, determined to uncover the truth.
Ichiban was a place untouched by time, its cobblestone streets winding through dense forests and past centuries-old homes. The village exuded an eerie tranquility, and the locals spoke in hushed tones about Ai's dolls, rumored to be infused with a piece of the human soul.
Upon reaching Ai's workshop, Keiko was greeted by the dollmaker herself, a woman of grace and poise. The workshop was a treasure trove of exquisite dolls, their eyes seeming to follow Keiko's every move. Among them, a particular doll known as Hikari stood out—a hauntingly beautiful creation with ebony hair and obsidian eyes.
As Keiko delved deeper into the village's mysteries, she discovered that Hikari was believed to house the soul of a deceased child, a belief held by both Ai and the villagers. The doll's unsettling presence and the uncanny resemblance it bore to a girl named Mei, who had died tragically years ago, sent shivers down Keiko's spine.
Keiko's nights in Ichiban were filled with restless dreams of porcelain dolls that came to life. In these dreams, Hikari beckoned her to uncover the truth behind the dollmaker's creations. Guided by an inexplicable compulsion, Keiko embarked on a quest to unearth the dark secrets hidden within Ai's workshop.
As Keiko investigated further, she uncovered Ai's own tragic past—a story of unrequited love, loss, and a desperate desire to capture the essence of the human soul in her dolls. With each revelation, the line between the living and the lifeless blurred, and Keiko felt herself becoming entangled in a nightmarish world.
The dolls that had once been works of art now seemed to harbor malevolence. They moved of their own accord, their eyes filled with an eerie, lifelike intensity. Keiko realized that Ai's obsession had bound her to a sinister force, and her creations hungered for more than just existence.
In a chilling climax, Keiko confronted Ai and the curse that had gripped her creations. Together, they sought to break the curse's hold and release the trapped souls within the dolls.
As the moon hung low in the night sky, Ai performed a solemn ritual, guided by the spirit of Mei, whose essence had been captured in Hikari. The dolls, imbued with a restless energy, gathered around, their haunting eyes watching as the curse was lifted.
With a mournful sigh, the dolls' porcelain features softened, and their malevolence dissipated. The spirit of Mei was set free, and the dolls became lifeless once more, their beauty preserved in eternal stillness.
Ichiban returned to its peaceful slumber, and Keiko departed with a newfound appreciation for the power of art and the depths of human longing. The village's haunting tale of the dollmaker's curse served as a reminder that some obsessions could lead to the creation of something far more sinister than art itself.
End of Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
In a land steeped in history and tradition, the Aokigahara Forest, known as the "Suicide Forest," concealed a dark secret. Within its dense, ancient foliage, a group of hikers would embark on a journey that would lead them into the heart of a malevolent force.
Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
Deep within the prefecture of Yamanashi, shrouded in a perpetual mist, lay the infamous Aokigahara Forest—an expanse of ancient woodland that held a dark reputation. Known as the "Suicide Forest," it had been a site of countless tragic deaths throughout the centuries.
A group of adventurous hikers, seeking to conquer the wilderness and challenge the forest's ominous legends, gathered on a chilly autumn morning. Among them was Akira, an experienced guide with a deep respect for the forest's history, and Yumi, a young woman in search of adventure and solace from her own troubled past.
The hikers ventured deep into the forest, their footsteps muffled by the thick blanket of moss and fallen leaves. The dense canopy above cast eerie shadows, and the trees seemed to whisper secrets of sorrow and despair.
As they trekked further into the woods, they began to notice strange occurrences—a disconcerting sense of being watched, distant whispers on the wind, and ghostly apparitions that flickered at the edge of their vision. Akira, the guide, attributed these phenomena to the forest's ominous reputation and urged the group to press on.
Yet, the forest's grip on their minds and senses tightened. Yumi, in particular, felt a strange connection to the haunting forces that seemed to lurk behind every tree. Inexplicable visions of tragedy and despair flashed before her eyes, and a sense of overwhelming dread enveloped her.
Night descended on the forest, and the hikers set up camp, their flickering campfire offering the only semblance of comfort in the oppressive darkness. It was then that Yumi encountered a spectral figure—a yūrei, her kimono tattered and her eyes empty voids.
The yūrei beckoned to Yumi, her voice a mournful echo. Unable to resist, Yumi followed the apparition into the depths of the forest, her companions unaware of her disappearance. The yūrei led her to a clearing where an ancient tree stood, its gnarled roots forming a grotesque face.
As Yumi approached the tree, she felt a malevolent presence—an ancient spirit of the forest itself. It spoke to her, revealing the tragic history of Aokigahara—the place where those who had lost hope sought refuge in death.
Yumi learned of the forest's vengeful guardian, a yūrei born of countless lost souls, whose suffering fueled its malevolence. It was the embodiment of the forest's sorrow, forever bound to torment those who ventured within.
Realizing that Yumi was now connected to the yūrei, her companions embarked on a desperate search to rescue her from the forest's clutches. With the guidance of Akira's knowledge and determination, they confronted the vengeful spirit, revealing the pain of their own pasts and the impact of their actions on the world around them.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Aokigahara in a pale light, the yūrei's malevolence waned, and its grip on Yumi loosened. With a final sigh, it dissipated into the morning mist, its haunting presence released from the forest.
Yumi was reunited with her companions, forever changed by her encounter with the malevolent spirit of Aokigahara. The forest's ominous reputation remained, a reminder of the darkness that could consume those who dared to venture too close to its heart.
"The Shadow in the Forest" served as a chilling testament to the mysteries of Aokigahara, where the past and the present intertwined, and the boundaries between life and death blurred beneath the ancient canopy.
End of Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
In a remote village nestled among mist-covered mountains, a centuries-old inn held a sinister secret. When a weary traveler seeks refuge within its ancient walls, she becomes entangled in a web of supernatural mysteries that threaten to consume her soul.
Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
The village of Okuyama was a hidden gem, nestled among towering peaks and blanketed in mist. Within this secluded haven stood the Yurei Inn, a centuries-old establishment steeped in history and whispered legends. Its age-old charm masked a sinister truth—a haunting presence that had plagued the inn for generations.
Amidst a dense fog, a lone traveler named Rei arrived in Okuyama, weary and seeking shelter from the elements. The Yurei Inn, with its rustic charm and flickering lanterns, seemed like the perfect refuge. Little did Rei know that her stay at the inn would unravel the mysteries hidden within its ancient walls.
Upon her arrival, Rei was greeted by the inn's elderly proprietress, Eiko, a woman whose weathered features and deep knowledge of the village's history hinted at a deeper connection to the inn's haunting past.
As Rei settled into her room, the oppressive atmosphere within the inn became palpable. Shadows seemed to dance in the corners of her vision, and strange, ghostly whispers echoed in the corridors. Unbeknownst to her, Rei had become a pawn in a centuries-old battle between the inn and the vengeful spirits that resided within.
In the dead of night, Rei awoke to a chilling presence at her bedside—an ethereal yurei, her white burial kimono flowing like a spectral river. The vengeful spirit's eyes held an insatiable hunger, and she reached out to Rei, her fingers icy and skeletal.
Rei's nights became torment as she encountered more yurei within the inn, each with their own tragic stories of betrayal, injustice, and unfulfilled desires. The spirits sought vengeance, and Rei's presence within the inn had awakened their malevolence.
Desperate to uncover the inn's secrets and free herself from the spirits' relentless pursuit, Rei sought the guidance of Eiko. The elderly proprietress revealed the tragic history of the inn—an establishment built on the suffering of countless souls who had met their demise within its walls.
Eiko's own family had been entangled in the inn's dark legacy, and she bore the weight of their deeds. Together, Rei and Eiko embarked on a journey to confront the yurei and offer them redemption, hoping to break the cycle of suffering that had plagued the inn for centuries.
In a harrowing confrontation with the vengeful spirits, Rei and Eiko unveiled the truth behind the inn's cursed history and acknowledged the pain of the souls that had been wronged. With heartfelt apologies and rituals of atonement, they sought to release the spirits from their torment.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Okuyama in a golden light, the yurei's spectral forms dissolved into the ether, their eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and gratitude. The Yurei Inn, once a place of darkness, now held the promise of redemption.
Rei departed from Okuyama, forever marked by her encounter with the supernatural. The Yurei Inn, now cleansed of its malevolent spirits, stood as a testament to the power of reconciliation and the hope of breaking the chains of the past.
"The Haunting of the Yurei Inn" became a cautionary tale among villagers, a reminder that the sins of the past could be confronted and forgiven, even in the face of vengeful spirits.
End of Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
In the heart of Kyoto, where tradition and modernity intertwined, a family heirloom, an ancient kimono, carried a chilling curse that had plagued generations. A woman must delve into her family's history to uncover the origins of the curse and find a way to break it before it consumes her and her loved ones.
Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
Kyoto, the city of a thousand temples, was a place where time seemed to stand still. Among the historic districts, the Nakamura family had passed down a treasured heirloom for generations—an exquisite silk kimono adorned with intricate embroidery, a relic of a bygone era.
The kimono had always been a source of fascination and reverence within the Nakamura family. It was said to be imbued with mystical powers, protecting its wearer from harm and misfortune. But beneath its ornate beauty lay a dark secret—a curse that had haunted the family for centuries.
Emi, the youngest of the Nakamura family, had grown up hearing stories of the kimono's mystical properties and the curse that clung to it. When her grandmother passed away, leaving the kimono in her care, Emi became the latest custodian of this fabled garment.
As the years passed, strange occurrences began to plague Emi and her family. The kimono seemed to have a malevolent presence, causing nightmares, unexplained accidents, and a growing sense of dread. Emi's husband, Toshiro, and their young daughter, Yuki, bore the brunt of the curse's effects.
Desperate to protect her loved ones, Emi embarked on a quest to uncover the origins of the curse and find a way to break it. She delved into her family's history, poring over ancient scrolls and consulting with local priests and scholars.
Through her research, Emi learned of a tragic love story that had been concealed for generations—a forbidden romance between a Nakamura ancestor and a woman from a rival clan. The lovers had been torn apart by a vengeful spirit, and their love had been sealed within the cursed kimono.
With newfound determination, Emi sought out the help of a renowned exorcist, who revealed that the curse could only be broken by reconciling the spirits of the star-crossed lovers and offering them a chance at eternal peace.
Emi, Toshiro, and Yuki embarked on a journey to the ancestral shrine of the Nakamura family, where they conducted a solemn ritual to appease the vengeful spirits. As they offered their prayers and made heartfelt apologies on behalf of their ancestors, a profound sense of forgiveness washed over them.
In a climactic moment, the cursed kimono transformed, its once malevolent aura dissipating into the ether. The spirits of the star-crossed lovers, now free from their torment, appeared before Emi and her family, their eyes filled with gratitude.
As the cherry blossoms rained down upon Kyoto, Emi, Toshiro, and Yuki returned home with a newfound sense of peace and closure. The kimono, no longer cursed, became a symbol of their family's resilience and the enduring power of love and forgiveness.
"The Curse of the Haunted Kimono" served as a reminder that the sins of the past could be atoned for and that the bonds of love and family could transcend even the darkest of curses.
End of Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, an antique mirror with a sinister past found its way into the home of a young couple. As they unwittingly unleashed the malevolent spirit trapped within, they must confront the mirror's dark history to save themselves and their family.
Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
In a serene suburban neighborhood, where cherry blossoms bloomed with each passing spring, lived a young couple, Hiroshi and Aiko, who were enamored with the charm of their new home. They had recently moved into a quaint, old-fashioned house that came with a peculiar antique mirror.
The mirror was ornate and beautiful, its frame adorned with delicate carvings of cherry blossoms. It had been left behind by the previous owner, a recluse who had passed away under mysterious circumstances. Little did Hiroshi and Aiko know that this mirror carried a malevolent secret.
As they settled into their new home, strange occurrences began to unfold. Reflections in the mirror seemed to distort, showing glimpses of eerie, shadowy figures lurking in the background. At night, whispers filled the room as if unseen voices murmured from within the glass.
Aiko, with her fascination for the occult, was the first to sense the mirror's sinister aura. She delved into research, uncovering tales of a cursed mirror that had plagued the previous owner's family for generations.
The mirror had once belonged to a vengeful spirit, a yūrei who had perished in despair. Its malevolence was bound to the glass, and those who possessed it were tormented by the spirit's relentless anger and sorrow.
Desperate to free themselves from the mirror's curse, Hiroshi and Aiko sought the guidance of a spiritual medium. Through a series of rituals and séances, they made contact with the vengeful spirit trapped within the mirror.
The spirit's story unfolded like a tragic drama—the yūrei had been a young woman in love with a man from a rival clan. Their love was forbidden, and when their secret was discovered, they had both met a grisly end. Her spirit had been bound to the mirror as punishment for her defiance of societal norms.
With the medium's help, Hiroshi and Aiko offered prayers and apologies on behalf of the mirror's original owner, seeking forgiveness for the wrongs committed against the vengeful spirit. They vowed to help the spirit find peace and redemption.
In a chilling climax, they conducted a final ritual, allowing the yūrei to pass on and find the solace she had been denied for centuries. As they gazed into the mirror one last time, they saw the spirit's reflection fade into the distance, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and farewell.
The mirror, now cleansed of its malevolence, became a symbol of hope and renewal for Hiroshi and Aiko. Their family flourished, and the cherry blossoms in their garden bloomed with newfound vibrancy, a testament to the enduring power of love and forgiveness.
"The Mirror's Malevolence" served as a chilling reminder that even the most innocuous objects could carry dark secrets, and that confronting the past and seeking redemption could break the bonds of even the most malevolent curses.
End of Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"
In a remote mountain village, isolated from the modern world, a historic bridge served as a link between the living and the dead. When a group of travelers crossed its ancient planks, they would discover the chilling truth behind the bridge's supernatural origins.
Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"
Deep within the heart of the Japanese mountains, nestled among ancient forests and shrouded in mist, lay the village of Yamanokawa. It was a place where tradition and superstition still held sway, and the bridge that spanned the river was both a lifeline and a gateway to the unknown.
A group of adventurous travelers, drawn by the allure of Yamanokawa's untouched beauty, embarked on a journey to explore the village's remote reaches. Among them were Kaito, a historian with an insatiable curiosity, and Mia, a photographer who sought to capture the essence of this secluded world.
The village's centerpiece was the Akane Bridge, a weathered structure made of ancient wood and adorned with centuries-old lanterns. Its planks creaked with the weight of history, and the river below whispered tales of lives long gone.
As the travelers ventured deeper into Yamanokawa, they discovered that the villagers held a profound reverence for the bridge. It was said to be a link between the living and the dead, a place where offerings were made to appease the spirits that dwelled in the surrounding forest.
As night descended, the travelers set up camp near the Akane Bridge, its lanterns casting an eerie, flickering glow on the river's surface. It was then that they heard the sound—a mournful melody that seemed to emanate from the bridge itself.
Mia, driven by curiosity, followed the haunting tune to the bridge's edge. There, bathed in an otherworldly light, she saw a figure—a woman in a white kimono, her long hair flowing like an ebony waterfall.
The woman, whose name was Hikari, revealed herself to be a yūrei, a spirit bound to the Akane Bridge for centuries. She had once been a young bride whose love had been torn apart by a tragic accident on her wedding day. Her spirit was eternally linked to the bridge, where she waited for her beloved to return.
Kaito, the historian, delved into the village's archives and uncovered the tragic story of Hikari's past. It was a tale of love and loss, of a bride whose life had been cut short, and a groom whose heart had been forever scarred by grief.
With newfound determination, the travelers sought to reunite the spirits of Hikari and her beloved. They embarked on a journey deep into the forest, following a path laden with offerings and prayers.
At the heart of the forest, they discovered an ancient shrine dedicated to love and reconciliation. There, in a poignant ceremony, they offered heartfelt prayers and apologies on behalf of the villagers and the groom who had never returned.
As the first light of dawn broke over Yamanokawa, a sense of serenity washed over the Akane Bridge. Hikari's spectral form dissolved into the river's mist, her eyes filled with a mix of longing and gratitude.
The travelers departed from Yamanokawa, forever changed by their encounter with the supernatural. The Akane Bridge, now freed from its haunting past, stood as a testament to the enduring power of love and the hope of reuniting even in the afterlife.
"The Bridge to the Beyond" became a legend whispered among villagers, a reminder that some bonds could transcend time and that the spirit of love endured even in the face of eternity.
End of Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"

Recently our Board was taken over and since then they have been conducting business in unannounced private quorums and in chat groups. No business is being conducted at open meetings or closed meetings. Contracted vendors are being fired without meetings, discussion, or recorded votes. New vendors are being hired without transparent bidding, meeting, discussions, or recorded votes. All of these decisions are just being announced to residents by posted letters. All of what they are doing violates several state statutes, Florida Sunshine Law among them, as well as amendments in our documents. DBPR has turned down the complaint from a resident and recommended they go to arbitration.
What can be arbitrated about direct violations of state statute? What "relief" can be sought in arbitration? It's not like being in a pre-lawsuit stage because the association isn't fixing damage that the documents states they are responsible for.
Years ago when the association was late on an audit they were fined by the DBPR due to a resident complaint, why wasn't that arbitrated? Last year DBPR investigated the association for how they hired (friends) contractors (much like the situation above), no arbitration, but they let the complainant withdraw the complaint when they became part of the new board's inner circle.
I thought the state was supposed to be tough on Sunshine Law violations.

4am bid for affection turned
Ugly in the war for independance
Again again again
You called it first
I laid my blessings before the ones
Who used them up
Without respect to whom I love
And all the rage back home
I'm responsible
I was the one who left and abandoned
Under the banner of "the right thing"
When all the real life words said
You don't want me and
I only made a victim of you
It was a lie my true stories used
To hanged me by a noose
For the love of godddd
I screamed Plato
Where Eros ruled
Motherfucking Calypso
Norman fucking Rockwell
Goddamn manchild my poetry is bad
The digital childrens toys were dull years ago
Used now like heroin needles
To avoid the revulsion I feel
A baby's tantrum stomping on the door-mat
It was never enough to sacrifice my whole self
My soul was demanded too
And beat against the banisters when I refused
It's not a mentality when I'm actually abused
Half-poems where the conscious met
A screeching halt to prevent
Each new disaster of the heart
Fool! Fool! Fool!
You handed me the instructions and blueprints
The help I could have given myself and
The changes I could have made
Jesus - that I swore I would make
Smoke rises from chains
Just ask her please how often
I've said your name out loud and long
Last night, the night before, last week, last month,
At the start I said my heart does not belong here
None seems to care
I wouldn't rather be here in this place
I keep building up to get spat in the face
That my feelings were always killing someone
I watched the light behind their eyes fade just now
Then recover in shiver like my lack of loving was the cause of death
It was my first priority on paper to find the replacement
"Until then we can game in my basement"
FOOL!
Time marches forward forever
It's why I put this hole on my face
And it would make me think of you too, and that is a plus for me
Because if I don't think of your eyes and your face
They start to fade just as fast
Blanketed by your pained silence
And that, more than anything, rattles the foundations of my courageous soul
Willing to go down into that small dark place unafraid
Patient and kind and giving love away every day
Until what remains doesn't look the same
As the boy you sang your vows to
I don't know what's changing next I am
Codependant on an unintentionally cruel person
Where the hell did I go? The Lost Woods at home
I hide it well that I can tell when it's you
Not just the vacancy
Or no, I hardly hide it at all
I often ask if it's you I've found and
I didn't need to know I guess
It was a leap of faith that I couldn't take
I had dashed myself on those rocks before
Now I hardly care for my corporeal form
I will run to the edge and leap as far as I can
Let my bruised and aching corpse pay the toll
Midair asleep I dream of Icarus wings
Better than caught in the tower behind me
The ones bombed in the eighties or nineties
I hurt you first
Voices in the sussurus please hear me
I don't have the words to explain just how badly
I wanted things to change
Up against unflinching poor behavior
Words said in reality that stopped my heart
Words I said with lethality
Kneeling and sobbing over the death I wrought
EMS please save this love
It wasn't all my fault
I truly believed you were better without me
And I kept seeing you begging and pleading
My stoney bones crumbled under stoic indifference
A cutout which promised to be the "right thing"
Telling the worst most horrible truth
A javelin through my skull roof
Hit number 3 on this porch hoping one of these sticks can just finally kill me
Woa woe is me
Surprising my external calm with crisis
Where a gun to someone elses head is the same as pointed at mine
And that behavior never died
'We talked about this Jesus Christ'
Stigmata lo my noble sacrifice
A bum hillbilly martyr
Described to onlookers as far from nice
Prosecute me my darling for dialogue sliced to ribbons
I was one of those dogs, Jess
Your torn blouse on my snout
And like the freedom of sheer loneliness
I stopped the chase
I was afraid
Afraid
Holy god damn I was so
Afraid
That my teeth would meet your neck
We would tumble over laughing
As I tore you to shreds
To shreds you say
I couldn't handle killing you a fourth, a fifth, an nth time
A projection on the inside of my mind
So I stayed in fresh brine with mutilated lips
How many times have we said goodbye
Will we be saying it all our lives
Well I broke the border and shot the letter-arrow up to your tower
Castle of harmony blocked my own arrow
I'm so tired of lying!
You'd say I am where I want to be but you're mistaken
I'd be dying in your arms tonight if you asked me
I would fly to 50% on one knee (scoff scoff, I hear the murmurs from the furies scoffing)
I would. I would. Charge headlong into the place where angles doff their wings.
Seraphim court escort me to the bricks outside
Where I would contine to cry;

 I love you. With my whole heart. There is no kiss nor touch I could accept that would ever be enough without you though I tried, I tried. I don't want to love someone else and I never did. I made promises to the dying just as I was bid. I hid from you embarrassed that my choices took me this way. Let me not hide anymore. Whether your gaze unshackles me or burns me to a crisp. I find there is little difference. 

I don't repeat what I've read sometimes
So I don't give you away
But you stopped hiding 2 years ago in october
The tenth anniversaries I missed
I saw in the mirror a victim and prayed for salvation
That can never come
Fuck this dehumanizing love
I am sarah in the junkyard
Goblin king goblin king
I am Toby in the escherian
Yes I remind me of the babe
I cast my voodoo on the internet til mother slaps my wrist
And my joyful grin is replaced by a vacant stare
God damn I care. I care about you.
And evening knowing your masks I won't let myself know
Who is who
You are you
Whatever I do
I can't make your dreams untrue
Do you still dream of me,
Is it unwillingly?
What to do, not who.
Dorm tower floor bending and collapsing under me
This place has been abandoned since the eighties or nineties
This is a love poem
Improvised on a summers morning with cool wind and hazy clouds
The peonies are nearly gone now
Cosmos and black-eyed susan
You take forage up a slippery ridge
A road they call suicide
And susan is there all around, yellow petals beaming against the old-growth forest
If you write on reddit and your phone dies the comment isn't saved
You would laugh at the frequency that it's happened
Number four fuels the following words whatever they might be
In mind of Klaus talking to Ben
Lets start a cult in the sixties
Drown my ghosts in seas of buddah leaf
Electricity, nicotine, extacy, fleeting reliefs
This wasn't who I wanted to be!
Woe woe woe is me.
Whatever you might read between lines here,
Which is why I didn't space that paragraph,
I'm not angry. No not at anyone. Not even me.
I did the best I could with what I knew at the time
Which was nothing.
I only assumed from anonymous letters what you felt for me
(And you know what assuming does to me)
I want to believe
Bojack and DS9 are still in my watch-list
Waiting to be seen by your side
If ever there comes a time
Just as long as my rhymes are sufficient
Is that right?
No... you are a prize
But you'd regard me coldly for starting a fight
Challenges issued and not acted upon
Editing bay waiting for just the right song
And a full hour to pull my bleeding brain along
Woe woe woe woe... I did it all to myself
While my coffee went cold
Emotional discharge prompt
Watching you get onto the plane
And one of me stands stock still shocked.
One of me is dialing every number.
One of me is
One of me is running begging saying "Wait"
I swear I can love you more.
I think my affections are a chore.
Did you ever see them like that, too?
"I just want it to be easy," I said breathless
Just outside your departure gate,
"I know how much you love me and I love you too
Please," I wait for your answer
But I don't know if you can hear me
Looking up at the ring
And your gaze goes back and forth,
What do your diamond eyes see?
A man completely emptied
Or a boy smiling and pleased
Just to see his favorite person again
Not really knowing why we're at the airport
The details and plot lost on his fragile egg-shell mind
I contemplate number 5
Once I go inside I'll need to hide my own eyes again
Or let them be seen to my homies devestation
"If she was comfortable talking to you I wouldn't get in the way"
Yes it was my fault that I acted that way
I let a lifetime of pain roll me over devour my entire ribcage
I would edit my post if I knew what to say
But here is as much of my ugly truth
As can be depicted in an hour of tearful thumb tacking
I was going to roll off the roof
When I knew just how I had punished you
For loving and loving and loving me truly
How could you
Too long; didn't read:
I don't want to live my life without you and only the challenges I face can prove that
I was mistaken when my charge demanded I remove that piece of me that keeps my mechanisms ticking
I can't ever ask you to stay in pain
But this is only over if you want it to be.