Hey there, fellow Redditors! I recently had the pleasure of encountering the most mind-bogglingly rude teacher during my coaching experience. Buckle up, because this tale takes more twists and turns than a rollercoaster ride!
Picture this: I walk into the coaching center, full of hope and enthusiasm, ready to conquer the subject that has haunted me for ages. Little did I know that I was about to step into a vortex of rudeness that would make even the grumpiest of trolls blush.
Our esteemed teacher, let's call him Mr. Grumble, had perfected the art of condescending glares. His eyes alone could send shivers down your spine. Every question was met with a sigh, as if we were wasting his precious time by daring to seek knowledge. Oh, the nerve!
But here's where the twist comes in. Just when we thought Mr. Grumble couldn't get any worse, he would randomly burst into fits of enthusiasm. It was like witnessing a volcano of excitement erupt out of nowhere. Suddenly, he would be engaged and energetic, passionately explaining the most complex concepts. Confused? Us too!
To make matters even more confusing, Mr. Grumble had a peculiar habit of favoring students who challenged his authority. If you dared to question his methods, prepare for an unexpected twist of kindness. Suddenly, he would transform into the most supportive and encouraging teacher on the planet, showering you with praise and admiration. It was as if his rudeness was just a facade to weed out the weaklings.
But alas, just when you thought you had cracked the code, Mr. Grumble would revert back to his default grumpy state. One moment, he would be singing your praises, and the next, he would crush your dreams with a single sarcastic comment. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster!
Now, you might be thinking, "Why didn't you just switch coaches?" Well, dear Redditors, that's where the final twist lies. Despite his erratic behavior, there was an undeniable brilliance to Mr. Grumble's teaching. His insights were like hidden gems, capable of unlocking the mysteries of the subject. It was infuriatingly captivating.
So here I am, torn between the torment of enduring Mr. Grumble's rudeness and the undeniable brilliance he possesses. I guess that's the lesson I learned from this twisted coaching experience: sometimes, you have to endure a rude tyrant to uncover the genius within.
But hey, maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, or perhaps I secretly enjoy the chaos. Either way, I hope this rollercoaster of a tale provided some entertainment and a relatable experience for those who have encountered their own version of Mr. Grumble. Stay strong, my fellow coaching survivors!

In the most recent chapter, we find out the names of the Five Elders. They all have names of planets from our solar system.
Shephard Ju Peter = Jupiter
Ethan Baron V. Nusjuro = Venus
Topman Valcurie = Mercury
Markus Mars = Mars
Jay Garcia Saturn = Saturn
In addition to the names of the ancient weapons, Uranus, Pluton/Pluto, and Poseidon/Neptune, this makes Earth the only planet from our solar system that is not tied to an individual or object.
However, in Chapter 244, the crew observes a statue on Sky Island that the Skypeians called "Vearth"! As you can see from the photo below, Vearth has similarities to Imu such as the big mouth that Imu used to defend themself from Sabo's attack. They would look even more similar if that tall crown Imu wears was put on the statue.
https://preview.redd.it/h5y9y022dn4b1.jpg?width=1439&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6811ae89ccb0c4c3398ff6bacab68253ecd02dec
Vearth is also described to be an object of "eternal" admiration and Imu had the "Eternal" Youth surgery performed on them. We know from Enel's cover story that the Skypeians, Shandians, and Birkans were originally from the Moon. If the sky people worshipped such a figure, is it possible that Imu was once their ruler? If so, this could mean that Imu is also from the Moon. To hit the point home even further, Enel wanted to go to Fairy Vearth which ended up being the Moon. There's also the recurring theme of the coming of dawn. It would be extremely fitting for Luffy, the Sun god, to overthrow Imu, the Moon.
https://preview.redd.it/6zukgr9adn4b1.jpg?width=860&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2c516835243d7bd87aa4c70634843861bfa2577

Day 1:
Few of the tributes got much sleep that night. The parties all throughout the Capitol did not end until dawn, and the noise could be heard in the accommodation building. Vannery and Carton ate breakfast slowly, like zombies. They were subsequently taken to the holding rooms. Organza wished Carton good luck before accompanying Vannery in her cell. She kept trying to reassure her as she put on her beige shorts and t-shirt. The young girl attached her hair with a purple ribbon that had been provided and climbed into the glass tube. Organza hugged her one last time, feeling her tears soaking her shoulder.
It was Platonia Travers who accompanied Carton. She muttered to herself about the outfit choice for this year. She tried to be cold to the boy, but she accepted to help him tie the purple ribbon to his wrist. He gave her a sad smile : “I probably won’t come back, but it’s nice to know that everyone in the Capitol isn’t heartless.” Platonia stood, mute, as the boy’s platform started to rise. She couldn’t keep the tears in this time.
A few cells over, the atmosphere was as morose. Alexandra had finally deigned to discuss their strategy with Delta. She accepted his plan of staying on the sidelines while he ran to the cornucopia. Still, he looked at her suspiciously and hounded her about working together for the whole breakfast. Halifax gave Delta one last pill to combat the morphling withdrawal, assuring him that the only symptoms he would experience were a mild headache and maybe some stiffness. He subsequently accompanied him to his holding room while Sean Callahan went with Alexandra.
Halifax took advantage of being alone with his mentee : “You shouldn’t trust her. I know these kinds of girls. They look harmless, but they’ll stab you in the back as soon as you let down your guard.”
“But-but…”
“You like her, huh ? Too bad, she doesn’t. So, man up and move on !”
Delta did not know what else to say. He climbed into the glass tube in silence, his brows forming a single black line over his dark eyes.
In the next holding room, another conversation was happening. “You don’t plan on allying with Delta, do you ?” asked Sean Callahan. Alexandra looked away coyly. “ I have other plans… With Angelo, we have an agreement.”
The mentor sighed, but he did not criticize the girl. He just told her to be prudent. You couldn’t trust careers. Alexandra nodded then flinched as the glass tube started descending from the ceiling.
The first thing she noticed as she rose into the arena was the noise. She hadn’t even emerged that she could hear a cacophony of bird songs. It was almost deafening, and she covered her ears before protecting her eyes from the sunlight.
The racket made Delta’s headache intensify. He first looked to his sides ; Hattie (3) cowered on the left while Angelo (2), on the right, was focusing on the cornucopia. This year, it had been made out of a thin weave of golden metal, almost like a very shiny basket. After this zoom on the cornucopia, the cameras started moving around to show off the arena. The tributes stood in the clearing of a dense rainforest. The terrain was relatively flat, with a few creeks and an explosion of colorful flowers. The main attraction of it was the birds, however, as thousands of them fluttered about, sang, and screamed.
As Carton looked around for his allies, Head Gamemaker Vishwa welcomed the tributes and wished the odds to be ever in their favor before starting the 30 seconds countdown. With Borea (5) and the girl from 10 to his sides, he didn’t feel safe. He finally found what he was looking for, but he didn’t like that his allies were so spread out. He made eye contact with Rivage and Vannery but was unable to see Sardine, who stood on the opposite side of the cornucopia.
Vannery caught sight of her district partner, as well as Sardine. She gave them a small wave, but made the mistake of looking to her left, where Perfecto (1) was sneering at her. Georges (N), on the other side, was just as intimidating. Instead, she looked straight ahead. As the countdown reached ten, she spotted a coil of rope on the outside of the cornucopia.
Delta had been pondering, unsure if it was worth entering the bloodbath. Alexandra, who happened to be just two podiums over, winked at him. She then pointed to the cornucopia. He understood. At that moment, the countdown reached zero. He sprinted to the center of the clearing, expecting her to follow, but she stayed on her podium.
On later replays, it was shown that Alexandra was winking at Angelo and not her district partner. As the boy from 2 sprinted forth to the cornucopia, the girl waited for a few seconds. She moved only when most of the other tributes were too occupied and grabbed a knife as well as a small bag of food. Angelo acted like he helped the other career tributes in order to pick up weapons and supplies, but as soon as they were occupied, he joined Alexandra. The pair was actually one of the first to leave the clearing, not counting Circuit (3) and the pair from 10 who had run away immediately.
When Vannery realized that she was running side to side with Perfecto (1), she immediately changed course and ran to Carton. She had to give up on the rope but managed to pick a water bottle off of the corpse of the boy from 9, who had just been stabbed by Glare (9).
If the career pack didn’t notice the disappearance of one of theirs, it wasn’t the case for Delta. When he saw his district partner escape with Angelo, he became enraged. He tried to exit the cornucopia. Fraxen then attacked him to try and steal his backpack. Delta threw him to the ground and punched him so hard it broke his neck. Now he had lost trace of Alexandra. As the fighting started to die down, he ran in a random direction.
Carton had dodged one of Glare’s knives and grabbed a bag of food and an unwieldy lance before Vannery and Rivage joined him. The trio heard Sardine scream from the other side of the cornucopia. Carton wanted to go and help her, but a second gargled wail convinced him that they couldn’t do anything else, especially since Proserpina (2) had now retrieved her axe from Sardine’s chest. As they left, they could hear the crunching of Ora’s neck (12) at the hands of Georges (N).
Meanwhile, Alexandra and Angelo were already far away, giggling at each other. It was only after Perfecto had stabbed Hattie (3) to death that the career pack noticed Angelo’s absence, but they didn’t seem bothered by it.
Delta was halfway to the perimeter when the five bloodbath cannons sounded. He was still seething, and the running helped him calm down. Eventually, he collapsed on the side of and old mossy tree, out of breath. Once he was a little better, he explored his surroundings. The big tree had a hole in his roots where Delta could fit, although it was a squeeze. He decided to stay there for now and used moss to hide himself. He also put some in his ears, which helped with his headache.
Carton, Rivage and Vannery had been running in the opposite direction. They wanted to put the most distance between themselves and the other tributes. They stopped long after the bloodbath cannons had sounded. They set up camp a few hundred feet away from the Northern part of the perimeter, next to a creek. Carton helped Rivage to take inventory. He had the lance, Rivage had gotten a trident, and between the three of them they had enough food to last two days at most. The bottle Vannery had taken was only half full, but the water of the creek was clear and drinkable.
The trio decided to stay put. Vannery and Carton would work on a shelter while Rivage fished for their dinner, as they had agreed to during training. In the early afternoon, they heard hurried footsteps coming their way. The boys readied their weapon, protecting Vannery between the two of us. Circuit (3) came running into their little encampment, which took him by surprise. He skidded to a halt and turned around as quickly as he’d arrived, leaving the trio dumbfounded.
Angelo and Alexandra had quite enough supplies to last a while. He held a sword in his hand and an “emergency axe” strapped to his back, while Alexandra held two knives. At first, they wanted to get away from the careers, but Alexandra eventually convinced Angelo to follow them from afar. They weren’t really hard to track, their bickering could be heard over the constant chatter of the birds. The noise also covered them. Proserpina, Glare and Perfecto were circling around the central clearing, slowly moving away from it. In the late afternoon, they discovered Forger (12) who was lying unconscious. He had received a deep wound during the bloodbath and was now at the mercy of the other tributes. Proserpina killed him.
The subsequent cannon surprised Vannery. She had climbed on top of a tree to get a view of the arena, and the sudden sound almost made her loose her grip. She didn’t fall, but while reaching her hand for a hold, she grabbed something warm and spherical. It crumbled and a viscous liquid dripped onto her finger. She looked up. She had inadvertently grabbed an egg from a nest. She was silent a moment, and a bright purple starling looked at her. “Oh no !” she whispered to herself. The bird screamed louder than she thought possible. Then it attacked.
All the birds in a radius of 50 feet coalesced into a multicolored tornado. Vannery fell to the ground, fortunately not hurting herself on the way down, and a feathery mass started clawing and pecking at her. They also attacked Carton and Rivage, who had been chilling at a distance. They batted the volatiles away, trying not to get scratched. Vannery managed to get up and run to the makeshift tent they had built. She picked up Carton’s lance and swung it, hitting some of the birds. She swung a second time and hit the metallic water bottle with a resounding CLANG! It seemed to stun the birds, but Vannery was too busy keeping them out of her face. Carton, however, noticed their reaction to the noise. He shouted loudly and flailed his arms : “Make noise ! They don’t like noise !”. Just his screaming was enough though. Eventually, the three tributes managed to drive the mutts out by hitting their weapons against rocks and the water bottle and screaming as loud as they could.
Delta also had an encounter with some angry birds. Those were red, with a long curvy beak and fearsome talons, but he managed to kill them all with a big branch he used as a bat. He then ate them, cooked over a small fire. Argus berated him for building a fire that could alert the other tributes to his location. However, the “Aviary Jungle” as it had been baptized by Urania Whimsiwick herself, was way too dense for anyone to see the smoke.
As the sun started to set, Delta squeezed himself back into his root hole, being careful to camouflage himself with moss. He held his branch in front of him just in case. An hour later, two cannons sounded in quick succession. They belonged to the pair from 10, who had had the great idea of making an omelet. The flock did not appreciate that…
When the sun started to set, Angelo suggested he and Alexandra find a place to sleep, preferably away from the career pack. She agreed, so they stopped following. They looked for a safe spot in the light of the dusk, eventually settling on the middle of a tight thicket. It was complicated to get inside, but the small space was comfortable, and the pair even had a view of the darkening sky. They ate some food then laid down, hand in hand. “Your district partner doesn’t seem to mind that you ditched her” joked Alexandra.
“I don’t think she cares. Maybe they believe I’m dead. But they’re not looking for us at least.”
“I think Delta is, though. You should have seen his face when he saw us. I almost feel bad about leading him on.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get rid of him if he isn’t dead yet.”
“I’m sure he’s feeling the same thing”, responded Alexandra before going to sleep. Angelo kept the first watch.
In another section of the arena, Carton took the first watch. He had spent the remaining hours of daylight cleaning his wounds, along with Rivage and Vannery. The two of them slept, hoping to feel better the next day.
A little before midnight, Rivage awoke. He came to sit next to Carton, and the boys talked about their families, their school. Suddenly, a cannon sounded. It belonged to Ulma (7), who had stumbled upon Quinoa’s (9) camp by accident. The younger girl had not hesitated to stab a pointy branch in Ulma’s throat. This cannon prompted Carton to go to sleep, Rivage taking second watch.
At midnight, the hymn of Panem resounded in the arena and the portraits of the 9 fallen appeared in the sky : Hattie (3), Sardine (4), Fraxen and Ulma (7), the boy (9), both (10), Ora and Forger (12). This left 17 tributes after an eventful and interesting day.
Day 2:
Delta didn’t sleep much that night. The uncomfortable position coupled with a strong headache meant that he was up before the sunrise. As the first hints of blue appeared to the east, Delta got up. He needed to occupy his mind. The moss had stuck to his clothes, and he decided to take advantage of it. He caked his face and hands in mud and used it to stick more moss to his clothes. Urania commented that he looked like a green Orang-utang, which prompted laughter in the Capitol. Once he was fully camouflaged, he started roaming the arena. Stealthily at first, but as the sun rose and the birds started their cacophony as well, he allowed himself to move a little faster.
Alexandra and her district partner had spent a restful night. As she awoke, she was surprised to be cuddling with Angelo. Her rousing awakened him, and he turned around to look at her, puzzled. “I guess you’re the little spoon”, she joked. They ate cereal bars in awkward silence. Soon, the voices of the career pack walking in their direction prompted the pair to hide. Proserpina and Perfecto were loudly arguing about someone stealing their water bottles. Unbeknownst to them, it had been Glare who had hidden them in her own bag.
As they moved away from her, Alexandra suggested they follow the trio like the day before. Angelo thought it was a safe strategy as long as they kept their distances. They made their way out of the thorny thicket and followed. A few minutes later, a scream warned them that something was going on. It was Glare (1). She’d walked into a trap laid by Georges the day before and was now hanging upside down from a rope. Perfecto started to help her, but the stolen bottles fell from her bag, along with a few hidden knives and more food. Instead of killing her, as Perfecto wanted to do, Proserpina convinced him to leave her there. She screamed and screamed. Proserpina and Perfecto left her there wiggling. Before Alexandra and Angelo could arrive, the thin rope holding up Glare by the ankle snapped. She fell headfirst on the ground and her cannon sounded. Alexandra winced, but Angelo told her that it was better this way, since you could survive for many hours hanging this way. Then another cannon sounded.
Delta had been unsuccessful for a few hours. He had avoided a couple of poorly made traps and fought off a flock of tiny yellow canaries but had been unable to find another tribute. Eventually, he decided to change tactics. He found a path that clearly looked like it was in use and hid in proximity. His ambush eventually worked. Lavandine (11) walked past him, clutching a meagre stick in her pale hands. She didn’t even notice him getting up and following her, his branch raised. Many viewers thought it looked cartoonish, the tiny girl, followed by a big man with a club, not noticing anything. Glare’s cannon gave him the signal he expected, and he swung at her head. Lavandine flew and crashed into a patch of ferns. Her head was bloody, but she was still alive. Delta walked up to her in order to finish what he had started. The cameras cut to another group of tributes.
For the whole morning, Vannery, Rivage and Carton had been staying put. They foraged, fished, and built rudimentary spears just in case. Vannery climbed trees, very carefully in order not to disturb any more birds, so she could spot any tributes. Eventually she did, a little after midday. The pair from district 5 was heading their way. They were armed.
Vannery transmitted the information to the boys, who debated leaving or fighting. “Let’s fight !” said Vannery. There were 3 of them against 2, and they had weapons. Carton had his lance, Rivage his trident, and her… a spear and a rock would do the trick. So, they waited for what felt like a century. As soon as Borea and Zapp entered their field of vision, they attacked. The pair was surprised, but not enough to let themselves be killed that easily. Borea shouted at Zapp to run while she fended of Rivage’s trident with her sword. She had wrapped metal coil all around her arms, as she had seen on one of the older games. They clashed for an instant, enough time for her to disarm him, and then she ran too. On the way, she threw an egg she’d hidden in her pocket to the group. A flock of angry sparrows was the distraction the pair from 5 needed to escape.
Proserpina and Perfecto seemed to have made up a little and were now actively hunting. Still, they weren’t aware of the couple _ the “double A couple” as they were now called in the Capitol _ following them from afar. They dared not speak, but the looks they shared meant a lot more. They say love makes you blind, and maybe that’s why Alexandra didn’t see the orange and turquoise pheasant she walked on. It screamed and ran away, catching the attention of Proserpina. She turned around and shouted, “I knew it !” before charging at Angelo and her ally. Her first axe hit a tree a few inches above Alexandra’s head. She was hesitant to fight a career, but Angelo had already jumped into the fray and was now battling his district partner. So, she ran at Perfecto, who was lagging behind. He quickly turned around and sprinted when Proserpina’s cannon sounded. Angelo had managed to stab her in the gut. The look of betrayal was still printed on her face as the hovercraft claw took her away.
The pair was unsure if they needed to pursue the boy from 1, as Angelo assured that he was an “ego-inflated wimp” . Instead, they rifled through the bag Proserpina had dropped and decided to rest a little. They could have stayed there longer if it hadn’t been for the fire…
After getting rid of the birds, the trio decided to keep following Zapp and Borea (5) in order to get their supplies. Vannery managed to track them thanks to their footprints and the trail of broken branches. They found them quite quickly. Indeed, the gamemakers had decided to trigger a forest fire in order to move the tributes around a little. This explained why they had seen so many birds flying away. The pair from 5, however, had found themselves cornered on three sides by the flames, and the last side was where Carton and his allies arrived from.
Rivage thrusted his trident straight into Borea’s back, sounding her cannon. Carton’s lance, however, flew past Zapp and into the fiery inferno. The boy from 4 barely had the time to pick up his trident before a tree fell, smashing into the boy from 5 and sounding his cannon. As other trees started to creak and groan, Vannery led the boys back to the creek, where she believed the water would keep them safe.
Delta ran as soon as he smelled smoke. He ended up in a small clearing in the Southern part of the arena. As the grass quickly burned, he jumped into the flames. Many viewers gasped, thinking he had just killed himself, but he just ran a few seconds then stopped. Argus explained that the fire had been controlled in a way that it burned quickly and extinguished itself just as fast. From his spot of scorched earth, Delta was safe for now. From the sky descended a small silver parachute bearing the number 6. It contained a water bottle and some aspirin. Delta was the only one to use this strategy successfully. A few minutes after him, Circuit (3), who was shorter and weaker, tried. He fell face first into the fire and did not get up, his cannon sounding a few moments later.
Angelo and Alexandra were some of the closest to the central clearing, so it was after the three cannons that the fire reached them. They ran. Angelo was practically flying but the fire was catching up to Alexandra. Another tree cracked. It crashed onto the girl, pinning her legs to the ground. Thankfully, it was a much younger tree, and it did not cause her much more damage. For an instant, Alexandra thought the boy from 2 would just keep running. That he would be glad to get rid of yet another opponent. But he turned around. He used his axe as a lever, bending it in the process, to get the girl free. Then he picked her up onto his back and ran again. Angelo was not a very muscular tribute, but he proved to be quite a strong one.
Neither Carton, nor his allies had suffered any injury thanks to Vannery’s quick thinking. The creek was wide enough to protect them from the flames, and they avoided any falling branch. Quinoa (9) had had the same idea. She internally debated reaching the small group, but eventually decided not to. In the late afternoon, it started to rain, revealing that many of the trees and plants of the forest were actually fireproof. It was much sparser now, but the rain cleaned off the soot and, soon enough, the forest was green again.
Rivage, Vannery and Carton huddled together. They stayed that way for the whole evening, until Carton took the first watch while the other two went to sleep.
Delta was almost unharmed too, apart from a few minor burns on his ankles. The aspirin had taken effect, and for once in a long time, he felt totally clear headed. He hoped his district partner had died today.
The fire had changed the landscape quite a lot. What used to be a lush jungle was now less green. The ground was visible in most places, and the humidity levels had gone down. The sky was more visible. It also meant that the traps set by Georges and Odette (N) on the first day were either destroyed or very conspicuous. The boy from 6 avoided them all.
Delta found a pond where he cleaned himself from the soot and the half-charred moss. The fresh water also soothed his burns. He ended up settling close by, between two fallen trees.
Angelo and Alexandra, however, had suffered many burns. Fortunately, as they were setting camp and trying to remove their singed clothes, a silver parachute descended over them. It contained two containers of oil, as well as a blanket and a note from Angelo’s mentors, which he did not show to Alexandra. It would later be revealed that it scolded him for keeping his plan of betraying the career pack secret. The oil was perfumed and designed to almost instantly heal burns. It worked a charm. As the massaging continued, the two tributes started to get more and more steamy. They were intimate that night.
While they were busy, the portraits of the fallen appeared in the sky. The second day of the games had seen the loss of Glare (1), Proserpina (2), Circuit (3), Borea and Zapp (5), and Lavandine (11). This left only 11 tributes for the third day, with better odds now that a few strong tributes were gone.
Day 3:
On the morning of the third day, an announcement was made by Head Gamemaker Vishwa. She informed the tributes that a feast would be held at noon, three hours from now. The 11 surviving boys and girls would find supplies they desperately needed there. She then wished everyone a glorious day and the dampened sound of the birdsongs came back in full force.
The announcement awoke Delta, but he decided not to go to the Feast. He still had food and a source of water nearby, as well as his heavy branch. A real weapon would have been nice, but he didn’t feel safe going to the central clearing. Instead, he decided to just sleep more. He only woke up again when the first cannon sounded.
As for the couple, they were lost in bliss. Their show from the previous night had to be censored, although it was available for those who had enough “connections”. Let’s just say that it was quite memorable, and cemented Angelo and Alexandra’s place as favorites. They got ready after a long cuddling session, grabbing their bags and their weapons and heading to the cornucopia. They arrived with minutes to spare. Actually, they were the last tributes to arrive.
Vannery had been the first on site, scouting for other tributes. Once she had been sure the coast was clear, she had signaled to Rivage and Carton that they could come. They hid in the bushes nearby; this area having been spared from the fires. Little by little, other tributes started to arrive. Kumquat (11) hid behind a tree, Perfecto (1) stood in the open, Odette and Georges (N) huddled together.
As Quinoa (9) and the “Double A couple” finally arrived, the cornucopia started receding into the ground. It reappeared at once, and a bell rang.
Vannery stayed behind. She watched all the tributes run to the center where laid 8 numbered bags, including Carton and Rivage. The fighting raged in the cornucopia. Her allies attacked Alexandra and Angelo, as Kumquat escaped with his bag. Quinoa (9) almost got out, but Perfecto (1) caught her by the ponytail and stabbed her in the throat, sounding her cannon. He then picked up her bag in addition to his.
Alexandra and Angelo fought side to side, covering each other. She scared Odette (N) away, while he pushed back against Rivage. The boy from 4 tried to hit Alexandra again, but her ally caught the trident and almost tore it out of Rivage’s hands. Instead of trying again, he attacked Georges. The trident hit him in the back and sounded his cannon a few seconds later. Angelo took advantage of this distraction to slash at Carton with his sword, causing the boy from 8 to bleed out.
Vannery screamed and ran out of her hiding place, almost colliding with Odette (N) on the way. Rivage grabbed the district 4 and district 8 bags in one hand, and Vannery’s arm in the other, and they ran away together. The young girl cried and struggled to keep up the pace. She wanted to go back, but Carton’s cannon sounded, ruining her hopes.
Angelo and Alexandra were the last tributes to get their bags. One of Perfecto’s knives punctured Alexandra’s. The pair turned back, giving Kumquat (11) enough time to flee. They chased Perfecto into the woods. He was quick, however, and they had a hard time gaining on him.
The following hours were very quiet, boring, even, so Urania and Argus invited a few guests to discuss the bloodbath and the tributes’ different strategies. It was only in the late afternoon that Delta deigned getting up. He was well rested. He ate what remained of his food and started camouflaging himself once again in order to hunt. The tributes were now very spread out, however, and it appeared that Delta was in an area devoid of them. He walked until it got too dark to continue, before letting out a scream of rage. His sudden outburst scared some resting birds. They flew away and hit Kumquat (11) square in the face as he was in the process of climbing up one of the taller trees. The surprise caused him to lose his grip and he fell to his death a few feet away from Delta, his Feast bag laying next to him. Suddenly, Delta laughed and thanked the birds. He emptied the contents of the bag, glad to find some fresh food and water. He settled right there for the night.
Angelo and Alexandra eventually gave up on hunting Perfecto. Every time they thought they heard him; it turned out to be another bird. He was nowhere to be found. The pair settled down near a creek, right where Carton and his allies had camped earlier, in order to clean themselves. It was another spectacle to behold. The couple played in the fresh water, wearing only their underwear, and at one point, Alexandra winked at one of the cameras. This resulted in the appearance of a sponsor gift a few seconds later. She caught it and opened it discreetly once she was dressed again. She checked that Angelo was busy with the campfire before peeking inside. There was a water bottle and a tiny, sheathed stiletto knife, about two inches long. There was also a note that said : “You will only get one chance” – S. She acted nonchalant, thanked her sponsor for the water, and hid the knife in her sock. She took the first watch, jumping when a cannon sounded.
Since they had come back from the Feast, Vannery felt that Rivage was acting strange. He kept pacing and muttering to himself and seemed unhappy even though they had received enough supplies to last five more days in the arena at least. They found another place to sleep, Vannery built a new shelter. As she was about to go to sleep, Rivage approached her, trident in hand. He didn’t speak, so she asked him what he wanted. “I’m sorr-“ he started. Vannery interrupted him : “Behind you !”.
He spun around and threw his trident. It caught Perfecto in the head, sounding his cannon before he had hit the ground. He had been sneaking up behind Rivage with a knife in both hands, but Vannery had a keen eye. Rivage seemed to deflate. He cleaned up his weapon and went to sleep. Vannery tried to ask him what he wanted to tell her, but he didn’t answer. Instead, she took the first watch.
At midnight, five portraits appeared in the sky : Perfecto (1), Carton (8), Quinoa (9), Kumquat (11) and Georges (N). The six remaining tributes were spread out around the arena : Rivage and Vannery to the East, Angelo and Alexandra to the North, Odette (N) in the South and Delta to the West.
Day 4:
The sound of a cannon startled Delta out of his slumber. He was feeling well rested and decided to head to the cornucopia with just his branch and a knife he had taken from Kumquat. With only 5 remaining tributes, he knew that the showdown was about to take place and was about as excited as the viewers in the Capitol for it to happen. On the way, he stumbled upon a suspicious mound of leaves. He almost let it be, until he saw two feet poking out of it. As he bent down to look at it, a sharp pain entered his shoulder blade. By pure reflex, he swung his club backwards, hitting a barefoot Odette (N) in the forehead. She stumbled backwards, clutching her knife, and tripped on a rock. Delta jumped onto her, planting his knee in her stomach, and stabbed her with her own knife. He added it to his “collection”.
The atmosphere between Alexandra and Angelo had been quite tense since they’d woken up. They hadn’t slept so well. When the first cannon sounded, they set out to get to the cornucopia, and by the time the second cannon echoed throughout the arena, they were in position. “We’ll fight together, right ?” asked Alexandra. Angelo nodded solemnly : “Until there’s no one else. I’m so glad I got to meet you.”
“Me too… Too bad one of us will have to die.”
As she said those words, a twig cracked in a nearby bush.
The first cannon had shocked the viewers quite a bit. As Rivage finished his watch, he looked at Vannery, asleep next to him. He murmured “I’m sorry”, so low that it had to be subtitled. Then he plunged his trident in her throat. Before leaving, Rivage let out the longest sigh of relief.
Alexandra climbed onto the cornucopia, hiding herself, a length of rope held tight between her hands. She waited as Rivage entered the clearing. He was focused on Angelo. Delta appeared a few seconds later, on the other side of the cornucopia. He walked under it, oblivious to the girl awaiting him. As Angelo charged Rivage with his sword, Alexandra lowered the rope. Delta let out a choked growl as she pulled. He was much stronger, however. With one labored step, he yanked her off the roof. The rope was still around his neck, but his hands were now around Alexandra’s. Nevertheless, she held on to the rope, using it to hold him at bay. Just before she fell unconscious, she kicked him in the groin. She let out a few coughs, before grabbing the two ends of the rope again and pulling Delta against one of the steel columns of the cornucopia. Delta tried to stab her, but she was behind him, and he was quickly loosing consciousness. With one last brutal pull, the rope crushed his windpipe.
Alexandra watched Angelo dispose of Rivage with one final feint of his sword, and his cannon sounded at the same time as Delta’s.
Silence fell on the clearing. Even the birds had shut up. The couple was breathing heavily. They hugged tight. Something glinted in Alexandra’s hand. She almost reached Angelo’s neck when he gripped her wrist. He smiled, but his eyes were full of sorrow. “I had to try at least !” she half-laughed, half-whimpered. He sat her down and hugged her once again. She told him that he deserved to win. That he was a good man. He took his swords and gently stabbed Alexandra in the heart. She barely cried as he looked into her eyes. A cannon sounded. The last one. Jahani Vishwa announced Angelo Clearfell, of district 2, as the victor of the 119th Hunger Games. He had to be forcefully removed form Alexandra’s corpse in order to be retrieved.
Aftermath:
The games took an immense toll on Angelo, who was unable to speak for more than a month. Even when he had gotten the use of his words back, he fell into a lengthy depression. His interview with Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown had to be cut short as soon as they mentioned Alexandra.
After that, he remained alone in his home of the Victor’s village. He received no guests and did not act as a mentor the following years. The other victors of his district described him as “disillusioned” and “a killjoy”. The situation stayed the same until his disappearance two years later.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be in theaters beginning June 2. If you're wondering how and where you can watch it yourself, take a look at the information below.
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Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero.
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The much-anticipated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is only a few weeks away, and fans can’t wait to see the new adventures of Miles Morales. Once the Sony Pictures-produced movie ends its theatrical run, it will come to the most popular streamers, including Netflix and Disney Plus. But when is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse coming to Netflix and Disney Plus? Here’s what you need to know.
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'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' features the return of Shameik Moore as Miles Morales and Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy. Just before the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, producers of the feature have announced a couple of other projects. Producer Amy Pascal has announced a forthcoming third installment titled Beyond the Spider-Verse expected to be released next year. That is not the only project announced.
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Paint-on-glass, Realistic Cartoon-style to Japanese Manga, makers explore not a couple but way too many animation styles! Shameik Moore’s Miles, in a way, gets a Star-Lord-like treatment in which he beautifully balances his character arc without overstepping the broader scheme of things. Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen finally gets a chance to narrate her side of things, and it mixes well with the ‘star-crossed’ relationship she’s currently sharing with Miles.
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If you’re like just about everyone else on the planet who saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018 and loved it, you’ve probably been waiting for the sequel. You won’t be waiting long, as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is finally coming out in 2023, a full five years later. It’s been a long wait but by all indications the film is going to be a blast for fans of comic book movies, Miles Morales’ version of Spider-Man, and this new animated franchise featuring the iconic webslinger.
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Modern cinema has seen the gap between theatrical and streaming releases shorten dramatically, begging the question of when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will release online. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, streaming releases have been much closer to the theatrical release of films. While the mid-COVID marketing technique of releasing movies in theaters and on streaming services at the same time for an extra price is a thing of the past, the gap between the respective releases is still considerably shorter than in decades past.
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While we currently don’t know the exact online release date for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, we do know the movie will be released in cinemas worldwide, including the US and UK, on June 2nd, 2023. We know where to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse online, but do we also know when? We can guess once again, assuming it charts the same theater-to-streaming path as Into the Spider-Verse did in 2018 with two months between the theatrical release and its digital renting/buying services. You may be able to buy or rent the movie digitally as early as late July of this year, with a physical release roughly a month or so after that, if not sooner. This also means that you will probably be able to stream Spider-Man: Across on Netflix in early December 2023, as it took about six months from Into the Spider-Verse’s release before the movie landed on the streamer.
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When Is the Release Date for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was one of the many films to get hit by a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving from its original date of April 8, 2022, to October 7, 2022. That's the date seen in the above trailer, but the film has since seen another significant delay since then. Now the film is officially set for release on June 2, 2023. Hopefully, we won't see another delay, but if it means getting a sequel that lives up to the sky-high heights of the original, we'll gladly wait.
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Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in Theaters?
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Not only was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse the subject of rave reviews, but it also pulled in some gargantuan levels of cash at the international box office, with a final tally that quadrupled the film's ninety-million dollar budget. With incredible success like that, it's only natural that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse would also be taking advantage of a theatrical release. That is the case, as the upcoming film will be exclusively available in theaters when it premieres on June 2nd, 2023.
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When is 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' streaming?
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The home distribution rights for Across the Spider-Verse are in a rather interesting place. In April 2021, it was reported that Sony Studios had signed a multiyear deal with both Netflix and Disney for shared streaming rights to Sony films coming out between 2022 and 2026. This deal includes Across the Spider-Verse as well as the third film in the series, Beyond the Spider-Verse, due out in March 2024.
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As for releases like Across the Spider-Verse, the film will be available on Netflix with "first-pay-window-rights" for the first 18 months of its home media release. While it will not be streaming concurrently with its theatrical release, it will be available on Netflix following its theatrical run.
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Some of the films are not currently available on the service because Sony has pre-existing partnerships with Starz, as that's where most of the absent films are available to stream. That is except for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which is instead only streaming on Fubo TV and FX Now.
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For anyone else looking to watch the film as soon as possible, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be released in theaters on June 2.
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How to Watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
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At the moment, you can watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse at your local theater. But like most movies these days, it should hit a streaming website in the near future.
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Like its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a flick produced by multimedia conglomerate Disney. What's more, the production studio owns a number of other famous franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. Titles made under these umbrellas have both hit Disney+ sometime after arriving at the box office. Fans may also know the original Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is currently available to stream on the site as well. So, if the 2023 version follows the same pattern, folks will likely get to see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Disney+ later this year too.
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As for an exact release date for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, that's more complicated. Most movies produced by Disney often go to its streamer site within three months after debuting in theaters, like the most recent Marvel film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. If this is the case for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it will probably drop in late August 2023 or sometime near Labor Day in early September.
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When the time comes for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to splash onto Disney+ though, make sure you're all prepared to watch it. If you don't have access yet, you can opt into a 30-day free trial before choosing a plan that start at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. After your account is all set, click on the title page on Disney+'s official website or the Disney+ app.
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As you wait for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to hit the streamer, why don't you watch the animated version and its sequel Spider-Man: into the Spider-Verse? Or if you want to immerse yourself in another live-action version, click on the 2019 ABC TV special Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Live!. Enjoy!
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Where To Watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Online:
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As of now, the only way to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is to head out to a movie theater when it premieres on June 2, 2023. You can find a local showing on Fandango.
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Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait for it to become available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon, Vudu, YouTube or Apple, or become available to stream on Disney+.
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Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse coming to Netflix?
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Yes, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is coming to Netflix approximately in December 2023. In 2021, Sony and Netflix signed a five-year deal that gave the latter exclusive first-pay-window U.S. streaming rights for Sony Pictures titles after their theatrical and home entertainment windows. Fans can expect to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix six months after the film’s theatrical release, thus in December 2023. The date seems reasonable considering that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse dropped on Netflix on June 26, 2019, six months after its U.S. release on December 14, 2018. The pay-one window usually begins about nine months after a film’s theatrical release, but it might start earlier in particular cases. This post will be updated once there is a 100% officially confirmed Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Netflix release date.
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When Will Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Be Available On Netflix?
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Where will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse stream specifically? Due to an ongoing deal between Netflix and Sony (remember that these movies are not produced by Disney), Across the Spider-Verse will see Netflix as the streaming home for the film when it finishes its theatrical run. It will no doubt make its way to Disney+ eventually, as Disney and Sony do have an agreement for Disney to include Sony’s Spider-Man content in their offerings, but that will at least be some time after Across the Spider-Verse has come out on Netflix.
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In terms of which of the streaming giants Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be released on, Netflix will house the film upon its streaming debut. While again, Sony does not have its own dedicated streaming service, a deal was struck in 2021 between the studio and Netflix. The deal, stating that Netflix would stream Sony's films after theatrical release, was penned for 5 years meaning Across the Spider-Verse is part of the arrangement.
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Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse coming to Disney Plus?
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Yes, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is also coming to Disney Plus approximately in 2025.
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Once the pay-one window runs its time and Netflix’s exclusive rights expire, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be available on Disney Plus. The pay-one window might last as long as 18 months, which means it will be a while before Disney Plus subscribers can watch the much-anticipated sequel. Unlike in other countries, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse isn’t yet available on the Disney-owned streamer in the U.S.
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While Sony's Spider-Man content is also streaming on Disney+, due to the collaborations between Sony and Marvel Studios in recent years, Across the Spider-Verse will be a Netflix release. While the deal struck between Marvel Studios and Sony may extend to this film, Disney+ is only allowed to begin streaming Sony's Spider-Man releases upon their release on Netflix. As a result, Netflix will be the first streaming service that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be available on after its theatrical release.
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Regarding when the film will be available on Netflix, the answer is less definitive. The first film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, began streaming six months after its theatrical release. Based on this, it is safe to assume Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will see a similar gap between its cinematic and streaming releases. Given the film's theatrical release of June 2, 2023, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will likely begin streaming on Netflix in December 2023.
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Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Be On HBO Max?
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No, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will not be on HBO Max since it’s not a Universal Pictures movie. Last year, the company released its films in theaters and on the streamer on the same day. However, they now allow a 45-day window between the theatrical release and the streaming release.
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Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Available On Hulu?
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Viewers are saying that they want to view the new animation movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free episodes of this series streaming at this time. It will be exclusive to the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.
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Long time DM here, and just last year I finished up a campaign with a group of friends. However, there was one argument that happened that almost ended the game right near the end.
The players were inside of a massive planet eating monster, and were traversing across dead worlds. On these dead worlds were creatures that used to inhabit the worlds, before they got eaten. These inhabitants had mutated, and had become these blind and pallid skinned monsters.
The players encountered them, fought them and killed a few. The rest of these monsters fled in fear of the players, as they had the instinct to not die. One of the players then decides to hunt one of the monsters down, who ran into a nearby decrepit building. As the player enters, I am describing the monster as cowering in fear and whimpering. The player approaches, I tell them that the monster hunkers further into the corner and whimpers louder. The player pulls out their sword and places it to the monsters throat, I tell them that the monster begins to cry. The player then kills the monster, with no resistance from it. I then tell the player that their chaotic good sword drops from their hand, and cannot be picked up again from them. Thus the argument ensued.
Did I not give enough hints that the monster was harmless? Should I have just straight out told the player that this act was evil in my mind? They argued that it wasn't an evil act, due to the monster attacking them first. They also said that I didn't give them enough warning that this was an evil act.
TL;DR: Player hunts fleeing monster who does not fight back, and kills them. Then argues that it was not an evil act.

https://gamingballistic.com/2023/06/07/a-worthy-knight-felltower-character-build/
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My character died in Felltower...so here's a replacement.
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Opinions on yes/no are my own, but phrased as objective statements because I was feeling cheeky.

A Worthy Knight (Felltower Character Build)

When I sit down to use precious time to play an RPG rather than stress out over my RPG business, I am not looking to drag in a stack of rulebooks and play a complicated character.
I’m looking to hit stuff really hard in the face.
After out colossal frack-up and TPK with Felltower, we’re gearing up for a “felltower adjacent” game, and while many of my brethren are looking at clerics, wizards, and maybe even a martial artist … again, I’mma gonna hit stuff hard in the face.
So, I’m going to avoid the Holy Warrior route I took last time. Good character, but I feel like we need someone who does tremendous damage. “One shot, one kill” sort of output.
On the other hand, I do love me some shields. So let’s look at the options.

Shield-and…

If we’re looking at a one-handed weapon, let’s see the options.

• Mace has the best boost to swing damage (and what else is there, really?) but cutting is really the answer to almost every problem here.
• Axe/Throwing Axe is sw+2, which cutting effectively makes (1.5×sw)+3. So the old shield-and-axe guy isn’t too bad. If I can dump enough into ST to get (striking) ST 17, with Weapon Master we’re looking at a constant damage output of 3d+1+6, for 3d+7 cut. I can also throw the thing; or I can festoon myself with hatchets and “only” do swing, but it’s 3d-1 cut out to -6 penalty, which is respectable. So axe is an old fave for a reason. Dwarven is +4; Fine is +9 CF; so x14 cost on a $50 weapon is $700, which means I will need a bit of points-for-cash, but that’s what knights do.
• Ah, a longsword in one hand. Interesting. VERY expensive, though. I don’t have to worry about the Parry score, but Reach 2 with thrust isn’t bad.
• Of course, with a bastard sword (and the errata 0U out, I think) Reach 2 sw+1 is even better, and Reach 2 thrust for when you need to stab the eye. A Wait, with a thrust to the eye or vitals at Reach 2, then step to Reach 1 (or don’t) and cut to the leg as a Rapid Strike at only -3 is going to be pretty amazing. Actually, bastard sword has a much easier time with eyes, vitals, and such. ST 17 puts me at 1.5×ST for both weapons, but that doesn’t really matter. No dagger or double-daggers here. So I lose a point of damage on the axe, but pick up reach. And the weapons are much more expensive. Still: 3d+6 cut to Reach 2? Also, has the advantage that I can use a seax (long knife) at Skill-2 to get Reach C when I need it. 3d-2 cut is a heck of a close-range equalizer. Also, if I set aside 30 points for Weapon Master (knightly weapons), “anything used with Broadsword” skill counts, so that quickly becomes 3d+4 cut in close combat. AND better rapid strikes.
• Flail is always worth considering, because while it’s basically mace-on-a-chain, it’s inexpensive, you can dwarven it to parry with, and the huge defensive penalties (-4 to parry, -2 to block, and fencing weapons need not apply to parry at all). It’s one of those things where “flail to the head” is such a bell-ringer, it might be worth considering putting some points in there, because those Parry/Block penalties are the equivalent of always throwing a -8 or -4 to skill Deceptive attack on nearly every blow. That’s a lot of defensive mitigation. Worth thinking about.
• Spear is the only one-handed weapon that really remains here. But it’s thrust-only and a regular spear is not even a bit better than a bastard sword. Same Reach and impaling damage, 0U parry that is NOT errata. heavy spear is at least thr+4 imp, but then again loses out on swing damage, which is just stupid if you have weapon master. It also lacks not just C, but 1 as well, and we got an object lesson in “don’t let the bad guys into C” in the last fight.

So if I go shield and something, shield and bastard sword seems to be it.

Two-Handed Weapons

A much shorter list.

• We start with the polearms. The dueling halberd and glaive for a presumably high-ST character is “halberd.” The glaive is for getting the cool swing cut with low ST: naginata. The only other competitor will be the full-size Ditka (regular halberd), which does add +4 to the swing damage over the bastard sword for 3d+10 cut as a primary mode. The thrust mode gives you Reach 1 … but you’ll need an entirely new skill for in close. Still, a Reach 2 alpha strike, then step BACK to Reach 3 for a second shot – including a 3d+9 impaling attack, is brutal. That threatens a HP 12 person with a KO even through significant armor: 50% of the time you can punch through DR 13 (!) and still have enough injury left over to bring a fit, strong human to KO status. That’s a lot, but you need a lot to give up your block. Also, it IS really long, and in tight situations where you’re dealing with the equivalent of Bulk penalties, a halberd is -6 (2x Reach being a good measure).
• Even in two hands, the spears don’t add enough. If you use them with Staff skill … you still don’t get the +2 Parry (which is wrong, but the rules). Not worth giving up shield and swing damage. A sucker’s play unless you have a formation of them. Maybe even then.
• Great Axe doesn’t give you anything over a a dueling halberd. Long axe is lower ST but same deal. The rest of those are for folks who can’t switch a dueling halberd around to the other side (you get sw+4 cut, sw+3 imp in one weapon). Only the warhammer does a bit more imp damage, but you’re giving up versatility against things that resist imp.
• Bastard sword in two hands gives up block in exchange for a point more damage in either mode; if you could pull half-swording, you’d allow the +2 Parry (that’s what my golem-armor swordsman from Nordlond Bestiary does), but at lower damage, and thrust-only for cut (tip slash) and stab, but with extra precision on targeting chinks. Not enough to make it stand on its own, but combined with all of the other coolness with this, it’s yet another “all in favor.”

So, really, the only thing coming close would be the halberd, but shield-and-bastard-sword just has so much going for it.

Knightly Requirements

That brings me to what I need.

• Weapon Master (Knightly Weapons) for 30 points. That’s a chunk of change right there.
• ST and Striking ST equal to 17. ST 15 and Striking ST 2 looks like the right “out of the gate” play, assuming I can’t eke out ST 17 right away. I might be able to, but the 250-point template would eat up all of my discretionary points with ST +3 and Weapon Master (Knightly) right there. I will probably build up from Delvers to Grow though, so we’ll see. That will mean I give up standard knightly stuff elsewhere.
• I’m going to only need Broadsword and Shield in terms of primary skills. Again, with the core template I can probably throw down Broadsword-20 and Shield-16. That’s a respectable Block with a DB 2 shield (14), though not super-spectacular.
• I did not have a ranged weapon last time. That was not excellent. The right one here might either be crossbow (because of Acc 4 and 1d+6 imp) or throwing axe (3d-1 cut, but only Acc 1 and much shorter range). An atlatl with a javelin is pretty cool (3d imp to 30 yards)…but a plain-old heavy sling goes to 45 yards, will do 3d+1 cr. I can use a heavy sling in one hand with ST 12+, and that’s just cost of entry. It’s respectable damage and inexpensive to own and arm.
• I will need a close-combat weapon, but a seax defaulting to Broadsword-2 gives an 18 in CC, which is plenty good delivering WM-boosted swing cutting damage.
• I need to stay in the fight too, but armor is expensive. I may emphasize mobility on this one until I can afford a big score of protection. Speed and Move.
• Oh, I kinda wanted to play up the half-orc thing too, as a joke with Peter about “orc-orc-orc.” On the other hand, a half-ogre Knight walks out of the gate at ST 18 … which is tempting.

What do I maybe NOT need that’s on the template?

• Born War-Leader is on the template. Based on how we have been playing … only Tactics really gets frequent use. And it’s got Born War-Leader 2 on the template. I feel like I might be able to use 5 or 10 of those points elsewhere, and more efficiently. Like Striking ST 2.

Let’s Get Delving

📷So now we need to fire up GSC and Delvers to Grow.
I wound up starting with the 187 point Master Strong DelveKnight, throwing on half-ogre, and going to town from there, as it were.
So: Thor Hálfskepna (half-beast, which also translates to demigod in Icelandic, so…)

• That had me at my target ST 17 right out of the gate, so victory there.
• I upgraded the minimalist Weapon Master to (Knightly Weapons), meeting that requirement.
• I tossed in Striking ST 2 because I’m allowed to; ST 17/Striking ST 19 is brutal, and base thswing of 2d-1 and 3d+1 means weapon master now gives +4 to thrusting stuff. Still +6 to swing.
• 58-lb basic lift isn’t anything to whine about.
• My main sword skills in one hand are at 20 thanks to weapon bond; 3d+8 cutting in one hand ain’t all bad. Shield 16 and Enhanced Block 1 results in Block 15, which is nice.
• I may have overdid the DR here; I gave heavy mail on the torso, heavy leather sleeves and legs, heavy leather boots, segmented plate helm. I think I’d do better with about 10 lbs less weight. Let’s try for regular mail, light leather sleeves and legs. Yah, there we go. Still respectable DR but down to no encumbrance, Move 7. I think I still have $500 left over for “stuff I forgot,” or maybe a single point to drop somewhere that I ooped on.
• Oh, I need a seax. Heh. And a sling; the heavy sling is cool, but at 1 lb per stone I think I’ll pass. 10 lead stones, though? That’s cool…3d pi to 100 yards. My skill isn’t that good, but I can drop points there.

So he’s an ugly clod, but he’s a hard-hitting ugly clod. At range, he can ring folks’ bell with a few seconds aim to 10-15 yard about half the time. 3d piercing is no joke; against humanoids they’ll at least have to take cover or risk a serious think if it hits.
Someone steps into Reach 2, they’re looking at 3d+8 cut or 2d+5 imp; that imp attack could easily be vitals giving up to 36 injury. On a cleave, it’s more like 27 injury, which ought to make an impression.
At Reach 1 I lose the imp, but retain the cut. If I fast-draw my long knife (14), I still have a 3d cut swing attack … hmm. That may need the Weapon Master bonus, but I think strict rules say no (it’s Shortsword not Broadsword). Still, 3d cut is as hard as a regular joe hits at ST 15 with an axe (2d+3)…
And I can keep that 3d in close combat.
His defenses are good: Block-15, or 16 with a retreat against missiles or big stuff. Parry 14 core, +2 for shield, +1 with a retreat, for Parry-17 if I’m willing to fade. Weapon Master (Knightly) definitely lowers my repeated Parry penalty to -2; since Shield is included in Knightly weapons, if Vic allows multiple blocks, it’s -3 each for that, which could be important.
Also, his DR isn’t bad (6/4 on the body, 8 on the head, and 3 elsewhere except for DR 1 on the eyes), and in combat he’s at None for encumbrance, so while his Step is still 1, his Move is 7. Finally I’m quick. A respectable Dodge 11 also.
So Thor here is formidable. Don’t ask him to calculate the tip at dinner, though.

Human Instead?

The half-ogre template carries a lot of weight in the build, and Felltower doesn’t allow them. So if I have to get rid of that, I can still get most of what I want, but need to nix Striking ST 2, the half-ogre disads, boost IQ back to 10, etc. I still need all five quirk points for cash, but I’m also Move 7 still.

Currently driving a 2019 CX-5, but my hobbies are pushing me beyond its capabilities and a truck makes the most sense. I'm tired of trying to fit lumber or hauling dirt for my garden in a cross over. My CX-5 also has its limitations off road. I spend a lot of time out doors making it to remote trail heads and some better off road performance would be welcome.
Im looking for a midsize truck around 60k or less. The upcoming Ford Ranger Raptor seems to be my absolute ideal. Right price (if one can be had at MSRP), good performance, decent bed size / payload capacity and off road ability. After having some calls with every local dealer, it seems like that will be nearly impossible to get without a premium that puts it into the realm of the full F150 Raptor or beyond. One dealer agreed to put me on the list for a 35k market adjustment. Its lunacy.
Similar story with the upcoming Tacoma TRD-Pro / trailhunter.
In short I'm looking for a something in the same vein, but that can actually be ordered or reserved without a stratospheric markup.

[Business, Digital Marketing] The Digital Slice Podcast Episode 098
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/using-digital-marketing-to-inspire-fitness-and-change/id1347304048?i=1000615847797
Join Brad Friedman and Bryce Henson as they chat about the skills needed to be the CEO of a fitness franchise and the importance of using digital marketing to inspire fitness and change lives.
Bryce Henson is the CEO of Fit Body Boot Camp, the world’s fastest-growing fitness boot camp franchise. Having nearly 20 years of Fitness Business experience and owning his own Fit Body location, his passion is spreading fitness to the world through business coaching.
Through Fit Body Boot Camp’s World Wide growth, Bryce has overseen hundreds of gyms successfully launched throughout North America. Most importantly, he helps his Franchise Partners grow their profits while helping to offset the obesity epidemic.

I recently remembered this mockumentary I watched on demand years ago, I can't remember what channel it aired on (probably Travel, History, maybe Destination America, Animal Planet?) and what I do remember is some researchers trying to investigate a local legend in a swam or solving a murder, I'm pretty sure it was about a werewolf or implied to be. There was some conflict involving these territorial country folk/redneck living near the swamps/forests and towards the end of the film they catch the alleged killer and he's chained up like a monster. One of the main researchers got attacked and disappears implying he was gonna turn into a werewolf.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? I tried googling as best I can't find anything other than standard werewolf movies or documentaries on werewolf mythology and alleged real sightings.

I have a 1B/1B available in right on the edge of Cupertino border, near San Jose. I just moved in solo into a 2B/2B, and am looking for a roommate to fill the other bedroom.
The complex is City Gate Cupertino. Rent is $1750. Lease is 12 months. Room is a little under 130 sqft not including the closet. There's an in-unit washedryer and the complex has a heated pool and fitness center. Pets are okay with additional deposit + 75 monthly rent.
About me: I'm a 31M software engineer who works hybrid hours and I've been in the Bay Area for over 10 years. I enjoy the typical bay area software engineering hobbies like hiking, board games, video games, etc. I'm also a bit of a cine-phile and an okay musician (piano and drums). I'm more of a nite owl than an early bird, but otherwise I'm pretty lax about my activities and fairly amenable to changes. I also have an adorable and sweet Cardigan Welsh Corgi named Einstein who would love to play with you as soon as you meet with him. He also gets along well with other dogs, and has gotten along okay with cats in the same household in the past.
If you are interested, please DM me for more details.

Hi, It's been nearly 2 months since I started my weight loss journey, with a lot of motivation from this sub, and it's been going pretty well. Started at 102kg and have been losing pretty steadily, according to happy scale (which is linked to my wifi scale image here https://imgur.com/a/IxhQJlR ) I've been losing an average of 2.2 kg a week, which seems rather high. All I've done is try and stick to 1800 calories recommended by myfitnesspal to lose 0.8 kg a week and been going on 3 or 4 runs a week, so to be honest I haven't found it too hard. What are the risks if there are any of losing at a rate faster than recommended? Is it worth me eating more calories? Though I'm currently lighter than I've been in 10 years, I'm hoping to get down to my healthy BMI of under 78kg (35yo 5ft10 male), a number I haven't seen since high school, so if it is safe I'm very happy to carry on as is. Thanks so much in advance for any advice!
Also thought I'd throw in my first NSV, bought my first medium sized tshirt today which fits perfectly, I've been wearing XL for at least 5 years, so feels really good!

By Rail to Canada, no Passport Needed
The clock showed 9:30 PM, Central Standard Time, September 15, 1958. Soo Line Train 9/13 was 21 minutes behind schedule as it cruised along in the fall Minnesota night, heading into the shallow bend towards the town of Hamel. There was no need to slow down from 58 MPH (93 kph) as the approaching station was not a stop for the train on its way to Portal, North Dakota and Winnipeg, Manitoba. From Minneapolis to Glenwood, Minnesota the two trains, also known as the “Dominion” and the “Winnipeger”, ran together before being split for their final destinations. The Dominion would be picked up by the Canadian Pacific for connection to Vancouver, British Columbia the next day.
GP9 diesel-electric locomotive No. 557 lead the train with the engineer and fireman aboard, followed by cabless power unit 503B. Behind them came six baggage cars, five sleepers, three coaches, and a lounge car, not in that order. Aboard the cars were 75 passengers, about five Pullman Company sleeping car porters, three dining service employees, three mail clerks, two baggagemen, the conductor (H.M. Ratje), and two brakemen.
Bright headlights shown ahead in the dark. The firemen, seated on the lefthand side of the cab, was observing a road crossing ahead of them. The engineer, Herman J. Steinke, was keeping an eye out on the tracks ahead. One detail was missed by both men, however. A green light supposed to mark the switch for the siding that served local businesses in Hamel was dark. In fact, although they never could have seen it, the lock had been bashed off and the switch thrown so it pointed into the siding. The lamp extinguished. At full speed, Train 9/13 rocked hard and as it hit the siding curve 120 feet later, then jackknifed across the tracks at 9:35 pm.
​
The Accident
Miraculously, no one was killed as the first eight cars and both locomotives derailed spectacularly. Sixteen people were hospitalized for their injuries among the dozens treated at the scene. Witnesses in Hamel reported the crash impact felt like an earthquake, calling in to the Hennepin County Sheriff to notify them of the disaster. The Sheriff’s emergency calls were answered by Civil Defense rescue teams and six fire departments within thirty minutes to begin the process of extracting those unable to escape the cars. Uninjured patrons were bussed back to Minneapolis by the Soo Line for the night, to figure out ways of getting them on to their destinations.
It was during the rescue efforts that a Hamel Fire Department firefighter noticed the damage to the switch lock that prevented tampering. While it was locked to point into the switch rather than the main line, he noticed that the shackle of the lock had clearly been battered open before being re-closed. Investigation by police and ICC officials also disclosed that someone had tried to batter the lamp’s connecting bolt so it could be rotated to give a false ‘clear’ indication. When that had failed, someone had apparently settled for extinguishing it. Five hours before Train 9/13 came through Hamel, about 4:30 PM, the local track maintenance foreman had inspected the line. He reported the switch had been set correctly at the time but could not remember if the lamp was lit yet. It was fueled twice a week, having been topped off three days before.
​
The Suspect, the official Verdict, and the Aftermath.
By the first of October railroad police were seeking a man known to peddle sewing needles door-to-door in the Hamel area. He was in his fifties, stoop-shouldered, an ‘eccentric dresser’ who wore a flap-eared cap. Local residents had noticed the man in the area of the siding earlier in the evening but thought nothing of it at the time. Police apparently failed to locate him, or cleared him of wrongdoing, as no further remarks on this suspect appear in the newspapers.
On December 17, 1958 the Interstate Commerce Commission officially rendered its report on the incident. After examining the crew, witnesses on the ground, passengers, and the incident scene itself, they concluded the crew was not at fault for the accident. The ICC official accident cause was listed as malicious tampering, by person or persons unknown, who had deliberately forced open the switch, changed its direction, and extinguished the indicating lamp. From the transportation safety end of things, it was case closed.
Engine 557 and 503B were returned to service, as did the injured employees. Rail traffic was disrupted for several weeks until the line could be fixed. Today, perhaps the last survivor is Engine 557, still operating in Hanska, Minnesota as Farmers Co-Op of Hanska No. 124.
​
Conclusion and Questions
In 2023 it seems highly unlikely that the September 15, 1958 derailment will ever be solved. No one died, and the newspaper headlines of the day were occupied with the tragic Newark Bay bridge accident on the Central Railroad of New Jersey that killed 48, so it quietly slipped from memory. However, that does leave us with some room to speculate on the cause.

1. The ICC Got It Wrong: There was no deliberate sabotage. Railroad locks take a beating even without deliberate tampering and investigators followed a path that would absolve the company and its employees of fault for incorrectly positioning the switch. The investigation makes no remark on when the switch had last been legitimately used before the accident.
2. The Peddler: A convenient target. Marginalized and possibly without a home, as he is also described as ‘dirty-faced’, it would be convenient to latch onto a sighting of him near the switch as an explanation. We’re given little motivation to why he might have tampered with the switch. However, after examining several cases like this, there often doesn’t seem to be much motivation amongst those apprehended. Children playing around, wanting to see the train wreck, without any more information its hard to say much more.
3. Someone Else: Local children, teens, another resident. Someone wanted to see the train crash. Notably someone had to wield a heavy tool against the switch lock and lamp bolts, no Lockpicking Lawyer here, which would seem to point towards an adult.

​
Sources
The Interstate Commerce Commission Report of the Accident Investigation occurring on the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad at Hamel, MN: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/45711
The Soo Line Public Timetable in effect at the time of the accident: http://wx4.org/to/foam/maps/2-Perry/015/d/1958-09-07SOO_systemPTT-Perry.pdf
News Articles and Photos (As a warning, this does include images of a non-fatal railroad crash and injured persons being transported): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d1ZFYlPVNnZZxI6nf0jITZTLFb2xiSHv?usp=sharing

Summary by homocidecenter.org:
A theory has developed that credits the drowning deaths of a number of young men in the Midwest and Northeastern United States to the work of a serial homicide offender. In 1999, journalists first reported that college-aged students were drowning in rivers after an evening of heavy drinking (Maller). These deaths were said to form a pattern, and it was soon proposed that it was the work of a serial killer, or team of killers, who were deliberately targeting young men for murder (Kaye, 2008). Smiley face graffiti was sometimes, though not always, discovered near these death scenes. This serial murder explanation is now called the smiley face murder theory (Smiley, 2010).
General details:
-All victims are male, usually young (early 20's to mid 30's). Many are in college. Most, if not all are considered conventionally attractive with a lean to muscular body type.
-States with heavy amounts of these cases are Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Illinois. College towns seem to be targeted. There have been a recent string of cases in Austin, Texas & Chicago Illinois.
-They are missing for days to months before they are found, speculating that they are held for a period of time before dumped in a body of water. The bodies will often be in perfect condition despite supposedly being in water for a long period of time.
-Prior to the (theorized) abduction, they are usually at a social event such a bar, sports event, or other party/ entertainment atmosphere. They are usually with friends who they get split up with.
-The bodies end up being found in an area that was searched multiple times. The bodies are often found on Mondays. Some speculate that they are dumped on Sundays. The graffiti of the Smiley Face is believed to be placed where the body went into the water, not where the body was found. There are other symbols found at these scenes, which the police officers who first seen a connection, are keeping private until an official investigation is done.
-The police often close the investigation quickly and call it an accidental drowning. When new evidence is discovered, they do not reopen the case willingly. Family have discovered details later that were missing from autopsy reports. Medical examiners and police seem to avoid the families. Out of the hundreds, only one case was changed from accidental drowning to murder.
Specific anomalies involved with some of these cases:
-1 man was found partially frozen despite being found in the middle of summer. Indicating he was frozen to try to throw off the police in regards to time of death/ decomposition.
-One man was found half standing up in a pond. The water was so shallow, he would have had to just stand up to not drown.
-One victim had water in his lungs that was not consistent with the water he supposedly drown in. This is an indicator that he was drown somewhere else before being placed at the dump spot.
-One victim was found with hair in his hand that turned out not to be his. This was the one case that was changed from accidental drowning to homicide.
-A family of one of the victims didn't see the autopsy results for 10 yrs. When they finally seen it, they were shocked to find he had been burned with (what they think was) a blow torch.
-Victim Dakota James of Pittsburgh was found upstream from where he supposedly drown. His body would have had to go through a mechanical damn, that was only open less that 12 inches. His body was in perfect condition, despite supposedly being in water for over a month. The family of James was one of the most outspoken of all the victims, not believing what they were told. They hired an independent medical examiner, Cyril Wecht to help re-investigate. They were shocked to learn their son had ligature marks on his neck. Something completely omitted from the autopsy. The parents repeatedly asked for a meeting with the medical examiner. They were avoided several times. When they finally got a meeting, the secret service was in attendance. Why would the secret service be involved in a accidental drowning case? Or even a murder investigation involving someone not in government?
Common misconceptions:
-Mistaking "Smiley Face Killers" with "Happy Face Killer", Keith Jesperson. These are 2 different things that are not related.
-That this is one seriel killer. The time line of victim makes that impossible. Some of these murders were in different states too close together. It is believed that this could be the work of a cult, or a dark web protocol for people who want to murder and not get caught. There's speculation that The Order Of Nine Angles may be involved, since (according to their writings) to get to a certain level, you must carry out a culling.
-That they all were very drunk. Many of the friends said afterwards that they only had 1-2 beers. There have been CCTV that captured them walking fine and even using their phone while walking straight. However, GHB has been found in toxicology reports of some.
-That this is only going on in the US. There have been cases like this in many areas of the world, but particularly in Europe.
-That it is not still going on. I think Wikipedia said it "ended" in 2010. Wikipedia also claims there are only 45 victims. These are the victims that were covered in the book, "Case Studies In Drowning Forensics", that the original 2 police officer theorists (Gannon & Duarte) wrote. There have been many since then that fit the characteristics.
Recommended places for further info:
https://footprintsattheriversedge.blogspot.com/?m=1
Smiley Face Killers: "The Hunt For Justice" (Oxygen Network)
Documentary by William Ramsey: "Smiley Face Killers" documentary
Jim Smith and William Ramsey are the most thorough independent investigators about the subject.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1H88Mz9w1TEXFVsZzCos4P?si=6EjNkRAiTciBGQx_8cMcMg

After beating game 22 times the difficulty spikes a lot buts it’s still really fun! Here are some ways to survive and not die on first floor. Also applies to Erebus mod and library mod.

1. Use Wands, Bows, Bombs, Traps, offensive Scrolls/Potions and Cups as first line of offense whenever possible. Most enemies will one or two shot you in close quarters especially on first 3 levels. Don’t risk CCQ if you can at all avoid it.
   
2. Use/Keep Fast, Lethal, Reach weapons only! Have at least one high damage dagger, and one speastaff/halberd/whip and make sure all weapons are excellent or fine. You won’t last in a attrition match with worn iron weapons.
   
3. Save at least 1 elite fast weapon or high power wand for lich so you can kill him and cut down bodyguards fast! There will also be a lich /guards at every exit door on way up so be ready. Use all buffs you can when you charge him (magic shield, iron skin, cola, haste, invisibility)
   
4. Keep health at max level at all times. You can only take a few hits before you die especially with low armor so dont wait unless you’re going to lvl up soon.
   
5. Prioritize Hp defense and speed stats over all else. You need to dodge or tank all hits cause endgame is all about running away
   
6. Break all pots/crates from afar! Use wands bombs or spears. Primed bombs/jars and baby spiders can kill you one hit with armor and jump like purple druids.
   
7. Organize hot bar and inventory so you can grab anything you need without thinking cause spiders will kill you while you search for your spear. Keep teleport scroll and restoration potions and wand in hot bar so they’re always ready.
   
8. Extra enemies appear in spider hole after first big drop and enemies respawn faster too. All mobs take many hits to kill and hit hard! Be ready. Sometimes they jump you as soon as you appear in new level so always have fine steel dagger ready to spam asap
   
9. Avoid all high risk rooms with spike pits and fireball blasts if you can the loot ain’t worth it
   
10. Buy shop items at all levels if they’re good price if they don’t fit in inventory leave on floor near exit to take as you go up.
    

Good luck. Pona tawa Sina :) praise the sun

About me
I've always loved stories so TTRPGs have fascinated me basically since the moment I found out they're a thing. This was some time ago now and since then I've played some and GMd some but never found a consistent group that was as excited about creating stories in our collective minds as I was. So I said fuck it and decided to make this post to seek out like-minded individuals.
About the Game
I'll be running Pathfinder 2nd Edition with a heavy focus on roleplay with some tactical combat sprinkled into the mix. If you're looking for a combat focused game this won't be it.
I'm expecting everyone to be somewhat serious, tho I won't stray into Grimdark territory (except if this is something everyone wants). I expect our first few games to be heroic fantasy, we're playing Pathfinder after all. General type of campaign/story we'll discuss once I've found enough players so everyone gets a say in what they'd prefer to play.
If you haven't played PF2e before: Fear not, I will teach.
Requirements

• Being available to play once a week. Not being able to make it from time to time isn't a problem tho I expect you to make the game a priority in your life. Just showing up every other session isn't going to cut it.
• Either be new to PF2e/TTRPGs yourself or be mindful/patient of/with people (me included) that are still learning (both the system as well as playing/GMing TTRPGs).
• Be comfortable using not only voice but also video. If using video is a total no-go for you (for whatever reason) but you think that this game would fit you otherwise, just fill out the form anyway and note it somewhere. We'll figure something out.
• Be open to try other systems as well. We'll be starting with PF2e as it's your typical fantasy D20 game (with a fair amount of crunch for people that are coming from video games/boardgames) but I'm interested in trying out other systems down the road, both as one-shots as well as campaigns. If you're only interested in playing Pathfinder, just note it in the form. Won't be much of a problem.
• Be down to maybe play some videogames/boardgames or to just chat outside of playing RPGs. The far-off goal would be to become a small group of friends.
• Be anywhere from 18 - 25 years old. If you're oldeyounger and are interested fill out the form anyway, It's not going to be much of a problem.

An important note
Everyone is welcome. No matter your gender, sexuality, ethnicity, color of skin, mother tongue, species, planet of origin etc.
Tech
We'll be using Discord for Voice/Video, scheduling, chats etc. and Foundry VTT (I've got a license, you don't have to pay anything) to actually play the game. Other tools we'll be using are free as well (Pathbuilder, Archive of Nethys etc.). If you have an at least somewhat stable internet connection you'll be golden.
End
If you've made it through the entire wall of text, first of all: Thank you. If you're interested, fill out this quick form. I'll get back to everyone via Discord.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZLS3D22e2GK7JP8g0oXAbcXa8Je90B5_z_9KXqH6d25Ma_w/viewform?usp=sf_link

"I've got all my chips cashed out; this market is completely unsustainable"
Even out here in the mountains of Colorado, the land of the cowboys, he looked as though he'd just stepped off his sailboat in the Hamptons, from his perfectly-fitted navy blazer to the smoking cigar resting naturally in his left hand.
His name was Andrew. He was approximately 66 years old, incomprehensibly successful, and my latest informant. But of course he didn't know that.
Like most of my informants, we'd met at a high-end bar in an expensive resort town. Aspen, named for the trees. I was there, as usual, for entertainment and information, wearing a flattering golf dress for exactly this purpose. Some might call me a pest for using my looks to target rich older men, and I would have to agree with them; despite my sumptuous ivy league education, I had no intention to join the ranks of the ultra-wealthy.
Andrew, also like most of my informants, had sparked conversation with me after I ordered a mid-grade single malt scotch. Between the golf dress, the smile, and the interest in whiskey, I knew how to make myself approachable.
The reason to order a mid-grade scotch is so that your target can offer to buy you a high-end scotch. The reason to have a Princeton economics degree is so that your target can offer to hire you into their firm, and so that you can ask the right questions to steer the conversation towards your intended topic: the Federal Funds Rate and its implications in the market.
Once you've established trust on the basis that Harvard is a SHAM and Ben Bernanke did NOT deserve a Nobel Prize, you shut up and listen.
As the target continues to drink scotch, and you continue to act amazed at stories of their financial success (almost always through exploitative monopolies..), you'll find the entertainment and information you've been looking for:
"I sold my company and most of my houses last year. I've got all my chips cashed out. This market is completely unsustainable."
"I told my son to wait until at least next year to buy his first house."***
From others:
"Commercial real estate is fucked and there's no way it will stay contained to that sector"
"WFH won't last for people who actually want to get shit done. Maybe for bullshit positions like HR and crap, but for serious entrepreneurs? That will always be in person."
"These [new] interest rates are historically normal. All the young people are accustomed to free money and about to learn what real business is. No more of this VC-funded unprofitable racket. You have to turn a profit."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not going to give a life story explaining why this is my hobby. Just accept it. I do have to caution that these old rich dudes are sometimes wrong. I once had a hedge fund manager praise a specific stock which then dropped 30% in the three months after our encounter. But perhaps that was his $1B exiting the market.
**names & other unimportant details have been changed because the internet is not a safe place
​
***I find this particularly interesting because it seems like if Junior will be inheriting roughly $30M, that it shouldn't matter if he loses $300k on a bad housing investment. I've seen many families in the $20-$100M NW range who do not do trust funds or nearly any adult financial help because they do not want to spoil their kids. They will take adult kids on lavish family vacations or advertise their businesses, but the goal is to create an independent, financially successful adult.

Book 1 - Wiki
Previous
​
31st day after my arrival
​
Dear Diary,
​
it is now going by Earth’s calendar, I now would’ve spent an entire month on Hohmiy. Although the days here are slightly longer, so I guess it’s actually a bit more than that. Either way, it certainly was an eventful month “month”. Over the last “week”, things have finally calmed down a bit. The princess Sil has recovered enough to get back to work, even if not at full capacity. She also can’t stand for long yet, but considering she almost died
She also started to prepare delegations to the other species to see if any of them met the rest of the colony. They will depart soon. I’m not sure if I should hope for or fear getting an answer. I want nothing more than to hear that the rest is alright, but what if they are all that’s not the only reply that could come back. Either way, it will take a while.
I swear if I hear the phrase “word travels slowly beyond the hyperlanes” one more time, I’m gonna lose it.
​
Today in the evening is the trial. Which also means it is time for me to step out of the shadows. Honestly, my heart hasn’t calmed down at all yet. Thankfully, longer days also mean longer nights, otherwise, I wouldn’t nearly have gotten enough sleep. My speech is ready, and both Doc and the Baron did their best to prepare me. I know it word by word. All that’s left is to not embarrass myself and Sil while literally the entire planet is watching me. No biggie. Part of me wants to ask if not broadcasting everything is an option, at least not live. I know it is not, but still. At least I don’t have to be near anybody, and Osiyn promised he would finish the protective suit today, so that will probably also help.
To think that this shady guy from the Tystrie had so many spies on the planet… good thing they managed to decrypt his datapad. Captain Kessga has been able to discreetly arrest most of them without it being made public.
For their trial itself, it’s more or less a clean case. And once the opener is done, I won’t have to do anything except keep my rage down when I see the ambassador. Honestly, I didn’t even know I could get this angry. In hindsight, it is scary. But I have to keep it down, I must be better than that.
​
***************************
​
The sun rose over the walls of the Sky Palace as Queen Mirvani started her day. Today, it would be her turn again to visit Kiyrtin at the hospital, something she was looking forward to. She knew that she and her partner, King Kiyrta, would get informed immediately should his condition take a turn for the worse, but it still was a relief each time she saw him being fine. Well, as fine as he could be given the circumstances. He was still a nursing case until his first molting, and if the doctor’s estimates were correct, he would be on the verge of adulthood by the time he made a full recovery. She was still seething from anger whenever she thought about it. This First Ones-dammed saliyc had almost killed her precious son and robbed him of his childhood in the process, and for nothing else than his stupid company. And while she could find some satisfaction in the knowledge that she had brought him to justice, that didn’t change his situation.
She shook her head and entered the audience hall, which was currently fairly empty. Only the King and the palace’s steward were here for now.
“… and for the rest, he can just ask Rigiy. You know, the one who always does this weird thing when she talks, like-“
“I assume you are talking about Duchess Rigiyrion of clan Jarion?” the steward was quick to interpret the king’s words. “Who has a birth defect that sometimes causes her throat to act up, slightly impairing her speech pattern?”
Kiyrta tilted his head.
“Ah, is that’s how it’s called? I mean the thing Sil often did as a kid, especially when she was angry, that was really adorable. It at least sounds similar to what Rigiy does, it’s of course not really adorable when an adult does it. And she’s just doing it randomly, not just when she’s angry, so it can get a bit weird.”
For a tigg, Mirvani thought she could see the steward wincing, though she probably just imagined that. After all, why should he?
“You Majesty, I’m sure you have a lot else to do, how about I formulate the answer and you just sign it?”
Good to see that his job is not just a mere duty to him, the queen mentally noted the steward’s eagerness as she went over to her partner, who merely shrugged and dismissed him.
“Unification Day?”
Kiyrta nodded at his partner’s assumption.
“You’d think they would know what to do for something that happens every cycle. Did you hear anything new from the building yard?”
“Yes, “We apologize for the delay; the plans should be finished in a few days”. They apparently had to reschedule because of an unexpected shortage of manpower.”
Adjusting her yellow cape, she sat down.
“And still no news about Sil finally finding a partner? Or at least that she's looking for one?”
The king just shook his head. Then, he started to chuckle.
“You know, maybe we should give her the throne a bit sooner to motivate her! Even she can’t rule the planet alone.”
“She would try anyway!” Mirvani joined him in his laughter. “But jokes aside, we’re not that old yet. Maybe in five cycles, we can do that. Though we should have at least a grandchild when-“
A frantic knocking at the door interrupted her, and upon being called in, a stressed-looking servant hurried to the king and queen.
“Y-your Majesties! We received an urgent message from the Star Palace!”
“What happened?”
“Um,” the servant fidgeted slightly. “Before I can relay the message, and I’m quoting Her Highness, Princess Silgvani on this: "Make both, my father and my mother, promise to listen to the end before they do anything". Again, her orders.”
Kiyrta cocked his head and looked at his partner.
“Why does she always do that?”
“No idea. Anyway, I promise.”
“Me too.”
The servant nodded.
“Okay, then: There was an attempt on Her Highness’s life. She was poisoned, but-“
“WHAT?!” both screamed in unison.
“Sh-she survived.” the servant hurriedly reassured them.
“Who did it?!” the king demanded. “Are the suspects?!”
“How did it occur?!” the queen added.
“Th-the culprit was already caught.”
“Then have them brought here immediately, prepare the trial ASAP!”
“I-I quote Her Highness again: ”Since you entirely relinquished all authority relating to foreign matters to me, due to the specific circumstances of this case, I outrank you in this. Since I myself was the wronged party, by the laws of our ancestors, you do not qualify to hold the trial. As the highest authority on Hohmiy in all foreign matters, I hereby invoke the rule of impossibility for a judge of higher rank, and declare myself judge in this matter”.”
The two went silent for a moment until the king spoke again.
“But… has she already recovered enough for that?”
“By her own testimony, yes. The trial will start in one inva. And yes, it will be broadcasted live.”
Mirvani nodded.
“Cancel all of our appointments for today,” she ordered the servant and activated the big screen at the end of the audience hall.
Once the news got out, the palace was in turmoil. Accidents and endangerments born from incompetency were one thing. But an active assassination attempt on the royal family, that had never happened during the lifetime of anyone still alive today.
Finally, the broadcast started. Mirvani could see her daughter on the screen, and she couldn’t help but notice how weak she looked. But her expression was one of pure determination. Across from her, cuffed to a chair, sat a Tystrie, a matriarch judging by the size. Could it be…
“The trial in the case of Kykla, ambassador of planet Eroas and representative of the Tystrie, is hereby open,” she could hear her daughter's voice from the speakers. “As there is more than one wronged party, the word is first with the one wronged last, as it is our tradition.”
More than one? What was she talking about? The massage hadn’t said anything about that.
“Who is that?” Kiyrta inquired as a strange creature came into the picture, bowing before Silgvani before turning to the audience. “Or what?”
Mirvani could only agree. If it was an alien, she had never seen it before. It didn’t even look close to any of the species in the alliance. A pale body with neither skin nor fur, except for one rather large patch on its head, so long it almost reached her hips. The face had a reddish hue, with eyes that shimmered blue in the light of the headlamps. Its body was quite small with a delicate frame, which made it difficult to believe that such a frail species could even survive until reaching civilization. The clothes it wore were rather excessive; a white… something covered almost its entire body from the neck down, but as this was seemingly not enough for it, it also wore a green top and a blue skirt over it, the latter being similar in style to the fashion of Hohmiy's nobility.
It didn’t speak at first. Instead, its hands rose to its neck, and almost demonstratively slowly, it took off its translator.
“I am Nadine Valentina Esmeralda Anastasia von Klot of House Haydenfeldt, ambassador of planet Earth and representative of the humans,” it said in a soft voice. Its accent was quite notable, but besides that, it surprisingly spoke perfect Vanaery. Few people bothered learning the language of another species, as it took a good portion of one’s life to master it. And before mastering it, translators were more reliable, even if they weren’t perfect. And what definitely never happened was a noble learning another language, they would at best fund it for one of their servants. And all that was assuming it was a language they could physically speak.
“For the sake of a more fluid procedure, I hereby declare that humanity relinquishes its right of the prosecution to the Vanaery for this case only.”
​
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​
The day before
​
“Are you sure you don’t want to prosecute her yourself as well?” Silgvani asked as the small alien rehearsed her speech for a final time, her gloved hands holding the notes shaking in nervousness. “You would have any right to do so.”
“Not by our laws,” Nadine refuted, “And I really don’t want to do something that could cause issues later on. Calling myself the ambassador of humanity is already more than stretching it.”
“You literally represent every human known to the Vanaery,” the princess shrugged.
“Sil, we both know that that’s a technicality and that I don’t have any real power. I get that I have to say it so this doesn’t turn into a massive political clusterfuck, but anything beyond that could mean serious trouble at some point. Besides, it’s not like it would change anything. I mean, is there any way this will end without you ordering her execution?”
“Well, we have to inform her home planet about the verdict and they could theoretically appeal it, but considering how clear-cut the case is I doubt they will.”
“Then it makes no difference.”
After a short knock on the door, Mhita entered with a box in her hands.
“Lady Nadine, a package arrived for you.”
With a thankful nod, the small alien took the box and left for the adjacent room.
“What the hell?!” she suddenly shouted from behind the door.
“Did something happen?”
“Look at this!”
Nadine re-entered, her face having taken on a more reddish color – “blushing”, as Silgvani now knew it was called. Instead of just being long-sleeved gloves, her new protective suit covered everything from the neck down. It was a single piece with no visible seams, even the gloves weren’t separate. The only things not covered were her face and feet. This would hopefully alleviate her fear of touching someone. Her reaction was strange though.
“What is the problem? Isn’t this exactly what you ordered? Covering everything, white so it can be easily combined with other articles of clothing, and a bit tighter fitting so you can wear other things over it.”
Nadine’s expression on the princess's statement was one of complete bewilderment.
“There is a difference between “a bit tighter fitting” and a FREAKIN’ SPANDEX!”
“A what?”
“I can’t wear this! This is worse than being naked!”
Silgvani tilted her head in confusion.
“… how so? I get that your kind has a different attitude to clothing than we have, but I really don’t see the issue here.”
“B-but… I…”
“Look, if it is that bad, no one forces you to wear it. You could just wear your normal clothes, but considering what happened, I also understand that you don’t want to risk your sweat getting on someone. There is no established connection yet, so no one will judge you for your clothes, but you not making an appearance today is sadly no longer an option. Wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable, but if you want a protective suit, that’s the only one we have. And as I said, it was designed with you wearing something else over it in mind anyway.”
For a while, it seemed like Nadine wanted to say something, but in the end, she sighed.
“Please promise me that no human will ever see the recording of this trial. At least not the part where I am visible.”
“If it is important to you, that can be arranged.”
​
***************************
​
Githaiy gave Nadine a nod as the small alien sat down next to her and visibly deflated before putting on her translator again.
“It was good,” she reassured her. “Your pronunciation could still use some work, but each word was correct. Even for a rehearsed speech, it was impressive considering how little time you had.”
Nadine just nodded and turned her gaze back to the center of the hall, where a vassal started to announce the accusation.
“On the 87th day of the cycle, the defendant coerced the maid Kaiyla, who at the time was temporarily stationed at the Star Palace, to administer Her Highness, Princess Silgvani, a lethal dose of calcium that would have killed her had it not been for the immediate and heroic actions of Lady Nadine of the Humans. The defendant then had Kaiyla killed, making it look like suicide to blame the crime entirely on her. On the 90th day of the cycle, when Lady Nadine uncovered the ruse, the defendant used a network of spies within our own people - which is currently being dealt with - to administer her the highly restricted and dangerous neurotoxin ethanol, which she only survived due to her unique physique which the defendant had no knowledge of. The defendant finally attempted to blame Githaiy of clan Trocu, royal physician at the Star Palace, for the deed.”
Nervous muttering could be heard among the audience, even more than after Nadine’s speech. Both Githaiy and the princess had agreed to not put emphasis on the doctor’s role in saving the princess’s life, one because it was her job, and two because all of this had the secondary purpose of giving Nadine a good image right from the get-go. Therefore, they made sure to highlight Nadine’s feats during the accusation.
Once the princess raised her voice, the muttering quickly died down.
“Kykla, ambassador of planet Eroas and representative of the Tytrie. You are accused of attempted regicide, attempted homicide, murder of a commoner, conspiring, and defamation in multiple cases. What do you have to say?”
The ambassador cocked her head in a way that looked almost mockingly.
“I was just following orders! The high council were the ones who decided that Princess Silgvani needed to be removed, all I did was in service of my people, as all of you would have done for your own!”
She made a dramatic pause in which the entire hall fell absolutely silent.
“Is that what you want to hear from me? That’s what you hope I would say, give you a reason to punish all of my kind for the acts of one individuum, right?”
“I “hope” that you just make your statement already,” the princess answered with a sinister voice.
“What is there to state? Your servant already said everything. I did as is written in the accusation, and I did so on my own accord. No one on Eroas knew I would do that, I myself made the decision only after arriving here. A decision that almost got me killed thanks to that thing over there. My only accomplices were Qeylo, if whatever your little monster left of him can still be identified, and whoever on this planet worked for him. I never met any of his “friends” as he called them, but you seem to have that topic already covered anyway.”
With that, she leaned back in her chair, making it clear that she had said her piece. The rest of the trial was standard procedure, some guards and servants gave their statements, and Githaiy explained a bit about the poisons and their effects until it was time for the verdict.
“Kykla of the Tystrie. For your crimes, I hereby sentence you to death. The sentence will be put on hold and you will be imprisoned until the high council of Eroas confirms the verdict. By the First Ones, I, Silgvani of clan Kiyron, princess of the Vanaery, have spoken.”
Outraged chatter filled the hall as the audience left, while Nadine and Githaiy rushed over to the princess.
“Your Highness, how are you feeling?”
“I’ll manage. But I should go to rest.”
As they escorted the princess to her private chambers, they noticed some servants muttering hastily.
“Is there an issue?” she asked, as always not being able to leave it to others.
“N-no, your highness,” one of them quickly assured her. “There was a short power outage at the start of the trial, and we’re currently trying to find out how it happened. But you don’t need to worry, your highness. It was just for a few tiggs, and we managed to get the broadcast up again immediately.”
“So, everyone saw the verdict?”
“Yes, I can guarantee that.”
“Alright then. Carry on.”
Finally, they reached the chambers and Silgvani sank into her chair with an exhausted groan.
“What happens next?” Nadine wanted to know.
“Now we send a delegation to Eroas to tell them what happened. Since Kykla is not a citizen and a representative, her own people must confirm the verdict before we can enact it. But as I said, with all the evidence and her own confession, they won’t try to appeal it. It’s just a formality at this point, but considering the travel time and the fact that they will likely be in turmoil when they hear it, it can take up to thirty days until we have the confirmation. We likely won’t hear from them till then since word tra-“
“Travels slowly beyond the hyperlanes, I know.”
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Previous
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Since there are quite a number of names in the story by now, I wrote a glossary into the wiki where you can read up on the different species and characters. It’s still a WIP, but I hope it helps still. I can’t expect you to remember everything after all.

There is a pfaff 260 in the near i'd like to buy however it's in a cabinet and since I'm really tall those generally do not fit, would i be able to remove the machine and use it as a table standing machine?
Also would a pfaff 260 be good for making backpacks and the like?