A homeless teenager reaches out to the Shil’vati on first day of the invasion of Earth.
Credit to: who has beta read just about every chapter, and the only reason it's readable half the time
u/bluefishcake for writing the original SSB story.
Pizzaulostin who has been beta reading since the beginning.
Credit to u/HollowShel for getting me started with this!
This story is based in the SSB universe.
Previous
First
Chapter 33:

Reqellia:

It was the darkest part of the night, and yet I could hear the energetic commotion of Ruhal blearily heating up food for a famished human along with the clinks of dishes and silverware.
“One more day.” I felt glued to the bench as I stared back into the silver mask I hadn’t worn for almost [twenty-five years] prior, and had hoped never to put on again. I cursed my old girlish wishes when I first joined up, wanting to be a war hero, and then a mother afterwards. To grow old and see my own child in uniform. I had even wanted a son since I was already demanding the impossible.
I never believed in the gods, but now I’m sure that I’ve tempted Niosa to grant my wishes, but only after I made my peace with them that they would never come true.
Klein bounced around the suite’s kitchen, eating enough for two Shil women and already wearing his armor’s underlayment. The chair creaked a bit as he sat, his own horror-show mask on the dining table next to him staring back at him unblinking.
And It was a horror show.
He’d wake up cheerful and happy, and I’d watch over the day as every bit of his energy was drained out of him. The daily exercise routine of a morning run and gym day in a month being performed in a few short hours. Every time Klein finished a trail faster, or performed a more grueling task, the trainers would make him do even more as his contract offers rose another level.
I didn’t blame the instructors, it was their job to challenge each applicant, but Klein blew through all their expectations, so they just kept piling more onto him. Many of those same instructors had asked me if they were pushing him too far, but all I could do was shrug. Even I didn't even know where his potential ended.
I blinked and looked up. He was in his full armor now, with only the mask off.
“Ready to go?”
I nodded and stood up, quickly heading over to Ruhal, who in turn looked at me with sleep deprived eyes. Worn out as I was, he was worse, playing subject matter expert on all things human around a bunch of high ranking officers desperate for information not tainted by censorship.
“Stay safe out there,” he politely ordered as he kissed me.
I kissed him back and held his hand. “You too.”
Sighing,I left to let him rest, popped my back, and donned my own mask.
As Klein paced the door, I begged for safety. “One more day, please let everything be okay after today.”
I shouldn’t have tempted Niosa again.

Itaro:

I quietly padded out of the children’s den to a chorus of snoring from my siblings. The well carpeted securely fastened to wooden floors muffled my footsteps. I opened the large storm shutters and then pulled open the sliding glass door to the patio. I couldn’t sleep anymore, excitedly bouncing from one foot to another.
Klein and Reqellia were coming home tonight! Reqellia had sent me her contract offers that came from a dozen different Imperial departments and bureaus. Dad already agreed years ago she could move in with us, a pack sister was always welcome. Now she wouldn’t feel like a burden if she had to.
And Klein… Well, I wouldn’t be bothered by a few love-marks.
“I see that smile. Excited?” I heard my father’s deep voice like distant thunder. I turned around to his massive form only a few steps away. We both had learned to walk silently when my siblings were just pups and the discovery that they were light sleepers had been made.
I felt my ears droop just a little to see his melancholic face. He had gone out of his way the last few weeks to spend more time with just me now that I had a pack of my own. There was always a soft smile on his face, but the way his tail hung low to the floor was a dead giveaway on his mood.
I tried to cheer him up. “I am. It’s been weeks since I got to speak to Au’tes, and Klein…” I trailed off, the insinuation clear. He smirked. He had met Klein in passing, but I wasn’t bringing him home yet. Hario on the other hand had made one or two bawdy jokes at the dinner table after a second glass of her favorite liquor.
First time Klein spends the night, you might want to check up on Itaro, make sure she didn’t keel over from exhaustion.
“At this rate I’m going to have to teach you sword fighting to beat back other male suitors from poaching you for their own packs!” My father joked. Stepping off the patio landing, he hit the ground noiselessly, bending his legs to absorb the shock.

After letting out a quiet grunt indicative of an age he tried to keep hidden, he turned around and looked back up at me. “Want to come with me for a walk?”
I jumped down and followed him into our little patch of forest my mother’s terraforming job paid for. The early morning was already warm without a cooling vest, but not intolerable. The chirping of birds and the soft whistle of wind tinged with just a hint of salt made everything feel fresh.
It was like when I came home from school and my father would stop construction for the day. We’d explore the forest, play on the beach, go into town for groceries.
Except now my father didn’t run and have me chase him. He carefully inspected the trees for pests, and our conversation was far more practical than whimsical. “Your mother’s coming home next month. Can you write her a message before she meets Klein, just so she has a better idea of your pack?”
I nodded. “Of course. How long is she going to be home this time?”.
Her terraforming jobs always lasted months, if not years. I never faulted her for the huntress life, but it made connecting with her difficult. She was more a guest of honor than a mother to the household, always bringing a fatted Sou’ta carcass home as a present, but rarely cleaned dishes, or the house.
Or really any chore…
He shrugged before crouching next to a felled tree, trimming away small branches for kindling with a tiny hatchet he hand pulled from his tool pouch. “Might be a good long while this time. The last message I got said her department only had small projects and a few hazard jobs on the periphery. Besides, we might need an extra set of hands more than the money now.”
I scoffed. “Her, a house mother!? No offense, but mom is a terrible cook, and a worse caretaker. Remember the time she nearly burned down our kitchen boiling water?”
He laughed with me as he pocketed the hatchet. Standing up with two sticks, and then threw me one. I caught it as he swung his own stick in my general area. “Defend yourself! I did say I needed to teach you sword fighting. How else are you going to fight off possessive men when they realize what a catch you are?”
He didn’t teach anything but how to rough house on a lazy Shel morning.
We played and swung the flimsy branches until I accidentally hit him square in the chest. The branch, already crumbly and dry, disintegrated on impact. It didn’t stop him from dramatically acting out a death scene. Falling to his knees in an overly theatrical fashion. “Oh, woe is me! Cut down by my own daughter in cold blood!”
I let him pretend to be on stage for a few moments longer before standing over him to offer a hand. He took it, and then yanked me down to the grassy patch, holding me for a long, quiet minute. “I’m going to miss you.”
For the first time I noticed the stray white hairs around his muzzle, I knew what he meant, but I tried to play it off. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He just held me for a silent heartbeat longer, then let go and stood up.
He proclaimed cheerfully to mask his wet eyes. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up. You can’t look like a pup out of a mud bath for your victorious pack! I even scheduled a visit at Tulo’s for a haircut. Ruhal’s treat.”
My mind played with potential futures as we headed home. Between the three of us, we could write our own life together. Maybe I could even stay close to home.
I looked up to the rising light.
“One more day!”

Klein :

The mountains of gear and equipment around us were illuminated by harsh flood lights. We stood in formation with each person, regardless of species, showing physical signs of exhaustion. Drooping shoulders and bent knees, unfocused and slow eye movement.
Instructor Li’kele was wearing full battle rattle today, complete with a compact lasrifle holstered to her leg.
“Good morning applicants! It’s the last day of selection! Your assignment will be to support your sisters in the combat section in the wargames! You see all this critical equipment? Our first assignment will be to load all of it on auto-turoxes and hover-wagons. Unfortunately we don’t have enough capacity , some of you will need to carry gear on your person as we make the [ten mile] trek into the forest. Applicants 849, 734, 236 and 953 step up after we finish loading! You are our extra carriers.”
I knew I was going to be picked. It was easy to not let it bother me though. Reqellia had explained that the instructors were just trying to push us to our limits, and every extra duty and handicap meant a better contract with a brighter future.
Still, after hefting thousands of [pounds/kilos] of stuff onto the squat legged drone’s cargo cages and the little platforms that would float once powered, dread formed in the pit of my stomach as an entire counter-battery system was cinched onto my person. I trudged as we formed up for our road march.
The combat selection team rolled in as we took positions, already covered in mud from what I could guess was their own morning fun, their las-rifles at the low ready. Their own instructor, a severe looking Hyena-like Kortika woman with fur that trimmed short and smooth. She yelled out orders to the gaggle of applicants under her command. “Form on either side of the supply train and defend them at all costs! If they get shot because you weren’t doing your job, then it’s your ass that will be carrying the extra gear!”
We marched out of the base, clinking and clunking as we traveled uphill. The weight wasn’t too bad now that it was evenly distributed on my body, but it would be hell taking it off and putting it back on anytime we stopped.
“Isn’t that the new shock trooper ? What’s he doing with the non-combat selection?” I heard one of the combat applicants say idly. It was easy to pick up conversation in the nearly silent dawn as we marched on a dirt path extending across an expanse of grassland in the reddening sky. It was really pretty, watching the light play on the green forested hills in the distance.
Their Instructor sidled up to the commenting girl silently, ears swiveled back in anger. She grabbed her shoulder, growling low. “Cut the chatter, girl. ”
Silence followed for the next hour in the pre-dawn light.
We got the first taste of the wargames when red beams bolted over our heads and dropped one of our auto-turoxes. “Everyone get down!” yelled one of our instructors, and I threw myself on the path.
With all the weight on me, the impact on the ground hurt . I looked up and saw red beams blink in and out over me. Their flashes brought back memories.
The red glow through convenience store windows . An alien invasion.
I blinked furiously and turned my head to see what was going on with the combat teams on the sides of the road. They had already taken out two of the ‘raiders’ who stood up, hands in the air as they walked away. Another minute clicked by before a squad decided to double check the tall grass and found a third raider hiding. All had the insignia of the instruction cadre commandos.
“Everyone, up !” Instructor Lik’ele belted out in a two-word shout, and I had to push up off the ground, creaking under the weight. My arms burned as I got to my knees, then raised a hand and called out, “assistance!” One of the unnumbered girls gave me a hand to steady myself, and I rocked a bit trying to stand.
“Thank you,” I said, but between the voice distorter and my mask, the girl backed away as soon as I was up, fear registered in her eyes.
[At the bus stop, a classmate backed away from me. scared of me for some reason mumbling ‘you're bleeding’. Warmth on my upper lip, a coppery taste.]

I shook my head, trying to banish the weird memory surfacing, I hadn’t had a nosebleed since I left Earth. I looked back up, but the girl had already gotten back in formation and we started moving again.
It wasn’t quite noon when we stopped for lunch. I got help removing my kit, and stretched to work out the kinks. Reqellia stood next to me as I sat down on the hard packed surface. I took off my gloves, and jammed them under my chest holster.
I was technically ‘armed’ right now. We had gotten the thirty-minute las-pistol training yesterday on how to safely handle them, and then ran through a quick range. They were nothing more than glorified laser pointers though. They could lock up a suit set to respond to the laser signal, but they wouldn’t so much as redden skin otherwise.
Reqellia had let me in on their real purpose, to see if we could be trusted with a dangerous object and not play with it.
Eating was a pain, I had to lift my mask halfway up and eat blind. The meal pack was cold, but eh, it was food. Goddess, I was hungry.
“How are you holding up?” Reqellia asked, the silver mask obscuring any expression, and the voice distorter deadening any intonation, but by the angle of the head tilt, I could guess the question was more concern than curiosity.
“It’s not too heavy, but it’s awkward trying to move around,” I admitted as I put my mask back in place and pulled out my omni-pad. I tried not to boggle at the contract offers I was getting. It was a straight up bidding war, including furnished houses, years of leave after an initial stint, even minor titles.
Ruhal had helped me, even filled out the forms himself with less than a day for submission. He had also messaged me about the fine print of many of these absurd offers. The watch word was ‘Relocation’.
“They will send you back to Earth. Right now, you are the only human any department can recruit who might know an obscure piece of human signage or culture that got skipped during their culture crash courses, has the physical ability to keep up during an operation, and they can implicitly trust it is loyal to the Imperium.”
I scrolled past the too-good-to-be true proposals and to the ones without relocation, not ridiculously overpaying, but still plenty. Maybe I would follow Ka’tel into ICAD, or…
“We need to get moving!” Li’kele barked and I signaled for help again. This time Au’tes was ordered to help me with my gear. Now seeing her up close, she was definitely worse for wear. She smiled, but it was the kind of tired smile that had almost no energy in it. Her usual well controlled movements were slurred by exhaustion, and she leaned on me after buckling the packs on my shoulders, her own extra gear was a large backpack of energy cells.
“Damn, girl runs away in fear from combat selection after spending years in the militia and now plays valet. Bet whatever is underneath that suit is more would eat her alive if unmuzzled,” I overheard one of the combat applicants snicker. Au’tes winced, just a bit, at the barb from her former youth militia group.
“Lift your visor.” I said. It was dumb, it was really dumb, but I wanted to give her at least a reminder of what she had that they didn’t. Au’tes had a flicker of confusion, but flipped up the visor on her suit’s helmet.
I lifted my mask just enough to kiss her. It was honestly a gross kiss and wished I could have brushed my teeth beforehand. But when I dropped my mask down there was the manic Au’tes again, full of energy and gusto. I looked past her to the shocked combat applicants. I put my finger to roughly where my mouth was and whispered in my distorted voice, “No one will believe you.”
Au’tes brought her visor down and squeezed my hand for a second longer before leaning in close “Thank you for letting me know you still exist under there.

Reqellia:

The dirt trail up the hill was easy enough for my legs. I stayed in the same general area as Klein, but with my augments I already had his pinpoint location and medical data, I could even access his helmet camera. I didn’t want to get in his way while the instructors gave him snap secondary tasks to complete on our journey up to the outpost location.
I kept myself entertained by listening in on the comms chatter that I could pick up on the wargames going on about us at large. I had enjoyed playing the no-holds-barred opposing force when I was a commando on rotation here.
Right now there was a particularly fun little drama going on up north of our location. A mechanized assault unit tasked with taking out an anti-orbital battery got one of their exos stuck in mud because of a poor assessment of the ground composition. The armored crane they had first ordered to pull it out was now also stuck.
The Lieutenant was trying to get an exception to the wargame rules to bring a drop ship in to pull them both out, but the higher-ups told her to figure it out. The whole point of these wargames was to discover how things could go wrong. The Lieutenant tried to pull title to overrule them, only to get a nasty conversation from her commander.
A small beep from my monitoring systems told me Klein’s heart rate had slowed and I looked up to see the front of the supply train had been ordered to halt. Up ahead was the “fort,” a clearing on top of the hill with nothing but some half buried holes.
The Kortika woman got to the front of the formation and gave her orders. “Listen up! Combat selection is going to set up a perimeter while the Auxiliary builds us a structure safe enough to hold during an assault. All weapons are going ‘live’, but for those in the non-combat teams I will again warn you to only use them in self-defense. If you wanted to shoot people for a living you should have signed up for it.”
I tried not to flinch as I watched Klein and his compatriots start to offload all the gear they had packed this morning and attempt their best effort at setting it up with basic instructions from Li’kele and the manuals that came with the equipment. Just another test to see how the applicants would handle the technical situation.
At this point they were at their limit, physically and mentally exhausted as they tried to bolt frames together, wrestle antennas, install expandable barriers, and put together the foundations of a forward operating base.
Klein had all but given up on the counter battery system he schlepped here and handed that responsibility off to a Senthe Boy while speaking a rough northern dialect of Satenthia. The boy was more than happy to talk to someone who knew even a few words of his native tongue.
I opened a small window on my HUD and watched with amusement as the early contract offers rose and fell. Klein’s offer from naval engineering, already paltry compared to other, more suitable jobs, dropped to barely above standard. Intelligence and Law branches, however, rocketed upwards again.
I could almost hear the recruiter’s comments as the numbers and terms changed. Does not have familiarity with Shil military equipment. Comfortable with speaking multiple languages. Works well with multiple species.
I watched them work. Klein, in usual Klein fashion, pushed himself. After getting the counter battery laser hooked up, he volunteered for other physically demanding tasks. Pile driving in the foundations that hold the columns of the structure. The rhythmic thump gave me ghost aches when I had done the same thing out in the periphery while getting pot shotted by roaches.
I shook my head. It was going to be another rough night for him by the way he was bunching up his shoulders as he braced the handheld pile driver. Thankfully, tomorrow he’d be home and with an appointment with Cee who might force him on bed rest for the next month.
I started to chuckle at the thought of how protective Itaro was going to get after taking one look at Klein. I came back from deployment once missing three fingers from a plasma grenade and Bahtet waited on me and foot, wouldn’t so much as let me handle a kitchen knife until they were replaced later that month.
A few stray red beams were thrown our way, even a flash bang or two from the commandos tasked with harassing us came and went. As the ramparts of the temporary base were finished, I took up station on the second level to oversee the whole complex. Klien was working with a combat team, helping them put a second defense line in. They had driven stakes into the ground to support parallel knee-high thermocast plates with an arms-length gap between them, which Klein was filling in with dirt to act as a wall and platform for the heavy, crew served lasgun.
I was thankful there would be a shuttle to pick us up soon. I played the opposing force for Selection a few times, and I still remembered the script. Right now we were in a lull that would last until dusk, then at least three full commando teams would assault the base. The battle would be made as realistic and demanding as possible with creeping dark to add to the complexity.
The Selection team would always be wiped out, but it was how they performed against overwhelming odds that would shift the contract offers that last bit before everything was locked in place.
I heard the whirr of a counter battery system swiveling around, and then the crackle of it firing. I turned to see what it was aiming for but all I saw was a cloud of smoke . Then a fast moving object came through the cloud before I heard the crackle again and another exploded .
Blanketing everything in a tar-black fog .
My stomach dropped. This wasn’t the cadre commando team, and they were attacking too soon. I got on the comms with Li’kele “HALT, HALT, HALT! We need to stop the exercise!”
I got a crackle on the comms. Then Li’kele’s voice came in that terrifyingly calm voice used to keep control of a combat operation. “I can’t get a signal out, I need a report on the situation.”
Instead of trying to explain I sent her my video feed as I jumped down from the ramparts and started to sprint for Klein. I needed to get him out of here , but I hadn’t had time to prime my augments. I started the cold power cycle as I cursed myself for letting my guard down.
I was already too late . I watched as our own counter-battery laser weapons were used against us, acting as the triggers for each smoke grenade engulfing Klein’s team right in front of me, their signal dropping right out. I got a response from Li’kele that alleviated at least some of my terror. “Dammit! It’s the 171 st Raiders from the wargames, they mus-”
And then I was enveloped in darkness and static. The smoke was so thick I could only see a few paces away in all spectrums. I tried my internal radio and….
Nothing. I was alone and with nothing to guide me, and then I saw to the right of me a few weak beams of red, and then a ball of light of a simulated explosion. I let my gnawing panic subside and walked their way with a observers flag in my hand. I was practically on top of them before I saw the combat selection team that had been ‘killed’, their frowning faces and hands up as they sat there grumbling.
The Raiders appeared soon after. A four woman squad. Two Helkam, a Rakiri, and a Shil’vati hefting a large antiquated grenade launcher. I called out “Do you have a way to call a emergency stop to the battle?”
The squad leader responded. “Did someone get seriously injured? I can fire off a flare and our medic teams will be here to extract them.”
“No! This is Selection, we aren’t supposed to be part of the Wargames.” I argued, but she waved me off.
“We got orders to assault the base up here. Trust me, our commander is mighty pissed at getting tasked with a frontal assault on the youngest and toughest the Imperium has to offer, with adding insult to injury if we lose to kids. That’s why we broke out the smoke screen.”
“One of the Selection members is the first of their species. Higher ups want them monitored at all times,” I partly lied.
The gears whirred and the team lead brought her weapon up again, eyes a little wider. “ Blue Eyes is here? Shit, girls ready up and head on a swivel!”
The team reformed in a circle facing outwards, a tactic specifically meant for ambushes and roach suicide drones. I stood there, confused. “Blue eyes?”
The team lead started to move into the smoke again, but explained, her eyes darting around. “Yeah, the freaky creature in the mask, toyed with an unmanned Exo before annihilating it with a shipcutter! A close quarters combat specialist with heavy armor and a real mean streak . You’re telling me they’re loose in a forest with enough concealment to sneak up on us and tear us to shreds? Ma’am the only ones in immediate danger are us. ”

I think this may be more of a vent than anything else, since I’m still in the testing phase.
My gastroenterologist thinks I may have gastroparesis and is sending me for a GES. I’m not convinced that’s what’s going on, based on symptoms I’ve read, but I’m happy to have the test done to clarify if it is or not.
I started having stomach pain, severe bloating and a fullness feeling several months ago. I thought I just had gas and took pills, nothing helped. I went to my primary and she said she thought it was an ulcer and started treating me for that. It didn’t help. Went to my gastroenterologist for something else, but we talked about the pain, and she immediately went to gastroparesis. I had an endoscopy, and she said there wasn’t anything major, but that I had some bile in my stomach and she wanted me to do a GES. Well, two days later I ended up in the ER in massive pain, and they diagnosed me with acute pancreatitis and gallstones. The gastro said to skip the GES since I had another diagnosis.
I had my gallbladder out almost 4 weeks ago, and I’m still having the original mild to moderate pain that brought me to my doctors in the first place, so my gastro says to move forward with the GES and prescribed me hyoscyamine for the pain.
I’m not convinced it’s gastroparesis just because my symptoms don’t seem as bad as some people have complained about, and they don’t match up at all with others, but I’m really tired of the constant pain I feel. I have a trip scheduled soon, we leave June 13 and I’m bummed as I’m sure I won’t have all the answers within 13 days, and was really hoping to feel better on this vacation. It’s been a really rough past year health wise for me even beyond this situation.

3 months ago I made a post on how disappointed I was when my gyno shrugged off my symptoms and said she didn’t think it was endo. Original post: https://www.reddit.com/endometriosis/s/676FQn2Kld
After that experience I was both angry and sad. immensley felt that all the doctors I had seen thought my pain was normal and probably in my head.
I ended up finding an endo specialist on my own, had a laparoscopy yesterday, and discovered I had deep infiltrating endo along with superficial endo- all was cut out. I am so relieved that I found someone willing to listen and take action, as my quality of life was highly impacted by my pain.
All this to say what many others have said- find a specialist if you suspect endo. Regular OBGYN’s often don’t really understand it and can’t properly treat it. Don’t give up- you know your body better than anyone. If you think something isn’t right, it probably isn’t!
This group has helped me immensely. So grateful for all of the advice/recommendations!

My husband (34m) and I (33f) just found out we’re expecting our first baby after a chemical in April. It’s obviously very early (only 6 weeks), but my best friend (37f) and her husband are coming to visit from out of state when I am at 10 weeks. She is the most important person in my life, but I have mixed feelings about telling hehow to tell her. This friend has been through 3 rounds of egg retrieval where they were unable to retrieve any viable eggs. I watched her physical and emotional pain as she went through this process and my heart just broke for her after each failed retrieval. She had some other reproductive health concerns before attempting the egg retrievals, but regardless, it was absolutely brutal. They haven’t “given up” on the idea of children, but they’re taking a break on fertility treatments since they took such a toll on her. When my husband and I started trying, she was a cheerleader for me and was a huge support during the chemical pregnancy/loss. She told me “you two will get pregnant, and you have to promise me you’ll announce it to me in a cute way when you do! I’ll get pregnant after so we can go through motherhood together.” We had joked that I would pass along my fertility statue (a coworker brought back from Africa as a wedding gift) to her if it worked for me. Now that we’re expecting, I’m conflicted about whether she truly wants something showy. My original plan was to give her a tour of the house (it’s been over a year since they visited and we’ve done some minor upgrades) and show the nursery last. It obviously won’t be fully decorated but I would have a stuffed bear with the ultrasound and the fertility statue. My husband thinks it might make her a little bit sad/uncomfortable, and that I should tell her on the phone or something before they visit so she can process it first. I’d love some advice on how to approach this. I almost feel guilty that it was easier for us and I don’t want to cause her any pain or sadness at all. I know she will be genuinely happy for me, but I don’t want to “rub it in”. TIA!

With the recent Gwimbly episode out, I decided to review one of the classic platformers to see the light of Sun in the mid 90's. Everyone remembers the legacy of this game, but boy oh boy, nostalgia glasses sure compensate for some of the glaring issues that plague this title.
Precedents and Development:
"The magic Adventures of Gwimbly in Corn Land" is one of those Megadrive publicity games, such as M&Ms or The Noid video-game, this time from the Monsanto company. And the least said about this, the better. Left-to-right side scrolling, awful controls, repetitive and boring, it was deemed to be a forgotten artifact. But, by good fortune, it was one of the (allegedly) two games that series albanian creator Petulla Pulle had as a kid.
Petulla deserves an aside. Learning to code intuitively and implementing Risk on his Casio FX-81 at the age of 6, he is not the poor boy that media wanted us to belive. Coming from a well off family, when he arrived in the US he co-created Sweet Games (now Insane Groundbreaking Games) with his friend Zachary Taylor, and they started development on Gwimbly after acquiring the Licence from a gambling bet in a pub in New York. Although his reputation being ripped apart now by the abuse accusations and toxic working enviroment, Pulle was a popular figure among gamers in the late 90's and 00's, and his advancements in the field should be recognised.
So, basically a one man job, Gwimbly finished its development in just under 2 years and came out for the PSX in August 1996, just one month before Mario 64, which eclipsed the relevance of the first game in sales. Even so, it was the alternative for the Sony owners at the time looking for a collectathon platformer in the, then, new 3rd dimension. But growing pains show all over the game, as we'll see.
Graphics:
While not being bad, a lot of the 5th generation of consoles problems are present. Textures warp and wabble, popping is noticible even in small areas, and glitches are all over the place, specially after acquiring the triple jump.
What, then, has made that Gwimbly sticks to our memories? The character designs and animations, of course. All of them, from the little Cheddar Gobblin enemies of the first level until Count Groxya, without forgetting Mr. Millipede. Even little details, like Gwimbly's iddle animations, reflect care and dedication (unlike its sequels, but we'll talk about that later).
Sound and FX:
This must be the aspect of the game that stincks the most. The constant crackling and stuttering stuck into my ears as a kid, and it certainly has not gotten better as an adult. The howling made for some funny misunderstandings (the classic line "If I had my Gwimbly gun" was supposed to say "If I had some Sweet Corn", but it made for a good meme in the episode), but it was not good even for that time. And, worst of all, while not being at Gex levels, the constant repetition of lines and screams from Gwimbly got annoying real quick.
Music is nothing to write home about. The Corn Hills theme was catchy, but after the 100th time you got tired of it. The use of Theremin and Erhu instruments was more innovative than effective in the latter levels. Only the Menu Music has had some lasting effects, even musically referenced in the Celeste Soundtrack.
Gameplay:
Gwimbly is a short game, and I think that's a positive. With only 50 Corn Cans to collect, with four main levels, a central Hub and the last Can Count Castle, it didn't worn out its welcome with its 8-10 hour average run.
Nowadays, Gwimbly feels cluncky to control. The comitment you had to endure with some of the jumps is incredible, and the run and jump distance seems inconsistent. But, worst offender of all, the camera was not good. And who ever thought that recentering the camera with the X button was a good idea.
Levels:
- Silly-corn Valley: Everybody remembers the central Hub and tutorial level. Mr Millipede serves as our side kick, and the one who teach us how to jump, roll and make the Gwimbly Stimbly, all while staring us with his glassy eyes. You could skip its advices, and if you did not talk to him once it was recognised in the access to the final level, where he would ask you who you were.
- Icy Corn Flakes: a little fun snow level, the developers made the wise decission to not have icey controls (EDIT: it seems that it was programmed into the level, but it was badly implemented so you walked normally). The 10 Corn Cans here are not very difficult, and the Uni-Corn boss was cute.
- Corncob swamp: The swim level. Enough said.
- The Corn Maze: I still have nightmares from this level. Not by the theming or "spooky" music, but from the level design. The constant back-tracking, the Ghosts of Cornstmass Past and specially the, not one, but 2 Corn Cans that made you speedrun the maze almost made me quit the game more than once. In the second run of the maze, Pulle admitted that he put the least amount of time possible WITHOUT CONSIDERING the animation of the door opening, so it was literally no possible to get it unless you glitched through the invisible wall at the beginning.
- Corn Field of Lava: the amazing thing about this level is that, after activating the volcanoe, the entire level was transformed and filled with pop-corn. Be sure to grab the Can at the beginning of the level, after the jumping rocks, because it will not be possible to grab it after the level remodelling (probably by mistake).
- Can Count Castle: I wish I could say the best was reserved for last, but the tight platforming of this level was a frustration factory from start to finish. The only positive is the Final Boss, and the secret animation if you collected all Corn Cans (and the reason why it was made a PG 13+).
Conclusion and Legacy:
Gwimbly in its original state is a game that lives best in our memories, rather than our current consoles. Luckily, its amazing fandom has corrected many of the graphical glitches and performance issues via patches and ROMs that enhance the expirience. But the level design, even with its good moments, is not something you can easily fix.
The inmediate sequel (Gwimbly 2 on Corny Land // Gwimbly 2: The Adventure of Gwimble and Millipede in PAL regions), that came out just a year after the 1rst game release, pullished some aspects of the original while inexplicably substracting from others. The most glaring example is the introduction of fall damage.
Gwimbly 3 Revengance, which came out in late 2003, was a terrible disappointment. It mutted the sparckly colors of the first two entries, and the introduction of Gwimbly Guns and the absence of Mr.Millipede (who was going through some stuff at the time) left a sour taste for the fans of the franchise for what was its final entry. The development hell that Gwimbly 4 went through, and the aforementioned Pulle accusations, put Gwimbly in a weird spot for the next 15 years.
Let's just hope Insane Groundbreaking Games make something with the face of the company. I do not want a fighting game from Gwimbly. I want a new platformer, and, if one can dream, the first truly good game of the saga.

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
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Chapter 422
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Ding. Ding. Ding.
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- Opportunity arises within crisis. You have gained new enlightenment amidst a life-and-death battle!
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- [Middle Dantian] has been opened!
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- With the opening of the [Middle Dantian], all stats have increased by 20!
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- The effects of [Qi Cultivation] have greatly improved!
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- Your ability to understand and manipulate the flow of Qi has been greatly enhanced!
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- Your internal and external states have been strengthened!
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.
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.
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The relentless System notifications echoed in my ears, their cadence like a persistent hammer.
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A sudden gust of wind swept through, playing with my sweat-drenched hair as a newfound vigor suffused my body.
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A clear, resonant bell chimed, marking the culmination of my transformation.
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Ding.
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- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained a large amount of experience points!
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- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained 50 bonus points!
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- Level up!
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- As a result of leveling up, all status effects, fatigue, and some injuries are recovered!
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- The status abnormality, [Curse], has been lifted!
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- Temporarily reduced stats have been restored to their original state!
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I wasn't the only one who felt such changes.
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No hand moves unseen by its master. The Arch Lich, sensing the dissolution of his curse, voiced his disbelief in a tone thick with suspicion.
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- How did you...?!
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His words, laden with myriad unspoken queries, met only my nonchalant shrug.
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"Well."
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- Well?
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"Yes, well."
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- Do you think that explains it?
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"Obviously not. But do I really need to explain myself to you?"
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From the flickering light in his eyes, incredulity was unmistakable.
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- You're not a mage, are you?
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"I did want to be a mage. They get paid more, you know. But I just don't have the talent for it. Nor the brains."
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- Even those you call Grand Mages couldn't easily dispel my magic like this.
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"There's nothing to it, really."
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- This makes no sense!
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I conceded silently.
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The Arch Lich's mastery was undeniably beyond mine.
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Even I, having long surpassed the ordinary bounds of a Hunter, struggled against his curses and the perilous illusions crafted from bone spears.
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Without my recent enlightenment, I might not have stood here at all.
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But...
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"So what are you going to do about it?"
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- ...!
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The System was on my side; I had simply utilized the strength and resources it provided to navigate through the crisis.
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If he thinks that's unfair, he can use the System himself.
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"That's just how the world works. It's annoying and frustrating, but you just have to bear with it and move on. It's already happened. Right?"
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The Skeleton Warlord, previously howling in rage until a moment ago, now murmured under his breath.
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- Wow, you really do speak well.
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That's just how I am.
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- You wicked human. It doesn't look like he's going to just let it go and move on.
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The Skeleton Warlord was right.
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Suddenly, a chilling voice cut through the air, followed by a tempest of formidable magical energy.
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- Unleash Sonic Buster.
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Simultaneously.
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Whoosh, boom!
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A blast of densely compressed air erupted.
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Its sheer velocity turned concrete to dust and twisted steel rebars like twigs.
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The shockwave shattered the windows of a nearby skyscraper, sweeping up a storm of glass shards.
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In an instant, before I could even blink, the devastating wind was mere inches from my face.
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- Human!
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The scream of the Skeleton Warlord resounded from my inventory.
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Was it concern for his own fate, or anxiety over mine?
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Regardless, the reason held little weight.
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I was no longer the same person I had been mere moments ago.
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'Ah.'
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A warmth blossomed in my chest. The spot known to martial artists as the Middle Dantian had fully opened.
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Suddenly, I understood everything around me. I felt it on my skin and saw it with acute clarity.
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'So that's how it is.'
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Time seemed to stretch, the world slowing to a crawl around me, rendering everything sharply defined and vivid.
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A colossal orb of wind, launched like a slicing blade, and the intricate flow of magic that propelled it.
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Shhhh!
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Everything has a core, magic included. With the opening of my middle dantian, I could discern that core.
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'Now.'
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In this decelerated reality, I thrust my spear forward. The formidable orb of wind, previously unstoppable, cleaved neatly in two by the blade of White Flames.
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The split fragments of the wind, once a unified force, now dispersed into hundreds, then thousands of smaller currents. Stripped of their magical command, they cascaded to the earth in a chaotic ballet.
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Swoosh, crash!
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The winds whipped around, tousling my clothes and hair. I raised my head to face the Arch Lich, my expression tinged with a slight smile.
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"Come down here. My neck hurts."
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- You...!
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"Fine, I'll come up."
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Crack, boom!
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A single step.
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The ground beneath me shattered, and I propelled myself toward the grey expanse above.
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* * *
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Boom!
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As Jin Tae-Kyung launched into the air, the Arch Lich grasped the gravity of the situation.
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'I can't let this human approach.'
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Avoiding melee combat was a basic rule for any mage, yet it held a new significance for the Arch Lich now.
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'To think this body feels threatened by a mere human.'
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He prided himself on having reached the pinnacle of black magic.
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Despite the considerable drain on his power during his resurrection, the Arch Lich still wielded more magical might than any Grand Mage.
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Yet, the human confronting him now... posed a genuine threat.
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'Yes, just like that one back then.'
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It was a memory he desperately wanted to forget. Gritting his teeth, the Arch Lich summoned his magic.
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- Gravity!
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This time, his command wasn't just a shout but a formidable wave of power, unleashing an invisible, formless force that crushed everything within its vast reach.
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Even an S-rank Hunter like Jin Tae-Kyung could hardly withstand the overwhelming pressure closing in on him.
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Bang!
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A burst of compressed air shot from beneath Jin Tae-Kyung's feet as he executed the Void-Trampling Step, his body darting out of the gravity's lethal embrace.
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His movements, sharp and swift as a hawk's, far surpassed those of any ordinary flyer.
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'What the hell.'
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The Arch Lich's eyes darkened as he watched Jin Tae-Kyung slice through the air, rapidly closing the distance.
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It was clear now; Jin Tae-Kyung had not only accurately determined the range of the gravity spell but evaded it with uncanny skill.
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'It wasn't mere luck that he dispelled the illusion magic. Then...'
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Whoooosh!
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Magic surged from the Arch Lich, vibrating the very air around him.
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- Gravity. Gravity. Gravity.
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He cast the high-level spell repeatedly, a feat beyond even the most adept mages. With this, the Arch Lich believed he would overpower Jin Tae-Kyung this time.
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'Fall, human.'
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Instead of increasing the force, he had expanded the spell's reach, creating a gravitational field vast enough to ensnare any within its grip...
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Screech!
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Doubt flickered in the Arch Lich's gaze.
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Simultaneously, the crushing spell around Jin Tae-Kyung unraveled, its magical link severed as if sliced by an unseen blade.
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Caught off-guard, the Arch Lich watched as Jin Tae-Kyung propelled himself forward, stepping into the void and rocketing upwards like a cannonball.
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Boom! Sssshhhh!
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With a deafening sonic boom, Jin Tae-Kyung soared, not merely in front but rising above the Arch Lich, and he brought down the White Flames with devastating force.
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Whoosh, a streak of blue flames surged towards the Arch Lich.
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Crash!
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In the slowed-down reality, an invisible shield around the Arch Lich shattered like glass.
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In that moment, the flames of Protective Qi, fueled by three gapjas of Scorching Yang Qi, penetrated the multitude of defensive spells cloaking the Arch Lich.
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- Great Bone Wall!
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With a grim command, a barrier of black bones erupted from the void.
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This top-tier defensive magic, materializing merely a meter away, met the spear blade wreathed in flames.
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In the ashen sky, a massive shockwave boomed and thunder roared around the two foes divided by the Bone Wall.
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Whooooah!
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The air burst with intensity, dispersing clouds that had roamed the high skies. Buildings teetering on collapse crumbled, and half-decayed bodies were whisked away by the winds.
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Yet, the two beings responsible for this chaos faced each other across the barrier, their gazes steady.
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"It was a waste, wasn't it?"
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- Yes, indeed. No, wait...
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The Arch Lich paused, his eyes fixated on the mystical spear blade that had penetrated the center of the wall.
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- It was dangerous.
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The length of the spear blade that passed through the Bone Wall was only about the length of a finger, and the burst of Protective Qi had not even grazed his nose.
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It was fortunate for the Arch Lich and regrettable for Jin Tae-Kyung.
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"You're lucky, you."
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- Arrogant human, I must admit.
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"What?"
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Jin Tae-Kyung, taken aback, listened as the Arch Lich spoke more deliberately.
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- You would be worthy of this win, if you truly are the Adversary.
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"...The Adversary?"
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- Yes. The King's Adversary. The eternal rival entangled by the whims of the gods. I cannot be certain yet... but perhaps that's why I was able to rise again from the River of Death.
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Jin Tae-Kyung’s brow furrowed. What does the King's Adversary mean, and what was this talk of the whims of the gods?
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"Are you a second-year middle school student? Clear away these bones and show me your right hand. Let's see if you have a Black Flame Dragon." [Note: this reference is a bit intricate. The "Black Flame Dragon" part originates from the YuYu Hakusho anime/manga, in which one of the characters has a Black Flame Dragon living in his right arm. The "second year middle school" part references a concept called "chuunibyou", which comes from the light novel "Even with Chuunibyou, I Want to Fall in Love!", which heavily references "YuYu Hakusho". The concept of "chuunibyou" describes a particular stage in adolescence where individuals might hold delusional beliefs of grandeur, pretending to have secret knowledge or hidden powers. It's typically characterized by dramatic, over-the-top behavior, which is often a source of embarrassment later in life. This concept was vastly popularized by the anime, "Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions!"]
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The Arch Lich shook his head.
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- This is something neither you nor I can understand. But one thing is certain.
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His eyes, previously dimly glowing red, now blazed with intensity.
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Initially, he had merely thought of him as a powerful, albeit strange, human. Now, his perception had shifted.
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Memories from decades ago flooded back, when he had roamed the planet in service to the King.
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And the face of that human he had encountered on the day he fell into the River of Death.
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'The Adversary.'
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The human who had not only slain him but had also assassinated the King.
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The Arch Lich tried to halt him but failed; he attempted to close the distance but could not bridge it. This human was the only one the Arch Lich had ever truly feared.
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Amidst the tumult of battle with Jin Tae-Kyung, memories of that fearful day surfaced.
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- You... will surely die here.
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His voice, grim yet resolute, reverberated through the air.
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Jin Tae-Kyung’s reply was dismissive and direct.
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"What are you talking about, idiot?"
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Then, in the blink of an eye,
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"Eat this."
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Whoosh. Boom!
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With calm defiance, Jin Tae-Kyung unleashed a fist wreathed in blue flames, obliterating everything before it.
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It met the barrier of black bones head-on.
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Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist.
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Crack!
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The seemingly impenetrable Bone Wall shattered.
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Through the cloud of bone shards, Jin Tae-Kyung, his face impassive, declared,
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"It's much better this way. No more neck pain."
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- ...!
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"Down, boy."
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Pop!
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Like a streak of lightning, his fist shot forward, connecting squarely with the Arch Lich’s jaw.
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Previous Table of Contents Next

I asked for advice a few times from this sub and I just wanted to come back and share how much we loved our visit!
I'm from the US (Florida) and have been wanting to go to Alton Towers since I was a kid playing Rollercoaster Tycoon. I'm also a huge B&M invert lover and horror lover, so Nemesis was my dream coaster and top of the bucket list.
I've been a traveling theme park enthusiast my whole life and I've been over to the UK a few times in my life but never made the effort to get to Alton Towers until this year - honestly so overdue.
We went mid week in late April, away from holidays. The park was generally pretty dead, as expected. We did two and a half days. I'm glad we had that much time as we got to do everything multiple times. Weather was good - cool, and only hit major one rain of the days and only for a couple hours.
Here's my thoughts on each ride (approximately in order of ranking), then I'll talk about feedback on the park overall and the hotel:
Nemesis - Amazing! Loved it, absolutely worth the trip. I adore the horror theme and the scenery is gorgeous. I wish it was a slightly longer ride (of course that's a theme with Alton Towers), so I can't quite say it is my favorite B&M invert overall - I think that title still belongs to Montu. But it is very close and I would say a top 10 coaster overall.
Smiler - Loved it! I was not sure I would as I read many things about it being rough, and I am roughness sensitive. Honestly I can say, I did not find this to be a rough coaster. For comparison, at Thorpe Park, Saw and Colossus are pretty much not rideable because of how rough/painful/headbanging they are. Smiler, no, not at all.
I wasn't expecting Smiler to become one of my all time favorite coasters but I think it did. I heard the front row is the only good row - did not find that to be the case either. The front row is best but it's not by much, I found it to be a good ride in every row. Left me slightly dizzy after each half of the ride, but not in a bad way.
Wicker Man - Loved it! I'm not a huge wooden coaster fan overall because I don't have a huge roughness tolerance, but thankfully Wicker Man is not at all rough. I love the theme and the pre-show. The ride is pure fun. We were lucky enough to get a front row ride which was my favorite.
Thirteen - I think this is overhated - I really enjoyed it! The theme is great (I do love horror themes) and I don't mind that this is more of a family coaster. The only thing I would really want to improve it would be a slightly longer drop and an animatronic instead of a static set piece in the drop room.
Galacticair - Despite never having been here before, I've always thought of this coaster by its original name. Really enjoyed it! I'm not the biggest fan of flying coasters in general, and I think I do like that this is less intense than some of the others.
Alton Towers needs to get on a retheme, scenery, and paint job for it though. It's looking a bit rough and could use some love.
Oblivion - It's a fun drop. The first time I rode it, I was like - I walked all the way through this massive queue line for that? I didn't realize it really is literally JUST the drop. Unfortunately I'm spoiled by having Sheikra at my home park. But the second time riding and knowing what to expect, I was like - yeah, this is a really good drop and the black hole theme is cool.
Spinball Whizzer - It's a spinning coaster. You like them or you don't like them. I like them alright - although Dragon's Fury at Chessington was actually amazing. Spinball Whizzer is alright.
Runaway Mine Train - This is a cute family coaster, good fun. I love the long train. Our ride op sent us around 3 times. Only rode this once which was enough to get the idea but I will definitely ride it again next time.
Rita - This is the only coaster at Alton Towers that I'm not really a fan of. Rode twice, first time back row, second time waited for front row. It's worth the wait for the front row. It's a bit rough for me otherwise. Before coming, I honestly thought - who cares if it's just the launch, I love launches! But for whatever reason this launch is kind of mediocre and then the rest of the ride is somewhere between painful and boring.
Non coasters:
Curse at Alton Manor - Loved it! I'm spoiled having been to Disney/Universal a good bit, and I know Alton Towers does not have the budget to produce the same caliber of dark ride - but Curse is really quite outstanding considering that limitation. Love the theme (as usual with the whole park) and they tell a really good story.
Nemesis Sub Terra - I don't think this deserves all the hate it gets. It's a cool experience - maybe not especially rerideable, and the "ride" portion is underwhelming, but it was a fun one time ride. I do wish cooler stuff happened with the egg. Also, the part where it whips your legs really hurt.
Gangsta Granny - Rode it once, it's very cute considering it cannot be Disney level. I do not mean to sound spoiled and hope that I don't - I just know what is theoretically possible with a dark ride, but given budgets, this a very cute family ride.
Dungeon - Did the London one a few years ago and remember liking that better, but this wasn't bad at all. It was a fun time and I'm glad I did it, especially with the Merlin pass discount. Unlikely I'd spend the time to do it again on a return visit. I know it's closing this summer, not sure if that's permanent, but honestly if it was permanent and they replace it with something else, I think that would be just fine.
Hex - Booooooo it was closed. Gives me something else to look forward to when I return, which I hope to do whenever Project Horizon is done.
Food:
Rollercoaster Restaurant: Did this both nights we stayed here. It was mostly alright, I had a burger that was pretty good. The nachos were a joke. The curry chickpea thing was decent. The gluten free menu was pretty pathetic, but at least they had some options so that my husband could eat dinner.
Middle Eastern restaurant by Wicker Man (I forget its name): This was the only place to get a meal in the park that had GF accommodation that we found. For whatever dumb reason, the chicken and chips that they CAN make gluten free is not advertised that way on the menu. But to their credit, the cook was SUPER good about making sure to cook the meal in a safe way for someone with a gluten allergy.
Ate there twice, and the food was actually pretty good.
My only complaint - both this and the one near Rita sell baked potatoes, which are one of the only things in the park we found that would be gluten free, and both days they seemed to run out of the potatoes at midday. One day, we got the literal last half a potato they had left, and the other, they were already out.
I saw that Alton Towers had a notice up about switching suppliers or something and bringing more GF options to their menus... that's needed. Hopefully next time the situation will be better.
Ice cream by the Curse: Ok, I have to say, I was obsessed with this. The black ice cream in the black cone just made me happy. And it was really delicious. Especially with the toppings even if they kept falling off. Got it two days in a row, would get it every day on a return visit.
Hotel:
Splash Landings: No real complaints here, it was what I was expecting. Certainly didn't need air conditioning for the time of year. The staff was very friendly and they were great about storing multiple bags for us both on our arrival and on our checkout day.
The breakfast was good for a buffet style breakfast. Enough GF options to eat a good sized meal.
The only actual complaint I have, and this one is weird, but true - the shower is terrible. It has a half glass door that didn't lock in place, and the sides of the tub are tall. This is a recipe for disaster as it's very tempting to hold the door to try to climb out of the tub... but it doesn't lock, so if you do that, you're likely to fall and break your head open. And if you don't hold on... well, good luck climbing out of the tall tub with nothing to grip onto. Not even a towel rail.
I genuinely don't know how they went with something this unsafe in their design process. I don't know how people aren't injuring themselves all the time.
Overall thoughts:
It's certainly spread out - I was warned. It takes some hustling to get from one area to another in a timely fashion, but I didn't find it to be too much. It sure would be though in hot weather, I'll take cold any day.
Actually my biggest "complaint" is how long the queues are in terms of - walking forever, often uphill, to get to the ride. I'm used to theme parks that are able to section off large parts of the line when not in use which doesn't seem to happen much here.
Legit, it's a workout to ride Nemesis if it's not busy and all you have to do is walk to the station.
I didn't find the park to be run down, unclean, or understaffed. All the staff was great, and operations were great. Multiple trains on everything despite it not being busy at all.
Overall we absolutely loved our time here! It lived up to my expectations for sure. Nemesis, Smiler, and Wicker Man were my favorite things, but I dug Thirteen and Curse too.
And as I mentioned, Rita is the only ride I didn't really like - from someone who has visited a ton of theme parks, only one dud with the rest of the stuff being quality is kind of rare.
I'm so glad I finally got to visit, and I will absolutely be back. Hopefully Project Horizon actually happens and isn't later than 2026... currently that's the year I'd plan to come back.
Can't wait for my return!

Had this idea bouncing around in my head about the little ferret guy, Etholin Esila. I figured with him being a 'merchant lord' he'd want to start cutting deals with Emma once the initial curiosity and amazement over Earth tech would have passed. Not sure where this is going, if anywhere, but just wanted to get it out of my head and onto 'paper'.
Thanks to u/DndQuickQuestion for helping with feedback on earlier drafts.
Afternoon Transgracian Academy of Magical Arts
The hulking minotaur loomed menacingly over me. "Crawling along the floor suits you well, Merchant Lord Etholin Esila!” it boomed in an intimidating baritone. “Merchant Lord, pfah! Even a mangy cur such as that Mercenary Prince has a legacy of valor and martial prowess behind his dubious title, but you?”
An accusatory finger was jabbed in my direction. “Nothing but puffery and bluster to buttress your status as a glorified shopkeep! Your ilk claims to broker fair trade between the Realms, but those with integrity and honor recognize the deceit you employ to conjure false value from nothing." It was difficult to tell if Lord Auris Ping's tirade was aimed more at myself, the Esila clan, or the concept of inter-realm commerce in general.
At the moment, I was more concerned with herding my scattered belongings back into my satchel. While rushing to my next appointment, I had the dubious privilege of colliding with this mountain of a brute. Naturally I was on the losing side of that contest, and was sent tail over head to the floor, scattering the contents of my school satchel across the polished granite. Not one to pass up the chance at a crass display of dominance, Lord Ping had launched into the rant that everyone in earshot was currently enduring.
"Look at you, scrabbling on the floor to fetch your little trinkets, a fitting match for your base and covetous nature!" Fairly pedestrian, as far as character assassination went. I’d been called far worse while helping Father with trade negotiations, sometimes at sword or stave point. One had to develop quite a thick hide when engaging in cross-realm commerce. Especially with many realms having rather… absolutist opinions about the value of goods, like Lord Ping here. But I had zero interest in contesting his assertions, despite how idiotic they were.
Haggling or arguing with Pronarthians was a singularly wretched experience. They were infamous across the Realms for their single-mindedness and a compulsive need to have the last word that bordered on lunacy. I didn’t have the patience for the endless ingratiating flattery required to bore through such stubbornness. If that wasn’t enough, a gentleman of my stature also had to consider Pronarthians’ sizeism; specifically their intrinsic respect for the larger and taller races.
And that was merely the average Pronarthian! Arguing with a belligerent lout, accustomed to deference as Lord Ping? I'd sooner try my hand at flying out the nearby window. At least the loamy soil below would give me a fighting chance, or a jagged rock would grant me the mercy of a swift end.
Instead, I busied myself putting my things in order, taking special care with one item in particular. It was a set of memory crystals I received from the Earthrealmer, Cadet Emma Booker. It was part of a ‘transdimensional cultural exchange pilot program,’ as she had described it with her nation’s peculiar bureaucratic jargon. I had previously conducted similar transactions in my initial dealings with Cadet Booker, and it was those first tentative steps that convinced me to make Cadet Booker a full-fledged premiere trade partner of the Ocean Breeze Trading Company, the pride of the Esila clan.
The myriad tomes and treatises from Earthrealm, such as the riveting "The Wealth of Nations," amply demonstrated that Earthrealm had an extremely sophisticated understanding of commerce, finance, and logistics. But it was the ‘video archive footage,’ transferred onto memory crystals for ease of viewing, that convinced me at a visceral level that these Earthrealmers were a sound investment. I felt it on my whisker-tips, as the commoners back home would say.
"May I offer a helping hand, Lord Esila?" inquired a familiar voice. I looked up to see a scaly, clawed hand extended toward me. “And perhaps a sympathetic ear? After all, that was a rather nasty bit of slander from Lord Ping, would you not agree?”
Wonderful. This nonsense again.
While I had been lost in thought contemplating Ocean Breeze’s latest windfall, Lord Ping seemed to have lost interest and resumed going about his business. Taking his place, as always, was Lord Qiv Ratom, ever ready to sift through the rubble of Lord Ping's latest ham-fisted antics for personal gain. "You will find that my views differ considerably from Lord Ping's. I, for one, admire the manner in which you extract value from your trade partners. After all, does it not require skill and cunning to convince the customer that your wares are worth far greater than their true value? Such nuance and subtlety is lost on the likes of Auris Ping, content to strong-arm what he desires from others."
I paused for a moment, at a loss for words. His tone suggested his 'praise' was sincere, but only stoked my ire further. What in the thrice-damned Hells did he think he was accomplishing? Did he really think that telling me, "Well, I still regard you as a thief, but I APPRECIATE your thieving nature, unlike that uncouth lout!" was going to win me over? Dealing with parties with this attitude to commerce and trade was tedious at best. But ever since making acquaintances with Cadet Booker, whose people's understanding and appreciation of commerce rivaled the Nexians, dealing with the likes of Ping and Ratom was nigh UNBEARABLE.
I rattled off the usual rigmarole we used at Ocean Breeze for clients we wished to keep at arm's length. "With respect, Lord Ratom, the value of the goods we sell is determined by the customer's needs and circumstances. The merchants of my clan arbitrate prices taking such factors into consideration. We see it as our responsibility to provide equitable trade that is not only beneficial to all parties, but also provides fair compensation for the tradesmen involved in executing the transaction."
"But of course, it is as you say," replied Lord Ratom with his signature oily charisma. "Fair and equitable trade, according to the customer's circumstances. Thus, you are but a facilitator of the Fates, a most humble tool of Destiny itself. And one who collects a respectable commission, at that," he continued. He stopped short of winking conspiratorially, but the impish grin playing across his features was a fine substitute. Every mote of my being wanted to shake him until he shed his skin. He continued, "Your... humility aside, my admiration of your clan's cunning and resourcefulness still stands. The insight of one so skilled is always welcome within my inner circle, should you wish to grace us with your presence."
It took all my restraint to not tell him into which orifice he could jam his charity-case friendship offer. After all, I'd been keeping far better and more like-minded company of late. Company that the Baralonian lord was likely dying to ingratiate himself with, given how Cadet Booker and her peer group had taken pains to keep Lord Ratom and his entourage of gossips at arm’s length. Instead, I left the smug reptile’s offer dangling in the air, twisting in the wind for a few agonizing moments while I finished tidying my things. Rising to my feet, I finally replied, "An offer most generous and kind. I will of course, have to consider the circumstances of both customer and merchant. Surely you would not begrudge a humble servant of Fate for waiting for the most auspicious circumstances?" Even at my best, I was hardly a master of rhetoric, so crudely tossing his words back at him was the best I could do.
"As you please, Lord Esila," replied Lord Ratom, finally sensing his return on investment wouldn't be worthwhile, leaving me alone to stew in the hallway. Such was the game played among the aristocracy. I looked down at the bundle of memory crystals in my hands, contemplating on their origin, and how Earthrealm could change how the Esila clan, perhaps even all of Rontalis, played the game.
I continued on my way, thoughts heavy once more.
Evening Ocean Breeze Trading Company, Elaseer Offices, Private Chambers
The Elaseer branch office of the Ocean Breeze Trading Company was a modest affair by Nexian standards, a second-storey affair nestled on the edge of the warehouse district. The restrained yet tasteful trappings were a calculated decision of the Esila clan, proprietors of the trading company. A fine balance had to be struck when it came to outward appearances, after all. Some measure of artful decoration was necessary to appease the Nexian eye’s obsession with projecting might and wealth, but not so much that it would attract too much attention.
Only in the private chambers would a guest finally see some personality in the decor, and a generous measure at that. These were the chambers of the nobleman assigned stewardship of these offices, Lord Rikad Esila, uncle to Etholin Esila. Colorful murals with aquatic motifs adorned the walls, highlighted with tastefully matching lacquered panels featuring artwork done in mother-of-pearl inlay. Similar decor was present in the dining room, where uncle and nephew were currently enjoying what Rikad thought would be a leisurely dinner.
CRACK!
The sharp sound rang out loud and clear in the small room, the source being a steamed crab claw, dashed to pieces on a smooth river stone placed between the two diners at the table.
Lord Rikad's branch of the Esila line hailed from the wetlands of Rontalis that opened up into the sea, and they regularly partook of the ocean's bounty. In antiquity, they were known to smash shellfish and other armored morsels against stones they carried with them to lay bare the tasty prizes within. This dining set configuration was a modern interpretation of that old tradition, with a communal stone for guests to open their shellfish.
Of course, such a homestyle service was available solely behind closed doors and shuttered windows and only then to Rikad and his close associates. Here in the Crownlands, such a 'barbarous and unseemly' artifact would be frowned upon by the prevailing Nexian culture and their gold and mother-of-pearl seafood forks that split the shell with a simple tap. But young Etholin labeled that languid dining as a boring conversational backdrop, inferior to the communal excitement of a well-placed strike.
Etholin’s spirited strike had a strong measure of anger behind it, a fact not lost on Rikad. "Steady now, lad. The aim is to crack the shell, not grind it to powder," chided Rikad, an otter clothed in well-tailored robes that melded practicality with muted elegance. He looked aged and gray compared to the ferret-like Etholin, clad in sumptuous silks and embroidery that assertively declared the young lord’s wealth and standing. Etholin hung his head in embarrassment. "Apologies, Uncle. I lost the reins of my temper."
"Well now, aggravated enough to make a mess of my dining set," observed the older gentleman. "It takes a great deal to get your humors churning like this, from my experience. So tell me lad, what urchin needles you?"
"Ugh, more Academy theatrics, what else? With Lords Auris Ping and Qiv Ratom being today’s star players."
"Ah, The Dunce and the Devil," remarked Rikad, nodding with understanding. This wasn't the first time his nephew had related the pestilent pair’s antics. "What two-act farce did they put on this time?"
"Ping opened with the usual blather about merchants being honorless tricksters, with Ratom swooping in to capitalize on the aftermath. Textbook at this point, really," explained Etholin, waving his hand dismissively. "It... it was just the way those two put forward their thoughts. In isolation, each would have been merely irritating. But with one following the other, I was ready to grind my fangs to nubs! To be cursed as a thief on one side, only to be praised as a thief on the other! It was like they were wielding ignorance as one would a greatsword, and managed to cut me with both edges! Gods, I wanted to THROTTLE the idiocy out of them!"
"‘Tis to be expected," said Rikad in consolation. "A great many noble families, even entire Realms at times, came about their status through force of arms or magical prowess, and thus they hold a dim view of commerce as a profession. It is a routine chore for us, navigating around them to find those with less absolutist views on the worth of goods, or more forgiving definitions of 'honest work'. An Adjacent Realm that does not cheat its creditors by altering the weight of its coins or debasing them with base metals and insisting otherwise while hiding behind the safety of their portal is worth its weight in gold."
"Sometimes I feel we ought to cut them out of our affairs entirely and deal with the Nexians, directly and exclusively," mused Etholin bitterly.
"Now, now, though your anger is justified, that's hardly reason for it to take hold of your mind's rudder," cautioned Rikad with a frown. "The Nexians have well-developed philosophies on trade in line with our own, but we only have the resources of a single Realm at our disposal, while the Nexians can leverage the bounty of their never-ending and mana-rich lands. Dealing solely with a behemoth that can devour us with a thought, no matter how frictionless those dealings are, is hardly my idea of a beneficial partnership."
Etholin sighed. "As always, your counsel is sensible, Uncle. Like I said, I lost the reins of my temper in a moment of weakness."
"Don't be so sour on things like this, lad. Our base nature gets the better of us at times, that is the animal within that we all struggle with. That you acknowledged such a lapse and took back the helm is proof that civility prevails. But, enough moping about!" Rikad jumped out of his seat with a little pep in his step. "Looks like we need to guide you back into good spirits, and I know JUST the thing for gentlemen such as us," concluded the elder merchant, twirling his whiskers playfully.
"Somehow I think a night at the theater or music halls will do little for me, Uncle. Or are you suggesting we seek respite at the bottom of a tankard?"
Rikad snorted derisively. "Oh please, I'm not senile yet, pup! Since when has SPENDING money brought joy to anyone worthy of the Esila name?" That made Elothin perk up a bit. Rikad continued, "No, I speak of a PROPER good time, I speak of..."
"COMMERCE!" they cried out in unison, fists held aloft in a triumphant pose. "Does that mean..." began Etholin.
"Indeed, we've just received the latest prototypes for the centralized mana ampoule, linking cords, and so-called 'mana motors'. Perfectly timed with the parts delivery from Cadet Booker not two days ago. Sukie, be a dear and clear this up, and have the remainder bundled up and sent to the young master's rooms at the Academy." Rikad motioned for the housekeepers to clear the table, then ushered Etholin to his private offices where they could discuss business strategy in depth.
Uncle Rikad’s offices were more than just a cozy place where Etholin could get a taste of home. Officially, Rikad was stationed here to oversee the administration of this branch office of the Ocean Breeze Trading Company. In reality, the office was a means to circumvent the Academy's prohibition against students communicating regularly with their home realm. Many aristocratic families employed similar cheats and dodges involving ‘familial duties’ and ‘business obligations’ to skirt the rules. If the Nexians cared about closing such loopholes, they didn’t show it. Perhaps the quaint maneuverings of their lessers amused the elves, who could say?
In this case, Rikad and Etholin were leveraging this loophole to the fullest, as they strategized on how to execute the next steps of their latest commercial venture, which Rikad would then relay to the head offices in Rontalis. As their planning session drew to a close, Rikad remarked on the time. “Well, it would seem that evening has fast become night. You are welcome to stay overnight here, as always, or perhaps you would prefer to retire to the Academy dormitories? Either way, I doubt you’d want to watch an old man doze off in his reading room listening to music.”
At the mention of leisure time, Etholin's eyes widened in surprise, and he began rooting around in his satchel. "Oh goodness, I entirely forgot!"
"What is it, lad?"
"Oh, Cadet Booker has provided us with more of her 'video archive files', transcribed to memory crystal," explained Etholin as he produced the set of crystals from his satchel, perfectly sized for the compact projection device that Rikad kept in his rooms.
"Ah, splendid! Another of the young lady's documentary presentations on commerce? Or perhaps one of her theatrical serials? Both are fine ways to while away the night."
“I’m not sure, but Cadet Booker said we would enjoy them a great deal,” said Etholin as he placed the crystal into the office's projector. As the machine spooled up, a moving image was cast onto the whitewashed wall across the room. As with all Earthrealm recordings, it was entirely mundane, bereft of any sign of manafields. Compared to mana based memory shards, Earthrealm recordings felt like faded sketches. None of that hindered the recording's impact on the viewers.
"Hoh? This is-" exclaimed Rikad, eyes lighting up in recognition.
An Earthrealmer with a thick, lustrous beard strode into view, his confidence and enthusiasm palpable despite the muted colors of the recording. The Earthrealmer’s voice rang out from the projector, carrying that same confidence and infectious enthusiasm like a barker worthy of the title of Grand Master.
Rikad and Etholin cheered in unison.
"HI! BILLY MAYS HERE, WITH ANOTHER GREAT PRODUCT!"

Please don't hesitate to contact me to discuss the sale of my sets at the prices listed below, payable in items.
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For checking my gifting Cache Sets history, feel free to review the comments on my profile and verify the sets in their inventory that were gifted by me.
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Regarding any concerns about scamming, it's simply not in my best interest. With over 800 cache sets available for sale, my focus is on providing a trustworthy and legitimate service.
Profile [https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198107212373](here)

Diretide 2022 Collector's Cache II

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Bird of Prey	Legion Commander	20+	$15
Grand Suppressor	Silencer	20+	$10
Darkbrew's Transgression	Alchemist	20+	$15
Transcendent Path	Oracle	20+	$15
The Wilding Tiger	Brewmaster	20+	$10
Dawn of a Darkness Foretold	Doom	20+	$15
Cursed Cryptbreaker	Pudge	20+	$15
Feasts of Forever	Night Stalker	20+	$10
Darkfeather Factioneer	Phantom Assassin	20+	$10
Withering Pain	Clinkz	20+	$10
Freeboot Fortunes	Ogre Magi	20+	$10
Acrimonies of Obsession	Vengeful Spirit	20+	$20
Sacred Chamber Guardian	Huskar	20+	$15
War Rig Eradicators	Techies	20+	$10
Grudges of the Gallows Tree	Treant Protector	20+	$25
Brands of the Reaper	Anti-Mage	20+	$40
Sublime Equilibrium	Void Spirit	20+	$50

Diretide 2022 Collector's Cache

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Shadowleaf Insurgent	Hoodwink	20+	$15
Scarlet Subversion	Riki	20+	$15
Whippersnapper	Snapfire	20+	$10
Hounds of Obsession	Chen	20+	$10
Seadog's Stash	Clockwork	20+	$10
Starlorn Adjudicator	Dawnbreaker	20+	$15
Spoils of the Shadowveil	Spectre	20+	$15
Chines of the Inquisitor	Faceless Void	20+	$10
Trophies of the Hallowed Hunt	Ursa	20+	$10
Crimson Dawn	Phoenix	20+	$10
Forgotten Station	Terrorblade	20+	$15
Dirge Amplifier	Undying	20+	$15
Champion of the Fire Lotus	Monkey King	20+	$10
Deathstitch Shaman	Witch Doctor	20+	$10
Blue Horizons	Marci	20+	$30
Angel of Vex	Invoker	20+	$50
Dark Behemoth	Primal Beast	20+	$50

Aghanim's 2021 Collector's Cache

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Scales of the Shadow Walker	Phantom Lancer	23	$15
Perception of the First Light	Dawnbreaker	22	$15
Apex Automated	Clockwerk	22 S	$15
Test of the Basilisk Lord	Razor	25	$10
Secrets of the Frost Singularity	Ancient Apparition	23	$8
Perils of the Red Banks	Chen	22	$10
The Chained Scribe	Grimstroke	24	$10
Widow of the Undermount Gloom	Broodmother	23 S	$15
Forgotten Fate	Mars	22	$5
March of the Crackerjack Mage	Rubick	24	$10
Cosmic Concoctioneers	Alchemist	23	$20
Days of the Demon	Axe	22	$20
Blightfall	Abaddon	23	$15
Pyrexae Polymorph Perfected	Ogre Magi	25	$35
Stranger in the Wandering Isles	Drow Ranger	10 *C - 3 reserved	$35

Nemestice Collector's Cache 2021

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Twilight Hex	Dark Willow	23 S	15$
Litany of the Damned	Doom	24	15$
Astral Terminus	Enigma	23	10$
Caerulean Star	Enchantress	22	10$
Arcane Inverter	Gyrocopter	22 S	25$
Creed of the Skullhound	Lycan	22 S	25$
Desert Bloom	Nature's Prophet	23	20$
Silence of the Starweaver	Oracle	23	10$
Eyriebound Imperator	Skywrath Mage	23	15$
Anthozoan Assault	Tiny	23	25$
Defender of the Brumal Crest	Winter Wyvern	10 S	10$
Red Sands Marauder	Shadow Shaman	23	20$
Footfalls of the Sporefathers	Witch Doctor	12	60$

Collector's Cache I 2020

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Ravenous Abyss	Underlord	20+	$15
Apocalypse Unbound	AA	20+	$10
Beholden of the Banished Ones	Warlock	20+	$15
Fury of the Righteous Storm	Disruptor	20+	$5
Mindless Slaughter	Pudge	20+	$20
Heartless Hunt	Bounty	20+	$15
Herald of the Ember Eye	Grimstroke	20+	$10
Fissured Flight	Jakiro	20+	$10
Flashpoint Proselyte	Husker	20+	$15
Signs of the Allfather	Nature prophet	20+	$15
Glory of the Elderflame	Lina	20+	$35
Origin of the Dark Oath	Night Stalker	6	$25
Songs of Starfall Glen	Enchantress	20+	$10
Ancient Inheritance	Tiny	20+	$30
Forsworn Legacy	mars	20+	$50

Collector's Cache II 2020

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Evolution of the Infinite	Enigma	20+	$6
Beast of the Crimson Ring	bristle back	20+	$15
Clearcut Cavalier	Timber	20+	$10
The King Of Thieves	Keeper of light	20+	$10
Horror from the Deep	Tide	20+	$20
Talons of the Endless Storm	chaos knight	20+	$15
Carousal of the Mystic Masquerade	Rubick	20+	$6
Crown of Calaphas	Shadow demon	20+	$15
Wrath of the Fallen	doom	20+	$20
Blacksail Cannoneer	Sniper	20+	$10
Secrets of the Celestial 📷	Skywrath mage	20+	$5
Blaze of Oblivion	Phoenix	20+	$10
Steward of the Forbidden Chamber	Templar Assassin	20+	$25
Claszureme Incursion	Void	20+	70$
Ire of the Ancient Gaoler	Arc Warden	6* C	35$
Master of the Searing Path	Ember Spirit	3* C	40$

Collector's Cache 2019

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Paean of the Ink Dragon	Grimstroke	1*C	15$
The Arts of Mortal Deception	Enigma	21	10$
Poacher's Bane	Tidehunter	20	10$
Soul of the Brightshroud	Death Prophet	21	10$
Curse of the Creeping Vine	Undying	6*C +1	25$
Appetites of the Lizard King	Slark	18	25$
Riddle of the Hierophant	Oracle	20	10$
Defender of Ruin	Disruptor	22	25$
Allure of the Faeshade Flower	Dark Willow	4 * C - 1 reserved	25$
Pursuit of the Ember Demons	Huskar	4* C	25$
Forbidden Medicine	Dazzle	3* C	35$
Priest of the Proudsilver Clan	Chen	4* C	15$

Collector's Cache II 2019

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Sight of the Kha-Ren Faithful	Drow Ranger	31	15$
Tribal Pathways	Warlock	30	10$
Directive of the Sunbound	Clockwerk	31	10$
Endless Night	Abaddon	30	15$
Dapper Disguise	Pudge	27	15$
Fury of the Bloodforge	Bloodseeker	30	15$
Automaton Antiquity	Broodmother	31	10$
Grim Destiny	Wraith King	29	10$
Distinguished Expeditionary	Tusk	30	10$
Verdant Predator	Venomancer	31	10$
Prized Acquisitions	Batrider	31	5$
Fowl Omen	Necrophos	34	30$
Echoes of the Everblack	Abaddon	4*C	25$
Souls Tyrant	Shadow Fiend	1 * C	45$
Tales of the Windward Rogue	Pangolier	3 * C	45$

The International 2018 Collector's Cache I

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Trail of the Sanguine Spectrum	Bloodseeker	20	10$
Insights of the Sapphire Shroud	Dark Seer	18	4$
Pillar of the Fractured Citadel	Spirit Breaker	21	$10
The Murid Divine	Necrophos	22	25$
Molokau Stalker	Venomancer	21	$10
Morbific Provision	Witch Doctor	22	10$
Raptures of the Abyssal Kin	Queen of Pain	20	15$
Grasp of the Riven Exile	Weaver	20	5$
Fate Meridian	Invoker	2 *C	30$
Visions of the Lifted Veil	Phantom Assassin	1 *C	40$
Grasp of the Riven Exile	Weaver	4 *C	20$

The International 2018 Collector's Cache II

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Pitmouse Fraternity	Meepo	37	10$
Fires of the Volcanic Guard	Ember Spirit	37	10$
Shackles of the Enduring Conscript	Axe	37 S	6$
Shimmer of the Anointed	Nyx Assassin	29	5$
Loaded Prospects	Brewmaster	39	15$
Ire of Molten Rebirth	Phoenix	36	10$
Pattern of the Silken Queen	Broodmother	26	5$
Third Awakening	Dragon Knight	7 *C -2nonR	35$
Dread Ascendance	Doom	5 *C	40$
Raiments of the Obsidian Forge	Underlord	22	20$

The International 2017 Collector's Cache

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Rumrunner's Carronade	Brew master	20	15$
Abyssal Vortex	Enigma	27	10$
Samareen Sacrifice	Huskar	22	10$
Shadowforce Gale	Luna	24	20$
Mechalodon Interdictor	Gyrocopter	27 + 3*C	15$
Cunning Corsair	Riki	24	20$
Pressure Regulator	Clockwerk	3 *C	20$
Meranth Dragoon	Sven	2 *C	35$
The Dread Prophet	Nature's Prophet	2 *C	35$
Riptide Raider	Monkey King	2 *C - 1nonrev	20$

The International 2016 Collector's Cache

Set name	Hero	Quantity	$$
Nightsilver's Resolve	luna	2 M* dtygod*	20$
Oni Knight the Dark Conqueror	Chaos Knight	3C + 2 dtygod dopey*	20$
Rising Glory	Magnus	2C+ 1 moiz	20$
Dirgeful Overlord	Undying	3 *C	25$
Iceburnt Elegy	Winter Wyvern	1 *C	25$
Wartorn Heavens	Zeus	1 *C	35$

I've updated my policy and no longer entertain joy riders. If you're interested in adding me, I request a $3 deposit in items upon adding me.
This $3 deposit will be deducted from your total set cost.
Please refrain from adding me if you're not comfortable with the listed prices.
Keep in mind that prices are subject to change, and sets may go out of stock even if you're waiting for one, as someone else may purchase it before you.
If you're interested in reserving sets, please make sure to do so.

Edit: The downvotes have begun but hopefully that means people are reading till the end too. Will have to try the BridgertonRants sub as that seems more accepting of discussions and debates. : )
Would super appreciate it if everyone reads this long-ass thesis of a post with an open mind and to the end...its me being vulnerable in an anonymous reddit sub because i think these things matter in the larger framework of a uniquely special show and the big, bright, beautiful, multicultural gorgeous world we all as humans live in. My last post in this sub was downvoted to hell which btw totally ok...and i dont depend on reddit currency for my livelihood so its all good. I just care about my posts being read...specially this one.
Some context:
I'm very new to this community and reddit as well. Currently have time off work and going ham on reddit and venturing very scared into the deep dark of world of rabid fandoms and small niche communities. Getting a little burnt along the way but also learning from some super talented fans with their own eye-opening ideas and funny posts. Fans of all kinds, Im peeping into profiles, so white, black, brown multicolored rainbow of the world right here.
I'm also an aspiring writer and well...some of my best ideas have come from reddit lurking on cool and active subs with bridgerton sub being new for me. Jet lagged, anxious and just a tad bit antsy, I'm trying to go down and deep and maybe open some deeper discussions here.
I am Indian and lived primarily in India my whole life and now for the last 10 years between London and Canada (why am I sharing all this like and am I also going to tell you my weight, my height etc too...No but hopefully you'll understand this revelation as you read ahead without me spelling it out)
So I've been trying to figure out why fan wars as they pertain to this show prick so personally, so particularly.
I think fandoms anywhere in every country are full of insane people, obsessive chronically online people who find comfort through living through their faves..your beyonce stans, your rihanna stans, your Taylor Swift stans, your harry styles stans, your k pop stans, etc etc..
This show also has some rabid fans..But there is a conversation I want to open up only because I think it's important...Is fighting extra hard for your poc fave because you know their representation in pop culture is limited, their getting jobs is limited, subconscious biases exist even though we have been making great strides and even eradicated overt biases in employment, in accessibility, in government service etc etc ..and their culture not as dominant, their worlds not as seen or coveted.
Our ideas of beauty are framed by the extensiveness and longevity of colonial rule across the world.
there are shit people across all ethnicities religions and genders and nationalities. Barbarians, conquerors, invaders, pillaging villages raping women destroying livelihoods suppressing the peasant class, mutilating and diluting cultures- exist in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, East asia, middle East etc so not just Britain. Basically being brown, black or East Asian and Middle Eastern doesnt grant you moral superiority over white people and you can be racist and casteist and colorist and bigoted and biased and just all around shitty and criminal as a black, brown, east asian middle eastern etc etc person just as much as white people.
So now that thats settled, lets look at specific issues that POC only face because that eventually streams into the show and its politics and its discussion as well.
But for whatever reason ...the British were able to colonize on a scale that the other countries and ethnicities were not able to.. African and the Indian subcontinent's conquests and invasions were limited in area and time period...their scale of conquest limited to a small radius around their own countries...and not foreign lands travelled via sea etc.
As a result and only as a result and not because and I cannot emphasize enough that black, brown or east asian invaders, rulers etc were morally superior, kinder, less assholes...the culture that became dominant was white british culture..or european culture...if Indians had conquered the world, they would have imposed their culture on the lands and countries they invaded, if different African countries invaded the world to the extent of the british colonists, same thing...the dominant culture that would have been forcibly imposed by the people of african ethnicity would be their culture... Black skin would have been considered beautiful, white fair skin would not have been the standard....thats history....thats something we know to be true even through modern wars...the victor dictates...But that simply didnt happen.
it's not because t Africans or Asians or basically non white people are morally superior, more virtuous, incapable of terrorist acts or colonizing or I don't know were like we don't invade and conquest, we so good. But because that's history. They just didn't manage it. thats simply our current historical reality.
Being that the country or countries that did manage to conquer the world or close to 9/10ths of it were Europeans or more specifically British white nationals..which means as would happen even if another nationality had managed to invade the world, the culture that is dominant across the world is a west/white slanted world..
Colorism as a concept didnt exist until colonization: Why would it? If everyone existed under the same harsh sun, had the same skin color with minor variances...why would they think fair is more beautiful. Its because they wouldnt...the first blond haired blue eyed people would have been introduced to India via early traders of east india company in India and dutch colonists before them...Its like if everyone around you is brown, you assume thats just how everyone else looks like...thats the only reality you know...you simply havent seen anyone look any different..you havent seen blue eyes or anything else....same for africans and within that framework as humans are wont to do you create ideas of beauty.
So yes. POCs across the globe had just as arbitrary ideas of beauty as white people (chiense mutilated young women feet cuz small feet more beautiful, in africa genital mutiliation) because humans are humans and humans mess everything up...and animals are so much better...but color as a construct is a colonial one and one which managed to find deeep deep roots because of the extent of the rule, the sheer longevity, For context, India has been independent for the last 75 years..from over 200 years of colonial british rule...Not even the length of the life of a single human. Not even as long as Britains former queen was alive. It will take some more time for that in fighting and ideas of colorism deeply penetrated from the inheritance of our rulers to get dismanted...and totally thrown own...because you can freee from literall bondage more easily, the mind takes longer to adjust and form independent thought. But it will happen.
White people are not more or less racist than POC. Thats not a thing. There are shit people and you can find shit people anywhere...I have shit people right in my own home country, bigots, destroying the diversity of India by bullshit tactics...
But as it stands...because this cultural superiority of British and white people took over, the framing of beauty, of whats fashionable, of whats cool, of whats civilized is all seen through the lens of white culture...eating with hands which many cultures across the world do uncivilized unhygienic, paris fashions and made in italy...mark of excellence...made in India and China...cheap, low quality, scammers and shit people, (thats not to say shit people and scammers dont exist in India and China and there arent industries of scammers across these poorer nations but there is also denying the equisite craftasmanship across fashion and beauty in both countries-China and India.
Brown skin bad, even darker skin even bad etc etc...We wear clothes that our colonial masters did across the world, you wont find people in china wearing Chinese clothes, same for India, african countries etc...everything from clothing, to beauty, to furniture, to houses everything indigenous was changed to a foreign ideal from our rulers. The same would have happened whoever whichever ethnicity had invaded the world...like i said above..
Now and thanks for reading whoever read till here and I hope a lot of people did-on to to the show...
There is this frequent refrain and accusation of oppression olympics that I read about when it comes to this show, in general online discourse and also this insanely disgusting article fat shaming Nicola Coughlan in The Spectator.
And i really really want to open up this conversation...cuz race gets discussed a lot on this sub and other bridgerton subs and therefore a perfect place to have that conversation...Do Non-POC really believe in the concept of oppression olympics and that all kinds of biases are equally treacherous to navigate?
So I was overweight in my teens...I had a close friend who was wheelchair bound. my life was hard and I was bullied but surely surely I do not think that my plight was the same as my friend in a wheelchair...In class 10th, a close friend's father passed away, the same year my grandmother passed away, surely, surely, I dont think we are experiencing the same pain the same setback to our life...Class 10th in India is akin to A levels in Britain and SAT in the USA..
You know why I didnt think any of this and why if I had i was wrong, because there is a hierarchy to opression, .to loss, to struggles. There simply is. Opression Olympics is rooted in reality.
Pain is pain, loss and bad foundations suck ass...but privilege is a thing and some pains some loads just lighter compared to others. I could lose weight and get over the oppression I was facing because of my weight in school. My wheelchair bound friend didnt have that option..I wouldnt get my grandmother back...but my fathers loss would have a more immediate affect on my life and my friend who lost her father and her loss was just simply deeper. She needed more support, more help, more people crowding around her saying you've got this Niharika..well make sure your life doesnt change permanently cuz youlve lost your dad.
So when show fandom compare Jonathon Baileys struggle to Rege Jean George or say Victor Ali, they are simply pointing out that yes while Jonathon Bailey is gay...there is a difference between being white and gay and being black and gay or simply harder being black. And therefore there is a hierarchy. Why POC are less loath to crticize the average acting of their POC faves because they know the opportunities for them are limited. Lets do an exercise name 5 shows led by a POC in the USA or Britain or Canada-any POC..brown, black i dont care. And im not talking about black or brown actors in a show or film, im talking leads...
Also biases are self perpetuating....When black or brown led films fail, the opportunities immediately dry up because it shows that its just fairness and the numbers dont lie..Except this is not maths.....Maths would be first making equal amount of shows starring black or brown people, and then comparing...Now if the end result is white led shows do better-that would be correct math...but ratios and comparisons and statistics need to first start with an even scale...thats not even me taking about diversity...thats just math formulas...
If lets say there are 500 actors who are white in hollywood and 200 who are Black in hollywood, and lets say all 200 black actors are shit...would you say the statement...god white actors are so much better than black actors...no cuz the maths is not adding up...you compared 500 actors who were white of which 300 were excellent 200 bad and you made that into the conclusion that white actors are better because you were comparing only with 200 black actors to begin with...the actual math formula yieled equal number of bad and good actors..
Why people defend Kanthony harder...or wanted Simone Ashley to be promoted as much as Polin is because (lets go with my Math analogy again) all things being the same) unless Nicola and Luke are really bad actors compared to Simone Ashley, theyll still have it easier in acting...they simply will. they wont have to change their confusingly, long foreign sounding name, they wont have to work at assimilation in other ways, lets say they were muslim they wouldnt have been trying hard to sell themselves as Im just as liberal as you, im not a threat. And I love Luke Newton and Nicola Coughland-both seem like throughly, likable, personable, kind hearted beans..
Now my own experience. I have stated in an earlier post on this sub that I'm a Shonda Rhimes fan...because I have personally benefitted from the diversity she has included so naturally, so elegantly in all her shows. My own ideas of beauty, have been tested and transformed. In fact I know exactly the moment it happened...watching Christina Yang as a 14 year old...and thinking god meredith is so beautiful and I want to see more of HER and Izzie but then seeing christina again and again and again over each episode over hundreds of hours of binging, school, college, masters, big move outside India, my own constant this show..my brain was soft mushy and impressionable and christina yang, korean Sandra Oh became suddenly but actually slowly and then all at once became beautiful to me...I dont know when it happened but like the book Colin telling Penelope I dont know when or how and why others dont see it but you ARE beautiful in the book carriage scene. I found her hot, I found her cool. I cared to learn more about her Korean mother and her Jewish father and it didnt matter that the show never covered that culture..Christina was atheist and could handle her shit..even around racists.. But I still wanted to learn more about HER..a woman I simply didnt think was beautiful comparable to meredith and Izzie..me an impressionable 14 year old..just made that turn because of a show.,..a fluffy...not that deep soapy as hell show.
But it was only possible cuz I saw 24 episodes day in day out,...over many many years....for that to happen. I had many more years of falling asleep to dawsons creek joey and dawson, joey and pacey, gilmore girls rory and jess rory and dean rory and logan..i imagined and dreamt of windswept Mr. Darcy...and of course I luckily had my own countrys pop culture cuz I grew up and lived in a country where I was repped plenty eveywhere... So i found bollwood heroes hot and I found White americans or british people hot...my brain simply didnt have a framework for East Asians hot. And I needed to seem them constantly and frequentlyn and in Hot front and center, desirable covetable-their culture, their families all respected, admired again and again and again over many years for that switch to happen.
So why do we fight for our POV faves.. fight hard (some fight really ugly too which....they are not my people ( as in I dont know them) so sorry for that)....because we know how much more repping they need...we know how much MORE MORE MORE important it is to see POC culture done right...because it simply is not accessible,...cannot be to people outside..
K POP is making waves super..., people love themselves some MANGA and kimchi...so good and progress...but a lot of countries pop culture is in the native tongue...people outside of it cannot access it...in the same way one would English language content-books, podcasts, news, films, shows etc etc. And hollywood does our culture wrong, played up for laughs, stinky curry, stinky indians, scamming Indians, uncivilized heathens, oh so funny that Sofia Vergara and her funny accent (The Ellen Show), niche shows that dont become popular behemoths because it stars all ethnic casts-Fresh Off the Boat.
You simply will not understand how brilliant and gorgeous my country's embroideries, temple art, clothing and fashion, actors and sculptors, museums and writing and authors are...not because YOU are racist..but because you dont speak-my language and my culture isnt dominant or wide spread enough-insert again-my above explanation of colonialism and dominant and suppressed cultures. History made one culture the most widespread...again not because white people = bad and racist...brown and black people = good and not racist and benevolent..but because some people simply were the victors...for centuries...plural.
We want to fight harder for Rege and defend him leaving the show (im not even black but when you live outside of your home country, all POC seem like a united underrepresented group and you find kinship everywhere) because any potential cancellation or quote unquote unlikeability and hes difficult accusations would hurt him far far more than Nicola Coughlan, Luke Thompson, Newton, Phoebe etc. for the same "crimes" And there just arent enough of us to begin with to lose even one. For what is quite honestly a mid Netflix show with seeds of promise but a lack of ambition.

“Most people tell you they want to get out of kindergarten, but don’t believe them. Don’t believe them! All they want you to do is to mend their broken toys. "Give me back my wife. Give me back my job. Give me back my money. Give me back my reputation, my success." This is what they want; they want their toys replaced. That’s all. Even the best psychologist will tell you that, that people don’t really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful.
Waking up is unpleasant, you know. You are nice and comfortable in bed.”

• Anthony De Mello

Waking up isn’t easy. It is the most difficult journey that you, pure awareness, will ever embark on. Why? Because it is a complete and utter surrender of everything you internally cherish. It is a death to the false sense of self. It is a death to the belief in the reality of matter. It is the chopping down of the tree of good and evil 🌳. Let me explain.
You see? Maya is a trickster. A hypnotic master. We all come here and we write about the bad things that Maya projects in our mind. We rave against poverty, racism, hunger, judging others, and other evils.
But while it’s easy to rave against the bad parts of the great illusion called Maya. We forget that Maya also dangles the carrot 🥕 of good illusions. Maya is a tree of good and evil. It also promises you shiny toys. Maya says….

• Wake up and money will no longer be an issue
• Wake up and then you can easily attract the love of your life.
• Wake up and then you can meet some lifelong friends that will understand you and care for you.

See that’s the trick of Maya. It dangles both good and evil. It gives you something that it internally labels as good, then as you become attached to it….it pulls the rug from under you and takes it away.
If it doesn’t take it away, just a simple threat of it being taken away keeps you trapped in the game. That’s what anxiety is - Maya gave you a cherished gift, a cherished idea, a cherished position…Then all of a sudden, Maya threatens this cherished gift and now you are anxious. “I must protect this gift” you think to yourself….completely disregarding the fact that the gift in itself was an illusion the whole time.
That is why my writings is for the advanced surrenderer, those who are ready to chop down the tree of good and evil to reveal the tree of life 🕉️. If you are still in this to get some sort of baubles, trinkets, or other “good” carrots that Maya dangles; then please discard anything that I write about. If you’re ready to leave the Matrix, to leave Maya, then continue reading because…..

• Until you can firmly say to the guy offering you a billion dollars that he can keep his money and that you’re perfectly ok with the present moment.
  
• Until you can tell the hot woman, not today I think I’ll just take a nap.
  
• Until you can tell society. Keep your fame and kudos, they are meaningless anyways.
  
• Until you can tell depression, there’s noone here to be depressed.
  

Then the illusion still has a hold on you. You still believe that Maya can offer you something.
I am not perfect and I too I’m learning to return to Self, to my original nature. But at least for today, I can confidently tell Maya “Nah I’m chill with your gifts. I know your tricks and I will not be hypnotized by them”. Namaste 🪔

1.(ED pt stomach pain) -10pm: normal BMP ~midnight: very hemolyzed bmp but not high enough to hard reject, K from ~4 to like 11 -Call and suggest a redraw, saying the potassium more than doubled. Nurse says it was a good draw. I ask politely if the K sounds like it matches the patient’s current condition🫠.
Nurse: “uhhh hang on” (I hear him asking the doc “hey the bmp 🤦‍♀️ more than doubled do we have to redraw for that?”)
Doc is like excuse me, RN asks what that means, I repeat “potassium”, doc makes him redraw.
~1am: the redraw K is like 2, there’s 3 more critical lows and Na and Cl are elevated. Call and strongly suggest that the specimen may be diluted.
Pissed RN: no I wasted.
Did you stop the line? “No I wasted a whole tube though” (goes and asks someone something, another RN gets on and asks me what part of “the BMP” is he talking about, snorts at my answer and instantly like yep that’s a redraw sorry about him.
~2am: Dunce calls back, says I have to result the last one because pt refused another stick and they took the line out already. Seeing red and pass off to shift sup.

1. ~1am: get a clear top vacutainer with what looks like urine, body fluid chemistries ordered and a label under the first label. We are supposed to aliquot BF’s ourselves, to aliquot tubes, not clear tops. Peel the label and the one under it is urine chemistries. Processing is like yeah that’s weird…

Nurse says she mislabeled it but it’s definitely peritoneal fluid and she relabeled it herself so there’s no way anything got mixed up. Sup (after some back and forth on the phone) says we gotta run it and put a comment explaining the communication. Ran it offline for a urine dipstick for my own edification and it’s consistent with the pt’s previous UA’s so that’s fucking fun.
Most of our nurses are great but Christ.
Edit: I got back from break after typing this and my coverage sent like 7 deltas back to the original analyzers 💀 who hexed me.

( If you've seen this post already it is because this is a correctly flaired repost :) )
Hi everyone, I just saw the new Danny video and I couldn't help but make this post ( I hope no one has done this already ).
In the beginning of the video, Danny comments about them creating the Titanic sequel ( the boat not the movie ) and I just needed to say... They kinda already did.
I'm about to get real nerdy so bear with me for a moment.
In 1914 the people who made the Titanic ( White Star line ) decided to give it one last try and created the RMS Brittanic. The RMS Britannic was the last vessel in the Olympic class of ocean liners which consisted of three sister ships, The RMS Olympic, The RMS Titanic, and The RMS Britannic.
The Britannic began its construction in November 1911 and was finished in February 1914, it weighed about 48 tons ( give or take a bunch ) and costed around 200,000 pounds to build. The original intention was for the ship to be a luxury vessel made for taking some nice ocean vacations, but because of World War One, it never debuted as a cruise instead becoming a hospital ship. One notable thing is that because of the Titanic sinking, the Britannic was forced to take multiple extra safety measures ( like lifeboats ).
The RMS Britannic finally had her maiden voyage in December 1915 when she ( unlike her older sister ) successfully sailed from England ( Liverpool ) to Greece ( Lemnos ) to pick up various casualties. It didn't take long though before disaster struck. In November 1916 after being released from duty and then requisitioned she made her way towards Kea ( an island in Greece ). Some 2 miles away from the island at 8.15 AM on November 21st, an explosion occurred. The damage was extensive and six watertight cabinets flooded. The vessel remained afloat for a while, before listing and letting in water into portholes on the starboard side. In a hurry to get the Britannic as far away as possible from Kea Captain Charles Bartlett ordered full speed, which ended up only making the ship sink faster, but then retaliated by shutting the engines off entirely. And finally after a surprisingly low time of 55 minutes ( whereas the Titanic took 2 hours and 40 minutes) she sank at approximately 9.07 AM. 30 people sadly lost their lives but 1,030 people were saved thanks to the heroic acts of the RMS Scrooge and the RMS Heroic.
Wow what a yap session, anyway I couldn't watch the video in peace before I had my say, hope you enjoyed reading about the wonderful RMS Britannic.

I know lots of people have reported the above on this sub. First 3 weeks I was fine. Now I have neck pain (discomfort I suppose not pain) at the back of my neck every day. Originally came on in the evening, then afternoon now before lunch. Goes away with a couple of paracetamol. Has been like this for 2 weeks.
Has anyone else had similar. Either lasting for 2 weeks or coming and going at certain times?

I know this accounts been inactive for several months, that's related to this post. Recently my brother 18m has become increasingly deranged over my use of prayer beads. It started a year ago when I suffered a nearly fatal accident and while in the coma got a vision for our Lord telling me that I must live. Afterwards I woke up and devoted myself to being Christian in the way christ intended. In this I got really into prayer beads and healing crystals because I still suffer from chronic rib pain as a result of the accident. My brother was, to say the least, unenthusiastic about my conversion especially since he is a firm catholic who thinks I delve too deep into idolatry. I have tried to convince him otherwise and to accept christ onto his heart rather than the gay pope but ever since we had that conversation he's been increasingly malignant. First he took down the healing Rune poster I had placed in our shared bathroom to help me achieve communion with Christ. He says that he didn't but I found its remains in the recycling. Then I discovered my crystals slowly disappearing which has disturbed my sleep and my spiritual well being as I find evil spirits are attracted to me by my faith. The last straw happened yesterday. I had spent the last few months building a naturalist shrine to God in our backyard. He was sabotaging my the whole way, first he broke my clay tablets I was casting while I was inside hiding from the heat. Then he switched the wood I was using for scaffolding which led to the shrine collapsing which fucking sucks. Finally on the day of completion I knew I needed to please the lord with some kind of ceremony. I read from my holy scripts i had written while possessed by the holy spirit. I originally planned to cast a copper statuette of christ (lacking facial features ofc, i hate idolatry which is another sticking point with my brother) however I knew he would probably ruin it in some way so in my passion I turned to our animals. We keep multiple animals, some for eggs, milk, honey etc and others for fun. I grabbed the nearest Rooster which was a black one called Guy Fawkes who was my brothers second favourite (how was I to know? Like seriously who keeps a list?) And then ran to get a kitchen knife. I'll admit I messed it up a bit, the knife I grabbed was one of those serrated ones because I thought it would be better for sawing through the next bone but it just mangled the neck. Worse still it didn't kill it so I tried to bonk it a few times on the head but it refused to shut up so I had to unceremoniously slam it into the outside wall of our house a few times to finally shut it up. Safe to say it was hardly a serene sanctification of the shrine. Anyway my brother discovered the shrine and more importantly Guy Fawkes and had a fucking fit. First he smashed the shrine which a sledgehammer which I thought was a bit mean, the shrine didn't do it. Then he ran into our room and started throwing all my prayer materials, healing crystals and other vital ingredients out the window. I ran in at thar point and we got into a heated argument. He was mad because I killed Guy fawkes, I was pissed he was disrespecting my faith and honestly I was sick and tired of dealing with his shit so I went to the stables and stayed there the night, it's fine my dad knows my fondness for equine companions so he built me a little hut right next to it. He left early today for his sheep shearing job and I found the holy scripts thrown into the wood burner along with the posters, crystals and hand carved figurines. Honestly I just wanna know from you folks if he is being the asshole here?

Hi guys, so for anybody that's read/listened to the Vaults of Terra book series by Chris Wright I wondered if you might be able to help me outnwit one huge question I had (apologies if I actually just missed this somehow).
So, when the Rogue high lords turn to Xenos help for repairing the golden throne on the basis that core components of it are of eldar origin - why do they seek help from the dark eldar rather than craftworld Eldar? Would've made more sense to me to approach the craftworld Eldar than to ask a half-insane race of torturers who thrive exclusively on causing pain and suffering....

Selling cache sets at below mentioned price:
My profile- https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198272324546
steam rep- https://steamrep.com/profiles/76561198272324546
Add me if you are interested(only serious buyers (who have read the whole post and sure about buying))
buyer goes first. Reservation is mandatory and nonrefundable.
accepting dota 2 tradable items and tf2 keys
TI8 cache 1

Hero	Price ( USD)	Quantity
Trail of the Sanguine Spectrum(blood seeker)	15$	2
Pitfall Crusader(Pangolier)	23$	1
Insights of the Sapphire Shroud(Dark seer)	10$	5
Pillar of the Fractured Citadel(Spirit breaker)	12$	3
Forlorn Descent(Undying)	15$	0
The Murid Divine(necrophos)	22$	2
Primer of the Sapper's Guile(techies)	20$	3
Molokau Stalker(venomancer)	15$	4
Morbific Provision(witch doctor)	15$	3
Raptures of the Abyssal Kin(queen of pain)	12$	4
Fate Meridian(invoker)	25$	3
Grasp of the Riven Exile(weaver)	10$	6
Visions of the Lifted Veil(phantom assassin)	35$	1
Endowments of the Lucent Canopy(shadow shaman)	100$	sold out

TI8 cache 2

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Pitmouse Fraternity(meepo)	15$	8
Fires of the Volcanic Guard(Ember spirit)	20$	7
Third Awakening(Dragon knight)	35$	0
Shackles of the Enduring Conscript(AXE)	8$	10
Shimmer of the Anointed(Nyx)	6$	10
Cruelties of the Spiral Bore(Magnus)	45$	sold out
Loaded Prospects(Brew master)	15$	8
Ire of Molten Rebirth(Phoenix)	8$	6
Pattern of the Silken Queen(Brood mother)	8$	11
Dread Ascendance(Doom)	50$	1
The Rat King(Chen)	10$	9
Raiments of the Obsidian Forge(Underlord)	20$	4

TI9 cache 1

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Echoes of the Everblack(Abbadon)	30$	1
Allure of the Faeshade Flower(Dark willow)	25$	1
Paean of the Ink Dragon(Grimstroke)	20$	3
Scorched Amber(Dragon Knight)	30$	2
Priest of the Proudsilver Clan(Chen)	15$	5
The Arts of Mortal Deception(Enigma)	10$	4
Poacher's Bane(Tide hunter)	20$	6
Soul of the Brightshroud(Death prophet)	20$	2
Curse of the Creeping Vine(Undying)	20$	3
Pursuit of the Ember Demons (Husker)	22$	2
Appetites of the Lizard King(Slark)	25$	3
Forbidden Medicine(Dazzle)	20$	3
Riddle of the Hierophant(Oracle)	12$	7
Glimmer of the Sacred Hunt(Drow ranger)	30$	sold out
Adornments of the Jade Emissary(Earth Spirit)	25$	1
Defender of Ruin(Disrupter)	25$	8

TI9 cache 2

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Sight of the Kha-Ren Faithful(Drow ranger)	15$	21
Tribal Pathways(Warlock)	10$	26
Directive of the Sunbound(Clockwork)	10$	23
Souls Tyrant(Shadow fiend)	40$	4
Endless Night(Abbadon)	25$	8
Dapper Disguise(Pudge)	18$	16
Prized Acquisitions(Bat rider)	6$	29
Verdant Predator(Venomancer)	8$	23
Fury of the Bloodforge(Bloodseeker)	10$	27
Automaton Antiquity(Broodmother)	10$	25
Tales of the Windward Rogue(Pangolier)	30$	5
Grim Destiny(Wraith king)	20$	21
Distinguished Expeditionary(Tusker)	12$	26
Fowl Omen(Necrophos)	18$	21
Cinder Sensei(Ember Spirit))	80$	4

TI10 cache 1

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Origin of the Dark Oath(Night stalker)	28$	22
Ravenous Abyss (Underlord)	15$	34
Apocalypse Unbound(Ancient appartion)	10$	36
Beholden of the Banished Ones(Warlock)	15$	5
Fury of the Righteous Storm(Disrupter)	10$	36
Lineage of the Stormlords(Juggernaut)	35$	16
Silent Slayer(Silencer)	20$	32
Mindless Slaughter(Pudge)	15$	37
Heartless Hunt(Bounty hunter)	15$	31
Herald of the Ember Eye(Grim stroke)	15$	27
Fissured Flight(Jakiro)	12$	34
Flashpoint Proselyte(Husker)	20$	34
Glory of the Elderflame(Lina)	25$	26
Signs of the Allfather(Nature's Prophet)	20$	34
Songs of Starfall Glen(Enchantress)	10$	23
Ancient Inheritance(Tiny)	25$	51
Forsworn Legacy(Mars)	40$	26

TI10 cache 2

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Evolution of the Infinite(Enigma)	10$	24
Beast of the Crimson Ring(Bristle Back)	15$	23
Clearcut Cavalier(Timbersaw)	8.5$	27
The King Of Thieves(Keeper of the light)	10$	27
Horror from the Deep(Tidehunter)	20$	22
Ire of the Ancient Gaoler(Arc warden)	40$	1
Talons of the Endless Storm(Chaos Knight)	14$	22
Carousal of the Mystic Masquerade(Rubick)	12$	26
Crown of Calaphas(Shadow demon)	15$	26
Wrath of the Fallen(Doom)	15$	26
Blacksail Cannoneer(Sniper)	13$	26
Secrets of the Celestial(Skywrath mage)	10$	27
Blaze of Oblivion(Phoenix)	8$	26
Master of the Searing Path(Ember spirit)	30$	10
Steward of the Forbidden Chamber(Templer assassin)	30$	30
Claszureme Incursion(Faceless Void)	95$	1

Aghanim's cache sets

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Silverwurm Sacrifice(Dragon Knight)	45$	4
Scales of the Shadow Walker(Phantom lancer)	12$	19
Perception of the First Light(Dawn breaker)	12$	16
Apex Automated(Clockwork)	10$	17
Test of the Basilisk Lord(Razor)	12$	17
Secrets of the Frost Singularity(Ancient appartion)	8.5$	20
Perils of the Red Banks(Chen)	8$	20
The Chained Scribe(Grim stroke)	12$	18
Widow of the Undermount Gloom(Brood mother)	10$	20
Forgotten Fate(Mars)	10$	18
March of the Crackerjack Mage(Rubick)	10$	19
Stranger in the Wandering Isles(Drow ranger)	55$	1
Cosmic Concoctioneers(Alchemist)	7$	19
Days of the Demon(Axe)	25$	7
Blightfall(Abbadon)	8$	21
Pyrexae Polymorph Perfected(Ogre magi)	20$	25
Wrath of the Celestial Sentinel(Chaos Knight)	50$	8

Diretide cache set

Blue Horizons(Marci)	25$	6
Dark Behemoth(Primal beast)	50$	3

2023 cache sets

Hero	Price(USD)	Quantity
Snailfire (SnapFire)	25$	10
Brightfist (Marci)	22$	10
Primeval Abomination(primal beast)	8$	10
Astral Herald(dawn breaker)	15$	10
Spectral Shadow(Abbadon)	5$	10
Taur Rider(alchemist)	5$	10
Crescent Huntress(spectre)	10$	10
Tyrant of the Veil(wraith king)	8.5$	10
Tomo'kan Footsoldier(hood wink)	7$	10
Darkwood Eulogy(death prophet)	5$	10
Sea Spirit(kunkka)	12$	10
Triumph of the Imperatrix(legion commander)	7$	10
Beast of Thunder(storm spirit)	10$	10
Ancestral Heritage(jakiro)	6$	10
Dezun Viper(dazzle)	7.5$	10

Crownfall 2024 treasure
Drow ranger(Ravencloak)=45usd
Weather Effects

Weather	Price
Ash	11$
Aurora	3$
Harvest	3$
Moonbeam	6$
Rain	10$
Spring	5$
Snow	5$
Siroco	3$
Pestilence	2.5$

Buyers go first, add me now if interested for 30 days cooldown, make sure to leave a comment on my profile . 30% reserve amount required at the time of reserving cache sets. fees(depends on your payment method) on you.
If you are buying more than 4 cache sets then u will get addition discount.
WHY YOU SHOULD TRUST ME:
I have more than 1000$ worth of cache sets in my inventory and i have been selling cache sets from past 2 years so why would i scam you for some small amount and you can also check the profile of the people who have given their feedback on my profile . I can also provide you with screenshots of my previous successful trades

EDIT: I found out that kubernetes support CNI networking plugin which enables getting IPs from external DHCP servers. So maybe I'll dig into k8s if it allows more complex network setup. But suggestion are still welcome how to achieve my desired outcome with Docker only.
ORIGINAL CONTENT:
I'm transitioning services from LXCs and VMs to Docker (because of ease of deployment and migration), and I've encountered some security challenges due to the multiple VLANs in my environment. I have about 20 VLANs.
Using bridge networks in Docker is quite secure, as each container is isolated. However, I prefer to filter my services through my main firewall and with Suricata. Suricata operates based on IP addresses, so if one container gets infected and starts DDoSing the outside world, Suricata will block that host. Because containers in bridge mode share the same host IP, Suricata will block all containers, making all services unavailable.
To mitigate this, I considered using Macvlan networks. The problem is that Docker does not support external DHCP, meaning I have to assign static IPs to each container. Additionally, I must assign static IPs in my firewall (as dummy entries to track consumed IPs), which means double the work. There were some Docker plugins to enable external DHCP functionality for containers, but they are no longer maintained.
Besides the pain of assigning manual IPs, containers on the same VLAN will be able to communicate with each other, which is not acceptable for some containers. In a VM and LXC environment, I always deployed firewalls to each machine, but Docker doesn't have that option, so all containers in the same Layer 2 domain can communicate freely.
Here's what I want to achieve:

• Each container has it's own IP via external DCHP.
• Each container on the same VLAN can be isolated from other containers on the same VLAN without building custom Docker images with firewalls included (this one is hard one, just based on the layer 2 principles of networking). Private VLANs or Cisco TrustSec could be used as the last resort, but I would rather user Docker solution, if there is any.

My current, not finished solutions are, to create a virtual machine for each VLAN. Then, run containers on these VMs, depending to which VLAN I'd like to assign container. Second option is to create a single VM and run multiple VLANs on it. The pros of second option is less overhead, because you need only one VM, so less resources are needed, the con is less isolation. If one container is compromised, it can possibly access containers on other VLANs, because they are hosted on the same host. This solutions are not perfect, and far from what I want.

Aspect	Docker Bridge	Docker Macvlan	VM or LXC
IP Management	Shares host IP	Each container has its own IP	Each machine has its own IP
External DHCP	Not applicable	Not supported	Supported
Isolation	Good container isolation	Good container isolation, but containers on the same VLAN can communicate	Good isolation with firewall capabilities
Security (IPS)	If one container is compromised, the whole host IP is blocked by IPS	Each container can be identified and blocked individually by IPS	Each machine can be identified and blocked individually by IPS
Traffic Filtering	Traffic filtering is challenging	Difficult to filter traffic between containers on the same VLAN	Traffic can be filtered using firewalls between machines
Operational Overhead	Simple IP management	Requires manual IP assignment and tracking	Standard DHCP and firewall management

Would love to hear the community's thoughts and suggestions on how to better manage and secure Docker containers in environments with multiple VLANs, because security wise Docker is a pain to manage in a complex network environments. Make me love Docker.