Huron game farm lemon hatch stag straight comb
guys i can’t stop playing
2024.06.01 11:55 camxsinger guys i can’t stop playing
yall idk why im obsessed all the sudden i’ve had the damn game since 2010 but i’ve been playing for like 24 hours straight 💀 catch me in the catacombs farming abandon house rn
UPDATE: if you read the last update no you didn’t 🤫
submitted by camxsinger to Wizard101 [link] [comments]
UPDATE: if you read the last update no you didn’t 🤫
2024.06.01 11:07 Harry_is_white_hot The USS Curtiss USO incident: that time the U.S. Navy ship delivering the hydrogen bomb for the Castle Bravo test was shadowed by an Unidentified Submarine Object in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
 | Inspired by Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet’s (Ret.) recent discussions on USOs, I thought I would relate the following. Just over 70 years ago, an interesting incident occurred on board the USS Curtis – the U.S. Navy vessel tasked with delivery of the Shrimp device to the Pacific Proving Ground in 1954 for the notorious Castle Bravo nuclear weapons test. This particular test, which scientists from Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore laboratories had calculated to have a yield of 4,8 megatons actually went far above this calculation to achieve nearly 16 megatons of TNT equivalent yield. This miscalculation exposed many U.S. military personnel to dangerous levels of radiation and, more importantly, post traumatic stress disorder from being exposed to the close-range effects of such a large blast. Was the USO incident related to the yield miscalculation event? submitted by Harry_is_white_hot to UFOB [link] [comments] USS Curtiss (AV-4) The Curtiss class were the first seaplane tenders built from the keel up for the US Navy, the previous tenders had been converted from cargo ships. They were designed to provide command facilities for forward operating long-range patrol seaplane squadrons. To accomplish this, they were heavily armed with four 5-inch (130 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose guns, and contained repair and maintenance facilities, along with supplies for operating in forward areas for many months. The ships had a large seaplane deck located at the stern with the maintenance shops located in the superstructure just forward of it. They were built with three large cranes, one located at the starboard extreme of the stern, the second was at the aft of the superstructure on the port side, with the remaining crane located midship on the starboard side. The starboard crane at midship was removed from both ships during WWII and replaced with a 20-millimeter (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannon gun tub. Two of the 5-in guns were staggered on opposite sides of the rear superstructure, with the remaining two in a superfiring configuration at the bow of the ships. From 23 February to 13 June 1951, Curtiss served as flagship for "Operation Greenhouse" and was the base for civilian and military technicians during the atomic tests at Eniwetok. She also provided meteorological information and operated a boat pool. Curtiss served at San Diego, in local operations until 29 September 1952, when she again sailed to Eniwetok, as flagship during the atomic tests of "Operation Ivy", during which the first hydrogen bomb was detonated. Returning to San Diego, on 4 December, she cruised the west coast, and visited Acapulco, Mexico, in 1953. From 10 January to 28 May 1954, she participated in "Operation Castle". Rather than write about the USO event, I will post verbatim the eyewitness accounts of two U.S. Marines onboard the USS Curtiss – Robert Mackenzie and G. Nicholas Stuparich. First, a little background from Mackenzie and Stuparich regarding their duties on the Curtiss: Mackenzie: So all the guys that got a clearance, we went as a group on the Curtiss. Now we knew where it was going but we really didn’t know what we were going to do. Interviewer : OK, so after the fact, at some point you know that you’ve gotten a clearance. Mackenzie: We didn’t know that until we were already halfway on the cruise. And the way we found out is that some of the men were called in and they were told they didn’t get a Queen Clearance. They got top secret but they didn’t get Queen. And it was no fault of theirs, Mary. Some of them, if they had one relative that was born in another country and something, they just couldn’t get one. Interviewer: Correct. Correct. So “Q” stands for “Queen.” Yes. Or is “Queen” something you make from “Q”? I wonder. I’ve never— Mackenzie: Well, “Q” must be “Queen,” I guess. Yes. It must be. Interviewer: You guys said “Queen,” though, when you said clearance. Mackenzie: Yes. Yes. And it’s a Queen Clearance, yes. And they’re still around, I understand. . Mackenzie: And I tell you why, is that when I went aboard ship, they made me an orderly, which was a great honor. And so I was the admiral’s orderly, and before that I was the captain’s orderly. In fact, by the time I was aboard the Curtiss for eighteen months, I worked as an orderly for three admirals and two ship’s captains and the executive officer, which was a great background for a young man. And I have the highest regard for naval officers. I watched them talk to their men, I watched them talk to their fellow officers, I saw how they solved problems, and just what a great example for a young man, to be around people of that caliber. It was wonderful. Interviewer: Let me ask you a question here because I don’t know that much about the armed forces. The Curtiss is obviously a Navy ship. Mackenzie: Yes. Interviewer: And you’re a Marine serving on it. Is that common? Mackenzie: No. It’s only in capital ships, normally, which would be battleships— Interviewer: “Capital ships.” Mackenzie: Capital ships, which would be—the terminology has changed today, Mary, but in my day it was battleships, cruisers, heavy cruisers, light cruisers, aircraft carriers, would have Marine detachments. Now originally the Marine detachments were almost the police force of the ship. And they were called MAs, which would be Master-of-Arms. Very unpopular with the Navy. And the brig is, of course, run by the Marines. But on our ship, we didn’t have those duties, not on the Curtiss. The Curtiss, we were a special force with top secret clearances. People only didn’t talk to us because they would say, Hey, you don’t talk to those guys. It was that kind of thing. So anyway, but we ended up being very close with the Navy, but our duties, we didn’t talk to each other about our duties. Stuparich: So, I remember signing the clearance papers and they didn’t tell us what we were going to do or where we were going. We went aboard ship as supposedly just a Marine detachment, but then it ended up being as nuclear security. We were well briefed and well trained on what our jobs were aboard ship. I did security with the devices, once they were delivered to the vessel. We did perimeter security when the devices were being delivered, which meant we were out on the pier and out in the area when the trucks arrived, delivering units. Once the canisters were brought aboard, then we were assigned to security aboard the ship, which meant working in the hole. In other words, the devices were put in a particular compartment. We were responsible for the security of that department, the corridor that led to it, and I can’t remember if we were reading the temperature. We had to take a reading, I believe, once an hour and record it. I do not remember whether it was temperature or radiation, but it had to be recorded; I remember that if there was something wrong, and I don’t know the standard, but if it went over that standard or under that standard, we had to notify the science officer, who was also the engineering officer. That was Commander Hart, I believe. Interviewer: Now, let me back up just a tiny bit with the security piece. So there’s a point at which you’re informed, I assume after you’re cleared, of what your mission actually is? Stuparich: Correct. Interviewer: Give me a sense of how much detail they give you there, and how much that is connected to what you already might know about nuclear weapons. Stuparich: That’s a little bit confusing because I know so much more now than I did then. I do not believe they gave us that much information. They definitely didn’t give us a detailed description of our duties, other than that what we were doing was actually guarding a nuclear device, and that’s all they would say. We and I think about a half-a-dozen sailors were the only ones that actually saw the canisters being brought aboard. There were not very many people. That was secured. The whole aft deck was secured when that occurred. Interviewer: And how many of there were you, when you say “we”? Stuparich: There were probably six Marines on the dock, one or two on the trucks, then I think there were a couple in the different corridors—what they did was they dogged the hatches so people couldn’t come in when we were loading this particular material. Then it went down into the hole and then there was a special rack because the canisters had to be triced up in these racks. I can’t remember whether there was—I think there were six to a rack. And they were triced up like you would trice up nitroglycerine, you know, with like Bungee cords but I think they were springs. Interviewer: Say that word again. I don’t know that word “trice.” Stuparich: Tricing means to tie, and what it does is it keeps something in balance so that if it’s hanging, it’s free-hanging, but it’s in a rack, and this keeps the canister in line, and it’s called trice, you trice it up. Interviewer: “Trice it up.” I see. Stuparich: We didn’t do that. That was done by their people. Stuparich: We embarked out of San Diego, went up to San Francisco. That’s it. We went to San Francisco, went to Hunters Point for something, some sort of refurbishing. Then from Hunters Point we went over to Port Chicago, picked up our merchandise, if you will, and then when we were through with that, when we pulled out, we went down and then into the bay. At that time we picked up some escorts, and then we went under the Golden Gate Bridge, at which time the Secret Service or FBI, whoever they were, had the bridge closed, and they were waving at us as we went underneath. Interviewer: Wow, they closed the bridge. Stuparich: They closed the Golden Gate Bridge. It was kind of cool because being from the Bay Area I kind of remembered that. I think I was aft at the time and I was looking up and yeah, sure enough, they did. And that was kind of interesting. So then we headed out to the Pacific. I think we refueled and resupplied once or twice, a ship came alongside, I think they came out of Hawaii. They used the high line and brought the stuff across, and then they brought the refueler up and then they refueled us. And that’s why they call us the Ghost Ship, because almost everything that we did, the replenishing and the refueling, was all done at sea. Now, the USO incident – which many people denied having happened. The "Russian sub" somehow penetrated the flotilla protecting the Curtiss and was completely undetected until it appeared underneath the Curtiss. This event occurred a full 6 years before the Soviet's first nuclear submarine set sail - so for a diesel powered submarine in the middle of the Pacific without logistic support this feat would have been incredibly difficult to accomplish. Stuparich Account: Stuparich : The other thing that really upset me was the submarine. Interviewer: Yes, talk to me about that a little bit. Stuparich : Well, Robert Mackenzie was the admiral’s orderly that night, and I was the orderly on the next deck down, and my job was to protect the crypto room which was, if you were looking down the hall, was to the left, and then the CIC which was straight ahead. Interviewer: CIC is? Stuparich : Is Central Intelligence Control or something like that. It’s an area where they plot everything. [Note: on board U.S. Navy ships, the CIC is the Combat Information Center] Anyway, I was standing there and all of a sudden Commander Hart came running around the corner and said, “Come with me”, with that I was on alert. So we went into CIC and then there was—I stood at the door. He said, “Block the door”, and I blocked the door. And it was one of those combination doors in those days. And I saw him talking with an officer, with the officer in command of the CIC at the time, or duty officer, I guess is what you call him, and then they were really—I could tell they were really stressed about something. Then a chief electronics mate had taken the young man off of the board and they were looking at the board and plotting on the board something, and he got on the phone to the bridge. I immediately felt the ship changing course, and we immediately started into a zigzag situation. And then I could tell, this man was stressed, and I’d never seen him stressed like that before. This way, that way. Everything was very staccato. So went back up to the bridge and Mackenzie and the Admiral were already there. And as a young man, you’re looking at their body language and their facial features and we knew that there was something wrong. Well then, I heard the conversation, and they wanted to know, in profanity, how the son-of-a-b*tch got there. How did it get there? How did it get through the perimeter? So then they were communicating with the vessels that were on the perimeter, there were destroyers out there and everything else, and they couldn’t figure it out. Admiral Wellings said, I believe that’s he’s probably been sitting here waiting for us. He probably plotted our course and just dropped to the bottom and waited till we came by, and then he came up underneath us. And he just followed us, and it was just a Russian sub, is what we anticipated. And they figured that they knew it was a Russian sub. Yeah. And it did. It stayed with us. And then what really became scary is that I remember the admiral telling the captain, We don’t have to worry if he’s directly under us. If he drops back into firing range, then we have to worry. By then, the other ships were doing crisscrosses in front and in back of us. These are the little destroyers. And sure enough, he did, he dropped back, I don’t know how far, I remember they had it plotted, and he was within firing range. And so then I just, I don’t know, something really bothered me and really happened to me mentally, because I just said [to myself], this whole thing’s over now, we’re through, we’re done with. And I guess I kind of convinced myself that that was going to happen. Interviewer: And this is prior to arriving in the Pacific. Stuparich: Yeah, we were on our way. Interviewer: So, just to get a sense of it, you’re well aware of what you’ve got on board? Stuparich : Oh yeah, because I’d already been down in the hole and they’d told us what it was. Yeah, and then you’ve got a— Got this sub, and believe it or not, not very many people knew about it. I mean surprisingly, people were telling Bob [Robert W. Mackenzie] he was crazy. You don’t know what you’re talking about. There was no submarine. Well, I know there was. And when I mentioned it to Bob last year he said, Thank God somebody else knows. And what we’re trying to do is find a third Marine who was on the bridge, but there may not have been a Marine on the bridge. Mackenzie account: Interviewer: So explain to me how much you knew about the mission or what you thought or what’s that like? Mackenzie : We didn’t know anything about it, frankly. You know, I realized that it was more than just a mission. Now by that time, Mary, the Korean War was over with. We were steaming out in ’54? Yes, January of ’54 is when we left San Diego. And Korea had been over for about six months, but the Cold War was extremely hot then. And when I first realized that there was more going on than we realized is when we had full wartime conditions on the ship. And I’d thought, Well, what are we doing here? The ship’s all blacked out at night. We’ve got all these red lights on you see in the movies, like those submarine movies, everybody running and all those red lights on at night. And heavy, heavy drapes in front of every hatch. And you don’t go outside, or as they say, out on the decks without closing that, and then you open the hatch and a red light comes on, then you close the hatch. And they were conscious of sound, of lights. And I said, What’s going on here? You know. And so when I really realized there was more going on is when I was on orderly duty for the admiral. And I was on duty and on duty and on duty and I just couldn’t stand up anymore. So I called somebody in the Marine detachment and said, Well, when is my relief going to be here? It was real late at night, it was like eleven or twelve o’clock, I’d gone on that morning at 6:30, and I’d been standing all day long. That’s what you do. And I just got so I couldn’t stand anymore. So I called down and I was told that the admiral only wanted me and there would be no relief, So just stick it out, Mackenzie. I wasn’t real happy about that. But anyway, so—and I’ll put this right on tape—so a Marine never sits down on duty, but I did. I couldn’t stand up anymore. So I found a chair in an empty officer’s stateroom and I wedged that chair in a real narrow hallway that went into the admiral’s quarters, and I put my feet against the bulkhead and I rocked back and I just kind of rocked with the ship. At least I was off my feet, and I figured nobody could get by me. So I guess, I don’t know if I dozed off or what, but all I know is this sailor was shaking my arm. It was about 2:30, three o’clock in the morning. And he says, “Wake up the admiral! Wake up the admiral!” And I said,”Well, who are you? What do you mean, wake up the admiral? It’s three o’clock in the morning.” [And he said], “Oh, they want him on the bridge right now”. And I said, “Who wants him on the bridge?” [And he said], “Well, the officers, blah, blah, and all that”. I said, “Well, what is your name?” And he gave me his name, and I said, “What’s the officer’s name?” I really realized we were very, very conscious and were trained to be suspicious of everything. I don’t know who this guy is. He wants to go in and see the admiral? That’s my job. Nobody goes in to see the admiral. And so anyway I said, “Well, I’ll go wake up the admiral and you go back and report to the bridge, and I’m sure the admiral will be right there”. I didn’t want him to go in with me. And so anyway, he left. So now I’m saying, How do you wake up an admiral? You know. I wanted to do it maybe like I was back in back in boot camp and scream, say, “Hit the deck”! I says, well, no, I didn’t want to go to the brig, so I didn’t do that. So anyway I said, Well, how do you wake up an admiral? So anyway, I woke him up. And I remember he said, “What is it, Mackenzie?” And he was startled. And I said, “Sir, the admiral’s presence is requested on the bridge immediately”. You don’t want to say “immediately” to an admiral, but I did. Anyway, he looked at me, and he had a phone right next to his bunk. And I always wondered, if he had phone, why didn’t they just call him? I don’t know. You know, you would wonder. And so anyway, he picked up his phone. And like I said, the respect from the naval officers, they’re just really something, Mary, they really are. And so he went up on the deck with his blue terrycloth bathrobe on. Interviewer: He picks up the phone and confirms? Mackenzie: Right. And then he puts on his blue bathrobe— He doesn’t even get dressed. Oh no. They want him right now [sound of fingers snapping]. So I thought, Whoo, something’s going on. So I go up there, and it was like an old World War II movie. At my age, I grew up with those World War II movies, you know. And on the bridge, all the lights are out because we’re running at wartime conditions at night, and you can just see the shadows, you know, and those were from the glowing of the instruments and the people moving around the bridge and all that. And right away, the officer in charge of the bridge came up, and everybody was whispering. I thought, What is all this whispering about? You know. And he was talking to the admiral. And that’s part of the job of being an orderly. You’re there but you don’t get too close because if you do— Interviewer: You’ll hear? Mackenzie: You don’t want to hear. And the admirals will let you know, and so will the captains. If you’re a little too close to them, they’ll give you one of those, turn their head around, you kind of back up. You realize you’re a little too close. They want to be guarded. They don’t want anybody to get them. That’s your job is to protect them, help them in any way you can, so forth. But anyway, and you’ll kind of back up. But I wanted to hear what was going on, you know. So then all I heard was “submarine.” I thought, Well, so what? You know. But anyway, it turns out that we were being shadowed by a Russian sub. Interviewer: For real? Mackenzie: For real. And the sub was directly under us [slaps hands together] like this. And they picked it up. Because I thought, well, how did it get through our screen? We were in a complete convoy, and we had carriers, we had destroyers, we had everything. And I thought, How did this guy get through all that? And they tell me what they do is they know where you’re going. They just sit down at the bottom and wait till you get there and just [slapping hands together] pop up. They don’t have to go through any screens. And I said, Oh. Interviewer: Oh. So they know from – Mackenzie: Sure, they know. Yes. They probably knew, with all the spies and all that. But anyway, the admiral asked several questions, and I guess before, he asked them if they had contact with somebody. And they said,”No, sir, we thought we’d wait for the admiral”, and all that. And he said, “Well, you should’ve. Did you contact anybody to tell them what the situation was? How have you tried to contact the sub?” Evidently they have an international language they use. Then of course they used Russian and they used everything, and no response. And so I always was kidding Kari because this was dramatic, you know. I always said, Whooo, thirty seconds from World War III. Well, that’s the way you think of it later, but it’s very true. But the thing that I still remember today is when the admiral walked on the bridge, you get almost like this, your daddy had come home to save you or something. That man had a presence about him. He wasn’t tall in stature. And his name was [RADM H.C.] Bruton. I’m sure he’s gone now. But he walked on that bridge and all of a sudden, you could just—everybody, like, The admiral’s here, we’re going to be all right. You know. And you could feel that. And he asked just a few questions. And the sub, and they were waiting for the reply to come back, Do we take action? Do we take evasive action? Now it’s pretty hard to blow up a submarine when it’s right under you. What do you do, when you think about it? How do you get a sub from under us? But we had submarines with us, too, our subs. And so it came back, they were waiting for the reply to come back, and I thought, My God, this is more serious than I realized. You know, it was kind of like a game until then, you know, it was just wartime conditions. I mean we didn’t think anything about this kind of stuff. And so we knew security was extremely tight. Only certain people could go by us, then go into certain compartments, and I’ll tell you about that in a minute. But anyway, back to the sub. And so it broke away. And you know you say “broke away,” where’d it go? It just broke away. And the admiral, they said—sonar reported or whatever and said, The sub has broken away. They must’ve known how many seconds they had. Later I saw a Tom Clancy movie about that, where they were checking and there were seconds and all, and I said, My golly, I saw the same thing in 1954, except for real, you know. So they said it broke away, and the admiral just calm as could be and he says, Carry on, men, you did a good job. If you need me, call, and he went back and went to bed. And I said [to myself], My gosh, it was almost—it was like nothing to him. He was so in command, just knew what he was doing, asked the right questions, congratulated everybody for the job they did, and went back to bed. Now I’m wide awake. I didn’t sit down anymore for the rest of the night. But I never told any of the guys about it. I just told that guy, one of our fellow Marines, November the tenth. It was the Marine Corps birthday. We all got together here at Dana Point. And I told him the submarine story and he says, “What submarine?” I said, “The submarine”. He said,” Well, I didn’t know anything about any submarine.” And I remembered, I’d thought about it, “Well, why should I worry the guys?” And not only that, if something happened when I was on orderly duty, you don’t pass that around the ship. That’s a confidence between you and the admiral. And so I didn’t pass it on. Interviewer: I have a couple of questions about this. You’re aware in real time, then, that it is a submarine. Mackenzie: Absolutely. Because you’re hearing the conversation. Interviewer: Right. It makes me wonder, as I’m listening to the story, if they had you on duty for all this time, would there have been some knowledge of some kind of danger, that they didn’t let you leave orderly duty? Do you make a connection between the fact that the sub was there and the fact that you had to be on duty for so long? That makes you wonder. Mackenzie: Well, I don’t know. It does, Mary. I never thought about it that way. I don’t think so. I just really think the reason I was left on duty so long is that we were new at our jobs, and they just didn’t realize that when you’re on orderly duty, you’re attached [slapping hands together], you know, at the hip. And not only that, is the admiral doesn’t want to walk out and say, What’s your name? You know, he wants somebody that he can trust and could read him before he says it. I could tell what he wanted. He was looking around and so I call somebody and say, Hey, the skipper’s out of coffee. You better get some in there. See? So you’re his confidant. He’ll say, Well, how are the men thinking? Because he’s some concerned about the morale, or whatever. So you’re his sounding board. Every admiral’s different. Some really use their orderlies. I’ve had admirals when I reported, they’d say, “Well, I’m a little low on cigars, Mackenzie. Why don’t you go down and get me cigars?” Well, I don’t say, ”What kind do you smoke?” So I’d go down and ask the guy to open up the place where you buy the cigars, what’d we call that? Commissary, I think. And they used to question it. And they’d just say, “Well, you sure these are the kind of cigars you smoke, Mackenzie?” And I said, “These are for the skipper.” And he said, “I don’t think so”. And I said, “Really? Why don’t you call and ask him?” [And he’d say], “Oh, OK”. And so that kind of a thing. So, interesting. But anyway, I never did pass that submarine story on to the troops. Interviewer: That’s so interesting. That’s interesting. Mackenzie: And so then, now, as time goes by, Mary, as I watch the History Channel and Discovery Times Channel, all these things are coming back to me. And our main concern was frogmen. We were very afraid of frogmen. And so we figured if they came aboard the ship, how they’d come aboard the ship, what we would do, you know, if one did come on. But I never thought about mines or bombs attached to the ship, and now I think about it. Can you imagine if they could’ve got to our ship, and we had people on their like [J. Robert] Oppenheimer and had all those scientists on there? We had fifty-eight scientists on the ship. We had all the bombs on the ship. I mean what a coup that’d meant for the Russians if our ship accidentally sunk, hit a reef or something, or something went off. You know, you can just see it all right now. It’d be another Cold War incident. Interviewer: But you don’t know that you’re carrying bombs at this point, or do you? Mackenzie: Yes, we did. We knew we were carrying pieces of the bombs. Interviewer: You did. Mackenzie: Yes. Yes. Because security was so tight, it had to be something like that, when only the admiral and two or three people could go in there. And then we timed them, how long they were in, who they were with, they signed in, they signed out. They had a badge with their photograph on it. The badges were made by, at that time, the Atomic Energy Commission [AEC], and they were watermarked with all the same intensity and security as our money. And the admiral would have his picture on there. And I didn’t just look on his shirt. I had to take it off his shirt, which you don’t like to touch an admiral or a captain. It’s just this—you’ve got that—this little [feeling] like, “Hi, God”- that feeling. And you’d take off his badge like that and hold it up right next to his face, make sure you got a really good look at it, and you’d flip it over and check the watermarks, check the number on it. And when I was on, I’d have a check-off list, and his name better be on there. In fact, our own commanding officer forgot to put his name on there and our guys wouldn’t let him in the post. He said, ”What do you mean?” They said, “You’re not on the list, sir.” [And he said], “Well, you know who I am. I’m Captain [James] Brannaman, your commanding officer.” [They] say, “Sir, we been instructed, if your name isn’t on the list, you don’t get on this post”. And the guys loved doing it to him. He wasn’t real happy but. Interviewer: Oh, I’m sure. Who was this captain again? Mackenzie: Captain Brannaman. He’s still alive. Stanford graduate. Super sharp guy. About six-five or so, something like that. Nice man. Interviewer: I’m not well-versed in military things. Is it usual for an admiral to be on the ship? Mackenzie: No. Now the admiral on any operation, the admiral has what he calls his flagship, and he can change his flag when he wants. The Curtiss was an unusual ship, Mary, because it was designed as a seaplane tender, 1939, something like that. It was hit at Pearl Harbor, went all the way through World War II, ended up with seven battle stars. Then after that, the Atomic Energy Commission grabbed it and then converted it for all the testing. So the Marine captain isn’t like a Navy captain. What’s confusing to everybody, and it was to me, too, the captain of the ship, the Navy ship, doesn’t have to be a captain. That’s his job title. OK, and now the Marine captain is a captain and he’s in charge of the Marines. Interviewer: So this is the Marine captain you’re talking about. Mackenzie: The Marine captain, right. Interviewer: Got it. Not the captain of the ship. Mackenzie: Not the ship captain—that’s right. The full transcripts of the two interviews can be found here: Interview with Robert William Mackenzie, January 1, 2005 UNLV Special Collections Portal Interview with G. Nicholas Stuparich, Jr., October 18, 2006 UNLV Special Collections Portal |
2024.06.01 10:56 Sweet-Count2557 15 Top Farms in New Jersey for Family Entertainment
 | 15 Top Farms in New Jersey for Family Entertainment Are you hesitant about spending a day at a farm for family entertainment? Well, let me assure you that these top farms in New Jersey are not your typical run-of-the-mill farms. They offer a plethora of activities and attractions that will keep the whole family engaged and entertained.From petting zoos and pick-your-own events to scenic rides and delicious treats, these farms have something for everyone. So, if you're looking for a unique and enjoyable day out with your family, keep reading to discover the 15 top farms in New Jersey that will leave you wanting more.Key TakeawaysAlstede Farms in Chester offers a variety of activities and events for families, including mazes, pony rides, hayrides, and seasonal festivals. They also have a farm store with organic produce and homemade pies.Argos Farms in Forked River provides summer activities like blueberry and sunflower picking, as well as fall activities such as pumpkin picking and corn mazes. They even have a visit from Santa in December.Abmas Farm in Wyckoff has a petting zoo with a wide range of animals, including goats, sheep, alpacas, and donkeys. They also offer fall activities like hayrides and pumpkin decorating events.Demarest Farms in Hillsdale is a kid-friendly farm with pick-your-own options for peaches, apples, and pumpkins. They have farm animals to interact with, colorful playhouses, and special events like the Halloween Light Show and Orchard of Lights with Santa.Alstede Farms - ChesterAt Alstede Farms in Chester, our family-owned and sprawling 600-acre farm offers a wide range of activities and events for all ages to enjoy. As one of the best family-friendly farms near me, we strive to create an atmosphere of freedom and fun. Every day, we've an array of exciting activities available, such as navigating our challenging corn maze, taking a pony ride, going on a hayride, and bouncing around in our bouncy house.But that's not all - we've so much more to offer. Our farm is home to various mazes that will test your navigation skills, as well as friendly animals that you can meet and interact with. From goats and sheep to alpacas and donkeys, there's a furry friend for everyone.Throughout the year, we also host seasonal festivals and special events that add an extra touch of excitement to your visit. And don't forget to stop by our farm store, where you can find organic fruits and veggies, homemade pies bursting with flavor, and fresh, creamy ice cream.Not only are we one of the best farms in South Jersey, but we also prioritize creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for families. We understand that freedom means being able to explore, engage, and enjoy. So whether you're looking for a day of adventure or simply want to relax and take in the beauty of our farm, Alstede Farms is the perfect destination for you.Come and experience the joy and freedom of our family-friendly farm near you.Argos Farms - Forked RiverAfter exploring the wide variety of activities and events at Alstede Farms in Chester, let's now turn our attention to Argos Farms in Forked River, where there's even more family fun awaiting. Argos Farms is one of the most kid-friendly farms near me and offers a range of exciting experiences for visitors of all ages. Located in South Jersey, this farm provides a perfect day out for families looking to enjoy the beauty of nature while having a great time together.During the summer, Argos Farms offers blueberry and sunflower picking, allowing families to get close to nature and take home some delicious treats. Kids can also enjoy an exhilarating obstacle course and jump around on the giant jumper pillow. As fall approaches, the farm transforms into a pumpkin paradise, with pumpkin picking, a challenging corn maze, wagon rides through the scenic surroundings, and even a thrilling zip line adventure.One of the highlights of visiting Argos Farms in December is the special visit from Santa Claus himself. Children can meet Santa, share their wishes, and take memorable photos to cherish. The farm's festive atmosphere creates a magical experience for the whole family.Argos Farms is one of the top farms in South Jersey, offering a wide range of activities and attractions throughout the year. Whether you're looking to pick fresh produce, explore a corn maze, or simply enjoy a day of outdoor fun, this farm has it all. So, if you're in search of granjas en New Jersey that provide a perfect blend of entertainment and nature, be sure to put Argos Farms on your list of must-visit destinations.Abmas Farm - WyckoffLocated in Wyckoff, Abmas Farm is a delightful destination that offers a wide range of family-friendly activities and attractions. As one of the best farms near me, Abmas Farm provides a fantastic experience for both kids and adults alike.One of the highlights of the farm is its petting zoo, which features a variety of friendly animals such as goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, bunnies, and pigs. Visitors can interact with these animals and even take part in the unique goat walk and visit the duck pond in Bunnyville.During the fall season, Abmas Farm offers a variety of fun-filled activities. Families can enjoy hayrides to the pumpkin patch, where they can pick out their favorite pumpkins to take home. The farm also hosts fall story time sessions and pumpkin decorating events, adding to the festive atmosphere. Additionally, Abmas Farm offers a farm camp for kids ages 5-10, providing them with an opportunity to learn about farm life and engage in hands-on activities.Abmas Farm isn't just limited to the fall season. Throughout the growing season, visitors can participate in pick-your-own events, allowing them to gather fresh produce straight from the farm. This provides a unique opportunity to experience the joy of harvesting fruits and vegetables while enjoying the beautiful surroundings.Demarest Farms - HillsdaleAs we continue our exploration of family-friendly farms in New Jersey, let's now turn our attention to Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, where visitors of all ages can enjoy a delightful combination of fresh produce, friendly farm animals, and vibrant seasonal events.Here are four reasons why Demarest Farms should be on your list of farms to visit near you:Fresh Produce: Demarest Farms offers a U-pick experience, allowing you to handpick peaches, apples, and pumpkins straight from the fields. There's nothing quite like the taste of freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, and Demarest Farms ensures that you have access to the best quality produce.Friendly Farm Animals: Get up close and personal with the farm's adorable petting pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. These friendly animals are always eager to interact with visitors, making it a memorable experience for both kids and adults alike. It's a great opportunity to teach children about farm life and the importance of caring for animals.Engaging Activities: Demarest Farms goes beyond just farming by providing colorful wooden playhouses and photo board cutouts for children to enjoy. These interactive elements add an extra layer of fun to the visit, allowing kids to unleash their creativity and imagination. Additionally, the farm hosts seasonal events like the Halloween Light Show in October and the Orchard of Lights with Santa in December, ensuring that there's always something exciting happening.Convenient Location: With Demarest Farms being located in Hillsdale, it's easily accessible for those looking for farms by them. Whether you're a local or just passing through, this farm is a perfect destination for a fun-filled day with the family.Conklin Farm U-Pick - MontvilleWe were thrilled to discover Conklin Farm U-Pick in Montville, a charming and intimate venue that offers a variety of fall activities and attractions for the whole family to enjoy. This smaller and more intimate farm provides a unique and personal experience that allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of the season.One of the highlights at Conklin Farm U-Pick is the pumpkin picking. Families can stroll through the pumpkin patch, searching for the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve. The farm also offers a corn maze, where visitors can test their navigational skills and try to find their way out. For those looking for a more relaxing experience, there are hayrides available that provide a picturesque view of the farm and surrounding countryside.Children will love the train ride that takes them around the farm, giving them a chance to see the barnyard animals up close. From goats and sheep to chickens and pigs, there are plenty of friendly animals to meet and interact with. And when hunger strikes, the snack shack offers delicious treats like hotdogs, hot cider, candy apples, and homemade doughnuts.For older kids seeking a thrill, there's a haunted hayride that promises to provide a spooky and exciting experience. And for those looking to test their strength and accuracy, there's a pumpkin slingshot game where participants have a chance to win a giant pumpkin.Conklin Farm U-Pick in Montville is truly a hidden gem that offers a unique and personal fall experience for the whole family. With its variety of activities and attractions, it's the perfect destination for those seeking a fun and memorable day on the farm.Stony Hill Farms - ChesterAfter enjoying the charming and intimate experience at Conklin Farm U-Pick, families seeking more fall fun can head over to Stony Hill Farms in Chester for a day filled with exciting activities and attractions. Here are four reasons why Stony Hill Farms should be on your list of must-visit farms in New Jersey:Giant 10-acre corn maze: Get ready to test your navigational skills in Stony Hill Farms' impressive corn maze. With twists, turns, and dead ends, this maze is sure to challenge both kids and adults alike. Can you find your way out?Mini corn maze: If the giant corn maze seems a bit too daunting, don't worry! Stony Hill Farms also offers a mini corn maze perfect for younger children. They can explore and have fun while feeling a sense of accomplishment at finding their way out.Rope maze: For something a little different, try out the rope maze at Stony Hill Farms. This unique maze is made up of ropes that you have to navigate through, adding an extra element of fun and excitement to your visit.Hayrides and playground: Take a relaxing hayride around the farm and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Afterward, let the kids burn off some energy at the playground, complete with slides, swings, and climbing structures. It's the perfect way to keep the little ones entertained while you take a break and soak in the peaceful atmosphere.Stony Hill Farms in Chester offers a wide range of activities and attractions that are sure to please everyone in the family. From challenging mazes to relaxing hayrides, there's something for everyone to enjoy. So pack up the family and head over to Stony Hill Farms for a day of fall fun and excitement.Terhune Orchards - PrincetonNestled in the picturesque town of Princeton, Terhune Orchards offers a delightful experience for families seeking fresh produce, fun activities, and a charming farm atmosphere. As you enter the orchard, you're greeted by the sight of vibrant apple trees stretching as far as the eye can see. The farm is home to over 30 varieties of apples, allowing visitors to pick their own and enjoy the freshest fruit imaginable.One of the highlights of Terhune Orchards is the barnyard animals. Children have the opportunity to interact with friendly goats, sheep, chickens, and even ponies. They can pet and feed these adorable creatures while learning about farm life. A half-mile farm walking trail winds through the orchard, providing a serene and scenic experience for the whole family.Terhune Orchards also offers pony and tractor rides, adding an extra element of excitement to your visit. Kids can hop on a pony and take a leisurely ride around the farm or enjoy a tractor-drawn wagon ride through the orchard. These activities allow children to immerse themselves in the farm atmosphere while creating lasting memories.During the fall season, Terhune Orchards hosts Fall Family Weekends, where families can enjoy additional attractions such as a cornstalk and hay bale maze, face painting, and pumpkin decorating. These festive activities make for a perfect day out with the family, filled with laughter and joy.In addition to the engaging activities, Terhune Orchards boasts a farm store that offers a wide selection of fresh produce, homemade pies, and even fresh ice cream. You can take home some of the farm's delicious offerings, ensuring that the fun and flavors of Terhune Orchards continue long after your visit.Terhune Orchards in Princeton truly exemplifies the beauty and charm of a family-friendly farm. From the fresh produce to the fun-filled activities, this farm provides an experience that's sure to delight visitors of all ages. So gather your loved ones and embark on an adventure to Terhune Orchards, where freedom and enjoyment await.Von Thuns - South BrunswickVon Thuns in South Brunswick offers a delightful farm experience filled with pick-your-own options, festive fall weekends, and scenic moonlit mazes. Here are four reasons why you should visit Von Thuns for a fun-filled day with your family:Abundance of Pick-Your-Own Options: At Von Thuns, you can immerse yourself in the joy of picking your own fresh produce. From apples and strawberries to peas, blueberries, blackberries, and pumpkins, there's a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for you to choose from. This hands-on experience allows you to connect with nature and appreciate the journey from farm to table.Festive Fall Weekends: Fall at Von Thuns is a time of celebration and excitement. During the weekends, the farm comes alive with a range of activities for the whole family. Enjoy hayrides through the scenic countryside, navigate your way through the corn maze, challenge your loved ones to a game of mini golf, or pedal around on the karts. There's something for everyone to enjoy and create lasting memories.Scenic Moonlit Mazes: For a unique and enchanting experience, Von Thuns offers moonlit mazes. As the sun sets and the moon rises, explore the twists and turns of the maze under the night sky. The magical ambiance adds a touch of mystique and adventure to your farm visit. Don't forget to bring a flashlight and embrace the thrill of finding your way through the maze.Farm Store Delights: Before you leave, make sure to stop by the farm store at Von Thuns. Indulge in a variety of baked goods made with fresh ingredients from the farm. Take home some delicious produce to enjoy with your family. From pies and bread to jams and jellies, the farm store offers a taste of the farm's bounty that you can savor long after your visit.Von Thuns in South Brunswick is a place where families can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. With pick-your-own options, festive fall weekends, scenic moonlit mazes, and a farm store filled with treats, Von Thuns offers an unforgettable experience for all. So gather your loved ones and embark on a journey of freedom and fun at Von Thuns.Wightman Farms - MorristownWightman Farms in Morristown offers a delightful farm experience with scenic hayrides, a challenging corn maze, and delicious treats for the whole family to enjoy. Whether you're looking for a fun day out or want to indulge in some mouthwatering treats, Wightman Farms has something for everyone.One of the highlights at Wightman Farms is their scenic hayrides. Hop on a wagon and take a leisurely ride through the picturesque farm, enjoying the beautiful scenery and fresh country air. It's a perfect way to relax and soak in the beauty of nature.If you're up for a challenge, don't miss the corn maze at Wightman Farms. Get lost in the twists and turns of the maze as you try to find your way out. It's a great activity for both kids and adults, and it's sure to test your navigation skills.For those with a sweet tooth, Wightman Farms has a wide selection of delicious treats. Indulge in freshly squeezed apple cider, homemade pies, apple butter, and their famous cider doughnuts. These mouthwatering treats are made with love and are sure to satisfy any craving.To give you a better idea of what Wightman Farms has to offer, here's a table showcasing their attractions:AttractionDescriptionScenic HayridesEnjoy a relaxing ride through the farm and take in the beautiful scenery.Corn MazeTest your navigation skills in this challenging corn maze.Corn-Filled SandboxLet the kids have fun in this unique play area filled with corn.Delicious TreatsIndulge in freshly squeezed apple cider, homemade pies, apple butter, and cider doughnuts.Wightman Farms provides a perfect blend of entertainment and delicious treats, making it an ideal destination for a fun-filled day for the whole family. So gather your loved ones and head over to Wightman Farms in Morristown for an unforgettable farm experience.Ort Farms - Long ValleyAfter experiencing the delightful farm activities and delicious treats at Wightman Farms, it's time to explore another family-friendly destination in New Jersey: Ort Farms in Long Valley. Here are four reasons why Ort Farms is a must-visit for families seeking freedom and fun:Fresh Fruit and Vegetables: Ort Farms is known for its high-quality produce. From juicy strawberries in the summer to crisp apples in the fall, there's always a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to choose from. You can even pick your own and experience the joy of harvesting your food straight from the fields.Beautiful Flowers: If you have a green thumb or simply appreciate the beauty of nature, Ort Farms has a stunning selection of flowers. From vibrant sunflowers to fragrant roses, the farm offers a colorful array of blooms to brighten up any garden or living space.Delicious Baked Goods: Indulge your taste buds with the mouthwatering baked goods at Ort Farms. From warm apple pies to fluffy muffins, their bakery is a treat for both the young and the young at heart. Don't forget to try their famous cider doughnuts, freshly made and coated in cinnamon sugar.Giant Pumpkins: Ort Farms is home to some truly enormous pumpkins. Take your family on a quest to find the biggest one and snap some memorable photos. These giant pumpkins are a sight to behold and will surely leave a lasting impression.At Ort Farms, you can enjoy the freedom of exploring the fields, picking your own produce, and indulging in delicious treats. Whether you're looking for fresh fruits and vegetables, beautiful flowers, or an adventure in a corn maze, Ort Farms has something for everyone in the family. So pack your bags and get ready for a day filled with fun and freedom at Ort Farms in Long Valley.Farms With a Variety of Activities and EventsThere are several farms in New Jersey that offer a variety of activities and events for families to enjoy. These farms provide a perfect opportunity for families to spend quality time together while engaging in fun and exciting experiences. Let's take a look at some of these farms and what they have to offer:Farm NameLocationActivities and EventsAlstede FarmsChester- Daily availability of corn maze, pony rides, hayrides, and bouncy house - Various mazes and friendly animals to meet - Seasonal festivals and special events - Farm store with organic fruits and veggies, homemade pies, and fresh ice creamArgos FarmsForked River- Summer activities include blueberry and sunflower picking, obstacle course, and jumper pillow - Fall activities include pumpkin picking, corn maze, wagon rides, and zip line - Visit from Santa in DecemberAbmas FarmWyckoff- Petting zoo with a variety of animals - Fall activities include hayrides to the pumpkin patch, fall story time sessions, and pumpkin decorating events - Farm camp for kids ages 5-10 - Pick-your-own events throughout the growing seasonDemarest FarmsHillsdale- U-pick peaches, apples, and pumpkins - Petting pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens - Colorful wooden playhouses and photo board cutouts - Halloween Light Show in October and Orchard of Lights with Santa in DecemberThese farms offer a wide range of activities and events that cater to different interests and ages. Alstede Farms, located in Chester, provides daily access to a corn maze, pony rides, hayrides, and a bouncy house. They also have various mazes and friendly animals for visitors to meet. Additionally, they host seasonal festivals and special events, making each visit a unique experience. The farm store at Alstede Farms is a great place to find organic fruits and veggies, homemade pies, and fresh ice cream.Argos Farms in Forked River is another farm that offers a variety of activities throughout the year. During the summer, visitors can enjoy blueberry and sunflower picking, an obstacle course, and a jumper pillow. In the fall, the farm provides pumpkin picking, a corn maze, wagon rides, and a zip line. And don't forget to visit Santa in December!Abmas Farm in Wyckoff is a great choice for families looking for a petting zoo experience. This farm has a wide variety of animals, including goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, bunnies, and pigs. Kids can also enjoy activities such as the goat walk, duck pond, and Bunnyville. In the fall, Abmas Farm offers hayrides to the pumpkin patch, fall story time sessions, and pumpkin decorating events. They even have a farm camp for kids ages 5-10, where they can learn about farming and interact with the animals.Farms With Petting Zoos and Pick-Your-Own EventsOne of the highlights of visiting farms in New Jersey is the opportunity to interact with adorable animals and pick your own fresh produce. Here are four farms that offer petting zoos and pick-your-own events:Alstede Farms - ChesterThis 600-acre family-owned farm offers a wide range of activities for the whole family. You can enjoy a corn maze, pony rides, hayrides, and even bounce around in a bouncy house.They've various mazes to explore and friendly animals to meet, making it a fun and interactive experience.Alstede Farms also hosts seasonal festivals and special events throughout the year, so there's always something new to discover.Don't forget to stop by their farm store, where you can find organic fruits and veggies, homemade pies, and fresh ice cream.Argos Farms - Forked RiverDuring the summer months, Argos Farms offers blueberry and sunflower picking, as well as an obstacle course and a jumper pillow for some high-flying fun.In the fall, you can go pumpkin picking, navigate through a corn maze, enjoy wagon rides, and even try out their zip line.And if you visit in December, you might just get a chance to meet Santa himself.Abmas Farm - WyckoffAbmas Farm is home to a petting zoo where you can meet a variety of animals, including goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, bunnies, pigs, and more.They also offer unique attractions like the goat walk and the duck pond, as well as Bunnyville, a special area dedicated to bunnies.In the fall, you can enjoy hayrides to the pumpkin patch, participate in fall story time sessions, and even join pumpkin decorating events.Abmas Farm also offers a farm camp for kids ages 5-10 and hosts pick-your-own events throughout the growing season.Demarest Farms - HillsdaleDemarest Farms is a kid-friendly farm that not only offers fresh produce but also has a variety of farm animals to interact with.You can pick your own peaches, apples, and pumpkins, and while you're there, don't forget to say hello to the petting pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens.The farm also features colorful wooden playhouses and photo board cutouts, perfect for capturing those memorable moments.And if you visit during October or December, be sure to catch their Halloween Light Show and Orchard of Lights with Santa.These farms provide a fantastic opportunity for families to enjoy hands-on experiences with animals and the chance to harvest their own fresh produce. Whether you're looking for a petting zoo or a pick-your-own event, these farms in New Jersey have something for everyone.Farms With Fall Activities and AttractionsAs we enter the autumn season, New Jersey farms transform into vibrant destinations filled with fall activities and attractions that offer fun for the whole family. From pumpkin picking to corn mazes, hayrides to petting zoos, there are plenty of options to choose from. Let's take a look at some of the top farms in New Jersey that offer fall activities and attractions.Farm NameLocationActivities and AttractionsAlstede FarmsChesterDaily availability of corn maze, pony rides, hayrides, and moreArgos FarmsForked RiverPumpkin picking, corn maze, wagon rides, and zip lineAbmas FarmWyckoffPetting zoo, hayrides to the pumpkin patch, pumpkin decoratingDemarest FarmsHillsdaleU-pick peaches, apples, and pumpkins, petting pigs and moreConklin FarmMontvillePumpkin picking, corn maze, train ride, and moreAt Alstede Farms in Chester, families can enjoy a 600-acre farm with daily availability of a corn maze, pony rides, hayrides, and a bouncy house. The farm also offers various mazes and a chance to meet friendly animals. Seasonal festivals and special events add to the excitement, and the farm store is stocked with organic fruits and veggies, homemade pies, and fresh ice cream.Argos Farms in Forked River offers a range of fall activities, including pumpkin picking, a corn maze, wagon rides, and a zip line. In December, Santa even pays a visit to the farm.Abmas Farm in Wyckoff is known for its petting zoo, where visitors can interact with goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, bunnies, pigs, and more. The farm also offers hayrides to the pumpkin patch, fall story time sessions, and pumpkin decorating events.Demarest Farms in Hillsdale is a kid-friendly farm where families can pick their own peaches, apples, and pumpkins. Kids can also enjoy petting pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. Colorful wooden playhouses and photo board cutouts add to the fun, and the farm hosts a Halloween Light Show in October and an Orchard of Lights with Santa in December.Conklin Farm in Montville offers a more intimate venue for fall activities. Families can enjoy pumpkin picking, a corn maze, train ride, barnyard animals, and hayrides. A snack shack with hotdogs, hot cider, candy apples, and homemade doughnuts is available, and older kids can even experience a haunted hayride.These farms are just a few examples of the many destinations in New Jersey that offer fall activities and attractions. So gather your loved ones and head out to a farm near you for a memorable autumn adventure.Farms With Pick-Your-Own Options and FestivalsLet's dive into the world of farms in New Jersey that offer pick-your-own options and host exciting festivals. Here are four farms that provide a fun-filled experience for the whole family:Alstede Farms - Chester: This 600-acre family-owned farm offers a wide range of activities. Enjoy daily adventures such as navigating through a corn maze, pony rides, hayrides, and bouncing in a bouncy house. Meet friendly animals and explore various mazes. Don't miss out on their seasonal festivals and special events. You can also visit their farm store, which offers organic fruits and veggies, homemade pies, and fresh ice cream.Argos Farms - Forked River: During the summer, Argos Farms is the place to be for blueberry and sunflower picking, as well as an obstacle course and jumper pillow. In the fall, enjoy pumpkin picking, a corn maze, wagon rides, and a thrilling zip line. And keep an eye out for a special visit from Santa in December.Abmas Farm - Wyckoff: Abmas Farm is known for its petting zoo, featuring a variety of animals including goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, bunnies, and pigs. Explore attractions like the goat walk, duck pond, and Bunnyville. Fall activities include hayrides to the pumpkin patch, fall story time sessions, and pumpkin decorating events. They also offer a farm camp for kids ages 5-10 and pick-your-own events throughout the growing season.Demarest Farms - Hillsdale: This kid-friendly farm boasts fresh produce and a chance to interact with farm animals. U-pick peaches, apples, and pumpkins are available. Kids will love petting pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. Additionally, colorful wooden playhouses and photo board cutouts provide endless entertainment. Don't miss their Halloween Light Show in October and Orchard of Lights with Santa in December.These farms offer not only pick-your-own options but also exciting festivals and events. So gather your loved ones and head out to experience the freedom and fun of these New Jersey farms.Farms With Scenic Rides and Delicious TreatsWith its scenic rides and delectable treats, exploring the farms in New Jersey becomes a delightful experience for all. Among the top farms that offer both scenic rides and delicious treats are Wightman Farms in Morristown and Ort Farms in Long Valley.Wightman Farms is known for its scenic hayrides that take you through their beautiful fields and orchards. As you take in the breathtaking views, the fresh country air fills your lungs, giving you a sense of freedom and relaxation. After the hayride, you can enjoy their corn maze, where you can challenge yourself to find your way out. And while you're there, don't forget to try their freshly squeezed apple cider, homemade pies, apple butter, and cider doughnuts. These treats are made with love and will surely satisfy your cravings.Ort Farms, on the other hand, offers not only scenic views but also fresh fruit and vegetables. As you stroll through their farm, you'll be surrounded by beautiful flowers and the smell of nature. When it's time for a treat, head over to their bakery and indulge in their delicious baked goods. From pies to cookies, their treats are made with the finest ingredients and are sure to please your taste buds. And if you're in the mood for some autumn fun, don't miss their giant pumpkins and their fun corn maze.Frequently Asked QuestionsAre There Any Farms in New Jersey That Offer Activities and Events for Families Year-Round?Yes, there are farms in New Jersey that offer activities and events for families year-round. Some of these farms include Alstede Farms, Argos Farms, Abmas Farm, Demarest Farms, Conklin Farm U-Pick, Stony Hill Farms, Terhune Orchards, Von Thuns, Wightman Farms, and Ort Farms.These farms provide a variety of experiences such as petting zoos, pick-your-own events, fall activities, scenic rides, and delicious treats. Families can enjoy a range of fun-filled activities and create lasting memories at these farms throughout the year.Which Farms in New Jersey Have a Petting Zoo Where Visitors Can Interact With a Variety of Animals?There are several farms in New Jersey where visitors can interact with a variety of animals.Alstede Farms in Chester has a petting zoo with friendly goats, sheep, alpacas, ponies, and more.Abmas Farm in Wyckoff also has a petting zoo with goats, sheep, donkeys, bunnies, pigs, and other animals.Demarest Farms in Hillsdale allows visitors to pet pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens.These farms offer a fun and educational experience for families looking to interact with animals.Are There Any Farms in New Jersey That Offer Pick-Your-Own Events and Festivals Throughout the Year?Yes, there are several farms in New Jersey that offer pick-your-own events and festivals throughout the year.Some of these farms include Abmas Farm in Wyckoff, which offers pick-your-own events throughout the growing season and has a petting zoo with a variety of animals.Terhune Orchards in Princeton also offers pick-your-own options, including over 30 varieties of apples, and hosts Fall Family Weekends with cornstalk and hay bale mazes, face painting, and pumpkin decorating.Von Thuns in South Brunswick has pick-your-own options for apples, strawberries, peas, blueberries, blackberries, and pumpkins, and hosts Fall Festival Weekends with hayrides, corn mazes, and more.These farms provide a fun and interactive experience for the whole family.Do Any Farms in New Jersey Offer Scenic Rides in Addition to Delicious Treats?Yes, some farms in New Jersey offer scenic rides in addition to delicious treats.Wightman Farms in Morristown provides scenic hayrides through their beautiful farm. You can also enjoy their corn maze and corn-filled sandbox. Don't forget to try their freshly squeezed apple cider, homemade pies, apple butter, and cider doughnuts.Ort Farms in Long Valley offers scenic rides as well, along with fresh fruit and vegetables, beautiful flowers, delicious baked goods, and giant pumpkins.Are There Any Farms in New Jersey That Are Known for Their Fall Activities and Attractions?There are several farms in New Jersey that are known for their fall activities and attractions.One popular option is Conklin Farm U-Pick in Montville, which offers pumpkin picking, a corn maze, train rides, and barnyard animals.Another great choice is Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, where you can enjoy U-pick peaches, apples, and pumpkins, as well as petting pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens.Stony Hill Farms in Chester also offers a giant corn maze, hayrides, and a playground.These farms provide fun and excitement for the whole family during the fall season.ConclusionAs we bid farewell to the enchanting farms of New Jersey, we're reminded of the beauty and wonder that can be found in the simplest of pleasures.These farms, with their vibrant fields, playful animals, and delicious treats, symbolize the joy and connection that can be experienced when families come together to explore and create memories.So, gather your loved ones and embark on a journey filled with laughter, adventure, and the magic that only a day on these top farms can provide. submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments] |
2024.06.01 08:14 HughEhhoule Bait Dog: Part 3
For anyone who wants to see how things began.
https://www.reddit.com/HFY/s/S97b2fqIjx
“In what universe would I ever do you a favor? “ I say, sweeping the floor of the reinforced barn.
“It’s not a favor, it’s a trade, bud.
What do you want in return? “ Trenchcoat asks from within the coffin-like cage.
“To be back home, 8 months ago. “ I reply.
Over the past few weeks I’ve managed to integrate myself into the day to day life on the farm. Things are still a grim, horrifying slog, but with every day it gets a bit easier to deal with.
“Give me something I can do. “ The creature pleads.
“Why, so I can wind up on the end of another ‘ Gotcha’ moment? I’m good. “ is my answer.
A few minutes of silence go by, Augustus breaks it.
“I don’t know many secrets of the universe. Facts, not really my bag. But I know a couple.
How about I share one with you?
No one, not the pope, not my brother, not the shit-bird perched on the highest branch of my twisted family tree, knows what happens when you die.
Some of us never will, of course. Others have ways of avoiding it, but at the end of the day, when the lights truly go out, we know next to nothing.
We do know one thing though. There is judgement, by who? Who knows? Why? Not important.
But at the end of the day, if your battery can’t be recharged, you really want to be thinking about how many marks are on each side of the ledger. “
I don’t reply, and for the next hour or so I ignore the pleading and hinting Trenchcoat does.
But that night, as I sip acidic tea, and try to get a handle on how in the fuck old televisions function, his offer is at the forefront of my mind.
He wants to kill, specifically 6 teenagers who, according to him, have been murdering classmates yearly in a twisted ritual.
He wants me to think this is some kind of noble act, he frames it as almost superheroic. The evil prick knows how I feel, knows that I see the blood on my hands every day, and would kill ( possibly literally) for some way to atone.
Is it a play? I honestly don’t think so, something about how eager the twisted thing is, about how he’s treating the situation as a buyer’s market makes me think something about this makes it important to him.
He offers me everything besides safety and protection. I’m desperate for help, but I have no way to hold him to any agreement.
So the thought rolls around in my mind, staving off the few hours of sleep I get.
“Okay, so, I have it on good authority that tea is supposed to taste better over here. What the hell is wrong with this? “ I say, sitting around an outside table with Sylvia, Dafydd and Colin.
Sylvia smiles, “ Barium, calcium, and a touch of castor oil. “
I look at the brew, then at her.
“If I had told you when you got here you need to drink that to mitigate the effects of working with void touched objects and creatures, you’d have assumed the worst, and found a way to avoid drinking it.
Good to see you becoming more perceptive though. “ Sylvia explains.
“That’s called paranoia, Syl. “ I reply.
She laughs, lighting a cigarette.
“Do you know why I’ve let you figure things out on your own? “ The ancient woman asks.
“Accepted? Yes. Understood, not in the slightest. “ I answer, wondering what sadist invented the scone.
“It’s because I need a leader. Someone who can understand, not a boy who puts his head down and listens to orders.
Someone who can make their own decisions when the time comes.
And I think that time is coming soon. “ Her statement feels like a question.
“If I chose to be here I’d be honored.” I counter.
“That attitude on the other hand… needs work.
Nikolas, today, we talk about what’s really going on.
We play a role in a much larger organization, us, and other families like us, are the ‘boots on the ground’ so to speak.
Our job is not to capture creatures, or horde esoteric goods. We do not foil the schemes of demons, nor blind those who look too deeply into the abyss.
We’re given information about events that could steer the path of humanity into a brick wall. And our job is to make sure they don’t happen. “ Sylvia reveals.
“Something is happening with these fights? “ I ask.
“As I said, perceptive.
Yes, it could be next week, it could be in a decade or two. Right now, we know very little about it, other than when it happens, it would be in our best interests to be of a high standing in the pits. “ She replies.
I absorb the information, and t drug laced tea in equal measure. As I do, I feel something, I feel I’m a part of what’s going on.
This is going to sound dumb as hell, but up until this point I hadn’t been taking things seriously. Don’t get me wrong, death is on the table, and I was trying to avoid that. But I was just treading water, hoping something or someone came by and to get me out of this situation.
But as Syl lays things out, I start to think of my place here, what I can be doing to better my state.
“Here is the part where you avoid telling me why you couldn’t have used anyone around here. “ I prod.
I keep her gaze, Colin and Dafydd shift uncomfortably.
“Augustus, he’s a tricky one. But a very lucky find for us.
I’ve tried 2 others. A boy and a girl, both I practically raised.
Marco, he was a warrior. But the demon got in his head. There was nothing that could be done beyond end his suffering.
Zelma, I won’t talk about.
That thing, it has a way of turning someone’s best traits against them. You, are a blank slate, but you’re family. You’re my best guess as to how we can use him to our advantage.
And this is why I need you, not to listen, but to understand. To see what’s happening, and make your own decisions. If I were to give you my knowledge, if I were to arm you with the best weapons, and the most powerful esoteric objects I know. He’d just have more to turn against you. “ Sylvia’s revelation scares me and puts a massive weight on my shoulders all at the same time.
Confidence and fear are both dangerous emotions. The two of them are almost like drugs in a way.
After eight months of mainlining fear, the tiny line of confidence Sylvia gave me, went straight to my head.
Trenchcoat told me where to find a video file. And after a couple of weeks of running it through every possible test I could, to check for any kind of manipulation, supernatural or otherwise, I watched it.
I was confident that the world would be much better off without the people committing the vicious acts contained in those twenty minutes of footage.
A teenage view of morality, I admit. But what do you want, I’m a teenager.
We watch the abandoned house from across the street. It’s a dingy, urban blight affected suburb, that being said, how no one seems to notice the seven foot freak with me, I have no idea.
The kid inside smoking stolen cigarettes and illegally supplied booze is a husky young guy of about 14. The half dozen kids that show up a couple hours later look closer to my age, last couple of years of high school I’m guessing.
The way they get into the house tells me they’ve done this before. The backpacks they all carry tell me they’re there for a purpose.
“How fucking funny would it be if I just killed you here and took off? “ Trenchcoat says, looming behind me.
I tense.
“It’s a joke. Out of my whole rotten family, Art and I, are close. I’m not going anywhere.
Unfortunately for you. “ Trenchcoat shoves me to the ground as he walks toward the house.
We get in through a basement window, I fit easily, Trenchcoat contorts his body to fit through the thin opening, somehow doing so silently.
I keep hearing Sylvia in my head. Telling me how she needs someone that can make his own decisions.
As I stand in the litter strewn basement, beside a creature with child murder on it’s mind I question the decision that I made.
At first the illumination is dim, nothing more than scraps of moonlight filtered through splintered wood. But with an industrial click, suddenly a half dozen lightbulbs bathe the basement in harsh, yellowish light.
Harsh, but not harsh enough to cause the reaction I see from Trenchcoat.
He squints and tries, unsuccessfully to turn away from the lights. Something about them is causing him discomfort. I get my hopes up for a moment he’s going to burst into flame or turn into dust or something, but no dice.
The sight of the walking nightmare looking pained and confused makes me panic. But before I can think of how I fucked up, I hear a voice.
The room, by the sounds of it, the entire house, has been rigged with speakers. Cleverly recessed in sconces and corners.
“Augi, long time no see. And I see you brought a little Renfield fella with you. “ The voice is modulated, Trenchcoat looks curious for a moment.
“Who, is this? You that clown that’s been fucking with Art?” He guesses.
The voice laughs, “Nope.
Who I am, is a guy who managed to find a few boxes of lightbulbs from ’93.
Then again, with eBay, that could make me just about anyone. “
Trenchcoat turns and looks toward the window we came in. He reaches a hand toward it, stopping a few inches away.
“That’s fucking interesting. “ He says, eyes darting around the room.
“Isn’t it though? “ The voice replies, clearly hearing the creature’s whisper, “ Tonight you get the pay for centuries of the worst shit committed by man or beast. I’ve made sure of that. No one in this house is going anywhere for the next 8 hours.
I’m sure the rest of the houseguests are pretty confused as to what’s going on. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, so let me give you the Cliff’s notes.
You kids have been killing a monster a year for half a decade. You were the perfect bait, and I have faith you’ll be able to outwit Augi long enough to make it out of here.
If not, you’ll still have helped kill one of the worst things to walk the face of the earth. “
“What the hell is he talking about? “ I ask, a sinking feeling in my gut.
“That’s what you’re worried about right now?
Yeah, these kids are more Scooby gang than Manson family. Don’t blame me for the fact it only took an out of context exorcism video and some promises of making things right with the universe to get you on board with killing them. “ Trenchcoat spits.
I feel afraid, stupid and small. Which is to say, lately, business as usual.
I begin to break lightbulbs, I notice no runes, or anything else that would indicate they have any kind of supernatural origin.
As the basement dims, Trenchcoat starts to breathe easier.
“What’s going on, what stopped you from leaving? “ I ask.
“This little shit is playing The Game. “ Trenchcoat says to himself as much as to me. He looks deep in thought, inspecting the glass from the bulbs.
“What are you talking about? “ I say, my voice cracking slightly.
I hear noises upstairs, frantic foot falls. Indecipherable shouting.
Trenchcoat turns to me, exasperated and filled with anger.
“You’ve heard of ‘Rules’ right? All that ‘Don’t turn left on East street at 3:24 am kind of shit? “ The creature starts, “More and more of them popping up lately. Can’t miss the things.
Well, your kind seems great at finding them, but fucking awful at figuring out what they are. It’s not someone’s new job, or creepy school. The answer is so damned simple, but all of you’ve missed it.
It's a game. It’s, The Game.
It’s ran by the thickest branches of my family tree, and the stakes are high enough even I don’t really understand.
And whoever has us here, he’s weaponized it. The crazy fuck. “
“Call on your family for help then. “ I say, starting to deal with the fear and confusion.
“You first. “ Is Trenchcoat’s reply.
I get his point, and for a twisted, shitty moment, I find myself relating to the murderous thing I’ve been saddled with.
“So what’s the plan? “ I ask.
“Get my hands on whoever’s been stalking me. Between A and B, probably kill those little do-gooders upstairs out of spite.
I need you to circumvent rules we come across. Humans need to agree to follow the rules, it’s why people encounter them in jobs and schools so much. I’m not human, if you haven’t noticed. I don’t get a choice. “ I’m shaking my head as Augustus relates his plan.
“We’re not hurting those kids. “ I say defiantly.
“I’m sure you’ll have no problem with that.
But I’m a God damned child killing monster, bud! How long is that going to take to sink the fuck in?
Me not doing what I do, isn’t like giving up smokes. Think of it like not having a slash for months on end. Sooner or later, like it or not, I’m either finding a bathroom or pissing my pants. “ the rant scares me, but it makes me think.
Something about Augustus, it seems very, 90’s. Whoever was on the speakers was talking about the lightbulbs being from ’93. I’m picking up on a very distinct pattern.
I file that information with the rest of the disconnected lore I’ve managed to find on Trenchcoat as I follow him up the steep, narrow set of stairs.
He whips the thin wood door open, taking an aggressive, lurching step into the livingroom beyond. Surely ready to dispense too far quips and limitless violence, as per usual.
But that doesn’t happen, his rage filled scowl turns into a look of resignation, “Fuck”, is the monster’s last word before he disappears.
I cautiously walk up the loose splinter ridden stairs, expecting Augustus to be waiting around the corner, or engaged in combat with some other horror.
But once I get to the top, there’s nothing more sinister than a livingroom covered in dust and graffiti strewn with old bottles and new stains.
I know my chance when I see it. The particle board sealing the bay window is rotten, the glass long since broken.
No monster, no crazy family, I’ll take my chances with the streets of the U. K.
I tap the crumbling wood with a foot, it rattles, it won’t take much to make a hole.
I line up a kick, freedom no more than a quarter inch of rotten wood away.
“I wouldn’t do that. “ Says a voice behind me, male, around my age I’d guess, but with a confidence that makes me listen, “ Rigged with a load of C4 in the window frame.
Don’t take my word for it, guy wasn’t very subtle. ”
Sure enough, I see small wires running along the edges of the frame and embedded in the particle board.
I turn around, the six people standing in front of me have a vibe I can only describe as severe.
“Are we going to have issues? “ a slight, dark skinned guy asks.
“You making threats? “ I reply.
“No, he isn’t. “ it’s the same voice that warned me about the explosives. It belongs to a squared jawed kid with short black hair, he’s wearing a grey hoodie, and separates himself from the group. “ Call me Kent, and I’m in charge of making threats.
Sid, he’s our people person, he’s just trying to see if you’re someone we need to worry about. “
“We don’t have time to figure this kid out, leave him. “ a short, ginger girl says.
“Ami, why don’t I stay out of equipment, and you and Kent let me figure this kid out?” Sid says.
“I’m Nik. “ I volunteer.
“Good to meet you Nik. “ Sid says, walking around Kent, “Didn’t mean to start things off on the wrong foot.
We’ve just gotten used to doing these kinds of things in our own way over the past bit. We get a little… weird around this time of year if I’m being honest. “
I nod, apprehensive at giving any kind of detailed response.
“Derik” says a tall, pale guy, “ Research. “
“Liam. “ a tanned boy in a flannel shirt and deep blue jeans tells me, “ Oxford doesn’t talk, accident a couple of years back. I’m logistics, he figures spooky shit out. “
Oxford is thin and bald, his face looks much older than it should. Like he’s the victim of some kind of wasting disease.
Telling these kids the truth would be, complicated. And something about their war vet demeanor, makes me want to keep things simple.
So I give them a version of the truth. One where I was plucked from my room by Trenchcoat, and brought here for a slow death.
They buy it. I think.
“Well, I don’t know what this Jigsaw wannabe has planned, but trust me when I say, it can’t be much worse than the things we’ve went through. “ Kent says, trying to be reassuring.
“Just, one more thing. “ Sid begins, “ Why all the scars? “
I know I’ve won most of the group over, but I don’t like the look Sid is giving me.
“Work on a farm, on top of that, the family owns an auction. Lots of bent steel and splinters, what can I say? “ I say, trying to sound casual.
“Fair enough, that accent though. “ Sid’s look becomes almost predatory as he talks.
“Immigration my guy. What’s with the third degree? “ I reply.
“We’ve just met and I’ve only asked three questions.
Humor me here though.
You get taken in the night by that thing that winked out of existence.
Seems pretty nice of him to let you put on shoes. “ Sid lets his statement hang.
Kent turns, I don’t like where this is going. Panic and fear start to well up.
“What’re you thinking Sid? “ Kent asks.
“Kid’s lying. But he’s good at it. “ Sid answers.
“You saying this has turned into a, me, situation? “ Kent’s question starts a deep pit in my stomach.
“I don’t know if we need to go that far. But I don’t like the idea of him having seen our faces. I think this is a Liam situation. “ As Sid says this I look to Liam, who already seems deep in thought.
“Local cops will back our story, but he could go beyond them.
We tie him up until all of this is done, and we get some video of him putting a blade into the body upstairs. He goes telling any stories, it’s us and the locals versus some Yank on video stabbing the kid. “ Liam suggests.
I tried to fight, it went, embarrassingly. Kent had me on the ground in some kind of arm lock in about a second.
I’m bound to an old wooden chair with electrical cords, dragged into a room on the second floor where the chubby kid from before lays face down in a coagulated pool of his own blood. Surrounded by the trappings of misspent youth.
The door locks, and I stare at the corpse, wondering what in the hell went on up here, and in what universe are these psychopaths anything other than what they seemed on screen.
Time becomes almost malleable. I’m terrified to the point where every moment seems to stretch out forever.
Then, I hear it. A wet, organic noise. It starts below the body, and slowly starts to spread.
After a minute or two, the body starts to jerk and twitch. The room is dim as hell, but some kind of ropey, flesh-like substance, is sealing off the door.
I watch as the corpse clumsily gets to it’s feet. It’s skin pale, it’s throat slit to the point of near decapitation.
The head falls backward, obscenely with a small spurt of thick blood.
I scream, I thought I’d been getting used to being face to face with monsters. But fully bound, inches away from a kid that seems to be filled with a twisting mass of barbed, writhing, intestine like tentacles, I realize I’m not used to shit.
The ropey mass forms the barest suggestion of features, a shifting, lumpen mass of ever moving tendrils coming from what used to be the kid’s neck.
The sound spreads more, cracks in the floorboards and walls begin to show hints of the tendrils filling them in like spray foam.
No one is hearing my screams, or if they are, they have no interest in helping.
Ever wonder how you’d handle torture? I think if you’re the kind of person to be reading this, it’s likely you have.
I started by pissing myself.
The second the thin tendril touches my hand, I feel a blinding, flensing pain. I can do nothing but watch, as thousands of nearly hair thin spines tear and consume my flesh. As it slowly, almost, curiously makes it’s way up my arm, it leaves a bloodless, scarred furrow about an eighth of an inch deep.
My second reaction was to lose any pretense at defiance or dignity. I thrash and scream, beg and offer. All of this turning into choked sobs as the thing starts to do much of the same with another tendril.
It felt like I was in hell, every inch of me nothing more than a canvas for this artist of misery.
But pain, it can only go so far. Whether we’re talking about my tolerance, or this thing’s interest.
Mutilation, the brutal wedding of pain and loss. That was it’s next step.
A thick, almost centipede like tendril sits on my pinky like a hot iron. I can only watch in horror as I see fat, then muscle, then bone, then, nothing.
My voice shreds, I tear my wrists and ankles trying desperately to break the expertly tied wires.
My mind is at the breaking point, the creature in front of my makes a terrible, high pitched keening I assume is laughter.
My body is a roadmap of scarred pits and lines. My hand sports a cleanly severed finger. Fuck me, I wish things ended there.
Of all the important parts of the human body, the eye, tends to feel the least pain. Which isn’t to say, as I watched the greedy, grasping claws slowly take pieces of one of mine, it didn’t hurt, but the worst part, was knowing what was happening.
The vision in my left eye begins to distort at first, the edges getting blurry, then going dark. Bit by bit, chunk by irreplaceable chunk, the creature takes half my vision.
I can feel the shifting air on the bare socket, to call what I’m doing screaming, would be understating things to the point of absurdity.
My brain reels at what has just happened. I can feel my grip on reality begin to loosen, pain, worse than can bare, loss of half my sight, it’s too much.
My brain feels filled with static, for a few brief moments I swear, I can hear someone, a voice, trying to tell me something.
But then, a smell hits me. Something so foul, so alien, it yanks me back from the brink of disassociation. I gag and choke, as the air becomes thick with the rotten, chemical reek.
Then, I see it, I see, him.
As randomly as he disappeared, in an instant Trenchcoat is in the room.
He’s torn apart, wounds so deep and ragged, I can see the door on the other side of the room through the worst of them.
One arm is a twisted, broken mess, the flesh jacket torn to shreds of necrotic tissue.
The look on his face is panic, paranoia. A rictus grin of someone that has been kept on his toes for entirely too long.
He trembles and heaves, looking like he could fall over at any second.
He points his good arm at the tendril creature, who I notice has a too familiar eye suspended in it’s shifting features.
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the motherfucker who just made me kill my favorite cousin, would you? “ Trenchcoat asks, his voice cracked, and strained.
He gets a confused keening in response.
“Bad day for you then. “ Augustus says.
There is no style to his violence, Trenchcoat grabs the shifting mass, his wicked, claw tipped fingers angling themselves in tendrils. As he lifts the thing, floorboards break, and it’s torn free from the root-like system it was creating in the room.
Three brutal slams cover me in ichor and pieces of creature. Trenchcoat tosses the mewling, twitching pile in a corner and looks at me with disgust.
“You let that thing do this to you? Fuckin’ pathetic, bud.
And who tied you up? “ The nightmare I’ve been cursed with chides me.
“The kids downstairs. “ I say only now realizing I’ve still been sobbing.
One handed, Trenchcoat snaps the wires, then stumbles backward, slowly sliding down the wall.
He coughs, grey, bloody phlegm hitting the ground.
“So, what’s the play here? If this shit broke you, I could use the spare parts, if not, well, you know what the Bible says.
An eye for an eye. “ Trenchcoat grins as he talks, nearly on the brink of death.
And that’s where I think I’m going to leave things. Because, honestly I don’t know what I’m choosing.
I’m mutilated, half blind, using too much of my energy typing to strangers online about things because, I’m so fucking alone here.
If you hear from me again, I hope I made the right move. If not, take this as a lesson on what happens when you screw around with the occult.
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https://www.reddit.com/HFY/s/S97b2fqIjx
“In what universe would I ever do you a favor? “ I say, sweeping the floor of the reinforced barn.
“It’s not a favor, it’s a trade, bud.
What do you want in return? “ Trenchcoat asks from within the coffin-like cage.
“To be back home, 8 months ago. “ I reply.
Over the past few weeks I’ve managed to integrate myself into the day to day life on the farm. Things are still a grim, horrifying slog, but with every day it gets a bit easier to deal with.
“Give me something I can do. “ The creature pleads.
“Why, so I can wind up on the end of another ‘ Gotcha’ moment? I’m good. “ is my answer.
A few minutes of silence go by, Augustus breaks it.
“I don’t know many secrets of the universe. Facts, not really my bag. But I know a couple.
How about I share one with you?
No one, not the pope, not my brother, not the shit-bird perched on the highest branch of my twisted family tree, knows what happens when you die.
Some of us never will, of course. Others have ways of avoiding it, but at the end of the day, when the lights truly go out, we know next to nothing.
We do know one thing though. There is judgement, by who? Who knows? Why? Not important.
But at the end of the day, if your battery can’t be recharged, you really want to be thinking about how many marks are on each side of the ledger. “
I don’t reply, and for the next hour or so I ignore the pleading and hinting Trenchcoat does.
But that night, as I sip acidic tea, and try to get a handle on how in the fuck old televisions function, his offer is at the forefront of my mind.
He wants to kill, specifically 6 teenagers who, according to him, have been murdering classmates yearly in a twisted ritual.
He wants me to think this is some kind of noble act, he frames it as almost superheroic. The evil prick knows how I feel, knows that I see the blood on my hands every day, and would kill ( possibly literally) for some way to atone.
Is it a play? I honestly don’t think so, something about how eager the twisted thing is, about how he’s treating the situation as a buyer’s market makes me think something about this makes it important to him.
He offers me everything besides safety and protection. I’m desperate for help, but I have no way to hold him to any agreement.
So the thought rolls around in my mind, staving off the few hours of sleep I get.
“Okay, so, I have it on good authority that tea is supposed to taste better over here. What the hell is wrong with this? “ I say, sitting around an outside table with Sylvia, Dafydd and Colin.
Sylvia smiles, “ Barium, calcium, and a touch of castor oil. “
I look at the brew, then at her.
“If I had told you when you got here you need to drink that to mitigate the effects of working with void touched objects and creatures, you’d have assumed the worst, and found a way to avoid drinking it.
Good to see you becoming more perceptive though. “ Sylvia explains.
“That’s called paranoia, Syl. “ I reply.
She laughs, lighting a cigarette.
“Do you know why I’ve let you figure things out on your own? “ The ancient woman asks.
“Accepted? Yes. Understood, not in the slightest. “ I answer, wondering what sadist invented the scone.
“It’s because I need a leader. Someone who can understand, not a boy who puts his head down and listens to orders.
Someone who can make their own decisions when the time comes.
And I think that time is coming soon. “ Her statement feels like a question.
“If I chose to be here I’d be honored.” I counter.
“That attitude on the other hand… needs work.
Nikolas, today, we talk about what’s really going on.
We play a role in a much larger organization, us, and other families like us, are the ‘boots on the ground’ so to speak.
Our job is not to capture creatures, or horde esoteric goods. We do not foil the schemes of demons, nor blind those who look too deeply into the abyss.
We’re given information about events that could steer the path of humanity into a brick wall. And our job is to make sure they don’t happen. “ Sylvia reveals.
“Something is happening with these fights? “ I ask.
“As I said, perceptive.
Yes, it could be next week, it could be in a decade or two. Right now, we know very little about it, other than when it happens, it would be in our best interests to be of a high standing in the pits. “ She replies.
I absorb the information, and t drug laced tea in equal measure. As I do, I feel something, I feel I’m a part of what’s going on.
This is going to sound dumb as hell, but up until this point I hadn’t been taking things seriously. Don’t get me wrong, death is on the table, and I was trying to avoid that. But I was just treading water, hoping something or someone came by and to get me out of this situation.
But as Syl lays things out, I start to think of my place here, what I can be doing to better my state.
“Here is the part where you avoid telling me why you couldn’t have used anyone around here. “ I prod.
I keep her gaze, Colin and Dafydd shift uncomfortably.
“Augustus, he’s a tricky one. But a very lucky find for us.
I’ve tried 2 others. A boy and a girl, both I practically raised.
Marco, he was a warrior. But the demon got in his head. There was nothing that could be done beyond end his suffering.
Zelma, I won’t talk about.
That thing, it has a way of turning someone’s best traits against them. You, are a blank slate, but you’re family. You’re my best guess as to how we can use him to our advantage.
And this is why I need you, not to listen, but to understand. To see what’s happening, and make your own decisions. If I were to give you my knowledge, if I were to arm you with the best weapons, and the most powerful esoteric objects I know. He’d just have more to turn against you. “ Sylvia’s revelation scares me and puts a massive weight on my shoulders all at the same time.
Confidence and fear are both dangerous emotions. The two of them are almost like drugs in a way.
After eight months of mainlining fear, the tiny line of confidence Sylvia gave me, went straight to my head.
Trenchcoat told me where to find a video file. And after a couple of weeks of running it through every possible test I could, to check for any kind of manipulation, supernatural or otherwise, I watched it.
I was confident that the world would be much better off without the people committing the vicious acts contained in those twenty minutes of footage.
A teenage view of morality, I admit. But what do you want, I’m a teenager.
We watch the abandoned house from across the street. It’s a dingy, urban blight affected suburb, that being said, how no one seems to notice the seven foot freak with me, I have no idea.
The kid inside smoking stolen cigarettes and illegally supplied booze is a husky young guy of about 14. The half dozen kids that show up a couple hours later look closer to my age, last couple of years of high school I’m guessing.
The way they get into the house tells me they’ve done this before. The backpacks they all carry tell me they’re there for a purpose.
“How fucking funny would it be if I just killed you here and took off? “ Trenchcoat says, looming behind me.
I tense.
“It’s a joke. Out of my whole rotten family, Art and I, are close. I’m not going anywhere.
Unfortunately for you. “ Trenchcoat shoves me to the ground as he walks toward the house.
We get in through a basement window, I fit easily, Trenchcoat contorts his body to fit through the thin opening, somehow doing so silently.
I keep hearing Sylvia in my head. Telling me how she needs someone that can make his own decisions.
As I stand in the litter strewn basement, beside a creature with child murder on it’s mind I question the decision that I made.
At first the illumination is dim, nothing more than scraps of moonlight filtered through splintered wood. But with an industrial click, suddenly a half dozen lightbulbs bathe the basement in harsh, yellowish light.
Harsh, but not harsh enough to cause the reaction I see from Trenchcoat.
He squints and tries, unsuccessfully to turn away from the lights. Something about them is causing him discomfort. I get my hopes up for a moment he’s going to burst into flame or turn into dust or something, but no dice.
The sight of the walking nightmare looking pained and confused makes me panic. But before I can think of how I fucked up, I hear a voice.
The room, by the sounds of it, the entire house, has been rigged with speakers. Cleverly recessed in sconces and corners.
“Augi, long time no see. And I see you brought a little Renfield fella with you. “ The voice is modulated, Trenchcoat looks curious for a moment.
“Who, is this? You that clown that’s been fucking with Art?” He guesses.
The voice laughs, “Nope.
Who I am, is a guy who managed to find a few boxes of lightbulbs from ’93.
Then again, with eBay, that could make me just about anyone. “
Trenchcoat turns and looks toward the window we came in. He reaches a hand toward it, stopping a few inches away.
“That’s fucking interesting. “ He says, eyes darting around the room.
“Isn’t it though? “ The voice replies, clearly hearing the creature’s whisper, “ Tonight you get the pay for centuries of the worst shit committed by man or beast. I’ve made sure of that. No one in this house is going anywhere for the next 8 hours.
I’m sure the rest of the houseguests are pretty confused as to what’s going on. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, so let me give you the Cliff’s notes.
You kids have been killing a monster a year for half a decade. You were the perfect bait, and I have faith you’ll be able to outwit Augi long enough to make it out of here.
If not, you’ll still have helped kill one of the worst things to walk the face of the earth. “
“What the hell is he talking about? “ I ask, a sinking feeling in my gut.
“That’s what you’re worried about right now?
Yeah, these kids are more Scooby gang than Manson family. Don’t blame me for the fact it only took an out of context exorcism video and some promises of making things right with the universe to get you on board with killing them. “ Trenchcoat spits.
I feel afraid, stupid and small. Which is to say, lately, business as usual.
I begin to break lightbulbs, I notice no runes, or anything else that would indicate they have any kind of supernatural origin.
As the basement dims, Trenchcoat starts to breathe easier.
“What’s going on, what stopped you from leaving? “ I ask.
“This little shit is playing The Game. “ Trenchcoat says to himself as much as to me. He looks deep in thought, inspecting the glass from the bulbs.
“What are you talking about? “ I say, my voice cracking slightly.
I hear noises upstairs, frantic foot falls. Indecipherable shouting.
Trenchcoat turns to me, exasperated and filled with anger.
“You’ve heard of ‘Rules’ right? All that ‘Don’t turn left on East street at 3:24 am kind of shit? “ The creature starts, “More and more of them popping up lately. Can’t miss the things.
Well, your kind seems great at finding them, but fucking awful at figuring out what they are. It’s not someone’s new job, or creepy school. The answer is so damned simple, but all of you’ve missed it.
It's a game. It’s, The Game.
It’s ran by the thickest branches of my family tree, and the stakes are high enough even I don’t really understand.
And whoever has us here, he’s weaponized it. The crazy fuck. “
“Call on your family for help then. “ I say, starting to deal with the fear and confusion.
“You first. “ Is Trenchcoat’s reply.
I get his point, and for a twisted, shitty moment, I find myself relating to the murderous thing I’ve been saddled with.
“So what’s the plan? “ I ask.
“Get my hands on whoever’s been stalking me. Between A and B, probably kill those little do-gooders upstairs out of spite.
I need you to circumvent rules we come across. Humans need to agree to follow the rules, it’s why people encounter them in jobs and schools so much. I’m not human, if you haven’t noticed. I don’t get a choice. “ I’m shaking my head as Augustus relates his plan.
“We’re not hurting those kids. “ I say defiantly.
“I’m sure you’ll have no problem with that.
But I’m a God damned child killing monster, bud! How long is that going to take to sink the fuck in?
Me not doing what I do, isn’t like giving up smokes. Think of it like not having a slash for months on end. Sooner or later, like it or not, I’m either finding a bathroom or pissing my pants. “ the rant scares me, but it makes me think.
Something about Augustus, it seems very, 90’s. Whoever was on the speakers was talking about the lightbulbs being from ’93. I’m picking up on a very distinct pattern.
I file that information with the rest of the disconnected lore I’ve managed to find on Trenchcoat as I follow him up the steep, narrow set of stairs.
He whips the thin wood door open, taking an aggressive, lurching step into the livingroom beyond. Surely ready to dispense too far quips and limitless violence, as per usual.
But that doesn’t happen, his rage filled scowl turns into a look of resignation, “Fuck”, is the monster’s last word before he disappears.
I cautiously walk up the loose splinter ridden stairs, expecting Augustus to be waiting around the corner, or engaged in combat with some other horror.
But once I get to the top, there’s nothing more sinister than a livingroom covered in dust and graffiti strewn with old bottles and new stains.
I know my chance when I see it. The particle board sealing the bay window is rotten, the glass long since broken.
No monster, no crazy family, I’ll take my chances with the streets of the U. K.
I tap the crumbling wood with a foot, it rattles, it won’t take much to make a hole.
I line up a kick, freedom no more than a quarter inch of rotten wood away.
“I wouldn’t do that. “ Says a voice behind me, male, around my age I’d guess, but with a confidence that makes me listen, “ Rigged with a load of C4 in the window frame.
Don’t take my word for it, guy wasn’t very subtle. ”
Sure enough, I see small wires running along the edges of the frame and embedded in the particle board.
I turn around, the six people standing in front of me have a vibe I can only describe as severe.
“Are we going to have issues? “ a slight, dark skinned guy asks.
“You making threats? “ I reply.
“No, he isn’t. “ it’s the same voice that warned me about the explosives. It belongs to a squared jawed kid with short black hair, he’s wearing a grey hoodie, and separates himself from the group. “ Call me Kent, and I’m in charge of making threats.
Sid, he’s our people person, he’s just trying to see if you’re someone we need to worry about. “
“We don’t have time to figure this kid out, leave him. “ a short, ginger girl says.
“Ami, why don’t I stay out of equipment, and you and Kent let me figure this kid out?” Sid says.
“I’m Nik. “ I volunteer.
“Good to meet you Nik. “ Sid says, walking around Kent, “Didn’t mean to start things off on the wrong foot.
We’ve just gotten used to doing these kinds of things in our own way over the past bit. We get a little… weird around this time of year if I’m being honest. “
I nod, apprehensive at giving any kind of detailed response.
“Derik” says a tall, pale guy, “ Research. “
“Liam. “ a tanned boy in a flannel shirt and deep blue jeans tells me, “ Oxford doesn’t talk, accident a couple of years back. I’m logistics, he figures spooky shit out. “
Oxford is thin and bald, his face looks much older than it should. Like he’s the victim of some kind of wasting disease.
Telling these kids the truth would be, complicated. And something about their war vet demeanor, makes me want to keep things simple.
So I give them a version of the truth. One where I was plucked from my room by Trenchcoat, and brought here for a slow death.
They buy it. I think.
“Well, I don’t know what this Jigsaw wannabe has planned, but trust me when I say, it can’t be much worse than the things we’ve went through. “ Kent says, trying to be reassuring.
“Just, one more thing. “ Sid begins, “ Why all the scars? “
I know I’ve won most of the group over, but I don’t like the look Sid is giving me.
“Work on a farm, on top of that, the family owns an auction. Lots of bent steel and splinters, what can I say? “ I say, trying to sound casual.
“Fair enough, that accent though. “ Sid’s look becomes almost predatory as he talks.
“Immigration my guy. What’s with the third degree? “ I reply.
“We’ve just met and I’ve only asked three questions.
Humor me here though.
You get taken in the night by that thing that winked out of existence.
Seems pretty nice of him to let you put on shoes. “ Sid lets his statement hang.
Kent turns, I don’t like where this is going. Panic and fear start to well up.
“What’re you thinking Sid? “ Kent asks.
“Kid’s lying. But he’s good at it. “ Sid answers.
“You saying this has turned into a, me, situation? “ Kent’s question starts a deep pit in my stomach.
“I don’t know if we need to go that far. But I don’t like the idea of him having seen our faces. I think this is a Liam situation. “ As Sid says this I look to Liam, who already seems deep in thought.
“Local cops will back our story, but he could go beyond them.
We tie him up until all of this is done, and we get some video of him putting a blade into the body upstairs. He goes telling any stories, it’s us and the locals versus some Yank on video stabbing the kid. “ Liam suggests.
I tried to fight, it went, embarrassingly. Kent had me on the ground in some kind of arm lock in about a second.
I’m bound to an old wooden chair with electrical cords, dragged into a room on the second floor where the chubby kid from before lays face down in a coagulated pool of his own blood. Surrounded by the trappings of misspent youth.
The door locks, and I stare at the corpse, wondering what in the hell went on up here, and in what universe are these psychopaths anything other than what they seemed on screen.
Time becomes almost malleable. I’m terrified to the point where every moment seems to stretch out forever.
Then, I hear it. A wet, organic noise. It starts below the body, and slowly starts to spread.
After a minute or two, the body starts to jerk and twitch. The room is dim as hell, but some kind of ropey, flesh-like substance, is sealing off the door.
I watch as the corpse clumsily gets to it’s feet. It’s skin pale, it’s throat slit to the point of near decapitation.
The head falls backward, obscenely with a small spurt of thick blood.
I scream, I thought I’d been getting used to being face to face with monsters. But fully bound, inches away from a kid that seems to be filled with a twisting mass of barbed, writhing, intestine like tentacles, I realize I’m not used to shit.
The ropey mass forms the barest suggestion of features, a shifting, lumpen mass of ever moving tendrils coming from what used to be the kid’s neck.
The sound spreads more, cracks in the floorboards and walls begin to show hints of the tendrils filling them in like spray foam.
No one is hearing my screams, or if they are, they have no interest in helping.
Ever wonder how you’d handle torture? I think if you’re the kind of person to be reading this, it’s likely you have.
I started by pissing myself.
The second the thin tendril touches my hand, I feel a blinding, flensing pain. I can do nothing but watch, as thousands of nearly hair thin spines tear and consume my flesh. As it slowly, almost, curiously makes it’s way up my arm, it leaves a bloodless, scarred furrow about an eighth of an inch deep.
My second reaction was to lose any pretense at defiance or dignity. I thrash and scream, beg and offer. All of this turning into choked sobs as the thing starts to do much of the same with another tendril.
It felt like I was in hell, every inch of me nothing more than a canvas for this artist of misery.
But pain, it can only go so far. Whether we’re talking about my tolerance, or this thing’s interest.
Mutilation, the brutal wedding of pain and loss. That was it’s next step.
A thick, almost centipede like tendril sits on my pinky like a hot iron. I can only watch in horror as I see fat, then muscle, then bone, then, nothing.
My voice shreds, I tear my wrists and ankles trying desperately to break the expertly tied wires.
My mind is at the breaking point, the creature in front of my makes a terrible, high pitched keening I assume is laughter.
My body is a roadmap of scarred pits and lines. My hand sports a cleanly severed finger. Fuck me, I wish things ended there.
Of all the important parts of the human body, the eye, tends to feel the least pain. Which isn’t to say, as I watched the greedy, grasping claws slowly take pieces of one of mine, it didn’t hurt, but the worst part, was knowing what was happening.
The vision in my left eye begins to distort at first, the edges getting blurry, then going dark. Bit by bit, chunk by irreplaceable chunk, the creature takes half my vision.
I can feel the shifting air on the bare socket, to call what I’m doing screaming, would be understating things to the point of absurdity.
My brain reels at what has just happened. I can feel my grip on reality begin to loosen, pain, worse than can bare, loss of half my sight, it’s too much.
My brain feels filled with static, for a few brief moments I swear, I can hear someone, a voice, trying to tell me something.
But then, a smell hits me. Something so foul, so alien, it yanks me back from the brink of disassociation. I gag and choke, as the air becomes thick with the rotten, chemical reek.
Then, I see it, I see, him.
As randomly as he disappeared, in an instant Trenchcoat is in the room.
He’s torn apart, wounds so deep and ragged, I can see the door on the other side of the room through the worst of them.
One arm is a twisted, broken mess, the flesh jacket torn to shreds of necrotic tissue.
The look on his face is panic, paranoia. A rictus grin of someone that has been kept on his toes for entirely too long.
He trembles and heaves, looking like he could fall over at any second.
He points his good arm at the tendril creature, who I notice has a too familiar eye suspended in it’s shifting features.
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the motherfucker who just made me kill my favorite cousin, would you? “ Trenchcoat asks, his voice cracked, and strained.
He gets a confused keening in response.
“Bad day for you then. “ Augustus says.
There is no style to his violence, Trenchcoat grabs the shifting mass, his wicked, claw tipped fingers angling themselves in tendrils. As he lifts the thing, floorboards break, and it’s torn free from the root-like system it was creating in the room.
Three brutal slams cover me in ichor and pieces of creature. Trenchcoat tosses the mewling, twitching pile in a corner and looks at me with disgust.
“You let that thing do this to you? Fuckin’ pathetic, bud.
And who tied you up? “ The nightmare I’ve been cursed with chides me.
“The kids downstairs. “ I say only now realizing I’ve still been sobbing.
One handed, Trenchcoat snaps the wires, then stumbles backward, slowly sliding down the wall.
He coughs, grey, bloody phlegm hitting the ground.
“So, what’s the play here? If this shit broke you, I could use the spare parts, if not, well, you know what the Bible says.
An eye for an eye. “ Trenchcoat grins as he talks, nearly on the brink of death.
And that’s where I think I’m going to leave things. Because, honestly I don’t know what I’m choosing.
I’m mutilated, half blind, using too much of my energy typing to strangers online about things because, I’m so fucking alone here.
If you hear from me again, I hope I made the right move. If not, take this as a lesson on what happens when you screw around with the occult.
2024.06.01 08:11 HughEhhoule Bait Dog: Part 3
For anyone who wants to see how I got into this situation.
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/s/R0DAycoVIm
“In what universe would I ever do you a favor? “ I say, sweeping the floor of the reinforced barn.
“It’s not a favor, it’s a trade, bud.
What do you want in return? “ Trenchcoat asks from within the coffin-like cage.
“To be back home, 8 months ago. “ I reply.
Over the past few weeks I’ve managed to integrate myself into the day to day life on the farm. Things are still a grim, horrifying slog, but with every day it gets a bit easier to deal with.
“Give me something I can do. “ The creature pleads.
“Why, so I can wind up on the end of another ‘ Gotcha’ moment? I’m good. “ is my answer.
A few minutes of silence go by, Augustus breaks it.
“I don’t know many secrets of the universe. Facts, not really my bag. But I know a couple.
How about I share one with you?
No one, not the pope, not my brother, not the shit-bird perched on the highest branch of my twisted family tree, knows what happens when you die.
Some of us never will, of course. Others have ways of avoiding it, but at the end of the day, when the lights truly go out, we know next to nothing.
We do know one thing though. There is judgement, by who? Who knows? Why? Not important.
But at the end of the day, if your battery can’t be recharged, you really want to be thinking about how many marks are on each side of the ledger. “
I don’t reply, and for the next hour or so I ignore the pleading and hinting Trenchcoat does.
But that night, as I sip acidic tea, and try to get a handle on how in the fuck old televisions function, his offer is at the forefront of my mind.
He wants to kill, specifically 6 teenagers who, according to him, have been murdering classmates yearly in a twisted ritual.
He wants me to think this is some kind of noble act, he frames it as almost superheroic. The evil prick knows how I feel, knows that I see the blood on my hands every day, and would kill ( possibly literally) for some way to atone.
Is it a play? I honestly don’t think so, something about how eager the twisted thing is, about how he’s treating the situation as a buyer’s market makes me think something about this makes it important to him.
He offers me everything besides safety and protection. I’m desperate for help, but I have no way to hold him to any agreement.
So the thought rolls around in my mind, staving off the few hours of sleep I get.
“Okay, so, I have it on good authority that tea is supposed to taste better over here. What the hell is wrong with this? “ I say, sitting around an outside table with Sylvia, Dafydd and Colin.
Sylvia smiles, “ Barium, calcium, and a touch of castor oil. “
I look at the brew, then at her.
“If I had told you when you got here you need to drink that to mitigate the effects of working with void touched objects and creatures, you’d have assumed the worst, and found a way to avoid drinking it.
Good to see you becoming more perceptive though. “ Sylvia explains.
“That’s called paranoia, Syl. “ I reply.
She laughs, lighting a cigarette.
“Do you know why I’ve let you figure things out on your own? “ The ancient woman asks.
“Accepted? Yes. Understood, not in the slightest. “ I answer, wondering what sadist invented the scone.
“It’s because I need a leader. Someone who can understand, not a boy who puts his head down and listens to orders.
Someone who can make their own decisions when the time comes.
And I think that time is coming soon. “ Her statement feels like a question.
“If I chose to be here I’d be honored.” I counter.
“That attitude on the other hand… needs work.
Nikolas, today, we talk about what’s really going on.
We play a role in a much larger organization, us, and other families like us, are the ‘boots on the ground’ so to speak.
Our job is not to capture creatures, or horde esoteric goods. We do not foil the schemes of demons, nor blind those who look too deeply into the abyss.
We’re given information about events that could steer the path of humanity into a brick wall. And our job is to make sure they don’t happen. “ Sylvia reveals.
“Something is happening with these fights? “ I ask.
“As I said, perceptive.
Yes, it could be next week, it could be in a decade or two. Right now, we know very little about it, other than when it happens, it would be in our best interests to be of a high standing in the pits. “ She replies.
I absorb the information, and t drug laced tea in equal measure. As I do, I feel something, I feel I’m a part of what’s going on.
This is going to sound dumb as hell, but up until this point I hadn’t been taking things seriously. Don’t get me wrong, death is on the table, and I was trying to avoid that. But I was just treading water, hoping something or someone came by and to get me out of this situation.
But as Syl lays things out, I start to think of my place here, what I can be doing to better my state.
“Here is the part where you avoid telling me why you couldn’t have used anyone around here. “ I prod.
I keep her gaze, Colin and Dafydd shift uncomfortably.
“Augustus, he’s a tricky one. But a very lucky find for us.
I’ve tried 2 others. A boy and a girl, both I practically raised.
Marco, he was a warrior. But the demon got in his head. There was nothing that could be done beyond end his suffering.
Zelma, I won’t talk about.
That thing, it has a way of turning someone’s best traits against them. You, are a blank slate, but you’re family. You’re my best guess as to how we can use him to our advantage.
And this is why I need you, not to listen, but to understand. To see what’s happening, and make your own decisions. If I were to give you my knowledge, if I were to arm you with the best weapons, and the most powerful esoteric objects I know. He’d just have more to turn against you. “ Sylvia’s revelation scares me and puts a massive weight on my shoulders all at the same time.
Confidence and fear are both dangerous emotions. The two of them are almost like drugs in a way.
After eight months of mainlining fear, the tiny line of confidence Sylvia gave me, went straight to my head.
Trenchcoat told me where to find a video file. And after a couple of weeks of running it through every possible test I could, to check for any kind of manipulation, supernatural or otherwise, I watched it.
I was confident that the world would be much better off without the people committing the vicious acts contained in those twenty minutes of footage.
A teenage view of morality, I admit. But what do you want, I’m a teenager.
We watch the abandoned house from across the street. It’s a dingy, urban blight affected suburb, that being said, how no one seems to notice the seven foot freak with me, I have no idea.
The kid inside smoking stolen cigarettes and illegally supplied booze is a husky young guy of about 14. The half dozen kids that show up a couple hours later look closer to my age, last couple of years of high school I’m guessing.
The way they get into the house tells me they’ve done this before. The backpacks they all carry tell me they’re there for a purpose.
“How fucking funny would it be if I just killed you here and took off? “ Trenchcoat says, looming behind me.
I tense.
“It’s a joke. Out of my whole rotten family, Art and I, are close. I’m not going anywhere.
Unfortunately for you. “ Trenchcoat shoves me to the ground as he walks toward the house.
We get in through a basement window, I fit easily, Trenchcoat contorts his body to fit through the thin opening, somehow doing so silently.
I keep hearing Sylvia in my head. Telling me how she needs someone that can make his own decisions.
As I stand in the litter strewn basement, beside a creature with child murder on it’s mind I question the decision that I made.
At first the illumination is dim, nothing more than scraps of moonlight filtered through splintered wood. But with an industrial click, suddenly a half dozen lightbulbs bathe the basement in harsh, yellowish light.
Harsh, but not harsh enough to cause the reaction I see from Trenchcoat.
He squints and tries, unsuccessfully to turn away from the lights. Something about them is causing him discomfort. I get my hopes up for a moment he’s going to burst into flame or turn into dust or something, but no dice.
The sight of the walking nightmare looking pained and confused makes me panic. But before I can think of how I fucked up, I hear a voice.
The room, by the sounds of it, the entire house, has been rigged with speakers. Cleverly recessed in sconces and corners.
“Augi, long time no see. And I see you brought a little Renfield fella with you. “ The voice is modulated, Trenchcoat looks curious for a moment.
“Who, is this? You that clown that’s been fucking with Art?” He guesses.
The voice laughs, “Nope.
Who I am, is a guy who managed to find a few boxes of lightbulbs from ’93.
Then again, with eBay, that could make me just about anyone. “
Trenchcoat turns and looks toward the window we came in. He reaches a hand toward it, stopping a few inches away.
“That’s fucking interesting. “ He says, eyes darting around the room.
“Isn’t it though? “ The voice replies, clearly hearing the creature’s whisper, “ Tonight you get the pay for centuries of the worst shit committed by man or beast. I’ve made sure of that. No one in this house is going anywhere for the next 8 hours.
I’m sure the rest of the houseguests are pretty confused as to what’s going on. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, so let me give you the Cliff’s notes.
You kids have been killing a monster a year for half a decade. You were the perfect bait, and I have faith you’ll be able to outwit Augi long enough to make it out of here.
If not, you’ll still have helped kill one of the worst things to walk the face of the earth. “
“What the hell is he talking about? “ I ask, a sinking feeling in my gut.
“That’s what you’re worried about right now?
Yeah, these kids are more Scooby gang than Manson family. Don’t blame me for the fact it only took an out of context exorcism video and some promises of making things right with the universe to get you on board with killing them. “ Trenchcoat spits.
I feel afraid, stupid and small. Which is to say, lately, business as usual.
I begin to break lightbulbs, I notice no runes, or anything else that would indicate they have any kind of supernatural origin.
As the basement dims, Trenchcoat starts to breathe easier.
“What’s going on, what stopped you from leaving? “ I ask.
“This little shit is playing The Game. “ Trenchcoat says to himself as much as to me. He looks deep in thought, inspecting the glass from the bulbs.
“What are you talking about? “ I say, my voice cracking slightly.
I hear noises upstairs, frantic foot falls. Indecipherable shouting.
Trenchcoat turns to me, exasperated and filled with anger.
“You’ve heard of ‘Rules’ right? All that ‘Don’t turn left on East street at 3:24 am kind of shit? “ The creature starts, “More and more of them popping up lately. Can’t miss the things.
Well, your kind seems great at finding them, but fucking awful at figuring out what they are. It’s not someone’s new job, or creepy school. The answer is so damned simple, but all of you’ve missed it.
It's a game. It’s, The Game.
It’s ran by the thickest branches of my family tree, and the stakes are high enough even I don’t really understand.
And whoever has us here, he’s weaponized it. The crazy fuck. “
“Call on your family for help then. “ I say, starting to deal with the fear and confusion.
“You first. “ Is Trenchcoat’s reply.
I get his point, and for a twisted, shitty moment, I find myself relating to the murderous thing I’ve been saddled with.
“So what’s the plan? “ I ask.
“Get my hands on whoever’s been stalking me. Between A and B, probably kill those little do-gooders upstairs out of spite.
I need you to circumvent rules we come across. Humans need to agree to follow the rules, it’s why people encounter them in jobs and schools so much. I’m not human, if you haven’t noticed. I don’t get a choice. “ I’m shaking my head as Augustus relates his plan.
“We’re not hurting those kids. “ I say defiantly.
“I’m sure you’ll have no problem with that.
But I’m a God damned child killing monster, bud! How long is that going to take to sink the fuck in?
Me not doing what I do, isn’t like giving up smokes. Think of it like not having a slash for months on end. Sooner or later, like it or not, I’m either finding a bathroom or pissing my pants. “ the rant scares me, but it makes me think.
Something about Augustus, it seems very, 90’s. Whoever was on the speakers was talking about the lightbulbs being from ’93. I’m picking up on a very distinct pattern.
I file that information with the rest of the disconnected lore I’ve managed to find on Trenchcoat as I follow him up the steep, narrow set of stairs.
He whips the thin wood door open, taking an aggressive, lurching step into the livingroom beyond. Surely ready to dispense too far quips and limitless violence, as per usual.
But that doesn’t happen, his rage filled scowl turns into a look of resignation, “Fuck”, is the monster’s last word before he disappears.
I cautiously walk up the loose splinter ridden stairs, expecting Augustus to be waiting around the corner, or engaged in combat with some other horror.
But once I get to the top, there’s nothing more sinister than a livingroom covered in dust and graffiti strewn with old bottles and new stains.
I know my chance when I see it. The particle board sealing the bay window is rotten, the glass long since broken.
No monster, no crazy family, I’ll take my chances with the streets of the U. K.
I tap the crumbling wood with a foot, it rattles, it won’t take much to make a hole.
I line up a kick, freedom no more than a quarter inch of rotten wood away.
“I wouldn’t do that. “ Says a voice behind me, male, around my age I’d guess, but with a confidence that makes me listen, “ Rigged with a load of C4 in the window frame.
Don’t take my word for it, guy wasn’t very subtle. ”
Sure enough, I see small wires running along the edges of the frame and embedded in the particle board.
I turn around, the six people standing in front of me have a vibe I can only describe as severe.
“Are we going to have issues? “ a slight, dark skinned guy asks.
“You making threats? “ I reply.
“No, he isn’t. “ it’s the same voice that warned me about the explosives. It belongs to a squared jawed kid with short black hair, he’s wearing a grey hoodie, and separates himself from the group. “ Call me Kent, and I’m in charge of making threats.
Sid, he’s our people person, he’s just trying to see if you’re someone we need to worry about. “
“We don’t have time to figure this kid out, leave him. “ a short, ginger girl says.
“Ami, why don’t I stay out of equipment, and you and Kent let me figure this kid out?” Sid says.
“I’m Nik. “ I volunteer.
“Good to meet you Nik. “ Sid says, walking around Kent, “Didn’t mean to start things off on the wrong foot.
We’ve just gotten used to doing these kinds of things in our own way over the past bit. We get a little… weird around this time of year if I’m being honest. “
I nod, apprehensive at giving any kind of detailed response.
“Derik” says a tall, pale guy, “ Research. “
“Liam. “ a tanned boy in a flannel shirt and deep blue jeans tells me, “ Oxford doesn’t talk, accident a couple of years back. I’m logistics, he figures spooky shit out. “
Oxford is thin and bald, his face looks much older than it should. Like he’s the victim of some kind of wasting disease.
Telling these kids the truth would be, complicated. And something about their war vet demeanor, makes me want to keep things simple.
So I give them a version of the truth. One where I was plucked from my room by Trenchcoat, and brought here for a slow death.
They buy it. I think.
“Well, I don’t know what this Jigsaw wannabe has planned, but trust me when I say, it can’t be much worse than the things we’ve went through. “ Kent says, trying to be reassuring.
“Just, one more thing. “ Sid begins, “ Why all the scars? “
I know I’ve won most of the group over, but I don’t like the look Sid is giving me.
“Work on a farm, on top of that, the family owns an auction. Lots of bent steel and splinters, what can I say? “ I say, trying to sound casual.
“Fair enough, that accent though. “ Sid’s look becomes almost predatory as he talks.
“Immigration my guy. What’s with the third degree? “ I reply.
“We’ve just met and I’ve only asked three questions.
Humor me here though.
You get taken in the night by that thing that winked out of existence.
Seems pretty nice of him to let you put on shoes. “ Sid lets his statement hang.
Kent turns, I don’t like where this is going. Panic and fear start to well up.
“What’re you thinking Sid? “ Kent asks.
“Kid’s lying. But he’s good at it. “ Sid answers.
“You saying this has turned into a, me, situation? “ Kent’s question starts a deep pit in my stomach.
“I don’t know if we need to go that far. But I don’t like the idea of him having seen our faces. I think this is a Liam situation. “ As Sid says this I look to Liam, who already seems deep in thought.
“Local cops will back our story, but he could go beyond them.
We tie him up until all of this is done, and we get some video of him putting a blade into the body upstairs. He goes telling any stories, it’s us and the locals versus some Yank on video stabbing the kid. “ Liam suggests.
I tried to fight, it went, embarrassingly. Kent had me on the ground in some kind of arm lock in about a second.
I’m bound to an old wooden chair with electrical cords, dragged into a room on the second floor where the chubby kid from before lays face down in a coagulated pool of his own blood. Surrounded by the trappings of misspent youth.
The door locks, and I stare at the corpse, wondering what in the hell went on up here, and in what universe are these psychopaths anything other than what they seemed on screen.
Time becomes almost malleable. I’m terrified to the point where every moment seems to stretch out forever.
Then, I hear it. A wet, organic noise. It starts below the body, and slowly starts to spread.
After a minute or two, the body starts to jerk and twitch. The room is dim as hell, but some kind of ropey, flesh-like substance, is sealing off the door.
I watch as the corpse clumsily gets to it’s feet. It’s skin pale, it’s throat slit to the point of near decapitation.
The head falls backward, obscenely with a small spurt of thick blood.
I scream, I thought I’d been getting used to being face to face with monsters. But fully bound, inches away from a kid that seems to be filled with a twisting mass of barbed, writhing, intestine like tentacles, I realize I’m not used to shit.
The ropey mass forms the barest suggestion of features, a shifting, lumpen mass of ever moving tendrils coming from what used to be the kid’s neck.
The sound spreads more, cracks in the floorboards and walls begin to show hints of the tendrils filling them in like spray foam.
No one is hearing my screams, or if they are, they have no interest in helping.
Ever wonder how you’d handle torture? I think if you’re the kind of person to be reading this, it’s likely you have.
I started by pissing myself.
The second the thin tendril touches my hand, I feel a blinding, flensing pain. I can do nothing but watch, as thousands of nearly hair thin spines tear and consume my flesh. As it slowly, almost, curiously makes it’s way up my arm, it leaves a bloodless, scarred furrow about an eighth of an inch deep.
My second reaction was to lose any pretense at defiance or dignity. I thrash and scream, beg and offer. All of this turning into choked sobs as the thing starts to do much of the same with another tendril.
It felt like I was in hell, every inch of me nothing more than a canvas for this artist of misery.
But pain, it can only go so far. Whether we’re talking about my tolerance, or this thing’s interest.
Mutilation, the brutal wedding of pain and loss. That was it’s next step.
A thick, almost centipede like tendril sits on my pinky like a hot iron. I can only watch in horror as I see fat, then muscle, then bone, then, nothing.
My voice shreds, I tear my wrists and ankles trying desperately to break the expertly tied wires.
My mind is at the breaking point, the creature in front of my makes a terrible, high pitched keening I assume is laughter.
My body is a roadmap of scarred pits and lines. My hand sports a cleanly severed finger. Fuck me, I wish things ended there.
Of all the important parts of the human body, the eye, tends to feel the least pain. Which isn’t to say, as I watched the greedy, grasping claws slowly take pieces of one of mine, it didn’t hurt, but the worst part, was knowing what was happening.
The vision in my left eye begins to distort at first, the edges getting blurry, then going dark. Bit by bit, chunk by irreplaceable chunk, the creature takes half my vision.
I can feel the shifting air on the bare socket, to call what I’m doing screaming, would be understating things to the point of absurdity.
My brain reels at what has just happened. I can feel my grip on reality begin to loosen, pain, worse than can bare, loss of half my sight, it’s too much.
My brain feels filled with static, for a few brief moments I swear, I can hear someone, a voice, trying to tell me something.
But then, a smell hits me. Something so foul, so alien, it yanks me back from the brink of disassociation. I gag and choke, as the air becomes thick with the rotten, chemical reek.
Then, I see it, I see, him.
As randomly as he disappeared, in an instant Trenchcoat is in the room.
He’s torn apart, wounds so deep and ragged, I can see the door on the other side of the room through the worst of them.
One arm is a twisted, broken mess, the flesh jacket torn to shreds of necrotic tissue.
The look on his face is panic, paranoia. A rictus grin of someone that has been kept on his toes for entirely too long.
He trembles and heaves, looking like he could fall over at any second.
He points his good arm at the tendril creature, who I notice has a too familiar eye suspended in it’s shifting features.
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the motherfucker who just made me kill my favorite cousin, would you? “ Trenchcoat asks, his voice cracked, and strained.
He gets a confused keening in response.
“Bad day for you then. “ Augustus says.
There is no style to his violence, Trenchcoat grabs the shifting mass, his wicked, claw tipped fingers angling themselves in tendrils. As he lifts the thing, floorboards break, and it’s torn free from the root-like system it was creating in the room.
Three brutal slams cover me in ichor and pieces of creature. Trenchcoat tosses the mewling, twitching pile in a corner and looks at me with disgust.
“You let that thing do this to you? Fuckin’ pathetic, bud.
And who tied you up? “ The nightmare I’ve been cursed with chides me.
“The kids downstairs. “ I say only now realizing I’ve still been sobbing.
One handed, Trenchcoat snaps the wires, then stumbles backward, slowly sliding down the wall.
He coughs, grey, bloody phlegm hitting the ground.
“So, what’s the play here? If this shit broke you, I could use the spare parts, if not, well, you know what the Bible says.
An eye for an eye. “ Trenchcoat grins as he talks, nearly on the brink of death.
And that’s where I think I’m going to leave things. Because, honestly I don’t know what I’m choosing.
I’m mutilated, half blind, using too much of my energy typing to strangers online about things because, I’m so fucking alone here.
If you hear from me again, I hope I made the right move. If not, take this as a lesson on what happens when you screw around with the occult.
submitted by HughEhhoule to nosleep [link] [comments]
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/s/R0DAycoVIm
“In what universe would I ever do you a favor? “ I say, sweeping the floor of the reinforced barn.
“It’s not a favor, it’s a trade, bud.
What do you want in return? “ Trenchcoat asks from within the coffin-like cage.
“To be back home, 8 months ago. “ I reply.
Over the past few weeks I’ve managed to integrate myself into the day to day life on the farm. Things are still a grim, horrifying slog, but with every day it gets a bit easier to deal with.
“Give me something I can do. “ The creature pleads.
“Why, so I can wind up on the end of another ‘ Gotcha’ moment? I’m good. “ is my answer.
A few minutes of silence go by, Augustus breaks it.
“I don’t know many secrets of the universe. Facts, not really my bag. But I know a couple.
How about I share one with you?
No one, not the pope, not my brother, not the shit-bird perched on the highest branch of my twisted family tree, knows what happens when you die.
Some of us never will, of course. Others have ways of avoiding it, but at the end of the day, when the lights truly go out, we know next to nothing.
We do know one thing though. There is judgement, by who? Who knows? Why? Not important.
But at the end of the day, if your battery can’t be recharged, you really want to be thinking about how many marks are on each side of the ledger. “
I don’t reply, and for the next hour or so I ignore the pleading and hinting Trenchcoat does.
But that night, as I sip acidic tea, and try to get a handle on how in the fuck old televisions function, his offer is at the forefront of my mind.
He wants to kill, specifically 6 teenagers who, according to him, have been murdering classmates yearly in a twisted ritual.
He wants me to think this is some kind of noble act, he frames it as almost superheroic. The evil prick knows how I feel, knows that I see the blood on my hands every day, and would kill ( possibly literally) for some way to atone.
Is it a play? I honestly don’t think so, something about how eager the twisted thing is, about how he’s treating the situation as a buyer’s market makes me think something about this makes it important to him.
He offers me everything besides safety and protection. I’m desperate for help, but I have no way to hold him to any agreement.
So the thought rolls around in my mind, staving off the few hours of sleep I get.
“Okay, so, I have it on good authority that tea is supposed to taste better over here. What the hell is wrong with this? “ I say, sitting around an outside table with Sylvia, Dafydd and Colin.
Sylvia smiles, “ Barium, calcium, and a touch of castor oil. “
I look at the brew, then at her.
“If I had told you when you got here you need to drink that to mitigate the effects of working with void touched objects and creatures, you’d have assumed the worst, and found a way to avoid drinking it.
Good to see you becoming more perceptive though. “ Sylvia explains.
“That’s called paranoia, Syl. “ I reply.
She laughs, lighting a cigarette.
“Do you know why I’ve let you figure things out on your own? “ The ancient woman asks.
“Accepted? Yes. Understood, not in the slightest. “ I answer, wondering what sadist invented the scone.
“It’s because I need a leader. Someone who can understand, not a boy who puts his head down and listens to orders.
Someone who can make their own decisions when the time comes.
And I think that time is coming soon. “ Her statement feels like a question.
“If I chose to be here I’d be honored.” I counter.
“That attitude on the other hand… needs work.
Nikolas, today, we talk about what’s really going on.
We play a role in a much larger organization, us, and other families like us, are the ‘boots on the ground’ so to speak.
Our job is not to capture creatures, or horde esoteric goods. We do not foil the schemes of demons, nor blind those who look too deeply into the abyss.
We’re given information about events that could steer the path of humanity into a brick wall. And our job is to make sure they don’t happen. “ Sylvia reveals.
“Something is happening with these fights? “ I ask.
“As I said, perceptive.
Yes, it could be next week, it could be in a decade or two. Right now, we know very little about it, other than when it happens, it would be in our best interests to be of a high standing in the pits. “ She replies.
I absorb the information, and t drug laced tea in equal measure. As I do, I feel something, I feel I’m a part of what’s going on.
This is going to sound dumb as hell, but up until this point I hadn’t been taking things seriously. Don’t get me wrong, death is on the table, and I was trying to avoid that. But I was just treading water, hoping something or someone came by and to get me out of this situation.
But as Syl lays things out, I start to think of my place here, what I can be doing to better my state.
“Here is the part where you avoid telling me why you couldn’t have used anyone around here. “ I prod.
I keep her gaze, Colin and Dafydd shift uncomfortably.
“Augustus, he’s a tricky one. But a very lucky find for us.
I’ve tried 2 others. A boy and a girl, both I practically raised.
Marco, he was a warrior. But the demon got in his head. There was nothing that could be done beyond end his suffering.
Zelma, I won’t talk about.
That thing, it has a way of turning someone’s best traits against them. You, are a blank slate, but you’re family. You’re my best guess as to how we can use him to our advantage.
And this is why I need you, not to listen, but to understand. To see what’s happening, and make your own decisions. If I were to give you my knowledge, if I were to arm you with the best weapons, and the most powerful esoteric objects I know. He’d just have more to turn against you. “ Sylvia’s revelation scares me and puts a massive weight on my shoulders all at the same time.
Confidence and fear are both dangerous emotions. The two of them are almost like drugs in a way.
After eight months of mainlining fear, the tiny line of confidence Sylvia gave me, went straight to my head.
Trenchcoat told me where to find a video file. And after a couple of weeks of running it through every possible test I could, to check for any kind of manipulation, supernatural or otherwise, I watched it.
I was confident that the world would be much better off without the people committing the vicious acts contained in those twenty minutes of footage.
A teenage view of morality, I admit. But what do you want, I’m a teenager.
We watch the abandoned house from across the street. It’s a dingy, urban blight affected suburb, that being said, how no one seems to notice the seven foot freak with me, I have no idea.
The kid inside smoking stolen cigarettes and illegally supplied booze is a husky young guy of about 14. The half dozen kids that show up a couple hours later look closer to my age, last couple of years of high school I’m guessing.
The way they get into the house tells me they’ve done this before. The backpacks they all carry tell me they’re there for a purpose.
“How fucking funny would it be if I just killed you here and took off? “ Trenchcoat says, looming behind me.
I tense.
“It’s a joke. Out of my whole rotten family, Art and I, are close. I’m not going anywhere.
Unfortunately for you. “ Trenchcoat shoves me to the ground as he walks toward the house.
We get in through a basement window, I fit easily, Trenchcoat contorts his body to fit through the thin opening, somehow doing so silently.
I keep hearing Sylvia in my head. Telling me how she needs someone that can make his own decisions.
As I stand in the litter strewn basement, beside a creature with child murder on it’s mind I question the decision that I made.
At first the illumination is dim, nothing more than scraps of moonlight filtered through splintered wood. But with an industrial click, suddenly a half dozen lightbulbs bathe the basement in harsh, yellowish light.
Harsh, but not harsh enough to cause the reaction I see from Trenchcoat.
He squints and tries, unsuccessfully to turn away from the lights. Something about them is causing him discomfort. I get my hopes up for a moment he’s going to burst into flame or turn into dust or something, but no dice.
The sight of the walking nightmare looking pained and confused makes me panic. But before I can think of how I fucked up, I hear a voice.
The room, by the sounds of it, the entire house, has been rigged with speakers. Cleverly recessed in sconces and corners.
“Augi, long time no see. And I see you brought a little Renfield fella with you. “ The voice is modulated, Trenchcoat looks curious for a moment.
“Who, is this? You that clown that’s been fucking with Art?” He guesses.
The voice laughs, “Nope.
Who I am, is a guy who managed to find a few boxes of lightbulbs from ’93.
Then again, with eBay, that could make me just about anyone. “
Trenchcoat turns and looks toward the window we came in. He reaches a hand toward it, stopping a few inches away.
“That’s fucking interesting. “ He says, eyes darting around the room.
“Isn’t it though? “ The voice replies, clearly hearing the creature’s whisper, “ Tonight you get the pay for centuries of the worst shit committed by man or beast. I’ve made sure of that. No one in this house is going anywhere for the next 8 hours.
I’m sure the rest of the houseguests are pretty confused as to what’s going on. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, so let me give you the Cliff’s notes.
You kids have been killing a monster a year for half a decade. You were the perfect bait, and I have faith you’ll be able to outwit Augi long enough to make it out of here.
If not, you’ll still have helped kill one of the worst things to walk the face of the earth. “
“What the hell is he talking about? “ I ask, a sinking feeling in my gut.
“That’s what you’re worried about right now?
Yeah, these kids are more Scooby gang than Manson family. Don’t blame me for the fact it only took an out of context exorcism video and some promises of making things right with the universe to get you on board with killing them. “ Trenchcoat spits.
I feel afraid, stupid and small. Which is to say, lately, business as usual.
I begin to break lightbulbs, I notice no runes, or anything else that would indicate they have any kind of supernatural origin.
As the basement dims, Trenchcoat starts to breathe easier.
“What’s going on, what stopped you from leaving? “ I ask.
“This little shit is playing The Game. “ Trenchcoat says to himself as much as to me. He looks deep in thought, inspecting the glass from the bulbs.
“What are you talking about? “ I say, my voice cracking slightly.
I hear noises upstairs, frantic foot falls. Indecipherable shouting.
Trenchcoat turns to me, exasperated and filled with anger.
“You’ve heard of ‘Rules’ right? All that ‘Don’t turn left on East street at 3:24 am kind of shit? “ The creature starts, “More and more of them popping up lately. Can’t miss the things.
Well, your kind seems great at finding them, but fucking awful at figuring out what they are. It’s not someone’s new job, or creepy school. The answer is so damned simple, but all of you’ve missed it.
It's a game. It’s, The Game.
It’s ran by the thickest branches of my family tree, and the stakes are high enough even I don’t really understand.
And whoever has us here, he’s weaponized it. The crazy fuck. “
“Call on your family for help then. “ I say, starting to deal with the fear and confusion.
“You first. “ Is Trenchcoat’s reply.
I get his point, and for a twisted, shitty moment, I find myself relating to the murderous thing I’ve been saddled with.
“So what’s the plan? “ I ask.
“Get my hands on whoever’s been stalking me. Between A and B, probably kill those little do-gooders upstairs out of spite.
I need you to circumvent rules we come across. Humans need to agree to follow the rules, it’s why people encounter them in jobs and schools so much. I’m not human, if you haven’t noticed. I don’t get a choice. “ I’m shaking my head as Augustus relates his plan.
“We’re not hurting those kids. “ I say defiantly.
“I’m sure you’ll have no problem with that.
But I’m a God damned child killing monster, bud! How long is that going to take to sink the fuck in?
Me not doing what I do, isn’t like giving up smokes. Think of it like not having a slash for months on end. Sooner or later, like it or not, I’m either finding a bathroom or pissing my pants. “ the rant scares me, but it makes me think.
Something about Augustus, it seems very, 90’s. Whoever was on the speakers was talking about the lightbulbs being from ’93. I’m picking up on a very distinct pattern.
I file that information with the rest of the disconnected lore I’ve managed to find on Trenchcoat as I follow him up the steep, narrow set of stairs.
He whips the thin wood door open, taking an aggressive, lurching step into the livingroom beyond. Surely ready to dispense too far quips and limitless violence, as per usual.
But that doesn’t happen, his rage filled scowl turns into a look of resignation, “Fuck”, is the monster’s last word before he disappears.
I cautiously walk up the loose splinter ridden stairs, expecting Augustus to be waiting around the corner, or engaged in combat with some other horror.
But once I get to the top, there’s nothing more sinister than a livingroom covered in dust and graffiti strewn with old bottles and new stains.
I know my chance when I see it. The particle board sealing the bay window is rotten, the glass long since broken.
No monster, no crazy family, I’ll take my chances with the streets of the U. K.
I tap the crumbling wood with a foot, it rattles, it won’t take much to make a hole.
I line up a kick, freedom no more than a quarter inch of rotten wood away.
“I wouldn’t do that. “ Says a voice behind me, male, around my age I’d guess, but with a confidence that makes me listen, “ Rigged with a load of C4 in the window frame.
Don’t take my word for it, guy wasn’t very subtle. ”
Sure enough, I see small wires running along the edges of the frame and embedded in the particle board.
I turn around, the six people standing in front of me have a vibe I can only describe as severe.
“Are we going to have issues? “ a slight, dark skinned guy asks.
“You making threats? “ I reply.
“No, he isn’t. “ it’s the same voice that warned me about the explosives. It belongs to a squared jawed kid with short black hair, he’s wearing a grey hoodie, and separates himself from the group. “ Call me Kent, and I’m in charge of making threats.
Sid, he’s our people person, he’s just trying to see if you’re someone we need to worry about. “
“We don’t have time to figure this kid out, leave him. “ a short, ginger girl says.
“Ami, why don’t I stay out of equipment, and you and Kent let me figure this kid out?” Sid says.
“I’m Nik. “ I volunteer.
“Good to meet you Nik. “ Sid says, walking around Kent, “Didn’t mean to start things off on the wrong foot.
We’ve just gotten used to doing these kinds of things in our own way over the past bit. We get a little… weird around this time of year if I’m being honest. “
I nod, apprehensive at giving any kind of detailed response.
“Derik” says a tall, pale guy, “ Research. “
“Liam. “ a tanned boy in a flannel shirt and deep blue jeans tells me, “ Oxford doesn’t talk, accident a couple of years back. I’m logistics, he figures spooky shit out. “
Oxford is thin and bald, his face looks much older than it should. Like he’s the victim of some kind of wasting disease.
Telling these kids the truth would be, complicated. And something about their war vet demeanor, makes me want to keep things simple.
So I give them a version of the truth. One where I was plucked from my room by Trenchcoat, and brought here for a slow death.
They buy it. I think.
“Well, I don’t know what this Jigsaw wannabe has planned, but trust me when I say, it can’t be much worse than the things we’ve went through. “ Kent says, trying to be reassuring.
“Just, one more thing. “ Sid begins, “ Why all the scars? “
I know I’ve won most of the group over, but I don’t like the look Sid is giving me.
“Work on a farm, on top of that, the family owns an auction. Lots of bent steel and splinters, what can I say? “ I say, trying to sound casual.
“Fair enough, that accent though. “ Sid’s look becomes almost predatory as he talks.
“Immigration my guy. What’s with the third degree? “ I reply.
“We’ve just met and I’ve only asked three questions.
Humor me here though.
You get taken in the night by that thing that winked out of existence.
Seems pretty nice of him to let you put on shoes. “ Sid lets his statement hang.
Kent turns, I don’t like where this is going. Panic and fear start to well up.
“What’re you thinking Sid? “ Kent asks.
“Kid’s lying. But he’s good at it. “ Sid answers.
“You saying this has turned into a, me, situation? “ Kent’s question starts a deep pit in my stomach.
“I don’t know if we need to go that far. But I don’t like the idea of him having seen our faces. I think this is a Liam situation. “ As Sid says this I look to Liam, who already seems deep in thought.
“Local cops will back our story, but he could go beyond them.
We tie him up until all of this is done, and we get some video of him putting a blade into the body upstairs. He goes telling any stories, it’s us and the locals versus some Yank on video stabbing the kid. “ Liam suggests.
I tried to fight, it went, embarrassingly. Kent had me on the ground in some kind of arm lock in about a second.
I’m bound to an old wooden chair with electrical cords, dragged into a room on the second floor where the chubby kid from before lays face down in a coagulated pool of his own blood. Surrounded by the trappings of misspent youth.
The door locks, and I stare at the corpse, wondering what in the hell went on up here, and in what universe are these psychopaths anything other than what they seemed on screen.
Time becomes almost malleable. I’m terrified to the point where every moment seems to stretch out forever.
Then, I hear it. A wet, organic noise. It starts below the body, and slowly starts to spread.
After a minute or two, the body starts to jerk and twitch. The room is dim as hell, but some kind of ropey, flesh-like substance, is sealing off the door.
I watch as the corpse clumsily gets to it’s feet. It’s skin pale, it’s throat slit to the point of near decapitation.
The head falls backward, obscenely with a small spurt of thick blood.
I scream, I thought I’d been getting used to being face to face with monsters. But fully bound, inches away from a kid that seems to be filled with a twisting mass of barbed, writhing, intestine like tentacles, I realize I’m not used to shit.
The ropey mass forms the barest suggestion of features, a shifting, lumpen mass of ever moving tendrils coming from what used to be the kid’s neck.
The sound spreads more, cracks in the floorboards and walls begin to show hints of the tendrils filling them in like spray foam.
No one is hearing my screams, or if they are, they have no interest in helping.
Ever wonder how you’d handle torture? I think if you’re the kind of person to be reading this, it’s likely you have.
I started by pissing myself.
The second the thin tendril touches my hand, I feel a blinding, flensing pain. I can do nothing but watch, as thousands of nearly hair thin spines tear and consume my flesh. As it slowly, almost, curiously makes it’s way up my arm, it leaves a bloodless, scarred furrow about an eighth of an inch deep.
My second reaction was to lose any pretense at defiance or dignity. I thrash and scream, beg and offer. All of this turning into choked sobs as the thing starts to do much of the same with another tendril.
It felt like I was in hell, every inch of me nothing more than a canvas for this artist of misery.
But pain, it can only go so far. Whether we’re talking about my tolerance, or this thing’s interest.
Mutilation, the brutal wedding of pain and loss. That was it’s next step.
A thick, almost centipede like tendril sits on my pinky like a hot iron. I can only watch in horror as I see fat, then muscle, then bone, then, nothing.
My voice shreds, I tear my wrists and ankles trying desperately to break the expertly tied wires.
My mind is at the breaking point, the creature in front of my makes a terrible, high pitched keening I assume is laughter.
My body is a roadmap of scarred pits and lines. My hand sports a cleanly severed finger. Fuck me, I wish things ended there.
Of all the important parts of the human body, the eye, tends to feel the least pain. Which isn’t to say, as I watched the greedy, grasping claws slowly take pieces of one of mine, it didn’t hurt, but the worst part, was knowing what was happening.
The vision in my left eye begins to distort at first, the edges getting blurry, then going dark. Bit by bit, chunk by irreplaceable chunk, the creature takes half my vision.
I can feel the shifting air on the bare socket, to call what I’m doing screaming, would be understating things to the point of absurdity.
My brain reels at what has just happened. I can feel my grip on reality begin to loosen, pain, worse than can bare, loss of half my sight, it’s too much.
My brain feels filled with static, for a few brief moments I swear, I can hear someone, a voice, trying to tell me something.
But then, a smell hits me. Something so foul, so alien, it yanks me back from the brink of disassociation. I gag and choke, as the air becomes thick with the rotten, chemical reek.
Then, I see it, I see, him.
As randomly as he disappeared, in an instant Trenchcoat is in the room.
He’s torn apart, wounds so deep and ragged, I can see the door on the other side of the room through the worst of them.
One arm is a twisted, broken mess, the flesh jacket torn to shreds of necrotic tissue.
The look on his face is panic, paranoia. A rictus grin of someone that has been kept on his toes for entirely too long.
He trembles and heaves, looking like he could fall over at any second.
He points his good arm at the tendril creature, who I notice has a too familiar eye suspended in it’s shifting features.
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the motherfucker who just made me kill my favorite cousin, would you? “ Trenchcoat asks, his voice cracked, and strained.
He gets a confused keening in response.
“Bad day for you then. “ Augustus says.
There is no style to his violence, Trenchcoat grabs the shifting mass, his wicked, claw tipped fingers angling themselves in tendrils. As he lifts the thing, floorboards break, and it’s torn free from the root-like system it was creating in the room.
Three brutal slams cover me in ichor and pieces of creature. Trenchcoat tosses the mewling, twitching pile in a corner and looks at me with disgust.
“You let that thing do this to you? Fuckin’ pathetic, bud.
And who tied you up? “ The nightmare I’ve been cursed with chides me.
“The kids downstairs. “ I say only now realizing I’ve still been sobbing.
One handed, Trenchcoat snaps the wires, then stumbles backward, slowly sliding down the wall.
He coughs, grey, bloody phlegm hitting the ground.
“So, what’s the play here? If this shit broke you, I could use the spare parts, if not, well, you know what the Bible says.
An eye for an eye. “ Trenchcoat grins as he talks, nearly on the brink of death.
And that’s where I think I’m going to leave things. Because, honestly I don’t know what I’m choosing.
I’m mutilated, half blind, using too much of my energy typing to strangers online about things because, I’m so fucking alone here.
If you hear from me again, I hope I made the right move. If not, take this as a lesson on what happens when you screw around with the occult.
2024.06.01 07:34 momo-melle I'm torn (Aunty Rant)
 | Hey, hello. Howdy? submitted by momo-melle to houkai3rd [link] [comments] Just a heads up: this might be a long text from a old player, with opinions/rants you've probably seen somewhere else before. Just wanted to share a bit. It's been a while I don't come here. For anyone that has been here for a couple of years, you might remember me from the megathread - tried to help a lot of players back in 2022-23, liked to lurk almost everyday. I've completed 930 days playing Hi3. Definately not a granny, but certainly an aunty. I've invested a lot in this game - emotionally, finantially and time-wise. I'm not a whale, but probably a hard working dolphin: monthly+BP, all B-chip skins and occasional splurge during anniversary patch, buying every double pack once. I'm lacking only one valk (side eyes Vill-V) and all valks from 3.4 onwards are fully geared, with some minor exceptions (no Bastet/Van Gogh/Cecilia sets, missing Alladin T, big Griseo's Cross). Even older valks have their old BIS sets (like HoV). All these old valks (till HoS release) are at least SS. I'm only missing one DK, which is XY sword - I do have the Pokémon games tho. I'm very proud of my skin collection too. Although I don't have the elusive ones (old beach skins, Princess Kiana, EVA collab), I pretty much collected all high rarity ones except some still dusting in the ticket shop. I love my valks and they all deserve to be pretty. I'm not an outstanding player competitively, by any means. I always played for the story/lore and for collecting. I've reached Nirvana a couple of times (5, I believe?) in the end of last year, until the burnout finally started to settle in. I'm currently bouncing between AIII and RL, since Abyss has been extremely toxic and not enjoyable at all for some months now. Since the ending chapters of Part 1, I started to feel a very faint sense of disappoitment. I still cry till this day when I hear Da Capo/Graduation Trip, but overall it didn't impact me (ehe) as much as I was expecting it too. Many things felt rushed, others felt bloated. I think there isn't much else to say, it had its fair share of divided opinions. Part 1.5 basically seemed like it wasn't there, Susannah, Kira and Misteln all helped me disconnect with the story even more (even tho I love Seele and Veli). Sa's introduction was quite interesting tho, and at least tied to what the previous Part has been building up for 4/5 years. Part 2 however... Well. I've already ranted about it in another comment not so long ago, on a post questioning about Part 2 story quality. I'll just make it very, very simple:
Enough about story. The second - and last topic - is about the current state of the competitive and gacha side. I think some of you have already seen some well known CCs that have expressed their negative thoughts about Hi3 meta (Akayuki, Nyll Hzri). This is not something new. It started way before Part 2 dropped. Hi3 started drifting from being a P2W yet also highly skill based game to a only braindead P2W one. The powercreep spiked up like crazy. S-ranks (most especifically Herrschers) used to stay relevant for a year, nowadays they are lucky to last a couple of patches. We used to have some breathing space patches with SP valks and discounted gear. We're heading towards the third patch with a premium S-rank - which needs the last two to properly be played, mind you. "Oh, Momo, but gacha is better now". It isn't. It's just an illusion of change, but the system stayed the same. Stigs can be farmed - but upgrading them is now a huge bottleneck. Rates are better, but you can't afford to skip valks if you want to stay relevant in Abyss. Weapons are guaranteed in 50 pulls, but they introduced the synergy system to milk spending players even more. Don't even get me started on Part 1 and 1.5 valks. Geez, except for FoV and HoRb and some SP valks, they have completely ditched the old roster. Bam, years of dedication left in the dust, looking pretty on your shelf. Heck, as I said, I'm not a meta player, so many of these changes don't affect me, but I find these just straight up scammy as hell. Again, like the story, the way they're treating new valks and the gacha changes are making the game hollow. I've been trying to give things more time, Part 1 also started quite basic and I didn't feel it since I started way after things got better (4.9). I'm looking forward to getting Lantern. I like her design and gameplay (Hoyo RARELY disappoints me in those regards, in any game). I like collecting and I've been enjoying playing Sena and Thelema. Cora and Helia (although quite useless as time goes by) are super fun to play. Ranking down to A3 has been doing wonders to easing out my burnout. I spend 5-10 min per day in the game, with the only exception being my weekly run of ER. This has been my way of sticking around, but I'm not sure if it will keep working in the future or if I should be doing this at all. I want the story to work, I love the universe Hoyo created with their games. I don't want to fall into sunk cost fallacy, but I also don't want to abandon everything I've built over these 930 days. I still care about it, and I still want to maintain my habit of getting each release. Anyway, I'm not really expecting an answer. I'll figure things out along the way. It's just a game in the end of the road and it should be viewed as our entertainment, not a job or a responsability. I'm currently processing a lot on things irl too, so maybe I'm just being over dramatic. Just wanna be self aware about what I choose to spend my time on. Sorry, dude/dudette. If you've managed to read this essay till here, you're an internet legend. Have a virtual cookie and a hug. Also, drink water and get off your phone. I'll touch grass myself (not really, its 2:30AM). Peace everyone ✌🏼 |
2024.06.01 06:59 Kouta27 27 M - PC(Steam) - New Farm - Discord(Voice)
Hi everyone!
I'm looking for someone around my age to start a new beach farm (shared money) and have a nice talk while at it ^
No speedrun or anything of the likes please. In fact, I would like to give a try to roleplaying a bit. I heard some people do that in Stardew and even though it's slower, they said it's quite fun too!
We would voice chat over discord. (My first language is spanish, but I have a decent english level)
Somethings we can talk about! - Dogs - Anime (Shonens, Isekais and some comedy ones) - Lemon Pie and Tiramisu :3 (Just learned how to prepare them!) - 2014 nostalgia :') - Music (I like Linkin Park old songs and well stuff of the like) - Pokemon (never played the games or watch the entire series, but I saw that movie in which Ash turns into stone and Pikachu's tears wakes him :')
If anything don't be afraid to come up and ask me whatever it is on your mind.
Hit me up if you're interested!
submitted by Kouta27 to StardewValleyFriends [link] [comments]
I'm looking for someone around my age to start a new beach farm (shared money) and have a nice talk while at it ^
No speedrun or anything of the likes please. In fact, I would like to give a try to roleplaying a bit. I heard some people do that in Stardew and even though it's slower, they said it's quite fun too!
We would voice chat over discord. (My first language is spanish, but I have a decent english level)
Somethings we can talk about! - Dogs - Anime (Shonens, Isekais and some comedy ones) - Lemon Pie and Tiramisu :3 (Just learned how to prepare them!) - 2014 nostalgia :') - Music (I like Linkin Park old songs and well stuff of the like) - Pokemon (never played the games or watch the entire series, but I saw that movie in which Ash turns into stone and Pikachu's tears wakes him :')
If anything don't be afraid to come up and ask me whatever it is on your mind.
Hit me up if you're interested!
2024.06.01 04:45 National_Ordinary615 Good squads and Bad squads
WARNING-Rant incoming: I am by no means a top-tier player. Last few weeks I've normally headed straight to Tier 3 solo, farmed one of the triangle sites, teamed up with whoever else was in tier 3 that early, done a few contracts, gone to a dark aether, rinsed and repeated. Today I played three or four games, which is a lot for me. The first game I teamed up with an experienced player who, like myself, was already kitted out as soon as the game started - legendary, pack 3 whatever, dog bones, aether blades, etc. I enjoyed talking to him because he had a mic, and his attitude was like mine - a "We-can-do-whatever-you-want-and-I'll-back-you-up" kind of guy. The type you send a friend request to as soon as the match ends. We decided to team up with a squad of three that we noticed near us on the map. The idea being that larger squads are safer when going into a dark aether. As soon as we teamed up, it was clear we were now in a squad with three kids. My original squadmate gave one of them a legendary bas-b and you could hear the joy in their voices at how powerful the rifle was, how it "shredded" the zombies. They went into tier 3 with us and went down frequently. My point is that they tried. They were good squadmates, followed us while we all worked towards completing contracts, shot zombies near me when I got swarmed, and vice-versa. Eventually, we escorted them to the nearest exfil and we all left the match because they didn't think they could handle the dark aether. No problem.
Contrast that with the squad I just abandoned. I teamed up with one first, in tier 3, and then eventually the other one joined us. We did a few contracts, but the bounty contracts were mostly done by me, because I got to the mega-abominations first, and I was able to defeat them quickly because I had incendiary rounds in my rifle. (My favorite MW3 youtuber, Doughnuts, just released a video saying he believes it'll be nerfed soon because the incendiary ammo is too powerful right now). In hindsight, the first indication of trouble was when we finished a Raid-Stash contract and one of them kept trying to scorch out of the building instead of going outside first. He had a mic, so I could clearly hear him mumbling to himself about his difficulty using the scorcher. Then a few minutes later, he keeps trying to get me to pick up a self-revive that he dropped near a reward rift, despite me telling him that I've already got three and have no room in my large rucksack with anything I wanted to give up. At this point I'm thinking this guy is still learning and probably shouldn't be in tier 3 right now. Eventually, I ping the season 1 dark aether rift, and I see my other teammate, who also has a scorcher, scorch himself to the rift. I assume he'll activate it, but then he just scorches himself back to where I was. So at that point I figure he realized he didn't have any sigils, so I make my way over there and activate the portal with an elder sigil. We all vote yes right away. So as soon as the dark aether starts and we head to the Escort location, I notice one of the squadmates just staying at the infil point. I actually assumed he glitched out, but eventually he started moving. Once again, it's left to me to kill the mega-abomination that's always near where the ACV drops. No biggie. I kill him relatively easy and then start the ACV. The Escort mission was a disaster. All of you know how hard it is. I ended up using two or three self-revives and eventually we failed the contract at the very last stop where it feels like every zombie on the map is trying to kill you. I can't remember the last time I failed that contract. Then I see one of the squadmates get downed near me by one of the remaining zonbies. Something told me to look at my tac-map because I didn't see where the third squadmate was. According to the tac-map he was right there. I look up AND THIS MOTHERFUCKER WAS ON TOP OF THE ARCHWAY AND WAS JUST LOOKING DOWN AT THE CARNAGE. He must've scorched himself up there because when you're doing the Escort contract you would have no reason to be all the way up there. I've only been up there when trying to run from one aether extractor to another. Then I tried to remember if I ever saw this dude on the route the ACV takes before that last stop, and couldn't remember ever seeing him help out. So I make my way up to where he is and this dude finally moves. Wasn't glitched out. He was just watching me and the other guy getting slaughtered. I was so incensed I just made my way to the exfil on top of the castle. Didn't even bother with the other two contracts. Didn't bother to tell them I was exfilling. End of rant..
submitted by National_Ordinary615 to MWZombies [link] [comments]
Contrast that with the squad I just abandoned. I teamed up with one first, in tier 3, and then eventually the other one joined us. We did a few contracts, but the bounty contracts were mostly done by me, because I got to the mega-abominations first, and I was able to defeat them quickly because I had incendiary rounds in my rifle. (My favorite MW3 youtuber, Doughnuts, just released a video saying he believes it'll be nerfed soon because the incendiary ammo is too powerful right now). In hindsight, the first indication of trouble was when we finished a Raid-Stash contract and one of them kept trying to scorch out of the building instead of going outside first. He had a mic, so I could clearly hear him mumbling to himself about his difficulty using the scorcher. Then a few minutes later, he keeps trying to get me to pick up a self-revive that he dropped near a reward rift, despite me telling him that I've already got three and have no room in my large rucksack with anything I wanted to give up. At this point I'm thinking this guy is still learning and probably shouldn't be in tier 3 right now. Eventually, I ping the season 1 dark aether rift, and I see my other teammate, who also has a scorcher, scorch himself to the rift. I assume he'll activate it, but then he just scorches himself back to where I was. So at that point I figure he realized he didn't have any sigils, so I make my way over there and activate the portal with an elder sigil. We all vote yes right away. So as soon as the dark aether starts and we head to the Escort location, I notice one of the squadmates just staying at the infil point. I actually assumed he glitched out, but eventually he started moving. Once again, it's left to me to kill the mega-abomination that's always near where the ACV drops. No biggie. I kill him relatively easy and then start the ACV. The Escort mission was a disaster. All of you know how hard it is. I ended up using two or three self-revives and eventually we failed the contract at the very last stop where it feels like every zombie on the map is trying to kill you. I can't remember the last time I failed that contract. Then I see one of the squadmates get downed near me by one of the remaining zonbies. Something told me to look at my tac-map because I didn't see where the third squadmate was. According to the tac-map he was right there. I look up AND THIS MOTHERFUCKER WAS ON TOP OF THE ARCHWAY AND WAS JUST LOOKING DOWN AT THE CARNAGE. He must've scorched himself up there because when you're doing the Escort contract you would have no reason to be all the way up there. I've only been up there when trying to run from one aether extractor to another. Then I tried to remember if I ever saw this dude on the route the ACV takes before that last stop, and couldn't remember ever seeing him help out. So I make my way up to where he is and this dude finally moves. Wasn't glitched out. He was just watching me and the other guy getting slaughtered. I was so incensed I just made my way to the exfil on top of the castle. Didn't even bother with the other two contracts. Didn't bother to tell them I was exfilling. End of rant..
2024.06.01 01:36 anarchyopossum free will vs game mechanics, who will win?
jokes aside, i want to preface this by saying this is one of my favourite games, and i love it so incredibly much so nothing that i say is me trying to bash it at all. it's just something that myself and, from a quick check of the subreddit, others have noticed that i wish would be altered but likely won't. also, im gay. very gay. (this is relevant)
basically, i tried incredibly hard to not initiate any romance with panam, because, as i said, im gay. im here for kerry and kerry only. but no matter what i did (didn't acknowledge her legs at the farm, didn't engage in the hotel banter, picked friendly but non joking/flirty options, etc) and still she asked v for a shag in the basilisk. from what others have said, there's literally no way to avoid this AND do her storyline, just as there's no real way to avoid river declaring his undying love for femv. it really does suck, imo, that the game tries so hard to push you into these romances.
and before anyone says, im well aware you can just not do their storylines, but it's chunks of the game you're missing and idk, ig id rather be able to give v a network of friends that didn't include having to sit there whilst they're aggressively flirted with. it's the fact no matter what you pick, unless you're outright rude, it can come across as flirty anyways. i don't WANT to flirt with panam. she's incredible, one of my favourite characters, but im incredibly gay and don't really want to go down that path with her, rpg or not.
ig i just wish there was an option to continue her storyline, and for femv to continue rivers, without having to stomach the discomfort of a semi forced romance with no concrete rejection until that single definitive moment. ik you can reject them or brush them off, but it's like they don't even register it. and it left me genuinely confused as to whether id just romanced panam or not, yknow??
like i said, i love this game, but i have my fair share of issues with it and this strange mechanic for romance is one of them.
also, disclaimer: ik how it works, ik it's an rpg targeting romances to the most popular demographic (straight ppl) but as a gay dude it'd just be nice to have the option of definitively rejecting them right out the bat, instead of having to sit through flirting and come-ons i didn't want to initiate, and actively tried to avoid.
submitted by anarchyopossum to cyberpunkgame [link] [comments]
basically, i tried incredibly hard to not initiate any romance with panam, because, as i said, im gay. im here for kerry and kerry only. but no matter what i did (didn't acknowledge her legs at the farm, didn't engage in the hotel banter, picked friendly but non joking/flirty options, etc) and still she asked v for a shag in the basilisk. from what others have said, there's literally no way to avoid this AND do her storyline, just as there's no real way to avoid river declaring his undying love for femv. it really does suck, imo, that the game tries so hard to push you into these romances.
and before anyone says, im well aware you can just not do their storylines, but it's chunks of the game you're missing and idk, ig id rather be able to give v a network of friends that didn't include having to sit there whilst they're aggressively flirted with. it's the fact no matter what you pick, unless you're outright rude, it can come across as flirty anyways. i don't WANT to flirt with panam. she's incredible, one of my favourite characters, but im incredibly gay and don't really want to go down that path with her, rpg or not.
ig i just wish there was an option to continue her storyline, and for femv to continue rivers, without having to stomach the discomfort of a semi forced romance with no concrete rejection until that single definitive moment. ik you can reject them or brush them off, but it's like they don't even register it. and it left me genuinely confused as to whether id just romanced panam or not, yknow??
like i said, i love this game, but i have my fair share of issues with it and this strange mechanic for romance is one of them.
also, disclaimer: ik how it works, ik it's an rpg targeting romances to the most popular demographic (straight ppl) but as a gay dude it'd just be nice to have the option of definitively rejecting them right out the bat, instead of having to sit through flirting and come-ons i didn't want to initiate, and actively tried to avoid.
2024.06.01 01:03 sulalaila Some translating I've done with signs and lore tablets(As long as ''the glitch'' doesn't happen, I'll keep editing this with new translations)
(it's hard to draw with a mouse) Starting with probably the smallest and shortest one: Xero's Grave. The bottom hieroglyph that looks like xero's face is ''Xero'', and then the middle and top ones together mean ''Is cursed''. Making it ''Xero is cursed''(full english game text: Cursed are those who turn against the King).
Now for Marmu's Totem. The bottom left one means ''Honor'', the bottom right one means ''Guardian'', the middle one means ''Root'', and the top one means ''Leaf''. Making it ''We honor the guardian of root and leaf''(full english game text: Protector of root and leaf, we honor you).
And then, Elder Hu's Tomb. The far right one(the three lines) means ''We'', the one after that(the circle with a line as well as a dot below it) means ''Remember'', and then the final one(the two lines, a straight line and then a circle) means ''Elder''. Making it ''We shall always remember the Elder''(full english game text: We remember the Elder).
Next, one of the bench signs. The bench obviously means ''Bench'', the key-looking symbol means ''Unlock'', and the circle next to it means ''Geo/Payment''. Making it ''Bench unlocked upon payment''
And then, the first Pilgrim's Way sign. The exclamation mark-thing in the very middle is ''Attention'', the shell piece with a line next to it is ''Pilgrims'', the thing next to the exclamation mark(that kind of looks like ''Remember'' on Hu's tomb) is ''Travel'', the three dots next to Travel is ''Through/Onward'', the lines below Through is ''Verdant Wilds'', the lines below Verdant Wilds is ''Fungal Groves'', the ladder thing below Fungal Groves is ''Descend'', the shell piece right next to ''Descend'' is unknown, all the buildings are obviously ''City'' with the crown above them being ''Capital'', the arm-looking line holding a dot is ''Wish'', the thermometer thing above Wish is ''Grant'', the big thing next to Grant is ''Reveal'', and finally the two lines and a dot above Reveal is ''Truth''. Making it ''Attention pilgrims, travel through Verdant Wilds and Fungal Groves, then descend to the Capital City. There, all wishes shall be granted, all truths revealed''(full english game text: Travellers of Hallownest, descend through verdant wilds and fungal groves to the city at this kingdom's heart. There all wishes shall be granted, all truths revealed).
Next, the final Pilgrim's Way sign. The exclamation mark in the middle is ''Attention'', the shell piece with a line next to it is ''Pilgrims'', the three dots are ''Through/Onward'', the thing next to Attention and Onward(that looks like Remember on Hu's tomb) is ''Travel'', the three lines below Onward are ''Verdant Wilds'', the other lines below Verdant Wilds are ''Fungal Groves'', the ladder thing below Fungal Groves is ''Descend'', the buildings and crown are ''Capital City'', the arm line holding a dot is ''Wish'', the thermometer thing is ''Grant'', the thing beside Grant is ''Reveal'', and finally the two lines and a dot is ''Truth''. Making it ''Attention, here ends the Pilgrim's Way. Proceed onward, travellers, for you have braved Verdant Wilds and Fungal Groves, then descend to the Capital City. Soon, you shall witness all wishes granted, and all truths revealed''.
Have no idea: every single Higher Being Lore Tablet, as well as the Wanderer's Journal.
In progress: Monomon Tablets, Lurien's Last Words, ''The great gates have been sealed'', the sign right outside Lemm's Shop, all signs within and outside Millibelle's Bank, random signs in stag stations and City of Tears, Marissa's Poster, and the signs leading to the White Palace's Ruins.
Will update this post with new translations(also im going to make a foundation post for a ''Silkenscript'', featuring pictures of all the shown signs and lore tablets in Silksong).
=========== (equal signs so the editing glitch doesn't happen).
submitted by sulalaila to HollowKnight [link] [comments]
Now for Marmu's Totem. The bottom left one means ''Honor'', the bottom right one means ''Guardian'', the middle one means ''Root'', and the top one means ''Leaf''. Making it ''We honor the guardian of root and leaf''(full english game text: Protector of root and leaf, we honor you).
And then, Elder Hu's Tomb. The far right one(the three lines) means ''We'', the one after that(the circle with a line as well as a dot below it) means ''Remember'', and then the final one(the two lines, a straight line and then a circle) means ''Elder''. Making it ''We shall always remember the Elder''(full english game text: We remember the Elder).
Next, one of the bench signs. The bench obviously means ''Bench'', the key-looking symbol means ''Unlock'', and the circle next to it means ''Geo/Payment''. Making it ''Bench unlocked upon payment''
And then, the first Pilgrim's Way sign. The exclamation mark-thing in the very middle is ''Attention'', the shell piece with a line next to it is ''Pilgrims'', the thing next to the exclamation mark(that kind of looks like ''Remember'' on Hu's tomb) is ''Travel'', the three dots next to Travel is ''Through/Onward'', the lines below Through is ''Verdant Wilds'', the lines below Verdant Wilds is ''Fungal Groves'', the ladder thing below Fungal Groves is ''Descend'', the shell piece right next to ''Descend'' is unknown, all the buildings are obviously ''City'' with the crown above them being ''Capital'', the arm-looking line holding a dot is ''Wish'', the thermometer thing above Wish is ''Grant'', the big thing next to Grant is ''Reveal'', and finally the two lines and a dot above Reveal is ''Truth''. Making it ''Attention pilgrims, travel through Verdant Wilds and Fungal Groves, then descend to the Capital City. There, all wishes shall be granted, all truths revealed''(full english game text: Travellers of Hallownest, descend through verdant wilds and fungal groves to the city at this kingdom's heart. There all wishes shall be granted, all truths revealed).
Next, the final Pilgrim's Way sign. The exclamation mark in the middle is ''Attention'', the shell piece with a line next to it is ''Pilgrims'', the three dots are ''Through/Onward'', the thing next to Attention and Onward(that looks like Remember on Hu's tomb) is ''Travel'', the three lines below Onward are ''Verdant Wilds'', the other lines below Verdant Wilds are ''Fungal Groves'', the ladder thing below Fungal Groves is ''Descend'', the buildings and crown are ''Capital City'', the arm line holding a dot is ''Wish'', the thermometer thing is ''Grant'', the thing beside Grant is ''Reveal'', and finally the two lines and a dot is ''Truth''. Making it ''Attention, here ends the Pilgrim's Way. Proceed onward, travellers, for you have braved Verdant Wilds and Fungal Groves, then descend to the Capital City. Soon, you shall witness all wishes granted, and all truths revealed''.
Have no idea: every single Higher Being Lore Tablet, as well as the Wanderer's Journal.
In progress: Monomon Tablets, Lurien's Last Words, ''The great gates have been sealed'', the sign right outside Lemm's Shop, all signs within and outside Millibelle's Bank, random signs in stag stations and City of Tears, Marissa's Poster, and the signs leading to the White Palace's Ruins.
Will update this post with new translations(also im going to make a foundation post for a ''Silkenscript'', featuring pictures of all the shown signs and lore tablets in Silksong).
=========== (equal signs so the editing glitch doesn't happen).
2024.06.01 00:31 Asperissad Bell-Borne Geochelone - Echo Rate Bugged?
This might sound odd, but is anyone else experiencing absurdly low 5 Star rates on Bell?
The game is acting as if my rates are 30/70, not 50/50 (I am 18 Databank w/ 630/220 EXP). I usually get four 4-Stars every one 5-Star on Bell. I know it's considered Calamity Class and not Overlord, but the rates shouldn't be different, especially since Dreamless has proper rates for me (50/50).
Can't even tell if this needs to be properly reported or not until I know if others are experiencing the same issues.
Edit: I don't quite understand the downvotes on one of my comments. Specifically the one talking about my kills. Heron and Bell are in the hundreds since I need the most copies of Heron and the issue mentioned above in OP. All of the others are around 70 to 100 or so kills. I am not exaggerating my amount of kills, as I have been farming echos for 6 days straight. Bell is quite literally the only one of the bosses not acting as 50/50 give or take 10-15%. Again, I am not saying it is exactly 50/50. I am not new to this type of game. I am here seeking others experiencing the same issues whilst having the data to back it up.
submitted by Asperissad to WutheringWaves [link] [comments]
The game is acting as if my rates are 30/70, not 50/50 (I am 18 Databank w/ 630/220 EXP). I usually get four 4-Stars every one 5-Star on Bell. I know it's considered Calamity Class and not Overlord, but the rates shouldn't be different, especially since Dreamless has proper rates for me (50/50).
Can't even tell if this needs to be properly reported or not until I know if others are experiencing the same issues.
Edit: I don't quite understand the downvotes on one of my comments. Specifically the one talking about my kills. Heron and Bell are in the hundreds since I need the most copies of Heron and the issue mentioned above in OP. All of the others are around 70 to 100 or so kills. I am not exaggerating my amount of kills, as I have been farming echos for 6 days straight. Bell is quite literally the only one of the bosses not acting as 50/50 give or take 10-15%. Again, I am not saying it is exactly 50/50. I am not new to this type of game. I am here seeking others experiencing the same issues whilst having the data to back it up.
2024.06.01 00:22 iago_hedgehog Reality Check: the only way to make a boycott work
Hello people, let's get straight to the point, this boycott to ban ahri won't work, that's the truth.
Why? because it won't stop people from buying the skin, they'll just have to wait for the dust to settle and then use and/or play the “quick play” there are no bans... just like yasuo players do haha.(sad)
Another reason is that it doesn't affect the vision of the real perpetrators (i just use this word cause I like of it :v read culprits) of the price which are not the riot employees but the executives, the riot employees (I HOPE) are just like medler was when he appeared there at the beginning of 2023 after the fiasco of the cinematic that wasn't cinematic. They look like they haven't slept in 2 days and are constantly looking at us writing a bunch of negativity and thinking that they are partly guitly. The only Riot employees really to blame are the Esports board and Ryze and Tryndamare who sold Riot to tecent.
Where is the solution? The only thing that we can do for REAL boycott this is making analytics change, and how would that be? by completely stopping playing League of Legends for at least 1 month, or 20 days as our colleagues from /mordekaisermains and /Shenmains did. this is something that Riot can GO and show to then hey your charge in the skin is making the game LOSE players.
This is really the ONLY way? YES, tecent/Riot already abandon the casual audience with the start of prestiges skins back in 2018 that was only first step look where are now? They're counting on us not buying the biggest package, it's not made for us, it's made for the whales. They have the names of each of these players and if sales were to change anything it would only be THEM who would make things change. BUt a larger base of players "suddenly" drop the game after the pass/skin/event drops? that will be A failure.
If you cannot stop, a least play less dont farm the pass, make the event a failure.
And plis SHARE this, I dont want credits nothing, but if we REALLY want this only stop playing will work, already have work in past, we can make it work again.
I want to share some toughts on the subject but the post would be out of focus and too long, so that it.
some really old draw of mine .
P.S. the title should be reality shock, but the translator trolls me ,_,
submitted by iago_hedgehog to AhriMains [link] [comments]
Why? because it won't stop people from buying the skin, they'll just have to wait for the dust to settle and then use and/or play the “quick play” there are no bans... just like yasuo players do haha.(sad)
Another reason is that it doesn't affect the vision of the real perpetrators (i just use this word cause I like of it :v read culprits) of the price which are not the riot employees but the executives, the riot employees (I HOPE) are just like medler was when he appeared there at the beginning of 2023 after the fiasco of the cinematic that wasn't cinematic. They look like they haven't slept in 2 days and are constantly looking at us writing a bunch of negativity and thinking that they are partly guitly. The only Riot employees really to blame are the Esports board and Ryze and Tryndamare who sold Riot to tecent.
Where is the solution? The only thing that we can do for REAL boycott this is making analytics change, and how would that be? by completely stopping playing League of Legends for at least 1 month, or 20 days as our colleagues from /mordekaisermains and /Shenmains did. this is something that Riot can GO and show to then hey your charge in the skin is making the game LOSE players.
This is really the ONLY way? YES, tecent/Riot already abandon the casual audience with the start of prestiges skins back in 2018 that was only first step look where are now? They're counting on us not buying the biggest package, it's not made for us, it's made for the whales. They have the names of each of these players and if sales were to change anything it would only be THEM who would make things change. BUt a larger base of players "suddenly" drop the game after the pass/skin/event drops? that will be A failure.
If you cannot stop, a least play less dont farm the pass, make the event a failure.
And plis SHARE this, I dont want credits nothing, but if we REALLY want this only stop playing will work, already have work in past, we can make it work again.
I want to share some toughts on the subject but the post would be out of focus and too long, so that it.
some really old draw of mine .
P.S. the title should be reality shock, but the translator trolls me ,_,
2024.05.31 23:54 zabunkovz Fermium MC [Roleplay] {Survival} {Tool Leveling} {Races} {Quarries} {Infinite Blocks} {Custom Model Weapons} {PVE} {Quests} {Jobs} {Sellwands} {Buildwands} {Supply Drops} {Upgradable Spawners} {ViaVersion} {1.20.6}
👋Hello and welcome to Fermium MC Survival!
😶🌫️If you want to hop on straight and see what the buzz is about here is the IP:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
➡️We are small but friendly server community of around 10 players reaching out to you to invite you to join us on our adventures!
➡️We offer extensive amount of features so be sure to read them all as we tackle some things that players want but have to use mods, for example ChestSort which sorts your chests/inventory.
➡️Or want to filter your hoppers and make amazing sorting systems? Filtered hoppers got you covered!
➡️We also have our own Tool Leveling system where tools level up and get enchants naturally (you can still enchant them of course) but eventually they over power normal enchants and go beyond vanilla limits.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Interested?
Our server offers next features:
➖ Custom crops and farming
➖ Upgradable spawners
➖ Upgradable hoppers
➖ Filtered hoppers
➖ Spawn plots
➖ Custom fishing
➖ Custom ores (based on terraria)
➖ Custom weapons, armor and tools
➖ Custom items (ex: world expander)
➖ Custom models (ex: furniture)
➖ Infinite blocks (builders love those)
➖ Inv backups (up to 50 per player)
➖ Item recycle (recycle your items)
➖ Player shop plots at spawn
➖ Leveled mobs for challenge
➖ Infernal mobs
➖ Death Chests
➖ Tool leveling
➖ Chest sort
➖ Temp fly
➖ Land claims
➖ Quests
➖ Daily quests
➖ Backpacks
➖ Bank
➖ Server map
➖ Builder wands
➖ Sell wands
➖ Chat games
➖ Custom currency
➖ Rotating shop
➖ Jobs
➖ Player warps
➖ Marriage system
➖ Pet petting
➖ Ranks
➖ Shopkeepers
➖ Vote party
➖ Quarries
➖ Skills
➖ Races
❔Did this tickle your pickle?
➡️If so join us at:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
submitted by zabunkovz to MinecraftServerFinder [link] [comments]
😶🌫️If you want to hop on straight and see what the buzz is about here is the IP:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
➡️We are small but friendly server community of around 10 players reaching out to you to invite you to join us on our adventures!
➡️We offer extensive amount of features so be sure to read them all as we tackle some things that players want but have to use mods, for example ChestSort which sorts your chests/inventory.
➡️Or want to filter your hoppers and make amazing sorting systems? Filtered hoppers got you covered!
➡️We also have our own Tool Leveling system where tools level up and get enchants naturally (you can still enchant them of course) but eventually they over power normal enchants and go beyond vanilla limits.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Interested?
Our server offers next features:
➖ Custom crops and farming
➖ Upgradable spawners
➖ Upgradable hoppers
➖ Filtered hoppers
➖ Spawn plots
➖ Custom fishing
➖ Custom ores (based on terraria)
➖ Custom weapons, armor and tools
➖ Custom items (ex: world expander)
➖ Custom models (ex: furniture)
➖ Infinite blocks (builders love those)
➖ Inv backups (up to 50 per player)
➖ Item recycle (recycle your items)
➖ Player shop plots at spawn
➖ Leveled mobs for challenge
➖ Infernal mobs
➖ Death Chests
➖ Tool leveling
➖ Chest sort
➖ Temp fly
➖ Land claims
➖ Quests
➖ Daily quests
➖ Backpacks
➖ Bank
➖ Server map
➖ Builder wands
➖ Sell wands
➖ Chat games
➖ Custom currency
➖ Rotating shop
➖ Jobs
➖ Player warps
➖ Marriage system
➖ Pet petting
➖ Ranks
➖ Shopkeepers
➖ Vote party
➖ Quarries
➖ Skills
➖ Races
❔Did this tickle your pickle?
➡️If so join us at:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
2024.05.31 23:54 zabunkovz Fermium MC [Roleplay] {Survival} {Tool Leveling} {Races} {Quarries} {Infinite Blocks} {Custom Model Weapons} {PVE} {Quests} {Jobs} {Sellwands} {Buildwands} {Supply Drops} {Upgradable Spawners} {ViaVersion} {1.20.6}
👋Hello and welcome to Fermium MC Survival!
😶🌫️If you want to hop on straight and see what the buzz is about here is the IP:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
➡️We are small but friendly server community of around 10 players reaching out to you to invite you to join us on our adventures!
➡️We offer extensive amount of features so be sure to read them all as we tackle some things that players want but have to use mods, for example ChestSort which sorts your chests/inventory.
➡️Or want to filter your hoppers and make amazing sorting systems? Filtered hoppers got you covered!
➡️We also have our own Tool Leveling system where tools level up and get enchants naturally (you can still enchant them of course) but eventually they over power normal enchants and go beyond vanilla limits.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Interested?
Our server offers next features:
➖ Custom crops and farming
➖ Upgradable spawners
➖ Upgradable hoppers
➖ Filtered hoppers
➖ Spawn plots
➖ Custom fishing
➖ Custom ores (based on terraria)
➖ Custom weapons, armor and tools
➖ Custom items (ex: world expander)
➖ Custom models (ex: furniture)
➖ Infinite blocks (builders love those)
➖ Inv backups (up to 50 per player)
➖ Item recycle (recycle your items)
➖ Player shop plots at spawn
➖ Leveled mobs for challenge
➖ Infernal mobs
➖ Death Chests
➖ Tool leveling
➖ Chest sort
➖ Temp fly
➖ Land claims
➖ Quests
➖ Daily quests
➖ Backpacks
➖ Bank
➖ Server map
➖ Builder wands
➖ Sell wands
➖ Chat games
➖ Custom currency
➖ Rotating shop
➖ Jobs
➖ Player warps
➖ Marriage system
➖ Pet petting
➖ Ranks
➖ Shopkeepers
➖ Vote party
➖ Quarries
➖ Skills
➖ Races
❔Did this tickle your pickle?
➡️If so join us at:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
submitted by zabunkovz to MinecraftServer [link] [comments]
😶🌫️If you want to hop on straight and see what the buzz is about here is the IP:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
➡️We are small but friendly server community of around 10 players reaching out to you to invite you to join us on our adventures!
➡️We offer extensive amount of features so be sure to read them all as we tackle some things that players want but have to use mods, for example ChestSort which sorts your chests/inventory.
➡️Or want to filter your hoppers and make amazing sorting systems? Filtered hoppers got you covered!
➡️We also have our own Tool Leveling system where tools level up and get enchants naturally (you can still enchant them of course) but eventually they over power normal enchants and go beyond vanilla limits.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Interested?
Our server offers next features:
➖ Custom crops and farming
➖ Upgradable spawners
➖ Upgradable hoppers
➖ Filtered hoppers
➖ Spawn plots
➖ Custom fishing
➖ Custom ores (based on terraria)
➖ Custom weapons, armor and tools
➖ Custom items (ex: world expander)
➖ Custom models (ex: furniture)
➖ Infinite blocks (builders love those)
➖ Inv backups (up to 50 per player)
➖ Item recycle (recycle your items)
➖ Player shop plots at spawn
➖ Leveled mobs for challenge
➖ Infernal mobs
➖ Death Chests
➖ Tool leveling
➖ Chest sort
➖ Temp fly
➖ Land claims
➖ Quests
➖ Daily quests
➖ Backpacks
➖ Bank
➖ Server map
➖ Builder wands
➖ Sell wands
➖ Chat games
➖ Custom currency
➖ Rotating shop
➖ Jobs
➖ Player warps
➖ Marriage system
➖ Pet petting
➖ Ranks
➖ Shopkeepers
➖ Vote party
➖ Quarries
➖ Skills
➖ Races
❔Did this tickle your pickle?
➡️If so join us at:
➥ play.fermium-mc.fun
2024.05.31 23:39 Taggerino Trip Report: May 2024, 14 Day ring road on a "budget"
Just came back home from an amazing two week trip with a friend, and thought I’d share my experiences while the memory is still very fresh. I found a lot of useful information on this subreddit while preparing for this trip, so I hope this will help some of you as well. We tried to make it a budget trip, which may sound kinda weird as it is an expensive country after all. But we cut costs by sleeping at campsites, cooking our own food instead of eating out and preferring to hike over paid excursions as much as possible.
We rented a Dacia Duster which had the back seats removed so we could sleep in the back. It’s a bit cramped and the first few days it’s a bit of a hassle to move your bags to the front seats when you want to sleep, but eventually you get the hang of it and it's no big deal anymore. You can probably also opt for a minivan for a little bit more space, but to be honest I think you still need to deal with your bags in that case either way.
Our usual day planning was as follows: we got up early (around 7:00-7:30) and left the campsite by 8:00 at latest. This way you beat the crowds at your first destination of the day. And most often you will also beat them at the next destinations, as the touring buses also follow a specific set of activities. We would usually arrive at the next campsite around 16:00. At this time it’s usually still quiet, so no queues at the kitchen (if available) and showers, so we got that all done before everyone else arrived. Then spend the evening reading; sleep early and repeat.
For the food: an easy option for breakfast and lunch is to just buy whole grain bread and some spreads which do not need to be refrigerated (jam, peanut butter, hazelnut chocolate spread). Another cheap option is the “Oat Burst” instant porridge cups which only cost like 1€ at Bónus and only require boiling water. For dinner we usually used either rice or pasta with some canned vegetables (beans, peas, corn) and a jar of sauce (curry madras, tikka masala, chopped tomatoes, asian sweet/sour, and the likes).
To give an indication, we spend the following on the trip:
We made an itinerary beforehand, which we could follow for like 95%. I will share it here together with my experiences. Of course we also had a lot of random stops during the trip, but I will only talk about the highlights here. Afterwards I will end with some useful tips.
Day 1: we arrived at the airport around 16:00. After getting our rental car we did some groceries at Bónus and drove straight to Þingvellir Campsite. Showers and toilets were modern and very well maintained by the park rangers. No kitchen available. Campsite is also pretty big, so we had a quiet corner without any other campers nearby.
Day 2: we first went to Þingvellir, which was only like a five minute drive. Keep in mind the speed limit within the park is 50, even though it looks like a 70/90 road. We parked at P2, which is free before 9:00 (otherwise 800 ISK or so). We walked to the viewpoint and also to the Öxarárfoss. Then we drove to Kerið, paid 500 ISK entry fee per person and walked around the rim and lake. At first I wasn’t too sure it would be worth the price, but we had beautiful sunny weather which made the water color really stand out. Next up was Strokkur, which surprisingly didn’t have paid parking. We saw it erupt quite a few times, which takes around 5-10 minutes; can recommend trying to get a burst shot in with your camera. Lastly we went to Gullfoss. It was starting to get windy, so we got pretty wet by the spray, but it also allowed us to snap some beautiful rainbows. We then ate the lamb soup at the nearby cafe, which was delicious although a bit salty for my personal taste. Our campsite for the night was Hellishólar. Didn’t like this one so much. It was the most expensive one during our trip and the facilities were rather poor. No kitchen and the showers were so cramped that we didn’t even bother to use them.
Day 3: the next day we went to Seljalandsfoss (and Gljufrabui). Road 250 is unpaved, so another option is to drive back to Hvolsvöllur and take the ring road instead. There was a parking fee of 1000 ISK. It was really nice to walk behind the waterfall although you will get wet. To get to Gljufrabui you literally need to walk through the water (and some step stones), so having decent hiking shoes is highly recommended. Because we were early we were almost alone, so we could snap some really nice pictures. Next up was Skógafoss. We went up the stairs, which takes quite the effort I can tell. At this point a storm started to hit the island (orange alert), so it was getting pretty windy. Afterwards we went to Sólheimajökull, which also had a parking fee of 1000 ISK. We needed to walk about 1km, but we had crazy headwinds due to the storm so it took a while. The glacier was pretty far away from the viewpoint, but still nice to see it considering they unfortunately won’t be around forever. Then we arrived at Dyrhólaey. The road to the top viewpoint was closed due to the extreme winds. We could barely see the arch in the rocks anymore because the sea was going so crazy. We originally also had a plan to go to Reynisfjara, but we had to skip it due to the weather conditions getting too bad. We snapped some pictures at Eldhraun and then went to the campsite Kirkjubær II. It had a nice common room kitchen with some tables. You had to pay an extra 300 ISK for a shower though. It was timed to 3 minutes, you couldn’t change the temperature and you also couldn’t pause the water, so you had to hurry up.
Day 4: the wind was gone, but it was still rainy. First we backtracked a little bit to Fjaðrárgljúfur, which had one of the best views during our entire trip! Also paid parking of 1000 ISK here, and the amount of parking spots is quite limited. We then went to Svartifoss which was another 1000 ISK parking fee. The hike is about 2.5km, which may not seem much, but the path is pretty steep up a hill, so requires quite some effort. Afterwards we went to Jökulsárlón. Another 1000 ISK parking fee here, but if you park at Svartifoss the same day you get a 50% discount. Saw some beautiful blue ice in the water and some seals. We couldn’t see the glacier due to fog. We also walked under the bridge towards the beach to spot some ice crystals. We camped at Höfn. The common room was quite nice and warm. The outdoor facilities were still closed though, which resulted in only one shower being available for like 40 campers. So there was a long queue and we didn’t bother. I believe you also had to pay extra for it here.
Day 5: a day mainly dedicated to driving, and the sun finally returned! Close to the campsite was Stokksnes. They charge you 1000 ISK per person to enter a small area to view the Vesturhorn. I was really doubting whether a couple pictures would be worth about 15€. But luckily nature helped me decide, as the mountain was covered in clouds when we arrived at the gate, so we just left. We drove along the coast and then onto road 939, which is an unpaved mountain pass with snow beside the road! Was a really nice and relaxing drive. We then went to Hengifoss. Another hike onto a steep hill. The waterfall might not be as impressive as others, and the red rock bands aren’t that clearly visible like in most oversaturated pictures online, but I still really liked this hike. The west trail was closed for maintenance, but to be honest the eastern trail looked better anyway. The final part you have to jump over the river a few times, so try to not get wet! The campsite for today was at Egilsstaðir. It had a nice big kitchen with couches. The showers were disgusting though. The floor was sticky and there was some brown mold all over the walls.
Day 6: we drove to Hafnarhólmi at Borgarfjörður eystri to watch puffins. Quite a remote drive over a mountain. We arrived around 10:00 and there were literally hundreds of puffins. Some were less than one meter from the walkway, allowing you to make close ups even with your phone. I still recommend a camera with optical zoom and/or binoculars though. Next up was Stuðlagil canyon. Seeing a picture of this was the reason to book this trip. Don’t go to the viewpoint on the west side. Judging from its location I don’t think you can see much there and you can’t enter the canyon. Drive over the bridge and drive along east to reach a parking lot. From this point it’s like half an hour of hiking, but the path is almost flat so it’s really easy. The walkway into the canyon itself was pretty muddy, so for that I would recommend hiking boots. We camped at Fjalladyrd, a remote farm with some buildings like a church and turf houses. The campsite wasn’t really open yet, so facilities were limited. The kitchen had no running water yet, so to get water we had to walk like 100m over a field exposed to wind. Also the kitchen and toilets were not heated, which made it a bit of a miserable experience at some moments.
Day 7: we went to Dettifoss, westside by road 862. Apparently there is also a spot on the east, but I don’t think the views would be much better there, and that road is unpaved I heard. Was a fun hike through snow. Also don’t forget the small detour to Selfoss. Next we went to Krafla. Unfortunately the lake was still frozen when we arrived, so there wasn’t much to see of the blue color. Close to it was Námafjall, where they charged a ridiculous 1200 ISK to park, but I am still glad we did it though. Boiling mud pools, sulfur smokers, mars-like landscape, the smell… it’s just something you won’t find in a lot of places on earth. So do yourself a favor and don’t miss out even though the admission fee is high. We then went to Mývatn Nature Baths and spent a good 2.5 hours there. Still pricey, but cheaper than Blue Lagoon and less tourists, hence why we had chosen this one. We didn’t book in advance. To enter the baths you have to change and shower nude in public. Personally I don’t care, but I know some people do, hence why I mention it. We planned to camp at Mývatn Bjorg, but the campsite was still closed. So we ended up at the nearby Mývatn Vogar. It had a nice big kitchen with lots of tables. The hot water smells like sulfur though. There were also a lot of insects on the campsite, so if you had the car door open for just a couple of seconds there would be tons of bugs inside…
Day 8: near the campsite we had a short stop at Grjótagjá, which is a cave with nice blue water. The water is really hot, so be careful to not fall in! We then hiked at Dimmuborgir. You can take multiple routes, but by all means do not miss out on the blue track, as it’s the most interesting one. On the signs it was listed as challenging, taking 1.5-2 hours, but we finished it in like 40 minutes while also taking a lot of stops for photos, so I’m not sure what’s up with that. We then hiked to Hverfjall. Tip: do not take the southern slope like we did. It rises 145m over 600m on pebbles, and it was just a miserable experience. We hiked for about 12km; if you don’t want to hike as much you can move your car to the volcano instead. We camped at Mánárbakki campsite and all I can say is that this guy is a hero. When we arrived he noted that one of our front tyres was in very poor condition and probably wouldn’t last another 50km. We were allowed to park the car in his shed and borrow tools (impact wrench, car jack, air compressor) to easily swap the tyre. Beautiful view on the sea and also by far the cleanest and best equipped kitchen during our trip.
Day 9: we had a 3 hour whale watching trip in Húsavík with Gentle Giants. We booked it before leaving for Iceland. We were really lucky with the weather: blue sky and almost 20°C. Spotted three humpback whales, one of which would surface every 20 seconds instead of the usual 5 minutes, so that was really nice. On the way back we also saw some white-beaked dolphins. With your ticket you also get discounts at various stores in the town. We then went to Goðafoss, which was right next to the road (also nice for once). Most tour buses parked to the east of it, but we were at the west and to be honest I think that is a much better view. We camped at Hofsós, a bit of a detour, but at least it was more quiet than the other campsites. Clean facilities. The shower drain was too slow and would flood the room if you showered for too long.
Day 10: next up was the Glaumbær museum. We weren’t sure it was worth the entry fee (2000 ISK per person) at first as it looked rather small, but we still did visit it anyway. I’m glad we did, because the interior was way bigger than I anticipated and I really liked it. Then something we didn’t plan: we stopped to eat lunch and stumbled upon Þrístapar. At this site the last death penalty in Iceland was executed. There was some pathway with storyboards to read and I thought it was rather interesting. Next we went to Hvítserkur, and all I can say is: please, don’t. Road 711/717 is an unpaved mess with potholes and washboard texture which you have to drive for 20km (and back). And when you arrive at the rock viewpoint it is some tiny rock really far away. Not worth the effort in my opinion. We also had a short stop at Kolugljúfur, where you can take some nice pictures of a canyon. We then drove to Reykhólar campsite to prepare for the fjords. It’s a bit remote and there wasn’t any reception. We couldn’t shower, as I think you normally have to do that at the nearby pool, but it was closed that day. Near the campsite were a lot of different birds, so if you like bird watching this is definitely a place you should check out.
Day 11: a lot of driving this day, but no problem due to the beautiful views of the fjords. We drove the southern route over road 60. We went to visit Dynjandi. By far the most beautiful waterfall we saw during our trip. Once road 60 goes northbound there’s road constructions. I think they are trying to make the waterfall more accessible with a new road. But be prepared to drive 30km of unpaved road full of potholes while also dodging construction workers. Next we checked out Garðar BA 64 for some cool pictures. We camped at Melanes campsite. It was just so remote and peaceful. We walked over the Rauðisandur beach in the evening. Beautiful brown/black sand patterns made by the wind. We tried to spot seals during low tide, but unfortunately didn’t see any.
Day 12: we drove back to Brjánslækur and took the ferry at 12:00. We booked the day before, and I’m glad we did because it was pretty much full. We checked out Kirkjufell, but it was covered in clouds so it was not that interesting. We parked at the viewpoint to the east, which is free. The closer parking is paid, but I don’t think that is worth it, unless you also want to see the nearby small waterfall (we didn’t bother). We camped at Ólafsvík, which had a rather small but nicely maintained kitchen and shower. You couldn’t change the temperature and had to keep pressing to keep it going, but it was alright.
Day 13: first we visited Saxhóll, which was a fun short stop, but at this point I already saw so many beautiful things that I thought this was a bit meh. Next up was Djúpalónssandur, which is a nice black pebble beach, which has a beautiful sound when the waves retract. There was also some stone lifting sailor game, which can be rather fun if you are with a group. We then parked our car at the Hellnar viewpoint and walked along the coast to see birds, and also to see the Gatklettur stone arch. If you don’t want to hike you can also park your car closer at Arnarstapi instead. Finally we went to Ytri-Tunga to watch some more seals. You had to pay 750 ISK to park for “road maintenance”, but the road to the parking had the most potholes per m² of our whole trip… The seals were pretty far away, but we still managed to shoot some nice pictures, including a cute baby seal. We camped at Akranes, which didn’t really have a kitchen, but we did read books at the washing machines as that room was heated.
Day 14: the final day was for Reykjavík. In the morning it was raining, so we visited Perlan first. A bit pricey, but the ice cave and northern light show was pretty cool. Spent about 2.5 hours there. We then dropped the car off at the Stjörnuport Parking Garage, which is only like 100 ISK per hour. Went into the city to visit the Hallgrimskirkja and to walk around the main streets. At this point the volcano near Grindavik got active again, so we hit the road and parked near the highway exit at Grindavik (Memorial board B-24). The lava was pretty far away, but you could see it bursting out with the naked eye and also managed to snap some pictures. Definitely an experience of a lifetime and a nice finale. We then stayed at the Vogar campsite, as we had a really early flight the next day, so we just chose it because it was close to the airport. Didn’t use any of the facilities.
And before I finish, I’d like to share some tips for your trip:
submitted by Taggerino to VisitingIceland [link] [comments]
We rented a Dacia Duster which had the back seats removed so we could sleep in the back. It’s a bit cramped and the first few days it’s a bit of a hassle to move your bags to the front seats when you want to sleep, but eventually you get the hang of it and it's no big deal anymore. You can probably also opt for a minivan for a little bit more space, but to be honest I think you still need to deal with your bags in that case either way.
Our usual day planning was as follows: we got up early (around 7:00-7:30) and left the campsite by 8:00 at latest. This way you beat the crowds at your first destination of the day. And most often you will also beat them at the next destinations, as the touring buses also follow a specific set of activities. We would usually arrive at the next campsite around 16:00. At this time it’s usually still quiet, so no queues at the kitchen (if available) and showers, so we got that all done before everyone else arrived. Then spend the evening reading; sleep early and repeat.
For the food: an easy option for breakfast and lunch is to just buy whole grain bread and some spreads which do not need to be refrigerated (jam, peanut butter, hazelnut chocolate spread). Another cheap option is the “Oat Burst” instant porridge cups which only cost like 1€ at Bónus and only require boiling water. For dinner we usually used either rice or pasta with some canned vegetables (beans, peas, corn) and a jar of sauce (curry madras, tikka masala, chopped tomatoes, asian sweet/sour, and the likes).
To give an indication, we spend the following on the trip:
- Plane ticket: 450€
- Rental car: 1400€ (split in two so 700€ per person)
- Other credit card expenses: 1750€ (campsites, groceries, diesel, paid parking, entrance fees, miscellaneous, also split in two so 875€ per person)
We made an itinerary beforehand, which we could follow for like 95%. I will share it here together with my experiences. Of course we also had a lot of random stops during the trip, but I will only talk about the highlights here. Afterwards I will end with some useful tips.
Day 1: we arrived at the airport around 16:00. After getting our rental car we did some groceries at Bónus and drove straight to Þingvellir Campsite. Showers and toilets were modern and very well maintained by the park rangers. No kitchen available. Campsite is also pretty big, so we had a quiet corner without any other campers nearby.
Day 2: we first went to Þingvellir, which was only like a five minute drive. Keep in mind the speed limit within the park is 50, even though it looks like a 70/90 road. We parked at P2, which is free before 9:00 (otherwise 800 ISK or so). We walked to the viewpoint and also to the Öxarárfoss. Then we drove to Kerið, paid 500 ISK entry fee per person and walked around the rim and lake. At first I wasn’t too sure it would be worth the price, but we had beautiful sunny weather which made the water color really stand out. Next up was Strokkur, which surprisingly didn’t have paid parking. We saw it erupt quite a few times, which takes around 5-10 minutes; can recommend trying to get a burst shot in with your camera. Lastly we went to Gullfoss. It was starting to get windy, so we got pretty wet by the spray, but it also allowed us to snap some beautiful rainbows. We then ate the lamb soup at the nearby cafe, which was delicious although a bit salty for my personal taste. Our campsite for the night was Hellishólar. Didn’t like this one so much. It was the most expensive one during our trip and the facilities were rather poor. No kitchen and the showers were so cramped that we didn’t even bother to use them.
Day 3: the next day we went to Seljalandsfoss (and Gljufrabui). Road 250 is unpaved, so another option is to drive back to Hvolsvöllur and take the ring road instead. There was a parking fee of 1000 ISK. It was really nice to walk behind the waterfall although you will get wet. To get to Gljufrabui you literally need to walk through the water (and some step stones), so having decent hiking shoes is highly recommended. Because we were early we were almost alone, so we could snap some really nice pictures. Next up was Skógafoss. We went up the stairs, which takes quite the effort I can tell. At this point a storm started to hit the island (orange alert), so it was getting pretty windy. Afterwards we went to Sólheimajökull, which also had a parking fee of 1000 ISK. We needed to walk about 1km, but we had crazy headwinds due to the storm so it took a while. The glacier was pretty far away from the viewpoint, but still nice to see it considering they unfortunately won’t be around forever. Then we arrived at Dyrhólaey. The road to the top viewpoint was closed due to the extreme winds. We could barely see the arch in the rocks anymore because the sea was going so crazy. We originally also had a plan to go to Reynisfjara, but we had to skip it due to the weather conditions getting too bad. We snapped some pictures at Eldhraun and then went to the campsite Kirkjubær II. It had a nice common room kitchen with some tables. You had to pay an extra 300 ISK for a shower though. It was timed to 3 minutes, you couldn’t change the temperature and you also couldn’t pause the water, so you had to hurry up.
Day 4: the wind was gone, but it was still rainy. First we backtracked a little bit to Fjaðrárgljúfur, which had one of the best views during our entire trip! Also paid parking of 1000 ISK here, and the amount of parking spots is quite limited. We then went to Svartifoss which was another 1000 ISK parking fee. The hike is about 2.5km, which may not seem much, but the path is pretty steep up a hill, so requires quite some effort. Afterwards we went to Jökulsárlón. Another 1000 ISK parking fee here, but if you park at Svartifoss the same day you get a 50% discount. Saw some beautiful blue ice in the water and some seals. We couldn’t see the glacier due to fog. We also walked under the bridge towards the beach to spot some ice crystals. We camped at Höfn. The common room was quite nice and warm. The outdoor facilities were still closed though, which resulted in only one shower being available for like 40 campers. So there was a long queue and we didn’t bother. I believe you also had to pay extra for it here.
Day 5: a day mainly dedicated to driving, and the sun finally returned! Close to the campsite was Stokksnes. They charge you 1000 ISK per person to enter a small area to view the Vesturhorn. I was really doubting whether a couple pictures would be worth about 15€. But luckily nature helped me decide, as the mountain was covered in clouds when we arrived at the gate, so we just left. We drove along the coast and then onto road 939, which is an unpaved mountain pass with snow beside the road! Was a really nice and relaxing drive. We then went to Hengifoss. Another hike onto a steep hill. The waterfall might not be as impressive as others, and the red rock bands aren’t that clearly visible like in most oversaturated pictures online, but I still really liked this hike. The west trail was closed for maintenance, but to be honest the eastern trail looked better anyway. The final part you have to jump over the river a few times, so try to not get wet! The campsite for today was at Egilsstaðir. It had a nice big kitchen with couches. The showers were disgusting though. The floor was sticky and there was some brown mold all over the walls.
Day 6: we drove to Hafnarhólmi at Borgarfjörður eystri to watch puffins. Quite a remote drive over a mountain. We arrived around 10:00 and there were literally hundreds of puffins. Some were less than one meter from the walkway, allowing you to make close ups even with your phone. I still recommend a camera with optical zoom and/or binoculars though. Next up was Stuðlagil canyon. Seeing a picture of this was the reason to book this trip. Don’t go to the viewpoint on the west side. Judging from its location I don’t think you can see much there and you can’t enter the canyon. Drive over the bridge and drive along east to reach a parking lot. From this point it’s like half an hour of hiking, but the path is almost flat so it’s really easy. The walkway into the canyon itself was pretty muddy, so for that I would recommend hiking boots. We camped at Fjalladyrd, a remote farm with some buildings like a church and turf houses. The campsite wasn’t really open yet, so facilities were limited. The kitchen had no running water yet, so to get water we had to walk like 100m over a field exposed to wind. Also the kitchen and toilets were not heated, which made it a bit of a miserable experience at some moments.
Day 7: we went to Dettifoss, westside by road 862. Apparently there is also a spot on the east, but I don’t think the views would be much better there, and that road is unpaved I heard. Was a fun hike through snow. Also don’t forget the small detour to Selfoss. Next we went to Krafla. Unfortunately the lake was still frozen when we arrived, so there wasn’t much to see of the blue color. Close to it was Námafjall, where they charged a ridiculous 1200 ISK to park, but I am still glad we did it though. Boiling mud pools, sulfur smokers, mars-like landscape, the smell… it’s just something you won’t find in a lot of places on earth. So do yourself a favor and don’t miss out even though the admission fee is high. We then went to Mývatn Nature Baths and spent a good 2.5 hours there. Still pricey, but cheaper than Blue Lagoon and less tourists, hence why we had chosen this one. We didn’t book in advance. To enter the baths you have to change and shower nude in public. Personally I don’t care, but I know some people do, hence why I mention it. We planned to camp at Mývatn Bjorg, but the campsite was still closed. So we ended up at the nearby Mývatn Vogar. It had a nice big kitchen with lots of tables. The hot water smells like sulfur though. There were also a lot of insects on the campsite, so if you had the car door open for just a couple of seconds there would be tons of bugs inside…
Day 8: near the campsite we had a short stop at Grjótagjá, which is a cave with nice blue water. The water is really hot, so be careful to not fall in! We then hiked at Dimmuborgir. You can take multiple routes, but by all means do not miss out on the blue track, as it’s the most interesting one. On the signs it was listed as challenging, taking 1.5-2 hours, but we finished it in like 40 minutes while also taking a lot of stops for photos, so I’m not sure what’s up with that. We then hiked to Hverfjall. Tip: do not take the southern slope like we did. It rises 145m over 600m on pebbles, and it was just a miserable experience. We hiked for about 12km; if you don’t want to hike as much you can move your car to the volcano instead. We camped at Mánárbakki campsite and all I can say is that this guy is a hero. When we arrived he noted that one of our front tyres was in very poor condition and probably wouldn’t last another 50km. We were allowed to park the car in his shed and borrow tools (impact wrench, car jack, air compressor) to easily swap the tyre. Beautiful view on the sea and also by far the cleanest and best equipped kitchen during our trip.
Day 9: we had a 3 hour whale watching trip in Húsavík with Gentle Giants. We booked it before leaving for Iceland. We were really lucky with the weather: blue sky and almost 20°C. Spotted three humpback whales, one of which would surface every 20 seconds instead of the usual 5 minutes, so that was really nice. On the way back we also saw some white-beaked dolphins. With your ticket you also get discounts at various stores in the town. We then went to Goðafoss, which was right next to the road (also nice for once). Most tour buses parked to the east of it, but we were at the west and to be honest I think that is a much better view. We camped at Hofsós, a bit of a detour, but at least it was more quiet than the other campsites. Clean facilities. The shower drain was too slow and would flood the room if you showered for too long.
Day 10: next up was the Glaumbær museum. We weren’t sure it was worth the entry fee (2000 ISK per person) at first as it looked rather small, but we still did visit it anyway. I’m glad we did, because the interior was way bigger than I anticipated and I really liked it. Then something we didn’t plan: we stopped to eat lunch and stumbled upon Þrístapar. At this site the last death penalty in Iceland was executed. There was some pathway with storyboards to read and I thought it was rather interesting. Next we went to Hvítserkur, and all I can say is: please, don’t. Road 711/717 is an unpaved mess with potholes and washboard texture which you have to drive for 20km (and back). And when you arrive at the rock viewpoint it is some tiny rock really far away. Not worth the effort in my opinion. We also had a short stop at Kolugljúfur, where you can take some nice pictures of a canyon. We then drove to Reykhólar campsite to prepare for the fjords. It’s a bit remote and there wasn’t any reception. We couldn’t shower, as I think you normally have to do that at the nearby pool, but it was closed that day. Near the campsite were a lot of different birds, so if you like bird watching this is definitely a place you should check out.
Day 11: a lot of driving this day, but no problem due to the beautiful views of the fjords. We drove the southern route over road 60. We went to visit Dynjandi. By far the most beautiful waterfall we saw during our trip. Once road 60 goes northbound there’s road constructions. I think they are trying to make the waterfall more accessible with a new road. But be prepared to drive 30km of unpaved road full of potholes while also dodging construction workers. Next we checked out Garðar BA 64 for some cool pictures. We camped at Melanes campsite. It was just so remote and peaceful. We walked over the Rauðisandur beach in the evening. Beautiful brown/black sand patterns made by the wind. We tried to spot seals during low tide, but unfortunately didn’t see any.
Day 12: we drove back to Brjánslækur and took the ferry at 12:00. We booked the day before, and I’m glad we did because it was pretty much full. We checked out Kirkjufell, but it was covered in clouds so it was not that interesting. We parked at the viewpoint to the east, which is free. The closer parking is paid, but I don’t think that is worth it, unless you also want to see the nearby small waterfall (we didn’t bother). We camped at Ólafsvík, which had a rather small but nicely maintained kitchen and shower. You couldn’t change the temperature and had to keep pressing to keep it going, but it was alright.
Day 13: first we visited Saxhóll, which was a fun short stop, but at this point I already saw so many beautiful things that I thought this was a bit meh. Next up was Djúpalónssandur, which is a nice black pebble beach, which has a beautiful sound when the waves retract. There was also some stone lifting sailor game, which can be rather fun if you are with a group. We then parked our car at the Hellnar viewpoint and walked along the coast to see birds, and also to see the Gatklettur stone arch. If you don’t want to hike you can also park your car closer at Arnarstapi instead. Finally we went to Ytri-Tunga to watch some more seals. You had to pay 750 ISK to park for “road maintenance”, but the road to the parking had the most potholes per m² of our whole trip… The seals were pretty far away, but we still managed to shoot some nice pictures, including a cute baby seal. We camped at Akranes, which didn’t really have a kitchen, but we did read books at the washing machines as that room was heated.
Day 14: the final day was for Reykjavík. In the morning it was raining, so we visited Perlan first. A bit pricey, but the ice cave and northern light show was pretty cool. Spent about 2.5 hours there. We then dropped the car off at the Stjörnuport Parking Garage, which is only like 100 ISK per hour. Went into the city to visit the Hallgrimskirkja and to walk around the main streets. At this point the volcano near Grindavik got active again, so we hit the road and parked near the highway exit at Grindavik (Memorial board B-24). The lava was pretty far away, but you could see it bursting out with the naked eye and also managed to snap some pictures. Definitely an experience of a lifetime and a nice finale. We then stayed at the Vogar campsite, as we had a really early flight the next day, so we just chose it because it was close to the airport. Didn’t use any of the facilities.
And before I finish, I’d like to share some tips for your trip:
- If your rental company offers foldable chairs/tables to take with you: don’t. We only used them once, because often it’s windy and thus too cold. Also most rest stops have tables and most campsites have a kitchen, so you don’t need it and it’s just a hassle to have them in the car all the time.
- You also don’t really need to take a gas stove with you, if you can live with the risk that perhaps 1-2 days you won’t have a hot meal (or plan campsites more carefully). We barely used ours and just cooked in the communal kitchens instead.
- Talking about cooking, most campsites we were at had an induction cooking plate, so make sure you have a suitable pan for it.
- Not necessarily needed to buy toilet paper, available at every wc.
- The N1 gas station promotion booklets contain 6 coupons for free coffee, so if you can get your hands on a few of them (e.g. at your renting company) you have a nice supply all around the island.
- Campsites near the airport have a lot of leftover food from other travelers. Now I wouldn’t take already opened cartons of milk personally (you don’t know how long it has been there), but taking things like pasta, rice, sealed products and the likes works pretty well.
- Don’t bother to bring an umbrella, the wind will just destroy it. Rain ponchos are an option, but to be honest just bring a decent rain proof jacket or rain coat.
- We didn’t have any cash money during the trip, cards all worked just fine.
- Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, even though the UV index is low, the reflecting snow and water still burns you easily when sunny.
- Close your car doors at any time! Random gusts of wind may ruin your hinges and possibly result in huge fines from your rental company.
- Bring a car USB charger for your phone. Like 90% of the time we charged our phones while driving.
2024.05.31 23:21 ben-tobox-san Our Guardian Angel
Obligatory long time lurker, first time poster. Please provide feedback for my writing, how I might improve.
Xelyana waited in line anxiously. Orion Station had been her home for 3 months, by the human’s standards, and she wanted to begin her next assignment.
And what an assignment it was! Her very first human vessel, straight from the staryards of Hestia, the renamed planet of humanity’s origin.
“The Sacajawea” was a fine ship, named after a woman who was instrumental to the safe travels of some of human history’s most famous explorers. “Without her, the bumbling fools would have died shortly into their journey,” her professor had said. Having a woman and her newborn as part of their group had certainly sold their peaceful intentions to the tribes they encountered.
And like her namesake, The Sacajawea would be instrumental to the further development of galactic civilization! Outfitted with the most advanced translation AI, six redundant sensor arrays, and a command center with a faraday cage built into the walls themselves, this was a vessel built to explore the uncharted regions between stars and planets, finding the safest routes for travel and trade. To make first contact with who knows what sort of creatures lived in the dark!
Xelyana had been approved for this mission due to her dual degrees in xenobiology and xenoanthropology, and by this point, almost everyone had met a human before. But humans were, as repeatedly expressed, not a monolithic species, and atop that, prone to wanderlust. Hence, she had met many humans on the station, in her classes, and especially in the old bars by the docking bays.
What a fascinating species she found in humanity. On average, 66% larger in stature than her fellow Celenians, and nearly 150% more mass, owed in large part to the gravity of their homeworld. A history overwhelmingly dominated by nearly 97% warfare since they first began recording their history, and yet she had never encountered individuals so kind, gentle, and warm (both metaphorically and literally! They averaged 37 degrees!).
They were not monolithic, of course, the human race being as varied as the galaxy itself, so there were some unpleasant individuals she had had to contend with, but more often than not, she found a friend in humans.
Virgil had jokingly called it their “capybara effect.”
“Strangest little animal, that one. You can always find them, friendlier than anything, with anything.”
Of course, she had seen that in how many animals they had domesticated over the millennia, using selective breeding to produce subservient beasts. She hardly considered using wolves as hunting tools or sentinels as “friendly” relations with humans, symbiosis at best, but the fact was that humans and wolves still ate one another.
She was drawn from her drifting thoughts when she noticed something strange about the crew. Each and every one was stepping into the hatch, then reaching up and patting something.
It didn’t take her long to reach the hatch herself, and she looked up and saw a most peculiar symbol, one she did not recognize from her linguistic studies of humans. As she moved forward, she saw Virgil reach up and gently touch the symbol, with a smile on his face. A religious symbol perhaps? One she had missed?
Hours later, she sat across from Virgil in the mess hall, shuffling aside her excitement for the human delicacy known as “tiramisu.” She simply must have an answer.
“Virgil, may I ask you something?”
“Mhm.”
A usual response from him. It had taken her some time to realize that it was both an expression of disinterest and an assent to continue. He was obviously more focused on scooping his “iced cream” in between two… were they called biscuits, or cookies? A question for later.
“That symbol that you humans touched, just beyond the threshold of the ship’s hatch, could you tell me what it meant?”
“Hm? Ah, you must be talking about Little Laika, humanity’s guardian angel.”
“Oh! So it is religious iconography? I did not recognize it.”
“Eh, it’s not truly religious, just… traditional?”
“But you called it an ‘angel.’ Is that not a religious icon?”
“Angels are, yes, but… well, it’s better I explain the whole story to you.”
“Please do.”
“So, in the mid twentieth century, on Hestia, then called ‘Earth,’ humanity was taking its first steps towards true extra-terrestrial flight. While we had achieved air-flight decades prior, we were still bound by our planet’s gravity, and still within atmo. It wasn’t even certain at the time if a living being could even survive leaving the atmosphere. No one had yet tested anything they built. So, one of the old nations, the Soviet Union, their space program scientists plucked a dog off of the street. Just this tiny little stray mutt. They named her Laika. It meant ‘Little Barking One.’”
“So, your religious iconography is of a ‘mutt?’”
“I’m getting there. So, they picked up this dog from the streets of Moscow. She was already a few years old, so they figured she was used to being cold and hungry. She was something between 5 or 6 kilos, and was pretty even tempered. She barked, of course, and before she had an official name, they called her things like ‘Little Curly,’ ‘Little Bug,’ or ‘Little Lemon.’”
Virgil’s smile fell a little, and his eyes looked sad.
“One of the scientists, Vladimir Yazdovsky, took her to his home before her flight. He wanted her to experience the love of children, and a family at least once. He said ‘I wanted to do something nice for her: she had so little time left…’”
Xelyana looked stunned at her friend. This giant of a man, near 2 meters tall and at least half as wide, with his dark prickly hairs on his face and head, had tears silently flowing down his cheeks. She knew that humans considered the canids a companion species, but this emotional response for a dog that had died centuries ago… it did give her a reason to reconsider just how close dogs and humanity were.
He cleared his throat and continued.
“They spent months training her to live as close to normal as possible in such a confined space as the capsule they were testing. No room to move, just stand, sit, or lay down. They hooked up monitoring equipment, made sure she wouldn’t be laying in her own waste, and prepared seven days worth of food for her. One of the other scientists, Anatoly Zak, he said… ‘After placing Laika in the container and before closing the hatch, we kissed her nose and wished her bon voyage, knowing that she would not survive the flight.’”
He took a moment to draw in a few deep breaths.
“She orbited the planet four times, before she died of overheating. The capsule didn’t separate properly, causing thermal controls to malfunction. Thermal Insulation tore. Cabin temperature rose to about 40 degrees. Life signs stopped transmitting between 0500 and 0700.”
He shook his head, looking down.
“It took five months, and over 2500 orbits, before her capsule orbit degraded enough to re-enter atmo. It wasn’t equipped with any way to de-orbit safely. Burnt away on re-entry.”
Virgil looked devastated for this little thing. The fact that he had memorized so many details…
“As for why we call her our guardian angel, there was this old belief that the first soul to be laid to rest somewhere would remain there, to guide other souls laid there to the afterlife. Of course, people weren’t keen on their immortal souls being separated from their families and friends simply because they were buried first, so the graveyards and cemeteries were inaugurated by burying a dog. It was believed that the dog would serve as guard and companion to people, in death just as they would in life.”
He looked fondly out of the porthole.
“Laika was the first creature from our planet to die out here. Beyond our home. And she never touched home again. So, a lot of us like to think that she watches out for us. And if worse comes to worse, she’ll be there for us. Like we should’ve been for her. She’s our little guardian angel.”
He smiled sadly at Xelyana.
“Hestian staryards always make sure to engrave her image at the threshold of each ship. So we always remember the sacrifices that got us where we are.”
Xelyana ate her treat with less zeal than she ever had before. To immortalize such a small creature, who had no idea what her purpose was…
Years later, after decades of exploration, and dozens of ships, she always reached out and touched her guardian angel.
submitted by ben-tobox-san to HFY [link] [comments]
Xelyana waited in line anxiously. Orion Station had been her home for 3 months, by the human’s standards, and she wanted to begin her next assignment.
And what an assignment it was! Her very first human vessel, straight from the staryards of Hestia, the renamed planet of humanity’s origin.
“The Sacajawea” was a fine ship, named after a woman who was instrumental to the safe travels of some of human history’s most famous explorers. “Without her, the bumbling fools would have died shortly into their journey,” her professor had said. Having a woman and her newborn as part of their group had certainly sold their peaceful intentions to the tribes they encountered.
And like her namesake, The Sacajawea would be instrumental to the further development of galactic civilization! Outfitted with the most advanced translation AI, six redundant sensor arrays, and a command center with a faraday cage built into the walls themselves, this was a vessel built to explore the uncharted regions between stars and planets, finding the safest routes for travel and trade. To make first contact with who knows what sort of creatures lived in the dark!
Xelyana had been approved for this mission due to her dual degrees in xenobiology and xenoanthropology, and by this point, almost everyone had met a human before. But humans were, as repeatedly expressed, not a monolithic species, and atop that, prone to wanderlust. Hence, she had met many humans on the station, in her classes, and especially in the old bars by the docking bays.
What a fascinating species she found in humanity. On average, 66% larger in stature than her fellow Celenians, and nearly 150% more mass, owed in large part to the gravity of their homeworld. A history overwhelmingly dominated by nearly 97% warfare since they first began recording their history, and yet she had never encountered individuals so kind, gentle, and warm (both metaphorically and literally! They averaged 37 degrees!).
They were not monolithic, of course, the human race being as varied as the galaxy itself, so there were some unpleasant individuals she had had to contend with, but more often than not, she found a friend in humans.
Virgil had jokingly called it their “capybara effect.”
“Strangest little animal, that one. You can always find them, friendlier than anything, with anything.”
Of course, she had seen that in how many animals they had domesticated over the millennia, using selective breeding to produce subservient beasts. She hardly considered using wolves as hunting tools or sentinels as “friendly” relations with humans, symbiosis at best, but the fact was that humans and wolves still ate one another.
She was drawn from her drifting thoughts when she noticed something strange about the crew. Each and every one was stepping into the hatch, then reaching up and patting something.
It didn’t take her long to reach the hatch herself, and she looked up and saw a most peculiar symbol, one she did not recognize from her linguistic studies of humans. As she moved forward, she saw Virgil reach up and gently touch the symbol, with a smile on his face. A religious symbol perhaps? One she had missed?
Hours later, she sat across from Virgil in the mess hall, shuffling aside her excitement for the human delicacy known as “tiramisu.” She simply must have an answer.
“Virgil, may I ask you something?”
“Mhm.”
A usual response from him. It had taken her some time to realize that it was both an expression of disinterest and an assent to continue. He was obviously more focused on scooping his “iced cream” in between two… were they called biscuits, or cookies? A question for later.
“That symbol that you humans touched, just beyond the threshold of the ship’s hatch, could you tell me what it meant?”
“Hm? Ah, you must be talking about Little Laika, humanity’s guardian angel.”
“Oh! So it is religious iconography? I did not recognize it.”
“Eh, it’s not truly religious, just… traditional?”
“But you called it an ‘angel.’ Is that not a religious icon?”
“Angels are, yes, but… well, it’s better I explain the whole story to you.”
“Please do.”
“So, in the mid twentieth century, on Hestia, then called ‘Earth,’ humanity was taking its first steps towards true extra-terrestrial flight. While we had achieved air-flight decades prior, we were still bound by our planet’s gravity, and still within atmo. It wasn’t even certain at the time if a living being could even survive leaving the atmosphere. No one had yet tested anything they built. So, one of the old nations, the Soviet Union, their space program scientists plucked a dog off of the street. Just this tiny little stray mutt. They named her Laika. It meant ‘Little Barking One.’”
“So, your religious iconography is of a ‘mutt?’”
“I’m getting there. So, they picked up this dog from the streets of Moscow. She was already a few years old, so they figured she was used to being cold and hungry. She was something between 5 or 6 kilos, and was pretty even tempered. She barked, of course, and before she had an official name, they called her things like ‘Little Curly,’ ‘Little Bug,’ or ‘Little Lemon.’”
Virgil’s smile fell a little, and his eyes looked sad.
“One of the scientists, Vladimir Yazdovsky, took her to his home before her flight. He wanted her to experience the love of children, and a family at least once. He said ‘I wanted to do something nice for her: she had so little time left…’”
Xelyana looked stunned at her friend. This giant of a man, near 2 meters tall and at least half as wide, with his dark prickly hairs on his face and head, had tears silently flowing down his cheeks. She knew that humans considered the canids a companion species, but this emotional response for a dog that had died centuries ago… it did give her a reason to reconsider just how close dogs and humanity were.
He cleared his throat and continued.
“They spent months training her to live as close to normal as possible in such a confined space as the capsule they were testing. No room to move, just stand, sit, or lay down. They hooked up monitoring equipment, made sure she wouldn’t be laying in her own waste, and prepared seven days worth of food for her. One of the other scientists, Anatoly Zak, he said… ‘After placing Laika in the container and before closing the hatch, we kissed her nose and wished her bon voyage, knowing that she would not survive the flight.’”
He took a moment to draw in a few deep breaths.
“She orbited the planet four times, before she died of overheating. The capsule didn’t separate properly, causing thermal controls to malfunction. Thermal Insulation tore. Cabin temperature rose to about 40 degrees. Life signs stopped transmitting between 0500 and 0700.”
He shook his head, looking down.
“It took five months, and over 2500 orbits, before her capsule orbit degraded enough to re-enter atmo. It wasn’t equipped with any way to de-orbit safely. Burnt away on re-entry.”
Virgil looked devastated for this little thing. The fact that he had memorized so many details…
“As for why we call her our guardian angel, there was this old belief that the first soul to be laid to rest somewhere would remain there, to guide other souls laid there to the afterlife. Of course, people weren’t keen on their immortal souls being separated from their families and friends simply because they were buried first, so the graveyards and cemeteries were inaugurated by burying a dog. It was believed that the dog would serve as guard and companion to people, in death just as they would in life.”
He looked fondly out of the porthole.
“Laika was the first creature from our planet to die out here. Beyond our home. And she never touched home again. So, a lot of us like to think that she watches out for us. And if worse comes to worse, she’ll be there for us. Like we should’ve been for her. She’s our little guardian angel.”
He smiled sadly at Xelyana.
“Hestian staryards always make sure to engrave her image at the threshold of each ship. So we always remember the sacrifices that got us where we are.”
Xelyana ate her treat with less zeal than she ever had before. To immortalize such a small creature, who had no idea what her purpose was…
Years later, after decades of exploration, and dozens of ships, she always reached out and touched her guardian angel.
2024.05.31 22:30 Whitetuskk Best supports for carrying whole team?
I came back to dota after 2 years, played about 100 unranked matches before trying my placements. These matches have been an absaloute hellscape compared to my unranked matches. I k ow I have to carry my team and not rely on them, but I'm finding this impossible. I'm being forced into pos 4 and 5 every game andI try to feed my carry as much as possible, deny last hits, and once lane is won I do my best to split push and go for towers.
None of this seems to matter. So far in all 4 placements, I've dominated my lane, only to have a fed enemy carry running around on a killing spree. My ability to split push and go objectives as a 4 or 5 is desd at this point as the fed carry threatens to kill me even under towers, so I'm forced to stack jungle hoping the carries get enough gold to catch up and baby sit other's as best I can to prevent their death. This narrative plays out the same every game and I don't know what to address at this point other than my hero choice, if I'm stuck in 4 or 5 against my will I need a hero that can straight up ignore my other 4 and push to win.
I've tried vennomancer and undying so far. No matter how well I do with these two I end up hiding under a T2 or trying to avoid the enemy carries free farming our jungle.
submitted by Whitetuskk to DotA2 [link] [comments]
None of this seems to matter. So far in all 4 placements, I've dominated my lane, only to have a fed enemy carry running around on a killing spree. My ability to split push and go objectives as a 4 or 5 is desd at this point as the fed carry threatens to kill me even under towers, so I'm forced to stack jungle hoping the carries get enough gold to catch up and baby sit other's as best I can to prevent their death. This narrative plays out the same every game and I don't know what to address at this point other than my hero choice, if I'm stuck in 4 or 5 against my will I need a hero that can straight up ignore my other 4 and push to win.
I've tried vennomancer and undying so far. No matter how well I do with these two I end up hiding under a T2 or trying to avoid the enemy carries free farming our jungle.
2024.05.31 22:27 welivewelov Anyone else attempting the Gameloft game?
So basically, I decided to try replaying the Gameloft game, as I did use to play it all those years ago.
There are several pieces of info, tidbits, frustrations that I'd like to share in this post.
I'd also like some sort of "game buddy" to discuss the game with, because having to trudge through it and its mysteries all on my own is kinda driving me nuts so far. Hence, please feel free to use the Reddit chat function on me (although I'd prefer something else (e.g. Discord), since Reddit DMs are very buggy!.
Anyway, cough cough.
So, first of all, device compatibility is an issue. I was too lazy to use an emulator, considering that the game at least "runs" on my Android 13. It runs, sure, but it heats up the phone very quickly. There is also an issue with the Token scanner camera, as whenever in use, it heats up the phone PARTICULARLY quickly, and I don't know why. Like, it brings my phone to genuinely dangerous heat levels. This obviously sucks when it comes to Token scanning, and makes the process much more tedious.
More on the Token scanning. First of all, the camera always takes a tedious time to load. Unless you are only scanning like one Token at a time, this is terrible. If you have several Tokens to scan, the waiting time is very long. This is not helped by the fact that after each scan you are booted back to the menu - it doesn't let you scan another Token straight away, even if you didn't manage to scan anything. Hence, the waiting time between each Token is always the same - you can't do them in succession.
The camera though. Oh my god, the camera is a nightmare. First of all, at least on my phone, the camera stretches in a weird way. Perhaps this is related to the incompatibilty between the Android versions. But, the camera is always unnaturally stretched by default. This is somehow eased by me rotating my phone upside down - no, the camera does not flip in accordance with the phone. In-game it is upside down. What changes is the, um, perspective? How do I describe it. It's kinda like, depending how I hold my phone, the camera is distorted in a certain way. When I hold it in any vertical position, it will be warped in a "diagonal" way. (I have this all screen recorded, but not montage'd yet, so I can't put it here for reference). Bottom line is: rotating my phone so that the camera is upside-down in-game, is the only position where the camera's in-game view is not distorted.
But there is more. Basically, whenever I use the camera, there is a period of useless blurryness that lasts several minutes. I have to hold up my phone to the Token for several minutes. After which, a "have you tried X" message pops up, which by itself isn't relevant, but it causes the camera to finally recalibrate, and thus give me the ability to scan the Token. This one requires several minutes too, sometimes. Or, I will rotate my phone into several various postions, as sometimes the scanner will work in one position but not another. For example, sometimes it scans upright, but sometimes only upside down.
Be careful though, as in my case, rotating my phone sometimes causes my camera to spit me back to the menu, or for my game to just close itself.
Enough about the technicals though. Let's talk about the internal mechanics.
So, entering the game on online mode is not possible, at least on Android, because it will request you to download an update which either doesn't exist, or does exist, but no one has managed to upload it to any of the main apk sites.
Meaning that one of the game's currencies, that being the hearts, become a tricky subject. You see, they were originally supposed to be obtained from visiting the tycoons of friended players. But friending players is not possible anymore, meaning that you can only get the hearts from the default NPC house. That amounts to 5 hearts per day physically, and 10 hearts per day currency-wise. Now, that's quite okay. Because this is at least possible to consistently farm. With Bling, the situation is significantly more difficult.
In the original version of the game, Bling was obtainable through quests, progression rewards, Token scanning, watching ads, and buying it with real life money. The closure of the servers knocks out two of these options. Real shame, because the ads were presumably available perhaps even multiple times per day.
Anyway, this is a problem, because a very large percentage of this game is locked behind Bling. Anyone will eventually hit a wall where they can't progress any further without Bling. Especially when it comes to the crucial pets and houses.
This is also a problem because this game has no purchase/use confirmation. A press will always immediately result in the purchase/use. This means that accidental Bling spending is incredibly easy, all it takes is one mis-tap. For example, today I accidentally spent 30 Bling on the Shivers' Park background (just a single mis-tap, and 30 Bling irreversibly gone) which frustrated me so badly that it caused me to consider restarting my run, and also was what inspired me to make this post.
My main question about this game is whether it contains any farmable Bling resource. If not, then that's concerning. Because even if the naturally available Bling in this game (quest rewards + progression rewards + Token scan rewards) is enough to 100% it, I have already misclicked on the Bling Lucky Paws as well as task skips several times, which wasted a lot of Bling out of said reserve. My concern is that I might have to genuinely restart my run because of this.
Does anyone in here who has played the game for longer than me, know how it actually is with Bling? As in, do the natural rewards from the game give you enough Bling for you to buy all the stuff from the store, or do they not?
submitted by welivewelov to LittlestPetShop [link] [comments]
There are several pieces of info, tidbits, frustrations that I'd like to share in this post.
I'd also like some sort of "game buddy" to discuss the game with, because having to trudge through it and its mysteries all on my own is kinda driving me nuts so far. Hence, please feel free to use the Reddit chat function on me (although I'd prefer something else (e.g. Discord), since Reddit DMs are very buggy!.
Anyway, cough cough.
So, first of all, device compatibility is an issue. I was too lazy to use an emulator, considering that the game at least "runs" on my Android 13. It runs, sure, but it heats up the phone very quickly. There is also an issue with the Token scanner camera, as whenever in use, it heats up the phone PARTICULARLY quickly, and I don't know why. Like, it brings my phone to genuinely dangerous heat levels. This obviously sucks when it comes to Token scanning, and makes the process much more tedious.
More on the Token scanning. First of all, the camera always takes a tedious time to load. Unless you are only scanning like one Token at a time, this is terrible. If you have several Tokens to scan, the waiting time is very long. This is not helped by the fact that after each scan you are booted back to the menu - it doesn't let you scan another Token straight away, even if you didn't manage to scan anything. Hence, the waiting time between each Token is always the same - you can't do them in succession.
The camera though. Oh my god, the camera is a nightmare. First of all, at least on my phone, the camera stretches in a weird way. Perhaps this is related to the incompatibilty between the Android versions. But, the camera is always unnaturally stretched by default. This is somehow eased by me rotating my phone upside down - no, the camera does not flip in accordance with the phone. In-game it is upside down. What changes is the, um, perspective? How do I describe it. It's kinda like, depending how I hold my phone, the camera is distorted in a certain way. When I hold it in any vertical position, it will be warped in a "diagonal" way. (I have this all screen recorded, but not montage'd yet, so I can't put it here for reference). Bottom line is: rotating my phone so that the camera is upside-down in-game, is the only position where the camera's in-game view is not distorted.
But there is more. Basically, whenever I use the camera, there is a period of useless blurryness that lasts several minutes. I have to hold up my phone to the Token for several minutes. After which, a "have you tried X" message pops up, which by itself isn't relevant, but it causes the camera to finally recalibrate, and thus give me the ability to scan the Token. This one requires several minutes too, sometimes. Or, I will rotate my phone into several various postions, as sometimes the scanner will work in one position but not another. For example, sometimes it scans upright, but sometimes only upside down.
Be careful though, as in my case, rotating my phone sometimes causes my camera to spit me back to the menu, or for my game to just close itself.
Enough about the technicals though. Let's talk about the internal mechanics.
So, entering the game on online mode is not possible, at least on Android, because it will request you to download an update which either doesn't exist, or does exist, but no one has managed to upload it to any of the main apk sites.
Meaning that one of the game's currencies, that being the hearts, become a tricky subject. You see, they were originally supposed to be obtained from visiting the tycoons of friended players. But friending players is not possible anymore, meaning that you can only get the hearts from the default NPC house. That amounts to 5 hearts per day physically, and 10 hearts per day currency-wise. Now, that's quite okay. Because this is at least possible to consistently farm. With Bling, the situation is significantly more difficult.
In the original version of the game, Bling was obtainable through quests, progression rewards, Token scanning, watching ads, and buying it with real life money. The closure of the servers knocks out two of these options. Real shame, because the ads were presumably available perhaps even multiple times per day.
Anyway, this is a problem, because a very large percentage of this game is locked behind Bling. Anyone will eventually hit a wall where they can't progress any further without Bling. Especially when it comes to the crucial pets and houses.
This is also a problem because this game has no purchase/use confirmation. A press will always immediately result in the purchase/use. This means that accidental Bling spending is incredibly easy, all it takes is one mis-tap. For example, today I accidentally spent 30 Bling on the Shivers' Park background (just a single mis-tap, and 30 Bling irreversibly gone) which frustrated me so badly that it caused me to consider restarting my run, and also was what inspired me to make this post.
My main question about this game is whether it contains any farmable Bling resource. If not, then that's concerning. Because even if the naturally available Bling in this game (quest rewards + progression rewards + Token scan rewards) is enough to 100% it, I have already misclicked on the Bling Lucky Paws as well as task skips several times, which wasted a lot of Bling out of said reserve. My concern is that I might have to genuinely restart my run because of this.
Does anyone in here who has played the game for longer than me, know how it actually is with Bling? As in, do the natural rewards from the game give you enough Bling for you to buy all the stuff from the store, or do they not?
2024.05.31 18:20 Hanahakiwolf COS event idea involved around mating season
Already sound weird yes but hear me out! This would be inspired of mating season along with being a new valentines day event and the goal of the event would be to hatch an egg depending on what tier to get a new creature of that tier.
To start the event players would need to find another player and pair up to begin the event, once paired both players are called "Mates" , "partners" or "companions" whichever the players prefer. Paired players would then create a nest they have to both sit in and make the egg in the nest count down to zero, if one player leaves for food or water the countdown freezes until they return (this also applies when one player is killed, the killed player can return and pair up again easily.)
For any questions or mentions that nest destroyers will be a nuisance a protective barrier would surround the whole nest and protect the nest from said nest destroyers, I took in mind of these kind of players who'd do it and it would annoying to constantly lose a nest because of them. Paired players who own the nest are also protected in the barrier so no harm comes to them or the nest and the nest destroyer cannot do a thing, I'm also thinking of a random creature bot that attacks campers. It could be one of the new creatures and it takes chunks of health from a camping creature every 5 or 10 minutes and no matter what tier the creature is or its health the bot will take the same amount like as an example a creature with lots of health will lose 25% of their health each 5 or 10 minutes by the bot and the second ir third attack from the bot will cause bleed to the creature.
Now before some question if players have to be the same species or age no and yes. Players do not have to be the same species to pair, as long as both players have a creature with the same tier they can pair and nest for the event. This is inspired of the size dynamics of some male and female animals and a way to say "Love comes in all sizes." Now to actually pair the creature must be an adult or elder since it just seems wrong for a baby creature to pair and I'm not sure about a teen creature being paired. Also a small reason for the same tier different creature thing is just for any memes or funny moments like a Jeff paired with a creature bigger then itself for the event.
Now onto the egg itself! Each tier would have a new creature for that tier that needs to be hatched by both paired players sitting in the nest to incubate. Each tiers countdown is different, the bigger the tier the longer the wait time. These are current possible times for each tier so please understand these may not seem right but it's just me thinking of how long creatures in each tier take to become adults. Tier 1 - 5 minutes Tier 2 - 10 minutes tier 3 - Yier 3 - 15-20 minutes Yier 4 - 30 minutes Tier 5 - 1 hour now every egg when hatched gives both players the new creature of that tier but if the same tier egg is hatched there is a chance of the new creature again or a valentines creature from the same tier and there is a limit of one for tier 5 creatures so in an example players who hatch another tier 5 egg have a chance of hatching the Oxy and Ardor warden since the new creature was already obtained and has a limit of one and the same applies to the other two. This is to about species farming and the next year the event rolls around players can get another spec of all three tier 5 creatures but with the same hatch limit.
There will be event points for materials, colors and plushies but the way to obtain points is through a couple ways. First one is actions that are exclusive to the event and if you're paired up, there would be actions like "Preen partner" or "dance" that will give you more points the bigger the cool down for said action like preening the paired partner gives 10 points and doing a dance gives 20. Players can also retrieve food for their partner which will give 15 points each time, as long as the player choose the "give partner food" option sprouts up. If the paired partner can only consume water the partner out looking for food can return with a leaf full of water for their partner to consume, it's not decided if the player needs to grab a leaf before getting the water. The last way a player can rack up points is by missions that give 15 - 40 mushrooms that range from easy to difficult. These missions would be like "scan surroundings for potential dangers" as easy and "collect nesting material" for difficult with each number of material changing randomly from 5 to 10 and they'll always be around the map near the nest, players can also smell our the nesting material is they can't find any and the sniff trail would be pink to define it.
This is all I've gotten so far and I did say this event to a redditor in my scrapped creature post but I want genuine opinions on if this event was added into the game and if it would be good or not.
submitted by Hanahakiwolf to CreaturesofSonaria [link] [comments]
To start the event players would need to find another player and pair up to begin the event, once paired both players are called "Mates" , "partners" or "companions" whichever the players prefer. Paired players would then create a nest they have to both sit in and make the egg in the nest count down to zero, if one player leaves for food or water the countdown freezes until they return (this also applies when one player is killed, the killed player can return and pair up again easily.)
For any questions or mentions that nest destroyers will be a nuisance a protective barrier would surround the whole nest and protect the nest from said nest destroyers, I took in mind of these kind of players who'd do it and it would annoying to constantly lose a nest because of them. Paired players who own the nest are also protected in the barrier so no harm comes to them or the nest and the nest destroyer cannot do a thing, I'm also thinking of a random creature bot that attacks campers. It could be one of the new creatures and it takes chunks of health from a camping creature every 5 or 10 minutes and no matter what tier the creature is or its health the bot will take the same amount like as an example a creature with lots of health will lose 25% of their health each 5 or 10 minutes by the bot and the second ir third attack from the bot will cause bleed to the creature.
Now before some question if players have to be the same species or age no and yes. Players do not have to be the same species to pair, as long as both players have a creature with the same tier they can pair and nest for the event. This is inspired of the size dynamics of some male and female animals and a way to say "Love comes in all sizes." Now to actually pair the creature must be an adult or elder since it just seems wrong for a baby creature to pair and I'm not sure about a teen creature being paired. Also a small reason for the same tier different creature thing is just for any memes or funny moments like a Jeff paired with a creature bigger then itself for the event.
Now onto the egg itself! Each tier would have a new creature for that tier that needs to be hatched by both paired players sitting in the nest to incubate. Each tiers countdown is different, the bigger the tier the longer the wait time. These are current possible times for each tier so please understand these may not seem right but it's just me thinking of how long creatures in each tier take to become adults. Tier 1 - 5 minutes Tier 2 - 10 minutes tier 3 - Yier 3 - 15-20 minutes Yier 4 - 30 minutes Tier 5 - 1 hour now every egg when hatched gives both players the new creature of that tier but if the same tier egg is hatched there is a chance of the new creature again or a valentines creature from the same tier and there is a limit of one for tier 5 creatures so in an example players who hatch another tier 5 egg have a chance of hatching the Oxy and Ardor warden since the new creature was already obtained and has a limit of one and the same applies to the other two. This is to about species farming and the next year the event rolls around players can get another spec of all three tier 5 creatures but with the same hatch limit.
There will be event points for materials, colors and plushies but the way to obtain points is through a couple ways. First one is actions that are exclusive to the event and if you're paired up, there would be actions like "Preen partner" or "dance" that will give you more points the bigger the cool down for said action like preening the paired partner gives 10 points and doing a dance gives 20. Players can also retrieve food for their partner which will give 15 points each time, as long as the player choose the "give partner food" option sprouts up. If the paired partner can only consume water the partner out looking for food can return with a leaf full of water for their partner to consume, it's not decided if the player needs to grab a leaf before getting the water. The last way a player can rack up points is by missions that give 15 - 40 mushrooms that range from easy to difficult. These missions would be like "scan surroundings for potential dangers" as easy and "collect nesting material" for difficult with each number of material changing randomly from 5 to 10 and they'll always be around the map near the nest, players can also smell our the nesting material is they can't find any and the sniff trail would be pink to define it.
This is all I've gotten so far and I did say this event to a redditor in my scrapped creature post but I want genuine opinions on if this event was added into the game and if it would be good or not.
2024.05.31 16:36 xtremexavier15 TMA 11
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper, Scott
Episode 11: Full Metal Drama
"Last week, on Total Drama Action. Our competitors took it on the chin as they faced an all-you-can-eat buffet of deadly natural disasters."
"But, it was Scott's own feet that tripped him up. His newly-broken bone took him out of the challenge, and cost him the use of an arm. A rough life for the dirt farmer, but his teammates had it even rougher."
"We threw the competitors into a submarine simulator and forced them to find their way out, and thanks to a certain bully using his brain rather than his brawn, both teams were able to live for another day."
"Sound tough? Get used to it!" The scene moved to a close-up of Chris standing in front of a building. "Because this week, it's all-out war!" The camera zoomed out, revealing a tropical war zone set, complete with sandbags, a bunker, a guard tower, and even a bomb lying on the ground. He pointed to a chart that had been set up next to him with drawings of tanks, fighter jets, and a dotted trail leading to an 'X'. "It's a desperate battle for survival, on Total! Drama! Action!"
(Theme Song)
The episode opened with a shot of the communal bathroom before the scene cut inside it.
MK and Scott were currently inside eating chips and drinking soda respectively in front of the sinks. “So how are you handling this broken arm situation?” MK asked her teammate.
“Horribly,” Scott grunted. “I use my right arm for everything, and with that broken, how am I supposed to whittle or scratch my armpits?”
MK winced at the last part. “Too much information.”
“It's bad enough that I have to wear this bandana until my brand is off completely,” Scott pointed at the orange cloth. “Having my arm in a sling will screw things up for us.”
“Tell me about it,” MK snorted. “And don't be a bummer. You're getting compensated for your injury.”
“I was getting to that, MK,” Scott said. “Because I threatened to sue them, I've been treated much better, especially by Chef who has to work extra as punishment for his secret alliance. I got my own bathroom to shower in, I got to eat actual quality food, and yesterday, they even told me that me and my family will receive a hundred thousand bucks just to make sure we won't take action.”
This information led to MK gaping. “Are you serious?”
“As serious as a barn burning down,” Scott nodded. “With this amount of money, we can finally get our farm reconstructed.”
“You can stop now before I get jealous, Scott,” MK told him.
“Yeah yeah,” Scott shook off. “So anyway, we have to talk about who we're gonna vote off next, and that would have to be Izzy.”
“Izzy? Why her?” MK raised an eyebrow.
“She just rejoined the game a couple of days ago, and we already have a history in season one,” Scott reasoned. “If we're not careful, she can convince Ripper and Chase to vote me out.”
“That is a reasonable explanation,” MK agreed. “But maybe we could get Chase on our side for the vote. Ripper likes Izzy, so he's not an option.”
“As long as we have more votes, Izzy will be taken down,” Scott smirked.
“Absolutely,” MK smiled back.
Confessional: MK
“...not!” MK said in the make-up trailer. “Me and Scott may be in an alliance, but in this game, we'd usually have to backstab each other to get what we want. If we lose, I'm obviously telling the team to gun for him. After the elimination ceremony, I'll have to make sure that I'm not gunned for, and I know just how to do that.”
Confessional Ends
The footage skipped forward, showing the contestants walking warily as Chris passed them in an army helmet and sunglasses. "Today, we're all about war movies," he told them, the shot zooming out to show Chef glaring nearby in his drill instructor's uniform.
"So, look lively you...," Chris began to say.
"Buckets of horse doo-doo!" Chef finished with a growl into their faces.
"So, get ready for the first death-defying challenge, you...," Chris began again.
"Disgustin' slimy crustaceans!" Chef finished once more.
"Move it, privates!" Chris ordered. "Fall in!"
"Sir yes sir!' the cast said as one.
Confessional: Izzy
"I have all the skills required to be a marine," Izzy said enthusiastically in the make-up confessional. "I am stealthy, tough, and loud enough, and I can handle a weapon, but I do value my freedom."
Confessional Ends
The camera cut to Ripper and MK as the Grips walked off. "I cannot wait to go to war," the techno girl said. "I've played my fair share of Battlefront, and my squad has won a lot of online multiplayer gaming titles. Most of the time, we don't even use teamwork."
“I hate to break it to you, but we're not in your little tech world,” Ripper said in an annoyed tone as the rest of the team joined in. “Just leave all the marine stuff to me today.”
“Let you do all the work and take all the credit?” MK glared. “Not happening, Buster.”
“Now wait a second-” Ripper began to glare back.
“Quit taking shots at each other!” Chase got in-between the two. “We can make a plan when we're at the challenge site, okay?”
“Seriously, I've seen my pigs fight over less,” Scott huffed as MK and Ripper continued to glare at each other.
Confessional: Ripper
“I'm really at my wits end with that shortstack,” Ripper complained. “Who does she think she is insulting and putting down the best looking guy on the show… me! Thankfully, MK won't be able to listen to me rant about her.”
Confessional: MK
MK was watching Ripper's previous confessional on her phone, especially the part about him bragging about himself. “It's so silly how he thinks I can't listen to everything he says,” she confessed after turning off her phone.
Confessionals End
The scene briefly flashed to the numbered studios with the sound of a plane engine in the background, the camera panning up to show the fake cliff before flashing to what looked like the inside of some kind of plane. The two teams were shown in a split screen with the Gaffers on top and the Grips on the bottom, all nine teens wearing blindfolds.
"Okay people," Chris said, "remove your blindfolds!" The contestants did as commanded, and the viewpoint shifted to show the teams sitting along opposite walls as the host walked in front of the camera. "When it comes to making a war movie," he said, the viewpoint moving again to show that he was standing next to a large trunk, "jumping out an airplane is the most dangerous stunt there is." He popped the trunk open, revealing several parachute packs within. "So naturally," he began to yell as he slid open a nearby door, the winds roaring inside the room, "it's our first challenge!"
MK and Scott gasped, as did Millie, and even Justin looked shocked.
"Chris really set the record for the shortest amount of time between the start of the challenge and our lives being endangered," Jasmine deadpanned over the roaring wind and engine.
“If we live, I'm going to file a complaint that's sure to get Chris replaced with a nicer and more considerate host,” Millie shouted.
“Nice grit for an underdog,” Jasmine grinned.
“Underdog?” Millie asked.
“Underdogs usually have a lot of fight and honor in them, and you've been tapping into it a lot,” Jasmine complimented her friend. “Keep it up.”
Millie felt flustered by her words. “I, uh, thank you.”
Justin soon sat in-between the two of them. “Jasmine, Millie! I want to propose something, but don't get excited, it's not marriage!” he chuckled. “Uh, anywho, it's a long way from the airplane to the ground below!”
“Exactly three kilometers!” Millie confirmed.
“Wouldn't know. Math is for ugly people,” Justin said. “Here's the deal! I need you two to jump before me in case I need a soft place to land, okay?!” The eye candy blinked his eyelashes only to receive blank stares from the girls. “Now, you girls know that I don't blink these eyelashes at just anybody!” He did the same thing again and got the same response. “Nothing?! When were your last eye exams?!”
"Drop zone approaching!" Chris announced after sticking his head out the open door. "Form a line, it's time to par-tay!"
The Gaffers were shown standing up as the host continued. "Stunt people undergo weeks of training before they parachute," he said as the Grips stood up as well, Jasmine walking forward hesitantly. "Luckily, we're gonna skip all that and get to the good part: Jumping!"
"That doesn't sound like a good idea!" Scott told the host.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Chris asked him.
"We die!" Anne Maria answered with annoyance and anger.
"I know!" Chris grinned. "Hilarious! Haha! Time to jump!"
"Well, there's no point standing here like statues," Izzy walked towards the trunk of parachutes with Scott.
“Hey McLean, can I skip out on the jump?” Scott asked. “My arm is broken!”
"Sorry Scott," Chris told him, "but you gotta jump too! Try not to land on your right arm, okay?" He then pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and turned his back on the now-enraged Scott.
“Someone's definitely going to increase the amount of money me and my family will get,” Scott whispered bitterly.
"At least we get parachutes," Chase told the injured boy.
"Actually, change of plans!" Chris interrupted, closing his phone and stowing it back in his pocket. "I just spoke to our research department, there were no parachutes in World War I!"
"So what do we do for the challenge?" Ripper asked.
"Simple," Chris replied as he shoved the trunk of parachutes out the door with his foot.
The contestants gasped, though a fearless Izzy was the first one to jump out the plane shouting “Tell my pet rock I love her!”
None of the other contestants made a move, though, and Chris scowled. "Okay, you kids better start jumping or I will have Chef tilt the plane and force you out!"
“That's all the motivation I need!” Chase said quickly and dived out into the air with a fearful cry.
"Who's up next?" Chris asked the remaining castmates with a smile.
The scene cut outside the plane as the contestants jumped out one by one. First MK, then Ripper, then Scott to round out the Gaffers with a terrified shout each as they quickly disappeared into the clouds below the plane. Next was Jasmine looking determined, followed by a shrieking Millie. Justin gulped and took the plunge, and Anne Maria came out last with a holler, and the host briefly looked out and below with a surprised look on his face before the clouds filled the scene.
They dispersed moments later to reveal all nine contestants in a heap on top of a large mattress.
"Hooray! We're alive!" Scott groaned. The camera zoomed out, showing that they were in a movie set. The plane was a wingless fake hanging from the ceiling only a few yards above the mattress, and the high winds were caused by a pair of giant fans operated by Chef Hatchet. On the back wall, level with the plane's windows and door, was a sky-patterned background made to continuously scroll and give the illusion of movement within the plane.
Chef shut off the fans, and the castmates groaned and began to get back up. "Let's roll, soldiers," Chris told them, now back on the ground. "Because the second part of this challenge is gonna blow your minds!" He grinned as he spoke before leaning towards the teens. "And everything else within a fifty-foot radius!"
Confessional: Chase
“If I had know that we would land on a mattress, I would’ve just let Chef force us all out,” Chase confessed.
Confessional Ends
The scene immediately flashed forward to a close-up of a green tarp being taken off a pile of grenades and bombs. "Are those," Jasmine asked as the camera pulled back to show her and the other Grips standing with Chris and the tarp-pulling Chef by a blast shield outside, "paint bombs?"
"We've divided the camp into two halves," Chris told them, the Grips watching with blank looks while the Gaffers were shown in a similar but mirrored position on the other side of the two men. "Most creative and controlled splatter wins."
“Alright gang,” Jasmine clapped her hands in order to get her team's attention. “Here's how our explosion is going to go. We'll have to lay our explosives in a pattern in order to make sure that the paint coverage will be more noticeable than the Gaffers’.”
“Excellent idea. I'll handle the explosives. I passed chemistry in my high school,” Millie eagerly walked off.
“Wonderful,” Jasmine smiled.
“I'll help as well,” Anne Maria said after she stopped using hairspray on her pouf. “I could ward off the other team by sprayin’ them in their eyes if they even think about spyin’ on us.”
“Not a big fan of harming our competition, but you do you,” Jasmine said uncertainly.
“And I'll be letting my butt have its beauty rest!” Justin chuckled suavely while laying back on a nearby hammock tied between two trees.
This did not go unnoticed by Anne Maria and Jasmine, who both flipped Justin off the hammock and into the ground.
“You're gonna help us with this challenge and not get any special treatment,” Jasmine scolded.
“Is it getting hot out here?” Justin took off his shirt and demonstrated his pecs. “Now if you'll notice, I don't sport a six-pack. I got twelve. That's a dozen smoking mandominals.”
“Get workin’, lazybones!” Anne Maria demanded and stomped off.
“This, this can't be right,” Justin panicked. “Have I really lost my lady controlling mojo?” He turned to the tallest member of the team. “Say it ain't so!”
“No need spouting the obvious, Justin,” Jasmine replied uncaringly.
“This challenge was designed for me!” Ripper told the Gaffers. “What do I not love more than exploding things?!”
“Being a numbskull, for instance,” MK retorted. “I seem to remember you saying that you let people do all the work for you. And we're supposed to trust you on this?”
“Adding my two cents onto this, I would've done the same thing if I was Ripper,” Scott added snidely.
“I'm sorry, MK, but I think we have to stick with Ripper on this one,” Chase said with a hand on MK's shoulder.
“Why?” MK objected. “I actually worked hard to get an A in chemistry.”
“Explosives Boy overrules Chemistry Girl,” Scott shrugged.
"Okay, time's up!" Chris announced, the camera cutting to his close-up as he entered the scene. "Uh-oh, looks like you didn't even get started."
“Not so fast, Chris!” the voice of Izzy cried out, and everyone turned their heads to see her smiling with her foot on a bomb and multiple bombs plastered around her team's site.
“Whoa. Now that's what I call thorough,” Chris narrated.
Chase hesitantly moved over to the curly haired girl. “Iz, what did you do?”
“Plant the explosives while you guys were at each other's throats,” Izzy giddily said.
Confessional: Izzy
“When Chris mentioned explosives and bombs, that was a sign that my team is lucky to have me on their side,” Izzy gloated. “I could blow up a hotel if I wanted to, but I refrain unless I'm extremely tempted.”
Confessional Ends
Another cut took the scene to the Grips, standing behind the blast shield that was between them and a set that was very much like the Gaffers', except that it had been mirrored. There were no visible bombs around, and they were all wired into a plunger held by Chris.
"Grips, are we ready?" Chris asked, handing the plunger over to Millie.
"Likewise," the writer said with a confident smile. As she pushed the plunger down, part of Richard Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' began to play in the background. One by one, explosions of green paint began to go off around the Grips' area – in the guard tower, behind the sandbags, near the bunker door, and several off the bunker's roof. The music ended as one final explosion splattered the blast shield, stunning Anne Maria, Jasmine, and Justin.
As the dust cleared around their blast site, the camera pulled back to reveal a massive rendition of the Grips' light-bulb-and-crossbones logo in green paint.
"Nice show of team spirit," Chris told the four.
"I must say, that was very impressive," Justin admitted to Millie as the host walked away.
"What can I say? I wanted to make an explosion that would be mind-blowing, but still tame," Millie told him smugly. "You're welcome."
The shot cut back to the Gaffers' side of the camp, starting on their explosive-laden set before panning over to the five waiting behind their blast shield with Chris.
"Are we ready to blow it up?" Chris asked excitedly, with Izzy standing by a larger plunger than what the Grips had used.
"We're ready! Uno, dos, tres!!!" Izzy chanted and eagerly pushed the plunger down.
Almost immediately, a chaotic series of explosions were set off all around the base. They were accompanied by hectic and disjointed notes in the background music, and the host and other four Gaffers were shown cringing with their fingers in their ears. Eventually the explosions stopped, the dust settled, and everyone except Izzy leaned past the paint-splattered wall with curious expressions.
The camera panned to the left, showing what appeared to be a shapeless blob of paint. No patterns were apparent in it, and the areas that had been left untouched seemed to be random as well.
"Welp, at least it was controlled..." Chris said with a frown.
“Just come over here,” Izzy grabbed the host by the wrist and dragged him over to another spot.
"Hey, there's no touching the host!" Chris said indignantly, yanking his hand free as soon as Izzy stopped moving.
"Look now!" Izzy directed his attention back to the pain splatter.
Chris turned his head, and almost immediately began to brighten up. "It's...it's…beautiful!" he said, wiping away a tear as the viewpoint moved behind him, showing Izzy's paint pattern from another angle – it took the shape of the host's own grinning face.
"The Gaffers are victorious!" he announced, walking back to the other Gaffers by the blast wall. The Gaffers began to cheer and celebrate. "It is my honor to present your prize," Chris added just before Chef appeared wheeling a large and ornate-looking red chest on a handcart. "The Big Trunk of Mind-Blowing Secrets! You'll be defending it with your very lives when we return to more, Total! Drama! Action!"
The shot cut back with each word of the title, showing the defeated Grips standing by in shame.
(Commercial Break)
The episode came back on a shot of the cloudy sky, panning down to show Scott and Chase standing together by a potted palm tree.
"So what is it that you want to talk to me about?" Chase asked. "If it's to brag about your luxuries, then I don't want to hear it."
"It's not about that, Chase," Scott rolled his eyes. “I wanna talk about who we have to vote off tonight.”
“What do you mean “we”?” Chase grew curious. “I know who I'm going to vote for, and it doesn't take Einstein to figure out who it is.”
“I know I'm not the coolest kid on the block, but we have to pick off Izzy,” Scott suggested.
“And why would I do that?” Chase asked.
“She's a wild card, and she got back into the competition not once, but twice,” Scott emphasized. “Do you really want to face off against her in the finale?”
Scott left the athletic boy alone to ponder about his decisions.
The footage flashed forward to Chris McLean standing by the trunk he'd brought out. "Contestants, get ready to begin your next war challenge!" he announced. "It's a giant game of 'Capture the Flag', except in this case the flag is the Trunk of Mind-Blowing Secrets!" The camera zoomed in on the trunk at an angle, and the ornate thing seemed to glow radiantly.
"There's only one way to learn what's in the trunk," he told the off-screen castmates, "and that's to win the challenge. As your reward, we'll give you immunity from tonight's vote, aaaanndd a peek inside. But be ready. The secrets inside will blow your brains to bits!"
"I need my brain!" Ripper whined.
"Not to worry," Chris told him, holding up a roll of duct tape. "A roll of tape will be provided so you can tape the gray matter back together."
"Gaffers," Chris said as he walked over to what looked to be a building covered in a sheet bearing the logo of the Screaming Gaffers, "this is your base camp." Chef watched from close by, his hands angrily on his hips, as the host and the five teens began to arrive, Chase and Izzy carrying the trunk by the pair of poles sticking out on opposite sides. "Our set decoration team wanted to build you guys a towering castle, full of defensive possibilities! But, they went to see a movie instead, sooo..." Chris trailed off as Chef grabbed the sheet. "We're gonna give you this!"
The sheet was pulled away, revealing an utterly decrepit wooden shack. "I think it's a tool shed," the host said uncertainly before the building creaked and collapsed into a dusty heap of rotten planks and miscellaneous garden tools. "Was a tool shed," Chris corrected. "Good luck!"
"How are we gonna defend this big trunk out in the open?" Izzy asked.
"We just have to put our heads together and come up with a plan," MK answered.
“You guys do what you want. I'll be setting some booby traps,” Chase told the team and walked away.
“In first World War movies, the soldiers would always have underground hiding places,” MK said as she gave Izzy a shovel and held one of her own. “Those would be foxholes.”
“With me digging, why not call it a foxy-hole,” Izzy quipped.
“I'm just glad that I don't have to dig at all,” Scott bragged. “Using one hand only won't make the job faster.”
As Izzy began to dig rapidly with Scott watching her, MK turned to Chase and Ripper laying a net down on the ground with headlights attached. “Chase, Ripper, the rest of us agreed on a plan,” she informed. “We could use a little help.
“And we could also use you shutting up!” Ripper retorted. “We're busy!”
Confessional: MK
“If I wasn't so focused on strategy, I'd switch targets from Scott to Ripper just to spite his butt,” MK sniffed. “It's hard finding common ground with that jerk.”
Confessional Ends
The footage cut back with a shot of MK and Izzy digging a large hole in the distance and Scott observing them as though viewed through binoculars. "So what's going on?" Millie asked off-camera as the binoculars were lowered and the viewpoint shifted to Jasmine.
"Izzy and MK are currently digging and Scott is just standing there," Jasmine explained, "although I don't know if it's because they want to bury the trunk or construct a foxhole."
"What about the others?" Anne Maria asked.
"I don't know," Jasmine replied. "Ripper and Chase seem to have disappeared."
"I say we attack immediately!" Anne Maria declared with an air of formality.
"I say we don't," Millie shook her head. "The team obviously outnumber us and have defensive capabilities. Confronting them at this point would be really dumb."
"So what do we do?" Justin asked.
"What we need to do is to proceed intelligently if we want to win the challenge," Millie said.
“Sure. Let’s wait for the other team to set up more traps that will never let us get that trunk,” Anne Maria said sarcastically.
“That’s not what we’re going to do, Anne Maria,” Jasmine assured. “Millie, how are we gonna go about doing this?”
"We should send two people down there in order to figure out what they’re up to," Millie suggested. "That honor should go to Justin and Anne Maria."
"And why us?" Justin objected.
"Me and Jasmine need to think of a plan number two in case this plan fails," Millie reasoned. "All you guys have to do is execute this one."
"Whatever you say, Mil," Anne Maria said before grabbing Justin’s arm and walking away. "Let's go, hot stuff."
Confessional: Anne Maria
“I’m kinda surprised that Justin didn’t try to weasel his way outta the plan,” Anne Maria confessed. “What’s his game?”
Confessional: Justin
“We really need to win this challenge,” Justin said seriously. “By the look of things, my charms aren’t going to win the girls over and I’ll likely be the one going home today. So for the sake of my game, I’ll help out.”
Confessionals End
The footage skipped ahead to Anne Maria and Justin charging into the clearing the Gaffers started. "Where are they?" Justin asked after they stopped. “Jasmine just saw them.”
"Split up and look in other directions," Anne Maria ordered. “They may be hidin’ someplace else.”
The camera zoomed into the hole the Gaffers were in. "So how long do we have to stay in here for?" Izzy asked MK.
"Hopefully long enough for the Grips to admit defeat," MK answered.
"We’re good for now. We just have to not act stupid and blow our cover," Scott said while rubbing his sling. “And I don’t normally do this, but good job on the explosion, Izzy. It really helped us win the first part.”
Izzy was stunned to hear this. “Did you just… compliment me?” the wild child asked.
“Yeah, I did,” Scott replied. “I thought you’d just make a random explosion given how nuts you are, but you actually planned it out.”
“Yeah, how did you come up with the plan to just demonstrate Chris’s face?” MK asked.
“Chris is extremely narcissistic and vain,” Izzy explained. “Anything that revolves around his image will make him score us big points.”
“You’re not joking about that,” MK rolled her eyes. “He’s more likely to marry himself.”
The scene cut to Justin and Anne Maria meeting up with each other in front of the Gaffers' hideout. "Were you able to find the Gaffers? Because I could not," Justin said.
“I had no luck as well,” Anne Maria recapped.
The camera zoomed out to reveal that the duo were on top of the net trap, and they got hoisted up in the air by it.
"Got you dorks!" Ripper's laughing voice said off screen. The camera cut to him coming out of a nearby tree. "Chase, now!"
Chase's yell was heard as he swung on a cord before landing in front of the two Grips. He cut the rope holding the net trap, and Anne Maria and Justin were flung out of sight.
The camera cut back to the Grips' starting location. Millie and Jasmine watched in shock as their teammates crashed into the ground and groaned after they landed, prompting them to go check on their moaning teammates.
“There's, there's a... there's a scratch!” Justin said after feeling his face. “My face can't continue to take all this abuse! I'm losing it! You… you… you gotta let me go on leave!”
“I ain’t buyin’ any of this,” Anne Maria scoffed as she stood up and rubbed the dirt off her clothes.
“We all get scratches. I got a mosquito bite on my neck once, but that didn’t stop me from going to my job,” Jasmine lectured.
Anne Maria and Jasmine walked off, and Justin turned his eyes to Millie. “Millie, I know you’re a female. Can you help?”
“You were able to have girls wrapped around your finger, and now you’re getting zero play,” Millie summarized with apathy.
“You really are quick-witted,” Justin said in surprise.
“Relationship with Chase aside, I don’t really think you’re that cute,” Millie said. “Why else did I not want to kiss you in that challenge?”
“Like I care what you think,” Justin shot back in an offended manner and finally got off the ground.
Confessional: Justin
“Me? Not cute? I'll tell you who's not cute. Blind people named Millie!” Justin stated, upset.
Confessional Ends
"So it seems that the Gaffers will not come out until they're sure that we forfeit," Millie told her team.
"Which we’re not going to do," Jasmine said.
"Wasn't even planning on it," Anne Maria told her. "We should attack again the minute they show their faces, and I have a way to make sure that we’ll take that trunk."
"You two definitely have to help us this time," Justin reminded Jasmine and Millie. "We'll be outnumbered otherwise."
The footage returned to the Gaffers, Ripper and Chase now with them. "How much time do we have left?" Izzy childishly asked her team.
"I don't know and I don’t care, but we're still staying in this joint until time is up," MK declared.
"How many traps did you guys even set up while you were gone?" Scott questioned Chase and Ripper.
"We set up a total of four," Chase claimed. "Anne Maria and Justin hit one of them, so now we have three."
“This is why you shouldn’t doubt us, MK,” Ripper told his short teammate.
“I didn’t doubt you. I just wanted you to stay and help us,” MK argued. “And just because the other team set off one trap, doesn’t mean that I have to worship you like you’re Jesus,” she said before smirking, “and there’s no way you’re even next to godliness.”
“Pot calling the kettle black much?” Ripper snorted. “I still helped out, even if it wasn’t by your rulebook.”
“MK smart, Ripper strong,” Chase interrupted. “Can we all just agree that we’re special in our own ways?”
Ripper and MK frowned at each other and sighed.
“You’re not as dumb as you look,” MK grumbled.
“And you’re not an extreme big mouth,” Ripper mumbled.
“Good. I’m done playing mediator for the day,” Chase said.
"This is getting boring," Izzy moaned impatiently. "We should just go out there and attack the Grips."
"I’m tired of waiting as well," Scott spoke up. “Those losers are not getting our trunk.”
"We’re done arguing today, so how about we put it to a vote?" Ripper suggested.
"All in favor of going in for battle?" Chase asked as he raised his arm up, as did Ripper, Scott, and Izzy.
"I’m clearly outnumbered here,” MK sighed. “We'll go out in the open, but bring the trunk along."
The scene flashed to the Gaffers coming out of their hole and putting their trunk down. They saw the Grips charging at them, and they prepared themselves.
"There’s four of them and five of us," Scott took note with a grin. "I’m liking our odds already."
“But how are we going to take them down exactly?” Chase asked.
Izzy whipped out a smoke bomb from behind her back and held it up high. “Smoke bomb! Never leave home without it!”
As soon as the Grips reached their site, Izzy proceeded to throw the bomb at them. The Grips froze at the sight of this, but Anne Maria took out two hair spray cans, and after the smoke bomb hit the floor, a large white cloud covered the screen, but Anne Maria was able to spray their way out of it, and the team resumed running.
“Retreat!! Retreat!!” Izzy ordered her team, but it was too late when Anne Maria threw her spray cans on the floor in front of the Gaffers, and after they exploded, the Gaffers coughed profusely due to the extreme stench, leaving the trunk alone for the Grips to grab.
“So long, Gaffers!” Anne Maria taunted. “Grips rule!”
The scene cut to the Grips dropping the trunk on the floor after they returned to their site. “And that’s how we win it!” Anne Maria boasted.
"Time's up!" a sudden announcement came as Chris walked into view along with the other castmates. "The Grips have stolen the chest, putting them in the winner's circle."
"That means," Chris added while walking towards the Gaffers, "the Gaffers will be sending home one of their own tonight. And now, it's time to reveal to the winners," a reverent tune began to play as a spotlight was placed on the trunk, "the mind-blowing secrets within this trunk! Here's what you were fighting for, team!" The lid popped open, and Jasmine and Millie looked inside.
Their grins rapidly faded away as the reverent music came to a sudden and scratchy stop. "All that work," Millie said with a shocked look as a lighter and more emotional melody began to play.
"All that pain," Jasmine added.
"Pain?" Millie asked in confusion. "We rarely got hurt!"
"Still," Jasmine continued quickly, "all this for what?"
"A trunk that was empty the whole time!" Millie declared.
"War is a cruel, cruel thing," Jasmine concluded.
The Gilded Chris Ceremony began with all its usual fanfare, and after the introduction the footage flashed straight on to Chris standing at his podium. "This one's a nail-biter," he told the five seated teens. "I'd say no one's safe tonight. Izzy, how do you feel about your chances?"
The camera cut over to Izzy, sitting on the highest level of the bleachers. "Honestly, I feel pretty good about them," she said with a smile. "I was the one that scored my team the win for the first part of the challenge, and if I were to be going home today, it'd likely be because I blew the challenge."
“Or because you reverted back to your impersonations like E-Scope,” Ripper added.
“That's a thing of the past, Ripper,” Izzy said.
"Then," Chris continued, "there's Scott. Although you didn't cost your team the challenges or throw them on purpose, you didn't contribute much. Plus, your broken arm makes you a bit of a liability. Will you be the one sitting in the Lame-o-sine tonight?"
“We'll just have to see it to believe it,” Scott deadpanned.
"Chase, MK, Ripper!" Chris said with a broad smile. "Seems your tussles aren't entertaining anybody, not even your team. Are you worried?"
"Why would I? This team needs me, man!" Ripper shot a cocky smile.
"Alright then," Chris announced, "votes have been tabulated!" A folded card parachuted into view next to him, and he quickly snatched it up and held it to his forehead without bothering to read its contents. The tension began to build in the music. "So, it's time to present the awards. Tonight, the Gilded Chris goes to...MK, Ripper, and...Chase!" he said in succession, each name followed by the sound of an award being thrown and caught. "And now, only two nominees left."
The background music picked up as the screen was split, with spotlights on Izzy on the left and Scott on the right. "The final award goes to...," Chris said slowly as Scott watched nervously while Izzy smiled and held two fingers up to the camera. "Izzy!"
The camera panned left slightly as the wild child caught her golden statuette. "Hold on, wha?" Scott stammered in shock. "This has to be a joke, right?"
“No, it isn't,” MK said with a grin, “and you have me to thank for that.”
“You… you backstabbed me?!” Scott said with a bit of shock and anger.
“With four votes to one,” MK cackled. “I just did what you did to your previous alliance. Don't get all hypocritical.”
"Unbelievable!" Scott grumbled before he was grabbed by Chef and carried over the shoulder down the Walk of Shame.
Confessional: Izzy
“This was the perfect opportunity to get rid of Scott after all he's done in the first season,” Izzy said. “I'd be dumb to pass this up.”
Confessional: Chase
“Even with Scott trying to convince me otherwise, there was no way I wasn't going to vote him off,” Chase told the audience. “Besides, he can heal his broken arm off the show.”
Confessional: MK
“It's not hard getting people to vote off a disliked contestant, especially if that someone was the villain of last season,” MK mentioned. “I can't be tied down to Scott for much longer, and this is my season to shine!” she ended her confessional on a serious note.
Confessionals End
Scott was unceremoniously thrown into the waiting limousine by Chef. The door slammed shut, the limo sped off, and the camera cut back to a close-up of Chris.
"Well, we finally got rid of Scott the Schemer," he told the camera. "With him gone, hopefully we can stop providing benefits for him and not have to worry about being sued. Catch you next time," he said with a salute, "on Total! Drama! Action!" He ended the salute and put his hands behind his back, then smiled as he said "At ease!"
(Roll the Credits)
(Bonus Clip)
“I can't believe it!!” Scott grunted in the limousine. “MK totally duped me! Though given how much my team was against me, I knew I wasn't going to last this time,” he admitted reasonably. “Seems MK's this season's baddie, and an effective one she is. I'm still expecting the hundred thousand dollars to be delivered to me if it's the last thing the show will do for me. With me out of the game, I don't have to be forced to endanger my arm just for views, and maybe the next time you guys see me, I won't have this bandana around my forehead. The brand should be gone by now.” He used his good arm to take the bandana off, and was surprised by how little the branded “S.U.C.K.E.R.” was on his forehead. “Well would you look at that? I don't think I'll be needing this anymore.” He rolled down the window and tossed the cloth out, and then winced in pain afterwards and clutched his injured arm.
Eva - 14th
Geoff - 14th
Izzy - RETURNED
Trent - 12th
Sky - 11th
Brick - 10th
Scott - 9th
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper
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Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper, Scott
Episode 11: Full Metal Drama
"Last week, on Total Drama Action. Our competitors took it on the chin as they faced an all-you-can-eat buffet of deadly natural disasters."
"But, it was Scott's own feet that tripped him up. His newly-broken bone took him out of the challenge, and cost him the use of an arm. A rough life for the dirt farmer, but his teammates had it even rougher."
"We threw the competitors into a submarine simulator and forced them to find their way out, and thanks to a certain bully using his brain rather than his brawn, both teams were able to live for another day."
"Sound tough? Get used to it!" The scene moved to a close-up of Chris standing in front of a building. "Because this week, it's all-out war!" The camera zoomed out, revealing a tropical war zone set, complete with sandbags, a bunker, a guard tower, and even a bomb lying on the ground. He pointed to a chart that had been set up next to him with drawings of tanks, fighter jets, and a dotted trail leading to an 'X'. "It's a desperate battle for survival, on Total! Drama! Action!"
(Theme Song)
The episode opened with a shot of the communal bathroom before the scene cut inside it.
MK and Scott were currently inside eating chips and drinking soda respectively in front of the sinks. “So how are you handling this broken arm situation?” MK asked her teammate.
“Horribly,” Scott grunted. “I use my right arm for everything, and with that broken, how am I supposed to whittle or scratch my armpits?”
MK winced at the last part. “Too much information.”
“It's bad enough that I have to wear this bandana until my brand is off completely,” Scott pointed at the orange cloth. “Having my arm in a sling will screw things up for us.”
“Tell me about it,” MK snorted. “And don't be a bummer. You're getting compensated for your injury.”
“I was getting to that, MK,” Scott said. “Because I threatened to sue them, I've been treated much better, especially by Chef who has to work extra as punishment for his secret alliance. I got my own bathroom to shower in, I got to eat actual quality food, and yesterday, they even told me that me and my family will receive a hundred thousand bucks just to make sure we won't take action.”
This information led to MK gaping. “Are you serious?”
“As serious as a barn burning down,” Scott nodded. “With this amount of money, we can finally get our farm reconstructed.”
“You can stop now before I get jealous, Scott,” MK told him.
“Yeah yeah,” Scott shook off. “So anyway, we have to talk about who we're gonna vote off next, and that would have to be Izzy.”
“Izzy? Why her?” MK raised an eyebrow.
“She just rejoined the game a couple of days ago, and we already have a history in season one,” Scott reasoned. “If we're not careful, she can convince Ripper and Chase to vote me out.”
“That is a reasonable explanation,” MK agreed. “But maybe we could get Chase on our side for the vote. Ripper likes Izzy, so he's not an option.”
“As long as we have more votes, Izzy will be taken down,” Scott smirked.
“Absolutely,” MK smiled back.
Confessional: MK
“...not!” MK said in the make-up trailer. “Me and Scott may be in an alliance, but in this game, we'd usually have to backstab each other to get what we want. If we lose, I'm obviously telling the team to gun for him. After the elimination ceremony, I'll have to make sure that I'm not gunned for, and I know just how to do that.”
Confessional Ends
The footage skipped forward, showing the contestants walking warily as Chris passed them in an army helmet and sunglasses. "Today, we're all about war movies," he told them, the shot zooming out to show Chef glaring nearby in his drill instructor's uniform.
"So, look lively you...," Chris began to say.
"Buckets of horse doo-doo!" Chef finished with a growl into their faces.
"So, get ready for the first death-defying challenge, you...," Chris began again.
"Disgustin' slimy crustaceans!" Chef finished once more.
"Move it, privates!" Chris ordered. "Fall in!"
"Sir yes sir!' the cast said as one.
Confessional: Izzy
"I have all the skills required to be a marine," Izzy said enthusiastically in the make-up confessional. "I am stealthy, tough, and loud enough, and I can handle a weapon, but I do value my freedom."
Confessional Ends
The camera cut to Ripper and MK as the Grips walked off. "I cannot wait to go to war," the techno girl said. "I've played my fair share of Battlefront, and my squad has won a lot of online multiplayer gaming titles. Most of the time, we don't even use teamwork."
“I hate to break it to you, but we're not in your little tech world,” Ripper said in an annoyed tone as the rest of the team joined in. “Just leave all the marine stuff to me today.”
“Let you do all the work and take all the credit?” MK glared. “Not happening, Buster.”
“Now wait a second-” Ripper began to glare back.
“Quit taking shots at each other!” Chase got in-between the two. “We can make a plan when we're at the challenge site, okay?”
“Seriously, I've seen my pigs fight over less,” Scott huffed as MK and Ripper continued to glare at each other.
Confessional: Ripper
“I'm really at my wits end with that shortstack,” Ripper complained. “Who does she think she is insulting and putting down the best looking guy on the show… me! Thankfully, MK won't be able to listen to me rant about her.”
Confessional: MK
MK was watching Ripper's previous confessional on her phone, especially the part about him bragging about himself. “It's so silly how he thinks I can't listen to everything he says,” she confessed after turning off her phone.
Confessionals End
The scene briefly flashed to the numbered studios with the sound of a plane engine in the background, the camera panning up to show the fake cliff before flashing to what looked like the inside of some kind of plane. The two teams were shown in a split screen with the Gaffers on top and the Grips on the bottom, all nine teens wearing blindfolds.
"Okay people," Chris said, "remove your blindfolds!" The contestants did as commanded, and the viewpoint shifted to show the teams sitting along opposite walls as the host walked in front of the camera. "When it comes to making a war movie," he said, the viewpoint moving again to show that he was standing next to a large trunk, "jumping out an airplane is the most dangerous stunt there is." He popped the trunk open, revealing several parachute packs within. "So naturally," he began to yell as he slid open a nearby door, the winds roaring inside the room, "it's our first challenge!"
MK and Scott gasped, as did Millie, and even Justin looked shocked.
"Chris really set the record for the shortest amount of time between the start of the challenge and our lives being endangered," Jasmine deadpanned over the roaring wind and engine.
“If we live, I'm going to file a complaint that's sure to get Chris replaced with a nicer and more considerate host,” Millie shouted.
“Nice grit for an underdog,” Jasmine grinned.
“Underdog?” Millie asked.
“Underdogs usually have a lot of fight and honor in them, and you've been tapping into it a lot,” Jasmine complimented her friend. “Keep it up.”
Millie felt flustered by her words. “I, uh, thank you.”
Justin soon sat in-between the two of them. “Jasmine, Millie! I want to propose something, but don't get excited, it's not marriage!” he chuckled. “Uh, anywho, it's a long way from the airplane to the ground below!”
“Exactly three kilometers!” Millie confirmed.
“Wouldn't know. Math is for ugly people,” Justin said. “Here's the deal! I need you two to jump before me in case I need a soft place to land, okay?!” The eye candy blinked his eyelashes only to receive blank stares from the girls. “Now, you girls know that I don't blink these eyelashes at just anybody!” He did the same thing again and got the same response. “Nothing?! When were your last eye exams?!”
"Drop zone approaching!" Chris announced after sticking his head out the open door. "Form a line, it's time to par-tay!"
The Gaffers were shown standing up as the host continued. "Stunt people undergo weeks of training before they parachute," he said as the Grips stood up as well, Jasmine walking forward hesitantly. "Luckily, we're gonna skip all that and get to the good part: Jumping!"
"That doesn't sound like a good idea!" Scott told the host.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Chris asked him.
"We die!" Anne Maria answered with annoyance and anger.
"I know!" Chris grinned. "Hilarious! Haha! Time to jump!"
"Well, there's no point standing here like statues," Izzy walked towards the trunk of parachutes with Scott.
“Hey McLean, can I skip out on the jump?” Scott asked. “My arm is broken!”
"Sorry Scott," Chris told him, "but you gotta jump too! Try not to land on your right arm, okay?" He then pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and turned his back on the now-enraged Scott.
“Someone's definitely going to increase the amount of money me and my family will get,” Scott whispered bitterly.
"At least we get parachutes," Chase told the injured boy.
"Actually, change of plans!" Chris interrupted, closing his phone and stowing it back in his pocket. "I just spoke to our research department, there were no parachutes in World War I!"
"So what do we do for the challenge?" Ripper asked.
"Simple," Chris replied as he shoved the trunk of parachutes out the door with his foot.
The contestants gasped, though a fearless Izzy was the first one to jump out the plane shouting “Tell my pet rock I love her!”
None of the other contestants made a move, though, and Chris scowled. "Okay, you kids better start jumping or I will have Chef tilt the plane and force you out!"
“That's all the motivation I need!” Chase said quickly and dived out into the air with a fearful cry.
"Who's up next?" Chris asked the remaining castmates with a smile.
The scene cut outside the plane as the contestants jumped out one by one. First MK, then Ripper, then Scott to round out the Gaffers with a terrified shout each as they quickly disappeared into the clouds below the plane. Next was Jasmine looking determined, followed by a shrieking Millie. Justin gulped and took the plunge, and Anne Maria came out last with a holler, and the host briefly looked out and below with a surprised look on his face before the clouds filled the scene.
They dispersed moments later to reveal all nine contestants in a heap on top of a large mattress.
"Hooray! We're alive!" Scott groaned. The camera zoomed out, showing that they were in a movie set. The plane was a wingless fake hanging from the ceiling only a few yards above the mattress, and the high winds were caused by a pair of giant fans operated by Chef Hatchet. On the back wall, level with the plane's windows and door, was a sky-patterned background made to continuously scroll and give the illusion of movement within the plane.
Chef shut off the fans, and the castmates groaned and began to get back up. "Let's roll, soldiers," Chris told them, now back on the ground. "Because the second part of this challenge is gonna blow your minds!" He grinned as he spoke before leaning towards the teens. "And everything else within a fifty-foot radius!"
Confessional: Chase
“If I had know that we would land on a mattress, I would’ve just let Chef force us all out,” Chase confessed.
Confessional Ends
The scene immediately flashed forward to a close-up of a green tarp being taken off a pile of grenades and bombs. "Are those," Jasmine asked as the camera pulled back to show her and the other Grips standing with Chris and the tarp-pulling Chef by a blast shield outside, "paint bombs?"
"We've divided the camp into two halves," Chris told them, the Grips watching with blank looks while the Gaffers were shown in a similar but mirrored position on the other side of the two men. "Most creative and controlled splatter wins."
“Alright gang,” Jasmine clapped her hands in order to get her team's attention. “Here's how our explosion is going to go. We'll have to lay our explosives in a pattern in order to make sure that the paint coverage will be more noticeable than the Gaffers’.”
“Excellent idea. I'll handle the explosives. I passed chemistry in my high school,” Millie eagerly walked off.
“Wonderful,” Jasmine smiled.
“I'll help as well,” Anne Maria said after she stopped using hairspray on her pouf. “I could ward off the other team by sprayin’ them in their eyes if they even think about spyin’ on us.”
“Not a big fan of harming our competition, but you do you,” Jasmine said uncertainly.
“And I'll be letting my butt have its beauty rest!” Justin chuckled suavely while laying back on a nearby hammock tied between two trees.
This did not go unnoticed by Anne Maria and Jasmine, who both flipped Justin off the hammock and into the ground.
“You're gonna help us with this challenge and not get any special treatment,” Jasmine scolded.
“Is it getting hot out here?” Justin took off his shirt and demonstrated his pecs. “Now if you'll notice, I don't sport a six-pack. I got twelve. That's a dozen smoking mandominals.”
“Get workin’, lazybones!” Anne Maria demanded and stomped off.
“This, this can't be right,” Justin panicked. “Have I really lost my lady controlling mojo?” He turned to the tallest member of the team. “Say it ain't so!”
“No need spouting the obvious, Justin,” Jasmine replied uncaringly.
“This challenge was designed for me!” Ripper told the Gaffers. “What do I not love more than exploding things?!”
“Being a numbskull, for instance,” MK retorted. “I seem to remember you saying that you let people do all the work for you. And we're supposed to trust you on this?”
“Adding my two cents onto this, I would've done the same thing if I was Ripper,” Scott added snidely.
“I'm sorry, MK, but I think we have to stick with Ripper on this one,” Chase said with a hand on MK's shoulder.
“Why?” MK objected. “I actually worked hard to get an A in chemistry.”
“Explosives Boy overrules Chemistry Girl,” Scott shrugged.
"Okay, time's up!" Chris announced, the camera cutting to his close-up as he entered the scene. "Uh-oh, looks like you didn't even get started."
“Not so fast, Chris!” the voice of Izzy cried out, and everyone turned their heads to see her smiling with her foot on a bomb and multiple bombs plastered around her team's site.
“Whoa. Now that's what I call thorough,” Chris narrated.
Chase hesitantly moved over to the curly haired girl. “Iz, what did you do?”
“Plant the explosives while you guys were at each other's throats,” Izzy giddily said.
Confessional: Izzy
“When Chris mentioned explosives and bombs, that was a sign that my team is lucky to have me on their side,” Izzy gloated. “I could blow up a hotel if I wanted to, but I refrain unless I'm extremely tempted.”
Confessional Ends
Another cut took the scene to the Grips, standing behind the blast shield that was between them and a set that was very much like the Gaffers', except that it had been mirrored. There were no visible bombs around, and they were all wired into a plunger held by Chris.
"Grips, are we ready?" Chris asked, handing the plunger over to Millie.
"Likewise," the writer said with a confident smile. As she pushed the plunger down, part of Richard Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' began to play in the background. One by one, explosions of green paint began to go off around the Grips' area – in the guard tower, behind the sandbags, near the bunker door, and several off the bunker's roof. The music ended as one final explosion splattered the blast shield, stunning Anne Maria, Jasmine, and Justin.
As the dust cleared around their blast site, the camera pulled back to reveal a massive rendition of the Grips' light-bulb-and-crossbones logo in green paint.
"Nice show of team spirit," Chris told the four.
"I must say, that was very impressive," Justin admitted to Millie as the host walked away.
"What can I say? I wanted to make an explosion that would be mind-blowing, but still tame," Millie told him smugly. "You're welcome."
The shot cut back to the Gaffers' side of the camp, starting on their explosive-laden set before panning over to the five waiting behind their blast shield with Chris.
"Are we ready to blow it up?" Chris asked excitedly, with Izzy standing by a larger plunger than what the Grips had used.
"We're ready! Uno, dos, tres!!!" Izzy chanted and eagerly pushed the plunger down.
Almost immediately, a chaotic series of explosions were set off all around the base. They were accompanied by hectic and disjointed notes in the background music, and the host and other four Gaffers were shown cringing with their fingers in their ears. Eventually the explosions stopped, the dust settled, and everyone except Izzy leaned past the paint-splattered wall with curious expressions.
The camera panned to the left, showing what appeared to be a shapeless blob of paint. No patterns were apparent in it, and the areas that had been left untouched seemed to be random as well.
"Welp, at least it was controlled..." Chris said with a frown.
“Just come over here,” Izzy grabbed the host by the wrist and dragged him over to another spot.
"Hey, there's no touching the host!" Chris said indignantly, yanking his hand free as soon as Izzy stopped moving.
"Look now!" Izzy directed his attention back to the pain splatter.
Chris turned his head, and almost immediately began to brighten up. "It's...it's…beautiful!" he said, wiping away a tear as the viewpoint moved behind him, showing Izzy's paint pattern from another angle – it took the shape of the host's own grinning face.
"The Gaffers are victorious!" he announced, walking back to the other Gaffers by the blast wall. The Gaffers began to cheer and celebrate. "It is my honor to present your prize," Chris added just before Chef appeared wheeling a large and ornate-looking red chest on a handcart. "The Big Trunk of Mind-Blowing Secrets! You'll be defending it with your very lives when we return to more, Total! Drama! Action!"
The shot cut back with each word of the title, showing the defeated Grips standing by in shame.
(Commercial Break)
The episode came back on a shot of the cloudy sky, panning down to show Scott and Chase standing together by a potted palm tree.
"So what is it that you want to talk to me about?" Chase asked. "If it's to brag about your luxuries, then I don't want to hear it."
"It's not about that, Chase," Scott rolled his eyes. “I wanna talk about who we have to vote off tonight.”
“What do you mean “we”?” Chase grew curious. “I know who I'm going to vote for, and it doesn't take Einstein to figure out who it is.”
“I know I'm not the coolest kid on the block, but we have to pick off Izzy,” Scott suggested.
“And why would I do that?” Chase asked.
“She's a wild card, and she got back into the competition not once, but twice,” Scott emphasized. “Do you really want to face off against her in the finale?”
Scott left the athletic boy alone to ponder about his decisions.
The footage flashed forward to Chris McLean standing by the trunk he'd brought out. "Contestants, get ready to begin your next war challenge!" he announced. "It's a giant game of 'Capture the Flag', except in this case the flag is the Trunk of Mind-Blowing Secrets!" The camera zoomed in on the trunk at an angle, and the ornate thing seemed to glow radiantly.
"There's only one way to learn what's in the trunk," he told the off-screen castmates, "and that's to win the challenge. As your reward, we'll give you immunity from tonight's vote, aaaanndd a peek inside. But be ready. The secrets inside will blow your brains to bits!"
"I need my brain!" Ripper whined.
"Not to worry," Chris told him, holding up a roll of duct tape. "A roll of tape will be provided so you can tape the gray matter back together."
"Gaffers," Chris said as he walked over to what looked to be a building covered in a sheet bearing the logo of the Screaming Gaffers, "this is your base camp." Chef watched from close by, his hands angrily on his hips, as the host and the five teens began to arrive, Chase and Izzy carrying the trunk by the pair of poles sticking out on opposite sides. "Our set decoration team wanted to build you guys a towering castle, full of defensive possibilities! But, they went to see a movie instead, sooo..." Chris trailed off as Chef grabbed the sheet. "We're gonna give you this!"
The sheet was pulled away, revealing an utterly decrepit wooden shack. "I think it's a tool shed," the host said uncertainly before the building creaked and collapsed into a dusty heap of rotten planks and miscellaneous garden tools. "Was a tool shed," Chris corrected. "Good luck!"
"How are we gonna defend this big trunk out in the open?" Izzy asked.
"We just have to put our heads together and come up with a plan," MK answered.
“You guys do what you want. I'll be setting some booby traps,” Chase told the team and walked away.
“In first World War movies, the soldiers would always have underground hiding places,” MK said as she gave Izzy a shovel and held one of her own. “Those would be foxholes.”
“With me digging, why not call it a foxy-hole,” Izzy quipped.
“I'm just glad that I don't have to dig at all,” Scott bragged. “Using one hand only won't make the job faster.”
As Izzy began to dig rapidly with Scott watching her, MK turned to Chase and Ripper laying a net down on the ground with headlights attached. “Chase, Ripper, the rest of us agreed on a plan,” she informed. “We could use a little help.
“And we could also use you shutting up!” Ripper retorted. “We're busy!”
Confessional: MK
“If I wasn't so focused on strategy, I'd switch targets from Scott to Ripper just to spite his butt,” MK sniffed. “It's hard finding common ground with that jerk.”
Confessional Ends
The footage cut back with a shot of MK and Izzy digging a large hole in the distance and Scott observing them as though viewed through binoculars. "So what's going on?" Millie asked off-camera as the binoculars were lowered and the viewpoint shifted to Jasmine.
"Izzy and MK are currently digging and Scott is just standing there," Jasmine explained, "although I don't know if it's because they want to bury the trunk or construct a foxhole."
"What about the others?" Anne Maria asked.
"I don't know," Jasmine replied. "Ripper and Chase seem to have disappeared."
"I say we attack immediately!" Anne Maria declared with an air of formality.
"I say we don't," Millie shook her head. "The team obviously outnumber us and have defensive capabilities. Confronting them at this point would be really dumb."
"So what do we do?" Justin asked.
"What we need to do is to proceed intelligently if we want to win the challenge," Millie said.
“Sure. Let’s wait for the other team to set up more traps that will never let us get that trunk,” Anne Maria said sarcastically.
“That’s not what we’re going to do, Anne Maria,” Jasmine assured. “Millie, how are we gonna go about doing this?”
"We should send two people down there in order to figure out what they’re up to," Millie suggested. "That honor should go to Justin and Anne Maria."
"And why us?" Justin objected.
"Me and Jasmine need to think of a plan number two in case this plan fails," Millie reasoned. "All you guys have to do is execute this one."
"Whatever you say, Mil," Anne Maria said before grabbing Justin’s arm and walking away. "Let's go, hot stuff."
Confessional: Anne Maria
“I’m kinda surprised that Justin didn’t try to weasel his way outta the plan,” Anne Maria confessed. “What’s his game?”
Confessional: Justin
“We really need to win this challenge,” Justin said seriously. “By the look of things, my charms aren’t going to win the girls over and I’ll likely be the one going home today. So for the sake of my game, I’ll help out.”
Confessionals End
The footage skipped ahead to Anne Maria and Justin charging into the clearing the Gaffers started. "Where are they?" Justin asked after they stopped. “Jasmine just saw them.”
"Split up and look in other directions," Anne Maria ordered. “They may be hidin’ someplace else.”
The camera zoomed into the hole the Gaffers were in. "So how long do we have to stay in here for?" Izzy asked MK.
"Hopefully long enough for the Grips to admit defeat," MK answered.
"We’re good for now. We just have to not act stupid and blow our cover," Scott said while rubbing his sling. “And I don’t normally do this, but good job on the explosion, Izzy. It really helped us win the first part.”
Izzy was stunned to hear this. “Did you just… compliment me?” the wild child asked.
“Yeah, I did,” Scott replied. “I thought you’d just make a random explosion given how nuts you are, but you actually planned it out.”
“Yeah, how did you come up with the plan to just demonstrate Chris’s face?” MK asked.
“Chris is extremely narcissistic and vain,” Izzy explained. “Anything that revolves around his image will make him score us big points.”
“You’re not joking about that,” MK rolled her eyes. “He’s more likely to marry himself.”
The scene cut to Justin and Anne Maria meeting up with each other in front of the Gaffers' hideout. "Were you able to find the Gaffers? Because I could not," Justin said.
“I had no luck as well,” Anne Maria recapped.
The camera zoomed out to reveal that the duo were on top of the net trap, and they got hoisted up in the air by it.
"Got you dorks!" Ripper's laughing voice said off screen. The camera cut to him coming out of a nearby tree. "Chase, now!"
Chase's yell was heard as he swung on a cord before landing in front of the two Grips. He cut the rope holding the net trap, and Anne Maria and Justin were flung out of sight.
The camera cut back to the Grips' starting location. Millie and Jasmine watched in shock as their teammates crashed into the ground and groaned after they landed, prompting them to go check on their moaning teammates.
“There's, there's a... there's a scratch!” Justin said after feeling his face. “My face can't continue to take all this abuse! I'm losing it! You… you… you gotta let me go on leave!”
“I ain’t buyin’ any of this,” Anne Maria scoffed as she stood up and rubbed the dirt off her clothes.
“We all get scratches. I got a mosquito bite on my neck once, but that didn’t stop me from going to my job,” Jasmine lectured.
Anne Maria and Jasmine walked off, and Justin turned his eyes to Millie. “Millie, I know you’re a female. Can you help?”
“You were able to have girls wrapped around your finger, and now you’re getting zero play,” Millie summarized with apathy.
“You really are quick-witted,” Justin said in surprise.
“Relationship with Chase aside, I don’t really think you’re that cute,” Millie said. “Why else did I not want to kiss you in that challenge?”
“Like I care what you think,” Justin shot back in an offended manner and finally got off the ground.
Confessional: Justin
“Me? Not cute? I'll tell you who's not cute. Blind people named Millie!” Justin stated, upset.
Confessional Ends
"So it seems that the Gaffers will not come out until they're sure that we forfeit," Millie told her team.
"Which we’re not going to do," Jasmine said.
"Wasn't even planning on it," Anne Maria told her. "We should attack again the minute they show their faces, and I have a way to make sure that we’ll take that trunk."
"You two definitely have to help us this time," Justin reminded Jasmine and Millie. "We'll be outnumbered otherwise."
The footage returned to the Gaffers, Ripper and Chase now with them. "How much time do we have left?" Izzy childishly asked her team.
"I don't know and I don’t care, but we're still staying in this joint until time is up," MK declared.
"How many traps did you guys even set up while you were gone?" Scott questioned Chase and Ripper.
"We set up a total of four," Chase claimed. "Anne Maria and Justin hit one of them, so now we have three."
“This is why you shouldn’t doubt us, MK,” Ripper told his short teammate.
“I didn’t doubt you. I just wanted you to stay and help us,” MK argued. “And just because the other team set off one trap, doesn’t mean that I have to worship you like you’re Jesus,” she said before smirking, “and there’s no way you’re even next to godliness.”
“Pot calling the kettle black much?” Ripper snorted. “I still helped out, even if it wasn’t by your rulebook.”
“MK smart, Ripper strong,” Chase interrupted. “Can we all just agree that we’re special in our own ways?”
Ripper and MK frowned at each other and sighed.
“You’re not as dumb as you look,” MK grumbled.
“And you’re not an extreme big mouth,” Ripper mumbled.
“Good. I’m done playing mediator for the day,” Chase said.
"This is getting boring," Izzy moaned impatiently. "We should just go out there and attack the Grips."
"I’m tired of waiting as well," Scott spoke up. “Those losers are not getting our trunk.”
"We’re done arguing today, so how about we put it to a vote?" Ripper suggested.
"All in favor of going in for battle?" Chase asked as he raised his arm up, as did Ripper, Scott, and Izzy.
"I’m clearly outnumbered here,” MK sighed. “We'll go out in the open, but bring the trunk along."
The scene flashed to the Gaffers coming out of their hole and putting their trunk down. They saw the Grips charging at them, and they prepared themselves.
"There’s four of them and five of us," Scott took note with a grin. "I’m liking our odds already."
“But how are we going to take them down exactly?” Chase asked.
Izzy whipped out a smoke bomb from behind her back and held it up high. “Smoke bomb! Never leave home without it!”
As soon as the Grips reached their site, Izzy proceeded to throw the bomb at them. The Grips froze at the sight of this, but Anne Maria took out two hair spray cans, and after the smoke bomb hit the floor, a large white cloud covered the screen, but Anne Maria was able to spray their way out of it, and the team resumed running.
“Retreat!! Retreat!!” Izzy ordered her team, but it was too late when Anne Maria threw her spray cans on the floor in front of the Gaffers, and after they exploded, the Gaffers coughed profusely due to the extreme stench, leaving the trunk alone for the Grips to grab.
“So long, Gaffers!” Anne Maria taunted. “Grips rule!”
The scene cut to the Grips dropping the trunk on the floor after they returned to their site. “And that’s how we win it!” Anne Maria boasted.
"Time's up!" a sudden announcement came as Chris walked into view along with the other castmates. "The Grips have stolen the chest, putting them in the winner's circle."
"That means," Chris added while walking towards the Gaffers, "the Gaffers will be sending home one of their own tonight. And now, it's time to reveal to the winners," a reverent tune began to play as a spotlight was placed on the trunk, "the mind-blowing secrets within this trunk! Here's what you were fighting for, team!" The lid popped open, and Jasmine and Millie looked inside.
Their grins rapidly faded away as the reverent music came to a sudden and scratchy stop. "All that work," Millie said with a shocked look as a lighter and more emotional melody began to play.
"All that pain," Jasmine added.
"Pain?" Millie asked in confusion. "We rarely got hurt!"
"Still," Jasmine continued quickly, "all this for what?"
"A trunk that was empty the whole time!" Millie declared.
"War is a cruel, cruel thing," Jasmine concluded.
The Gilded Chris Ceremony began with all its usual fanfare, and after the introduction the footage flashed straight on to Chris standing at his podium. "This one's a nail-biter," he told the five seated teens. "I'd say no one's safe tonight. Izzy, how do you feel about your chances?"
The camera cut over to Izzy, sitting on the highest level of the bleachers. "Honestly, I feel pretty good about them," she said with a smile. "I was the one that scored my team the win for the first part of the challenge, and if I were to be going home today, it'd likely be because I blew the challenge."
“Or because you reverted back to your impersonations like E-Scope,” Ripper added.
“That's a thing of the past, Ripper,” Izzy said.
"Then," Chris continued, "there's Scott. Although you didn't cost your team the challenges or throw them on purpose, you didn't contribute much. Plus, your broken arm makes you a bit of a liability. Will you be the one sitting in the Lame-o-sine tonight?"
“We'll just have to see it to believe it,” Scott deadpanned.
"Chase, MK, Ripper!" Chris said with a broad smile. "Seems your tussles aren't entertaining anybody, not even your team. Are you worried?"
"Why would I? This team needs me, man!" Ripper shot a cocky smile.
"Alright then," Chris announced, "votes have been tabulated!" A folded card parachuted into view next to him, and he quickly snatched it up and held it to his forehead without bothering to read its contents. The tension began to build in the music. "So, it's time to present the awards. Tonight, the Gilded Chris goes to...MK, Ripper, and...Chase!" he said in succession, each name followed by the sound of an award being thrown and caught. "And now, only two nominees left."
The background music picked up as the screen was split, with spotlights on Izzy on the left and Scott on the right. "The final award goes to...," Chris said slowly as Scott watched nervously while Izzy smiled and held two fingers up to the camera. "Izzy!"
The camera panned left slightly as the wild child caught her golden statuette. "Hold on, wha?" Scott stammered in shock. "This has to be a joke, right?"
“No, it isn't,” MK said with a grin, “and you have me to thank for that.”
“You… you backstabbed me?!” Scott said with a bit of shock and anger.
“With four votes to one,” MK cackled. “I just did what you did to your previous alliance. Don't get all hypocritical.”
"Unbelievable!" Scott grumbled before he was grabbed by Chef and carried over the shoulder down the Walk of Shame.
Confessional: Izzy
“This was the perfect opportunity to get rid of Scott after all he's done in the first season,” Izzy said. “I'd be dumb to pass this up.”
Confessional: Chase
“Even with Scott trying to convince me otherwise, there was no way I wasn't going to vote him off,” Chase told the audience. “Besides, he can heal his broken arm off the show.”
Confessional: MK
“It's not hard getting people to vote off a disliked contestant, especially if that someone was the villain of last season,” MK mentioned. “I can't be tied down to Scott for much longer, and this is my season to shine!” she ended her confessional on a serious note.
Confessionals End
Scott was unceremoniously thrown into the waiting limousine by Chef. The door slammed shut, the limo sped off, and the camera cut back to a close-up of Chris.
"Well, we finally got rid of Scott the Schemer," he told the camera. "With him gone, hopefully we can stop providing benefits for him and not have to worry about being sued. Catch you next time," he said with a salute, "on Total! Drama! Action!" He ended the salute and put his hands behind his back, then smiled as he said "At ease!"
(Roll the Credits)
(Bonus Clip)
“I can't believe it!!” Scott grunted in the limousine. “MK totally duped me! Though given how much my team was against me, I knew I wasn't going to last this time,” he admitted reasonably. “Seems MK's this season's baddie, and an effective one she is. I'm still expecting the hundred thousand dollars to be delivered to me if it's the last thing the show will do for me. With me out of the game, I don't have to be forced to endanger my arm just for views, and maybe the next time you guys see me, I won't have this bandana around my forehead. The brand should be gone by now.” He used his good arm to take the bandana off, and was surprised by how little the branded “S.U.C.K.E.R.” was on his forehead. “Well would you look at that? I don't think I'll be needing this anymore.” He rolled down the window and tossed the cloth out, and then winced in pain afterwards and clutched his injured arm.
Eva - 14th
Geoff - 14th
Izzy - RETURNED
Trent - 12th
Sky - 11th
Brick - 10th
Scott - 9th
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper
2024.05.31 15:12 Dr_Kee A League of Legends analogy...for whether or not to pick IB
With the death of the BofA associate, the topic of "is it worth it?" has come into the limelight again with regards to whether or not the job is worth it. I think the answer, like a lot of other things, is it depends.
And picking a champion in League of Legends is a great analogy for this decision.
Quick Primer on League of Legends
For those unfamiliar with the game, there's 5 players on each team controlling a champion. Minions (like pawns) spawn periodically in each base and move in a straight line to enemy base. Your team, along with your minions, need to destroy the enemy base. You get gold for killing each minion, making it easier to kill your opponents, which gives more gold, allowing you to snowball in power.
Champions / Playstyles
Okay, now the analogy: There are a couple different playstyles in the game. I work in IB and I'm also a Veigar main.
Veigar is what is known as a scaling champion. He spends the majority of the early game getting bullied and harassed. He sits safely close to his base and "farms" minions, because with each minion, he gets uniquely more powerful. The game can very well end before he can really have any fun.
Other players pick early-game snowball/assassin champions, like Pantheon. These champions are very powerful offensively early on and quite easy to play. They can move around the map killing everyone and bullying the Veigar on the rift. But if they fuck up once or twice, they are largely useless for the rest of the game, and if the game progresses long enough, they will eventually fall-off in power.
You also have balanced champions, like Lux. These champions are jack-of-all-trades champions, balanced in power throughout the game, never overpowered or underpowered. You likely won't have the early game freedom of a Pantheon to roam around early game, nor will you have the power of Veigar literally one-shotting people in late game. However, the game is moderately enjoyable throughout and you have some flexibility for how you want to play it (how hard you want to work).
Then you have players that pick a more "high skill-cap" champion, that can be strong in both the early game and the late game...if you have the mechanics for it...like Yasuo. If you have a knack for these champions, you can dominate the entire game and get the best of both worlds. If you suck though, you are gonna have a bad time for the entirety of the game.
Then you have players that pick BATSHIT CRAZY champions like Singed or Dr. Mundo. You ignore what everyone else does and you just do your own thing to carry the game in your own way (in Singed's case by running away to bait people into chasing you as you leave poisonous farts for your enemies...) This style often either clicks or it doesn't, regardless of practice. You simply have to have the right personality for it.
Analogy for Choosing a Champion (aka Career)
Choosing IB is similar to choosing a scaling champion. You sacrifice early game freedom, diligently farming up to eventually dominate the mid-to-late game (call it your mid-30s onwards in life). It's safe, immensely satisfying once you farm 1,000 stacks and one-shot everyone in your way, and most of all, it's EASY as long as you're diligent about not missing minions and not playing too aggressively (i.e., having too much fun in the early game). The game can easily end though before you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor, just like life.
Choosing the early-game snowball champion is like picking a chill career or a career you enjoy that doesn't pay well (artists, musicians, etc.). It's easy to play for you and you get to enjoy the game right from the start, but you will never be more powerful than the Veigar in late game. That's absolutely a viable path if that's what you enjoy. But if you mess up (on the map or financially in life), you have few options to recover. Of course you could also be incredibly gifted and succeed, but it's much harder later in the game.
Choosing the balanced champion is like the majority of average corporate careers or trades. You can determine how hard you want to grind and you are rewarded accordingly. You can grind it out in FP&A fighting up the ladder to CFO (Lux can also play safe and farm up like Veigar but will rarely be more powerful late game), or you can just coast as a manager. However, you likely don't experience the peaks of the artist in early life nor the luxuries of the private equity partner in mid-to-later life, unless you're grinding even harder than the scaling Veigar.
Choosing the high-skill cap champion is like choosing software engineering/quant/etc. You get the best of both worlds. When people talk about not choosing IB, people often will talk about software engineering, quant, etc. where you may work 40 hours a week but make millions by the time you're 30. But the catch here is you have to be skilled. You need to honestly ask yourself if you are capable of doing this role. I also did not have IB as my #1 choice career. I wanted to code. Unfortunately, my brain is too smooth and I just don't get it...just like how I run it down 0-10 on Yasuo every game :)
Choosing the BATSHIT CRAZY champion is like choosing startup/entrepreneurship. Much like a Singed will ignore most of the rules of the game, people that choose this path are the ones that forego college to start their own business. If you have the creativity and "neurodivergence" (for lack of a better word) to pursue this path, you will be wildly successful because you have a unique edge. Most players do not know how to deal with a Singed, so a good Singed player will seem like he's dominating the entire map with no counterplay...in the same way it seems like Elon Musk can do whatever he wants and still be one of the richest people in the world.
submitted by Dr_Kee to FinancialCareers [link] [comments]
And picking a champion in League of Legends is a great analogy for this decision.
Quick Primer on League of Legends
For those unfamiliar with the game, there's 5 players on each team controlling a champion. Minions (like pawns) spawn periodically in each base and move in a straight line to enemy base. Your team, along with your minions, need to destroy the enemy base. You get gold for killing each minion, making it easier to kill your opponents, which gives more gold, allowing you to snowball in power.
Champions / Playstyles
Okay, now the analogy: There are a couple different playstyles in the game. I work in IB and I'm also a Veigar main.
Veigar is what is known as a scaling champion. He spends the majority of the early game getting bullied and harassed. He sits safely close to his base and "farms" minions, because with each minion, he gets uniquely more powerful. The game can very well end before he can really have any fun.
Other players pick early-game snowball/assassin champions, like Pantheon. These champions are very powerful offensively early on and quite easy to play. They can move around the map killing everyone and bullying the Veigar on the rift. But if they fuck up once or twice, they are largely useless for the rest of the game, and if the game progresses long enough, they will eventually fall-off in power.
You also have balanced champions, like Lux. These champions are jack-of-all-trades champions, balanced in power throughout the game, never overpowered or underpowered. You likely won't have the early game freedom of a Pantheon to roam around early game, nor will you have the power of Veigar literally one-shotting people in late game. However, the game is moderately enjoyable throughout and you have some flexibility for how you want to play it (how hard you want to work).
Then you have players that pick a more "high skill-cap" champion, that can be strong in both the early game and the late game...if you have the mechanics for it...like Yasuo. If you have a knack for these champions, you can dominate the entire game and get the best of both worlds. If you suck though, you are gonna have a bad time for the entirety of the game.
Then you have players that pick BATSHIT CRAZY champions like Singed or Dr. Mundo. You ignore what everyone else does and you just do your own thing to carry the game in your own way (in Singed's case by running away to bait people into chasing you as you leave poisonous farts for your enemies...) This style often either clicks or it doesn't, regardless of practice. You simply have to have the right personality for it.
Analogy for Choosing a Champion (aka Career)
Choosing IB is similar to choosing a scaling champion. You sacrifice early game freedom, diligently farming up to eventually dominate the mid-to-late game (call it your mid-30s onwards in life). It's safe, immensely satisfying once you farm 1,000 stacks and one-shot everyone in your way, and most of all, it's EASY as long as you're diligent about not missing minions and not playing too aggressively (i.e., having too much fun in the early game). The game can easily end though before you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor, just like life.
Choosing the early-game snowball champion is like picking a chill career or a career you enjoy that doesn't pay well (artists, musicians, etc.). It's easy to play for you and you get to enjoy the game right from the start, but you will never be more powerful than the Veigar in late game. That's absolutely a viable path if that's what you enjoy. But if you mess up (on the map or financially in life), you have few options to recover. Of course you could also be incredibly gifted and succeed, but it's much harder later in the game.
Choosing the balanced champion is like the majority of average corporate careers or trades. You can determine how hard you want to grind and you are rewarded accordingly. You can grind it out in FP&A fighting up the ladder to CFO (Lux can also play safe and farm up like Veigar but will rarely be more powerful late game), or you can just coast as a manager. However, you likely don't experience the peaks of the artist in early life nor the luxuries of the private equity partner in mid-to-later life, unless you're grinding even harder than the scaling Veigar.
Choosing the high-skill cap champion is like choosing software engineering/quant/etc. You get the best of both worlds. When people talk about not choosing IB, people often will talk about software engineering, quant, etc. where you may work 40 hours a week but make millions by the time you're 30. But the catch here is you have to be skilled. You need to honestly ask yourself if you are capable of doing this role. I also did not have IB as my #1 choice career. I wanted to code. Unfortunately, my brain is too smooth and I just don't get it...just like how I run it down 0-10 on Yasuo every game :)
Choosing the BATSHIT CRAZY champion is like choosing startup/entrepreneurship. Much like a Singed will ignore most of the rules of the game, people that choose this path are the ones that forego college to start their own business. If you have the creativity and "neurodivergence" (for lack of a better word) to pursue this path, you will be wildly successful because you have a unique edge. Most players do not know how to deal with a Singed, so a good Singed player will seem like he's dominating the entire map with no counterplay...in the same way it seems like Elon Musk can do whatever he wants and still be one of the richest people in the world.
2024.05.31 13:01 ArcadeConMan Shape Shifter: The Tetris from Another Dimension - Retro, Revolutionary, and Ready for You to Play!
What if you could travel to parallel Tetris worlds? The same year, the same Earth, only different dimensions. A world where Tetris evolved into a cooperative multiplayer arcade game… or where your dreams of being an arcade superstar came true… or where wrap-around landings replaced T-spins... or where AI-controlled shapes changed the arena at any moment. Now the problem is… finding a way back home. The possibility might seem like a wild fantasy, but the truth is... I found this gateway.
I'm ConMan, and in 1996, Tetris and Sliders were sweeping the nation. Over the next 25 years, Tetris evolved into the powerhouse game that it is now. A competitive multiplayer game where you try to beat your opponent into submission with your superior stacking, setups, T-Spins, and ranking. However, for me, I had a different reality. I grew up on an alfalfa farm without internet access, just my NES Tetris. So I started with basic Tetris rules and have been crafting my Tetris game over the same time. I've been creating an all-new Tetris universe that focused on the classic Co-op Arcade style of gameplay. Imagine all those great arcade games where you and your pals would play on the same screen, working together, trying not to spend any more quarters. That's what I've been making this whole time. There were some good times during the 2000s when I made hundreds of Tetris options, game types, and convoys. I turned my Tetris game into a versatile game engine that let me create other Tetris-inspired games. But those good times eventually ended in 2011 when Windows made me upgrade to Windows 8, and they didn't support the DirectDraw that I relied on.
My game was done, finished. I could not run it or compile it anymore. I moved away from the farm to the big city. Finally, I had real internet access, played Xbox, and delivered pizzas. I finally had fast internet access, so I got to play games and think about my music player. I couldn't play Arcade Convoy anymore, but I missed my killer tunes! So that's what I did for the next 10 years, delivering pizzas and always wishing I could play my game. Over the years, I still got my programming fix in working on a music player that I could use to listen to all my sweet tunes while playing my Xbox and PC games.
Isn't it ironic that I could have run and compiled my game since 2012? One day in 2023, I wanted to play an old game, Motocross Madness 2. It wasn't working, so I had to figure out that it needed a DirectX wrapper. MCM2 ran great, and I started thinking about how I could maybe use a wrapper to play my game. It worked, I was excited, and the first thing I did was to come here and post my 1,000 line challenge video. Back then, I didn't have much to say because my game was not playable as it was.
Over the past year, the good times have come back. I've figured out how to use the CNC wrapper to give me great frames for my game and my compiler. I've spent the last year making my game work great on modern CPUs. I added Arcade Convoy Radio, my kick-ass music player, took advantage of these next-gen CPUs by unlocking all my options, blends, filters, and particles. Basically, I'm back in action creating options and finishing Arcade Convoy.
So let's get to the good, the bad, and the ugly of my game. First, the good: My Tetris game is called Shape Shifter, and I have hundreds of options that I use to make different game types. These game types can be anything from Loner, a single shape in the arena, to Chaos, with four active shapes in the arena. I have bag options, ghost shapes, AI, speed variances, active/inactive shape options, and more options than I could explain. I use all these options to make lots of different game types. Then I also create convoys and challenges using these game types, so you never really know what will happen next. My Tetris engine runs all my games: Tetris poker, Tetris racing, Tetris brick-busting, and all the rest live in my Tetris world.
Now for the bad: Shape Shifter is not your standard Tetris game. It came to life in a different reality where unified Tetris rules and scores were non-existent, so my defaults are not going to be what you're used to. My arena size is bigger, with 14 columns and 28+ rows, which helps alleviate shape congestion. Also, there are no T-spins; I never thought of this. Plus, with most of my game types, the AI and ghost shapes would cover up your T-spin chances and not abide by your stacking rules. Additionally, Shape Shifter is not a competitive multiplayer game. We are all about playing together with the goal of clearing the arena and getting a high score.
Now for the ugly: Let's be honest, I can't draw. I can't even draw a straight line, so cut me some slack. It took me six months of tutorials just to draw my volcano outlines. Also, it's old. Arcade Convoy is my first "hello world" project I ever made, so it's stuck with 1996 DirectDraw capabilities. Back then, memory resources were a lot more important, so I only ever did 16-bit color, which means no windowed mode, and my resolution is 800x600. But I have blends, filters, and particles that would probably be too slow on a higher resolution. The last of the ugly is that my game isn't done yet; who knows if it will ever be done. But don't worry, I always have a playable version, and I'm going to finally give it away.
So enjoy my game, Arcade Convoy! Come for the Shape Shifter and stay for the Brick Buster. For Shape Shifter, this version will have all my original game types, convoys, and challenges. The thing is, I'm unlocking all my options that were hard-coded to my 2010 version. So I'm not enforcing all the options and stuff, so now you can change options to modify your game types and such. Normally, I would be enforcing default options, and you would have to get a modified high score if you made any changes in the options. It will still let you save your high scores and stuff, but all those game types and high scores are going to be erased and replaced in future updates. But for now, just have fun and check out the options.
Now, here's my brief tutorial. Launch Arcade Convoy Radio first if you want to listen to internet radio stations or display your radio HUD on a second monitor. You can start Arcade Convoy from the radio player or directly via the shortcut—whichever you prefer. Once Arcade Convoy is running, you'll find yourself on the start screen.
Click on Shape Shifter to get started, or right-click on it for a random game from all available game types, challenges, and convoys. When you click on Shape Shifter, you'll be taken to the game types page with 'Practice' selected by default. In 'Practice,' all the options will be unlocked, so you can add shapes, set ghosts, etc. I recommend you select the 'Challenges' and pick one of those. The Ultimate Challenge goes through all my game types, and I also like the Normal Convoy.
My favorite hotkey is Shift+F8. This will reload the level. My levels are random; sometimes they happen to include a lot of expensive blends, and your frames (F11) might drop below 60. Also, if you don't like the arena or contrast, just give it a quick level reload or 'Ctrl A' to change the brightness and contrast of the arena.
While playing Shape Shifter, press 'Escape' to access all essential settings. This is also where you can adjust your controller settings and view all hotkeys. There are numerous options available, so don't hesitate to explore and click around.
Here are the main hotkeys for Shape Shifter:
We can talk about the radio player , how to make game types and convoy's, make your own levels or shape, basically anything you want to know. If your antivirus flags my game give me an exception. It is happening because I am accessing internet radio stations with my music player. Thanks for reading and enjoy my game.
-ConMan
submitted by ArcadeConMan to Tetris [link] [comments]
I'm ConMan, and in 1996, Tetris and Sliders were sweeping the nation. Over the next 25 years, Tetris evolved into the powerhouse game that it is now. A competitive multiplayer game where you try to beat your opponent into submission with your superior stacking, setups, T-Spins, and ranking. However, for me, I had a different reality. I grew up on an alfalfa farm without internet access, just my NES Tetris. So I started with basic Tetris rules and have been crafting my Tetris game over the same time. I've been creating an all-new Tetris universe that focused on the classic Co-op Arcade style of gameplay. Imagine all those great arcade games where you and your pals would play on the same screen, working together, trying not to spend any more quarters. That's what I've been making this whole time. There were some good times during the 2000s when I made hundreds of Tetris options, game types, and convoys. I turned my Tetris game into a versatile game engine that let me create other Tetris-inspired games. But those good times eventually ended in 2011 when Windows made me upgrade to Windows 8, and they didn't support the DirectDraw that I relied on.
My game was done, finished. I could not run it or compile it anymore. I moved away from the farm to the big city. Finally, I had real internet access, played Xbox, and delivered pizzas. I finally had fast internet access, so I got to play games and think about my music player. I couldn't play Arcade Convoy anymore, but I missed my killer tunes! So that's what I did for the next 10 years, delivering pizzas and always wishing I could play my game. Over the years, I still got my programming fix in working on a music player that I could use to listen to all my sweet tunes while playing my Xbox and PC games.
Isn't it ironic that I could have run and compiled my game since 2012? One day in 2023, I wanted to play an old game, Motocross Madness 2. It wasn't working, so I had to figure out that it needed a DirectX wrapper. MCM2 ran great, and I started thinking about how I could maybe use a wrapper to play my game. It worked, I was excited, and the first thing I did was to come here and post my 1,000 line challenge video. Back then, I didn't have much to say because my game was not playable as it was.
Over the past year, the good times have come back. I've figured out how to use the CNC wrapper to give me great frames for my game and my compiler. I've spent the last year making my game work great on modern CPUs. I added Arcade Convoy Radio, my kick-ass music player, took advantage of these next-gen CPUs by unlocking all my options, blends, filters, and particles. Basically, I'm back in action creating options and finishing Arcade Convoy.
So let's get to the good, the bad, and the ugly of my game. First, the good: My Tetris game is called Shape Shifter, and I have hundreds of options that I use to make different game types. These game types can be anything from Loner, a single shape in the arena, to Chaos, with four active shapes in the arena. I have bag options, ghost shapes, AI, speed variances, active/inactive shape options, and more options than I could explain. I use all these options to make lots of different game types. Then I also create convoys and challenges using these game types, so you never really know what will happen next. My Tetris engine runs all my games: Tetris poker, Tetris racing, Tetris brick-busting, and all the rest live in my Tetris world.
Now for the bad: Shape Shifter is not your standard Tetris game. It came to life in a different reality where unified Tetris rules and scores were non-existent, so my defaults are not going to be what you're used to. My arena size is bigger, with 14 columns and 28+ rows, which helps alleviate shape congestion. Also, there are no T-spins; I never thought of this. Plus, with most of my game types, the AI and ghost shapes would cover up your T-spin chances and not abide by your stacking rules. Additionally, Shape Shifter is not a competitive multiplayer game. We are all about playing together with the goal of clearing the arena and getting a high score.
Now for the ugly: Let's be honest, I can't draw. I can't even draw a straight line, so cut me some slack. It took me six months of tutorials just to draw my volcano outlines. Also, it's old. Arcade Convoy is my first "hello world" project I ever made, so it's stuck with 1996 DirectDraw capabilities. Back then, memory resources were a lot more important, so I only ever did 16-bit color, which means no windowed mode, and my resolution is 800x600. But I have blends, filters, and particles that would probably be too slow on a higher resolution. The last of the ugly is that my game isn't done yet; who knows if it will ever be done. But don't worry, I always have a playable version, and I'm going to finally give it away.
So enjoy my game, Arcade Convoy! Come for the Shape Shifter and stay for the Brick Buster. For Shape Shifter, this version will have all my original game types, convoys, and challenges. The thing is, I'm unlocking all my options that were hard-coded to my 2010 version. So I'm not enforcing all the options and stuff, so now you can change options to modify your game types and such. Normally, I would be enforcing default options, and you would have to get a modified high score if you made any changes in the options. It will still let you save your high scores and stuff, but all those game types and high scores are going to be erased and replaced in future updates. But for now, just have fun and check out the options.
Now, here's my brief tutorial. Launch Arcade Convoy Radio first if you want to listen to internet radio stations or display your radio HUD on a second monitor. You can start Arcade Convoy from the radio player or directly via the shortcut—whichever you prefer. Once Arcade Convoy is running, you'll find yourself on the start screen.
Click on Shape Shifter to get started, or right-click on it for a random game from all available game types, challenges, and convoys. When you click on Shape Shifter, you'll be taken to the game types page with 'Practice' selected by default. In 'Practice,' all the options will be unlocked, so you can add shapes, set ghosts, etc. I recommend you select the 'Challenges' and pick one of those. The Ultimate Challenge goes through all my game types, and I also like the Normal Convoy.
My favorite hotkey is Shift+F8. This will reload the level. My levels are random; sometimes they happen to include a lot of expensive blends, and your frames (F11) might drop below 60. Also, if you don't like the arena or contrast, just give it a quick level reload or 'Ctrl A' to change the brightness and contrast of the arena.
While playing Shape Shifter, press 'Escape' to access all essential settings. This is also where you can adjust your controller settings and view all hotkeys. There are numerous options available, so don't hesitate to explore and click around.
Here are the main hotkeys for Shape Shifter:
- F8: Next level (each level features different blends and effects)
- Shift+F8: Reload current level (useful for optimizing performance)
- Ctrl+F8: Previous level
- F11: Show frame rate counter
- F5: Next shape
- Ctrl+F5: Previous shape
- Shift+F5: Randomize all seven shapes
- F3: Level details (turn off blends here if needed for better performance)
- F4: Music player
- F2: Start screen
- F1: Game type selection
- Esc or Left+Right mouse click: Go back or close screens
We can talk about the radio player , how to make game types and convoy's, make your own levels or shape, basically anything you want to know. If your antivirus flags my game give me an exception. It is happening because I am accessing internet radio stations with my music player. Thanks for reading and enjoy my game.
-ConMan