Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/a8VE6QD
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/c2sV3bF
I prefer Zelle, ApplePay and Cashapp but I also accept Venmo (No Notes) and PayPal (No Notes). If you have any additional questions please feel free to reach out!
-Eberlestock Tomohawk F53 Pack in Multicam. Comes with Featherweight Pack Rain Cover in Coyote Brown. Both items are brand new. Selling for $400 shipped for both.
Link for Pack: https://eberlestock.com/products/f53-tomahawk
Link for Cover: https://eberlestock.com/products/featherweight-pack-rain-cover
-Lowa Zephyr GTX HI TF in Desert. Size US 10. Brand New. $200 shipped.
-Wiggy’s Ruck Sack Package. Military Sleeping Bag in Black, Military Bivy in Coyote Brown, and Ground Pad. Military Sleeping Bag comes with Compression Stuff Sack (Top-Down), Pillow, and Sleeping Socks (Size Large). Ground Pad was made in a custom size at 72”x18” due to wanting a smaller width to match the width of the ruck sack it would be attached to. I paid $260 for the sleeping bag, $25 for the Bivy, and $155 for the Ground Pad. All items are brand new. Selling all three items for $300 shipped.
Link for Sleeping Bag: https://www.wiggys.com/specials/memorial-day-sleeping-bag-sale-10-off/military-sleeping-bag/
Link for Bivy: https://www.wiggys.com/shelters/military-style-bivy-cs-center-snap/
Link for Ground Pad: https://www.wiggys.com/ground-pads/ground-pad/
-Wiggy’s Single Person Bivy Shelter in Black. Non-insulated. Replaced the Colghan’s plastic tent stakes it came with for Easton aluminum tent stakes. Brand New. $200 shipped.
Link: https://www.wiggys.com/specials/ducksback-sale/single-person-bivy-shelte
-ECWCS GEN III Level 2 Mid-Weight Shirt & Drawers in size Small/Long. Purchased new, worn once. Washed on cold and hang dried. Can pass as new. $45 shipped.
-ECWCS GEN III Level 3 High-Loft Fleece Jacket in size Small/Long. Purchased new, worn once. Washed on cold and hang dried. Can pass as new. $65 shipped.
-ECWCS GEN III Level 4 Wind Jacket in size Small/Long. Purchased new, never worn. $155 shipped.
-ECWCS GEN III Level 6 Extreme Wet/Cold Weather GORE-TEX Jacket & Trousers in size Small/Long. Purchased new, never worn. $310 shipped.
Tennier Industries “Multi-Season Sleep System” (MSS). Selling for $200 shipped. Can provide additional photos for serious buyers
-Propper ACU Combat Uniform in Multicam. Size Small/Long. Purchased new, worn once in great condition. $70 shipped.
Link for Coat: https://www.propper.com/military-uniforms/army-uniform/acu-coat-new-spec.html
Link for Trouser: https://www.propper.com/military-uniforms/army-uniform/acu-trouser-new-spec.html
-Thrudark Charge Shorts in MC Tropic. Size XS, measured waist size 28”-30”. Brand new. $100 shipped.
Link: https://us.thrudark.com/products/charge-shorts-mulitcam-tropic
-Thrudark Charge Shorts in MC Arid. Size S, measured waist size 29”-31”. Brand new. $100 shipped.
Link: https://us.thrudark.com/products/charge-shorts-mulitcam-arid
-Thrudark Charge Shorts in MC Black. Size S, measured waist size 30”-32”. Brand new. $100 shipped.
Link: https://us.thrudark.com/products/charge-shorts-mulitcam-black
-Spiritus Systems Rifle Magazine Insert, Triple 5.56x.45. Brand new. $25 shipped.
-Spiritus Systems Rifle Magazine Insert, Triple 5.56x.45. Brand new. $25 shipped.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES:

Patiala has extremes of both summers and winters. So keeping in mind that,

• Shirts: Four to Six. You can wear them to classes, the ‘formal’ events of the departments and even the occasional visit to a professor ;)
• Jeans: Two will do. Carry three, to be on the safer side.
• T-shirts: More than 5. Definitely.
• Trousers: Will be needed in Professional Communication PPT lab (Will happen only once).
• Shorts and three-fourths: An absolute must to survive cruel summers. Get three to four, at least.
• Undergarments: Keeping in mind that you’ll have to wash these yourself, it is advisable to get as many as you can.
• Socks: Two to three pairs should do.
• Handkerchiefs: Two to three will do. Belt: One, at least.
• Cap: One, if you must. Not a necessity, but does help during the summers.
• Woollen Clothes: If you aren’t planning on going home before Diwali, it is advisable that you carry sufficient sweaters and jackets with you. Caps, gloves, and mufflers too. It gets pretty cold here.

Laundry will be available twice a week, for example, Tuesday and Friday. Clothes you give on Tuesday will be returned on Friday.

FOOTWEAR:

• Sports shoes: A must.
• Sandals: Handy for lectures.
• Slippers: A must, obviously.
• Formal Shoes: Should bring.

STATIONERY:

• Pen, pencil, sharpener, markers, stapler, hole puncher, scissors, cello-tape: You can get them from here, but if you already have them, just bring them.
• Notebooks: Purchase from here.
• Text books: Do not purchase new ones; either get old ones or PDFs. We will share a link to PDFs as well.
• Bag for classes.
• Scientific Calculators: You'll need them. My recommendation is the FX-991CW due to its display and features.

ELECTRONIC ITEMS:

Things in Bold are very important.

• Laptop: You will need it for AutoCAD (Engineering Drawing) and Computer Programming.
• Mobile charger, laptop charger: A must, obviously.
• You can bring an electric kettle and irons.
• Pen Drive/Hard Drive: Carry one of them, at least, if you are carrying a laptop.
• A power strip/extension cord.
• Speakers/Earphones/Headphones: For the movies and the music.

TOILETRIES & COSMETICS:
Most of the items in this category can be procured from COS.

• Towels: “Every bath is an occasion.”
• Shampoo
• Soap: Carry a soap case too.
• Scrubber
• Comb
• Hair oil
• Toothbrush and paste
• Ear buds
• Detergent/Washing soap for undergarments.
• Bucket
• Mug
• Face wash
• Moisturizing creams
• Hand wash
• Sanitizer
• Deodorants and perfumes: Get them beforehand if you’re particular about the brand. In any case, Flipkart and Amazon are there at your service.
• TrimmeRazor
• Shaving kit

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:

• Bedding: Although the hostel provides its own mattresses, you may get one from your home or buy at COS itself.
• Lab Coat: You'll need it for the labs. Can be bought here.
• Umbrella: Carry one if you aren’t particularly fond of the rains. You can buy one here too.
• Nail cutter
• Spectacles: Keep a spare with you. Always.
• Locks: Get one with 3 keys if going for a sharing room.
• Medicines + First aid kit: Handy to have one in an emergency or even for the occasional bout of fever. Keep medicines like Dolo, Disprin, Volini, Vicks, NasocleaOtrivin, Band-Aid, Savlon, and cotton. You can also call the hostel warden if you’re afraid of aggravating matters, and he'll take you to the doctor.
• Personal Hygiene Products: They are also easily available at COS
• Water bottles/Thermos.
• Table cloth: Optional.
• Utensils: A plate, set of spoons, bowl, and knife. Whatever makes you feel closer to civilization.
• Dusting cloth
• Broom: Can be bought here. Should be bought here.
• Dustbin: Can be bought here.
• Odomos/Good Knight/Mortein: To spare you the unwanted attention from the mosquitoes.

NOTE - Keep the important original documents with you and their photo copies as well. Might need them even after the admission process is over
Passport size photos: Keep at least 20, you'll need for new SIM, bank account etc.
Old newspapers, and plastic carry bags can always come handy.
That’s a long enough list, I guess. May the coming days get you the branch which you desire. I look forward to meeting you on campus.

Every so often I find some kind of itchy red insect bites on my skin, frequently lines up with the seams of underwear, socks, trousers...
https://imgur.com/a/M3lw3P2
I'm pretty sure it's not bed bugs because it's not exposed skin and we don't see any sign of bed bugs on sheets or mattress.
Previously a hot wash and tumble dry of clothing has helped, but that is a special trip to the launderette because we don't have a tumble dryer at home.
Any ideas?!?

Etsy - M1895 PickelHaube - $123.14
Amazon - Replica WW1 German Pickelhaube Helmet Cover - $28.45
Etsy - M1907 FeldMutze - $96.02
Ebay - WWI M1907 White Field Service Shirt - $84.95
Hessen Antique - M1907 Field Grey Tunic - $179.00
Schusters - M1907 Wool Trousers - $89
Walmart (Amazon) - Fruit of the Loom Men's Recycled Premium Waffle Thermal Underwear Long Johns Bottom - $18.99
Amazon - 3 Pairs Mens Extra Long Knee High Thick Warm Wool Rich Knitted Boot Socks - $28.99
ReplicaMilitary - 1866 Imperial German Jackboots - $105.
Hessen Antique - WWI German Marching Boot Straps - $24.99
Ebay - German WWI Brown Leather Belt with Brass Bavarian ‘In Treue Fest’ Buckle- $30.95
Ebay - WW1 Repro German Army EARLY PRUSSIAN Brass Belt Buckle - $29.87
Ebay - WWI GERMAN IMPERIAL ARMY M1907 LEATHER EQUIPMENT Y-STRAPS-ROUGHSIDE - $99.95
Hessen Antique - Cz Trouser Suspenders - $9.99
Etsy - WWI German GEW98 G98 Rifle Ammo Pouches-Brown - $64.95
Hessen Antique - Reproduction German Entrenching Tool - $36.99
ManTheLine - M1907 ENTRENCHING TOOL SHOVEL CARRY COVER - $29.95
World War Wupply GERMAN WW1 98/05 MAUSER BAYONET FROG - $18.99
Hessen Antiques - Enlisted Bayonet Knot - $24.99
ManTheLine - M1907 Canteen - $114.95
Etsy - WWI German M1893 Bread Bag-OCRE BROWN - $49.95
SoldierOfFortune - M1907 Imperial German Calfskin Tornister Pack - $228.96
Ebay - Original WW1 / Pre WW2 German Uniform Mess Tin Kit M1910 - $155.00
Hessen Antiques - M1915 Zeltbahn - $65.99
schusters - M1908 GREATCOAT - $180
Price for Basic Uniform Estimated (NO EQUIPMENT- Not Including Shipping) - $1051.23
Total Price Estimated (Not Including Shipping): $1920.24

My flight was from Istanbul to Montreal. I had a stop in Nice (France) and AirCanada did not transfer my bags to the flight heading to Montreal.
It's been three days now and my airtags still tell me that my bags are in Nice's airport.
I've filed a report and bought a bunch of essentials for my work conference. Shirt, trousers, boxers, socks, jogger pants (sleepwear), and a pair of slides. I've shopped at Lululemon, and the expenses have come to a $1000.
I have two question: 1. How long does it usually take for bags to arrive? I was told my bags would be at my hotel in 24hrs, but that does not seem to be the case

1. Realistically, will AirCanada reimburse me for the items I've purchased?

Ty
—-
Added context: why did I buy from Lululemon and not be ‘greedy’ and get something from a cheaper store, as some comments suggested?
I’m on a work trip. Lululemon is the one of the closer clothing stores around my hotel. Every other store is seems more expensive - Luis Vitton, Artizia, etc. Also, Lululemon was the only place open in the evening when I arrived. I’m not finding and travelling to a cheaper store while on a work trip. If AC does not accept my claim, I’ll return these clothes.

1st 2nd 3rd
Clothing:
6x T-shirts 2x Trousers 2x shorts 6x Boxers 5x Socks 1 beanie 1 Cap
Electronics:
Polaroid 635Cl Olympus Trip 35 Kindle Anker 240000Mah Google Pixel 7A IPhone 13 Mini Earphones AirTag
Toiletries:
Diptyque Perfum 50ml Moisturiser & Cleanser 88ml Dyprosalic Ointment Dove Deodorant Stick Toothbrush Razor Bar soap Floss Exfoliate Scrub (Not pictured but it's small)
Accessories/ miscellaneous: Passport Wallet Glasses (they are out of view, right under bag) Skate tool for my skateboard 2x clear bags 1 Bracelet
Herschel Little America™ Backpack - 30L

Hi All,
Currently an avid hiker and have been for many years (mainly UK/Europe hiking), it seems as if everyone around me now owns a down jacket and I'm wondering if I'm missing out? My current usual hiking setup is as follows:

• Forclaz 900 (or similar hiking trousers)
• Icebreaker or Simond merino hiking tee-shirt
• Simond merino mountaineering fleece
• Smartwool hiking socks
• Scarpa sl active / Scarpa cyrus mid gtx
• Rab Firewall Jacket

Will a down jacket improve my current setup significantly? At the moment unless it's very cold, I'm usually very happy just chucking a hat/gloves on a summit. What are the pro's/con's on a down jacket vs synthetic down jacket? As the prices are comparable.
It's tempting to buy a down jacket, just as a layer to wear when waiting around, at campsites or in an emergency for the size. I've got various friends who still can't believe I haven't purchased one yet, is it that revolutionary?
I'm currently considering either:

• Montane Featherlite Down Jacket
• Montane Icarus Hooded Jacket
• Montane Icarus Lite hooded Jacket

Thanks for your help/thought's in advance!

Hi All,
Currently an avid hiker and have been for many years (mainly UK/Europe hiking), it seems as if everyone around me now owns a down jacket and I'm wondering if I'm missing out? My current usual hiking setup is as follows:

• Forclaz 900 (or similar hiking trousers)
• Icebreaker or Simond merino hiking tee-shirt
• Simond merino mountaineering fleece
• Smartwool hiking socks
• Scarpa sl active / Scarpa cyrus mid gtx
• Rab Firewall Jacket

Will a down jacket improve my current setup significantly? At the moment unless it's very cold, I'm usually very happy just chucking a hat/gloves on a summit. What are the pro's/con's on a down jacket vs synthetic down jacket? As the prices are comparable.
It's tempting to buy a down jacket, just as a layer to wear when waiting around, at campsites or in an emergency for the size. I've got various friends who still can't believe I haven't purchased one yet, is it that revolutionary?
I'm currently considering either:

• Montane Featherlite Down Jacket
• Montane Icarus Hooded Jacket
• Montane Icarus Lite hooded Jacket

Thanks for your help/thought's in advance!

Hi All,
Currently an avid hiker and have been for many years (mainly UK/Europe hiking), it seems as if everyone around me now owns a down jacket and I'm wondering if I'm missing out? My current usual hiking setup is as follows: * Forclaz 900 (or similar hiking trousers) * Icebreaker or Simond merino hiking tee-shirt * Simond merino mountaineering fleece * Smartwool hiking socks * Scarpa sl active / Scarpa cyrus mid gtx * Rab Firewall Jacket
Will a down jacket improve my current setup significantly? At the moment unless it's very cold, I'm usually very happy just chucking a hat/gloves on a summit. What are the pro's/con's on a down jacket vs synthetic down jacket? As the prices are comparable.
It's tempting to buy a down jacket, just as a layer to wear when waiting around, at campsites or in an emergency for the size. I've got various friends who still can't believe I haven't purchased one yet, is it that revolutionary?
I'm currently considering either: * Montane Featherlite Down Jacket * Montane Icarus Hooded Jacket * Montane Icarus Lite hooded Jacket
Thanks for your help/thought's in advance!

Hi All,
Currently an avid hiker and have been for many years (mainly UK/Europe hiking), it seems as if everyone around me now owns a down jacket and I'm wondering if I'm missing out? My current usual hiking setup is as follows: * Forclaz 900 (or similar hiking trousers) * Icebreaker or Simond merino hiking tee-shirt * Simond merino mountaineering fleece * Smartwool hiking socks * Scarpa sl active / Scarpa cyrus mid gtx * Rab Firewall Jacket
Will a down jacket improve my current setup significantly? At the moment unless it's very cold, I'm usually very happy just chucking a hat/gloves on a summit. What are the pro's/con's on a down jacket vs synthetic down jacket? As the prices are comparable.
It's tempting to buy a down jacket, just as a layer to wear when waiting around, at campsites or in an emergency for the size. I've got various friends who still can't believe I haven't purchased one yet, is it that revolutionary?
I'm currently considering either: * Montane Featherlite Down Jacket * Montane Icarus Hooded Jacket * Montane Icarus Lite hooded Jacket
Thanks for your help/thought's in advance!

Hi everyone,
We will be going to be in early to mid June and still cant decide what to bring, more specifically clothes. We will be going to Cusco(do rainbow mountain from there as well), which seems to go between 22C and 3C, Machu Picchu which is in high 20s, Iquitos is in the middle of the amazon so high 20s again and the same for Huacachina. Based on this, with exception of Cusco, it seems like everywhere would be quite warm, but every post I have read has mentioned that its cold and people wear puffer jackets at that time of the year.
Plan was to bring couple of t-shirts, zip up sweater, 1/2 trousers, 1/2 short pants of some sort, 1/2 long sleeved shirt/sweater, socks, undies, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair for flips flops. Also, we planned to buy poncho raincoats and a hats from there.
What do you guys think?

[INDEX]
I blinked at the overwhelming list and selected one that first caught my eye. Wizard. Who the hell doesn’t want to be a wizard, right?
A screen opened up, presenting information just like it was a Game App selection.
-=-=-

• Wizard - A subset of the Mage class, Wizards specialise in arcane research and spell creation. Learn the mystic arts and use mana to produce magical effects! Advance in knowledge and control the forces of reality!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (leather boots, wool underwear, wizard robes, magic hat with 10 inventory slots, spell book, staff with 3 small mana stones) Includes 6 Level 1 spells Includes 3 Cantrips
Cost: 39,197 credits Memory: 190 Requirements: Mana Service Provider In-App Purchases: 100 - 9999 credits per item. -=-=-
The reviews were mostly positive but there weren’t many, just a few thousand or so. Maybe the cost was prohibitive? And WTF? In-App purchases? Seriously!? This is bullshit! I always knew that it was a Pay-to-Win world, but this confirmation was just too damn much.
Jeezus. That’s expensive. What about other Mage classes?
-=-=-

• Warlock - A subset of the Mage class, Warlocks specialise in temporary and permanent Infernal Contracts. Learn the mystic arts and use mana to produce magical effects! Advance in knowledge and control the forces of reality!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (leather boots, wool underwear, wizard robes, magic hat with 10 inventory slots, spell book, staff with 3 small mana stone slots) Includes 6 Level 1 spells Includes 3 Cantrips
Cost: 27,522 credits Memory: 150 Requirements: Mana Service Provider In-App Purchases: 1000 - 9999 credits per item. -=-=-
I glanced through the other selections, Sorcerer, Necromancer, Alchemist, Politician. All of them were too damn expensive for me. All included the standard Pay-to-Win in app purchases. Fine. Whatever. I selected Prostitute since it looked like I was going to need to whore myself out for cash in this world.
-=-=-

• Prostitute - Learn the seductive arts and please the opposite sex for fun and profit! Advance in knowledge and learn new sub classes!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (hooker boots, silk underwear, short skirt, tight blouse, makeup kit, wash cloth, toothbrush, breath mints.) Includes 6 professional skills
Cost: 897 credits Memory: 69 Requirements: None In-App Purchases: 10 - 150 credits per item. -=-=-
The reviews were utterly depressing.
Do I even need to make a choice right now? Can I learn skills and professions on my own? I have so many unanswered questions and no one to ask. Maybe I should head into the nearest town and get my head together before making any decisions. I scrolled through the selections indecisively.
-=-=-

• Cowboy - An uncommon combination of the Labourer and Ranger classes. Learn how to rope cows and punch them with style! Advance in knowledge and improve your skills!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (sturdy boots, cotton underwear and socks, leather belt, tough denim trousers, long sleeve cotton shirt, cowboy hat, bandanna, tough leather gloves) Includes 1 Moonlight .38 caliber 6-shot revolver, gun belt, and leather holster Includes 50 rounds .38 caliber unprimed ammunition Includes Labourer 1.0 Includes Ranger 1.0 Includes 2 combat skills Includes 2 utilities
Cost: 5850 credits Memory: 88 Requirements: None In-App Purchases: 100 - 1000 credits per item. -=-=-
Guns? Hells yeah, I can do guns! I wanna be a cowboy, baby.
… Holup, what’s this?
-=-=-

• Bounty Hunter - A rare combination of the Ranger, Gunslinger, Rogue and Investigator classes. Learn how to make money hunting men! Advance in knowledge and improve your skills!

Includes 1 Starter gear set (sturdy boots, cotton underwear and socks, leather belt, tough denim trousers, long sleeve cotton shirt, stylish vest, cowboy hat, bandanna, fingerless gloves) Includes 1 Mongoose .44 caliber 6-shot revolver, gun belt, and leather holster Includes 50 rounds .44 caliber unprimed ammunition Includes Ranger 1.0 Includes Gunslinger 1.0 Includes Rogue 1.0 Includes Investigator 1.0 Includes 3 combat skills Includes 4 utilities
Cost: 6630 credits Memory: 160 Requirements: None In-App Purchases: 100 - 1000 credits per item. -=-=-
This sounded more my style, multiple classes all combined into a single class that makes more money.
I pushed the button, skimmed over the EULA, and hit [Accept].
6630 credits were deducted my balance of 9360 and a blue screen popped up before my eyes.
Downloading: …25…50…75…88… Installing: …25…50…75…100…
Aw hell, my memory dropped to 473/640
A lead ball of knowledge settled in my mind—a throbbing ache expanding like an inflating balloon, filling me with myriad memories and acquired skills. I could sense the weight of a revolver in my hand, the satisfaction of a well-aimed shot, the keen eye for tracking elusive prey through rugged terrain, the instinctual ability to blend into the shadows unnoticed. I knew the thrill of a quick draw, the precision of marksmanship, the art of setting traps and devising clever strategies to outsmart elusive targets. My mind was a repository of knowledge, from navigating treacherous landscapes to negotiating deals with informants, from deciphering cryptic clues to anticipating the moves of cunning adversaries. Every skill, every ability honed through countless encounters and harrowing challenges, woven into the fabric of my being, defining me as a master of my craft—a bounty hunter.
My mouth dropped open as knowledge flooded my brain. All this, a lifetime of experience and memories as a Bounty Hunter, in just a few moments. My inventory slots dropped to 471 after installation and included 3 new items; Ammo box, Duffle bag, Gun box. I assumed the change of outfit was in the duffle bag and I concentrated on it for a moment, hesitant to change in the dirty room. A new window opened.

• Duffle bag contents: sturdy boots, cotton underwear and socks, leather belt, tough denim trousers, long sleeve cotton shirt, cowboy hat, neckerchief, tough leather gloves. Add to Gear? [Y/N]

Another convenient feature that allows me to view the contents of an inventory slot.
Mentally selecting [Y] I added the contents to my Gear, then opened up the Gear icon and picked [Bounty Hunter] from the selection. A customisation menu opened allowing me to select the colours of my new gear. Black. Black and Silver. Hell’s yeah. I admired mini-me for a moment in his new duds, then activated them. A swirl of blue motes later and I’m wearing the gear of my new profession.
[Bounty Hunter class selected] New Utilities: Bounty Sense 1.0, Quick Draw1.0, Aimed Shot1.0, Traps and Gadgets 1.0, Intimidation 1.0, Tracking 1.0, Survival 1.0, Marksmanship 1.0, Close Combat 1.0, Stealth 1.0, Negotiation 1.0
Bonus utility: Second Wind 1.0
Looks like I gained a bonus utility too. Concentrating on it, I read the info.
[Second Wind 1.0] Once per day, spend 1000 credits and rest for five minutes to recover 80% battery and remove minor wounds.
Seems expensive, but could be useful if I needed to hustle.
I popped the Gun box out of inventory and a polished wooden box appeared in my hands with the S&H logo branded into the wood. The smell of fine oil and leather tickled my nostrils when I opened it to reveal the gun, gun belt, and holster along with a small cleaning kit, bottle of oil, and cloth.
Drawing the weapon I was stunned to discover the barrel was made out of solid wood. Out of freaking wood! I stared at it in disbelief, then read the Care and Use paper which was affixed to the inside of the box.
The S&H Mongoose is a double-action, six-shot spell pistol. The barrel is 8 inches of Darkwood, engraved with moonsilver channeling runes. The cylinder is made of iron and holds six .44 caliber brass shells. The hammer is made of Orichalcum and stamps a rune on the brass shell, completing the spell which activates the alchemical powder inside and produces the magical effect. The grip has channeling runes and three runestones embedded in it: Universal, Mana bullet, and Stone bullet. White Universal runestone, which is used to fire specialised, or ‘primed’ bullets which can produce various types of spells. Red Evocation runestone, which fires ‘unprimed’ bullets and produces a fist-sized slug of kinetic force with a range of 30 yards. It will ignore most armour and can damage most magical creatures. Indigo Conjuration runestone, which fires ‘unprimed’ bullets and produces a 15g stone slug.
It’s a frigging magic wand with a handle.
I pulled the Ammo box of unprimed bullets from inventory and examined one. It wasn’t a bullet, it was a brass cylinder engraved with a fine spiderweb of runes that looked just like the ones under the mirror I broke back in my apartment. A tag popped up over the bullet.
[Archaic Erandai detected. Translate? Y/N]
Sure, why not.
Alphin, Baztis, Gemimt, Episim…
I guess just because I can read something doesn’t mean I can understand it.
I loaded 6 bullets in the cylinder, my fingers moving as if they had performed the action countless times. Another 24 went into the loops on my gun belt for quick access. I practised drawing a few times and the action felt smooth and natural, like I had spent years doing it. Quickdraw was a mental trigger. I thought about drawing fast and my arm reacted quick as a flash, drawing the gun and dinging my battery for 10 points each use. Totally stupid! Why would activating Quickdraw use battery!? Aimed Shot was similar and allowed me to hyper focus on one spot that I was certain I could hit if I squeezed the trigger. Thankfully it didn’t use battery until I pulled the trigger.
I could feel the mana stones against my palm and knew that if I concentrated on one it would produce the desired effect when I pulled the trigger.
I was feeling much more confident about my situation now, excited even. Thirty minutes ago I was depressed as fuck, passively waiting for the world to bend me over, and now I’m a Bounty Hunter, a spell slinger with a magic gun and in charge of my destiny. I had a head full of memories, a lifetime of experience, and now It was time to head out, grab the world by the balls, and squeeze.
I pulled on my gloves, strutted over to the burnt door in my new duds, and then cautiously opened it a crack to peek out.
I was on the second floor of a burned out building. To the west, the entire structure was gutted and open to the elements. I could see huge ponderosa pines off in the distance, painting the mountainous terrain green. The second floor balcony was little more than a burned husk, and would probably collapse under my weight if I tried to cross it. Jump? It was a 15 foot drop to a floor covered in burnt timbers. I could just see the tetanus growing on the rusty nails, waving at me eagerly with millions of tiny cilia.
I swapped back into my Labourer gear [Battery: 1390/1560]
Huh. I’ll have to investigate that later. It looks like every time I access my inventory or switch gear I’m charged mana too. Stupid pay-to-win world. Awfully convenient to get cleaned and changed in the blink of an eye though.
Grabbing ahold of the nearest support timber, I gripped it tight and shimmied down the groaning piece of architecture. Bits of charred wood crumbled away as I scooted down to the ground and a minute later I was safe in the tangle of fallen debris. I picked my way through it until I emerged under a summer sun. My clothing was covered in soot and streaked in a hundred shades of black, utterly ruined. Totally unsalvageable. I smirked and swapped back into my Bounty Hunter gear. The Labourer outfit would be clean and fresh next time I needed it.
Pulling up the Map, I noticed that the Local Area had filled in with my exploration and had been tagged. Ruined building. Ruined timber wall. Ruined stable. Weeds grew in abundance in the area, indicating that whatever had happened here occurred at least several seasons ago. Some of the buildings were in fair condition, like the stable and half of the building I had exited, indicating that someone had attempted to put the fires out. The Transit Map overlay lead me to the dirt trail that would eventually connect to Wendelton road. From there I could head towards Wendleton, find a place to stay and something to eat.
\Ding**
A small popup appeared at the bottom of my vision.
-=-
🚶‍♂️➡️🐎 "Why walk when you can ride? Get a Horse!
🏇 Riding beats walking, and with a Horse, you can ride anytime!
😍 Every Horse has a unique personality and is a great companion!
💰 Just 1000 credits – Limited time only! Some conditions apply.
📦 Includes: Horse, saddle, saddle blanket, saddle bags, bridle, lariat, grooming kit, and Horse Riding skill.
🎁 Bonus Gear! Spurs, chaps, basic camping gear.
⚠️ Horse is a [10 battery/hour] summonable mount and cannot be sold or transferred." -=-
Advertising. I’m in a world with pop-up advertising. I watched the timer count down from 60 and squirmed with indecision.
Uggggh. Fine. Riding does beat walking, and what’s a Bounty Hunter without a horse? I mentally accepted the offer and watched while my credits dropped to 2730 and my memory dropped to 373/640. I literally had three apps installed and nearly half my slots were eaten up.
But now I have a Horse.
I went through the customisation options quickly, selecting a quarter horse, choosing a traditional skew-bald colouration. The request for a personal brand surprised me and I spent a minute fashioning something suitable, a flying ~V~, then punched the finalisation button. Crap. I forgot to name it. I have a horse named Horse in my Inventory. With a mental flick, I summoned Horse.
The animal materialised in a shower of bright indigo sparks and looked around in judgement. It gave me some serious side-eye and stood patiently waiting for me to make the first move. Having knowledge of horses shoved into your brain is totally different than standing next to one. Horse was a solid presence, smelling of animal and attitude. I could feel strange horsey-thoughts in my mind through the bond.
I swung up into the saddle with practised ease and took a moment to master the strange mental disconnect. I’d never ridden a horse before. But now I have thousands of hours of experience.
With a tug of the reins, Horse and I headed south to Wendleton road.

[INDEX]
*System Restart\*
I blinked at the text hanging in the air.
A small image of da Vinci’s vitruvian man did calisthenics underneath the words. More information scrolled upwards.
HumanOS Version: 1.0 Model: Vincent J. Carter Serial: 987-65-4329 Battery: 1560 @ 100% Memory: 640/640 Provider: None Network: None Credits: 9360 Expansion: None
The words flashed then swirled and transformed into a small translucent cog that hovered in the top right corner of my vision. Other icons floated into existence across the top of my vision, just like the info bar on a cellphone. An (8E) symbol, signal bars at 100%, and a full battery symbol. The time was currently 16:43 and it was Thursday, June 16th 1885
“What the heck?” I muttered, my voice loud in the silence of the ruined room.
I focused on the cog and a series of icons filled my vision. It took me about two seconds to understand that I could move them around using nothing more than my thoughts.
App Store, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Clock, Gear, Inventory, Map, Notes, System.
“Did… Am I somehow mentally fused with my smartphone?” I wondered aloud. The timeless chaos and the voice were fading to dreamlike memories, a nightmare event that scratched at the edge of my sanity and threatened to overwhelm me. Did that entity think that the cellphone was some part of me?
“Okay, no worries. Let’s get back home and deal with this later.” I grumbled. “Hopefully I don’t run into a protest or riot or get locked up for violating curfew or not wearing a mask.”
I mentally selected [Map**]**
A transparent map of the room filled my vision along with tiny labels covering everything. Ruined chair, ruined bed, ruined table, rusty knife, leather pouch, unknown book. A moment later I had mastered the controls and zoomed out to find… nothing. The map was blank.
*Local Map Updating…\*
The Local map was updating, possibly because it needed to be filled in by my own exploration? I noticed a couple of icons on the left side of my vision and focused on them. Map Type, Search. Map Type allowed me to switch between Local, Transit, and Terrain.
I flipped between them and was rewarded with better information. The Transit map was like a traditional map, just lines and points of interest with the distance and travel times. I am currently in ‘Ruins of Fort Galos” with a dirt road that leads 3 miles south to “Wendleton Road” which zooms out to run between the cities of Wendleton and Comstock. Another zoom out and I’m located in the Region of Stratford… zoom out…on the continent of North Anglia… zoom out … on the planet of Aerth.
It sort of looks like Earth, if Earth had no polar ice caps. I can recognise the major continents, although most are shaped strangely because the oceans are so high. North America is split completely in two by a huge gulf that eats up all of Louisiana, most of the southern states, and carves a deep furrow all the way up to the Great Lakes and out to the eastern seaboard. Florida is missing, as is most of the eastern seaboard. The map calls that area ‘Colonia’ and it’s marked with a somewhat familiar red, white, and blue flag with just 17 stars. I’m located somewhere near Colorado, but Colorado doesn’t exist anymore. It’s part of Wilmont county in the Region of Stratford in an area called the Midlands.
My hands started shaking. It’s some sort of joke. Some kind of insanity. Some sort of delusion. Or maybe I’m delirious with the damned virus and having a mad dream. Okay. Okay. Deep breaths. Calm down and think rationally. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, inhaling the musty and burnt scents of my new reality.
Okay, if I’m really in some alternate world then maybe things aren’t so bad? I was on the verge of being homeless and now I am homeless, so, nothing has really changed, right? And since I seem to be fused with my smartphone, maybe I can use that to my advantage? I quickly imagined a million ways I could die in a fantasy world and pushed down the panic. No sense in panicking just yet — we can do that later when I’m being burnt at the stake for witchcraft or something.
I flipped back over to Local Map and examined the room again. Leather pouch, rusty knife, and unknown book were located under the rotting carcass of the bed. I approached it and looked carefully to see if I could spot them. I smiled to myself thinking maybe I could make a living as some sort of detective or something, finding lost items with preternatural ability. Unable to see anything in the mass of mushrooms and ferns, I mentally tapped the label “Leather pouch” on the Local Map.
*Place Item in Inventory? [Y/N]\*
I selected [Y] and received a notification. Memory: [639/640]
Huh. It takes up memory.
I pulled the heavy pouch from inventory and into my hand. The leather was dried and stiff, but I managed to open it to reveal 1 golden coin, 50 tarnished silver, 68 copper, and 30 bronze coins.
The copper coins were about the size of a nickel and quite worn, but I could make out the face of some priest with a fancy hat on the face and a hammer and anvil on the reverse. The brass were the size of a quarter and similarly worn, and featured a bull on the face and a sheaf of wheat on the reverse. The silver were the size of a dime and slightly tarnished, with the image of some queen on the face and a crescent moon on the reverse. The gold coin was untouched by time and featured a stern looking king on the face, with a stylised sun on the opposite face. I popped everything back into Inventory.
Huh. It appears that everything I stick into inventory counts against the available memory of 640 that was listed earlier, but coins stack into one slot for each type so now I have 636/640 memory. Not bad, not bad. A little experimentation quickly proved that I could add the ruined chair and table too. One slot each. A seriously overpowered feature that I planned to abuse in the future — just put things in bags and boxes and my Inventory was practically unlimited! I rubbed my hands together like an evil villain. Half an hour ago I was a broke nobody with no future, and now I’m able to start completely fresh with cash and some strange abilities. Thank you strange entity!
It was terrifying and exhilarating. I wanted to dance and puke at the same time.
I placed the Unknown Book into Inventory and it popped into my hands a moment later along with a strong musty aroma. The leather cover was green with mould and swollen with moisture. Carefully flipping through the pages I stared in wonder at the illustrated script. It was like one of those old religious books you see in museums, every page a work of art. Too bad it’s written in some strange language I can’t read. Arabic maybe? Putting it back into Inventory, it took just a moment to figure out that I could get a quick overview of the item. [Unknown Book. A mouldy old book written in an unknown language.]
The rusty knife was what my father would have called a “pig sticker”, with a grubby leather sheath, bone handle, and a thick blade about ten inches long. Even though the blade was spotted with a bit of rust, it seemed to be in decent condition and could probably be salvaged with a whetstone and some oil. It was a weapon, and considering current events, a welcome addition to my new collection of personal possessions.
I kept the ruined chair and table in inventory. Never know when you might need firewood.
The Calculator was pretty cool, selecting it allowed me to mentally perform arithmetic in moments or provided a count of items in my vision. As long as it was open I could just think of a simple maths problem and the answer popped in my head along with a running tally. There was a scientific tab on it, but I didn’t foresee me using cosine functions anytime soon.
The Camera was interesting, allowing me to snap a photo of what I could see, but each picture used one memory although they only took up one Inventory slot. Delete, Delete, Delete.
Calendar was 13 months with 30 days each. The weeks were 6 days long and Monday was missing. Good. I don’t like Mondays. Especially since the days here are 26 hours long. I could also set appointments and reminders.
Clock was a basic clock with alarms and stopwatch function.
Notes was really cool though, it was like virtual paper. I could sketch things with my finger, or use thought-to-text, or even attach photos to the note and save them, which took up one Inventory slot per filename. The Export function created a thick piece of paper that appeared in my hand. Nice. Fire starting material!
It has an Import function too?
I created a new Note, then imported the mouldy book from my Inventory. It appeared as a virtual object in my vision that I could manipulate with a thought. Then I exported it. A popup appeared in my vision and I watched my Battery dip from 1560 down to 1460, then a duplicate appeared in my inventory. Sweet! I could set up shop as a magical print-wizard! Or work as a pack-mule, hauling entire warehouses of goods invisibly. I chuckled to myself imagining that.
However it took 100 battery points, so it wasn’t much of a cheat unless I could reproduce expensive texts. I wonder if it took 100 battery for everything, or if it was based on the complexity of the object?
System had some nice features included. One was Health Monitor, which gave me a general screen of any health issues. Notifications was also nice for popping up things that might be important. Nothing else of real importance, just some little tweaks to the User Interface and the ability to turn off the (8E) connection I had noticed earlier. Airplane mode, I guess.
Another hunch presented itself in the System and I opened up the language setting. English was currently selected. I scrolled through the selection and choose Arabic from the list. A slight wave of dizziness washed over me and I examined the unknown book again. Nope. Still unknown.
I sighed and flipped back to the language settings and noticed there’s an “Auto-Translate” selection. Mentally mashing the illusory button in my User Interface, another wave of dizziness washed over me. This time the unknown book had a tag on it. [Old Avestan - Translate? Y/N]
Duh, yes, translate! An old, unknown book hidden in a burned out room? That just screams Secret Book of Incredibly Over Powered Magic, doesn’t it? Annnnd… Nope. I flipped through the copy and it seems to be nothing more than some religious textbook. Beautifully illustrated, but I’m not getting any magic vibes off of it. I tossed it back in my inventory [Book. Zoroastrian religious text. Professionally Illustrated. 50SP] and continued my journey of self exploration.
When I enabled “Show Hidden Files” in System, it was absolutely terrifying. File names like “Digestion.dna”, “Endocrine.dna” and “Sensory.dna” filled my vision. I disabled that feature as soon as I realised what I was looking at. I’d hate to accidentally delete my sense of taste, or something even more important.
The Service tab under System was confusing. It seemed to be some sort of weird version of a mobile service plan that asked me to choose a Service Provider.
There were dozens of Service Providers to choose from; Industrial Charms & Enchantments, Whitehall Wizard Group, Sorcerer’s United, Atlantis Magic and Enchantment, and a slew of other providers with different tiers named after gemstones and the best offering being the Diamond Unlimited plan that offered ‘unlimited mana and roaming, some limits apply’ for an astronomical amount per month. I could see the service zones of each provider laid out across a map, along with colour coding for the quality of service ranging from 1E to 8E.
I could also choose from various Celestial or Infernal Contracts which had entire pages of TOS benefits and obligations. Another terrifying aspect of my new world.
I decided to dig into that mess later. I had no use for a service provider and picking one was a problem for future-me if I ever needed one.
The Gear icon opened up a minimalist overlay with a picture of me and the items I was wearing. Socks, shorts, underwear, tee-shirt. A mental twitch rotated the image and confirmed that my backside was just as filthy as the floor. Two buttons were visible next to my image, [Custom] and [Labourer]. I selected Labourer and the image shifted to show me wearing work boots, wool socks, denim trousers, leather belt, cotton underwear, cotton pull-over shirt, leather gloves, soft-brim hat. [Select? Y/N]
A mental push of the button and a million indigo motes surrounded me. Two seconds and 10 battery later I was wearing the new gear. And clean! All the grime on my arms and legs had vanished. Seriously, how awesome is that? I still feel like I need a shower though.
[Labourer class selected - Standard] Skills: Lifting, toting, stepping, fetching, shifting, digging, hauling, packing…
Knowledge of menial labour filled my head beyond what I was already familiar with. I somehow knew the most efficient ways to dig a ditch, safely shift a box, casually walk to the water cooler, and slack off while looking busy.
Huh. Did changing my gear change my class? That’s interesting. What happens if I put on a Wizard hat? Would I become some sort of hybrid day-labour wizard with spells for digging ditches? Oh, wait. I have five slots and can fill them with clothing and label them whatever I want.
I opened up the App Store.
Holy. Shitsnacks.
Dozens of icons filled my vision, offering a vast selection of what appeared to be careers? Professions? Classes? Skills?
Archivist, Accountant, Bartender, Book keeper, Cartwright, Con-artist, Farmhand, Herbalist, Hobo, Inn keeper, …Priest, Prostitute, Politician, …Sorcerer, Tailor, …Wizard, Zookeeper.
It was a huge and confusing array of choices.