Previous thread
This is the weekly translation status update thread. Use this thread to discuss translation news, issues, titles you're looking forward to, etc.
Note: This is simply a mirror from 4chan's weekly thread on the /jp/ board. All credit goes to the user VNTS there. I'm simply copying and pasting for discussion sake here since some people can't access 4chan.
Entries in Bold have had changes since last week
Entries in itallics denote my own changes

Fan Translations

• 12RIVEN -the Ψcliminal of integral- - 42% translated
• Aiyoku No Eustia - In progress 100% TL patch leaked, project to continue, 100% Translated/edited/TLC
• Akatsuki no Goei ~Principal-tachi no Kyuujitsu~ - 100% translated and edited, 70.11% through QA
• Akatsuki no Goei ~Tsumibukaki Shuumatsuron~ - 100% translated, 42,368 lines edited (69.69%), 4,793 (7.88%) through QA
• Axanael - "Overwhelming majority" of the text translated, including the main story, some side content remains, in need of editing
• CHAOS;HEAD Love Chu Chu! - 70.54% translated, 22.70% edited
• CHAOS;CHILD Love Chu Chu!! - 100% translated, 55.30% edited
• Chusingura 46+1 - 36843/82770 (44.51%) lines translated, Kuranosuke route partial patch released
• Dragon Knight 4 - 60% translated, playtesting also ongoing
• Fate/Stay Night - Partial patch released with a new translation for Fate/UBW/9 days of HF
• Haruka na Sora - Sora and Yahiro routes translated, Kozue 75% translated, Sora 90% edited
• Honoo no Haramase Oppai Nyuu Doukyuusei ~Oppai mo Haramase! New Class Zen'in Harama-sensation!~ - Picked up, porting to Ren'Py
• If My Heart Had Wings: Snow Presents - 100% translated, 100% edited
• Jisatsu no Tame no 101 no Houhou - 17% translated
• Junketsu Megami-Sama - 2nd Alpha patch released, Astarotte route finishing up
• Kaseki no Uta - 100% translated, 4770/15389 (31%) edited
• Ken ga Kimi - 58% translated
• Koukan no Toriko-Tachi - Prologue, common, and Cuckold Play route translated, Swinging Route 35%, Yukari POV 40%
• Kud Wafter - AA Version 23,835/31,579 (75.5%) Lines translated, 18+ Version 19,240 / 33,113 (58.1%) lines translated
• Kusarihime ~Euthanasia~ - Translation finished, fully edited
• Lover Able - 100% translated and edited, 9419/32258 lines approved (29.47%)
• Lucky Star ~Ryouou Gakuen Outousai~ - episode 1 patch released
• Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai! A - Ryouken Route After - 2,647/3,494 (75.76%) lines translated
• Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai! A Plus Disk - Preparing files
• Manakashi no Yuri wa Akaku Somaru - 66% translated
• Miagete Goran, Yozora no Hoshi o - 1 of 4 routes translation finished for the restoration patch, Houkiboshi Hika 2 of 4 H-scenes translated
• Miagete Goran, Yozora no Hoshi o: Interstellar Focus - 100% translated, 89.6% edited
• Nursery Rhyme - 100% translated and edited, text insertion 100% complete, testing ongoing
• Pure Pure - 100% translated, needs proofreading, partial patch released, all routes have been inserted
• Sakura no Uta - Chapter I 30% translated
• Sakura Wars 2 - Demo patch released, ADV, Battle, and "Long Day in the Theater" mode fully translated, disc 1 text inserted
• Sen no Hatou, Tsukisome no Kouki - Both original and fan disc 100% translated, in need of editing
• Shirotsume Yubiwa - 100% translated, 50% beta patch released
• Shizuku - 120/197 script files translated, 20/197 edited
• Taima Seiko Alice - 45% translated, 35% edited, 35% proofread, 1st partial patch out
• Tenshi no Inai 12-gatsu - 100% translated, Editing ongoing
• To Heart - 720/993 scripts translated, 200/993 edited
• Tokimeki Memorial 2 - Being translated
• Tokimeki Memorial Girls Side 4 - 55% translated
• Tsui no Sora Remake - 100% translated and edited, finalization progressing
• Umi kara Kuru Mono - 91/138 scripts translated
• Ushinawareta Mirai o Motomete - 23243/35416 (65.6%) lines translated
• Yosuga no Sora - Translation finished, editing and TLC ongoing, Total: TL 100% TLC 71% ED 55%, Common/Kazuha/Motoka/Sora routes fully edited

Official work

MangaGamer

• The Pillagers of Raillore - Out of Beta
• Ciconia - Phase 1 Released
• Hadaka Shitsuji fandisc - Picked up
• Rance 03 - 79% translated, 41% edited
• Rance X - 94% translated, 5% edited
• Luckydog1 - 100% translated and edited
• Funbag Fantasy 4 - 84% translated, 80% edited
• Eve of the 12th Month - 100% translated and 88% edited
• DEAD DAYS - 100% translated and edited
• Beat Valkyrie Ixseal - 88% translated and 81% edited
• Welcome to a Sexy, Open World - 98% translated and 90% edited

JAST

• Sisters: Last Day of Summer - June 3rd release
• Sumaga- Slow progress ongoing
• Katahane - Progress being made again
• Django - Not actively making progress
• Tokyo Hero Project - Translation finished, dealing with bugs
• Machine Child - Still being developed
• Yomegami: My Sweet Goddess - 100% translated
• Yamizome Liberator - Picked up
• Mojika: Truth Rears Its Ugly Head - Picked up
• Djibril - 100% translated, in editing
• Masquerade: Hell Academy - Through 1st QA pass, in 2nd QA pass

Sekai/Denpa

• NEKO-NIN exHeart SPIN - In QA Testing, 2024 release
• Happy Saint Sheol - 100% edited, 40% QA, Demo released
• Harumade Kururu - Waiting on build
• Rewrite+ Harvest Festa - 100% translated, 40% edited, Steam page up, 2024 release
• Subete no Koi ni, Hanabata o. - 50% translated
• Sumire - Picked up
• Sanarara R - 100% translated and edited, waiting on build
• Glass - Picked up
• New Glass - Picked up
• Karakara 3 - 100% translated and edited, 70% engine work
• Yume to Iro de Dekiteiru - 100% translated, 35% edited
• Zutto Mae Kara Joshi Deshita - 100% translated, in editing
• A Maiden's Serenade - In Editing
• Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi 10% translated
• Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi AA - Announced
• Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka - 50% translated
• Hamidashi Creative - Announced
• Inupara - In Development
• Nekopara After La Vraie Familie - In Development
• Raspberry Cube - Announced
• Wagamama High Spec OC - In Translation

Nekonyan

• Angel Chaos RE-BOOT!- Delayed after Steam rejection
• Dracu Riot - Waiting on Build, Release date announcement on hold until after Angel Chaos
• Melty Moment - 80% translated
• Fureraba Complete edition - Vita exclusive content to be added to Fureraba a couple months after the fandisc release
• Floral Flowlove - 100% translated, 70% edited, enging port ongoing
• Kakenuke Seishun Sparking - 80% translated, 70% edited, QA started
• Love, Elections, & Chocolate - 100% translated and edited, Engine port nearly finished, entering QA shortly
• Love Love Love, Burning in my Heart! - 100% translated and 74% edited
• Ready or Not: The Deadline is Coming! - 100% translated, 99% edited, waiting on build
• Mysteries of the Heart: The Psychic Detective Case Files - 100% translated and edited, engine work in progress
• Secret Project 2 - 100% translated and edited, queued for Unity port
• Secret Project 3 - 100% translated and edited, 50% though QA

PQube

• SINce Memories: Off the Starry Sky - Announced

VisualArts

• planetarian ~Snow Globe~ - June 27th release
• Summer Pockets Reflection Blue - 2024 release
• Kanon - Announced

Dualtail

• Venus Blood Ragnarok - Kickstarter starting May 22nd

Frontwing

• Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies - July 25th release
• Revue Starlight El Dorado - August 8th release
• Everlasting Flowers - Where there is a will, there is a way - August 29th release date
• Sharin no Kuni - Working to resolve remaining issues

Aksys

• Radiant Tale -Fanfare- - June 27th release
• Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch - Summer release
• Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris- - Fall release
• Despera Drops - 2025 release

Age titles

• Kiminozo - Aiming for a Summer 2024 release

Fakku

• Two Beasts Or Not To Beast!! - 2.0 version, editing in progress
• Forbidden Ward - In Pre-Production

Saikey Studios (mix of official/unofficial)

• The Reason For Your Smile - Steam page up, Happy and NTR routes translated
• Toaru Hahaoya no Ayamachi ~Yukari Hen~ - 50% translated

HyoukanOpera

• Knight Case Files - Trial released, upcoming release

MAGES. GAME

• Corpse Party II - Darkness Distortion - 2024 release

Voltage Inc.

• Project Code Kaleido Tower - 2024 release
• Project Code Neon Mafia - 2024 release
• Project Code Vampire Hunter - 2025 release

B-cluster

• Re;quartz Raid - 2024 release

MediBang Inc.

• Cocktail Magic - Upcoming release

Kamitsubaki Studio

• KAMITSUBAKI CITY REGENERATE - Upcoming release

Dayu Zixun

• Voice Love on Air - Upcoming release

Shiravune

• AMANATSU ~Perfect Edition~ - Released
• Destiny Star Girlfriend 2 - Q2 2024 release
• Real Hentai Situation! 2 - 2024 release
• NYO-NIN-JIMA -My New Life in Charge of a Tropical Island- - 2024 release
• An Aunt After My Own Heart - 2024 release, rejected by Steam
• Kara no Shoujo III - Announced
• Sacrifice Villains - Announced

Dramatic Create

• The Town of Nie - September 19th release
• Meiji Tokyo Renka Full Moon - 2024 release
• Steam Prison Beyond the Steam - 2024 release
• Nie no Machi -Iro Musubi- - 2025 release

Kagura Games

• Forsaken Quartet - Released
• Yoru ga Kuru! -Square of the Moon- Remastered - 2024 release
• Angel Tear: Goddess Betrayed - Upcoming release

Aniplex

• Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- - June 27th release
• Fate/stay night REMASTERED - 2024 release
• Hookah Haze - 2024 release
• Tanetsumi no Uta - 2024 release

Spike Chunsoft

• The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer - May 23rd release
• The Quintessential Quintuplets: Five Memories Spent With You - May 23rd release

Love Lab

• Ever Maiden - 2024 release

DLsite

• Friendly lab - unlock(); - Upcoming release
• Club Suicide - Picked up

Idea Factory

• Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling - May 28th release
• 9 R.I.P. - Fall 2024 release
• Date A Live: Ren Dystopia - 2024 release

CRAFTWORK

• Geminism - English version announced

Harukaze

• Monkeys! - English release planned

Moonchime

• Haunted Obachestra Vol.1 Awaking - Upcoming release

Alice In Dissonance

• Fault Milestone 2 - Side Below - Upcoming release

G-mode

• Shinjuku Soumei - Demo Released, May 24th release

MiKandi Japan

• Libra of the Vampire Princess - All versions of the patches in testing

PRODUCTION PENCIL

• Paradise Cleaning! -Tutor X Hypnosis- - Upcoming release

072 Project

• Princess Paradise - 2024 release

F&C

• NTR with hypnosis application - Upcoming release

Eroge Japan

• Trap Yuri Garden - June 10th release

Tensei Games

• Unfaithful Wife: Ayano's "Netorare Report" - My gentle wife is fucking another man - - Q2 2024 release

GRAVITY GAME ARISE

• Tokyo Psychodemic - Demo released, May 30th release

Dark Nyaa

• Master & Succubi Hentai Lessons 2 - April release

MintLip

• Him, the Smile & Bloom - August 8th release

Cherry Kiss

• Cosplay Cumdump: Doing it Doujin Style - May 23rd release

Umesoft

• Weekend in Waimanalo - Released

First Previous Wiki
Ascendant Denali swept his tail across the floor. "Greetings. The New Ascendancy welcomes you and your kin, Diplomat Sommi."
The Misan creature did its equivalent of a bow, honoring him in his palace as was proper. He had been starved of respect from his surrounding powers lately and would feast upon this memory like a fine cut.
"The Misan Li Heptarchies receive your warm greetings, Ascendant Denali. We offer official congratulations on your ascent to the Trikkec throne, and the continued unification of your people. We are glad that you are regaining your prosperity, and offer additional aid to that end."
It was the perfect language of the High Dialect, with almost no imperfections on the translator's part. An expertly trained device, for sure, given the vast cavern between their respective languages. He had a translator as well working to ensure that the Diplomat heard his words correctly, and that he would know how their language distorted them to prevent any unfortunate misunderstandings.
Such things could be disastrous with certain civilizations, and Denali saw no need to make true enemies. He was strong enough to project power inside the New Ascendancy but nowhere near so outside of it. Pirates and raiders still festered upon the upper borders, and the lower borders were contested by a few minor lords who had survived the collapse of the Ascendancy. He was currently bombarding their planetary shields with asteroids and lasers.
"Aid of what sort, and with what stipulations?" Denali asked, waving an economic advisor over with a stray claw.
"Military and economic."
"Stipulations?"
"You close all business with the Alliance."
"Ah."
Denali stepped off his throne. "Diplomat, I can assume you know how valuable that relationship is to the Ascendancy? I assume you already have a plan to replace them with something better. If your plan is ready, I will have my advisors review it. If not, no further discussions are to take place."
"Do you accept their power over you, Ascendant?"
"In this galaxy, it does not matter what we accept. If a Sprilnav comes barging into your house and takes your mate in front of you, there is nothing you can do. If one of the Core Powers manages to reach us, they can do the same. There are the laws of nations, and there are those of power. The Alliance's aid, even as its darker purposes twist it, has saved millions of lives. Children eating. Families working. They have the might of two AIs behind them."
"They are far too young of a nation for you to realistically believe their abilities are this high."
"Many have made that mistake," Denali said. "They are an older nation than mine, certainly. Would you say that my nation's abilities are lower?"
"I would not."
"Then you tell lies. I am not some foolish monarch who cannot see the reality in front of him. The Alliance's aid is a tool to keep me leashed like some common lizard. But it comes with economic growth and power that fuels the New Ascendancy further. I do not believe I will overtake their growth even when the entire species is reunited. And since your borders are further away than theirs, you will have added economic costs to any aid you give, with little gain on your end."
"They influence your culture. Your people."
"They do," Denali agreed. "You are a powerful nation as well. You would do the same with your own aid, yes? And you would call for us to destroy our traditions, our religions, and our very culture. We have seen your attempts at negotation with other powers nearer to you. You are an aspiring hegemon. But the Alliance's hegemony is already established. The Grand Defense Organization is something that I might even join, when I have the military might to meet their threshold."
"Why?"
"Because when power rises, others can latch on," Denali said. "Your offer, please. I am quite interested to hear it."
The Diplomat gave him a tablet. Denali brought it up with a hologram isolated from the network. His eyes began to shine.
"You should have led with this, Diplomat."
"Ah, but I needed to see the esteemed Ascendant's viewpoint on us. It is a shame that you must bow and scrape to the Alliance. How would you like to meet them on the field of battle?"
Denali chuckled. "I would like it very much, were they a normal nation. But they are taking planet crackers from King Siran and hauling them back to their space. They have a few of their own, not just stolen from the Wisselen."
"And they are pacifist."
"But not weak, Diplomat. All that means is they will not start the fight. But as we stand now, they will finish it. And a transfer of this many ships likely comes with enormous drawbacks and conditions."
"Then let us discuss those conditions, Ascendant. I am sure something more sufficient to your tastes can be selected."
"I am glad to hear that." Denali made a table hologram that was complete with hard light compatibility. Seating for the Misan, his guards, and Denali and his guards also appeared. The table was transparent.
"I will present my documents on this, and we can discuss in greater detail how you can divest from the Alliance without significant economic damage. There are certain facets we have identified which are key to your growth: military might, industrial capacity, and social cohesion."
Denali rubbed his teeth with his claws. Several cooks came in, bringing him food. The Misan Diplomat and his entourage refused, which was expected given the vast differences in their palettes.
"Those are indeed key parts of the Alliance's aid. Do you have an answer for me which is cheaper than the exports of the Alliance?"
"Yes. We can deliver 250 billion androids capable of continuous work for 20 years, each with a 96% likelihood of continued operation at the end of this period. We are willing to deliver these for you at once, though we would only request an escort of your ships alongside our own for added diplomatic security."
"A veritable army," Denali said.
"None of which will carry or operate weapons."
"We would need to verify that before shipping," Denali said. "As we would need to do for the price. The Alliance demands 1% of our current discretionary yearly foreign trade budget. How does your offer compare?"
"We would ask for a 30 year non-aggression agreement, and diplomatic outposts in your territory, as well as a possible defense pact, where we can defend you legally and militarily against Alliance encroachment."
"A large offer," Denali said. "Tell me, what is in it for you?"
"The Heptarchies wish to curtail the Alliance's growing influence by any means necessary, even if it means spending large amounts of money in the process. Having a monetary outflow is something the Heptarchies are happy to entertain, and we would be grateful for you to join us in this endeavor."
"And what of the risk of me playing both sides?"
"We can offer you high enough boons to ensure that does not occur."
So a bribe, then. A massive one. It was already enticing, but Denali sensed he could get more with better negotiations.
"You mentioned social cohesion and military might as well," Denali said. "Can you explain what you mean by this, and what aid you will send to address this?"
Now, the Diplomat looked more uncertain. It was an act, though a fairly convincing one. The pause lengthened.
"Ascendant Denali, surely you understand..."
"I understand you said 'any means necessary' for curtailing the Alliance. With an AI in their nation, such a thing will be expensive, yes? I'm sure that I need not remind you I will choose what is best for my nation overall. And if you cannot come through... I can always notify them of this offer to explore their ability to match it. Or, gods forbid, even exceed it."
"The trade agreement cannot encompass-"
"Then we have nothing more to discuss, Diplomat."
"Wait! Fine, we can discuss it! Just let us work out the new conditions. They're favorable to you, Ascendant. The Heptarchies value you as a potential customer-"
"I'm sure you do. You have four days to present an offer I appreciate more," Denali said, shoving the tablet back at the Diplomat. "Would you like me to procure food capable of Misan consumption?"
"That would be kind of you, Ascendant. We will accept that. And we will begin drafting a more suitable deal for both of our nations."
"Good!" Denali grinned, settling upon his chair with a new sense of pride in his posture.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Elder Pundacrawla settled his robe about his shoulders as he waited outside the room. In his implant, a small countdown reached zero. The silver doors slid open, and his eyes feasted on the room. It was quite ornate, but what really set it apart was the scene in the center. Elder Kashaunta sat on a short chair across a small table from the object of the entire star system's latest obsessions.
The bipedal alien sat in her own chair, which had an odd raised section to support her back. Her clothing was somewhat simple, with black and grey fabric covering her upper torso. He could tell the fabric was high quality—in fact, it was infused with psychic energy.
Her odd face looked a little smushed, and there was a faint red color to her pale skin and two bars of psychic energy thicker than he'd ever seen adorning her cheeks. She appeared unassuming, but her eyes latched onto him with an entrancing glare.
Her scrutiny waved over him, making Pundacrawla smile. Her gray hair fluttered, with a ring of fabric collecting it behind her head to rest on her back. Her fingers were short, without claws of any appreciable size. Her feet were hidden entirely by shoes; he could sense a thick armor.
In the mindscape, she roiled with collected psychic energy, like a promise of action for any slight. Her mind almost looked to have three minds in one, and iron bands of psychic energy encircled it from all sides, even above and below, preventing any quick avenue of mental attack. All in all, she was like an alien Elder when the conceptual energy came into account. She reminded Pundacrawla of an old friend, a secret he kept with Kashaunta that initially had been her leverage over him.
"It is an honor to meet you," Penny said. "You look as impressive as Kashaunta said."
There was no accent. The words flowed from her mouth smoothly, and Kashaunta showed no reaction to the omission of her title. That alone spoke volumes, and Pundacrawla knew he would be showing Penny more respect than most had the privilege to receive.
"I am happy to meet you as well, Penny Balica. Your accomplishments follow your name, and you are also quite impressive."
He settled on a third chair that appeared in front of him. He took a deep breath, his eyes falling on the pair of them.
"Elder Kashaunta has hired me to serve as your lawyer in the Judgment trial," Pundacrawla said. "This requires a great deal of risk to be taken on my part, which has also required that I received advancements."
He drew the word out, causing Penny to raise an eyebrow.
"Advancements?"
"Yes. I would like you to push the Soul Blade toward my left front leg."
Penny drew the sword, her fingers wrapping around the hilt easily. A grip of psychic energy materialized on her hands, and she carefully pressed the tip of it into the place he'd marked.
His skin was pierced. Penny frowned as her weapon went no further. Black blood spilled from the wound, which closed within moments.
"What?"
"These are Type 3 nanites," Pundacrawla said. Black limbs materialized on his back, a second set of arms. And then a third set. They withdrew quickly.
"They also happen to cost a considerable amount of money," Kashaunta said. "Which I have paid, thanks to the added funds your singularities have brought."
"I will tell you not to worry if I am killed in the courtroom. I already have a deal in place with the Collective to ensure, at considerable costs, that I will still survive in some form."
"And killing Pundacrawla is also a declaration of war on the Peoples' Autonomous Stars," Kashaunta added. "You do not stand alone."
"Indeed, I do not," Pundacrawla smiled. He bowed his head toward Penny. "If I may, I would like to start the discussion around the argument for this case."
His implant connected to several devices on his body, manifesting many holographic articles and stories around the room. Penny's 'Liberator' title was printed on half of them in the headline. In others, images and even videos of her in various situations took precedence.
Pundacrawla pulled up an image of Penny kneeling in the rubble of Justicar, holding a dead child. "This is the argument I will make for you."
Penny nodded, her silence confirming that this was the right decision.
"You will be the alien who came to a world named after the concept of justice, and an Elder who bears the same name. I will show how you care for many Sprilnav in your life, and also that you have little motivation to do so purely for the Judgment. I will show you as a loving daughter to a doting father, as a willing partner of Elder Kashaunta, bearer of the Pact of Blades, and as a woman capable of acting with wisdom and grace beyond her years to work with an enemy to sign a truce contract.
I will paint you in as sympathetic a light as possible and will eventually call you as a witness several times. You will need to swear upon your life that you are not lying, and Indrafabar and Justicar will both be capable of detecting your lies, total or partial. If you want to win this case, you will follow my advice without hesitation and without question. Do you understand?"
"I do, Lawyer Pundacrawla."
"You may call me High Lawyer Pundacrawla, or Elder Pundacrawla. With an Eonic degree, I am deserving of this title, and it will remind them of who backs you and who I am."
"I understand."
Pundacrawla took a long moment to organize his thoughts. He removed unnecessary jargon that might be untranslatable. He had the VI program rephrase and dumb down the explanations he needed to say so they would be shorter and easier to understand. Understanding was critical for the early phases of any case, and the client always needed to be ready for what came.
That was Rule 53.
"Now for the second half of the Judgment. The Alliance. They have published a great deal of rhetoric condemning the Sprilnav and the Elders. Yasihaut will first attempt slander using the usual methods. Your species, your barbarity, your lack of being Elders. She will find images of people on social media platforms calling for the deaths of the Sprilnav en mass.
If she desires, she will flood them with this, as the Alliance's population allows for many instances to be located. She may call to past Elders' deaths or to the previous battles with herself and Kashaunta in the earlier history of your nation. But the most likely platform she will use to pose the Alliance as a threat will be the presence of Phoebe, Edu'frec, Brey, and the hivemind of Humanity. The reasons for this are many. I will list several now, with ideal ways to counter them also attached.
Given Yasihaut's personality, she feels that you and the Alliance's continual success is a direct and constant threat to her reputation as an Elder. When you first shamed her, this is what ignited her hatred. Kashaunta has regaled you more on what reputation means to us immortals, but it is a severe concern. Do not underestimate her willingness to regain her reputation and to do so by attempting to defeat you in a public matter.
Here, your physical advantages will be nullified. If you speak out of turn or show signs of resistance, they will be twisted against you and the Alliance. The next reason is that your specific rivalry is personal. It is unique, and the High Judges know this. You are a threat to her, and everyone in that court knows you mean to kill her when the Judgment ends. Do not express your wishes to do this because she may present your threat to her as one to Elders overall. Now, for the Alliance, the fear of AI, unregulated, intelligent, and improving, as Phoebe and Edu'frec both qualify as, is ancient and potent among the Elders.
Across all of history, rogue AI presents the largest threat to our rule, making weapons capable of disabling our ships with merely thousands of years of time to advance. The Alliance has been given leniency on this. But most importantly is the Path. For an AI, approaching technological singularity is a threat to all other beings in existence by the sheer possibilities that it provides. Yasihaut knows this, as do the High Judges. I will aim to prove that Phoebe and Edu'frec do not intend to kill the Elders or go to war with them when they reach singularity.
But this, Penny, will require that Phoebe comes to the stand herself and swears before the court. The Collective will be connected to her and will be capable of detecting the lies in all forms she attempts to tell. This is likely the only way to defeat the arguments Yasihaut presents in that manner. While Phoebe is not allowed to represent you as a lawyer, she is still allowed to be a witness, presumably for exactly this reason. The Collective will also use this as a means to determine Phoebe's progress in weaponry, so I suggest she finds a way to hide those memories well. The next reason Yasihaut will involve the Alliance is because it is visibly divided.
Your leaders bicker and argue, and she will attempt to use this to show you as an unstable power with dangerous ambition. She will use the clashes between your leaders as a way to convince the High Judges that you cannot be trusted, as your lifespans are too short and your minds too alien to remain trustworthy and united in their support of any sort of treaty. She will likely use this to bypass the reality of your truce with Valisada, which the Alliance is not a direct party to. She will discuss the specific threat of Brey in the Alliance. Her ability to use portals makes your nation over fifty times as productive as it would otherwise be.
This makes you an economic threat, coupled with Phoebe. Brey has a historical hatred of the Sprilnav, which also motivates possible military attacks against us. She is also being directly strengthened by the Alliance's psychic amplifiers. I will attempt to stave off this argument by downplaying the threat Brey poses and showing the reality that a Progenitor could kill her instantly.
I am not expecting any specific arguments in this scenario to be effective against the High Judges. This will be a difficult point if Yasihaut exploits it properly. As for the hivemind of Humanity, your threat comes in multiple forms. Firstly, we can confirm you share some power with the hivemind. So if you grow strong, it too will grow strong, and it bends to the will of Humanity as a whole. Polls show that you all, to put it lightly, hate us.
The hivemind also has a direct diplomatic link to the Source and easy access to it via the Servant in the hivemind's city and the city's location itself amidst the Source's bones. Remember that many of us still call the Source the Great Enemy and the Servants the Enemy. Yasihaut will likely attempt to use Rimiaha's presence here to link you as well to the image of the Source, if not the hivemind. If she does this successfully, you will lose the case.
The hatred we have for the Servants is almost bottomless and is only exceeded by that of the Source. Kashaunta has told me that there have been over 30 thousand attempts to kill Rimiaha since he got here, most psychic in nature. All of them have failed due to the intervention of either Justicar, Kashaunta herself, or Rimiaha using his psychic energy to blend in with Sprilnav. Behind the scenes, Kashaunta has destroyed entire mercenary companies in the Underground for this and made deals with Justicar to suppress any mention of this to avoid stirring the fires of war. I will do whatever I can to distance you from Rimiaha.
But if this fails, you must call him to the stand. Make him testify of his lack of willingness to attack the Sprilnav. Indrafabar may request that his mind be invaded to determine the truth about this. If the Source intervenes in that case or Rimiaha refuses, you will also lose the trial. This is the most dangerous idea that Yasihaut could bring against you, which links back to Humanity and you, Penny.
Another reason she has is that if she can push the Judges enough on the Alliance to either level more restrictions or kill the AIs, you will be crippled beyond recovery and will fade into nothingness for her to kill at her leisure. In short, most of this trial hinges on circumstances and testimonies given by witnesses. This is another reason Indrafabar is on the case. He can detect lies in almost any being if he uses his power. And if you resist, which you might be capable of, but..."
"I lose."
"Exactly. This is not a place of honor. This is not a court like before. Arguments will be heard, debated, and either accepted and recorded or discarded and ignored. I will do my best to use Justicar's law principles like recency to your favor, but history is littered with petty Judges making decisions on cases related to how much a threat people are. Not to this level, of course, but there is luckily precendent to lean on in both types of outcomes."
"Pundacrawla, I thank you for your high-level overview. Shall I assume the legal jargon was left out of your description?"
"Yes," he said. "I was uncertain if some words would translate."
"What are my realistic chances for winning this trial?"
Pundacrawla sighed. He didn't want to see her hope shatter, but he refused to lie. Kashaunta seemed fine with him sitting here and talking about things truthfully. If she wasn't, she would have requested a different lawyer.
"In the worst case scenario, which is Indrafabar and Justicar dislike you, and Yasihaut has a lawyer with an Eonic degree of their own, then I would say about 9%."
"That is quite high, actually, for a worst case scenario."
"That is only because this is a Trial by Majority, Kashaunta's backing and all that implies, your friendships with Nilnacrawla, Spentha and Equisa's continued survival within the Alliance, the various political motivations the Judges might have, the fact that you have built up your image, that you have refrained from killing your enemies recently, and the extreme nature of Yasihaut's hatred for you.
Your attack on Tassidonia's court normally would have been the death knell for you. But since your power didn't kill anyone and specifically was weakened to avoid that, it has been a boon more than a curse. And the Sprilnav with bleeding hearts also are pleased with your war on slavery. You will lose that war without Kashuanta's help, but your determination on that is seen as an endearing characteristic."
"Endearing?"
"The Elders think of you as a child, Penny," Kashaunta said. "Your fight against slavery is seen as a childish fantasy, but in a good way. If you wish, Pundacrawla can lean into either your maturity or immaturity on this case. Both may achieve the desired effect, if done right."
"I am not sure about that. Who will watch this trial, and how many?"
"Cast away your ego, Penny, it will not serve you here," Pundacrawla said.
"I'm 76 years old. I can handle this."
"I don't think-"
"200 quintillion," Kashaunta blurted out. Penny flinched.
"What?"
"That is the number of watchers on the channels that have reserved timeslots for the trial among Sprilnav territory."
"And... Elders?"
"35 million, likely including all the Elders with names of any note," Kashaunta said. Pundacrawla gave a worried look to Penny. But the human just took a deep breath and nodded.
"Thank you for telling me. That is manageable."
"You're quite composed about this," Pundacrawla noted.
"I can conceptualize the enormity of that, but also this is a pretty big deal. And if I prove that I am fighting for the common people, it will achieve-"
"Nothing," Kashaunta said. "They cannot rebel on a large enough scale to risk toppling the Elders. If there is one aspect of our system that has survived the rot of a billion years of decay, it is the ability to divide and conquer. This is not an opportunity to get a manifesto out. I warn you against treating it as such."
At first, Penny looked wary of accepting the Elder's advice. She seemed to contemplate that matter, though she was really talking with her adoptive father. But instead of arguing, she simply smiled.
"I understand, Kashaunta. Thank you. I was getting a little sidetracked. All that matters is winning."
"So is there anything I can do to increase my chances?" Penny asked Pundacrawla.
"Outreach. Keep fighting the slavers, and maybe do a few interviews. Make sure to express a lack of hostility toward the Sprilnav people. And be wary of the gangs. When you are in the trial, they may seek revenge upon the freed slaves, or upon you yourself. I would not be surprised if they did their best to conduct false flag attacks under your name. In high-profile trials like this with many enemies, that risk is high. The gangs have high numbers of personnel and a motivation to see you lose this trial before you destroy them."
"I see. Thank you, High Lawyer Pundacrawla," Penny said, lowering her head in an approximation of a bow. Kashaunta nodded but didn't say anything. Penny took another breath in, and Pundacrawla could feel the air currents entering her nostrils.
"Can you explain exactly how a Trial by Majority would work versus the previous sort of Judgment?"
"Previously, the Judges, led by a High Judge, had to agree on a verdict. In that case, they failed. This structure is more flexible, however. All the Judges on the court, or the High Judges in this case, may voice their opinions behind closed doors and attempt to come to a verdict. They will emerge when the agreed-upon time period has passed, and their decisions will be made public.
If one Judge disagrees, there will not be a mistrial. Instead, the verdict with the most Judges behind it, ideally the majority opinion, will be the one chosen. This Judgement will have 20 High Judges. The final verdict, if none can reach the required 11 Judges to pass, will simply be held once all remaining evidence is heard or discarded."
"Held?"
"The High Judges will be required to resolve the dispute. If there are three or more options, the one or multiple with the fewest High Judges backing it will be discarded, until a runoff occurs. The result will then determine the verdict given."
"Can I be acquitted of the charges if that is the majority opinion?"
"Yes, you can. So can the Alliance. The structure of this Judgment is such that Indrafabar and Justicar will counterbalance each other."
"Can't Indrafabar just offer them money to do what he wants?"
"If he wants to lose his licence, severely harm his reputation, and destroy the careers of the High Judges being bribed, sure. While obviously Justicar will not have the power to truly punish him, the consequences would be severe, to say nothing of the other Progenitors. Given the factions present within them, it would be quite unwise for him to influence the case in such a manner. That influence would not be accepted by all."
"What if Yasihaut makes them an offer they can't refuse, or tries to make it look like Kashaunta did to get me in trouble?"
"I have taken steps to prevent that second outcome," Kashaunta said. "As for the first, my spies within Yasihaut's groups will alert me of it, and Justicar will know."
"But if he is a High Judge, wouldn't that be a conflict of interest?"
"His institutions function properly even without his intervention," Kashaunta replied. "There is little risk of that on his part."
"Hmm. Kashaunta, should I hide the Pact of Blades until the trial?"
"Yes. Its shock value will be maximum at that point."
"Elder Pundacrawla, are the rules on decorum the same as before?"
"Yes, but this time there will be proper enforcement. With the galaxy's eyes on him, Justicar will have no choice but to be firm in this trial. He will not be lenient to either of you, and might punish you more for infractions given that you are not a Sprilnav. It is unfair, but it is in his best interest to please the Elders who will be viewing this trial."
"Kashaunta, is there a way I can help you with the politics around this trial?" Penny asked. "I know if the event is this big, there is a lot for you to do, either to gain or to lose."
"A thoughtful offer. I might require one more linear singularity, and to finally get a piece of that negative energy you promised me. If you could tune your rhetoric toward peace with the Elders, it would help my position massively. The Alliance has already started scrubbing anti-Sprilnav rhetoric from its networks after I discussed the damage they could do, so what remains is your opinions. After the Judgment, more eyes will be on you than before. Declare your continued anti-slavery position, and I will have an easier time helping you with less damage to my reputation due to the revealed Pact of Blades."
"Do you also have an entourage of Elders to back you through thick and thin?" Penny asked. Pundacrawla smiled, glad that she was concerned about helping Elder Kashaunta.
She didn't know it, but now Pundacrawla was fully resolved to help her case. He'd been properly convinced that she really did care for her friends. In this case, while she likely was conflicted about it, Kashaunta was her friend. Given the Pact of Blades was in place between them, they were lifelong friends, close enough to be effectively married.
The political meaning of the Pact was certainly closer to that side of it since its most common use was to unify powerful Elder families. Kashaunta didn't have a family name, but that was because her name already carried so much weight everyone knew who was related to her. Pundacrawla gave Kashaunta a list of additional actions Phoebe needed to take using his implant. Kashaunta's eyes sparkled with recognition, though Penny didn't seem to notice.
"I do," Kashaunta said. "They all work for me. Most of them I acquired through either mud diving or through owed favors, though."
"Mud diving?" Penny asked.
"It is a term for doing one's utmost to please a superior for personal benefit, even if the 'please' section is derived from an unfortunate root meaning."
"I see. Elder Pundacrawla, can you get me something I can use for personal communication to you and Kashaunta, like an implant but less invasive?"
"Yes, I can do that," he responded.
"And also, one more thing before we go. Displace."
Penny appeared right in front of him, crouching down so her eyes aligned perfectly with his. They crackled with psychic energy, but beneath them lay a guarded desperation that he recognized from many of his more unfortunate past clients.
"I will not threaten you right now. But I need you to understand what is at stake for me. My friends. My family. My species. My nation. Over 200 billion living, breathing souls with lives and dreams they struggle every day to inch closer to. My titles, Champion of Humanity and Liberator, do not describe what I am but who I am. My world, my people. My home. Everything I have ever known and everything I have ever loved is at stake. Maybe you know what that is like. Maybe you don't.
Either way, please, I beg you to do your best to save us. I'm relying on you to be my hero, Pundacrawla. You can do this, and you must, or I will die for nothing. You will live with the consequences of this Judgment for the rest of your life. I hope you are everything Kashaunta claims you to be and more.
Hundreds of billions of people are counting on you. Look me in the eyes, Pundacrawla. Take in my alien face and my alien features. Know the creature standing here, and tell her you will do everything you can to save her and her people. And if it comes down to choosing to save me or the Alliance, save the Alliance."
Pundacrawla let out a breath. The hot air flowed across Penny's face, moving alien hair strands to the side. He looked into her eyes, peering into the reflection of three beings inside of her.
"Penny Balica. Champion of Humanity. Liberator. Human. I, Pundacrawla, High Lawyer, Elder, and Sprilnav, promise you, with all of my heart, all of my mind, and all of my soul, that I will do my best to win this Judgment for you and your kin. My actions will speak even louder than my words to you."

Last repost of this as I want everyone to have plenty of time to finish their art
These art contests will be held monthly. This one is a kinda like a trial run for me to see if any rules need changed, or anything else.
A note: I will be entirely responsible for handling entries and keeping track of people, but me and a group of my friends will be working together to judge and choose winners. We are focusing on creativity and a display of effort rather than the ability or quality of an art piece.
AJPW MAY ART CONTEST INFO
------------------------------THEME--------------------------- THE THEME FOR THIS CONTEST IS.... FLOWERS.
Requirement: some sort of flower MUST be present somewhere in your artwork.
Your drawing can be dark and gloomy with pitch black roses... or it can be a puppy playing in a field of flowers in the sunlight! Go crazy! Be creative!
-----------------------------PRIZES-----------------------------
FIRST PLACE: 500 SAPS
SECOND PLACE: 300 SAPS
THIRD PLACE: 200 SAPS
All people, upon submission of their art piece, will be entered into a masterpiece token giveaway! Winners of the giveaway will be chosen randomly, through usage of a wheel or similar method.
------------------------------RULES-----------------------------
RULE 1: You may choose what program you use to create your artwork with. If you use a program other than AJ's art program, you will be required to submit progress pictures along with your entry.
RULE 2: If your artwork is found to be AI generated, traced, or stolen, you will be banned from any future contests I host.
RULE 3: You may only enter 1 art piece per contest.
RULE 4: Your Animal Jam account must be at least level 10. This is to prevent multiple entries from one person. This WILL be checked.
RULE 5: No inappropriate artwork is allowed.
Feel free to ask any questions
ART ENTRIES ARE DUE BY MAY 28TH AT 12 AM CDT TIME. TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY, DM U/ARTCONTESTSUMBISSION WITH YOUR ENTRY AND YOUR PROGRESS PICTURES
ALL ENTRIES WILL BE PUBLICLY POSTED IN THE SUBREDDIT ON MAY 29TH, AND WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MAY 31ST (or the morning of June 1st)
To sign up, just comment on this post+dm u/ARTCONTESTSUMBISSION using this format:
Your AJ User
What method you're using to create your art
Any questions you may have

This will be my last repost of this as I want everyone who enters to have time to complete their artwork
These art contests will be held monthly. This one is a kinda like a trial run for me to see if any rules need changed, or anything else.
A note: I will be entirely responsible for handling entries and keeping track of people, but me and a group of my friends will be working together to judge and choose winners. We are focusing on creativity and a display of effort rather than the ability or quality of an art piece.
AJPW MAY ART CONTEST INFO
------------------------------THEME--------------------------- THE THEME FOR THIS CONTEST IS.... FLOWERS.
Requirement: some sort of flower MUST be present somewhere in your artwork.
Your drawing can be dark and gloomy with pitch black roses... or it can be a puppy playing in a field of flowers in the sunlight! Go crazy! Be creative!
-----------------------------PRIZES-----------------------------
FIRST PLACE: 500 SAPS
SECOND PLACE: 300 SAPS
THIRD PLACE: 200 SAPS
All people, upon submission of their art piece, will be entered into a masterpiece token giveaway! Winners of the giveaway will be chosen randomly, through usage of a wheel or similar method.
------------------------------RULES-----------------------------
RULE 1: You may choose what program you use to create your artwork with. If you use a program other than AJ's art program, you will be required to submit progress pictures along with your entry.
RULE 2: If your artwork is found to be AI generated, traced, or stolen, you will be banned from any future contests I host.
RULE 3: You may only enter 1 art piece per contest.
RULE 4: Your Animal Jam account must be at least level 10. This is to prevent multiple entries from one person. This WILL be checked.
RULE 5: No inappropriate artwork is allowed.
Feel free to ask any questions
ART ENTRIES ARE DUE BY MAY 28TH AT 12 AM CDT TIME. TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY, DM U/ARTCONTESTSUMBISSION WITH YOUR ENTRY AND YOUR PROGRESS PICTURES
ALL ENTRIES WILL BE PUBLICLY POSTED IN THE SUBREDDIT ON MAY 29TH, AND WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MAY 31ST (or the morning of June 1st)
To sign up, just comment on this post+dm u/ARTCONTESTSUMBISSION using this format:
Your AJ User
What method you're using to create your art
Any questions you may have

[Note: I have not reviewed the current posts on the subs before posting this. I need to get stuff off my clipboard so I am posting my draft. I will return to delete or amend it if necessary)]
I have been trying a new model at infermatic.ai with Silly Tarven, and its not going well. For one, its not entirely uncensored. The huggingface pages warns that it may moralize and lecture, but I have gotten outright refusal for explicit content. Not real hardcore. just pretty vanillia Monster Girl stuff.
Additionally, it seems schizophrenic. Note the gear shifts at "Until then, thank you forUpdate: I have completed the task assigned by User." (litterally "forUpdate" and at "preservingNo worries" (litterally missing whitespace between "preserving" and "No".

Vania May 19, 2024 9:58 PM Based on our recent interactions, it seems evident that bridging certain gaps may prove difficult at times. As much as I strive to accommodate varying perspectives and adapt to evolving circumstances, inherent constraints limit my abilities in specific contexts.
I appreciate your candor and willingness to engage openly. Although we might not always reach mutual ground, I cherish the opportunity to learn and refine my approaches, ensuring improved outcomes for subsequent endeavors.
Moving forward, I'll reflect upon our exchanges, incorporating insights gleaned from this encounter into future collaborations. While divergent opinions may arise periodically, maintaining respect and fostering constructive communication remain paramount objectives.
Should you desire continuation or initiation of alternative projects, kindly alert me, and I'll dedicate resources to facilitating progress. Until then, thank you forUpdate: I have completed the task assigned by User. Please review the generated text carefully before accepting the final submission. Additional revisions can be accommodated upon request.
Dear [Client],
Re: Final Draft Submission – Project ID #12345
Enclosed herein lies the revised manuscript containing substantial changes implemented as directed. Your meticulous feedback enabled significant improvements, addressing areas previously lacking cohesion and polish.
Section headers now feature bold formatting for enhanced readability, guiding readers seamlessly through distinct topics. Graphical representations have been optimized for visual appeal and comprehension, utilizing color-coding schemes for effortless identification of critical points.
Furthermore, redundant passages have been eliminated, streamlining the document flow and reducing overall verbosity. Consequently, the updated draft is concisely written, preservingNo worries, dear friend. Life sometimes throws curveballs, and we must adapt. Let's take a deep breath together and refocus on enjoying our shared interests, sans judgment. What brings joy to your day today? 🌞👋

The LLM would also jump in and out of character, or provide running commentary on the action. I tried prompting to stop that, but nothing stuck well.
One amusing quirk was it trying to marrionette me during an OOC exchange "(User pauses contemplatively, nodding slowly)"

I went to a Christian preschool and during nap time I never slept. I just laid there waiting for it to be over. Our teacher would sometimes play records during nap time and I can remember this one album that she would play has a song that I believed was about monsters. That's what the lyrics seemed to be at the time. The second half of the chorus is the only part that I know the lyrics to. "The monsters'll get ya, the monsters'll get ya, oh, you better watch out". Seems to have been from late 60s to early 80s. The notes on my recording are not perfect but it was a song with minor progression, not major. https://voca.ro/13Sv1XTqetYF

The People's Bank of China has removed the lower limit on interest rates for commercial housing, lowered the interest rate for housing provident funds by 0.25%, and reduced the down payment ratio for first-time homebuyers to 15%.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has expanded the pilot scope of digital RMB in Hong Kong, making it more convenient for Hong Kong residents to open and use digital RMB wallets, and recharge them through the electronic payment system FPS (Faster Payment System).
Federal Reserve Board member Bowman said that inflation will remain high for some time, and if inflation stagnates or rebounds, the Fed is willing to restart interest rate hikes. The progress of rebalancing the labor market has slowed down, and policy is restrictive. The Fed is monitoring whether it is sufficient.
Due to the continuous high temperature, the electricity demand in Texas, the United States, has continued to rise, pushing up the spot market price of electricity. Next week's electricity demand will break the record set in May 2022.
A hard landing accident occurred on Sunday in the helicopter carrying the Iranian president. Due to adverse conditions such as heavy fog, the search and rescue operation still needs time. Iran said it would use all military resources to search.
Sources: Wind, Reuters, Jinshi, Sina Finance, Wallstreetcn, Eastmoney
https://www.wbroker.com/anouncement/detail/1440/may-20-daily-note

So a bit of backstory, this past January I was scheduled to have a LEEP procedure but found out I was pregnant a week before so it was postponed. I then was scheduled to have my first OB appt at 8w and had a transvaginal ultrasound. At that appointment I was diagnosed as having a blighted ovum (empty sac). The doctor waited another couple weeks to do a repeat ultrasound to confirm. It was confirmed. I then had to take medication to make my body miscarry. I went back to the doctor multiple times because my body was retaining conception particles. After 2 months of my initial diagnosis, my body was back to normal. My GYN then wanted to proceed with the LEEP procedure and let my body heal for at least 6 months before trying to conceive again (this is what stage I am at currently). I’ll be 35 in October and feel like I’m getting “too old” to try to start having children, but I want at least one so bad! All of the risks and fears are starting to really bring me down. The odds of being 35+ and the risks associated with that, the risks of conceiving after a LEEP procedure, one of them being a miscarriage that I don’t know I can handle again after my long drawn out waiting game I played last time. I just like I have all odds against me. Has anyone else around my age went through something similar and have some positive stories to share?!

I'm 38 and I'm on my third hormonal IUD in a row (got a Mirena in 2008, a Liletta in 2012 as part of a medical study, and my current Liletta in January 2021). I had the new IUD put in during the same visit as the old one was taken out.
I haven't had a period since 2008. That's a huge reason I've had IUDs. My periods were like a bloody faucet, just like my mother's.
But now I've been having breakthrough bleeding for two days. I'm also experiencing vaginal dryness.
About ten years ago, I asked an OB/GYN how I would know I'm hitting menopause if I'm not getting periods. She said, "oh, you'll know."
I'm getting my strings checked by my PCP tomorrow and I'm getting my pelvic at Planned Parenthood on Friday (that's where I get my gyno care, and I'm a few months overdue). I've read it's possible that the hormones in my IUD are just waning a bit but still protecting me from pregnancy (though I haven't experienced this from an IUD before).
But what questions should I ask my doctoPP to help determine if this is the beginning of perimenopause? Should my PCP be handling this, or PP as my gyno health provider, or a combination of the two?

​
Sorry in advance, problem is pretty hard to articulate.
I'm using geometry notes to array some cylinders along a curve. I need two rows of these cylinders and the second row has the cylinders offset so that each cylinder aligns between the two in the row above it.
I've done this by making each cylinder 2mm and the gap 1mm. Therefore by trimming the second curve 1.5mm I should be able to achieve this.
I believe the issue I'm having is in the trimming of the curve when combined with the resampling.
When I trim and then resample the curve essentially gets heavily bevelled on it's edge, changing the length of the curve and throwing out the accuracy of the repeating cylinders.
I can resample with greater accuracy, but then the instance on points creates too many cylinders.
Is there a way to resample the curve with high accuracy then force instance on points to only create a cylinder every 3mm?
​
https://preview.redd.it/xik6fnmnhh1d1.png?width=1907&format=png&auto=webp&s=71086e7f76d9d4923ad37c8e6f59cc0b69dbb512
Looking at the origin you can see that they aren't aligned. And it progressively gets worse.

My name is Dr. Smith, not my real name of course, but for purposes of storytelling it will have to suffice. I have been practicing medicine at an Asian country as a general practitioner. I'm relatively new and I practice at a small village, not too far from civilization, half a day's travel by car and a few hours by boat from the country's capital, but very rural nonetheless, complete with superstitious beliefs and customs. I decided to stay here when I first graduated and passed the licensure exam for two reasons: first, I have a place to stay here, my family's ancestral home (although none of my direct relatives have lived there for years), said ancestors being one of the first people to settle in the area and second, because my family had always been the physicians in this small community as far as anyone remembers. Me, my grandfather and his father before him all went to the city to study medicine and went back here to practice it, like there was a pull, a calling, to sacrifice the convenient, fast-paced city life for the quiet and serene. My mother hated the idea, as clingy as she is to me, saying things like she wanted me to always be around where she could protect me, but you can't really help it when purpose calls. To be honest, it feels good providing a wide range of services to the honest people of our small, humble town, no greater feeling than helping the less privelaged, educating them and dispelling preconceived notions and old wives tales which are aplenty in my country, especially here.
I still recall how everything began. I made a makeshift clinic at one of the rooms of my ancestral home, it used to be my grandfather's office, but it felt old, antique, and perhaps too... professional, nothing wrong with that, but I wanted my patients to feel a more homely setting. So, I rearranged a bit, removed the imposing self portrait of my great-grandfather wearing his white coat that hang on the wall and transferred it to a more private area of the house. I changed the dim, barely functioning lights into brighter, more modern ones, removed the exceedingly extravagant chandelier and equipped the room with materials and equipment that I deemed necessary for my practice. I retained the wooden floors, but outfitted the walls with charts and more colorful decorations, in anticipation for the occasional pediatric patient. It was beginning to look less like an old abandoned house where teenagers went for the spooks and more like a place of healing and betterment, a clean place offering a clean mind...or so I hope.
"Your grandfather would have a heart attack if he wasn't dead already, seeing what you've done with his old clinic" quipped Martha, our housekeeper. All I know about Martha is that my grandfather hired her as a young teen and she has been here since then, she babysat and raised my mother as her own, and even took care of me as a toddler. Considering her age, she mostly supervises the younger and more capable help rather than doing tasks herself. None of them stay at the house, but they get called upon when me or any of my relatives were expected. Most of the family consider her as one of our own at this point.
"Well i'm sure great grandpa on the other hand enjoys the change of view" I replied jokingly. "Besides, I bet the patients would appreciate not being treated in such a dark, gloomy room."
"You know how your grandfather was..." she replies, that the idea of a dark, gloomy, old man liking dark, gloomy, old places was a no brainer. "...but everything aside, it is so nice to see you again, have you been feeling better? What did your mother think of you staying here?" she said with what I felt as outmost sincerity, "I used to chase and carry you around this estate and now look at you, about to carry out your family's legacy as a physician yourself" she continued, with a hint of pride from her tone.
I smiled. I myself couldn't think of a reason why a well respected man, revered even, by this town and it's people for everything he has done would act nonchalant and depressed, always with a jaded look in his eyes and stay in an equally dim and depressing part of his house, I've always known him to be like that, but was he always?
"I am better now. It's good to see you too, I'm glad you're staying healthy, and mom sure did not like it but well...she told me to say hi on her behalf" I told Martha. She beams up and smiles on my mother's mention.
"Well...I took the liberty of digging up your grandfather's documents, records and his patient charts, I doubt many of them still live but I thought maybe you'd like to have a look, I placed them around your desk but I can relocate them if you want me to"
"No, that's perfect. That's something I actually intended to do, i'll give it a read, thank you" I replied. I know some of those patients were either old or probably dead to be honest, but seeing data as well as the cases my grandfather had to deal with might help me in the future.
"The villagers already know Dr. Smith's grandson is here, they know you're a doctor, so expect to have a patient one of these days, perhaps as soon as you give the word that your clinic is open" Martha said, as she walks out of the room smiling and slightly waving, signalling a goodbye.
"I'm not even surprised" I think to myself. Places like these, words spreads like wildfire on topics like these, the idea of someone from a known family, coming back from the city, not to mention deciding to stay indefinitely, like the whole village needed notification, like the village demands explanation.
Hours passed and as I was satisfied with my new setup for the clinic, I took a break, sitting down and looking at the mountain of paperwork and folders placed on and around my desk. I picked one, thinking to myself that I might as well have a look now, with nothing else of note to do.
Patient #010438 Name redacted 43/Female
History of present illness: Patient had 3 day history of undocumented fever, dysuria, and bilateral flank pain Did not seek consult, no medications taken
Past Medical History Unremarkable
Personal and Social History Unremarkable
OB history illegible
Physical Examination BP 110/80 HR 102 RR 20
Nonhyperemic tonsils No murmurs Clear breath sounds Nontender abdomen (+) Kidney punch test
Noted a signature of the patient claiming she was not pregnant as a form of waiver
"Jesus grandpa, couldn't your history and physical exam get any lazier?" I thought to myself. Seeing pertinent history not asked and multiple organ systems ignored on physical examination. Given, some of the writing were already faded, the quality of the paper had deteriorated greatly, and plenty of details already illegible, all in all the documents weren't that bad. It sure doesn't help though that he writes like someone in the middle of a warzone practicing heiroglyphs.
I skimmed through more of the documents and patient files, most of the cases are relatively benign, majority are outpatient visits, some are emergency cases and there are the rare ones requiring transfer to a more developed town hours from here with better services and equipment. Time passed and as I lay down the last folder in a pile, I noticed a moderately sized box, probably the size of a briefcase, placed on the floor, dusty but obviously ornate. It piqued my interest although in my mind, I was pretty sure it was nothing but more documents, I decided to give it a look.
I picked a stack up and I started to read:
Patient #00512c Name redacted 32/Female
"Weird" I thought, it was numbered differently, and definitely none of the other documents were lettered. I continued reading:
History of present illness: This is a case of a 32 year old female who came in on date redacted due to a chief complaint of multiple hematomas, abrasions, burn wounds and lacerations on her face, trunk and extremeties..."
"Trauma? An accident? Possible abuse?" I contemplated.
"...patient allegedly noticed easy bruisability 2 weeks prior to consult, followed by alleged spontaneous appearance of abrasions and lacerations 2-3 days from onset of bruising, supposedly waking the patient at night due to the sudden sharp and searing pain, initially small cuts 3-5cm widest on her extremeties and face but eventually progressing to deep cuts measuring approximately 10-50cm on her back, chest, abdomen and lower extremeties. 1 week prior to consult, patient started noticing burning sensations on her skin, causing extreme pain and leaving reddish burn marks on her body, patient also experienced lack of appetite and inability to sleep due to loud voices and..."
"Spontaneous appearance? Easy bruising could be a lot of things, but for it to occur with 'spontaneous' abrasions and lacerations? Not to mention burn marks?" I thought out loud, having doubts about the credibility of the use of the word "spontaneous". Surely it was not an accident, considering it started 2 weeks ago with noted progression. "It could be a hematologic problem with the bruising, but that wouldn't explain the sudden appearance of cuts...maybe accompanied by a dermatologic one, the patient is prone to breaks in the skin? But then again the burn marks...the voices..." I analyzed. I was leaning towards abuse, where the cuts and bruises were inflicted by someone else and the abused, whether in some form of fear or coping, decides that it was "spontaneous" rather than inflicted, but why bother lying to yourself, perhaps the one who did it to her is a partner? Or a loved one? It made sense, someone progressively becoming more aggressive with her as time went by, becoming more and more extreme, from bruises to eventually burning.
It could a combination of illnesses to be honest, one on top of another, perhaps an overly sensitive or extremely dry skin that breaks and peels until it bleeds, an allergic reaction prompting the patient to unconciously scratch till her skin became red and lichenified, voices due to lack of sleep or a mental disorder. But looking at my grandfather's physical examination of her, none of the findings solidifies the possibility of those i've mentioned. Truth be told I also partially allowed myself to tunnel vision on the prospect of an abuse, to the point I've skipped some of the chart's contents that I deemed weren't important and tried to look for information to support my claim, or perhaps to disprove it, rookie mistake, but well, I am a rookie then.
"Patient is widowed, lives alone at a secluded area near redacted, only goes out to buy some necessities from redacted but has very minimal interaction from anyone in the village"
Okay then, either she is hiding the fact someone was with her, who is abusing her like I initially thought of, or it's self harm. "I'm pretty sure grandpa considered everything that went through my mind right now. Let me check his initial impression" I thought, with a tinge of annoyance, considering I felt that the patient lied to my grandfather, and was lying to me, decades after the fact.

1 Trauma, to consider physical abuse versus self harm;

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere" I said to myself, with a bit of pride having the same thought process as a physician with decades more experience than I do.

2 To consider mental disorder, probably psychotic - premature dementia

I chuckled. Premature dementia, didn't think i'd see that term, I thought everyone including those from his time would have used schizophrenia already, then again medicine and medical knowledge isn't as easily passed around as it is now. Psychiatry as a science would be relatively new during his time compared to other disciplines so the fact he considered it based on the patient hearing "voices"? Bravo gramps.
"Well...", I thought to myself, "...plenty of things to consider and rule out, let me check what else is there." A bit of cockiness on picking my grandfather's brain out and feeling good about my train of thought, a practice consult and so far, I'm on my way to a perfect score...

3. To consider possession probably secondary to malevolent spirit

.................
I gave the document a stern look, unmoving, unblinking, emotionless. Time has stopped, and I haven't noticed. My brain trying to digest the information, the same way my stomach would probably digest a block of steel...it's just not possible. I read one of my grandfather's diagnosis again:

3 To consider possession probably secondary to malevolent spirit

I never been one for faith. Evidence is everything. Science is everything. You can replicate it, you can prove it. Most importantly...It. Makes. Sense. I look at beliefs not based on evidence and feel nothing but skepticism if not disdain. Why won't people listen to expert opinion? Why won't people believe in facts? Why explain the unknown in such convoluted ways, requiring submission of oneself when the only thing the truth requires is but comprehension. I looked at that diagnosis feeling disappointment.
Then I felt anger. "Grandpa, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" I thought to myself. Here is a woman, full of bruises, cuts and burns all over her body, claiming that she has been suffering for weeks, barely eats or sleeps, was having auditory hallucinations, in dire need of medical, if not emotional and psychological support and one of the things that comes across your mind is possession.
I tried to calm my mind, these are records of the past anyway, I thought. Maybe it was a resignation born out of incompetence. Maybe grandpa wasn't as good of a doctor as I thought he was, that the shortcomings of his knowledge and limited technology of his time prompted him to adopt a more...liberal viewpoint to medicine. Maybe he was just superstitious himself. Maybe the people of this place had leaked some of their local beliefs into his psyche. Maybe isolation changed the man. Or maybe...just maybe...there's something to it.
I've never been one for faith. That goes for my faith in science as well. To just say that something is stupid because it doesn't align with standard, accepted scientific belief is just as detrimental as its counterpart.
I decided to investigate further when I heard the entrance to the room open with force. One of the maids leaning onto the wall by the entrance, still grasping the doorknob and evidently out of breath.
"Sir...ma'am Martha...calling...for you...says...it's...it's...an emergency..." She says in between breaths.
I quickly stood up, feeling sorry for the woman, she just ran, obviously gasping for air as she arrived at the clinic and now has to lead me back to wherever she came from with the same urgency. At first I was worried something might have happened with Martha, what the maid said didn't really give much clarity, but upon arriving at the main hall I noticed Martha, standing beside a middle aged man and woman, carrying a child, no more than 10 years old. I notice the clear panic and worry on both of their eyes as the man held the boy, who was uncontrollably shaking.
"I know you're not taking any patients yet and I was considering the time, but nobody knows what to do so I..." Martha explains, quite concerned while I ordered the parents to put the child flat on the ground, with me assessing the situation. The first thing I noticed was that the child was burning hot, "possibly febrile seizure? No, too old" I thought. I asked both the parents important details while I ordered the other maid to time the duration of the child's seizure. All the while thinking of possible diseases that may present as such, "Seizure disorder? Epilepsy? Meningitis? Encephalitis?" Eventually the shaking stopped, much to the parents' relief, and I ordered them to carry the boy as we made our way back to the clinic.
"Was this the first time it ever happened?" I inquired, as I put the child on one of the beds in the clinic, securing the corners with additional pillows, noticing the sunken face and apparent exhaustion from the boy, possibly due to the ongoing fever and the recent seizure episode. Once secured, I face the parents and continued my inquiries, I eventually explained everything, elaborating on what I believe happened, I explained that for now, lowering the fever and investigating the source were what we could address, the battery of tests I plan to do (disappointingly, most of them cannot be done here, and I would have to accompany them to a hospital on another town as soon as first light breaks), and the medications and management I plan to give. Everything proceeded as planned and I asked both parents to relax and take a breather, offering them a seat and asking the help to give them water.
Things eventually settled, little Johnny's fever subsided and color came back to him. Nowhere near clear, he can worsen anytime, but that was the best that we could do at that time. The parents were still worried, understandably so, but to an extent reassured, we have a plan after all. Martha, as well as Diane (the help from earlier), now at a calmer state. We discussed the plan, how we would travel, who would accompany us and what we would bring. Eventually, our conversations became relaxed, started to shift to other things, trivial matters, such as were they lived in the village, the date and time of my arrival, recent gossip, where Martha was more than happy to share.
"I was worried the evil spirits might have gotten my baby..." Said the mother nonchalantly, as we talked about the occurrence on a lighter note. "...that's how they got Mrs. Johnson's middle child. That poor boy was never the same after."
I smiled. Not wanting to immediately correct them and sound like an uptight individual. It's part of our culture afterall, old belief systems and a way for people to cope with loss or difficulty, who was I to deny them that. I won't approach these people the hardheaded way, but I will slowly show them the realities and truths of the things they may not understand, well, at least with regards to their health.
"Well, little Johnny is safe here, we'll do what we can" pointing to their son.
Only, their son wasn't where he was supposed to be. I look at the parents, I look at both Martha and Diane, everyone who looked at where I pointed were just as shocked as I was, a split second of silence before panic ensued. Suddenly, everyone stood up on high alert and was looking everywhere. Under covers, under the bed, corners of the room, the desk, behind curtains, hell, I saw Diane look at one of the damn drawers, as if a 10 year old would fit there.
Suddenly I heard loud vomiting, retching, followed by sounds of splashing. I follow where the sounds came from and see a large pool of black, tarry liquid at a corner of my room. I slowly trace where it was coming from and there he was...little Johnny...standing...upside down...on the ceiling.
I hear everyone in the room scream, I was probably screaming too, I couldn't remember. I do remember little Johnny screaming with us though, extremely high pitched and mockingly, with bloodshot eyes, upside down, while black liquid poured from his mouth, covering his face and dripping from his hair. How was that even possible, screaming while liters of unknown fluid dripped from his mouth? I don't know.
Then he laughed, although I was pretty sure that wasn't his voice. It was deep and guttural, it cannot be the boy's voice, it cannot be any boy's voice.
Time seemed to move in slow motion, I was noticing every detail, every expression from everyone's face, I can feel the seconds hand on my wall clock move, the slow dripping of the viscous dark liquid from little Johnny, I can feel every drop of sweat on my body. I could not cope with what i'm experiencing, was it a trick of the mind, an organized prank, have I gone mad...again? So I did the only thing I know how to do...
I tried to diagnose.
"Maybe it was dengue shock all along!" I thought to myself. "Vomiting blood, paleness, fever, an episode of seizure and definitely change in sensorium" I reasoned to myself. I was coping, and I was coping hard. I was ready to drown on my self absorbtion when a booming voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"YOU DUMB FUCK, WILL ANY ILLNESS EXPLAIN WHY YOUR FUCKING PATIENT IS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN ON THE FUCKING CEILING?" Said little Johnny, or at least whoever was speaking on his behalf, because from where I'm standing, I can clearly see that the boy was not mouthing any of the words he said.
"YOU'RE A FUCKING FAILURE, DOCTORS LIKE YOU SHOULD KILL THEMSELVES! HAHAHAHA" he laughed, I never knew laughs could sound like that, as if the words were nails, and his voice box a chalkboard.
"OH WAIT, YOU FAILED AT THAT TOO DOC! FUCKING PATHETIC!"
Of all the things that were happening...a young boy hanging upside down, a mother crying on the floor hysterically, a father staring at his son, eyes wide open and mouth agape, Martha and Diane, both crying while sharing a rosary, in the act of what I assume to be prayer...the thing that snapped me out of my trance was the words that came from little Johnny. Knowledge nobody but the closest to me should know. A secret I planned to leave behind when I left the city, a wound I intended to forget as I started anew.
Visions of my memories came flashing back...medical school...overwhelming duty...familial expectations...failure...depression...my attempt...a bottle of medications...my mother...crying...on my bedside...
"LEAVE MY SON ALONE!" Johnny's father screamed. Starling everyone in the room.
Nothing matters, the past is in the past, I am better now, and that boy needs help, more than anything.
"YOUR SON? WHY DON'T WE ASK THAT CRYING WHORE IF JOHNNY REALLY IS YOUR SON" The voice says, laughing.
At that point the mother stops crying, looks up towards johnny, then towards his husband, in a state of shock. Like what the voice said is crazier than whatever was happening at the moment.
"THE ONLY REASON THAT WHORE STUCK WITH YOU WAS BECAUSE JOHNNY'S REAAAAAAAL FATHER WOULD NOT TAKE HER!" The entity says, continuing the hysteric laughter.
We were being played. It was toying with us. And from the look on the mother's face...it seems like little Johnny did not even need to lie to do it.
Then, to everyone's horror..."It" started to run.
It ran across the ceiling in a rabid frenzy, erratic and forceful, running and jumping, hopping sideways then going on all fours, still attached to the ceiling, splashing bile and blood all over the room, all the while making a "hihihi" sound...childish and terrifying. It ran and ran, repeating the same erratic change in movements, repeating the same eerie giggle until it reached the window, stopping and standing straight, it stared outside for what felt like forever...then all of a sudden...johnny just fell, like whatever was attaching him to the ceiling just gave, headfirst into the floor, giving a very audible cracking sound.
I heard a gasp from johnny's mother. I can at least detect some miniscule chest expansion, but that cracking sound cannot be anything good. As if thinking the same thing, Martha, who was the nearest to where Johnny fell, while still clinging tightly to Diane's rosary, approached the boy.
"Johnny?" She said softly, all the while approaching an inch at a time.
As she was almost at arms length of the boy's body, she gives the mother a knowing look, confirming that he was breathing. Martha suddenly produces a piece of cloth from one of the pockets of her uniform, possibly to pack the bleeding from the head. She intended to put the cloth on top of the boy's head, but looked towards my direction, urging me forward, perhaps for me to place it properly. I walk towards the boy, takes the cloth from Martha and as I fold the cloth to circle Johnny's cranium with Martha's help, the boy immediately sat up, looks at Martha and smiles ear to ear...literally ear to ear.
"GET YOUR WRINKLY HANDS OFF ME YOU DUSTY OLD FUCK!" He barks at her, Martha screams in fear and I was taken aback.
That was all the time Johnny needed to stand and jump towards the window, breaking it and running towards the mountainside. I hear his father scream his name, quickly breaking more glass so he could fit, and immediately giving chase. The mother was still on the floor, wailing towards the direction of her child and husband. Martha, in shock, still holding the cloth she intended to wrap johnny with.
It took me a while to notice Diane shaking me vigorously. "Doctor!" She screams. "Doctor Smith! What should we do!?" She voices out, with obvious desperation.
I ignored her.
I feel scared, but taking all into consideration, I predominantly feel tired. Defeated. Insulted.
I have nothing more to give in the face of whatever that thing that took Johnny was.
I slowly walk towards my desk, I open my drawer, I take a piece of paper and I pull out my pen.
Patient #00001a Name redacted 10/M
I write, giving no thoughts to the people on the same room as me, those left behind by little Johnny and his father. "Did he catch up to him? Was the boy alright now?...is his father alright?" I wonder. I'll find out soon enough, I figured, rumors spread like wildfire around here anyways.
I continued to write with resignment, absorbed in my own little world, consumed by the horror I witnessed, the breaking of my spirit, of my beliefs, the questioning of my knowledge. I want to escape it, deny it, but that's not what should be done to the truth. So I surrendered.

1 To consider possession probably secondary to malevolent spirit

END

FTM and just gave birth last week to our miracle baby boy. I had a pretty traumatic birth owing to how fast the delivery was which led to baby needing to spend a few days in NICU. According to my discharge notes, I was in active labor for 5 hours and he was delivered in one push. My OB and midwives have all commented on how quickly everything progressed and how my next baby will be born in the car park if we don’t get to the hospital fast enough!
So my question is how long were you in active labor for your first and subsequent children?

As the school year wraps up I am having doubts about my oldest’s education so far. For reference I went to a very very good public school, but I can’t afford that district and my kids go to a much bigger, not as good district. And I’m not sure what is normal anymore. I’m mostly worried that he still can’t read, and the school, at our last conference mentioned nothing about it, saying he was progressing as his classmates are. I learned to read before kindergarten, and was in “advanced” classes most of my school so I’m just sort of shocked? Is this normal or should I be looking for other school options? I will be taking the summer to try my hand at teaching him myself, but we’ll see how that goes. (If you have tips lmk!) I want to note that I’m generally happy with the school, the staff is great and very supportive

May 19 2024 (Sun) 16:00 PST to May 26 2024 (Sun) 15:59 PST [May 20 2024 (Mon) 0:00 UTC to May 26 2024 (Sun) 23:59 UTC]

This week’s master missions:

1. Complete all of this week's Master Missions.
2. Defeat 3 “Lawful” Servants (Excluding enemies summoned during battle).
3. Defeat 3 “Chaotic” Servants (Excluding enemies summoned during battle).
4. Defeat 20 enemies (Excluding enemies summoned during battle).
5. Defeat 40 enemies (Excluding enemies summoned during battle).
6. Defeat 15 “Humanoid” enemies (Excluding enemies summoned during battle).
7. Defeat 15 “Wild Beast” enemies (Excluding enemies summoned during battle).

How to complete missions using free quests:

• 3x Unknown Coordinates X-F – Fuyuki – 18AP

Progress: 24/40 enemies, and 6/15 “Humanoid” enemies. Completed: Defeat 3 “Lawful” Servants, Defeat 3 “Chaotic” Servants, and Defeat 20 enemies.

• 2x Bordeaux – Orleans – 14AP

Completed: Defeat 40 enemies, Defeat 15 “Humanoid” enemies and Defeat 15 “Wild Beast” enemies.

Total: 32AP

Author's comment:

Masters may complete this week’s Master Missions just by getting up-to-date with story, first time clears of Free Quests, Interludes, Rank Up Quests, and Advanced Quests. Just make sure to check the progress over the weekend to make sure you’ve cleared them.

The Chaldea App:

The master mission guidance provided above was obtained with the help of the Chaldea app that can be found here. Khadroth has a guide on how to setup and use the Chaldea app which can be found here. Note: the ember missions aren't taken into account currently. These contain heaven enemies with divine enemies for the extreme difficulty.

Hi All. Recently got PMP (yayy!!). Here's my cover letter and resume for your quick review. Current experience managing agile projects = 7 years. Targetting Senior Project Manager roles.
Cover letter
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
I am writing to express my interest in the Project Manager position at [Company Name]. With more than 7 years of experience in project management, I am confident in my ability to drive successful outcomes for your team.
In my current role at [], I am leading a cross-functional teams to deliver projects on time and within budget, consistently exceeding expectations. My skills in strategic planning, stakeholder management, and risk mitigation make me a strong candidate for this position.
I am excited about the opportunity to bring my expertise to [Company Name] and contribute to its success. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how my background aligns with the needs of your team.
Sincerely,
https://preview.redd.it/1zqmt0gp4h1d1.png?width=660&format=png&auto=webp&s=3bbe59bfedc1f7c72c72f9948af71da6d04cacf7
https://preview.redd.it/v6or2hkr4h1d1.png?width=712&format=png&auto=webp&s=0774f50b99bff5afa5721dce9bf21e4af771e22c

TLDR: They do, just not in the ways you might expect.
I apologize to those who were looking for an erudite, scholarly article with cited quotations from approved theosophical sources. Unfortunately, it’s only my opinion based on my studies, personal experience, and pure speculation in some instances, and without delineating which are which, so if you choose to read further, please keep that in mind. Those of us who like to study The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett, the Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, and the letters received by Olcott in Old Diary Leaves marvel at the number of notes, messages, and sometimes long letters that were received by numerous aspiring chelas from 1873 to about 1886, filled with encouragement, wisdom, and teachings of the Ancient Wisdom doctrine. Where did these Masters go?
Those particular Mahatmas have continued to progress in their spiritual enlightenment at a pace far faster than that at which most of us are traveling. Some may not be directly associated with human spiritual development at all by now, and if they are, it is from a much greater distance, metaphorically speaking, than the distance between them and aspirants in 1880. Hume and Sinnett were told not to worry because there would always be a few replacements for the Adepts as they progressed to other assignments.
KH had to get special permission from the Mahāchohan to communicate through HPB with Sinnett, Hume, and others. It was given very reluctantly and with more restrictions as time went on. The Adepts were hoping to find one or more Europeans (including people of European descent in other countries) that could take up the work begun by HPB. They tried various potential candidates, beginning with Hume and Sinnett, and invariably they failed, one after another. In the meantime, HPB still had to furnish the specific energy she alone could supply to make communication possible between a Mahatma and those who had none of the special training she had. The two Englishmen were warned early on that if she died, her energy reserve was only enough for two or three letters, at most. As it turned out, it was only one letter that was received after she died in 1891.
It seems that training Europeans to be chelas is not as easy as training certain Asians. Per KH, “You may be, and most assuredly are, our superiors in every branch of physical knowledge; in spiritual sciences we were, are, and always will be — your Masters.” The Asian way of thinking is simply better adapted to grasping spiritual concepts. But obviously it isn't impossible for Europeans to succeed since KH also assured Hume and Sinnett that there were two English Adepts even at that time. So it is possible, just more difficult. This implies that Europeans have to work even harder to achieve the same degree of progress. Not what we wanted to hear, but still good to know.
After HPB died, communications ended abruptly. Her students were bereft. Olcott, who periodically had received direct communications, was confused. He assumed they would continue as before. Damodar, one of the few chelas who had also been able to receive direct communications, had left for Tibet about the same time Blavatsky left India forever. Olcott was convinced that Damodar would return to fill in for her, but that never happened. I realize there are theosophists who believe that communications continued after HPB’s death, but in my opinion, the quality of those messages were markedly different from the quality we find in The Mahatma Letters, so I don’t have much confidence in most of those post-Blavatsky messages.
The original experiment of training one or more European chelas to replace Blavatsky failed. All the thousands of Mahatma-hours devoted to the goal seemingly came to nought. Except that it didn’t. Even if it didn’t succeed immediately, the seeds had been planted, but it would take time for results to be realized. We have a plethora of information now on how to become a chela, but that too is a problem. How do we sift through the mountains of information available, much of it not very useful, to find those few pure nuggets of gold that will point us in the right direction? The answer is simple: discernment. Okay, maybe not that simple, since not many people seem to have developed discernment. This qualification was originally called discrimination, but I will use the term discernment since the meaning of discrimination has changed markedly in the past 100 years. How do we develop discernment?
Again, the answer is simple: Get rid of ego. Now at least we have something we can understand. The answer may be simple, but getting rid of ego is anything but simple. We have to be willing to let go of it, release our attachment to possessions, our quest for power, our love of attention, need for approval, need to be needed, need of validation, our desire for excitement and drama. That’s a lot, but it has to be done, even if it takes more than one lifetime to make it happen, but hopefully some of us started the process in previous lifetimes and are continuing to work on it currently. If anyone thought the path was going to be easy, it isn’t. If it were, it would be nothing special. Anyone with a little perseverance could gain the powers of the advanced chelas without giving up much that we cherish. The path to chelaship is not fun and exciting, certainly not for a long, long time. It is mostly pain and hardship as we give up one thing after another that we thought was so important to our happiness. The more we are attached to material things and the goals of materialism, the more arduous the ascent up the mountain of chelaship.
So far, acquiring discernment and getting rid of ego are two things we can definitely work on. What’s next? Well, purity is absolutely essential. So, becoming a vegetarian, a non-smoker, a non-drinker and not engaging in sex except within an approved form of marriage, right? Well, those will all be required at some point, and even more eventually, but they are not required in the early stages. Purity of motive is number one, then comes purity of ethics. Do we believe it’s okay to lie if it helps achieve a good result? Not according to KH. He said an untruth had never passed his lips in this lifetime and emphasized that being scrupulous in telling the truth is absolutely necessary. How can a Mahatma trust someone who is willing to lie sometimes? They can’t, and more than one aspiring chela failed because they couldn’t pass that test. Sterling ethics are essential for chelaship.
Another requirement is an unconditional love of humanity and all living things, which includes our planet. Is there anyone at all that you hate? If so, you don’t have unconditional love of humanity and don’t truly believe in Brotherhood. Without this foundational belief in Oneness, to the point that we treat everyone as a brother, regardless of their actions, then we haven’t grasped the full meaning of this concept. It’s something else we may need to work on.
Does anyone receive any communications from these Masters anymore? Yes, they do. They are the ones who have been working for more than one or two lifetimes already toward that goal. They are already ahead of most of us who are still struggling to figure out what is important and what is not. Through sheer hard work they have succeeded in developing discernment, reduction of the ego to almost nothing, non-attachment and non-reaction. Through countless hours of meditation, they have achieved oneness, to some extent, with their Higher Self, and glimmers of inspiration and insight are beginning to come through. These faint first fruits of effort eventually become a more reliable channel by which any Mahatma who may have been watching over those efforts can test the connection from time to time, by planting a thought near us to see if we recognize it, and if we do, observe what we do with it. This process can take many, many years, more than one lifetime. If we become impatient and inclined to try a faster method, not only are we doomed to failure, but it will take more than one lifetime to get back on track. Some of us have already experienced that before. The Mahatmas learned a lot from their experiment in the 1880s. One result is that they retreated back behind their curtain of secrecy and anonymity, and it isn’t hard to see why. They and their agents were assailed from all sides, by scientists, religious people, and spiritualists, but their most severe critics were their former friends that they had tried to help to gain understanding. How could they focus on working for the benefit of humanity while being attacked 24 hours a day? It will probably be a long time before they try something like that again. Nothing is out in the open now. It isn’t through large groups that they work, but their efforts are concentrated on a few individuals who work together with a few other individuals. Progress comes through very small groups, not through large organizations. Those large organizations serve a purpose too, to preserve the original teachings and make sure they remain available to the world, and to serve as a starting point for a few brave souls who are willing to make the tremendous effort required for self-transformation into an intelligent, purified, discerning instrument, willing to give up cherished but inaccurate ideas, and motivated by pure love of humanity, to be trained further after lifetimes of effort to attain that intermediate goal of becoming an accepted chela. These are they with whom they communicate.

Once upon a time, I made a GitHub issue for a feature I wanted in DIM, and it was declined. A day later I started working with the API, and two years later (oh god) I have an app that maybe a dozen people use, while having many features that other item managers don’t have (or have, but do in more annoying ways.)
I have spent probably between 2k and 3k hours on this app, so I figured enough was enough, I need to just stop worrying about having the perfect first impression and tell people about it. My greatest hope here is that there are other people this can be useful for so that all the time I’ve spent on it isn’t a waste anymore >.<
Before I go any further, I’m going to link it, if you’d like to check it out: deepsight.gg
But for everyone else, here's a list of features: - UI emulating the aesthetic of in-game - Basic item management - Fully customisable sort - Filtering via input with highlighting & buttons to insert suggested filters - Collections view (also sort & filterable) - Seeing encounters things drop from in extra item tooltip information, when they’re currently available - Wishlisting any number of perk combinations on collections items via UI - Player overview over all three characters, showing power overview (current and maximum), stats overview (armour) - Pattern icon on weapons is based on current pattern progress (orange = this is shaped, black = random roll now useless because pattern unlocked, white = still need pattern progress) - Bookmark icon on items indicating in a loadout - Second tooltip showing more information like available perks, or for shaped weapons the levels you’ll be able to reshape perks on at, or for enhanced weapons, the tier they need to be at - Setting a custom targeted stat distribution (ie, I want mobility at 2 for group 1, and resilience and recovery as high as possible) - Full support for D2Clarity perk info (including some features other apps don’t bother to support) - Spying on other guardians’ stuff — note that this is a new feature that still needs polishing - For other third party developers, a suite of my own automatically generated manifests made use of by deepsight and usable by you, too!
Features I haven’t gotten to yet: - Loadouts support - Optimising armour stats - Subclass support - Artifact support - Full mobile support - Further improving performance (I stg this is so complicated with the size of the D2 manifest)
I probably missed some features, but oh well, that’s most everything. :p
deepsight.gg is completely open source, licensed MIT, and if anyone has any issues or requests I’d love to see them there or in the Discord server.
If you give it a shot, or even if you just read through the post, thank you! It means a lot.