League of the gentlemen extraordinary 2

So I have two strikers, one target man, and one pressing forward, both with at least decent stats for my league. However, from the moment I bought the target man, he hasn't scored a single goal. And my pressing forward just stopped contributing after only netting 4. Neither of them have a negative traits, such as disliking important matches etc. So I'm not sure what's going on. I tried being persistent in playing them, to at least give them a chance, while disciplining them after every game for how bad their performance was. They agree with me, yet nothing changes lol. Now even my board is unhappy about how poorly they perform. So I got sick of it, and subbed out my striker in the last game for a subpar 16 year old poacher, and he just scored two in his debut game alone. And 2 more in the very next game. I'm sorry, but make it make sense.

Evergreen, a rather welcoming name. Perfect for a land full of calm, peace and beauty. Evergreen in this case is the name of a vast kingdom. This kingdom is an incredibly complicated but majestic land and its people as well. Now sit back, relax and enjoy as I tell you about Evergreen.
First of all, where did Evergreen come from? Well the most early evidence of anyone living here was over 8000 years ago though if you truly think about it it could be as far back as 50 000 years. You see, the oldest trace of civilization in the kingdom is a large ancient hotel in the center of Heatherlea. No other building outdated this and that record is still held up to this day. The actual date of foundation of the kingdom is completely unknown and absolutely no one can tell when it could ever be because of the incredibly vague amount of information on anything before the recorded history of Evergreen. Though not everyone is so clueless, one person may know the answer on the timeline and that is The One Hundred.
You may be asking who this One Hundred person is. He is the oldest person in Evergreen and supposedly some sort of God. Very little is known about him but all that is known is whoever this person is, they are the most powerful in the kingdom.
Now I think you’ve heard enough about the kingdom itself and the basics on it now why don’t we get to work on actually unraveling this massive mystery. But with so many things to explain, how can this ever have an order? Well that’s very easy to do, this is a catalog of everything to know on the topic of Evergreen. Let’s begin.
Cities of Evergreen
Evergreen is the main city of the kingdom, it is used as a capital as well as the largest megalopolis of the city. Though in Scriptorium, the language of Evergreen, they don’t have terms for city, megalopolis or metropolis. So to them everything is a settlement, village or town. In this kingdom the size of a village does not matter only its population and Evergreen having over 1 000 000 people living in it, it’s considered the largest village in the kingdom. Which is quite a fitting label for the capital of such a large kingdom. Though not only Heatherlea contains an important building. Evergreen has the Main Hall and Steffy’s Mansion, both constructions are very important because they contain Aletine. Aletine is a rare gem that will be explained later on but for now all you need to know on Aletine is that it is very rare and very precious. The buildings each have an arch constructed fully of this material.
The whispers of Evergreen
Not everyone in Evergreen is happy with what they know about the kingdom. Certain things are very secretive and though on the outside it seems like a perfect place it is shrouded in mystery and entangled in a web of unknown like a huge tapestry of mystery. The people of the villages are mostly happy with how everything is going except for one thing. They want to know more about the village’s origin. You see, Steffy, The One Hundred, Heathotel and Aletinian do not want too much information to escape into the public’s hands. A disquiet hums beneath the seemingly idyllic surface of Evergreen. Whispers flit through bustling marketplaces, hinting at an enigmatic past shrouded in secrecy. Kept under lock and key by Steffy and the other main powers of Evergreen, the population never ceases to speculate what they could be hiding. Is it a secret civilization before us? Or could it be that Aletine is the secret to the lost time? No matter what the citizens say not one word has been spoken by anyone in control. And there is a good reason behind all of that which will be explained later on.
Architecture and style of Evergreen and it’s settlements
A warped image of Evergreen is fabricated when you dig deeper than what’s on the idyllic surface of Evergreen. But the kingdom is still a majestic land. Its architecture is primarily biomimicry as the villagers are very connected to their surroundings and the flora that they share the world with. The respect for nature in Evergreen is reflected everywhere, in the architecture, in the culture, celebrations and many more subtle depictions. The style that the land has adopted over the millenia is a very calming one, they believe in living life to its fullest so the architects try to make things as pleasant to live in as possible in almost every way possible. You will never find any hostile architecture in the city as its capital status means that it must show a good example for the other settlements to follow. However, the pervasive calmness of Evergreen's architecture raises questions. Could this serene aesthetic be a deliberate ploy? Is biomimicry a way to mask the secrets hidden beneath the tranquil surface? The One Hundred, with their knowledge of the lost civilization and the interdimensional threat, may have a vested interest in maintaining this facade of idyllic peace. Steffy, with his atmosphirec gem of unknown origin, might also find solace in the calming influence of these biomimicry structures. No one can know for sure but until more is learned why not enjoy centuries of perfected design and let the peacefulness wash over you as you stroll through the markets and quiet neighborhoods of the town.
The rest of the settlements
Evergreen does not have that many large towns, only about 4 main ones, Evergreen, Azalea, Heatherlea and Islafield. Those main towns are surrounded by much smaller ones but the main focus is on the four towns above.
Islafield
Islafield is, as the name suggests, mostly for farming hence the ‘field” in its name. The town is near a lake also named Isla The lake is used for fishing as well as a way to water the crops of the town. This majestic town is the main source of nourishment for the entire kingdom with 60% of its land consisting of fields and crops. The kingdom contains 5.6 million inhabitants which is a vast amount of mouths to feed and according to the way Steffy wants to run the kingdom, everyone should have the same chance with life per se he just doesn’t want anyone to starve or die before their time that is the primary reason why he allowed Islafield to become such a large producer of food. He would usually want people to get their produce from the same town in which they live in though since he has 5.6 million people to feed he made the exception that Islafield can export its harvest to the other towns. Other than the beautiful fields of flowers and crops Islafield doesn’t really hold much interest in the eye of the population of Evergreen. Though it is considered the most naturally beautiful town in the kingdom, its beauty does not help it much with population, it has been on a decline ever since the vault of Aletine became public knowledge. Perhaps the Aletinians, a secretive cult entrusted with crafting tools made of Aletine, might hold knowledge about this strange and sudden decline. Despite the dwindling population, Islafield remains a vital part of Evergreen. However, its idyllic facade now masks a layer of intrigue, begging the question: is Islafield truly just a farming town, or is it a cornerstone in a larger, undisclosed operation of the Aletinians?
Heatherlea, a town of beauty and intrigue
Heatherlea, nestled in Evergreen's north, throbs with a unique energy.This bustling town transforms into the kingdom's prime tourist destination during warmer months, welcoming an influx of 700,000 visitors. The undeniable allure? The enigmatic Ancient Hotel, an 8000-year-old structure, the oldest human-made wonder in Evergreen. However, Heatherlea's charm extends beyond the Ancient Hotel.,underneath the ancient hotel hides a vault. The most secure place in the entire kingdom. Inside of that vault is a supply of Aletine. Since Aletine is only found in that singular spot underneath the hotel a vault was built around the mine to keep everyone out of there given how precious Aletine is.Other than its main attractions, its marketplace features the kingdom's tallest stand, showcasing the rare blue and orange Heatherberry. Yet, the exclusivity of these berries in Heatherlea raises questions. Found primarily in the south, their presence here seems curiously deliberate. Is it simply a marketing ploy, or could it be part of a larger scheme? Heatherlea's vibrancy and tourist appeal are undeniable, but a disquieting question lingers: is it a genuine haven, or a meticulously crafted facade designed to distract from the secrets buried beneath the surface?
Azalea, a town shrouded in floral mystery
Azalea is known for one reason, if you look closely at its name you will notice that it contains the name of a flower. Azalea is named after the rhododendron by the same name, Azalea. This specific flower only grows in the town for unknown reasons and once again the reason for the flower's appearance in this one part of the kingdom is gatekeeped by the main powers The One Hundred, Steffy with his atmosphirec gem, and the Aletinians, each with their vested interests in the mysteries of Evergreen, all seem particularly invested in keeping the reason for the Azalea's exclusivity under wraps. Intriguingly, Azalea attracts a disproportionate number of Aletine sellers, who use the flower's beauty to showcase their wares. Why this specific town, rather than a more prominent location? Could there be a connection between the Azalea's unique properties and the Aletine gem? The motives of the sellers remain shrouded in secrecy, adding another layer to the mysteries swirling around Azalea and deepen the mystery of Evergreen.
Shadows in Evergreen: Unveiling the Kingdom's Cults
Evergreen's power structure extends beyond the readily apparent figures like Steffy and The One Hundred. Shrouded in secrecy, a network of cults weaves its influence through the kingdom. While some, like the Aletinians, maintain a relatively benign presence, crafting tools from the enigmatic Aletine, others operate with a more veiled agenda. The Heathotels, shrouded in mystery themselves, stand out for their potential hostility. Their enigmatic purpose and unknown connection to the Aletinians, an exclusive society rumored to possess knowledge on the craftsmanship of Aletine weapons, fuel speculation about their true motives. Do they cover the Aletine's power for their own gain, or are they safeguarding Evergreen from a yet-unknown threat? The secrecy surrounding these cults casts a long shadow, leaving the question unanswered: are they guardians or hidden dangers lurking within the kingdom's idyllic facade? The Heathotels: Enigmatic guardians of the ancient stone The heathotels are a mostly harmless cult. They are in charge of the protection of the Ancient Hotel and are the only ones who have full access to the vault containing all the Aletine. They seem to worship the hotel itself and treat Aletine adorned objects with the same respect as they would do to Steffy himself. They are highly secretive with the reasons on why they respect the precious stone so much and what connection they seem to have with the ancient hotel. While the other power players, like The One Hundred and Steffy himself, strive to keep the Heathotels' activities shrouded, their efforts only heighten the intrigue. This raises the question, if the Heathotels are truly a benign force, why such a concerted effort to conceal their practices? The Heathotels' enigmatic presence throws a long shadow, leaving the question unanswered: are they protectors of the Aletine and the Ancient Hotel, or are they guardians of a far deeper secret? The Aletinians: Sworn Crafters of Aletine Wonders Among Evergreen's enigmatic factions, the Aletinians occupy a distinct position. Eschewing the rigid structure of traditional cults, they follow a oath instead of a set of rules.The specifics of this oath remain a closely guarded secret, fueling endless whispers and speculation. The Aletinians, as their name suggests, possess a unique bond with Aletine. Interestingly they do not worship the Aletine but instead they treat it with reverence, viewing it less as an object and more as a potent material.The true purpose of the Aletinians is to forge everything that is created out of Aletine. They are hand picked, allegedly to safeguard the kingdom's precious Aletine supply, to ensure the safety of the kingdom’s supply of this majestic gem they can only be of a certain sanity. Once again the villagers have their own theories, whispers abound about an Aletine-infused substance used in the selection process, a method to ensure only the "worthy" wield the gem's power.Though to be granted the incredible privilege of handling Aletine directly is very prestigious as only 30 people have the privilege of handling the precious Aletine. But many things are still unclear with them as well. Why do these artisans operate outside the Ancient Hotel, traveling all the way to Azalea to practice their craft? And why, despite their seemingly benign nature, does Steffy strive to keep them hidden from the public eye? The Aletinians remain a captivating enigma, their purpose and connection to Azalea hinting at a deeper role within Evergreen's veiled secrets. The Nevergreen: Shadows Reaching for Forbidden Power In stark contrast to the Aletinians, who utilize Aletine for crafting, stands the enigmatic Nevergreen cult. Driven by a sinister agenda, they seek to weaponize the gem's power, a truth known only to Steffy and The One Hundred. Whispers abound of their attempts to breach the Aletine mine's containment, a reckless act that some speculate triggered a deadly conflict, the War Of Gods, shrouded in secrecy. Steffy himself, it seems, remains unaware of the Nevergreen's potential role in this ancient war. He and The One Hundred instead attribute it to a nebulous embodiment of darkness. The Nevergreen also strive to make the deepest secrets of Evergreen public knowledge. They are the reason why the Aletine vault became known to the villagers of Evergreen. The One Hundred and Steffy tried to cover it up by saying that the villagers deserved to know the truth of where the Aletine came from. But in reality it was an elaborate plan birthed by the leader of the Nevergreen. The identity of the Nevergreen's leader is a captivating mystery. Villagers whisper of a connection to Steffy's ancient enemy, this enigmatic embodiment of darkness. They are also rumored to have connections to the mysterious interdimensional threat looming over the kingdom, a danger only The One Hundred seems fully aware of. This raises the question, if The One Hundred knows everything about Evergreen, why do they still remain passive? Are they truly guardians, or are they somehow entangled within the complex web woven by the Nevergreen?
Gleams of Forbidden light and beauty Aletine, gem of untold power Aletine, a captivating gem shrouded in mystery, sits at the heart of Evergreen's enigmatic power structure. Its existence fuels whispers, speculation, and a fierce struggle for control amongst the kingdom's secretive factions. Here, we delve into the mystery concerning this precious stone. First of all, what are the origins of Aletine? Evergreen's bustling streets are rife with speculation regarding Aletine's origins. Villagers, known for their colorful theories, theorize that it is a form of interdimensional material, arrived here at the mysterious cataclysmic event that destroyed everything. Rumors abound of a ripped veil between dimensions, spewing Aletine into Evergreen while leaving devastation in its wake. While most of these village tales are dismissed as mere flights of fancy, the recent revelation of the Aletine vault beneath the Ancient Hotel has given some credence to the notion of an extraordinary origin. However, the truth remains shrouded in secrecy. Only Steffy and the other powerful factions possess any concrete knowledge about Aletine's arrival in Evergreen. Unveiling Aletine: Myth and Reality Clash The truth behind Aletine shatters some village myths while confirming others. While not interdimensional as some theorized, the gem undeniably originates from beyond Evergreen's reality. Its arrival coincided with the cataclysmic event that reshaped the kingdom, a truth only The One Hundred truly understands. This revelation validates a part of the villagers' extravagant theories, a devastating event did occur. However, it disproves the notion of a dimensional tear bringing Aletine here.The gem's origins remain shrouded in secrecy, fueling speculation about the civilization it hailed from. Unveiling the Secrets of Aletine Aletine is the most precious and most protected thing in all of the kingdom. The amount of secrecy surrounding Aletine is almost enough to rival the secrecy surrounding The One Hundred. With so much secrecy surrounding the gem you might be wondering why it is such a big secret. Well as explained before Aletine is hidden under the ancient hotel, the oldest building in Evergreen. Located beneath the ancient hotel, the oldest structure in the kingdom, Aletine predates all other known resources. The exact date of its arrival remains locked away in the archives of The One Hundred, who possess the sole understanding of its properties. Historically, they reveal information only in dire circumstances to safeguard the kingdom. Steffy's mansion and the main hall boast massive Aletine arches, a testament to the gem's power: repelling dark energy and matter. Steffy had the arch built in his mansion after the battle with The Embodiment of Darkness. The gem releases an aura around it stopping anything that contains darkness from passing through whatever it is built in. The shape of the arch is also a key detail to securing the room at the maximum. The arch shape lets the aura bounce off of it and spread to the rest of the mansion but in smaller quantities. Steffy and The One Hundred are the only two who possess this key information about Aletine. Aletine's potential extends beyond this defensive ability. Could it hold further, untapped properties? The possibility of weaponizing this powerful gem remains a question with potentially far-reaching consequences. Aletine’s connections Aletine is not only known to Steffy and The One Hundred. The public knows about this gem as well but so do all the cults in Evergreen. The Heathotels’s archives contain the largest collection of knowledge on Aletine other than what Steffy and The One Hundred know. A single, crucial truth about Aletine's connection to an interdimensional entity eludes even Steffy. Only The One Hundred and the enigmatic leader of the Heathotels are privy to this knowledge. Aletine is connected to some other worldly being. Since its roots can be traced to outside of Evergreen’s world, there must be some other civilisation that made contact with the gem before the Great End. Another thing to take into perspective is that Aletine is one of the oldest substances in the world. Its age could suggest a lost civilization predating the cataclysmic "Great End." Could this civilization have been the first to harness Aletine's power? The gem's connection to another world fuels this speculation. Aletine has undoubtedly passed through countless hands over millennia. Are the Aletinians, with their oath of secrecy, truly in control? Or is Steffy merely a pawn in a larger game? Perhaps a hidden organization, like a rogue faction within The One Hundred or a descendant of the lost civilization, manipulates events from the shadows. The question of who truly controls Aletine lies at the heart of Evergreen's mysteries. Aletine’s potentials Aletine reigns supreme as Evergreen's most potent gem, rivaled only by the enigmatic atmospheric gem. It has many magical properties,Its most celebrated property being the fact that it can repel dark energy and dark matter which came in handy during the War Of Gods. It can also be used for a multitude of different things. One of the most outstanding creations with Aletine is the arches in the Main hall and Steffy’s mansion. They are guarding the archives which contain precious and secretive documents on Evergreen as well as artifacts that have not been exposed to the public. With so many possible uses for Aletine only a select few are actually used. The Aletinians have been told only 6 times in the last century to forge weapons out of Aletine. With those orders coming straight from Steffy himself. With the looming interdimensional threat it is highly likely that a war will start in the next millennium. Who will be the 2 sides is still a mystery. Steffy is also worried about a rebellion, Aletine has caused unrest in the villages which have caused small riots and raids of the libraries and archives yet all of them end in failure. It is another very likely possibility that a civil war will start in the next few hundred years. The main powers may be aware of this and are preparing to defend themselves if this possibility becomes a reality. Yet, the question lingers: with Aletine's apparent defensive capabilities and no documented harm to Evergreen, why such secrecy? Are the powers hiding something more sinister? Could they be preparing for a threat far greater than a civil war, a threat hinted at by the whispers of an interdimensional entity connected to Aletine? Lempty, a gem of mysterious beauty Lempty gems, with their captivating light blue hue and characteristically rough, quadrilateral edges, are a ubiquitous presence in Evergreen. Lempty is not much of a very interesting gem. It is mostly used for decorative purposes and not very much in weapon smithing.Though it has a lack of properties, It has very famous use, Steffy himself has a 5000 year old Lempty encrusted egg. It is originally made out of the bedrock of Evergreen, Eslud, with a few pieces of Lempty embedded in it’s surface. Even with such a useless facade with no redeeming qualities, it is still widely used in architecture especially in the northern villages to portray the cold and the snow that those villages usually experience. Lempty can be found in almost every mine in Evergreen, since it is very widespread it has a very small value. Compared to Aletine it is 7 000 000x less valuable. Since it is so cheap it can be found in almost every piece of jewelry and almost every building contains even a bit of Lempty. Rumors of Lempty's untapped potential for healing pique curiosity. Though currently as mere folklore, such mystery raises intriguing questions. Is Lempty truly just a decorative gem, or is there more to its story? Perhaps Steffy's undying devotion to the Lempty egg holds the key to unlocking its secrets. The parasitic presence of Lempty throughout Evergreen hints at a potential significance waiting to be discovered. Eslud, the foundation of Evergreen Eslud reigns supreme as the most common stone in Evergreen. It literally forms the foundation of the world, as the very mines themselves are carved from this versatile material. Eslud is used most commonly in construction since it can resist high temperatures and immense amounts of pressure. The only interesting property of Eslud is that no matter how much pressure is on it, it stays flexible allowing for buildings made out of it to withstand high winds and earth-shattering quakes. It is also the stone of choice when making heirlooms since it can withstand so much damage keeping the heirloom good as new for generations. The most famous example of this is the 3000 year old Eslud box that has been passed down as the Retule family heirloom. More than just a common stone, Eslud embodies the resilience and unwavering spirit that lies at the heart of Evergreen itself. Atmospheric gem, a power of nature The atmospheric gem is the true rarest gem in Evergreen as it is only found in one place, on the tip of Steffy’s magical staff. It has the power to control the atmosphere hence the name atmospheric gem, thanks to its power to control the atmosphere, Steffy chose this gem as his crystal of choice to harness its magical properties. Though Steffy never found this gem in nature since it is a mix between Aletine, Lempty and Celusi. The exact process of how the Atmospheric gem came into existence is still a closely guarded secret with only Steffy and The One Hundred knowing how the gem was fabricated. The exact origins of the Atmospheric Gem remain a closely guarded secret. While Steffy acknowledges the possibility of finding such a gem naturally in a faraway corner of the universe, he downplays the chances of it existing on Evergreen. It takes intense heat and pressure to let it form correctly and there were many failed attempts to create Atmopsheric with the failures themselves playing a crucial role in the final product. It is quite obvious what Atmospheric does, however, how it achieves this control remains a mystery. Steffy and The One Hundred keep the details shrouded in secrecy. This secrecy fuels speculation: what truly powers the gem, and what drove Steffy to dedicate over a century to crafting it for a seemingly limited ability to control the weather? Could there be a grander purpose behind its creation, a power yet to be revealed? Celusi, the geriatric gem of Tyrlosuh Celusi is one of the rarest gems in the kingdom rivaled only by Aletine. It can only be found in Heatherlea, usually near a patch of heatherberry; studies have shown that the heatherberry benefits from the light residue that emanates from the Celusi. The major families of Evergreen usually have a reserve of Celusi to pay the more hefty fines as well as create new heirlooms for each generation. Unlike the highly sought-after Aletine, Celusi possesses no outwardly magical properties, at least to the casual observer. Steffy and the other major powers seem largely uninterested in the gem. Yet, a single, magnificent purple Celusi, a rarity in its own right, resides with the Tyrlosuh family, one of Evergreen's wealthiest and most prominent lineages, containing almost 250 current living descendants and over 10 generations are currently in the lineage which means they’re are 140 year old people in the family. Botinelosi, is the oldest person in the family standing at 164 years old and is the first person to ever use Celusi in the art of crafting. He stumbled across it while mining in the outskirts of Heatherlea near the village where the family originated, affectionately also named Tyrlosuh. Steffy originally seized control of the mine where Botinelosi found it. The quick seizure of the mine raised suspicion on the properties of Celusi. Steffy eventually allowed Botinelosi to have full control over the mine. Rumors spread through the kingdom like a wildfire, Botinelosi's silence on the matter, coupled with the Tyrlosuh family's secrecy, fuels the rumors. What truth are they hiding? Could Celusi's beauty mask a more significant purpose, a power that rivals even Aletine's? Polompty, a concoction of nature Polompty, a breathtaking gem with an allure unlike any other, shimmers with the colors of Lempty, accented by veins of Eslud embedded deep within its interior. It also comes from the same location as Celusi, near the Tyrlosuh village. By taking its location into consideration it may lead you to believe that Polompty is simply an underdeveloped version of Celusi, which is what Botinelosi originally believed when first discovering it in the abandoned Reveras mine right near the Tyrlosuh mine. Polompty was originally put under extensive studies to discover more information on it, all the studies ended up coming with one answer: Polompty is a marvel of nature, a harmonious blend of 6 different stones and gems. Which explains the presence of Eslud in its core as well as the colors of Lempty. Since it has such a strange yet intriguing beauty it captivated crafters's curiosity which caused an influx of its use to fabricate jewelry. However when Lomi, daughter of Botinelosi, became head of the family the mine was closed off to the public and all sales of Polompty stopped causing shockwaves in the gem market, sparking the infamous Polompty rush. The Polompty rush, a desperate search After Lomi shut down the mine, the supply of Polompty slowly trickled to a stop. Lomi's aged father, Botinelosi, allowed his son Bisel to sell the remaining stones stored in the Tyrlosuh archives. With the Polompty market back on its feet, the family had satiated the market’s hunger. However, Lomi had a different vision for the family's future. She declared her son, Utigo, as her heir, bypassing Bisel's claim. Bisel sadly accepted to avoid being ostracized by the family ending the power struggle for the leadership of the Tyrlosuh lineage. The gem market, unable to sway Lomi, eventually turned its attention elsewhere. It wasn't long before the Retule family, sworn rivals of the Tyrlosuh family, discovered a small grove of Polompty near their Heatherberry fields. With the supply restored, markets everywhere flourished and the Polompty rush ended. This new source rekindled the market for three years, until this supply dwindled as well. Now, with both sources depleted and demand still high, a question lingers: Why did Lomi close the mine, causing economic turmoil? Does she possess knowledge of a hidden danger associated with Polompty, or is there a deeper secret to this extraordinary gem's origin? Families of Evergreen, cults in disguise Tyrlosuh family, from gemstone guardians to fallen shadows The Tyrlosuh family is the largest and wealthiest family in the entire history of the kingdom, they originate from Heatherlea and their family founder is Botinesoli and his loving wife Temorla Tyrlosuh who had 2 children, Lomi Tyrlosuh and Bisel Tyrlosuh. Bisel was originally the next heir for the head of the Tyrlosuh family but after Lomi took power as the first heir she decided to declare her son Ugito as the next heir. Bisel accepted his fate to never be head of the family to avoid being exiled by Lomi. With her decision she completely bypassed Bisel’s bloodline from the lineage, completely extinguishing any chance for any of his descendants to ever ascend to the title of head of family. Though this has never been done in the family, Lomi received backlash from both family members as well as the public as this was seen as an unforgivable act of treason to her own blood. With her destructive decision she removed over 30 descendants from having the last name Tyrlosuh. Bisel’s new family line, the Bisenoty, decided to declare a familial war against the Tyrlosuh. Sparking the Biserlosuh familial war. The Biserlosuh Familial war After Bisel declared a familial war against the Lomi, the population of Azalea and the, affectionately named, Tyrlosuh town, started to pick sides. At the time Bisel had the most support by the villagers considering Lomi was the cause of the Polompty rush. Which brought both fortune and misfortune, and had threatened to burn villager’s houses unless they followed her orders as their new leader, which sowed distrust between the populace. The war was not particularly disastrous since it was between 2 armies of around 400 people. Though the amount of lives lost caused an impact in the surrounding area and sent a shockwave in the gem trade market since the Tyrlosuh family were the largest exporters of stones and gems. Both families ended up losing a combined 86 members, 21 from the Bisenoty family leaving only 13 people left and the rest were from the Tyrlosuh family. This disaster would leave over 1300 civilians injured and over 700 dead, it also caused the partial destruction of the town of Tyrlosuh and the complete destruction of the Bisenoty town. Though not only the family’s town were left in ruin, entire neighborhoods of Azalea were utterly ravaged thanks to the supporters of the 2 families. With Evergreen on the brink of a civil war, Steffy himself had to step in and end the war. Though his attempts failed and the war continued for another 2 years before Lomi and Bisel decided to end the battle for the safety of the kingdom as more and more supporters began to sprout and begin fighting in the other towns. With Evergreen on the brink of absolute and utter chaos, Evergreen’s main entrances were shut down and the capital went into lockdown as protests arose, those protests leading into more chaos with the 2 sides arguing and fighting right outside the Main Hall. The Tyrlosuh archives were burned, the Tyrlosuh and the Reveras mines caved in in certain parts and the majority of the Tyrlosuh made jewelry was either sold to another crafter or destroyed entirely sending hundreds of thousands of objects into the Gray Realm causing a widespread jewelry shortage as well as worries on the safety of the Gray realm. After the war ended the Tyrlosuh family was fined 400 pieces of Celusi and their entire Polompty fortune was seized by the Heathotels. Downfall of the Tyrlosuh After the end of the Biserlosuh war, the Tyrlosuh family lost control over the Polompty mine, the majority of their Celusi hoard, their archive was burned to the ground and their hometown was partially in ruins. With Lomi’s dictatorship over the family and her undying hate for the Bisenoty family as well as the Retule family, she forced the Bisenoty family, which was ravaged by the war, to merge back into the Tyrlosuh family name, unifying the rivals and stopping any further familial civil wars from happening. Bisel decided to step down from the lineage and instead become the first person in the history of Evergreen to not be part of a family, whether it is big or small. With Bisel now gone Lomi had no one to challenge her in her dictatorship of the Tyrlosuh family. Until Botinelosi, founder of the family, decided that the lineage had embarrassed itself enough and removed Lomi as ruler. But Lomi refused and since Botinelosi was in his early 160s he couldn’t fight back against her and allowed her to continue her rule. The public had already lost interest in the family and was now fully against it destroying any hope of any new ruler to repair the damage caused by Lomi’s reckless decisions. The Tyrlosuh family, once revered, now exists as a cautionary tale. Their fall from grace serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition and the devastating consequences of family discord. However, whispers still linger. Is Lomi truly broken, or is she biding her time, waiting for the opportunity to reclaim her lost glory? And what secrets lie buried beneath the ashes of the Tyrlosuh archives? The answers to these questions may hold the key to the Tyrlosuh family's redemption or their complete downfall. Retule family, fruit fanatics or fantasy fighters? The Retule family stands as a beacon of peace in the often-turbulent world of Evergreen. Unlike their gem-obsessed counterparts, the Tyrlosuh, the Retules view conflict with a deep aversion. Witnessing the devastation of the Biserlosuh War solidified their pacifistic stance. They famously disarmed themselves, donating all their Aletine weaponry to the Aletinians. But they still needed to make a profit, so their founder, Ruservi, created the Reveras mine right near the future area for the Tyrlosuh mine. Ruservi was the first person to explore and exploit that part of the kingdom since it was usually used as a tourist attraction for the rest of the towns to visit the lovely northern flora. He eventually discovered a cave which led into a large cluster of Celusi, which eventually led him to create the Reveras mine to mine out this new source of gems for the kingdom. After extensive testing his scholars noticed that Celusi had positive benefits to Heatherberry and enhanced its growth which led Ruservi to found the largest Heatherberry farm in the history of the kingdom. He led the family into a fruit empire for 140 years until he grew too old to lead the family anymore, at his 178th cycle he decided that his son Rymo would become the new leader of the Retule family. This decision came after the end of the Biserlosuh war which started a large change of ruler in many sections of the kingdom, families were giving way to new rulers and the cults were discussing the leaderships. Steffy decided to join in the massive leadership change adding new managers into the departments and a new Head Librarian into the archives. By the end of the leadership changing era Ruservi had already been ruler of the Retule family for a few months, during those few months he had commissioned the construction of a new town for the Retule family and everyone else who wanted to live there. Though this new project was a cover up for a more devious plot, he was in fact commissioning the Aletinians to forge Lempty weapons for his descendants, which caused distrust in the family after news of this plan came into the light. This revelation cast a shadow over the family's pacifistic ideals. Was Ruservi preparing for a war he alone foresaw? Or was there another, undisclosed reason for the clandestine weapon production? These questions continue to plague the Retules, a family caught between their commitment to peace and the shadows of a hidden agenda. Gatosi family, shadows of the kingdom Hidden within the bustling kingdom of Evergreen lies the Gatosi family, shrouded in secrecy and wielding a power unseen. The Gatosi are in charge of the safety of the archives which explains their secrecy and low popularity amongst the populace of Evergreen. They do not have any famous appearance nor have they ever participated in a war since their founding 3000 years ago. Their founder, Guvn, created the family after he noticed the amount of hate that the concealed archives would get from the public. Forever haunted by the everlasting threat of misuse in the archives. He decided to found a new family that would be in charge of protecting these archives and maintaining their secrecy. But considering the fact that Guvn founded the family over 3000 years ago it means he is long dead, he was 343 at the time of his death which leaves him as the longest serving Head Of Family in the history of the kingdom. They originally were treated with hate because the archives were seen as a threat thousands of years ago. But nowadays the archives are a staple in the culture of Evergreen. Captivating the public’s knowledge on what could be hiding in those labyrinth-like buildings. Now, nestled away in the secluded neighborhoods of Islafield, the Gatosi cultivate their unique Yoern vegetables, rumored to enhance mental clarity, a necessity for navigating the labyrinthine archives. While whispers of their reclusive nature follow them, the Gatosis family silently fulfills their role, the shadows of the kingdom their only companions. Fruits of Evergreen, source of nourishment and mystery Heatherberry The humble heatherberry is a ubiquitous presence in Evergreen's northern villages, especially Heatherlea, its namesake. This incredibly common fruit harbors a rare variant, the purple and orange heatherberry found only in one singular farm in Heatherlea. The farm’s owner has kept their identity to protect this incredibly rare variant of heatherberry. The whispers of Evergreen have always condensed into a wide array of conspiracy theories, in this case they believe that the heatherberry is a mystical edible stone that was brought to the kingdom from the forgotten civilization before Evergreen. Despite repeated debunking. A plethora of people still believe that this outlandish theory is true. The purple and orange heatherberry has been widely known for its rarity but also for its properties. The purple and orange heatherberry has been subject to multiple tests, including Eshwar Mestec’s famous 7676AGE experiments. Controversy and mystery cling to the heatherberry, yet it remains the kingdom's beloved snack, a daily indulgence for an impressive 96% of the population.
If you took the time to read everything please give me feedback or some sort of constructive criticism please

Bf (24m) started making comments on one of his ex and called her fat. It pissed me off because 1. Why would u say something like that about someone? 2. I am fat. Does that mean you would feel the same way for me?
Anyway. He apologised and said it slipped out. He was trying to be funny and didn’t think things through and that he obviously doesn’t care about weight etc. he also added that “this is what I wanted so I shouldn’t be mad” (I said a few weeks back that I’m okay with him making light jokes about my appearance or basically other things and that he doesn’t need to walk on eggshells over it. So can I. I like healthy roasting etc)
Sexually we have the dynamic of Dom/sub where I keep hyping him up and he likes degrading me (SEXUALLY ONLY).
Anyway, after his comments about weight (him saying I love you either way but it’s natural to want someone thinner… I didn’t react and actually agreed while laughing it off), I said “I don’t think you’re superior to me though. I think objectively, we are both in each others leagues and that’s about it”.
I said it to tease him as fun. He started joking about how I’m being optimistic etc and we laughed it off. All of a sudden, he started saying things like :
“Oh I didn’t really have to wait for you for sex for so long you know? I was just busy with studies otherwise I would have definitely fucked someone. I have a lot of options but I just didn’t go to college this year so yeah”
I stayed quiet.
He then started asking me to apologise.. apologise for saying he is NOT superior to me because I know he likes being dominant and I was doing this to “trigger him”. I didn’t apologise. HE cut the call and later started texting and calling and apologising saying he realised he fucked up. I didn’t reply.
I texted him I’ll call him later and around 2/3 am he started calling me and texting again and again apologising and he sent over food etc to my home in the meantime.
I picked up finally and HE started screaming at me. He said he apologised so much and I didn’t need to be upset for so long and that I was wrong to say what I said out of spite and just to trigger him. He said we have a dynamic and we should stick to it etc. I called BS and he just got into a mix of apologising and accusing.
I basically ended up apologising anyway for “saying we are both equals” when I know we have a dynamic that sits us both and I went away from it out of spite. I don’t know why I said it. I firmly believed I was right and I was the one who was wronged but anyway.
Am I overthinking it? He did apologise…

Specs/parts: AMD Ryzen 7700x CPU MSI B650-P mobo EVGA RTX 2070 Super GPU G Skill Flare X5 32GB DDR5 DeepCool AK620 ZERO DARK FAN Seasonic Focus V3 GX-850w PSU SK Hynix platinum P41 2TB SSD Windows 11
Just built my first PC to play the game Helldivers. Completed it yesterday, but I have been having issues with certain aspects. Updated all drivers. Windows and regular internet usage including streaming has been totally fine. Have not had any problems with less demanding games like League of Legends. I did the Heaven Benchmark test and got a score of 4,000 on max settings, so it seems like things are not totally busted. However, there are a few problems and I do not know if they are related.
1) unable to boot into BIOS unless I remove the GPU and plug HDMI directly into mobo IO port. When I try to access BIOS with the GPU in, my monitor will have signal but only shows a black screen. Even when trying to reboot in recovery mode, I never get the blue screen and also end up with a black screen but the PC is still on and running. Tried resetting CMOS battery and did double check that BIOS is up to date.
2) OFTEN (not always), if I try to open Helldivers the game takes forever to load, then freezes up entirely and is unplayable. Both audio and video are beyond laggy, but weirdly enough when I alt-tab, the intro cutscene will play smoothly in the mini-viewer. As soon as I full screen the game again, it will freeze and I hear my fans going crazy. The posted video shows exactly what happens.
Any information or help is appreciated! Been working on this for a while and it’s driving me crazy

Based on the results from several poll tournaments in September to December 2023, as well as February to April 2024, plus additional input from anonymous sources, the Masters Eight and the upper part of the Ultra Class have been decided:
Rank 21: Peony (Former Galar Champion) Sure, he used to be a Champion, but Peony doesn't even have six Pokémon! That alone puts him at the bottom of the top.
Rank 20: Flint (Sinnoh Elite Four) He was in the Masters Eight at one point. And that's pretty much all he has going for him.
Rank 19: Drayton (BB League Elite Four) He could definitely Rank even higher if he put in the work. Too bad it involves work.
Rank 18: Giovanni (Leader of Team Rocket) The brilliant mastermind of the largest criminal organization in the Pokémon world. But it seems this might only be an intimidation factor which he may not be able to back up.
Rank 17: Kieran (BB League Champion) He's definitely ranked higher than Drayton, that's for sure. But odds are low that Kieran can stand up to actual Champions.
Rank 16: Alder (Former Unova Champion) Honestly, one of the more underwhelming Champions. Alder is definitely out of his league.
Rank 15: Iris (Unova Champion) The newest Champion of the roster showed promise at first. However, she quickly fell off in the sample tournaments, never even making it past the first round.
Rank 14: Wallace (Hoenn Gym Leader) He used to be the Hoenn Champion before Steven. Wallace's Water-type specialty cripples him against Electric and Grass-type Pokémon, though.
Rank 13: Raihan (Galar Gym Leader) He is undoubtedly the second strongest Trainer in the Galar Region, only behind Leon. His weather changing strategies take him far, but not far enough.
Rank 12: Lance (Johto Champion) He seems to perform average compared to the other Champions. His low placement is partially due to his specialty in dragon Pokémon, weak to Ice and Fairy.
Rank 11: Geeta (Paldea Top Champion) Her League Club rematch team definitely helped her case. Yet, despite being the "Top Champion", she's not even the highest ranked Paldean Trainer.
Rank 10: Mustard (Former Galar Champion) He may be getting on in years, but Mustard still has it. Well, just enough of "it" to make the top 10.
Rank 9: Nemona (Paldea Champion) She is always looking for battles against strong opponents. Nemona's battle-crazed enthusiasm places her at the top of the Ultra Class.
Rank 8: Steven Stone (Hoenn Champion) Steven is definitely a formidable battler, making the semifinals in the 2023 and 2024 tournaments. With his Shiny Mega Metagross, he barely squeezes into the Master Class.
Rank 7: Alain (Kalos League Winner 2016) Definitely a surprise competitor for the 2022 tournament. However, Alain has definitely shown some skill, reaching the semifinals in 2023.
Rank 6: Blue (Kanto Gym Leader) Formerly the Champion of Kanto, Blue was also the runner-up of the 2024 tournament. He consistently keeps pace with Red, never falling far behind.
Rank 5: Diantha (Kalos Champion) After many fans mocked her for being a poor Champion, Diantha came back with a vengeance and a semifinal placement in 2022. Her Mega Gardevoir is not to be underestimated.
Rank 4: Leon (2020 Monarch) Surprisingly not placing higher, Leon lost in Round 1 of the 2023 tournament and only made the semifinals in 2024. His status as a previous Monarch saves him here.
Rank 3: Cynthia (Sinnoh Champion) Regarded by many as the strongest Champion in the games. She even won the 2024 tournament!
Rank 2: Red (Kanto Player Character) His title is the Living Legend. Need I go on?
Rank 1: Ash Ketchum (2022 Monarch) It was a close one, but ultimately I decided to give the number one spot to Ash. He got to be the very best, like no one ever was.
More updates to come.

1. I felt that the bigs are regaining their importance - due to mostly their defensive role (rim protection and others). I don't know how to explain this except that the league is purposefully making this happen. Especially this playoffs there are bigs heavily influencing the game without substantial offensive performance.
   
2. Playoffs are more physical than previous years, but the officiating is not consistent across games, which makes me very confused. I bet everyone of us can feel the league is interfering at some moment.
   
3. Regarding point 1, part of me is suspecting that the league is preparing/bolstering the arrival of Wemby. If this is true this kind of strategy is absurd, this is a rather desperate/greedy move to keep NBA international (I am a fan based in US but from China, which is a big big market for the league). There are better ways to do this.
   

Part of my points above are also discussed in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5yEfxvoHqQ

Is there a difference from the award player of the season and player of the year? foden won the player of the season award right, any differences between the 2 awards?

I've played blood bowl before with dwarves, I didn't win the previous league I was in but I did a lot of damage. The next league going on in my LGS is mostly going to be composed of older players returning after a hiatus or new players. I wanted to branch out a bit and this time I decided to rock with Norses because I liked the Dwarves playstyle and these guys looked similar. While not as durable as Dwarves, I think that the Norses will be good fun.
The league start is $1,000,000 and this is my starting roster:
7 X Norse Raider Lineman ($350k)
1 X Beer Boar ($20k)
2 X Valkyries ($190k)
2 X Ulfwereners ($210k)
Apothecary ($50k)
3 X Rerolls ($180k)
Lineman having access to block is pretty good right off the bat, especially at $50k per player. While their only primary skill is general, they benefit from random primary skill ups instead of saving for specific skills.
Ulfwereners hit hard and can threaten the sidelines. Having 4 strength and frenzy possibly allow for crowd surfing to happen. I can see them getting block as their first skill in order to make them more effective.
Berzerkers are interesting but I don't want too many frenzy pieces on the board and get frenzy trapped. Starting out I'm probably not going to include them until I'm more comfortable with the Norses playstyle. I know that these models are primarily used as Blitzers, and Jump Up allows that to happen easier to get them to move around the board but I'm kinda turned off by Frenzy.
Beer Boars are just fun. While they can't carry the ball, they can definitely use their movement to get into position easier and tag enemy models. They also can be good candidates for fowling.
Valkyries are the most interesting models for the team. They're utility pieces than can fill any number of rolls. Pass & Catch allow for some more flexible ball movement (while the passing game isn't reliable, having free rerolls can definitely help the odds). Dauntless allows them to punch above their weight class which is nice and strip ball allows them to harass the enemy team. Wrestle could work pretty good on Valkyries to be better ball hounds, and considering they have primary A/G/P they can be specially built for specific roles if necessary.
What are your thoughts on this starting team?

Found a Secondhand Lenovo Thinkpad E480 on Facebook Marketplace is this a good deal? Here are the Specs:
i7 8th Gen - No specification, 12GB RAM, 256M.2 NVME SSD, RX 550/Intel HD 630 GPU for only 173$
Planning to use as personal use Documents, Watching Youtube/Netflix, and Playing light games such as League of Legends, Honkai Star Rail, Honkai Impact.

My doubles partner and I had a 4.0 USTA league match yesterday. We lost the first set 4-6, won the first game in the second set and got rained out. We continued our match today and won the second set 6-2.
In the tiebreaker, we just couldn't get a point at first. At 0-7 we finally got a point. Then our opponents got 2 points in a row so the score was 1-9. Then something crazy happened - we got 9 points in a row! I had to serve when the score was 8-9 and that was the most nerve wracking moment of the game for me.
We ended up winning 13-11.
I've never experienced a comeback like that before. It was crazy. I don't know how we did it. We played really safe when we were down by so much and our opponents played aggressive at the net but we somehow still pulled it off.

The I-Rex tournament somehow is the best and worst. In terms of best I mean that I’m doing better in this tourney than any tourney before.
My first 2 tournaments were during low levels like 20-30 and I never got more than Survivor league at 150-200 cups.
This time I got a balanced lineup letting me do 4-5 fights every time 2 hours and I got up to 900 cups in only 2 days but if I started on the same day tourney was released I would be higher so now I know how to play in tournaments.
Sadly for my first best tournament I can’t get dominator cuz the cups at soooo high and it’s impossible for me to win it since my Dino’s are only capped at 1k health and 2-300 damage.
I hope to get predator next tourney or at best dominator

Nikola Jokić's career arc would not significantly take a loss with a Game 7 loss. While such a defeat could be a setback in the context of a specific season, it is essential to consider his overall achievements and contributions to the game.
Here are a few points to consider:

1. Overall Career Achievements: Jokić has already built an impressive resume, including multiple MVP awards, All-NBA team selections, and his pivotal role in leading the Denver Nuggets to deep playoff runs, including winning the NBA Championship in 2023. These accomplishments cement his status as one of the top players in the league.
   
2. Individual Performance: If Jokić performs well in the Game 7, even if the team loses, his personal contribution and effort would still be recognized. Individual performance in critical games often impacts how a player's career is viewed.
   
3. Team Context: Basketball is a team sport, and a single loss in a crucial game often involves multiple factors beyond one player's control. Injuries, team
   

There are exactly 3 problems with my bowling center:

1. It's small - only 12 lanes
2. It gets expensive quickly at $5.25 a game with league discount
3. The ball return is above ground, so moving to the left (right lane) becomes difficult

Everything else about it is fantastic. The people there, including the PSO, are great. Everyone is really friendly and they have a good time. I only go there to bowl, but they have a bar, a full menu (everything from the typical bar food, to real entrees and a prime rib special, and even special desserts. There's also trivia nights which are always quite busy.
So last week I went bowling on Saturday and the lanes were dry as they hadn't oiled since Friday morning (it's summer and slow so they don't oil every single day if there's not a league). I asked about it and they told me about their summer oiling schedule which I found really helpful. I came back on Thursday evening (my sports shot league doesn't start until Wed of this week) during their No Tap league as I knew they didn't fill the place (again, summer is slow). They of course were freshly oiled and I was given a lane 2 away from league (1 buffer lane) - I gave them a 2 lane courtesy to make sure nobody got upset.
Went back again this afternoon right after their morning Get A Ball league (I asked previously when they usually end) since I knew the lanes would still be in good shape since it's 2 person teams so only 6 games bowled. They gave me my choice of lane so I chose lane 1 so nobody would be on my left and being a left lane is ideal (above ground ball return as mentioned above).
But the best part of today is that when I was done I was just chatting w/ the manager (good guy) and he offered to oil the lanes for me if I come in and they're dry. Even suggested that I could call ahead so they've be ready when I get there. That's just amazing.
To be fair, when I bowl during open bowling, I bowl a bunch of games at a time. I spend way too much money there .

I've only been in 2 relationships in my life, with a few attempts to find love in between. If those things have gone anywhere, I wouldn't be sitting here to write this of course. I've been hurt, betrayed, and used to the point where I no longer felt like I was meant to belong to someone, and I spent a lot of time wondering if something is fundamentally wrong with me. Am I the only one feeling this way?
After my last relationship, I decided to spend some time on my own, focusing on myself and the people around me, and getting myself to a better place. I joined the company of my dreams and quickly got a promotion, I got a new place for me and my cat to stay in, and I gave myself the freedom to go and do whatever I want. Yet, I still feel so empty when surrounded by people, and I don't have someone that I can share those wonderful milestones and exciting adventures with. I want to provide and be depended on, and yet, have someone that I can confide in and be vulnerable with my deepest thoughts and feelings. I've gotten myself to a point where I'm ready to put myself back out there, and be the best partner I can be with the lessons I've learned, and that's why I'm putting this out there for you to see, hoping that you'd reach out if it speaks to you.
I'm 22 years-old, Asian, and am an INFJ. I'm currently living and working in SoCal. I grew up in Seattle and drove myself down here for a job 3 years ago, and I never left (I will eventually tho cause I hate the traffic here). I have a wide range of interests, from video games, horror, true crimes, and cooking, to exploring new places, attending concerts, and going on spontaneous trips when I have the time to do so. Despite my 6'0 frame, I am still a nerdy introvert at heart, so you can still find me at home watching shows and documentaries, or building Lego cars at home with my cat (I got her from a shelter but she unexpectedly passed away recently).
In terms of video games, you'd find me on Overwatch, Valorant, Fortnite (no builds only!), or League, but I also dabble in a bunch of horror and co-op games, so having a designated Player 2 would be so fun! I'm open to try anything and my Steam library always has room for more games.
Beyond those things, I'm an adventurous soul who loves trying out new restaurants, going on sightseeing trips, and watch my favorite artists at concerts. I'd find myself a few hours away from home on a whim, just because I had seen a cool place online the night before, so I'd definitely love someone who can be my DJ and companion on these trips, and make new memories with me on these adventures.
I'm more than happy to send pictures of myself once we start talking. My only ask is for you to be between 18-25 and be from the US or Canada, and we'll go from there!

I've only been in 2 relationships in my life, with a few attempts to find love in between. If those things have gone anywhere, I wouldn't be sitting here to write this of course. I've been hurt, betrayed, and used to the point where I no longer felt like I was meant to belong to someone, and I spent a lot of time wondering if something is fundamentally wrong with me. Am I the only one feeling this way?
After my last relationship, I decided to spend some time on my own, focusing on myself and the people around me, and getting myself to a better place. I joined the company of my dreams and quickly got a promotion, I got a new place for me and my cat to stay in, and I gave myself the freedom to go and do whatever I want. Yet, I still feel so empty when surrounded by people, and I don't have someone that I can share those wonderful milestones and exciting adventures with. I want to provide and be depended on, and yet, have someone that I can confide in and be vulnerable with my deepest thoughts and feelings. I've gotten myself to a point where I'm ready to put myself back out there, and be the best partner I can be with the lessons I've learned, and that's why I'm putting this out there for you to see, hoping that you'd reach out if it speaks to you.
I'm 22 years-old, Asian, and am an INFJ. I'm currently living and working in SoCal. I grew up in Seattle and drove myself down here for a job 3 years ago, and I never left (I will eventually tho cause I hate the traffic here). I have a wide range of interests, from video games, horror, true crimes, and cooking, to exploring new places, attending concerts, and going on spontaneous trips when I have the time to do so. Despite my 6'0 frame, I am still a nerdy introvert at heart, so you can still find me at home watching shows and documentaries, or building Lego cars at home with my cat (I got her from a shelter but she unexpectedly passed away recently).
In terms of video games, you'd find me on Overwatch, Valorant, Fortnite (no builds only!), or League, but I also dabble in a bunch of horror and co-op games, so having a designated Player 2 would be so fun! I'm open to try anything and my Steam library always has room for more games.
Beyond those things, I'm an adventurous soul who loves trying out new restaurants, going on sightseeing trips, and watch my favorite artists at concerts. I'd find myself a few hours away from home on a whim, just because I had seen a cool place online the night before, so I'd definitely love someone who can be my DJ and companion on these trips, and make new memories with me on these adventures.
I'm more than happy to send pictures of myself once we start talking. My only ask is for you to be between 18-25 and be from the US or Canada, and we'll go from there!

I've read many of Tim Powers' books (except the two earliest), and there's something that I've noticed in his books over his career. I'm curious to see if others feel the same way.
For me, there's something that happens around the time of Last Call. I read that one with pleasure when it came out, but even so there seemed to be something a bit different about it compared to earlier Powers books. I put some of that that down to the difference with the contemporary LA/Las Vegas setting as opposed to the historical settings of the others, but there was something else as well. Last Call seemed somehow a bit longer than it should be (or needed to be), especially in the setup to the big card games out on the lake.
When Expiration Date came out, I bought it immediately, but I admit that I was curious to see if the odd feeling that I'd had about Last Call persisted. Unfortunately, it did: this was the first Powers book that really started to feel like a slog. I finished it, but I can't say that I found it a satisfying read. That longer-than-it-should-be impression was stronger than ever - somehow the plot seemed to be weighed down and rumbling along slowly to its conclusion. Over the next few years I never even had the urge to re-read it, which was also a first for me with a Powers novel. Given that, I never even bothered to try out Earthquake Weather when it came out. I now own a copy; I picked up a used paperback a few years ago in case I felt like trying it out. But I never have.
Eventually I saw the paperback of Declare and decided to give Powers another shot. The Kim Philby/Cold War storyline appealed to me (I already knew a lot more of that back story than I had known about, say, the comings and goings of the Romantic poets), and I was looking forward to seeing how it looked through Powers' imagination. Unfortunately, although there are definitely plot points and good scenes that stayed in my memory, my main impression was a feeling of grinding my way slowly uphill through a rocky grey landscape. I was actually glad when it was over, a feeling that hit me even stronger than it had with Expiration Date.
This whole thing was prompted by an attempted re-read of Declare over the last week. I'm sad to say that I DNF'ed this time, skipping ahead to read some of the scenes that I remembered being impressed by, and also spending some time trying to put my finger on what made things so unpleasant. For now, here's what I have:

1. As mentioned, the plots have become much less slam-bang over the years. I understand that this is a matter of taste, and some readers may like the different pace more or find the earlier books too rushed. But to me, it seems like the later books are a bit too worked-out, to the point that you can see how they are most likely to end and how they're going to get there.
   
2. That too-worked-out feeling extends to the prose as well. Declare seems as if it could have lost at least fifty pages to its benefit. Some of that could be ironing out some of the curlicues of the plot, but you could probably lose that much just by toning down the endless details and restatements. Phrases like "with the left hand, at arm’s length, unacknowledged and deniable" keep showing up and they really don't need to be triple-barreled. To pick another example, when Hale is heading back to the apartment that he shares with Elena in wartime Paris, we don't just hear that he's bringing dinner. No, we hear that he has "baguettes and a terrine of goose liver pâté wrapped in newspapers", and we are told exactly where the boulangerie was where he stopped off on the way. Throughout the book, meals and clothing and appearances and surroundings are described in great detail, with almost no opportunities missed. Some of this is welcome scene-setting, but it's just relentless. It's as if Powers was unable to leave out any of the details that he'd researched for the novel - the street layout of 1940s Paris, subtle differences in Arabic dialects, the weather patterns in Kuwait, the type of plane that Hale is flying on to his next destination, how many engines it has, what they sound like. . .
   
3. Another thing that I noticed was the absence of the small humorous touches that showed up in earlier Powers books. These were still showing up in Last Call, but thinned out in Expiration Date, and as far as I can see are completely missing in Declare. That's surely a conscious artistic choice, because the subject matter is often grim as well, so I can't complain about it that much. But it is obvious.
   
4. Part of that grim-and-serious tone seems to be a ramping up of Powers' own Catholic faith working its way into his fiction. I don't want to be controversial here, but a key unstated underpinning of Declare is that Catholicism Is True. I agree with Powers' view that the Soviet Union was a horrible government, by the way, although I never revved it up to the point of having them in league with actual demons. But I think that's a big part of the book's tone, a literal struggle between good and absolute evil, not that there's anything wrong with that per se. But I think that Powers' Catholicism makes it all too serious a subject for anything to be taken lightly in the book and for any details to be left out as the plot is worked out to the last bit.
   

I'm going on so long that I'm probably guilty of some of the same problems that I'm detailing! I'll stop here, but as mentioned at the start, I do wonder if there are others out there who've noticed these changes and their reactions to them. . .

I(24m) really had big crush on one of my close friends, she recently started dating a mutual friend. She always makes plans with him and me every other weekend even tho I kinda showed I'm not super interested and told them can't thirdwheel. We talk for hours on the phone , she keeps calling just to check on me and genuinely cares. It's just killing me from inside that I can never be with her. Got two options : 1)confess and loose two super close friends and feel awkward and option 2) just meet her at weekends like friends and feel bad and beat myself for not asking her out when I had the chance for the entire week. Ps she is a gorgeous women and I'm not in the same league as her. Also Im having hard time to meet new people

I(24m) really had big crush on one of my close friends, she recently started dating a mutual friend. She always makes plans with him and me every other weekend even tho I kinda showed I'm not super interested and told them can't thirdwheel. We talk for hours on the phone , she keeps calling just to check on me and genuinely cares. It's just killing me from inside that I can never be with her. Got two options : 1)confess and loose two super close friends and feel awkward and option 2) just meet her at weekends like friends and feel bad and beat myself for not asking her out when I had the chance for the entire week. Ps she is a gorgeous women and I'm not in the same league as her. Also Im having hard time to meet new people, I met her in collage

Welcome to the Disney World Clan Family! We have a clan for almost everyone. Each clan in the Disney Family values active and friendly players who like to WAR. All our clans war at least 3 times a week and participate in Clan War League every month. All clans are English speaking, and having, at minimum, a basic command of English is necessary for full enjoyment of the clan. Each clan is not only chatty, but values war strategizing and coordination amongst players. Respectful chat conduct with avoidance of harassment, bullying, or controversial/political/religious topics is also a must.
Disney World #2QPRQ9P9Y
Led by Vern, this is our OG clan. This is a relaxed but competitive war clan. Clan makeup is largely US, UK, and Ireland based with the bulk of clanmates being professionals in finance, tech, and healthcare. As such Wars begin and end in the evenings. The last hour of war is a time most clanmates choose to be online to socialize and cheer on the top handful of players who consistently to attack then.
💥 Level 15
💥 CWL Crystal 1
💥 Clan Capital Payouts: ~1,300
💥 Clan game always maxed quickly
💥 Quick troop donations
💥 Wars Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday
Looking for:
💥 TH 12 and above, no rushed players
💥 At least 200 war stars
💥 Reasonably even troop upgrades
💥 Use both war attacks when opted in to war. We are very serious about this! Life comes first, but those who chronically miss attacks will be asked to find a different clan as it greatly impacts other people’s ability to enjoy wars.
Disney World 2 #2RGG2R8JQ
Established by our young UK based gents Izumi and Juan, this is a colorful, playful, talkative, and highly competitive clan for players TH6+.
💥 Level 3
💥 CWL Gold II
💥 Wars Monday, Weds, Saturday
Looking for:
💥 TH6 and above, rushed okay
💥 Use both war attacks when opted in to war.
Magical Kingdom #2RPY2VGCV
Founded by leading lady Panda, this is the newest clan in the Disney Family. Highly inclusive and friendly, Magical Kingdom is ideal for newer or rushed accounts who want to become the highly competitive players of tomorrow. Strong emphasis placed on participation in wars and Clan War League when opted in; as well as Clan Capital and Clan Games. This clan is less than a week old, but leveling up rapidly and is already half full, so do not wait! Help shape the vibe of this new clan!
💥 Level 2
💥 Quick troop donations
💥 Currently warring constantly. Starting next week, Wars will be Monday, Weds, and Friday with weekends off to allow for hero upgrades. War participation encouraged even when heroes are upgrading, but we understand some would rather not war without their heroes.
💥 Comfortable learning environment with troop donations and friendly challenges support when trying new attacks.
Looking for:
💥 TH 3+, rushed okay
💥 Use both war attacks when opted in to war. We are very serious about this! Life comes first, but those who chronically miss attacks will be asked to find a different clan as it greatly impacts other people’s ability to enjoy wars.
💥 Very serious about cultivating a friendly and supportive environment.