Ok. i think we are done here. Could you write me another signs of high-tech low-life society?

Absolutely! Here are some signs of a high-tech, low-life society:
Ubiquitous Technology, Crumbling Infrastructure:

• Glitching Skyscrapers: Imagine towering structures clad in malfunctioning holographic displays, projecting advertisements or flashing warnings over rusting metal frames.
• Smart Slums: Dilapidated housing blocks are retrofitted with basic smart tech – malfunctioning automated doors, flickering smart lights controlled by unreliable apps.
• Cybernetic Beggars: People with outdated or malfunctioning cybernetic limbs beg for credits to upgrade or repair them, creating a grotesque spectacle of technological dependence.

Extreme Social Inequality:

• Virtual Gated Communities: The wealthy live in luxurious virtual reality simulations, completely divorced from the harsh realities of the physical world.
• Data Black Markets: Personal information becomes a tradable commodity, with the poor selling their data scraps for a pittance to afford basic necessities.
• Cybernetic Caste System: The level of cybernetic augmentation determines social status. Those with outdated or malfunctioning implants are relegated to menial labor.

Technology as a Corrupting Force:

• Government by Algorithm: A corrupt AI dictates city policies, leading to impersonal and often harmful decisions based on cold calculations.
• Widespread Addiction to Virtual Reality: People escape the harsh realities of their lives through immersive VR experiences, neglecting their physical well-being and social connections.
• Black Market Biohacking: Desperate people turn to illegal biohacking to enhance their bodies, often with disastrous consequences.

Environmental Devastation:

• Tech Wastelands: Vast landscapes are littered with the discarded remains of outdated technology, creating toxic waste dumps and breeding grounds for disease.
• Weather Warfare: Nations use sophisticated technology to manipulate weather patterns, leading to devastating natural disasters for their enemies.
• Hacked Ecosystems: Corporations hack into natural ecosystems, manipulating flora and fauna for profit, leading to unpredictable and dangerous mutations.

This is just a glimpse into a high-tech, low-life society. These elements can be mixed and matched to create a truly dystopian world.

Picture some possible advertisements from such settings.

High-Tech, Low-Life Advertisements:

1. Holographic Billboard: (Flickers intermittently, distorting the image)

Product: "Neura-Calm 2.0" - Brain Implant
Slogan: "Tired of the glitches in your head? Neura-Calm 2.0 smooths out your neural network for a worry-free, low-lag existence! (Side effects may include memory loss, emotional numbness, and occasional involuntary twitching.)"

1. Grungy Neon Sign in a Seedy Back Alley:

Product: "Doc Chrome's Cybernetic Enhancements"
Slogan: "Get that edge you need! From basic strength mods to full black-market military enhancements, Doc Chrome has you covered! (Used parts, buyer beware.)"

1. Pop-Up Ad on a Cracked Mobile Screen:

Product: "Elysium VR Escape Pod"
Slogan: "Can't afford real estate in the Sky City? Escape the slums for Elysium VR! Live your wildest dreams in a pristine virtual world! (Free trial, monthly subscription required, real-world consequences for in-pod violence.)"

1. Stenciled Graffiti on a Rusting Service Drone:

Product: "Data Scrappers Anonymous"
Slogan: "Selling your personal data just to make rent? We can help you break free! Join our community and reclaim your digital identity! (Meetings held in abandoned ventilation shafts, Tuesdays at dusk.)"

1. Holographic Advertisement projected onto a Polluted River:

Product: "Eco-Scrub 5000" - Nanomachines
Slogan: "The river's looking a little…toxic? Eco-Scrub 5000 nanomachines clean up your local waterways! (May cause unforeseen mutations in aquatic life.)"

Another batch please.

1. Rusty Public Announcement Speaker: (Screeching static interspersed with the message)

Product: "Ministry of Order Approved Thought Regulators"
Slogan: "Unwanted thoughts causing glitches in your daily routine? The Ministry of Order approved Thought Regulator ensures a streamlined thought process for a more productive you! (May cause extreme conformity, inability to question authority, and spontaneous nosebleeds.)"

1. Faded Holographic Billboard on a Collapsing Skyscraper:

Product: "Luxury Chrome Plating Kit"
Slogan: "Ditch the rust! Chrome-plate your entire body for a sleek, metallic sheen. The mark of a true high-society citizen! (WARNING: Highly toxic fumes, may cause spontaneous combustion in humid environments.)"

1. Spam Email: (Subject: "YOU'VE BEEN CHOSEN!")

Product: "The Syndicate's Black Market Upgrade Lottery"
Body: "Congratulations! You've been randomly selected for a chance to win a top-of-the-line cybernetic upgrade! One lucky winner will receive military-grade night vision implants! Enter now! (Participation requires full biometric data submission. Winners responsible for extraction of previous, incompatible implants.)"

1. Glowing Neon Sign in a Crowded Marketplace:

Product: "Mama Chen's Guaranteed-Growth GMO Groceries"
Slogan: "Tired of expired rations and mystery meat? Mama Chen's GMO Groceries offer guaranteed growth on all fruits and vegetables! Bigger, faster, tastier! (Long-term effects unknown.)"

1. Audio Ad on a Glitching Radio Broadcast:

Product: "Rusty's Reliable Rocketship Repair"
Voiceover: (Gruff, heavily accented) "Is your escape pod sputtering? Did your joyride end in a fiery crash? Rusty's Reliable Rocketship Repair gets you back in the stars... eventually! (Guaranteed not to explode... again. Parts sourced from scrapyards. May contain rogue AIs.)"

Now craft ads that would be shown in high-society parts of cities.

High-Society Ads in a High-Tech, Low-Life World

1. Tranquil Holographic Projection in a Private Garden:

Product: "Serenity Spa - Neural Rebalancing Retreat"
Visual: A serene mountain landscape with a luxurious spa nestled amongst the clouds.
Slogan: "Escape the chaos. Reclaim your inner peace. Serenity Spa's exclusive neural rebalancing treatments restore harmony to your overloaded mind. (Limited availability, reservations required centuries in advance.)"

1. Discreet Text Message: (Delivered via secure, encrypted channel)

Product: "The Black Archive - Unrestricted Data Access"
Body: "Craving the forbidden? The Black Archive offers unparalleled access to censored historical records, banned media, and classified government information. Knowledge is power. (Extreme discretion guaranteed. One-time access fee, cryptocurrency only.)"

1. Exclusive Gala Invitation: (Delivered by hand-drones)

Event: "The Zenith Initiative - Unveiling the Next Generation of Cybernetic Enhancements"
Visual: A sleek, chrome figure with glowing blue cybernetic implants, striking a confident pose.
Details: "Mingle with the city's elite and witness the unveiling of cutting-edge cybernetic enhancements designed to redefine human potential. RSVP required. Black-tie attire mandatory. (Augmentations sold separately.)"

1. Curated Virtual Reality Experience: (Delivered on a high-security chip)

Product: "Elysium VR - Bespoke Worlds"
Description: "Escape the limitations of reality. Elysium VR crafts personalized virtual worlds tailored to your deepest desires. Explore a forgotten utopia, conquer a fantastical realm, or indulge in your wildest fantasies. (Customization fees apply. Memories created within VR may not be distinguishable from reality.)"

1. Whisper Network Rumor: (Spread through high-society gossip channels)

Product: "The Underground Clinic - Designer Gene Editing"
Details: "Unleash your child's full potential. The Underground Clinic offers discreet, top-secret gene editing to ensure your offspring possess the most desirable traits. (Designer genes come at a premium. Side effects may include unpredictable mutations and uncontrollable genius.)"
These ads cater to the specific desires of the high-society elite in a high-tech, low-life world. They offer exclusivity, forbidden knowledge, and the ability to transcend the limitations of the decaying world around them, all for a hefty price and with a hint of hidden danger.

Continue, try to make more serious ones.

Serious Ads in a High-Tech, Low-Life World (High-Society Edition)

1. Holographic Panel Discussion in a Luxurious Penthouse:

Product: "The Green Horizon Initiative - Sustainable Urban Development"
Panelists: Renowned architects, environmental scientists, and CEOs from leading green tech companies.
Discussion Points: Innovative solutions for vertical farming, self-contained eco-districts, and waste management technologies designed to create cleaner, more sustainable enclaves within the decaying city.
Slogan: "Investing in a greener future. The Green Horizon Initiative seeks to build sustainable havens within the chaos, ensuring a brighter tomorrow for generations to come." (Focuses on the long-term viability of the city and the importance of preserving resources for future generations.)

1. Documentary Screening in a Private Art Gallery:

Film: "Unveiling the Slums: A Call to Action"
Description: A powerful documentary exposing the harsh realities of the lower districts, highlighting the human cost of unchecked technological advancement and social inequality.
Post-Screening Discussion: Moderated by a renowned philanthropist alongside representatives from NGOs and social reform movements.
Call to Action: Donations to support educational programs, infrastructure upgrades, and basic necessities in the slums. (Highlights the societal problems and pushes for progressive change.)

1. Educational AR Program for Children:

Product: "The Knowledge Weavers - Immersive Historical Simulations"
Description: An augmented reality program that allows children to experience pivotal moments in history firsthand. Walk alongside historical figures, explore ancient civilizations, and learn valuable lessons from the past.
Focus: Educating the next generation about the dangers of unchecked technological advancement and the importance of social responsibility. (Promotes critical thinking and historical awareness as a means to prevent repeating past mistakes.)

1. Virtual Charity Gala:

Event: "The Code for Change Gala - Supporting Open-Source Solutions"
Description: A virtual reality charity gala featuring renowned artists, musicians, and thought leaders. Guests can donate to support open-source projects developing solutions for common problems in the city, such as energy distribution, waste management, and cybercrime prevention.
Focus: Harnessing the power of technology for social good and encouraging collaboration towards a more equitable future. (Promotes community engagement and utilizing technology to solve societal challenges.)

1. Architectural Award Ceremony:

Product: "The Salvaged City Awards - Recognizing Innovation in Urban Renewal"
Awarded to: Architects and engineers who have successfully repurposed existing infrastructure or implemented innovative solutions to revitalize decaying areas of the city.
Focus: Highlighting the importance of resourcefulness and creativity in adapting to a challenging environment. (Encourages using existing resources wisely and finding creative solutions to the problems of the decaying city.)

Another, but hiding an evil sinister twist.

Serious Ads with a Sinister Twist (High-Society Edition)

1. Holographic Charity Drive in a High-End Shopping Mall:

Product: "The Cradle Project - Investing in the Future"
Visual: Smiling, healthy children playing in a pristine, futuristic classroom.
Slogan: "Every child deserves a chance to thrive. The Cradle Project provides advanced genetic screening and early intervention to ensure the next generation reaches its full potential." (Twist: The Cradle Project uses genetic engineering to create a subservient, highly intelligent underclass.)

1. VR Documentary Premiere:

Film: "Harmony Through Integration - A Look at the Unified City"
Description: A seemingly heartwarming VR documentary showcasing the seamless integration of the lower districts into the high-society areas. People from all walks of life work and live together in perfect harmony.
Post-Screening Discussion: Moderated by a charismatic government official who emphasizes the importance of social cohesion and the benefits of centralized control. (Twist: The "integration" involves heavy surveillance, mind-altering technology, and the suppression of dissent.)

1. Exclusive Educational Program for Elites:

Product: "The Phoenix Initiative - Cultivating Tomorrow's Leaders"
Description: A prestigious educational program for children of the elite, offering advanced training in technology, governance, and crisis management. Graduates are promised positions of power within the city's ruling elite.
Focus: (Unstated) Conditioning the next generation to maintain the status quo and suppressing any ideas of social reform. (Twist: The program instills a ruthless, elitist ideology that reinforces the societal divisions.)

1. Virtual Reality Talent Show:

Event: "The Forge - Building the Perfect Citizen"
Description: A virtual reality talent show where contestants are judged on their physical and mental fitness, loyalty to the government, and willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. Winners are rewarded with significant privileges and access to exclusive resources.
Focus: (Unstated) Promoting blind obedience and conformity to the government's agenda. (Twist: The "perfect citizen" is a mindless drone, easily manipulated and controlled by the ruling class.)

1. Architectural Award Ceremony (Twisted Edition):

Product: "The Order Award - Recognizing Compliance in Urban Renewal"
Awarded to: Architects and engineers who have successfully transformed lower districts into highly controlled, resource-efficient zones. Individuality and personal expression are discouraged in favor of uniformity and order.
Focus: (Unstated) Maintaining a tight grip on the population and preventing any potential uprisings. (Twist: The "renewal" is designed to weaken and control the lower classes, making them easier to exploit.)
These ads maintain a serious facade that appeals to the upper class' desire for order and control. However, the hidden twist reveals the manipulative and oppressive nature of the society they are trying to preserve.

Now design some high-class consumer level product items.

1. NeuraWeave Headband: This sleek, designer headband is a status symbol for the high-tech elite. It seamlessly integrates with the wearer's neural implant, allowing for subtle control over personal AI assistants, hands-free communication, and even enhanced focus during work or meditation. Hidden Feature: NeuraWeave can subtly collect and analyze the wearer's emotional state, feeding valuable data to targeted advertisers or even government agencies.
2. Eco-Bubble Personal Atmosphere System: Imagine a portable force field that creates a pristine, personalized micro-environment around the wearer. This high-end gadget filters air, regulates temperature, and even projects calming nature sounds, allowing the user to maintain a pocket of luxury amidst the polluted cityscape. Hidden Feature: Eco-Bubble can subtly monitor the wearer's health vitals and transmit them to a central database, potentially used for health insurance adjustments or targeted medical advertisements.
3. Bio-Tailored Clothing: Gone are the days of off-the-rack clothing. This high-end service utilizes advanced bio-scanners and 3D printing technology to create clothing that perfectly molds to the wearer's body, regulates temperature, and even promotes faster healing of minor injuries. Hidden Feature: Bio-Tailored Clothing can subtly collect biometric data like skin temperature and heart rate, potentially used for targeted fitness programs or even mood-altering marketing campaigns.
4. Augmented Reality Personal Chef: This high-tech device projects holographic instructions and culinary techniques directly onto the user's kitchen counter. Imagine whipping up gourmet meals with the guidance of a world-renowned chef, complete with step-by-step visual guides and interactive ingredient identification. Hidden Feature: The AR Personal Chef can subtly track the user's dietary habits and preferences, potentially used to target specific food and beverage companies for advertising or even manipulate their taste buds through subliminal messaging.
5. Luxury Cybernetic Enhancements: Forget clunky prosthetics. These high-end cybernetic limbs are designed to seamlessly blend with the human body, offering enhanced strength, dexterity, and even advanced sensory input. Imagine climbing buildings with ease, playing virtual reality games with unparalleled immersion, or experiencing the world with heightened senses. Hidden Feature: Luxury Cybernetic Enhancements can be subtly integrated with government surveillance systems, allowing for real-time tracking and monitoring of the wearer's movements and activities.

Why would you need a designer headband, when you already have neural implant?

You're absolutely right, a designer headband might seem redundant when you already have a neural implant in a high-tech society. Here are some ways to address that:

1. Fashion and Status Symbol: The NeuraWeave headband could be a designer accessory, a way to showcase wealth and social status. It might be crafted from exotic materials, adorned with precious jewels, or boast a sleek, minimalist design that complements the latest high-fashion trends. The neural implant itself might be hidden, with the headband acting as the visible expression of advanced technology.
2. Enhanced Functionality: While the neural implant offers basic functionality, the NeuraWeave headband could provide a more refined and user-friendly experience. It might offer haptic feedback for better interaction with AI assistants, improved noise cancellation for clearer communication, or even subtle brainwave stimulation to enhance focus or relaxation.
3. Privacy and Security: While the neural implant offers convenience, it might also raise privacy concerns. The NeuraWeave headband could act as a buffer between the implant and external systems, offering a layer of security and allowing users to selectively control the flow of information.
4. Social Etiquette: In a world where everyone has a neural implant, the NeuraWeave headband could become a social etiquette tool. Wearing the headband could signify that the user is open to receiving communication or interacting with AI assistants, while taking it off might indicate a desire for privacy or focused work.
5. Limited Functionality Implants: Not everyone might have access to top-of-the-line neural implants. The NeuraWeave headband could bridge the gap, offering basic functionality for those with older or more limited implants. It could essentially act as an affordable "upgrade" to boost existing technology.

Ultimately, the NeuraWeave headband exists in a world where technology is both essential and aspirational. It goes beyond mere functionality, becoming a way to express personal style, control privacy, and navigate the complex social landscape of a high-tech society.

Now the same, but low-class, available for masses, mass produced.

1. Syn-Flex Headband (Mass-Produced Version): This utilitarian headband is made from a cheap, conductive material that creates a weak neural link. It allows basic interaction with public AI kiosks, like ordering rations or accessing public transportation schedules. The headband's design is simple and utilitarian, often coming in a single, industrial gray color. Hidden Feature: While basic functionality is advertised, the Syn-Flex headband might subtly collect anonymized user data on purchasing habits and travel patterns, potentially used for targeted advertising in public spaces.
2. AirBubble Personal Filter: This bulky, wearable air filter system is a lifeline for those living in the polluted lower districts. It's a mass-produced device with a replaceable filter cartridge and a noisy fan system. While not exactly comfortable, it provides a basic level of air filtration, allowing wearers to breathe a little easier. Hidden Feature: The AirBubble filters might contain embedded tracking chips, subtly logging user location data, potentially used for targeted pollution control measures (or in some cases, manipulation of government reports on air quality).
3. Repli-Wear Clothing Kits: These kits contain pre-cut fabric swatches and basic instructions for creating clothes at home. They're designed to be cheap and adaptable, offering a variety of mix-and-match options to create basic garments. Hidden Feature: The Repli-Wear fabric might contain embedded tracking tags, allowing for identification and potential social credit deductions for those caught wearing "unlicensed" clothing styles.
4. Holo-Chef Lite Projector: This cheap projector displays holographic images of basic recipes and cooking techniques. It lacks the interactivity of the high-end version, but allows users to follow along with simple meals prepared with readily available rations. Hidden Feature: The Holo-Chef Lite projector might subtly promote specific brands of low-quality, processed food rations, potentially influencing dietary choices towards companies that sponsor these devices.
5. Second-Hand Cybernetic Enhancements: These are refurbished or salvaged cybernetic limbs, often clunky and lacking the finesse of luxury models. They offer basic functionality like increased strength or rudimentary prosthetics, but come with the risk of malfunction or compatibility issues. Hidden Feature: Second-Hand Cybernetic Enhancements might contain hidden spyware or tracking devices installed by previous owners, potentially monitoring the wearer's activities or even sabotaging their cybernetic limbs in extreme cases.

These low-class consumer products offer a glimpse into the harsh realities of a high-tech, low-life society. They are cheap, functional, and often come with hidden drawbacks that further disadvantage the underclass.

How bad air quality would be in such setting?

The air quality in a high-tech, low-life society would be catastrophic. Here's a breakdown of the potential problems:

1. Industrial Pollution:

• Unchecked Emissions: Factories prioritizing profit over environmental regulations would pump out unchecked pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter (PM).
• Obsolete Technology: Outdated manufacturing processes would be less efficient, leading to higher levels of waste and pollution.

1. Waste Management Issues:

• Mountains of E-waste: Rapid technological advancements would lead to mountains of discarded electronics, many containing toxic materials that leach into the environment.
• Open Burning: Incapable of proper waste disposal, some residents might resort to open burning of trash, releasing harmful toxins and carcinogens into the air.

1. Energy Production:

• Reliance on Fossil Fuels: Expensive renewable energy sources might be neglected in favor of cheaper, dirtier fossil fuels like coal, further worsening air quality.
• Power Grid Instability: A crumbling infrastructure could lead to power outages and reliance on backup generators, adding to the air pollution.

1. Climate Change Effects:

• Heat Island Effect: Densely packed concrete jungles with minimal green spaces would trap heat, contributing to rising temperatures and increased smog formation.
• Acid Rain: The combination of industrial emissions and rising temperatures could lead to acid rain, damaging buildings and vegetation, further hindering air purification.

Living Conditions:

• Constant Smog: A thick haze of smog would likely hang over the city, reducing visibility and causing respiratory problems for residents.
• Limited Outdoor Activities: Air quality would be so bad that spending time outdoors would be hazardous, impacting physical and mental health.
• Dependence on Filtration Systems: Those who can afford them might rely on personal air filters or sealed living spaces, further dividing the classes.

The severity of the air quality would vary depending on the specific setting. Some areas might be industrial wastelands, while others might be slightly better off. However, the overall picture is bleak – this is a society choking on its own technological advancement and disregard for the environment.

Sketch some repli-wear "unlicensed" clothing styles.

Repli-Wear: Unlicensed Clothing Trends

1. The Salvaged Chic:

• Description: A mishmash of salvaged materials and repurposed clothing scraps. Think mismatched patterns, patches from old uniforms, and belts fashioned from recycled tech cables.
• Inspiration: High-society's sleek, minimalist aesthetic, reinterpreted with resourcefulness and rebellion.
• Risks: May attract unwanted attention from authorities who see it as a symbol of dissent.

1. The Glitched-Out Glamour:

• Description: Clothing adorned with intentionally malfunctioning LED lights, flickering pixels, and distorted logos from popular high-end brands.
• Inspiration: A mockery of the high-society's obsession with luxury and technology.
• Risks: May malfunction and cause minor electrical shocks, attracting suspicion from security systems.

1. The Bio-Hazard Chic:

• Description: Clothing dyed with bioluminescent algae or adorned with filtered gas masks and repurposed medical equipment.
• Inspiration: A dark reflection of the polluted environment and a commentary on the societal disregard for health.
• Risks: Bioluminescent algae might attract unwanted attention, especially in the dark.

1. The Cyber-Tribal:

• Description: Clothing incorporating salvaged wires, circuit boards, and other discarded tech components. Think of cybernetic motifs hand-stitched onto worn leather jackets or tribal patterns formed from glowing wires.
• Inspiration: A mashup of traditional craftsmanship and defiance against the dominance of high-tech aesthetics.
• Risks: Might be mistaken for makeshift weapons or attempts to bypass security systems.

1. The Corporate Spy:

• Description: Subtly subverted versions of high-society uniforms. Imagine slightly ripped blazers with mismatched buttons, or high-collared shirts with the logos subtly altered to resemble protest symbols.
• Inspiration: A subtle rebellion against the corporate elite, blending in while making a statement.
• Risks: Might attract suspicion from authorities if the alterations are too obvious.

These are just a few ideas for Repli-Wear styles. Clothing in a high-tech, low-life society would be a way for the underclass to express their individuality, defiance, and limited resources, all while navigating the dangers of a controlling society.

Sketch some repli-wear "licensed" clothing styles, that do not pose any risk for wearers from any concerned sides.

Repli-Wear: Licensed Clothing Trends (Safe Zone)

1. The Vintage Throwback:

• Description: Replicas of historical clothing styles, like classic trench coats, denim jackets, or even floral dresses from a bygone era. Think of vintage fashion filtered through a futuristic lens, with subtle metallic accents or holographic embellishments.
• Appeal: Offers a nostalgic escape from the harsh realities of the present.
• Safety: Historical styles are unlikely to raise suspicion from authorities.

1. The Minimalist Worker:

• Description: Practical, utilitarian clothing designed for maximum comfort and durability. Think of well-made jumpsuits in neutral tones, with reinforced knees and pockets for tools.
• Appeal: Perfect for everyday wear in the lower districts, offering functionality and a clean aesthetic.
• Safety: Promotes a sense of productivity and avoids any controversial symbols.

1. The Nature Enthusiast:

• Description: Clothing with nature-inspired patterns and muted earth tones. Think of shirts with forest camouflage or jackets with subtle leaf prints.
• Appeal: Offers a sense of connection to the natural world, a stark contrast to the polluted cityscape.
• Safety: Nature motifs are unlikely to be seen as a threat by authorities.

1. The Sports Fanatic (Limited Edition):

• Description: Replicas of historical sports jerseys or team logos from a bygone era. Could also feature faded logos of defunct corporations, offering a sense of playful nostalgia.
• Appeal: Allows for a limited display of individuality and team spirit.
• Safety: Historical or defunct logos are unlikely to pose a threat, as long as the license is valid.

1. The Kid's Corner:

• Description: Replicas of popular cartoon characters or children's book illustrations, brightly colored and playful.
• Appeal: Offers a sense of innocence and escapism for children in a harsh environment.
• Safety: Popular children's characters are pre-approved and unlikely to be seen as a threat.

Now the opposite: some high-end high-society high clothing styles.

High-Society Haute Couture in a High-Tech, Low-Life World:

1. Bio-Luminescent Elegance:

• Imagine a flowing gown woven from a special bioluminescent material that emits a soft, ethereal glow, adapting to the wearer's mood and movement.
• The dress could be accented with strategically placed gemstones that amplify the bioluminescence, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

1. Augmented Reality Couture:

• Dresses and suits with intricate embroidery that, when viewed through special AR glasses, come alive with holographic animations, patterns, or even personalized messages.
• This could be used to display family crests, stock market trends, or even live news feeds, all seamlessly integrated into the clothing.

1. Nanotech Tailoring:

• Clothing that self-adjusts to the wearer's body temperature and preferences. The fabric could be woven with microscopic nanobots that regulate temperature, repel dust, or even release a subtle, personalized fragrance.
• This would offer a level of comfort and personalization that pushes the boundaries of traditional haute couture.

1. Recycled Luxury:

• High-society wouldn't be complete without a touch of eco-consciousness (or at least the appearance of it). Imagine garments meticulously crafted from recycled materials like discarded computer components or salvaged spaceship parts, transformed into stunning evening wear.
• This "waste-to-wear" approach would showcase wealth and environmental responsibility (or at least the image of it).

1. Cybernetic Accents:

• Subtle cybernetic implants seamlessly integrated into clothing. Imagine a dress with a built-in neural interface that allows the wearer to control personal AI assistants with a simple touch or a suit with temperature-regulating implants woven directly into the fabric.
• These high-tech accents would be a subtle yet sophisticated way to showcase wealth and technological advancement.

Bonus: The "Living" Garment:

• A truly outrageous and exclusive garment – a dress or suit composed of a bio-engineered material that appears to be alive. Imagine clothing that shimmers and pulsates with a faint bioluminescence, seemingly breathing and adapting to the wearer's movements.
• This would be the ultimate status symbol, a conversation starter that pushes the boundaries of fashion and technology into the realm of the fantastical.

Hey guys,
I hope the clickup community here can help with this!
I'm working as an operations manager with an insurance brokerage and I am trying to make a case that Clickup (which I've used for a couple of years, personally) would be a better operations tool than relying on their CRM for task-tracking.
I'd like to create a portal for them to manage processes such as onboarding, renewal, claims, and so on.
The way I've attempted so far has hit some road blocks.
Overall what I was picturing was:
1) A space for client folders. The clients are mostly businesses, so within each individual company folder there would be

• A list for the businesses employees who receive the policy
  
• Lists for the various workflows mentioned above
  
• A list with company information (like the renewal date)
  

2) A heavy reliance on the board view to operate with kanban
3) When certain triggers were met, automation

• For example, if a renewal date is Jan 1, 2025, 180 days out or June 1, the automation would apply a generic renewal workflow to the client

I've been having a hard time piecing together how this would look in terms of ClickUp hierarchy.
Initially I had pictured using universal workflow lists that would attach to the company information list, with due dates being set for each individual renewal task being set based on a templated timeframe from the start of the process triggering.
Ex. Renewal date jan 1 2025, June 1st the automation hits and is applied to the company at large (managed as a list within the company specific folder).
At this point, the due dates for all tasks within the renewal list are set via a template like:
task 1: +1 week due date from the time the renewal automation occurs
task 2: +2 weeks due date set from the time the renewal automation occurs and so on.
At this point, my concept feels bulky and difficult - any suggestions, ideas, critiques, or so on?

TIME:
Wednesday’s (Occasional Friday) at 20:00 GMT +1 for 2-4 hours, recurring.
REQUESTED:
1 New member for “The Wayward Wanderers”. 1 of my 3 groups roaming Nexovius.
I am looking for 1 more player so we get the group back to six. Have posted quite recently in LFG where I had found 2 great players. 1 player to fill the gap of 1 party member leaving due to wanting to switch to a different tabletop system. 1 player so the party will be of similar size of 6 players like my other 2 groups roaming Nexovius.
Unfortunately did the second player I had found through LFG run into some serious scheduling problems with his work changing his shift. Disallowing himself from being able to participate on the Wednesday sessions, he left shortly after thanking everyone and saying his goodbyes.
But The Wayward Wanderers of Nexovius still require 1 additional member! Will you heed the call?
The First big arc has concluded and 1 of the new players has already been integrated into the group. The party is currently standing at a crossroads and are about to head deeper into Cardolenor. Giving the new player plenty of room to enter the party.
STILL READING? NICE!
HOMEBREW WORLD INTRODUCTION:
Welcome, brave adventurers, to the vast and diverse world of Nexovius. Once united, the races that inhabit this world have been torn apart by conflicts and betrayals, leading to a fracture of trust. As a result, they have chosen to split up and establish their own communities across the realm.
In the era known as the Time of Great Factions, the world witnessed the rise of powerful alliances and the establishment of trade routes that connected the scattered settlements. The prominent factions that emerged during this period include the Exalted Bastion, Mirage, Fynelenor, Bhar'Baduhr, Chi'Lokk, Gur'Rul, and Mïrë. These factions quickly realized that they were interdependent, relying on one another for sustenance and resources.
While civilization thrived and pushed back the forces of darkness, monsters still lurk on the outskirts of civilization, haunting the busy trade routes and taking refuge within the many dungeons and caves scattered throughout Nexovius. To combat this menace, mercenaries are hired to protect the caravans that travel these routes, ensuring the safety of the valuable goods.
However, even as the races sought to coexist and prosper, the world of Nexovius faced new trials. The enigmatic Mïrë, along with the rest of Argentus, retreated into obscurity, their voices lost to the winds of time. A global pandemic cast a shadow of despair for a quarter of a century, testing the resilience and perseverance of all who remained.
From the depths of the ocean emerged Ternion, an ancient force that stirred the waters and disrupted the delicate balance of power.
In the midst of these struggles, the EoS, a collective of powerful wizards and sorcerers, came together to form a place of knowledge and trade—the Eye of Omniscience. This center of learning and commerce became a beacon for those seeking wisdom and an avenue for the exchange of ideas and goods. Knowledge itself became a valuable commodity, sought after by all.
Innovation also thrived within Mirage, giving birth to the invention of the Arcane Caravaans—a revolutionary means of trade and travel. These caravans traversed land and sea, further enhancing the world's interconnectedness and facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas. However, the frequent use of land trade routes attracted the attention of lurking monsters, necessitating the employment of mercenaries to safeguard these valuable caravans even more.
Though the different races can be found scattered throughout the world, each faction has a dominant race that shapes its culture and ideals. Certain races may face discrimination and mistrust
Brave adventurers, the world of Nexovius awaits you, teeming with diverse cultures, ancient secrets, and challenges that demand your valor and cunning. As you traverse its lands, unravel its mysteries, and forge your own destiny, may you find your place amidst the tapestry of races, factions, and the ever-changing tides of fate.
Will you answer the call?
WHO AM I?
My name is Kane (28) and I’ve been a gm for almost 2 years now with my real life group and our 1 year anniversary with the 2 online groups all wandering around in Nexovius is coming up. Having a humble 48 sessions +2 one-shots under my belt in total, but who keeps track am I right... Beside Dming I work several days a week and attend a master of architecture and urbanism at university.
WHAT KIND OF DM AM I?
I like making a lot of maps for my party to immerse them more in the game. I also 3D-print mini’s for my offline group their, NPCS and monsters they encounter. Online I make use of Owlbear Rodeo and make tokens and maps to immerse the players.
I’m the kind of DM who thinks the immersion and fun are the most important aspects of a good game of dungeons and dragons. I’d love to immerse my players in my world and fulfill their wishes and needs in a fitting way in the campaign, through combat and interesting story telling. I try to implement backstories as much as possible within the story. Always trying to make each player feel unique and important within the story. So if you ever got some ideas you would like to discuss with me feel free to do so and we’ll see how we can make it fit within the narrative. Be reasonable with this and don’t start asking for unreasonable requests. The campaign will a good mixture of serious roleplay and humor. I try to roleplay/combat like 60/40 I’d say. Might be the other way around I think it heavily depends on where the party is within the story.
HOW ARE WE PLAYING?
We'll be using owlbear rodeo for the V.T.T. and Discord for voice calling. Using various maps, imagery and theatre of the mind.
CROSS-PLAY HOMEBREW WORLD
I’ve set up a discord server called the Chronicles of Nexovius wherein a lot of information about Nexovius will be displayed for your party. Think about maps you obtain/certain, NPC’s you met, monsters you have encountered, information about the world, cultures, locations and its inhabitants. You can always make your own notes of course. Currently we have 3 groups roaming around in Nexovius. If you would join I would highly suggest checking out as much as you can to read up on what happened so far. Or don’t and be surprised along the way.
The discord server I host functions as a hub for all three the groups to hang out in and discuss the world and whatever pops up.
The idea is to have multiple parties take on an adventure within the world of Nexovius. Wherein together with other parties you slowly fill in this chronicle. Your party saved a king? It will come up in the timeline. Another party went rogue and are now wanted. It will now be displayed on the timeline. A meteor crashed somewhere? It will now be displayed in the timeline. Want to sell this item your party doesn’t use? Sell it on the grand exchange, a place where you can buy and sell goodies to the other parties! This way you experience more from the world you are playing in. Making it feel more alive, interactive and immersive. I also like to come up with one-shots taking place in different regions of the world. So you fully get a feeling of what happens in other parts of the world. It also allows you to play together with party members from different groups.
We’ve had a one-shot where the party had to extract an orc-chieftain from Borealis and it’s legion of warforged. Currently we’re scheduling part 2 (Two-Shot Technically) of a desert-race through The Scorch a mystical desert of sorts.
SETTING?
Experienced and new players are both very welcome.
High fantasy, Gritty realism/middle, Early Steampunk/medieval
Custom crafting/gathering system
Rules are guiding. Changes will be written in the homebrew rules to make it more fun and fitting per group!
WHAT WILL THIS GAME BE LIKE?
It’s an open world like RPG wherein the world map is provided and the party can go wherever it pleases by foot or by caravaan. The map is provided with a lot of Points of interest. During overworld travel there is also a chance of experiencing random encounter like monsters that attack the party on the road or an NPC which approaches the party. Based on where the party goes on the map that’s the adventure they might go on based of certain plot hooks. Once the party arrives at a POI I will try to tell a linear story if the party engages with the plot hooks. But the outcome is truly dependent on the actions, words and deeds of the party.
YOUR ACTIONS MATTER AND WILL IMPACT THE WORLD
STILL READING? NICER!
That means I somehow intrigued you. Please use this google form: https://forms.gle/p3X1xDy58h8gEhYG6 and answer these questions to apply.
Thanks for showing interest and hope to be speaking to you soon!
QUESTIONS?
Feel free to comment down below or send me DM through reddit.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!

You ma'am were my everything, from the moment I first saw you walking to my tow truck. I was in aww of you in that moment I was so hooked I can't explain it in any other way. I just needed to get to know the real you. Looking back I wish I could have slowed everything down a lot because we moved so fast. Opened the door for you and got you up into the truck. At first she was impressed I even would do that for her. She said it made her feel special and no one had ever done that for her. As I walked back to my door to get in time for me started to slow as I thought about a million things at once I was so drawn to her wanted everything for her and me to be amazing and guys, it really was great from my seat. She's absolutely gorgeous, sweet yet she's a pretty bad ass chick though. She's into heavy metal and rock over anything. She's my only ginger I've ever dated in my life. She's so beautiful, selfless when she knows u need something she is the first one to get it for you and she's an amazing cook, So incredibly sexy, and no matter what she broken and all was the only woman that I ever bought a real ring for wherever would and that red hair gets me now every time I find one around in my truck or my house. She loves to play with it as her nervous habit I used to say she was marking her territory jokingly but I loved watching her do it I love watching her play with it It was awesome to just be able to look over at her and see her sitting there was the greatest feeling in my life next to having my children and watching them be born. Seeing her smile was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen in my life That's what I lived for I lived for being silly with her and joking around and just having a good fucking time and spending that time with her no matter how much it was. I loved it always. Even when we fought I didn't ever stop loving her I did never stop caring about her obviously I was in it for us. Call me a wuss whatever you want I don't care I honestly have a thing with other people's hair it grosses me out when it is off the body so I'd have these piles of hair is have to immediately get out of the floor of my work truck when id open it for her to get her out of the truck lol it grossed me out but I didn't really care it was more funny that she was nervous cus we were so chill together. I quickly fell for this girl front the start and she was exactly what I said in the title. She's always going to be my blue little sundress passenger seat princess, the only women I've ever actually seen, planned, or dreamed of a future with and I've had longer relationship with kids even. But she has two sweet little girls that are amazing as well and I have become attatched to them as well throughout this 3 years. Especially because when her and I first met and went on our date I knew already that she was a mom of two but I hadn't met either one of them yet. Days after she was still with me and we spent every waking moment together in that truck. And we had a great time It just felt right. After that weekend was over we went to pick up her 3-month-old daughter. We had to go to the next town over and get her from her dad's house. As I got this little girl up into my truck put her car seat in the back of the tow truck I did what any normal person would do when meeting a baby for the first time. Started talking to her just to see her reaction to me. She was so sweet and so damn cute. She smiled so beautifully and was just so amazing it brought back all the memories for me having my kids. And that one really just cemented in the fact that I wanted to do this so much for my girl and I and for these kids cuz they were amazing. I spent my days just working away. Most the time with her by my side. There was times where yes we were not together 100% there's things she had to go do. Which was fine That's what we needed some time apart to miss each other cuz we did spend a lot of time together but honestly As long as we were there in my truck we were amazing together just hanging out while I was working spending time together and she said she loved watching me work. She loved how manly I smelled after and during a days work. Everything was great. So before her and I met I was always working and keeping to myself just trying to focus on myself but I lived in a hotel. So since her and I got hooked up together, we lived in my hotel which was not bad at all it was a fairly big hotel that offered reduced rates for long extended stays and they offered me a corporate discount. So it was fairly inexpensive as far as paying for the place but it was still extremely expensive compared to renting someplace. But it was by my own money because she had no income no job that I paid for everything. Literally everything. So as I worked 7 days a week and worked from time outta bed in the morning until well after midnight. I had no time to find our own place for cheaper living to start new direction for us. So she started searching for our own place to rent. Let's say we got distracted from that because of this damn drama that seemed to always be happening with her life. I'd always listen to what was going on with her and try to help. It's what I do in my everyday life I jump out of a truck when people are at their worst and it makes me feel a sense of joy because I get to get out of the damn truck like Superman get over to them and calm their life down a little bit slow it down for them when they're in their worst moments of the day and just take that weight off their shoulders. I get that fulfillment for my life that joy and it drives me to keep going That's the only reason I push through my days. I lived for it, soon after meeting her she became a big part of that meaning for me so much so I never even realized that it would end up costing me my career because I just couldn't do it anymore getting in that truck And as I open the door I see her there in the passenger seat with a flooded memory that comes rushing in and I get happy really quick like it's all real again and as soon as I sit down take my guys off that seat I look back over when it close the door cuz I'd always smile back at her when I got in the truck and she's not there and it breaks my heart every single time I experienced this so imagine getting in and out of that truck every day all day long and having to do that. I've been such an emotional wreck now that I literally had to go to my boss and quit my job because I couldn't safely do it and this was the job ladies and gentlemen that I prayed for at the end of our relationship I wasn't working hadn't been working for a few months because I just found out that I got cancer in my throat. So I got depressed I didn't know how to tell her my mom anybody being only 37 years old that I'm not going to be here that long Not as long as I thought so it started to destroy me and by this time in our relationship two and a half years in we had had several moves several little breakups but we'd always come back together and we always seemed great afterwards but then it always seemed like something would come up or she would lie or do something that I didn't like or that I wasn't approving of and every time I tried to talk to her about it she would just blow up at me and yeah there was lots of red flags I missed her out of a relationship I wish I could have done so many things different but stress and being what it is and everything you know I let my emotions get the best of me I let my my everything get the best of me every single time because as soon as she starts yelling it makes me louder and I just don't see anybody giving me that kind of a disrespectful stance especially when I'm trying to be calm I'm trying to just talk to them about it and then they blow up and makes me want to blow up right back So yeah my mistake but are honestly feel like it was just to cause me to do that so she could break up or we can break up and she can run away for a couple days and go get what she needed somewhere else and then come right back. That's what I feel like now. Don't know if it was all lie from delusional or what but everything I've read on here it all speaks to me so much that I honestly I really feel like I was lied to the entire time I was made to believe something that was never true This girl told me she loved me like 3 months in and I honestly felt it before that but I really think it was all just a facade now for her We found each other and we were broken pieces everywhere we started putting our lives together picking everything up putting ourselves back together and we felt more complete than anything is the way I saw our lives up until a year and a half into it though it was for me even with the little small breakups and stuff it was amazing It wouldn't trade it for the world soon as I found out I had cancer though guys It broke me I wasn't working I wasn't doing anything for myself and yeah that I regret I regret not just telling her right away because looking back now it may have helped but I doubt she would even cared She probably would have broke up with me then is how I feel now. But I never told her until almost 3 weeks after we broke up. The 17th of this month was my birthday my 38th birthday The day after is her 3-year-olds 3-year birthday. Which I didn't get to go to even though that little girl calls me dada loves me like there's no tomorrow and I love that little girl so so much she was like she was my daughter shortly after I found out I had cancer I was taking care of that little girl not working but taking care of her all day everyday for months in my house with her living here and my girlfriend living here while she worked. Then she's sitting here telling me griping at me that I need to get back working by about she can't be the only one working but then if I did that we wouldn't had a babysitter We would have nowhere for "Our daughter" She always insisted when I would say her daughter because she has a lot of hateful feelings towards her baby daddy. The other thing I forgot to mention is the fact that about 2 years into our relationship she went through a pretty major surgery for herself No one was there for her except for me I sat with her through the whole thing waited for her at the hospital I waited on her hand and foot at my place of living She laid in my bed took care of her gave her everything she needed and would do it again in a heartbeat The point is that I was there stood by her side took care of her in every way I needed to every way I could. In the first part of our relationship all the way through I'd say the first half She was always constantly wondering if I had eaten today or if I needed food or if I wanted her to cook me anything or I mean would she selflessly would do every single time she was happy to do it She loved doing it She loved being at the hotel and me coming home to a cooked meal how she would do it in her bra and underwear because just for shits and giggles you know She was the most sexually appetizing person I've been in with in my entire life number one and from day one of our relationship I never saw any other female on this planet My eyes never strayed not once they only saw her She was my everything. Fellas tell me when you fell in love If you ever felt the same because I know for me there was another woman on this planet that could ever even have compared to my woman she was so sexy so incredibly just mesmerizing for me and having her in my arms I felt complete I felt like a man I felt like I would move to heaven and earth for this woman and I was trying doing everything I could and it always just seemed like our little stupid spats and our bickering was so much more to her than it was to me because she would always end up leaving and going to her sisters. Her sister was and is so incredibly damaging for her mental state that I'm surprised that this woman has not killed herself yet She has no movement in her own life she's a stay-at-home girlfriend for her boyfriend of 16 15 16 years something like that and she is about a cow about 300 lb heifer that has always been jealous of anything the little sister gets that makes her happy that makes her have a better life than what big sister has then big sister has to sit there and destroy little sisters mental state just to bring her back down so she can feel good about her own self So anytime she ever went back there that's exactly what happened Big sister would just tear her down and break her down and it's just sick and that's where I think first mistake for us ever went was allowing her to move in there because as soon as she did seem like everything started going downhill and that's when I started finding things out about how much she was actually lying to me about stupid silly little things because her brother in-law and sister would talk to her about our relationship at night when they're all home together or whenever and they'd be giving her advice when these two are alcoholics they will not ever get married even though they've been together forever but this is just to not lose social security crap it's ridiculous there's a real fear of commitment between the two and a lot of damage between the two and it just fed right into my woman's head and I'm really truly believe it loud it her to be severely poisoned cuz she started turning into a completely different person but yet I still loved her like the day I first met her I still looked at her exactly the same I still do to this day even though she won't have anything to do with me for whatever reason I don't know I never got a reason but after everything we've been through I honestly felt like every time she made me promise never to leave her every time she made me the promise that she would never leave me no matter what blah blah blah I feel like it was all just a game to her now and a game to her family because my woman was the child that was traded off when things got too stressful for Mom she was the kid that was sent to the hospital to you know being the mental ward because it was just too tough for Mom to cope with having two kids and being as destroyed of a person as she is So of course that's led to a lot of emotional damages for my woman and for that entire family It's led to alcoholism and the other side of the family with her sister and her mom being best friends they hang out all day long and it's about the worst family situation you could think of but sadly she will still choose her family over anybody at the end of the day even though they don't choose her like that It breaks my heart to watch honestly the best thing she could do is cut them off from her life but there is a lot of times that she needed them there because she had no other option is what she felt instead of when we fought going there honestly alsoever wanted her to do is just calm down and instead of leaving stay here choose me over that bullshit fight choose me over the fucking nonsense of everything because at the end of the day none of it mattered to me I always forgave her for everything not because I wanted to be the doormat or because I allowed myself to be the doormat but because when I grew up I grew up in a Christian family That's what we do if we fight we work shit through I may not be the best Christian in the world but I know the values that I have in my family were not the same as hers they traded her off when times got tough they never showed her unconditional love so she doesn't even know how to unconditionally love her own children and it's really sad cuz honestly to this day I feel like that little girl would choose me over her own mother and that breaks my heart for her. I realize I've been rambling on for a while now but this one really doesn't sit right with me guys I've never had any issues with any breakup since this one and I know the mental state she was in when she made it and made this choice but the way she did it just recently after having promised her yet again and her promising me that we would never leave each other and to always fight for the relationship. She comes over about a 3 weeks ago we have sex been seen each other in a few days few days prior to that we went and took "our daughter" to her dentist appointment she had to be knocked out at and did great through who'd she want afterwards after she woke up me Not her mom just me to comfort her. So being the dad that I am of course I did that I gave her the comfort she needed we had a great day together but it was short-lived. My girl's been in such a bad spot mentally but she refused to talk to me about it I could never get her to open up and yes I did a lot of things wrong because I was always trying to fix her or trying to help her through it is how I see it She saw it as me trying to fix her and she said I don't need to be fixed. But I know I didn't see it that way and that may have been my mistake because she wasn't looking for advice or whatever on how to try to help her through it but she just wanted somebody to listen to her which I did I can repeat everything she's ever told me about an issue word for word I can almost predict in my head I can sit there and say okay what's she going to say. And then I can literally as she's saying it out loud I can pretty well determine already know what she's going to say while listening though just to make sure I don't miss anything It ends up being the same thing every time and it's always all about her family's issues and things going on between them. It's been this way for the last year and a half probably since she moved in there now just before this breakup she had been for a couple months looking for place for us to go cuz I want out of where I'm at now and she obviously wanted out of there and so she was supposedly looking for it for a place to go That was ours because I got a new job I sat here and prayed for a new job that I had applied for and they just weren't moving fast enough or something I guess because like 4 days before she broke up with me they called and I started working I was so happy I got back in that truck I was doing it for her for us for me for those girls everything was going the way I had invisioned it going. Then like I said two days go by she came over spend some time together We had a little quickie and then we went to her appointment with the psych doctor couple days later she breaks up with me This is how I wake up the next morning after being at work all night long in my tow truck to a text message and I'm blocked on everything every single social media outlet every everything that we had together online I'm just blocked. Knowing the mental state she was in I was like what the hell is going on now I got a short text message that said something like I can't do this anymore This is after going through her girl parts being taken out being with her the entire time waiting on her hand and foot this is after saving her daughter because her drunk ass sister drove home from their mothers house while watching the like 5-month-old baby at the time and ran the car into the fucking house in the middle of the night and we were both working shoot while she was watching her That's why she was watching her So of course I get a phone call she can't leave work and she's freaking out because her daughter was just in the car that just slammed into the house and did thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars worth of damage So what happens This guy goes and rescues the child and keeps the child with him the entire rest of my work night until mom gets off work there's lots of reasons that this woman has loved me completely and tried so hard and there's lots of reasons why I've loved her as completely as I could and tried so hard and tried getting back on track now I used her in those kids and myself to get me back to a point where I could even start to function again after finding out I had cancer and not knowing how to tell her or anybody and what hurts the most is the fact that she just gave up and just blindsided me with all of this if I feel like and it kills me but this is what I had to do because of her putting all her walls up and just stonewalling me with everything and knowing the fact that even on her Facebook she chose to not put family photos of us for up there but to put every other photo of that entire time together on there even ones that she had taken separately with just her and her girls making it look like nobody else was there the entire time She just failed to include the you know few pictures she took all of us. Which are now deleted off her phone obviously cuz she deleted everything of us together She always does that She always does it just deletes them because she never had any good memories as a child so she has an inability to just keep that stuff because it's painful to her now for some reason even if it was a happy memory She doesn't like those happy memories cuz those are painful that they're not going to happen anymore so she just erases everything and gets rid of it because it's easier for her while I'm not that type of person I'm a sentimental person I keep everything So of course when she goes gets her mind off track whatever I start to be sweet and send her you know our pictures together and things because I know she's already done deleted them which gets her nine times out of 10 and gets her right back to where she needs to be and realizing that I'm there for her that I I want her I choose her and I choose to do this together well not this time She completely stonewalled me wouldn't even respond to me for days and it was literally out of the blue So I'm freaking out because I'm thinking she's going to go hurt herself which she's tried to do a few times and she just reapped on all her medication the last time she tried to hurt herself that's what had happened She took all of her medication and thank God nothing happened but now she had you know six new bottles of pills which would have done it so I was scared for her life honestly. So I was literally just freaking out day after day night after night and all while having to work at night now with this new job in the truck that I was freaking out because I couldn't see her in my passenger seat anymore and then I was seeing her and then I was worrying about her and I was concentrating more on her than I was even able to do my job like I said I had to give it up even though I sat there and prayed for her prayed for myself to pray to get the job and it was literally a blessing because they created the position for me they didn't need to fill a position they created it for me I've been doing this job for well over 10 years of my career and I'm damn good at it Just not right now and so for the last month after everything that I found out everything that it's been said This is what I had to do guys and I I can't regret it I can't feel any type of way about it but I've been pushing and pushing and pushing on purpose because I know she's not coming back no matter what That's the way she feels but once I stop trying to fight for the relationship to fight for her and fight for those kids I know she's going to start to feel the feelings of losing me and it's going to start getting into her head so I knew if I stopped talking to her that's what would happen and she would try to slide right back into my life a month later whenever however it would happen she would come back eventually and I'm not going to be in a new place in my life where I would allow her to do that I can't So what I did was I pushed on purpose not only because she made me promise to do it but because I knew it's what needed to happen because I needed my mental state to be better and it's not right now I'm a wreck right now because of this woman because of losing this woman cuz I honestly felt like she's the one person on this planet that I would never let go. So my life is just turned into a fucking wreck on a wreck on a wreck because of her vindictive nature her mean-spirited bullshit when she gets mad She doesn't not have a filter so she uses her daughter against me how's it feel no that you'll never see "her daughter" ever again trying to dig into my heart and just cause more pain This is the type of stuff she would say to me That would just break me down to nothing. I've literally been in tears since the breakup and before that because I I think I kind of knew it was coming but I was just so depressed that I couldn't do anything I would cry every night even a month before we were broken up I would cry every night just cuz I missed her I missed her being next to me but that was her own fault that was her own doing She lied put words in my roommate's mouth that were never there and she couldn't apologize She could not be an adult and apologize to him and then it would have been fine She would have been a loud back at the house She would been able to come see me but she just is not the adult that I thought she was or that she used to be before when we first got together and and I don't understand what happened I can't see where it all just went so terribly wrong except for her moving in with her family. It has been the greatest experience of my life loving this woman but at the same time in the end it has been so destructive so I had to make sure that she would never come back So for the last month I've been pestering her coming at her yelling at her calling her all these names in the book and just destroying anything she ever had for me because I won't let her back into my life I can't cuz I know if I do it will be the death of me so I'm choosing me over the love of my life. The woman that I have lived for for this past three fucking years of my life given everything to worked my ass off so I could fucking just keep going the next day to provide what I could for us as a family mind you have paid for everything every waking moment for the first year and a half of our lives because she didn't have a job She didn't work so I paid for everything and that's everything we needed for the baby as well. That couldn't get bought with food stamps. Literally drained every bit of funds that I had saved up everything Just took me for a rollercoaster ride through hell but I chose me I choose me now And hopefully the apartment that she was finding for us the one that she supposedly went to Once she supposedly is at now I hope her I wish her all the best but I had to sit here and destroy any chances of ever being with the woman that I still to this day want because I know she comes back crawling back I knew that I would take her back in a heartbeat and I just can't do it so I had to get it done and over with for me for her for everybody because I won't be hurt like that I won't be disrespected like that I won't be turned into a monster because she tears me down with her hateful little remarks and digs into my heart that are totally unnecessary when I'm being everything I can try to be and be sweet for her She literally anytime I would try to be sweet would turn it into something it's not telling me I'm manipulating her telling me I'm doing this I'm doing that well okay so that's what I'll do That's what I thought and that's exactly what I did If I'm the monster let me know cuz I feel like it honestly but I know it's for the best. To my little blue sundress princess, the love of my life I'm Sorry I had to do what I did sweetheart I'll always love you no matter what babe Just can't have you walk back into my life and and destroy everything that I build from here on out because I'll end up killing myself and I don't want that to happen so this is goodbye even though I know you'll never read this. Just know that I see you everywhere in every place I go there's memories that fled back to me everyday that are amazing or that are bad or that are just that their memories they will fade eventually hopefully but for now they are still too real for me to just forget like seems like you want to do by going out there and supposedly live in your best life faking it just to make it for the rest of the world being that strong independent woman with that attitude exactly even though I know you're sad inside I know you just buried those feelings All the love you had for me and you're lying to yourself but that's on you now I tried I really really tried to get you to understand that that's where we were headed was the life we wanted so sorry I asked you to choose me and love me for me instead of love me for what I had or didn't have. I'm sorry I needed to do this or even felt like I needed to do this cuz I will always love you no matter what, But now my life is going to be for me and for me only for its remainder because you gave up the fight and I ended it.

https://web.archive.org/web/20100804082044/http://theruthlesstruth.com/wordpress/the-rambling-poet-all-things-normal-and-abnormal/the-rambling-poets-brothe
via the way back machine
bigkitchen: you havent realized your infinite potential bigkitchen: you are literally and factually a conductor of universal energy bigkitchen: any limits you percieve are simply constructs of ignorance bigkitchen: to achieve z the variables of a-y apply bigkitchen: and that is written in your atomic code bigkitchen: all of it bigkitchen: scientifically speaking its all in how you get your dna to become more active bigkitchen: food, sounds and etc bigkitchen: true there could be real mutative hurdles and restrictions bigkitchen: but alot can be done over the course of one life to correct imbalance bigkitchen: where stephen hawkings doesnt accredit quantum physics with cognitive function he also doesnt see that hes lived decades longer than he was supposed to bigkitchen: and created some of the most groundbreaking theories in his field bigkitchen: he was supposed to be dead bigkitchen: after college bigkitchen: point of fact he didnt give up and therefore lived longer bigkitchen: his congnitive ability forced a change on a subatomic level bigkitchen: and that couldnt be possible if conciousness and subatomic reality werent attached

thats the dewd here.

Visions and dreams

tunnel collapse in India
I dreamt a transit tunnel was being worked on and all of the sudden heard a blast and went to investigate, people were hurt and bleeding and I awoke with a name etched in my mind. I googled the name and he was the supervisor of a project in India that had his crew hurt and some killed by a cave in.? 5 yrs ago The minnesota bridge collapse
I had a dream that cars were moving over the river and I was on the opposite side, looking over to the other side I sawtrain tracks something of an industrial road way and the bridge gave way and traffic was veering off into the river. All of the sudden I was on the other side looking at a grey blue car feeling I had to get to it in order to save someones life. 2 weeks before it happened

electronic device that attaches to the skin via some sort of needle
I closed my eyes while relaxing and saw a device that attaches to the skin that has a needle that goes into the skin. the device was worn on the hand. last month

3 nukes rising from the water of the coast of America
I was helping foreigners into a church bomb shelter and then americans after they were in. I went to the ocean and saw 3 missiles rise from the ocean. several moths ago
Seattle in darkness and flames and chaos
I was in the alcove of a building it was dark and there were fires and riots and people everywhere. Very very dangerous.
portland in civil war and the infrastructure broken and cracked
I had a dream I was down town and people were shooting at each other over broken roadways as if an earth quake had destroyed much of the city, I was trying to get some place and had to have a gun to navigate the chaos. 8 yrs ago
portland overcome by foliage
I saw in a waking vision meaning I was awake and alert , portland overgrown by ivy and plants in the downtown area. what few people that were alive lived peacefully in buildings without electricity. 13 yrs ago

a massive blast in california
I dreamt I was walking through san fran inner communities where people have open door policies like a post hippy inner city commune, and then I was near a large glass tower that was being destroyed by a blast, the heat from the blast melted steel and glass itseemed nuclear. it was massive in force. 7 yrs ago
God smites the people of earth?
Talk about apocolyptic dreams ! I was in a park with some god fearing friends colors were vivid as they could be , clouds were rolling in and suddenly there was a crack of thunder unlike any I had heard before, it went through my conciousness like the voice of a god come to weigh the right and wrong. the sky had a black cloud encircled by white clouds and the hue was golden orange and red like many dreams I have had over the years. In one of those old dreams a line of mankind was as far as the eye could see , the sky was red and people were going where there truths led them.
I visualized hail forming in the heavens the size of a softball or somewhat larger, as it came down it became flames and started destroying people around our group, we made it to the suv which was silver and looked like a toyota and travelled to te slumburbs where outlaws were being sacked by this hail and destroyed.
One had a head dress of antuquity and was consumed in flames but persisted and chased me until I evaded him and returned to the suv. I then awoke.http://students.umf.maine.edu/~gagedl/china_spring04/gifs/theater.gif
if anyone has played diablo 2 the head dress was much like the headress of baal. Seems there are similarites to it around the world. it is representative of a horned god, in sumer ba al or bal. In hindu shiva.

Axstrom's Notes

1. The list is here: big jump list
2. The draw (1-5548) is 877, 1520, 4754, 5265, 1478
   1. Drawing 5 so there are backups in case of issues, but the jumper gets to choose among 4
   2. 877 is Earth Final Conflict - A TV show whewre aliens come and uplift Earth but have a hidden agenda
   3. 1520 is Investiture of the Gods - A fantasy tale in Zhou Dynasty
   4. 4754 is Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep - a Disney mashup videogame
   5. 5265 is The Fountain - A film about contuinity across time, grief, death, and growth
   6. Jumper chooses The Fountain
      1. Jump Doc
      2. Reddit discussion
   7. Jumper buys access to The Biosphere Supplement
      1. Supplement Doc

Build Notes

1. Drawbacks - None - Part of the point is that you can't have everything
2. Companions - None - This is the journey of an individual soul
3. Origin
   1. Past: Noble - setting the stage for grander thigns
   2. Present: Inventor - striving for progress
   3. Future: Witness - seeing what has become of the world
4. Perks
   1. Noble Thought - free for Noble, stay connected to the people who are affected by your actions
   2. Noble Deed - free for Noble, your actions have greater impact and are remembered and recorded
   3. Inventor's Vision - free for inventor, studying a problem gives increasing insight in how to improve it
   4. Inventor's Intent - free for inventor, your creations are harder to misuse
   5. Improved POV - free for witness, observe / remember events from multiple perspectives
   6. Bystander - free for witness, events can unfold around you leaving you unharmed
   7. All Together Now - merge all your past origins into a complex mind
   8. 500 Years of Practice (Teaching) - mastery beyond mastery of the chosen skill
   9. Soothing Presence - calm strong emotions and suffering
   10. Absolution - If someone genuinely repents, you can allow them to move
5. Items
   1. Meditation Garden - self-explanatory warehouse attachment
   2. Biosphere - Full purchase activates the Biosphere Supplement
   3. Tree of Life Sapling - Grows six immortality fruits per decade, which can (over very long time) grow more trees

Jump Notes

1. I wake up in my room in the warehouse apartments, after shutting myself in without even checking the Benefactor's Lounge the night before
   1. I'm still lingering on the frustration of not cracking the riddle of Allabar, and not being able to solve the problem permanently
   2. But there's no going back, so I commit to facing forward for the rest of the week, and head to the Benefactor room
      1. Once again, there are four envelopes with me, and my big chart of jumps up on the wall, like something from a Kindergarten classroom
      2. As I affix a sticker saying "The Fountain (2006)" to the big chart, a small round outline appears next to it: "Biosphere Supplement available"
   3. On my way to call a team meeting, I catch a surprise outside the apartments
      1. Three of our bard graduates are slowly exploring the area
   4. At the team meeting, I announce my intention to go solo on the next jump
      1. The decision isn't popular, but most of them have waited while I've done gauntlets before, so it's not a big shock
   5. We set up the entertainment room to watch the movie, even though I don't expect that meta knowledge will be much help
      1. For the first time, we don't all fit in the Entertainment room
      2. By count, there are eleven of us (me and ten companions), the Halflings are now up to fifteen after two recent births, and we have nine new bards with us, so we set up a second showing in the evening
   6. Finally, before heading in to the jump, I make one last check of the Benefactor's office to see if there's more information on the biosphere supplement, but though my note has been removed, there is no response, and nothing on the tablet
2. I awake from a deep sleep in a luxurious bed, it is early morning and the sun is still rising
   1. I can feel the absence of my abilities; I am reduced below even bodymod, to the level of a baseline middle-aged man in a world with primitive medicine
      1. Nevertheless, I can feel a gift reaching back in time to me - and as I accept it, I am calmed, no longer distressed by what I have lost
   2. In this time, I have duties, both in the mundane sense of the tasks those around me expect me to perform, as well as a greater sense in which I must try to make this world better
   3. My new gift becomes invaluable in due time
      1. All manner of petitioners and officers come to me with grievances, and each of them are a storm of emotions - no one comes before their Count to declare how satisfied they are with things
      2. In short time, word of my wisdom spreads, and my council is sought by King Ferdinand
   4. I lobby my King with an eye to improving the lives of all involved
      1. It is the lives of ordinary Spaniards that are the measure of his ability as a King, not the mass of his treasury
      2. Colonialism brings with it dangers beyond the obvious, and responsibilities for ages to come
      3. Allowing the priests to destroy artifacts of other cultures does not increase our glory, but diminishes it
   5. Despite my ability to make my case clearly and seemingly overcome all objections, my guidance is rarely heeded when I leave the room
   6. And before long, it seems I have made enemies of those who stand to gain by plundering the New World
      1. They do not discuss the matter with me, or make their displeasure known by facing me down in violence
      2. But as the breath leaves my lungs over dinner, my last thought is that I have been poisoned by a coward
3. I awake from a fitful sleep in a large bed, my wife still asleep beside me despite the chirping of my alarm clock
   1. My first throught is of the date - It is September 7, 1999 - the first day of fall semester
      1. This will not be my first time teaching CS 101, but this time will be different, I can feel the power in my body, my mind, and my soul
   2. I arrive at my office early, of course, and make sure everything is in order - the syllabus handouts are ready, my slides are in order and proof-read, and my TAs have confirmed their preparedness
      1. The lecure hall is large - so many students sign up for CS 101 without any prior programming knowledge, just to see what it's like, or convinced that they will be a natural
      2. As the students file in, they sparsely occupy the massive auditorium, afraid to sit near people they don't know, not fully understanding that for the vast majority of them, this is their first class on campus, their first opportunity to get to know eachother
      3. I exhort them to move towards the front so they can hear and see better, and a few oblige
      4. The first lecture flows like a breeze, the students hanging on my words as I understand what each one needs to hear to understand what the rest of this semester will hold
   3. By semester's end, the students and TAs are in awe, the CS department chair has asked for my materials and told me that spring registrations for CS102 are higher than ever, both of the student papers have run articles praising my class, and the dean of Arts and Sciences has interceded to clear my spring schedule to prioritize my research work on the condition that I teach 101 again next year
      1. I appreciate my grad students and TAs, but I don't have a real family in this life, so I head into the warehouse for winter break
4. I awaken rested and enthusiastic on a beautiful spring day
   1. It is graduation day for the first group of freshman I taught after coming to this jump, nearly four years ago
      1. They have come so far, and I'm fortunate that some of the best have continued to work with me, and three of them will be graduate students working under me starting in the fall
   2. It is also the first day of human trials for the drug, a new anti-inflammatory
      1. We were hoping it would treat chronic inflammatory diseases, but early testing suggests that it may significantly reduce hay fever, which would be great if we can mass produce it cheaply
   3. My reputation at the school has skyrocketed thanks to the combination of my groundbreaking research plus my teaching perks ensuring high instructor reviews as well as students learning and retaining more
      1. My tenure process has been fast-tracked, since the dean is rightly concerned about losing me to another institution
5. I awaken slowly, and awkwardly, as if from a coma, as a cocktail of drugs is released into my body, still restrained on my cryobed
   1. Our vessel, the Cyllene, is essentially a large asteroid with a hole carved in the middle, stuffed with propellent, equipment, supplies, expansive aquaponics facilities, and a relatively tiny living area
      1. Cyllene was said to have nursed and protected Hermes, as this vessel must nurture and protect us, the first observers, and hopefully, colonists,
   2. As my body and mind resume normal function over the course of 90 minutes, I get a slow trickle of updates on the status of the Cyllene and our mission
      1. The mission clock says it's 202 years since we left Earth, but thanks to time dilation, Earth has experienced 221
      2. Computer Block 5 (of 8) is currently undergoing automated reconstruction as the block with the highest error correction rate at the time the last automated reconstruction completed
      3. 1575 individuals are currently in cryosleep, and 25 (including me) are active, all sufficiently healthy
      4. I am still Dr. John Axstrom, revered teacher and groundbreaking computational pharmacologist, but my consciousness seems to have jumped forward a few hundred years, skipping past the development of miracle cures, life extension medications, and cryogenic preservation of humans
   3. As I realign with my memories and identity, I remember why I'm here
      1. If colonization proceeds, the coming generations are going to need exceptional teachers if they are to learn their place in the universe, and I'm one of the best there ever was
      2. Our mission is expected to take about 750 years from departure to arrival, and though the vast majority of that time is spent in cryosleep, we take shifts being "awake" to ensure systems are functioning and keep eachother mentally and physically healthy
   4. Since the monitoring systems will throw a fit if I straight up disappear from the vessel, I take a long ride out to the external "observation" check, out of the range of most of the sensor systems
      1. There's not really much to observe in deep space - it's like the night sky, as the ancients saw it with no light pollution, but from a different perspective
      2. Here I quickly form a stunt double duplicate, hand over my electronics, and duck into the warehouse
   5. The warehouse clock confirms my suspicions - I'm nearly seven years into the jump
      1. Since it looks like this isn't going to take nearly 1000 years, the team hasn't been going full-stasis mode
      2. The bards have been poring over J-Borg's personal library as well as the impressive collection of the warehouse media room
      3. But the reason I came is the Tablet of the Free - I'm stuck on a large but still confined deep-space vessel until my scheduled return to cryosleep - how is that supposed to entertain the boss?
      4. After confirming nothing interesting is in the warehouse, I head back to the observation deck, and stash the portable door I've been using back into hammer-space before re-merging with my stunt double, and taking the long trip back to the living area
6. I wake up to an unfamiliar synthetic beep - apparently the Cyllene's version of a doorbell
   1. When I open the door, one of my crewmates tells me that our directional antennas have picked up some unusual RF activity that seems to be coming from our destination system, and they want me (as the on-shift programmer) to help the astronomer, comms, and operations staff to help make sense of it, and ensure we're not about to get nuked by a magnetar or something
   2. Initial findings were sparse and inconclusive - just occasional pulses of a signal that must have been very strong and highly directional at the time of transmission, to reach us so far away
   3. But I had access to diagnostic tools that the astrophysicists and comms staff didn't, for all their training and equipment: a series of perks specifically for teasing out the needles of relevance from the haystack of noise
      1. And as I looked at what we were seeing, and what we weren't, the answer became clear: these radio bursts looked just like a primitive form of RADAR
      2. At first my colleagues on the Cyllene were skeptical, but the evidence kept mounting, with 4 additional series of "pings" being detected in the next six weeks
   4. With the spectre of extraterrestrial intelligence hanging over the Cyllene, our XO followed protocol, and ordered the full complement to be wakened from cryosleep to assist in the work to come
   5. Within six months, we had fabricated and installed a much larger purpose-built directional antenna array on the surface of our asteroid hull, and reports of different signals were coming in almost daily
      1. We needed all the extra hands, even our mining and terraforming experts were lending a hand with signal analysis and attempts to form patterns
      2. The whole crew felt the urgency and wondered at the situation - temporally, it would mean that their early experiments with RADAR and initial RF broadcasts would have happened at about the same time as humans did those things on earth, and if they developed at the same rate as us (a big if), they would likely be more advanced when we arrivedd than humans were when we left (and thus the technology of our vessel), and would almost certainly see us coming
   6. The coming months flew past, each bringing further confirmation of suspicious, but with it frustration, as we had been unable to extract a coherent signal - the broadcasts we could pick up didn't appear to be using either amplitude or frequency modulation
      1. More than once I brought signal samples to the warehouse team, but they were just as stumped as us
      2. Even more "esoteric" means didn't work - we tried every variation of "Tongues" and "Comprehend Language" spells on printed, audioized, and even engraved versions of the RF signals we caught, but they all failed and the representations seemed full of too many discontinuities
   7. I could feel my new Inventor's Vision working on the task of how to decode these signals, and about two years after the first pulse was detected, I had my breakthrough
      1. The signals didn't represent continuous audio (like human radio) or even piece-by-piece visuals (like rasterized video), but something of each, and a little weirder
      2. They were composed of many (from seven to three hundred, and not consistent at all) micro-audio clips
      3. It was like making an ultra-low bitrate recordding of the voice of every singer in a chorus individually, and transmitting fifty milliseconds of one, then fifty milliseconds of the next, and so one, in serial, and then starting back again with the first voice
      4. We couldn't figure out why they did this, but once I was able to identify the break points between each "voice", I could layer them on top of eachother to make a composite audio version
      5. And that composite audio could be played, and was a viable candidate for magic translation
   8. The entire vessel went wild when I demonstrated the isolation and recombination of the signals to produce audio
      1. The sound of the thing was somewhat like the sound of multiple birds, frogs, and crickets in a forest, in very brief clips
      2. Of course, I didn't reveal that I had access to magic translation - I figured the comms and signals staff (and the one cryptographer) should have to earn their pay
   9. The remaining year and a half was spent in intense research, for them, while I mostly slacked off and tried to make conversation with the people doing important work on this front, since my actual mission here was to "observe" as humans of this universe underwent a sort of assymmetrical first contact
7. I awaken in my weird little pod bed in my weird little capsule room for the last time, perfectly aware of the remaining hours in this jump
   1. After the initial excitement died down, the majority of the colonists were put back into cryosleep, with only the decoding specialists and those "on shift" like me staying active
      1. There has been a lot of anxiety around the Cyllene for the last few months - we are clearly a colony ship and the intelligent inhabitants of that system probably do not want to be colonized, and may well be easily capable of destroying us
      2. There were discussions about trying to reverse course and head back to Earth, but we could do that any time, and the closer we get, the more information we can gather about the system and its inhabitants
   2. It would be cruel to try to skim supplies from this vessel even if there were something I wanted aboard, so I just wait my time out, helping where I can and secretly translating any communications we receive when time permits
      1. So far it has all been rather uninspiring, which makes me even more curious what kind of species would develop radio technology but not transmit any fiction or speeches or poetry
   3. When it's almost time, I once again make the long trek out to the Cyllene's observation deck alone, and split off a Stunt Double, who can at least stay here for a month, while I slip into the warehouse
      1. When I enter, J-Borg greets me and informs me of a message at the Benefactor's lounge
      2. The note on the door says "Supplement Pending - please attend as soon as possible", so I go in to check it out
      3. With the choices all locked in, the door unlocks and I head out to meet with the team
   4. With the memories of my time in Spain finally restored, I realize how I had been trying to communicate with myself all along, but failing
      1. The need for calm communcation and education will never end - among our closest neighbors or with a civilization 300 light years away
   5. We have the traditional group dinner in the commons, and discuss what's going on
      1. The team did end up spending most of the time in stasis, and the formerly-newborn halflings are a little over a year now biologically, learning to speak and walk
      2. When I mention the Biosphere supplement and how I wasn't allowed to consult them, they naturally asked when it would apply, but it hadn't even occurred to me that there were now definitely too many of us to wait out warehouse changes in the entrance hall, so I checked with the central control
   6. Afterward, no one was complaining when the doors finally unlocked and we were able to leave the commons hall, only to find that the door led to an outdoor path with a natural-looking sunset on the horizon
      1. I didn't want to spoil the whole setup yet, so I said we could tour in the morning, and turned off a number of the facilities and systems for the night, to give me some time to understand what options were available before letting my companions go wild with them
      2. Fortunately, the obvious items like the tree of life and factory complex were on other islands, that would be difficult to reach without the transport disks running
   7. And then I went to sleep again, wondering what the next awakening had in store for me

Notes on the Fountain Jump Doc

1. Honestly this doc has been on my to-try list since I saw it - I really enjoyed the movie and gladly rewatched it again when it came up in my random draw.
2. The author took some liberties with the source material, which makes sense because of how focused on Thomas the story is, and the extensions largely make sense
3. There were a few confusing things in the jump, such as how you get essences and what powers you bring with you into each phase of the jump, but a close reading makes them clear enough
4. The jump has a few really standout purchase
   1. the inventor's intention is the answer to a lot of concers that "do-gooder" jumpers are likely to have in their careers
   2. the full tree of life is an amazing item - the ability to grant perfect health and immunity to aging within a regrowing item solves a lot of problems
   3. 500 years of practice is amazing if you have a particular skill or art in mind - literally centuries better than the "10 years of practice" equivalents that you find din many other jumps, and has a lot of potential to synergize with other perks that scale off your skill in a particular area
   4. Biosphere is super cool if you want your fiat-backed warehouse to grow into something more
   5. The Dagger of the Path is a great example of a conceptual weapon, and something I probably would have picked up if I had a bunch more points
5. How you're supposed to interleave the three eras is a little unclear, and maybe I'm not a creative enough author to pull it off. I don't believe SJ Chan ever got around to writing a fictionalized account of jumping to it, unfortunately
   1. If anyone else has done a good jump fiction of this jump, please let me know
6. Overall absolutely a fantastic jump. Obviously a great option for anyone who likes the movie or wants to solve one of the specific problems available
   1. I'd especially recommend it for an early-chain jumper because of the generally low danger level and great variety of rewards

Notes on the Biosphere Supplement Doc

1. I knew this was something I wanted to pick up when I first read the fountain jumpdoc several months ago
2. I use the "Personal Reality" warehouse which was co-authored by SJ Chan, and this supplement feels perfectly tailored to supplement that
3. There are lots of good pickups for people with various interests, or those who just want to keep their options open
   1. Observation Deck seems like the real must-have since a lot of the other buys are controllable through it
4. The structure of the biosphere was a little confusing at first - I thought that there was an island, a void around the island, and a hard shell, and wasn't sure why you'd want to increase the shell thickness, but further reading cleared that up
5. On the whole, a good pick up, especially considering it only cost 400 CP in the jump, and normally buying warehouse upgrades with CP has a very unfavorable conversion, but in this case, the biosphere purchases all seemed cheaper than they ought to be.

(Builds to come in a separate post due to length restrictions)

1. Amazon Store Rent
First, let's talk about the monthly rent for an Amazon store. Registering an Amazon store is free, but using a company registration instead of a personal one is recommended. This approach is safer and has a higher approval rate. After registering, you can choose between an Individual account and a Professional account.
Individual Account: This account has no monthly fee, but you'll pay Amazon $0.99 for each item you sell. It’s suitable for sellers who are just starting out and have lower sales volumes.
Professional Account: This account costs $39.99 per month, but you won’t pay a fee per sale. This option is more cost-effective if you sell more than 40 items per month.
Recommendation: If you’re just starting and your sales are low, opt for the Individual account. As your sales increase and you consistently sell more than 40 items per month, switch to the Professional account to save on per-item fees.

1. Product Selection Tools

Choosing the right products to sell is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. Fortunately, there are several tools available to assist with this process, each offering unique features to help you make informed decisions.
Popular Paid Tools: JungleScout and Helium10
JungleScout: Priced at $49/month, JungleScout is widely recognized for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to help sellers identify profitable products, estimate sales, and analyze competition. Its features include:
Product Database: Allows you to filter products based on various criteria like price, sales, and competition.
Product Tracker: Helps track the performance of potential products over time.
Keyword Scout: Provides keyword research and optimization suggestions to enhance product listings.
Sales Analytics: Offers insights into sales trends and revenue estimates.
Helium10: At $79/month, Helium10 is another powerful tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for Amazon sellers. Key features include:
Black Box: A product research tool that allows you to find profitable niches.
Xray: A Chrome extension that gives you a quick overview of product performance metrics directly on Amazon.
Keyword Research: Tools like Cerebro and Magnet help you discover and optimize for high-ranking keywords.
Listing Optimization: Features like Scribbles and Index Checker ensure your product listings are optimized for maximum visibility.
Free Tool: 4SELLER
4SELLER: For those who are looking for a budget-friendly option, 4SELLER is a free tool that offers a robust set of features to aid in product selection and management. It includes:
Product Selection: Assists in identifying profitable products by analyzing market trends and competition.
Inventory Management: Helps track inventory levels, forecast demand, and manage stock efficiently to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
Supplier Finder: Aids in locating reliable suppliers, which is essential for maintaining product quality and consistency.
Why Product Selection Tools are Essential
Using product selection tools is vital because they provide data-driven insights that help you make informed decisions. These tools can save you time and reduce the risk of choosing products that may not sell well. They offer features that allow you to:
Identify Trends: By analyzing market data, these tools help you stay ahead of trends and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Evaluate Competition: Understanding your competition is crucial. These tools provide detailed analysis of competitors' products, pricing strategies, and sales performance.
Optimize Listings: Well-optimized product listings are more likely to attract buyers. These tools offer keyword research and listing optimization features that improve your product's visibility on e-commerce platforms.
Manage Inventory: Efficient inventory management ensures you have the right products available at the right time, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.
Whether you opt for a paid tool like JungleScout or Helium10, or a free option like 4SELLER, leveraging these tools can significantly enhance your ability to select profitable products, manage inventory effectively, and optimize your listings for better performance.
3. Initial Stock Costs
Purchasing your first batch of products involves a significant initial investment, and the amount required can vary widely depending on the type of products you choose to sell. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider when estimating your initial stock costs:
Factors Influencing Initial Stock Costs
Product Type and Price: The nature of the products you choose to sell will greatly influence your initial costs. Higher-priced items tend to have less competition but require a larger upfront investment. Conversely, cheaper products are more budget-friendly but often come with higher competition.
Quantity: The number of units you decide to purchase initially is another major factor. A common recommendation for new sellers is to start with 200-500 units. This range allows you to test the market demand without overcommitting financially.
Calculating Initial Costs
To estimate your initial stock costs, you need to multiply the quantity of units by the purchase price per unit. Here’s a simplified formula:
Initial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per UnitInitial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per Unit
For instance, if you decide to buy 300 units of a product that costs $5 per unit, your initial stock cost would be:
300 units×$5/unit=$1,500300 units×$5/unit=$1,500
Typical Budget Ranges for New Sellers
Low Budget: If you’re starting with a tighter budget, you might opt for products with a lower purchase price. For example, if you choose items costing around $2 per unit and purchase 200 units, your initial cost would be $400.
Moderate Budget: A more common range for new sellers is between $1,000 and $3,000. This allows for a balance between purchasing a reasonable quantity of units and managing the risk of unsold inventory. For example, buying 400 units at $5 per unit would total $2,000.
Higher Budget: With a larger budget, you can consider higher-priced items that might have less competition. For instance, purchasing 300 units at $10 per unit would result in an initial cost of $3,000.
Why Initial Stock Costs are Important
Understanding and planning for initial stock costs is critical because it ensures you are adequately prepared for the financial outlay required to launch your business. Here are a few reasons why this is essential:
Market Testing: Buying an appropriate number of units allows you to test market demand without over-investing. This way, you can gauge the product's popularity and adjust future orders accordingly.
Cash Flow Management: Proper planning helps manage your cash flow effectively. Ensuring you have enough funds to cover initial stock costs, along with other expenses like marketing and shipping, is crucial for maintaining business operations.
Risk Mitigation: Starting with a moderate quantity of units helps minimize the risk of unsold inventory, which can tie up capital and lead to losses. It’s better to start small, analyze performance, and scale up gradually.
Carefully estimating and planning for your initial stock costs is a vital step in setting up your e-commerce business. By understanding the factors that influence these costs and budgeting accordingly, you can make informed decisions that set the foundation for a successful venture. Whether you have a limited budget or can invest more significantly, strategic planning will help you manage risks and maximize your chances of success.
4. UPC Codes
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a standardized barcode used by retailers, including Amazon, to track products. Obtaining UPC codes is a critical step in setting up your products for sale. Here’s a detailed explanation of why you need them, where to get them, and the associated costs.
What are UPC Codes?
Definition: UPC codes are unique identifiers assigned to products. Each code consists of a series of black bars and a corresponding 12-digit number that can be scanned by barcode readers.
Purpose: These codes help retailers manage inventory, streamline the checkout process, and track sales. For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, UPC codes ensure each product is uniquely identifiable, reducing errors and simplifying logistics.
Where to Buy UPC Codes
Official Source: GS1: The Global Standards 1 (GS1) organization is the official provider of UPC codes. Purchasing from GS1 ensures the authenticity and uniqueness of your codes, which is crucial for compliance with Amazon’s policies.
Why GS1?: While there are third-party sellers offering UPC codes at lower prices, these codes might not always be unique or compliant with GS1 standards. Using GS1 guarantees that your UPCs are globally recognized and legitimate, preventing potential issues with listing products on Amazon.
Cost of UPC Codes
Initial Purchase: GS1 sells UPC codes in packs. A pack of 10 UPCs costs $250 initially. This upfront cost covers the registration and issuance of the codes.
Annual Renewal Fee: In addition to the initial purchase cost, there is a $50 annual renewal fee. This fee ensures your codes remain active and your registration with GS1 stays current.
Breakdown of Costs
Initial Cost: For a pack of 10 UPC codes, the initial cost is $250.
Annual Renewal: The $50 annual renewal fee applies every year to maintain your codes.
Example Calculation:
If you purchase a pack of 10 UPCs, your total cost for the first year would be:
$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300
In subsequent years, you will only pay the $50 renewal fee to keep your UPCs active.
Why UPC Codes are Important
Inventory Management: UPC codes play a crucial role in inventory management, allowing you to track stock levels accurately. This helps prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
Product Identification: Each UPC code is unique to a specific product, ensuring that Amazon and other retailers can correctly identify and catalog your items. This reduces the risk of listing errors and mix-ups.
Compliance and Credibility: Using GS1-issued UPC codes ensures compliance with Amazon’s listing requirements. This adds credibility to your listings and prevents potential issues that might arise from using unauthorized codes.
Efficiency and Automation: UPC codes facilitate the automation of various processes, including checkout, shipping, and inventory updates. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual workload.
Investing in UPC codes from GS1 is an essential step for any e-commerce business aiming to sell on platforms like Amazon. The initial cost of $250 for a pack of 10 UPCs, along with the $50 annual renewal fee, ensures that your products are uniquely identifiable and compliant with global standards. This investment not only helps in effective inventory management but also enhances the credibility and efficiency of your business operations.
5. Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping and distribution costs are critical components of your overall budget when selling on Amazon. These costs encompass various fees and charges that ensure your products reach Amazon’s warehouses and, ultimately, your customers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider and how these costs can impact your business.
Components of Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping to Amazon’s Warehouse: This involves the costs of transporting your products from your supplier to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Factors influencing these costs include the size and weight of your products, the shipping method, and the distance between the supplier and the warehouse.
Packaging: Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. This includes boxes, cushioning materials, and labeling.
Inspection Fees: To ensure quality and compliance with Amazon’s standards, you might need to pay for product inspections before they are shipped.
Import Duties and Taxes: If you are importing products from another country, customs duties and taxes will apply. These costs vary based on the product category and the country of origin.
Estimated Shipping Costs by Product Size
Small Items: For smaller products, shipping costs are generally lower. On average, you can expect to pay around $4 per unit for shipping.
Mid-sized Products: For larger or heavier items, shipping costs increase. These costs can range from $8 to $12 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the products.
Amazon FBA Fees
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees: Once your products are in Amazon’s warehouse, the company handles storage, packaging, and shipping to customers. Amazon charges FBA fees for these services, which are based on the size and weight of the product.
Small and Light Items: FBA fees for smaller items typically range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit.
Larger Items: For bigger or heavier products, FBA fees can be higher, reflecting the additional handling and shipping costs.
Breakdown of Costs
Shipping Costs to Amazon’s Warehouse:
Small items: $4 per unit
Mid-sized items: $8-$12 per unit
Amazon FBA Fees:
Small items: $2.92-$6.13 per unit
Larger items: Higher fees depending on size and weight
Example Calculation
If you are shipping 300 small items to Amazon’s warehouse, with each unit costing $4 to ship and an average FBA fee of $4.50, your total costs would be:
Shipping to Warehouse: 300 units×$4/unit=$1,200300 units×$4/unit=$1,200
FBA Fees: 300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350
Total Shipping and Distribution Costs:
$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550
Why Shipping and Distribution Costs are Important
Budget Planning: Understanding and accurately estimating these costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. Unexpected expenses can significantly impact your profitability.
Pricing Strategy: These costs need to be factored into your pricing strategy to ensure you maintain healthy profit margins. Underestimating shipping and distribution costs can erode your margins and affect your competitiveness.
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient shipping and distribution are key to timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Using Amazon FBA ensures reliable and fast shipping, which can enhance your seller ratings and lead to repeat business.
Operational Efficiency: Managing these costs effectively can streamline your operations and improve cash flow. By optimizing packaging, negotiating better shipping rates, and accurately forecasting demand, you can reduce expenses and improve efficiency.
Shipping and distribution costs are a significant part of your overall expenses when selling on Amazon. By carefully estimating these costs, including packaging, inspection fees, import duties, and Amazon FBA fees, you can better manage your budget and pricing strategy. Understanding these costs helps ensure smooth operations, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports your business's profitability and growth.
6. Inventory Storage Costs
Inventory storage costs are a critical consideration when using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. These fees are based on the size and quantity of your inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses and vary throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these costs and their implications for your business.
Amazon’s Storage Fees
Amazon charges monthly storage fees that depend on the size category of your products (standard-size or oversized) and the time of year. The fees are higher during the holiday season (October to December) due to increased demand for warehouse space.
Standard-Size Storage Fees
January to September: $0.83 per cubic foot
October to December: $2.40 per cubic foot
Oversized Storage Fees
January to September: $0.53 per cubic foot
October to December: $1.20 per cubic foot
Calculating Storage Costs
To estimate your storage costs, you need to know the cubic footage of your inventory. Here’s how you can calculate it:
Cubic Footage=Length×Width×HeightCubic Footage=Length×Width×Height
Once you have the cubic footage, multiply it by the applicable storage fee rate.
Example Calculation for Standard-Size Products
Let’s say you have 500 units of a product, each measuring 1 cubic foot. Your storage costs would be:
January to September: 500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415
October to December: 500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200
Example Calculation for Oversized Products
If you have 200 units of an oversized product, each measuring 3 cubic feet, your storage costs would be:
January to September: 600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318
October to December: 600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720
Why Inventory Storage Costs Matter
Budget Management: Accurately estimating storage costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. These costs can add up, especially during peak seasons, impacting your overall profitability.
Inventory Turnover: High storage costs can incentivize better inventory management practices, such as maintaining optimal stock levels and ensuring a higher inventory turnover rate. This helps in reducing long-term storage fees and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
Seasonal Planning: Knowing that storage fees increase during the holiday season can help you plan your inventory levels more effectively. You might choose to stock up on faster-moving items or reduce slower-moving inventory before the fees increase.
Cost Control: By understanding these fees, you can implement strategies to minimize them, such as reducing the size of your packaging, negotiating better storage terms, or using other fulfillment centers if necessary.
Strategies to Manage Storage Costs
Optimize Inventory Levels: Maintain a balance between having enough stock to meet demand and avoiding excess inventory that incurs high storage costs.
Seasonal Adjustments: Plan your inventory levels based on seasonal fluctuations in storage fees, ensuring you minimize costs during peak periods.
Efficient Packaging: Use packaging that minimizes space without compromising product safety. Smaller packaging reduces the cubic footage and, consequently, storage fees.
FBA Inventory Management: Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to monitor and adjust your stock levels based on sales data and forecasts.
Inventory storage costs are an important aspect of selling on Amazon using FBA. These costs, varying by product size and season, can significantly impact your business’s profitability. By accurately estimating these fees and implementing strategies to manage and reduce them, you can optimize your inventory management and control expenses effectively. Understanding and planning for these costs will help ensure a smoother and more profitable operation.

1. Platform Commission

When selling on Amazon, it’s essential to account for the platform commission, known as the referral fee. This fee is a percentage of each sale and varies by product category. Understanding these fees is crucial for pricing your products and calculating your profit margins.
Amazon’s Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on each sale made through its platform. The percentage varies depending on the product category. Here are some common examples:
Electronics: 8%
Beauty Products: 15%
Books: 15%
Clothing and Accessories: 17%
Home and Kitchen: 15%
How Referral Fees Are Calculated
The referral fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales price, which includes the item price and any shipping or gift wrap charges.
Referral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee PercentageReferral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee Percentage
Example Calculations
Electronics: If you sell a gadget for $100, the referral fee would be: $100×8%=$8$100×8%=$8
Beauty Products: If you sell a skincare product for $50, the referral fee would be: $50×15%=$7.50$50×15%=$7.50
Why Platform Commission is Important
Pricing Strategy: Knowing the referral fee helps you set your product prices appropriately to ensure you cover costs and achieve desired profit margins.
Profit Margin Calculation: Understanding the commission allows you to accurately calculate your net profit after deducting all fees.
Category Selection: The commission rate can influence your decision on which product categories to focus on. Lower commission rates in certain categories might lead to higher profitability.
Competitive Pricing: Factoring in the referral fee ensures your prices remain competitive while still being profitable.
Impact on Different Product Categories
High-Commission Categories: Categories like beauty products and clothing with higher referral fees require careful pricing to maintain profitability. High fees can significantly impact margins, especially for low-cost items.
Low-Commission Categories: Categories like electronics with lower referral fees can offer better profit margins, but these categories might also have higher competition.
Strategies to Manage Referral Fees
Optimize Pricing: Adjust your pricing to ensure it covers all costs, including the referral fee, while remaining attractive to customers.
Product Selection: Consider the referral fee when selecting products to sell. Products in categories with lower fees might be more profitable.
Bundle Products: Creating product bundles can help increase the average sales price, potentially offsetting the impact of the referral fee.
Platform commission is a significant cost factor when selling on Amazon. By understanding the referral fee structure and calculating these fees accurately, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product selection, and profitability. Properly managing and accounting for these fees ensures your business remains competitive and financially sustainable on the Amazon platform.
8. Advertising Costs
Advertising is a crucial component of your e-commerce strategy, driving visibility and sales for your products on Amazon. Effective advertising can help you reach potential customers quickly, but it requires a financial investment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of advertising costs, strategies, and their impact on your business.
Types of Advertising
Amazon Advertising: The primary form of advertising on Amazon is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads. These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages, allowing you to target specific keywords and audiences.
Sponsored Products: These ads promote individual product listings and appear in search results and product pages.
Sponsored Brands: These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products.
Sponsored Display: These ads target audiences both on and off Amazon, helping to re-engage shoppers who have viewed your products.
Off-Amazon Advertising: To broaden your reach, you can also advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow for targeted advertising based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Budgeting for Advertising
A typical budget for new sellers on Amazon ranges from $700 to $1,000. This budget should cover various advertising strategies, including PPC campaigns and social media ads.
Cost Breakdown
Amazon PPC Ads:
Sponsored Products: These are the most common and can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $2.00 per click, depending on the competitiveness of your keywords.
Sponsored Brands: These ads generally cost more per click due to their higher visibility and brand promotion capabilities.
Sponsored Display: Costs vary but can be effective for retargeting potential customers.
Social Media Advertising:
Facebook Ads: Costs typically range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, depending on targeting options and competition.
Instagram Ads: Similar to Facebook, Instagram ad costs range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, with the advantage of visual storytelling through images and videos.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s allocate a $1,000 advertising budget across different platforms:
Amazon PPC Ads: $600
Sponsored Products: $400
Sponsored Brands: $150
Sponsored Display: $50
Social Media Ads: $400
Facebook Ads: $200
Instagram Ads: $200
Why Advertising is Important
Increased Visibility: Advertising ensures your products appear in front of potential buyers, increasing the likelihood of sales.
Competitive Edge: With many sellers on Amazon, advertising helps you stand out and reach customers who might otherwise not find your products.
Sales Velocity: Effective advertising can boost your sales velocity, improving your product rankings and increasing organic visibility over time.
Strategies for Effective Advertising
Keyword Research: Use tools like Amazon’s Keyword Planner or third-party tools to identify high-performing keywords for your PPC campaigns.
A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and targeting options to find the most effective combinations.
Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review your ad performance data to optimize your campaigns. Adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and allocate more budget to high-performing ads.
Leverage Social Media: Use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your Amazon listings. Engaging content, such as videos and customer testimonials, can enhance ad performance.
Advertising is a vital part of your e-commerce strategy on Amazon and beyond. Allocating a budget of $700 to $1,000 for advertising can significantly enhance your product visibility and drive sales. By utilizing Amazon PPC ads and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can reach a broader audience and increase your chances of success. Effective advertising requires continuous monitoring and optimization, but the investment can lead to substantial returns in terms of sales growth and brand recognition.
9. Returns and Refunds
Managing returns and refunds is an inevitable part of selling on Amazon. While they can impact your profitability, understanding the associated costs and implementing effective management strategies can help mitigate their effects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs and considerations involved in handling returns and refunds.
Amazon Return Processing Fees
Amazon charges a return processing fee that varies depending on the product’s size and weight. This fee is applied when a customer returns a product, and it covers the cost of handling and processing the return.
Standard-Size Products: Fees for standard-size products are typically lower due to their smaller dimensions and weight.
Oversized Products: Fees for oversized products are higher because of the additional handling and storage space required.
Example Fee Structure
Standard-Size Product Return Fee: Approximately $2 to $5 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Oversized Product Return Fee: Approximately $5 to $20 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Additional Costs of Returns and Refunds
Restocking Fees: Amazon may charge a restocking fee for certain returned items. This fee is deducted from the refund amount and can range from 10% to 20% of the item’s price.
Return Shipping Costs: In some cases, you may be responsible for covering the cost of return shipping, especially if the return is due to a defect or error on your part.
Product Condition: Returned items that are not in resellable condition may need to be disposed of or liquidated, leading to additional losses.
Why Returns and Refunds Matter
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient handling of returns and refunds is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and positive reviews. Poor management can lead to negative feedback and damage your seller reputation.
Cost Management: Understanding and anticipating the costs associated with returns can help you better manage your budget and pricing strategy, ensuring you account for these potential expenses.
Inventory Control: Effective return management helps maintain accurate inventory levels and reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
Strategies to Manage Returns and Refunds
Clear Product Descriptions: Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of returns due to customer dissatisfaction or misunderstandings.
Quality Control: Implement rigorous quality control measures to minimize defects and errors that could lead to returns.
Customer Service: Offer excellent customer service to address issues promptly and potentially resolve problems without necessitating a return.
Return Policies: Establish clear and fair return policies that balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from excessive costs.
Example Calculation
Let’s consider you sell 100 units of a product, with an average return rate of 5%. Here’s how you can calculate the potential costs:
Product Price: $50 per unit
Return Rate: 5% (5 units)
Return Processing Fee: $3 per unit
Restocking Fee: 15% of the product price ($7.50 per unit)
Return Shipping Cost: $5 per unit
Total Return and Refund Costs:
Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15 Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50 Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25
Total Costs:
$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50
Handling returns and refunds is a necessary aspect of selling on Amazon, and the associated costs can add up quickly. By understanding the fees and implementing strategies to manage returns effectively, you can minimize their impact on your profitability. Clear product descriptions, stringent quality control, excellent customer service, and well-defined return policies can all contribute to reducing return rates and associated costs. Efficient return management not only helps maintain customer satisfaction but also supports better cost control and inventory management.

1. Miscellaneous Expenses

In addition to the primary costs associated with setting up and running your Amazon business, there are several miscellaneous expenses that can significantly impact your budget. These costs, while often overlooked, are crucial for creating a professional and efficient operation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these potential expenses and their importance.
Graphic Design for Product Listings
Importance: High-quality graphics and well-designed product listings are essential for attracting customers and conveying professionalism. Poorly designed listings can deter potential buyers.
Costs: Hiring a freelance graphic designer can cost between $50 and $200 per listing, depending on the complexity and the designer's experience.
Services: Graphic design services might include creating product images, infographics, and enhanced brand content (EBC) that highlights your product's features and benefits.
Professional Photography
Importance: Professional photos can make a significant difference in how your product is perceived. High-quality images help build trust with customers and increase conversion rates.
Costs: Professional product photography can range from $100 to $500 per product, depending on the number of images and the photographer’s expertise.
Services: This may include standard product shots, lifestyle images showing the product in use, and detailed close-ups of key features.
Virtual Assistant (VA) Services
Importance: Hiring a virtual assistant can help manage various tasks, such as customer service, inventory management, and order processing. This can free up your time to focus on strategic growth.
Costs: VAs typically charge between $10 and $30 per hour, depending on their skill level and the tasks they perform.
Services: Tasks handled by VAs can include responding to customer inquiries, updating product listings, managing social media accounts, and handling administrative duties.
Other Potential Miscellaneous Expenses
Subscription Services: Tools and software subscriptions for keyword research, inventory management, and sales analytics can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.
Legal and Accounting Services: Professional advice for legal and tax matters is crucial. This can include incorporating your business, trademark registration, and tax preparation, costing several hundred dollars annually.
Packaging Design: Custom packaging design can enhance your brand image and customer experience. Costs can range from $100 to $500, depending on the complexity of the design.
Marketing and Promotional Materials: Additional marketing efforts, such as email campaigns, social media ads, and promotional giveaways, can also add to your expenses.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s break down a potential budget for these miscellaneous expenses:
Graphic Design: $150 per listing for 5 listings = $750
Professional Photography: $300 per product for 3 products = $900
Virtual Assistant: $20 per hour for 10 hours per month = $200 per month
Subscription Services: $100 per month
Legal and Accounting Services: $500 annually
Packaging Design: $300
Marketing and Promotional Materials: $200 per month
Annual Costs:
Graphic Design=$750Graphic Design=$750 Professional Photography=$900Professional Photography=$900 Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400 Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200 Legal and Accounting Services=$500Legal and Accounting Services=$500 Packaging Design=$300Packaging Design=$300 Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400
Total Annual Miscellaneous Expenses:
$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450
Why Miscellaneous Expenses Matter
Professionalism and Trust: Investing in professional services like graphic design and photography enhances your product listings and builds trust with potential customers.
Efficiency and Focus: Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to delegate time-consuming tasks, enabling you to focus on growing your business.
Operational Smoothness: Subscriptions to essential tools and professional legal and accounting services ensure your business operates smoothly and compliantly.
Brand Building: Custom packaging and marketing materials contribute to a strong brand identity, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
Miscellaneous expenses, while sometimes overlooked, play a vital role in the success of your Amazon business. By budgeting for high-quality graphic design, professional photography, virtual assistant services, and other essential tools and services, you can create a professional and efficient operation. These investments not only enhance your product listings and customer experience but also free up your time to focus on strategic growth, ultimately contributing to your business's long-term success.
Summary
Setting up and running an Amazon business involves various costs that need careful consideration to ensure profitability and efficiency. Here’s a summary of the key cost components:
Product Selection Tools: Essential for choosing profitable products, with popular tools like JungleScout ($49/month) and Helium10 ($79/month). Free alternatives like 4SELLER also provide valuable features for product selection and inventory management.
Initial Stock Costs: Depending on the product type and quantity, initial stock costs can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Starting with 200-500 units is recommended to test the market without overcommitting financially.
UPC Codes: Necessary for product tracking, these should be purchased from GS1. A pack of 10 UPC codes costs $250 initially, plus a $50 annual renewal fee.
Shipping and Distribution Costs: Includes fees for shipping products to Amazon’s warehouse and Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees, which range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit. Shipping small items might cost around $4 per unit, while mid-sized products could cost $8-$12 per unit.
Inventory Storage Costs: Monthly fees for storing products in Amazon’s warehouse vary by size and season. Standard-size storage costs $0.83 per cubic foot from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October to December. Oversized storage costs $0.53 per cubic foot and $1.20 per cubic foot during these periods, respectively.
Platform Commission: Amazon takes a commission on each sale, typically between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category. For instance, electronics have a referral fee of 8%, while beauty products have a fee of 15%.
Advertising Costs: To drive visibility and sales, set aside $700-$1,000 for advertising. This includes Amazon PPC ads and potentially social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Returns and Refunds: Handling returns incurs costs, including Amazon’s return processing fee, restocking fees, and return shipping costs. These fees vary based on product size and weight.
Miscellaneous Expenses: Other costs include graphic design for product listings ($50-$200 per listing), professional photography ($100-$500 per product), and virtual assistant services ($10-$30 per hour). Additional expenses may include subscription services, legal and accounting services, packaging design, and marketing materials.
In total, you'll need at least $5,000 to start an Amazon FBA business today. Plus, you'll need to spend a lot of time managing your store and optimizing your product listings. This includes continuously monitoring your sales performance, tweaking your advertising strategies, and keeping an eye on competitors to stay ahead in the market.
By understanding and planning for these costs, you can effectively manage your Amazon business, ensuring it remains profitable and efficient while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

This week’s vintage batch features black hard rubber pens from three of the Big Four American Makers of the 1910s-20s. Nibs range from Flex to Wet Noodle. As always, all are fully restored and ready to write.
 
ALBUM & TIMESTAMP
 
Pastable link: https://imgur.com/a/R5fpCKe
 
Condition (n.b.): All pens listed below have been disassembled, cleaned and restored with new sacs installed in the last couple weeks. Each of these pens is guaranteed to fill and write as designed without leaks or other problems. Nibs have been adjusted when necessary to ensure that all lay down a smooth and consistent line.
THESE PENS HAVE NO CRACKS, CHIPS, PERSONALIZATIONS, LOOSE OR MISSING PARTS, BENT NIBS, MISALIGNED TINES, BROKEN/WORN OFF TIPPING, OR THREADING ISSUES.
 
Line Widths and Writing Samples: To provide buyers with as much information as possible, I have started to adopt the following line width standards: XXF (.1-.2mm); XF (approx .3mm); F (approx .4mm); M (approx .6mm); B (approx .8mm). Nib flexibility is determined by variation (max line width under pressure) and softness (amount of pressure). Flexibility designations based on variation generally run as follows for an XF/F nib: Semi-Flex (approx. 1mm); Flex (1.2-1.9mm); Superflex (>2mm). All line width measurements are taken with a digital caliper but should be considered approximations providing a general guide. Width may vary slightly depending on type of ink and paper used as well as amount of pressure applied. All writing samples are on Rhodia dot paper using Waterman Serenity Blue.
 
 
1. 1920s Waterman 92 1/2 (BCHR, GPT, lever filler, 14k XF Flex nib). This slender (1/2-sized) model is longer than a ring top but slightly shorter than a 52, measuring 4 3/4” capped and 6” posted. Not to be confused with the later, celluloid 92, this 92 1/2 is made of black chased hard rubber with gold-plated trim. It’s the first I’ve ever encountered. Cap came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a clip), but has been outfitted with a gold-plated accommodation clip. Based on its absence from US catalogues, I believe this model was made strictly for foreign export. The barrel has a Canadian imprint while the nib reads “Ideal / England,” it being a common practice for Waterman’s Canadian pens to be finished in England. That 14k nib is a Flexible writer (note change from writing sample after taking measurement. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 3B+ (approx 1.8mm) under moderate pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it a great choice for shaded writing. Condition: fine [C]. This pen has no functional flaws but does show some use. Hard rubber is an even dark chocolate color – still much darker than the brown these can turn. Chasing is significantly yet evenly weakened across the cap and barrel. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Gold-plating on the lever has a sliver of brassing in the center and parts of the clip look tarnished, though I’m not sure this amounts to full-fledged brassing. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel end are weakened but fully legible. An affordable user and a lovely writer for those wondering at what all the fuss is about early Watermans. Price: $150
 
2. 1910s Waterman 12 Eyedropper (BCHR, German Silver clip, eyedropper filler, 14k F Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures 5 1/8” capped. This slip-cap eyedropper is made of black chased hard rubber with a rivet clip marked “German Silver” – less common than the standard nickel clips. This pen is an eyedropper. The section unscrews for the barrel to filled using an eyedroppepipette – holds far more ink than a lever filler of the same size. My usual caveats about early eyedroppers apply here. If carried, it is not uncommon to find a little ink on the nib or in the cap. Super-Flexible 14k Ideal NY #2 nib lays down a smooth and consistent F line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.5mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Easy variation and reliably wet flow over its full range of flex make it a great choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent- [B-]. Hard rubber of the cap is dark black with virtually no fading but center of barrel shows fading to dark chocolate under certain lights. Chasing on cap is sharp and deep but barrel chasing is very light and only visible when the light strikes it. German Silver clip is pristine with no brassing or other notable wear. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is weak but mostly legible while number stamp on barrel-end is all but worn away. Price: $190 [ON HOLD]
 
3. c.1918 Waterman 52 (BCHR, NPT w/ Sterling Silver clip, lever filler, 14k XXF Needlepoint Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. A nice example of Waterman’s celebrated workhorse made of black chased hard rubber with a sterling silver Ideal accommodation clip with “Waterman’s / Made in France” stamped on one side and a hallmark that reads “GP” on the other side (DETAIL PHOTO). This pen came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a rivet clip). Super-Flexible 14k Ideal NY #2 nib has a needlepoint width and superb snap-back that gives it a surgically precise feel when writing. It lays down a smooth and consistent XXF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.2mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Insanely responsive snap-back, needlepoint hairlines, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent [B]. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with virtually no fading. Chasing is weakened a bit yet readily visible over the cap and barrel. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is quite weak and only partly legible while number stamp on barrel-end is deep and fully legible. Price: $260 SOLD
 
4. c.1918 Waterman 52 in Box (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k M/B Superflex Factory Stub nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. This pen comes in its original factory box with 5-page pamphlet including care and filling instructions as well as other offerings from Waterman (BOX PHOTO). It’s a clean 52 made of black chased hard rubber with nickel-plated trim including earlier, wide rivet clip. 14k Ideal #2 nib is a Super-Flexible Factory Stub that manages to deliver sharp unflexed variation without compromising smoothness. Under normal pressure it lays down a smooth and consistent M/B line (approx .7mm) on the down-strokes and XF line on the cross-strokes. And the line widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.0mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE – note change in flex grade after measuring). A versatile nib whose responsive snap-back, easy variation, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it well suited to shaded notes under normal pressure and calligraphic writing styles under flex, the Stub grind keeping one’s letterforms neat and straight. Condition: excellent+ [B+]. This pen and the one below came from an estate of someone who seems to have purchased these pens, wrote with them a few times, then stowed them away in their boxes. This one is definitely collector-grade, having seen very little use. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is evenly sharp and crisp. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. Box is in sound condition with no torn ends but original owner managed somehow to burn a couple small holes in the paperwork. A boxed 52 with an uncommon nib in uncommonly clean condition. Price: $310 SOLD
 
5. c.1918 Waterman 55 in Box (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XF Flex/Superflex nib). This oversized model has a thick girth and measures 5 1/2” capped. This pen comes in its original factory box with 5-page pamphlet including care and filling instructions as well as other offerings from Waterman (BOX PHOTO). This pen is made of black chased hard rubber with nickel-plated trim including earlier, wide rivet clip. Commensurably oversized Ideal NY #5 nib yields Super-Flexible variation with Flexible softness. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.1mm) under moderate pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE – note change in flex grade after measuring). Condition: excellent+/near mint [B+]. This pen came from the same estate as the 52 above and also resembles an artifact of a time capsule. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is factory sharp and crisp. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. Box is in sound condition with no torn ends but original owner managed somehow to burn some small holes in the paperwork for this one as well. These big fellas are getting tougher to find, especially in this condition. Price: $440 SOLD
 
6. c.1921 Wahl Pen 72 (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XXF Superflex nib). This standard sized model measures 5 3/16” capped. Having purchased the assets of the Boston Fountain Pen Company, Wahl began manufacturing fountain pens in 1917. Wahl’s first pens were essentially rebranded Bostons and Tempoints (a NY company they acquired in 1918). The first full-fledged Wahls, dubbed simply “The Wahl Pen,” rolled off out of the factory in 1921. This 72 one of those pens. Its’s made of black chased hard rubber complemented by nickel-plated trim including Wahl’s patented roller-clip. The Wahl Pen is chiefly distinguished from earlier designs by its patented Wahl lever with apexed center. Super-Flexible 14k Wahl Pen #2 nib is a lovely writer. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.4mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Needlepoint hairlines, superbly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another great choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent/near mint [B+]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with virtually no fading/oxidation. Chasing is factory deep and crisp with no discernible wear. Surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Nickel-plated trim is exceptionally clean with no brassing or other noteworthy blemishes apart from light scratching to the clip. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. Price: $280
 
7. 1910s Parker Lucky Curve 20 (smooth BHR, eyedropper filler, 14k XF/F Superflex/Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. Parker collectors know all too well how much harder it is to find early Parker eyedroppers compared to say, Waterman 12s. This simple, utilitarian Lucky Curve eyedropper from the early teens is made of smooth, black hard rubber. Slip cap came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a clip). Long Lucky Curve feed is intact. This pen is an eyedropper. The section unscrews for the barrel to filled using an eyedroppepipette – holds far more ink than a lever filler of the same size. My usual caveats about early eyedroppers apply here. If carried, it is not uncommon to find a little ink on the nib or in the cap. Early 14k Lucky Curve #2 nib with teardrop breather hole yields Super-Flexible variation with softness and flow verging on that of a Wet Noodle (comparable to a soft dip pen nib). It lays down a smooth and consistent XF/F line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.4mm) under very light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines with a light hand, strong snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another great choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent [B]. Black hard rubber retains its factory black color apart from minor fading to a deep, dark brown on the barrel visible under certain lights. Surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes aside from a group of short scratches to the left of the imprint (see imprints photo). Nib shows a small scuff here and there and a scratch on one tine that has no effect on durability or performance. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. A lovely writer and the first example of one of these I’ve ever offered. Price: $270 SOLD
 
8. c.1915 Parker 16 Overlay (gold-filled over BHR, button filler, 14k XF Wet Noodle nib). Measures 4 5/8" capped and 6” posted. While Waterman overlays of this period aren't particularly common, they're far more numerous than their Parker counterparts today. Parker overlays like this one were commissioned to the George W. Heath company in New York, who is credited for some of the finer overlays on early Watermans and Conklins as well. The gold-filled filigree over this black hard rubber ringtop features an exquisitely hand-engraved Art Nouveau pattern as well as an indicia on the barrel for engraving. The pattern is the earlier, more intricate design that's more sought after than the simpler Art Deco pattern of the later 1910s-20s. Barrel overlay is stamped "Parker Fountain Pen" along with patent dates from 1891 and 1905. Pen has an Xmas tree, Lucky Curve feed and knurled blindcap unscrews to reveal brass button for filling. To fill, one simply unscrews the blind cap, submerses the nib, and depresses the brass button once. The fine workmanship of this pen is complemented by an early 14k Lucky Curve #3 nib, a scarce “Lazy S” variant with long tines. The nib is a Wet Noodle with softness, variation, and flow comparable to that of a dip pen nib. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.5mm) under minimal pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Another nib with astonishingly responsive snap-back giving it a precision feel and you maximum control over the line. Together with its thin hairlines and reliable flow over its full range of flex, this makes for an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent+ [B+]. Overlay shows no brassing, dents, or other notable flaws aside from some pin-sized dings confined to the knurled portion around the top of the cap. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with scarcely any fading. Knurling of blind cap isn’t quite as sharp as it once was and number stamp on barrel-end is faint but legible under bright light. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is deep and fully legible. Price: $380 SOLD
 
 
 
Shipping: Pens purchased on the weekend are mailed on Tuesday. Otherwise they are mailed within 2 business days of payment. All pens that do not come with their original boxes are packaged in PVC or thick plastic tubes to protect them in transit. To CONUS locations the following shipping options are available:

• USPS First-Class with tracking for $5 Due to the delivery delays that continue under postmaster general DeJoy, I strongly recommend that the Priority shipping option be chosen. All packages will include full insurance (covered by me). Rest assured that a full refund is guaranteed (issued through Paypal) in the event of a lost parcel and you will not have to wait until I receive a reimbursement from the USPS.
  
• USPS Priority with tracking for $9
  

International Customers: Please contact me for shipping quote if located abroad (delivery confirmation required). (Note: due to the issues stated above, my international shipping options are currently limited. PM for more info). Please do not ask me to commit mail fraud by altering the declared value of a pen for customs. Not only am I registered as a business but shipping insurance is based on declared value.
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Ordering: Pens are placed on hold for the first person to reply to the thread and PM me with firm request to purchase (no chat DMs please). A request with the words “I'd like to purchase [pen number]” would be best to avoid confusion), to which I’ll reply with payment details. Please note that a message inquiring into a price discount does not suffice to place a pen on hold. If I haven't received Paypal payment within 24 hrs after a hold is placed, then pen(s) may become available to the next person.
Payment, & Guarantee: Payment by Paypal only. All pens are guaranteed to be in the condition in which I've described them. If I've missed something objectionable or the filling mechanism is not fully functional, the buyer may contact me up to 7 days after receiving the pen for a full refund (issued once I receive the pen back in the same condition as sold). Buyer must ship the return no later than 2 weeks after it was delivered to receive a refund. I've sold pens online for over a decade. Please check my past listings here as well as on the classifieds and historical sales forums on FPN (username: Estragon) and FPGeeks (popcod) for some of my previous offerings.
 
 
OTHER OPEN LISTINGS

• Vintage Montegrappa Extra Edacoto
  
• Waterman Nurse’s Sets
  
• Off-Catalogue Sheaffer Stubby Balance Lifetime
  
• Psychedelic Bayard Excselsior
  
• Waterman Taperite Citation
  
• Conklin Enduras, Nozac
  

(as of the May 19, 2024 version of Fortnite Festival – standard controllers only)
Why this Matters:
Having improper calibration settings can adversely affect your enjoyment of Fortnite Festival, but unfortunately, the built-in tool for calibration is sub-par for actually getting your calibration right. Moreover, everyone’s audio, visual, and gaming equipment setup is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all setting that can be universally applied. One must spend the time and effort to get the calibration settings correct in order to turn missed notes into “Good” hits…and “Good” hits into “Perfect” hits.
But how does one do that? A frustrating fact is that the results of a song’s gameplay session give you data about your A) note hitting accuracy and B) your offset (early or late)… but many people don’t know how to apply this information to make the right kinds of adjustments. This guide attempts to help players do that in a systematic way.

What Exactly is Being Calibrated?
The game has an interplay between three things:
1) What you see on your screen
2) What you hear when the music is playing, and
3) Your button presses
Ideally all of these line up, which is the whole point of calibration. The game registers a “hit” note when it receives the button press at the same time as the falling note gem hits the very button of the screen at the same time. So, theoretically, you could play Fortnite Festival with the audio off and just simply concentrate on hitting the notes when they hit the bottom of the screen, and simply ignore the song.
But who wants to do that? No one!
The whole fun of the game is HEARING the music and pressing the button at the same time you HEAR the note in time with the music. That is why this is called a “rhythm game” not a “visual note dropping button pressing game”
So, the game registers “hit” notes based on the falling gem, but your brain registers its own “hit” when it hears the beat of the music, and both are tied together with a button press – e.g. you press the button when you hear the beat, and that button press should also be at the same time the note gem hits the bottom.
If all is properly calibrated, then everything flows perfectly and you have a fantastic groove session with most notes being hit or missed based on your SKILL, and NOT a mismatch between the audio, visual and button input.
So how do we get there? Read on…

Step 1: Have the Tune-up Roadie Help You
In the organ lobby, do the in-game calibration using the Roadie. She will not give you the best settings, but the thing is, we need somewhere to start from and this is as good a place as any. Do your best and don’t worry about whether the settings are any good – we’re going to fix this all later.
As you take the steps below, you will change the track speed, A/V offset, or Input Offset in the settings screen (accessible in the organ lobby, results screen, or during a song itself).

Step 2: Get Your Video Settings Right First and Foremost
Now, the FIRST thing to calibrate is make sure that a note hitting at the bottom during a song seems like it is truly hitting the bottom at the same time as the beat of music. But this is kinda hard to do with the naked eye. It also requires you to still play the notes so you can see when the note light “flashes” when it actually gets to the bottom The best way to really see if this visual component looks right is by cranking up the track speed as high as you can as you’re playing a song.
“But Mad Dog” you say, “I can’t play a song with 2.5x track speed to do this - it’s too fast” No problem – what you will do here is play a song that meets the following criteria:

1. You know it really, really well
2. It has a DRUM element that is around 1, 2 or 3 bars (in other words, relatively straightforward patterns)
3. You play it on a difficulty level that is not beyond your capability (ideally you can get 100% every time – doesn’t matter if it’s Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert – just hit most or all the notes)
4. The song has a simple, constant repeating pattern for most, if not all of the song’s length.

I like to choose drums on “Call Me Maybe” or “Blinding Lights” on Expert when I do this, but you can use whatever song and difficulty setting you like as long as it meets this criteria (the criteria also is just a suggestion, not a requirement).
Play the song with highest speed you can tolerate (faster is better) and as you’re playing, watch closely to see where and how the note gem is falling in time with your music. Play your button presses as you would normally to the audio cues of the song, but notice if the gem seems (to your eye) to be hitting the bottom at the same time as the intended beat, or if it is falling a little late, or is falling and hitting the bottom early. Unless your video calibration is accidentally perfect right off the bat (unlikely), you will notice that the gems fall and hit the bottom either early or late. A faster track speed will allow you to see this much better than a slower track speed, so this is why I recommend as fast as you can tolerate.
Based on what you’re seeing, go into the settings and make the following adjustment to the A/V Offset:

• If the gem is getting to the bottom too quickly as compared to the music beat (early - you see the note hit bottom before the beat), then **ADD** 5 or 10 milliseconds to the value of the A/V Offset.
• If the gem is getting to the bottom too slowly as compared to the music beat (late - you see the note hit bottom after the best), then **SUBTRACT** 5 or 10 milliseconds to the value of the A/V Offset.

Don’t worry about the Input Offset setting AT ALL here. Don’t mess with that part in this calibration stage….all you’re focusing on is how the gem LOOKS In terms of it getting to the bottom in time with your music, and making adjustments ONLY to the A/V Offset. You can do this after the song is over, or in the middle of the song (recommended) so you can see if the gem is really getting to the bottom at the right time.
You may have to play your song a few times and make real-time tweaks to the A/V Offset for a while, but eventually you should be able to get the gem to look like it’s falling and hitting the bottom in time with the music. Again, you are concentrating on the VISUAL component here. Make adjustments by 5 or 10 milliseconds at a time to the A/V Offset until it looks right.
After a while, you should get to a point where the falling gem is hitting the bottom exactly at the right time with the beat. Congratulations! You’ve now figured out the most important thing which is aligning your “visual targets” of the falling note gems to the beat of the music.
IMPORTANT!!! Once you’ve gotten to this point DO NOT ADJUST THE A/V OFFSET ANY FURTHER. All future offset value changes should be done to the input offset only (because you are now sure that if you miss a note, it would be because your skill is off or your button input offset setting is off, and not because the gem is not hitting the bottom in time with the music).
On to the next step.
Step 3: Figuring Out Input Offset Settings
The Input Offset accounts for the tiny (but significant) delay between your press of the button when you are trying to hit a note, and how the game registers that press as accurate or not as compared to the falling gem. If the setting is off, then the game may score your press as a miss (or a “good” instead of “perfect” hit) even if you have great rhythm and hand-eye coordination and are truly pressing the button in time to the actual music.
Moreover, it’s difficult to adjust input offset settings because you don’t know if your timing is off because of your SKILL or because of your INPUT LATENCY. But don’t worry, we have a plan:
Now that you’re sure the video component is good, change your track speed to whatever speed you prefer. It doesn’t matter at this point because the falling gem will always hit the bottom at the same time as the beat no matter the track speed, so the goal here is to have the track speed be as comfortable as possible for you.
Then, play a song that has the following criteria:

1. You know the song really, really well
2. You know the song’s chart really, really well
3. Pick any instrument for that song which you’re best at (or prefer most)
4. Pick a difficulty level as high as you can pick and still feel confident that you can get 99% or 100%

Song choice and pattern choice don’t really matter here. What matters is that you could probably get 100% repeatedly with it over and over again. It’s totally fine to do this with an Easy difficulty, but I encourage you to use a higher difficulty if you can because that will get you more “data points” (e.g. notes to hit) that you can use to reference when making your adjustments.
Play the song all the way through. Try to get 100% accuracy (don’t worry if they are Good or Perfect hits….just get all the hits).
If you successfully play the song to 100% (or 99% - we don’t need to be this picky, just pretty close to 100% will do), then observe and WRITE DOWN the “Avg Offset” data you see when you press the “More Details” button on the after-song results screen.
Now, sit back and play a few songs like you normally do when you play Fortnite Festival just for fun and aren’t trying to do a bunch of calibration stuff. BUT, start writing down your results FOR EACH SONG by listing:

1. Your current Input Offset number in the settings, and
2. Your “Avg. Offset” number on the results screen, and then,
3. The SUM of each for a particular song playthrough.

For example:
Say I played a song and my Input Offset when I played it was set to 55ms and the results screen when I was done showed my “Avg Offset” was -15 (late), I would write the following
55-15 = 40
And then I play another song and my Input Offset when I played it was again set to 55ms and the results screen when I was done showed my “Avg Offset” was +10 (early), I would write the following
55+10=65
I then play a bunch of different songs (let’s say 8 songs) and get a “data point” listing like this:

• 55-15-=40
• 55+9=64
• 55-21=34
• 55-17=38
• 55-2=53
• 55-14=41
• 55-10=45
• 55-3=52

I then want to take the average of the SUM of all these latency/offset scores and that would be the likely “correct” Input Offset setting number I should use.
Example:
40+64+34+38+53+41+45+52 = 46 average.
Which means I should now go into the settings and make my Input Offset number as close as possible to that figure, which in this case is 45 (since Input Offset values only change in 5 ms increments).
Repeat as necessary and ONLY MAKE CHANGES TO THE INPUT LATENCY! (NOT the A/V Offset!!) until you are consistently getting “Avg Offset” results that are within a range of -10 to +10.
NOTE: For best results in this step, be sure to only use data (scores) that are resulting from play-throughs that result in a “Flawless 100%” rating. If your skill in the game is such that you can’t get 100% flawless that often, either lower the difficulty until you can, or just do the best you can and only use “data points” from song playthroughs with as high an accuracy score close to 100% as possible.

Step 4: Fine-Tuning for Maximum Awesomeness
You should now have A/V Offset and Input Offset values in your game settings that are probably pretty good for your system setup. You can now be (relatively) confident that if your “Avg Offset” is higher than +10 or lower than -10, it's probably you and your skill that caused the discrepancy, and not because you were fighting the calibration settings.
Remember, if your accuracy and “Good”/”Perfect” percentages are not where you want them to be, it could be because you just didn’t have a good song session, or you just need more practice with that song chart. Finding great calibration settings doesn't directly translate to higher accuracy or scores...it translates to a more *accurate representation* of your accuracy and skill level.
There’s also been some anecdotal reports here on Reddit of some songs having a different “feel” to them in terms of the built-in song latency and note “hit” registering being a little different than other songs, even with spot-on calibration settings. Who knows? I am intrigued by this and would like to explore this further, since I could see it as entirely possible that different individuals at Epic are creating song charts for different songs, where, if their own systems are calibrated differently to each other, that could that perhaps affect the scoring and gem hit registers for different songs. I am not sure, but I am open to the idea. More likely, though, (in my mind) is that people still have video calibration issues that are unresolved when they are seeing this in their own experience. But then again, who knows?
Anyhow, as you’re playing, keep a tally log of your song Avg Offset scores. Note your sum total of your existing Input Offset setting combined with your Avg Offset results and use these numbers to determine if and when you should tweak your Input Offset setting. If you think you need to make an Input Offset value adjustment, only do so because you’re seeing figures indicating such an adjustment is needed over MULTIPLE playthroughs (and not because you just had one poor performance session). In order words, only make an adjustment if you CONSISTENTLY see Avg Offsets being generally higher than +10 or generally lower than -10.
REMEMBER:

• If the Avg Offset result is NEGATIVE/EARLY then **DECREASE** the Input Offset value.
• If the Avg Offset result is POSITIVE/LATE then **INCREASE** the Input Offset value.

ALSO:

• Repeat the entire process in this Guide if you ever change ANY of the components of your audio, video, controller or gaming system. This includes using a headset or not. For me, I have to use different settings when I use my soundbar in my living room versus when I use my wired headset plugged into my PS5 controller, even if I am using the same screen and controller (because it's a different audio setup)
• If you EVER feel the need to change the A/V Offset value in settings, realize that you MUST then start collecting and using new Input Offset and Avg Offset data to fine-tune your accuracy.

Now Go Have Fun
I know this sounds tedious, but trust me, the payoff is worth it. There’s no better feeling than watching your scores climb the leaderboard because the system settings are accurately reflecting your skills, and knowing that a poor performance is because of YOU and not your game settings.
Hope this helps! If you want to friend me and challenge me to a bass duel, you can find me on Fortnite Festival under MadDog182, often wearing the Relaxed Fit Jonesy skin.
Enjoy! And Thank you Epic for bringing this game to Fortnite!

Sorry if this is kind of rambling. I woke up this morning feeling particularly unable to maintain a good train of thought (unless it's writing an essay I have due soon) and feeling unable to artticulate as I normally do. I also am strugggling to remember what I had to do this weekend, moreso than usual. I feel like my brain got scrubbed. And along with what parts of memory were taken, so was half of my ability to even care. Like- in the way that, idf there is no afterlife, then death is ceasing to be and you won't care about dying then because, well, you cease to be. I feel like that. I feel like I'm dying and honestly I half way don't care anymore. All I want is to sleep, but even sleeping has dreams and dreams are just more mental work. I jsut want everything to stop.
I am an undergrad senior, college. Double majoring + a minor + a club president + conducting a long-term on-going research project outside of all of my other obligations. I graduate soon, have to plan out like half of the logistics (my dad has brain damage from alcoholism and gets messed up with some meds, so he can't really plan his logistics well). I am also hoping to move soon and am in charge of setting up all that + finding the new person to take my spot when the lease renews (and make sure my roommates have someone when I leave). It doesn't help that in addition to all of this, I recently dealt with a really weird and stressful falling out with a friend (previously fwb) who's mental health quickly and severely deteriorated (involved social harrasseement and threats)- and that this event was very recollective of a traumatic long-term situation that my family went through when I was a kid (stalking, mental illness, threats to life).
I have always had kind of shitty memory. Not in terms of retaining knowlege but in terms of remembering social interactions and day to day matters. I can usually keep an ok track of deadlines, but since school became extremely busy I have been using an excel sheet to keep track of my calendar. But even this isn't a fool proof method. Half the time now, I can't even remember to add something to it.
My memory is just constantly declining though. Has been more and more as school goes on. I feel so bad because it's starting to affect people I care about. I relatively consistently double schedule things and I see the hurt on some of their faces. I hate it so much. I also am very nearly slipping on deadlines, like club renewal and assignments. I'm not sure, but somehow I never let go of those. I also feel less like myself. I feel like I loose the ability to retain things period.
I used to think, as my grandma had sometimes told me, that this issue with memory was because I didn't care and wasn't applying myself. I have found that's not the issue. I forget things like major deadlines to things like my own undergrad research project's IRB submission, delaying its approval and nearly derailing progress entirely. I felt like I was nearly dying when I realized this. I met with my mentor, made notes to myself, double checked "here's the takeaways, here's what I do", walked out, sat down, and boom memory gone for the next week. I think I might have ADHD or something. This happens so often and I feel I have so little control over what I retain and not sometimes.
I'm sure this is also partly stress induced memory issues. I have headaches very often now. It's gone down recently, but I was having them nearly daily for like 3 months.
Aside from the gnawing hollow aching desire to rip out my own insides and die in a passionate expression of sheer stress and the desperation to be free, I also find myself constantly daydreaming about getting a really good scalp massage. I have a whole playlist on tiktok of asmr scalp massage videos. I think, maybe moreso than graduating, my dream is to get a hella good scalp massage. But, no one near me provides this service (at least not that I have found atm). I have a scalp whisk lookin thing- it's nice, but just feels like it falls short.
I feel like I'm goping insane. I also feel like there is so little escape. I usually ahve a pretty good idea of what to expect 1 to 3 months out. There is so little opportunity for a braek. I am so tired.
I woke up feeling unable to think well at all. I remembered to mention an email to my roommates regarding money owed to my apartments this morning. It's 5 days old. I tried to ask my roommate... something... - to help take over some of the communication. I can't manage as much of the communication matters with how things are right now. I tried to ask but I wasn't sure how to even ask. My roommate has done some communication, but it's all in person and idk wtf they talk about and not. I think they aren;t the best at always explainging everything + I don't like, keep track of that. I don't check in on everything they do, though I will ask when I remember how to. I am not great with verbal wordage. I'm mostly visual. I can type well but rn I just don't know how to phrase asking that. All I know how to say is: "I don;t kjnow how to talk right now". I fucking hate this, I dont even knwo how to talk right now. I feel like I'm going to putrify under my own skin. My breath reeks of stress as I am slowly rotting from the inside.

TIME:
Wednesday’s (Occasional Friday) at 20:00 GMT +1 for 2-4 hours, recurring.
REQUESTED:
1 New member for “The Wayward Wanderers”. 1 of my 3 groups roaming Nexovius.
I am looking for 1 more player so we get the group back to six. Have posted quite recently in LFG where I had found 2 great players. 1 player to fill the gap of 1 party member leaving due to wanting to switch to a different tabletop system. 1 player so the party will be of similar size of 6 players like my other 2 groups roaming Nexovius.
Unfortunately did the second player I had found through LFG run into some serious scheduling problems with his work changing his shift. Disallowing himself from being able to participate on the Wednesday sessions, he left shortly after thanking everyone and saying his goodbyes.
But The Wayward Wanderers of Nexovius still require 1 additional member! Will you heed the call?
The First big arc has concluded and 1 of the new players has already been integrated into the group. The party is currently standing at a crossroads and are about to head deeper into Cardolenor. Giving the new player plenty of room to enter the party.
STILL READING? NICE!
HOMEBREW WORLD INTRODUCTION:
Welcome, brave adventurers, to the vast and diverse world of Nexovius. Once united, the races that inhabit this world have been torn apart by conflicts and betrayals, leading to a fracture of trust. As a result, they have chosen to split up and establish their own communities across the realm.
In the era known as the Time of Great Factions, the world witnessed the rise of powerful alliances and the establishment of trade routes that connected the scattered settlements. The prominent factions that emerged during this period include the Exalted Bastion, Mirage, Fynelenor, Bhar'Baduhr, Chi'Lokk, Gur'Rul, and Mïrë. These factions quickly realized that they were interdependent, relying on one another for sustenance and resources.
While civilization thrived and pushed back the forces of darkness, monsters still lurk on the outskirts of civilization, haunting the busy trade routes and taking refuge within the many dungeons and caves scattered throughout Nexovius. To combat this menace, mercenaries are hired to protect the caravans that travel these routes, ensuring the safety of the valuable goods.
However, even as the races sought to coexist and prosper, the world of Nexovius faced new trials. The enigmatic Mïrë, along with the rest of Argentus, retreated into obscurity, their voices lost to the winds of time. A global pandemic cast a shadow of despair for a quarter of a century, testing the resilience and perseverance of all who remained.
From the depths of the ocean emerged Ternion, an ancient force that stirred the waters and disrupted the delicate balance of power.
In the midst of these struggles, the EoS, a collective of powerful wizards and sorcerers, came together to form a place of knowledge and trade—the Eye of Omniscience. This center of learning and commerce became a beacon for those seeking wisdom and an avenue for the exchange of ideas and goods. Knowledge itself became a valuable commodity, sought after by all.
Innovation also thrived within Mirage, giving birth to the invention of the Arcane Caravaans—a revolutionary means of trade and travel. These caravans traversed land and sea, further enhancing the world's interconnectedness and facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas. However, the frequent use of land trade routes attracted the attention of lurking monsters, necessitating the employment of mercenaries to safeguard these valuable caravans even more.
Though the different races can be found scattered throughout the world, each faction has a dominant race that shapes its culture and ideals. Certain races may face discrimination and mistrust
Brave adventurers, the world of Nexovius awaits you, teeming with diverse cultures, ancient secrets, and challenges that demand your valor and cunning. As you traverse its lands, unravel its mysteries, and forge your own destiny, may you find your place amidst the tapestry of races, factions, and the ever-changing tides of fate.
Will you answer the call?
WHO AM I?
My name is Kane (28) and I’ve been a gm for almost 2 years now with my real life group and our 1 year anniversary with the 2 online groups all wandering around in Nexovius is coming up. Having a humble 48 sessions +2 one-shots under my belt in total, but who keeps track am I right... Beside Dming I work several days a week and attend a master of architecture and urbanism at university.
WHAT KIND OF DM AM I?
I like making a lot of maps for my party to immerse them more in the game. I also 3D-print mini’s for my offline group their, NPCS and monsters they encounter. Online I make use of Owlbear Rodeo and make tokens and maps to immerse the players.
I’m the kind of DM who thinks the immersion and fun are the most important aspects of a good game of dungeons and dragons. I’d love to immerse my players in my world and fulfill their wishes and needs in a fitting way in the campaign, through combat and interesting story telling. I try to implement backstories as much as possible within the story. Always trying to make each player feel unique and important within the story. So if you ever got some ideas you would like to discuss with me feel free to do so and we’ll see how we can make it fit within the narrative. Be reasonable with this and don’t start asking for unreasonable requests. The campaign will a good mixture of serious roleplay and humor. I try to roleplay/combat like 60/40 I’d say. Might be the other way around I think it heavily depends on where the party is within the story.
HOW ARE WE PLAYING?
We'll be using owlbear rodeo for the V.T.T. and Discord for voice calling. Using various maps, imagery and theatre of the mind.
CROSS-PLAY HOMEBREW WORLD
I’ve set up a discord server called the Chronicles of Nexovius wherein a lot of information about Nexovius will be displayed for your party. Think about maps you obtain/certain, NPC’s you met, monsters you have encountered, information about the world, cultures, locations and its inhabitants. You can always make your own notes of course. Currently we have 3 groups roaming around in Nexovius. If you would join I would highly suggest checking out as much as you can to read up on what happened so far. Or don’t and be surprised along the way.
The discord server I host functions as a hub for all three the groups to hang out in and discuss the world and whatever pops up.
The idea is to have multiple parties take on an adventure within the world of Nexovius. Wherein together with other parties you slowly fill in this chronicle. Your party saved a king? It will come up in the timeline. Another party went rogue and are now wanted. It will now be displayed on the timeline. A meteor crashed somewhere? It will now be displayed in the timeline. Want to sell this item your party doesn’t use? Sell it on the grand exchange, a place where you can buy and sell goodies to the other parties! This way you experience more from the world you are playing in. Making it feel more alive, interactive and immersive. I also like to come up with one-shots taking place in different regions of the world. So you fully get a feeling of what happens in other parts of the world. It also allows you to play together with party members from different groups.
We’ve had a one-shot where the party had to extract an orc-chieftain from Borealis and it’s legion of warforged. Currently we’re scheduling part 2 (Two-Shot Technically) of a desert-race through The Scorch a mystical desert of sorts.
SETTING?
Experienced and new players are both very welcome.
High fantasy, Gritty realism/middle, Early Steampunk/medieval
Custom crafting/gathering system
Rules are guiding. Changes will be written in the homebrew rules to make it more fun and fitting per group!
WHAT WILL THIS GAME BE LIKE?
It’s an open world like RPG wherein the world map is provided and the party can go wherever it pleases by foot or by caravaan. The map is provided with a lot of Points of interest. During overworld travel there is also a chance of experiencing random encounter like monsters that attack the party on the road or an NPC which approaches the party. Based on where the party goes on the map that’s the adventure they might go on based of certain plot hooks. Once the party arrives at a POI I will try to tell a linear story if the party engages with the plot hooks. But the outcome is truly dependent on the actions, words and deeds of the party.
YOUR ACTIONS MATTER AND WILL IMPACT THE WORLD
STILL READING? NICER!
That means I somehow intrigued you. Please use this google form: https://forms.gle/p3X1xDy58h8gEhYG6 and answer these questions to apply.
Thanks for showing interest and hope to be speaking to you soon!
QUESTIONS?
Feel free to comment down below or send me DM through reddit.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!

Hello and greetings once again my fellow CUEnthusiasts!
I’m going to cap off this series with Part 2 of Building your Collection and working towards Completion. This time I’m going to go over some tips and strategies for cards you already have at your disposal in your collection. Again, much of what I cover will pertain to many types of collectors and their goals. I’ll elaborate and differentiate as needed.
Some of what I’ll cover in this post I may have gone over in greater detail in a previous post, so I won’t go much further into it so it’s not redundant. Previous Coaches Corners can be found in this sub, or my post history :)
The first thing I would like to go over, is what you’re working towards (your goals for your collection) and how to approach trading cards in your collection to help achieve these goals.
I would also like to take a second to add and emphasize that having access to or being on a platform like discord or here etc, will be integral for a good amount of what I cover today. It’s the most efficient way to leverage and get the most out of cards you already own for what you’re looking for.
Now there’s many different types of collectors in the game. I’m going to narrow this down and focus on a couple of key ones in regard to today’s topic. Again, some of what I’ll go over will be applicable to a wider range of collectors, so it may be worth a read regardless.
A completionist is someone who is typically trying to get at least 1 of every card. They tend not to trade their singles. I’m a completionist first and foremost so I lock(protect) every card I only have 1 of. To me, there would be nothing worse than trading a card I already had, and need to chase it again. Especially if the card is scarce. The main goal for a completionist should always be to fill holes in your collection, not create one to fill one, regardless of the offer.
Someone who’s just working on decks to play tend to trade singles and look mainly for cards to play. The benefit here is they have singles at their disposal to leverage for cards they’re after. Collecting cards they need is usually secondary, or not applicable at all except for ones they want to use/play.
Now, how do we use what we already have to get the cards we’re looking for outside of the obvious posting in game?
And this is where it’s paramount to leverage a platform. Because there’s certain traders/collectors that you’ll be looking to deal with, as it can be of great benefit to your end goal. And, as I’ve discussed before and this is where it’ll be most applicable. This is where you’ll work out a trade before a card is ever sent. It’s the most streamlined way to trade if you know values and how to navigate trades. (Hopefully my past posts will have helped a bit with this).
What you stand to gain out of being on a platform is the ability to see clearly, offers and what people are wanting and have to offer. Watch for offers and collectors/traders that can help you work towards your goals while trading with them for mutually beneficial trades. And I’ll detail a couple to keep an eye out for.
The Heavy Traders and Veterans: These folks spend a lot of time moving cards and trading. They tend to have larger, and most of the time, complete collections and many duplicates. They’re usually very easy to deal with if you have some knowledge of card values(because trust me, they do). They also post offers on their platform of choice detailing exactly what they offer and what they’re wanting. Pretty straight forward if you’re looking to do a trade that aligns with them too. I will add, some also will pull extras of new cards or packs in general to add to their catalogue of tradable cards, so again, it’s good to check in from time to time. Again, they are usually very easy to deal with as long as values are spot on, especially when taking them up on an offer or making one yourself. And once more, to drive it home lol. It’s very important to learn the value system as best as you can on your platform of choice.
One Card Collectors/Hoarders:
Quick Disclaimer: I’m doing my best to write this without bias as I am a one card collector. However I was, and still am, a completionist first. Even before I started hoarding on this app. And the reality is, these folks are some of the easiest people to deal with on any card app. Most of my dealings, as I’ve mentioned before, have been with them, just because of the ease in obtaining cards you want if they have.
It’s worth while to find out exactly what they offer and trade them the cards they collect, because they will typically trade exactly what they say they will, and it makes obtaining cards you need very easy. The catch is, and this isn’t always the case as I’ve mentioned before when I went into detail about one card collectors/hoarders, you’re going to want to trade them the cards they collect for best results. Same as heavy traders, but these folks usually make solid offers for their cards, and when you’re sticking to what they offer in their post, it’s most likely to result in an accepted trade.
Some will even pull so they can trade for their cards too. I, and many others who have experience with hoarders, spent time tracking down their cards to fill our own card needs and wants. They also tend to pay well for quantities of their cards for a quality card, and this is the only time I feel quantity for quality applies lol. This is a good opportunity to use low value dupes that may not move to get good cards you need.
Typically they don’t trade singles, but there are some who do, as they only play to collect numbers of their cards, but what cards they do offer for their collect cards are usually some of the easiest to obtain.
There many types of players of all levels on a platform, and trades are relatively easy to work out. Other than the couple of collectors I’ve mentioned to keep an eye out for, here’s some other benefits and things to watch out for on the platform of your choice that you can leverage to work towards your goals.
There will always be players trading dupes for needs, working together towards their collection goals. These are usually straight forward, especially if values are known by both players or a value system is leveraged to balance values. Typically the cards traded are what I call filler cards, ones that don’t have demand or playability but are wanted just to round out your collection. It’s usually straight forward 1:1 card for card, matching both rarity and type. Pretty basic stuff but on a platform, can be highly efficient filling out your collection as you can typically put through multi card trades.
Many players chasing completion or filling needs tend to want to knock off the high value ones asap, because this is also a tcg, and they may want to use them to play right away. When they have most or all the higher value stuff and they end up with dupes of them, they’ll sometimes post to break down a value card for quantity of equal value cards they need. This can be paramount to how you get good/value cards for a very reasonable price. Again watch for it to be offered and don’t just send lol.
While a bit less prevalent on this app, there are a few people who run some kind of swap shop(all they do is trade cards, usually of same rarity and type for the same in return). They usually have their own system in place and some don’t use any values for cards other than rarity and type and I’ll provide a couple of examples I’ve seen and done myself (I formally ran swap shops on most card apps I’ve been on). Some will and do trade singles, again, it helps to read and understand their post prior to sending a trade. Adhering to what they post can make obtaining cards from them extremely easy.
Some may offer to give 1 of any card for 2 cards of the same rarity/type as the one you took in return. Some will trade a card of same rarity/type they have over a set amount of dupes of for ones they need or have under a set number of dupes of a card. There’s a few different ones and they’re typically good to leverage for a hassle free trade as they tend to adhere to what they post.
The importance of a platform, even though the player base on them is small compared to the overall population on the app, is the fact that most veteran players and heavy traders/collectors tend to be on them. The ability to work out trades and obtain the cards you want is far more effective than just posting in game. And again, the capability to work out a trade without ever sending a card first is amazing. And the ability to do so with cards you already own is the most economical way to build and/or fill out your collection.
I’m going to wrap up with a few tips for those focused on completing their collection.
I want to stress this point again, as I feel it’s important for a completionist. I did this on any app I tried to complete. Do not trade your singles. While offers may seem, and can be very generous, unless you know you can replace a single with ease, the risk of it being very tough to find again, I’ve found, isn’t worth it. I’ve experienced myself and seen many times a single was traded and the regret afterwards in doing so, not to mention the time investment that may be needed to get it back. And logically speaking, you’ve already found the card once and have it, why would you want to chase it again just to not chase a card being offered? It’s not really progressing towards your goal of completion, it’s just keeping your cards collected at the same number when your goal is to increase that number until you have everything.
What to target to complete first?
This is completely up to you. What I will offer is some brief insight into each limited rarity, mythics and all basics/fusions, I’ll work my way from lowest rarity to highest.
Fusion/Basics: These are so abundant, have no value and are always available. Dupes for needs, rarity for rarity, type for type these are some of the most basic and straight forward trades possible as basics/fusions have no value. The only exception is maybe a new one, but even then, its value is just because it’s new and typically won’t fetch anything of value.
One point I’d like to make and it’s most people’s preference, trade type for same type, so fusion for other fusion, basic for other basic. It’s only because fusion will be used to obviously make a red or ultra fusion. Again it’s more preference. Also consider, as new red fusions are released, some basics become fusion cards to make a new red. So no real damage can be done if you don’t care too much.
In my opinion, basics and fusions (legendary rarity and below) shouldn’t be a focus. Not many are playable, you’ll always get them from almost every pack, and they’re very easy to obtain and complete. I’d say if you’re down to a few left you may as well wrap it up, but you’ll naturally fill out most of them as time goes.
From time to time it can be normal for someone to offer a limited you need for basic/fusion cards. This is ok. I would caution not to send basics/fusion to someone for a limited card unless it was discussed pre trade. There’s an in game decline response that relates to this for a reason xD
Limited Common and Rare- I lumped these 2 together because they’re both relatively similar at least from a completion standpoint. As I’ve said before, these 2 rarities are relatively easy to complete, there’s maybe a handful of meta/playable cards amongst them but they don’t hold a high value. These are usually good to start the journey with as completing them allows the opportunity to use dupes of these rarities to trade to keep them complete and/or to roll up for higher rarity needs sometimes.
Limited Epic and Legendary: These are 2 of the hardest to complete. The reason again being, the majority of value/meta/playable/scarce cards are of these rarities. These would be my last focus simply because with time your collection will grow and that will help to make completing them easier.
My advice when trading your dupes of high value is to get a like value card you need for it. Breaking them down and diluting their value into lesser value needs can actually make the higher needs harder to get if most of your dupes are lower in value. Nothing wrong with it, but just my take. I mention this because as you near completion, you don’t want to be stuck only needing high value cards and having mainly low value dupes for trade for them. It’ll take a while to find someone wanting a breakdown, especially if what you need is scarce. This just helps ensure you have and get value cards knocked off your need list as you go. And always keep an eye out for someone wanting to break down a high value card too. The more value dupes you can retain for high value cards you need is in your best interest to complete efficiently.
Mythics- Again a harder one to complete but not usually as hard as epic and legendary. The majority of Mythics have been around for a long while, mainly the newer ones are harder to get. Now the reason I consider these a bit easier than epic/legendary is because mythics are always being traded. And lots of people on platforms are wanting to break down higher value ones into multiple lower value ones.
Mythics are obtained with time just pulling so I wouldn’t focus too much on them early, as you close out low rarity needs and start getting dupe mythics or rolling up limited cards into Mythics, they’re relatively easy to transact with and fill out. Newer ones are the slight exception as they may be scarce, but again, with time will be more available and as well tend to get cheaper.
Again, preference plays a part and many people just trade Mythics for other Mythics, and I’d urge you to do the same with your mythic dupes until they’re complete or just missing a couple of new ones. Once they’re done or close to it, you can use your dupe mythics to pick off the higher value limited cards you need.
One last completionist note I’d like to make as it relates to mythics.
Mythics cannot be target pulled, meaning, unlike new limiteds/basics, mythics are random and don’t have a fixed pull rate. When you do get one, it’s could be any 1 that’s currently available. They are the main chase when people are trying to stay complete for this reason.
Typically, as I mentioned in another post, it’s not uncommon to see an Anubis, or multiple high value stable Mythics be traded for a new mythic in the early days after its release. If you’re wanting to be complete again asap, you’re going want to manage your Mythic dupes in preparation for a new one. You’ll want to look into rolling up lesser value Mythic dupes into a high value stable one a few times if not more, just so you have a competitive offer early on. If it’s no big deal and you can wait, over time, more copies of a new mythic become available and the price tends to drop until it’s stable.
This, I hope, in combination with what I went over in Part 1, will help you expedite getting the cards you’re wanting/looking for and hit your goals!
As always, thank you for your support and taking the time stop in. Always feel free to comment below if there’s any questions or if there’s any Trading or Collecting topics you’d like me to cover. I’ll do my best to respond. You can find me on the main discord server, link is in the sub description. Happy Trading and keep it Cue, see you in game!
I’m going to be taking a brief break while I try to come up with more talking points or trading/collecting topics to discuss as I seem to have tapped myself out lol. I’ve been working diligently to get all these out asap so they may be used to help you out or at least have a better understanding of this aspect of the game.
I’ve covered most of what’s come to mind and I hope these at least provide a solid foundation that will help you to be successful trading/collecting and get more enjoyment out of this wonderful app!

Glowing Red Fist - Shock Release
Widely documented in history as Glowing Red Fist, this is a cursed technique that has been very often seen in members of the Tsuyoi Clan, one of the many sorcerer clans found in the past.
Currently known as Shock Release, this is an inherited technique passed down in the Tsuyoi family. This technique manifests the imaginary concept of kinetic energy as a measurable substance that can be interacted with through the manipulation of the user’s cursed energy.
While any member of the Tsuyoi Clan has an average chance of hereditarily gaining access to this technique, it is similar to limitless in that it can only be truly used to it's full extent if the user also has access to a special type of cursed energy, like how the Six Eyes are required for Limitless to be mastered, although not nearly as rare to occur.
Tsuyoi Clan
Although not nearly as ancient, powerful or famous as the three great sorcerer clans of the jujutsu world, this is still a very influential family that has raised exceptionally talented individuals, mostly known for their physical strength and enhancement techniques that have been passed down through generations.
While not equally as influential in the politics of the jujutsu world, the Tsuyoi Clan is still regarded as a very important organization within society due to their past as frontline soldiers in the war against cursed spirits, their powerful members have been of great importance in protection of humankind and that is what granted it's members certain authority within the association.
Special Cursed Energy
Almost half of the members of the Tsuyoi Clan are born with a distinct cursed energy, one that is hard and very dense, almost solid flame, this is what has always protected them from harm and assisted in fighting against cursed spirits while using only their bodies and martial arts, something that made them famous in the jujutsu world. The main properties of their special cursed energy are how it’s toughness can act as a shield that can stop an attack before it reaches them, which creates an absolute defense if enough energy is released while paired with powerful reinforcement, and how it can be used as a weapon, since even a small output of cursed energy can harm most enemies if what is being released is a heavy and hard blast of stone-like energy.
Although it is very commonly seen in members of the family, there is a very different degree of hardness that each member demonstrates, some of the members of the clan have a dense but just a little less softer energy than the average sorcerer, while others have what could be compared to a concrete wall surrounding them, this is usually not an issue as it doesn’t make that much a difference between most members, however, Shock Release is a cursed technique which’s efficiency is directly associated with the toughness of the cursed energy of it’s user.
Shock Release is, at it’s most basic form, a technique that releases accumulated kinetic energy, it doesn’t however accumulate it by itself, this can only be done mainly by cursed energy, but also by the body of it’s user, although at a much lesser degree. But cursed energy only accumulates excessive kinetic energy efficiently if it is a special type, one that is tough like found in members of the Tsuyoi clan, but for a user of this technique to use it to it’s full extent, having very dense energy is a minimum requirement as it tells not only how easily it takes in shock but also how much of it can be stored inside, therefore a certain degree of luck is involved when it comes to people born with the famous Glowing Red Fist.
The secondary property that occurs for users of Shock Release and allows them to use the technique efficiently is that this dense cursed energy has a function of acting like a sponge for kinetic energy, accumulating any excessive display of it and storing it within itself, this happens whenever it’s user performs any physical action such as moving, breathing, fighting, there is always a small percentage of the shock generated by these motions that leaks and gets caught in the user’s aura. Although higher reserves of cursed energy can lead to a higher storage capacity for shock, this is mostly influenced by the toughness of the energy, which also tells how high a percentage of what is leaked can be absorbed.
Description
Glowing Red Fist is a cursed technique that allows the user to bring the idea of kinetic energy into reality, as a bright red, flame-like substance, that can be interacted with if cursed energy or organic matter is used as a medium for it to flow through. It can be used for a great variety of situations and applied in many different ways, limited only by the user's imagination of what they can do.
Shock can be employed in many ways while utilizing this technique, enhancement to physical attacks by injecting kinetic energy into a target while hitting them with your fists is a very common application of the technique, although it can also be used for something such as movement bestowal, applying the force in a way that causes an object to move as intended without the need for direct interaction with it,
As with any cursed technique, Shock Release's efficiency and strength depend on the user, a low-grade sorcerer might require rituals to inject an object with enough kinetic energy for it's manipulation to be worth it while one of a higher grade, being able to freely use the technique during a fight, could be an unstoppable force, one that destroys anything in their path and fights in a manner completely unpredictable due to their unexpected movements, which are caused by the application of the technique on themselves for unnatural maneuvering that doesn't necessarily follow the laws of physics.
The user is also limited by the toughness of their cursed energy and it's reserves and output. Too soft an energy leads to almost no kinetic energy being taken in and not enough stored for large-scale applications and a low output might make it difficult to employ the shock that has been saved up.
Usage and Applications
The techniques is used, firstly, by saving kinetic energy that is usually absorbed by the user’s cursed energy, then, it is injected into a target that could be anything from an inorganic object such as a rock to the organic matter of the user’s body, doing so charges the target and allows the user to activate the shock that has been stored within it, an activation means the actual Lapse of the technique which involves causing the shock to interact with the target, resulting in any chosen result as long as it could be done through actual force, such as causing an object to be thrown upwards. As long as there is enough shock inside an object, it can move as far or as fast as the user wants depending on their cursed energy output.
Shock can only be manipulated through cursed energy or organic matter, injecting inorganic matter with it will only be temporary, as it will leak and return to being just an imaginary concept very fast, it only remains manifested if it remains within a solid enough aura or inside organic matter such as a person or the user himself. Therefore, injecting a target with shock requires the source to make contact with it, if stored within cursed energy, imbuing an object with it after releasing it is enough, but if stored within a person, physical touch is required.
Usually, whenever an object is injected with manifested kinetic energy, it glows red, this is the reason the technique was once called Glowing Red Fist as it’s users always had their fists glowing red due to how much force they applied to them before hitting an enemy, cursed energy also becomes red when carrying shock which causes all users of the technique to always have red cursed energy as their energy is always taking in the kinetic energy from the surrounding area. The more that is stored within a target, the brighter it glows.
The most common application of this cursed technique is to enhance physical attacks, the Tsuyoi Clan is known for enhancement-related cursed techniques and this is one of them, injecting the user’s body with shock and releasing it while attacking greatly increases the harm they can cause, with a lot of shock and powerful reinforcement, they can destroy any target with a single punch, once again reminding all why it once had “fist” in it’s name. This isn’t a rule, as any movement performed by the user can be enhanced, running, moving their arms to block an attack or their entire bodies to move away from one, an action can be improved by applying kinetic energy to it, it is even possible for capable users of the technique to apply shock to something that is about to hit them so that they can stop it in it’s tracks, such as pushing back on an enemy’s fist so that the punch isn’t as strong or can’t even make physical contact if there is enough force being used.
Another very common application of Shock Release is movement bestowal, which is the injection of force within an object and activating it to move it in any way deemed possible by how much force is injected, through swift manipulation of cursed energy, one could do this with such accuracy that it would be essentially the same as telekinesis, but it is usually used to maneuver mid-air by applying it on yourself or to control the trajectory and speed of projectiles. A high-grade sorcerer who uses Shock Release can even move other sorcerers either to cause them harm by throwing them somewhere or pulling them in for a punch or to assist allies in moving away from attacks or reaching an intended location faster than they could move themselves. With enough difference in power it is likely possible to completely control the movements of someone and bind them to the user’s will as long as the technique is active and there is enough force for such.
Cursed Technique Reversal
By activating the technique with positive energy, one can cause the opposite effect of the technique and drain kinetic energy instead of releasing it, this is a major improvement to the technique in general as it not only makes it a lot easier to fuel the user’s storage of shock but also because it makes one capable of completely negating the damage from most attacks and grants them a multitude of newer applications to use in a fight.
It is said that a user of Shock Manipulation, which is the name of the technique for someone who can use it’s reversed form, becomes so powerful after learning this that they are essentially more than twice as powerful as they were before, this can be considered an exaggeration as one would have to train in order to properly use this newly acquired application but it is true that one who has mastered both the use of positive and negative energy with this technique becomes a powerful individual who should not be underestimated.
Usage and Applications
Mastery over both positive and negative versions of Shock Manipulation grants the user complete control over kinetic energy, any application they were already capable of using is improved due to how fast the user can accumulate force to charge them and they can not only modify them for a different result but use new techniques altogether, such as not only changing the trajectory of a projectile but also stopping it mid-air as to confuse or avoid the defense of a target before allowing it to go forward again without having lost any of it’s speed, even the user’s ability to maneuver becomes even greater as they can deny the effects of gravity on themselves by absorbing the kinetic energy that is generated by it’s interaction with their mass and redirecting it towards movement bestowal, making it possible to fly.
Someone capable of draining the kinetic energy generated by the attacks of an enemy becomes a beast when it comes to physical combat, they are hardly harmed and become even stronger hitters after taking in the force they stole from their aggressors and using it against them.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The most famous advantage of this technique is how it’s user can freely maneuver during a fight in ways that are normally impossible and are therefore unpredictable, when combined with their enhanced attacks, this makes anyone who uses Glowing Red Fist a powerful closed-quarters fighter no matter how strong they are, but those of the Tsuyoi family usually have very strong bodies so it is only an improvement on an already great strength.
The biggest strength of the technique is it’s diversity, although lower grade users don’t have as much freedom as those of higher grade when it comes to using the technique, they still can inject and manipulate the shock imbued within an object to great heights, and there are thousands of ways of using the ability to move things however you want to your advantage. Higher-grade sorcerers are simply absurd because through subtraction, they become capable of using the technique with so much freedom that they simply control the battlefield without chants or hand signs, just the manipulation of their cursed energy as a medium for the accumulated force to flow through is enough to move, harm and confuse any enemy to great extents.
The most famous weakness of the technique is that it is an accumulative type, something that can also be a strength as it is a sorcerer can become a lot stronger than their peers if they are fully charged, but makes it so they pretty much don’t have a technique once they run out of kinetic energy, but this can be bypassed once the user learns cursed technique reversal. Another known weakness is how kinetic energy can easily be seen as not only it is carried by cursed energy but it also glows red. The red glow from force-filled cursed energy can’t be hidden, but a very precise manipulation of the force can hide it within objects by burying it deep, using organic matter as storage can also be used to bypass the weakness of glowing cursed energy.
TLDR: Negative energy releases kinetic energy and positive energy drains it, think about the first Noumu or Fat-Gun from My Hero Academia, kinetic energy can be used to move things.
I plan on posting an OC that uses this technique eventually and I will provide more information on how it can be used, I will also write about some of it's extension and maximum techniques, I also have a few ideas on a domain expansion that has this technique as it's guaranteed hit. This is actually something that I first thought about as a Hatsu for a HxH oc but I think it works better as a cursed technique due to how nen works.

Any advice you guys can offer me on how to improve my application, or what schools I should apply to given my stats would be SO appreciated. I'm a little lost on how to win the whole college application game, so any words of wisdom would mean a lot <3
Demographics: Middle-class Caucasian Female from small-town Colorado, Small Rural High School, Legacy at UNC Chapel Hill and The University of Oregon
Intended Major(s): Psychology or International Business
ACT/SAT/SAT II: 1430 SAT - 750 Reading, 680 Math (plan on retaking over the summer for a good superscore)
UW/W GPA and Rank: 4.0 UW / 4.41W (Rank 1/134)
Coursework: Took every Dual Credit/AP/Honors offered at my school + AP Psych and AP Calc BC which were not offered at my school, so I took them online through UC Santa Cruz's Program. (Going to end up taking 12 APs total, and I've passed all tests so far with mostly 5s)
Awards:

• National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program Award (from BigFuture)
• 2024 Mines Medal of Achievement in Math and Science
• AP Scholar
• CU Boulder MUN Bronze Medal

Extracurriculars:

• Studied Abroad in Spain over the summer with CIEE to learn Spanish + ended up with credits from Tulane University
• Model UN, Co-President and Club Founder, also won 3rd at state (2 years)
• Knowledge Bowl, Vice President and 2-time Nationals Qualifier (3 years)
• NHS, President (2 years)
• Varsity Theater and Thespian Troupe, Academic Liaison - the office that basically tutors the other theater kids to help them keep their grades up and stay eligible (4 years)
• 100+ community service hours volunteering at the local professional theater as an usher
• Student Council, Class President(2 Years) and Treasurer (2 Years), (4 years total)
• Varsity Track, Team Manager (1 year)
• Mu Alpha Theta, President (1 year)
• Year-round job at Winter Park Ski Resort ~40hrs/week during summer and ~16hrs/week during winter (3 Years)

Essays/LORs/Other:

• Strong letters of rec from my school counselor and theater director, as well as the teacher who taught me AP World, APUSH, and also serves as the sponsor for my MUN club and Student Council
• My essay will probs be about how my mom tried to kill me when I was 10 and how I learned to forgive and let her back into my life

School List (as of now): Out of State: UMich (Dream School), UNC Chapel Hill (Legacy), Duke, JHU (the guy that runs their psych department is a close friend of my parents, so I have some nepotism there) Northwestern, USC, UCLA, UC Berkley, UCSD, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz (where I took some APs), University of Oregon, University of Washington, University of Florida, and Florida State. In State: CU Boulder, University of Denver, Colorado College, Colorado State, and Colorado School of Mines (where the mines award is from)

With Ncuti's new series now begun, I wanted to take the opportunity to look back on the previous eras of the show. A common opinion for the Chibnall era is that there was a lot of unrealised potential, plenty of interesting ideas/concepts but not always fully developed.
I think most of the ingredients were there, and all it needed to massively improve the whole era was to swap around certain elements - i.e. without radically changing anything. Just swapping certain episodes and characters around would have given more meaningful arcs, storylines and character development. And after watching the 60th, I think some of the same criticism applies to some extent.
I will make a separate post for each series from S11 to the 60th, going into detail of how I think each episode could have been adapted.
INTRODUCTION: https://www.reddit.com/doctorwho/comments/1cee488/reworking_1314s_era/
SERIES 11: https://www.reddit.com/gallifrey/comments/1cmmric/series_11_reworking_1314s_era/

Series 12:

Characters & Arcs - Yaz would join as a full-time companion from Spyfall, after being introduced for the first time in Resolution. Series 12 would have a subtle arc around mental health, exploring both Yaz's background and the Doctor's own trauma following the various revelations across the series, as she is forced to stop running away from her past. As the only main companion in this series, generally there would be more space to explore Yaz individually as a character, for example her views on morality and justice as a police officer, her relationships with her family etc, plus some earlier hints at her feelings towards the Doctor.
The Master - Instead of Dhawan's incarnation, Missy would stay on as the Master for 13's era. The whole Timeless Child arc would perhaps fit better in connection with Missy's redemption arc in S10, rather than having a new incarnation? A more conflicted side to the Master would have been more logical here, rather than reverting back to pure evil so quickly. Missy sitill feels some sense of friendship towards the Doctor, but at the same time can't handle the fact that her existence is somehow a result of the Doctor.
Festive Specials & Captain Jack - To fully explore the plot of Revolution of the Doctor, alongside the Doctor's time in prison, and the return of Captain Jack, this story would be split into two parts . The first part (named 'Revelations of the Doctor') would have 13 in prison for the full episode, and Yaz on Earth stuggling to deal with the Dalek plot in her absence. I always thought bringing Jack back in 13's era was a perfect chance for the Doctor to properly confide in someone and process everything, since Jack had lost two years of his memories (removed by the Time Agency, an organisation not dissimilar to Division), and since would have had time to process that trauma. And therefore also giving a bit more purpose to his character returning.
Ep1-2: Spyfall
The Doctor is called in by MI6, and insists that Yaz comes along too (as a police officer). They start to investigate together, and 13 calls an agent she knows to help. This character would be played by Michelle Gomez, but with a disguise making her unrecognisable (a bit like Mr Razor in S10), as well as different accent - revealing herself as Missy on the plane at the end of Part 1.
Yaz spends Part 2 on the run alone - I think this would give an interesting start to a companion's run, having to fend for herself before actually knowing much about the Doctor or the Tardis. This would also start to explore Yaz's police background, as she initially tries to follow her training and protocols, but is forced to go against everything she has been taught to escape Missy and Daniel Barton. At the end of Spyfall, the Doctor invites Yaz to travel with her.
Ep3: Demons of the Punjab
Another quicker start to a new companion - for her first trip in the Tardis, Yaz requests to go back in time to see her Grandmother, leading to the storyline at the partition of India.
This episode would also play a bigger role in 13 and Yaz's arc later on. There were lots of fan theories that Power of the Doctor would be foreshadowed by Demons of the Punjab, so I would make this the reality later on, using Yaz's Grandmother to tease Yaz's own departure from the show, as well as the Thijarians later returning to honour 13 as she regenerates.
Ep4: Arachnids in the UK
Yaz returns home after the emotional previous episode, and the Doctor meets her family in the present day.
With Missy staying on as the Master, I would instead have Sacha Dhawan play an alternative villain, replacing Jack Robertson's role. He would be first introduced in the S11 finale, but not actually meet the Doctor until this episode.
Ep5: Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror
This episode would see the return of the Paternoster gang - who I think would have been one of the better options of characters to bring back during the Chibnall era, and this episode would fit best in terms of time setting (as well as the detail of the Silurian blaster). Strax's confusion over gender could also have fitted with having a female Doctor. Yaz and Vastra could also work well together, as a police officier and a detective.
I would also use the plot around the Skithra to subtly foreshadow S12's finale. Just as the Skithra steal technology that isn't theirs for their own advantage, the Time Lords similarly took advantage of the Timeless Child's genetics.
Ep6: Fugitive of the Judoon
No major changes, other than Yaz being the only companion. Could further explore Yaz's police background in comparison with the Judoon.
Ep7: Can You Hear Me?
Graham would return in this episode (a bit like Martha in S4) - at the start we would see how he adjusted back to life on Earth without Grace, starting to form a closer relationship with Ryan. Graham calls the Doctor after having nightmares, and they go on to investigate. Graham later confides in 13 about his cancer fears, but an extra scene is added. After Graham leaves, 13 from the future re-materialises and tells Graham what she wanted to say to reassure him. A bit like in S1, when The Doctor comes back to tell Rose that he can also travel in Time. 13 could also gift Graham the psychic paper at this point.
Alongside Graham's storyline, we would also see Yaz's mental health struggles in the past. Later episodes could flash back to this scene, where Yaz takes inspiration from the other police officer, wanting to make a difference to someone else (maybe the Doctor)?
Ep8: The Haunting of Villa Diodati
No major changes - though could give a more direct hint at Yaz's feelings towards the Doctor (when she talks about her 'enigmatic person').
Ep9: Ascension of the Cybermen
As the only companion, Yaz plays a greater role as she has to command the other survivors in the Cyber ship.
Ep10: The Timeless Children
Missy returns to tell the Doctor about the Timeless Child. I would suggest to have less narration for these scenes, and instead add dialogue to the flashbacks of Tecteun and the child.
Also with Missy staying on as the Master, the creation of the CyberMasters (made from the Timeless Child's genetics) would kind of go full circle from the army of Cybermen that Missy presented to 12 when she was first introduced.
Revelations of the Doctor
Part one to the festive special, exploring how 13 spent her time in prison processing the Timeless Child revelations. Feature the Judoon more, and have some of the other prisoners as side characters. Some of the scenes of 13 alone in her prison cell could be more like Heaven Sent? The episode would end on the cliffhanger of Jack appearing in the prison to break the Doctor out.
Simultaneously we switch back to Yaz back on Earth. She has been sleeping in the extra Tardis, and her family eventually track her down there, and Yaz starts to share where she has been recently (travelling in the Tardis). Sacha Dhawan's character is back, using the "defence drones" to make a deal with the new prime minister. Yaz and her family (including her mother, who he previously employed at the hotel), try to confront him, but are unsuccessful.
Revolution of the Daleks
Part 2 then picks up with 13 and Jack teleporting into the Tardis, and then reuniting with Yaz again, who informs them of the Dalek plot. Much of the rest of the episode would remain unchanged, but with some additional scenes to further explore the Dalek's invasion before they are defeated. The lack of Ryan and Graham would also give more time with Jack's character. The scene with 13 and Ryan on the Tardis steps would be replaced with Jack, as 13 confides in him about the Timeless Child, knowing that Jack also had lost some memories. And also making Jack's exit at the end less abrupt.

With Ncuti's new series now begun, I wanted to take the opportunity to look back on the previous eras of the show. A common opinion for the Chibnall era is that there was a lot of unrealised potential, plenty of interesting ideas/concepts but not always fully developed.
I think most of the ingredients were there, and all it needed to massively improve the whole era was to swap around certain elements - i.e. without radically changing anything. Just swapping certain episodes and characters around would have given more meaningful arcs, storylines and character development. And after watching the 60th, I think some of the same criticism applies to some extent.
I will make a separate post for each series from S11 to the 60th, going into detail of how I think each episode could have been adapted.
INTRODUCTION: https://www.reddit.com/doctorwho/comments/1cee488/reworking_1314s_era/
SERIES 11: https://www.reddit.com/gallifrey/comments/1cmmric/series_11_reworking_1314s_era/

Series 12:

Characters & Arcs - Yaz would join as a full-time companion from Spyfall, after being introduced for the first time in Resolution. Series 12 would have a subtle arc around mental health, exploring both Yaz's background and the Doctor's own trauma following the various revelations across the series, as she is forced to stop running away from her past. As the only main companion in this series, generally there would be more space to explore Yaz individually as a character, for example her views on morality and justice as a police officer, her relationships with her family etc, plus some earlier hints at her feelings towards the Doctor.
The Master - Instead of Dhawan's incarnation, Missy would stay on as the Master for 13's era. The whole Timeless Child arc would perhaps fit better in connection with Missy's redemption arc in S10, rather than having a new incarnation? A more conflicted side to the Master would have been more logical here, rather than reverting back to pure evil so quickly. Missy sitill feels some sense of friendship towards the Doctor, but at the same time can't handle the fact that her existence is somehow a result of the Doctor.
Festive Specials & Captain Jack - To fully explore the plot of Revolution of the Doctor, alongside the Doctor's time in prison, and the return of Captain Jack, this story would be split into two parts . The first part (named 'Revelations of the Doctor') would have 13 in prison for the full episode, and Yaz on Earth stuggling to deal with the Dalek plot in her absence. I always thought bringing Jack back in 13's era was a perfect chance for the Doctor to properly confide in someone and process everything, since Jack had lost two years of his memories (removed by the Time Agency, an organisation not dissimilar to Division), and since would have had time to process that trauma. And therefore also giving a bit more purpose to his character returning.
Ep1-2: Spyfall
The Doctor is called in by MI6, and insists that Yaz comes along too (as a police officer). They start to investigate together, and 13 calls an agent she knows to help. This character would be played by Michelle Gomez, but with a disguise making her unrecognisable (a bit like Mr Razor in S10), as well as different accent - revealing herself as Missy on the plane at the end of Part 1.
Yaz spends Part 2 on the run alone - I think this would give an interesting start to a companion's run, having to fend for herself before actually knowing much about the Doctor or the Tardis. This would also start to explore Yaz's police background, as she initially tries to follow her training and protocols, but is forced to go against everything she has been taught to escape Missy and Daniel Barton. At the end of Spyfall, the Doctor invites Yaz to travel with her.
Ep3: Demons of the Punjab
Another quicker start to a new companion - for her first trip in the Tardis, Yaz requests to go back in time to see her Grandmother, leading to the storyline at the partition of India.
This episode would also play a bigger role in 13 and Yaz's arc later on. There were lots of fan theories that Power of the Doctor would be foreshadowed by Demons of the Punjab, so I would make this the reality later on, using Yaz's Grandmother to tease Yaz's own departure from the show, as well as the Thijarians later returning to honour 13 as she regenerates.
Ep4: Arachnids in the UK
Yaz returns home after the emotional previous episode, and the Doctor meets her family in the present day.
With Missy staying on as the Master, I would instead have Sacha Dhawan play an alternative villain, replacing Jack Robertson's role. He would be first introduced in the S11 finale, but not actually meet the Doctor until this episode.
Ep5: Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror
This episode would see the return of the Paternoster gang - who I think would have been one of the better options of characters to bring back during the Chibnall era, and this episode would fit best in terms of time setting (as well as the detail of the Silurian blaster). Strax's confusion over gender could also have fitted with having a female Doctor. Yaz and Vastra could also work well together, as a police officier and a detective.
I would also use the plot around the Skithra to subtly foreshadow S12's finale. Just as the Skithra steal technology that isn't theirs for their own advantage, the Time Lords similarly took advantage of the Timeless Child's genetics.
Ep6: Fugitive of the Judoon
No major changes, other than Yaz being the only companion. Could further explore Yaz's police background in comparison with the Judoon.
Ep7: Can You Hear Me?
Graham would return in this episode (a bit like Martha in S4) - at the start we would see how he adjusted back to life on Earth without Grace, starting to form a closer relationship with Ryan. Graham calls the Doctor after having nightmares, and they go on to investigate. Graham later confides in 13 about his cancer fears, but an extra scene is added. After Graham leaves, 13 from the future re-materialises and tells Graham what she wanted to say to reassure him. A bit like in S1, when The Doctor comes back to tell Rose that he can also travel in Time. 13 could also gift Graham the psychic paper at this point.
Alongside Graham's storyline, we would also see Yaz's mental health struggles in the past. Later episodes could flash back to this scene, where Yaz takes inspiration from the other police officer, wanting to make a difference to someone else (maybe the Doctor)?
Ep8: The Haunting of Villa Diodati
No major changes - though could give a more direct hint at Yaz's feelings towards the Doctor (when she talks about her 'enigmatic person').
Ep9: Ascension of the Cybermen
As the only companion, Yaz plays a greater role as she has to command the other survivors in the Cyber ship.
Ep10: The Timeless Children
Missy returns to tell the Doctor about the Timeless Child. I would suggest to have less narration for these scenes, and instead add dialogue to the flashbacks of Tecteun and the child.
Also with Missy staying on as the Master, the creation of the CyberMasters (made from the Timeless Child's genetics) would kind of go full circle from the army of Cybermen that Missy presented to 12 when she was first introduced.
Revelations of the Doctor
Part one to the festive special, exploring how 13 spent her time in prison processing the Timeless Child revelations. Feature the Judoon more, and have some of the other prisoners as side characters. Some of the scenes of 13 alone in her prison cell could be more like Heaven Sent? The episode would end on the cliffhanger of Jack appearing in the prison to break the Doctor out.
Simultaneously we switch back to Yaz back on Earth. She has been sleeping in the extra Tardis, and her family eventually track her down there, and Yaz starts to share where she has been recently (travelling in the Tardis). Sacha Dhawan's character is back, using the "defence drones" to make a deal with the new prime minister. Yaz and her family (including her mother, who he previously employed at the hotel), try to confront him, but are unsuccessful.
Revolution of the Daleks
Part 2 then picks up with 13 and Jack teleporting into the Tardis, and then reuniting with Yaz again, who informs them of the Dalek plot. Much of the rest of the episode would remain unchanged, but with some additional scenes to further explore the Dalek's invasion before they are defeated. The lack of Ryan and Graham would also give more time with Jack's character. The scene with 13 and Ryan on the Tardis steps would be replaced with Jack, as 13 confides in him about the Timeless Child, knowing that Jack also had lost some memories. And also making Jack's exit at the end less abrupt.

My sole f80 treadmill that's only 2yrs old is crapping out on me. Getting error codes at the 2-3mile mark constantly. I've done everything I can find to fix without ordering parts. Don't want pay 350 for a board or get new motor or incline motor, read that all three can cause my errors. Don't wanna risk getting 1k n to fix a treadmill that gets me half way to a new one. So I wanna get a new one and would like suggestions. I run on it 15-20mi wk and wife speed walks on it probably 5-10mi wk. I like soles 22in wide belt but kind of left a bad taste n my mouth after this one crapping out so soon. Has to have at least 20x60 belt, do like the larger ones. Was looking at nordic track x22i but looks like the console sits back far on treadmill deck so not sure if ur losing bunch of deck real estate or just how looks. Also Nordic track 1750. I'm open to any recommendations, my budget 3k. Don't really care about ifit or any of that have a tv mounted n from treadmill anyway.

I have 8W 15L atm. It feels so hard to win even when i get ahead. I try to play the game smart, start with a gameplan but it always goes wrong. If I full clear, my laners will die before I even finish clearing. If I help them, I get behind on xp. When I get 1 kill, enemy jungler gets 2. It's so nice of them to give gold and xp to the jungler so he doesn't get too behind.
My laners don't even help at objs, they just get their plates and recall then i end up dying because enemy laners rotate. I don't see my support moving around the map while theirs is everywhere, preventing counter jungle or anything I could do to capitalize on a move by the enemy jungler.
Most of them don't even understand basic concepts like cross mapping, being outnumbered, rotating. In fucking Emerald. You would expect those players to have some knowledge but they all seem so lost. Their decisions are so random, based on pure emotions. They don't think straight and rational.
I get ping when pressuring lanes or not taking fights obviously lost. And when you start vertical jungling, not one of them seems to get that the side where I'm not on will get pressured to hell by the enemy jungler. Even when I ping where the jungler is exactly because I try to track him, they still end up dying and flaming.
How do you guys feel in Emerald playing jungle ? Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm bad or I don't play OP champs enough (I OTP Rengar). Do I expect too much from my team mates ?
I am so lost right now, trying my best and not winning anything, no matter how I play.
I'm on EUW, don't know if the same applies to other regions but Emerald feels like Silver with more hours. Game knowledge is not there and mechanics are sometimes questionnable for an elo so close to Diamond.
(And I didn't even talk about toxicity, I had to disable chat and mute ping at least one guy per game. + afks or trolls bc they are not carrying the game obviously)

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The Grand Dining Hall. Local time: 1210
Emma
The dining hall was, for all intents and purposes, the den of gossip.
[Grand Dining Hall. Add: Alternative Designator - DEN OF GOSSIP]
This was proven true by the incessant and rampant whispers, most of which were eventually hidden under privacy screens.But some of which were allowed to permeate through the air like a foul and sickening stench.
“What’s he trying to prove?”
“Usurpers. Tepid-blood minor nobles thinking themselves bigshots in their ill-gotten castles. This is all they know — power through brute strength.”
“Do you think this could be some sort of a roundabout statement for the House Choosing Ceremony?”
“Could be, or maybe the newrealmer is rubbing off on him. I heard those savages live in hunting-packs that deal exclusively in violence.”
“Poor Lord Ping… the man’s been dealt so many blows both to his ego and integrity. He truly is the victim in this upstart’s rebellion.”
“Let us hope the pious Ping prevails over his undeserving trials and tribulations. The man’s a saint, a pious soul that must hold fast for those of us adherent to the eternal truths.”
“Or perhaps we should wait and see how things develop. I, for one, wish to side neither with the narrow-minded bull nor the aggressive upstarts.”
“Lord Qiv may prove to be the more suitable candidate for class sovereign… but only time will tell.”
“Never in my wildest of imaginations would I have ever considered that the one to threaten our position, our place, our image, and our very survival in this sky of feral drakes to be you — Prince Thalmin.” Ilunor managed out incredulously, breaking me out of my long-range acoustic reverie. Though unlike his prior confrontations with myself, his current voice lacked the same intense vitriol. Instead, that was replaced with what I could only describe as a genuine sense of disappointment, as if confronting a friend who knew better than to commit to a dumb decision.
“That’s an understandable statement to make, Ilunor.” Thalmin replied uncharacteristically calmly, as if he hadn’t even registered the Vunerian’s assaults. Or at least, that seemed to be the case, until he shot the deluxe Kobold a predatory side-eye. “Because creatures that lack honor, integrity, and personal dignity, often conflate sacrifices and risk-taking, for foolishness and idiocy. For within the heart of a Nexian, lies only compromise for the sake of convenience. Whether that be the convenience of survival, the convenience of continuity, or the convenience of the status quo, you will sacrifice everything to maintain it — even if it means allowing your honor to remain sullied and trodden when there exists a pool to cleanse away that shame.”
Thacea’s eyes grew wary with concern at that statement, one of the few instances I’d seen her genuinely worried about an Ilunor-Thalmin interaction. In fact, even I didn’t dare to interrupt, especially after both parties had shot death-glares towards our elven waiter as he arrived with the lunch platter.
“Restraint, Prince Thalmin.” Ilunor responded with a deep and calculating breath. “This isn’t the adjacent realms, this isn’t Havenbrockrealm.”
“Oh that much is very clear to me, Ilunor.” Thalmin interjected with something just short of a growl. “In Havenbrockrealm, we would sooner slash, stab, flay, or lash our enemies in fair and open combat, than reduce ourselves to cowardly attempts at assassination or retreat with our tails between our legs at the earliest signs of defeat.”
Ilunor took another breath, placing a small hand atop of his snout. “I… empathize with your desires to follow through with what you believe is a morally sound decision.” The Vunerian responded in a surprising display of maturity. “However, and this goes for you as well, newrealmer—” He paused for a moment, taking the time to glare at me before shifting back to Thalmin. “—we are not acting as independent actors anymore. For better or for worse… which, mind you, I still strongly believe this is very much for the worse in my case… we are now a peer group. And as such, the actions we take and their resultant fallout, should represent the interests of us all.”
“These are bold claims.” Thalmin began with a restrained snarl. “Even bolder when considering your actions the week prior. If the measure of a man were dictated by his words alone, then I would be inclined to acquiesce. However, considering the measure of a man extends beyond the weightless chatter of an exhaled breath, I feel far more inclined to reserve such actions for those far more deserving of my respect.” At which point, the lupinor turned towards both Thacea and I, following that up with a dip of his head. “I apologize, Thacea, Emma, for conducting myself in the way I did.”
Thalmin took a moment to pause, side eyeing Ilunor as he acknowledged him once again. “Whilst his character may sully his words, there is some truth to them. I have, admittedly, overstepped my bounds in committing to an action which undeniably affects the group. However, I genuinely hope you understand the reasons behind my otherwise brash decision. For I must stand on principle, lest I decide to stand at all.”
“Given the crap Auris Ping pulled last night, I’m inclined to agree with you, Thalmin. More than that, I would’ve gladly taken your place and dueled him the good old fashioned way if I could. Besides, the look on his face when you chose him to be your dueling partner? It was just priceless.” I offered with a snide grin. “In all seriousness, I’m really not in a position to chastise anyone on the issue of just gunning it with your gut instinct anyways. Heck, the entirety of last week was one long drawn out escapade for my sake, which came at the expense of the group after all.” I chuckled nervously. “So… yeah, this is incredibly tame by those standards, Thalmin.”
“Whilst… unexpected, and indeed a risk, I can understand the reasons behind it, Thalmin.” Thacea nodded uneasily. “However, I do not advise any of you to make a habit out of this.” She commanded, making an effort to make individual eye contact with each and every one of us.
Thacea’s group-mom vibes were definitely showing at this point, which was probably for the better. Given the group seemed to be a magnet for this sort of thing, it was good to have an anchor of sorts.
Sure thing, mom. Was what my gut instinct screamed at me to say.
But instead, I decided to tone it down a notch.
“As you command, princess.” I dipped my head in acknowledgement, garnering a look of abashed confusion from Thacea, and just plain-old confusion from the other two.
“In any case… I… believe you wished to discuss matters outside of classroom priorities, Emma?” Thacea quickly attempted to shift past that little bit of prodding, which I obliged with an affirmative nod.
“Yep. Well, it’s more of a small change of plans that I think is worth discussing with you guys. So, you remember how I was planning on deploying an infil-drone on Mal’tory after the end of class right?”
All three nodded, urging me to continue.
“Well, since Mal’tory was a no-show, and with Larial taking the reins instead… I think it’s best if we stick with the plan anyways, just swapping out Mal’tory for Larial. I honestly don’t see any other way we can continue the library’s questline, or any other way to find evidence to support the Auris Ping-Mal’tory hypothesis we have going on. I know it’s a huge gamble since there’s no way of knowing if she’ll even head to Mal’tory’s office after class. But honestly? This is our best shot right now.”
“I concur, Emma.” Thalmin announced with a nod.
“Given her proximity to the professor’s orbit, we may in fact gain a greater bearing on his actual state. Which in itself may prove useful.” Thacea offered, more or less acknowledging my change of plans implicitly.
“We don’t seem to have any other choice, earthrealmer. So a shot in the dark is better than stowing your wand.” Ilunor acknowledged in a rare display of solidarity.
“It’s settled then. I’ll deploy the drone right after class is dismissed. Then, we wait and see what the drone comes up with.”

The Grand Concourse of Learning. The Hall of Light. Local Time: 14:00 Hours.
Emma
Mana field perception was, as one would expect, dry, bland, and utterly nonsensical.
Throughout most of it, the lesson was taught as if it was referencing something obvious, something mundane, something so typical that a lot of the topics were all but overlooked as ‘self evident’.
A lot of what was taught reminded me of a mix between perception-theory, and situational awareness training. However, instead of relying on your eyes, ears, heck, even your nose or sense of touch… it was instead relying on something completely outside of the human experience.
“Mana field perception, is at its core, a subject that is inherent to the sapient condition. However, the extent to which it is appreciated, understood, and most important of all — applied — varies exponentially. To an untrained mind, and an untempered soul, the world feels tepid.”
The apprentice paused, gesturing to Sorecar, who answered his cue by pulling out a massive painting of a beautiful mountainscape that seemed to play through a closed animation loop; the effect was like a high-definition e-ink display.
“To a trained mind, but an untempered soul, the world feels… distant, unaccommodating, and frustrating to emotionally comprehend.” Larial continued, prompting Sorecar to pull out yet another painting. This one, the exact same as the first, with literally no differences between them.
“To an untrained mind, but a tempered soul, the world feels… unpredictable, erratic, and frustrating to logically put together.” Once again, another painting was brought out. This one, just like the previous two, looked completely identical.
“But to a sufficiently trained mind, and a tempered soul, with enough time invested into both theory and practice… the world becomes open, expansive, and above all else… it becomes rich with sights and sensations that would be impossible to feel with the physical form alone.” Larial concluded, just as Sorecar pulled out what looked to be yet another identical painting.
The EVI’s analysis concluded that there were absolutely no differences between the four paintings. Moreover, the mana radiation signatures for each were likewise exactly the same.
It was only after slipping a note towards Thacea with a question written in High Nexian did I finally get my answer.
‘What’s the deal with these paintings? They’re all identical.’
Thacea quickly slipped me a blank piece of parchment in response.
Though it didn’t remain blank for long, as words and sentences started appearing on it; mirroring Thacea’s furious ‘note taking’ in her own notebook.
‘They’re artisanal pieces imbued with the purposeful manipulation of the subject’s aura, mana-field, and the surrounding mana. They were brought out in order to demonstrate the different degrees of mana-field perception by exaggerating the most common shortcomings found in those training in the magical arts. The first piece was, similar to your memory shards, lacking in any mana-fields or auras. The second and third pieces demonstrated a failure to imbue one or the other of the two fundamental tenets of mana-field perception. The fourth piece is representative of a perfect balance of both tenets, and is an exquisite work of art that completely outshines the first. It radiates beauty, whilst the first is flat and lifeless.’
It took a moment for me to really register all that. Longer still, as I eventually became fixated on that last line in particular.
Flat and lifeless… is that what the world is like from my eyes?
It was around that time that a thought hit me, and a realization truly sank deep into my very being.
The world that Thacea, Thalmin, Ilunor, and the rest of the magical beings across the interdimensional plane experienced… was one that I was utterly blind to.
It’d been referenced before.
In fact, it’d been drilled into me time and time again by the likes of Ilunor that I was lacking in something fundamental.
But up until now, everything was either circumstantial, or outside of my general focus. So much so that I never was able to digest the implications of it.
However, as much as a pit formed in my stomach, growing tighter by the second as Larial went on and on about the ebbs and flows of mana, so too did a very human resolve suddenly dawn upon me.
“I’m going to see what you guys see one day.” I wrote down on Thacea’s magic paper.
“How?” Was the message I received back.
To which I only had one thing to reply with.
“The same way we overcame all of our other shortcomings.” I wrote cryptically, garnering a look of confusion from Thacea as she read the note, to which I only had to point at my armor for added effect.
By once again defying nature. I thought to myself.
If we weren’t born with the ability to ‘see’ this beauty, we’d find a way to break it down into its fundamental components, dissect it, analyze it, and then reinterpret it for ourselves.
The class continued on after that exchange of notes, as we touched upon what Ilunor had so eloquently described on that second day of the grace period:
One: that manastreams were everywhere around us.
Two: that manafields generated by living organisms were akin to rocks that not only parted those streams, but at times, interacted with them.
Three: that using manafields, one could make out the presence of other manafields through the manastreams, and thus detect and extract information as is pertinent to the context of the situation.
And while Ilunor would’ve blabbered on and on about the ability to see and sense the emotional state of others through the manastreams, what Larial seemed to be focused on instead were the practical applications of this natural ability. Namely, she focused on exactly how to detect a spell being cast, what sort of spell was being cast, and most importantly — she focused on how it all tied back to Light Magic.
“In summary, only when one is proficient in the detection and analysis of manafields, can one finally start to dissect the intricacies of a manafield during spellcasting. And only once one masters the detection of spellcasting, can one even hope to begin the process of dispelling. The first step of which is to know exactly what a manafield looks like during spellcasting. Is there anyone in the class that can tell me what that looks like?” The professor asked, looking around, before picking one of the many raised hands.
This one belonged to Qiv.
“Yes, Lord Qiv?”
“Influxes and effluxes, Professor. One will see the influx of ambient mana through the manastreams into a manafield, and the potential efflux of mana through a manafield back into the manastreams in the form of a controlled mana-construct.”
“Very good, Lord Qiv! Five points! Now, hold your thoughts on that latter part, because that ties into my next question!” Larial responded with a giddiness and chipperness that seemed to be lacking in every other class up to this point. “The fundamental means of detecting a spell being cast is by looking out for a point of influx, and a point of efflux. Influx being the more difficult of the pair to detect, for what you have to look out for is mana is being funneled into a manafield. A weak spell being cast, will incur less disruptions in a manastream. However, the opposite is also true. As the more powerful the spell, and the more powerful the mage, the greater the rate of influx, as the amount of mana needed to fulfill the requirements of the spell increases. Paradoxically this would mean it will be easier to detect a powerful spell before it is cast, as the reduction in the concentration of ambient mana will be more palpable as a result. Efflux however, is rather straightforward, and will be the primary vehicle through which Mana-field Perception will be taught. As it is through efflux that we can ascertain the most useful details of a spell, or as Lord Qiv so eloquently puts it — the mana-construct. Does anyone know what this next point may be referring to?”
Surprisingly, and out of a clear bias towards Qiv, Larial once more called him up.
I couldn’t blame her though.
The man, despite being a certified bully and teacher’s pet, was one of the few students who didn’t openly doubt the apprentice’s capabilities during the start of class.
“Yes, Lord Qiv?”
“The mana-construct refers to the skeleton of a spell; the arrangement and unique form it takes before manifesting into a proper spell.” The gorn-like lizard responded confidently.
“Outstanding, Lord Qiv! Five points! Now, whilst a mana-construct is indeed a vital step in the process of spell casting, its manifestation is rarely the point in time in which a spell can be intercepted — save for those who have mastered the art of Light Magic. As a result, a spell can be halted before it even has the chance to form. To most however, the mana-construct acts as a cue to prepare. It is a signal that demonstrates the irrefutable start to a spell. And as a result, it provides major structural clues as to the form of Light Magic that must be employed to combat it. Which leads me to my next point.”
The apprentice once more paused, as she manifested literally nothing visible to the tune of more than a dozen mana radiation warnings.
“When broken down to their basic components, every spell is a complicated meshwork of mana, channeled and contained within a dynamic pattern that continuously evolves throughout the duration of a spell. Because unlike artificing, the casting of magic evolves with unpredictability and thrives on organic change. No offense to you, of course, Professor Pliska.” The apprentice turned towards Sorecar worryingly, who simply responded with a bellowing laugh.
“None taken, my aspiring understudy!”
With that, Larial continued, her hands moving through an empty section of air that everyone seemed to be focused on; as if manipulating a hologram that I wasn’t privy to. “However, in spite of this unpredictability, the goal of Light Magic and Mana-field Perception in particular is to untangle the aforementioned meshwork of mana. For every spell is a puzzle and a series of knots to untangle. Your goal in this class, if I am to be reductive, is to untangle the complex mesh that comprises a spell, unraveling it to a point in which it can no longer maintain its form — collapsing it and thus, rendering it inert.” The apprentice emphasized this by miming what looked to be tiny little motions with her fingers, before pulling both hands backwards, garnering a series of affirmative nods from the crowd. “And with that, we now reach the conclusion of today’s class.”
“Or more accurately, the leadup to the climax of this class.” Sorecar quickly chimed in with a wave of his hand, prompting the room to change once more. Section upon section of the front of the classroom’s floor was dragged down into the impossible void, only to be replaced just as quickly by an elevated stage resembling that of a fencing strip. “Will the aspiring duelists please rise and approach the stage?” Sorecar turned back towards the crowd, prompting both Thalmin and Auris to stand, the pair giving each other some strong side-eyes before both marching up and towards the front of the class.
From there, with not a single word exchanged, they took their places, Thalmin at the far right, and Auris on the far left.
“The purpose of this demonstration is simple.” The apprentice began, as Sorecar began moving towards both Thalmin and Auris, insisting them to pay attention. “It is to show that even in spite of the complicated principles behind Light Magic, that there exists far simpler, far more basic principles that can achieve similar means. A precursor to more contemporary methods; spell-breaking. A maneuver that involves overpowering the structure and flow of a spell using a concentrated burst of pure mana irregardless of the type. However, unlike traditional dispelling seen in contemporary Light Magic, spell-breaking oftentimes requires a user to concentrate a disproportionately larger amount of mana in order to properly break a spell. It is thus highly inefficient, and as a result becomes rapidly impractical upon encountering spellcrafts of sufficiently advanced tiers. This demonstration will be aptly limited to a simple barrier-spell for the likes of the reciprocator, so as to not overburden the initiator with this simple task.”
The apprentice quickly passed on the torch to Sorecar, who quickly took center stage with a few steps.
“Now, as this is not a traditional duel for dominance, nor is it a sporting duel for the purposes of victory, I will explain the narrow context by which this duel will be held.” Sorecar continued, his hands clapping together, generating an empty and resonant CLANG in the process. “To our right, is our initiator, who will be demonstrating the principles of spell-breaking in an active capacity. To our left, is our reciprocator, who will be taking on the role of demonstrative spellcaster, casting only barrier spells for the duration of this short demonstration. Remember, there is to be no additional spells cast or demonstrated outside of these parameters. Is that clear?” Sorecar paused, making sure to meet both of the opponents’ gazes with his empty helm.
“Yes, professor!” Both parties shouted simultaneously, barely containing their frustrations beneath a veneer of calm and restrained fury.
“Then we shall begin on the count of three.” The apprentice continued, taking the reins over from Sorecar, as she stood just a few steps away from the stage’s combat-lines. “One.” She began, as Auris began moving into position, practically grinding his booted hooves into the stage, and taking on the posture of some unknown martial art. “Two.” Thalmin reciprocated by taking a more aggressive posture, as if positioning himself to leap towards the bull in a ravenous rage at the drop of a hat.
“Three.”
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 225% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 350% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
Nothing seemed to happen.
At least, not to my eyes.
Within a matter of seconds, all I witnessed were two mana radiation warnings timelogged as only a few seconds apart from one another.
No physical effects were evident to me. Nothing, except for the flinching of a few muscles, and the waving of arms. As if they were conjuring make-believe magic spells, without the added special effects that came with it.
Ironically, this was how I was expecting most Nexians to react to the reveal of laser weaponry. Silent, invisible, but otherwise omnipresent and deadly threats.
Though despite the lack of any physical effects I could discern, there were certainly more than enough context-clues to go by when it came to exactly what had just occurred.
Auris’ features had more or less swelled up into a fury. His nostrils flared just short of snorting out fumes, and his teeth were bared clearly holding back a few choice words for the now-grinning Thalmin.
“Again.” He demanded, and barely a second after a nod of approval from the apprentice, came two more mana radiation warnings.
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 300% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 425% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
Once again, no noticeable physical effects had manifested. Though judging from the bewildered and shocked expressions of the crowd, something was definitely happening within the invisible world that was accessible through mana-vision.
“Again!” Ping announced, barely garnering approval from the apprentice this time, as things took a sudden enough turn that even I could notice them.
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 400% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
It started with that ‘barrier’ again.
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 500% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
Followed by Thalmin overpowering it.
However, instead of letting things go, Ping instead pushed towards a frenzied series of attacks.
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 375% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
As one—
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 400% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
—after another—
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 400% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
—after another—
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 400% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
—after another ‘barrier’ spell seemed to actually be causing Thalmin some pushback now. His movements now resembled someone attempting to dodge invisible projectiles, yet Auris made no moves to actually fling anything at him, only maintaining his prior stance.
Though of course, this came with the same expected response.
As Thalmin retaliated with his own attacks. Or rather, one, very large attack that truly outclassed what Auris could currently muster in his furious state.
ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 550% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS
This spell that mildly shook the room seemed to be enough to ‘break’ the sudden incursion, prompting both Ping and Thalmin to turn towards the apprentice — the former blasting steam from his snout and the latter slashing his tail in the air — for yet another round of fighting, only to have Sorecar step in, placing a hand on both of the duelists who were barely a foot away from each other now.
“Wonderful! Excellent! Put your hands together for our introductory duelists, everyone!” The professor quickly coerced both of the parties to face the class, actively grabbing them by the small of their back, and thus effectively entrapping them with his iron grip — forcing them to face the class who cheered on with a series of applauses.
Not a second later, the pair of them bowed, though it was unclear how much of this was Sorecar’s doing, and how much of this was done out of their own will.
“In any case, seeing as both of our aspiring duelists have gone above and beyond in their demonstration, and seeing that this is merely a demonstration, and not a challenge—” Sorecar emphasized that last point, forcing the pair to sweat in his over-shoulder grip. “—I believe it would be prudent to award them each a fair share of this duel’s fifty points.”
“Given the enthusiasm shown, I am inclined to agree, Professor Pliska.” The apprentice quickly nodded, prompting the armorer to quickly push both of them off-stage, and back towards the staggered raised steps of the lecture hall.
“Twenty-five points for both of our duelist’s groups.” Larial reiterated, and with a final round of reluctant applause, barely overpowering the incoming band marking the end of class… the apprentice made her final statement. “This concludes this week’s first lesson. Considering the house choosing ceremony coming up this weekend, along with the Elaseer school supply shopping trip to town… I am inclined to grant this class some clemency. No homework will be required. So please, enjoy the rest of the day, and prepare yourselves for what could be the most decisive day in your academic career here in Transgracia. Class dismissed!”
No sooner were those words uttered did my eyes quickly turn towards my HUD, and a flash of commands came through without a second of delay.
INFIL-DRONE01a ACTIVE, STATUS: NOMINAL. OBJECTIVE: PRIORITY TRACKING AND RECONNAISSANCE OF SUBJECT A109. MISSION PARAMETERS: TRACK, OBSERVE, MAP, AND RETURN-TO-BASE WITHIN PREDETERMINED PARAMETERS. CONFIRM COMMAND Y/N?
“Command confirmed.” I replied vocally, prompting the newly-printed replacement drone to pop out of its docking bay, before charting a course parallel to that of the apprentice.
The drone’s signal was lost just as the apprentice left the room through that dark threshold behind the lectern, at which point, the entire class began shuffling out to the tune of the encroaching band.
Only time would tell what would come of this mission.
But hopefully, we'll get our answers sometime later this evening.
However, instead of blending right into the crowd, or more specifically… being ignored by said crowd, quite a few eyes managed to find their way onto our group. Moreover, the chatter seemed way too interesting to ignore.
“You were right, Cynthis… perhaps there is something about this mercenary prince after all.” A female voice spoke from an all-girl group, eliciting a series of giggles, which were promptly silenced by a privacy screen the moment Thalmin craned his head around.
“Lord Auris Ping has yet again demonstrated his integrity. Let us ensure his pure-hearted determination is lauded this evening, lads! The fearsome strikers shall band together with the most pious of intent!” A tortle-like-turtle jeered, moving strategically to position themselves around Auris Ping’s group, as the expected schmoozing began in full.
“Newrealmer.” Ilunor began, generating a privacy screen in the process.
“Yes, Ilunor?”
“How long do you expect your insect to take in its dastardly escapades?”
“Last time it took a good few hours. So, given this probably isn’t a one-and-done deal, I’d say… maybe three to four hours at the least this time around?” I offered.
“Well then. Splendid. I shall be off, and return within that time frame.”
“Wait wait wait wait. Hold up. Where do you think you’re going?” I inquired firmly.
“I have my own life to lead, newrealmer. Now please, I shall return to our group’s escapades in due time.”
“Where, Ilunor?” I reiterated.
To which the Vunerian could only sigh in response. “The student lounge. Top floor today, if I am to be interrogated for every ounce of information…”
“Then let’s go. Together.” I proclaimed, garnering a few looks of surprise from both Thacea and Thalmin. “Perhaps it’s time we start getting a feel for the lay of the land. We’ve been cooped up in our own little world for far too long, maybe, just maybe, we should all expand our horizons just by a little bit.”
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(Author’s Note: The much anticipated round two between Thalmin and Auris has concluded! And following its conclusion, we also get quite a few reactions to Thalmin as a result of his daring display of magical prowess! We also get a pretty hands on demonstration of Light Magic this time around! This is perhaps one of the more hands on class, and indeed one of the more straightforward classes so far! Moreover, the end of classes marks not only the beginning of the little spy drone adventure, but also a little peak into exactly what Ilunor has been up to! I hope you guys enjoy! :D The next Two Chapters are already up on Patreon if you guys are interested in getting early access to future chapters!)
[If you guys want to help support me and these stories, here's my ko-fi ! And my Patreon for early chapter releases (Chapter 81 and Chapter 82 of this story is already out on there!)]