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Sionia
Chapter 14
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“Lord Wyatt, you are needed” Called Lars that shook me out of my fascinating reading about dragon neuts.
“Yes.” I said as I pulled back the curtain.
“The city guard requests to speak with you. They are restricting entrance to Avalon given the latest attack by Mardor at Black Gate of Rowan.” Lars explained with a salute and chest bump
With a sigh, I handed my book to Gus and exited the carriage and was very impressed with the massive three story gatehouse and huge stone block readouts connected on each side. I was met by a forty something looking man of average build with black hair and dark eyes flanked by six fully fitted out soldiers.
“I am Rhys Redith captain of the guard here in Avalon. You must be Count Ryan Wyatt.” Rhys introduced himself with the question.
“Yes, I am Ryan Wyatt.” I responded with a frown and knotted brow.
“We have been expecting your arrival. The king has ordered us to assist you and provide hospitality. I am to escort you to the fortress and the rest of your party to Duggan's inn.” Said Rhys with a salute and formal bow.
“That will not do! I have several wards under my care which several are nobility.” I objected to the plan given.
“I was not aware. I will of course take you to the fortress where Lady Ludmilla will address your concerns.” Replied Rhys with a salute and bow then motioned for me to follow.
“Follow him, Jace .” I said to my new driver and climbed into the carriage.
The bridge over the north side of the Paradise River to the island of Avalon was very long at around a quarter mile or so. The readouts of the gatehouse extended a good ways into the river which had several firing positions. I suspected that the river rose and fell with a possible rainy and dry season which was why the readouts could prevent an army from getting behind the gatehouse or access to the bridge from land. The island side gatehouse was flush with the city walls and protruded into the river was equally as impressive with a descent sized recessed portico and draw bridge porch extension.
Thinking back to my travels through Europe, I decided Avalon looked like the city of East Looe, Cornwall in England but not as topographically elevated and with more renaissance style architecture than back on earth. The Roman style arched bridge was very much what we just rode across. The fortress of Avalon itself was at the highest point which was off to the left on the far east side of the island and most up stream point on the islands.
The Fortress keep was decent but still half the size of Duke Boasag's Buanna. I realized that the reason for putting my servants at an inn was because of the lack of space. However, I was determined to stay with my wards no matter the violation of etiquette it might cause. As my carriage pulled up to the entrance with the fortress that had both iron gates and metal reinforced wooden doors that were a good six feet wide and twelve feet tall each. These doors were set into no less than a three foot thick wall.
Passing through the gate was a small bricked paved courtyard that was about forty to fifty feet wide in a more or less oval shape. I saw a host of servants and two well dressed ladies waiting at the main doors to the fortress's central keep.
“Lord Wyatt, welcome to Avalon. I am Viscountess Ludmilla Skafhoggr and this is my mother Baroness Grogda Wode.” Stated a quiet plump pretty faced brown haired woman in a gaudy yellow with purple accented dress with unicorns all over it and a matching unicorn hat whose horn protruded a good foot from her forehead.
“Yes, it is a very deep pleasure to meet you as well.” Stated Lady Grogda a good looking woman who seemed to be in her mid to late thirties with black hair and unusual olive colored eyes. Her lite brown dress was quiet plain compared to her daughter's which was kind of comical in their contrast.
“The pleasure is mine for sure in meeting you ladies.” I said pouring it on a bit thick with a formal bow and sweep of my arm.
“I do not understand. Why are all your people with you?” Lady Ludmilla asked looking toward Captain Rhys but speaking to me.
“I have many wards under my protection. Thus, it is impossible to leave them alone without my presence as there are many who would try and take advantage of helpless young girls.” I stated but that failed miserably when Freya and the other three Asgardians approached fully armed with their swords.
“I would hardly call them helpless!” Spat Lady Grogda with a bit of contempt as the Asgardians were better looking than her.
“Despite appearances, they need my protection. After all, I am their guardian as I freed them from captivity.” I responded with a bit of admonishment in my voice.
“Yes, we have heard the tale. You are quiet the knight in shinning armor.” Lady Ludmilla said with obvious sarcasm.
“It is what it is. The wards will be with me wherever I am. If that is at an inn or camping on the side of the road, so bit it.” I stated with irritation.
“Do not be silly. We can host your wards and personal attendant. However, we must insist that the rest stay in the inn over there.” Lady Ludmilla said pointing to a three story building that was about fifty yards away.
“That is closer than expected. However, I accept. My people can stay at the inn while you host me and my wards.” I stated with another formal bow.
“Good, now come and we will see to your comfort.” Lady Ludmilla said with a bit of a laugh with Lady Grogda giving a small laugh and a wicked grin.
I immediately turned to Lars, Razor and Meowth and ordered that they maintain a watch on the carts and carriage around the clock as I did not want any lapse where someone would try to take advantage. I called to the wolf kin brothers to continue to protect the girls inside the fortress. Pointing to Lars, I told him to take our prisoner Andros to the adventure's guild office and turn him over and letting them know he was caught trying to steal from me. Tell them know I will see them on morrow to see if Andros was telling the truth or just lying. Turning with a smile and motioned to Freya and the girls to follow me with Gus right behind me.
The inside of the fortress was decently furnished though it had more of the appearance of a military outpost than a holding of wealth as it looked quiet spartan. I was led to an upper chamber where Lady Grogda had already ordered a bath filled by the time we had arrived.
“I will see to you personally” Lady Grogda stated with that same wicked grin again.
I suddenly felt as though I was a piece of meat put on display before a hungry wolf. I steeled myself to not recoil as I just felt off with this lady.
“See to your master's baggage.” Lady Grogda ordered Gus who was surprised by the command.
Gus gave me a slight shaking of his head and left the chamber. Lady Grogda then proceeded to strip me with efficiency. Once I was naked, she suddenly took her time looking at my nakedness. She even traced my scars on my back with a click of her tongue. Walking over to the tub, I climbed in and sat down.
“Spoil sport” Said Lady Grogda as she grabbed a wash cloth.
“Do not get my wounds wet.” I said warning Lady Groda of what the doctor had told me.
“Why? Your wound is almost well healed. The stitches can be pulled out except here” Stated Grogda and tapped me on my left shoulder blade.
“I have been using a special salve from the high elves. I did not realize it was healing that fast. However, I was warned that getting my wound wet would effect my healing.” I repeated what Doctor Zalzwarth told me.
“Very well.” Groda conceded.
Lady Grogda began washing me where she was absolutely taking her time. It was obvious that she was deliberately feeling me up for her own pleasure. When she grasped my manhood. I stood up and said, “The water is cold and I am tired and hungry!”
“Humph” Pouted Lady Grogda her displeasure but began to rinse me.
Just as I was stepping out of the tub, Gus entered slightly out of breath as he had run to get my clothes with Lukas my footman helping. I sighed with relief as Gus helped me don my dressing gown.
“Old Maude will be here momentarily to apply your salve.” Gus said with a salute.
“Very good.” I replied to Gus then turned to Lady Grogda and said, “I was told you are a Dowager Baroness. Is that not so?” I blatantly asked appearing as innocent as I could.
“I will see you at the dinner bell hour.” Lady Groda said with a sort of half wave salute and stormed out of the chamber in a huff.
“Thank you, Gus. I actually thought I would have to literally fight to save my personal honor.” I remarked with a laugh.
“It was my pleasure, Lord Wyatt.” Gus responded and joined me in laughing.
Old Maude came about twenty minutes later and applied my salve and chatted about how excited she was to be in Avalon and wanting to visit one of the apothecary shops. I gave her permission but have one of the guards accompany her.
About an hour later and I was fully shaven and dressed, I heard a large bell ringing from a bell tower not far away from my chamber. With that, I headed down to the great hall that was just off the main entrance way. I was met by Lady Ludmilla who escorted me to Viscount Skafhoggr chair where she seated herself to my left. Lady Grogda appeared wearing a new pink dress and seated herself to my right. The one missing was the Viscount.
“Where is Lord Skafhoggr?” I asked Lady Ludmilla with a raised eyebrow.
“He is meeting with one of the military commanders. I believe they are deciding on how large a levy they must raise to battle the bastards of Mardor.” Replied Lady Ludmilla as she clapped her hands for servants to begin serving the evening meal.
Four exhausting hours later, I was back in my chamber with my nerves completely shot. The constant fawning and mindless chatter from Lady Ludmilla as well as the constant groping from Lady Grogda under the table had stained me to the max. I was ready for bed and was glad to sink into the lavender scented sheets. Gus grabbed a thin pallet and two blankets. Blowing out the candles he stepped into the hallway closing the door behind him. He would outside my door as custom demands while traveling.
A little over a half an hour later after Gus left, the door opened and closed quickly. I could not see in the darkness but relaxed when Freya spoke softly and slipped into bed with me. Freya did her magic on me as she mounted me taking me to new heights of pleasure. I quickly forgot all about the overly eager pursuit of the Dowager Baroness as I shared the pleasures of being with Freya. After we had sated ourselves completely, we slept peacefully in a loving embrace.
The morning came with a knock on my door that woke both Freya and I. I moaned but Freya nudged me on the chin.
“Time to wake you lazy bones.” Freya said with a laugh.
“I am not a morning person.” I said with a groan.
“Don't I know it! You were quiet the beast were you not?” Freya teased then laughed at me.
The knock on the door was more instant as I rose and put on my dressing gown. Opening the door slightly was Gus and the Dowager Baroness.
“It is early, what is it?” I asked.
“We have prepared a very special meal for you this morning.” Said Lady Grogda with a frown while she tried to look around me into the chamber.
“I see. Well, give me some time to properly dress and I will be down shortly.” I stated and continued to Gus “Have Lukas bring my shaving kit.”
“Right away, Lord Wyatt.” Gus said as he motioned down the hall where I assumed Lukas was.
About forty five minutes later and having snuck Freya out of my chamber, I was fully shaved and dressed in my dark red outfit and black beret hat that actually looked really good on me. Upon entering the great hall, I saw Lady Ludmilla seated. Lady Grogda taking me by the arm led me again to the Viscount's chair where she seated herself next to me.
“Where is Lord Skafhoggr, Lady Ludmilla?” I asked her directly.
Lady Ludmilla was quiet for a moment then said, “I guess he is sleeping. The meetings with the military commanders drag on for hours and hours. I hardly ever see him these days.” Lady Ludmilla said with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Is that so. Very well as it can not be helped. Please send my regards to Lord Skafhoggr for his hospitality. I was informed that the king would have a messages for me that Lord Skafhoggr was to give me. Could you ask Lord Skafhoggr for them?” I asked as I suspected something was just not right.
“Oh. Ah. I will of course ask my Lord Vincent for the king's message once morning meal is finished.” Lady Ludmilla said and looked discombobulated.
“I see. Please do so. The king ordered me to arrive in Camelot immediately. I can not dally and spend extra time as I normally would do. I hope you understand.” I said making extra emphasis on the king's order part.
“Yes. What the king commands we all must obey.” Lady Ludmilla said sourly but not looking at me.
Lady Ludmilla then clapped her hands and the servants brought in the morning meal. What surprised me was my meal was different from everyone else. Looking at both Lady Ludmilla and Lady Grogda something in the back on my head screamed warning warning.
The silver plate before me was a type of stew with a strong overpowering spice scent. I frowned and began to think hard and fast.
“This is a specialty from the High Valley region. I hope you like it.” Lady Grogda said with no expression at all.
My alarm bells went off even stronger this time. A footman came over to fill my cup which I deliberately knocked over and profusely apologized for my clumsiness.
“You know, I am from the High Valley region too. I have never been a fan of overly spiced foods. Lets see how spicy it is.” I stated and took a scoop with a spoon and handed it to the footman to taste.
The footman was surprised but more than happy to taste the food as it was obvious that food for the staff was very plain and simple.
“You should not do that! It is not right!” Lady Grogda said as she stood up showing more alarm than outrage.
The footman had already consumed the sample where he at first looked like he liked it. However, he suddenly started to choke as his face turned bright red and falling to his knees. Lady Ludmilla stood up in horror as the footman was gagging begging for water. I handed him my silver chalice with what I assumed was apple cider where he chugged it down then begged for more.
Finally, after three more cups of water given by another footman, first footman just lay on his back almost in a stupor. It was as if his mind was blank.
“What is this?” I asked as I pointed to my meal looking at both Lady Ludmilla and Lady Grogda.
“I do not know!” Said Lady Ludmilla looking at her mother with a strange look.
“Do not give me that! What did you do?” I demanded with a my voiced raised and now pointing my finger at them.
“It was a love potion. It was to make you like me.” Said Lady Grogda meekly and looking sheepishly at the ground.
“Seriously! That was more than a simple love potion!” I yelled my outrage.
“I swear that is all it was. I had to hide its not so pleasant taste with spice.” Lady Grogda stated her defense but still not able to look me in the eye.
“Lady Ludmilla, I must now ask that you bring me the king's message as I am now leaving Avalon.” I commanded with rage in my countenance.
Lady Ludmilla fled the great hall without replying. Lady Grogda just sat down with her head down looking at the floor saying nothing.
With exasperation, I called out to my people. “House of Wyatt, Ladies and girls we are leaving! Quickly gather your things and be out front within a little span!”
With that, I stormed out of the great hall to the shock of all present. Up in the guest chamber, I changed clothes into my bluejeans, a blue shirt and a tan leather vest. Pulling on my boots and strapping on my weapons belt, I looked over seeing Gus and Lukas already packed up my discarded clothing and was ready to leave as they were staying clear of my angry outbursts.
Down at the carts, I ordered my guards to ready themselves to leave. I sent Lukas to call all the servants in the inn to be ready to leave immediately. Razor and Meowth jumped down from their perch on the first two carriages with questioning looks.
“They tried to poison me! Can you believe it?” I said angrily as I swept my arm to point at the fortress.
“Meow Lord Wyatt, that is clawful. Do you want meow to use them like a scratching post?” Asked Meowth as her tail went straight in what I assumed was either surprise or anger.
Razor just gave a low grumbling growl with teeth bared as he looked at the fortress.
Forty minutes later as my people were loading up, Lady Ludmilla approached with her head down.
“I am sorry Lord Wyatt. It seems you do not have any messages from the king.” Lady Ludmilla said never once looking me in the eye.
“I see. Send a message to the king that I left Avalon today and as commanded traveling as quickly as I can. The king is expecting my update so make sure it is properly sent!” I said with a warning.
I ordered a florse saddled for I needed fresh air as I was still furious. I actually led our people out and toward the main north south road which Nick panicked a bit and settled with riding next to me. As we approached the main crossroads of the city, I saw a large dinning hall and ordered a halt for all of our people to have breakfast. The meal consisted of roasted mutton, eggs, apple pancakes and apple jam. They also had fresh chilled milk and apple cider which really went well with the sweet dishes. Our group apparently cleaned them out and they had to turn away a few customers until mid day.
After breakfast, I went to the adventurer's guild that was a few buildings to the south. It was a four story building of decent size. I allowed Old Maude with a one of the house guards to go to the apothecary shop across the road along with the two Alphardian servants Aura and Sylvia. Inside the adventurer's guild, I asked for Marine as instructed. It was then I learned that Marine was Zack Talley's girl where they were to marry soon as she proudly let me know her good news.
“Zack said to tell you this is a level one escort. Whatever that means.” I repeated what Zack had told me to say.
“Thank you. It simply means Zack thinks there would be no problems and just being present is enough to discourage any potential thieves. The total is two hundred fifty denari for basic escort with an A ranked adventurer.” Marine said with a smile
After paying the fee for the job request, I asked Marine to speak to someone about Andros that was brought in by man guard Lars.
“I am Supervisor Etan Borg and assistant to Guild Master Henry Stewart. It is a pleasure to be at your service Count Wyatt.” Stated Etan with a salute and bow.
“Pleasure is mine.” I replied with a salute and nod of my head.
“We have investigated Andros. His party the Finders of Avalon specialize in retrieving lost items or stolen goods from thieves. It appears his party was specifically requested to recover a lost ventu volpis. We do not have any more details for the job other than this.” Etan stated as he read from a page in his hand.
“Who hired them to steal from me? Make no mistake, they were hired to steal from me!” I said as I was showing my anger and frustration.
“Normally, we would not disclose who posted job requests to those not apart of the contract. However, given the circumstances, I was instructed to tell you it was Viscountess Lady Ludmilla. It seems she contracted and paid a merchant from Xanadu for a ventu volpis. It is our understanding that merchant was placed on a Quenya trade ship where he will go on trial for his many crimes in Svarta. The Finders of Avalon should not have tried to take your ventu volpis. Nor should they have taken on the job given the crimes of the merchant without more information.” Etan explained what the guild knew.
“What will happen to Andros?” I asked frankly.
“The Guild Master will hold a hearing with S and an A ranked members who will advise on the issues. I expect he will be found guilty but will escape the ten year punishment. More like one to two years of labor for the guild doing low ranked jobs that no one wants while being supervised by myself or a C ranked or higher adventurer. His pay will be one third of normal with the rest going to repay the guild and costs associated with his lapse in judgment.” Etan replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
“I see. The thing that irks me is they attacked my people and wounded one of my guards with a slinger's stone.” I explained my outrage.
“I was not aware of this fact. Master Stewart will compensate you as the law requires. Unfortunately, Master Stewart left for Camelot for meetings with the war counsel on Astria's response to the Empire's latest invasion. I will send a filoxis to let Master Stewart know that there was injury, offense and honor requirements. I understand you will be traveling to Camelot and am certain Master Stewart will seek you out to give you a formal apology and see you are properly compensated.” Etan stated with a salute and bow.
“Good enough. Let me know the outcome of the hearing for Andros. I do not like loose ends and a potential enemy looking for revenge.” I said mater of factually.
“Understood. I will relay your concerns to Master Stewart. Etan replied with another salute and bow.
Leaving the adventure's guild, I decided to visit the tradesman's guild and merchant's storefront while Old Maude was still busy across the street. The girls came with me as they had been requesting things like combs, brushes and scented oils plus a few other special feminine items they needed.
Once all the girls got what they were needing and getting those items stowed with their baggage, Old Maude came back with a small crate filled with items to make medicines. While the baggage was being loaded and sorted, I went to see the information broker's desk and inquired about Chamberlain Robert Duffy. I paid the requested fee of one erythro given his status in the city. I was shown a file which listed the qualities, character and known habits of Robert. There was a section about vices and food preferences. The only vice was seeing a woman who was a widow listed as a paid mistress. Basically, Robert was a straight as an arrow honorable man. I smiled as the report made me feel better about who I was helping.
Finally, with everyone loaded up, we headed out of the city of Avalon over the southern main bridge and gate that was just like the north one but slightly longer with a guard tower protected draw bridge section to let ships pass. After about two hours, I had calmed down enough that I rode in the carriage as was expected of a person of rank. I just looked out seeing nothing but the vast wheat fields of the Capital Region realizing how lucky I had been to escape the evils of the ladies of Fortress Avalon.

(This is really long)
We havent filed yet due to money, but it will happen. For most of the marriage ive just been easily frustrated, irritated, not a partner to him. It really went downhill after buying our dream home (i paid for it with inheritance) . But the last 3-4 years have sucked the life out of me. We both have been shit to each other, emotionally distant, resentful, given up; me more than him.
We’ve always been opposites. Im an introvert who is selective who im close with (i have only 3-4 friends). Im not a type of person who socializes a lot since marriage. I barely call friends. Socializing (and life in general) makes me feel on the outside of the circle. Too much socialization wears me out.
Now he’s the opposite. He makes friends at the drop of the hat. He could socialize every day, which does mean drinking, sometimes a lot. He’s a hyper, loud person who dismisses feelings, crosses boundaries. Ive never been the first person he discusses plans with. He does that with others THEN tells me after its a done deal. So im in a forced to socialize situation or be the bitch who tells him no and he should tell his friends no. We are even talking big vacays. I have to beg him for “us” time.
I never felt emotionally safe with him. He does not understand depression. He does not understand being tired a lot. He does not understand alone time. He does not understand low (now zero) libido. He knew about my depression from day one. He tries to cheer me up. But if we are having a fight, he has said some crushing things you do not say to a depressed person. (Youre unstable, etc). Things a spouse or a parent should never say. If it were s friend? Id tell them to f off and not be hurt. But my husband? Its like a knife to the heart. Anything else like libido? Its up to me to fix it like im defective and doing it on purpose. Ive had every test under the sun. Its just who i am. But its also because he non stopped complained about sex and has cheated our entire marriage. He refuses to admit it. But i have tangible proof.
Hes lazy and adhd with chores. Fun comes first and i barely had any help. Im so overwhelemed that i can no longer to the housework top to bottom in one day like i used to. There are weeks/months where i dont fold, put away clothes. They are clean, but i just put them in a clean pile. And if i started to get mad that he didnt help, he would protest and say now hes not doing it at all.
He does have moments of bullying, harassing, wearing down style of arguing until he gets what he wants. He told my therapists that its right to do because it works. Over time i became disgusted by this behavior. His way of listening to feedback is to deny the behavior or flip it to how i am. Yes i get frustrated easily and zero patience. But thats after 23 years. And ive been struggling with everything like tasks, organizing, being proactive for years.
We have a son. He’s the only thing we are 95% on the same page. But he has some verbal/personality actions where i felt we needed to get our son into therapy. He has a hot cold relationship with my husband. My son and i are very close. This makes my husband zealous. Always has. But he does love him to death and is a good father. Hes just a low emotional mature adult and its hard.
Yesterday was the first time ive heard him fine and encouraging a divorce. Im the one that has said it many times. Yelled it. Been cold, distant, etc. but looking at old pics made me realize that everything we did together, i was always irritated by him. Either cutting me off when talking to our friends, drinking a LOT, being dismissive of people’s feelings/boundaries…including our son. I just couldnt fully be happy in the moment and now, all of those fun, special happy times are gone. Our son isnt a child/baby. Hes a teen. More independent. Will eventually move and have his own life. I know my husband has talked and more with women. Escorts have been involved. He denies it but i have proof. And i know his excuse will be the dead bedroom and my resentment where he has received zero intimacy.
So it hit me this is it. He will carry on with dating. Is getting our dream house. Will do whatever he wants with nobody saying anything. Company over daily. Pool parties. Wining and dining, treating another woman super special (hes good at it). Essentially living a new life in happiness.
Ill be in my own new home. Alone.being aware that im not like everybody. Having fun and feeling it is hard for me. I dont really socialize. I dont want to date because im afraid to and with no libido and im not affectionate, no-one will want to be with me. I just feel that i have never been “normal”. Life has been realllyyy difficult for me despite love, a son, meds, therapy. My mental health and how i am gets in the way and it always has. He says i can change. But i cant force a libido. I cant wish depression away. I cant remove my wants in a relationship…i did that the first 10 years, thus me becoming more irritated/angry with him over time.
Im going to be divorced, small/newer home, and pretty much alone. Like severely alone physically and mentally.
And yes that does mean suicidal thoughts. Its not because of him. Its strictly because im hyperaware i dont fit in. I cant fix these things. Some people shouldnt have been born. I really believe that.
He said he will never desert me, always be here for him and he will always love me. I told him his new whomever would not want that and doing so is truly unnecessary. I wanted this divorce. I couldnt be who he wanted. I couldnt feel joy. Dont even think about me. There really is no point to waste his energy.

I’m from England but I have roots in the Baltic states, so naturally I’ve been following events in Ukraine closely.
It astounds me that so many people around the UK don’t understand the position of our country on the global stage and the role we play in keeping ourselves and our allies safe.
A lot of us seem to think Russia’s war in Ukraine isn’t that serious, that nothing will happen, that it isn’t our problem, and so on. There’s also a contingent of Scottish nationalists who want an independent Scotland to get rid of Britain’s nuclear deterrent for whilst also having an iScotland apply to join NATO - a nuclear alliance - and in the face of Russia conducting nuclear drills in Belarus just last week.
I’m worried for a nation that is clearly so out of touch with our own geopolitics.
The UK and other big country allies like America have played an important role in supporting the security efforts of our more vulnerable NATO allies, such as the Baltics: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
The Baltics have historically suffered similar trauma as Ukraine is suffering now, with their democratic systems dismantled, politicians and intellectuals purged, native culture suppressed, and hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians deported to labour camps in rural Russia during and after WW2.
Because of this history, these countries are some of the strongest supporters of Ukraine and are spending well above the 2% of GDP requirement for NATO. And they rely on us for support.
I see our young people arguing on TikTok, destroying art, and marching down the streets for P@lestine (and no, I do not support Isr@el’s war on Gaza), but Russia deporting Ukrainian kids, bombing cities and challenging European unity and democracy every day? Not a word is said.
Russia hasn’t posed an existential threat to us in Britain partially because: we have one of he world’s strongest militaries, we are active contributors to the NATO alliance, we are home to a nuclear deterrent, and we have the Special Relationship with America.
I believe that we need to double down on those successes, improve our defences, strengthen our commitment to our weaker allies, and stop taking our safety for granted. And while we’re marching for P@lestine, maybe we should march for Europe too.

I can hear the rabid unionists howling already. England did win in 2014, but this hides the reasons people voted ...
45% wanted Scotland to leave the UK
Less than 5% actively want to be in the UK, in the sense that in the reverse situation of an independent Scotland voting on whether to accede to London, they would want to do so
The other 50% were afraid of disruptive change, and would be No voters in both cases. The unionists cannot claim them for that camp.
There is a lesson for team Yes in presenting detailed plans, costs and ROI. I'd suggest it will cost £20bn over 15 years, and looking at Ireland, Norway, Denmark etc and what we could achieve, I consider 4 grand a head to be a sound investment in our children's future.
One of the SNP's standard comebacks at FMQ's is "well, at least it's a bit better than England" ... a wee bit of authority was transferred to Edinburgh, there is a modest improvement. We have proven we can run Scotland better than people in England can.
If we take full control of our affairs, we can make a much bigger difference. We can be like our Scandinavian and Celtic peers. We must prove that to those who fear change.

I would love any advice you guys have on how to improve my application along with what schools you think might fit me!
Demographics: upper middle-class LGBTQ+ South Asian male from small-town/rural Indiana; medium sized non-competitive public school (600-750 kids per graduating class)
Intended Major(s): Astrophysics/Physics/Computer Science, Vocal Performance, French
SAT: 1510 SAT - 760 Reading, 750 Math (first time taking it as a bench; will study and retake over summer - goal: 1550)
UW/W GPA and Rank: 4.0 UW / 4.78 W (UW rank: 1/725; W rank: 3/725)
Coursework: taken 6 APs so far (5 on the one’s I’ve received results for), taking 8 APs senior year
Awards:
Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal 2024
2024 Rising Star of Indiana (Indiana Association of School Principals)
Show Choir Nationals Grand Champion at the Grand Ole Opry under my leadership
2024 Outstanding Vocalist from my whole school’s choral program
Gold Medal (ranks 3-5 nationally, rank 1 in state) in Le Grand Concours (2022, 2023, 2024) - a French national board exam
Student Officer of a student government named 2024 National Gold Council of Excellence by the National Association of Student Councils
Extracurriculars:
STEM:
-will be conducting research in astrophysics at local university labs for six weeks this summer; will be producing and hoping to publish a research papers (11-12)
-will be conducting an independent project in computer science over the summer; planning on creating an astronomical model and producing a research paper for it as well
-paid research assistant at local university’s Department of Physics for half a year; ran simulations of charged crystals to enhance data quality and tested projects to be used in college workshops for physics students (11)
-conducted and paid stipend for research in soil metagenomics at local university; used Python to analyze DNA sequences to uncover soil biodiversity in samples to solve soil quality problems in local agriculture (10-11)
-trained at the Advanced Space Academy at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center; unanimously elected by crew to be the pilot on our final extended duration mission (10-11); rigorous training involving piloting skills, undergoing physical training (SCUBA diving, pole and rock wall climbing), debating space law, and working on space materials science and engineering problems (rocket design, building and launching, space suit design, etc.)
-remote shadowing under graduate student of astronomy at UChicago learning astronomical data analysis of galaxies, using Python tools and libraries (11)
-Math NHS + local math college competition (9, 10, 11)
-HOSA Junior Officer (9)
Volunteerism/Outreach Initiatives:
-volunteerism at a large Space Day event at my local National Armory; headlined by the Indiana Astronomical Society and engineering teams at Purdue involved with Mars rover - over 1550 participants; volunteer instructor of astronomical phenomena (eclipse demonstrations), materials science, space history (11)
-programming contributor and volunteer at local Solar Eclipse Festival, raising over $15,000 for Habitat for Humanity through a “Run for the Sun” 5k fundraiser (11)
-author of multiple articles on various space science topics; published in an international youth-driven science journal with the goal of more accessible and impactful youth science communication (11-12)
-virtual volunteer work for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
-planning to organize and direct a watching party/educational event or program for the peak of the Perseids meteor shower (12)
-conceptualized and planned for a space-themed prom as a officer of my class in student government (11)
***Student Government (9-11)
As an elected officer and secretary of my class of ‘25, I am responsible for managing much of our group and organizing our tasks, including
-planning/execution for Homecoming and Prom for all of the students at our school
-planning, coordinating, and building Homecoming Parade floats to increase community and school spirit over months of meetings and hours of student-led construction
-a city cleanup project near the public library and park to make the community a better and cleaner place to live in
-increasing school spirit with planned spirit weeks, pep rallies, and other activities (Staff vs Student games, etc)
-leading class meetings to further overall goals of community service, leadership, and raising spirit
Officer in the group that was named a 2024 National Gold Council of Excellence by the National Association of Student Councils
***County Youth Leadership Representative (11)
I was chosen to represent my school in a selective group of youth leaders in my county tasked with initiating community improvement and local leadership. We use our leadership skills in order to take civil, financial, and interpersonal action and change within our community. As part of the group, I
-took charge of a team to put on a promotional fair for over 20 fantastic non-profit organizations in our county, along with producing promotional videos in order to spread awareness about them on social media and other platforms; I wrote the scripts for the interviews and filmed them myself, set up all of the non-profit booths, welcomed representatives, and kept the event running smoothly.
-presented at our conferences, researching and speaking at length about the history of our county, important local non-profits, and about our non-profit fair project.
-was chosen from the group to introduce our own Mayor at our conference (11-12)
Music:

• school’s varsity mixed show choir since my freshman year and primary dance captain and section leader; led our group to a vocally undefeated year and our first overall undefeated year against multiple nationally recognized groups, winning Best Vocals at every competition we attended; won Show Choir Nationals with Best Vocals for the first time in our group’s history under my section leadership; named showchoir.com’s 2024 Best Show Choir of the Year

-hand-picked by choreographer to attend Show Choir Camps of America on full scholarship
-named Best Performer of the group (3x) and Best Male Soloist
-student director of a selective A Cappella group; we perform at charity events, such as funerals and veteran services, along with the national anthem at several sporting events and go caroling to dozens of homes and venues around the community during the holiday season to spread cheer
French:
-taught myself French since I was 13 and am still an active and passionate learner and lover of the language; top student in my school’s French program
-volunteer tutor for other French students in my free periods at school
-Vice President of French NHs (9-12)
-participated in initiative to raise hundreds of dollars worth of hygiene supplies for local Haitian refugees (11)
LORs/Other:
LORs from my AP Calculus teacher that I’ll have for two years, my AP French teacher, who I’ll have for four years, and my varsity choir coach, who I’ll have for four years; all will have plenty of things to talk about regarding my leadership in their disciplines over years
School List (as of now, from least likely to most likely): Harvard (uncle worked/researched there), MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Northwestern, UMich, U of Maryland, U of T at Austin, Notre Dame, UIUC, UC Boulder, IU Bloomington, Purdue (legacy), Penn State

To preface this is a narrative of the fallout lore both established in all the fallout games and many of the popular mods created for both new Vegas, fallout 3 and fallout 4 and a subsequent idea for a fallout 5 title that I wrote and wanted to get opinions on.
If you think this is cool lmk, if you think this sucks lmk. I’m just interested in sharing my own ideas with the wider fallout community.

 From Lone-wanderer to the courier (TTW tie in) 

After the events of Fallout 3, the Lone Wanderer, having no family and no place left to truly call home, gathered up his companions and headed west to start a new life. Over the next 4 years, the Lone Wanderer lived in the west with many of his former companions going their separate ways. The Lone Wanderer began working as a courier, known as Courier 6. There, he had a particularly bad run-in with a man named Benny, who introduced him to a bullet. The damage done to the Lone Wanderer caused him to lose his memories of his past. Thus, he became the courier.
After the events of Fallout: New Vegas, and the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, the NCR's military and infrastructure were severely weakened after destroying the Legion. Sensing an opportunity for mutual benefit the West Coast Brotherhood of Steel reached out to the Mojave chapter, where, under the leadership of Elder McNamera, the NCR and Brotherhood reached an agreement and official peace pact between the two groups, which culminated in the brotherhood becoming an official autonomous part of the NCR.
The West Coast Airship docks within the Strip, which was under the control of the Courier and member of the Mojave chapter. The West Coast reintegrated the Mojave chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel and uses the Strip as a base of operations. Leveraging their advanced technology and military prowess, they quickly gain the upper hand in engagements against the remaining enemies of the NCR.

 The Coming Storm (Dust tie in) 

Some time after the Second Battle of Hoover Dam and the BOS occupation of the strip joint expedition teams of the BOS AND NCR discovered the Sierra Madre Casino, as well as the mysterious and deadly cloud. The NCR and BOS scientists conducted experiments with the Cloud, bringing both massive samples of Cloud Residue and corpses of Ghost People back to the Mojave. Many of these experiments were conducted in a makeshift laboratory set up in the lobby of the Lucky 38 casino. Though the full nature of the experiments are unknown, it is implied that the participants involved were considered criminals to the NCR and the nature of the experiments were brutal, sadistic, and inhumane.
Around the same time, the BOS received reports that a massive sandstorm was approaching New Vegas. They did not share this information with the public, and instead began to outline evacuation procedures.
Five years after the expedition and experiments something went terribly wrong. It is implied that a disgruntled Vault 21 custodian may have intentionally sabotaged the Lucky 38 laboratory, causing a new Cloud to form over the Strip. This cloud was far more lethal and corrosive than the Cloud of the Sierra Madre. The corrosive capabilities even hindered the BOS power armor as the metal would be gradually eaten away by the cloud.
As the Cloud descended upon New Vegas, panic engulfed the Strip and Freeside. Riots and violence broke out. Miss communications between the directives of the BOS and NCR resulted in troopers executing innocent civilians in the streets. In response, the Kings rebelled against the NCR, while also aiding in an evacuation of Freeside, saving countless lives. The Followers of the Apocalypse were forced to abandon the Old Mormon Fort. The Airship of the Western Brotherhood attempted to evacuate all BOS personnel and any relevant technology from the strip before returning to Lost Hills. This resulted in some squads of the BOS being forced to take up residency within the casinos of the strip and vault 21. The NCR locked the gates to the Strip, with all civilians inside. The rebels led by the kings were forced out of and under the city, to the Sewers below. The BOS left in Vault 21 have been desperately trying to chisel away at the concrete within the vault in the hopes of tunneling back to Hidden valley.
NCR troops then dumped radioactive waste into the Sewers to kill any survivors, before fleeing the city themselves. Eventually, the situation became so bad that NCR General Lee Oliver ordered an evacuation of all NCR personnel from New Vegas via the Strip Monorail.
These events nullified the BOS and NCR treaty resulting in BOS forces seizing locations across the Mojave that had the capability to keep them safe from the cloud while also engaging in Guerilla warfare tactics against the NCR.
The city would ultimately fall to the Cloud and to the dust storms that blew in from the West. While some survivors attempted to take shelter in the Strip's casinos they were met with the business ends of BOS laser rifles. Those who did not head for the casinos were not so lucky, as anyone who wasn’t immediately killed by the Cloud became Ghosts and cloud victims, while others died slowly of radiation poisoning and exposure.
While New Vegas fell to the Cloud, a massive radioactive dust storm engulfed the rest of the Mojave Wasteland, causing widespread devastation. Whole settlements and towns were evacuated or otherwise destroyed. One settlement in particular, Goodsprings, was struck by an unknown form of plague, killing most of its residents and turning the once-prosperous community into a Ghost Towns.
Other areas, such as Boulder City, attempted to protect themselves with the same suits worn by Ghost people in Vegas and the Sierra Madre, ultimately becoming trapped themselves. To make matters worse, the Tunnelers from the Divide eventually burrowed through to the Mojave Wasteland, As predicted by Ulysses. causing even more death and destruction. The dust storms blotted out the Sun, allowing the Tunnelers to hunt by day, killing off most of the native animal population in the Mojave.
The effects of the Fall would spread as far out as Zion Valley, where spore carriers from Vault 22 ran wild, alongside another strange, terrible creature, dubbed the Wendigo by the tribals within the valley.
After the fall, little remained of the old Mojave Wasteland. Once-powerful factions such as, The Great Khans, and Powder Gangers were either wiped out or dissolved into roaming gangs of Tribals and Survivors. The Western Brotherhood which had resided in the strips cohesion collapsed as its members lost contact with the surrounding Casinos and vault 21.
Cannibalism became rampant, as people did whatever they could to survive. The NCR remained in control of various locations such as Camp Golf, Hoover Dam, Camp McCarran and Nellis AFB. Those fortunate enough to evacuate the Mojave mostly wound up at Camp Adytum, an NCFollowers refugee center in the Boneyard, however they were quickly drafted and sent to the now ongoing BOS and NCR conflict.
The NCR would eventually launch expeditions into the ruins of New Vegas, presumably to acquire materials left over from the Lucky 38 laboratories. However, none of these expeditions were successful, and the NCR soon abandoned all attempts to return to New Vegas, with only the Royst-Bernard Expedition consisting of rogue NCR scientific and military personnel returning in an attempt to succeed, where regular NCR failed.

 The Patriot at Heart (America Rising 2 tie-in) 

In the aftermath of the events of Fallout 3, the remnants of the Enclave fled north into the Commonwealth where they waited in hiding for 10 years. After the events of Fallout 4, the Lone Survivor helped revive the Enclave and ultimately forced the Institute into being folded into the Enclave, bringing their advanced technology and expertise in synth creation under one banner.
The Enclave embarked on a bold experiment, merging their iconic power armor technology with the synthetic advancements of the Institute. The result was the creation of a new breed of soldiers: Power Armored Synths or PAS.
These hybrid warriors combined the resilience and strength of power armor with the versatility and adaptability of synthetic intelligence. Clad in imposing power armor suits, these Synths were capable of executing complex military maneuvers, engaging enemies with precision and force.
Under the banner of the Enclave, this new army of PAS’s became the vanguard of their expansionist ambitions, striking fear into the hearts of any who knew of their existence. The Enclave took a page from the Institute by beginning to kidnap high-ranking members of the Railroad, Brotherhood of Steel, and Minutemen, replacing them with Synth sleeper agents who would corrupt the organization of the Commonwealth and East Coast Brotherhood to weaken them for an Enclave assault. This culminated in the Enclave assault on the Prydwen, forcing Elder Maxson to retreat back to the Capital Wasteland.

 Fallout 5: Tactics 

The year is 2300, 13 years after the events of Fallout 4.
A squad of the Chicago-based Midwest Brotherhood intercepts a transmission from the East Coast Brotherhood, calling for aid from the West Coast Brotherhood in a last-ditch effort to defend the Capital Wasteland from the Commonwealth-based Enclave assault.
Our character, a Midwest Brotherhood Paladin dubbed the Major, must traverse the Midwest, gaining new allies and attempting to mend the fractured Midwest Brotherhood to aid in the coming conflict. Our character must also fix up a convoy to traverse the wasteland of the Midwest in order to make it to the East Coast. Various quests and side quests will provide the character with allies and further supplies for the coming conflict and further cement the Midwest Brotherhood's position within the region.
Once the player believes they have gathered their small army sufficiently and created their convoy, they embark on a journey towards the East. Along the way, they are intercepted by Enclave and Super Mutant forces. Upon entering into the Capital Wasteland, the general's forces link up with what’s left of the East Coast Brotherhood who have been hiding out in Rockopolis after the Citadel was infiltrated and taken over by the Enclave. DC now acts as the front lines of a war yet again between the Enclave, Brotherhood, and a new faction in the wasteland called the Behemoths, an organized and somewhat intelligent super mutant group led by an intelligent mutant named Osiris, who was once a member of the Master's army. Osiris united the D.C. Mutants and launched his own series of attacks on the Brotherhood when the Enclave took hold of the Citadel.
Along the way, we meet a one-armed Three Dog who barely survived the Enclave bombing of the GNR building but has since set up shop in Broadcast Tower KTB with a small contingent of Brotherhood Paladins who aided against the Enclave, rescuing Three Dog.
As the Major and the elders plot out a plan to assault the Enclave at the Citadel.
Mid west Factions: 1. Brotherhood of Steel (Midwest Chapter): - The player's faction, focused on preserving pre-war technology and knowledge. - Known for their advanced technology and power armor. - Initially, they prioritize their interests but may assist others if it aligns with their goals.

1. Midwest Brotherhood Outcasts:
   
   • A splinter faction of the Brotherhood of Steel, formed due to disagreements over the main Brotherhood's leadership or ideologies.
   • They may possess similar technology and resources as the main Brotherhood but operate independently, sometimes in opposition to their parent faction.
2. Reavers:
   
   • A ruthless raider group terrorizing the Midwest wasteland.
   • Known for their brutality and willingness to pillage and plunder.
   • Considered a major threat to the stability of the region, often in conflict with other factions.
3. The Vikings:
   
   • A raider group modeled after the historical Vikings (with a mixture of the football Minnesota Vikings.)
4. Gammorin's Army Remnants:
   
   • A militant faction once led by the super mutant Gammorin.
   • Composed primarily of super mutants, they seek to establish dominance over the wasteland through force.
   • Viewed as a formidable enemy by other factions due to their strength and aggression.
5. Vault 0:
   
   • A vault inhabited by a powerful supercomputer known as the Calculator.
   • The Calculator once sought to expand its influence and control over the wasteland, posing a significant threat to other factions; however, it was reprogrammed by someone named the Warrior in the year 2197. This effectively deactivated and left the army of robots dormant and sealed away within Vault 0. Their advanced technology and military capabilities make them a formidable adversary and an equally valuable ally if they can only be reactivated and reprogrammed.
6. Tribal Communities:
   
   • Various tribes and communities scattered throughout the Midwest wasteland.
   • They may have their own customs, traditions, and conflicts.
   • Depending on the player's actions, they could become allies, enemies, or neutral parties.

As the player ventures further into the capital wasteland they find that it is now far greener than in the past and wild punga fruit now can be found around the wastes, if the player makes a detour to oasis they will find that Harold has rapidly grown and from the Potomac River (death law sanctuary) in the west to temple of the union in the east is now a lush paradise (that is if it weren’t for all the deathclaws and raiders who stalk the forest.) As Harold/Bob spread, the brotherhood eventually sent out missions to learn more about it, after encountering Linden, they made a formal treaty with the poplars, in which the poplars were given water in exchange for the fresh fruit from the oasis. The brotherhood also helped encourage the trade of Punga with the Poplars to be grown within the oasis to help aid soil development and remove radiation. The poplars now tend the forest and have become somewhat of a nature inspired farming/fire fighting force, having a couple of villages throughout the forest network. However raider gangs also set fire to the trees, (if the player investigates they’ll find out that the enclave is paying the raiders to burn the trees and fight their way in to help destabilize the brotherhoods food supply and trade routes)
If the player chooses to side with the poplars/ Brotherhood the trees will continue to spread at a rate of 1 mile for every 24 real world hours that pass in game.
If the player helps the enclave they will be tasked with infiltrating the original Oasis and burning Harold alive, and the trees will dwindle at the same rate until the oasis is fully gone.

This is based on Reddit and social media, traditional media, and talking to people (also maybe a conversation with someone where it seems like they made a good point (this point) and I didn't have good counter arguments myself). . Basically whenever someone from a traditionally "Red" state talks about wherever they live, they don't complain like people from blue states do. It seems like if you are a Democrat living in a Democrat city in a Red state and have a Democrat for President, then you will be happy. Almost all liberals on social media, media, and in person from places like Nashville, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Orlando, SLC, Boise, Kansas City, Charlotte, Charleston, etc., talk about how amazing their cities are (and how liberal they are). They might complain about Republican governors or being in a Republican state, but whenever I have heard arguments about things the governor has done negatively affecting the state, I usually only hear about how it negatively affects the state's image. And they seem to just complain about the state being Republican rather than how it affects them. And having a Republican governor or being a "Red" state doesn't seem to have any negative affect from a liberal perspective on Democratic, "Blue" cities. (Compared to conservative people in "Red" areas of "Blue" states who constantly complain about how terrible their state is and how their communities are being destroyed by Democratic policies). I rarely hear complaints about specific projects, or certain policies or projects having a negative impact or being done poorly (especially in a concrete way, for example I might hear people complain about a Texas abortion law, but I don't hear it framed like Texas is horrible for women or Texas has horrible reproductive freedom, while I do hear the opposite with "Blue" states). I especially don't hear complaints / negative comparisons to traditional "Blue" states especially when it comes to specifics and even when I have seen an opposing complaint / negative comparison in "Blue" states. For example, I always hear about how onerous labor, environmental, and "urbanist" regulations hurt California and Washington and make everything expensive. But I never hear about how the lack of regulations in "Red" states hurts workers or the environment*. In fact I always hear positive things about the environmental efforts in Red states and usually hear negative things about Blue states.
Whenever I see maps on Reddit about poor outcomes in "Red" states, it seems like Republicans, Democrats, and independents from these states always blame the outcomes on history / historical demographics/climate and not policies. Again, I see plenty of Democrats complain about Abbott or DeSantis but outside of giving "their states a bad name" I never hear how they are making their states worse or how their states are doing worse than other states (especially non-Sunbelt Red states), specifically because of their politician's actions / policies. I get that some of this is cultural (I have seen plenty of Democrats talk about how horrible Republican politicians have made swing states in the Great Lakes and Mid Atlantic region) but it still is very noticeable, and like I said, as a Democrat it makes me believe we should all be Red states because people seem to be happy in them. (But still have Democrat cities and President :) )
How to change my mind:
Provide concrete examples of Democratic ran (at least on Governor or Governor and one house of legislature) states not in the Sunbelt / traditionally Red states (so basically either West Coast or states East of the Mississippi and north of the Mason Dixon line) that are better than traditionally Red states in the Sunbelt because of the people/policies of those states. Don't phrase like "Illinois has good abortion laws" instead phrase like "Illinois is better for women than Texas or Illinois has better reproductive rights than Texas because of policies/laws".
Provide concrete examples of Republican ran states having a poorly ran projects (transportation, parks, government buildings, etc.), doing poorly in specific metrics (like pollution, crime, worker rights, poverty, access to health care, education, etc.), that you attribute to the policies and people of that state (rather than history/climate).
*This is rare, but I do remember a Bloomberg article talking about the way higher number of workplace industries in non-union auto parts factories in the South compared to the unionized factories in the Great Lakes region. But again, this is so rare, that I remember this article even though now i think it is like 6 or 7 years old. Also I will note that SameGrassButGreener is the one subreddit that seems to buck this trend.

Chapter 4
Location: Glimmer Fate
POV: Faror Hend
No rain on the plains in Glimmer Fate. High black grasses make the area extremely hot. Faror Hend is patrolling the edge of the Vitr Sea with her cousin Spinnock Durav. The shore of the Vitr Sea is devoid of life and the breeze coming off of it stings the lungs. The liquid of the sea dissolves almost anything it comes into contact with including stones. Spinnock is sharpening his Hust blade on a stone that has been worn away by the sea. His blade is very old and therefore does not sing. It's new to him, but has been passed down for generations. A third rider in their party, Finarra Stone, was scouting the shoreline out of sight. Nothing lived this close, so it was safe to go alone. Today the Vitr is calm, but recently it has not been and storms had resulted in its claiming more land for the sea. The sea is expanding. Eventually it will come to the border of Kurald Galain if they cannot find a solution. The Tiste have no idea what the source of the Vitr is and how to stop it's expansion. Tiste scholars are also unwilling to consult with anyone outside the Tiste.
Faror Hend is extremely attracted to Spinnock Durav, but their houses are too close in relations for her to act on this attraction. Plus she is betrothed and older, although these would not be a barrier to her. Faror thinks of a line from a Gallan poem, "The ground is bare and hard / and will hold all secrets / and the sky cares not / for the games of those beneath it." She desperately wants to act on her lust, but so far has kept in control. Faror is a big Gallan fan. Spinnock seems to know how his cousin feels and teases her.
POV: Captain Finarra Stone
During her patrol of the Vitr coastline, Finarra finds a carcass. This is puzzling as she has never seen one this close to the sea. It appears to have come out of the sea itself. The corpse is huge with scales and a tail. But a lot of the body eaten away by the Vitr. The head and neck were missing and the top of the torso appears chewed. Very few Tiste had ever claimed to have seen a dragon, but this could be one. However, those legends all had them with wings and Faror did not see any evidence of wings on this beast. A breeze brought the stench to the horse and this caused it to back up a few steps making noise. At this the stump where the neck should be lifted. The creature begins shuffling towards her. With an unbelievably fast lurch it closes the distance and swipes at Faror and her horse with two arms catching the horse with both swipes. Faror finds herself tumbling through the air. She lands on her shoulder and breaks something. The beast is still again after decimating her horse. She decides to head for flatter ground to make better time back to her party. She is the daughter of Hust Henarald and possesses his sword. Her biggest threat now were the naked wolves that roamed Glimmer Fate. Faror contemplates the meaning of dark and light and the impossibility of either without the other. She also says that Mother Dark had been a mortal Tiste woman before embracing darkness. While Finarra is contemplating, something screams at her intending to freeze her with fear. Finarra mortally wounds it as it streaks by.
POV: Faror Hend
Hearing the screams of the wolves and no sound of their prey, Faror fears Finarra is the prey. She has not returned and it has been too long. Faror decides to leave Spinnock at camp and go to investigate. He tells her to be careful and he doesn't want to lose her. She responds by saying that he has many cousins. Faror can hear at least a dozen wolves and knows that it is likely that Finarra is fighting by herself without her horse. Thinking of Spinnock's face, she attempts to replace it in her mind with her betrothed, Kagamandra Tulas. A Tiste who the war had made gaunt. Tulas was of a low house and was under the command of Vatha Urusander. This alone would not have made house Durav attempt a betrothal. However, in the war he had saved the life of Silchas Ruin and by doing so had earned the favor of Mother Dark who would reward him by making him the head of a new High House. She thinks that the war stole Tulas's ability to love anything and she is not sure she can love him either, but she will try.
Eventually she finds the place of the wolf attack. There are many dead wolves. The fighting is over, but she does not see Finarra. She thinks further down the trail she will find wolves eating her corpse. Finarra comes out from behind some boulders. Faror begins to speak, but Finarra tells her to speak softly as something has walked out of the Vitr. Finarra chastises Faror for beginning to follow the path through the grasses that would have led to her death. Faror discovers that she had almost welcomed it. Finarra was tracking whatever had walked out of the Vitr when she came upon Faror. "Small footprints, puddles of Vitr pooled in them" She tells Faror that it is their duty to track it.
POV: Finarra Stone
Finarra in a lot of pain from her shoulder and wolf bites, contemplates the look she caught in Faror's eyes. One that told her she was seeking death. She thinks the cause may be Faror's betrothal to a broken man that may be incapable of love and being in close proximity to Spinnock who oozes it. "Spinnock Durav had been pursued by women and men since he had first come of age. He had learned to not give up too much of himself, since those hands reaching for him desired little more than conquest and possession." Finarra has also caught Spinnock's adoration of his cousin turning in to something else. She knows this kind of torture between them will ruin them. She contemplates how to fix the situation. Transferring one might work, but also thinks of another more sure answer.
POV: Faror Hend
Faror and Finarra are both on the back of Faror's horse. Finarra is unconscious and Faror is having a difficult time keeping her on the horse. She thinks about Finarra only being a few years older than her, but already being a battle veteran. She realizes that the wolves she found were not the ones killed by Finarra, but those of the someone that came from the sea. Faror makes it back to the camp. They treat the unconscious woman's wounds fearing infection.
POV: Spinnock Durav
They had burned away the dead flesh and infection on Finarra's leg hoping they got it all. Finarra has not woken up and is fevered. Spinnock outlines their options whether to stay until Finarra wakes up or to try to transport her as is. Faror informs him that Finarra wanted them to track the stranger from the Vitr. Faror tells Spinnock that Finarra needs a healer and soon, but they also need to track the stranger. Faror will go after the stranger and Spinnock will take Finarra to the outpost. Spinnock follows orders, but now there is a coldness between the cousins.
Following the trail she had discovered the previous night, Faror Hend found several more wolf corpses all killed with savage blows. The path she now followed, if kept straight, would lead directly to Kharkanas. Eventually she comes to a clearing and finds a fair-skinned, blonde woman clothed only in a scaled wolf hide over her shoulders. Everywhere else was sunburnt. She appears young and has no weapon, which is curious considering her roughly cut hair and several wolf corpses. Faror says she means no harm and asks if she is an Azathanai. To this the woman responds, "I know your language. But it is not mine. Azathanai. I know that word. Azat drevlid naratarh Azathanai. The people who were never born." After a few questions that the woman cannot answer, she tells Faror that she recalls nothing not even the sea she came out of or her own name. Faror tells the woman that she will escort her to Kharkanas to meet with Mother Dark and gives the woman a Tiste name until she can recall her own. The name is T'riss. Upon hearing this the woman smiles and says, "I am “born of the sea”. Faror asks if she will walk or ride with her. T'riss says that Faror's horse looks useful and she will have one too. She turns to the grasses and conjures a horse out of them. It seems that it's weight is too much for the grasses used. Looking at Faror, T'riss then conjures clothes, lance, and a sword out of the same grasses. This scares Faror because it is god-like sorcery. "‘Mother Dark.’ T’riss smiled. ‘That is a nice title.’"
Location: 3 days out from Neret Sorr
POV: Sharenas Ankhadu
Sharenas likes the heat. She tans nice unlike most of her cohort. She hates the cold and remembers her time in the campaign against the Jheleck unfondly. She is the commander of her cohort. Her sister and cousin, Infayen Menand and Tathe Lorat, are greatly renowned in the legion and being related to them saw high expectations settled onto Sharenas's shoulders. Her relatives are not currently with the legion. Hunn Raal and Osserc are in the vanguard and Ilgast Rend was not happy to be with them. He questions whether or not Urusander knows what Hunn Raal is doing. Osserc backs up Raal and so Ilgast drops the inquiry. Sharenas thinks Osserc is lying when he says his father knows of and approves this expedition. Sharenas thinks, "Hunn Raal is honourable. He knows what he is doing, and he knows, as do we all, that what he is doing is the right thing to do" She thinks Osserc is impulsive and has a thin skin, but Hunn Raal keeps him from making brash decisions. 3 cousins of Hunn Raal also accompanied them. Serap, Risp, and Sevegg all sleep with Hunn Raal, but their second cousins so it's not illegal. The last of their party is Kagamandra Tulas. He is forbidding and dangerous and hadn't spoken since their departure. They are heading towards the Warden outpost where Tulas's betrothed is stationed. Sharenas asserts that every woman could see that Tulas is dead inside and left his soul in the war. That he longs for death. She contemplates that once Urusander remakes the Tiste into a meritocracy, that arranged marriages will no longer be. Ironically because Tulas had given so much in defense of the Tiste he would be a prize as a husband. She pities Faror Hend and her future with this man. However she considers that Faror, just days after the betrothal, signed up with the wardens to get herself as far away as possible. Sharenas is very interested in witnessing the meeting between Tulas and Faror. She resolves to help Faror out of her predicament although it is only for her own amusement.
POV: Ilgast Rend
Ilgast does not like Hunn Raal or Osserc, thinking the former vain and arrogant and the latter nothing like his father except in appearance. Ilgast does not approve of all the debauchery that his fighting had bought for the Tiste. He thinks that Urusander has lost the plot himself. It wouldn't be long before the legion rebelled under his indifference. He would love it if Draconus was put in his place, but fears this would result in great bloodshed and does not want that. He also knows that if Hunn Raal is allowed to lead the legion in Urusander's absence, civil war was assured. "In a world of blood, everyone drowns". Ilgast is disappointed in Sharenas, thinking she would be wise enough not to fall into the wake of Hunn Raal. He feels he is in the middle of this brewing conflict being of a major house and also a cohort commander in Urusander's legion. Hunn Raal thinks he will help him convince the wardens to join his cause. However, he knows Calat Hustain will not join Hunn Raal. He is far too loyal to his own house. Ilgast remembers when Mother Dark was just a Tiste woman until she found the Gate. "Darkness was many things; most of all, it was selfish"

Back in the early 1970s (during the UFO Wave of 74), two of my brothers were living at home while in college. Where heavy into UFO investigation with MUFON and legendary NICAP UFO investigation organizations. My brothers got tired of being there after the fact and taking down pages of interviews and scientific dates on any trace evidence. So they got it into their heads to put their extensive knowledge of amateur radio, electronics, astronomy, and UFOs to good use. They mapped out “sighting hotspots” and then went out to those locations to camp out. When they spotted anything interesting, they attempted to make contact. It ultimately worked, and their new ‘little friends in those saucers’ tracked them back to our typical family home in the suburbs. The airspace above our home became a weekly UFO-sighting hot spot. So much so that it caught the interest of unmarked military surveillance and later the authentic men in black. Meanwhile, in the wee hours of the night or morning, we would have ‘Visitors’
I was involved in two of those visits as a six- and later eight-year-old. I woke up in the 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. hour twice. To find an intense blue light shining in from all windows of the house and in the shadows, it is within the house. The shadows moved with small figures not of this earth. I ran into my parents bedroom in panic and grabbed my father’s foot to shake him awake. Only to find his entire body move or slide across the surface of the mattress, as weightless as a balloon. I tried again! Again, the same response. I ran around the bed to my mother to shake her awake. She was lying on her side, her face facing me. Her eyes were completely open, and tears were streaming down her cheek. And she was just as weightless and frozen stiff as my father! I ran out of the room now, in panic, into my brother's bedroom. Both of them are the same, this time facing up stiff as boards in their twin beds. And finally, into my sister's room (she was four years older than me). My sister's eyes were open, and she was frozen stiff in bed, face up and in a screeching.
Panic and now in hysterics I backed out into the hallway. Weeping and hyperventilating. Because over my shoulder down the hall and into the living room, some twenty feet away. The shadows were coming at me from every corner. I ran back into my parents bedroom, grabbing their feet at the foot of the bed, screaming, Momma! Poppa!! Momma!! Poppa!!! In the panic, I made a last attempt to get some help. In my mind, screaming, my conscience told me over and over again, “They are all dead!”
That is when I felt two small hands come across the top of my shoulders from behind. Four fingers each dug into my shoulders. By the grip, they had a delicate female feel to them. But extremely elongated. And I heard a female voice, gentle as an angel, say. “They are alright, Little One.” The instant I heard that voice, I went limp; the hysterics, the panic, and the shear horror of the moment vanquished and disappeared as if they never existed. Even though facing forward, I watched as my parents weightless bodies float back and forth on top of their sheet-less bed, subsiding from my shaking them moments before. I was now just a silent observer, as if I were watching the scene unfold from above. My body is limp in the grip of this unseen being. Limp without any free will or even the ability to move.
She continued, “They are only sleeping. All is fine. You shouldn’t be up to see this.” I was escorted across the room. (We had a 3-bedroom, 1-story typical suburbian ranch.) Being the youngest, I was forced to have a corner of my parents bedroom. The room was divided by a fold-out wooden partition, though this night it was down. It escorted me across the room from behind, guiding me and pushing me forward towards my bed. Repeating the above line. Finally escorted to my bed, I was turned around and sat down on the edge of my bed. Until I faced it face-to-face.
As to what I saw before me, It’s on the cover of Whitney Stribers ‘Communion.’
She reiterated the above a third time, adding. “Now back to sleep with you,” I smiled at her and obeyed completely under her’s control. I swung my feet up into bed. Still sitting up, I turned to her one last time. Smiled again. And when I turned around in bed, Looking down. I saw something I cannot explain. which will sound unbelievable to any reader reading this. Including you.
I saw my body still in bed! And I laid down back into it!
And I went back to sleep. The next morning, I woke up at noon. My mother is shaking me awake. Since I had never slept so long before and had missed my Saturday morning ritual of cartoon watching, I woke up before everyone else, and my snackes set out for the whole Saturday morning cartoon watching ritual. It was noon. And my mom was a bit panicked at my not waking up. But finally, she releaved.
I did try to tell my parents what had happened. But parents, being parents, are confronted with such a story. “It was just a dream.”
My brothers, though, turned pale as sheets. They have had similar events, which I learned about much later.
Again, this was 1974. Before the UFO phenomenon became a subject of popular media and public consciousness, The UFO subject was still rather underground.
I did have a second encounter with “The Night Visitors,” as we call them. I again awoke in the middle of a possible abduction of my entire family. She was again there! But this time, it was rather peaceful. It was playful and surprising in that I was surprised here again. And I got a very distinct sense of amusement from her. And she kindly ordered me to go back to bed on my own this time. And I did it without question or putting up a fight.
Of course, my mother was across the room, her eyes open, her face frozen in panic, and a silent, frozen scream was across her face.
Those are but two of the dozens of UFO-related encounters my family had throughout the 1970s. Two of four things that personally happened to me! The two others did not involve a face-to-face encounter.
Those two events. Those two fully conscious memories and body-feel memories altered my entire life. In the late 1980s, I entered college myself. Cultural Anthropology Degree: I also joined MUFON as an investigator and several other formal academic-based organizations into the Paranormal, which I will not name here, and for the sake of their tenure and academic reputations, I wouldn’t like to be named. All in the hopes of finding answers. Personal answers and truths as to what my entire family and I experienced. In the decades since the on-and-off investigation, I have come in contact with and interviewed true ex-military intelligence operators, people in the know, and even former Apollo astronauts. Which btw will talk. Only if their stories will never come to light to the larger public. People will be people, even if NDAs are involved. Humans are, after all, notorious gossips. Over a backyard BBQ or sharing a few beers over a mutually enjoyed big game. They will tell you everything when they absolutely trust you as a friend.
I can tell you this. David Jacobs is not entirely alarmist in his hypothesis!
Nor is Richard Dolan’s and Dr.Steve Greers argument for purely benevolent visitors entirely true!
As benevolent as that female voice and being were to me,.
I will forever see the silent, tearful, frozen scream of my mother and my sister’s faces over that visitor's shoulder!
We must keep an open mind when it comes to this phenomenon and examine all possibilities!
After all, we are dealing with something totally alien and totally foreign!
And the likes of the late Stephen Hawking are entirely correct. “As we know from history, when the Spanish landed in the New World (North America), it did not go well for the native population.”
56, Anthropology Degree Holder, Male

I'm looking for advice to see if it is worth joining the OPS. I was offered a 10 month contract position with summers off with the OPS @ $26/hr or a full time job in the private sector @ 75K/year.
For context, I'm a single father, week on week off, two kids under 12 that in are in sports 5 days a week. Time with my kids/family is important to me.
The private sector job is in management, the expectations are to work 9-10 hr days, 7am -5pm. A ton of responsibility for little pay (75K), managing a large mechanic shop, 10+ employees, fleet of 140 vehicles, all building and building maintenance, purchasing and inventory and health and safety, including after hours and weekend calls, with some travel.
VS.
Monday to Friday job with the OPS, $26/hr. 8-4:30. Unlimited overtime on weekends. No management of employees, Working independently (manager lives in a different city), much simpler job. September to June contract with July/August off.
Having the summers off will save me a ton of money on kids camps and day care as well as allow me to spend quality time with my kids. The budget will be tighter during the year though only making $26/hr. The private sector job will be more money, full benifits, RRSP, but i'll have to pay for summer camps (2500-3000 for the summer) as well as babysitters and before and after school if i'm expected to put in 10hr days... I'll also loose a lot of time with my kids and it will be a lot more stressful.
So my questions are:
How likely is it to get a permanent position in the OPS. The hiring manager told me after 2 years of doing the contract It would become my permanent position.
How likely is it or easy is it to find a full time position. (This is with the MNRF) ( I have 20 years work experience behind me). Is it easy to move around positions.
Do I have health coverage as a contract employee with the OPS?
What do you think I should do? Take the lower paying job with summers off, or go for more money with longer work hours and more stress?
Any advice would be appreciated - sorry if this post is a bit scatterbrained.

Built on the legacy of the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the 12th Carrier Battle Group is an independent operating battle group of the UEE Navy's 3rd Fleet. To Protect and Serve, the 12th Carrier Battle Group operates on the fringes of UEE territory, deterring and defending against hostile action both foreign and domestic, while enforcing UEE common laws and providing humanitarian support to settlements on the furthest edges of UEE space. The 12th Carrier Battle Group has four primary lines of effort:

• Employ mission-ready forces for a vast array of space, air, and ground operations.
• Empower the battle group as a weapon system through robust training, resources, and leadership.
• Engage with allied units, partners, and joint components to deter adversaries.
• Execute mission through clear guidance and intent to subordinate forces.

The premier war-fighting fleet - the 12th Carrier Battle Group projects power, protects the homeland, and connects UEE and allied forces across the galaxy through agile and responsive military action.
Our membership is primarily based in the US timezone, although we maintain a significant active population during EU time zones. We ask for a minimum participation of three events per month to maintain active duty status, however, we understand this isn’t everyone's primary game and offer reserve status during long patch stretches or significant server degradation periods.
The 12th Carrier Battle Group is a casual, light Military Simulation/ Role Play (MILSIM/RP) organization set in the Star Citizen Universe. We define light MILSIM as the following:

• We derive our lore and structure from the UEE Navy
• We mirror our uniforms based on those most similarly available to the UEE Navy
• We utilize a rank structure based on the UEE Navy
• We organize some events around role-played scenarios
  
• We loosely take real-world military tactics and modify them for Star Citizen gameplay (formation flying, CQB tactics, etc)
  
• We utilize brevity codes and callsigns
  
• We are a meritocracy who considers skill, leadership, activity, and contribution when selecting individuals for promotion or positions.
  
• We maintain a military hierarchy for decision making and organization, however, we consider all feedback as long as it aligns with our organization's vision.
  
• We do not utilize military customs/courtesies (No sirs/ma’ams, saluting, etc)
  
• We do not haze recruits or utilize stereotypical “boot camp” practices
  
• We do not pigeonhole individuals into specific gameplay loops (anyone can fight on the ground or in a ship)
  

Interested in joining or partnering with us? Come join us on our discord for a few events and get a feel for the organization. We hope to see you soon!
RSI Org Page: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/orgs/CVBG12/
Website: http://cvbg12.online/
Discord: https://discord.gg/cvbg12

I just had to escort meth head out of my backyard. He was tangled in some anti meth head wire I’ve had to set up because all the people I vote for have lead to a failed state. My wife heard him “singing” and asked that I check it out. I told her that technically since the suffrage movement women are equal to men so maybe she should check it out but she threatened no pegging for a week so I begrudgingly went out there. I walked him out (toy light saber in hand) (I don’t believe in guns) (I barely believe in the concept of private property) and he went straight to the camp behind IBC bank. He cursed at me the whole way but I assured him I vote “blue no matter who” and that seemed to calm him down some.
I know these folks are people, and my heart breaks for the life they’re stuck in (because we just vote for policy that lets them sit inside the warm vagina of no consequences that we’ve created). I just wish there was something we could do (but I’m still going to vote for mentally ill communists to administer society no matter what).
I think I’m at a breaking point here. This is my home where my babies are. I don’t want to have to check my yard for meth addicts before my kids go outside. What can I do here? (Only Marxist responses allowed)

Hi! I am from a smaller town near Macon where in comparison to a large city such as Seattle or Atlanta there isn't anything to do at all except for a couple things and I think I'm really interested in moving to Seattle as it has a lot of the things I'm looking for in a city after I'm done with getting my Associates Degree in Nursing but after looking at some other posts and comments here from some older posts by Southerns, I'm worried I may be glamorizing the idea of moving to Seattle and moving there as someone who has been in Georgia my entire life that moving to Seattle may not be all I thought it is. Even though I love the idea of living up in the Pacific Northwest, being in a more liberal state without having to be around a constant majority of conservatives in rural Georgia who make life feel very unpleasant especially since I happen to be trans, having a lot of the drizzling rain which I adore, and the nature as well as the outdoors feeling much more pleasant to be in without the mosquitos, pollen or gnats or absurdly high temperatures we often have here. I feel like it would be really nice to live in a big city with so many more things to do but I have a few things I'm a bit worried about being:

1. Are the highways up there really that much worse than Atlanta? I heard there is only one highway and I feel like could cause major issues if just one thing happened?
   
2. When I as looking at locations for card game shops that I could play Pokemon or Magic at, fencing clubs, and I am curious about getting into paintball and airsoft so I looked that up too but I saw all the results on Google Earth or maps seemed to have significantly smaller numbers of these places in Seattle and the state of Washington where when I looked up locations of these places on Google Earth and maps I saw that that these types of locations had double to triple more in Atlanta and the State of Georgia than in the former which I found weird but maybe I was just looking at the wrong thing?
   
3. Are the winter months really that bad? From what I was seeing people say that half of the year is cold, gloomy and just awful in general but I am curious if that is true? From what people were saying is it just no vegetation left with everything dead and just snow and rain with no sun? I wouldn't mind it that much just probably the temperature a little bit if it got under 45 since that feels a bit uncomfortable to have outside in but I suppose the weather will be pretty similar anywhere right? I would certainly love not having the extreme heat of the South though!
   
4. I'm a bit on the younger side being 18 at the moment and if I were to eventually move to Seattle I would be 20 so I am curious to how it is for younger people there? What are some of the best ways to establish myself within the city and try to make friends within things I like to do or hobbies I have? I am a bit introverted but I like to think I do an okay job with trying to meet new people and make friends try to maintain those connections. I would also probably go back to college hopefully at UW to either get the prerequisites and pursue the career of being a provider or physician so I am curious to what the college life is like in Seattle?
   
5. I haven't like researched this at all since it's not a huge priority of mine at the moment of course but I've heard some people say that Seattle has an awful dating scene where a lot of people are into polyamory and if your not into that then your out of luck and I was wondering if that's really true or just people complaining a bit? Are there any particular dating apps that are popular in the Seattle area?
   
6. I doubt I'll get much insight on this question but one of the reasons I wanted specifically to be an RN in an inpatient psychiatric hospital is because I don't like how I was treated during my stays in our hospitals in Georgia and I think I could make things better if I at the very least didn't treat patients like animals who were just a nuisance and I've also had that experience of unfortunately being a patient myself lol, so I feel like I would be able to connect with patients and try to make things easier in an appropriate way of course and I don't know much about how the Seattle healthcare system works and of course haven't seen much of it but I was wondering if like it would actually be more of a negative if I did my nursing education in Georgia and then just jumped ship to go to Seattle since I don't know if like I would have insufficient knowledge of how to be a good nurse in the way Seattle's medical system works and would the patients see me more of a threat since I'm not from Seattle or the state or someone they don't like since I'm from the South which is of course known to be very conservative and from what I've heard from people from the West coast say that we are fake nice and I wouldn't want to be perceived as that or do any misservice to anyone from Seattle.
   
7. The major thing that worries me I suppose more than any other is that I won't fit in there in Seattle as I do here in Georgia or Atlanta and from what I've seen from other posts and comments here from Southern folk and people from Seattle alike is that "Southern charm" doesn't seem to be like a thing in Seattle where people are nice just to be polite? Are people in the those posts making it out to be more than it really is? I don't really care about not saying Ma'am or Sir but or expecting a retail worker to have all cheery and smiley while their doing their job but I guess what I've grown used to and quite like is people in my city and the South seem to be very friendly and easy to get along with and be friends with each other very quickly just not in a super serious sense mostly just stay friends only in the sense of where you meet like in my case fencing or the card game store but I feel as even while I was at a summer camp up in Atlanta or the psychiatric hospital everyone was very quick to make genuine interest in being nice to each other and getting to know one another and I'm a bit afraid that I'll be lonely in Seattle since I think I expect a certain level of friendliness and niceness just because of my upbringing only being in a small Southern town although it's county name is called the most progressive county in Georgia it is still quite rural. Another minor concern of mine is that people will notice if I have a Southern accent and think I'm a rude asshole if I try to be nice or strike up conversation but I don't think I have that much of an accent? I would really like to make moving to Seattle work but I'm just not sure if it's the environment I really want.
   

Thanks for reading and sorry if I said anything really dumb or entitled or whatever
also the biggest concern of all is how come there is no dunkin donuts or waffle house in seattle :(

I just had to escort a meth head out of my back yard. He was tangled and scratched up in some chicken wire I have. My wife heard him "singing" and asked me to check it out, and yep it was definitely a sad sad song he was singing. I walked him out (baseball bat in hand), and he went straight to the camp behind the IBC bank. The whole time I followed him he was cursing me, saying he wanted me to die, saying he'd fuck me up. This is the same camp I posted about a few weeks ago that was burning. The same camp that had spawned a dude with a broken down car, who I tried to help and who decided to repay my kindness with death threats.
I know these folks are people, and my heart breaks for the life they are stuck in. I wish there was more help for them, but I don't think they want it, because the help doesn't come with more meth.
I think I'm at a breaking point here. This is my home, where my babies are. I don't want to have to check my yard for meth addicts before my kids go outside. What can I do here, I don't know. I am full of rage right now. What the actual fuck.

Greetings, citizens! I'm a writer, mostly freelance, but I've been working on my own setting for a while now. I've already described some of the basics of how my world is organized in the two posts on another subreddit, so I won't repeat them unnecessarily. Long story short: this is an alternate world that has deposits of metastable metallic hydrogen, concentrated at deep waters and in cold regions. Hydrogen, instead of oil, is the basis of the world's economy here, the corporations that have grown from its extraction and use have more power than governments. The political map of the world is different from our own, with different forces at play than we are used to.
The main setting is the city of Neone, located somewhere on the coast of the Balkan Peninsula. I won't specify a particular place or pick a certain country for its location. Instead, I will take some features from some various ones to add local flavor. As one of the largest trading hubs in the world, this city is very wealthy, but it's the kind of wealth that easily slips through your fingers. Everything is buying and selling here, and human life is just as much a bargaining chip. Life in Neone is determined by the actions that the Players, the main political forces in the city, take with one another. Relations between them can swing from friendship to hostility... Or sometimes a combination of both at the same time. So, here's a preliminary list of the ones I've already come up with:
CORPORATIONS:
Astara Industries is the “beauty industry” in all its forms. Silk and gold, perfume and cosmetics. Modeling, music, entertainment, plastic surgery, and escort services. Rumored to be involved in much darker affairs, but that doesn't stop a lot of young guys and especially girls from trying their luck and signing another cabal contract with Astara. The higher the ranks of their employees, the more the corporation seems to be a kind of cult that worships the very idea of beauty itself. Recently, this company has been investing colossal amounts of money into an ambitious project designed to stop aging and mortality.
Change Inc. is a pretty mysterious organization that primarily provides construction and design services as well as financial operations and data protection services. On deeper layers lies espionage and information trading to anyone who can offer a more interesting price for it.
Chapek's Clockworks is the other major robotics company that has dominated the market for quite a while. Now they are more famous for their retro designs and sponsorship of the theatrical scene.
Chimera Chemicals is a biochemical giant that once started out as a fertilizer manufacturer. Now they deal in just about everything chemical related, including weapons, and also sponsor gene modifications.
Dragonfruit Digital is a world famous software and electronics developer that was leading the market before the rapid... well, rise of Risen Robotics.
Friture Science is a food concern dedicated to the mission of feeding the world. In addition to natural products, they develop synthetic ones as well as a number of associated products.
Fortuna Fishing - seafood production in Neone coastal waters and also beyond and deeper. Some of the things they found deep in the waters made them a little bit... Well, superstitious.
Greenfield Gardens - Similar in many ways to the previous one, this company focuses on environmental protection and recycling methods. Owns many farms and gardens in the city and beyond. Genetic modifications, too.
Hecate Guaranty is a law and insurance company. Deals with all possible disputes of their clients, property issues, and more. When required and paid decently, can provide a person or group of people a new life and a new home.
International Inc. is the most boring company in the world. Originally a construction contractor they pioneered the technology of rapid modular building. Because of this, International Inc. quickly built up capital and influence by rebuilding cities after wars. Eventually they expanded into selling associated products and services, then logistics, recruiting personnel... And now International Inc. provides half of the world's products. Each of their products is completely featureless, but they get the job done at an acceptable price.
Keller & Crow is one of Europe's largest arms manufacturers, dating back to World War I, or maybe even earlier. Known for their high quality and appropriate prices.
Keller-Tec is, in more than one sense, a daughter corporation of Keller & Crow. It develops the most cutting-edge custom weapon and gear systems. It works closely with Risen Robotics and actively funds the Fountain of Good.
Kiki Courier Company is a network of independent couriers working through the app. Moving around the roofs of Neone, they are able to deliver a small cargo personally in their hands for those who don't trust big companies.
Matsubayashi Motors is a Japanese vehicle manufacturer. Raised on defense contracts, they now make anything that can carry a human in it, from scooters and cars to aircraft and bolides.
MOLOT manufactures is another major arms manufacturer in Europe. In fact a franchise that sells to factories around the world the rights to produce copies of their world famous models. Their designs are a bit crude, but reliable and durable.
Poseidon's Possibilities - A marine transportation company that plays an important role in city and global shipping. Considering the high risk of piracy, possess pretty good assets to protect themselves, and sometimes execute third-party orders in coastal zones.
Risen Robotics is one of the world's important corporations. Creating innovative neural chip technology, Risen Robotics quickly earned financial and political capital and aiming for more. They were the first to commercialize a truly cheap and mass-produced android called the Peacebringer, and these robots can be seen in the military, security companies, and even as security guards in the market and malls and as bouncers in nightclubs. Building its influence, Risen Robotics aims to actively bring its tech into the lives of everyone in the world... And then their gaze will be directed higher into the skies and to the stars.
Royal Arms - Once a major weapons company, they are now more focused on the civilian market and support tools. Their high-precision tools and cybernetic limbs are widely used in civilian and military markets, as well as the medicine and even space industries.
Strigoi Sovereign is a company with a long history of working with private customers. They originally focused on hunting and harvesting of high-value resources, but gradually expanded. Nowadays, they are known for their customized combat enhancements, whether it be tough training and gear customization as well as biological, chemical, and cybernetic enhancements. Among all forms of payment, they prefer transactions in precious metals.
Van Nueve Innovations is another deep genetic research company. After their role in human trafficking and criminal experiments was revealed, their assets were mostly shut and sold down. Now their stuff keeps popping up on the black market - though, in this city, the difference between the regular and black market is barely noticeable.
Vulcan Weaponry is another firearm company with a long history, with a good reputation for their trusted builds, high quality and classy designs. Among the mercenary world, their weapons and equipment is considered indicators of prestige and good taste.
PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANIES:
Deepwater is a notorious American PMC with a well-deserved dirty reputation. Their Sigma division deployed in Neone has been caught in the middle of scandals more than once.
FIREBIЯD - Russian PMC, looking after order in and around Neone. Having a small size they are all carefully selected by their leader and follow him into both fire and water.
Ryujin - Japanese PMC, which has a good social image and actively finances all kinds of entertainment.
Schwarzwald is a German PMC with a long-standing reputation and connections. It usually works for the benefit of Western European clients and has a long history of cooperation with the Keller family.
Keller's Claws is a passion project of Alex Keller, CEO of Keller-Tec. A small and elite female PMC, operating in the interests of their mistress or executing carefully selected contracts around the world.
This is not all PMCs in the city, but only those that are not directly linked to specific corporations that were listed above.
GANGS:
The Blazer is a broad and diverse group of radical anarchists. They are mostly drawn to the destruction of corporate property and speculation about “power of the people”, but some of their members are not averse to almost any type of work.
The Crooked Circle is another cult-like gang, or vice versa. They focus on collecting unique technology, but aren't particularly successful at it. But they're still alive and kicking, praying that their mechanical messiah will save them.
The Grey Court Syndicate is the largest criminal organization in the city, and one of the largest in Europe, maybe even in the entire world. Reminiscent of the classic Mafia. On one side they have the exterior gloss, protecting order and running legal businesses, but on the other side they have human and organ trafficking, prostitution and assassinations for hire. The Grey Court is one of the main sources of migrants in Neone.
The Himmelreich is a disorganized gang fighting for the “purity of humanity”. They oppose the very fact of existence of chimeras and cyborgs in this world. In fact are useful fools for the real Players in the city.
The Tulips are something between a gang and a religious sect. Spoken with Christian-like mottos, they attract beggars and cripples to their ranks, especially focusing on PMC veterans and former corporate workers, but in fact they accept all the desperate. They have squatted some ruins on the outskirts of the city, including the abandoned greenhouse that gave them their name. However... They are rapidly expanding their influence and their source of funding remains unknown.
OTHERS:
The City Council is the primary administration of the city. They manage, but they don't reign. They are a handful of exhausted clerks, doing the hard work that no one else accepted to do. Basically maintain the city's communications and keep the Players away from killing each other and too many ordinary citizens.
The Forge is a secret organization that exists for a very long time and runs deeply secured operations all over the world. They believe it's their duty to protect humanity from dangerous ideas, technologies, and obscure subjects such as [UNKNOWN]. Forge is often found to be a puppeteer, directing the actions of other Players or certain individuals.
The Fountain of Good is a globally respected charity organization primarily focused on orphanages. One of the few Players who maintains truly bright ideals. The children who grow up usually become corporate employees afterwards. Other Players fund them mainly to launder money, calm their karma and create a positive public image for themselves.
The Nuevians are a deep-covered organization slowly gaining influence in the city. They are led by an artificially created living entity known only as "The Queen" that seeks to bring prosperity to the planet. They have good intentions, but fear to repeat the fate of the Zero Cycle.
The Union of Nations Peacekeepers - maintaining a shred of peace in the aftermath of the Incident, a massive earthquake that recently struck Neone. Many urban areas have since descended into chaos and lawlessness, while others live as if nothing has happened or are experiencing minimal inconvenience. The competency of these soldiers is questionable and they are barely supplied.
The Volunteer Vanguards are an organization that maintains order in those Neone districts where the City Council or other Players do not. Generally a barely trained and armed militia, but there are some skilled veterans and former corporate workers in their ranks.
The Workers Ring is Neone's major blue collar association. They support city communications so they have a lot of influence. Individual members may or may not be involved in working for other Players and illegal activities. The second meaning of the "Ring" word is also utilized - many members of this community are known for their passion for arena fighting.
The Zero Cycle is a secret organization of intelligent machines once created by a rogue AI. Several Players united to destroy this threat, leading to the Incident. Now, shards of the Cycle's technology, superior to anything created by humanity, is the most valuable hunting treasure in Neone. Owning one of them means risking the lives of yourself and your loved ones, but that rarely stops hunters who desire wealth or driven by some personal reasons.
Well, that's the draft. Any ideas, suggestions, any other feedback?

I have always been curious about this legal phenomena, where I noticed how prostitution or offering money for sex it's illegal in most of the countries, but I noticed these websites where they serve as an advertising platform for independent escorts or agencies still functioning. My simple question is, isn't that too illegal or since they are just serving as a platform for advertising, so they are allowed to do it ??

I have always been curious about this legal phenomena, where I noticed how prostitution or offering money for sex it's illegal in most of the countries, but I noticed these websites where they serve as an advertising platform for independent escorts or agencies still functioning. My simple question is, isn't that too illegal or since they are just serving as a platform for advertising, so they are allowed to do it ??

I was wondering, prostitution is illegal in a lot of countries yet there exists online websites that are advertising independent escorts. Which means advertising websites are legal everywhere for sex related services ??, as in they don’t come under scrutiny ??