Well, after 14 MONTHS of work, we've finished the core finance engine of our app.
What a complete ballache! Fucking near ended me this part, not even joking.
I know my limitations and my ADHD meant I had to get a grown up team to do this part as my eyes glaze over and it's not my strong point to build financial engines and test them, so hats off to my coding team for pulling this section off, and doing the coder equivalent of patting my head and saying soothing things like, "shit's fucked Nate, but we got this".
For those with visible confusion as to why a kombucha company is doing a food delivery app? Well, I'm Nate and I have been producing this food delivery platform on and off for the last 5 years. Yes, 5 years. In that 5 years, we had a cheeky little pandemic and I setup a kombucha company in Thailand as I simply couldn't leave Phuket to get back to Sydney for 23 months in total, so obviously setting up something where I was "trapped" seemed the right thing to do. And yes, it has grown so that worked out which is really cool too..
ANYHOOoo..
We walked over digital broken glass as we spent 12 months on a tax engine, 14 months on a fucking financial engine... I think I just want to be acquired at this point to be honest. Give me 8 figures and it's yours, or will swap for a Playstation 5 and 2 x controllers.
In the more likely event that noone wants to cough up 8 figures OR the Playstation 5, then yeah, I want to spend a few weeks more to get the apps c*ntproofed a bit more, and re-tested to make sure they all work with the new version of Android and iOS about to drop, plus are easy to use for Establishments on their own hardware so they can try the platform within a few minutes of signing up rather than dicking around waiting for a food delivery company to grace them with branded hardware.
Thanks for reading through my story so far: TL;DR - My battle-scarred punk ass self and my team who are as hard-as-fuck as me god bless 'em, have made a brand new food delivery business model from scratch - and 8 apps to make a complete platform that's every bit as professional and feature-laden as Uber Eats and DoorDash... but a billion times better for restaurants, drivers - and of course, the eaters wanting decent food delivered in around 3 minutes.A++ but do not recommend anyone doing what I have done.
Not sure, but any day now might be the first grey pube from this super funsies experience.Peace oot my dudes. I'll be over here stitching myself up and getting stuck into final round of testing before release.
I hope you're all doing well too - any questions, hit me up and I'd be stoked to answer if anyone's remotely interested. But not now as I'm off to bed here in Sydney as I'm shagged.
Cheers all - and would deffo like to know what you guys are working on and how you managed to last on a multi-year development roadmap too!! Take care and g'night.

Components: DHT11 Sensor, Arduino UNO,16x2 ic2 lcd display
I've managed to get it to detect and display the temperature onto the lcd screen, but I want to add a function to switch between Farenheit, Celcius and the humidity percentage with a push button. So, 1st press is on, second press is farenheit, 3rd press celcius , fourth humidity and 5th is off. How would I go about coding something like this? What are the components required?

1. The government increases the limit on foreign institutional investment in government bonds to 30 percent in line with other emerging markets
   
2. The NCLT remains the primary mode for companies to adjudicate bankruptcy and insolvency. The Reserve Bank of India (Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets) Directions 2019, gives Indian banks the discretion to refer defaulters to NCLT on a case by case basis. Ideal reforms, The RBI issues an ordinance outlining a time-bound and structured process to conduct out-of-court settlements of bad loan-related disputes
   
3. The NCLT is maintained at 11 benches around India, with a 180-day timeline for resolution of cases. On August 5, 2019, the President signed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act, 2019, and increased the resolution deadline for NCLT cases to 330 days. The Central Government added five more benches between July 2018 and March 2019. The number of NCLT benches is increased to 30.
   
4. All vacancies in India's judicial system are filled with qualified personnel, which is around 26% of all posts.
   
5. The Reserve Bank of India and/or Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade releases an annual report providing details on the origin country and destination state of FDI into India.
   
6. Financial institutions have been kept out of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code's purview Incomplete The Ministry of Corporate Affairs notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Rules 2019, allowing an interim framework for Financial Service Providers (excluding banks), to file for insolvency proceedings on a case by case basis, as notified by the Central Government Source. The law creating a bankruptcy process for financial firms is passed in Parliament and signed into law by the President of India, and related regulations are issued
   
7. The center amends the Electricity Act and assumes complete control of pricing of electrical power in India since state governments are very inefficient with it.
   
8. The Reserve Bank of India currently forces bank to allocate 40% of their credit to priority sectors. The Reserve Bank of India removes its stipulation that banks should allocate a certain percentage to priority sectors.
   
9. The government issues a Press Note lifting all restrictions on minimum investment size, sourcing rules and location limitation for multi-brand retail
   
10. The Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013 requires that states obtain approval from at least 80% of residents before buying land, making it difficult to find plots for industry and infrastructure. The government reintroduces the The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill which simplifies the time needed and the cost required to acquire land in India. Parliament passes the The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, and is signed into law by the President of India.
    
11. Not Started Regulations in India are implemented without a 30-day notice and comment period, and released without a cost-benefit analysis, which make the operating environment difficult for businesses. Parliament passes statutes amending the laws governing India's financial regulators, mandating a 30 day notice and comment period for proposed regulation and the issuance of a cost-benefit analysis.
    

12.The government lifts the price cap on public distribution system kerosene entirely, thereby deregulating kerosene pricing. And passes a new hydrocarbon policy deregulating it's price.

1. Simplify GST rates to 3, including 0% rate.
   
2. Privatise all CPSUs within 10 years and reduce stake in Public sector banks to minority stake.
   
3. The Integrated Case Management Information System is implemented in all courts, including the Supreme Court, all High Courts, and all district courts around India to create a truly paperless court system.
   
4. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade ensures central government permits are issued within 10 days for all sectors. It currently takes around 18 days.
   
5. World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report 2019 notes that it requires 10 procedures to start a business in India, compared to the South Asia regional average of 7.6 procedures. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade ensures the creation of a single-window clearance entity for central government clearances for all sectors.
   
6. The Industrial Disputes Act sets a floor of 100 employees after which government permission is required to lay off workers Incomplete The parliament on September 23, 2020 passed the Industrial Relations Code, 2019 giving firms with upto 300 employees flexibility in hiring and firing. An amendment or new law removes the cap entirely, giving firms of all sizes flexibility in hiring and firing.
   
7. To end the MSP regime as it exists today, with committed and unlimited procurement. It was a reform 60 years ago, but is market destructive, distortionary and anti-farmer now.
   
8. Maintain status quo of reservations cap and ensure the 50 percent limit won’t be breached.
   
9. Only a small percentage of Indian farmers produce surpluses in procurable volumes. All landowning farmers get PM Kisan now, then trillions of rupees in fertiliser, power and water subsidies. All of these must go, and be replaced by one sizable farming support in cash. Pricing for all inputs should become market determined. That will dismantle so many agencies, bring efficiencies and save the environment — especially water tables — from ongoing destruction.
   
10. Replace existing welfare schemes with one universal basic income.
    
11. Remove the anti-defection law. After all of the corruption and shenanigans we have seen, it is evident that the law is irrelevant and promotes horse-trading rather than curbing it. Remove the the whip system and have it be restricted only to finance bills and confidence motions.
    
12. Theaterisation is an epochal military reform and four decades delayed.
    

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Good morning, Dodgers!

• Team Website
• Wikipedia Article of the Day: Freeway Series - Wikipedia

⚾ Dodgers @ Pirates ⚾

First Pitch: Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 3:40 PM PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Starters

Team	Starting Pitcher	IP	K/9	BB/9	H9	ERA
LAD	RHP Tyler Glasnow	74.0	11.55	2.55	0.85	3.04
PIT	RHP Jared Jones	63.1	9.95	1.71	1.56	3.55

Team Offense

Team	G	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	AB/HR	G
LAD	61	.256	.334	.432	.766	26.95	4.87
PIT	59	.229	.301	.357	.658	37.41	4.05

Top Performers

Dodgers	Pos	OPS	Rank	OPS	Pos	Pirates
Shohei Ohtani	TWP		1	.804	1B	Connor Joe
Mookie Betts	SS	.927	2	.744	RF	Andrew McCutchen
Freddie Freeman	1B	.876	3	.741	LF	Bryan Reynolds

On this day in 2019...

Dodgers @ D-backs, LAD 0 AZ 0, top 1, 1 out, Cody Bellinger facing Taylor Clarke... Cody Bellinger triples (2) on a sharp fly ball to left fielder David Peralta. Joc Pederson scores. Max Muncy scores. VIDEO
Win Probability Added: 19.5

MLB Upcoming Dates

• End of the 1st Half - Sun 14 July 2024
  
• All Star Game - Tue 16 July 2024
  
• Start of the 2nd Half - Fri 19 July 2024
  

Questions of the Day

1. What would the box with all your hopes and dreams inside look like?
   
2. What was the last song you listened to?
   
3. What’s about to get much better?
   

Have a great day, Dodgers.

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Throwaway bc my friend’s follow my main. My friends and I are trying to get tickets to our school’s rival football game now so we can get the best prices. My friend, Jane, found a seller with 5 tickets at a reasonable but not too cheap that it was unbelievable price and sent them to us. We were so excited and all thoroughly researched the seller (they had an active Facebook since 2016 with game pictures of real game dates, ticket screenshots with the bar codes blurred and a selfie next to an id that matches their profile) before agreeing to purchase because a lot of ticket scams happen for this game. The seller agreed to let Jane send them half the money before getting the tickets and then she’d send the rest after.
Jane sends the money and 24 hours later the seller had blocked Jane on everything and deactivated their number. We were all sad but checked in with Jane to confirm how much we owed her. She told us before finding out we got scammed, they tricked her into giving the rest of the money. She didn’t ask us because they told her if she didn’t pay now, they would refund her and sell them to the other buyer who was willing to pay the total upfront. We reassured her that scams continue to be successful for a reason and it wasn’t her fault.
She apologized profusely and I know this isnt her fault and I don’t blame her for falling victim to a scam, it could have been any of us. We checked in again about how much we owed and she said a price that is $100 more than half the ticket cost. She asked if we thought this was fair since she felt losing the second half of the money was mostly her fault.
I know it wasn’t her fault she was scammed but paying an extra $100 to a scam ticket I didn’t originally factor in my budget is a lot of money and is going to make finding a replacement much less reasonable. If she would have asked us before sending the second half of the money, I would have said no because I was already suspicious when it took almost a day to get a reply after sending the money when they had been replying quickly before.
To be clear, I don’t think I am smarter than her or better because realized it was a scam first, I am just an overly-paranoid person (also, we were all nervous at their silence, Jane too). I don’t blame her for getting scammed but I also don’t think it’s fair for me to pay an extra $100 when I wasn’t consulted before it was spent.
I really value our friendship and am absolutely willing to let it go if this is a stupid thing that I’m overreacting about. I don’t want to ask any of my other friends what they think because I don’t want to inspire any negativity/resentment towards Jane because she really is great and just made an honest mistake so I thought I would come to Reddit lol. So, WITBA for only paying the half I originally agreed to?

Hey guys! Got some super amazing news. I'M BACK!!! And in a huge way! I have officially taken over this sub and have some great ideas on how to make this place more welcoming and entertaining for all our members old and new. This sub is now also officially supported by Techland.
First off, I will be accepting applications for a new Mod team, so if you have experience moderating on Reddit or any other social media platform, why not apply using the link below. 🔗 https://forms.gle/sdGGNPcPDDD2W9RAA

All applications will be given my personal attention. Please be sure you're able to devote time to the moderation of the sub before you apply. We need moderators who can devote at least 1-2 hours per day in their duties. We are looking for all time zones since this sub has members from all over the world. So coverage of most, if not all time zones, is crucial to make this a success. Knowledge of Reddit coding a major plus!

🏆 Secondly, Techland has provided me with keys and codes for Dying Light related items, and we are holding a giveaway to celebrate my return and hopefully the return to the wholesome subreddit y'all know and love!

To join the giveaway head here https://forms.gle/cX9AA2jTgkqHE4Kv9 and pick all rewards you are interested in - I will post the results in reply here on friday!

So get ready for some major changes for the better in the coming months. I'm so excited to be back and able to devote more time to my love, the Dying Light community! 😊

In the gym I go to, a lot of people seem to walk off and leave their combi padlocks behind on the bench/side etc.
I asked the locker room attendant what they do with them, and he told me they just get binned.
If I see one when I arrive, that it is still there when I leave and has been left unlocked (so the code can be reset) I put them in my gym bag, reset the code to 0000 and then offer them to the next person I see leaving there stuff unlocked & unattended.
I've probably done this 10/15 times now, and every single time the person has looked at my like i'm the strangest person they've ever met and refuses the padlock.
I don't think i'm doing anything wrong, but maybe I am?
Thoughts?

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-------------------------
To: ericvandersmith@gmail.com
From: james.devin@lodgeofkozeron.org
-------------------------
Subject: Membership with the Lodge of the Ancient Order of Közeron
-------------------------
Hello again Eric!
I am reaching out to you regarding your intent to pledge to the Lodge of the Ancient Order of Közeron. As you are already aware, this fraternal brotherhood is unlike the fraternities at other universities. In fact, it has nothing to do with so called "Greek Life" at all. Membership with our Lodge will not only help you as you attend Eldertide Polytechnic University here in Echo Bay, but you will find that the brotherhood of the Lodge will help you in life after your matriculation has concluded. Many Lodge members find successful careers in law enforcement, politics and several are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
Before we invite you to participate in the Pledging Ceremony, we do want to ensure that you know and understand a few things about the Lodge:

1. Everything you learn about the Lodge as a pledgling or full member is strictly confidential. You will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to proceed further. Failure to uphold your end of this agreement has dire consequences which will be discussed further with you should you desire to continue pledging.
   
2. Mastery of a Martial Art is compulsory. The Lodge will not dictate which form (or forms) of Martial Arts to pursue and there is no time constraint or expectation for you to reach a level of mastery quickly. As far as the Lodge is concerned, you may pursue mastery for the rest of your life, but your attempts must be earnest. This will be verified yearly for the rest of your life. Again, failure to uphold your end of this will be met with dire consequences. Please consider this before continuing.
   
3. The Scarification Rite is mandatory. It hurts. A lot. You will bare the mark of the brand below your left ankle for the rest of your life. You will have trouble walking as the scar left by the brand heals. This rite is another of our many secrets and my brother and I recommend wearing a bandage and using crutches as the scar heals. Claiming to have a sprained ankle is the easiest way to explain away your trouble walking for several weeks and you are welcome to come waterskiing with us on the day of the ceremony should you choose to use this excuse. Spraining your ankle doing an activity will give your story the appropriate alibi. You don't have to come with us, but we like you so we wanted to invite you.
   
4. We use a coded language when speaking about the Lodge in public. Don't worry this is fairly simple to master and you will learn it quickly.
   
5. Membership is for life. Yes LIFE. You cannot leave. EVER. Please consider this carefully before continuing forward. Attempting to leave, again, will be met with dire consequences.
   

There are a number of other considerations you will need to consider as you pledge, but we find these to be the most important. In addition, please review the attached file and memorize the contents to the best of your ability. It is an account of Közeron's Rise and early history.
This document was generously scanned page-by-page by Eldertide Polytechnic University's head librarian Darlene Fischer from a 1934 University textbook which is kept in her private and restricted collection. This textbook of which only one copy remains, contains an entire chapter of what is considered by experts to be the most accurate, definitive account of Közeron's history. It is a great privilege to have this information shared with you so please recognize that and act accordingly.
Commit as much as you can of it to memory as the Grand Navigator will frequently quiz you about its contents prior to accepting your application for Lodge membership.
Finally, If you have any questions, please reach out to me or my brother, Dean. As your Sponsors, we will be happy to answer any and all questions.
If you fail it reflects poorly on us, so do not embarrass us, Eric!
Sincerely,
Devin James
-------------------------

📎 Attachment: rise-of-kozeron.pdf

-------------------------
 
 
 
 
 
 

Attachment Contents:

 

The Rise of Közeron

The Viking ship known as Klóra Karfi disappeared on its journey homeward to the shores of Norway as it traversed the freezing waters of the North Sea with its sister ships, the Skelmir Hlíf and Hjarta Hvassi. It would be the final voyage of all three ships led by the famous Viking raider Kortan Sigurd and myriad pieces of the Skelmir Hlíf and Hjarta Hvassi were said to have washed ashore near Lindisfarne, England, the town that they set out from, after a great storm ravished and destroyed them. The winds and waves that night were responsible for drowning their respective crews and reducing both ships to kindling. Although historical documents from the corresponding time period and region of Britain assume the same fate befell the Klóra Karfi, something very different happened to Kortan Sigurd and the men on that ship.
image-1.jpg
The raid was said to have been swift and brutal. The Viking warriors led by Sigurd, in documents written by Brother Godric Eadwine (an Anglo-Saxon monk at the Lindisfarne Priory), are described as “a band of savage heathen men whom hath once more come ashore, bringing ruin to the holy churches and townships that lie within the countryside's embrace. Three ships did arrive at break of day, one bearing the shape of a giant seashell carved upon its prow, another adorned with a heart, and the final with the visage of a dragon, adorned with fierce clawed talons striking fear. The men aboard these vessels slew all who stood against them, robbing their victims of money, treasures, and even their food. Ere they set their homes ablaze, reducing them to naught but ashes.” Brother Godric Eadwine also describes the storm that night, mentioning it the following day in his private diaries: “The tempest that did wreak havoc upon the coast yestereve was terrible and treacherous, verily the work of some evil force. The north tower of our holy monastery was smitten by lightning, causing a great fire in its wrathful strike and taking Abbot Edwulf Oswine from us. Between the dire events of the day and the calamities of the night that followed, the happenstances on the 19th day of June in the 824th year of our Lord shall forever be graven upon my memory.”
The histories inscribed by this monk and others of the Lindisfarne Priory claim that, upon finding pieces of wrecked longships mere days after the raids, the Klóra Karfi was destroyed along with its sister ships the Skelmir Hlíf and the Hjarta Hvassi in the storm that ensued after the violent plunder that befell the English coastline. There are, however, conflicting historical documents recorded by the Seãkwa people, a Native American tribe settled on the coast of New England in North America during the same time period. This unverified history is quite possibly the true fate of Kortan Sigurd and the Klóra Karfi, for in early 1932, during a ground excavation for a local business, a ship of Viking origin with a dragon’s head prow matching Brother Godric Eadwine’s description was unearthed from where it was buried near Veil Reef Beach at the southern boundary of Echo Bay. Experts confirm that the type of wood used as well as the building style of the vessel matches the construction of others built in the time period and location where the Klóra Karfi originated, lending further credence to the idea that the ship was not destroyed but was instead separated from its sisters during the violent storm, inexplicably finding its way completely undamaged and wholly intact to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
image-2.jpg
According to Seãkwa historians, the tale that follows originated from stories told by the physical manifestation of an oceanic deity named Közeron, who shared his history with the tribe when he encountered them sometime in the 7th century. It has been shared in tribal memory for over 1,200 years via word of mouth, art, canoe carvings and architectural adornments from different time periods in their tribal history and remains a major part of the Seãkwa’s tribal identity to this day.
After successfully raiding Lindisfarne and the surrounding countryside, Kortan Sigurd and his men returned to their ships, securing their plunder and setting sail for home. The trio of longships were particularly quick and were thought to have possibly moved at an average speed of 8-12 knots, taking them approximately three days to five days of rowing with breaks and weather factored in, to make the approximate 800 kilometer return trip to their village on the coast of Norway. Typically, Viking longships of this time period sailed within view of the coastline and did not sail directly across open seas causing a journey that would otherwise take approximately two days to take nearly twice as long.
Sigurd was standing at the helm of the Klóra Karfi, adorned with its intricately carved prow, when the sky suddenly darkened and the wind began to howl like a vengeful spirit. A fierce and unexpected storm descended upon the three ships out of nowhere just hours after they set sail. The seas roared and monstrous waves reached their great hands towards the sky, threatening to capsize the raiding party’s ships with every gust. The men of the Klóra Karfi watched in horror as a maelstrom opened beneath the Hjarta Hvassi and Skelmir Hlíf, spinning them around and around one another in endless circles as their crews attempted to furiously row their vessels to safety. The men watched as the efforts of those in the other longships were unsuccessful and the whirlpool snapped the oars that competed against its currents one by one, eventually swallowing both ships whole and beginning to pull at the lone Viking longship that remained.
As the Klóra Karfi spun in the very same current that its sisters perished within, a great wave submerged the deck, taking three of the crew overboard and into the watery depths. The remaining men clung to the ship, white-knuckled and fearful, as the maelstrom’s grip tightened and their fate seemed set in stone.
When the intense storm finally abated, Kortan Sigurd and his men remained aboard the ship adrift in a dense fog, obscuring their vision of everything past two or three feet in every direction. The mist was so thick that when the men stood at the stern, they were unable to see the bow of the Klóra Karfi at the other end. The sun above them, showing barely through the haze, appeared as an illuminated, ghostly disc and worse still, not a single one of the men could remember how they survived. They could recall the onset of the typhoon, the terrifying whirlpool and watching their sister ships being crushed as they were sucked down to the bottom, but the memory of how they escaped that fate themselves was a blank void–as if it were wiped from their minds.
Amongst Sigurd’s men was one woman who went by the name of Aud Olofsdotter; a fierce shield maiden and soothsayer or “völva” as she was known in their native tongue, who claimed to have received a prophetic vision during the storm. Over many years, the men learned to listen to her and listen closely when she shared her visions with them, as she was a skilled storyteller and her prophecies became truths quite often. She spoke of a great kraken; a monstrous spear-headed sea creature with dozens of great, reaching tentacles, emerging from the depths at the very center of the maelstrom and pulling at the Klóra Karfi into the spinning waters.
image-3.jpg
According to her vision, as it began to capsize, instead of allowing the longship to overturn, the great beast held it upright and level for a moment. It raised it up and above the waves for just a moment before it pulled the ship into the maelstrom’s center and underwater entirely. Instead of becoming submerged beneath the viciously undulating surface, the crew found themselves traveling through a mystical tunnel beneath the waves–a water-passage that encircled the ship above and below and seemed to stretch endlessly before and behind them. She claimed that this underpass beneath the surface of the water was a place of unremembering where the passage of time and the movement of the ship became entirely meaningless. The span between the storm and waking in the fog, which seemed to the men to be mere moments, was actually, she claimed, to be over three weeks. Some of the men who heard her telling of this vision claimed that this simply could not be so and at this, she urged them to check their stores of food and fresh water.
“You will find them nearly depleted.” she said, “I tell you, it has been nigh on a month since we sailed through this otherworldly realm, as guided by some unseen force and in that time, we have consumed nearly all of our provisions.”
Their stores of food, which were mostly stolen during the raid, should have lasted them nearly 20 days and what remained of their supply of fresh water was barely enough for four, although the barrels should have been nearly full for their journey was only meant to last a week or two and no longer. At this revelation, the men were dismayed and disoriented and looked to Kortan for leadership and guidance.
Knowing no other means of escape from their plight, he ordered them back into the hull and to begin rowing in a direction that, unsure of their location and lacking means of navigation through the fog, he chose arbitrarily–desperately hoping it would lead them safely to land and salvation.
For five days they rowed and the thick blankets of mist hanging in the air never lifted. Morale plummeted as hunger and thirst gnawed at their resolve to continue onward and some of the men began to believe and share in whispers that they surely must be dead. Their reasoning was that the maelstrom actually crushed their longship, like it had done to its sisters, and while the other crews made it to Valhalla, they somehow found themselves lost along the way. On the sixth night, shortly after the first of their numbers was found dead of malnutrition and dehydration in his bunk below decks, the waters around the Klóra Karfi were discovered to be glowing with a neon green phosphorescence and illuminating the fog with an eerie light. Both things were interpreted by most of those aboard the ship as a malevolent sign.
No one knew why he chose that night, when the water shimmered with an eerie glow, but even the most rational among the crew could be tempted to drink the seawater at this point, driven by their relentless thirst. Perhaps this man, unlike the others, saw the neon waters as a divine omen. The first to drink was Vontell Eriksson, who lowered a bucket into the glowing sea and raised it to his lips, swallowing nearly half without even attempting to skim the luminescent algae from the surface. In the waters around Echo Bay, the phosphorescent green glow is a familiar sight and is caused by psykothrix algae. This algae, more abundant before the Bay was settled, is still illegally harvested, dried, and processed for its consumption to this day. Known for its vivid glow and psychedelic properties, psykothrix algae poses a significant risk if not properly prepared. Studies reveal that improper processing can lead to severe irrationality and bouts of inexplicable violence, especially in those with weak or compromised constitutions. Thus, when the six starving and thirsty crew members were convinced by Vontell to drink the water with him, each of them fell into a state of frenzied madness. These seven men became the crew’s undoing.
That night, driven by insatiable hunger and the effects of psykothrix, the intoxicated men determined Aud Olofsdotter to be the weakest of the crew on board. They stabbed her to death and cut away strips of her stomach, which they began to eat raw. It wasn’t until they began to consume her uterus, intestines and liver that they were witnessed by another crewman who happened upon them in the midst of their gruesome act. Being greatly outnumbered by the madmen, he retreated above deck to alert Kortan Sigurd about what he’d seen happening below.
Most of the men gathered on the deck, drawn by the eerie glow of the eldritch waters. Kortan, rallying his remaining best fighters, descended below deck to confront the madmen-turned-cannibals. A brutal battle ensued, with the intoxicated men holding the advantage; the uncured algae granted them unnatural strength and cunning. In a short time, they overpowered Sigurd and his fighters, capturing Sigurd and binding him tightly to a beam.
As the remaining crew discovered the mutiny, they attempted to reclaim their ship, descending below deck to attempt to overthrow the mutineers and free their leader. However, the madmen’s enhanced abilities led to a bloody slaughter. One by one, Sigurd’s men fell until only Kortan remained, shouting at the mutineers and demanding to be released. The madmen taunted him for hours, their eyes gleaming and wild the entire time. Before the night was through, they mutilated their captain, severing his arms at the elbows and cutting off his legs, tossing them into the glowing sea. Kortan was strong and his strength and desire to live never faltered, even at the end when they threw him, still alive, into the freezing neon waters as well.
This marks a pivotal moment in Seãkwa tribal history where legend and myth become one, for Kortan Sigurd did not perish. Indeed, what transpired next endowed him with everlasting life. Xaigon, eternal and undying, in this time period was already inhabiting the waters of Echo Bay and was already living there in his dream state for eons. His followers on land were already brewing Cetacean Essence and undergoing the telltale transformations and adaptations necessary to live with him beneath the waves for several hundred years. At this time, the Shining City in the fabled Coral Caves was considerably smaller than its present size. By 824 AD, Depth Departures were occurring in small, unrecorded numbers within the Seãkwa tribe, with the Xaigonian Fishpeople beneath the black waves of Echo Bay numbering between 750 and 900 souls.
It is crucial to note that the true scope and size of the Shining City has never been accurately counted or estimated with any degree of success. By the time of this publication in 1934, it is thought that over 5,000 souls reside in the Shining City. The Xaigonian Fishpeople do not permit outsiders, particularly census takers, to enter their great, secret city, and likely never will, rendering these numbers unverifiable. Experts concur that the population of the Coral Cave’s Shining City is at least double that of Echo Bay. However, many argue that this undersea population is easily three times larger than the land-based population.
For more information on Xaigon, Xaigonian Enclave, Xaigonian Fishpeople, Cetacean Essence or Depth Departures, refer to Chapter 12, "The Lore and History of Xaigon" beginning on page 137.
Having been noticed by Xaigonian scouts two days prior, the Klóra Karfi was already being watched closely by the residents of the Shining City and as Kortan Sigurd’s body sank beneath the waters, it was collected by three Xaigonian Oracles. Moving hastily and employing the use of their dark magic, the Priestesses dismembered a giant lobster attaching its limbs, tail and legs to Kortan Sigurd’s torso, thus saving his life.
When Kortan awoke beneath the sea, his eyes slowly adjusted to the dim, otherworldly light filtering through the water. Confusion gripped him as he took in his strange surroundings; an underwater temple filled with bioluminescent sea creatures and phosphorescent algae. Before him stood the three Oracles, pleasure painted across their scaled faces, satisfied with their work. For a short time, he strained to comprehend the alien environment. When they spoke to him, he did not understand their words and he slowly began to grow agitated.As realization dawned, this confusion and agitation gave way to a burning wrath. The annals of Viking mythology are clear: a slain warrior's rightful place is within the hallowed halls of Valhalla, where he would feast and fight for eternity. Yet, by some cruel twist of fate, Kortan found himself denied this glorious afterlife. His resurrection beneath the waves was not a blessing but a curse–a theft of his warrior's reward.
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Fueled by this perceived outrage and denial, Kortan's rage intensified. His once noble visage twisted with fury, he turned on the very Oracles who saved his life. These mystical seers of the deep, revered for their wisdom and power, unwittingly incurred his vengeance. He saw their actions not as a salvation but as a condemnation, a denial of his divine right.
As their mangled bodies began to turn the waters of their sacred temple red, Kortan breathed heavily of their mystic blood as it commingled with the seawater. In breathing this blood, he was further imbued with the dark magics of the Xaigonian Priestesses.
This act of destruction and desecration within the sacred confines of one of Xaigon’s temples, nestled in the secretive Shining City of the Coral Caves, did not escape notice. Xaigon himself, a nightmarish entity with a slick, reflective black form, both squid-like and humanoid, bearing a colossal obsidian shell upon his back, stirred from his eternal slumber. Waking from his dreamstate and rising up from the Abyss, he ascended through the chasmic cliffs of his sleeping crevice, swimming directly to the temple where the massacre transpired. Within moments, his formidable tentacles rent the walls of the sacred sanctuary to rubble, and upon discovering Kortan still within, a titanic clash between the two ensued.
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Xaigon found himself facing an evenly matched adversary in the transformed Viking. The battle raged with ferocity, hand-to-tentacle, for nearly an hour. When Xaigon’s powerful and whip-like appendages succeeded in tearing the newly attached claws from Kortan’s arms, it seemed as though victory was within his grasp. Yet, in a twist neither combatant anticipated, something extraordinary occurred.
Lobsters possess the remarkable ability to regenerate their claws through a process of molting their exoskeletons. This regeneration process begins immediately upon the loss of a limb, with a bud forming at the site of the wound. In an ordinary lobster, it may take several molts to fully restore a missing claw or limb and depending on the age of the lobster, this may be a process that takes anywhere from a year to five years total for this remarkable ability to allow for eventual regrowth.
However, imbued with the supernatural blood of the Oracles, Kortan’s regeneration defied the natural order. To the astonishment of both Xaigon and Kortan, his claws began to regenerate instantaneously. The exoskeleton formed and shed multiple times within mere seconds. In less than a minute, the missing claws were fully regrown from where Xaigon severed them.
Defeated and bewildered, Xaigon retreated into the spiraling abyss of his onyx shell. Once fully ensconced, the ominous sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the depths as he blocked off the shell’s opening and sank slowly to the ocean floor, leaving behind a trail of bioluminescent mucus in his wake. Kortan continued his assault on the impenetrable shell where it lay at rest on the ocean floor for quite some time, his relentless blows failing to make a dent in the unnatural and unholy barrier that shielded the ancient god.
At last, conceding the futility of his efforts, Kortan abandoned the fight. He swam back to the surface, resolute in his determination to attend to other unfinished business that awaited him above the waves.
It did not take long for Kortan to locate the Klóra Karfi, despite the dense fog enshrouding the surface. Finding it was easy for him amidst the eerie, glowing waters. His newly transformed limbs, both dexterous and surefooted, allowed him to scale the side of the longship with ease, and with a mighty heave, he hoisted himself aboard the deck, where the mutineers were still celebrating their ill-gotten victory, their minds still twisted by the hallucinogenic effects of the psykothrix algae.
Kortan cleared his throat, a sound that sliced through their carousing and caused the startled men to turn and face him in horror. The only remaining vestiges of his humanity were the intricate patterns of tattoos on his chest, his furious bearded face, and his long, elaborately braided hair.
With his newfound power, Kortan exacted a brutal revenge on the mutineers, slaughtering them for their betrayal and casting their severed limbs into the sea. Having satisfied his vengeance, Kortan left the ship and ventured into the vast ocean depths. For many months, he explored the underwater realms, encountering many creatures native only to Echo Bay. Creatures both wondrous and terrifying. His journey was marked by continuous clashes with the Xaigonian Fishpeople who still believed they might find a way to best him in battle and earn the glory and recognition of Xaigon. Every Fishperson who attempted to fight him in the sand at the depths of the open waters was repaid for their efforts with death.

Közeron and the Seãkwa Tribe

The Seãkwa Tribe were living along the coast of Echo Bay for generations prior to 825 AD, their existence deeply intertwined with the rhythms of the tides and the whispers of the ocean. They held a profound belief in the spirits dwelling within the watery depths, chief among them Xaigon himself. Their rituals and traditions were inextricably linked with the natural world of the sea, as they considered themselves the guardians of its enigmatic mysteries.
According to Seãkwa tribal historians, Kortan emerged from the waves in Twilight Cove, located on the north side of their village, one sunny afternoon. He was first spotted by a pair of tribesmen who were fishing on the shore. Horrified and awestruck by his appearance, they abandoned their belongings, including a basket containing their substantial catch, and ran back to the village to alert the tribe. Kortan observed these men, picked up their abandoned basket in his claws, and followed them with a curious demeanor.
Upon his arrival at the village, Kortan found it seemingly deserted. The fishermen, known for their serious dispositions and honesty, recounted their encounter to the tribal leaders. The elders, trusting their word, sounded the alarm by blowing three times into a conch shell, prompting the entire tribe, except for one, to flee the small village. The elderly and infirm hid among the high sand dune grasses, while the young and able-bodied quietly and quickly ascended the hidden paths within the Twilight Pass cliffs. Everyone halted where they stood when Kortan arrived, with many crouching in the seagrasses along the rocky path and others watching from the cliffs with shocked amazement.
Kortan briefly surveyed the village before sighing and leaving the basket of fish at what he supposed was the village center. Observing this, the one man who had stayed behind decided to emerge from his hiding place. Talanook, a trusted member of the tribal shaman, approached Kortan with cautious reverence, sensing an immense power radiating from him. After several minutes of circling Kortan, who stood unmoving, Talanook beckoned to the villagers, signaling that it was safe to return.
No one living on land had ever seen Xaigon, so when Talanook proclaimed that this being was the manifestation of the deity in physical form, the tribe fell to their knees, offering respect and pledging their devotion. Kortan, unable to understand their language, did nothing to correct the misunderstanding and seemed to accept their worship. The tribe celebrated their fortune, believing they were in the presence of a divine entity from the sea.
As days turned into weeks, Kortan remained among the Seãkwa, gradually learning their language and lifestyle. His presence became a central part of their daily lives, integrating himself into their customs and routines. Yet, a schism began to form within the tribe, as not all members were wholly convinced of his divinity. A young warrior named Mako, known for his strength and perceptiveness, started to question Kortan’s true nature. Over time, Mako's suspicions grew, and he became convinced that this creature was not Xaigon. He began to quietly whisper to others, suggesting that Kortan was a mere usurper seeking to disrupt their sacred traditions. His skepticism resonated with many in the tribe, finding a receptive audience among the doubtful.
The division reached a breaking point when Kortan, struggling with his newfound language, mispronounced words that evoked laughter from a crowd of onlookers. Losing his temper, Kortan destroyed one of the tribe’s sacred totems, throwing it into a bonfire before retreating hastily back to the sea. He was not seen nor heard from for many days. This act of desecration was too much for Mako and his followers. They accused Talanook and the shamanic council of leading the tribe astray, sparking a fierce debate among the Seãkwa people. In a matter of days, the once-unified tribe stood on the brink of civil war.
Unable to reconcile their differences, the tribe split into two factions. Mako and his followers, steadfast in their belief that Kortan was not Xaigon, chased Talanook and his supporters out of Twilight Cove. Mako declared Twilight Cove a sacred site, insisting it should belong only to the true believers of Xaigon as the one true sea god. Talanook and his followers, still devoted to Kortan, relocated to Veil Reef Beach, on the southern end of Echo Bay.
When Kortan emerged from the waves once more, the faction remaining in the original village acted as though he were invisible. Using his limited understanding of the Seãkwa language, Kortan attempted to apologize, having finally realized that the people worshiping him believed him to be Xaigon. Despite his efforts, they ignored him entirely until one of the elders broke the silence. The elder, using simple words that Kortan mostly understood, explained where those who still loved and followed him had relocated.
Over the following weeks, Kortan learned much more of the language from his devoted followers. He gradually dispelled their misconception, explaining that he was not Xaigon. As his grasp of the language improved further, he recounted to the elders of the exiled faction how he had defeated Xaigon in hand-to-hand combat months earlier. He described how the deity had retreated into his shell to escape him. In recognition of his deeds and power, Talanook bestowed upon him the name Közeron, solidifying his new identity among the Seãkwa.
The two factions of the Seãkwa tribe continued their fierce struggle for many months, but the relentless conflict began to take a heavy toll on both sides. Leaders from each faction started to recognize the futility of their strife, and in a rare moment of unity, Talanook and Mako agreed to meet under a banner of truce. They convened at the rocky outcrop known as Spirit’s Reach, a neutral ground sacred to both factions. There, they discussed peace and the pressing need to preserve their people and traditions.
After several days of intense negotiation, a tentative peace was established. Both factions agreed to respect each other’s territories and cease hostilities. The Közerians would continue to inhabit Veil Reef Beach, while the Xaigonians would remain at Twilight Cove. They decided to share the waters and resources of Echo Bay, cooperating only when absolutely necessary to avoid further bloodshed.
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This fragile peace was maintained through a grudging commerce. The Közerian faction, with their access to the groves near Veil Reef Beach and Közeron’s knowledge of shipbuilding, excelled in crafting canoes. They traded these canoes to the Xaigonians in exchange for the right to fish the abundant waters of Twilight Cove. Even the Seãkwa who had splintered from the faction that remained at Twilight Cove recognized that these waters were the richest fishing grounds in Echo Bay. They remain so to this day, a testament to the continued devotion and sacrifices of the Xaigonian Enclave.
This arrangement, though fraught with tension, allowed both factions to thrive. The Közerians used their shipbuilding skills to explore new waters and expand their trade, while the Xaigonians, with their deep connection to Xaigon, continued their sacred rituals and maintained the fertility of their fishing grounds. The peace forged at Spirit’s Reach endured, a delicate balance of mutual respect and necessity, shaping the destiny of the Seãkwa people for generations to come.
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To: ericvandersmith@gmail.com
From: james.devin@lodgeofkozeron.org
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Subject: Membership with the Lodge of the Ancient Order of Közeron
-------------------------
Hello again Eric!
I am reaching out to you regarding your intent to pledge to the Lodge of the Ancient Order of Közeron. As you are already aware, this fraternal brotherhood is unlike the fraternities at other universities. In fact, it has nothing to do with so called "Greek Life" at all. Membership with our Lodge will not only help you as you attend Eldertide Polytechnic University here in Echo Bay, but you will find that the brotherhood of the Lodge will help you in life after your matriculation has concluded. Many Lodge members find successful careers in law enforcement, politics and several are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
Before we invite you to participate in the Pledging Ceremony, we do want to ensure that you know and understand a few things about the Lodge:

1. Everything you learn about the Lodge as a pledgling or full member is strictly confidential. You will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to proceed further. Failure to uphold your end of this agreement has dire consequences which will be discussed further with you should you desire to continue pledging.
   
2. Mastery of a Martial Art is compulsory. The Lodge will not dictate which form (or forms) of Martial Arts to pursue and there is no time constraint or expectation for you to reach a level of mastery quickly. As far as the Lodge is concerned, you may pursue mastery for the rest of your life, but your attempts must be earnest. This will be verified yearly for the rest of your life. Again, failure to uphold your end of this will be met with dire consequences. Please consider this before continuing.
   
3. The Scarification Rite is mandatory. It hurts. A lot. You will bare the mark of the brand below your left ankle for the rest of your life. You will have trouble walking as the scar left by the brand heals. This rite is another of our many secrets and my brother and I recommend wearing a bandage and using crutches as the scar heals. Claiming to have a sprained ankle is the easiest way to explain away your trouble walking for several weeks and you are welcome to come waterskiing with us on the day of the ceremony should you choose to use this excuse. Spraining your ankle doing an activity will give your story the appropriate alibi. You don't have to come with us, but we like you so we wanted to invite you.
   
4. We use a coded language when speaking about the Lodge in public. Don't worry this is fairly simple to master and you will learn it quickly.
   
5. Membership is for life. Yes LIFE. You cannot leave. EVER. Please consider this carefully before continuing forward. Attempting to leave, again, will be met with dire consequences.
   

There are a number of other considerations you will need to consider as you pledge, but we find these to be the most important. In addition, please review the attached file and memorize the contents to the best of your ability. It is an account of Közeron's Rise and early history.
This document was generously scanned page-by-page by Eldertide Polytechnic University's head librarian Darlene Fischer from a 1934 University textbook which is kept in her private and restricted collection. This textbook of which only one copy remains, contains an entire chapter of what is considered by experts to be the most accurate, definitive account of Közeron's history. It is a great privilege to have this information shared with you so please recognize that and act accordingly.
Commit as much as you can of it to memory as the Grand Navigator will frequently quiz you about its contents prior to accepting your application for Lodge membership.
Finally, If you have any questions, please reach out to me or my brother, Dean. As your Sponsors, we will be happy to answer any and all questions.
If you fail it reflects poorly on us, so do not embarrass us, Eric!
Sincerely,
Devin James
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📎 Attachment: rise-of-kozeron.pdf

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Attachment Contents:

 

The Rise of Közeron

The Viking ship known as Klóra Karfi disappeared on its journey homeward to the shores of Norway as it traversed the freezing waters of the North Sea with its sister ships, the Skelmir Hlíf and Hjarta Hvassi. It would be the final voyage of all three ships led by the famous Viking raider Kortan Sigurd and myriad pieces of the Skelmir Hlíf and Hjarta Hvassi were said to have washed ashore near Lindisfarne, England, the town that they set out from, after a great storm ravished and destroyed them. The winds and waves that night were responsible for drowning their respective crews and reducing both ships to kindling. Although historical documents from the corresponding time period and region of Britain assume the same fate befell the Klóra Karfi, something very different happened to Kortan Sigurd and the men on that ship.
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The raid was said to have been swift and brutal. The Viking warriors led by Sigurd, in documents written by Brother Godric Eadwine (an Anglo-Saxon monk at the Lindisfarne Priory), are described as “a band of savage heathen men whom hath once more come ashore, bringing ruin to the holy churches and townships that lie within the countryside's embrace. Three ships did arrive at break of day, one bearing the shape of a giant seashell carved upon its prow, another adorned with a heart, and the final with the visage of a dragon, adorned with fierce clawed talons striking fear. The men aboard these vessels slew all who stood against them, robbing their victims of money, treasures, and even their food. Ere they set their homes ablaze, reducing them to naught but ashes.” Brother Godric Eadwine also describes the storm that night, mentioning it the following day in his private diaries: “The tempest that did wreak havoc upon the coast yestereve was terrible and treacherous, verily the work of some evil force. The north tower of our holy monastery was smitten by lightning, causing a great fire in its wrathful strike and taking Abbot Edwulf Oswine from us. Between the dire events of the day and the calamities of the night that followed, the happenstances on the 19th day of June in the 824th year of our Lord shall forever be graven upon my memory.”
The histories inscribed by this monk and others of the Lindisfarne Priory claim that, upon finding pieces of wrecked longships mere days after the raids, the Klóra Karfi was destroyed along with its sister ships the Skelmir Hlíf and the Hjarta Hvassi in the storm that ensued after the violent plunder that befell the English coastline. There are, however, conflicting historical documents recorded by the Seãkwa people, a Native American tribe settled on the coast of New England in North America during the same time period. This unverified history is quite possibly the true fate of Kortan Sigurd and the Klóra Karfi, for in early 1932, during a ground excavation for a local business, a ship of Viking origin with a dragon’s head prow matching Brother Godric Eadwine’s description was unearthed from where it was buried near Veil Reef Beach at the southern boundary of Echo Bay. Experts confirm that the type of wood used as well as the building style of the vessel matches the construction of others built in the time period and location where the Klóra Karfi originated, lending further credence to the idea that the ship was not destroyed but was instead separated from its sisters during the violent storm, inexplicably finding its way completely undamaged and wholly intact to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
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According to Seãkwa historians, the tale that follows originated from stories told by the physical manifestation of an oceanic deity named Közeron, who shared his history with the tribe when he encountered them sometime in the 7th century. It has been shared in tribal memory for over 1,200 years via word of mouth, art, canoe carvings and architectural adornments from different time periods in their tribal history and remains a major part of the Seãkwa’s tribal identity to this day.
After successfully raiding Lindisfarne and the surrounding countryside, Kortan Sigurd and his men returned to their ships, securing their plunder and setting sail for home. The trio of longships were particularly quick and were thought to have possibly moved at an average speed of 8-12 knots, taking them approximately three days to five days of rowing with breaks and weather factored in, to make the approximate 800 kilometer return trip to their village on the coast of Norway. Typically, Viking longships of this time period sailed within view of the coastline and did not sail directly across open seas causing a journey that would otherwise take approximately two days to take nearly twice as long.
Sigurd was standing at the helm of the Klóra Karfi, adorned with its intricately carved prow, when the sky suddenly darkened and the wind began to howl like a vengeful spirit. A fierce and unexpected storm descended upon the three ships out of nowhere just hours after they set sail. The seas roared and monstrous waves reached their great hands towards the sky, threatening to capsize the raiding party’s ships with every gust. The men of the Klóra Karfi watched in horror as a maelstrom opened beneath the Hjarta Hvassi and Skelmir Hlíf, spinning them around and around one another in endless circles as their crews attempted to furiously row their vessels to safety. The men watched as the efforts of those in the other longships were unsuccessful and the whirlpool snapped the oars that competed against its currents one by one, eventually swallowing both ships whole and beginning to pull at the lone Viking longship that remained.
As the Klóra Karfi spun in the very same current that its sisters perished within, a great wave submerged the deck, taking three of the crew overboard and into the watery depths. The remaining men clung to the ship, white-knuckled and fearful, as the maelstrom’s grip tightened and their fate seemed set in stone.
When the intense storm finally abated, Kortan Sigurd and his men remained aboard the ship adrift in a dense fog, obscuring their vision of everything past two or three feet in every direction. The mist was so thick that when the men stood at the stern, they were unable to see the bow of the Klóra Karfi at the other end. The sun above them, showing barely through the haze, appeared as an illuminated, ghostly disc and worse still, not a single one of the men could remember how they survived. They could recall the onset of the typhoon, the terrifying whirlpool and watching their sister ships being crushed as they were sucked down to the bottom, but the memory of how they escaped that fate themselves was a blank void–as if it were wiped from their minds.
Amongst Sigurd’s men was one woman who went by the name of Aud Olofsdotter; a fierce shield maiden and soothsayer or “völva” as she was known in their native tongue, who claimed to have received a prophetic vision during the storm. Over many years, the men learned to listen to her and listen closely when she shared her visions with them, as she was a skilled storyteller and her prophecies became truths quite often. She spoke of a great kraken; a monstrous spear-headed sea creature with dozens of great, reaching tentacles, emerging from the depths at the very center of the maelstrom and pulling at the Klóra Karfi into the spinning waters.
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According to her vision, as it began to capsize, instead of allowing the longship to overturn, the great beast held it upright and level for a moment. It raised it up and above the waves for just a moment before it pulled the ship into the maelstrom’s center and underwater entirely. Instead of becoming submerged beneath the viciously undulating surface, the crew found themselves traveling through a mystical tunnel beneath the waves–a water-passage that encircled the ship above and below and seemed to stretch endlessly before and behind them. She claimed that this underpass beneath the surface of the water was a place of unremembering where the passage of time and the movement of the ship became entirely meaningless. The span between the storm and waking in the fog, which seemed to the men to be mere moments, was actually, she claimed, to be over three weeks. Some of the men who heard her telling of this vision claimed that this simply could not be so and at this, she urged them to check their stores of food and fresh water.
“You will find them nearly depleted.” she said, “I tell you, it has been nigh on a month since we sailed through this otherworldly realm, as guided by some unseen force and in that time, we have consumed nearly all of our provisions.”
Their stores of food, which were mostly stolen during the raid, should have lasted them nearly 20 days and what remained of their supply of fresh water was barely enough for four, although the barrels should have been nearly full for their journey was only meant to last a week or two and no longer. At this revelation, the men were dismayed and disoriented and looked to Kortan for leadership and guidance.
Knowing no other means of escape from their plight, he ordered them back into the hull and to begin rowing in a direction that, unsure of their location and lacking means of navigation through the fog, he chose arbitrarily–desperately hoping it would lead them safely to land and salvation.
For five days they rowed and the thick blankets of mist hanging in the air never lifted. Morale plummeted as hunger and thirst gnawed at their resolve to continue onward and some of the men began to believe and share in whispers that they surely must be dead. Their reasoning was that the maelstrom actually crushed their longship, like it had done to its sisters, and while the other crews made it to Valhalla, they somehow found themselves lost along the way. On the sixth night, shortly after the first of their numbers was found dead of malnutrition and dehydration in his bunk below decks, the waters around the Klóra Karfi were discovered to be glowing with a neon green phosphorescence and illuminating the fog with an eerie light. Both things were interpreted by most of those aboard the ship as a malevolent sign.
No one knew why he chose that night, when the water shimmered with an eerie glow, but even the most rational among the crew could be tempted to drink the seawater at this point, driven by their relentless thirst. Perhaps this man, unlike the others, saw the neon waters as a divine omen. The first to drink was Vontell Eriksson, who lowered a bucket into the glowing sea and raised it to his lips, swallowing nearly half without even attempting to skim the luminescent algae from the surface. In the waters around Echo Bay, the phosphorescent green glow is a familiar sight and is caused by psykothrix algae. This algae, more abundant before the Bay was settled, is still illegally harvested, dried, and processed for its consumption to this day. Known for its vivid glow and psychedelic properties, psykothrix algae poses a significant risk if not properly prepared. Studies reveal that improper processing can lead to severe irrationality and bouts of inexplicable violence, especially in those with weak or compromised constitutions. Thus, when the six starving and thirsty crew members were convinced by Vontell to drink the water with him, each of them fell into a state of frenzied madness. These seven men became the crew’s undoing.
That night, driven by insatiable hunger and the effects of psykothrix, the intoxicated men determined Aud Olofsdotter to be the weakest of the crew on board. They stabbed her to death and cut away strips of her stomach, which they began to eat raw. It wasn’t until they began to consume her uterus, intestines and liver that they were witnessed by another crewman who happened upon them in the midst of their gruesome act. Being greatly outnumbered by the madmen, he retreated above deck to alert Kortan Sigurd about what he’d seen happening below.
Most of the men gathered on the deck, drawn by the eerie glow of the eldritch waters. Kortan, rallying his remaining best fighters, descended below deck to confront the madmen-turned-cannibals. A brutal battle ensued, with the intoxicated men holding the advantage; the uncured algae granted them unnatural strength and cunning. In a short time, they overpowered Sigurd and his fighters, capturing Sigurd and binding him tightly to a beam.
As the remaining crew discovered the mutiny, they attempted to reclaim their ship, descending below deck to attempt to overthrow the mutineers and free their leader. However, the madmen’s enhanced abilities led to a bloody slaughter. One by one, Sigurd’s men fell until only Kortan remained, shouting at the mutineers and demanding to be released. The madmen taunted him for hours, their eyes gleaming and wild the entire time. Before the night was through, they mutilated their captain, severing his arms at the elbows and cutting off his legs, tossing them into the glowing sea. Kortan was strong and his strength and desire to live never faltered, even at the end when they threw him, still alive, into the freezing neon waters as well.
This marks a pivotal moment in Seãkwa tribal history where legend and myth become one, for Kortan Sigurd did not perish. Indeed, what transpired next endowed him with everlasting life. Xaigon, eternal and undying, in this time period was already inhabiting the waters of Echo Bay and was already living there in his dream state for eons. His followers on land were already brewing Cetacean Essence and undergoing the telltale transformations and adaptations necessary to live with him beneath the waves for several hundred years. At this time, the Shining City in the fabled Coral Caves was considerably smaller than its present size. By 824 AD, Depth Departures were occurring in small, unrecorded numbers within the Seãkwa tribe, with the Xaigonian Fishpeople beneath the black waves of Echo Bay numbering between 750 and 900 souls.
It is crucial to note that the true scope and size of the Shining City has never been accurately counted or estimated with any degree of success. By the time of this publication in 1934, it is thought that over 5,000 souls reside in the Shining City. The Xaigonian Fishpeople do not permit outsiders, particularly census takers, to enter their great, secret city, and likely never will, rendering these numbers unverifiable. Experts concur that the population of the Coral Cave’s Shining City is at least double that of Echo Bay. However, many argue that this undersea population is easily three times larger than the land-based population.
For more information on Xaigon, Xaigonian Enclave, Xaigonian Fishpeople, Cetacean Essence or Depth Departures, refer to Chapter 12, "The Lore and History of Xaigon" beginning on page 137.
Having been noticed by Xaigonian scouts two days prior, the Klóra Karfi was already being watched closely by the residents of the Shining City and as Kortan Sigurd’s body sank beneath the waters, it was collected by three Xaigonian Oracles. Moving hastily and employing the use of their dark magic, the Priestesses dismembered a giant lobster attaching its limbs, tail and legs to Kortan Sigurd’s torso, thus saving his life.
When Kortan awoke beneath the sea, his eyes slowly adjusted to the dim, otherworldly light filtering through the water. Confusion gripped him as he took in his strange surroundings; an underwater temple filled with bioluminescent sea creatures and phosphorescent algae. Before him stood the three Oracles, pleasure painted across their scaled faces, satisfied with their work. For a short time, he strained to comprehend the alien environment. When they spoke to him, he did not understand their words and he slowly began to grow agitated.As realization dawned, this confusion and agitation gave way to a burning wrath. The annals of Viking mythology are clear: a slain warrior's rightful place is within the hallowed halls of Valhalla, where he would feast and fight for eternity. Yet, by some cruel twist of fate, Kortan found himself denied this glorious afterlife. His resurrection beneath the waves was not a blessing but a curse–a theft of his warrior's reward.
image-4.jpg
Fueled by this perceived outrage and denial, Kortan's rage intensified. His once noble visage twisted with fury, he turned on the very Oracles who saved his life. These mystical seers of the deep, revered for their wisdom and power, unwittingly incurred his vengeance. He saw their actions not as a salvation but as a condemnation, a denial of his divine right.
As their mangled bodies began to turn the waters of their sacred temple red, Kortan breathed heavily of their mystic blood as it commingled with the seawater. In breathing this blood, he was further imbued with the dark magics of the Xaigonian Priestesses.
This act of destruction and desecration within the sacred confines of one of Xaigon’s temples, nestled in the secretive Shining City of the Coral Caves, did not escape notice. Xaigon himself, a nightmarish entity with a slick, reflective black form, both squid-like and humanoid, bearing a colossal obsidian shell upon his back, stirred from his eternal slumber. Waking from his dreamstate and rising up from the Abyss, he ascended through the chasmic cliffs of his sleeping crevice, swimming directly to the temple where the massacre transpired. Within moments, his formidable tentacles rent the walls of the sacred sanctuary to rubble, and upon discovering Kortan still within, a titanic clash between the two ensued.
image-5.jpg
Xaigon found himself facing an evenly matched adversary in the transformed Viking. The battle raged with ferocity, hand-to-tentacle, for nearly an hour. When Xaigon’s powerful and whip-like appendages succeeded in tearing the newly attached claws from Kortan’s arms, it seemed as though victory was within his grasp. Yet, in a twist neither combatant anticipated, something extraordinary occurred.
Lobsters possess the remarkable ability to regenerate their claws through a process of molting their exoskeletons. This regeneration process begins immediately upon the loss of a limb, with a bud forming at the site of the wound. In an ordinary lobster, it may take several molts to fully restore a missing claw or limb and depending on the age of the lobster, this may be a process that takes anywhere from a year to five years total for this remarkable ability to allow for eventual regrowth.
However, imbued with the supernatural blood of the Oracles, Kortan’s regeneration defied the natural order. To the astonishment of both Xaigon and Kortan, his claws began to regenerate instantaneously. The exoskeleton formed and shed multiple times within mere seconds. In less than a minute, the missing claws were fully regrown from where Xaigon severed them.
Defeated and bewildered, Xaigon retreated into the spiraling abyss of his onyx shell. Once fully ensconced, the ominous sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the depths as he blocked off the shell’s opening and sank slowly to the ocean floor, leaving behind a trail of bioluminescent mucus in his wake. Kortan continued his assault on the impenetrable shell where it lay at rest on the ocean floor for quite some time, his relentless blows failing to make a dent in the unnatural and unholy barrier that shielded the ancient god.
At last, conceding the futility of his efforts, Kortan abandoned the fight. He swam back to the surface, resolute in his determination to attend to other unfinished business that awaited him above the waves.
It did not take long for Kortan to locate the Klóra Karfi, despite the dense fog enshrouding the surface. Finding it was easy for him amidst the eerie, glowing waters. His newly transformed limbs, both dexterous and surefooted, allowed him to scale the side of the longship with ease, and with a mighty heave, he hoisted himself aboard the deck, where the mutineers were still celebrating their ill-gotten victory, their minds still twisted by the hallucinogenic effects of the psykothrix algae.
Kortan cleared his throat, a sound that sliced through their carousing and caused the startled men to turn and face him in horror. The only remaining vestiges of his humanity were the intricate patterns of tattoos on his chest, his furious bearded face, and his long, elaborately braided hair.
With his newfound power, Kortan exacted a brutal revenge on the mutineers, slaughtering them for their betrayal and casting their severed limbs into the sea. Having satisfied his vengeance, Kortan left the ship and ventured into the vast ocean depths. For many months, he explored the underwater realms, encountering many creatures native only to Echo Bay. Creatures both wondrous and terrifying. His journey was marked by continuous clashes with the Xaigonian Fishpeople who still believed they might find a way to best him in battle and earn the glory and recognition of Xaigon. Every Fishperson who attempted to fight him in the sand at the depths of the open waters was repaid for their efforts with death.

Közeron and the Seãkwa Tribe

The Seãkwa Tribe were living along the coast of Echo Bay for generations prior to 825 AD, their existence deeply intertwined with the rhythms of the tides and the whispers of the ocean. They held a profound belief in the spirits dwelling within the watery depths, chief among them Xaigon himself. Their rituals and traditions were inextricably linked with the natural world of the sea, as they considered themselves the guardians of its enigmatic mysteries.
According to Seãkwa tribal historians, Kortan emerged from the waves in Twilight Cove, located on the north side of their village, one sunny afternoon. He was first spotted by a pair of tribesmen who were fishing on the shore. Horrified and awestruck by his appearance, they abandoned their belongings, including a basket containing their substantial catch, and ran back to the village to alert the tribe. Kortan observed these men, picked up their abandoned basket in his claws, and followed them with a curious demeanor.
Upon his arrival at the village, Kortan found it seemingly deserted. The fishermen, known for their serious dispositions and honesty, recounted their encounter to the tribal leaders. The elders, trusting their word, sounded the alarm by blowing three times into a conch shell, prompting the entire tribe, except for one, to flee the small village. The elderly and infirm hid among the high sand dune grasses, while the young and able-bodied quietly and quickly ascended the hidden paths within the Twilight Pass cliffs. Everyone halted where they stood when Kortan arrived, with many crouching in the seagrasses along the rocky path and others watching from the cliffs with shocked amazement.
Kortan briefly surveyed the village before sighing and leaving the basket of fish at what he supposed was the village center. Observing this, the one man who had stayed behind decided to emerge from his hiding place. Talanook, a trusted member of the tribal shaman, approached Kortan with cautious reverence, sensing an immense power radiating from him. After several minutes of circling Kortan, who stood unmoving, Talanook beckoned to the villagers, signaling that it was safe to return.
No one living on land had ever seen Xaigon, so when Talanook proclaimed that this being was the manifestation of the deity in physical form, the tribe fell to their knees, offering respect and pledging their devotion. Kortan, unable to understand their language, did nothing to correct the misunderstanding and seemed to accept their worship. The tribe celebrated their fortune, believing they were in the presence of a divine entity from the sea.
As days turned into weeks, Kortan remained among the Seãkwa, gradually learning their language and lifestyle. His presence became a central part of their daily lives, integrating himself into their customs and routines. Yet, a schism began to form within the tribe, as not all members were wholly convinced of his divinity. A young warrior named Mako, known for his strength and perceptiveness, started to question Kortan’s true nature. Over time, Mako's suspicions grew, and he became convinced that this creature was not Xaigon. He began to quietly whisper to others, suggesting that Kortan was a mere usurper seeking to disrupt their sacred traditions. His skepticism resonated with many in the tribe, finding a receptive audience among the doubtful.
The division reached a breaking point when Kortan, struggling with his newfound language, mispronounced words that evoked laughter from a crowd of onlookers. Losing his temper, Kortan destroyed one of the tribe’s sacred totems, throwing it into a bonfire before retreating hastily back to the sea. He was not seen nor heard from for many days. This act of desecration was too much for Mako and his followers. They accused Talanook and the shamanic council of leading the tribe astray, sparking a fierce debate among the Seãkwa people. In a matter of days, the once-unified tribe stood on the brink of civil war.
Unable to reconcile their differences, the tribe split into two factions. Mako and his followers, steadfast in their belief that Kortan was not Xaigon, chased Talanook and his supporters out of Twilight Cove. Mako declared Twilight Cove a sacred site, insisting it should belong only to the true believers of Xaigon as the one true sea god. Talanook and his followers, still devoted to Kortan, relocated to Veil Reef Beach, on the southern end of Echo Bay.
When Kortan emerged from the waves once more, the faction remaining in the original village acted as though he were invisible. Using his limited understanding of the Seãkwa language, Kortan attempted to apologize, having finally realized that the people worshiping him believed him to be Xaigon. Despite his efforts, they ignored him entirely until one of the elders broke the silence. The elder, using simple words that Kortan mostly understood, explained where those who still loved and followed him had relocated.
Over the following weeks, Kortan learned much more of the language from his devoted followers. He gradually dispelled their misconception, explaining that he was not Xaigon. As his grasp of the language improved further, he recounted to the elders of the exiled faction how he had defeated Xaigon in hand-to-hand combat months earlier. He described how the deity had retreated into his shell to escape him. In recognition of his deeds and power, Talanook bestowed upon him the name Közeron, solidifying his new identity among the Seãkwa.
The two factions of the Seãkwa tribe continued their fierce struggle for many months, but the relentless conflict began to take a heavy toll on both sides. Leaders from each faction started to recognize the futility of their strife, and in a rare moment of unity, Talanook and Mako agreed to meet under a banner of truce. They convened at the rocky outcrop known as Spirit’s Reach, a neutral ground sacred to both factions. There, they discussed peace and the pressing need to preserve their people and traditions.
After several days of intense negotiation, a tentative peace was established. Both factions agreed to respect each other’s territories and cease hostilities. The Közerians would continue to inhabit Veil Reef Beach, while the Xaigonians would remain at Twilight Cove. They decided to share the waters and resources of Echo Bay, cooperating only when absolutely necessary to avoid further bloodshed.
image-6.jpg
This fragile peace was maintained through a grudging commerce. The Közerian faction, with their access to the groves near Veil Reef Beach and Közeron’s knowledge of shipbuilding, excelled in crafting canoes. They traded these canoes to the Xaigonians in exchange for the right to fish the abundant waters of Twilight Cove. Even the Seãkwa who had splintered from the faction that remained at Twilight Cove recognized that these waters were the richest fishing grounds in Echo Bay. They remain so to this day, a testament to the continued devotion and sacrifices of the Xaigonian Enclave.
This arrangement, though fraught with tension, allowed both factions to thrive. The Közerians used their shipbuilding skills to explore new waters and expand their trade, while the Xaigonians, with their deep connection to Xaigon, continued their sacred rituals and maintained the fertility of their fishing grounds. The peace forged at Spirit’s Reach endured, a delicate balance of mutual respect and necessity, shaping the destiny of the Seãkwa people for generations to come.
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Hiya,
I've recently taken the plunge and decided to order my first lot of Mounjaro (2.5mg) from ASDA Online Pharmacy. I've filled in the questionnaire and got submitted for Dr's approval. I then received a message on their chat platform requesting an ID, which i proceeded to send to them.
This was all a couple of days ago now and it's still pending? I understand there may be a lot of people requesting in their system, but from what i've read on this subreddit, the turn around is usually pretty quick and easy? Has anyone else experienced this or used ASDA Pharmacy? How long did it take you to get approved and a delivery sent out?
Thanks!
Also my referral code is: REFJM96Y

Hi everyone,
I moved to Australia a month ago and purchased an Optus SIM. A day later I got a suspicious text with a confirmation code for Carma mobile, plus texts from two separate companies (one was the Iconic, the other I forget), each addressing me by a different name.
I believed I had been SIM swapped, so went to Optus and purchased a new SIM, but kept the same number. However, the texts from the two companies, addressing me by two different names, continued. Today I received a text and missed call from a real estate agent in Dubai. The text thanked me for expressing interest in a property.
Why am I getting these scam calls and texts? Is this evidence of malware being placed on my phone? Have I been hacked? Or could it be a second case of SIM swapping? In any case, I would welcome advice on what to do.

Good Morning Patriots
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Free place to chat and a good place to discuss whatever you like with other sub users
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2024 Opponents Set.

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Patriots front office tracker

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Meet New England’s 2024 Rookie Class.

Patriots updated depth chart

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New England Patriots News Catchup Links - OTA observations: Solid day for young rookies; QB throwdown

• Evan Lazar shares five observations as rookie QB Drake Maye and WR Javon Baker impress in second open OTA practice. 1. A ‘little things’ throw by Maye gets kudos from Jacoby.
• Mike Dussault finds Brian Belichick back where he’s happiest and grateful to be back coaching the Patriots safeties despite significant turnover across the rest of the staff and roster.
• Press Release: The Patriots and Beasley Media Group’s 98.5 The Sports Hub announce multi-year broadcast extension.
• Press Conferences: Jerod Mayo - Bailey Zappe - Chad Ryland - Jacoby Brissett - Jabrill Peppers - Deatrich Wise - Bryce Baringer - Brian Belichick - Dont’a Hightower - DeMarcus Covington - Jeremy Springer.
• Patriots Playbook: Takeaways from recent OTAs, Rookie expectations, potential changes to offseason schedule. (2 hours)
• Taylor Kyles’ Observations from Day 2 of open OTAs: Young offensive weapons made some big plays; Keion White assuming larger role in year 2; More.
• Mike Kadlick’s Patriots OTA Notebook: Tyquan Thornton is having another impressive spring; Maye’s footwork continues to be slower than the likes of Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe, but the focus on honing in that part of his craft is there; Chad Ryland finished practice hitting 4 of 5 field goal attempts; More.
• Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry’s Wednesday OTA observations: Drake Maye starts slow, finishes strong; QB snap breakdown; More.
• Doug Kyed’s Patriots OTA Notes: Rookie WR Javon Baker impresses, Drake Maye sees more work; Sidy Sow’s lack of participation saw some reshuffling on the offensive line. Atonio Mafi and veteran guard Michael Jordan saw an increase in reps; More.
• Chris Mason gives us 7 takeaways from OTAs: Zappe over Maye in QB reps; Strong day for Tyquan; Guard rotation continues; More.
• Alex Barth’s OTA notebook: Spreading things out on offense; Cadence work; Hangtimes; Attendance; More.
• Nick Stevens notes rookie WR Javon Baker highlights a solid day for Patriots offense at OTAs
• Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry share their observations of QB Drake Maye from yesterday’s OTA practice session. “I’d give him an A-, B+ relative to what I would expect from him.”
• Matt Dolloff’s Mayewatch: Rookie QB Drake Maye looked solid in his latest open OTA practice, despite appearing to remain behind in the pecking order.
• Doug Kyed reports how Jacoby Brissett’s familiarity with the Patriots offense gives the entire unit an advantage.
• Karen Guregian says it isn’t a big deal why Drake Maye is still getting reps behind Bailey Zappe.
• Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry discuss Bailey Zappe’s role with the Pats, noting that Zappe has received more reps than Drake Maye this spring.
• Mike D’Abate observes QB Bailey Zappe “having fun” while competing for a spot on the depth chart.
• Andy Hart says the elephant in the QB room is the question of where Bailey Zappe fits on the QB depth chart.
• Alex Barth reports second-year defender Keion White was an early ‘surprise’ for Jerod Mayo.
• Chris Mason highlights kicker Chad Ryland eager to attack 2024 after a trying rookie season. “I’m no coward to a challenge.”

I am running ads as an affiliate for a brand that has its own custom sales page for physical products. Currently, I use a pre-landebridge page where I can implement an ATC event to optimize purchase conversions for my campaigns.
However, since I can't add pixel code on their post-checkout/thank-you page, I can't effectively track and optimize for actual purchase conversions. However, the brand owners have added a lead event code on their post-checkout page where I can put my own pixel ID. Given this situation, would it be better to create a campaign with a lead objective? Would using lead objectives be effective for a product-based business?
I've seen some others say that their results were not great when optimizing for a product based business using lead objective campaigns. So wanted to get some advice from people who have similar experience or if it's worth even testing.

A Complete Beginner’s Guide to WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE)

Table of Contents

1. What is WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE)?
2. Check Your Compatibility
3. Navigate the FSE Interface
4. Building Your Website with FSE
5. Going Further with FSE
6. Resources for Deepening Your FSE Knowledge

What is WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE)?

Imagine transforming your WordPress site without touching a single line of code. That’s the magic of Full Site Editing (FSE)! It’s a game-changer for beginners, giving you the power to design and customize every corner of your website using simple building blocks called blocks. Think of these blocks like Lego bricks for your website.
Previously, customizing your site beyond the content area often involved editing theme files or using complex page builders. FSE simplifies this process dramatically, making website creation more accessible and intuitive for everyone.

Why Would a Beginner Want to Use FSE?

Pros:

• No coding required: Build beautiful websites without touching a single line of code.
• Drag-and-drop interface: Edit your site visually, just like using Legos.
• Flexibility and customization: Design unique layouts and personalize your website exactly how you want.
• Faster development: Build pages quicker and easier compared to traditional methods.
• Responsive design: FSE themes adapt automatically to different screen sizes.
• Future-proof: This is the direction WordPress is moving, so learning FSE now benefits you long-term.

Cons:

• Still evolving: Some features and themes might be under development.
• Learning curve: While easier than coding, there’s still a learning curve to understand blocks and the interface.
• Limited theme selection: Currently, fewer themes fully support FSE compared to traditional themes.

Check Your Compatibility

Before jumping in, make sure your WordPress setup is ready for FSE. You’ll need:

• WordPress 6.0 or later: Newer versions offer better FSE support. Check your version under Dashboard > Updates.
• Block-based theme: Traditional themes won’t work with FSE. Look for themes marked as “block-based” or “FSE-compatible.”

Install a Beginner-Friendly FSE Theme

Choosing the right theme is crucial! Here are some popular options for beginners:

• Twenty Twenty-Three (TT3): The official WordPress theme built for FSE, packed with features and customization options.
• Astra: Highly customizable and lightweight, perfect for various website types.
• Kadence: Offers pre-built layouts and drag-and-drop functionality for easy site creation.
• GeneratePress: Simple and lightweight with a powerful theme builder for more control.

Remember, you can always change themes later! Install your chosen theme via Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.

Navigate the FSE Interface

Once you activate your FSE theme, explore the new “Site Editor” interface:

• Sidebar: Houses all available blocks for you to drag and drop onto your pages.
• Toolbar: Provides options for managing layouts, settings, and previewing your site.
• Canvas: This is where you build your pages by adding and arranging blocks.
• Inspector: Customize individual blocks by adjusting their styles, content, and settings.

Key Features

• Block patterns: Pre-designed layouts ready to be inserted for faster page building.
• Global styles: Set consistent fonts, colors, and spacing for your entire site.
• Templates: Create reusable page layouts for different sections of your website.

These are just a few highlights. Experiment and explore the interface to discover its full potential!

Building Your Website with FSE

Dive into the Fun Stuff!

Now that you’re comfortable with the basics, let’s get your hands dirty and start building! Here are the core pillars of FSE website creation:

Pages

Creating New Pages:

• Open the Site Editor and choose “Pages” to see existing ones or “Add New” to create a fresh page.
• Explore the library of “Blocks” on the left sidebar. Drag and drop them onto the canvas to build your page structure.
• Each block represents different content types (text, images, buttons, etc.). Customize each block using the Inspector panel on the right.

Editing Existing Pages:

• Select the page you want to edit from the “Pages” section.
• The Site Editor displays the existing page layout with all its blocks.
• Edit individual blocks by clicking on them and using the Inspector panel. Add new blocks and rearrange them as needed.

Using Pre-built Templates (if available):

• Some FSE themes offer pre-built “Page Templates” with ready-made layouts for different purposes (homepage, contact page, etc.).
• Access these templates in the Site Editor and choose the one that best suits your needs.
• Customize the template further by editing individual blocks and their content.

Navigation

Customizing Your Menu:

• Go to “Appearance > Menus” in the WordPress dashboard.
• Add menu items for your pages or categories. Rearrange them using drag-and-drop.
• In the Site Editor, open the “Navigation” section. You can see the menu you created.
• Customize its appearance (fonts, colors, spacing) using the menu editor within the Site Editor.

Creating Different Menus:

• You can create multiple menus for different sections of your website.
• In the Menus section of the dashboard, create separate menus for specific areas (e.g., main menu, footer menu).
• Within the Site Editor, assign different menus to different locations on your website (e.g., header, footer).

Understanding Block Types

Explore the diverse block library within the Site Editor. You’ll find blocks for:

• Text and headings
• Images and galleries
• Buttons and forms
• Videos and social media embeds
• And much more!

Adding, Arranging, and Editing Blocks:

• Find the block you need in the library, drag and drop it onto the canvas.
• Arrange blocks by dragging and dropping them to reorder.
• Click on any block to access the Inspector panel and customize its content, style, and settings.

Global Styles

Setting Overall Site Design:

• Go to “Appearance > Global Styles” in the dashboard.
• Define your website’s overall typography (fonts, sizes, colors).
• Set color palettes for different elements (buttons, backgrounds, etc.).
• Define spacing and layout options for a consistent feel throughout your site.

Going Further with FSE

Advanced Tips and Resources

Now that you’ve grasped the core concepts of building with FSE, let’s explore ways to elevate your website creation experience:

Reusable Styles

As mentioned, defining reusable styles within “Global Styles” is a powerful tool for maintaining consistency and efficiency. Here’s how:

• Create multiple styles: Define different styles for headings, buttons, forms, etc., to build a design system for your website.
• Apply styles easily: In the Site Editor, select blocks and quickly apply predefined styles from the dropdown menu.
• Update styles globally: Modifying a style within “Global Styles” automatically updates all blocks using that style, saving you time and effort.

Patterns for Faster Page Building

Discover “Patterns”: Many FSE themes offer pre-designed blocks called “Patterns” representing sections like hero areas, contact forms, and more.

• Insert patterns quickly: Drag and drop patterns onto your page to save time on building common elements.
• Customize patterns: Edit patterns like any other block to make them your own without starting from scratch.

Block Plugins for Extended Features

Expand your toolkit: Install block plugins that add even more block options to your library.

• Find specific functionalities: Plugins offer blocks for advanced features like social media feeds, custom forms, and complex layouts.
• Choose wisely: Select plugins with good reviews and active development for a smooth experience.

Troubleshooting Common FSE Issues

Seek help: While relatively user-friendly, FSE might encounter minor issues.

• Consult documentation: Check your theme’s documentation for troubleshooting tips related to specific themes or blocks.
• Community forums: Utilize online forums and communities dedicated to WordPress and FSE for help from other users and developers.

Resources for Deepening Your FSE Knowledge

Official WordPress Documentation: Dive deeper into the technical aspects and specific features of FSE.

• Theme Developer Resources: Many theme developers offer tutorials and guides specific to their FSE themes.
• Online Courses and Tutorials: Explore dedicated platforms offering comprehensive FSE learning resources.

Recommended Online Courses and Tutorials for FSE:

Simple Site Design and Site Editing: This course reviews the interconnected features of site editing in WordPress and how they can help you create beautiful site designs without using any code. [Course Link]()
WordPress Full Site Editing with Gutenberg on Udemy: This course teaches how to design your theme as well as your posts and pages using Gutenberg, Full Site Editor. It is suitable for WordPress users who want to learn to harness the power of Full Site Editing with Gutenberg. [Course Link]()
Courses on Learn WordPress: Learn WordPress offers various courses that teach the more technical aspects of working with WordPress, including theme development, building plugins, and block development. [Course Link]()

Official WordPress Resources:

• Official Website: wordpress.org – The official website for WordPress, where you can download the software, find documentation, and learn more about using it.
• WordPress Codex: codex.wordpress.org – A comprehensive documentation resource for WordPress, covering everything from installation and configuration to specific functionality and troubleshooting.
• WordPress Theme Directory: wordpress.org/themes – The official WordPress theme directory is a great place to find free and premium WordPress themes. You can browse themes by category, feature, and popularity.

Explore additional resources from MaxiBlocks:

• Help Desk: maxiblocks.com/go/help-desk
• Pro Library: maxiblocks.com/pro-library
• YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@maxiblocks
• Twitter: twitter.com/maxiblocks
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/maxi-blocks
• GitHub: github.com/orgs/maxi-blocks
• WordPress Plugin: wordpress.org/plugins/maxi-blocks

By following this guide and utilizing the recommended resources, you can confidently navigate and master WordPress Full Site Editing, creating beautiful, functional, and responsive websites without any coding knowledge.