Detroit, Michigan, June 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX), (the “Company”) (OTCPK:AITX), a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions for enterprise clients along with wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), today announced a strategic investment in Nightingale Security Inc., a leader in autonomous aerial (drone) security systems. This investment follows a partnership announced in May, enhancing the commitment to delivering cutting-edge security solutions.
The Company noted that the undisclosed financial investment was via a convertible note. A convertible note is a type of short-term debt that converts into equity, typically in conjunction with a future financing round. This investment structure provides AITX with the flexibility to support Nightingale Security’s growth while potentially benefiting from future equity appreciation. By using a convertible note, AITX is able to make a strategic investment without immediately diluting its equity stake, aligning the interests of both companies and allowing for shared growth and success in the evolving security market.
Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO of AITX and RAD, stated, “Our investment in Nightingale Security enhances our technological capabilities and market reach. Integrating RAD’s ground-based robots with Nightingale’s drones creates a robust security ecosystem for challenging environments.”
Jack Wu, CEO of Nightingale Security, added, “This partnership pushes integrated autonomous devices to deliver autonomous security, providing cost reduction, more capabilities, and unmatched situational awareness via the ability to rapidly respond with the Nightingale autonomous drone.”
The integration of RAD’s RIO™ with Nightingale’s drones will enable seamless detection, surveillance, and response, offering low-cost, efficient security for large, remote areas. This combined solution will provide clients with the ability to “Detect, Respond, and Verify.”
Mark Folmer, CPP, PSP, FSyI, President of RAD, commented, “We are excited to deepen our collaboration with Nightingale. This partnership offers our clients an intelligent security solution combining stationary and aerial capabilities, setting new industry standards.”
This strategic investment emphasizes AITX’s proactive approach to leveraging emerging technologies in security. The companies aim to advance AI-powered security solutions and reinforce their leadership in the field.
Both companies are committed to a long-term vision, with typically three-year Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) contracts underscoring their dedication to providing sustained, innovative security solutions worldwide. The partnership highlights the significant impact and growth potential of autonomous security solutions, aiming to redefine security standards globally.
For more information about this innovative partnership and to stay updated on further developments, please visit www.radsecurity.com and www.nightingalesecurity.com.
AITX, through its subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model. RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industry’s existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model. RAD delivers these tremendous cost savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines. All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house.
About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX)
AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITX’s RAD, RAD-R, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business. AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staff and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.radsecurity.com, www.stevereinharz.com, www.radgroup.ai, www.raddog.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on Twitter @SteveReinharz.
CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained in this publication does not constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy securities of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX) (the “Company”). This publication contains forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future performance and may involve subjective judgment and analysis. The information provided herein is believed to be accurate and reliable, however the Company makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. The Company has no obligation to provide the recipient with additional updated information. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company’s future revenues, results of operations, or stock price.

I know the spirits are low since Arkane Austin has been shut down, were not able to bring Redfall to the state they wanted and couldn't develop another single-player experience - but Arkane Lyon are still very much operational and their future seems bright despite the loss of the sister-studio. I've seen a lot of gloomy perspectives on the future of the studio, so I decided to share my view of the current situation.
Mind you, the following are speculations, and given how projects can be cancelled and studios can be closed on a whim, we should wait until Arkane Lyon share the information themselves.

1. When Dinga Bakaba and Sebastian Mitton were announcing "DEATHLOOP" in 2019 at Bethesda E3 showcase, they mentioned they had other projects at work alongside assisting Machine Games on Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Cyberpilot. I doubt they could commit to the simultaneous development of another project alongside "DEATHLOOP" at the time, since COVID-19 hit the industry and they had to go remote, but there is a chance the project wasn't just scrapped and was rather put on hold. It might also be possible that Zenimax were trying to increase their market value by starting new projects for the possible acquisition.
2. Since the release of "DEATHLOOP" Arkane Lyon expanded the offices and staffed up to around 200 people according to the LinkedIn profiles and the financial data. Unless Arkane Lyon are aiming for significantly higher budget for BLADE, it's possible these were needed to allow the possibility of simultaneous development.
3. The ending of "DEATHLOOP", especially the extended ending from the Goldenloop Update clearly teased some form of continuation for either the characters or the world. The fact that the extended ending that was being added to the game alongside other features throughout the 2022 reinforced the tease even more, makes me think they wanted to double down on the concept of the shared universe between Dishonored and "DEATHLOOP" as a tease for their next project. The official confirmation by Arkane Lyon would make the release of the next game set in the Dishonored universe in 6 or so years look bizarre.
4. Some Arkane Lyon LinkedIn profiles still feature "unannounced projects" even after the announcement of BLADE. Some developers don't bother regularly updating their LinkedIn profiles, especially studio veterans, but still even some of the language the developers used after the announcement alludes to the fact that not everyone was working on Blade at the time of announcement. One of the developers who left Arkane to work on Crysis 4 even expressed confusion on whether or not he could consider himself a contributor to BLADE.
5. BLADE is "now in development" as marked in the trailer and in the official blog - which screams "we are yet to enter production", especially given that Dinga told us not to expect any news in the nearest future. Most of the Disney IP is being announced very early in the form of CGI announcement trailer or even a Twitter post like with Black Panther by Cliffhanger and Iron Man by Motive. My guess is that announcing the game on Blade's 50th anniversary after Marvel and Arkane Lyon agreed on what the game would be is a good move for everyone involved business-wise. A lot of Arkane stuff has also been frequently leaking, so announcing BLADE would help them draw attention away from their other project. Before the announcement there were rumors of both Dishonored 3 and Blade from prominent industry people, so nobody really knew which one would actually appear. Might've been a confusion with Arkane Austin's next project though.
6. BLADE is going to be in third-person and set in Paris. Even though Arkane Lyon are clearly not against experimenting with their usual design ethos, I don't feel like they'd be willing to put on hold their research of first-person combat and development of Dishonored universe lore and art. At the very least, first-person and third-person perspectives require different approaches for various aspects of the game - from level design and level/environment art to movement and player guidance. Arkane loves building new worlds with each game and only doing Paris, albeit their version of it, might be limiting for their art and narrative team.
7. BLADE is a great fit for Arkane Lyon and would clearly help them gain more mainstream traction and draw attention to their previous games, some of which did not get the full recognition they deserved at the time. But making BLADE also puts them in a situation where a successful release would necessitate starting development on the sequel - so given how passionate the developers at Arkane Lyon are about the more traditional Immersive Sims, I bet even if simultaneous development doesn't already take place, they have plans for it.
8. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider was developed in 8 months. Even though DLCs and expansions don't take as much time as full releases do, this is still an impressive feat. The team is very efficient and you can even look up Dana Nightingale's talk on the efficiency and quality in level design behind the structure of their team. Given that it's been two years since the release of "DEATHLOOP" and Goldenloop Update and assistance for Redfall didn't take up too much resources, I would suspect they'd have something to show by this point.
9. The very same Dana Nightingale has been updating the name of her current position at Arkane Lyon in a very odd order "Campaign Director" -> "Some kinda design person" -> "Level Design Director" -> "Level Design and Campaign Director". This comes from the Twitter bio, so it's not necessarily official, especially the second one, but the progression over the last two years from one position to the other and then to both is still weird for a single project.
10. Dinga Bakaba just posted a photo from a french Airbnb. That's complete speculation and he might be staying there and traveling elsewhere for whatever reasons, but the timing is such that it would make sense for him to appear at one of the events at Summer Games Fest and potentially showcase their new project.

So for anyone curious of my roster proper, because it's been awhile since it's been mentioned. And I've been posting character profiles recently. And i did edit it a bit from the original post a year ago. It might just be easier to look here.
Gods: Ra, Izanagi, Quetzalcoatl, Anat, Chi-you,Tamamo no mae, Nergal, Ereshkigal, Thanatos, Set, Baldr, Kali, Artemis.
Humanity: Robinhood, Theodore roosevelt, Gilgamesh, Jan Žižka, Beowulf, Minamoto No Raikou, Oda Nobunaga, Florance Nightingale, Leonardo da vinci, Cleopatra, Orpheus, Fionn Mac Cumhail, Harry Houdini.
With the one's being drawn so far being: Robinhood, Theodore roosevelt, Raikou, Cleopatra, Florance nightingale, Oda nobunaga, Ra, Artemis, Thanatos.
Edit: Also a I have a plan for two commentators. Instead of Heimdall. My idea is that of athena, and Dionysius.
Now some updates; I'm sure people have noticed the Art posted and the artists used. And I mostly wanted to give an update on the ART side of things. So first off I've mentioned it before but 2 new artists are gonna be working on this project. (possibly three but I'll get there.) I won't name them yet until their art gets officially pushed out.
But Ultimatly despite me figuring out who's drawing MOST the roster, I've still yet to figure out who to draw Anat, Fionn, and Orpheus. So they will likely be the last one's published.
now For those who are wondering who's next to get drawn: That would be Da vinci and Baldr at least in the next two months. Quetzalcoatl hopefully sometime soon. Harry houdini will also hopefully be done before the end of the year. but unknown when.
Tamamo is gonna be done by one of the new artists, but I've no clue when they'll be drawn.
And That's it in regards to art updates.
Any questions? or anyone your excited to see coming up?

I've been trying to get the armoury racks to display the armours from Sons of Skyrim, I have the patch for both it and LotD, but it still refuses to display them. I tried both the light and heavy Solitude guard armours, but it still will not work. I figured that when I stumbled on how to get other armours and even the Thane Weapons Reborn weapons to display, I'd have no trouble, yet still I am. I don't know if it's an LO issue or the patch failing for me. I included the LO just incase it is and somebody is able to point the issue out of me being an idiot.

• Creation Club Content
• USSEP
• TGCR Not A Crime (The Gray Cowl Returns) 2.0
• Thieves Guild Vault
• Campfire: Complete Camping System
• Simple Workaround Framework
• Environs Master Plugin
• Legacy of the Dragonborn
• Bushcraft: A Camping and Survival Overhaul
• LotD - Bushcraft Patch
• The Choice is Yours
• Use Those Blankets
• Go To Bed
• Super Simple Lock Bash
• Celtic Music In Skyrim - SE
• AI Overhaul 1.8.2 Scripted Non Ussep Dependant
• Relationship Dialogue Overhaul
• Guard Dialogue Overhaul
• Atlas Map Markers SE
• SkyHUD - Pastel Markers
• Multiple Floors Sandboxing
• The Great City of Solitude
• The Great Cities, Towns, and Villages Bundle for AI Overhaul and JK’s Skyrim
• JK’s Skyrim AIO
• The Great Cities, Towns, and Villages Bundles/ JK’s Skyrim AIO Patch
• JK’s Fort Dawnguard
• Free Dead Man’s Dread
• Greater Skaal Village [XB1]
• JK’s Skyrim - Greater Skaal Village Patch by jkrojmal & Teabag86
• Better Tel Mithryn [XB1]
• Dear Diary Lockpick Interface
• A Change of Face (Face Sculptor’s Race Menu)
• [XB1] Chris57 and Sundracon Male body
• The Eyes of Beauty - 2020 Edition
• Apachii Sky Hair Males
• Beards by DDSWORKSHOP - 1K/512
• Sensible First Person- 20% Taller
• Improve High Elf
• Become High King of Skyrim V2 XB1
• Rich Merchants of Skyrim
• Training per Level Limit Increase
• Thieves Can Be Choosers
• Cheat Room
• Thane Weapons Reborn
• Smart No More Stupid Dog
• THOTH6222 - Tamaskan Dog Replacer
• Wolves Reshaped With True Wolves
• Realistic Wildlife
• Legacy Safehouse Plus
• Return to Helgen SE (V4.3)
• Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul
• Carriage Stops of Skyrim
• JaySerpa’s Quest Expansion Bundle
• Civil War Quest Immersion Bundle
• Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim
• JK’s Interiors AIO
• Obscure Scholarship: The Obscure College Bundle 1K
• JK’s Interiors AIO/ Obscure’s College Patch
• MRF’s White Gold Winterhold
• LotD Additional Dev Aveza Locations
• Holidays
• More Growable Plants SE
• Peaceful Hearthfire
• Hearthfire Cellar Remodel Bundle
• LEGOMANIAM94’s Road Bundle
• The Scarlett - A Buildable Ship
• Blackthorn - A Buildable Town in the Rift
• Silverstead - A Buildable Town in the Reach
• Windstad Mine
• Riften Gate Restored
• Markarth - Help the Warrens
• Simple Raven Rock Expansion
• Spaghetti’s Solstheim - Raven Rock
• Castle Volkihar Rebuilt
• After the Civil War - Seige Damage Repaired
• JK’s Interiors AIO - After the Civil War Patch
• Stonehall Orphanage
• Kinghall Orphanage - Alternate Entrance in Temple of the Divines
• Kinghall Orphanage / CC Patch
• LotD / Kingfall Orphanage Patch
• Nightingale Hall Restored - Karliah as a Follower
• Opulent Thieves Guild
• Environs - Riften Warehouse
• Hjerim TNF Beds Plus
• Vlindrel Hall TNF Beds Plus
• Honeyside TNF Beds Plus
• Breezehome TNF Beds Plus
• Proudspire TNF Beds Plus
• Environs - Hroggar’s House
• Greater Markarth Expansion
• Greater Markarth Expansion / JK’s Skyrim Patch
• Environs - Whiterun Watchtower
• Environs - Abandoned Abodes
• Draco’s Lakeview Manor Upgrades
• Draco’s Heljarchen Manor
• Draco’s Windstad Manor Upgrades
• Save the Icerunner- Lights Out
• The Lihavia Kissat Company: Solitude Bank
• Sky City - Markarth Rising
• Legacy of the Dragonborn/Hall of Wonders and AE patches
• Simple Follower Extension FC
• Lucien - Fully Voiced Follower
• Lucien Replacer 2 Young Var
• Better Erik the Slayer
• Follower Dialogue Expansion- Erik
• Pandorable Mega Pack
• Pandorable’s NPCS - Males 3
• Bijin AIO
• Bruvramm’s Serana Lovely
• Sons Of Skyrim 1K (SFW) With Fixes by Xtudo
• Legacy of the Dragonborn - Sons Of Skyrim Patch by Xtudo
• The Kids Are Alright Renewal
• LotD / The Kids Are Alright Renewal Patch
• Heart of Gold - An Adoption Bundle
• LotD / Heart of Gold Patch
• All Male Housecarls
• Gildergreen Regrown
• EEKS Gildergreen
• Nimbus - A Cathedral Weathers
• Cathedral 3D Plants AIO
• Pauly’s Lush Grasslands of Skyrim
• Immersive Dawnguard Dayspring Pass
• Dawnguard Map Markers
• Improved Bridges of Skyrim
• Warp Stones of Barenziah
• Juniper’s Dawnstar Sanctuary Ice Caves Access Patch
• Dark Ages: Food
• Mealtime: A Food and Recipe Mod
• Expedition Necklace
• Better Altars
• Improved Shadowmarks
• Immersive Animations Redux
• The Ultimate Sit Animation - Men’s Edition
• Simple Banking
• Ennead Septims
• Friendly Brynjolf
• Oblivion Horses 1K
• Oblivion Horses & CC Wild Horses - Unicorn Patch
• Better Arvak
• True Dragons - Joined Foreleg Version
• Flyable Broomstick
• Gemstones Replacers HD + Falmer Eye Gem
• Thieves Guild Reward Overhaul
• Better Thieves Guild Armor
• Arachnophobia - Spiders Are Wolves - No Cobwebs
• Mannequins Behave!
• Legacy of the Dragonborn/JK’s Skyrim AIO Patch
• Headtracking and Emotions
• Juniper’s Dawnstar Sanctuary
• Save the Dark Brotherhood
• Better Black Door - Dark Brotherhood Door Voice Tweaked
• Make More Money From the Dark Brotherhood
• Namira For Good Guys
• LotD/ Namira For Good Guys Patch
• Boethiah For Good Guys
• Buyable Golden Claw
• Fast Travel from Ragged Flagon
• The Refinery- Ingots. Ores. Veins.
• Northern Ice AIO 1K
• Alternate Start - Live Another Life
• Realistic Water Two

Well it is that time of the week and day again. I already know it: The lists are never big enough nowadays, it's always been at 8-13 units every month. Pretty stupid now, considering they've ramped up the powercreep to an absurd level in the recent months. Last month we received the VERY awaited Perfect Gundam (TB) nerf, which is now not as powerful as before but probably still the best 550 gen by a margin. Aside from that, Normal Banshee's first buff (sort of uhhh pointless, didn't really accomplish much) and Big Baloney Chungus finally getting stealth them realizing fake beacon ain't shit most of the time. GMIIIP Bulldog also got it's 2nd buff, suit already being pretty decent before, now definitely on the upper spectrum of support strength, alongside Silver Bullet which is now on par with Varguil as a LV2 pick in 700. Oh right there were also some custom part buffs, can't really comment on that considering not everyone uses the same builds but that 1-2 extra slot reduction is just what some folks needed for their builds I assume.
With the new Atlas arriving tonight, I'm expecting the LV2 PG to show up and ruin everyone's pulls because its for some ungodly reason a 550, meaning it can have 1-4 levels of itself show up in the gacha potentially anyways. As always there are zero rewards for guessing correctly other than that sweet feeling of knowing that you predicted an upcoming adjustment (guess you can call it bragging rights, but not really just go enjoy ur buffed suit lmao)
TEST THAT INSIGHT!!!!!! Handful of costs are screwed currently use that I guess and cya in 13 hrs
Anksha: Nerfed for the new raid; just copying what I wrote from previous months, a -10 to thrusters and nerf to the switching times of the sabers and both beam cannons. (unless they give the Atlas the +50% damage to airborne targets ...)
MONKE: +10 speed; yeah that's about it, would add a 0.5s reduction in the heavy charging time but it being a 3s 500% heavy attack is already quite good, shame its in the heat-wire cost though.
Banshee Norn: Nerf to everything; not gonna put the specifics down, point is that the suit is absurd still and that they'll never learn to nerf the problem instead of buffing other suits in the cost. For last months list, 2 raids in 700 got buffed and I'm expecting the Nightingale to get one too tonight or the next month. That being said, if they decide to nerf it RIGHT NEAR the anniversary for the Xi & Penelope, just makes them look like children in comparison ... which is lore accurate but still.
Gelgoog Stutzer: Buff to anything; I wrote a whole paragraph about the issues with the thing, maybe it's a skill issue, maybe not? Least I'd like to see are the mines becoming proximity based since you can't trigger em while getting stun locked
Zero Shiki Type 2 (AR): HP +2000, Resist Move LV1, beam cannons improved power to 1500 x 2 alongside a OH reduction to 17s, OH of beam rifle reduced to 12s; Not sure if it's right to say that the suit has terrorized 550 ever, but it's extremely lagging behind, both with the powercreep and the battlefield. The OH times it currently has are simply unacceptable (both can be heat managed currently but that kills it's damage output, neat compromise eh?) and while we're at it WHERE IS THE HIGH PERFORMANCE RADAHHHHHH
Delta Gundam: Unnerfed in order to eat railgun to the face; maybe buff it too a little, if we look at it's pre-nerf state VS the current 600 environment, it's not surviving that long especially against the upcoming shooty raid and Miss 0.5s burning damage (while it only had 14000 HP pre nerf). Of course if it's the custom parts which make the suit broken, then there's nothing that can be done for the suit, they did this by releasing such parts ... which increase your HP by up to 5000 from what I've seen from streamers.
Full Armor Alex: Anything to make it seem like it shouldn't have released 4+ years ago; 1% stagger arm gatling is 1 thing, but combo controller LV1 and NO BALANCERS, jeez how did this release around the same year as Woundwort I wonder.
Gogg: Melee pursuit aux, Frizzy Yard, walk speed and HSM, +800% broken kneecaps, more custom part slots, improved reload and OH time for both ranged weapons; this is blasphemy I know, but I feel it in my bones, the LV4 did not recently release for no reason ... right? Well maybe it's for the TB version who knows.
Additional Support Things: Seriously stop giving support centric skills to raids first, HWS Nu only recently got Ranged Limiter Output Shooting and is the only support to possess it. Now the raid Atlas gets a skill that buffs itself by getting pursuit prevention from stopping enemies.

Detroit, Michigan, May 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), a subsidiary of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX) (the “Company”) (OTCPK:AITX), announces a strategic expansion of its market reach through a new partnership with Nightingale Security Inc. This collaboration leverages Nightingale’s proven autonomous drone technology, which has seen increasing sales both in the U.S. and internationally. The partnership is set to explore and capture substantial opportunities across Africa, Europe, Australia, and Latin America.
The types of opportunities in the sales funnel and being pursued use a combination of autonomous detection by RAD’s RIO™ with autonomous dispatch to Nightingale’s autonomous drones. This expansion focuses on specific sectors where autonomous security solutions are not just advantageous but critical. This synergy will allow for low-co This synergy will allow for low-cost, active patrols and response for large areas with little supporting infrastructure. Specifically, these include mining operations in Australia, Latin America, and Nigeria, oil and gas industries in Africa and Latin America, and critical infrastructures and defense across Africa, Europe, and Latin America. These regions present challenges such as vast, remote areas where traditional human guard deployment is impractical, making advanced automation the optimal solution.
“Our cooperation with Nightingale offers large clients a solution that brings autonomous solutions to dangerous security and surveillance assignments,” commented Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO of AITX and RAD. “Although we’re following Nightingale’s lead in these international opportunities, we are equally enthusiastic about the growth prospects in the U.S. market.”
Jack Wu, co-founder, and CEO of Nightingale Security added, “Our collaborative efforts with RAD are set to redefine security standards globally. We are excited about the potential in these international markets and the revenue potential they represent. Our partnership underlines the significant impact and growth potential of our autonomous security solutions.”
The Companies noted that they expect to share specific sales information over the next few weeks.
The partners are committed to a long-term vision with typically three-year Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) contracts, underscoring their dedication to providing sustained, innovative security solutions worldwide.
For more information about this innovative partnership and to stay updated on further developments, please visit www.radsecurity.com and www.nightingalesecurity.com.
AITX, through its subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model. RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industry’s existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model. RAD delivers these tremendous cost savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines. All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house.
About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX)
AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITX’s RAD, RAD-R, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business. AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staff and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.radsecurity.com, www.stevereinharz.com, www.radgroup.ai, www.raddog.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on Twitter @SteveReinharz.
CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained in this publication does not constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy securities of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX) (the “Company”). This publication contains forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future performance and may involve subjective judgment and analysis. The information provided herein is believed to be accurate and reliable, however the Company makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. The Company has no obligation to provide the recipient with additional updated information. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company’s future revenues, results of operations, or stock price.

I Hate The Character Limit, so much.
Previous Posts:
Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/PathToNowhere/comments/1clu2tn/path_to_nowhere_sfw_headcanons_part_4_shalom/
Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/PathToNowhere/comments/1clu7gw/path_to_nowhere_sfw_headcanons_for_shalom_part_2/
35. She has joined several other Sinners in keeping an eye on the chief and making sure she does not overwork herself too much, with her method of getting her to stop being to simply walk into the office, grab her by the wrist, and pull her away from her computer and off to either of their rooms.
When that does not work, she will resort to decidedly more underhanded methods, such as slipping into the office via one of the hidden passages, putting her hands over her eyes and telling her that it is time to go to sleep as she waits for her to surrender.
Another option is to utilize the most tried and true method, that being the NHH method, which involves sicking either Nightingale or Hecate and Hella on the Chief, with said method ending in her either being drug out of her office by the Adjutant, often still in her chair, or being bullied into going to sleep by Hecate’s pleading and Hella’s cursing as she chews her out.
But should all of the above fail, should all seem lost in this endeavor, then Shalom has perfected a final tired and true method of forcing the Chief to relax, one that, during her first attempt almost ended with her becoming a head shorter courtesy of a rather infuriated Sumire.
The method in question?
Step 1: Walk into the office. Utilizing passages is not necessary as the sound of approaching heels clicking on the floor and knocking on the door adds a valuable psychological factor to the approach.
Step 2: Do not respond to any of the Chief’s questions, merely meet her gaze with a smile and walk towards her, navigate around her desk and push her back towards the wall behind her.
Step 3: Utilize greater than average strength to force her to remain in the chair by pinning her to ii, typically done by straddling her lap.
Step 4: Lean in close to her ear and begin to hum a lullaby as you stroke her hair, and rub her upper back, certain fragrance perfumes also assist in this method, particularly ones including lavender.
Step 5: Wait for her to give in and then wheel her out of the office and towards her room.
So far this method boasts the 2nd highest success rate out of her other methods of coercing the Chief into resting, the highest being the NHH method, though other Sinners boast of having more successful ones…granted one of them involves rendering her unconscious and another involves paralyzing her, but they still work, thus the Hush shall not stop until she perfects a method of getting the Chief to cease overworking herself.
Her current approach being to simply insure that there is no reason for her to overwork herself, with her providing aid on matters that would otherwise take up too much of the Chief’s time, though the Chief is yet hesitant to fully trust her with much of her work, she has so far allowed for the help.
Only time will tell if this method works though.
36. She has a curiosity regarding the various other nations that exist beyond the walls of Dis, something that has led to her gathering as much information and memorabilia from those nations that she is capable of.
She regularly searches out any of the Sinners from foreign lands to speak with regarding their former homes, such as Pacassi and her long vanished hometown, Eirene and Fraser, KawaKawa and Stargazer for WhiteSands, or OwO and Goldion Ville.
It has become a small dream of hers to one day visit the lands beyond the walls of Dis and see what the world is like outside of the reach of Paradeisos and herself, though she does not want to go alone, so she has decided that she will try and take Rosa, Rahu, Christina (and of course where christina goes, Thistle goes.), and or the Chief with her come the chance to slip away.
But for now she will settle with enjoying what trinkets and information she can from those distant lands. She is particularly fond of the chess set that Eirene had brought over from her home city and the paper lantern that OwO made for her.
37. Similar to Langley, she has many times made use of the skills of the Phantom Thief pair of Priscilla and Tetra, though she has never directly spoken to them, instead utilizing multiple online accounts and middle-men to hire them.
The pair have long since ceased attempting to investigate just who it is that is behind all of the jobs that Shalom has given them, their previous attempts having ended with the pair finding a flash drive tucked into a drawer that contained their…toys, during a rather passionate moment.
Their session of intimacy being cast aside as they investigated what was on the flash drive, the pair soon finding themselves clinging onto one another as they saw a file containing both videos and images of them going about their daily lives, as well as on their missions, even their homes outside of the Bureau, including safe houses even the Chief was unaware of.
Amidst the flurry of images and videos was a single document, a simple text file that contained words which managed to send a chill through their cores.
“I would advise you to not bite the hand that feeds you, I harbor no malice towards you at the moment…but if you continue to pry into things best left unknown…then I will be forced to take much more direct action against you.
The presence of this hard drive should be proof enough of what I am capable of, as well as the extent of my influence, and be advised that what you see here is but a fraction of the data I have gathered on the two of you.
But that is neither here nor there at the moment, and I would truly hate to sully the wonderful working relationship we have at the moment, and in the same vein lose two exceptionally useful allies, thus I will take no action against you at the moment.
For now, I would advise you to hold one another close, perhaps enjoy the wine you have stored away in your cupboard. It is a wonderful vintage that pairs quite well with the dark chocolate that Tetra purchased a couple of days ago.
Take some time off to process this information, don’t worry about anything, your superior at the Bureau is a kind woman, she won’t pry too much, and you have likely received a rather sizable transfer to your account for a job well done in regards to your last few missions from me.
With that said, I must be going, I have a great many things to attend to that require my personal attention, though before I go, I have to admit that I was impressed by the variety of toys you possess. My own collection seems paltry in comparison…perhaps I should remedy that.
Sincerely X.”
The pair would take their mysterious benefactors' advice and spend the next few days with each other, not only scouring their homes and cell for bugs, but also in trying to bury the terror that the flash drive caused them.
That the damn thing vanished the next day, only further heightened their fears of this unknown X.
Curiously, the days following this incident would see Shalom spend a rather lengthy amount of time browsing certain…illicit sites in search of new additions for her own collection, that she asked Rahu, Rosa (Who she communicated with via sharing her screen in a call or by phone), and the Chief their opinion on the objects in question, is something 2 of the 3 mentioned would very much like to forget .
38. Upon learning that Peggy and Joan were two of the musicians whose tapes and records she possessed, she took time out of her schedule to ask for their autograph’s on the tapes and records in question, paying them quite handsomely in return.
She has likewise requested recording of several other musician Sinners performances, from Dudu, who spent several minutes in dumbfounded silence at just how much Shalom offered her before energetically shaking her hand and running off to get started, to Echo and her saxophone, the young musician being ecstatic to record a tape for someone at last.
Whether or not the music is any good by the standards of the masses is of no concern to Shalom, all that matters is that it is her choice to listen to and enjoy it, and not the whims of her former masters, with it also serving a memento of some of the more vibrant souls present within the Bureau.
39. Given her fixation on spreading happiness, and Shalom’s desire for happiness, it is a fair assumption to say that she has something of a relationship with Serpent, with the serpentine Sinner having taken upon herself the challenge of making Shalom give her a genuine smile through any means necessary.
As a result of this, Shalom has many times found herself given a front row seat to the shows that Serpent puts on within the Bureau, the serpentine Sinner having pulled out every stop during her shows to try and coerce as much genuine emotion as she can from Shalom, with the Hush often finding herself feeling emotionally drained and yet deeply satisfied after each performance.
She has also met the monstrous snake that Serpent keeps as a pet, granted their meeting involved it slithering through the vents and into her room as she was reading a book, but unlike many of her fellows she did not immediately panic and was instead able to keep the colossal snake busy until Serpent could arrive to recover it.
Though it did take them a rather long while to convince the snake to uncoil itself from around her and her chair, especially given that it seemed to be enjoying the story she was reading aloud to it.
That is not to say it is an entirely one-sided deal, as Serpent has come to find herself with enough money in her account to be able to afford the sun lamps she has wanted for a long while, with Shalom also taking upon herself the duty of babysitting Serpent’s snake when the woman has to leave it behind on a mission.
She has also aided Serpent in her quest to make the Chief happy, not only through funding but also by helping her in researching a rather large variety of means to try and appease the woman in question.
The Chief has since come to expect that whenever Serpent has a show, she will find herself being seated near the front with Shalom on one side, Eirene on the other, and Rahu and Christina as far away from the giant snake that accompanies Serpent as possible.
40. She gets cold easily due to her fragile nature, her heavy coat helps her with it to an extent, but during particularly cold or windy days, she needs to wear layers to the point that she needs several minutes to pry off all of them when she is out of the cold, otherwise she will begin to overheat.
In addition to getting cold easily, she also has a rather weak immune system, even with Paradeisos medicine at her back, thus she can easily fall ill during cold weather, leading to her being bedridden or consigned to the medical wing for several days before her condition stabilizes.
As a result of this, she tends to avoid leaving the warmth of the Bureau, or even her room for that matter, during such weather unless her presence is requested by the Chief for some matter, though even then she will demand heavy reparations for her presence.
Typically, said reparations will involve the Chief pampering her while she recovers from whatever illness has come to plague her, even should she be given medication to treat it, she will still request that the Chief stay with her till she is fully recovered.
That is not to say she fairs any better during hot weather, as she has to wear sunscreen or carry an umbrella to avoid sun burns during the intense heat, with her trying to minimize her exposure to the intense sunlight as much as she can to avoid heat sickness.
It is safe to say that she enjoys the more mild weather of spring or the cool and yet not freezing weather of fall as opposed to winter or summer, with those being the months she is able to enjoy the sights of the city and the world before she is forced to flee into cover at the changing weather.
41. She once requested Enfer to make use of her ability to try and sculpt something that could elicit genuine fear from her, with the artist devoting a rather obscene amount of time and effort towards the matter, Shalom funding her ventures as the sculptor tried everything she could.
Eventually, Enfer managed to create something that managed to provoke a reaction from Shalom, the exact nature of the work that managed to provoke a feeling of unease and distress within Shalom such that she was visibly unnerved is unknown however, as Shalom had any visual images of the work removed as she took it to a secure and hidden space within her room.
None but the Hush and the Sculptor themselves have seen just what was made that day, and Enfer refuses to share any information on the matter, the Mistress of Fear herself feeling no small amount of unease whenever she recalls the work she made, and sheer distress it caused to flicker through the normally blank faced Shalom as she looked upon it.
No threat was needed, no promise of revenge or wrath, nor was a bribe needed, only a glance at Shalom and at the artwork she had made was needed to bid her tongue to stay silent on the matter.
An oddity is that after the piece was finished and hidden away, the pair tried to spend as much time with the Chief as possible, as though something compelled them to do so…perhaps…no, it is better that road be left unwalked.
42. She is a regular listener to Eleven’s radio show, and is exceptionally fond of the radio host herself, finding her show to be the perfect thing to listen to as she focuses on work that has either kept her up late, or has awoken her exceptionally early.
Eleven is more than a little wary of the Hush, especially given the rumors she has heard of the woman, particularly from the agents of the Garden and various others, though at the same time she cannot ignore the way Shalom has spoken so highly of her, and the several times she has called in to her show to speak with her whenever she needed to take a breather during her work.
That said, Eleven wishes that the next time Shalom asks to take her photo, she does not have the flash on, especially given that the mirror she was standing beside managed to reflect it and disorientate both of them for several minutes.
43. She very much enjoys sleeping in on the days she has nothing to do though not quite to the extent of Coquelic, who prefers to spend almost the entire day in bed when there is nothing for her to focus on, with her trying to catch up on any sleep she has been forced to miss as a result of her work.
Whenever someone attempts to awaken her from this slumber they will typically either be met by her Mark blazing in one of her eyes as she glares at them, or with her reaching out to pull them into bed with her, something that Rahu, Christina, Rosa, and the Chief have been the victims of before.
The problem is that once she has a grip on them, and has begun to fall asleep, she very much refuses to relinquish her grip on them, with her poor victims having to either wait for her to awaken, or for them to find some way to wake her up.
Such as carrying her to, and proceeding to drop her into a tub of either warm or cold water, something that Rahu had to resort to at one point when something came up and Shalom was needed on one of those days.
She proceeded to learn that while Shalom is frail, she is still capable of throwing surprisingly heavy objects with no small amount of force at someone, particularly when they have their back turned to her.
On an unrelated note, she had to see Iron and Anne for some aspirin to help with a headache she gained that day, where it came from she would not say, only that both the source of it, and the headache itself, were exceptionally annoying.
44. Shalom is not counted among the “Sane People Of The Bureau” as the group of Nightingale, Cinnabar, and recently Matilda is called within the Bureau by both staff and sinner, this is no small part due to her past as the Hush and her fixation on the Chief, along with the extremes she is willing to go to in order to achieve her goals.
That said, she is still numbered among the “Somewhat Sane People Of the Bureau,” along with the likes of Langley, Zoya, and so on. As while she may not be the most sane of individuals, with Shalom even confessing such a thing herself due to her skewed view on morals and how she was brought up by Paradeisos, she is still more sane than most of the staff and sinners alike and is thus a candidate for leadership and advice should any of the Sane People Of The Bureau be indisposed after something occurs to effect the Chief…or when the chief needs to be overruled and or forced to take a break.
45. She has a deep seated fascination with the Immortals (Dreya, Vanilla, and Mantis) due in no small part to their own contributions towards paving the way for Dis to be founded by Keylan during the expedition into the Perishing Star, along with the wisdom and knowledge they hold regarding not only the star, but also what they can recall of the world before Dis was founded.
This is one of the few point where she and Paradeisos are in agreement, the information the Immortals possess has already caused several breakthroughs in regards to how the Perishing Star is viewed, along with information regarding both Mania and the effect it has had on the environment of the land around the star.
As such, Shalom has been asked by Paradeisos to keep an eye on the Immortals and to help act as an intermediary to exchange information with them, especially in regards to the subjects of the Illusory Moon and it seeming intelligence, alongside of information of the old world that was lost during the years before the Expedition breached into the Star’s domain.
She tends to speak most with Dreya as opposed to Mantis and Vanilla, as she find the astronomer to be the easiest to converse with of the group as opposed to the survivalist and logistician, though she has orders to try and gather information from Vanilla due to her being a largely unknown part of the Keylan Expedition, alongside of her understanding of the temporal hellstorm that rages within the Star’s domain and her ability to help in reconstructing some of the ruined monitoring stations around 00.
46. Shalom was rather surprised when she learned that the Chief refuses financial backing and aid from her sinners, alongside of only taking Hella and Hecate with her on her missions, the latter annoying her much more than the former due to potential safety risks.
As a result of this, she is one of many that have brought up the idea of the Chief taking other sinners aside from just Hella and Hecate with her during missions as while she may have success so far with just the pair, she also has tendency to run into situations that heavier firepower would be greatly useful in contending with.
As a result of this, she and several others, including Langley, Eirene, Demon, and Rahu, have worked to put together a means of coercing the Chief to accept further aid on her missions from those who are capable of doing so, with the more contaminated and mania sensitive sinners having to be kept on the sidelines due to contamination and potential risk of going full maniac allowing for them to narrow the suspects down.
That they have even been able to sway Nightingale to their side is proof of their devotion to this cause, though so far they have had little luck in convincing the chief to accept further help…at least willingly as they have several times simply either pulled rank on her (Langley) or threatened her with withholding her coffee and snacks (Nightingale) if she did not take aid with her on some missions.
Shalom would go with the Chief on missions herself, if she did not feel that doing so would run the risk of allowing Paradeisos too much information on the Chief and potentially causing the both of them future headaches.
47. Despite her fragility, Shalom possesses rather impressive healing capabilities, though not to the extent of Hella, she is still capable of surviving many wounds that would have been fatal to others, with Schorl furthering her healing abilities with its own technology.
She cannot regrow limbs or digits, nor can she regenerate organs, or is she immune to illness, but she is still capable of taking a stab or bullet and surviving, at least assuming it is not directly to her heart or brain, something she considers one of the few useful modifications Paradeisos made to her after she became the Hush.
48. She has an odd relationship with subjects unknown to her, as she is both wary of, and yet also fascinated by, anything that she has know knowledge or comprehension of, something which is quite rare given her eidetic memory and the amount of information she was taught by Paradeisos and has learned on her own.
This leads to her starting ventures into unknown subjects cautiously at first as she tests the waters before she begins to dive into them in full, hungrily devouring anything and everything she can on the subject until she feels that she is satisfied with it.
This is not something born of scholarly desire, but rather out of a desire to know what she can use and what can be used against her, alongside of it being something that she has the ability to choose to indulge in without being ordered to do so, it is also something she does to further cultivate her seemingly all knowing image to instill both respect and unease in those around her.
Among the subjects she has studied are things such as tailoring, animal husbandry (Christina learned far too much regarding breeding habits of animals when she was researching it), entomology (She felt it wise to learn more about her arachnid foes), cooking, and cocktail making.
49. It is a standing rumor in the Bureau that Shalom’s coat is able to repair itself, as no matter what is done to it, be it burned or slashed, it is always in immaculate condition the next time anyone sees her wearing it.
The truth is much less fanciful though, as Shalom simply owns many copies of her coat that she can use when she is unable to fix one of them or have a tailor fix it for her, with her having allocated a rather large sum simply to replacing and repairing her coats when they get damaged.
She at one point had to have a whole new batch made for her as, despite not being contaminated when the Garden and Langley unleashed a hell of spiders into her room, she one day went to put on one of her coats and found a rather large tarantula inside of it.
How it got there, she had no idea, only knowing that it was the doing of someone in the Bureau, especially given she has spider-proofed her room to the best of her ability since the ‘prank’ pulled on her.
Needless to say, she promptly had Schorl burn each of her coats for safety reasons.
50. She is very well aware of the irony of her name's meaning and of her profession and the deeds she has committed, with her finding it to be somewhat humorous in a rather dark way, with her using it as a part of several rather dark jokes that she makes when free of Schorl’s gaze.
51. While Shalom claims to have something of a Black Thumb when it comes to gardening, few know just how bad her attempts at gardening have ended over the course of her attempts at it.
As not only has she managed to kill the vast majority of her own plants, including ones that should not be easily killable by any stretch of imagination, but she has also managed to, through means known to not even Paradeisos, cause plants that others are tending to on her behalf to die whenever she tries any attempt at caring for them.
She was particularly upset the day she managed to kill a rose that Rosa had given her, with the maid having to visit the Bureau to console her former employer over the matter, said maid would later confide to the Chief that the flower was artificial and it should not have been possible for it to die.
52. Shalom very much enjoys egging people on when the chance arises, utilizing her position as a Paradeisian and her own connections to put people who have managed to earn her ire in a position of wishing to strike at her, but being unable to do so.
In particular, she enjoys doing this to high ranking officials or such that try and interfere in her aiding the Chief, finding the expressions they make as they grit their teeth in silent and indignant fury at her to be amusing to no small extent.
She is confident that should anything occur, Rahu would protect her, though her bodyguard has told her many times to cease her antics or to at least reign in her antics so that she did not have to have her hands on her weapons everytime Shalom meets an official that annoyed her.
The only response she received from Shalom was an amused smile and the faintest hint of exasperation from Schorl as the Hush went to another meeting with a board of officials, said meeting nearly devolved into a full on brawl due to her pitting them against one another as she sat back and enjoyed the show.
It is safe to say that Rahu has come to dread seeing Shalom smile during meetings.
53. She has many times commissioned Cassia to make perfume for her, with her finding the perfumers products to be vastly superior to even the perfumes that she would find in luxury stores in Eastside.
A part of the deal she has with Cassia is an exchange of fragrances so to speak, as she will let the perfumer take samples of her hair to make into perfume in exchange for custom perfumes, though her donations to help Cassia built her own Atelier within the Bureau don't hurt either.
Cassia considers the perfume she has made from Shalom’s hair to be an oddity, not just due to it smelling of a form of flower she has not smelled before, her best guess being some form of lily, with a rather spicy undercurrent of something akin to cinnamon, but also the feeling of peace it seems to bring the one wearing it, though she claims the feeling of peace feels…unnatural to her.
The perfumer would work to refine the perfume made of Shalom’s hair for several months before she seemed to reach some form of breakthrough, though it did not seem to be a desirable one as she soon destroyed the product and went back to her earlier iteration of the scent.
Why she did so, she would never say, but the look of pity and unease in her eyes when she looks at Shalom since her experiment ended, tells a tale all of its own.
54. She finds Hella to be rather adorable, though she is admittedly somewhat envious of the sheer amount and depth of emotions the young Syndician can feel, along with the ease at which she is able to display and switch between them.
Nonetheless, she has come to be rather fond of the gremlin’s antics, with her considering it a pleasant interruption to her day whenever she sees the hellion causing chaos within the Bureau, with her having gone so far as to aid her in her escapes and antics for her own amusement.
She is also oddly protective over the Syndician, as she has come to the conclusion that Hella is a vital component to the Chief’s happiness, and a valuable means of keeping her safe, and as such she takes many steps to insure that the little hellion is safe during her outings.
Hella once confronted her on the matter, surprising Shalom with her awareness of her involvement, the pair speaking for a while on their thoughts on the matter, with the Rat Queen Of Syndicate surprising Shalom with her maturity and intelligence during their conversation.
In the end Hella agreed to endure her meddling and watch, in exchange for her monitoring and protecting Ninety-Nine as well, with the gremlin threatening Shalom with going to the Chief and ruining her image in the Chief’s eyes if anything happened to the Berserker.
Shalom had chuckled at the statement, an honest chuckle of amazed amusement at the girl's audacity, before she acquiesced to her demand with grace, smiling to herself as she re-evaluated her opinion on the girl who finished her tea before she left.
Before Hella had left the room, however, she had asked her how it was she deduced that it was her that was involved, something which made Hella pause before she turned to look at her over her shoulder and said-
“I had a hunch it was someone high up, didn't know who though, so I took a gamble on it being you and you confirmed it for me.”
Shalom had been incredulous for a moment before she began to chuckle once more, basking in both her surprise and the genuine emotion she felt as she watched the young woman leave, silently vowing to herself to see the full potential of the young girl one day.
55. And the final one, is that Shalom fully expects to never truly achieve her happy ending and to die before she can be fully free of the shadow of Paradeisos, to never be able to watch movies with the Chief, see Rahu freed from her hatred, watch as Christina and Thistle grow together, or witness Coquelic and her Garden claim their own pound of flesh from both the Underground and Paradeisos.
Because of this, everything she has done and continues to do is her rigging the board as much in favor of the Chief and those she feels deserve it as possible, all to insure that once she is gone they will still be safe and can reach their own happiness.
She knows that nothing she has done can make up for even a fraction of the sins she has committed, but at the very least she hopes that these sins can pave the way to heaven for her loved ones while she descends into hell where the Hush belongs.
She could burn with a smile on her face, so long as she knows they will be safe and happy.
And with any luck, she will drag Paradeisos down to the depths of hell with her, so that they can all burn along with the monster they created.
And that is it, everything we have for Shalom, and our longest post on this sub to date, we hope you all enjoy it and that you share your opinions and thoughts on what we have here, along with some of your own headcanons should you wish to do so.
Till next time, stay safe and take care.

Disclaimer: I didn't know how to deal with "阿喃那" or localize it, so I want with "Ananna". Chances are HG will localize it to something entirely different anyway, so until then, enjoy the pineapple, I suppose.
14-11
Salus: ...They're catching up.
Salus: Dear Qui'saršinnag, are you amongst them?
Salus: Who will be the one to take the throne... you or the leader... our beloved father?
Salus reached out to the drop of blood above the altar.
The originium burned, and the souls roared.
Under the influence of ancient witchcraft, her fingertips quickly turned into burnt black crystals.
Salus: I really want to see it.
Salus: The origin of our suffering is already so close.
Confessarius Guard: You-
Shining: You hid well.
Shining: It took me so long to find you...
Confessarius Guard: Traitor!
Confessarius Guard: Damn it, how many of us you killed along the way?
Shining: ...No more than the first time I escaped.
Confessarius Guard: That time, the underground laboratory got filled with the corpses of our people.
Confessarius Guard: You caused the leader's visit to the Royal Academy of Science to almost be in vain. With such a big ruckus, the Victorians were almost made aware of our plan!
Shining: I'd rather he failed.
Confessarius Guard: Ha... this isn't what you said before!
Confessarius Guard: How can you pretend to be an agent of justice? It was you who gave us directions back then!
Confessarius Guard: Outside of Londinium, there are so many caves holding experimental facilities... which one isn't your responsibility?
Confessarius Guard: At that time the leader spent most of his time in Kazdel. You were the one leading the research. You were a mask and looked exactly like him-
Shining: At that time, I didn't have a choice.
Confessarius Guard: No choice? What about your words when you dragged us to Londinium and placed these masks on our faces?
Confessarius Guard: We were just mercenaries at the start, but believed in the Confessarii, and believed in your words about the "Sarkaz's original and final path"!
Confessarius Guard: The sins we were born with - the sins inflicted upon us by those invaders - will all be washed away.
Confessarius Guard: Was that a lie?
Shining: ...
Shining: I hope it wasn't a lie.
Confessarius Guard: That's true, it shouldn't be a lie. Every time the leader makes a promise to us, he is sincere and never breaks it. And so should you, Qui'saršinnag, even if you went astray.
Confessarius Guard: The leader and the regent are about to succeed.
Confessarius Guard: The freedom and power that have been lost for thousands of years will soon be returned in the hands of all Sarkaz.
Shining: ...
Confessarius Guard: If you want to kill me, do it.
Confessarius Guard: Go to the leader, to your father.
Confessarius Guard: At the end of that road, he's waiting for you. They're all waiting for you.
Confessarius Guard: You'll see that future for me, for each of us... each soul that fell under your sword.
Shining: ...
Shining removes the guard's mask.
She remembers the face. He was amongst the first group of mercenaries brought to Londinium by the Confessarii.
They didn't know anything at first, and their responsibilities were solely excavating ruins outside of the city.
The young man also expressed his gratitude to her in person, thanking the Confessarius for giving them a well-paying and safe job.
But soon, she couldn't hear them speak those words any longer.
The leader of the Confessarii came to Londinium.
The mercenaries hanging around chatting, drinking and playing games were no more. They all wore indentical masks and wouldn't speak unless necessary.
They had no special bloodline, and Qui'sartuštaj shouldn't have been able to bend their will easily.
But that willpower of theirs still died before the grand ideals of the Confessarius.
And it was she that led them to their death in the first place.
Shining: This sin...
Shining: ... should stop here.
The mask cracked, its shards stinging Shining's palms.
She continued walking towards the top of the mountain.
14-12
"Mother": Qui'saršinnag...
"Mother": Qui'saršinnag.
"Mother": Mom is here. Don't be afraid, mom just has something to talk to your father about.
"Mother": Haven't you always wanted to go outside our house and take a look?
"Mother": Just like that blue-feathered fowlbeast in your favorite story... You wanted to become that feathered beast and fly high up onto those soft clouds.
"Mother": You will do it, and you should live free.
"Mother": Don't worry, my favorite child...
"Mother": ...Mom will get you out of this.
"Father": Qui'saršinnag.
"Father": Stop hiding, I know you are here.
"Father": When she came to see me, you followed her in secret. You witnessed... all of this. Good.
"Father": Don't be scared of the sight of blood. You'll see more in the future.
"Father": Will I die?
"Father": Of course, dear. You see, the sword has pierced my heart. It won't be long before the blood in this body will run dry.
"Father": Your mother... wanted to leave me because of some delusions, and wanted you to also leave me...
"Father": But how could that ever be possible? Our souls are already bound together, and we will never be separated.
"Father": Go ahead, kid. Touch your mother... do you feel it? The pulse in her body.
"Father": This is the power of life, the cycle of our lives. And after such reincarnations again and again, our lives will eventually become perfect.
"Father": I will always be by your side, we...
"Father": We... will never be separated.
"Daughter": ...
Confessarius: Dear Qui'saršinnag, you don't seem happy.
Confessarius: Didn't the experiment go smoothly? After several tests, the container's response was perfect.
"Daughter": What will happen to her once the ritual is completed?
Confessarius: Her? You mean... the container?
Confessarius: At the time of its birth, its soul was already broken.
Confessarius: The leader studied for a long time to mold a pure white consciousness into a cage, so that he could deceive the "Lord of Fiends".
Confessarius: When the power of the Lord of Fiends will be transferred to you, the container will become useless.
Confessarius: If you'd like, you can dress her up like a doll, or take her with you wherever you go. It's kind of like a souvenir. I like it.
"Daughter": You shouldn't worry about the way I'll handle it.
Confessarius: Ha, you've always been rude to me. You don't want to see her again? Then throwing her away is fine. Or... you can send her to me.
"Daughter": Leave. Don't ever set foot into my laboratory without permission ever again.
Confessarius: Why are you... angry? It seems to be a big difference between your temper and the leader's. But don't worry, you'll soon become just as gentle as he is.
Confessarius: I wonder if I'll ever miss you...
Confessarius: Farewell, Qui'saršinnag.
"Daughter": ...
"Container": ...
She looked at the girl lying on the stone bed through her mask.
The work wasn't finished yet, and her father wouldn't permit any delay.
This altar, this laboratory, and the bloodline she was born in were all her prison. Her sorrow and pain are meaningless in the face of the thousand-years mission of the Confessarii.
Her hands and feet were not under her own control, but rather were extensions of her father's will.
She couldn't stop, couldn't leave this altar where life and death were toyed with, and couldn't put down the soul-carving sword in her hand.
Suddenly, a drop of water fell onto her hand.
Who is the one crying... her, or the supposedly unconscious person on the bed?
"Qui'saršinnag."
She raised her head in a daze and saw a blue feathered fowlbeast flying through the sky outside the cave.
There are cracks in the cage.
A consciousness that shouldn't exist, longing for a freedom that it couldn't have.
Hope is born from this.
The Confessarius and the Pure White Vessel.
Qui'saršinnag and Liz.
Shining... and Nightingale.
Qui'sartuštaj: I heard a restless clamor.
Confessarius Guard: Don't worry, leader! There are only a few enemies that broke into this place.
Confessarius Guard: They want to destroy the altar and prevent the ritual.
Qui'sartuštaj: Just send someone to clear out those annoying insects.
Qui'sartuštaj: Surely this time I won't need to take action myself, right?
Confessarius Guard: How dare-
Confessarius Guard: We'll remove every obstacle for you.
Qui'sartuštaj: Aha...
The leader of the Confessarii looked at the girl in a white dress lying on the bed of stone. She was sleeping peacefully, barely breathing.
Nightingale: ...
Confessarius Guard: The originium arts of the "Container" are very stable, and the ritual will be completed soon.
Confessarius Guard: "Ananna" is only one step away from opening the way to our souls.
Confessarius Guard: You will surpass the Lord of Fiends, replace the lost souls, unify the will of all Sarkaz, and become the father of all Sarkaz!
Qui'sartuštaj: Our thousand-year journey finally comes to an end.
Qui'sartuštaj: But before that, I need to join hands with my blood relatives so that we may witness this together.
Qui'sartuštaj: You aren't late, sister.
Qui'sartuštaj: I have been waiting for you.
Kal'tsit: We don’t have much time left, and the Confessarius' altar is very close.
Amiya: Mr. Logos helped us break through the Arts of the Confessarius. I can also feel that the aura here makes people very uncomfortable...
Dialogue option: Are we going to fight our way in just like this?
Dialogue option: Isn't there a secret passage leading to the altar or something?
Kal'tsit: Time no longer allows us to slowly come up with a solution.
Kal'tsit: Although risks cannot be ignored, rational risk-taking when making decisions is equally important in wartime.
Kal'tsit: Fortunately for us, the Sarkaz also put all of their troops onto the frontal battlefield, and the only ones we need to deal with are the Confessarius' men.
Dialogue option: Theresis must have trusted Qui'sartuštaj.
Dialogue option: Why is the Confessarius responsible for the ritual of "Ananna"?
Kal'tsit: In Kazdel, the Confessarius plays many roles, including the Lord of Fiends' advisor, bodyguard, and tutor.
Kal'tsit: The Confessarii travel among the royal courts, always obsessed with exploring the history of Sarkaz and studying the power hidden in bloodlines.
Kal'tsit: Before Theresis took over Londinium, he had already planned to use the Shard to control Ananna, and there must have been the help of the Confessarius.
Kal'tsit: And Qui'sartuštaj's plan to usurp the "Lord of Fiends" is also inextricably linked to "Ananna".
Dialogue option: What is the relationship between "Ananna" and "Lord of Fiends"?
Kal'tsit: Qui'sartuštaj wanted more than just the crown.
Kal'tsit: Thousands of years ago, Qui'sartuštaj also possessed the power of the Lord of Fiends.
Kal'tsit: Although he couldn't see the whole picture, he must have felt the Lord of Fiends' ability to influence others.
Kal'tsit: "Control". The more you experience the feeling of this absolute power, the harder it is to resist its temptation.
Kal'tsit: Whether it is Theresa or Amiya, Qui'sartuštaj has been secretly watching every successor of the Lord of Fiends for a long time.
Kal'tsit: The obsession with power made Qui'sartuštaj resort to insane means of extending his life just to regain that lost power.
Kal'tsit: There is only one thing that can allow him to achieve this goal.
Dialogue option: ..."Originium".
Kal'tsit: Yes.
Kal'tsit: By directly utilizing the influence of the "Originium" on the Sarkaz, Qui'sartuštaj will be able to gain control over the entire Sakaz race, far beyond the Lord of Fiends.
Dialogue option: Shining and Nightingale...were also his victims.
Kal'tsit: Their resistance gainst fate never stops...especially at this critical moment.
Dialogue option: We must prevent "Ananna" from having unpredictable effects——
Dialogue option: We must stop the Confessarius from harming Rhodes Island operators——
Dialogue option: Now it's the time to act.
Shining: ...Qui'sartuštaj.
Qui'sartuštaj: All of us were waiting for you.
The leader of the Confessarii smiled as usual and spread his arms to welcome the people below, as if he was ready to hug his child who had returned home not long ago.
On both sides of the mountaineous road, dozens of Confessarii stood quietly.
The eyes behind those masks were submissive and eager, completely ignoring Shining who just walked up the stairs covered in blood and holding her sword.
Shining: I'm here to kill you.
Qui'sartuštaj: I know.
Qui'sartuštaj: How could I... not know?
Qui'sartuštaj: Many years ago, my mother came to my father and me just like this.
Qui'sartuštaj: She had always known her mission and never thought of disobeying me.
Qui'sartuštaj: But, as she grew older, she began to tire of our family, tire of the love I gave her... and the mission of the Confessarii.
Qui'sartuštaj: I don't blame her, and I don't blame you. You are all the same, you just made a small, forgivable mistake.
Qui'sartuštaj: I will always accept your return.
Shining: You are a monster and deserve no such thing as love.
Qui'sartuštaj: Love and hate, life and death, all are one.
Qui'sartuštaj: The souls of the Confessarii are passed down from generation to generation, connected by the same ritual. This is how I give love to all my family members.
Qui'sartuštaj: The soul is cleansed of impurities in death and rebirth. With each death, we approach the perfect original once more, the purest form of individuality.
Shining: There's nothing about that that's even remotely... perfect.
Shining: Qui'sartuštaj, the real you has been dead for thousands of years.
Shining: The hero of the legend of the white-horned Sarkaz, that defeated countless powerful enemies and built an immortal Kazdel under the reflection of dawn and dusk - died long ago.
Shining: The one in front of me is a despicable person who lives in the shadows, a coward clinging to life, afraid of death, someone who sacrificed countless innocent lives for his own survival.
Shining: Who is tarnishing the soul of that hero now?
Shining: It's you, usurper king - when you chose to seek immortality in such a twisted way, you are no longer worthy of the crown you want.
Qui'sartuštaj: ...Maybe.
Qui'sartuštaj: Qui'saršinnag, sister.
Qui'sartuštaj: I, who have all his memories since I was born... know what kind of past Qui'sartuštaj's life carries better than you.
The leader of the Confessarii took a step down.
He looked at Shining and calmly took her hand, which was shaking with rage.
Qui'sartuštaj: I'm aware of the blood on my hands, and I remember the love I received.
Qui'sartuštaj: When my mother just died, it was you who picked me up all bloody.
Qui'sartuštaj: We are a real family, we have the closest blood, and we have spent a lot of time relying on each other.
Qui'sartuštaj: Whatever nature my soul might be, this cannot be changed.
Shining: How can you... talk about it like this...
Shining: You... who killed my brother?
Shining: Who doomed him, a child that should be loved by his mother, from the start?
Qui'sartuštaj: ...That's me.
Qui'sartuštaj: For thousands of years, Qui'sartuštaj... died again and again from the betrayal of his loved ones.
Qui'sartuštaj: You can think of it as punishment, if you will.
Qui'sartuštaj: But... does that matter?
Qui'sartuštaj: You say I'm not worthy of the crown, but besides me, who can lead the Sarkaz better in their quest for survival?
Qui'sartuštaj: Quillon lead the clan to a path of no return, and Eresh's hiding in a corner only made us weak.
Qui'sartuštaj: Even the brother and the sister only caused the Sarkaz to fall into futile internal strife and let the crown fall into the hands of invaders!
Qui'sartuštaj: The Sarkaz... need a true Lord of Fiends, an eternal Lord of Fiends.
Qui'sartuštaj: And I will reach the starting point of our suffering, and purge all the sins of the Sarkaz alongside the sins of Qui'sartuštaj's bloodline!
Shining: ...
Sin.
That word alone made Shining even angrier.
Her father, her brother, were both possessed by this undead monster - and her mother, even herself, all lived in the shadow of this monster's madness.
Let him live, or kill him, both are curses.
There was no way forward.
There was no way backwards.
And yet she couldn't help but stand where she was.
Qui'sartuštaj: ....Oh!
Qui'sartuštaj: You... took action.
Shining: ... I will kill you.
Shining: Then...
Qui'sartuštaj: And then kill yourself?
Qui'sartuštaj: Is this your way of breaking the bloodline?
Qui'sartuštaj: Pathetic.
Qui'sartuštaj held Shining's sword in his hand.
Blood dripped down the pure white blade and stained Shining's hand.
Her very soul was trembling.
Shining: -Uh-huh!
The irresistible force flung Shining to one side of the crystalline tree.
Sharp black branches ran through her abdomen.
Blood gushed out and mixed in with Qui'sartuštaj's.
The ancient tree trunk, which had long been transformed into Origin Stone crystals, actually bloomed with pure white brilliance.
In just an instant, countless tiny lights appeared on the top of the tree.
All the Confessarii began chanting
All the souls will bow down.
Knocking and howling at the door, the visible usurps the invisible.
Imprisoned in the dark with a black crown, the transgressor is eternally innocent.
For the kings were born before immortality.
Qui'sartuštaj: See, even with such a wound, you won't be infected at all - such is the power of the bloodline that you keep on resisting.
Qui'sartuštaj: Qui'saršinnag...I still haven't lost my patience with you.
Qui'sartuštaj: If you are still stubborn and unwilling to accept everything that belongs to you - mission, power, and glory.
Qui'sartuštaj: That's fine, just stay aside obediently and let me...complete this ritual myself.
A crown made of thorns emerged from his palm.
The moonlight shines on the crown and also illuminates the crystal tree at the end of the steps.
There was a stone bed covered with dead branches, and the most familiar figure Shining knew was curled up on the bed.
Shining: Liz......
Shining: ... Wake up.
Qui'sartuštaj: Don't bother.
Qui'sartuštaj: Her consciousness is not where you think it is.
Shining: She is within the Crown.
Qui'sartuštaj: That's right.
Qui'sartuštaj: I promised you that I would mend her soul.
Qui'sartuštaj: When you put on this completed black crown, you will be together forever.
Shining: Together forever...in your cage?
Shining closed her eyes.
She strained to imagine...imagine the years she had spent with Liz.
They ran hand in hand through the woods.
Together they stepped across the cold stream.
She carried a tired Liz on her back on her way home.
Liz made a small wreath and put it on her head.
A small blue feathered fowlbeast followed them all the time, singing happily above their heads.
It lingered, searching - and landed next to the sleeping white Sarkaz.
It didn't know why Liz fell asleep, and anxiously pecked her cheek with its small beak.
Until a black arrow pierced it.
The fowlbeast disappeared, and only a blue feather fell on Shining's shoulder.
Qui'sartuštaj: Enough.
Qui'sartuštaj: You clearly know that it was not her dream.
Shining: Even if it's just a false memory...
Qui'sartuštaj:: Since it is false, why not use your authority to shape her memory again?
Shining: Lizzie...just Lizzie.
Shining: She should have been free. I will never carve her soul out of my mind again.
Qui'sartuštaj: That's wishful thinking on your part... Qui'saršinnag, my fragile and dreamy child. You are the blue feathered fowlbeast, longing for freedom but imprisoning yourself instead.
Qui'sartuštaj: I have clearly prepared everything for you, a perfect body, and eternal authority. All you have to do is accept it——
Qui'sartuštaj: But you betrayed me, you gave up everything that belonged to you, for what? What did you get?
Qui'sartuštaj: You disappoint me so much.
Shining: ...A new life.
Shining: After leaving you, I got a new life.
Shining: Not as the Confessarius Qui'saršinnag, not a puppet of the bloodline...
Shining: But as Shining…
Shining: ...As a member of the Followers.
Blue feathers touched her wound.
The subtle pain woke her briefly from the paralysis induced by her blood.
Shining: Come on.
Shining: The time is... now.
Shining: Find me. Find the tree.
Shining: If it's you...
Shining: Then it can definitely be done.
A hole appeared in the crimson clouds.
The sunlight pours in without stopping-
Everyone's vision is getting brighter and brighter.
Confessarius Guard: That's-
Confessarius Guard: Whatever it is, hold back-!
Confessarius Guard: The ritual has begun, we can't let- ugh! There's no time to stop them!
Light.
Light and mist filled the air.
The sun falling down from the sky beat back the cold moonlight.
Margaret:-
Margaret: Sorry, the storm was too strong before, and it took me a while to get my bearings-
Margaret: How are you?
Margaret: Do you need a helping hand, Shining?
Shining: ...You don't have to.
Shining: What I want to save... is Liz.
Shining: And... stop Qui'sartuštaj.
Shining: Lend me your power-
Shining: Dispel this shadow before my eyes.
Margaret: Good.
Margaret: Then we'll go together.
Margaret: I'll illuminate the way forward.
14-12 After
Shining: ...
Margaret: You're here.
Shining: ...Nearl.
Shining: It's rare for you to return to the landship. Why don't you spend some time with Liz? She misses you.
Margaret: She just fell asleep.
Margaret: You, on the other hand, look more exhausted than before.
Margaret: Are you worried about Liz? I asked Dr. Kal'tsit and she said that Liz's condition is stable-
Margaret: Is there... is there something you aren't telling me?
Shining: I always wondered if... there is a way to "cure" Liz once and for all.
Margaret: You have been working on this for many years and it cannot be done overnight. Don't be so harsh on yourself.
Shining: What if... I said that the cure was always there, but I simply didn't dare use it?
Margaret: ...Shining.
Margaret: What are you hiding? Can't you tell me?
Shining: ...
Shining: Nearl, this is my mission, and mine alone.
Margaret: ...You think Liz and I will simply leave you?
Margaret: You know very will that will not happen.
Shining: My concern... was always that you would get hurt.
Shining: I have decided to make memories with Liz. I will be with her... until the moment the truth is revealed, but if...
Shining: Nearl-
Shining: When that time comes, I need you to protect Liz for me.
Margaret: I know.
Margaret: But Liz isn't the only one I will protect and fight alongside with...
Margaret: Shining, I will fight for you too.
Shining: Um...
Margaret: We have always been companions. The Followers are one.
Margaret: My oath remains unchanged-
Margaret: As long as you need it, Margaret Nearl and her swordspear will be here for you at any time.
Margaret: Every Confessarius here... is a powerful enemy.
Margaret: Shining, no wonder you don’t want to train against me.
Margaret: We saved Rhodes Island a lot of repair money.
Shining The strongest enemy...is still in front of us.
Margaret: Good.
Margaret: We'll strive for a quick resolution.
Qui'sartuštaj: ...Child's play!
Shining: Careful!
Margaret: Uh-huh.
Margaret: I can handle it.
Margaret: Shining, my shield will cover you.
Margaret: You just have to...move forward.
A torrent of witchcraft washed over them.
Margaret's light was actually suppressed.
Qui'sartuštaj stood at the top of the steps, morning and dusk rolling in her palms.
Qui'sartuštaj: Is this the helper you found? Qui'saršinnag, is this what you think our ritual scene is?
Qui'sartuštaj: A... meadow for horses to race for fun?
Shining:——
Qui'sartuštaj: Oh, her Originium Arts can temporarily block my influence on you.
Qui'sartuštaj: So what? Your swordsmanship, your Originium Arts, all come from me.
Qui'sartuštaj: How can you... hurt me without my permission?
Shining: Ahem—ugh!
Margaret: Slow...?
Margaret: His Arts... works on time perception? Or some other influence...
Margaret: Shining!
Shining: ....I'm fine.
Shining: Your shield...
Margaret: ...This is the first time this new shield has cracks.
Margaret: But it doesn’t matter, I will patch it up with my Arts.
Margaret: A knight's shield won't shatter so easily in front of someone who needs protection.
Qui'sartuštaj: ...A sickening glow.
Qui'sartuštaj: My little pony, Pegasi like you...I've killed countless of them in the past.
Qui'sartuštaj: I smeareded their golden blood on the walls of my Kazdel - making my city seem forever bathed in the glow of dawn.
Qui'sartuštaj: I thought their descendants will understand that Kazdel is not a territory that can be invaded wantonly.
Margaret: …This is not Kazdel.
Margaret: And you are not a hero who protects their home country.
Margaret: Heroes shed their own blood to clear the way for others.
Margaret: But you - only saw that your road to the throne was covered with the blood, tears and bones of others.
Qui'sartuštaj: Hero? I have long wanted to be a hero.
Qui'sartuštaj: Everyone sings their praises, everyone admires them...but it is still as fleeting as sand. No matter how much I dance with time, time will never stop for me.
Qui'sartuštaj: I will die and the city I built will crumble. The people I love will keep on betraying me.
Qui'sartuštaj: This endless cycle... tortures every Sarkaz, and it tortures me.
Qui'sartuštaj: But as a monarch, I have the responsibility and ability to change the fate of Sarkaz right from the point of their suffering.
Qui'sartuštaj: As long as Sarkaz will no longer crawl at the feet of beasts like you, as long as my Kazdel can last forever in countless mornings and dusk——
Along with Qui'sartuštaj's words, all the surrounding light rushed towards his palm.
Margaret's Originium Arts, the brilliance of the other Confessarii's spells, and... the only sunlight filtered by the thick clouds.
The small crown of thorns hanging in his palm was like a dark night that could not be ignored.
Nightingale, on the stone bed also began floating.
Her eyes were still closed, her limbs were weak, but her arms opened involuntarily——
At the moment when the last light is imprisoned, the crown will fall on the head of Qui'sartuštaj.
Nightingale: ......
Shining: Liz...!
Margaret: Shining, follow my light! Go and save her——
Shining: ——
The last ray of light was like a spear, tearing apart the witchcraft barrier along the way.
Shining came to Qui'sartuštaj.
Darkness descended like a cage, and the only light, came from her sword.
It was resting on the blade, flickering traces of soulfire.
Shining: ....Liz.
Shining.: I will give you back what was once taken from you, your true memories.
No wilderness, no woods, no stream ...... And no garlands of flowers.
Just a young girl, huddled in a dark corner.
The whole room is her prison, and she can't tell day from night.
For she was just an empty shell that had been created.
Unconscious and unaware of pain and fear. No matter what witchcraft was cast upon her, she would not react.
Until--
Shining: Because of my obsession with exploring souls... I didn't erase the ones I left behind when I carved yours - unnecessary traces.
Shining: You.... awakened.
Shining: You began to have emotions, to respond.
Shining: The experiment continued and I had to...
Create some illusions. Fill that newborn soul with memories fabricated by those Arts.
Covering up the true and most terrifying parts.
Shining: You'll feel better, I think, at least.
Shining: You will feel that you are truly alive and have had... a little warmth.
No.
Or maybe, as a way to escape.
Getting used to wallowing in those eyes that trusted you wholeheartedly, there was no need to admit how cruel what was done to her was.
Blue feathered fowlbeasts emerged from the darkness.
The huge gray-white eyeballs stared at Shining and slowly shed a tear.
Nightingale:...
Nightingale: Uhm...
The person suspended in mid-air fell slowly.
In the frozen time, Shining and Margaret heard Nightingale's voice at the same time.
Nightingale: I remember, Shining.
Nightingale: You took me all the way out of that dark room... accompanied me everywhere to seek medical treatment...
Nightingale: Then we met Nearl, and the Followers were formed.
Nightingale: We went to many places and saved many people.
Nightingale: You often frown and sigh in the middle of the night...but as long as I open my eyes, you will put on the gentlest tone and tell me the beautiful things I missed along the way.
Nightingale: Nearl tried to teach me how to dance several times, pulling me around and around... When I couldn't spin anymore, you would help me together... and take turns carrying me...
Nightingale: Beside you...
Nightingale: I feel like I can... really fly.
Nightingale: Together, you have made me what I am now.
Nightingale: I am one of the followers...a physician.
Nightingale: I will protect you too.
Nightingale: I will also fight alongside you to cut off the deepest sins and save... those who will be shrouded in eternal night.
Nightingale: This is for the three of us...
Nightingale: ...That is a promise.
Nightingale fell on the ground.
A great light was released from both her body and her staff.
A massive cage manifested and captured the body of Qui'sartuštaj.
Qui'sartuštaj: What-
Qui'sartuštaj: Your soul should obviously be in my hands, why is this cage-
Nightingale: I have a name.
Nightingale: My name is Liz, and I am your enemy.
Nightingale: Qui'sartuštaj, I'm stopping you here... because I disagree with everything you said.
Qui'sartuštaj: You...
Nightingale: Shining, I'm coming...
Shining tightened her grip on her sword.
Margaret threw her swordspear, its tip hitting the crown of thorns spinning in Qui'sartuštaj's hand.
The three of them understood each other's thoughts without mistake.
Qui'sartuštaj:-!
Catch that glimmer of soulfire before dawn and dusk take over again.
The only crack in the long, blood-colored stretch was indeed just around the corner.
Shining: I have found it, the very essence of your soul.
Shining:-
Qui'sartuštaj: ...
Qui'sartuštaj: Qui'saršinnag... you...
Shining: I'm not worried about what this body will become.
Shining: If my will is controlled by my bloodline, then Liz and Nearl will judge me in that moment.
Shining: But I'll never be your puppet.
Shining: I will not conquer or rule for you.
Shining: Until I die, I will live free.
Qui'sartuštaj: Free?
Qui'sartuštaj: Go ahead and try that.
Qui'sartuštaj: Qui'saršinnag, we cannot be separated that easily.
Qui'sartuštaj: Try it, try running away from me... one more time. Let's see how long you'll escape for this time.
Shining: I won't run away again.
Shining: I will give you the one and only eternal death.
Margaret: Shining- back off!
The moon in the treetops rolled off the cliffs, and the ground shook violently as if it were going up and down.
The altar collapsed and golden Originium slurry gushed out of the gap.
A figure walked out of nowhere, without anyone noticing its movement. His speed wasn't that fast, but the next second he was right between Qui'sartuštaj and the Follower.
Kalika: Time to go...
Kalika: ...Your highness.
Qui'sartuštaj: Ha... it's you.
Shining: Who-
Kalika: Follower... yes.
Kalika: In this era where courage is scarce, your light is truly dazzling.
Kalika: We will meet again.
Shining: ...
The figures of Kalika and Qui'sartuštaj dissipated into the ruins of the altar.
The other Confessarii followed suit.
The crown of thorns that was hit by the swordspear suddenly spun and turned into a dark shadow, flying high into the sky.
Shining: ...The Shard.
Margaret: That thing in the center of the storm is... the "Ananna" mentioned in our messages?
Shining: Dr. Kal'tsit and the others... can they catch up?
Margaret: Shining, you... uh, don't feel anything wrong with yourself, right?
Shining: I am fine.
Margaret: The bloodline curse is indeed very complicated.
Margaret: Wait, Liz... Liz!?
Nightingale: ...
Shining: Liz...
Shining: ...No
Shining: Your soul... why is it incomplete!?
Shining: Did you resist Qui'sartuštaj at the cost of tearing your soul apart?
Nightingale: Shining... Shining...
Margaret: I am here.
Margaret: I'll always be here.
Nightingale: Um...
Nightingale: I'm fine with it.
Nightingale: You have protected me for a really long time... this time, I wanted to protect you instead.
Nightingale: I... want to be by your side... forever...
Inseparable.
Margaret: Liz!
Margaret: Let's heal her! Shining, let's do it together!
Shining: ...
Margaret: Shining?
Shining: It would be useless.
Shining: Our Originium Arts cannot heal such a serious soul trauma within this environment.
Shining: From her body down to her soul, Liz was extremely special. She was born by a coincidence, no, I'd rather call it a miracle.
Margaret: Then we...
Shining: Should get out of here first, then plan our next move.
Margaret: Where is Qui'sartuštaj? Are you going to let him go?
Shining: Compared to Liz's safety, his life and death aren't worth mentioning - he isn't important anymore.
Shining: Come on, let's go back.
Margaret: Let's do it together.

Combat and Dragon Music is not playing at all with Personalized Music.
I have realized combat and dragon music is not working at all but I can't figure out the conflict since I don't know any music mods I have recently installed. When using Toggle Combat Music only vanilla music plays.
I would appreciate any kind of help.
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What Precautions Can Drone Owners Take to Prevent Losing Their Drones?
Losing drones is pretty common and has been a big issue for many drone owners. To tackle the problem various drone manufacturers have implemented several features to help prevent drone loss and ensure safe flights. Many modern drones of insideFPV (drone manufacturing company), such as the KrishiKarma- agricultural drone, the Surveillance drone, the AI-powered Nightingale drone, and the Kamikaze drone, come equipped with automatic Return-to-Home (RTH) or Return-to-Launch (RTL) capabilities.
These features are designed to trigger when the drone goes out of set range or its battery level drops to a critical level. When activated, the drone will automatically fly back to its takeoff location, ensuring the safe recovery of the aircraft. insideFPV have also cracked an advanced feature that gives drones the ability to navigate back home using onboard sensors and mapping technology, even in the absence of a GPS signal.
In addition to automated failsafes, drone manufacturers also emphasise the importance of proper pre-flight checks, maintaining line-of-sight with the aircraft, and adhering to local regulations regarding drone usage. By taking these precautions, drone operators can significantly reduce the risk of losing their drones during flight.
What Can Cause a Drone to Lose Link or GPS?
Despite the best efforts of drone manufacturers and operators, there are several factors that can lead to the loss of communication link or GPS signal, which can result in the drone becoming unresponsive or straying off course.
Obstacles: One of the most common causes of link loss is interference from other radio frequency (RF) sources, such as nearby buildings, power lines, or even other wireless devices. This can disrupt the communication between the drone and its controller, causing the drone to become unresponsive.
Range: Another potential issue is the limited range of the drone's transmitter and receiver. Depending on the model and the environment, drones can only maintain a stable connection within a certain distance from the operator. Exceeding this range can lead to link loss and the drone flying out of control.
Environment: GPS signal loss can also occur due to factors such as interference from atmospheric conditions, obstructions in the environment (e.g., tall buildings or trees), or even the drone's own components, which can create electromagnetic interference. Without a reliable GPS signal, the drone's navigation and position-holding capabilities may be compromised, leading to potential loss of control.
How Can Drone Operators Locate Their Drones After Link or GPS Loss?
In the event that a drone does lose its communication link or GPS signal, there are several strategies drone operators can employ to locate and recover their aircraft.
Backup control system: One of the most effective methods is to utilise a secondary backup control system, such as a radio beacon or a GPS tracker, which can be installed on the drone. These devices can continue to transmit location data, even when the primary communication link is lost, allowing the operator to track the drone's movements and potentially guide it back to a safe landing area.
Integrated Application: Another option is to use a smartphone or tablet app that integrates with the drone's telemetry system. These apps can often provide real-time updates on the drone's location, altitude, and battery status, even if the direct control link is severed. This information can be invaluable in determining the drone's last known position and planning a search and recovery effort.
Manual Search: In some cases, drone operators may need to resort to more low-tech methods, such as visual searches from the ground or the air (using another drone or aircraft). This can be particularly effective in urban or heavily forested areas where the drone may have become obscured from view. So the person can look for the last location that is shown before link loss and look for the drone manually.
Ultimately, the ability to locate a lost drone will depend on the specific features and capabilities of the drone itself, as well as the operator's preparedness and response time (as per the battery level). By understanding the potential causes of link and GPS loss, and having a plan in place for recovery, drone owners can increase their chances of finding their aircraft, even in the event of an unexpected in-flight incident.
Q: What features do modern drones have to prevent getting lost?
A: Many drones come equipped with automatic Return-to-Home (RTH) or Return-to-Launch (RTL) capabilities that trigger when the drone goes out of range or has low battery, making it fly back to its takeoff location. Some drones can also navigate home without GPS using onboard sensors and mapping.
Q: What precautions can drone owners take to avoid losing their drones?
A: Proper pre-flight checks, maintaining visual line-of-sight with the drone, adhering to local regulations, and not exceeding the drone's operational range are important precautions to prevent losing control or communication with the drone.
Q: What can cause a drone to lose its link or GPS signal?
A: Interference from obstacles like buildings or power lines, exceeding the drone's transmission range, atmospheric conditions, and electromagnetic interference from the drone's own components can all lead to loss of link or GPS.

I first encountered Seahorse in an ambergris sample set, loved it and got more Zoologist samples, loved Elephant and got three more, hoping to like enough to round out a travel size set (5).
Dragonfly
Hopes and dreams - Sounds delightful but all my favorites are in the top notes. Slightly worried that those will disappear and the drydown will be all floral patchouli (yuck).
First spray - mmmm, green. Very flowery.
An hour later - Quickly dried down to a generic floral, but the greenness, aquatics, and lack of sweetness make it fresh instead of stuffy.
Several hours later - Smells like men’s shaving cream. Disappointing.
Does it smell like dragonfly? At first, like a botanic garden that has a dragonfly pond or a classy old lady working in a flower garden. I don’t dislike the drydown enough that I won’t finish the sample but I am absolutely certain that there are green florals out there that I’d like more.
Chipmunk
Hopes and dreams - I’m not usually a big fan of cozy, but this is described as nutty and woody rather than a sweet dessert. We’ll see.
First spray - Pink pepper, then nothing, then hazelnut.
An hour later - Another fast drydown. Slightly animalic skin scent (my favorite type of muskiness) with Ferrero Roche on top, more nutty than sticky sweet. I don’t personally get a cozy vibe, but it’s youthful and warm. I keep sniffing where I sprayed hoping to get something more out of it.
Several hours later - Small amount of residual nuttiness before disappearing completely.
Does it smell like chipmunk? Yes. It’s lovely but not enough. I want more from the top notes, more earthiness, more complexity, more sillage, more longevity, more everything. Maybe I'm nose blind and other people could still smell it, but I’m not sure when or where I’d want mild hazelnut musk to be my public vibe. I feel like a forgettable Animal Crossing NPC who would like to leave the island now.
Penguin
Hopes and dreams - I’m curious about the interpretation of cold and am hoping for something unusual but wearable.
First spray - Really did capture a chilly environment. Antarctic air and ice accord sounds like BS but this actually does smell like cold.
An hour later - Getting a lot of juniper. I still can taste some toothpaste from brushing my teeth this morning and I keep thinking I’m smelling my toothpaste or tasting my perfume.
Several hours later - A lot of leather, quite masculine. If I smelled this without the top notes, you could not convince me there had been anything special about it.
Does it smell like Penguin - it starts out smelling like coldness, but I’m not sold on the juniper and leather as penguin scents. I do like aquatics, but I don't feel like if I got Seahorse that I'd want this too.
Already tried:
Elephant - Favorite scent I’ve sampled this year. Like an outdoor tea party with a freshly washed elephant.
Seahorse - Briny and bright. A welcome update on a 90s style aquatic.
Snowy Owl - Like it but don’t love it. I don’t get an association with snow or owl. The top notes are fabulous but the drydown is bland. But it’s distinct and I keep thinking it might be good to have to change things up.
Moth - Discovered that I hate cinnamon. Detest. Despise. At least I know a note to avoid now.
Tl;dr
All three were intriguing on first spray but nothing special on the drydown. One of the reasons I love Elephant so much is because the drydown stays beautiful and unusual. I'm not mad I tried them and will be able to use them a few more times, but it was a definitely less than inspiring experience.
Squid samples are sold out on the Zoologist website, so I’m going to get a sample from a decanter and then make a decision about whether I want to keep sampling. If I don’t love it, I’m going to get Elephant and call it a day. If I do love it, I’d be up for trying a few more samples. I’m tentatively interested in Hummingbird, Hyrax, Macaque Yuzu, Nightingale, and Tiger. I'm least interested in Rabbit. Opinions welcome!

https://www.culina-vetus.de/2024/04/21/in-praise-of-the-goose/
After a long trip, I am back and finally have time to post again. Thank you for your patience. Today it’s another piece of the König vom Odenwald, in praise of the goose:
III In Praise of the Goose
This is the tale of the goose,
It is not empty talk.
Some say of game
That it is plentiful.
Some speak of birdsong,
I will bring you something better!
Nightingales, thrushes and siskins:
I will praise something better!
Calandra larks, larks and blackbirds:
There is no meat on them.
Peacocks, chickens and ducks:
That is nonsense.
I will tell you quickly
How useful a bird the goose is!
Be it dark or light (meat),
It produces fine morsels.
Skin and thighs
I will not run away from
And the priest’s cuts (i.e. the breast)
I will gladly sit down to.
Wings and neck skin
Are best roasted
Neck, feet and innards
Are not bad when boiled.
That drips into the (roasting) pan
As I can tell you!
Let that not dismay you
It will make a fine sauce.
And that (the goose) lays large eggs
From which you raise young geese
Needs to be said here.
If twenty men came to a house
Where a goose lay by the fire
The smell coming from it
Would attract them strongly:
All would think, there will also be enough for me.
O mind who increases my art:
The usefulness only just begins here
As I will describe to you.
People write with the feather quill
And use it as a needlecase:
You fletch bolts and also arrows
With which a man defends the home
In which he raises his children.
I also speak of this:
You use the bones to catch
Quail which people eat.
But even those who forgo these
Will still have use of it:
Tailors, too, must have them
As I will tell you;
They sew across a feather quill.
Some are pleased to use
A feather quill in their crossbow
So the nut does not come loose.
Those are still not all its uses:
The feather quill is so fine
That mercury is carried in it.
Further, it is the custom to use geese
To catch wolves with them
By tying them to a hurdle
That is a more promising manner
Than using pigeons.
You use the feather quill on a cap (zuor huben)
And a slappe hangs from it
Which the young squire wears.
It is also useful to the fisherman
He uses the quill for fishing
So that it holds up the line.
But the best is yet to come,
It is no lie
that the quill is used in a stone crossbow (steinbogen)
To keep the strings apart
One should be equipped accordingly.
Weavers spool thread over the quill
To make clothes
And make their living from them.
To play the bagpipes (blaterspiel)
Someone blows through a quill
When piping to a dance
And people take each other’s hands.
A bent leg feather
Is used to make bait for falconry
You cannot do without it.
The goose is also a good guard animal.
A feather duster
Is used on tables and benches
And fan the embers.
Those who need it call for it
And bind it to the helm
Beneath it, the dust rises (from the field).
If someone does not believe me:
I call the family of Neuenstein to witness
Who defended their honour under it
On behalf of beloved, pure ladies
And those of Veinau
Who are looked at with high honour
They carry head and neck (in their armory)
It has long been allowed them.
Now begins the principal use:
You whistle on the bones
To raise people’s spirits.
And hear what people do on the beds
In which the feathers are contained:
You make children on them
A man with his wife
Their pure, tender bodies
Make gentlemen and princes
Who shall strive for honour
Priests, knights, and sergeants,
I believe I speak the truth,
Burghers and peasants.
This poem became me ill
When I made it known
It is called the praise of the goose
And it was created boldly
By the kuenig vom Otenwalde
Here ends the poem of the goose
Let nobody make claims on me (i.e. punish me) about it.
I admit I really like goose, but I’m nowhere near that effusive. At any rate, it is fascinating to see there is a canonical style of cooking a goose – the main body roasted with the drippings used to make sauce, cut-off pieces and innards roasted or boiled, and apparently the meat being served in slices and quite smnall portions (I would not try to serve a single goose to twenty, no matter how substantial the bird). That the breast is known as priests’ slices (pfaffensnitze) tells us both that priests were seen as gluttons and that goose meat was served sliced up, in small pieces.
The rest of the poem is no less interesting and reminds us that animal products sourced from the domestic environment of most people had immediate uses in a wide variety of applications.There really was no great degree of separation between the production going on all around them and the things they used every day. Nobody needed reminding why people were doing the jobs they were doing.
The actual examples chosen are an odd assortment, but they make sense in the context of someone familiar with the life of the lesser nobility and senior secular clergy, people equally at home with bookkeeping and the hunt. The ‘stone crossbow’ is a weapon designed to hunt birds which lauinches small sonten wedged into a pouch on a double bowstring. I am not sure whether this is a particularly early description, but it is an interesting one. Clearly the author expects this to be a familiar item. The ‘feather duster’ is most likely an entire wing, probably dried or smoked, that could be used to fan fires, bust surfactes, and mounted on a helmet with more dignity than the poofy feather-covered stick we associate with the word today. Finally, a fisherman using a quill “so that it holds up the line” suggests something a lot like modern angling with a fishing pose. That likely was more recreational than professional.
Der König vom Odenwald is an otherwise unknown poet whose work is tentatively dated to the 1340s. His title may refer to a senior rank among musicians or entertainers, a Spielmannskönig, but that is speculative. Many of his poems are humorous and deal with aspects of everyday life which makes them quite interesting to us today. The evident relish with which he describes food and the fact his work is first recorded in a manuscript owned by the de Leone family led scholars to consider him the author of the Buoch von Guoter Spise, but that is unlikely.

In fan-created works, Maedhros and Fingon are often depicted as a couple. Here I’ll argue why this is a—although not the only—possible interpretation of the text. I will begin by giving a short overview over their characters (1.). Then I will argue that characters in the Legendarium in general need not be straight, including Elves (2.), and that in particular, Maedhros and Fingon likely aren’t (3.). In (4.) I will discuss why they make most sense as a couple, both (a) in terms of character choices and actions and (b) in terms of parallels to Beren and Lúthien, followed by (c) a discussion of a potential Ancient Greek parallel. Of course, there are (5.) counter-arguments. However, I will (6.) conclude that despite these, reading Maedhros and Fingon as a romantic couple in the tragedy that is the Silmarillion is a valid interpretation of the text and fully in the tradition of the epics. This is a substantially reworked version of an essay I posted over a year ago here and here.
1. The Characters: Maedhros and Fingon

• Maedhros is the eldest son of Fëanor: diplomatic, intelligent, a general; tall, copper hair, beautiful; indomitable and dangerous—“Maidros tall/the eldest, whose ardour yet more eager burnt/than his father’s flame, than Fëanor’s wrath” (HoME III, p. 135). He is doomed through his Oath and his actions as a Kinslayer and the Doom of Mandos.
• Fingon is the eldest son of Fingolfin: “Of all the children of Finwë [Fingon the valiant] is justly most renowned: for his valour was as a fire and yet as steadfast as the hills of stone; wise he was and skilled in voice and hand; troth and justice he loved and bore good will to all, both Elves and Men, hating Morgoth only; he sought not his own, neither power nor glory, and death was his reward.” (HoME V, p. 251) He is also doomed, because he too is a Kinslayer.

2. Characters in the Legendarium Need Not Be Straight
There are several characters in the Legendarium who are explicitly said never to have married for reasons that can very well be read as something other than heterosexuality. Several characters remain unmarried because they are not interested in marriage; instead, they much prefer to spend their entire lives in military environments populated entirely by men, for instance:

• The last king of Gondor before Aragorn: “Eärnur was a man like his father in valour, but not in wisdom. He was a man of strong body and hot mood; but he would take no wife, for his only pleasure was in fighting, or in the exercise of arms. His prowess was such that none in Gondor could stand against him in those weapons-sports in which he delighted, seeming rather a champion than a captain or king, and retaining his vigour and skill to a later age than was natural.” (LOTR, p. 1052) This really could be a description of Richard the Lionheart from Ivanhoe.
• Boromir: “Rather he was a man after the sort of King Eärnur of old, taking no wife and delighting chiefly in arms; fearless and strong, but caring little for lore, save the tales of old battles.” (LOTR, p. 1056)

Concerning Elves, we are told that “it is contrary to the nature of the Eldar to live unwedded” (HoME X, p. 255), and the Elves tended to marry young, just after reaching majority (HoME X, p. 210). However, not every Elf actually marries. LACE specifies: “Marriage, save for rare ill chances and strange fates, was the natural course of life for all the Eldar” (HoME X, p. 210), which would account of Aegnor, who loved a human woman, never marrying. (More specifically, some 10% in each later generation do not marry (NoME, p. 111).) I would argue that these strange fates—as LACE terms it, I wouldn’t call it that—can include Elves being gay.
3. Maedhros and Fingon Might Not Be
Fingon was born in Y.T. 1260 (NoME, p. 164) and Maedhros would very likely have been older. This means Fingon was some 2280 sun years old when he reached Beleriand (I’m going with the HoME version of calculating years and ages because I really have trouble with squaring the NoME version with the Annals, the Silmarillion and LOTR).
Turgon, Fingon’s younger brother, is married and has a daughter before the Noldor leave Valinor. Curufin, Fëanor’s fifth son, and Angrod, Finarfin’s second son, are married and have sons. Maglor and Caranthir, Fëanor’s second and fourth sons respectively, also seem to be married (HoME XII, p. 318).
Maedhros and Fingon are definitely the two most eligible bachelors among the Noldor. Quite apart from the political desirability for anyone to bind their family to Fëanor’s eldest son (and heir: the Noldor seem to follow primogeniture, as the Shibboleth speaks of Fëanor’s “position and rights as his eldest son”, HoME XII, p. 343), Maedhros is explicitly said to be beautiful: his mother-name Maitimo means the “well-shaped one”, and “he was of beautiful bodily form” (HoME XII, p. 353). Fingon is the first son and heir of Fingolfin, the only other person who seems to have been as important as Fëanor among the Noldor: “High princes were Fëanor and Fingolfin, the elder sons of Finwë, honoured by all in Aman” (The Silmarillion, p. 70). While we never get much of a description, Fingon is given a name beginning with the element fin for hair, and “In the case of Fingon it was suitable; he wore his long dark hair in great plaits braided with gold.” (HoME XII, p. 345) We know that Elves find “hair of exceptional loveliness” attractive (HoME XII, p. 340). So we have two attractive and politically highly desirable princes here.
Yet Fingon has “no wife or child” (HoME XII, p. 345), while “Maedros the eldest [son of Fëanor] appears to have been unwedded” (HoME XII, p. 318).
Would it really be so surprising if these two princes, quite certainly among the most eligible bachelors in Valinor for any parents looking for a political match for their daughters, over two millennia old by the time we meet them and with a lot of married much younger siblings and cousins, but still unmarried, might not be straight?
4. Why I See Them as a Couple
(a) The Plot
We don’t know anything about what Maedhros and Fingon were doing in Valinor, apart from the facts that they were friends, that Morgoth’s lies came between them, and that Maedhros went into exile in Formenos with Fëanor (and Finwë) after Fëanor had drawn a sword on Fingolfin.
In Beleriand, Maedhros runs a military from his icy fortress on the Hill of Himring, while his younger brothers run kingdoms as his vassals. Meanwhile, Fingon spends most of his time in Beleriand fighting Morgoth; the driving political force of the non-Fëanorian side of the Noldor seems to be Fingolfin.
I would argue that a lot of Fingon’s and Maedhros’s actions and reactions make a lot more sense if seen through the lens of love for each other and a partnership that was broken in Valinor by Morgoth’s lies but was rekindled after Thangorodrim.
(i) Fingon
Fingon’s stated reasons for wanting to go to Middle-earth—exploring Middle-earth and building a kingdom there—don’t make sense. Fingon never does anything even remotely connected with building his own kingdom from the moment he sets foot on Beleriand—and yet he’s the driving force behind Fingolfin leaving Aman. He jumps in at Alqualondë, (probably) thinking that the Noldor under Fëanor were attacked. Afterwards he keeps driving the Noldor forwards, even after the Doom of Mandos. He is one of the leaders across the Helcaraxë. Yet the first thing we are told he does upon reaching Beleriand is going after his father’s main political rival—who Fingon thinks abandoned him to the Helcaraxë. Maedhros has been a captive of Morgoth for thirty years, and even his brothers apparently never tried to rescue him. But Fingon decides to do it anyway and succeeds through sheer stubbornness with some very convenient divine help. He then proceeds to fight Morgoth’s armies and monsters for four hundred years. When Fingolfin gives Fingon’s fiefdom to the House of Hador, Fingon doesn’t have a problem with it. When Fingolfin dies, Fingon becomes High King and Maedhros immediately starts acting as the new High King, organising an alliance against Morgoth called the Union of Maedhros. Maedhros does all of the planning and even appoints the day of the Fifth Battle (HoME XI, p. 165). (See also here.)
However, Fingon is involved in all of this: “Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros, took counsel with Himring” (The Silmarillion, p. 224). Fingon doesn’t seem to have the slightest problem with Maedhros apparently usurping him, exactly like he doesn’t have a problem with Fingolfin handing Dor-lómin to his human vassal.
I would argue that all of this makes sense if we assume that Fingon’s primary motivation is Maedhros. Maedhros has sworn the Oath, he will go to Beleriand, so Fingon has to follow. Fëanor’s army is fighting and it isn’t looking good for them, so Fingon has to jump in. Maybe he saw Maedhros in the fray. He follows Maedhros to Middle-earth. Once in Middle-earth, he follows Maedhros to literal hell on Earth and gets him out. And when he becomes High King, he and Maedhros seem to run the office with an arrangement where Fingon, the beloved hero, is the figurehead and Maedhros, who, unlike Fingon, is unlikely to be popular anywhere outside of East Beleriand due to his own and his brothers’ actions but is a politician born and bred, does the planning. But then, in a battle orchestrated by Maedhros, Fingon is brutally killed.
(ii) Maedhros
Maedhros confronts his obviously dangerous and mad father about returning for Fingon and is the only son of Fëanor to break through whatever hold Fëanor has on them at that point to stand aside at Losgar (note that Celegorm and Curufin don’t request that Aredhel be given passage and don’t refuse to burn the ships), even though “Morgoth’s lies came between” Fingon and Maedhros in the past (The Silmarillion, p. 97).
After being rescued by Fingon, Maedhros recovers from his decades of torment at Morgoth’s hands, returns to politics and keeps his brothers under control. Importantly, Maedhros renounces his claim to the crown and hands the kingship to Fingolfin, Fingon’s father. He also gives Fingolfin horses “in atonement of his losses” on the Helcaraxë (The Silmarillion, p. 135), which seems strange because it’s not like Fingolfin fought in the theft of the ships that he was later denied passage on by Fëanor—only Fingon would have had a moral “right” to be allowed on the ships. But maybe it’s of interest that the commander in Fingolfin’s army whose fighting style relies on horses is Fingon (“Then Fingon prince of Hithlum rode against [Glaurung] with archers on horseback, and hemmed him round with a ring of swift riders”, The Silmarillion, p. 132).
[Note: The question whether Maedhros had to “atone” for anything he did to Fingolfin is a thorny one. As Fëanor’s heir, Maedhros did inherit a responsibility for Fëanor’s actions (as well as the privileges coming with being the eldest son of the eldest son of Finwë). On the other hand, Maedhros himself had nothing to do with the burning of the ships by Fëanor; he openly opposed it. Moreover, Fingon, not Fingolfin, had fought in the battle where the Fëanorians won the ships, and Fingolfin had already begun to call himself “Finwë Nolofinwë” before Fëanor burned the ships: “Fingolfin had prefixed the name Finwë to Nolofinwë before the Exiles reached Middle-earth. This was in pursuance of his claim to be the chieftain of all the Ñoldor after the death of Finwë, and so enraged Fëanor that it was no doubt one of the reasons for his treachery in abandoning Fingolfin and stealing away with all the ships.” (HoME XII, p. 344, fn omitted) Neither Fëanor not Fingolfin was entirely blameless in this mess between them, but Fingon had nothing to do with this.]
When Fingolfin dies and Fingon becomes High King, Maedhros and Fingon seem to work perfectly in tandem. Maedhros orchestrates and plans the Fifth Battle—but the field is lost because of treachery in his own army. And then, Fingon is brutally killed in this battle which Maedhros had planned.
After the Nirnaeth Maedhros completely shatters. He retreats to a hill in Beleriand named Amon Ereb (The Silmarillion, p. 140), which reminded me of another character who retreats to a hill after a grave loss. After Aragorn’s death, a mourning Arwen lies down on a hill, Cerin Amroth, to die (LOTR, p. 1063).
But of course Maedhros doesn’t die yet. This story isn’t kind enough for that. Instead, he falls deeper and deeper into a cycle of blood-shedding: first Doriath, then the Havens of Sirion, and then the guards of Eonwë. And then Maedhros becomes the first and only Elf to successfully kill himself.
(iii) Some Descriptions Of Their Relationship
We know that Fingon and Maedhros used to be very close in Aman, but that they were estranged through lies—and that despite the estrangement and his belief that Maedhros callously abandoned him in Araman, Fingon can’t forget their bond: “Long before, in the bliss of Valinor, before Melkor was unchained, or lies came between them, Fingon had been close in friendship with Maedhros; and though he knew not yet that Maedhros had not forgotten him at the burning of the ships, the thought of their ancient friendship stung his heart.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124)
Yet they manage to overcome their estrangement: “Thus he rescued his friend of old from torment, and their love was renewed; and the hatred between the houses of Fingolfin and Fëanor was assuaged.” (HoME XI, p. 32)
In the LQ2, Tolkien inserted a new subheading for this story of Fingon’s rescue of Maedhros from Thangorodrim: “Of Fingon and Maedros” (HoME XI, p. 177). This is reminiscent of three other titles in the Silmarillion: “Of Aulë and Yavanna”, “Of Thingol and Melian”, “Of Beren and Lúthien”—three married couples.
Then there are the gifts. Gifts of jewellery are an important part of the marriage rituals of the Noldor; for instance, the bridegroom’s father would give a jewel to the bride (HoME X, p. 211).
In one version, Fëanor gives Maedhros the Elessar and Maedhros gives it to Fingon: “at the top of the page my father pencilled: ‘The Green Stone of Fëanor given by Maidros to Fingon.’ This can hardly be other than a reference to the Elessar that came in the end to Aragorn” (HoME XI, p. 176–177). The Elessar was later used as a (pre-)marriage gift by Galadriel, taking the role of Arwen’s mother, to Arwen’s future husband Aragorn (HoME X, p. 211). Meanwhile, in another origin story of the Elessar, Celebrimbor, who in this version is in love with Galadriel, creates the (second) Elessar for her and gives it to her as a gift (UT, p. 324–325). The Elessar seems to be associated with the concept of being given as a gift for reasons of romantic love.
Moreover, during the siege of Angband, Maedhros and Fingon would regularly send each other valuable gifts, such as the Dragon-helm forged by Telchar: “Maedhros afterwards sent it as a gift to Fingon, with whom he often exchanged tokens of friendship, remembering how Fingon had driven Glaurung back to Angband.” (UT, p. 98) This seems to have been such a regular occurrence that it wasn’t a problem for Fingon, who wasn’t strong enough to properly use the Dragon-helm, which had not been made for an Elf, to give it to the human Hador (see UT, p. 98).
Here it’s also important to discuss just how little material we have about Maedhros and Fingon. They don’t get any dialogue together apart from the rescue scene, and both appear far less often in the Silmarillion overall than Celegorm and Curufin, purely because they aren’t protagonists of one of the three Great Tales, but the protagonists of the frame narrative, the War of the Jewels. There’s also the fact that in-universe, the narrator of the Quenta Silmarillion is Pengolodh, a subject of Turgon who was born in Nevrast and spent most of his life in Gondolin (HoME XI, p. 396–397). Turgon, his king, notoriously hates the Sons of Fëanor because his wife Elenwë died on the Ice (HoME XII, p. 345). Turgon wouldn’t have liked any chatter concerning his brother’s close relationship with the chief son of Fëanor, obviously, as u/xi-feng points out. And yet, their affection shines through anyway, even though the narrator clearly hates the sons of Fëanor.
Here I think it’s also important to discuss the meaning of the word “friend”. Maedhros and Fingon are always referred to as friends, not as lovers, of course. But in the early 20^th century, language was different. “Friend” could be used by a man for his male lover. In Maurice, the title character says this to Alec—upon waking up after spending the night together: “‘Did you ever dream you’d a friend, Alec? Nothing else but just “my friend”, he trying to help you and you him. A friend’, he repeated, sentimental suddenly. ‘Someone to last your whole life and you his. I suppose such a thing can’t really happen outside sleep.’” (Maurice, ch. 38, p. 175) Or later, when Maurice is discussing the Code Napoleon with Mr Lasker Jones, Maurice asks, hopefully: “You mean that a Frenchman could share with a friend and yet not go to prison?” (“share” in this context means, to quote Mr Jones, “unite”) (Maurice, ch. 41, p. 188). As such, the use of the word “friend” does not mean that they can’t have been lovers.
(b) The Shared Motif With Beren and Lúthien
Apart from the titles (“Of Fingon and Maedros”, “Of Beren and Lúthien”), there’s a very impactful parallel between the stories of Maedhros and Fingon and of Beren and Lúthien: the motif of “rescue with singing”.
The motif of a rescuer singing a song to ascertain where a prisoner is being kept is inspired by the story of Richard the Lionheart, who’d gotten himself kidnapped in Europe on his return from a crusade, and his minstrel Blondel de Nesle, who “went from castle to castle, searching for the king who was held in an unknown location, and singing one of Richard’s favourite songs. When he came to where Richard was imprisoned, the king joined in, revealing his presence.” (Wayne & Scull, A Reader’s Companion, p. 603–604)
Tolkien uses the motif twice in the Silmarillion: for Lúthien’s rescue of Beren from Sauron, and for Fingon’s rescue of Maedhros from Morgoth (Wayne & Scull, A Reader’s Companion, p. 604). [And once in LOTR, for Sam’s rescue of Frodo from the Orcs of the Tower of Cirith Ungol—but my argument here is not about Frodo and Sam.]
I would argue that this element, which is central to the love story of Beren and Lúthien, who went against everyone she knew to search and find Beren against terrible odds, invites seeing the other story in the Silmarillion where exactly the same happens—and which in fact happens before the story of Beren and Lúthien—as a romance, even more so since Tolkien gave this element to Beren and Lúthien first and then, ten years later, to Maedhros and Fingon. In other words, this powerful element can double as a tertium comparationis.
(i) Beren and Lúthien
“In that hour Lúthien came, and standing upon the bridge that led to Sauron’s isle she sang a song that no walls of stone could hinder. Beren heard, and he thought that he dreamed; for the stars shone above him, and in the trees nightingales were singing. And in answer he sang a song of challenge that he had made in praise of the Seven Stars, the Sickle of the Valar that Varda hung above the North as a sign for the fall of Morgoth. Then all strength left him and he fell down into darkness.” (The Silmarillion, p. 204–205)
(ii) Maedhros and Fingon
“Therefore [Fingon] dared a deed which is justly renowned among the feats of the princes of the Noldor: alone, and without the counsel of any, he set forth in search of Maedhros; and aided by the very darkness that Morgoth had made he came unseen into the fastness of his foes. High spoon the shoulders of Thangorodrim he climbed, and looked in despair upon the desolation of the land; but no passage or crevice could he find though which he might come within Morgoth’s stronghold. Then in defiance of the Orcs, who cowered still in the dark vaults beneath the earth, he took his harp and sang a song of Valinor that the Noldor made of old, before strife was born among the sons of Finwë; and his voice rang in the mournful hollows that had never heard before aught save cries of fear and woe. Thus Fingon found what he sought. For suddenly above him far and faint his song was taken up, and a voice answering called to him. Maedhros it was that sang amid his torment.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124)
(iii) Parallels
There are several parallels between the stories of Beren and Lúthien and of Maedhros and Fingon. There is the parallel of the titles. There is the element of a rescuer going into incredible danger in lands controlled by a Dark Lord (Sauron’s fortress and Morgoth’s realm respectively). There is the element of the song sung by the rescuer and taken up by the captive. There is the element of some very helpful divine intervention through animal-shaped followers of the Valar: Huan, the hound that Oromë gave to Celegorm in Aman, who takes Lúthien to Beren’s dungeon and fights Sauron and his wolves (The Silmarillion, p. 202, 204–205), and Thorondor, the Eagle of Manwë who stays Fingon’s hand and takes him up to where Maedhros hangs (The Silmarillion, p. 124–125). (Tolkien considered Huan and Thorondor as beings of the same order, although what exactly, Maiar or animals “raised to a higher level”, see HoME X, p. 410–411, isn’t consistent throughout his writings.)
Since the tale of Beren and Lúthien is the love story of the Legendarium and it’s the couple that others are compared to and held up against—the references in the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen (LOTR, p. 1058–1059) are not subtle—I argue that reading Maedhros and Fingon, whose story contains the same very distinct elements, as a romantic couple too does not go against canon.
c) Ancient Greece and the Influence of the Classics
The Silmarillion, despite all the Germanic and other Northern influences and Catholic elements, reminds me of nothing so much as a Greek tragedy or epic. There is a Greek influence throughout the Legendarium, both in terms of plot and themes, especially in the War of the Jewels, and in terms of small linguistic elements. Lúthien before Mandos reads like a gender-swapped Orpheus and Eurydice before Hades with a somewhat better ending. Tolkien himself calls the tale of Beren and Lúthien “a kind of Orpheus-legend in reverse, but one of Pity not of Inexorability” (Letters, Letter 153, p. 193).
If Lúthien and Beren are Orpheus and Eurydice, based on Lúthien’s song moving Mandos to pity and making him return Beren (and her) to life, I posit that Maedhros and Fingon are Orestes and Pylades, who were considered lovers in Antiquity: see (Pseudo-)Lucian’s Amores, at [47]. This is not an exact parallel, of course, but when reading the Silmarillion, I was reminded of them, with elements from both Euripides’s Iphigenia in Tauris and Goethe’s Iphigenie auf Tauris:

• The princes who are cousins and faithful friends.
• The element of kinslaying, with the cursed lover bearing significantly more responsibility than the other lover, who is however also involved (Orestes kills his mother Clytemnestra; Pylades is either instrumental in Orestes’s killing of Clytemnestra (Aeschylus) or at least present during it (Euripides).
• Orestes is cursed due to kinslayings (in Euripides and Goethe). The curse of the house of Atreus (also known as the curse of Tantalus) affects his whole family. This curse is a prophecy by the gods that says that in every following generation of the family, there will be a kinslayer, and that every member of the family will be drawn into a cycle of death and destruction.
• Orestes demands of Pylades that he leave him to die and save himself (Euripides). Orestes wants to die because he thinks this is how he can escape from the Erinyes (or Furies), the personification of the curse he’s under.
• Orestes is saved from torment and “hell” by Pylades and Iphigenia (Goethe).
• The characters eventually escape with a lot of divine intervention by Athena (Euripides).

A drama of kinslayings and curses and torment and an eventual escape with the help of divine intervention—but it’s also a tragedy about two warriors who love each other. Because they did love each other, as lovers: Goethe has Orestes liken Pylades to a butterfly, and Pylades respond with “Da fing mein Leben an, als ich dich liebte”—“My life began when I loved you” (Goethe’s Iphigenie, Act II, Scene 1).
In fact, in the 19^th century, saying that two men were like Orestes and Pylades became a way of saying that they were gay (see Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, Vol. III (Marius), Book Fourth—The Friends of the A B C, ch. 1; moreover, Lord Byron uses “Orestes and Pylades” to describe his relationship with a male lover in his Letter 75—credit to u/Mastermaid).
Certainly, there are also many differences, but then there are also many differences between Orpheus and Eurydice and Beren and Lúthien, and yet, the inspiration is there. I would say that comparing Maedhros and Fingon to Orestes and Pylades is valid, and it’s certainly one element of why I read them as a couple.
5. Counter-arguments
Of course, there are many reasons not to read Maedhros and Fingon as a couple.
a) Elves and marriages between (half-)cousins
Maedhros and Fingon are half-cousins, and there’s a statement in the Silmarillion which could be read as a definitive statement on whether Elves would marry among first cousins: “The Eldar wedded not with kin so near, nor ever before had any desired to do so.” (The Silmarillion, p. 161) However, this is repeatedly contradicted in the text, including in LACE, which states that first cousins “might marry, but seldom did so, or desired to do so, unless one of the parents of each were far-sundered in kin” (HoME X, p. 234), and in one version, Galadriel and Celeborn are (full) first cousins (UT, p. 299) (see also here).
b) Fingon’s motivation was to heal the feud
You could also point to the statement in the Silmarillion that Fingon’s motivation was at least partly to avoid a civil war between the two hosts of the Noldor: “Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor, before their Enemy should be ready for war; for the earth trembled in the Northlands with the thunder of the forges of Melkor underground.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124) However, I would point to the sentence immediately following this one, which is: “Long before, in the bliss of Valinor, before Melkor was unchained, or lies came between them, Fingon had been close in friendship with Maedhros; and though he knew not yet that Maedhros had not forgotten him at the burning of the ships, the thought of their ancient friendship stung his heart.” (The Silmarillion, p. 124) Fingon certainly seems to have been more motivated by emotions than logic or politics in this scene. The politics side of the equation certainly goes out of the window when Fingon agrees to mercy-kill Maedhros, or when he prays to Manwë to help him kill Maedhros. Also, rescuing your father’s main political rival who everyone on your side thinks is as much of a traitor as Fëanor doesn’t seem like a great way to deflate tensions between two trigger-happy armies. This point also doesn’t take away from the parallels with Beren and Lúthien.
c) Fingon is Gil-galad’s father in the published Silmarillion
Christopher Tolkien says that he himself inserted the “son of Fingon” into the passage in Aldarion and Erendis in UT (HoME XII, p. 351) as well as in the Silmarillion (“in the published text […] Fingon is an editorial alteration of Felagund”, HoME XII, p. 349). He further says that Gil-galad son of Orodreth was JRR Tolkien’s “last word on the subject”, that it “would […] have been much better to have left Gil-galad’s parentage obscure” in the Silmarillion published by Christopher Tolkien, and that JRR Tolkien’s idea of Gil-galad son of Fingon was “ephemeral” (HoME, p. 351). Tolkien’s last words on the issue were that Fingon has “no wife or child” (HoME XII, p. 345). It’s also really important plot-wise that Fingon has no heir, and Fingon’s lieutenant Húrin, just before making an accurate prophecy concerning Eärendil, says to Turgon: “For you are the last of the House of Fingolfin, and in you lives the last hope of the Eldar.” (CoH, p. 58) (See also here.)
d) Maedhros and Fingon were melotorni and not romantic lovers
Carl Hostetter (u/cfhostetter) argues that Maedhros and Fingon would have been melotorni. The term melotorni comes from the following passage about love: “In this matter the Elven-tongues make distinctions. To speak of Quenya: Love, which Men might call “friendship” (but for the greater strength and warmth and permanency with which it was felt by the Quendi) was represented by √mel. This was primarily a motion or inclination of the fëa, and therefore could occur between persons of the same sex or different sexes. It included no sexual or procreative desire, though naturally in Incarnates the difference of sex altered the emotion, since “sex” is held by the Eldar to belong also to the fëa and not solely to the hröa, and is therefore not wholly included in procreation. Such persons were often called melotorni ‘love-brothers’ and meletheldi ‘love-sisters’.” (NoME, p. 20)
However, I don’t argue that given the textual evidence, Maedhros and Fingon can’t have been melotorni. I don’t argue that they can’t share philia (the friend bond), using C.S. Lewis’s terms for similar concepts from The Four Loves, and that eros (romantic love) is the only possible interpretation. I argue that the text points in the direction of a romantic relationship for reasons I have already mentioned: in particular, the surprising fact that both of them, the oldest of the third generation of the House of Finwë, were unmarried and never showed interest in marrying (unlike Finrod, for example); the gift of the Elessar, which has romantic connotations when Celebrimbor gives it to Galadriel and is in fact used as a marriage gift between Aragorn and Arwen; the parallels with Beren and Lúthien, the preeminent romantic relationship in the Legendarium; and the Greek influences.
By the way, again about the Elessar: it seems that everyone accepts that Celebrimbor is in love with Galadriel in that one version in UT, p. 324. And yet, all we know of what Celebrimbor feels for Galadriel is this: “But you know that I love you (though you turned to Celeborn of the Trees), and for that love I will do what I can, if haply by my art your grief can be lessened.” (UT, p. 324) The term used is “love”, not “in love with”. Still, no-one would doubt that this is romantic love, given the circumstances (that is, Celebrimbor mentioning Celeborn and giving Galadriel the Elessar). But love is also the term used for Maedhros and Fingon’s relationship (HoME XI, p. 32). So why, given the term and the circumstances (the Elessar and the parallel with Beren and Lúthien) can’t this be romantic—and in this case, requited—love too?
e) Elves don’t experience sexual desire without a concomitant desire to have children
Concerning marriage among the Elves, we are told that “The ‘desire’ for marriage and bodily union was represented by √yer; but this never in the uncorrupted occurred without ‘love’ √mel, nor without the desire for children.” (NoME, p. 20)
This seems quite definitive, doesn’t it? But it’s clear that this isn’t how things were in practice: note the term “in the uncorrupted”. By any interpretation, the Kinslayers of Alqualondë would not fall under “the uncorrupted”. This is confirmed by HoME X, p. 210: “Even when in after days, as the histories reveal, many of the Eldar in Middle-earth became corrupted, and their hearts darkened by shadow that lies upon Arda, seldom is any tale told of deeds of lust among them.”
And many, many expressions of innocuous free will among Elves are stated to be products of Arda Marred, the Shadow, corruption and the like. Indis loving Finwë while he was married to Míriel? “The Shadow” (HoME X, p. 247). Finwë accepting the severance of his marriage to Míriel through his second marriage to Indis? Accepting (and implicitly furthering) “the marring”, as Manwë tells Finwë: “For the severance cometh from the marring of Arda; and those who accept this permission accept the marring, whereas the bereaved who remain steadfast belong in spirit and will to Arda Unmarred.” (HoME X, p. 260). Míriel’s wish to remain unhoused? “The Shadow” (HoME X, p. 222). The Noldor leaving Aman, and the Sindar never getting there? “[T]he effort to preserve the Elves incorrupt there had proved a failure if they were to be left free: many had refused to come to the Blessed Realm, many had revolted and left it.” (HoME X, p. 401) For some of the Valar, even all unrequited love among Elves is part of Arda Marred/the Shadow (while for other Valar it’s part of free will) (HoME X, p. 211). That is, many, many natural and innocuous expressions of free will are expressions of “corruption”/Arda Marred/the Shadow.
In this context it’s also important to say that the term “corrupted” doesn’t necessarily mean evil in the Legendarium. It’s not always a moral statement, but can simply denote that something—or someone—is part of Arda Marred. Basically everything is part of Arda Marred, especially Elves and Men (see e.g. HoME X, p. 244, 254–255). And importantly, this “corruption” is necessary for the Third Theme, with Eru taking notes from the Discord of Melkor and weaving them into his own music, and saying, “And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.’” (The Silmarillion, p. 5–6) (See in general here.)
f) As a Catholic born in the 19^th century, Tolkien would never have countenanced a romantic relationship between two male characters
Tolkien greatly appreciated Mary Renault’s writings (Letters, Letter 294, p. 377, “I was recently deeply engaged in the books of Mary Renault; especially the two about Theseus, The King Must Die, and The Bull from the Sea. A few days ago I actually received a card of appreciation from her; perhaps the piece of ‘Fan-mail’ that gives me the most pleasure.”), nominated E.M. Forster for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 (see Dennis Wilson Wise, Mythlore), and was close with W.H. Auden (Letters, Letter 327, p. 411–412, “I regard him as one of my great friends”, credit to elethiomel on AO3). So I wouldn’t say that Tolkien being a Catholic is a major obstacle.
And it’s not like Tolkien had to personally agree with everything he wrote his characters, even his heroes and protagonists, as doing. Tolkien wrote Túrin marrying his sister and both Túrin and Nienor killing themselves, none of which is very Catholic either. The argument that Tolkien had to approve of homosexual relationships for Maedhros and Fingon to be in love is strange anyway—Maedhros in particular is a murderer many times over, and a suicide. But Maedhros loving Fingon romantically would be beyond the pale and impossible for a Catholic to write?
6. Conclusion
Maybe I’m too influenced by classical literature. In the Silmarillion, which I read as a Northern Iliad or Aeneid, maybe I expected to also find the element of the couple who are princes and warriors at war and who will die awful deaths in service of the tragedy. Maybe it’s because I knew of Achilles and Patroclus from Homer’s Iliad (who were seen as a couple even in English literature in the early modern period, see for instance Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, Act I, or William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida, Act V, Scene 1), and of Nisus and Euryalus from Virgil’s Aeneid. So maybe I was subconsciously looking for two princely warriors who would stand in this literary tradition. But then Tolkien himself was greatly impacted by Ancient Greek and Latin literature: “I was brought up in the Classics, and first discovered the sensation of literary pleasure in Homer.” (Letters, Letter 142, p. 172) We can refer to the classics to interpret Tolkien’s works. And I would argue that the text lends itself to my interpretation. I hope that they’ll meet again in Mandos or afterwards, without the burden of the Oath and the Doom, and that they can be happy despite the tragedy that was the First Age.
Sources in the comments due to character limit. Highlights in bold in quotes are mine.

Currently looking for a mod to retexutre my clover01.nif texture.
https://imgur.com/a/HjT2h6g - Screenshot showing the texture I am trying to change. I have Vanilla Visualizes Enabled
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Hello. I noticed that no one here really talks about Return, so I decided to share my thoughts about the manuscript with those who don’t mind spending more than five minutes reading this post and thinking about it. Mind you, I may be very bad at communicating my thoughts to other people. Sorry for that.
To quote Tim Breaker, “It’s a lot, so buckle up.” And when I say "a lot", I mean "A LOT". There will be no TL;DR here.
Here, in this post I will be looking at 2 versions of Return from two authors - Alan1 and Alan2. Alan1 is the Alan who wrote Return and who Alan2 and Zane (whoever he is) call Scratch. This is not the Mr. Scratch you remember from AWAN and not that Scratch who is chasing Saga, demanding the Clicker. And in the Dark Place he is called Scratch only because Alan2 mistakenly decided that Alan1 was Scratch. Alan1 is either Alan under the influence of the Dark Presence, or a completely desperate Alan, or any other Alan who has lost his mind. There are many theories, but the truth is, it was Alan. We'll leave the debate about this for some other time. Alan2 is Alan, who forgot that he wrote Return, was horrified by the contents of the manuscript, blamed Scratch for everything (who else to blame?) and edited Return. He is Alan, with whom we play through the game.
I'm not going to build theories here, but rather looking at what Alan2 changed in Alan1’s Return, as well as noting a couple of non-obvious things in Alan2's pages, and after that I'll look at what exactly was supposed to happen in Alan1's Return, based on what's left of it. Nothing big.
I hope that someone will show me their view of the contents of the manuscript from a different angle or, on the contrary, will learn something new from my observations. And yes, some things will seem very obvious, but people here often don't notice obvious things at all, so something like this can be a big revelation for them.
Manuscript pages can always be viewed here: Return Manuscript) (this is a link to the wiki)
A couple of notes before I start:

1. I'll assume that the protagonist of Alan1's Return was supposed to be Casey, and Alan2 changed it to Saga.
2. I’m not a fan of All-Mighty Alan’s theory (to quote Clay Murphy: “he is not some all-powerful hand of fate”). When I say/write that “something happened because Alan wrote it that way,” I mean “something happened because Alan spent a shitload of time and trying to get it right, and by some miracle, the stars aligned and reality/The Dark Place/Universe allowed it to happen, which meant it could happen (or happened in a parallel world), and Alan just nudged reality in that direction.” Let’s not forget that many of the things Alan wrote about are things that actually existed/exist, and Alan simply described them as they are. And there is no way to tell which case this or that situation belongs to. For example, Alan2 writes: “Then the government put up a fence.” (around Cauldron Lake), which means that either 1) Alan2 changed reality so that the government put up a fence, or 2) the government put up a fence, then Alan saw it in his visions and wrote about it.
3. Based on the video from Initiation 6, Alan2 was NOT trying to make the story less horror (should have stuck to the genre, to work within the constraints set by Alan1). He edited Return with one goal - to try to prevent the Dark Presence from escaping from the Dark Place and the subsequent deaths of people, and for this he wrote into the story Saga, who, in his opinion, was already involved in all this, so that she would “fight the darkness” and stopped Scratch/Dark Presence. And in order for Saga to understand what to do, Alan2 needed to talk to her, therefore, get into the Overlap. In short, the main point of the edits is to create conditions for the Overlaps and provide Saga with her story so that she becomes motivated to work on this matter.

Pages are divided into 3 categories:
https://preview.redd.it/r9i4fxkik1uc1.png?width=925&format=png&auto=webp&s=51db1e6fc066421fb1a65eb658c80c8dbfc35409
I'll quickly go over why I organized some pages the way I did.
Second column in the table (why I decided that these pages were written by Alan2):
The Koskela's Parade Float page was completely rewritten by Alan2 in order to create Saga's path to the Overlap, and not a single word of the original text remains.
Rose Receives A Message. The concept of the Hero didn't exist in Alan1’s Return, and it's unlikely that Casey, if you count him as the hero, was a fan of knitting, so we can assume that Alan2 wrote it.
Odin Loses An Eye and Door Traverses The Dark Place. Mr. Door is undoubtedly angry at Alan for "opening doors and peeking in", but I don't think that's enough to get involved himself. Door is only in the story because of Saga/Logan, and Saga/Logan is in the story only because of Alan2. It would be fair to assume that the pages about Door were written by Alan2.
It's Not a Lake. It’s a bucket. I think it is correct to assume that, even though Alan1 was the one who first introduced Ahti in his manuscript, Alan2 wrote this page. It vaguely hints at who Ahti is and that he leaves puddles of water to connect to the Dark Place.
Third column in the table (why am I not sure who wrote these pages):
Dark Poem 1, Dark Poem 2, Dark Poem 3 [FD]. Doubts arose because in Initiation Alan2 said about Dark Poem 1 “Who was writing this poem?” Me? No.” and about Dark Poem 3 “It wasn’t my writing. I didn’t know what it was.”, but Alan2’s lack of memory of writing anything doesn’t prove a damn thing.
Breakthrough in the Lake House. Until the DLC comes out, there’s probably nothing to say here.
Ilmo Resists The Dark Presence. I'll start from afar here. Alan2 edits pages with deputies (Deputies Make A Grave Mistake, Deputies Corrupted, Deputies In The Morgue) for two reasons: 1) change the protagonist from Casey to Saga (while making deputies, who were already a bit of out-of-towners haters, much more unpleasant); 2) prepare for Saga the opportunity to get to the Overlap (connect deputies with the Huotari brothers and the well), and these edits do not change the point - Mulligan and Thornton in Alan1’s Return were initially corrupt (they accidentally kill Monica Thompson and hide her body; «Mulligan and Thornton's guilt was a door for the Dark Presence»). It follows from this that, since he already had corrupted Mulligan and Thornton, Alan1 didn’t really need corrupted Ilmo (or he knew/foresaw that he wouldn’t be able to change the nature of Ilmo), which means he himself could well have been the author of this pages. But I'm more inclined to believe that Alan2 wrote it, because the page has more connections with Huotari Overlap which he needed.
Now let's go through the pages and find out how Alan2 changed the story of Alan1. I won't go through all the pages because some of the edits are too obvious to discuss, and some of the pages contain edits that seem to be just for emphasis (and I don't understand if this is actually the case, or if there is a hidden meaning here that I, as a foreigner who does not speak English very well, am simply unable to understand). I definitely won’t go through the pages written by Alan2 about the Saga (except for The Trailer), we can perfectly see what is described on these pages with our own eyes in the game.
The Overlap and The Murder Sites. It was Alan1 who introduced the concept of the Overlaps and their connection with the Murder Sites. He lists the stories/legends/tales that Saga uses to enter the Overlaps, and the murder victims that Alan2 will find in the Dark Place to give Saga the items for the Overlap opening ritual. I'm struggling to understand what exactly Alan2 edited here and how it contradicted/interfered with what he scratched out. Someone please enlighten me. At the end of The Murder Sites, Alan2 clarifies how the Overlap functions, how reality twists and loops (we remember that the same thing happened in AWAN).
Thoughts on this subject:

He lists the stories/legends/tales that Saga uses to enter the Overlaps, and the murder victims that Alan2 will find in the Dark Place to give Saga the items for the Overlap opening ritual

Yes, Alan1 does this, but neither of these things happen in his Return. The murder sites are actually part of the Initiation, not the Return (although one can argue here - Alan in Writer's Journey came to the conclusion that the murder sites are previous drafts of his Return). And due to the fact that Alan2 wrote whole pages from scratch (ha!) about how Saga opens the Overlaps and enters them, and didn’t edit the existing ones, I can assume that Casey doesn’t do this at all in Alan1’s Return, and then the question arises: why did Alan1 introduce the concept of the Overlaps and their connection with the murder sites?
Saga Fights Nightingale With Light. Here Alan2 introduces a new protagonist - Saga - and a new rule: The Taken could not see what was in the bright light + small hints of the tale of the witch, which is necessary to enter the Overlap.
Saga Pursues Nightingale. Nightingale hid in a place that is similar in description to the Overlap, although Alan1 does not call it that (Alan2 lets Saga know this name early, perhaps so that it will be easier for her to work with the plot of the book). It is unknown whether Casey was supposed to go to Overlap in Alan1’s Return. Alan2 forces Saga to follow Nightingale to Cauldron Lake Overlap (as an FBI agent, she is obliged to protect people from Nightingale).
Saga At The General Store. Someone, most likely Casey, for some reason comes to the abandoned general store and runs into a cultist. Alan2 changes the character to Saga, who came here in pursuit of “it” - Nightingale’s heart.
Nightingale Enters The Lake. Here Alan1 simply describes what happened to Nightingale in the lake. Alan2’s edit is something of a hint at the instructions for Saga (“dig up” the page from Nightingale) - very late, because she finds the page already in the Overlap.
Nightingale In The Dark Place. It was Alan1 who introduced the concept of a dark city full of shadows, in which there is a subway with the Caldera Street Station, as well as the presence of a cult of the writer - the Cult of the Word. The cult forces Nightingale, who fiercely hates Alan Wake, to go after the Clicker. Alan2 with his edit hides “his words” - a page - in Nightingale’s chest for the Saga. Not sure about the "You're not allowed in the lake until he says otherwise" part.
Ed Returns To Cauldron Lake and Tammy Rides The Ferry. It looks like some of Alan2's edits are making references to what happened between Alan and Alice, albeit in a slightly different way: “Something authentic to himself”. – this is the problem with Alice and her photographs, which she talked about in her documentary; “Tammy had said some things. Things she regretted.” и “After the argument with Tammy, Ed stormed out of the diner” – Alan runs away from Alice after an argument in the cabin. Alan2's final edits in Ed Returns To Cauldron Lake may save Ed's life - I don't know what possible death awaited him, but Alan2 makes his fate at least uncertain. What is at least known is that he was not taken/touched by the Dark Presence, he was attacked by people with flashlights.
Cauldron Lake). Alan2's edits establish that the government surrounded the lake with a fence, citing volcanic gas. It also seems to me that Alan2, for some reason, makes the darkness from the lake too strong - so much so that it is already everywhere and nothing can stop it.
The Cult Of The Tree. Edit suggests that Alan2 “made” the cultists real people, and not just killers from an urban legend, but why did he do this if in other manuscripts of Alan1 the Cult is already perfectly revealed as an ordinary gathering of real people fighting the Taken and trying to protect their home (this is especially evident in The Cult Of The Tree Is Born and Koskelas Break Into The FBC Lab)?
Mocha's Funeral. Judging by how openly Ilmo speaks about the Grandmaster at the funeral, the entire staff of the Coffee World and all the bikers of the Kalevala Knights club (no surprise here) are members of the Cult of the Tree. Alan2 changed half the page to give Saga a hint on how to open the Watery Overlap (again too late, because the page can already be found in the Overlap).
The Cult Finds The Clicker. With his edit, Alan2 “obliged” the cultists to use the Clicker in their rituals of killing the Taken, so that he could subsequently deliver the manuscript inside Nightingale to Saga.
Koskelas Break Into The FBC Lab. Alan2 simplified for the Koskela brothers what happened to the people connected to the lake (those who went into the lake came out of it "bad"), and gave the Cult a reason to want to kill Alan Wake.
Thoughts on the Cult: Looking through all the pages with the Cult together (including The Cult Of The Tree Is Born), I noticed that Alan2 didn’t really change anything, just added a couple of phrases so that the story would go in the direction he wanted (so that the Saga could get into the Overlaps and help him), but at the same time the very essence of the Cult, written in Alan1’s Return, has not changed - albeit arrogant and awkward, led by a charismatic entrepreneur, it is just a group of residents of two towns who are fighting the horrors from the lake and trying to protect their home. They don't give me the impression of people who would kill a federal agent in a sacrificial ritual to free some writer from their haunted lake, like in the Zane's Yötön Yö movie. Was the history of the Cult always like this, and Alan1 simply “saw” it and described it without changing anything? Why are Alan1's cultists nothing like the cultists from Yötön Yö movie, even though the latter was supposed to be a companion piece to Return? Maybe Alan1 simply couldn't change reality in this way? Or did he just not want to? Was this one of the reasons to leave Zanе behind?
Deputies Make A Grave Mistake. Alan2 didn't edit much here other than a couple of glorifying (?) remarks about the Cult of the Tree, and I'm not sure what he wanted to achieve with this. Maybe he wanted to remind us that the Cult of the Tree was intended to be a group of protectors (even in Alan1’s Return), because on this page it is not very noticeable from the actions of Mulligan and Thornton? I don't know.
Deputies Corrupted. Alan2 does not change anything in the story of the two deputies becoming Taken, except for the second paragraph - he connects them with the Huotari brothers in an identical way of getting rid of corpses. It seems that Alan2 was completely satisfied with the story that Alan1 wrote for Mulligan and Thornton, since he barely edited it. Or maybe the story fit the rules of the Dark Place too much to be changed.
Deputies In The Morgue. Mulligan and Thornton were in the morgue and hated Alex Casey. He was a "government motherfucker" and they clearly had some reason to hate him. Alan2 deprived us of the opportunity to know this reason and what they wanted to tell him (a shame, because it could have been something very heartbreaking) by turning the focus to Saga. She, too, was a “government motherfucker,” and they had another reason to hate her. For deputies, Saga ended up in the same basket with the Bookers, and they were all despised together for being out-of-towners (or because they were black, depending on how you interpret it).
Thoughts about Mulligan and Thornton: before you start hating them with all your heart for racism or whatever, remember that the Dark Presence amplifies even the smallest dark traits to incredible proportions. Yes, they were out-of-towners haters, Thornton was absolutely not ashamed to say it out loud. But at the same time, before the story got to them, the same Thornton very sincerely and even somehow sweetly (and weirdly) thanked non-local Saga for the sunny weather (because the rain stopped when she and Casey arrived in Bright Falls). Yes, they were not good and nice people, but they were not that bad either. They were just very badly corrupted by the Dark Presence.
The Trailer. This page was written entirely by Alan2 about Saga. It is interesting because it is the only page that Alan2 read in the real world, and his knowledge of what happens in the Return is limited to only this page. And there is almost no information on it - there is Saga (he remembers Saga from the Overlaps), who stands in a trailer park in Watery and sees the Clicker in the hands of cultists of the Tree who wear deer masks. The horror story changes the life of Saga, who notices it. That's all. Alan2 doesn’t know/remember anything else. He doesn't remember the messages for Rose, he reacts strangely to accusations of Logan's death (as if he knows he did something terrible to the Saga’s family, but doesn't remember what exactly, and who even is there in this family), and he was able to mumble something about the Cult and the Clicker only because he read it on this page.
The Dark Presence Attacks. As I already wrote in my other post, this page possibly explains/establishes that Taken will now speak in manuscript quotes rather than everyday phrases from their lives. As for the edit, it seems to me that Alan2 is simply adding here and there the theme of drowning in darkness and water=darkness, which is already permeated throughout Alan1’s Return.
Watery). According to Alan2's edits, most of the population left Watery, and only the most stubborn remained. This seems to create a more favorable environment for the creation and functioning of the Cult, as well as making things easier for the Saga (fewer people means fewer new Taken in the forest). Alan2 also gives credit to the Koskela brothers for keeping the town afloat and “warding off the impending darkness with their ventures", also confirming the success of Coffee World, although not sufficient to save the town.
Coffee World Attacked. It is not clear why this page is called that, because for both Alan1 and Alan2 it’s just the story of a girl, Anna, who stared at the darkness in a well and fell into it. The attack is supposed to happen after or because of this, but there is nothing on the page itself that matches the name. And also this edit - “Smiled until her face hurt.” What is it for? What is it supposed to mean? What does it mean for the story? And Alan2 also scratched out a whole paragraph after that. What was there that was unimportant for the story?
Barry's Struggles With Artists. According to Alan1, Barry got himself convinced that all the nightmares he’d seen leading up to Alan Wake drowning himself were just his imagination, and now he takes pills to sleep normally. Alan2 clarifies a couple of hard truths about himself - in addition to several unhealthy addictions and manic-depressive behavior (he diagnosed himself with bipolar disorder, just like that?), he had "an on-off death wish" that Barry witnessed (does this mean that in the old days Alan actually tried to kill himself and Barry was there and stopped him, or am I making this up, mixing up a death wish with suicide attempts?). Also, according to Alan2's edit, whatever the Andersons brothers did during their concerts, it caused Barry to start remembering the nightmares of Bright Falls.
Building The Valhalla Nursing Home. Alan1 writes into the story an old mansion in Bright Falls (however, without indicating anywhere who owned this mansion), which, by order of Barry, with money from the Return comeback tour and sales of their Greatest Hits album, was refitted into the Valhalla Nursing Home for Odin and Tor in 2014. Alan2 prepares a new Overlap (“the leaks started appearing”), and also relieves Barry of his guilt towards the Andersons (and Alan Wake, possibly) and drives Barry away from Bright Falls, away from trouble, so that Barry can begin a new part of his life.
Tor Is Bewitched. Alan1 established that Tor was indeed in love with Cynthia. Alan2 made it clear that Tor can't become a Taken (but the darkness can kill him in other ways), and also that Tom – that is, Alan Wake - is coming back, and someone other than the old Andersons must help him , and so Tor calls Saga. Alan2 also writes that Cynthia “wanted a song” (Anger’s Remorse) - this is her way of ruining Tor and dragging him into the Dark Place to keep him away from Saga.
Odin Stuck In Bed. Here Alan2's edits reveal Saga's family ties to the Anderson brothers.
Cynthia Corrupted. Cynthia's corruption doesn't seem to be able to be changed, so Alan2 doesn't do it, he just adds "lore" to tie the local story to the murder site in the Dark Place (the man in the bathroom who said “This will put a smile back on your face, my dear” is the Devil from The Cult play who killed the actress in the bathroom at the Oceanview Hotel).
Cynthia And Tom. In Alan1's Return, Thomas Zane had enemies, according to Cynthia Weaver, and she had to "deal with" one of them, an unknown man (this could have been Casey, the book's protagonist). Alan2 makes Tor this "enemy" so that Saga has a reason to go to the Overlap. Also, as with the previous page, the middle paragraph edit connects the story to the murder site in the Dark Place (New York, hotel, bathroom).
Cynthia's Lamp. It was Alan1 who introduced into the story the lamp of Thomas Zane with a cut wire and a missing switch (there is no specific description of the lamp), which was very dear to Cynthia. Something or someone took the lamp (we will never know) to push Cynthia further into corruption. Alan2 makes Rose an unwitting “criminal”, who, confident that Cynthia will not mind (she already has many lamps), following Alan Wake’s instructions in her dreams, sends this lamp through the garden pond - now it is an Angel Lamp with invisible light - in a shoebox to him in the Dark Place for help. Also, according to his edit, this is Alan Wake sent messages to Rose (how and when he did it is a completely different question).
Bright Falls). Alan2 added this edit «The town expected a lot of tourists this year.» and I just can’t understand why Alan2, so horrified by Alan1’s Return, decided to bring more potential victims to Bright Falls.
Rose At Bingo Night. By the way, on this page for the first and only time, except for the Final Draft, Ahti appears in the manuscript of Alan1’s Return. Why did Alan1 deliberately put Ahti in the story? To somehow limit him? Or was he obliged to put him in the story because Ahti was already in Watery? Alan2 introduces the concept of the Hero that Rose is waiting for into the story for the first time. Also, this bingo night becomes the starting point for this whole unpleasant event with Tor, Cynthia and the Overlap.
Sheriff's Station Attacked. According to Alan1, «the Oldest House had gone dark». So far, no one knows what this should mean and since when it has been happening. Alan2 confirms that he, a parautilitarian, is in FBC custody. According to his edits, the Dark Presence's attack began from inside the sheriff's station.
Scratch On The Hunt. The page describes Scratch (who is the Dark Presence in Alan2's meatsuit) walking through the forest surrounded by the Taken, craving the Clicker. Signpost in hand and music starting to play ahead indicate that Dark Ocean Summoning begins at this moment. This is the only page that mentions Scratch in both versions of Return (also remember that Ilmo said he didn't see any pages with that name). I believe that with the second edit on this page - "Let the final Deerfest commence" - Alan2 set the approximate time of Scratch's rampage in freedom - right before Deerfest, so that he or Saga would have some time to prepare. I'm not sure if the first edit was supposed to have the same purpose.
So, we're done with the pages. Now let's summarize all the events and lore established in Alan1’s Return:

• Bright Falls is preparing for the 81st Deerfest. People are alarmed, whispering about new murders. The police patrol every night. Rain is forecast. The light seems dimmer. Floodwater pressed in on the town, and the shadows poured in with it.
• Watery is going through tough times. The lumber mill closed long ago, and the popularity of fishing had waned. The Kalevala Knights motorcycle club built parade floats. The bikers repaired vehicles and volunteered locally. But it wouldn't be enough.
• In Bright Falls and Watery there are tales/urban legends about a ghost of a witch ripping a man's heart from his chest, about two brothers murdering their neighbors and hiding the bodies in a well and about a young woman haunting the flooded bunker where she drowned. The Overlaps may appear in places associated with this tales.
• In the Dark Place there is a dark New York with the Caldera Street Station and the Cult of the Word.
• Once upon a time, Ilmo and Jaakko Koskela entered the FBС lab, learned from the files about “The Shadow”, Hartman, Jagger, learned that Alan Wake went into the lake and got rid of Jagger using the Clicker. They sabotaged the FBC monitoring station so that it would warn them about things coming out of the lake. They later created the Cult of the Tree, whose purpose is to protect Bright Falls and Watery from Taken and hunt them.
• Barry Wheeler, with the help of a psychologist, convinced himself that the nightmarish events of 2010, including the self-drowning of Alan Wake, were his imagination. Now he takes pills to sleep normally.
• Barry Wheeler managed the Old Gods of Asgard for a couple of years and they released a couple of songs and did a Return comeback tour. But after every gig and the party that followed, it took them weeks to bounce back, and, fearing that another of his clients would die, Barry canceled the tour.
• There was an old mansion in Bright Falls (nowhere in the manuscript is it stated who the owner of this mansion was), which, by order of Barry, with money from the Return comeback tour and sales of their Greatest Hits album, was refitted into the Valhalla Nursing Home for Odin and Tor in 2014. Rose works there when she's not working as a waitress at a diner, and the old people play bingo. One of the residents is Ahti. He constantly takes Vladimir Bloom's work clothes without asking and wears them.
• The Clicker washed up on the shore of Cauldron Lake and was picked up by the cultists.
• The Oldest House had gone dark.
• Brothers Koskela and Kalevala Knights are preparing for the parade. Mocha the Moose died. His skull was to become "the crown of the grandmaster."
• Nightingale was sent for the Clicker.
• Nightingale is “killed” on the same day that Casey and his partner arrive in Bright Falls. They find a page from a manuscript.
• Casey fights Nightingale with light in the autopsy room.
• Nightingale is in a place, «where some other strange reality, the Dark Place, merged with ours».
• Someone (Casey?) met a cultist in a general store.
• Ed Booker drove to the lake to "prove his point." Tammy Booker stood on the ferry. There was no argument between them.
• Deputies Mulligan and Thornton, members of the Cult of the Tree, accidentally killed Monica Thompson and hid her body. They despise Casey (for an unknown reason), and later become Taken due to their guilt over killing Monica.
• Anna in Coffee World fell into the Huotari Well.
• ·Bailey encounters "a glitching cloud, a dark boiling monster", and becomes Taken.
• The garden lights started to flicker, the darkness and rain pressing against the windows of the Valhalla Nursing Home.
• Cynthia Weaver lost her lantern, lost Tom's Angel Lamp, drowned in the bathtub, became Taken. She had to deal with one of the “Tom’s enemies” - some man (possibly Casey).
• Tor Anderson fell in love with Cynthia. Something happened, his mind became clouded, and he was “dragged into darkness.”
• The “ocean of dark water” pressed on Odin Anderson; he couldn’t get out of bed and felt that Tor was being dragged into darkness.
• Gail Barrows, with a tumor in his left lung, become Taken at the Wellness Center.
• Emmett Elwood become Taken.
• FBC located in the sheriff's station. There was some equipment and boxes set up in the backlot. FBC agents included Young and Estevez. Estevez wanted “everything ready.” Something in the dark was approaching agent Young from the backlot.
• Scratch stalked through the forest along with his Taken on a leash, craving the Clicker – “a detonator to send out a tidal wave that would spread to overtake reality”. He let the Taken off the leash and tore the signpost out of the ground. Music started playing ahead, and It called him on.
• Deerfest, where everyone celebrates the writing of Return.

Having roughly sketched out the events known to us, described and left untouched in Alan1’s Return (the lore pages can be anywhere, this is how books are written, but I put them at the very beginning so that they don’t get in the way), we get something like this:
https://preview.redd.it/nvxfmi9gq1uc1.png?width=2955&format=png&auto=webp&s=8aaf9140ed4e4b0df943f8a788de0c6753cf3f0b
Reality undergoes changes gradually, not all at once, and the events and changes we observe in the game are reality written by two Alans. But it is known that Alan2 didn’t have time to edit (or even read) the entire manuscript, so at some point reality would have to change only in accordance with what Alan1 wrote (which we have no idea about, because Saga didn’t come across a single page from that part of the manuscript... how suspicious). How exactly this was supposed to happen, we are not allowed to find out, because the Clicker, creating the “Deerfest ending”, forcibly made everything that happened before it canon, and, most likely, removed all the extraneous things that were required to achieve this ending by a long way without the Clicker (after all, the goal has already been achieved). According to the comments of "readers" of Return at Deerfest, Saga was indeed Casey's dear partner, she was "losing her family" and was "left to die in the lake", and meetings in the Overlaps actually happened, as did Dark Ocean Summoning.
The story about Casey was written by Alan1, but we haven't even seen a third of it. Alan2 has changed too many things in the story. We are left with only a bunch of unanswered questions:

• Why did Alan1 write about the Overlaps and Murder Sites, which only Alan2 needed to talk to Saga, when Casey didn’t interact with them in any way in his Return? Could Alan1 have foreseen what exactly Alan2 would edit? Did he know how Alan2 would get out of the lake? How did Alan1 himself even plan to get out? With the help of Dark Ocean Summoning, which he could have known about, because Scratch on the Hunt suggests that in Alan1’s Return Dark Ocean Sumoning did happen (music, Scratch with a signpost in his hand)? And if so, could he also have known that the Dark Presence would get out with him?
• Who exactly was this Clicker-obsessed Scratch from the Scratch on the Hunt page to Alan1, and how did he end up in the real world in his Return?
• What exactly was Casey supposed to be doing in this book? The Return was a story about him, but Alan retyped and edited almost everything about the book's protagonist, so we were left with no pages that clearly described what he was supposed to do after the events in the morgue.
• Were Alan1's Return and Yötön Yö really connected that much, and at what point in the writing of the book did Alan1 decide not to work with Zane anymore?
• At what point in the manuscript did Alan2 stop when he didn’t have time to edit (and even read to the end) Alan1’s Return and he was shot by himself?

I have no idea how to end posts like this. Thanks to those who read all this.

Nursing education has come a long way from its humble beginnings to the complex and highly specialized field it is today. This journey mirrors the advancements in medical science and reflects society's changing needs and values.
Let's explore this evolution, focusing on how BSc nursing colleges in Wardha contribute to this ongoing story.

The Early Days: Learning by Doing

Initially, nursing was not a profession one studied in a classroom. It was learned through hands-on experience, often in religious or military settings. Nurses were primarily women who learned their trade through practical experience, caring for the sick under the guidance of more experienced practitioners. Formal education was rare, and the concept of a nursing "school" was nonexistent.

The Birth of Formal Nursing Education

The introduction of formal nursing education in the 19th century marked a turning point. Pioneers like Florence Nightingale were crucial in transforming nursing into a profession worthy of specialized training. Nightingale's establishment of her nursing school at St. Thomas' Hospital in London in 1860 laid the foundation for modern nursing education, emphasizing the importance of both practical experience and theoretical learning.

The Expansion and Specialization Era

As medicine evolved, so did nursing. The 20th century saw a significant expansion in nursing roles, necessitating more comprehensive and specialized education. Nursing programs began to offer more diverse curricula, covering a range of medical and surgical knowledge, public health, and ethics. The introduction of advanced degrees in nursing, such as Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral programs, allowed nurses to specialize in areas like midwifery, anesthesia, and pediatrics.

The Modern Era: Technological Advancement and Global Standards

Today, nursing education incorporates cutting-edge technology and adheres to global standards, preparing nurses to work in an increasingly complex and technological healthcare environment. Simulation labs, online learning modules, and interdisciplinary education are standard, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the science and art of nursing.

Nursing Education in Wardha: A Local Perspective

Wardha, a city known for its commitment to healthcare and education, is home to institutions that exemplify the evolution of nursing education. Colleges like the BSc Nursing College in Wardha and other nursing colleges in the region offer programs at the forefront of modern nursing education. These institutions provide students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to excel in nursing.

BSc Nursing College in Wardha: Shaping the Future of Healthcare

The BSc Nursing College in Wardha is a beacon of excellence in nursing education. The college prepares students for contemporary healthcare challenges by offering a curriculum that balances theoretical knowledge with practical skills. Students learn in state-of-the-art facilities from experienced faculty and leave as competent, compassionate professionals ready to make a difference in patients' lives.
A nursing college in Wardha offers programs designed to meet the needs of today's healthcare sector. With a focus on holistic care, students are trained to consider the physical, emotional, and social aspects of patient care. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are skilled practitioners and empathetic caregivers who understand the importance of treating the whole person.

Looking Forward: The Future of Nursing Education

The evolution of nursing education is far from over. As healthcare continues to evolve, so will the requirements and expectations for nursing professionals. Future trends include more immersive use of technology in education, increased emphasis on mental health and community care, and further integration of interdisciplinary learning. Institutions like those in Wardha will continue to adapt, ensuring that the next generation of nurses is ready for whatever the future holds.

Conclusion

The evolution of nursing education is a testament to the profession's vital role in healthcare. From informal, hands-on training to sophisticated, technology-driven programs, nursing education has adapted to meet society's changing needs. Nursing colleges in Wardha are at the heart of this evolution, offering programs that prepare students for the challenges of modern nursing. As we look to the future, one thing is clear: nursing education will continue to evolve, and its importance to global health will only grow.

USSE
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Laterns of Skyrim II
City Trees (AIO)
Reconciliation: QOL And....
Pretty Female Idles (it says Overhaul, but shouldn't it go lower?)
Cheat Room
Guard Dialog Overhaul
Follower Commentary
Nordic UI Lite
Jayserpa's Quest Expansions
Cutting Room Floor
Dark Brotherhood for Good
Destroy The Thieves guild
The Paarnthurnax Dilemma
Adoption without Murder
Cloaks and Capes
Stones of Barenziah
Food and Hunt Overhaul
Alchemist Cookbook
Better Unique Backpacks
Reading, Reading, Reading
Rewarding Reading
There Will Be Blood
Perks & Magic Mega Bundle (Ordinator and Apocalypse)
20 Percent more perk points
Perk Points and more Gold
Side order of Dragons
Dragon Wall Wisdom
World Encounters Overhaul
Instincts-Animal Training
Big: More Kill Moves and . . .
Skyrim Reputation
Get Seriously Over Stocked Merchants
Lawless: lite
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Realistic RS+ Elven Children
My Home is Your Home
NPC Clothes Changer And . . .
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Summermyst Plus
Audio SFX Overhaul
Only Good Dogs
Young Lovers-Voice
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Dawn: Dramatic Atmospheres
Mari's Flora-AOI
The Grass Your Mother Warned . . .
(Patch) The Grass . . .
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Equip on Back (GDB's XPMSSE)
Immersive Animations Redux
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Pauly's Very Attractive Skyrim
Night Sky HD
Skyrad's Skyrim AIO
Dark Ages: dragon Textures
Elaborately Opulent Textiles
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Nightingale Elite Armor
Elven Lake Dress by Ellxe
7Base OPPAI and Lingerie
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Sivaas Raan V2
Kanjs-Spell Tomes Animated
Bellyache's Textures
Enhanced Atronach's-with . . .
Awseome Potions Simplified
Rally's City Roofs
Truly Unique Weapons
I want Better Arrows
Town Guard Armor
Imperial Tribune Armor
Elven Gilded Complete Set
Dark Broterhood Armor
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Mystk Aura FX
R.A.S.S.
Racial Body Morphs Redux SSE
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Ulvenwald Lite-Vanilla
Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul
Character
Bijin Aio
Loverboy Default (dudes)
(XB1) Character Editor-All
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UNP Body and Face Renewal
UNP Diamond Skin
KS Hairdos-short styles
AOF Believable Hair
The Teeth of Skyrim
Dapper Deliveries
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JK's Interrior AOI
Jk's . . . Elle Patch
Ele Interior Lighting
Environs AIO
Lit Road Signs
Archery Tweaks
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After the Civil War-Siege
Paraphernalia-Realist
Dead Body Collision Fix
Carriage Stops of Skyrim
HearthFire Multiple Adoptions
Improved Adoptions--says it has to have the above
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Angel-Wraith of Meridia SE
Convenient Horses (XB1)
Immersive Amazing Followers
(XB1) Lampposts of . . .
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Legendary Dungeons
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East Empire Expansion
EEE (Modified)-patch
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Dawn Waters with Natural
AI Overhaul 1.8.2 Lite
Rebalanced Leveled List
Optional Quick Start
Where should collectibles go--does it matter?
Is this salvageable? its pretty much what i need, save for future quests and the like.
Appreciate Cha guys

part 1
part 3
Here come the indies! Let's start with my first descent into fragrance madness - Zoologist. Was really intrigued after reading some of the reviews here and loved the concept of basing scents of a particular animal/their environment. Loved the artwork and NEEDED to know if T-Rex was really the worst thing in the world, or if Snowy Owl did in fact smell like someone's getting murdered in a remote cabin in the wilderness. Overall was pleased with the whole house and found it really fun and exciting to try such unique scents, but ultimately felt like many of them were more "special occasion" over every day signature...Id like to think I got slightly better at describing things with time, but probably not by much! Here’s some notes that I took to remember which I liked (or really didn’t like):

• Koala: getting kinda Vicks vaporub off the bat but then settles into a fresh and earthy scent. Reminds me of incense you’d smell in a hippy store but minty? Leans a bit masculine but def unisex. Prob wouldn’t wear this but it’s not offensive... 4/10 UPDATE: love love love love the dry down - still has a subtle fresh green note but waaay toned down into this soft warm kind of musky scent so 6.5/10 would consider buying FB but prob wouldnt
• Penguin: smells ??? Unsure. Kind of rubbery upfront but not in a bad way, almost like new shoes or something? Or a sherpa coat with some leathery undertones? Really confuses me. Don't hate it. Honestly impressed by how much I'm like wtf is that? This is what I was expecting from zoologist! I like Koala dry down better, but like the top notes on this more... 5/10 wouldn't buy FB
• Harvest Mouse: a bit of a roller coaster! Has a mix of like warm cream and baby powder (maybe clay?) but sweet and mixed with woodiness and smoke. Really really like this one off the bat. Smells a little too much like an old woodshop bench on the top notes but I'd wear this in the winter fo sho. Makes me feel cozy... 6.5/10 UPDATE: actually don't like the dry down much its too heavy on the hay/balsam IMO and gets to a weird marshmallow-y scent so 6/10 final rating, would consider a FB but prob wouldnt buy
• Snowy Owl: first reaction was woooooah! A very minty everygreen pine needle up front but I'm also getting strong cucumber? Or something kinda fruity? A cold cucumber. Smells familiar somehow like a store I've been in or a theme park ride or something that I can't put my finger on. I like it, I think its unique and kinda fun! Fresh, earthy, a little fruity and equal parts weird/unique and wearable... 8/10 would buy FB
• Squid: This is the one!!!! Well not my signature, but my clear favorite from the house. Sort of vanilla-y with a leathery/suede element upfront, like a fancy new belt. Leans masculine, kinda salty/soapy. Fiance liked it a lot right away and I LOVE it on him. My dog wouldn't stop licking him and I feel that tbh. Dry down was so lovely, warm and inviting and sexy. 10/10! Would buy a FB for sure.
• Northern Cardinal: first scrubber : ( smells chemically to me and waaaaay too much spice, I'm getting like burnt basil? Hated it didn't even wait for the dry down absolute NO... 0.5/10 absolutely would not buy and looking to give away
• Hummingbird: flower bomb. Roses, roses, roses right to the face with a lotion sunscreen-y scent. Sorta salty but mostly powdery. What coppertone baby's diaper smells like. Not awful but won't be coming back unless dry down is great... 3/10 UPDATE: after it settles actually kind of a nice beachy scent to me, could see myself wearing on summer nights like 4/10 wouldn't buy FB
• Cow: Yum! Sweet and fresh and fun, I'm a big sucker for Apple in my teenager years and upfront its 95% apple. It's a little too in my face right now and giving yankee candle, even dry down was still a strong strong apple scent and its just too on the nose. 4.5/10 bit disappointed, would not buy
• Elephant: definitely getting a lot of incense but mixed with something earthy and warm maybe tonka? Not quite as bad as corner store smoke shop incense vibes, but does get stuck in your nose in a somewhat unpleasant way. A bit spicy, girly cologne feels, but does settle to a nice sandalwood. Nothing special on the dry down otherwise, prob wouldn't wear much... 4.5/10 wouldn't buy
• Seahorse: Second favorite from the house, Squid's little sister. A bit peppery/spicy off the bat (maybe the cardamom note?) but its somewhat floral and more feminine than squid. Still salty, briny, but more bright and beachy, really nice and gets more prominently beachy on the dry down. A tropical and fruity-er aquatic. 9/10... UPDATE: Keep coming back to it, have tried it on other people and I like it more and more each time. 9.5/10 final rating, would buy FB
• Chipmunk: Liked on first sniff, smoky, woody and maybe a bit green? I'm guessing sage or pine right away, but I think it was the pepper note that made me think smoky/firewood. Smells EXACTLY like a sauna to me. Dry down is crazy on this one - you get zero pepper, zero spice, its like a complete 180 to a nice subtle warm musky scent, even gets a bit more feminine IMO. Really really like and would wear, 8/10 would consider a FB.
• Nightingale: had my dog pick this one out out of 3 options to try, and the notes should've been right up my alley but NO!!! I REALLY REALLY don't like this one - second ever scrubber. Big hit of plum blossom then you get a weird plastic-y note that together scream funeral home mixed with dirty diapers. REALLY dont like.... 0.5/10 would not buy - giveaway!
• Dragonfly: keep coming back to this one for some reason. Maybe cause its really wearable and I like to layer it... Fresh, a little floral and just a hint of spiciness. Pretty subtle compared to the other, def a clean scent. Would wear day time/at work. Not super new, novel or interesting, but a non-controversial, pleasant scent. Longevity is meh... 7/10 would consider buying FB but prob wouldnt.
• Panda: sort of fruity up front with a light tea scent underneath, feels green, fresh, bit floral. Certainly leans more feminine IMO. Subtle and smells high class to me. A bit sweeter than dragonfly, though I think dragonfly is blended more seamlessly if that makes sense. I do kinda prefer this one though... 7.5/10 would consider FB but prob wouldnt
• Rhino: fan favorite from the men in my life! Very masculine, feels like a grown up version of chipmunk i.e. take that woody sauna smell and take it up a notch. Woody, spicy, warm, a little earthy, a little smoky. I'm a big fan! Sexy fall/winter scent for a man, def get more of the whiskey/leather as it settles. With how much all the men I've tried it on go nuts for it, dare I say this is the ultimate guy scent???... 9/10 would buy FB for my fiance, prob not for me
• Tiger: Has the spiciness of rhino but without the warmth, definitely also masculine. Don't love but still like, kinda gives Replica Jazz Club did-a-predator-in-the-club-overspray vibes. Dry down is a bit more fresh/clean than Rhino, but its not great. Not bad, not great.... 4.5/10 wouldnt buy
• Chameleon: this was low key one of my favorites but I was disappointed with the performance. However, fiance was like "what if that's the point... it blends in like a chameleon?" :0 cue mind blown lol. Anyway, definitely tropical and a little fruity, floral, but behind that is a strong vanilla base. Smells luxurious like staying at a fancy island resort. Reminds me a bit of one of my middle school faves G by Harajuku lovers. Leans feminine, would be great in the summer... 9.5/10. UPDATE: not sure if I just undersprayed, but can hardly smell it after an hour or two, so I'm bumping down to an 8.5. Would 100% buy a FB if performance was better.
• Beaver: light, a little floral at the start but more green/fresh than anything. Something unique in it that I cant put a finger on, but feels like a new take on the green woodsy scent. A bit too car air freshnecleaning supplies initially but the heavy leather and wood notes on as it settles are nice. Seems unisex and subtle... 7/10 would consider FB but prob not
• Rabbit: WOAH ok very sweet like a dessert and a little earthy. Carrot cake! But heavy, decadent sweetness, not an in-your-face childish cotton candy kind of sweet. Don't get a lot of fruity notes, but definitely get a hint of floral/green. I kind of appreciate how different it is for the others but its a bit much for me. Warm and comforting for fall/winter... 5/10. UPDATE: this is too much the dry down is even more cloying wtf no longer a fan 3.5/10 wouldn't buy FB
• Dodo: first thought was wot in tarnation!? another confusing one! You get something like rosemary up front but its a really unique green kind of fruity smell, then the peppecardamom come in but its not spicy in the way strong colognes tickle your nose. Really interesting and unique scent but part of me is also getting a musky BO-ish scent underneath? Or like a fruity weed? Not in a bad way though weirdly. Unisex but gets more masculine as it settles. Dry down is musky and nice with a little fruitiness still there... 8.5/10. UPDATE: tried a few days later and all I'm getting is celery seed. If you have celery seed in your spice rack go smell that its ALL I GET CELERY SEED TO THE HEAD, literally considering scrubbing off wtf... dropping to a 6/10 lol most likely would not buy FB
• Macaque Yuzu: a hint of fruitiness/citrus right away that quickly fades to a very woody/green smell. Leans masculine and is a nice fresh scent with a bit of spice. Subtler than other scents like it, but nothing special here. Its fine, not amazing, maybe Macaque apple will be more my speed... 5.5/10 prob wouldnt buy FB
• Moth: comes out very smoky/alcohol-y then VERY quickly fades to a powdery scent like baby powder on steroids. Feels like I'm getting baby powder and bengay, with a bit of leather. Not really getting any of the notes they listed unless the florals are making me think powdery... 2/10 not for me, would not buy FB
• Bat: this is nice! Definitely masculine but you get a heavy hit of fruitiness to start then it goes heavy on the incense notes. Seems to get more green as it settles and gives a sort of dark manly vibe you get with squid but more of green/woody over salty/musky... 7.5/10 prob wouldn't buy in full but would consider.
• Civet: sleeper scent! Didn't expect much but its a pleasant warm and sort of vanilla-y scent for a second before also coming in hot with the incense. Smells like a witchy bookstore, like old pages and leather and candle smoke. Salem, MA's signature scent... 7.5/10 UPDATE: dry down is really nice and warm and musky, this scent is sophisticated and fancy feeling bump up to 8/10. Would consider buying in full but prob not.
• Bee: was a bit nervous to try cause I'm not big on other sweet perfumes or most gourmands, and read that some people feel like theyre drowning in honey with this one. But I really like it (granted I sprayed THE tiniest amount)... sweet but in a soft, warm way not in a cloying way like rabbit. You get a little citrus then its a powdery honey scent surprise surprise. Feel like this is what moms should smell like, just moms in general. If I was gunna wear a sweet scent it would probably be something like this... 8/10 would buy FB
• Dodo Jackfruit: super interesting masculine leaning scent. Smells fresh and clean and a tough fruity with a bit of peppery-ness. Feel like I would LOVE this on my fiance, it does start out a little WTF am I smelling but after settling down its pleasant. Don't know if I would really wear it but I do keep going back to smell it on me every other minute, so super intriguing and want to give it a 10 but would need to test it out a few more times... 9.5/10 but gotta come back to it after the OG Dodo Celery Seed incident...
• Macaque Fuji: leans masculine, a bit spicy but mostly woody. Do get a small hint of apple at the start but not very strong nor sweet. Think its ok, but gives me bathroom cleaner at a fancy hotel vibes. Theres something in the base notes I don't like... 4/10 would not buy FB
• Musk Deer: didn't expect it, but LOVE this one! Dark, warm, wintery, definitely musky and woody too. Smells like sitting beside a fireplace in a log cabin without the smoke. A little powdery but very comforting and the more I smell it the more I like it... had it at 7.5 originally, but I'd bump to an 8.5/10 would definitely buy FB for fall/winter.
• Hyrax: meh, don't really like. Hit me with Jazz Club vibes right away like smoky and SO SO leathery smells like a footlocker stock room + cigar lounge. No leather listed in the notes but I swear to god it smells like a new pair of sneakers not in a good way. Don't get the florals but maybe its animalic scents that come off rubbery to me? Either way, dont like, want to scrub but forcing myself not to... 1/10 would not buy
• Sacred Scarab: definitely unique and I don't hate it. Feel like you get a lot of citrus for a second then its floral + green. Smells like fancy hand soap? Also a little powdery. Leans feminine, maybe better for warm weather... 4.5/10 would not buy FB
• Cockatiel: REALLY don't like this one upfront, fiance says it smells like the powder from baby bottle pops. Kinda fruity and light but something in the undertones is giving rubber + milk thats about to go bad. Debatably a scrubber I am really not a fan... 1/10 would not buy
• Sloth: A lot going on here! I'm not getting the BO vibes other people have mentioned, I'm getting very green without being fresh kinda mossy I guess? Slight floralness to start and a lingering note that smells like fig maybe? or a christmas fruitcake? I kind of like it though, reminds me a little of koala. Not sure if I'd wear much but I do find it suprisingly pleasant. Unique no doubt, very unisex IMO and probably good for spring. Dry down is kinda giving irish spring but more mellow, really growing on me... 6/10 prob wouldn't buy FB but maybe
• Camel: fiance says this smells exactly like Derek Jeter's cologne from the mid-aughts which made me chuckle. Fresh pine-y/green opening, sorta smells like generic mens shaving cream with a bit of smoke or incense in the background. I actually don't mind and was expecting worse but don't see how this fits with a Camel's environment at all... 5/10 prob wouldn't buy full
• T-Rex: saving the most controversial for last... HOLY SMOKE lol. This is like an actual campfire on your body for the entire opening, you get a little peppespice but overwhelmingly SMOKE SMOKE SMOKE SMOKE SMOKE. Honestly not as bad as people make it out to be, I am a fan of the campfire kinda smell and the tiniest spritz of this could be nice under a different wintery scent. But holy shit it's like you just sat in front of a campfire for 30 minutes. Really strong even spraying a tiny amount... 4/10, wouldn't buy but gets more hate that it deserves tbh.

So while I had a ton of fun sampling these and found a few I really like, none of them ended up being a good signature for me. So the hunt continued...

So, i've never really learned where to place the mods in my LO, can someone help me manage this so it's not always crashing and stuff like that?
full LO:

• USSEP
• Duskrogue Armor 1k (armor)
• Fluted armor 1k(armor)
• Fortified Whiterun(makes whiterun have battlements)
• GLAM ELenwen, Mjoll and Jordis, and Rayya. (Makes elenwen, Mjoll and Jordis and Rayya look better)
• Seranaholic Valerica (valerica replacer)
• Volkihar Knight Vampire Armor (another armor mod)
• Skyrim on Skooma (whenever you take skooma you trip out)
• Phenderix Magic Evolved (adds spells)
• Immersive Citizens, AI overhaul.
• IFD Lydia (adds a lot of lydia voicelines so she isnt as bland as stale hardtack)
• Extended Guard Dialogue (does exactly as it says)
• Rough Leather Armor (armor)
• Modular Clothing System, layers clothes and lets you have unique outfits.
• GLAM orla (orla replacer)
• GLAM senna (another NPC replacer)
• Imperial Fort Battlements (makes the dilapidated forts around skyrim repaired and look like they can hold a siege)
• Serana Dialogue Add-On (You all prolly know this one)
• Black Vipers Will (I'm using pyrokess and it some reason has texture glitches by making the skin stick out of the armor in some placea)
• After the civil war, siege damage (fixes siege damage)
• Recorder (standalone fully voiced follower)
• Zim's Immersive Artefacts (improves daedric and other weapons)
• Hunting Grounds (Outfit )
• KozaKowy;s Black Corset Dress (outift)
• Pyrokess Gorgeous Skin 4K (skin texture)
• No Guild, No stone unturned (lets u reassable crown of barenziah without the guild)
• Cheat Room (Cheat Mod, Obv.)
• Hot Springs of skyrim (Adds Hot Springs to locations around skyrim)
• `Ilinata, Realistic Water (Makes water realistic and look nicer)
• Immersive Carriages, (makes carriage drivers look more defended and stagecoachy and like they can hold off a bandit attack, also makes the carriages look different)
• Bijin AIO (this one is the WillOhTheWisp port, not MorriganHellsing, also idk why but it has texture issues and makes some peoples like Aela and Lydia have a very pixelated face)
• Black Knight Armor (Armor)
• Imperious, Races of Skyrim, (Overhauls races)
• Magical College of Winterhold (College Overhaul)
• Wintersun (adds faiths)
• Trueblood serana (serana replacer)
• XP32 (XPMSSE+) (Skelton and physics mod)
• IFD lydia and Bijin AIO Patch (Patches IFD Lydia and Bijin AIO so her voice isnt silent)
• Growl-werebeasts of skyrim (werewolf overhaul)
• SDA and IFD Lydia Patch (Patch)
• Pyrokess (UUNP 7BO based body)
• Foxy Nightgale Armor (skintight nightingale armor)
• Victorias High heel walk animation (Uses XP32, makes female characters walk like theyre models because why not have Lydia wear Orcish Armor and still walk refined?)
• Baths of Skyrim (Adds Bathouses to Factions (excluding Imperial and Stormcloak) bases and cities.
• TMB-Vanilla Outfits Replacer (replaces outfits)
• GLAM Astrid and Gabriella (Overhaul for the dark brotherhood chicks)
• GLAM Haelga (Dibellan Girl in Vanilla looks like 48 Year Old streetwalker so it overhauls her apperance)
• Generic Chainmail Armor (Armor)
• Castle Volkihar Rebuilt (Rebuilds Castle Volkihar)
• Blood Suckah (Overhauls Vampire Lord)
• Shadowmarks (add shadowmarks to player homes)
• Hjersten Hall (Player Home and Town in the Rift)
• Auri Reimagned UNP (Auri, Song of the green visual overhaul)
• Bijin AIO and USSEP Patch (Patch)
• Apocalypse (Adds more spells)
• Auri Song of the green (Adds new bosmer follower, custom voiced)
• Environs AIO (Makes the world dynamic, makes world space dynamic because its a dragon crisis and theres vampires, it shouldn't all be so hunky-dorey)
• JS Unique Utopia, Daggers. (Overhauls Unique Daggers)
• Nightingale Prime Remastered (Nightingale Armor Replacer)
• Black Leather Armor (Armor)
• Skyland (Landscape Texture of nearly everything)
• Build Heathfire Homes with Gold (Lets you build the homes with Septims instead)
• GLAM Illia (Visual Overhaul of that hagraven girl)
• Immersive Patrols (Has immersive patrols of different factiins)
• Nightingale Hall (Makes nightgale hall into a more liveable space and lets karliah as a follower)
• SDA Wintersun Patch (Patch)
• SDA Castle Volkihar Patch (Patch)
• Silver Armor (Armor)
• RDO (no explanation needed, you probably already know it)
• SDA RDO patch (patch)
• RDO, USSEP patch (Patch)
• JK's Whiterun Outskirts (Overhauls Whiterun Outskirts)
• JK's Skyrim AIO (Overhaul of nearly every major city and location)
• JKs Interior AIO (Interior Overhaul)
• Snowdin Cabin (Player Home)
• Real Armies, Civil war soldier (Overhauls soldiers of both sides)
• Mage Tower Player Home (Player home)
• Realistic Conversations (Overhauls most NPC conversations)
• Routa (Player Home)
• Quality World Map (Map overhaul)
• Alternate Start, Live another life (Alt Start Mod)
• definitive beauty pack, male add on (I dont know what this one does too much)
• GDB's The Revenge, (full suite of combat animations and combined with ESCO)
• Better Combat AI (Overhauls NPC combat AI)

Thanks, i know its long as fuck.
Where tf do i place these mods in the LO?