Warhammer 40k blue space marine

So I used to collect and paint some bugs and space marines a while back but just gradually stopped. Well now I’m looking to get back into the hobby but now I actually have knowledge abt what I’m getting into and remember how expensive the citadel paints were and wanted to ask what is another great but cheaper paint brand to use for warhammer models that obviously isn’t citadel because I’m basically broke.

Curious about everyone's opinions on their favorite tracks from this amazing game.
To start us off, here's mine:

1. Mount Wario - Most inventive track the series has ever done.
   
2. Sunshine Airport - The perfect 3-lap track. Best mix of music, interesting visuals, lighting, fun turns - it has it all.
   
3. 3DS Rainbow Road - One of the all time greats, brought back in a loving rendition.
   
4. Electrodome - Most interesting vibe out of any track.
   
5. Music Park - Riding the piano notes is one of the best things Mario Kart has ever done.
   
6. Wii U Rainbow Road - Absolutely love the aesthetics of the space station here.
   
7. Super Bell Subway - Train version of Sunshine Airport, just wish you could drive through one.
   
8. Wii U Bowser's Castle - Best Bowser's Castle in my opinion.
   
9. Mute City - The speed makes this so fun.
   
10. Tick Tock Clock - My favorite from NDS. A killer theme for a race.
    

Honorable Mention - Ninja Hideaway, Big Blue, Donut Plains 3

1. While Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" is probably one of the crooner's best-known songs, it was originally very different. Turns out, we have Robert De Niro to thank for it! Composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb were tapped to write music for Martin Scorsese's 1977 film, New York, New York, which stars Liza Minnelli and De Niro. When the duo previewed the songs they had written, De Niro thought the title track, which was connected to his character, was too lighthearted. Although Kander and Ebb said they thought De Niro seemed "pompous" in telling them to rewrite the song, they took the criticism to heart and ended up penning their new version of the song in just 45 minutes.
2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is my favorite movie of all time, so it's honestly criminal that I've never done a deep dive into some behind-the-scenes moments from the film! John Hughes, known for his teen movies, ended up writing the script in just a few days in order to get a draft finished before the Writers Guild of America went on strike. The script was reportedly so strong that it was barely edited before filming started. The movie is widely considered to be a love letter to Hughes's Chicago hometown and is filled with references to his own upbringing and shots of the city's skyline. In fact, Hughes even gave Ferris the same address as his childhood home, and his bedroom reportedly resembled Hughes's.
3. If I had to learn about this giraffe mating ritual, then it's only fair that you do too, okay? Unlike other animals, giraffes don't have a set mating season. Instead, they have an estrous cycle, which resembles a human menstrual cycle, except this cycle swaps blood for urine. When a male giraffe approaches a female giraffe, he begins to rub against her, which she takes as a signal to begin peeing. The male giraffe then tastes her pee to see if she's fertile, and thus, the mating ritual begins. A typical giraffe pregnancy lasts for 400–460 days. Male giraffes typically have no role in raising their offspring.
4. In 2007, Lisa Nowak became the first NASA astronaut to be arrested when she drove across the United States to confront a woman who was dating a fellow astronaut with whom Nowak had also had a relationship. About a decade after graduating from the US Naval Academy, Nowak was selected to be an astronaut at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she specialized in robotics. Nowak said she was deeply affected by the 2003 Columbia space shuttle explosion because her best friend, astronaut Laurel Clark, died. Nowak told NASA that her children convinced her to continue on with her space career despite her unease.
5. Despite what you might believe after watching The Greatest Showman, P.T. Barnum was not a good guy. He had a long history of animal cruelty and was known for mistreating enslaved people and people with disabilities. He even reportedly hated the people who paid money to come see his exhibits. Barnum was allegedly frustrated that people were taking their time during visits to his museum, so he decided to post signs reading "This Way to the Egress" all over the place. He (correctly) believed that most of the visitors wouldn't know that "egress" meant "exit," so when they followed the signs, they ended up unknowingly leaving the entire museum. As a result, many people paid to reenter, bringing home even more money for Barnum.
6. Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" is essentially History 101 in song form. The track name-drops 118 historical events from 1949 to 1989, including everything from pivotal moments in the civil rights movement to details from sports and pop culture history. Joel was inspired to write the song after having a conversation with Sean Lennon, who was then in his 20s, while in the recording studio. One of Lennon's friends allegedly said that it was a terrible time to be a young person. Joel, who was about to turn 40, reportedly said that his own younger years hadn't been that easy either.
7. Coney Island's skyline looked a lot different back in the 1800s. The Brooklyn boardwalk was once home to a 200-foot-tall elephant-shaped hotel! The hotel, known as the Elephantine Colossus, was built in 1885 and contained 31 rooms, a concert hall, and a museum. The elephant's head housed an observatory, and its eyes served as telescopes. The real kicker was that the hotel was built several years before the Statue of Liberty was completed, so the giant elephant was often the first thing immigrants saw when they reached New York. At some point, the hotel was seen as gimmicky and lost most of its clientele. Soon, sex workers began moving in. In 1896, Elephantine Colossus burned down and was never rebuilt.
8. During Ronald Reagan's 1966 California gubernatorial campaign, he began eating jelly beans in an attempt to curb his pipe-smoking habit. His jelly beans of choice were the Goelitz Mini Jelly Beans from the Herman Goelitz Candy Co. Once the company caught wind of Reagan's love for the treat, they began to send the politician a monthly shipment of candy and even gifted the governor with a custom jelly bean jar. After Reagan's two terms as governor ended, the company continued to send him jelly beans. In 1976, Goelitz debuted their latest creation: the Jelly Belly. Within two years, Reagan's entire jelly bean shipment shifted to include only Jelly Belly jelly beans.
9. There are two main groups of whales: baleen whales, which include species like the blue whale and the humpback whale; and toothed whales, consisting of orcas, belugas, and sperm whales. While you probably guessed that toothed whales are named as such because they have teeth, baleen whales have baleen plates in their mouths, which help them filter out krill and other food. Toothed whales also have a "melon" in their foreheads. The melon is a mass of tissue that helps with communication and is crucial for echolocation, which they use to find food and to navigate underwater.
10. In 1997, construction on Disneyland's California Adventure Park was halted after Princess Diana was killed in a limo accident in a Paris tunnel on Aug. 31. California Adventure was supposed to include a ride called Superstar Limo, which involved guests boarding a limo and embarking on a high-speed chase through some of Los Angeles's biggest landmarks in order to get to the Disney offices in time to sign a huge movie contract. Riders also had to evade the paparazzi. Once the ride ended, passengers were encouraged to buy mock tabloids featuring the pictures the "paparazzi" had taken of them. Following Diana's death, Disney knew they could no longer debut the ride. Soon, they began to brainstorm alternative ideas to replace the limo theme.
11. Donald Gorske, who is known as the ultimate Big Mac fan, has reportedly eaten at least one McDonald's Big Mac every day for the past 50 years. As of May 2022, Gorske believes he has consumed about 32,340 Big Macs. He told Guinness World Records that he typically eats two Big Macs a day, although he revealed that at one point, his daily diet included nine burgers! "May 17, 1972, was the day I got my first car," Gorske said. "I drove to McDonald’s, ordered my first three Big Macs, went in the car, and ate them. And I said right there that I’m gonna probably eat these the rest of my life, and I threw the cartons in the backseat and started counting them from day one." Despite his Big Mac diet, Gorske and his wife say that doctors have given him a clean bill of health.
12. Although you probably picture Queen Elizabeth II wearing one of her signature colorful skirt suits, her fashion history is actually quite fascinating! Elizabeth was photographed wearing pants only once during her entire reign. In 1970, she was reportedly interested in updating her look, and asked her tailor for a custom pantsuit to wear during her royal tour in Australia. It's safe to assume that Elizabeth wasn't too fond of the outfit, as she was never again seen wearing pants in public. In order to maintain professionalism and avoid any type of fashion mishap, her dress hems were always cut below the knee.
13. In 1986, Clint Eastwood ran for mayor of Carmel, California, in part because he wanted to overturn the town's strict law regarding ice cream sales. Eastwood announced his intention to run for office in 1985 after he reportedly found the City Council very difficult to work with when he wanted to turn property he owned into office space. He also cited a 1929 law in Carmel that banned the sale of ice cream cones as another reason for his campaign. In April 1986, he defeated incumbent Charlotte Townsend. His first order of business? He removed from office all of the people who supported the ice cream ban, thus allowing the sale of ice cream cones in Carmel for the first time in decades.
14. Chances are, you read George Orwell's Animal Farm in school. In the novel, a group of animals team up to rebel against the farmer who owns them, only to end up living in a communist dictatorship led by pigs. Although Orwell said that the book was the first time he had successfully been able to blend politics and art, he had a hard time finding a publisher. Several publishing houses turned down the book because they felt uneasy about its political stance. Secker & Warburg ultimately agreed to publish Animal Farm, and the book became a hit and was even used by the CIA as a propaganda tool during the Cold War.
15. In 1928, Huey Long was elected governor of Louisiana on a promise of helping people who had been neglected by the federal government. He soon had his sights set on Washington and won a Senate seat. But before leaving for DC in 1932, he had the lieutenant governor replaced by two successors who promised to follow Long's commands. In the Senate, he created the “Share Our Wealth” program, which many thought was part of his bid for the presidency. In 1935, Long was assassinated by a political rival. Despite his death, his impact in the state lived on. In 1940, a study showed that rural schoolchildren not only had no idea that Long had been killed but also believed he was president.
16. The Real Housewives franchise put Bravo on the map for its depiction of the wild and wacky antics of wealthy women around the country, but it originally looked like a much different show! Scott Dunlop, the original producer of the Real Housewives of Orange County, got the idea for the show in 1986 when he moved from Los Angeles to Coto de Caza, one of the world's largest gated communities, located in Orange County, California. Dunlop began to notice that many of his female neighbors spent their days shopping and playing golf while their husbands went to work.
17. The first meal eaten on the moon included bacon bits, peaches, sugar cookie cubes, and a pineapple-grapefruit beverage. Bacon reportedly had a long history when it came to space travel. It was a staple during the Gemini missions and became a favorite among many astronauts. Despite all of the bacon love, it's since disappeared from space menus. Now the closest thing to bacon is a sausage patty that has to be rehydrated with warm water before being eaten.
18. Oscar Gamble, a baseball player who spent over 20 years in the major leagues, was known not only for his on-field play but also for his Afro, which sparked quite the controversy. In 1973, Gamble arrived at the Cleveland Indians training camp sporting an Afro. Although many Black basketball players had Afros, the hairstyle wasn't too popular among baseball players. Baseball was often seen as more conservative, and during the 1970s, the Afro was associated with the Black Power movement. Gamble's hair quickly became controversial. "People took one look at that hair and thought I was a bad guy," Gamble said in 1979. "There were some sportswriters who wouldn’t talk to me. They thought I was some kind of militant, with my beard and my hair."
19. In December 1990, Iben Browning, who claimed that he was a climatologist, predicted that a major earthquake was going to hit the St. Louis area on Dec. 3. In New Madrid, a Missouri town located on a fault line, people began stockpiling supplies, while others left town completely. Browning reportedly used weather patterns to make his predictions, although his exact methods were never publicized. Although scientists didn't vocally deny Browning's claims, it was believed that they didn't support his prediction, since it's impossible to predict an earthquake. The earthquake never happened. In fact, the area has not faced an earthquake at the magnitude Browning predicted in the three decades since.
20. While kangaroos are known for their hopping abilities (they can jump about 25 feet in one go!), they are unable to go backward because their big feet and long tails prohibit any backward movement. This anatomical hindrance has since been used by their native Australia as a symbol. The kangaroo was reportedly included on the Australian coat of arms to represent the idea that Australia is a nation that is always moving forward.
21. And finally, Elouise Cobell, who was also known as Yellow Bird Woman, fought for Native Americans to have control over their land and finances. Cobell was born on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, where her family did not have running water or electricity. Her great-great-grandfather notably stood up to the US government in the 19th century. When Cobell was 4 years old, her father built a one-room schoolhouse that she attended until she was in high school. Cobell reportedly took notice of her family's complaints about the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency that many suspected mismanaged the profits from land and trusts owned by Native Americans.

Link to article

Well long story short. I feel for a woman fairly quickly after 3 months. Things were going great, we spent all of our free time together, sex was great blah blah. She essentially dumped me the other day out of the blue and it really hurt . Her reasoning was that it didn’t have anything to do with me, she thinks I’m amazing but she’s just can’t give me what she wants because her focus isn’t on having a relationship. Her focus is on work , traveling , and her personal goals. I knew from the get go she had some walls built up due to a relationship that ended ugly about a year ago but I was ok with trying to tear that wall down and at one time she mentioned that I had some . I tried to handle being dumped the best I could but I will say that I got emotional and did shed some tears in front of her because it came out of nowhere and I was falling for her. Now, I’m of course stressed out. We haven’t spoken to each other since , it’s been 4 days, and we will literally talked or texted or saw each other everyday straight for 3 months. She didn’t ask me to not talk to her but I don’t feel like contacting here is the right thing to do as I want to give her space plus I was dumped. But I’m so torn up right now and did I screw up by shedding tears In front of her? Should I just go no contact with her so I can move on or in hope she comes back around?

For context: while evolving the creature I like going for:

Power Monger (Red/Carnivore) > Prime Specimen (Red/Predator) > Gracious Greeting (Green/Friendly) > Spice Savant (Blue/Economic)

BUT this gives us the Knight Philosophy. As much as I love the concept, the Mini-U is pretty darn useless. To solve that problem, we can change philosofy and have two more abilities from getting all the gear of a specific Philosophy in the GA Captain Outfiter.
But which combination of new philosophy and captain gear would result in the most useful abilities "pack"?
I already think that:

1. Changing the actual philosophy to Diplomat, since Static Cling can be used both for offensive and pacific reasons (and it doesn't break the Galactic Code);
2. Getting all four Shaman parts in the GA outfiter, since they're useful as weapons and the Return Ticket saves a hell lotta time after exploring (or escaping hostile space);
3. Getting all four Zealot parts in the GA outfiter, since Fanatical Frenzy is more useful than Gravitation Wave and the parts add decent defense (just don't use the third one).

The "problem" is: I can't decide what to get with the last two points/levels of the GA Captain outfiter. Maybe Bladed Knucles + Compact Generator? Maybe Bladed Knucles and Plasma Pulser?...
I'd like to see some opinions about it.
View Poll

Hey I'm a 34 year old who is looking for some online buds 30 and up. I'll include a list at the bottom of different interests and hobbies I have.
Games I am looking for friends to play with:
-WH40K: Darktide (I'm playing mostly damnation on my Marksman. I am still trying to unlock my last penance and am interested in people to play this with that could help.) -Anything FromSoftware. -Dota 2 (4k to 5k hours played and perpetually 2.8k - 3.5k mmr with no plans on climbing or playing anything other than turbo with friends.) -Ready Or Not (I just got this recently and have sunk a few hours in.) -WoW Classic (I stopped playing WOTLK and have started playing Classic Era horde side a bit as I heard people were coming back to it. Just messing around until they announce Season of Mastery 2 or a new Classic Vanilla.) -Total War: Warhammer III (I've been playing since the first Shogun and still suck) -Battlefront II (I just jump on here and there to have some fun but no one I know plays it really.)
I play a lot of singleplayer games too and I occasionally will jump on a random game here or there that comes out as I'm pretty keen on trying new games.
Hobbies and interests: -I play guitar and collect guitar pedals. -Malazan Book of the Fallen. -Dune. -Warhammer fantasy and 40k. -Anything Star Wars EU that's no longer canon. -TNG. -Lots of music: volta, level plane records, sargent house, robotic empire, currently bumping to lunarpower666 playlists.
PM for discord.

(please ignore my username i know its cringe but i made the account when i was like 15 ;-;)
Sup! My name is Casper! I'm a 20 year old bisexual guy from Sweden and im looking for friends or maybe even LOOOOOOVE o.O I'll first list off some important stuff and then get to the interesting things! I ask that you please read the post cause its pretty nice if you do! and yes im a huge dork but i love that about myself :)

• As said, i'm bisexual and also monogamous! I'm also cisgender. Please be Ok with that!
• Please like some of my hobbies too, I really enjoy doing stuff together!
• Be ok with LDR (if it gets romantic) cause we probably wont live close enough to visit each other :P
• please have discord, its much easier to chat on there than on reddits crappy chat interface (altho we can obv start here)
• NO MINORS (i cant believe i have to say that), be around 19 - 22 ish
• be politically left leaning cause i dont think we'd get along well if you arent :)

Now along to the really cool and fun stuff that i enjoy!

• As a resident nerd on reddit i obviously like stuff like magic the gathering, warhammer (fantasy and 40k), anime and cartoons in general (my fav anime is legend of the galactic heroes and my fav cartoon is adventure time!), comics in general (my favorite western cartoon is DMZ and my favorite manga is one piece) , board games and the like! i also really wanna get into TTRPGs cause they seem really fun! I also love video games and currently im playing a lot of project zomboid, terraria, CK3 and games like that!
  
• Im a huge history and culture nerd and this fall im going to university to study for my bachelors in social science with a focus on history! In the future i'd love to work for a museum!
  
• I love swimming and going for walks, and i used to play tennis and i wanna get back into it! I also really enjoy going to museums and libraries cause i love reading! currently im reading a lot of H.P lovecraft and also the expanse series!
  
• appearance wise i have short black hair, i wear glasses, sometimes i forget to shave so my beard grows out a bit but i prefer to be clean shaven! im about 170 cm tall. i also really like short girls.
  
• im pretty invested in politics and i enjoy reading and talking about them! of course this isnt a requirement as i know many people dont enjoy it :P
  
• i also love insects and watching them (in the summer i go for walks with a box to pick up insects and look at them), and i have 4 pet tarantulas :D (also i have 2 cats)
  

So thats me! if i sound interesting, please dont hesitate to hit me up!

Hi, I have perfume for sale. I’m in the middle of a massive destash. Shipping is $5, USPS First Class with tracking. Everything listed is a full bottle. Scent descriptions have been pared down to notes for space. I ship weekly. Unfortunately, I have almost no perfume samples, so I might not be able to provide extras in my packages. I am open to reasonable offers on everything.
ALKEMIA (5 ml rollerballs)
Arcanum Experiment 5 2022: Soft summer rain, ethereal musk, dry pale amber. (Note: (Non-rollerball 5 ml. $10)
Auguries of Innocence: White ambergris, peaches, sweet clematis accord, orange jessamine, choisya, parijat, pale cashmere. ($14)
Elegant Coquette: Sheer white florals, elderflower wine, raspberry leaf, tea roses, tagettes, white peach, green plums, golden apricots, raspberries. ($14)
Laveau: Jasmine, almond blossoms, white carnations, red rose, patchouli, cinnamon, Bourbon vanille, secret ingredients. ($14)
Les Mysteres: Frankincense, black figs, labdanum, dark amber, Russian tea. ($14)
ARCANA (5 ml bottles)
Black Sand: Amber resin, black coconut, coconut husks, vetiver. ($18)
Blueberries Crave Black Cats: Key lime, bittersweet chocolate gelato, sugar-dusted neroli blossoms, blueberries, cardamom, marshmallows, black tonka, Indonesian vanilla. ($14)
The Kraken: Smoked vanilla, black vanilla, saltwater, China musk, black musk. ($18)
Strawberries Crave Incense: Frankincense, myrrh, red musk, fraises des bois. ($16)
Sugar: French vanilla ice cream, cardamom, Pacific sea salt, Tahitian vanilla, wild harvested pine sap. ($20)
Tart: Lemon cakes, coconut frosting, bergamot. ($20)
BPAL (5 ml bottles)
Rares
Between Your Heart and Mine: Bois de rose, vanilla, rose. ($35)
The City in the Sea: Aquatic notes, ivies, white woods, kelp, bruised violets. ($40)
GCs
Bruised Violet Compound: Crushed violets, red currant, patchouli root, Spanish moss. ($16)
Iole: Fig, night-blooming jasmine, red sandalwood, bourbon vanilla, oak bark, leather accord, black amber. ($20)
L'Examen de Minuit: Frankincense, black plum, lilac, rose otto, and myrrh. ($20)
Vasilissa: Skin musk, pink musk, sandalwood, white amber, myrrh, star jasmine. ($16)
LEs
13, November 2015: Thirteen sugars, honeys, and vanillas dusted with chocolate. ($20)
All the Dust of the Land: Ceylon cinnamon bark, black patchouli, tonka absolute, bitter almond, frankincense. ($20)
Apple X 2016: Red apple, patchouli, vanilla cream, white musk, red musk, teakwood. ($20)
The Avenue: Dark chocolate, clove bud, smoked amber, bourbon vanilla tar, black and pink peppers. ($20)
Bestla: Amber, black fig, rose oud. ($20)
Blood Sangria: Sweet red wine, blood orange brandy, summer honey, white figs, black grapes, Marasca cherries, plasma. ($20)
The Changeling: Blonde wood, linen swaddling, pumpkin rind, bourbon vanilla. ($20)
Clement's Phoenix: Frankincense, caramelized myrrh. ($20)
The Creation: Amber saffron, indigo chypre, gardenia, blackcurrant, ylang ylang, frankincense, fir needle, white patchouli. ($20)
Dead Leaves and Tobacco ($20)
Die Sunde, Vom Tod Verfolgt: Blood musk, hothouse orchid, fig leaf, frankincense, white amber, tobacco honey. ($20)
Donna Con Ventaglio: White chypre, bergamot, rose otto, ylang ylang, tonka absolute, lotus root, blood orange, white fig, rock rose, mate, violet leaf. ($20)
The Flaming Sword of the Cherub: Dragon's blood resin, Ceylon cinnamon, black amber. ($20)
The Fox Sisters 2014: Rose geranium, tea roses, mahogany wood, bourbon vanilla, apple peel. ($20)
Gelt-Smeared Dreidel ($20)
Gingerbread Cathedral: Gingerbread, olibanum, Oman myrrh, Damascus rose resin, cassia. ($20)
Ginger Skulls: Crystallized ginger candies, quince, Asian pear. ($20)
The Great Python Snake: Thick, vine-draped trees, primeval flowers blooming in the shadows, dark, wet earth. ($20)
Hag Musk ($20)
Iridescent Pastel Basket Grass ($20)
Leda: Crimson and gold musks, pearl orris, white oudh, white sandalwood, translucent spiced petals. ($20)
Looming Spectre of Unutterable Horror: Frankincense, tobacco absolute, Russian leather, blackened champaca, clove, red patchouli, bourbon vanilla, petitgrain. ($20)
Lovers Embrace Under a Cock Kimono: Amber, balsam peru, patchouli, blood orange, rose geranium. ($20)
Maidens in Repose: Black amber, Ceylon cinnamon, Somalian myrrh, pale incense, star anise. ($20)
Mourning Cloak/Shroud: Opoponax, kumaru, cocoa butter, Mysore sandalwood, verbena, almond milk, guiac wood, beeswax, myrrh. (Note: bottle is labeled "Mourning Shroud." $20)
Now Winter Nights Enlarge 2015: Vanilla-infused red musk, champaca, petitgrain, ylang ylang, patchouli, nutmeg, honey, galbanum, caramel. ($20)
Peach VI 2014: Peach, blackcurrant, aged patchouli, red sandalwood, benzoin, blue musk. ($20)
The Phoenix at Dawn: Pink rose, apricot, orange blossom, carnation, red sandalwood, lemon blossom, rose musk, Madagascar vanilla, white wine grape, pink grapefruit, white patchouli. ($20)
Pouring Strains of Sacred Song: Red benzoin, frankincense, honey myrtle, osmanthus blossom, coconut milk. ($20)
San Cristobal de la Habana: White ginger blossoms, guava pulp, mango, white tobacco, sea salt. ($20)
The Snow at Midnight: Frozen blackcurrant bud, myrrh, ciste absolute, frankincense, oudh. ($20)
A Sublime Beauty: White rose, orris absolute, tonka, bergamot, bourbon vanilla, patchouli. ($20)
Sugar Cookie 2008 (Note that the label is rippled. $20)
They Lie Thus Chambered and Cold to the Moon: Cedar coffinwood, davana, tobacco flower, white rose. ($20)
The White Witch: Honey amber, with red musk, patchouli coeur, bourbon vanilla, vetiver, pomegranate rind, myrrh, blackened violet leaf, red rose petals. ($20)
Une Folle Enteprise: Ris, racine de réglisse, cassis, fleur de pommier, racine de patchouli, violette, héliotrope, anis, fève tonka. ($20)
Winter: My Secret: Labdanum, white myrrh, bourbon vanilla. ($20)
The Witch Bride: Hemlock blossoms, nightshade, wisteria, white frankincense, black amber, narcissus resin. ($20)
The Witches Sabbath: Burgundy, champaca resin, immortelle, leather accord, wine-soaked red fruits, rose geranium petals, red patchouli, candles, smoke. ($20)
Young Pine Saplings: Cream, clove, ginger, honey. ($20)
NAVA (5 ml bottles)
Polichenelle: Clove smoke, vanilla bean & marshmallow extract, Indian kewda attar incense, amber, white musk. ($20)
NUI COBALT (5 ml bottles, $16)
Vengeful Spirit: Cotton flower, cardamom, cashmere, bitter almond, storm-washed teak, white sandalwood.
POSSETS (5 ml bottles, $14)
Medusa: Coconut, olive blossom, myrtle, stone.
Pink Corset: Musk, vanilla bean liqueur, steel, pink lily.

Hi, long story so would appreciate any advice!
Basically, I was seeing this guy at the end of 2021 up until the start of 2022. Things weren’t really that serious but he kinda made out he wanted them to be, we saw each other often and he said that he really liked me. Then he blocked my number and deleted me off all social media. I finally got over him and then at the end of 2022, he added me back out of the blue. I saw him and he apologised for this, saying he was really depressed and deleted all social media but he wanted to make things work this time around. He also didn’t offer an explanation as to why he blocked my number and during the time of us seeing each other again he didn’t unblock it, we only spoke on social media. We saw each other several times a week for a couple of months until I noticed he had become distant again (kind of how he did the first time around). Some examples being taking all day to reply, making excuses not to see each other such as him having to empty his hoover saying we will see each other and then he ignore me until the next day. Eventually I got sick of this and told him that he is unable to give me what I want and we should stop talking but he didn’t take me seriously, so we continued to talk. About a week after this ultimatum I asked to see him and he said that he is feeling depressed again and relies on me too much for his happiness. We haven’t spoken since, I am very understanding and always supported him and offered him a safe space to talk about his emotions and be vulnerable. I kind of think he saw me as a free therapist and nothing more.
The exact same situation happened a year apart , the question is why? Please try and offer an explanation for a man’s perspective as I’m at a loss as to why he keeps doing this. Thankyouuu

Join Blackhawk Defense Force!
New and experienced players welcome!
GREETINGS CITIZENS!
Blackhawk Defense Force is looking for both experienced and new players to help us grow into an effective fighting unit as well as a great place to get to meet new friends and have a good time. BDF is UEE oriented, legal, full fleet, anti-pirate, anti-griefer, star citizen dedicated and noob friendly.
**EU AND OCEANIA PLAYERS!** Our goal is to become international. We are NA based, but schedule our ops to best accommodate everyone. We have a strong EU department, The Black Watch, and we are working to build an Oceania/Aussie/Kiwi Department. Help us to grow into a 24/7 organization!
EVENTS! There are a lot of houses in Star Citizen with no light in the window. Tired of being a member of a dead org? Tired of looking for an org that is actually active? BDF holds a minimum of two events a week and usually more. Join us for the fun.
ACTIVE MILITARY AND VETERANS ARE WELCOME! BDF is proud to have a significant number of active military and veterans as part of our membership. We will work with your schedule. We salute you no matter when or where you served. o7
SQUARDON GOALS:

1. To have a good time as a group, participating together in the Roberts Space Industries Star Citizen. Simply put, we are here to have fun. Never lose sight of the fact that this is rule #1.
2. Function as a private military company, loyal to the Empire, conducting legal military and civilian operations. We will conduct our operations with professionalism and adhere to comms discipline when engaged in operations in the vicinity of the enemy. We will also lend assistance to other citizens of the UEE where and when ever we are able.
3. Learn the game and how to play it skillfully. Blackhawk Squadron will provide training for new pilots for all aspects of game play.
4. Although listed as a role play org, we are not hard core, and role play is not a requirement to being a member of this organization. We allow players to role play at the level they prefer. Generally we approach role play with a relaxed, friendly, attitude. There will be no 'hard-asses' here. The posted military discipline rules only apply when members are operating together on the servers during official operations, or in one of the In-Character channels provided. On the primary channels, and on some other private channels, out-of-character conversation is the norm, while in-character play is allowed. Military courtesy, however, is optional anywhere....for the fun and courtesy of it alone. Participation in text based role play story making on the role play channels is strictly voluntary.
5. Make new online friends. Learn to work, and fight together as team mates. Learn to trust each other, and cover each other’s backs on the forums, on the servers, and in the Verse. Eventually, we hope to form more of a family than a PMC.
6. Improve our combat skills with practice in both the Persistent Universe and the Arena Commander.
7. Learn to work together as a unit using teamwork, wingman tactics, and become an effective fighting force in the Verse...on the ground, in the sky and in space.
8. To be successful individually, and as a group in the game.
9. To find a proper location and establish a base from which to operate.
10. Secure reliable friends and make advantageous alliances with like minded organizations.
11. Secure profitable, legal contracts in Security, Reconnaissance, Escorting, Mercenary, Freelancing, Transport, Rescue, Vanduul and Pirate suppression, UEEN work, Combat Patrols, as well as Data and message running. We will take any honorable, military or civilian, job that we are equipped to perform.
12. To send out one or more Exploration ships to expand man's knowledge base of the universe, as well as to look for new territories and resources that can be exploited. Use our exploration as a source of revenue.
13. Always remember rule #1.

WHAT WE OFFER:
* A complete military style structure
* Full ranking system
* Individual and group training
* Training videos available on our private server
* Like shiny rocks? So do we. So there will be a large selection of awards, medals, ribbons and certification badges that will be presented for a wide range of combat and non combat accomplishments.
* A web site where all main members will have individual areas for character development and display of their uniform, rank, awards, etc.
* Solid organization with clear goals and the determination to consistently move forward despite the road blocks that Star Citizen may (will) throw at us.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
Fighter Pilot (generally single seat fighters)
Heavy Fighter Pilot
Single Seat Bomber Pilot
Light Multi-Crew Ship Pilot (fighters/bombers/drop ships etc.)
Light Multi-Crew Ship Crew Member (generally turret gunners)
Capital Ship Captains and Crew Members
Marine
Medical
Search and Rescue
Logistics and Support (includes transport, mining, repair, construction and supply)
Exploration
Leadership
Join our effort to establish one of the finest groups to play and enjoy Star Citizen with!
https://discord.gg/gHhgdtf5Bj
https://robertsspaceindustries.com/orgs/BDF1

Prologue
In the verdant heart of Sayla, where the suns painted the sky with warm hues and the gentle whisper of the breeze carried the laughter of children, a soulborn elf named Elyan wandered through the lush forest, his steps as light as the dappled shadows that danced on the forest floor. His eyes sparkled with a carefree spirit, reflecting the beauty of the world around him. Life in Sayla was serene, with the days spent in harmonious coexistence among the vibrant flora and fauna. The village where Elyan lived was a haven for his kind, nestled in the embrace of ancient trees that stood as silent guardians, shielding them from the outside world. The soulborn elves shared a deep connection with the land and its creatures, nurturing an unwavering bond that transcended the passage of time. The villagers, united by a profound sense of kinship, filled their days with song and laughter, celebrating the simple joys of life. Elyan was no exception, cherishing the peace and tranquility that surrounded him. He spent his days exploring the emerald depths of the forest, forging friendships with its inhabitants, and basking in the warmth of his community. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Elyan would often gather with his friends and family around a crackling fire, sharing stories that echoed through the night, weaving a tapestry of memories that bound them together. Many of the stories would be about the trials and tribulations the Soul Born Elves faced over countless generations due to their overall pacifist nature. It is well known in Tra'Vol that Soul Born elves do not even take life as their culture is believed to cherish the sanctity of Life putting nothing else before it. Though true there is another reason soulborn elves do not kill that will be revealed in Elyan's tale. Unbeknownst to Elyan and his people, however, a storm was brewing on the horizon, a dark tide that threatened to shatter their idyllic existence forever. As the shadows lengthened and the air grew heavy with foreboding, the soulborn elves of Sayla would soon find themselves facing a grim reality. From beyond the southern border of Sayla, armies materialized as if conjured from thin air, commanded by a man known as Leviticus Brightsoul—The Wicked King to his own people. At the tender age of 17, Leviticus embarked on his first conquest, swiftly earning recognition from the kingdom of Impre'us. He conquered the provinces of Valta and Alamay and established a foothold in Eria after a brutal, month-long skirmish called The Shallows of Sorrow. The battle earned its name when rumors spread of Leviticus ruthlessly killing and torturing citizens and soldiers alike, leaving a trail of bodies in the shallow waters of the Eria swamplands. The death toll reportedly reached 50,000, yet Leviticus had only led a detachment of 100 troops—an astonishing feat even for the demigods who ruled the royal bloodlines of Tra'Vol. Five years passed after this conquest, and Leviticus returned to his homeland of Impre'us just in time to confront an invading army from Sacarr. Unimpressed, he single-handedly inflicted massive defeats on the invaders, forcing them to retreat. People began to speculate that Leviticus must have sold his soul to a Mala'Deus, as he had slain the Sacre'Noir—a formidable and ruthless warrior race, as well as the demigod representing their bloodline—all by himself. The carnage was said to be so immense that even his own people recoiled in horror as he slaughtered the enemy army, cackling maniacally throughout the ordeal. Everyone deemed his actions sickening and grotesque, except for his father, who saw his son's feat as a triumph that saved the empire. Swelling with pride, his father abdicated the throne, crowning Leviticus as the ruler of Impre'us. Leviticus was delighted but not surprised, as he had already planned to murder his father and seize the throne. With this obstacle removed, he set his sights on the neighboring continent of Lun'aal, intent on claiming its uncharted territories by force. Believing that every land rightfully belonged to his empire, Leviticus dispatched thousands of troops to explore the region. The soldiers landed on the serene coastlines of Mortua Terra, where they established bases that extended to the province of Black Sand and eventually to the borders of Sayla. However, they reported that the dense forests of Sayla made further travel and exploration impossible. Dissatisfied with their explanation and anticipating the rich resources of the unexplored land, Leviticus summoned his trusted advisor, a wizard named De'lacar, and the two used gate magic to teleport directly to the primary base at the border of Black Sand and Sayla. The soldiers in the encampment were taken aback when a tear in the very fabric of reality appeared in their midst, allowing their king and his advisor to step through. Shocked, everyone in the camp immediately knelt before their sovereign, Leviticus Brightsoul.
""No... No, that won't do. Get up!" Leviticus said, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb as if nursing a headache.
"That's precisely why I had to leave the palace! You fools and your desperate attempts to take a break on my time!"
As he finished his sentence, Leviticus snapped his fingers. Small circles appeared around each of the soldiers, signaling impending doom. The camp erupted in a cacophony of cries as the men begged for their lives.
"Sir, please give me another chance!" one called out.
"I'm not going to die like this!" another exclaimed, attempting to flee but quickly realizing his muscles refused to respond.
"Please, Your Majesty, I have a family! Don't be a heartless bastard!" a man cried out, sounding like a frightened child.
"Heartless bastard, huh?... You no longer have a family."
"What?! No! I didn't... mean..."
"Silence!" Leviticus's voice roared, startling even a large predatory creature that had been stalking the troops and lurking nearby.
"The price for your transgressions will be paid in blood, and because of your careless words, not only your blood."
Leviticus removed a glowing, lustrous orb from his battle raiment. The sphere emitted a beautiful dance of colors before abruptly turning a deep blood red moments later. It began spewing blood and viscera onto the man who had insulted him. The man screamed in agony, realizing the gore covering him belonged to his wife and two daughters, recognizing his daughter's torn and shredded face amongst the flesh.
"You!... What have you done?! I'll kill you!!!" the man screamed.
"Oh, will you now? I'll tell you what," Leviticus' eyes briefly shimmered from their normal light blue to a deep, dark red before returning to their original hue. He released the circle around the distraught man. "I'd say I'm a pretty 'fair' king, so I'll give you a fair shot."
Leviticus gestured to his advisor, who produced a strange sword with a glowing essence. Leviticus explained, "The sword issued to you, though strong, won't be enough to kill me in this realm or the next. This sword, however..." He took the sword from his advisor.
"This sword is made from Dwarvain titanium and etched with runic symbols found in ancient texts left behind by the Cyphora Civilization that once called our homeland their own. The symbols and their effects are not important. What is important is that it can even strike down a deity if used properly."
Leviticus hurled the sword at the man, and it embedded itself into the ground next to him.
"Now kill me!" Leviticus said in a playful tone. Unprepared for the soldier's escape, as few ever managed to get away from Leviticus, the soldier seized the sword and took advantage of his short-range teleportation spells. He made it to the border of Sayla, sword in hand, and sought refuge at a monument to the Celes'Deus Solayah. He planted the sword into the ground next to the statue and collapsed beside it. Distraught and trying to determine his next move after witnessing the murder of his family by the king, he began to plan. But no one escapes the Wicked King.
"Should we go after him, sire?" De'lacar asked with urgency.
"Why waste the manpower?" Leviticus responded rhetorically, holding up the orb once again. As it began to glow, the men still held within the circle seemed to evaporate, transforming into pools of blood within the circle. Simultaneously, the soldier who sought refuge at the shrine of Solayah also began to evaporate, as the circle reappeared beneath him leaving behind the sword as the only evidence of his presence at the shrine.
Elsewhere in the province of Sayla, Elyan, utterly unaware of the storm brewing in the distance, continued to revel in the beauty of the present moment. As he ambled through the forest, he heard the distant call of his best friend, Lira, who was perched on a nearby branch.
"Elyan! There you are!" she exclaimed, her melodic voice carrying through the trees. "I've been looking for you everywhere. You know the Soul Dance Ceremony is tonight, right?"
Elyan's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Of course, Lira! Do you know if Sonair is coming this year?"
Lira gracefully hopped down from her perch, landing beside Elyan with a soft rustle of leaves.
"They haven't said, but it's supposed to be a grand celebration of our goddess Solayah this year, so it's sure to be a night to remember. Unlike the last gathering when your brother got drunk on lavender tree sap," Lira recalled, giggling.
"Who even knew that was possible?" Elyan replied, joining in the laughter.
"Apparently Sedwin! One would swear he already knew and just attempted to liven up the boring rituals of our normal Soul Dance Ceremonies," Lira said playfully, tapping Elyan's shoulder.
"Yeah, he's probably responsible for the drunken antics of the village elders nowadays. You think he shared the recipe with them?" Elyan jokingly asked.
"Your little brother does tend to get away with a lot these days!" Lira exclaimed.
Elyan and Lira had been close since childhood. Both being raised as acolytes of Solayah, they never thought of each other as anything more than brother and sister. Elyan, however, had always harbored deeper feelings for Lira. But due to their strict religious beliefs, he never pursued these feelings. Nevertheless, the feelings remained and led to one of the first of many sins Elyan would go on to commit – the sin of coveting.
"You know what, Elyan? We should go visit the nearby shrine of Solayah. It's not too far from where we are now – maybe 20 or 30 minutes at most," Lira suggested eagerly.
Reluctant to resist Lira's captivating golden-hued puppy eyes, Elyan acquiesced, and they embarked on the renowned Living Vine Trail. The path earned its name from the vibrant green mycelium, resembling vines, that meandered languidly through the dense tree canopy overhead. The trail's relative safety ensured a tranquil journey for the couple as they made their way to the shrine. However, upon nearing the shrine's staircase, an unsettling sensation enveloped them—an eerie atmosphere that was decidedly atypical for a sacred space devoted to the Celes'Deus.
"Elyan, do you feel that?" Lira inquires nervously, drawing closer to him for comfort. "Yes... I do. Something dark has transpired here."
"At a shrine dedicated to a celestial deity?" Lira's voice trembles with the onset of fear. "We must turn back now, Elyan!"
Just as Elyan is about to agree, a glint of something catches his eye near the Statue of Solayah at the shrine's apex.
"Lira, wait here. I'll only be a moment," he insists, starting up the marble staircase.
"Elyan, are you serious? We need to hurry back and inform the elders about the dreadful occurrence here!" Lira protests.
"We will, but first, I must ensure the shrine hasn't been desecrated. We cannot risk angering Solayah before the Soul Dance Ceremony tonight," Elyan explains, swiftly ascending the staircase.
"Elyan, you better hurry up! I mean it!" Lira calls after him, her worry evident in her voice.
Upon reaching the magnificent golden statue of Solayah in all its splendor, Elyan is suddenly overcome by the stench of decay and an overwhelming sense of despair, causing his stomach to churn violently. He scans the area for the source of the repugnant odor, expecting to find the decomposing remains of an animal, but discovers nothing. Instead, his eyes are drawn to an exquisite sword planted beside the statue, unlike any he had ever encountered before. As Elyan picks up the sword to examine it, he notices the emblem of the Dwarvain Empire on its pommel—a familiar sight, as the Solvaylians are well-acquainted with the Knomadic race that inhabits Dwarvain. Beyond this single detail, however, the sword remains a mystery to Elyan. The hilt is wrapped in a sturdy wyvern hide, but it doesn't match any wyvern species he has ever seen. The golden crossguard bears intricate etchings in an indecipherable language, while the blade itself is inscribed with magical runes that are equally unfamiliar to him.
As if compelled by the enigmatic blade, Elyan conceals it within his cloak and makes his way back down the staircase. Elyan's descent is hastened by a sense of urgency as he clutches the mysterious sword hidden beneath his cloak. As he reaches the foot of the staircase, Lira's eyes widen in alarm, sensing the change in him.
"Elyan, what did you find up there?" she inquires, her voice quivering with trepidation.
He hesitates for a moment, contemplating whether or not to reveal the sword to Lira. Finally, he decides to confide in her, drawing the enigmatic weapon from its concealment. Her eyes fixate on the sword, reflecting a mix of awe and concern.
"I found this next to the statue of Solayah," Elyan explains. "I've never seen anything like it before. It bears the emblem of the Dwarvain Empire, but everything else about it is unfamiliar. I couldn't just leave it there."
Lira's gaze shifts from the sword to Elyan's face, searching for reassurance. "We need to take this to the elders immediately. They might be able to shed some light on its origin and significance, especially with the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the shrine."
Elyan nods in agreement, carefully returning the sword to its hiding place within his cloak. With the weight of their discovery weighing heavily upon them, the duo retraces their steps along the Living Vine Trail, eager to share their findings with the village elders and uncover the truth behind the mysterious sword and the ominous presence at the shrine. As they walk, they cannot shake the feeling that their lives have become entwined with a destiny far greater than they ever could have imagined.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the village, Elyan and Lira joined their fellow Soulborn Elves in the village square. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, as everyone eagerly awaited the elders' pronouncement.
Elder Aelara, a sagacious and revered figure within the community, stepped forward and raised her hands, calling for silence. Her voice, gentle yet authoritative, effortlessly captivated the attention of all those present.
"Children of Sayla," she began, her eyes sweeping over the assembly, "we gather here tonight to celebrate our bond with the forest and the spirits that dwell within its embrace. The harmony we share with the land and its creatures is a precious gift, one that we must treasure and safeguard for generations to come."
Her words were met with nods of agreement and murmurs of approval. Elyan, standing beside Lira, felt a swell of pride in his chest. The bond his people shared with the land was something truly special, and he was grateful to be part of such a unique and connected community.
As the night progressed, the music filled the air, creating a magical atmosphere that enveloped the village. Elyan and Lira danced and sang, their hearts brimming with happiness and love for their people. However, the discovery at the Shrine of Solayah weighed heavily on their minds, and they knew they had to share the information with the village elders.
Taking a break from the festivities, they approached Elder Aelara, who was speaking with a small group of villagers.
"Elder Aelara," Elyan called out, trying to mask the urgency in his voice. "May we speak with you for a moment? It's important."
Aelara turned to face them, her wise eyes showing concern. "Of course, Elyan, Lira. What troubles you?"
Lira glanced around, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, before she began. "We visited the Shrine of Solayah earlier today, and we found something... unusual."
Elyan chimed in, "Yes, there was this strange sword next to the statue, and it bore the emblem of the Empire of Dwarvain. It also had magical runes etched into its blade, runes we've never seen before." Aelara quickly snatched the sword away as if taking poison from a child, eyes widened, and she exchanged a worried glance with the other elders. "This is troubling news. We must investigate this matter further. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please, enjoy the rest of the ceremony, and we will discuss this further tomorrow." Taking the sword from them, she sent them on their way.
Elyan and Lira nodded, a sense of relief washing over them as they returned to the celebration. They hoped that the village's wise leaders would uncover the truth behind the mysterious sword and the disquiet it had stirred.
As the night of festivities drew to a close, Elyan and Lira found themselves sitting together at the village dock on the Ta'kalu River, following their nightly tradition.
"I was at Solayah's shrine just three days ago, and that sword wasn't there," Lira said, her voice tinged with concern. "Maybe it was accidentally left behind by some adventurer," Elyan suggested, trying to ease her worries.
"But that's the thing, Elyan," Lira countered. "When's the last time you remember an adventurer passing through Sayla?"
Elyan furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "I don't..."
"Exactly!" Lira exclaimed. "We only hear stories of adventurers in Sayla. Our home is nearly inhospitable to outsiders. Many have been swallowed by the jungles, as evidenced by the number of skeletons we've discovered."
They sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the unsettling implications of the mysterious sword's presence in their sacred shrine. But for now, they could only hope that the wisdom of their elders would provide answers and guidance in the days to come.
Meanwhile, at the border between BlackSands and Sayla, King Leviticus began mobilizing thousands of troops skilled in jungle-based warfare. He ordered the transport of ample supplies and materials for his military campaign into the uncharted province of Sayla.
"Your Majesty, word has come from the Emperor Isles that your father and his council disapprove of your campaign into Sayla. They are taking action to sway public opinion against you," De'lacar informed King Leviticus. "How should we proceed? Executing the old fool now would silence his council effectively." De'lacar suggested.
Leviticus furrowed his brow, considering the situation. "I'm less concerned about his feeble council than the consequences of killing the old man. No, executing him will be... complicated at this stage in my plan," Leviticus replied thoughtfully, weighing his options.
"De'lacar, contact the Alliance of Dark Heart and offer them a substantial reward for eliminating my mother. They must stage the event to implicate Old Man Lavarus, providing us with the perfect pretext to sentence him to death," Leviticus commanded, his voice unwavering.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. But... if I may," De'lacar hesitated, only to be immediately interrupted by Leviticus' thunderous voice.
"You may not!"
"Understood, Your Majesty," De'lacar responded, bowing his head in submission as he stepped backward into a swirling portal that closed behind him, leaving Leviticus to ponder his next move. The door to Leviticus's war room creaked open once more.
"Sire, the troops will be fully mobilized in about a month, and the fortress you commissioned will be completed in a matter of days," General Gurod reported, kneeling in submission to his king.
"And what of the local population here in BlackSands?" Leviticus inquired.
"We successfully captured the Perr'ju city of Ku'ran and many of the neighboring villages... however," the general hesitated.
"However?" Leviticus probed with great interest.
"Sir, the land here is harsh, and morale among the men in the 19th division is dwindling. They request permission to withdraw from the Sundered Coast and StoneBlossom Meadows," General Gurod explained, fear creeping into his voice.
"Withdrawal?..... Withdrawal!?" Leviticus stood, his piercing blue eyes flashing a fiery red for an instant. "The troops have been 'withdrawn'," he declared, sitting back down with a sinister grin.
"The 20th division is now the 19th division, and so forth for divisions 20 through 50," Leviticus detailed manically."Sir... That division comprised one hundred thousand men."
"And there will be one less to worry about unless you curb your questioning tone, General Gurod," Leviticus warned, his voice cold and unforgiving.
"Now that that little detail is taken care of, send a detachment of troops to retake the city of Ku'ran and recapture the local populations for use as slaves. The Sundered Coast and StoneBlossom Meadows are to be reoccupied immediately by the 19th division, formerly the 20th," Leviticus cackled.
"As you command, sire," General Gurod replied submissively as he stood and walked toward the war room's exit.
"Oh, and one more thing, General!" Leviticus called out as he sauntered over to Gurod, handing him a sealed parchment scroll bearing the symbol of the Mala'Deus Pantheon.
"Take this to the statue of Nero located on the edge of the DustBowl." Gurod grasped the scroll, his face a mix of shock and fear due to the ominous symbol and the perilous location he was to visit. However, not wanting to question a man who had just dispatched one hundred thousand men without a mere word, the general accepted the scroll without hesitation, simply responding, "As you wish, sire."
Back in Sayla, Elyan and Lira awoke early, eager to learn whether the elders had uncovered anything about the mysterious sword they had found the night before. They met at the prestigious Temple of the Celestial Gods, only to be greeted by a locked door.
"The door is only locked when something serious is happening," Elyan told Lira, trying to peer through a crack in the heavy wooden door.
"I know... it's troubling. The last time the temple was locked, we were attacked by a swarm of Bush Wyverns not long after," Lira replied, her voice filled with concern.
"Maybe we should just take it easy, Lira. The elders could be deliberating for hours, and I have chores to do at home anyway," Elyan suggested, stepping away from the door. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I have to go get Gecko herb from the village south of here today anyway. Perhaps things will have settled down by then," Lira replied, her frustration evident.
"The village of Floravale, right? I understand your frustration. It gets cold there, being so close to BlackSands," Elyan said compassionately.
"Yes! It can be tedious sometimes, but fortunately, Grandma's warm Gecko tea is a refuge all on its own," Lira declared, her spirits lifting.
"Ah yes! I remember Granny's Gecko tea! Pure as Solayah's soul," Elyan reminisced fondly, thinking back to his time as a youth in Floravale village.
"Well, I'll be sure to pass on your high praise to her," Lira responded with a giddy giggle. "You know, you could come with me. You're always welcome at Grandma Laya's house, Elyan, and I'm sure she'd love to see you after all these years."
"I would love to join you, Lira, but my mother's sickness has worsened lately, and my father will need help tilling the field. I'm glad Eleene is old enough to take over my mother's household duties. Krain knows Sedwin wouldn't be able to handle it," Elyan explained, reflecting on his younger brother's laziness.
"Is she still sick?" Lira asked with concern. "That's not good at all, Elyan. It's been, what, about four weeks now, right? Have you tried consulting Shaman Arlo about a possible remedy?" Lira inquired, her anticipation palpable.
"My sister Eleene has visited him several times, and the last time she inquired, he was just as puzzled as we are. So, he came to our home and made a dire prognosis. He says my mother is suffering from an illness related to our ancestral heritage. But when we asked him to elaborate further, he wouldn't say more, only that she had a matter of months before..." Elyan's voice trailed off, his teeth gritting slightly.
"I'm... so sorry, Elyan," Lira replied sympathetically. A dead silence filling the air.
"All things ethereal, the living intertwine... The meaning of life discovered, but only when we die," Elyan recited a verse from the scriptures on the teachings of Solayah. "It's okay, Lira. We're just going to make her as comfortable as possible before she rejoins Solayah."
"That's a noble task, Elyan. I truly commend you," Lira replied. "Well, I have to go if I want to get back in time to hear what the elders have to say. See you later, Elyan!" She hurried down the road heading south out of the village.
"Safe travels, Lira!" Elyan called out, watching Lira disappear into the distance.
"Well, I'd better get to my father," Elyan said to himself, preparing for the day ahead.
In the continent of Sol'aay, across the vast sea, former King Lavarus of Impre'us province and father to Leviticus, convenes with his council at the Temple of Sol'thur on the Emperor Isles. They engage in a heated debate about the impending invasion of Sayla and the reckless actions of Leviticus, who ascended the throne mere months ago.
"This is an utter disaster! Your son will be the downfall of our kingdom!" Adviser Calvris exclaims, addressing the former king Lavarus.
"Why did you abdicate so readily? Just because he vanquished those supposed 'invaders'?" another adviser adds.
Lavarus tries to interject, "It was an invasion..."
"Massacre, sire! Anyone with eyes saw what Prince Laventus did to those people," Adviser Calvris retorts.
"That's King Laventus, you insolent worm!" De'lacar announces, entering the chambers with numerous guards in tow.
The sudden appearance causes everyone in the room to stand. Lavarus demands, "What is the meaning of this, De'lacar?" his tone a mix of confusion and impatience.
"Well, 'Sire,' you are under arrest for high treason, for your involvement in the death of your wife, Queen Silla," De'lacar proclaims, gesturing for the guards to arrest Lavarus.
"What?! No..." Lavarus utters, shocked by the news.
"Unfortunately, yes. And the punishment for such a crime is public execution," De'lacar reveals, a sinister smile gracing his lips.
"How could he do this? Tell me, De'lacar! How could he have his sweet, innocent mother murdered?" Lavarus implores. De'lacar merely shrugs, responding, "I wasn't allowed to ask," before attempting to leave the room.
"Do you really think we'll let you and Leviticus get away with this, you glorified lapdog?" Adviser Calvris challenges De'lacar, garnering the support of his fellow advisers.
"No, which is why none of you will leave this room," De'lacar replies. "You may complete your contract, but don't leave a mess this time."
De'lacar's words puzzle the council as he ushers Lavarus out in shackles, closing the door behind him. Suddenly, small black energy masses with a purple aura appear next to each of the seven advisers' heads, darting into them as if possessing them. A dark figure clad in black leather armor emerges from the shadows, and the now zombie-like advisers form a single file line, following the mysterious figure out the door.
"Don't leave a mess this time," the mysterious figure, Zel, mocks De'lacar childishly. Two other figures materialize from the darkness behind him.
"Don't be so childish, Zel," the tallest of the figures scolds. "Indeed, your overconfidence could be your undoing," a female voice chimes in with laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, stop lecturing me! This contract was already disappointing," Zel grumbles.
"Please! This contract was the witches tits! Not every day you get to stage a murder within in the royal bloodlines" the female voice counters.
"Of course you had fun, you got the most pleasurable kill with that frail old Lady Sinclair," Zel retorts.
The trio, along with the entranced advisers, proceed down the palace hallway, reaching a dead end. Zel recites an incantation, "Queen of the night, heed your children's call, for we've fulfilled our tasks and killed them all!" Simultaneously, he casts a handful of black powder at the wall.
The wall transforms into a distorted portal, emanating a faint purple glow and the haunting sounds of countless souls groaning in agony. As the mysterious figures and their captives step through, the largest cloaked figure drops a black rose with deep purple pedals, before the portal vanishes behind them. A calling card of the Alliance of Dark Heart.

First
The Dauntless
​
“I lost track of all time playing that game!” Ambassador Tal complains as they walk into the main governance building together.
“An unfortunate side effect of entertainment. You stop counting the minutes and just indulge.” Admiral Cistern notes.
“No kidding.” Ambassador Tal notes as she cracks her back a bit and sends her breasts bouncing somewhat.
“There you two are!” Lady Ticanped exclaims walking up. “At least you’re both presentable! But do you have any ideas about the rumours I’ve been hearing?”
“My people are doing a great number of things in a great number of places. I require context.”
“Rumours of a new species!? A massive raid on hugely influential women!? How about Biological Horror Constructs and an attempt to create an Axiom God!?” Lady Ticanped asks.
“... I honestly expected all that to get out sooner.”
“You’re confirming it?!”
“Yes. In our pursuit of rescue and cooperation with lawful authorities The Undaunted have been placed in situations where we have intercepted a crazed clone’s attempt to forcibly convert her original into a god-like entity. The agents involved were later setting up a sting operation and stumbled onto a massive child trafficking ring and the overall rescue effort on the lost colony Lakran has caused the emergence of new Urthani strains on the galaxy.”
“And the rumour that one of those strains is the second Primal Species to ever arise?”
“I do in fact have a Primal Urthani under my employ.” Admiral Cistern answers.
“And the Axiom God?” Ambassador Tal asks with a huge smile on her face at the absurdity of things.
“Professor Grace? Yes, him and his daughters.”
“Daughters.... wait! Those adorable little Khob girls that the whole ship is doting on?” Nikta asks excitedly. She’d seen a soldier chase down a tiny Kohb girl while covered in pink glitter and had tickled her into submission after catching her. Once he stopped she had clung onto his uniform and cheered when he explained that they were going to see her father.
“Yes. His clone created twelve more clones and I’m proud to say the reaction from my men for having a dozen tiny children running everywhere has been more piggyback rides and friendly patience than annoyance. Those little girls are going to spoiled absolutely rotten at this rate.”
“Of course the supposed Axiom God would be a male. Let me guess, human too?”
“Partly? He’s spliced human traits into himself. So he’s considerably taller than the average Kohb.”
“And the Primal Urthani?”
“He’s on the opposite side of the galaxy. Still on Lakran. Which is also where I’m keeping him for as long as reasonably possible because as bad as rumours or confirmed rumours of a new Primal Strain is, actually having one anywhere in a thousand lightyears of Centris is infinitely worse.” Admiral Cistern answers.
“Thank goodness. And the supposed raid on influential women?”
“I don’t have all the information. Much of it is tied up in a huge amount of litigation and court freezes. Even the information I have is heavily redacted for legal purposes.”
“What can you tell me?”
“An enormous child trafficking ring was recently broken wide open by some of my men with the help of local police forces. This ring kept a list of all their customers as well as recorded evidence of their many crimes and that has been seized. The Police of Lilb Tulelb have placed a massive gag order on all information and have frozen the assets of the accused until they can be properly legally processed. They want to ensure that everything is done flawlessly so they’re taking their time.”
“Some may argue that’s an abuse of power.” Lady Ticanped notes.
“Not at all, so long as the personal property and persons of the individuals being detained are not damaged or sold off by the police then they are legally permitted to hold someone until their court hearing.” Admiral Cistern says and Lady Ticanped considers.
“That... hmm... yes that would explain all the rumours. Not enough information going about. Even you don’t have the information.” She realizes.
“I have guesses and approximations, but that is what everyone has at the moment.”
“I see. Okay, this is easily workable.” She says before leaning in and giving Admiral Cistern a kiss.
“Still, I’ll be making sure you smell more of feather than engine grease.”
“I don’t smell like engine grease!” Ambassador Tal protests.
“Let’s agree to disagree.” Lady Ticanped says in an agreeable tone.
“I don’t!”
“Of course.” Lady Ticanbed answers as she snaps out a fan to cover her slight smile. “Anyways darlings, the next council session is soon to begin. I advise you both to find your way to your appointed booths.
•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•
“Honoured representatives! Astute Ambassadors and Noble Scions! I Lady Ticanped, as Speaker for this Galactic Council, do declare the session as officially open! May all the gods you worship, all the oaths you have sworn and all the peoples you stand for look fondly upon you. It is time!”
The regal Pavorous scans the massive chamber and nods. “To begin this august session we have the concerns of the Almari Collective directed towards The Undaunted.”
The booths with the Almari Collective representative and Admiral Cistern respectively project images of Representative Val Miriti and Admiral Cistern. Things are set up so the projected images look like they’re speaking to one another.
“You! We have heard that you are experimenting with Urthani men to try and create super-soldiers!” The representative, a Tret woman in a formal outfit, accuses.
“... Well... only from the most twisted point of view. One of my soldiers in the Titan Program is an Urthani, as per the Titan Program he’s of equal stature to a Bull Cannidor and often finds himself in power armour and wielding capital ship scale weapons. That’s fairly super for a soldier in my professional opinion.”
“And the rumours that he’s a Primal Urthani?”
“He is.” Admiral Cistern states and there is a sudden massive uproar through the room as everyone starts to speak and their booths start automatically project them to try and accommodate the debate but the system is quickly overwhelmed and it all becomes a chaotic mess.
“Order! There will be Order on my Council!” Lady Ticanped calls out and after a few minutes of yelling and her flexing her new power to forcibly deactivate the projectors she has order. “Now then, would the representative from The Undaunted be so kind as to elaborate his statement?”
“My Urthani Soldier on Lakran has ascended into a Primal Urthani during the fulfillment of his duties.” Ambassador Cistern says simply. “What more is there that requires elaboration.”
“Perhaps how ascension into what many religions consider a living god can be considered part of a soldier’s duty.” Lady Ticanped asks pointedly.
“The Undaunted strive to be the best they can be. Why is succeeding in one’s goals a surprise?”
“That’s a bit above and beyond the call of duty.”
“Yes, so the debate as to how highly promoted and how well paid he will be is still underway. Exemplary service must be met with exemplary pay and accreditation.”
“Admiral Cistern, please take this situation seriously.”
“I am. I hold no special view of Primals excepting what I can learn from them. Otherwise they are merely more citizens of the galaxy to me. If I have to chose between recruiting a well trained and responsible Greater Plains Nagasha or a disobedient and untrained Primal Nagasha I will hire the Greater Plains Nagasha. That Sergeant Skitterway ascended into a Primal Urthani merely meant to me that his official documentation required updating. It’s what he did in the process of ‘ascending’ that was more valuable to me.” Admiral Cistern explains using his fingers to draw the airquotes around ascending.
“Why did you... does it really not matter?”
“It’s interesting, especially to my Research and Development departments. But my primary concerns are funding, logistics, legality, movement and tactics. Whatever the official name of my soldier’s species it matters very little to me so long as their recruitment is a benefit to the Undaunted and not a hindrance.”
“But you have a Primal Urthani in your army, yes or no?” Representative Miriti demands.
“Yes.” Admiral Cistern states.
“Then the Almari Hive Collective demands the release of this specimen to their care.” Representative Miriti states. Not a bad play, a full fifth of all Urthani in the galaxy live in that area of space. Unfortunately for her, Doctor Skitterway was not a citizen of the Collective and neither was Emmanuel.
“Denied, he is needed at his post.” Admiral Cistern’s response is swift and unquestioning.
“His homelands call to him. He belongs with his people!”
“Sergeant Emmanuel Skitterway is not and has never been a citizen or subject of the Almari Collective. And even if he was, not only would his legally binding oath of service to The Undaunted supersede this but his death and following resurrection would further annul any legal bindings you have to him.”
“... Did you say death and resurrection.” Lady Ticanped asks.
“I did.” He replies.
“... Could you clarify?” She asks.
“Is it relevant to the subject at hand?” Admiral Cistern asks.
“Is this the same soldier Sergeant Emmanuel Skitterway?”
“Yes.” Admiral Cistern says as the entire room explodes again and minutes are spent muting everyone and getting things under control.
“Admiral Cistern, we don’t appreciate being lied to.”
“Why would I lie when the truth is both far more absurd and far more entertaining?” Admiral Cistern answers with a grin before accepting a coffee. “Thank you Private Stream.”
“Sir! You’re welcome sir!” The overeager private replies and he takes a sip of the steaming drink in front of the entire galaxy.
“Admiral Cistern. This body does not appreciate double speak or silly games. You will explain yourself.” Lady Ticanped threatens.
“Very well milady. Roughly three hundred years ago a young Urthani man by the name of Emmanuel Skitterway was killed in a power core containment failure. He was survived only by a medical clone that was intended to be used to replace lost limbs or organs and a grieving mother. This mother held onto the unawakened clone for centuries until she got her hands on a mental engram of an Undaunted soldier who had volunteered for a restorative coma. For reasons I have yet to have explained to me, she placed these memories into the clone of her son and jettisoned the pod at a failed colony world named Lakran.” He takes a sip of his coffee.
“In summation, shenanigans ensued, he established contact with The Undaunted and temporarily took the name Jasper Blue as both an identifier distinct from the soldier who’s memories he had and as a bit of a joke. Further nonsense followed on that world and he somehow retrieved all the memories and emotional experiences of Emmanuel Skitterway in full. Essentially becoming his own reincarnation but as he identifies himself as Emmanuel we’ve referred to it as a resurrection. Further nonsense happened as our rescue and relief force was on the way and by the time we arrived the man had grown to have the stature of a Cannidor, had alloyed his fur, claws and bones with a metal that makes most starship hulls seem fragile, reinforced his claws, grew extra antenna, adjusted and expanded his proboscis, his wings are now segmented and twice their former size, and his digestive tract and internal redundancies are robust to the point that he could potentially survive in Cruel Space.”
“And... that makes him a Primal?”
“He describes in his reports a spiritual experience and claims to have not only seen a woman become a Primal Nagasha, but claims to have seen other races ascend as well. He claims the next race to achieve Primal Status will be a Wimparas.” Admiral Cistern explains. “He describes the process as entering a realm beyond time, then you must define yourself, reject yourself, define yourself again and reject yourself again until you reach a point of critical mass and become all of your selves simultaneously. This creates the Primal.”
“... Admiral Cistern.” Representative Miriti states after a bit. She looks supremely unimpressed. “If rumours are inaccurate you are permitted to say as such. Don’t make up absurd stories to feed into them. It’s unbecoming.”
“I will keep that in mind. Though please remember that denying a rumour often has people assume that as proof of it’s accuracy. Or that someone must be hiding something or something else of the sort.”
“If that is all?” Lady Ticanped asks testily.
“Until I am questioned again milady.” Admiral Cistern says raising his mug in a toast and then his projector deactivates.
Why lie when the truth itself is MORE than enough?
​
First Last

Have - Steam gifts (ROW, unrestricted, if you can't see the game in my inventory, it is still available, so add me for the trade)

Game name	Price	Notes	Stock	Game Status
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures	offers			Gift
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Aerena - Clash of Champions	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Age of Empires Legacy Bundle	25 keys			Gift
Agricultural Simulator 2011: Extended Edition	2 keys			Gift
AirMech 2	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Amnesia Memories	3 keys			Gift
Arena Wars 2	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Awesomenauts Power Pack	1 TOD Ticket		subID 36025	Gift
Back to the Future The Game	25 keys	removed game	subID 6970	Gift
Barbie Dreamhouse Party	400 keys	removed game		Gift
Battle Los Angeles	offers	removed game	subID 11488	Gift
Borderless Gaming	5 keys			Gift
Broken Age	2 keys			Gift
Call of Duty World at War	25 keys			Gift
Castle of Illusion	3 keys			Gift
Circuits	2 keys			Gift
Cities XL 2012	15 keys	removed game		Gift
Clive Barker's Jericho	40 keys	removed game	subID 531	Gift
Commandos Pack	2 keys			Gift
Crusader Kings II Collection	5 keys		subID 26483	Gift
Deadpool + Merc with a Map Pack DLC	500 keys	removed game	28777 + 29453	Gift
Deathgarden BLOODHARVEST	4 keys			Gift
Defy Gravity Extended	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Demigod	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Deus Ex Game of the Year Edition	2 keys			Gift
DiRT 2	50 keys	removed game	subID 14293	Gift
Dirt 2	50 keys	removed game	subID 2493	Gift
Don't Starve Soundtrack	5 keys			Gift
Droplitz (Holiday Sale 2011 Gift)	offers	removed game	subID 12638	Gift
Ducati World Championship	2 keys			Gift
Dungeon Defenders	3 keys			Gift
E.Y.E Divine Cybermancy	2 keys			Gift
Euro Truck Simulator 2	4 keys			Gift
F1 2011	offers	removed game	subID 11620	Gift
F1 2011	offers	removed game	subID 12677	Gift
F1 2012	offers	removed game		Gift
Faerie Solitaire	2 keys			Gift
Farming Simulator 2013 Titanium Edition	9 keys			Gift
Fast and Furious Showdown	30 keys	removed game	subID 27803	Gift
Football Manager 2014	20 keys	removed game	subID 30274	Giftable copy/add me
Fortified	1 TOD Ticket			Steam key/add me
FUEL	offers	removed game	subID 1878	Gift
Ghostbusters The Videogame	offers	removed game	subID 1693	Gift
Grid	offers	removed game		Gift
Grim Fandango Remastered	3 keys			Gift
Hero Academy - Tribe Pack - Hatless Gift	4 keys			Gift
Hitman Collection (ROW)	23 keys		subID 49903	Gift
Hospital Tycoon	2 keys			Gift
Ice Age 4	30 keys	removed game	subID 19227	Gift
Infestation Survivor Stories Classic	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Insecticide Part 1	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Iron Storm	6 keys			Gift
Iron Warriors T - 72 Tank Command	2 keys			Gift
Jurassic Park The Game	offers	removed game	subID 7705	Gift
Kane & Lynch 2 DLC Alliance Weapon Pack	offers			Gift
Kane & Lynch 2 DLC Multiplayer Masks Pack	offers			Gift
Kane & Lynch 2 DLC The Doggie Bag	offers			Gift
Kerbal Space Program	10 keys			Gift
Kingdoms Rise	offers	removed game		Gift
Left 4 Dead	4 keys			Gift
Legendary	2 keys			Gift
Lord of the Rings War in the North	50 keys	removed game	subID 12158	Gift
Lucius	2 keys			Gift
Lunar Flight	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Maelstrom The Battle for Earth Begins	3 keys			Gift
Max Payne 2 The Fall of Max Payne	12 keys			Gift
Medieval Engineers	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Metro Last Light Complete	offers	removed game	subID 39286	Gift
Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor Season Pass	4 keys	removed game	subID 51210	Gift
Mount & Blade Complete	6 keys		subID 38003	Gift
Move or Die	2 keys			Gift
NASCAR The Game 2013	45 keys	removed game	subID 28448	Gift
Natural Selection 2	2 keys			Gift
NBA 2K16 Michael Jordan Edition	offers	removed game	subID 73028	Gift
Nexuiz	2 keys			Gift
Painkiller Hell & Damnation	2 keys			Gift
Paradox Grand Strategy Collection	6 keys			Gift
PAYDAY 2 Gage Weapon Pack 02	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
PAYDAY 2 The Goat Simulator Heist	3 keys			Gift
Pinball FX3 - Star Wars Pinball	5 keys			Gift
PlayWay's Sim Bundle	5 keys		subID 51669	Gift
Please Hold	50 keys		subID 92974	Gift
Post Apocalyptic Mayhem	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Pro Cycling Manager 2012	offers	removed game	subID 15175	Gift
Pro Cycling Manager 2013	offers	removed game	subID 28407	Gift
Pro Cycling Manager 2014	6 keys			Gift
Punch Club	3 keys			Gift
Puzzle Dimension	2 keys			Gift
Ratz Instagib	2 keys			Gift
Razor2 Hidden Skies	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Resilience Wave Survival	4 keys			Gift
Retro City Rampage DX	2 keys			Gift
RIFT	offers			Gift
Roogoo	2 keys			Gift
Rush Bros	2 keys			Gift
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Bundle	10 keys			Gift
Saints Row IV - Child's Play Pack	1 TOD Ticket	removed game	subID 35488	Gift
Section 8 Prejudice	offers	removed game	subID 11106	Gift
Shannon Tweed's Attack Of The Groupies	2 keys			Gift
Shogun 2 Fall of the Samurai Collection	10 keys		subID 17095	Gift
Sins of a Dark Age Early Access Gift	2 keys			Gift
STAR WARS Empire at War Gold Pack	7 keys			Gift
SteamWorld Dig	1 TOD Ticket			Steam key/add me
Sugar Cube Bittersweet Factory	3 keys			Gift
Super Meat Boy	3 keys			Gift
Super Meat Boy Soundtrack	offers	removed game	subID 12323	Gift
Super Monday Night Combat	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Team Fortress 2	15 keys			Gift
Test Drive Unlimited 2	offers	removed game	subID 12636	Gift
The Amazing Spider-Man	offers	removed game		Gift
The Amazing Spider-Man - All DLC Bundle	offers	removed game		Gift
The Bureau XCOM Declassified	5 keys			Gift
The Desolate Hope	2 keys			Gift
The Holiday Express	4 keys		subID 35154	Gift
Incredible Adventures Van Helsing	4 keys			Gift
Incredible Adventures Van Helsing Arcane	1 key			Gift
Incredible Adventures Van Helsing Blue Blood	1 key			Gift
Incredible Adventures Van Helsing Thaumaturge	1 key			Gift
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified	6 keys			Gift
The Lord of the Rings Online Helm’s Deep Base	offers	removed game	subID 32781	Gift
The Lord of the Rings Online Quad Pack	offers	removed game	subID 32775	Gift
The Lord of the Rings Online Steely Dawn Pack	offers	removed game	subID 18483	Gift
The Political Machine (2012)	offers	removed game		Gift
The Ship	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
The Sims 3 Diesel Stuff	10 keys			Gift
The Sims 3 Generations	10 keys			Gift
The Sims 3 Pets	10 keys			Gift
The Sims 3 Seasons	10 keys			Gift
The Walking Dead Survival Instinct + Herd DLC	40 keys	removed game	26399 + 27013	Gift
The Wolf Among Us	7 keys			Gift
theHunter Primal	offers	removed game		Gift
Total War Master Collection Sept 2014	15 keys		subID 51362	Gift
Train Simulator 2013 - Trains vs Zombies 2	10 keys			Gift
Trine Collection	4 keys		subID 28358	Gift
Tropico 4 Collector's Bundle	2 keys			Gift
Uncrowded	offers	removed game	subID 67613	Gift
Unreal Tournament 2004 Editor's Choice Edition	offers	removed game		Gift
Velvet Assassin	3 keys			Gift
Watch_Dogs Complete	20 keys			Gift
What's under your blanket !?	offers	removed game	subID 89803	Gift
Who Wants to be a Junior Millionaire	offers	removed game	subID 26732	Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire	offers	removed game		Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Football	offers	removed game	subID 14925	Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Movies	offers	removed game	subID 14928	Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Music	offers	removed game	subID 14923	Gift
Who Wants to be a Millionaire SciFi Pack	offers	removed game	subID 17122	Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Sports	offers	removed game	subID 14926	Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Star Trek	offers	removed game	subID 14927	Gift
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Trivia Booster	offers	removed game	subID 14924	Gift
Who Wants to be a Millionaire Video Games	offers	removed game	subID 15611	Gift
Winter Voices Episode 1 Those who have no name	2 keys		subID 6648	Gift
World Basketball Manager 2010	2 keys			Gift
Xcinerator	3 keys			Gift
Your Doodles Are Bugged!	offers	removed game	subID 8256	Gift
Z1 Battle Royale	3 keys		subID 90424	Gift
Zombie Driver HD	2 keys			Gift
Zombie Driver HD Apocalypse Pack	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Zombie Driver HD Brutal Car Skins	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Zombie Driver HD Burning Garden of Slaughter	1 TOD Ticket			Gift
Zombie Driver HD Tropical Race Rage	1 TOD Ticket			Gift

Want:

• Offers with TF2 keys are preferred
• CSGO skins
• Regarding Tether offers, buyer goes first and covers the transaction fees
• Please DO NOT offer game codes, Humble links, Origin, Uplay codes and 3rd party accounts.

Sending Trade Offers
Trade offer link: https://steamcommunity.com/tradeoffenew/?partner=99041861&token=oT95zjCo
Steam inventory: https://steamcommunity.com/id/routemasteinventory#753_1
Inventory listing by TradeStarter

The game was an unmarked disc. Not even a color. Just a plain piece of plastic. Yet, I was horrified when I saw it in my dream.
I popped up in the middle of the night and there was no way I was going to be able to go back to sleep. I laid in my bed and thought about why that Playstation game was so terrifying to me.
The game appeared at Corey’s house when I was 13. He had moved down the street from me shortly before and I made fast friends with him because he always had all of the best games. Corey’s dad worked for an electronics distributor so he got the games early.
Corey was waiting for me when I got home from the school bus one day. His dad had gotten a crazy new game “from Japan” no one else would ever have. He had spent the day playing it over and over again.
He showed me the unmarked disc before he put it in the Playstation. The game had no opening credits or menu. It just went straight into the gameplay - spitting you into a P.O.V. game in a murky building which seemed like an army base.
I’m hesitant to describe the game too much. One - because I don’t remember it perfectly because of the way it shredded my brain. Two - because I don’t want to pass on any of the trauma the game gave me to anyone else.
From what I remember, the game was relatively unfinished, and that made it more eerie - the monsters were just blank outlines without faces which would kill you, the music was low and humming and barely audible, everything was dark, the controls were jerky.
Yet, the game was incredibly addicting. I played it over and over and over again until my parents made me come home.
I stayed up almost all night thinking about the game. When I did sleep, I felt like I was just in the game in my head.
Corey wasn’t at school the next day again. I didn’t think anything of it until I walked out of class at the end of the day and saw local news T.V. trucks parked out front.
I heard what they were talking about, interviewing students and parents. An unnamed student had killed himself and his family that day at their home. I found out it was Corey on the bus ride home.
Very few details came out. All I ever found out was Corey took the dad’s shotgun and shot both parents, and his older sister, all in bed, all still sleeping. I didn’t want to know much more.
I stopped playing video games for a while. Yet, the game wouldn’t get out of my head. I just kept wanting to play it.
I eventually went to the video game store at the mall. It was lorded over by a man named Morton. Obese. 20s. Shoulder-length hair, and an air of odd arrogance, he made video game shopping at a suburban town in Ohio feel like you were trying to buy records in Brooklyn.
I approached Morton with fear. He was a hulking figure to my 13-year-old self and he had his own little empire at the only game store in town.
“I’m looking for a game, I, uh, um, my friend had it, but I can’t find it,” I started in.
“Ta-ta-ta-today…junior,” Morton mocked me with a line from Billy Madison.
The other guys in the store chuckled, turning my face to beat red.
“Have you ever heard about an unmarked Playstation game ‘from Japan?”’ I asked.
Everyone about Morton changed. He looked around the space to see if anyone was still listening then he motioned me closer, and spoke quieter.
“Where did you see that game?” He asked.
Now it was my turn to get closer and talk quietly. I explained it was Corey, and who he was, and what he did.
Morton looked even more interested, and stressed out.
He took me to a back room. Dark, the only light coming from an arcade machine in the back and a lit cigarette dangling from the teenage lips of another kid.
I knew the kid. His name was Nat. He was 15 and was known in the area as a video game prodigy. He had won just about any tournament for any game ever held in several counties and he had an interesting style - he had long hair at a time when everyone had short, he wore tight clothes at a time when everyone wore baggy, and there were rumors he did professional video game testing in California during school breaks. Nat hanging out in the secret back room of the video game store was very on-brand.
Morton had me sit down at a table as he started demolishing fun size candy bars while he told me the backstory of the video game “from Japan.”
The game wasn’t from Japan. He wasn’t sure where that mythology came from. The game was very much from the U.S. It was created by the U.S. government. When school shootings started becoming a thing there was a panic about video games, specifically first-person shooter games being the cause.
The C.I.A.’s solution was to work with a video company to create a first-person shooter game to release and hype up but to subliminally program as to control the player’s mind and steer them to non-violent thoughts.
“How do you know all this?” I asked Morton.
“The game is a real thing,” Nat said while never stopping banging away at the latest version of Mortal Kombat on the machine in the corner.
I let Morton go on. Nat was the ultimate authority to me. His girlfriend, Calyn, was my first love, even though she didn’t know who I was. She was a year ahead of me in school and I didn’t even know how she existed.
But back to the game. The game didn’t keep kids from being violent. Video games couldn’t fucking do that, but something they programmed in the game destroyed the kids who tested it - they couldn’t focus on anything else and it terrorized their minds - making them think monsters were coming to kill them, basically making them severely schizophrenic.
The worst part was something in the game seemed to make kids really want to share it. All of the test kids snuck the game out and made copies of it.
Unless someone was skilled enough to make it through the game and beat it, the game seemed to ruin their brains, and their lives, Morton explained before saying he was out of information.
“Have you played the game?” Morton asked me.
I affirmed.
“Where is the game now?” Morton asked.
I explained I had no idea. I assumed it was with Corey’s family and their stuff. No way I could get access to it.
At that point Morton explained that he wished me luck, but he could offer me no help.
“Do you know who has ever beaten the game?” I asked Morton as I could feel his body energy beg me to leave.
“I have,” Nat’s voice rose up from the corner of the room.
Nat left the room before I could ask anymore questions.
-
The game permeated my brain. All I wanted to do was play it even though I had no way to. I would see the monsters hiding in the shadows of my parents’ house and I’d stop - wait for them to jump out and attack me. I heard that terribly ominous musical score of the game in the back of my mind all the time.
If I slept, all I dreamed about was the game, and getting killed in the game, and it all felt real.
This went on for a couple of days and kept getting stronger and stronger. I had to keep playing the game.
I lost control. I got out of bed in the middle of the night and snuck out my bedroom window.
I made it to Corey’s house in a flash. There was no police tape or anything you’d expect in a movie. It was just there. The way it always was.
I went to the back of the house, where I knew there was a door that went directly into the basement, where Corey’s gaming setup was. I took the longshot that it was left unlocked.
Now this all might sound crazy, but as a severe drug addict for a good chunk of my life, trust me that my desire to play that game that night was stronger than any desire to ever do drugs, that’s how intoxicating and addicting it was. Nothing was going to stop me.
The door was unlocked and if you want to doubt that small town cops 25 years ago were that lazy…try me.
I got into the basement. The house was cold, dark, and empty, but Corey’s Playstation was still set up right there in the basement. I checked the disc inside. It was the game.
I turned on the Playstation and the game came to life. I started playing.
My feet felt like they were welded to the floor. My fingers superglued to the controller. My eyes couldn’t leave the screen.
There was no getting away from the game. I played for I have no idea how long.
I can’t remember anything until I was standing in that dark basement, playing the game, and I felt strong hands wrap around the back of my neck. Then a powerful force pushed me to the ground.
I was on the ground and I looked up and saw endless shadows filling the room around me. Dark and faceless. They looked just like the monsters in the game.
The monsters were moving in on me. They were no longer in the game. They were no longer in my head. They were now living breathing with me and dangerous.
And they were going to be on me very soon and the power they radiated at me communicated to me that I wasn’t going to last long against them.
I also got a powerful sense of something they wanted me to do. They were telling me to go to school the next day. They were telling me where my dad kept his gun. I was losing myself in their messages.
Then all of these feelings started to fade. Then the TV cut out - the game no longer broadcasting.
Someone else was in the room. Not just me and the monsters. They were dressed in all black. I couldn’t make out anything identifiable about them, other than they were human like me, and they were pushing away the monsters and they took my hand.
They got me out of the house.
Then they disappeared.
I looked back into the basement of Corey’s house - there was nothing but darkness inside.
But then, I saw a blue light come to life inside the basement room.
The game had come back on again, and it was calling me back inside with its siren song…
I was ready to go back in, taking my first steps that way when…
Someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me away. They drug me all the way back to the sidewalk where they stopped and whispered into my ear:
“Go the fuck home. I won’t help you from here.”
They let me go and were gone in the night.
I walked home.

Hi all, I’m back with the full series following on from my last mini-series, Angland U. If you haven’t read it, I would highly recommend it, as it serves as a prologue and an easy entry into the THJ Universe, which started with The Hunter’s Journey. I have tried to make it so reading THJ isn’t necessary if you read the prologue, but it will provide more insight into the world than my prologue will (it’s a lot easier to go into the full depths of something with around 2,000 pages than it is with around 40-50 after all.)
Fair warning, there will be some adult themes in the series, so reader discretion is advised.
So, without further ado, enjoy!
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Prologue / Previous / Next
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Daniel rolled his left arm in its socket as he read his new assignment once more, excited to finally be getting out of constant lessons, training, and parades. He shut off the holoviewer and retracted it back into his bionic arm, allowing his hand to snap back into place, banging the back of it a couple times to make sure it was seated properly, and letting out a small sigh of relief that it was still holding up after so much punishment in basic training. He quickly checked his bags once more, making sure he had everything on him, completed one final check of the room, and then exited it. He walked down the hallway and hopped into the lift, heading down to the ground floor. Once there, he walked over to the reception, where he checked out of the hotel, and then made his way over to the hotel's subway entrance.
Upon entering the subway, he identified the military door and scanned his pass, letting him through the secure door to the private platform, where a half filled carriage was waiting. He quickly boarded and found a seat, watching the door for another 30 seconds before they closed and the carriage began to move. Less than a minute later, the carriage slowed to a halt at the other platform, and everyone began to disembark. Once he was off, Daniel quickly pulled his uniform straight, making sure the creases were still crisp and that his brassard was sitting correctly, before touching his headdress to make sure it was on straight, and he then began to walk up the stairs and left the subway.
Looking out onto the runway, he spotted his transport almost completely loaded, a massive 350 metre wide behemoth of a flying wing, an ASWT-16. As he walked towards the military security terminal of the spaceport, two privates stood to attention and saluted him, which he acknowledged quickly so they could get back to their business. He scanned his pass on the security terminal, and then walked through the attached gate, scanning him and finding nothing of concern. He quickly removed his headdress now that he was on an active airfield, and stored it in his bag before jumping on the nearby shuttle bus, which collected a few more people before the doors closed and silently drove towards the transport, coming to a stop just before the ramp. Everyone quickly disembarked, and the bus headed back to the gate the instant the last person was off, and then the group all quickly boarded the transport, rushing to get one of the better seats. Daniel didn’t rush though, and instead headed to the subtly comfier seats with an actual real window that peeked over the surface of the wing, reserved for officers like himself, and he stuffed his bags under it.
As he waited for boarding and loading to wrap up, he flicked his metal hand back and checked his messages on his holo once again, looking to see if any of his family or friends had responded. As expected, he had a quick good luck message from his Dad, and absolutely nothing from his Mother, but all his childhood and University friends had responded, barring the one person he really wanted to hear from. He knew she had read it, the app indicated as such, but she hadn’t responded. He hoped she was just writing a really long message congratulating him and wishing him luck, but he couldn’t just help but worry that she hadn’t taken the news well.
He forced it out of his mind as the loading ramp began to close and the transport crew called out their final checks. He raised both his arms off of his lap as a crew member checked to make sure his belt was on, and once the crew member had checked everyone on the row, they found their own seat and sat down. Less than two minutes later, a low rumble could be heard as all twelves thrusters roared to full power, and the transport began to quickly accelerate down the runway, taking off with its full 4,000 tonne load.
Daniel watched the fields blitz past out the window, each one getting smaller and smaller as they ascended faster and faster, until he could just about make out the curvature of the Earth, feeling a small jolt as the thrusters switched from their air breathing modes to their vacuum modes. It didn’t take long until all he could see out of his tiny window was the black void of space above the wing. The wing in question suddenly became a hub of activity as numerous panels began to wing open or retract, allowing a pylon with a long pod on the end to raise up, which began to glow a dull blue as the star formations visible to him began to distort.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please,” one of the crew members began. “We are now at warp, and it is safe to walk around the craft. ETA for Mars orbit is 30 minutes, so please make sure you are buckled back in before that happens. The gravity generator isn’t the strongest on a transport like this, so the docking manoeuvres could pose a danger. Also, please don’t enter the cargo grid, gravity is weaker there, and any magnetic objects could be ripped from your body. I don’t fancy having to retrieve your body for the medic because a piercing got ripped out.”
Daniel looked over to the other passengers, noticing that one of the plain clothes personnel was grimacing and holding their legs tight together, while their friend next to them bumped their shoulder with a poorly masked grin. He shook his head and got to his feet, giving them a stretch while he had the chance, and checked his holo to see that it was now disconnected from the network as expected. He snapped his hand back into place, finding that the connection for his little finger wasn’t engaging properly, so he gave the back of his hand a firm smack and thankfully managed to regain control of his extremity.
“Should probably get that looked into, Sir,” the Lieutenant sitting next to him said.
“Yeah, I’ve got a replacement ordered. It’s been messed up since basic, and I’ve finally gotten approval for the latest model,” Daniel explained.
“Is requisition that bad at the moment?”
“Only for the full suite I need.”
“What do you need that’s in short supply?”
“Sorry, but that’s need to know,” Daniel told him, knowing that the parts weren’t restricted information to someone of his rank, but he was still happy to use it to avoid unwanted conversation at the moment.
“Of course, sir. My apologies for asking.”
“No harm done,” Daniel assured him as he straightened his shirt and made his way towards the front of the transport.
He opened the doorway into a corridor, and then immediately made his way into the office space, taking a seat in one of the four cubicles and logging into one of the computers, pleased to see that his travel profile had been uploaded before takeoff. The data was sparse, but it was all he needed at the moment, which was mainly the bios of his soon to be subordinates, and more importantly interview and trainer notes. None of them had any real world experience in the world of electronic subterfuge, though they did all pass the training and tests with perfect grades like him, even if the tests missed off a few handy tricks he’d utilised on occasion. It meant that he would likely be irreplaceable if the ship was in a dangerous situation, though he knew that would be the case just from him being in a position of authority. He was a little disappointed by the prospect of almost always having to be at his post, but such was Navy life.
He continued to look more closely at their bios, making a mental note of the comments made against them. They all seemed to be by the book types, which means that he would have to teach them some dirty tricks at some point, but it at least meant that he wasn’t likely to have a rough time with them. They all originated from various colonies though, so he was wary of the tribalism that could cause. It should have been trained out of them so they all acted as a single unit, but pride was often something hard rooted.
“Five minutes till Mars!” a crew member shouted into the room, before moving onto the next.
Daniel took his que to wipe his profile in case it got missed due to tight schedules, and logged off. It might not be his responsibility to do so, but he’d be damned if someone else messed up and he and his new team got hurt for it. He left the cubical and made his way back to his seat, buckling in and allowing himself to be inspected once again.
He looked out the window once again as the warp pylon powered down and the distortion effect stopped, causing the green and blue surface of Mars to take up the majority of his view. It remained in his few for only a few moments though, as the transport began to turn and roll as it aligned with the station. The warp pylons quickly stowed themselves in the wings again, and the transport edged forward, sliding into the hangar after a minute or two of travel. There was a small bump as the craft touched down, followed by a droop as the hangar’s gravity was turned up to normal levels.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Mars Stardock 02. Please disembark to allow for unloading of supplies,” the crew member from before announced.
Not wanting to get caught in the crowd, Daniel jumped up from his seat, picked up his bags quickly, and was the fourth person to exit the transport. He looked at the unloading tractors that were entering the room, noticing that they had a particularly large one usually reserved for ship modules. He was surprised that something like that would be coming from Earth given Mars’ manufacturing capabilities, but he probably couldn’t find out what it was without putting his rank at risk, so he elected to ignore it. Instead, he headed over to the hangar exit and scanned his pass, confirming his presence aboard the station.
As he began to walk down the corridor of the station, following the signs for the habs, he checked his messages once more, finding that he still hadn’t received the message he was hoping for. He did his best to hide his frustration, and continued on until he reached the nearest short stay habs, walking past the honeycomb array of pods designed to pack in the lower ranking spacemen of visiting ships if the ships weren’t serviceable. Thankfully for him however, he was able to keep walking until he reached the officer’s cabins, picking an empty one and assigning it to himself.
His temporary accommodation was little more than a small bed, a desk, and a stool, but it served his needs. He dropped his bags on his bed, and quickly activated his arm’s scanners, checking the room for any bugs, which he found none of. He knew there was practically no way of someone knowing which room he’d end up in, but he couldn’t be too careful. Happy that he was safe, he opened the makeshift compartment on his arm, removing the memory chip that had sat there for almost five years at this point. He carefully hid it in the ceiling light cover, and exited the room, locking the door behind him. He knew that after five years of no-one looking for it that was probably safe, but he wasn’t going to take the risk.
He began to look at the station signs again, managing to find a layout map. He quickly committed it to memory the best he could, and made his way to the station’s clinic. Once he finished the short walk there, he checked himself in, and was assigned to a room, which he entered and sat down on the bed within it. He let out a small sigh as he looked around the room, waiting for the doctor to arrive, and began to study all the posters and displays, containing information on a bunch of medical advice that was inapplicable to him.
“Sorry about the wait,” an old and balding man in a medical uniform apologised to him as he entered the room, carrying a large long black case.
“It’s not a problem,” Daniel assured him.
“I’m Dr Middleton,” the Doctor informed him. “Now, may I just confirm your identity please?”
“Lieutenant Commander Daniel Hardbrooks,” Daniel replied, handing over his military ID.
“... Indeed you are. Just a couple of quick questions before we get onto why you’re here. Can you please confirm the purpose of your visit?” the Doctor asked, handing his ID back.
“To receive a replacement mechanical prosthetic arm, containing equipment I am not allowed to disclose.”
“And can I confirm that you don’t need a socket upgrade?”
“No, I have the latest socket after my last one broke during basic training.”
“Perfect,” the Doctor replied, checking a few boxes on his holo display. “Will you be recycling your old arm, or will you keep it?”
“Recycle. This thing will probably break if you look at it wrong,” he explained, taking off his shirt and holding up his scratched and dented arm.
“A mk IV-C. I’m surprised it’s still working. Well, you’ve got a nice new mk XXII-NM. I’m pleased to inform you that a starsteel heatsink was successfully sourced, as well as some other components that are simply blank on my display,” the Doctor told him as he handed Daniel the case. “The profile from your old arm has been transferred onto this one, but you will have to map any new functions.”
“Of course,” Daniel replied, pressing the lock and allowing the case to scan him.
After almost ten seconds of waiting, the locks popped off, and the lid opened to reveal his new arm. It looked almost like a real arm in shape, except he had given it a custom carbon black with white trim paint scheme, and replaced the plates that visually simulated muscle with armour and electronics. Happy with his new appendage, he grabbed hold of his current arm and popped it out of its socket, laying it on the nearby table before picking up his new arm and locking it in place, checking to make sure the seal engaged properly.
He rolled his shoulder, surprised at how smooth the motion was, making him realise just how bad his old arm was performing. He then began to twist his arm and wrist while flexing his fingers, finding that each motion felt like it had less purpose, but they instead felt much more natural like his real arm. He then performed a systems check, making sure none of the secret stuff was displayed, before giving the doctor a thumbs up.
“It’s working perfectly. Thank you for your help,” he told the Doctor as he put his shirt back on.
“You’re very welcome. Please tap here to confirm your appointment has been completed,” the Doctor instructed, pointing at his holo display.
“There. All done,” Daniel replied, performing the action.
“Thank you very much. Any issues and concerns, please check back here or to any other military approved clinic as soon as possible.”
“Will do. Thanks once again for your help,” Daniel told him as he left the clinic.
Daniel made his way straight back to his hab, entering it and testing out his new scanner, finding it to return the same readings of his room, but he could now read practically every electromagnetic and aetheric signature within half a kilometre, with the larger signals of the station’s fusion generators easily detectable from almost two kilometres away. Satisfied, he quickly retrieved the memory chip from the light cover, and stored it within the new secret high security compartment he now possessed.
Satisfied, he left his room once more and entered one of the nearest lifts. He punched in the button for the observation deck, and braced himself slightly as the lift accelerated rapidly, bringing him to his destination in a matter of seconds. He stepped out of the lift and into what was essentially a ball of transparent metal, overlooking the whole station. He walked over to the edge, and took in the sight of the disk shaped station floating over the distant Martian landscape. He could just about make out some of the smaller hangars from his vantage point, but what he was more interested in was the docking arms on the outside of the disk.
He could make out three corvettes dock on a single arm, and another one on an arm of its own. The next three arms were empty, with the next two servicing a frigate each, followed by three arms servicing destroyers. He was able to identify the classes of the destroyers, identifying two as direct combat ships, and the third as a light drone carrier. Finally, he rested his eyes on a single ship taking up two arms that were far longer than the others, the expedition cruiser, CNS Trailmaker.
His soon to be new home.
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Prologue / Previous / Next

Greetings. So, I've played around the engine and its predecessors for years, always wanting to make my own proper RPG game, but never got to finish the ones I've worked with because I always grew anxious on whether the idea could work. So I decided to ask online which one of these concepts I should aim for:

1. Deseo Island: Semi-Lineal (You unlock harder dungeons doing earlier ones in any order they're currently in, think how unlocking levels work in Mario 64) game about a town of varied species finds itself in bad times, when they hear that in the isle of Trella, a treasure hunt will be done, and whoever finds more treasures will get a wish, so they send five characters who will secretly work together. The game has Five Elements: Red (Fire and Thunder), Green (Plants and Wind), Blue (Water and Ground), Yellow (Light and Healing), and Purple (Shadow and Poison), and each character represents one of them, so they all have offensive techniques of their element.
2. Sea-Archangel: More lineal but story-driven game, taking cues of the older Final Fantasy games but in a underwater, marine setting, about Caleb, a sea angel knight with a difficult past that finds himself in a disastrous incident where he's accused of betraying the Azure Order, and has to run to find how to clean his name, and finding in his way both allies, and clues that the very origin of his kind hides a dark secret. There are Four Elements: Heat, Cold, Bolt, and Venom. No PC represents neither so they're mostly limited to the designated "Black Mage" and "Summoner" of the group.

Is any of these ideas good? Which one is better? What tweaks should I do? And about the engine I chose, it is because I'm working alone in this and doing all the sprites myself (Which you can see some of them here, where I tried to answer this same question, but haven't got enough feedback to make a choice)