​
https://preview.redd.it/z82bw5gtaz2b1.png?width=972&format=png&auto=webp&s=a939d6e8c61af798fbfdc67f40fc3a64d65d7aec
VANCOUVER, BC / THENEWSWIRE / May 30, 2023 – Element 79 Gold Corp. (CSE:ELEM) (OTC:ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) ("Element 79 Gold", the "Company") announces that, further to its November 17, 2022 release announcing that the Company had entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the “Valdo LOI”) with Valdo Minerals Ltd. (“Valdo”), the parties have mutually agreed to a 60-day extension to the exclusivity period to enter into a definitive agreement for the sale of three properties from its Battle Mountain Portfolio located in the northeastern Nevada, US.
The other terms of the LOI, as announced by the Company on November 17, 2022, remain unchanged.
Proposed Transaction Highlights

• Valdo to acquire 100% interests and obligation in:
  
  • The North Mill Creek Project - comprised of 6 unpatented claims located at the margins of the Goat Window in Lander County, Nevada, an exposure of lower plate rocks beneath the Roberts Mountains Thrust, the preferred carbonate host of Carlin-type gold deposits.
  • The Elder Creek Project - comprised of 23 unpatented claims, which cover the historic Elder Creek open-pit mine in Lander County, Nevada, hosted in upper plate rocks where the mine area is believed to represent leakage from the deeper lower plate of the Roberts Mountains Thrust.
  • The Elephant Project - comprised of 197 claims located at the foot of the mine dumps at Nevada Gold Mines' Phoenix operation hosting a covered pediment target with various depths of cover based on the displacement of fault blocks.
• Valdo to issue 3,750,000 common shares at a deemed price of $0.30 CAD per share representing an aggregate value of CAD 1,125,000.
  
• According to the revised exclusivity period, the transaction is expected to close by July 15, 2023.
  

“As we progressed toward the initial term of the LOI, Valdo expressed a desire for an extension as they finalize their project structuring and capitalization plans,” said James Tworek, Element79 Gold Corp CEO. “Our collaboration with Valdo holds great promise, spurred by their continued interest in how the optioned portfolio synergizes with their other regionally adjacent projects, we are confident that this extension will pave the way for a successful closing and strong Valdo story in the future.”
Element79 Gold’s Battle Mountain Portfolio
The Battle Mountain Portfolio was originally comprised of 15 separate projects totaling over 44,478 acres across 2,203 unpatented claims in five counties: Elko County, Eureka County, Humboldt County, Lander County, and Nye County. Most of the Battle Mountain Portfolio is located within the Battle Mountain Trend, with several projects close to globally reputable gold deposits including Nevada Gold's Cortez Mine.
The Battle Mountain Portfolio is comprised primarily of early-stage projects. While drilling has been completed at some projects, such as Elder Creek (155 holes) and Clover (104 holes), many have only surface sampling and geophysical surveys completed. Of particular note are the Long Peak, Elephant, Elder Creek, North Mill Creek, Clipper, Pipeline South, West Cortez, and Walti Projects, which are interpreted to lie along the northwest trending fault that hosts the high-grade Pipeline deposit, which is included in Nevada Gold's Cortez Mine.
Qualified Person
The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Director of Element79 Gold and a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Element79 Gold
Element79 Gold is a mining company focused on gold, silver and associated metals and committed to maximizing shareholder value through responsible mining practices and sustainable development of its projects. Element79 Gold's main focus is on two core properties: developing its previously-producing, high-grade gold and silver mine, the Lucero project located in Arequipa, Peru, with the intent to bring it back into production in the near term; and its flagship Maverick Springs Project located in the famous gold mining district of northeastern Nevada, USA, between the Elko and White Pine Counties. Maverick Springs hosts a 43-101-compliant, pit-constrained mineral resource estimate reflecting an inferred resource of 3.71 million ounces of gold equivalent "AuEq" at a grade of 0.92 g/t AuEq (0.34 g/t Au and 43.4 g/t Ag) with an effective date of October 19, 2022. The acquisition of the Maverick Springs Project also included a portfolio of 15 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, which are non-core to its primary business focus. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent and funded a drilling program to acquire a private company that holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. The Company also has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dale Property, 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada in the Timmins Mining Division, Dale Township. The Company is analyzing the non-core Nevada projects, The Dale Property and Snowbird Property for further merit of exploration, sale or spin-out.
For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold
Contact Information:
James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer E-mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
For investor relations inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations Department – Dylan Anderson
Phone: +1 (613) 879-9387
E-mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

VANCOUVER, BC / THENEWSWIRE / May 30, 2023 – Element 79 Gold Corp. (CSE:ELEM) (OTC:ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) ("Element 79 Gold", the "Company") announces that, further to its November 17, 2022 release announcing that the Company had entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the “Valdo LOI”) with Valdo Minerals Ltd. (“Valdo”), the parties have mutually agreed to a 60-day extension to the exclusivity period to enter into a definitive agreement for the sale of three properties from its Battle Mountain Portfolio located in the northeastern Nevada, US. The other terms of the LOI, as announced by the Company on November 17, 2022, remain unchanged. Proposed Transaction Highlights Valdo to acquire 100% interests and obligation in:

• The North Mill Creek Project - comprised of 6 unpatented claims located at the margins of the Goat Window in Lander County, Nevada, an exposure of lower plate rocks beneath the Roberts Mountains Thrust, the preferred carbonate host of Carlin-type gold deposits.
  
• The Elder Creek Project - comprised of 23 unpatented claims, which cover the historic Elder Creek open-pit mine in Lander County, Nevada, hosted in upper plate rocks where the mine area is believed to represent leakage from the deeper lower plate of the Roberts Mountains Thrust.
  
• The Elephant Project - comprised of 197 claims located at the foot of the mine dumps at Nevada Gold Mines' Phoenix operation hosting a covered pediment target with various depths of cover based on the displacement of fault blocks.
  

Valdo to issue 3,750,000 common shares at a deemed price of $0.30 CAD per share representing an aggregate value of CAD 1,125,000. According to the revised exclusivity period, the transaction is expected to close by July 15, 2023. “As we progressed toward the initial term of the LOI, Valdo expressed a desire for an extension as they finalize their project structuring and capitalization plans,” said James Tworek, Element79 Gold Corp CEO. “Our collaboration with Valdo holds great promise, spurred by their continued interest in how the optioned portfolio synergizes with their other regionally adjacent projects, we are confident that this extension will pave the way for a successful closing and strong Valdo story in the future.”
Element79 Gold’s Battle Mountain Portfolio The Battle Mountain Portfolio was originally comprised of 15 separate projects totaling over 44,478 acres across 2,203 unpatented claims in five counties: Elko County, Eureka County, Humboldt County, Lander County, and Nye County. Most of the Battle Mountain Portfolio is located within the Battle Mountain Trend, with several projects close to globally reputable gold deposits including Nevada Gold's Cortez Mine. The Battle Mountain Portfolio is comprised primarily of early-stage projects. While drilling has been completed at some projects, such as Elder Creek (155 holes) and Clover (104 holes), many have only surface sampling and geophysical surveys completed. Of particular note are the Long Peak, Elephant, Elder Creek, North Mill Creek, Clipper, Pipeline South, West Cortez, and Walti Projects, which are interpreted to lie along the northwest trending fault that hosts the high-grade Pipeline deposit, which is included in Nevada Gold's Cortez Mine. Qualified Person The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Director of Element79 Gold and a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Element79 Gold Element79 Gold is a mining company focused on gold, silver and associated metals and committed to maximizing shareholder value through responsible mining practices and sustainable development of its projects. Element79 Gold's main focus is on two core properties: developing its previously-producing, high-grade gold and silver mine, the Lucero project located in Arequipa, Peru, with the intent to bring it back into production in the near term; and its flagship Maverick Springs Project located in the famous gold mining district of northeastern Nevada, USA, between the Elko and White Pine Counties. Maverick Springs hosts a 43-101-compliant, pit-constrained mineral resource estimate reflecting an inferred resource of 3.71 million ounces of gold equivalent "AuEq" at a grade of 0.92 g/t AuEq (0.34 g/t Au and 43.4 g/t Ag) with an effective date of October 19, 2022. The acquisition of the Maverick Springs Project also included a portfolio of 15 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, which are non-core to its primary business focus. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent and funded a drilling program to acquire a private company that holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. The Company also has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dale Property, 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada in the Timmins Mining Division, Dale Township. The Company is analyzing the non-core Nevada projects, The Dale Property and Snowbird Property for further merit of exploration, sale or spin-out. For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold Contact Information: James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer E-mail: [email protected]
For investor relations inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations Department – Dylan Anderson Phone: +1 (613) 879-9387 E-mail: [email protected]

Hello all,
​
With the technical test completed, I figured I would take some time to write down thoughts on the maps, characters, and current systems that might need some looking at. For reference, I played a lot of both sides during the technical test. I can honestly say they're both a blast to play!
Family House:

• Fuse exit seems WAY too easy on this map. The reasonings behind this is that Cook cannot chase upstairs at all due to the way it is laid out. The gaps and crawl spaces between rooms, plus the vault point really limit his movement abilities upstairs. Victims can speed run the fuse exit by the time Hitchhiker (the only current character that can chase there aside from Sissy who wasn't available) is able to turn on and trap the generator and car battery, meaning it is 100% up to Leatherface & Cook, neither of whom can chase there, to stop a victim from using that method. (TL;DR - This exit is too safe and fast for the map in the current state.)
• Generator Spawning is very important and makes the map RNG heavy. If it spawns on the side of the house it is within Hitchhiker's path to the car battery and takes less time. Also is a longer run to escape once disabled. If it spawns out front, this slows down Hitchhiker's setup process a lot as well as providing an relatively easy escape for victims who rush out the front door with Connie since they don't have to detour much from their path to the front escape.

Slaughter House:

• Valve exit on this map is possibly the most safe escape method. Valve spawns are easy enough to locate, a victim only needs to poke their head up for a short window before returning to the basement (which is by far the easiest place to lose the family) and the exit is very easy escape once opened unless you're heavily injured and Leatherface is ready to 1 shot you. Additionally, the counter to this strategy is a killer finding and shutting down the escape assuming they even know where it spawned. Leatherface might be the only killer that could know at this point since you can speed run this exit relatively fast.
• Map size and killer speed might be an issue. I have a feeling this map might not be Cook's bread & butter and you'll probably want to pick a different character like Johnny or Sissy due to the spawning of BatteGenerator and the massive distance between them. Cook is a slow boy and this is a large map where the above ground areas are not very good for our slow boy with many vaults/crawls/gaps to evade him through.

General game balance:

• Lockpicking - When lockpicking your break bar is entirely removed if you exit and re-enter the minigame. This allows someone to near max the bar for each leg of the lock and exit to refresh. This doesn't apply as much to Connie since her speeds are insane no matter, but for someone like Leland or Sonny this provides near Connie level lockpicking speed. A thought on this one was to have each attempt start at roughly 90% stress and decrease as normal. This would still provide Connie the fastest current speed while adding in an element of a victim needing to properly line up their tools to execute the picking unless they risk breaking their pick right away. It'll only minorly slowdown overall lockpicking and incentivize the focus on the picking rather than exiting and re-entering the minigame which also provides you a bit of safety to look around.
• Leatherface's thrust attack seems almost worthless in its current state. As victim I never worry about this attack. If it is even possible to land (which it is, but not easy) it doesn't appear to do much damage at all. Realistically, if I were crawling through a gap and someone hit me with a chainsaw on the way through, I would probably be lucky to not be entirely mangled by the time I can exit.
• I-frames. There seem to be a pretty good amount of these for victims when crawling or slipping through a gap. Currently I-frames lead to the ability for someone to infinitely dodge a killer. I know that unless there are 2 of the ready to deal with me, I could infinite someone on a single gap/crawl forever without issue. If 2 people came to deal with me, they might kill me, but 3 other people will probably escape due to the amount of time I can waste doing it versus the resources they have to commit to deal with me. If I-frames were entirely removed and I could be hit while crawling or shimmying through a gap, this would entirely remove infinites too since they're not the fastest points of movement, but will still provide good escapes from Cook & Leatherface while taking relatively minor damage if they're close enough.

Despite these few minor issues, I think this game is currently an overall winner in my book and if some/all of the above get looked at, it probably won't lead to unfair situations once people can play with their friends and coordinate a lot more.
What are everyone else's thoughts on the above? Was there anything I missed?

"Dick." "Huh? What, are we there?" "We've been here for six hours, man, we just haven't seen the car yet, and you haven't seen shit because you keep falling asleep." "Gimme a break, man, I was driving all night to get here." The two criminals were seated in a non-descript car, parked nearby the entrance to the main parking lot at Mt. Loyal University, charged with the details of a specific vehicle set to arrive at some point. The two were only armed with camera equipment, but it was enough to ID at a distance and that's what they were being paid to do. "Look, if this chick's as dangerous as they say, it'll help to be ready when she shows up. Try some of the coffee, they shouldn't be too cold." Dick looked at the two big cups from the morning hours before they showed up. "Dale, that stuff's probably frozen by now, let's just go get some fresh stuff." "We can't leave, idiot!" barked Dale, fitting of his canine species. They both were dogs, Dale a chihuahua and Dick a St. Bernard, with personalities to match. "Look, I'll go get some at that place down the block, come back here, and we can throw that stuff out." "Well then, go, come on, hurry up and get back, I don't want you sitting on a bench and falling asleep again." "I'm going, don't yell at me, man." Dick replied softly. "I'm NOT YELLING!" Dale yelled as the larger of the two got out of the car with another huge yawn to head off on his mission. The actual task they were seeing to was admittedly a dull one, but Dale liked to be alert at all times, especially when dealing with contract killers. About five minutes later, Dick had returned with two coffees, Dale opening the door for him. "Thanks. They had that hazelnut stuff you like, so I-" "Wait wait wait, hold that thought, I think that's our ticket." said the chihuahua, pointing a finger at the gate. Indeed, a white Oz Harper was pulling in and turning their way to find a spot. Dale squawked 'Hide!' and pulled the seat lock, falling backwards with it quickly. Dick just watched the car go by and head up towards the front of the building. "GOL-332, I think that's our guy, Dale." the larger dog said, slurping at his coffee loudly. The smaller one's head popped up to check before easing his seat back up. "Of course it is, I knew this was the gate to trust." he declared, pulling out a cellphone to speed-dial a number. "What are we gonna do now, D?" "Shh, lemme make this call in peace for a second... hey, it's us, the ones you called for recon? ...yeah, no, we stuck to the timeframe you gave us, the target's been confirmed at that college we parked at." Dick was starting to fall asleep in his seat again, so Dale smacked at him while completing the phonecall. "Gotcha.. yes, gotcha, you won't be needing anything else? Alright then, it was a pleasure doing business with you, and we'll just be on our way once our payment is secu- what??" The voice over the tiny microphone spoke in stern volumes, Dale glaring wide-eyed at the device like he wanted to bite a chunk out of it. He managed to inhale and hold it before responding tightly. "I understand, we will get a room and meet with you after the hit. Thank you very much for this opportunity." He beeped off the phone, calmly unclipped his seat belt, vacated the car, and then began to attack the right side of it in a psychotic frenzy, all manner of expletive spraying as hornets do from a disturbed nest. Dick watched him for a bit as he gradually slowed his raging melee with their car and got back inside of it. "We gotta go shack up in a hotel for the night, we're not getting paid until they kill this chick." "Hey, oh boy, a hotel, that'll have a bed for sure." He began to hand the chihuahua his coffee before giving a bit too much gas and causing a second furious explosion, this time in the car. The badly-secured lid had sluiced open and had went mostly all over Dale, staining his undershirt dark brown. Dick looked at him and raised his eyebrows high enough to expose his eyes at last. "Oh no, I'm real sorry about that, we can get the duffel bag out and take it-" Dale held up his paw. "Dick, shut up and let's just... take it to get washed somewhere, real quick. I like this shirt, this is my lucky shirt." "Okay, Dale." and he started up the car and turned off down the main street, looking like he'd be smacked around and scolded by the smaller man. Dale looked sidelong at him for a bit before looking forward quietly. "You're mad." "Dick, I ain't mad, I'm just cranky." "No, you're mad, you say that when you're mad." "What're you, my freakin' therapist? Get over into that one there and let's get this thing washed and dried, I'm gonna need it to keep from KILLING you, right in the face. "Dale, I'm really sorry." They parked and they got out. "Just finish your coffee, man, I gotta go use the bathroom and change out."
Tom was in a late afternoon haze of beer buzz, boredom, and bitterness. Something about the verbal skirmish with the snow leopard had really got on his nerves, and he still wanted to give her a piece of his mind. There was a bit of time left, and he felt like he could be risking at least one more smoke, so he went out the back door into the loading alley and lit up there, largely free of company for the moment, but it was then that one of the black cars from before slowly pulled into sight ahead, blocking off the alley's exit. "Shit.." he whispered, knowing better than to turn around as the sound of crunching rock on tires signalled he was being boxed in. He circled on the spot casually, eyes swallowing his surroundings to make sure there was no one else around in case he had to attack and escape. The two guys that got out had matching casual wear and a bully's confidence as they came his way. Two more door-shutting sounds behind him now, sending that tingle of adrenaline pre-game thru his body. Taking a deep inhale to martial his guts and nicotine, Tom came to a stop and looked to the guys in front of him as he exhaled, flicking the cigarette away. They were certainly taller up close. "Larry, Curly, good to see you, something I can help you two with?" he asked brazenly, getting two accosted looks in response. "How's he supposed to know that? He knows my name, man, how does he know that?" said the wiry one of the pair. Tom's throat tightened; one of their names actually WAS Larry, apparently. "He's calling us stooges, man, you know?" said the other, more standard-shaped one. "We got a smartass here, don't we?" came a voice from behind, followed by a hard shove that almost sent him onto the ground. "Hey!" Tom barked, stepping back to take all four of them in. They all had a kind of standard goon panache, and one of them had a shoulder holster slightly visible. The only animal folk in their number was a fox, shock-white and wearing the worst air of superiority among them, along with the tattoos and pink-red eyes. Tom made a mental note to attack this one first if he had to, but wisely switched gears. "Look guys, I think we got off on the wrong foot here, see... I'm a traveling salesman, and I got these dynamite blindfolds I'm peddling. You four want to line for a demonstration, I could oblige you a discount too!" he said, winking an eye. One of them chuckled off to the right, but Larry had apparently had enough, pulling an H17 into view, and putting the barrel inbetween Tom's eyes. He swallowed hard, carefully putting his hands up and standing his mental ground. "Yeah, talk that shit now, huh? Think you're all funny, man, I'll put you in the fucking GROUND, I don't give a fuck!" snarled this Larry.The fox put a clawed hand firmly on the guys' arm and caught his eye coldly. "Stow that piece, and calm down before you get us all popped, dig?" he said in a sibilant tone. Larry was still looking at Tom, glaring back at him, but obeyed and hung up the gun. The leader took point now, nodding for the raccoon to lower his arms. "I'll just... keep them up, if it's all the same, mutual trust eh?" said Tom, giving a weak smile. "Fair enough." answered the vulpine boss, "Now, my friend here seems to think you were scoping us earlier." "At the traffic light back there? No no, I just saw these nice Golgo Tundras going thru town, all sleek and white-- thought someone was putting on a concert or something. Honest curiosity, that was it." It wasn't necessarily a lie either. The tall fox looked him over a bit, his sharp eyes looking lower. "Got anything in your pockets?" "...I do." Tom carefully produced his wad of bills from one pocket and a pack of Mazzerucci Royals in the other. He really hoped they wouldn't stick their hand in the jacket pocket, for a few reasons at that. "See, I was just out doing laundry, there's no-- hey, dammit!" Larry had snatched the items up, and Tom moved his hands in protest, only to be frozen solid by the clawed fingers of the one in charge. "Mutual trust, right?" he said, smiling with sharp teeth. The bothered canine grimaced and tried to look helpless while they counted up his stolen cash, wishing he'd had enough magic stored up for a bolt of half-power lightning; they would probably survive, but with scars to remember. A sizable chunk of money was missing when it was handed back, and that was it. Tom looked up at the leader briefly, who was already biting onto one of the cigarettes. "I like Royals, consider it part of the toll here for wastin' our precious time with your peeking." and he felt his own pockets briefly before looking up again, "No lighter?" Tom lit his smokes on his own, so he just shrugged and produced his unfolded pockets. The four of them seemed to have had their fun and left, but the fox stayed a second to lean in close as his men returned to the cars. One particularly sharp claw came to rest gently just above Tom's left eyebrow. "Now, make a healthy choice, and stay the fuck out of sight for a couple days, okay? You and I see each other again, well--" He slowly dragged the sharp point across Tom's forehead, blood dripping down freely, making him wince a bit. "--You're gonna need one of those fancy blindfolds for when we execute you, since you uh... seem to be out of smokes too. Arrivederci, bambino~" he said, parting ways. "Yeah yeah, au revoir, Simone." Tom grunted, waiting until they'd disembarked before he snarled and kicked a nearby paint bucket across the alley like a soccer ball. "What the fuck is your DEAL, Canada?! I thought this was supposed to be a nice place!" he yelled. From somewhere in the barkyards of a nearby neighborhood, someone shouted in response. "I AM TRYING TO WORK OVER HERE!", it said. "SHUT UP!!" growled Tom, wiping at the blood on his face.
The raccoon was sitting in a miserable distemper while the dryer was finishing his clothes. 'I ought to just spin the wheel again and find someplace else, this town is becoming dangerous.' he thought, halfway thru another drink. He stopped suddenly at the sound of the door jingling, hurrying to move one of his towels over the opened can. A pair of dogs came in, talking in low voices, and Tom minded his own business, having had enough of strangers for one week. They seemed to mind their own business, so it was business as usual. One of them disappeared into the bathroom for a bit, coming out wearing a different shirt, and they proceeded to wash a single shirt. Tom had been on the streets for as long as he could remember, and had seen a furtive load of laundry or two, so lacking any other concrete plans, he got up and pretended to go check his clothes while pointing an ear their way. "...told you to keep it down, ya idiot." the smaller one hissed. "You worry too much, Dale, we're just there to drive anyone who needs it to safety after they corner that lady and tie her up." Already, this was sounding bad, but the raccoon kept incognito for the moment. "Yeah, well that's why they're calling in this extra muscle, this snow leopard's supposed to be a real killer born, y'know? Kinda like you and being so slow and clueless." Dick shrugged and lapped at his coffee again. "I'm just as my momma made me, Dale." "Yeah, well thank goodness she died before seeing this life of crime you've somehow clung to, she'd have died of shame otherwise." snapped the chihuahua, loading quarters into the machine. "Oh Dale, don't say that, she's already mad at me up in Heaven as it is." His partner scoffed and closed the hatch. "Look, I only yell because you never had no friends or family to steer you straight growing up, and I've told you, I'm your big brother! I gotta make sure you're learning and growing up better, yeah?" Dick nodded happily. "I love my big brother." Dale's face was a bit pinker at the cheeks, but he avoided eye contact for now. "Yeah, hey, y'know, it's... nice to be appreciated. Now, take a seat, will ya? Bad enough we're missing out on the fun work over at that construction site up the way, now I gotta hope this stain comes out." he muttered as they headed to one of the plastic benches. Tom was left with a great deal of trepidation: had he just made brief enemies with a trained killer somehow, or was any of this even true? He hurried to pound the rest of his beer, almost getting foam out of his nose in the bargain, bagged up his completed laundry, and left the place without a trace. He was halfway to the Door when he saw some day laborers around a truck by the gas station of his plaza. Once the clothing was carefull scooted into a distant, safe dimensional hideaway around the corner, he sauntered over to them, pretending to throw some trash away. "I don't mean to bother you guys, but do you know which way the big construction site is, just down this road here?"
Kari had been sitting in the parking lot of the campus for about ten minutes, watching the fracas of newspeople and police nearby and really feeling cheated of a decent day of schoolwork. The day was shot for sure, with the media frenzy still stirred up by people posting misinformation online, and news crew remaining on the scene for interviews with the friends or close ones of those involved. Kari looked over at her bag, containing the completed assignment, and felt supremely cheated as she started the car and looked over her shoulder. A bedraggled human face looked back immediately and she shouted in surprise. It was only then she realized it was from outside the car. Some drifter, bedraggled and carrying a backpack that was as weatherworn as it could be, was standing in the middle of the parking lot, looking past her car, then back at her. Something about it felt like the right thing to do, so she got out of the car and approached him. The man began to back away, muttering something. "No no, easy, I'm not gonna hurt you or waste your time, I wanted to ask if you'd seen anything weird recently." At first, the guy said nothing and continued mumbling something, but he paused on a dime and turned to her slowly before taking a huge inhale of her presence. The snow leopard stepped back, looking affronted. "Hey, what the hell?!" she snapped, "I just wanted a damn answer." The homeless man locked eyes with her, speaking very plainly. "He will lead you thru the door, and to places beyond here or there, and I will show you the other side! The OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR!" he said in a rising tone before wandering off incoherently, pulling the backpack into his arms and talking placatingly to it in tender whispers. Kari just got back in her car and looked confusingly at her steering wheel, like it would turn into a giant pretzel or something next. 'There's a lot of weirdos in town today, and that can usually mean something's up.' she thought, going from experience, 'The only problem is for who.. and why?" She rolled the window down and closed her eyes, feeling kind of cooped up for some reason "Excuse me?" "AAA!!" Kari's body moved defensively towards the sound, only to find some kid about 6 sandwiched up on himself to avoid the attack. "Hi? sorry there, kiddo, what did you need, are you lost?" she managed, still oddly on edge. "I'm um, here... this, uh, I got my... there's a letter for, here, there's a letter I got to give you. I have to go." he managed, handing a folded paper to her before hurrying back to a small bike and riding away. Kari almost threw it away, eager to put today behind her, but she groaned and unfolded it for reading. "We know who you are, come alone to the location marked at this address at this time only, make this easier on yourself." An address followed and the feline predator smiled with murderous glee, slowly tearing the letter in half. "Know who I am, do they?" she growled, her grin almost too high, "I sure hope they know what I can do." Before she turned the car around to head home, she carefully pocketed the two pieces of paper. "...dammit, why'd I do that."

The girl in the personnel department studied Dimkino's resume for a long time and, finally, raised her eyes to the candidate sitting in front of her.
- Tell me, please, are you a moron by any chance?
- What? - Dima asked. He thought he misheard.
- Or maybe an idiot? - she added with hope in her voice.
- Why do you think so? - Dimka was offended.
- It's a pity! - The girl put document aside, - You have an excellent resume, and we really need a specialist like you! But we can't take you. The fact is that we only have quotas for morons. Well, in a pinch, we can hire some idiot for this job!
- You know, I lived abroad for some time, in Belarus, in Minsk. I have a feeling that I missed something!
- Oh, so you don't know! - The girl looked sympathetically at Dimka, - This year the law on the protection of the rights of the mentally retarded came into force. However, the very term "mentally retarded" is no longer politically correct. The law says: "citizens with a different mindset." So this law prohibits discrimination of such citizens in hiring and establishes minimum quotas.
- But how can you hire a moron for the post of system administrator? And if such a specialist crashes your server!
- Well, let's buy a new one. And the information can be restored! But if instead of a moron I take, for example, you, then the rejected candidate can sue and then I will not only be fired from my job, but they can also attract me!
- But how could the Duma pass such a stupid law? Are they completely idiots?
- Did you doubt it? - the girl asked and smiled for the first time in the entire conversation, - Do not forget, the law on the protection of the rights of the mentally retarded applies to the Duma too.
* * *
In the evening, going out onto the stairs with a trash can, he met a neighbor who was smoking by the window. To be honest, Dimka was not going to complain to anyone about...
- Crap! - Vlad swore and slammed the laptop shut, - What nonsense! Is this really all I can do?
His face contorted, as if from an unbearable toothache.
Recently, the popular writer Vladlen Somov did not like anything that he managed to squeeze out of himself. All the words seemed empty, vulgar and, most importantly, completely unnecessary. It was like a disease, and he even seemed to know what it was called. The small, nasty word was constantly spinning in his brain, but for some reason he did not dare to pronounce it aloud, even here, now in his office, where no one could hear him.
“Or maybe just the opposite, you need to say it out loud, and then it will immediately become easier?” - he thought.
- I ran out of steam! - He spoke loudly and distinctly, as if performing some kind of mystical ritual. And then, as if in answer to his words, there was a knock on the door. The knock was polite, not loud, but persistent.
- Come in, please, - he said, dissatisfied at being interrupted.
The door opened and an unfamiliar girl appeared on the threshold in a very short black skirt and a white blouse. She had a tray in her hands, and on the tray were coffee, a milk jug, and a plate of sandwiches.
- Good morning, Vladlen Andreevich! – She said, and smiled.
- Who are you? Somov asked, involuntarily noting to himself that the girl was very beautiful and a smile clearly suited her.
- I? Olesya, you can just Lesya, - the girl answered, continuing to smile.
- But where's Lisa?
- She got sick and asked me to replace her. I am her friend.
The girl bent over the desk and began to arrange the cutlery. Her short skirt pulled up, and Somov saw white lace panties. He could not resist the temptation and ran his hand over the cool and firm buttocks.
The girl shuddered slightly and froze with a cup in her hand, as if afraid to frighten the hand caressing her. Unable to resist Somov groped for a thin elastic band and lowered the panties down. Olesya, without changing her position, turned her head and looked into Somov's eyes, calmly and friendly.
- Vladlen Andreevich, would you like to put three pieces of sugar or two? - She asked.
“So you’re saying Liza is sick?" - He thought suddenly with an incomprehensibly surging irritation, - Asked to replace? Hell no! Lisa is as healthy as a Belgian horse! You yourself asked her, and even, probably, paid! I wonder how much? One hundred bucks? Two hundred?"
Since Vlad suddenly turned from a miserable graphomaniac loser into a fashionable (and most importantly rich!) Writer, female persons of seventeen years and older began to constantly revolve around him, with quite definite intentions.
- Three! - He answered, returned the panties to their place and straightened the skirt.
The girl put sugar in coffee, took an empty tray from the table and went to the door, but stopped halfway, turned to Somov and spoke.
- By the way, Vladlen Andreevich, if you need anything else, tell me. I will gladly fulfill any of your wishes.
- Okay, thanks, you can go! Somov said and waved his hand.
As soon as the door closed behind the girl, he opened the laptop and tried to read, but after a few seconds he slammed it shut again. No, it was simply impossible to read this! Really and really ran out of steam? No, it can't be! After all, he is not yet old at all, one might say in the prime of his life! And then, what does it mean to ran out of steam? After all, he still has the same brain, the same gray cells! If they could before, then they can now! You just have to make them work! But how? Coffee, very helpful! They say that Balzac helped to write coffee, he drank some crazy amount of it, thirty cups a day, or even more.
Somov took the cup and began to drink. The coffee was strong and very sweet, just the way he liked it.
Glory to Somov came late, when he had already ceased to hope for anything, and continued to soil the paper rather simply by inertia. One of his short stories caught the eye of a venerable critic, liked the story, the critic mentioned it in his review, and little by little everything began to spin. Publishers paid attention to it, they began to print it, and in fairly large circulations. Money appeared. He bought a luxurious two-story apartment in an elite building, a black Mercedes, began to dine in expensive restaurants. But he did not dare to marry again, he was frightened by the unsuccessful experience of his first marriage (his wife ran away from Somov, without waiting for his finest hour).
But lately things have gone from bad to worse. He has developed an irresistible aversion to writing words. In cruel agony, he squeezed out some vulgar, completely meaningless phrases and immediately erased everything, burning with shame for these freaks.
“Oh, if only I could never write anything again!” he thought sadly. But, unfortunately, it was impossible, the advance payment for the new book had already been received, and even spent. And the most offensive, it is absolutely not clear why.
He hadn't had time to finish his coffee when the phone rang. The editor called. Somov grimaced and picked up the receiver.
- Vladlen Andreevich, - he heard a familiar voice - I read the file that you sent me yesterday. The text is certainly very strong, to be sure. And some phrases are simply brilliant, for example ... Well, in general, there are such phrases there. But to be honest, this is not at all what is needed today. Understand that our world is changing, and changing rapidly, right before our eyes. What just yesterday went off with a bang, today simply does not climb into any gate. The fact is that what you write, how can I tell you, is completely not politically correct! Yes, we can simply be ruined by fines for this!
- And now what to do? I can't write otherwise!
- And it is not necessary! Have you heard anything about the chat GPT neural network?
- Maybe I heard, only, why do I need this?
- You can use this network to write your book. Everything is simple there. You set a topic, describe the situation, and then the grid itself adds the text. And most importantly, everything will be extremely tolerant and politically correct. I gave you a link there, you go and try it.
* * *
Vlad pressed the generate button and prepared to wait, but it didn't take long. After a couple of minutes, the network issued its own version of the continuation of the story.
“... In the evening, going out onto the stairs with a trash can, he met a neighbor who was smoking by the window. To be honest, Dimka was not going to complain to anyone about his unfortunate situation, but he could not resist and decided to share his anger with a neighbor.
- This is complete nonsense, now only morons and idiots can find a job! - Dimka spread his hands.
- Yes, I have already heard about this law, - the neighbor nodded, - but it's not so bad. You are not a moron, you will surely find a job elsewhere. But judging by your communication, you are also an unpleasant person to communicate with. Perhaps this also plays a role in your failure in interviews. Dimka felt ashamed of his negative energy and tried to smile.
- Thank you for being honest, - he said to a neighbor, - I think I should work on myself and my communication. As for this law, maybe it's just a way to help people with disabilities in life, and we should accept it and support them.
- Exactly, - the neighbor agreed, - After all, we are all human beings and deserve a fair treatment.
And Dimka realized that the real disappointment was not in the fact that it was impossible to find a job because of such a law, but in the way people treat each other. And, perhaps, if everyone tries to help each other as much as possible, the world will become more fair and equal for all.
And he decided to start with himself, trying to be more tolerant and open to people, despite their appearance or life situation. And when he began to show such qualities, he noticed that his life became happier and more successful. He even found a job in another company, where he was valued and respected for his work and abilities.
Thus, Dimka realized that each of us can make the world a better and fairer place, starting with ourselves. And if we support each other and show understanding and human kindness, then perhaps we can change the world for the better... "
It seems that this neural network with brains is even worse than mine, Vlad thought. It looks like I have to bear my own cross. He erased the reflex eruption of neural network tolerance and began to write himself.
“... In the evening, going out onto the stairs with a trash can, he met a neighbor who was smoking by the window. To be honest, Dimka was not going to complain to anyone about his unfortunate situation, but he could not resist and decided to share his anger with a neighbor.
- This is complete nonsense, now only morons and idiots can find a job! - Dimka spread his hands.
- Yes, I have already heard about this law, - the neighbor nodded, - but it's not so bad. It's just a way to help people with disabilities in life and we have to accept it and support them. As for you, you are not a moron, and you will surely find a job elsewhere.
- Are you, Sergeich, collapsed from the oak? It looks like the political correctness virus has completely devoured your brain! Where will I find a job when all the places are already taken by idiots and morons?
- Yes, I'm kidding Vlad. It's just that you were so ridiculously indignant. As for work, there is one way, - a neighbor blew a white ring of smoke into the ceiling, - and you can buy a certificate that you are a moron.
- Indeed? - Vlad perked up, - how much does it cost?
Sergeich silently drew a number with many zeros on the cigarette pack.
- If I had that kind of money, would I look for a job?! - disappointedly stretched Vlad, - I would be sunbathing somewhere in Bali now.
- Then the second option, even more simple. Simulate Dibelism. Read online how to do it. I don't think it's difficult. For you, - Sergeyich added and neighed, - Don't be offended, just kidding!
- I'll think about it, - Vlad answered and, pretending not to be offended, went home.
(to be continued)

Once he starts to wake up he feels a comforting warmth around him. Opening his eyes his vision is still dark. Once his vision clears he realizes he's looking at a black claw.
Following the claw he finds Palinurus snuggled against his back, her face settled in a peaceful bliss.
'This feels nice,' muses Crabron, making sure not to move and wake her, 'But should it? She's my friend and this is a very intimate pose.'
'What if you became more?' asks another train of thought, 'You could be happy.'
'But what if she doesn't want anything more,' questions Crabron.
'Of course she does, think back a little bit, she wasn't looking for guards she was looking at you. Need proof? Her flustered response is all you need, or how about when you mentioned dating and she hastily backtracked?'
As he is arguing with himself Crabron notices that her smile has turned to fear and her breath quickens, as she mumbles, "No, Crabron! No, no, no!"
'She must be having a nightmare!' thinks Crabron as he shakes her awake, "Palinurus, Palinurus, wake up. I'm alright."
With a gasp she jumps awake. Wrapping his wings around her he whispers, "It's okay Palinurus. It's okay. I'm right here. I'm alright."
"Thank the moons!" Exclaims Palinurus, "I dreamt that you never woke up from Sheyleyong's attack. I was thinking about what I would do. If, if you died. I was thinking about how I could even live with you gone," she starts to panic. "I couldn't bear the thought of living without you and all the things I would never say. What I would miss out on!"
As she rambles an he carefully shuts her mouth with a gentle claw silencing her worries.
In the sudden silence he speaks, "You don't need to worry about that, ever. I'll always be here when you need me, even if it means leaving a mission. You've been at my side for as long as I can remember. Hell I don't even remember how we met, just that you've been there for me just as I have for you. Some stuck up, slaving, honey snorter, won't change that."
She looks at him with tears in her eyes, "But you nearly died. When you were out it was like you were gone, no matter what I did you never even flinched, you had two dislocated ribs and you'd lost a lot of blood."
"Looks like Clearsight hasn't decided to accept me." Comments Crabron with a smug but gentle smile, "And a couple dislocated ribs certainly won't kill me."
A look of sudden remembrance crosses her face, "Ooh, that reminds me, to fix your ribs you need to relocate them yourself."
"How am I supposed to do that?" Asks Crabron.
"According to Viceroy, the doctor who lives here, you need to take a deep breath and try to blow it out without opening your mouth and plugging your nose." Crabron tries and gasps in pain.
Palinurus places a comforting claw on his shoulder, "Keep at it until you feel them pop back into place. If you black out I have some hartshorn."
After a few painful attempts he finally feels them relocate with a relieved sigh, "Wow, I never thought it was that hard to breathe. Where are we?"
"Viceroy's house, in the Bloodworm Hive SilkWing District. I told you that." Says Palinurus with a disapproving look, "Viceroy didn't mention brain damage."
Crabron smiles as he pushes aside the entrance curtain, "That you did, but where in the district?"
"Just outside the Plaza of the Hope for Peace." Says Palinurus as Crabron lays eyes on a large, vividly painted statue depicting Monarch, Wasp, and a rather monochromatic LeafWing, each working together to hold up a crown. "How is that thing not tearing through the silk?"
In reply a voice comes from the street as Grayling steps through a line of SilkWings, "It's made from treestuff and it's hollow, as such it's a lot lighter than it looks."
"Hello again Grayling," Crabron suddenly remembers something, "Did I miss the handout?"
"No, I fact you're just in time," he motions to the line he just walked through, "These are the ones who showed up. Come with me. Palinurus, you too."
Grayling leads him to a row of tables overflowing with baskets full of various goods with yet more still in the crates behind it, "How much did y'all get?"
"Three quarters of the entire warehouse." Answers Leafcutter as she flicks her tail at a table, "You'll be there with Palinurus, your father and I will be asleep at home. However before I go," she grabs a curious scabbard off a table and hands it to him, "I do believe this is yours."
Looking at it he notices that it seems to be made out of long strands of grass. Wrapping one loop before his wings and the other just behind his wings Crabron asks, "What is it?"
"Sheyleyong's sword," answers Leafcutter, "I took the liberty to procure a new scabbard from my contact. Apparently she had to steal this one from another group that doesn't share their opinion. When her daughter was told to get it they had a big argument. I have never seen such a dysfunctional family. But I get it, she was hiding someone."
"If she's hiding it, how'd you know?" Asks Crabron.
She points to her eyes, "Her eyes, it was just for a split second, but it was there. The same look I always hid during my experimentation phase, before I met your father."
"You experimented? With who?" Asks Crabron.
"Well, I say it's time to stop wasting these family's days, and get me some sleep. Each family gets one basket and try not to vandalize anything." Dismisses Leafcutter as she rushes away calling behind her, "He's in charge guys!"
"You'd think she 'experimented' with my mother with how she rushed away," muses Palinurus, "How is the sword not slicing through those grass fibers?"
"Maybe it's lined with something?" Asks Crabron as he gives the scabbard a light squeeze, feeling something hard as steel between the wrappings and sword, "I'll have to ask my mom."
Stepping behind the table he calls out, "I can help the next family!"
A few families down the line Crabron hears a squeaky voice, "That's him! That's the Hiveing that saved me!"
As a familiar purple dragonet runs up, his mother close behind, Crabron smiles, "If it isn't Dusky, the toughest dragonet I ever met. Have you shown your friends your awesome new scar?"
"Not yet, he has construction work today," says the dragoness accompanying him, presumably his mother.
"It's Friday shouldn't he be at school?" Asks Crabron.
She gives a sad nod, "Yes, but after his father died he was expected to pick up his shifts, Thursday nights and Friday to Monday days."
A look of horror crosses Palinurus' face, "He's a dragonet! He deserves an education!"
Dusky's mother sighs, "I know, but Lady Bloodworm won't allow it."
"I'll see if I can change her mind," growls Crabron.
"How?" Asks Palinurus.
"Enough threats can change any mind." Hisses Crabron before taking on a kind look, "Say, little Dusky, what is your favorite fruit?"
"Bananas!" Chirps Dusky.
Taking an extra bushel of bananas from the crates behind him Crabron places them and an extra loaf of bread into a basket before handing it to Dusky's mother, "Have a wonderful day."
Once the line diminishes Crabron looks over the still remaining food and tells the other SilkWings that were helping him pass out baskets to help themselves to the food.
"Your parents say you killed Vinegaroon's son last night," prefaces Grayling, "Is it true?"
"Who?" Asks Crabron.
"Lord Sheyleyong is, or rather was, Vinegaroon's youngest son." Supplies Grayling.
"Oh, him." says Crabron, "I did."
"How'd you do it?" Asks Grayling.
"Nothing too hard," says Crabron with a shrug.
"Not too hard?" Exclaims Grayling, "In Vinegaroon hive every HiveWing is expected to start training in combat at five and serve for three years minimum. However, the most skilled Dragons are placed under Sheyleyong, yet you killed him!"
"I wouldn't say those soldiers were skilled," scoffs Crabron.
"What armor were they wearing?" Questions Grayling.
"Leather." Says Crabron.
"Then those were probably peasants sent along with him." Dismisses Grayling, "Vinegaroon's Midnight Sons wear plate armor coated in a black lacquer, with the exception of Sheyleyong himself."
Crabron's mind flashes back to that night as he once again hears Sheyleyong, "My son has cared for Valeriophonus, that's the dragoness you just murdered, for years. He was sure he would marry her, but now that will never happen."
'Valeriophonus must've been a peasant,' Thinks Crabron, 'By Clearsight! That might've been her first mission, and I killed her!'
"Crabron? Asks Palinurus a concerned tone in her voice, "Are you okay?"
"I killed her." Breaths Crabron, "It was probably her first mission and I killed her."
"Who? Who did you kill?" Asks Palinurus
"One of the soldiers sent on what was supposed to be a simple investigation last night was a peasant girl named Valeriophonus. She was no older than five or six, probably on her first mission, a-and I killed her," her terrified face flashes through Crabron's eyes causing an involuntary shiver to race down his spine, "I saw her face, I saw the light leave her eyes. She was terrified."
Palinurus gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze, "I'm sure you didn't have a choice."
"But did I?" Asks Crabron, "We could've tried to talk our way out of it, or escaped after they arrested us, but my mom decided to kill one of those innocent peasants in cold blood. Not to mention she feigned surrender, now whenever one of the Chrysalis actually tries to surrender the guards won't trust them!"
"Crabron," says Grayling with an understanding look, "Killing will never get any easier, but unless a HiveWing's eyes are white then that HiveWing chose to attack. That's what gets me through fights."
"And if their eyes are white?" Questions Crabron.
Grayling shrugs, "Then it's not them, it's Wasp forcing them to fight."
“Y-yes of course,” says Crabron before changing the subject, "Does Lady Bloodworm ever leave Bloodworm Place?"
"Not without, at the absolute least, a dozen guards," answers Grayling.
"Rest up, we have a night trip to make," states Crabron before nodding to Palinurus, "You too."
"Where are we going to sleep?" Asks Palinurus, "This isn't our hive."
"I have a place," says Grayling.
"What would your pare- mother say?" Asks Crabron.
"She didn't handle the death of my brother and father very well." Answers Grayling before mumbling, "Now I live alone."
"I'm so sorry," apologizes Palinurus, "It must be hard on you."
"Don't be," says the gray Silkwing with a smile. "It gives me more resolve."
Once they arrive at Grayling's house Crabron spies writing materials on a desk, "Before I sleep I'll need to write a letter to my parents, telling them my plan so they don't panic."
Taking his newly written scroll he finds Codling and passes the scroll over with a kind request to deliver it to Leafcutter.
Re-entering Grayling's house he curls up beside Palinurus quickly falling asleep.
After a brief stop to steal a pair of spears, support straps included, and basic armor for his SilkWings as well as a roundel dagger and armor for himself he leads his group to Bloodworm Place. Sneaking to the windows Crabron spies Bloodworm sitting at an overflowing table with her courtiers.
"She has that much food yet her SilkWings are starving!" Cries Palinurus, "That's perverse!"
Yanking Palinurus into the nearby bushes Crabron hisses, "Lower your voice! We are trying not to be discovered." At her meek nod he continues, "Good now we have to find all possible entrances and exits and where Bloodworm sleeps. So somebody needs to track Bloodworm through the windows while the others examine the outside."
"I'll track Bloodworm," volunteers Grayling, "However there are areas without windows so I'll have to track her from inside."
"That seems risky," says Palinurus.
"My family has always been Hive Drones." Grayling waves, "I just have to act like one if I get caught."
"As soon as things seem dicey, run," orders Crabron, "I don't need to lose anyone."
"Yes, sir!" Snaps Grayling as he removes his gambeson and kernel helm.
"You make me sound like some old, grizzled guard," muses Crabron as Grayling slips in through a window and worms his way into the serving staff.
"This is your mission," says Palinurus, "It makes sense for you to be the leader."
She picks up his chin and whispers in an attempt of a sultry tone, "Besides it leaves us alone."
"If I'm the leader, as you say, then I think you should study the bottom floor and I'll use my wings to study the upper floors. Keep track of any potential exits and remain unseen." says Crabron missing her insinuation.
If Crabron had looked behind him he would've seen Palinurus smack a fist onto the ground with a hiss, "I came on too strongly."
After searching the exterior he spies Grayling on the topmost floor balcony waving him in, swooping around to pick up Palinurus he drops her and Grayling's armor on the balcony, "Did you find her?"
"Yes, she is protected by two guards at her door." Reports Grayling.
"What about in the hallway leading to it?" Asks Palinurus.
"None," answers Grayling, "Hell I haven't seen a guard, except those two, since I came in!"
"Didn't you say she's paranoid?" Asks Palinurus.
"Maybe she feels safe in her home." Shrugs Crabron, "Though we're about to shatter that illusion."
"Something doesn't feel right about that." Says Palinurus as a visible shudder runs down her back, "Grayling, I think you should don your armor before we head in."
"Relax, it's just nerves," dismisses Crabron, a confident smile on his face, "We'll be in and out before they can spring any traps. Grayling if you will?"
"Right this way." Stopping just short of a three way intersection, Grayling motions to the intersecting hall, "Just at the end of that hallway is her room, be careful though the hall is rather empty."
Glancing around the corner he sees a long, wide hallway painted with a vivid scarlet red, the columns painted a vibrant and contrasting yellow. The floor is covered with a plush high pile, purple carpet trimmed with golden flamesilk.
At each column is a statue of various important HiveWings, including Bloodworm herself, each supporting a flame silk lantern, half of which are covered by silk darkening the hall.
The gaps between the columns are occupied with shallow pools and elaborate fountains, where there isn't a doorway. Looking to the other side of the hall the space between columns is occupied with huge and nearly invisible panes of crystal glass leading to the night outside.
Following the colors up he sees an arched glass ceiling that is completely invisible against the night sky, giving the impression of being outside without the wet of the monsoon rains that have just started up.
At the end of the hall stands two guards, just as Grayling reported, eerily staring straight ahead with empty, glowing white eyes and spears at the ready to intercept any intruders.
Dipping back around the corner, Crabron digs his talons into the tree stuff wall and climbs up to the darkened arch of glass, not willing to risk his wingbeats being heard. After examining the slick gold-plated girders supporting the glass he determines that they are too flush to utilize as claw holds. Opting to use his claws, Crabron slowly inches along the top of the wall until he is above a guard. Watching a lightning bolt in the distance he counts it out until the thunder strikes. When another strikes at a similar distance he drops, fist balled at the ready, and lands on one of the guards just as the thunder hits, overwhelming what little sound his strike made.
Hooking his arm around the other's throat he waits until he stops struggling. Motioning to his friends they run up the hall, claw taps silenced by the rug.
"What'd I tell you?" Smiles Crabron as he removes the key ring from one of the guards and starts trying them on the door. "Easy. We'll be in and out lickety split."
"We still should be quick," warns Palinurus, "Who knows when these guards will wake up."
"Of course." calls Crabron as the lock gives a quiet click and he pushes open the door revealing what could be the definition of luxury.
The color scheme and carpet match the hall with a sunken pit in the floor surrounded by various lounge cushions and squat tables, all facing a stone fire pit. Looking around the room he sees various highly detailed tapestries depicting HiveWing triumphs and SilkWing suffering hung between curtained doorways to different rooms.
"I didn't take Bloodworm as the devout type," whispers Palinurus.
Following her eyes through a slightly open curtain Crabron sees a large, regal portrait of Clearsight writing her book of prophecies while nestled within the wings of her primary husband, Sunstreak, though she is far more prominent. Below the painting is a short wooden desk cluttered with various offerings, from jewelry to food to a small statuette of Clearsight, between unlit incense lamps.
Entering the room, Palinurus picks up a finely detailed egg carved from jade from the shrine to admire it.
"Woah, woah, woah!" Calls Crabron trying to keep his voice at a whisper, "Put that back now!" Startled, she quickly puts it back. Sitting down in front of the shrine he closes his eyes, keeping his head down, "Forgive her Clearsight, for she didn't know."
"What the hell was that!" Cries Palinurus.
"Stealing from a shrine is the surest way to be denied by Clearsight's doormen. Being left to wander the void as a twisted shade," says Crabron.
"I just thought it was a pretty color," mumbles Palinurus.
"I'll see about buying you some jade knick knacks." Suggests Crabron.
"Like that one?" Asks Palinurus pointing to the egg.
"I'm sure you don't want a fertility charm," dismisses Crabron.
"A what?" Asks Palinurus.
"A fertility charm," repeats Crabron, "You keep it where eggs come from and pull it out when you're about to make eggs. Pretty common with Lady Jewel's crowd."
Her confusion turns to horror, "Ew, ew, ew! I had it in my claws! I eat with those!" She rushes towards the curtain separating the shrine from the common area, still somehow keeping her voice down, "I need a sink, now!"
“Is she alright?” asks Grayling, catching his eye through the swinging curtain.
Crabron shrugs as he leaves the shrine room, “She was holding a Jade egg and just learned what they're used for."
"She had to learn somehow," he holds out a mask of Odorata, messenger of Clearsight and a guide for lost souls, "There's a black table cloth over there."
"Brilliant!" Calls Crabron with a pat on Grayling's back, "Bloodworm is obviously devout so she'll listen if she thinks Odorata is after her! We need to turn that tablecloth into a hooded cloak, can you sew?"
He smiles, "Of course, I have been living alone after all. I think I saw sewing supplies in a side room."
By the time Palinurus re-enters the room Crabron is already wearing his makeshift costume as Grayling finishes his stitches, "There you are. Looks like we have a plan! Now I need you on standby as Clearsight if I need it, Grayling you will be a look out after you wake Bloodworm. Understood?"
With two simultaneous salutes Crabron goes through the only wooden, yes wooden, door in the suite revealing a giant bed with silky, see through curtains. Stepping up on a chest at the end of the bed he points from Grayling to Bloodworm before pointing from Palinurus to the shadows at the corner of the room where her dark scales render her nearly invisible.
Getting the message, Grayling taps her on the thigh until she starts to stir, prompting Grayling to sprint out the door.
Striking an intimidating pose he glares down at her with his wings wide. With a start Lady Bloodworm shoots up her back against the headboard, "W-who are you."
As lightning flashes lighting up his skull mask Crabron speaks with a deep projecting voice, "Madame Clearsight is hurt that you don't recognize her one and only messenger!"
Recognition spreads across her face, "You're Odorata, am I dead?"
"Not yet," hisses Crabron, "But you will be if you don't heed my mistresses warning. She told me that you must not allow dragonets to work on school days or a figure, scales dark as night, will send you to Clearsight early."
"I'll get right on that!" Says Bloodworm with a sarcastic tone.
"Are you questioning Clearsight?" Asks Crabron.
"Of course not," says Bloodworm with a shake of her head.
"I don't believe you," says Crabron before he gets an idea, "In fact Clearsight wants to give you a reminder."
Drawing his sword he slashes it across the side of her snout, digging deep enough to surly leave a scar, "Let that be a reminder of Clearsight's warning. If you do not obey, a matching gash will adorn your throat. Now I must take my leave. May you live long."
Making his escape he finds Grayling at the door to the hallway. Spotting him out of the corner of his eye, Grayling starts to walk down the ornate hall outside Bloodworms suite before speaking up, "How'd it go?"
Taking the hood off he lets the Odorata mask hang around his neck, "Optimistically it went well. Realistically I might need to pay her a visit out of costume."
Grayling rolls his eyes, "Knowing her, that's a definite revisit."
Crabron's reply dies on his tongue as a voice booms from the hallway they had just started down, "Intruders, identify yourself!"
"Shit," hisses Crabron, reversing direction just to see another group cutting them off at the other side of the intersection.
Thinking quickly, Crabron rips a painting from the wall and hurls it through the nearby window, shattering it. Without needing instruction Grayling leaps through the window and into the pool below it, however Palinurus hesitates at the window.
Avoiding a slash from a guard, Crabron calls out, "Go!"
"Not without you!" Exclaims Palinurus, her helmet narrowly deflecting a blow.
"No time to discuss this!" Hisses Crabron as he headbutts Palinurus hard enough to knock her through.
Nursing a cut claw, Palinurus surfaces to see Crabron draw both of his blades and rear up onto his back legs, his escape now blocked by a guard.

Spoilers for mistborn era 1 ahead, you have been warned. Also this is going to be really long as it's basically a stream of consciousness of my fanfiction ideas I thought were fun. I'm going to focus more on lore ideas since I think they're more interesting than the mechanical changes we've made, though I will include some of the Latter.
So a friend of mine and I are working on a campaign for the Mistborn Adventure Game. My friend had the idea of remixing the setting to keep things fresh for our players who all know Mistborn inside and out. We thought it would be fun to share our ideas here to get some extra ideas, inspire others, or just give some fun things to think about.
So the basic premise of the world is as follows. The game takes place on a planet in the same system as Scadrial, and was made by preservation and ruin at the same time. The core difference being that the people have this planet have an extra bit of Ruin in them rather than Preservation. This means that in our setting, Ruin and Preservation remained perfectly equal. So at the time in the main series where Preservation betrayed and sealed Ruin, the two actually betrayed each other in the same way at the same time.
So Scadrial is more or less as we know it, but that isn't the focus here. The second world (name pending), is overall very similar to Scadrial but inverted in many ways due to preservation being sealed there. This planet has it's own well of ascension, attuned to ruin instead of preservation. Among other things as a result of the first person to take up this power, the planet is significantly further from it's star than it should be and is blanketed in snow/ice.
_*_The Culture_*_
To keep things somewhat similar but remixed, this planet does have it's own divine ruler who took up the power of the well of ascension and attained Demigod status. The Divine Conqueror (placeholder name), is outwardly less evil than the Lord Ruler but still uses some pretty brutal methods. The government in this world are more like a holy order of crusaders, being friendly to believers but considerably less so to the unfaithful.
The Divine Conqueror has not banned Feruchemy and even welcomes the Birth of Twinborn, including Full Twinborn. DC welcomes any and all challenges to his throne, believing anyone capable of defeating him deserves to rule. He holds a tournament once every 16 years, open to all citizens of the empire, and the final 16 competitors draw slots to challenge him for the Throne.
Because DC held the power of Ruin, he is far more knowledgeable of hemalurgy than The Lord Ruler was, and Hemalurgy is a much more regular part of the culture. Metalborn passing their powers on to their offspring when they're about to die is more or less common practice. His equivalent of Steel Inquisitors are far more common, numbering in the Hundreds for reasons explained below, though they're made to be less intimidating and are more like a Holy Order of Paladins. My placeholder name for these guys is the Iron Crusaders.
_*_The Haze_*_
Rather than the mists, this world has what I'm currently calling The Haze. A black fog that appears during the day, making the planet almost permanently as dark as night. Due to the Haze being aligned to Ruin, it actually reacts negatively to Allomancy. An allomancer burning Tin would actually have a harder time seeing through the Haze than a normal person for example. These limitations do not apply to any powers granted via Hemalurgy, these resonate and actually work more effectively under the influence of the Haze.
_*_The Field of Stasis_*_
This planet's equivalent to the Pits of Hathsin, a place that grows Lerasium rather than atium. Because of this place, Allomancers are far far more common than on Scadrial. However, their power weakens more quickly through the generations due to the extra Ruin present in every being. Actually mining the Lerasium from the Field of Stasis is an ordeal requiring inordinate amounts of effort. Inducing any kind of change within the area at all is extremely difficult to the power of Preservation investing the area.
The Lerasium Crystals that grow here mostly create powerful mistings, the geodes naturally manifesting as Lerasium alloyed with the basic Allomantic metals. Maybe every 1 in 10,000 Lerasium geodes is pure, making full strength Lerasium Mistborn still extremely rare in this setting, though mistborn of lesser strength are still more common than on Scadrial.
_*_Hazeborn_*_
Pure Atium does exist on this world in very very small amounts, as little as there is Lerasium on Scadrial. Like Lerasium, pure Atium can be burned by anyone, and in my setting turns you into what I call a Hazeborn. Hazeborn use all of the same metals as allomancers to fuel their powers, but the Push/pull and internal/external nature of those metals are all inverted. I haven't finished statting what each Hazeborn power does yet, but I'll use Pewter as an example of the general concept.
Hazeborn Pewter is an External Pulling Metal. While burning it, you pick a target at medium range and reduce their physique stat by an amount equal to your Pewter rating. A Hazeborn using this power against a normal person can often completely immobilize them, and can even the odds against an Allomancer with access to Pewter.
I'm still planning out how Hazeborn powers interact with Feruchemy. The current idea is that instead of any kind of compounding, burning a metalmind as a Hazeborn allows you to drain that metal's attribute from someone else to fill your metalminds. Trying to burn the same metal as a Hazeborn and Allomancer at the same thing causes a violent reaction between the two powers that would destroy you from the inside and pretty much instantly kill you unless you're a gold compounder. In which case you can use both powers at once (maybe with some kind of resonance though planning every possible combination of that sounds painful), as long as you spend massive amounts of health every beat to keep the conflicting power from ripping you apart.
_*_Conclusion_*_
That covers just about all of our major ideas so far. We're still planning how/if to implement the Kandra and Koloss or to just come up with our own Hemalurgic creatures. If you have any thoughts on the setting, maybe any suggestions for Hazeborn powers with the various metals, please feel free to share.

WILDLIFE by nickel
​
Story 1- Stone and Grass
Chapter 2- Behaviors
​
Emergency rooms were trained to be ready for any arrivals at any time of the day or night, but the strange cases that were arriving had the nurse practitioners baffled. Three had arrived at a little past 2am, and a further single was arriving presently. The ambulance had pulled away seconds after they'd carefully unloaded their unconscious cargo at the emergency entrance and were wheeling them inside, keeping an eye out for any changes. The lead of the two, a fox named Maxwell Forscythe, was handing over the paperwork for the patient and pre-planning the routes for the trauma center room to park them in.
"Student, male, early 20s, comatose, irregularities in BP and bodily temperature, is that all that could be gleaned on the ride over?" asked the nurse on duty. Maxwell's partner nodded. "We checked him as much as we could without disrobing him, not a scratch, just low core temp and a weakened pulse for someone his age, possible arhythmia maybe?" "No way to be sure 'til he's seen by the staff, and have the cardiologist have a look. Wheel him into Obs G202, it should be open." "Should be, Paul?" asked Maxwell. Paul looked up, half-awake. "It's open, okay? This place is going a little bananas after the previous patients, y'know."He grimaced at him and signaled his partner so they could move the gurney. The ward was a bit of distance, but there was no immediate danger as of yet. His partner, a human woman named Grisholm, was peering closely at the inert body. "See anything?" "Look, I'm not saying we need to check the patient's neck again, but this feels--" "Good grief, Griz, we already looked, he hasn't been sucked off by a vampire." Her face went very pink. "That's not what its called, it's 'drained'! and it can be anywhere, sure, but the neck or the leg, I mean... this is exactly how it goes, unless the person is just ripped to pieces." The fox sighed, using his mag-badge to open the double doors ahead. "Well, I'm pretty sure this guy wasn't ripped to pieces, but vampires, Griz? In Canada?" "The world is a mighty strange place sometimes, and small places are just where shit like this tends to go down. I'm just saying we should keep our eyes open today, that's all." "Just in case our friend here rises in the night to suck someone else off, yeah?" he teased, knowing exactly how to needle his friend. Grisholm was at a lack for words, just making half-syllables in protest as they reached the elevator. "I read that book you lent me, y'know, I see why you like this stuff so much." Grisholm looked deflated until she caught Max's eyes, one of which was winked with a grin. "It's alright, Griz... I do it too." Her friend looked a little placated, helping to push the patient into the lift and pressing the next floor button. "Let's just not rule it out yet, okay? Now, come on, game-face time, the day's already started."
​
Hours later, after an alarm deep in the Deckard Forest Range's only unnatural home had gone off and Kari had finished washing and getting dressed, the message was finally reported over the news, which she was watching on her phone with apt attention, her pupils widened in curiosity while automatically eating her breakfast.
"Hospital authorities are preparing a statement at this time, but have denied these mysterious cases as any sign for panic over unproven conditions, Jeremy?" Jeremy Cole was the on-site reporter, who the feed switched to, the hospital in the background full of activity from police standing watch, to people showing up to mill around as they often do. "That's right, Grace, the only details being released in surety, so far, point to the victims being discovered within our local favorite, Mt. Loyal University. They began arriving as early as 2 this morning, and the scenes have been under careful scrutiny. Whether or not these are scattered cases of extreme fatigue, or the beginnings of another infection sweeping the country is still no one's guess to make. Jeremy Cole, reporting live in Calgary, BCB News." "Thank you, Cole, we intend to keep this story updated as the facts are confirmed. Follow the progress on Flitter at--" Kari backed out of the video feed, thinking on the details that took place in the classroom yesterday, and of her gruff teacher. 'He wouldn't just succumb to weariness just like that, he would've gone to the teacher's lounge and caught a nap like he does,' she thought, getting up to pace a little, 'which means it was a sneak attack, practically untraceable, and enacted on the state of being for-" Her eyes widened again as she came to a stop, putting together some details towards a possible answer. Who was a restless-looking passerby that was headed in the direction of chemicals, many of which can be used to trigger invisible manners of attack? Who was passing the scene of the incident and looking particularly smug about something? Who smelled of sharp ethanol that could've been a fumigation bomb scent? "It was HIM!" she squawked suddenly, looking around as if a timebomb had just begun to countdown, hurrying over to get her shoes and jacket on, along with the standard wallet-phone-keys trifecta being pocketed. If anything, classes would be off or postponed during this weirdness, but she'd call on the drive over just to make sure. 'He's either here to steal some expensive artifacts, or... looking for someone, and either way doesn't look good.' She thought as she got onto the road to town, rolling her window down to catch the fresh, cold air of the morning.
The small lifeform had been moving around through the garden all day before heading towards a number of weird smells nearby. A long soil path led to a burnished wooden door, which the creature easily walked under. Within was a rainbow of enticing scents, and its sensors went wild probing all over the place to find small specks of food to chew up. Gradually, it found its way up to a huge, breathing creature of some kind, heaped in a pile in the corner of the chamber. The climb all over its body was an interesting journey for the intruder, but when it stepped onto an expanse lighter gray, the giant tensed up and awoke, turning its colossal head to slowly open huge eyes like golden boulders. It froze under this monstrous gaze, trying to look uninteresting, but a huge pair of digits picked it up, and its fate was sealed as it waited for the end.
"Hey, no visitors at this hour." said Tom, licking the small beetle off his finger to munch it up and lay back down, trying to let the blessed sleep come back, but he'd looked at his phone and seen the time, too late now. With a long exhale, he got up and began looking for a clean shirt, coming up empty except for the shirt he had on, so the day's errand was clear. "Well, thank god the plants don't have any clothes to take care of, I gotta feed them and see to their good health already." he said brightly, secretly picturing what the main garden would look like with the garden-life all sporting tiny sweaters and hats with a grin. A large knapsack was full of his clothes, the shirt and Jacket from yesterday were on, his shoes were worn, and he was carefully out back into the world, locking the Door behind him with the finesse of a safecracker. He put on some earbuds and began walking towards the main street, knowing he'd seen a laundromat there the day before. It felt like a good day to get something done; the weather was the pleasant side of chilly on the cloudless day, and folks seemed to be out walking the main street. Tom was in a rather good mood, also knowing of the beers in the knapsack to help the early afternoon chore along. And so, there he was 20 minutes later at 24 Laveuse, beginning the large load of laundry and setting back on the plastic seats, moving his tail so he didn't squash it. The place was a little empty and the small fenced area on one side of the parking lot made for good hiding, so he stepped outside to carefully get down to libations to pass the time. Traffic came and went like it usually did, one car taking the nearby right turn kind of harshly but otherwise nothing else of notice. There was a wandering guy with the air of a bum about him, sort of haunting the crossroads, and Tom privately hoped he would carry on before attracting police. Strangely enough, another short parade of cars was going thru the town, looking like a gangsta's funeral procession. Tom stared vacantly until they were gone, and he was starting to wonder just what this town's deal was. It was at this moment that the hands emerged silently from behind and seized his arms tightly, hauling him back with sudden urgency before he could panic properly. "What the fuck?! You wanna... god, wha-?" he barked, only to be hauled back harder into the side alley by the building, and out of sight. "Careful, dammit, there's a beverage here-" The tall can was smacked out of his hand. "Hey! what's your damage, guy?" Tom demanded as he was turned around roughly, only to meet those same blue eyes and red hair from yesterday. "Oh, wait, it's you fro--" Kari got her best threat display face on and poked a claw to the underside of his chin, which managed to inescapably encourage his silence."Now, answers, spill 'em, what were you really up to yesterday?" she now demanded. "I don't know what you're talking about, I was just looking for my friend to return a phone charger." "You didn't say that." "You didn't ask." he replied mildly, averting his gaze in a condescending manner. Kari growled in her throat and tightened her grip on his shoulders. "Watch it, wise-ass. Did you see or hear anything before the disturbance yesterday?" "What disturbance, I was already on my way when people found him." Her face went almost sideways in an accusative scowl. "Don't play dumb, I saw your ass drifting thru that crowd, and you saw me looking at you, captain salute." Tom's face contorted in regret. "You saw that, huh." "Yeah, I did." she grunted before slamming him roughly to the wall and releasing him. Tom looked as angry as he could without looking confrontational; something about her strength and methods did not point to a fight with any outcome but a grievous loss on his side. "Alright," he said, stepping back one step to opt for a cigarette from his fresh pack and turning from her to light it, "So I was near the scene, what else have you got?" Her angered look softened a micrometer and she took a few steps, mostly to get away from the rich smoke. "The guy from yesterday, the unconscious one? He was a good man, good teacher, and now his life might be in danger. You were at least in the hallway over there, did you see or hear anything that'd help out with finding the culprit?" "Help out?" he said, plucking the cig from his lips, "Look, Ms. Conrad, I-" "Conniff." "Whatever! I was just passing thru and it just felt like you got stuck having to deal with the cops, alright? It was rude to snark you, I apologize, I thought you were just in trouble or something. Apart from my friend, there wasn't really anybody on that side of the building that wasn't behind doors." Kari looked him over, trying to get a read on his intentions, and he seemed to notice this with disdain. "What's your deal anyways, apple-polisher, you some sort of local hero or something?" Tom continued, dragging on the smoke while shooting her a look. She frowned this time, an expression without anger that was a different face entirely. "He's a friend of mine, one of the few I have. You would do the same if it was someone you cared about, wouldn't you?" Tom almost answered honestly, but he was too mad to focus on polite truths. "No, I wouldn't, and I don't think you would either." he snapped, "I'm a pragmatist, number one's the only thing I came into this world worried with, and it's the only number I'll need." "Wow, okay, I thought you were just a sneaky guy before, but now I can see you're just an asshole." "And so are you, Ms. Confit, and I can't stand people that pretend to care." "Who's pretending? Frankly, *I* can't stand little shits like you who think their lousy life is free license to take everybody down with them." Tom was really mad now, and was almost considering lighting the fire in this fulminating argument, but he just sneered and flicked his cigarette ahead, stepping bitterly on it as he left. "You don't have anything I need, nor do I have anything you need, we're even. Now leave me alone, will you?" Kari wanted to kick his ass so badly in that fury-soaked moment. "I don't think anyone needs anything you've got, Mr. Blackberry, least of all YOU.. and it's CONNIFF, you son of a bitch!" she snarled at the retreating raccoon. "Actually, I can think of something I need from someone." he said, turning suddenly. "Yeah, and what's that, a chemical shower?" "No, you owe me a beer, kitty cat!" They were easily half a foot from each other now, staring daggers into daggers. The snow leopard spat harshly on the ground and left in a weaponized huff, tail twitching madly behind her. Tom felt the heat in his ears still peaking. "I better not see you again, or it'll be too soon!" he called after her, "And I smell bad because of my dirty laundry I carried, not because- well, I meant to put this shirt in with.. ohhhh, god DAMMIT!" and he kicked at the wall of the building before stomping back to check his clothes. "Bitch..." he muttered, trying to leave the incident behind.

Spoilers for mistborn era 1 ahead, you have been warned. Also this is going to be really long as it's basically a stream of consciousness of my fanfiction ideas I thought were fun. I'm going to focus more on lore ideas since I think they're more interesting than the mechanical changes we've made, though I will include some of the Latter.
So a friend of mine and I are working on a campaign for the Mistborn Adventure Game. My friend had the idea of remixing the setting to keep things fresh for our players who all know Mistborn inside and out. We thought it would be fun to share our ideas here to get some extra ideas, inspire others, or just give some fun things to think about.
So the basic premise of the world is as follows. The game takes place on a planet in the same system as Scadrial, and was made by preservation and ruin at the same time. The core difference being that the people have this planet have an extra bit of Ruin in them rather than Preservation. This means that in our setting, Ruin and Preservation remained perfectly equal. So at the time in the main series where Preservation betrayed and sealed Ruin, the two actually betrayed each other in the same way at the same time.
So Scadrial is more or less as we know it, but that isn't the focus here. The second world (name pending), is overall very similar to Scadrial but inverted in many ways due to preservation being sealed there. This planet has it's own well of ascension, attuned to ruin instead of preservation. Among other things as a result of the first person to take up this power, the planet is significantly further from it's star than it should be and is blanketed in snow/ice.
_*_The Culture_*_ To keep things somewhat similar but remixed, this planet does have it's own divine ruler who took up the power of the well of ascension and attained Demigod status. The Divine Conqueror (placeholder name), is outwardly less evil than the Lord Ruler but still uses some pretty brutal methods. The government in this world are more like a holy order of crusaders, being friendly to believers but considerably less so to the unfaithful.
The Divine Conqueror has not banned Feruchemy and even welcomes the Birth of Twinborn, including Full Twinborn. DC welcomes any and all challenges to his throne, believing anyone capable of defeating him deserves to rule. He holds a tournament once every 16 years, open to all citizens of the empire, and the final 16 competitors draw slots to challenge him for the Throne.
Because DC held the power of Ruin, he is far more knowledgeable of hemalurgy than The Lord Ruler was, and Hemalurgy is a much more regular part of the culture. Metalborn passing their powers on to their offspring when they're about to die is more or less common practice. His equivalent of Steel Inquisitors are far more common, numbering in the Hundreds for reasons explained below, though they're made to be less intimidating and are more like a Holy Order of Paladins. My placeholder name for these guys is the Iron Crusaders.
_*_The Haze_*_
Rather than the mists, this world has what I'm currently calling The Haze. A black fog that appears during the day, making the planet almost permanently as dark as night. Due to the Haze being aligned to Ruin, it actually reacts negatively to Allomancy. An allomancer burning Tin would actually have a harder time seeing through the Haze than a normal person for example. These limitations do not apply to any powers granted via Hemalurgy, these resonate and actually work more effectively under the influence of the Haze.
_*_The Field of Stasis_*_ This planet's equivalent to the Pits of Hathsin, a place that grows Lerasium rather than atium. Because of this place, Allomancers are far far more common than on Scadrial. However, their power weakens more quickly through the generations due to the extra Ruin present in every being. Actually mining the Lerasium from the Field of Stasis is an ordeal requiring inordinate amounts of effort. Inducing any kind of change within the area at all is extremely difficult to the power of Preservation investing the area.
The Lerasium Crystals that grow here mostly create powerful mistings, the geodes naturally manifesting as Lerasium alloyed with the basic Allomantic metals. Maybe every 1 in 10,000 Lerasium geodes is pure, making full strength Lerasium Mistborn still extremely rare in this setting, though mistborn of lesser strength are still more common than on Scadrial.
_*_Hazeborn_*_ Pure Atium does exist on this world in very very small amounts, as little as there is Lerasium on Scadrial. Like Lerasium, pure Atium can be burned by anyone, and in my setting turns you into what I call a Hazeborn. Hazeborn use all of the same metals as allomancers to fuel their powers, but the Push/pull and internal/external nature of those metals are all inverted. I haven't finished statting what each Hazeborn power does yet, but I'll use Pewter as an example of the general concept.
Hazeborn Pewter is an External Pulling Metal. While burning it, you pick a target at medium range and reduce their physique stat by an amount equal to your Pewter rating. A Hazeborn using this power against a normal person can often completely immobilize them, and can even the odds against an Allomancer with access to Pewter.
I'm still planning out how Hazeborn powers interact with Feruchemy. The current idea is that instead of any kind of compounding, burning a metalmind as a Hazeborn allows you to drain that metal's attribute from someone else to fill your metalminds. Trying to burn the same metal as a Hazeborn and Allomancer at the same thing causes a violent reaction between the two powers that would destroy you from the inside and pretty much instantly kill you unless you're a gold compounder. In which case you can use both powers at once (maybe with some kind of resonance though planning every possible combination of that sounds painful), as long as you spend massive amounts of health every beat to keep the conflicting power from ripping you apart.
_*_Conclusion_*_ That covers just about all of our major ideas so far. We're still planning how/if to implement the Kandra and Koloss or to just come up with our own Hemalurgic creatures. If you have any thoughts on the setting, maybe any suggestions for Hazeborn powers with the various metals, please feel free to share.

Hello! I thought I'd lay out a smorgasbord of ideas. Hopefully some of them pique your fancy!

• Urban Fantasy - This can involve vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, warlocks, and more. I like telling stories about a hidden world and how one might get sucked into it. I'm more than happy to do something with two supernatural beings; or with one of us playing a human who may not have previously known about the truth just beneath the surface of the everyday world.
  
• *** Tomb Raider - I've been roleplaying as Lara for a VERY long time. She's my favorite character - ever. <33 There's many, many adventures that our darling tomb raider can go on. I'm super into crossing her over into the MCU. She fits in a shockingly well there. I also really enjoyed 'The Batman,' and I think she'd work opposite that version of Bruce, too. However, I definitely prefer the MCU over DC stuff. I'm also open to other crossovers, if you have one in mind! And if playing canon characters doesn't interest you, I've been known to pair Lara with OC's. Admittedly, I can be a little picky when it comes to which original characters I put with her; but if you bring me something interesting and fresh, I'm down! Anyone who shows interest in this will be bumped to the front of the line, haha.
  
• Superheroes - Mmmmm. I love a good hero - and I love a good villain even more. I think it'd be fun if we did something with a hero/villain who interact with one another in their everyday lives not knowing that their acquaintance is the person trying to kill them with a freeze ray at night. We can go with a completely original concept; or we can play in an established universe like the MCU. There are quite a few canon MCU ladies that I'm up for writing! I'm flexible!
  
• Three's More Fun - Let's tell a story about a poly relationship. Not cheating. An actual, loving triad. MMF would be preferred. Feel free to mix this idea with any of the other prompts in here.
  
• The End of the World - "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice." Isn't that how the old poem goes? I love to explore post-apocalyptic scenarios. I have a slight preference for something ala 'Fallout,' but I've always done fun scenarios involving zombies. One thing I'd really love to do is an outbreak scenario that begins just before shit hits the fan. I think the best zombie stories are always the ones that have emotional core. I want to follow this couple from the start of the disaster into the dangerous new world that emerges after.
  
• A Real Bodice Ripper - Give me tall, handsome strangers with scandalous secrets. Breathless ladies cinched up in their corsets. The romance and the glamour all on the backdrop of dreary London. Something lurking in the shadows - stalking the elegant upper class. Or perhaps there's no hidden monsters at all. Perhaps we can craft a story about an arranged marriage or forbidden love. Think along the lines of "Crimson Peak" or "Penny Dreadful."
  
• *** A Song of Ice and Fire - "House of the Dragon" has me back on my Westerosi bullshit. I'm totally down to figure out stories in this universe!
  

I'm open to other ideas, of course!

YOU MUST BE:

• Polite
• Creative.
• Enthusiastic.
• Able to write in 3rd person.
• Available on Discord.
• Over the age of 21.

Also, please don't reach out to me via Reddit Chat. I don't read them. I only check DM's. If you choose to DM me, please make the subject line your current favorite song, just so I know you've read this post from top to bottom. Thanks! 💖

WRITING SAMPLE:

Lara hated these functions.
No. 'Hate' wasn't the right word. She loathed them. This one in particular was a charity gala with the profits going to build a new childrens' ward in Surrey Parkside Hospital -- the very hospital she herself had been born in. That helped make the event a tad more palatable; but not enough to make it feel like anything other than a chore.
The estate of the Earl of Brixton was filled with socialites and nobility from all over Europe. They had all put on their best finery and their well-practiced courtesies. They made navigating these things look so effortless ... And, in a way, Lara was jealous of them for that. This had never come easy to her. Even now, she found herself wishing she had dirt under her nails rather than a French manicure.
At least she knew how to look the part. For all her perceived faults, no one could deny that the young woman cleaned up beautifully when she cared to put in the effort. Her petite figure was wrapped in a one-of-a-kind, crimson-colored dress designed for her by one of Paris's trendiest fashion houses. The bustline was particularly dramatic -- showing off more cleavage than most noblewomen would ever dare to. The back was also open, though the fabric had been draped across it in the semblance of a capelet -- making her seem more like a goddess of old rather than a modern Countess. She had overheard several women whispering about her choice to wear something so revealing; but she couldn't bring herself to care all that much.
"You're conflating the Maya with the Aztecs," she drolled in that elocution-trained accent as she finished what was her third glass of champagne thus far. A portly, older man had been bending her ear for the past twenty minutes attempting to impress her with tales of his private collection. Having claimed to be an expert on South American indigenous peoples, the correction made his face turn almost as red as her dress. He opened his mouth to say something; but before he had the chance, she gave a little shake of her now-empty glass.
"I need a refill. Pardon me, Sir." Before he had a chance to object, she made a hasty retreat from him. Along the way, she dropped the crystal flute onto the tray of a passing waiter and collected another. While her small stature did little to hold her back in the field -- if anything, it was an advantage -- but when it came to alcohol, it left her as something of a lightweight. She made a mental note to slow down; or else she risked the very real possibility of her already sharp tongue slicing a few more socialites to ribbons. That would truly defeat the purpose of her showing up to these things to preserve her reputation. Or, at least, preserve it as much as she could. Between herself and her late father, the name Croft had carried a dubious notoriety for quite some time. Some admired her for her ambition, intelligence, and bravery in the field. Others saw it as uncouth, at best -- destructive, at worst.
Lara took a moment to survey the room, noting how the majority of guests were preoccupied with the band that had begun to play a waltz. Perfect. She took the opportunity to sneak out of the ballroom and through the winding corridors of the estate. Before long, she found the door that led out to the rose garden. It was a chilly, damp English night; but she couldn't find herself to mind. If anything, it exhilarated her.
And it also kept the others from wandering out this way.
She tilted her head back to peer up at the full moon and stars above. She sipped her drink and took in the night air. She had needed this breather. She hadn't realized just how tightly coiled her muscles had become until she was away from the oppressive stuffiness of the party.

Here is what is going to happen. You’ll walk in the door and we’ll exchange brief pleasantries. Then you’ll drop to your knees and pull down my pants and suck on my dick until it’s hard. Then you’ll suck and gag on it until it’s well lubed.
You’ll then assume the position on all fours, as I walk around and eat your pussy and finger fuck you till you cum. I’ll fuck you in the same position while I pull your hair hard.
You’ll then have a choice of fucking on you back while getting choked or up against the wall/window while I rail you from behind. What are you choosing?
In town this week for work. I can host in my upscale hotel room.

Hello everyone, I have a 6 year old American Bully x Cane Corso. As a puppy we did puppy and obedience training which he exeled at. We even brought him to day care three times a week and he absolutely loved it. Fast forward, he's about 3 years old and we moved to the city. It was a change for him, but we started to settle in to this new environment until one morning we were coming in to the building from our morning walk. Unfortunately some dick head had his dog off leash while in the hallway and before the door to the stairwell closed behind up, the mastiff made its way in and started to attack my pup. After that, all training went out the window. A couple weeks later we are back out on a walk, two more dogs that were unleashed came running up to us, luckily my dog picked up his stick of the day and it was long enough for me to fend them off until another, dickhead, owner got the dogs.
Now, we moved out of the city and back to a small town and we started to see him go back to his old self, personality wise, but he's still very reactive when it comes to dogs and other humans, especially while on leash. He's also very protective of our house now and goes absolutely nuts when someone comes to the door. We found a trainer however they used balanced training so I'm just wondering if balanced training is the way to go with our pup.
Thanks for any information!!

This is a transcription of one of the documents obtained by JA on January 31, 2023 described in this post. This PDF has notes from interviews by C McDonald with the Marrottes, the house behind the red barn, the Atwoods, and the Westmans. We previously had the Atwood interview - however, this is a different document. The Atwood interview we have on file has different formatting, slightly different wording (insignificant such as adding/omitting "Mr."), and footnotes. So this seems to be transcribed notes which were then transformed into a report.
Notes from conversations on the morning of Monday, 16 February
(Conversation at approximately 10-10:30 am)
J and V Marrotte - tel xxx

• Between 7-8 p.m. Mr. Marrotte went to the kitchen window to peel an orange and saw a car with the flashers going
• The car backed up parallel to the road
• Within 4 to 5 min a bus came down route 112 from Woodsville
• The bus stopped at car for 4 to 5 min
• Bus continued down the road and backed into driveway located directly across the street from the Marrotte residence. Driver stayed in bus for quite a while; Mr. Marrotte thought that this was odd. Mr. Marrotte presumed that bus driver was making a 911 call from the bus.
• Mr. Marrotte could not see Maura at the car thereafter.
• Police arrived, loked around the car with a flashlight, walked up to the red barn, walked up the private road, came back down, passed the car, and approached Mr. Attwood, who was still in bus. 15 minutes had elapsed from thetime the police arrived to the time they reached the bus.
• When asked if there were any persons they would possibly be concerned about, John M replied: No, not really but then he looked outt he window down at the Attwood [in my notes I have it as Dewalt, because I thought his name was Dewalt] resigence and (without any prompting from myself) said he and his wife had never really gotten along with those guys (plural) across the street.
• I asked: Guys? Plural?
• John said: The family across the street, he is an "odd cat"
• John then said there were a few people he would be concerned about in the area, but no one specifically.

Conversaton at approximately 10:30-10:35 a.m.
Ellis/Gudek House behind the red barn
I spoke with the man; he told me that he did not see anything --that he had heard about the accident from John on Tuesday (10 February) and that although he was home he didnot hear of see anything the evening of 9 February
(Conversation at approximately 10:40-11:00 a.m.)
Attwood Residence

• I walked up to the house -- Mr. Attwood answered the door and I asked if I could speak with him regarding the Maura Murray case.
• Mr. Attwood responded, "She got in a car and disappeared end of story."
• I pleaded with him to please help us learn more about the evening, we don't have any clues and are looking for anything to lead us to Maura.
• Mr. Attwood again responded, "She got in a car and disappeared end of story -- that is it."
• Mrs. Attwood (a lady younger than the elder woman (mother) who is hard of hearing) said "Yes, please John help her." She invited me into the front porch area of the home.
• Mr. Attwood said he arrived at 7:35 p.m.
• Maura was in the car, sitting there with no lights on.
• I asked: Was there anyone else in the car?
• Mr. Attwood responded, No one else was in the car.
• [There was a little confusion with the next set of questions, when he first commented he said that Maura was in the car and could not get out, because the car was facing the barn and door was blocked. But then said she got out of the car and stood outside the car.]
• Mr. Attwood said that he asked Maura: "Are you okay?" Maura: "Yes, fine"
• Mr. Attwood told me, "I looked over the scene and saw no blood." At this point I asked for confirmation regarding the location of Maura. He described Maura as looking over the car. Mr. Attwood described Maura, "She didn't look like the pictures, her hair was down, it must have come undone during the accident."
• Mr. Attwood said to Maura: "I am going to call the police." Maura. "I have called AAA"
• Mr. Attwood to me: I am thinking you can't call from here. Mr. Attwood to Maura: "I am going to call the police."
• Maura responded: No.
• Mr. Attwood to Maura: "No, I am going to call the police."
• Attwood then left Maura and returned home, entering the house to call.
• Attwood noted during this time 3-4 cars went by.
• I then asked him if he saw Maura walk towards his house since he was on the front porch. He said: No, that Maura was picked up and that during this time they could not see the crash site. He then noted that he did not think that the dog had a scent. The dog just walked, around looking up -- "that wasn't a dog that smelled anything but squirrels."
• How much time elapsed while you were inside calling? Attwood: 7-9 min.
• Mr. Attwood then described how he had to make 5 or so calls because the dispatcher could not connect him.
• Mr. Attwood then said that he went out, looked up the road, saw the police and then, presuming that all was taken care of, got back into his bus to do his mileage.
• Mrs. Attwood then said that she heard the dispatcher call, noting they were looking for a girl (they have a scanner on the front porch).
• Mr. Attwood then said, "It is just beam me up Scotty time."
• Then Mrs. Attwood said it came across the scanner that the windshield had broke.
• Mr. Attwood then said that while he was in the bus he heard a knock on the bus door and found out that Maura wasn't at the scene.
• Mr. Attwood then said he got in his car at 8:10 with his spotlight and searched the area without finding her.
• I then started to say goodbye and thank them when he asked "What about that call?"
• I responded, "What call?"
• Mr. Attwood said: The call that was made after the incident -- the last call the boyfriend received.
• I told him the last call Bill received was before the accident.
• Mr. Attwood then said, "I just should have insisted that she get in the bus -- I tried to get her into the bus."
• Mrs. Attwood then said that she was "probably more scared of you."
• Mr. Attwood then told me that he was very good friends with Officer Smith and to tell him that Butch sent me and that the police will let the family see all the records.

End of conversation.
I then tried to speak with Tim Westman -- white house across the street from red barn -- there was no one home.
Earlier notes:
On Saturday afternoon I went to several of the homes in the area.
At the blue house on the left hand side as you go up Bradley Hill Road: I spoke with a woman who was not home at the time of the accident; she was heading back home from a school board meeting between 8 and 8:30 -- coming from Woodsville area towards Lincoln. Said she did not see anyone on the road walking.
the Westman residence

• Heard accident
• Called 911 (Husband thought it was earlier than wife.) thought it ws sometime between 7:55 and 8:05.
• Saw a flashlight and red glow from the passenger seat.
• Possibly two people.
• Maura sat for a long time in the car.
• Saw school bus at site.
• Maura was at her car up to 1 min before the police arrived.

There is a 4 wheeled 4 tanked vehicle that is spraying from a hose some chemicals, waiting for answers on what kind. Noodle is so tiny and I think melon is in molt… I’m a very nervous wreck at the moment. What can I do to ensure they are exposed the least? I’m scared to transport because they have heavily sprayed my parking spot! :( I have windows in every room except dark closets all are shut and doors all are as well. Thinking of drawing curtains for the day. Any other advice is greatly appreciated.

Hey there, neighbor!
Welcome to NeighborWars.info, the podcast that gives you a platform to vent, laugh, and commiserate about those outrageous neighbor experiences.
we're a dynamic duo of comedians who've seen it all when it comes to neighborly shenanigans.
We want to hear from you, our listeners! We're opening up our airwaves and inviting you to share your bad neighbor stories.
This is your opportunity to vent, get things off your chest, and have a good laugh about those unforgettable moments that can only happen with the person living next door.
Each episode, we'll feature the best and wildest stories shared by our amazing listeners. We want to hear about the guy who decided to mow his lawn at 5 a.m., or the neighbor who leaves passive-aggressive notes on your door.
And here's the best part: we'll play your voicemails on the show, so your voice will be heard by our growing community of listeners who have undoubtedly faced similar trials and tribulations.
But that's not all! We'll even invite some of you to join us for interviews, so we can dive deeper into your neighbor war stories and share some laughs along the way.
So grab your phone, call our voicemail line, and spill the beans on your most memorable neighbor encounters. We promise to keep your identity anonymous unless you want to share your name and get the recognition you deserve!
Whether it's a tale of outrageous pranks, epic feuds, or just plain wacky behavior, NeighborWars.info is the podcast where your bad neighbor stories take center stage.
​
Thanks for tuning in to NeighborWars.info, the podcast where bad neighbors meet their match!
Until next time, keep your doors locked, your windows closed, and your sense of humor intact!
Call Now: (872) 269-4760

Vinyl Price Drop Cocteau Twins - Stars And Topsoil - A Collection 1982-1990 - $23.54 @ Amazon Direct link

I haven't had to make a powerpoint since highschool but now I need to make an academic poster and my only option is powerpoint due to institutional vendor lock-in and extreme time constraints. I can't do a god damn thing with this fucking piece of shit program. It's soooo fucking slooooowww. It won't do a single thing before just freezing. My poster isn't huge, the images I have aren't gigabytes, why the fuck can't powerpoint even just zoom in without breaking. I can't edit any text, let alone move a textbox. I can't do literally anything with this! It'd be faster to learn photoshop and edit an image of the slide there than to use this fucking program!
Who on earth thinks "Power BI" is useful and not just another fucking gold studded earring embedded in the wasteland of other useless bullshit here. Why is there an endless list of more bullshit integrations and fucking "features" when the single thing I want to use it for, you know, TO MAKE A FUCKING POWERPOINT, won't work literally at all. This computer isn't old, powerpoint used to work! I remember stacking dozens of animations on top of hundreds of pictures in dozens of slides in like 2010 and shit worked just fine on the computers back then! Why can't it load a fucking picture now!??! WHY DO THINGS ONLY GET WORSE? WHY MUST EVERY CORPORATION THAT HAS AN OUNCE OF POWER INSIST ON MAKING THE SINGLE THING THAT GAVE THEM MARKET SHARE SUCH A TERRIBLE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE TO USE THAT PEOPLE WOULD RATHER PUT FISTS THROUGH THEIR COMPUTERS THAN USE THESE PROGRAMS FOR ANOTHER FUCKING SECOND.
WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE THINGS THAT WORK ALONE. why does microsoft have to make everything worse. Windows 7 was great, it worked and it made sense and there wasn't a million adds or megabytes of surveillance being transmitted or a fucking bullshit app store. Powerpoint in 2010 was fine. Microsoft 11 is a demon and powerpoint 365 is hell incarnate.
Fuck Microsoft, someone should mail them bags of dogshit everyday for 100,000 years

I'm running a campaign and while the party (Barbarian, Rogue, Cleric and Sorcerer, all Level 6) was exploring a dungeon. In the dungeon, they came across a room that had a sarcophagus in it, the players didn't open the sarcophagus for fear of what was inside so they left it and continued.
After the coffin room was a large hallway and at the end of the hallway was an iron door. This iron door was locked and it had 10 metal spikes on the front of it. Whenever, the players touched the door with force, I would roll 1d10 piercing damage. This didn't really matter much as the only person who tried to force open the door was the Barbarian and she failed to. The Rogue did eventually manage to lockpick the door and they opened it. But what they failed to notice was a magical sensor detecting when the door was opened.
The moment they opened the door, the sarcophagus in the room behind them flew open and a mummy stepped out, which instantly started heading towards them. The party quickly rushed into the next room in hopes of avoiding the mummy (they were on low health from a previous encounter in the dungeon and didn't take a short rest). The mummy continued after them and eventually it reached the door.
Now here's where the question comes in: The Cleric in the party cast Thaumaturgy and attempted to close the door on the mummy. It's technically allowed because the spell description says "You instantaneously cause an unlocked door or window to fly open or slam shut." so he successfully closed the door on the mummy. Now, when he closed the door, the mummy was in the door's space and would've been hit by the metal spikes on the door so would it have taken damage? (I need to know this because it's actually quite important for later in the dungeon.)
The question basically boils down to: "Would Thaumaturgy close the door with enough force for the metal spikes to damage the mummy?" I also just realized how much I wrote to explain that, sorry about that 😅

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/lfg/comments/13gfsqa/online5eetutc4_the_stranger_cosmic_horro (graciously reviewed and approved by the subreddit mods)This is Post (3/4), we're posting this four weeks in a row before making final picks.
Preface
This is a long post - crazy long even. That's because we care so much to find those just as impassioned as we are about this amazing hobby. We love high quality D&D campaigns, and we believe it takes effort and time to make it happen. If you take the effort to get through learning about us in this post, reading every word with care and interest, we will do the same with your application.
Our commitments:

• We will respond personally to each and every application, giving constructive feedback and/or move you to the next stage!

How to Apply

• Application Link: https://www.avarra.world
• Promo Video: https://youtu.be/RbfQWegafX8
• Sample session: https://youtu.be/FDNHxkNXM5Y?t=13120 (We're doing something new for the next campaign, and while not quite full-effort, this is a closer example of what we're going for)
• Ask a question about the lore or world in the comments! And we'll respond in character (from one of our many current character). Thumbs us up or down this post, interact to help us be visible!
• The rest are provided after application has been submitted.
• Need to get in touch privately? My discord is Wes#8045.

World Preface

In the enchanted realm of Avarra, where high magic weaves its intricate web through the fabric of existence, a burgeoning form of sorcery takes root. Secluded on the island city of Crowperch, the pursuit and mastery of void magic are richly rewarded, enticing arcanists from the farthest reaches of the world to unravel its mysteries. Yet, the enigmatic allure of Crowperch extends beyond the arcane; a diverse tapestry of industry, history, and craftsmanship entwines the island's very essence.
Beneath the surface, the island's riches reveal themselves: the mines and quarries, abundant with untapped potential, and the surrounding seas, offering bounties from the ocean's depths. Ancient archaeological sites whisper secrets of bygone eras, while artisans ply their remarkable skills on the bustling city streets. Tales of a long-forgotten, rumored treasure continue to captivate the imaginations of adventurers and sightseers alike.
But one must pay a steep price for this wealth of opportunity and intrigue. It is wise to avert one's gaze from the iron grip of autocratic rule and the unyielding scrutiny that looms over the island's denizens. For those who venture to Crowperch, a single obligation remains: seek your heart's desire, and then depart – for the island's enigmatic embrace is not meant to last forever.

Application Overview
In this sacred fellowship, we stand steadfast in the face of the dreaded D&D group killers. Our commitment to this game is unwavering, for it is not just a hobby, but a way of life - an appointment that must be kept at all costs. For us, the work does not end with character creation or worldbuilding. Nay, we strive for a deep understanding of each character, for their hopes and dreams, their fears and flaws, so that we may weave a complex and enthralling campaign that will leave you breathless. We implore you, dear adventurer, to show up regularly and with a burning passion in your heart. Let your excitement be infectious, let your dedication be unwavering.
Overview

• Game Day: Saturday
• Players: 6 (5 Regular, 0-1 Floating/Guest)
• DM(s): 2 (1 Regular, 0-1 Floating/Guest)
• Game Length: 3 Months mini-arc, then decide whether to continue. However accommodate for 1-2 years on your schedule.
• Start Date: First week of September (Yes, 5 months away)

Selection Criteria (In order of importance)

• Qualification: TTRPG Experience, RP/Improv Ability
• Questionnaire answers
• Participation in One-Shots & Community so we can get to know you.

Investment
This campaign is getting some big investment. All players will get custom commissions of their characters, animated. Additionally, we are commissioning all maps, tokens, flairs, and elements to make this truly something special.
Campaign Preface

As twilight descended upon the restless sea, the ancient ship, Her Royal Rose, creaked under the weight of its cargo. Its passengers, a motley assortment of scholars, fisherman, guard and others with business on the island of Crowperch, sit tightly in cramped quarters. Even as the tempestuous winds moaned through crevasse and open windows, the opportunities and tasks that beckon them to the island keep them going, a siren's call that drowned out the ocean's roar.
The skies above were an oppressive tapestry of writhing clouds, their tendrils suffocating the last vestiges of daylight as if to obscure the path to the island. A shroud of mist swallowed the horizon, leaving the ship to navigate through a nebulous labyrinth, its destination only guaranteed by Captain Alaric Thorne.
As Her Royal Rose inched closer to Sove, the air grew heavy with mist and sea salt which deposited itself gradually on the railings, sails and masts. Little Henry Williams, the ship's messenger runs throughout the halls pattering on each door, "The captain has an announcement, all to the deck. The captain has an announcement, all to the deck." The clacking of his wooden foot pattering one after another with each step, a disfigurement he earned while working aboard Her Royal Rose.
Captain Alaric Thorne stood on the deck, the salty wind tugging at his weathered features. His voice rang out, its timbre heavy with authority and unease, as he addressed the gathered passengers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I must bring to your attention an unfortunate turn of events. It seems the Saturation has arrived earlier than anticipated this year. As many of you know, this phenomenon causes an unnaturally heavy accumulation of salt in the air, resulting in deposits that weigh down our vessel."
He paused, letting the gravity of the situation settle upon his passengers before continuing, "This unexpected occurrence has forced us to halt our usual schedule, for the safety of both the ship and her passengers. Once Her Royal Rose arrives, she will remain anchored at Sove until the Saturation clears, as navigating these treacherous waters under such conditions would be inviting disaster."
A murmur of concern rippled through the crowd, many who were on this voyage planned their departure prior to The Saturation. The captain raised his hand to quell their rising unease. "I understand this may cause you some inconvenience, but I assure you, we will resume our journey as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, you may continue your research, tasks and exploration on the island. Sove is well stocked and very hospitable to travelers especially those displaced during our seasonal shifts."
With that, Captain Thorne turned away, leaving the passengers to ponder the implications of his words as the first tendrils of salt-laden mist began to coil around the ship, heralding the arrival of the Saturation.
In the dimly lit corners of their minds, the passengers could sense a truth they dared not confront: Their voyage to Crowperch was going to be a lot longer than they had hoped. As the ship drew nearer to the island, the shadows beneath the spires of the fortress atop the mountain loomed over the ship, casting a shadow over what little moonlight illuminated the darkness.

Technology

• D&D Beyond: We own ALL books on D&D Beyond, and all of them will be at your disposal for your campaign.
• Owlbear Rodeo 2.0: This new VTT is extremely promising, and has the customization ability for us to do VERY interesting unique things. We're switching here from Roll20.
• Discord: Voice chat & messenger for our campaigns. Video is required, however is not recorded. Offline RP included!
• Obsidian: How players track the world's expanding lore, and how we the DM's keep track of things. You don't have to use this, but it's a highly recommended tool for note taking.
• Recorded Sessions: Sessions will be recorded, edited and posted online. Proceeds from monetization will be used to level up our recording, roleplaying, technology and setup, get commissions, maps and such. Players will not be paid for participation, however this is possible for the future if we grow. Sessions are recorded using OBS.

Monetization
So we are still small, so monetization isn’t at the top of our list. That said, our goal is to

1. Play Excellent D&D
2. Donate to charity
3. Re-invest to make better content and
4. Compensate players to allow them to play more D&D.

How specifically that all happens is still obscured by the mists of time. By participating in this campaign players release all intellectual property created for the campaign to Roll for Impact and related brands. Please note that this is meaningless while we're still small, but consider this hopeful thinking for our success. The next campaign is getting SO much effort, so we want to stay safe.
Campaign Rules

• Backstory: Crafting a compelling backstory for your character is essential for a great adventure. By providing a reason for your character to be adventuring with others and offering plot hooks for the DM to work with. Rather than focusing on build concepts, take this opportunity to create a real, relatable character. Who knows what unexpected twists and turns your backstory might bring to the campaign? So, let's get to writing - your character's fate is in your hands!
• Stats: Ah, stats - the bread and butter of any adventurer's character sheet. But let's face it, nobody likes a Mary Sue or a Jim The Commoner. That's why we're going to be rolling 4d6 drop the lowest, but with a twist! Each player will only generate one stat, which will then be compiled into one array for everyone to use. That way, you still get the fun of rolling, but we won't have any lopsided parties where one person is carrying the whole team. Because let's be real, nobody wants to be stuck playing the equivalent of a wet noodle while someone else is shooting laser beams out of their eyes. So, roll those dice and let fate decide your fate!
• Starting Level: Starting our campaign at level 3 makes sense because many classes get their major features at level 3, avoiding the issue of players missing out on the fun stuff. This also prevents weird mid-game transformations that can come from certain builds and allows for multiclass combos right out of the gate. So, let's start the adventure with confidence and balance, knowing that we've got all the good stuff from the get-go!

Homebrew

• Free Feat: We're giving you an extra feat at first level, but with a catch - it must tie into your backstory or character design in a compelling way. By doing this, we hope to reduce the cookie-cutter nature of low level characters and encourage backstory development. Rather than just taking a feat because you need it, we want you to create a unique and interesting character from the get-go. So, let's spice things up and see what kind of story you can bring to the table!
• Healing Potions: Get the max benefit as an action, or use a bonus action to get the rolled benefit.
• Flanking: Flanking now grants a +2 to hit instead of advantage, and you can't flank someone if you're being flanked yourself. But that's not all - if three or more combatants are flanking a single enemy, that enemy is officially Surrounded, and you get a +5 to melee weapon attacks. So, let's get out there and show those enemies what it means to be surrounded by a bunch of hyped-up adventurers! (But remember, enemies get the same benefit too.)
• Zero HP & Exhaustion: Everyone takes the homebrew feat Battle Fatigue. This homebrew rule makes repeated downs more punishing on players in a campaign. You may be downed (Con Modifier) times before receiving one point of exhaustion. Each time this ticker fills up, reset it and add one point of exhaustion.
• Starting Common Magic Item: At first level, all characters get a common magic item of their choice. Similar to feats, this must be related to your backstory.
• Dual Wielding: RAW, DW doesn't allow you to add the modifier to the attack, so we add the modifier to the roll like a normal roll. You still get a weaker weapon, but now at least you get to get more power from the attack.
• Resurrection: (Modified Critical Role Rules) Resurrection isn't easy, folks - you'll need to pass a DC of 10 just to be brought back. But that's just the beginning. The party can all contribute to aiding in your resurrection with multiple ability checks, and even sacrifices in the deceased's name. The Dungeon Master determines the DC for each check and makes a final resurrection roll to see if the ritual is successful. The DC for this final roll depends on how many times the character has been resurrected before and how successful the contributions were. So, bring your A-game (and maybe a goat or two) if you want to make it back from the great beyond. Each resurrection adds +5 to the DC, before party contributed modifiers.
• Death Saving Throws: These are rolled privately to the DM.
• Slow Natural Healing: Characters don't regain hit points at the end of a long rest. Instead, a character can spend Hit Dice to heal at the end of a long rest, just as with a short rest. A long rest allows the use of up to half of your total Hit Dice, +1 for sleeping somewhere comfortable, +1 for having a meal/ ration. Order: The character regains half their hit dice, then they can spend their hit dice to recover hit points.
• Silvery barbs: Silvery barbs is a second level spell.

Table Homebrew

• Turn Time Limits: We're keeping things moving with turn time limits, folks. Pay attention on other player's turns and avoid flipping through your PHB or counting dice ad nauseam. Exceptions are made for new players or chaotic combat, but we want you to look up spells and rules off-turn whenever possible. Slow combat leads to mental check-outs and boredom, so let's keep things snappy. If your turn takes too long, someone else will jump in front of you. It's like musical chairs, but with spells and swords instead.
• New Homebrew: If you've got some hot new content you want to play with, I'm your guy. Just slide into my DMs and let me take a look. Now, I'm not saying I'm gonna approve everything - I mean, some of you are out here trying to create a race of sentient cheese wheels (looking at you, Matt) - but I'll do my best to give you clear, concise well informed ruling on it.

Scheduling

• Session Length: ~7 Hours
• Scheduling Firm Up: Sessions are scheduled concretely, but we will firm up every 4 weeks on the next month's schedule for conflicts. Exceptions are always made for life events or serious circumstances. Life happens, and we understand that sometimes we or you may need to cancel. This is always fine, provided it is not regularly occurring. Our schedules are made every 4 weeks in advance. If your game days are always difficult to schedule, this may not be the campaign for you. In regards to scheduling, you must be able to open a clear line of communication between the DM throughout the week, in case of any emergency schedule changes or conflicts. If you are a hard person to get in touch with every week, again, this may not be the campaign or group for you.

Session Structure

• Start: Everyone arrives to the table and calls in on Discord. Players should also take this time to open up all the required programs and have all their materials ready. We also suggest getting some snacks here too! Bonus points for a tasty beer as well!
• Recap & Warmup (30 min): After arriving and having all our materials prepared, we begin our first activity of the session: Player Recaps! We will do this every single week, and it should be a great tool for getting insight into each character’s head and getting us caught up. We may play warm up games, and roleplay challenges.
• Session (2.5 hours): Well, this is of course where the magic happens! We roll dice, we laugh, the DM laughs, the dice laugh, the dice are mimics, oh no…
• Break (30 min): These breaks do not include bio breaks or your need to use the restroom. If you ever need to run to the bathroom or refill your glass real quick, you’re good!
• Session Continued (2.5 hours): We’ll carry on through the second part of the session!
• Session Recap (30 min): We'll discuss what happened during the session, as well as what we plan to do next session, while we finalize session notes.

Playstyle

• Roleplay: Get ready for some serious roleplaying, folks, because that's what we're all about. We're looking at a 70/30 split of roleplay to combat, maybe even heavier on the roleplay. It's all about immersing ourselves in the world of Avarra and telling a great story together. Sure, there may be some deviations depending on the scenarios and encounters, but we're here to communicate and engage with each other and the world on a deeper level. So, let's put on our acting hats and dive headfirst into the magical realm of Avarra.
• Hyper immersion: We're not just here to hack and slash our way through this world - we're here to really get into the nitty-gritty details. I'm talking about the flavors in each mug of ale or wine at the local tavern (because let's be real, nobody likes a bland drink), cooking around the campfire under a tree during a cool and rainy night, and even delving into the plot of that book you just picked up on your way out of town. And let's not forget about forming real relationships with your fellow characters. After all, who wants to adventure with a bunch of strangers? We're here to create meaningful connections and really bring this world to life. And to all you hack-and-slashers out there - sorry, but this might not be the group for you.
• Note Taking: The pen is mightier than the sword! And let me tell you, if you want to get the most out of Avarra, it's better to be a note taker. Especially in this next campaign! We're talking about a world that's drenched in complexity and nuance, from the setting to the story to the characters that inhabit it. And let's not forget about those intricate and subtle webs that outline the machinations of the antagonists. Oh yeah, we're going deep. But here's the deal - nothing is handed to you on a silver platter in this campaign. You're gonna have to work for it. That means constantly paying attention, working with each other, and using those note-taking skills to uncover all the hidden secrets this world has to offer. And who knows, maybe you'll even uncover some secrets about your fellow adventurers along the way. (Hey, it's possible, right?) So grab your pens, folks, because we've got a lot of worldbuilding to do.
• Teamwork: teamwork makes the dream work! We're not just a bunch of individual characters running around doing our own thing - we're building a story together that encompasses every player and character. This isn't just your story, and it's not just the DM's story. This is OUR story, and we're all playing a crucial role in it. That means you need to be a team player and work together to overcome the challenges ahead. Trust me, you're gonna need each other to survive this campaign. And hey, who knows - maybe you'll even make some lifelong friends along the way.
• Immersion: If you can be in character, you should be in character! Roleplaying is all about improv, saying yes, and going with the flow. And let's be real, the best roleplay experiences can't happen if people are constantly breaking character for no reason. I mean, that's just not good improv, folks. So, here's the deal - we expect our players to remain in character as often as possible at the table. This is theater, after all, and we need to act like we're on stage. So let's embrace our inner thespians, folks, and get ready to bring this story to life like never before.
• Rules and Terms & Conditions: Excluding homebrew, the overall rules of “gameplay” are pretty standard and in accordance with RAW.
• Milestone Leveling: You'll level up according to the story. This means that we can focus less on the grind and more on a steady progression as the story builds. And let's be real, who wants to spend all their time grinding anyway? (Not me, that's for sure. #worldbuilding).
• Table Etiquette: Be willing to listen to others and grow. I mean, let's be real - part of growing close to others and forming real relationships is learning that you can't just have carbon copies of yourself. And let's face it, none of us are perfect. So, here's the deal - emotions might flare up, idiosyncrasies might arise, and sometimes, there might be a little friction. But that's all part of being human, folks. And to be a truly good friend and player, you must always be willing to listen to your peers and adapt accordingly. I mean, that's just part of being an adult. And who knows - maybe you'll learn a thing or two about yourself along the way. (Or maybe you'll just learn that you're really bad at listening. Either way, it's a learning experience.) So let's embrace our humanity, folks, and get ready to form some real relationships at this table.
• Communication: Poor scheduling and bad communication are like the kryptonite of D&D campaigns. And we don't want any kryptonite around here, do we? (No, we do not.) So, if you're part of this group, that means you've gotta keep those communication lines open. If you're someone who likes to manipulate your availability or you're just plain untrustworthy when it comes to communication, well, let's just say that you'll be removed faster than a married paladin in a brothel. (Okay, maybe that's not the best analogy, but you get the idea.)
• Showtime: Alright folks, it's time to shine! When we all arrive at the table, it's like the lights come on and the show begins! I mean, we take a lot of pride and care with our performance here, and we treat it like real theater most of the time. (No, we don't have an intermission or a concession stand, but we're working on it.) It's okay if you're not the best voice actor or you don't have a Shakespearean-level monologue prepared. (Although if you do, please share. We're always looking for some high-quality entertainment.) What matters to us is that you tried and put in the effort. Because at the end of the day, that's what makes this campaign special - the effort and enthusiasm that we all bring to the table.
• Pay attention: When someone's consistently getting distracted it's easy to derail the immersion and fun, it's like throwing a wrench in the whole machine. And let me tell you, it's not a fun sound. That's why we have specific policies in place to make sure everyone's time and effort is being respected. And listen, we all get it - sometimes the outside world can be pretty darn distracting. (Have you seen TikTok lately? It's a black hole, I tell ya.) But here's the deal - we hold each other accountable for paying attention and staying focused, because we all want to have a good time and make the most of this campaign.
• Spotlight: Do you find yourself hogging the spotlight/air every session? Are you someone who constantly talks over others? Are you selfish about the story and really only care about where your character is going every episode? Are you hoarding all the gold and being a murder hobo? This group isn’t for you.

What We Expect & Ask of You

• As the Dungeon Master, I want to make it clear that we're not just looking for players - we're looking for friends. Our aim is to build real, lasting friendships through this game. We've been playing together for a while and plan on playing for even longer. As we add more people to our community, we hope to grow together as a team!
• We don't want any satellite players here. We want active members who will contribute to the group beyond just showing up and playing.
• Honesty is crucial to us. We demand that everyone in our group has integrity not only for us, but for themselves as well. Whether it's scheduling conflicts, personal issues, or anything in between, we want friends who will be honest with each other. As the saying goes, "If you don't heal your wounds, you end up bleeding on others you might care for."
• Players are here to play, not watch. We want everyone at the table to engage with the world, the DM, and their fellow players. If you're taking up a seat at this table, you must actively participate in the story every session. You cannot sit back and listen to it.
• This campaign is meant to be challenging. It's supposed to be deep, confusing, and enthralling around every corner. There are no billboards telling you where to go next, no tutorials, and no easy modes. The intricate web being spun by the many powers of this story and world will take all of your combined minds to figure out. Our group wants a game that keeps us on our toes, so if you think you can just "fight" your way to victory, you'll be dead by morning light.
• Lastly, we love theory crafting. We want everyone to give their input and help us figure out the best moves for the group. Part of being an active player here is contributing to the campaign and helping us navigate this crazy world. So let's get ready to play and work together to make this an unforgettable campaign!

Timeline:

• Stage 2 Interviews: 5/29/23-6/22/23
• Public Applications Close: 6/12/23
• Stage 3 Interviews: 6/23/23-7/1/23
• Final Picks: 7/15/23 (or as soon as possible)
• Campaign Start Date: 8/5/23 or 8/6/23

I realize this might seem like a very intensive process, however we're being very thorough. Because we have gotten so many excellent applicants, we are going to have no choice but to make some hard decisions.
Picks:

• 1 Full-time Player
• 5-6 Guest Players; These will play notable NPC/PCs for dedicated sections or arcs. Arcs will be designed with YOU in mind. We might expand this list depending on how this goes with the first few people, and how many sessions it takes to close out an arc.
• (Maybe) some Alt/Guest DMs; These will voice one or more characters, recurring antagonists, etc.

Are you a dungeon master?
Making campaigns like these is our passion. We love going HIGH production value, HIGH quality. If this is something that you love too and you want to dungeon master in our world, we would LOVE to talk to you. As you can tell from this post, there's not enough dungeon masters out there doing this (clearly way overboard) level of effort.

Planning on running some wiring in my crawl. The crawl itself and access door are plenty large enough for me to get through, I've done crawl work before in places where the access door is higher, but in this house it's entirely below ground level and accessed through a well that must require any crew accessing it pick their smallest guy and not let him eat breakfast that morning. From the looks of it, the well used to be deeper, but the builders neglected to properly anchor the sides and the soil has compressed it back toward the door over time.
Since I want to be able to access this, I plan on removing the current well, digging out the area around it, and putting something more spacious in its place. I've seen a few options and wondered what experience people had with them. One would be the Turtl. It looks solid, but it's fairly pricey. Other options I've considered would be larger steel wells like this, a fiberglass egress well normally used for basement escape windows, or building something out of brick.