There is over 1 million people living in my city and I've met this guy twice I'll call him Luke for thid. Once through an old temp job, and after that ended I never expected I'd see him again. Then Luke showed up with one of my friends at a bar, what are the odds? He lives in a different area of the city. We don't have anything in common to connect us but Luke met my friend recently and then I met up with my friend and there he was with my friend. I used to have a thing for Luke a while back at my old job and apparently he flirted with me too but I was too dumb to see that. Meeting again seems like more than just a coincidence. The day before we met something happened.
I've been with my current partner I'll call him Alec for a while but the day before I saw Luke again Adam said something to me. This is the same thing that most of my exs have said and then the relationship ends soon afterwards and Adam said it to me. That one phrase I hear over and over when a relationship is going to end. Hearing that the day before and seeing Luke the say after seems too much like a sign to be a coincidence. It seems like fate to me that things are going to end with Adam since he said that same phrase that I always hear before a relationship ends and then seeing Luke again when the odds of us crossing paths again seems so slim.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder, so I tend to read into things too much and see connections where there are none and I dont know if this is fate or just my brain over reacting so an outside perspective helps. What do you think, fate meeting Luke again or just a coincidence?

NOT looking for a pic dump
Tele jckbf123
My innocent gf is away so I'm alone for the night. Need to submit to alphas like the bitch I am. Love tasks, risks, degrading, bullying, etc.

What was the purpose and utility of the biblical texts of J, E, P, and D before they were merged and how widely were their texts and narratives circulated? I am aware of a few references in the Bible to public readings - in particular, during the Josian reforms and after Ezra's arrival in Judea (which I guess was at least arguably pre-redaction), but that falls far short of what must have been the scope and reach of such texts during the centuries prior to redaction.
I'm in the process of absorbing Karel Van Der Toorn's "Scribal Culture and the Making of the Hebrew Bible," and I'm amenable to the notion that scribal culture, both as distinct from and as an element of Israelite general and priestly culture, would have been a primary driver for numerous aspects of the Bible's development. But what I don't think I'm grasping is how the texts themselves would have been utilized vis-a-vis those cultures.
For example, modern scholars believe the Deuteronomic Law Code was "found" in the Temple and read in public as, basically, PR for the Josian reforms. It's easy enough to draw conclusions about how the Covenant Code and Priestly Code would have been utilized, and why they would have been copied.
But why would anyone copy the story of the Exodus, or the Annals of the Kings of Judah, or the Books of Samuel? I would have expected those books to have existed in one copy, where they were written. Similarly, I can imagine some of the songs - psalms and psalm-like poems that could have been part of worship - being copied for simultaneous use by different priests, or upon establishment of a cultic site in a different city. But why the blessings of Jacob and Moses? Why the Song of Deborah?
And if these scrolls were not copied, are we left to conclude that the redactors, including at least DH and the final redactor, utilized the one extant copy of each of the works that were incorporated into their collections? The final redactor worked well after the Babylonian exile - are we to presume that the manuscripts he worked with survived in their sole copies through the destruction of Jerusalem and the ensuing decades of exile? Or that somehow, books that in some cases were written only a few decades before the Babylonian exile had sufficient circulation to be readily available to a redactor a hundred years later?

Is there a detailed record of every game we play? Like, a complete, detailed record (in JSON or text or whatever) of every move made by every player, along with details about the map and weather results and barbarian spawns, etc., such that the record could be examined by a neural net/machine learning algorithm to figure out how to play?
Or maybe have the AI play the game against itself a trillion times every second* until it figures out how to play the game well (like, say, Stockfish or AlphaZero did for chess).
I wonder if that's possible. It could lead to a worthy AI opponent.
*A joke but you know what I mean.

Thanks for letting me join. I love fiction whether it's in writing, audiobook, a stage performance, TV or feature film. I also like reading about behind-the-scenes, casting etc.
Is it stupid or self-absorbing to cry when I feel sad/emotional about a character's fate when reading/watching or listening. I know it's not real, it's a creation of many things: writer, director, cast performance, crew decisions etc. I still get emotional.

Evening folks,
With spinning up a new community, we need to worry about our own version of lostech, and that's losing all of the wonderful content, tools, utilities, and insight that was collected over the years. This is a great opportunity to collate and collect useful resources for new players, loremasters, and veterans alike. So I will attempt to keep this post as up to date as humanly possible with the best of the best of informative content, regardless of it's source (bearing rules compliance, of course). If I missed something? Post it here, I'll add it. Something need's expanded coverage? Someone might know a source.
If this grows too large for a post, I will move the content to a google doc. As of posting this is the extent of the links I have. More are always welcome.
Official Links
BattleTech Website News and Announcements Downloads Forums The official site for the game.
Sarna.net The Official BattleTech Wiki
Catalyst Game Labs BattleTech Store
BattleTech Universe Primer
The Master Unit List: AlphaStrike Record Database
Camo Specs Paint Schemes Database
Mercenaries KS Updates Feed
Iron Wind Metals The Official Metal Miniatures Manufacturer
Notable Ongoing Community Projects
MegaMek a java based Battletech Software Suite.
Unit Color Compendium an MWO based paint scheme database.
Open Warhex an open source 3d terrain/heroscape alternative.
Rules Compliant Community Submitted Assets and Resources
You Bought a Box Set, Now What A guide to getting deeper into BattleTech as a game by Sartris
BattleTech Document Collection A series of google sheets and supporting documents for collectors and players alike by Sierra Invenio
Mech Data Analytics A series of highly technical data sets and interactive graphs for Battlemech designing by Sian University Data Sciences Institute
BattleTech Novel Reading Order A short (<10minute) video detailing the order in which the novels should be read, and why, by Sven Van Der Plank
Content Creators and Fan Content
I will be honest, I have so far only indulged in Tex's work, as it's compatible with my on-the-road-for-14-hours-a-day life style, so I know I'm going to miss a bunch of you, and since I do not wish to offend anyone with a presumably shocking ignorance to those around me, please submit your favorite CCs/Sources of information, with a 1 sentence descriptor of what to expect from them, or the specific project, and I will add it up.
I am hoping with your help, we can create the ultimate landing pad for new and returning members of the BattleTech community as they filter into this sub!
Thanks all! ~ [RR] Sierra Invenio

School bully Jiang Shaoyan has a new roommate who can't be driven away. "Don't drive me away, okay, senior, I'm very good..." Jiang Shaoyan frowned and looked at the cowardly and well-behaved person in front of him, thinking that he wouldn't be able to make any waves. It turned out... Big E! ... Read Shh! My Dear Alpha - Chapter 15 - MangaPuma. Read more at https://mangapuma.com/shh-my-dear-alpha/chapter-15

• M103: A classic heavy tank. It can go hulldown, but the turret cheeks are quite weak to some tanks. The playstyle is also quite boring to me, but overall its still a nice tank. 6/10
  
• M5 Yoh: Great gun choices, but I prefer the three shot gun on this tank, unlike the tier 10, cus the two shot gun on this tank loads way too long. Great turret armor as long as u hide the hatch, alright speed. Overall a great tank. 8/10
  
• T54E1: Now, b4 u call me a noob, I view this as a tier 9 T57 Heavy but a bit more mobile, so I often play it like the T57. Amazing gun but the lack of HE kinda sucks. Armor can bounce sometimes, but its basically unprotected (like the T57). Overall a great heavium. 9/10
  
• T30: lets be real, after 10.0 its basically a heavy. great turret, incredible gun that punches so fken hard for a tier 9, and the buffed speed is rlly good too. the gun can miss sometimes but when it hits, man it hits hard. 10/10
  
• VK 45.02 B: a rather unique side scrape heavy at tier 9. it is definitely a fun tank to play for me w the incredible side scrape ability it has. the speed isnt that great tho. 8/10
  
• Mauschen: honestly, german super heavies arent my thing. the tank is too slow, and the armor doesnt hold up that much in this meta. stock grind is also a pain in the butt. its a great special mode tank tho. 5/10
  
• E75: its a nice tank. armor isnt as effective as the Tiger II’s but the gun hits pretty damn hard. it is also quite mobile. i kinda like it, its not a hard tank to play. 8/10
  
• IS-8: i dont understand the hate on this tank. its fantastic. the speed, the mobility, its just amazingly fast for a heavy. the gun performs rlly well too. sure, it doesnt have armor, but its not supposed to take shots in the first place. great tank. 9/10
  
• ST-1: its an alright tank. nice gun, great armor that can be trollish sometimes, and alright speed. its like the E75 but a lil bit more challenging to play. 7/10
  
• Conqueror: its a fantastic tank honestly. the new HESH gun it received some time ago rlly made the tank my top pick when i wanna play a tier 9. just imagine pounding tier 8s for 515 dmg every single shot. the speed boost it has also makes it fken strong. my favorite tier 9 heavy. 10/10
  
• Type 68: its a nice tank. the mobility equipment it gets makes a difference for me. the turret buff it got helps a lot too. the gun depression can be frustrating sometimes, but hey i brought that upon myself so i cant complain lol. 8.5/10
  
• WZ 111 1-4: what can i say, its an IS-8 w a better gun. fantastic gun w high 460 alpha, great speed, plus some armor too. 9/10
  
• AMX 50 120: before 10.0 i would rate this piece of shit a 5/10 bcus the armor sucks and the intraclip is slow, but with the introduction of a 4 shot gun and a better 3 shot gun, i rlly enjoy it more. the new 2.7s intraclip makes a huge difference. i like this tank. 8.5/10
  
• CC 1 Mk2: yea its basically a heavy. great alpha and its nice to have an autoreloader too, but i feel like the reserve shell mechanic kills it. its also slow and the armor isnt that great either. just an alright tank for me. 7/10
  
• Emil 2: this one is much better than the Italian TD hybrid. very nice autoreloader system with no reserve shell mechanic, making it not become useless after emptying the clip. nice turret armor and great mobility w the speed boost. 9/10
  
• 50TP: its a nice tank. nice gun, great armor, alrighty mobility, and tungsten shells. the blow it delivers with tungsten shells is just absolutely amazing. i rlly enjoyed this tank and this line in general. 8.5/10
  
• Vz.51: the newest tech tree tank. it is quite similar to the IS-8 in a way. it has nice speed for a heavy, great turret armor, and the aiming mechanic comes in handy. its nothing special, just overall an enjoyable tank. 8/10
  
• WZ 114: china’s first super heavy. it is probably my least favorite premium/ collectors heavy tank. great alpha damage, nice super consumables, but the speed and the armor it has isnt that great. 6/10
  
• 50TP Prototyp: i dont understand why this thing is so much faster than the 50TP in return for 20 less alpha damage. great armor too. the hell wg? 9.5/10
  
• KPz 70: i love this tank. its the T30 that traded some alpha for great speed. insane turret armor. 560 alpha damage is also fken lovely on a tier 9 heavy. 10/10
  
• Regressor: so if u take the 50TP Proto’s speed and pair it w the 50TP’s gun and armor, and then u slap the Czech heavies’ mechanic on top of it, u get this tank. u gotta pay up for this tank bcus yea, wargaming amirite? NP/10 (NP = Not played)
  
• AE Phase 1: nice tank. i dont have it so idk much abt it. it seems like a better M103 tho. NP/10
  
• TL-7-120: im not a fan of this. no armor, same gun as M103, alright speed. but the tumor on its head is so huge and unarmored. 5/10
  
• K-91: a nice tank, but i cant put my finger on it. the 3.5s intraclip rlly makes the tank meh for me. prolly skill issue on my end. 6/10
  
• Obj 752: this thing has great armor, great alpha damage w a two shot autoloader w nice dpm too. also nice speed. its such a good tank. i fucking love it ngl. 10/10
  
• Obj 452K: no info, but stats seems promising. armor seems good, nice gun. basically a traditional heavy i think. NP/10
  

My friend group is planning to make decks that center around an anime, where we plan to create alter art for our cards according to the anime we’ve chosen. The anime theme I want to go with is the Fate series.
Decks: Kykar(polymorph): perhaps into the many different servants
Tatyova: haven’t decide how this will fit (ideas would be appreciated
Arden/ Tana ( voltron): perhaps using any servant then change the art of the weapons into different swords
Yoshimaru/ thrasios( voltron/legend): same concept for the theme of the other voltron
Any felllow MTG players, know which ones would make the most sense?

First
Prev
Corva fiddled with an empty medicine bottle, he looked at the labels and peeled them, only to stick it on the bottle again, he would screw off the cap and screw it back on repeatedly. It was an old habit of his, just looking at random things and playing with them like a fidget toy, he only does it when he has nothing to do, ever since he got a job that habit disappeared, but now, all he can do is lay down on the bed of a hospital tent, and he's also technically currently unemployed. Since no company is going to recruit anyone in the middle of an invasion from killer robots. He thought back to what happened yesterday, when Lavoss came into the tent and confronted Kawl.
"You're still awake?"
"Hmm?"
He was still curious about it, what did Lavoss mean by traitor? Did Kawl kill someone? He doesn't look like someone who would do such a thing, whatever it was that he did though, it was significant enough for Lavoss to hit him in the head with the stock of his gun knocking him out cold. It was shocking to see, he was awfully calm up until the point he said something about the traitor part and not a moment later Kawl was on the ground unconscious with a gun stock shaped dent on the chitin protecting his head. Everyone gasped, except Mari, the nurse, she looked like she expected it for a long time and stayed calm.
"Do you have trouble sleeping?"
She asked as she came back with another box of medical supplies.
"No, just… didn't feel like it"
"What do you mean you don't feel like sleeping?"
She put the box down and walked up to him.
"Well… i got plenty of sleep yesterday, spent the rest of it sleeping, didn't i? And most of today as well"
"With all due respect that doesn't justify staying up until the middle of the night, besides, you need rest"
"Same thing can be said about you… I haven't seen you take any kind of break, even the doctor's not here, why are you?"
"The downside of being the only qualified nurse left around, not the only one in the camp of course, just the only one left for this tent, besides… it's my duty to watch over the patients, and make sure they have enough sleep…"
She raised her voice a little on that last word, as well as throwing a glance at other patients that were already asleep.
"Subtle…"
"Right i am, now sleep"
"I've tried, i don't think i can"
"So you do have trouble sleeping, hold on, i think i have something for that in stock"
"No thanks, can we just… talk? It's been some time since I've had a friendly talk with anyone, just… Not about anything in particular, you know? Just talk"
"Hmm… fine, when was the last time then?"
"Right before the invasion… right before he lost his life…"
"Let's… not talk about that…"
"Wise…"
"Uhm… What's your job?"
"QC, for quality control, in an arms factory"
"A factory worker? You looked way cleaner than i thought you would"
"If i were working in the assembly i think you would change your mind about that, but no, QC's don't get their hand dirty often, maybe once in a while when a weapon explodes on them"
"Huh… ever had one?"
"Personally? No, have I seen it? Yes, funny story, when i first got accepted i had this instructor, telling us how to check the quality of products, the first rifle he picked up to show us how to check the pulse had a faulty wiring on it, too much energy, it blew up on his face while a group of new QC's was watching, safe to say he doesn't like it when some of us laughed"
"Poor guy, Reminded of someone"
"Who?"
"My sister"
"Oh i…"
"Oh don't worry, it's nothing sensitive, it's like your story, she's a teacher, been one for a while even before she got here, so when she got here to Rosan she was considered a senior teacher, and when new ones needs a tour of their workplace and know how to handle the kids they relied on her, now one day she was guiding a new teacher…"
"Mhm?"
"And she was like… maybe she wants to show off a little bit, I don't know, but from what she told me, she said to this new teacher something along the lines of: 'look at these children! So behaved! If you want to do that you have to learn from me' or something like that… and… not a second after that, one of the kids who were playing threw a wet ball of paper and it hit her right in the back of the head"
Corva had to spend some willpower trying not to laugh, remembering that he was the one who laughed when his instructor blew himself up along with Kasso didn't make it any easier.
"Oh the look of embarrassment on her face, didn't see it myself, but i wish i did, i can feel her esteem crumble every time i mention it, it was cute to see her just shrink and try to hide her face"
"Oh… you'll like it when you see how my friend acts around girls, Kasso, he…"
Mari was a bit confused why Corva suddenly fell silent, why he looked at the ground with a frown, until she remembered what he said, and it clicked on her.
Right before he lost his life
"I'm sorry for your loss"
"It's fine, i'm sure he's in a better place… much better than this… hellhole"
She wanted to comment on his sudden pessimism, but decided that won't be so wise considering he's not wrong, no matter how many times she tries to ignore it, she has to admit, their current situation is a hellhole.
"I suppose that's enough talk for now…"
"...."
"I advise you sleep now, you'll get tired"
He didn't respond, and just went to sleep without another word, and an unchanged expression of sorrow. She sighed and returned to her work, sorting the type of medications into different containers.
"When will it all end?"
—-~----
It was calm… and black… that is about all Schen can think about regarding his current state, he can't tell if he's dreaming, or if he's asleep or awake, it's just that he is aware. It was a strange feeling, like being asleep physically but not mentally, he feels like he's floating, without a body, like there's nothing that can limit him. And yet at the same time he can't do anything, he was just aware, and drifting away in this weird state of half dream. For some reason, he thought of those tales of people who 'died' , people who experienced long comas, and the tale of their supposed journey to this place between the mind and the world.
Ridiculous stories, barely believable, and uninteresting if you ask him. And yet, here he is now, aware of what's happening, he remembers everything, he passed out from blood loss, after fighting one of those things. He wants to wake up, check on his men, maybe meet up with Captain Vaiya and make up a plan on what to do next regarding their situation. But you can't wake up when you don't even have control over your eyes, so it was more of a waiting game, an annoying one, knowing what's happening and yet can't act on it. He'd rather be actually dead over this, at least if he's dead he doesn't have to worry about anything. The problem is, he knows he's alive, it's just that his body is not responding to him, nor can he feel it.
It took what felt like hours, since he wasn't actually asleep, he was paralyzed but still conscious. After an agonizing few hours, he felt the first bodily sensation, his finger, it graduated to the feeling of his hand resting on a soft surface, probably some sort of bed, he can feel his breath as well. He started feeling his body, little by little, unfortunately, now that he feels his body again, he can feel what his body feels, and that is pure unadulterated pain. On his head, on his leg, his back, his arm, everywhere, he doesn't remember getting hit that much, but apparently he did. His back arched from trying to suppress it, and he let out a grunt that was too loud for his standard.
"Calm down! Don't move just yet…"
A voice, good, that means he should be in a friendly area now. He opened one of his eyes with a considerable amount of struggle, and saw the face of an Enovian with a waterproof paramedic hat on through his blurry vision.
"I've had worse…"
What a word for him to say before his back gave up on him and suddenly went limp, triggering pain in many areas of his body.
"Aergh…"
He grunted with some exasperation and regret. Maybe he shouldn't be showing off at this kind of age, it's not good for his bones.
"Where's our painkillers?"
—-~----
"Captain?"
"Yes?"
"He's awake"
"Just? or?..."
"For awhile, he needed some time to actually get up, thought we'll just wait for him before telling you"
"Alright, thank you, i'll be there, a wonder he survived though, and to wake up this early"
"It is, his wounds were near fatal, he was essentially one light tap away from a fractured skull"
"Tough little guy… you can go now, there are others no?"
"Oh…yes, sorry ma'am"
Vaiya turned off her personal datapad, and stood up from her command seat. She dusted some metal dust off her uniform and made her way to the recruitment office turned into a temporary medical bay. She walked through a collection of the remaining crew of the ship, some simply threw a glance at her, some greeted her, and some gave her a salute. She noted the look of despair in their eyes and sighed, but kept on walking as that isn't her goal right now. She arrived at a door with a plate next to it that says: 'recruitment', the plate had an electrical tape with a writing on it that says: 'medical bay now' stuck haphazardly on top of it.
It isn't a neon sign, but it works. She opened the door manually with her hand as most of the doors in administration are now unpowered, inside was simple, four 'beds' laid on the floor, with most of the desks removed, the remaining medical crews stay here now, treating anyone they can. Including the new security captain, Schon, who she spotted sitting on his bed half awake wrapped in blood caked bandages, while clearly struggling to drink from a glass cup. He looked oddly… calm, like he's not surprised he's here at all. Granted, she did rescue him from becoming minced meat, and it's only logical to assume there are survivors holding out somewhere, but he looks absolutely unfazed, as if he had this happen before.
"SC Schon?"
She walked up to him, he gave an unsurprised look and went back to doing his best to drink.
"Captain…"
"Nice to see you awake already, i figured it would take a long time but you prove me wrong…"
"Uh-huh…."
"About that status report you ask for-"
"I already know, stranded, no engine, almost all crew dead, ship's practically scrapped, light's dying, and surrounded by killer machines chewing on the hull, and Rosan IV isn't so lucky either"
"Yes… unfortunate is it?"
"Yes, but right now I don't care, how's my men?"
"Your what?"
"My subordinates"
"Ah… they're… few, 50… down to you and two others, i'm sorry"
"I see… who?"
"Koern, and Ayuna"
Schen wasn't paying much attention to the captain, he simply stared off into the distance, but hearing the young Caevit's name roll off her tongue took his attention.
"Really?... Thank you, but you're not here just for that right?"
Now that he actually pays some attention to her, he noticed her face change, a bit more tense.
"You read my mind, come"
"I can barely move my lips and you want me to walk?"
She looks around for a minute before looking back at him.
"I don't mind carrying someone"
"Huh?"
—-~----
"If i have credit for every time a Tekit lady carries me in her arms while i can barely move, i'll have two"
Schen commented on his current position, it earned him a confused and curious look from the captain. She took him to an uninhabited room to talk, as it turns out most of the administration has been turned to some sort of holdout for whoever's left alive in the ship. She set him down on a chair and followed suit, sitting right in front of him.
"So what is this? Is there something you want to know? If it's about this whole thing then you're talking to a wall"
Her behavior was odd, Schen noted, she seems… agitated, not angry, just stirred, like something's bugging her. He can understand being scared, but the way she moves suggests whatever's currently happening isn't the case.
"Nothing much… i just want… confirmation"
"Go ahead…"
"So… I heard that Koern asked you for help, is that so?"
"Yeah? Got to me after he said you can't help"
"Do you know what his issue was?"
"Yes, random images and voice recordings from his cousin"
"Okay… where does his cousin lives?"
"In Rosan IV and from what i heard, it's about as messed up as this ship"
"That is correct, do you-"
"Wait, can we just get to the point here? What's the issue? Why are you suddenly interested in Koern's problem?"
"I… because…"
"Hmm?"
"...Because i've been having the same problem, what you said, random images, and voice recordings, now i know it's exactly the same, that is what i want to know"
"Huh… okay… so?..."
"There's one difference… his problem started today, during the jump, my problem has been going on for the last five cycles"
"....."
"And I want to know one more thing, please, answer this honestly… do you see it?"
He can feel her agitation increase tenfold as she asks the question. She was normal, now she's visibly shaking.
"See what?..."
"The shape…"
"Shape?"
"Please tell me you saw it too, i… I've been thinking about it… for a long time… ever since I've peered into those images, there's a shape stuck in my eyes, it's burned itself into my mind, and I feel it…. Everyday i think i see something in the corner of my eyes, i hear noises that aren't there, closer and closer every time!…. It… it was getting closer… the shape…"
Her stare became intense, like the stare of a crazed person.
"i… don't know…"
"Oh but you know! You saw it!... Just as I did… it sees you, but you can barely see it, it's there… watching… First it stays in the image, then it creeps into you, haunts you, then you see it hide everytime you turn your head… it follows you, everywhere you go… in your sleep… when you work… all the time…"
Her breathing was rapid, almost uncontrolled.
"Perhaps… that's just you, i do not experience these"
"It may not now, but it will…. Because it has to me, it's like a tumor, and it won't go away, no matter how hard i try… it's still there…"
She calmed down slightly, her breathing was normal again, sort of, and she's no longer shaking, but the stare is still there, the stare of true fear, striking deep into his soul. As she calmed down more and thankfully finally averted her gaze elsewhere, Schen took the downtime to process what he just listened to, and his conclusion was: what the ////?
"Sorry… i… i just… i needed to know… i need to know if i'm not the only one… now i know it's in you too, not now, but soon, t-thank you"
"Your… welcome…"
"Should we return?"
"We…"
He pondered about asking her to take him to the bridge, so he can look out and see what's happening outside the ship, but now he's reconsidering it, because of that… experience.
"...Yes, we should"
She let go of his arms, he didn't even realize it, but she was holding on to him tight the whole time.
"Of course… of course, let's make this quick…"
—-~----
Schen observed Captain Vaiya as she left the medical room, he noted her sudden return to her previous well mannered behavior, he can still see a tinge of anxiety in her eyes and movements however, and realized how similar it was to Koern's behavior. Anxiety, unease, massive discomfort, moving around constantly, and eyes snapping to random positions as if they're trying to catch something on the move. It was unmistakable, Schen recalled back to his conversation with Koern, about something he said.
'it's… distressing'
Koern did look at the images before coming to him, and it was clear the images caused it, if Vaiya had something similar or identical happen, he can assume the cause for her distress is the same. But one question remains that still baffles him: how? How do random images do that? Implanting irrational fear into someone, making them see things that aren't there, what is happening? And now that he considers it, he did see the images, is he going to fall victim to the same thing? Why hasn't he felt anything if those images can do that to someone through just a mere look at it?
One question leads to another, and it all gets more complicated the longer he tries to solve it. He wanted to ignore it, maybe they were just unstable and he misjudged the whole thing, but he can't help but feel there's something to it, it's clear those images and recordings somehow were sent by the creatures currently roaming the ship, he sees the connection, but why? And how? Psychological warfare? Maybe, that was the most rational answer he could come up with. With their clear situation of being in the middle of an invasion, he can only assume such an answer, but applying it to only a few specific targets seems beyond strange.
He pinched his snout in frustration, before taking a deep breath and exhaling it as slowly as he could. Perhaps he shouldn't think of it too much for now, maybe that's how it gets into you, the shape… whatever it is. He looked around his surroundings, a 'medical' room, previously an office, he watched the doctors treat the wounded as he thought of his next step. Looking outside the ship should be a good idea, he had asked a nurse about the whole situation before Vaiya showed up, they told him the entire star system has fallen, Rosan IV was silent, any attempts at communication and call for help were futile, the other planets around the system, some are yet to be named, are the same.
That means those things have been here for a while, and somehow stayed out of the union's radar. He remembered the emerging stories of Rosan IV, how it became a ghost, how communications were far and few between, how many ships that traveled to its system went missing and ones that returned had signs of heavy damage on them, and how their crews looked 'lifeless'. If Rosan's system has been like this for some time, wouldn't that mean any ship that comes here would suffer the same fate as his ship?.
Why would some return and look 'fine' was beyond him, but a thought nestled itself in his mind, a terrifying thought, it made his blood run cold, the thought that these things have spread beyond this solar system, spread silently, in cargo ships that travel to every corner of union space. Suddenly people seeing shapes and hearing sounds after they look at an image doesn't sound horrifying anymore.
"////…"
—-~----
Faen sat in his office, for the millionth time, he stared at his computer, for the millionth time, he opened the files containing the Qrid military spending, for the millionth time, he looked at the reports file, for the millionth time. It has always been like this, being a general wasn't all about giving orders and making war plans, most of his time was spent in front of his computer, looking at the passive activity of his army, and its spendings, receiving calls or calling someone to see if he can learn something new about someone else's army. Look at pirate reports, raiders, terrorists, radicalist, sometimes cultists, it has always been like this, looking away at the computer, looking at files, always has been.
He wouldn't say he couldn't make wartime decisions, if one were to ever occur, he's always confident he can, after all he has learned from both his father and many mentors. He trained for it, for war, he trained how to control an army in such a situation for pretty much his whole life, he doesn't have to, but it's better to know how to fight than not at all. You never know when it'll come, maybe now, maybe in years during your old days, maybe never, but if it ever does come, he knows what to do, whether he likes it or not. It's a part of his pride, his identity, though he couldn't say much about his son, and everyday he worries about not having a successor, not having someone to pass the torch to, and as time marches on indiscriminately, his worry can only grow.
Sometimes he wondered if should've been harsh, and not fulfill his wish to go to university so he can learn computer science, and put him in the very school he himself went through to become what he is now. But that's not a good father, isn't it? It would be against his wish, and he would've needed to force him, it's what his son's grandfather did… to him, he still thinks about it, about his original dream. A singer, a far cry from a supreme general, he remembered the angry face of his father upon learning what he wanted to be, it felt like it happened just yesterday. He never liked it, not once, despite managing to prove himself worthy as a leader of an army in the end of everything.
And to think, he was almost like that, to his own son, he couldn't handle the thought. Faen took his eyes off the screen, just for a moment, and looked at another one, a camera display, showing his son's room. Rana was sleeping, as usual and as he should be at a time like this, he looked at him through the screen, at his arm, and thought about his latest conversation with the woman he loved.
"Disappointment, huh?"
He felt a subtle pain in his chest out of nowhere, he opened the drawer on his desk through a motion that tells of excessive habit, and absentmindedly took his medication without looking. With a sigh, he looked at a small button to his right. There was a screen above it that had a list of people considered significant enough to be contacted by him directly, which ranged from the supreme generals of other species, to the head maiden that cleaned his and his son's bedroom. He looked for a specific one that he recently added, the surgeon that is the head of operation for the trials he had put Rana through for the last few cycles, the trials that he and his mother show complete disapproval to.
He found it and clicked the button, it was answered after some time and he entered a call with the surgeon.
"A pleasure to speak with you general"
"Hrm…"
"Is there something you wish to ask of me?"
"Yes… we should stop, no more trials"
"If that is what you want, then I will gladly comply, but may I ask why for the sudden stop? You seem invested in this when you first called me to arrange it"
"Family issues"
"that is-"
He cut the call short, and continued his work. Looking at the files, looking for differences every so often, making sure everything is stable and taken care of, and glancing at his son's monitor once in a while, and for the first time since his son graduated university, he smiled. Perhaps that's the right thing, to be a father, not a general. At least… for a moment, his smile disappeared as he received a call, it was marked as urgent, and was displayed on his screen instead of just a sound notification. He dusted his uniform and fixed any creases as he noticed the call wasn't just any call, it was a notice for him to join a discussion between supreme generals of each species and their respective leaders, that includes the matriarch.
It is odd he wasn't notified of this earlier, oftentimes these kinds of things have their own schedule that was discussed beforehand, a sudden meeting like this can only mean one thing. He accepted the call, and his screen changed to the display he's all too familiar with, a digital conference room, two lines of camera display, the bottom for the generals, the top for the leaders, they were all present, which is to be expected. The matriarch of Qrids, the Tekit queen, the Caevitan allfather, high empress of Enovia, and the Civean president, the current roster of union council, below them was him, and other generals, including general Cynte of the Civeans.
He still remembers his little offer to make an accident to highlight Rana's name, after the reveal of the Goels and the incident it was kept as a private thing between them that didn't really go anywhere. He doesn't want to talk about it, neither does Cynte, so it was technically a win-win situation, despite the unexpected and frankly out of their favor results. The call was oddly silent, no one was saying anything even the loud ones like his mother, they seemed to be waiting for something, or someone. Faen didn't question it, it would be considered stupid, so he too followed the silence. It was a strange and awkward few minutes of staring at each other not saying anything, up until what they waited for arrived in the call.
Another screen appeared above all ten screens, and on it was something he dreaded to see, the collection of red revolving rings, Cain. Practically every general present felt tense, including him, the leaders couldn't care less, except maybe for the Civean president who expressed the most worry as they all waited for Cain to speak. Sudden meeting, all members, and Cain, and considering their latest development with the Goels, this couldn't be good. The red rings assemble into the shape of a solar system like it did when it appeared on the monitors of his warship, and Cain spoke with his usual low pitched synthesized voice that everyone in the room knew quite well.
'it is no doubt all of you will question why I requested this urgent meeting, i apologize if any of you found it to be too sudden, but what I have to tell you will change your mind, and I will not waste your time, as we are in a race against time itself… the union has been breached by an invader, you are under attack, and in a process of galaxy wide invasion'
No, definitely not good.
"What do you mean by this?"
Faen immediately asked, as much as he distrust Cain, he must agree with his mindset that no time should be wasted. And it seems his question stopped a particular set of leaders trying to speak, stopping them from blurting out what are probably4 going to be pointless sarcastic remarks, so that was another benefit of speaking first.
'your union is currently under the invasion of a race that is arguably similar to me, we call them Shakran'
The display of red rings changed to a scrolling collection of images, images of… Faen doesn't know how to describe it, bipedal creatures, made of metal, and grossly disfigured bodies, with sharp claws and many eyes. Every single thing varies, some of the things in the images looked small and only had claws, some were massive and had what are clearly cannons as a weapon. He noted a certain detail about the images, they were blurry, and not straight, and some strange things were staring at the camera, while looking elsewhere. Something tells Faen these images were taken in the middle of active combat.
'They are a hivemind of machines, their sentience and sapience is debatable, but that does matter currently as their only goal is to destroy and conquer'
"Lies! If we were under an invasion from them, we would've known already! Besides… we already have an invader… we're talking to them right now"
The Tekit queen spoke with clear passive aggresive energy in her voice. Faen sighed in annoyance but kept it to himself.
'i understand the distrust, but it is no reason to make a sarcastic remark, however, you need to trust me on this matter, because their return can only mean danger to the union, and the universe as a whole, they are-'
"Wait, what do you mean… their return?"
'you all must've wondered how and why i and my brother ended up the way we did on that desert planet, what you are seeing on my screen is the answer to your question'
It didn't click for any of the leaders, their annoyed expression stays the same as Cain finished his sentence, but it clicked for every single military leader in the room, and it horrified them.
'my kind have encountered them before, my creators, it led to a war, a million year war, between me and them, they are what wiped my creators out of existence, and soon will be the cause of extinction for every single species in this union if we don't take any actions, since you refused, i have personally tracked every ship that left Rosan IV for the last six cycles, here is the data'
The scrolling images turned into a detailed map of the galaxy, with every single star system currently under union control included in it, there were red lines all over the map, they were all traced back all the way to one specific system, Rosan IV. A heavy weight rested itself on Schen's mind as he realized how far the lines have gone, to a point it crosses itself, wrapping around the galaxy in a circle, like some sort of a chaotic web.
'Rosan is lost, it is highly likely they have turned it into a staging ground, i know that we all have strived to avoid this, but war is inevitable, i have send a complete data regarding the Shakrans to all of you, please review it as fast as you can, and take your moves, as i will mine right now, alert your fleets, if they see my fleet entering a system, tell them they are here as an ally, i have been defeated once, i will not repeat the same mistake again, i hope you can catch up and help me, because there is no telling of what they will do once their setup is complete, and there is no telling whether or not i can do this alone'
"Wait! What should we do?"
'search and destroy, hunt down every ship that left the system, check every station, scan every inch of space, detonate stations, evacuate every planet they have visited then purge the cities and hammer the surface with orbital strikes if you might, but by all means… do not let. them. develop. That is all i have to say, my reinforcements are coming, but i do not know if there is enough time, act now'
And with that, Cain left the conference room, and at that very moment, it shattered, every world leader was either furious or dead silent with a look of horrific realization, his fellow generals went into a panic and contacted their fleets. Except for him, he simply sat there, unmoving and very still, staring at the galaxy map Cain had brought up, looking at one particular star system, crossed several times by the red lines, and surrounded by it, Sheneae XI, isn't that?... The solar system his wife is visiting to look at a newly opened hospital?.
(a TON of RIC's)

My friend group is planning to make decks that center around an anime, where we plan to create alter art for our cards according to the anime we’ve chosen. The anime theme I want to go with is the Fate series. Decks: Kykar(polymorph): perhaps into the many different servants
Tatyova: haven’t decide how this will fit (ideas would be appreciated
Arden/ Tana ( voltron): perhaps using any servant then change the art of the weapons into different swords
Yoshimaru/ thrasios( voltron/legend): same concept for the theme of the other voltron
Any felllow MTG players, know which ones would make the most sense?

Oden was royalty and had conqueror's haki yet he didn't care to take on the responsibilities of a king. He even decided to serve under others instead of leading (expect for being a commander I guess).
Doesn't the fact that Wano ended up becoming ruined contradict the idea of carving out your own fate or did I misunderstand/miss something important?

First of all, I searched this here and in the internet... and didn't have a solid answer so... here it comes.
Why do I need to know how many knights I rally in a rally roll?
It's something like why do I have to roll for follower's fate each roll if I don't know how many people is in my unit?
I mean of course outside the narrative help, but... mechanically... why? where do I use that result or data?
Thanks, every light about this matter is appreciated :D

Steam Profile: https://steamcommunity.com/id/zicnarf
SteamRep: https://steamrep.com/profiles/76561198119381224
FEEL FREE TO CHECK COMMENTS ON MY STEAM PROFILE
2015 CACHE

Flowing Entropy	SPECTRE	25$

2016 CACHE

Nightsilver's Resolve	LUNA (1)	10$
Heir of Terror	BANE (1)	10$

2017 CACHE

Sovereign of the Kray Legions	SAND KING	12$
Cunning Corsair	RIKI	10$
Mechalodon Interdictor	GYROCOPTER	10$
Corruption of the Virulent Krait	VENOMANCER	15$
Shadowforce Gale	LUNA	10$
Secrets of the Katekhein	WINTER WYVERN	10$
Abyssal Vortex	ENIGMA	10$
Rumrunner's Carronade	BREWMASTER	SOLD https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198013926645/
Eternal Testament	DEATH PROPHET	12$
The Dread Prophet	NATURE's PROPHET	10$
Elder Convergence	JAKIRO	5$

2018 CACHE

Dread Ascendance	DOOM	15$
Raiments of the Obsidian Forge	UNDERLORD	10$
Raptures of the Abyssal Kin	QUEEN OF PAIN	8$
Visions of the Lifted Veil	PHANTOM ASSASSIN	25$
Forlorn Descent	UNDYING	10$
Molokau Stalker	VENOMANCER	5$
Morbific Provision	WITCH DOCTOR	10$
Cruelties of the Spiral Bore	MAGNUS	20$
Loaded Prospects	BREWMASTER	SOLD https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198013926645/
Ire of Molten Rebirth	PHOENIX	10$
Fires of the Volcanic Guard	EMBER SPIRIT	8$
Stonemarch Sovereign	WRAITH KING	20$
Third Awakening	DRAGON KNIGHT	SOLD OUT
Shimmer of the Anointed	NYX ASSASSIN	10$
Pattern of the Silken Queen	BROODMOTHER	10$
Fate Meridian	INVOKER	15$
Legends of Darkheart Pursuit	NIGHT STALKER	SOLD TO https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198058366383/

2019 CACHE

Endless Night	ABADDON	10$
Sight of the Kha-Ren Faithful	DROW RANGER	10$
Prized Acquisitions	BATRIDER	10$
Verdant Predator	VENOMANCER	10$
Dapper Disguise	PUDGE	15$
Directive of the Sunbound	CLOCKWERK	10$
Grim Destiny	WRAITH KING	15$
Distinguished Expeditionary	TUSK	10$
Fowl Omen	NECROPHOS	10$
Automaton Antiquity	BROODMOTHER	10$
Fury of the Bloodforge	BLOODSEEKER	10$
Tales of the Windward Rogue	PANGOLIER	15$
Cinder Sensei	EMBER SPIRIT	55$
Souls Tyrant	SHADOW FIEND	25$
Tribal Pathways	WARLOCK	10$
Gothic Whisper	PHANTOM ASSASSIN	65$
Scorched Amber	DRAGON KNIGHT	10$
Forbidden Medicine	DAZZLE	12$
Echoes of the Everblack	ABADDON	12$
Adornments of the Jade Emissary	EARTH SPIRIT	10$
Curse of the Creeping Vine	UNDYING	12$
Appetites of the Lizard King	SLARK	SOLD OUT
Riddle of the Hierophant	ORACLE	10$
Allure of the Faeshade Flower	DARK WILLOW	10$
Poacher's Bane	TIDEHUNTER	10$
The Arts of Mortal Deception	ENIGMA	10$
Defender of Ruin	DISRUPTOR	10$
Glimmer of the Sacred Hunt	DROW RANGER	20$
Priest of the Proudsilver Clan	CHEN	10$
Paean of the Ink Dragon	GRIMSTROKE	10$
Pursuit of the Ember Demons	HUSKAR	10$

2020 CACHE

Flashpoint Proselyte	HUSKAR	10$
Ancient Inheritance	TINY	20$
Heartless Hunt	BOUNTY HUNTER	10$
Herald of the Ember Eye	GRIMSTROKE	10$
The King Of Thieves	KEEPER OF THE LIGHT	10$
Ire of the Ancient Gaoler	ARC WARDEN	SOLD OUT
Horror from the Deep	TIDEHUNTER	15$
Crown of Calaphas	SHADOW DEMON	SOLD OUT
Steward of the Forbidden Chamber	TEMPLAR ASSASSIN	SOLD OUT
Evolution of the Infinite	ENIGMA	10$
Blacksail Cannoneer	SNIPER	SOLD OUT
Secrets of the Celestial	SKYWRATH	10$
Signs of the Allfather	NATURE's PROPHET	10$
Fury of the Righteous Storm	DISRUPTOR	10$
Beast of the Crimson Ring	BRISTLEBACK	10$
Forsworn Legacy	MARS	SOLD OUT
Mindless Slaughter	PUDGE	10$
Talons of the Endless Storm	CHAOS KNIGHT	10$
Clearcut Cavalier	TIMBERSAW	10$
Lineage of the Stormlords	JUGGERNAUT	25$
Songs of Starfall Glen	ENCHANTRESS	10$
Fissured Flight	JAKIRO	10$
Apocalypse Unbound	ANCIENT APPARITION	10$
Silent Slayer	SILENCER	10$
Carousal of the Mystic Masquerade	RUBICK	10$
Glory of the Elderflame	LINA	20$
Spirit of the Sacred Grove	-	-
Fissured Flight	JAKIRO	10$
Beholden of the Banished Ones	WARLOCK	20$
Origin of the Dark Oath	NIGHT STALKER	10$
Blaze of Oblivion	PHOENIX	10$
Ravenous Abyss	UNDERLORD	20$

My friend group is planning to make decks that center around an anime, where we plan to create alter art for our cards according to the anime we’ve chosen. The anime theme I want to go with is the Fate series. Decks: Kykar(polymorph): perhaps into the many different servants Tatyova: haven’t decide how this will fit Arden/ Tana ( voltron): perhaps using any servant then change the art of the weapons into different swords Yoshimaru/ thrasios( voltron/legend): same concept for the theme of the other voltron So which ones do y’all think would make the most sense?

My friend group is planning to make decks that center around an anime, where we plan to create alter art for our cards according to the anime we’ve chosen. The anime theme I want to go with is the Fate series. Decks: Kykar(polymorph): perhaps into the many different servants Tatyova: haven’t decide how this will fit Arden/ Tana ( voltron): perhaps using any servant then change the art of the weapons into different swords Yoshimaru/ thrasios( voltron/legend): same concept for the theme of the other voltron So which ones do y’all think would make the most sense?

hello! I’ve been dealing with some damaged skin barrier and want help to change/add products in my skincare routine.
I have sensitive oily to combination skin and live in tropical humid weather.
Been using the avene cleanance gel but it leaves my skin too tight, and now I want a cleanser that cleans while reinforces the barrier. After some research I found: cerave foaming facial cleanser, la roche toleriane purifying foaming cleanser or la roche toleriane hydrating gentle cleanser.
At the same time I also what to start using a hydrating af serum, some options: good molecules hyaluronic acid serum or byoma hydrating serum.
Any thoughts/opinions are very welcome. Recommendations as well but preferably products I can get at ulta and that are not expensive.
I’ll leave my full routine just in case (in order)
AM:
-cleanser (sometimes only water but only when i didn’t apply retinol the night before)
-a formula with alpha arbutin and niacinamide
-spf (eucerin oil control)
PM:
-double cleansing
-exfoliating toner with salycid and azelaic acid (1x a week)
-mantecorp epidrat calm
-retinol (2x week and never with the toner)
(when I have a monster pimple I put some tea tree essencial oil on it)