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Curator POV
Watching the runners sprint out from the camp I can't help but heave a mental sigh. A'right Poppit, more than one ran, make a show of each of them. Maybe throwing a bit of game theory at them was a bit cruel, but, I mean, do I really want stupid people escaping from a slaver camp. The smart ones will understand not to do stupid things like trying to retaliate against me in some manner.
That said, the mana income from Poppits' feasting on the former beast is nothing to scoff at. It did say that tainted flesh rewarded a significant amount more, perhaps there's levels of tainting where it increases the amount further? Although, wouldn't that have been listed to start with, or maybe the descriptions are just kind of an 'overview' and a 'usually how it works' type deal? Ah well, thoughts for another time.
Watching the sand shift and writhe as my lil hungy boyos split off into groups to chase down the runners, I can't help but think of how fish will move to swarm a piece of bread. The smarter folks who realized that running is a trap if any one runs though look at the idiots who fled with pale faces, and a pallid expression that I am quite familiar with. Not many folks can look away from a car crash as it's happening after all and this isn't much different. With almost simultaneous shrieks the Poppits catch their running quarries and with a surge burst up from under the sand lifting their victim up into the air for a moment before rapidly silencing the screams as they swarm over and bodily drag them under the sand.
The pregnant silence that follows is, understandable, even as the sand rapidly turns red around the camp. While I can make out a good overview of things without jumping into the senses of my followers, I want to get a proper feel of things. Shifting into Vahlu's point of view, I can feel the shudder of horror he also suppresses at the sites just now.
"Ah, right, your people have had issues with Poppit's kind in the past. Don't worry though, that'll not be an issue again lil buddy." (Curator)
My voice seems to break the heavy atmosphere of that little...demonstration. Vahlu shakes his head which, while understandable, is also really weird when I'm riding side saddle in his senses like this. As he turns to face our foe, they simply seem to collapse. Weapons or tools dropped, some just looking off in abject horror as they fall to their backs, others falling to their hands and knees, looking down at the sand as they shake, sweat, and gasp for air almost like a fish out of water. The interesting ones though, those are the ones that start kowtowing toward my little Pandora's box of a surprise.
"Hey, Vahlu, you and Paul gonna be okay sorting things out for the minute, getting every one freed, and getting the slavers all 'lined up' so I can judge them properly? I don't think they'll give yall ANY resistance in this current state. Their morale is completely shattered." (Curator)
All that and none of my people are hurt, gotta say this makes me really appreciate the attention to leadership being so important in table top games. Fear is a much more powerful weapon than a gun at times. If any one tries to start stuff in the future, that'll come in handy.
"Ah, yes Curator, we should be able to handle it, and if people act up. I don't think Poppit is ever not hungry anymore." (Vahlu)
"Good lad, ya really get it. Oh, right, Poppit does have a new skill that should come in handy, if being close to some of those slavers results in them starting to drool uncontrollably, that means that person is irredeemable. If they make any sudden movements, or make any threatening movements, END them, be it you, Paul, any of the rescued slaves, doesn't mater. That said, those that are properly subdued shouldn't be attacked or harmed until I've had a chance to judge them." (Curator)
"Understood, and good to know, that's...weird that they drool from that, but also, like ya said, it's pretty handy." (Vahlu)
"Your will will be done Curator, you can trust us with this." (Paul)
Good good. With that big mana influx, and the weirdness of what I've seen through the eyes of Vahlu, or...when I tried it Poppit, I need to do something about that...limitation. I've also got the best idea, and well, if I'm going to be an object of Worship, I should give them a proper thing to worship, no?
Returning my view back to my domain, I sigh, this really is home. Hey there lil snaketus, I didn't forget about you and how you supported me when I first came too in this place. Seeing how magic is all about how you visualize things, aaand, how I changed your flower some too, well, more changing is fine and this will be great for both of us I think.
Looking at myself, I have a good bit of mana, so...lets only conserve one ring and spend all the rest on this. After all, I'll be getting more soon. With that, I need a good name to focus with what I intend. Hmmm...yeah, let's go with that, and it should make that other idea work even better I bet. Now, the image of how I want the change to take place, and that's surprisingly easy. Now for the proper pomp and circumstance, just to make things feel right. Heavily focusing on the snaketus I start to flow mana into it, the density of it almost visibly palpable and I can feel eyes of all the skinkles looking in on this, which isn't surprising really.
"First to bear me, and give me shelter. Rearing me in my earliest stages of existence in this new land you are indispensable to my early survival. I name you Renenutet. You shall bear me forth inside yourself, sheltering me from those that would dare wish me harm, act as my flesh and sinew so I can better exert my will. To help me raise those I feel deserve to be uplifted and protected, while also allowing me to unleash my wrath properly on those that have truly earned my ire." (Curator)
Those words spoken the massive flow of mana rushes out compared to it's comparative trickle before. Part of me wishes to cackle as the snaketus starts to rapidly morph and grow. A proper head developing, eyes forming from azure flower petals as a wide hood opens to give the proper cobra appearance. Colorful 'scales' in the forms of petals and short spines forming inside that distinct spread neck to give a properly regal appearance. Surging forward toward my ziggurat as it grows, a mouth opens up, sharp and long quills for teeth easily seen, yet it carefully takes me in. My gem like core being hidden away inside it, stopping at the back of it's maw, veins of it's soft flesh covering over me, properly hiding me away as it yet grows longer and larger. Already I can see from it's eyes, as though they are my own, even turning it's head and shifting it's gaze.
Through that connection with it, like my other scions, there is simply a sense of joy and contentment. Not that I mind, honestly it's quite relaxing. Although....I do need to do something to keep my domain 'locked' here, don't I?
As if reading my mind Renenutet leans her head forward once more, and through me passes a...surprisingly large seed which is placed where I once was, crushing the pedestal and causing Babe even more distress than seeing me be engulfed like this. Seeing roots rapidly dig into the structure I feel a strong connection to it, almost like an anchor, or maybe a keystone of sorts.
"Will that keep my domain here, even if we go elsewhere?" (Curator)
With a quick nod of affirmation from my new 'body' I guess, they would speak.
"Yesss, that isss the cassse my Father. Alssso, sssister Archivissst, do not fret ssso. I will keep Father sssafe and sssound, from prying eyesss and the harshnesss of the elementsss till the end of daysss." (Renenutet)
Oh, they can talk....and have a properly effeminate voice to boot. That's good. I think.
< Next >

Not gonna lie, kinda bummed that despite having this planned out early on (why do you think I noted how specifically the snaketus flower changed so early on!) I didn't get it done sooner on. Ah well, as the pacing feels is right. I wanted to do this around the time Curator would be bringing in an influx of people, but only after he had a large amount of mana to do so. The 'Sin Eater' was the solution I came up with that actually two chapters before that skill specialization was pointed out.
And today's Random Fact: Basket Ball was originally made as a random PE sport by a high school coach who cut the bottoms out of some fruit baskets to use (thus why it's a 'basket'!)
Also find this on Royal Road and if you feel like getting me a drink, I did set up a ko-fi

Hey guys, I want to help my father in law fix a issue he is having with his 2016 keep grand Cherokee (6cyl)? The car goes into “limp” mode and essentially loses a lot of power.
They first started having this issue while towing, since it’s about summer, they want to take there camper around WA and camp. But they are nervous to with this issue.
They tried taking it to dealership and they said it could be like 5 things and they have no idea and only way to tell is fix something and see if it happens again.. they don’t want to waste the money to do that.. they said they have never seen this issue before??
It started happening towing, and today it happened just stopped at a stop light!!
Dealership said camshaft sensor could be 1 issue?
Anyone ever have something similar happen or have had this happen please let me know!! I have attached picture of the light! Car still drives fine just very sluggish!
Was suppose to attach picture.. but didn’t.. it’s a yellow circle around “A” that had arrow going clockwise with a exclamation point! It’s like the auto shut off engine button when stopped

RAID Digest (02.06.23)

Greetings, Raiders! RAID: Call of the Arbiter limited series continues unfolding, and while we all are left pondering whether Kael has been actually betrayed, let's turn our attention to the first RAID Digest of June. Without further ado, let's get started.

Polymorph Rebalance

Currently, many Arena teams rely on Polymorph to discourage landing debuffs on them or stripping their buffs. While this limitation was the original purpose of the Polymorph, we see that its restricting impact is much higher than we planned.
Therefore we are going to introduce the following change: a Champion's ACC will start affecting their chances to transform an opponent into a sheep unless the Polymorph is upgraded to the 6th level. The Blessing's Stat bonuses and the chances to apply Polymorph are going to remain the same.
We will provide a free Blessings reset after the specified rebalance. The rebalance's date is yet to be announced but is unlikely to be earlier than July.

Live Arena Nuances

Currently, there is a bug in the Live Arena Area Bonuses - Ignore DEF bonus does not apply to damage inflicted by Masteries such as Warmaster, Giantslayer, or by Blessings. The fix is already on our agenda, though probably not for the very next update.
After the recent Live Arena update, a player can meet opponents there from two Tiers below or two Tiers above. That effectively means that a match is possible between players who may be several hundred Live Arena points apart, especially in less populated Tiers for the more reliable opponent search. Still, the Live Arena matchmaking algorithm factors in different players’ data to find opponents for suitable challenge, even if they are from different Live Arena Tiers.

Some Subtleties of Battle Mechanics

The following section is for hardcore players who seek to maximize their battle performance by any means necessary and, thus, who pay close attention to every detail.
The description of the Legendary Orc Champion Nogdar's Passive Skill "Headman's Return" might be a bit misleading. Not only may it revive him on the occasion of being killed when all his allies are alive but also whenever he is already dead, but the number of his dead allies changes to 0. For example, imagine a battle that has started with a team of 5 Champions, including Nogdar. Then he and his teammate fall. Then, at some point, that teammate is resurrected (making the number of Nogdar's dead allies 0). At that moment, Nogdar will be automatically revived if his Passive is not on Cooldown. We are considering changing the description of the skill in order to reflect that nuance.
Please note that the Stoneskin buff increases the incoming damage from Bombs to its owner 3 times, not 4 times, as was erroneously specified earlier.

Clan vs. Clan Tournament and Personal Rewards

The next installment of the CvC Tournament will feature no Personal Rewards
That's it for today's Digest. Have a fabulous weekend!

As the title says. Preferably with moon mining since I've never dabbled in the new form and I'd like to. Null is nice, guristas or serp preferred if possible.
2012 character, never got gud. I've quit more times that I can remember, giving away more stuff than I probably ever should have... Can fly almost all subcaps to a decent degree, a couple of caps but that's probably a bad idea again. Little to no assets, working my way back up as I relearn the game. Genuinely interested to see how far I can go with the industrial side of things, the closest I've gotten is hauling FOR industrialists.
Feel free to pass over this, I admit I am unable to pass the basic requirements most corps have.

1. My mental health has left me at a stage where I'm working up the ability to talk to people again, but I'm not there yet. This means I haven't been in a hurry to buy a mic but I'll get there.
   
2. My mental health has left me unable to keep a sleep schedule, so I'm probably useless if you have mandatory fleets at all.
   

If these points don't bother you and you don't mind a lone spooky miner, not on comms and likely dirtying up your killboard with dumb losses, shoot me your details. Just looking for a chill place with folks that know what they're doing.
Many thanks! Cayenne Virpio

Looking for simple TV+Soundbar set up. Any benefits to staying within one brand for both?
Looking for a simple (ideally single-remote) setup for my living room. Lots of light and mostly sports so, looking at mini LED 85”ers. Considering - Sony X90K + HT-A5000 ($2750). - Samsung QN90B + HW-Q700C ($2900) - TCL QM8 + Sonos Beam gen 2 ($2800)
Like I said, simplicity is key. The Soundbar won’t get used by my family unless it is seamlessly integrated, and my wife will have a hard time trouble shooting if the sound isn’t working (e.g. TV sending it to sound bar but sound bar didn’t turn itself on). I’m having a hard time finding reviews that compare how well TVs and sound bars work together. If ARC and CEC are reliable enough that they make it so that the brand doesn’t really matter, I may go with the TCL and Sonos set up.
Thanks!

This is a true story of my young life growing up with psychics and mediums and I believe it was a necessary experience for me to have, in order to adjust me to being a psychic and a medium, it is both a very fortunate, and an unfortunate story. I say it was fortunate because it gave me a strong foundation of knowing and believing in spirit, and a family that never doubted me when I began having psychic experiences, and of course it was unfortunate because I got to experience such things that most young children should not ever know.
I came to realise that spirits existed from a very young age because my grandmother, mother, uncle and his wife, my aunty, were all open to spirit in one way or another.
And we all lived together in the same home within the UK.
My cousin lived there too, he was my uncles son and he was 18 months older than me.
My earliest memories of the house was around the year 1967 when I was 3 years old. My mother had her back to me, she was sitting in a chair holding my new baby brother, and he was looking at me over my mothers shoulder and smiling, I was smiling back at him and I was very excited to have a baby brother, but sadly this joy didn't last long as he died tragically, when he was only 3 months old. Looking back now on that single memory, I often think of how old and intelligent his soul was for a young baby, to be aware of me at such a tender young age.
Has I mentioned, I was very young and the house we lived in was haunted by at least three spirits. I never actually saw any of these spirits myself, and I don't believe my cousin did either, but I heard lots of screams and screeches from my mother and my aunty, whenever they witnessed an apparition. !
My Grandmother was the sober, and less excitable of the adults, but even she had a few funny turns from time to time, and I often overheard stories of a young child that was seen playing in the garden (she was a girl) or of the red haired women that had been seen on the stairs.
On one occasion, I remember I was sitting playing in the kitchen, it was a bright summers day and my aunty and my mother were busy spring cleaning the house. The door in the kitchen lead into the lounge and there was an old wooden door to the right, when you entered the lounge that lead to the stairs leading to the upper bedrooms. The door to the kitchen and the stairwell door were both wedged open, as my aunty was busy brushing the stairs with the tall handled broom, the atmosphere was pleasant and happily busy, when out of nowhere, I heard a terrifying scream coming from my aunty, followed by running as she flew down the stairs, my grandmother was up and out of the kitchen and I overheard my aunty talking to my grandmother about seeing the lady's long red hair floating as she looked up from her brushing, just when it disappeared down the stairs.
There were a couple of other instances of the little girl being seen in the garden and the red haired lady on the stairs, I only ever heard my grandmother and my aunty talk about seeing them.
The most scary of all the incidents that ever happened in that house, happened when I was about 5 or 6 years old, and it had me terrified of the stairwell right on up until we finally moved out.
Before beginning this terrifying story, I do think I should mention that the house never had any creepy or eerie feeling and the overall atmosphere of the place was pleasant. I should also mention that my mother was a lazy selfish women, and this story is her experience alone, although, by default its mine too.
It was a terribly wet, windy day, it hadn't stopped raining all day long and now it was late in the afternoon and the shopping needed to be done for us all to have dinner. My uncle and aunty had moved out at this time, so there was just my cousin, me, my mother and my grandmother who was 70 years old that were still living there. My selfish mother did not want to go out in the pouring rain and so it was left to my grandmother to have to get ready to go, I did not want my grandmother to go out in the pouring rain, she was old and wind and the weather was very bad. I think I asked if I could go with her, but I wasn't allowed. I remember looking out the window at the grey sky and all the rain, worrying about my grandma, for what seemed like forever. then finally I saw her shadow arriving back and coming up our path, and I ran to the door to greet her.
When she got in the lounge she looked very ill and her poor face was ashen white, her coat and clothes were soaking wet and I was very sad to see her looking so ill, and my mother ran around to make hot tea and get her dry clothes and towels.
Much later that evening I'd fallen to sleep on the coach, and my mother was carrying me up the stairs to bed, she had nearly gotten up to the landing when I was awoken by my mother screaming for her mother on the top of the stairs.! I woke up and tried to look to see why my mother was screaming, but my mother held my head pressed in her chest, so I could not see anything, then I heard and saw my grandmother shouting and waving her umbrella in the air, has she came up the stairs to the rescue, My mother came down the stairs with me and that night we slept in the lounge on the sofa.
I don't recall when I heard them talking about that night, but I know I was still in the house as I was terrified to go up those stairs at night after hearing that, so I was still very young.
what I heard was terrifying. !!!
My mother said she was climbing the stairs the light on the landing was off, but there was a full moon out illuminating through the landing window, so it was bright enough to see as she walked up the stairs towards the landing, she said she heard someone breathing and has she looked up she saw a figure coming out of the spare room that was at the far end of our hallway, the figure was covered in hair right down to near the floor and she couldn't see its face, she saw it put it's hand on the banister rail as it was moving towards her, and she said the nails were long, yellow, and twisted around like a cork screw and she could hear the breathing getting loader as it was coming towards her
This is the point when I heard my mother scream for her mother, and she added that when grandma opened the stairway door it started to move back towards the room where it came from and finally disappeared just before grandma had gotten up the stairs, so grandma saw nothing.
I believe I overheard repeated pieces of conversations about this at different times, when grandma and my mother were talking in the lounge, unfortunately in those times the assumption was that younger children didn't really understand what you were talking about. but I did, and I was terrified I would see the same thing too, but no one ever did.
My grandmother concluded that it was her dead husband, my grandfather, that had scared my mother that evening for her wickedness of letting her poor old mother go out in such weather, and I have to agree, especially after having a psychic encounter with him myself years later.
It was not a terrifying encounter, but he warned me very softly but seriously of the dangers of dabbling with drugs and the effects it has on the soul when you pass, I understood then that my grandfather was the patriarch that kept the family all in check, and even after he'd passed on, he was still watching out of us.
It sounds very strange to say this, but besides all the things that happened, I did love that house and have some of my fondest memories there of when all my family were happily together, unfortunately there is only me, my cousin, and my mother left who remembers those days in that house.

I'm using Wexos' Toolbox to create a custom level in Nintendo Land (for Wii U) as per this guide: https://gbatemp.net/threads/nintendo-land-mario-chase-modding.522882/
I'm a first-time user of Wexos's Toolbox so it is a fresh install, fresh out of the ZIP file.
However, when I get to the step involving Wexos' Toolbox, I get error messages like this one:
Error 2004: Failed to load a .dll file, which is in its correct location. It's in the \"Plugins\" folder, which is in the same folder as the .exe file. HRESULT is 0x80131515. I have no idea what that means.
​
The dropdown from "New from File" doesn't show up. Therefore, I can't import my files and put them into a BFRES file.
Note: I did download the "fixed" version which supposedly fixes something that prevented it from opening at all. But it still doesn't work.
Is there a fix to this issue? And if not, are there any free alternatives to import stuff into BFRES files? I'm a first-time modder so I don't know this stuff. Explain it to me in simple terms if you can.

Hi there! I have an amazing trip planned from Boston to Ponta Delgala (the Azores!) next weekend. I’m an anxious flyer but have gone on a handful of successful trips over the past couple of years. What I’ve always found to ground me is to look out the window at the land. However, next weekends flight is a red eye transatlantic flight! I’m freaking out! My biggest point of anxiety is turbulence at cruising altitude. Specifically, that dippy, “riding waves” feeling.
Can anyone offer support on transatlantic flights? Also, can pilots predict and avoid that feeling I’m describing?

I wrote this as a response to someone asking me for freelancer leveling tips recently in another post. It's just a draft written in one sitting but I thought I'd post sooner than later to help people out, if I can be bothered I may polish it as time goes by. Many obvious things have been omitted. Feel free to add your own.
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FREE WEAPONS WHEREVER POSSIBLE 

Plan ahead to bring back as many free guns as possible using this guide: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2931568179 The guide has some errors and omissions but is a great guide overall.
After you prestige level up and are starting anew, make sure to milk the early maps for everything it has until all free items are retrieved. At syndicate completion reward time, you want to be receiving mercers, not common items.
Using Mendoza as an example, I will bring back the Bartoli Woodsman Hunting Rifle and the Bartoli Hunting Shotgun from the dual silo area of the map. On the second Mendoza run, I will bring back the Sapper's Axe and the Sieger AR552 Tactical rifle from the villa area.
Every item you retrieve is one you don't have to pay thousands for.
Get the Assassins's HWK21 Covert pistol by neutralising and assassin in the first showdown.
​
*** You can bring back 3 items by carrying one on the back (useful for Isle of Sgail), one in the briefcase (vendor purchase, only some maps have briefcases), and one hand-held weapon such as a sapper's axe***
*** BE CAREFUL as the many a time a bug causes the item in the briefcase to not return to the safehouse, resulting in an item loss***
*** If you risk this method then ensure the weapon in the briefcase is a cheap one and not something like a legendary weapon***
​
*** Sometimes the HITMAN 3 servers malfunction at the end of the map when you exit successfully ***
*** I have noticed this happens repeatedly when I have retrieved too many free items in Isle of Sgail (everything you can bring back for free and carry) ***
If this happens, you lose everything and take another 15+ minutes to run this map again and finish all the objectives.
Solution: separate your item retrievals instead of doing it all at once - you WILL play that map again on your way to the next prestige level.
​

PLAN ROUTE 

Check the map (press M) at the beginning of every map to check where the targets, couriers, and safes are, then plan the most efficient route.
This will save you a lot of time compared to just using instinct to navigate.
​

MINIMISE WEAPON LOSS 

I use the DAK DTI as my primary weapon most of the time. This means picking a contract with Dubai straight after a level up. This solves two problems:

1. If you die, you lose a weapon you can easily obtain for free with a visit to Dubai
2. You won't have the lockpick on you sometimes for long durations (yet to obtain or died), and the DAK DTI quickly and quietly opens most, not all, doors. Doors seemed to be bugged, as some open and some do not no matter which gun you use to shoot them.

It has the advantage of being quieter than a crowbar when opening doors, and it is a suppressed weapon.
- One downside is that it is rather inaccurate, and long (sniper) distance kills can take a very, very long time.
If I die I will use the Assassins's HWK21 Covert pistol as my primary weapon, as if I die again, this can readily obtained at every showdown.
​

MINIMISE MERCER LOSS 

Spend your mercers as quickly as you can, converting them to weapons and storing them in the safehouse. We all die sometimes no matter how careful (or careless) we are, and losing even 10k mercers is approximately another 2 maps you have to play to get the 10k mercers back, plus getting back the items you lost.
You will realise after many prestige levelings that you sometimes have many mercers left over before you prestige level. This applies especially if you're chasing the remaining missing pistols that don't spawn every map at the vendor. This translates to the amount of times you wasted on a courier or a safe. Skip the courier or safe if you have to go out of your way substantially to get them, it is a waste of time.
​

ITEM PURCHASE PRIORITY 

I used to prioritise bringing back bulky and illegal items like sniper rifles, so I don't have to worry about carrying them back later, but I realised that this resulted in many pistol slots being empty at the end of each run when the weapons wall is otherwise full. This is because there are more pistols than other weapon types.
Prioritise pistols a litte bit more when purchasing from a vendor if you don't want to be wasting time doing another almost full campaign run just to get all the remaining pistols.
​

MERCERS VS TIME PLAYED 

Aim for time efficiency over blind mercer gathering. I aim for an absolute minimum of 1000 mercers per 1 minute of in-game time.
Ideally, you want to get 2000 mercers for 1 minute of in-game time. If a safe is on the other side of the map, I often skip it and move on.
The quicker your maps the quicker you reach the 10k, 20k, 30k bonuses and your free reward weapons.
​

QUICK AND SAFER KILLS 

Losing some mercers by not completing objectives such as "no bodies found" (1000 mercers), or "hide target bodies" (1000 mercers) is a good thing if it saves you more than 1 minute. Go ahead and shoot a target from long distance to save yourself walking across the map, or waiting to isolate 3 separate poisoned targets, etc.
Trickier targets that are embedded in areas surrounded by people can be easily taken care without triggering a shootout by dropping an explosive next to them, running away, then detonating.
You may lose some mercers due to collateral damage, but it is well worth the time saved as you don't have to isolate the target, or trigger a massive shootout and risk mercer and inventory loss.
Examples include many areas of Colorado, targets outside the front bay area in Bangkok, deep inside crowds in Mumbai, etc.
​

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONTRACTS 

Choose the contracts that you find the quickest and easiest. Some contract objectives take more time than others, and have a much lower success rate, resulting in less mercers and more time spent trying to achieve them. Hiding target bodies, or arranging an accident kill, or pacifying 3 guards unnoticed with a rare melee are going to take longer and more stress than poisoning a target with a dart gun, or killing 3 guards with a shotgun.
This is a personal preference but I've been just grinding the Arms Trafficking (80%) and the Big Pharma (20%) contracts.
I personally find them to be the most efficient and easiest for quicker leveling, and importantly, fun. Arms Trafficking contracts can be risky compared to other contracts though, but I'm well versed in combat tactics and map knowledge.
Big Pharma contracts can improve efficiency in showdown maps by using your dart guns and remote emetic device to poison suspects for identification.
With the Arms Trafficking contracts, the Shashka A33 Covert can be used as the primary rifle, and easily reobtained for free if you die.
With the Arms Trafficking contracts, weigh up the benefits vs risk. If you are risking a 21,000 golden sawed-off bartoli shotgun for a 1k objective, is it worth risking on a map like Colorado? Probably not.
Another benefit of Arms Trafficking contracts is that many a time you don't need to bring the weapons as they can be taken from guards or found in the map.
​

SHOWDOWNS 

In a showdown map, isolating a target and aiming a weapon at them to trigger an escape is sometimes a very helpful way to identify a target without triggering a map-wide evacuation.
Shoot around them even if they have an escape icon above them, because sometimes they are the target but the "target is escaping" doesn't show on the objectives list until you start shooting around them.
If you don't do this, you'll knock the real target out to stop a map-wide evacuation, then you'll be running around the entire map looking for a target that doesn't exist, wasting tons of time.
The remote emetic device is great for isolating the showdown target in busy areas where dart gun use will be spotted. The remote emetic device is an illegal item, so if you're not in a guard uniform, put it in a briefcase, stand next to your target holding the briefcase, and trigger to poison your target. This is sometimes needed for a quiet showdown target kill in maps like Mendoza, where the target won't leave the area surrounded by people, and it's rather difficult to use a dart gun. That, or you can just use micro or duck explosives.
If you have triggered a map-wide escape, whether the target is already killed or not, no disguise will save you from the guards at the exit point. Running to the exit without killing the guards first is a sure way to die. Kill them all first. This another situation where explosives can come in handy.
​

RISKY KILLS 

Avoiding death is the number 1 priority, even if you have to exit the map early.
Before engaging in a risky kill, always have an exit strategy in the case of a mass shootout. A shootout actually isn't so bad if you are in a room killing guards running through a choke point, given you have sufficient ammunition to fend off until you can pick up dead guards' guns.
Map exits can also be used to this effect, for targets and objectives such as kill 3 guards with a rifle.
Don't be afraid to kill non-target witnesses and lose some mercers, it can save a lot of time, risk and stress by preventing a massive shootout.
​

BE PATIENT 

Waiting to prevent a risky event from occurring is often the right thing to do. A little patience goes a long way. It's false economy to believe that you are saving time by taking overtly risky actions, because if your impatience results in a death or campaign failure, you have not only lost progress, mercers, your inventory, and all your tools, all of which you have to spend time regaining, you have also lost the legendary item reward at the end of the campaign.
​

SOME RANDOM TIPS 

Don't be afraid to get spotted by enforcers to save yourself time en route, you just need to run away fast enough and be out of sight.
The most useful items in freelancer are (very arguably) probably micro and duck explosives. They make killing embedded targets (that you can't shoot secretly and run) easy to kill and avoid shootouts and the risk of death. Dont'be afraid to spend mercers on buying them at the vendor. Use them wisely and they will make life easier.
If you play Colorado, explosives can help a lot as mentioned above.
Concussive devices pretty much useless (apart from objectives if you play that contract), but I discovered you can use them to open safes. Save yourself running around photographing documents and save your explosives for harder embedded targets. The remote concussion ducks take up only 1 inventory space and are legal items, unlike the Breaching Charge MK III (3 inventory spaces).
You can get the HACKL 9S COVERT for free from the Isle of Sgail map: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdJX-kS9XwE
Make as many mistakes as you can. It's how you learn and get better. I'm currently level 4565 and have made every mistake any player can possibly make.
It only makes you better.

Across platforms, I've seen some fans express dissatisfaction with the ending of TotK. I've formulated an alternate timeline in which the curse may end and no incarnations of Zelda, Link, nor Ganondorf can be born beyond TotK. This is a fanfic by me; it includes TotK spoilers. Feel free to comment any ideas you'd like to add or corrections—especially lore-based corrections—you'd like to make (as well as other alternate endings you'd like to see). Thanks.

———

STORY BELOW

From the head of the Light Dragon, a blue and gold aura radiates. Link intercepts the Dragon, finding the master sword embedded at the source of the glow. The sword is drawn and the blue light returns to the blade, Fi's call answered. Brandishing the blade, a golden glow envelops the Hero. The triforce of wisdom is freed from the Dragon; it is now Link's to hold. His will strengthens in unification with Zelda's.
The Hero, now whole with his sword, is bestowed the Spirit Sage's secret tear. Link has the spirit, courage, and wisdom to face Ganondorf and claim the Demon King's power.
Within all incarnations of the Demon's body, the sword was sealed. Each time, the Demon King found freedom again. Now, as in many times past, the Hero brings Ganondorf to bended knee. Relinquishing his mind and body, the Demon King swallows his tear, a final act to free Hyrule from light.
Sword in hand and a tear in its pommel, the Hero runs his blade through the Dark Dragon's head. From the Dragon's maw erupts golden light; the body and magic of the Dragon is sealed within the Hero's sword. Descending from his final battle, the Hero is engulfed in the golden glow. The triforce of power is freed from the Dragon of Demise; it is Link's claim.
With the full triforce, Link wishes the sword destoyed. The Demon, trapped within the banished blade, may never appear in Hyrule again. High above the Hero, the Dragon of Light circles. The royal bloodline and all incarnations of Hylia are immortalized within its body, never to be reborn. Hylia's Dragon watches forever over Hyrule.
The war is over and the spirit of the Founding King, Rauru, appears before Link. As told to Link, the King's duty is done and his time has come to pass. Along with the body of the King, the King's right arm—bestowed to Link—vanishes. The Goddess and the Demon are unbound by the curse. The Hero lives without a sword nor an arm to bear it. The curse is broken, yielding eternal peace.
Epilogue:
Link is returned to Lookout Landing with company of the four Sages. Though he cannot yet wield a blade, the Hero has not long to wallow. With help of Purrah and Robbie, a new arm is built for Link. He is able again to protect the realm from whatever monsters linger. His only limit are his days given by Hylia.

STORY END

———

Post-script (spoilers continued):
I wrote this to create closure in my mind regarding the end of TotK. BotW and TotK are supposedly the end of the LoZ timelines. I cannot imagine a world in which the Goddess is incarnated without the Demon. Thus, an end where Zelda is recalled to her Hylian form created an error in my head. This may be a dark ending; Ganondorf is banished from the realm and Zelda is imprisoned in the dragon forever. However, I find this end resolute and hopeful.
I also liked how easy it was to lead into a post-game in which Link can still slay monsters. It was a very easy story to write; the game's plot and imagery gave a lot of room for this alternate end. I wanted to imagine an alternate end in which Zelda, Link, and Ganondorf all live and are freed from the curse. A Ganondorf redemption arc is one of my dreams. However, imagining that scenario is harder for me.
Thank you for reading.

I love this show / books greatly but one think I found very odd was this “Teen Prodigy” article. It doesn’t make sense, as a fencing bout usually goes to with 5, 10, or 15 and nothing higher. Also personality wise, Lockwood would never fence foil (personally he gives epee fencer vibes). I do appreciate how he is a french grip though, that is such his personality. But I cannot give the tv show credit because i’m sure they just gave Chapman a random weapon with a random grip to pose with and didn’t do any research into any sort of fencing it seems.

I just want to know if im insane or not, but yeah, the title pretty much summs it up: I remeber watching youtube a few years back (maybe 3 or 4 idk) and seeing a fortnite battle royale add with "get loud for me" by GIZZLE.
I remember a particual scene of the add: There was a squad walking through a bridge when suddenly the camera changes to a guy with an RPG shooting at them, we come back to the inital camera and see the squad get killed.
So do any of yall remember this?

22m fairly intoxicated out of boredom. I’m saving money atm for multiple projects I’m working on and a motorcycle, so I’m stuck at home and had left over booze from when the boys came over to help me rebuild my car’s engine. I’ve recently been living how a punk teenager would since I never had the chance. Looking for someone to shoot the sh- with so I don’t go insane. Avidly hate those who waste their lives doing the “safe” thing. Live life to the fullest at every moment because you don’t know when your last will be! Anyway, let’s try to one up each other with the dumbest things we’ve done over the years
-edit is autocorrect did me dirty in falsely correcting my use of your and changed it to you’re smh

I'm wondering where beginner or intermediate shooters should place their support hand when running far distance. (Especially when running laterally.)
I saw many high level shooters pumping up and down with both main and support hands moving. But I cannot do that no matter how I try without fear of sweeping the muzzle or violating 180° rule. Or just keep pumping with only support hand I still fear that I will sweep the muzzle. Currently I keep my support hand around my chest (like when I shoot 1 hand) as I was told by RO since my first match but it gives the feeling that I cannot run as quickly and still balance. So I face dilemma to choose.
I tried searching online but there is absolutely no article I found talking about this or even how to run while holding a gun at all. Most will just say to point the gun downrange and that's it or just discuss how to enter and exit position, hip placement, and whatnot, but no mention about hand placement.
So I would like your opinions about where to keep support hand and how to train to get that placement.
Thank you in advanced.

When I was little my parents sent me to church on my own and I was taught that when you die you either go to heaven or hell, I never felt that to be true, along with almost everything else Christian related. I’m not an atheist, I’m not sure the best way to explain my beliefs, but I can feel there’s something greater than us and that there’s nothing really to fear when it comes to death. I never worried about death.
About a month or two ago I ate a high dose edible and ended up laying in my bed, unable to move and unable to fall asleep. I just laid there and eventually the topic of death entered my head. I thought about growing old and what the moments leading up to death must feel like, knowing everything you’ve known and experienced will be gone. I thought about what it’d be like getting sick young, having your life ripped from you. I thought about car crashes and mass shootings.
When I was younger I attempted to take my own life and since then, since surviving, I’ve been learning to love the little things. I now have a great love and appreciation for the things around me and the connections I’ve made. I don’t want to ever stop experiencing things or connecting with people. I want to live a great life full of experiences, good and bad. I just want to live. I don’t want my life to be taken from me at any point, I don’t want to stop experiencing.
While I feel very spiritual, I have no idea what comes after death. Nobody does. I have my hopes for what happens, but hopes aren’t very comforting to me. I like the idea of a heaven because I’ll still get to experience things and connect with the other dead people there, including people I never got to meet in this life, but it feels silly to cling to that.
With my newfound fear of death, I’ve also developed a huge anxiety about not living the life I want to live, not ending up where I want to be. I need to let go of so much that’s happened to me, so many fears, to get to where I want to be. I don’t know where to start.
If you read all of this, thank you. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about life and death since that edible experience, I needed to get it out somewhere.