So basically this dog is my mother's (50f) and not mine (16f). He is a 6 month old chalkie breed. My mum has a few disabilities and that's why she took in the dog because she is mostly at home all day and he has attachment issues. He is a really lovely dog, loves cuddles and affections and is generally well behaved and gets along well with my cat. Thing is as of recently he starts growing and even biting when he has things taken away from him that he shouldn't have. It happened yesterday when my sister (14f) had to take away a plastic peg from him because we didn't want him to swallow it. He growled and went to bite her, and today i tried to take away a food packet from him and he growled and bit me, not hard, but he still bit me and that's a problem. Thing is my mum never said anything after these two incidents and acted like it was normal. I'm concerned because I have a 11 month old daughter, and although she doesn't interact with the dog alot, something could still happen to her. My cat is very laid back and gentle and she isn't very keen on the dog because he can be a bit boisterous. I'm starting to wonder if this is a neutering issue, and I won't lie I don't know if he's been neutered yet. What should I do? I want to be able to keep my daughter safe but at the same time I'm too young to move out.

I literally sit beneath eight tiers of scheming ambitious entities that represent primal law suffused with evil. The path from this realm leads to an infinite pit of chaos and evil. Now, tell me again how you and your ilk are the victims in this eternal struggle. - Asmodeus (Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes)
The plane of Nessus is incredibly unique compared to the other planes of Nessus. This plane floats in a swirling crimson void that encompasses them from all directions. The plane itself is flat in its surface, devoid of trees or changes in elevation. The desolate plane, unlike any other plane of Baator, is finite in its size. It stretches 2,500 miles from east to west and 1,100 miles from north to south. The flatness of the plane leaves no place for any creature to hide.
A system of crisscrossing gorge and canyons marks the only true changes in elevation in the plane. In these gorges, canyons, and the network of caves that connect them, live the billions of devils of Nessus. These structures have an infinite amount of space even given the finite nature of the plane. These gorges and canyons often cross, forming towering plateaus.
The canyons and gorges are each distinct and travel to specific locations. However, they all look exactly alike. More importantly, most of these canyons are missing from most maps of the plane. A few maps that were drawn by suicidal or brave adventurers can be found but tend to be extremely pricey. A map of a square mile section of Nessus can easily cost as much as a small castle.
A few of these canyons have bridges that span them. These few bridges are heavily guarded by Asmodeus's elite guards and a host of traps. Rare unguarded bridges are death traps that will inevitably break and send any crosser to their death. The shallowest canyon is 200 feet deep, and the remaining canyons and gorges are usually deeper. Devils in Nessus who cannot fly are encouraged to stick close to the caves and crevasses. In emergency situations, the devils must climb the walls using some sparse handholds or frayed ropes. It is not uncommon for devils to fall to their deaths as a result.
Directions in Baator are unlike the directions of the Material Plane. The strange nature of these planes makes the standard compass rose useless. Most Archdukes simply established the standard compass as a means of travel and mapping for their own planes, arbitrarily assigning a point as north. Asmodeus however, decrees that his own castle should be the northern most point despite its central location on the plane. The strange decree further complicates maps of Nessus making navigating the plane even harder.

DISCOVERY

Nessus was the first layer of Baator to be created and was the original plane of Hell to be created when the Gods of Celestia signed the Pact Primeval. The plane was granted to Asmodeus and his ilk by the Gods so they would not have to witness the punishment rendered to mortal souls. On the plane, the devils first began their plans to corrupt mortals. It was on this original plane that these devils, still somewhat angelic in nature, worked with the Ancient Baatorians to administer their justice. The plane, bleak and barren, was slowly built up and expanded into a tiered infinite plane. The plane was rapidly built into a major factory for manufacturing more devils and harvesting divine energy from the mortal souls that the devils corrupted. The only brief delay in construction of the plane came during a short, but vicious, war between Mephistopheles, the former right hand of Asmodeus, and the Arch-Devil. After the war ended, the construction began anew and the two made amends.
When the Gods discovered that Asmodeus and his devils were luring mortals into disobedience and corruption, they once again put Asmodeus on trial. When the trial proved useless and Asmodeus was acquitted of the charges, the Gods were furious. They threw the devil back to Baator, sending him hurling from the tip of Celestia.
When Asmodeus crashed into Baator, the force of the impact tore a stretch of the initial plane and killed many of the plane's original inhabitants and mutilated many of the others who were not powerful enough to withstand the impact. As the devil continued to fall with his stretch of the original Baatorian plane, the devil carved new planes. Eight new planes formed before the devil and the plane he had rent from the original stopped falling. Asmodeus continued to fall deep into the plane till he came to rest under a massive pile of rubble, bleeding and badly hurt, in the deepest part of Nessus, which came to be known as the Pit.
When the devil eventually recovered, he made this deepest, finite plane his home as a reminder of his fall. From Nessus, the Arch-Devil slowly retook control of the remainder of Baator and resumed his lawful duties.
The creation of the plane of Nessus was not known to the mortal races for millennium. Asmodeus is a jealous guard of his plane and entrance to Nessus requires a letter of permission from the Arch-Devil himself. The first documentation of the plane of Nessus for the Prime Material Plane comes from the philosopher, Philogestes. Philogestes sold his own soul to Asmodeus for the opportunity to document information about Baator. Though, he was given permission to observe and record details about the plane of Nessus, Philogestes could not detail everything. Much of Nessus remains a mystery to those who dwell on the Material Plane.

Travel

The easiest way to travel to Nessus is to be invited by the Arch-Devil onto the plane. Very few mortals have ever received this privilege.
For those who have not received a personal invitation, the only way to enter the plane would be through the plane prior to it, Cania. From Cania, adventurers could sail along the River Styx into Nessus. This path is extremely perilous. For starters, the river is incredibly difficult to navigate. Directions in the Nine Hells are confusing. It is just as likely that sailing along the river could lead to Maladomini. Additionally, the river’s currents are unpredictable, forming whirlpools, eddies, and undertows that can challenge even the most experienced sailors. Moreover, the Styx is guarded by roaming bands of devils as well as undead which are drawn to any sources of life. The river is also known to create illusions and mirages which can mislead travelers. It would be advisable to hire a devil in Cania to act as a guide on the waters.

THE LOCALS

Nessus is different from the other layers of Baator because it has a much higher proportion of the greater devils compared with the lesser devils. The most common kind of devil that is found on Nessus is the pit fiend, though horned devils are a close second. In addition to devils, a few other creatures traverse the planes of Nessus. While hellhounds are a common beast in Nessus, a special breed of hellhound known as the Nessian hellhound roams the plane. These are far more vicious and deadly than the original hellhound. The Nessian hell-hounds form packs with the regular hellhounds and hunt the plane for intruders or lesser devils. There are a few other fiendish beasts that are not devils on Nessus, but there are no mortals who live here.
Asmodeus, a tall, red-skinned devil, with dark horns and elegant clothing is the Lord of Nessus. Known as the Dark One, the Lord of Lies, and the Prince of Evil, Asmodeus is the Arch-Devil of Baator. He rules the plane with an iron fist of law and conducts himself in a soft-spoken, articulate, and ruthlessly logically. Those who look closely at the Arch-Devil will notice that though the devil holds himself with poise and elegance, he is covered in injuries that have not healed. These injuries were sustained by Asmodeus when he was thrown from Celestia. Asmodeus carries himself in public as though the injuries no longer affect him, however they still hurt tremendously, and Asmodeus focuses much of his energy on recovering from the injuries.
Asmodeus is the undisputed master of Baator and exercises complete control over the plane. The Arch-Devil can alter any of the planes at will and can also alter the forms of any of the other Archdukes of Baator. In some cases, he can also kill the others, which causes some of the Archdukes to fear him greatly. With his dominance over Baator, Asmodeus spends much of his time focused on the conquest of other planes, especially the Prime Material Plane and Celestia. Asmodeus receives the energy from any soul collected by any devil or Duke of Baator. For the time being, He spends his time using the energy to heal his own wounds. Once his wounds have healed, Asmodeus intends to use the collected Divine Energy to forge a temporary truce with the Demons and use the truce to destroy the forces of Good once and for all.
Asmodeus is a schemer in every sense. The devil is a smooth talker who only engages with non-devils to corrupt them. One example of such a corruption is the corruption of Zariel, a celestial, into the once Archduke of Avernus. Asmodeus is one of the few devils to never father any Cambion, considering himself far superior to any such creature. A few tieflings also receive the blessing of Asmodeus. These tieflings are far more intelligent than any other and are given a superior mastery over fire. These tieflings are resistant to flames from any creature except those commanded directly by Asmodeus.
In addition to his unsurpassed intellect and charm, Asmodeus is an unmatched combatant, well-versed in both magic and weapon-craft. Asmodeus earned his fame when prior to the creation of Baator, the then-angel was ambushed by a demon invasion without his troops. The Gods sent an army of angels to defend the invasion, believing Asmodeus to have been overwhelmed. The angels arrived too late, however. Instead of finding an army of demons, the angels found that Asmodeus kept the invasion at bay and even pushed the defense into an offense into the Abyss, bolstered by their reinforcement. Though the Archdevil has not fought at the front lines of the Blood Wars, his combat prowess has not decreased.
Once a year, the Arch-Devil holds a feast at his palace in Nessus's Pit, Malsheem. To this feast, the Arch-Devil invites the other Archdukes, devils who have earned a seat of honor, and a few select mortals that have earned his respect or interest (for better or worse). The feast is an enormous affair, and the only time of the year when the pathway to the palace becomes available for creatures other than the Dukes of Nessus to traverse, though it is still heavily guarded to prevent intruders from reaching the palace. The purpose of the Feast is to serve to touch base with the dukes to ensure that Asmodeus's plans are going according to plan, to ensure Hell's superiority in the Blood War, reward devils who have performed exceptionally enough to gain the Lord of the Nine's attention, and to contract mortals who may be useful to himself. These feast feature extravagant performances, a plethora of delicious food and drink, and as much vice as any being could desire.
Adramalech is the right-hand of Asmodeus and serves as the Arch-Devil’s chancellor. His preferred form is that of an elderly human man with a gray beard. His eyes change color to reflect his mood, green when he’s happy and orange when upset and black all other times. In this form, the only features to identify him as a devil are two small, crimson horns that protrude from his head and a single forked tail. He prefers to dress in hues of green and purple.
This devil is tasked with maintaining all records regarding the Nine Hells. In this role, he constantly updates the number of souls collected, the various contracts that exist between devils and mortals, and presides over the court of Devils which settle disputes regarding contracts. Adramalech also tracks every torment caused to devils and the names and locations of any devils not in the Nine Hells. Somehow, despite this busy schedule, Adramalech also finds time to maintain an extensive spy network among the pit fiends which collect information. Adramalech stores this information and the true names of all devils in a tome he calls “The Infernal Record” which is colloquially known to mortals as the “Book of Fire”. Adramalech finds stress relief by torturing the souls of mortals in an extensive dungeon network which lies below Fortress Nessus. He especially despises Humans and Elves and takes special joy in causing them pain.
Adramalech has full authority to give orders to devils. This power was given to Adramalech because he is the only devil in the Nine Hells who shows no desire to usurp the Asmodeus. As a notably weak devil, Adramalech understands that even if he were to somehow become an Arch-Duke or Arch-Devil he would be easily overthrown. Instead, he enjoys the power and control he wields over the Nine Hells from the safety of Asmodeus’s right hand. Adramalech enjoys a small cult of followers in the Prime Material Plane who kidnap and sacrifice human and elf children to him. Because Adramalech is so physically weak, he is constantly guarded by a legion of Pit Fiends.
Phongor is the left-hand of Asmodeus and a rival of Adramalech. This devil usually resembles a human male with pink skin and eyes which glitter even in the shadows. He has oily black hair, two small twisting black horns, and red hooves for feet with a similarly colored tail.
Phongor serves as Asmodeus’s Chief Inquisitor. It is his duty to uncover secrets or to find information that Asmodeus wishes to find. Phongor is considered the most feared devil in Baator after Asmodeus because of his penchant for torture, his prowess in combat with a wickedly sharp whip, and his ability to sniff out secrets.
Phongor’s rivalry with Adramalech is because he knows that the Record Keeper does not know his true name. Adramalech frequently sends spies to try to find Phongor’s true name as it is the only one, he does not know. In response, Phongor sniffs out these spies and viciously kills them because he knows that his secret allows him to maintain an even position of power in Nessus with the Chancellor. His prowess at finding information for Asmodeus means that he holds equal value currently for the Arch-Devil. Phongor spends much of his time ensuring that Asmodeus is well informed regarding the events of every plane. To do so, he has enlisted some of Adramalech’s spies to work for him and tortures information out of other creatures as he needs.
While Adramalech and Phongor serve as Asmodeus’s right and left-hand respectively, his favorite servant is his executioner, Alastor the Grim. A horrifically scarred and broken winged pit fiend, Alastor is considered the strongest of the Pit Fiends. Rumored to be one of the first devils born from Asmodeus’s blood, Alastor the Grim does not speak or act independently of his master. He always accompanies the Arch-Devil acting as a bodyguard and as the executioner for whomever displeases Asmodeus. It is a common belief that if the Nine Hells were destroyed and Asmodeus could only save one creature other than himself, he would choose Alastor the Grim. Alastor the Grim also commands the personal armies of Asmodeus.
There are always six generals in Nessus for Asmodeus’s armies. These generals are constantly changing as the devils vie for power and control.

NOTABLE LOCATIONS

There are two types of notable locations on the plane of Nessus: geographical features and infernal constructions.
The first major geographical feature of Nessus is the river Styx, which enters Nessus through a hidden (and heavily guarded) location from Cania. The river reaches its lowest point in Nessus in a lake known as the “Forgotten Lake”. From here, it sinks into the plain and drips into Gehenna (an outer plane not connected to the Nine Hells).
The Forgotten Lake is rumored to be the place that beautiful memories go to die. When mortal souls are first brough to the Nine Hells, their memories are stripped from them and sent here. Here, the thoughts are broken down and destroyed. Should a creature look into the waters, they will see beautiful memories that slowly corrupt into fiendish nightmares.
Several other rivers also off shoot from the river Styx to fill the rest of Nessus. One of these, indistinguishable from the others, is the river Lethe whose waters are known to cause complete memory loss.
Several notable gorges are also spread throughout the plane. Reaper’s Canyon is Nessus’s canyon of death. Here, no injuries heal, and death finds creatures twice as quickly as elsewhere. Sicknesses and disease are far more powerful. Another canyon is known as Hell’s Lips and is the epitome of gluttony. Mortals that find themselves here may become overcome with insatiable thirst and hunger. One fissure that travels from north to south on the plane is “The Nest”, which houses hundreds of nests for fiendish wasps.
The most noticeable geographic location in Nessus is the large winding canyon that sinks deeper and deeper into the plane, The Serpent’s Pass. This canyon, carved from Asmodeus’s fall, carves to the deepest point of Nessus, which in unknown even to most devils.
At the center, and northern most point, of the plane is a large pit which houses the city of Malsheem. Built from stone and Baatorian green steel, the city stretches in multiple layers along the gorge. Over time, the ever-expanding city has slowly begun to form tunnels into the walls and floor of the pit. This large structure, designed by Asmodeus, is home to millions of devils, perhaps the strongest in the nine hells. Here, Asmodeus keeps his personal army, waiting to conquer the planes with it. At the center of the city of Malsheem is the Fortress Nessus.
Fortress Nessus sits at the deepest point of the Serpent’s Coil but rises far above the rest of the plane. Decadent and bleak, the fortress seems to be a failed recreation of the home of the Gods. Here, Asmodeus resides and rules. The fortress has not been mapped previously and seems uninhabited at all times of the day. Despite its appearance, the fortress is teeming with devils and dangers. Below the fortress is an extensive dungeon which houses the souls of humans and elves for Adramalech to torture. Fortress Nessus also houses the Infernal Records.
The last location of note for Nessus is Tabjari, which lies in Reaper Canyon. Tabjari is a copper citadel which serves as the library, vault, and armory for Asmodeus. Tabjari is nearly impossible to enter. Its entrance is a highly guarded secret. The entire structure is heavily guarded by traps, magic, and devils. The security of Tabjari is even greater than the security in Fortress Nessus because it houses Asmodeus’s greatest treasure, one of the original copies of the Pact Primeval.

MYSTERIES

There are many mysteries with the plane of Nessus for the curious adventurer to find, though at great personal risk. Many of these mysteries remain because adventurers who chose to explore the plane did not return.
The first great mystery of Nessus is how to enter the plane. Though there is an entrance via the river Styx, this passage would require that adventurers travel through the other 8 planes of Baator to find their way into Nessus. Still, this river entrance is hidden and extremely well-guarded. Finding and mapping this location would make one rich beyond definition.
Another great mystery of Nessus comes from a rumor that Asmodeus is still greatly weakened by his wounds. A common rumor within the Outer Planes is that Asmodeus’s true form lies still broken and beaten within Fortress Nessus. Many of the other Archdukes and the Demon Princes of the Abyss spend a significant amount of time trying to find out if the rumor is true (and the location of Asmodeus’s true form) with the hopes of conquering the 9 hells.
The fortress Nessus hold many other secrets, such as information about the weaknesses of the Archdukes, that could hold much value for any being that could find them.
Tabjari holds one of the original copies of the Pact Primeval, which provides the place around it with enormous power. In this place, magic is said to achieve feats that would be otherwise impossible. For this reason, its location is deeply sought. Additionally, the copy itself provides significant strength to the devils. If it were to be stolen, it would greatly turn the tide of the Blood War in favor of the Abyss.

SURVIVAL

Surviving Nessus is horrendously difficult for those that have not been personally invited by Asmodeus. Travelers should equip themselves with means of surviving some of the hottest temperatures in the planes, second perhaps only to the plane of fire. Likewise, they should equip themselves to survive frigid temperatures that exist in some of the gorges. Because Nessus is finite, it can be more easily mapped than any other planes. Perhaps a daring adventuring group would be able to find some enemy of Asmodeus who has a map of the plane. Another duke of the nine hells may have such a map and forming a pact with one may be wise for finding a way through Nessus without Asmodeus’s permission. If not, the safest way to traverse the plane would be to make some pact with the Arch-Devil.
For those who attempt to sneak onto Nessus, stealth is the best option. The plane teems with a seemingly infinite number of the deadliest devils in the nine hells. Direct confrontation with a small group will only draw more of them towards a party. Additionally, it would be wise to find some way to carry provision onto the plane because food is sparse. Nessus is also covered in a dense fog of noxious fumes which make breathing difficult. Adventurers should account for this trait and find some way to filter their breathing as needed.

Toolkit

Nessian Hell-Hound
Large fiend, neutral evil
Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 129 (13d10 + 52)
Speed: 50ft., fly 50ft.

CR: 10 (5,900 XP)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
[+6]	[+3]	[+5]	[-3]	[+1]	[+0]

Saving Throws: DEX +6, CON +8 Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +6 Damage Resistances: Cold, Fire Damage Immunities: Poison Damage Vulnerabilities: Radiant Condition Immunities: Poisoned, Sleep Senses: Darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 14 Languages: Infernal, Common
Traits
Devils Sight. Magical darkness does not impede the hell hound.
Actions
Multiattack. The hell hound makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Hellfire Breath: (Recharges 5-6). The Nessian Hell-Hound unleashes a 10 ft cone of fire that deals 40 (9d8) fire damage. Creatures caught in the cone must make a DC17 dex save, taking half damage on a successful save.
With this, I have finally finished an entry for each of the Nine Hells for the Atlas project. I started writing about the Nine Hells in 2018, five years ago. After 4 years of writing and rewriting this article, it’s finally done which is a weird feeling. Nessus was especially hard to write about because I wanted it to feel dangerous, mysterious, and hard to understand. Hopefully, this is useful to some people. Moving forward, I’m planning to update the older entries with better information.
Check out my previous entry for the Atlas of the Planes project: Cania
Write Your Own Atlas Entry!

Hi all,
Information: * Large adult male seal lynx point bengal cat. * Age: 5 * Neutered: Yes * No veterinarian appointment yet. * Past symptoms: Gingivitis. Sensitive stomach. He can yowl after eating and sometimes during eating. Can sound pretty strange and almost like a mating goal. In the past he had bright red blood in stool when food was changed. * Now on grain-free, meat only diet. * Location is Bavaria, Germany. * Weight: 5.8kgs * Current symptom duration: 1-2 months
Here is an Imgur link to two videos of him licking the area.
I'm reaching out to in hopes of gaining some insights and advice regarding my cat's health. Lately, I've noticed a peculiar behavior that has been causing me quite a bit of concern.
My cat has been consistently licking a specific area on his stomach. It's become a daily ritual for him, and he does it at least 10, sometimes 15+ times a day. The fact that he focuses on such a specific spot has me worried.
What adds to my apprehension is the knowledge that snow bengals, like my cat, have a predisposition to cancer. I understand that it might not necessarily be the case here, but the association has certainly amplified my concerns.
I want to ensure that my cat receives the best care possible, so I'm turning to this supportive community for any insights, experiences, or advice you might have. Has anyone else observed a similar behavior in their snow bengal or any other breed of cat? Should I be worried about potential health issues? Are there any preventive measures or specific signs I should be looking out for?
Of course, I plan to consult my veterinarian about this issue. Any input now could help guide me in the right direction and give me peace of mind.
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. Your support means a lot to me and my furry friend.

I am in desperate need of advice.
I have been dating this guy since late February of this year. When we first met, we instantly clicked. He is sweet/caring, has a good job (he is a teacher), and we have a lot in similar (only children, grew up in the same area, etc). I really felt like it was too good to be true.
Within a couple of weeks of dating, I discovered that he was still “dating” his ex-girlfriend when he asked me to be his. When I confronted him about it, he claimed that, she was very unstable and he no longer felt anything towards her. He was afraid that he’d break up with her and she’d pull some “suicidal” type of thing. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and put that situation behind us.
He came to visit me today at my office and left his Apple Watch charging on my desk. Since his Apple Watch does not have a passcode, I decided to snoop. I found the weirdest pictures in his “favorites” album. Pictures of Princess Peach naked, female characters from Sonic the Hedgehog, even Isabelle from Animal Crossing. I felt sick after finding these pictures. There’s even pictures of like Asian characters who appear to pregnant. This makes sense since he has a breeding kink.
I am not sure how to move forward after finding this, should I tell him? I just feel like he is a really good liar. The first time I slept over his house, I found a sticker of Isabelle from ACNH with boobs on his Nintendo Switch. I confronted him right then and there. He claimed that he lost a bet with his college roommate and had to place the sticker on his Switch. After seeing this, I highly doubt it is true.
Should I tell him that I found the pictures? Should I break up with him?
Any advice is appreciated.

I am about to buy my dream puppy, I had not really thought seriously about breeding her, but the thought had occurred. The seller asked if I wanted breeding rights. The puppies are AKC registered, & if I become the owner, I get the everything/registration/paperwork etc, for her, why do I have to pay extra for breeding rights for in the future ? If, I decide to have a litter..I read the entire AKC guide to responsible dog breeding & nowhere did it say that to become a breeder, you have to pay extra (to the previous owner) to breed your own dog ? Even though she is already AKC registered. I know I would have to use a stud who is also AKC registered. Is it a legitimate transaction for me to pay an extra 800$ for “rights…” or do I obtain breeding rights when I purchase the puppy ? The purpose of me getting a new dog is not to start a breeding mill, I just don’t want to be charged an extra 800$ if this is not an actual thing.

The ultimate Pikmin Bloom Challenge Guide - Or - How to breed special flowers the best way- Part 1
The only thing limiting you with events should be the mushroom battles but I read a lot of you get stuck not having enough event nectapetals, so here is what I do.
Keep your mushroom battles until you reach the event task asking for it. You cannot do them beforehand. That does not count. Of course if it is late evening and you wont do anything else anyway use them and don't let them expire.
Step 1 - Getting 5 event special nectar
1.1 Do every event task you can and spin the event wheel until you get stuck on the task where you need to bloom special flowers. The event wheel can give you the special nectar you need. Don't try to influence the event wheel. That'll only make you more angry. I close my eyes or look away while spinning ;-)
1.2 If you didn't get the special nectar you need from step 1.1 do your mushroom battles now. The reward fruits can give you special nectar.
1.3 Bloom big flowers using normal yellow petals until one becomes the yellow special flower you want. It will drop a fruit giving you special nectar. Also don't forget to swipe down on the big flower to get 1 or two extra nectar.
*white petals result in a random color but "yellow fruits" contain more nectar than red or blue so I try to get yellow first
Now you should at least have 5 nectar you want to get more.
Step 2 - Getting 10 event petals
2.1 Switch your active pikmin group, so that you only have pikmin with buds. Feed them with the nectar. Bud pikmin give 2 petals instead of one.
2.2 If you have no pikmin with buds, search for pikmin with leaves and either feed them white nectar or go on a walk for them to get buds.
Step 3 - Getting more nectapetals
3.1 Search for a big flower that needs at least 151 flowers to bloom
3.2 Use the event petals to plant 151 flowers, then stop and fill the rest with whatever flower you like. 151+ flowers of the same species makes a big flower becoming that species, so don't waste more event petals than necessary.
Important: Don't go back and forth inside a big flower's circle while planting flowers. Every "spot" has a five minute cooldown until you can plant another flower on it but your petals keep running empty even if you plant nothing.
Instead go straight through the circle, start planting when you enter it and stop planting when you reach the end. Wait 5 minutes and repeat. With my 10 petals I got 190 flowers planted.
Make the big flower bloom and take the fruit. Don't forget the extra nectar ;-) Now you have 15 to 30 nectar and with the bud pikmin trick you get between 30 and 60 new petals.
I hope this helps you getting more event petals. I am German, so if my style of English is a bit awkward please forgive me. This is my first ever guide in English ;-)
Tomorrow I'll tell you how to efficiently get the remaining 3 colors. Have a good time!

I know this is a bit of a weird post but I’m really unsure what to do or what to go for.
I’m coming up my final year for university and I’m planning on doing a creative writing piece for my dissertation. It’s 10,000 words including an analysis so around 6,000 words for the novel. I have a universe set out, it’s entirely fantasy and none of the stories happen on Earth so all the nations are fictional. I have 3 ideas and all of them are dark fantasy.
Which do you think I should do?
Idea 1; is about a girl called Amina whose mother died climbing the worlds tallest mountain. Amina decides to try and climb it herself but it’s full of dangers. The Mountain itself is pretty normal until you get to the bottle neck where it begins to look like the head of a woman. It’s slightly smaller than Everest and under the bottle neck it’s technically easier than Everest. However, magic exist and so do spirits including Lakheys and other South East Asian spirits. Many of the more dangerous spirits live on the mountain which makes it extremely dangerous. On the way up many people die including Aminas uncle. Her guide tries to get to turn around but she doesn’t until half way up the bottleneck when she runs out of Trimix oxygen. All she has left is Nitromix and it’ll be dangerous to continue. She has to give up even though she’s so close. In the end she goes down and meets her future husband at base camp.
Pros; I already have loads of sources ready, the story excites me. The characters excite me. I have mountains for some reason and I have some really cool ideas. I get the opportunity to kill Edmund Whymper AND read Jamling Tenzing Norgays book.
Cons; The characters are based on Nepal/Pakistan and Kazakhstan/Siberia which i don’t know much about yet. I have never climbed a mountain (I’m too poor and too British for that shit) so I’m sure what it’s like. The idea might be a bit unusual or boring.
Idea 2; is about a young girl named Lillia who lives in isolation. Her dad works frequently and her mum died. She’s bullied and spends most of her time running errands for an old lady. There’s a small cottage near where she lives and she spends a lot of time there. She practices her magic in secret since it’s demonised in her community. One day Lillia meets Admiral Robert. She 13, he’s 23. He grooms her and eventually she joins him on his ship.
Pros; Based on experience. I feel a strong connection to the character and story. I have a very clear image in my mind of the environment.
Cons; Really Dark. Wrote about something similar before (but I’m planning on making lots of changes). Kinda triggering for me (even just talking about it).
Idea 3; is about a Baroness Begonia who has died and is taken to a cruel after life where she must face the deeds she did in life.
Pros; fun revenge fantasy. Very scary. Message about forgiveness not necessarily being needed to move on.
Cons; I’ve never been dead. I hate Begonia. Haven’t really set much up for the world.

Brought to us by the shining stars at the Dragonia Den Guild!
This event will run from Friday, June 2 until 19:00 GMT on Monday, June 5; to participate you will need version 10.2.2 or later, at least 100 dragon power, and a high quality, stable internet connection.
Please keep event-specific questions and discussions in this thread; good luck and happy merging!
 

Special Notes

• A calendar of 2023’s past and projected events has been posted.
• A small number of players are testing a new Egg Storage feature; for more info, here is the initial post from last Wednesday, the most active thread during Friday’s initial beta tester rollout, and the official website’s new Egg Storage info section.

 

Image Guide

Tap this link to open the Image Guide as a savable Google document, or use the links below to see individual slides.

1. Cloud Key Map - Shows the location of every cloud lock with its key item, along with egg locations.
2. Cloud Key Chart - Shows what items are needed to open each cloud lock, and if there’s any dead land, additional locks, or any important items behind the lock.
3. Tile Healing Map - Shows the healing power needed for each tile.
4. Infinite Harvestables Map - Shows locations of all Infinite Harvestable items.
5. Event Quests Chart - Full list of all the Event Quests.
6. Event Rewards Chart - Lists the number of points needed to reach each prize level, and shows the full chain for the event point items and how much each is worth.

 

Event Items and Cloud Keys

• Zodiac Objects are point items
• Zodiac Sources are infinite harvestables — L6 Heavenly Archway
• Astrologist Toolkits are consumable harvestables
• Zodiac Chests are event chests
• Ancient Objects — L4 Lost Vases
• Autumn Trees — L3 Young Autumn Tree, L7 Fancy Autumn Tree
• Forgotten Flowers — L3 Twin Flowers, L10 Zeus' Cup
• Fruit Trees — L2 Young Fruit Tree
• Gaia Statues — L2 Restored Gaia Statue
• Life Flowers — L2 Life Flower
• Life Orbs — L0 Life Essence
• Mystic Potions — L2 Love Potion, L6 Wishing Star
• Tanzanite Mystery Nest
• Golden Capsule
• Fallen Star

 

Event FAQs

• The Event Shop and Capsules appear after you’ve healed 30-70 tiles; after that a free Bronze Capsule can be collected every 3 hours.
• It takes 5x or 6x level 9 Life Orb of the Heavens to clear all the 5k+ land, depending on how much you heal by merging items off dead land.
• 29,950 points are required to collect all the main prize items; this equals roughly 1x level 9 points item plus 2x level 8 points items.
• Key items can all be made via 3-merges, if the item is not already in its final form.
• Caves must be tapped to spawn a Zomblin; only one event Zomblin lives in each cave, and it turns into Stinky Cheese when killed.
• The Gold Capsule, Tanzanite Nest, and Fallen Star are on tiles requiring 50k energy to heal, with locations shown on Slide 1.
• Infinite Harvestables:
  • There are 9x level 1, 3x level 2, 1x level 3, 2x level 4, and 2x level 5 Zodiac Sources on the map, with locations shown on Slide 4.
  • NOTE: An L6 Heavenly Archway is used as a key in this event, but there is no dead land or required item behind it so it can safely be skipped; Infinite Harvestables in general can be deleted unless you want to keep a back-up for earning points.
• Consumable Harvestables:
  • Each 1x2 Master Astrologist's Toolkit can be harvested 25 times; 75 total harvests are needed to complete Quest 1.3.
  • Each harvest of the big 2x2 Grand Master Astrologist's Toolkit at the back of the map yields a 10% chance of spawning an extra Master Astrologist's Toolkit.
  • Once all available Master Astrologist's Toolkit and the Grand Master Astrologist's Toolkit are gone, there is no way to get more.
• Only 2 dragons at a time will harvest when left on their own; having more than two will drastically slow down idle play. If you want extra dragons for active play, the Prism Flower method is a good option.
• More event strategy advice (active vs passive or idle play, etc) can be found in threads here, here, here, and in the Community FAQ.
• Shimmering Stars event theme’s main wiki page.
• Similar past events:
  • March 2023
  • November 2022
  • July 2022

 

Featured Reward Breeds:

• Cosmic Dragon - primary event trophy breed
• Zeus Dragon - usual primary trophy breed for Odyssey events
• Stadium Dragon - four eggs spawned by the Celestial Globe Event Trophy
• Sharp Dragon - coin breed

 

Event Troubleshooting

If the event is not showing up or glitches are affecting your play:

• Try hard closing and then relaunching your game.
• If your device is running hot, stop playing and allow it to cool down.
• Try rebooting your device (ie, turn it completely off, then back on and allow it to fully boot up before relaunching the game).
• Try rebooting your wifi router (if you have access).
• Try switching to a completely different internet source.
• If you’re suddenly experiencing multiple issues like lagging or error messages, close the game and try again after an hour or two; events are server-based, and sometimes activity on that end can cause temporary problems.
• If nothing here helps, contact Gram Games Support through the in-game link or the official website for help figuring out what’s wrong.

General Technical Warnings:

• Cloud Save is still unreliable: according to the developer, it is not safe to be used and should be left turned off.
• Saving your Progress: Make sure you travel to the World Map screen before closing your game to save your progress; saving immediately after earning or making high-value items is also recommended.

 
^{edits are on-going}

Chapter Sixty Six: Plotting with Puppy
Entering into the entrance hallway of the apartment Simone tentatively holds up her hand to inform the other two women to wait.
”Something wrong?” Chak asks before looking down at Zrume who sits at her side vigilantly.
The animal’s ears perk up and nostrils flare silently, keeping her own tabs on the situation.
“Hope not, but…” Simone replies in concerned thought, “While I was stranded on the Gratt homeworld and just getting to know Meeki, she was chased and attacked by big burly dogs like Zrume here. Not the same breed of course, but I wanna check in with her before waltzing in, you know? Her only experience with dogs being like that, she probably needs a warning.” she informs.
Chak’s eyes widen slightly and she quickly nods.
“Oh, of course. Yes, that’s a good idea.” she agrees before placing a lower limb on the mutt’s big head.
“Surprised you accepted taking it! You seemed very scared of it at first.” Sonla comments, having been keeping her own distance from the animal thus far.
“She’s a little scary, certainly. Definitely intimidating in size and stature…” Chak grants, “But that look in her eyes… she’s without a doubt a very good natured girl.” she says while gently petting the dog.
“I think so too, but we’re gonna have to be careful introducing her to everyone and make sure she knows who’s a friend. Don’t want her thinking any of them approaching you is of concern.” Simone says before walking ahead to enter the apartment, “You guys wait here, I’ll just be a sec.”
Entering the apartment proper, Simone looks around the circular center hub space. There’s a faint smell of pizza in the air as the empty boxes are still resting on the counter island in the kitchen area. However there is no sight of either Gratt or Terran outside their disheveled mess in the center media couch.
Simone would have felt a but more concerned with how late the three seems to be sleeping in, but the evidence around reveals that they just have been up late having fun while they can.
However, knowing that she still can’t surprise them with the pouch, she walks over to the Gratt’s room and knocks her knuckles against it.
Though when Troy answers it dressed in nothing but a blanket Simone looks over to the other room doors confused.
“Oh, morning dude. Sorry, did I forget who’s room is who’s?” she asks in a chuckle.
“Nope.” the sheepish man replies as he rubs the sleep from his eyes, “Uhm… shoot. Yeah, uhm… Meeki and Nodrin are just waking up too, need me to get ‘em out for ya?” he says as his cheeks redden.
Simone’s eyes gradually expand in realization as she tilts her head enough to see the partially collapsed fortress of pillows and blankets. Nodrin pokes their head and upper torso out from the draping wall in a stretch, while another pair of loving Gratt hands massage their torso in the usual process of separation.
“Hmmmm… morning good Simone.” Nodrin groggily utters as they more fully pull away from their softly chittering partner in a crawl out.
Returning her eyes back to Troy to grant the nude Nodrin a bit of privacy, Simone clears her throat and rubs the back of her head.
“Wow… It looks like you guys had a hell of a time. Uhm… congrats? It seems like it went well. Right, ahh… Yeah...” Simone rambles with several streams of thoughts going through her mind, but she eventually snaps to it by raising her voice slightly, “Meeki? Nodrin? I need you two to get dressed and step out asap. There’s something I need to run by you guys before Chak comes into the apartment.” she calls out to the Gratt before winking at Troy and stepping away and scavenging one of the few remaining cold slices of pizza in the fridge.
“Okay!” Meeki’s voice replies before Troy closes the door to get dressed himself.
Simone updates Chak on the situation with her Lens as she leans against the kitchen island, and only waits for about a minute before the three hurry on out more appropriately garbed. For the most part.
Troy is still shirtless as he wanders out and approaches the kitchen area and starts digging through the cupboards.
Meeki and Nodrin run up to the island by Simone and sit up on the stools. The female wears a gray shirt that’s way too big for her, answering why Troy’s outfit is incomplete.
“Well I’m not seeing much guys, we can try ordering in again. But there’s enough to work with here for some quick and dirty pancakes. Not seeing any syrup or jam, but I think I can make something real quick with these frozen fruit packs in the freezer. Maybe I’ll just throw ‘em into the batter and see if it works out?” Troy tells the duo, seeming to have picked up a conversation they were having while getting dressed, “Oh! And bacon! At least… something that looks like bacon. Definitely not from a Terran animal so I can’t be sure if it’ll cook the same.”
“Sounds much good!” Nodrin agrees as they rest their head in their hands, watching the half dressed Terran get to work, very much enjoying the show.
“What we need to discuss?” Meeki inquires the nearby redhead.
Simone nods before finishing off the slice in her hand.
“Chak and I brought some new friends back home with us, and I wanted to give you a heads up. Probably should’ve messaged ahead… but let’s just say we were a bit distracted. One of them is a Vorook named Sonla. She’s a bit of an infiltration expert and I have a good idea of what she can do in case things don’t go to plan. That said, hold back on details with her for now.” Simone says, to which the Gratt nod, “And… the other is a security service animal that was gifted to Chak by the Z’ah’tuck ambassador. Long story.”
“And I thought we had a wild night… Did you even manage to have that date?” Troy says over his shoulder as he mixes wet and dry ingredients in a bowl.
“Yes, actually. It was amazing, all this other stuff happened afterwards. Anyway, Meeki, Nodrin. I want to clear it with you before bringing the animal in because… it’s a dog. Meeki, I know for a fact that your introduction to dogs was harrowing to say the least, because they were the animals those Gaia people used while invading your home.” Simone addresses the two green folk, seeing a bit of confirmation of her concern in the responding fearful Gratt eyes looking to the entrance door of the apartment.
“The four legged beasts with fur?” Meeki inquires a bit nervously.
“Yep. But I assure you that this one will mean you no harm. Those Dogs that attacked you before were raised and trained to do so. But dogs themselves are domesticated animals that are broadly safe to be around, as long as you don’t make yourself a threat to them. And even then, they may just cower from ya rather than fight. That said, Chak’s new dog Zrume is trained to be a kind of bodyguard. It’s important to know to not act aggressively towards Chak when she’s ‘on duty’, alright? However I’d like to socialize her with you guys here in a sec while she’s ‘off duty’. You know, to make sure she understands you two are friends and permitted near Chak in times of crisis. Is it okay with you two to let them in?” Simone elaborates.
“So… this dog is nice?” Meeki questions for full confirmation.
“Chak called her a sweetheart herself. And I completely agree. As long as you don’t bum-rush Chak for some reason as soon as she walks in, you will be perfectly fine. Just don’t stare into her eyes until she’s comfortable around you. For dogs direct eye contact can be seen as a threat.” Simone answers, “Ready?”
Meeki blinks as she watches the door for a moment longer.
“Yes. Is okay to bring them in.” she nods.
The redhead pats Meeki’s shoulder reassuringly and messages Chak, informing her that she is cleared to enter.
Everyone within the apartment turns to get a look as the entrance opens up to the Cali princess holding a leash to an animal that weighs more than she does.
Meeki relatively takes hold of Nodrin’s hand, but otherwise remains calm as the god is brought closer to the kitchen area.
Chak stops and pulls up a list of provided commands that the canine is trained in.
“Zrume, at ease. Safe zone.” she states firmly, hoping that she did it correctly.
Immediately, Zrume’s posture loosens and even becomes a little wiggly as as she looks down and begins sniffing the ground and nearby furniture within range of the leash’s allowance. Although the leash straightens out, the gentle creature doesn’t pull against her owner’s grip, instead simply shifting her focus to something else.
Quickly that focus comes upon the two Gratt still sitting on stools. Coming closer with caution, Zrume approaches the strangers carefully.
“Lower your hands with palms out, let her say hi first.” Simone advises.
Nodding Meeki slowly obliges, twitching slightly as the animal starts to sniff her clawed hands. Then in a side-rub against Meeki’s legs the dog opens its mouth in a relaxed grin exposing her tongue.
Feeling like permission is granted, Meeki starts to pet Zrume’s shaggy fur along her vertical back.
Nodrin then lowers their hands as well for another sniff-inspection before being enthusiastically allowed to join in on the petting.
Meeki’s nerves gradually fade as the animal proves to be indeed very friendly and well mannered. Nothing like the animals that intended to tear her to shreds way back when.
“Hello Zrume.” she says in a relieving sigh.
At the sound of her name being spoken by this new person the dog arches her head back and up at the Gratt female. Her expression being only what can be defined as ‘goofy sweetness’ with big expressive eyes and a heavy swinging of her happy tail.
Simone covers her mouth, trying to not snort a laugh upon seeing the dog’s dorky nature. Removing her bag from her shoulder she turns to look at Sonla who has been very quietly looking around the apartment and the folks within.
“And this is Sonla. Sonla, this is Nodrin, Meeki and Troy.” the redhead introduces with a moving hand gesture.
The monkey-like lizard stood up from walking on her knuckles to give everyone a wave.
“Hi.” she says a bit awkwardly.
“Welcome to the circus!” Troy greets as he pours his pancake-fruit mixture into a heated and buttered pan. Leaving it for just a moment he leans over on the island and gives the Vorook a big smile, “Want any pancakes? I might have made a bit too much batter while trying to even out the texture.” he offers.
“I’m an obligate carnivore, so no thanks.” Sonla replies as she settles back on her thickly scaled knuckles.
“Oh, sorry, right. My bad.” Troy chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck, “Uhh… what about some bacon? The animal is uhm…” he turns sound to closely read the chilled packaging for the answer, “Premium cloned loamph? Not really sure how ‘premium’ cloned stuff is, but we got it!”
The man flips the package in the air with one hand while the other gives the lizard lady a thumbs up.
“Yes!” Sonla immediately replies as she maneuvers up to the remaining stool by the island, and adjusts it to compensate for her shorter stature.
“You got it!” Troy says with a finger-gun before turning around once more to tend to his cooking.
After a short while seeing the dog is handling the situation well, Chak takes off the leash. Zrume takes this opportunity to step away from the Gratt and further explore the space around her.
“She’s very nice.” Meeki says as she watches the animal sniff around everything that was in her path, “She play or no?” the Gratt inquires curiously.
“Oh yeah. I imagine she’d be happy to play things like fetch and tug-of-war. In fact Chak already ordered toys, food, a bed and a waste pad system to be eventually delivered to the Kwip-chap.” Simone answers before her fiance pressed up against her in a side hug.
“It’s only sensible to be prepared now, rather than later.” Chak defends in a chuckle as she keeps an eye on the pouch, “I just hope the children will like her.”
“I’m sure they will.” the redhead replies as she gently rubs the Cali’s back.
Meanwhile Sonla finds herself staring up directly at Nodrin with an unreadable expression.
“You… alright?” Nodrin asks.
“Why do you have four eyes?” Sonla bluntly counter-questions.
“Ah- uhm… because I was born with four? As most Gratt are. Four eyes not all that strange when it comes to other species. Truba, Carvv and Hallo as examples.” Nodrin answers, confused by the question,
“Well duh, but I mean why does your species have four eyes evolution wise?” Sonla clarifies, “Carvv and Hallo have four to see different light spectrums, and Dillo needed six to look upwards for falling debris in sandstorms and cliffsides. Runeani have eight! I think that is because they needed good depth perception.”
“Oh, so you much study biology science?” Nodrin assumes.
“No. It’s just kinda creepy to look at without context.” Sonla bluntly responds with a shrug,
Nodrin leans back a bit, finding themself a bit offended.
“Much rude… but if it make you comfortable to be around us then I’ll answer the best I can.”
“Sorry. But yes, it’ll help.” Sonla says, although to the Gratt her tone can stand to be a bit more apologetic.
“Very well. They help get more clear vision in dark places. Mostly they help us with close inspection and far distance seeing.” Nodrin explains before pointing at their pair of eyes furthest from the center of their face, “But outer eyes are much special. Our ancestors were aquatic animals and so Gratt’s outer eyes still have extra clear lids to see underwater.”
“Oh. Aquatic?” Sonla questions, “Where did head fur come from then? Are you like mammalian?” she adds with more genuine curiosity.
“I… don’t know…” Nodrin admits, “Gratt study past ancestors much, but we still know little. Though hope new tech from the stars can help with all our sciences.”
“I saw Terran article that said we closely resemble… uhm…” Meeki inserts herself into the conversation before trailing off as she forgets the classification used, “One moment…” she utters as she navigates her Lens to find the article she found, “Ah! Synapsids! Not exactly like, but much comparison. So we are compared to ‘Mammal-like reptiles’.”
Sonla blinks before looking back as the roar of bacon hits a hot pan.
“Huh… Neat!” she replies, “Vorook can’t really swim very well. We tend to sink and even if we don’t we are too top heavy so our heads get stuck underwater. Very funny to see, but also sad. But we are really good at climbing! We can hold on to and dangle from things for long periods of time!”
“But not holding on to speeding shuttles roofs, huh?” Simone teases, as she maneuvers her positioning to get a better line of sight on the sizzling bacon.
“N-no… Well maybe, if it didn’t get so cold so fast.” Sonla says,
Troy looks back at his fellow Terran with a furrowed brow.
“What did you guys get yourselves into?” he says as he breaks into a bewildered laugh.
“I’m sure you’ll know soon enough when you get the chance to look at the news. But by the end of it Chak managed to secure overwhelming Z’ah’tuck support for her and her efforts to take back the throne. Like… military support. Granted, they have a lot to gain from it, but so do we.” Simone reveals as she finds herself a bit closer to the plate where the man was putting down the greasy strips of crispy goodness.
Chak then lets out a genuinely humored giggle that borders on outright laughter.
Confused, Troy looks to Simone then to his other side where Chak is looking. Having somehow sneaked up on him, Zrume sits there while gazing up at him with big pleading eyes with a little line of drool dripping from her maw. Noticing that he is boxed in he turns to Simone and aims his tongs out at her.
“You already pillaged our leftovers, you can wait a few minutes for bacon!” he states sternly in his fake parental tone before turning to the dog.
“Sorry pupper… way too much sodium for you. It’ll upset your guts real bad.” he sweetly apologizes.
As he addresses the canine, Simone swiftly reaches over and silently snatches two hot strips from the plate and retreats back before he is able to notice.
“You motherf-” Troy laughs once he sees both Simone and Chak snacking on the stolen goods, but knowing he would do the exact same drops it immediately.
Simone smirks in victory as she wanders over to the circular center couch to make herself comfortable as they all wait for their other Terran comrades to return from their own mysterious mission.
-
“Well that wasn’t a complete disaster…” Brandy mutters as she strides ahead of Thorn and Devin with her arms crossed while marching into the apartment entrance hallway.
“Hard to believe we weren’t caught after that water tank collapsed… Almost didn’t have the time to scrub us from all the crossing security footage.” Devin groans in a low grumble.
“Getting caught? How about -oh you know- nearly crashing that tanker shuttle into a residential area!?” Brandy snaps back.
“Not my fault that the pilot passed out.” Devin argues.
“Sorta was, that kinda happens when you jumpscare a Zernth from behind like you did.” Brandy counters.
“It was either lose the target or try to convince the Zernth to turn left.” Devin sighs before he feels a mechanical hand press on the back of his shoulder.
Pushing him to hurry up, Thorn catches up with Brandy where he plants his other hand.
“Mmhmm. Not our best work. But we got the bastard and actually convinced the Squilla ambassador to help us out in our little operation here. Other than some spilled water, we managed to pull it off without a hitch. I say we all learn from the experience and get to what’s further down the trail. Remember what’s at stake.”
“Yeah, you’re right. But still… it’s those stakes that make every mistake feel like I’ve wronged the entire universe. Like it’s heavier than it has any right to be.” Brandy replies as she reaches the door, “One fuck up and who knows how many people will be hurt from it down the line…”
“Aye… but in the grand scheme of it all your actions have had the same weight your entire life, because it led you here doing what you’re doing. Still, you're right, it’s a lot to bear on the heart.” Thorn grants, “My advice? Take a note from Simone’s book. Just keep moving forward and rest in the arms of whoever you want to hold ya.”
“I honestly don’t know how she copes. It’d drive me into a downward spiral of stress and paranoia going through half of what she has.” the woman huffs as she reaches to open the door via indicator.
“Don’t compromise who you are, and preserve your capability to love throughout all of the hell life will march ya through. It’ll hurt, but it’s worth it because that’s how you win life.” the old man states right before the door opens.
“Yooo! Bout time! You guys want some cold pancakes? I can reheat ‘em if you’d like!” Troy cheers from the couch with two Gratt resting at his sides.
“I hope you three have moved from the couch at some point…” Brandy says with an exaggerated eye roll, “Have a good night?”
“Yeah we did!” the man answers both of Brandy’s sentences at once.
“I’m going to set up to get our finalized planning underway. Ten minutes.” Devin notifies as he peels off to his room.
“Good. I hear we have a new member to the crew?” Thorn says as he strides in with his hands on his hips.
As if summoned, Sonla’s head peeks out from behind the other side of the couch.
“That’s me! Master infiltrator Sonla at your service!” the Vorook introduces herself, now standing proudly upon the headrest.
“Master eh? Good… We’re definitely gonna need a master’s handiwork in our lil’ operation.” Thorn chuckles as he scratches at his five o'clock shadow.
“We were also told that we have a doggie?” Brandy asks as she looks around for any trace of the animal.
“Yup! Simone and Chak were just showing her off to their kids in a call.” Troy explains as he thumbs to their room.
As if summoned by Troy’s opposable digit, the door opens with Chak once again holding the leash of the dog.
“Welcome back, I hope everyone is alright?” the princess inquires as she guides Zrume out to meet Brandy first, “At ease, safe zone.” she reminds the animal.
“Why hello there! Oh my goodness I’ve never seen a breed quite like hers before! Like a big pitty and… African painted dog maybe? Has the color at least. Definitely some others mixed in there too, hint of mastiff or something else chunkier? But still all the pretty in a fluffy package!” Brandy says as she scratches under the dog’s wide neck, which is very much approved.
Though the angle of Zrume’s ears change to one of caution and alertness. Turning her head towards the old man who had yet to approach she released a low growl.
“It’s okay Zrume, safe zone.” Chak assures, but the animal’s stare remained intense on the cybernetic man.
Seeing the confusion and concern on everyone’s faces, Thorn raises his hand.
“Don’t worry about it, dogs and I don’t really mix. A shame really, but it’s something to do with how my non-organic bits emit a sound they find very agitating. Like a walking annoying dog whistle. I’ll see if Devin can do anything about that, but in the meantime it’s best if the dog and I keep separate.” he explains.
“Oh damn. Yeah I guess dogs never really approached you before. Bummer. I guess while we sort things out we’ll have her chill in our room.” Simone says apologetically.
“And I’ll bunk up when she needs some runnin’ around time.” Thorn nods back appreciatively, “She’s downright adorable by the way.”
As Chak turns back around to lead Zrume back in her room for the time being, Troy’s eyes go wide and he points at Simone dramatically.
“Shit dude I almost forgot! Someone came asking for you by name.” he reveals.
Looking to him with a bit of fear in her eyes Simone gave him her full attention.
“Who?” She demands.
“Don’t worry I never confirmed you were actually here and she seemed… not like the people we’re up against. She was a tall thin lady who said she was a friend of yours from your academy days? She left a contact card and before you ask, yes I scanned the hell out of it. She seemed to really really want to talk to you.” the man explains as he feels around his pockets and when he finds nothing he shoves his hand down the crevice of the couch until he victoriously pulls the card out of the furniture-void.
He holds it out to which Simone accepts hesitantly.
“Yeah, okay…” she mumbles while looking at either side of the card.
“Just be careful, our options of people who we can trust from your military career are thin at best.” Thorn cautions.
“I know. And… I think I know who it is. Honestly I have no clue how involved she is, if at all… but it’s quite the coincidence she shows up now of all times.” Simone admits.
“Is she gonna be a problem for what we’re planning to do?” Brandy asks.
“If she has nothing to do with the Terran terrorists, then I don’t think so. I’d ignore this completely, but I ought to at least know what she wants to talk about, clearly she knows I’m here anyway. No point in avoiding it, especially if she seeks me out during our operation regardless of her intentions we’re asking for trouble. The other big issue of course, is that she’s still with the Terran Union. This could just be a ploy to get me arrested and into Union custody.” the redhead says as she taps the card in the palm of her other hand.
“Then wherever she wants to meet I’ll come with you.” Chak announces as she returns to her Terran, “I’ll even request for Ambassador Zrreak’s attendance if possible, or at the very least have a representative of his there to show that arresting you would be a terrible political nightmare for the Union.” the princess adds sternly with an affirmative nod.
“Damn you're so hot when you get like this…” Simone replies in jest to alleviate her own nerves, “But yeah, I appreciate it.”
“But first before any of that potential shit-show…” Thorn says as he crosses his arms, “It’s time we put our main plan to paper. We have a president to possibly kidnap and hold at gunpoint after all.”
“Oh… wow. That’s a bit more than ‘less than legal’...” Sonla mutters with wide eyes “Good thing I’m a master of explosives too…”

So me (15 F) I’ve been looking in to a service dog for about 3-2 ish years. Now I’ve been putting it off since I don’t feel “disabled enough” though years of “my disability’s are worse than yours” from my mum and also because I haven’t tried medication and lots of people with service dogs recommend a dog as a last resort kind of thing but I really struggle with anxiety and social interactions I don’t have many friends either to talk to or who understand but even the I might have suspected BPD (borderline personality disorder) I do have 1q21.1 what plays a big part I’m not entirely sure what it is but anyway
I’ve got 2 dogs already 1 of which I washed out because she wasn’t fit for type of treatment I needed because she was to short and I would need guide work for if I shut down what happens when I go in to medical episode I don’t leave my house very often and if I do it’s for school and I have thrown up in morning because anxiety but my school put me on a schedule where I come in late so I miss all crowds what helps don’t get me wrong but I still have to walk past loads of people in hall ways I usually ignore them but my heart rate still spikes and my anxiety goes up to
I think personally it would really Benefit me and get me motivated to go out more knowing I have my dog close to me and for protection basically it also help with my fear of people standing to close! I hate it makes me really uncomfortable and even triggers medical episodes at times but I don’t know
I don’t know if I should wait but my mum doesn’t agree because I’m young and will grow out of it and I don’t need one I’m not disabled enough. Plus we have two dogs already and it would be unfair on them What I agree with and getting a service could limit my choices but I wouldn’t Mind and I might get many social interactions but I can work through that I will have to do a lot of explaining but I can handle that I’ll have people with me probably to so I don’t think it would be problem

Hi. I've F(22) been with my boyfriend M(25) for 1.5 years now and he's now saying that he asked his parents to marry me and they flat out said no because I'm Pakistani and they are Afghans. I don't know what to do because we're both each others first loves and relationships.
My bf won't leave his parents because his mum died a couple years ago and he feels he can't now leave his dad just to marry me which I completely understand because I would find it difficult to do myself.
I've prayed istikhara and no signs as of yet but I just don't know what to do because he says he'll fight for me but he knows for sure that his parents will just never agree. I love this man and knew I wanted to marry him the second I started to get to know him.
I just don't know what to do. If anyone else has been in this situation please guide me and give me some advice please.
Thank you.

Attention, brave warriors of Sengoku: Yokai!
I am delighted to announce the arrival of a monumental update that shall forever alter the course of your epic journey through world of the Sengoku: Yokai. Prepare yourselves for an awe-inspiring wave of fresh changes and thrilling adjustments that will breathe new life into the realm of Sengoku: Yokai.
First and foremost, let us introduce the Horse Breeding—a breathtaking addition to the game. Prepare to forge unbreakable bonds with your trusted steeds as you embark on an exhilarating journey of lineage and bloodlines. With the introduction of horse breeding, you now have the opportunity to create and nurture your very own line of extraordinary horses, each possessing unique traits and attributes.
Exploration - Prepare to traverse uncharted territories, where secrets and wonders await at every turn. Embark on expeditions to distant regions, each brimming with its own unique landscapes, hidden treasures, and formidable challenges. It is in these untamed lands that you will discover a place like no other—a sanctuary for both wild and noble steeds.
Clans: Clan’s buildings will provide now bonuses to various things
Refreshed view: Some of the pages will have visual update
Email/password login: Will be enabled
Yokais: 2 new Yokais
Season 2: New season will start
Landing page: Will also get some visual updates, including screenshots so that interested people can preview the game before registering. Guides - Some pages will now pop up a short screened guides that will explain to you a mechanics behind different things.
Bug fixes
Embrace the winds of change, noble warriors, and embark on a new chapter of your Sengoku: Yokai adventure. Explore the profound depths of the Yokai Clans, master the refined combat mechanics, and savor the fruits of your triumphs with stunning new customization options.
May your path be illuminated by courage and honor, and may victory be your loyal companion!
What exactly is Sengoku Yokai?
Sengoku: Yokai is an innovative RPG that takes inspiration from Japanese folklore and mythology, allowing players to choose their class from a variety of Yokai creatures with unique abilities. These Yokai classes, including Daitengu, Nekomata, and Ameonna, give players the chance to inherit powerful skills and mix them to create a customized character.
The game features a real-time turn-based combat system, allowing players to carefully strategize their moves and take advantage of their Yokai abilities to defeat their enemies. Players can also team up with friends to explore challenging dungeons and fight against powerful bosses together.
As players progress through the game, they will grind for gear drops to upgrade their characters and take on even more formidable foes. The game offers a lot of customization options, allowing players to enhance their gear and skills to create the ultimate Yokai warrior.
In addition to gear upgrades, the game also features a character reincarnation system, allowing players to restart their characters from level one while retaining some of their hard-earned abilities and upgrades. This adds a new level of depth to the game, encouraging players to experiment with different Yokai classes and play styles.
With its unique Yokai class system, real-time turn-based combat, and extensive customization options, Sengoku: Yokai is a thrilling and immersive RPG that will captivate players for hours on end.
If you have visited the website before, make sure to CTRL + F5 in case you won't see the changes.
https://sengoku.io

• ⁠Species: dog
• ⁠Age: 6 years
• ⁠Sex/Neuter status: desexed/spayed
• ⁠Breed: miniature schnauzer
• ⁠Body weight: 9kg
• ⁠History: has always been a pretty sensitive dog, and often has days where her tummy is off and she’ll vomit a little or have soft stools. also did TECHINCALLY have pancreatitis a few weeks back - no symptoms, and we only found out through a test.
• ⁠Clinical signs: diarrhea/a tiny amount of poop which is basically water after straining. possibly vomited; not sure. kind of a tight tummy when you touch it
• ⁠Duration: ongoing
• ⁠Your general location: australia

okay, so basically our dogs have recently been ill; my dog with hge, the other family dog with pancreatitis that was. really severe. she almost didn’t make it. so we’re just really on high alert nowadays
anyway, tilly has always been sensitive. a change in diet can trigger vomiting. but today i just noticed that she has a little poop smeared on her bottom. when she went to poop, she strained, and only a trickle of watery poop came out.
otherwise, she’s fine. no concrete vomiting (a pile of chewed up carrot in the yard, but that’s it and i can’t tell who’s done it). she’s eating fine. she ran in the yard. barked at the neighbours. she’s not lethargic, but is just laying around. however, she’s a REALLY lazy dog so it’s not a huge concern for me
i’ve looked and a few possibilities that could’ve caused this are:

• stress/anxiety: my mum (who is her favourite person) has been gone for a number of days, and will be gone for a while longer out of the house. tilly is clearly upset and anxious that mum isn’t here
  
• change in diet: since our dogs had pancreatitis, they’ve been on a whole new diet. chicken and rice, and a whole lot of veggies. in fact, they’ve been getting carrots and beans as treats as well
  

all in all, i don’t think she’s unwell. my dad though is worried because if it is something bad, we can’t afford it after the 20,000$ we spent on the other dog.
just looking to get some opinions! i might call the vet tomorrow if it persists

When you don’t see someone for a while, they tend to look kind of different the next time you meet. That’s not because they’ve actually changed, but rather due to your memory being inaccurate. Still, I don’t think my roommate has always had barnacles growing on her.
Kit Sutton did indeed look different. Beautiful, but different.
In the short time we’d been apart, her hair had grown to an impressive length. It trailed after her through the water as she effortlessly hopped from rock to rock before landing in front of us. She was even more scantily clad than usual; in fact, she wasn’t wearing anything at all. Her normally olive skin had adopted a pearlescent sheen, interrupted by the algae, starfish and seashells clinging to her body. Her eyes shone in the light of our torch and she regarded us with an unreadable expression, putting a hand to her hip.
"I can't believe you're actually here." She shook her head, sounding like she wasn't even sure herself what tone to strike. "You… you'd better leave. And fast. I-it's nice to see you, though."
I took a step forward and hugged her. She felt slippery. "I've missed you."
"Yeah. Me too. You should still go now."
"You need to come back," I said. "I'm sorry I ever gave up on you. There has to be a way for you to come back."
She shook her head. "Eva, you saw what my father can do. You saw the wave and you just saw his grotto guard. There's, like, a thousand more where that one came from."
"What are you doing here anyways? Isn't this a kinda way too lonely spot for you to hang out?" Elijah asked. "Doesn't seem very you."
"Yeah. It's… not." She rolled her eyes. "I'm basically grounded. My Dad's gonna keep me here for the next two hundred years or so. I'm not allowed to leave until he trusts me again."
"Two hundred years?" Eli echoed.
Kit massaged her temples. "I don't like it either, believe me." Looking up, a hopeful expression crossed her face. "How's Nettie?"
"She misses you," I told her.
"She does? That's, um… nice."
"It's cool, I know about you two."
"Oh. Well. I'm really glad she's thinking about me. Is that mean? Because I don't want her to be unhappy, it just feels good, you know?"
"I can imagine," I answered. "And it only proves my point. We have to get you out of here."
"Dude, I said no. You actually can't beat my father. I wish that was an option, but it's simply not."
"Kit…"
"It's Chandra." She raised her head to fix me with a stern gaze. So empty, so joyless, so… unlike her. "It was nice being Kit and running around up top and living with you. Those were a good few years, and now here I am, paying the price. There is nothing you can do against my Dad."
Silence descended upon us for a sober couple seconds. I studied her expression, her set jaw and taut shoulders. "And what about you?" I asked. "Can you do something?"
Kit snorted. "You've never even seen me use any sort of powers."
"But you have them, don't you?"
"Actually, I do." She casually raised a hand, her wrist slowly describing a circle. Eli and I watched in astonished silence as a trail of water snaked its way up from the lake, arching above her head and trickling back down on the other side of the stepstone. Kit Sutton looked after it disinterestedly, then turned to us with a bored shrug. "I guess I can sorta control water."
Elijah was gaping at her. "Could you do this the whole time?"
"Nope. Only when I'm in my natural habitat. I'm the crown princess—" she spat out the words in discontent, forming air-quotes around them— "and the heiress to the throne, so I'm, like, ultra connected to my element or whatever. Not like my siblings."
"But as of now, you are stronger than them?" I queried. "Is there any possibility you could become stronger than your father, too?"
For a moment, she stared at me, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "Actually, let me show you something." Her naked feet never once slipping on the wet stone, she proceeded towards the nearest platform rock, jumping off with ease and landing gracefully. After trading shrugs with Elijah Carter, we scrambled after her. She led us back a little ways and then down one of the other passages we'd glimpsed before, barely losing a word the whole time. I stopped trying to strike up a conversation, focusing solely on keeping up with her unnaturally sleek, swift steps.
"The olm you saw before was one of my father's guardians," she called out sharply over her shoulder. "The sea breeds giants, as they say. Or rather, Dad does. He keeps creating abominations like that, and he uses them to ward off outsiders in places where they don't belong. They're obviously not stopping me from running away again—you've seen that they'll obey me. But his Majesty has made it quite clear that if I break out, he's going to turn the town into a swamp. I'm not going to be responsible for people's deaths, or the loss of their homes. Especially not… not hers."
She came to a halt, squaring her shoulders. Above her head, I could make out the silhouette of an opening in the tunnel. "We're here. This… this should be enough proof that he'll make good on any threat he's ever uttered." She stepped aside to make way for us.
We hesitantly pushed past her and into the room that lay before us. It was different from all the others we'd seen thus far—it didn't lure one into a false sense of security with its descriptive beauty. In fact, the second the beam of our flashlight illuminated its interior, every last fiber of my being started to cry out to me, telling me to run. My flight instinct kicking in, I tried desperately to stay grounded somehow, to keep control. I couldn't allow myself to panic. This was a horrible time to end up going dimensions. I had to remain in this reality, no matter how difficult the sight before me was rendering the task.
I heard Elijah Carter gag beside me, his stomach revolting at what he saw. His hand abruptly flew to my shoulder, cold, sweat-slick fingers clamping down on my skin, hard enough to bruise. With my own stomach doing kick-flips inside my body, I could understand his reaction far too well. Instead of shrinking away, I reached up to graze his knuckles with my own, a fleeting touch I couldn't find the strength to hold. It was hard to be reassuring given the circumstances.
We were looking at a gallery of corpses. They lined the walls, the floor, the ceiling, all in different states of wholeness and decay. A viscous, transparent fluid was gluing them to the stone, fixing them in their respective places. In some spots, it looked quite shiny and fresh, while in others, it had hardened, encasing the dead bodies like clear, pale amber. It was an unorganized chaos, the carcasses strewn practically everywhere, some overlapping, some upside down. Some had their eyes still open, their faces eternally frozen in void, empty expressions of terror. Most bodies weren't even complete—arms, legs or heads were missing, pronounced bitemarks marring the aged yet well-preserved flesh.
Elijah and I found ourselves standing rooted to the ground, too terrified to move, too dazed to speak. My friend's dark gaze frantically raced over the walls, flickering across the horrid display, taking in the carnage. My own eyes seemed to be burning. My head was spinning, and I had to hold onto his arm to support myself—it felt as though my legs were about to give way beneath me.
A shimmering light at the center of the room caught my attention. Somehow finding it within me to steady myself, I took a couple faltering steps towards it. Elijah Carter followed suit and Kit Sutton wordlessly trailed after us. Stepping over the dozens and dozens of corpses in my way, I tried hard to keep my wits about me. When I finally reached its source, I was surprised to find it to be a pond, or rather a bottomless hole of water. Another connection to the sea, no doubt. The shine however seemed fine from within it, from down below where there would normally be just darkness. Looking in, the breath was once again stolen from my lungs. It felt rather like peering through a small window into a very large hall. I could only see a fracture of what lay beneath.
Hovering within the endless masses of water was the enormous statue of a woman. Her stony pale arms were raised, her hands reaching out almost pleadingly, as if she was hoping for someone to pull her up from her cold, abyssal grave. Her eyes, one of which was about the size of my head, were wide open, her colorless stare holding a wild, unreadable mix of emotions. Her lips were parted in a silent scream. An unearthly, bright glow surrounded her; it seemed to come from within her body rather than anywhere else. It was disturbingly beautiful.
"Her name was Calypso."
Kit's voice pulled me from my trance. When I turned to face her, she pointedly avoided my gaze. An idea took shape in my mind, created by the faint, wavery undertone of mourning in her words. "She was someone special, wasn't she?"
"My mother."
I swallowed, my pulse still thrumming in my ears. Stepping forward, I tentatively grasped my roommate's hand. She let go of a soft breath, the corner of her mouth twitching. "These people here have been rotting away for centuries. It's the worst punishment imaginable, isn't it. The lucky ones are dead before they get glued down, but the ones he's really angry at, he covers in that goo when they're, like, lethally injured. I don't quite know what this stuff is, but it slows down all those organic processes, the death, the decomposition…" She paused. "With Mom, it was different. He turned her to stone. The same kind that grows from the ground here, you know; that smooth, shiny kinda rock that looks real pretty."
"What did she do to piss off your Dad?"
"What did any of these poor fuckers do? Most of these are failed cult leaders, actually. You'd never guess how many cults the deep ones have dedicated to them. As for my mother, I don't know. I can't even remember her, to be honest." She shrugged with affected carelessness. "You see it now? My father is… just beyond comprehension."
"So are you, though, aren't you? If you think about it."
"Eva, I know you're trying to boost morale here, but it's not working. Please let me get you out of here. And for heaven's sake, don't come back."
She led us back through the labyrinth of tunnels and corridors, staying well behind when we caught the first glimpse of daylight.
"I promise I'll think of something," I told her. "I'll find a way to get you out."
She merely shook her head. "No, you won't. Just go home and look for a new roommate. Or move back in with Nettie. She'll be glad."
I clenched my teeth, but allowed Eli to press his palm to my back, guiding me towards the exit.
"Actually, just… just wait. Could you tell her I, like, miss her? A lot?" Kit shouted after us, a sudden note of warmth softening her voice.
Elijah turned back to her with a sad smile. "Of course."
We didn't return to the car straight away, instead walking along the shore for a little while. My extra limbs having retracted and Eli's face having returned to a less nauseous color, we didn't bear any outward traces of our experience in the cave. We didn’t talk much, but we almost leaned onto one other with how closely we stuck to each other’s side. Eventually, I gathered the strength to break the silence. “This can’t stand, obviously.”
“You still want to get her out?” He gave me a sidelong glance. “This is more for Nettie’s sake than anything else, isn’t it?”
“I do like Kit Sutton, and I miss her tremendously,” I stated. “But largely, it is.”
Elijah, having nothing else to add, gave a noncommittal grunt.
“Would you mind if I asked you something personal?” I asked.
“Try it and find out.”
“I was wondering about what Mary Markov said about you earlier,” I began. “An incident at a highschool.”
He sighed. Silence fell, and for a minute I thought he wouldn’t respond at all. Then, he slowed down, coming to a halt and turning to look out at the horizon. “So how do we do this, Shirley? You really want me to pour my heart out to you and let you in on my tragic past as we stare at the tossing waves? That’s a bit too romantic for the two of us, if you ask me.”
“But you’d let me in on your tragic past in a less romantic setting?”
“Oh sure, anytime,” he said lightly. “Well, not any time. I’d be okay talking to you about it, though. See, it doesn’t matter to me if you know or not, the problem is kinda the headspace and getting the words out of my mouth in the first place.”
“I’m glad you feel like you could do that with me.” I regarded his profile, noting how he swallowed and shut his eyes for a moment.
“Let’s go back to the car.”
So we did. Only that it wasn’t quite how we left it. Elijah noticed it first—a low, hissed curse escaped him as he bent down to inspect the damage. The back window had been smashed in. The brown folder Mary Markov had given me was gone.
X
1
2: deadbeat roommate
3: creepy crush
4: relocation
5: beach concert
6: First date
7: Temp work
8: roommate talk
9: a dismal worldview
10: warehouse
11: staircase
12: explanation
13: hurt
14: hospital
15: ocean
16: diner
17: government work
18: something in the caves
19: shopping cart
20: olms and Jewels

Latter-Day Saint Gnosis
What’s so gnostic about Latter-day Saints Christianity?
In a way, it’s the most anti-gnostic strand – not only does it have almost no separation between spirit and matter, but it’s also highly institutional.
2 years ago I inquired ChristianOccultism on whether they knew of anything relevant about Mormonism. The response wasn’t that great. But I now have my own answer!
Nathan Smith, on Medium, has been a rather influential writer and thinker in regards to a “Gnostic reformation” of Mormonism. He infuses his Christian heritage with non-dualistic theology and practice derived from the likes of Alan Watts, Zen and yoga.
So what’s so gnostically interesting about Latter-Day Saints (LDS)?
It’s the revolutionary theology of cosmo-humanism (or cosmic humanism)!
What is it based on? How does it compare to other confessions? And why does it matter?
​
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
.
“All spirit is matter”
A revolutionary concept is Joseph Smiths’ proclamation that “all spirit is matter”!
Yet it’s also implicit in the premise that God became flesh. As Jesus reconciled within himself the heavens and the earths, the spiritual and the physical, the perfect and the fallen, eternal and temporal.
Which is why Eastern Orthodoxy (EO) reveres the Holy Communion, holy water and icons. The world of forms is not an illusion to evade, but the gate into the revelation of God. Much like it happened at the Transfiguration.
In this sense, LDS is quite anti-Gnostic.
But I’m fascinated to no end by the doctrine that the Heavenly Father, Elohim himself, has a physical body, of flesh, blood and bone.
Gnostic religions either consider the physical to be an illusion (Gospel of Truth, Advaita Vedanta) or something to be transcended and conquered (Gospel of John, Jainism, Pashupata Saivism). Yet Christians like LDS actually want to earn embodied existence!
Now you may say this is clearly a demiurgic trap. This religion couldn’t possibly be from anyone else but Yaldabaoth!
Alan Watts would disagree. He proposed that the ideas of “spirit” and “matter” are but mental labels. “Form” and “stuff” are outdated philosophical concepts. In truth, the physical world is beyond such limitations.
In light of Buddhism, the physical is: transient, impersonal, unsatisfactory, empty.
Yet, transience is the mark of life! That which is changeless (“eternal”) we consider to be dead… After all, even rocks flow, becoming pebbles, sand, clay and being molded back into stones and re-starting the process. Is this not lively? Like Watts said “If I knock on stone, it resonates.” Isn’t that the rocks answering you?
Furthermore, when Buddha spoke of impersonality (anatta), he pointed out how all particular things are informed and built up by each other. Nothing exists in isolation. And nothing is conditioned by the discursive label ascribed to it. Each particular derives its’ being from all other things.
Dissatisfaction (dukkha) arises from clinging to conditioned and transient phenomena.
Finally, to say all forms are empty (suññata) implies a variety of things:

• empty of conceptualized nature (direct experience is beyond any possible dialectical expression);
• empty of subject-object distinction (non-duality);
• empty of self-essence (inter-existence, like Indras’ Web stating that you contain the whole cosmos in yourself, but the cosmos also contains you);
• empty of emptiness (there’s no adequate idea/word/form to conceive of the Eternal Truth).

Chinese religion saw the universe as one living and self-regulating organism. Called Tian (Heaven). Which seems to be in line with materialist scientiffic thought.
Trika Saivism proposes pratyabhijna (self-recognition doctrine) derived from idealistic monism. It states that “All is Consciousness, Consciousness is all.” But it makes it clear that, unlike Shankaras’ Advaita Vedanta, it does not call the physical realm an “illusion.” It is very real, like the body of God. Although its’ nature is misapprehended.
LDS doctrine of physical resurrection and exaltation of the body into divine immortality borders on Yoga and Taoism, which venerate Immortals (like Nath Saivas and Neidan (Alchemical) Taoists).
Finally, this physicalism is closely linked to chaos theory.
Buddhist authors (especially Theravadins) have come to object to the modern misreading of Buddhist “oneness”. They say the physical inter-dependence of all things is not harmonious, but cannibalistic. We eat each other to survive. Plants smother each other for a place under the sun. But from a Chinese Zen perspective, Watts noted, what seems like chaos on one level, is blissful harmony on a higher level. Consider the germ wars going on inside your own organism right now! Microorganisms hunt and fight each other. But all this is what keeps your existence as an effortless process.
Similarly, from the Visnu Lila theology, all these conflicts and competitions are, in the end, a divine play or dance. Zooming out of the atoms that seem to play catch, through the wildlife playing hunter-prey, to cosmic bodies knocking on each other… All are Gods’ children on the playground.
In this way, the physical doesn’t need to be evaded or repudiated.
Zen master Foyan said that “realization obliterates the subject-object split. It’s not like there’s some mysterious principle besides. When you see forms, [...] hear sounds [...] eat and drink, this is an instance of realization.” Eastern Orthodox prayer engages all senses in facing God – uses icons (sight), prayer ropes (touch), holy water (taste), canticles (hearing) and incense (smell) to experience the Holy Spirit. Muslims also stress the need for physical prostrations and vocal recitation for proper worship of the ineffable God. And master Dogen, by expounding seated meditation, basically taught Zen through body language.
As such, in the words of Alan Watts, “the physical fulfils all the requirements of the spiritual” – both in function (practice) and essence (nature). Thus, “all spirit is matter.”
​
Joseph Smiths' prophetic vision
.
Creation ex materia
A distinctive feature of LDS physicalism is the eternal existence of matter. It poses that the Logos formed the world by re-arranging matter into the patterns we see now.
This leads us to “Christo-monotheism”, since Jesus is undoubtedly our God – the creator of our world.
The Heavenly Father, by having a body of flesh, blood and bone, is physically intertwined with the whole of existence. Originating Jesus, who begins re-arranging this matter to inspire it to experience its’ own existence. Their influence extends through the Holy Ghost (who has a body of spirit or perhaps energy).
Similarly, the Vajrayana concept of luminous emptiness, speaks of emptiness as the ineffable Absolute (Father Elohim), endowed with luminosity (self-arising awareness that creates the world of form) – Son Jehovah. Luminous emptiness is also endowed with inherent love and bliss (perhaps equal to the Holy Ghost).
When Jesus was accused of blasphemy for calling himself a Son of God (equating himself to God), he quoted the 82nd Psalm: “Is it not written in your law: I have said, ye are gods?” (Jn 10:34)
We are gods in the sense that we too create a world around ourselves (“as above, so below” meaning “as within, so without”). But these forms arise from something which was before us (luminous emptiness or Gods’ Spirit). And is manifest as the physical. Basically, God manifests through each of us, as we co-create the universe (world of form) with him. Re-arranging that which pre-existed.
On another level, we are the Logos (or Word) in that, by means of discourse, we shape the ineffable physical existence into temporary particulars. The Zen perspective points out how even the anxieties over life and death are delusions, as the tension between the two is the result of a dialectical duality. In truth they’re implied in one another. Life and death is the blink of Gods’ eye. It is only by selective perception that we cling to one against the other, not realizing they are both the Self.
​
Jesus Christ, Jehovah
.
Salvation: To return to God or to become God?
St. Athanasius of Alexandria said “God became Man so that Man may become god.” This derived from St Peter: “that [...] you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (1 Pe. 1:4)
The Saints essentially speak of theosis (divinization) – the restoration of our original divine image and likeness in union with Gods’ Grace.
LDS takes this a step further. Stating: “As Man is, God once was.” (Although I don’t endorse the Adam-God theory).
EO is focused on a return to our primordial being. Implying our genesis was more or less a mistake. But on a deeper level, Man simply ate the fruit ahead of time. In ecology, everything exists in interdependence, and all elements go through cycles of maturation. Perhaps neither Man nor the fruit had reached the maturity needed. A delicious fruit, if eaten off season, can turn intoxicating.
Further, when confronted by God, Man, instead of confessing and repenting for ones’ disobedience, sought to deceive God (lie), putting the blame on his other half (in a cunning manner). If the primordial man (Adam & Eve) were one, this represents the beginning of samsara in our consciousness, as we renounce parts of ourselves into the shadow, fracturing our psyche and growing deluded and estranged from reality. Buddhist texts (like Kuntuzangpos’ prayer) explain how in unawareness a sense of estrangement grows, this duality breeds lust, then aggressive competition, which generates a binding chaotic pattern of karma.
Regardless, our earthly existence has but one ultimate aim – to return to Heaven. But it’s not an empty handed return. We must outgrow our limitations. Ascension through the Cross implies letting go of that which binds us. The more we let go, the fuller we become, by attaining deeper union with God. Death (descent into Hell) and resurrection imply the integration of our Shadow.
Nathan Smith explains this by distinguishing Jehovah and Elohim. Elohim, the Heavenly Father, is in plural, implying the aggregation of the myriad things into a cohesive unity of being. Whereas Jehovah, as Jesus, is the reconciling effort that offers transcendence (descends from Heaven to Earth, then to Hades, and resurrects returning to Heaven). Jesus re-integrates the fragmented reality into the One Mind of the Cosmic Self.
In this salvific process, while we are to purify the heart by mortifying our sinful tendencies (path of the Cross), we’re also to unconditionally embrace the world (through love), integrating it into the one cosmic body of Christ.
Because Lucifer is Jesus’ brother (in LDS), they are the two paths and fruitions that arise from the same divine ground – the path of chaos (rejection, fall) and the path of reconciliation (re-integration, ascension). Lucifer reduces all things to ever shrinking particles. Jesus weaves all things back into one whole. To rule the world, we use dialectical systems that separate all particulars, as to exert influence over them (Lucifer). Whereas the ascetic path to God relies on renunciation of the self, embracing the world as a harmonious unity (Jesus).
EO places a greater focus on returning to the primordial state of image and likeness of God, in graceful union. Whereas LDS have a more linear conception, in which we become greater than we were. That our primordial potential is fulfilled through earthly existence beyond what we were in the beginning.
Although, some EO patriarchs have suggested that in the afterlife all souls still progress into the depth of Gods’ mystery.
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Angel Moroni
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The destiny of Man: becoming God
The LDS narrative gives us a story of cosmic proportions.
The spirit-children of God became embodied beings as to attain exaltation, becoming like our Father. After all, the Son grows into the Father.
So we too will have our “planets” and spirit-children. And the process will go on.
There’s something poetic about Jesus creating this world, and, as its’ Lord and God, plunging right into the midst of existence. And upon resurrection, pull all of his creation with him, as extensions of his body. Having previously created the world out of his Fathers’ body.
Children grow into being parents. We’ll attain the highest exaltation by means of reconciling the whole world as an extension of our being. And then will proceed to create another world to plunge ourselves into it, alongside our creation. Like Jesus did.
Some Mahayana doctrines also imply this. Buddhas that reign over Pure Lands were once yogis in the pursuit of awakening, generating great merit. Having become Celestial Buddhas, they then emanate themselves into samsaric worlds to guide people to their Pure Land, serving as a bridge between samsara and nibbãna.
This cycle would be the heartbeat of God, what Trika Saivas call pulsations of the universe. Whereby it expands, diversifies and begins to reunite into its’ original being. Only to do it again.
The Heavenly Mother would also fit in here. Although a controversial figure. It’s quite reminiscent of the Radha-Krisna theology of some Hindus. Who describe the cosmos as a divine interplay between the divine feminine and divine masculine in a romantic dance of pursuing each other. Together, they bring forth all souls. Like the Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother bringing forth all spirit-children.
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Lord Jesus Christ
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Christo-monotheism and Vaisnavism
Usually LDS attribute primacy to the Heavenly Father. But Nathan Smith noted that there were times when Christ was the head of the trinity in the Church. And why wouldn’t he be? Mormon theology leaves no doubt that the Logos, Christ, was the sole creator, redeemesaviour and judge of Earth.
Jesus created the world, inhabited it sacrificing himself for the salvation and redemption of all people. And he’ll be the final judge.
Vaishnavism also has this very idea, in the Gaudiya (Krishnait) and Ramavata (Ramaist) sects. Traditionally, Rama and Krishna are seen as avatars of Visnu, who incarnate to redeem the world. Visnu, being the sustainer of the world, is in trinity with Brahma (creator) and Siva (destroyer). But the mentioned sects consider their avatars “incarnate revelations of the full personality of the Godhead”. All other avatars are attributes and emanations. Even the trinity (Brahma, Visnu, Siva) is but a partial revelation of the functional aspects of the supreme Lord (Krishna or Rama).
In Christo-monotheism, the crucifixion is that much deeper. Since God himself was crucified by his own creation, forever changing his judgement and attitude towards us (becoming more merciful and compassionate). Quite reminiscent of the Manichean idea of Jesus the Suffering – that all of Gods’ souls suffer from ignorant existence.
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Krisna-Visnus' myriad forms revealed to Arjuna
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The Gnosis in Latter-day Saints spirituality
The mystical side of LDS includes understanding that “all spirit is matter”, creation ex materia, “as Man is, God once was” (eternal progression) and reverence for the Heavenly Father and Mother.
When propounding physicalism, Alan Watts argued that the stubborn division between “spirit” and “matter” culminates in a society that happily destroys the nature that feeds it, as to accumulate the symbols that represent the destroyed resources. Latter-Day Saints, Zen, Taoism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam and Saivism all point out, in various ways, that the physical reality is not the illusion. Our misapprehension of it, as a result of our habitual dualistic thoughts, is what’s illusory. Nathan Smith proposes spiritual growth through reconciliation by means of ritual. Temple ritual, prayer and meditation in which we reconcile our own physical and spiritual natures (integrating our fragmented aspects) and harmonize our relationships through acceptance of others, while keeping our material existence undefiled (through ritual purity).
Creation ex materia means that, in this very moment, we shape the world in our image. “As above, so below” means “as within, so without.” The physical world (world of forms/appearance) is a reflection of our heart-minds. Smith appeals to the Zen idea of the Unborn, whereby, a detached mind, settled in the present, can respond in a myriad of possibilities to what happens outwardly.
“As Man is, God once was.” I don’t believe in this literally, but I do think that, much like a seed grows into a tree, a son grows into his father, so we will ascend through the emanations of the One (in a Platonic sense). And, at each degree, we are deified, as we become expanding centres of the universe. More and more we weave together the universe through ourselves. The more fragmented dualities we reconcile and integrate within ourselves, the closer we come to God (this can include Jungian shadow work). Once deified, we will repeat the cosmic dance, creating worlds and emanating our own spirit-children to inhabit them, for our sparks to return to us.
Finally, there is the possibility of a divine feminine in the Heavenly Mother. If the Father is revealed in name (through the Son), the Mother is implied by concept. Much like the negative is implied in the positive (Ying-Yang theory). The female principle goes unmentioned, because its’ use must happen rather effortlessly, without any ideation or intention. As Lao Tzu said:

The more you use it, the more it produces;
the more you talk of it, the less you understand.
Hold on to the center.
The Tao is called the Great Mother: empty yet inexhaustible, it gives birth to infinite worlds.
It is always present within you.

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Heavenly Mother
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Criticism
It’s interesting that strict dualistic traditions (like Manichaeism and Jainism) have the same propensity as some non-dualist traditions (LDS) towards puritanism. Albeit all spirit is matter, LDS has excessively puritanical tenets. It seems that, whether respecting matter or repudiating it, we may end up in the same place.
Any ex-Mormon will tell us that LDS is extremely institutionalized. Like a corporation. Far more than Catholic and Orthodox Churches. As such, it becomes an extremely political religion, at the whim of its’ presidents.
The prophet and founder, Joseph Smith, had a questionable career. With detractors accusing him of misappropriating freemasonic teachings and of con-artistry.
Protestants consider LDS completely lacking in the Grace element. Being very focused on ritualism and precepts, i.e. works of the law. Even Catholicism and Orthodoxy do not feel as temple-dependent as LDS.
When taken at face value, LDS is very anti-gnostic. While some Gnostics find embodied existence a prison to be transcended, LDS strive to attain eternal embodiment. And calling earthly existence a “Plan of Happiness” makes it sound somewhat suspicious (like saying "Ministry of Truth").
On the other hand, could the LDS view of the Holy Ghost, as a separate spirit-entity that abides on Earth, carrying out the Heavenly Fathers’ will, be closer to some Gnostic cosmologies and theologies?
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I’ve always wanted to “figure out” this American religion gnostically. And, at the moment, I’m quite satisfied to have re-shaped my metaphysical outlook through it. Thanks to people like Nathan Smith, on Medium.
What’s you experience and attitude with the Latter-Day Saints faith? Do you trust it? Do you feel comfortable engaging with the organization, or are you cautious? Does it have any gnosis? Would you see it as the most anti-gnostic form of Christianity? And do you think the Holy Ghost notion is more Gnostic?

I’m much more of a builder than a fighter when it comes to Valheim and I personally find face tanking bosses tedious and frustrating, so I like to find other ways to defeat them whenever possible. With that in mind, here is my step by step guide to soloing Yagluth in under 30 seconds using lox.

1. Find Yagluth’s alter- for efficiency sake it helps to do this before you spend too much time in the plains killing gobbies and harvesting totems. By waiting, you can swing back by your breeding operation from time to time as you explore/raid the plains around Yag’s alter, effectively breeding and exploring in parallel.
   
2. Find a flat spot near the Yag alter and dig a deep pit, 15-20m wide by 70-80m long, as deep as you can go. Use the stone collected from that to build raised earth walls almost all the way around your pit. You want this to be close to the alter so the game’s breeding mechanics are running regardless of which site you’re working at.
   
3. Use the harpoon to drag two lox down into your pit and toss in some flax or barley, finish off the wall around the pit.
   
4. While those dudes are taming, head over to the Yag alter and start building raised earth walls between the fingers that surround the alter. Mind the gaps near the fingers, the loxes can clip through there if they get agro’ed. Also build yourself a double wide staircase with a double door gate at the top leading to the top of the walls from the outside.
   
5. Now that your lox are tamed hop down into your pit and use raised earth walls to cordon off a ~20x20m pen at both ends of your rectangular pit, with a double door gate in each wall. Also build yourself a double wide staircase up out of the pen from the large middle area, closed off by double door gates at top and bottom.
   
6. Ride or lure your tame lox into one of the smaller pens and close the gates behind them, toss in cloud berries.
   
7. You have to hangout a little here for the breeding to begin, but you should be safe from being Hunted if your walls are good. Once you’ve got a couple of lox calves push them through the gates and down to the smaller pen at the other end of the pit, add cloud berries. Now you have two breeding pairs running with a shared holding area for lox calves in the middle.
   
8. As the lox are born you can just push the calves out through the pen gate into the central holding area by leaning against them and sprinting. They’ll resist a bit, but they’re pretty easy to shove around. When I was doing this, I had as many as 6 lox calves in the holding area at one time, so you can produce a lot of lox in short order this way.
   
9. As the lox calves mature, ride them out of the breeding pit and into the walls around Yag’s alter. The walls you built there will keep them gathered close. Toss some cloud berries in here as well. They’ll breed for a while here too before it gets too crowded.
   
10. Once you’ve got ~30 of lox clustered around Yag’s alter, throw in a bunch of cloud berries and give the lox a minute to eat and go from Hungry to Happy. Summon Yag and watch them go to work.
    

When I did this, the whole fight lasted less than 30 seconds for me and almost half the lox survived. I did it once before with around 20 lox and had to finish the last 20-30% of Yag myself, so the extra 10 made a big difference in the fight. Admittedly, it’s a bit like a recipe with two hours of prep time and only 5 mins of cook time, but that was how I soloed Yagluth in under 30 seconds without losing any health.