If the Ambulan Coast means anything, turn away now.
Right, context first. (After writing, I apologize for the amount of context. There is so much. Homebrew is a pain when you need to ask for help.)
The 7th level party consists of four players.
- Luther, Human Echo Knight (Sentinel/PAM) - Osna, Silver Dragonborn Storm Sorcerer - Illaris, Elven Grave Cleric - Kimarlan, Moon Druid/Totem Barbarian
For the past in-game week, we've been using Gritty Realism as the party has been journeying through the Underdark (Short Rests = 8 hours, Long Rests = 24 at a safe location) They're down there for reasons that aren't terribly important (Need allies to fight a BBEG before the month is over), and they recently stumbled upon a temple to the Venca-equivalent in my setting, Anoth-Zuul (A dragon who wanted to become a Dracolich, but was betrayed by her cult and mummified. They now draw power from her corpse as she bides her time).
More context: (I have so much lore) The Cult of Zuul is led by 11 pseudo-liches, (I love my cleric so much, she gave me such fun toys.) known as the Zuiit. None of them are full Liches, but they make up for that in being an allied council, therefore being stronger than any singular Lich.
The main difference is in their Phylactery. Their brain is stored within one of 11 canopic jars, which is connected through a telepathic weave to the other 10, allowing for ease of communication with the others. Essentially, they puppet their body from the jar, and must have the jar within 500ft at all times. If their body dies, the brain is still alive, and can call out to the others to fetch it a new host. A suitable body is brought to them, and it overtakes the previous conciousness, claiming the new body for their own.
While their followers are certainly religious, the Zuiit likely aren't. They betrayed their god to claim her power for their own, and are certainly aware where their power comes from. (Would this make them Arcane or Divine casters?)
***
So, now that all that context is done, I can finally get to the meat of the post.
The party is about to enter the lair of Clementine, one of the 11 Zuiit. Naturally, she would have traps, defenses, etc. but I don't want to kill my party, especially since this is really the first time they'll be encountering one, and there's been no real forewarning to suggest danger (Beyond the Cleric recognizing the design of the temple).
I need help rigging up her lair for a fight that will challenge the party, but not massacre them.
So, here's more context for what I've got so far:
- Clementine is dead. Or, her body is. A recently TPK'd party killed the necromancer doing a ritual, that was her. So now her apprentice, we'll call him Jesse, is working to revive her. But he's new, and not well-practiced, so it is taking longer than normal. (Maybe once Jesse is aware the party is approaching, he is commanded to start the ritual. The party has a limited number of rounds before Clementine is revived?)
- This temple is closer to a laboratory. Among other things Clementine was studying, she is/was researching the Abberant nature of Vampires (in my setting), why they so easily defy the orders of Necromancers, and the true nature of the parasite within that raises corpses in undeath, and draws strength from consuming blood. (Clementine may be hoping to harness this energy for herself, and become stronger than the other 10 Zuiit, because internal power struggles are fun)
- As a side note here, there are several coffins/iron maidens with Vampires pinned within. Each vampire is chained and manacled, their wounds eternally regenerating around the spikes. The Vampire Queen is here (plot hook for later, could be an ally for the party if they play their cards right, backstab them later), and has a stake driven into her heart as an additional measure.
- Due to this temple being very far north in relation to the (former) religious capital of the Cult of Zuul, it is just Clementine and Jesse here. No other worshippers are present atm. (There was an Undead War 30 years prior, and the Cult scattered in the aftermath, only 11 Zuiit surivivng as 3 of the 14 were killed.)
- I'm toying with the idea of Hallucinatory Terrain to make a maze that the undead minions can bypass with ease. (We play online, this could be difficult to pull off)
- Probably a bunch of status-effect traps, debuffing the party to make them easier prey for the undead? (Blinded, Poisoned, Restrained by webbing, etc)
TL;DR Homebrew Lich stuff, I need help rigging up her lair, and understanding how to run the fight without outright killing my level 7 party.

Parlour plan thoughts Point of fact, the lounge is where we as a whole accumulate to mingle, giggle, and play. Being the home’s point of convergence, it normally works as a gathering place for visitors for anything from early-morning reminders to late-night parties. Stretch is displayed in different materials and styles in these 50 present-day front rooms. Place present-day furniture in a circle around a square floor covering. Concretize heaven with love seats situated on living walls. For a cutting-edge appearance, ponder using lively, reflexive clocks.

1. Eliminate the lounge chair from the wall

The coach is the main mix-up I see individuals make while attempting to make the best divine design decor lounge room furniture game plan. It’s squeezed in a difficult spot so much of the time. I see couches driven into corners with tremendous measures of void space before them, even in the biggest rooms with a lot of room.

1. Try not to allow the television to take over by concealing it.

I comprehend that sitting in front of the television is an essential utilization of the lounge room. Be that as it may, ideally, you wouldn’t maintain that it should be the principal thing you notice when you enter space. The ideal response is to flip the room format so the couch is apparent when you enter. Take a gander at the lounge room from my Williamstown project up top; I switched the direction. The television isn’t noticeable when you arrive at the highest point of the means.

1. Develop a Conversation Pit

Front rooms now and again have a diversion unit on one wall and love seats and seats on the other. Two tremendous household items reflecting each other in the room can now and again give the feeling that the space is long and tight. With two open closures, the room might feel like a lobby. Add extra seats to the finishes of the space to make all the more a discussion pit in your front room.

1. Utilize a huge carpet to moor the room.

The most phenomenal lounge furniture plan should have a practical reason. For yourself and how you live, you require space. How the parts fit together and connect is critical, however, the appearance is as huge. A floor covering is one of those embellishments that may not generally be valuable yet give the space a grounded feeling. Moreover, it joins your couch and rockers and forestalls the footstool from “drifting” in the centre.

1. Guarantee Admittance to the Footstool

I habitually see family rooms with enormous couches and small footstools a few meters away and far off. To cure what is happening, you’ll purchase a bigger foot stool or draw the current one nearer to the couch (or both!).
The most vital phase in staying away from any costly parlour configuration botches is to consider the way that you will move around the room. Being inconceivably efficient is the key to an incredible parlour. Designspurt gives the best lounge room plan thoughts, double reason furniture that is suitable for divine design and interior decorating looks and feels lavish and has a lot of capacity inside if you have a little space. However much as could reasonably be expected, leave the room open to advance agreeable wind current. One must cleverly plan a front room to capitalize on each square inch of the room while keeping a coordinated game plan and sufficient stockpiling.

Are you in (or near or frequently come to) TEXAS, which apparently is the cheating capital of the US, according to science?
And do you feel alone in this weird little world of cheating? Sharing in the comments of Reddit posts not enough to get what you need off your chest or to feel safe and supported? Have an AP but still want some friends (even an alibi partner or two)?
Well, bless your married little heart, there's so many of us out there that we've carved out our own little corner of the internet! We're a fun, women-driven online community for Texan adulterers to hang out, talk, share and feel at home - hell, since we're all close by, even to grab drinks or lunch!
We're focused on friendship, sharing and fun first, and AP searches second - though with a better-than average shot at finding a local, ¿porque no los dos?
And we're looking for more friends all across Texas - DFW, Austin, Houston, El Paso, East Texas, West Texas, wherever - who need a home.
Ladies, we want you if you're Texan, in a bordering state, or find yourself as a temporary one on the regular, and are looking for a community of supportive, sweet and fun women like us to make your way through this crazy world with. Whether we're your main pair of boots, or a fabulous supplement to your cozy favorites. Come find friends and fellow adulterers nearby: We have cold Shiners and local guys ready to make you feel at home, to flirt with and sweep you off your feet. And we vet hard and set rules - like dudes can't message the first week they're on, though you can hit them up - to keep it that way.
Guys - we are serious about community. You're going to wait a week before you're allowed to slide into DMs. You need to come ready to make friends first and not just hook up. You need to be a good guy who knows not to start a conversation with a dick pic. Bonus / front of the line if you've been in a community like this before, but mostly just need you to be someone we're happy to introduce to our girls.
Let's find some hope in a tough place, y'all - message for more details!

(I’m sure this has already been discussed, but…)
Star Trek provides example after example of how, when people have their basic needs met (food via replicators/shelter aboard a ship), they will fervently pursue academic/scientific interests, art, and exploration.
Anyone in the real world who opposes a universal basic income for food and shelter, or insists that it would deter people from working, has never enabled people to actually pursue their true passions.
The motivation to work and be productive is embedded into the vast majority of the human race. Examples exist all around us. Wikipedia, the largest encyclopedic database on the planet, operates almost exclusively on free contributions from passionate people. Look at what people build in Minecraft on their own time. Poke around any game-modding community, and see the time and energy people invest into building/developing things with no expectation of financial profit. Countless other instances can be found throughout history (and contemporary society) of people, with all their basic needs met, pursuing art, tech, and academia. Most people have a gene-deep desire to build, create, investigate, and explore.
Star Trek’s Starfleet continually gets this right: the ships’ engineers constantly work to refine processes to boost efficiency: not for profit or monetary gain, but as a matter of personal pride and satisfaction.
The scientists keep exploring even the most minor astronomical anomalies, the doctors keep studying the most niche biological phenomena, all out of curiosity. They are legitimately interested, and therefore personally invested. They want to deepen their understanding. They want to learn.
The interactions between various alien cultures are anthropologists’ and sociologists’ dreams come true: hence all the diplomatic cross-culture ceremonies and “duck-blind” study scenarios.
These characters are all personally invested in their work, because almost everyone has found the position where they receive personal satisfaction/fulfillment.
You might be thinking “what about the jobs like crate stacking or inventory cataloguing? No one wants to do those jobs in real life.” Oh yes they do. Some people live for it. Organizers come in all forms. Tell me you’ve never met someone who lives to be meticulously organized; or someone obsessed with Tetris; an archivist/librarian who lives to sort things.
“What about garbage collectors? Who’d want to be garbage collectors unless they had to?” Trust me, there are people motivated to keep their community clean. (Additionally, without profit/capitalism/consumerism, aka “waste culture” as the driving force behind most things including manufacturing, waste generation is significantly reduced: most things are built to last/be repaired, or generally recycled. Organic waste is composted, etc. I digress.)
In a galaxy that large, where people are encouraged to pursue their interests (not just relegate those interests to hobbies because “you can’t make a living doing that,”) means you get an incredibly diversified knowledge and resource base within your greater community.
Need an expert in the microscopic harmonic fluctuations of alien cell membranes? There is one a subspace transmission away. Need a specialist on the dietary habits of the yarn people of Nylar 4? They’ll be at the diplomatic brunch tomorrow.
Need a faster ship engine? Someone in a lab has dedicated the past decade to building one, and they’re excited to share.
(These hyper-specific academic/technical pursuits also suggest a greater tolerance/societal value placed on neurodivergence than most modern, socially-oriented capitalistic workspaces as well, but that’s a topic for a whole other post.)
And sure, with basic needs met, you’ll get a small subset of people who don’t want to “work.” Who just “exists”. But, as another point, is there something wrong with someone just enjoying being alive, and being content with that?
Whenever someone (usually older) refers to these hypothetical “unproductive people” as people who’ll just “lay around, playing video games all day,” I want to point out that this is a major fallacy.
Almost all video games are goal-oriented. Most gamers game to accomplish virtual objectives: to win battles, complete quests, rank up. Gaming is entirely objective driven, just like most other pursuits mentioned above: the reason we look down on gaming accomplishments is because “it’s not real,” or “it’s empty/hollow.” But! That’s because we’ve cultivated a societal structure in reality where these “Hollow Pursuits” are the only sense of satisfaction or accomplishment that most people can get, who are often laterally trapped along the professional ladder.
Research has shown that, Given the chance, and the right circumstances, people will direct that objective-oriented energy into something real/consequential in like 95% of cases. The reason “couch-potato” gamers are so common these days is because so many people are unsatisfied with the work/opportunities provided by their jobs/careers, and turn to gaming as alternative suppliers for these feelings of achievement and accomplishment. (Also, gaming allows fantasy/imaginative/alternative pursuits, but that’s another notion.)
“But universal basic income will encourage people to stay home and sleep/drink all day.”
Most healthy people, both ND and NT, find their own purpose to get out of bed each day and get something done. Left open, they’ll find it and chase it. That’s healthy people. Substance addiction and clinical depression are not indicative of healthy people. A more community-and-fulfillment-centric societal structure lends itself to better-developed resources for recovery and treatment. PLUS! Not having to worry about earning basic needs/pay rent to survive while struggling with addiction or emotional issues is a key factor to bettering mental/emotional health, and aids recovery. Studies (with lab animals) have also shown senses of community and support have significantly curbed addictive behaviors that otherwise flourish/metastasize in isolation.
I didn’t expect this post to end up this long. I’m curious to hear thoughts!

Why

After polling the community, the clear majority wants this subreddit to join in the protest against the API changes being rolled out this month.

When

/Wisconsin will be set to private from approximately 12:01AM on June 12 until approximately 11:59PM June 14th.

...Who?

During this time the moderators are 100% checking out. We're each taking 2 days off from reddit (and each other) for the first time in quite a while. Should something change and cause the protest to end early, it is possible we won't open back up in a timely manner. I wouldn't hold my breath on that one...

Long term impact to /Wisconsin

Fortunately we don't use any external or 3rd party bots for moderating or running the subreddit. Unfortunately, your moderators are largely 3rd party app users. We understand 3rd party moderation tools are being given an onboarding route to continue for free, but that truly only impacts me when I'm on desktop. I much prefer RIF.
There has been some discussion about the future of the mod team. If any changes are planned, we'll let the community know right away. Currently, we're all seeing if using the official app is something we're willing to do.
While the collapse of reddit is highly unlikely, this protest seems to have really gained traction. As a result, communities such as ours may shed a majority of active users. If you all choose to jump platforms, or (God forbid) go outside, we just wanted to say goodbye! We know not everyone agrees with how heavy-handed the moderation has become, but each of us genuinely do everything we can to act in a fair and impartial manner with the primary goal of encouraging thoughtful discussions. We did not always get those thoughtful discussions, but the level of knowledge (with sources!) gained has impacted the lives of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people.
Regardless of how things will play out over these next few weeks, July will mark the start of a new reddit: capitalism at it's finest. reddit has gone from an open source platform to a corporation beholden to maximize profits at all costs in preparation to go public.
In closing,

ON WISCONSIN!

We are in the process of selling the house that belonged to my mother-in-law.
We just received two pieces of mail at that address that are addressed to a man that we don't know.
One looks like a Verizon bill, and the other looks like a credit card offer from Capital One.
Is this something to be concerned about? What do they get out of using an address that isn't theirs?

Sir David
Sir David suppresses a sigh. He couldn't say he hadn't been expecting a conversation like this. He gestures to a nearby bench and sits down, leaving Ariane room to scoot in next to him.
"Well firstly, I'd say you're my wife now. My surname does sound nice on you. A bit faster than I wanted to move perhaps, but let's call it a battlefield promotion."
Ariane offers him a half hearted smile. "Except I fled that battlefield like a little girl with her tail tucked between her legs. If I am your wife then my place is next to you. I can fight. You know I can fight David."
"Darling, in the end I'm the trained combatant in the family, and getting you out of the line of fire was my absolute first priority. This isn't to doubt your abilities, I think you're perfectly capable of defending yourself, but you don't have an Undaunted brand for thermal protection against a race known for fighting with fire, or any other covert protection. Nor are you an adept. You're immensely physically strong, far stronger than me even at your reduced size... but you're not a killer my dear... and I am."
Sir David sighs for real this time, but doesn't move his gaze from Ari's eyes. He had to meet her head on with this sort of thing. Take wife by the horns if you will.
"I don't want you to be a killer. It's my profession, I have no shame in it, for I end the lives of wicked people so good folk can sleep soundly at night. I did so on Earth, I do so now. I put myself at risk to protect the people I care about. My children. My grandchildren. My wife... and now my wives."
Sir David gently takes Ariane's hand, their fingers interlacing naturally.
"So if given a choice to ensure you're as safe as you can be, even if it means putting me at more risk... I'll always take the option that means you are as safe as possible. Even if that costs me my life. That's my promise. My oath. My duty was to Queen and country, and now to the Undaunted... but I took those oaths for Mary, my children... and now you."
Ariane nods softly, clearly still a bit upset.
"I ah... I understand, I think. I suppose I'm a bit upset with myself more than I'm upset with you. I was just... so scared. Even as I was incredibly, violently angry I was terrified... and the relief I felt when I ran was... shameful to a degree. Leaving you to die maybe. It hurt me a lot, like a razor was tearing at my guts. I just thought about what I'd do if you died or got hurt because I wasn't there and I-"
Tears start to well up in Ariane's eyes just a touch and David wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in a bit closer.
"There, there. I didn't die. Nor was I going to. Not to trash like that. Nor is fear a shameful thing. Fear is a natural response. I get scared. Captain Bridger gets scared. Even Cannidor get scared at times. Usually of me or Captain Bridger in my experience. Anyone who says they feel no fear is a liar, a fool, or psychotic. Or quite possibly all three. Soldiers train to overcome their fear to accomplish significant things... but you my dear aren't a soldier."
David caresses Ariane's back, stroking down her spine and drawing a sigh from her as she relaxes a bit, tension bleeding out of her body.
"You need to master your fear just enough to flee smartly, summon help, barricade yourself, or as a last measure, fight. Which you did today. Just like you did on the Talasar Spire when you saved all those children. You're quite the heroine from just doing those things you know? You don't need to do more. Nor, if my preferences at all matter, would I wish you to. You're a beautiful soul to me Ari. I adore how fresh and bright you are about the things in the world you love. I want you to focus on that. Focus on being a joy to this galaxy... and to me. Instead of worrying about the profession of arms that is not your own."
Ariane sniffles a bit, then plants a kiss on David's cheek. "You know, you play the hard, tough, man, with that almost piratical swagger of yours... but you're just an old softy aren't you?"
"Guilty as charged my dear."
"I uhm. I think I'd still like to learn how to shoot. Or something. Just be better able to defend myself... and our children."
"Heh. Well I think we can take care of that... though I'll note that wasn't at all subtle Ari."
Ariane leans over again and kisses David hard on the mouth this time, her tongue briefly tangling with his and leaving him breathless.
"No. That wasn't subtle. I fully intend to reward my knight for gallantly protecting me, and you'll see just how unsubtle I can be David Forsythe."
"I'll look forward to it then. To close the loop on our previous conversation though. You know that if you had been even a talented markswoman with a pistol I'd have still sent you running at the earliest circumstance right?"
Ariane nods, nearly knocking one of her horns against David's head.
"I understand."
David gives her another gentle kiss on the cheek.
"Capital. Like I said, even if you're capable, your best defense is avoiding a fight entirely. You should only fight if you absolutely must. That's why I fought in the court yard. Not because I could win, but because we didn't have a clear or safe avenue of escape. As soon as we had such an avenue I got you out, and were I alone I'd have fought a fighting retreat to follow you in hopes of moving to a more defensible location. Or getting help from the wardens of the Inner Shrine."
"Which is exactly the type of behavior I have to beat into new recruits." Comes the now familiar smoky voice of Miri'Tok, as the click of her heels on stone announce her return to the room.
"I'm terribly sorry about the wait, police procedure is tedious, even for clear cases of self defense. David I'm told you have a bounty hunting license, so you'll be receiving some credits for their heads. Not extremely bad girls, save the boss, but bad enough to be worth some money. The local police are paying out a bonus for the living ones. That blue haired girl apparently won't shut up; she's rolling on her old boss so enthusiastically they had to bring a synth in to transcribe it all. It's going to be a busy couple of days for the capital district police force."
David nods. "Take half for yourself would you? I hardly need the credits and you did the lion's share of the dangerous work, I just had a little target practice."
Miri'Tok laughs. "Ah the sheer gall on your husband Ariane, a little bit of target practice he calls it. Some of the cleanest shooting I've seen in years with gangsters with rap sheets that combined stretch from here to orbit and it was just a bit of target practice! Hah!"
Ariane and David join in the laughter this time, the room returning to a hospitable warmth as Miri'Tok seats herself on a bench near the couple.
"I must compliment you as well Ariane." Miri'Tok says, orienting herself more squarely to the Agela.
"Me? What did I do?"
"You kept your head in a dangerous situation and didn't go to pieces like a great many women would have. This is a great deal of credit to your name. Even Apuk civilians, socialized to violence from birth, can go to pieces when real violence is forced upon them."
David nods.
"More or less what I was saying dear, you did a splendid job getting us help. If things had gone a bit more poorly, it's help we would have direly needed too."
Ariane's smile returns to her face like dawn for David, warming the room up even further as she snuggles a bit closer to him.
"Well if you're both telling me that, who am I to argue?"
Miri'Tok chuckles, and rises. "I'm afraid I must actually return to my duties, I've lingered longer than I intended. I'll take you down the hall and leave you with the Wardens in their ward room. Nar'Jan and the girls have been preparing an impromptu victory party for you both. Just a little toast, then one of the girls will give you the full tour of the war shrine. You're both welcome in the Inner Shrine whenever you please, so please come back while you're on Serbow and they'll gladly receive you."
Miri'Tok turns to leave, only to be stopped by Ariane tugging on her sleeve. When the Apuk warrior turns, Ariane holds up her communicator.
"Before you go let's exchange contact information. I really enjoyed our time with you, and I know David did as well. Perhaps we can meet again soon? Without another fight preferably."
"Oh!" Miri'Tok gets that same dusky tone that David associates with a blush in Apuk.
"I uh. I'd like that. Perhaps dinner or something? I know some great places to eat in the city."
"Sounds wonderful, I'll send you David's contact information later once I have a minute."
"I ah. Thank you. I'll look forward to it."
Miri'Tok offers a bow from the waist and quickly hurries away, the echo of her heels fading down the corridor.
David raises an eyebrow and looks over at Ariane.
"You know, when you said you were going to show me how unsubtle you could be, I was expecting something a bit more... intimate shall we say."
"So let the knowledge that things can get even more forward make you wonder at what tonight holds when we get back to the Tear."
David chuckles, caught entirely off guard with the sexual aggression from the normally demure Ariane.
"You're showing me all sorts of sides of yourself today Ari. Still, that really was a bit too forward wasn't it?"
Ariane cocks her head, giving David a slightly confused look.
"What? She's an excellent candidate for a third wife. Better to preempt her asking a bit so we can take the time to discuss it, and it doesn't hurt to put the welcome mat out when to my eye she's so accomplished and so obviously interested. Plus she'd be a good recruit for the Undaunted from her decorations. She's a very skilled warrior even if she's not a battle princess. Though she might be a princess. You never know. She's not wearing a crown, but apparently a lot of the battle princesses in service to the Imperial military skip the crowns outside of formal occasions, instead only going by their ranks."
Another eyebrow raised, a common thing when Ariane was in the mood to surprise David it seems. "Where did you learn all that? I haven't the foggiest about how to read Apuk decorations."
Ariane shrugs. "When I finished that book about your unit back on Earth, Eastern Approaches, I read a book or two on contemporary Apuk martial culture. I thought it might come in handy."
"So what does your reading tell you about Miri'Tok?"
"Well as she said she's an Apuk Imperial Marine. She started as an enlisted woman, and has done a century of service at least. She's done at least a dozen combat deployments, and numerous space deployments. The difference being specifically going to a conflict zone, and floating around on an Apuk Imperial Navy vessel looking for trouble.”
Sir David doffs an imaginary cap. “An activity I heartily approve of.”
Ariane rolls her eyes with a smile before continuing.
“She has five wound medals, an even dozen valor medals in varying grades and has been named as a member of an Imperial martial order. Knights for lack of a better word. Not all that dissimilar from you really if you'd had another forty years with the Royal Marines and SAS. Then there's a variety of competence awards that aren't as important. Suffice to say, Miri'Tok is very good at what she does."
"Hmmm. Yes I could see that in the fight, and you think she's interested in me?"
Ariane rises, and saunters the step or two to David slowly, placing her hands on his shoulders and leaning down to kiss him deeply.
"Darling, from her axiom she's single. From what she tells us about how her family treats men and views sorcerers, you're literally one in a billion... and she got to fight alongside you. I've heard Ghorza Bridger crowing about getting to fight side by side with the Captain at a bar on the promenade after the Talasar Spire with the same enthusiasm most girls save for a once in a lifetime present or getting pregnant. I also could tell that her shield sisters were green with envy. Well. Greener than normal anyway. If Miri'Tok wasn't interested, I'd be worried she'd hit her head in the fight. Plus her body always seemed to be facing you, except when she was speaking directly to me."
Ariane stands back up and tucks some of her hair back into place, with an exaggerated attempt at a glamorous, flirtatious pose..
"Well, with such a gifted potential candidate it wouldn't exactly be a hardship to share. I'll just have to take solace in the fact that I'll always have a bigger rack than her."
David's eyes naturally drift downwards from her face, considering the rack in question, only for a slightly embarrassed Ariane to stick a finger up to direct his attention back upwards before covering her reddened face with her hands.
"My horns David. I meant my horns. I have bigger horns than she does."
It takes every fiber of discipline he's ever possessed for David to suppress the cheeky grin that desperately wanted to plaster itself across his face, and to tame the school boy giggle fit he so dearly wanted to have. He stiffens his upper lip like a proper British gentleman and manages to dryly respond.
"Well my dear, let's not talk about other women. You have a fantastic rack and I look forward to appreciating it later tonight."
Ariane shoots him a look, clearly over acting her slight embarrassment into mock outrage, playing along with her husband easily.
"Now you're doing it on purpose!"
"Yes, but you're cute when you're flustered."
"You're impossible David Forsythe!"
"That I am Mrs. Forsythe."
Ariane chuckles, and leans over, planting another gentle kiss on his lips.
"And I wouldn't have it any other way."
First Last

I'm not saying it's a morally bad thing or it's the wrong decision by the Vikings.
Modern NFL history has proven time and time again that giving a running back a massive contract is just not an effective move for teambuilding. Bell cow RBs in the NFL have a pretty well-defined shelf life before they start breaking down, and Cook is nearing that point. Additionally, you can go out and find really good replacement RBs with low-capital draft picks and have an effective running game off of a committee of non-star RBs. It's just too fungible of a position for it to ever make sense to commit long-term to star RBs.
And with Dalvin particularly, he hasn't been able to stay fully healthy for a full season practically his entire career. For what it's worth, I do believe releasing him (or trading him) is the right decision for the franchise.
But that doesn't make it not crazy that a 27 year old running back-- a player who is one of the biggest stars at his position in the league-- who has averaged 110 total yards and almost a touchdown per game over the last four seasons is about to just be released from his team for nothing.

RightCapital confirms secret SoFi deal

• RightCapital's secret deal with SoFi is out of the bag. The eight year-old Shelton, Conn. start-ups cited its NDA in declining comment on the freemium SoFi deal but confirmed Fortune article.
• The Shelton, Conn., financial planning software company gets a likely nominal license fee – maybe $50,000 tops, sources say – yet gets to bask in whatever afterglow that the diminished fintech world can still throw off.
• Investors can use RightCapital's free retail planning tool, or use it through its CFP-accredited advisors.
• The two firms declined to discuss the deal; RightCapital CEO, Shuang Chen confirmed its existence, and little else.
• As a result of its SoFi pair-up, RightCapital is now free to every SoFi client, should they sign-up for a free financial planning call with SoFi advisors, who also use the software.
• Forbes Advisor's retirement and investing editor, Benjamin Curry has nothing but praise for the RightCapital-SoFi pairing, stating that it breaks the trend of free software being worth “zilch.” "Naysayers are wrong. I found the SoFi free financial consultation program to be an excellent tool. Access to RightCapital, alone, makes it worth setting up a call,” he says, in an article.

The residents of Sordland have spoken and their voices have been heard in a momentous election that concluded yesterday on the 5th of November. After weeks of campaigning, debates, and tireless efforts by candidates and their supporters, we are proud to announce that the United Sordland Party (USP) Chairman Sebastian Rensen will be leading Sordland into a new era of governance as the 4th President of Sordland.
In a fiercely contested race, Sebastian Rensen, a medical doctor and life-long USP member who had won the 2nd USP Party Congress, emerged as the winner of the 1953 Presidential election. He has now been tasked with fulfilling the aspirations of the citizens and with the responsibility of addressing the critical issues facing the country such as the continuing economic crisis.
The election witnessed an impressive turnout, with 64% of eligible voters exercising their democratic right to vote. This robust participation reflects the continued dedication of the citizens to their local democracy and their commitment to shaping their own future. It is a testament to the vibrancy and engagement of our Sordish community.
Rensen acquired a mandate from the people due to securing 33% of the votes. While a far cry from the victories of Alphonso and Soll, Rensen has captured enough hearts and minds to secure the Presidency. The campaign focused on vital topics such as the promised democratic reforms to the 1929 Constitution and the current economic crisis.
Rensen promised to deliver
- a mixed economy
- a continued relaxed immigration policy
- a radically modernized healthcare system
We will see if Sebastian Rensen has additional plans once he makes his victory speech. The citizens eagerly anticipate the implementation of the plans and policies put forth by their new leader, hoping for a brighter future for themselves and their community.
The election results also mark a significant moment in Sordland’s history as for the first time since 1924, the Communist Party of Sordland (CPS) has returned to the Grand National Assembly. This could have been only achieved via a coalition agreement with the Worker’s Party of Bludia (WPB) which also historically will enter the assembly for the first time. Rumors are circulating that this People’s Front coalition will be seated next to the National Front Party (NFP) which will certainly be interesting considering their ‘ideological disparities’.
The election results may be considered disappointing for supporters of the People’s Freedom and Justice Party who were under the impression due to their strong showing in 1949 gaining around 30% of the vote, that they could truly challenge the crisis-ridden USP. However did not capitalize on the USP’s weaknesses as they were unable to close the gap regarding the seat allocation in the Grand National Assembly. It seems likely that Frens Ricter will step down or be pushed out from being Chairman PFJP which may seek to inject some new blood.
Sordland embarks on a fresh chapter of governance. The challenges ahead are considerable, but with a dedicated and capable Sebastian Rensen at the helm, there is optimism for positive change and progress in the years to come.
The inauguration has been set for two weeks from the announcement of the election results. Once the inauguration speech is given, the following day after all Assembly members are sworn in, the Speaker Election for the Grand National Assembly is scheduled. Gloria Tory’s weak performance during the 2nd USP Congress has revealed that it is unlikely she will be backed by her own party for the 2nd term. This Speaker election seems to be one of the most important ones in Sordish history as it will show if the opposition is able to maintain pressure on the USP and show that the weak electoral victory was not just a fluke but the start of the USP’s collapse. For the USP, this Speaker election must be a show of strength and is a must-win if the President and the USP wishes to legitimize their political hold over the country.
Regardless, congratulations to Sebastian Rensen and his USP on their victory and may their term be marked by achievement, collaboration, and the betterment of our great nation!
1953 Presidential Election
Voter Turnout: 64% Voting Population: 23,264,264
Sebastian Rensen: 7,705,124 votes (33,12%)
Frens Ricter: 5,695,092 votes (24,48%)
Dr. Arthon W. Mangriff: 3,182,551 votes (13,68%)
Denis Stahler: 1,842,529 votes (7,92%)
Fetih Ejall: 1,688,985 (7,26%)
Other: 3,149,981 (13,54%)
1953 General Election
USP: 7,705,124 votes (33,12%) = 92/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
PFJP: 5,695,092 votes (24,48%) = 68/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
People’s Front Coalition [CPS & WPB]: 3,531,514 votes (15,18%) = 42/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
NFP: 3,182,551 votes (13,68%) = 38/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
Independents (threshold bypass) 846,819 votes (3,64%) = 10/250 Seats in Grand National Assembly
Below 10% Threshold (0 Seats in Grand National Assembly)
Nature Preservation Federation: 1,109,705 votes (4,77%)
Imperial Restoration Bloc: 716,539 votes (3,08%)
Independents (Not enough votes despite bypassing threshold rule): 476,917 votes (2,05%)
​
​
​

This is mostly a vent. Supportive comments needed, advice is appreciated.
​
These days I'm so dismayed at my situation and find myself wondering 'What the fuck happened?'
I came from a well-off middle class family. I'm now 22 and struggling with housing and work. I had to start living on my own a couple of months ago and now have no choice but to move somewhere else or flatshare in order to survive, and even that is proving difficult. I have good qualifications but can never keep a job for more than a few months because I'm on the Autism Spectrum. I'm having top surgery in a few weeks (I'm trans), and while I have friends to help me recover I have no family to keep a closer watch on me.
Future is looking a bit bleak.
So how the fuck did I end up here and where did things go so wrong....? That's what I find myself asking.
My mom was always an abusive narcissist and never wanted me in the first place. That's where it all started. Dad and rest of family were passive enablers, plus my autistic traits.......All that did not mix well, for me or my brother. Childhood wasn't very good. From 12/13 I developed clinical (and I mean Clinical with a capital C) depression/anxiety and also gender dysphoria, and as I mentioned I'm on the spectrum as well. I did great in school but in literally everything else I was abysmal and thought constantly about suicide etc. Despite attempts to get help and teachers urging my parents to get me help they ignored all of it completely. At 14 my brother began retaliating violently against my mother's abuse, and over the next few years gave my parents Hell by assaulting them and causing thousands in property damage.
I kept my trans feelings at bay until I got my degree, after which I started dressing and acting like my true self. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. After months of further abuse by my mother, my grandmother let me stay with her. But eventually even my grandmother's actions took a toll on my mental health and I had to live on my own. Then recently I had to block contact with most of my family because of their anger and intolerance over my upcoming surgery.
I'm in contact with social workers to try and get some government help. I constantly feel like I'm an imposter or lazy, that I don't deserve any government help or resources at all. Technically I haven't consumed any government resources yet, it's just that my case has been followed for a long time now.
I feel so bad that I will likely have to make use of government services in my life due to my situation. And seeing other families stick up for each other and help each other when in need makes me feel bitter and upset.

• I know one young man who was born with a few medical complications and is half-blind and has trouble with depression, jobs and school. And his family really care for him. In contrast to me (ok I'm not half-blind), where any legit medical problems that were affecting my day-to-day living were just blamed on me or attributed to a weak mental state.
• I know some trans people and plenty of lgbt people who are accepted by their parents. And with trans issues especially, leaving dysphoria unchecked can really cripple us. In the meantime, my family didn't even accept me wearing the clothes that I felt comfortable in.
• The girl I'm dating is autistic and a lesbian and always had the full support of her family and a government program for her executive functioning problems. She was fully accepted and helped for her autism while my parents attempted to hide my diagnoses and pretend it never happened and continued treating me in a way that's not even acceptable for neurotypical kids.
• My brother is a violent, debatably dangerous shithead and he still gets to live with my parents rent-free.
• Then again, I do know someone with an IQ deficiency who is dependent on the government to live and looks to have been entirely abandoned by his family.

I don't want to get to a point where I would need government housing, but my entire family literally won't accept me living with them. One of my grandmother's has a sizeable house, but is so disgusted by my transness that she can't even look at me and constantly insults me. My other grandmother has a large house but constantly cries and argues over my transness. My aunts and uncles value their private space too much to take me in. I can't go back to my parents because my mother is abusive, does shit like throw away my clothes and stuff and my dad won't stop her.
I grew up in financial security, in a well-off middle class family. I had a computer at 6 years old, we had 3 TVs and my dad tried to put an AC in practically every room in the house, my dad would spend 400$ on just a casual food trip and 'treat' us at restaurants. As kids my grandparents would take us lots of places and treat us, and we'd all go on holiday every 2 years. And all of that never made me happy, and I'd have happily traded all of those material items for a loving family. Scratch that: even just one person who would have acted like a proper parent to me.

Hey!
This post is the first edition of a weekly newsletter (hand-curated) showing all the exciting things happening in Lisbon. You can subscribe here (sending it every Friday).
Top 5 things to do in Lisbon between June 9 and 16!
1. Santos Populares
Santos is the biggest open party of the year in the Portuguese capital!Join the narrow streets of Alfama, grab a beer, eat some sardines, and have fun dancing to the sound of popular music! For maximum fun purposes, join the crow on the evening of June 12 (Monday), the peak of Santos Populares!
2. Semba no Pé 2023 - Kizomba and Semba Festival
Like dancing? This one is for you!Show your Kizomba skills at Semba no Pé 2023, a festival with social events, parties, and 30+ workshops for Kizomba and Semba (“a touch of belly buttons”) fans (all dancing levels). Venues include the famous Jazzy Dance Studio and Barrio Latino!
3. Feira do Livro Lisboa 2023
The biggest book fair of Portugal comes to an end this week. This is your last chance to buy that book you’ve wanting to read or get an autograph from your favourite author. Take advantage of the discounts during the weekend and all the activities surrounding the book fair, from music to food.
4. Quadros de Uma Exposição - Gulbenkian
Amid the several parties happening in Lisbon with Santos Populares, the Gulbenkian Foundation orchestra is organizing a homage to composer Modest Mussorgsky. Enjoy 70 minutes of one of the best orchestras in Portugal at an iconic venue, the Grande Auditório.
5. VALHÖLL - Viking Night
Metal meets folk meets viking meets noir clubbing… intrigued? Join tonight for an alternative party!
Hope you enjoy and have fun with your friends at these events!

Company Name	Title	City
Ace Handyman Services	Handyman	Lexington
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Restaurant Assistant Manager- Pay up to $65,000 - Bedford, MA	Bedford
Capital One	Cafe Experience Representative - Boston Metro Area	Bedford
Capital One	Cafe Associate - Boston Metro Area	Bedford
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Assistant Restaurant Manager	Beverly
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Restaurant Assistant Manager	Beverly
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Restaurant Assistant Manager- Pay up to $70,000 - Beverly	Beverly
Capital One	Food Services General Worker	Boston
Global Partners	Food Service Associate - DAngelos	Brewster
Global Partners	Assistant Store Manager	Brewster
Capital One	Food Services General Worker	Brockton
Capital One	Car Hop	Brockton
Capital One	Cafe Associate - Boston Metro Area	Brockton
Capital One	Cafe Ambassador	Cambridge
GoTo	Global Account Manager – GSI	Cambridge
Global Partners	Food Service Associate	Carver
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Restaurant Assistant Manager- Pay up to $65,000 - Chelmsford	Chelmsford
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Restaurant Assistant Manager- Pay up to $60,000 - Chicopee	Chicopee
Showcase Cinemas (Legacy Place)	Back Line Cook	Dedham
BAYADA Home Health Care	Head Nurse	Dedham
Showcase Cinemas (Legacy Place)	Line Cooks! ????????	Dedham
IntelyCare	Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)	Duxbury
IntelyCare	CNA	Duxbury
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp)	Restaurant Assistant Manager- Pay up to $60,000 - East Longmeadow	East Longmeadow
BAYADA Home Health Care	Home Care Nurse	Falmouth

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in ma. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

This is mostly a vent. Supportive comments needed, advice is appreciated.
​
These days I'm so dismayed at my situation and find myself wondering 'What the fuck happened?'
I came from a well-off middle class family. I'm now 22 and struggling with housing and work. I had to start living on my own a couple of months ago and now have no choice but to move somewhere else or flatshare in order to survive, and even that is proving difficult. I have good qualifications but can never keep a job for more than a few months because I'm on the Autism Spectrum. I'm having top surgery in a few weeks (I'm trans), and while I have friends to help me recover I have no family to keep a closer watch on me.
Future is looking a bit bleak.
So how the fuck did I end up here and where did things go so wrong....? That's what I find myself asking.
My mom was always an abusive narcissist and never wanted me in the first place. That's where it all started. Dad and rest of family were passive enablers, plus my autistic traits.......All that did not mix well, for me or my brother. Childhood wasn't very good. From 12/13 I developed clinical (and I mean Clinical with a capital C) depression/anxiety and also gender dysphoria, and as I mentioned I'm on the spectrum as well. I did great in school but in literally everything else I was abysmal and thought constantly about suicide etc. Despite attempts to get help and teachers urging my parents to get me help they ignored all of it completely. At 14 my brother began retaliating violently against my mother's abuse, and over the next few years gave my parents Hell by assaulting them and causing thousands in property damage.
I kept my trans feelings at bay until I got my degree, after which I started dressing and acting like my true self. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. After months of further abuse by my mother, my grandmother let me stay with her. But eventually even my grandmother's actions took a toll on my mental health and I had to live on my own. Then recently I had to block contact with most of my family because of their anger and intolerance over my upcoming surgery.
I'm in contact with social workers to try and get some government help. I constantly feel like I'm an imposter or lazy, that I don't deserve any government help or resources at all. Technically I haven't consumed any government resources yet, it's just that my case has been followed for a long time now.
I feel so bad that I will likely have to make use of government services in my life due to my situation. And seeing other families stick up for each other and help each other when in need makes me feel bitter and upset.

• I know one young man who was born with a few medical complications and is half-blind and has trouble with depression, jobs and school. And his family really care for him. In contrast to me (ok I'm not half-blind), where any legit medical problems that were affecting my day-to-day living were just blamed on me or attributed to a weak mental state.
• I know some trans people and plenty of lgbt people who are accepted by their parents. And with trans issues especially, leaving dysphoria unchecked can really cripple us. In the meantime, my family didn't even accept me wearing the clothes that I felt comfortable in.
• The girl I'm dating is autistic and a lesbian and always had the full support of her family and a government program for her executive functioning problems. She was fully accepted and helped for her autism while my parents attempted to hide my diagnoses and pretend it never happened and continued treating me in a way that's not even acceptable for neurotypical kids.
• My brother is a violent, debatably dangerous shithead and he still gets to live with my parents rent-free.
• Then again, I do know someone with an IQ deficiency who is dependent on the government to live and looks to have been entirely abandoned by his family.

I don't want to get to a point where I would need government housing, but my entire family literally won't accept me living with them. One of my grandmother's has a sizeable house, but is so disgusted by my transness that she can't even look at me and constantly insults me. My other grandmother has a large house but constantly cries and argues over my transness. My aunts and uncles value their private space too much to take me in. I can't go back to my parents because my mother is abusive, does shit like throw away my clothes and stuff and my dad won't stop her.
I grew up in financial security, in a well-off middle class family. I had a computer at 6 years old, we had 3 TVs and my dad tried to put an AC in practically every room in the house, my dad would spend 400$ on just a casual food trip and 'treat' us at restaurants. As kids my grandparents would take us lots of places and treat us, and we'd all go on holiday every 2 years. And all of that never made me happy, and I'd have happily traded all of those material items for a loving family. Scratch that: even just one person who would have acted like a proper parent to me.

This is my first in-depth valuation so feel free destroy my thesis, don’t worry you won’t hurt my feelings. Also point out anything I missed, questions I’m not asking myself, things you would have done different etc. If you read all of this thank you!
Understanding The Business
Expeditors is an international freight forwarder and customs brokerage based in Seattle, Washington that operates through three segments: Airfreight Services, Ocean Freight & Services, and Customs Brokerage and other Services. Airfreight Services operations include buying cargo space in bulk on passenger flights and reselling that space to customers for a lower price than they would have otherwise paid. In Ocean Freight & Services, the forwarding and consolidation works the same way it does in airfreight. This segment also provides order management for cargo, so inventory and warehouse delivery services. Customs Brokerage and Other Services ensures customs compliance for shippers, provides multi-modal, intra-continental transport, and warehousing services. As a non-asset provider, Expeditors does not own/lease any aircrafts and ships and instead maintains relationships with transportation providers.
The thing about this business that caught my attention is their culture of responsibility, commitment to the growth of their employees, and preference for organic growth as opposed to acquisitive growth. They’ve sustained their no layoff policy since it started in 2008 and compensation is set up so that employees are shareholders, and bonuses for regional divisions are set up so that no bonus is paid out until the entire division makes up all losses in previous periods, keeping management and employees accountable for their actions and rewarding them for any successes. On their commitment to growth of employees, they prefer to fill management positions from the inside. Their CEO, Jeff Musser began working as a part-time messenger at the company before succeeding one of the founders in 2014. The strategy of organic growth stems from their commitment to the employees (expertise and customer service is hard to sustain if employees are leaving for better positions or are fired) so management prefers to invest in its people and core technologies rather then invest in an acquisition. The idea behind the strategy is not too grow fast or to be the biggest, but to ensure a commitment to employees while providing value for customers.
​
The company has seen record profits these past two years as a result of the rebound from the pandemic and various supply chain stressors driving up the cost of freight transport. As consumebusiness spending slows from the pandemic rebound and as a result of inflation in various markets slowing GDP growth and thus trade, profits are expected to decrease this year.
MOATs/Competitive Advantage
Cargo space is essentially a commodity, so its hard to set your business apart in this industry. That being said, in my research I’ve found that size of operations, treatment of employees, cash/debt picture and growth strategies are good differentiators in the industry.
Like I said earlier, Expeditors isn’t the biggest provider, but still a good presence in operating locations, especially the Asia-US trade routes. There are many companies in the industry with more employees than Expeditors (so they can handle more volume) but none in my research have shown the level of tangible commitment to their employees that Expeditors has. The company has no traditional debt (awesome!), just operating leases which is for office spaces and organic growth shields it from M&A risks.
Management
Musser having started out as a messenger for Expeditors and working his way up is very much a student of the culture his predecessor Peter J. Rose created. For example after the pandemic Musser was asked why he still enforced the strict dress code while the industry was becoming more relaxed about it as a whole, he said that he noticed customers were choosing to do business with them because they just looked more professional simple as that. The culture hasn’t changed since the company started in 1979, Musser is still maintaining the strategy of focused and intentional investment for the future, playing the long game instead of trying to be the biggest and flashiest logistics provider out there, similar to a value investing approach. The culture that management developed is, at least in my eyes, one of the main reasons this company hasn't posted a net loss in its history.
Numbers and Valuation
Annual growth rate for the past decade:

Book Value	6.55%
Sales	10.89%
Operating	12.70%
Earnings	14.54%

​
Annual growth rate since 2007:

Book Value	7.78%
Sales	7.67%
Operating	9.56%
Earnings	10.64%

​
Average since 2007:

ROE	25%
ROIC	23%
Operating Margin	9.4%
Net Profit Margin	6.3%

Capital Structure:

Cash	$2B
Debt + Lease Liabilities*	$518M*
D/E	0.17
Times-Interest-Earned	80.66

Won’t bore you with a DCF explanation but I got a 50% margin of safety price of $142. So with a current stock price of $116.53 it’s undervalued but not by a lot.
Competition The logistics industry is a fragmented one, the top 3 companies own 5%, 5%, 4% of market share and the top 20 hold 40% collectively. Also here are one paragraph blurbs I had about each company after reading their most recent annual report
CH Robinson:
Ultimately how I’m feeling about this company in comparison to EXPD goes along with the old adage “cash is king” for a non asset business cash is essential. Even for CHRW who hold “very little transportation assets.” Operating margins decreasing show rising expense not being managed as well over the past 10+ years. Although ROE and ROIC are higher for CHRW, it achieves this with a smaller equity and debt base that, when combined is less than the equity base of EXPD. Also, ownership of some transportation assets boost returns in good times. Lastly, if I had to choose between owning two similar companies, one that historically holds debt on its books that exceed cash and one that doesn’t, I’ll choose the latter every time.
Kuehne and Nagel International AG: A similar non-asset/asset-light business model as EXPD, just on a much larger scale (number 1 market share in sea/air logistics. They have the 2nd most debt out of the companies I’ve researched, although they are in a good debt position (mostly lease liabilities, but some borrowing and interest-bearing liabilities) debt is debt. A great company but what sets EXPD apart from the market is their organic growth model and proven long-term commitment to employees, something this company doesn’t do or make as clear.
DSV A/S: As I read more and more about these companies I find that there isn’t much difference between them, hence the fragmented market. Cargo space space is a commodity so the only real differences between companies may be size of operations, treatment of employees, and growth strategies. Nothing I’ve read about this company stuck out to me as out of the ordinary, a simple and easy to understand business.

My wife and I are looking to open a new credit card since we travel and dine out pretty often. On average, we do 3-4 domestic trips and 1-2 international trips a year. We figured the CSR would be a good option for us compared to the CSP. Would it be better for her to apply alone and then add me as an authorized user?
Her credit history is spotless:

• 750 credit score, $70k income, no debt/loans/mortgage, and current credit cards paid off each month.
• BoA Travel: $10k CL
• Southwest Rapid Rewards: $14k CL

Unfortunately, mine is the opposite due to some stupid mistakes a few years ago.

• 650 credit score, $120k income, $64k federal student loans, and current credit cards paid off each month.
• I do have 8 deragatory marks in collections totaling $14k that are 5-6 years old.
• The oldest account is 12 years and the average age is 3 years.
• BoA Travel $10k CL
• Discover It $5k CL
• Capital One Quicksilver $3k CL
• Capital One Platinum $1k CL
• Neiman Marcus store card $5k CL