The most I remember about the game is that you wake up on a beach. You look around the beach and there is an area where you try to get coconuts from a tree. There are large crabs on and near the tree preventing you from getting the coconuts. Near that same area there is are stone stairs leading to I don't remember where. A bit later in the game when you are trying to escape the island there are flying robots chasing you with spinning metal blades like a fan.
Edit: I should also add that the game is in first person.

Reaver 2.0 bundle Oni phantom Prime vandal& phantom Celestial fan 3 battle passes bought Snowfall wand Forsaken ritual blade (dagger)

Sup nerds, have two mac 2 3.5’s on the chopping block today. Love these knives but I’ve also come to hate them for various reasons. The main reason is that these knives have so many inconsistencies from one to the other it is fucking ridiculous. I prefer to be as transparent and honest as possible, though that could hurt my sale. I just despise how I’ve had probably 8-9 of these over time and not one has been the same. Again, awesome knife but that shit bugs me. I'll probably revisit once they can get things under control. Wanting to sell or trade. Trades would be transparent knives reblades, crk’s (double lug preferred but not required), or slicey ass knives, and I think that’s it. Big crk fan right now so those are my major lookers honestly but you can shoot your shot. Proof
Mac 2 3.5 Green Frag SV: $615 TV: $630 OBO
Exhibit A will be, in my opinion, the better of the bunch. 2nd owner, Green frag, hollow ground magnacut blade (about 17 thou bte) bronze hardware, bronze backspacer, skiff bearings, skiff thick washers, factory bearings and factory edge. Factory edge is satisfactory and cuts phonebook paper, but it’s not the prettiest and I’ve seen sharper. Another reason I’m not a fan anymore, I’ve had some come sharp and some come extremely dull. None have been good looking but I’m okay with sharpening them. So the bad on this one: bought it off the Facebook group, no offense if he’s here but the guy I bought it from sucks and burned me good imo. As soon as I touched the pocket clip screw with my t8 wiha it immediately snapped right off, flush with the scale. Had to send it to McNees where they extracted the screw and replaced it which I’m grateful for but um it wasn’t free and the guy I bought it from was not willing to even split the cost. He also forgot the original hardware and then when he did mail it, it was like a random ass assortment. You’ll get both original standoffs, 2 males halves of thumb stud, one female half of the thumb stud, one body screw..one pocket clip screw, and the pivot/pivot screw. This one is stupid drop shut and I’ll give it props there. It has a definitely softer detent than the blue. Not shaking open but compared to the normal which is really firm, this one is much easier to flick open. Maybe carried this once and the condition is superb aside from the bullshit I just described.
Mac 2 3.5 Blue Frag SV: $615 TV: $630 OBO
Exhibit B, Blue frag. Again 2nd owner, magnacut, hollow ground (also about 17 thou bte) bronze hardware, bronze backspacer, skiff bearings, skiff thick washers, and factory bearings. This one has been sharpened and I can say it is in fact a laser beam. Comes with the original hardware but this one is extremely finicky. I took it apart last night just because and I spent well over an hour trying to dial it back in. Takes a shake to drop and I could not get it to the same level of action as the green frag. See what I’m talking about with the inconsistencies? Due to taking it apart a dozen times, I felt a little give in one of the body screws. It’s not stripped so cool your jets but it’s not a tight new torx anymore as well unfortunately. Again, this one is extremely finicky. The action can be pretty decent, but it’s not just going back together without some tweaking. Has a little mark on the clip but outside of that, nothing to note. Has been carried a few times and cut some cardboard since sharpening (this one came dull as shit with factory edge.)
Edit: table $565, bronze backspacer $58, bronze hardware $75, skiff bearings $11.99, skiff washers $4.65, total $714.64. Not including my costs for the green one to send to the mothership but I wouldn’t pass that on to the buyer anyway.
That’s it. Sorry to write a book but I try to be clear on everything and these have lots of explaining. Let me know if you have any questions! Everything is priced shipped and insured ppff. No notes please. Yolo takes priority.

The morning after our victory, I led a small team of Paladins, Clerics, and Artificers, with Rogues outside of sight alongside us.
Well, it was more accurate to say that we took one of the military vehicles and carefully drove it over to the next city. The Artificers didn't strip entire cars bare on the street, they had to get it into a garage somehow.
This excursion was primarily exploratory, to see what we were dealing with at the end of our effective territory.
The blockade was a nice touch. We slowed to a stop, we got out, and we approached. When they raised their guns, I held my hand up, and we stopped.
"This is a formal request for a ceasefire." I stated, projecting my voice with the amplifier. "We will continue to approach, opening fire will signal to us that you do not value your lives."
We continued approaching, the guns still trained on us.
The person who came out to speak with us was more forced out, he clearly didn't want to be the one to talk to us.
"Am I to assume you speak with authority?" I asked. He looked at the other soldiers, he didn't have a clue. "Then I'll make this concise and brief. You will dismantle this blockade, you will retreat, and you will not prevent us from making contact with the neighboring city. Any attempts to prevent us from passing will result in your immediate capture, any attempts to harm us will result in your immediate death."
The standoff was tense, after a few moments, I began to count down. "Five."
I could see sweat beading down their faces.
"Four."
Eyes wide, terrified.
"Three."
They broke first, backing away, guns still trained on us.
"If your intention is to retreat, such that you can face us with a larger force, allow me to make one thing clear." I blasted their blockade apart, some of them screamed. "Your bullets are useless against us."
They ran, we cleared the blockade away, and we repeated this two more times.
Seeing the city after so long felt... overwhelming. I had completely forgotten how big it was. It was almost enough to not notice the checkpoint, and the fifty of so Humans who stood on the other side, guns pointed at us.
"I will allow one of you to shoot me." I said, walking toward them. "A freebie, use your highest caliber, try and hurt me."
The bullet that struck me ricocheted into a tree, The silence that fell was just as deafening as the report from the gun, they stared at me in utter shock, and then they all ran
Several Human civilians looked at the fleeing soldiers, then looked at us as we stepped out from our territory and into theirs.
"Oh, shit. That video was real." I heard someone say. "Look at that sick fuckin' armor." Another spoke. "Are they going to attack us?"
"Halt." I commanded, my troop stopped, the tension in the air was palpable.
"My name is Ruuk Stingtail." I spoke. "For the time being, I come in peace, and invite anyone who is curious to ask questions.After all, it has been a solid year and a half since we had any contact with anyone other than enemies and ourselves."
There was still tension, of course, but eventually someone did approach, cautiously, of course. "Yo, uh, can I touch you? You know, to make sure you're actually real and not some sort of weird animatronic?"
I reached my hand out and he touched it. "Whoa." He pulled his hand back.
Several Humans had pulled out their phones, they were already recording us. I quickly appraised the people around us, looking for anything we could exploit for our own uses. I noticed someone with their arm in a sling, it wasn't in a cast, but it was wrapped up.
"You there." I said, pointing at him. He pointed at himself. "Yes, come here."
He approached cautiously. "What happened to your arm?" I asked.
"I, uh, I tore a muscle." He said. "Doctor said I can't do much with it until it heals."
"Ruka." I said, looking at the Paladin of Bahamut. He walked closer. "Show us your injury, if you would."He did, there was the ugliest bruise I'd ever seen.
"Do you consent to having your injury healed?" I asked.
"What?" He asked, blinking.
"I'm offering to have your injury healed." I reiterated.
"Yeah, sure?"
Ruka gently laid his hands on the Human's arm. "O, holy Bahamut, heal this grievous wound and grant wholeness and wellness to his man, zyak qe coi."
The Paladin's hands radiated holy light, the bruise rapidly faded, and the Human stared at it, utterly awestruck. "Holy shit." He gasped. "I mean-"
"It is not taken as blasphemy." Ruka stated, holding his hand up.
"We are here-" I spoke, looking at everyone, "-to prove our existence beyond a single video. Circumstances demand that what we do isn't simply charity, but the means by which we can survive. For this, I am sorry, I recognize that in this way, I am using you." I paused, dredging up and wiping away tears. "Our people depend on this."
If we were to have any form of peace, any form of justification for war, we needed to be sympathetic. By taking prisoners, we made ourselves targets to any would-be vigilantes looking to serve their country.
By being up front about our intentions, we showed a quiet desperation, efforts made to foster peace, even though I had bared the fangs of war.
More Humans gathered, those who were sick or in pain, we provided healing. I told our story, of how we one day woke up like this, the struggles of finding ourselves in a situation where nothing was made for us, how when we were quarantined, we were forced to fend for ourselves. How when the mine collapsed, we worked together to save the trapped miners. How when we were blockaded so they could force us to die en masse, how we were blessed with miracles.
How, when we fully understood what our intended fate was, the people heard the wisdom of my Emperor and elevated me to the position of Imperator, and how I used my authority to direct our people to our first victory.
"I shall admit, taking those soldiers' lives brought us satisfaction." I said. "They had oppressed us, tried to eradicate us, we gave them every opportunity to choose peace, to choose life. I just can't understand how they couldn't see us as people who desperately wished for love and compassion."
I laid it on thick, and the Humans ate it up.
Before long, we had expended our spells, and I said, "We will try to return, presuming the military doesn't try to carpet bomb us into oblivion, our prisoners of war be damned. I pray your leaders see reason."
We returned to our commandeered vehicle, closing the checkpoint so nobody could get in, and we returned to the city.
We did this each day we could, speaking words of hope for peace, determination to protect ourselves as needed. As always, we provided healing to those who needed it, some people even came, desperate for relief from something incurable, to which we did the best we could. Throughout this, I spoke of things to come, a thriving city, as much a part of the world as anywhere else, a place where we could share the wonders of magic.
I was asked, "Why do you close the gate when you leave?"
I simply answered, "If you entered, they would force you to remain, even though we know anyone who remains Human under the Divine Gate remains Human." It was an embellishment, but it was more poetic and exotic.
Throughout all of this, the military watched us like a hawk, waiting for us to slip up and cause some damage.
Days turned to weeks turned into a month, and we had solidified our existence to the world. We turned the checkpoint into our border, our Rangers found that we were completely sealed in on all sides by fencing.
I declared it the territory of the Empire.
"All of the land that the U.S. government sealed off belongs to the Empire." I spoke. "By locking it behind fence and gate, they have declared it our border, and we shall agree to that sentiment."
It was such a tiny parcel of land, compared to the rest of the continent, but it could comfortably fit ten offshoot villages, each which could connect us to other cities.
Construction of the new border wall began shortly after, the fencing uprooted piece by piece, replaced by solid stone proudly displaying the anachronism our lives had become, and even though there had been no agreement to peace, the U.S. government was powerless to stop us.
The moment I had claimed the land, the moment it was known to be claimed, my Emperor had claimed it in turn. By the end of the week, we had a new border wall built, one that was staffed with Rangers, Druids, Fighters, and Artificers. One that was connected by tramways, simplifying travel.
And throughout this all, Darastrixthurhi was transformed from a lifeless rock, to a city teeming with plantlife.
My Emperor held me in his arms as we laid on our bed. Sharing a bed together had always been a highlight of his being with me, his willingness to hold me, to touch me, made it all better, made it all right.
"Our enemy stalls for time, while we win the hearts of their people." He mused. "I can hear them praying to me, wishing for strength, for power, and I pull on them, make their hearts yearn. Tomorrow, invite them to visit, to witness the splendors of our nation, to feast with us in the name of peace."
"As you wish, my Emperor." I spoke.
"Ruuk, I permit you to call me your love."
"As you wish, slaitov." I replied. "Shall there be a day when we show our subjects?"
"I shall announce it during our feast." He replied.
My heart thundered, it was so sudden, yet... "Thank you, slaitov."
"Soon to be husband, Imperator mine." He replied.
When I announced the feast, the Humans who wished to join us were ecstatic. I even extended the invitation to the military personnel. "Come as civilians, if you would." I said.
The preparations that went into the feast went underway, we had a good hunt and our efforts to preserve our food was going excellently. When the Humans arrived, they marveled at the tramways, the architecture of our housing, our magical wonders. Some even saluted me, though they said they simply wanted to give me the respect I deserved.
I ensured they had the grand tour of the town, but when we neared the wall into the Fortress City, I spoke solemnly, "Any further, and you risk your Humanity." I looked at them all. "I would interpret any such entry as a desire to join our Empire, and will expect a pledge of loyalty."
The look of longing in their eyes showed me that my warning was largely going to be ignored. Hell, a handful of Humans walked right in, transforming almost immediately.
"It reacts to a want to become a Kobold." I said. "Anyone who doesn't want to might have a better time of it."
While our new citizens were given some proper clothing, I led the rest of the Humans around.
"Why didn't you stop them?" One of the Humans, a female soldier, spoke.
"Why should I?" I asked. "I very clearly stated what would happen, they made the choice."
I showed them around the Artificery, magic items and what technology we were able to make was proudly on display. I noticed one of them palm a device and walked over to them, holding my hand out. "Do not think we are not paying attention." I said. There was a tense moment before she put it in my hand. "Besides, this is just a little hand fan." I flicked a switch, two paper and wood blades extended and began to spin. "You taking this would have left one of our prisoners without any form of air conditioning."
I put it back, they tried to hide the anger at my casual mention of prisoners.
"Are they being treated well?" The soldier asked.
"Yes." I said. "Due to the lack of wireless signal, we allow them their phones so they have something to occupy their time when we're not putting them out in the yard for exercise or giving them their ration."
"You're forcing them to eat rations?" She asked.
"We all eat rations." I replied. "Feasts like this are for when we have a surplus that we can't guarantee to keep." I smirked. "That being said, as we are smaller, we need less to eat than the average Human."
I didn't pretend any of that was meant to be reassuring. "The prisoners will be joining us for the feast." I said. The incredulous looks I got elicited a chuckle from me. "If you think I'm being bold or flippant, we have them fitted with enchanted collars that will choke them if they attempt to flee. They are cursed, you see, and can only be removed with magic."
"That's fucked up." Another soldier stated.
"Inhumane, actually." I corrected. "But it's the only thing we have available that won't accidentally kill them. The worst that will happen is they'll pass out, a passive regeneration effect will keep them alive."
"Have you... tested these collars?" A third soldier asked.
"We have a small group of Sorcerers in the Warren who tried to summon a Demon for power." I said. "They have tested the collars every now and again, usually by fucking around and finding out." We approached the area where the feast was being held, food was already being set up, the prisoners were already seated, their eyes widened when they saw their fellow soldiers.
"You won't get away with this." The female soldier growled.
"Funny, that's what we said when we were locked in here." I replied. "They are fed, given water, are clothed, and are provided shelter. That's far more than we were ever given."
I directed them to their table, and soon, everyone was sat, except for my Council, and my Emperor. They arrived shortly after every one was seated, each took their seats. I sat beside my Emperor's seat.
I noted that same female soldier was attempting to film us surreptitiously.
"Today, we are gathered to welcome our Human guests, those who have seen us as people, rather than monsters." My Emperor spoke. "The establishment of my Empire was always a dream, to bring back a glory lost to time, to honor the thousands who died during the first Dragon Rage, to honor those who were murdered by my long-standing enemy." He looked around. "It had always been me desire to hunt down every last one of his children, to eradicate them, it was my Imperator who entreated me to choose compromise."
He paused, taking up a cup. "These Humans are here because my Imperator has likewise chosen compromise, to cast aside the hatred that has grown in his heart, for the sake of our peace and prosperity. Enough lives have been lost, let the first year of our Empire not be drenched in blood, that in peace and prosperity, our greatness is acknowledged, whether grudgingly, or emphatically. To my Imperator, without whom this victory would have never been manifest."
Every Kobold raised their cups, including our new citizens.
"And to our guests, who have agreed to come here in peace. May their wisdom be echoed by their leaders."
The cups were raised again.
"Now enough talk, let us feast!"
The Human frowned, putting their phone away. It was clear she didn't get what she wanted from that. After everyone polished off their plates, the people began dancing as our musicians displayed their newly awakened Bard Class- it seemed not simply playing or doing well at the arts was enough, one needed confidence and a desire to entertain.
Our guests were allowed to mingle and enjoy themselves, though the prisoners were kept under guard, any Soldiers who wished to speak to them would have to live with the fact that they would be listened in on, and considering the guards could use the spell Comprehend Languages, well, they wouldn't be able to hide beneath a foreign language.
"So, you're the leader of this little group." I regarded the Human who approached me, that same soldier who seemed bound and determined to catch us with our pants down.
"Yes." I said. "Your attempt at catching us with your recording won't work, you know." She betrayed surprise. "One, any idiot would know not to say anything incriminating at a party their enemies are invited to. Two, anyone stupid enough to do so wouldn't even make it as far as we did."
"Indeed." She said. "What was this about compromise?"
"Exactly as it sounds." I replied. "My God, Kurtulmak, has nurtured a well-earned hatred of Gnomes, considering their God committed near genocide against us. Imprisoned against his will, for the crime of wanting justice... When the victors write the history books, they will do everything in their power to make those who are suffering injustice out to be the bad guys."
"And what will your history books say?" She asked.
"That depends on your leaders' answer, Miss..?"
"Martel." She said. "Corporal Martel."
I had completely put it out of my mind, after all, we got our vengeance on the soldiers who tried to have us massacred by a God.
"So." I said. "The one who set Garl Glittergold against us shows her face." I remarked. Her eyes widened. "Why were you, of all people, not present that day, when we marched on your encampment?"
"I was called away on duty-" She started.
"Bullshit." I said. "You fled, didn't you? You ran from your fellow soldiers like the coward you are, you left them to die."
Arcane energy crackled across my body, and I had to hold back from blasting her apart. "Leave." I hissed. "This day of peace is not for cowards and traitors."
She backed away, clearly terrified. I couldn't hold back the anger any more, but I wasn't going to let her be a casualty yet. I aimed my spell at the metal pole, the Witch Bolt striking it. "I said LEAVE!" I roared. "IF YOU EVER DARE TO RETURN HERE, I WILL END YOUR MISERABLE, PATHETIC, COWARDLY LIFE*!"*
She fled, I did not care that several eyes were on me, if there was one thing I hated more than Humans, it was self-serving cowards like her.
I felt my God's touch on my shoulder, his presence soothed the rage, granted me the clarity of mind I needed to function. I cast my gaze toward the rest of the soldiers, who looked like they were mice caught in a trap. I approached them.
"You may leave, if you wish." I stated. "My anger at her is not anger at you."
"What the fuck did Tiana do, that pissed you off so much?" One of the soldiers asked.
"That woman was the one who called down a God to kill us." I stated. "The fact that she is present at all means she abandoned her post and left her fellow soldiers to die." My lip curled into a snarl. "The only thing I hate worse than anything, is a coward and a traitor, and that woman, Tiana Martel, is both."
I sensed a jolt of shock from my Emperor, I looked at him.
"Ruuk." He said. "Say that name again."
"Tiana Martel." I replied.
My Emperor about faced and roared, "Paladins of Bahamut, after that woman! Move!"
The Paladins gave chase, our Emperor did not order them around, out of respect for his pact with Bahamut.
"My Emperor, do you really want to risk any peace we could gain, chasing after one woman?" I asked.
"Ruuk." He said. "What are the chances that a single woman who can call down a God, who has knowledge of us that can be exploited, is suddenly not present when we finally make a counter attack? By our pact, your eyes are my eyes, and she has tried to cause problems the entire time she has been here."
He paused. "Tiana Mahtel, that's how she pronounced it, yes?"
I blinked.
"Wait, that woman is Tiamat?" I asked.
As if in answer, there was a roar, and in the distance, a dragon reared up, one bearing five heads of different colors.
​
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Firstly I will state in advance I haven't completed the main story completely. I have gotten all the memories to get the Master Sword and three of the Dungeons. I have seen a bit more when my friend was streaming it as well. This is simply going to be my thoughts and opinions on the game as I've seen and experienced it so far as someone who loved BotW and Zelda as a Whole. This'll be quite lengthy as I went into a bit more detail then I initially planned as well as not being great at initially condensing my thoughts at times. There's a TLDR at the end with everything simplified with less details for those who want to skip what basically became a bullet point essay.
Firstly I will start with the positives.

• The return of varied Dungeons and Bosses. When I found this out I was actually excited to go do the dungeons and see what the bosses were. Though the divine beasts in BotW where interesting I was in the group who thought they were a bit lacking. The Return of Dungeons aren't perfect and aren't exactly like old dungeons but I feel it's still better, and more enjoyable, then the Divine Beasts personally.
• I absolutely adored the little caves you can find across the world and I adore the Depths and the challenge it brings. The Depths is such an interesting area and concept that adds so much more to the world and stuff to explore. Though I think there is a bit more they could have done with it but seeing as I wasn't expecting the depths at all I am not disappointed in the least.
• Seeing more enemies brought back from older Zelda games to add more enemy varity was such a needed addition and I'm so glad they did it. I was so excited when I first came across the likelikes and the Gleeok which seemed familiar but I didn't know from where and now I know it's from the first Zelda Game which is cool as heck. Then seeing the Gibdo as well. Was half expecting the Re-Deads as well but alas they didn't make the cut. It was just refreshing to have more enemies to come across.
• I quite enjoyed seeing where some of my favorite characters have gone or been up to since the events of BotW like Sidon and Riju. Even seeing Paya become chief as Impa has retired and just by chance running into Impa on my travels. I wish we got to see more of the characters we knew in BotW and more updates on how they're doing.
• The fact that your horses from your BotW save transfers over to your TotK save is just something I was pleasantly surprised by.
• The changes to bullet time where your stamina only drains when you fire instead of draining the second your in bullet time. On the point of stamina I appreciate the change of regaining a bit of stamina if you fall into water with no stamina. I also do appreciate the menu being a bit easier to get thru compared to BotW, though it's still not perfect but better and I appreciate that fact.

That's the main positives of things I just enjoyed about the game on its own as they are in the game. Now I want to talk about some things that I liked conceptually but not quite as much with how they were implemented into the game.

• Gannondorf. Was excited to see his full return and all the possibilities, even some of the early ideas people had of him not being fully evil even though that was never going to happen was still a fun concept. I knew he was going to be evil still and was interested to see where they were going to go with what I saw in the trailers. In game though it just wasn't anything even remotely to what I was hoping for while I wasn't expecting something as great as Wind Waker Ganon I hoped they were still going to do something interesting with him but no. Just pure evil becoming demon evil. Also that one face he made just what the fuck. Not the worst but just underwhelming to me personally.
• Gloom is awesome in concept and coming across it randomly out in the open on the surface when I was just trying to climb to a shrine is the kind of experience you can only get once without knowing about it in the first place. I love that defeating the arms makes Phantom Gannon appear. I don't like how it's implemented story wise and I don't like its name and I think that's where it falls short quite a bit for me personally. They treat it like it's something entirely separate from malice when it's basically a new form of Malice and calling it Gloom just doesn't really fit in my opinion. If they connected it more with Malice in the story and followed that threw line with it then that would have made it so much better in my opinion but as is how it's treated in story is just a miss for me.
• The Skylands or as they call them in game Sky Islands. When I first saw these introduced in the trailers I thought back to Skyward Sword and Skyloft and thought maybe we'll see some call back to the beginning of it all and get some hints or references to those events. Sadly that was not the case, at least not how I had initially expected, I will get more into the story elements later. All in All they weren't all that interesting in my opinion and some are just a pain to get too. The starting area is kinda interesting and how you can talk to Rauru at certain points but I don't feel as though it lived up to the Great Plateau personally.
• Zelda and the Past was a cool concept and idea they could have done so much more with it but in my opinion it just fell flat. Zelda felt so inconsequential and lacking in character thru all the memories and scenes you see of her and the past. The past itself felt like a waste as all it really did is retcon the Zelda lore, at least it seems so to me, and add another race as well as show that Gannon was always just selfish and evil. It would have been so much cooler if you had segments where you Played as Zelda thru the past as she tried to get home to Link and everyone else. Showing us a deeper look into the ancient race of the Zonai and their Culture. As well as give us more insight into what she's thinking and feeling as she's trapped separated from everyone. We don't even know how much passed between when she got stuck in the past and sacrificed herself. Instead we got very short disconnected snippets for the most part that don't tell us all that much and left me personally not caring about Zelda at all. Even longer or more cutscenes more closely connected would have been better but instead it just feels like Zelda was shafted so it was all on Link once again.
• I like the concept of what happens to Zelda in the end but how Zelda was handled in the game just makes this twist fall a bit flat for me personally.
• The Return of the Poes could have been so great but ended up to just be nothing more then another thing to spam A on. In previous games they were usually connected to some sort of enemy you had to best to collect and I think an Enemy Poe would have been such a great fit for the Depths but instead they're just a plentiful pickup that's all over the place in the Depths. Honestly just disappointing compared to what they once were.
• The Sage Abilities are cool in concept but in practice they can be a bit annoying and just don't live up to the Champion abilities in my opinion. I kind of like having companions to help fight with you but they do get in a way at times especially when you have to walk up to one to use they're ability and another can be in the way. I feel they could have been handled a bit better and aren't the worst but I personally prefer the ease of use of the Companion abilities.
• A more technical thing is the fuse ability. It's fun to mess around with and add elements to weapons to make them last longer but I don't think this is a perfect fix to weapon durability. Especially since it has replaced cool weapons that was in BOTW entirely and makes using elemental arrows much more annoying. In BotW you had Elemental Arrows that you selected and could use consecutively without having to reselect them. Now with the new fuse system you have to refuse stuff each and every time you want any sort of elemental arrow which disrupts the flow of gameplay. Sure it offers more variety in weapons and arrows technically but personally I preferred the old weapons and arrow systems for its simplicity.

Now onto the things I just straight up don't like and/or don't get within Tears of the Kingdom. If you've read up to this point then I really appreciate you taking the time to read everything.

• To add onto the point above with the fusing aspect of the game. The material system now that it's more important needed way more ways to sort thru things. Perhaps have categories of materials when you bring up the short menu or something so it's easier to find stuff on the fly instead of going thru a long list of random stuff from food to zonai devices. I just don't like how it's managed and handled.
• A small technical thing that I just don't understand is having to spam A to pick up Rupees and Poes where in BotW you just had to run over rupees. Why they made this change I have no idea especially now you have even more to pick up.
• Fuck you Zelda give me back my House.
• I greatly dislike calling the magic McGuffins "Secret Stones". I hate that so much it makes them seem so inconsequential.
• The lack of any of the Shikah stuff from BotW. Where are the Guardians, the Shrines, The Towers, the Divine Beasts, those pillars around the Castle? There's very little hint at the Guardians and that's it. There's no mention of what happened to them as far as I know. Like I can understand with the Gloom some of it may have gotten destroyed or lost but there was dozens of working and semi working and totally broken Guardians. Many many many shrines. Those huge ass towers. Those pillars by the castle. There is no reasonable explanation for it to all just disappear. It would have been so cool to see some functional guardians out working on your side to fight or maybe some in certain areas still affected and against you. Still come across ruins here and there but nope none of that really exist anymore with no good explanation on what even happened to it all.
• To add onto the previous point on things I just don't get and like in TOTK is the lack of continuity. Barely any mention of the Calamity, what you as Link went thru, and what Zelda went thru. There's plaques here and there that Zelda had made and some small mentions here and there but it seems like none of that happened. Barely anyone remembers you, even people the majority of players would surely have interacted with in BotW like Hetsu. No mention of the Divine Beast or anything. It feels like TotK is trying to be a sequel and it's own separate thing at the same time. They don't have to shove the events of BotW in your face but it would have been nice to see more continuity with the old Sheikah stuff and more people remembering you and remembering past events here and there. Even just the Sheikah part would have been enough honestly. Cause at the moment it seems the game is barely acknowledging the past game outside of reusing the map and reworking it.
• The story in itself is just not doing it for me. I don't care much about Zelda's part as I've stated in the previous section. There's just not enough to really latch onto. With BotW you are regaining your memories as Link so you see snippets from the past which makes sense they aren't completely all connected cause remembering memories can actually be like that. Yet it still gave us enough to go off of and gave Zelda way more personality and something to really care about. In this you aren't remembering anything you are getting memories without full context between them and Zelda in them feels less involved and not as fleshed out. We don't get to know the previous sages were at all or really get to know Rauru much or any of them really all that well. The story as a whole just doesn't work as well as the story in BotW in my opinion. At least what I've seen so far which is all the main memories and the one to get the master sword and what you see when the decedents get their stones.
• I'm just not a fan of the Zonai as a whole. I don't really care for their designs or the Zonai Aesthetic. I dislike that they turned Rauru into a Zonai when he was originally a Hylian. I preferred the Sheikah aesthetic of the shrines and towers and guardians/robots. I know the towers are Purah towers not Zonai but they are still kinda meh. In the trailers with the arm and certain aspects we were shown I intially thought back to the Twili and Twilight princess and thought some reimagining of the Twili would have been cool. I get that they may not have fit but honestly I feel the Zonai don't fit either.

Well I believe that is more or less everything and if you've read all the way to this point then just thanks, really. I appreciate it if you read this all cause I know this was a lot but I had a lot of thoughts. At the end of the day I still enjoy the game for what it is and still plan to complete it and a lot of it's extras side stuff. That being said doesn't mean I can't have critique or simply not care for certain aspects. For me there's a lot of potential in this game that I feel was missed out on among other things.
[TL:DR]
Things I really liked or loved were The return of Varied Dungeons and Bosses. I felt this was much needed in breath of the wild and I'm glad TotK have them. All the little caves you can find and explore and the wells to an extent as well. They made the world feel more interesting. I absolutely adored the Depths and the challenge it brings. I loved the return of more enemies bringing in more enemy variety. Being able to use my horses from BotW and the changes to Bullet Time.
Stuff I liked the concept of but didn't care for the exception of was Ganondorf as I feel like he was a bit weak characterization wise with missed opportunities. Gloom is awesome in gameplay and coming across it but how it's handled in the story was weak and should have just been an extension of Malice explicitly. Sky Islands the lands of missed opportunity as well as not being that interesting to explore. How Zelda and the Past was handled just feels underdeveloped, especially Zelda's role in most of it. The return of Poes is just a disappointing pick up with no interesting enemy attached like in the past. The sage abilities are cool in concept and it's kinda nice having pseudo companions but activating the abilities is annoying and discourages me from using them at times. The fuse ability taking away cool items and making elemental arrows more tedious to use also disrupting the flow of gameplay.
Parts of the game I just didn't really like at all like the lack of any continuity in either story or sheikah tech with all the sheikah tech basically vanishing without a trace or explanation to the limited or lack of mention of previous events. The cumbersome material system when going thru it for arrows or weapons on the fly. Having to spam A to pick up Rupees and Poes where in BotW you just ran over Rupees to pick them up. The Secret Stones being called Secret Stones. The Story as a whole is just lacking in my opinion and not as good as BotW in execution. Just not a fan of the Zonai as a whole. Also lastly Zelda stole my house and I want it back.

In the world of agriculture, efficient harvesting techniques are vital for optimizing yields and reducing manual labor. Canola, a versatile crop with numerous applications, requires specialized equipment to ensure a successful harvest. In this article, we will explore the canola harvester, its features, benefits, and how it contributes to maximizing productivity. Read on to discover how the canola harvester revolutionizes the farming industry.

The Importance of Canola Harvesting

Canola, also known as oilseed rape, is a widely cultivated crop that plays a crucial role in the agricultural sector. With its high oil content, canola is used for various purposes, including cooking oil, biodiesel production, and animal feed. Harvesting canola efficiently ensures a higher yield and better overall quality of the harvested seeds.

Understanding Canola Harvesters

Canola harvesters are specialized machines designed to streamline the harvesting process. These machines offer numerous advantages over manual labor, including increased efficiency, reduced labor costs, and improved crop quality. Let's delve deeper into the key features and benefits of canola harvesters.
2.1 Efficient Cutting Mechanism
Canola harvesters employ cutting-edge technology to efficiently separate the canola plants from their roots. They are equipped with sharp blades and cutting bars that can effectively trim the plants without damaging the seeds. This mechanism ensures a clean harvest and minimizes seed loss.
2.2 Threshing and Separation
Once the plants are cut, the canola harvester moves onto the threshing process. Threshing involves separating the seeds from the remaining plant material. Modern canola harvesters utilize advanced systems to separate the seeds from the chaff and other debris efficiently. This ensures that only clean, quality seeds are collected for further processing.
2.3 Cleaning and Storage
After threshing, the harvested seeds undergo a cleaning process. Canola harvesters are equipped with cleaning mechanisms, including sieves and fans, to remove any remaining impurities. The clean seeds are then stored in a dedicated storage compartment within the harvester, ready for transportation or processing.

Advantages of Canola Harvesters

3.1 Increased Efficiency and Productivity
Canola harvesters significantly improve efficiency and productivity compared to manual harvesting equipment methods. These machines can cover large areas of land in a relatively short amount of time, reducing labor requirements and costs. With their automated processes, they ensure a continuous workflow, leading to higher overall yields.
3.2 Improved Seed Quality
Manual harvesting methods often result in seed damage and loss due to human error. Canola harvesters, on the other hand, offer precise cutting and threshing mechanisms that minimize seed loss and maintain seed integrity. This leads to a higher-quality end product with improved market value.
3.3 Cost-Effectiveness
While the initial investment in a canola harvester may seem significant, the long-term benefits outweigh the costs. Reduced labor requirements, increased efficiency, and improved yield quality result in cost savings for farmers. Moreover, canola harvesters have a long lifespan and can be used for multiple harvest seasons, providing a higher return on investment.
Conclusion
The canola harvester is a game-changer in the agricultural industry. With its efficient cutting mechanism, advanced threshing and separation processes, and effective cleaning and storage capabilities, the canola harvester offers numerous benefits for farmers. By using this specialized machinery, farmers can maximize efficiency and productivity, improve seed quality, and reduce labor costs.

there is this text for an ac on amazon that says

• Auto Evaporation: There’s no need to empty collected water unless you are in a super humid environment. Your AC unit will cool more efficiently from the fan flinging the condensation water into the internal parts to cool them down.

I'm looking for something that is best for air quality since I have severe mold and dust allergies. I'd also like to know if it's reasonable to simply cover up the air output with a filter

there is this text for an ac on amazon that says

• Auto Evaporation: There’s no need to empty collected water unless you are in a super humid environment. Your AC unit will cool more efficiently from the fan flinging the condensation water into the internal parts to cool them down.

I'm looking for something that is best for air quality since I have severe mold and dust allergies. I'd also like to know if it's reasonable to simply cover up the air output with a filter

As the title suggests, I think Tears of the Kingdom completely destroys any consistency in the story of Breath of the Wild, and in turn the rest of the Zelda timeline, and is by nature pretty goofy. Allow me to explain my points. I do have to preface, I do not and never will on my own volition own a Wii, and thus have never played Twilight Princess, Wind Waker, or Skyward Sword. I realize that doesn't help my case at all as someone claiming any level of authority on Zelda lore, but this post aims to illustrate that the lack of knowledge I have on the lore of those games doesn't even matter.
One thing that has been floating around in the Zelda lore community over the past six years since Breath of the Wild released was the tapestry depicted the original battle between the hero and the great calamity, ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild. It is often believed that this specific hero was a Zonai, due to his odd looks and green arm reminiscent of Rauru's. Problems arise when in Tears of the Kingdom, we see that the red hair of the hero in the tapestry, often attributed to the Zonai by the Barbarian armor set isn't actually a trait the Zonai had. From what we know of the Zonai, their hair was white rather than red, albeit we only get to see two of them. Moreover, they were scholars rather than warriors, building machines to work for them, comparable to those built by the Sheikah to do battle, although it is made clear in TotK that the Zonai gave machines a much greater presence in their lives than the Sheikah did, with the constructs (what the Zonai call their machines) working as soldiers and servants, rather than just soldiers.
The Barbarian set itself introduces some contrivance into the lore by indication that the Zonai came from and resided within the Faron region in the Southeast reaches of Hyrule. It's impossible to say whether or not there is any truth to this, because we only ever see two Zonai, but their ruins are all across Hyrule, underground and above. There very well may have been a point in time that the Zonai only lived within the Faron region, but they did not come from it. Historically, according to Tears of the Kingdom, the Zonai were an advanced civilization that came from the sky. Unfortunately, it's impossible to say what it means to say that the Zonai came from the sky. Would it make them aliens, like those seen in Majora's Mask? Were they like the people of Skyloft? If so, why was there no record of any large structures having been in the sky at any point from the founding of Hyrule to the Great Upheaval? Was the Faron region just unexplored by the Zora, Rito, Goron, or Hylian nations before the Zonai built a complex flying machine to fly them out of the region and into what is now Central Hyrule, and everyone there thought them to be gods when they landed? Forgiving me for calling it convoluted, but I think that explanation is indeed too convoluted to be correct. Unfortunately, taken at face value, it seems that the Barbarian set doesn't reference the Zonai at all, being that its description mentions warriors from Faron and the Zonai are specifically referred to as advanced scholar demigods from the sky. Rauru and Mineru themselves fight with magic instead of weapons, which seems to be within their regular abilities rather than granted by their secret stones, seeing as it is made clear that secret stones only amplify abilities rather than granting them, though this falls apart when applied to Ganondorf, whom I can guarantee did not have an innate ability to summon monsters and turn the moon red.
My point with all of this is that the hero seen in the tapestry of the great calamity cannot possibly be a Zonai, because the figure does appear to be a hero with red hair wielding a blade. The Zonai are shown to have done very little fighting of their own, and very little usage of swords (in fact, the only Zonai swords in-game belong to constucts) along with a lack of red hair and an unlikelihood of having created or worn the Barbarian armor set. Truthfully, none of that matters at all since if we account for the events of Tears of the Kingdom, the great calamity possibly didn't happen ten thousand years ago anyway.
Many Zelda fans have decided that the events of Tears of the Kingdom's memories occur ten thousand years before those of Breath of the Wild, and whether it's actually stated in-game, or the time between TotK's Imprisoning War and Link's triumph over Ganondorf is just stated to be "thousands of years" does make a pretty big difference, however if we assume the events are ten thousand years apart, unless upon being sealed away Ganondorf immediately manifested Calamity Ganon, I find it hard to believe that it happened in the first place. We know the original great calamity had to have happened during or after the reign of Rauru, due to the presence of Hyrule Castle in the tapestry. Along with the Divine Beasts, guardians, and towers also present in the tapestry, nowhere to be found anywhere within the present or past of Tears of the Kingdom, I think it is safe to say this casually accepted ten thousand year gap cannot be the case, and that TotK's Imprisoning War happens before the arrival of the great calamity. That's fine, but... If it's the same Imprisoning War as the one mentioned in prior Zelda games, more problems arise. There's the obvious issue that Ganondorf didn't get sent to any other realm, he just got placed under the castle, and then other issues like the presence of a Rito sage which would be impossible if we are to assume the Rito "evolved" from the Zora when the Great Sea showed up sometime after OoT, and there is no real reason not to believe that, seeing as the series' writers have confirmed it. The only way at all that the Imprisoning War of TotK happens after the entirety of the rest of the Zelda timeline, with the implication being that Hyrule fell to ruin and was rebuilt by the Zonai, who have never been present before in any Zelda game at all.
Another big issue arises on the topic of the Sheikah and their technology. This is one that has been debated for a while now. The question goes: After Breath of the Wild, what happened to the Sheikah towers, shrines, guardians, and Divine Beasts? It has only been a few years, and it seems like it would be difficult to fully get rid of them all in that time. The generally agreed answer is that they were removed and used to build the new towers present in TotK. This answer is really dumb. Those towers are significantly smaller than the ones in BotW. Shrines also contain vast underground areas that could not be "removed" or refilled within the span of a few years, and they contain the bodies of one-hundred and twenty-four possibly dead or alive mummified monks, which would no doubt constitute them as sacred places unfit to be destroyed. The Divine Beasts are also the only resting grounds for the Champions' spirits, a fact that pretty much everyone in Hyrule knows. Only two of the Champions even have memorials outside of the Divine beasts, those being Mipha and Daruk, and Daruk's memorial was defaced by Yunobo. For Revali and Urbosa, their Divine Beasts are the only memorial they have, and unfortunately all but Mipha seem to have undergone the third death. It seems odd, then, that the Divine Beasts were not also considered sacred and left undisturbed. In other words, it's a question that still remains unanswered, and I personally believe that's because it's a retcon. They weren't removed, the writers just want us to accept the new continuity they've designed in which they were never there.
Also, for another contradiction to Breath of the Wild, the Zonai are referred to throughout BotW as mysterious and unknown, pretty much only referenced in item descriptions. Tears of the Kingdom retcons all of that. Pretty much everyone recognizes Zonai ruins when they see them. Talk to most NPCs, they'll have something to say about the Zonai. Even Zelda knows a hell of a lot about them at the start of the game. Pretty much every major character has accepted that the Zonai founded Hyrule, when literally nothing in the previous game indicates that.
Finally, let's look at how Tears of the Kingdom contradicts its own lore. Possibly not inhabited by the Zonai, the Faron region contains imagery that makes it clear that the people there worshipped the dragons, specifically Farosh. The one implication that those are Zonai ruins comes with Mineru's quest, in which Link has to go around the Dracozu river looking for some explicitly Zonai armor. However, if they are Zonai ruins, issues associated with dragon worship become MUCH bigger, but even if they aren't, there are still issues with the concept of dragon worship. Put simply, if you eat a secret stone you become a dragon and lose everything, and that's universally agreed to be a bad thing. So, the dragons were people who ate secret stones. But that's forbidden... So why would they be worshipped by anyone...?
On the topic of secret stones, what's up with Ganondorf? He puts on a secret stone and suddenly becomes a demon king with the power to create red slime and spawn monsters and turn the moon red. Anyone else puts on a secret stone, they can make a gust of air, or roll fast, or move some water, or strike lightning. Why is it that Ganondorf suddenly becomes a deity when he wears one? Is it his connection with Demise, his innate abilities only manifesting as those of his original form? In that case, why is it that the Triforce only turns him into a pig guy? One seems vastly superior to the other. I just personally believe there is no good reason to make Ganondorf the Demon King, since he shows two feats throughout TotK's memories: leading a group of Gerudo who control a swarm of molduga with a pungi like snake charmers. And it's not Ganondorf who plays it. And making a puppet Zelda. That's it. It seems overboard to give him control of the moon. And it is the moon, it's not a puppet moon. You could say everything he makes, monsters included, are just puppets, but the issue is the extent of his power. Rauru is considered a god by Hyrule and the best he can do is sacrifice himself sealing one guy away. One guy. Ganondorf gets armies. Rauru gets to seal one guy and make an explosion and die. Yunobo gets to roll, but he can do that without the stone. Sidon gets to make a bubble. Again, he can do that without the stone. Riju gets to strike lightning, and she too can do that without the stone. Tulin gets to make gusts, but he too can do that without the stone. Sonia can rewind stuff, but Link can do that without a stone. Mineru gets to attach stuff to her construct body, something that I kid you not EVERY CONSTRUCT CAN DO. The stone doesn't let her have the body. She could already do that. The stone isn't even really what lets her attach stuff to it. Really, it does absolutely nothing for her. Period. So why does Ganondorf get armies and the power to manifest whatever he wants? That's silly. I'm sorry, really, it's goofy. Kohga can do all kinds of wacky stuff, if that guy got a secret stone I think Hyrule would legitimately be doomed, judging by the logic of Ganondorf and his silly rock. The would would transform into a giant spiked ball or something. Genuinely, the difference of power between the level of amplification on Ganondorf's abilities and the level of those amplified for everyone else is so drastic that I consider it contradicting to the game's lore, because once again, Rauru is considered a god and his power is dwarfed by Ganondorf's.
I'd love to hear your opinions, and I know someone's gonna say mine doesn't matter because I haven't played the Wii games, frankly I don't care, I included only a few references to them that pretty much every Zelda fan knows. Really, I'm not the most versed in Zelda lore and this is not in any way my attempt to appear as an authority on it, but I do think someone with authority on Zelda lore such as Zeltik should look at TotK through a critical lens because it's goofy. I've seen very little but praise posted about this game everywhere but this sub, and as someone who enjoyed playing it I personally do not think the praise is warranted.
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Edit: I was wrong about the ancient hero, myman is a Zonai. there's another armor set that confirms it if you do all the shrines and I was dumb for posting ancient hero slander without doing all the shrines. I'm sorry, Mr. Hero, you're a left-handed king and we love you.

I've just had an epiphany that I believe could be the grand solution to our smoky predicament here in New Jersey. Picture this: What if we erected a line of gargantuan fans along the Canadian border to blow back any future smoke?
I know what you're thinking: "That's the most ludicrous idea I've heard since someone suggested we make a movie about sentient cars." But bear with me for a second.
Imagine a sprawling row of titanic fans, each standing proud and tall like the Statue of Liberty, their blades as vast as a football field. And we're not talking about your grandma's desk fan that barely stirs up a breeze - no, we're envisioning turbo-charged, jet engine-powered monstrosities that can blow a toupee off faster than you can say "hairpiece malfunction."
So, let's say our Canadian friends, bless their hearts, decide to share their forest fire smoke with us. No problem! We just hit the switch and send that smoke packing. It's simple, it's clean, it's elegant.
Now, the advantages here are twofold. Firstly, we all get to breathe air that doesn't taste like a campfire. But the benefits don't stop there! Think about those sweltering summer days when you're melting faster than an ice cream cone on the sun. Just reverse the fan rotation and voila, we have ourselves the world's largest outdoor A/C system. Take that, global warming!
And don't even get me started on the winter. When Canada tries to send their Arctic winds our way, we just keep those fans running and push their own frigid breezes right back at 'em. It's like a climatic game of pong.
It's time for us to make a stand. Let's tell these wildfires, "Not in our backyard!" and erect the most impressive fan wall the world has ever seen. Because if there's one thing we won't stand for, it's smoke messing with our sacred pork roll (or Taylor ham) barbecues.
TL;DR: Forest fire smoke from Canada ruining your day? Just build a bunch of massive fans along the border to blow it back. Problem solved. Also, this may or may not lead to the world's biggest outdoor A/C system. #OperationFreshBreeze

hi I am a fan of mount and blade warband. I played this game since I was a little kid and looked forward to bannerlord and to the changes it might bring and with all the time that they developed it for I was sure it would be a brand new experience but...from what I've seen from gameplay it feels like they just made it look better, put mew factions and few mechanics.
what's really diffirent with Bannerlord, why should I buy it instead of downloading a new mod for warband?

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Snagged this one on the most recent drop. It's freak'n gorgeous but it's bigger than I was hoping for. I've been carrying smaller knives lately. I'm tempted to keep it, but would prefer to pass it along to someone that will use it. New in box, only removed for admiring and taking pics.
Price: $345 Firm No trades
I'm offering this at a small discount under table price ($369) in an effort to recover most of what I put in. If you're looking for lightly used TPK at $100 under table this isnt for you. I'm offering this up for any hardcore TPK fans who were eyeing this blade but missed the drop.
Listing for this on TPK site
Full Sized Wharnie in MagnaCut steel Hollow grind Jade green G10 scales Dirty stonewash finish Kydex sheath 8" overall length 3.6" cutting edge

"With a trial that Renzo the Destroyer has started, and the Unseen now on high alert, Willow and I must continue our part in helping Thunder rescue Evie and undermining the Unseen's Grand Scheme. This is now venturing into some disturbing levels of dark." The Order of the Vault walks down the Kevolution Materia-infested halls of The Renzone, searching for the next member of the Unseen to beat up and steal a key from. The groaning of Cube Monsters is heard throughout the halls of The Renzone, audibly getting louder as the group nears the source. Once they return to the main party area, the Cube Monsters in the area immediately grow angry at the sight of the Vault Guardians. Ableton shoots a few Fiends with his Shadow Tracker and takes them out, while Thunder mows down loads of them with his Havoc Suppressed Rifle. The room is cleared... for now. Thunder looks around and speaks. "We should find that thieving fox, Stray. I have a suspicion that he's nearby." With everything Thunder said, the Vault Guardians all follow him, as they continue looking through the halls. After what seemed like a while, the group uncovers a room, almost looking like the main hall in Kenjutsu Crossing. Thunder looks around and speaks. "The architecture looks similar to the main palace at Kenjutsu Crossing. The palace the River Guard resides in. Stray has to be nearby." As they wander the room for a bit, Ableton is then surprise attacked. Suddenly a whirlwind appears, bringing a duo of deceiving Unseen members. Who are these two? The Unseen's thieving tricksters, Stray and Highwire. Thunder looks at Stray and responds. "Masaki! I should've known. Your stunt at Steamy Springs could've potentially killed your sister, Mizuki. What dark intentions are you playing at?" Stray looks at Thunder and answers him. "Dark? Dahlia is having me do this for fun. She doesn't want any other syndicate getting in her way of taking over Mega City, and so do I. The Fox Clan was only slowing me down, and now I will help the Unseen rule over Mega City." Thunder pulls out his two knives and yells. "'I'll make you eat those words, you smug punk!" Ableton and Willow run into battle beside Thunder, as the three charge towards Stray. Highwire jumps in front of Stray and pulls out an Enhanced Havoc Shotgun, as she fires a shot into Thunder's chest. Thunder is knocked to the floor, as he looks at the shotgun in Highwire's hands. "That's Evie's Enhanced Havoc Shotgun! Where is Evie, you bunny-eared psycho?" Highwire points the Enhanced Havoc Shotgun at Thunder head and responds. "That's none of your concern. The Unseen should've gotten rid of your Peace Syndicate long ago." From behind, Ableton quickly Crescent Kicks Highwire and knocks her to the floor. Rinzler is then immediately shot by a blast of ice, as Stray channels some Zero Point energy into his Foxfire Edge and concentrates it into some form of an elemental attack. Ableton is frozen into an ice cube, as Willow rushes Stray with her katana, rigorously swinging at her enemy. Stray knocks Willow back, as he swings the Foxfire Edge and unleashes three ricocheting balls of Riftstorm energy. The balls ricochet around the arena, as Willow manages to dodge the attack. Amara runs into battle with Willow, as the two ladies now proceed to take down Stray and Highwire. Highwire pounces onto Amara and attempts to shred her apart with her Plasmacore Claws. Amara retaliates by whacking Highwire in the head with her Goldenbane Mace. Willow clashes with Stray, as he tries to skewer her with his Talisman. "Rip this ghost apart, Saigai Dagger Dance!" Stray summons his Talisman, as Willow evades the converging daggers and knocks Stray back. The battle is nearing its closure, with the Unseen's members on the losing end. Stray pulls out a smoke bomb and faces Willow. "You'll never win, Willow... I still have a trick or two up my sleeve..." Stray then throws the smoke bomb at his feet, as it malfunctions and releases the smoke too early. Stray begins to cough and react to the smoke bomb. "Dammit! That was not supposed to happen!" Amara immediately kicks Stray in the head and knocks him to the floor. A symbol appears above Stray, as the Kevolution Artifact begins to react. Two keys down, another two to go. Thunder faces the group and speaks. "Another key has been found. We must hunt for the others." As the Order of the Vault leaves the room with Thunder, Stray yells out. "You will not succeed! Styx will make sure of it!" Thunder then reenters the room and kicks Stray in the chest, as he then leaves the room again. Ableton looks around and comments. "Whoever Styx is, he appears to possess the next key we need. We need to move quickly. This area has a bad atmosphere." As the group wanders around the halls of The Renzone, they stumble by a room with the lights slightly dimmed. Some voices are heard inside the room. "Triarch Nox expects us to ensure that the Kevolution Artifact is back in our possession, and at full charge." Geometrik's voice is heard, as he responds. "Exactly, Bytes. Nothing that us three can't do." Bytes brushes his hair and speaks. "For we are Team Too Black, Too Strong..." Geometrik speaks after Bytes gets done. "Too black..." Zyg then immediately speaks after Geometrik. "Too strong..." Bytes then speaks after Zyg is done. "Two blacks? Two strongs?" Zyg turns to Bytes and responds. "Nox wants us in the Dark Room. It's a matter most exigent." A corrupted Rift opens in the room, as Bytes, Geometrik, Zyg, and Choppy all exit the room. Outside the room, Ableton turns to Willow and speaks. "Well... That was an interlude. We should find Styx and collect our third key." The group continues wandering the halls, until they begin hearing voices down the hall. "Hello... Is someone there?" Thunder listens out to the voice and responds. "Hold on... Evie?" Thunder slowly walks towards the origin of the voice, as Ableton responds to Thunder. "Thunder... I don't think..." As Thunder rounds a corner, he notices what appears to be Evie enclouded in some smoke. Thunder faces the anomaly and speaks. "Evie! We're here to rescue you!" Willow turns to Thunder and yells. "Thunder! That's not Evie!" The creature slowly loses Evie's shape and begins to unveil its true form, revealing it to be a Cube Monster. Splode shoves a grenade into the creature's mouth and blows it up. Thunder looks at the creature and comments. "A Mimic... Styx must be close..." The group searches the area, looking for Styx. This mysterious Unseen member must be hiding somewhere. Styx then fires a shot at Ableton and misses. Styx walks out and reveals himself to the group. He then speaks, as he lets out an unnerving grin. "Looking for Evie, Thunder? Dahlia wanted to make sure Evie is getting the dark treatment from the Unseen. You should've left our client alone." Ableton faces Styx and responds. "We're not here for your demented game, Styx. Give Evie back to us and we'll promise not to severely beat you to a pulp." Styx stares at the group and responds. "Over me and Dahlia's bodies will we even consider giving Evie to you. You Peace Syndicate scumbags always think there should be peace in Mega City. Always enforcing peace as if you call the shots around here. Let our chaos do its thing and fill Mega City with darkness." Some doors open beside Styx, as a few Cube Monsters flood into the hallway. The next battle begins. Thunder charges for Styx and attempts to tackle him, while Ableton and Willow assist in clearing out the Cube Monsters. Styx pulls out his Combat Shotgun and begins firing shots at Thunder, as he skillfully avoids the shotgun blasts. Thunder then kicks the Combat Shotgun out of Styx's hands and picks it up. Thunder fires a shot into Styx's chest and knocks him to the floor, alongside blasting his chest open. Inside Styx's chest is an orb of condensed Kevolution Materia. Ableton looks at Styx's blasted open chest and comments. "Yikes! That's some serious indigestion!" Styx gets off the ground and speaks. "Yehehehehes! Let's gohohoho!" The Kevolution Materia orb inside of Styx's chest begins to react, as he appears to be making the Cube Fiends near him stronger, turning them into Elite Cube Fiends. Thunder observes the chaos and responds. "Look out! Styx appears to be making those Cube Monsters stronger. We need to take him out before he makes those Cube Monsters too strong." With no time to waste, the Order of the Vault helps Thunder with taking down Styx. Ableton and Willow rush for Styx, as he knocks them both away with some quick shoves. Amara headshots an Elite Cube Fiend with The Dub, while CRZ-8 slices some Cube Fiends apart with his Lucky 8's. A Cubed Blightfather crawls out of the stomach of a Cube Fiend, as Styx uses the Kevolution Materia in his chest orb to turn it into an Elite Cubed Blightfather. Ableton groans in exhaustion at the sight of the Elite Cubed Blightfather. "Oh... You got to be kidding me..." Willow reacts alongside Rinzler. "Nice! Styx managed to amp up something that was already tough to kill." The Vault Guardians now have to focus on killing the Elite Cubed Blightfather before taking on Styx. Splode sticks a Clinger onto the Elite Cubed Blightfather's face, as he yells out. "Chew on that, ugly face! Yeah!" The Clinger explodes, dealing heavy damage to the Elite Cubed Blightfather and staggering it a bit. Willow then executes a quick slash of her katana at the Elite Cubed Blightfather's head, killing the bipedal terror. Thunder walls over to Styx and kicks him in the groin, knocking him to the floor. A symbol appears above Styx, as the Kevolution Artifact begins to react. One key remains, and the Order of the Vault can advance to the trials next puzzle. As the Kevolution Artifact absorbs the symbol, Styx gets up and screams, aggroing loads of Cube Monsters throughout The Renzone. A large horde of Cube Monsters run down the hall, ready to feast on the Vault Guardians and Thunder. Everyone makes a run for it, hoping to find safety from the horde. Within the horde, Stray, Highwire, and Renzo the Destroyer all chase down the Vault Guardians, alongside several Renzo units. Once they head out towards the elevator that leads into the Dark Room, Dahlia stands in front of the group and knocks everyone back with her Code Carver. The Order of the Vault are surrounded by Cube Monsters, Renzo units, and various Unseen members Ableton and Willow defeated earlier. Dahlia looks at Thunder and speaks. "Looking for Evie, Thunder? I've handed her over to a special ally of mine. He won't like it if the trial is finished before he can set anything up." Everyone is now at a standoff, as Thunder faces Dahlia. "If the Unseen chooses to be enemies to Mega City, then the Peace Syndicate will fight like we always have." Thunder pulls out his Kaiju Cutter and begins wildly attacking Dahlia. Dahlia pulls out her Lock-On Pistol and unloads half its mag into Thunder, only to miss. Thunder then roundhouse kicks Dahlia away from him, causing her to bump into Renzo. Dahlia yells out to the Cube Monsters in rage. "Don't just stand there! Kill that Peace Syndicate scum!" After Dahlia gets done yelling, Styx lets out a loud scream, as the Cube Monsters immediately run full sprint towards Thunder. Thunder pulls out his Havoc Suppressed Rifle and mows down the horde charging at him. As Thunder manages to kill the last Cube Fiend in the horde, Dahlia rushes him with her Code Cleaver, causing Thunder to retaliate with a swift kick to her face. Dahlia is knocked to the floor, as a symbol appears above her. The Kevolution Artifact reacts heavily to this, as the wall of Kevolution Materia blocking the elevator door dissipates. Thunder faces the Vault Guardians, as they all quickly get inside the elevator. Dahlia screams to the other Unseen members in anger as she watches the group enter the elevator. "Quick! Shoot them!" Stray, Highwire, Styx, Renzo the Destroyer, and the other Renzos all begin firing their guns into the elevator. Willow quickly tries to close the elevator door, as more gunfire riddles the interior. After a few more seconds of shooting, the elevator immediately breaks, causing the whole thing to begin falling at rapid speeds. Ableton looks at Thunder and yells. "Not good! The elevator took some extreme damage from that gun show!" Thunder faces Splode and screams. "Whitty! Activate the elevator's emergency brakes." Splode runs over to the buttons and begins mashing the emergency brakes button. This attempt works, as Splode successfully activates the emergency brakes and slows the elevator to its normal speed. After a few minutes, the elevator arrives at its stop. Everyone walks out of the elevator, as Ableton looks around. "Alright. I see a large tunnel with cave-live features... but where is this Dark Room?" The Kevolution Artifact reacts, as Ableton begins hearing more voices. Ableton speaks out, as the Kevolution Artifact provides the next step of the trial. "Light the Beacons..." Willow looks around after hearing what Rinzler said and comments. "Hmm... Nothing in here looks... beacon-ish, and I suspect that we fell into something worse." Everyone looks around the area, looking for anything that could help in understanding the current step in the trial. Splode uncovers a generator near some wood pallets and turns it on. Some lights on the ceiling turn on, brightening up the area a bit. Splode faces Rinzler and speaks. "I think these generators might be key to this step. We should probably find more of them and turn them on." Everyone continues walking down the tunnel, looking for more generators that Splode mentioned. Amara uncovers another generator near some large CUBE chunks, with Thunder finding another towards a pile of broken debris. More lights turn on in the area. As they near the end of the tunnel, Ableton turns the last generator on, as all the lights turn on, revealing a large steel door blocking the path. The Kevolution Artifact begins to react heavily, as the steel door opens. Once the door fully opens, the Vault Guardians enter inside. At the center of the room, there is a small, shallow body of... water? Splode walks towards the liquid and steps into it. "You know? This stuff seems pretty viscous for water, I'll tell y'all that." Willow turns to Splode and responds. "Whitty... That's not water. That's... blood..." As soon as Splode heard what Willow said, he looks below him and notices the slight redness the liquid has. Splode screams out in disgust and steps out of the liquid. Ableton looks around the area, until he hears Evie's voice yelling from above. "Guys! I'm up here!" Thunder looks up, and notices that Evie is strapped to a large machine, pumping Kevolution Materia throughout the Dark Room. Thunder yells out to Evie in response. "We're here, Evie! We're coming to get you!" Triarch Nox's voice is heard, yelling at Thunder in rage. "No, you're not!" One of Bytes' Chromatic tendrils grabs the Kevolution Artifact out of Rinzler's hands, as Bytes hands the Artifact over to Nox. Nox looks at the group and speaks. "No! Somehow those insects have passed my trial! No matter... The Kevolution Artifact has sufficient charge for what it needs to do." Triarch Nox walks up some stairs around the walls of the Dark Room, as he places the Kevolution Artifact into the device. Triarch Nox looks at the group below him and yells. "Awaken my soldiers! Slay these pawns of the Peace Syndicate!" Zyg jumps towards the blood pool at the center, as the liquid begins to transmogrify, projecting what appears to be the Mothership's interior within the liquid. Evie yells out with worry. "Watch out! It appears this Triarch Nox guy is intent on defending the device while it charges up. Don't get killed out there!" Zyg pulls out his Ray Gun and fires at the group, making sure to defend Nox's device. Ableton tries to Mantis Leap around the area to pick off Zyg, until Choppy throws down an Alien Nanite and stops Rinzler in his tracks. Thunder begins firing his Havoc Suppressed Rifle at Zyg, as he takes slight damage from Thunder's attack. Zyg then fires a laser from his eye and sweeps the floor with it, causing Thunder to jump and avoid the attack. Amara rushes into Zyg and blasts him with The Dub, launching Zyg and Choppy into the walls of the Dark Room. Zyg jumps up and out of the group's reach, as Bytes drops down. The liquid in the center transmogrifies again, as the liquid now turns Chrome. Bytes conjures the Nothing's Gift in its Siren's Spear form and begins to attack Ableton with it. Rinzler quickly dodges the attack and counterattacks by pistol-whipping Bytes in the face with his Shadow Tracker. Bytes then summons some Chromatic tendrils to attack the Vault Guardians, making sure to keep them away from him. CRZ-8 pulls out his Lucky 8 Blades and slices through the tendrils to attack Bytes. "Epicness approaches!" CRZ-8 kicks Bytes in the groin and uppercuts him onto the upper catwalk above the arena. Triarch Nox yells, as Geometrik drops down into the arena. "Intruders! Tell the Peace Syndicate I will not be stopped!" Once Geometrik drops into the arena, the liquid in the center transmogrifies again, as it begins to project the Sideways from within. Geometrik wildly swings his Sideways Scythe around, attempting to slice everyone apart. Willow grabs ahold of the Sideways Scythe and tries to wrestle it out of Geometrik's grasp. Willow succeeds, as she throws the Sideways Scythe away from Geometrik. After losing his weapon, the CUBE fragments around Geometrik begin to glow golden. Splode walks towards Geometrik with his Shrapnel Axe equipped. "This fight's in the bag. Time to beat him up and shut down the machine." Before Splode could land a hit, Geometrik fires a large laser out of his golden CUBE head and almost hits Splode. Splode immediately reacts to the attack. "What the hell? You have a new attack?!" Amara charges an attack with the Goldenbane Mace, as Serpicus the Goldenbane begins glowing on Amara's back. Geometrik charges for Amara, as she winds up with her Goldenbane Mace and whacks Geometrik in the face. The impact of the Goldenbane Mace was enough to send Geometrik crashing into the wall and losing the fight. Triarch Nox looks at the Vault Guardians and yells. "You will not deny Darkeon his return!" Triarch Nox jumps down to the arena, as Cube Monsters begin to manifest around the blood pool. Triarch Nox yells, as the Cube Monsters all turn to face the Order of the Vault. "Rise, warriors! Slay the unworthy!" The Cube Monsters charge for the Vault Guardians, as Rinzler shoots down some Cube Fiends within the horde. Willow teams up with Amara Luxe and Splode to take down a Cubed Blightfather, while Thunder slices a Corpse Eater apart with his knives. Once the Vault Guardians clear out the horde, Triarch Nox begins yelling. "No one will save you from Darkeon's wrath! I will not fail my plans!" As Nox gets done yelling, someone begins speaking from within the blood pool. "No, Nox. You did everything according to MY plan. You brought me back. And once your construct repairs my fractured body I shall thank you, by wiping this island from existence." It appears time has run out, and Darkeon has partially returned, in a slightly messed-up form. Both Stray and Highwire break into the Dark Room, as they confront the Vault Guardians. "Now you did it! You will not escape the Dark Room alive!" Darkeon sets his sights on Stray, as several clouds of Kevolution Materia fly out of the blood pool and into Stray. Stray succumbs to the Kevolution Materia, as his white coat turns black with CUBE runes all over, and his eyes start glowing purple. Darkeon begins speaking from Stray, as he yells. "Rest assured... I will destroy this world just as soon as I kill you here!" Dark Stray summons Saigai Dagger Dance, as he attempts to attack everyone with the converging daggers. Highwire runs towards the Vault Guardians in fear and speaks. "That weird... CUBE thing just took control of Stray! We gotta get him out of Stray!" Thunder faces Highwire and responds. "If we save Masaki for you, you better help us contain that Darkeon freak." Highwire nods, as the Vault Guardians get to work. Dark Stray pulls out his Kinetic Blade and dashes towards Ableton, leaving behind a burning trail of Kevolution Materia. Willow distracts Dark Stray with some yelling, causing Dark Stray to throw a plasma grenade at Willow. Willow gets away from the grenade, as the explosion leaves behind a small area of molten plasma. Dark Stray then swings his Foxfire Edge at Highwire, launching three orbs of Kevolution Materia towards her. Highwire dodges the attack and scratches Dark Stray in the chest with her Plasmacore Claws. Dark Stray kicks Highwire away, as he screams loudly. "The insanity of Darkeon is upon you!" Splode slaps Dark Stray in the face, planting a Remote Explosive beside his head. CRZ-8 throws his Billiard Grenade at Dark Stray, as the grenade splits into three explosive billiard balls. The explosion knocks Dark Stray into the air, as Splode presses the button on the Remote Explosive's detonator, blowing up the explosive on Dark Stray's face. Dark Stray is knocked out, as Darkeon seeps out of Stray and back into the blood pool. The blood pool begins to transmogrify again, as the liquid is now contaminated with Kevolution Materia. Two large arms rise out of the liquid, followed by a torso. A cracked CUBE manifests on the body, forming Darkeon's head. The entire area begins rumbling, as roots begin tearing through the walls of the Dark Room. Ableton looks around in fear and yells. "What's happening?!" Highwire faces Rinzler and responds. "He's drawing power from the Herald Tree! Nox mentioned the tree as being part of the plan, but not like this!" Loads of Cube Fiends begin manifesting around Darkeon. Amidst the rumbling, the ceiling begins to tremble. An IO Drill drops down from the ceiling and lands near the Vault Guardians. The top hatch of the IO Drill opens up, as Huntmaster Saber begins shooting at some Fiends with his Thermal Scoped Rifle. Amara faces Saber and reacts. "Saber?! How did you find us?" Saber faces Amara and responds. "No time to explain, Luxe!" Saber gets out and continues shooting the Cube Fiends around Darkeon, as Drift, Mizuki, Mystica, and Doctor Jekyll exit the Drill and help out in the fight. Darkeon begins yelling, as Mizuki begins slicing him with her Kinetic Blade. "You test my patience! I will take all your lives!" Drift then slices one of Darkeon's arms off with his Rift Edge, slowly breaking his body apart. Splode looks at the reinforcements and yells. "Hell yeah, folks! Show Darkeon how we fight!" Ableton faces Splode and reacts. "Wait... Did you call them all here, Whitty?" As Mystica attacks Darkeon with her Ashglow Blade, Splode responds. "Yes I did, Able!" Huntmaster Saber drops down to the group with Evie in his hands, after having freed her from the machine she was strapped to. Thunder faces Ableton, Willow, and Splode and speaks. "All the beacons have been lit. You've done the impossible. You've united this city. And reminded us that we need each other." Evie turns to Thunder and responds. "So, how do we feel about making Splode's friends here honorary members of the Peace Syndicate?" Thunder faces Evie and answers her. "Of course. And you're getting your own signature menu item at the Thunder Roll." The entire Dark Room begins to fall apart, as Jekyll yells. "The area is collapsing! Everyone to the Drill!" Everyone immediately piles into the IO Drill, as Highwire quickly grabs Stray's unconscious body and gets in. Triarch Nox tries to get into the IO Drill, as Jekyll reacts to him. "Stay here and die, you bracket-faced trickster!" Jekyll kicks Nox away and shuts the hatch, as Saber maneuvers the IO Drill into the wall and begins drilling everyone's way out. Darkeon's body begins to crumble, as the Dark Room collapses due to all the roots overgrowing in the area. Inside the IO Drill, Evie responds to Thunder's earlier answer to her. "How about the City Saver Supreme? You could make that roll a lunch special! Ooh! How about Hero Meat? Just a big piece of meat with the word 'HERO' cooked into it." Thunder turns to Evie and responds to her. "Hey, who's chef around here? You stick to playing with knives." Evie reacts to what Thunder has said. "Haha, deal! Don't need to tell me twice." Evie turns to Ableton, Willow, and Splode and speaks to them. "If you ever need any backup... We owe you one. Call us, and we'll be there!" Evie then throws up a peace sign at the Vault Guardians. "Keep the peace, heroes." Willow tightly hugs Rinzler, as they enjoy their ride within the IO Drill. Above ground, near the fault line adjacent to a gas station, Xander Necalli, Marigold, Grimey, and Gnash all observe the roots sprouting around the fault line. Xander faces Marigold and comments. "Ooh... These mysterious roots. Something is happening to Asteria, and I'm not sure what." Marigold turns to Xander and responds. "I'm not sure either. Grimey noticed these earlier, and had me come over to check." Gnash looks around and comments. "Well... This has been an eventful evening, Necalli. Can we go now? This place just doesn't feel right." As Xander and his mercenaries prepare to leave, Xander faces the roots and whispers. "Will you take me closer to el Punto Cero?" Evie has been rescued, the Unseen has been trampled, and Nox's plans on bringing back Darkeon have been foiled. This turned into quite a spectacular display of teamwork and mayhem for me and Willow. Although... This does leave a major question for us to figure out... What exactly did Darkeon do with those roots? Whatever he did, it will prove to be something... Wild... for me and Willow.

I set a calendar reminder months ago. “Post Bourdain five year death thing on reddit.” I figured it would be a favorite photo, a quote or maybe an anecdote about how, in retrospect, I could hear and see his unhappiness and fragility. This last one really sucks because, like many of you, I had my blinders on while he was alive. The signs were there, but he was doing so much cool shit that he was able to hide his depression. Sleight of hand. These days, I look past people’s envious facades and wonder what they really have going on. It’s exhausting.
I’ve silenced the calendar reminder four times already today. Everything I can think to show you is redundant or trite. The world needed more Bourdain; I don’t know that it needs more posts about him. I don’t need them. And yet, here I am. Is it ironic? Annoying? Stupid? I guess my plan is to make this more about me—more about us—than Tony.
Obviously Bourdain comes up in this sub all the time. There’s truly nothing left to say about the man in a grand, enlightening sense. Everyone knows who he was, what he meant to the food and media worlds. We’ve watched and read all the things. Many of us went deeper—making more and less than we should of his relationship with Eric Ripert, his hush-money scandal, his secret reddit account, his tattoos. There’s nothing left to find. What could we possibly read today that we won’t already know? Bourdain had a gift for prose. He changed the way the world thinks about food and travel. He’s dead. So be it.
Since I still feel like writing something, I thought I’d appeal to those of you who remain broken. I was broken before Bourdain killed himself, and I was lost afterwards. When all these documentaries and biographies come out, I often wonder who’s consuming them. How can these people be true Bourdain fans, when I still can’t bring myself to reread his sentences, let alone watch something with his voice in it? Time does heal though, and I’m finally realizing that my aversion to everything Bourdain is as much a sadness for his passing as it is self-preservation. Which is to say, in case you haven’t figured it out already, I also struggle with depression.
I had too much riding on Anthony Bourdain. He was the closest thing I had to a hero. He was more of a chef than I’ll ever be. He wrote better. Told better stories. Traveled more. Had cooler video equipment. Gave fewer fucks. Sexier. More socially and politically aware. He generated the most interesting content. It made me jealous in the best way, creating intrigue and drive and passion. He had most of the things that I want, and they weren’t enough—a brutal reality that will haunt me for a long time.
But that’s just it. I’m still here. For me, that’s actually really powerful. It’s a specific thing I do better than Bourdain. Staying alive.
I know we are supposed to celebrate accomplished people on the anniversary of their deaths, but I can’t do it. Not today. My hunch is that a few of you feel the same. Am I sad that I don’t get to follow Bourdain’s life anymore? So fucking much. But he’s gone, and we’re here. Sometimes our heroes aren’t as strong as we think they are. And, sometimes, we are stronger than we think we are. Tonight at least, I hope we all give the blade another spin.
​
"question and answer" charles bukowski
he sat naked and drunk in a room of summer night, running the blade of the knife under his fingernails, smiling, thinking of all the letters he had received telling him that the way he lived and wrote about that— it had kept them going when all seemed truly hopeless.
putting the blade on the table, he flicked it with a finger and it whirled in a flashing circle under the light.
who the hell is going to save me? he thought.
as the knife stopped spinning the answer came: you're going to have to save yourself.
still smiling, a: he lit a cigarette b: he poured another drink c: gave the blade another spin.

• Scorpion
• Subzero
• Raiden
• Sonya Blade
• Jax
• Kano
• Johnny Cage
• Lui Kang
• Kung Lao
• Kitana
• Mileena

This is just for fun, I know you MK1-4 fans are crazy about your originals lol. But for me it’d have to be Kano and Raiden. Just redesign/give more love to one of the other black dragon members to replace Kano. And I say, just make Fujin the new Earthrealm protector instead of Raiden (especially since he might not even be a god anymore)
Side note: I hate that they called this game “MK1” I miss when the games had actual names like Deception, Armageddon, etc.